What can I say about Ashes of Time Redux? A mystic meditation on life, death and memory? A Hong Kong action film without the action? That and more.
It seems to be about a man who lives in the desert who sells the services of professional killers. We hear his voice over discussing the seasons. We meet one of his killers, who has a jug of wine that erases your memories. The killer drinks deeply, but not our narrator. The next day the killer leaves: "That was the last time I ever saw him."
That becomes a theme: that people are never seen again. I suppose in the professional killing game, this is to be expected. Another is identity: it's not always clear who everyone is, and at least one character (Brigitte Lin) is both a prince and princess. Since the movie includes both Tony Leungs, and 3 Cheungs (Leslie, Maggie, Jackie), this confusion extends to the casting.
Another theme is memory and forgetfulness. Another is the desert, and water. Director Kar Wai Wong filmed this with hyper-colors (or restored it that way - he withdrew this film and re-edited it, possibly adding color filters). It's a bit surrealistic - the desert glows red, and shadows glow blue. The effect is beautiful, but perhaps too artificial. Or perhaps artifice is another theme.
The plot actually all becomes clear (I think, I'm a little confused about the brother and the blind swordsman). It plays out slowly, with digressions and flashbacks. Since some characters have amnesia and others are "never seen again", this can be confusing. Frankly, I'm used to having no clue in these wu shia movies. Usually, I just enjoy the action, but here, the action is limited, and rather abstract (directed by Sammo Hung). So I just enjoy the art, the composition, the light, the shadows, the texture.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
A Spirited Defense
Is all the hatred of Frank Miller's The Spirit due to high expectations? I admit that it isn't Sin City or 300 (in queue), although it uses the same stylistic tricks. It isn't Will Eisner, either, so lovers of the original Spirit might have a legitimate beef. But without that baggage? A pretty nifty pic.
For me, part of the problem is Gabriel Macht as the Spirit. He has an earnest doofiness, like a Kyle MacLachlan or Val Kilmer that doesn't quite work for the character. The Spirit should be a little breezier - he's the kind of guy who leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets and one foot up on its toe. I'm not looking for Pierce Brosnan suave, just less of a boy scout.
Another problem is that Miller gives Spirit a superpower - he can't be killed, he always heals. This has some precedent - Spirit did take a lot of bullets, and came back from the "dead" a number of times (it was his origin, actually). But there was nothing supernatural, just a lucky guy with a strong constitution.
He has another superpower in the movie that is even better attested in the original - he is catnip to the ladies. He gets a number of beauties, including Police Commisioner Dolan's daughter Ellen, Sand Serif (Eva Mendez), Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega) ... Blame Eisner for the silly names. They all fall for him and most of them try to kill him. That's the Spirit I know!
The villian, the Octopus, is played by Samuel L. Jackson at his hammiest (which might explain his obsession with eggs). The best gag in the movie is his gang of henchmen, all played by by a Joe Besser-esque Louis Lombardi. These cheerfully mindless clones all wear sweatshirts with their names: Logos, Ethos, Pathos, Huevos, etc.
Miller gets a very stylish look, but rarely gets the stylized noir feel that Eisner stole from Hitchcock and Wells and made his own. We see very few toppling perspectives, looming shadows, shots through the skylight. Still, the Miller look goes down pretty smooth, so I won't complain. He adds his own touches, like races across the rooftops and the ubiquitous alleycats.
I won't complain about the liberties taken with the Spirit's character, either. I can't complain about the women. In fact, I enjoyed this movie a lot.
P.S. I take it back, I have another complaint. Ellen Dolan comes across as a bit of an old maid, when she should be more of a schoolgirl type. Oh heck, just go with it.
For me, part of the problem is Gabriel Macht as the Spirit. He has an earnest doofiness, like a Kyle MacLachlan or Val Kilmer that doesn't quite work for the character. The Spirit should be a little breezier - he's the kind of guy who leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets and one foot up on its toe. I'm not looking for Pierce Brosnan suave, just less of a boy scout.
Another problem is that Miller gives Spirit a superpower - he can't be killed, he always heals. This has some precedent - Spirit did take a lot of bullets, and came back from the "dead" a number of times (it was his origin, actually). But there was nothing supernatural, just a lucky guy with a strong constitution.
He has another superpower in the movie that is even better attested in the original - he is catnip to the ladies. He gets a number of beauties, including Police Commisioner Dolan's daughter Ellen, Sand Serif (Eva Mendez), Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega) ... Blame Eisner for the silly names. They all fall for him and most of them try to kill him. That's the Spirit I know!
The villian, the Octopus, is played by Samuel L. Jackson at his hammiest (which might explain his obsession with eggs). The best gag in the movie is his gang of henchmen, all played by by a Joe Besser-esque Louis Lombardi. These cheerfully mindless clones all wear sweatshirts with their names: Logos, Ethos, Pathos, Huevos, etc.
Miller gets a very stylish look, but rarely gets the stylized noir feel that Eisner stole from Hitchcock and Wells and made his own. We see very few toppling perspectives, looming shadows, shots through the skylight. Still, the Miller look goes down pretty smooth, so I won't complain. He adds his own touches, like races across the rooftops and the ubiquitous alleycats.
I won't complain about the liberties taken with the Spirit's character, either. I can't complain about the women. In fact, I enjoyed this movie a lot.
P.S. I take it back, I have another complaint. Ellen Dolan comes across as a bit of an old maid, when she should be more of a schoolgirl type. Oh heck, just go with it.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
D'OA!
DOA: Dead or Alive: here's the deal - Several beautiful women and some extras are invited to DOA Island for an Enter the Dragon style martial arts competition. They include a ninja princess (Devon Aoki), a Texas lady wrestler (Jaime Pressley) and a jewel thief (Holly Valence). Hosting the competition is a Richard Branson-esque Eric Roberts and his roller-skating kung fu daughter Sarah Carter. What ensues this time? Mayhem.
One of director Corey Yuen's signature themes is hot young women engaged in martial arts action. He uses so much wirework and CGI that he doesn't usually bother to get actual trained martial artists in the roles. That's a shame, but it must be hard to find beautiful kung fu masters who can act. One out of three isn't bad.
You get an exotic location (sets and CGI), a goofy plot, pretty women and awesome action scenes (again, CGI). It's breezy fun with very few false notes. My kind of movie.
It's based on a video game that I've never heard of, so I can't say if it is true to its source material.
In conclusion, not the 1950 Edmund O'Brien noir or the 1988 dog of a remake. There is no luminous poison in this film.
One of director Corey Yuen's signature themes is hot young women engaged in martial arts action. He uses so much wirework and CGI that he doesn't usually bother to get actual trained martial artists in the roles. That's a shame, but it must be hard to find beautiful kung fu masters who can act. One out of three isn't bad.
You get an exotic location (sets and CGI), a goofy plot, pretty women and awesome action scenes (again, CGI). It's breezy fun with very few false notes. My kind of movie.
It's based on a video game that I've never heard of, so I can't say if it is true to its source material.
In conclusion, not the 1950 Edmund O'Brien noir or the 1988 dog of a remake. There is no luminous poison in this film.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Squanto of Malice
Condom of Alice? Quondam of Soul Ace? Quantum of Solace? What is it with the cockamamie title?
Quantum is the Daniel Craig's second outing as James Bond, the follow up to what some people have called the best Bond ever. I like Craig as much as ever, but this movie, not so much.
The idea is that Casino and Quantum represent Bond before Sean Connery. Craig is a crude thug, who doesn't really care how you make his martini. He keeps killing suspects - it's almost a running joke. But M is taking an interest, maybe helping to knock the rough edges off. Bond explicitly mentions M mothering him. It's an interesting idea, but I have a hard time seeing the suave smirking classic Bond in this scowling hardcase.
The action was good, but didn't stand out like in Casino. Craig seems less unpredictable, less instinctual here. It maybe part of his character's evolution, or it may be just weaker writing.
Other weaknesses include the villain, a rather fey Mathieu Almaric. He seems too much like Sting or Paul Simon to be menacing. His diabolical plan doesn't seem all that diabolical, either. The main Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko, looks good, but seems a bit opaque. Her story, about revenge, seems to have less weight than I would have expected.
So, in conclusion: great Bond, so-so Bond movie. Screwy title.
Quantum is the Daniel Craig's second outing as James Bond, the follow up to what some people have called the best Bond ever. I like Craig as much as ever, but this movie, not so much.
The idea is that Casino and Quantum represent Bond before Sean Connery. Craig is a crude thug, who doesn't really care how you make his martini. He keeps killing suspects - it's almost a running joke. But M is taking an interest, maybe helping to knock the rough edges off. Bond explicitly mentions M mothering him. It's an interesting idea, but I have a hard time seeing the suave smirking classic Bond in this scowling hardcase.
The action was good, but didn't stand out like in Casino. Craig seems less unpredictable, less instinctual here. It maybe part of his character's evolution, or it may be just weaker writing.
Other weaknesses include the villain, a rather fey Mathieu Almaric. He seems too much like Sting or Paul Simon to be menacing. His diabolical plan doesn't seem all that diabolical, either. The main Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko, looks good, but seems a bit opaque. Her story, about revenge, seems to have less weight than I would have expected.
So, in conclusion: great Bond, so-so Bond movie. Screwy title.
Transporter 3: What Else Do You Need to Know?
Is Transporter 3 as good as the rest of the franchise? It's hard to say. In this episode, our driver, Jason Statham, and his passenger are given explosive wristwatches that will blow up everything if they get more than 25 feet from the car. A decent conceit, because we want Statham close to his car at all times. Of course, events are always trying to separate him and the car, so we see him chasing it on a bicycle, for instance. On a bicycle, over several cars, and through a factory.
Of course, when he is out of the car, it is usually to fight a batch of bruisers, choreographed by Corey Yuen, my fight hero.
If you care about Transporter 3, I assume you liked 1 and 2, so you are cool with Jason Statham zooming around in a jacket and tie, doing improbable things with his Audi, and kicking butt. Is there a catch?
I mentioned a passenger - a girl who is also wearing an exploding bracelet to keep her in the car. She is a red-headed Ukrainian partygirl with a bad attitude. She also resembles LeeLoo from Fifth Element (red-hair) and Le Femme Nikita (panda eye makeup, attitude). Your basic Luc Besson dreamgirl, and not the most appealing incarnation. As the auto manufacturers say, your mileage may vary.
But Statham is classic. I put him in a class with Clive Owen - My favorite modern British tough guys.
Of course, when he is out of the car, it is usually to fight a batch of bruisers, choreographed by Corey Yuen, my fight hero.
If you care about Transporter 3, I assume you liked 1 and 2, so you are cool with Jason Statham zooming around in a jacket and tie, doing improbable things with his Audi, and kicking butt. Is there a catch?
I mentioned a passenger - a girl who is also wearing an exploding bracelet to keep her in the car. She is a red-headed Ukrainian partygirl with a bad attitude. She also resembles LeeLoo from Fifth Element (red-hair) and Le Femme Nikita (panda eye makeup, attitude). Your basic Luc Besson dreamgirl, and not the most appealing incarnation. As the auto manufacturers say, your mileage may vary.
But Statham is classic. I put him in a class with Clive Owen - My favorite modern British tough guys.
Good Noose
Why do I do it? Why do I keep watching Abbott and Costello throw-aways like The Noose Hangs High? At best, I'll get a few minutes more than an hours worth of physical comedy and inane wordplay. At worst, about the same with a few bad songs. Ok, that's why.
In this episode, window-washers Abbott and Costello pick up a some money for a bookie, then get robbed. They need to get the money back so the bookie can pay off a lucky punter. But a cute girl wound up with the money, so ... Let's see, what ensues? Oh yes, hilarity.
Not as funny as the best Abbott and Costello, but pretty funny. And no awful musical numbers.
In addition, there is a Leon Errol short - Errol is a basset-faced comedian of the Ned Sparks variety. Here he plays a pair of twins, enacting the plot of Cosi fan Tutti: Errol's wife spies his twin with a dame, and thinks her husband is two-timing her. The usual comedy ensues.
In this episode, window-washers Abbott and Costello pick up a some money for a bookie, then get robbed. They need to get the money back so the bookie can pay off a lucky punter. But a cute girl wound up with the money, so ... Let's see, what ensues? Oh yes, hilarity.
Not as funny as the best Abbott and Costello, but pretty funny. And no awful musical numbers.
In addition, there is a Leon Errol short - Errol is a basset-faced comedian of the Ned Sparks variety. Here he plays a pair of twins, enacting the plot of Cosi fan Tutti: Errol's wife spies his twin with a dame, and thinks her husband is two-timing her. The usual comedy ensues.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Quiz time!
The Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule has a new movie quiz up:
PROFESSOR PEABODY'S HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL WAYBACK SPRING BREAK FILM QUIZ.
Since it's been up for a week, there are already ~40 entries. Mine is about number 35. And I copied off of my wife's paper.
PROFESSOR PEABODY'S HYSTERICAL HISTORICAL WAYBACK SPRING BREAK FILM QUIZ.
Since it's been up for a week, there are already ~40 entries. Mine is about number 35. And I copied off of my wife's paper.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)