Thursday
Sep092010

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

DateThursday, September 9, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 2003

Director: Donald Petrie

Review:  I think this may be the very definition of 'chick flick'.  The romantic comedy that is clearly geared towards the feminine audience.  Andie(Kate Hudson) is an attractive journalist who has no trouble getting men.  Benjamin(Matthew McConaughey) is an attractive advertising executive who has no trouble getting women.  Andie decides to write an article on how even a girl as attractive and put together as herself can lose a guy if she commits common dating pitfalls.  Benjamin is locked in a bet that he can make any girl fall in love with him.  They, shockingly enough, play their game unbeknownst to one another, against each other.  Hilarity ensues.

 

So yes.  After that plot synopsis I'd definitely characterize this as a chick flick, it has all the symptoms: attractive leads, shallow views, over convenient scenarios and a predictable ending.  It may sound like I'm coming down hard on it, but in truth it wasn't terrible.  It was a decent film to zone out and get a few laughs.  It never approached intelligent, and both characters had the emotional depth of a puddle, but I knew what I was getting into.  It's quickly paced and at least fairly entertaining.
Rating: 2.5/5

AuthorAlex Stajos | CommentPost a Comment |
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Tuesday
Sep072010

Youth in Revolt

DateTuesday, September 7, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 2009

Director: Miguel Arteta

Review:  A film which finds another reason for a role that is all too familiar for Michael Cera.  You have the loser, Cera of course, who is after the girl way out of his league.  In order to be with her, he must be bad and take risks, something he is completely unable to do without creating an alternative persona.  This is pretty much just another variation on countless other teen comedies.  I know this is based on a book, but the plot doesn't scream originality.  The premise at least allows Cera to exercise his acting chops somewhat and break out of his typecast.

 

The alter-ego Francois actually plays a much lesser role than I expected, which is a good thing.  The bad mustache and cigarette seemed a little too uncomfortable for Cera.  The dialog is unique in that its very straightforward and direct.  The problem is that its also very affected feeling and was a bit off putting at times, since I couldn't believe that any teenagers would actually be able to converse with each other so stiffly.  Fortunately, this approach in dialog didn't effect the humor.  While there are plenty of cheesy obvious jokes and stereotypes there were also a fair share of genuine laugh out loud moments.

What didn't work was the character development.  Everyone is pretty much a terrible person and gets what they deserve, especially Cera's character Nick.  He has no problem ruining peoples lives all in an attempt to possibly get a little closer to a girl.  There is no regard for actual consequences for actions which always takes me out of a film.  It's hard to get behind a character who you ultimately think deserves to fail.  Any moral or emotional themes are completely lost in the film.  As a straight up comedy it's hit or miss.  Certainly not the deepest of films, but you could do a lot worse.

Rating: 3/5

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Sunday
Sep052010

Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka)

DateSunday, September 5, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1988

Director: Isao Takahata

Review: You don't expect an animated film to be so poignant, but 'Grave of the Fireflies' rises well above its medium and strikes an emotional cord.  The film takes place towards the end of World War II in a virtually defeated and helpless Japan.  Seita and his young sister Setsuko are orphaned after an air raid kills their mother.  The film is about their struggle to survive in a world where no is going to take pity on them because of the hardships caused by the war.

In a way it is a very strong anti-war film.  Not in a way that is political, but on a human level.  The focus is never on the war itself, but on the personal struggles of the individual trying to survive.  The reasons for being at war are never brought up and the war is never criticized directly.  The effects are what are shown.  A couple of children, completely innocent in every aspect, are forced to witness the brutal death of their mother and be cast into despair.  This is what is powerful.  Their bond and hopeful outlook despite their situation is touching, and yet their utter pathetic existence caused by the pitiless violence of war is disturbing.  It is sickening to witness the senseless bombings of cities full of civilians. In this respect it is very much an anti-war film.  I can't imagine a person watching this film coming away with good feelings toward war.

One of the striking things about the film is the way in which it deals with the effects of war on people's personalities.  Japan was completely beat by the end of the war in every sense of the word.  They were so used to living in war conditions that it began to effect who they were.  When Seita's mother get killed in the air raid, very few people went out of their way to help the two children.  When they went to live with their aunt, even she seemed indifferent to the children's plight.  It was simply an accepted outcome of the war.  People die, and while it's sad, there isn't much anyone can do about it.  No one reached out to these kids and tried to comfort them.  It was up to Seita to take that role and be much older than he was in order to protect his sister.


The constant threat of bombings and the increasing poverty make people desperate.  The children's aunt, a blood relative, takes them into her house, but as the war continues and they can't bring any money to her she becomes cold and mean towards them.  Compassionless she berates their laziness and refuses to cook them anything other than gruel.  This is another byproduct of the devastation of war.  It stresses people to the point where they become bitter and cold hearted towards one another.  This is what the children faced all around them.  When they left to live on their own, no one was going to help them.  No farmer was going to give them food.  Even the doctor was no help to them when Setsuko gets sick.  Even though she had a life threatening illness, he simply sent them on their way.  It all goes to show the state of desperation that the children faced.  They were all alone to fight for their survival.


The movie isn't all doom and gloom however.  It paints a truly touching portrait of two siblings with an incredible bond trying to make the most of their situation.  The little moments of Setsuko playing, or Seita lovingly caring for his sister are what make this film.  Everything feels genuine and you get swept up in their relationship.  The tender bond between the two is also what is ultimately so heartbreaking.  You see these two kids go from being jovial and optimistic to slowly getting beat down and desperate.  It's a grueling transformation that leaves you shaking.

There is no doubt that this is a genre defying masterpiece.  The fact that it is animated holds nothing back from its emotional ferocity.  The fate of the siblings sucks you in and invests you and ultimately devastates you.  Although the outcome is known from the first scene, you can't help but get blindsided by the end result and are left staggering from the overwhelming emotional impact of a brilliantly told story.

Rating: 4/5

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Friday
Sep032010

Fallen Angels (Duo luo tian shi)

DateFriday, September 3, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1995

Director: Wong Kar-wai

Review: This was originally conceived to be the third story to 'Chungking Express', but was broken off into it's own film.  Wong Kar-wai doesn't so much tell a story as he does impress a feeling into you.  The plot doesn't matter much, but its roughly about a hitman who wants to end his semi-romantic, semi-professional, relationship with his female agent who he has never met.  In a parallel story line a mute man makes a living by taking over shops after hours and man-handles people into being his customers.  To say that this is what the movie is about, however, is completely missing the point.

The film is all about mood.  About feeling.  Wong Kar-wai douses his film in style, with every frame being packed with some kind of visual skew.  The narrative, if you can even call it that, is more a string of loosely connected vignettes with an overarching connecting theme.  Bathed in a gritty surrealist tone, Wong expresses insights into love, happiness and purpose in life.  The dialog is sparse in the film, but there are many insightful inner monolouges.  One such monologues explains that personality dictates what a person does for a living.  The hitman loves his job because he doesn't have to think, his decisions are made for him.  The mute is lonely, and works in other peoples stores illegally since he can't make friends or earn capitol with his condition.  Both seemingly happy with their lot in life don't initially see much reason to change.  Over the course of the film, more depth is revealed in their character, and they attempt to break free into a new life.  The struggle to obtain happiness and find ones way in life comes through strong and was the lasting impression on me.

The beauty of the film was power of individual scenes.  Countless scenes stick out and resonate through you, even if they don't quite seem to fit in at the time.  The blond running out into the rain, the force fed ice cream, the emotionally jarring home video, or countless other scenes.  They each have their own message, and leave their own mark.  That's how I enjoyed this film.  It's more of an overall experience than anything.  A flow of beautifully shot, often poignant scenes which somehow leave you reflecting back on it having gained a lot of insight into the lives of these characters and wanting to revisit them.

Rating: 4/5



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Wednesday
Sep012010

Toy Story 3

DateWednesday, September 1, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 2010

Director: Lee Unkrich

Review:  Leave it to Pixar to prove that a sequel's sequel doesn't have to be trite or pandering.  By taking beloved characters and infusing them into a new environment but retaining the core elements of what made the first two films great, they successfully were able to produce a fresh feeling movie that has all the same heart as it's predecessors.   The final chapter concludes with a logical end.  Andy has grown up, and the toys are relegated to the toy chest and soon the attic.  Feeling shunned by Andy the hurt tools hop into a box to be donated to Sunnyside Daycare only to find out that it is run by a deranged huggable bear who runs it like a prison.

 

There is a bit of everything thrown in here.  It's part adventure, part love story, part prison escape and there is plenty of homages to the previous films to satisfy our love for them.  The plot moves swiftly.  It doesn't get bogged down with tedious subplots or get derailed by flat pop culture jokes, its a fluid adventure, and a thrill from beginning to end.  Layered on top of this great story is the heart and emotional force that has become expected for Pixar. Dealing with the nostalgia of forgotten toys it's nearly impossible not to get caught up and become sentimental about your own childhood.  There is an emotional depth which Pixar goes to which few other animated features dare go, and with each new film they continue to produce fun, entertaining films, which are also full of heart.
Rating: 4/5



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Tuesday
Aug312010

Blues Harp

DateTuesday, August 31, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1998

Director: Takashi Miike

Review: A harmonica and the Yakuza, who knew Blues music and the Japanese mafia would work so well together.  We begin with Chuji(Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), a half Japanese, half black, bartender and part time drug dealer who is a gifted harmonica player.  He happens upon Kenji(Seiichi Tanabe), a badly wounded ambitious low ranking member of the yakuza, who he helps out. The two become friends, despite their loyalties to opposite gangs.  While Kenji takes aim for the top of the Yakuza family Chuji starts to pull his life together, but the two's friendship keep them tied to one another.

Director Takashi Miike has a wonderful sensibility which grounds his film.  He is able to infuse style without losing focus.  The rhythmic blues performance blend seamlessly into the violent mafia underworld.  The mood of the film is pitch perfect.  As much as Miike is a fantastic visual director, he never compromises the story.  He really mixes two  great narratives together.  At it's core it's a personal story about a young man trying to buck his troubled youth and move on into maturity, expressed beautifully through the use of music.  It's an odd medium since you normally don't associate blues with Japanese culture, but this only adds to the uniqueness of the story.  At the same time there is also the Yakuza arch which is fascinating in of itself. Rather than stock characters, Kenji isn't your prototypical mafia henchman, there is a humanity to him that lifts the story out of the ordinary mafia fodder.

The acting is great.  Ikeuchi commands the screen, bursting with charisma.  He manages to seamlessly jump from harmonica wielding blues player to a drug dealer running from the Yakuza all within the span of a scene.  Playing a perfect foil to his cool nature is Tokiko, played by Saori Sekino.  She is the overly bubbly girlfriend, who after their first date brings over a suitcase full of stuffed animals to decorate Chuji's apartment.  They are completely opposite, and yet have a great connection.  The film is full of these seemingly contrasting elements that none the less flow together. 

From beginning to end the film is a well paced, perfectly executed drama. There is the excitement of the Yakuza plot, and heart in the personal story of Chuji. The film is full of great little moments that cumulatively add up to something that's very solid. Two seemingly independent plot lines link together and combine perfectly to make this a great film.

Rating: 4/5

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Sunday
Aug292010

The Iron Giant

DateSunday, August 29, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1999

Director: Brad Bird

Review:  A boy and his pet.  Essentially this is what the film boils down to.  That pet, however, is a giant alien robot capable of taking on the US army.  Reminiscent of E.T., the story captures the kinship of the boy and his friend perfectly.  Hogarth, an oddball kid who has a big heart, discovers an enormous metallic robot in the woods in Maine during the 1950's.  Unfortunately, during the middle of the cold war, paranoia is running high and the government isn't as receptive to the misunderstood giant.

 

There are many layers to the film.  In one sense the film is a farce on cold war paranoia akin to 'Dr. Strangelove'.  The government has a one track mind.  Anything foreign, or unknown, must be dangerous or destroyed without thinking everything through.  On another level it's an anti-war movie with a strong line against guns.  But where the film definitely shines is in the simple relationship between the boy and the giant.  The development of their friendship is touching.  Somehow they managed to make what essentially is a walking weapon seem like it has a heart.  One of the strong themes is that we choose our own destiny.  The giant is who he chooses to be.  It is a poignant message that resonates loudly in this wonderful film.
Rating: 4/5

AuthorAlex Stajos | Comment1 Comment |
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Friday
Aug272010

The Dead

DateFriday, August 27, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1987

Director: John Huston

Review: It is poetic that in John Huston's last film 'The Dead', he himself is dying while filming it.  Directing the film in a wheelchair, he adapts a short story about Gabriel (Donal McCann) and his wife Gretta (Angelica Huston), who attend a family holiday party at the turn of the century in Ireland.  The party evokes strong emotions from Gretta after she hears a song that makes her remember a love who died long ago.

This is a brutally dull film.  There just isn't anyway around it.  From the first scene, to nearly the end, we are cramped inside a stuffy house party with guests so boring its nearly painful.  There is subtlety in the things they say to one another, and it does eventually contribute to the ultimate payoff, but it doesn't make watching it any more enjoyable.  The acting is oddly stiff, and there is absolutely zero connection between anyone making the whole thing very uncomfortable. It's entirely reminiscent of one of those bland Hallmark channel movies that you immediately click off of when you stumble upon it and wonder why anyone would watch it.  From the lighting to the monotone dialog it's enough to put anyone to sleep.  It's not the slow pace which I have a problem with, its just the lack of anything interesting to latch on to.

I was all set to hate this film until the very end, when we mercifully leave the party.  It's at this point that Gretta is effected by the memory of her formal love, and her husband coaxes out of her what's wrong.  The final monolog is so eloquent and moving that it just about makes up for the drivel which came before it.  It was if I were watching two completely different movies.  It's a shame that I had to sit through the first part, as the ending was actually a film I could recommend.  While Huston ultimately goes out on a high note, it was too little too late. 

Rating: 2/5

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Wednesday
Aug252010

Porco Rosso

DateWednesday, August 25, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1992

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Review:  One of the Miyazaki films which action is the primary focus.  Porco Rosso is Italian for 'Red Pig', and is a former Italian air force hero who has been cursed to look like a pig.  He has deserted the air force after a tragic battle in which he lost his best friend, and the guilt haunts him.  He now is a bounty hunter, battling seaplane pirates and trying to be left alone.

Of course since this is a Miyazaki film, there is much more than just the action, but it definitely has a more straight forward plot line with plenty of spectacular aerial battles. Porco is a man scared from the pain from his past.  The disfigurement is a physical representation of his grief.  The battle affected his entire life, and physical transformation is an outward expression of the toll it has taken on him.  Despite the fact that he has this ailment doesn't mean he has completely turned into a pig.  The man he once was is still there, he just needs a cause.  This is a fun film with some brilliantly executed flight sequences.  Full of action and adventure it is fast paced, but still has that Miyazaki magic which adds so much more.
Rating: 3.5/5

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Monday
Aug232010

Diner

DateMonday, August 23, 2010 at 12:00PM

Release Year: 1982

Director: Barry Levinson

Review:  A bunch of guys hanging out.  That's the way it was for the group of friends in highschool, and now in their 20's its still the same.  No matter where life has taken them, or the problems in their personal lives, these group of friends can find safe haven in the Diner, where they instantly get taken back to a less complicated era and can just have a good time.  The film takes place in Baltimore in 1959, as the group of friends gather for one of the guy's wedding. The group as a whole is the star, played by a great ensemble cast early in their careers consisting of Steven Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly and Paul Reiser.  There isn't so much a narrative as it is a series of situations that take place leading up to one of the friend's weddings.

In the beginning everyone in the clan seems to only be interested in extending their highschool antics.  Wanting to live the care free, wild, days of their youth for as long as possible.  Meeting at the diner and hanging around their old friends allows them to prolong this.  The Diner almost seems like a support group immaturity.  Life has a habit of catching up, however.  They aren't teenagers anymore, and slowly this fact starts to sink in.  They learn that they don't have to give up having fun, and lose comradery simply because they are maturing.

I had a hard time buying into some of the complete pig-headedness of some of the group.  In general the film paints women in a pretty poor light, and while the film is meant to highlight the maturing of the boys, and eventual respect of women, it never quite got there.  What little narrative there was felt shallow, never quite earning the payoff.  The turnaround from immature boys to mature men happens all too quickly for a feeling of authenticity.  What does work is the banter between the group.  It feels like this group of friends have been hanging around the diner of years.  It's very natural feeling and I'm a sucker for good quick dialog.  The problem is, the film isn't funny enough to be taken too lightly, nor poignant enough to be taken seriously.  I was left being mildly amused, but not really getting much out of it.
Rating: 4/5

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