At Home Review: Dogtooth (2010)
“I hope your kids have bad influences and develop a bad personality. I wish this with all my heart.” – Father (Dogtooth)
Parents try their best to instill their values upon their children. They try to protect the innocent from all the evils in the world. But then there are the means and tactics instilled by “Father” and “Mother” in the disturbing Greek film, Dogtooth. This Oscar nominated foreign film takes home schooling to a whole other level.
Man eating cats. Why not? Wrong words purposely taught for confusion, of course. (At the beginning of the film we learn “sea” is the word for leather armchair. “Zombie” is a word for a flower.”) No name is given for any family members (Father, Mother, Older Daughter, Younger Daughter, and Son), and somehow, it makes so much sense.
I cannot recommend this film lightly. It’s not for everyone. But for those that can get past the disturbing thoughts of implied incest, mental abuse, and a psychotic main character — this is a gem that will stay with you for awhile. There’s a reason it was nominated for an Academy Award. Its ironic cheerful picturesque cinematography places you in their compound for 1 1/2 hours and doesn’t let you go. Every once in awhile, I stumble upon a film that is so demented, yet so creative, you have to wonder about that person who wrote and created it. This is definitely one of them. This film is truly fantastic, I just wonder how many people can appreciate it.
There’s a simple message here. Don’t overprotect your children. Let them grow naturally. Let them explore the world. You’ll also see the strangest use of a VHS tape you’ll ever see. Really.
Official synopsis:
Siblings who grow up cut off from the world — homeschooled and reliant on one another for entertainment — create their own idyllic alternative universe, which is shattered when their father lets in an outsider. Sex enters the picture when dad begins bringing home a female security officer to satisfy his son’s libido … and suddenly nothing is the same within the highly idiosyncratic family unit.
Stream it on Netflix HERE.
Watch At Home Review – Winnebago Man
I’ve come to the conclusion that there are more crazy than sane people on the planet. The longer I live, the more confirmation I get. Turn on the news. Talk to your neighbor. Check in with a long lost friend. You’ll see what I mean. It’s easy to label Jack Rebney aka The Winnebago Man as crazy from an initial meeting. Whether Rebney is crazy or brilliant, is up for you to decide. But he’s a fascinating character that represents many people that don’t always have a pulpit to speak from.
From initial viewing, the Winnebago Man outtakes on YouTube are laugh out loud funny. This guy is angry — and hilarious at it. He drops the eff bomb incessantly and screams at assistants. All in the name of a RV commercial shoot. This behind the scenes footage was unearthed and showcased on YouTube. Instantly, Rebney was labeled “The Angriest Man in the World.” Check it out HERE. The problem with his label — he didn’t know anything about this tape and his newfound fame. After watching it a few times, you get the overwhelming sense that something deeper is going on. This man is on the brink of a nervous breakdown. The documentary Winnebago Man takes a deeper look into our societies obsession with internet celebrity and the humiliation brought upon the subjects.
There’s a very fine line of laughing with someone and at them. That’s the reason America’s Funniest Home Videos is still on the air. It’s also the reason for the internet celebrities. Some of these internet celebrities didn’t ask for the fame. They are the ones being laughed at. Jack Rebney is one of them – a bad day on the job turns transforms into over 2.5 million video views. Director Ben Steinbauer takes us on a fascinating journey to find the man and learn who he truly is. The initial answers might surprise you. This film gives you a sneaky suspicion that there are millions of Jack Rebney’s out there. People not necessarily looking for the spotlight, but have a heavy dose of opinions to share with the world.
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Watch At Home Review – Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
It’s seems cliche to call a documentary “an unflinching look” — but this film actually embodies and truly is an unflinching look at the life of Joan Rivers. The insecurity, the anger, the jealousy, the drive, the furs, the loving Mom — after 1 hr. 23 minutes, you feel that you know what makes her tick.
Most people today know Joan Rivers as the Red Carpet host with the sharp tongue towards celebrity fashion. But Joan Rivers was actually a trail blazer for female comedians (or comediennes, I don’t know, not really a fan of that term). In the late 1960′s and 70′s, she broke into the comic scene and offended everyone in her path. “Women shouldn’t speak like that” (said the mustachioed man with chubby arms crossing his chest). But she gained fame and lots of love from the only man that mattered on the comic scene – Johnny Carson. This film takes you on her insecure path to fame, to failure, to fame again, back to failure, to fame again and the never ending quest to say “I’m back!”
Whatever your preconceived thoughts of Joan Rivers are, you should really check out A Piece of Work. It’s a wonderfully constructed documentary that seemed to have no problem showing her at her worst, along with her best. Which is what documentaries should do. I’m fascinated by the sad clown reality of most comedians. They make you laugh and are always at a Level 10+. But behind the scenes is another story. It’s funny. It’s sad. This story is worth watching.
Watch it on Netflix Instant Streaming.
Review: Winter’s Bone (2010)
I’m gonna give it to you brief and I’m gonna to give it to you straight.
Winter’s Bone, the 2010 Sundance Film Festival darling and speculated Oscar contender, has received high praise amongst the circle of film critics.
Official Synopsis:
“An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.” (Psst…It’s a movie about the backwoods meth labs)
“Masterpiece”, “Stirring”, “Genuine” are all words that have described this film. With that, I snatched the Blu-Ray off the virtual Netflix shelves and watched it with high hopes.
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Review: 127 Hours
“Oops” I quietly said to my 10 year-old- self as I ruined the surprise birthday party for my Dad.
“Oops” I told the officer as I got my first speeding ticket within 2 weeks of getting my drivers license.
“Oops” I did it again, said Britney Spears as she shaved her head bald with the paparazzi as witness.
Rarely do we have those “oops” moments that truly define your life. And unfortunately, many people don’t survive the significant “oops” moments. Aron Ralston had an oops moment that he thinks about every time he wants to do Jazz Hands or wants to give a hearty clap. My “oops” moments are irrelevant. Ralston’s changed the entire course of his life.
To say that the story of Aron Ralston is unfilmable is an understatement. A man hikes by himself, slips, gets stuck between a rock for 5 days, cuts off his arm. Doesn’t seem like enough to build an entire story arc around. By no means is this a spoiler — Aron Ralston has been hitting the media circuit a ton. If you’ve missed this one-armed wonder boy, then you’ve been hiding under your own rock.
Simply put – Danny Boyle is a genius filmmaker. He jumps from genre to genre in an effortless fashion. Very few filmmakers could have pulled off the story of Aron Ralston quite like Boyle does here. His visual bravado keeps the film moving along at a brisk pace, the camera rarely is stagnant within a stagnant environment, and he enlightens the audience of a story that needs to be told. The camera dances around from moment to moment keeping the audience entertained throughout the short 93 minute film.
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DVD Review: City Island (2009)
To call a film “serviceable” is by no means a diss. I don’t always need to be swept off my feet by heroic ambitions. I don’t need to see the latest in CGI. Sometimes it’s good to have a light hearted and smart film in your arsenal. It’s a lazy Saturday afternoon — rain pours outside your window and you don’t want to watch Don’t Tell My Mom The Babysitter’s Dead or Dumb and Dumber for the 100th time. City Island just might be your cup of tea.
In what seems to be the cousin of The Kids Are All Right, City Island tackles the dysfunction and secrets harbored in this mostly comedic film. I hesitate to give you the synopsis because, well, it’s pretty bad. The movie’s setup alone will make you cringe and never think twice about renting it. Let me assure you – you should give this one a try regardless of what I’m about to write:
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Review: I’m Still Here
1 hour and 48 minutes or 6,480 seconds. Either way, they are both the same. Both numbers calculate the amount of time I wasted watching I’m Still Here over the weekend. The debate has been loud: hoax or real? After viewing the “movie”, another question came top of mind: Who cares? I mean, really — who f’ing cares? Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix have both come out to say the entire film was a hoax. I wish they hadn’t. It makes the entire experience that much more excruciating. The official synopsis claims that it documents “…Joaquin Phoenix’s transition from the acting world to a career as an aspiring rapper.” Do you know what a Cleveland Steamer is? You will after seeing this movie. Do you want to see an actor play an actor mumbling every line to the point they added subtitles? Do you enjoy watching a rich dude in the Hollywood Hills bitch about his life yet in reality is mocking all of you and laughing all the way to the bank? I promise you this – there is no point to this “movie.” I’m not even sold that they were attempting to make a point. It failed upon arrival like the career of Colin Farrell.
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The Bridge on the River Kwai
Rumor has it , this guy gained all of his film knowledge from Film Savior. Below you’ll see Roger Craig (not the former NFL player) win the highest one day total on Jeopardy with a film centric question.
As nice as it is to see him win the money, a more important question stems from this video. Have you seen The Bridge on the River Kwai? This 1957 classic was ranked #13 on AFI’s Top 100 American Movies list…deservedly so. Starring one of the best American actors ever, William Holden and the brilliant Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) this is a must see. Even if you haven’t seen the film, I’m sure you’ve heard the famous whistle march song. Do yourself a favor -add this to your Netflix queue.
Synopsis:
The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson, they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito. He is an honorable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy. Unknown to him, the Allies have sent a mission into the jungle, led by Warden and an American, Shears, to blow up the bridge.
Film Review: I’m Here
The more layers I peel off the Hollywood creaky wheel, the more cynical I become. Art is an important aspect to the understanding of humans. You can go through world history and some form of art will give you a glimpse into the psyche of the world at that time. Whether it be cave sketches, oil paintings of baby Jesus, Picasso’s genius, or the modern art of Mark Ryden, the thoughts of the moment are frozen in time.
Film is art. Yet, over time, it has become overrun by businessmen trying to make a quick dollar. Art has become secondary if lucky. The focus is on brand. How can a studio sell opening weekend? How quickly can a profit be made?
Film is art. And a few directors still get that. As I mentioned a few days ago, there are still true artists in the Hollywood scene. Paul Thomas Anderson. Quentin Tarantino. Spike Jonze. I’ve mentioned them all a thousand times on this site. And it’s because they keep things exciting. Their ideas are interesting. They are taking a medium and showing us something we’ve never seen before.
After a rough 7 year stint on Where the Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze wanted to create something simple. During the editing process of WTWTA, he secretly shot the 35 minute short film, I’m Here, just to keep the creative juices flowing.
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DVD Review: Notorious
To say I’m a 90′s hip-hop fanatic would be an understatement. From 1989-1999, I was a bona fide hip-hop addict. Everyday after school in Junior High, I would run home, pop in my VHS tape and record my favorite videos from YO! MTV Raps. D-Nice, Ice Cube, M.C. Breed, De La Soul…I was into it all. My version of a DeLorean is by bringing back some of these classic jams. Especially the ones below. They all were captured at a particular moment in my life that holds a special place in my memory. It was a time when rap music had an innocence without being cheesy. Backpackers, militants, and the gangstas — they all had my suburban ear.
Then came the Suge Knight era of Death Row Records and Puff Daddy with the Notorious B.I.G. They took the innocence of the rap music message and made it too real.
Because of my love for this era of hip hop, I’ve been really reluctant to watch the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, Notorious. After watching Anthony Mackie’s brilliant performance in The Hurt Locker, I felt the urge to see how he portrayed Tupac Shakur.
DVD Review: Paper Heart
I had high hopes for Paper Heart.
Maybe because Charlyne Yi is part of the Judd Apatow crew. Maybe because of Michael Cera’s involvement. I just know I was intrigued by the idea this hybrid documentary.
After watching this film, my 8 year old nephew actually summed it up best:
“Paper Heart? More like Paper Fart!” [ed. note - This conversation never actually happened.]
The film follows Charlyne Yi as she embarks on a quest across America to make a documentary about the one and only subject she doesn’t fully understand: love. As she and her good friend (and director) Nick search for answers and advice about love, Charlyne talks with friends, strangers, scientists, bikers, romance novelists, and children. They each offer diverse views on modern romance, as well as various answers to the age-old question: does true love really exist?
And then the scripted hybrid part:
Shortly after filming begins, Charlyne meets a boy after her own heart: Michael Cera. As their relationship develops on camera, her pursuit to discover the nature of love takes on a fresh new urgency. Charlyne doesn’t want to risk losing the person she finds closest to her heart.
Quite simply, this film is too aware of its cuteness and quirkiness. You’re supposed to be enthralled by the awkward, tomboy act from Yi. It grew tiresome 10 minutes into the film. It’s a self-conscious semi-documentary about a self-conscious girl. And without sincerity in a documentary, why should you care?
The director in the film is actually an actor playing a director. Michael Cera is playing Michael Cera (doesn’t he always). Cera and Yi were supposedly really dating in real life and start dating in the scripted part of the film. Confusing? Not really. Just more hurdles that get in the way of your inevitable thought: What’s the point?
There was lots of buzz around this film during the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. It was met with mixed reviews. Some reviewers fell into the Yi “charm”, while others (like this reviewer) were turned off by too much screen time by her.
The actual documentary portion of the film had some interesting stories from couples in various forms of love, but the sincerity of the story was mocked by paper puppet shows created by Yi.
There’s not much more to say here. You might fall into the trap of “Hey, I like Michael Cera, I’ll check it out.” But BEWARE.
Consider yourself saved.
DVD Review: “Let the Right One In”
It’s difficult to fully convey the experience of watching Let the Right One In with a review. If you are anything like me, you’ve had it up to here (gesturing above my head) with the vampire crap. Film and TV shows have been on vampire overload and there is no end in sight (Daybreakers, Lost Boys 3, Dead Sucks, Twilight: Eclipse, etc.). Who would have thought a Swedish vampire flick from 2008 would stay with me for so many days, making me wonder: Has EVERYONE seen this film? If not, run to Blockbuster or move it to priority #1 on your Netflix Queue. The steady and calm camera movement, haunting tone, and pitch perfect acting makes this one of the best films…of the decade (more on that to come next week). Let the Right One In is more visually beautiful than any you’ll see this year. And you’re in for a treat if you have Blu-Ray.
Let The Right One In takes all of the lame clichés of modern vampire flicks, and spins it into the real world. It focuses on a story of uncertain friendship and fragile love, of social reality and dark fantasy. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, director Tomas Alfredson’s film takes us deep into the heart of Sweden’s frigid suburbs.
Oskar is an outcast 12-year-old boy with no apparent friends. He’s a favorite target of bullies, and at home, where he lives with only his mother in an apartment complex that would make a sane man crazy. So pale and unimposing, he’s almost translucent. Bullied at school, he buries himself in a scrapbook of violent murders. Between his scrapbook and trusty knife, he has all the makings of a potential sociopath. One night Eli enters Oskar’s life and changes it forever. Eli is… different. Her hair is black and matted, her face smudged with dirt. Only a thin shirt protects her against the snow. “Don’t you feel the cold?” asks Oskar. “No,” she replies. “Why not?” “I think I’ve forgotten how.” Eli is also 12 years old — “kind of”, she says.
Eli has moved into the apartment next door, with a middle-aged man who speaks very little and has quite the black kit filled with a flashlight, plastic container, a funnel (yep), and some rope. It’s very unclear who this man is…either her guardian or her slave. Eli, you see, isn’t like the other girls. In fact, as she puts it, she’s not even a girl. She’s a vampire.
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