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Wo hu cang long (2000)
Incredible Fighting Sequences...and Little Else
Let me preface this review by saying that I had heard heaps of praise for this film. However, after having watched it myself I must say that I'm a bit disappointed.
While there is a great deal of emphasis on the martial arts choreography in this film, that seems to be the overriding -and only- leitmotif here- do whatever it takes to start another fight sequence. The performances were good, but I got up thinking that I missed something. I didn't. There just wasn't much there, except for some brilliant fight scenes. But in and of themselves, fight scenes do not make a movie great.
The cinematography was excellent, and perhaps deserving of an Oscar -but the original score was totally forgettable. Hans Zimmer should have won the Oscar hands-down for his scoring of 'Gladiator'.
'Crouching Tiger' was an entertaining movie, reminiscent of all those cheesy Kung Fu Theatre marathons I saw as a kid. But this movie simply fails to tell an intriguing story.
That's only my opinion...I'm sure that plenty of you will disagree. So be it -to each is own. It just didn't evoke any emotion in me.
Here's a suggestion: if you want to see an absolute masterpiece of Asian filmmaking, go rent 'The Seven Samurai'. In my opinion, Seven Samurai -Along with Ikiru (both directed by Akira Kurosawa)- are the most beautiful movies ever made.
My rating: 6/10
La planète sauvage (1973)
Brings back great memories
What a great movie! I had completely forgotten about this film -in fact, I hadn't seen it in over 20 years. Well, I rented 'The Cell' and while I was watching the scene where Jennifer Lopez is in her house with the television on, I noticed those blue aliens and the memories came rushing back! Of course, I came to IMDB to figure out what the title of the film was (it was in the trivia section of 'The Cell' review), and I was pleasantly surprised to find the title. I went and bought the DVD, which is truly outstanding! The basic premise of the movie is that a race of aliens keeps domesticated humans as pets, while eliminating their feral brethren in the wild. The story centers around Terr, who is rescued from a pack of cruel alien children by the daughter of a high-ranking official. Eventually he runs away and ends up meeting the humans living in the wild. They become tired of the treatment they suffer at the hands of the alien race, and seek to exact revenge on their captors.
This movie was made nearly 30 years ago, so the animation is not really comparable to modern-day animation, but the story and the plot transcend time. The premise of the film is as valid today as it was in the 70s.
The DVD edition of the movie comes with three additional animated shorts by Rene Laloux, and they are just as entertaining. This is a real gem of a movie...truly beautiful. My kids love it as well. A true masterpiece.
9/10.
Don't Answer the Phone! (1980)
Gripping Psychological Thriller (no, really, just kidding)!
This has got to be one of my all-time favorite cheesers. With awful acting, abysmal dialogue, and a senseless plot, this movie has all the makings of a classic stinker. Another thing to note is the soundtrack, which sounds like it was lifted from a B-grade porno flick, complete with wah-wah synthesizers and the "bow-chicka-bow-bow" reprisal.
Nicholas Worth, listed in the credits as "The Killer", or "The Strangler"' depending on which set you look at, delivers one of the most unintentionally hilarious performances as a deranged Vietnam veteran who likes killing young, beautiful women and then hovering over their bodies while laughing with his trademark wheezing...the guy is brilliant! Actually, that's just a joke, but then again, so is this entire movie. And why the hell do they call it "Don't Answer the Phone"? The only real phone calls of note are the ones he makes to Dr. Gail, the ultimate object of his violent misogyny. Worth has made another seminal performance this year (2000)... as the Soviet Premier in the game "Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2". Check him out, he rocks (or is that "reeks")?
However, I'd have to give the accolades for "Worst Perfomance in a Movie" to James Westmoreland. He is just plain AWFUL in this movie: contrived dialogue, stupid facial expressions, and a wardrobe that would make Wayne Newton jealous!
All in all, this is one of the best "bad" movies ever made, and I laugh uncontrollably every time I cue it up. If you're looking for 100% Velveeta, look no further: this is your movie!
Gladiator (2000)
A big-screen must-see.
In a nutshell: I loved it! Russell Crowe turns in a phenomenal performance as Maximus, and Joaquin Phoenix does likewise as the tormented Commodus. While the cinematography itself is quite dark and brooding, it mitigates the feel of the movie. The battles are well choreographed, and the story moves quickly. I've always been a big fan of Ridley Scott, and he hits one out of the park with Gladiator. Also, the musical score, written by Hans Zimmer, deserves a mountain of praise. You've got to see this one, folks!
Pi (1998)
An interesting and thought-provoking dichotomy of genius and mania.
I found Pi to be excellent. Some may criticize the science behind the premise of the movie, as well as its execution. Although the pace and timbre of the movie is frenetic, and at times disjointed, one might argue that this most closely mirrors the mood of the main character and is therefore intentional (and not just careless editing/cinematography, and so on).
The most salient concepts of the movie are based in scientific fact. There does indeed exist a subset of numbers that manifests itself in the design of living organisms throughout the phylogenetic map. From the nautilus shell to the honeycombs in beehives; from probability functions of electron orbitals to the structure and function of nucleic acids, a pattern of physical parameters converge and share a common thread- mainly that such designs might be explained in terms of their common mathematical attributes.
Maximillian Cohen is an obviously gifted man- an brilliant but eccentric mathematical genius whose intellect is rivaled only by the pervasiveness of his 'demons' (mainly his obsessive, unabashed desire to find a unifying theory grounded in the pure logic of numbers). At the same time, he is plagued by serious physical and emotional symptoms. This theme is neither novel nor purely fictional; many examples come to mind with even a cursory review of history (Van Gogh, Dostoyevsky, Newton, Galois, and the like). All these individuals were considered great intellects while at the same time were beleaguered by clusters of physical and psychological problems, hence the schism of intellect and affect.
Some criticize the film for its portrayal of Max's physiological symptoms, but from a medical perspective, not only are these symptoms accurate (delusions and hallucinations indicative of temporal lobe epilepsy, also migraines and epistaxis indicative of excessive cerebral vasodilation), but they also serve to explain the reasons for the director's choice of striking (and, at times, disturbing) visual effects. This mitigates the choice of camera angles and shots and serves as a window to Max's consciousness.
Mathematicians might not be satisfied with the paucity of details relevant to the mechanics of the thesis (calculus, chaos mathematics, analytical geometry, and set theory), and non-mathematicians unfamiliar with the concepts behind the thesis might argue that the intent is to glamorize the subject by taking liberties with the science of mathematics. However, in my own opinion, the film strikes a balance that allows both groups to catch a glimpse of the man behind the math, as well as the depth of his afflictions.
While dark and brooding, the cinematography perfectly complements Max's descent into madness. With deeper understanding of a unifying theory of nature comes the heightened realization that such information is in great demand, and those wishing to possess this information are obviously willing to do whatever it takes to get it. The result is a dizzying, and at times, terrifying glimpse into the world of chaos.
I think that the film is astounding. Rarely have I seen such an intriguing, intelligent attempt at making the science of mathematics interesting. You may love it, like I did, or you may hate it. But there's one conclusion that nearly everyone will share: it will make you THINK.