Film Junk » DVD Review

The Complete Monterey Pop Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:55:10 +0000

I’ll just come clean right off the top here and admit that this was my first time watching D.A. Pennebaker’s Monterey Pop and although it’s definitely a great film, it’s probably my least favourite of the three big music festival documentaries to come out of the late sixties/early seventies. There’s something about the grandiose cluster-fuck nature of Woodstock that appealed to me — along with the split screens of course — and Gimme Shelter’s cynicism was the perfect end to the short lived era of ‘Peace and Love’. I think the thing that drops Monterey Pop down a notch or two is the fact that it’s too devoted to the performances; an accusation that is obviously a personal one, as I would imagine most people watching this film are hoping for exactly that. Perosnally, I’m more interested in the logistics of the festival and the people who attend it, and although the film does touch upon this, it’s so secondary that it takes up a fraction of the already short 79 minute running time. Monterey Pop does boast some now classic performances that aren’t short in theatrics. There’s the iconic image of Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar ablaze on stage and of course, Pete Townshend destroying his Gibson as the Who annhialate the unsuspecting audiences ear drums, sending chunks of instruments hurdling towards the crowd. It all adds up to a sold concert film that just doesn’t do much to subvert or transcend the subject matter, but definitely sets the groundwork for others to build upon. Criterion has given Monterey Pop the full HD treatment with a faithful transfer, remastered Dolby Digital and DTS-HD Master audio and a load of supplemental materials. Fans of Criterion’s past releases will be pleased to hear that the D.A. Pennebaker supervised digital transfer retains its filmic qualities with a fine sheen of grain and no unnecessary artificial digital enhancements. Really a great package overall. Of course, if you end up picking up the The Complete Monterey Pop Festival box set, you’ll also get an additional blu ray disc including the short films ‘Jimi Plays Monterey’ and ‘Shake! Otis at Monterey’, both of which have also been remastered in HD. This is a must have for documentary fans and classic rock aficionados.

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Play Time Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:37:33 +0000

The fact that Jacques Tati's Play Time flopped financially and bankrupted its director into never making a film again is proof that pushing the boundaries of what a film can look like and how it can make you feel requires a bit of risk taking and perhaps, even a bit of an ego. In 1968, Play Time was a film that nobody seemed to want, but Tati had the urge to tell the story (or non-story) and ended burying himself in the process. I suppose that's what artists need to do sometimes. It's too bad it has taken all of these years for this masterpiece to finally be recognized as the achievement in fimmaking it truly is. It's important to note that I went into Play Time with little to no knowledge of what the film was about or the history of the production. I knew it had comedic elements and I was aware of Jacques Tati's re-occuring role as Monsieur Hulot; a clumsily endearing, mostly silent, possible prototype for Rowan Atkinson's Mr.Bean. While Tati's previous films focused on Hulot, Play Time uses him in moderation. He is one member in a cast of dozens whose motivations and actions are ultimately driven by the "modern" architecture and technology that surrounds them. Paris has been paved over and metallized. Any signs of the old world exist only in the form of tourist souvenirs and brief reflections in the constantly opening and closing ultra-chic pane glass doorways. The film is separated into six sequences, all contained within a twenty four hour period. Although many of the characters wander in and out of these segments, M. Hulot, along with a young American tourist, seem to be the connective tissue. There isn't really a plot per se, but rather a sequence of situations: a group of tourists attempt to navigate a modern airport while M. Hulot becomes lost in an office building and accidentally makes his way on to the floor of a trade exhibition, after which an old friend invites him to his apartment for a drink. Eventually all of the characters end up attending the opening night of the Royal Garden restaurant as its owner and architect attempt to deal with some shoddy workmanship and a series of technical flubs. It's like a comedy as seen through the eyes of Caden Cotard; right down to the multiple Hulot's and an open faced apartment complex with only giant planes of glass separating the tenants intimate ongoing's from the outside world. This design choice allows Tati to play an entire 15 minute scene from the street, looking in on M. Hulot's visit, with only the sound of cars and the occasional pedestrians passing by. It's that sort of confidence that probably doomed Play Time out of the gates, but can now be looked at as a bold choice that succeeds in overcoming any accusations of self-indulgence. There isn't a single close up in the film and many scenes, like the apartment sequence, are filmed from a distance. The choice to film Play Time in the 70mm makes way for some amazing wide angle shots filled with numerous characters acting out multiple miniature stories at once. Add Hulot to the mix and you've got a Where's Waldo?-esque complexity that finds you scanning the screen to pick up on the sometimes simultaneous sight gags that are littered throughout the film (Something that probably worked even better on the big screen). Audio also plays a huge role in Play Time as Tati uses goofy sound effects for both comedic effect and to help identify the action in some of the wider, more complicated shots. However, I must say the true star of Play Time is the design. When Terry Gilliam is engaging in sexual intercourse with his wife, it is my belief that 50% of the time he is thinking of Jacques Tati's Play Time. It seems clear to me that this film may have been a major influence on Brazil, and the DVD introduction by fellow Monty Python-er Terry Jones seems to support this theory. It truly is a beautiful looking film. I was blown away to discover that the entire city -- minus the exterior of the restaurant and the final shot of the film -- was constructed as a set! This certainly answered my somewhat naive questions regarding the real life architecture of Paris. I'm really not sure how this film could've been made any other way. I don't think I've seen a movie that so heavily depends on the interactions between its characters and sets. The choreography of the comedic set pieces are directly connected to the meticulously detailed surroundings. Right down to the bar stools, neon signs and door handles; everything is designed to work practically, look great and serve the overall choreography. With a brand new blu ray release, this is one film that benefits in many ways thanks to a strong high definition transfer. Criterion has put together a great package, with a sharp and brilliant picture, great audio and a good collection of supplements that touch on the troubles Tati went through in getting Play Time on the big screen. A wonderful film and a sincerely amazing experience. -- Jay C.

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Tokyo! Blu-ray Review

Sean — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:14:57 +0000

Tokyo! Directed by: Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, Bong Joon-ho Written by: Gabrielle Bell, Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, Bong Joon-ho Starring: Ayako Fujitani, Ayumi Ito, Ryo Kase, Denis Lavant, Jean-François Balmer, Teruyuki Kagawa, Yû Aoi Historically, short films have never really received much mainstream attention because, let's face it, you can't exactly put them in a movie theatre and charge full price for admission. They've mostly been relegated to the realm of film festivals and YouTube, but every now and then someone comes up with a clever way to package a collection of short films and sell it to the public. The 2007 film Paris, Je T'aime had a fairly successful (albeit limited) theatrical run collecting 18 shorts from such directors as The Coen Brothers, Tom Tykwer, Gus Van Sant and Wes Craven. It eventually spawned a sequel of sorts called, New York, I Love You. Following in the footsteps of these films comes Tokyo!, another movie that combines multiple short films inspired by and set in a particular city. While the two aforementioned films are from the same producers, however, Tokyo! has a completely different creative team behind it, and it feels like a different beast in a number of ways. The most obvious one is that there are only three short films here: Interior Design, directed by Michel Gondry, Merde, directed by Leos Carax, and Shaking Tokyo, by Bong Joon-ho. They are much longer than the ones featured in Paris Je T'aime, clocking in at around 30 minutes each. While this affords more room for storytelling, it also means that if you don't like a particular segment, it's going to be a long wait to get to the next one. The good news is that all three are worth checking out, making for a thoroughly enjoyable experience overall. Interior Design is an adaptation of a story from a graphic novel by Gabrielle Bell called Cecil and Jordan in New York, about a couple (Hiroko and Akira) who move to the city in search of jobs and a place to live. They take temporary lodging in a cramped flat with an old school friend, while they await the screening of Akira's film at a local movie theatre. As time goes on, the stress of their situation gets to Hiroko, who starts to worry that she is not pulling her weight. This feels a lot less like a Michel Gondry film than you might expect (partially because he didn't write it, I guess), but that's not a bad thing. There is nothing wacky or surreal about it except for the ending, which is simultaneously hilarious, touching and insane. Other than that, it's just a story about the sacrifices and pitfalls of relationships. Next up is Leos Carax's Merde, a satirical story about a strange creature who dwells in the sewers of Tokyo and comes up to terrorize people on the surface. I must confess that I knew nothing about Carax going into this film, and I can't say this really convinced me to check out more of his previous work. That's not to say I didn't like it, but only that it felt like it was trying a bit too hard. I think the concept is more interesting than the execution, although there were certain scenes that were a lot of fun (in particular, Merde's first rampage on the streets). Denis Lavant's twisted portrayal of the creature with his strange mannerisms and half-vocal/half-physical language of communication was impressive, but ultimately felt a bit too much like a sketch comedy character for me. The commentary on terrorism and the media was also heavy-handed, but underneath it all there is a tragic Tim Burton-esque story of a misunderstood outcast that I happened to like. Last but not least is Shaking Tokyo, my favourite of the three shorts. Written and directed by Bong Joon-ho (The Host), this is the tale of a young man who is a social recluse that never leaves his house. I guess there are so many people like this in Japan that they even have a term for it: "hikikomori". His home is packed to the rafters with stuff and organized with the utmost precision. He orders everything online or by phone and has it delivered to his house, until one day, after 10 years of seclusion, a pizza delivery girl faints at his doorstep during a minor earthquake. His life is turned upside down, and eventually he forces himself to venture outside into the great unknown, where he makes a shocking discovery. Shaking Tokyo is meticulously shot by Joon-ho and marvelously acted by Teruyuki Kagawa. It has a melancholic atmosphere but it is also quite funny at points, which helps make some of the apocalyptic twists that much easier to swallow. Overall, I enjoyed this triptych of films quite a bit, and while I had initially suspected that it might come off as more of an experimental art piece, the stories are straightforward and relatable, with just the right level of weird to keep you hooked. The movie looks gorgeous -- even moreso on Blu-ray -- and of course, it helps to have such a unique city as the backdrop for a story. Ultimately, though, these stories are not just about Tokyo, but also about urban life in general, and they're each brilliantly crafted in their own right. Extras on the Blu-ray include "Making Of" featurettes for each film, and a montage of interviews with all three directors (plus the writer of Interior Design). -- Sean

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Trouble the Water DVD Review

Sean — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:07:11 +0000

Trouble the Water Directed by: Carl Deal and Tia Lessin It's been 4 years now since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Southeastern United States, and for most of us, it was a few weeks of tragedy and controversy that was sensationalized by the media, debated by celebrities and politicians, and then quickly discarded. But in New Orleans, where the failure of the levee system resulted in over 80% of the city being flooded, very real damage was done to the population and economy, and the after effects are still being felt today. Spike Lee covered nearly every facet of this disaster in his epic 4-hour documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, which came out one year after the storm. One might assume that there would be nothing left to say after such a comprehensive film by a well-respected filmmaker, but as Trouble The Water proves, this is clearly not the case. Back in 2005, it was reported that Michael Moore had sent a film crew down to New Orleans to cover the crisis, and a lot of people rolled their eyes at the thought of Moore attempting to capitalize on the situation. While Moore himself never did put together a film, two of his producers did. Carl Deal and Tia Lessin began interviewing residents shortly after the storm had passed, and along the way they happened to meet up with Kimberly and Scott Roberts, which changed the direction of their film entirely. Kimberly had already shot a lot of firsthand footage of the flooding that destroyed their home on a Hi-8 camera, and from that point on, a film crew began to follow them and document their attempt to get their lives back on track. Kim's footage from the storm itself is as raw and real as it gets. She narrates as we see the storm intensifying and the city clears out, but in her neighbourhood (the 9th Ward), many residents cannot afford to leave and have nowhere to go. Her family decides to wait out the storm in their home, but when the levees break and the streets start to flood, they soon find themselves trapped in the attic with the water level still rising. It is the heroics of her brother that manages to get them all to safety, but throughout the entire ordeal, Kimberly's strong personality and optimism gives them hope. Although this would have been compelling enough on its own, it is the story of what follows that really makes Trouble the Water such an unforgettable and important film. We see them retrace the path they took once they realized that no immediate help was coming. We watch as they go through the motions with FEMA and try to collect their checks, only to be thwarted by bureaucratic red tape. We accompany them as they cope with a change of scenery after relocating to Memphis. At every turn there is frustration and anger, but our own emotions are kept in check by the admirable actions of the film's subjects, who concentrate on helping those around them and affecting the things that are within their reach. Kim, an aspiring rapper, is at times loud and larger than life, but she has a big heart and a strong will that helps them to overcome every obstacle they encounter. It's not the prettiest film in the world, but neither is the subject matter. The movie never feels manipulative or overtly political, and with deft editing and a keen focus on keeping the film personal, it really tells a story from Katrina that we haven't heard before. Trouble the Water puts us in the shoes of the people who experienced it rather than the people who just talked about it. At a time when first-person fictional films like Cloverfield are accused of feeling contrived, here is the proof that documenting your own life during a crisis is both natural and instinctive. Rather than coming across as self-centered and self-serving, it is an inspiration to all who see it. Trouble the Water is a must-see film, not just because it's about Katrina but because it's a gripping portrait of survival and what it's like to live life outside the system. Extras on the DVD include deleted and extended scenes, Q&As from the Roger Ebert Film Festival and the New Orleans community premiere, plus footage of Kim meeting New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin. Trouble The Water is available on DVD in the U.S. through Zeitgeist Films. -- Sean

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Repulsion Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:05:28 +0000

I've been meaning to remedy my ignorance when it comes to the work of Roman Polanski. For some reason, I've never really gotten past his 'hits' and explored any of his earlier works like Knife in the Water or The Tenant. Thanks to the Criterion Collection's recent blu ray release of 'Repulsion', Polanski is, in my eyes, no longer simply the old cop guy from Rush Hour 3. I'm not even sure what Polanski is 'known for'. Wait...let me ammend that. I do know what he's known for. I'm not sure what Polanski is known for in regards to the themes and stylistic choices prevalant in his film work. I have read about such things, but I haven't seen enough of his films to formulate my own opinion on what makes a Polanski film a Polanski film. However, I'm not a complete idiot. I have seen Rosemary's Baby and it's pretty clear that Repulsion is culled from the same brand of suspense driven surrealism. For starters, they even both have female leads! (An observation I made completely on my own, independent of any online research.) In Repulsion, the majestic Catherine Deneuve plays Carol; a quiet and repressed young beauty salon assistant that seems unusually shy and clearly has some issues with intimacy. Her constant day dreaming results in a number of unhappy snooty clients and simply makes her look like a total flake. When Carol's sister decides to head out of town with her boyfriend, she's left alone; a helpless French girl in London dealing with her building anxieties as the walls literally start to crack and cave in around her. Going in to this film with practically zero knowledge of the film, I found myself a little thrown by the seemingly complex but ultimately straight forward story. It's strange because so much of the film is presented as this dark, surreal fever dream which left me searching for something deeper within the plot. I was questioning what was real and what was a hallucination. What is wrong with Carol? Is her aversion to men a clue? Polanski's slow burn approach both builds suspense and slightly frustrates as Deneuve's character seems to be acting like an apathetic, inconsistently emotional and abnormally timid flake (twice I've used flake now. nice.) for no apparent reason. The kind of person you just feel like shaking by the shoulders and yelling 'Speak the f*ck up and get over yourself!'. There always seems to be something supernatural lurking around the corner, but Polanski is much more interested in psychosis over the paranormal. Everything in this film seems to be 'cracking up' in one way or another. I think it's fair to say that David Lynch's Eraserhead may have been directly inspired by this film as they share some similar themes and imagery -- specifically the dead rabbit on the platter. In the end, some might find Repulsion's conclusion almost disappointingly ordinary. However, a second viewing without a need to try and figure it all out would probably benefit a film like this. It's a great example of how our perception of a story can change simply based on whether or not we go into the film with the expectations of a subjective or objective experience. In this case, I am excited for a more informed re-watch. Summarizing the technical qualities of these Criterion blu ray releases has become somewhat redundant. Let's face it; they're putting out some of the best looking BD discs to date. Not only are their choice eclectic, but their resistance to noodle around with digital noise reduction and edge enhancing techniques has given us some organic, film-like presentations that are the best representations of the original 35mm prints. In the case of Repulsion, Gilbert Taylor's black and white photography is given the treatment it deserves and is further proof that a 40+ year old colourless film does truly benefit from the HD treatment. -- Jay C.

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For All Mankind Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:21:45 +0000

It's easy to forget how much of an accomplishment the Apollo moon missions were. Looking back on it now, it seems like the entire event is represented by the same over-saturated stock clips and sound bytes, robbing it of any sense of passion, adventure or danger. Let's just think about this for a second; these men were strapping themselves to the end of a 36 story rocket and being shot into space...in the 60's. The moon landing pre-dated the invention of the VCR. If I have yet to blow your mind, Al Reinhert's For All Mankind might just do the trick. Although there's been a recent boom in space documentaries, For All Mankind was one of the first that took the steps to revisit the hundreds of hours of NASA footage filmed by the astronauts throughout the moon missions. The result is a stunning collection of never-before-seen images that give audiences a whole new perspective on the Apollo missions, ranging from the awe of space or the flight control room minutia. Some of the most interesting images come from camera angles initially created for the single purpose of observation by project engineers. It was Reinert's good sense of visual storytelling that convinced NASA that this footage, previously considered uninteresting to the general public, actually contained an element of beauty worth sharing with audiences. Although For All Mankind is structured as one long moon mission, it's actually pieced together from footage shot across many. This is fairly evident once we hit the Apollo 13 crisis, used as a point of conflict in the middle of the film. There's even some Gemini footage thrown in for good measure. I can only imagine the challenge faced by Reinert in his attempt to construct an engaging story out of hundreds of hours of seemingly random footage shot not with the intentions of storytelling, but rather scientific documentation and publicity. The result is a compelling adventure that has its ups and downs and successfully communicates a sense of claustrophobia and danger as well as awe and inspiration. It's also worth noting that Brian Eno, in collaboration with Roger Eno and Daniel Lanois, provides amazing score containing what I feel is one of the prettiest pieces of music ever written. The Criterion Collection's blu ray release of For All Mankind lives up to their previously set expectations. The picture quality is top notch, presented in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio and retaining a natural film grain. The colours are especially vibrant, especially when compared to the source material, as displayed in the supplemental materials. Speaking of which, we get a slightly updated collection of bonus features with the addition of a fairly interesting making of documentary. Here's something that blew my mind: I'd always wondered how NASA retrieved to footage from the jettisoned missile pieces. The solution is insanely cumbersome by todays standards; the camera would automatically eject the magazine, which then would fall back to earth -- complete with its own heat shield and parachute system -- only to be scooped up mid air by net wielding airplanes. Crazy! For those of you who haven't seen For All Mankind, you're in for a real treat with this high definition edition. Anybody who purchased the previous standard version of the film; you might want to consider upgrading. Criterion continues its reign over the blu ray kingdom with yet another worthwhile release. -- Jay C.

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S. Darko Blu-ray Review

Sean — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:06:20 +0000

S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale Directed by: Chris Fisher Written by: Nathan Atkins Starring: Daveigh Chase, Briana Evigan, Jackson Rathbone, Ed Westwick, Elizabeth Berkley, John Hawkes Although Richard Kelly's directorial debut Donnie Darko didn't break even upon its initial theatrical release back in 2001, the movie went on to find a pretty massive cult following on DVD and has since become a bit of a cash cow. To this day I'm not quite sure what it is about the film that connected with teen audiences, but I suspect it has something to do with Jake Gyllenhaal's performance as an emotionally troubled outcast and its reputation for being such a mindbender of a film. Either way, it was successful enough to result in a Director's Cut re-release a few years later, and now, a direct-to-DVD sequel. Yes, that's right a sequel. There are certain movies that lend themselves well to sequels, and others that don't. While Donnie Darko's name may sound "like some sort of superhero", I don't think Richard Kelly ever intended this character to spawn an entire series of "Donnie Darko Tales". Needless to say, he is not involved in this sequel, which begs the question: how can it possibly be anything more than just a cash grab? I certainly didn't have high hopes for this flick, but as a moderate fan of the original I was curious to see how they would continue the story. Besides, direct-to-DVD doesn't always mean garbage anymore... does it? S. Darko takes place seven years after the events of the first movie, and as you might have guessed from the title, it centers on Donnie's younger sister Samantha (Daveigh Chase). She is now 18 years old, and together with her best friend Corey (Briana Evigan) they have decided to flee Virginia in order to follow their dream of becoming professional dancers in L.A. Unfortunately, their car breaks down in small town Utah, and they find themselves stranded among a strange cast of characters while Samantha is having visions of the end of the world. Daveigh Chase is the only original cast member to return, and she has grown up a lot since we last saw her in Donnie Darko and The Ring. Most recently she has been seen playing Rhonda on Big Love, and while she now almost resembles a young Jessica Biel, she still doesn't quite have the chops to carry an entire film on her shoulders. She is surrounded by a lot of TV actors, including Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl), who does his best Joaquin Phoenix impression as the cool guy that helps them fix their car, John Hawkes (Eastbound & Down) who plays the local motel owner, and James Lafferty (One Tree Hill), who plays town weirdo Iraq Jack. On the other hand, some viewers will recognize Briana Evigan from her lead role in Step Up 2: The Streets, while Jackson Rathbone has a fairly big role in the Twilight movies (a fanbase they probably could have milked further for this movie). Director Chris Fisher and screenwriter Nathan Atkins both come from TV backgrounds as well, and they do their best to recreate the look and feel of Donnie Darko here. Unfortunately, the majority of it is superficial -- essentially it's a retelling of Donnie Darko but with some of the roles flipped around. Once again, the story is presented as a countdown to the end of the world, with plenty of gratuitous use of slow-mo and ominous music. There is a reformed preacher with a dark secret. There are visions in a movie theatre. Frank's iconic metal rabbit mask is back, as are the trippy tubes of light. The movie is also chock full of teen angst, and most importantly, it has a former '80s star in the form of Elizabeth Berkley. While all of this stuff might seem like a formula for "recapturing the magic", so to speak, the biggest problem is that the story and the characters are just not compelling at all. The movie starts with them already on the road, so we never really get a full sense of Samantha's family problems, why she felt the need to leave or what she is going through on the inside. The most dramatic moments of the film are completely uninvolving -- it seems like there is more emphasis on inserting cool fast-motion shots of clouds and other surreal imagery. In some ways the sequel even takes away from the original because it makes you realize how much Kelly relied on some of these surface tricks himself. However, much of Kelly's dark humour and satire also seems to be missing here. The truth is, S. Darko is watchable on some level and probably could have been much worse, but it's just so inferior to the original that it's destined to be forgotten in a matter of months. The only real risk that the movie takes is in the middle portion of the film where it deals an unexpected twist, only to correct itself and carry on some twenty minutes later with minor consequences. Some of the visuals are decent, and through the stylistic similarities, some casual fans of the original may be duped into feeling a connection to the original. Hardcore Darko devotees, however, are going to see this for what it is: an "unofficial" sequel that borders on fan film territory. The video and audio quality on the Blu-ray release for S. Darko are pretty solid (1080p AVC MPEG-4 / DTS HD Master Audio 5.1). Extras include an audio commentary with director Chris Fisher, writer Nathan Atkins, and cinematographer Marvin V. Rush, six deleted scenes, a "making of" featurette, and a featurette on a song that the cast members wrote about Utah (don't ask). I can't say any of this stuff was particularly interesting, as they spend most of their time talking about how great the original is and how they wanted to try and pay tribute to it. Also, none of these features are in HD, unfortunately. What could they have done differently with S. Darko? I don't know. The bottom line is that this movie didn't need to be made, and really adds nothing new to the mythology. On the bright side, it does provide a good excuse for bringing Whale's short-lived '90s hit "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe" back out of the vault, so there's always that to be thankful for. -- Sean

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In the Realm of the Senses Blu Ray Review

Jay C. — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:46:30 +0000

In the Realm of the Senses (Blu Ray) Directed by: Nagisa Oshima Written by: Nagisa Oshima Starring: Eiko Matsuda, Tatsuya Fuji “Wake up the kids, In the Realm of the Senses is on!” is a sentence you will never hear when In the Realm of the Senses is on. Even though the title might evoke images of a magical world of wonder and mystery, this film is definitely not for the kiddies. In fact, it’s probably not for most adults either. Anyone with an aversion to the consumption of pubic hair, beware. The story is quite simple; set in 1936 Japan, an inn owner and one of his maids – a former prostitute – fall head over heels for each other and engage in a lust driven sexual journey, fucking in multiple positions and in front of multiple people for practically the entire running time of the film. It’s sort of like Pretty Woman, only I don’t recall Richard Gere ever inserting a hard boiled egg into Julia Roberts vagina in that one. Could be wrong though. The relationship consistently teeters on the edge of violence and jealousy, but the second you think someone’s going to emotionally burst, they just fuck again. And again. It’s actually sort of interesting; the relationship they manage to create between each other is built entirely on a hedonistic, fancy-free way of living. Like a nymphomatic Willy Wonka I guess. Candy and chocolate all day and all night, regardless of the consequences! Director Nagisa Oshima made a bold decision to shoot all of the sex scenes using a technique called ‘non-simulated sex’, popularized by the ‘porno’ genre of filmmaking. I guess the most recent example of a film so outwardly and gratuitously indulgent in hard core sexuality on a ‘mainstream’ (as in, outside the porn industry) scale would be John Cameron Mitchell’s ‘Short Bus’; a film that tried so hard to be daring that it forgot to be a good movie. The sex scenes in that one screamed ‘Look at me! Look at me!’ so hard it reminded me of a naked dude walking around a music festival exclaiming ‘It’s only natural! Nude is beautiful!’ when in reality, everybody’s gawking at his genitals and ignoring his ‘statement’. In short, Short Bus should’ve been tazed by security. Having said all of that, I didn’t have quite the same reaction to In the Realm of the Senses. I guess the sexual journey in Oshima’s film was less obnoxious because it felt more sincere and dangerous and less like a Tupperware party. As the DVD cover says, ‘it graphically depicts the all-consuming, transcendent – but ultimately destructive – love of a man and a woman living in an era of ever escalating imperialism and governmental control.’ I'm not sure that the national/political themes are as clear without some external contextualizing, but I wasn't really looking for them anyways. It was the idea of unrestrained indulgence that interested me. Less of a Romeo and Juliette and more of a Japanese Sid and Nancy of the 1930’s, both based on actual events and sharing a similar tragic end. And wow, what an ending it is. I wouldn’t dare spoil it. Overall, I don’t know that I’d ever feel the need to revisit In the Realm of the Senses (not to be confused with the great 2004 documentary In the Realms of the Unreal; this film is NOT narrated by Dakota Fanning!) but it was certainly an interesting watch, if not a tiny bit repetitive at points. But hey, I guess that’s what sex is all about. Rep-e-ti-tion. Disc Details I'm a huge fan of Criterion's blu ray releases, but I'm still baffled by the decision process in which films are granted the high def treatment. Am I the only one shocked that this film, among all of the other possible titles, made the list? Either way, In the Realm of the Senses is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and is encoded with MPEG-4 AVC in full 1080p glory. It’s simply amazing; you can see every individual pubic hair in glorious clarity. But seriously, Criterion has been doing a kick ass job with these releases and this film definitely benefits from the HD treatment. The film grain is present, as it should be, and the colours are quite vibrant. I’m not much of an audio expert, so I’ll say it gets the job done. As for supplemental material, you’ve got an audio commentary with film critic Tony Rayns, a series of interviews with the actors and director, deleted scenes, the U.S. trailer and a booklet featuring an essay by Japanese film scholar Donald Richie and a reprinted interview with the director. Also worth noting, this disc comes in Criterion's new clear plastic blu ray cases, for those of you who weren’t fans of their cardboard packaging. -- Jay C.

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Twilight DVD Review

Wintle — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:42:56 +0000

I was involved in a conversation last week concerning Twilight when I realized that even though I've heard plenty of talk about the movie, I don't know one person who has admitted to seeing it. Looking over Film Junk I noticed that it had been passed over for review, so I decided to give it a go and write down my impressions. And before anyone asks, I am strictly Team Jacob. Bella sets out to the Pacific Northwest to begin a new life with her father. There she becomes romantically entangled with Edward Cullins, one member of a clan of vampires living in town and posing as normal people. As Bella and Edward struggle to contain their respective urges, something vicious stalks the town and threatens to destroy their burgeoning romance just as it's beginning. The most overwhelming thing about Twilight is how unashamedly juvenile it is. Where most teen movies observe the action from a reserved distance brought on by age and experience, Twilight delves right into the ugly emotional morass of the adolescent. It's not unlike Batman Begins, in the way that movie could only make sense if viewed as the psychotic delusions of Bruce Wayne. This doesn't just show the characters struggle with their desires, the entire movie shudders in barely controlled chaos. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was caught off guard as to how dark Twilight is. Bella is clingy, controlling and barely holding it together, while Edward is abusive and a stalker. In a sense, their self-destructive tendencies put a lie to the idea that this is just another glossy teen movie, reintroducing an element of tragedy into what passes as romance these days. Accentuating the dysfunctional nature of Bella and Edward's relationship is the ordinary and well realized depiction of most of the supporting cast. I was surprised at how much time was spent showing Bella and her father timidly reaching out to one another without really connecting, or the heartbreak on display as Bella realized one of the consequences of her affair with a monster could be the loss of an average life with average friends. As you can probably tell, I enjoyed Twilight more as an exploration into the phenomenon than I did as a movie, though I may have kept my distance because it brought back so many damaging memories of uncontrollable mood swings, awkward fumbling and other assorted high school drama. In short, if you love zipperless fucks, teenage vampires running around in skin-tight baseball uniforms, or foppish Rastafarian vampires appearing in boathouses without warning or explanation, then this is the movie for you.

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Blindness DVD Review

Sean — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:31:51 +0000

Blindness (DVD) Directed by: Fernando Meirelles Written by: Don McKellar (screenplay), José Saramago (novel) Starring: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Gael García Bernal, Don McKellar We've seen plenty of movies about killer diseases that come close to wiping out the human race, but what if the world was suddenly struck by a plague that didn't kill people, and instead, stole their vision? How would the victims cope with this sudden disability, and how would the rest of society react? This is the premise to Jose Saramago's Nobel prize-winning novel Blindness, which has been brought to the big screen by director Fernando Mereilles (City of God, The Constant Gardener). With its intriguing concept and promising pedigree, a lot of people had high hopes for this film, but early reactions from its debut at Cannes came back somewhat negative. Meirelles went back and recut the film, trying to tighten it up, but Blindness never really recovered. The movie was mostly panned, didn't end up getting a wide release and kind of faded away quietly into the night. Despite the mixed reviews, this is a movie that I really wanted to love. I suspected it might be getting a bad rap simply for being a so-called "message movie", so I went in with an open mind. To my surprise, it starts with a strong stylistic opening and a provocative mystery surrounding the spread of the disease. A man driving to work suddenly finds that he can see only white. He consults his doctor (Mark Ruffalo), and the following day, the doctor is also blind. From here we follow the first wave of the infected into a quarantine zone where they are unceremoniously dumped and left to live on their own. This is where the majority of the movie takes place, and things go downhill from here. Julianne Moore is the sole inmate who is still able to see, but she keeps it to herself. In order to take care of her husband, she stays with him in the ambulance and ends up trapped in the quarantined area even though she never contracts the symptoms. Living conditions in the hospital ward become horrendous, and eventually the whole thing degrades into a Lord of the Flies-type of scenario, with the most vile and vicious inmates seizing control and terrorizing the rest of the population. Make no mistake, Blindness paints a pretty bleak and disgusting picture of humanity, which stays true to Jose Saramago's message. The characters' clothes and living quarters are filthy, there are moments of violence and rape, and none of the actors or actresses appear in a very flattering light (least of all Julianne Moore in her dungy grey sweatpants). The problem, however, is not that the movie is harsh and uncompromising, but rather that the storytelling is unfocused, and the characters so one-dimensional that it's impossible to feel anything for them. There are a lot of talented actors here, but almost all of them struggle to give a convincing performance. Scenes that are supposed to be gripping and emotional instead play out like high school drama class. Part of the problem might come from the fact that the book was originally written in another language. Screenwriter Don McKellar is best known for his solid work with Bruce McDonald, but here the dialogue is rather stilted and unnatural. The blindness of the characters also seems to be a distraction and limits the ability of the actors to play off of each other. Gael Garcia Bernal, for example, is usually fantastic, but here he is dreadfully cheesy as the villain, and I'm sorry but there's just no way to take Danny Glover wearing an eye patch seriously! The overall production design also didn't do much to lend believability to the story. Although the preparations were extensive and the FX work fairly minimal, the surroundings don't feel particularly real. You can blame part of it on the limited $25 million budget, but there are also artistic decisions made here that don't really pay off. The white visual motif and constant focus tricks employed by Mereilles seem interesting early on, but eventually become annoying and gimmicky. I can understand wanting to show the perspective of the blind from time to time, but when the entire movie has a desaturated, washed out appearance, it just makes it bland and unpleasant to look at. Compared to the lush cinematography City of God, this is not nearly as interesting visually. The musical score is also a little too sparse and fails to fill in the emotional gaps. I probably could have looked past a lot of the film's flaws if it still presented an intriguing post-apocalyptic vision of the world, but I just wasn't interested in where the story went. I wanted to know what the government was doing, I wanted stories of survivors and chaos in the streets, but most of this is only touched on briefly through a quick montage narrated by Danny Glover's character. Blindness is certainly not in the same league as Children of Men, and the closest comparison I can come up with is Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later but without the cross-country road trip, instead focusing solely on the psychotic military unit cooped up in the house at the end. Ultimately I'm not sure who to blame, but all I know is that Blindness, the film, is not all that it could have been. There are ideas here worth exploring even if they are not presented particularly well, and Julianne Moore does manage to keep the movie anchored, but all too often it feels clumsy and ham-fisted and I totally understand why most critics chose to turn up their noses. Fans of the book or the post-apocalyptic genre in general will probably get something out of it, but everyone else should probably steer clear of this flick. The DVD release contains some deleted scenes with short written introductions by Meirelles and a decent hour-long making-of documentary. -- Sean

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City of Ember DVD Review

Sean — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:35:54 +0000

City of Ember DVD Review Directed by: Gil Kenan Written by: Caroline Thompson (screenplay), Jeanne Duprau (book) Starring: Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Harry Treadaway, Saoirse Ronan, Toby Jones, Martin Landau, Mary Kay Place City of Ember is a movie that skipped through theatres so quickly last year that I doubt many people even knew it existed. Looking back at the release calendar from last October, it seems reasonable to assume that the film just got lost among the flurry of other major releases that month. And yet, there was almost no direct competition within that particular demographic, and for a family film that was produced by Walden Media (the makers of The Chronicles of Narnia films) and starring Bill Murray, you'd think there would have been a little more buzz. So, is City of Ember an overlooked gem, or does it actually deserve to be ignored and forgotten? Well, judging by this barebones DVD release, it's clear that Fox never had much faith in the movie to begin with. Sadly, I can kind of see why. Even with an intriguing concept and a talented production team, City of Ember never quite manages to take flight. For the most part, it's a well-made film, but it lacks any of the excitement or flair needed to make it stick. Based on the Mark Twain Award-winning children's book by Jeanne Duprau, City of Ember takes place in a man-made city that is surrounded by darkness. The entire settlement runs on an underground generator, and its inhabitants are not aware anything existing outside of the city. As the story picks up, frequent power outages are becoming a major problem and the city is on the brink of disaster. When twelve-year old Lina Mayfleet stumbles across a mysterious box in her home, she unwittingly unlocks the secret to saving her people, but she must fight corruption within Ember's city council in order to help everyone escape from the darkness. The movie is directed by Gil Kenan, who previously did the fantastic CG film Monster House. Much like Monster House, City of Ember has a vague '80s nostalgia feel to it, reminiscent at times of adventure flicks like The Goonies. What City of Ember lacks, however, are compelling characters and the true spirit of exploration and intrigue. There is a solid "us vs them" dynamic in place, with the kids rebelling against adults who are just blindly following the rules, but it feels like everything they need to save the day is simply handed to them on a silver platter. The giant mole monster that they encounter about halfway through the movie was clearly an attempt to add some much-needed action, but you can tell it wasn't in the original book because it just feels so random. The two main child stars, Harry Treadaway and Saoirse Ronan (who many will remember as young Briony Tallis from Atonement), are capable actors, but they somehow lack charm here. It's not entirely their fault, as the whole film has a very "doom and gloom" atmosphere. With panic setting in among the citizens, the kids don't ever really have the opportunity to let loose and have fun (although Treadaway's character Doon is pretty damn serious from the get go). For this reason alone, I feel like City of Ember could have used a little bit of the Spielberg touch. Even Bill Murray fails to summon any energy on screen, although admittedly he was not cast as comic relief in this particular case. Kenan's CG experience definitely paid off in terms of managing the ambitious production design for the city itself. Digital environments mesh seamlessly with massive physical sets that were built to bring Ember to life. Unfortunately, I didn't find the actual art design to be all that interesting to look at, and for the most part, it all felt a bit too much like a set. The world doesn't necessarily feel lived in, and the actors seem out of place interacting with the things around them. Perhaps my biggest complaint about City of Ember is that there are no real surprises, and no plot twists that you don't see coming from a mile away. I don't know why they decided to open the film with a voiceover narration sequence that explains the entire origin story of Ember (it may have been taken straight from the book), but it almost instantly dispels all of the mystery surrounding the Builders. I was also disappointed that the end of the film never really rewards the viewer with more information about what they find. After all the build up, the movie just sort of... ends, with very little pay off. Another major disappointment is the lack of extras on the DVD, considering all the behind-the-scenes production work and the big ideas at work in the movie. Some decent supplementary material could have at least salvaged the film, but instead we are left with nothing more than a few promotional trailers. (The UK release of the film will supposedly have some making-of featurettes, however.) I guess I was just expecting more from City of Ember. Technically speaking, it's a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, which is a genre that almost always gets a free pass from me. I'm all for family films with ambitious adult themes, but there's not enough eye candy for the kids, and not enough meat and potatoes for the grown-ups. Ember is mediocre with a capital "M". -- Sean

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Towelhead DVD Review

Sean — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 07:27:49 +0000

Towelhead (DVD) Directed by: Alan Ball Written by: Alan Ball (screenplay), Alicia Erian (novel) Starring: Summer Bishil, Peter Macdissi, Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Toni Collette If you're a relatively adventurous moviegoer, every now and then you will come across a movie that makes you a bit uncomfortable -- whether it be the words and actions of a character, or the graphic nature of something shown on screen that manages to shock you. Everyone has their own limits, but when a movie makes you feel awkward and/or outraged for an extended period of time, you start to wonder why you are even watching it. If entertainment is your number one priority, then a movie that abuses its audience is at worst, offensive, and at best, a waste of time. Alan Ball's Towelhead, then, is a movie that runs the risk of offending a lot of people and/or wasting their time. This controversial film, based on the novel by Alicia Erian, not only takes a racial slur as its title, but also explores the sexuality of a thirteen-year-old Arab-American girl in addition to the intolerance she suffers from the kids at school, her next door neighbours, and her own parents. Make no mistake, this is uncomfortable viewing, a film that will cause you to glance over your shoulder and shrink down in your seat nervously while your stomach continues to tie itself in knots. In the end, the story is a powerful one, but the important question is, does it actually have value or is it simply pushing the envelope needlessly? Towelhead is a movie I had heard a lot of negative things about, but being a fan of both Six Feet Under and American Beauty, I was curious to see how Ball would handle his feature film directorial debut. Initially released under the somewhat non-descript title "Nothing is Private", the actual title of this movie might lead you to believe that blatant racism is the main reason for its provocative nature. The truth is, the racial issues are not nearly as shocking as the sexual situations that viewers are forced to endure. Basically, imagine the incredibly icky sex scene between Kevin Spacey and Mena Suvari in American Beauty, and then stretch that out over an entire film. This makes the filmography of Todd Solondz look like a Disney made-for-TV movie. When thirteen-year-old Jasira (Summer Bashil) violates her mother's trust, she is sent to live with her Lebanese father (Peter Macdissi) in suburban Houston, Texas. She is immediately stifled by his strict rules and expectations. Lonely and insecure, she looks for acceptance anywhere that she can find it -- even in the attention of their Army reservist neighbour (Aaron Eckhart). She also starts dating a boy at school (Eugene Jones), but must hide it from her father because he is black. Eventually all of these secrets build to a major confrontation that puts everyone's personal flaws and prejudices to the test. I can certainly see why Alan Ball was drawn to this material, as it resembles American Beauty and Six Feet Under in both content and style. He likes to explore the darker side of human nature while interweaving bits of satire and comedy, but he also aims big and doesn't shy away from hot button issues. I can also see why this movie rubs a lot of people the wrong way. It does help if you go in knowing that the movie has some difficult material, and also if you keep in mind that the novel was written by an Arab-American woman. The tension and the raw emotion that the movie stirs up inside of you are not easily forgotten, but if you can get past this, I think it accomplishes Alan Ball's goal of opening a dialogue to some extremely important topics. The acting is solid, which is essential to keeping the film's integrity intact. Despite the fact that many of the characters are despicable in various ways, performances from people like Aaron Eckhart and Peter Macdissi remain somewhat likable and complex. While this might turn some people off, at least it doesn't give an easy scapegoat to take the blame. Peter Macdissi's character in particular is quite funny at times, particularly with his own relationship worries and hypocritical stances on the Gulf War. (I only wish there was more comedy to lighten the mood from time to time.) Then there is young Summer Bashil, who admirably pulls off a difficult role like this despite having minimal experience (mostly in Disney Channel productions, actually). One of the problems with this movie is that all of the characters are pretty extreme, and there is no voice of reason to latch onto. When Toni Collette and her husband enter the picture later on, they do finally provide a safe haven for Jasira (as well as the audience), but even they aren't perfect. The movie could be seen as fetishizing underage Middle Eastern girls, making Middle Eastern fathers seem abusive and closed off, and portraying Southern rednecks as perverts. With some of these stereotypes being thrown around, it is up to the audience to realize that the characters are exaggerated on purpose. Race issues aside, I found the strongest theme of the movie was actually Jasira's search for acceptance through her sexuality and how the media shaped her perception of that. Regardless of how you react to Towelhead, it is definitely a brave undertaking, and one that forces you to look inward and question your own biases. I can't really say it was an entirely pleasant experience, but sometimes we all need to be shocked out of our reality just a little bit. The DVD also includes two panel discussions between Alan Ball, the cast members, and Alicia Erian, which should help to reassure those who might question the intentions behind the film. -- Sean

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