After X-Men Origins: Wolverine it almost feels like a good thing that this year’s summer lineup isn’t nearly as loaded with superhero films as that of last year. The genre just needs to sit in the corner and think about what its done after that gaping pile of horse shit.
Anyways, the day after I saw the latest X-Men installment, the comic book-based movie American Splendor came in my Netflix envelope and I enjoyed the hell out of it. Looking back through the last decade or so, it can be seen that several of the best movies adapted from comic books actually fall out of the realm of superheroes or Frank Miller’s heightened reality. Here’s a half dozen of my favorites meeting this standard:
American Splendor
An interesting movie with a whole lot going on at once. Paul Giamatti plays comic book author Harvey Pekar, who occasionally appears in the movie himself as both a narrator and interview subject (this blends much more seamlessly than one would expect). Pekar wrote in a style that I commonly associate with Larry David on Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm, making points and jokes about situations that annoy him in every day life (the difficult co-worker, the slow person in front of you in line at the grocery store, etc.). It is an odd and witty little independent comedy filled with neat tricks and solid performances.
From Hell
Easily my least favorite of this list, but probably better than at least half of the superhero flicks from the last decade. The source material may just be my favorite graphic novel of all time, a dense combination of research and speculation by Alan Moore regarding the Jack the Ripper murders near the end of the 19th century. The movie does not strive to put together the actual story in the same way, and is weaker because of it. That said, Johnny Depp and Ian Holm both play their roles well.
Ghost World
This movie is straight out of the mold of something like Juno. A quirky independent comedy about a girl recently graduated from high school. When she plays a plays a prank on a shut-in she begins to spiral into a self-destructive cycle, becoming more and more depressed and alienating herself from the people she cares about the most. Stars Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, and Brad Renfro. The movie shuffles between some laugh-out-loud humor and pretty weighty moments expertly from start to finish.
A History of Violence
One of David Cronenberg’s specialties throughout the years has been his ability to adapt a creepy story and create additional layers of discomfort in the process (The Fly, The Dead Zone, and Dead Ringers for example). A History of Violence follows the same trend. The original graphic novel has a terrific story, which the movie handles well. The sex scenes have the director’s thumb print and assist in making the movie an uneasy, albeit extremely satisfying watch. Ed Harris and William Hurt excel in supporting roles.
Persepolis
An autobiographical graphic novel about a Iranian girl growing up in Iran and Austria through the Islamic Revolution. A emotion-packed character study that splendidly balances history and a young girl’s personal life. The simple animation style suits the tale well and provides an interesting time.
Road to Perdition
A solid revenge movie featuring an all-star cast that includes Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Daniel Craig and Jude Law. Parts of the movie feel slow, and the child actor has a difficult time pulling his weight in the presence of some of the acting talent, but overall a well crafted story. Contains one of the most visually impressive scenes I have ever seen, with Tom Hanks walking through a heavy rainfall while on a quest for blood.
