The Raid 2 (R) - Review
"Kung Fu Napoleon Complex X100"
When the film The Raid: Redemption hit US shores in 2011, many felt that Hollywood would have to "sit up and take notice", for here was a director, here was a star, here was a movie that finally showed the industry what people want in an action movie. Just pure, non-stop bloody-white-knuckle action. Now, 3 years later and the industry certainly hadn't noticed (they still believe in the older mummified action stars will lead the way back to genre gold), so here comes Welsh Director Gareth Evans and his stunt/fighting troupe of Malaysian daredevil martial artists to again put the record straight. Evans and Co. even provide an overly complex script along with a more refined cinematic technique and beautifully boiled down fighting aesthetic to make up for the first film's short comings (and subsequent critical backlashes).
Rookie Supercop Rama just survived The Raid, and now is immediately drawn into a world of higher stakes and bigger criminals. He goes deep undercover to a local prison to infiltrate the organization that had corrupted his brother and climb the ladder to the bigger bosses. There he will rise from street level crime to find a rich corruption and thick grey area between law and justice and enough opponents and plot points to fill three Hollywood blockbusters, without the phony wire work that mars so many Asian epics.
The Raid 2 is first and foremost a sequel done correctly (according to Evans this was the movie he would have made first if the budget could have been scraped together). It has elements and ideas taken from the first, expanded and improved. It just doesn't do the same things over yet BIGGER, add more explosions and call it a day. No, the fights here are less numerous (a testament to the first's enormous amount of combat not this one's lack), and yet more significant due to the precise build up. In fact the first half hour is almost entirely a buildup of tension without release, and when it starts to finally let off steam it does so carefully. They add in a spectacular car chase, subplots galore and new villains that aren't just paper-thin caricatures waiting to get kick-punched.
Some of it may be a bit excessive (the squeamish for one will choke on their popcorn at the amount of realistic ultraviolence and gore). Hollywood producers would have likely cut out the entire subplot of the Hobo Assassin for he plays almost no part in the main characters lives (and is basically a footnote to the overall plot). Therein lies the problem with films now, the Hobo is introduced suddenly and without explanation as an incredibly dangerous and efficient killer, then has a long dinner scene with his estranged wife where they discuss their son, and just as suddenly is used as a pawn to ignite the gangs to war. It makes little sense conventionally and that dinner scene almost feels like it belongs in a different film, and yet this is what Hollywood should be paying attention to. The Hobo (played by Yayan Ruhian) is director Evan's fight coordinator for both films, and the dangerous look in his eye pairs with the sadness on his face solidifies the ennui of the entire film: most of us are the pawns who are pushed and sacrificed around the board as the Kings sit back and gloat. This small, fragile part of a rock-hard action movie structure is indicative of the intelligence behind Raid 2 and spotlights the leaps and bounds it has made beyond the first entry, succeeding in showing up everything Hollywood has done in the past 10 years. As our hero Rama battles foe after foe, goes through revelations and meets various martial arts archetypes and plot twists while giving up his young family in the name of justice, the fights get better and better and more frequent and more poignant with each knuckle crack. Add to that a superb cinematic scope with slick photography, fight choreography that never feels rushed or unpolished (which was a problem in the first Raid), and you have a genuine Martial Arts Masterpiece starring a troupe of sincere Malaysian men with huge amounts of talents and guts all pulled together by a Welsh action fan.
The Raid 2 is a brutal truth, for it delivers quality AND quantity, and it's going to make it awful hard to sit through the average pap coming out at the corner Cineplex.
9 Aluminum Baseball Bats vs Hammers out of 10 (OUTSTANDING).
Showing posts with label Foreign. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foreign. Show all posts
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (PG)
"Bam-BOO-Ya"
In an ancient Japanese folk tale, a simple childless Bamboo cutter is going about his business one day when he finds a tiny princess in a bamboo blossom. He takes her home to his simple wife and adopts her as their child, who is growing at a supernatural rate. She is soon crawling, then walking, then playing with the wild children, all the while her father wishing for her a royal life. When boons are given to him from the bamboo themselves, it puts Kaguya-hime on a path towards lady training, high-borne suitors, and celestial parades in Studio Ghibli's best work since Princess Mononoke.
First, the animation is stunning. Like a story book come to life, moving intricate watercolors on a white board which is reminiscent of Waterson's color work. The characters themselves are solidly designed and move gorgeously; often using the weight or lack of line ala Hokosai all the while keeping on model until there are brief flashses of sketchy scratches that are wonderfully Plimpton-esque. Secondly, the writing is light and unmodern. Gone are the trappings of most of Ghibli's over-worn devices (this applies to the art too!), and while the script may be a bit long and could use some editing for brevity, it reads and looks like a storybook fairy tale that you simply don't want to end anyway. Non-fantastical for the most part, the film makes beauty and wonder from humanity and life, not fairy tale creatures or violence.
A decade-later reply to Ghibli's fantastic Mononoke, Director Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) proves there is life (and unrepentant beauty) possible after Miyazaki's retirement.
8 Black Teeth out of 10 (GREAT)
"Bam-BOO-Ya"
In an ancient Japanese folk tale, a simple childless Bamboo cutter is going about his business one day when he finds a tiny princess in a bamboo blossom. He takes her home to his simple wife and adopts her as their child, who is growing at a supernatural rate. She is soon crawling, then walking, then playing with the wild children, all the while her father wishing for her a royal life. When boons are given to him from the bamboo themselves, it puts Kaguya-hime on a path towards lady training, high-borne suitors, and celestial parades in Studio Ghibli's best work since Princess Mononoke.
First, the animation is stunning. Like a story book come to life, moving intricate watercolors on a white board which is reminiscent of Waterson's color work. The characters themselves are solidly designed and move gorgeously; often using the weight or lack of line ala Hokosai all the while keeping on model until there are brief flashses of sketchy scratches that are wonderfully Plimpton-esque. Secondly, the writing is light and unmodern. Gone are the trappings of most of Ghibli's over-worn devices (this applies to the art too!), and while the script may be a bit long and could use some editing for brevity, it reads and looks like a storybook fairy tale that you simply don't want to end anyway. Non-fantastical for the most part, the film makes beauty and wonder from humanity and life, not fairy tale creatures or violence.
A decade-later reply to Ghibli's fantastic Mononoke, Director Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) proves there is life (and unrepentant beauty) possible after Miyazaki's retirement.
8 Black Teeth out of 10 (GREAT)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The Act of Killing (NR)
"When In Jakarta"
Chilling documentary that doubles as surreal window into the cold blooded heart of humanity. Peeking into the ramifications of the wholesale murder of a half million minorities and political in 1960-65 Indonesia, an act that is still celebrated to this day. Their leaders, the executors and their children dance in the streets as their military dictatorship upholds them as heroes and legends. When a director and film crew begin to peel back the layers and ask the propagators of violence to document their heroic deeds, one among them begins to emerge as a man possessed of tremendous guilt.
The reenactments are beautiful, outsider-art affairs, shot with delicate beauty and supreme craftsmanship. This is in stark contrast to the words, their descriptions of the massacres are in the spirit of the winners make the rules. However talking on camera is Anwar, one of those revered heroes, is obviously filled with deep seated regret and horror at his supposed accomplishments. He breaks down as he simulates how the murders took place, becomes distraught as he puts himself in the literal shoes of his victims. This is a man of such extreme guilt in the face of nationwide praise that his struggle towards confession is remarkable. Partnered with the phantasmic cross-dressing musical-dance troupe recreations, this trek down the dark alleys of human psyche is a shadowed one way street.
If the Nazis had triumphed in World War II, and if a film crew had asked an elderly Eichmann to discuss the "wonderous" slaying of 6 millions Jews and recreate the victories using musical theater, and who then began to have pangs of conscience about the blood on his hands on camera, this is that documentary, giving us a one-in-a-kind opportunity into the mind of a ennobled mass-killer.
7.5 Glorious Rallies out of 10 (GOOD)
"When In Jakarta"
Chilling documentary that doubles as surreal window into the cold blooded heart of humanity. Peeking into the ramifications of the wholesale murder of a half million minorities and political in 1960-65 Indonesia, an act that is still celebrated to this day. Their leaders, the executors and their children dance in the streets as their military dictatorship upholds them as heroes and legends. When a director and film crew begin to peel back the layers and ask the propagators of violence to document their heroic deeds, one among them begins to emerge as a man possessed of tremendous guilt.
The reenactments are beautiful, outsider-art affairs, shot with delicate beauty and supreme craftsmanship. This is in stark contrast to the words, their descriptions of the massacres are in the spirit of the winners make the rules. However talking on camera is Anwar, one of those revered heroes, is obviously filled with deep seated regret and horror at his supposed accomplishments. He breaks down as he simulates how the murders took place, becomes distraught as he puts himself in the literal shoes of his victims. This is a man of such extreme guilt in the face of nationwide praise that his struggle towards confession is remarkable. Partnered with the phantasmic cross-dressing musical-dance troupe recreations, this trek down the dark alleys of human psyche is a shadowed one way street.
If the Nazis had triumphed in World War II, and if a film crew had asked an elderly Eichmann to discuss the "wonderous" slaying of 6 millions Jews and recreate the victories using musical theater, and who then began to have pangs of conscience about the blood on his hands on camera, this is that documentary, giving us a one-in-a-kind opportunity into the mind of a ennobled mass-killer.
7.5 Glorious Rallies out of 10 (GOOD)
Holy Motors (2012)
Holy Motors (NR) - Review
"Holy *#@$&"
A chameleon like man must keep 9 bizarre appointments in and around Paris ranging from sexualized motion capture performing and sewer trolling for fashion models. You'll never know what will happen next, and you won't know if you care about it or not. The make up is impressive and the camera shows an unblinking love of France. When a filmmaker sets out to make a weird, strange flick like this, the only review I can offer is that it was worth the effort of making it. The pleasure of experiencing the oddity unfettered by spoilers or impressions is a must. The pretentions may over analyze and dissect, and director may have higher pretentions for his work beyond a simple freak show. Perhaps it all has some deeper meaning about life and the act of acting your role. Or it's just a bearded lady who'll take your two-bits for a peek.
7 Full Grown Leprechauns out of 10 (GOOD)
"Holy *#@$&"
A chameleon like man must keep 9 bizarre appointments in and around Paris ranging from sexualized motion capture performing and sewer trolling for fashion models. You'll never know what will happen next, and you won't know if you care about it or not. The make up is impressive and the camera shows an unblinking love of France. When a filmmaker sets out to make a weird, strange flick like this, the only review I can offer is that it was worth the effort of making it. The pleasure of experiencing the oddity unfettered by spoilers or impressions is a must. The pretentions may over analyze and dissect, and director may have higher pretentions for his work beyond a simple freak show. Perhaps it all has some deeper meaning about life and the act of acting your role. Or it's just a bearded lady who'll take your two-bits for a peek.
7 Full Grown Leprechauns out of 10 (GOOD)
Casa de mi Padre (2012)
Casa de mi Padre (R)
"¿Por qué? ¿por qué no?"
Will Ferrell (Anchorman) is either loved or hated depending purely on personal taste. However his comedic courage must be acknowledged as it goes way off track from Hollywood's standard comedy fare with Casa di mi Padre, a spoof on Mexican Violence Soap Operas. At 84 minutes, there are just enough long awkward pauses and sinister laughter to sustain the razor thin plot, a rural dispute between brothers and a local drug cartel. This is a movie with one joke, a straight faced one where the terrible lines of dialogue and silly prop jokes are taken seriously by all involved. Almost the entire movie (including Ferrell's lines) are in Spanish, and at times it feels like a one note SNL sketch gone terribly wrong/long. Even the cast and crew seem bewildered that it ever actually got made, for it was made not to succeed but simply to exist. It takes grande huevos to make a movie like that.
It is a project to be admired for it's insistence on being cheap, gaudy and hard to love, a lecherous puta who will spit in your face even as she takes your payment. Stick with it if you can, there are some real nuggets of gold mixed in with all the pyrite and prickly cactus.
5.5 Mannequin Love Scenes out of 10 (MEDICORE)
"¿Por qué? ¿por qué no?"
Will Ferrell (Anchorman) is either loved or hated depending purely on personal taste. However his comedic courage must be acknowledged as it goes way off track from Hollywood's standard comedy fare with Casa di mi Padre, a spoof on Mexican Violence Soap Operas. At 84 minutes, there are just enough long awkward pauses and sinister laughter to sustain the razor thin plot, a rural dispute between brothers and a local drug cartel. This is a movie with one joke, a straight faced one where the terrible lines of dialogue and silly prop jokes are taken seriously by all involved. Almost the entire movie (including Ferrell's lines) are in Spanish, and at times it feels like a one note SNL sketch gone terribly wrong/long. Even the cast and crew seem bewildered that it ever actually got made, for it was made not to succeed but simply to exist. It takes grande huevos to make a movie like that.
It is a project to be admired for it's insistence on being cheap, gaudy and hard to love, a lecherous puta who will spit in your face even as she takes your payment. Stick with it if you can, there are some real nuggets of gold mixed in with all the pyrite and prickly cactus.
5.5 Mannequin Love Scenes out of 10 (MEDICORE)
The Raid: Redemption (2011)
The Raid: Redemption (UR)
"Kick, Punch, It's All In The Mind"
Less of an action movie than advertised, this is
essentially a new age Kung Fu movie (it only starts getting good once
everyone drops their guns) and if it was limited to just kicking a$$
with knives/machettes and fists then it would get a higher review.
Despite what the internet hounds were barking, this movie does have a
story, just very bare boned and very cliche.
The only acting I could discern through the Malaysian dialects was
from the main bad guy, but what you come for is the fisitcuffs and this
movie has it in spades. It doesn't make you wait too long between
slugfests and when they happen they deliver. Almost to a fault, noticed
a lot of the same frantic moves over and over, but the gore is higher
and more brutal than most actions flicks. It's all done with almost no
visual flair; you go into a room that's a set, you fight in that room
for 10 minutes, you go to a hallway which leads to another room,
direction wise its all a bit dull (probably due to its low budget and
trying to be independent of the Hollywood system). The attempt at
making it something it's not (a message movie about brothers and
morality tale about corruption) drags it down quite a bit. Lets say
8/10 for fighting, 2/10 for story and acting, giving us a
FINAL VERDICT
6.5 Bowie Knife Stabs to the Knees out of 10 (GOOD)
FINAL VERDICT
6.5 Bowie Knife Stabs to the Knees out of 10 (GOOD)
Juan of the Dead (2011)
Juan of the Dead (NR) - Review
"Embargo Couldn't stop this?"
A spanish language rip off of Shawn of the Dead, both in plot and title, Juan is a middle aged slacker in Cuba. When the undead begin to rip apart his not-quite-beloved society, Juan and his slacker cohorts band together to exploit the situation and keep his young daughter safe. Using zombie-ology as a pastiche for the wrongs of communism is a good idea, but all the zany humor, gaffing at the camera, absolute no brainer script and iffy special effects makes this one hard to swallow, even with a pile of salt.
2.5 Floatillas out of 10 (AWFUL)
"Embargo Couldn't stop this?"
A spanish language rip off of Shawn of the Dead, both in plot and title, Juan is a middle aged slacker in Cuba. When the undead begin to rip apart his not-quite-beloved society, Juan and his slacker cohorts band together to exploit the situation and keep his young daughter safe. Using zombie-ology as a pastiche for the wrongs of communism is a good idea, but all the zany humor, gaffing at the camera, absolute no brainer script and iffy special effects makes this one hard to swallow, even with a pile of salt.
2.5 Floatillas out of 10 (AWFUL)
Knuckle (2011)
Knuckle (R) - Review
"Fighting Irish"
A family feud that has lasted for decades (or perhaps longer since no one can quite remember why it started) results in bareknuckle boxing matches for money in this English made documentary that spans over 10 years of filming. These Irish "Traveller" families (near-gypsies) settle their disputes the old fashioned way, boxing in cow pastures. Vast sums of money as well as the family honor are waged against one son or another, who beat it out until one of them gives up. As a documentary, the amount of time inside the secret lives of these people is interesting, while the boxing itself is unglamorous and uncinematically violent. The film mostly follows champion boxer McDonagh as he represents his clan over and over through a near decade of fighting, for what reason even they don't know. Grim old world accents and attitudes prevail as fathers grow into old men and their sons grow up to continue the fighting.
5.5 The Mighty Quins out of 10 (MEDIOCRE)
"Fighting Irish"
A family feud that has lasted for decades (or perhaps longer since no one can quite remember why it started) results in bareknuckle boxing matches for money in this English made documentary that spans over 10 years of filming. These Irish "Traveller" families (near-gypsies) settle their disputes the old fashioned way, boxing in cow pastures. Vast sums of money as well as the family honor are waged against one son or another, who beat it out until one of them gives up. As a documentary, the amount of time inside the secret lives of these people is interesting, while the boxing itself is unglamorous and uncinematically violent. The film mostly follows champion boxer McDonagh as he represents his clan over and over through a near decade of fighting, for what reason even they don't know. Grim old world accents and attitudes prevail as fathers grow into old men and their sons grow up to continue the fighting.
5.5 The Mighty Quins out of 10 (MEDIOCRE)
Attack The Block (R)
Attack The Block (2011) - Review
"'That's an alien bruv, believe it."
When strange meteorites start falling on a rough South London neighborhood, the local street gangs investigate and find extraterrestrials have landed. They rough up what they find and carry the trophy back to their "block", the apartment building where they live, unbeknownst to them the one they killed was a female, and the bloodthirsty males will come looking for it.
Filmed on location with local kids, Attack The Block's thick Southie accents are almost as unintelligible as the monsters vague gorilla like forms. The aliens are formless, pitchblack with just glowing teeth and flailing limbs to distinguish them. The gang is protecting their home from the E.T. invaders, bloodthirsty mindless animals making their way slowly to the top floor through anything that gets in their way. The block kids are equally viscous and territorial, they see any outsiders (police, citizen or alien) as an unwanted presence that must be expelled. The movie's focus is on "Moses" (they all have street names like that), an emotionally stunted and particularly violent young man who we follow through this scifi adventure. Introduced in the film as a mugger, we slowly come to like Moses as we see beyond his gruff exterior into the inner kid who still lives with his grannie. By the end he has become a local legend, a hero for defeating the aliens with fireworks and saving The Block.
The creatures are unique, though the more you see them the more like under lit muppets they are. The kids around the block are entertaining, rough around the edges and obviously not professional actors, kind of like a deeply accented Goonies with streetcred. The script is anything but ordinary, surprises are always around the corner with a special appearance by Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) as the ObiWan of marijuanna dealers. Its all a light romp with a thick patina of hype, pop culture references and thicker language; the humor is definitely present but you just have to read between the lines. A good, entertaining little film with some great ideas but unfortnately a bit small minded The rah rah UK symbolism and general nationalism present here sticks a bit in the throat like bread pudding and the hero worship of an unrepentant antisocial delinquent like Moses doesn't sit quite right. However, on the whole for a small time movie Attack The Block is original, true to its roots and wholesale entertainment. Just like the inhabitants of the Block, the movie can't see beyond its own borders.
7 WTF did that kid say? out of 10 (GOOD)
"'That's an alien bruv, believe it."
When strange meteorites start falling on a rough South London neighborhood, the local street gangs investigate and find extraterrestrials have landed. They rough up what they find and carry the trophy back to their "block", the apartment building where they live, unbeknownst to them the one they killed was a female, and the bloodthirsty males will come looking for it.
Filmed on location with local kids, Attack The Block's thick Southie accents are almost as unintelligible as the monsters vague gorilla like forms. The aliens are formless, pitchblack with just glowing teeth and flailing limbs to distinguish them. The gang is protecting their home from the E.T. invaders, bloodthirsty mindless animals making their way slowly to the top floor through anything that gets in their way. The block kids are equally viscous and territorial, they see any outsiders (police, citizen or alien) as an unwanted presence that must be expelled. The movie's focus is on "Moses" (they all have street names like that), an emotionally stunted and particularly violent young man who we follow through this scifi adventure. Introduced in the film as a mugger, we slowly come to like Moses as we see beyond his gruff exterior into the inner kid who still lives with his grannie. By the end he has become a local legend, a hero for defeating the aliens with fireworks and saving The Block.
The creatures are unique, though the more you see them the more like under lit muppets they are. The kids around the block are entertaining, rough around the edges and obviously not professional actors, kind of like a deeply accented Goonies with streetcred. The script is anything but ordinary, surprises are always around the corner with a special appearance by Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) as the ObiWan of marijuanna dealers. Its all a light romp with a thick patina of hype, pop culture references and thicker language; the humor is definitely present but you just have to read between the lines. A good, entertaining little film with some great ideas but unfortnately a bit small minded The rah rah UK symbolism and general nationalism present here sticks a bit in the throat like bread pudding and the hero worship of an unrepentant antisocial delinquent like Moses doesn't sit quite right. However, on the whole for a small time movie Attack The Block is original, true to its roots and wholesale entertainment. Just like the inhabitants of the Block, the movie can't see beyond its own borders.
7 WTF did that kid say? out of 10 (GOOD)
The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
The Secret World of Arrietty (PG)
"Small and in the walls"
A sick young man travels to his Aunt's country home to prepare for a surgery and finds a family of small thimble-sized people living under the floors in Studio Ghibli's adaptation of the beloved children's book The Borrowers that falls quite short of everyone's mark.
The animation is slow and robotic (often the case in non-Miyazaki films that try to repeat his art style), the plot is frustratingly uneventful. The characters are monotone and bland, in many cases bewilderingly annoying. The backgrounds and mattes are beautifully painted but sadly the movie and art style they are serving has almost nothing going for it, its all been done before yet better. There was not a single piece of showpiece animation, no terrific action piece, no heartfelt moments of characterization. Trope after trope with little humor and little action with a cute cat thrown in just to please the Ghibli-cult followers, Arrietty falls way short of the studio's best and instead simply cruises along on the weight of it's pedigree. And with a heroine as small and ineffectual as Arrietty, it doesn't add up to much.
4.5 The Littles Had a Better Song out of 10 (BAD)
"Small and in the walls"
A sick young man travels to his Aunt's country home to prepare for a surgery and finds a family of small thimble-sized people living under the floors in Studio Ghibli's adaptation of the beloved children's book The Borrowers that falls quite short of everyone's mark.
The animation is slow and robotic (often the case in non-Miyazaki films that try to repeat his art style), the plot is frustratingly uneventful. The characters are monotone and bland, in many cases bewilderingly annoying. The backgrounds and mattes are beautifully painted but sadly the movie and art style they are serving has almost nothing going for it, its all been done before yet better. There was not a single piece of showpiece animation, no terrific action piece, no heartfelt moments of characterization. Trope after trope with little humor and little action with a cute cat thrown in just to please the Ghibli-cult followers, Arrietty falls way short of the studio's best and instead simply cruises along on the weight of it's pedigree. And with a heroine as small and ineffectual as Arrietty, it doesn't add up to much.
4.5 The Littles Had a Better Song out of 10 (BAD)
The Illusionist (2010)
The Illusionist (PG) - Review
"Mime not?"
Animation Sylvain Chomet's followup to "The Triplets of Belleville" may lose him a few fans but should gain him even more credit with the artistic crowd. Seen as just a movie, it tells the tale of a magician who's vaudevillian act is slowly drying up like the same styled circuit. The magician takes into his care a little girl, and together they attempt to survive in the big city. Beautifully animated by hand, with gorgeous color work and with delicate audio work, The Illusionist is a marvel. It is also quietly depressing and desperate, and those coming from "Triplets" may be in for a shock. I found myself wondering why and what this project really was, and so doing some research I found out the film was in fact a lost manuscript by the great silent film clown Jacques Tati (think the French Charlie Chaplin). It was to be Tati's last movie, and Chomet due to his love of the art, brought it to life one frame at a time. Animation as an art form is the perfect medium to bring Tati's last story back to life, the dying art form of animation the perfect backdrop for the loss of a tradition like vaudeville. A sad sweet tale told and made with a breaking heart, like Tati its time has come and gone.
7.5 Red Balloons out of 10 (GOOD)
"Mime not?"
Animation Sylvain Chomet's followup to "The Triplets of Belleville" may lose him a few fans but should gain him even more credit with the artistic crowd. Seen as just a movie, it tells the tale of a magician who's vaudevillian act is slowly drying up like the same styled circuit. The magician takes into his care a little girl, and together they attempt to survive in the big city. Beautifully animated by hand, with gorgeous color work and with delicate audio work, The Illusionist is a marvel. It is also quietly depressing and desperate, and those coming from "Triplets" may be in for a shock. I found myself wondering why and what this project really was, and so doing some research I found out the film was in fact a lost manuscript by the great silent film clown Jacques Tati (think the French Charlie Chaplin). It was to be Tati's last movie, and Chomet due to his love of the art, brought it to life one frame at a time. Animation as an art form is the perfect medium to bring Tati's last story back to life, the dying art form of animation the perfect backdrop for the loss of a tradition like vaudeville. A sad sweet tale told and made with a breaking heart, like Tati its time has come and gone.
7.5 Red Balloons out of 10 (GOOD)
Mother (2009)
Mother (R) Review
"Between a Bear and her Cub"
Director Joon-ho Bong burst onto the American film scene with Korean Horror Adventure The Host (2008), his follow-up proves he is here to stay. A murder mystery rife with psychological weight that would make Albert Hitchcock blush, Mother is another peek into Korean life, told through the tale of a Mother's love of her Mentally unstable Son and the lengths she goes to prove he is innocent of murder.
A thick, murky crime thriller, Bong's film is fantastically tense as the Mother (played spectacularly by Hye-ja Kim) sifts through the evidence and questions witnesses about the case against her adult son who is a bit touched in the head. Mother and Son have always been close, living meager lives with just each other to rely on. As the Mother struggles to survive and acquit her son, she stumbles upon the dark truths of her life. The soft speaking Mother role is played beautifully with most of the portrayal in her eyes, her gestures, her movements. The finale is satisfying and unexpected as the Director's interests in humanity and the spaces it inhabits are clear and present. This as good as any psychological thriller made in the past decade.
8 Maternal Instincts out of 10 (GREAT)
"Between a Bear and her Cub"
Director Joon-ho Bong burst onto the American film scene with Korean Horror Adventure The Host (2008), his follow-up proves he is here to stay. A murder mystery rife with psychological weight that would make Albert Hitchcock blush, Mother is another peek into Korean life, told through the tale of a Mother's love of her Mentally unstable Son and the lengths she goes to prove he is innocent of murder.
A thick, murky crime thriller, Bong's film is fantastically tense as the Mother (played spectacularly by Hye-ja Kim) sifts through the evidence and questions witnesses about the case against her adult son who is a bit touched in the head. Mother and Son have always been close, living meager lives with just each other to rely on. As the Mother struggles to survive and acquit her son, she stumbles upon the dark truths of her life. The soft speaking Mother role is played beautifully with most of the portrayal in her eyes, her gestures, her movements. The finale is satisfying and unexpected as the Director's interests in humanity and the spaces it inhabits are clear and present. This as good as any psychological thriller made in the past decade.
8 Maternal Instincts out of 10 (GREAT)
The Gaurd (2011)
The Gaurd (R) - Review
"Cops and Jobbers"
Brendan Gleeson (In Burges) shines again as hedonist Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a mischievous Irish cop who enjoys his small town life and job immensely (and the hookers it affords him). When drug lords move into his idyllic town, bringing with them the American FBI led by Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) hot on their heels, Boyle's own unique brand of honor gets in the way of avoiding confrontation.
Gleeson is tailor made for the role, a dirty mouthed loveable wiseass who plays off Cheadles straight man perfectly. Anything is a target for a tongue lashing to him, and if the subject thinks him an ignorant oaf in the process more the better. We really get a chance to know Gerry, get to be the butt of his constant jokes, and feel admiration for him when he see there's no other choice but to handle it himself, letting out a sigh as he picks up an AK47. The only weapon he usually needs is his black sense of humor, but he handles either with ferocious tenacity.
8 Racial Epithets out of 10 (GREAT)
"Cops and Jobbers"
Brendan Gleeson (In Burges) shines again as hedonist Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a mischievous Irish cop who enjoys his small town life and job immensely (and the hookers it affords him). When drug lords move into his idyllic town, bringing with them the American FBI led by Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) hot on their heels, Boyle's own unique brand of honor gets in the way of avoiding confrontation.
Gleeson is tailor made for the role, a dirty mouthed loveable wiseass who plays off Cheadles straight man perfectly. Anything is a target for a tongue lashing to him, and if the subject thinks him an ignorant oaf in the process more the better. We really get a chance to know Gerry, get to be the butt of his constant jokes, and feel admiration for him when he see there's no other choice but to handle it himself, letting out a sigh as he picks up an AK47. The only weapon he usually needs is his black sense of humor, but he handles either with ferocious tenacity.
8 Racial Epithets out of 10 (GREAT)
Redline (2009)
Redline (R) - Review
"Go Speed Racer!"
A stylish well-designed anime that blows a tire over cliched characters, sexism and trying to be too cool. Moments of exhilarating animation are vastly overshadowed by lame attempts of characterization and plot using played out genre devices; the anti hero JP must race in the universe's most dangerous race, a contest featuring a rogues gallery of aliens, exgirlfriends and sinister forces trying to reach a finish line because it's there.
Overloaded and overhyped, Redline crashes under its own weight way before the checkered flag waves. All that detail and wax buffs and chrome and burning nitro can't outrace the eyerolling script, the writing being stuck in first gear, grinding around at an 8th grade level with no idea where the clutch is.
5 Hand Cramps out of 10 (MEDIOCRE)
"Go Speed Racer!"
A stylish well-designed anime that blows a tire over cliched characters, sexism and trying to be too cool. Moments of exhilarating animation are vastly overshadowed by lame attempts of characterization and plot using played out genre devices; the anti hero JP must race in the universe's most dangerous race, a contest featuring a rogues gallery of aliens, exgirlfriends and sinister forces trying to reach a finish line because it's there.
Overloaded and overhyped, Redline crashes under its own weight way before the checkered flag waves. All that detail and wax buffs and chrome and burning nitro can't outrace the eyerolling script, the writing being stuck in first gear, grinding around at an 8th grade level with no idea where the clutch is.
5 Hand Cramps out of 10 (MEDIOCRE)
Amer (2009)
Amer (NR) - Review
"Threw the Looking Glass"
In the tradition of classical giallo films comes Amer, a french retro throwback to the violent psychological Italian thrillers of the 1970s. A young girl is traumatized and the memory haunts and shapes the rest of her life as she attempts to avoid the jagged edges of her subconscious mind.
Trippy visuals combined with a lack of dialogue and LCD laced music cues create a deliciously heavy mood as our heroine moves from erotic fantasy to estranged reality in the wink of an eye. Don't expect a rational story, don't demand a narrative or plot and just let your mind's eye absorb. This is a film for watching, experience and experiment, to attempt to answer your own questions when the smoking caterpillar offers you the pipe.
7.5 Eyeball Closeups out of 10 (GOOD)
"Threw the Looking Glass"
In the tradition of classical giallo films comes Amer, a french retro throwback to the violent psychological Italian thrillers of the 1970s. A young girl is traumatized and the memory haunts and shapes the rest of her life as she attempts to avoid the jagged edges of her subconscious mind.
Trippy visuals combined with a lack of dialogue and LCD laced music cues create a deliciously heavy mood as our heroine moves from erotic fantasy to estranged reality in the wink of an eye. Don't expect a rational story, don't demand a narrative or plot and just let your mind's eye absorb. This is a film for watching, experience and experiment, to attempt to answer your own questions when the smoking caterpillar offers you the pipe.
7.5 Eyeball Closeups out of 10 (GOOD)
Mesrine: Part 2: Public Enemy #1 (2008)
Mesrine: Part 2: Public Enemy #1 (R) - Review
"A History of Violence"
Vincent Cassel again plays Jacques Mesrine, a notorious French gangster who evaded capture while maintaining a spotlight, capturing his life through the 1970s until his capture. Vincent is the reason more than ever to watch as unfortunately his escapades become more ego-centric and less entertaining. Mesrine returns to France and becomes a political hot button, a media darling and an extremely wanted man. Overly long and slower paced than Part 1, Mesrine finds himself being tracked by a special task force while he kidnaps the rich and cajoles the press. However, in spite of Cassel's dynamite strutting and likeable sleazy air, if you've sat through both films its hard to stir any kind of sympathy at Mesrine's bloody conclusion, well perhaps some for the little dog.
6 Extrajudicial Vengeances out of 10 (GOOD)
"A History of Violence"
Vincent Cassel again plays Jacques Mesrine, a notorious French gangster who evaded capture while maintaining a spotlight, capturing his life through the 1970s until his capture. Vincent is the reason more than ever to watch as unfortunately his escapades become more ego-centric and less entertaining. Mesrine returns to France and becomes a political hot button, a media darling and an extremely wanted man. Overly long and slower paced than Part 1, Mesrine finds himself being tracked by a special task force while he kidnaps the rich and cajoles the press. However, in spite of Cassel's dynamite strutting and likeable sleazy air, if you've sat through both films its hard to stir any kind of sympathy at Mesrine's bloody conclusion, well perhaps some for the little dog.
6 Extrajudicial Vengeances out of 10 (GOOD)
Mesrine: Part 1: Killer Instinct (2008)
Mesrine: Part 1: Killer Instinct (R) - Review
"Natural Born French Killer"
Vincent Cassel plays Jacques Mesrine, the real-life French version of Scarface. Mesrine is an enigmatic low level hood that slowly gets pulled into a violent underworld of crime and corruption and finally ends up being Public Enemy No. 1 with a bullet. As a historical biopic about a relatively unknown gangster from France, this movie really delivers in both interest and entertainment. While the major motivations and reasons are lost in the time skipping narrative, the characters, acting and action are top notch and worthwhile. Based on the novel written by Mesrine himself, it is the first entry in a two part film.
6.5 Jail Breaks out of 10 (GOOD)
"Natural Born French Killer"
Vincent Cassel plays Jacques Mesrine, the real-life French version of Scarface. Mesrine is an enigmatic low level hood that slowly gets pulled into a violent underworld of crime and corruption and finally ends up being Public Enemy No. 1 with a bullet. As a historical biopic about a relatively unknown gangster from France, this movie really delivers in both interest and entertainment. While the major motivations and reasons are lost in the time skipping narrative, the characters, acting and action are top notch and worthwhile. Based on the novel written by Mesrine himself, it is the first entry in a two part film.
6.5 Jail Breaks out of 10 (GOOD)
The Rug Cop (2006)
The Rug Cop - (NR)
"Toupee or not toupee"
Strange-film director Minoru Kawasaki, creator of such classics as Calamari Wrestler and Executive Koala, sets his sights on Japanese Cop Dramas with The Rug Cop. The story of a man who uses his advanced toupee as a secret weapon to fight crime, who is a newly recruited member of a team of cliche-on-purpose detectives on the streets of Tokyo. Wacky tropes are skewered, but only true lovers of Japanese dramas will get all the jokes. A step down in the special effects driven insanity of his previous films is a bit of a let down, but still wrings some chuckles of delight as the Rug Cop meets his estranged daughter and the Nuclear bomb the Terrorists are blackmailing the city with. An odd sense of humor and joy of cheapskate entertainment will certainly be necessary for enjoyment, but the Rug Cop, who is played by a straight faced Moto Fuyuki, makes it all work with his entertaining portrayal (even during the 5 minutes Karaoke interlude).
6 Giant Static Afros out of 10 (GOOD)
"Toupee or not toupee"
Strange-film director Minoru Kawasaki, creator of such classics as Calamari Wrestler and Executive Koala, sets his sights on Japanese Cop Dramas with The Rug Cop. The story of a man who uses his advanced toupee as a secret weapon to fight crime, who is a newly recruited member of a team of cliche-on-purpose detectives on the streets of Tokyo. Wacky tropes are skewered, but only true lovers of Japanese dramas will get all the jokes. A step down in the special effects driven insanity of his previous films is a bit of a let down, but still wrings some chuckles of delight as the Rug Cop meets his estranged daughter and the Nuclear bomb the Terrorists are blackmailing the city with. An odd sense of humor and joy of cheapskate entertainment will certainly be necessary for enjoyment, but the Rug Cop, who is played by a straight faced Moto Fuyuki, makes it all work with his entertaining portrayal (even during the 5 minutes Karaoke interlude).
6 Giant Static Afros out of 10 (GOOD)
Executive Koala (2005)
Executive Koala - (NR) - Review
"Fab and Furry"
From the minds that brought us The Calamari Wrestler comes The Executive Koala. A spoof on overdramatic soap operas starring a fuzzy humansized Koala in a suit, Director Kawasaki keeps his modus operandi intact by putting bizarre characters in zany situations that everyone in the cast treats as perfectly normal. Kooky to the extreme, E.K. is embroiled in a murder mystery with a completly off the wall, out of left field mind bending ending. Entertainment galore, good animal/man costumes and a splash of violence, Executive Koala may not be everyone's cup of tea. The humor is straight faced and the strangeness knows no bounds. For those who revel in that kind of thing, this is almost as good as it gets.
7 Anthropomorphic Suits out of 10
"Fab and Furry"
From the minds that brought us The Calamari Wrestler comes The Executive Koala. A spoof on overdramatic soap operas starring a fuzzy humansized Koala in a suit, Director Kawasaki keeps his modus operandi intact by putting bizarre characters in zany situations that everyone in the cast treats as perfectly normal. Kooky to the extreme, E.K. is embroiled in a murder mystery with a completly off the wall, out of left field mind bending ending. Entertainment galore, good animal/man costumes and a splash of violence, Executive Koala may not be everyone's cup of tea. The humor is straight faced and the strangeness knows no bounds. For those who revel in that kind of thing, this is almost as good as it gets.
7 Anthropomorphic Suits out of 10
The Calimari Wrestler (2005)
The Calamari Wrestler (NR) - Review
"8 Tentacles, 1 Heart"
Strange Japanese cinema is alive and squirming. This buffet of the bizarre serves up deliciously zany costumes, plot points and characterizations. It's all played extremely straight faced which is most of the fun. Where else can you see a 8 foot tall squid pro wrestle and then explain his personal problems dramatically to his beautiful girlfriend? What is the mystery of the Calamari, and who are all these outlandish opponents that our hero must defeat? One joke movie that works the whole way through, just don't expect anything beyond deep fried junk and you'll be satisfied.
6 Squid Kisses out of 10 (GOOD)
"8 Tentacles, 1 Heart"
Strange Japanese cinema is alive and squirming. This buffet of the bizarre serves up deliciously zany costumes, plot points and characterizations. It's all played extremely straight faced which is most of the fun. Where else can you see a 8 foot tall squid pro wrestle and then explain his personal problems dramatically to his beautiful girlfriend? What is the mystery of the Calamari, and who are all these outlandish opponents that our hero must defeat? One joke movie that works the whole way through, just don't expect anything beyond deep fried junk and you'll be satisfied.
6 Squid Kisses out of 10 (GOOD)
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About Me
- Kevin Gasaway via HardDrawn
- Turlock, California, United States
- Media and Reviews by Kevin Gasaway