Review: Gory ‘Hostel,’ entertaining ‘Kiss Kiss’ light up screen

When The New York Times publishes a film’s Motion Picture Association of America rating, it also gives the reasons for that rating. Here’s what The Times printed about the R rating on Eli Roth’s “Hostel”: “It pushes the category to the limit with nonstop profanity, bigotry, drug use, nudity and a great deal of extremely graphic torture, dismemberment and murder.”

There is a lot of gore and torture, but the first act plays like a soft-core porn film. Three young dudes who are backpacking across Europe are now in Amsterdam. Say no more.

While there they get a tip from a Danish stoner about a hostel in Bratislava that makes Amsterdam look like an Amish barn raising.

So, off they go to Bratislava.

There’s no use describing the intricacies of the plot; there are many. If you like horror, gore and tense situations – and if you aren’t opposed to a dozen or more naked women – you’ll see “Hostel.” It borrows heavily from old school 1970s bloodfests such as “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” as well as from the new ultra-violent Asian films. The film has great production values and never looks or feels like a made-for-the-drive-in “B” movie.

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

Pauline Kael, the grand dame of American film critics, supposedly saw a film poster in Italy which translated into “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.” She later published a collection of essays using that title and wrote that, “(it) makes us despair when we begin to understand how seldom movies are more than this.”

Shane Black, who wrote the screenplays for “Lethal Weapon,” “The Last Action Hero” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” makes a stylish debut as a director. “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang,” while containing violence, nudity and obscenities, is at the other end of the spectrum from the aforementioned “Hostel.”

“Kiss Kiss” is lots of fun and a real treat for fans of hard-boiled detective novels like those of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, and for folks who really love the film medium.

Robert Downey Jr. gives his finest performance as Harry Lockhart, a New York City thief trapped in a world he never made.

After a botched burglary at a toy store, Harry is mistaken for a hot-shot young actor. He’s whisked off to L.A. by his new agent to do a screen test for an upcoming detective movie.

Val Kilmer is hilarious in the role of detective “Gay” Perry van Shrike, and while the bulk of the film spans only four days, Harry and Gay have enough adventures together to ensure a lifetime bond; and hopefully a sequel.

While at a swank Hollywood party, Harry runs into an old childhood sweetheart. Michelle Monaghan plays Harmony Faith Lane, who is one of several linchpins in Black’s wonderfully twisting plot.

Harmony is a devotee of detective novels featuring Jonny Gossamer. The gimmick of these novels is the fact that Jonny starts out working what appears to be two separate cases. They always turn out to be connected. Black’s screenplay is thus. It’s a wildly entertaining film with a fresh approach.

“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” is playing at The Moxie through Jan. 19.

The Moxie is owed an apology. Last week’s “Intermission” stated that the film “Junebug” had never played in Springfield. Indeed it did. It ran at The Moxie Nov. 30–Dec. 6. Apologies to Dan and Nicole Chilton.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.

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