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AlanMusician
Reviews
Ginga tetsudô Three-Nine (1979)
Will put you under its spell
This movie can be criticized as not having the hipness or technical quality of anime films today, but it is the depth of the story and passion of the art that make it such a classic. I'm not a big anime fan, and this is the only anime film I've seen that I would want to watch more than once.
The story is a wonderful and surrealistic coming-of-age type allegory. Despite elements common to science fiction (man vs. machine, hero setting out to avenge his parent's death), it stays free of cliche and retains an air of realism, or true surrealism. Almost all of the characters are more memorable and unique than most main characters in other anime films.
One of the unique things about this film is the way it conveys emotion so powerfully. I can't really define what gives it this quality, but it is extremely moving, like a good symphony or vast impressionistic landscape. The only other films I can think of (at the moment anyways) that have this quality would be the Godfather films.
In conclusion, anyone who appreciates what science fiction is about should see this film. It's a rare treat.
Le Cinquième Élément (1997)
Sleek, fun, intentional B-Movie
This movie is a mix of a spoof and and homage, to both sci-fi and pop culture. I found it hilarious with great eye candy, a real treat to watch. Think of it as a 90s kaleidescope of various traditions, cliches, and conventions, in a silly framework of America's favorite medium, science fiction. In essence, it's an intentional b-movie of the 90s.
First of all, 90% of this movie is a reference/spoof/homage to *something*, either in pop culture or science fiction. Many of the devices are drawn from not only B sci-fi of it's decade, but also heavily from 50s-70s sci-fi short stories, of which I happen to be a huge fan. For example, the little robots cleaning up the mess is almost perfectly as described by Ray Bradbury, and even Zorg's speech (slightly modified) in that scene is drawn from a mid-60s Hugo winner, by an author whose name escapes me.
The culture references are equally engaging. I love the Thai ship, McDonalds, Ruby Rod, etc. Several of them are double references, also. Some day I'm going to sit down and make a complete list of every reference in the script and film... then again, I'll prolly never have that much time on my hands.
There is alot of quite intentional campiness. Think about this for a moment: if they could do the visuals for so many of the great-looking scenes, why do the Mangalores looked so stupid? I think it's hilarious how sleek everything is, but the Mangalores look like something out of an old Star Trek episode. Zorg embodies the 90s cliched badguy perfectly (I mean come on, he's named Zorg), yet Oldman still manages to creep me out with his psychopathically blank eyes.
This movie isn't about humans being made to love, or war being evil, it's about the silliness of American culture. The whole love theme and the second-thought morality are things mandated in B-movies; You couldn't possible do a 90s mélange without it.
Comparing this to Star Wars is ridiculous, but I hazard another comparison: I think this movie has done for sci-fi what the Austin Powers movies did for spy movies. It makes us laugh at ourselves, and yet at the same time feel for the characters. I love this movie for the memories, the laughs, the music, and the rhythm, and I think as time passes it will be even more fun to look back on as the decade I grew up in.
Le pacte des loups (2001)
A sadly underrated, beautiful historical fantasy destined for cult status
It's almost a sure bet that someday this film will re-surface as one of the greatest cult classics of the double-aught decade. Incorrectly labeled a horror film, it is actually an, albiet violent, entrancing action-adventure film with vibrant and mesmerizing cinematography.
Mostly free of the clichés with are so common in American films, the story-telling is involving and classical. It's progression is almost story-book style, yet with the realism of the unexpected. Symbolism abounds without a direct attempt to be deep. The story left me considering the fine line between supernatural and superstition.
Both the characters of M. Fronsac and Mani are brilliantly written and well-played. Samuel Le Bihan's performance of the transformation from the less driven, more frivolous attitude to the furious, deadly bearing of an assassin is excellent. Dacascos oozes coolness in the movie's opening fight, which has a raw power and distinct style.
This brings me around to the fighting. The comparisons with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Matrix (or really any Kung Fu movie), in my opinion, are completely ridiculous. Although punches and kicks fly in abundance, it's more brutal and emotion driven then the calculating, lightening fast fu fighting you usually see.
The cinematography has something of an oil-painting feel, completing the story-book atmosphere.
In conclusion, I think the American response to this movie displays just how blind we can be to things outside our culture. Once again, we begin to calculate it's mileage, only to realize we should be thinking in kilometers. It's things like this that create future cult classics, but in the meantime, don't miss out: watch this film, and remember to keep both eyes open.
The Four Feathers (2002)
Decent film, but not as good as it wants to be
First of all, let me say I enjoyed certain parts of this movie alot. It was worth the price of the ticket, but I don't think it would be for everyone.
I'll go into the cons first, since they're a bit more prominent. First and foremost, it tries much to hard to be both and epic, and a drama. It downright gets in your face and yells "I'm an epic drama! Ain't I special?" What I mean, is lots of slow motion (even the sound goes slow mo sometimes), the traditional (and unoriginal) sweeping panoramic shots, most of which serve no artistic point, and lots of trying-very-hard-to-be-grisly style gore. The problem is, it has a double standard. It feels like alot of the character development has been cut, there is no real moral point, so neither the drama nor the epic really comes through.
The story would be good, but just as you start to get drawn in, there's an overplayed dramatic shot in sloooowmoooootttttiion that rather serves to remind you that there's a human behind it all who is trying really hard to make it dramatic. It's all just enough contrived to keep you detached.
The cinematography is seriously lacking in originality, and especially glares after Road to Perdition and Signs' incredible styles. As someone else stated, some shots are very poorly pasted together, also.
Last of all, there are several minor plot-holes and things that are never quite explained, most of which are hard to describe without spoilers. One minor one I can probably get away with is when the main shoots a guy with the last bullet in his gun, then later retreats from a guy on horse-back, *right past the guy he just shot without bothering to grab the man's gun* and ends up instead in an unarmed fight with the guy. He could have just grabbed the gun, turned around and blown the guy off his horse.
For the pros, there are some *really* nice scenes and one decent, if slightly predictable, plot twist. The main trio of the film all have some of their best acting in this film, also. All around, really, the acting is good. The core story is a great concept, even if you feel like you're missing quite a bit of it. I haven't seen the original, by the way, so I'm not comparing the two, that's just my thought on this one.
My final opinion on it is that if you are the kind of person who likes movies, in general, go see it. You'll probably like it enough to use it to kill two hours (would have only been one hour without the slow motion), but if you're the kind of person who only wants to see really good fare, pass. Go rent the new Anna and the King if you want a good epic/drama remake, a film which is under-rated to this film being over-rated.