the movieGOOMBA

3 GOOMBAS

Brad Pitt definitely cannot pull off black hair. The dark mane replaces his charming good looks and kind eyes with plainness. It roughens up his features and it basically makes him look kinda ugly. Now, I don't drool over Mr. Pitt. Sometimes I think he's kind of abnormal, even as a blond haired, blue eyed bona fide stud. I mean, come on. Hooking up with Angelina and sharing the rainbow children family lifestyle. Only in Hollywood I guess. But despite his personal life, you can't help but enjoy Brad's movies, even when he's a mental, disturbing, Old West kind of killer.

If you haven't heard of the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, don't feel bad. The long-length titled film wasn't even popular enough to get an acronym or mnemonic, and it sure needs one. This third person narrated Western also stars Casey Affleck, younger brother to Ben Affleck, as Robert Ford, a young, naive kid who idolizes the tough evilness of Jesse James. Robert Ford manages to secure a place in Jesse James' gang, but through train robberies, murders, and hold ups, he grows to resent the outlaw and eventually helps execute a mutiny.

This is actually some high quality cinema. The cinematography is beautiful, and the matter-of-fact way of storytelling makes this film. The movie has a foreboding, morbid tone, and though slow-paced, the suspenseful anticipation of the inevitable and the curiosity that is evoked from Pitts performance as the disturbing character, Jesse James, kept me interested enough. I also thought Casey Affleck did a superb job as the cocky yet pigeon-hearted, infamous bandit fan. BUT, as strangely beautiful as this The Assassination of Jesse James is, I struggled to keep my focus on the screen. I turned the movie off about four times. I just couldn't watch it straight through. It was too drawn out, and half the time I didn't understand why Jesse James wanted to kill most of his posse, one by one. In the end, I got that it was because he was just seriously unhinged and paranoid, half of his insanity stemming from his unpredictability, but I didn't have the patience to stick with it or the characters in one sitting.

A sophisticated cinemaphile will want to watch this film to see how a movie can be different, out of the box. But for the normal, average Joe, popcorn flick viewer, this might not be his/her cup of tea. I kind of see myself in both these roles, hence the score of 3 GOOMBAS. I'm on the fence, people. Maybe let me know what you think.

3 GOOMBAS

I would never want to live in the wild wild west. Everyone is always dirty, people have wooden teeth, sugar is rationed, oranges are treats only at Christmas, and people get shot at almost every day. The only way you could get me to live in a place like that would be to promise that I would be a badass outlaw chick. Like Laura Croft of the old West. Unfortunately for me, I’m no Laura Croft, but on the good side, I only have to experience the rugged, savageness of outlawed cowboys as a voyeur.

The western, 3:10 to Yuma, stars former Gladiator, Russell Crowe, and current Batman Christian Bale as infamous outlaw, Ben Wade, and struggling rancher, Dan Evans. Evans is having a hard time making ends meet and when the opportunity to escort criminal to Yuma for a $200 reward arises, Evans jumps at the chance despite the very real threat of Wade’s erratically crazy and unforgiving posse.

So, did you notice the crazed, un-caring, highly skilled gunman who’s in man-love with Ben Wade? That’s Ben Foster, Tucker, from Disney’s short-lived TV series, Flash Forward. He’s been playing some insane roles lately, and the part of Charlie Prince has cinched his ability to act like a deranged man. I didn’t doubt you in Alpha Dog, Tuck; you can take normal human being roles now.

I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Ben Wade. He is gentlemanly, he keeps his word, and he’s cunningly smart - but he’s the bad guy. It is such an interesting duality. He steals a man’s horse, promising to return it, and he does. He kills anyone and everyone without remorse, without conscious, but he returns a man’s animal. He quotes the Bible through the film, but ignores the “Thou shall not kill” bit. Not to mention he maintains the loyalty of gang who could kick some serious ass. Ben Wade is kind of cool – and evil.

Though the movie revolves around the relationship (if you could even call it that) between Evans and Wade, its only interesting because Wade doesn’t have relationships. He’s a one-man show, and the mutual fascination between both characters is curiously appealing to watch.

3:10 to Yuma is a pretty good western. It’s no Tombstone, but luckily I didn’t really like Tombstone. In a time when westerns are sparse, 3:10 to Yuma is good enough to fill the void.