In Friends With Money, Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) is in a sense the black sheep among her friends. She is not married, wealthy, works as a maid and has no idea what do with her life. Her friends include Christine (Catherine Keener), Franny (Joan Cusack) and Jane (Frances McDormand) who are all filthy rich and have a few problems themselves. As their lives become more problematic, their friendship is put to the test and some hidden frustrations are brought forth.

This film poses one of the ultimate questions: can you feel sympathy for someone who is extremely rich? Should you care about the seemingly dumb and hallow problems these rich people have? The answer to both question is both a yes and a no. Depending on the character and the way the actor performs, you might feel sympathy for them. One thing you have to know is that all of Olivia’s friends are extremely superficial and hallow. I guess being rich gives you the right to dismiss the shortcomings of other people and placing yourself in the shoes of those people is completely out of the question. That is why I did not feel any sympathy for any of Olivia’s friends.

Not all rich people are self-absorbed assholes, but in here they all are. They think they are superior to the rest and have no issue in voicing their superiority. Olivia is constantly judged by her friends and they shot her down every time she attempts to do better herself. I got the feeling that they all, with the exception of Jane, were utterly ashamed of Olivia. And there’s even a point where Franny says that if she had met Olivia now, Franny being rich and Olivia being a maid, that they would’ve never been friends. To make matters worst, Olivia is the quintessential pushover and just lets other people use her. It’s frustrating to see such a likable character be so lost and unaware of how damaging her so-called friends really are.

The upside of all of these is that it makes for a really compelling film. Every actress here gives a great performance, especially Frances McDormand and Jennifer Aniston. I was actually very surprised by Jennifer Aniston, because she has been so many shitty films lately that I almost forgot she could act. Her character is in her comfort zone yes, but she gives a very likable and intriguing performance. The moments of confrontation between her and her friends, you can see Aniston’s range and she does create a full-flesh character in Olivia. I should also not that the actors in this film also give great performances and add a lot of great drama and interaction to the film.

While I may have detested most of the characters in Friends With Money, this is nonetheless a great and debate-inducing film. It brings to mind how rich people behave and how their wealth has in some way lower their humanity. Moreover, it shows how influential and threatening money can be even in a circle of really close friends. Jennifer Aniston gives a great performance and this is the kind of films she should be making, not that romantic-comedy bullshit she has been doing lately.

Before I saw this film in class today, I had seen it twice before and both times I hated it. To me this film was just an exercise in ridiculousness and over the top nonsense. I thought Nicolas Cage gave one of the worst performances of his career. Having said, watching it a third time in class produced a completely different reaction from me. To put things simply, now I love The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

I’ll put things in context so that you, and I for that matter, can understand exactly why my reaction towards it was so different. In this class we analyze and breakdown modes and style of performances in films. Today’s topic was on excess in performance, meaning highly non-naturalistic performances. Nicolas Cage, of course, is the king of excessive performances. He is known for giving over-the-top performances and he has done it to such a degree that we now expect him to go insane in every film he is in.

Normally people would see his performance in The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans as not only extremely over-the-top, but also as a sign of bad acting. That last part of is actually not true at all, because if we breakdown his performance here you will notice that he gives one of the best performances of his career. Everything from the way he positions his body to the way his tone of voice changes as he goes crazier, Nicolas Cage’s great acting skills are in full display here.

For my third go at watching this film, I took away all notions I had about it and established these new ideas about excess in performance. One must also take into account how an extreme performance such as this fits with the overall film. Does the film service this type of performance? Is the performance going against the grain? How are the other performances in comparison to Nicolas Cage’s?

In The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Terrence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) suffered an injury after saving a man from drowning that has left him with a damage spine and overwhelming pain. Since the vicodin isn’t enough to ease the pain, he starts doing cocaine. From the get-go we see that Terrence’s methods are extreme and at times unlawful, but he gets the job done. When his supply for cocaine stops, he attempts to find it any way possible which includes making a deal with drub kingpin Big Fate (Xzibit). While this is going on, Terrence is also trying to solve the murder of an African family and find money to save his prostitute girlfriend, Frankie (Eva Mendes) from being raped/killed.

This film as a whole is an exemplification in excess. It isn’t just Nicolas Cage who is over-the-top, everything else about this film is as well. The plot of the film is ridiculous and it overplays with generic themes found in many cop films. Werner Herzog’s direction is also over-the-top and the addition of the iguana-videocam is both hilarious and absurd. Even the soundtrack is filled with these odd and crazy songs that actually fit perfectly with everything else. A curious thing also happens with the actors’ performances, because every time they’re sharing a scene with Nicolas Cage their performances tend to go for the extreme. In a way, it is is as if they are feeding off of Nicolas Cage’s craziness.

I know this will sound odd, but I noticed that Nicolas Cage’s performance wasn’t as excessive as I thought originally. Because if you place him in the context of all the crazy shit happening around him, his performance is exactly what this world requires. His insanity is also justified by the fact that his character is pretty much high on cocaine, weed, heroin and crack throughout the whole film. I imagine if you were on all those things, acting like Nicolas Cage isn’t the least thing you would do.

After watching this film again, I can’t help but think that Nicolas Cage should’ve received an Oscar nomination for his performance. What impressed me the most was the physicality of his performance. Since Terrence has a bad back and is in pain, one side of his body is completely stiff and he can’t turn his head without turning his whole body. When he sits down he does so by keeping his back completely straight as to not cause more pain. Even the way he walks is completely different and in-sync with his physical injury. That alone tells me that Nicolas Cage really went all out with this performance and to maintain that physicality for such a long time is really admirable. Near the end of the film were goes even further down the spiral, his tone of voice inexplicably changes and it makes him look even more insane. Nicolas Cage gives a fully flesh and carefully thought out performance that isn’t bad acting at all.

Another thing that happened this time around was that I found myself laughing a lot. It got to a point where I would classify this film as a comedy, a really fucked up comedy. Cage’s performance is comedic in a lot of sense and placed alongside Herzog’s direction, the film lends itself to some very funny moments. However, the film also has this moments of extreme seriousness especially since it takes place after Katrina hit. It depicts a city filled with racism, corruption and it is very much a wounded city. It doesn’t paint New Orleans as a beautiful city, instead the film depicts the reality of the situation. So in a way there are conflicting elements within the film, but at no point does the film insult or over-exploit the harsh reality of New Orleans.

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is a crazy, excessive and over-the-top film and that is why it works so well. If you go in with all these ideas about the film then you will end up enjoying the hell out of it. The film contains some serious subject matter and takes place in a harsh environment, but that is all downplayed with the presence of Nicolas Cage and the other actors. Their excessiveness not only lends itself to create a compelling and funny experience, but it is also showcases how non-naturalistic and excess in performance can work so well. No matter what you think of Nicolas Cage, he is one of the best living actors today and even though he makes a lot of questionable films, when he puts his mind into it he can deliver an Oscar-worthy performance.

After my post about foreign films, someone gave me the idea to list my 10 favorite foreign films. But before we get the list, there are some guidelines I established in order to create a more diverse list. I’m including Spanish films even though Spanish is my native language. Since I live in Canada and I do everything in English it makes sense to consider Spanish films as foreign language films. As you will notice, most of the films on this list are Asian and I seriously tried to not include so many, but I’m just obsessed and in love with Asian Cinema so I couldn’t help myself. And I guess that’s it, so onto the list!

10. Battle Royale.

My ex-roommate recommended me this film and I’m so glad he did. Battle Royale takes place in the near future and a survival game has been established. In this game, a bunch of teenagers are thrown in an island and their mission is to kill each other, and the one that survives gets to home. This film is by far one of the most unapologetic, disturbing, awesome and humorous film’s I’ve ever seen. The way humanity and morality is pretty much bluntly shot in the face is remarkable, and it is very interesting to see what we’re capable of when survival is all that matters. Think of it as “Lord of The Flies” but actually awesome, with lots of kills and Japanese people.

9. Polytechnique.

Polytechnique was the first French-Canadian film I ever saw and it left q huge impression on me. The film follows the shooting that occurred at Montreal’s Polytechnique where a misogynistic male student when on a killing rampage and shot every women. Shot in beautifully and poetic black and white, the film’s depiction of events will shock and disturb you. It’s really frightening to see how man’s delusion and disturbed mindset can result in such a horrible catastrophe. The later part of the film focus on two survivors and how each of them deals differently with what occurred. Polytechnique is a harsh film to seat through, but ultimately it leaves you with a great sense of hope.

8. The Diving Bell And The Butterfly.

Speaking of hope, I don’t think you’ll find a more hopeful film on this list than The Diving Bell and The Butterfly. The film follows Jean-Dominique Bauby after he had a stroke which resulted in a complete paralysis of his body, except for his left eye. Even with this obstruction, Bauby manages to write his memoir a letter at a time. While the film’s story is compelling in itself, what makes is so brilliant is way it was shot. We see everything through Bauby’s left eye, which makes for some truly remarkable and at first dizzying visuals. Visually this is one of the most original films out there.

7. Oldboy.

Normally I would say that Tarantino’s Kill Bill films are the best revenge films out there, but that notion is challenged by this Korean gem right here. In Oldboy, Dae-su is incarcerated for 15 years in an old small apartment and then he is suddenly released. Seeking revenge on the person who took 15 minutes of his life, Dae-su’s search for retribution is filled with dark secrets, disturbing events, humor and unbelievable action. Park Chan-wook, who is one of my all-time favorite directors, create a revenge tale unlike no other and shit shows go way insane at the end. The truth and reason behind Dae-su’s incarceration is not only disturbing, but you will most definitely cringe once it is revealed.

6. Pan’s Labyrinth.

I believe that Guillermo Del Toro is easily one of those few rare and unique directors working today. His films are filled with fantasy elements, awe-inspiring and memorable creatures, but most importantly they contain a genuine human connection. With Pan’s Labyrinth he creates the epitome of a fairy-tale story set in the Spanish war. Not many directors can blend supernatural elements and real life elements so perfectly like Del Toro. And this film is scary, I was actually pretty scared by many of the creatures and situations Ofelia was placed in. There’s a palpable feeling of danger and doom throughout the whole film, especially with Colonel Vidal who is by far one of the most threatening villains ever. Everything about Pan’s Labyrinth works flawlessly and it is simply a masterpiece unlike any other.

5. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

I saw this film when I was 9 years old and I can still remember everything about that moment. I remember how utterly blown away I was by it and not just because of how awesome these people fought (flying around and with cool weapons), but by the amazing and heartbreaking story as well. I think this was the first film whose story I understood completely and was really touched by it. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was also my introduction to Asian cinema and showed me just how different and brilliant Asian cinema could be. I still watch it today and I’m awe of everything that happens in it, this film is really poetic and displays the best fight sequences I’ve ever seen.

4. Lady Vengeance.

This is another revenge tale brought to you by Park Chan-wook and yes, I prefer this film over Kill Bill Vol. 2. Lady Vengeance is  very special film for me because it not only made me fall in love with Korean Cinema, but it also showcases a very unique way of storytelling. Told through various flashbacks, the film focuses Geum-ja Lee search for revenge and it is really intricate and at times confusing search. At the beginning of the film you’ll have almost no idea of what exactly is happening, but as it progresses everything starts falling to place. If it were up to me, I would’ve nominated Yeong-ae Lee for Best Actress at the Oscars in 2005. She creates such a compelling, disturbed, quiet and highly memorable character. Lady Vengeance to me is the best Korean film ever and if you haven’t seen any Korean film, this should be your first.

3. Volver.

Being Spanish, it’s sort of odd that there would only be two Spanish film on this list. But oddity aside, Volver is again another film that is very special to me. It showcases the brilliance of Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz, but what I love the most is how nostalgic it makes me. My native culture has its roots from Spanish culture and the similarities between them from the way the family interacts with each other to the way normal life is presented, really brings me back. I feel a overwhelmingly genuine connection with this film, which is actually pretty rare. Volver al puts in display real and compelling women, and you don’t see that very often nowadays. It’s rare to find a film that portrays women exactly how they are, instead of how men think they are.

2. Let The Right One In.

Quick story about this film: there is this video store here in Canada called Rogers Video and it is like Blockbuster but actually successful. Anyway, the dvd for Let The Right One In In had been calling my name for months and months. Every time I would go to the store I would stop in front of it and wonder what is this? Why do I feel this overwhelming need to watch it? After months of resisting this urge, God knows why I resisted, I finally gave in and saw it. What resulted was something that I think at an unconscious level I was expecting: I fell in love with it. I had never seen a film like this, especially in terms of the acting. Both lead create such amazing characters and every step they each take in order to understand and express what exactly is it that they feel is brilliant. Let The Right One In has one of my all-time favorite love stories in cinema and their love for each other is palpable and real. This film is beyond words.

1. Tokyo Story.

Tokyo Story is the only film who manages to make me cry not only every time I see it, but like I cry throughout its whole running time. Sounds a bit much I know, but this film just breaks my heart and makes so sad. The film focuses on an old couple as they visit their sons and daughters in Tokyo, only to find that they don’t want anything to do with the old couple. The only one who actually cares about them is their daughter-in-law. This is sad on various levels, because it shows how some people completely neglect the people who basically gave them their lives. It paints a devastating portrait of how we slowly let go of our parents and it is heartbreaking to see how parents become of no use. Tokyo Story also deals with letting go and how we must simply move on after someone we love dies. I guess this film scares me also because I feel like I might become a son like that, a son that sees their parents as a burden. I can’t even imagine how horrible my parents would feel about that. Tokyo Story is also the only film from the 1950s that I enjoy and I will forever be thankful to that Film Intro class for introducing me to this masterpiece.

Honorable Mentions: The Host, Maria Full Of Grace, The Class, Mother, House of FLying Daggers, Run Lola Run.

And that is my list! I hope some of these films have sparked your interest, if not then you should still force yourself to watch them all. 

Thanks for reading!