nooware Reviews

Interstellar (2014)

2nd best Sci-Fi movie of all times - here's why!

[10/10 · 30 December 2014]

Once upon a time, Stanley Kubrick animated his genius mind to bloom "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Poetry, imagery, philosophy, and realism meets surrealism, granted it the title of best sci-fi movie of all times. It was, and is still above all standards. This movie was already providing accurate answers to basic equations, such as the singularity (HAL-1 symbolizing IBM). But moreover, what made it a total success was beyond answers, it was in the many questions it raised, through its symbolism and dream-like artistic features.

What is the most important: questions or answers? Imho it's questions. You cannot answer something that is not asked, or its just data for nothing. But you can ask a question and eventually get an answer. Or another answer. Or another...

Until now no movie had been able to provide valid answers to roughly half the questions raised by "2001: A Space Odyssey". Even "Contact" (a solid 9/10) missed these.

But now we have "Interstellar". Poetry, imagery, philosophy, and realism meets surrealism. Though we have more realism here, more science - singularity is closer and we have improved our knowledge - and dream-like sequences that are less psychedelic but more digital artistry. 1968 days are over.

In a prolific genre, "Interstellar" is THE one that manages to provide a lot of answers to "2001" questions. Still, Christopher Nolan is not Stanley Kubrick, just because they differ. It doesn't mean that one is better than the other. Both share one thing: Kubrick was, and Nolan is, both, Hollywood masterminds.

That's why "Interstellar" corresponds to today's Hollywood standards, and not those of 1968.

Still, in providing answers to "2001", and though raising other questions, "Interstellar" comes only second after, which is still worth the view, both in theaters and on DVD/BD when they will hit the shelves. I mean, several views, of course.

Second to "2001", now then, that's a performance!

Parts Per Billion (2014)

Underrated Threads meets Melancholia, Truffaut/Wenders style

[9/10 · 27 November 2014]

So sad, that this movie has not hit the theater screens and has only been released as a DVD/Blu-Ray disc.

So sad, that too many Hollywood consumers have lost their souls to big money sci-fi flicks. Remember sci-fi movies by Andrei Tarkovsky. There was a time when cinema was not all about special effects, but poetry, realism, and surrealism.

This movie is wonderful and dreadful at the same time. If you care for real cinema, go watch it now. The acting is excellent. The dialogues are outstandingly smart. There is no reason why you would deprive you from watching it. It's a billion times better than 1995's Outbreak.

For a first movie of his own, Brian Horiuchi is signing a masterpiece that so many people will not see, because it's a true UFO in the Hollywood jungle.

"They are unripe and only fit for green boys." says Jean de La Fontaine in 'The Fox and the Grapes' fable, quoting a stupid fox unable to reach his meal, only capable of complaining and moaning.

Like Threads, the 1984 BAFTA award-winning BBC television drama, Parts Per Billion provides a highly depressing experience. Though, Horiuchi makes it a bit less straightforward, less graphic, and chooses to focus more on the relationships between human beings, like in Melancholia (2011). Only, these beings are less sophisticated than in Lars Von Trier's movie. Though they are chosen ones, they look like simple and common individuals with valid, simple thoughts, but also so living, so unique, and so exceptional beings.

The characters do express genuine sincerity like in François Truffaut and Wim Wenders' movies. They sound precise and exact. The only drawback is a shaking camera, the reason why I don't vote 10/10 but only 9/10. Such an intense drama would have benefited an adequate, more professional handling.

So, let's change the director of photography next time. And I hope it's not Brian Horiuchi's last movie despite a likely loss of cash. We need independent directors to remind us that intelligent cinema is still alive, and really enjoy their movies.

The Paranormal Diaries: Clophill (2013)

Works well in tricking skeptical people like me

[7/10 · 1 October 2014]

This is not an horror flick, but a suspense, thriller movie. This is not a remake of Paranormal Activity, at all. This is not either inspired by The Blair Witch Project. This is definitely not a Hollywood movie but an interesting UK project.

(((Beware: spoilers here)))

If you can bear the 99% of the movie where you secretly laugh at the documentary-makers building up their fears and beliefs facing what you believe is a big hoax, the very short sequence at the end will be great surprise for you.

I still don't believe what the protagonists say, that there could be demons, ghosts, or whatever supernatural involved. But in the end, there is something, that insane ritual involving humans. And a bad friendly man talking to a little girl looks very human too, though the main characters get convinced by the existence of paranormal facts they fail to explain.

During the whole movie which mixes documentary footage, making-of of this documentary and some fiction, there is nothing to prove anything paranormal. It's like those UFO sightings videos showing a small dot on the screen with pseudo-expert comments, excited witnesses playing with their fears, third-party reported hallucinations, material things that are not evidence, etc.

If you are skeptical like me, you will believe it's a hoax and wait for something unreal to happen towards the end. Another lame paranormal event, you just think, mocking the director for making this movie. But what you get to see is much more believable. You should just see it by yourself.

Bijitâ Q (2001)

Surrealism art, overrated as a movie

[5/10 · 30 September 2014]

Shocking scenes for horror transgression purpose, critics of reality TV and media, severe vision of modern societies today in the world or more especially in Japan... this movie is everything and nothing about this.

You get to watch the unwatchable and you do not react. Disturbing scenes should disturb you but systematically fail at that. Why? Don't ask why. There's a reason for that. This movie is neither reality, nor fiction, it's just art.

Also, you can't compare this to a David Lynch movie, it's exactly the opposite. Lynch uses symbolism to dive deep into dreams and madness. There's no dream here, just pornography.

There you could be tempted to compare this movie to David Cronenberg's work. No, it's not "about" pornography. It doesn't question you about your own perversion.

So what is this movie? Inside the matrix of art, it's surrealism. Maybe Luis Buñuel is the closest for a comparison. Though here there's no beauty and talent, just strangeness in an order of facts.

Visitor Q is about nothing but the director himself and what he tries to force out of his mind. Takashi Miike is raping his consciousness to produce out-of-no-dream no-reality.

This movie has no purpose. Should art serve any such? This is the only question worth asking.

Now the movie even fails at that. It's gross, not depraved and outside of reason. It even tries to order things, to make a story when nonsense should prevail. Worse, it brings a morale of sorts in the family, through the stranger and the unfolding of events.

This movie tries hard to be surrealist then kills all the potential of its surrealism. Takashi Miike betrays himself with his unconscious lies. You get the feeling that what he's hiding destroys the show. This is just wannabe surrealism, and finally boring as hell.

Brick Mansions (2014)

OK action movie but bad copy/paste

[5/10 · 28 September 2014]

Starting from 10/10: -2 for useless movie, never seen such a copy/paste of a film -1 for very bad speech script sometimes (is that a TV video or JCVD movie?) -1 for porting French stereotypes to a wannabe US movie -1 for not recognizing the city of Detroit -1 for Paul Walker's shallow acting -1 for Luc Besson's laziness -1 for stupid scene near the end, Paul Walker's Damien Collier being stubbornly idiot when facing the obvious. This scene is an epic fail. -1 for making it worse overall than the original movie (Banlieue 13)

Wow 1/10 looks very bad. But there's a handful of positive aspects: +1 for the cinematographer, camera is professional +1 for David Belle managing to redo it in a decent manner +1 for OK action (and I love pretty attorneys who act like tough girls) +2 if you have not seen the original.

Means 5/10 overall. Don't lose your time with a 4/10 if you have seen Banlieue 13. Otherwise 6/10 and you should manage to enjoy your popcorn.

Star Quest: The Odyssey (2009)

Whole new great concepts!

[1/10 · 6 April 2012]

I bet you haven't read anything positive about this... err... let's call it a video, or possibly something more like a slide show. Undeniably, it's new stuff that you can't really define as a movie, if you can define it at all.

Now if I think twice, in the end I'm sure it can add a lot of value in many ways for those who can claim the benefit.

Here's the true story: You're test subject for a team of vile cinematographic producers, who have lured you into buying their poisonous stuff. They're having fun in watching you crying, throwing up after 20 minutes of seasickness, getting angry and crushing a DVD into little bits.

I can see their evil faces, in the backyards of their Hollywood mansions. They are laughing hysterically as they are sipping their cocktail, thanks to a huge pile of 1$ bills they have amassed, including yours.

Great story, isn't it? We call it a concept. And this m... video is full of these.

You were wondering how to pay for your next holidays. These guys i.e. producer, director, actors and whatever they call themselves have the solution for you. Make your own movie. Looking at this, you have your chances for money, success, fame, glamour (hidden quote). Welcome to Hollywood, public audience!

Then don't forget to be smart. While you're at it, when you will come back from your holidays, bring the movie you have made with yourself. It will be a great sequel to your first flick, which you will sell for an additional 1$ toilet paper bill.

Thanks to Infinite Spectrum Productions and Tom Cat Films, you will boost your career. These people always have great answers for getting us out of the crisis. Like this one: nearly everyone commits suicide after 30 minutes into the video, so that means eventually the end of unemployment, and higher salaries for the few ones who are blind or who have the appropriate physical and sensory impairment to be saved.

Now that's a whole bunch of new concepts! Enough of these!

OK I can't resist a last one. Let's call this a N-Movie. N like "No", or "Never" you will watch this, except if you want to catch some kind of mental disease. Like me with this review. You want proof, you have it.

Skeleton Man (2004 TV Movie)

Pasteboard bones and rotten teeth

[2/10 · 1 April 2012]

Now that's a BAD movie, really, but it's not one of the worst I've ever seen. Let me explain.

1. Storyline: no. You can't really call it a story. From a wiped out archaeologist to a crack-addicted tramp being called a native Indian, with a patchwork of so-called soldiers facing a poorly nicknamed skeleton living in a parallel *cough* dimension, it's like a puzzle you must solve where all the pieces clearly belong to the same scene but don't match together. You can't achieve the whole picture. You just understand that there's nothing of interest here and it gets quickly boring.

2. Script: there are so many inconsistencies that I really wonder if most of the big money invested hasn't in fact been used to repeatedly pay a dealer in order to put the whole team high on drugs.

3. Filming: apart from scenes of nature with OK landscapes, sometimes filmed in a trippy way - which again hints at drugs being used by the director himself - the rest is bad quality, low budget, with a lot of clichés.

4. Effects: really bad. A body is thrown down a waterfall and you clearly see that its a dummy, due to its odd position while it's falling. The posture of the legs don't even match with the laws of anatomy.

5. Acting: this is where the movie, while not doing so well, remains the most credible. Kudos to the actors who at least tried to do what they were paid for.

It could have been worse, really! First go see "The Terminators" pastiche movie, and then you'll praise Skeleton Man for being just an ordinary flop.

The Terminators (2009 Video)

Is it a joke?

[1/10 · 24 February 2010]

This is possibly one of the worst movies made on earth. It can only be compared to Choudenshi Bioman or any such Japanese clown karate movies for kids made in the 70's or 80's.

The girls in this film are not even able to walk. Each of their steps seems to be a dance move, as if their shoes were mounted on springs. The cast is trying to depict emotions, but it's really a sad excuse for them for being called actors, or actresses.

I've seen it through the end with the hope that it would become better at some point, but it went only worse and wronger. For instance, this movie manages to completely defy the laws of physics. There are heavy objects that suddenly become very light, and then instantly become heavy again.

Seriously. Even the worst German detective series are 100 times better than this. Please make yourself a gift and avoid this junk at all cost.