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Reviews
Heaven Knows What (2014)
The foreign, but familiar world of junkies in NYC.
This is an incredible touching, intimate and stark film. You follow a young woman, who seems so fragile lost in a world we all fear filled with drugs, hopelessness and even more frightening: Love. We've all seen the passionate and outlandish arguments on the street between people that call it home, but we disregard it all as fleeting and inhuman. This film puts a human face to the people we turn away from so quickly. I commend the filmmakers for not making heroin sexy. It's a sad disease you contract that's taken three of my close friends. This film helps us better understand drug abuse and the people stuck in that cycle. It couldn't have felt more real.
Music and Lyrics (2007)
Walked Out
This almost the worst film I have ever seen. The first scene was so forced and terribly setup that I just hoped it would get better, but it doesn't. The premise could have been written by a twelve year-old. Does every character in American cinema have to be famous to have any credibility? The direction is so terrible. There is a whole section of dialogue shot from the character's backs while walking for no apparent thematic reason, besides a lack of creativity. The dialogue isn't even in sync. The director never gives you time to get a feeling of place. I'd say the only redeeming part of the film is Hugh Grant's corny antics on stage, but that is it. The saddest part about the film is that the humor is so childish and slapstick that the English as a second language audience I was watching it with were actually enjoying it. Makes it seem as if films are now made with out inspiration and just to be paid for, filling genre slots in cineplexes, so that romantic couples have a reason to not talk to each other. Finally, an hour in to the film I snapped out of the numbness walked out.
The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
Creative Junkie
This film is a documentary biopic of struggling creative genius. Told from the perspective of his friends, family and the artwork of Daniel Johnston. More than 80% of the film must be video, audio, art and music from the artist. None of it is told from his 1st person present day perspective. This gives me the tragic feeling that he only exists in the shell of what he used to be before... Well you'll just have to see the film. I knew nothing of Daniel Johnston, before I saw the film, which does an amazing job of covering every significant moment in his life up to a few years ago. If you have ever wondered what would happen if a creative genius was born in middle America then this is it and it's beautifully documented.
American Masters: Sketches of Frank Gehry (2005)
Sketch of a Sketch
The best part about this film is the access to the personal relationship between Pollack and Gehry, but if you're looking for a poetic film about the architect then look somewhere else. Although not visually appealing in it's self the film does give you the feeling that you have just witnessed and walked through a museum of Gehry's work. Gehry's persistence of vision and explanation of the inspirations of his work was very inspiring to hear. I found myself walking out of the theater and for the first time looking at use of the indoor space, noticing how architecture can be an art form. Although, the film seems to be split up into free associating segments that when combined make a strange structure, maybe the filmmaker was trying to be free with the form of the film like a Gehry building. This loose structure made Gehry's philosophies and criticisms sound a little repetitive at times. I would have like to see general people's reaction to his work, instead of solely hearing opinions from other artists and architects. In the end it is a decent film and well worth it to see.
Japón (2002)
Raw Like a Dead Horse
I took a particular interest in this film, for my own film-making reasons. I wouldn't recommend this film to any one that feels enthusiasm for the acting ability of Renee Zellweger. In this film I found myself between points of wanting to fall asleep and run out of the theater. The premise sounds simple enough, but means and imagery of which it is told is shocking and deserves a look. Some shots in the film linger for painfully long moments and the nonprofessional acting is so bad that it takes you out of the story, but in the end the landscape, characters and nature are well worth the ride. The film, for me, existed in less than half of the scenes it contained, but these carried so much weight and rawness that it made up for the other flaws. The following hours and days preceding the film I was left with images from the film rather than a one general emotion that was conveyed. These images, of course, contained there own complexities of which I feel I was given the freedom to make my own judgments of.
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)
Violent and Moving
I've been wanting to see this film for the last year. Without any wide release, I had to wait for a film festival to screen it. It is an amazing achievement for first time director Dito Mantiel. The story is so raw and heart wrenching that if it weren't actually true I would call it overly melodramatic. His portrayal of 1980's New York is so full of live and death that you fear for every step that these kids take down the street. Performances by all of the cast are extremely powerful, especially Channing Tatum who can barely be contained on screen. These kids are forced to become adults so fast that they have no choice but to stomp on each other, die or break away. By the end of the film it's no wonder why Dito made the heart breaking decision to leave all of it behind.
300 (2006)
The Persistence Continues
This is the third time that I've left a negative review of 300. It is a very racist, sexist and homophobic film. I feel that it represents everything that is wrong with the US and it's international relations. No wonder it is causing chaos in the middle east for it's negative portrayal of their ancestors as heartless monsters. In that sense it is a cultural landmark and should be seen for that reason alone, but unfortunately people have hailed its morale. The recent success of the film is in no doubt related to the amount of publicity it has received. Seeing the fact that all negative reviews of the film are systematically deleted from this site, the proponents of this film are forcing their story on people for purely financial reasons. If the makers of this film treated the story with an open mind then they should also be open for criticism.
Overnight (2003)
So Sad
The behind the scenes of Troy Duffy's life is so sad. It reminds me of thousands of men trying to 'make it' in Hollywood. I don't doubt that given the same opportunities their experience would be any different. The quote at the end of the picture is so true it's frightening. The filmmakers did an amazing job of capturing all the moments of their friend's rise and fall. I can't imagine welding a camera in more than half of those situations. Really intense stuff. The main problem I have with the film is that the one question that Troy's and all these guy's lives revolved around, is not answered. Why did Miramax drop the project? Just because? Maybe I missed it. I would have also appreciated a little deeper analysis of Troy's writing and the message of 'his' band. Also, I don't think the filmmakers dig deep enough into the psyche of their subject and friend. At one point Troy even asks the filmmaker and his friend what he thinks of the movie then the film cuts to him sharing his negative opinion away from Troy. At times it almost seems as if they did nothing to stop their friend's fall. All this aside, I think the film is a really valuable piece for anyone working or interested in Hollywood.