Okay, first things first, someone was confused about my review of IZO.
I am not a fan of Takashi Miike. I think that as a filmmaker, he makes a LOT of mistakes, and is one of the most disappointing filmmakers to come out of Japan. That's not to say I didn't like Gozu. That was a very good movie, but Miike is not anyone I would get excited over. I would agree with comparisons to Tarantino. He makes movies that are interesting to look at, but they put into their films a particular voice (much like a piece of writing), and it is a voice I do not like. While, they can make successful films, I will never be able to overlook the voice screaming at me from the screen.
Now that that's out of the way...
I have always loved The Mummy. I'm not kidding. HUGE fan. I wasn't as much of a fan of The Mummy Returns.
However.
Stu hadn't seen them so we rented the new special edition DVDs, and then saw the new one.
Oh Man. As three movies together they work SO well. Each sequel builds on character traits that are present in the previous film. My only complaint is that Rachel Weisz wasn't in the 3rd one. Bummer, but the movie wouldn't have made sense if they had written her character out. And a different storyline wouldn't have been as good.
Also, the plot silliness is the second one is okay, since it gets ignored in the 3rd film.
As for the DVD release, the special features are great, especially the ones showing the CGI compositing. The animation in the first Mummy was a lot more impressive than you think. There were scenes where what they were doing was imperceptible, and this was 9 years ago. In fact, I think some of the effects in the most recent one looked worse.
Go figure.
As far as the DVDs go, having watched all the features, I think I'll wait for the boxed set before I purchase any.
Now people are welcome to disagree with me, but as a die hard fan of these movies I found the most recent installment much better than I expected, and a great way to round out the franchise.
Plus, it was soooo cool.
Recommendations:
The Mummy
The Mummy Returns
Monday, August 18, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Se7en
***SPOILERS***
Okay, we've all seen this movie at least once, but I watched it again this week because Chloe hadn't seen it. Last time I watched this was when I showed it to Stu, and his big problem with it was the scene in the bar when the idea of the movie is kind of laid out. But seeing it again, I feel like that scene is perfect. In fact, I felt affirmation that that movie is perfect. The script is solid, well paced, and in no place lacking. The direction is impeccable. The camerawork is interesting, but not invasive. All of the performances are strong and believable. The sound design is the only place the movie falls short, and it's because of a couple instances where things that shouldn't have had sound effects did. So upon the 5th viewing, and being nitpicky, 98% A.
As far as the direction goes, it is strongest during Lust. Up til that point, you see a lot of blood, but the point of the movie is not to be gory. By showing the picture of the leather harness blade thing instead of the mutilated body, it is up to the audience to create their own horror.
To get back to the bar scene, it is important because it sets up the scene when they are driving with John Doe. If Detective Somerset hadn't been able to explain more thoroughly his idea that the world was suffering from apathy, the scene in the car would have had less impact. As it was, Somerset had to listen to John Doe say the same things he believed.
I could go on, and analyze the quality of this movie shot by shot, but would that really be interesting? Instead, just go out and rent this movie. Watch it at least once more, because this is a movie worth appreciating.
Recommendations:
Zodiac
From Hell
Okay, we've all seen this movie at least once, but I watched it again this week because Chloe hadn't seen it. Last time I watched this was when I showed it to Stu, and his big problem with it was the scene in the bar when the idea of the movie is kind of laid out. But seeing it again, I feel like that scene is perfect. In fact, I felt affirmation that that movie is perfect. The script is solid, well paced, and in no place lacking. The direction is impeccable. The camerawork is interesting, but not invasive. All of the performances are strong and believable. The sound design is the only place the movie falls short, and it's because of a couple instances where things that shouldn't have had sound effects did. So upon the 5th viewing, and being nitpicky, 98% A.
As far as the direction goes, it is strongest during Lust. Up til that point, you see a lot of blood, but the point of the movie is not to be gory. By showing the picture of the leather harness blade thing instead of the mutilated body, it is up to the audience to create their own horror.
To get back to the bar scene, it is important because it sets up the scene when they are driving with John Doe. If Detective Somerset hadn't been able to explain more thoroughly his idea that the world was suffering from apathy, the scene in the car would have had less impact. As it was, Somerset had to listen to John Doe say the same things he believed.
I could go on, and analyze the quality of this movie shot by shot, but would that really be interesting? Instead, just go out and rent this movie. Watch it at least once more, because this is a movie worth appreciating.
Recommendations:
Zodiac
From Hell
IZO
Takashi Miike is in rare form, whatever that means. I liked the story, although it was a little sprawling (but it's an epic, what are you going to do). I liked how casually the movie switched back and forth between settings. I feel, though, that Miike has both an incredible sense of subtlety, and no subtlety at all. There seems to be philosophy here besides the stuff that is stated directly by characters in a setting created so they could state these things. However, it gets lost. Too subtle? The same cannot be said of his characteristic violence. I wish he could learn to use metaphor to replace shooting someone in the eye with arrows. Beat Takashi is hot, though.
Recommendations:
anything else by Miike
Recommendations:
anything else by Miike
Gozu
Now, while I'm not a fan of Takashi Miike, this movie is very good. However it's not as good as a David Lynch film. It was similar, with distorted internal logic and surreal things happening with no indication that they haven't happened. But it falls victim again to Miike's “LOOK GUYS, LOOK HOW SUBTLE I'M BEING.”
Watching this with Maher and Chloe, they immediately were all over this movie's obvious subtlety, saying it was a giant thematic metaphor of birth and gender identity and all of these other things that are pretty easy to find after the fact. However what was on the screen was a Lynchian simple story accented by weirdness.
I absolutely despise scrutinizing a movie in an attempt to dredge philosophy out of it. Just because an event on the screen does not follow real world or even internal logic does not mean that you can write is off saying, “That didn't really happen, it was a metaphor.” This is a cop out. Also you can't criticize a film the same way you can a piece of literature. They are drastically different mediums, and while Stu tells me that this does not need to be said, I have found that an unreasonable amount of people seem to think this is the correct course of action.
Now, don't get me wrong. I liked this movie very much, and would recommend it. I just wouldn't recommend watching it with someone who thinks Miike is the best filmmaker in history, because he is far from it.
Recommendations:
The Exterminating Angel
Twin Peaks
Watching this with Maher and Chloe, they immediately were all over this movie's obvious subtlety, saying it was a giant thematic metaphor of birth and gender identity and all of these other things that are pretty easy to find after the fact. However what was on the screen was a Lynchian simple story accented by weirdness.
I absolutely despise scrutinizing a movie in an attempt to dredge philosophy out of it. Just because an event on the screen does not follow real world or even internal logic does not mean that you can write is off saying, “That didn't really happen, it was a metaphor.” This is a cop out. Also you can't criticize a film the same way you can a piece of literature. They are drastically different mediums, and while Stu tells me that this does not need to be said, I have found that an unreasonable amount of people seem to think this is the correct course of action.
Now, don't get me wrong. I liked this movie very much, and would recommend it. I just wouldn't recommend watching it with someone who thinks Miike is the best filmmaker in history, because he is far from it.
Recommendations:
The Exterminating Angel
Twin Peaks
The American Astronaut
This movie would be the perfect double feature with Forbidden Zone. It was described to me as “a space-opera western” and that's just about how it is. A renegade spacer tries to collect a reward through a series of very silly trades. My only complaint was the end seemed a little loose. I would have gladly watched another hour of this movie if they wanted to wrap it up better. Still, that was not enough to make me dislike it in any way. Score!
Recommendations:
Forbidden Zone
Recommendations:
Forbidden Zone
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Fresh Start
A couple hours ago, my sister suggested I start a blog to keep track of movies I see and my opinion on them.
Well, clearly I think anything Katie says is gold, so here I am. I hope to make my own mind more visible to me as well as be a resource for anyone who might want a suggestion for movies based on the opinions of a 19 year old film student. :)
I'm about to watch The American Astronaut, which was suggested by the video guy after we couldn't find Into The Realms of the Unreal.
More later.
Well, clearly I think anything Katie says is gold, so here I am. I hope to make my own mind more visible to me as well as be a resource for anyone who might want a suggestion for movies based on the opinions of a 19 year old film student. :)
I'm about to watch The American Astronaut, which was suggested by the video guy after we couldn't find Into The Realms of the Unreal.
More later.
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