Here are links to all of the Oscar nominated films that we've reviewed over the past year. And when I say films I mean films, I haven't linked to any of the actors, actresses, writing, ect award nominated films, just features, animated features, foreign films and documentary nominees.
I'll add more links as we see more films (for example a brief review of Wreck it Ralph runs Sunday night).
Click on the title to see the review.
Amour
Life of Pi
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Argo
Para Norman and Frankenweenie
Pirates Band of Misfits
I appear only to have mentioned Brave in passing, specifically that I liked it but didn't love it.
And as I said above a Wreck It Ralph review comes Sunday
Kon-tiki
No
War Witch
Searching for Sugar Man
Invisible War
Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Medicine Man (1930)
Extremely odd, at least in reflection of Jack Benny’s persona, about a young put upon girl who is romanced by a patent medicine salesman in a backwater town in the early 1930’s. It’s a dark little tale that most people assume in a comedy because it has Benny in it, but it’s not.
As the slippery snake oil salesman of the title Benny is scary good. It’s a performance that doesn’t seem all that remarkable until you realize how far removed it is from the Jack Benny of radio and TV. Here is a smooth character who can handle anything and turn it to his advantage. He’s the sort of guy who wouldn’t have butter melt in his mouth. It’s such an obvious operator that the supposed happy ending, which has the girl and Benny going off in wedded bliss has darker overtones- as does the whole ending.
Not to put too fine a point on it, this is dark dark film. The Depression is clearly in full bloom. Anyone in authority, the girl’s father and the older gentleman who wants to marry her are abusive louts. There seems to be no hope for tomorrow, with even the way out of the darkness being a kind of lesser of several evils.
To be honest the film isn’t that good. It’s a bit stilted by today’s standards and it’s a weird mix of darkness and light that is kind of similar to Dennis Potter’s Pennies From Heaven where you gets bursts of light into dark reality. Actually I’m kind of curious if Potter had seen the film prior to creating Pennies.
So if it isn’t all that good why am I writing it up for Unseen?
Simply put, it’s because of Jack Benny. Benny operating outside of his comfort zone, Benny being a romantic lead and slime, Benny showing us how good he really was. Groucho Marx said that the only person they ever considered letting join the Marx Brothers was Benny because he was so good at anything he did. Groucho had said that most people never understood just how great a performer Benny was really. Here’s proof. (By the way the only reason that Benny didn’t join the Marxs is that his mother wouldn’t let him go with them).
Worth a look for the curious. The film can be had in bargain bins for about a buck and the occasional Turner Classic’s screening
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
People Against O'Hara (1951)
Film noirish story of recovering alcoholic Spencer Tracy. Once a great attorney he takes the case of a neighbors son who is charged with murder. despite his best efforts to win the case things go against him. However a series of complications arise that put his being on the wagon and his ethics to the test.
A small scale movie that I stumbled upon on TV in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I was instantly drawn into the film by the moody black and white photography. It also helped that the film seems to have been shot in part on location in New York City with a couple of street scenes seeming not to be process shots.
I like that the film had Tracey doing more than walking through his part. He's a world weary fellow here and you really sense that he just wants to get one right right one more time. For me it pretty much all works with the only the parts with his daughter seeming to be coming in from a different film.
Worth a shot if you run across it on Turner Classics.
Red Snow (1951)
Spy drama? Documentary look at the lives of Eskimos? Which is it? Its both, its two great tastes that kind of taste just okay together.
What a weird film, I say that having seen some truly bizarre films in my day but this one is so out there, that despite not really being something I'd completely recommend I'm putting it out there for the adventurous of you.
The plot has to do wit a weird lights being seen in Alaska at the point where Siberia is closest to the US. All sorts of strange lights are being seen but no one is certain what it means. There are also sightings of a strange black plane. The Military sends up a high ranking official who warns a military base that the commies are working on a terrifying new weapon that isn't atomic based. Hoping to get info they send several Eskimo soldiers home to see what they can find out. While on leave they hunt, fish, romance and deal with a commie spy in their midst.
A weird mix of shoddily cheap shot military spy stuff, as well as red menace crap with actors speaking in bad accents mixed with documentary footage of Eskimo life including hunting, fishing and boating. There is so much documentary footage you'll wonder what that you'll wonder what type of film this is anyway.
Amazingly the Eskimo material is amazingly honest and fair minded. There is zero condescension or notion of anything other than these are great people and great Americans. You would never have seen this even in the most progressive of westerns, or even most documentaries of the period.
To be honest the actor inserts with Ray Mala as our Eskimo agent doesn't always match, but I suppose its the thought that counts.
The American army and commie material is more laughable then suspenseful and I kind of feel that no one really cared about that stuff, which may have been used simply as the excuse to get the film made (who wants an Eskimo film any way? asked the studio head)
IMDB rates this rather highly, I consider it something more of interest to people who like weird films rather than anyone with mainstream tastes.
Out on Sinister Cinema DVD
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Some (Very) Brief Words with Christopher Doyle about ‘Underwater Love’
Although he’s not the film’s cinematographer, the favorable notices Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster has been receiving out of Hong Kong today have finally prompted me to post this “chat” with his famous collaborator
Given the brevity of what follows there’s quite the risk here of an introduction to a Q&A running longer than the Q&A itself; still, I feel that some set-up for the following, heretofore unpublished, exchange is necessary. It was conducted back in early 2011, just prior to Underwater Love’s world premiere at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival (hence the reference to its bow in the first question). But why are there only three questions? Well, Mr. Doyle was in Hong Kong on a shoot, and so the festival publicist arranged for me to interview both him and director Shinji Imaoka simultaneously—the problem was that the latter (for reasons still unclear to me) never answered his share of the questions, and so the follow-ups to both gentleman languished as a result. Still, I’m happy that these orphaned thoughts from a world-class film artist have found a home, however belatedly.
Oh, and please know that I’ve reproduced the text verbatim from our email exchange. Usually, like many journos, I’ll edit my long questions down to short ones and clean up the responses as needed… but in this case I fear there’d be nothing left if I did that.
***
Kind of appropriate that this film is bowing on Earth Day, isn't it? What can you tell us about capturing the gorgeous natural imagery in this film? Did it make you want to shoot a nature documentary at some point? ;-)
xxxxxxx all the films i have made are a response to the physical : of the space of women of the fact that i have to burden 30 kg of camera on my shoulder every day of the last twenty years / I used to call myself the keith richards of cinematography , from this film i found the pink in my irish skin
What were some unique challenges or opportunities you faced with Underwater Love in comparison to your other work?
same shit different day . wonder of student film coniditions /making true intent to do something true : its all about people , and some people are kappas with big dicks ( and that helps )
What were some unique challenges or opportunities you faced with Underwater Love in comparison to your other work?
same shit different day . wonder of student film coniditions /making true intent to do something true : its all about people , and some people are kappas with big dicks ( and that helps )
Many of the shots of water, especially those in the second half of the film, are absolutely stunning. Was all of the lyricism achieved completely intentional, or did you ever try out certain things when shooting and then were pleasantly surprised by the results?
" its society's fault " i didnt choose the locations ( someone who knows what they are doing did ) ...but as in all the films we do its my job to respond to the space and light and constraints and intents of each film .... with a bit of experience you learn from what you have ( as one does in bed ) ... you respond to a space or a working situation or the abilities of the actors and so on to make the film you can become the film you want
" its society's fault " i didnt choose the locations ( someone who knows what they are doing did ) ...but as in all the films we do its my job to respond to the space and light and constraints and intents of each film .... with a bit of experience you learn from what you have ( as one does in bed ) ... you respond to a space or a working situation or the abilities of the actors and so on to make the film you can become the film you want
###
A contributing editor at Metro, Peter Gutiérrez also writes for Twitch, and blogs on media and pop culture for School Library Journal. And you can find him on Twitter: @Peter_Gutierrez.
The New York Jewish Film Festival starts tomorrow
Just a reminder the New York Jewish Film Festival starts tomorrow at the Lincoln Center.
Don’t let the name turn you off the festival is more than just films about Jewishness, it’s got a whole lot of just plain good films in the lineup.
I’m wading into the festival with five films on my dance card including a rare big screening of Edgar Ulmer’s Black Cat with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. This is one of the great all time horror films from the 1930’s and if you’ve never seen it you should, more so since J Hoberman will be doing a talk before the film.
The other films I’ll be seeing are documentaries on various subjects.
The festival is also showing several films I’ve seen over the last 18 months.
Policeman played the New York Film festival and didn’t impress me at all. It concerns a team of Israeli cops and a bunch of anarchists, or so I’m told. I walked out an hour in after the film just seemed to be a cop giving his wife backrubs. Here’s my NYFF non review.
All In I saw at Tribeca last April. This is a romantic comedy about a middle aged guy trying to find love and get his favorite band back together. It’s not perfect but it did make me smile, and continues to do so now (There is something about the band that makes me grin from ear to ear almost a year later). My Tribeca review can be found here...but understand I like it more now then I did then.
Joe Papp a Life in Five Acts played Tribeca, where I saw it and been on or is scheduled to run on PBS. It’s a fantastic look back at the man and the theater he built. I saw it at the tail end of Tribeca and really liked it. However since I saw it at the end of the festival I could only write up a little piece on it. Here’s the piece.
For details on the full festival check the Film Society website which can be found here.
For reports from the road check back here
Key Man (1957)
American reporter working in London gets on the trail of a robbery from several years before. It seems that the person behind a missing twenty thousand pounds may have resurfaced and maybe trying to get his hands on it once more. Bodies begin to pile up…
Good but odd crime drama, probably plays out closer to reality than most similar films, though I’m not sure that it’s better for it. The reason for that is the film floats along for much of its brief running time before starting to pull things together in the final third. Our hero wanders around gathering pieces of information in a seemingly random unconnected and an urgent manner before amping everything up with the appearance of a new character and a sudden sense of real danger. I wish the film had pulled itself together earlier and had run a bit longer in the tense mode because when it clicks this is a super little film.
As it stands now this is a good little time killer that’s fine if you stumble across it but nothing to search out.
Good but odd crime drama, probably plays out closer to reality than most similar films, though I’m not sure that it’s better for it. The reason for that is the film floats along for much of its brief running time before starting to pull things together in the final third. Our hero wanders around gathering pieces of information in a seemingly random unconnected and an urgent manner before amping everything up with the appearance of a new character and a sudden sense of real danger. I wish the film had pulled itself together earlier and had run a bit longer in the tense mode because when it clicks this is a super little film.
As it stands now this is a good little time killer that’s fine if you stumble across it but nothing to search out.
Monday, January 7, 2013
The Deep and Kon Tiki at Lincoln Center's And the Winner is....
Lincoln Center's series of foreign Oscar hopefuls lucked out with two of the short listed titles playing back to back Saturday night. I and a good number of other New York film people were there.
The evening was thematic in that both stories had to do with true stories set on the ocean, one on the waters around Iceland and the other the vast expanse between South America and Polynesia.
THE DEEP completely flummoxed me. The write up talked about the story being based upon the true life story of how one man survived the sinking of a fishing boat. It made it sound like it was an epic survival tale. I then watched the trailer on You Tube and was completely confused because the film looks like a heavy personal drama with survivor guilt and questions about why did he survive and everyone else die. The actual film has elements of both of those ways of looking at it but it's something else instead, it's more a character study of the man, Gullie, who survived.
Beginning the night before the ship sails the film quickly introduces us to all of the characters. The ship then sets off on it's doomed voyage. We watch as the ship goes down and we see what happens. We also see the reaction to everyone back home, which is at first that Gullie was mistaken, but then they realize he was telling the truth and he quietly becomes a hero, and the object of study since doctors want to know why he survived.
This is a quietly powerful film. It doesn't amp up the story, it just tells it matter of factly. These are just a bunch of guys doing their job until it all goes wrong in an instant. When the ship sinks, the sequence is so matter of fact that we can't really believe that this is how it ends. Its a tragic error that quickly ends the lives of five men, and it's scary because of the simplicity and lack of freaky camera angles or over done sound tracks. This is just the way some people die.
Once the film gets back on land the film remains matter of fact showing the grieving process and how Gullie tries to recover from his own injuries and tries to help the researchers trying to see why he survived.
Its a solid little film that is completely opposite something like The Perfect Storm, with the result that we have a film that moves us with the tale of simple folk who meet tragedy in their lives and just seem to go on. Its real life and not high priced actors in death porn. This really is about the characters and the life they lead.
I really like the film a great deal, and while I understand why it made the short list of possible Oscar nominees, I really don't expect it to make the final cut. I do however heartily and highly recommend the film.
And DO see this in a theater if you can. The scale of the landscape and the smallness of the figures in it are best reveled on a screen as big as possible.
The second film screened Saturday was Kon-Tiki about Thor Heyerdahl's obsessive drive to prove that Polynesia was populated from the East, and South America in particular.
Best described as a big Hollywood epic by way of Norway, this is as an exciting a film as I've seen in a while. It's the exactly the sort of film that makes you forget that you've read the story and instead has you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to see how it comes out. (A reviewer sitting behind me was loudly reacting to each twist and turn in the story as if it were a life and death matter)
A beautiful condensation of the events, this is on many levels a grand adventure that not only we don't get in the movies any more, but it's an adventure that people don't do any more. If Heyerdahl tried this today there would have been six follow boats and numerous precautions, not a bunch of guys on a boat completely unable to be rescued.
One of the things that I like about the film is the unexpected complexity. Heyerdahl is a seemingly simple character, but as time goes on we see lots of shading. Sure he's obsessive, but it's a mania that will cost him in unexpected ways. I also like how the complexity carries over to the other characters in small ways that say great things. Even Liv, Heyerdahl's far away wife, and a seemingly throw away character is revealed to have more going on than we might think.
Easily the the first film I've seen in 2013 that I know I'll be talking about it at years end. A must see on a BIG screen.
I do have to point out that the film screened in an English language version at Lincoln Center. It didn't looked dubbed, which confuses me since I think this is a shoe in for one of the five best Foreign Language Film nominations.
The evening was thematic in that both stories had to do with true stories set on the ocean, one on the waters around Iceland and the other the vast expanse between South America and Polynesia.
Beginning the night before the ship sails the film quickly introduces us to all of the characters. The ship then sets off on it's doomed voyage. We watch as the ship goes down and we see what happens. We also see the reaction to everyone back home, which is at first that Gullie was mistaken, but then they realize he was telling the truth and he quietly becomes a hero, and the object of study since doctors want to know why he survived.
This is a quietly powerful film. It doesn't amp up the story, it just tells it matter of factly. These are just a bunch of guys doing their job until it all goes wrong in an instant. When the ship sinks, the sequence is so matter of fact that we can't really believe that this is how it ends. Its a tragic error that quickly ends the lives of five men, and it's scary because of the simplicity and lack of freaky camera angles or over done sound tracks. This is just the way some people die.
Once the film gets back on land the film remains matter of fact showing the grieving process and how Gullie tries to recover from his own injuries and tries to help the researchers trying to see why he survived.
Its a solid little film that is completely opposite something like The Perfect Storm, with the result that we have a film that moves us with the tale of simple folk who meet tragedy in their lives and just seem to go on. Its real life and not high priced actors in death porn. This really is about the characters and the life they lead.
I really like the film a great deal, and while I understand why it made the short list of possible Oscar nominees, I really don't expect it to make the final cut. I do however heartily and highly recommend the film.
And DO see this in a theater if you can. The scale of the landscape and the smallness of the figures in it are best reveled on a screen as big as possible.
The second film screened Saturday was Kon-Tiki about Thor Heyerdahl's obsessive drive to prove that Polynesia was populated from the East, and South America in particular.
Best described as a big Hollywood epic by way of Norway, this is as an exciting a film as I've seen in a while. It's the exactly the sort of film that makes you forget that you've read the story and instead has you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to see how it comes out. (A reviewer sitting behind me was loudly reacting to each twist and turn in the story as if it were a life and death matter)
A beautiful condensation of the events, this is on many levels a grand adventure that not only we don't get in the movies any more, but it's an adventure that people don't do any more. If Heyerdahl tried this today there would have been six follow boats and numerous precautions, not a bunch of guys on a boat completely unable to be rescued.
One of the things that I like about the film is the unexpected complexity. Heyerdahl is a seemingly simple character, but as time goes on we see lots of shading. Sure he's obsessive, but it's a mania that will cost him in unexpected ways. I also like how the complexity carries over to the other characters in small ways that say great things. Even Liv, Heyerdahl's far away wife, and a seemingly throw away character is revealed to have more going on than we might think.
Easily the the first film I've seen in 2013 that I know I'll be talking about it at years end. A must see on a BIG screen.
I do have to point out that the film screened in an English language version at Lincoln Center. It didn't looked dubbed, which confuses me since I think this is a shoe in for one of the five best Foreign Language Film nominations.
Dark Streets of Cairo (1940)
After archaeologists (Ralph Byrd and Eddie Quinlan) find the Seven Jewels of the Seventh Pharaoh, bad guy George Zucco plans on making a killing by switching the jewels with fakes and selling them to one of his clients. What he doesn't take into account is that his minions are idiots and that their missteps put an already suspicious police inspector on his trail.
Breezy comedy mystery thriller romance set in Cairo is full of stereotypes, low brow humor and just a touch of suspense. Never intended to be a great movie, the film is very much a wonderful time killer. It's a film full of great character actors skulking about, causing mischief and cracking wise and thus putting a smile on the face of the audience.
Actually saying this is a mystery is a stretch since we know who did what and why. Is it a crime film? yea, well, it is but the crooks aren't all that smart, going through way too many twists to just get the jewels and get some money. Even by the standards of these sort of films these guys are working a tad too hard.
The real joy here is the cast, Zucco, Byrd, Quillan (who I normally hate), Rod LaRoque and Henry Brandon all are at the top of their game and seem to be having fun. Their fun translates into the audience.
If you run a cross this film take the time to see it.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Sunday Night Cap 1/6/13 Looking Ahead
With 2012 beginning to recede into the past it’s time to look forward at some stuff that’s coming up.
Lincoln Center has several series scheduled over the next couple of months and as always they look wonderful.
First up is the New York Jewish Film Festival. Focusing on films with a Jewish facet the series has slowly become a show case for some truly great films. I’ve got five films I the cue and the only reason I don’t have more is that I am trying to have a life outside of the blog.
After that they are running a retrospective of Australian New Wave flicks including the original Mad Max film. I’m pumped about this because it is full of films I’ve never seen on the big screen including the aforementioned Mad Max.
From there the Film Society is going to have their annual Dance on Film series. While I’m not a big dance fan I am looking forward to this since the series is going to have a collection of Sigur Ros videos and a film on the Accordion Wrestling that played for free at Lincoln Center over this past summer.
There’s even more including the usual late winter treasure trove Film Comment Selects.
Details on these and other goodies can be found here.
Brooklyn Academy of Music’s annual Bam Kids Fest is February 2nd and 3rd this year. This annual series of films and events is geared toward smaller kids but usually shows films that cross over to all ages. Details can be found here.
Sundance. No, no one from Unseen is going however we will be covering it thanks to some screeners and some local Sundance related events.
Cine Kink is an adult film festival that we just learned about. The festival runs February 26th to March 3rd and assuming that we can rearrange our schedules we’ll be there.
The Museum of the Moving Image is going to be running a couple of series that have us chomping at the bit.
First up is a look at some of the film work at the marvelous Paul Williams. Yes The Muppet Movie and Phantom of the Paradise will be screening. Going to this series is a no brainer especially since Williams himself will be in attendance. Details can be found here.
The museum will be screening the first English Language film from Par Chan Wook called the Stoker as a sneak preview. The director will be in the house. Another no brainer. details on the February 26th screening here.
Lastly the museum will be running two martial arts documentaries:
January 21st they are running Black Kung Fu Experience which is about kung fu in the black community. Details here.
February 23 they are Running Pui Chan: Kung Fu Pioneer about one of the men who brought traditional kung fu to the US. Details here.
Looking past February the New York International Children’s Film Festival (the earliest of my big five must attends) runs through March. Titles should begin to be announced soon. I’m hoping that the festival matches last year’s stellar line up.
And now a couple of links:
Orson Welles and the making of The Trial
Over at Nutshell Reviews Stefan S reviews, and links to the complete film of Books Actually a documentary about an independent bookstore in Singapore. The review and film can be found here. (And if you aren't reading his stuff you should, I discovered him at Asian Cult Cinema and IMDB years ago and I'm better informed about Asian film, and film in general as a result)
That's it for now.
This week we go back to some black and white oldies.
Lincoln Center has several series scheduled over the next couple of months and as always they look wonderful.
First up is the New York Jewish Film Festival. Focusing on films with a Jewish facet the series has slowly become a show case for some truly great films. I’ve got five films I the cue and the only reason I don’t have more is that I am trying to have a life outside of the blog.
After that they are running a retrospective of Australian New Wave flicks including the original Mad Max film. I’m pumped about this because it is full of films I’ve never seen on the big screen including the aforementioned Mad Max.
From there the Film Society is going to have their annual Dance on Film series. While I’m not a big dance fan I am looking forward to this since the series is going to have a collection of Sigur Ros videos and a film on the Accordion Wrestling that played for free at Lincoln Center over this past summer.
There’s even more including the usual late winter treasure trove Film Comment Selects.
Details on these and other goodies can be found here.
Brooklyn Academy of Music’s annual Bam Kids Fest is February 2nd and 3rd this year. This annual series of films and events is geared toward smaller kids but usually shows films that cross over to all ages. Details can be found here.
Sundance. No, no one from Unseen is going however we will be covering it thanks to some screeners and some local Sundance related events.
Cine Kink is an adult film festival that we just learned about. The festival runs February 26th to March 3rd and assuming that we can rearrange our schedules we’ll be there.
The Museum of the Moving Image is going to be running a couple of series that have us chomping at the bit.
First up is a look at some of the film work at the marvelous Paul Williams. Yes The Muppet Movie and Phantom of the Paradise will be screening. Going to this series is a no brainer especially since Williams himself will be in attendance. Details can be found here.
The museum will be screening the first English Language film from Par Chan Wook called the Stoker as a sneak preview. The director will be in the house. Another no brainer. details on the February 26th screening here.
Lastly the museum will be running two martial arts documentaries:
January 21st they are running Black Kung Fu Experience which is about kung fu in the black community. Details here.
February 23 they are Running Pui Chan: Kung Fu Pioneer about one of the men who brought traditional kung fu to the US. Details here.
Looking past February the New York International Children’s Film Festival (the earliest of my big five must attends) runs through March. Titles should begin to be announced soon. I’m hoping that the festival matches last year’s stellar line up.
And now a couple of links:
Orson Welles and the making of The Trial
Over at Nutshell Reviews Stefan S reviews, and links to the complete film of Books Actually a documentary about an independent bookstore in Singapore. The review and film can be found here. (And if you aren't reading his stuff you should, I discovered him at Asian Cult Cinema and IMDB years ago and I'm better informed about Asian film, and film in general as a result)
That's it for now.
This week we go back to some black and white oldies.
Coweb (2009) (aka Combat Web)
Female martial arts teacher is hired by an old friend to act as a bodyguard for his boss. When the unthinkable happens and he is kidnapped, she finds that she has to fight a series of martial artists in order to get him back. What she is unaware of is that her battles are being filmed and bet on by a combat website.
One of several recent martial arts films released recently in Asia with a female lead. In the video store that I frequent this was touted less highly then a film called Raging Phoenix, which I was assured was the next big thing, To me Phoenix was a bust, this supposedly "lesser" film however greatly impressed me.
I'll tell you straight the plot isn't very good. Its merely the excuse for the action sequences. The action sequences on the other hand are great. They are fast moving and realistic. They lift what would be a merely mediocre film into the realm of the solidly good.
If you want a film with a number of dynamite action sequences this is the place to start.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Ninjas vs the Mafia (1985)
This is an often silly Chinese martial arts film that concerns two guys who help out a Chinese mob boss and get caught up in a mob war that brings American gangsters and ninjas into the mix.
In all fairness I'm going to have to take a pass at rating this film since how you find the film will depend up how you take its broad comedy mixed with action and drama. I know that when I was watching the film the other night I was very much not in a silly mood and the result was that I found the film hard to take. Perhaps it was the lateness of the hour, perhaps it was simply the film didn't click with me; for whatever reason I didn't really care for it.
On the other hand I have a couple of friends whose opinions I trust who find the film very funny. What sort of mileage you get out of the film is up to you
Friday, January 4, 2013
Animated Sequels Kung Fu Panda 2, Madagascar 3 and Ice Age 4
In clearing my head from Novembers DOC NYC I decided to wade into something completely different, some recent animated sequels. Watching Kung Fu Panda 2 and Madagascar 3 I began to realize that the as high as good as the films are (surprisingly) they really should look to hanging up the franchises until some good idea comes along.
I know the whole question of sequels is always a thorny one. Do you want to just keep flogging the dead donkeys or do you really want to extend the story because you have a good story. Hollywood just wants the cash, never mind they are killing the franchises.
The granddaddy of these are the Land Before Time series which spawned at least 13 features (most direct to home video) , a TV series and assorted other related programs. For the most part the series died after the second film unless you’re under six, but they kept making enough money that they kept going. I’ve heard rumors of a possible restart though I suspect there maybe another film in the offing.
The king of the recent animated series has been Shrek. They’ve cranked out four features, a spin off film, and several shorts before deciding that it’s starting to be diminishing returns. Personally I kind of thought they were done after the second one, but at the same time three and four do have some amusing moments.
The current vampire series needing a stake through its heart is the Ice Age series. Yea, Scrat is great, but pretty much after the first film they didn’t need to do another one. The last film, which was hauled out of the Hollywood cess pit earlier this year, really concerns the children of the series main characters. Its a poorly animated film lacking much of the detailed animation that went before. For my money the only reason it exists is to pass the torch to a new set of voice actors in the hope of continuing a series with nowhere to go- literally. I mean think about it the three previous films concerned the heroes trying to get somewhere, this fourth one has them settling down with kids as the continents drift. The series story finally has been hit with deadly inertia that robs it of any fun what so ever (though the series was dead with the third one in my book).
Kung Fu Panda 2 came out last year and for the most part it’s pretty good. A tad too frenetic when compared to the first film, it’s still solid entertainment about how are pasts affect our future. The story has an evil peacock played by Gary Oldman trying to take over China via guns and the destruction of kung fu. Oldman’s character killed Po’s parents because it was foretold a black and white animal would spell his doom. Oldman’s moves to make more guns sets him at odds with Po who has to face his lost parents only to discover who his real father is.
The film works as well as it does because the characters are still well written and because the film doesn’t abandon the themes and philosophy that made the first film so strong. We feel for the characters and we care about what happens and when Po figures out who his real dad is we get all teary since it was clear from the start who his dad is.
If the film has one weakness it’s that it shifts the focus off of the characters toward several big action set pieces, yea they are spectacular and masterpieces of animated art, the problem is that the film kind of stops while Po and his band get chased around and fight. Its not fatal, it just makes the film a half step or so behind the classic first film.
The one troubling thing that makes me fear for the franchises future is the foreshadowing of a sequel with the implication that Po’s biological father is still alive in a secret panda village. Did we need to see this? Not really, especially since it under cuts the lesson about who our parents are. It also assures us of a sequel, which we really don’t need.
The third Madagascar film nicely closes out the series (at least I hope it does). The story has the lost zoo animals going to Monte Carlo in order to get their hands on the penguins who have been too long at the casino. Through circumstances they end up joining a circus. Everyone ends up chased by a crazed animal control officer whose idea of controlling the animals is to shoot them and put their heads on her walls.
Like the second Kung Fu Panda film the film gives itself over to large scale set pieces at the expense of some of the plot, but by the time it ends the film has effectively closed out the series nicely. One hopes that they don’t continue things
I don’t really expect the Madagascar producers to give up and end it here, but I would have more respect for them if they did.
The question of sequels, or rather the dangers of sequels to successful films is of course always present. People are now conditioned to expect them, so much so that Joss Whedon was incredulous when he was asked by a fan about a sequel to Cabin in the Woods, a film that can’t have a sequel. “Didn’t you see the film?” he snapped back. He had, but was so trained to expect a sequel that the fan expected one even where there couldn't be one..
The danger of sequels is even more a threat where animated films are concerned. For some reason Hollywood is always thinking of the next film even before the first film is released. Look at any films marketing material and you’ll see it talks about franchises for series that haven’t even started. I guess everyone sees the money that can be made for the tie in products and they want to pounce.
To me movies are stories not commercials, and cartoons shouldn't really be just an excuse to sell crap to kids. We don’t need that. And Hollywood doesn’t really need it either since with very rare exceptions the sequels are always a case of diminishing returns. I mean look at the films I’ve talked about above, all of the series got weaker as they went on.
The exception to the rule seems to have been the Pixar Toy Story films which in the opinion of many people (not me) got better with each film. Sadly even they have gone sequel crazy with Cars 2, Monsters University (a Monsters Inc sequel), and a second Finding Nemo either out or in the works. Do we need them? No, but the studio wants the cash.
I don’t mind sequels if the films are good, but rarely are they on any level (Star Wars 1-3 anyone? How about Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull?) Its time to end the cash grab. Its time to end the sequels made for the hell of it.
I know the whole question of sequels is always a thorny one. Do you want to just keep flogging the dead donkeys or do you really want to extend the story because you have a good story. Hollywood just wants the cash, never mind they are killing the franchises.
The granddaddy of these are the Land Before Time series which spawned at least 13 features (most direct to home video) , a TV series and assorted other related programs. For the most part the series died after the second film unless you’re under six, but they kept making enough money that they kept going. I’ve heard rumors of a possible restart though I suspect there maybe another film in the offing.
The king of the recent animated series has been Shrek. They’ve cranked out four features, a spin off film, and several shorts before deciding that it’s starting to be diminishing returns. Personally I kind of thought they were done after the second one, but at the same time three and four do have some amusing moments.
Kung Fu Panda 2 came out last year and for the most part it’s pretty good. A tad too frenetic when compared to the first film, it’s still solid entertainment about how are pasts affect our future. The story has an evil peacock played by Gary Oldman trying to take over China via guns and the destruction of kung fu. Oldman’s character killed Po’s parents because it was foretold a black and white animal would spell his doom. Oldman’s moves to make more guns sets him at odds with Po who has to face his lost parents only to discover who his real father is.
The film works as well as it does because the characters are still well written and because the film doesn’t abandon the themes and philosophy that made the first film so strong. We feel for the characters and we care about what happens and when Po figures out who his real dad is we get all teary since it was clear from the start who his dad is.
If the film has one weakness it’s that it shifts the focus off of the characters toward several big action set pieces, yea they are spectacular and masterpieces of animated art, the problem is that the film kind of stops while Po and his band get chased around and fight. Its not fatal, it just makes the film a half step or so behind the classic first film.
The one troubling thing that makes me fear for the franchises future is the foreshadowing of a sequel with the implication that Po’s biological father is still alive in a secret panda village. Did we need to see this? Not really, especially since it under cuts the lesson about who our parents are. It also assures us of a sequel, which we really don’t need.
The third Madagascar film nicely closes out the series (at least I hope it does). The story has the lost zoo animals going to Monte Carlo in order to get their hands on the penguins who have been too long at the casino. Through circumstances they end up joining a circus. Everyone ends up chased by a crazed animal control officer whose idea of controlling the animals is to shoot them and put their heads on her walls.
Like the second Kung Fu Panda film the film gives itself over to large scale set pieces at the expense of some of the plot, but by the time it ends the film has effectively closed out the series nicely. One hopes that they don’t continue things
I don’t really expect the Madagascar producers to give up and end it here, but I would have more respect for them if they did.
The question of sequels, or rather the dangers of sequels to successful films is of course always present. People are now conditioned to expect them, so much so that Joss Whedon was incredulous when he was asked by a fan about a sequel to Cabin in the Woods, a film that can’t have a sequel. “Didn’t you see the film?” he snapped back. He had, but was so trained to expect a sequel that the fan expected one even where there couldn't be one..
The danger of sequels is even more a threat where animated films are concerned. For some reason Hollywood is always thinking of the next film even before the first film is released. Look at any films marketing material and you’ll see it talks about franchises for series that haven’t even started. I guess everyone sees the money that can be made for the tie in products and they want to pounce.
To me movies are stories not commercials, and cartoons shouldn't really be just an excuse to sell crap to kids. We don’t need that. And Hollywood doesn’t really need it either since with very rare exceptions the sequels are always a case of diminishing returns. I mean look at the films I’ve talked about above, all of the series got weaker as they went on.
The exception to the rule seems to have been the Pixar Toy Story films which in the opinion of many people (not me) got better with each film. Sadly even they have gone sequel crazy with Cars 2, Monsters University (a Monsters Inc sequel), and a second Finding Nemo either out or in the works. Do we need them? No, but the studio wants the cash.
I don’t mind sequels if the films are good, but rarely are they on any level (Star Wars 1-3 anyone? How about Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull?) Its time to end the cash grab. Its time to end the sequels made for the hell of it.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)
I'm going to tell you something right up front that you know already if you read the title of the film- at the end of the film everyone dies. I need to get that out of the way because I don't want to give you false hope, there is none. On the other hand this is a charming romance about finding your soul mate, if only for a little while.
When a mission to stop a rapidly approaching asteroid fails horribly the fate of the world is sealed. Steve Carrell's wife (no, it really is his wife) goes running off. He like millions of other people go through life while the TV and radio count down to the end. While some want to indulge hedonistic desires Carrell just wants to find someone nice. As time begins to run out he makes the acquaintance of Keira Knightly, who is the girlfriend of a guy in his building. When rioting breaks out they end up on road trip, partly aimed at having Knightly get back to her family and partly aimed at Carell reconnecting with the love of his life.
A wonderful charming film that pretty much has everything except a sequel possibility, this is a film that is clearly a labor of love. It had to be, I mean how else do you explain a film that has Carell and Knightly in the lead but also cameos from Martin Sheen, William Peterson, Patton Oswalt and several other name people. Who would sign on a for a film that leaves you feeling really conflicted at the end.
I was not in the best place to see the film which I saw not long after Hurricane Sandy did a number on the neighborhood. While I could enjoy the romance and the humor, I really didn't need to go to the end of the world because my friends and family were experiencing it. Current mental head space aside I really enjoyed the film a great deal. Honestly it's in its way a perfect romance that kind of ends before the gilding is off the rose and you never have to worry about what happens after the end.
One of numerous recent end of world stories the film is wonderfully atypical. Like Abel Ferrara's 4:44 this film has life going on despite the impending end. Like the maid who keeps showing up to clean for Carell, what else are you going to do really? I really like that like 4:44 the film takes the scenario in a different direction than you expect, I mean a romance...perhaps even a romantic comedy under these circumstances, really?
Really.
Is it perfect? No. the film never gets the tonal shifts right with some really odd shifts keeping us the wrong sort of off balance occur. On the other hand there is almost no other film out there like it.
This is a film to search out. I think the film may have just, perhaps, maybe made back it's money so it's not a big hit everyone is going to know about. At the same time I don't think that after it's initial run on cable this is going to play much, I mean I doubt this film will ever end up in constant replay. The end result is that this film will, by the this time next year rolls around will have become completely lost. No one will be looking for it or talking about it, it will be lost except in the memory of a few fans and few movie fans. Don't let the film die. see it and share it. Its not the best of the year but it's so wonderfully atypical- more so when you realize this came from Hollywood- that it shouldn't be lost.
See this film.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2012 in Review The Best/Favorites
These are less the best of the year and more my favorite films that I saw in 2012. yes some are the best but most are the films that I keep returning to. For example there are a few films on yesterdays Film Finds list that could easily fit here ( A Separation, Amour, Journey to Planet X and Bloody Fight in Iron Rock Valley for example)
You'll also notice that there are way more than the normal 10. I'm doing this because I saw way more than the normal mount of films this year, plus these films deserve it. Since the list consists of films from different years I've marked the actual 2012 releases. (I have also not bothered with figuring out if they are released or unreleased, I saw them in 2012 so this is where they belong)
The Cinematography in WAR HORSE is amazingly beautiful. So much so that I couldn't buy the pain and suffering of the war. Still it's great to lok at.
Patton Oswalt in YOUNG ADULT is amazing. Why he didn't get an Oscar still confounds me. That the film worked at all was thanks to him.
TT: CLOSE TO THE EDGE motorcycle racing on the Isle of Man. Who the hell needs Hollywood? This is the real thing and utterly amazing.
HIDDEN HAND- Great old mystery about an escaped mental patient doing in the relatives is everything I look for in a moldy oldie.
The opening of the Korean WHITE NIGHT that makes you sit bolt upright and go Hello!
Sigur Ros INNI and HEIMA two concert films that began my obsession with a band.
ALL WATCHED OVER BY MACHINE A head trip I still can't completely grasp sent me deeper into the world of Adam Curtis as the week in September looking at most of his out put will attest.
DELICACY- Romantic comedy of mismatched lovers done real and right
MORIS LESSMORE- The magic of books in an Oscar winning short
The pooing Hippos and sky diving cows in ZARAFA (2012) are so wrong and yet so wonderfully right
JOHN CARTER OF MARS (2012) they nailed the books in tone and mood and character. If the film bombed its because it's an old school literary adventure rather than a mindless action film.
MONKEY KING 3D One of the most magical experiences of 2012 was seeing a restored 50 year old cartoon redone in 3D. Movies and movie going do not get better than this.
CHRONICLE (2012)- best found footage ever? Oh hell yea. Best Super Hero movie? If not it's damn close
SCABBARD SAMURAI(2012) A long one joke film flips in the end to be one of the most moving films I saw in 2012. .
HEAVENLY CREATURE (2012) Centerpiece in Doomsday Book is one of the best meditations on religion and what it means to be alive ever put on film.
La TABLEAU (The Painting) (2012) artistically amazing but its story about characters in a painting trying to find their creator works on so many more levels as to boggle the mind. They actually showed this at a kids film festival ! God I love, and long live, NYICFF
INACCURATE MEMOIR(2012) Chinese action film about rebels taking on the Japanese has style to burn. And a flop or two into reality that makes it more than just flash.(Will some one realease this with ENglish subtitles please)
GIRLTALK//ALLDAY- Joy Joy and bliss. One of the happiest things I have ever seen. Easily one of my most favorite films ever- How can one film make me feel so good everytime I see it? This is my best film of the year.
THE FOX a tuly scary 15 minutes. One of the best horror films of this or any other year
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN(2012) Rodriguez need I say more? and I loved it before I got to meet him.
Meeting Rodriguez was one of the high points of the year, especially when he told Chocko and myself to hang around so he could talk instead of doing interviews. Of course his manager had other ideas but it was still nice to have been invited.
ANY DAY NOW (2012) -Alan Cumming deserves an Oscar. So does the film. And I swear to you that most critics seeing this at Tribeca left the theater wiping tears away and blowing their noses giving excuses as to why their eyes were puffy. I know I saw them---and I tried not to let my tears show too.
GRACELAND (2012) - A thriller unlike any other. A kidnapping that goes wrong and gets worse. Mean and nasty and must be seen to be believed.
ELGUSTO (2012) the power of music to bring people together
THE FLAT (2012) what secrets are your family hiding?
EDDIE THE SLEEPWALKING CANNIBAL (2012) Horror comedy that is so wrong and so damn funny
SLEEPLESS NIGHT (2012) amazing action film set in a night club. All films should be this tense
XINGU (2012) true life adventure of brothers who go to map the jungle and find a calling. Indiana Jones who?
CHINESE TAKEAWAY(2012) Marvelous film with what seems like a non-sequiteur beginning is a wonderful look at a loner and how he comes back to the world. Its almost final image melted me.
ASURA (2012) The story of a feral child on the path to enlightenment is a disturbing trip but who said any trip of value is easy?
GYO (2012) Apocalyptic story of mutant zombie fish coming to take over the world. Nothing, I mean nothing can prepare you for this mind warp this film lays on you in a darkend theater. I mean none of us who saw it remembered anything that happened before it.
FAR OUT ISN'T FAR ENOUGH THE TOMI UNGERER STORY (2012) Artist as his own man. One of my all time favorite films about one of my favorite artists of all time
SHEPARD AND DARK (2012) - one of the best meditation on friendship I've ever seen.
YOU AINT SEEN NOTHING YET (2012) While watching a tape of a play actors reenact it themselves. Movie Magic and an acting master class.
CELLULOID MAN (2012) The history of cinema in the life of one man
PUNK IN AFRICA (2012) DIY music in a DIY film about the need to express one self
Oliver Stones Q&A was a fabulous almost 90 minute talk about history and how we view it.
Like wise The Q&A during EDDIE ADAMS SAIGON 68 was how we see perceive events and often get it wrong
And the DRIVERS WANTED Q&A was just great fun
THE AVENGERS (2012) Comic book bliss
NOTHING CAN TOUCH ME(2012) Aftermath of a school shooting is a punch in the face- more troubling in the wake of recent events in Connecticut
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JOHN BALASARI (2012) one man's life in 6 minutes.wow.
Bill Murray in Hyde Park on the Hudson deserves an Oscar
CLOUD ATLAS (2012) a glorious mess that comes together. Does it really belong here? no clue but the audacity of it getting made does.
Elle Fanning in GINGER AND ROSA gives a performance for the ages, She is that good and then some. Lets hope when the film gets a regular release this year she's remembered at years end for an Oscar.
The this is a test opening of NOT FADE AWAY is the best thing in an other wise cliche movie, it's also possible the best opening two minutes of any film all year
BLANCANIEVES (2012) SadlyI only saw one film at the Spanish Cinema Now series, but when a film is as good as this quality trumps quanity. Silent re-invention of Snow White is light years superior to a certain Oscar winner. Its also a beautiful touching film, that does what it’s director wanted, it makes the audience FEEL something. There are several sequences that have indescribable marriages of image and music that will stun you. And as for the end, it haunted me for days. Not only one of my favorites but easily one of the films that can truly be called the BEST of 2012.
The 3D in THE LIFE OF PI is so good it makes the case as to why 99% of other films should never use it.
The Subway Cinema prove yet again why they are top of the film festival heap with a last minute addition to the list, TIGER ON BEAT, my new favorite Chow Yun Fat film, It's action packed and damn funny...and better than some of the John Woo films he was doing at the same time.
You'll also notice that there are way more than the normal 10. I'm doing this because I saw way more than the normal mount of films this year, plus these films deserve it. Since the list consists of films from different years I've marked the actual 2012 releases. (I have also not bothered with figuring out if they are released or unreleased, I saw them in 2012 so this is where they belong)
The Cinematography in WAR HORSE is amazingly beautiful. So much so that I couldn't buy the pain and suffering of the war. Still it's great to lok at.
Patton Oswalt in YOUNG ADULT is amazing. Why he didn't get an Oscar still confounds me. That the film worked at all was thanks to him.
TT: CLOSE TO THE EDGE motorcycle racing on the Isle of Man. Who the hell needs Hollywood? This is the real thing and utterly amazing.
HIDDEN HAND- Great old mystery about an escaped mental patient doing in the relatives is everything I look for in a moldy oldie.
The opening of the Korean WHITE NIGHT that makes you sit bolt upright and go Hello!
Sigur Ros INNI and HEIMA two concert films that began my obsession with a band.
ALL WATCHED OVER BY MACHINE A head trip I still can't completely grasp sent me deeper into the world of Adam Curtis as the week in September looking at most of his out put will attest.
DELICACY- Romantic comedy of mismatched lovers done real and right
MORIS LESSMORE- The magic of books in an Oscar winning short
The pooing Hippos and sky diving cows in ZARAFA (2012) are so wrong and yet so wonderfully right
JOHN CARTER OF MARS (2012) they nailed the books in tone and mood and character. If the film bombed its because it's an old school literary adventure rather than a mindless action film.
MONKEY KING 3D One of the most magical experiences of 2012 was seeing a restored 50 year old cartoon redone in 3D. Movies and movie going do not get better than this.
CHRONICLE (2012)- best found footage ever? Oh hell yea. Best Super Hero movie? If not it's damn close
SCABBARD SAMURAI(2012) A long one joke film flips in the end to be one of the most moving films I saw in 2012. .
HEAVENLY CREATURE (2012) Centerpiece in Doomsday Book is one of the best meditations on religion and what it means to be alive ever put on film.
La TABLEAU (The Painting) (2012) artistically amazing but its story about characters in a painting trying to find their creator works on so many more levels as to boggle the mind. They actually showed this at a kids film festival ! God I love, and long live, NYICFF
INACCURATE MEMOIR(2012) Chinese action film about rebels taking on the Japanese has style to burn. And a flop or two into reality that makes it more than just flash.(Will some one realease this with ENglish subtitles please)
GIRLTALK//ALLDAY- Joy Joy and bliss. One of the happiest things I have ever seen. Easily one of my most favorite films ever- How can one film make me feel so good everytime I see it? This is my best film of the year.
THE FOX a tuly scary 15 minutes. One of the best horror films of this or any other year
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN(2012) Rodriguez need I say more? and I loved it before I got to meet him.
 |
| Fanboy gets to talk to certain singer from Detroit - Photo by Chocko |
ANY DAY NOW (2012) -Alan Cumming deserves an Oscar. So does the film. And I swear to you that most critics seeing this at Tribeca left the theater wiping tears away and blowing their noses giving excuses as to why their eyes were puffy. I know I saw them---and I tried not to let my tears show too.
GRACELAND (2012) - A thriller unlike any other. A kidnapping that goes wrong and gets worse. Mean and nasty and must be seen to be believed.
ELGUSTO (2012) the power of music to bring people together
THE FLAT (2012) what secrets are your family hiding?
EDDIE THE SLEEPWALKING CANNIBAL (2012) Horror comedy that is so wrong and so damn funny
SLEEPLESS NIGHT (2012) amazing action film set in a night club. All films should be this tense
XINGU (2012) true life adventure of brothers who go to map the jungle and find a calling. Indiana Jones who?
CHINESE TAKEAWAY(2012) Marvelous film with what seems like a non-sequiteur beginning is a wonderful look at a loner and how he comes back to the world. Its almost final image melted me.
ASURA (2012) The story of a feral child on the path to enlightenment is a disturbing trip but who said any trip of value is easy?
GYO (2012) Apocalyptic story of mutant zombie fish coming to take over the world. Nothing, I mean nothing can prepare you for this mind warp this film lays on you in a darkend theater. I mean none of us who saw it remembered anything that happened before it.
FAR OUT ISN'T FAR ENOUGH THE TOMI UNGERER STORY (2012) Artist as his own man. One of my all time favorite films about one of my favorite artists of all time
SHEPARD AND DARK (2012) - one of the best meditation on friendship I've ever seen.
YOU AINT SEEN NOTHING YET (2012) While watching a tape of a play actors reenact it themselves. Movie Magic and an acting master class.
CELLULOID MAN (2012) The history of cinema in the life of one man
PUNK IN AFRICA (2012) DIY music in a DIY film about the need to express one self
Oliver Stones Q&A was a fabulous almost 90 minute talk about history and how we view it.
Like wise The Q&A during EDDIE ADAMS SAIGON 68 was how we see perceive events and often get it wrong
And the DRIVERS WANTED Q&A was just great fun
THE AVENGERS (2012) Comic book bliss
NOTHING CAN TOUCH ME(2012) Aftermath of a school shooting is a punch in the face- more troubling in the wake of recent events in Connecticut
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JOHN BALASARI (2012) one man's life in 6 minutes.wow.
Bill Murray in Hyde Park on the Hudson deserves an Oscar
CLOUD ATLAS (2012) a glorious mess that comes together. Does it really belong here? no clue but the audacity of it getting made does.
Elle Fanning in GINGER AND ROSA gives a performance for the ages, She is that good and then some. Lets hope when the film gets a regular release this year she's remembered at years end for an Oscar.
The this is a test opening of NOT FADE AWAY is the best thing in an other wise cliche movie, it's also possible the best opening two minutes of any film all year
BLANCANIEVES (2012) SadlyI only saw one film at the Spanish Cinema Now series, but when a film is as good as this quality trumps quanity. Silent re-invention of Snow White is light years superior to a certain Oscar winner. Its also a beautiful touching film, that does what it’s director wanted, it makes the audience FEEL something. There are several sequences that have indescribable marriages of image and music that will stun you. And as for the end, it haunted me for days. Not only one of my favorites but easily one of the films that can truly be called the BEST of 2012.
The 3D in THE LIFE OF PI is so good it makes the case as to why 99% of other films should never use it.
The Subway Cinema prove yet again why they are top of the film festival heap with a last minute addition to the list, TIGER ON BEAT, my new favorite Chow Yun Fat film, It's action packed and damn funny...and better than some of the John Woo films he was doing at the same time.
Unthinkable (2010)
Troubling film starring Samuel L Jackson, Michael Sheen and Carrie Ann Moss about a terrorist who has been captured and who refuses to say where the atomic bomb he’s built and set to go off is hidden. As the interrogation goes nowhere torture expert Jackson is brought in to help things along. This turn of events rattles everyone’s cages since many see it as morally wrong. Even Jackson isn’t too sure he wants to do this since he’s having trouble living with his unique set of talents.
Made in the wake of 911 and seeming to have by passed theater Unthinkable is a deeply disturbing film. Never mind that the scenario raises of scary specters in this post 911 world, but the film also forces us to consider must we always hold onto out morals or are there times, such as the loss of an entire city when it’s okay to toss morals to the wind.
I was rattled by the film not only by its violence, but by the intellectual discussion. These are heady issues with no clear cut answers. Smartly the film doesn’t completely lay it all out for you.
Sadly what should have been one of the great films on the subject goes completely off the rails at the very end. It’s the final minute or two where what was a heady intellectual film throws it all away with a gotcha moment. It’s the point where the film wants decides it wants to have its cake and eat it too. To me it makes what was a serious discussion into just an exploitation film.
If you can forgive the final two minutes of the film I highly recommend this film.
Goon (2011)
Released early in 2012 after some festival screenings in 2011, this is the story of Seann William Scott's Doug Glatt. He's a not particularly brainy guy, who is good at fighting. Finding his way on to a low level hockey team he gets moved to one level below the big leagues when a team needs some one to protect a player with a multi-million dollar prospect.
Sweet lovable, with a heart of gold Scott's Glatt is one of the most charming characters I ran across in 2012. Here's a guy who's good at violence, but really just wants to be liked. He wants to be liked by his team mates, by his family and especially Eva, the local girl who takes his heart. Amazingly despite the fact she has a boyfriend he agrees to keep his distance.
Not so much a hockey film as a character study, this is a neat little film full of charming characters who manage to over come what is essentially a cliche filled plot line.Will Glatt make good? Will he win the girl? What of the banished superstar? And will he fight the most notorious goon in the league? DO you really have to ask? You know what's going to happen but the entire cast sells their characters with such great skill that you'll want to revisit them again if you get the chance...hell I went on Amazon to track down a copy of the DVD.
One of the small pleasures of 2012.
(one word of warning the fighting in the film is bloody)
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012 in Review The Film Finds
Every year I do a list of Finds. For those who don't know these are the films or bits of films or what ever that were so good I feel that they have to be remembered at the end of the year. Some are almost on the Best of the Year list, some never came close, but all had something about them that made them stand out. As always they are not all from 2012 but what I saw in 2012
REDLINE- Wild Sci Fi Madness from Madhouse about a car race across planet. It doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense but the OH WOW factor is in high gear.
THE MUPPETS- Pure nostalgic joy. It made me smile and tear up and just feel so damn good.
The music and look in PRINCE OF THE HIMALAYAS were amazing. I just wish this retelling of Hamlet was more interesting...or involving.
WE BOUGHT A ZOO Not really what happened, hell they moved the story from England to America but what fun to watch a family come back to life.
A SEPARATION-The Oscar winner for Best Foreign film really is one of the best films I saw in 2012 but for some reason here at the end of the year I can't put it there. I think the fact that I had been battling with it since the 2011 NYFF had something to do with it. I'm just tired of talking about it.
FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL wonderful WTF martial arts film that I stumbled up
THE MAN WHO WAS SUPERMAN- Believe and it will be so . This live action Korean film is the perfect co-feature for Iron Giant. I only discovered it on a whim- the all in Korean box cover looked good. Happy accident doesn't begin to describe it.
UNBEATEN 28 More WTF martial arts madness
SMUGGLERS SONG- A great film about a rogue and a writer that feels almost as if it was shot at the time it takes place. Its only flaw was that it falters at the end
7/7 RIPPLE EFFECT Flawed look at the London subway bombings was made by a crazy man and has had most of its points explained away but it raises some interesting questions about some of what happened and forces you to dig deeper about the incident and more importantly how we percieve things.
LUMINARIS- you can stop motion with the sun? Apparently
THE RAID- I'm blown away by this film. I've seen it several times now in theaters and on DVD and as mind blowingly wonderful it is it just misses being on my best of the year list despite being on my list of greatest action films ever. (I know that makes no sense)
BLACK MOON- Jack Holt Faye Ray in a creepy voodoo thriller that I only discovered because BAM ran it as part of a double feature. I thought I knew all the old horror films, apparently not.
10+10 20 films about China.The most amazing thing about it is all work are good and worth seeing. That never happened with any anthology until now.
NASI LEMAK 2.0 Smile producing fun about food.
THE GREY More meditation than action film, I know some people HATE this film, especially the ending, on the other hand other people,myself included, it love it.
CARDBOARD VILLAGE- A church, some refugees and a priest. It's that simple. This film has moments that remind me why I love movies
DIRTY HANDS- DAVID CHOI- Artist as Madman. As crazed and frantic as his art this film had me going out and buying the DVD
LET FURY HAVE THE HOUR- artistic response to the coming of Ronald Regan and the neo-cons is a look at how art, in all its forms, can change the world.
WORLD BEFORE HER amazing look at the path that some women take in order to find their place in a restrictive society
WAR WITCH This film about a kidnapped girl who can see the dead and her life with the rebels that kidnapped her hit me out of left field. I know this film has slowly been building a word of mouth following, but it's so much more. I suspect that this should be on the best of the year list but I'll have to see it again.
RUSSIAN WINTER Look at John Forte's trip to Russia. Amazing amazing amazing. I went out of the film and raced to You Tube to find more clips from the trip and concerts and then started buy the music of the artists. It's like opening a dooor to a musical wonderland.
SEXY BABY- Sexuality and the teen girl. Food for thought and then some
LOVE PARADE Witty adult musical from 1930. And we think we only started acting this randy recently.
BLOODY FIGHT IN IRON ROCK VALLEY - I'm still battling whether to put this on the best of the year list or not. Certainly it's one of the best westerns of the last 10 years despite being set in modern day Korea. An amazing film I need to see again simply to see if its as good as I think it is.(actually thats what I say publicly, privately it's just a damn great action film .
HONEY PUPU Mind blowing science fiction meditation cum relationship film cum I don't know what. Brilliant film is simply unlike anything you've ever seen. And I do mean EVER.
REVENERANT- brilliant undead action film about life and death and friendship. I know some people hated this film, but damn this sucker is a kick in the ass with twists and turns that surprise and characters who break your heart.
AMOUR- A Michael Haneke film that I really like. I was rapturous when I saw it and was certain it was one of the best films of the year.While I've cooled on it it's still worthy of note and if it wins an Oscar or two so much the better.
THE THIEVES Wonderful Korean caper film is what the Ocean 11 movies might have been if they had a bit more weight and people got hurt and died. I can't wait for the DVD so I can share this with everyone unlucky enough not to have seen it in theaters.
JOURNEY TO PLANET X - Wonderful look at the joy of filmmaking and the need to create.a last minute deletion from my best of the year list, this is a stunning film that actually staddles both lists and can ultimately be considered to be on that list which appears tomorrow..
FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 was a blast. Great action, characters you care about and fear for, and an ending that leaves no wiggle room for a sequel. It builds from the first film logically deepening what went before. The rare sequel that deserves to exist and is better than the original (Look for a review during Chinese New Year)
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING is a mean and nasty action horror film that is closer to Beyond the Black Rainbow or an early David Cronenberg film than the ones in the series. It's not so much an action film but a trip into the heart of darkness of reality.
GANGS OF WASSEYPUR bridges years. It was my last film of 2012 and the first of 2013. It's an epic Indian crime saga that is worthy of standing next to the Godfather and Once Upon a Time in America or any other great crime film. It's playing Sundance and is a must see. I need to see it again (and not at 3AM) before I decide whether or not to make it part of my Best of 2013 list. ( A preliminary review will run a few days before it screens at Sundance)
REDLINE- Wild Sci Fi Madness from Madhouse about a car race across planet. It doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense but the OH WOW factor is in high gear.
THE MUPPETS- Pure nostalgic joy. It made me smile and tear up and just feel so damn good.
The music and look in PRINCE OF THE HIMALAYAS were amazing. I just wish this retelling of Hamlet was more interesting...or involving.
WE BOUGHT A ZOO Not really what happened, hell they moved the story from England to America but what fun to watch a family come back to life.
A SEPARATION-The Oscar winner for Best Foreign film really is one of the best films I saw in 2012 but for some reason here at the end of the year I can't put it there. I think the fact that I had been battling with it since the 2011 NYFF had something to do with it. I'm just tired of talking about it.
FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL wonderful WTF martial arts film that I stumbled up
THE MAN WHO WAS SUPERMAN- Believe and it will be so . This live action Korean film is the perfect co-feature for Iron Giant. I only discovered it on a whim- the all in Korean box cover looked good. Happy accident doesn't begin to describe it.
UNBEATEN 28 More WTF martial arts madness
SMUGGLERS SONG- A great film about a rogue and a writer that feels almost as if it was shot at the time it takes place. Its only flaw was that it falters at the end
7/7 RIPPLE EFFECT Flawed look at the London subway bombings was made by a crazy man and has had most of its points explained away but it raises some interesting questions about some of what happened and forces you to dig deeper about the incident and more importantly how we percieve things.
LUMINARIS- you can stop motion with the sun? Apparently
THE RAID- I'm blown away by this film. I've seen it several times now in theaters and on DVD and as mind blowingly wonderful it is it just misses being on my best of the year list despite being on my list of greatest action films ever. (I know that makes no sense)
BLACK MOON- Jack Holt Faye Ray in a creepy voodoo thriller that I only discovered because BAM ran it as part of a double feature. I thought I knew all the old horror films, apparently not.
10+10 20 films about China.The most amazing thing about it is all work are good and worth seeing. That never happened with any anthology until now.
NASI LEMAK 2.0 Smile producing fun about food.
THE GREY More meditation than action film, I know some people HATE this film, especially the ending, on the other hand other people,myself included, it love it.
CARDBOARD VILLAGE- A church, some refugees and a priest. It's that simple. This film has moments that remind me why I love movies
DIRTY HANDS- DAVID CHOI- Artist as Madman. As crazed and frantic as his art this film had me going out and buying the DVD
LET FURY HAVE THE HOUR- artistic response to the coming of Ronald Regan and the neo-cons is a look at how art, in all its forms, can change the world.
WORLD BEFORE HER amazing look at the path that some women take in order to find their place in a restrictive society
WAR WITCH This film about a kidnapped girl who can see the dead and her life with the rebels that kidnapped her hit me out of left field. I know this film has slowly been building a word of mouth following, but it's so much more. I suspect that this should be on the best of the year list but I'll have to see it again.
RUSSIAN WINTER Look at John Forte's trip to Russia. Amazing amazing amazing. I went out of the film and raced to You Tube to find more clips from the trip and concerts and then started buy the music of the artists. It's like opening a dooor to a musical wonderland.
SEXY BABY- Sexuality and the teen girl. Food for thought and then some
LOVE PARADE Witty adult musical from 1930. And we think we only started acting this randy recently.
BLOODY FIGHT IN IRON ROCK VALLEY - I'm still battling whether to put this on the best of the year list or not. Certainly it's one of the best westerns of the last 10 years despite being set in modern day Korea. An amazing film I need to see again simply to see if its as good as I think it is.(actually thats what I say publicly, privately it's just a damn great action film .
HONEY PUPU Mind blowing science fiction meditation cum relationship film cum I don't know what. Brilliant film is simply unlike anything you've ever seen. And I do mean EVER.
REVENERANT- brilliant undead action film about life and death and friendship. I know some people hated this film, but damn this sucker is a kick in the ass with twists and turns that surprise and characters who break your heart.
AMOUR- A Michael Haneke film that I really like. I was rapturous when I saw it and was certain it was one of the best films of the year.While I've cooled on it it's still worthy of note and if it wins an Oscar or two so much the better.
THE THIEVES Wonderful Korean caper film is what the Ocean 11 movies might have been if they had a bit more weight and people got hurt and died. I can't wait for the DVD so I can share this with everyone unlucky enough not to have seen it in theaters.
JOURNEY TO PLANET X - Wonderful look at the joy of filmmaking and the need to create.a last minute deletion from my best of the year list, this is a stunning film that actually staddles both lists and can ultimately be considered to be on that list which appears tomorrow..
FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 was a blast. Great action, characters you care about and fear for, and an ending that leaves no wiggle room for a sequel. It builds from the first film logically deepening what went before. The rare sequel that deserves to exist and is better than the original (Look for a review during Chinese New Year)
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING is a mean and nasty action horror film that is closer to Beyond the Black Rainbow or an early David Cronenberg film than the ones in the series. It's not so much an action film but a trip into the heart of darkness of reality.
GANGS OF WASSEYPUR bridges years. It was my last film of 2012 and the first of 2013. It's an epic Indian crime saga that is worthy of standing next to the Godfather and Once Upon a Time in America or any other great crime film. It's playing Sundance and is a must see. I need to see it again (and not at 3AM) before I decide whether or not to make it part of my Best of 2013 list. ( A preliminary review will run a few days before it screens at Sundance)
Here Comes the Boom (2012)
Kevin James plays a teacher who becomes and MMA fighter in order to save the music program at his school and by extension, his friends job.
This is one of the better recent Happy Madison films (That's the company Adam Sandler started and it's been cranking out some real stinkers lately especially the Sandler films) It works thanks to a great cast headed by James, and includes Henry Winkler, Selma Hayek and a bunch of real life MMA fighters. Everyone seems to be having a great time and it carries off the screen and into the audience.
What I like about the film is that unlike many recent comedies it isn't trying to be great, or disgusting or something other than entertaining. Kevin James and his fellow actors simply are trying to tell a good story and not necessarily trying to grasp the brass ring. Somehow I don't think they were trying to make say the next Hangover or even say the next Adam Sandler film. I think they were just hoping to entertain the audience.
Perhaps my opinion of the film was colored by when I saw the film, a couple days after Hurricane Sandy smacked the crap out of the East Coast of the US. Needing to escape the horrifying pictures and constant news coverage I simply ducked into a movie house and went to whatever was playing next. This was playing next ...and for just under two hours I was somewhere else and not thinking about gas lines, smashed trees or wrecked houses. I was transported somewhere else. Any film that can make me forget real world horrors even for a little while is okay in my book.
High art? Hell no. It is however diverting fun which is enough.
Worth seeing when you need to go on a mental vacation.
Django Unchained (2012) is too long (revised)
I’m kind of puzzled by the critical love of Tarantino’s Django Unchained. I’m really wondering what version of the film anyone attaching great significance to the film saw. The version I saw was a wildly over long, overly talky film that could be shone of anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes without much loss. Yes I do like the film but even as I was laughing at sequences that could be cut, such as the one about eye holes in the raiders masks, I was mumbling that the film needs to speed things up.
The story of a German bounty hunter who buys Django to help him find three fugitives and eventually Django’s wife is a pure Hollywood concoction. It is pure exploitation trash in the Mandingo mold with enough hat tips to the horrors of slavery that it can kind of deflect the claims of racism. It’s one of those movies that uses the horrors of slavery to sell tickets while at the same time claiming to be against them. It’s also historically inaccurate, from the Winchester 73 rifle to the language of the dialog to the hip TV western clothes and so forth. This isn’t reality and anyone taking it as such, like say Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, should have their heads examined. (If you want a more accurate depiction see Goodbye Uncle Tom)
While I could nitpick the film to death, which it doesn’t deserve, I will talk about the two things that made the film not work for me.
First is the out front Hollywoodness of much of the film. These are big stars dressing up and not characters. No one is really a real person. Everyone is an archetype and a cliché and they are played to the hilt. On many level it’s great fun, especially Christoph Waltz’s uber-clever King Shultz, but at the same time it kept me distant. Think about the dialog and the exchanges, they are note perfect, exactly like most Tarantino’s writing, which means it’s damn clever, damn funny but completely unreal (and TV comedy like). The only thing in the film that didn’t strike me as Hollywood is the gun violence which seems appropriately bloody and gory.
The other problem as far as I’m concerned , and the real killer, is the length and the pacing. Simply put this film never freaking ends.
Tarantino loves his digressions and endless witty dialog so he take every opportunity to allow his characters to talk and talk and talk. The dialog is crisp and on target but there is way too much of it. This isn’t a stage play, this is a moving picture. and the way the film is put together all the action stops so Tarantino's characters can chatter at each other. When the talk, occasionally, stops the violence starts. For me the jarring nature of the violent explosions isn’t so much their nastiness rather it’s that I was frequently lulled into near unconsciousness by the talking and when the shooting started I was shocked awake.
All the talk results in the dramatic thrust of the story constantly spinning its wheels as characters prattle on. Sure it’s great if you just want to listen to the dialog, but if you want a bit more, like like a real plot to fill three hours look elsewhere. To me the film being little more than people sitting in rooms verbally sparring with the result sequences just go on and on.
To be honest by the time we got to the introduction of Leonardo DiCaprio I was starting to get bored and then by the dinner scene I was largely done. The explosion of violence that followed was a welcome respite… and had the film ended darkly with the torture sequence I would have respected the film greatly, however because this is a Tarantino revenge drama the film still has 30 rambling minutes to go as Django becomes superman and ridiculously gets his revenge on everyone in a sequence that is just the wrong sort of silly.
To my way of thinking if you chopped the last 30 minutes out (they belong in another film) and another 15 minutes in the rest of the film and you’d have a great film, as it stands now it’s just a good one.
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