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CineRobot
Reviews
Okie Noodling (2001)
fish like a man!
My dad used to work with this guy when he worked for the railroad who was missing part of his pinky finger. Both his hands would sometimes be riddled with scabs and scrapes when I'd see him while visiting my father at the depot. He was a noodler. Cuts, scrapes, missing digits and toes (he also had less toe than normal because of his hobby) are all part of what it means to be a noodler. What is noodling? It is the little known art of catching giant sized catfish with nothing but your bare hands and feet while submerging yourself in muddy creeks, rivers and lakes and letting the catfish clamp down on whatever it feels like chomping. It's part fishing, part swimming, part hunting, part wrestling and part crazy to the uninitiated.
Okie Noodling is a terrific slice of Americana documentary that flaunts its ruralness with pride. I'm an Okie, born and raised in the eastern part of the state. I've never noodled but have relatives who do and have dined on their catch willingly and with glee at the tastiness of the catfish fried up good and right. I like the fact that Okie Noodling was obviously made by Oklahomans who never condescend or wink smugly to the camera as sometimes happens with Americana based docs. Music by The Flaming Lips too.
Raye makhfi (2001)
appealing Iranian film
I liked Secret ballot. It's similar to most Iranian films (even though it was written/directed by an Iranian/Canadian from Toronto) as it takes this wildly simplistic idea and then forms a story around it.
Secret Ballot is about a lot of things: the chaotic election process in Iran, the women/men relationships there, the isolation of rural areas and the role of women in Iranian society. That's four, you could probably find more if you wanted. A woman college age shows up at an outpost remote from cities and people and takes a sloth like soldier along looking for people willing to vote. It's harder to find voters than she thinks it might be as a lot of folks just don't want anything to do w/ the woman or casting a vote for the democracy that she touts ceaselessly. Secret Ballot has a good deal of sly, quiet moments and its this intelligent astuteness that I liked the most about it. I also enjoyed the harsh, remote terrain the film is set. The entire cast is full of non-pros who have never acted before and they do a fine job and are natural throughout. I especially liked the soldier who seems almost catatonic he's so slow talking. This is a very typical Iranian film: simple, slowish, extremely long and drawn out takes and full of non actors and real people. Plus it's a sly satire that has its own charms.
Super 8 Stories (2001)
mostly for the fans
Madman Yugoslav director EMIR KUSTERICA (UNDERGROUND, BLACK CAT WHITE CAT) makes a documentary about touring w/ the band NO SMOKING ORCHESTRA throughout Europe. Emir actually plays guitar w/ the band, stogie firmly clamped between his teeth, hat perched on his head. This doesn't give a lot of insight on the band or the way they write their music as we see a lot of various concert footage and then brief interviews w/ the 10 or so who make up the band. NSO play this unhinged fusion of rock, jazz, gypsy and dirge funeral music w/ instruments such as guitars, tuba, violin, accordion and sax all swirling in and around each other. Some of the music I liked, some I didn't. Too much sax and too much bad vocals by the lead singer. NSO do have a tremendous amount of energy on stage and the audience seems to love them as they play to large, enthusiastic crowds. Lots and lots of super grainy super 8 which was neat. Worth seeing for doc, music or Kusterica fans (has a couple of funny scenes w/ Emir trying to wrestle shirtless w/ the beefier drummer who is I believe his son).
Uzumaki (2000)
the power of spirals
Horror movie time, Japanese style. Uzumaki/Spiral was a total freakfest from start to finish. A fun freakfest at that, but at times it was a tad too reliant on kitsch rather than the horror. The story is difficult to summarize succinctly: a carefree, normal teenage girl starts coming face to face w/ extremely disturbing events as the small town she lives in seems to come under the control of spirals. The spirals are everywhere, in the air, clouds, dirt and everyday objects. The spirals take control of people and bad things will happen to them. Oh, another thing, people are randomly turning into snails. Why? Who knows or cares, people are turning into snails, that's enough for me. This wasn't as much scary as just creepy as it doesn't have a lot of suspense or jarring attacks as horror films often do. Uzumaki prefers to creep and crawl (like a snail might!) rather than to jolt. A favorite scene: a woman lies sleeping in a hospital room when this long, thousand legged centipede creature makes its way into the room and slowly up the bed post, across the sheets, over the pillow and into her sleeping ear. I cringed and curled my toes. Uzumaki has a handful of scenes really violent but that are sort of humorous as well. For example, a man is obsessed w/ spirals, he gets into his washer because he sees a spiral in it when it spins, he commits spiral suicide inside the washer. The last shot we see of him is w/ his body all coiled & rubber like, a human flesh spiral w/ a engorged single eye blinking in the middle of the washer. A bizarre image. Uzumaki has a blatant psychodelic slant to it which adds to its charm and fun. I love horror movies like this. It's not about killing, a la slasher films, it's about a force of evil (the spirals!) taking over you and trying to kill you, force you to kill others. Films like Uzumaki prove that there are many ways to make a horror film and thank goodness for that
Bartleby (2001)
wonderfully weird world of bartleby
This was a wonderfully weird film based on a Melville short story and starring the genuinely strange CRISPIN HELLION GLOVER as Bartleby. A public records office needs a new employee and the only person to respond to the ad is Bartleby. He's odd when hired and gets even odder when he starts to refuse to work or talk to the boss or co-workers. DAVID PAYMER plays the confused, frustrated boss who has no clue his wordy, vamp of a secretary likes him or how to deal w/ the bizarre Bartleby. What to do if someone who refuses to work? Fire them? Bartleby refuses to accept that firing and just keeps staring at the air conditioning vent that he's obsessed with. This is a strange little film w/ a great theremin score and production design that captures the hellishly tacky claustrophobic office environs to a t. Good cast of oddballs (even w/ JOE PISCAPO!). Glover is perfect as Bartleby. He barely speaks, is unable to make eye contact or conversation, is ghostly pale as he repeats his mantra of "I would prefer not to." If this were a big Hollywood summer movie, "I would prefer" would be the catch phrase of the moment. Heck, I might start saying it and see if it catches on. If your in the mood for a strange little comedy then check Bartleby out + it's a must for Glover fans!