Ironically, it is the more talk and less blood that gives MIYUKI its creep factor. Yuri Nanami's performance as a Japanese exchange student, living with the PERFECT cynical depiction of a Marin County, California family, is beautifully subtle and nuanced. The cinematography is down right gorgeous in composition and lighting, and the film editing is strikingly subjective and dreamlike in its pacing. Director Immanuel Martin has done a great job with the technical elements and only has some weak spots in getting consistent 'honest moments' from some of his cast. That said, "Miyuki" has the psychological tension of "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" and with even more back story, which is something impressive to have pulled off. The tone of the film is exceptionally low key, which only adds to the pathos of the characters involved. There is a little bit of a supernatural element included, which is wholly unnecessary, or perhaps it is a cultural reference that didn't click with me. However, that is a minor quibble. With some judicious editing around a couple awkward performance moments, the film should obtain some sort of distribution.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Ranpo jigoku
(2005)
Creepy and Kinky Art!
10 June 2006
"Rampo Noir" (Rampo Jigoku) is a gorgeous, creepy, kinky to the extreme as well as beautifully conceived and well crafted compendium of four stories by Japanese author Edogawa Rampo (a transliteration of Edgar Allan Poe and the nom de plume of Taro Hirai): "Mars Canal", "Mirror Hell", "The Caterpillar" and "Crawling Bugs". "Mars Canal" bookends the program and launches us into the three other nightmares. "Mirror Hell" was fun and simply GORGEOUS to look at! "The Caterpillar" (which is the pet name a woman has given her husband for horridly KINKY reasons!) totally CREEPED me out! "Crawling Bugs" was dizzyingly lovely to look at, though quite unnerving as the lead character's 'dilemma' was eerily reminiscent of one of my best friends! It has been released on DVD (region 3) in Japan and I. Must. Have. IT!!
Tokyo Magic Hour
(2005)
I beg to differ (from the previous reviewer)...
12 May 2005
I also saw this at the San Francisco International Film Festival this year, but had an opposite reaction from that of the previous reviewer. I found this to be a simply gorgeous and completely abstract hour of images, music and some poems. During the Q&A, we found out that it actually had to do with the conflicts between many nations in Asia. However, I'm sort of ignorant to that, especially as abstractly presented here, so I just went along for the psychedelic ride! I. Loved. It!
It may have also benefited from having been paired with "The Year of Living Vicariously" which is, at worst, a talking head gab-fest! I found it quite a relief to just sit back and drift off into the imagery of "Tokyo Magic Hour" after having spent the previous hour of buzzing language and flying subtitles. (I don't want to speak to the catalog description or references to Derek Jarman, as I can't really say that I am a big Jarman fan to begin with.)
It may have also benefited from having been paired with "The Year of Living Vicariously" which is, at worst, a talking head gab-fest! I found it quite a relief to just sit back and drift off into the imagery of "Tokyo Magic Hour" after having spent the previous hour of buzzing language and flying subtitles. (I don't want to speak to the catalog description or references to Derek Jarman, as I can't really say that I am a big Jarman fan to begin with.)
The Office
(2005–2013)
The Problem with The Office
24 March 2005
Not only is Steve Carell playing it too hard, but he simply isn't LISTENING to anyone else, and that seems to be part of his character choice. Without effectively listening to the other actors/characters, he is robbing some of the painfully comic humanity of the character.
That is what made Ricky Gervais' interpretation 'brilliant' is that the actor/character actively listened and THEN made the wrong decisions, and KNEW it in his subtext (those painfully brilliant glances at the camera!) but he just couldn't help himself and kept drowning, which made it even more comically uncomfortable to witness...
That said, perhaps Carell will relax into the role after a couple of episodes. The rest of the cast has a truly natural docu-comic ease to their performances, which leads me to believe that the director (and/or writers and powers that be) knows what needs to happen. Perhaps the 'ghost' of Gervais is just too intimidating right now?
That is what made Ricky Gervais' interpretation 'brilliant' is that the actor/character actively listened and THEN made the wrong decisions, and KNEW it in his subtext (those painfully brilliant glances at the camera!) but he just couldn't help himself and kept drowning, which made it even more comically uncomfortable to witness...
That said, perhaps Carell will relax into the role after a couple of episodes. The rest of the cast has a truly natural docu-comic ease to their performances, which leads me to believe that the director (and/or writers and powers that be) knows what needs to happen. Perhaps the 'ghost' of Gervais is just too intimidating right now?
Mulholland Drive
(2001)
Lynch meets Bunuel
26 September 2001
I've been a 'fan' of David Lynch's work for it's quirkiness and playful, albeit, self indulgent surrealism. "Mulholland Drive" however, has the director's 'tricks' firmly serving a script. He uses his technique and brilliant moodiness to not only fulfill narrative, but create a character. Naomi Watts is stunning as our 'guide' and 'subject.' I felt I was watching a film comparable to Luis Bunuel's "Belle de Jour" in it's ability to take me down an unknown path, into it's own dream, and then slap me awake by it's finale.
It is a very mature film. There is no doubt that at about the 1 hour 45 minute mark, I and the audience around me, were beginning to get restless, though the following half hour is MORE than a payoff. It takes patience and submission and deserves to be relished. It is also a film for which Mr. Lynch joins the ranks of "International Cinema" along with Bunuel, and the like.
It is a very mature film. There is no doubt that at about the 1 hour 45 minute mark, I and the audience around me, were beginning to get restless, though the following half hour is MORE than a payoff. It takes patience and submission and deserves to be relished. It is also a film for which Mr. Lynch joins the ranks of "International Cinema" along with Bunuel, and the like.
Cure
(1997)
Subliminal to Visceral and back
21 September 2001
A delicate, yet exceptionally gorey murder mystery from Japan. Truly so psychological, that I'm still not sure what might have been real and what might have been a Jungian chase through the house of a man's mind. The images bleed from the mundane and sterile to the nightmarish with such subtlety and grace, that I began to question the reality of the simplest scenes.
The film is as dreamlike and subliminal as the villain it chases. Not really a thriller, though I had no clue what might happen to who next. Not really suspenseful, though I couldn't look away in fear of missing a detail. It is DELIBERATELY PACED, which might put off the typical murder mystery fan. However, if you just sit back and stare into the light, as do the hapless victims of the film, you will find it to be an unnerving experience.
The film is as dreamlike and subliminal as the villain it chases. Not really a thriller, though I had no clue what might happen to who next. Not really suspenseful, though I couldn't look away in fear of missing a detail. It is DELIBERATELY PACED, which might put off the typical murder mystery fan. However, if you just sit back and stare into the light, as do the hapless victims of the film, you will find it to be an unnerving experience.
Le réveil
(1996)
Let me see it again!!
16 November 1999
I first saw this wonderful little short at the SF Int'l. Film Festival in 1997. It's BRILLIANTLY staged! The Rube Goldberg Device from HELL! Though some purists might find it too "stagey," it's climax could only happen on film! And it is the nearly miraculous timing of this climax which left me gasping over the previous 6 minutes!
I hope to get to see this again sometime, somewhere! Thank you Wajnberg!! Jay
I hope to get to see this again sometime, somewhere! Thank you Wajnberg!! Jay
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