The Hunger Games

When I first saw The Hunger Games trailer, I thought to myself, "I should probably read those books." So I did.

On second viewing, the trailer comes off as incredibly faithful. The source material is pretty good to start with, and the premise is simple but compelling. As with many adaptations, it's in the execution. The Hunger Games aims to execute well.

While I feel the first book will make for a good movie, the trilogy as a whole would likely make a better episodic series. The books are laced with cliffhanger chapters that rival some of TV's best, ala Lost, Alias, and True Blood. The second and third books especially will be hard-pressed to be condensed into the inevitable feature-film follow-ups. The second book, Catching Fire, is more of an extended conclusion to the first, and takes its sweet time setting up the next equally exciting "event," albeit one wholly worth the wait.

The third book, Mockingjay, poses the bigger issues for an adaptation. It's the contender to continue the recent trend of splitting the last part of a series into two separate movies. In this case it's entirely warranted, as Mockingjay is a huge story that plays out the series' somewhat-epic conclusion. I say 'somewhat' because while the events leading to it are indeed epic, the actual conclusion is not something one gives credit to the typical movie-going audience for accepting. Spoiler alert: It's depressing as fuck.

What strikes me even more is that the source material would make a great videogame. The concept alone lends itself to many gamer-centric features, and gruesome though some may be I can definitely see players clamoring for the chance to prove themselves. In an mash-up of Survivor and The Most Dangerous Game, players can move though generations of Games and their accompanying arenas, each fraught with deadly traps and the ability to form strenuous alliances. The social MMO aspect seems untapped-- actual, virtual Hunger Games could be held on a national and international level. Games can be sponsored, players could be "drawn," prizes could be awarded. And all you have to do is be the last man or woman standing by outlasting, out-witting, or straight-up killing every other opponent. Just sayin'.

The Hunger Games also seems to have spawned a multitude of fan films, many found easily by hopping around YouTube. If you've read the books, this one is particularly good. 

The Playboy Club vs. Pan Am

Two shows set out to evoke the verve of 1960's America, feverishly digging into nostalgia for those who remember and sparking fantasy for those who cannot. One spilling out of its corset, espousing the lavish nightlife and mystique of the era's most favored fetish. The other neatly tucked into uniform, bright and airy with the promise of the world before it. A comparison not unlike Batman and Superman, Gotham City versus Metropolis, if you will. Ensemble casts, superb production, and entwining storylines are found in both, but it's really only one that edges out…

THE PLAYBOY CLUB

NBC took a bold move signing up for this one, and their hearts were probably in the right place. Certainly the network was searching for any kind of drama to bring it some notice, least alone some critical cachet found by the likes of AMC's Madmen, which can't be ignored as inspiration. The Playboy Club as an entity comes with heaping bagfuls of history and backstory. Sex appeal is front and center, and it's the good kind. "Good" meaning innocent and coquettish, all costumes and cleavage. The premise -- the adventures and goings on of the women who work the iconic ears and tail-- seems like a can't miss. Well, on Cable, perhaps. On Network? With all it has going for it, the inability of a NBC to really take some risks to allow the series to get beyond its dressing becomes its greatest block. This disappointment seems unnecessary, since Network, even NBC, is more than capable of creating and sustaining a great one-hour drama.

It's not even about sex. There's a nice helping of sex alongside the obvious built-in appeal in the first three episodes. It comes down to the ham-fisted approach of character introduction and lackluster plot lines, many seen coming a mile away alongside others that have come too many times before. Ironically one of the most interesting subplots introduced is the least touched upon: Leah Renee Cudmore playing Bunny Alice, a closeted lesbian "married" to her closeted gay husband Sean, Sean Maher. The two have teamed up in the still conservative 60's to protect each other's identities while clandestinely attempting to further acceptance via an underground organization. Each characters' circumstances both inside the club and out show legitimate promise with parallels to today's equal rights issues.

In comparison, other characters could more than use origins as half as interesting. Leading man Eddie Cibrian as Nick Dalton is so straight as the would-be political avenger, he becomes little more than a stubbly mannequin in a nice suit. His political aspirations and loose mob ties are tired story points and do little to make him worth following. The stars of the show, the Bunnies, fare better, but not much. The new one, the tough one, the domineering one, the sassy one, the nice one-- they're all here. They are quick to point out the rules of The Club for us sheltered viewers and labor over the trials of being a Bunny. Not that they aren't real or accurate; so far the exposition, if forced, is all up to par. Many tidbits seem quoted verbatim from Katherine Leigh Scott's "The Bunny Years," an outstanding account of life working for the The Playboy Club, and not suprisingly cited as one of the sources for the series.

What brings the Bunnies life are the actresses beneath the ears. Each of course stunning to look at in uniform and out (more so in), they do their damnedest to deliver on the mediocre scripts and situations. If anything, The Playboy Club is a breakout vehicle for Amber Heard who plays ingénue Bunny Maureen. She seems born for playing the era, the camera loves her and the sight of her strutting around in satin is often more than enough reason to sit through an entire episode. Meanwhile, Laura Benanti vies for equal attention as Carol Lynn. Lithe and dark haired in a black bunny suit, she really can command attention even if the script forces her to be artificially bitchy. As a performer at the club in addition to her "Bunny Mother" duties, Carol Lynn is front and center in some of the more enjoyable sequences of the show.

Though the stories lack oomph, where The Playboy Club shines is in its gorgeous production value. Many scenes are shot with cinematic composition, and the overall direction is solid. There are scene upon scene with wonderful lighting and fantastic sets, mainly in the Club proper. Every set piece in the show is drenched in color, harmonic alongside the dreamy costuming the era has to offer. There are Emmys to be had here on the production side, were the show able to vie for them. Any fan of what The Playboy Club has to offer visually would not be disappointed.

Alas, we'll never know if the Bunnies would have found a groove (or some decent story lines), as The Playboy Club was the first of NBC's new fall season to get the axe!


PAN AM

Over on ABC, who rides quite a wave from shepherding several successful dramas in recent years (when not blatantly trying to recreate Lost), a refreshing entry is found in Pan Am. In many ways, it and The Playboy Club are the same show. Similar premise, similar setting, similar character archetypes, and a few more comparisons aren't hard to make. Yet the sun-blasted skyways of Pan Am become the Yin to the dark nights and stage lights of The Playboy Club's Yang.

Subconsciously we've already been set up for loving a show about Pan Am stewardesses, in that we've been given the best the concept could offer in Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can. To call Pan Am its spiritual successor is just shy of the obvious, it's as if it was merely waiting for the right time to come to fruition. Again we have production values literally reaching for the sky. Extravagant establishing shots and cinematic flair are punctuated by the spot on costuming and set design. Surely this is the dream-like remembrance of the 1960's at the peak of its entry into international travel.

The story benefits greatly from a few extensions to the focal setting, even if one or two border on the far fetched. First and most successfully is the use of flashbacks to vastly open the plot lines and provide welcome escapes from the cramped and claustrophobic airplane cabin, as nice as it is in the heyday of air travel. These flashbacks provide welcome backstory while also tying various characters together in different ways.

Guiding us above the clouds is a endearing cast of actresses who can live up to the task of making us want to fly along. The audience very quickly gets to learn there is more to these stewardesses than the uniform, and not just "girl with a mysterious past." The appearance of Christina Ricci is a welcome surprise as Maggie, the sharp beatnik wholly aware of the irony of her career. Margo Robbie takes the role of the token newcomer as the lovely Laura, but it's her sister Kate played by Kelli Garner who is the real star of the show. Rounding out the quartet of featured players is the sultry Karine Vanasse as Colette, who remains as playful as she is sweet with a French accent of which you just can't seem to tire.

One of the reaches the show makes centers around Kate's introduction into the world of... espionage. Seeing her career as an international traveler the perfect cover for delicate operations, Kate is dutifully recruited by the CIA. This waves every flag for going awkwardly wrong, but so far it's working as a foil for both the aforementioned flashbacks and future conflicts. Alias this is not, but even a light throwback to The Avengers or Mission Impossible is not the worst that could become of this development. Thankfully this device also opens up the show immensely to romantic world locations, another advantage it has over the singular locale and surrounding city of The Playboy Club. Overall the script and story is handled better and smarter than one might expect, bolstered by the crisp surroundings and attractive, talented cast.

An odd side effect of the show may have you grumbling of just how amazingly crappy it is to travel in modern times. There's no doubt the show idealizes the lifestyle purposely, but that doesn't make it sting any less. This is not to begrudge the workers of modern airlines, who's job it is to keep sane as much as the rest of us, but one can't help but imagine what such a traveling environment could have been like.

So... With each painted in the pastiche of a past era, we're given the choice of decadent night life versus shiny air travel. The ever-grey limits of Network television allow only one contender to stand out for now. Winner: Pan Am.

True Grit

The Coens are doing it again. Such an excellent teaser to what is sure to be a film that could bring back the Western. I'm certainly all for that. The fact that this is a new adaptation of the Charles Portis novel certainly has not prevented the Coens from reminding us of the iconic imagery from the John Wayne film (above photograph). View the effective teaser at Apple here.

Hereafter

Clint Eastwood brings humanity and depth to the theme of psychics and the paranormal so often misused as a horror genre when it could be much more. Using eerily familiar disasters as lynch pins, this film seems to be delving into the human need to understand tragedy, to touch "the paranormal" as a way of making sense of and deal with our mortality. Outstanding cast and the usual, understated but powerful direction of Eastwood. View the trailer at Apple here.

Palme d'Or Winner

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY, TROPICAL MALADY and BLISSFULLY YOURS) is the first Thai film to take home the top prize at Cannes. It is a poignant film whose themes are elevated by it's fantastical concept reinforced by the effectively still, moody direction.

Suffering from acute kidney failure, Uncle Boonmee has chosen to spend his final days surrounded by his loved ones in the countryside. Surprisingly, the ghost of his deceased wife appears to care for him, and his long lost son returns home in a non-human form. Contemplating the reasons for his illness--he feels his illness must be related with his bad karma. He has killed too many communists--Boonmee treks through the jungle with his family to a mysterious hilltop cave, the birthplace of his first life...

Weerasethakul's acceptance speech was no less poignant, "I'd like to send a message home: This prize is for you." Perhaps this milestone victory in Thai cinematic history will bring a bit of unifying pride to a currently fractured populace. A class act and well deserved win for Weerasethakul.

Invictus

Morgan Freeman. Matt Damon. "In a Clint Eastwood film." I don't think any more need be said. Watch the trailer now over at Apple, preferably in HD.

Edge of Darkness

This one debuted yesterday. It's good seeing Mel Gibson doing the "tough guy" thing again. His performance in Payback--and the film itself for that matter--are highly underrated. Naturally, comparisons are already being made to the surprise hit Taken but they are inaccurate. As stated before, Taken is more of a "search & destroy" film while Edge of Darkness is more the classic revenge film. Remember, one of the daughters in these films is still alive! Some uninformed commenters on various sites have also accused this film of ripping the concept of Taken. Again, this is inaccurate as Edge of Darkness is actually a film adaptation of a BBC television series from 1985.
The director of that series is also at the helm of the film version: Martin Campbell. Given his outstanding work in Casino Royale, the onscreen fireworks tantalized in the trailer below should be quite thrilling. Sizzling with subtly menacing lines, kudos must also be given to the script as well with Ray Winstone looking to have most of the meatier dialogue. Looking forward to this one very much.

Amelia

As stated in the previous post, a problem or hurdle for biographical films is the possibility that the story might dilute the mystique of the individual in question. Another hurdle, however, is crafting a story that is compelling enough for people to watch; the assumption in the case of Amelia Earhart is that people already know "the end."
This is the challenge for the filmmakers of Amelia, a film that hopes to reveal the life of the legendary aviatrix prior to her even more legendary disappearance. Hillary Swank strikes a remarkable likeness to Earhart's natural, non-fashion plate looks as well as what must have been her unfettered passion for aviation. From the trailer, it seems director Mira Nair will be approaching the narrative from the standpoint of how Earhart's pioneering spirit & ambition affects the men in her life, played by Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor, and captivates the entire nation. This could possibly be the proper way to tackle the subject matter as it creates a thematic opportunity to explore how certain individuals and the populace itself are impacted by her ultimate disappearance. It would be even better if the story were told from the perspective of those around her, perhaps Gere's character, but it is already obvious that Swank as Earhart will be the center of the film.
Kudos must be given to Mira Nair's storytelling. There are some gorgeously shot scenes in this film with Nair utilizing color only the way someone with an aesthetic background from Indian cinema could. She imparts very dreamy, almost free flight elegance to the flight scenes which is important when trying to visually relate to the audience how Amelia Earhart felt about flying.

James Cameron proved that knowing how a true life story ends, doesn't necessarily mean a film about (or even set around) real events should or will follow audience presumptions. Amelia Earhart's achievements (they were many and remarkable) and mysterious disappearance is set in history; what remains to be told is what the life she lived and void she left meant for those who knew her. Let us hope that Nair, Swank, Gere, and company will circumvent presumptions and exceed expectations. The film is set for release on October 23rd.

Air Doll

Ever since I watched After Life, I have been a fan of director KORE-EDA Hirokazu. His subtle blending of documentary-like storytelling with a simple, yet affectuous narrative left me wanting more. By the time he had made Nobody Knows, it seemed the film world, too, had noticed his remarkable sense and ability of examining humanity in the most unexpected ways. It is a shame, though readily obvious as to why, that he is more highly regarded abroad than in his native Japan. His latest film, Air Doll once again defies easy categorization.
The idea of an inanimate doll coming to life and experiencing human emotions isn't particularly new; one can easily think of films which have used this device. Where Kore-eda differs is that he has chosen an inflatable sex doll to be the protagonist. This alone increases the emotional story potential because of what the lead character is "built" for; her interaction with humans—men in particular—has a context that will most certainly play a role in how she develops emotionally. Cast for this pivotal character is Korean actress Bae Doo-na and you can already see the level of rapturous wonder she is infusing into the character with just her mannerisms and expressions. This looks to be a very charming and unique take on the classic themes of love, humanity, and self-identity. The film will be released in Japan in the Fall.

source: Nippon Cinema

Agora

Written and directed by Spanish filmmaker, Alejandro Amenabar, Agora is a historical drama set in Alexandria during a tumultuous time in Egypt's past when there was a growing movement away from mysticism & the worship of multiple gods to logic, reason, and monotheism (primarily Christianity). Enter the main characters, Max Minghella as Davus, the slave of astrologer-philosopher Hypatia played by Rachel Weisz. Davus turns to Christianity's message of hope and freedom while he fosters a growing love for Hypatia, though his master is an atheist. When a violent Christian purge of paganism in Alexandria boils over, the fate of Davus and Hypatia will decided....



I think the first thing one must be struck by after viewing this trailer is the beautifully epic scope of it. The opening shot that flies by the famed Lighthouse of Alexandria looks so natural and subtle that you are instantly transported to the time when one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still stood. No expense seems to have been spared with costumes and sets as well, reminiscent of the epic Hollywood studio films such as Ben-Hur and Cleopatra. However, let us not forget that this is a drama set in ancient time; the story of Hypatia, who was murdered by Copic Christians during uprisings in the 4th century B.C., is generally thought of as the end of the Hellenistic Period of Egypt's history. With a capable actress such as Weisz in the pivotal role, I think Agora could be one of those rare period dramas that can capture modern audiences for its surprisingly contemporary themes.

The Red Baron

This film has already hit in Europe, but I have read that reviews and audience reaction were less than stellar. I can't imagine why. Just viewing the trailer below makes me curious to see more.



Perhaps it's the subject matter, or more specifically, how it is handled. Perhaps people wanted a war movie when they actually got a more biographical film. I, on the other hand, would rather prefer to see a film that portrays the infamous Red Baron as a man of honor. Here, he is more than a fighter pilot; he is a modern knight jousting in the air on a winged steed. The wonderful thing about this era is that the aerial dogfights were fought at a speed slow enough to still allow you to see the face of your enemy. It is perhaps the last time warriors would battle one another "face to face." As speeds and technology advanced, killing your opponent at greater distances became the modus operandi. If Baron von Richthofen truly was a man who respected his opponents by upholding a type of chivalry or bushido, and valued dogfighting as "sport" rather than the function of the pilot in war, then his legend should not exclusively revolve around his skill as a fighter pilot, but his integrity as a man. If this film is little more than wishful thinking, then at least its romanticism seems to be an enjoyable interlude.

The Limits of Control

The latest by director Jim Jarmusch is a story of a hit man, but it is not a "hitman film." In fact, genre is really nothing more than the outer layer of any Jarmusch work; it is the only the context the story takes place, but certainly does not define it. Dead Man looks like a Western, but it is not. Ghost Dog seems like a Gangster film, but it is not. Broken Flowers feels like a Romantic-Comedy, but it is not. More than anything, the trappings of the genre are really a way for Jarmusch to dissect the hero of said genre; to examine how that person fits into that world and more importantly, what makes these certain archetypes the model "outcast." He populates that world with supporting characters that seem odder than the hero and I think that is the point. What is it they say? "The sane person in the insane asylum is the abnormal one." I think what Jarmusch always does best is to turn the concept of "the hero" as nothing more than just "the odd man out."

Just take a look at the trailer for this film here. Again, we have the classic Jarmusch protagonist: a lone man fulfilling his duties in the manner that fits the personal values, discipline, and world view that has sustained him thus far. Then, a situation arises that causes him to reevaluate himself and in so doing, he peels back the facade of the world around him. Jarmusch's wry directorial style always serves to put focus on the oddities of which the protagonist seems oblivious. The dialogue is always sharp and witty and all that really remains is to see how said oddity effects or disaffects our hero.

I mentioned in a previous post about Jarmusch that he is an acquired taste. His works are not for everyone and that is why they are particularly appealing to his fans. By far his most "accessible" film has been Coffee and Cigarettes, provided you like watching people talk over...well...coffee and cigarettes. Yet, Jarmusch continues to attract top name actors to his work because there is no pretension to what he does. It is an opportunity for them to act in something original, not some adapted novel, comic book, videogame, or remake of the month. Jarmusch continually allows all involved to flex their creativity and you have to applaud a writer/director who chooses to take that path rather than give in to the temptation of "the weekend box office."

Shinjuku Incident

Marketed as a film that shows of a side of star Jackie Chan that his fans have never seen before, Derek Yee's Shinjuku Incident attempts to feature one of the world's most recognized and popular martial arts star in a role that features not one single fight scene. In fact, there are no signature Jackie Chan "-isms" in this film at all. Instead, Jackie is (gasp) simply acting in this one. The synopsis according to a review on Twitch:

The story is set sometime in the early 90s and Steelhead (Jackie Chan) is an illegal Chinese immigrant in Tokyo. He has come to find work but also to look for his childhood sweetheart, Xiu Xiu (Xu Jinglei). He teams up with a group of Chinese workers, including Jie (Daniel Wu), and numerous familiar faces from Hong Kong Cinema like Lam Suet and Chin Kar Lok, who help him get some manual labour. While cleaning garbage out of sewer drains, Steelhead’s group of workers are chased off by police, and during the scuffle Steelhead inadvertently saves the life of Inspector Kitano (Takenaka Naoto). Steelhead escapes but Kitano now feels indebted to the illegal immigrant. Steelhead also meets bar owner Lily (Fan Bing Bing) and a turf war is brewing in Shinjuku between rival Yakuza gangs and when Steelhead recognizes the wife of mob boss Eguchi as none other than his beloved Xiu Xiu, he can no longer resist the urge to get involved.

Here's the trailer. Apologies for the sound quality, but this is the best version not embedded in a Flash site.



It is certainly different from what you're used to from Jackie Chan; the story is definitely a realistic if only a little overly dramatized plight of immigrant workers in Japan. Of note is that only an edited version was screened in mainland China while an unedited version is what was distributed in Japan despite the unflattering depiction of Japanese attitudes toward immigrants that is obviously a key theme of the film. Reviews have been good, but not glowing. However, any film from Jackie Chan, especially one where he is trying to flex his acting muscles, should certainly be checked out.

The Legend is Alive

Many of you will recognize the name of Dustin Nguyen from his "21 Jump Street Days" and wondered where's he been? Well, for a while, he had to take care of personal matters which hindered him from taking a full load of work. He did appear for a while in the TV show "V.I.P." probably just to pay bills. But he's recently been active in films, primarily in his home country of Vietnam.

The latest work is called The Legend is Alive. In it, Nguyen portrays a mentally handicapped adult who also happens to have fighting prowess. There have been a few films with this type of character lately, most notably Jet Li in Danny the Dog and recently the Thai film Chocolate. However, I think where The Legend is Alive differs from those two examples is that Nguyen is playing up the mental handicap more than the fighting prowess. In Jet Li's film and the Thai film, that mental handicap happened to produce a type "martial autism." In other words, their decreased mental ability is made up by their fighting ability. From what I can gather, Nguyen's character has the ability to protect himself, but it is no more special than anyone who has trained hard to acquire those skills; in the meantime--and while he is fighting--his mental & emotional capacity to grasp the situation is just as handicapped as it is when he is not fighting.

The story really focuses on Nguyen's character, named after Bruce Lee, as he tries to keep a promise to take to America his deceased mother, who gave him his moral foundation and made sure he could handle himself when she was gone. A simple act of asking on the streets whether a certain bus went to America plunges him into the world of human trafficking where he builds new relations with others "being sent" to America. What I think is interesting is that there doesn't seem to be any need on the part of the filmmakers to make Bruce some liberator. He is not and can not rescue everyone from the clutches of the black market. He can, however, reach out to people who have reached out to him; an act of kindness received, an act of kindness returned. Simple morals maybe, but certainly nonetheless effective, especially when Nguyen is expertly playing up the emotional aspects of his character's journey. There just happens to be a little martial arts action in there as well.

I would normally link or embed a trailer with this post, but the quality of the video available online is quite poor. If you're interested in watching it, do a search for "The Legend is Alive Trailer" and you should find it. In exchange, here are some stills from the film.





The film has already been released in Vietnam and won numerous awards at their version of the Oscar's known as the Golden Kites Awards. Let's hope the film will find international distribution soon.

Last Ride

I've been reading a lot lately about the emergence of Australian cinema; if you haven't caught a hint of this yet, you probably will someday soon if films like Last Ride are any example. The films stars Hugo Weaving in a much smaller, quieter but no less commanding role than you're probably accustomed to seeing him. It's an intimate road movie of a father who takes his son with him as he travels to escape authorities after committing a brutal crime. This trailer really showcases the close nature of the direction between the father and son against the backdrop of Australia's very vast horizon. The contrast is quite stunning.



I have high anticipations for how Weaving will portray the monster with a fatherly heart—or father with a monstrous heart; acting in his native voice will certainly liberate his performance. His relationship with the boy will be key as it was in Clint Eastwood's A Perfect World. In fact, this film will most likely hinge on the character of the son. Should he realize that his father's promises and reassurances are as empty as the landscape he's been taken to, what will he do?

The film is set to open in Australia on July 2nd. I'm fairly sure with an international star in the lead, it will have no problem finding distribution or festival screenings at a city near you.

JCVD

Gaumont's "JCVD," a French-language meta-movie parody par excellence, constitutes the headiest stretch of the beefy star's career since, well, ever.

That's a quote from Variety. If Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler has rejuvenated the career of bad-boy Micky Rourke, then JCVD might have just resurrected the career of 80s action maven, Jean-Claude Van Damme (his initials making up the title for those of you taking notes). In the film, Jean-Claude plays himself, or at least a likeness of himself-an aging action star whose personal life is on course to be smashed against the rocks in a sea of mounting problems. This ultimately comes to a head when he stumbles upon a robbery at the post office; unfortunately, due to speculative circumstances and gossiping, the media believes it is Jean-Claude who is perpetrating the crime, seizing on the tabloid sensationalism of what they assume has to be the man's last gasp for attention.

There is a lot poking fun at the industry and self-depreciation, but mixed in with this is a layer of melancholy which one might think a mirage; however, it becomes obvious as the film progresses that there is a genuine honesty at work culminating in a scene every review I've read has talked about; it's a monologue that, if scripted, demonstrates acting skill we'd not yet seen or, if unscripted, is some of the most honest, naked, soul-bearing ever put to film. I believe this scene is from where the main poster image was taken.

You can find the trailer over at Apple. Meanwhile, the real Jean-Claude Van Damme is hard at work on the post-production of an action-drama set in Southeast Asia called The Eagle Path which he also directed with Doug Milsome (Full Metal Jacket) behind the lens. Color me curious...

Public Enemies

Just viewing the first trailer for Michael Mann's latest does two things. First, it makes you glad that a filmmaker like Mann exists. The second, is that it makes you salivate at the prospect of seeing a new Michael Mann film.

I am an unabashed Mann fan ever since the Miami Vice days. He developed some amazingly original programming for TV including Crime Story and L.A. Takedown. I saw his feature film potential came to fruition beautifully in Manhunter, and he displayed his versatility with The Last of the Mohicans. Then, a little movie called Heat was released in 1995... insert "breakout" cliche here. He has continued to release films that are unmistakably Michael Mann both in his style and in the themes he explores. I think it is his love and command of portraying a metropolis at night that is the signature of Mann. He paints the late hours of cities as just as vibrant as their daytime hours if not more so. He loves to reveal how light and shadow interplay, revealing things about the familiar that one may have not noticed before in the glaring light of the sun. It's no accident that his narratives have thrived in locales that are meccas for sun worshipers; yet, this also plays into his thematic tendencies as a writer.

Public Enemies seems to explore the relationship between Dillinger and Melvin Purvis as well as revealing the gray areas between them. It is obvious that Depp is digging in to his experience being devilish from playing Jack Sparrow and turning that into a cunning charm that made Dillinger a folk hero to many in Depression Era America. Just as John Woo loves to explore the duality of good and evil, I think Mann's consistent and wonderful exploration of the shades overlapping light and dark, and what each reveals about the other has been at the heart of his work. With the dubious reputation a fledgling FBI built during those days under J. Edgar Hoover, the "good guys" will certainly be portrayed with more tarnish and less gleam than the genre generally utilizes.
The other thing you have to appreciate about Mann is his ability to make his characters "larger than life." His characters, even the ones based on real individuals, become less archetype or more mythic. There is just the way he stages scenes, chooses camera angles, and lights his actors that brings back a sense of the old studio days when there was no "small screen" so film characters and their adventures were as large as the screens onto which they were projected. I think this is a rare skill these days when people's horizon are more 4:3 than 16:9. The fact that Mann was able to attract Depp to portray his first "heavy" ever is a testament to the material and the directors ability to bring that material to vivid life free of cookie-cutter simplicity.