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Film Reviewer - December 2008

Shoot 'Em Up

December 19th 2008 21:22

Shoot Em Up, 2007

You will never look at a carrot the same way again.

When the hubby wanted to rent Shoot 'Em Up, I was only passingly interested. I'm a chick, and while I do appreciate the occasional action flick, I like there to be some kind of purpose to it. That is NOT what this movie has (per se), but it is definitely the Top Three of my favorite action flicks of all time, partly because Clive Owen manages to use the full range of his acting ability (all one faces) and partly because it's so ridiculously over the top you're left wondering what the writing sessions were like.

"Dude... how about this... so, he leaps out of the passage, fires to both sides while looking straight ahead, hits the guys waiting to ambush him, and then--"

"No, man! Check this out! So, he's already made a pile of bodies, right, and one guy gets up, but he shoots the back of the filing cabinet--"

"Forget that, dude! He has this pet trained rat, see..."

The writer(s) sat around and tried to come up with as many crazy, insane action moves and one-liners as they could, and then put them all together. Yes, they used all of them.

I give this 4 stars. Not safe for kids - at all - and it's also not for the weak-stomached or easily offended. Seriously. Sit this one out if you have a problem with Dairy Queens (and I don't mean the fast-food chain).

4 Stars

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Hogfather

December 18th 2008 15:58

Hogfather, 2006

You may think you know Christmas movies (or holiday movies?), but you haven't seen anything until you've seen Terry Prachett's Hogsfather.

Even if you've never read a single "Discworld" book, you won't be left in the cold. The introduction gives you just enough of an overview to understand roughly what's going on, and possibly just enough to get you hooked (like any good pusher).

Short of giving away spoilers, I'm going to say this about Prachett's work in general and about this story specifically: When a writer knows the anatomy of mythology as a whole so well that he can create whole new worlds with stories so real that you can relate to them, no matter where you're from, you know you've found a niche of fandom for yourself. Prachett takes the most fundamental stories and the nature of folklore itself, and he dresses it up in new/old clothes so that we are able to examine our own mythologies with a slightly more objective and yet more loving view.

The only rough thing about this movie was that it's over three hours long, but that's kind of to be expected from what is technically a "mini-series". (And it's very mini - only two episodes with one intermission.) The first half might move a little slower than most American audience members are used to, but they take their time introducing you to the various elements of the Discworld so that you don't feel left out. This is not a movie for hard-core adrenaline junkies, but it is a brilliant movie for people who like a little brain with their candy.

It has a beautiful explanation of how the Jolly Fellow makes it all the way around the world in a night, and it gives us a deeper appreciation for the faith that comes from the innocence of youth. This is going to replace all of those Rankin-Bass flicks and will likely become a holiday tradition like Olive the Other Reindeer and the Nightmare Before Christmas.

5 stars (points taken off for a couple of slow spots, then added back for awesome hair.)

5 Stars

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Control

December 18th 2008 02:00

Control, 2007

As a P.O.TH. (Punk Over Thirty), it is often with trepidation and more than a little suspicion that I allow myself to examine (or even imagine) that a movie will do any sort of credit to the icons of My Generation.

That being said, Control, was at once refreshing, confusing and slightly inaccurate, but on the whole, something that every Joy Division (or even New Order) fan should see.

Control is a mostly biographical description of Ian Curtis, the front-man of the ill-fated band Joy Division. While there are probably more accurate depictions out there, the way the film handles his epilepsy, his marriage, and the birth of his daughter Natalie is presented with such an artful touch that it's easy to forgive the slightly skewed perspectives.

The movie was shot in high-contrast black-and-white. It was a fitting choice given the tortured nature of Curtis and his short life, but the director chose a lead actor (Sam Riley) with dark hair instead of the sandy blonde we JD fans were accustomed to. Despite my early grumping over this point, when viewed artistically, it was definitely the right decision. The effect was subtle yet profound as we watched our fallen hero fumble and toil through the ravages of his illness, his depression, his conflict and finally his end.

For those who loved the original Alternative music, who loved Underground and Counter-Culture, this movie is a must-see and maybe even a must-own. Do not make it a drinking game, but definitely keep a box of tissues handy, even if you know the ending already.

I gave it 4.5 stars. The half point was deducted only because I kept forgetting that Curtis never dyed his hair black.

4.5 Stars

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More Reincarnated than the Buddha

December 18th 2008 00:45

No offense to any Buddhists out there...

The Normality Factor began as a vague wisp of an idea back in the late Eighties (or maybe early Nineties?) that manifested as a xeroxed comic book. Then, it was the title of a spoken word weekly rant. It found its home on the internet in 1999 as a column written for ShutUpAndDance.Com before moving to its own domain in 2000

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