seandchoi Reviews

What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? (2004)

What the #$*! does Ramtha know?

[2/10 · 17 March 2005]

The answer to the above question is "Not much." This "film"--in reality a propaganda piece for the RSE cult--is in a superposition between being boring and being incoherent. The various Ph.D's that appear throughout the film only confirm my suspicion that being a good physicist or scientist doesn't automatically make one a good philosopher, or an authority on the "big questions of life." I rather sit and contemplate the sound that one-handed clapping makes rather than to sit through this non-sense again. If you really are seeking enlightenment, avoid this #$*! at all cost. You've been warned. (And if Ramtha is right, you should listen to me--for I am God. Modus Tollens, anyone?)

The Way Home (2002)

Truly moving and universal--destined to become a Korean classic

[10/10 · 30 November 2002]

The Way Home (Jibero) is a (deceptively) simple story of the values of the 'two Koreas' (the traditional, and the contemporary, consumerist), and unconditional love that is at the heart of any family. It can properly be called a Korean 'neorealist' film, in the tradition of similar great films from De Sica and Ray--not to mention two Japanese masters, Ozu and Kurosawa. The principal actors in this film (the grandmother and the spoiled boy) have never acted before, but deliver surprisingly effective performances. The viewer will soon forget, as I did, that one is watching a 'foreign' film, for The Way Home is truly universal, as all great films are. It is sad that this small gem will not be opening in 2000+ theatres around the country, but it is far better and more beautiful than any 'blockbuster' which will grace the megaplexes this year. Try to catch it, if at all possible!

Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)

I went 'ballistic' against this movie!

[3/10 · 25 September 2002]

The director of this film is Wych Kaosayananda of Thailand, whose nickname is "Kaos." And that is appropriate: for this waste of celluloid is utterly chaotic. It is basically a series of action sequences--many of which are shot in slooooow motion--that are vainly searching for a coherent narrative to unite them. The trailer for this film looked good enough (cf. its fight sequences), but that is only because all of the "good" (or tolerable) parts of Ballistic are packed into it. (This only goes to show that you can't judge a film by its trailers.) The talents of both Lucy Liu and Antonio Banderas are wasted on this would-be action film. It's full of too many explosions, too little of what might be called a storyline, and it's all edited together with scant attention to continuity. The only conceivable way to enjoy this film is to sever your brain from your eyes.

Chop Suey (2001)

Feels like a feature-length Calvin Klein commercial

[6/10 · 31 May 2002]

This film is a documentary directed by Bruce Weber, who is an internationally famous photographer. Weber's specialty is in photographing male nudes and Chop Suey is full of male nudity (all done tastefully). In particular, the film highlights (or celebrates) the physical beauty of one Peter Johnson, an actor/model with a great and lean physical build. Weber's camera is in love with Johnson. The film also highlights Weber's other passions, including the music of singer Frances Faye, as well as the "coolness" of actor Robert Mitchum. Chop Suey is basically a cinematic scrapbook of one man's passions and interests. There is hardly anything that can be called a "story" to link the various episodes that occur in this film together. But the film is distinguished by its excellent use of black and white (as well as color) photography--so it at least looks good (as one might expect, being photographed as it is by a professional photographer). However, ultimately one gets the sense that Chop Suey will appeal mainly (or perhaps only) to those (i) who also share Weber's passion of looking at great looking guys (often nude), and/or (ii) who find the idea of watching a film that often feels like a feature-length version of Calvin Klein's Eternity commercial even remotely appealing. If you don't fit into either of the above categories, heed my warning and skip this baby.

And Your Mother Too (2001)

An intelligent film about sex and coming-of-age.

[10/10 · 1 May 2002]

Y Tu Mama Tambien (translated "And your mother, too") is one of those rarest of films: for it effortlessly combines elements of: an intelligent and thought-provoking drama about sex; the differing psychologies of men and women about sex; a coming-of-age story; the way politics relate to the problem of poverty; and about the brevity of life and the need to live it to its fullest. A film that contained a thoughtful and mature treatment of even one of the above elements would make it a good film. That Y Tu Mama Tambien does justice to all of them makes it a truly outstanding film, perhaps the best film to come out of Mexico in quite a while.

The film features two boys about 17 years old, Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal, from another great Mexican film Amores Perros). They are best of friends, even though Tenoch comes from a rich, upper class family and Julio comes from a family that can barely be considered as "middle class." And as typical of many boys their age (irrespective of nationality), they are directionless and, above all, extremely horny. Their girlfriends leave for Italy on a vacation and at a party thrown by Tenoch's father (who's a respectable politician), the boys meet a sexy and older distant cousin of Tenoch, Luisa (Maribel Verdu). During their flirtatious conversation with Luisa they suggest that she should come with them and get away to a magical beach called "Heaven's Mouth" (which they made up just to flirt and make conversation with her). Some time afterwards, Luisa calls the boys and asks them if the invitation is still open. They say "Yes." And after borrowing a car from Julio's sister for five days, the three are off on a roadtrip to find Heaven's Mouth.

I will not reveal any more of the plot here, since this film contains some big surprises, particularly concerning the reason why Luisa decides to go with the boys to that made-up beach (which she believes is real). Suffice it to say that along their journey Luisa ends up teaching the boys about sex, love, and life--in short, the boys' journey to Heaven's Mouth is at the same time their journey towards maturity and manhood.

You've probably heard about the pretty explicit sexual content of this film and might have been either: (i) Dissuaded from seeing it, or (ii) since you like smutty and gratuitous sex in movies, you plan on seeing it. If you belong in the latter category, I can say that your expectations will be sorely disappointed. The sex scenes in Y Tu Mama Tambien are not gratuitous, nor are they smutty and puerile; rather, they're open and honest, thoughtful and mature. If you're looking for smut, look elsewhere. If you belong in the former category, I can say that you might very well be pleasantly surprised: surprised about this film's frankness about sex, yes, but even more surprised about its warmth and humanity.

In the end, Y Tu Mama Tambien is a film filled more with sadness--and the sober reminder of the mortality of us all--than sex. It is one of those great films that start out making you snicker and laugh (e.g. about its humor and sexuality, of which there are plenty), only to sneak up on you and shatter you emotionally by its (deadly serious) end. Although the aesthetically incompetent folks at the MPAA didn't give this film a rating, I will give it one: "four stars." Y Tu Mama Tambien is one of the "must see" films of this year--or any year.

Nowhere to Hide (1999)

It's all style and no substance--but what style!

[10/10 · 23 April 2002]

Lee Myung-se is one of the most gifted directors of the contemporary "new wave" movement in Korean cinema. He is a director who's in love with the medium of film, and it shows in his dazzling Nowhere to Hide. The film's plot involves a standard cops and robbers chase, but that's not where its strength lies. This film doesn't bother itself much with "substance," e.g. richly developed characters with whom we can sympathize, a serious look at "the human condition," etc. Instead, Nowhere to Hide is all about style and the joy of making films. Lee's style is sort of an amalgamation of Wong Kar-wai (the visuals) and John Woo (the action), and Nowhere to Hide offers some sumptuous feasts for the eyes. To offer some salient examples: There is an early assassination sequence which is so beautifully shot and creatively edited that it plays out like an impressionist music video (and it also happens to be my favorite scene from any film of its year, 2000); There is a fight sequence which is done completely in shadows; And there is a final fist fight between a cop and robber in the rain that is wonderfully aesthetic. During many scenes of this film, Lee stretches, breaks, and otherwise "tweaks" the visual grammar of film to produce a work that is consistently challenging and thoroughly original. Seldom has "eye candy" been this sweet. This film might not have much by way of substance, but in terms of pure filmmaking craft and originality, it's pretty hard to beat.

Panic Room (2002)

A stylish, well-made thriller.

[9/10 · 11 April 2002]

In the hands of a lesser director, "Panic Room" could have been all too routine and conventional. But thanks to the directorial skills of David Fincher, it rises above the average thriller coming out of Hollywood these days. It might seem at times that Fincher's too concerned with things like the film's visual style and CGI-assisted "camera movement" (e.g. there is an incredible scene where the camera glides down from the second floor into the kitchen, and then *through* the handle of a coffee pot and straight *into* a keyhole--and back out!), but that's part of what I like about this film. It's by a director that really loves and is a master of the craft of filmmaking, and is willing to shoot scenes in a creative, unconventional way. The suspense, after the initial set-up, is pretty taught and it never really lets up until the end. All-in-all, although Fincher fans might be somewhat "disappointed" that "Panic Room" isn't up to the level of "Fight Club," I think Fincher's latest effort is still worth seeing. It doesn't break new grounds, but it's a lot better than most so-called "thrillers" in recent memory ("Memento" being a definite exception).

Woman in the Dunes (1964)

A haunting existentialist parable.

[10/10 · 4 April 2002]

Hiroshi Teshigahara's "Woman in the Dunes" is truly a unique movie. It's about an entomologist who goes on a holiday, only to find himself trapped in huge sand pit with a woman. The woman has no will to get out of the sand (it's been "broken"--like that of a stable horse--no doubt), but he refuses to live a "meaningless" life in the sand pit (like the woman). He tries to get out, but it's all in vain: the wall of sand is an impenetrable barrier between him and his "freedom." And so the story goes. The sand pit, I guess, is a metaphor for humanity's existentialist plight. Like the mythological Sisyphus, who was condemned for eternity to roll a rock to the top of a hill only to have it roll back down again, the two characters in this film dig sand out of their pit--but the sand keeps coming back....which raises the question: If life is meaningless--as Satre and Camus have said--what will we do? Do we keep digging? Do we opt for suicide instead? Or what? This is one of those films that haunt you after you see it; you'll keep thinking of it during subsequent days and even weeks. It is also distinguished by its luscious and crisp black and white deep focus photography. "The Woman in the Dunes" is (sadly) a far too little-known cinematic treasure that is thought-provoking, beautiful, erotic, and even eerie. Once you see it, you won't soon forget it.

Scratch (2001)

It made me itch for a turntable of my own.

[8/10 · 1 April 2002]

Scratch is a documentary about DJs and their art of scratching. From that one line description of the film you would have no idea how entertaining and educational this little film is. It is a joyous and vibrant celebration of a cool subculture which is little known. It's filled with great underground hip hop music and you get to see some top DJs (e.g. DJ Q-Bert, DJ Shadow, and Mix Master Mike from the Beastie Boys) showing off their stuff. Going into the film I wasn't sure that "scratching" can really be called an art form, or that the turntable can be viewed as an instrument in its own right. Scratch completely changed my mind on these points. What these guys do with their turntables is truly amazing--it is definitely some kind of art--and the turntable, if you know how to use it, can be transformed into an instrument that you can "play," as much as a drum or a guitar. And you even get a lesson on the basics of scratching from DJ Q-Bert (e.g. how to use the fader to get different sound effects). All these DJs in their own way were inspired to take up the art of scratching after watching Herbie Hancock perform his song "Rock It" (you remember that song, don't you?) live at the Grammys. What got their attention was not Hancock himself but his DJ and his scratching. Not only is Scratch about scratching, but it does some "scratching" of its own thanks to the creative way in which this documentary is shot and edited. There are moments where clips are quickly "rewound" and then "forwarded" several times, which mirrors (in the film medium) what happens when a DJ quickly moves the record on his turntable back and forth while using his fader (that "wicka-wicka-wicka" sound). Whether you're a fan of hip hop or not, you can count on Scratch to give you a very enjoyable night at the movies. After seeing it, I had an itch to go buy a turntable of my own. And I mean this as a compliment.

Resident Evil (2002)

Got the looks but not the intelligence

[6/10 · 25 March 2002]

Resident Evil, the latest film from Paul Anderson--not to be confused with a much better filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson--looks great enough, but it feels like a feature-length compilation of familiar scenes from a handful of superior horror and/or sci-fi films, e.g. George Romero's zombie flicks, the "Alien" films, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, and The Matrix. The film doesn't break any new grounds and would have been better served, I think, as a "direct to video" release. The film features the beautiful Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, The Claim) who, along with several others (most notably, Michelle Rodriguez from The Fast and the Furious and Girlfight), must contain a chemical leakage at one of those secret underground laboratories which you find from time to time in sci-fi films like this. Unbeknownst to this crew, the contamination has turned all the workers in the lab into "zombies," a group of walking dead who are driven solely by the instinct to feed on living flesh. As you might have expected, the crew has to fight off the zombies, resulting in plenty of carnage and gore. Resident Evil is a gory film. What the film lacks, however, is any real suspense or genuine scares. And the soundtrack is one of the loudest I have heard in a long time; I wasn't scared by the film, but several times I got scared that I might go deaf. (I guess the philosophy behind this tactic is: if you can't scare them, jolt them.) I should also mention that the film features several almost nude scenes of Jovovich which are sort of disappointing and anti-climactic (you sort of keep wishing that the damn towel, etc. would fall, but it never does) but might turn out, in the long run, to be the best part of this dead-brained film.

Walkabout (1971)

A very beautiful and mysterious film.

[10/10 · 23 March 2002]

"In Australia, when an Aborigine man-child reaches sixteen, he is sent out into the land. For months he must live from it. Sleep on it. Eat of its fruit and flesh. Stay alive. Even if it means killing his fellow creatures. The Aborigines call it the WALKABOUT. This is the story of a 'WALKABOUT'." Thus begins Nicolas Roeg's 1971 debut feature, "Walkabout", one of the most beautiful, mystical, and magical film I've had the privilege of seeing as a filmgoer. Seeing it again recently on the beautiful Criterion edition DVD, I was once more captivated by this film as it slowly worked its magic on me. The "plot" of "Walkabout" is simplicity itself: a teenage girl (Jenny Agutter) and her little brother (the director's son in real life, Lucien John Roeg--billed "Lucien John" on the credits) are stranded on an Australian outback as their father, who took them out for a picnic, suddenly and inexplicably commits suicide. The two of them are thus left wandering by themselves and it looks as if they will die in the vast wilderness--until they encounter an Aborigine boy who is on his "walkabout," an Aborigine rite of passage into manhood. For a time these kids travel together as a trio and the Aborigine's skills in hunting and finding water allow them to survive. And although the girl and her brother will eventually find their way back to civilization, for a brief unspecified length of time the exotic Australian outback becomes a wondrous and mystical place where their story of survival unfolds. If you've seen this film, you know that the brief synopsis above doesn't really touch what is so special about "Walkabout." And that is because "Walkabout" isn't really about plot, like more conventional films. It is one of those rare films like Peter Weir's "Picnic at Hanging Rock," Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven," and Wim Wender's "Wings of Desire" which are all about evoking a kind of sad and bittersweet emotional response from us. I think that is what "Walkabout" is mostly about. The overall impact of this film "hits you in the heart" and very impressionable viewers might be stirred in their emotions to the point of swooning in the scene at the end where the girl, now a married woman, remembers her idyllic days happily swimming in one of the outback's water holes Nicolas Roeg was not only the director of "Walkabout" but also its cinematographer. And his photography in this film is unbearably beautiful and sumptuous. "Walkabout" is without a doubt one of the most gorgeous color films ever made. Shot on location in the Australian outback--perhaps one of the most exotic places on earth--"Walkabout" has a visual grandeur that is reminiscent of passages from David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" and John Ford's "The Searchers." Never has the "voodoo of location shooting" (as Werner Herzog likes to call it) been more manifest than in this film. In fact, the exotic and unique location in which it was shot, coupled with Roeg's masterful cinematography, feels like one of the main characters in "Walkabout." The film's location adds a mystical (almost spiritual) and meditative dimension to it which lingers in the viewer's mind--haunting it long after the film is over. If Roeg's photography is one of the film's main characters, so is John Barry's legendary and justly famous score. Maybe it's the harp used in the score, or the subtle billowing quality of its composition (i.e. the way its beautiful melody gently builds and builds), but the music in this film simply soars. It moves me like no other score I've ever heard. It feels completely transcendent, as if it exists outside time and space altogether--but gently swooping down from time to time, "kissing" this film's images with aching sweetness. All of the above elements work together to form a film-viewing experience that inspires both beauty and awe in us. The film's message is not necessarily that life in the outback is better than life in a modern civilization, but that no matter where you happen to find yourself (even if that happens to be a wilderness like the Australian outback), if you have resources that meet your basic needs, it can become your "home" for a time. And that afterwards there is bitter-sweetness in reminiscing about those "good times" you were fortunate enough to have--to which you can never return again.

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Very realistic war drama

[10/10 · 19 March 2002]

The history of film has given us some great war movies, e.g. Lewis Milestone's All Quiet on the Western Front and Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory chronicled WW1, Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, Oliver Stone's Platoon, and Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket showed us the madness involved in the Vietnam War, and Steven Spielberg's recent Saving Private Ryan chronicled a chapter in WW2. Now, Ridley Scott, with Black Hawk Down, has given us one of the most realistic depictions of what it feels like to be in the heart of battle. It is about a group of US soldiers who in 1993 tried to capture two Somalian guerrilla warlords in a mission that went terribly wrong. Various critics have complained that there is not enough character development in Black Hawk Down. The complaint is basically that in a film that boasts a running time of roughly 2 1/2 hours, only the first half hour or so is devoted to giving us the background of the various characters, and why we should care about any of them. While I believe that this criticism is not completely off the mark, considered purely as a technical exercise designed to get the viewer to feel "what it's like" to be in a war, it is undeniable that Black Hawk Down is something of a masterpiece. Spielberg wowed audiences in 1998 with the technically brilliant and realistic battle sequences that frame Saving Private Ryan. But whereas Spielberg's film eventually "slowed down" to give us character development, etc., Scott's film, after the initial half hour of set up, never lets up. For the next two hours or so, Black Hawk Down assaults the viewer with a technically brilliant recreation of the brutality, craziness, and the horror of war. The event of war is presented without moralistic commentary; Scott wisely lets the action speak for itself. The brutality of war is presented as a simple fact. This is not a "recruiting" film; this is not necessarily an "anti-war" film; it is a film that realistically (and brilliantly) shows us what war is LIKE.

George Washington (2000)

A nostalgic and humane look at adolescence

[10/10 · 19 March 2002]

A moody and atmospheric film that is told from a girl's (Nasia's) point of view, as she recounts her nostalgic memories about a childhood crush named George. Although George has a soft spot in his head which prevents him from engaging in rough, "boyish" activities, he seems indestructible and larger than life itself in the eyes of the admiring Nasia. George Washington is the impressive directorial debut of David Gordon Green, who seems to have attended the "Terrence Malick school of filmmaking." There are definite "Malickian" devices here: most notably, the voice over; the evocative music; and the sumptuous cinematography (several scenes are shot during the dusk). The cumulative effect of this film effectively evokes a nostalgia that we might all have towards our own childhood (or first love). The child actors are all very good and at times it doesn't seem like they're acting at all. Some of the lines seems so spontaneous in their delivery that it is hard to believe that they were scripted. For example, in one scene Nasia and George exchange small talk on top of the roof of an apartment building. You could tell all along that she admires George greatly. Then suddenly, she says "I hope you live forever"--said with such naturalness that you might think she made that up on the spot. At that moment a sustained, soul-lifting and evocative music plays in the background. There are many such tender moments in this film. Although George Washington might not be for everyone, those who like slow, moody, beautiful, and contemplative films might enjoy it--actually, savor it deeply. Without simply retreading the same old territory covered by directors like Malick, Green has created an original and lovely film that taps into the nostalgia of childhood in all of us.

A Walk to Remember (2002)

Like "Love Story" for teens.

[9/10 · 10 March 2002]

A Walk to Remember is a refreshing and welcome alternative to the typical "teen movie" that Hollywood makes these days (e.g. American Pie, Bring it On, pick any Freddie Prinz Jr. movie!). It is smarter than the movies named above for several reasons: (1) the characters are well developed and seem like real people with real issues; (2) there are no jokes involving bodily fluids or functions (thank God!); and (3) it is about romance, rather than sex. Shane West plays Landon Carter, who is a rebellious but popular kid in his high school. And pop star Mandy Moore plays Jamie Sullivan, a cute but unpopular girl in (the same) high school, due to her quasi-mousy style of dress and her strong Christian beliefs (her dad is the minister of a local church). When Landon gets in trouble and is forced to participate in the upcoming school play as his punishment, he is helped in his preparation by Jamie, who is also in the play and who volunteers to meet with him to practice their lines. During their meetings, an attraction builds between Landon and Jamie but he is afraid to show his feelings for her in public, around his "popular" friends, until something happens, and he feels that he must make a stand. I won't reveal any more of the plot here, since much of the joy of watching A Walk to Remember lies in seeing how it develops the growing romance between the two teens. There's genuine sweetness in this story and between the two lovers--which manages to stay a hair's breadth away from manipulative sentimentality--and then something happens. For the record, I predicted it far in advance, but that didn't lessen the impact of what happens. For the film takes its time developing its two main characters so that we genuinely care about their fate when the "unexpected" moment finally comes. For those who have not been overcome by cynicism and irony, and who are open to seeing a sweet teenage love story, I heartily recommend A Walk to Remember. It is a sleeper that will gradually win your heart over. (If you're a teenager, I recommend that you go see this film and prove to Hollywood that there's a market (among teens) for sweet, intelligent films like this.)

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Nostalgic, elegiac tale of doomed romance

[10/10 · 6 March 2002]

I think that New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell wrote the best one line review of In the Mood for Love when he said that it is "dizzy with a romantic spirit that's been missing from the cinema forever." How true those words are! Truly romantic films are so rare these days, while films that include plenty of sex and nudity (which are often portrayed in a smutty and gratuitous manner) abound. So, given this cinematic climate, Wong Kar-wai's latest film feels like a much needed breath of fresh air. In the Mood for Love is about the doomed romance between two neighbors ("Mr. Chow," played by Tony Leung and "Mrs. Chan," played by Maggie Cheung), whose spouses are having an illicit affair, as they try "not to be like them." But after hanging out with each other on lonely nights (while their spouses are away "on business"/"taking care of a sick mother"), they fall madly in love, and must resist the temptation of going too far.

Several factors are responsible for making In the Mood for Love a new classic among "romantic melodramas," in the best sense of that term. First, the specific period of the film (i.e. 1960's Hong Kong) is faithfully recreated to an astonishing degree of detail. The clothes (including Maggie Cheung's lovely dresses), the music (e.g. Nat King Cole), and the overall atmosphere of this film evokes a nostalgia for that specific period. Second, Christopher Doyle's award-winning, breathtakingly beautiful cinematography creates an environment which not only envelopes its two main characters, but seems to ooze with romantic longing in every one of its sumptuous, meticulously composed frame. Make no mistake about it: In the Mood for Love was the most gorgeous film of 2001. (It should also be mentioned that Wong Kar-wai's usual hyper-kinetic visual style is (understandably) toned down for this film, although his pallet remain just as colorful.) Third, there is the haunting score by Michael Galasso, which is accompanied by slow motion sequences of, e.g. Chan walking in her elegant dresses, Chan and Chow "glancing" at each other as they pass one another on the stairs, and other beautiful scenes which etch themselves into one's memory. The main score--which makes its instruments sound as though they're literally crying--is heard eight times throughout various points in the film and it serves to highlight the sadness and the longing which the two main characters feel. Fourth, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung both deliver wonderful performances (Leung won the prize for best actor at Cannes) and they manage to generate real chemistry on screen.

The above elements coalesce and work so nicely together to create a film that feels timeless, "dizzyingly romantic," and, in a word, magical. In the Mood for Love, perhaps more than any other film of 2001, reminded me why it is that I love "going to the movies." And I guess that is about the highest compliment that I can pay to a film.

Eureka (2000)

A beautiful meditation on the problem of evil

[10/10 · 27 February 2002]

Eureka tells an enormously soul searching and moving story about three people's attempt to find meaning and purpose after experiencing a grizzly "busjack" (i.e. a bus hijack). Thus, its "subject matter" and the problem with which it deals is as old as philosophy itself: finding meaning and hope in a world where such senseless acts of violence and evil occurs. The three characters are Kozue (girl) and Naoki (boy), who are middle school aged siblings, and Makoto, who is the driver of the hijacked bus. They are eventually joined by the children's college-aged uncle, Akihiko (who also provides some memorable comedic moments).

There's not too much dialog in Eureka, as Kozue and Naoki are mute throughout much of the film (as a result of their trauma), but we can sense the confusing and searing emotions that lie just beneath their silence. Director Shinji Aoyama (wisely) lets the story and the characters unfold / develop at a very deliberate and slow pace, eschewing quick cutting and montage in favor of carefully crafted compositions within the vast cinemascope frame. Due to its realistic style, at times Eureka feels like a documentary.

Having said this, however, I can also say confidently that many will be put off by Eureka simply due to its epic running time (= 3 hours 37 minutes minus the credits). But let me just remark personally that although it _is_ long, Eureka definitely _feels_ a lot shorter (after it's over) than most 2 hour Hollywood films. (In fact, I don't think that Eureka would have worked as a "2 hour film"--for roughly the same reason that a "Reader's Digest" version of War and Peace wouldn't be as powerful as the full-length novel.) Don't get me wrong: Eureka is demanding (this is a "thinking person's" film), but it is not overly daunting. This is a daring film that asks a lot of its viewers, but which delivers much by way of emotional payoff (to those who persevere).

Eureka eventually turns into a kind of existential road movie, as the four characters try to "start over" by taking a trip on Makoto's new bus. And although I won't give it away, Eureka has an ending that is truly beautiful, quietly moving, and charged with a glimmer of hope.

Finally, although it is rarely heard in the film, the original musical score by Aoyama and Isao Yamada really adds emotional resonance whenever it plays. It's unforgettable and simultaneously beautiful and elegiac. Overall, I consider Eureka to be a great example of "humanistic" filmmaking in the tradition of Kurosawa and Ozu. Only time will tell whether or not it will be considered a masterpiece, but in my book Shinji Aoyama has created one of the truly unforgettable films of 2001.

Cemetery Man (1994)

Deserves to be a cult classic

[9/10 · 27 February 2002]

A stylistic, original, and highly entertaining blend of horror and black comedy. Just think of Sam Raimi (Evil Dead 2) meets Dario Argento (Suspiria) and you'll get the basic "feel" of the film. Rupert Everett is great as Francesco Dellamorte, an undertaker at Buffalora, a cemetery with an unusual quirk: many people who get buried there come back to life as a zombie after about seven days (the "returners"). The way to "kill" them is by either shooting them in the head or by crushing in their skulls. Dellamorte and his quiet but eccentric assistant, Gnaghi (Francois Hadji-Lazaro), generally have things under control, but things start to get out of hand when a whole bus load of children die in a car accident and get buried in Buffalora. (As Dellamorte says to Gnaghi, "We're gonna need more bullets.") This film's brimming with creativity, funny plot turns, and quotable one-liners. The beautiful model, Anna Falchi, plays three different roles, including Dellamorte's lover--whom not even death can separate.

Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000)

Extremely sexy and sad film

[10/10 · 23 February 2002]

Upon first impression, Dancing at the Blue Iguana might appear to be just another "T and A movie," like Showgirls. After all, isn't Dancing at the Blue Iguana about strippers and "pole dancers," and doesn't it contain copious amounts of female nudity, just like Showgirls? Yes, on both of these counts. However, merely to conclude from this that Dancing at the Blue Iguana is just another "skin flick" is mistaken, and misses the fact that there is something much deeper going on here. This is more a film about the troubles and unrealized hopes of its characters (who happen to work in a strip club), rather than about their bodies. In short, there is a sadness, poignancy, and desperation, which exists at the heart of Dancing at the Blue Iguana, which gives it a dramatic power not found (nor attempted) in a superficially similar film like Showgirls (which, arguably, just is a "T and A movie").

This film was directed by Michael Radford, who is most famous for his work on Il Postino. The script and the characters in the film grew out of an improvisational workshop which Radford conducted with his lead actors. They each had to research their characters and come up with a storyline for them. Although the acting done in the film is improvised, it sounds polished and believable, and gives the film a raw, edgy feel. The actors for the most part create interesting and sympathetic characters. I'll mention two characters that I liked most. First, Darryl Hannah plays "Angel," a character who is naive and innocent at heart, even though she's a stripper. There is a scene in the film in which she gets herself arrested by a cop, and how she gets arrested I will not disclose, but suffice it to say that it is ironic, funny, and sad. Second, Sandra Oh plays "Jasmine," a stripper who is secretly a poet at heart. She regularly attends a poetry reading and at one of those meetings, she gets involved with its organizer. He thinks that she is a great poet, and perhaps can even get published. She initially has reservations about their relationship, because she is a stripper, and she fears that he won't accept her because of that. He assures her that it doesn't bother him. Skipping forward, there is a scene between them which is my favorite in the film. He decides to visit the club where Jasmine works ("Blue Iguana") after she repeatedly failed to return his calls (and why she doesn't do so is wisely left understated by the film). She comes out and does one of her dance routines. He sees her for the first time for who she really is, a stripper. And although he doesn't say a word, his expression tells all: I do not approve of that. The sound track for this scene is Moby's song "Porcelain," and it feels like it was written specially for this scene. During the song's refrain ("So this is goodbye..."), he eventually gets up and leaves, obviously full of disappointment. Meanwhile, Jasmine continues her dance to a crowd of cheering audience, and although her face might remain expressionless, her eyes betray her true emotion: during her pole dance, tears flow down her cheeks. That scene really stayed with me for some time after the film ended. The girls that work at "Blue Iguana" are strippers, but they're people, too. And just like the rest of us, they seek true love, but are often left disappointed, and they have hopes and ambitions, which they often do not follow through. Watching Dancing at the Blue Iguana, I was reminded of a beautiful point that Roger Ebert made in his (print) review of Sid and Nancy, back in 1986: "If a movie can illuminate the lives of other people who share this planet with us and show us not only how different they are but, how even so, they share the same dreams and hurts, then it deserves to be called great." Dancing at the Blue Iguana is such a film, and it deserves to be called great.

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)

A chilling and gripping documentary

[10/10 · 21 February 2002]

This unusually absorbing and extremely disturbing documentary is about the investigation surrounding the murder of three children at "Robin Hood Hills," which is located in West Memphis, Arkansas. The grizzly murder took place on May 5, 1993, and three teenagers were pinned as the killers: Jessie Miskelly (who has an IQ of 72), Damiem Echols (who dresses in all black and listens to heavy metal music), and his friend Jason Baldwin. The massacre was said to be attributable to some kind of "Satanic ritual" by the local townspeople (which consists mostly of "Fundamentalist-type" Christians). What makes this documentary so absorbing is that the directors had complete freedom to tape the court hearings; hence, the complex, unfolding drama which took shape inside the court is fully recorded and the viewer is gradually drawn into the subtleties of the case. What becomes clear from this documentary is that the evidence marshaled by the prosecuting attorneys is no where near sufficient to warrant the severity of the sentence delivered to the three teens (Miskelly and Baldwin both received life sentences, while Echols received the death sentence). There are lots of holes and unanswered questions which the jurors, perhaps blinded by prejudice concerning alleged Satanic rituals, refused to face. For example, If the massacre took place at Robin Hood Hills, why is it that there is no trace of blood to be found there? How could the teens have done such a thorough clean up job--in the dark, with little water (in the streams), and pestered by mosquitoes in the area? And how come there are no mosquito bites on the three victims? Further developments towards the end of the film throws a completely new and chilling possibility on the whole situation: John Mark Byers, the step-father of one of the massacred children, Christopher (whose penis was severed with a knife), gives a pocket knife to the directors as a gift. They discover that it has traces of blood on it, so they hand it over to the police. A cursory blood test reveals that the blood on the knife is of the same type as Christopher's. Could Byers actually be the killer? He denies it, and none of the townspeople believe it. But...if Mr. Byers' claim that the blood on the knife is his own (his blood type is the same as Christopher's) is correct, how come in an earlier police interrogation he claimed that he didn't cut himself with the knife? And how could the police be so careless as to let the blood from the knife be removed, so that no further testing (e.g. a DNA test) can be done on it? At the end of the film one is left questioning the justice of the legal system, and facing up to the following unnerving possibility: The three children were in fact killed by the three teens in a Satanic ritual of some kind (which is scary indeed), or they were killed by Byers, one of the boy's step-father, and a seemingly well accepted member of the community (which is downright frightening!). See this one and judge for yourself. (cf. Paradise Lost 2: Revelations).

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

A truly amazing film adaptation

[10/10 · 21 December 2001]

I remember when I first saw Star Wars back in 1977. I was only 7 years old back then, and though I didn't really follow the story, I can remember being amazed at the images and characters that were on screen. I can say that that day I saw Star Wars made me love films. Now I am a bit older and I've just seen a film that made me feel like that 7 year old again (except this time, I'm fully capable of following the story and appreciating the small details); for the entire running time of 3 hours, I was in awe. I must say that FOTR is truly an amazing film that displays the power of cinema to take us to new worlds and to experience new adventures. I think it literally is the best example of a fantasy-adventure film that we've seen in a very, very long time. The cinematography, the story, the acting, the score, and the special effects all worked together beautifully to create a truly special motion picture experience. About the only bad part of the film is that, like all films, it eventually has to end. I am really looking forward to the second film in the trilogy. My hat's off to Peter Jackson!

Blood: The Last Vampire (2000)

Stunning visuals, but bloody anemic character development.

[8/10 · 8 September 2001]

"Blood: The Last Vampire," a Japanese anime with computer digitalized images (e.g. hand drawn images were later scanned and digitalized), is absolutely stunning to behold, a bit too short for normal theatrical exhibition (at a scant 45 minutes), and much too anemic in story telling and character development. The film will perhaps remind American viewers of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," albeit revamped as a Japanese anime. The story concerns a young girl named Saya who works together with the police to track down and kill vampires (she kills them the old-fashioned way: by slashing them in half with a samurai sword). She's sent undercover to a high school where it's suspected that vampires supposedly are responsible for its recent string of massacres. "Blood" features fairly typical (but well done) action scenes involving swords, guns, lots of explosions, and lots of...blood. The film, the first fully digitalized anime film, is a definite must see for fans of the genre, but those who have no particular interest in anime might wonder what all the fuss is about.

Soul Survivors (2001)

"Jacob's Ladder" lite

[6/10 · 8 September 2001]

Soul Survivors reminded me a lot of Jacob's Ladder, but it doesn't have the foreboding mood or the suspense of the latter. A girl gets in a car accident and suffers a brain hemorrhage of sorts, which results in her going through some nightmarish experiences. Is she dead? Is she alive? We don't know until the end, and despite some artistic visual flourishes, Soul Survivors never seems to really take off. It doesn't generate any real suspense or give us any real scares. But it is not a total failure, either. Director Steve Carpenter has given us a film that seems to play the notes of psychological horror, but doesn't quite manage to play its music.

Pierrot the Fool (1965)

My favorite Godard film

[9/10 · 8 September 2001]

Pierrot Le Fou represents Jean-Luc Godard at his best: it is a film that is extremely episodic and spontaneous, often maddening and frustrating, but always interesting, and ultimately awesome. The lovely Anna Karina plays Marianne, a girl who is on the run from a bunch of hitmen, and the charismatic Jean-Paul Belmondo plays Ferdinand (but she keeps calling him "Pierrot"), who escapes with her to the Mediterranean Sea, where they lead a kind of "Bonnie and Clyde" style of life filled with car chases, romance, robbery, and ultimately death (Pierrot's life ultimately comes to a (literally) explosive ending). It is said that Godard worked without a script (he just based Pierrot Le Fou loosely on a book called "Obsession") and just made up scenes as he went along! But it is a true confirmation of his genius that he's able to pull it off and to make a film that is consistently dazzling to look at, and which feels fresh and alive even after all these years. This film is a true masterpiece and a very fine example of what the French "New Wave" was all about.

Antonioni: Documents and Testimonials (1965 TV Movie)

A personal tribute to Antonioni

[7/10 · 29 August 2001]

This documentary is now included on disc 2 of the 2 disc DVD (Criterion) of Micheangelo Antonioni's landmark film "L'Avventura." The documentary deals more with the work of Antonioni through a survey of his films (up to Red Desert) and interview with his friends and co-workers, not with the director himself (e.g. via a personal interview). Still, it does contain moments that are insightful (e.g. the interviews with the people who worked with Antonioni on various films) and at times moving (e.g. Monica Vitti's comments regarding the lampooned screening of L'Avventura at Cannes, how it devastated her, but how she was relieved and amazed to discover that the jury subsequently voted L'Avventura as the best film that ever screened at the festival). A must see for fans of Antonioni.

The Crying Game (1992)

More than meets the eye.

[9/10 · 17 August 2001]

The Crying Game was a sensation when it was first released back in 1992, and looking back on it after all these years it still manages to be an intelligently written and well acted thriller of gender-bending proportions. It famously features one of the most startling plot twists ever conceived for film (which has since become well known; if you're fortunate enough not to know what it is, I will give you the pleasure of discovering it for yourself.). At the time of its release the "plot twist" in question was the main subject of discussion regarding The Crying Game; in retrospect, it is seen not just to be a gimmick, but also an ingenious narrative device--it fits organically with the rest of the plot, both before the revelation and after. Finally, The Crying Game is actually a film that deals with the universal theme of one's need to find acceptance and love in this world (This fact adds new dimensions to its theme song). And because it deals with such a universal theme, this film, like all great films, stands the test of time.