gfsheppard Reviews

Anomalisa (2015)

An interesting effort

[7/10 · 14 July 2016]

I watched this movie in two sittings. My wife couldn't handle it after 30 minutes: too boring; not enough feedback; confusing. So I watched the last half of the movie the next day. The animation allows one voice for everyone other than the main character and his most recent love interest. The faces are also the same for everyone else, and it is a reflection of the boredom that Michael Stone must be feeling about every interaction that he has. There is also the subtle transition as he becomes bored with Lisa, and then leaves her, just like he has left others before. I liked that his son did not have a generic face- it shows that there is still some semblance of life and interest behind his mask. Otherwise the mundaneness of his existence is palpable in his interactions with everyone.

The problem is the boredom Michael experiences is also felt by the viewer. The movie is too successful in creating a sense of interpersonal apathy, and almost a sense of despondency. Hard to catch a viewer in an entertaining past time when you are trying (succeeding) to be as boring as possible.

The movie succeeds in what it is attempting to do, but it takes a great deal of effort and staying power to get through the subtle transitions presented without having the interest bored out of you.

Go watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind instead.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Not at all what I expected

[2/10 · 18 May 2015]

Initially, I didn't want to see this movie, but it got such rave reviews, I changed my mind. I saw Thunderdome 30 years ago, and I was unimpressed; perhaps that underlies the problem. This is a movie for those who know and love the genre.

I don't know anything about the back story. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic dystopia where water has become so precious that you resent it. The population of survivors have all evolved to a point of no longer needing hydration.

Cars and trucks are vital, however, and it's important when driving really fast to have a blind guitarist play heavy metal music from a flame throwing instrument while chasing other cars.

At the start of the movie, the main character, Furiosa, is tasked to drive to another city to steal gasoline. Half way there, she suddenly turns east, because she wants to take five girls to a green place she once saw as a child. There is a chase, and a sandstorm, after which the five girls find it imperative to wash themselves off in the middle of the desert with a whole bunch of water. The guy with a rake for a face resents this and points a gun at them.

There is a fight, and suddenly the bald crazy guy who is chained to to the other guy giving him blood, suddenly switches sides because he sees a pretty girl with red hair.

More fast driving, getting stuck, and then unstuck, and then realizing that a motorcycle actually can ride for a 160 days without refuelling, but then instead deciding to go back to exactly where the movie started, again, as fast as they left, with more explosions and fast driving.

Then the main character appears to be mortally wounded, so the Blood Bag offers the most cathartic and poignant dialogue of the entire movie when he says "My name is Max". Seriously. Luckily, post-apocalyptic survivors have also developed kick ass immune systems, as whole blood transfusions with dirty needles and used tubing apparently don't cause fatal sepsis, but instead return you to life.

What the actual .... I have no idea what this movie was about or was supposed to be about. There is absolutely no story, or character development. The film presupposes, and actually requires, that you are familiar with the previous films despite the fact that the last one was 30 years ago, and some of us may not have seen it.

I wanted to like this film. I just can't. Currently, it's rated #23 on the all time list, and I just can't let that stand without a review.