Sean Glass

Carlos is a very unique achievement both in today’s cinema and really compared to any of its predecessors. At once, it can most easily be compared to longer form feature films in the guise of television mini-series like Red Riding as well as contemporary genre and similar genre work from the 1970s. With Carlos, writer/director Olivier Assayas takes a gigantic leap in his career while also maintaining some of his consistent themes of globalization and even espionage in a way.

The strengths of this film lie in the atmosphere and sense of place. Director Jorge Michel Grau really makes the most of his location and gives us a lush portrayal of Mexico City. The production design of the house where much of the film’s action takes place is congruent with the wear that the landscape has taken.

This is not some kind of subjective filmmaking experience like Cloverfield, for Reichardt never calls to attention her use of perspective. There’s no “high concept” here. She only uses the point of view camera work when it serves a purpose, and it’s never one of those shaky handheld situations meant to simulate the character’s eyes.

Full disclosure: I’m not a fan of any of Julie Taymor’s movies, but this is really the rare case where I blame it more on my own personal taste than Taymor’s value as a filmmaker. For some reason I always feel the need to tune out during Taymor’s work. I’ve never been a Shakespeare guy, and I was always more Stones than Beatles.

Joe Dante started out as Roger Corman’s guy, leading to his first feature, helming Piranha. Uncredited work on Rock ‘n’ Roll High School followed, with his breakout The Howling officially put his name on the map in '81. At that point, Steven Spielberg started taking him more seriously, and not just as the dude who ripped off Jaws. He truly made his presence known with the Spielberg produced Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and the smash hit Gremlins (1984). After that, he was minted...at least for a few years.