BRICK: A film noir set in a high school...and the best film I've seen lately.

Howdy all, it's a return for The James. Sorry to have been away so long, but combatting illness, end of the quarter madness, and getting the new Fox Soccer Channel, all conspired to prevent me from keeping up with the blog. I will try to keep it more current, and thanks for checking back. On to business: I watched a few flicks this weekend: High Tension (Amazing in conception and execution, and I totally recommend this intelligent horror flick), Neighbor #13 (boastfully derivative of Oldboy and Fight Club without anything truly new to add), and Brick! Brick was UNBELIEVABLE...the kind of film that makes you wonder why so much crap is out there when this is possible, and intimidates you if you ever aspire to make one yourself. It's a new feature from writer/director Rian Johnson, who edited the wonderful little horror flick May from a couple of years ago, and it's basically channeling Dashiel Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Bogart, Lorre, and the whole wise-cracking, street-lingo, absence of simplicity, murky morality atmosphere that comes along with Film Noir; but set in a high school. One guy, Brendan, is trying to help his ex-girlfriend, and then has to solve her murder. The characters are all over the top...but still manage to represent the same dark truths about human beings that all film noirs have: we're selfish, there is no goodness, and life (truth) is cheap and only individually relevant. Trust no one in the film, as it is set in an environment of lies, and no one escapes unscathed. I wish all my kids would watch this and judge the usual bullshit they consume against it. Anyway, it's my recommendation for the video store, or a purchase that will hopefully entertain, and inspire you that there are still genuine and authentic voices out there trying to make art in the middle of a commercial vacuum...a film noir setting in itself.