Tales From the Queue

Pumping out a few quick reviews of some pulpy rentals in recent days:

Looper (B) - Highly entertaining, often confusing, but it holds your interest. Director Rian Johnson (“Brick”) reminds me of Danny Boyle in his facility with storytelling and his elegance with visuals. He and his cinematographer, Steve Yedlin, create some luscious images, especially during the pastoral scenes with the mother and son. Most of the actors play things obviously flat (even Emily Blunt with her nasally Middle American accent), and that likely was intentional, a way to drain the emotion from these futuristic folks, most of them displaying a practical nastiness. The violence can be wearing, especially every time Bruce Willis sneers and blows someone away or, yawn, escapes from a dozen armed pursuers. Johnson’s shtick works throughout to keep it all together, but he probably needs a fresh tack next time.

Arbitrage (B+) - I’ve been a closet Gere-head for decades, and he doesn’t let us down here, as Nicholas Jarecki confidently spins a tale of suspense, filled with fine performances, even Susan Sarandon in the thankless role of the cuckqueaned wife. It ain’t “Crime and Punishment,” but it’s as close as mainstream Hollywood usually gets. I was riveted throughout, but the high fades quickly after the movie ends.

Headhunters (B+) - From Norway, a tale of a headhunter who moonlights as an art thief. What I thought would be a Bond-like thriller takes a significant left turn about a third of the way through and turns into a bloody, violent manhunt. Extra points for offering creative ways of firing a weapon, including through the fly of your pants just in time to stop the mistress with a knife. Full of clever twists, but pulpy as hell.