Lotsa flashing lights and loud noises, little else. Went home and watched "The Wolverine" (the second one) to be reminded of what I like in a popcorn flick.
Reviews
29 Reviews
John Wick: Chapter 2
(2017)
Homage to John Woo? (Mild spoiler)
2 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
For years, I wondered why no action directors followed in the footsteps of John Woo, specifically his classics like "A Better Tomorrow," "The Killer," and "Hard Boiled." He pretty well created singlehandedly the "ballet of bullets" style; that is, structuring and pacing action flicks like classic musicals, with a series of tightly-choreographed set pieces (musical numbers vs gunfights/martial arts battles) connected by the barest bones of a plot and played out by stock characters whose motivations are sketched in broad emotional strokes. With the Chad Stahelski's first "John Wick" and Gareth Huw Evans' "The Raid: Redemption," it finally seemed a couple of filmmakers had picked up Woo's torch.
Don't know whether it was deliberate on Stahelski's part, but toward the end of "John Wick: Chapter 2" it appears he tipped his hat to Woo by inserting one of the latter's signature tropes - a flock of doves or pigeons suddenly taking flight. Stahelsi does it twice in the space of a minute or two - out of focus in the background when Wick and Winston are conversing, then much more explicitly when the Bowery King releases the bird in his hand and the others in his aerie take off. If it wasn't on purpose, it sure was a nifty coincidence.
Don't know whether it was deliberate on Stahelski's part, but toward the end of "John Wick: Chapter 2" it appears he tipped his hat to Woo by inserting one of the latter's signature tropes - a flock of doves or pigeons suddenly taking flight. Stahelsi does it twice in the space of a minute or two - out of focus in the background when Wick and Winston are conversing, then much more explicitly when the Bowery King releases the bird in his hand and the others in his aerie take off. If it wasn't on purpose, it sure was a nifty coincidence.
Gimme Danger
(2016)
Tightly focused master class on making a rock biopic
5 November 2016
Early in the film, Iggy mentions how Soupy Sales taught him to keep his writing concise and to-the-point (the kid-show host instructed that letters sent by viewers be twenty-five words or less). The lesson is not lost on Jim Jarmusch, who promises a documentary about the career of the Stooges and delivers exactly that. We get a recap of how they came together, followed by a solid recounting of their brief moment in the spotlight. When they fall apart in '73, the story stops abruptly, then jumps ahead to the group's revival in 2003 (with just a couple of words about what the Ashetons and James Williamson did in the interim). Iggy's solo career is almost completely unmentioned; fitting, as this is a Stooges doc, not an Iggy bio. Though he does get the lion's share of screen time, his recollections here are centered on the band, not himself.
Likewise, the interviews are limited to participants: the band members (minus original bassist David Alexander, who died in '75); manager Danny Fields; the Asheton brothers' sister Kathy; occasional sax sideman Steve Mackay; and late-period bassist Mike Watt. Ron Asheton passed in 2009 and appears via archival interviews. Blessedly, there are no rock critics, musicians or movie stars to expound in an overly fawning, sycophantic fashion about the group's importance to them, rock music, or the development of western civilization in general. The recent Beatles tour documentary "Eight Days a Week" was very nearly sunk by the inclusion of Whoopi Goldberg telling us how her mother bought her a ticket to the Shea Stadium show. Her memories and opinions are no more important (or even germane) than those of the other 60,000 people who were there that night. She's a celeb talking head who added nothing but her ego to the proceedings. Here, the laser focus is on telling a story through those who were part of the story, to the exclusion of third-party opinions (and you know what opinions are like - everybody has one...)
An immense amount of audio and visual material is packed into the hour-and-three-quarter running time, as attested to by acknowledgments in the end credits. That it never seems overstuffed, hyperactive or rushed is a tribute to Jarmusch's sense of pacing.
I went in with limited expectations of a run-of-the-mill rock bio, at best (the choice of film was made by my wife, who's a major Iggy fan). I came out more than impressed by a well-constructed, tightly focused exercise in documentary filmmaking that would have been outstanding no matter the subject.
Likewise, the interviews are limited to participants: the band members (minus original bassist David Alexander, who died in '75); manager Danny Fields; the Asheton brothers' sister Kathy; occasional sax sideman Steve Mackay; and late-period bassist Mike Watt. Ron Asheton passed in 2009 and appears via archival interviews. Blessedly, there are no rock critics, musicians or movie stars to expound in an overly fawning, sycophantic fashion about the group's importance to them, rock music, or the development of western civilization in general. The recent Beatles tour documentary "Eight Days a Week" was very nearly sunk by the inclusion of Whoopi Goldberg telling us how her mother bought her a ticket to the Shea Stadium show. Her memories and opinions are no more important (or even germane) than those of the other 60,000 people who were there that night. She's a celeb talking head who added nothing but her ego to the proceedings. Here, the laser focus is on telling a story through those who were part of the story, to the exclusion of third-party opinions (and you know what opinions are like - everybody has one...)
An immense amount of audio and visual material is packed into the hour-and-three-quarter running time, as attested to by acknowledgments in the end credits. That it never seems overstuffed, hyperactive or rushed is a tribute to Jarmusch's sense of pacing.
I went in with limited expectations of a run-of-the-mill rock bio, at best (the choice of film was made by my wife, who's a major Iggy fan). I came out more than impressed by a well-constructed, tightly focused exercise in documentary filmmaking that would have been outstanding no matter the subject.
The Hateful Eight
(2015)
Awful
29 December 2015
I give it a two for the scenery, sets, costumes, lighting and photography. Tarantino used the UltraPanavision format to good effect, and the results are on the screen (I saw the 70mm film version).
That said, the dialogue is comic-book level, the characters are cardboard props with no development whatsoever, the plot is rice paper-thin, the violence is beyond extreme for no good reason, and it is too long by at least an hour (more like an hour and a half, given the lack of a compelling plot). I don't want to judge the actors, as the cartoonish performances may be the result of having nothing worthwhile with which to work. A nihilistic, masturbatory exercise by someone whose entire worldview is informed by film.
That said, the dialogue is comic-book level, the characters are cardboard props with no development whatsoever, the plot is rice paper-thin, the violence is beyond extreme for no good reason, and it is too long by at least an hour (more like an hour and a half, given the lack of a compelling plot). I don't want to judge the actors, as the cartoonish performances may be the result of having nothing worthwhile with which to work. A nihilistic, masturbatory exercise by someone whose entire worldview is informed by film.
Shame this one got dumped in the US market
4 August 2015
Jeunet must have really ticked someone off for this film to be treated so poorly. Granted, the shifts in tone might have posed a few marketing challenges, but nothing that couldn't be finessed. Like some of his other films, "Spivet" contrasts moments of whimsy and love with darker emotions, though in this case the latter are dialed back to keep it within family-friendly bounds. The title character is a prodigy, but he's not a smart-aleck or annoying, and the young actor plays his melancholy and homesickness convincingly. I was glad they didn't portray his journey as only a grand, exciting adventure - they made it clear that he was often lonely and scared, as a ten-year-old on his own would be.
Cast is fine from top to bottom. Characters are brightly-defined but not cartoonish, and Jeunet keeps the actors at just the right balance between colorful and overbroad. Technically a marvel (and I didn't see it in 3D!) Ravishing photography, costumes, locations, and sets. Touching, lovely to look at, well played, well balanced. Just right to enjoy with your tweener or older who's beginning to sense the depth and complexity of the adult world around them.
Cast is fine from top to bottom. Characters are brightly-defined but not cartoonish, and Jeunet keeps the actors at just the right balance between colorful and overbroad. Technically a marvel (and I didn't see it in 3D!) Ravishing photography, costumes, locations, and sets. Touching, lovely to look at, well played, well balanced. Just right to enjoy with your tweener or older who's beginning to sense the depth and complexity of the adult world around them.
Kill Your Darlings
(2013)
Shapeless (minor spoiler)
16 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A little over an hour-and-a-half, but seems much longer. Little to no conflict one can care about - Kammerer just pops in and out of the narrative, which can't sustain any sense of tension between him and Carr, or Ginsberg. The central figures of Burroughs, Ginsberg, Kerouac, and Carr come across as shallow and self-absorbed. Perhaps at that young age they were, but that doesn't make for compelling drama. And the montage surrounding the murder, with its heavy-handed penetration imagery, is so over-the-top obvious to be almost ridiculous. The cinematography is just ugly - I realize the lighting, color palette etc. were deliberate artistic choices, but it still looks unappealing. The actors do a good job with what they are given (Foster as Burroughs is especially good, capturing his cadence, inflection, and mannerisms without descending into mimicry), but overall the film is unfocused, slack, and unpleasant.
Drive
(I) (2011)
"Vanishing Point" did it better (minor spoilers)
19 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Overrated. Nihilistic and pretentious. The main characters were all one-note caricatures with no redeeming values. The driver was a complete cipher. Every character except him had a brief scene where he (or she) revealed one thing about his past that gave his choices and actions some context. Thus, when the driver lashes out into extreme violence halfway through the film, the viewer has no peg to hang the actions on, and no reason to continue sympathizing with him - he's just as brutal a scumbag as every other character, except we don't know why he is what he is. All we know about him is what we see on the screen, and it's not very pretty.
I could have accepted it as a stylish genre exercise - a comic-book movie - except the too-hip-for-you artsiness blew that right out of the water. Didn't work as an art film, didn't work as a heist/car flick. No moral center at all.
I could have accepted it as a stylish genre exercise - a comic-book movie - except the too-hip-for-you artsiness blew that right out of the water. Didn't work as an art film, didn't work as a heist/car flick. No moral center at all.
Robot & Frank
(2012)
They blew it
14 September 2012
Enjoyable, low-key and easy-going until the big reveal toward the end. Won't say more here (you'll know what I mean if you see it,) but it completely upset the fragile balance maintained throughout most of the film. Completely inconsistent with the characters up till then, and introduced holes big enough to pilot the Queen Mary through. Yanked me right out of the story, and the only reason I could see for it was to ratchet up the Kleenex factor.
Langella was excellent, though - subtle and underplayed. Remarked to my wife on the way home that it would have been a disaster in the hands of a showier actor - Ex-jewel thief! Irascible old man! Incipient Alzheimers/dementia!. If they'd cast Pacino, there wouldn't have been an unmasticated stick of scenery left.
Langella was excellent, though - subtle and underplayed. Remarked to my wife on the way home that it would have been a disaster in the hands of a showier actor - Ex-jewel thief! Irascible old man! Incipient Alzheimers/dementia!. If they'd cast Pacino, there wouldn't have been an unmasticated stick of scenery left.
Robin Hood
(2010)
Beautiful cinematography
26 May 2010
Overall quite enjoyable. Cate Blanchett is getting more beautiful as she gets older, and the performances, from Crowe, Blanchett, and Hurt on down are good. Regarding the plot holes and historical fudges, I didn't pay much attention to them - I was caught up in the story, and willingly suspended my disbelief. A little bit too long, but I'm not an editor.
The quality of the art direction and photography were first-rate. I especially liked seeing the film grain - it's unusual in a big budget movie these days. So many modern films shoot for icy-cold clean images, but the choice made the pictures and story more palpable. Kudos to Scott and his DP for bucking the trends and making an old-style epic, both from the story and the photography.
The quality of the art direction and photography were first-rate. I especially liked seeing the film grain - it's unusual in a big budget movie these days. So many modern films shoot for icy-cold clean images, but the choice made the pictures and story more palpable. Kudos to Scott and his DP for bucking the trends and making an old-style epic, both from the story and the photography.
No Country for Old Men
(2007)
A portrait of evil
18 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Strongest examination of evil since "Silence of the Lambs." Almost nihilistic in leaving no promise of redemption - near the end, Sheriff Bell remarks to his uncle that he expected that, as he got older, God would reveal his face to him, "but he never came." Early on, Bell tells his deputy about sending one young man who had killed a girl to the electric chair. But it's obvious that he no longer believes his efforts will stem the tide of evil - he's just going through the motions. He tells the deputy that he didn't know what to make of the boy's crime, and he knows even less what to make of the massacre in the desert, "and I don't want to be riding into something I don't understand." In his last speech he describes the dream where he sees his father riding past him, carrying fire in a horn. He knows his father is going to make a fire for both of them. He followed his father as sheriff, but his father died in the line of duty while still a young man, while he's grown old without making much difference. Almost all the old people in the film are broken - Bell, his uncle, Carla's mom, the owner of the gas station Chigurh toys with ("you married into it").
Evil is portrayed as something that can infect you simply by proximity. The boys on the bicycles are corrupted because of their brief encounter with Chigurh - they agree to lie to the police; one removes his shirt, revealing himself to evil/Chigurh; and as Chigurh walks off, they can be heard arguing about the money. It's implied Chigurh got the money when he killed Llewellyn. The way he removes the hundred-dollar bill and hands it to the boy echoes the way Llewellyn paid the cashiers earlier in the film. Both times the bill is bloodstained.
Llewellyn is not evil in the sense that Chigurh is, but he is not blameless. He tolerates evil and tries to profit from it. He commits each of the seven deadly sins at some point - greed, pride, sloth, anger, envy and lust, definitely; possibly gluttony. Wells, the bounty hunter, tells him Chigurh has principles "of a sort," while Llewellyn and Wells do not. Chigurh tells Carla Jean that Llewellyn betrayed her by protecting his own life while not agreeing to a deal that would save hers. This contradicts what Wells told Llewellyn, that Chigurh would not offer him a deal. He does, but Llewellyn is too dense or prideful to take it. He was able to escape Chigurh once, and in his arrogance thinks that he can again, and Carla Jean pays the price.
Chigurh's motives for his murders, beyond the fact that he is a hired killer (he's only hired to kill one person in the film), seem to be sexual. It's implied when he garrotes the deputy that he is deriving pleasure from it. It is staged as a sexual encounter; his expression when the deed is done is post-coital. At times his conversations with the victims resemble foreplay. Carla Jean, however, refuses to play along and give him his pleasure by calling the coin toss; her murder is thus most like a rape.
I think neither Bell nor Chigurh lives much longer after the story. Chigurh is broken in a way he cannot fix alone (a bone - his structure - has fractured and pushed its way out of him). Bell is existentially broken, powerless to even slow evil down, and his chance to die young, with glory, is long gone. There's nothing left for him but look for his father and join him at the fire. This refers to the exchange between Carla Jean and Llewellyn when he tells her to tell his mother that he loves her, and she says "your mother is dead." "Then I'll tell her myself." The last line is like a jail cell door closing - Bell tells his dream to his wife and expresses one last hope that he will be reunited with his father..."And then I woke up."
Other random observations: The plot is set in motion because Llewellyn, though presumably an experienced hunter familiar with the desert, is away from his vehicle without water (more below). All of the mayhem fails to attract much notice - the gun battles in the desert; Llewellyn and Chigurh's midnight shootout; Llewellyn's stumbling around at the border crossing and tossing the bag over the fence; his later wandering through the streets in a bathrobe; and the auto accident in broad daylight in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Bell alludes to this anomaly early on when tells the story of the couple who were burying people in the backyard, but no one noticed until a naked man escaped and went walking down the street. And what was it with the boots? Much was made of characters putting on or removing them - Chigurh before sneaking up on the motel room, for instance. Llewellyn is specific about the kind of boots he wants, and is later seen wandering around in them while wearing almost nothing else. Blood pours out of Chigurh's boot in the hotel room when he removes it prior to digging out the buckshot in his leg. There's a POV shot of him moving his boot out of the way as Wells' blood creeps into the top of the frame, and he checks the soles of his boots, presumably for blood, after he leaves Carla Jean's mother's house. As in many of the Coen's crime stories, including "Fargo," "Blood Simple," and "Man Who Wasn't There," the scheme goes awry because the protagonist makes one stupid choice - here, Llewellyn tries to expiate his sins by going back to the massacre with water for the dying man, even though he knows the man is almost surely dead and he risks discovery by doing so.
Evil is portrayed as something that can infect you simply by proximity. The boys on the bicycles are corrupted because of their brief encounter with Chigurh - they agree to lie to the police; one removes his shirt, revealing himself to evil/Chigurh; and as Chigurh walks off, they can be heard arguing about the money. It's implied Chigurh got the money when he killed Llewellyn. The way he removes the hundred-dollar bill and hands it to the boy echoes the way Llewellyn paid the cashiers earlier in the film. Both times the bill is bloodstained.
Llewellyn is not evil in the sense that Chigurh is, but he is not blameless. He tolerates evil and tries to profit from it. He commits each of the seven deadly sins at some point - greed, pride, sloth, anger, envy and lust, definitely; possibly gluttony. Wells, the bounty hunter, tells him Chigurh has principles "of a sort," while Llewellyn and Wells do not. Chigurh tells Carla Jean that Llewellyn betrayed her by protecting his own life while not agreeing to a deal that would save hers. This contradicts what Wells told Llewellyn, that Chigurh would not offer him a deal. He does, but Llewellyn is too dense or prideful to take it. He was able to escape Chigurh once, and in his arrogance thinks that he can again, and Carla Jean pays the price.
Chigurh's motives for his murders, beyond the fact that he is a hired killer (he's only hired to kill one person in the film), seem to be sexual. It's implied when he garrotes the deputy that he is deriving pleasure from it. It is staged as a sexual encounter; his expression when the deed is done is post-coital. At times his conversations with the victims resemble foreplay. Carla Jean, however, refuses to play along and give him his pleasure by calling the coin toss; her murder is thus most like a rape.
I think neither Bell nor Chigurh lives much longer after the story. Chigurh is broken in a way he cannot fix alone (a bone - his structure - has fractured and pushed its way out of him). Bell is existentially broken, powerless to even slow evil down, and his chance to die young, with glory, is long gone. There's nothing left for him but look for his father and join him at the fire. This refers to the exchange between Carla Jean and Llewellyn when he tells her to tell his mother that he loves her, and she says "your mother is dead." "Then I'll tell her myself." The last line is like a jail cell door closing - Bell tells his dream to his wife and expresses one last hope that he will be reunited with his father..."And then I woke up."
Other random observations: The plot is set in motion because Llewellyn, though presumably an experienced hunter familiar with the desert, is away from his vehicle without water (more below). All of the mayhem fails to attract much notice - the gun battles in the desert; Llewellyn and Chigurh's midnight shootout; Llewellyn's stumbling around at the border crossing and tossing the bag over the fence; his later wandering through the streets in a bathrobe; and the auto accident in broad daylight in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. Bell alludes to this anomaly early on when tells the story of the couple who were burying people in the backyard, but no one noticed until a naked man escaped and went walking down the street. And what was it with the boots? Much was made of characters putting on or removing them - Chigurh before sneaking up on the motel room, for instance. Llewellyn is specific about the kind of boots he wants, and is later seen wandering around in them while wearing almost nothing else. Blood pours out of Chigurh's boot in the hotel room when he removes it prior to digging out the buckshot in his leg. There's a POV shot of him moving his boot out of the way as Wells' blood creeps into the top of the frame, and he checks the soles of his boots, presumably for blood, after he leaves Carla Jean's mother's house. As in many of the Coen's crime stories, including "Fargo," "Blood Simple," and "Man Who Wasn't There," the scheme goes awry because the protagonist makes one stupid choice - here, Llewellyn tries to expiate his sins by going back to the massacre with water for the dying man, even though he knows the man is almost surely dead and he risks discovery by doing so.
Across the Universe
(2007)
Jukebox musical with art-house pretensions
24 September 2007
As far as the mini-genre goes, better than "Sgt. Pepper," "Tommy," and "All This and World War Two," not as good as "Moulin Rouge." Closest in feel & structure to "Tommy," down to the rockstar cameos (Joe Cocker & Bono vs. Elton John & Tina Turner) and bursts of psychedelia.
Way too long. Suspect the critics are falling all over this because it's directed by Taymor, rather than for its intrinsic merits. The whole is not equal to some of the pieces.
Plot is inconsequential and a cliché. Probably could have shaved off quite a bit of time by ditching all the dialogue and just leaving the music - it's not as though it would be too difficult to follow without spoken exposition.
As a way of marketing Beatle music to a younger demographic, it seemed to work at the theatre in which I saw it. Teens and twenty-somethings seemed to be discussing it on the way out more than boomers (my age group).
Way too long. Suspect the critics are falling all over this because it's directed by Taymor, rather than for its intrinsic merits. The whole is not equal to some of the pieces.
Plot is inconsequential and a cliché. Probably could have shaved off quite a bit of time by ditching all the dialogue and just leaving the music - it's not as though it would be too difficult to follow without spoken exposition.
As a way of marketing Beatle music to a younger demographic, it seemed to work at the theatre in which I saw it. Teens and twenty-somethings seemed to be discussing it on the way out more than boomers (my age group).
Stardust
(2007)
Thoroughly enjoyed it....
15 August 2007
... as much as any movie I've seen this year. I'm a big Neil Gaiman fan, but have not read the book yet (I have the comic on my nightstand - will start it now). Noticed that some fans were disappointed in the liberties taken with the story, but my understanding is that Gaiman had final say over the changes, so I'll give him the respect due the author and view it as another take on the same material. DeNiro was a hoot - he played it thisclose to over-the-top, but held back just enough to create a real character instead of a caricature.
All in all, it's been an exceptional year for fantasy (at least for me). "Pan's Labyrinth," "Children of Men," "Paprika," "Order of the Phoenix," and now this. The trailer for "Beowulf" looked promising, and the screen writing combination of Gaiman and Roger Avary gives me goosebumps. Just hope Zemieckis doesn't serve us up a bunch of CG-animated corpses like he did in "Polar Express." Honestly, the character animations in that were flat-out creepy - looked like they'd been made up by an inexperienced undertaker and attached to marionette strings.
All in all, it's been an exceptional year for fantasy (at least for me). "Pan's Labyrinth," "Children of Men," "Paprika," "Order of the Phoenix," and now this. The trailer for "Beowulf" looked promising, and the screen writing combination of Gaiman and Roger Avary gives me goosebumps. Just hope Zemieckis doesn't serve us up a bunch of CG-animated corpses like he did in "Polar Express." Honestly, the character animations in that were flat-out creepy - looked like they'd been made up by an inexperienced undertaker and attached to marionette strings.
1408
(2007)
Pacing all off
10 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Coulda been a contender, but just didn't take off. "Boo" thrillers like this should pick you up at the start and give you no time to think - just throw one shock at a time at you. This seemed almost static - every scare shot was telegraphed. Instatead of jumping out of my seat from surprise, I found myself thinking 'here comes another scare' and trying to guess what the scare would be. Even the twist at the end was clumsily edited - instead of grabbing you off kilter and making you jump, it was deliberately set up and held too long - multiple reaction shots from the two characters instead of scare - quick reax - black. leaving you breathing fast and your heart pounding. Quite a few careless and egregious continuity goofs also pulled me out of the movie repeatedly.
Liked Samuel L. Jackson, though - he had just the right combination of mystery and menace to leave you thinking about his role. Also, the quick pun in the beginning of the bellhop asking Mike if he could handle his "baggage" paid off nicely later in the film.
Liked Samuel L. Jackson, though - he had just the right combination of mystery and menace to leave you thinking about his role. Also, the quick pun in the beginning of the bellhop asking Mike if he could handle his "baggage" paid off nicely later in the film.
Night at the Museum
(2006)
Enjoyable family night out
29 December 2006
Good lightweight fluff for a Friday night out with the family (young teens). Well paced, touches on things the kids are learning in school without trotting out a history lesson. Smart enough to keep the dads and moms entertained, but whistle-clean. Recommended for those who've outgrown cartoons but are not ready for typical PG-13 smarm and raunch - it doesn't talk down to them, it talks to them. Saw it was directed by the same fellow who did the Pink Panther remake last year - on a par with that. Nice to see folks making flicks for this age group that are smart and not smothered with crass irony. Let kids be kids.
Was not loud and noisy, and the CGI worked well in the context. Robin Williams was nicely restrained, and Ben Stiller kept the neuroses in check to provide a solid center for the film.
Was not loud and noisy, and the CGI worked well in the context. Robin Williams was nicely restrained, and Ben Stiller kept the neuroses in check to provide a solid center for the film.
Casino Royale
(2006)
Yay
30 November 2006
First Bond I saw was "Thunderball," in 1965 at age 7 (still wonder what possessed my mom to let me and my little sister go to the matinée to see that one). Have been a fan since, through thick and thin, but I was thisclose to giving up on the series after seeing Madonna and an invisible car featured in the last one.
They have me back. Craig is as close to Fleming's Bond as I've ever seen - even more so than Dalton. He's a thug, a hired assassin who works for us, but could just as easily succeed on the other side. His manners and politesse are merely the veneer that allows him the access he needs to do his job - again, much as Fleming described him. Plus, for once the guy has a physique that looks like he could possibly be pulling off the running, jumping, climbing, and hanging he's called on to do (c'mon - did you ever believe Brosnan or Moore would have had any chance in hand-to-hand combat on a ledge?) Here's hoping Eon goes back and remakes some of the earlier ones - "Spy Who Loved Me," "Diamonds are Forever," "Man with the Golden Gun" - that simply stole the title and nothing else from the books. It would be a treat to see real adaptations of the novels (albeit updated to the present day) done in the tone and fashion of this one.
They have me back. Craig is as close to Fleming's Bond as I've ever seen - even more so than Dalton. He's a thug, a hired assassin who works for us, but could just as easily succeed on the other side. His manners and politesse are merely the veneer that allows him the access he needs to do his job - again, much as Fleming described him. Plus, for once the guy has a physique that looks like he could possibly be pulling off the running, jumping, climbing, and hanging he's called on to do (c'mon - did you ever believe Brosnan or Moore would have had any chance in hand-to-hand combat on a ledge?) Here's hoping Eon goes back and remakes some of the earlier ones - "Spy Who Loved Me," "Diamonds are Forever," "Man with the Golden Gun" - that simply stole the title and nothing else from the books. It would be a treat to see real adaptations of the novels (albeit updated to the present day) done in the tone and fashion of this one.
Junebug
(2005)
Condescending and shallow
29 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
A snobbish and ironic view of smalltown life as seen through the eyes of a prodigal son returning home and his new wife, an outsider-to-end-all-outsiders with a plummy Brit accent and a globetrotting upbringing as the daughter of a diplomat. I take issue with one reviewer's claim that rural and Bible Belt people "have no complexity of emotions or doubts, like city people are wont to have." Not dwelling neurotically on one's own feelings is a far cry from not having those feelings.
The filmmaker sets the hometown folks up like bowling pins to be knocked down. He glosses over reasons for the layers of the family's relationships, and allows for no development of any character except, perhaps, the new wife/gallery owner. The brother is a one-note mass of inchoate rage; the expectant wife, a clueless naiad; the artist, a pile of stereotypical tics played as a joke; the mother, a domineering harpy, etc. The pre-credit clips of what appears to be a hollering contest serve no purpose that I can see, other than to further point out how quaint and exotic these North Carolina folks are.
As a film, it's not much to look at - the editing, especially, is pedestrian at best, and often clumsy. The script is clichéd, and the big plot payoff is shot through with inconsistencies and carries no emotional weight. The final line of the movie, spoken by the prodigal son as he heads out of town, is foul and completely out of character. Nevertheless, I had to agree with him, at least as far as leaving the theater and this pinched little picture behind.
The filmmaker sets the hometown folks up like bowling pins to be knocked down. He glosses over reasons for the layers of the family's relationships, and allows for no development of any character except, perhaps, the new wife/gallery owner. The brother is a one-note mass of inchoate rage; the expectant wife, a clueless naiad; the artist, a pile of stereotypical tics played as a joke; the mother, a domineering harpy, etc. The pre-credit clips of what appears to be a hollering contest serve no purpose that I can see, other than to further point out how quaint and exotic these North Carolina folks are.
As a film, it's not much to look at - the editing, especially, is pedestrian at best, and often clumsy. The script is clichéd, and the big plot payoff is shot through with inconsistencies and carries no emotional weight. The final line of the movie, spoken by the prodigal son as he heads out of town, is foul and completely out of character. Nevertheless, I had to agree with him, at least as far as leaving the theater and this pinched little picture behind.
For All Mankind
(1989)
So far away
21 July 2004
Watched it again last night, on the 35th anniversary of man's first walk on the moon. No need to reiterate what others have said here - it's simply a masterpiece, one of the finest, most moving documentaries ever made (especially compared to the half-witted hysterical polemics that pass for the form these days).
It's sobering to think that the deeds recounted in this film are almost forgotten now. The Apollo program is arguably the pinnacle of human achievement, yet yesterday's anniversary passed with hardly a rememberance. I mentioned it to my wife, and she expressed skepticism that the moon landings ever took place! (to her credit, she watched the documentary with me). I consider myself fortunate to have lived in this time and in this place, and had the chance to watch as my countrymen, on behalf of all mankind, took our first, tentative steps on another world.
It's sobering to think that the deeds recounted in this film are almost forgotten now. The Apollo program is arguably the pinnacle of human achievement, yet yesterday's anniversary passed with hardly a rememberance. I mentioned it to my wife, and she expressed skepticism that the moon landings ever took place! (to her credit, she watched the documentary with me). I consider myself fortunate to have lived in this time and in this place, and had the chance to watch as my countrymen, on behalf of all mankind, took our first, tentative steps on another world.
Shaolin Soccer
(2001)
Enjoyable
15 August 2003
Saw this last night on DVD. Been bombarded by the trailer at the multiplex all summer, then found out it was already available on disc from Asia (all region, DTS). The trailer is very misleading - it makes the film look like a wild-and-crazy goofball comedy. While the film does contain a lot of humor, at its heart, it's more of a Kung Fu "Rocky."
In a brief prologue, a soccer star is brutally crippled by a rival during a match. Flash forward, the former star is a lackey for his old enemy (now a soccer team owner) when he spots a young man using remarkable Kung Fu kicking skills to beat back a gang. He approaches him and convinces him to join in starting a new soccer team, based on Shaolin principles. The young man rounds up the friends he played soccer with as a child - all of them now spectacularly unsuited for sports. They train, they bond, they kick a soccer ball so high into the air it takes hours to come down. A love interest is introduced in the form of a poor breadmaker with a bad skin condition but a refined understanding of Zen. She will be instrumental in the film's climax. All builds to the obligatory Big Game against the old nemesis' team.
All in all, better-than-average HK action, with a nice dose of comedy to lighten things up. The DVD looked very nice - better than most HK imports I own - and the DTS track was solid, though there wasn't a whole lot happening in the surrounds. The subtitles, though, were atrocious - some passages made absolutely no sense. It was as though the dialogue was translated by someone with only a phonetic understanding of English.
Curious to see how this one turns out when it's finally released here. I read that Miramax reedited it drastically, then partially relented and restored some of it. Likewise, they were planning to release it dubbed, but now seem to be leaning toward putting out a Cantonese version on the art-house circuit, in addition to the English wide release. I can see why they are waffling about it - parts of the movie are very Chinese in a cultural sense. At times, I had the feeling I was missing something. The translation had something to do with it, I'm sure, but often I sensed that I was out of the loop as a non-Chinese. Otherwise, an enjoyable evening and recommended to even casual chop-socky fans.
In a brief prologue, a soccer star is brutally crippled by a rival during a match. Flash forward, the former star is a lackey for his old enemy (now a soccer team owner) when he spots a young man using remarkable Kung Fu kicking skills to beat back a gang. He approaches him and convinces him to join in starting a new soccer team, based on Shaolin principles. The young man rounds up the friends he played soccer with as a child - all of them now spectacularly unsuited for sports. They train, they bond, they kick a soccer ball so high into the air it takes hours to come down. A love interest is introduced in the form of a poor breadmaker with a bad skin condition but a refined understanding of Zen. She will be instrumental in the film's climax. All builds to the obligatory Big Game against the old nemesis' team.
All in all, better-than-average HK action, with a nice dose of comedy to lighten things up. The DVD looked very nice - better than most HK imports I own - and the DTS track was solid, though there wasn't a whole lot happening in the surrounds. The subtitles, though, were atrocious - some passages made absolutely no sense. It was as though the dialogue was translated by someone with only a phonetic understanding of English.
Curious to see how this one turns out when it's finally released here. I read that Miramax reedited it drastically, then partially relented and restored some of it. Likewise, they were planning to release it dubbed, but now seem to be leaning toward putting out a Cantonese version on the art-house circuit, in addition to the English wide release. I can see why they are waffling about it - parts of the movie are very Chinese in a cultural sense. At times, I had the feeling I was missing something. The translation had something to do with it, I'm sure, but often I sensed that I was out of the loop as a non-Chinese. Otherwise, an enjoyable evening and recommended to even casual chop-socky fans.
Spy Kids 3: Game Over
(2003)
It's a kid's flick, and my kid was satisfied
2 August 2003
If I were to judge it by my own standards, well, mom told to to say nothing if I could say nothing good. All I know is that my nine-year-old sat between myself and my wife and thought he was going to be hit by the stuff coming at him from the screen. He was psyched!
The last 3-D flick I saw was "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein," over 25 years ago, when I was in college. I remember that the effects were as lame as they seemed in this one; then again, I'm not nine years old, and my willing suspension of disbelief has been fatally altered by life. But the Big Guy (aka Peter IV) thinks it rules, so I'm on the hunt to get him a Viewmaster for this birthday, so he can see real things like Paris and rocket launches in 3D.
The last 3-D flick I saw was "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein," over 25 years ago, when I was in college. I remember that the effects were as lame as they seemed in this one; then again, I'm not nine years old, and my willing suspension of disbelief has been fatally altered by life. But the Big Guy (aka Peter IV) thinks it rules, so I'm on the hunt to get him a Viewmaster for this birthday, so he can see real things like Paris and rocket launches in 3D.
Masked and Anonymous
(2003)
It's Bobalicious!
24 July 2003
Saw it last night. Still don't know what to think. Dylan, who (allegedly) co-wrote the thing, plays a faded, but legendary singer-songwriter - in short, a version of himself, going by the name Jack Fate. The United States has devolved into a violent nation in a constant state of rebellion and counterrebellion, presided over by a distant and dying despot. Jack is released from prison to perform at a dubious war benefit concert pulled together by a sleazy pair of promoters played by John Goodman (channeling Dylan's former manager Albert Goodman) and Jessica Lange. Hijinks ensue.
I guess the best way to describe the movie is that it tries to be the cinematic equivalent of one of the Bobster's surreal story-songs, a la "Desolation Row," "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands," "Brownsville Girl," etc. It's full of non-sequiturs, puns, odd images and inscrutable characters (the concert bill includes a ventriloquist, a stongman carrying a legless fortuneteller, and three guys dressed up like Mohandas K. Gandhi, Pope John Paul II, and Abraham Lincoln). Dylan/Fate probably sums it up best when he observes that it's not what things mean that matters, it's what they don't mean. He spares no one, including himself - an especially funny scene has several characters listening to Dylan/Fate and his band perform "Drifter's Escape" and trying to make sense of it.
Unfortunately, the whole enterprise is poorly shot, edited, and paced. The focus is noticeably adjusted during some scenes; the camera occasionally moves as though someone bumped into the cameraman; and a couple of extended monologues are edited together from single lines and phrases, some repeated, with little concern about continuity of lighting or placement of characters (this spoils an otherwise wonderfully bizarre cameo by Val Kilmer as an animal lover who makes PETAheads look like the souls of reason). These may have been conscious artistic choices, but on the screen, they just look amateurish.
The undisputed highlight is the music. Dylan and his band perform about a half-dozen numbers on screen, including a stunning version of Stephen Foster's "Dixie," and the underscore contains a host of oddball interpretations of Dylan tunes (the first one heard is a Japanese-language rendition of "My Back Pages.")
Zimmy's acting is blessedly limited, for the most part, to reacting wordlessly to the ravings of other characters. He does seem to take a sly pleasure in his thespic shortcomings, delivering some of his lines in a dry monotone that underscores their twisted wit. Most of the time, he mumbles, swallows, and otherwise butchers the little dialogue given to him.
Strong and colorful supporting cast - Goodman, Lange and Kilmer; Jeff Bridges (looking in his first scene like the reincarnation of The Dude from "Big Lebowski") and Penelope Cruz as a lowlife journalist and his frightened girlfriend; and Chris Penn and Christian Slater as two stage electricians who would function as a Greek chorus if they had some more screen time. Luke Wilson is the only remotely sympathetic character, an old friend of Fate's who stands by, and up for, the singer. Giovanni Ribisi has a cameo as a confused soldier/rebel who can't make up his mind as to which side he is on. He also functions as Exposition Guy when, sitting in the rear seat of a bus with the just-released Fate, he explains the history of the ongoing civil war to the latter. Dylan, for his part, just sits there with a bemused and slightly bored look.
Dylan fans will probably want to check this out, if only for the musical performances. Anyone else, well... hard to say. The whole enterprise came off to me as something of a vanity project/in-joke, though a vastly preferable one compared to, say, "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back."
I guess the best way to describe the movie is that it tries to be the cinematic equivalent of one of the Bobster's surreal story-songs, a la "Desolation Row," "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands," "Brownsville Girl," etc. It's full of non-sequiturs, puns, odd images and inscrutable characters (the concert bill includes a ventriloquist, a stongman carrying a legless fortuneteller, and three guys dressed up like Mohandas K. Gandhi, Pope John Paul II, and Abraham Lincoln). Dylan/Fate probably sums it up best when he observes that it's not what things mean that matters, it's what they don't mean. He spares no one, including himself - an especially funny scene has several characters listening to Dylan/Fate and his band perform "Drifter's Escape" and trying to make sense of it.
Unfortunately, the whole enterprise is poorly shot, edited, and paced. The focus is noticeably adjusted during some scenes; the camera occasionally moves as though someone bumped into the cameraman; and a couple of extended monologues are edited together from single lines and phrases, some repeated, with little concern about continuity of lighting or placement of characters (this spoils an otherwise wonderfully bizarre cameo by Val Kilmer as an animal lover who makes PETAheads look like the souls of reason). These may have been conscious artistic choices, but on the screen, they just look amateurish.
The undisputed highlight is the music. Dylan and his band perform about a half-dozen numbers on screen, including a stunning version of Stephen Foster's "Dixie," and the underscore contains a host of oddball interpretations of Dylan tunes (the first one heard is a Japanese-language rendition of "My Back Pages.")
Zimmy's acting is blessedly limited, for the most part, to reacting wordlessly to the ravings of other characters. He does seem to take a sly pleasure in his thespic shortcomings, delivering some of his lines in a dry monotone that underscores their twisted wit. Most of the time, he mumbles, swallows, and otherwise butchers the little dialogue given to him.
Strong and colorful supporting cast - Goodman, Lange and Kilmer; Jeff Bridges (looking in his first scene like the reincarnation of The Dude from "Big Lebowski") and Penelope Cruz as a lowlife journalist and his frightened girlfriend; and Chris Penn and Christian Slater as two stage electricians who would function as a Greek chorus if they had some more screen time. Luke Wilson is the only remotely sympathetic character, an old friend of Fate's who stands by, and up for, the singer. Giovanni Ribisi has a cameo as a confused soldier/rebel who can't make up his mind as to which side he is on. He also functions as Exposition Guy when, sitting in the rear seat of a bus with the just-released Fate, he explains the history of the ongoing civil war to the latter. Dylan, for his part, just sits there with a bemused and slightly bored look.
Dylan fans will probably want to check this out, if only for the musical performances. Anyone else, well... hard to say. The whole enterprise came off to me as something of a vanity project/in-joke, though a vastly preferable one compared to, say, "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back."
Talk to Her
(2002)
Photography you can feel
4 November 2002
I've seen most of Almodovar's movies up to "High Heels," but none since. I wasn't prepared for the leap he's made - "Talk to Her" has a depth of emotion and empathy I didn't think he was capable of. His senses of humor and color are present, though muted - they flow from, rather than impose themselves on, the characters.
I was most impressed by the tactile quality of the photography, especially of the fabrics. I could almost feel the hospital sheets and the ties of Alicia's gown; the brocade and velvet of Lydia's toreador outfit; the silks of the dancers' slips... I can't recall ever getting that sort of a sensation from a film.
"Talk to Her" is, like Almodovar's earlier movies, sensuous, defiantly politically incorrect, and curious about love and desire in all their manifestations. This time, though, there's a stillness and emotional richness that bring the work to another level. I'm certainly going to catch up on his mid-to-late 90s work, starting with "All About My Mother," to find out how he got from there to here.
I was most impressed by the tactile quality of the photography, especially of the fabrics. I could almost feel the hospital sheets and the ties of Alicia's gown; the brocade and velvet of Lydia's toreador outfit; the silks of the dancers' slips... I can't recall ever getting that sort of a sensation from a film.
"Talk to Her" is, like Almodovar's earlier movies, sensuous, defiantly politically incorrect, and curious about love and desire in all their manifestations. This time, though, there's a stillness and emotional richness that bring the work to another level. I'm certainly going to catch up on his mid-to-late 90s work, starting with "All About My Mother," to find out how he got from there to here.
Ghost World
(2001)
Only OK
30 September 2002
Expecting much more, from the hype. Found it a lightweight, but enjoyable, diversion.
Enid was thoroughly disagreeable. Random and/or deliberate acts of cruelty do not make one a rebel or free-thinker - they make one a cruel person.
Got the feeling, especially toward the end, that a lot of material had been cut out - seemed to be some narrative gaps. It wasn't bad enough to make one lose track of the story, but still noticeable.
Enid was thoroughly disagreeable. Random and/or deliberate acts of cruelty do not make one a rebel or free-thinker - they make one a cruel person.
Got the feeling, especially toward the end, that a lot of material had been cut out - seemed to be some narrative gaps. It wasn't bad enough to make one lose track of the story, but still noticeable.
Minority Report
(2002)
Alright, if you ignore the lapses (Minor Spoilers)
1 July 2002
Warning: Spoilers
Biggest one, for me, was why Anderton was set up. Perhaps I missed something, but it seems the fix was in before he learned of the Minority Report and its repercussions for the bad guy.
Nice to see Spielberg continuing to stretch his considerable muscles by including dark humor, surrealism, and visual and verbal non-sequitirs. Don't think this one was quite up to "AI," though (I'm a big fan of that one) - didn't have the emotional depth of the earlier flick, but then, this was more of a thriller than a think piece.
Best performance has to be Lois Smith as Dr. Iris Hineman. Eight, maybe ten minutes, total, but stunning and striking without being hammy. She went from eccentric to thoughtful to cunning to warm to scary, and delivered a big chunk of exposition without making it sound like a big chunk of exposition. Solid work.
Nice to see Spielberg continuing to stretch his considerable muscles by including dark humor, surrealism, and visual and verbal non-sequitirs. Don't think this one was quite up to "AI," though (I'm a big fan of that one) - didn't have the emotional depth of the earlier flick, but then, this was more of a thriller than a think piece.
Best performance has to be Lois Smith as Dr. Iris Hineman. Eight, maybe ten minutes, total, but stunning and striking without being hammy. She went from eccentric to thoughtful to cunning to warm to scary, and delivered a big chunk of exposition without making it sound like a big chunk of exposition. Solid work.
Sunshine State
(2002)
Sweet, laid-back character study
17 June 2002
Saw this at a benefit premiere in Monmouth County, NJ over the weekend. A bit of a shaggy-dog story that takes its time getting where it's going, which is nowhere in particular (this is not meant as a bad thing). It's an ensemble piece that focuses on a group of people and their relationship to a little slice of Florida coast. Some, including Marly (Edie Falco) and Desiree (Angela Bassett), have deep roots, while others, mostly developers, see the place for its potential. Writer-director-editor John Sayles keeps the various intertwined stories moving along; his occasional tendency to stuff polemical speeches in the mouths of his characters pops up here and there, but not as much as some of his other works (Matewan in particular).
The performances are the thing here. Of special note is Edie Falco in an unglamourous role as a woman who, through familial loyalty, bad choices, and just plain inertia, finds herself chained to her past. Her yearning is palpable; when a glimmer of hope or memory crosses her face, it seems as though twenty years melt away, revealing the hopeful and vibrant young girl she once was. (I've seen Falco do this on "The Sopranos," too - I think it's in her eyes - they are so big and open, I feel like I could fall into them and never come up). Also enoyable is Alan King as the most talkative of a group of golfers who serve as a cracked Greek chorus to the main stories.
An enjoyable way to while away a couple of hours on a summers' afternoon if it's too rainy or muggy to be outdoors.
The performances are the thing here. Of special note is Edie Falco in an unglamourous role as a woman who, through familial loyalty, bad choices, and just plain inertia, finds herself chained to her past. Her yearning is palpable; when a glimmer of hope or memory crosses her face, it seems as though twenty years melt away, revealing the hopeful and vibrant young girl she once was. (I've seen Falco do this on "The Sopranos," too - I think it's in her eyes - they are so big and open, I feel like I could fall into them and never come up). Also enoyable is Alan King as the most talkative of a group of golfers who serve as a cracked Greek chorus to the main stories.
An enjoyable way to while away a couple of hours on a summers' afternoon if it's too rainy or muggy to be outdoors.
Stranger Than Paradise
(1984)
Neat little formal exercise
4 March 2002
Watched for the second time the other night, and was struck how formal this really is. Every scene is a single take, some static, some with very stylized camera movement (static shot up the street to an approaching car; pick up car and track it as it passes, static again as it drives off). Occasionally an actor wanders off screen to the right, despite the camera trying to keep up; just this slight effect, surrounded as it is by so much silence and stillness, is enough to produce a slight frisson of tension. Blackouts separate the scenes, but either ambient sound or music cues continue as transitions during the cuts.
The main characters' costumes underline their alienation from the world around them. Judging from the props & surroundings, film seems to be set in contemporary (early-1980s) time. Willie and Eddie dress and act like late-Fifties/early-Sixties racetrack touts, and they seem most at ease in the retro living room of Aunt Lotte, who presumably left Hungary during that period. Eva's costumes likewise proclaim 'outsider,' though the dreary black she wears can signify either a refugee from East Europe or a jaded bohemian poseur.
First viewing a number of years back, I thought the film was offhanded and casual, with not much going on. A second viewing changed my mind - the absolute minimalism of the plot and dialogue leave plenty of space to explore Jarmusch's technique, composition, etc. It made me laugh out loud a couple of times, too.
The main characters' costumes underline their alienation from the world around them. Judging from the props & surroundings, film seems to be set in contemporary (early-1980s) time. Willie and Eddie dress and act like late-Fifties/early-Sixties racetrack touts, and they seem most at ease in the retro living room of Aunt Lotte, who presumably left Hungary during that period. Eva's costumes likewise proclaim 'outsider,' though the dreary black she wears can signify either a refugee from East Europe or a jaded bohemian poseur.
First viewing a number of years back, I thought the film was offhanded and casual, with not much going on. A second viewing changed my mind - the absolute minimalism of the plot and dialogue leave plenty of space to explore Jarmusch's technique, composition, etc. It made me laugh out loud a couple of times, too.
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