The Darjeeling Limited

In Wes Anderson's new film three brothers embark on a 'spiritual' journey in India. While carefully organizing the spiritual quest big brother Francis (Owen Wilson) wrapped in bandages from a car accident orders brother Jack (Schwartzman) and Petter (Brody) around. Aboard the Darjeeling Limited a precisely planned odyssey becomes anything but.
In the past Anderson has made classy high brow comedies like The Royal Tennenbaums and the Life Aquatic. His unique use of pastelish colors, off-beat writing and odd pacing have made him one of the few great independent writer directors of this generation. What makes Darjeeling stick out is that this time around Anderson has written a story that focuses on just a few characters and their journey. It's diverse in its narrative and tells a well rounded story. It's consistently funny and even manages to bring a few tears to the table.
Some say that all Anderson films are the same. Yes, the style is similar but this is why i admire Anderson's work. 'The Darjeeling Limited' is his best work so far. It utilizes everything that makes Anderson such a great artist and also is an accessible feature with great performances all around.

Inland Empire DVD out now.

The first time I saw this movie I was upset. After a long wait Lynch releases a perplexing experimental ultimately inaccessible film. The people I saw it with were First-Time Lynchers and pretty much Lost in Absurdia. I enjoyed the film to an extent but thought it was way too long and could've used some trimming. Digital Video is not meant to be blown up to theater screen size and looked kind of muddy.

I decided to give the film another chance thinking that I might see something new the second time. The second time around was entertaining and invaluable. I had gotten past the initial viewing and had a chance to watch it alone in the safety of my home. (with all the lights out, eekk) The film jumps around a lot, but, I think I started to put things together:

1. There are many universes in this film. Worlds within worlds within worlds. Each world is a muddier second generation dub of the one before.
2. Each character is represented differently in each world.
3. The rabbit at the beginning of the film is controlling everything.
4. The rabbit and the Director (Jeremy Irons) are the same person.
4.5 The girl in the bedroom represents the audience.
5. Nikki (Laura Dern) jumps between worlds, she becomes the character she is playing in the film (Susan)She jumps into the body of the pregnant prostitute (Juliette Binoche) and is trying to save the girl in the bedroom watching what we are watching. (saving the audience, tying things together)
6. Nikki has an affair with Devon (Justin Theroux) but its really her character Susan having an affair with Devons character (Billy). But, to everyone else, Nikki is having sex with Devon.
Thats all the guster I can muster.

ONCE

There's not much one can say about this film. Rarely is a movie so beautiful that it is beyond words. I am a music lover and before seeing this film hadn't heard of Dan Hansard or The Frames. An irish singer-songwriter is playing guitar on the street singing with the passion and the conviction that only a true artist can create. He instantly connects with a girl Marketa Irglova, who likes his songs and wants more. They connect musically while playing one of the singers songs in a closed music shop.
Eventually the this relationship inspires the singer to get record a demo and motivates him to go to London and join his lost lover. The film doesn't fall into cliche' romantic territory. It is simply about two people who find in each other something real and tender and while there is an attraction it's merely spiritual. This is my favorite movie this year. I wholeheartedly recommend this film to any film lover and any music lover.

The Simpsons Movie

I used to think the Simpsons was a dirty show. I would see T-shirts at the mall with pioctures of Bart Simpsons flipping the bird saying"F**k you man!" This is why my folks banned the Simpsons from our house. Everyone at school talked about how funny the show was. I just cried at home having been neglected pristine entertainment. Poor poor me.
Years later though I was a grown up and capable of making my own decisions. I discovered that The Simpsons wasn't just a foul-mouthed crass show about an eight year old boy. But, a hilarious satire about American Life, dead-beat dads, over zealous christians and popular culture. Ironically my parents have to ask MY permission to borrow my DVD sets of the Simpsons seasons. HA HA!

The movie version of the show is quite spectacular, maybe a bit too spectacular. The original writers are back, bringing us a funnier movie than any epsiode in the last four years. (The last time Simpsons was consistently funny was maybe season 14.)
The pacing is slower and the scenes last three times as long as the show since the writers are not constrained by twenty-one minutes. This gives them the time to tell a story. The writing is funny, the animation is excellent.
I was dissappointed again by my local theaters choice to show this in High Def. You could make out the scan lines and the whites seemed a bit too white. This needed to be shown on 35mm to get the correct effect. Also some of the characters were a bit different than the show. Bart was kind of a wuss, a little too needy maybe. Other than that the movie was great. See it. yay.

the arcade fire

Cold Wind by the Arcade Fire



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i just saw the arcade fire at the Chicago Theater (easily the best place to view a seated concert in chicago) I love this band. Maybe even my favorite band besdies radiohead. And if anyone knows me thats saying a lot. The new album is brilliant and every pore in my body feels every word in that album. I saw the show with my consumate concert buddy Shimmin. We were both nearly in tears by the end of 'AntiChrist tV blues.' Beautiful song about God and Money and ultimately television. I think anyone who likes music should listen to this band and really anybody thats not a total 'enemy of cool' will appreciate every aspect of this spectacular group. Best show of the week. Better than the morrissey REDUX last Tuesday and more emotional and fun than Bjork and her shiny gold dress that made it impossible for me to make her out as a human being.

Blood Diamond

One day I want to get married. Maybe even buy a ring. A ring with a diamond on it. A big nasty diamond. You can have it. I love you.
If you are at the video store this week and have to decide between like Apocalypto or some other heavy schlock rent 'Blood Diamond.' Easily one of the best films of 2006 and easily one of the best of the last few years. The film was not quite on myl.ist of films to rent but my netflix que was slim and I felt as if i needed to fill it. Wow.
The film centers around an African who is kidknapped and forced to work as a slave unearthing diamonds. He loses his family and eventually his son, a diamond slugger played mioraculously by Leonardo DiCaprio and a bleeding heart journalist played by Jennifer Connelly. The film is directed by Edward Zwick who hasn't directed anything important since 'Glory.' This film is gritty and real and intense and emotional. Very good. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

evil peter wears black and looks like connor oberst

Being a film buff is a constant compromise. I was turned into this drooling looney creature as a teenager when I was introduced to "independent" films (basically anything released by Miramax in the wake of Pulp Fiction). So my admiration of film has come from great storytelling and investing my emotion in deep and interesting characters and not grand Special effects and action. But, also being a dork I find my self inexplicably drawn to Comic book and Fantasy films. Unfortunately I have not seen an indie I so greatly admired as say the "lord of the rings" series or Spiderman 2 (the best comic adaptation yet), in a few years. Maybe more. Anyway, on with the review of Spiderman 3.
S3 is total popcorn. It lacks the emotional capacity of part two but ups the ante with more villains and tighter action. I expected a film that had too much story to tell and not enough time to do it. So was I disappointed? No. It was definitely fun but not as good as the first two. But, not as bad as Fantastic four or the disastrously awful X-men 3.
The cast in the spiderman films is great. I really hope that if Raimi decides to direct another installment that everyone is still involved. S3 is highly recommended. (Although I am sure that most of you that want to see it have already seen it. ) Spiderman is by far my favorite comic book series. I don't read comic books (or many actual books for that matter) so my opinion maybe skewered. I do love Spiderman because he's easy to relate too. He's torn at the seams, he struggles with his powers and has a real life. He's not some rich jerk that likes to fight crime (Batman anyone?) He's just a young guy that just wants to do a little good and has a crappy apartment and can't quite seem to get the girl. So my friends, go see Spiderman 3 and then go home and watch part 2 to remind yourself how good part two and is hopw part 3 could've been just a little better.

BJORK @ Auditorium Theater Chicago

wow. just wow. I have spent a lot of time and money listening and loving bjork since I was a teenager. Her voice echoes through great halls and your heart sinks as she spills her soul. I sat in the nosebleeds and could see the entire stage. Bjork opens the show by singing from behind the great big golden curtain. We wait in wonder. What will she be wearing? What kind of show can we anticipate? Brilliant? Yes.
Bjork wore a clown type suit that was gold and a golden cape and looked like a Queen, only, from my seat in the upper balcony all i could see was a gold blur and a little head. I'm over it now. I love Bjork. Great show, once in a lifetime opportunity maybe. Maybe there'll be another chance for me to see Bjork close up.

ZODIAC

I've had a week to let David Fincher's (Fight Club, Panic Room, Alien 3) ZODIAC seep into my consciousness. It's still boiling and leering like an impending migraine yet I can't help but think I've been shot by a crazed psychopathic killer. I wanted to enjoy the film a lot more than I did. It opens on Christmas eve when the alleged Zodiac makes his first attempt to kill. A very eerie meticulously crafted and utterly grizzly opening. Then we meet 'Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhal) an intelligent editorial cartoonist who stumbles upon his fellow reporters as they're introduced to the first cryptic message sent by the Zodiac.
We follow Graysmith a bit until we come across Inspector Toschi and Inspector Armstrong (Played wonderfully by Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards) as they try to track down the ZODIAC.
Fincher is a fine director. He has been know to film about 30 takes of one scene and working actors to death. Despite an over zealous work ethic ZODIAC is a well crafted beautiful suspense thriller. I can't say I was consistently entertained throughout the entire film. It kind of reminded me of "All the Presidents Men" meets "Summer of Sam." If you know what I mean. Some of the montages seem to repeat long after the audience has gotten the point. I also think a lot of the suspense was lost because I would assume that most of the audience knows that the Zodiac was never caught. The film (and the book) say that the Detectives had the Zodiac (Arthur Leigh Allen) but were unable to arrest him due to shoddy police work and the fact that the crimes were committed in different jurisdictions and the police officers were'nt legally allowed to share evidence. This was a little frustrating. The film does open up other possibilities but really points the finger at one man. This is a fine film, mostly entertaining and worth seeing in the theater if you don't mind an evenly paced thriller.

STAB! STAB! STAB! BLOOD! SEX! STAB!

Great movies are made with a controlled diet of story, technique and action. Great movies are like fine wine that only a few can taste with experience but all can enjoy and possibly get a little inhibriated. I entered the halls of the Palace Cinemas in Bloomington, Il. and joined the drove of 150 excited movie goers for the midnight screening of Frank Millers' 300.' I didn't know quite what to expect. I had not read the Graphic Novel about the 300 Spartans defending Greece against 150 thousand Persians.

Zack Snyder (director of Dawn of the Dead 2004) helms 300. The film uses digital backdrops and animation to enhance the battle scenes and not necessarily show off. This is the difference between say a new Star Wars movie and a movie like this. The Star Wars movies uses the action and the story to just do cool things with digital effects while 300 uses these tools to enhance the plot and create an environment not much unlike a Frank Miller graphic novel.
The battle scenes border on gratuitous and despite a pointlessly titalating Love scene the film is entertaining and visually stunning. The theater I saw the film converted all the screens to Digital porjection. The first time I saw a DP film it was 'Rocky Balboa.' Rocky was already a poor film but the DP didn't help out. Rocky is supposed to be gritty and real, right? Needless to say, it didn't work and the DP only aided in a poor quality film. A movie like 300 needs to be shown in this format, it's crystal clear, no flicker and no reel changes. A perfect visual experience.

LET'S GO TO PRISON!

The co-creator and director of 'Mr Show' and 'Run Ronnie Run' presents 'Lets Go to Prison!" A stupid movie about prison! So stupid in fact, I felt stupid while I watched it. Actually, a little bored. The actors are funny and I know Dir. Bob Odenkirk is capable of making funny. Mr. Show is very funny. Why is this movie not funny? I've seen the prison jokes a million times. Prison sucks and if you don't belong there it sucks even more. Why make it worse by forcing us to watch a movie about how funny it is? It's not funny. Neither is this movie.

BABEL

A morrocan Child, trying to prove his manliness to his brother aims a rifle a an American Tour bus and off goes the story of Babel. A very heavy film from director Alejandro González Iñárritu. (21 Grams, Amores Perros) Known for very heavy movies with multiple stories that interlock somehow. I could go on about how good this film is or i could just tell you to watch it. So there. Go watch it.

An interesting point I discovered is that Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men) and Guillermo del Toro (Pans Labyrinth) made these films in succession as a sort of series. I plan on looking into this and figuring out what these films have in common besides being directed by Spanish directors. Labyrinth obviously takes place in the past, Babel; the present and Children of Men, the future. Each film deals somewhat with escapism and war time. Thje outcome of our modern lives and how we affect each other, how the past has effected the present and how the present may effect the future. Babel is a great film but like i said, it is very heavy and intense. One of the storylines takes place in Tokyo and follows an attractive deaf girl as she deals with her insecurities and the death of her mother. This is the least heavy (i keep using the word 'heavy.' is there a problem with the gravitational pull in the future?) storyline but nonetheless, still pretty damn heavy. (forgive me)
So many good films to see. Inarritu's films have always been good and Babel is no different. My favorite is still Amores Perros. Babel, like Crash, deals with race not so much on the screen but in the minds of the audience and how we percieve vastly different cultures and our fears of these cultures clashing even if our intentions are innocent.

Jesus Camp

I approached this film cautiously with the idea that it was probably made to poke fun at the evangelicals. Not to say that wouldn't have been an enjoyable film but it probably wouldn't have been a good one. One of my favorite audience experiences was watching BORAT in a packed theater last year. The laughs came non-stop but too my surprise when Borat went to the evengelical church at the end of the film the entire theater stopped laughing and there was an uncomfortable sad silence. I heard whispers behind me,"Are we suppose to laugh at this?"
My town is Rockford, Il. Rockford just opened its second gigantic 'Heartland Church.' The slogan "A new way to do church" entices a number of people. This is the midwest and despite all the atheism/agnosticism I come across Rockford is in fact located in the midwest and forgive if I am being Naive but not too far from the 'bible belt.' John Mellencamp is VERY popular around here.
Jesus Camp attempts to convey the idea that the Evangelicals make up 25% of the voting population and are have a big impact on elections. The film follows a youth pastor as she prepares for a week long getaway for evangelical children and their parents. She preaches fire and brimstone and gives a lengthy anti-abortion sermon to about 300 weeping, praying and speaking in toungues kids.

....Sort of disturbing.

What made the film so effective was that the filmmakers didn't try to cast a negative shadow on Evangelicals. It simply showed them for how they are and what a week with an Evengelical chuch might be like.

oscar night

Hello. I drooled my way through the Oscars tonight just so i could see Martin Scorsese win his Oscar. The Oscars are generally pretty predicatble but this year it seems like their could've been a few surprises and a few laughs via Ellen DeGeneres. There was. I came to this conclusion that poor Jennifer Hudson was given the sympathy card for her perforamce in Dreamgirls. (I am sure it was out of sight) But, sadly, the best Supporting Actress curse will likely befall this Idol loser. Clooney gave her a nice pat on the back as if saying," Too bad this will be the only films you are ever cast in. Your fifteen minutes are up."



I also have to note that they did show a slide for james Doohan (Scotty on Star Trek) in the Oscar Obituaries. Deforest Kelley did not receive one and it seems the Academy has wised up. I'm still pretty lipid that Oscar Nominee Elliott Smith didn't get a slide in '04. It's not that important but still worth noting.

Anyway! Congrats to Scorsese and The Departed! One of my favorite filmmakers and favorite films of '06. Finally the man gets some recognition. heh. (he already gets a lot of recognition, he has lots of awards and doesn't need an oscar.) the man is brilliant. Did anyone hear Ellen refer to The Departed as a "Scorsese film with a plot?" i did. Kind of silly if you ask me.

Mutual Appreciation

I really want everyone to know how good this movie is. "I'm going to inject the male perspective... the what?"
I saw Andrew Bujalksi's first film "Funny HA HA" a few months ago and it was good. Very real and recognizable. Its like watching a film about people that I know. "Mutual Appreciation" is styled in the same vein, B/W, personal conversations and just common human interaction that never teeters on pretension. The characters are likable and remind me a lot of myself and my friends and situations I've been in. It kind of made me wonder what life would be like right now If I stopped watching television and started just hanging out and playing music and all sorts of stuff.
Bujalski is a true independent. I hope he continues to make great small films and doesn't ever get Hollywoodized. Be sure to check out Mutual Appreciation and Funny HAHA. You will like them. They are great.

The Dears: Gang of Losers

This is not a music blog. Possibly maybe i should start one. But, i feel the need to express my interest in the new DEARS record. A few years ago I purchased 'No cities left' the debut from the Dears. Its good. Straight forward melodic simple rock pop. I downloaded the new cd 'Gang of Losers' from emusic. Wow. It's good. This year we'll have new Arcade fire and new radiohead and thats all I will listen to for awhile. But this CD hasn't been ejected from cars stereo all week. The Dears singer has a unique quality. Sort of Johnny cash meets Lou Reed and MUSE. Stand out tracks are "There goes my outfit" and 'whites only." I'm really impressed. Also check out 'Of Montreal.' they've been around for awhile but I've just discovered them. looks like American rock is dead.

HEROES redux

okay... mondays episode (2/19) was actually pretty damn cool. It had no focus, but somebody did fly and WOW it was pretty riveting. Not Spiderman riveting but like, ER riveting. I think Claire needs a hug. A super hug.

the science of sleep

For some reason this brilliant film did not make it to my quaint little uncultured community. This film is sort of a sequel to one of my favorite films of the last few years 'Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind.' Both films are vehicles for Michel Gondry's elaborate and vivid imagination. This time around Gondry has thrown out a collaboration with Charlie Kaufman and written a film himself.
The film follows Stephan whose vivid and strange dreams seem to intersect his real life and force out his insecurities while pursuing romance with pretty french neighbor Stephanie. The real question is why do we even make a distinction between real life and dreams when sometimes dream lives are so much more fulfilling?
Gondry has done music videos for the white stripes, radiohead and bjork. You can see this influence being used effectively in the film. Gael Bernal (Stephan) is brilliant as usual. Go ahead and line up your netflix with his other great movies (Motorcycle Diaries, Amores Perros, Bad Education)
The animation and sheer brilliance of this film is unmatched. Gondry is a true original voice and should be watched closely. Fans of 'sunshine' or David Lynch will like this movie. A few of the people I watched it with didn't like that the story didn't over explain its storytelling and they lost interest. So, if you don't like movies spoon fed to you then you should check this out.

HEROES and ZEROES

I started watching "HEROES" on NBC out of pure boredom the night the show premiered. I had been living with only 4 channels of cable and watched a lot of reality TV and local news. Heroes seeemed to fill the void of no new "LOST" episodes for awhile. So far heroes is a strange show. I like it. But, there's a little part of me thats says that this show is actually really bad. Unlike LOST Heroes solves its mysteries rather quickly. The fans of the show don't have to deal with frustration of 'suspense.' Heroes fails in a way where Lost succeeds. LOST focuses on one character at a time. Each episode details a specific characters story. Lost has focus. Heroes on the other hand, jumps all over the place. I think that Heroes would be a whole lot better and a lot less contrived if it had a little more focus. Each episode should follow one storyline.
For some reason I'm still drawn to HEROES. Maybe its the continuing saga of HIRO and ANDO, on their heroes journey. or maybe its Claire's utter sadness and tragedy trying to figure out who she is. Its definitely not the Nikki/Jessica (Ali Larter) story or her magic (annoying) son, Micah, and his father who can walk through walls. That storyline is boring and I think the acting is awful. That turns me off. And why is the 'Nathan Petrelli' such a prick? Why does he cast his little brother aside. Why can't they just get along and embrace their differences like the likeable 'Hiro.'? I think I may actually be addicted to the show. I don't like everything about it. Actually, i think I like about 30% of it. " Someone dies, someone flies?" Give me a break!

Your next favorite movie

wowsers. this looks cool.

More on "this film is not yet rated"

This film has inspired the MPAA to release the names or 'demographics' of the people who screen the films. The exciting thing is that filmmakers are now allowed to use other 'instances' of MPAA ratings during the appeals process. For example, Chloe Sevigny's prolonged orgasm warranted "Boys Don't Cry' to receive an NC-17. But another film like Basic Instinct which shows everyhting but penetration in its sex scenes gets an R rating. Before this a filmmaker basically had no defense when appealing an unwarranted rating. Looks good for the independent filmmaker! pretty cool.

Children of Men

Alfonso Cuaron has made one of the years best movies, maybe even one of the decades best movies. A bleak unrelentless look into what our future could be like if we don't start making changes. Cuaron has never ceased to amaze me with his versatile and compelling movie making. A long time ago i took my sister to see 'Little Princess,' a childrens film about a girl who imagines her father is a hero and takes care of other war-orphans. (its been awhile, i might be wrong) Anyway... from there he goes on to make 'Y tu Mama Tambien. A very adult film but very likeable and real.
Children of Men didn't overexplain itself, showoff any fancy future, it just existed in its time period. There was no 'check out this cool futuristic idea like other sci-fi films. (ehem...star trek) It's take on the near-future reminded me a lot of Minority Report or A.I.. A feasible future where objects we know still exist. For example, in one scene Clive Owen wears a fleece jacket with a faded Olympics 2010 Chicago logo.
Despite the little things I noticed the films story (which i won't give anything away, no synopsis from me) starts and doesn't slow down until the end. I think the last 20 minutes might of even been one long continuous shot. If you have to go to one movie this week, make sure its this one. (as long as the cold cold weather doesn't break the projector.) Here are some other suggestions along the same line:

Minority Report, A.I., Bladerunner, dear wendy, mad max....

VOLVER ALMODOVAR PENELOPE CRUZAR

In the latest brightly covered Almodovar film Penelope Cruz shows her cleavage. Did she change it? Was she always that well endowed? This and many other questions are answered in the film 'VOLVER.' Apparently according to Laura the title is a reference to part of the female anatomy. I thought we were going to see a film about guns.
The story is simple. Cruz plays Raimunda. This is Cruz's best work. The only other Spanish language film i saw her in was "Open your Eyes" (later re-made into 'Vanilla Sky') She seems a bit more comfortable in her own skin. This is a good movie. I told my date that it was a 'chick flick' and an ART film so we would both be happy.
I have only seen one other Almodovar film so I'm not too familiar with his work. I know he famously uses distinct and symbolic art design with lavish colors and vivid photography. You will never see any other film that will look and feel like an Almodovar film. I enjoyed this film very much.

Star Trek XI

2008? Apparently the film is a pre-quel to the original series. It follows Spock and Kirk as they meet at the Starfleet academy. Apparently Spock will kidknap Baby Picard and Kirk will have to save Picard with the help of his girlfriend Uhura and a nerdy guy named 'McCoy." Hilarium ensues as a funny Irish guy 'Scotty,' teleports into showers, chruches and Klingon battles.

This blogger sings

not movie related at all!!!! just watch

This Film is Not Yet Rated

When i was little my movie watching was censored by my parents. Most films I saw were either taped off of television or rated pg or below. I think i saw my first R-rated film, independent of any sort of parental permission when I was 17. It was called 'Virtuosity.' Ahem.... exactly.

This documentary spends too much time trying to reveal the secret identities of the board of raters and not enough time trying to find solutions to prevent or avoid censorship. Yes the rating system is flawed, yes the rating system is biast to censor homosexuality, sex and yes they aren't as lenient with independent films. But really the NC17 rating controversy boils down to the 'stigma' of being labeled an adult film. What the MPAA needs to do is create a fair rating for 'art films' or independent films that can seperate certain artistic content from something that may be gratuitous or pornographic. How about an 'A' rating. Rated A for graphic Adult situations that may not be suitable for children or people who don't understand Art.

The documentary though makes a modest point but doesn't break any waves. It almost does the opposite by making the MPAA seem like a noble group of people, not, the evil censors the film suggests. I wasn't moved in anyway by this film even though the MPAA's inconsistency is bias sometimes. I already knew that. I've been to the movies. I'm going to go to movies despite the rating. Will I let future children see them? What little child is interested in any R-nc17 rated film that you think of?

MORE LYNCH!

We can strive to breach the surface of understanding the film with a little help from the man himself.

Too bad Florida didn't flood sooner.

I have received "An Inconvenient Truth" from netflix after a 3 month wait. Yes its scary. Its thought provoking and a very easy watch. I find myself wondering what i can do to make things better? Vote Democratic? Hire Matt Groening to do my very own cartoon? Yes. All these things.
As for the film. I thought it was well done and effective. As much as any documentary can be. Gore has a connection to the audience. I don't remember much of him as VP. Apparently he was a bit dry. Nonetheless, his passion shows through effortlessly in the film. He is a good man and really wants a change and warns us that we NEED to change secure our future. I recommend this film to anyone who drives, smokes and drinks bottled water.

Look thru this hole!

More Inland Empire reviews:
here is a link for a review from roger eberts website. Emerson puts it into perspective.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070125/REVIEWS/701250301

Lynch's Cigarette Ad

Little Children and Pans Labyrinth

I saw these two films last week. They are very different but for some reason i left with the same feeling. Here are the reviews i wrote up.

LITTLE CHILDREN

Life is complicated. Life is full of compromise and contradictions. Life is full of impulses, both good and bad and uncontrollable. So we have 'Little Children' the latest film from director Todd Field (In the Bedroom). The narrative is told like a bedtime story for adults. The Narrarator is unbilled and sounds like the 'movie trailer' guy. Kate Winslet plays Sarah, an unfulfilled housewife who seeks friendship with 'the prom king' Brad (Patrick Wilson.) Close friendship leads to sexual tension and then leads to sex. We also have the quality reemergence of our favorite bad news bear Jackie Earle Haley. He plays Ronnie, a registered sex offender who moves into the neighborhood of the families in the story. The film isn't so much about whats on the surface. Exactly the opposite. *( In Fields' 'In the Bedroom' the characters converse but in every scene they are speaking they actually mean something completely different.) The film, Little Children, is all about Impulses. Sarahs sexual disatisfaction with her husband and her impulsive nearly obsessive crush on Brad, Brads curiosity about Sarah and Ronnie's uncontrollable very public Psycho sexual disorder which leads him into a sex crime conviction. The storytelling is provocative and smart and lends itself to its audience. We almost feel impulsively guilty because while the main characters impulses get them into emotional trouble is that anymore of a crime or any more irresponsible than a sick man like Ronnie whose impoulses lead him to expose himself to a minor? At one point in the film we can't help but empathize with the sex offender who i believe maybe the most innocent childlike character in the film. Its well worth seeing in the theater becasue of its beautiful photography and impressive performances. let me know what you think if you see it or if you read this.



PANS LABYRINTH

Once in a great while i see a film that reminds me why it is that I like movies so much. Pans Labyrinth fits the mold. Its a beautiful film that blends a grotesque 'real world' with a grotesque 'surreal fantasy world.' A young girl and her sickly pregnant mother move into the country where her mother has wed the 'hilteresque' captain of a Spanish Army. The captains motive is greed and doesn't care for the mother or the the girl. The girl wraps herself up in her fantasy realm while the real world around her crumbles. The blending of the fantastic and the real world has been a constant theme in Guillermos work. From Hellboy to Harry potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The fantasy characters he creates are so vivid and imaginative. This film speaks for itself. The girl in the film seeks shelter in her imagaination, she seeks to escape. Just like us, as movie goers, escape our sad world in Hollywood escapism and the like. This is one of the best films of the year. Ecspecially if you like 'children of men' and 'the fountain.'

Inland Empire

David Lynch has created a Transcendental Experimental Masterpiece in his new digitally shot movie "Inland Empire." I liked it. i mean I LIKED it. But, I also like to listen to RADIOHEAD alone in my car when its raining out. I then put on track two from 'Hail to the Thief' and as Thom utters "and the rain drops...." over and over I have an ethereal moment. Yes, I liked inland Empire, but can I recommend it to anyone? No. there is such a thing as Accessibility. Lynch is generally a unique filmmaker and his films are about 95% accessible to an audience that may not be familiar with his work. Lynch has spoken frequently about how he wishes to create a filmic "experience." Much like Kubrick's "2001" Empire is definitely a unique experience but not always an entertaining one.
The first hour or so is classic Lynch, cool and crisp. Cigarettes are lit, coffee is swallowed and fingers are snapped. But then, out of nowhere, the film takes a path into Lynch's surreal dream world where nothing makes sense to anyone. Especially the audience. I give Lynch props for doing what the hell he wanted with this project. He funded it himself and he distributed the movie himself. The film for Lynch is a success because he did exactly what he wanted. It also a terrific failure in that the movie is so experimental and so LONG that even the most loyal Lynch fan might be disappointed or even alienated. A few trims here and there and we would have a tight film, but we wouldn't have the film Lynch wanted to show. If you want to see this film, you should, but you need to start the Lynch films on an easy start.
Just follow these easy steps:

1. Wild at Heart ---fun and funny, classic Lynch.
2. At anytime watch The straight Story/Elephant Man-- these films were departures for Lynch and still quite good.
3. Watch BLue Velvet-- Lynch's surreal violent masterpiece. This will show you why Lynch is such an important filmmaker and his first film to show us what Lynch is capable of as a storyteller.
4.w atch the entire Twin Peaks series. (episode 29, in my opinion is one of the most visually captivating and cool things Lynch has ever done.)
5. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with me- an R-Rated version of the TV show. Laura Palmer is naked a whole lot.
6. You now have a fully realized idea of what Lynch is all about. You've seen the Lynch that we all love. Now enjoy "Lost Highway" and don't try to put the pieces together until the movie is over. Wait a week. then
7. Watch 'Mulholland Drive"--Lynch's best film since Blue Velvet, a beautiful confusing sexy masterpiece, You'll talk about it for weeks.

8. Okay. if you've gone this far you are ready for Eraserhead. Lynch's first film, surreal and strange. Just relax and enjoy. Don't try to figure it out. Its just cool and weird.
9. Okay. Now light a candle, smoke some pot and watch Inland Empire. You are now a Lynch fan and you can go do other things like check out Lynch's failed TV series, "Hotel Room" and the 'radio' one...watch his Short Films collections and then get a one month membership on davidlynch.com and have a ton of fun.