my brief thoughts on.... 'Kynodontas aka Dogtooth'

in all my years as a film lover and film student, i can't say that i remember ever seeing a Greek film before.... but thanks to a tip from a friend, this film was recommended to me.... and as of last night, i am can no longer say i've never seen a Greek film before.... if this film is any indication of what the Greek cinema is like, i think i'd like to learn more about what's out there.... granted, this film was strange and sometimes hard to follow, but it was still impossible to stop watching.... the director, Yorgos Lanthimos, has such a solid vision.... it just screams at you from the screen.... and if you ever wanted originallity from a screenplay, this has it in spades.... i'm still processing what i saw and i think it might take a repeated viewing to really absorb it all, thank goodness it's available OnDemand right now.... now before you run out and throw this in your queue, understand that this film is the 'deep end of the pool'.... it takes an open mind to view it.... i can't say that you'll like it, even if you're a well schooled film major.... it's something different that takes a willingness to think outside the box....

as far as the story goes.... i don't know that i can encapsulate exactly what happened.... as i see it, the story revolves around a family that lives behind a huge fence in their own little world.... the only ones who ever leave are the parents.... the three, possibly adult, children have lived there their whole lives and know about the world only from what their parents have tought them.... and the two parents control the information in such a way that the kids see things exactly how the parents want them to see it.... they even created their own language that replaces well known words with other well known words, like a zombie is a tiny yellow flower.... (you just have to see it to understand).... there is only one outsider ever brought into the home and she's basically brought in as a sex partner for the eldest son.... things begin to fall apart after the outsider starts bringing in things from the outside world.... the rest has to be seen to be believed.... (actually, the whole film is like that)
i can only hope that people who watch this can see beyond the absurdity of it all and find the art.... i can honestly say that i don't know what the message of this film is exactly, but i really enjoyed trying to figure it out.... i also am looking forward to see what else the Greek have to offer.... this film is 100% original.... i've seen dysfunctional family films, but none quite like this one.... and in a sea of copycat films, re-imaging an re-boots, it's refreshing to see something new.... even if it's hard to understand and challenging to watch.... i think one of the strongest aspects of this film is the actors.... they commit themselves to this film with all their hearts and sell it as reality.... you loose yourself in their world for the duration of the film.... i am so thankful that i took a risk on an unknown quantity, as it paid off in a big way....

i gave it 4 out of 5 stars and suggest you seriously consider watching it, but keep an open mind and watch it all the way through.... i can't promise that it'll make anymore sense by the end, in fact you'll probably be even more confused.... but the journey is the most important thing.... it's one you can only take once, so pack a lunch.

if you like this.... well.... i can't recommend anything else quite like it.... perhaps a stage play by Eugene Ionesco....?

my thoughts on.... 'The Short Films of David Lynch'

David Lynch is an artist.... one of a very small group of living artists that i can honestly say that i respect.... it took me a while to understand the mind of David Lynch and to appreciate his films.... but now, i watch and re-watch his films getting something new out of them everytime.... i wait for his next projects to emerge.... and i appreciate the dedication that he has to his art.... it's rare to find someone who basically lives for creation and the joy of new ideas.... whether or not you can appreciate him the way that i do, you have to respect his vision and his never compromise attitude.

this collection of 6 short films is a compilation of his earliest work and some other more recent pieces of work.... it's a nice cross-section of his non-feature length films.... not all of these are stand out examples of what he's capable of, but every artist has to experiment to find his voice.... that's kind of what some of this is, watching someone figure out who they are on film.... so you kind of have to take these with a grain of salt.... don't expect them all to be 4 star films and you won't be disappointed....
(these descriptions are being paraphrased from Netflix....)
1) 'Six Men Getting Sick': this is David Lynch's very first film.... it's a one minute loop of an art installation.... it was originally projected over a sculpture.... the film describes it perfectly, it's 6 men's heads getting sick and vomiting....
2) 'The Alphabet': this is a 5 minute short that David Lynch describes as an illustration of "the fear of learning".... it's a blend of live-action and animation.... where the alphabet is basically being 'born'....
3) 'The Grandmother': in this film, a little boy who's been mistreated by his parents decides to grow his own grandmother.... so he plants a seed and gets his wish, at least for a little while....
4) 'The Amputee': David Lynch is actually in this live-action comedy short.... he plays the nurse.... while he attempts to clean her wounds, she is oblivious to all of the horrible things happening at the same time....
5) 'The Cowboy and the Frenchman': this comedy was produced by French television and shows a stereotypical Frenchmen being thrust into the middle of some cowboys and a native American.... it stars one of David Lynch's favorites, Harry Dean Stanton....
6) 'Lumiere': this is a 52-second, single-take short film.... it was filmed with Auguste and Louis Lumiere's original Cinematographe, which was the cutting edge of film technology in 1895....

there may be times during this 6 films that you have to struggle a bit.... as they can be slow or seem repetitive.... but if you persist, you'll find something unique in each of them to enjoy.... and for those of you who are fans of David Lynch, this is a must.... those of you who aren't, may want to start elsewhere in his library of film and television.... i ended up only give this 3 out of 5 stars.... which is unusual for a Lynch film from me.... but it's a rounded off score based on a rating given to each short film.... like i said already, some are better than others....

if you like this, watch: 'Eraserhead', 'The Elephant Man', or 'Inland Empire'

this is David Lynch's short film: 'The Alphabet'.... to give you an idea of what to expect:

my very brief thoughts on.... 'Alice in Wonderland' (2010)

remember my review of 'Where the Wild Things Are'....? this might be a bit like that.... just so you know.

Tim Burton is a unique filmaker.... his vision is all his own.... and i can say that i've enjoyed just about everything he's ever done.... that also goes for Johnny Depp.... i've followed his career since '21 Jump Street'.... these two have made several films together and have been very successful ones at that.... but recently, it seems that you can't have one without the other.... i'm all for collaboration and a lot of times if you're working with the same people over and over you get good results.... however, after a while, you kind of want them to do some things seperately.... and that's the case here.... i thought it might be kind of neat to see what Tim Burton could do with this classic story.... and i'm always curious to see Johnny Depp's take on a character, especially one like the Mad Hatter.... sadly, the result was less than stellar....
i'm sure you all know the storyline of 'Alice in Wonderland'.... we've seen it retold several times.... but in this day and age, we finally have the technology to make some of the strange characters of the story come to life.... and i think that this was a valiant attempt.... however, it just had no soul.... it's like Tim Burton just phoned this one in.... it felt forced.... it seemed like he was trying too hard.... it was just way too heavy handed with the filmaking.... everything was quirky and over the top, like all of his movies.... everything was bright and colorful.... the music was excellent.... the special effects, however, were kind of sketchy.... and that surprised me, but that's not why i didn't care for this movie.... i tried really hard to enjoy it.... i felt kind of guilty for not liking it.... all in all, i only ended up giving this movie 2 out of 5 stars.... something i thought i'd never see from a Burton/Depp movie.... but that's not the end of it.... they've got more projects in the works.... and i just think that a little distance isn't always a bad thing.... so i hope that they see that someday and take a little break from each other.... because if not, i fear that we'll see more movies like this one.... movies that just feel like they were made for the sake of being made.... no other reason than that....

shame on you Tim Burton, shame on you.

please read the book rather than see this movie.... you're imagination is going to create something much more enjoyable then this movie could ever hope for

my brief thoughts on.... 'The Sarah Silverman Program' and 'Jesus is Magic'

i like Sarah Silverman.... i'm not sure why exactly, but i do.... i'd never seen her stand up.... or her show.... so i figured it was time.... plus Brian Posehn is in it and i really enjoy his work.... anyway.... i saw it finally appear OnDemand on Netflix for season 1 and 2 as well as her 'Jesus is Magic' special.... so i added them all.... and sat down to see what all the fuss was about and to possibly give myself an actual reason to like her.... about midway through the first episode, i could already see myself enjoying the series.... it was just absurd enough for my tastes.... there were some uncomfortable moments and some laugh out loud moments.... overall it was a fun experience.... i didn't realize how mean spirited it was going to be in places, but yet it had it's semi-touching moments.... Sarah's character is not very likable.... she's self-centered, rather mean to the people around her.... she's not very smart in a lot of ways.... she does a LOT of stupid things and gets away with them.... i could see a lot of people really not liking this.... because people want to connect with the characters on the show.... and that's where the rest of the cast comes in.... they make up for downfalls.... not too mention her dog Doug....

the basic premise is that Sarah lives in an apartment that her sister pays for.... she's jobless and has two gay neighbors.... she lives with her dog and does goofy things all day long.... her sister (played by her real life sister) is in love with a cop whom Sarah hates, but he's always getting her out of jams regardless.... and that's about the whole premise of the show.... and from this we get 21 minutes of comedy....
i gave it 4 out of 5 stars.... i'm still not 100% sure why.... and i'm still not sure why i enjoy her work.... i guess it's a guilty pleasure of sorts.... by watching it, it allows you to live through her.... and do and say all of the things you may have wanted to, but couldn't.... because you had a filter for saying awful things.... Sarah doesn't.... after i watched the first season, i ended up watching the full 2nd season as well as the 'Jesus is Magic' stand up special.... this stand up was even harder to watch then the show was at times.... she leaves no taboo topic untouched.... and despite that, i still gave it 3 out of 5 stars.... and i admit that i enjoyed it all.... however, i have a feeling that God may strike me down because of it.... and if you've seen the show or the special, then you know why.... i can't wait for season 3....

if you like this, watch: 'The Sarah Silverman Program: season 2 - volume 1', 'The Sarah Silverman Program: season 2 - volume 2' and 'Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic'

(there is no trailer for this movie to embed.)

my thoughts on.... 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'

yes, this is Heath Ledgers final performance, but don't let that be the only reason you watch it.... this movie has so much more to offer.... and anytime Terry Gilliam is involved, i'm in. he created one of my all time favorite films 'The Fisher King' and this is right on par with that and has a very similar feel to that film.... what Gilliam has created is a world that is well known, but is still totally unique and foreign.... it's strange how he walks the fine line between reality and fantasy so deftly.... he is the master of this technique and i think a lot of that goes back to his days with Monty Python.... either way, he's created a masterpiece of filmaking and something that will stand the test of time as a film full of amazing visuals, an incredible story, superb performances from his actors and solid direction.... i can't say enough good things about it.... after watching it, i couldn't stop thinking about it.... and to me that's a good sign of a worthwhile film.... if it sticks with you or teaches you something about yourself or life.... and this film does that.... or i guess, did that.... with me anyway.... i walked away with a lot and most films are made to entertain, Terry Gilliam's films are made to be an experience.... but i digress....

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a travelling sideshow.... with Doctor Parnassus and his daughter Valentina.... his dwarf sidekick, Percy and Anton, the show's barker.... they travel around putting on performances to earn money and to change peoples lives, but over the years the public has lost interest.... as they want new and exciting things.... not traditional stage shows.... little do they know what Doctor Parnassus truly has to offer them, if they submitted themselves to him.... along the way, they come across a man hanging under a bridge by the neck.... (Heath Ledger).... he's suffered amnesia, but soon learns his name is Tony and he joins the travelling sideshow.... things just digress into wonderful madness from there....
heaping praise on a movie is always a wonderful feeling.... because if i can pass on the joy that i had while watching it.... or the wisdom it gave me.... it makes all of this worthwhile and tempers the horrible movies that i have to endure inbetween.... this is a rare example of a movie that has it all.... granted there are cracks in the armour.... it's not the perfect movie.... some of the CGI bothered me.... and some of the scenes inside the Imaginarium were difficult to watch.... however, overall it's pure genius..... and one of the best movies i've seen this year.... that's a bold statement.... but it's true.... from start to finish i fell in love with this film and will make it part of my library and proudly display it....

5 out of 5 stars.... something that is rare for me.... just the storyline deserves the 5 star review.... the theory that the world will stop if the storytelling stop.... however, the storytelling in the world never truly stops.... especially with the invention of television.... but just the idea that it could, is a fascinating concept.... but when you add the actors, the cinematography, the costumes, the script and everything inbetween this makes this another amazing addition to the Terry Gilliam catalog of films.... the man never ceases to amaze me.... like him or not, you can't deny the power of this film.... not to mention, Tom Waits is a main character.... and he's worth the price of admission alone.... so go out and watch it as soon as you can.... and keep the world turning, by participating in some storytelling of your own....

if you like this, see: '12 Monkeys', 'The Fisher King' and 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'

my thoughts on.... ' Triangle'

i had zero expectations and no clue what to expect from this movie..... i just thought it sounded interesting and it got 3 stars.... which is enough for me to invest my time.... plus i love movies where people are trapped in or on places where they can't get out and there's some kind of killer stalking them.... and this was all that and a bag of chips.... not too mention, the fact that it took place on a deserted boat made me more intrigued.... after the AWESOME first 10 minutes of 'Ghost Ship' and the other 80 crappy minutes, i figured this had to be better.... and i was right....

the story isn't so simple.... however, at first it seems just that.... 5 people go out for a cruise on a sailboat.... the sailboat capsizes.... they see a large oceanliner and climb on board.... the weird thing is, nobody is there.... simple, right....? that's when things take an acid trip for the better.... soon they find out that they're being hunted by a killer and that killer turns out to be someone they know.... but without giving away the plot as it will ruin the movie.... it's just bizarre enough to be interesting and just weird enough to make some kind of trippy sense.... i was fixated on the screen through the entire movie wondering how it would end and what was going to happen next....
this movie creates some interesting scenarios and scenes that stick with you well after the movie has ended.... and present some morality questions and put thoughts in your head that really make you wonder.... granted there are some HUGE jumps in logic and a lot of mistakes in the overall storyline, but it really doesn't matter because you're just so engrossed.... and Melissa George sells her role as if she was gunning for an Oscar nod....

the killer was interesting.... the plot was interesting.... the motives and methods were interesting and the overall movie was just a fun movie going experience that i do not regret in the slightest.... my only complaint, if any, was the ending left you with a few big questions.... and kind of left you to decide why the person at the end does what the do.... rather than something else.... either way it all comes full circle and ties up nicely.... i would give it, i think, 4 out of 5 stars.... for effort and execution.... it might honestly just be high 3 stars, but i'm feeling generous.... it's on Netflix OnDemand.... check it out while you can.... you won't regret it....

if you enjoy this movie, check out: 'The Thirteenth Floor', 'Dark City' and the first 10 minutes of 'Ghost Ship'