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Reviews
Solaris (2002)
Uncut Blade Runner & Nostalgia
Tarkovsky's Solaris, like Soderberg's is concentrated in the human mind. Andrey Tarkovsky's Solaris is spaceless, while Steven Soderberg's an intense gravitational field, with a pull to the material world. High forms of communication are possible by Dr. Kelvin, a doctor needed in Solaris. The atmosphere of Solaris is an exquisite relaxed power in pastel colors, with calm sexual energy. The play of light and shadows in the space stations are as flawless as the falling space craft, in perpetual drop with out a nudge in degree or motion. A digital score that plays with the senses, giving the atmosphere curiosity and hope. Dr. Kelvin arrives to the ship, disciplined and concerned, following a trail to a member of the board, who in turn comments "how about that" when the mentions of odd circumstance are hinted at. A comic effect in deception is raised to concern, when the serious anger of Dr. Gordon brings forth experience with the state of solaris. The crew becomes spaced-out with ascertain beguile by an unknown power, while the crew is trying to figure out what is happening. In solaris, while they sleep, guests of the past glide in their reality. Dr. Kelvin, is visited by his loved one, who takes the blame for her departure. Memories of intimacy & poetry, as they share verses. Bitter fights & play, as she puts a dress on him. Rhea is a feline of a woman, she gets so close, you can touch her and you allow yourself, smell her. It is interesting to note, Solaris is a piece of work. Complex with the minimum of dialog to explain phenomena. the use of few characters in the interplay of an enclosed structure, in perfect pauses with facial expressions, replacing dialogue. Like the score, like the view of solaris, used detailed for maximum effect.
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
Mulholland Dr. Crashes and Burns Beautifully
Contains spoilers Mulhulland Drive captures Los Angeles. Basking in its sun, while reflecting the scary reality of the power & peoples broken dreams. Concentration is imperative in a David Lynch film, here one can delve in the films exquisite drawn out stretches of character development or disregard them as video installations from the Modern Art Museum. Constant contradictions feed the viewer in a surprising beautiful love story, untill the Director plays with your emotions and turns it a sadistic nightmare. Thinking how attention is to be kept, big band music blares out with swing dancers at full throttle on a colorful mixed media backdrop. The unexpected is always a factor with David Lynch, this film never lets down its guard when an array of kaleidoscope characters develop, where images and imagination blur. A creepy Mulholland Drive in a limo, a sexy latin girl a passenger. Two cars side by side full of crazy L.A. kids racing super fast-the opposite way, girls screaming from the tops. The limo stops, she gets out at gun point, the kids, the gun, the kid's car hits the limo. She survives, and up from the hills from Mulholland Drive, walks down towards the lights. Disoriented, she enters a home and passes out. A petite blond arriving LAX from middle America catches the Hollywood bug on the drive to an Aunts apt where she's to stay. Surprised to find a "friend" of the aunts in the shower, who calls herself Rita from an old movie poster from the bathroom. The crash caused the sex bomb Brunette amnesia, while her purse is filled with tons of Benjamins and a special triangular blue modern key. Rita & Bettie become more than sisters as the adventure begins to find out whose who, while Bettie tries getting roles in film. At Paramount, a young Tarantinoish Director at a meeting with a man respected to the pint of fear, who asks fro a dbl espresso & commands "this is the girl" who will star in Adams new film. This mobster Hollywood suit is hilarious, to watch him ask for a napkin made me laugh at the top of my lungs. Incredulously, Adam rebels, goes home and starts getting unlucky untill a cowboy alluding perversion gives him advice. Rita is having a nightmare in spanish, Bettie wakes her and they drive to a Mexican Theatre Downtown. The show is called Silencio(silence). An amazing actor performs a show reminiscent of Mozarts Theatre from Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse, where things that happen dont necessary exist. This part of the Theatre/film is trippy, it plays with your mind, your hypnotised. If not controlling our faculties, this may complicate you & cause confusion. The emotions cross the language barrier when a girl sings heartbreak & anguish- watch yourself choke. Here the box to the modern key is found and instead of the film ending, performances within in performances makes things dreamy. You have to keep up for the rest of the film whose who and Mulholland Drive starts. I enjoy the Lynchian style of film, but I refuse to be awed or dubb anything "deep" simply because I might not understand it. This, the most creative film by any director in years, pushing it to the point of experimental is simply as creative and awesome as Dune, (to those not on the illiterate side of the Herbert spectrum) but on another level beyond classification. In the theatre an actor repeats in spanish, "Silence, there is no tape/band, it is pre-recorded". This must be one key to the lock, but on this brief moment I'll disregard some of it as a video installation from the Modern Art Museum with an Oscar nomination for the petite blond.
Life as a House (2001)
The Prosperity of the American Family
Every generation has a movie that matures it, moving it to adulthood and giving it a glimpse of the future, simultaneously showing us a mirror image of oneself. Kevin Kline is an old-world architect that doesn't use cad when bldng. He constructs models of structures in scale, but one day finds himself out paced by the pc. Throughout the firm beautiful models of his creations abound, he is only allowed to take one, and he does just that, leaving none behind. He is diagnosed with an illness and goes back to a shack in front of the ocean next to upper-middle class neighbors. Hayden lives with his mon and his well off step-dad. A normal young guy, smoking grass, into the underground scene with piercings and a cool streak of blue on his jet black hair. He arrives to school with Brandon in a Porche planning extra curricular activities. Kevin wants to be with his son during this summer, and forcefully gets Hayden from the step-dads home to spend the summer with him. Arguing that he's only sixteen, Hayden act too mature to be sixteen, but then fluctuates his demeanor, as emotional scenes become of him, and pulls aces from his sleeve as a young adult. At the shack Kevin Kline shakes actors by the shoulders. He suffers his disease, he comforts his son. He re-evaluates and makes amends wth his ex-wife, to the the point that they fall in love again. Kevin and Hayden destroy the shack with crowbars and hammers, to begin the dream of bldng the house he always wanted with the help of his family. The girl next door and Hayden slowly become an item and soon all get to participate in bldng the house. A neighbor starts trouble but skeletons in the closet bring his plans to a halt. The part of the film which construction of the house took place left me void. I wish Kevin and Hayden participated in working on the floor plans of the home, I can imagine them bonding even more if this phase occurred. I saw the house being constructed, but never really felt its presence. Nevertheless, I went thru many emotions in this amazing film. Many times I put my hands in my face, embarrassed at the film exposing us so openly. The adults are mirror images of our parents, but at the same time it makes us feel for them, and tells us that one day we will have kids too and we are going to want their ears to mold them healthy, wealthy and wise. I dont think I've ever been to a film with such a good message for this era, that doesnt preach, but teach. I think it was Kevin Kline who made it happen, his performance is beyond acting. This film is awesome, I hope the youth who do things young people do, experience it and concluding the picture leave the theater more mature and more adult, this is the real America beauty of cinema.
The Others (2001)
Haunted, while the minutes drag.
I saw her on the cover of Bazzar and remembered The Others. This film looks like molds of glowing wax-sculpted and made into a wicked cartoon. Its a dark tale of a woman with kids during The Great War. An English woman, sophisticated yet modest. Proud of never giving in to the Axis Powers, particularly Germany. The kids are pale with dark hair. The boy is faithful to his mother while his older sister is rebellious and taunting.They both have a skin disorder that's allergic to the sun so all the windows remain draped. An older couple and a girl knock on the door looking for work. Every door has to be closed and locked when entering and exiting rooms. Nicole Kidman, a nervous yet controlled wreck, lives life haunted while the minutes drag. She looks like those old movie stars or that girl from Killer's Kiss. The film turns here, the addition of characters makes them un-human. The lighting and backgrounds of burgundy-browns look like old tobacco smoke creating a surprising effect. The kids get haunted and one gets possessed, black & white pictures of an old customs to photograph the dead look familiar, daddy comes home from War. You think its ghostly but its pure evil.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
A Final Fantasy
The film wants to be human, but it is not, its a very realistic cartoon, and at moments you forget they are not human. The plot is about finding the soul of the earth, similar to the Princes Mononoke. Films like these are about 2 or 3 years from achieving perfection. They move like humans, facial expressions are human, but some characters are more physically developed than others, but the spaceships, planets and everything else could pass for actual. The story is like better than A.I. & here you marvel at 'us humans' we have created an alternative to actors that's realistic. Humans are practically extinct, but instead of robots we have phantoms. The destroyed Manhattan scenes are darker and scary. In a couple of years you can't help but to ask yourself if one of these creations can compete for a Golden Globe, and if so, kiss the star system goodbye. >
Baise-moi (2000)
The Underground's Underground
One of the things I love about "Rape Me" is the advertising, the girl in red lens holding a gun at you, the Warning and Banned in France. That girl is Nadine, an elegant young prostitute, who comes home from work to a roommate that's upsetting her. In the city, Manu gets kidnapped and with her friend get forced on, at home she gets upset with someone close. Destiny meets at the train station, becoming friends when its late and closed. A car in France, and with a taken ATM, a trail of blood is left. Nadine at moments, emotionally tells us why she's doing this, its heartbreaking but her anger is real, and her cruelness is a polar opposite of what she displays. Manu is younger, cute, wild and dangerous, she's amusing to see, in fascination you remember the film "Fun". The sex is sex, it looks healthy on screen, but its the plot that your mind is fixed, your thinking, what's going to happen to the girls? Your wondering about Nadine and Manu, sometimes blankly for its a film creating a new genre or a film with such an ending that you have to turn to the director and wonder of the future.
Baise-moi (2000)
The Underground's Underground
One of the things I love about "Rape Me" is the advertising, the girl in red lens holding a gun at you, the Warning and Banned in France. That girl is Nadine, an elegant young prostitute, who comes home from work to a roommate that's upsetting her. In the city, Manu gets kidnapped and with her friend get forced on, at home she gets upset with someone close. Destiny meets at the train station, becoming friends when its late and closed. A car in France, and with a taken ATM, a trail of blood is left. Nadine at moments, emotionally tells us why she's doing this, its heartbreaking but her anger is real, and her cruelness is a polar opposite of what she displays. Manu is younger, cute, wild and dangerous, she's amusing to see, in fascination you remember the film "Fun". The sex is sex, it looks healthy on screen, but its the plot that your mind is fixed, your thinking, what's going to happen to the girls? Your wondering about Nadine and Manu, sometimes blankly for its a film creating a new genre or a film with such an ending that you have to turn to the director and wonder of the future.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Topsy-Turvy with Nicole on Acid
I was at loss for words concluding this picture, but now that I'm composed I feel Alive. Moulin Rouge did not feel like a movie, it felt like watching a live performance on Broadway. This was Topsy-Turvy with Nicole on acid, she's Satine a woman of the night torn between Christian, a poor writer and a Duke. The love story is as simple as Killer's Kiss, but its comic-dance scenes are as great as Everyone Says I Love You. McGregor belts out tunes with talented confidence, complimented by Nicole singing like a love-bird, she moves you and you stare at her in disbelief as she furiously dances, participating in the Moulin Rouge. The audience applauded at her with passion at the end of a hectic scene where she's talking to the Duke, hiding Christian in her room. There are many magickal sequences that will be remembered, as stamps of the cinema standing the test of time, simple scenes powerful and eloquent. A french man singing Roxanne with a thick voice, while the director like a panther moves from two simultaneous actions of Satine with the Duke, being forcefully cornered to a Roxanne tango, while Christian walks the streets of 1900 Paris, singing the song in a different place. If this was on Broadway, receipts for The Producers would be cut in half, what a show, what a show I tell you, a rare gem you will see again & again & again.
The Luzhin Defence (2000)
The Luzhin Defense
The literary genius of Vladimir Navokov is brought to the screen again and many in the cultured world will take notice. The director puts us in check mate with the story of Alexander, an absentminded chaplinesque study of chess addiction. Nastasya is vacationing in a marble columned resort where a chess championship is being hosted. She meets Alexander by picking up a queen piece he drops thru his coat pocket. A magnetic attraction evolves whereby he proposes the next day, the mother alarmed telegrams the husband. He arrives and questioning Alexander we get these fades to the past, ala' Godfather II, where we see young Alexander, a child prodigy. He is taken under a school teachers wing and exploits his genius for 10 yrs making vast sums. Thinking Alexander reached his peak, abandons him but becomes legend. The old teacher returns causing harm, trying to give victory to an old rival of Alexander. In a serious chess game where World Chess Champion victory is one way to immortality, the chess clock ticks, match time ends to conclude the next day. That day is Nastasya's wedding, the old teacher interferes and Alexander is sent on a nervous breakdown. Nastasya, holding her stomach and looking thru her love's coat finds his strategy for the match and follows the moves. Though the film unfortunately sways from its Russian roots, its low back cut dresses are lovely, Alexander plays his role sublimely.The director underestimated her audience, we hardly ever get to play and the only hint of The Luzhin Defense is after trading queens, isolate the opponents King with your 3 paws & King, sacrificing the castle for mate. Nastasya is a great match, but feel its conclusion deserved more intensity, but maybe the emotions were right on check for chess meant more to him than her. The Luzhin Defense elegantly gives Navokov honor, the complexity of his work in images is a world event not to be missed.
The Center of the World (2001)
Women, The Center of the Universe.
Women, the power of their control, if they only knew how easy we break. They always seem to catch you off guard and they always have the destiny of us in their hands. The Center of the World is the authority of the female dancer phyche. It correctly shows that the nightclub dancer is a girl with refined features and intelligent, I loved a stripper, I remember how I could not believe she was a dancer just like Richard. Florence is beutifull, so refined so innocent looking, so classy yet, never a whore, she danced and took our money, we gave her alot of it for a couple of songs while she danced on your lap. Director Wayne Wang has either dated a dancer or fell in love with one because he displays the power of women, they make the rules, end of story. The Center of the World is a film that teaches a hard lesson to men, women are never bought, not for all the money in the world or for all the luxury, deep inside, a girl will only give to he who deserves. A couple has entered a room and look at the view, while in flashbacks, the story of their meeting is told. The meeting at Pandoras Box, she tells him "2 songs 30 dollars". He offers her a nice compensation for a little vacation, she accepts with conditions. Richard falls in love, she's becoming attracted, she wont allow herself since she was hired. She gives in and he is stunned that it meant nothing to her, but look in her eyes. Acting is in the eyes and Richard and Florence display a tidal wave of feelings and soul. When Richard realizes Florence is not his he breaks down like a little boy, remember? Women make the rules, if they only knew how easy we break.
Lipgloss Explosion! (2001)
Oddball Indie Inspires
Lipgloss Explosion is a weird film, its about female robots taking over the world but is mixed with odd characters and surreal scenes that you watch in disbelief at their inconsistence, like when Dixie gets a knock on her "door" and she answers and its a closet, and you can see the hangers and bags, angry at being interrupted while watching a soap opera, she goes back into the closet slamming the door. There are moments, where even as the director is taking a shot at the studio formula he gives a taste of his talent, during the fight scenes, they are synchronised in boxy fast clips to funny music, like in RunLolaRun when people's future is put on fast-forward in a snapshot way, but Chris Morrissey has a 80's pop feel to it. There is a stunning girlrobot in g-string who with her ray gun zaps, and either kills or turns girls into zombies, depending on the 5 dollar ray gun sound, but when the robot attacks, Chris Morrissey uses his boxy clips, but slows them down to a new effect. Mannequins as backdrops add to the oddness, a detective fighting with another girl using a teddy bear, a giant latina wearing lingerie, donuts stacked on plates and phone sex as a girls job make you think the director has lost all his marbles but then he uses profanity every 3 seconds and Taffy reads her lines from the floor and actually thinks its unnoticed to a funny effect, Director Chris Morrissey is an inspiration to young filmmakers and I believe he's here to stay.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
The Oscar & Ellen Bursrtyn
In a living nightmare, Sara hides in a room and speaking to herself "this is not happening" her son takes her tv to score. Harry's mom gets a call to be in a tv show, she obsesses over the idea reminiscing over a happy past, the peak-a red dress in her closet, determined to fit into it a Dr. prescribes diet pills and she falls into the eye of the storm. Like in all economies, the black market is unpredictable, when the street supply is low the cost is higher. Harry gets his g/f Marion to ask an old flame for $ and he takes her. Harry unable to score drives south. Marion unable to cope, calls a pusher who gives only to girls. Sara is a wreck and a Hospital takes her. Harry lands in the slammer with an infected arm when he seeks help, and in the eye of the storm when all innocence is raped away by the addicting plague on the streets, you are the nightmare. Mr. Aronofsky takes you to the eye of the storm and perpetually stabs you in the heart forever, the New Beverly Cinema crowd sobbed and tears fell on blouses and men wiped their faces while it was still dark and applauding the users re-evaluated life getting a glimpse of the future.
Fa yeung nin wah (2000)
In the mood to see it again
Picture a sophisticated woman in 1960 and a viola weeping to a creeping pulse. The music is key, it intoxicates you, takes you to emotional madness and for a sec. you choke up. The woman with the taste fo Jackie O' fashion and such refined quality, living next to another teenant in a home, he like her is alone while their respected others are on business. A glance, an emotion, painted it seems on canvas, it slows down while it rains, like in slow motion and the music and nat king cole sing. So many coincidences, you fall in love in a conservative world, and you remember and remember and remember.
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
This vampire is immortal.
In order to connect with the film, you have to see the original Nosferatu, and it would help if you read the book. This film is one of the better vampire films of the last decade. Murnau the director of Nosferatu, finds a real vampire to play the role of dracula and Eddie Izzard plays the real estate broker. When the scenes for Murnau's film are being shot, and Malkovich announces 'iris in', the movie shifts to silent black and white, grainy with authenticity of a vintage blk/wht film. This shift is stunnning and very original, these scenes are when Eddie Izzard wakes up in the town on his way to the castle and a horse carriage scene, when I first saw them I was so surprised they looked exactly the same as 'Nosferatu' but Eddie Izzard is very funny, his comic relief and timing makes you crack up. Enter Dafoe, Nosferatu incarnate, It is as if the actor of the 20's is in the yr 2000, a real vampire cast in this modern film. Dafoe is Nosferatu, breathing, talking, drinking he is Max Schreck. Shadow of the Vampire continues to entertain with Udo Kier, he was Stephen Dorff's boss in Blade, here he produces Nosferatu. Shadow of the Vampire biografically, correctly implies Murnau's bisexual cabaret lifestyle and the film ends with calm Malkovich fanaticism in the eyes of terror.
All the Pretty Horses (2000)
An instant classic
Although the ads and trailers insinuate this is a love story, it is not. It is a guy film, a film of 3 young masculine cowboys leaving America to Mexico on an adventure, running away to escape the sorrow of their memories. The wide open plains of the lands are so big you feel your at an Imax theatre, this is an emotional film of friendship in which Matt Damon and his sidekick prove themselves to be able ranchers in Mexico while Matt falls in love with Penelope Cruz, the daughter of the owner of the ranch. I don't do Matt Damon films, I only saw this film because Penelope Cruz is in it, but I felt disappointed in her performance, her love scenes were not realistic, her eyes were somewhere else when expressing her love, but she is so beautiful it makes one weep. Matt is a credible cowboy and a fearless lover, he inspires a feeling of love to ones friends, one remembers old best friends and how important loyalty and love goes hand in hand in good times and bad. In Mexico they run into trouble because of the 3rd young cowboy and they end up in the state prison, I enjoyed this part of the movie the most, I don't know why they didn't promote this film to attract more male viewers, this is a man film not a chick flick in my opinion. Penelope Cruz struggles with her honor and her father. I loved this film, I can say it was beautiful and an instant classic, this is a must see for the year 2000.
Quills (2000)
Quills tickles desire
I'm 24 now, but when I was young I remember reading justine and bedroom stories, I was expecting Quills to be stories or dream image sequences of eroticism mixed with sadomastic images. The film supplied none, but it did leave me with a word at its conclusion- Brave. Mr. Rush plays an intoxicating-rabid Marquis de Sade, and although it takes you with him to the brink of madness not felt since Mozart in Amadeus, he becomes somewhat comical and takes away the seriousness we should expect from him. J. Phoenix and Kate Winslet have scene stealing chemistry but Dr. Royer took away the concentration of the time era and brought it somewhat to the present. I wish the film had more story of Sade, to get the reason for his character, a little back story, simply because I dont expect the audience to know anything-while the films portrays Sade as always being unstable and confined. I felt the movie was Brave because it was so close of being a masterpiece and the climax of the film was a tidal wave of emotional horror.
Wo hu cang long (2000)
A TRAGIC BITTERSWEET LOVE STORY
Some films make you think, some make you laugh, this film makes you escape. The film is in subtitles but dont let this annoy you, the story moves at a medium pace but its interesting, there's something very new and rewarding about this picture you don't see in american films I'm sorry to say. There is a stolen sword called the Green Destiny over 400 yrs old, belonging to a wise master. The thief is the one fragile sword goddess about to married but when her caravan is ambushed, life changes completely. Possesing mind-gravity bending knoledge of a secret fighting sect the lead characters float, levitate and the hand to hand combat is amazing. Remember how when you saw the Matrix everyone cheered and applauded after killer scenes? At the Regent Showcase last night the whole audience was in awe. I know I was. Keep a keen eye on the architecture, the costume, the hair style, the city of Peking and the beautiful landscapes. Last night I did not go to the movies I went to China 800 hundred years ago.
Snatch (2000)
SNATCH SMELLS LIKE A HIT
Snatch, a testotorone enhanced film was a crowd pleaser the last night it played at the Sunset 5. The audience laughed heartedly and applauded concluding the picture. Bringing the street lingo of underground england the director juggles more than 25 male characters, no females throughout the movie. Each character is so well balanced with all the others that each player has its own credibility. The style, talk, body language of each is so authentic it boggles the mind and at the end of the film when you realized its over, the actors were so cemented and good and entertaining it seemed cartoonish in a kind of positive way. Turkish and his innocent slick sidekick consistent and calm in caos. One punch mickey cracked me up and being no fan of him began to respect him a little more. Frankie 4 fingers is benicio del toro, like john travolta in pulp fiction but with more confidence. Snatch moves fast, it doesnt waste time with small talk and deadly funny, more smoke in the language and street intelligent. Not only does Guy make well polished gun films but he brings out the chicks too! to my right rose mcgowen sat in rose pink pantyhose looking very Paris and to my left theresatrapp.com. It was a very good night...