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Collections''Am I supposed to still hear you?''
The story focuses on a man who suffers "anesthetic awareness" and finds himself awake and aware, but paralyzed, during heart surgery. His mother must wrestle with her own demons as a drama unfolds around them, while trying to unfold the story hidden behind her son's young wife.
Hayden Christensen: Clay Beresford
Awake, the thriller by first-time director Joby Harold, takes off from a grisly real-life phenomenon called anesthetic awareness. This is when patients are unaccountably left fully conscious — and physically paralyzed — during the process of surgery, thus Harold, whom also wrote the script, has spun a preposterously entertaining web from this grisly germ of an idea, and manages to hold us in a vice-like grip for pretty much the entire length of the ordeal. How often can you say of a Hollywood thriller that you don't have a clue what's going to happen next? Awake is brazenly indifferent to plausibility, but you can't help but admire the film's audacity. Along with unique plot twists, Harold throws Hitchcock-esque flourishes and elements of Greek tragedy into the mix like a crazed chef adding ingredients to a new dish. .
Harold brings energy and focus to the scenes that he transcends the subject matter and gives it an almost surreal intensity, and the performances are strong enough to keep the film's evolution from capsizing it. Jessica Alba is suitably luscious and beguiling (her role gives new meaning to the term heartbreaker), and Lena Olin and Terence Howard are both in fine form. As the unfortunate victim of anesthetic awareness, Hayden Christensen comes into his own as a performer (having mercifully managed to escape the Mark Hamil curse: that of being horribly miscast by George Lucas). Christensen has an unusually expressive face (the camera takes to him), and he can convey emotion without ever appearing to do much—fortunately, because the film hinges around his internal struggle, and on our feelings of empathy for him.
Awake is a white-knuckle movie experience if ever there was one (it even carries a viewer warning), with some of the most sheerly visceral scenes of horror ever committed to celluloid. Watching someone undergoing open-heart surgery while fully conscious (and able to feel the incision) is enough to frazzle the nerves of the most hardened horror veterans, and this film is certainly not for the squeamish. Too bad the loopy plot (and the melodramatic character revelations, which are really just tired genre conventions) finally stretches our credibility to breaking point. As a result, Awake lacks a strong climax, and as a roller-coaster ride it doesn't have enough emotional depth to be fully engaging. But for most of its length it's close to a pop classic, and probably the best metaphysical story around. In fact, Harold better watch out or he may wind up as the next M. Night Shyamalan, which is not necessarily a good thing. Awake has so many twists it makes you dizzy, as if you are the one going for surgery.
''I think my new heart will love you as much as my old one.''
An out of body experience.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 7 October 2009 08:57
(A review of Awake)
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The Milky bar kid wants your vote.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 7 October 2009 08:33
(A review of Milk)''Without hope, life's not worth living.''
The story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California's first openly gay elected official.
Sean Penn: Harvey Milk
How miraculous it is how crucial timing is. Released only a few weeks after the passage of Proposition 8 - a measure that took away the rights of same-sex couples to marry in California - Gus Van Sant's Oscar-nominated effort Milk turns back the clock to another point in time, with an all too similar struggle in American civil rights history and to the iconic man who helped to get the ball rolling.
Harvey Milk was the San Francisco supervisor and gay-rights pioneer who, along with Mayor George Moscone, was shot in city hall in November 1978. The perpetrator, Dan White, a disgruntled fellow board member who had recently resigned his seat, was found guilty of manslaughter, sent to prison for a mere five years, then released in 1984, only to take his own life two years later from guilt I suppose.
Dustin Lance Black's Oscar-winning screenplay traces Milk's meteoric rise from an obscure, still largely closeted Republican businessman in the early 1970s to the de facto leader of the gay-rights movement that began to take shape during that period. He became the first openly gay man in the state to be elected to public office and, in 1978, he was instrumental in helping to defeat Proposition 6, which, if passed, would have made it illegal for homosexuals (and even straight supporters of homosexuals!) to teach in California public schools (was this really only thirty years ago?). Throughout all this, Milk managed to develop a large, highly charged grass roots organization, the purpose of which was not merely to combat bigotry wherever it reared its ugly head but to win over the hearts and minds of the people in their community and the nation as a whole.
''My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you!''
There has been some arguments and complaints leveled against the movie that it is too reverential in its treatment of Milk, that it paints him too much as a saint and not enough as an ordinary human being being with the requisite number of weaknesses and flaws to make him truly viable as a character. Even if one were to accept that charge, it still doesn't take into consideration the very special quality that Sean Penn himself brings to the role. With obviously heightened mannerisms that he is careful never to allow to slide over into caricature or camp, Penn makes Milk both charismatically larger-than-life and recognizably human at one and the same time. Whether he's in front of a crowd rallying the troops with his megaphone or enjoying a tender moment with his longtime boyfriend, Scott Smith, Penn allows us see the many facets of this obviously complex man.
In a movie chock full of outstanding supporting performances, James Franco as Smith, Josh Brolin as Dan White, and Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones, a rootless young man inspired by Milk to become a lifelong activist, are the obvious standouts.
As a director, Van Sant keeps things moving at an almost whirlwind pace, beautifully balancing the "big" scenes of rallies and marches with the more intimate moments depicting Milk's relationships with those around him. At times Van Sant brings an almost documentary-style immediacy to the film, seamlessly blending actual footage from that era (much of it of Anita Bryant and her anti-gay crusade) with convincingly staged re-enactments of events at that time. Obviously wanting to end on a positive note, the movie mentions but does not dramatize the White Night Riots which took place in the city following the assassinations, instead focusing on the enormous candlelight march that wended its way through the shocked and devastated city. Thus, the ending, like the movie itself, is a necessary and deeply moving reminder of how the courage of one individual to stand up for what he knows is right can inspire others to follow in his footsteps - and change the world at the same time.
''All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.''
The story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for gay rights and became California's first openly gay elected official.
Sean Penn: Harvey Milk
How miraculous it is how crucial timing is. Released only a few weeks after the passage of Proposition 8 - a measure that took away the rights of same-sex couples to marry in California - Gus Van Sant's Oscar-nominated effort Milk turns back the clock to another point in time, with an all too similar struggle in American civil rights history and to the iconic man who helped to get the ball rolling.
Harvey Milk was the San Francisco supervisor and gay-rights pioneer who, along with Mayor George Moscone, was shot in city hall in November 1978. The perpetrator, Dan White, a disgruntled fellow board member who had recently resigned his seat, was found guilty of manslaughter, sent to prison for a mere five years, then released in 1984, only to take his own life two years later from guilt I suppose.
Dustin Lance Black's Oscar-winning screenplay traces Milk's meteoric rise from an obscure, still largely closeted Republican businessman in the early 1970s to the de facto leader of the gay-rights movement that began to take shape during that period. He became the first openly gay man in the state to be elected to public office and, in 1978, he was instrumental in helping to defeat Proposition 6, which, if passed, would have made it illegal for homosexuals (and even straight supporters of homosexuals!) to teach in California public schools (was this really only thirty years ago?). Throughout all this, Milk managed to develop a large, highly charged grass roots organization, the purpose of which was not merely to combat bigotry wherever it reared its ugly head but to win over the hearts and minds of the people in their community and the nation as a whole.
''My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you!''
There has been some arguments and complaints leveled against the movie that it is too reverential in its treatment of Milk, that it paints him too much as a saint and not enough as an ordinary human being being with the requisite number of weaknesses and flaws to make him truly viable as a character. Even if one were to accept that charge, it still doesn't take into consideration the very special quality that Sean Penn himself brings to the role. With obviously heightened mannerisms that he is careful never to allow to slide over into caricature or camp, Penn makes Milk both charismatically larger-than-life and recognizably human at one and the same time. Whether he's in front of a crowd rallying the troops with his megaphone or enjoying a tender moment with his longtime boyfriend, Scott Smith, Penn allows us see the many facets of this obviously complex man.
In a movie chock full of outstanding supporting performances, James Franco as Smith, Josh Brolin as Dan White, and Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones, a rootless young man inspired by Milk to become a lifelong activist, are the obvious standouts.
As a director, Van Sant keeps things moving at an almost whirlwind pace, beautifully balancing the "big" scenes of rallies and marches with the more intimate moments depicting Milk's relationships with those around him. At times Van Sant brings an almost documentary-style immediacy to the film, seamlessly blending actual footage from that era (much of it of Anita Bryant and her anti-gay crusade) with convincingly staged re-enactments of events at that time. Obviously wanting to end on a positive note, the movie mentions but does not dramatize the White Night Riots which took place in the city following the assassinations, instead focusing on the enormous candlelight march that wended its way through the shocked and devastated city. Thus, the ending, like the movie itself, is a necessary and deeply moving reminder of how the courage of one individual to stand up for what he knows is right can inspire others to follow in his footsteps - and change the world at the same time.
''All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.''
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A fun thrill ride of Apocalyptic action
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 7 October 2009 04:56
(A review of Doomsday)''This is our city! Whoever they send here, we're gonna catch them, we're gonna cook them, and we're gonna eat them!''
A futuristic action thriller where a team of people work to prevent a disaster threatening the future of the human race.
Rhona Mitra: Maj. Eden Sinclair
After Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Descent (2005), director Neil Marshall seemed like the new maestro of British horror cinema. His latest, Doomsday, is a markedly different film from his earlier work – most clearly in it's inability to choose which genre it belongs to. Dog Soldiers clearly aimed in the direction of comedy while The Descent was a masterful lesson in claustrophobic horror, marred only slightly by a number of over the top action scenes in its final act. Doomsday has funny moments, horrible moments, thrilling moments and, more often, scenes filled with levels of absurdity which would not feel out of touch, in a full-blown spoof.
The year is 2033. A quarter of a century has passed since the outbreak of a fatal disease in northern Britain. Scotland has been cut off - segregated behind a barrier closely following the lines of Hadrian's wall. But the disease has returned, the south is threatened and a crack military team (led by Rhona Mitra) is sent into the contaminated zone to find survivors, and a cure. Throw in Marshall's proved abilities to create tension and a little offbeat humour and it sounds like the making of a minor classic, right? Well yes and no. The films' greatest strength is also its biggest liability – namely nostalgia.
Some films execute nostalgia extremely well. A random example being Superman Returns. The slow, majestic sweep of the title sequence served as a starter course, to reintroduce us to the universe of Superman (literally and figuratively). John Ottman's marginal reworking of John William's superb score was so evocative that it, in conjunction with the familiar (though now CG enhanced) starscapes created a near instant sense of comfort. Superman Returns is grateful homage, Doomsday is chaotic random hysteria.
Doomsday is Neil Marshall doing whatever he wishes, having a crazy laugh and mixing genres together. After only 2 features, Neil Marshall's track record was simply not strong enough to be allowed this kind of free reign. The result is a mess; the bastard child of a dozen or so 70's and 80's films – from The Warriors to Mad Max via Escape from New York. It also moves schizophrenically from one genre to the next: near future vistas give way to post-apocalyptic deserted cities (a la 28 Days Later) before moving on to psychedelic dancing cannibals, mobs of bikers and an extended, somewhat unnecessary, car chase. Did I mention there's a medieval section as well that comes off as a nice mixture of Robin Hood and Gladiator? As a knowing and self-referential piece of cinematic shlock this would be perfectly enjoyable but the fact is that Doomsday takes itself far too seriously,then at times, it does not.
This works, to a point, but it is missing that vital cue for the audience, how are we supposed to take this? In Dog Soldiers there was a healthy sense of the ridiculous, both on the part of the characters and the audience. Likewise in The Descent, we know from the outset that the film will not be lighthearted. Doomsday refuses to make that choice, veering from an overlong dance sequence which looks like the gag reel from a Prodigy music video to the genuinely shocking roasting of a live human being. The contrast of different styles can work within the structure of a film to make the relief of the comedy or the shock of the horror more powerful but when it vacillates this often and this wildly any such affect is lost.
One major point to remember is that the movies which Doomsday references are themselves a mixed bag. That's the thing with nostalgia, its better felt than examined. The original Superman comes across, to me, as strangely elitist these days and Escape from New York is an extremely uneven, dated film. So, in trying to bring these kinds of films together, Marshall has doubly handicapped himself: Firstly, by being limited to sources of varying quality. Secondly, by trying to reference so many other films, the continuity of Doomsday suffers. So much so that each scene begins to resemble a discrete entity, rather than part of the whole.
Doomsday is, however, a difficult film to truly dislike. There is a kind of manic energy to it, an undercurrent of gleeful nastiness that allows it to bulldoze through the clichés, plot holes and bloated editing. The action is generally well shot and presented and the whole film has a technical polish which we are not used to seeing in British cinema. The acting is generally good and Mitra makes an impressive leading lady, hopefully this will be a breakthrough role for her. As for Neil Marshall, this is without a doubt his craziest film to date, and alot of fun albeit lacking originality. Doomsday is a big mix of other inspirations.
''The hounds are hungry! It's feeding time at the fucking zoo!''
A futuristic action thriller where a team of people work to prevent a disaster threatening the future of the human race.
Rhona Mitra: Maj. Eden Sinclair
After Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Descent (2005), director Neil Marshall seemed like the new maestro of British horror cinema. His latest, Doomsday, is a markedly different film from his earlier work – most clearly in it's inability to choose which genre it belongs to. Dog Soldiers clearly aimed in the direction of comedy while The Descent was a masterful lesson in claustrophobic horror, marred only slightly by a number of over the top action scenes in its final act. Doomsday has funny moments, horrible moments, thrilling moments and, more often, scenes filled with levels of absurdity which would not feel out of touch, in a full-blown spoof.
The year is 2033. A quarter of a century has passed since the outbreak of a fatal disease in northern Britain. Scotland has been cut off - segregated behind a barrier closely following the lines of Hadrian's wall. But the disease has returned, the south is threatened and a crack military team (led by Rhona Mitra) is sent into the contaminated zone to find survivors, and a cure. Throw in Marshall's proved abilities to create tension and a little offbeat humour and it sounds like the making of a minor classic, right? Well yes and no. The films' greatest strength is also its biggest liability – namely nostalgia.
Some films execute nostalgia extremely well. A random example being Superman Returns. The slow, majestic sweep of the title sequence served as a starter course, to reintroduce us to the universe of Superman (literally and figuratively). John Ottman's marginal reworking of John William's superb score was so evocative that it, in conjunction with the familiar (though now CG enhanced) starscapes created a near instant sense of comfort. Superman Returns is grateful homage, Doomsday is chaotic random hysteria.
Doomsday is Neil Marshall doing whatever he wishes, having a crazy laugh and mixing genres together. After only 2 features, Neil Marshall's track record was simply not strong enough to be allowed this kind of free reign. The result is a mess; the bastard child of a dozen or so 70's and 80's films – from The Warriors to Mad Max via Escape from New York. It also moves schizophrenically from one genre to the next: near future vistas give way to post-apocalyptic deserted cities (a la 28 Days Later) before moving on to psychedelic dancing cannibals, mobs of bikers and an extended, somewhat unnecessary, car chase. Did I mention there's a medieval section as well that comes off as a nice mixture of Robin Hood and Gladiator? As a knowing and self-referential piece of cinematic shlock this would be perfectly enjoyable but the fact is that Doomsday takes itself far too seriously,then at times, it does not.
This works, to a point, but it is missing that vital cue for the audience, how are we supposed to take this? In Dog Soldiers there was a healthy sense of the ridiculous, both on the part of the characters and the audience. Likewise in The Descent, we know from the outset that the film will not be lighthearted. Doomsday refuses to make that choice, veering from an overlong dance sequence which looks like the gag reel from a Prodigy music video to the genuinely shocking roasting of a live human being. The contrast of different styles can work within the structure of a film to make the relief of the comedy or the shock of the horror more powerful but when it vacillates this often and this wildly any such affect is lost.
One major point to remember is that the movies which Doomsday references are themselves a mixed bag. That's the thing with nostalgia, its better felt than examined. The original Superman comes across, to me, as strangely elitist these days and Escape from New York is an extremely uneven, dated film. So, in trying to bring these kinds of films together, Marshall has doubly handicapped himself: Firstly, by being limited to sources of varying quality. Secondly, by trying to reference so many other films, the continuity of Doomsday suffers. So much so that each scene begins to resemble a discrete entity, rather than part of the whole.
Doomsday is, however, a difficult film to truly dislike. There is a kind of manic energy to it, an undercurrent of gleeful nastiness that allows it to bulldoze through the clichés, plot holes and bloated editing. The action is generally well shot and presented and the whole film has a technical polish which we are not used to seeing in British cinema. The acting is generally good and Mitra makes an impressive leading lady, hopefully this will be a breakthrough role for her. As for Neil Marshall, this is without a doubt his craziest film to date, and alot of fun albeit lacking originality. Doomsday is a big mix of other inspirations.
''The hounds are hungry! It's feeding time at the fucking zoo!''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
Story of friendship, emotion, and kites.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 7 October 2009 04:21
(A review of The Kite Runner)''The Mullahs want to rule our souls... and the Communists tell us we don't have any.''
After spending years in California, Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.
Khalid Abdalla: Amir
The Kite Runner is a very sad movie. This emphasized by the fact the main characters begin and transition as children. There are moving emotional stories and the unsuccessfully delivered ones - I don't believe that just because I'm moved to tears, a movie deserves the highest praise. The Kite Runner glides between the good and bad to deliver heart-wrenching moments and some very transparent messages.
Basically The Kite Runner's story is this, Amir is the son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan is the Hazara son of one of the servants in Amir's household. Amir and Hassan are great friends as children, and race kites in tournaments. Because the Hazara are an ethnic minority, Hassan is constantly harassed, and Amir along with him. The political situation with the Soviet Union becomes increasingly difficult, that Amir and his father must flee the country, leaving Hassan behind. Some time later, Amir is a successful novelist living in California. He gets a call to come back to Afghanistan and help Hassan's child.
Story-wise The Kite Runner is originally delivered and with somepoignant messages of importance. Events that run smoothly are too convenient and achieved almost effortlessly. Anything that can go wrong does go wrong, which eventually winds up being disappointing, rather than resulting in depressing circumstances. Three conflicts arise in Amir's life, and his inaction drive the outcome of the first two - as an adult, Amir must learn courage and finally confront the third. Relationships spring up and entwine, such that no minor character is ever left behind, and no relationship is as simple as it initially appears.
I do appreciate the portrayal of an everyday, normal protagonist, and the intricacies of boyhood friendships and trials. The characters are well captured in their dimensions, if lacking backbone in areas script wise. The first half of the movie - where the friendship is explored and Kabul is alive - is charismatic and nostalgic. There are cultural details abound, both overt and hidden, for any who wish to be immersed in this mysterious land of intrigue.
''Fuck the Russia!''
The second half of the movie descends into clichés. You can see everything that's about to happen a good half-hour in advance. Amir's final conflict occurs in Afghanistan, and is very physical and action-oriented, in contrast to the rest of the story. This is all highlighted by a childish movie score that punctuates every dramatic moment with strangely dated instrumentation.
It's true that you cannot tell the story of a person without exploring their culture and their background. But it's a very tricky thing - western audiences leave the theatre thinking they know all about the culture, and while none of the stereotypes in The Kite Runner seem harmful, they are stereotypes. I'm particularly opposed to the way in which the Taliban were suddenly introduced into events, not because I'm some weird pro-Taliban radical, but because I didn't see the necessity to tie it in so closely with the story of friendship. The Taliban receives the same treatment that the Nazis do in old WWII movies, they're an ever-present, one-dimensional evil villain. I am by no means suggesting that either the Taliban or Nazis deserve anything but vilification, but this basic treatment is out of place, overly-affecting, and not very entertaining.
It's possible that the tightly formulated conclusions in the story are a result of having to pare down the book. I do enjoy the unconventional ways in which the characters behave: more in keeping with reality than nobility and idealized images of love. The Kite Runner has some moments that are truly heartbreaking, but continues to tug on those strings too frequently and with diminishing success.
''There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft... When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.''
After spending years in California, Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.
Khalid Abdalla: Amir
The Kite Runner is a very sad movie. This emphasized by the fact the main characters begin and transition as children. There are moving emotional stories and the unsuccessfully delivered ones - I don't believe that just because I'm moved to tears, a movie deserves the highest praise. The Kite Runner glides between the good and bad to deliver heart-wrenching moments and some very transparent messages.
Basically The Kite Runner's story is this, Amir is the son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan is the Hazara son of one of the servants in Amir's household. Amir and Hassan are great friends as children, and race kites in tournaments. Because the Hazara are an ethnic minority, Hassan is constantly harassed, and Amir along with him. The political situation with the Soviet Union becomes increasingly difficult, that Amir and his father must flee the country, leaving Hassan behind. Some time later, Amir is a successful novelist living in California. He gets a call to come back to Afghanistan and help Hassan's child.
Story-wise The Kite Runner is originally delivered and with somepoignant messages of importance. Events that run smoothly are too convenient and achieved almost effortlessly. Anything that can go wrong does go wrong, which eventually winds up being disappointing, rather than resulting in depressing circumstances. Three conflicts arise in Amir's life, and his inaction drive the outcome of the first two - as an adult, Amir must learn courage and finally confront the third. Relationships spring up and entwine, such that no minor character is ever left behind, and no relationship is as simple as it initially appears.
I do appreciate the portrayal of an everyday, normal protagonist, and the intricacies of boyhood friendships and trials. The characters are well captured in their dimensions, if lacking backbone in areas script wise. The first half of the movie - where the friendship is explored and Kabul is alive - is charismatic and nostalgic. There are cultural details abound, both overt and hidden, for any who wish to be immersed in this mysterious land of intrigue.
''Fuck the Russia!''
The second half of the movie descends into clichés. You can see everything that's about to happen a good half-hour in advance. Amir's final conflict occurs in Afghanistan, and is very physical and action-oriented, in contrast to the rest of the story. This is all highlighted by a childish movie score that punctuates every dramatic moment with strangely dated instrumentation.
It's true that you cannot tell the story of a person without exploring their culture and their background. But it's a very tricky thing - western audiences leave the theatre thinking they know all about the culture, and while none of the stereotypes in The Kite Runner seem harmful, they are stereotypes. I'm particularly opposed to the way in which the Taliban were suddenly introduced into events, not because I'm some weird pro-Taliban radical, but because I didn't see the necessity to tie it in so closely with the story of friendship. The Taliban receives the same treatment that the Nazis do in old WWII movies, they're an ever-present, one-dimensional evil villain. I am by no means suggesting that either the Taliban or Nazis deserve anything but vilification, but this basic treatment is out of place, overly-affecting, and not very entertaining.
It's possible that the tightly formulated conclusions in the story are a result of having to pare down the book. I do enjoy the unconventional ways in which the characters behave: more in keeping with reality than nobility and idealized images of love. The Kite Runner has some moments that are truly heartbreaking, but continues to tug on those strings too frequently and with diminishing success.
''There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft... When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
A beautiful display of friendship.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 4 October 2009 07:58
(A review of The Soloist)''Beauty is art, music is beauty.''
A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Julliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.
Jamie Foxx: Nathaniel Ayers
2009 has been a year of many true stories, book adaptations and documentaries. The Soloist offers a true to life story, terrific performances and a stab at the real America and the countless homeless whom reside throughout the country.
The story revolves around Steve Lopez, an L.A. Journalist played charismatically by Robert Downey Jr, and Jamie Foxx plays homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers. Both performances result in Oscar Worthy performances, and even a possible nomination or award attention for Joe Wright, whom previously worked on the acclaimed Atonement and Pride & Prejudice.
Joe Wright seems to have a skill for bringing sensationally talented actors together and bringing the best out of them. Catherine Keener shines as Mary Weston, and a nice inclusion of, Tom Hollander as Graham Claydon, a Christian Musician whom helps Steve help Nathaniel with his music.
The Soloist strong points really are the performances by it's two leads and the problem it addresses of the homeless and the mental illnesses they endure. Nathaniel's schizophrenia isn't always present in his life we discover, he is intelligent and extremely gifted musically on the cello and other string instruments. As we learn from flashbacks we see how he reached his present predicament and also his crazy ramblings which proceed to be confusing as well as informative to his frame of mind.
Robert Downey Jr as Steve the Journalist who ends up trying to help Nathaniel out of his poor way of life, shines as a good man caught up on two sides, trying to discover a new story for his paper, and creating a friendship and feeling an obligation to that friendship.
''I don't give a smooth fart whether or not we go.''
The Soloist is an emotional journey, one scene really makes us feel the raw emotion of both parties, whom are touched and swayed by the power of the music. It's energy present in the player and the listener. Another scene shows us vibrant colours representing the depth of feeling Nathaniel is experiencing from a passionate composition from an orchestra.
There is humour also present in The Soloist, the part where they run with Nathaniel's possessions in a trolley, or the falling out with Tom Hollander's 'christian' musician causes a few wry smiles. As does the Robert Downey Jr scenes involving either his own piss or strangely raccoon pee pee.
Overall, The Soloist gives us an interesting portrait of a moral, that sometimes you cannot help someone, because sometimes they do not want help. The best help being a self motivated mental state of enlightenment, a sense that some cures come from the heart, your own realizations, your own natural healing. Sometimes genius is dizzying madness, a tragic reminder The Soloist brings to our awareness, and for me, it makes me want to change not just myself but the world as well.
''I've never loved anything the way he loves music.''
A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Julliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.
Jamie Foxx: Nathaniel Ayers
2009 has been a year of many true stories, book adaptations and documentaries. The Soloist offers a true to life story, terrific performances and a stab at the real America and the countless homeless whom reside throughout the country.
The story revolves around Steve Lopez, an L.A. Journalist played charismatically by Robert Downey Jr, and Jamie Foxx plays homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers. Both performances result in Oscar Worthy performances, and even a possible nomination or award attention for Joe Wright, whom previously worked on the acclaimed Atonement and Pride & Prejudice.
Joe Wright seems to have a skill for bringing sensationally talented actors together and bringing the best out of them. Catherine Keener shines as Mary Weston, and a nice inclusion of, Tom Hollander as Graham Claydon, a Christian Musician whom helps Steve help Nathaniel with his music.
The Soloist strong points really are the performances by it's two leads and the problem it addresses of the homeless and the mental illnesses they endure. Nathaniel's schizophrenia isn't always present in his life we discover, he is intelligent and extremely gifted musically on the cello and other string instruments. As we learn from flashbacks we see how he reached his present predicament and also his crazy ramblings which proceed to be confusing as well as informative to his frame of mind.
Robert Downey Jr as Steve the Journalist who ends up trying to help Nathaniel out of his poor way of life, shines as a good man caught up on two sides, trying to discover a new story for his paper, and creating a friendship and feeling an obligation to that friendship.
''I don't give a smooth fart whether or not we go.''
The Soloist is an emotional journey, one scene really makes us feel the raw emotion of both parties, whom are touched and swayed by the power of the music. It's energy present in the player and the listener. Another scene shows us vibrant colours representing the depth of feeling Nathaniel is experiencing from a passionate composition from an orchestra.
There is humour also present in The Soloist, the part where they run with Nathaniel's possessions in a trolley, or the falling out with Tom Hollander's 'christian' musician causes a few wry smiles. As does the Robert Downey Jr scenes involving either his own piss or strangely raccoon pee pee.
Overall, The Soloist gives us an interesting portrait of a moral, that sometimes you cannot help someone, because sometimes they do not want help. The best help being a self motivated mental state of enlightenment, a sense that some cures come from the heart, your own realizations, your own natural healing. Sometimes genius is dizzying madness, a tragic reminder The Soloist brings to our awareness, and for me, it makes me want to change not just myself but the world as well.
''I've never loved anything the way he loves music.''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
Control or be controlled...
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 4 October 2009 05:10
(A review of Gamer)''...Kable's the perfect soldier. He's a tactical killing computer. His only vulnerability is the nanex itself; the *ping*, the delay between Simon's commands and Kable's ability to execute...''
Set in a future-world where humans can control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online gaming environments...
Gerard Butler: Kable
We see many types of futuristic films mixed with an action-packed revenge bad guy theme. In this regard Gamer is no different from previous projects which have preceded this venture. For it's strengths it has some interesting ideas and moralistic questions of how free will and control can be applied to human beings on a large scale. Death Race, a similar film released a couple of years ago, also had an entertainment spin on violence, criminals and racing. Gamer is a sort of virtual version of the former, being one of action, carnage and perhaps lacking originality in places but making up for that with new ideas in others.
The whole concept gels well because Gamer also has a tightly knitted cast of strong players. Gerard Butler being the star attraction of the whole affair, Michael C. Hall the villian mastermind, and Logan Lerman as Simon the kid controlling Butler's Kable star of the game 'Slayers'.
Acting wise it is weak on various scenes, which is unfortunate because other scenes are well executed.
The actors weren't bad, but they were given little to work with. Butler was extraordinarily limited with few lines, I realise he's capable of so much more emotion than he showed here, so even his most poignant scenes were apparently stripped of almost all feeling by the directors. Sedgwick was so exaggerated as a character that she was stereotypically robotic, so much so that her character didn't gel with all the other characters she got into contact with. Can Valeletta act? I have no idea because she really didn't act at all here nor did it appear that she was supposed to.
As for Ludacris he was simply ludicrous in this, his acting talent non-existent. I mean not all black people talk like home boys, and this let down the film slightly.
''I hope one day to have the opportunity to breach your firewall, Miss Parker Smith.''
Gamer was written and directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor(Crank). I loved the action, but I disliked the script. It was disjointed and far too stylized, while I'm as much a fan of hand-held cameras as anybody, it was overused in the whole picture, and then combined with what amounted to a strobe effect as the screen flashed split seconds of disparate scenes. While these things can be very effective and provide unique perspectives they are not necessary in being used so often.
I liked ideas, in the film, such as Kable drinking a whole bottle of vodka or alcohol, so he can later be sick into a car, hence giving fuel to the vehicle. A particularly disgusting fat guy controlling a girl confused me, but also made sense, in the regard there are a vast amount of sickos out there. A midget, a basketball final act, and a massive shootout in a suburban area show how surreal this whole affair is.
Overall, Gamer is over so fast, gives us new ideas as well as old ones, opens our eyes to a futuristic vision of possibility. Gamer seems to be released in a time where hollywood seems to be interested in ''control'' and ''future'' with the also similar Surrogates. Fans of Gerard Butler, action films or futuristic movies will love this, just don't go into Gamer expecting a revelation or mind-blowing twist, this is violent rollercoaster fun.
''This is not something you can control!''
Set in a future-world where humans can control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online gaming environments...
Gerard Butler: Kable
We see many types of futuristic films mixed with an action-packed revenge bad guy theme. In this regard Gamer is no different from previous projects which have preceded this venture. For it's strengths it has some interesting ideas and moralistic questions of how free will and control can be applied to human beings on a large scale. Death Race, a similar film released a couple of years ago, also had an entertainment spin on violence, criminals and racing. Gamer is a sort of virtual version of the former, being one of action, carnage and perhaps lacking originality in places but making up for that with new ideas in others.
The whole concept gels well because Gamer also has a tightly knitted cast of strong players. Gerard Butler being the star attraction of the whole affair, Michael C. Hall the villian mastermind, and Logan Lerman as Simon the kid controlling Butler's Kable star of the game 'Slayers'.
Acting wise it is weak on various scenes, which is unfortunate because other scenes are well executed.
The actors weren't bad, but they were given little to work with. Butler was extraordinarily limited with few lines, I realise he's capable of so much more emotion than he showed here, so even his most poignant scenes were apparently stripped of almost all feeling by the directors. Sedgwick was so exaggerated as a character that she was stereotypically robotic, so much so that her character didn't gel with all the other characters she got into contact with. Can Valeletta act? I have no idea because she really didn't act at all here nor did it appear that she was supposed to.
As for Ludacris he was simply ludicrous in this, his acting talent non-existent. I mean not all black people talk like home boys, and this let down the film slightly.
''I hope one day to have the opportunity to breach your firewall, Miss Parker Smith.''
Gamer was written and directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor(Crank). I loved the action, but I disliked the script. It was disjointed and far too stylized, while I'm as much a fan of hand-held cameras as anybody, it was overused in the whole picture, and then combined with what amounted to a strobe effect as the screen flashed split seconds of disparate scenes. While these things can be very effective and provide unique perspectives they are not necessary in being used so often.
I liked ideas, in the film, such as Kable drinking a whole bottle of vodka or alcohol, so he can later be sick into a car, hence giving fuel to the vehicle. A particularly disgusting fat guy controlling a girl confused me, but also made sense, in the regard there are a vast amount of sickos out there. A midget, a basketball final act, and a massive shootout in a suburban area show how surreal this whole affair is.
Overall, Gamer is over so fast, gives us new ideas as well as old ones, opens our eyes to a futuristic vision of possibility. Gamer seems to be released in a time where hollywood seems to be interested in ''control'' and ''future'' with the also similar Surrogates. Fans of Gerard Butler, action films or futuristic movies will love this, just don't go into Gamer expecting a revelation or mind-blowing twist, this is violent rollercoaster fun.
''This is not something you can control!''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
Sometimes an Angel is a Demon.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 27 September 2009 07:25
(A review of Angels & Demons)''Religion is flawed because man is flawed.''
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon works to solve a murder and prevent a terrorist act against the Vatican.
Tom Hanks: Robert Langdon
Ron Howard's sequel to The Da Vinci Code has a battle between religion and science. Controversy from it's predecessor, is sadly extinct, Angels and Demons is more of a thriller than an actual historical revelation of mythological proportions. This is a heavy dose of shadowy secret groups, and a villain interested in serving his own paradoxical ways to the Church.
So Angels & Demons begins with our protagonist being called upon by the Vatican for help, because this time, the Pope has died. The four candidates for new pope kidnapped, and bizaare anti-matter planted somewhere in the city which is going to explode. A sect know as the Illuminati has resurfaced, after hundreds of years, responsible for stealing the anti-matter and kidnapping the cardinals.
Performance wise Tom Hanks is sadly under-used, as he reprises his role as Langdon. The lack of Ian Mckellan and Audrey Tautou from Da Vinci Code, is apparent, Ewan McGregor as the Camerlengo Patrick McKenna amused me, here we have a Scottish actor playing surprise...wait for it...an Irish priest. He does have a timid, nervous disposition which does provide laughs at times. Angels & Demons does offer originality in having a priest parachuting over the Vatican in a dizzying sequence of apocalyptic proportions. Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Richter is the supposed villain of the piece here, and Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra the female lead whom succeeds in being unmemorable throughout.
The feel of Angels & Demons is not one which its title might suggest. It has no physical angels or demons to tantalize us with, the title represents religion and science in conflict with each other. Religion being a traditionalist unchanging humanistic matter of faith and Science being the turbulent, change and materialistic advancement of discovery and technology. Sometimes Angels & Demons leaves an unsavory taste in ones mouth, in the sense we feel like we are on a virtual tour ride of the Vatican and it's many historical locations. Similar perhaps to Indiana Jones but lacking the fun and adventurous tendencies of the former.
One aspect I do love, is the soundtrack which offers a level of sophistication which stays with you. The proceedings are greatly boosted by the mystical, vibrant tones we are blessed with.
Plot holes appear to be rife here, with some questions or scenarios left unanswered. Who tries to suffocate Langdon in the archives? Why would anyone go through such a long winded process? Angels & Demons offers so many questions it sometimes forgets to give answers. Perhaps it wants to be too clever for its own good, perhaps it thinks it is intelligent and twists galore are present. It succeeds in being mediocre and at the end of the day people fail to care for the facts but rather for the entertainment and action. Favorably Angels & Demons offers some great chases, some horrific deaths and some glorious effects in places. Sadly there is not alot of historical revelation for shock purposes here. As for Christians, Angels & Demons is a fantastical tale of fiction, and here I agree because the story is that just of a thriller, and a fabrication of the villains whom use history for their own advantages.
Overall, Angels & Demons is an entertaining piece yet lacks the deep meaningful conclusion of it's predecessor. Dan Brown's books have made so much money from being interesting and for their conspiracies with history, yet when they are visually integrated for the big screen they sometimes lack that excitement the medium requires.
It is fun, and I admit a pleasure to watch overall, but sadly it feels like this routine Angels & Demons gives us has been done many times before.
''Our church is at war. We are under attack from an old enemy. The Illuminati. They have struck us from within and threatening us all with destruction from their new god Science.''
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon works to solve a murder and prevent a terrorist act against the Vatican.
Tom Hanks: Robert Langdon
Ron Howard's sequel to The Da Vinci Code has a battle between religion and science. Controversy from it's predecessor, is sadly extinct, Angels and Demons is more of a thriller than an actual historical revelation of mythological proportions. This is a heavy dose of shadowy secret groups, and a villain interested in serving his own paradoxical ways to the Church.
So Angels & Demons begins with our protagonist being called upon by the Vatican for help, because this time, the Pope has died. The four candidates for new pope kidnapped, and bizaare anti-matter planted somewhere in the city which is going to explode. A sect know as the Illuminati has resurfaced, after hundreds of years, responsible for stealing the anti-matter and kidnapping the cardinals.
Performance wise Tom Hanks is sadly under-used, as he reprises his role as Langdon. The lack of Ian Mckellan and Audrey Tautou from Da Vinci Code, is apparent, Ewan McGregor as the Camerlengo Patrick McKenna amused me, here we have a Scottish actor playing surprise...wait for it...an Irish priest. He does have a timid, nervous disposition which does provide laughs at times. Angels & Demons does offer originality in having a priest parachuting over the Vatican in a dizzying sequence of apocalyptic proportions. Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Richter is the supposed villain of the piece here, and Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra the female lead whom succeeds in being unmemorable throughout.
The feel of Angels & Demons is not one which its title might suggest. It has no physical angels or demons to tantalize us with, the title represents religion and science in conflict with each other. Religion being a traditionalist unchanging humanistic matter of faith and Science being the turbulent, change and materialistic advancement of discovery and technology. Sometimes Angels & Demons leaves an unsavory taste in ones mouth, in the sense we feel like we are on a virtual tour ride of the Vatican and it's many historical locations. Similar perhaps to Indiana Jones but lacking the fun and adventurous tendencies of the former.
One aspect I do love, is the soundtrack which offers a level of sophistication which stays with you. The proceedings are greatly boosted by the mystical, vibrant tones we are blessed with.
Plot holes appear to be rife here, with some questions or scenarios left unanswered. Who tries to suffocate Langdon in the archives? Why would anyone go through such a long winded process? Angels & Demons offers so many questions it sometimes forgets to give answers. Perhaps it wants to be too clever for its own good, perhaps it thinks it is intelligent and twists galore are present. It succeeds in being mediocre and at the end of the day people fail to care for the facts but rather for the entertainment and action. Favorably Angels & Demons offers some great chases, some horrific deaths and some glorious effects in places. Sadly there is not alot of historical revelation for shock purposes here. As for Christians, Angels & Demons is a fantastical tale of fiction, and here I agree because the story is that just of a thriller, and a fabrication of the villains whom use history for their own advantages.
Overall, Angels & Demons is an entertaining piece yet lacks the deep meaningful conclusion of it's predecessor. Dan Brown's books have made so much money from being interesting and for their conspiracies with history, yet when they are visually integrated for the big screen they sometimes lack that excitement the medium requires.
It is fun, and I admit a pleasure to watch overall, but sadly it feels like this routine Angels & Demons gives us has been done many times before.
''Our church is at war. We are under attack from an old enemy. The Illuminati. They have struck us from within and threatening us all with destruction from their new god Science.''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
Thirteen is the number you won't forget.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 27 September 2009 06:43
(A review of Thirteen (2003))''If everybody married someone from a different race then in one generation there would me be no prejudice.''
A thirteen-year-old girl's relationship with her mother is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best friend.
Evan Rachel Wood: Tracy Freeland
First of all, Thirteen is a story of characters, a story true to life that doesn't hold back on the punches. Scenes contain the truthful grit of desperation in this web of conceit surrounding the main female lead, Tracy Freeland, amazingly played by a favourite of mine, Evan Rachel Wood. I mean Thirteen really gets across the troubled angst of teenage behavior especially in certain girls at this crucial stage in life.
Performances are really above par here in Thirteen, whether its Holly Hunter playing Tracy's troubled, vulnerable mother Melanie Freeland, or her psychotic, unruly, trouble-maker best friend Evie Zamora played by Mikki Reed. There really is alot to think about in Thirteen and the performances combined with a story and script everyone can relate to, a story which echoes realism and struggle in dual doses.
As Thirteen progresses so do we as we see the evolution and change of a girl, in this circumstance, Tracy Freeland, she begins as an innocent, intelligent girl. We see her doing well at school, civil friends, and a stable relationship with her mother and family. Then as fate has it, an equation comes along that tips all these proceedings on there head, the catalyst in question, a girl. The girl being, someone Tracy finds enticing, someone she wants to know and be noticed by, this girl Evie Zamora a beauty but trouble. So Tracy proceeds to change, to be accepted by this Evie and thus herself changing, as always for better or for worse. Just in this case for the worse.
Scenarios show her divorced parents, her mothers ex-drug addict boyfriend, her friend Evie's bad ways.
We really begin to see Thirteen deliver rebellious ways of both girls, Tracy reverting to her attraction to Evie, Evie teaching her bad ways without even aware of doing so.
Director Catherine Hardwicke also knows how to utilize an array of camrea techniques and clever formulated angles which help portray the mood and chaos happening at specific points in Thirteen. Combine a dizzying soundtrack with an impressive visual style, and alot of memorable acting which explains why Thirteen has something of a cult following. To me, it seems everyone at some point in their life had to cross from being a child into adult-hood, and the change that takes place in this state of change. This reason I feel, is why Thirteen succeeds in captivating viewers and giving our grey matters something to feed upon.
Overall, Thirteen deals with family, friendship, silly things we do when we are young, and the changes we confront. Drugs, drinking, a change in lifestyle, friendships, a journey of life for a troubled world and the confused inhabitants traveling through this stormy repertoire we call living.
Helen Hunter was Oscar Nominated but failed to win, which surprises me when I see this superior acting in play. I'm also mystified how Evan Rachel Wood didn't even receive some sort of nomination, she is utterly spell blinding in her role.
Thirteen reasons why to see Thirteen: Riveting story, powerful performances, clever filming and camera angles, addictive soundtrack, Sexuality, Family life, Friendships, The hazards of Drugs, The falseness of so called friends, Betrayals, Happiness and unhappiness, Mistakes we make, and the best reason is how true to life Thirteen succeeds in being.
''You're my heart.''
A thirteen-year-old girl's relationship with her mother is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best friend.
Evan Rachel Wood: Tracy Freeland
First of all, Thirteen is a story of characters, a story true to life that doesn't hold back on the punches. Scenes contain the truthful grit of desperation in this web of conceit surrounding the main female lead, Tracy Freeland, amazingly played by a favourite of mine, Evan Rachel Wood. I mean Thirteen really gets across the troubled angst of teenage behavior especially in certain girls at this crucial stage in life.
Performances are really above par here in Thirteen, whether its Holly Hunter playing Tracy's troubled, vulnerable mother Melanie Freeland, or her psychotic, unruly, trouble-maker best friend Evie Zamora played by Mikki Reed. There really is alot to think about in Thirteen and the performances combined with a story and script everyone can relate to, a story which echoes realism and struggle in dual doses.
As Thirteen progresses so do we as we see the evolution and change of a girl, in this circumstance, Tracy Freeland, she begins as an innocent, intelligent girl. We see her doing well at school, civil friends, and a stable relationship with her mother and family. Then as fate has it, an equation comes along that tips all these proceedings on there head, the catalyst in question, a girl. The girl being, someone Tracy finds enticing, someone she wants to know and be noticed by, this girl Evie Zamora a beauty but trouble. So Tracy proceeds to change, to be accepted by this Evie and thus herself changing, as always for better or for worse. Just in this case for the worse.
Scenarios show her divorced parents, her mothers ex-drug addict boyfriend, her friend Evie's bad ways.
We really begin to see Thirteen deliver rebellious ways of both girls, Tracy reverting to her attraction to Evie, Evie teaching her bad ways without even aware of doing so.
Director Catherine Hardwicke also knows how to utilize an array of camrea techniques and clever formulated angles which help portray the mood and chaos happening at specific points in Thirteen. Combine a dizzying soundtrack with an impressive visual style, and alot of memorable acting which explains why Thirteen has something of a cult following. To me, it seems everyone at some point in their life had to cross from being a child into adult-hood, and the change that takes place in this state of change. This reason I feel, is why Thirteen succeeds in captivating viewers and giving our grey matters something to feed upon.
Overall, Thirteen deals with family, friendship, silly things we do when we are young, and the changes we confront. Drugs, drinking, a change in lifestyle, friendships, a journey of life for a troubled world and the confused inhabitants traveling through this stormy repertoire we call living.
Helen Hunter was Oscar Nominated but failed to win, which surprises me when I see this superior acting in play. I'm also mystified how Evan Rachel Wood didn't even receive some sort of nomination, she is utterly spell blinding in her role.
Thirteen reasons why to see Thirteen: Riveting story, powerful performances, clever filming and camera angles, addictive soundtrack, Sexuality, Family life, Friendships, The hazards of Drugs, The falseness of so called friends, Betrayals, Happiness and unhappiness, Mistakes we make, and the best reason is how true to life Thirteen succeeds in being.
''You're my heart.''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
The District you can visit.
Posted : 15 years, 4 months ago on 24 September 2009 09:44
(A review of District 9 (2009))''I mean, you can't say they don't look like that, that's what they look like, right? They look like prawns.''
An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent that is exposed to their biotechnology.
Sharlto Copley: Wikus Van De Merwe
It's safe to say District 9 is a breath of fresh air in terms of originality mixed with familiarity. New ideas of sci-fi, documentary filming, and action-packed scenes are all merged together here in seamlessly sewn entertainment.
District 9 offers us a new world of vision and clarity. We have a UFO hovering over Johannesburg in South Africa, not a typical Hollywood location set in the obvious US, because lets face it, this is not a typical Hollywood blockbuster. This is a totally new ball game which emphasizes other familiar sci-fi names like Halo, the Marvel Iron Man, and the fun Independence Day, then turns them all on their head. District 9 draws its many strengths from it's inspirations, from its script and above all from it's likable although flawed hero, and a father and son Alien whom actually help us ''relate'' to the Alien race, known as 'Prawns'.
''When dealing with aliens, try to be polite, but firm. And always remember that a smile is cheaper than a bullet.''
The action scenes and effects obviously stand out here in awe inspiring proportions. These scenes in which people are zapped by alien ray guns is truly like watching a computer game in motion, needless to say it's very real, very in your face, and will have all action/sci-fi junkies glued to the screen drooling for more.
What is nice is that the main Hero, Wikus Van De Merwe played by Sharlto Copley, starts off as an MNU Officer in charge of evicting the prawns from District 9. Thankfully a twist of fate in which he is sprayed with alien substance causes him to start to change into one of them, hence him becoming sympathetic to the aliens cause.
I find District 9 also hits the nail on the head over various issues, such as racial prejudices, Concentration camps and humanities total disregard for anyone or anything that is different. The deeper message here, is this really our planet at all? Are we under the illusion that it is our property? Our self proclaimed intelligence as supposedly the most advanced life-form on this Earth premature perhaps? The aliens are different physically, sure, but they suffer from the same weakness we do. In that sense we have become so reliant on Technology, that the day we lose it, is the day we fall back into our primitive squalor of unwilling practicality.
Thus District 9 succeeds on so many levels, it isn't only considered a blockbuster, a documentary, or even a Sci-fi actioner, District 9 is an exploration of the human psyche and spirit, a journey of hope and rekindled enlightenment.
''I want to go home!''
An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent that is exposed to their biotechnology.
Sharlto Copley: Wikus Van De Merwe
It's safe to say District 9 is a breath of fresh air in terms of originality mixed with familiarity. New ideas of sci-fi, documentary filming, and action-packed scenes are all merged together here in seamlessly sewn entertainment.
District 9 offers us a new world of vision and clarity. We have a UFO hovering over Johannesburg in South Africa, not a typical Hollywood location set in the obvious US, because lets face it, this is not a typical Hollywood blockbuster. This is a totally new ball game which emphasizes other familiar sci-fi names like Halo, the Marvel Iron Man, and the fun Independence Day, then turns them all on their head. District 9 draws its many strengths from it's inspirations, from its script and above all from it's likable although flawed hero, and a father and son Alien whom actually help us ''relate'' to the Alien race, known as 'Prawns'.
''When dealing with aliens, try to be polite, but firm. And always remember that a smile is cheaper than a bullet.''
The action scenes and effects obviously stand out here in awe inspiring proportions. These scenes in which people are zapped by alien ray guns is truly like watching a computer game in motion, needless to say it's very real, very in your face, and will have all action/sci-fi junkies glued to the screen drooling for more.
What is nice is that the main Hero, Wikus Van De Merwe played by Sharlto Copley, starts off as an MNU Officer in charge of evicting the prawns from District 9. Thankfully a twist of fate in which he is sprayed with alien substance causes him to start to change into one of them, hence him becoming sympathetic to the aliens cause.
I find District 9 also hits the nail on the head over various issues, such as racial prejudices, Concentration camps and humanities total disregard for anyone or anything that is different. The deeper message here, is this really our planet at all? Are we under the illusion that it is our property? Our self proclaimed intelligence as supposedly the most advanced life-form on this Earth premature perhaps? The aliens are different physically, sure, but they suffer from the same weakness we do. In that sense we have become so reliant on Technology, that the day we lose it, is the day we fall back into our primitive squalor of unwilling practicality.
Thus District 9 succeeds on so many levels, it isn't only considered a blockbuster, a documentary, or even a Sci-fi actioner, District 9 is an exploration of the human psyche and spirit, a journey of hope and rekindled enlightenment.
''I want to go home!''
0 comments, Reply to this entry
''That's a bingo!''
Posted : 15 years, 5 months ago on 19 August 2009 10:04
(A review of Inglourious Basterds)''The German will be sickened by us, the German will talk about us, and the German will fear us.''
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
Brad Pitt: Lt. Aldo Raine
Lt. Aldo Raine: So you're "The Jew Hunter."
Col. Hans Landa: [giddy] That's a bingo!
[Lt. Aldo and PFC. Utivich stare at him in confusion]
Col. Hans Landa: Is that the way you say it: "That's a bingo?"
Lt. Aldo Raine: You just say "Bingo."
Inglorious Basterds shows us Quentin Tarantino's vision of a Nazi infested France rife with chaos and anarchy. It simply is the most warped, crazy roller coaster rides of WW2 proportions to come out in decades. Cleverly the soundtrack is a modern web of guitar, Bowie, 80s music, spaghetti Western styled whistling and all of QT's previous works mixed into a mix worthy of Tarantino. Literally the music combines with the visuals effortlessly well, we feel glued to the screen because of the assault on our senses.
''What a tremendously hostile world that a rat must endure. Yet not only does he survive, he thrives. Because our little foe has an instinct for survival and preservation second to none... And that Monsieur is what a Jew shares with a rat.''
Needless to say, the cast of Inglorious Basterds is deliciously flawless and a gathering of some impressive players. The role I adored most was that of detective nemesis, ''Jew Hunter'', dastardly Col. Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz. He has some of the killer lines and phrases in the movie, and he speaks German, French, English, Italian...He literally puts the yanks, Pitt and the other Allie chaps to shame. Nazi's were well educated, arrogant, pig headed brutes who weren't afraid to let everyone else know it, and Christoph effortlessly makes us aware of this. I was also in hysterics over the portrayal of Hitler, Winston Churchill, and a Mike Myers playing some General who looked like he had just waltzed off Austin Powers. This was one of the best cameos I've seen to date. Brad Pitt was abit annoying with his accent, Eli Roth hilarious, and the rest of the basterds not really on screen for long at all.
''You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, Business is a-boomin'.''
I really must mention Quentin Tarantino loves his dialogue and Inglorious Basterds is full of talking and discussions you really need to pay attention to. These are deep topics here, and it isn't all over blown action and violence, although when there is boy does it hit home. This is a deep intellectual stab at history, a stab at history that doesn't have to be necessarily accurate. I mean Hitler gets a fucking whooping in a French cinema for god sake, this is over blown carnage with slick romance and chaos served side by side. The characters are thrown around like dolls and more than likely, QT kills them off without a thought as to what will come next.
Overall, Inglorious Basterds is abit of fun rather than a serious depiction of history, hence the ''Once upon a time in Nazi-occupied France...'' slogan. This QT doing a Kill Bill flavoured 1940s Nazi congregation of sick comedic proportions. Hell he even rips the piss out of us English, with our accents and stiff upper lip stereotypicalised supposed mannerisms. Inglorious Basterds will finish you off with an exploding cinema, a carved Nazi swastika symbol upon your synapses, and will blow you away with those crazy ass tunes on the credits. Enjoy!
''...The Germans will be sicken by us, the Germans will talk about us and the Germans will fear us. Nazis ain't got no humanity! They need to be destroyed. Each and every man under my command owns me one hundred Nazi scalps... and I want my scalps!''
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
Brad Pitt: Lt. Aldo Raine
Lt. Aldo Raine: So you're "The Jew Hunter."
Col. Hans Landa: [giddy] That's a bingo!
[Lt. Aldo and PFC. Utivich stare at him in confusion]
Col. Hans Landa: Is that the way you say it: "That's a bingo?"
Lt. Aldo Raine: You just say "Bingo."
Inglorious Basterds shows us Quentin Tarantino's vision of a Nazi infested France rife with chaos and anarchy. It simply is the most warped, crazy roller coaster rides of WW2 proportions to come out in decades. Cleverly the soundtrack is a modern web of guitar, Bowie, 80s music, spaghetti Western styled whistling and all of QT's previous works mixed into a mix worthy of Tarantino. Literally the music combines with the visuals effortlessly well, we feel glued to the screen because of the assault on our senses.
''What a tremendously hostile world that a rat must endure. Yet not only does he survive, he thrives. Because our little foe has an instinct for survival and preservation second to none... And that Monsieur is what a Jew shares with a rat.''
Needless to say, the cast of Inglorious Basterds is deliciously flawless and a gathering of some impressive players. The role I adored most was that of detective nemesis, ''Jew Hunter'', dastardly Col. Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz. He has some of the killer lines and phrases in the movie, and he speaks German, French, English, Italian...He literally puts the yanks, Pitt and the other Allie chaps to shame. Nazi's were well educated, arrogant, pig headed brutes who weren't afraid to let everyone else know it, and Christoph effortlessly makes us aware of this. I was also in hysterics over the portrayal of Hitler, Winston Churchill, and a Mike Myers playing some General who looked like he had just waltzed off Austin Powers. This was one of the best cameos I've seen to date. Brad Pitt was abit annoying with his accent, Eli Roth hilarious, and the rest of the basterds not really on screen for long at all.
''You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, Business is a-boomin'.''
I really must mention Quentin Tarantino loves his dialogue and Inglorious Basterds is full of talking and discussions you really need to pay attention to. These are deep topics here, and it isn't all over blown action and violence, although when there is boy does it hit home. This is a deep intellectual stab at history, a stab at history that doesn't have to be necessarily accurate. I mean Hitler gets a fucking whooping in a French cinema for god sake, this is over blown carnage with slick romance and chaos served side by side. The characters are thrown around like dolls and more than likely, QT kills them off without a thought as to what will come next.
Overall, Inglorious Basterds is abit of fun rather than a serious depiction of history, hence the ''Once upon a time in Nazi-occupied France...'' slogan. This QT doing a Kill Bill flavoured 1940s Nazi congregation of sick comedic proportions. Hell he even rips the piss out of us English, with our accents and stiff upper lip stereotypicalised supposed mannerisms. Inglorious Basterds will finish you off with an exploding cinema, a carved Nazi swastika symbol upon your synapses, and will blow you away with those crazy ass tunes on the credits. Enjoy!
''...The Germans will be sicken by us, the Germans will talk about us and the Germans will fear us. Nazis ain't got no humanity! They need to be destroyed. Each and every man under my command owns me one hundred Nazi scalps... and I want my scalps!''
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