Glib Reviews of Random Movies #7
Ink
... very odd indie kinda sci-fi/fantasy something or other. highly stylized, possibly edited on a laptop, but if you can get past the awkward WTF first 15 minutes or so it starts getting coherent and the various stories become obviously linked. One of those movies that were I in a different mood I may have turned off, but am glad I didn't. Basically there's a dreamlands story running parallel to an increasingly tragic real life story about a high powered executive who ignores his family and has to learn a lesson the hard alt.timeline way. The villains are uber creepy, the heroes... a bit too second matrix rave people looking,and the rock video editing is somewhat overdone, but all in all an ok ride.
Night Of The Comet ...
very fun slightly post apocalyptic movie, with far less zombie action than you'd think based on the cover of the box. But even so, an interesting tale of 80's psychology, and mall grown teens. Has Chakotay in an early role.
Forbidden Planet
Holds up very well. I think I'm developing an interest in Walter Pidgeon films. Great Star Trek-y template of a "villain". This movie is the basic plot of 1/2 the episodes of TOS ST. Gorgeously shot. Ann Francis and Leslie Nielsen (who I now realize was likely a "Young Vincent Price" to many in that era... as he reminds me of Price in the 40's noirs he did) have a real decent chemistry. Very deep story, great futuristic civilization. I may have to buy my own copy.
The Great Happiness Space.
Inside look at a "Host Club" in Osaka, Japan. The Hosts and their clients (mostly hookers interestingly enough) are extremely forthcoming and honest about who they are and what they do. Most truly have no idea that they are horrible shallow people, who basically live to party and spend great gobs of cash. very very interesting look at what goes on if a girl decides to actually follow one of those "Nampa" guys we used to see at the train stations. Many of my customers at the video store have told me they thought the hosts were gay. But they just look gay. young trendy J-guys throw off your gaydar.
BBC version of Dracula, from the 70's: cleverly titled "Count Dracula". workmanlike re-telling of the classic tale. Jourdan is Wooden acting-tastic. Bland forgettable addition to the Dracula mythos... adds almost nothing without being offensive or annoying. Easy film to have on as background while multi-tasking. The only real awesome part of this is Frank Finlay's oddly charming take on Van Helsing.
Follow the link and the guy writing there loved this stale version of an old story. meh.
Gran Torino
Simply put: the "Unforgiven" of Grumpy Old Men movies.
The International
Directed by Tom Twyker of Run Lola Run fame. It had a really good gun battle at the Guggenheim in NYC. Nice Int'l city locations, and a lot of great modern architecture. Naomi Watts is unusually stiff. Trying to hard for a Nicole Kidman vibe it seemed to me. I especially noticed how Clive Owen does rumpled, unshaven and sleepless really really well. He could be the new Columbo. The movie as a whole is weak, especially upon reflection. The more you think about this one, the more you realize it's missing.
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans
Not nearly as horrible as I thought it would be. (kinda like the first two) Not that it was any kind of "Cinema" mind you. But some harmless Vampire/Werewolf Soap Operaness. The CG wasn't as awesome as it might have been. But it was decent. Kept striking me as odd that The Werewolf leader was the dude who played David Frost recently. hmmmm. The Head Vampy - Victor was uber campy in his delivery, making for some unintentional giggles at his goofy expressions, that were supposed to be scary, I think. How come there are no girl Lycans in the past? how did they reproduce? Bad movie, that's fun to mock!
In The Electric Mist,
starring Tommy Lee Jones as the identical cousin (slightly less world weary, but only slightly) of his character in No Country... an old racist murder and some modern ones tie together nicely for James Lee Burke's favourite Cajun cop in this well crafted (Bert Tavernier directed) if a bit laggardly paced Cop drama. some decent cameos from Ned Beatty, Mary Steenburgen... John Goodman isn't trying very hard, but is still funny. He may have lost weight... hard to say.
Scarecrow
with Hackman & Pacino both at the peak of their powers. Bang. One of the best Buddy filns of all time, from the guy who made the also awesome "Panic In Needle Park" - Jerry Schatzberg. Scarecrow has all the great elements of the Buddy Picture (Which has de-evolved in modern times into these so called "Bromance comedies".) Hackman & Pacino have great chemistry and all the homo-eroticism is nicely veiled in subtext and clever hotdog jokes. Also motherfucking stunning cinematography (from Vilmos Zsigmond who was also in an early 70's groove having previously lenses The Long Goodbye, McCabe & Mrs. Miller to name a few.) in this flick. Early 70's American Road movies is how I imagine America when I feel like imagining America..
... very odd indie kinda sci-fi/fantasy something or other. highly stylized, possibly edited on a laptop, but if you can get past the awkward WTF first 15 minutes or so it starts getting coherent and the various stories become obviously linked. One of those movies that were I in a different mood I may have turned off, but am glad I didn't. Basically there's a dreamlands story running parallel to an increasingly tragic real life story about a high powered executive who ignores his family and has to learn a lesson the hard alt.timeline way. The villains are uber creepy, the heroes... a bit too second matrix rave people looking,and the rock video editing is somewhat overdone, but all in all an ok ride.
Night Of The Comet ...
very fun slightly post apocalyptic movie, with far less zombie action than you'd think based on the cover of the box. But even so, an interesting tale of 80's psychology, and mall grown teens. Has Chakotay in an early role.
Forbidden Planet
Holds up very well. I think I'm developing an interest in Walter Pidgeon films. Great Star Trek-y template of a "villain". This movie is the basic plot of 1/2 the episodes of TOS ST. Gorgeously shot. Ann Francis and Leslie Nielsen (who I now realize was likely a "Young Vincent Price" to many in that era... as he reminds me of Price in the 40's noirs he did) have a real decent chemistry. Very deep story, great futuristic civilization. I may have to buy my own copy.
The Great Happiness Space.
Inside look at a "Host Club" in Osaka, Japan. The Hosts and their clients (mostly hookers interestingly enough) are extremely forthcoming and honest about who they are and what they do. Most truly have no idea that they are horrible shallow people, who basically live to party and spend great gobs of cash. very very interesting look at what goes on if a girl decides to actually follow one of those "Nampa" guys we used to see at the train stations. Many of my customers at the video store have told me they thought the hosts were gay. But they just look gay. young trendy J-guys throw off your gaydar.
BBC version of Dracula, from the 70's: cleverly titled "Count Dracula". workmanlike re-telling of the classic tale. Jourdan is Wooden acting-tastic. Bland forgettable addition to the Dracula mythos... adds almost nothing without being offensive or annoying. Easy film to have on as background while multi-tasking. The only real awesome part of this is Frank Finlay's oddly charming take on Van Helsing.
Follow the link and the guy writing there loved this stale version of an old story. meh.
Gran Torino
Simply put: the "Unforgiven" of Grumpy Old Men movies.
The International
Directed by Tom Twyker of Run Lola Run fame. It had a really good gun battle at the Guggenheim in NYC. Nice Int'l city locations, and a lot of great modern architecture. Naomi Watts is unusually stiff. Trying to hard for a Nicole Kidman vibe it seemed to me. I especially noticed how Clive Owen does rumpled, unshaven and sleepless really really well. He could be the new Columbo. The movie as a whole is weak, especially upon reflection. The more you think about this one, the more you realize it's missing.
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans
Not nearly as horrible as I thought it would be. (kinda like the first two) Not that it was any kind of "Cinema" mind you. But some harmless Vampire/Werewolf Soap Operaness. The CG wasn't as awesome as it might have been. But it was decent. Kept striking me as odd that The Werewolf leader was the dude who played David Frost recently. hmmmm. The Head Vampy - Victor was uber campy in his delivery, making for some unintentional giggles at his goofy expressions, that were supposed to be scary, I think. How come there are no girl Lycans in the past? how did they reproduce? Bad movie, that's fun to mock!
In The Electric Mist,
starring Tommy Lee Jones as the identical cousin (slightly less world weary, but only slightly) of his character in No Country... an old racist murder and some modern ones tie together nicely for James Lee Burke's favourite Cajun cop in this well crafted (Bert Tavernier directed) if a bit laggardly paced Cop drama. some decent cameos from Ned Beatty, Mary Steenburgen... John Goodman isn't trying very hard, but is still funny. He may have lost weight... hard to say.
Scarecrow
with Hackman & Pacino both at the peak of their powers. Bang. One of the best Buddy filns of all time, from the guy who made the also awesome "Panic In Needle Park" - Jerry Schatzberg. Scarecrow has all the great elements of the Buddy Picture (Which has de-evolved in modern times into these so called "Bromance comedies".) Hackman & Pacino have great chemistry and all the homo-eroticism is nicely veiled in subtext and clever hotdog jokes. Also motherfucking stunning cinematography (from Vilmos Zsigmond who was also in an early 70's groove having previously lenses The Long Goodbye, McCabe & Mrs. Miller to name a few.) in this flick. Early 70's American Road movies is how I imagine America when I feel like imagining America..
I've recently been watching ST:V from the beginning, and have a newfound love of Robert Beltran. I'll have to track down a copy of Night of the Comet!
ReplyDeleteI <3 glib film reviews... You might like my friend's versions, which remind me of yours: They're all at http://www.imdb.com/user/ur12837856/comments?start=0&summary=on&order=alpha