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Reviews
The Fountain (2006)
Artful Sci-Fi Love Story
The Fountain is very artful film and simply gorgeous to look at. Hugh Jackman is excellent as the struggling husband a man who simply can't bear even the thought of the death of his seriously ill wife played by the beautiful Rachel Weisz.
The chemistry between Weisz and Jackman is luminous. The fantasies that wrap The Fountain are existential explorations. They are an emotional catharsis for Jackman's character, Thomas, as he works through his loss.
I took the film to be an artful portrayal of love that becomes mythic in scale after the death of a loved one. And the fantasies depicted are excerpts of the story that Weisz's character was writing to help her work through the inevitability of her illness a fantastic 16th quest for the "tree of life" to a thousand years in the future to the lonely edge of the universe. She left the last chapter unwritten -- a charge for him. Her last wish is that he finishes their tale. And it is this conceit that takes us to the film's most fantastic images as we journey to the Xibalba nebula. Jackman's alter ego travels a thousand years all the way to the lonely edge of the universe. And in his most despairing moments he learns that he will be able to move on. That she will always be part of him. The tree metaphor is complete as he plants a seed of tree upon her grave.
Also worth mentioning is The Fountain's art direction and the palette -- gold light against darkness. The characters are always moving from dark spaces into gold light. Moving forward through passages, tunnels and doorways. Lines of the sets always converge on the lovers, making a visual connection, a center. The set design and lighting constantly reinforce the theme of moving forward towards the inevitable. Death. And eventually coming to peace with it. Part of the process of life.
Essentially, The Fountain is a "cancer" movie. I hate cancer movies too much despair for me. But I really loved this picture.
Mirrormask (2005)
Beautifully display of film-making
This is a stunning, gorgeous, mind-blowing movie.
It seems criticisms of this movie are stemming from two basic complaints: first, that the story is unoriginal/derivative; and second, that the movie is all visuals, no plot. The first complaint misses the point completely. The whole point of the story is that it is ARCHETYPAL. It deals with fundamental human issues of identity, growth, dark and light, good and evil. To complain that an archetypal story is unoriginal is like complaining that an apple doesn't taste like an orange. To have completely unrelated expectations is to be disappointed.
The second complaint is once again an issue of erroneous expectations. A distinction must be made between film as pure entertainment and film as pure art. These two genres sometimes co-exist, of course, and there is a spectrum in between. Yes, this is a visual movie. It is self-consciously a movie intended to display film-making as a visual art, which it first and foremost is. When appreciating a painting, is the central issue the painter's choice of subject matter? No, it is technique, execution, mood, effect. Who decided film is only successful or worthy if the plot entertains us sufficiently? Seems to me that is rather a shallow, provincial and self-absorbed viewpoint.
For goodness' sake, leave your expectations and preconceptions at the door and just accept this movie offering at face value. Complaining about what it isn't (and isn't meant to be) is pointless and a waste of everybody's time. Watch it and appreciate it for what it is: a classic, archetypal story beautifully retold in an exemplary display of film-making as a visual art form.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
duped again, but how could you be surprised by now?
Incredible movie! The acting was terribly terribly brilliant. The character development superb. Flawless plot line with beautiful chemistry between the deep, interesting, well developed characters. A brilliantly executed theme worthy of Shakespearian measures! The articulate six year old has spoken! EEEEHH! Sarcasm alert! Maybe I was reviewing episodes 10,11,and 12 which of course will wow audiences only to leave that same legion of geeks disappointed when episodes 7, 8, and 9 come out twenty years later.
I guess the completely redundant question by now would be (Is this film better than the previous two?) I think a more appropriate question would be, (Does this film suck less than the previous two?). It's a hard question to answer. If you are interested in seeing the transformation Anakin makes into Darth Vader then fine, watch this movie out of curiosity. But being such a poor actor playing such a one-dimensional character, who could really care. The final transformation at the end involving Darth Vader walking out in his new clothes and yelling 'NOOOOOOOOOO' had to be the dumbest and cheesiest scene in any movie anywhere ever! Oops, did I ruin the end? Oh wait, the beginning, middle, and end of this movie were already ruined when they were made.
I'll give the movie 2 stars for some good action scenes and some impressive special effects, but even in that department this film offers nothing new.
So, is it better than episodes 1 and 2? Merely a matter of opinion. Perhaps it is if you hated Jar Jar Binks.
Despiser (2003)
This is not mainstream Hollywood -- but still a fun view!
I was cruising the sell-through bin at Hollywood Video. You know the one? Pickup a previewed movie for a few bucks? So I see this one with a CG beast on the cover called DESPISER. It's about purgatory. Okay, I'll bite. How bad can it be considering the price I paid? Well
first let me say this is not mainstream Hollywood. This is a little no-budget picture shot in 1998 before the advent of SIN CITY, SKY CAPTAIN and other hi-budget fare. So, needless to say, it's a bit crude by that standard. However, considering its budget, it's really quite impressive. Mind you, it needs a bit of suspension of disbelief, but it has heart and it has soul. It concerns the quest of an artist (Mark Redfield) who travels to purgatory to rescue his wife from despotic forces. He encounters a band of men and women from different times -- I'm reminded of the Piers Anthony story with a similar conceit. He teams up with these folks (Doug Brown, Michael Weitz, Frank Smith, and Tara Bilkins) and they head out on a CG adventure to face down the Despiser -- a CG critter who's holding the hero's wife in his "bad guy" castle. All in all, it's a bit juvenile. But hey, what fantasy ultimately isn't? I enjoyed the film. I got into it. I suspended disbelief. I wanted Gordon to succeed. I was sad when the hero's hit the fan.
Somehow this picture seem to invite love/hate reviews! Wow. What's with that? Chill out folks. For six bucks, it's a fun view. I liked it. If you have a heart for fantasy, then perhaps you may like DESPISER too.
King Arthur (2004)
Forget the legend
Forget the legend - this isn't your grandmother's King Arthur. Forget Disney, forget Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, forget Merlin and Mordred, forget the romance, the magic - this is the down and dirty, sweat and grime, guts and glory story that allegedly started the legend of the Sword in the Stone.
Arthur (Clive Owen) is still the powerhouse of legend, even though Excalibur didn't come out of a stone or a lake, but pity poor Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), Galahad (Hugh Dancy), Gawain (Joel Edgerton) and the rest of the knights of the round table, who are reduced to Arthur devotees without too much in the way of individual character. Lancelot isn't even up to a little triangular hanky-panky this time around.
Merlin is a wild warrior leader complete with body paint, and the fair Guinevere (Keira Knightley) out-warriors Xena when she's in her barely there battle gear.
The battle scenes are great, whether the fighting involves the Woads or the Saxons, and the last time so many arrows flew, it was Jet Li doing some "heroic" dodging.
The greatest beating is taken by religion, as only Arthur has any good use for it, and even he gets a little skeptical sometimes.
Whether North or South of Hadrian's Wall, Arthur leads his little band on great adventures on the island, one day through thick forests, the next on thin ice, but with rousing war cries they somehow pull through.
Entertaining, particularly when Keira Knightley starts her battle snarling, but a little long overall.
Excalibur (1981)
Great air of mystery
Along with Ken Russell, John Boorman can be seen as a key figure in the modern British cinema... His interest in myth, dream, landscape and memory may be compared with that of Resnais, Leone, and Roeg...
Boorman's 'Excalibur' is characterized by his use of jealousy and adultery, sex and sorcery... It is also characterized by fire and fog, shadow and moonlight, creating an air of mystery that is essential element in the Arthurian legend...
Boorman's 'Excalibur' is a mythical presentation leading the viewers to travel with the flow of the legend... It is a magical story with wonderful exotic sets, and interesting camera-work in the lush green scenery of Ireland... (The Cinematography won an Academy Award Nomination).
Boorman's "Excalibur" is both fantasy and philosophy... Love seems to be a destructive force, lyrically beautiful and bravely realistic...
The film brings to life the fateful story of a solitary hero, his ascension to the throne, the love triangle of Camelot, the quest for the Holy Grail, the decline and eventual fall of Arthur and Camelot... Along for the ride are his indispensable Knights of the Round Table, particularly Sir Lancelot...
The characters in Boorman's "Excalibur" are extremely well developed... Arthur is seen as a naive squire, who develops into an idealistic king... Arthur tries to use Might for the establishment of Right, and according to his own laws, he puts reason over love...
A prominent figure in the film is Merlin... He lives backwards, which makes him "a dream to some, a nightmare to others." He defines the cave of the dragon as a place where all things meet their opposite: "The future and the past, desire and regret, knowledge and oblivion". But when Morgana pronounces "love", one would expect Merlin to answer "hate", but he just says: "O yes." Morgana knows that Uther and Merlin are responsible for the death of her father... She dedicates her life to revenge.. Her scenes with Merlin are full of fire and poison... When she steals the "charm of making" from Merlin, Morgana gets stronger... We feared her lines when she affirmed: "I can ease your loneliness." Lancelot looks at himself as a sinful person who has betrayed a friend... He stays lonely in the forest, haunted by sorrow and pain... He dreams of a fight with himself... And when he wakes up naked, he sees his own sword stuck in his side... The film endures and inspires because it embodies mankind's deepest yearnings...
Among the many elements that make the movie work is the cast: Nigel Terry, the rightful King who, accidentally, removes the sword of power easily, not once, but twice; Helen Mirren, the enchantress Morgana, Merlin's nemesis and Arthur's treacherous half-sister, who seduces Merlin, and then encircles him in a stream of vengeance; Nicholas Clay, persuasively ardent and athletic as the First Knight; Cherie Lunghi, the damsel in distress who loves her husband with her mind and Lancelot with her heart; Nicol Williamson, the wily Merlin who would see that the young Arthur receive the necessary training and guidance to fulfill his unlikely destiny; Gabriel Byrne, the hot-blooded Uther Pendragon, who plunges 'Excalibur' deep into a stone rock in one last act of defiance; Katrine Boorman, the woman taken as by a fully armored King; Liam Neeson, the knight who dares to accuse the Queen; and Robert Addie, the 'unholy child' who comes to Camelot to demand the throne of his father...
One of the more fascinating aspects of the film (and there are many...) are the differences between Uther and Arthur... King Uther is unable to master his instincts... His world is confusion, disorder, and unlimited passion... The characteristic developments of Arthur occur as he faces the trials of his life... The knowledge of the affair yet his love for his beautiful wife and best friend wage war inside of his mind... When he sees Guinevere in the arms of Lancelot, he stuck 'Excalibur' between them loosing his connection to the extraordinary powers of Merlin and the Lady of the Lake...
John Boorman's films frequently concern contradictions and polarities, tensions between nature and civilization, dream and reality... Equally, his career as a whole swings violently between success and failure, intelligent ambition and pretentiousness...
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995)
Good adventurous romp!
Xena Warrior Princess is a sword wielding romp that headed the television ratings for the better part of 90s.
Starring Lucy Lawless this series follows Xena and her sidekick's adventures through the mythical age of Greece. It blends a harmonious mixture of comedy, friendship, love, and heart stopping action. You will feel like you are a part of the story of the most powerful women in the ancient world.
Sword fighting, flipping, acrobatic fight scenes, great actors, and a epic story make this a must for anyone who loves to see women kicking butt and taking names.
Labyrinth (1986)
Delightful little fantasy film
This is a delightful little fantasy film. The story's opening should appeal to many kids: teenaged Sara rebels at the baby-sitting duties that interfere with her vivid fantasy life. She would never hurt the child, but creates a fairy tale around her frustration. In this story, the beautiful princess (Sara, of course) is set free when denizens of Fairy-land abduct the evil infant. Then, suddenly, the fairy tale becomes real.
The story is Sara's quest to recover the lost child from Jared, played by David Bowie. He works well as the world's dark lord, even if his song scenes seemed gratuitous. Sara traverses the mythic Labyrinth guided, misguided, and befriended by beings from Jim Henson's wonderful imagination. This is the true magic of "Labyrinth," the sustained vision, comical and fantastical, of Brian Froud's world peopled by Henson's creatures. The whole world is simply amazing - and it goes on, in changing scenes and amazing detail, for the rest of the movie.
This is a wonderful kids' movie, with no real violence or adult themes, and with a happy ending. It does have a dark edge, however, that may scare the very youngest. Although it's a kids' movie, the kids are optional. Feel free to enjoy it just for yourself.
Crank (2006)
Preposterously entertaining!
If you like your action movies over the top and preposterously entertaining, you will certainly like CRANK. Like its doomed hero, the movie is pumped with adrenaline and just when it seems to slow down, it shifts into overdrive and delivers ample exemplary action scenes.
The story follows a hit-man who is given a "Beijing Cocktail" after he doesn't follow his latest assignment and decides to retire. This cocktail is going to kill him; his only hope it to keep moving, keep his adrenaline going so that he won't die. It's all pretty hopeless for our antihero but he does do his best to keep both himself and the audience pumped up and ready to go.
What makes this movie work is the deadpan but straight on performance from British actor Jason Statham (TRANSPORTER movies, CELLULAR). His fierce performance is just what the movie needs and he delivers. Amy Smart is also quite good as his somewhat addled girlfriend who finds herself embroiled in his plans.The movie also has a perversely funny script with tons of wonderful one-liners and sight gags. This movie moves and its final scene is quite harrowing. CRANK is the most fun I've had with action movies since DIE HARD.
The Night Stalker (1972)
Classic Show of the 70s
Kolchak: The Night Stalker was indeed one of the great all time TV series. Sadly it did not make it past its initial season due to its ratings. It only came to be appreciated years after its cancellation. This collection of all the original episodes brings back a true classic. The quality of the picture is great. I had heard, prior to purchasing this set, that there were problems with the discs playing properly but I have experienced no problems and I frequently play this series. If you enjoy good TV and campy horror movies I highly recommend this show.
I loved watching Kolchak: The Night Stalker when it first aired (I was in 4th grade). Reruns aired in the early 80's as part of a rotation on the CBS evening movie or late movie, or whatever they called it. Sci-Fi has been running them occasionally with little or no pre-announcement and unfortunately 4 episodes (Legacy of Terror, Demon and Lace, Firefall, and The Energy Eater) have only been presented as two movies that merely combined the episodes into a confusing mess called "Demon and the Mummy" and "Crackle of Death".
TerrorVision (1986)
Lyrical Silly Charm
Sherman Putterman is your standard alien monster film kid who has seen a monster but can't get anyone else to believe him. His grandpa (Bert Remsen in the film's best performance) is a survivalist promoting his lizard tail jerky product (the perfect food because lizards' tails grow back and you can eat it again) and hiding out in his well-stocked fallout shelter.
If it were possible for a complete parody to be called original, "Terrorvision" (1986) would be the first to qualify. This is another cheap Albert and Charles Band (Empire Studios) production, but is not as mindless as something like "Redneck Zombies" and even has a bit of lyrical (yet very silly) charm. Everyone involved is obviously having a good time and the creature is much like something Richard Carlson would have encountered in a 1950's sci-fi film, but with much more slime. Not until "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra" would there be a more self-aware genre parody. Although rated "R" because of some off-color humor, it would not be worth denying middle schoolers the pleasure of viewing this film because the overall style and effect is best appreciated by that age group.
Sherman's swinging parents are Gerrit Graham (who played superstitious car salesman Jeff in "Used Cars") and Mary Woronov ("Eating Raoul").
1980's teen queen Diane Franklin plays Sherman's sister Suzy and Jon Gries (of "Pretender" fame) is her boyfriend "O.D." who is really into heavy metal music. Franklin is almost unrecognizable in her mid-1980's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" look.
Although the parody is primarily directed at the excessive cuteness of "ET", "Terrorvision" also goes after Elvira and Vampira with a similar late night horror show hostess called Medusa who wears a wig of snakes, has two enormous talents, and manages a host(ess) of semi-explicit puns.
The real star is an alien house pet whose mutation into a hungry beast forced its owners to send its atoms out into space. The film begins on a distant planet where this mutated pet is being processed at the mutated creature facility. A stray planet causes the creatures atoms to deflect through space until it finally is sucked down to earth by Sherman's father's new satellite dish.
By the middle of the film the monster has chewed and sucked its way through most of the family and their friends when Sherman, Suzy, and OD have an "ET" moment with it. The monster can mimic anyone it has eaten so the other cast members have a couple of post- demise scenes.
Silent Hill (2006)
Transporting & Creepy
For those who have never seen the game, "Silent Hill" is the best ever survival/ horror game series. It is difficult and confusing (a lot of mazes and D&D-like details) so expect major disorientation at times during the film-which is a bit like actually playing the game.
The acting was convincing, the editing extraordinary, and the atmosphere oppressive. Not 100% how I visualized it before viewing but even the differences tended to work in favor of the film.
The town itself looked and actually felt familiar, unlike the mess they made of "House of Wax". This is definitely the sort of film best seen on the big screen with a theater sound system. Everyone should be totally creeped out.
Enough said, more at this stage might spoil things so read on only if you have already seen the film or if you don't mind some spoilers.
Dahlia Gillespie had a daughter (by an unknown father) named Alessa. Alessa became the town outcast until a bunch of religious nuts (led by Christabella) decided she was a witch and must be sacrificed to keep evil out of Silent Hill. Dahlia went along with this because she was afraid of her own damnation for having the child. But the ceremony went wrong and the nut cases were not just killed but sent to a netherworld between heaven and hell.
The dark side of Alessa ended up in the same place but she was split into duel entities and the good part stayed in the normal world where she was adopted by Rose and Chris, and named Sharon. Sharon's sleepwalking is caused by her connection with Alessa who wants her to return to Silent Hill.
On the way to Silent Hill, Rose and Sharon arouse the suspicions of a motorcycle policewoman (Cybil Bennett). This happens because Cybil has been extremely protective of children since she saved a little boy from a psychopath. Cybil follows them to Silent Hill (once a coal mining town that was abandoned because of a burning seam of coal under the town). At the town limits a mysterious girl appears and both vehicles crash. When Sharon and Cybil regain consciousness Rose is gone.
As they explore the abandoned buildings they discover a church with a warning siren where the religious cult hides when Alessa (presumably) causes a darkness to take over the town; for some reason the darkness and Alessa cannot enter the church. It turns out that Alessa sent her Sharon identity back into the world of the living to bring back someone (Rose) who can take her into the church where she can finally exact her revenge.
Everyone is dead in the netherworld of Silent Hill, even Rose and Cybil-they don't know it yet but they died in the accident-because you can only enter the town if you are dead. Alessa needs Rose which is why she died, it was just Cybil's bad luck to have been involved in the accident.
The tip off to their being parallel towns comes when Rose's husband Chris enters the real Silent Hill and finds nothing supernatural in the place; although he senses a connection with his wife and adopted daughter, he finds no tangible sign of them. Rose passes right through him and the ending scene of Rose and Sharon in their home is blurred, but the scene with Chris in the parallel home is completely clear.
Space: 1999 (1975)
Classic Sci-Fi TV of the 70s
Many episodes are filmed in a neo-surrealistic style akin to Luis Bunel and Hitchcock. This mega set is the way to go, since it has year 1 and 2 episodes in order and bonus material. In a long run it will be cheaper to buy this set than the individual sets.
The art direction and production design was fantastic for the era. It was truly original science fiction where not all the stories resolve themselves into nice neat little endings -- a preferences for me.
I remember long ago when this show first aired. It was about the moon leaving orbit due to a nuke explosion. You see in the future it looks like we store all our waste on the moon. Well folks, after the moon leaves orbit the earth is laid to waste by bad weather and destroys itself.
The show is essentially Star Trek aboard a moonbase. Only the moon travels from planet to planet instead of a starship. The characters like Myia are a welcome addition. The character played by Barry Morse (who looks like Patrick Stewart very much) is gone by year two. With no explanation the moonbase starts to look like a seventies version of Star Trek and pulls it off quite well.
I do remember the action in most of the episodes went to a character played by Nick Tate. The actor did show up in an episode of ST: TNG ( the Wesley Crusher farewell episode) and in Deep Space Nine he played a smuggler.
The lead character, Martin Landau ( who was asked to play Mr. Spock) was never in another series since then. I only wish this show took off like Battlestar Galactica did. I never see Landau or Nick Tate in any TV shows or movies anymore. It's sad because they have a lot of talent and ability to offer....
King Kong (2005)
Great Remake
I am completely blown away by King Kong. On every level the film is a total success. The three leads were cast perfectly, they have fabulous characters, capturing the essence of the 1930s. Kong himself is one of cinema's greatest creations, it is as though Jackson has brought him back to life after 70 years spent roaming in the two-dimensional world. He is frightening, he is heroic; you actually truly feel for him.
Skull Island, as Jackson has re-imagined it, is one of the most sinister locations ever to be presented to film audiences. Its inhabitants are no longer corny but very believable, frightening savages. For anyone who has read James Michener's "Hawaii", specifically his narrative of the diaspora from the carnage of Bora Bora and the other South Pacific islands, this portion of the film strikes a chord. There truly were natives who acted in such unimaginatively cruel ways, and of course this fits in perfectly with their having been ravaged by Kong and other beasts. That is one example of the brilliant reconception of this story.
But at the heart of it all is the relationship between Kong and Ann Darrow, and it is here that Jackson, Watts, Andy Serkis, everyone at WETA, and his screen writing partners truly pull off the miraculous. These are some of the most sincerely rendered moments of any film, the result of heartfelt love and compassion for these characters and this material. It is something that I do not know if we will see again at the movies in quite the same way.
Peter Jackson's King Kong is some of the finest film-making I have ever seen. It will be his masterpiece. You MUST see this film in the theater. I am very, very cynical about current films, and I did not particularly like Return of the King. Rarely has a subject and a director been so perfectly matched as with this latest film. Jackson has crafted the best remake ever.