MOVIES OF THE MONTH, AUGUST 2007
The Bourne Ultimatum
Knocked Up
Leprechaun 3
Genshiken, vol. 1
A Bittersweet Life
Exiled
Sunday, November 11, 2007
MOVIES OF THE MONTH, JULY 2007
Transformers
Vampire Hunters
Moon Of The Wolf
House Of Wax
Scream Of The Wolf
Election
Paradise Kiss, v. 3
Peach Girl, v. 1
Linda Linda Linda
Texhnolyze, v. 4 & 5
Night Of The Comet
Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society
Sunshine
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers
Dynamite Warrior
My Wife Is A Gangster
Sunday, July 29, 2007
MOVIES OF THE MONTH, DECEMBER 2006
Pumpkinhead
Lance Henriksen is scary but sympathetic as a grieving father who summons a revenge demon which causes all kind of trouble.
Baby Face
Red Headed Woman
From 1934 to 1951 or so, the Production Code ruled over movies with an iron fist. Movies were constructed so that people who didn't want to know that sex existed could remain ignorant. Most of the "Golden Age of Hollywood Movies" we see on TV were made then, so you might think your grandparents were some kind of foolish naifs who didn't know married people slept in the same bed. Fortunately, racy, pre-Code movies of the early 30's are starting to re-appear. In these two, Barbara Stanwyck and Jean Harlow use their sex appeal to survive in a dog-eat-dog world. Look for the scene where Stanwyck chews out her Dad for pimping her out at 15.
Gunslinger Girl, vol. 3
Curse of the Golden Flower
Gong Li is diva-licious as the Empress, commanding the screen like Betty Davis in the height of Tang Dynasty fashion. More of a court-intrigue film with kung fu than a martial-arts film, kind of like The Little Foxes with kicking and slave girls.
Shopgirl
It has its moments, but it doesn't quite work. There's a nice, melancholy, New Yorker-short-story-feeling to it, but it doesn't quite make the move from page to screen. There should be no more narration in films other than documentaries, ever. The idea of the old "budding female artist gets her heart broken by an older man" story being told from the point of view of the man is interesting, but we don't learn any more about why the guy is a jerk. Still, Claire Danes is amazing, and at least she has a reason to be bummed out other than the fact that she got a free trip to Tokyo.
Basilisk, vol. 3
Pumpkinhead
Lance Henriksen is scary but sympathetic as a grieving father who summons a revenge demon which causes all kind of trouble.
Baby Face
Red Headed Woman
From 1934 to 1951 or so, the Production Code ruled over movies with an iron fist. Movies were constructed so that people who didn't want to know that sex existed could remain ignorant. Most of the "Golden Age of Hollywood Movies" we see on TV were made then, so you might think your grandparents were some kind of foolish naifs who didn't know married people slept in the same bed. Fortunately, racy, pre-Code movies of the early 30's are starting to re-appear. In these two, Barbara Stanwyck and Jean Harlow use their sex appeal to survive in a dog-eat-dog world. Look for the scene where Stanwyck chews out her Dad for pimping her out at 15.
Gunslinger Girl, vol. 3
Curse of the Golden Flower
Gong Li is diva-licious as the Empress, commanding the screen like Betty Davis in the height of Tang Dynasty fashion. More of a court-intrigue film with kung fu than a martial-arts film, kind of like The Little Foxes with kicking and slave girls.
Shopgirl
It has its moments, but it doesn't quite work. There's a nice, melancholy, New Yorker-short-story-feeling to it, but it doesn't quite make the move from page to screen. There should be no more narration in films other than documentaries, ever. The idea of the old "budding female artist gets her heart broken by an older man" story being told from the point of view of the man is interesting, but we don't learn any more about why the guy is a jerk. Still, Claire Danes is amazing, and at least she has a reason to be bummed out other than the fact that she got a free trip to Tokyo.
Basilisk, vol. 3
Sunday, January 28, 2007
MOVIES OF THE MONTH, OCTOBER 2006
Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa
It's a little short of alchemy, but if you liked the TV series you have to watch the Elric brothers reunion.
Brokeback Mountain
Remember those old 40's women pictures like Now, Voyager? They were sentimental and the heroines always had to renounce their illicit lovers in the end, but they snuck in a lot of psychological truths behind the glossy exteriors. This is a much less glossy and more real version of those movies, but it made me tear up at the end just the same.
Hackers
I love those old B-movies made to cash-in on teen fads, like rock-n-rollers, beatniks, bikers, folkies, surfers, etc. Today's mainstream movies cost too much to do them in the quick turn-around time required, while direct-to-video types tend to stick to tried-and-true genres like horror. There are still the occasional throw-back like Lambada or this one. Enjoy the fantasy that hackers are hot, hip teens with their own futuristic fashions and nightclubs (in real life, not in a MMPORG or Second Life ).
Renaissance
A sci-fi film that's literally noir--beautifully animated in blacks and whites, not even any gray. Sort of like the Sin City comics without the occasional splash of color. The acting is good, but the dialog's a little flat--it should have been in French.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Not at all plausible, but fun, fun, fun. The often-underrated Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer have a great time in this parody of all those everyone-is-corrupt-in-LA thrillers.
Trinity Blood, Vol. 1
The conflict between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy in the Middle Ages replayed as a futuristic vampire story. More promising than it sounds, with a good mix of action and court intrigue.
The Twilight Samurai
This one made me sob like a baby at the end, too. Former action star and Sonny Chiba protégé Hiroyuki Sanada gives a great low-key performance as a samurai clerical worker trying to survive despite the rigid rules of Tokugawa-period Japan.
American Hardcore
This made me sad that I never saw any of these bands live back in the day. I saw Husker Du and Naked Raygun after their hardcore phase, and Adolescents 2 years ago. This movie really captures what it must have been like, but read the book and buy the CD for the full experience.
Naked States
It's pretty entertaining to watch artist Spencer Tunick trying to wrangle up people to pose nude for his photos. In this movie we learn that it's hard to find people to pose nude in Idaho, but nudists are the toughest to work with. My guess is it's because most people feel ashamed or at least a little insecure when nude in front of a stranger, which makes them more submissive. Nudists don't feel that way, so they are uppity and mouth off.
Warriors Two
A sequel to The Prodigal Son, but not quite up to the level of that kung-fu masterpiece. Whatever happened to Casanova Wong?
Frankenstein's Bloody Terror
In spite of the title, neither Frankenstein nor his monster appear. It's one of those Euro Paul Naschy werewolf movies. He really pioneered the sexy werewolf years before Ginger Snaps, Cursed and Blood & Chocolate. No woman can resist the erotic appeal of this human beast.
The Ice Harvest
More neo-noir with another underrated actor, John Cusack. I like my humor jet black, and it is until the end, which is kindy cheesy. The alternative ending isn't too good either, but it's worth it for Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, and Oliver Platt.
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