Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

4/5

Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman is a touching comedy drama set in Taiwan about an aging chef and his three daughters. The film follows their romantic lives, their familial ties, and their expression of love for each other in the form of gastronomy. Wonderfully paced and exquisitely shot, the film shows us the ins and outs, ups and downs, and broad strokes and subtle nuances of each of these individuals' lives. We are drawn in by the accuracy of the characters; while sometimes bizarre and unexpected, their actions and motivations are believable. Take, for example, the character of Mrs. Liang. She was without a doubt the most hilarious person in this movie. Every time she spoke, I was holding my belly laughing. Yet she was also so human and I was able to empathize with her and understand her, though I disagreed with her.

The editing is by far the best part about this movie. The first twenty minutes were absolutely incredible. The first five or ten were spent on food preparation--if I hadn't just eaten before watching the movie, I probably would have been salivating. After that it introduces us to the father and each of the three daughters in precisely choreographed cuts. Every piece of the puzzle fit together so effortlessly. Even on a more macroscopic level, the editing finds a thematic purpose. Every so often Lee would intercut the movie with traffic patterns, ending on a close up of a lone woman trying to direct the entire hectic mess. I liked what it said about us trying to control our own lives, and how futile that can seem at times. The entire movie sets up common expectations that are thrown back at us upside-down at the end. You think you know how these people's lives will turn out? You don't. Do you know how your own will turn out?

The movie also failed on some fronts. I thought a lot of the acting, especially in the beginning, seemed stilted and false. The fact that this acting introduced us to the characters hurt the movie much more than if it had been placed somewhere in the middle, after we already knew how genuine and true-to-life the characters were. The fault lies in part with awkward, mechanical dialogue. Also, the movie felt extremely dated. Even though it was made in the 90's, it felt like an 80's movie in fashion and hair style. These points are easily forgivable and can at least provide a healthy laugh. I highly recommend this film.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0111797/

No Man's Land (2001)

4/5

Danis Tanovic's No Man's Land injects satirical black humor into the dramatic war genre (think Dr. Strangelove meets Saving Private Ryan). Through a series of unlikely circumstances, three wounded soldiers (two Bosnians and one Serb) end up in a trench together in no man's land and fight to survive. Eventually, the UN and the press catch wind of this bizarre phenomenon and stick themselves right in the middle of it all. I'll leave the rest of this uniquely-envisioned piece for you to discover on your own.

From all technical aspects, the movie was pitch-perfect. Striking images, believable acting, an intelligent and wickedly delightful script. While I liked the anti-war message, much of the movie seemed too set in a specific time and place. The message may be universal, but I can't see the movie standing the test of time. Had it depicted a fictional war, it might still be watched decades down the road. Instead, the movie goes out of its way to give you a history lesson. (For several minutes in the middle of the movie, a man watches a news report on the background of the war.)

The biggest problem I had with the movie was its mood. Tanovic did a magnificent job of mixing dramatic tension with preposterous actions--as best he could anyway. Unfortunately, I feel that the efficacy of absurdist humor relies on an abandonment of the serious. It is impossible to use both the real and the preposterous without the preposterous trumping the real (and therefore making it moot). I think Tanovic understands this, but he still tries to get his message across in literal, dramatic terms. The final piece of dialogue attempts to makes a serious point, only to be outweighed seconds later by the final image: an unbearably ridiculous portrait of the casualties of war. Because of this back and forth, it can be quite a confusing viewing experience. We never know how we are supposed to feel about a given event. Still, it was as good as it could have been considering the circumstances. And I suppose you could at least quote the dramatic punches to end your review.

Cameraman: You sure you don't want me to film the trench?
Reporter: No. A trench is a trench. They're all the same.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0283509/

Topkapi (1964)

3/5

Jules Dassin's comedy caper Topkapi has as many problems as it does successes. It was enjoyable enough half the time, but frustratingly inadequate the other half. There is an impressive symmetry to the film; it seems that for every positive there is an equal and opposite negative to counterbalance it. If the concept weren't so illogical, I'd say the director had planned it.

The best part of this movie, as with any Dassin film, is its ending. There is not a single misstep in the 20-minute heist sequence; the audience feels the anxiety and tension the characters are experiencing and cannot look away. Coincidentally, the worst part of this movie is its beginning. The film starts with a 10-minute hallucinatory "explanation" of the protagonist's motivation in an unintelligible foreign accent. It must have turned away untold multitudes of previously interested filmgoers. While the dialogue and characters were amusing, the accents and music were annoying. The promising build-up to the climax was disrupted by a bizarre and wholly unnecessary homoerotic oiled wrestling orgy. (It is so difficult to grab onto a shirtless oiled wrestler, it seems, that most end up shoving their hands down the other contestants' pants just to be able to grip onto something.) Still, most of the negatives are unintentionally humorous in their own way and can be used as excuses to further enjoy the movie; so if you're interested in heist movies, check this one out.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0058672/

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2007)

5/5

Cristian Mungiu's Palme d'Or-winning abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days is a harrowing, emotionally-draining experience. The minimalist, neorealist filmmaking wrenches the viewer's stomach tighter and tighter as the story builds, in real-time, to its devastating finale. The audience waits in breathless anticipation and trepidation throughout the entire two hours. Much of the power stems from Anamaria Marinca's gripping, tour-de-force performance. She is fully entrenched in her character, in all her moments of controlled anger and suffocating fear. Not only do we believe her, but we understand her. We see someone willing to do anything for a friend and we would like to say that we would do the same.

The remainder of the film's power is evoked through an unflinching and uncompromising camera. Long, patient, brilliantly-composed shots coax a gamut of genuine emotions out of the actors. There is one scene in particular where we witness a disgusting, vile act--not through the lens of the camera, but through the reactions of the characters. As we slowly realize what has happened, we cannot help but recoil in horror: at the extent of human depravity, at the ease with which people can take advantage of others' vulnerabilities. It is a reminder that injustice is everywhere, that mistakes we make don't always have a fair price.

Ultimately, this is not a perfect movie. The beginning does not effectively engage the audience. A heavy seriousness in the first scene makes the mood appear more important than the characters and their motivations. The editing in the final 30 minutes started to sag and loosen, allowing the movie to stray into the overlong and the unrelated. A number of shots were too dark for the audience to see what was going on. But none of these problems should stop you from seeing this mature work of art. It is a bleak and depressing portrait of a time and place we desperately wish would disappear. It is hopeless, but sometimes we need these films to help us discover the hope within our own lives.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt1032846/

Port of Shadows (1938)

4/5

Marcel Carné's Port of Shadows follows a military deserter as he enters the port city of Le Havre and finds himself entangled in criminal activity and forlorn love. It is a beautifully written and exquisitely filmed work of art. Jacques Prévert's dialogue rolls effortlessly off the actors' tongues, with layers of meaning and universal truth behind every perfectly-chosen word. The hangdog acting by Gabin is comparable to Bogart's best world-weary performance. The dreary, fog-filled atmosphere paralleling the characters' lives is perfectly evoked with its fluid cinematography. The camera itself is a choreographed dancer, as it floats effortlessly from one complex composition to another. Yet it is not flamboyant; Carné makes sure none of the individual elements distract from the main thematic message.

There were some aspects about the movie that rubbed me the wrong way. Much of the characters' backstories were extremely vague. They seemed more like representations of emotions than concrete beings with fleshed-out characteristics. In terms of editing, the piece felt a little stilted. There were a number of shots where Carné lingered for way too long (one time even breaking continuity because of it). Still, there are very few appreciable negatives with this movie. You really can't go wrong with Carné.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0030643/

Watership Down (1978)

3/5

Martin Rosen's adaptation of Richard Adams's classic novel Watership Down chronicles a group of rabbits that flee their warren from encroaching doom and search out a safer place to live. Though it is a cartoon, it is a bloody and violent one and not for young kids. While the plot has been done many times before (although not always with rabbits), the movie still manages to captivate the audience with its lovable characters and threatening atmosphere. After a shaky first half hour, the tension escalates at an unrelenting pace until its gripping finale. All this, despite the many many technical misgivings that underscore the movie.

The animation of the rabbits felt unsophisticated and dated; ugly drawings and unnatural movements are perhaps to blame. What was weirdest for me was that they spoke with British accents--I found it unacceptably disturbing coming from cute bunnies. The music obtrusively interrupted the mood instead of subtly generating or enhancing it. The editing could have been much tighter. But worst of all, I have trouble finding a point to the movie. It is very strictly about rabbits; little about their struggles and successes can be extrapolated to mankind's struggles and successes. Mankind itself seems hardly related to the movie at all, as the climactic moment is not against humans, but other rabbits. Still, it is a wonderfully-created piece that builds to a stunning climax that will keep you glued to the screen for the entire final hour.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0078480/

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

2/5

Jeff Lowell's Over Her Dead Body is a clichéd romantic comedy about a woman who dies on her wedding day (Eva Longoria Parker), the groom who can't move on a year later (Paul Rudd), and a psychic who will tell him her dead fiancée wants him to move on (Lake Bell). It gets a bit more unnecessarily complicated, but suffice it to say that the two living people end up living happily ever after in the end. The hour and a half it took to get there involve a jealous ghost, a gay/straight Jason Biggs, and endless scenes where nothing interesting or funny happens. Actually, if you do find this plot mildly interesting, I recommend instead that you just watch the trailer, which contains all the good jokes, is available online for free, and only takes 2 minutes.

The characters are appallingly shallow, the music is magnificently inappropriate, and the special effects are low-budget and unconvincing. The plot detours a number of times and opportunities for cleverness and unique characterizations were ignored. Still, it was able to generate some honest laughs from me. I was surprised at some tender scenes in the beginning and Paul Rudd's acting was genuine throughout. But trust me--just watch the trailer.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0785007/

Across the Universe (2007)

3/5

Julie Taymor's Across the Universe is essentially a series of Beatles covers with hints of a story feebly wrapped around it. What little plot there is follows uninteresting characters falling in and out of love in uninteresting ways during the Vietnam era. These faults would sound the death knell of an ordinary movie, but this one more than makes up for it with its bold images and exhilarating creativity. The best thing one could say about Across the Universe is that it tries. It tries so hard it infects the audience with its own joyous celebration. But sometimes it tries too hard. And despite its successes, it manages to fall flat on its face a number of times.

The first hour and fifteen minutes was absolutely perfect. It was everything a movie musical can and should be. The cinematography was crisp and beautiful, the special effects awe-inspiring, and the characters engaging. But the best part was the music. It successfully enhanced the entire film experience. It strengthened every emotion, deepened every character, and moved the audience more profoundly than any other single filmic technique. "Let It Be" and "Come Together" are by far the highlights for me, perhaps of any musical I've ever seen. I cannot imagine how wide-eyed and open-mouthed I must have been watching them. Even the more lively dance numbers I found myself comparing to Singin' in the Rain.

But the movie lacked a legitimate take-home message, just that love is cool and war is not. The editing seemed nonexistent, as if every scene they shot was included no matter how much it destroyed the pacing and alienated the audience. The acting redefined average. To be fair, the script and dialogue were pretty pitiful in the first place, so the actors didn't have much to work with. I hated how the movie idealized the bohemian lifestyle and bellowed its anti-war mentality. But more than that, I hated the 30 minute hallucinatory dreck masquerading as a subplot people might actually care about. Not even cameos by Bono, Eddie Izzard, and Salma Hayek could salvage them. To drop so dramatically from amazing to amazingly bad is impressive, and not in a good way. But in the last 15 minutes or so the movie picks up again to end it on a saccharine, innocuous note. For any fans of the Beatles, which should be a vast majority of people, go watch this movie. You will most certainly not be disappointed.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0445922/

I Am Legend (2007)

4/5

I Am Legend is an exciting and entertaining thrill ride. The plot follows Robert Neville, the last human on earth after a viral epidemic wiped out most of the world and turned everyone else into monsters, on his quest to find the cure and save mankind. The first two thirds are exquisite, nail-biting tension, but in the final third it starts careening downhill. For me, this was not a problem. Mostly because I knew the ending before sitting down to watch it. I also knew that it disappointed many people. So when I actually did see it, I wasn't expecting any better--it didn't leave as bad a taste in my mouth as it did in others'.

I liked much of the filmmaking. The movie slowly reveals how the world devolved, it gradually allows the audience to experience the settings--the time and place--on their own terms. The pacing was excellent; it did a great job of describing how this nightmarish scenario all began while simultaneously maintaining an eerie sense of mood, a permeating unease that I absolutely relished. A lot of the dialogue and actions--of the humans and the monsters--seemed bizarre at first. And instead of explaining the "odd" aspects of their behavior, the movie lets the viewer generate the answers for themselves, especially concerning the monsters' social structure.

There were a couple of flaws. It seemed like a lot of scenes were unnecessary. Bob Marley's music, the voice-over radio transmissions, and Shrek the movie were all overused and repetitive to the point of irritation. The CGI was surprisingly seamless on the whole, which made it all the more shocking when you could tell which parts were CGI and which weren't (some galloping deer, the breaking glass, etc.). Also, the ending was a bit of a letdown, even knowing it would be a letdown. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and recommend it if you were already considering watching it.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0480249/

Fargo (1996)

5/5

Fargo is an American classic. The darkest, funniest one I've seen--next to No Country for Old Men. Set in the folksy Midwest, it is the story of a pathetic man (William H. Macy) who hires second-rate criminals (Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi) to kidnap his wife while the chief of police Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) tracks them down. As events spiral wildly out of control, we catch a glimpse at just how far men will go to save themselves. And yet we laugh. At the most morbid moments. The Coens manage to integrate the holy and profane with aplomb, seemingly reckless abandon for "proper" emotional or comedic timing. Tension coexists with humor, the banal with the bizarre. The crime story is electrifying and gripping while the dialect brings an unrelenting charm to every scene. Fargo is unique and inimitable--in a word, unforgettable.

The cinematography and editing are spot-on. The snow is beautiful and evocative, the fades unobtrusive and descriptive. The writing and acting are indelible. Their accents and mannerisms are tattoos, inseparable from the characters. The technical achievements are amongst the best film has to offer. And yet we see the movie's genius in the smallest moments--the moments other writers wouldn't have envisioned and other producers wouldn't have kept. The ones that define the places, the characters, and life as a whole. We see lonely desperation as it turns to inexplicable, irreversible mistakes. We see how common sense and hard work can be all you need for success. We see the tallest reaches and deepest depths of humankind, and are shocked by them both. The ending is one of the most tender, uplifting ones I have witnessed. And not to be missed.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0116282/

Halloween (2007)

1/5

Rob Zombie's remake of John Carpenter's classic Halloween flabbergasted me. Because of its utter disregard for anything that might give someone an excuse to like a movie. Everything about this movie either bored me or pissed me off. The changes Zombie made to the original story were vastly inferior; even the parts he copied were done in a much less frightening manner.

Zombie's version adds 30 minutes to the beginning that attempts to humanize, justify, or reason Michael Myers's homicidal tendencies. Zombie seems to have no idea that it is precisely Myers's lack of background that makes his evil so menacing and terrifying--his actions must always be inexplicable. Not only is Myers given a reason to start killing, the reason is quite possibly the silliest thing about this movie. He kills people because he has an ugly face and wants to hide it from the world with equally ugly masks so that people will stop making fun of him. How is that the recipe for a subhuman serial killing machine?

The rest of the movie is essentially a copy of Carpenter's creation, only crap. Myers's escape from the sanitarium is much less impressive and frightening in this film. All the shots that made you jump in the original are absent. Before, Myers would be in the shadows and dark backgrounds, but you wouldn't see him until he moved. His ubiquity was subtle, and more horrifying for it. Now it just cuts to him, or rack focuses on him; where is the horror? Additionally, the best part about the original--the music--is incredibly underused in this version. And the nudity is gratuitous and tacky in its use. Awful, awful movie.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0373883/