2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

“The Ultimate Trip”

Science fiction has come a long way from its inception in literature and art, but in 1968, the greatest conversion to film took place in the form of an ultimate trip.

2001: A Space Odyssey is Stanley Kubrick’s epic masterpiece of space and exploration. The film follows a storyline, spanning 18 months, of mankind’s discovery of the origins of the human race and set out on a quest to retrieve that information. The crew of the mission is aided with the state-of-the-art computer technology of the HAL 9000 series, which can mimic the human brain.

The film is broken up into four different sections, all continuing the same story and sticking to a similar narrative.

It is with the advanced technology aiding the astronauts that put forth one of the major themes of the film: the dependence we are having on computers. It’s more of science fiction now than it was back in the 1960s with the rise of technology. Another major theme is the evolution of man. The artifact that is discovered is interpreted to be the key finding out how we got here and how we came to be. It plays a very significant role in the film.

Other significant roles are the different directions that Kubrick contributed. The cinematography of the film was spectacular. The wide-set shots and the narrow circular set of the setting applied to the sense of confinement and claustrophobia.

Also, not to mention the visual effects that basically won this movie over. The dazzling and blinding rays of lights brought alive the trip and the depiction of extraterrestrial life on the planet Jupiter.

Another way that this movie achieved so greatly, I think, is the minimal use of dialogue. What this movie basically consists of are extravagant shots of the space shuttles and the open space accompanied with the equally extravagant orchestra playing over these shots. The minimal use of dialogue adds ambiguity to the film’s themes and eventual climax. It opens up interpretation to the characters’ true thoughts of their actions.

At over two hours long, 2001 didn’t bore me. I watched with my full attention and gave a hundred percent of my mind to it to decipher the silences.

2001: A Space Odyssey is a brilliant masterpiece that marvelously brings alive the themes space exploration, evolution, the dawn of man, and extraterrestrial. I give this film a remarkable and lengthy 5 out of 5.

X-Men: First Class (2011)

“The story begins.”

Many writers reinvent franchises with a fresh new start and change the story completely. They disregard the previous timeframe and events and make their own. While some are disappointing, this example was a surprising one.

X-Men: First Class is the 2011 prequel to the X-Men franchise.

And I say prequel loosely.

The film follows young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr as they both are exposed to different views on mutants in the world and team up with the CIA to protect the world from the Hellfire Club. The Hellfire Club is a terrorist group run by mutant Nazi Sebastian Shaw, who is attempting to use The Cuban Missile Crisis to start a war between the humans and the mutants.

The film introduced new characters to the franchise such as Havok, Angel Salvadore, Darwin, Banshee, and Azazel, and featured previous popular characters such as Mystique, and Emma Frost, obviously Professor X and Magneto, and a small chuckling cameo of Wolverine.

This film is the perfect movie to watch to kick off your summer. It seriously is an entertaining movie on many levels including the action scenes, the story, the laughs, and other parts. It could qualify as a stand-alone film, but only because it totally disregards events and characters from the previous films. Havok is actually Cyclops’ younger brother, Emma Frost is part of the Hellfire Club in this film but is actually the sister-in-law of Wolverine in his film (which is by far the worst of franchise). It’s actually the first of a proposed trilogy meant to reboot the franchise with dark elements, similar to Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies.

Another thing about the film is the slow start it had. It took its sweet ass time getting to know the characters, although the character development was best we’ve seen in a X-Men movie in a while.

There’s also the fact that it doesn’t necessarily live up to its title. With the subtitle of the film, you’d expect the majority of the film would be them in costumes fighting the Nazis and other battles that would lead up to the climax. But they were only in the costumes for a good one-fourth of the movie, where the action really went down.

X-Men: First Class is definitely an improvement of the past two films and an excellent start to a proposed new franchise. Director Matthew Vaughn did everyone a favor and worked a whole new direction with a fresh new cast and explosive effects. I give this film a 4 out of 5 and you can watch it now in theatres.

The 400 Blows (1959)

“The French masterpiece of adolescence in the 1950s.”

We all think that movies and television programs today are trying the poison our youth, but it’s been going on for more than three decades.

The 400 Blows is the feature length directorial debut of French New Wave director Francois Truffaut. It follows the young developing life of 14 year old Antoine Doinel, a troublemaker seen through the eyes of his teachers and parents. He commits petty theft, runs away from home, and unsuccessfully tries to attempt to achieve academic success and win his parents’ trust.

The film was a pioneer of the French New Wave movement, where existentialism themes were brought in and the rejection of classical cinematic forms took place. It’s also considered the defining film of the movement. It explored the young encounters of a boy whose own conscience was doing the right thing and just living life.

Truffaut achieves his directing in this film. He perfects a well narrated story influenced by the old classic Hollywood and the realism of Italian cinema. His skill of unfolding the narrative is relevant to the unfolding of Antoine’s struggle to be good.

The irony of Antoine’s struggle to be good is that he can’t be good. Nature didn’t make him that way; he was raised and taught to rebel.

I really liked this movie, but weirdly enough, I was waiting for it to end. Not that it bored me, but to me, maybe it was taking its sweet ass time to wrap up its conflicts. I also find it amusing, that earlier I was watching the UK series Skins and thinking how much affect it has on teens, but then watching this, I wonder if this movie had the same effect on teens the same way Skins has the same effect on teens today. It’s interesting to think that Antoine is somewhat an ancestor, precursor, or prototype to the kids of Skins.

The 400 Blows is a French masterpiece and carries out all the perks of being a teenager, backed up by well direction from Truffaut. I give it a classic 5 out of 5 stars.

The King's Speech (2010)

“God save the king.”

Royal families are always perfect…well almost always. Prince Harry wore a swastika, Prince Charles had a much speculated divorce, followed by his ex-wife’s, Princess Diana, untimely death. And King George VI “bloody well stammered”.

The King’s Speech is a 2010 drama film based on the true story of King George VI. The story follows George VI (played by Colin Firth) , who was then a Duke of York, as he tries to cure his stutter in time for when he inherits the throne. His wife Elizabeth, played by Helena Bonham Carter, then hires Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, played by Geoffrey Rush, to help him.

The film was a historically accurate portrayal of the King’s later life, just until he inherited the throne. One thing I fully realized when watching this film was that the film’s title doesn’t necessarily refer an actual document used to persuade its listeners, but instead it referred to the human communication. I found it amusing and appealing about this revelation. Another thing I gathered from this film is the bravery of taking actions and not being afraid of the public eye; King George underwent therapy sessions under discretion. It seriously is an inspiring movie.

An absolute favorite of this film is the cinematography. I loved the shots of the scenes and way that every set seemed wide and huge. It was played out very well and looked a little quirky and eccentric, but it also played out significantly in the dramatic scenes.

Another love for this film is the art direction. The way the sets were brought alive was vivid and displayed royal life like it is, beautiful and imaginative.

Of course, the greatest factors in the cinematography and art direction skills are the actors, and in this film, they were extraordinary. Firth played the King as a helpless reluctant heir who will literally give anything than to rule. Rush played the speech therapist as a man with no fears or regrets. He is not afraid of insulting the king. Bonham-Carter also did a splendid job as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was very supportive and took the job of loyalty to her husband.

Truthfully, after watching this film win Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth at the 83^rd Annual Academy Awards, my well said reviews for this film weren’t based on its accolades. For the longest, I was positive that The Social Network would win, but rather abruptly, the critical and commercial success this film was garnering changed my mind.

The King’s Speech is beautiful masterpiece of courage and dignity that inspires an individual to take stand and not to give up. I reward this film a deserving 5 out of 5 and you can buy it now on DVD.

Nosferatu (1922)

“A Symphony of Horror”

And now ladies and gentlemen, the greatest adaptation of the classic horror novel Dracula…well sort of.

Nosferatu is the 1922 German black-and-white silent horror film loosely based on Bram Stroker’s novel Dracula. It follows a real estate agent Hutter who travels to Transylvania to sell a house to a weird and creepy man, Count Orlok. But, little does Hutter know, that Orlok is beyond anything he can ever imagine. He is the stuff of horror.

This film started it all, seriously. Director F. W. Murnau couldn’t acquire the rights to Dracula, so he filmed this movie, which is referred to as the unofficial adaptation of the novel. Many things were changed for the film, such as the characters' names (e.g. Count Dracula to Count Orlok) and also the term “vampire” (in this film, vampire is referred to as “nosferatu”, the Romanian translation). Also, the myth that light is deadly to vampires was taken from this film.

I think it’s funny when I hear that this film was banned in Sweden due to excessive horror. And I laugh even harder when I hear that the ban was lifted in the early 70’s. I guess I find it amusing because, being 2011, I’ve seen scarier films. But, this film is truly horrifying. The music, the atmosphere, even the old sepia color of the film, are all factors as to why it is horrifying. And probably the most obvious factor is the nosferatu himself, played by the ever terrifying, and ugly, Max Schreck.

Murnau really does create a horrifying world in this film. The atmosphere he displays is very dark and eerie. It’s just so…atmospheric. The way that Orlok moves is also very spine-chilling.

The film was made during the Expressionist era, where artists tried to evoke someone’s mood and emotions. This film is an ideal example of German expressionism. And all the elements can be traced to the nosferatu, Count Orlok.

Nosferatu is a horrifying silent film that stirs up a person’s mood. I give the film a 5 out of 5 and you can buy it now on DVD or watch it on Netflix.

Les Diaboliques (1955)

“Don't Reveal the Ending!”

The conspiracy of a murder, I bet, can be really fun. It isn’t until that day that you start to get cold feet and want to back out. And things get a whole lot worse once the body goes missing.

Les Diaboliques is a 1955 French horror/thriller film about two women, the wife of a boarding school headmaster and his mistress, who conspire to murder the abusive principal. But after a fool-proof plan, the body turns up missing, with some horrifying incidents occurring afterwards. What follows is a shocking climax and a chilling ending, but don’t reveal it!

Alfred Hitchcock reportedly attempted to buy the rights for the film to adapt it from the novel of the same name. But French director Henri-Georges Clouzot bought the rights before him. Hitchcock is of course known for thrillers, and this would have been well for him. It’s very thrilling and does feature plenty of suspenseful scenes and moments. The nature of the crime itself was very chilling; drowning is a horrible way to die. Also the hundreds of things that can go wrong and derail the whole plan.

The wife, played by Véra Clouzot, was nervous from day one. Her anxiety throughout the whole film caused the audience to feel very uncertain of themselves, and the conspiracy of the murder. Even after the murder, and post-missing corpse, her deteriorating health matched the audiences’ loss of comprehension for the weird happenings involving the missing headmaster.

One thing I wasn’t feeling too certain for this film was the slow moving story. Despite the mystery surrounding the body going on after the 30 minute mark, I didn’t feel that there were enough jumps and scares, although I’m certain when the film came out in the 50s, it was a hoot.

The twist of the movie is definitely a plus. Director Henri-Georges Clouzot is known for thrillers and this film does in fact deliver the thrills. The way he takes over the small world of the headmaster’s wife and shatters it makes any character and any viewer of the film vulnerable to Clouzot’s methods.

Les Diaboliques is an eerie thriller and obvious prototype to later thrillers and horror films of the century. I give it a 4 out of 5 and you can buy it on DVD or watch it on Netflix.

Wait Until Dark (1967)

“The blinds moving up and down. . .the squeaking shoes. . .and then the knife whistling past her ear. . .”

Blind people. They’re so vulnerable and easily manipulated. But they are not at all stupid. So don’t fuck with a blind person.

In Wait Until Dark, Audrey Hepburn plays a young blind woman whose normal day suddenly turns horrifying when “several men” arrive at her house, concocting a story about her husband and one that involves a doll. The encounters then turn into a battle of the wits for the blind and the seeing.

The film featured heavy suspense and an intense story of situational irony. The viewer knows of the contents of the doll and the reason for the strong desire of it, but what they’re actually concerned for is Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn’s character was very kind and loving; you wouldn’t even consider thinking bad things about her. The tension in the film was very high and every second that went by, was a second of comprehension for Hepburn regarding the whole charade taking place in her apartment.

The acting in this film was very well. Alan Arkin played the ringleader in the group of thieves. He possessed a very evil, cold personality and in the end, it didn’t matter if he had the doll or not, he still had intentions of harming Hepburn. Hepburn on the other hand, was very spectacular, as mentioned. Her performance even got her nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 40^th Annual Academy Awards. Whenever she would get scared or startled, the audience would fear for her. A huge contribution to the story is the fact that she was blind.

The film also featured one of the most terrifying climatic moments in film history. This film was actually the second film in which the killer was presumed dead, the first being 1955’s Les Diaboliques. To frighten the audience, the theatres would dim the lights down, until the entire theatre was drowned in complete darkness to match the complete darkness of the film.

Wait Until Dark is a very sharp thriller of a battle of wits. I give it a 5 out of 5 and you can buy it on DVD or watch on Netflix.

Scream 4 (2011)

“New Decade. New Rules.”

Fashion, music, and film have changed in the 21^st century, as well as the rules of survival. Nowadays, all bets are off.

Scream 4 is the much anticipated third sequel from Wes Craven’s 1996 Scream. It follows main protagonist, Sidney Prescott, who returns to her hometown of Woodsboro, California on the anniversary of the killings from the original film to promote her new book. However, things take a turn for the worst when two more murders on the eve of the anniversary put Sidney right on the radar for suspects. And all bets are off.

I have been waiting for this film ever since the end credits of Scream 3 and honestly, it was definitely worth the wait, but I absolutely wished it was better. However, just like all the other films, it contained a lot of meta references, this time referencing reboots and remakes. According to two geeks (homage to Randy from the original film) reboots take a whole new direction where it follows the new rules that have formed in the new decade, such as: virgins can die, the killer records the killings, and anybody, even Sidney, can die. I also loved how it took a remake direction, mirroring the status of the film and the events going on in the film; the killers were patterning the kills from the original film.

This film featured a whole mess of blood and guts. A lot more gore than the others. And I think this also pays homage to the growing amounts of blood in certain horror films such as Saw and Hostel.

The satire in the film was a bit off and in a lot of times I thought I was watching a parody rather than a slasher flick. There were some scenes that I just thought were plain ridiculous.

Now, to get to the cast and acting. It featured a great cast of seasoned Scream actors and newcomers. I love how Neve Campbell has this attitude to her that she’s scared, but she toughs it out, but she is still scared shitless. I also love how the newcomers really got into the role. They didn’t try to be your typical dumb blonde with big tits, but instead they would scream and yell and try to fight off but they still had their guts ripped out.

Scream 4 really is an improvement of the last film, but you don’t fuck with the original. I give this film a 3 out of 5 and it’s out now in theatres. For the die hard Scream and horror fans, I highly recommend it, but for you guys who watched all three the week before this film came out, don’t watch it.

8 Mile (2002)

“Every moment is another chance”

Everybody has a goal. No doubt about that. But there is always something that is always trying to prevent you from achieving that goal. Sounds kind of like a movie right? A movie about making it big. With a rapper? Sounds good.

8 Mile is the 2002 film starring Eminem as Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith Jr. whose main goal in life is to become a rapper, but every time he goes up on stage “he drops bombs and he keeps on forgetting” and chokes. But the film dives deeper into his love life, his family life, and his everyday life in Detroit, Michigan.

When I first heard of this film in third grade, I was under the impression that this film was actually based in Eminem’s life; mostly because of the subject and the setting of the film. And then I read that the film was about a man’s goal in life (not based on Eminem) that was blocked by a geological, and psychological, border, 8 mile. However, despite the few mentions of an actual 8 mile in the film, I did not gather that this border of Detroit prevented Rabbit of accomplishing his goal. What I actually did gather was that there was this man with a goal in life but had to overcome other problems. To me, it was basically another week in the life of a hoodlum, but with some sort of twist.

He had this goal of becoming a man and forgetting about his past life. He loved his friends, but he didn’t. He loved his family, but he didn’t. His excuse to escape was becoming a musician. Music was pure escapism, not entertainment.

Eminem really surprised me in this role. He proved that he wasn’t just a great rapper, but also a good actor. It also sucks that he hasn’t gotten any new film roles. Kim Basinger also did a good job in her role as an alcoholic single mom. She pretty much is white trash. I read this review that she didn’t seem like someone who would live in a trailer, but that’s why it’s called acting. And she actually portrayed someone who seemed like they shoot up heroin every day and live on the streets eating the bird shit off the floor. Oh, and Brittany Murphy was also…very good. I don’t want to criticize her without feeling really bad.

8 Mile is a well made drama about getting priorities out of the way to escape your problems. It teaches people to take things in life and turn it into factors of your own escape, not something that you enjoy. I give the film a 4 out of 5 and you can buy it on DVD or watch it instantly on Netflix.

The Orphanage (2007)

“No secret stays locked away forever.”

You build a life with secrets and everything seems to be okay. But soon, those secrets need to be unearthed. And sometimes, they result in a very tragic loss that drives you to your darkest fears.

The Orphanage is a 2007 Spanish horror film about a woman who moves her family into the orphanage she grew up in as a child. After a strange visit from a social worker regarding the adoption of her son and his illness, mysterious occurrences start to happen that result in the disappearance of her son. Soon after, the mother starts a frantic search for her son that reveals a horrifying secret of her home.

Horror films today often are sequels or remakes that deal with killers and ridiculous amounts of blood. But this film really does deliver the terror. At times, it’s really creepy. It’s something like a classic haunted house movie like The Haunted, but with a twist.

The story to me was very simple but had an interesting hook. It seems that there was more to the story once the son went missing. What brought alive the story was obviously the acting. The actress who played the mother was very good and going crazy and what not. It’s usually the real moms who bring the terror to the screen when playing this type of character.

The scary scenes didn’t really happen until the last third of the film. The mother brings alive the orphanage to ask the little kids where her son is. And sure enough, the ghosts start to appear. It’s these very small moments that send chills down your spine.

The Orphanage is a frightful film that has some very gothic thriller elements laid out in them. I give it a 4 out of 5 and you can buy it on DVD or watch on Netflix.

Knife in the Water (1962)

“Looking for this?”

Never pick up a hitchhiker.

Knife in the Water is critically acclaimed Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski’s debut feature. It follows a couple on a bright summer morning who reluctantly pick up a hitchhiker. After much talk between the characters, the husband invites the young man to join them on their boat trip for the day. What follows is a very claustrophobic sailing trip where both men vie for the women’s sexual attention.

Knowing Polanski and his knack for psychological horror, this film to me was at first a disappointment. But, I need a film to sink in, and when it did I suddenly realized the tension that was growing between the husband and the hitchhiker. They had a rivalry going on between the film and both tried to, I guess play some sort of game, where they would win the wife.

I felt really claustrophobic while watching this movie. Most of the entire film takes place on a boat in the middle of the sea. And it gets worse when they resort to the little room of the boat due to heavy rain. The way that Polanski directed these scenes revealed a very tight, closed setting where there wasn’t enough room for both guys, just one for the wife; this closed setting really brought out the tension and the suspense building up to the fate of the hitchhiker, and the climax as well.

The acting in this film was average, I guess. There wasn’t really nothing big to act on. It wasn’t a drama to cry in or a horror film to scream in, but it was a film to fight in. The husband’s character was mean and dominating over the hitchhiker, treating him like a slave and always insulting him that he wasn’t good for anything. Meanwhile, the hitchhiker would take this treatment, only to impress the wife, who, by the way, just sat by idly and seemed to enjoy the competition. In other words, she was a whore.

Knife in the Water is considered one of the best debut films of a director and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1963 Academy Awards. It is a well made film with rival and sexual themes. I give it a 5 out of 5 and you can buy it now on DVD or on Netflix.

Dogtooth (2010)

“Canine”

We all think our parents are the worst parents in the world. They never let you go out and they’re always keeping you on surveillance and what not. But always, you never ever know how lucky you really are.

Dogtooth is the disturbingly hilarious Greek drama about a husband and wife who keep their three children locked up in their gated home. The three children – who are not given names but instead referred to as “the eldest” or “the youngest” – are forced to keep within the home’s perimeter and compete in “games” where whomever is named winner gets certain prizes, such as picking the night’s entertainment. However, the kids create their own little alternate universe, which started to get shattered once their father – who is by the way the only one who leaves the premises to work at a factory – brings in an outsider set out to cure the only boy’s sexual urges.

This film is very, very odd and disturbing. The children are very much older, the youngest being around her mid teens and the oldest perhaps even in her twenties. The lack of knowledge they had bothered me because they knew virtually nothing. Whenever they would hear a word associated with “the outside”, their parents would create their own definitions, for example “zombie” is “a little yellow flower” and “pussy” is “a light switch”.

Very, very disturbing.

The title refers to the body part that determines when a person is finally able to venture out to the world, according to the parents. Throughout the whole film, each child tries their best to be the “winner” and be the first to basically escape their prison-esque life.

While considered a satire, I find the humor to be very subtle and not very directly stated. I would instead smile whenever something ridiculous (but not funny in the traditional sense) is on scene. And in a way, it does very much ridicule, I guess you can say, overprotective and overbearing parents.

Dogtooth is by the far the best film I’ve seen from 2010 (although it was released in Greece in 2009) and an outstanding achievement in foreign cinema and cinema in general history. I give this very strange yet brilliant film a congratulating 5 out of 5, and you can catch it now on DVD or Netflix.

Irreversible (2002)

"Time Destroys Everything"

Time is very pivotal and shouldn’t be played with or not taken granted for. A lot can happen in a night, even in five minutes. One second you’re in this vibrant mood, and the next you’re in this revenge mode.

The film Irreversible takes place in one night in the city of Paris. The story is told in reverse chronological order. The story is about two men who set out to get revenge on a man who raped one of the man’s girlfriends. It’s told in thirteen different scenes.

I absolutely loved this movie. One thing I enjoyed was the cinematography. In the beginning scenes, the camera was very shaky and constantly twisting and turning, which is guaranteed to cause motion sickness. The direction that Brazilian director Gaspar Noe took was also a very helpful contribution. He portrayed this fun Paris night as an everyday you or I might have. He then turns it into a very horrific tragedy that results in a even more tragic outcome. But because of the non-linear narrative, this is reversed.

The music was also very good. In the beginning sequence, the electronic beats that were playing in the midst of anger and impatience were superb. The artist was Thomas Bangalter, who also in the music group Daft Punk.

This film is considered the most controversial film of 2002, and maybe one the most of this past decade. Halfway through the film, a very brutal rape scene happens. I honestly didn’t have a huge problem with it, but when I started to think about actual rape, it hit really hard. The scene lasted around nine minutes and was by far the most important scene in the film. Also featured in the film was a lot of gratuitous content, from homosexual S&M bars to unsimulated oral sex. Although very experimental, I think this film doesn’t cross that thin line between art and porn.

This film was very well made, but it was a little too much for me with the camerawork and the sexual content. I give the film a 4.5 out of 5 and you can purchase it on DVD or watch it on Netflix.

Mary and Max (2009)

“Sometimes perfect strangers make best friends.”

I’ve always wanted a pen pal, but not one from online. I’d rather have one by mail. Although, it’s kind of a risk now with all the child molesters and everything, however, sometimes perfect strangers can become the best of friends over the course of years.

Mary and Max is a stop-motion animation film about a little Australian girl, Mary (Toni Collette), who starts a friendship with a New Yorker, Max (Philip Seymour Hoffman), after sending him a letter asking where babies come from in America. The two then start sending each other letters, with their life usually being explained and narrated by the letters they write.

The one thing I love about this film is the animation. To me, films have a greater effect with animation or full on CGI special effects. The stop motion animation added a more child-like feeling to it, almost nostalgic because it reminded me of films such as James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare Before Christmas. However, this isn’t for the kids; there are a lot of mature themes that are discussed and explored in the film.

The overall mood of the film really brought alive some childhood trauma of bullying, loneliness, etc. Mary is a little with neglectful parents and no friends, while Max is a much older autistic man who also has no friends. Because the film took place in the 1970s, the only means of communication were by mail, which in me did spark up some pre-technological good ol’ days. What also really matched the mood was the animation, which was made very dark and had a very messy setting. Australia was really sunny and just seemed too much of a hell hole, while New York looked like a city overrun by the homeless people. Now this is a compliment and brings out a realization that even in the darkest times, great friendships can emerge.

Voice over isn’t necessarily acting, but it should be given acknowledgement. Hoffman really does give a good job voicing over the role of Max. The facial expressions that the character has and the way he handles things under stresse is given more light due to the tone of Hoffman. Collette also gives a perfect job, voicing over a really gentle tone to very fragile yet vigilant woman.

Mary and Max is a very sweet film that might remind you of a past or current, yet old, friendship. With great animation, mood, and voicing acting, I give the film a 4.5 out of 5 and you can buy it now on DVD (also on Netflix).

Ken Park (2002)

"From the director of Kids"

The thin line between art and pornography has been challenged between artists all around the world in cinema. Honestly, the one filmmaker who passes this line into borderline pornography has got to be Larry Clark. Clark’s debut feature film Kids caused a whole bunch of controversy surrounding the extreme graphic sex of the film. Apparently, his graphic depiction of teen sex and life has gotten way worse.

Ken Park follows the lives of four friends after the suicide of a character in the beginning. It also follows their relationships with their dysfunctional families in their California hometown. The film’s themes include sexuality, incest, and murder. The title doesn’t come from a location but is in fact the name of a character. His death is used as a plot device at the end of the film.

This movie is what you would call an art film or an experimental film. But it’s nothing but pure exploitation. The actors, whom are all above eighteen, all participated in unsimulated sex scenes, which are actual sex scenes. I am a fan of art films, which mostly explore sex, but this film wasn’t entertaining at all, just very vile. It was also very sick to see these actors, who looked no older the 16, do these acts. All in all, the sexual content was too awful to be even considered pornography.

The film was directed by Larry Clark, as mentioned, and features his trademark vile disgust for adults; it seems that his films only focus on teenagers. His “specialty” on featuring controversial themes and casting unknown actors does grant him some respect for the art, but it is his crossing of the aforementioned line that loses our respect for him.

Ken Park really doesn’t satisfy the average filmgoer, and I don’t recommend it. I give the film a disappointing 2 out of 5. By the way, due to a argue between the director and the film’s distributor, the film was never released in America, so fortunately, you can’t purchase the DVD.

Suspiria (1977)

“The Only Thing More Terrifying Than the Last 12 Minutes Of This Film Are The First 92.”

If you think Black Swan made dancing a grotesque art, then you’ve obviously never seen this.

Suspiria is Dario Argento’s great giallo masterpiece. The film follows young Suzy Bannion, an American dancer, who enrolls in a prestigious German dancing school. From the start, things aren’t what they seem. After much speculation and investigation, Suzy eventually discovers the truth behind the school and its administration.

Argento is very well-known in the Italian giallo scene and this film really did garner him critical attention. One perfect thing about this film is the score, which was done by the Italian progressive-rock group the Goblins. The music was very chilling to the max; guaranteed to make you shiver. What went well with the music were the chills that Argento gave throughout the film. They could have been strange noises, weird occurrences, or the discovery of something sinister. Whatever the case, the scares were perfect when backed up by the score.

The film was one of the last to use three-strip Technicolor, resulting in beautiful in-your-face colors, most notably red. The red was very lavish, very bright and attention seeking. With the cinematography capturing very bright colors and angles, the film was basically a Walt Disney horror film. It was actually reported that Argento wanted the film to be almost like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and if you watch the film closely you can actually see that. The murder scenes featured bright red blood and just beautiful grotesque deaths.

Another obvious factor as to why this film is so good is the direction that Argento took. It’s was very stylized and seemed a little too ahead of itself, while also having elements alluding to older cinema. Argento really can’t purposely mess up a film.

One thing that this film lacked was a good script and acting. The original script featured younger girls. However, due to the content of the film, the ages were increased, but the dialogue and actions of the girls were kept the same, resulting in the acting being almost immaturely. Also, the dubbing was slightly awkward.

With beautiful cinematography, direction, and music, Suspiria will surely get you hooked. I give the film a 3.5 out of 5 and you can go buy it now on DVD.

Play Time (1967)

“It’s Tati’s world. We’re just living in it.”

Creativity releases from your mind and can achieve its goal of attracting others. To me, film is my visual medium of expressing my thoughts and feelings to other people, and French director Jacques Tati believes that as well.

In Tati’s Play Time, the lives of two international people converge in a modernistic setting of Paris, France. Barbara is an American tourist who is simply surprised about the gadgets and inventive technology of the city. Monsieur Hulot is a French businessman who has a series of adventures and encounters throughout the day. The two people meet each other in six different sequences.

The whole setting of the film, Tativille, was created by Tati himself. The film is considered Tati’s most daring film. Although I haven’t seen any of his other films, I really noticed the risk of making this. It was in production for about three years (1964-1967) and featured little dialogue. It didn’t have a plot. It instead told a story of these two people meeting and going through a day, encountering unfamiliar buildings, gadgets, etc.

The film featured a variety of characters, including the group of American women tourists and the French businessmen. It was kind of hard to watch due to the lack of a plot; there was nothing to pay attention to or observe. However, there were scenes that were very entertaining and oddly humorous. It is considered a satire. In one scene, an older worker at a building is having troubled working a machine. He later comments on it negatively, sparking up older people’s reaction to the growing technological advances. Also because of the architecture and fashion of the set, it looks like a futuristic world. Sort of like a preview of what the world would like.

Play Time is very detailed in an almost minimalist way. It features great art direction, cinematography, acting, and, although it was a little hard to watch and felt time-consuming, it’s really not. This experimental film really did surprise me. I give it a 4.5 out of 5 and it is out now on DVD.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

“Drink from me and live forever”

Vampires today aren’t as cool as they used to be. They glitter and have romances rather suck blood. Honestly, I hate it. I miss the gothic tales of redemption and the horrors it is to be a vampire. Sucks that doesn’t exist anymore.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a well-made film adaptation of Anne’s Rice novel Interview with the Vampire in which Louis, played by Brad Pitt, gives his epic life story to a young journalist, played by Christian Slater. In his story he opens up about his past life, his maker, and his struggles at becoming a vampire. He overcame problems and troubles with his maker Lestat, played by Tom Cruise, and his “daughter” Claudia, played by Kirsten Dunst.

One thing I loved about this film is the direction that Neil Jordan took. It was so atmospheric. It reminded me of old classic horror films, most notably Nosferatu. One great addition to the direction is the soundtrack and chilling gothic thrills. The music was so loud and very moving to every scene. It strongly supported the thrills and scares that this film had. The thrills were amazing and made the film really fun to watch and made it more appealing.

To me, the film picked up a lot on plot and characters when Kirsten Dunst came in. Dunst plays Claudia, a very young girl who is made a vampire by Louis and Lestat. The story then turned into a gothic thriller, focusing on the relationship of Louis and Claudia. That’s also where the other elements, such as betrayal and loneliness, came in.

Despite the strong cast of characters, the acting was a bit off. Tom Cruise personified his role just as every other role. His seriousness was often unnoticed; I always thought he was trying to be funny. Now with Pitt, he seemed a little too out of it. Louis was the reluctant one. He didn’t want to drink blood or kill people, and Pitt was able to portray that, but he got way into character and often, I thought that he wasn’t such a big character in the film even though he was the main character.

By the way, I loved the costumes.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles was a well made film with a great soundtrack and wonderful direction. However, it wasn’t fully faithful to its original source and I can’t say I liked the acting. I give the film a 3 out of 5 and you can buy it now on DVD.

Un Chien Andalou (1929)

“A Recorded Dream”

By far the strangest film to play on my laptop, besides 2girls1cup, Un Chien Andalou is Spanish filmmaker’s Luis Buñuel's first film.

The film does not have a plot. Instead, the narrative is that of some sort of dream sequence involving a young woman and what appears to be her lover. It opens with the young woman in a very intense scene, and what follows are sequences that unfold and probably have a meaning, but they’re all just open to interpretation. The silent film also didn’t include any dialogue cards, making it hard to comprehend the scenes. But that wasn’t the only problem. Being Buñuel’s first film, it very much indeed started his career in experimental filmmaking and set the style he would have in his later films. It was very well received and was a favorite during the avant-garde movement in the 1920s.

It set the standard for avant-garde, art, or experimental films, and is a very huge influence on cinema in general. This fifteen minute short film is sure to move you and I give it a 5 out of 5.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

“There are no clean getaways”

Hell no; especially when you’ve stumbled on a drug deal gone wrong and stole about 2 million dollars in cash.

If people stole money from me, I’ll hunt them down until they’re dead and also until I got my money back.

In No Country for Old Men, Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn, a hunter who stumbles upon a suitcase full of 100 dollar bills. He returns to the scene of the crime and his hunted down by the Mexicans who were the ones that set up the drug scene gone wrong. Soon after, he is being hunted. Not by a man, or a woman, not a human. What’s hunting him down is pure horrifying evil, in the form of a man.

No Country for Old Men is another great story from Joel and Ethan Coen, otherwise known as the Coen brothers, otherwise known as the “two-headed” directors. They tell a simple cat-and-mouse game from Hell, but there’s so much suspense and little dialogue that really turn this simple chase movie into a hardcore thriller. Little basic techniques create such a tense setting that same to have affected the audience more than Llewelyn.

The acting was also very superb. I have to praise Javier Bardem’s amazingly insane performance as Anton Chigurh. Chigurh was apparently the leader of the aforementioned drug deal and was the one hunting Llewelyn. It was him that brought alive the chase of the scene. It was his monstrous, yet very calm, attitude and personality that did the trick and tensed every single individual who saw the movie. Other great portrayals were from the other main cast, Tommy Lee Jones as Sherriff Ed Tom Bell, who had this attitude that he had given up on saving his community due to the increasing violence the world has taken; and Josh Brolin as Llewelyn, who never gave up, had courage built up, and always stood up for himself and never backed down.

This film is really truly a great story of a cat-and-mouse game told through the four eyes of the Coen brothers. It shows that they simply can’t make a horrible movie, even if they tried to. With terrific acting, a wonderful script, and pitch-perfect directing, I reward this film with a 5 out of 5 and you can own it now on DVD.

127 Hours (2010)

“Every second counts”

Another Oscar movie. Another good review.

Whenever you’re put in a very hard situation, like getting your arm stuck between a wall and a boulder, you cannot waste time on anything at all. There’s a lot things you need to gather and think about and then you need to take action. If you don’t… well then you’ll probably just die.

127 Hours is the latest film from critically acclaimed British filmmaker Danny Boyle. It’s a true story of Aron Ralston, a hiker, who sets out to the Utah desert without telling anyone where he was going and gets stuck in a very narrow crevice with a boulder smashed on his right arm. After getting stuck, Ralston, who was played by the ever so talented James Franco, starts to rethink his past life and mistakes and has some mild visual hallucinations. If you know Ralston’s story, then you obviously know how it’s going to work out.

This film explores the last hours of someone’s life. What’s even more extraordinary is that these last hours actually happened. According to Ralston, the film was a very true account of what really took place and that it felt like a documentary. I like how it didn’t take a psychological direction, in other words where they explored Ralston’s psyche and he started going crazy. Instead, Ralston was able to keep a little sane; he had this little one on one in interview with himself to his Canon camcorder, but that’s okay. There was also a humor side to it, and James Franco’s silly facial expressions and comical antics really do lift the spirits of the audience who have cringed with claustrophobia. That’s another thing, if you don’t like bugs, are claustrophobic, and squeamish, you’ve been warned.

I love the photography of this film. Also the editing. It was very fast and looked like a little kid’s YouTube video. Also the way the desert was played out as a character created a huge good conquers evil scenario. Ralston’s philosophy about his fate with the boulder in the last act really supports my analysis. One thing about this movie is the way it was able to play out with most of the film being Ralston stuck with the boulder. To me…I was skeptic. But, because of the buzz it’s getting, I knew that it had to have been perfectly told and directed. I mean it’s Danny Boyle.

I have to praise James Franco for his performance. He was just spectacular, funny, charismatic, his usual goofy self. I also have to praise the cinematography and the directing. The hallucinations and flashbacks add to the plot and create a more dramatic story then “It’s about a guy who gets stuck in the desert”. Nobody’s going to watch that.

I give the film a 4.5 out of 5 and it’s out now in theatres.

The Ring (2002)

“Before you die, you see the ring.”

I would rather have my life flash before my eyes.

Seeing the ring must be horrible. I wonder how it feels to die. I wonder if it hurts. It’s very mysterious, and very creepy. The nature of it all is mysterious and creepy. This reaction can also be said for The Ring, a movie that explores a really pissed off girl.

The film starts off with two teenage girls watching TV one night. The night turns to a uneasy setting when one of the girls mentions a tape that when you watch, you are called on the phone and a voice says that you’ll die in seven days. This changes the other girl’s attitude for the night, and by the end, she is mysteriously killed. Naomi Watts, the aunt of the murdered girl, Katie, is asked by her grieving sister to find out what happened to her daughter. So Watts’ character, Rachel, who happens to be a journalist, sets out along with her former lover and father of her child to find out of the workings of the tape and where it originated. But she doesn’t time; she too saw the video.

The Ring started off right in the middle of the action. It didn’t show the two girls at the start of the night, it didn’t introduce any character officially, it just showed them in the middle of their conversation just prior to Katie’s horrifying demise. After the opening scene, the tone stuck until the end. It was a dramatic look at a woman’s attempt to solve her niece’s murder, but it suddenly turned into a fight for survival. To me, this sudden turn of events can be interpreted into a classic MacGuffin, where a plot element that catches the character’s attention (Katie’s mysterious death) fades out, but comes back to the climax (the realization of the young girl in the well).

The little gore in the film proves yet again that blood doesn’t drive a person to scream and be afraid. If you were ever scared of this film…bravo. If you weren’t, then you have succumbed to Hollywood’s unnecessary method of scaring their viewers, which by the way is sad and tragic; I would hate to be you.

The Ring will get in your skin and start to crawl underneath it. It’s very chilling and does a perfect job of having such a supernatural murder mystery. I give the film a 3 out of 5 and it is out now on DVD.

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

“What is a ghost?”

Everybody loves a good ghost story. The best ones are the local ones; the ones that took place in your house, your school, or even your neighborhood. But the scariest and most complex are the foreign ones. They revolve around scandals…and orphanages.

In The Devil’s Backbone, a little boy Carlos goes to an orphanage in Spain during the Spanish Civil War in 1939. There he meets a mean janitor, a bully, and a ghost. The ghost is a subject not too discussed between the kids, but they know all about it. Some even know way too much. This frightens the staff and orphans, as well as the bomb that was dropped in the center of the orphanage. The bomb didn’t explode, but it is ticking. The janitor, Jacinto, was a former orphan, but now that he’s older, he now works there. He despises the place and knows of a stash of gold hidden in the orphanage, so he manipulates the one-legged headmistress so he can gain access to the vault.

The film was written, directed, and produced by the great Mexican filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro, who is known for his political allegories and dark subject matter. While the film doesn’t revolve entirely on the ghost or bomb, the two themes really support the whole plot and the latter part of the film. Upon first encountering the ghost, Carlos is told by him “Many of you will die”. With the bomb in the courtyard and war escalating, the ghost’s prediction seems very accurate. Meanwhile, the real danger is taking place in the late hours of the night.

The title is taken from a Spanish superstition. A child born with a “devil’s backbone” is deemed to be alone, parentless, or a “nobody’s child”. It reflects the main antagonist during the second half.

The film had great scares. Any scene with the ghost was very eerie. The sight of the character is frightening enough to send a shiver down one’s spine. Another scary thing is the way the kids toy around with the ghost story and joke about it. They’re little orphan kids who are isolated; they are only half-aware of the war and what’s going to happen to them.

All in all, the plot of the film is a little unnoticed, as new things start to get picked up, especially in the second half. It’s almost a wonder of what it is. Del Toro really knows how to perfectly intertwine horror with romance, producing a very eerie gothic thriller. I give the film a 4 out of 5 and it’s out now on DVD.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

“I see dead people”

Little kids; they’re so annoying. Some of them actually have intelligence and are pretty reasonable. Some need hitting, some need a hug, and only a few, like 1%, need guidance…because they see dead people.

The Sixth Sense was M. Night Shyamalan’s first film in which he wrote, produced, and directed. The film follows a little boy Cole Sear, played by Haley Joel Osment, who knows way too much. He’s a bullied kid and he starts to get counseled by the equally troubled child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis. Each character has their own problems in life, but Dr. Crowe gives up when Cole reveals his deep dark secret.

The movie was a real shocker, from the unforgettable opening scene to the equally unforgettable climax. Shyamalan really does create a very eerie atmosphere around this one. It’s a ghost story with an unusual character in the backdrop of an unusual Pittsburgh neighborhood. Shyamalan’s great directing skills however really paid off with the young Haley Joel Osment. He wasn’t some child star who wanted the attention. He was in the I’m-going-to-act-natural attitude and it really worked. I think he went off a little too unnoticed by the general public. Another great acting contribution is Toni Collette, who played Cole’s struggling mother Lynn. She deals with every parent’s worst nightmare, adding more depth to this thriller.

The whole story is very real to every kid. As a kid, you start to realize the hate the other kids in school have. You always say that you’re the outcast, the lonely kid, and that you need attention. Cole really played that part right. He was the kid “making up stories”. I don’t think this was an intention by Shyamalan, but it’s what I gathered. Also, the kid’s relationship to his psychologist was a bit ironic and reversal; Dr. Crowe seemed to be the one feeding off Cole’s indirect advice. It helped though in the end and played the part of the resolution.

The Sixth Sense is a creepy movie that gives you goosebumps at the visuals. It’s played out very well and with the good cast, script, and direction, I give the film a 3.5 out of 5. You can buy the film on DVD now.