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(02/08/07 5:00am)
Next to Akira Kurosawa and Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini ranks high on my list of great filmmakers who rarely disappoint me. Fellini's vast body of work only had two strikes from me in the past, "Il Bidone" and "Fellini's Casanova," and after hearing so much about "Ginger & Fred," I expected greatness. Unfortunately, the film wound up being strike No. 3. \nStrike No. 3 doesn't mean Fellini is out of my respected pantheon, but "G&F" is missing that wonderful charm that can only be found in a Fellini movie. "G&F" tells of two famous dancers, Amelia (Giulietta Masina, Fellini's wife in real life) and Pippo (Marcello Mastroianni), who used to imitate the tap routines of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Having not seen each other for 30 years, they are reunited for a TV special akin to the variety shows Ed Sullivan used to throw together. The Fellini trademarks, namely the episodic story structure and playful Nino Rota score, are completely absent. The first half drags on and on as Amelia waits in her hotel room in eager anticipation of Pippo's arrival, after which they are briskly escorted to the TV studio. There things finally pick up and we get the usual Fellini carnival of bizarre folks and unforgettable faces, but it disappears almost too quickly. It was beautiful to watch these two characters, now very much aged, together again for one last hurrah, but it lacks the emotional impact that Fellini's "Intervista" had when Mastroianni is reunited with goddess Anita Ekberg to watch their famous fountain scene from "La Dolce Vita." That was a brilliant stroke of self-reflexivity on Fellini's behalf; here we're given his two most famous players and the chemistry never fully reaches its potential. \nAny hopes of DVD extras being a benefit to this release are completely squashed with merely one supplement: The theatrical trailer for the American release. The trailer is awful, with an annoying American voice bantering on about how famous Fellini is and all his previous accomplishments. Even a featurette would've been nice and given the amount of Fellini supplements scattered across so many DVD releases of his films, one has to think Warner Bros. didn't bother to hunt them down. \nPerhaps I'm being a bit too rough on "Ginger & Fred." The film does perform an excellent job on expressing Fellini's distaste for what television had become in Italy and the film proudly wears its satirical smear across its sleeve. Like I said, after having seen so many great films, there are bound to be a few mediocre ones in the bunch, but even mediocre Fellini is still worth giving a look.
(02/08/07 5:00am)
Trying to add something new to all the reviews of "Bicycle Thieves" (or "The Bicycle Thief" depending on who you're talking to) since its release in 1948 is probably one of the most intimidating things you could ask a critic. What more can really be said about one of the greatest films ever made? All I can say is upon first viewing some five years ago is that it left me in tears. \nNext to the French New Wave, Italian Neorealism stands not only as one of the most important movements in European cinema history but in cinema itself. "Bicycle Thieves" director Vittorio De Sica's timeless study of a man who finally finds a job in post-WWII Italy only to have his bicycle stolen shortly after is one of the cornerstones of the movement. \nDe Sica's casting of amateur actors, in particular the casting of Lamberto Maggiorani as the forsaken protagonist, was monumental. Maggiorani's face, certainly just a common face in Italy, would become the face that embodied a post-war country; his weathered face, his haggard walk but also his fierce desire to have a place in the world is the definition of man recovering in a nation still on the road to recovery, whether it be Italy or any other country in the world. \nDespite the impact it had on me, I vowed never to watch "Bicycle Thieves" again until it was given a proper restoration and DVD treatment. Without much surprise, the Criterion Collection were the ones to take the job. The print showcased on the DVD has to be as immaculate as the one screened in Italian cinemas when it premiered in 1948. \nNever one to skimp on supplements, Criterion offers up the goods in full force with this release. While a commentary is absent, the second disc gives us two massive documentaries and numerous interviews. "Life as It Is: Neorealist Movement in Italy," is an excellent 40-minute piece that should be used in introductory film classes to get the point across of what Italian Neorealism meant to cinema and the films that defined it, where "Bicycle Thieves" is joined by two other De Sica classics, "Shoeshine" and "Umberto D.," Roberto Rossellini's "Rome, Open City," "Paisan" and "Germany Year Zero," and finally Luchino Visconti's "La Terra Trema." The other documentary, an hour-long piece on screenwriter Cesare Zavattini, explores the writer's long relationship with De Sica and his importance in Italian cinema as a whole.\nFor someone to say that one of their favorite cinema movements is Italian Neorealism should not be viewed as a branding of pretentiousness; instead, it is a symbol of appreciation for some of the most heartbreaking and beautiful work ever committed to celluloid. You owe it to yourself to see this film.
(02/08/07 4:54am)
Next to Akira Kurosawa and Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini ranks high on my list of great filmmakers who rarely disappoint me. Fellini's vast body of work only had two strikes from me in the past, "Il Bidone" and "Fellini's Casanova," and after hearing so much about "Ginger & Fred," I expected greatness. Unfortunately, the film wound up being strike No. 3. \nStrike No. 3 doesn't mean Fellini is out of my respected pantheon, but "G&F" is missing that wonderful charm that can only be found in a Fellini movie. "G&F" tells of two famous dancers, Amelia (Giulietta Masina, Fellini's wife in real life) and Pippo (Marcello Mastroianni), who used to imitate the tap routines of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Having not seen each other for 30 years, they are reunited for a TV special akin to the variety shows Ed Sullivan used to throw together. The Fellini trademarks, namely the episodic story structure and playful Nino Rota score, are completely absent. The first half drags on and on as Amelia waits in her hotel room in eager anticipation of Pippo's arrival, after which they are briskly escorted to the TV studio. There things finally pick up and we get the usual Fellini carnival of bizarre folks and unforgettable faces, but it disappears almost too quickly. It was beautiful to watch these two characters, now very much aged, together again for one last hurrah, but it lacks the emotional impact that Fellini's "Intervista" had when Mastroianni is reunited with goddess Anita Ekberg to watch their famous fountain scene from "La Dolce Vita." That was a brilliant stroke of self-reflexivity on Fellini's behalf; here we're given his two most famous players and the chemistry never fully reaches its potential. \nAny hopes of DVD extras being a benefit to this release are completely squashed with merely one supplement: The theatrical trailer for the American release. The trailer is awful, with an annoying American voice bantering on about how famous Fellini is and all his previous accomplishments. Even a featurette would've been nice and given the amount of Fellini supplements scattered across so many DVD releases of his films, one has to think Warner Bros. didn't bother to hunt them down. \nPerhaps I'm being a bit too rough on "Ginger & Fred." The film does perform an excellent job on expressing Fellini's distaste for what television had become in Italy and the film proudly wears its satirical smear across its sleeve. Like I said, after having seen so many great films, there are bound to be a few mediocre ones in the bunch, but even mediocre Fellini is still worth giving a look.
(02/08/07 4:37am)
The year 2006 was an interesting one for director Steven Soderbergh's filmmaking experiments. Last January saw the release of "Bubble," Soderbergh's indie gem that spanned multiple release formats yet still went relatively unnoticed. In December, Soderbergh unveiled "The Good German," his throwback to old noirs of the 1940s using only equipment available at that time in history.\n"German," based on the World War II thriller from novelist Joseph Kanon, takes Soderbergh favorite George Clooney as Jake Geismer and sends him to the Potsdam conference as a military journalist covering the meeting of the "Big Three" after Germany's fall. Driven around the ashes of Berlin by Tully (Tobey Maguire, who should stick to playing Spider-Man and not attempting to speak German), Geismer stumbles upon America's plot to transport ex-Nazi scientists out of Germany to begin building bombs for the forthcoming Cold War with Russia; all the while Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), the wife of one of the dead scientists, wants to escape the rubble of her homeland.\nSoderbergh's intentions are obvious -- pay respects to the great classics of that bygone era of cinema -- with clear inspirations being "The Third Man" and "Casablanca." From the technical standpoint, he succeeded without question. "German" is a gorgeous-looking film, complete with beautiful low-key lighting that makes Blanchett look as beautiful as Marlene Dietrich, except Dietrich's eyes could burn a hole through a man. Soderbergh wisely chose to use genuine WWII stock footage of the city and Potsdam conference and these segments fit in nicely, although in terms of general editing purposes, one wants to remind Soderbergh that there were more ways to cut a scene than just using wipes. The score is equally impressive, boasting a bombastic yet dramatic charm that only one of my favorite composers, Thomas Newman, could accomplish. Newman earned "German's" only Oscar nod for Best Original Score. This marks his eighth nomination and he's still yet to win. It'd be nice for him to collect the statue, but this year's competition is rough.\nWhere "German" falters is its rather obtuse story. One question pops up and once that answer is discovered yet another question has arrived. We watch these characters maneuver through the shadows of Berlin but we have no reason to root for them. In "The Third Man," you're kept interested with the hopes that at some point, Harry Lime will arrive; in "Casablanca" you anxiously wait to see if Ingrid Bergman can escape Morocco. Here we just wonder if Clooney will ever win a fight and if Blanchett does escape Berlin, will she really be any better off? \nAs much as I support the Soderbergh/Clooney pairing, they're suited much better with the "Ocean's" movies. Clooney is only OK here and, much like Maguire, shouldn't attempt to speak German any time soon, as the dozen or so lines he mutters come out with a clunky, awkward thud. Blanchett, however, is the film's strongest actor, which should be no surprise given her equally impressive turns in 2006's "Babel" and "Notes on a Scandal." \nPerhaps down the road I'll find a greater appreciation for "The Good German;" for now I'm content with remembering the beautiful cinematography while listening to the score on my iPod.
(02/01/07 5:00am)
Much like 2005's "The White Countess," "The Painted Veil" takes an excellent cast of actors and places them in tumultuous China during the late 1920s, somehow managing to make the story as bland and boring as possible. \nEdward Norton and Naomi Watts star as Walter and Kitty Fane, a doctor and his wife who leave their London setting to battle a cholera epidemic that breaks out in Shanghai. Upon their arrival, Kitty, bored to tears and disappointed with her marriage, has an affair with local diplomat Charlie Townsend (Liev Schreiber), which Walter is all too aware of. And so Walter declares a proposition to his wife: Come with him to a cholera colony deep in the Yangtze Valley in an attempt to redeem herself or suffer a painful divorce that will leave her in ruins. Obviously, she takes the first offer. \nIn the colony, Kitty faces confusion and oppression, the latter due to a recent uprising by Chinese militants in response to an incident where British officers killed civilians. She wonders if she'd prefer to be killed by these angry locals or find a way to catch the cholera. This dance goes on and on throughout the film like a perpetual waltz, only to ask us at the end: Was it really all worth it? No, Naomi, it wasn't. \nThe film, despite its beautiful cinematography and Golden Globe-winning score from Alexandre Desplat, is flat and moves slower than a raft floating along the Yangtze River -- a trip that might seem serene to some, but is ultimately forgettable after time passes. There is one moment though when everything gels perfectly as we watch Norton and Watts catch each other's eyes for the first time while maneuvering through a dinner party, all to a wonderfully haunting piano tune. \nNo one doubts the fine acting chops that Norton, Watts and Schreiber possess, and they are joined by a charming Toby Jones and underused Anthony Wong. Yet all they do here is fight and fail to make wise decisions, all to the tone of their British accents. \nPerhaps one should blame the dating of the material. "The Painted Veil" is based on W. Somerset Maugham's ancient novel from 1925 and his works have been adapted into films since 1915, the most recent to "Veil" being 2004's equally boring yet flashy "Being Julia." I'm beginning to wonder if his actual written works are as dull as the films they've produced.
(02/01/07 5:00am)
Many years ago when I purchased the "Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics" boxset released by the Criterion Collection, I figured here were four films I'd never have to double-dip on. I was wrong. Last year's "Seven Samurai" three-disc set was one of the best DVD releases of the year and now Criterion has re-issued Kurosawa's most potent double-shot, "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro," in deluxe editions sold individually ($39.99 apiece) or as a boxset ($69.99 -- My advice: Order the boxset from dvdplanet.com for less than $46).\nIf you have any knowledge of Asian cinema, you know all about these two masterworks already. "Yojimbo," Kurosawa's exhilaratingly action-packed yet comedic samurai romp with Toshiro Mifune, who pits two rival clans against each other, served as the template for Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars." "Sanjuro" took a more serious route as Mifune reprised his role as a masterless samurai who guides a band of young men through a clan uprising with equal doses of charm and confidence. \nThe most noticeable improvement is the transfers on these releases. Newly discovered elements allowed Criterion to go back and remaster the films, now showcasing almost no dirt/damage/other assorted problems while also utilizing a much brighter print. \nBoth prior additions also suffered practically nonexistent supplements, save for trailers and essays. Finally Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince lends his always reliable and informative voice to commentary tracks for these editions, having worked on prior Kurosawa Criterion releases such as "Ran," "Stray Dog" and "Red Beard" to name a few. \nAlso made available are the documentaries that were part of the Toho Masterworks series, "Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create," a long-time staple of Kurosawa releases. It is within these pieces we find Japan's greatest director hard at work through intimate photographs and film segments. The usual assortment of behind-the-scenes photos are also made available, as well as essays and notes from Kurosawa and his crew. \nIn Kurosawa's note on "Yojimbo," he opens by saying, "For a long time, I'd wanted to make a really interesting film. It finally turned into this picture." An "interesting film," this said by Kurosawa after having already made "Rashomon," "Seven Samurai," "Ikiru," "Throne of Blood" and 16 other films. Either he had no idea the great impact his films had on cinema itself or he was just being really modest. Here are two films that define a director's style, stand as milestones in chanbara cinema and are worth the double-dip for those who already own the first editions. For those who've yet to see a Kurosawa film, what the hell are you waiting for?
(02/01/07 5:00am)
Shortly after the Xbox 360 launched in late 2005, Capcom released a trailer that quickly became one of the most anticipated titles for the system: "Lost Planet: Extreme Condition." There we watched as a man ripped holes into alien scum with a machine gun only before hopping into a giant mech equipped with Gatling guns and rocket launchers. Yeah, it was pretty sweet. \nMuch like the highly praised "Gears of War," "Lost Planet" is one of the killer apps that is reason alone to buy the Xbox 360 (in addition to the three Tom Clancy-inspired titles previously released last year). You play as Wayne, a man who lost his father to a mysterious alien monstrosity known as the "Green Eye." He awakens from a coma shortly after to find fellow colonizers of the planet E.D.N. III, an arctic wasteland inhabited by the alien race dubbed the Akrid, and snow pirates who attack fellow colonies for supplies and territorial rights. Wayne's job? Clean up this mess and avenge his father's death. \nEssentially the game makes it seem like they combined "Starship Troopers" with "The Thing" and allow you to do your best at handling the situation. Wayne has a wide assortment of weaponry, ranging from the standard machine gun to heavy-duty rocket launchers and energy rifles. He also utilizes a baller grappling hook much like "Bionic Commando," allowing you to scale buildings and swing high above the Akrid swarms. Then, of course, there are the various mechanical Vital Suits allowing for serious firepower and extermination of alien and humanoid resistance alike. \nThe action is standard run-n-gun gameplay, which honestly isn't anything "new" per say, but the game is so overly addictive and fast-paced that you want to keep playing. It's a lot like Capcom's other actioner "Devil May Cry," except you won't be beating "Lost Planet" in under five hours. Try more like 10-20. \nIt doesn't just stop with the regular story mode. Like practically every 360 title, "Lost Planet" features online support in the form of various missions where you team up with folks across the globe to take down snow pirates by whatever means necessary. \nGraphically, some folks might find things looking a bit repetitive, with the constant snowy landscapes and torn-apart structures within colonies. But aside from the scenery, enemies are well-designed (especially the massive Undeep worm found in Stage 3), and the game never slows down to process all the explosions and movement on the screen. Granted "Lost Planet" isn't pushing the 360's capabilities like "Gears of War" does, it still looks incredible. \nIn the end, the yearlong wait for Capcom's latest achievement was well worth it. "Lost Planet" is a game that is entertaining, rewarding and has energetic gameplay for the next-gen console. Now I can't wait to see what they do with "Resident Evil 5"
(02/01/07 3:32am)
Shortly after the Xbox 360 launched in late 2005, Capcom released a trailer that quickly became one of the most anticipated titles for the system: "Lost Planet: Extreme Condition." There we watched as a man ripped holes into alien scum with a machine gun only before hopping into a giant mech equipped with Gatling guns and rocket launchers. Yeah, it was pretty sweet. \nMuch like the highly praised "Gears of War," "Lost Planet" is one of the killer apps that is reason alone to buy the Xbox 360 (in addition to the three Tom Clancy-inspired titles previously released last year). You play as Wayne, a man who lost his father to a mysterious alien monstrosity known as the "Green Eye." He awakens from a coma shortly after to find fellow colonizers of the planet E.D.N. III, an arctic wasteland inhabited by the alien race dubbed the Akrid, and snow pirates who attack fellow colonies for supplies and territorial rights. Wayne's job? Clean up this mess and avenge his father's death. \nEssentially the game makes it seem like they combined "Starship Troopers" with "The Thing" and allow you to do your best at handling the situation. Wayne has a wide assortment of weaponry, ranging from the standard machine gun to heavy-duty rocket launchers and energy rifles. He also utilizes a baller grappling hook much like "Bionic Commando," allowing you to scale buildings and swing high above the Akrid swarms. Then, of course, there are the various mechanical Vital Suits allowing for serious firepower and extermination of alien and humanoid resistance alike. \nThe action is standard run-n-gun gameplay, which honestly isn't anything "new" per say, but the game is so overly addictive and fast-paced that you want to keep playing. It's a lot like Capcom's other actioner "Devil May Cry," except you won't be beating "Lost Planet" in under five hours. Try more like 10-20. \nIt doesn't just stop with the regular story mode. Like practically every 360 title, "Lost Planet" features online support in the form of various missions where you team up with folks across the globe to take down snow pirates by whatever means necessary. \nGraphically, some folks might find things looking a bit repetitive, with the constant snowy landscapes and torn-apart structures within colonies. But aside from the scenery, enemies are well-designed (especially the massive Undeep worm found in Stage 3), and the game never slows down to process all the explosions and movement on the screen. Granted "Lost Planet" isn't pushing the 360's capabilities like "Gears of War" does, it still looks incredible. \nIn the end, the yearlong wait for Capcom's latest achievement was well worth it. "Lost Planet" is a game that is entertaining, rewarding and has energetic gameplay for the next-gen console. Now I can't wait to see what they do with "Resident Evil 5"
(02/01/07 3:26am)
Many years ago when I purchased the "Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics" boxset released by the Criterion Collection, I figured here were four films I'd never have to double-dip on. I was wrong. Last year's "Seven Samurai" three-disc set was one of the best DVD releases of the year and now Criterion has re-issued Kurosawa's most potent double-shot, "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro," in deluxe editions sold individually ($39.99 apiece) or as a boxset ($69.99 -- My advice: Order the boxset from dvdplanet.com for less than $46).\nIf you have any knowledge of Asian cinema, you know all about these two masterworks already. "Yojimbo," Kurosawa's exhilaratingly action-packed yet comedic samurai romp with Toshiro Mifune, who pits two rival clans against each other, served as the template for Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars." "Sanjuro" took a more serious route as Mifune reprised his role as a masterless samurai who guides a band of young men through a clan uprising with equal doses of charm and confidence. \nThe most noticeable improvement is the transfers on these releases. Newly discovered elements allowed Criterion to go back and remaster the films, now showcasing almost no dirt/damage/other assorted problems while also utilizing a much brighter print. \nBoth prior additions also suffered practically nonexistent supplements, save for trailers and essays. Finally Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince lends his always reliable and informative voice to commentary tracks for these editions, having worked on prior Kurosawa Criterion releases such as "Ran," "Stray Dog" and "Red Beard" to name a few. \nAlso made available are the documentaries that were part of the Toho Masterworks series, "Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create," a long-time staple of Kurosawa releases. It is within these pieces we find Japan's greatest director hard at work through intimate photographs and film segments. The usual assortment of behind-the-scenes photos are also made available, as well as essays and notes from Kurosawa and his crew. \nIn Kurosawa's note on "Yojimbo," he opens by saying, "For a long time, I'd wanted to make a really interesting film. It finally turned into this picture." An "interesting film," this said by Kurosawa after having already made "Rashomon," "Seven Samurai," "Ikiru," "Throne of Blood" and 16 other films. Either he had no idea the great impact his films had on cinema itself or he was just being really modest. Here are two films that define a director's style, stand as milestones in chanbara cinema and are worth the double-dip for those who already own the first editions. For those who've yet to see a Kurosawa film, what the hell are you waiting for?
(02/01/07 3:05am)
Much like 2005's "The White Countess," "The Painted Veil" takes an excellent cast of actors and places them in tumultuous China during the late 1920s, somehow managing to make the story as bland and boring as possible. \nEdward Norton and Naomi Watts star as Walter and Kitty Fane, a doctor and his wife who leave their London setting to battle a cholera epidemic that breaks out in Shanghai. Upon their arrival, Kitty, bored to tears and disappointed with her marriage, has an affair with local diplomat Charlie Townsend (Liev Schreiber), which Walter is all too aware of. And so Walter declares a proposition to his wife: Come with him to a cholera colony deep in the Yangtze Valley in an attempt to redeem herself or suffer a painful divorce that will leave her in ruins. Obviously, she takes the first offer. \nIn the colony, Kitty faces confusion and oppression, the latter due to a recent uprising by Chinese militants in response to an incident where British officers killed civilians. She wonders if she'd prefer to be killed by these angry locals or find a way to catch the cholera. This dance goes on and on throughout the film like a perpetual waltz, only to ask us at the end: Was it really all worth it? No, Naomi, it wasn't. \nThe film, despite its beautiful cinematography and Golden Globe-winning score from Alexandre Desplat, is flat and moves slower than a raft floating along the Yangtze River -- a trip that might seem serene to some, but is ultimately forgettable after time passes. There is one moment though when everything gels perfectly as we watch Norton and Watts catch each other's eyes for the first time while maneuvering through a dinner party, all to a wonderfully haunting piano tune. \nNo one doubts the fine acting chops that Norton, Watts and Schreiber possess, and they are joined by a charming Toby Jones and underused Anthony Wong. Yet all they do here is fight and fail to make wise decisions, all to the tone of their British accents. \nPerhaps one should blame the dating of the material. "The Painted Veil" is based on W. Somerset Maugham's ancient novel from 1925 and his works have been adapted into films since 1915, the most recent to "Veil" being 2004's equally boring yet flashy "Being Julia." I'm beginning to wonder if his actual written works are as dull as the films they've produced.
(01/26/07 5:00am)
As I walked out of the theater last October after viewing "Flags of Our Fathers," the disappointment in my mind only reminded me that "Letters from Iwo Jima," Clint Eastwood's companion piece from the Japanese perspective (filmed almost entirely in Japanese, save two English segments), would be a better film. What I did not expect upon viewing "Letters" is that it would join "Saving Private Ryan," "The Thin Red Line" and "The Longest Day" as one of the greatest WWII films ever made. \nThe imagery seen in "Flags" of the Japanese -- of bodies blown open by grenade suicide -- only scratched the surface of the horrors to be found on Iwo Jima. At the very start of "Letters," we realize these soldiers are forsaken as the Japanese government refuses to send reinforcements, restock rations or work cooperatively. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (played by the brilliant Ken Watanabe) is essentially sent to Iwo Jima on a suicide mission, which would last 40 days until American forces raised the flag over Suribachi and claimed victory shortly afterward. \nWatanabe is joined by two wonderful actors: Kazunari Ninomiya and Tsuyoshi Ihara. Ninomiya plays Saigo, a private drafted into service and taken away from his wife and whose bitterness is fueled by the fact that the Japanese government closed his bakery down to melt the equipment into weaponry. Ihara as Baron Nishi brings forth a shade of compassion that only Gen. Kuribayashi can match, and a scene between Nishi and a wounded American G.I. is one of the film's most powerful moments. \nWhile the decision to make such a film was bold on Eastwood's part, his film is brimming with humanity and intensity -- one might say it would be the kind of film Akira Kurosawa might've made had he ever tackled WWII. The divides between men on the island aren't just due to ranking; instead, class systems are evident and the ways of old clash with the new. Is it truly honorable to take one's life for his country, or should one fight until he is slain on the battlefield? Some men chose to hold a grenade close to their heart and perish in the island's dark tunnels -- others kept fighting atop the black sand with blind hope. \nThe dark and depressing tone the film sets for itself is only made worse by a scene of Gen. Kuribayashi visiting America. There he was celebrated by an audience, awarded an antique Colt .45 (which he wears all the time on Iwo Jima) and asked who would win between America and Japan in a war. He does not understand the question at first and simply thinks that both countries would be excellent allies in war -- a glimpse at what might've happened if Pearl Harbor had never took place.\nGranted "Letters" wouldn't exist had "Flags" not been made, Eastwood's Japanese half is far superior in every aspect and can stand alone. It is in "Letters" that the audience is not shown what evil monsters the Japanese were thought to be in the 1940s, but that they were men whose mothers also sent them off to battle. And for Eastwood, he quite possibly may have just crafted the greatest film in his long career.
(01/26/07 5:00am)
As I watched "Little Children," I felt like I was on one of the worst emotional rollercoasters in a long time: One long moment of laughter followed by a sudden 50-foot plummet into anxiety only to gaze at a horrific corkscrew in the distance. After it ended, I felt blown away by all the forces thrown at me in succession. \nDirector Todd Field ("In the Bedroom") takes the New York Times best-selling book by Tom Perrotta (they also collaborated on the screenplay) and places the world of suburbia under the magnifying glass. Only unlike so many portraits of that world, this time the sun is shining to burn away the seams. Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson star as parents who are no longer attracted to their spouses and feel like outcasts in their community. Soon a semi-innocent kiss between the two goes into the direction that every soccer mom gossips about at her weekly book club meeting. And at this same time, the neighborhood faces a fearful upheaval when a sex offender (portrayed by former child actor Jackie Earle Haley) moves back in with his mother down the block. \nNever before in my life have I ever felt sorry for a sex offender, but in the cinematic world, one cannot help but show pity toward Haley's character. He is so shut-in, so provoked and scorned by the community that when he tries to cool off at the local swimming pool, every single person goes into riot mode until the police escort him out. And by the end of it all, he will have left you speechless.\nJust when one thinks suburbia as a story setting has become tired and overdone, Field creates a film that rivals Sam Mendes' "American Beauty." These are fully fleshed out characters gasping for a breath when the situation takes a turn for the worst. Winslet, Wilson and Haley are joined by Jennifer Connelly (Wilson's documentarian wife), Phyllis Somerville (Haley's sympathetic mother) and Noah Emmerich (the jock ex-cop who takes pleasure in tormenting Haley on a daily basis) to form what is one of the best acting ensembles of 2006. \n"Little Children" can be incredibly uncomfortable at times and one of the hardest films to take in of last year (although 2006's "Hard Candy," which also starred Patrick Wilson, is far worse), yet by the end, I was pleased to have finally seen a film so many friends had been raving about for it certainly is one of the best films of the year.
(01/26/07 1:16am)
As I watched "Little Children," I felt like I was on one of the worst emotional rollercoasters in a long time: One long moment of laughter followed by a sudden 50-foot plummet into anxiety only to gaze at a horrific corkscrew in the distance. After it ended, I felt blown away by all the forces thrown at me in succession. \nDirector Todd Field ("In the Bedroom") takes the New York Times best-selling book by Tom Perrotta (they also collaborated on the screenplay) and places the world of suburbia under the magnifying glass. Only unlike so many portraits of that world, this time the sun is shining to burn away the seams. Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson star as parents who are no longer attracted to their spouses and feel like outcasts in their community. Soon a semi-innocent kiss between the two goes into the direction that every soccer mom gossips about at her weekly book club meeting. And at this same time, the neighborhood faces a fearful upheaval when a sex offender (portrayed by former child actor Jackie Earle Haley) moves back in with his mother down the block. \nNever before in my life have I ever felt sorry for a sex offender, but in the cinematic world, one cannot help but show pity toward Haley's character. He is so shut-in, so provoked and scorned by the community that when he tries to cool off at the local swimming pool, every single person goes into riot mode until the police escort him out. And by the end of it all, he will have left you speechless.\nJust when one thinks suburbia as a story setting has become tired and overdone, Field creates a film that rivals Sam Mendes' "American Beauty." These are fully fleshed out characters gasping for a breath when the situation takes a turn for the worst. Winslet, Wilson and Haley are joined by Jennifer Connelly (Wilson's documentarian wife), Phyllis Somerville (Haley's sympathetic mother) and Noah Emmerich (the jock ex-cop who takes pleasure in tormenting Haley on a daily basis) to form what is one of the best acting ensembles of 2006. \n"Little Children" can be incredibly uncomfortable at times and one of the hardest films to take in of last year (although 2006's "Hard Candy," which also starred Patrick Wilson, is far worse), yet by the end, I was pleased to have finally seen a film so many friends had been raving about for it certainly is one of the best films of the year.
(01/26/07 1:11am)
As I walked out of the theater last October after viewing "Flags of Our Fathers," the disappointment in my mind only reminded me that "Letters from Iwo Jima," Clint Eastwood's companion piece from the Japanese perspective (filmed almost entirely in Japanese, save two English segments), would be a better film. What I did not expect upon viewing "Letters" is that it would join "Saving Private Ryan," "The Thin Red Line" and "The Longest Day" as one of the greatest WWII films ever made. \nThe imagery seen in "Flags" of the Japanese -- of bodies blown open by grenade suicide -- only scratched the surface of the horrors to be found on Iwo Jima. At the very start of "Letters," we realize these soldiers are forsaken as the Japanese government refuses to send reinforcements, restock rations or work cooperatively. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (played by the brilliant Ken Watanabe) is essentially sent to Iwo Jima on a suicide mission, which would last 40 days until American forces raised the flag over Suribachi and claimed victory shortly afterward. \nWatanabe is joined by two wonderful actors: Kazunari Ninomiya and Tsuyoshi Ihara. Ninomiya plays Saigo, a private drafted into service and taken away from his wife and whose bitterness is fueled by the fact that the Japanese government closed his bakery down to melt the equipment into weaponry. Ihara as Baron Nishi brings forth a shade of compassion that only Gen. Kuribayashi can match, and a scene between Nishi and a wounded American G.I. is one of the film's most powerful moments. \nWhile the decision to make such a film was bold on Eastwood's part, his film is brimming with humanity and intensity -- one might say it would be the kind of film Akira Kurosawa might've made had he ever tackled WWII. The divides between men on the island aren't just due to ranking; instead, class systems are evident and the ways of old clash with the new. Is it truly honorable to take one's life for his country, or should one fight until he is slain on the battlefield? Some men chose to hold a grenade close to their heart and perish in the island's dark tunnels -- others kept fighting atop the black sand with blind hope. \nThe dark and depressing tone the film sets for itself is only made worse by a scene of Gen. Kuribayashi visiting America. There he was celebrated by an audience, awarded an antique Colt .45 (which he wears all the time on Iwo Jima) and asked who would win between America and Japan in a war. He does not understand the question at first and simply thinks that both countries would be excellent allies in war -- a glimpse at what might've happened if Pearl Harbor had never took place.\nGranted "Letters" wouldn't exist had "Flags" not been made, Eastwood's Japanese half is far superior in every aspect and can stand alone. It is in "Letters" that the audience is not shown what evil monsters the Japanese were thought to be in the 1940s, but that they were men whose mothers also sent them off to battle. And for Eastwood, he quite possibly may have just crafted the greatest film in his long career.
(01/18/07 5:00am)
No one can deny that Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou is one of Asia's greatest filmmakers. Having built a strong career with human dramas such as "Raise the Red Lantern" and "Ju Dou," then completely taking a different direction with masterful martial arts entries "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," I'm disappointed to say that Yimou's latest effort, "Curse of the Golden Flower," is the worst film he has ever made. \nYimou reunites with actress Gong Li after 10 years of separation along with Chow Yun-Fat to make one melodramatic soap opera of a mess set in the Late Tang Dynasty, full of so many plot twists and backstabs it might've made more sense had it been made for television. Li is Empress Phoenix, who plots a coup to overthrow her husband, Emperor Ping (Yun-Fat). Secretly, Ping has begun poisoning his wife through her daily medicine she takes for anemia. Why do they want to kill each other? We never really know. \nEveryone screams, cries and gets upset at one another; princes attempt suicide while incestuous relationships occur between mother and son -- it's all so overbearing you could choke on the sudsy bubbles in the air. While Yimou still has no problem filming action-packed fight scenes, in "Curse" the CG at times becomes too evident to really enjoy the sequences and the fuzzy, unfocused look only makes the film more laughable. \nOne could praise the cinematography and art direction which coats practically every frame of "Curse," but after about 20 minutes, I grew tired of it. The Forbidden City looks as if it were built in Las Vegas: Hall after hall coated in gold plating brimming with kaleidoscopic rainbow colorization that, unlike "Hero" and "House," lacks visual poetry only to be replaced with gaudy opulence. \nPerhaps it is time Yimou stepped away from the martial arts period piece and returned to his roots. I say this because this past year his other new film, "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles," was released theatrically in the United States and it is one of his strongest, most emotionally rewarding works. Unfortunately it only received a limited release. \nNo director is infallible and "Curse" only goes to show that even the filmmakers we feel we trust the most can end up disappointing us. Thankfully, for Zhang Yimou, his long list of successes outweigh one minor embarrassment.
(01/18/07 5:00am)
If movie reviews could come in the form of wanted posters, mine would read something along these lines: WANTED: Penélope Cruz and Salma Hayek for the theft of 93 minutes from numerous critics and film watchers and for taking their careers to a new low. There would be no reward as we'd be saving people from a "Bandidas" sequel. \n"Bandidas" is nothing more than one of those foul joke films. You know the kind where two actors say to one another, "Hey wouldn't it be great if we did this kind of movie together?" The kind of movie being a Western that borders on parody with a story told countless times in the past and lacking originality. \nPenélope Cruz and Salma Hayek play women from different class backgrounds in Mexico who unite together to rob banks and save their country from an evil land baron played by the usually creepy Dwight Yoakam. \nSomehow Luc Besson ("Léon," "The Fifth Element") got dragged into penning this project and, as usual, his work is either hit or miss. Plot hole after plot hole open up as the story moves along at a pace akin to a horse rode way too hard. Cruz and Hayek are both incredibly talented and beautiful women (see "Volver" for some of Cruz's finest work to date), but with "Bandidas," eye candy takes precedence over even trying to act. Plus when one discovers the film is directed by two first-timers, one begins to wonder if it might've been a little better had Luc Besson or possibly Robert Rodriguez bothered to direct it. \nThe DVD isn't anything to rave about either. The commentary track provided by Cruz and Hayek is mostly quiet -- even they say they've never done a commentary track before and aren't too sure how it works. Occasionally some words are muttered and they laugh, but nothing educational or entertaining comes out of it. A short five-minute featurette has quick interview blurbs with both women talking about how much fun the movie was to make and the disc is rounded out by the theatrical trailer ("Bandidas" never actually had a theatrical release in the United States, only a few select locations in Mexico where it performed poorly). \nMy advice to Cruz and Hayek is to skip out on a "Bandidas 2" and take a more dramatic route the next time with a qualified director. If it turns out to be melodramatic tripe like a telenovela, expect people to start taking those wanted posters a bit seriously.
(01/17/07 10:44pm)
No one can deny that Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou is one of Asia's greatest filmmakers. Having built a strong career with human dramas such as "Raise the Red Lantern" and "Ju Dou," then completely taking a different direction with masterful martial arts entries "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," I'm disappointed to say that Yimou's latest effort, "Curse of the Golden Flower," is the worst film he has ever made. \nYimou reunites with actress Gong Li after 10 years of separation along with Chow Yun-Fat to make one melodramatic soap opera of a mess set in the Late Tang Dynasty, full of so many plot twists and backstabs it might've made more sense had it been made for television. Li is Empress Phoenix, who plots a coup to overthrow her husband, Emperor Ping (Yun-Fat). Secretly, Ping has begun poisoning his wife through her daily medicine she takes for anemia. Why do they want to kill each other? We never really know. \nEveryone screams, cries and gets upset at one another; princes attempt suicide while incestuous relationships occur between mother and son -- it's all so overbearing you could choke on the sudsy bubbles in the air. While Yimou still has no problem filming action-packed fight scenes, in "Curse" the CG at times becomes too evident to really enjoy the sequences and the fuzzy, unfocused look only makes the film more laughable. \nOne could praise the cinematography and art direction which coats practically every frame of "Curse," but after about 20 minutes, I grew tired of it. The Forbidden City looks as if it were built in Las Vegas: Hall after hall coated in gold plating brimming with kaleidoscopic rainbow colorization that, unlike "Hero" and "House," lacks visual poetry only to be replaced with gaudy opulence. \nPerhaps it is time Yimou stepped away from the martial arts period piece and returned to his roots. I say this because this past year his other new film, "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles," was released theatrically in the United States and it is one of his strongest, most emotionally rewarding works. Unfortunately it only received a limited release. \nNo director is infallible and "Curse" only goes to show that even the filmmakers we feel we trust the most can end up disappointing us. Thankfully, for Zhang Yimou, his long list of successes outweigh one minor embarrassment.
(01/17/07 10:43pm)
If movie reviews could come in the form of wanted posters, mine would read something along these lines: WANTED: Penélope Cruz and Salma Hayek for the theft of 93 minutes from numerous critics and film watchers and for taking their careers to a new low. There would be no reward as we'd be saving people from a "Bandidas" sequel. \n"Bandidas" is nothing more than one of those foul joke films. You know the kind where two actors say to one another, "Hey wouldn't it be great if we did this kind of movie together?" The kind of movie being a Western that borders on parody with a story told countless times in the past and lacking originality. \nPenélope Cruz and Salma Hayek play women from different class backgrounds in Mexico who unite together to rob banks and save their country from an evil land baron played by the usually creepy Dwight Yoakam. \nSomehow Luc Besson ("Léon," "The Fifth Element") got dragged into penning this project and, as usual, his work is either hit or miss. Plot hole after plot hole open up as the story moves along at a pace akin to a horse rode way too hard. Cruz and Hayek are both incredibly talented and beautiful women (see "Volver" for some of Cruz's finest work to date), but with "Bandidas," eye candy takes precedence over even trying to act. Plus when one discovers the film is directed by two first-timers, one begins to wonder if it might've been a little better had Luc Besson or possibly Robert Rodriguez bothered to direct it. \nThe DVD isn't anything to rave about either. The commentary track provided by Cruz and Hayek is mostly quiet -- even they say they've never done a commentary track before and aren't too sure how it works. Occasionally some words are muttered and they laugh, but nothing educational or entertaining comes out of it. A short five-minute featurette has quick interview blurbs with both women talking about how much fun the movie was to make and the disc is rounded out by the theatrical trailer ("Bandidas" never actually had a theatrical release in the United States, only a few select locations in Mexico where it performed poorly). \nMy advice to Cruz and Hayek is to skip out on a "Bandidas 2" and take a more dramatic route the next time with a qualified director. If it turns out to be melodramatic tripe like a telenovela, expect people to start taking those wanted posters a bit seriously.
(01/12/07 8:59pm)
The Jackass guys -- you either love them or hate them. After the first flick made mad money at the box office while garnering terrible reviews from critics nationwide, it was only a matter of time until a sequel came around. Johnny Knoxville swears it wasn't for the money -- the only way another Jackass movie would be made were if enough absurd, death-defying stunts went from paper to successful performance on camera -- and damn, were they successful.\nDodging a bull atop a four-way teeter-totter, jumping a river via giant rocket/rocket wheelchair/rocket bicycle, catching anacondas in a ball pit and -- a personal favorite of mine -- medicine ball dodgeball in the dark are just some of the antics caught on camera. \nGranted there's a lot of comedic stuff going on here, there are plenty of segments that are just disgusting/unfunny after one viewing. Nobody wants to see Steve-O chug a beer into his ass nor watch Knoxville and Spike Jonze wander the Los Angeles streets in old people suits with fake breasts and testicles hanging out for the world to see. I laughed at first, but upon second viewing, I just hit the skip button on my DVD remote.\nLike I said, the guys wanted to raise the stakes this time around. People might remember Knoxville taking a riot gun-launched beanbag to the chest in the first movie -- this time he convinces Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn to stand by his side as they feel the wrath of an embassy mine loaded with hundreds of rubber balls. The end result? More bruises and welts than you've ever seen on a human body and one bawling Bam. \nOn the DVD, you can expect to find well more than an hour of additional and deleted scenes, some of which are quite hilarious (stun gun hot potato), others just downright lame (trash can cymbals). You also get a commentary with all the guys talking about how painful the whole experience was. \nWhat disappointed me the most, though, was the missing scene of Don Vito having a tooth removed via a wire attached to a muscle car. The scene was removed from the theatrical release because of Vito's apparent pedophile arrest and the scene is nowhere on the DVD. I'm sure it is hilarious in an awful kind of way, but because of legal matters, it'll probably never see the light of day. \nWill a third Jackass happen? Bam swears it won't, but given the sequel's box office success and Hollywood's obsession with trilogies, don't count it out of the realm of possibility. You can, however, count on people to cough up their $8 the next time around and the bar to be raised even higher.
(01/12/07 8:13pm)
People were stunned last year at the Cannes Film Festival when the jury awarded the Best Actress prize to all the women of "Volver," director Pedro Almodóvar's latest accomplishment in his long filmmaking career. While I've only seen a handful of his works, the honor Cannes bestowed upon Pedro's actresses made perfect sense to me, for if any one of them weren't in the story, the whole thing might've fallen apart. \n"Volver" (pronounced Bol-Ber, Spanish for "to return") tells of the over-worked, stressed-out Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) and all the women who make up her closely knit family. She has a beautiful daughter named Paula (Yohana Cobo), an awkward sister Sole (Lola Dueñas) and a pot-smoking best friend Agustina (Blanca Portillo). When Raimunda's husband sexually forces himself onto Paula, the result is him being stabbed and sent to the grave, all the while Raimunda and Sole's mother Irene (Carmen Maura), comes back from the grave as a ghost to see how her loved ones are doing. \nWhile the incident involving the husband is dreadfully serious, the rest of the film brims with life and warmth as these women interact with one another in a series of comedic trips around their Spanish town. While Raimunda tries to cover up the death of her husband as merely him leaving her, Sole tries to hide Irene from the rest of the family when she takes up residence in her apartment. \nEach of these women give such moving performances that it's easy to see why the jury couldn't award just one of them. This is the best performance Cruz has given in her entire career next to "Abre los ojos." While everyone knows how beautiful she is in general, this is a whole new level. She has a smile that could make you melt, yet her sassy, independent attitude shows just how strong she is. \nMaura's performance will move you to tears of joy while Dueñas and Portillo will keep you laughing with their dead-on comedic timing. And Cobo, in all her youthful innocence, matures convincingly from teenage girl to young woman within the span of two hours. \n"Volver" says a lot about the importance of family and how they're always there when we need them. Almodóvar takes this element and breathes honesty and heart into it. In the best of times and the worst, it is our family we can count on for an understanding shoulder to shed tears upon and a laugh to aid in forgetting all the worries that come at us in life. \nPerhaps the only unfortunate mark comes at the very end, for I felt like after seeing just such a small glance into their lives, I was saying goodbye as quickly as I had said hello. You learn so much about them that you just want to watch their entire lives unfold -- a quality films rarely have the ability to capture, yet "Volver" provides in spades.