
After enduring two other films about the Zodiac killer, Alexander Bulkley's mediocre 2005 flick "The Zodiac" and Ulli Lommel's atrocious 2007 cash-in "Curse of the Zodiac," we were pretty Zodiac-ed out by the time David Fincher's "Zodiac" (Paramount) was finally released on DVD. But five minutes into the picture it was clear that this was no sleazy slasher flick or overbearing documdrama. Instead, "Zodiac" is sobering and thought provoking, relying on the basics of good moviemaking -- strong story, great acting, effective pacing and creative cinematography -- instead of cheap thrills.
The film -- based on the book of the same name by Robert Graysmith -- explores the crimes of a cryptic killer, largely from the perspective of journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) and Graysmith, a newspaper cartoonist Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhall). For those unfamiliar with the Zodiac, he was a California serial killer in the late '60s and early '70s that became notorious for leaving messages in code at the crime scenes of his victims. His legendary messages included demands to three San Francisco papers to print his code in its entirety of the front pages of their publication in order to avoid further bloodshed.
Surely, "Zodiac" is a movie about victims, suspects and the people whose job it is to examine both. And the film succeeds in part by creating a high level of tension and suspense before and during the manhunt. But it's also a story about obsession and the sacrifices abnormally motivated individuals make to pursue their goals.
When the killings start, Avery is an ambitious writer in search of a good story, but as the case progresses, he gets sucked into the whirlpool of drama and intrigue and eventually receives a death threat from the Zodiac, himself, which triggers his rapid downward spiral. But as he becomes a gun-toting, antisocial alcoholic, cartoonist Graysmith develops his own fixation with the Zodiac and, after the killings end, decides to write a book about the murderer. Graysmith fancies himself as much an investigator as investigative reporter and chases down lead after lead years after everyone around him seems to have forgotten about the Zodiac. While these folks have moved on with their lives, Graysmith seems intent on destroying his in the pursuit of an ideal and the quest for a missing conclusion.
The Number 23 (New Line) -- Speaking of books that drive people crazy, The Number 23 is a bizarre story about dog catcher Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) whose wife Agatha (Virginia Madsen) gives him a murder mystery as a gift, and as he reads it, he discovers that the characters bear striking resemblance to people from his own life. At first, everyone around him blames his imagination, however, as he delves further into the novel it becomes clear that the similarities are no mere coincidence. And when the main character Fingerling learns that the number 23 is, in some way, tied in to everything sinister and evil in the world, Sparrow, too, is consumed by the numerical conspiracy. So, when Fingerling goes crazy and kills the one he loves, Sparrow becomes convinced he'll fall prey to the same fate. In addition to being original, the plot of "The Number 23" is fairly unpredictable and is full of fascinating twists. Yet, for such a great storyline, the movie inexplicably drags. The numerical quandary is interesting, but the characters aren't developed enough to really care about. And when they open up nightmarish doors of discovery, the scares are dulled by general ambivalence. On the whole, "The Number 23" doesn't quite work, but director Joel Schumacher sure deserves credit for trying.
300 (Warner Bros.) -- Lots of movies have been based on graphic novels; "300" actually becomes one. The film doesn't just follow the plot of Frank Miller's comic, it completely captures the look and vibe without being animated. Shot with real actors against a blue screen, the performances are striking and inspiring, yet it's the CGI that makes "300" a visual spectacle. The story revolves about a standing army of 300 Greek Spartans -- including King Leonidis (Gerard Butler) -- who valiantly take on a battalion of thousands of Persians, and are determined to defeat them all or die trying. Not only do the special effects allow director Zack Snyder to capture the scope of a massive military campaign that swarms with raining arrows, violent decapitations and all manner of steel on steel combat. They also enable to movie to visually duplicate the graphic novel. Backgrounds and buildings appear drawn, mud and dirt fly through the air as soldiers combat and stabbings are accompanied with showers of blood that look like scenes from a videogame. "300" may be a simple tale about honor and freedom, but with the help of a thousand fight scenes and a million computer effects it becomes the kind of tour de force movies like "Excalibur" and "Braveheart" could never truly be.
Bloodlines (ThinkFilm) -- Gritty, brutal and unapologetically sadistic, "Bloodlines" is a troubling tale about the exploits of an inbred family like comparable to the ones in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Hills Have Eyes." These troglodytes kidnap young women and subject them to humiliation, degradation, impregnation and, of course, death. We'll start from the top. After abducting their prey, the family lock the ladies in a cell for a while, then throw them in a ring and force them to engage in "Gladiator"-style fights to the death. Finally, the head of the household (Jason Padgett) rapes the winner in an effort to extend his family's bloodline. Sound unbearable? Well, we didn't even mention the incest scenes or the close-ups of necks snapping like chicken wings. Fortunately, there's a heroine (Grace Johnston) who's not about to die lying down, and she manages to substantially whittle down the bad guys' numbers. As creatively vicious as the story is, "Bloodlines" is fairly predictable and the acting is sub-par. What makes the movie at all arresting is the sheer nastiness of its presentation. If "The Last House on the Left" is your idea of popcorn-munching fun, this one might also get your blood pumping.
Night Junkies (Allumination) -- There seems to be no shortage of vampire films recently. But in the case of Lawrence Pearce's "Night Junkies," there's room for one more. As its title implies, the story is one of addiction, but also deals explicitly with sex and sacrifice. The plot revolves around a London strip club that encourages its dancers to engage in acts of prostitution. Unfortunately, for the manager/pimp Max (Jonathan Coyne), the best performers keep falling prey to a sadistic killer. Pretty soon if becomes clear that vampires with a penchant for hot women have infested the city. But not all the bloodsuckers are so eager to feed, and when guilt-ridden blood junkie, Vincent (Giles Alderson) turns exotic dancer Ruby (Katia Winter) into a vamp, the movie turns into a love story in which both try to cure their hunger by going cold turkey. Suspenseful and exciting, "Night Junkies" is a triumph in low budget moviemaking.