In Your Queue: Cutie and the Assassin

Cutie and the Boxer - Zachary Heinzerling (2013) Cutie loves Bullie. Bullie loves liquor. Typical. But nothing is really that easy or straight forward in this sober documentary about the artist couple, Ushio and Noriko Shinohara. In its telling, it's about the art -- Ushio's boxing art and cardboard motorcycle sculptures, and Noriko's Cutie graphic stories --  but really, its another love story, but a little bit more complicated than most love stories. Cutie and Bullie are Noriko's creation, one that is loosely based on her own struggles with falling in love with Ushio. Ushio is a dominating presence, both in their marriage and in their art lives and it's easy to see how much better off she might have been if she had fallen for anyone but Ushio, but sometimes life doesn't let you make that decision. It just happens and leaves you paint splattered. Heinzerling is mostly hands off, letting the story unfold at a natural pace as Noriko struggles to find her artistic voice and Ushio struggles to get someone to pay him for his so the couple can keep the lights on. They are a dynamic pair, both as opposites and as artists, one you root for without quite understanding how or why it all works, but it does. (Available to stream) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YVezjywsJU

****

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - George Clooney (2002) After producer Arnon Milchan outed himself as an Israeli spy last week, I made a joke about how he could start up a club with Chuck Barris, the creator of The Newlywed Game and The Gong Show and, as he claims, a CIA assassin. This joke immediately got me thinking about Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, the 2002 biopic of Barris written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by George Clooney. It was a slick directorial debut for Clooney, who must have taken copious notes from David O. Russell and director of photography Newton Thomas Segal while he was working on Three Kings. Segal joined him as DP on Confessions as well, bringing his bag of photographic tricks along with him. If nothing else, it's a very pretty film to look at. Much too pretty and slick for Kaufmann's tastes it turns out, and the writer eventually disowned the film. But the film is more than a pretty thing to look at. Whether you believe Barris's claims or not, it makes for a great story with a high body count and Clooney and Sam Rockwell (and Rutger Hauer of course) really brought out the best, adding a cockeyed layer of black humor that settles down the more ridiculous elements of the producer-hitman story. It's damn funny, and a great film whether Kaufman wants to admit it or not. (Available to stream) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlZsSLe35z4