shannon-weiss Reviews

La Vie En Rose (2007)

La Mome Piaf

[7/10 · 17 December 2008]

Olivier Dahan's musical biography of friend icon Edith Piaf is epic in its execution. The film is a whopping two hours and twenty minutes long and features nearly twenty songs made famous by Piaf's performances. The film is intriguing to watch largely on behalf of Marion Cotillard's brilliantly idiosyncratic physicality that is fascinating, even if at times slightly overstated. The film utilizes a nonlinear narrative, illustrating Piaf's biography as a series of memories retold from the perspective of an older woman. Piaf's childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age volley across the screen incessantly. Certain contextual scenes are blended together with stage performances so that their relevance within Piaf's music is fully realized. One such example is when Piaf runs through her house, inconsolable after discovering that her lover is dead, and seamlessly walks through a corridor and onto a stage. The poignancy of her desperate emotions is instantly projected into the song. While this clever use of continuous motion forges the gap between time periods in some instances, throughout the majority of the film timelines are crossed so frequently that they are no longer distinguished from one another. At times it is difficult to decipher Piaf's age, the state of her health, or her level of fame because one is uncertain where to place a given scene within the history of her life. One begins to wonder, is this before she met Marcel? After Louis discovered her? And so on. Overall the film's poignant rendering of a life characterized by hardship and tragedy is honest and heartrending. The music, performed by both Piaf and Cotillard is unmistakably beautiful in its ability to captivate the viewer. Although the film suffers slightly due to some structural malfunctions it is worth seeing and will convert any nonbeliever into a Piaf enthusiast at once.

The Sea Inside (I) (2004)

Difficult to Endure

[5/10 · 14 December 2008]

Alejandro Amenabar's The Sea Inside delivers the story of Ramon Sampedro, a man beseeching the Spanish justices to tolerate euthanasia on his behalf. The film seemingly sympathizes with its main character's wishes as the majority of the characters are willing to assist Sampedro in his plight. The only consistently protestant character is Sampedro's brother yet his objective sets him apart as an antagonistic force to battle rather than to reason with. Throughout the course of the film one's predictions as to the outcome fluctuate, as it is hard to determine whether Sampedro will go through with his death wish or admit that life is not as terrible as it might seem. As the film progresses one finds it increasingly difficult to watch, given the main character's unrelenting pessimism despite the plethora of loving individuals that surround and admire him.

As Sampedro's story unfolds the things he reveals about his life make it more difficult to sympathize with him. For example when asked about love Sampedro admits that he had a girlfriend at the time he was paralyzed; she remained with him through his hospitalization and asked that they be married. Sampedro refused her, claiming that he was incapable of loving in his condition. When encouraged to view love as more than mere physicality Sampedro states that he cannot. The main character speaks critically of everyone around him, at times causing his family and friend pain due to his evident bitterness. Aside from his voluntarily grizzly persona, Sampedro's character is notably intelligent, inventive and imaginative. He is able to dream, but only of death. He is able to write, but only of the hell that holds him captive. He is able to remember, yet chooses to reminisce only of his accident.

The film is difficult to endure, especially as it nears its close. Sampedro denounces the love of those who refuse to assist him in his suicide. He lashes out against his family and friends until at last one young woman, desperate to receive love from someone, agrees to help him with his plight. She procures a poison, rents an apartment and sets Sampedro up with a camera. Sampedro speaks to the justices, through the camera, telling them that he will have his way whether it is legal or not. He then sips the poison and dies on film. Before the film ends, however, it revisits a close friend of Sampedro who decided against euthanasia despite living with a degenerative disease. She is seen sitting in a wheel chair near the beach, is evidently blind, and has lost her memory. Even after this moment it is difficult to determine if the film is supporting or criticizing euthanasia. One could argue that the woman's quality of life had been degrading by the disease and yet her determination and her husband's dedication are both admirable. It is difficult to ignore the fact that Sampedro's mind was never at risk of deteriorating and so his death allows him to avoid being emotionally burdened by an event that changed his life almost thirty years ago. While the viewer's external context establishes a bias toward the issue even prior to watching the film, Sampedro's nastiness and lack of will do little to encourage support or understanding on his behalf.

The Fountain (2006)

A Beautiful Symbol

[10/10 · 14 December 2008]

The Fountain compounds exquisitely beautiful visuals with a richly complex narrative in order to create a style that is entirely fresh and unique. Three parallel stories unfold, each following a separate plot line. The filmmaker allows the archetypal fear and mystery surrounding death to stitch the three stories together, even though they exist as separate entities until the very last moment. The stories cross at key points when the metaphoric importance of all three transcends the individual reality of any given story. The result is mesmerizing to the point of distraction but if careful thought is applied the three stories blend more closely and combine to illustrate the potential for beauty to be found in death.

Hugh Jackman plays the lead role in each of the three subplots: Tommy is a medical researcher who searches desperately for death's cure in hopes of saving his wife from an anonymous and fatal disease. He utilizes elements taken from trees to formulate a medicine to counteract the aging process. Tomas is a conquistador who must discover the tree of life in the name of his queen at which point she will be released from captivity and her fears of being overtaken will subside. In the third story, Jackman travels through space in a bubble that carries both him and a dying tree toward a dying star. If his love can prolong the trees life until the star is reached than both the star and the tree will discover eternity. Rachel Weisz plays Jackman's counterpart in all three stories: Izzi seeks the answers to her unrelenting questions about death in ancient Mayan legends as her husband's research pulls him further away from her own spiritual journey. Isabel is a queen who beseeches her beloved conquistador to find the tree of life and to save her kingdom from destruction. And in the third story, Izzi appears as a figure from a memory yet it is also assumed that her spirit thrives within the tree.

In each of the three narratives, Jackman's character fails to accomplish his apparent goal. As a doctor he discovers a cure for his wife's ailment too late and is forced to bury her. The conquistador faces warring tribal forces that eliminate his men and kill his religious leader. The tree within the bubble dies just as the star is to be mounted. In each of the stories Jackman enters a period of mourning as he begins to doubt both himself and the stability of the world around him. At the end of the film, the conquistador fights his way into the temple where the tree of life is held captive. As he enters the sacred place he is consumed by the tree and is reborn as part of the earth.

In practical terms, the film can be viewed as the plight of two characters dissecting their feelings toward death. Each of the subplots conveys their perspectives, represented by imagined narratives that are easier for each troubled character to dissect. Izzi writes the story of the conquistador and queen as a gift to her husband that he might better understand her comfort toward dying. The story within the bubble metaphorically represents Tommy's desire to protect his wife as she dies; his doubts and fears are symbolized by the great emptiness of space. As Tommy reads his wife's book he battles his own demons so that, at the end of the film, all three stories are resolved at once. When the conquistador becomes a part of the world he fulfills the Mayan legend that Izzi was so infatuated with. All three of Jackman's characters are eventually able to overcome the fears that exist when one is faced with death as death is eventually viewed as a rebirth. The three stories converge at this point to illustrate that Tommy is finally able to accept his wife's death as something beautiful as it allows her to become part of the world for all time. The film is not merely poignant in terms of its honesty toward human emotions but it is a rarity in its metaphoric depiction of life. The three stories are shown to follow the same path since life and death are entirely universal experiences. The Fountain is a mesmerizing and thought provoking experience that is highly recommended although two screenings are suggested given the complexity of the film.

Into the Wild (2007)

A Rare Beauty and Must-See!!

[10/10 · 14 December 2008]

Into the Wild is a beautiful film that takes the time to relish in the simple pleasures that most people neglect to even consider. The grandeur of nature, the deep meaning behind a simple act of kindness, and the innate desire of man to commune with a force greater than himself. The slow, natural pace of the film illustrates the timelessness of life in the wild and one's ability to savor every waking second. Into The Wild also conveys the importance of human relationships, illustrating that time spent alone can reaffirm a person's life but is not a fulfilling life in and of itself. Told through secondhand accounts in a style that reads as a documentary film, Krakauer's book version of Chris McCandless' life lacks the degree of emotional relevance that is present in the film. The film stays with McCandless through all of his experiences, therefore providing the poignancy that one might expect from the written biography. While the book impelled many readers to believe that McCandless was a wandering suicidal idealist with no desire for human contact, the film is able to drive home that point that McCandless was frustrated with the capitalistic scheme that engulfed him and that he was simply looking for himself in the wild. It is evident that the human experiences McCandless had while traveling to Alaska affected him greatly and that he intended to maintain contact with each of his newfound friends. McCandless did in fact work along the way in order to support his new lifestyle but simply denounced a life of excess. The landscape is breathtaking, the relationships touching and the story of a young man in search of a meaningful existence is admirable and tragic. It is hoped that those interested in seeing the film will not be dissuaded by those who say it is too long, too slow and too boring as such opinions counter the essence of McCandless' mission. The film is well crafted, well acted, and penetratingly beautiful.

Maria Full of Grace (2004)

Maria Full of Grace

[7/10 · 9 December 2008]

Joshua Marston – Maria Full of Grace

Maria Full of Grace tells the story of a seventeen-year-old girl from Columbia who finds herself increasingly frustrated with the lifestyle that has been carved for her in her native country. Maria quits her job at a flower plantation where she has been treated as a menial labor worker for too long. When she discovers that she is pregnant and that there is no hope for stability much less romance in her dead-end relationship Maria ends things with her boyfriend. Returning home to the less-than-comfort of her family Maria discovers that she is tired of supporting her sister and nephew when no one else seems to be pitching in. All of these events coincide when in a decisive moment Maria agrees to dance with the wrong boy at a dance to spite her boyfriend; unbeknown to her, Maria's actions change the course of her life forever as she winds up in New York as a drug trafficker.

It's easy to say that Joshua Marston's film is a beautifully paced composition that exposes the realistic life story of a young mule. With a captivating lead actress and an exemplary less-is-more script Marston creates a rare coming of age narrative that is gripping and poignant. The script feels at times contrived, given the way in which such grave circumstances befall a young woman with such ease. In each of these incidents, however, the filmmaker alleviates one's doubt with simple justifications that illustrate a stronger sense of believability. As the film progresses one begins to wonder why a self sufficient, strongly independent woman would agree to take part in drug trafficking when other options are available to her. It isn't until Carla, a secondary character, illustrates the joys and difficulties of living the American dream that the film's message is truly announced. The thematic importance of the film is subtle yet by its end, when Maria chooses to remain in America, the prospect of forging a new life in a 'too perfect' world is evidently the best path to take. It is ironic to see how similar life in Queens, New York is to that in Columbia, given the amount of menial jobs available to a young woman as well as the network of shady characters that influence Maria's life. The film does not relish in a triumphant climax as the lead's sense of achievement is mixed with a sense of isolation and guilt. While the circumstances that take place within the film are larger-than-life within such a short, simple narrative, the applicable emotions are rendered realistically. The film is enjoyable and yet it is arguable that had any other actress played the lead it would have failed to communicate much of anything.

Mirror (1975)

Beautiful but hard to connect with

[6/10 · 1 December 2008]

Andre Tarkovsky's The Mirror is at once a personal recollection of a lifetime of sorrows and a remembrance of wartime emotions perhaps long forgotten by most. The filmmaker's autobiographical cinematic expedition is without form, which is both captivating and frustrating. Pleasing large audiences with a non-linear narrative is a more taunting task in the current day than it was in 1975 when the film was first released. The hyperactive visual style of most films aims to satisfy increasingly short attention spans; narratives are given predictable deliverances and little is left to the imagination. None of these qualities speak on behalf of contemporary films in comparison to abstract, subjective works however it is apparent that such films are less likely to 'succeed' today.

Tarkovsky's film is a stream of consciousness display of memories ranging from moments in Russian history to the most precise personal anecdotes. Some are conveyed through archival footage shot during World War II while others are simply retold as they are remembered; others still are so highly subjective that their context can only be assumed. The viewer must infer so much that any hope of interpreting a single strand of the film's interwoven story is next to impossible. The film's framework is structured around the divorce of a young boy's parents, a subplot that invokes a sense of emptiness and lost direction; these emotions are rampant in each of the film's stories within a story and yet the connection is often lost between narratives. Since the same actors carry over into various other microcosms of the film is it sometimes difficult to forge a division between numerous story lines. Regardless, whether or not their meaning is clear, the images on screen are marked by a sense of haunting beauty that evokes within the viewer an almost visceral reaction.

One scene lingers long after the film ends for it leaves a truly ghostly chill in its wake. As the boy is being carted from one parent to the other he finds himself alone in an unfamiliar apartment. He is told to await his father's return from work and yet when he enters a sparse room he finds a woman sitting at a desk. She asks the boy to answer the door and when he returns she is gone. At first the sequence of events appears to be simple transition between two memories happening in the same place. But instead of switching over to a new narrative, the scene takes a haunting turn: on the glass table where the woman sipped her tea remains a ring of condensation in the shape and size of her cup. As the boy approaches the table, seemingly aware of the sudden change, the ring of steam slowly evaporates, indicating that what had once existed is now gone. This image is reminiscent of the film's thematic undertone since it is can be read as a metaphor for memories: something that once was real that leaves only an imprint of itself before slowly fading out of sight and eventually mind. While this moment is effectively eerie it sets a standard that the rest of the film fails to live up to in its disoriented retelling of memories too subjective to be of much importance to anyone beside the filmmaker himself.

A Very Long Engagement (2004)

An Epic Masterpiece!

[9/10 · 3 November 2008]

The year is 1917. Relentless explosions continue to shake the camera as dirt, debris and shrapnel are scattered and propelled through the air. Through the dust and rain one glimpses five condemned soldiers facing execution on account of self-mutilation. Each was shot in the hand in hopes of being discharged and sent home yet they received nothing more than a one-way ticket into no man's land. The mood is characterized by desaturated colors, constant rainfall, exploding bodies and countless bullet wounds as World War I unfolds before's one's eyes. The viewer's sympathy resounds in Manech, the youngest soldier in the trenches whose post-dramatic stress has set in rather early, rendering him skittish, mute and melancholy. Just as the viewer begins to ask how such a bitterly realistic tale could belong to Jean-Pierre Jeunet's filmography, the tension is broken by a change in time and place and the true story of A Very Long Engagement takes shape.

Enter Mathilde, a youthful and hopeless romantic played by Audrey Tautou who anxiously awaits the return of her fiancé from war. Two years after the death notice arrived she maintains hope that her childhood sweetheart, Manech (Gaspard Ulliel), is alive. Mathilde sets out on a quest to unearth the details of her supposedly dead fiancé's sudden disappearance. She encounters a myriad of wounded soldiers as well as the wives and lovers of Manech's comrades. As the mystery unfolds the question is constantly restated, "Well is he alive or isn't he?"

This tangled web of a narrative is slowly unwoven as each character describes his or her knowledge of Manech's death. The same scenes are revisited from differing perspectives and each anecdote posits a small piece of evidence that brings Mathilde closer to unveiling the truth. Mathilde's verve is at once inspiring and heartbreaking since it is difficult to determine whether her faith is honorable or entirely in vain until the very last.

Marked by beautiful cinematography and a poetic script, A Very Long Engagement is a finely crafted masterpiece. While endearing moments of whimsy are often criticized as being inappropriately placed in a war film, it is undeniable that the film's stark historical veracity are only magnified when juxtaposed to tender moments of youthful naiveté. One must not look at the film as a war piece that is interrupted by sentimentality but rather as a love story that is irreversibly interrupted by war. The film emphasizes the brutality of war, the corruption of governments, and the heroic battle to overcome tragedy. If the film was not speckled with traces of Jeunet's playful style then it would simply fade amid innumerable war epics. Instead, this beautiful film utilizes the inhumanity of war to emphasize the brilliant humanity of perpetual love.

The Edukators (2004)

"Your days of plenty are numbered!"

[22 October 2008]

The Edukators presents itself as a dark comedy aimed at deconstructing contemporary bourgeois society with a satirical wit. At surface value the films tells the story of self- proclaimed revolutionaries who break into German villas to execute their own political agenda. Rather than with Robin Hood tactics of give and take, or rather take to give, the Edukators simply rearrange the possessions found within the houses they enter; their goal is to strip the wealthy of the false sense of security they procure through financial stability. The film is sure to surprise as its hidden layers unfold and suddenly poignant moments arise. The filmmakers aim to invoke in their viewers a political voice and an urgency to take action. Referencing past revolutionaries and utilizing contemporary music as a stimulator, the film speaks on behalf of an archetypal counter-culture while avoiding any sense of melodrama or impracticality. In addition the narrative touches on a variety of universal themes that include but are not limited to self-discovery, love, friendship, betrayal, and morality. The film maintains a subtle level of sentimentality that allows piercing moments of suspense to rise to the surface while social implications strike the viewer in a meaningful but not overbearing way.

The Carabineers (1963)

Les Cabiniers

[5/10 · 22 October 2008]

While watching Les Carabiniers it is immediately evident that Godard is making a statement in an individualistic way. Is it a satirical portrait of society at war, a black comedy poking fun at realistic drama, or an experimental project through which Godard exercising his right to redefine himself and his cinematic style? The film is undeniably a combination of all three. Two military officers arrive at a shack which, surrounded by barren land in every direction, is home to two men and their supposed wives. The officers blind the foursome with promises of riches and glory stating, "in the current times… the police should learn to distract the population." The two men enlist and trot off to war, eager to "slaughter the innocent" and learn of "worldly women". A series of detached scenes ensues, illustrating the nature of war as the duo execute their plan to murder and misuse. Postcards arrive at home telling the women of their bloody exploits. The absurdity of war is made clear by the end of the film when the King loses the war, the men return home penniless, and life goes on much as it did before – perhaps with a slightly more bitter tinge. While the film makes a political statement it is perhaps not as enjoyable to watch if one is not well versed in or highly admirable of Godard's work.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring: A Cinematic Painting

[8/10 · 5 October 2008]

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring is a story whose beauty is reflected in the visual elements of the film. Ki-duk Kim utilizes stylistic techniques characteristic of Korean cinema as both writer and director. The film features a small Buddhist monastery that rests in a lake beneath the snowy mountains of the region. The serene setting is gently interrupted by the arrival of a curious young boy who trains to become an old monk's successor. The narrative is divided into portions of the boy's life, delineated by the passing of each season. The story is revealed at a slow, winding pace as an archetypal life story unfolds on the screen. With little dialog to follow, one begins to interpret the visual symbolism within the film in order to extract deep meaning from the quintessentially Korean narrative. The use of long, unchanging takes allows the viewer to become absorbed in the tranquil environment that engulfs the unusual one-room monastery. As a result one finds the dramatic climaxes within the film that much more jarring; viewing the film becomes, therefore, a reflection on the events that shape, challenge, and reaffirm not only the main character's life but also one's own.

Tropical Malady (2004)

Sud Pralad: Mirrored Metaphors

[6/10 · 27 September 2008]

Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Tropical Malady is at first a playful illustration of new love that has as its backdrop exotic Thailand. Keng, a soldier, is immediately admired by one and all; his attention however is dedicated entirely to young country boy, Tong. This blossoming romance illustrates the societal prejudices in existence at the time as well as cultural idiosyncrasies characteristic of the region. One easily becomes lost in the film as the long, slow cinematographic style mesmerizes the viewer yet at the midway point one is simply lost as the film shifts focus entirely. The narrative now resembles a proverb, in which a soldier wanders through the mysterious jungle in search of a missing boy. Suspicions lead to a shaman who haunts the village in tiger form. The secondary story relates to the narrative of Keng and Tong in a metaphoric way: it mirrors a quote provided earlier that illustrating the bestial nature of man and his desire to train the animal within to perform as expected by society. This statement conveys the nature of homosexuality, a characteristic innate in some yet denied by many. In the second story, the soldier in the jungle reverts to his animalistic tendencies in order to join his friend in a separate, if not supernatural world. While the transition between the juxtaposed narratives is foggy in execution, it is evident that the two stories speak to each other; the former illustrates the simplicity of love while the latter displays the inborn facets of love that are perhaps driven by something outside of oneself.

Conspirators of Pleasure (1996)

Conspirators of Pleasure

[3/10 · 21 September 2008]

Jan Svankmajer's Conspirators of Pleasure is a film that speaks to an individualistic demographic to say the least. The film utilizes a combination of live action footage and stop action animation techniques to portray the lives of six people whose lives are dictated by their disturbing sexual fetishes. While some find the interconnected narratives humorous and others appear to relate to the story, this writer for one found nothing about the film witty or meaningful. In terms of thematic relevance the film does illustrate one reoccurring motif that the writer took note of: prior to executed their elaborate sexual desires, be it through torture, role play or a variety of more bizarre activities, the characters isolated themselves often through the use of a symbolic wardrobe door. Seemingly out of shame due to the oppressive nature of society in the given country each of the characters attempts to remain 'in the closet' so to speak, about their deviant personal lives. The film posits no conclusive ending and allows each character to remain more or less unchanged; the film therefore is little more than an unnecessary display of unusual behavior and this writer would have preferred it if the closet door had remained closed.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - something to be desired

[6/10 · 6 September 2008]

The synopsis printed on the back of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly beseeches the viewer to 'experience the triumphant tale of… a man whose love of life and soaring vision shaped his will to achieve a life without boundaries." This statement leaves much to the imagination if little is known of the main character Jean-Do Bauby's true-life story. While Bauby's life may have been riddled with fame, adventure, and eventually tragedy, the screen version fails to communicate the full spectrum of experiences witnessed by the main character. Ironically Bauby's life is depicted as more of an imprisonment than one 'without boundaries." The film therefore leaves much to be desired in terms of its emotive impact on the viewer.

After achieving a successful career as the editor of Elle magazine, Jean-Do Bauby suffered a stroke that left him physically paralyzed although mentally acute. The film commences after the stroke, allowing many of the character's secondary experiences to be overlooked, the nuances that, if seen, would have allowed the viewer to enter Bauby's world more fully. From the onset of the narrative the filmmaker, Julian Schnabel, allows the viewer to play the role of Bauby. The camera takes the place of the character's eyes causing the atmosphere to become incredibly claustrophobic. The film is too stifling to feel comfortable in and therefore the point-of-view cinematography is distracting. Desperately seeking a change of pace one's frustration is only enhanced by short flashbacks that are too few and far between. At the forty-minute marker one can finally breath a little as Bauby is finally viewed for the first time from the outside.

The accelerated pace is liberating however it comes far too late in the narrative. In the second half of the film select scenes are actually poignant. The most impressionable of these illustrates a conversation between Bauby and his father, nearly one hundred years old and ill himself. The anguish of a father unable to communicate with his son is heartwarming however such a climax is a reminder that the rest of the film fails to render nearly as much sentiment. A beautiful style surfaces as Bauby dictates his autobiography through language made up of eye movements. The depth and imagery of Bauby's words portrays his strength of mind while the slow process of speaking through blinks plays out beneath his narration. Still, as the character states that, "two things are left not paralyzed, my imagination and my memory," one anticipates a series of flashbacks that will lend context to his famed life. Still little is revealed about the character and such subtleties unfortunately deduct from the overall experience instead of enhancing it.