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Reviews
AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Stick to the comics!
I've always been a big fan of both the Alien and the Predator franchises, and when these have been extended to comics I have always enjoyed them. This movie, however, fails to deliver on any of the possibilities of these visitors' encounter. It is obvious that the screenplay was written quickly, since the plot that explains why these characters from different universes should meet is pretty thin. Unfortunately, the carelessness taken with the plot doesn't even make for interesting action set-pieces, and the end result is a movie that even seen on the big screen has few thrills. A team of scientists and adventurers travel to Antarctica to investigate a mysterious heat source located by a satellite and stumble onto a hidden temple. This ancient building is being used by the Predators to breed Aliens, which are then used to test the newest members of the Predator clan. The researchers must find a way out of the place before they get caught in the middle of a war they can't hope to win. The plot needn't have been so complex, and it definitely should not have been dwelt on so much in the beginning. As a result there is no development of any of the characters, so their mostly uninteresting deaths never weigh on the audience. There isn't even an interesting dynamic that could have dealt with the psychology of an ever-dwindling group. Instead, the movie focuses on the action between the titular characters, but the Aliens are never menacing when they are fully lit and not very numerous and the Predators are robbed of their stalking cool.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
The air is thick with dork
Let me begin by saying that this movie has some of the finest acting I've ever seen. Everyone, from the leads to those with the smallest parts, are so believable one almost forgets it's a movie and not a documentary. Napoleon in particular is awesome, and he is the heart of the movie. He is no longer content in his role as the high school loser who everyone can pick on, and he sets out to overcome that stigma despite everyone's best efforts to dissuade him. His quiet triumph is very inspiring. The film is very funny and warm, with a strong Wes Anderson influence. A great soundtrack too! (By the way, the director was at the screening I attended, and he assures us that while the movie appears to be set in the 1980's, it's just a byproduct of life in Idaho that everything is like 15 years behind.)
Walkentalk (2003)
The best Christopher Walken impression ever
No kidding: this guy has it down! Everything from the movie quotes to the little movements in the face and eyes tells you this guy studied Walken carefully. And it pays off, because this is one of the funniest things I've ever seen, and I wish it was a little longer. The premise is simple; this guy thinks he's Christopher Walken, or at least cannot break out of that character. Apparently his family has grown to accept this, but now his brother wants him to meet his girlfriend, whom he intends to marry, and he wants her to get a good impression. I guess in a sense that's exactly what she gets. The character is unable to change, and his initial attempts to be charming go wrong when he shows the poor girl some of Walken's dark side. But the best part is the secret cabal of fellow "Walkentalkers."
Ju-on (2002)
A provocative horror film.
As a volunteer projectionist at the 2004 South by Southwest Film Festival, "The Grudge" was the last movie I showed. It played at midnight at the end of a slow day. I didn't even know what it was about. I started it and began to walk to the concession stand to get a glass of water, but I decided to stop and check out the beginning, just to see what the movie was about. I never got that glass of water.
"The Grudge" is the latest in what has become a fine tradition of Japanese horror films in the last decade or so. To hear the plot described, it would seem terribly unoriginal. The magic of the movie is in its unconventional sequencing. The events are broken up into chunks and told out of order, which is incredibly effective in maintaining the audience's interest and creating mystery. I don't want to give the story away, so I'll just leave it at that.
As far as frights go, this is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. People were walking out, visibly shaken. I don't know quite how to put it into words, but it says a lot that an event which is completely predictable and takes place in a brightly-lit room can still scare your pants off. Hats off to the director in this accomplishment.
Koroshiya 1 (2001)
File this under "Memorable Experiences"
This movie, like all of Miike's work, is extremely violent and yet intriguing. Neil Gaiman once said that if a movie confuses you, you should see it again and see if there's anything there at all. You might think that "Ichii the Killer" is just a senseless and sadistic action movie, but you'd only be half correct. After all, Miike obviously enjoys making his audience's jaws drop. Yet his films also deal with issues such as friendship, loyalty, insanity, and social dysfunction. Much like David Lynch, he employs hyperbole to create a forum for discussion. I can't say that I've exactly figured out what "Ichii" is trying to say, or whether or not it's trying to say anything specific at all, but I recommend it to those with strong stomachs. I guarantee, like with all Miike's other movies, that you've seen nothing like it.