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Reviews
Gui qu lai (2004)
A strangely prophetic story about the enduring power of the elements
This is a film greatly deserving of more attention than the few garnered views its thus far accumulated. In Hunan province, a Chinese minority group, live a destitute and harsh existence in the high reaches of a western mountain range. Central to their existence, and indeed the film, is their constant hardship to obtain the vital commodity at the base of the mountain; water.
The film uses outside or estranged protagonists to tell something of a drama, there is something of a subtle political undertone, but the crux of the story is the endurance of the people within their demanding landscape. The film uses non-professional actors in an effective social realist style to tell an engaging story. That is then layered with an eerie art- house feel delivered through a quite broody sound and a voice over narration, which worked surprisingly well. Some questionable editing in places, but given the conceivable remit of the film, this a real feat of a film.
The Navigators (2001)
Polemical??
I've read some trash about this film, so let me make this clear, this is not a Hollywood blockbuster, but someones experience of working when British Rail became privatised. If your adverse to being challenged politically then please don't bother with this, and worse of all don't watch it as the pretext for later writing nonsense about the eighties or Thatcher.
The film doesn't have a strong plot, and some of the characters could have been fleshed out but it is an honest reflection of what happens when working people are told to 'modernise' and there's few films or even directors like Loach who even bother with stories ordinary people have to tell.
Ae Fond Kiss... (2004)
A Liberal Mish-Mash
Ken Loach as been spearheading part of the Documentary Movement for some time now, though he still remains a small figure. His use of low key actors, improvisation, outdoor locations and good camera work allow for an environment which isn't too dissimilar to fragments or at least fringes of the real world. Hollywood probably wouldn't approve of much of his subject matter (which is why hes fiercely independent) poverty, drug/alchol abuse and unemployment are common themes but actually having characters overcome hurdles which are internal (abuse, short sightedness) and externally (state, employer) based develops an empathy which cant be glossed over.
The writing team around Loach tend to be good, for example "My Name Is Joe" and "Sweet Sixteen" but this as to be the worst production I've seen Ken Loach and team get involved with. Its starts out with an heavy unprompted introduction via one of the low-key characters and quickly develops into a serious of skirmishes between the two interested parties with a few cultural issues flavouring the arguments. Very little chemistry, and don't expect to sympathise with either of the pair as their expected communities try and separate them. Its just a poor-mans fable.
Fair game to all involved in the sense that the film looks into deeper cultural background than both "Bend It Like Beckham" and "East is East" did, but the script makes you profoundly dislike all involved. I'm sure there are much better inter-racial love story's out there.
Oldeuboi (2003)
Stunning Revenge Cinema
This was the first piece of South Korean cinema I ever saw. In fact outside of Kung Fu films, with the exception of Battle Royal, Id never ventured into Asian cinema before, I now know this is a big mistake, because of films out there like Oldboy. Its opened me up to new tastes and this still as to be my favourite film of the last couple of years.
Oldboy is about a Kafka-esquire antagonist, Dae-su Oh, who is being punished, for no reason he can comprehend. And the desperation he feels as he lurches to find out why and who is behind his suffering is pretty intense. All the way through the film he his latching on to the remotest of clues in the hope of catching his nemesis, but his rival as a few tricks up his sleeve. All pushing towards a conclusion with more than a few twists and an ending which is both disturbing, but reassuring given the circumstance.
The acting and visuals are excellent. I can appreciate people taking apart the story, it doesn't flow and probably isn't as logical as it could be, but with something this good you can sidestep some of your criticisms in favour of enjoying something so primitive and tragic, as a story about revenge.
Fantastic Four (2005)
Not Worth Watching....*Potential Spoilers*
I was excited about this, and why not? Super hero films give us a blatant excuse at immersing ourselves in an action film we might otherwise end up over-criticising. Spider-Man and Xmen are still films I can watch over and over again....but this film is a mess.
We have an action film, where action, in the true sense happens only in the last 15 minutes of the film, so its left entirely to the characters to carry the film. And its a pity because you couldn't care less about any of them, they all descend into clichés, with whom you cant identify with. I challenge anyone who says they felt for Ben Grimm/Thing or that the film had a credible bad guy. Julian McMahon's Von Doom is the worst acting I've seen for some time. And there was absolutely no love presence between the actors playing Reed and Sue. A shame because Ioan Gruffudd can act, but he was ill advised to be part of this rubbish.
Add to this poor special effects, no tangible plot - other than leading to some defined sequel in the future and you have one of the most over-inflated disaster movies of the year. Take my advice and stick with Xmen and Spiderman.