Felicia’s Journey

This movie’s tag line — “The heart of a child. The soul of a monster.” — is one of many examples of shortcuts in movie marketing. And it doesn’t end with simply spoiling that incredible moment when we hear a strange woman’s disembodied voice in the Hilditch house, only to discover that we know that car that she’s riding in, once the video footage is before us; that uncomfortable feeling would’ve lingered for many minutes (maybe even half an hour) before our worst fears were realized when we’re finally shown the later moments of that same footage, had the tag line not dispelled any doubts regarding Hilditch’s intentions from the outset.

No, the intricacies of the sets and the dream sequences, those painfully long shots of Hilditch in the kitchen or in front of the vanity, or in the garden as a child, were all brushed aside by words that would suit a cheap slasher.

That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. And I’m even more certain that Egoyan is stylistically the closest I’ve seen to Lynch in my, albeit limited, travels: I mean, that opening sequence fairly shouted Blue Velvet (and Twin Peaks too), with the music and the slow progression through the set.

Babel and Exotica

I just happened to borrow them from the library, and what a pair to pick: excellent movies (particularly Exotica, which I just finished), but I feel completely drained right now (and it’s been days since I watched Babel).

I’m lucky: I can forget for long stretches how much some people suffer. I’m healthier when I do. Otherwise I take too much in; I can lose perspective.

Exotica reminded me of Twin Peaks at times. Inland Empire left me longing for more — more Lynch; more in general; more Mulholland Dr., no doubt — and I did enjoy reminiscing over Blue Velvet and Lost Highway at the Mayfair a few months ago, but now I’m thinking that Egoyan’s work could also sate some of that; the only other one I’ve seen to date is The Sweet Hereafter (which I also enjoyed, although not as much as Exotica).

I’ve seen Bruce Greenwood many times (including Nowhere Man), and, frankly, I didn’t know he had this performance in him. He was second only to Elias Koteas, in my opinion, who absolutely shone as Eric.

And, speaking of amazing performances, Rinko Kikuchi as Chieko in Babel was heartbreaking: there was so much suffering in that movie, but her silent anguish will stay with me for a long time, I know.

Cloverfield

Well, I finally saw the subject movie, after all the hype — including some that friends of mine got swept up in with their role-playing game, Alpha Omega — and I must say that I was surprised: I wasn’t nearly as nauseated as I expected to be (admittedly, the big screen at home is probably better than the movie theatre for avoiding that particular effect), and, overall, I was entertained.

I found the acting a bit spotty, but I was surprised by how good it was at times. And I can’t put the bad parts all down to the actors either, as a big part of what kept kicking me out of the later scenes was their general ability to avoid shock (in the medical sense, and I’m not just talking about how much blood they did or did not lose), remain calm and keep going. That all them could do that, and not really experience any sort of cumulative trauma, as it were, was a bit far-fetched, in my mind (but entertaining, as I said).

I liked how it included moments of levity, and I really liked the concept of recording over an earlier recording; it made for a great ending.

Definitely, Maybe

I just finished watching the subject movie, and I couldn’t help thinking of Stuff White People Like; it’s a movie written by white people, for white people. :-) There are obvious points, such as the way New York is exalted, the ubiquitous platonic friendships in these romantic comedies, and the white cast, but they’re just the beginning:

• Making it: the ’successful’ April went back to grad school, moved to Brooklyn, and got a job with Amnesty International — no word on whether the recommended life coach had anything to do with the turnaround, but either way, that’s at least three entries right there!
• The jobs: many characters work for political campaigns — Democrats, of course — one is a journalist; one of the two ‘bad’ jobs is working for some corporation.

I’m sure there are others, but I guess it’s that first point that had me laughing; that, and the stuffy feature on the DVD about how great it was shooting in New York — it was like they were reading from a Christian Lander script. :-)

Stuff White People Like

‘K., I’m only up to #40 or so, and I’m lovin’ this:

• The Typical White-person DVD rack is hilarious: I’m gonna say there’s a 75-80% overlap with my taste. (Hilarious, in a “even a broken clock’s right twice a day,” sort of way, of course. ;-) )
• Then there’s the White Annotated Bibliography: a coworker (yup, a white one :-) ) loaned me a copy of Infinite Jest, and I tried to get through it, I really tried. :-)
• I love the way he’s reading a big Simpsons book in the photo under “Not Having A TV.”
• Another coworker (yup, another white one) loaned me a copy of Arrested Development about a month ago; they couldn’t recommend it enough. (And I love Twin Peaks. :-) )

Blogged with the Flock Browser

The Kingdom

Just watched this again. Man, that has to be one of the best openings I’ve ever seen: it’s fast-paced, exciting, and really damn informative.

Watching some of the deleted scenes and other features really gave me a feel for how much editing director Peter Berg does: he mixed and matched all sorts of dialogue in that briefing to the Attorney General, and you have no idea; it looks like one take. Same goes for the car crash: so many cameras! And the only cuts are the ones that pump you up.

I didn’t know Michael Mann was involved in this one. Berg says Mann’s office is just down the hall from his. That must be one who’s who of a water-cooler.

Just a great flick; and all the sweeter for $6.99 off the previously-viewed wall at Blockbuster. :-)

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Kagemusha

What a powerful movie. A few of my favourite moments:

• The opening, of course; how could you not be completely transfixed by such an… otherworldly scene? The thief’s gesticulations at being accused of murder by a murderer of thousands were priceless.
• That moment after the impostor’s guards and pages introduced themselves, and he asked, “How is this?” So beautiful, with the music rising and the guards coming to attention in spite of themselves, the pages beginning to break down again — masterful.
• When the doctor was taking the impostor’s pulse, and you hear the drumbeats in the background as they prepare for war.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Kwaidan

The Black Hair was definitely the creepiest one of the four stories; probably because I wasn’t expecting it. The reunion was going suspiciously well, but that just had me thinking that he might wake up next to his wife, or worse, in his old house in Kyoto, now empty and abandoned. The combination of his stark-white complexion, the naked skull of his ex-wife, and her long, black hair actually caused me yell out (in a manly fashion, though, of course). And was it just me or did her hair undulate like something possessed as he screamed at it? Amazing. I’m glad that story was finished by the early afternoon. (Hey, I know my imagination, O.K.?)

The Woman of the Snow was breath-taking: I couldn’t believe the skies! The rich ochres, lighter yellows and pinks as they ran through the fields, the many eyes throughout… There were some tense moments too, of course: the way Kobayashi held a shot for such a long time, particularly on the back of the woman’s head near the beginning and end of the story: you’re certain this mask of terror will greet you when she finally, finally turns around. And the use of lighting throughout the stories was just amazing; I’ll talk about the last two in a moment, but in this piece, the transitions from warm colours to white and deep blue complemented the close-ups perfectly: it’s all you need to know what’s going on.

Hoichi, The Earless was probably the best story of the lot: it had humour, adventure, and a happy ending of sorts. The wards painted all over (well, almost :-) ) Hoichi’s body were an impressive sight. Again, the use of lighting, exposing his ears, was excellent; such a simple, yet powerful, technique.

In a Cup of Tea rounded out the collection on a disturbing note: again, the use of lighting made the scene that much more tense, as first the woman, and then the publisher, approached the bucket of water. I also loved the shot as the main character brought the cup of tea up to his face for the third time, the frame off-kilter like we’re sure his mind is by then.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

I, Mudd

O.K., this has to be one of my favourite episodes to date. Harry Mudd was absolutely superb; one of the most entertaining guest stars to grace the show, in my opinion: a big brute of man, but always with a jovial smile and many a “laddie-buck!”

Other points:

• As usual, my mind wandered back to The Next Generation, since it’s the show I’m most familiar with; in this case, I started thinking about the Bynars fairly early on, and there are certainly parallels between this story and TNG episode, 11001001: a logical ‘race’ takes over the Enterprise, not as a malicious act, but to help its own ‘people’. Again, as usual, however, I, Mudd is a superior episode (and I say that as a big fan of Minuet, incidentally).
• Minor point: Norman’s double-fisted upward swing into the chin of one of the officers in Engineering has to be one of the most effective (looking, anyway) blows I’ve seen in this heavily-choreographed series; and then you find out he’s an android. Ouch!
• Lots of great quotes: Spock’s “seems rather redundant” in response to learning of the numerous identical models.
• This is another one of the four times that Kirk (with lots of help in this particular case) talks a computer to death.
• Finally, from the celebratory dance — and its score, in particular — on, I felt like I was watching a David Lynch dream sequence. :-) Scotty and McCoy reciting those lines, ending with fingers on chins; just hilarious! At other times it was like Monty Python’s take on performance art in The Meaning of Life (called The Middle of the Film, the Wikipedia entry has reminded me). :-) I don’t know; it may not be for everyone, but those moments made the episode, for me.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Hellboy II: The Golden Army — No spoilers

In typical style, I’ll open with a tangent: I propose that movies like Hellboy II will be the Star Wars of their generation; not to the same degree, obviously, since there’s so much more fantastic (in the literal sense of the word) stuff available these days, but as something that will inspire, and continue to inspire, the kids of today as they grow up and choose their way in the world.

I’m a big fan of Star Wars. I had to see them on television, but still, few were more pumped than me to see the theatrical releases of the remastered versions in the late 90s. Seeing The Phantom Menace at the old Somerset Theatre is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my days. However, having said all that, I understand why many of the kids of today are underwhelmed (to quote Sloan, although my spellchecker seems fine with it — strange) with the series. I imagine it’s tough to get past the limitations of the day to see the adventure beneath. Add to that that as an adult I’ve come to realize that you don’t want to look too closely under the hood of these movies, and you can hardly fault these kids.

Then you see Hellboy II, with beautiful creatures like the elemental, and terrifying ones like the angel of death, and you think, outside of Jim Henson’s mind, where are you going to find that much creative genius packed into two hours? And then you add in lots of adventure, camaraderie, sympathatic villians, and, wow, you’ve got one heck of a ride. (Especially when it’s all about moving the story along; so many great effects ruin the moment because they’re clearly about the production team showing off; none of that here.)

Which is all well and good, but I’m sure you’re wondering what in the world made me think of Star Wars: I think it started with the troll market. It’s the Mos Eisley Lucas dreamed off. (I think I even heard a sound similar to a Wookie cry as the scene opened, but that could’ve been my imagination.) Then you have the shrouded princess in desperate need. And who can honestly say that Abe Sapien’s mannerisms (in this movie, anyway — don’t remember the first one that well) don’t reek of C3-PO’s? :-)

I just loved this movie. I could go on about the dichotomy of the barbaric Mr. Wink, and that awesome goblin amputee, but you get the idea.

A final note on the Death Race trailer: I hadn’t seen it before, and let me just say my confused grin turned to peals of laughter when they got to the part with the female convicts. :-D It was a parody of itself. I’m telling you, it would’ve fit perfectly between Tarantino’s Planet Terror and Death Proof. I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so long or hard at a trailer.

Blogged with the Flock Browser