It has to be said that Quentin Tarantino quite simply rocks and is the epitome of cool in modern-day film-making. Nobody stamps their mark on a film in the manner he does and with the possible exception of the peerless 'Pulp Fiction' this is his finest work to date. Vol.2 is utterly absorbing. The loose ends and questions from Vol.1 are seamlessly threaded into the next passage of Beatrix's vengeful odyssey and flow perfectly through to a wonderfully crafted and satisfying denouement. Effortlessly stylish and original, the dialogue and characters come together with the plot to create what can only be described as a masterpiece of modern movie-making. Utterly, utterly brilliant; there is simply nothing more to say.
Reviews
13 Reviews
La Femme Nikita
(1990)
An intriguing classic
14 April 2005
'Josephine' in her little black dress, crouched in a hotel kitchen, HUGE smoking hand-cannon swaying in her delicate little paws, not entirely sure what she's doing......equals my all-time favourite movie poster and an enduring image of a wonderfully crafted, absorbing study of love, penance and obligation. Throw in a funky, pulsing score and you have a modern classic. The film is generally slow-paced save for a couple of genuinely exciting and achingly cool set-pieces and is more an examination of Marie's transformation and rehabilitation than anything else. If you want consistent, high-octane thrills then look elsewhere because this beautiful film packs an emotional rather than physical punch. Anne Parillaud as 'Marie' (Nikita/Josephine) in the lead role is breathtaking and her failure to feature since in any picture of note baffles me. She is the centrepiece of the film: aggressive, fragile, tactile, ugly, beautiful, cold, efficient, she runs the gamut of human emotion and in doing so lingers on as one of the most complex and memorable female characters in recent movie history. Time is a central character here; much as in Gaspar Noe's 'Irreversible' it is all-powerful and destroys everything, good and bad. It's passage is portrayed regularly, symbolic of Marie's simultaneous progress and rehabilitation. The lighting here is also effective, giving the film an almost washed-out feel. Hollywood again take note, this is a REAL film about love and pain of the most excruciating kind: of having no control, identity or direction and hurting those about whom you care the most. A must-see.
Lost in Translation
(2003)
Refreshingly Different
7 April 2005
'Lost In Translation' is a novel movie experience. With it's languid pace, soft focus and sparse dialogue it possesses an almost dream-like quality. Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson hold your attention as two disparate, lonely strangers in a foreign land (Tokyo itself is effectively a central character) who seek solace in each other's company to escape their self-imposed exiles at the Park Hyatt hotel. Murray, an international movie star, is on location filming a whisky commercial whilst Johansson is accompanying her photographer husband (a quirky Giovanni Ribisi) on a business trip. The film charts their burgeoning friendship forged through a mutual apathy borne out of loneliness and frustration. They talk, drink, sing karaoke and hang out in the hotel bar. 'Lost In Translation' is a film about finding both friendship and inspiration in the most unlikely of places. The fact that the central characters find understanding in such a foreign place demonstrates this to perfection with Tokyo proving an inspired location for a movie about finding meaning. In fact you could say it's wholly ironic. A clever and subtle film which rails refreshingly against convention, making Sofia Coppola clearly one to watch as a director.
The Green Mile
(1999)
Moving
6 April 2005
'The Green Mile' is an unforgettable film. It is by turn moving, inspiring, magical and uplifting. Written and directed by Frank Darabont of Shawshank Redemption fame it tells a tale of prison life in Louisiana in the thirties and the experiences of a set of inmates and guards on death row there, commonly known as 'The Green Mile' due to the colour of it's linoleum floor. Based on a story by Stephen King, the main thread of the film concerns a new inmate on the mile, John Coffey ('like the drink just not spelt the same'), who is facing the electric chair on account of his murdering two young sisters. It soon becomes clear there is more to Coffey (a breathtaking turn by Michael Clarke Duncan) than meets the eye and he takes centre stage in this expertly crafted, layered tale of compassion, friendship and loss. Along with 'Hotel Rwanda' this is possibly the most emotional film I have seen and as you follow the paths of the condemned inmates to their final reckonings you will find yourself on several occasions moved nearly to tears. The cast as a whole produce stellar, career best performances (even Tom Hanks) and the character development and pacing of the film is wonderful. I'm a big fan of 'The Shawshank Redemption' but for sheer raw emotion you will probably never see a better film than 'The Green Mile'.
Amores Perros
(2000)
Absorbing
30 March 2005
'Amores Perros' is a fabulous piece of storytelling. Using a spectacular, jarring car crash as his centrepiece the director skilfully weaves three stories about the lives and loves of it's three victims over a background of modern day Mexico. With a title that translates as 'Love's A Bitch', the focus is on the trials and tribulations said emotion can produce. The result is totally absorbing cinema. Extremely well directed given the acutely difficult premise and featuring several stand-out performances, 'Amores Perros' is top-notch in every way, from it's explosive start to it's thoughtful denouement. A must-see.
Irreversible
(2002)
Visceral, shocking, groundbreaking genius
23 March 2005
I have seen this film only once. It needs multiple viewings, I feel, to fully appreciate it's merit. This is something that will come in time but I felt it was only right to comment after my first impression. I instantly gave the film 10 out of 10, not because I overly enjoyed it (nigh on impossible) but because it shook me, at times, to my very core and affected me in a way that I cannot easily or fully describe. I can honestly say Irreversible is the most devastating piece of cinema I've ever witnessed. This isn't solely due to it's shocking content but more so the production as a whole and how it has been constructed and packaged. It truly is a work of art. Camera-work, lighting, colour (primarily gaudy, striking tones of red and orange) all combine in an unforgettable amalgam of brilliance. Featuring towering performances from Cassel, Belluci and Dupontel the film lurches backward in time depicting the events of a truly tragic night in the lives of three friends. Alex (Belluci) is brutally raped on her way home from a party and Marcus (Cassel) and Pierre (Dupontel) set off determined to wreak vengeance on the perpetrator. However, that is merely the plot. Admittedly quite a simple premise but the way it is played out is unforgettable. This is a film that everyone should and arguably needs to see as it is, for me, a milestone of modern cinema. Raw and unflinching, can you stomach it?
Battle Royale
(2000)
Fantastic
22 March 2005
'Battle Royale' is unlike anything I've ever seen before. It grabs you from the start and never lets go as the startling premise reveals itself and unravels with devastating effect. A class of 9th grade school children are kidnapped and taken to a remote, windswept island and released into the wild where the sole objective is to kill each other off until only one of them remains. There are a few variables such as the explosive collars with which they have been fitted and the introduction of 'danger zones' to force them closer together but the meat of the picture details the ensuing mayhem as the children react to their situation in different ways. Some commit suicide, others panic and suffer an early fate whilst several 'alliances' form, determined to overcome their ghastly position in some way. The central underlying theme in the film is one of trust: between adults and children, friends and also family members. It's an unsettling take on how the fragile bond of human friendship copes when faced with the base human instinct of survival. What would you do, could you kill your best friend? This is the question the picture asks and it addresses it in a brutal, uncompromising fashion. The lighting is dark and sombre, a real strong point and while I don't feel the film is particularly tense the action is relentless and, at times, horrific (more so when you consider the age of the various protagonists). This is cinema at it's very best: entertaining, explosive, deep and thought-provoking, deserving of multiple viewings to fully appreciate the message it conveys. One for every collection because, seriously, what would YOU do?
Catch Me If You Can
(2002)
Enjoyable caper
21 March 2005
'Catch Me If You Can' is a beautifully crafted caper from Spielberg. Featuring terrific performances from DiCaprio, Hanks and Walken the film exudes quality from start to finish. The depicted time period is captured and expressed to perfection: the sets, cars and clothes are a joy to behold at times and you find yourself genuinely lost in Frank Abagnale JR.'s world of deception. The lighting is wonderful, all sunlight streaming through windows and half closed curtains, giving the film a timeless, fairytale look, perhaps serving as a metaphor for the make believe world of young Frank as he impersonates both a doctor and an airline pilot whilst conning America's banks out of millions of dollars through bogus cheques, all before his 18th birthday. The characters are fleshed out extremely well and the reasons behind Frank's descent into a life of crime are carefully illustrated and conscientiously referred to throughout the movie. I highly recommend 'Catch Me If You Can' as it is refreshing, well made and absorbing.
Ichi the Killer
(2001)
Misleading and disappointing
21 March 2005
I had high expectations of 'Ichi The Killer' when I purchased it on DVD but having subsequently watched it I have to say my overriding feeling is that the film is overrated. The mystique surrounding this film is wholly misplaced. It wasn't particularly well made (I personally thought the film looked cheap) and, due to the excess gore throughout, distinctly lacking in tension. The only strong point of the film was the sadist 'Kakihara'. A genuinely evil person, the potential for his character is never fully realised and the possible stranglehold he could have had on both the movie and the viewer is lost. Dripping semen, entrails, a man being sliced in half down the middle, these things didn't shock me in the slightest, the project's comic book origins are palpable and I feel the film suffers as a result. If this was Miike's intention then that is fair enough but the film is billed and advertised as being something entirely different to it's reality. 'Visceral' and 'ground-breaking' this is not. The biggest let down is the 'mysterious' character of Ichi who turns out to be a baby-faced, timid, emotional wreck. His character's confusion and angst is well portrayed but he is in many ways a complete disappointment, once again due to what you thought he was going to be not matching the reality. The movie isn't even visually striking (as i mentioned it looks quite cheap), aside from some interesting camera-work at the start which for me simply emerged as a metaphor for the film itself, a disappointing false promise.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
(2002)
Stunning
20 March 2005
Having seen 'Oldboy' previously and delighting in it I was intrigued as to what 'SFMV', it's precursor in Chan-Wook Park's 'vengeance' trilogy, had to offer. To cut to the chase I found it a stunning visual and cinematic treat. With little dialogue and music 'SFMV' is a quiet and brooding picture divided into two distinct parts: the time leading up to a character's death and the events following it (the film was initially planned to be one half colour, one half monochrome). This film is unconventional and art-like in substance. Green is the primary colour throughout (even including the main protagonist's hair) and the atmosphere is bleak and subdued, in many ways an obvious metaphor for the situations the characters find themselves in as the movie tumbles toward it's climax. The onus is very much on the viewer to deduce what is happening and it is this facet which makes the film so ultimately satisfying. Much like 'Oldboy', 'SFMV' isn't an obvious genre movie, flitting between aspects of crime, mystery and thriller at any given moment. The revenge theme is deep and intricate but dovetails wonderfully into a frighteningly insightful take on a base, raw and dangerous human emotion. The message is that nothing and nobody gains from it but that it is almost and often spectacularly impossible to control. The violence, when it arrives, is crushingly symbolic of the emotions that drive it and is worryingly relevant and even justified(?) in it's extremity. This film is a work of art and has pride of place in my collection, I would urge anybody who may read this to take two hours in a quiet room and appreciate it's brilliance. I haven't mentioned anything particular about the film's events because the satisfaction here, as I mentioned earlier, is derived from the viewer's gradual and rewarding comprehension of the underlying theme.
Oldboy
(2003)
Striking
18 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Having heard good things from a friend of mine and noting it's current lofty position in the top 250 coupled with several interesting good and bad reviews, 'Oldboy' intrigued me both with it's premise and Korean origins. I subsequently obtained the newly released 2-disc special edition and settled in to watch, not entirely sure what to expect. In short I was blown away. Having only recently become acquainted with this wonderful site (iMDB) and having resolved to sharpen my cinematic knowledge and radar I couldn't have hoped for a better starting point. Striking visual content, strong performances and a wonderful score are to name but a few of the film's qualities. As I said, I was blown away. The central character is Oh-Dae Su, randomly and mysteriously abducted and incarcerated against his will for 15 years in a makeshift 'prison' resembling a dilapidated motel. The central theme of the picture transpires that it's not who is responsible for this, but why they did it to him and how he proceeds to uncover this with the 'help' of both his nemesis Lee Woo-Jin and new love, Mi-Do. As the story unravels and moves towards it's conclusion the film reveals itself to be a dark, twisted, enigmatic masterpiece. The colour scheme throughout the film renders it almost cartoonish in style: both vivid and dull greens, purples and reds form the common thread and each come to symbolise different things. This and also effective use of contrast and imagery (the film's opening shot is that of Dae-Su's clenched fist grasping the straining tie of a suicidal businessman) combine to at times mesmerising effect. Little touches, like the opening credits collapsing as if the hands of a clock to show that a pivotal aspect of the movie is the passage of time are scattered throughout the film, rendering it on a base level a visual feast of impressive proportions. I personally found the plot and it's twists refreshingly original. Unexpected, shocking and unlike anything i've encountered before. Certainly the final revelation in the penthouse as Lee Woo-Jin illustrates visually his shocking final revenge on Dae-Su, 15 years in the making, followed by Dae-Su's symbolic, self-inflicted penance took my breath away. This film provided a wonderful, startling insight into what world and particularly Asian cinema has to offer and that to me makes 'Oldboy' a seminal work and one that will linger on in the memory.
Sideways
(2004)
A gem
17 March 2005
Sideways is a wonderful film which I'd heard of only by name and saw solely on the recommendation of a friend of mine. I found it to be a beautifully crafted breath of fresh air, such a simple premise executed to mesmerising effect. Giamatti and Hayden Church interact brilliantly and it is their chemistry that forms the solid base from which the film develops and blossoms into a truly stimulating cinematic experience, much like the wine that forms the central theme of the picture. Indeed a major star of the film is the California wine country itself, through which they journey in the week leading up to Hayden Church's nuptials. Several passages in the movie are shot in either the early morning or late afternoon and the landscapes are really something to behold under one of the awakening or fading sun. The picnic scene in particular was total escapism primarily because of this. I found Sideways to be at times fantastically funny, such that I laughed out loud (a couple of times embarrassingly so) on numerous occasions in the cinema! Giamatti is brilliant in the lead role here, consumed by apathy since his divorce. Wine seems to be his only stimulant and his occasional consternation at Hayden Church's relative ignorance (tastes pretty good to me) is a perpetual source of amusement (are you chewing gum?!) throughout their odyssey. Ultimately there's so much I could say about this film but my advice is to see it for yourself and soak it up like Giamatti's elusive Pinot Noir, his pursuit of which and his travails whilst doing so bestowing upon us our very own cinematic version. Enjoy.
Hotel Rwanda
(2004)
Awareness
16 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Having heard excellent things about this film I finally had the opportunity last night to see it before it left the cinemas here. I thought it was fantastic, extremely moving and well made. Don Cheadle excels in the lead role. The pacing and tension in the film is fantastic as Cheadle gradually takes on the role of protector for the Tutsi refugees, pleading and bargaining for their safety through his various connections forged as the manager of the luxurious Milles Des Collines hotel. His torn allegiance between his immediate family and the refugees he houses is at times both difficult and fascinating to watch. The ambush by Hutu rebels on the UN convoy with Cheadle's family on board is simply heart-stopping film at it's very best. Also the river road and Joaquin Phoenix's shame at being escorted to safety by the man with the umbrella are two of many unforgettable moments. The film opened my eyes to a wider world and I now feel ashamed of my relative ignorance and, more importantly, indifference to world events. It's true that I alone cannot make a difference but if more people are aware of incidents such as the one depicted to such breathtaking effect in this film then maybe in future people won't be left behind. Whoever, if anyone, reads this post, please either go or urge people to go and see this film. It is relevant in so many ways and it opened my eyes to problems so much bigger than working late and traffic jams.
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