victuki Reviews

American Sniper (2014)

Gritty and Gripping

[8/10 · 10 January 2015]

Chris Kyle was the most lethal sniper in the U.S. military history. He apparently killed more than 250 Iraqui insurgents, though the Pentagon only credited him around 160, which nevertheless made him a legend of the U.S. Army. I started to read the book last year but stopped doing it since I first heard about the project. Eastwood and Cooper on board, that is promising. And of course they both deliver, and "American Sniper" is dense and blunt, quite like a shot.

Cooper plays Chris Kyle, the ultimate "American": religious, patriot and uncompromising in his convictions. He is a noble and honest man regarding every aspect of his life, and that is something to respect. Cooper already played a soldier in "The A-Team" remake (Joe Carnahan, 2010), and it seems that he showed great abilities in the military stunts, and showed interest in the work of the army. He bulked up 20 kg and went through a really tough training, including Navy SEAL sniper sessions. Sienna Miller plays his wife Taya, who suffered the effects of war on his husband, despite his strong belief and determination. Her unconditional love was a massive support for Kyle.

Eastwood has made an intense and heartfelt film, one of his trademarks, absent shows and unnecessary politics or philosophy. This is obviously the classic "American" patriotic film, but it differs from others in the approach of the man, who is an instrument to a purpose, yet a human being totally aware of what he does.

Bottom line, this film is almost perfect in many aspects, and the only thing that does not hook me is how much it reminds me to "The Hurt Locker" (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008). That was way more focused on the adrenaline addiction the main character had, but the behavior of both characters after tours seemed to me pretty alike.

Frank (II) (2014)

Fake Head, True Filmmaking

[8/10 · 15 December 2014]

Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), a wanna-be musician whose songwriting is crappy at best, joins by chance a weird pop band, quite indie, quite insane. The leader, singer and songwriter is Frank, a charismatic front man who always wears a big fake head. A rather promising story I reckon... There are great actors on board, like Michael Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal or Domnhall Gleeson, but music is the main character here. It is not a musical, it is more how music struggles to be business, or something artistic or even mystic.It is at this point that both Fassbender and Gyllenhaal nail it as tortured but gifted souls that create music, because let's not kid ourselves here, ordinary people don't usually create something like "OK Computer" (Radiohead, 1997, EMI Records). Jon begins his own journey from being that normal person to someone that witness that artistic epiphany that we as fans can only enjoy. It is quite a way to describe the process of songwriting ( I will not keep talking about this since I am not a musician), but as far as filmmaking is concerned, this is indie at its best. Dense, compelling and let's say it, hipster, at least aesthetically; it is not that original, nor is it classical, it is more erratic, inspiring even...It seemed to me like those records that leave no impression on that first listening, but that in time tends to become the most appreciated song pieces in your mind.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Fun and fangs

[8/10 · 15 December 2014]

"The Unholy Masquerade" is a secret cult event, full of vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures that takes place in New Zealand. Only a few days before that, some vampires open the gates of their home for a documentary crew to follow their lives. Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), Petyr (Ben Fransham) and Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) are those vampires, and we shall see how they struggle with issues like being flatmates, doing the house chores and cope with modern day lifestyle; all of this is an overwhelming, funny and bloody adventure. Jemaine Clement is a well-known comedian from New Zealand, co-creator of "Flight of the Concords" (2007-2009), and also known as the villain "Boris the Animal" in the film "Men in Black 3" (Barry Sonnenfeld, 2012). He and Taika Waititi, seen as Ryan Reynolds pal in "Green Lantern" (Martin Campbell, 2011) direct this amazing and funny mockumentary. It is a fresh take on vampires, werewolves and else, who are out of time and out of place, misfits that are actually more human than those seen on more "serious" incarnations. However, there is a possible hiccup here, and it is its that New Zealand scent, that mysterious something the country and culture still has. Once you get immersed into it, there is no way back, you love it. That happens with the humor as well, and I recommend you to watch this and then have your word about it. It might not be a mainstream comedy, but it is funny to dead (or living dead).

Interstellar (2014)

The Ultimate Journey

[9/10 · 7 November 2014]

I won't be objective about this. I think Nolan saved modern filmmaking from mediocrity. He has shown that being epic is an option, whether you succeed or not (there is a blunder around him). It is a way of expression, and at the end of the day it is all about quality, plain and simple.

Interstellar is an example, a story with such a scope it literally transcends space and time. Mankind is in a delicate situation. Environment issues and gravitational anomalies threat the very existence of the human race. The only salvation might be a bold mission through a wormhole near Saturn, and investigate what is beyond. The ultimate journey, an interstellar one...

As usual, Nolan works with top-notch pros, a highly awarded cast, including McConaughey, Caine, Hathaway and some surprising cameos. Wally Pfister, the usual D.O.P. of Nolan, was busy with his debut "Trascendence" (2014), but Hans Zimmer repeats as the score master. And he makes it again, a glorious score, though it tends to copy the music from "2001: A Space Odissey" (Stanley Kubrick, 1968). It is not a perfect score as the one he wrote for "Inception" (2010), but it works.

As for the movie itself, there is just one thing I did not like. An entire section of the film could be cut out and would not really affect the rest of the story, and we are talking about forty minutes, but then again, it is an opinion and I am sure some fanatics will try to come after me carrying torches. Other than that, this is a story in which we find drama, thrill and stunning visuals (the design of the robots is amazing, they become characters, just like the rest of the cast). Science-fiction is based on actual scientific theories, from black holes, relativity etc. (even Dr. De Grasse Tyson would approve it). So Nolan is behind another "tour de force" of excess, proof that to him, it is all or nothing.

Nolan has been compared to Kubrick as they both shared a taste for breathtaking visuals, and also a passion for his projects, though with different approaches (Kubrick was far more unsociable). It is not for me to decide if that is true, but I know that with this film, Nolan proves himself to be one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Once again, as it happened with "Inception"(2010), just trying to undertake such a task is enough to get an Oscar award. No matter if you have the tools and the resources, this is about having a vision and going for it. Another masterpiece of modern filmmaking.

Life After Beth (2014)

Girls, can't live with them...

[6/10 · 30 October 2014]

Zach Orfman (great Dane DeHaan) has just lost his girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza, what a comedian).While still mourning, he finds out that somehow, Beth is back from the dead. He is decided to use this second chance to re-live their love story, but there is one problem: Beth is somewhat changed, she behaves weirdly, and it is only going to get worse...

Comedy and terror are not that strange, but as usual, it is not only what you try to tell, but how you tell it. In this case, it all swings from romance to absurd comedy in a blink of an eye; how to cope with loss, how to re-enact a non-existing love story. The cast, full of comedians, only adds more odd moments, a delirious set of lines and performances, from John C. Reilly (Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn, 2014), or Molly Shannon (Bad Teacher, Jake Kasdan, 2011). They are Beth's parents, who react to this event in a curious way, so to speak. Zach's family does not help either, including Paul Reiser (Burke in Aliens, James Cameron, 1986) his bored father, and Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Reid in Criminal Minds, 2004-14) as his paranoid, violent and stupid brother. Just what such a situation needs.

It is a fun movie, sometimes even touching, but all in all, it is a Rom-com, and well, What would you do if your lady dies and comes back from the dead? Well, this might be one of the possible scenarios (if you have sense of humor of course). So I recommend you to watch it, have fun and learn about that possibility.

Dracula Untold (2014)

Dracula, Lord of The Bats

[6/10 · 27 October 2014]

I have always been a fan of vampires, in literature, cinema and any other media. Every time I hear about a Dracula project, I get excited and suspicious at the same time. It tends to happen when dealing with such a cultural icon. Luke Evans (Please, make him the next Bond) was a perfect choice for the part, and I was so excited about it. However, when I first watched the trailer I must confess my spider-sense was tingling. It was too much a video-clip style, and I was wary about it, but not wrong. Let's recapitulate: Vlad Tepes, the impaler, Prince of Wallachia, is the ruler of the nation, respected by allies and foes, but when Sultan Mehmed (Dominic Cooper, Daddy Stark in the Marvel Universe) requests a thousand boys for his army, Vlad refuses. The chaos unleashed by his actions will bring death, and he searches power in a dark cave that turns out to be the very hell. The realm of an evil creature (The great Charles Dance, daddy Lannister) that gives Vlad a dark gift, but such powers.. Are they a curse or a blessing? As I said before, this is but a humble opinion, the look of the movie is a video-clip like photography, and not a great one. Being a dark story, it tends to happen at night, but what it might look a creepy setting, looks just dark, in a negative way, crappy quality and action scenes are full of high speed camera movements, what I call the "Greengrass Effect" (Watch "The Bourne Supremacy, 2004) and you will get it.

It seems to me they had a good story but could not nail it. Plain and simple, not the outcome you would expect from such a big budget production, not to speak about the icon it represents. They got a blockbuster, nothing more, and it's a shame. I'll stick to my favorite, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (Francis Ford Coppola, 1992). Bottom line, fangs down!

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Daydreaming and living

[10/10 · 27 October 2014]

In a previous entry, I remember writing about the Oscars and how dramas tend to be the winners, almost like an amendment. The fact that such a film is not even nominated is quite sad. This is a statement of what Hollywood considers to be worth awarding. Drama? Yes. Comedy? No way. This is a loose remake of the same film directed by Norman Z. Mcleod in 1947, and an instant classic I reckon.

Walter Mitty is a honest, simple man, and yes...a bit dull. He has a good job in the Life magazine, follows a routine of hard work and little or no fun at all, and no social life whatsoever. But you know how things work, most times it's all or nothing: suddenly a new girl starts to work in his company, a company that is about to be closed, and he accidentally loses the cover photo for that last issue.That's the a new life for Walter, just another one, so to speak...

This project was associated to some top-notch stars of the industry: Steven Spielberg or Ron Howard behind the camera, and Will Ferrell or Owen Wilson as stars. Finally, it was Stiller who did helm it. Known as a brilliant comedian, Stiller is also a good director (Tropic Thunder, 2008 is just epic). He leads this story about daydreaming, living and not being paralyzed by fear; when you face the unknown, and dare to do the impossible, you just realize that in almost every case, impossible is just a word. it might take a lifetime to come to that conclusion, or it might never comes.

I remember that after watching it, I felt so alive, so happy. Because drama and misery cannot be the only leitmotif in filmmaking. Sometimes the way you face life is great enough to be the plot of a beautiful and touching story. This one is, and I insist that these kinds of movies are more and more rare nowadays. So watch it, enjoy it and live, not because you only live once, but because there is only one life to live. Trust me, it's not the same meaning.

The Equalizer (2014)

True Justice

[7/10 · 23 October 2014]

Based on a TV show from the 80's but with some changes (McCall was a British SAS ex-operative, not an American), comes this remake directed by Antoine Fuqua (Olympus Has Fallen, 2013). Denzel Washington is Robert McCall, a former CIA operative that is morally compelled to go back into action to help a lady in distress. Though it looks like "The A-Team", it is surprisingly deep in terms of character motivation, and those characters are way better performed than the standard blockbuster movies.

Fuqua is reunited with Washington after "Training" Day, (2001), the film that got him an Oscar award as best leading actor. Fuqua has made some major blockbusters but all of them very well crafted and full of deep-layered characters that reach you ("King Arthur", 2004) or "Shooter" (2007), both blockbusters that were also critically acclaimed.

He usually gets to work with solid cast, and this time is no different: Chloë Grace Moretz (Dark Shadows, 2012) or Marton Csokas (Lord of the Rings, 2001-2003) or "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) support Washington, and they both deliver (Csokas is great as a crazy Russian operative).

Bottom line, a great action movie, the kind you watch all over again every time is on TV. Let's not kid ourselves, if we had to choose a film to take with us to an isolated island, we would not choose a David Lynch or a Hitchcock film, but something like this or the Lethal Weapon saga. 'Nuff said.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

Musical or Musiglam

[8/10 · 23 October 2014]

Plot: Hedwig, an kid from the RFA with some gender issues, finds only one way to escape from his country. Sex-change surgery, marry an American soldier and then grab his mother passport to get the hell out of there. Now in the USA, we will witness her story: girl meets boy, boy steals her songs to become a rock star...all of it through a great musical, or better said a "musiglam". Ludicrous, is it not? John Cameron Mitchell adapts his own Off-Broadway play into the big screen, directs and stars as Hedwig, in a movie full of colors, light and music. A film that became an instant classic, a cult low budget movie, and a reference in indie filmmaking at the beginning of this century. Stephen Trask plays the role of guitar player in Hedwig's band, and he is responsible for the whole soundtrack, a track list as solid as touching; what a perfect music for such a story.

I remember watching this film around 2002 or 2003 in a nearby cinema, a "Glam Night", films like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (Jim Sharman, 1975), "Velvet Goldmine" (Todd Haynes, 1998) or this very film. I am not a fan of musicals, they seem to me a bit absurd, but when I watched this, I thought: "well, if it's excessive, it better be ridiculously excessive". And so it was, but not only that, it is a great film, a touching story and a wonderful soundtrack. Meet Hedwig, it is impossible not to enjoy her story.

A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Tombs for the living

[7/10 · 2 October 2014]

Scott Frank is a filmmaker and screenwriter, responsible for titles like "The Lookout" (2007), which he directed as well, or "The Interpreter" (Sydney Pollack, 2005). This film, based on the Lawrence Block novels, deals with kidnappings, drug lords and tortured souls. This is a dense film, a classic mystery story, and to me, its gritty style just relate it to "8MM" (Joel Schumacher, 1999). Frank delivers a solid piece of screenplay and a driven filmmaking.

Liam Neeson is Matt Scuder, an ex-cop now working as a private investigator. A woman has been kidnapped and murdered. Her husband had paid the ransom money, yet they killed her anyway. She is one of many that has suffered the same fate. Scuder is determined to find out what there is behind all of this. Neeson is just a master of acting (I know, I am a crazy fan, so what?). his voice and presence just fill the screen, and he barely needs anything or anyone else to keep the show running. This film though, is more about how the events turn out more than characters themselves.

The look of the film (one scene in the opening credits is as beautiful as it is disturbing) is harsh, and the soundtrack is kind of minimalist, but it certainly works in every moment; To me there is only one thing I did not like: It could have been more disturbing and rough and still keep the mystery, but it is also true the ending is not disappointing at all. There is no fantastic approach to the story, not clichés around, just tormented souls and tombstones for the living, where we have a walk.

Rewind This! (2013)

Good Old Days...

[7/10 · 14 September 2014]

A documentary about VHS tapes is a must. Our generation lived that moment, and we know what we are talking about. My dad had a two piece set VCR, and a fantastic remote controller...with a cable!! I still remember the tracking system and some other features from those happy days. It is a bad, fragile format but it had something, and in a way we miss it somehow. Relive the moment and learn a couple of things about the good old format we grew up with.

The testimony of some distributors, filmmakers and VHS freaks will bring us back to that universe, the format that ruled the last stage of 20th century. We will find out why VHS was the victor in that format battle against BETAMAX, what it meant to some filmmakers and much more.

I confess I expected a nostalgic journey alongside some VHS geeks, but it turned out to be more than that. VHS, just like vinyl in civilized countries (Spain not one of them) is still alive and kicking, and in these days of fleeting formats, is nice to remember how a format popped up, established itself in the market and became the standard for so long. So buckle up, enjoy the ride and recall those days of white noise, crappy image and b-movies. Call it nostalgia, vintage or whatever, but remember to be kind and rewind!

Iron Sky (2012)

They Are Back!

[7/10 · 14 September 2014]

Back in 1945, before the end of the Reich, Nazis sent a massive contingent to the dark side of the Moon, to settle and be prepared for a future invasion to Earth. Only that is enough to watch it, so absurd and ludicrous, but that's only the beginning of it. The first human to contact these Moon Nazis is a black man, and the USA president is a woman...to much for those Nazis to process. It is a comical approach no doubt, but as the story unfolds, it turns to be not only funny, but a refined satire about power, the USA imperialism and so on and so forth.

This project, partially financed by fans, is a mixture of low budget film and blockbuster (Udo Kier and Götz Otto are film celebrities), both in form and content, and though the Nazi theme might be a bit recurring in a way, the final result is a light entertainment film, but not a meaningless one.

There is a criticism to USA foreign politics, a.k.a. imperialism, to power, corruption etc. but using humour to show it, which is always a good treat, and it leaves no one indifferent. This is a special film, filled with absurd situations, no intention of being serious whatsoever, and loads of funny moments. I honestly recommend it because is fun, nasty at times, but always makes sense, and again, it is really absurd. At the end of the day, they come from the dark side of the Moon...

To Be Takei (2014)

Yeah, It's OK to be Takei

[8/10 · 2 September 2014]

George Takei, the famous Hikaru Sulu from the classic Star Trek, has had a life worth to tell. As a kid, he spent some years with his family in an internment camp on US soil (Yes, Americans did that too). Besides, back in those years of the "Good old America" being a young Asian actor only meant he would get stereotyped roles. Takei wanted more, and most certainly he did! Someone that had to endure really hard times has become a legend, a cultural icon even.

In this documentary we will meet Takei, his husband and manager Brad, relatives, fans...all of them have their place in Takei's endless universe of love and positivity. There is not a specific approach, not doses of drama or comedy, but a true depiction of a lovely couple, in which one of them turns to be a legend of sci-fi, and much, much more.

To Be Takei is a work about a man that had to trespass literal and metaphorical fences and boundaries. A story told from the heart, full of warmth and honesty. The story of a man that has fought against prejudices, racism and homophobia, always passionately, always in a positive mood. He is and has been an icon to several generations, and still manages to inspire, like he has done with this documentary. At least, he has inspired me, and I hope you watch it, because as he always says "It's OK to be Takei".

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013)

Nice Try Von Trier

[6/10 · 27 August 2014]

In this Volume II, the sexual saga of Joe goes on. Imagine we just have had a 5 minutes break, and then we resume the story of Joe and her fantastic tale, a fascinating one for Seligman. Now, the adult version of Joe takes it from here in the narration; we witness how she goes through processes, new tastes and even a slight physical crisis, all of them filtered by her addiction. Joe has matured now, she has become a functional addict, even using her set of skills in a given profession (not that one!). Her new patron (Willem Dafoe) will use those skills, and eventually will persuade Joe to shelter and take care of a troublesome young girl in order to be her heir. That unexpected and "human" action for Joe will trigger some intense events that will lead us to the end of this journey. Volume I was the novelty, all about the fuss. The tone does not change that much in this volume, yet the character does. Give voice to your thoughts and these will strike you as different, sound different. That is what eventually happens to Joe, since she has been speaking things that had never been outside her mind. And that changes both Joe and Seligman. This is not a spoiler, but Von Trier is just telling a story about human beings. With no artificial or social boundaries, we are animals, no matter how civilized or evolved we think we are. It is action-reaction, but for humans, most of the times is about action-instinct. That's what we all are, and Von Trier show that.

Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013)

Von Trier and Sex

[6/10 · 27 August 2014]

Ideally, I would not watch this kind of film, since it is divided into two segments, and I would not get the whole picture. But this is Lars Von Trier, and as usual, his work unleashes chaos and controversy. That is why I could not help it, and I decided to watch it. Well, Volume I is certainly interesting, but nothing as eccentric as I expected. Von Trier brings us "polemics". This time it is a story about sex, about nymphomania (now substituted by "hipersexuality" for both masculine and feminine disorders). It is the story of Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a woman that after being found and sheltered by Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), tells him her story, her colorful and plentiful sexual life, as an addiction, philosophy and way of life. Seligman, apparently an average man, will become a fantastic audience, able to relate her sexual adventures and schemes to those of fishing. Well, both are natural activities, are they not? Apparently, this was all about sex, lust and so on, but this is only the story of a girl with an emotional disorder, or rather than that, little or no emotional intelligence. She is devoted to her addiction, regardless the damage and pain it might involve or create. Seligman frequently points out that such actions do not make her the terrible human being she thinks she is. Sex is obsession, lack of control, passion...we find all that in Joe's story, no tricks. She is a girl that does not fit in society, nor wants to. It is nothing new or offensive, just the same old song, how sex, something natural, has been filtered by social and cultural values until it has become a reproductive activity, or a free yet bounded pleasure in general. Newcomer Stacey Martin plays the young version of Gainsbourg, in a daring move, since working for Von Trier must be not a conventional debut whatsoever. It is though refreshing to see an actress that does not try to impose herself over the written material. She delivers, and she does it in great fashion. Until I watch Volume II, I can say Von Trier has convinced me. It promised to be interesting, and it was. I'm in, and that's an example that sex or love are things we never get tired to talk about. Because it is natural, simple and complex.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Jim Jarmusch and vampires

[6/10 · 27 August 2014]

Jim Jarmusch, an icon of "indie" movies, is back and with a vampire film. However, this is not a horror movie, nor a bloody story, not even a vampire movie for that matter. Adam and Eve are a couple of vampires, though their names is the only thing related to "those" Adam and Eve of the bible. Despite centuries of living, both have quite a different vision of life. Adam is jaded by mankind and modern life, vulgar and with no purpose. Eve, on the other hand, is a romantic that enjoys every experience she can have. When her sister Eva (Mia Wasikowska, "Stoker" Chan-Wook Park, 2013) shows up in their place, she will tear everything apart. Jarmusch has directed some truly cult movies, such as "Ghost Dog" (1999), "Dead Man" (1995) o "Broken Flowers" (2005), and a vampire movie directed by him kept me excited. His is a thoughtful, reflective filmmaking, something I really appreciate. It's interesting to see the intellectual side of an immortal being, and how he reacts to modern life, grotesque and less honorable, so to speak. Rich images and words fill the screen, words that might have truly been spoken by an immortal, so beautiful and poetic they are; that of course, is easier when you have Tom Hiddlestone, "The Avengers"( Joss Whedon 2012) and Tilda Swinton, "The Grand Budapest Hotel " (Wes Anderson, 2014) for such a task. They make their roles absolutely hypnotic. Unfortunately, that's the end of the good news, since Jarmusch abuses of that contemplative pace, and in a given moment, we can anticipate what is going to happen next and are not compelled to keep watching. In order to portray a life eternal and composed, Jarmusch applied those characteristics to the storytelling, which in this case outshines the rest of the product. We do not really care about the main characters and their fate. In addition, this movie sounds familiar. "Kiss of the Damned" (Xan Cassavetes, 2012), deals with quite a similar topic, troublesome sister included. That is a less aesthetic and layered movie than this, but it is way more fluid and compelling, and I enjoyed it much more than this.

Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)

Do not Miss This

[9/10 · 27 August 2014]

"The most influential unfinished movie of the sci-fi film history". This is what you will be thinking if you watch this documentary about Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky and his vision of a "Dune" film from the Frank Herbert sci-fi novel. Through Jodorowsky himself and the team he assembled for the project, we will recall how he envisioned a titanic piece of work that even today would be breathtaking. Whether you are a fan of the Frank Herbert books or the David Lynch movie, this is more about the passion of an artist, a vision way ahead of his time, and how it has had an influence on subsequent sci-fi classics. Names like Dalí, Orson Welles, David Carradine, H.R. Giger, Pink Floyd...all of them were icons of culture in their own right, ready to be a part of a project never seen before. Guided by a man enlightened by a vision, a leader for some, a lunatic for many others, if it had become a reality, it would have changed modern filmmaking, storytelling or technical, even reaching an intellectual and spiritual revolution. Listening to Jodorwsky himself, his contagious passion, is fascinating and as we watch the documentary, we realize that maybe that is what is missing in modern day filmmaking: more passion and a bit of madness. It is the right for an artist to dream big, to revamp someone else's work. Nowadays we are enjoying a new media for this purpose: TV series, in which big stories can be properly developed, so it suits the scope Jodorowsky wanted to display. It might not be as elevated as a film for the filmmaker, but that's another story. David Lynch's "Dune" (1984) turns to be an interesting but crappy-looking movie, hard to believe it was made in a post Star Wars era. It is a shame to glimpse what Jodorowsky's Dune could have been, but after this documentary we are well aware that it had a big impact of some sci-fi cult movies that came later, much more we expected.

Transcendence (I) (2014)

Promising but disappointing

[6/10 · 27 August 2014]

After being D.O.P. in every Christopher Nolan movie since "Memento" (2000), Wally Pfister debuts as a director with this project, and very much like Nolan himself, Pfister works with celluloid rather than digital, and is not keen on 3-D either. Modernity... Dr. William Caster (Johnny Depp) is a genius of A.I. and has created P.I.N.N (Physical Independent Neural Network). Thanks to their quantum processors, P.I.N.N. is basically the most advance A.I. or intelligence for that matter that have ever existed. After being poisoned by anti-tech terrorists, he only sees one chance to survive: uploading his consciousness to the P.I.N.N. system. Can soul be uploaded? Is it consciousness or just his mirrored self? That's what "Transcendence" is about. Humanity as a quality against technology, a debate that seems old-fashioned to me, because any great advance that could be a reality right now is slowed down by human features: Corruption of pharmaceuticals and politicians and moral garbage that stops some major researches such as stem cells. It is this human behavior and not any fantasy A.I. system (No Skynet or Matrix) that keeps us away from massive breakthroughs in medicine or energy sources. Let's go back to the film, though. Such an enthralling issue could have been much more exploited, yet it gets stuck, because they insist on the "fear the unknown" routine. Such a budget, a cast and an expert on visuals like Pfister could bring in more than this. We barely glimpse what P.I.N.N. could be able to do, again to insist on the characters' reaction to the revolution they are witnessing. His wife (Rebecca Hall) and his former colleague (Paul Bettany) the latter now a member of that anti-tech group that nearly killed Caster, will try and stop him before he becomes an even major threat. The feeling we have is we're watching a film full of potential that never takes off. The pace of the storytelling is lurching every now and then, quite like our "beloved" Windows system. Even the almighty Johnny Depp cannot save the show, so to me "Trascendence" is a fine movie with great looks that unfortunately does not transcend at all.

Borgman (2013)

Still confused by the purpose of this

[5/10 · 27 August 2014]

Awarded as best film in the International Film Festival of Fantastic Cinema of Sitges, and with a promising trailer, I was looking forward to watching it. A presumed homeless, Borgman (Jan Bijvoet), hidden underground in the woods is chased by a bunch of armed and annoyed people. He manages to escape and alert others like him, also hidden underground, in order to escape. He then shows up in a wealthy, upper class home and eventually starts working in there as a gardener. From that point, he will unleash a quiet hell in the family with disturbing consequences. It is an appealing start, but from that moment on, it will become a series of incoherent, terrible paced segments, with little or no logic whatsoever. It has been said very often that things must be unexplained, that there must be gaps to be filled by the audience, by their interpretation. I kind of agree, but there must be a give or take in my opinion. There are elements to be exploited, some of them great to get a more layered story. Instead, nothing is explained, and even though you are able to connect some dots, they do not prompt any significant interest. That is why you keep waiting for a climax that will never come; we do not know who Borgman is, or what he is, nor why he does what he does...nothing. It is true that some fiction classics, like Twin Peaks (David Lynch) or The X-Files (Chris Carter) used to give more questions than answers, but they had tension and were truly compelling. It is also true than episodic structure makes this task way easier, but in this film we see no hints that a powerful climax is to shock us at the end, so a decent development is totally spoiled. From a shocking and disturbing beginning, it switches to a boring, disjointed and finally irritating story. Awarded as best film in Sitges, it keeps me thinking whether I am a refined and bitter moron or whether film quality in general is dropping at the speed of light. To make this straight, I do not understand the aspects of films they deem worthy of being awarded, and it has been this way for a couple of years now. To sum up, if someone enlightens me with any hidden meaning or explanation about the film, it will be a matter of I want but I'm not able to and I don't want to either.

Dom Hemingway (2013)

Jude Law...What Else?

[6/10 · 27 August 2014]

Jude Law is a great actor, a superstar, the standard British gentleman (good looks, manners and flawless English) that I enjoy as a lifestyle. That is why I was so curious about this film. Law is Dom Hemingway, a Cockney safe cracker, drunk, swearing and vulgar, charming, is he not? Hemingway has spent 12 years in prison after he decided not to rat about Russian mobster Mr. Fontaine (Demian Bichir). Right after being released, he and his former associate and friend Dickie Black (Richard E. Grant) pay a visit to Mr. Fontaine in order to get the money he earned by his silence. What should have been a night of celebration ends up in a disaster, forcing Dom to rethink of his life. This is a Jude Law show, you have to be good to play such a disgusting character and give him not humanity, but sheer charisma. Grant supports Law in a dynamic way, with memorable fun lines, and Bichir is quite a presence on screen, also impressive as a cold hearted kingpin. A shame that the rest of the cast, including Emilia "Khaleesi" Clarke, make no impact at all. the film is clearly divided into two parts, one a powerful intro that takes us to that night with Mr. Fontaine, and the other right after such crucial night, in which the rhythm slows down, eventually a dis-adjusted ending that does not match the promising beginning. In my experience, British movies, including this, which is a modest project, is usually much better than the average Hollywood movie. So just to watch Jude Law unleashed on screen is worth a shot...These Britons are crazy!

Her (2013)

Just Fantastic

[9/10 · 27 August 2014]

The filmmaker behind movies like "Being John Malkovich" (1999) or "Adaptation" (2002) is back, four years after his last long feature film, "Where the Wild Things Are" (2009). "Her" is a beautiful, dense and mesmerizing movie, only different from mainstream tendencies in its own development. It is the work of a mature auteur, surprisingly accessible yet completely personal, and that is quite a statement nowadays.

"Her" takes place in an aseptic near future, and narrates the story of Theodore, a lonely letter writer, divorced and trapped inside a routine that keeps him just half alive. Only his neighbors seem to have some kind of contact with him, as well as the receptionist of his job. Everything changes when he decides to buy a new and sophisticated Operative System and meets Samantha.

Joaquin Phoenix is fantastic as the melancholic writer Theodore, lonely and daydreamer. His looks, manners and specially his voice really fits into such a mellow character we relate to almost instantly. His is the portrait of a man in a near future society, crowded yet emotionally empty at the same time.

Scarlet Johansson is Samantha, whose easy-going character lights up the life of Theodore, though theirs might be an impossible love. Johansson's voice is absolutely fantastic, so subtle and warm that elevates her status as an actress to those who still believe she is just a pretty face (and body…) and their interaction is far more real and touching than most modern films.

"Her" is pure American Cinema, dense and layered as only worth telling stories can be. This is the story of an impersonal society, to such extent that Theodore writes letter for other people who does not have time, patience or their own emotions, to do so. It embodies the failure of intimate human contact. Such change in human behavior seems an overreaction to some, but it is also true that some might say it is just an ongoing tendency. In this futuristic society, where human contact is every time less and less frequent, the story of Theodore and Samantha is more and more likely to happen.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Good Story and Performances

[7/10 · 27 August 2014]

Jean-Marc Vallée directed "C.R.A.Z.Y." in 2005, a family drama that became an instant cult movie. The performances, settings and music (there is a fantastic moment around Pink Floyd's "Shine on Your Crazy Diamond") made this movie special, and left no one indifferent. So when I found out Vallée was the director of this project, I got a good feeling about it. In addition, Matthew McConaughey, who has completely changed his style in every aspect (Please watch "True Detective" (Nic Pizzolato, 2014-) to know what I mean), a good cast and a story inspired by true events sounded really good. And it was an Oscar candidate already, so go figure. Matthew McConaughey is Ron Woodroof, an electrician and rodeo fanatic with a excessive and reckless sexual life. Eventually he contracts aids, a disease that back in that time was considered to be a homosexual-profile one. Without proper knowledge and treatments about it (it was still a new illness) he finds himself researching to extend his life, and by doing so he becomes a beacon of hope for many other people, whether affected by the same disease, like Rayon (great Jared Leto), or Dr. Eve, the doctor who treated Ron in the first place. This is a hero's journey, from the very hell to salvation, his own and many other's; this is a path of redemption, love and acceptance. The perception of life, every second of it, changes dramatically, and such story is worth telling every time. But I have to be honest here, and I can't stop wondering: Why is always this kind of movies the ones that get the Oscar? Again, as I said in the previous entry, I am not saying they do not deserve this or any other awards for this project. But I notice a tendency to be extreme melodramas the only ones to get this attention, and it bothers me. I like to think there are different stories, as good as these, or even better in some ways, so there is no need of dwelling on misery to tell a good story. As I said, kudos for the film, its great, but I feel that only for a change, films like "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"(Ben Stiller, 2013), or "Amelie" (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001) are also amazing stories, unique and touching, but it seems that optimism is not as artistic as drama nowadays. A real shame, but in the meantime, I rather daydream...

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

A Masterpiece From Beginning to End

[10/10 · 27 August 2014]

Sometimes, if you want to know if certain films are worth watching, you have to rely on which cast is involved. Great actors are usually into great projects. This case is no different. The cast is outstanding, and the list is long, from F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton, Jude Law, the always brilliant Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and so on and so forth. And then Ralph Fiennes, complete king of the show, simply spectacular in every bit of it. Wes Anderson, who directed "Life Aquatic"( 2004), or "The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001) is back with this little big project. And it is so because it is an intimate story, yet embedded in a large scale game play, a massive project from an artistic point of view; every character and event is paramount in this little poem. This "Chinese box" kind of filmmaking, a story within a story, is what Anderson uses to tell us this tale. It is a classic literary device, and like in literature, it might involve the same issue, namely the narrator reliability, (though in the film the veracity of the events is emphasized), so everything could be a wild imagination from the narrator, which may be even better for the purpose of the whole thing. I'm sticking with the latter, because at the end of the day, a good story is a good story, whether it is more or less believable, right? A writer (Jude Law) begins this tale, telling us how in his young days, he stayed in the decadent "Grand Budapest Hotel", and met the owner, Mr. Mustapha (F. Murray Abraham), who will tell him how he acquired the hotel, back in the glorious days.

What can we highlight in this movie? The cast is amazing, such a bunch of superstars, all of them inspired and enjoying the show. Photography is great, colors, lighting, everything...there is an important amount of detail in production, from the hotel itself in its different stages to the wardrobe, music, visuals and introduction of each chapter. The pace is pitch perfect, a seamless tale that even in a sequence of flashbacks keep the whole together, and so do the actors, follow the lead of Anderson in a way that every single character, every line is nailed, both in performance and rhythm. That is writing, in this case a screenplay, and definitively, that is filmmaking at its best. This is the best Anderson movie so far, is cohesive, compact, it is a exquisite piece of work, both in form and content, his masterpiece. Honestly, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is a must-see, a film I strongly recommend not only because of its quality, but because it reminds us that there is always, always a story worth telling.

In Your Eyes (2014)

Love is in the eyes

[7/10 · 27 August 2014]

Joss Whedon is the creator of "Firefly" (2002-2003) or "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003). The first a cult TV show, the second a terrible show that became almost a sci-fi classic piece of work, don't ask me why. All of this before becoming the guiding light of the Marvel films. But even before that, a young Whedon wrote this script right when he moved to L.A.

Almost two decades later, Whedon and writer Brin Hill ("Won't Back Down", 2012) teamed up to create a small project through a small company, Bellwether studios, who supported the film. This way you have a fully independent and funded movie. Rebecca (Zoe Kazan, the unforgettable Ruby Sparks), is not happy. She is married to a brilliant doctor and has everything she might need, yet she feels out of place and empty. Right across the country, an ex-con named Dylan (Michael Stahl-David) tries not to mess it up once again, since he has been a disappointment to everybody he ever knew. How these two opposite people can even begin to click? that is the reason to watch. It is an unexpected kind of love, but it is love anyway. This is not a classic boy meets girl, falls in love and so on. This is about how lost people can find themselves and their soul mates, in any given moment and in the most mysterious ways. Kazan and Stahl-David play flawed characters, but they are so human, so real you cannot help but relating to them. The movie keeps an intimate approach, and ultimately it gets to you, it is fantastic yet familiar. Don't miss it.

The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears (2013)

The Strange Color...bah, forget it

[4/10 · 27 August 2014]

Trailers, oh those cruel tricksters! A man gets home only to find out the door is locked from the inside and his wife is missing. What is going on? That question and some flashbacks of gruesome images just made me want to watch it a.s.a.p. Mystery, bloodshed, European filmmaking, "Giallo" influence...I'm in!! So that's what I was thinking about when the film started, but after we know the wife is gone, and know about the mystery behind the door (pun intended) everything became chaotic. If your wife goes missing, do you look for her inside your own building? Do you knock on every neighbor's door to find her? No, because she is neither a puppy nor a child, so leaving the building should not be a big deal whatsoever. Weird point, but that was only the beginning... Some main features of "Giallo" are that form is more important than content, and that narrative does not need to be linear, and these guys nailed both. The film visuals is stunning in every aspect, colors, frames, perspectives, everything. And so are the sound effects and the soundtrack, the "when" and "how" to use them, great again, a fantastic exercise of style, just like a film school project. To me, though, filmmaking is all about stories, even the gritty ones (actually, I enjoy these more than most of them), but I am not a fan of those fractured time-lines.On thing is symbolism, in the events or the feelings, and another different thing entirely is to leave us on our own to try and make some sense out of it. For example: "Memento" (Christopher Nolan, 2000) GOOD. This very film I am talking about, BAD. And last but not least, one thing about the dream world: it is a fascinating topic, it is true we do not know much about the process, but one thing seems certain: we dream already existing and processed information, so "I dreamed about the "fluzo condenser" and other stuff does not work that way. Call me boring or empiric, but that's what it is. If you want to watch the film, you will enjoy the visuals and maybe understand the whole thing. If you do, give me a call and please tell me about it, maybe it's just I am dumb.