SCREEN WOODY ALLEN GETS AWAY WITH MURDER
Joaquin Phoenix rises again in Irrational Man GEORGE PRENTICE In the opening frames of Irrational Man, we see Joaquin Phoenix as a whiskey-soaked professor Joaquin Phoneix (right) is so fine in Woody Allen’s Irrational Man that his acting trumps one of the truly worst performances of the summer from Emma Stone (left). Abe Lucas—his flask is rarely out of reach— weaving his own id through Franz Kafka’s nearly derailed his filmmaking once again. There found the perfect companion piece to Crimes theories of morality and murder. A few moments later, we hear Emma Stone as Jill, a naive and Misdemeanors, which so aptly considered the isn’t a single frame in this film in which Stone comes across as a believable, and I’m afraid she’s immorality of taking a fellow human’s life. college student. In a less-than-poetic narrative, dangerously close to living in James Franco-land, One of the best things I can say about Irratioshe says of the malcontented Lucas, “I think he a place where they don’t say no to many film nal Man is that this murder mystery really isn’t was crazy from the beginning.” Deep into the much of a mystery at all. Allen’s economical script projects. Memo to Emma Stone: Sit some out. film, we hear Lucas again: “I’m Abe Lucas; and is built on a sober, through-line narrative in which You’re a fine actress, but please be patient. Wait I have murdered.” Therein lies the quite typical for the appropriate roles and, for goodness sakes, the audience knows exactly where it’s heading: frame of Irrational Man, an atypical dramatic stop saying “yes” to every project. achievement from writer/director Woody Allen. Cold-blooded murder (thus, the film’s R rating). On a positive note, kudos for the superb use To that end, I found Allen’s story similar to a Allen has been down this road before, but he of the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s classic 1965 recordclassic episode of the 1970’s TV series has rarely been better, and he ing of “The In Crowd” as the foundation of Columbo, where the viewers identify has Joaquin Phoenix to thank. IRRATIONAL MAN (R ) Irrational Man’s soundtrack. It swings and sways the murderer and the crime at the It is in Phoenix’s performance Directed by Woody Allen when necessary and even occasionally tightens the outset, but spend the next 90 minutes that Irrational Man exudes Starring Joaquin proceedings, almost like a noose. It’s Allen’s best unraveling what at first appears to be a a tension and authenticity Phoenix, Emma Stone use of music since his Gershwin-themed 1979 perfect murder until some element of making this Allen’s best full-on opus, Manhattan. imperfection is ultimately revealed. drama since 1989’s Crimes and Opens Friday, Aug. 7 at The Flicks, 646 W. Fulton For the record, I’m a huge fan of Phoenix and Unfortunately, Joaquin Phoenix is Misdemeanors. St., 208-342-4288, can even excuse some of his odd career choices. saddled with carrying a bit too much of Allen has danced with death theflicksboise.com. In fact, there are times when I think he chanthe water when it comes to the acting on the big screen on multiple nels his acting skills from another era. Many of in Irrational Man. He’s opposite an occasions, but he had nearly his performances have more in common with embarrassing (and perhaps irrational) miscastworn out his dance card when it came to hackMontgomery Clift, James Dean or even a young ing of Emma Stone as a college co-ed and Lucas’ neyed plots of the “perfect murder” in multiple Marlon Brando. In Irrational Man, it’s no mystery flops and near-misses: Cassandra’s Dream, Match paramour. Stone nearly mucks up the entire he’s one of the best of his generation. Because of proceedings and is apparently the latest in AlPoint, Scoop and the ever-dreadful Manhattan his performance alone, Irrational Man is already len’s infatuation with casting young actresses as Murder Mystery. In Irrational Man—primarily due to Phoenix’s performance—Allen has finally fictional nymphs—and his apparent obsession has one of my favorites of the year.
SCREEN EXTRA 39 ROOMS FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTS BASQUE SHORT FILMS AT MING STUDIOS Think of it like a sequel. In 2014, The Modern Hotel and Bar raised the curtain on its 39 Rooms Film Festival, a permanent festival of independently produced short films that were screened at the landBOISE WEEKLY.COM
mark Boise hotel. Now 39 Rooms organizers have teamed up with Ming Studios to expand the festival by showing 15 Basque short films in celebration of this week’s Jaialdi Festival, set to take place July 29-Aug. 2. “Some of these films are really great, and a couple in particular are spectacular,” said Modern co-owner Robert Tullis. “These Basque films
are some of the best films I’ve seen all year long.” Screenings of the Basque shorts are at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 30; Friday, July 31; and Saturday, Aug. 1 at Ming Studios. Admission is $5, each showing runs about an hour and five films will be shown each night. “I’m excited to be contributing to the Boise community by opening
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a forum for artists and filmmakers, providing access to more types of cultural resources,” said Ming Studios founder and Executive Director Jason Morales. —Keleah Pinto See the ad in this week’s Boise Weekly or visit mingstudios.org for a full list of films.
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