Screenplay by I.A.L. Diamond and Allen Loeb and Timothy Dowling
Directed by Dennis Dugan
An apt title since Sandler and company seemingly looked at the script and said "Let's just go with it". Thus, it was retitled, from the ultimately more sophisticated Cactus Flower. Even Pretend Wife would have been better (a real working title, by the way). However, as seems the norm with Sandler lately, he doesn't even try, doesn't even bother with any creative aspects, he merely furthers the wannabe playboy quasi-Sandler. I don't know if he sees himself this way, or wants to see himself this way, which is why he continually does these types of movies, but it's really trite at this point. At least I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry had Kevin James as a new device for Sandler.
Lighter than light, this is a film for the modern family to watch together, it has enough crude humor for the 10-28 year old boy crowd, eye candy for the 10-103 male crowd, and enough syrupy corniness to drown anyone. Somehow, despite all odds, Sandler comes off likeable (which the character has no right to) and Jennifer Aniston actually shines comedically, as his tomboyish sidekick to his playboy plastic surgeon.
Of course if you've seen the trailer you can plot the course of the entire film, which might have always been the case with most of Sandler's films, but many of them were at least enjoyable. Here, too often, I was wondering aloud where the jokes were, if this was not a comedy film. Sadly, it seems they don't even need jokes anymore, people will pay to see Sandler do anything, which was the joke of a depreciating character in Funny People apparently when you're as rich as Sandler, it doesn't even matter if you're laughing at yourself.
Dennis Dougan is still one of the finest comedy directors today, proving this by making consistently funny (or at least tolerable) comedies from ridiculously corny scripts the past few years. Despite this fact, he's never lost his timing, or the ability to make a joke work no matter how telegraphed, he really does know comedy. Which begs the question, why would he continue making all of these sub-par scripts? I guess it's one of those Hollywood mysteries, which isn't really a mystery because it's all about money.
Jennifer Aniston finally proves her appeal to me, she can be a funny, candid personality when her character isn't a cold, paranoid lunatic, which is what she seems to play most often. Who knew it was just acting? Of course it's Dougan so you'll see plenty of funny cameos, and Nick Swardson just goes completely into left field with his character (as his personality seemingly pushes him to) but he often has the best laugh out loud moments of the film.
Don't get me wrong, Just Go With It is a funny film. It has some decent laughs, and depending how well you can turn your brain off, some people may even enjoy the brain-dead story that's been told a thousand times before. However, no one will be tricked. Anyone walking into the theater after seeing the poster knows exactly what to expect, and I suppose that's why they keep making so much money. Dougan and Sandler know exactly what audiences want to see, and they deliver exactly that. Nothing more, nothing less. Never dissatisfied, their fans remain loyal. It just leaves those of us that are fans of Saving Silverman and Happy Gilmore reminisce on the potential that once was.
Everyone else is busy getting ready for the next Adam Sandler film.
7.0/10
Grade: (C-) - For having a few laughs (a requisite to call it a comedy), but with very little effort expended. Passable, but just barely.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Super (2010)
Written and Directed by James Gunn
It's been too long, James Gunn. I know he had a tough time getting a movie made, and when faced with the possibility of the loss of creative control, he probably walked away. So I don't mind waiting a few years for his follow up to the splattery fun that was Slither (sadly, a mismarketed commercial failure), and he's back with a knockout punch rife with turmoil from his own life.
Super, is, in essence, a break-up revenge fantasy. When Frank D'Arbo's (Rainn Wilson) wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) leaves him for the crooked Jacque (Kevin Bacon), he literally snaps. The weight of his failures destroy him, to the point where he has an epiphany: He's only failed because he didn't make the choice to try. Inspired by an insipid Christian-themed superhero, he befriends Libby (Ellen Page) a comic shop employee with strange fascinations and enough personality flaws to fill her own movie.
Invigorated by his message from God, Frank sets out as the Crimson Bolt, who tells crime to shut up, and eventually shuts them up with a hefty pipe wrench. As Frank's path of vengeance burns through the city, Libby catches on, and by virtue of her pushiness, quickly becomes the Crimson Bolt's sidekick Boltie.
The superhero genre has pretty much been covered, and the existential superhero has always been defined by the Watchmen, and Gunn seemingly knows this, so he takes his hero in a completely different direction. This isn't a huge superhero film about huge issues and vast conspiracies. It's about the small issues, things that only a few people might care about, but Frank D'Arbo proves those people can be the most passionate. With his tirades against child molesters, drug dealers, and even people who cut in line, Gunn is venting every frustration he ever felt in a failed relationship.
Super is more in spirit with the Coen Brothers A Serious Man in that it's about a man who continually does the right thing, but finds failure at every door. Where the Coen Brothers film is about a man taking it all inward, this is the tale of a man who explodes everything that's ever bothered him off his chest, with increasing frequency, until he's ruthlessly gunning down Jacque's henchmen.
Many will see this as a film about the question of morality. I don't agree. I don't think it takes even a second to muse on morality, rather, it makes its decisions quickly, and lets history look as it may. For instance, when Frank attacks people with his pipe wrench, he does it on instinct, flared by the anger of his own past failures. Upon reflection, he decides the morality, and examines it, in an attempt to possibly shape some form of morality from what he's done.
I also don't think it's really about any relationship with God. Rather, I think the scenes of Frank's religion are further extensions of the scenes where he is shamed. God is merely his outlet for guidance, and even then, he always made his own decisions, even if he was always questioning God if they were the right decisions. It seems less about faith, and more about Frank's relationship to that faith once everything is said and done.
Beyond the film, and this is very much a film that's really about the events outside the ones depicted in the film, what happens to Frank next is just as important as what happened in the scenes we saw, a rare feat it seems. The tone is what makes it all work, and every actor knows exactly what world they're in. Kevin Bacon is hilarious as the not-so-bad bad guy, Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, and Nathan Fillion all have cameos (another joy of James Gunn movies), but it's Rainn Wilson who really shines as the hurt, broken, and lonely Frank.
Wilson takes the material quite seriously, and that's what makes all the dark humor work so well. His earnestness is what prevents the violence from feeling too mean and cruel, which some of it is. And that's the point. The violence and gore may be shocking for some expecting the full on comedy treatment, but I think it brings a realism to the world, that there are indeed consequences to the things Frank does, and it defies the flashy superhero style to have blood flying everywhere.
I also loved the little touches, the music, the way the camera moved, to give it that "small comedy" feel, and then in the action scenes it went 60's pop Batman for the violence. Watching some of the scenes, it almost seems that the BLAM! and POW! were to cover up that fickle blood particle problem so many greenscreen scenes tend to have, but if it is, bravo. I love the concept and at the same time it defies the realistic violence, bringing the stark realism to the viewer, but softening the emotional impact.
Super is funny, tragic, violent, but ultimately, cathartic. It's a testament to Gunn's writing ability to say how much I really enjoy and care about these characters. Too many films seem to know that not much is expected of their genre, so they don't bother trying to reinvent the wheel. The great part is, Gunn hasn't reinvented anything. He's just made a new type of superhero film, and I guess you can say it's in the same genre as Kick Ass just for being a comedic send up of classic comic characters, but really it's none of those things, just an angry break up letter to an ex-girlfriend that happens to be tragically hilarious and gorily passionate.
For now, Super is playing in limited cities, and on VOD in even fewer cities it seems. IFC would be wise to take a note from new genre juggernaut Magnet Releasing, who have the benefit of Mark Cuban and his money, but releases genre films across every platform in a timely manner, with increasing success. Any which way you can, see this film, especially if you think you've seen everything the superhero genre can offer.
9.5/10 (A)
It's been too long, James Gunn. I know he had a tough time getting a movie made, and when faced with the possibility of the loss of creative control, he probably walked away. So I don't mind waiting a few years for his follow up to the splattery fun that was Slither (sadly, a mismarketed commercial failure), and he's back with a knockout punch rife with turmoil from his own life.
Super, is, in essence, a break-up revenge fantasy. When Frank D'Arbo's (Rainn Wilson) wife Sarah (Liv Tyler) leaves him for the crooked Jacque (Kevin Bacon), he literally snaps. The weight of his failures destroy him, to the point where he has an epiphany: He's only failed because he didn't make the choice to try. Inspired by an insipid Christian-themed superhero, he befriends Libby (Ellen Page) a comic shop employee with strange fascinations and enough personality flaws to fill her own movie.
Invigorated by his message from God, Frank sets out as the Crimson Bolt, who tells crime to shut up, and eventually shuts them up with a hefty pipe wrench. As Frank's path of vengeance burns through the city, Libby catches on, and by virtue of her pushiness, quickly becomes the Crimson Bolt's sidekick Boltie.
The superhero genre has pretty much been covered, and the existential superhero has always been defined by the Watchmen, and Gunn seemingly knows this, so he takes his hero in a completely different direction. This isn't a huge superhero film about huge issues and vast conspiracies. It's about the small issues, things that only a few people might care about, but Frank D'Arbo proves those people can be the most passionate. With his tirades against child molesters, drug dealers, and even people who cut in line, Gunn is venting every frustration he ever felt in a failed relationship.
Super is more in spirit with the Coen Brothers A Serious Man in that it's about a man who continually does the right thing, but finds failure at every door. Where the Coen Brothers film is about a man taking it all inward, this is the tale of a man who explodes everything that's ever bothered him off his chest, with increasing frequency, until he's ruthlessly gunning down Jacque's henchmen.
Many will see this as a film about the question of morality. I don't agree. I don't think it takes even a second to muse on morality, rather, it makes its decisions quickly, and lets history look as it may. For instance, when Frank attacks people with his pipe wrench, he does it on instinct, flared by the anger of his own past failures. Upon reflection, he decides the morality, and examines it, in an attempt to possibly shape some form of morality from what he's done.
I also don't think it's really about any relationship with God. Rather, I think the scenes of Frank's religion are further extensions of the scenes where he is shamed. God is merely his outlet for guidance, and even then, he always made his own decisions, even if he was always questioning God if they were the right decisions. It seems less about faith, and more about Frank's relationship to that faith once everything is said and done.
Beyond the film, and this is very much a film that's really about the events outside the ones depicted in the film, what happens to Frank next is just as important as what happened in the scenes we saw, a rare feat it seems. The tone is what makes it all work, and every actor knows exactly what world they're in. Kevin Bacon is hilarious as the not-so-bad bad guy, Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, and Nathan Fillion all have cameos (another joy of James Gunn movies), but it's Rainn Wilson who really shines as the hurt, broken, and lonely Frank.
Wilson takes the material quite seriously, and that's what makes all the dark humor work so well. His earnestness is what prevents the violence from feeling too mean and cruel, which some of it is. And that's the point. The violence and gore may be shocking for some expecting the full on comedy treatment, but I think it brings a realism to the world, that there are indeed consequences to the things Frank does, and it defies the flashy superhero style to have blood flying everywhere.
I also loved the little touches, the music, the way the camera moved, to give it that "small comedy" feel, and then in the action scenes it went 60's pop Batman for the violence. Watching some of the scenes, it almost seems that the BLAM! and POW! were to cover up that fickle blood particle problem so many greenscreen scenes tend to have, but if it is, bravo. I love the concept and at the same time it defies the realistic violence, bringing the stark realism to the viewer, but softening the emotional impact.
Super is funny, tragic, violent, but ultimately, cathartic. It's a testament to Gunn's writing ability to say how much I really enjoy and care about these characters. Too many films seem to know that not much is expected of their genre, so they don't bother trying to reinvent the wheel. The great part is, Gunn hasn't reinvented anything. He's just made a new type of superhero film, and I guess you can say it's in the same genre as Kick Ass just for being a comedic send up of classic comic characters, but really it's none of those things, just an angry break up letter to an ex-girlfriend that happens to be tragically hilarious and gorily passionate.
For now, Super is playing in limited cities, and on VOD in even fewer cities it seems. IFC would be wise to take a note from new genre juggernaut Magnet Releasing, who have the benefit of Mark Cuban and his money, but releases genre films across every platform in a timely manner, with increasing success. Any which way you can, see this film, especially if you think you've seen everything the superhero genre can offer.
9.5/10 (A)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Your Highness (2011)
Written by Danny McBride and Ben Best
Directed by David Gordon Green
If you aren't down with Danny McBride's brand of humor, you'll want to stay far away from this one. Combining the vast and vehement ignorance of Kenny Powers and Fred Simmons, Thaddeus (Danny McBride) is the biggest dolt yet. Apparently conceived while playing a game of "what's it about?", a game Danny McBride and David Green play in between shots.
So while the script might not be the most insightful, it's definitely funny in parts, but I think the main problem most audiences will have with it is the genre of fantasy isn't that big to begin with, to do a movie referencing and making fun of them pares down the amount of people that could get the joke to a small portion. Everyone else seemingly feels left out of the joke.
The story follows Thaddeus, a lazy prince who doesn't do anything very princely, he leaves that to his older brother Fabious (James Franco). Instead, Thaddeus prefers to smoke wizard's weed and wrestle around with his servant Courtney (Rasmus Hardiker), flaunting any responsibility.
When Fabious comes home from one of his quests, he only wants his brother Thaddeus by his side, but Thaddeus is jealous of Fabious and his new bride, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), who has been held captive by the evil warlock Leezar (Just Theroux). It's all campy goodness, with Fabious and Thaddeus going on their first quest together, to save Belladonna.
They gain a fellow traveler in the beautiful and tough Isabel (Natalie Portman), who is part of a long order of Golden Knights sworn to protect the world against Leezar's evil plan. After explaining all of that, I know it sound silly, but it all kind of works. It's not bowl you over hilarious, but the sly nods and hints to films like Excalibur are enough to keep people smiling.
Franco and McBride have a great report together, and they use it to maximum effect. Again though, if you aren't 100% into Danny McBride's style of comedy, this movie is sure to turn you off, as it's as petulant and ignorant as any of the characters he's ever played. The major difference here is there is an innocence to the character, which characters like Fred or Kenny don't have. They're just out-and-out dicks. And so is Thaddeus, to a point.
The stylish direction and fancy special f/x make this more than just a comedy, it's a fantasy film in its own right, with detailed design, meticulously crafted creatures, and a lot of humor at the expense of 80's fantasy films. Not a total laugh riot, but if you are a McBride fan, it's right up your alley, and this will be a must buy Blu Ray for many stoners in years to come.
8.6/10 (B+)
Directed by David Gordon Green
If you aren't down with Danny McBride's brand of humor, you'll want to stay far away from this one. Combining the vast and vehement ignorance of Kenny Powers and Fred Simmons, Thaddeus (Danny McBride) is the biggest dolt yet. Apparently conceived while playing a game of "what's it about?", a game Danny McBride and David Green play in between shots.
So while the script might not be the most insightful, it's definitely funny in parts, but I think the main problem most audiences will have with it is the genre of fantasy isn't that big to begin with, to do a movie referencing and making fun of them pares down the amount of people that could get the joke to a small portion. Everyone else seemingly feels left out of the joke.
The story follows Thaddeus, a lazy prince who doesn't do anything very princely, he leaves that to his older brother Fabious (James Franco). Instead, Thaddeus prefers to smoke wizard's weed and wrestle around with his servant Courtney (Rasmus Hardiker), flaunting any responsibility.
When Fabious comes home from one of his quests, he only wants his brother Thaddeus by his side, but Thaddeus is jealous of Fabious and his new bride, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), who has been held captive by the evil warlock Leezar (Just Theroux). It's all campy goodness, with Fabious and Thaddeus going on their first quest together, to save Belladonna.
They gain a fellow traveler in the beautiful and tough Isabel (Natalie Portman), who is part of a long order of Golden Knights sworn to protect the world against Leezar's evil plan. After explaining all of that, I know it sound silly, but it all kind of works. It's not bowl you over hilarious, but the sly nods and hints to films like Excalibur are enough to keep people smiling.
Franco and McBride have a great report together, and they use it to maximum effect. Again though, if you aren't 100% into Danny McBride's style of comedy, this movie is sure to turn you off, as it's as petulant and ignorant as any of the characters he's ever played. The major difference here is there is an innocence to the character, which characters like Fred or Kenny don't have. They're just out-and-out dicks. And so is Thaddeus, to a point.
The stylish direction and fancy special f/x make this more than just a comedy, it's a fantasy film in its own right, with detailed design, meticulously crafted creatures, and a lot of humor at the expense of 80's fantasy films. Not a total laugh riot, but if you are a McBride fan, it's right up your alley, and this will be a must buy Blu Ray for many stoners in years to come.
8.6/10 (B+)
The Loved Ones (2009)
Written and Directed by Sean Byrne
Sometimes a horror movie is so off the radar but you keep hearing things and vow to check it out. I've been saying that for a year and a half, and I'm glad I finally watched it. A very personal horror film The Loved Ones centers on Brent (Xavier Samuel), school heartthrob and all around cool guy. For example, on the night of prom, instead of going with his girlfriend, he chooses to sit around and listen to music. When a girl named Lola asks him to prom anyway, he sticks to his plan of doing nothing. Spurned, Lola leaves.
While sitting alone in the outback, Brent is suddenly grabbed by a mysterious person, and kidnapped. He ends up tied to a chair in a basement, where the worst horror of his life unfolds before him. Make no mistake, The Loved Ones is a torture film, but it's a torture film with something to say. Here, the torture physically inflicted is to match the perceived mental torture of unrequited love.
You see, Lola (Robin McLeavy) is the girl Brent turned down at school, now her Daddy (John Brumpton) has grabbed Brent, and will make him pay for not noticing how beautiful his daughter is. Such is the set up for the borderline incestuous relationship between Lola and her Daddy, who helps Lola extract revenge on those that aren't nice to her.
If this seem somewhat familiar, it is. It's not the first time a psycho family member has helped find a young sexual partner for his close family, but in the third act the film takes a series of left turns that can't be seen, but they work to maximum effect. There are more than a few "HOLY SHIT!" scenes, where I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
The strength of the acting carries this above and beyond mere genre fodder, it's a star making vehicle, I expect to see Robin McLeavy in a lot of upcoming films, and from what I understand, Xavier Samuel is already a teen icon. John Brumpton is great as the twisted Daddy, and Sean Byrne is sure to get any deal he wants for his next film with the assured nature in which he directed this film.
All the perfect notes are hit, and while the first act takes a while to get where it's going, the second and third acts pump along until the violent conclusion. An intense horror film, with some darkly humorous and equally nasty things to say about humans and what they'll do to satisfy their need to be loved. Definitely a memorable film, I'm curious if it will ever find a wide audience.
9.3/10 (A)
Sometimes a horror movie is so off the radar but you keep hearing things and vow to check it out. I've been saying that for a year and a half, and I'm glad I finally watched it. A very personal horror film The Loved Ones centers on Brent (Xavier Samuel), school heartthrob and all around cool guy. For example, on the night of prom, instead of going with his girlfriend, he chooses to sit around and listen to music. When a girl named Lola asks him to prom anyway, he sticks to his plan of doing nothing. Spurned, Lola leaves.
While sitting alone in the outback, Brent is suddenly grabbed by a mysterious person, and kidnapped. He ends up tied to a chair in a basement, where the worst horror of his life unfolds before him. Make no mistake, The Loved Ones is a torture film, but it's a torture film with something to say. Here, the torture physically inflicted is to match the perceived mental torture of unrequited love.
You see, Lola (Robin McLeavy) is the girl Brent turned down at school, now her Daddy (John Brumpton) has grabbed Brent, and will make him pay for not noticing how beautiful his daughter is. Such is the set up for the borderline incestuous relationship between Lola and her Daddy, who helps Lola extract revenge on those that aren't nice to her.
If this seem somewhat familiar, it is. It's not the first time a psycho family member has helped find a young sexual partner for his close family, but in the third act the film takes a series of left turns that can't be seen, but they work to maximum effect. There are more than a few "HOLY SHIT!" scenes, where I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
The strength of the acting carries this above and beyond mere genre fodder, it's a star making vehicle, I expect to see Robin McLeavy in a lot of upcoming films, and from what I understand, Xavier Samuel is already a teen icon. John Brumpton is great as the twisted Daddy, and Sean Byrne is sure to get any deal he wants for his next film with the assured nature in which he directed this film.
All the perfect notes are hit, and while the first act takes a while to get where it's going, the second and third acts pump along until the violent conclusion. An intense horror film, with some darkly humorous and equally nasty things to say about humans and what they'll do to satisfy their need to be loved. Definitely a memorable film, I'm curious if it will ever find a wide audience.
9.3/10 (A)
13 Assassins (2010)
Based on the screenplay by Kaneo Ikegami
Screenplay by Daisuke Tengan
Directed by Takashi Miike
For those that are familiar with Takashi Miike, he is a prolific and expedient director. With his latest film, 13 Assassins he has shifted gears, and essentially remade a classic Japanese tale. Much like Seven Samurai, the story involves a rogue group of samurai who must band together for a cause of honor, and so they can get paid, of course.
Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakusho) is tasked with the heavy burden of putting a stop to Lord Naritsugu (Goro Inagaki), a feudal lord who has become obsessed with killing, maiming, and raping, and won't stop his campaign, even at the urging of the Shogun council. The problem is, if he were invalidated as Lord, it would be a serious detriment to the political rankings of those who let him get to where he was. So Shinzaemon Shimada is told to hire a group of samurai, and do whatever he can to stop Naritsugu.
After grumbling that there aren't any good samurai anymore, he manages to recruit 9 men outside of himself, his closest trainee, and his friend's closest trainee. The pack of ronin quickly take to the task, hunting Naritsugu down, planning their eventual showdown with him.
This journey, which takes them on a series of strategic moves against Naritsugu, brings them all closer together, all bonded by the samurai code, which says a samurai only dies happily in service to another.
While this isn't instantly Miike's best film, it is his biggest, and by far his most serious. It still has his trademark brand of humor in tiny moments, but for the most part it's a classic Hollywood western, right down to the music. This is Miike in mainstream mode, and it seems as though he's slowed down, only doing 2 films a year instead of 5-10 like he has in the past. If that marks a period where he makes bigger, more serious films, I welcome it openly.
13 Assassins is by far Miike's crowning achievement as a filmmaker, even if it isn't his best film. It has everything a big, epic movie should have: heart, humor, good, evil, characters you can like and relate to, all while telling an interesting, sweeping period story. Of course since it's Miike so there's no shortage of bloodshed, but the uninitiated might be turned off by the stark use of brutal violence. In the long run, though, this is a soul crushing film, although it's played lightly, no one could have ever had a positive outcome in this story, and that's ultimately the point.
Miike's strained sense of morality is again on display, asking the tough questions, such as "If you see nothing wrong with killing, would you be able to stifle your anger if someone killed you?" Interesting questions not usually asked, but as always, death is the great equalizer for Miike, he loves to tell stories of killers and evil men, but even more he likes to kill them, to see how they die. Here more than any of his previous films, it's not pretty.
Like many of his previous films though, this one is pretty much all about honor and how they relate to the characters at hand, through a series of flashbacks, and the guilt Shimada feels for not stopping Naritsugu earlier. Not to mention I can't remember the last film I saw that had more than one Harikari in it. I'm sure that will be outdone in his next film, Death of a Samurai.
9.6/10 (A)
Screenplay by Daisuke Tengan
Directed by Takashi Miike
For those that are familiar with Takashi Miike, he is a prolific and expedient director. With his latest film, 13 Assassins he has shifted gears, and essentially remade a classic Japanese tale. Much like Seven Samurai, the story involves a rogue group of samurai who must band together for a cause of honor, and so they can get paid, of course.
Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakusho) is tasked with the heavy burden of putting a stop to Lord Naritsugu (Goro Inagaki), a feudal lord who has become obsessed with killing, maiming, and raping, and won't stop his campaign, even at the urging of the Shogun council. The problem is, if he were invalidated as Lord, it would be a serious detriment to the political rankings of those who let him get to where he was. So Shinzaemon Shimada is told to hire a group of samurai, and do whatever he can to stop Naritsugu.
After grumbling that there aren't any good samurai anymore, he manages to recruit 9 men outside of himself, his closest trainee, and his friend's closest trainee. The pack of ronin quickly take to the task, hunting Naritsugu down, planning their eventual showdown with him.
This journey, which takes them on a series of strategic moves against Naritsugu, brings them all closer together, all bonded by the samurai code, which says a samurai only dies happily in service to another.
While this isn't instantly Miike's best film, it is his biggest, and by far his most serious. It still has his trademark brand of humor in tiny moments, but for the most part it's a classic Hollywood western, right down to the music. This is Miike in mainstream mode, and it seems as though he's slowed down, only doing 2 films a year instead of 5-10 like he has in the past. If that marks a period where he makes bigger, more serious films, I welcome it openly.
13 Assassins is by far Miike's crowning achievement as a filmmaker, even if it isn't his best film. It has everything a big, epic movie should have: heart, humor, good, evil, characters you can like and relate to, all while telling an interesting, sweeping period story. Of course since it's Miike so there's no shortage of bloodshed, but the uninitiated might be turned off by the stark use of brutal violence. In the long run, though, this is a soul crushing film, although it's played lightly, no one could have ever had a positive outcome in this story, and that's ultimately the point.
Miike's strained sense of morality is again on display, asking the tough questions, such as "If you see nothing wrong with killing, would you be able to stifle your anger if someone killed you?" Interesting questions not usually asked, but as always, death is the great equalizer for Miike, he loves to tell stories of killers and evil men, but even more he likes to kill them, to see how they die. Here more than any of his previous films, it's not pretty.
Like many of his previous films though, this one is pretty much all about honor and how they relate to the characters at hand, through a series of flashbacks, and the guilt Shimada feels for not stopping Naritsugu earlier. Not to mention I can't remember the last film I saw that had more than one Harikari in it. I'm sure that will be outdone in his next film, Death of a Samurai.
9.6/10 (A)
Source Code (2011)
Written by Ben Ripley
Directed by Duncan Jones
Duncan Jones made the sleeper hit Moon a few years back which I'm quite fond of, so I got excited when his new film came out in wider release. Source Code is quite different from his first film, more mainstream in a modern action thriller kind of way. I'm sure the writer pitched it as Speed with a brain.
Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of someone else, in the middle of a conversation with someone he doesn't know. When the train he's on blows up, Colter wakes up in his own body, confused, only remember his last mission with his military convoy, fearing for their safety.
The labyrinth plot unfolds from here, and although it never gets too smart on us, at the same time it's clever, and keeps the viewer thinking throughout the runtime, making a detective of anyone watching it. Movies like this seems to be farther and fewer between, movies that know which genre its in, and bask freely in the light. Source Code is unabashedly science fiction, with enough roots in reality to win over the casual fan, as will the A-list talent.
Jones is an assured storyteller, he only gives the viewer tiny pieces, but he knows exactly when to give them and that they'll all tie up in the end. Too many sci-fi stories can't do this and either end up being a meandering mess (The Matrix series), or an F/X laden CGI-fest that doesn't make any damn sense (2012, or any Roland Emmerich film really). His talent for revealing only what needs to be revealed next is what allows him to keep a tight grip on his plot as it begins to wind out of control toward the end.
All the actors may be known, but none of them give a particularly great performance. Most of the more well known actors actually seemed to sleepwalk a bit through their roles. I don't know if this is because of a lack of direction, or a defiance of direction, but the acting isn't on the same level as it was in Moon. Most seemed like they knew they were in an action movie, and that's as far as they wanted to go with that.
However the clever screenplay keeps things entertaining, the story is well paced and moves along nicely. It's refreshing to see an entertaining, intelligent, original sci-fi screenplay get produced, and the fact that it was made pretty cheap helps its cause. Duncan Jones remains a director to be watched, the question is will he do another sci-fi film (his previously announced Mute, which is having funding issues?) or will he be forced by the economic tide to change things up a bit?
9.0/10 (A-)
Directed by Duncan Jones
Duncan Jones made the sleeper hit Moon a few years back which I'm quite fond of, so I got excited when his new film came out in wider release. Source Code is quite different from his first film, more mainstream in a modern action thriller kind of way. I'm sure the writer pitched it as Speed with a brain.
Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of someone else, in the middle of a conversation with someone he doesn't know. When the train he's on blows up, Colter wakes up in his own body, confused, only remember his last mission with his military convoy, fearing for their safety.
The labyrinth plot unfolds from here, and although it never gets too smart on us, at the same time it's clever, and keeps the viewer thinking throughout the runtime, making a detective of anyone watching it. Movies like this seems to be farther and fewer between, movies that know which genre its in, and bask freely in the light. Source Code is unabashedly science fiction, with enough roots in reality to win over the casual fan, as will the A-list talent.
Jones is an assured storyteller, he only gives the viewer tiny pieces, but he knows exactly when to give them and that they'll all tie up in the end. Too many sci-fi stories can't do this and either end up being a meandering mess (The Matrix series), or an F/X laden CGI-fest that doesn't make any damn sense (2012, or any Roland Emmerich film really). His talent for revealing only what needs to be revealed next is what allows him to keep a tight grip on his plot as it begins to wind out of control toward the end.
All the actors may be known, but none of them give a particularly great performance. Most of the more well known actors actually seemed to sleepwalk a bit through their roles. I don't know if this is because of a lack of direction, or a defiance of direction, but the acting isn't on the same level as it was in Moon. Most seemed like they knew they were in an action movie, and that's as far as they wanted to go with that.
However the clever screenplay keeps things entertaining, the story is well paced and moves along nicely. It's refreshing to see an entertaining, intelligent, original sci-fi screenplay get produced, and the fact that it was made pretty cheap helps its cause. Duncan Jones remains a director to be watched, the question is will he do another sci-fi film (his previously announced Mute, which is having funding issues?) or will he be forced by the economic tide to change things up a bit?
9.0/10 (A-)
Hobo With a Shotgun (2011)
Written by Rob Cotterill & Jason Eisner and John Davies
Directed by Jason Eisner
There are some movies that are well worth the wait. Hobo With a Shotgun is one of those movies. Ever since Jason Eisner burst onto the internet's consciousness with his original, no budget trailer for Hobo With a Shotgun, everyone has been waiting to see what he would do next. When he made the monstrously funny Treevenge we all waited to see what was next, surely a feature. With the announcement of the feature film of Hobo with a Shotgun, my hopes grew. When I heard Rutger Hauer was set to play the Hobo, my hopes grew even more. When I saw the initial sizzle reel, that Jason posted well over a year ago, the anticipation was killing me.
To finally see Hobo With a Shotgun in all its HD glory could have been disappointing. For a movie that most people haven't heard of, I had the highest expectations, and I'm glad to say Jason Eisner manager to shatter all of my expectations with this film, a balls to the wall gorefest full of gallows humor, superviolence, visual homages, and the zaniest characters this side of Switchblade Sisters. The fact that Eisner embraced the technicolor dreamworld of exploitation cinema as a bright beacon to his lonely Hobo is the sure sign that he is prepared to destroy this world no matter how he makes it look.
An extreme wasteland run by The Drake (Brian Downey), and his two psychopathic sons, the obnoxious Ivan (Nick Bateman) and the gleefully over the top Slick (former child star Gregory Smith). Like a sick version of The Running Man, Robocop, Death Row Game Show, and Battle Royale, Drake instills fear into the civilian population.
Overcome with guilt, and fed up with the disgusting state of the city, the Hobo finally snaps, grabbing a shotgun (and presumably some shells, while he was offscreen) and using it to wipe out the city's scum, which is appropriate, as they call it Scum City.
When they learn of his rampage, the deranged Drake and his sons hunt for the Hobo, and come across the only person he cares about in the world, the young and abused Abby (Molly Dunsworth), who he likens to his own child, and must protect at any cost. When the Hobo manages to wipe out a good number of Drake's men, he must call in The Plague.
The duo are rumored to get their own prequel film, but for now they smash all hell as they methodically hunt down the Hobo and bring him to the Drake. Every scene is an epic battle of wills, with the world on the line in every scene.
What Jason Eisner has managed to capture here is everything. Not just the look, the music, the sound, the actors, the dialogue, everything. Every detail. Everything is an homage to something, with references to Hauer's career (I saw at least one Blind Fury reference) and every underground action film made in the 70's and 80's.
Shot with RED's amazing EPIC 5K camera in 4.5 k (2.5 times the resolution of film) it can look awful if you don't know what you are doing. The production team, camera men, and cinematographer all obviously had long talks with Eisner because every frame of the entire movie has a very specific look, with a lot of homage shots, and a wonderful extremely wide frame. I know they shot near Jason's home town in Dartmouth and other areas around Nova Scotia, but they make it look like an evil sister city to The Warrior's dirty, run-down New York.
For what was surely a very low budget film, everyone was doing their job and firing on all cylinders. This movie looks, sounds, and has more action and gore than it has any right to. But somehow, they pulled it off. The story is engaging without being too tongue-in-cheek, but still balancing a good level of humor, inherent to the nature of such an homage film. Everything is balanced perfectly, and despite its low budget, it's packed with almost constant action, set pieces, and special effects, never losing its pace. I dare say Jason Eisner has crafted the best "throwback" grindhouse film out of the current crop (Tarantino and RR's Grindhouse included) and based on the VOD success alone it seems he won't have much trouble finding future work for his zany ideas. That's something I like to see.
9.8/10 (A+)
Directed by Jason Eisner
There are some movies that are well worth the wait. Hobo With a Shotgun is one of those movies. Ever since Jason Eisner burst onto the internet's consciousness with his original, no budget trailer for Hobo With a Shotgun, everyone has been waiting to see what he would do next. When he made the monstrously funny Treevenge we all waited to see what was next, surely a feature. With the announcement of the feature film of Hobo with a Shotgun, my hopes grew. When I heard Rutger Hauer was set to play the Hobo, my hopes grew even more. When I saw the initial sizzle reel, that Jason posted well over a year ago, the anticipation was killing me.
To finally see Hobo With a Shotgun in all its HD glory could have been disappointing. For a movie that most people haven't heard of, I had the highest expectations, and I'm glad to say Jason Eisner manager to shatter all of my expectations with this film, a balls to the wall gorefest full of gallows humor, superviolence, visual homages, and the zaniest characters this side of Switchblade Sisters. The fact that Eisner embraced the technicolor dreamworld of exploitation cinema as a bright beacon to his lonely Hobo is the sure sign that he is prepared to destroy this world no matter how he makes it look.
An extreme wasteland run by The Drake (Brian Downey), and his two psychopathic sons, the obnoxious Ivan (Nick Bateman) and the gleefully over the top Slick (former child star Gregory Smith). Like a sick version of The Running Man, Robocop, Death Row Game Show, and Battle Royale, Drake instills fear into the civilian population.
Overcome with guilt, and fed up with the disgusting state of the city, the Hobo finally snaps, grabbing a shotgun (and presumably some shells, while he was offscreen) and using it to wipe out the city's scum, which is appropriate, as they call it Scum City.
When they learn of his rampage, the deranged Drake and his sons hunt for the Hobo, and come across the only person he cares about in the world, the young and abused Abby (Molly Dunsworth), who he likens to his own child, and must protect at any cost. When the Hobo manages to wipe out a good number of Drake's men, he must call in The Plague.
The duo are rumored to get their own prequel film, but for now they smash all hell as they methodically hunt down the Hobo and bring him to the Drake. Every scene is an epic battle of wills, with the world on the line in every scene.
What Jason Eisner has managed to capture here is everything. Not just the look, the music, the sound, the actors, the dialogue, everything. Every detail. Everything is an homage to something, with references to Hauer's career (I saw at least one Blind Fury reference) and every underground action film made in the 70's and 80's.
Shot with RED's amazing EPIC 5K camera in 4.5 k (2.5 times the resolution of film) it can look awful if you don't know what you are doing. The production team, camera men, and cinematographer all obviously had long talks with Eisner because every frame of the entire movie has a very specific look, with a lot of homage shots, and a wonderful extremely wide frame. I know they shot near Jason's home town in Dartmouth and other areas around Nova Scotia, but they make it look like an evil sister city to The Warrior's dirty, run-down New York.
For what was surely a very low budget film, everyone was doing their job and firing on all cylinders. This movie looks, sounds, and has more action and gore than it has any right to. But somehow, they pulled it off. The story is engaging without being too tongue-in-cheek, but still balancing a good level of humor, inherent to the nature of such an homage film. Everything is balanced perfectly, and despite its low budget, it's packed with almost constant action, set pieces, and special effects, never losing its pace. I dare say Jason Eisner has crafted the best "throwback" grindhouse film out of the current crop (Tarantino and RR's Grindhouse included) and based on the VOD success alone it seems he won't have much trouble finding future work for his zany ideas. That's something I like to see.
9.8/10 (A+)
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