When one sits down to watch a film titled Sars Wars: Bangkok Zombie Crisis it should be pretty obvious what to expect. This is one crazy ass film that will routinely have the average viewer question "What the hell am I watching?". The film is basically about the fourth generation of the SARS virus, which in this case, has taken the world by storm destroying everything in its wake. For some reason that isn't made all too clear, Thailand is the one country not infected by this strain of SARS. That is until an accidentental encounter unleases the virus on an unsuspecting apartment building. With this strain of the SARS virus, people don't just merely get sick, no that would be far too boring, they actually go through a physical transformation, turning into these zombie like creatures making for quite a chaotic experience. Anyone familiar with this particular realm of Thai cinema will know what to expect to some degree, but this film is off the damn walls. Its kinda like if you took Katsuhito Ishii's Funky Forest: First Contact, Noboru Iguchi's The Machine Girl, Gen Sekiguchi's Survival Style 5, Wisit Sasanatieng's Citizen Dog, and Peter Jackson's Brain Dead, and mixed them all together in a blender. Say what you will abou these types of films but for me I always tend to appreciate them if for nothing else but how creative and inventive they are in setting up their respective worlds. Hell, my biggest complaint with Sars Wars is that the violence isnt nearly as gratuitous as I was hoping, but the absurist qualities still keep it fun. Taweewat Wantha's Sars Wars: Bangkok Zombie Crisis doesn't stand up to the best films of this genre, but for anyone who likes trashy genre cinema, it's worth seeking out. 6.5/10
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Gulli is a fisherman who lives and works out of the south coast of Iceland. The film opens in the bitter darkness, establishing the hard conditions of the world he lives in. On another routine fishing trip his boat capsizes, leaving him alone in the freezing northern Atlantic ocean, attempting to survive. Based on actual events, this really is an good story about survival in extreme conditions. Baltasar Kornmakur's The Deep is really an ode to the fisherman that risk their lives everyday. The film does a good job at establishing this blue collar lifestyle in which these men live. For some of these men alcohol and cigarettes are their two biggest treasures in this cold, desolate terrain in which they live. The biggest place where The Deep fails in delivering much of an emotional response outside of primal aspect of being stranded in the middle of the ocean. We get a little time with these man but not enough to feel much of an emotional connection since many of these men are hardly established. There is really good imagery throughout, specifically how the ocean is depicted as this black, stark force. Another visual choice which stood out is how the sun is not shown in the film until Gulli returns home, on the brink of death. Between these visual decisions and some intense use of music, which may have been a little overbearing, The Deep creates an effective atmosphere. Baltasar Kormakur shows much appreciation for these men and the film touches a lot on not only the story of survival, but the aftermath of being the sole survivor in an ordeal like this. Gulli is viewed as a national hero, though he was merely just trying to save his life. When the film gets emotional about one of the other character's wife and kids, it doesn't really work, much for the same reasons as the other crew members. Baltasar Kommakur's The Deep may falter outside of Gulli, in its ability to touch the viewer emotional, but it is effective in capturing this amazing story of survival and a tribute to fishermen of Iceland. 7.5/10 The story of a U.S. Navy Pilot (Kevin Costner) whom decides to hang up his wings and go live with his Mexican drug lord buddy (Anthony Quinn). While there, his attraction to his friends wife (Madeleine Stowe) is unbearable, leading him into a dangeous game where is carnal desires could end up being his demise. Tony Scott's Revenge is about as subtle as Coutney Love on a coke bender. This is a passion soaked, dirty and sweaty movie centered around two friends and the woman in between them. I have a feeling that one of the main reasons Revenge did not see much commercial success stems from the fact its is kinda overtly racist. For starters Madelline Stowe plays a mexican, and there are quite a few scenes that are awfully stereotypically and inadvertenly funny throughout the film. All of that being said, Revenge works quite well because Kevin Costner and Madeleine Stowe do have a lot of sexual chemistry. There is one scene in which Costner's character is making lemonade with this woman, while simultaneously fighting every single one of his sexual urges - It is really a sexy and fun scene illustrating his internal struggle with sexual tension that is fantastically brutal. When the two of them finally do stop fighting there urges we get some sexiness as the two try and keep it from the Mexican drug lord. When all things go to hell, this film does get pretty goddamn grisly and is pretty violent and brutal. All the actors do fine, though Madeleine Stowe's accent is pretty terrible at times. One of my favorite sequences involves a man from Texas on a bender played by James Gammon, who is just so much fun to watch. Tony Scott did a good job on this film- its raw, and has some great visual set pieces which one would certainly expect from T. Scott. Revenge is a film that I consider to be part of Scott's prime as a filmmaker, a pulpy, sweaty b-movie that is most certainly one of Scott's most enjoyable films. 8/10 Lee-Kang-Do is a self-absorbed, morally corrupt enforcer whose job is to collect money from desperate workers in the slums of Cheonggyecheon. Kang-Do has no sense of pity, as he charges these poor souls ten times what they borrowed in interest when it's time to collect. Many of these individuals simply can't afford that type of markup so Kang-Do routinely cripples these men and woman, taking their insurance claim money to make up the difference of payment. One day while Kang-Do is out conducting his typical routine, he notices that a mysterious woman seems to be following him around. She claims to be his mother, who left him at birth, but Kang-Do's inability to understand compassion and love is a barrier she must overcome. Kim Ki-Duk's Pieta is a great example of a film with a great and fascinating concept, which ultimately falters because of some suspect character decisions by it's characters that just arent fleshed out enough to be believable. The film's primary theme revolves around love and revenge, but Pieta pushes too hard towards its theme in a way that ends up being a detriment to its characters when certain scenes and motivations don't feel organic. Pieta does a great job at capturing Kang-Do's inability to understand his mother's compassion for him and we see how early own their relationship is very awkward. As the film progresses, we slowly see Kang-Do go through a transformation, his rough exterior slowly deteriorating as he begins to love and care for his mother. Without giving too much away, my problem with how the story unfolds is more than anything a character decision or lack there of, involving the mother about two thirds into the film. It just doesn't feel right, and I believe the film needed a bigger dramatic beat to illustrate this incredibly dark decision she makes. For me the strongest aspect of Pieta is easily the critique of commerce and greed, done subtlety but still illustrating the age old idea that "money is the cause of all evil". Kim Ki-Duk's Pieta is a film that in concept I loved, and while I thought the film took a few too many liberties in getting to its fantastically grim conclusion, I still found it to be one of Kim Ki-Duk's best films. 7.75/10 Three countries at war with one and other in Africa are displaced from Earth when a passing comet's gravitational pull, dislodges them all from earth, pulling them off into space. Among these displaced individuals is Angelika, who is on the run from a ruthless weapon's dealer and a group of natives who are planning a rebel against the french colonists. On The Comet, its a dangerous world filled with all sorts of creatures from dinosaurs to giant bug-type animals. All this apparent conflict that exists among these individuals becomes mute when the realization sets in that they are stranded on this dangerous alien planet. That is until their fear of this alien world begins to subside, leading the varous groups to go back to fighting all over again. Karel Zeman's On The Comet is a unique interesting satirical tale which is loaded with lots of old school movie magic. I was not very familiar with Karel Zeman, but this film has really opened my eyes to the inventive and beautiful worlds he is able to create in On the Comet. The use of animation, set design, and all sorts of camera tricks make this a fantastic adventure into a world unlike any other. The film does have a love story narrative of Romeo and Juliet pedigree running through the film, but the beautiful imagery and creative approach by the art designers is what really makes this film worth your time. 7.5/10 Taking place on the sprawling campus of Jinsai Medical University, Isn't Anyone Alive follows various students as they go about their typical routines. While things seem normal, word of a horrendous train crash on the outskirts of ton has just reached the campus, and soon after, various students begin to drop dead inexplicably. There is absolutely no warning around these deaths, with individuals coughing and then falling to the ground in full body spasms leading to their death in a matter of minutes. Sogo Ishii's Isn't Anyone Alive is an absurdest satire of the vacuous youth of today. Before the deaths even start, it's clear that Ishii is making a statement of youth's inability to comprehend what truly matters, with the death sequences reinforcing this fact The film follows a bunch of characters, with Ishii routinely overlapping scenes and cutting back and forth to make sure every one of the characters is involved. Don't be confused, this is much more of a comedy than a drama, with Ishii injecting the film with some interesting style- particularly his use of cross-sectional framing. In a way the film is a study of human behavior, as we witness these various characters all reacting very differently to the apocalypse. As many die or witness death we noticed the inane details and even inappropriate or superficial feelings which they bring to the table, even when their existence and life as they know it is threatened. While the film is a pretty enjoyable endeavor from a comedic standpoint, I found the commentary about youth's vacuous nature far too distant. The film simply gets so wrapped up in the absurdity that it misses the point when trying to actually be profound. In the end, Ishii's Isn't Anyone Alive should please those who enjoy the absurdest style of filmmaking, but I wish it would have been able to say a bit more. 6.5/10 Tabu is the story of two parts, one set in contemporary Portugal and one set nearly 50s years earlier in colonial Africa. In the first part we are introduced to Aurora, an old, cantankerous woman living in present-day Lisbon with her estranged daughter who is never around. We are shown Aurora's daily life, her routine, and we being to see how much she regrets her mundane existence. Her closest thing to a companion lies in Pilar, the next door neighbor, and Santa, the servant of Aurora's household. When Aurora is hospitalized and approaching death, she asks for Pilar to locate Gian Luca, a man which Aurora has never mentioned before. In searching and finding Gian, we are transported back to colonial Africa, in which Gian, shares him and Aurora's story of forbidden love. Miguel Gomes' Tabu is a beautiful experience that can best be described as a poetic tale of life and love, as generic as that may sound. The film is shot in a beautiful black and white aesthetic which alternates between a crisp, high contrast scheme in the contemporary segment to a more hazy black and white aesthetic, which no doubt mirrors silent films from the 20s. The beginning of the Tabu feels almost like a mystery, with really no inclination as to what this story is really about. Pilar is the character who the audience relies on, being the eyes and ears of this story of Aurora and Gian. The second half is really when things become clear and the film becomes incredibly poetic, as Gian himself narrates this tale of love. The whole thing is handled extremely delicately, touching on some extremely resonant emotions about love which I would hope/imagine almost anyone could relate too. Gian and Aurora are tortured souls whose love they share for each other is pure, yet they are tortured by their perceived crimes against both her husband and god. Gomes never gives his opinion on this type of situation, merely letting the film play out, capturing the poetic sadness of this story which ultimately leaves the two of them apart. Some may criticize the films opaque vision towards the politics but I personally found this intentional, as while it is touched on, I believe that any more of dissection would have severely hurt the bigger, more important themes of this unique love story. Miguel Gomes' Tabu is a brilliantly nuanced film that touches on romance, eroticism, and longing, and while it takes a little time to get going, patience is certainty rewarded. 9/10 The Day opens with a group of five survivors armed to the teeth with axes, knives, guns,etc. wandering through an apocalyptic wasteland. We aren't given too many details as to what exactly caused this, but it seemingly takes place after the human race has destroyed itself through war. With the suriviors scattered and desperate, some will do whatever it takes to survive. That includes groups of individuals who begin to crave human flesh in an effort to survive. Going into The Day I had not idea it was a WWE Entertainment production and while I never try to judge a movie before i see it, for the most part, this was exactly what I would have expected. For starters during the big climatic action sequence to no ones surprise, the film kicks in with a Rock/Metal soundtrack which is cheesy and overbearing. The characters are all decent and The Day even teases of a fun antagonist but he is killed off, allow the boring, lumbersome type character to be introduced. The film has a color-drained aesthetic and in principle is a good idea for aiding in creating an atmosphere but the digital photography looks like crap. Too its credit there is a lot of violence, but outside a few fun looking pieces, the gore is too much cgi violence that i'm simply not a fan of. The Day has a chance for a decent commentary on the morality of the situation, but it's not given enough attention in stretches of the film to maintain its poignancy. I did like how the characters have a defeatist mentality, which makes sense, but overall the script is a bunch of generic jargon and expositional dialogue. The Day is nothing you've never seen before and is a good example of a film in which the concept is solid but the execution isn't anywhere close to making it memorable. If you're looking for a film of similar ambition in terms of apocalyptic setting with dark themes, watch Xavier Gens' The Divide. 4/10 Oscar Jaffe is a egomaniacal theater director whose always looking for his next big star. During his most recent production he becomes infatuated with a simple chorus girl, Mildred Plotka. Convinced he can turn her into a leading lady, Jaffe uses his controlling ways to effectively transform Mildred into Lily Garland, the biggest star on Broadway. At first the two are inseparable but Lily begins to grow tired of Jeffe's obsessive control over both her career and her life. The last straw happens when Jaffe hires a private detective to track Lily's every move, forcing her to run for the hills of Hollywood. Soon after Lily's departure Jaffe goes bankrupt with Lily becoming one of the biggest star in Hollywood. While fleeing the city from debt collectors, Jaffe coincidentally runs into Lily on the train, with him being desperate to have her back in one of his productions. Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century is an incredibly fun screwball comedy that no question set the watermark on this type of thing for years to come. John Barrymore completely steals the entire film as the flamboyantly egomaniac, Oscar Jaffe. His comedic timing is really one of a kind and the energy he brings to the whole endeavor makes it almost impossible not to be charmed. The script is also fantastic in both its simplicity and wittiness, even touching on some interesting themes like the art vs. commerce debate. The relationship between the actress and the director, how they despise each other, yet are drawn to each other is just great to watch. As fun as Hawks screwball films are, they always impress me with their understanding of character. For example, the first time see Lily after her departure it is very clear that she has become just as egomaniacal and over-dramatic as Oscar Jaffe. This leads to some great comedic moments but also hints at the notion that Oscar and Lily really are perfect for one and other even if they seem to despise each other. Twentieth Century is without question one of the best screwball comedies I've seen, really capturing the over-dramatic tendencies of theater performances and using it too great comedic effect. 8.75/10 Wyatt Earp (Joel McCrea) arrives in the small town of Wichita, which is quickly growing due to the new railroad line. While opening up a bank account, a group of criminals try to rob the bank, but Wyatt Earp stops them. This all happens to go down right in front of some of the most powerful businessman in town and they quickly try to convince Earp to become the Sheriff. Earp refuses saying he has no interest but later when a young boy is killed by accident by a group of drunken rowdy cowboys, Earp willingly decides to take up the duties as the lawman of Wichita. Jacques Tourneur's Wichita tells the story of Wyatt Earp (Joel McCrea) and his efforts to bring law and order to the town of Wichita, Kansas. Its a rather standard story for a western, but Tourneur really uses this story to explore some interesting themes. For starters, the film really is a meditation on the corruption which money can cause. The business men of the town willingly invite a more dangerous clientale to the town for the sake of revenue, which can be brought in by these cowboys and the rambunctious sort. Tourneur does a great job of making sure all the various characters, including the villians, are well defined with real motives and a sense of humanity no matter how mean-spiriited they come. With this attention to character detail, the film ends up feeling incredibly authentic and geniune. The characters are very hospitable to one and other, even when they clearly don't like each other. The saloons and rowdy nature of alcoholism which ran rampant in the west among cowboys is really shown in a realistic gritty light, being not nearly as celebratory as many western films seem to be. The only minor criticism I would have is that the love story does feel a tacked on, and almost completely unnecessary in telling this story. Its not terrible, but rather just cliche compared to everything else in this film. In the End, Wichita is a stunning film in that Tourneur takes a very classic pulp western type story but layers some very interesting commentaries on alcholism, greed, and how they are all intertwined into Law and Order. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that the theme song or whatever you want to call it of the film is fantastic. 9/10 |
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June 2023
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