08/23/06 From Justin To Kelly

From Justin To Kelly (2003), directed by Robert Iscove

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home; suggested by Jason

I feel dirty. I feel ashamed. I feel dirty and ashamed to have watched this film, admitted to having watched this film, not being able to leave the viewing of this film until its entirety, and finally having to write about my thoughts after having watched said film, digesting it and then regurgitating any information about it back out. I use the word "regurgitate" not only to show my thesaurus skills, but simply because the film made me want to literally vomit. I see what evil games you are up to Jason, putting me into a compromising position by having to watch this film at all...simply to prove something by winning the "Side Bet." But does it all have to come at such a high price, as the sanctity of my Challenge and the level of quality that I have grown accustomed to enjoying as a seasoned film critic? Obviosuly every man has his price, and mine unfortunately had to include this pile of crap as a bargaining chip (or should I say cow chip?). What can I say about this nauseatingly abhorrent and wretched piece of garbage that hasn't already been said about such lovely things as the Black Plague and clubbing baby seals?! It falls under the same category of water cooler conversational talk as both those previous two issues. Only in this film, the plotline and acting skills are reminiscent of the atrocities of the Plague, and we as viewing audience are the baby seals. I don't want to even talk about the plot...suffice it so as a sickeningly bad "Beach Blanket Bingo" romp with two "American Idol" wanna-be stars in the roles of Frankie and Annette. Oh, and MTV never made Spring Break debauchery look this fun and tantalizing! Could their have possibly been a more demoralizing moment in cinema history than when the geniuses who came up with this harebrained idea pitched it to the studio suits, and not only did they not laugh them off the property calling them four-letter-words...but actually approved the debacle to happen, costing many innocent lives to be lost?! Not that anyone physically died in the making of the movie (to my knowledge...save that horrible hovercraft accident), but that everyone's souls died a little. The title of the film should not read "From Justin To Kelly," but rather "From Putrid To Smelly." Save your soul.

1 out of 5 stars

08/22/06 Brick

Brick (2005), directed by Rian Johnson

watched Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home; suggested by Joel

Set amidst a contemporary American high school, this unconventional film puts a teenage spin on the noir genre. Unassuming lead man Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), gets sucked into a shady world of local druglords, thugs, and double-crosses when he happens across the dead body of his ex-girlfriend Emily...who only days before had mysteriously tried to reach out for him in a dire time of need. However, the circumstances of Emily's disappearance and subsequent murder are all very diluted by converging characters and motives...so Brendan sets out to right a wrong by bringing her killer to justice. What this outsider possesses is determination, acute street-smarts and intellect, a peer with inside info named The Brain, and a ballsy persona to back up his detective swagger. What he doesn't have is a clue...at first. All he knows is that he needs to hide the body until something can be proven, to shake the feds and the school administration, and make cozy with the local druglord The Pin (Lukas Haas) that may provide the valid information he needs to put Emily to rest. He becomes a man obsessed with the truth, going to any cost to find it...and you start to forget just how young these characters are portraying. They have colorful names and backgrounds, all representing some metaphorical sect in society...Dode the addict, Kara the temptress, Brad the jock, Laura the rich girl, and Tugger the thug. The story is held together by creative adventure, hip street smarts, and an amazing use of dialogue. The dialogue alone holds the movie. It's hard to describe, but falls somewhere between a modern day Shakespearean dialect (to which Baz Luhrmann's pathetic "Romeo + Juliet" debacle was asinine) and a subtly genius noir commentary where every "dope rat" seems to be "on the take." And the beautiful thing about all the dialogue by theses young actors and new director/writer Johnson...none of it seems forced, becoming a melodic poetry to the beat of the streets. This movie is awesome, on every level. Now, in the immortal words of scraggly hero Brendan..."I've got knives in my eyes, I'm going home sick."

5 out of 5 stars

08/21/06 Uzumaki

Uzumaki (2000), directed by Higuchinsky

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home; suggested by Jason

Let it be known that I have a personal affinity to the shape of a spiral. I always have, probably always will (no matter what scary Japanese cinema tries to hit me with). It's something mesmerizing and hypnotic to look at, I realize that, but it's a calming and natural configuration that can be found in many different instances in life. Whether your talking about a snail shell, staircase, barbershop pole, or ear drum...they all consist of the vertigo-inducing effect of a spiral. "Uzumaki" is the Japenese word for spiral, which in geometric definition is described as "a plane curve generated by a point moving around a fixed point while constantly receding from or approaching it." That's the long way of saying "trippy curved line that makes your eyes bug out!" Long taken as a symbolic treat by hippies and hypnotists alike, the film attempts to address in horrific fairy tale fashion just how entrancing one's fascination with an object can be. Focusing on a small Japanese town where peoples' curiosities of spirals gets out of hand, this dark tale is bewitching and eerie. Young Kirie finds that her boyfriend's father is one of the people in the town who is mysteriously taken in by all things spiral, videotaping for hours on end a snail shell or eating only sushi with a spiral shape to it. The man's obsession with spirals becomes overwhelming, as he slowly slips into a maddening world of objects, losing his grasp on reality. Kirie's father, a potter, also becomes part of the nightmare as he begins shaping pottery that only has spirals in it...and both Kirie and her boyfriend try everything they can to escape the mental clutch the uzumaki have on their town. The inhabitants begin to notice many more things that become sucked into the vortex of these spirals, including one girl's hairdo that weaves into spiralling loops, circling smoke clouds from the crematory, and a brutal suicide by whirling washing machine (which is made even creepier by a nightmare that Leslie had about washing machine deaths only the night before...eerily foreshadowing this movie and her exemption from having to watch it). The macabre tones to the film are offset by wacky antics by the obsessed townsfolk...all giving the film a superb quality of fantasy and fright. Maybe I've been sucked into the evil spiral, but I fell in love with the object and the film.

5 out of 5 stars

08/20/06 My Super Ex-Girlfriend

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), directed by Ivan Reitman

watched w/ Leslie, Janine, Eric, Nick, Tom & Shelby; theater (Blue Ridge Cinema, Raleigh, NC)

Here is a self-proclaimed silly premise, by notoriously goofy director Reitman, and staffed by such big screen hams as Luke Wilson, Uma Thurman and Anna Faris...and all of it works, rather well at that! Of course, we went into the $1 theater with George Washington's in hand hoping for some light-hearted fun on the town (we're cheapskates), but never thought that the film would be anything special. I think the consensus was that it was terribly enjoyable, and kept us laughing throughout. I have to admit, it's a cheesy storyline, but that's the beauty of it. Matt (Luke Wilson) plays a regular guy who never has had much luck with the ladies...that is until he meets equally awkward Jenny (Thurman) who's alter-ego of G-Girl helps keep the city out of danger from bad guys with her super heroics. Things are going great between the pair at first, but when insecure hero G-Girl becomes a bit too clingy and finds jealousy in Matt's officemate/girl pal Hannah (Faris)...Matt wants to tuck tail and run. With the unhelpful advice of best friend and sleazoid Vaughn (Rainn Wilson, aka Dwight from tv's "The Office"), Matt dumps G-Girl as he pines for Hannah...sending the supernatural hormonal rage of one spurned woman out of control. It's like having an ex from Hell, with a chip on their shoulder...and then let the comedic imagination run wild. To make matters worse, Matt is coerced into trying to stop G-Girl's powers by her arch-nemesis/high school sweetheart Professor Bedlam (Eddie Izzard). There is so much comedic talent on display here that it keeps it upbeat and constantly coming at you...plus they love to throw some completely random things in to catch you off-guard. And when I say random, I mean it...let's just say, the next time you tick someone off...make sure they don't throw a shark through your highrise bedroom window. It's Reitman getting back to his solid comedy roots (classics like "Stripes" and "Ghostbusters"), rather than the tripe that he's been dishing out in recent years for meal tickets. He didn't quite jump the shark, just threw it.

4 out of 5 stars

08/19/06 Me Without You

Me Without You (2001), directed by Sandra Goldbacher

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

Finally back home from our long road trip, it was nice to settle down on the couch to watch a rental...rather than being cooped up in the passenger seat of a car stuck in rush hour D.C. traffic. This fractured story of two best friends growing up in London during the 1970's and 80's is a wonderfully unflinching and poignant drama. The two girls, Holly (Michelle Williams) and Marina (Anna Friel), make a childhood pact to remain friends through thick & thin...not knowing what adolescent and adult challenges were to come their way. Both very different, their interests in music, fashion, boys and dysfunctional families keep them constantly connected. Holly is the shy, intelligent, and rather plain one...who comes from a loving home but is constantly put down by her mother for not being quite as pretty as her best friend, and who also happens to have the world's largest crush on Marina's older brother. Marina is the flashy, brash, and sexual one...who comes from a broken home of drug-addicted mother and playboy adultering father, and finds it necessary to keep a tight hold on her best friend by never allowing her to grow as a person. The friendship takes them through extremes in emotion, from the purest joy of youth, jealous control over relationship choices, nagging insecurities placed by their parents, betrayal of trust, and ultimately finding their own ways separately without losing one another. The turmoil comes to a boiling point in college when both young women have affairs with a married professor, and Holly & Marina are forced to address Holly's long standing infatuation with Marina's brother. It's a tale of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, British school girl style...with lots of black eyes and blush to boot. Great soundtrack, raw undertones of the early punk/youth movement in London, contemporary brilliance in the lost generation, and once again a showcase to show how good of an actress Michelle Williams is. Bring on the eyeliner and combat boots!

4 out of 5 stars

08/18/06 My Date With Drew

My Date With Drew (2004), directed by Brian Herzlinger,Jon Gunn & Brett Winn

watched w/ Leslie; DVD (borrowed from Sarah) @ car ride (from Manassas, VA to Franklinton, NC)

Just to clarify, this is not an actual date with my friend Drew (guy) that I have, but rather one man's obsession with one well-known movie star named Drew Barrymore (girl). Let's be honest, who in my age range that was raised on early 1980's films didn't have a crush on angelic Drew in such roles as "E.T." and "Firestarter" only to be in lustful teenage turmoil with her by the seductress role in "Poison Ivy?!" You can't blame this average joe for wanting what most of us did and could never hope to attain...a chance date with the sweet and sensuous bad girl of Hollywood. That fact right there should earn this guy enough to his credit, as he takes on this challenge solely on his infatuation and probably a half-cocked idea after a night of binge drinking with his movie geek buddies. Basically this film acts as a video diary/document of their trials and tribulations of tracking down (at times a level of stalking) Ms. Barrymore to win that date with her in 30 days. We see them through all kinds of half-baked schemes, persistent phone calls to her agents and production teams, maxing out credit cards to "rent" video equipment, crashing "Charlie's Angels" movie premiers with fake ID's (which took some major cojones by the way!), and eventually posting a website to garner interest & support in his ultimate mission. He takes valiant efforts to improve his not-so-suave skills with the ladies; mostly his complete nervousness at being side by side to his idol, in order to play it cool while actually on the date with her. Also, to her credit, Drew plays a touching part in the film. She at first seems like all the other unreachable big time celeb stars in the galaxy, only to have Brian's quest for her presence be a flattering proposal to her...arranging for a meeting for the infamous "date." While the original time frame of 30 days is not met (and there is a very funny montage of the buddies returning the video camera they "bought" at Circuit City back without the glory of accomplishing their feat), the date does still happen...and is a wonderful payoff for the movie geek in all of us. It's a cute idea about a cute chick, one that took some effort to produce...and perhaps got these guys on their own way to stardom. Or not...I heard their next project is called "My Date With Tara Reid" and it is far less classy, with the potential for nip slips.

3 out of 5 stars

08/17/06 Sense And Sensibility

Sense And Sensibility (1995), directed by Ang Lee

watched w/ Leslie & Leslie's Mom (partially); VHS (personal copy) @ Leslie's Mom's house (Bethlehem, PA)

Yet another Jane Austen adaptation. Yet another period piece dramedy. Yet another heart-tugging tale of love, betrayal, class systems, British wit, and formal dances. The company that I watched this with obviously is more drawn to such matters than I, but how can I refuse such intelligent women the right to enjoy such fare? I can't play so macho all the way though, I did find the film lighthearted and funny at times...plus Kate Winslet is a bit of a hottie in a corset. Once we settled over who's copy of the film it was, we settled down for a nice lazy afternoon viewing. Kate Winslet plays the middle daughter of a bevy of buxom beauties who's father has very recently passed, leaving the estate in the hands of the eldest son from another marriage (and who's wife wants the girls to have nothing to do with the family riches). Therefore, and as the customs of the era would have it, all of the young (well, some more spinster than young) women need to look to marriageability as a means to survive. Marianne (Winslet) is joined by older unmarried sister Elinor (Emma Thompson) in the search for love and marriage, being the titular opposites as one relies more on common sense and the other a hopeless dreamer. Elinor falls for suave Edward (Hugh Grant), who fails to mention he's secretly engaged...Marianne falls for dashing Willoughby, who fails to mention he's promised in marriage to another...all the while having Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) pine for Marianne's interest in him. All relationships get tested to the breaking point, feelings are hurt, hearts are broken, lessons are learned...and guess what?! Everything works out in the end...shocker. Willoughby is tossed out of the picture, as true love prevails with Col. Brandon sticking with Marianne through thick & thin. Edward realizes his tragic mistake in honesty, apologizes, and is welcomed back with open arms. Not to say that women of the time were not strong and resourceful in wit...it's just a shame to think that these are the blokes they had to choose from and rely on so heavily for their futures. What's funny is that the tables today seem to be turned in reality, where I'm sure Kate Winslet has much more box-office pull than say solid actor Alan Rickman (here where Leslie discovered him) can hope to muster...thereby putting the men in the role of trying to make themselves look presentable at the local ball in their neck ties, pining away for a princess on a white horse to come and whisk them away to brighter Hollywood futures and riches. Where the heck am I going with this?! The movie was fun, but sad at parts...I'm just glad I got to see it with Leslie & her mom, as they both seem to enjoy it tremendously (hence the fight over who's copy it is).

3 out of 5 stars

08/16/06 Spider

Spider (2002), directed by David Cronenberg

watched solo; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ car ride (Lincoln, Ontario; from Syracuse, NY to Conklin, NY); suggested by Jason

Considering that this was my first ever jaunt into Canada, I wanted to represent (and partially watch while we ate breakfast) a film by a native or set in this wonderful country of hockey, maple leaves, and free health care. In my rush to pack for the road trip, I perhaps didn't research quite as extensively about it as I could have...but Jason suggested to me one of the finest (and weirdest) Canadians to ever walk the cinematic planet. Yes, Cronenberg was the pick to represent the Canucks...for better or worse. I have been wanting forever to watch his adaptation of "Naked Lunch," and remake of "The Fly," but settled on another off-the-radar bit called "Spider." You know when you're getting into a Cronenberg story, you'll be hitting some rather odd speedbumps along the way...more than likely being left disturbed or intrigued to some fetish fixation. So, that is precisely what I got here with this film. His direction and sense of mood are uncanny, yet this particular plot made me a little too muddled to enjoy it. Ralph Fiennes plays Dennis "Spider" Cleg, who as a thiry-something old man is being released back into society after years in a mental institution to treat his acute schizophrenia. After leaving the institution, Spider attempts to piece his fragile life together, and enlists residency in a halfway house in London. There, with the crazy characters he lives with and a strict Nurse Rathced-type, Spider begins to relive his suppressed memories of his mother's death and disturbed childhood. In his dreams/memories, Spider reenacts how Oedipal his relationship with his mother (Miranda Richardson) was, how he hated his father (Gabriel Byrne) whom he held responsible for her murder, and his sexual nature based upon habits of the tramps in the local tavern. This kid has got some serious serious issues. Now, as an adult, those issues have never been fully healed...so he is left to his incoherent ramblings in his journal, and his bundle of neuroses to guide him through an abnormal life. Again, the tone set by the filming and cinematography is great...there is solid acting (albeit it's not hard to act completely insane I would think...just get someone drunk enough)...but overall I thought it was a pretty average attempt at mental disorders. I mean, Cronenberg has got to be one of the kings of movie mental disorders...blame Canada.

3 out of 5 stars

08/15/06 Niagara

Niagara (1953), directed by Henry Hathaway

watched w/ Leslie (separately); DVD rental (Netflix) @ car ride (from Saratoga Springs, NY to Westmoreland, NY)

Very fitting of a title to watch today, considering the next big stop on our road trip was to be Niagara Falls. Leslie & I took turns watching the movie as the other one drove onwards toward our destination. This movie is primarily about three things, and they all involve some thrills and excitement. First, one of the foremost natural wonders of the world. Second, a murder mystery involving infidelity and fugitiveness. Third, star Marilyn Monroe in a role that is referred to as one of a "shameless hussy" (but in what movie is she not referred to as one of those?) with ulterior motives. Set a course for fun and adventure, and expect to get soaked in the process, either crying in your popcorn of riding on the Maid Of The Mist. The movie was Leslie's idea, and the trip to Niagara was both of ours...and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed both. In the film, Monroe plays Rose, a cheating wife of the ill-struck George who has had enough of marriage and wants out by any means necessary. She plots to kill him with her secret lover by staging very public displays of their marital woes to a new vacationing couple, Polly and Ray, who are staying in the cabin beside them. By the way, the cabins they stay at are called the Rainbow Cabins, and we never did see them on the Canadian side as we drove about...who knows?! Polly soon discovers that Rose has been having an affair, and can't convince anyone of the fact that she believes Rose to have been part of the failed attempt to murder George (who is now missing having killed Rose's lover). Oh, what a tangled web we weave. It must be the Falls, they do crazy things to people...or maybe it's just that Rose is a floozy, Polly is nosy, George is creepy, and Ray is the most annoying man on the face of the Earth. Anyway, all the loose ends get tied up nicely in the end, but not without some more juicy murder, kidnappings, and tragic boat rides over the powerful Falls! Yes, the only thing more exciting than the movie was our reality in visiting Niagara. We had the most beautiful weather in the day, got to view them from both the New York and Canadian sides, climbed an observation tower, took a rain-slicker provided trip on the Maid Of The Mist, saw rainbows shooting past the walls of spray, hiked up some of the same slippery slopes (albeit the handrails were a bit more up to code than the 1950's counterparts that had Polly nearly fall to her death in a chase scene) as in the film, and topped it off with a breath-taking (and vertigo-inducing) dinner atop the Skylon Tower which inclues a fancy revolving dining room to take in the views from 775 feet high above. It was a good movie, and a great visit for the both of us.

3 out of 5 stars

08/14/06 The Crow: Salvation

The Crow: Salvation (2000), directed by Bharat Nalluri

watched solo; DVD (personal copy) @ car ride (from East Dixfield, ME to St. Johnsbury, VT)

Wow, this trip has been so amazing so far...we spent time with family, and then we reached one of our destinations at Acadia National Park in Maine to be at one with nature (and avoid the grizzly bears)...then we headed off to experience a little man-made loving in Vermont with the Ben & Jerry's factory tour. Yup, a little respite from stress-ville...a sort of salvation from our daily hustle & bustle if you will...nice segue Brad! Yes, this film has slipped through the cracks for me over the last few years, as I was a huge fan of the original "Crow" film, a wonderful adaptation from the James O'Barr graphic comic book series. With all the tragedy that befell that particular filming of a franchise...I try not to look at the continuation of said franchise to seem watered down or greedy in basis. For me, a bit fantastical I know, the stories may seem very similar, but they hold the true essence of what "The Crow" legend is all about. A sort of inhuman redemption and rebirth amidst dire tragedy, a vengeful vigilante of justice, and sexy in its gothic swagger. Yeah, this movie is a sequel, but every bit as rock star as the previous two. Here, Alex Corvin (kind of like the "Batman" series, continually played by a different leading man...here Eric Mabius) has been framed for the murder of his beautiful young girlfriend and sentenced to be executed. Using the dark magic of the crow, and the legend that "love is stronger than death," Alex re-emerges as the incarnation of the crow figure to settle his score. Enlisting the reluctant help of his girlfriend's sister Erin (Kirsten Dunst), Alex must prove his innocence and lay revenge upon the crooked system and authorities that framed him. He struggles with the memories of his girlfriend haunting him, never allowing him to rest until everything is set right. The story takes little time to set you right into the action, with its dark comedic tones and industrial strength soundtrack...behold the bloody rollercoaster of fun! I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it was terribly campy and misunderstood by critics. I don't know what it really has to do with ice cream...but I'm about to go and leave my trademark ice cream imprint behind when I kill a pint at Ben & Jerry's, sending them to the Flavor Graveyard.

4 out of 5 stars

08/13/06 Sheba, Baby

Sheba, Baby (1975), directed by William Girdler

watched solo; DVD (personal copy) @ car ride (from Kennebunk, ME to Newport, ME)

I racked my brain to think of what film might best symbolize our visit to Maine and the coastal town of Bar Harbor to see the serene Atlantic Ocean and its islands. You know what I came up with...this hard-hitting, no-punches-pulled blaxploitation stalwart starring the strong sexy mama Pam Grier. Yes, nothing delivers a punch in the gut better to the pansy white-bread elite of New England (hey, didn't President Bush used to vacation in these here parts?!) than this you-know-what-busting tigress of the action genre. OK, it has nothing at all to do with the location, I just thought it would be fun. Unfortunately, I liked this film better the first & second time I saw it when it was either "Coffy" or "Foxy Brown." Yes, like any franchise or superstar of cinema of yesteryear or today...they beat the series into the ground for the sake of big bucks and trends. Alas, Pam Grier is sexy, sophisticated and bad-ass as ever, but the plot is so re-hashed and dumbed down that it wasn't exciting enough as it should have been. Pam is Sheba, who is a tough Chicago detective used to cleaning up city scum...who is forced to return to hometown Louisville, KY when her proud businessman father is stricken down by local thugs pushing in on his territory. While back home, Sheba reunites with former flame Brick (they do have great names though in these over-the-top action films), who helps her stick it to the bad guys (who lead by a man named Shark all have clever marine names like Hammerhead, Pilot and Fin). You can always count on some gratuitous cleavage shots, as well as some creative torture/killing techniques. The funniest had to be when trying to get pimp to talk, Sheba stuffs his head out of a moving car while going through a car automatic car wash...with the hot wax coming! Plus, there had to be what may have been one of the first real jet ski/boat chases on film, which was cool...but in the end, it was the same overly hyped crud that often fills the screen to sell tickets today.

2 out of 5 stars

08/12/06 All Over The Guy

All Over The Guy (2001), directed by Julie Davis

watched w/ Leslie & Jenny; DVD (Jenny's copy) @ Jenny's house (Northampton, MA)

Since we are visiting Leslie's wonderful sister Jenny in the very liberal and progressive city of Northampton...I thought I would give another Julie Davis movie (see the post for "I Love You, Don't Touch Me") a chance. I can expand my horizons to think that not all of her movies are crap...but there was an outside chance this would be too. The director sticks with her motives of bringing out the sexual natures of modern day relationships, putting a hetero/homo-sexual spin on it. This contemporary contemplation of commitment and copulation (alliteratively speaking) goes above and beyond the humor, wit and insight that her prior work did simply on such attempts of landing a spectacular ensemble cast...and lead by actor/screenwriter Dan Bucatinsky. Interesting side note on Bucatinsky...he is (or at least one time was) the partner of one of my favorite directors to explore modern day sexuality Don Roos (of "Opposite Of Sex" and "Happy Endings" fame), thus enlisting some cameo acting appearances by the likes of Christina Ricci and Lisa Kudrow. Back to the plot though...Eli is a gay man who is best friends with hetero male Brett (always funny Adam Goldberg), when the pair of buddies stumble across another pair of best friends Tom (gay) & Jackie (hetero female). Now the romantic triangle or quadrangle or whatever can ensue...as Brett & Jackie try to pair Eli & Tom up, at first to no avail, then they do like each other, then Brett & Jackie fall for each other, then Eli & Tom hate each other...yadda yadda. It gets much more complicated than that, but it delves humorously but sensitively into the hang-ups that most people have when entering into relationships with emotional baggage. Some hold that baggage from past bad relationships, some from overbearing parental units...some are just freaks on their own. In any respect, all the uneasiness and tension run their course through every emotion possible in the film...as the two sets of friends struggle to keep their friendships and their romances intact. It's much more polished and clever attempt at bed-hopping vs. monogamy by director Davis...as she reached into her bag of indie film tricks to solidify it as a good film. She secretly incorporated a light & airy jazz score to the background of the peoples' lives, sucking us into a world of occupational underachieving, over-sexed, witty-retorting twenty-somethings with a poetic look at life. It was good already, no need for the indie cred. Now I will go back to enjoying my indie cred of sparkling wines, gourmet cheeses, tag sales, i-pods, PFLAG and pita wedges with my progressive thinking present company.

3 out of 5 stars

08/11/06 Oldboy

Oldboy (2003), directed by Chan-Wook Park

watched solo; DVD rental (Netflix) @ car ride (from Meredithville, VA to Dumfries, VA); suggested by Jason

Finally, three things that I have been waiting for have decided to coincide on one beautiful afternoon travelling on the interstate. First, Leslie & I are leaving for our annual X-Country road trip to the great Northeast and to visit family (a much needed vacation from work). Second, I've been wanting to see this film ever since it was released Stateside last year...garnering much acclaim for its stunningly dark imagery and headcase of a test to the human will. And then third, this is now the first film in the Challenge to be tackled in the sub-category of "Side Bet" (see past posts) posed by my best friend and web-page guru Jason. I'm still not sold on the idea of completing this secondary challenge (although it does seem to hold a better consolation prize than the entire Challenge itself)...but this is one in the list of 13 films that I knew I wanted to catch anyway. So, without further ado...I give you "Oldboy." This intense thriller proves to be a wickedly devilish challenge of the human mind when forced to the brink of insanity, as only the extreme Asian cinema can provide. Those sadistic bastards. Here, upon a drunken night of celebration Dae-su is arrested and then quickly abducted, vanishing into the night. Dae-su awakens in a dilapidated room that he quickly learns to be some sort of furnished prison cell. Panicking from the confusion, Dae-su is never told of why he is imprisoned...suffering only the human guinea-pig experiments that his captors want to play on him. No matter what physical limitations they put on Dae-su, it is ultimately a mental and psychological hell that they have branded him with. It is in this miserable state that Dae-su is subjected to live out 15 years of his life in captivity, with only the t.v. to be his connection to the outside world. He begins a regimen of training himself physcially and mentally to prepare for his eventual escape...which to his disbelief, happens suddenly and with a little help from his captor. Nothing is explained, it simply happens...and so continues the freakish experiment on Dae-su as he is constantly observed from a distance to see what his actions will be. Coming to his aid is a lovely young woman by the name of Mido, and his long-lost best friend Joo-hwan...and his nemesis is revealed to be a face from his past. The reasons for his imprisonment and who is behind it all becomes slowly and methodically revealed to Dae-su, letting him into the deepest and darkest caverns of the human psyche. There are depths that no man should fall to, but Dae-su's captors make sure that he live them out endlessly. The story is so deep and layered, and extremely delicate of a woven fabric...which will all come unravelled in the end. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that it is bloody and bloody disturbing. I think the understated segments early in the film work best, and save for the over-the-top kind of expected ending...I was completely in love with this twisted flick. I think if it would have remained a bit more restrained in its trauma, I may have given it the highest rating...but alas, it messed with my head a bit too much. Still an incredible film that I highly recommend...not at all hard to fit into the Side Bet.

4 out of 5 stars

08/10/06 Cho Revolution

Cho Revolution (2004), directed by Lorene Machado

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home

I would like to say that the only reason I even rented this film tonight was to honor a much more important local film festival that I was not going to be able to go to...at which comedienne Margaret Cho would be one of the key performers. The great film festival that I speak of is the North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and it had a lot of interesting films being shown. Unfortunately, Leslie & I were packing our luggage for our annual X-Country road trip and needed to stay home with a cozy rental. Since she was performing on stage, I thought...what better (or worse) than to watch one of her previous stand-up routine films to get us in the mood. Well, nothing could have gotten me out of the mood (whatever mood that could have possibly been) quicker than this crap. And speaking of crap...that may have been the only glimmer of funny in her whole routine, when she waxes poetic about the ever pressing social issues of...crapping your pants while sitting in your car on the interstate. Yes, that's about the gist of her performance here...dung, to put it a little more scientifically. I never thought that Cho was all that funny to begin with, but this attempt at stand-up comedy is horrible, and she should quit her day job. Pronto. It's sad to see a cult favorite who is followed so feverishly by fans (when she knows her audience, she sticks with it...never trying to broaden her comedic horizons) become a parody of even themselves. She's a shallow shell of her former self, which in retrospect was never a full comedic self anyway. She plays all of her jokes like kicking a dead horse, whether they be sexual, political, or familial in nature...they are always the same. And when they don't even work here, she drones on with weird noises and antics to get the crowd riled up...and it doesn't work. She bombs, but her fans seem to be so die-hard that they won't let her bomb with dignity...so they egg her on with laughter and applause. I'm sorry, it was a waste of a couple bucks, and I'm so glad that we never wasted any more dinero on seeing her live in concert tonight. Beyond that regret, I'm more sorry that we couldn't find time to make it to a showing of the film festival...which I consider a respectable affair, and one that may show some intelligent insight into the personal life and talented performances that the gay & lesbian population have to offer to the mainstream society. That is the revolution that I would want to be a part of...but lets ditch Cho on our way to the parade!

1 out of 5 stars

08/09/06 Stagecoach

Stagecoach (1939), directed by John Ford

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD (borrowed from parents) @ home

By most accounts, this is the one that started it all. And by all, I mean specifically the modern day cinematic western including the poster-boy for American cowboy epics, John Wayne. Wayne was put into the lead role as The Ringo Kid by director (and future collaborator) Ford, launching him into an overnight sensation...and the rest was history for the now famous "Duke." Here, Wayne joins a cast of characters that embark on a simple stagecoach ride through the American frontier west. The Ringo Kid is a wanted cowboy out for family revenge, and is joined on his ride by the sheriff, a drunken doctor, gentleman card shark, pregnant woman searching for her soldier husband, crooked banker, meek whiskey salesman, and a beautiful and sweet prostitute who has been run out of town for her immoralities. It's enough jokers to make up any "Clue" board game mystery, but this time they all have to work together to get through town, and avoid the threat of war between the Apache chief Geronimo and the U.S. Calvary. Once the calvary can go no further, the stagecoach and its passengers must find the common denominator of survival amongst their quarrelsome attitudes, and learn from each other. It's a very simplified story, with obvious generational prejudices included, that tells of the human spirit for all its good traits and bad. With the gorgeous backdrop of late 19th century American west (Arizona and New Mexico), the impending threats to the group only heighten the contrast of their personal seclusions to the vast expanse of raw uncharted land. It's a story, short and sweet, that interplays action with messages to establish a landmark in cinema and one of its most well-known stars. For whatever good or bad its worth, both of those historical stamps have been put into our modern day framework, and proven the major influential impact of American filmmaking.

4 out of 5 stars

08/08/06 The Producers

The Producers (2005), directed by Susan Stroman

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home

Alright, the premise has got to seem so watered down from the original by now...so I went in with no high expectations, and hearing very mixed reviews about this latest installment (see, way to cash in on a good thing). We all know the routine by now, right? Let's take a classic cinematic spoof (Mel Brooks' original 1968 hit), put it on Broadway (art imitates life or vice versa?), make millions, take the same cast from Broadway (Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane) and make another movie/remake/adaptation of it circa now, and oh yeah...let's add some more star quality to the billboard to make it stick. So, that leaves us with a watered down premise that still has to induce some laughs that made us chuckle so many years ago...but we can dance more I guess. OK, I'm a cynic at heart, but I must say that I was at least not disappointed by this one. That may not be the greatest praise that a film could receive, but considering the route it took to get here, not bad. Broderick (taking over for brilliant Gene Wilder) plays mousey and neurotic accountant Leo Bloom, who has come into business with former Broadway king Max Bialystock (Lane taking over for rotund Zero Mostel) in order to get his finances in order. Max is hurting for a hit and some fame again, forced to romance old widowed socialites for money, when Leo comes along with a suggestion. He suggests that it could be more lucrative for them to gather financiers' checks to put on a sure-fire flop of a play, than to have to produce a hit that would eventually pay out to the investors. With this "take the money and run" approach, the two men concoct a madcap plan to put on the worst fiasco Broadway has ever seen...which leads us to the infamous play "Springtime For Hitler" written by escaped Nazi Franz Liebkind (Will Ferrell), and starring air-headed Swedish bombshell Ulla (Uma Thurman). With a band of characters in tow, the film hits bumps along the way with lack of originality...but still keeps the goofs going with bad taste, corny jokes and witty musical numbers. It's a decent comedy, nothing spectacular (which now looking at the original with Wilder & Mostel, we had). I guess it's hard to keep that success translating from stage to screen...or was that screen to stage to screen to...oh forget it.

3 out of 5 stars

08/07/06 The Return

The Return (2003), directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

Talk about a bleak tale of growing up, set in an even more gloomy landscape of cold mother Russia. Not to pigeonhole an entire nation based on old jokes or the thematic elements of one film in particular, but it paints a very desolate picture for the life that two boys lead in this small coastal Russian village. The story is a very powerful and moving one, depressing and emotional in scope...but almost ceremoniously apt for the two boys' test of manhood. The two teenage Russian boys, elder Andrei and younger Ivan, who have been raised by their mother only to have their father mysteriously appear back in their lives after a 12 year absence with no explanation of his whereabouts. Andrei is physically stronger and more daring of the boys, yet his simple-minded approach to their father's return is one of desperation for a male role model...so he overlooks the reasoning for his absence and looks up to the man. However, younger Ivan, a bit more timid with his peers, has no problems showing his pure anger and embittered nature to the man who abandoned the family when needed. Despite the emotional conflicts the young boys have, the father continues to half-heartedly attempt a reconciliation with them by taking them on a weekend fishing trip to a remote island. (Why this is at all a good idea by the mother to allow this with no questions asked is a bit more telling of a parental skill than even the utter lack of them by the father). On this bumpy trip, the boys soon learn that not only does the father struggle with his own temper in trying to "discipline" the children...but the reasons for his absence seem to revolve around his sordid business dealings, with little hints being dropped but never actually addressed on screen. Every turn in the film is some sort of revelation by the youngsters, guilt by the father, awkward bonding between all parties, and finally a cold growing pain of the harsh realities of life. It's truly unbelievable how talented the young actors are in their delivery, as well as new director Zvyagintsev's sense of touch, and furthermore the overall blue-twinged tonal qualities of the film. The fishing trip becomes very symbolic, almost of mythic proportions, as it follows each person on a journey of actualization...without ever making that trip clear to the viewer. The movements and actions are tragic and revealing, touching and devastating...and keep you intrigued until the very end. If you're looking for an upper, don't look here...however, if you're looking to drown your sorrows in some vodka...eureka!

4 out of 5 stars

08/06/06 High School Musical

High School Musical (2006), directed by Kenny Ortega

watched w/ Leslie & Rebecca; DVD (borrowed from Rebecca) @ home

After yesterday's praise for picking a delightful movie...I have to fault my sister Becca here for being...well, just being a pre-teenage girl I guess. Nothing wrong with that, it just seems to be in their nature (heck, I guess even older girls too) to enjoy ridiculously goofy high school antics, or musical numbers for no apparent reason, or the cute boy getting to be with the cute girl of his dreams...no matter what the rest of the in-crowd says! Yes, folks, I succumbed to the choice of my 11 year-old sister once again, to make her (and Leslie) happy...and wound up watching this junk. Not even the title could be clever...simply pointing out exactly what you were in for. Unfortunately for me, those two things were items that I have always despised...high school and musicals. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, with nowhere to hide my eyes or cover my ears. I had to remain strong, and fight through this torture like any prisoner of war might have to. Chinese water torture could have been better than this, I can only imagine. Need I even describe the film? It's hokey from the get-go, and it never lets up with it's cheeseball factor running in the red zone the entire time. Yeah, they sing songs about falling in love, being from separate school clicks, basketball, bookworms, and the paramount year-end school play. All the actors (uhh, can I even say that? They're basically high school kids who think they're cool) are horrible, the songs bore a gaping hole into the side of your brain and fill it with garbage, and the dancing...well, I dare say the whole thing sickens me to no end. I have serious doubts about our youth and the future generations based solely on this glamorized headache. I couldn't even make fun of it properly, being constantly bombarded with juvenile sing-a-longs, corny jokes and brilliantly white-toothed smiles. Ugghhh, it was like a automobile accident between Barney's purple people eater bus and a Mini Cooper Mentos ad. For the sake of humanity, obey the speed limit and avoid the falling rocks that this film will provide. Stick to the status quo. Oh god, it's too late for me.

1 out of 5 stars

08/05/06 Akeelah And The Bee

Akeelah And The Bee (2006), directed by Doug Atchison

watched w/ Leslie & Rebecca; theater (Blue Ridge Cinema, Raleigh, NC)

Leslie & I are hosting my little sister Rebecca to a weekend of fun in the big city, so after our pizza dinner and Ben & Jerry's pit stop...I let Becca choose the film to catch at the $1 theater. She chose this one, and at first I thought it was going to be like any other cheesy child prodigy type movie...think "The Wizard" or "Searching For Bobby Fischer" (which oddly enough had Laurence Fishburne again in the role of stoic mentor to the prodigy)...that would run the typical gamut of formulaic inspirational dramas. However, I have to give credit to my little sister on picking out a much more intelligent and heart-warming picture in this one. I was pleasantly surprised to with this tale of young Akeelah (newcomer Keke Palmer) who is an exceptionally smart kid who has had to deal with incredibly difficult things in her young life. Akeelah has lost her loving father, has a busy mother who is trying her best to provide for her family at the expense of spending time with them, a sister who is herself a single mother, a brother who's a wannabe gangster, and all the other everyday turmoil of growing up in the ghetto of South Central L.A. Akeelah channels her anger and sadness through one particular aspect of her genius, that of spelling words and the learning of their definitions. Her gift seems a burden to her, a constant source of ridicule from classmates, but is recognized by teachers to be an incredible one that could land her a spot in the Scripps National Spelling Bee (www.spellingbee.com). While enlisting the help of word guru Dr. Larabee (Fishburne), Akeelah begins to realize her potential, learn some important life lessons, and galvanize the interest and support of her local community, family and friends. It's a truly inspirational story for everyone, and the actors make the scenarios seem believable yet magical all at the same time. It allows a glimpse into a competitive world of academia for youngsters (if you really want to see the heated battles of wordplay, check out the documentary "Spellbound" of recent years), and shows the always engaging storyline of achieving one's dreams when putting your mind to it. Kind of like my silly little quest of this year to achieve 365 days in a row of watching a film. I'm dedicated, and to prove it...look at tonight's feature, where we got stuck in a long line to get tickets into the cinema...missed about 5 minuted of the beginning...I stayed through the rest of the film's entirety...then sat in the theater while the employees cleaned the aisles for the next showing a half hour later...all in order to catch the beginning and thereby keep the streak alive. Now, if only someday they make an inspirational film about me.

4 out of 5 stars

08/04/06 The Family Stone

The Family Stone (2005), directed by Thomas Bezucha

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ home & car ride (Raleigh, NC)

Here's one that I should have known better about...but alas, was drawn into that hit-or-miss-terribly section of romantic comedy in the video store. I definitely didn't expect much from this ensemble American-slice-of-family-life trip, but I thought that some of the cast would shine through with winning performances (namely Diane Keaton, Luke Wilson, and Rachel McAdams)...and knew that others would be well, um less convincing (namely Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, and Claire Danes). So, it was middle of the emotional road for me. An overused family dramedy plot of bringing ever home together for the holidays, and toss in some new girlfriend/boyfriend who doesn't quite fit in, nor will anyone in the family let them...so that hi-jinks/hurt feelings ensue, only to be brought screeching back to reality by some brooding drama that makes the family unit tighter, accepts the outsider, and soldier on through adversity. Did I cover it all? Don't get me wrong, there were some very touching moments...the most for me being where mother Keaton and father Craig T. Nelson share a bittersweet romantic gesture in bed, as she longs for his sexual embrace on her chest that has been marred by mastectomy. That was hard, but sweet at the same time. It's the surrounding squabbles and relationship love triangles that get frustrating. Brother brings home uptight city chick to dysfunctional 'burbs, he plans to pop the question...but upon her receiving a chilly reception from the brood, she hates it there, doesn't fit in, falls for the other brother (while first brother falls for soon-to-be-fiance's sister). Ummm, older sister's kid is annoying, younger sister's barbs are hurtful, other brother is gay but the family is accepting (and boy do the newcomer's dinner conversations become awkward)...he's also deaf so people like to sign everywhere they go, and people get drunk in the snow, wreck cars in front lawns and end up with the ambulance driver. Sure, works for me...but not really. Funny & poignant moments too few & far between, with too much emphasis on being dumb. Oh yeah, and the DVD was scratched & we had to ride in the car to take it back, finish watching it before we ran out of time in the wee evening hours (wasn't worth it). Hell, that crazy sub-plot could have made its way into the film too.

2 out of 5 stars

08/03/06 Stiff Upper Lips

Stiff Upper Lips (1998), directed by Gary Sinyor

watched w/ Leslie; VHS (personal copy) @ home

Leave it to the British to be able and skewer themselves like only the dry wit of the Queen Mother can. This unassuming little ditty seemed like it would be nothing more than the bland average British comedies that luckily don't seem to flood our market too much these days. However, upon further inspection of the actual motives, it shows itself to be a very cute lampoon of period piece caste systems. The sight gags and blunt humor are very much the style of American films like "Airplane" or "The Naked Gun" series...very tongue-in-cheek, silly, and inappropriate. Just imagine those films if the subject matter came from "Little Women." Imagine if you will, our lead Emily is now ripe enough for marriage and hornier than a housecat in heat. She is then meant to be betrothed to stiff upper-class twit Cedric, all to the plotting of her Aunt Agnes and idiot brother Edward. When she refuses Cedric's starchy advances, she is saved from drowning by dashing peasant boy George who takes post as the family servant. In a relationship that is looked down upon in mannered society, the lustful couple try ever chance they have to secretly meet and play. To top it off, Cedric and Edward seem to have a very taboo liking for one another, which plays out in awkward innuendo galore. It's a silly romp, with tons of mentioning of one's unmentionables...airing of the dirty laundry perhaps. I didn't expect much from the farce, but I was pleasantly surprised by giggling every once in awhile. (Shy away, blush). Oh my!

3 out of 5 stars

08/02/06 Schizopolis

Schizopolis (1996), directed by Steven Soderbergh

watched w/ Leslie (partially); VHS (personal copy) @ home

Soderbergh does it all here...trying to become the modern day Orson Welles of independent cinema by writing, directing and starring (in dual roles) in this spastic experimental comedy. Posing itself as a contemporary surrealist comedic force with tons of subliminal and blatant socio-religious commentary splattered on the screen, Soderbergh keeps the mood light and zany by never allowing himself to be taken too seriously or spend too much time in one frame of mind. Although, that can also be the downfall to the movie and the statements (I guess) that it's trying to make. Some of the funnier parts happen at the very beginning and end, where Soderbergh (as himself I believe) stands atop a lonely stage with a lonely microphone to announce the grand presentation of his mind-warp masterpiece about to unfold...playing to the egos of Hollywood and its stalwarts. The movie proceeds to follow two parallel/segmented lives of Soderbergh as both Fletcher Munson (a lethargic & passive-agressive desk jockey in an eerily Tony Robbins-esque motivational self-help guru conglomerate called Eventualism), and doppelganger Dr. Jeffrey Korchek (a mild-mannered yuppity-wealthy adulterous dentist). Munson is thrust into a high pressure situation when his boss dies, leaving him in charge of writing the speeches for self-help figurehead T. Azimuth Schwitters (great name)...and on the side his lovely wife (who also has dual roles) has an affair with his doppelganger. Oh yeah, and there's this sub-theme that makes no sense...and shows no intention to, by providing us with a psychotic exterminator named Elmo Oxygen. Elmo basically plays the role of a maniac "Loverboy" (think Patrick Dempsey on acid & wearing welding goggles), seducing the local horny housewives and babbling in gibberish language...nose army baby diaper landmine mayonnaise jigsaw anyone?! Plus, the unhappy home lives of Soderbergh's characters and their wives leads to many apathetic and obligatory conversations of everyday life...but in French, German and Japanese. Yeah, it doesn't make sense...yet it's insanity provides a bit of hilarity before it ends. It attempts to explain (or at least show us examples) how monotonous and inane society, conversation, media, and commerce can sometimes be. Look to the title of the film for the merging of two overwhelming realistic facts, schizophrenia and metropolis...both of which can eat you alive if you let it.

3 out of 5 stars

08/01/06 The Story Of The Weeping Camel

The Story Of The Weeping Camel (2003), directed by Byambasuren Davaa & Luigi Falorni

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home; suggested by Beatrix

Seeing that yesterday was my friend Jeff's birthday, and noting that both he & his girlfriend Beatrix (aka Ix) have been staunch supporters of my Movie Challenge over the year...I thought it only fitting to give back by finally getting to one of Beatrix's many movie suggestions. I wanted something that would be a special film, have international flare (since Jeff & Beatrix are very international people), and involve animals that spat at you. That narrowed it down to this beautifully crafted documentary about camels, and their nomadic Mongolian shepherding family. This is one of those films that places you into a world that is so foreign to anything you would ever encounter, and in simple strokes paints you a very vivid picture of what that world would be like. It's a beautifully touching and telling tale of family, nature, and the contrast of worlds both archaic and modernized. Centering around one loving family of three generations living under one roof in the Gobi Desert, who tend to herds of sheep and camels. Living far from the technological amenities of the modern world, this family relies heavily on each other to survive and provide the basic necessities of life. Showing the parents teaching the younger children of how to care for the animals, as well as instilling a work ethic into them is very poignant. What's more, the balance of nature is reflected in the familial settings of the camels that live with the humans. One female camel undergoes a very excruciating delivery of her new baby colt, causing the former to reject the advances of the latter as it tries to nurse. It becomes a heart-breaking thing to witness, as the family tries desperately to get the mother camel to accept the colt and nurture it...as you see juxtaposed examples of this through the mother & grandmothers' care-taking for the young children in the home. When nothing they try works, the family sends both of the adolescent boys on a journey through the desert (riding camels along the way) into the nearest town to get supplies and enlist the help of a local musician that can perform a ritualistic ceremony in order to entice a loving bond between the camel mother and colt. The landscape changes with the boys' journey into a village setting, seeing the contrast of their rural world to the "city," which is discussed with the family upon their return. In the end, there is an incredibly moving tone to the ritual of the camels...where tears even seem to be trickling down the animals' face...as the bond is finally formed my mother & offspring. To see this rich tapestry of family/animal life in a very barren landscape is breath-taking. As it was posed to me by Beatrix, the film is simply "beautiful!!!" So, thanks for the suggestion Ix (very thoughtful of you, considering we've never met)...and happy birthday Jeff. Now, dry those eyes.

5 out of 5 stars

07/31/06 New York Doll

New York Doll (2005), directed by Greg Whiteley

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

A truly fascinating story of a real life figure that was begging to become a documentary. How's this for an elusive subject...Arthur "Killer" Kane is an eccentric and talented man that in his youth co-founded one of the most influential and controversial rock bands on the planet...only to have the excesses of stardom crash down upon his head, leaving him an alcoholic with a life spiralling out of control...then to have him virtually disappear from the glamorous headlines and find solace in Mormonism and a sedentary day job as a librarian...finally to be found, reunited with friends of an era gone by, and re-introduced to an adoring fan base that has eagerly awaited a rebirth into stardom. That's one hell of a trip if you ask me, and it is the life and times of the leading man Kane. What is at heart a story of one man's travels through life of fame, addictions, pain and closure...it also paints a loose picture in documentary form of the landmark glam-rock band the New York Dolls. The Dolls were a group that was integral in the evolution of rock 'n' roll music, being heavily influential on such punk bands as The Clash, Ramones, Iggy & The Stooges...as well as the nu-wave glam-rockers in the 80's of Poison and Motley Crue. Like all great "Behind The Music" stories of debauchery and implosion, the Dolls were prolific in their art and their internal band fighting. Feeling rejected by the life that established him, Kane resides now quietly as a Mormon and follows the strict religious guidelines of the church. When the opportunity at returned musical glory is posed, an anxious Kane eagerly wants a sense of closure to his broken friendships in the band...particularly of well-known mate David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter in the 1980's). It's a beautifully touching, and heart-wrenching journey back...as we see Kane's family history as well as his current status 30 years later. Culminating in a reunion concert in London, the journey seems to have a happy ending...only to be twinged with a bittersweet resolution in learning of Kane's terminal illness towards the finale. The documentary is short, and a bit too crammed with info to keep it so...I would have loved to get more in-depth into the storylines. However, considering that the filmmaker became a personal friend to Kane throughout the process of filming, what is left is a lasting impression of one of rock 'n' roll's more interesting personalities and original bands.

4 out of 5 stars

07/30/06 The 5,000 Fingers Of Dr. T

The 5,000 Fingers Of Dr. T (1953), directed by Roy Rowland

watched w/ Leslie; VHS (personal copy) @ home

Here comes another piece of surrealist absurdity, but in place of the French New Wave junkies it's put into the capable hands of one imaginative American cartoonist...Dr. Seuss. Yes, when we came across this faded old VHS box in the video store, I was somewhat surprised to hear about this...sort of a long lost Dr. Seuss story. We all know the greats, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," "The Cat In The Hat," and "Horton Hears A Who,"...but this live-action film pre-dates any Jim Carrey or Mike Myers post-mortem vehicles. I believe this was his first foray into live-action fictional cinema, seeing that his previous-kiddie-cartoon life had him making training videos for the U.S. troops in World War II and developing the origins of his fanciful cartoon creations. The story here is very cheesy (circa 1950's "Leave It To Beaver" familial mentality) one, but begins with a lot of promise. Young Bart is raised by his widowed mother, and taking piano lessons from the stern Dr. Terwilliker. Bart is a daydreamer (naturally), and drifts off into a fantasy world where his piano teacher becomes the evil Dr. T who has created a world where the piano is the only musical instrument allowed. With all other musicians banned to an underworld, and the evil Dr. T trying to capture young children in his world where they will have to learn to play a gigantic 5,000 keyed undulating piano, the dreamworld can become very frightening to youngsters (think Pinocchio's trip to Pleasure Island, where mischievous children turn into donkeys). Beyond the unsettling themes and corny dialogue (which in my opinion didn't include quite enough of Seuss' signature rhyme schemes, and too many musical numbers), the amazing thing about this film is the wondrous set design of Bart's dreamland. Dr. Seuss had a hand in not only creating such lively sets & landscapes, but also writing the screenplay and song lyrics. I'm still fascinated about this movie even having existed, since I had never heard about it before happening across it. His work was yet to be polished, but this early raw work of his genius should not be missed, if for nothing else but historical purposes.

3 out of 5 stars

07/29/06 Alphaville

Alphaville (1965), directed by Jean-Luc Godard

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

This one is hard to explain, hard to get, and at times hard to enjoy. I wanted to root for this classically unconventional genre-bending ride very much, but there were too many easy slip-ups for it to go down in history as the ultimate piece of film-snobbery that I'm sure it condones. It's not that it was terrible, but just poorly managed in execution. The story is supposed to be one of science-fiction/dectective story parody, where a fictionalzed (predominantly French speaking) city of Alphaville is the home of mysterious intrigue. A hybrid of surrealism, beat poetry, sci-fi, pulp literature, and a splash of international commentary...Alphaville travels to all the darkest inner-workings of an oppressive society. Lemmy Caution is our intergalactic private-eye hero, and is played here by internationalized American actor Eddie Constantine. He is sent on a mission to Alphaville to find the evil scientist Von Braun who is responsible for creating the fascist regime under which love & self-expression are outlawed. All the city's rhetoric is spat out by a giant supercomputer named Alpha 60, who's annoying voice-over (think, Bette Davis talking out of a throat cancer patient's robotic voice box while slurping on a twisty soda straw) plagues the thoughts and actions of Lemmy Caution and all the inhabitants. Lemmy must find the truth, destroy it, and oh yeah, pick up a lady on the side and break another cardinal sin of the land along the way. Billed as one of the most unconventional films of all time, it lives up to the forecast. Large jumps in time, segmented thoughts and ramblings, dream sequences, abrupt changes in languages and overall apathy of characters in a dismally imagined dystopia...they're all prevalent here. I think Godard, all-knowing auteur of the French New Wave cinema, may have been trying a bit too hard here...but it's enjoyable to see the exotic chaos that ensues in the movie. To take a quote from Mr. Godard if I may, perhaps he should have stuck to a simpler approach to filmmaking..."all you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun." We don't need all the fluff for it to work...of course this is also the man who said "cinema is the most beautiful fraud in the world." I've been had.

3 out of 5 stars