Date: 12/18/07
DVD Screener (AFI)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1002535/
Bomb It.
Pros.
Interesting subject matter.
Good variety of styles and cultures.
Cons.
Lack of structure.
No real transitions, at all.
Bomb It is pretty sweet. I was definitely into this look into the graffiti subculture that dominates much of the underground and urban scenes. The films strongest point is how varied its subject matters are: we see bombers who make art on walls to express themselves, to fight political injustice, to make the world more beautiful for their children to one day live in, to "fuck shit up", to claim turf, and so on and on. Hell, the film even interviews those opposed to the graffiti movement, one of which fights fire with fire by tagging over popular graffiti spots with messages like, "get a day job."
Luckily, the subject matter and the music selection carry this film strongly enough, because the film has little-to-no structure. Interviews are grouped by region of the world (which is shockingly expansive, we move from NY to Tokyo to Spain etc...). With no narrator tying things together, it at some points feels slightly disjointed as all we're seeing is a fade to black and then a title card naming the next region we'll be in. While this bothers me, I still find the subject interesting enough to hold my attention.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Ratatouille (2007)
Date: 12/14/07
DVD
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/
Ratatouille.
Given Pixar's track record, my expectations were high going into Ratatouille. Luckily, I am surprised to say that my expectations have been far surpassed with what can only be called a minor masterpiece. The story is a bit out there; the whole kitchen-run-by-rats thing is kind of kooky, but Pixar uses it beautifully to set up metaphors and life lessons seen around crumbling pieces of bread and the pages of out-of-date cook books. Moving past the message one of course moves onto the cinematography, which is crafted to mesmerizing ends. Every shot is perfectly composed to positively influence the development of the plot, the characters, and the audience's senses.
One of the strongest (and most notably overlooked aspects) of the film to me was easily the score, done by Michael Giacchino. The score dances with the images on the film so beautifully that at it's best, it's simply inspiring. Notice the scene in which Remy is climbing to the rooftops of Paris, passing along the way a French couple arguing, misfiring, and subsequently rekindling their romance followed by the avoidance of a mouse trap, a silhouette of a beautiful woman in a window, and finally: one hell of a reveal. The score here takes the scene from interesting to astounding on a completely subconscious level.
Another one of the films strongest points is easily seen in that the film at no time panders to an unintelligent audience; at all times the film is maintaining deeper story lines that will have strong impacts on adults while positively affecting the growth of children watching it, who can't seem to take their eyes off the screen.
DVD
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/
Ratatouille.
Given Pixar's track record, my expectations were high going into Ratatouille. Luckily, I am surprised to say that my expectations have been far surpassed with what can only be called a minor masterpiece. The story is a bit out there; the whole kitchen-run-by-rats thing is kind of kooky, but Pixar uses it beautifully to set up metaphors and life lessons seen around crumbling pieces of bread and the pages of out-of-date cook books. Moving past the message one of course moves onto the cinematography, which is crafted to mesmerizing ends. Every shot is perfectly composed to positively influence the development of the plot, the characters, and the audience's senses.
One of the strongest (and most notably overlooked aspects) of the film to me was easily the score, done by Michael Giacchino. The score dances with the images on the film so beautifully that at it's best, it's simply inspiring. Notice the scene in which Remy is climbing to the rooftops of Paris, passing along the way a French couple arguing, misfiring, and subsequently rekindling their romance followed by the avoidance of a mouse trap, a silhouette of a beautiful woman in a window, and finally: one hell of a reveal. The score here takes the scene from interesting to astounding on a completely subconscious level.
Another one of the films strongest points is easily seen in that the film at no time panders to an unintelligent audience; at all times the film is maintaining deeper story lines that will have strong impacts on adults while positively affecting the growth of children watching it, who can't seem to take their eyes off the screen.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Goodfellas (1990)
Date: 12/14/07
Inwood Theatre
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/
Goodfellas.
Pros:
Its use of genre for seventy-five percent of the film.
Dual narration.
Joe Pesci.
Use of music.
Cons:
Narration?
Its diversion from the genre for the last twenty-five percent of the film.
How do you review Goodfellas? As the film which revived the sagging gangster genre, it remains one of the landmark films of the decade and easily one of the most important of Scorsese's still blossoming career.
To me, one of my favorite aspects of the gangster genre is how it so nonchalantly turns the conventions of all other genres on their head. Black is white and dark is light in gangster films. Think about it: who are you rooting for? The gangsters (read: bad guys) or the police (read: good guys)? Exactly. To me, Goodfellas is the perfect embodiment of this spirit. From the opening scenes, when Pesci is stabbing Billy Bats in the trunk and Liotta delivers his infamous tagline, "As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." we as the audience are on his side. This is something Scorsese is extremely effective with, but particularly for the first two thirds of this film. For example, when boss Paul Cicero threatens to put the mailman's head in the oven if he ever delivers a bad letter from the school to Henry's parents again; instead of the reaction of horror one would normally expect, the audience is delighted.
My biggest complaint with the film is when the film leaves the gangster genre as Henry becomes a cocaine junkie. While the paranoid helicopter scene is intriguing, it almost feels overlong and is completely detached from the gangster themes of the rest of the picture. Despite my calling this a complaint I think it's one of the films stronger points too; this very scene becomes woefully symbolic for his guilt that boss Paulie is watching his every move and that his once friends are now moving in on him, much like the FBI. Here the film leaves the conventions of the gangster genre as Henry sacrifices his friends for his life and in return becomes one of the very suckers he spends much of the film complaining about. It's this difference that sets Goodfellas apart from not only it's gangster peers but also the other films around it; it milks the gangster genre for all its worth and then buries it out in the forest, with Scorsese holding the shovel.
Inwood Theatre
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/
Goodfellas.
Pros:
Its use of genre for seventy-five percent of the film.
Dual narration.
Joe Pesci.
Use of music.
Cons:
Narration?
Its diversion from the genre for the last twenty-five percent of the film.
How do you review Goodfellas? As the film which revived the sagging gangster genre, it remains one of the landmark films of the decade and easily one of the most important of Scorsese's still blossoming career.
To me, one of my favorite aspects of the gangster genre is how it so nonchalantly turns the conventions of all other genres on their head. Black is white and dark is light in gangster films. Think about it: who are you rooting for? The gangsters (read: bad guys) or the police (read: good guys)? Exactly. To me, Goodfellas is the perfect embodiment of this spirit. From the opening scenes, when Pesci is stabbing Billy Bats in the trunk and Liotta delivers his infamous tagline, "As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." we as the audience are on his side. This is something Scorsese is extremely effective with, but particularly for the first two thirds of this film. For example, when boss Paul Cicero threatens to put the mailman's head in the oven if he ever delivers a bad letter from the school to Henry's parents again; instead of the reaction of horror one would normally expect, the audience is delighted.
My biggest complaint with the film is when the film leaves the gangster genre as Henry becomes a cocaine junkie. While the paranoid helicopter scene is intriguing, it almost feels overlong and is completely detached from the gangster themes of the rest of the picture. Despite my calling this a complaint I think it's one of the films stronger points too; this very scene becomes woefully symbolic for his guilt that boss Paulie is watching his every move and that his once friends are now moving in on him, much like the FBI. Here the film leaves the conventions of the gangster genre as Henry sacrifices his friends for his life and in return becomes one of the very suckers he spends much of the film complaining about. It's this difference that sets Goodfellas apart from not only it's gangster peers but also the other films around it; it milks the gangster genre for all its worth and then buries it out in the forest, with Scorsese holding the shovel.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Juno (2007)
Date: 12/06/07
Magnolia Theatre
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/
Juno.
Pros.
Jennifer Garner/Jason Bateman divorce storyline.
Ellen Page and Micheal cera.
The ending, I think.
Cons.
Trying to be indie for the sake of being indie.
Live-action-Family-Guy.
The start.
Best jokes are in the trailer.
The problem I held with Juno was how hard it was trying to be an indie film; despite a strong cast and decent writing, I couldn't get past it. Napolean Dynamite, Garden State, any Wes Anderson, Clerks, etc... are all very much a part of this film's culture. I'm cool with references, what bothers me is the slew of films as-of-late that are attempting to fit an "indie" mold to appeal to a certain type of audience and gain a mainstream sucess . It just feels cheap to me. Indie =! independent.
I'll admit while some of the humour had my eyes rolling, some of it hit pretty dead on. The film didn't really click with me, at all, until we met Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman's characters. The seemingly happy couple's storyline definitely added another layer to the film for me; the twist it takes was a welcome detour from the dangerously predictable waters that the rest of the film wades in.
The music was fairly predictable as well, with The Moldly Peaches doing their absolute best to be this year's Shins. The film saved itself (in my eyes, anyway) with the fantastic cover of "Superstar" by Sonic Youth being straight up discussed in the film, along with the multiple mentions of The Stooges.
Overall, I found the film to be succesful in what it was trying to accomplish; a romantic teen comedy that walks the ever blurring line between what was once an indepedent film and what the mainstream film has become. It's lively enough to keep you entertained and nearly smart enough to keep you thinking.
Magnolia Theatre
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/
Juno.
Pros.
Jennifer Garner/Jason Bateman divorce storyline.
Ellen Page and Micheal cera.
The ending, I think.
Cons.
Trying to be indie for the sake of being indie.
Live-action-Family-Guy.
The start.
Best jokes are in the trailer.
The problem I held with Juno was how hard it was trying to be an indie film; despite a strong cast and decent writing, I couldn't get past it. Napolean Dynamite, Garden State, any Wes Anderson, Clerks, etc... are all very much a part of this film's culture. I'm cool with references, what bothers me is the slew of films as-of-late that are attempting to fit an "indie" mold to appeal to a certain type of audience and gain a mainstream sucess . It just feels cheap to me. Indie =! independent.
I'll admit while some of the humour had my eyes rolling, some of it hit pretty dead on. The film didn't really click with me, at all, until we met Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman's characters. The seemingly happy couple's storyline definitely added another layer to the film for me; the twist it takes was a welcome detour from the dangerously predictable waters that the rest of the film wades in.
The music was fairly predictable as well, with The Moldly Peaches doing their absolute best to be this year's Shins. The film saved itself (in my eyes, anyway) with the fantastic cover of "Superstar" by Sonic Youth being straight up discussed in the film, along with the multiple mentions of The Stooges.
Overall, I found the film to be succesful in what it was trying to accomplish; a romantic teen comedy that walks the ever blurring line between what was once an indepedent film and what the mainstream film has become. It's lively enough to keep you entertained and nearly smart enough to keep you thinking.
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