If you are looking for an adventure film that is powerful, moving, downright thrilling and free of any attempts at a twist, Rescue Dawn may be the movie for you. Quite frankly, this is one of the best films of the year. It provides an extraordinary tale of spirit and survival. The story of one man and his absolute desire to survive and escape a terrible situation that he never suspected he'd be in. It engages the audience, drawing you in and holding you at complete attention for its duration. Well, that is how it affected me anyway. Director Werner Herzog delivers a fascinating film, which pays testimony to the strength of human spirit and its ability to adapt to ever changing circumstances in order to survive.
Rescue Dawn is based on the story of Dieter Dengler, whose story was previously told in the documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly (also directed by Werner Herzog). Herzog is a director that I have little experience with, though I have read of his penchant for the crossing of reality and fantasy in both his fictional and documentary features. Knowing that, it is not hard to believe that portions of Dengler's tale have been dramatized to increase dramatic suspense. In particular, I have read of significant changes to Gene DeBruin (Jeremy Davies), one of Dengler's fellow prisoners who is shown as being a bit loony and believing release is imminent. I do not believe that Herzog was disrespecting his memory, or attempting to portray him in an unflattering light. It feels like a valid portrayal of a man who has endured imprisonment, torture, and severe malnutrition for more than two years. I have a feeling I would be a little looney as well if I had been subjected to what he went through. Before going too far down this path, let's get back to the story at hand.
Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born American, was a child in Germany during World War II when he became determined to become a pilot. His family emigrated from Germany to the US where he joined the Navy for citizenship and the opportunity to fly. Fast forward to 1965, Vietnam is fast escalating and Dengler is taking part in a top secret bombing run over Laos. In this, his very first mission, he is shot down and captured. Taken to a prison in the middle of the jungle, he quickly learns that the flimsy bamboo fences are more for aesthetics than an actual prison. The real prison is the jungle surrounding them.The film moves along at a nice, even pace. This is no action film nor is it about sensationalizing the tale into some grand adventure. Rescue Dawn unfolds giving us a glimpse into the day to day lives of the captured, the relationships that develop between them, and Dengler's unwavering spirit. To go into too much detail would rob you of a great experience. It does not offer any new direction in the war genre, but I do not believe there was any intention of making an attempt. I have a feeling that this was more about Herzog wanting to tell the dramatic story of the man he befriended while making Little Dieter Needs to Fly. The result is not an entirely accurate portrayal of events, but most likely more accurate in tone.
Werner Herzog's film is beautiful in how the story tells itself, nothing is forced as the facts come out. Sure, those facts may be fudged a bit, but everything plays in such a manner that unfolds in a naturalistic, believeable manner. It feels real, which is what matters most in a movie of this sort. Now, take that tone, and combine it with location shooting in the jungle. This is no set, you can watch as the actors struggle through the thick greenery and struggle with nature that is not forgiving and becomes a living character of its own. The foliage proves to be as dangerous an enemy as the pursuing Vietcong. It is shot beautifully by Herzog and DP Peter Zeitlinger, the color and danger jump right off the screen.Once you move past that, you can take a look at the fantastic performances. Christian Bale puts it all on the line. He flat out amazes in his portrayal of Dengler. Simply put, Bale is one of the finest working actors with true dedication to his craft. Watching him work is very moving, as he maintains his determination, retains his sanity, and means what he says when he claims to not having found a man who scares him. Likewise praise can be given to both Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies as fellow prisoners Duane and Gene. Both of whom hit all the right notes in their portrayals.
Bottomline. Wonderful movie. Great acting and an involving story filled with suspense. There are a couple of scenes that will really get to you, I know my defenses were weakened at a few points. Regardless of how entirely accurate it is, Herzog made the film that he wanted to make and it is a wonderful tribute to his friend and the the strength that the spirit has to survive in the face of such daunting odds.
Highly Recommended.
Wow. Simply put Lonely China Day's Sorrow is a beautiful album. It is quite unlike anything else I have heard this year, or am likely to hear for the rest of it. Sorrow is filled with sprawling soundscapes that are challenging and relaxing. It is a strange combination of sounds and feelings that will surely have an effect on you even if you don't know what they are saying (much like myself). That said, I have found it to be a tough nut to crack into. It is beautiful, haunting, unique, and has proven nearly impossible to find a way in in order to review it the way it deserves to be reviewed. I could just say that if you like music on the fringe, this is for you. However, that would be all too easy.
When the album arrived on my doorstep, I had no idea what to expect. I read some of the promotional materials that came with it and my anxiety increased. When I see phrases like: "Sorrow is the result of a band pushing their sound further into the abyss of an abstract ocean" and "Each track bursts with surreal minimalist lap tops speaking alien languages inside an indie rock cocoon," well, I get a little worried about my ability to connect with whatever lies behind the musical bits. I still wonder if I am connecting with it in anything more than a superficial attraction. Seriously, calling it an album that challenges your ears and soothes your spirit sounds like such metaphysical hooey, but it still seems strangely accurate.
"Have you ever heard of The End?"
As I listen to the album, I get a strong sense that this band is on the verge of breaking out in a big way. In particular, the first single, "Throwing Stones," seems to be a cut that was created in a calculating manner to get them noticed. I am not saying that it is a bad song, but it has SINGLE written all over it with its primarily clean vocals and strong Tool overtones. Sometimes you need to have a song like that to get over to a wider audience, something a little more accessible to reach out to a larger audience. Once you have them at you attention, you unleash something a bit different like "Animals" or "The Moth and I" or "Awake?". You use the single to draw them in before springing the trap. "Throwing Stones" is still a good song, don't get me wrong, but the tantalizing mainstream feel of it has that "break-out hit" aura.
Looking for the next hot thing in emo? Well, keep looking. Escape the Fate is not going to be able to escape their fate. To be fair, Dying is Your Latest Fashion is not a terrible album it is just horribly lackluster. It doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It slips back and forth through emo, screamo, and pop-punk. It seems like they weren't sure what direction to take and chose to throw everything at the wall to see what would stick. I am vaguely reminded of Sugar Ray and their everything but the kitchen sink approach to Floored, and when "Fly" hit, every song after sounded just like it. Of course, that is a different case, but the comparison popped into my head and feels rather appropriate.
Was this supposed to be funny? As I sat and watched the seemingly endless movie, I kept waiting for a laugh, even a slight chuckle would do. However, there is nothing funny to be found in this pile of celluloid. Kickin' it Old Skool follows the same concept as Big and 13 Going on 30, but it sucks out all the magic and laughs that those films contained. Instead of offering anything clever or funny, we get Jamie Kennedy doing his best to ape Adam Sandler and failing miserably. So, if you are looking for something that will rob you of two hours, go ahead and see this.
Justin is the twelve year old leader of a breakdance crew involved in a talent show "battle" with his rival, Kip, and his crew. During the competition Justin attempts a particularly tough move which sends him flying off the stage. This fall lands the young dancer in a coma which lasts for twenty years. So far, so good.
Let's fill in a couple more plot pieces. Justin still fancies himself a dancer, his parents are near bankrupt from his hospital bills, and Kip hosts a dance competition. See where this is going now? It is pretty transparent. The wheels have flown off the ride.
Watching Kickin' it Old School will lower your IQ. It will make you wonder why anyone has ever heard of Jamie Kennedy. This movie could even make you kick that 80's nostalgia kick that comes up every now and then.
This week's pick is none other than William Shakespeare's Hamlet, a film which I have only seen once since it's theatrical release in 1996. I have memories of getting there just before it was to begin, the only seats left were a couple of wooden folding chairs at the back of theater. I was hesitant to sit on what I was sure would be uncomfortable accommodations for a four hour feature. I took the plunge, and it was a great four hours, I completely forgot about the hard seat I was on. It was also the only film I can recall seeing that had an intermission (I can think of a few that probably could have used one, *cough* LOTR *cough*).
Rush Hour 3 easily topped the weekend's box office, taking in nearly $50 million. It failed to match the opening take of its predecessor, but that was to be expected. It has been six years since that last film, and the careers of its two leads have not exactly been sparkling of late. The situation is not helped by the fact that the movie is not all that good. Sure, the leads have some chemistry, but Tucker's brand of comedy is becoming seriously unfunny, and Jackie Chan just seems a little tired. However, it still drew well from all demographics, and was inoffensive enough.
What once was Nick Oliveri's side project (founded in 1997), Mondo Generator has become the vocalist/bassist's primary project. In recent years he had been a founding member of stoner rockers Kyuss, and one of only two permanent members of Queens of the Stone Age, along with (former) friend Josh Homme. Now, a couple of years removed from his dismissal from Queens after a falling out with Homme, Oliveri has delivered a new Mondo Generator album, and it has found its release a mere few weeks after the latest Queens of the Stone Age album. For the record, I am not the biggest fan of either Kyuss or Queens, although both of them have some good stuff out there. Now, I am faced with listening to my first Mondo Generator album. My reaction is decidedly mixed, resulting in an album I find to fall squarely in the middle range.
(hed)P.E. is a band to be admired for their perseverance and their desire to play by their own rules, and not succumb to the desires of the label execs. This is never going to be an easy career path if you are trying to get your music out to a wide audience. Still, good music will find its way to the people, but that is not always the case, and (hed)P.E. is a good example of that as well. After their first few albums, they had a falling out with Jive Records, which led to their anger filled release Only in Amerika on Koch Records. That proved to be a mere stop gap on their way to their current home, Suburban Noize Records. Insomnia is their second release on the label, following last years Back 2 Base X. It's too bad this doesn't live up to last year.
When the first Rush Hour landed back in 1998, Jackie Chan was riding high on his recent explosion of popularity in mainstream America. Recent outings such as Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop, and First Strike were proving to be hits and his stock in the West was rising. It only made sense to have get him in an English language film to capitalize on that newfound fame. At the same time, Chris Tucker's stock was rising with turns in Friday, Fifth Element, and Money Talks. It seemed like the perfect idea to pair up a guy who does not speak English all that well with a guy never shuts up. The result was a fun buddy comedy which delivered big laughs and big action. Three years later, director Brett Ratner brought the duo back in an equally good sequel. Now, it has been six years since we last saw them together, and six years since Tucker has been on the big screen. This time the result is much less satisfying.
As Rush Hour 3 starts, James Carter (Tucker) is doing his duty as an LAPD officer by directing traffic. Of course, he is doing this in his own style, singing and dancing until he, inadvertently, causes an accident. At the same time, Inspector Lee (Chan) is accompanying Ambassador Han (Tzi Ma, reprising his role from the first Rush Hour) to World Criminal Court. It is a big day for Han, as he plans to reveal the leader of the Triads. Before he is able to make the announcement, he is he victim of an attempted assassination. This leads to a chase in old school Jackie style, which is as unlikely as it is exciting.
The chase leads them to Paris, where they are greeted by Roman Polanski playing a rather thorough police inspector. After that discomfort, they team up with an America-hating cabbie as they search Paris for the Triads and their mysterious leader. Along the way Tucker lets loose a non-stop barrage of one liners and quips, while Lee just roles his eyes and does most of the required fighting.
As I sat in the theater, I found a movie that was not downright bad, but there was a lot not to like about it. The story is simple, and never really explodes into anything terribly involving. The plot serves as a mere device to move our buddies into a variety of situations leading to flying quips and fists. Chris Tucker is more annoying here than he was as the motor-mouthed DJ Ruby Rod in The Fifth Element. He is always letting his mouth fly off the handle with witty one liners that aren't nearly as witty as they should be. Much of the comedy comes across as worn out and tired, it was like the jokes were being recycled from the first two films. Jackie Chan still has a lot of charm and charisma, despite playing the same character in virtually every movie he's in. Even Chan often times has this worn look, like he is wondering why he agreed to do this.
If you are a fan of Jane Austen's work, skip reading this review. If you continue reading, you will find a review of a partly factual/partly fictional romantic period drama focusing on a small part of Jane Austen's life. You will also find a movie review written by someone who knows nothing about Jane Austen and has never read any of her novels or other writings (at least not that I can remember). I did see the Bollywood style take on Pride and Prejudice called Bride and Prejudice, though I doubt that counts. Becoming Jane is the new film in question, and I left the screening conflicted.
Becoming Jane is a movie that features some fantastic shots, a middling romance, good performances, and a sleep inducing pace. I wanted to like the movie. both Anne Hathaway (as Jane) and James McAvoy (as would be suitor Tom Lefroy). The supporting cast is also quite good, in particular Maggie Smith as the superior Lady Gresham. The cinematography also offers up some great shots, such as when Jane is walking along a beach (viewed from a distance), and the gritty Fight Club style underground boxing matches that Lefroy likes to engage in. Despite all there is to like, the screenplay moves at a snail's pace and fails to really deliver any insight. I feel as if I have seen this story before, and better.
Tom Lefroy is a poor young lawyer, with a reliance on an allowance from his uncle. In an effort to help him get his head on straight, he is sent to spend time with relatives in the country. It is during this, supposedly, head clearing trip that he encounters Jane. At first, it is clear that the two are at odds in their outlook. In movie talk, that means they will end up being madly attracted to each other. Anyway, the relationship is not one smiled upon by their respective families. Jane's mother wishes her to marry into wealth (the family was suffering financial woes), while Lefroy's uncle will not consent to him marrying a country girl. Then there is Lady Gresham, a lonely woman who believes she is above everyone when it comes to deciding what is best for all around her. She wishes Jane to accept the pending proposal from her nephew, Mr. Wisley.
known. This allows screenwriters Kevin Hood and Sarah Williams the room to play with what may have happened. They use elements of her novels as the seeds of the story. In a way they reverse engineer her writings to create potential inspirations from her real life. This may be pretty close, as most authors take cues from their real life for their writing. It would not be much of a stretch to assign Austen's narrative elements to pieces of her life in the search to fill in what she was like.