Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Battle Royale

Violent movies always seem to be a touchy issue for audiences for some apparent reason. Moms and parents will come out from everywhere to bash films for being too violent and being impressionable on kids. We have seen films that have had this backlash like Tarantino's Kill Bill Volume One and Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. As a fan of cinema I feel as if these complaints of extreme violence is a little over the top. One of the points of movies is to take us places that we never go, or sometimes places we don't want to go. As for its impression on kids? That's ridiculous because all it takes is a parent to sit down with their children and talk to them about violence. That's it...a talk. So is violence in movies bad? Of course not! They are some of my favorite parts of movies! Think of Seven Samurai, Ichi The Killer, and Oldboy where the movie literally wouldn't be the same without the violence. So we come across Battle Royale. The film that caused controversy but nevertheless is one of the most popular movies in Japan and growing in the United States. I recently got to see it again while showing it the first time to some of my friends and wanted to share my thoughts on this film. Read on to see what I thought...

Battle Royale is a 2000 Japanese action film based on the novel of the same name which surrounds one class of high school students on a school trip. Not everything is as it seems and things quickly turn dark as the students realize that they have been chosen for the Battle Royale Act. The Act, passed after young adults became more dangerous and a menace to society, forces one class of students every year to fight each other to the death using weapons on a deserted island. As the games begin friends become enemies, little fights at school become reasons for death, and nobody will ever be the same. Who Will Survive the Battle Royale?

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Prometheus

Ahh Ridley Scott you are one of the most interesting directors I have ever seen. At his greatest (Alien, Blade Runner) he is unstoppable but when he is off his game he can get tiresome (Legend, Robin Hood). Still he deserves to be considered the greats for his complete works but I vehemently adore what he did with Alien. Perfectly combining science fiction with horror and giving us cinephiles one of greatest movies of all time! So now we come to Prometheus as the creator returns to the world he made 33 years ago. I certainly was excited and the trailer that followed made my head explode a few times. Needless to say my expectations were high and I was hoping to see Scott in his top form once again. With a stellar cast including Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Idris Elba I thought that just maybe my expectations would become a reality. So how did Prometheus turn out? Read on to see my thoughts...

Prometheus follows a space crew headed to a newly discovered planet that has shown signs that it can support life. The crew features two explores that have found ancient civilizations drawings that seem to be an invitation to this planet and hope to search the planet to find the great answers to life's big questions. As the crew lands, some of the members seemingly less trustworthy than others, they find an huge complex full of mysterious jars and unknown languages. As the search becomes deeper and the mystery starts to unravel, the danger increases putting everyone on the mission in severe danger. Will the crew of the Prometheus be able to survive? Will the answers be found? Go see the movie and then read my review to find out...

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Synecdoche, New York

It is safe for me to say that I am a big fan of Charlie Kaufman and his work in cinema. His writing and ideas has provided some of the best movies of this century and some of the most creative films unlike anything else audiences have seen. These films include Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Plus did you know he was a script supervisor for Kung Fu Panda 2? You learn something everyday. Anyways I was certainly excited to see Charlie behind the camera for once and to once again watch another unique story from his brilliant mind. The only question is would this directional debut be with the greats (Donnie Darko, Mean Streets, Citizen Kane) or would it fall short? Read on to see my thoughts...

Synecdoche, New York follows Caden, a middle aged writer, as he tries to be a successful theater director while balancing his personal life with his wife and kids. As his career becomes a critical success, his personal life starts to unravel. While he is being awarded the MacArthur Fellowship his wife is leaving to Berlin with his only daughter. As Caden flows through different women and relationships all while trying to get back his daughter, he decides to create a brutally honest play that will mimic real life. He gathers a large ensemble of actors to play out characters from real life, many from Caden's own life. As Caden's ex-wife's career starts booming, Caden's play grows in scope as he slowly becomes more obsessed and insane. Making plays within plays, Caden's life is in a downward spiral all while trying to reconcile with the women in his life.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Bellflower

What is Love? No do not worry I am not quoting the epic song by Haddaway but I am really questioning the concept of love. Some of my all time favorite movies have attempted to explore this question and theme: Blue Valentine, In The Mood For Love, Casablanca, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. These are some of the greatest movies ever made and explore deep human and real emotions that everyone goes through. Then we come across Bellflower which made a big hit at 2011's Sundance and SXSW film festivals. The film became known for its unique story and the fact that the filmmakers made their own camera for the film made out of vintage camera parts, bellows, Russian lenses, and a SI-2K digital cinema camera from Silicon Imaging. I was definitely interested in the film because of what I heard and to see the cinematography from this unique camera. Not only that but the fact that Evan Glodell wrote, produced, edited, acted, and directed the movie pulled me in even more as I love seeing a passion project on screen. So what did I think about this indie hit? Read on to find out...

Bellflower follows two best friends: Woodrow and Aiden. The two friends are on a mission in Los Angeles to create a flame thrower, a Max Mad car, and more weird creations in preparation for the Apocalypse. One night at bar, Woodrow meets Milly and its love at first sight. As the two travel to and spend time together, they grow closer and they seem perfect together and life is good. As the film progresses things turn out to be completely the opposite. People are betrayed, hearts broken, relationships ruined and no one will ever be the same again. The unexpected becomes reality and everyone's life becomes a literal apocalypse.

Chungking Express

There are very few directors like Wong Kar-wai whose style really takes over their story telling. While his story telling is not bad (its great actually) his direction, music, editing, and slow motion combine to create a unique out look on the world and the creation of his story. His films are visual and emotional-invoking and loved by critics from In The Mood For Love and Happy Together. The best directors are those who dare to do what no one else is doing, its


The film was made back in 1994 in Hong Kong and follows two stories that are connected by one restaurant. In the first story we follow a cop who is obsessed with the girl he has just been dumped by. As the story continues he looks for love at a bar at meets a woman in a blonde wig, she is a drug smuggler trying to get revenge for being set up. The second story follows another cop who is also dealing with a break up who meets Faye who works ar a restaurant. Faye becomes obsessed with the cop, breaking into his apartment even, as she tries to get his love in return.