Dellamorte, Dellamore was released on VHS way back in 1996 under the title Cemetery Man. That was how I first knew it. I was introduced to it while working at a video store in 1998. While looking for a horror flick to watch, this caught my eye. The box looked promising, so I gave it a shot, and am I glad I did. It is without a doubt one of the best zombie films ever made. Since I started collecting DVD's I've been keeping my eye out for this, but, sadly, it does not appear to be in the cards. I have heard rumors that, I believe, 20th Century Fox are considering it for release. Nothing has been concrete, so I did some research and decided to pick up the R2 Italian release from DVDland.it, I just couldn't wait any longer. I guess that's enough for my history on the movie, let's get to it, shall we?
Zombie horror meets arthouse. That's a fitting way to describe this truly bizarre rumination on the nature of love and death. The film plays by it's own rules, it is quite clear that this film does not take place in the same world that we live in. Black comedy married with gore, with a dash of the surreal, sprinkled with the profound. I'm sure there is much more to this film which is on the surface, but I haven't peeled away all the layers yet as what is on the surface is so much fun.
On the surface we have a tale of a groundskeeper and his assistant who tend to the Buffalora cemetery. The biggest part of their job entails re-interring the dead after they have risen from the grave. Like all other aspects of their lives, this is taken in stride as just another task. That is until our hero, Francesco Dellamorte, meets an alluring young woman who visits the cemetary to bury her deceased husband. This leads to an affair between the two, on the deceased husbands grave! As was expected the dead husband arises at an inopportune moment rises and bites his wife, in the process scaring her to death, or does he? Dellamorte keeps vigil over her, as other zombified events take place. I dare not reveal the her fate, but it leads into the third act which preys on Dellamorte's sanity.
There are other colorful characters in the film, with the most important being Gnaghi. He is a mentally challenged man who works as Francesco's assistant. A kind soul who lacks the ability to express himself verbally, but is always there for his friend, and the disembodied head with which he is infatuated. He is a great character who portrays the goodness that is in Dellamorte's life, a sweet innocence. You want to feel sorry for him, but he is clearly satisfied with his life, that you can't help but smile.
Francesco Dellamorte (translated Francis of the Dead) is the centerpiece and is portrayed by Rupert Everett. Early on, he is a droll, matter of fact type person with a dry humor, which fits his dark persona. A reclusive man whose only friend, outside of Gnaghi, is Franco who works in one of the offices in town. As the movie progresses, he struggles with his love for th e nameless woman and his need to deliver final death to the returning residents of his cemetery. This struggle drives him to the point where he starts killing the living in order to alleviate his cemetary work. Until the breaking point where he chooses to leave this life behind.
It is a strange film, creates a surreal atmosphere which draws you in, even if you can't quite figure out all of the motivations. Equal parts Tim Burton, Dario Argento, George Romero, and Sam Raimi, influences range far and wide. Directed Michele Soavi, protege to Italian giallo maestro Dario Argento, he definitely brings some similar style elements as his teacher, but has a unique eye of his own. Interesting use of angles and pacing. Easily the best movie of his that I have seen.
Video. The video is excellent. Presented in it's OAR, 1.85:1 and anamorphically enhanced. From what I have read, this is the finest version of the disk available.
Audio. Presented in it's original language, English in Dolby Digital 2.0 surround, as well as dubbed in Italian. The track is good, but I found it to be a bit low and had to turn up my volume a little more than I usually have to. There are English and Italian subtitles.
Extras. Sadly, the extras that are here, are in Italian only, with no English subtitles.
-Making of featurette. The clip runs about 18 minutes and features interviews and behind the scenes footage. It is interesting to watch, but I couldn't understand any of it.
-Commentary with director Michele Soavi and screenwriter Gianni Romoli. In Italian with available Italian subtitles. I didn't bother, but I can imagine it being an interesting listen.
Bottomline. The movie may not be to everyone's tastes, but it rises above most others in the genre. It's attempt at deeper meaning on the natures of love and death is admirable, if a little murky at times. Definitely worth multiple viewings to peel away the layers of meaning surrounded by a beautiful looking movie. The VHS can be found, but if you are region free, the Medusa DVD is the way to go, especially if you understand Italian for the extras.
Highly Recommended.
August 28, 2004
August 27, 2004
New Releases
Not something I usually do, but I will be informing you which movie you are to go see this weekend. In a friendly way, of course, but it is definitely not to be missed. I actually already own this movie on DVD, via import, and must tell you how beautiful this movie is. Without further ado.
Hero. Quite possibly Jet Li's best film, and one of the greatest martial arts epics ever committed to film. Besides Li, the film also features the talents of Tony Leung, Donnie Yen, Maggie Cheung, and Zhang Ziyi. It was directed by Zhang Yimou, best known for Raise the Red Lantern. This film is poetry on celluloid. It relays the tale of the warrior Nameless (Li) as he tells the Emperor of how he came to defeat the three assassins most threatening to the Emperor's future. A film told with deep emotions and a gorgeous color palette. The best thing about this is that Miramax is presenting this uncut from it's Hong Kong release. This is simply not to be missed.
Suspect Zero. From E. Elias Merhige (Shadow of the Vampire) comes this serial killer thriller starring Ben Kingsley, Aaron Eckhart, and Carrie-Ann Moss. Not sure if this will be any good, early word doesn't seem all that favorable, although it looks as if it may be stylish enough to succeed. The look in the trailers looks similar to that of Taking Lives.
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid. Anyone remember that movie way back in 1997 called Anaconda? Sort of? It was pretty forgettable. Well, someone decided it would be a good idea to make a sequel. Although, it doesn't appear to have nothing to do with the original, save the star's passing resemblance to Jennifer Lopez who was in the original. I really doubt this will be worth seeing.
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2. Now if ever a movie did not ask for a sequel, I think this may be it. The first was so bad I didn't have to see it, the stench pretty much filled the cineplex. I don't know what this is about, nor do I really car. Have you seen the trailer? Pass.
To close this on a good note, I cannot recommend Hero enough. It's just a shame that it was not released in time to strengthen it's position for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar that it was nominated for back at the 2003 telecast. See this movie.
Hero. Quite possibly Jet Li's best film, and one of the greatest martial arts epics ever committed to film. Besides Li, the film also features the talents of Tony Leung, Donnie Yen, Maggie Cheung, and Zhang Ziyi. It was directed by Zhang Yimou, best known for Raise the Red Lantern. This film is poetry on celluloid. It relays the tale of the warrior Nameless (Li) as he tells the Emperor of how he came to defeat the three assassins most threatening to the Emperor's future. A film told with deep emotions and a gorgeous color palette. The best thing about this is that Miramax is presenting this uncut from it's Hong Kong release. This is simply not to be missed.
Suspect Zero. From E. Elias Merhige (Shadow of the Vampire) comes this serial killer thriller starring Ben Kingsley, Aaron Eckhart, and Carrie-Ann Moss. Not sure if this will be any good, early word doesn't seem all that favorable, although it looks as if it may be stylish enough to succeed. The look in the trailers looks similar to that of Taking Lives.
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid. Anyone remember that movie way back in 1997 called Anaconda? Sort of? It was pretty forgettable. Well, someone decided it would be a good idea to make a sequel. Although, it doesn't appear to have nothing to do with the original, save the star's passing resemblance to Jennifer Lopez who was in the original. I really doubt this will be worth seeing.
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2. Now if ever a movie did not ask for a sequel, I think this may be it. The first was so bad I didn't have to see it, the stench pretty much filled the cineplex. I don't know what this is about, nor do I really car. Have you seen the trailer? Pass.
To close this on a good note, I cannot recommend Hero enough. It's just a shame that it was not released in time to strengthen it's position for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar that it was nominated for back at the 2003 telecast. See this movie.
August 26, 2004
DVD Review: Shaolin Soccer
It has finally landed. Shaolin Soccer has been released on DVD, and fortunately includes the original version in addiion to the sub-standard English cut. What Miramax did to this, and other Asian films, was to edit out 23 minutes of the movie, dub it into English and change the music. I was all set to rip this disk apart, as the track record seems to be to not include the original cut, much less the original language. OK, enough of that, let's talk about the movie.
One thing this film has to overcome is the hype that was surrounding it. For those who track film releases and are into foreign cinema have invariable heard about this movie, and due to its storied history of near release, have unfairly increased expectations. These expectations have a way of crashing down when you finally get to see it. It happened with the Matrix sequels, remember the huge build up followed by the letdown? It's not as drastic with Shaolin Soccer, but it is there, and I have noticed it on various forums.
Anyway, the film is about Sing, a poor master of Shaolin kung fu, who is looking to repackage kung fu and make it popular to study again. His amazing kicking ability is noticed by Golden Leg, a former soccer star who was crippled in a game 20 years earlier. Together they team up, along with Sing's former Shaolin brothers, to enter a tournament to take on Team Evil, coached by Hung, the man responsible for Golden Leg's injury. There is a lot of fun along the way as this team of out of shape kung fu masters must band together as a team. There is also a subplot featuring Sing's budding romance with a shy girl who makes steamed buns, using tai chi techniques.
If and when you watch this, the only way to go is with the original version. I had seen the movie previously on my imported disk, but it's been awhile since I watched it. I started the evening off with the English cut. What a mistake that was. The pacing was off, it was pretty easy to tell that stuff was missing. Since it had been so long since I had watched the movie, I could not immediately point out what was missing, although the relationship between Sing and Mui seemed to be off, there wasn't nearly enough interaction between them. Then I watched the original version, and it just opened up a whole new world. The opening flashback is longer, giving a stronger basis for the Hung/Golden Leg rivalry. There are also longer segments around many of the jokes and physical gags which only serve to make them funnier, when they are cut, as in the English version. Most importantly, there is a lot more depth to the Sing/Mui relationship which doesn't seem to develop in the English version. The one thing I can say about the English version is that the dub was not that bad, I am not condoning it, but I have heard/seen much worse. One thing to remember is the dance sequence early on, was originally set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller", although in the English cut they use "Celebrate," and the Original cut uses some non-descript techno music. I am guessing that there were some rights issues that they could not get over.
Stephen Chow stars as Sing, in addition to being the director and co-writer. Chow is a veteran actor with over 50 movies under his belt, including 6 in the director's chair. He has been compared to Jim Carrey, although the only comparison would be their ability for physical comedy. He brings a lot of heart to the project. He surrounds himself with an excellent ensemble cast. Among them is Vicki Zhao, who plays Mui and proves she isn't scared to cover her good looks in some rather unflattering makeup, not too mention bringing depth to the shy tai chi master.
This is one of the best sports related films I've ever seen. It features some great over-the-top CG enhanced soccer matches with colorful characters and a lot of energy. I can't recommend this movie enough, although it is not for everybody (my dad hated it). Worth at least a rental.
Video. The film is presented in it's OAR of 1.85:1 and is anamorphically enhanced. The picture quality is very good, much better than the import (legal) that I have. It is worth it for the transfer.
Audio. Audio quality is good. The original features the original Cantonese track, the English cut features the English dub as well as the French dub, and the original Cantonese.
Extras. There are none, although I think Miramax would consider the original cut to be an extra.
Bottomline. Great movie, great transfer. This movie is a lot of fun, high energy, good use of effects. A wonderful showcase for Chow's ability. I can only hope that more of his films come over here.
Highly Recommended.
One thing this film has to overcome is the hype that was surrounding it. For those who track film releases and are into foreign cinema have invariable heard about this movie, and due to its storied history of near release, have unfairly increased expectations. These expectations have a way of crashing down when you finally get to see it. It happened with the Matrix sequels, remember the huge build up followed by the letdown? It's not as drastic with Shaolin Soccer, but it is there, and I have noticed it on various forums.
Anyway, the film is about Sing, a poor master of Shaolin kung fu, who is looking to repackage kung fu and make it popular to study again. His amazing kicking ability is noticed by Golden Leg, a former soccer star who was crippled in a game 20 years earlier. Together they team up, along with Sing's former Shaolin brothers, to enter a tournament to take on Team Evil, coached by Hung, the man responsible for Golden Leg's injury. There is a lot of fun along the way as this team of out of shape kung fu masters must band together as a team. There is also a subplot featuring Sing's budding romance with a shy girl who makes steamed buns, using tai chi techniques.
If and when you watch this, the only way to go is with the original version. I had seen the movie previously on my imported disk, but it's been awhile since I watched it. I started the evening off with the English cut. What a mistake that was. The pacing was off, it was pretty easy to tell that stuff was missing. Since it had been so long since I had watched the movie, I could not immediately point out what was missing, although the relationship between Sing and Mui seemed to be off, there wasn't nearly enough interaction between them. Then I watched the original version, and it just opened up a whole new world. The opening flashback is longer, giving a stronger basis for the Hung/Golden Leg rivalry. There are also longer segments around many of the jokes and physical gags which only serve to make them funnier, when they are cut, as in the English version. Most importantly, there is a lot more depth to the Sing/Mui relationship which doesn't seem to develop in the English version. The one thing I can say about the English version is that the dub was not that bad, I am not condoning it, but I have heard/seen much worse. One thing to remember is the dance sequence early on, was originally set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller", although in the English cut they use "Celebrate," and the Original cut uses some non-descript techno music. I am guessing that there were some rights issues that they could not get over.
Stephen Chow stars as Sing, in addition to being the director and co-writer. Chow is a veteran actor with over 50 movies under his belt, including 6 in the director's chair. He has been compared to Jim Carrey, although the only comparison would be their ability for physical comedy. He brings a lot of heart to the project. He surrounds himself with an excellent ensemble cast. Among them is Vicki Zhao, who plays Mui and proves she isn't scared to cover her good looks in some rather unflattering makeup, not too mention bringing depth to the shy tai chi master.
This is one of the best sports related films I've ever seen. It features some great over-the-top CG enhanced soccer matches with colorful characters and a lot of energy. I can't recommend this movie enough, although it is not for everybody (my dad hated it). Worth at least a rental.
Video. The film is presented in it's OAR of 1.85:1 and is anamorphically enhanced. The picture quality is very good, much better than the import (legal) that I have. It is worth it for the transfer.
Audio. Audio quality is good. The original features the original Cantonese track, the English cut features the English dub as well as the French dub, and the original Cantonese.
Extras. There are none, although I think Miramax would consider the original cut to be an extra.
Bottomline. Great movie, great transfer. This movie is a lot of fun, high energy, good use of effects. A wonderful showcase for Chow's ability. I can only hope that more of his films come over here.
Highly Recommended.
August 25, 2004
Movie Review: Garden State
This was a movie I had been interested in seeing ever since I first heard about it. It wasn't for the story, although the subject matter did seem to be interesting. The reason I wanted to see it was that it featured Zach Braff. I have become a fan of his work on Scrubs, which I feel is one of the best sitcoms currently in production, and wanted to see what he could do outside of that setting. It gets better though, in addition to starring in Garden State, he also wrote and directed it. All that plus positive word of mouth, had me hoping to get a chance to see it. I wasn't sure if I would as it is an independent, lower budgeted film, the like that does not usually get very wide releases, at best I hoped the local arthouse would get it for a week or two. To my surprise it made it to the local cineplex, so of course I made it out to see it.
The film follows Andrew Largemont on a journey where he rediscovers himself when he returns home to New Jersey after the death of his mother. Andrew is a struggling actor in LA, working at a Vietnamese restaurant. When we are introduced to him, his very impassive, almost catatonic, upon opening his medicine cabinet we see neat rows of all sorts of medications. We learn that he has been medicated for a large portion of his life, because of an accident when he was 9 years old which his father, who is also his psychiatrist, holds very deep seated anger about. On his return, Andrew makes the decision to not take his medication. This opens up new doors for him as he starts to feel again, maybe for the first time, like awakening from a coma. This gives him a childlike wonder for much of the film. This not to say that he is a child, but he is experiencing a lot of things that he has not felt since he was a child.
Shortly after returning home, he meets up with some of his old high school buddies. Each of these people is a new experience for Andrew. Then he meets Sam and his world is really thrown for a loop. She is a new experience, an enigma which we never really learn much about. Even still, she is a fascinating character which holds the promise of something unique. Andrew's awakening continues as he, Sam, and his friend Mark, embark on an adventure through New Jersey.
I am having a hard time describing the film, as I found it to be less about the plot and much more to do with Andrew's awakening, which is a bit more abstract. It was fascinating to watch, as layer by layer, Andrew becomes more and more aware of his life and what is going on around him. Sam's background is not so much explored, but she is the key. Through her exuberance and wild emotions spark something within Andrew that he needs to discover in himself. Mark on the other hand, represents a past which he needs to make peace with. Not to mention the father who is willingly or not being avoided until at last he finds himself able to confront it and make his peace.
Zach Braff is a brand new talent to watch. The story may meander a bit, but it is never dull, always something new to discover. Braff has a unique vision, something I did not expect from him. The dialogue is fresh, acting excellent. It will be interesting to see what he does next.
Highly Recommended.
The film follows Andrew Largemont on a journey where he rediscovers himself when he returns home to New Jersey after the death of his mother. Andrew is a struggling actor in LA, working at a Vietnamese restaurant. When we are introduced to him, his very impassive, almost catatonic, upon opening his medicine cabinet we see neat rows of all sorts of medications. We learn that he has been medicated for a large portion of his life, because of an accident when he was 9 years old which his father, who is also his psychiatrist, holds very deep seated anger about. On his return, Andrew makes the decision to not take his medication. This opens up new doors for him as he starts to feel again, maybe for the first time, like awakening from a coma. This gives him a childlike wonder for much of the film. This not to say that he is a child, but he is experiencing a lot of things that he has not felt since he was a child.
Shortly after returning home, he meets up with some of his old high school buddies. Each of these people is a new experience for Andrew. Then he meets Sam and his world is really thrown for a loop. She is a new experience, an enigma which we never really learn much about. Even still, she is a fascinating character which holds the promise of something unique. Andrew's awakening continues as he, Sam, and his friend Mark, embark on an adventure through New Jersey.
I am having a hard time describing the film, as I found it to be less about the plot and much more to do with Andrew's awakening, which is a bit more abstract. It was fascinating to watch, as layer by layer, Andrew becomes more and more aware of his life and what is going on around him. Sam's background is not so much explored, but she is the key. Through her exuberance and wild emotions spark something within Andrew that he needs to discover in himself. Mark on the other hand, represents a past which he needs to make peace with. Not to mention the father who is willingly or not being avoided until at last he finds himself able to confront it and make his peace.
Zach Braff is a brand new talent to watch. The story may meander a bit, but it is never dull, always something new to discover. Braff has a unique vision, something I did not expect from him. The dialogue is fresh, acting excellent. It will be interesting to see what he does next.
Highly Recommended.
August 24, 2004
Pick of the Week
It's Tuesday, and all you DVD-aholics know what that means, New Releases! And with every new release day comes my Pick of the Week, the top title that I am interested in getting that week. This weeks was easy: Shaolin Soccer. Never heard of it? Well, now you have and now you must seek it out.
Like so many titles I like and/or write about it has had a storied history. It was actually released back in 2001 in Hong Kong, quickly garnering acclaim and attention. Due to this attention, Miramax acquired the US distribution rights. This is where it goes downhill. Anyone familiar with Miramax's treatment of Asian properties knows that they like to dub, edit, and rescore these films to the point that they are unrecognizable. That started to happen here, but it didn't test well. It was actually due in theaters about a year ago, to where I saw trailers in theaters and on TV promos in Best Buy, as well as posters. At the last second Miramax pulled the plug. It then got a limited release this year and a DVD due out today. I should mention, it is being released uncut and subbed.
I purchased an import copy of the movie and have had it in possession for most of the year. It is a very funny slapstick comedy starring Steven Chow, who has been called the Jim Carrey of Hong Kong. It is a about a disgraced soccer player who leads a group of Shaolin martial artists into a soccer competition, much comedy ensues. In short, you must see this movie!
There are a couple of other titles out that are worth your time as well:
Like so many titles I like and/or write about it has had a storied history. It was actually released back in 2001 in Hong Kong, quickly garnering acclaim and attention. Due to this attention, Miramax acquired the US distribution rights. This is where it goes downhill. Anyone familiar with Miramax's treatment of Asian properties knows that they like to dub, edit, and rescore these films to the point that they are unrecognizable. That started to happen here, but it didn't test well. It was actually due in theaters about a year ago, to where I saw trailers in theaters and on TV promos in Best Buy, as well as posters. At the last second Miramax pulled the plug. It then got a limited release this year and a DVD due out today. I should mention, it is being released uncut and subbed.
I purchased an import copy of the movie and have had it in possession for most of the year. It is a very funny slapstick comedy starring Steven Chow, who has been called the Jim Carrey of Hong Kong. It is a about a disgraced soccer player who leads a group of Shaolin martial artists into a soccer competition, much comedy ensues. In short, you must see this movie!
There are a couple of other titles out that are worth your time as well:
- Futurama Volume 4: The fourth and final volume of this excellent show from Matt Groening. Another must see.
- The Girl Next Door: A surprisingly good comedy starring Elisha Cuthbert from 24.
- Night of the Demons: Blast from the past, an 80's slasher.
- Gun Crazy Volume 2: Beyond the Law: The first was a stylish action film, hopefully the second will be as good.
- Night Gallery Season 1: Classic television from Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone.
- The Munsters Season 1: Who doesn't like the Munsters?
- Harsh Realm The Complete Series: From the mind of Chris Carter. A series that wasn't given enough time to get going.
That's it for this week!
August 23, 2004
Artwork Stolen.
I'm a little late bringing this up, but is worth mentioning. Two paintings have been stolen from a museum in Oslo, Norway. Edvard Munch's "The Scream" and "Madonna" were stolen in an armed robbery. Apparently 2 people barged into the museum, in broad daylight no less, ripped the paintings from the wall and made their getaway. No suspects have been caught yet, but they do have photos of the duo making their escape.
I can't believe that stuff like this happens. What could their motivation be? Well, I know the answer to that, but why must you steal art? Stick to banks.
DVD Review: Red Shadow
This film is the latest to reach American shores from director Hiroyuki Nakano. His region 1 debut was Samurai Fiction. I came across it by accident the other day while browsing for nothing in particular. I came across the Martial Arts DVD section and this disk caught my eye, mainly because I don't remember being there the last time had been to that particular store, plus I recognized Nakano's name on the top of the cover. I picked it up, and saw that Nakano had also directed Samurai Fiction, that's where I remembered his name from! I had bought that title a while back and really enjoyed it, so I bought this one too in the hopes that I would also like it, the cover made it appear interesting. I also figured, since it was a 2 disk set, somebody must thnk it's worth something. That's a thought I reserve for foreign films, as not many get all that special a treatment. I got the disk home, ripped off the plastic and popped it.
The film is a little schizophrenic as it shifts stories about 45 minutes or so in, and not in the direction that it appeared to be heading. The story follows Akakage, Aokage, and Asuka, three ninja's in ancient Japan. They aren't terribly adept at their craft yet, and are seen fooling around and screwing up a bit while on their missions. During their second mission, something goes wrong and the dynamic changes as does the direction. New characters are introduced, and it shifts from a more comedically based film to one about political intrigue as one of the clans faces trouble from within.
The thing about this film is that it is on the shallow end in terms of plot and character development. Everything is rather simple and easy to follow. The good thing about that is that it did not detract from my enjoyment of the movie. It falls under that banner of "fun movies," you know the type, where you can just sit back and have fun without a heck of a lot of brain activity. At the same time, it has a unique look and is different than the films we usually get in that category here in America.
The characters are interesting and lively. Our three stars are Masanobu Ando as Akakage, Jun Murakami as Aokage, and Kumiko Aso as Asuka. They have excellent chemistry throughout the first portion of the film. But then tragedy strikes and the film shifts it's focus to Akakge and new character Koto-Hime, played by Megumi Okina. The performances are fun, Masanobu Ando is a great presence on the screen.
I guess the biggest problem I had with it is with the plot changing event. It promises a turn towards a much darker film, but it never arrives. It seemed a dropped thread that would have led into a more serious movie. I have a hard time holding much against it as it was a lot of fun to watch.
The design was odd too, it portrays itself as a period piece, an early graphic gives us the time stamp of 585 AD. But the two male ninjas where these form fitting leather outfits, and Asuka, the lone female, is wearing a mini-skirt and fishnet stockings. But I let it go, it was clearly not going for historical accuracy, especially when the tank appears!
Overall it is a stylish movie that is a lot of fun without being much of a mindbender to understand. It fulfilled it's purpose with this viewer providing an entertaining evening. The style manifested itself early with what appeared to be a crossover scene from Samurai Fiction, featuring a clash on a dirt path that is interrupted by some annoying pests.
Video. The image is anamorphically enhanced 1.85:1 which appears to be the correct ratio. Picture quality is excellent. Colors are sharp and vibrant. There was a lot of use of filters coloring entire scenes blue, red, a few different, everything remained clear and easy to see, even in the darker scenes, of which there are many. Nothing to complain about here.
Audio. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 in the original language, Japanese. Also a very good track, not necessarily demo material, but does a good job with what it has here.
Extras. This is a two disk set with most of the extras residing on the second disk.
Disk 1:
-A commentary track with actor Fumiyama Fujii and director Hiroyuki Nakano. The track is in Japanese, but thankfully a subtitle track is provided. I did not sample this yet.
-Tokyo Shock previews for Samurai Fiction, Versus, Ichii the Killer, and one more I can't remember.
Disk 2:
-3 Television spots are included.
-2 Theatrical trailers.
-Character profiles. More like behind the scenes and interviews with 5 of the primary cast members.
-Director's Video Diary. This is the meat of the extra's, with a running time of 90 minutes, it is a feature unto itself. It covers many aspects of the production including stunts, casting, effects, promotion. It includes interviews, stills, deleted scenes. I watched some of the film and enjoyed it much.
The best thing, all of the extras include English subtitles!
Bottomline. A fun movie, interesting take on the ninja/samurai film. Not as deep as I would have hoped, but it made up for that with a great visual style, fun performances, and basically something different from what we usually get here. If you are interested in Asian cinema, or are just looking for something different with some good action, this may just fit the bill.
Recommended.
The film is a little schizophrenic as it shifts stories about 45 minutes or so in, and not in the direction that it appeared to be heading. The story follows Akakage, Aokage, and Asuka, three ninja's in ancient Japan. They aren't terribly adept at their craft yet, and are seen fooling around and screwing up a bit while on their missions. During their second mission, something goes wrong and the dynamic changes as does the direction. New characters are introduced, and it shifts from a more comedically based film to one about political intrigue as one of the clans faces trouble from within.
The thing about this film is that it is on the shallow end in terms of plot and character development. Everything is rather simple and easy to follow. The good thing about that is that it did not detract from my enjoyment of the movie. It falls under that banner of "fun movies," you know the type, where you can just sit back and have fun without a heck of a lot of brain activity. At the same time, it has a unique look and is different than the films we usually get in that category here in America.
The characters are interesting and lively. Our three stars are Masanobu Ando as Akakage, Jun Murakami as Aokage, and Kumiko Aso as Asuka. They have excellent chemistry throughout the first portion of the film. But then tragedy strikes and the film shifts it's focus to Akakge and new character Koto-Hime, played by Megumi Okina. The performances are fun, Masanobu Ando is a great presence on the screen.
I guess the biggest problem I had with it is with the plot changing event. It promises a turn towards a much darker film, but it never arrives. It seemed a dropped thread that would have led into a more serious movie. I have a hard time holding much against it as it was a lot of fun to watch.
The design was odd too, it portrays itself as a period piece, an early graphic gives us the time stamp of 585 AD. But the two male ninjas where these form fitting leather outfits, and Asuka, the lone female, is wearing a mini-skirt and fishnet stockings. But I let it go, it was clearly not going for historical accuracy, especially when the tank appears!
Overall it is a stylish movie that is a lot of fun without being much of a mindbender to understand. It fulfilled it's purpose with this viewer providing an entertaining evening. The style manifested itself early with what appeared to be a crossover scene from Samurai Fiction, featuring a clash on a dirt path that is interrupted by some annoying pests.
Video. The image is anamorphically enhanced 1.85:1 which appears to be the correct ratio. Picture quality is excellent. Colors are sharp and vibrant. There was a lot of use of filters coloring entire scenes blue, red, a few different, everything remained clear and easy to see, even in the darker scenes, of which there are many. Nothing to complain about here.
Audio. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 in the original language, Japanese. Also a very good track, not necessarily demo material, but does a good job with what it has here.
Extras. This is a two disk set with most of the extras residing on the second disk.
Disk 1:
-A commentary track with actor Fumiyama Fujii and director Hiroyuki Nakano. The track is in Japanese, but thankfully a subtitle track is provided. I did not sample this yet.
-Tokyo Shock previews for Samurai Fiction, Versus, Ichii the Killer, and one more I can't remember.
Disk 2:
-3 Television spots are included.
-2 Theatrical trailers.
-Character profiles. More like behind the scenes and interviews with 5 of the primary cast members.
-Director's Video Diary. This is the meat of the extra's, with a running time of 90 minutes, it is a feature unto itself. It covers many aspects of the production including stunts, casting, effects, promotion. It includes interviews, stills, deleted scenes. I watched some of the film and enjoyed it much.
The best thing, all of the extras include English subtitles!
Bottomline. A fun movie, interesting take on the ninja/samurai film. Not as deep as I would have hoped, but it made up for that with a great visual style, fun performances, and basically something different from what we usually get here. If you are interested in Asian cinema, or are just looking for something different with some good action, this may just fit the bill.
Recommended.
Movie Review: Open Water
There has been one good thing about the failure of many of the big budget summer films, it has opened up more avenues for the independent films to get to a wider audience. Films like this one, Garden State, and Napoleon Dynamite have been able to sneak into a good number of theaters around the country. I'm not saying this as a definite statement of quality, but it is giving them an opportunity to sink or swim with a larger audience, giving filmmakers a better chance to be seen. That said, I thought this was a good film, definitely worth seeing, but also flawed.
By now I am sure most of you are familiar with the basic story, which is based on true events. Remember, this is only based on, it is not supposed to be the actual events, kind of like taking a story and being inspired by it to make you're own work. For those who are not yet familiar with it, it follows a couple on vacation, who go scuba diving, and upon returning to the surface find that their tour boat has left them behind. They end up alone in shark infested waters. The big question being, will they be found? Sorry, not going to answer that one for you.
The movie runs just shy of 80 minutes, and even at that short length it drags at points, that being the biggest downfall. The early scenes set up what is to come nicely. Daniel and Susan are a couple on well deserved vacation, in the early scenes you are left with a sense that they are having difficulties balancing work and their relationship and need the time to unwind. While on a scuba tour, the guides make a mistake in the headcount and return to their port. Daniel and Susan surface to nothing. This is where tension builds.
There they are floating in the water, no one around. Occasionally they are brushed by something swimming in the water beneath them, or a shark fin breaking the surface. This is where it gets interesting, we watch them at first freak out a bit about what's going on, then the stages change, the get closer, then the argue over whose fault it is, then back to love. It flows very believably between the emotions. All the while the danger increases as the undersea critters start getting friendlier.
I remember thinking that something bad has to happen or else this whole exercise will be a let down. Of course something bad does happen, and the film twists in a way that I didn't predict making it that much more frightening. I don't want to imply that this movie is terribly scary, it isn't, although there are moments of great tension. The implications, the very idea of this situation is frightening.
Like I mentioned earlier this movie is dragged down by some sluggishness. That isn't helped by the lead actress, Blanchard Ryan, as I didn't find her to be that great an actress. She seemed to struggle staying in character the whole time, I was too aware of here being an actress rather than being Susan. Daniel Travis, who plays Daniel, is much better at keeping the believability factor up. Another issue was the use of some musical cues, at a few points they use some bluegrass styled music, which would seem more at home in O Brother, Where Art Thou? than here. There are also a few sequences with montages of water, or people which seemed to unnaturally lengthen the film, as if they needed to pad it out to an acceptable feature length. There is also a sequence earlier on where Susan is lying in bed nude for the audience to see. This didn't really serve any purpose in the film, I have no problem with nudity in film, it has its place, but this was not one of them. It just seemed tacked on to appeal to some base instincts, I don't know. I just know that it really wasn't needed.
The movie experience can be likened to that of The Blair Witch Project. If you go into the film and watch impassively, just watching the film without involving yourself, you will probably not really like it. This is more of an experience than a film, if you go in with the position that you will let yourself get wrapped up in the experience, you will probably identify with the situation a lot more, therefore feeling a stronger effect. At least, that is a bit of a theory I have on watching movies.
Considering the budget and the novice filmmakers involved, it is an impressive feat. The low quality of the film gives it a grittier, more documentarian feel, increasing the immediacy of the situation. Of course, you could just say that's all they could afford, but it does work for the movie. The real sharks also add to the realism as you know you're not looking at an animatronic. There are also some great shots such as a few overhead shots where you see the characters looking around and behind and beneath them you see the bodies of sharks slide by, unknown to them that they are there. Also, when the camera straddles the surface and just beneath, you see Daniel and Susan, calm, but beneath you see multiple sharks swimming right next to them.
Bottomline. It is a good movie, an interesting experiment in psychology, without being completely successful. It is better than a lot of other films that have been out this summer. It shouldn't necessarily be touted as the next great example of independent cinema, but it does have a great visceral effect on a viewer, especially in the second half leading up to a climax that I was not expecting. I walked out of the film a bit shellshocked over what I had just seen the final fifteen minutes. I would have to say, yes you should see this movie.
Recommended.
By now I am sure most of you are familiar with the basic story, which is based on true events. Remember, this is only based on, it is not supposed to be the actual events, kind of like taking a story and being inspired by it to make you're own work. For those who are not yet familiar with it, it follows a couple on vacation, who go scuba diving, and upon returning to the surface find that their tour boat has left them behind. They end up alone in shark infested waters. The big question being, will they be found? Sorry, not going to answer that one for you.
The movie runs just shy of 80 minutes, and even at that short length it drags at points, that being the biggest downfall. The early scenes set up what is to come nicely. Daniel and Susan are a couple on well deserved vacation, in the early scenes you are left with a sense that they are having difficulties balancing work and their relationship and need the time to unwind. While on a scuba tour, the guides make a mistake in the headcount and return to their port. Daniel and Susan surface to nothing. This is where tension builds.
There they are floating in the water, no one around. Occasionally they are brushed by something swimming in the water beneath them, or a shark fin breaking the surface. This is where it gets interesting, we watch them at first freak out a bit about what's going on, then the stages change, the get closer, then the argue over whose fault it is, then back to love. It flows very believably between the emotions. All the while the danger increases as the undersea critters start getting friendlier.
I remember thinking that something bad has to happen or else this whole exercise will be a let down. Of course something bad does happen, and the film twists in a way that I didn't predict making it that much more frightening. I don't want to imply that this movie is terribly scary, it isn't, although there are moments of great tension. The implications, the very idea of this situation is frightening.
Like I mentioned earlier this movie is dragged down by some sluggishness. That isn't helped by the lead actress, Blanchard Ryan, as I didn't find her to be that great an actress. She seemed to struggle staying in character the whole time, I was too aware of here being an actress rather than being Susan. Daniel Travis, who plays Daniel, is much better at keeping the believability factor up. Another issue was the use of some musical cues, at a few points they use some bluegrass styled music, which would seem more at home in O Brother, Where Art Thou? than here. There are also a few sequences with montages of water, or people which seemed to unnaturally lengthen the film, as if they needed to pad it out to an acceptable feature length. There is also a sequence earlier on where Susan is lying in bed nude for the audience to see. This didn't really serve any purpose in the film, I have no problem with nudity in film, it has its place, but this was not one of them. It just seemed tacked on to appeal to some base instincts, I don't know. I just know that it really wasn't needed.
The movie experience can be likened to that of The Blair Witch Project. If you go into the film and watch impassively, just watching the film without involving yourself, you will probably not really like it. This is more of an experience than a film, if you go in with the position that you will let yourself get wrapped up in the experience, you will probably identify with the situation a lot more, therefore feeling a stronger effect. At least, that is a bit of a theory I have on watching movies.
Considering the budget and the novice filmmakers involved, it is an impressive feat. The low quality of the film gives it a grittier, more documentarian feel, increasing the immediacy of the situation. Of course, you could just say that's all they could afford, but it does work for the movie. The real sharks also add to the realism as you know you're not looking at an animatronic. There are also some great shots such as a few overhead shots where you see the characters looking around and behind and beneath them you see the bodies of sharks slide by, unknown to them that they are there. Also, when the camera straddles the surface and just beneath, you see Daniel and Susan, calm, but beneath you see multiple sharks swimming right next to them.
Bottomline. It is a good movie, an interesting experiment in psychology, without being completely successful. It is better than a lot of other films that have been out this summer. It shouldn't necessarily be touted as the next great example of independent cinema, but it does have a great visceral effect on a viewer, especially in the second half leading up to a climax that I was not expecting. I walked out of the film a bit shellshocked over what I had just seen the final fifteen minutes. I would have to say, yes you should see this movie.
Recommended.
August 22, 2004
Movie Review: Exorcist: The Beginning
First I must ask, was this film necessary? I don't really think so. The original film is one of the most chilling films ever made and stands well on it's own. There have already been two sub par sequels that didn't really go anywhere. Who though that we needed, or even wanted, another Exorcist film? With that out of the way, I will say at first watch it seems better than either of the sequels, and like some other sequels this summer, is not a complete waste but is still far from being a success.
The concept is a good one. Father Merrin, the exorcist in the original, had obviously had some contact with Lucifer prior to Regan's possession. This film would go back in time to when Father Merrin first encountered the ultimate evil and the effect that that would have on him. At the core, it is story that could make for compelling cinema. The problem comes from the dissenting opinions of the studio executives. At first John Frankenheimer was set to direct, but bowed out of the film shortly before his death. He was replaced by Paul Schrader, who shot the film, edited it and delivered a finished product. The studio said there wasn't enough blood in the film and Schrader was fired. The studio then brought in Renny Harlin to, essentially, make the film a second time. Reportedly, 90% of the film was reshot. There was also a change in the lead actor, prior to any shooting. Originally Liam Neeson was set to star only to be replaced by Stellan Skarsgård. In the end, the film was finished to the studios liking. Although, they didn't like it enough to screen for critics.
So for some reason, I decided I wanted to see the movie, today turned out to be the day. It turned out to be another in a long line of frustrating films. Part of the problem was the title, if they released it under a different name, it may have been better received, but that's besides the point at this stage. The problem with the film is that the story is not nearly compelling enough and there is an over reliance on cheap jump scares. I have no problems with the jump scare, they have their place and should be used in moderation, here it seems they were tossed in to add excitement to the numerous dull moments.
We follow Father Merrin, now just Mr. Merrin as he has left the Church. He is contacted by a group of people who have found a church buried in the desert, and need someone to authenticate it. Merrin, along with Father Francis, are dispatched by the Vatican to go to the site. Once at the site strange things happen, people are going crazy, people are missing, crosses turn themselves upside down, the works. It is soon discovered that this was the spot where Lucifer landed after being expelled from heaven. From here it spirals into some pointless action, some extraneous characters, until we get to the final showdown which tries to build tension and excitement but is interrupted by some "action" scenes and some blood. I did like the resolution, although there was another missed opportunity, this time in the lack of the Exorcist theme.
Hands down the best thing about this movie was Stellan Skarsgård's performance. He brings a great level of believability in the midst of so much fluff. We can see that he is a troubled man, marked by an experience during WWII that I would not wish on anyone, ultimately causing his loss of faith. The thread focusing on Merrin's faith is most interesting, reminding me a bit of Mel Gibson's character arc in Signs. The growth he goes through and the revelations he has, are represented wonderfully. Other than that, there are no other terribly impressive acting performances. This is demonstrated perfectly by Ben Cross' character, Semelier, a pointless character that leads nowhere and features a horrendous make-up job. The script is generally dull and uninspired, and is probably good to take much of the blame for the movie.
I can't remember the last time I saw such bad CGI in a major release. The effects are awful, in most cases they don't mesh with the real backgrounds, or vice versa, the live action with the inserted backdrops. Hyenas with glowing eyes, swarms of flies, nothing works, it is just plain bad, none of it looks natural. The CGI enhanced possession looked like a reject from Evil Dead 2. Again, combined with a story that has no focus, doesn't know if it is a dramatic thriller, or a gore filled horror film. That lack of focus doesn't give us anything to identify with, it just serves to distance us from the tale.
The base story is interesting, but there was enough meddling done to take away any hope of a good film. While not ultimately worthless, it could have been a lot better. I could go so far as to say, if not for Stellan's performance, it wouldn't even be worth seeing. Still, for the most part, I would not recommend seeing this, although it is probably a bit better than The Order.
Not Recommended.
The concept is a good one. Father Merrin, the exorcist in the original, had obviously had some contact with Lucifer prior to Regan's possession. This film would go back in time to when Father Merrin first encountered the ultimate evil and the effect that that would have on him. At the core, it is story that could make for compelling cinema. The problem comes from the dissenting opinions of the studio executives. At first John Frankenheimer was set to direct, but bowed out of the film shortly before his death. He was replaced by Paul Schrader, who shot the film, edited it and delivered a finished product. The studio said there wasn't enough blood in the film and Schrader was fired. The studio then brought in Renny Harlin to, essentially, make the film a second time. Reportedly, 90% of the film was reshot. There was also a change in the lead actor, prior to any shooting. Originally Liam Neeson was set to star only to be replaced by Stellan Skarsgård. In the end, the film was finished to the studios liking. Although, they didn't like it enough to screen for critics.
So for some reason, I decided I wanted to see the movie, today turned out to be the day. It turned out to be another in a long line of frustrating films. Part of the problem was the title, if they released it under a different name, it may have been better received, but that's besides the point at this stage. The problem with the film is that the story is not nearly compelling enough and there is an over reliance on cheap jump scares. I have no problems with the jump scare, they have their place and should be used in moderation, here it seems they were tossed in to add excitement to the numerous dull moments.
We follow Father Merrin, now just Mr. Merrin as he has left the Church. He is contacted by a group of people who have found a church buried in the desert, and need someone to authenticate it. Merrin, along with Father Francis, are dispatched by the Vatican to go to the site. Once at the site strange things happen, people are going crazy, people are missing, crosses turn themselves upside down, the works. It is soon discovered that this was the spot where Lucifer landed after being expelled from heaven. From here it spirals into some pointless action, some extraneous characters, until we get to the final showdown which tries to build tension and excitement but is interrupted by some "action" scenes and some blood. I did like the resolution, although there was another missed opportunity, this time in the lack of the Exorcist theme.
Hands down the best thing about this movie was Stellan Skarsgård's performance. He brings a great level of believability in the midst of so much fluff. We can see that he is a troubled man, marked by an experience during WWII that I would not wish on anyone, ultimately causing his loss of faith. The thread focusing on Merrin's faith is most interesting, reminding me a bit of Mel Gibson's character arc in Signs. The growth he goes through and the revelations he has, are represented wonderfully. Other than that, there are no other terribly impressive acting performances. This is demonstrated perfectly by Ben Cross' character, Semelier, a pointless character that leads nowhere and features a horrendous make-up job. The script is generally dull and uninspired, and is probably good to take much of the blame for the movie.
I can't remember the last time I saw such bad CGI in a major release. The effects are awful, in most cases they don't mesh with the real backgrounds, or vice versa, the live action with the inserted backdrops. Hyenas with glowing eyes, swarms of flies, nothing works, it is just plain bad, none of it looks natural. The CGI enhanced possession looked like a reject from Evil Dead 2. Again, combined with a story that has no focus, doesn't know if it is a dramatic thriller, or a gore filled horror film. That lack of focus doesn't give us anything to identify with, it just serves to distance us from the tale.
The base story is interesting, but there was enough meddling done to take away any hope of a good film. While not ultimately worthless, it could have been a lot better. I could go so far as to say, if not for Stellan's performance, it wouldn't even be worth seeing. Still, for the most part, I would not recommend seeing this, although it is probably a bit better than The Order.
Not Recommended.
Poll Results.
Weekly Poll: 8/15/04 Which is your favorite Alien or Predator film?
- Alien 33% 2
- Aliens 50% 3
- Alien 3 0% 0
- Alien: Resurrection 0% 0
- Predator 0% 0
- Predator 2 0% 0
- Alien vs. Predator 0% 0
- I love them all 0% 0
- I do not like any of them 17% 1
- total votes: 6
I thought more people would have commented on this. I know you're out there! Please drop your opinion on the poll!
But it does appear that the Aliens films are the more popular of the two series. I chose Aliens as my favorite. It gets the most play when I go to watch one of them. The original Alien film is a classic of horror cinema, without which we would not have had Aliens or the other sequels. For some reason the Predator films didn't get any love? Granted, the second one was not that good, but the first is one of the best action films to come from the 80's, plus it features two men who went on to become governors. I don't blame anyone for not choosing AvP, it wasn't a terribly good film.
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