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If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

If Beale Street Could Talk is Barry Jenkins effort after releasing his best picture winning film, Moonlight, and I can’t help but compare the difference in quality. In my opinion, sometimes what’s more disappointing then a bad film is just a good film. This film is good, not great.

Based on a novel by James Baldwin, much of the film is filled with richness from the point of view of someone from a different time. A scene in the beginning of the film when Tish tells Fonny’s family about her pregnancy stands out as you don’t see family dynamics like that, or the venomous exchanges in films today. There’s beautiful and emotional language and conflicts that seem timeless, maybe due to Jenkin’s own influence on the script. However, with great highs, the overall romance story is too simple and isn’t very compelling. The romance of the film is shown in scenes where the two walk slowly, and talking softly. When they first have sex, the two are very tense and look at each very dramatically. These scenes to me feel as if Jenkins saw that they worked in other movies and pasted it into this film. Their young romance to me hasn’t earned the gravitas these scenes imply. Their romantic flashbacks plays like they’re some tragic greek couple when it really isn’t that big a deal. Their love becomes more believable and interesting after Fonny got locked up.

The main conflict in the story is that such a innocent relationship like theirs can be ruined by a country run by racist systems and the beliefs/negative views of black men that caused many to be incarcerated unfairly. A confession, I was more familiar with the James Baldwin that appeared in interviews with Malcolm X and from bits of his essays. Till now, I wasn’t familiar with his prolific novel writing career. And while I love the commentary told through the story of this film, the novel was published in 74 and since then we’ve seen better romances. There is also a racist cop characters, who is just another dime a dozen evil film cops we’ve seen many times. Also there’s a scene in the film I thought was way too schmaltzy was the scene where the couple were looking at a space to buy a apartment. I heard Barry Jenkins added the scene as supposedly its not from the book, perhaps to have a scene of genuine happiness between the two, like levity. But with the corny pretend playing and the Jewish seller taking a virtuous stand, I just didn’t like it. However, I enjoyed watching the movie as it was a lovely experience with the often gorgeous old school sets and outfits, and the repeating chords that played in just the right moments. My favorite part of this movie was definitely the supporting cast. Brian Tyree Henry with his great monologue about the prison system to flipping the switch to eat joyously. The mother, played by Regina King, in the scene where she confronts Victoria or when she trashes Fonny’s mother. Or the father, who after just being introduced, gives a heartfelt talk to Tish about having the baby. This was a good film with great moments, but I just wished I could have liked the main romance more.

1/21/2019

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Hudson Hawk (1991)

Hudson Hawk is a live-action cartoon. It’s silliness is at times so over the top that I’m impressed by how dedicated the actors seemed to be in their part. I don’t know how the actors feel about the film now, bu, none of them looked like they hated making the film. I know a little of how this film bombed, and how it was panned by critics. However, it is very enjoyable in 2019. This film is for the non-snobs. Those who can enjoy a imperfect comedy.

Although there are annoying moments in the film. Andie MacDowell acting like a dolphin was particularly grating. Or how scenes transition abruptly. Or all the other jokes that don’t land well. But let me gush. There’s plenty of hilarious moments that made me instantly forget my brief dislike. A stuffed elephant squealing as it’s crushed, or a chase scene down the highway in a gurney, or how they explain how Tommy survives an explosion at the end.

I wish I could say I would have liked this film at its release. Not dogpile it with others. Perhaps it’s reception influenced studios to stay away from these kinds of comedies. That would be a shame because you don’t see films like this anymore. Or at all, it’s one of kind stupid fun. Maybe Airheads, by the same director, is another overlooked fun film.

1/6/2018

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Love Exposure (2008)

A film of many genres. You could list them all but that’d be boring. Being just close to four hours long, the constant change of pace was really appreciated and kept me engaged and having fun through-out. Of course, part of the fun is just remarking on the many ridiculous scenes, such as a full on erection or the step-mom casually mentioning beautifully raping the priest. 

The first section of the film is dedicated to setting up the importance of religion to the main character. Or perhaps, his belonging was just for the idea that his ideal “Maria” would show. Religious operatic score blasts through this section, where we see the importance the faith becomes to the father as he distances his son. I really like the twisted idea of committing sins in order to force the father to discipline or treat Yu like an actual son. In following the sinful road, Yu gains the most amazing and welcoming group of delinquent friends. These guys were amazing, they would show him the ropes on how to fight, commit crimes, hang out, and even cry over Yu’s problems. There’s many scenes of great wholesome bromance in this film. Anyways, they introduce Yu to the Master, which became my favorite part of the film. I love how they take Tosatsu (peek-a-panty photography) and imagine a bunch of hilarious methods to do it. Like an anime in concept, and a martial art film in practice. Then Yu has to dress up as Miss Scorpion and gets into a fight where he finds his Maria. I looked at the time, and it was just about an hour. 

The soundtrack was great to. The music that accompanied each of the girl’s backstory had a lot of character, and kind of get you excited even at the 2/4 of the way through. I think part of the reason the new character introductions felt breezy to me is that learning a back story is generally easier than to see development. The music at the scene where Yoko recites the bible verse was great. Although it dragged quite a length, Yoko’s actor really brought everything for her close up oscar worthy scene. 

After the first section which sets up a story of a man wanting to rekindle his family relations, to a romantic comedy when Yoko shows up. By the end, it becomes a psychological battle about the danger of cult mentality and a action film. The film constantly switches up to keep you engaged, but it still makes sense with the story. For the story to go to bigger and bigger lengths. I won’t go in to much summary as I did before, but there’s great scenes about questioning sexuality and the plot also enlarges the scale by having Yu infiltrate a large influential relgious cult in order to take it down. The scenes focusing on sexuality besides same-sex relationships, talks about the pride one must have on their perverseness. Yu constantly getting boners, to the point that it becomes a plot point later on the film. And just when you think you’re sick of it, at the very last scene in the hospital, you’ll find yourself cheering it on. “Grow! Grow!” 

I didn’t really understand why Sion had Koike kill herself at the end. Her scheme to ruin Yu remains kind of muddy to me, but I get the general gist of wanting to bring him down to her level because she saw similarities. Or something like that. I liked the scene where Yu ties Yoko in order to bring her back to reality. The film needed to get quiet and slow its pace down but the frustration became the fact that Yu was still spineless to tell her his true feelings. However, these are minor complaints to me as I enjoyed the creative scope of this film. I’m so impressed that he managed to build a unassumingly complex story that is entertaining. 

8/16/2018

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Blindspotting (2018)

A great hangout movie that has something to say. The stance the film takes on incarnation, corrupt police and excessive force, the hyper-aggressive/stereotype image of black men is clear from the trailers. However, the film focuses more on the main characters, Miles and Collins, as we follow their work, family and social life. The two main characters are hilarious together. How Miles can turn any situation into his favor, and Collins disinterest in it is a great pairing. The film shows their friendship by having them spend moments with each other’s families during the four days. Their relationship is bond by history and of moments like making sure to visit Collin in prison. However, as Collin’s girlfriend points out, this could be out of guilt. The strain on their relationship is about how the two of them seem to get into many conflicts and Mile’s way of handling things can cause trouble for Collins. Mile’s fears for his character with the rising gentrification in his area, while Collin tries to adapt to more of the pleasant life style that comes with it. 

What most people are going to be talking about this in film is the rap scene at the end. I would have been more cross with it if there wasn’t scenes before hand that showed the two had a taste for freestyle rapping or the musical nightmares that plagued Collin. Sure, its a little unbelievable and idealistic. However, if the film was just the two’s lives, it would have been a pleasant comedy. To create a situation that allows the Collin to speak directly to the cop and the audience makes it stand out as having bite and a strength. Unafraid to say its point, and helped by the fact that this is such a lovable film. I think Diggs has a good acting career in front of him if he wants to keep pursuing it. I still think of him as only being in clipping, so as becomes more popular as an actor it will always be a little weird to me. Of course, other actors started in different fields as well. Closing statement: One of my favorite films of the year so far as it really impressed, especially due to how it proved my opinion based on the trailers wrong. However, it still doesn’t beat Ready Player One for me. I wish I did a write-up for that. 

8/16/2018

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Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)

A stupid movie disguised by acclaim. I don’t even think it looked any good. 

The story is about Valerie for discovers a evil presence and a mysterious stranger. The monster wants her, and it turns out the stranger is her brother and he wants revenge on the monster for murdering their father. She then discovers her grandmother knows this monster, then the monster uses the grandma to get to Valerie. Turns out the monster is her father. Then what about what the stranger’s revenge. Then Valerie comes onto the monster and allows him to have his way with her. Then she gets with a married woman (nice). Then a priest the monster killed, but Valerie saved, accuses her of being a witch and burns her. She escapes because of magic pearls introduced at the beginning. Then the monster and grandmother are defeated. Then her father and mother comes back from the dead. 

The above paragraph may be too much, as I hammered the point in. The plot changes it mind at a moment’s fancy, like it can’t make up its mind. The relationship changes happens every scene so that it can be hard for me to keep up. But each scene is so slow and flowery that it just makes you want to fall asleep. The only thing this movie has going for it is its visuals. Which isn’t even that spectacular as you can see the cheap production value, but the convoluted story doesn’t engross you enough that you can accept it. 

The folklore-ish fairytale world the film inhabits is its only good feature. However, the annoying story, its bizarre pacing, lackluster visuals leaves nothing gained. A waste of time.

8/16/2018

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Kes (1969)

Like a film made off the idea of the idea of what happens when you take away the only thing that gives joy in a person’s life. A great bleak film, but it isn’t without fun moments though.

I was caught off guard at the start of this film. I thought I was okay with British accents, but I swear I thought this film was in another language. The brother of Billy is the worst offender, talking mostly in slang but also sounding like he has marbles in his mouth. He’s also the scummiest character in the film, not only to Billy but also the way he talks to his mother by antagonizing her love life and selfishly entitled in the household. Billy has several other terrible characters in his life like his employer who doesn’t trust him, the soccer coach, class mates, the principal, and even his mother. She’s not the worst, but is absent and careless. The segment with the soccer coach while ruthless is also the most hilarious in the film. The coach is fat middle-aged man still obsessed with soccer and plays with the kids. However he acts like a schoolboy and uses his position of authority to skew the rules in his favor. He’s also bad at the game. His treatment of Billy is horrible, of course, with him the worst uniform, deliberately giving him positions he knows he won’t succeed in and berating him for failing, and immorally forcing him to take a cold shower not caring of pneumonia. 

Not everything in Billy’s life is bad. He has few school colleagues and a teacher that stands up for him and tries to help. But the best thing in his life is the kestrel he found and raised. By stealing a book about training, he actually manages to train the bird to be competing in responding to him and ordering around. There’s a great scene where he tells the teacher how he doesn’t think of the bird as a pet, but as an animal that lets him do this. An animal that demands respect, or something, I’m paraphrasing. The teacher that took an interest in him did so because he forced him to participate in the class discussion. He had Billy speak in front of the class about a fact, and Billy was able to engage the class with his detailed knowledge of the bird. Billy is a kid that is reserved and separated from the others, but also picked out by teachers because he’s slow and falls asleep sometimes because he can’t help it. However, it is a joy to watch him maturing due to his interest in the bird. Spoilers, the brother kills the bird at the end. Billy goes to bury it. This action is what makes the film rise above and become truly special for me. While maybe some people may see this coming, what this bird represents to the boy is what makes it so devastating. All the abuse, the dreary lonely life and the prospect-less future is not in Billy’s head due to his obsession. He runs home from school and job interviews due to his worry. It doesn’t end on a downer note, as we see Billy bury the bird but with a accepting expression. Its uplifting to see this boy lose his love, but instead of succumbing to grief, his resolve and mind still appearing calm and resolved. It becomes a film about strength, not only a film about class struggles and dead-end jobs. I know this film gets praised and studied, and I’m glad to understand why. 

8/13/2018

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Electric Dragon 80.000 V (2001)

A really cool film. With cool actors and costumes, soundtrack, and just the right amount of weirdness, it however doesn’t really have much going for it.

The opening introduction of Asano is very creative and packs an adrenaline inducing edge. A time lapse of a kids life as he keeps getting stronger and taking out bigger opponents. Each time receiving a high dosage of electricity. Then we see the kid all grown up, a disgraced boxer who locks himself up to sleep and shreds the hell out of a guitar. All the dialogue is shown on a visually stunning title cards like a silent movie. Its such an explosive start that it is so disappointing that the movie stops dead in its track and meanders. The pacing shouldn’t even be a probably becomes the film is only about an hour long. The main characters spends his time looking for a lizard, stylishly shot still, and the antagonist is introduced and what he’s doing is really inconsequential. The antagonist, a half Buddha faced electrician chases down a cellphone wielding bad guy (there’s a great running joke with the sound effects of him constantly flipping his phone). Why does he do this? To have the film makes sense I believe he did that so he could get Asano, but I don’t think the two characters have really a connection. So then its probably pointless. The useless subplots of lizard hunting and chasing this guy, combined with the hour length goes into the creation of my theory. I believe there was more to the story that the director cut out either due to bad quality or that it didn’t help the story. It’s too bad because I think if this movie was any longer it would worse but it also means that the film has unresolved and utterly pointless scenes. 

Of course the best part of this film is the confrontation at the end, after the attempt to build it up the whole movie. It’s a fun and visual spectacle. Makes you wish more of the film was like this. While its too bad that this movie has a boring middle, the opening and ending scenes are worth it. A little known gem that has its problems. Worth watching if you can find. Torrents.

8/13/2018

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Tetsuo II: Body Hammer (1992)

Tetsuo II is a sequel that instead of continuing the story left off in the first, but of another transformation. Like an anthology series, this time is about a creating a indestructible body for combat. The same actor Tomoro Taguchi goes through the physical and mental transformation like the first time, this time with a bigger budget. At first the transformation seems like it’d be less annoying on the actor, but by the end it goes crazy again. I love that this film focused on a different fetish than metal, focusing on muscles/body improvements and with guns. The better budget doesn’t mean the effects look less charming than the original. Two moments that really stood out was the man’s hand twisting its structure to become a gun, or the bicycle car chase that evolves to running along building walls.

The story is easier to follow this time as well. Although not less goofy. Inevitable for a story of long lost brothers, forgotten memories, a psychotic father and scientist. Also the ending shot of the wife riding on her husband’s final tank transformation looks really funny, I admit. However, I believe if there’s anybody who didn’t enjoy the first movie, will find a lot in this one. The soundtrack is still hectic and noise candy. It looks good. And its some of the best, and artful films about shlocky monster violence there are. I really enjoy it, and with a short run time it makes for a fun time anytime. 

8/13/2018 

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Sorry to Bother You (2018)

An exciting new film with stuff to say but not too clever. It is quite the annoying film, wasn’t really that funny and I have to say I was really disappointed by it. My biggest issue was the dialogue feeling inauthentic. One of my favorite scenes in the film is where Cassius is arguing with his friend about supporting the strike and instead of trading classic lows, they instead exchange intimidating pleasantries. Not only was it funny, but it felt different. I feel if the movie went overboard with bizarre dialogue instead of grounding it in weakly written philosophies, it would have been stronger.

I didn’t like the movie but I didn’t hate it either. This film is average. Now there are wonderful and genuinely shocking scenes. The horse especially. It had a lot of energy and personality, and with the buzz this film is getting I’m sure Boots Riley will get support for his next work. And I’m looking forward to it, as this was his first effort. If this film perhaps was a little shorter or paced itself better, I think this would have been truly special. Not just special because there’s no other films like this in theaters right now.

8/2/2018

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The Money Pit (1986)

A couple forced to move out are duped to spending money they don’t have on a house in need of heavy improvements. The one joke throughout the movie is that every think they touch breaks apart. I was surprised to find myself laughing at every single one of them. Mostly due to the amazing faces and exaggerated body movements of Tom Hanks (him swatting the flies to classical music, or the seal laugh when the tub falls). I think why it kept working was that at first the characters are shocked at what was happening, but as they became jaded at the horrors, the frustration building and building gave the slapstick new flavors. This is a very funny movie. 

The one criticism I have is with the drama the movie felt necessary to add at the last ~20 minutes. I actually enjoyed how the two were so optimistic and happy with each other through out. The drama at the end was about Shelly Long apparently having a affair out of frustration and she became angry with Hank’s reaction to it. Then they reconcile at the end when Hank forgives her and she reveals the affair didn’t actually happen. Now why couldn’t the drama just have been about the two losing patience with each other. This side story needless complicates and loses the fun of the film. Still a great time.

7/26/2018

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Dogtooth (2009)

Dogtooth is an aggressively boring film. Only reflecting on it afterwords did I began to appreciate it. Because you have to appreciate films that are basically setting up a joke for the punchline at the end. Maybe not the intention, but I thought that it was tragically funny.

And maybe other people didn’t find this film boring. The idea of young adults who grew up on the made up of logic spewed by their father is interesting. The set up allows each individual who viewed the movie to come up with different ideas or reason for this. My far-fetched idea about the film was that the actors were portraying the mind state of a dog. The obvious clues that lead me to this was setting them up to fear cats, barking at others, and their blind obedience and eagerness to please their master/father. It’s amusing. So then by the end, these kid’s ignorance of the world lead one of them to suffocate in the trunk when she finally began to form the desire for knowledge. 

I think what made this film difficult to watch was how the dialogue and actions felt like improv to say the dumbest things in the most awkward way possible. The kid’s brain-dead behavior is necessary in selling how out of touch with the world, but to continue this for a hour and half was exhausting. I watched Shoah a day before this, and came out of it confident in my ability to watch films of any length. Only to have this film put me in my place immediately. So now I’m in this weird place where while I hated watching this film, I can’t say the film is bad. 

7/23/2018

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Shoah (1985)

Even if you don’t like Shoah and have criticisms, it transcends film to become a historical document. The number of survivors and witnesses telling their stories while still being middle aged is a sight to see. Everyone of them memorable. The man who smiles and doesn’t want to remember the past. The man who sang songs. The Polish citizens who lived near the camps. Even Nazi members filmed secretly who would detail the layouts of the camp. I thought it was interesting to hear many people say that while they committed acts or just watched, they sight fear as a reason for doing so. The person I found most memorable was the story of the gravedigger at the camps. He was a witness to the death of his people as his job was to move bodies among other tasks. After telling his story so composed, when he started to break down in telling the story of his attempted suicide among his people after not being able to take it anymore, I couldn’t take my eyes away. This was probably 8 hours into the film.

The most shocking moment of the film for me was seeing a former SS officer, Oberhauser, working at a bar. The director first casually asks him about the number of beers he serves a day. The man looks uncomfortable and you feel sorry for him as he looks to his supervisor for instructions. Then his name is revealed and then all the questions pop into your head. The thought that a former SS officer quietly serving unknowing Jewish people alcohol is so bizarre to me. 

I admit to being restless for the last 4 or 5 hours of the film. However, it wasn’t too difficult to watch as all you need to do is watch long interviews that are straightforward. An astounding feat of having interviews stitched together to give a big picture for the reason and horror of the war. An idea would take a half hour to an hour before moving on which makes the watch easier as it’s just a series of chunks. For instance there was a big portion dedicated to Treblinka, beginning with a haunting ride with the elderly train worker. The segment was dedicated to interviews of people who worked the train stations, lived around it, or a Nazi who worked in it. Encouraged by the director to proudly sing the song they forced the people to sing. His segments included ideas of Polish people with racist sentiments against the Jewish, the Warsaw ghettos where there were Jewish leaders attempting to please the Germans to the underground fighters. He pushes people to remember their thoughts at the time to try to better understand how things came to be, and the bigger picture of the horrors committed. It almost sounds unbelievable but to look at the survivors face is all the proof needed. One man who was journalist inspecting the ghettos at the time started crying right when the interview started. Most of these people don’t think about these things. Most of the people interviewed also lived far away like the barber in America or survivors in Israel. An interesting note the barber brought up of his time was the fact that most of them gave up on warning the incoming of their deaths, as the panic would only ensure more deaths and accomplished nothing.

While I don’t think I managed to recite some of the information correctly as I’m going off the top of my head, it is a lot to unfold, the feeling from watching the film lingers. This may sound corny but this is the kind of film that when you walk around outside afterwords, the world feels different. From the depressing set of stories or just the exhaustion at the length.

7/23/2018

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Three Colors: Red (1994)

The montage that opens this movie is really cool I have to say out of the bat. I love it when films can do this, exciting a viewer in the first minutes is never a bad thing. Watching Red, I was also pleasantly surprised to have another light hearted film, this time focusing on questioning one’s morality and again about a unlikely friendship. 

I will admit that perhaps the reason I’m in love with this film as others are is my confusion at the parallel between the old and younger judge. It probably was just a way to visually represent the older judges past instead of using the flashback cliche. But the fact that the same thing is happening to the younger man makes it feel a little odd. Or perhaps, the revelation I just had now, the older man was making up a story based on the telephone conversations he’s been listening to of the weather lady. That is the theory that makes the most sense to me. 

The best parts of this film is the interactions between Valentine and the older judge. His initial attempts to prove the ugliness and hypocrisy of her character reminded me of Thewlis in Naked, a little bit. Although less slimey. The questions he posed to her in the end was just to deflect attention from the illegal nature of his hobby. What seems to be rather harmless way to pass the time for a retired judge, who had to deem the worth of others for his whole life. He claims this is a way to see the truth in people, despite the massive amount of lying and self-concealment that occurs in a average telephone call. Then the two become more acquainted as they meet more and more due to major events happening in each others lives. 

I am embarrassed to find myself without much to say about this film. I liked the dialogue between the two, and thought the concept of spying into people’s lives as fascinating. Their friendship/interest was engaging every time, and to see them reveal so much about themselves to each other by the end was beautiful.  Especially for someone who supposedly has the highest moral authority. I’m not saying I didn’t like the film. Although I will say I wasn’t the biggest fan of the cheating subplot. It was funny how the director wanted to resolve the arc of the lady attempting to recycle a can. I get that it says something about each of the characters. Blue had Julie ignore the lady because she was lost inside her own head. White had Karol laugh at the absurdity. Red had Valentine finally helping her out. Whether it was out of her own inherent goodness, or her desire to feel like she was. Good philosophical questions about these addressed throughout. The finally cameo around the end tied lose romantic ends in the series. Having all the couples survive the ship wreck. 

Overall an interesting trio of films. Each unique and with a desire to tell completely different stories. They could have all been titled with a name that doesn’t imply connection and they would have all been able to stand by itself to be good movies. However, the idea to tie it together shows creativity and vision from the director. Although the titles don’t necessarily tell you what the film is going to be about, it trains the audience to pay attention to it. A great way to help the idea of each of the films. The great thing is, everybody can have their own interpretations of what the colors mean. Maybe I’m not looking at the series too scholarly, but sitting through them all was a very fulfilling time. I look forward to finding another highly regarded color themed trilogy in the future one day. 

7/13/2018

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Three Colors: White (1994)

What better way to make a movie about the color white then the use of snow, the best white thing in the world. White is the second film of the colors trilogy, about a man who has life beat the shit out of him. Films can be uncomfortable when they want to create a man at the bottom of the barrel. However, with this film the man’s misfortune still remained feeling humorous. I love how after Karol sneaks into Poland in a suitcase, gets stolen and beat up by several men, to just declare his arrival matter-of-fact. 

I heard this is the weakest in the three films, but watching it, my preconceived notions benefited my viewing. I enjoyed the lighter hearted tone in watching this. I love how surprised I was by how successful Karol’s scheming turns out to be, after watching his failures for the first act of the film. I loved the comradery with Mikolaj the suicidal middle aged man that aids Karol, or the relationship with his brother who only wants help in running the barber shop.

The whole movie you want him to be successful in his revenge against Donmonique, only to question it towards the end. Here, I’ll address what I didn’t connect with the film about. The relationship between Karol and Donmonique. I can admire the absolute devotion of Karol to stick it with this woman, but I don’t understand her change in attitude towards the end. I could understand her grief at the death of the man she fell out of love with, but after finding out he’s alive and that he tricked her. I don’t imagine she would have felt the same. Perhaps I’m to stretch my romantic movie disbelief. Although, I do have to say it warmed my heart to see her smile at Karol from her prison cell, even if it didn’t make sense to me why she would. Overall, not a bad film. I loved the change of tone from the first film. It certainly was a relief to me because although I loved Blue, I don’t think I could sit through all three films like it in one sitting.

7/13/2018

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Three Colors: Blue (1993)

The first in the trilogy about colors, making quite a big impression for whats to come in the next two films. In fact, it might scare off a few people into watching them. It is pretty intimidating how slow and meditative this film is. The blue skies and the dreary mood is perfect for a film to capture the feeling of grief. 

The first thing I think of the color blue in film is sadness, but not usually the feeling of emptiness.  The main character, Julie, after losing her husband and kid decides to not get any more attachments to life. However, just by staring out a window, or by accidentally getting locked out one can’t help but be pulled in to the lives of others. A real interesting relationship forms with a prostitute after she is locked out her apartment, after suppressing her urge to open the door to save a man fleeing from attackers. She was able to successfully avoid creating shelter for a man in need in order to not form connections, but made one regardless a minute later. Some people might watch this movie and think nothing happens, but I loved how every thing that happens in this film only serves to better inform us of the inner turmoil of the character. Her decision to kill the baby mice, or the exact same ritual she partakes in at the coffee shop. Why am I pretending like I’m above people in saying they won’t notice these details? Anyways, my absolute favorite little move Julie did was after her one night stand with Olivier she scrapes her hand against the rocks. This is such a wonderful example of using the environment to tell a story. For one, who doesn’t see a wall with protruding rocks and not think of the damage it can cause? But it also showed how impulsive and against her better judgement that Julie was in closing her self off. Using a jolt of pain to remind herself of her resolve in creating a comfortable empty life. 

My favorite character in this movie was the brief appearances of the prostitute/showgirl. It was nice to see her joy in finding a friend, and how they took to each other immediately. Another thing I enjoyed was a editing technique I have never seen before. Perhaps it wasn’t anything new, but whenever Julie decides to make a important decision, or gained a new revelation, the screen would go black with music to reappear in the exact same shot. A sort of way to imply a moment in breathe, or showing how important it is to Julie. Or a way to show her creating a melody for her world changing music. There’s a moment at the end where Julie tells Olivier music notations as if she was Amadeus to Salieri. This is part of the one aspect I’ll nitpick is that did they have to make the description of her late husband composer to be some amazing world-altering genius? 

Some parts I don’t really understand but will love to contemplate. The blue chandelier. What is the significance of it being the only item she decides to carry over to her new home? Perhaps it means nothing to her but the color blue, which invokes subconscious memories of her daughter. Or why did she cry at the end? Was it because she went back to the life she spent the whole movie trying to escape. Was it her finally crying over her family? Finally ready to move on? 

After this film I went on to watch White and Red, but I have to say this is unquestionably my favorite of the three. It is tight and smart, but doesn’t lose its emotional impacts. It engulfs the audience in the dreamlike state of grief that will occupy a person for long periods of time, unable to move on. A superb representation of it that only film can create through the use of acting, writing, music and the color blue.

7/13/2018

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Under the Skin (2013)

What I love about this film is how they portrayed a emotionless man eating alien. Although there are lots of scene of her driving in the car, it’s there to show how bad she’s at in picking guys up. Basic conversation starters and not really able to keep the flow as she changes subjects to fast. Luckily horny guys are dumb enough to follow the hot girl back to the nasty house she was residing in. I just realized that she didn’t have a name. 

It’s not a complex story. An alien tries to find humanity, but the coldness in how it was shot helped sell how impossible the task would have been. It’s also incredible at how she was prompted to save a deformed person from death, after him being the only one she had a decent conversation with at this point. There’s a weird shift in her ability though when she tries to leave her comrades in that she sort of becomes like a child, unable to really move. I thought this was out of place, but I get that its trying to show that its really difficult for her to make these decision.

This might be a shallow reason to like the movie but I thought the special effects were amazing. The stand out was when the guy under the black goo got his insides sucked out. I have never seen that visualized before. I also thought when Scarjo shed her skin at the end was well done. Even if its kind of odd that the first thing the rapist does in discovering an alien is to burn it with fire. The sound track that plays whenever she captures a man and is about to murder them got me hyped everything. There was also a one-off musical idea that was really neat when the motorcycle dude chased the deformed man. I enjoy having to make up names for the characters. Little too slow at times, but I really enjoyed it. They still play “Sandstorm” in a European clubs?

This is a film that may be inaccessible to casual film watchers, but one that anybody can understand. The only thing that has left me confused is why did Scarjo stare at herself in the mirror at the strangers house? Why did the alien take sudden interest in her body?

7/11/2018

[nerdbonerbarry]

Crooklyn (1994)

West Indian Archie was a character in Malcolm X that didn’t have much scenes but stole every single one of them. Especially the last one where he’s all decrepit. I was pleasantly surprised to see him as the one of the leads in Crooklyn where he played a lovable father.

I’ll get my complaints about this film out of the way first, and it might seem nitpick. However, I wasn’t a fan of the use of music in this film. There were scenes where it really added to it, and helped sell the time period. However, when used to much the effect can lose its charm, and there were scenes that could have benefited without it. 

This film really did a good job at presenting the heart breaks of kids. Being a film based on Lee’s teacher, lots of these scenes of mischief I may be mistaken to interpret a feeling of remorse. You do a lot of stupid things as kids like picking on the weird neighbor, being upset about missing a basketball game than saying a nice word to your father, or just all the times you give your mother grief. While this is based on the teacher’s family, I couldn’t help but wonder which did Lee put himself most into. Troy, or could he have actually just the local glue sniffer?

Troy was a wonderful child actor, and conveyed a lot even when she wasn’t even saying anything. However, the person that shined the most in this film was Carolyn, the mother. Any movie that portrays a mother’s hardship really speaks to me as I also was a little asshole too. She screamed and was angry a lot, but there wasn’t a doubt of love despite the frustrations. She’s such a presence that her absence when going to work makes the kids act completely different. The relationship with Woody was great too. They had one fight early in the film where Woody leaves for a bit, and I love watching her slow happiness when the kids try to console her. All their exchanges are great and I love how their arguments weren’t hateful, but about matters that they both had different methods of dealing with. 

7/11/2018