Brick

Remember the name Rian Johnson. Writer-director of Brick. This is the best first movie I have seen in years. Somewhat like Buffy crosses vampire and high school, this crosses film noir and high school. Except it goes further in that the language is all noir. Sheer poetry. The comparison is probably more appropriate to make with something like Luhrman’s Romeo and Juliet where the argot plays intact against the modern background. Or perhaps a touch of Clockwork Orange where the language is stylized and there are just enough neologisms to keep you on your toes. All I know is I was spellbound just listening. And it has one of those marvelously convoluted noir plots with the final exposition, the femme fatales, the Bogart like protagonist lurching from beating to beating but with a touch of the Man with No Name’s manipulation of opposing forces, and all against a big sky background (filmed in San Clemente I hear), starkly beautiful.

Rian had a previous 8 minute film called Evil Demon Golfball from Hell and was the editor on May (which I finally saw after much prodding from Christine; not perfect but a rather disturbing and unique piece of horror). Looks like Brick gave him the big break. Next year he finishes the Brothers Bloom which sounds a little noirish starring Rinko Kikuchi (Babel), Adrian Brody and Rachel Weisz.