06.12
Wow, a semi-regular posting.
The Iron Giant
Small town america in the late 50s doesn’t know what hit it. Science fiction is in it’s hayday and the nation is on a hairpin trigger when a big robot falls from the sky and is discovered by a small boy. I had heard much about this movie and everyone I knew who saw it liked it. I have to tell you: the hype is well deserved. The story is compelling and heartening, good for children and adults alike, and the humor throughout is well done. Characters are voiced well. The story obviously revolves around the giant. Most of the story is centered around keeping the monstrosity hidden, which doesn’t succeed for long. The government eventually figures it out and starts shooting, and then things really get interesting. The ending was just as fun to watch as the beginning, although I think they copped out on the very end, leaving it with a light note. It would have been really nice to see it end in a bitter-sweet tone. The Giant gets a 9. (imdb)
Brazil
One of the things I remember hearing about Brazil is that it was “Terry Gilliam’s Directorial Masterpiece”. It certainly is at that. In the 20th century somewhere, a clerical error causes a great movie plot. A futuristic society is thrown into disarray by a simple error in typing, starting with the death of an innocent man, and then the coverup of the century. The protaganist is in a dead-end job, but seems to be perfectly fine with it, until the girl of his dreams literally walks into his life. Gilliam and his cinematographer create a beautifully blocky and dull grey industrial wasteland set in stark contrast with the beautiful dreamland. The subplots don’t obscure the main line which is compelling and kept me wanting more even though it clocks in at over 2 hours. The ending was unexpected and well done at the same time, and I couldn’t see it done any other way. The directors cut is the only way to go with this one, and I haven’t even seen the studio cut.
Brazil is berriffic, and scores a 12. (imdb)
Movie Review: ‘Real Fiction’
I just watched a terrible Korean indie film, Real Fiction. A timid young man, who sketches portraits in a plaza, is provoked by a surreal filmmaking experience to exact revenge upon all who’ve wronged him.
…If it were that simple, it might be a satisfactory movie, but this fourth movie by Ki-duk Kim isn’t very good. The director/writer falls, in my opinion, in the seductive pit of creating a plot twist without regard as to whether anyone can see it coming or what it’ll do to the rest of the movie. The twist is terrible, but I’m sure he thought he was very clever. I’ve known creative types who do this same thing, I’ve pointed it out to them, and they become defensive and insist they just prefer “classic” dramatic situations or imagery. There’s no telling them that it will fall flat and stink.
So far, of the movie’s I’ve seen, Korea’s batting less than .500, I’m afraid. What the hell’s going on, guys?
I am surprised you had not seen Iron Giant before.
The movies was Very well done. I only wish it would have done better in the box office, allowing for more studios to fallow their lead.