Five-Minute Window

Image of "Drive" - FilmDistrict

DRIVE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Nicolas Winding Refn’s entangled disarray of manslaughter mistaken for love and passion is, visually, a superlative trainwreak to witness unraveled.  With trancelike perspectives, dramatic framing, and slow motion effects during either tender or brutal moments, one must question whether they are seeing a presentation of truth or an elaborate representation of what the character believes to be their reality. After mulling over this film, I am still astounded by the fact that the director managed to present a film that utilizes nostalgic elements from preceding motion pictures, however it felt fresh and original. He bestowed something that was raw, real and yet dreamlike and cinematic.  Through the use of music, costume and cinematography, I felt I was transported in a convoluted timeline of the present to the 80s/70s/60s eras. Genres snarled behind a mask of a cheap pulp fiction magazine. It’s homage to pastiche while steering in the current.

“… action films, sexy stuff – one critic called them European” 

- Bernie Rose, Drive.            

Drive contains a simple plot about a man who is a stunt-driver by day and a getaway driver for robbers by night. (Refer to: The Driver feat. Ryan O’Neal). Jean-Luc Godard proclaimed that all a film needs is a gun and girl. Refn’s swaps such formula with a man and his car. The main character is a minimalist man who falls in love with a pretty girl who becomes his very own damsel in distress. For a man who acts so little, his reactions become extreme therefore this man comes across as incredibly mysterious and complex. We know nothing about his past or even his name. (Refer to: Man With No Name feat. Clint Eastwood). The protagonist, played by Ryan Gosling, either goes by “Driver”, “Kid” or “Him”. Refn is stripping down to the bare bone and only wants us to pay attention to what could be the driver’s intentions. How can we understand what’s going on and the purpose of his actions if we do not have any background information? This is where the other cinematic elements become vital key players. So, knowing that this movie is paying homage to other neo-noir films, we can gather that Driver is a man who’s misunderstood, a loner if you will. If he’s not eating at a diner by himself, then he’s either tinkering with car parts secluded in his hotel room or voyaging the city in his safe haven, Chevy Impala, contemplating what the world has to offer.

“Loneliness has followed me my whole life, everywhere; In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There’s no escape. I’m God’s lonelyman” 

– Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver.

Silently, he is always observing everything and everyone around him. A dark and brooding presence. He is a champion of holding a sever pokerface, much like classic action heroes of the 60s/70s: Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Steve McQueen and counter-culture’s leader, James Dean. Ryan Gosling made a bold decision to perform this character with little dialog for most intense instances doesn’t always entail contrived actions. During particular moments when Driver was in his hero mode, he’d wear a satin bomber jacket with a striking scorpion sawn on with gold thread, a replica of the same jacket in Kenneth Anger’s Scorpio Rising, paired along with a single toothpick. A humorous jab against the “bad guy” stereotypes depicted in motion pictures. Driver dressed this way for he didn’t have an identity of his own. He only knew what was presented in film, hence his association with film production as a Hollywood stunt driver. The introduction to his daytime job was illustrated in a form of slick trickery, much like his style as a getaway driver; A textbook presentation of a devious cat and mouse chase against the LA police. Do not believe everything you see until you receive all information. Whenever the initial state of equilibrium is provoked into disequilibrium, by some complication or crisis, then the equilibrium is restored. We are invited into the vivid continuous dream and are to dream through the narrative. One must question – what is reality? The effects of cultural hegemony.

With the symphonic blend of steady synthetic pulse rate soundtrack, Michael Mann’s infamous neo-lit neo-noir crime mythology and Paul Schrader’s American Gigolo bubble gum pink typography, Drive is an orgy of images and sounds that invoke the nostalgic past for those who encountered the 1980s. As we ride in this violent modern Grimm fairytale, it is recommended to relish in the quiet moments for the bumps in the road are hair-raising. Let your instinctual level kick into second gear for there isn’t any barefaced dialog to assist in explaining every situation that may arise. Be alert to the surroundings and more importantly, the subtle facial expressions. Once you buckle in, you’re embarking on a gripping thriller and there are no break peddles to stop. Besides, how can you say no to such a gentle face like Gosling? You can't.

On a final note, the question that everyone ponders over is – did he die? I won’t give a yes or no answer, however I will express that as “Driver” rides into the proverbial sunset, he finally accepts what kind of hero he can be. 

“… a real human being and a real hero” 

- College feat. Electronic Youth.

Restaurant Recommendation: Pizzeria Classico

Sitting on the main corner of Sutter Street in Folsom, Pizzeria Classico's casual ambiance is the perfect place to get the dirty job done – feed your starving stomach. Always start the duty with a mountain high of crisp salad in a chilled bowl that's recommended to share with a least three or more people. From there on, do not burglarize yourself from their mouthwatering garlic chips. The blend of gooey cheese, sweet, hot butter and garlic smothered on a round dough that’s combines both textures of soft and crispy is a murderous combination that you’ll gladly welcome your way. As for the pizza, you truly cannot make a wrong decision. My personal favorite: Stromboli. Your taste buds will definitely jump into fast lane! This is when a toothpick will come in handy. After a satisfying travel to “delicious town”, be sure to saunter around Sutter Street and enjoy the laidback mood Historic Folsom has to offer. A calming experience that you’ll guiltlessly steal.

Dear Suzy, Dear Sam

Image of "Moonrise Kingdom" - Focus Features

At some point in our lives, we’ve all experienced a forbidden love towards another that couldn’t be ours. In our youth, such rebellious love affair is seen as an adventure, however as we cross the path of harsh adulthood, it becomes more of a heartbreaking saunter of pain and confusion. In Wes Anderson’s newest eccentric voyage, Moonrise Kingdom, we empathetically observe such transformation between two pre-teens entering their last stage of innocence. The magical simplicity of childhood is a part of a past that all adults yearn for; Anderson expertly prods at this stifled emotion thus causing us viewers to cheer on the young lovers’ great escape.

The film is set in a fabricated “one-cop town” called New Penzance, near Summer’s End, in New England. It may be the year 1965, however the era is painted in such a light that it could be set in both the present and past. In the Wes Anderson fashion, the town is illustrated as dysfunctional, quirky, kitschy, handmade, homemade, but more importantly, inviting. Humanity set in a whimsical vision. The warm buttery yellow tinge throughout the film presents the story like an old, beloved photograph that had been improperly stored away in a dusty attic.  Each building looks like large-scale versions of miniature sets and dollhouses illuminated by theatrical lighting. It’s humorous without overstepping the boundary into cartoonish. This is a common theme that spreads even into the actors’ performances. The whole production is like one grand theatrical play at a local summer camp.

The opening sequence of the film begins with three young boys listening to Benjamin Britten’s “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”. It goes without saying that much like the orchestra, each individual in the town will encounter a force of separation before being put back together again. In order to interact with others, one has to understand their role and purpose. The only person, other than the narrator, to acknowledge our presence is a young girl in a pink dress fiercely watching us at the top of a lighthouse with her midnight black binoculars. Much like a deer in the woods, she signals that she knows that we are within observing range, watching every move each character makes.

Sam Schakowsky, a loner orphan, flees the Khaki Scouts at Camp Ivanhoe to reunite with Suzy Bishop, a misunderstood schoolgirl with a poignant personality due to her overbearing parents. The two met at a church performance of “Noye’s Fludde” (Noah’s Ark) a year earlier. “What kind of bird are you?”, Sam inquired. “I’m a raven”, Suzy replied. A biblical allegory that these two wild animals were destined to fly away and seek refuge from social order together. A brilliant nod to French New Wave’s Jean-Luc Godard’s “Le Pierrot Fou”; a common reverence seen in Anderson’s former films such as, “The Royal Tenenbaums”. Their getaway certainly stirs up a storm. Frantically, Suzy’s lawyer parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), the town’s lone officer (Bruce Willis), Camp Ivanhoe’s Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton) and “Social Services” (Tilda Swinton) hunt down the two lovebirds. While the adults embark on their own journey, we learn that they too are sad, lonely people who have desires to be loved. Such journey reminded them about their forgotten inner youth that pushed them to capture the one they loved. It’s a moving tale that certainly has a beat of its own. “Poems don’t always have to rhyme, you know. They’re just suppose to be creative”.

While Anderson transports you in this capricious, yet life-affirming saga, be sure to take note on the actors’ shortened pants (a la Anderson’s personal wardrobe style), the unique use of vehicle pov shots as well as the fun, obscure soundtrack. I challenge you to not get Hank Williams “Kaw Liga” stuck in your head.

Restaurant Recommendation: The Melting Pot's "Campfire S'mores Martini"

Though this specialty drink is only served at The Melting Pot during the winter season, lucky for us all, I found the recipe that will surely go into your First Aid survival kit. Find your favorite book, turn on your portable record player and relax by the camp fire with this delectable treat. 

Campfire S'mores Martini

Ingredients

• 2oz SKYY Vodka or Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow Vodka
• 1oz Monin Toasted Marshmallow Syrup (4pumps)
• 1oz Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
• 1oz Half & Half
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Ice
• Chocolate shavings
• Large Marshmallows

Directions

- Dip rim of glass into Monin Toasted Marshmallow, then into graham cracker crumbs.

- Fill cocktail shaker with ice, vodka, Monin Toasted Marshmallow, Hershey's syrup and half & half. 

- Cap and shake, shake, shake!

- Drizzle chocolate syrup in glass, then strain cocktail into glass.

- Garnish with chocolate shavings and marshmallow. 

- Drink and say "Yum!"

*As for the young ones, replace Vodka with vanilla ice cream.*