Splattii Reviews

Kurt Cobain About a Son (2006)

Should have been a bonus CD not a movie

[4/10 · 12 September 2006]

I just saw this at the Toronto Film Festival and I wasn't impressed.

While I appreciate the audio interviews captured within this film, I question why a movie was made. I would have enjoyed the film as much if listened to on the way home while I was in traffic. It should have been a CD release, not a film.

The film revolves around some audio recordings that were compiled from a series of late night interviews. There were very intimate details described by Cobain, including how he did care about what people thought about him (as opposed to what most of his friends suggested), and that he wanted to write some pop songs for their albums, but Sub Pop forced them into keeping the albums underground. Some may already be aware of these facts, but I enjoyed learning of them for the first time. The tone in which Cobain spoke felt genuine, and the pacing of the interviews was perfect. These interviews deserve to be heard by any fan of Cobain's, or Nirvana. They were a great listen.

The problem with this film is there isn't a single video clip or photo of Cobain, his family, or Nirvana until the last 30 seconds of the movie. The entire film involves a series of related images that play based on the interviews. An example would be when speaking on his father's job, they show footage of men working at a lumber yard. When Cobain spoke on Seattle, they'd show images of Seattle Record stores, streets and highways. They even had real time images being drawn in the form of artsy cartoons (tree's and grass swaying) during some of the vocals. It was like watching on LONG Fruitopia commercial combined with a film strip about Washington. Unfortunately it also seemed like they had problems clearing for use in this movie.

I understand what the director attempted with the images, but it failed in my eyes. It's almost like they brainstormed how they could generate the most revenue from the interviews, as opposed to having a vision upon hearing them. It feels forced, and I don't need to see this again. Literally. If I ever end up with a copy of the DVD I'll either record the audio to CD, or listen to it with the TV off.

Little Athens (2005)

Average film with an ending that tries to hard and fails

[6/10 · 16 September 2005]

I'll start with the things that didn't work;

Jorge Garcia – I am a fan of his character in "Lost", and I have respect for the job he does for that series. In Little Athens he plays a person of Spanish decent (I believe Mexican), thus he has to use a "Mexican" accent for the duration of the film. To say his accent is bad would be a complete understatement. His accent was so bad, I couldn't believe his character at all. It honestly resulted in the worst acting performance I saw during the entire Toronto Film Festival. At first I thought he was trying to mock Mexicans, until his character stated that he was in fact a Mexican. What makes it worse is that his characters ethnicity HAS NO BEARING ON THE FILM AT ALL!

The Ending – Sometimes when people try too hard, it results in something that no longer feels natural, but forced. That's what I felt happened here. When watching a film like Amorres Perros or Magnolia, separate stories found in the film intersect for a brief moment. When doing so, they do so well. I believe this is the type of ending Little Athens tried to come up with, but it fell short. The move is actually a few separate stories/segments running in parallel that in turn meet in the end. For one, I'm surprised they tried to take the character that had the least amount of emotional draw and place the most unfortunate event on them. What makes for a good dramatic scene is the fact that the viewer becomes attached to a specific character, thus in a sense "pulling" for that character or hoping for that characters well being. The one question I wanted to ask the director but couldn't (I had to leave) was why he chose a character with such little dialog and impact on the film to have this fate?

But wait, I'm not done with that "surprise" just yet...

This "surprise" is apparently a "surprise" because the character is affected at that moment by an incident from one of the other stories in the film. This is where the director tried to "bring it all together". The problem is it was forced, and would have been better if common sense was used. To make it worse, the scene prior to this actually had it set up so that characters fate could have been tied back to family issues, and something that occurred earlier on in the film! It would actually have been a stronger message! Not only that, but ALL THE CHARACTERS could have had the EXACT SAME END RESULT if gone the other direction. The fact that the "simple" end would have made more sense and actually had a stronger overall message is why I call the end forced. I don't think the director wanted me to laugh at the moment, but I had to.

This feeling of being forced doesn't only stop here, and that is part of the problem. They always had to go that one extra step to the point where it becomes laughable. They just had to make situations "that much worse" The reason for why the police came to the party at the end for example. They could have come just because of the fact there was a party, or from the loud music. It would have worked just fine. Instead they had to find something from one of the segments to make it work, and again "bring it all together".

At a high level, I'd probably suggest DJ Qualls did the best overall job. They decided to be very typical and pair the skinny guy with the big guy (they paired him with Jorge Garcia), but I could still believe in his character, even when Jorge Garcia was on the screen.

It seemed to me that the film stock changed at some point in the movie. I don't know how to confirm this, but I'd swear they went down to a lower stock at the end. The granular look was amazing, and for parts of the ending that did work, it was a nice touch. It was probably the highlight of the film for me. The fact the stock changed.

At a high level it would be easy to make a statement that with the cast it had, it underachieved. There were moments when the acting wasn't convincing even outside of Jorge Garcia, but I'm not so sure that was the problem. The real problem was the end. It may be a result of the fact people are marketing this film through it's end, I'm not sure. Even the program director at the TIFF suggested "Wait until you see the end!!", leaving the audience in anticipation. Maybe the end didn't live up to its hype, but I can't believe I'd respect this end even without expectations or anticipation. It was just that forced. Sadly, this movie could have been such a better overall result with two changes, one of them being very minor;

#1 Remove the fake accent from Jorge Garcia

#2 Use the more obvious events for some of the characters, especially the "surprise" at the end

You could have had the exact same fate for every character. You could have had practically the same movie outside of 3 minutes worth of dialog to be honest. You could have re-shot a 10 second scene in which the camera pans a character, and it would have made for a much stronger message...

Unfortunately for me it doesn't work, and the people I attended this with felt the same. An average film with an ending that was forced.

The movie opens with "The following events happened in Ahtens but could happen anywhere"

I don't think so, unless you try really hard ;)

Wassup Rockers (2005)

Upbeat, Mainstream comedy - Not Typical Clark

[7/10 · 13 September 2005]

If I were to summarize this film in short, I'd have to call it a Comedy that is somewhat like a mainstream version of "KIDS".

I've been a fan of coming of age films for many years. I've seen all of Clark's work, along with numerous international films such as Pixote, Nunmal, Timeless/Bottomless and many, many other films that fall within the genre. What I've always found appealing about Clarks work is the bleak outlook and hopeless feeling you'd get after watching his films. Even while many criticized Ken Park for being more shock then substance, it still gave me that "feeling" that KIDS did. This is what I had hoped for going into Wassup Rockers. I wasn't really concerned with the "shock value" of say a Ken Park, but I was looking for that same feeling I got after watching "Kids".

I didn't get that feeling.

Now while watching Wassup Rockers I'd find it hard to believe one couldn't make comparisons to KIDS. The movie opens with the camera pointed at a young boy named Jonathan, who basically outlines what we're about to see over the remained of the film. He talks about his friends and their habits, and the types of things he does or sees on a daily basis. It's very reminiscent of the begging of KIDS when Telly's commentary starts the film off discussing girls. You then have various scenes depicting some of the activities the youth get into. In KIDS you've see the skateboarding, the drinking, the blunt rolling and the girls.. In Wassup you see pretty much the same, minus the drugs and drinking, something there is NONE OF in this film. You do however get a scene in which two males are talking about their "first time", much like the scene in KIDS when Rosario Dawson and Chloe were in the bedroom with two friends discussing oral sex. It's not that this is a KIDS 'remake' more than it just felt very similar in terms of the content.

Now for the things that failed. First, this has to be the worst acted film Clark has worked on. I understand and appreciate the fact he found these kids in South Central on the street, but there were times in which the acting was so poor it just wasn't believable. I just couldn't believe one of the confrontations between a group of African Americans and the crew for example. It almost seemed like someone was standing off to the side waving "say something!". When speaking after the film Clark mentioned that the script was a mere 32 pages, and a lot was improve, and that would explain some of the acting. Think about this for a second. You found a group of kids who have never acted before and you ask them to improvise the majority of the script. While I'll admit this makes the film feel genuine at times, it also makes it feel forced at times as well. I'm also not sure how many Clark fans will find his 'upbeat' feel to be a positive change. One of the audience members asked "what happened to you?", even stating that "this film is a feel good film…nothing like you've ever done before" upon which Clark responded by saying "I've done Ken Park… That's as far as I can go with that. I wanted to do something new…something different", and he has. The problem is I liked Larry Clark for that reason, and now I question if he'll ever go back. There is even a parody of Clint Eastwood in the movie, suggesting that it be taken light heatedly.

With all of that being said, I still think this is a big accomplishment for Clark. In my opinion, he went back to the film that started it all and created it in a format that could be enjoyed by more people. His discussed his experience at Cannes and the TIFF a year prior when introducing Ken Park as well. He wanted to be able to reach out to these "fans" he had, yet he couldn't due to their ages and his films ratings. Another one of his comments however may be a little more insightful into the real reason this film was made when he stated "This was the hardest film for me to make". In elaborating on the reasons he touched on a few things, one being investments. He suggested investors had written him off because they considered him "crazy", so it was very hard to get backing. Almost like nobody wanted to risk taking a chance on Clark after Ken Park. I myself wonder if this wasn't the real purpose of this film. He needed a film that could make some money, so he could continue to be a director. Some may refer to this as being a "Sell out" type film, but I won't be that harsh. I can see this film playing in small theatres in the US to be honest, and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't get an official DVD release in the US also, something Ken Park has never experienced. I just can't seem to grasp the idea that one of the more controversial directors in America today has decided to create was seems to be an upbeat, mainstream comedy…but hell, who am I? So where does that leave it? I didn't enjoy it as much as KIDS, nor do I think it's as good a movie. I'd also argue Bully was better overall. Ken Park on the other hand would make the more interesting debate. Ken Park was more memorable and enjoyable to me, but Wassup Rockers had a lot more substance to it. I guess that means I'm also guilty of the "shock" value Clark films can offer, something Wassup Rockers has left behind.

A good film indeed, but not typical Larry Clark. You can decide if that's a good or bad thing

Takeshis' (2005)

A good idea that may lose people who are not fans of Kitano

[7/10 · 9 September 2005]

Before I get into anything, I'll admit the film was pretty funny. I laughed more than a few times, and I wasn't alone. There were definitely some funny moments.

Now to my impressions, and I'll include some high level feedback I got from others as well. I'm a mid-tier Kitano fan. I've seen a handful of his directorial films, and many of the films he's acted in. I went with two other people (bear with me, this has a purpose), one of which has seen all of his films, another who hasn't seen a single film by Kitano. Why do I mention this? Because I think it might be one of the keys to enjoying this film As mentioned in the synopsis, the film is about his life. It starts with Beat Kitano the superstar, and follows him around "off set" to give the viewer an idea of what he's face in his daily life. At some point he comes across a "Mr. Kitano" (also played by Beat) in which the story starts to explore the fantasy world of this "Mr. Kitano" who idolizes Beat. While fantasizing, he touches on aspects of his others films, and this is where the experience will differ depending on your prior "Kitano" experience. There were a few scenes I laughed at, where as my friend who had not seen a single Kitano film look puzzled. On the other hand, there were some scenes in which I didn't really react, yet my friend who is a "Kitano Fan" smiled from ear to ear. I guess what I'm trying to say is while I think anyone can enjoy this film, it really seems to truly experience what Kitano was trying to do you have to know a little about his other films. If you don't have prior knowledge, I'd be willing to bet by the end you'll question if 25-30 minutes of the film couldn't have been removed with little impact on the end result.

One of the question I thought about while watching the film was why the movie moved so far way from Beat? I actually found the Beat segments to be more enjoyable than the later part of the film, but unfortunately Beat doesn't remain in the film for long before he runs into "Mr Kitano". I also wonder if he didn't spend too much time exploring this fantasy world, and the end resulted in too much for the viewer. It was fun at first, but I'll admit as much as I love art film, this started to get a bit redundant after a while.

I'd also like to mention that the film (at least in my eyes) is by far his most "artsy" film to date. It almost seemed Ki-Duk like at times, as the last 40 minutes or so of the film had very, very little dialog. Somewhat like HWAL.

Anyhow, I'd probably give the film something between a 7 and 8. I'm pretty sure it's going to get some outstanding reviews, as critics who've had more experience with Kitano should get more out of the film. When the DVD drops I might give it another spin.

Gusha no bindume (2004)

Bad, Bad, Bad - Did I say it was bad? - Could have been done in 40 minutes

[4/10 · 20 June 2005]

I went into The Bottled Fools hoping for a lot. I knew it was low budget, but the trailer and synopsis had me very intrigued. I guess that's why companies have marketing departments. It's probably the only way to sell this film.

The set/feel to the movie reminded me of the mid 70's Dr Who show. It was very low budget and almost looked like it was shot on a camcorder. This didn't really bother me however, it's more I'm letting others know what to expect. I've seen my share of low budget productions and I've grown to learn that a strong story or cast can take a movie much more powerful than it's CGI effects.

So now I'll get into the story. While the concept was somewhat good, the execution was not. The story seemed pretty basic after the first 30 minutes, however upon the 45th minute passing I realized I was wrong. I guess the writer wanted to make a statement on human interaction, so he decided at the expense of the audience to keep the film going much after one would have assumed this disaster would have finished.

I won't ruin the film by saying what happened, but the final scene made my laugh out loud.

Not something I'd suggest anyone waste time on. I'm guessing Tokyo Shock made a killing on this one as the hype around the DVD was fairly good. I'm starting to wonder if they may have got the rights for this film for free. I wish I would have got my copy for that price.

Palabras encadenadas (2003)

WOW - Why is this film so good yet so rare?

[9/10 · 24 January 2005]

I had to import this DVD from Bangkok as I gave up looking for it elsewhere.

It was well worth the time and effort.

I've seen a lot of film over the years, and in recent history this is at the top of my "recently seen list". The movie had good acting, a good story, and to be honest all the elements required for a Hollywood remake. It's somewhat (and I'll use this comparison at a HIGH level) like a Silence of the Lambs meets OLDBOY. Fans of Haneke may also want to take a look.

While watching this film you slowly learn more about the characters, and why the women is being held captive. It keeps the viewer interested and helps keep the story intense. The characters are kept to a minimum and the focus remains on the story at hand. It allows the viewer to stay focused on the plot and not get lost in little sub plots that aren't required. The film is intense and will keep the viewer glued to the screen until the end.

The only bad part about this film is the fact the DVD is a bit questionable in terms of the subtitle quality. They were translated fine for the most part, but there were a few times in which they went off. Outside of that I can't find any other noticeable fault with this film.

I honestly suggest you see this film if you can.

Casshern (2004)

A great film

[9/10 · 4 January 2005]

After reading the comments on IMDb I was second guessing getting the DVD. It was getting average scores, and many complained about the lack of action. I actually went into this film expecting some nice effects and that's about it...

Luckily I was wrong. The story was actually pretty entertaining. There were a couple of minor points I would have liked more information on, but living in North America I'm used to brainless plots because of Hollywood. In the end I thought the story was more than acceptable, and shouldn't cause anyone to pass by this film. It was the best attempt (at least it my eyes) thus far in creating an Anime movie with real actors.

I've been an avid fan of Asian cinema for a little over eight years now. I've seen a lot of good films, and a lot of bad ones. This is one of the good ones, and I hope people take time to view this film.

It's really a shame that crap like Azumi can score a 7.5 or higher on here, and something as beautiful and jaw dropping as this gets a lower score.

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)

As bad as it is, it's still better than most Hollywood fodder

[6 December 2004]

This was the closest thing I've seen to a 2004 "b movie".

It mad me laugh. I watched it twice...and I couldn't get over how stupid it was

That being said, Hollywood is full of crap so this shouldn't be a surprise. The difference however is movies like Alexandar, Fast and the Furious and others are just as terrible, but try to go that extra mile and thus leave the "b movie" status.

This is one of those films that's "so bad...it's good" and that's something I can't say about the rest of Hollywood

Someone once said to me

"I'd rather make below average music than average. I either want to make AMAZING music, or bad music. If I'm average, ten years from now nobody will take notice. I'll just be "another CD". If I'm bad however, someone will take notice because I'm no longer "avaerage". I'm doing something a lot worse than others, and that will appeal to someone"

I feel like I can put this theory to work with this film. It's better than the majority of Hollywood films for one reason...it's just that bad

I would honestly buy this DVD over "day after tomorrow" or something because after a few beers with some friends this will keep us laughing most of the night...

Three... Extremes (2004)

Fantastic ... simply fantastic

[25 November 2004]

The idea of having Chan-wook Park, Takashi Miike and Fruit Chan as part of the same DVD set is enough to warrant a purchase. This was the sole reason I watched these three shorts.

While Miike's offering was very enjoyable, and had some interesting scenery and Chan's Dumplngs was also very entertaining, Chan-wook Park stole the show in my opinion.

I now wonder if CUT isn't what SAW should have been.......?

Unfortunately I can't speak on the film too much as I could ruin the story, but if you are a fan of either OLDBOY or Sympathy for Mr Vengeance this short IS A MUST. Chan-wook Park continues to impress me with his creativity, and the camera work in this film was GREAT. There are two directors that I currently find to be very interesting, and I will watch anything they produce. Micheal Haneke is one, Chan-wook Park is another.

I have heard rumours of Sympathy for Ms Vengeance, and I can only hope they are confirmed.

This was an easy purchase.

Azumi (2003)

Power Rangers with some blood. Pretty crap.

[24 November 2004]

Well...I went in not expecting much and that's just what I got. The movie was kind of silly, and although I knew going in it wouldn't have a great story or possibly questionable acting, I didn't think it would be so funny. I don't mean that in a positive way either. The movie was pretty pathetic. I own over 400 Asian DVD's....100's of VHS tapes...and while Kung Fu and Samurai type films are not what I strive for, I do have decent knowledge and experience in the genre. That being said, the only film that's worse (in my opinion) than this is Ong Bak. The is close to the bottom of my pile. Luckily I only spent $5 on this thing, so it won't be long before it leaves me memory for good.

I can see why it appeals to teens as the Kill Bill buzz is still around, and people just want kicking and punching and violence. This film has a stupid enough story to fit the Hollywood mold (basically shallow plot with some "wow" factor), so maybe someone in the US might want to think about putting it out there.

Saw (2004)

I "saw" crap. Worse acting of 2004 + Stupid. Not even worth a bootleg

[3/10 · 1 November 2004]

I'm sorry... The story has so many holes in it, it would be easier to list off what wasn't a hole. To top it off the acting was well below average. I mean... is it just me or are some of the scenes plain STUPID!? When the Toronto Star gave it a 1 out of 5 (1 being bad) they were feeling pity I think...

I was actually excited to see this. I should have used my free pass to the Toronto Film Fest instead of wasting the $10 it costs now

The story is decent I guess, but the concept isn't much different than CUBE (at least to me). That being the only good point, add in the fact that at times the acting made it seem like the character was constipated more than in pain and you get the idea that this was more of a joke than a thriller...

I guess with all the remakes Hollywood has been doing, at least this was an attempt at being somewhat original. In Hollywood standards this is also a bit graphic as well... but who said Hollywood was a standard for anything good...

This isn't even worth your bandwidth to download a bootleg....

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972)

Interesting if not for the cinematography alone....

[8/10 · 27 October 2004]

While watching this film the same thought kept going through my mind over and over during the last 20-30 minutes or so....

This is so Tarintoesque..... The cinematography, camera shots...music selection...it was dead on Tarentino. I think what I found even more interesting is the fact they used electric guitars given it a spaghetti western feel, and basically giving me flashbacks of Kill Bill 2. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing like the Kill Bill series in terms of plot or story, it's just the whole look and feel. There was one scene in particular in which the camera transition made me feel like I was having De Ja Vu...I'm curious if it's the same transition mentioned in a previous comment.

Outside of that, I thought this movie was rather entertaining. The soundtrack (although distorted) was nice and fit the mood well. I've seen my share of female prison films, and like most before me said it's probably the most interesting of the lot. I've seen a lot of violent films also, and although I didn't expect much the graphic scenes were a bit funny as opposed to grotesque. The blood was faker than fake, but by no means did it ruin the film...

City of Men (2002–2018)

Maybe the best mini series I've ever seen

[10/10 · 10 October 2004]

When I saw the DVD set come out in the UK I had to pick it up. When it got here, I broke it open and popped it in the next day. I finished both seasons within 12 hours.

I don't really know what to say other than see this now. If you liked City of God, you will not only like this series, but you'll love it. It's amazing. It could be the best mini series I've ever seen.

I used to brag to people about a film called "Cidade Des Dues" before it was widely known. People now seem to have embraced the film and given it the respect it deserves. I will now spread the word of the amazing mini-series.

I can't emphasize enough how good this was. I paid 15 euro's shipped to my door, and I would have paid more than double after seeing it.

Bullet Boy (2004)

Below Average

[5/10 · 15 September 2004]

I saw this at the Toronto Film Festival. A lady came up before the movie and told the audience we were the first audience to ever see the film Bullet Boy. I'll be honest and say that it excited me, as I've never had that opportunity before and I am an avid fan of the genre. Unfortunately, my excitement ended there.

There is nothing about this film at all that puts it ahead of anything within its genre. It's the typical troubled youth/street/crime movie that people have been making for years. Knowing that the director had previously been known for documentaries I was hoping for a bit more. I didn't get it. In fact, the basis for the entire feud/plot within the film is asinine in itself. It just wasn't believable, and the acting was just average at best.

After seeing films like Pixote, Glue Sniffer or even Manito, I just can't put this film in the same category or class as them. It just doesn't have what it takes. It was only 89 minutes and it dragged. I actually would almost suggest this is an English version of Karim Dridi's Bye-Bye...only worse.

I'm sorry I couldn't be more positive about this film. I went in with high hopes, and I was looking forward to letting others know about it...unfortunately I'll be telling people to pass, and concentrate on much better films.

Spider Forest (2004)

Nothing Special

[6/10 · 14 September 2004]

Well...what can I say about this film. I guess my initial thought was to mention a few movies that share a similar story or plot, but upon doing so I'd ruin the film. I just think that the concept although no tired yet, is getting a bit more common. I can count three to four titles I've seen in the last two years that use this concept to a certain degree within the storyline. This film is nothing new or original at all, and that in itself was a bit disappointing.

Let's put it this was. Within the first 15 minutes both my friend and I pretty much figured out was what going to happen. Why? There is a French horror film that came out (produced by a Korean studio also) that is close to identical to this film, except the main character is a woman. If you're interested message me and I'll pass the title along.

That being said, the story itself was still above average, but the execution was a bit poor in my opinion. I think the movie was just a bit too long for what it was trying to do (I think it was only 2 hours, but it felt like 3-4). The movie could have had the same impact if they cut off about 30 minutes. I keep thinking I missed something, or there was something more to this film...however there aren't any questions for me to ask...so I can't see how I could have missed something.

I saw this at the Toronto Film Festival, and I can't say that I was upset I saw it. I think it's worth a rental, but I wouldn't suggest anyone go out of their way to find this. It really had some potential, but again it just didn't execute in the areas it should have. Upon leaving the theatre all I was thinking was "I've seen this before...and I liked the other films a little more"

Not bad...but nothing to write home over.

Wicker Park (2004)

See L'Apartment instead

[31 August 2004]

Let's see...it's now in English, but on the downside the actors are worse.

Do yourself a favour an rent the French/1995 DVD.

This is like comparing the XFL to the NFL...

Wicker Park just doesn't stand up in comparison

I'm really getting tired of these remakes

Message to Hollywood:

If you're going to spend the money to remake the film, at least make it better

If not...leave it alone and let us read. We can read you know?

Breaking News (2004)

In terms of action, better than most Hollywood films

[30 August 2004]

This film has Hollywood written all over it. I'm sure there has to be at least one company looking to remake this for the US.

Please understand by saying "Hollywood" I'm not suggesting it's good, more than I'm suggesting it fits the typical hollywood mold in terms of it's story and how it pans out.

In all, I enjoyed this film. It's really fast paced and full of action, and has some beautiful shots of the city throughout. I would classify this in the same category as a Die Hard or something along those lines. Unfortunately I'm not a big "hollywood" fan, so I was expecting a bit more...and to be honest outside of the ending I wasn't let down.

I have to be honest and say if the ending twisted the other way as opposed to the way it did, I would have scored this a 10. Unfortunately I'll give it somewhere between a 7 and 8 as the ending, although not bad, really didn't have the impact it should have, and caused the film to fall a bit short.

On the other hand, if I went to a theatre (I'm in Canada) to see this, I would have enjoyed it because it's better than most Hollywood films. I guess it's all relative. If you enjoy movies like Die Hard or Speed, this film is for you. I can honestly say it outshines most American action films in the last couple of years.

I don't want to give a lot away, but the story really is a good one, and the action is top notch. I'm sure if the movie isn't picked up, it will be re-done in another form with the same thesis being present in the film.

Tears (2000)

Like "KIDS" but much darker

[8/10 · 16 August 2004]

I picked up this DVD a few months back because of the artwork and genre, and to be honest it's sat on my shelf since that day. I decided to watch the film this weekend as I was bored, and I was pleasantly surprised.

This film in short reminds me of Larry Clark's KIDS. You find yourself starting out with two main characters, both young males looking for quick and easy sex, someone to take care of them and a way to get intoxicated. Eventually some females enter the story, and this helps as it allows the story to explore the male/female relationships at such a young age.

When watching this film, I have to say I kept asking myself how a North American audience would perceive this film. I've heard KIDS caused some eyebrows to be raised, and this in my opinion is darker than KIDS, and a lot more violent. It doesn't have the on screen nudity or sexual conduct of a Ken Park per say, but it does have the same subject matter…and it's more violent. One of the more common occurrences in the film is that of young teenage females either being slapped or punched if they didn't listen to their men. I could understand maybe a scene here or there, but there were a lot of blows being thrown in this film…most of which landed on females, which may really upset people in North America. I personally didn't find it appealing, but I appreciated the violence in that it made the point of the film even stronger.

I have seen more than my share of coming of age films. The more common ones like Ken Park, Gummo, KIDS, Pixote, Elephant and L.I.E...along with some more obscure titles. TEARS didn't really break any new ground for me, but I think if I would have seen TEARS before any of the titles mentioned, their impact may not have been so great. In some ways TEARS can be seen as a Korean KIDS (even the film quality and shots), but for me it was a lot darker and touched on subjects that KIDS didn't even mention.

If you liked any of the films I mentioned, I would suggest you pick this one up…especially if you want something more grim.

Children Underground (2001)

See this film

[16 August 2004]

Whenever people ask me for some recommendations, I always bring this one up. I’ve seen many depressing films in my life, but this has to be one of the worst. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to be one of those children living as they do. The paint sniffing, the lack of food and the fighting at their age is just sad. I found myself forgetting the ages of these children, but after finishing the film the pictures of some of the children have yet to leave my head months later. There are films like KIDS or Pixote that do their best in trying to portray a day in the life of a youth in their environment. This film is a step inside their lives, as even upon a child being gang beat, the camera did not interfere. The image of the child being beaten by a group of other children is vivid in my head today, and should be. This film was meant to over the eyes of people, and I guarantee it will to anyone who gives it a chance too.

The Village (2004)

It's not about the story....

[11 August 2004]

I've seen a lot of bad reviews because people weren't scarred or they thought the story wasn't very good. I can understand why some are let down in terms of a "horror" type film as the commercials kind of suggested that is what the person would see. The fact is the story itself is not what the movie is about. It's not about the "twist" at the end as much as the underlying statement it's making. The film has a much deeper meaning, and seeing as it has a 6.x on here, I assume it flew over most people's heads.

I'll continue this in the forum's, but please don't be fooled by the ratings. I can understand why people who are used to films like "Fast and Furious" and "House of the Dead" may be disappointed as this film isn't about flashy graphics and or stunts...in fact, as I mentioned the story is only the tip of the iceburg. It reminds me of old Indian legends. They are myths that really touch on basic fundamentals of human existence...this film is the same.

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

Why such harsh reviews?

[9/10 · 7 August 2004]

To start, the action/fighting sequences in House of Daggers eclipse those in CTHD or Hero. It shouldn't be the basis for someone liking the film more than the others, but for those who only care about the action it might be worth noting. I've noticed people asking about movies like Hero or Ong Bak (terrible film by the way) mainly due to the fact they have flashy trailers with interesting fight sequences, and they are geared towards a North American audience. That is the mind state I went into when watching this film. It was, or is being geared towards America, so I wasn't really concered with the authenticity of the story or portrail of the time period.

I don't want to spoil anything, and I won't...but the story really fell a bit short for me at the end. It's not that the first portion of the movie was amazing or anything, but the last 30 minutes were a bit much. If not for the end, I would have given this a better review.

I don't like to get into the plot details, more just offer a short opinion on the movies I've seen. I found myself rewinding the fighting in the bamboo over and over just in awe over the camera work. If anything, Zhang should be recognized for his artistic fighting scenes, as the bamboo in myu opinion rivaled that of the water scene in Hero

Carandiru (2003)

Really good, but not great

[9/10 · 22 July 2004]

I got this off Ebay for $9 including shipping for the 2-disc version. For that price this movie was a steal, I can't complain at all.

I am a fan of the HBO series OZ, and seeing some comments on here comparing the two really had me excited to see this. It didn't disapoint, but it didn't leave me begging for more. It was a good movie, but not something I was jumping for joy over.

I think a good attempt was made at giving as much background on the characters as possible, to try to make the audience realize where each person was coming from. You see this in OZ also, as they have flashbacks to life outside of prison leading up to their time in lockdown. The problem is OZ had 6 seasons, each having 8 hours of footage. What I realized over time (and they express this in Carandiru) is prison changes a person, so a lot of the real "character build up" per say actually comes from their life in prison more than their life outside. There wasn't enough time in this film to learn about everyone to really appreciate what some of them were going through. The character oldman for example didn't have enough history behind him to effect me. There were good characters and if given the same amount of time as OZ to build, would be just as powerful. I sit here as I type this and wish there was a series to be honest.

The film was well done, and in some ways I enjoyed it more than one of Hector's other films Pixote. I have suggest some friends watch this, but I can't put it in the same category as an Oldboy, Bus 174 or City of God for example. It's just a bit short.

Bus 174 (2002)

Simply Amazing

[10/10 · 20 July 2004]

I just finished watching the DVD ten minutes ago, and I was blown away. Easily one of the best, if not the best documentary I've ever seen. I saw "The Fog of War" a few weeks ago, but it had nothing on this. The only documentary I can recall seeing that gave me an empty feeling as this one did was "Children Underground", and in terms of film maybe Liljya 4-ever. I felt sorry for hijacker by the end of the film, and I really have to question the authorities in Brazil. A must see. I can't say enough.

If you like coming of age or crime films, this is up your alley also.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

A better "movie" than part 1, a worse "spiderman film" than part 1

[20 July 2004]

Special effects were great, story was alright...acting...well, it sucked. I'm sorry, MJ was awful.

I'm not going to break down the specifics, but if you have read Spiderman over the years you'll notice Hollywood showed it's evil head once again. While it's obviously a "spiderman" film, the fact he shoots webs and wears a read spiderman costume are a few of the things they got right...where as they got a LOT more wrong.

People who don't follow spiderman do not need to read on and on about how different it is, as they really won't care. People who follow spiderman won't need to read what the differences are, they are obvious. I have yet to speak to a person who follows spiderman who beleived this film to be a triumph.

Was it a good movie? Yes. Is it the best "superhero" film? I think so. Unfortunatly for people who have followed Spiderman over the years, this was a let down. It's like watching Rocky for the first time if you love boxing. It's just too far from the original idea.

Hollywood...I'm tired of you. I'm sick of it. Please don't ruin OLDBOY with Bad Pitt, and DO NOT put Keanu Reeves in Casshern when you ruin it with your remake.

What is wrong with the original Spiderman? The comic has been selling for years and years, but apparently hollywood decided they needed to add more to the character...well, sorry...you flopped

Bye-Bye (1995)

Not bad, but no Pixote

[20 July 2004]

I got this film for $1, and I was pretty happy since it was a pain for me to find (pre-ebay). I don't think it even came out on DVD either.

It's a story along the lines of Pixote or Salom Bombay. A story of a lower class boy who ends up involved in the streets amongst other things.

I would recommend people watch Salom Bombay and or Pixote before this film, but this is still a decent watch. I would't kill myself over it, as you're not going to see much in this film that wasn't done in the others, and the other did it better. If you're a fan of coming of age/street movies this would be nice. If not, you might want to avoid it