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The Interrupters
Steve James
Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams, Eddie Bocanegra, Tio Hardiman, Gary Slutkin
(Kartemquin Films; 2011)
25
The Interrupters
The murder of Derrion Albert seemed a turning point. A 16-year-old student at Fenger High School in Chicago, Albert was beaten to death in September 2009 during a confrontation in Roseland, a confrontation that happened to be caught on video. The video shows that the boy is hit multiple times with a railroad tie and then stomped on once he’s on the ground. It’s a horrific, hectic scene, and it has helped to convict four suspects. But even as the video attracted international attention, as well as public statements by Jesse Jackson and then Mayor Richard M. Daley, Eric Holder and Arne Duncan, it also only exposed what too many Chicagoans already knew, that “invisible violence” was ravaging the city.
CeaseFire is one group working to intervene in this “war zone.” And their efforts are made visible in The Interrupters. This magnificent documentary, from producer/director Steve James and author-turned-producer Alex Kotlowitz, was the centerpiece screening of last year’s Silverdocs Film Festival. It describes its focus in an opening title: “One year in the life of a city grappling with violence.” That year is laid out by seasons in the film, but it’s shaped by three Interrupters, former offenders now dedicated to stopping acts of violence. As it details their backstories and their current efforts, the movie also considers CeaseFire’s premise, that violence can be treated like a disease, that its transmission can be interrupted. 
Cynthia Fuchs
Moneyball
Bennett Miller
Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Kathryn Morris, Robin Wright, Tammy Blanchard
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Moneyball
Moneyball is an underdog story at heart, but it shuns feel-good territory for much of its runtime. It is about baseball, yet there’s very little of the sport in it; it portrays the crux of the game as occurring behind closed doors, in antagonistic confrontations and terse telephone conversations. The film’s human element is handled exceptionally well by director Bennett Miller, and is anchored by all-round fantastic performances. Once again, following The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin has managed to make an unpromising subject palatable and absorbing; his and Steven Zaillian’s script bursts with witty and colorful retorts, ripostes and observations. All of this makes Moneyball one of the most surprising standout films of the year—it’s hard to argue with its intelligence, humor and honesty. Andrew Blackie
Contagion
Steven Soderbergh
Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, Sanaa Lathan, Elliott Gould
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Contagion
Get Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and tons of other Oscar winners to play victims of a highly contagious virus that threatens to extinguish the human race. Get the studio’s marketing department to squeeze the hell out of the “horror” angle. Announce that you might be retiring from the film industry soon… On the surface, and because of the stories that surrounded its production, Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, seemed like an imminent flop, or an Irwin Allen parody; for how could something so strangely chaotic end up working? Somehow it did and Soderbergh once again proved that he is a master of parallel storytelling and multi-character sagas. The film often plays out like a hybrid of Nashville and Outbreak but there are never easy solutions or climactic scenes where all the stories come together. Soderbergh’s vision of a world so populated, yet so detached, made for a fascinating take on the dangers of globalization and the way he subverts this perils through “genre”, made it 2011’s most terrifying movie. Jose Solís Mayén
Rango
Gore Verbinski
Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root, Ray Winstone, Beth Grant, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina, Timothy Olyphant
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Rango
Rango reminds one of how special animation can be. It transports us to a place we’ve seen and experienced before and yet does so with a viewpoint so new and novel that it reinvests our always ripe cynicism with a fresh new coat of hope. It features flawless character design, dizzying narrative fun, a lot of brilliant voice work, and just enough nods to the studio standard type to remind us of why it was made in the first place. It’s a billon times better than any Shrek, more fun than a barrel of minions, and runs rings around Rio and its ill-conceived ilk. This was a movie that tried things, that didn’t play it safe, and in the end, wound up with something wonderful. While not as popular as some of the other crappy cartoons floating around out there, it’s still the best. Bill Gibron
21
Cold Weather
With his third feature film, Aaron Katz (Quiet City) creates a fun mystery that is part film noir, part family drama. Laid-back brother and sister Doug and Gail are bored in Portland and looking for any type of excitement. When his girlfriend apparently disappears, it livens up their dull lives and offers them a chance to bond. You could call Katz’s filming approach “mumblecore” because of its minimalist style, but that wouldn’t give him enough credit. He writes believable characters that are likable even when they’re just hanging out. Doug’s obsession with Sherlock Holmes is endearing, and watching the worn-down Gail’s energy return during their investigation adds to the enjoyment. Katz creates a believable environment that’s fun to live in and lets the story develop naturally as we grow fond of the characters. The result is one of the big indie surprises of the year. Dan Heaton
