Montana Amazon
Quick Flash this movie is going to rock the summer, not sure yet which festivals will honor it. Look to this film to be this summer's break-out hit. Studios are going to have to invent new ways to count money on this one.
Olympia Dukakis plays an angry mute grandmother, she spends the entire film kicking Haley Joel Osment's ass, it's a hoot. "Mad Men's" Alison Brie, plays this waifish boy-flesh obsessed teen, with some kink to it. It's a dark comedy and a road film, making its the first shot in an American New Wave DIY film making style.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monday, October 08, 2007
Mr. Movie Reviews: La Misma Luna
Caught La Misma Luna the other night and it was terrific. A real weepy. It won't be released for a while so I don't want to say too much. The film is about a mother and Sun separated by circumstances and the Mexican/American border. I think this one is really going to be a big hit here in the US.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Chak de India
In director Shimit Amin's second outing he has proved that he is India's most versatile up and coming director. Mr. Amin's first feature was , Ab Tak Chappan a taught cop drama, that has been called "the best Michael Mann film not directed by Michael Mann." For his second outing Mr. Amin totally changed gears and created a breezy at turns stirring and sweet sports drama.
The story is about a filed hockey player, Shah Ruk Khan, who has found himself disgraced. In a bid to prove himself he takes on coaching a neglected girls field hockey team, through the world cup competition.
Translating the American version of the sports film into an Indian film could only be compared to making two American sports films together. The sports film is part of the genre of a war film, there aren't really individual characters, the team is one character in itself, and the film is about the development of that one character. At over two hours the film never fails to be entertaining. The whole thing moves along at a brisk pace.
If you want a clue to the intelligence of this young director, look into the representation of the press in this film. The Indian film press is this hysterical monster. Like the jealous girl at school who lives off the drama she creates, the Indian film press is a real life gaggle of girls pouncing on any rumor. They are the villain in the story, and their representation in the film echoes the coverage the film received in the Indian Press. That was until they saw the film, and fell all over themselves loving it.
The story is about a filed hockey player, Shah Ruk Khan, who has found himself disgraced. In a bid to prove himself he takes on coaching a neglected girls field hockey team, through the world cup competition.
Translating the American version of the sports film into an Indian film could only be compared to making two American sports films together. The sports film is part of the genre of a war film, there aren't really individual characters, the team is one character in itself, and the film is about the development of that one character. At over two hours the film never fails to be entertaining. The whole thing moves along at a brisk pace.
If you want a clue to the intelligence of this young director, look into the representation of the press in this film. The Indian film press is this hysterical monster. Like the jealous girl at school who lives off the drama she creates, the Indian film press is a real life gaggle of girls pouncing on any rumor. They are the villain in the story, and their representation in the film echoes the coverage the film received in the Indian Press. That was until they saw the film, and fell all over themselves loving it.
Stardust
What is wrong with this movie? For the life of me, I could not tell you why I did not like this movie.
A youth unaware of his magical princely beginnings goes on a quest to retrieve a fallen star in a gambit to win the heart of his local beauty. The characters , many of them are ironic, with frisky modern sensibilities. Probably not so modern really, just the kind of kitschy thinking people that no one had thought to make characters until lately.
I'm told by a fan of the novel by Neil Gaman, that this film uses as it's source, that there are all sorts of arbitrary changes to the script that make little sense. Like turning the Lightning collector, Robert Deniro's character into a swishy pirate. I guess as some sort of nod to Pirates of the Caribbean, or ploy to resemble it.
It just didn't bake right this one. It needed a scene way upfront that really pulled the tone together. And that whimsical funny tone needed to be more consistently presented to work alongside the overwrought and meant to look rundown production design. The film looks like someone said, lets make it look like a Terry Gilliam movie, but not as expensive. They should have just hired Terry Gilliam. This one doesn't bode well for an adaptation of the Xanth series.
The fact is that Fantasy and humor have gotten along in many a film. The Princess Bride, Time Bandits, Eric the Viking, Jabberwocky, I'm sure their are more. Please sing out and add to the list.
It's not a horrible film, it's watchable. Probably fun on a lonely night on cable. Still, it was like going to versaille (wonderful Cuban restaurant in LA) and getting dried out chicken. Anyway, you go see it and explain to me why it was disappointing.
A youth unaware of his magical princely beginnings goes on a quest to retrieve a fallen star in a gambit to win the heart of his local beauty. The characters , many of them are ironic, with frisky modern sensibilities. Probably not so modern really, just the kind of kitschy thinking people that no one had thought to make characters until lately.
I'm told by a fan of the novel by Neil Gaman, that this film uses as it's source, that there are all sorts of arbitrary changes to the script that make little sense. Like turning the Lightning collector, Robert Deniro's character into a swishy pirate. I guess as some sort of nod to Pirates of the Caribbean, or ploy to resemble it.
It just didn't bake right this one. It needed a scene way upfront that really pulled the tone together. And that whimsical funny tone needed to be more consistently presented to work alongside the overwrought and meant to look rundown production design. The film looks like someone said, lets make it look like a Terry Gilliam movie, but not as expensive. They should have just hired Terry Gilliam. This one doesn't bode well for an adaptation of the Xanth series.
The fact is that Fantasy and humor have gotten along in many a film. The Princess Bride, Time Bandits, Eric the Viking, Jabberwocky, I'm sure their are more. Please sing out and add to the list.
It's not a horrible film, it's watchable. Probably fun on a lonely night on cable. Still, it was like going to versaille (wonderful Cuban restaurant in LA) and getting dried out chicken. Anyway, you go see it and explain to me why it was disappointing.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Rocket Science
Mrs. Movie and I caught this one at Sundance this year. It's a well made film with some different types of characters. We found the film a little boring and unsatisfying. Many of the characters are off-putting, gross in a tawdry way, and this is in place of interesting development.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Time to rev up your engines
Well, the summer movies are mostly here, and it’s time to get ready for the films of fall and what comes with it; Namely, lots ‘o screenings. So drop Mrs. Movie a line and remind her that she needs to climb back on the old blog.
Mr. Movie is quite upset. It seems he was told that Beerfest was “not that funny.” This is a woeful misrepresentation. Beerfest, is very much funny.
Seen 2007 Harry Potter, forgettable. Rescue Dawn, most complete movie I’ve seen in a while. Transformers, almost not boring. Bourne Ultimatum, you might want to wait for the Bourne Addendum. Charlie Bartlett, amusing. Goya’s Ghost, the paintings are better. Ratatouille, Food and rats – How could you miss? Who Killed the Electric Car, Brilliant Documentary makes you feel the growing gestalt for useable technology available today. Sicko, Makes you feel like stabbing a member of the AMA, or a Republican politician.
Mr. Movie is quite upset. It seems he was told that Beerfest was “not that funny.” This is a woeful misrepresentation. Beerfest, is very much funny.
Seen 2007 Harry Potter, forgettable. Rescue Dawn, most complete movie I’ve seen in a while. Transformers, almost not boring. Bourne Ultimatum, you might want to wait for the Bourne Addendum. Charlie Bartlett, amusing. Goya’s Ghost, the paintings are better. Ratatouille, Food and rats – How could you miss? Who Killed the Electric Car, Brilliant Documentary makes you feel the growing gestalt for useable technology available today. Sicko, Makes you feel like stabbing a member of the AMA, or a Republican politician.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Babel
My favorite part of this movie is when this crazy deaf girl like goes after the cop. The part where they shoot the Arabs was cool too. This one was kinda all over the map.
I told my mom to see it, so I guess I can tell you to do the same thing.
My nephew who is attending OCC is filling in for me.
I told my mom to see it, so I guess I can tell you to do the same thing.
My nephew who is attending OCC is filling in for me.
Kinda LIke Crouching Tiger
This guy Chow Yun Fat, who does all these amazing movies where he's always pointing a .45 in someones face, he's in this one too. Except he's a Chinese King, and his wife is doing his son.
I think Hero was better. It didn't suck to hard.
My nephew who is attending OCC is filling in for me.
I think Hero was better. It didn't suck to hard.
My nephew who is attending OCC is filling in for me.
The one about the Magicians.
These two magicians like are trying to kill each other, it was okay I didn't hate it.
My nephew who is attending OCC is filling in for me.
My nephew who is attending OCC is filling in for me.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Mr. Movie reviews: "Lady in the Water"
I guess what M. Night is up to in “Lady in the Water," is to make a children’s film. It’s a silly film, and there’s this kiddie notion of some sort of wacky community comprised of an apartment building. The whole thing is fanciful and should be taken that way. I say this as much a children’s film as “Snow White.” Which has the first scene of someone tripping that I ever saw.
Shyamalan has made much of how this story grew out of a bedtime story for his kids. Which is what the story feels like. You can imagine a dad inventing this story to explain to his little girl where her “my little pony” necklace disappeared to after she left it at the pool. Well, fanciful and protective parents might do that. Anyway a water pixie in the pool, a Narf, is the entity that stole your fountain pen grandfather gave you from his death bed, that time you wrote a letter next to the pool in Daytona on spring break and fell asleep. The film does not describe which type of Narf steals socks from the dryer.
So the Narf in this story, much like E.T., needs to get home. And there is a whole cosmology that needs to be invoked before she can get there. So for her to be redeemed we all have to clap our hands and say “I do believe in fairies.” There is this syrupy storyline for a character that is a writer played by Shyamalan. It’s a horribly self-obsessive and indulgent turn in the story and I enjoyed it very much. It goes right to the heart of anybody who has bouts with delusions of grandeur.
Shyamalan has made much of how this story grew out of a bedtime story for his kids. Which is what the story feels like. You can imagine a dad inventing this story to explain to his little girl where her “my little pony” necklace disappeared to after she left it at the pool. Well, fanciful and protective parents might do that. Anyway a water pixie in the pool, a Narf, is the entity that stole your fountain pen grandfather gave you from his death bed, that time you wrote a letter next to the pool in Daytona on spring break and fell asleep. The film does not describe which type of Narf steals socks from the dryer.
So the Narf in this story, much like E.T., needs to get home. And there is a whole cosmology that needs to be invoked before she can get there. So for her to be redeemed we all have to clap our hands and say “I do believe in fairies.” There is this syrupy storyline for a character that is a writer played by Shyamalan. It’s a horribly self-obsessive and indulgent turn in the story and I enjoyed it very much. It goes right to the heart of anybody who has bouts with delusions of grandeur.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Mr. Movie reviews: "Dead Man's Chest," POTC 2
Captain Sparrow is back, and unless I am mistaken he’s butched up a little. Although, the whole plot of the movie revolves around the fact that he’s definitely confused. I’d heard this movie described as merely a preview for Pirates III. In truth, Dead Man’s Chest delivers. It’s got some great gags, and does not stint on length with a running time of 150 minutes. I’d like to think the writers have something to do with this, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. I have been an admirer of Terry’s for years his blog Wordplayer has been inspirational for me.
This time ‘round an international conglomerate, The East India Trading Company, has usurped the government in the Bahamas and imprisoned young lovers Will Turner (Bloom) and Swann (Knightley). The evil technocrat exhibiting Disneyesque business sense wants to control the whole seven seas. His plan involves sending Turner out to retrieve Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp).
Okay let me tell you sumt’in ‘bout Davey Jones and his crew. It is seriously Oscar time for the CGI guys, never have a buncha monsters withstood the light of day and remained scary and interesting, nay intimidating.
This time ‘round an international conglomerate, The East India Trading Company, has usurped the government in the Bahamas and imprisoned young lovers Will Turner (Bloom) and Swann (Knightley). The evil technocrat exhibiting Disneyesque business sense wants to control the whole seven seas. His plan involves sending Turner out to retrieve Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp).
Okay let me tell you sumt’in ‘bout Davey Jones and his crew. It is seriously Oscar time for the CGI guys, never have a buncha monsters withstood the light of day and remained scary and interesting, nay intimidating.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Mr. Movie reviews: Scanner Darkly
If you have a problem with truck size plot holes then you may dislike “Scanner Darkly.” Most people who are not looking for an opportunity to see this film will point to the animation style. The Schwab ads, that ape Richard Linklater’s “Waking Life” rotoscope technique are a major annoyance. There are people out there going, “Oh no I hate that shit.” "Scanner Darkly" is better than those ads. The Schwab ads are more like a photo-shop filter. “Scanner Darkly” is animated. The lines have interpretive value, thick and thin variations, things kind of slide around in the frame adding a druggy mood. The Schwab ads also suffer from this put-on anger, loser frat-boy proto-fascist anger.
There are animated bugs and good editing, I loved the way that the sets kind of swam around, this is an animated film. Keanu Reeves is alternately Bob, Fred, and Bruce an undercover cop who very quickly loses sight of himself in his drug use and the total infiltration of surveillance that his life has become. Much of the film is spending time with Bob/Fred/Bruce’s subjects as they clown around stoned. You very quickly begin to wonder how these fools could require this level of surveillance. Don’t worry though; the movie will explain it for you. This is an American film after all, god forbid their should be something vague in an American Film.
The film is very much a trip. The film often makes use of dream logic, One moment we are at HQ with Fred and then the next moment we are on a road trip to San Diego. The characters also often suffer from that uncertainty in what you know, that you may or may not be familiar with. These aspects of the film are used to skirt or create the gaping plot holes. So are they plot holes or part of the effect?
I enjoyed it.
There are animated bugs and good editing, I loved the way that the sets kind of swam around, this is an animated film. Keanu Reeves is alternately Bob, Fred, and Bruce an undercover cop who very quickly loses sight of himself in his drug use and the total infiltration of surveillance that his life has become. Much of the film is spending time with Bob/Fred/Bruce’s subjects as they clown around stoned. You very quickly begin to wonder how these fools could require this level of surveillance. Don’t worry though; the movie will explain it for you. This is an American film after all, god forbid their should be something vague in an American Film.
The film is very much a trip. The film often makes use of dream logic, One moment we are at HQ with Fred and then the next moment we are on a road trip to San Diego. The characters also often suffer from that uncertainty in what you know, that you may or may not be familiar with. These aspects of the film are used to skirt or create the gaping plot holes. So are they plot holes or part of the effect?
I enjoyed it.
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