35 Rhums [2007]

Today was supposed to be the day earmarked for Inception – but you know how life goes – still haven’t seen it yet despite really wanting to... Instead I watched another fine film in the morning and felt that it deserved some love.

35 Rhums (or 35 Shots of Rum) is a beautiful slice of life kind of film – and it’s really hard to say what it’s exactly about – it’s just a fragment of the lives of a father and daughter. I guess you could say it’s about the father seeing his life through the eyes of a friend who’s retiring – and deciding it’s time to do a bit of living – and encourage his college age daughter to do the same.

It’s incredibly well acted and directed – though I felt as though it wandered a bit in the middle – and I was afraid that I was going to be on the verge of losing interest – but it held my attention. It’s a bittersweet kind of film – those kind of sensibilities are much appreciated by this movie watcher. Some of the best and most beautiful things in life come with a lot of sorrow – and in 35 Rhums – there’s the sorrow of the separating of the father and daughter – and in the characters around the two – but ultimately it ends up feeling right.

Giving this one a perfect score (5 out of 5) because it deserves it.

[directed by Claire Denis]

Top 5 Worst Movie Roommates

Due to my recent move and the fact that getting a nice place isn't cheap - I considered having a roommate - but decided against it in the same breath. So, considering my reaction to just the thought - I figured I should decide my nightmare roommate from the movies... The obvious serial killers and demons left out - just because you would probably not even have much of a chance making it through the tour of the place before they hack you up. (As well as my nightmare of being trapped in a room with a moose - so moose is excluded...)

#5. Dignan (Bottle Rocket) - Mostly harmless - but the wild imagination of Dignan will probably get you in trouble with the law - plus he'll have your next 50-years planned out in advance for you - which can be a bit of a hassle.

#4. Bill and/or Ted (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure/Bogus Journey) – They’d probably insist on sharing a bedroom with you – which should be enough – but they are loud and messy and talk like imbeciles (probably because they are).

#3. Eli (Let the Right One In) – Sure she’s got plenty of money to cover rent – but you’ll have to kill people so she can eat – and if you refuse – she’ll guilt you into it.

#2. Gollum (Lord of the Rings) – He doesn’t like your friends coming around, he’ll will eat all your raw meat, he’d keep you up all night talking to himself and the guy is super paranoid – he’s constantly thinking you’ll take his stuff.

#1. Chewbacca (Star Wars) – Trust me, George Lucas has created enough characters that I wouldn’t want to spend 15 minutes with – but share a living space? Well, no one beats Chewbacca. He’ll shed all over everything, probably smells like a wet dog all the time, you can’t carry on any type of conversation with him without him growling (because that’s all he does), he’s got industrial strength space fleas that hide in that walking carpet – and if you ask him to clean up after himself or pay his half of the utilities - he might tear your arms out of their sockets. Though he might know how to fix the air conditioner...

Sherlock Holmes [2009]

Something “magic” happens – and Holmes and Watson investigate.

I’m not sure what I was expecting – but I guess I’ve seen much worse films. I wouldn’t really say it was bad – just boring. Slow motion explosions and fist fights are fine if you are into that – but blah blah blah... Who cares?

The acting was fine – nothing to write home about. Robert Downey Jr. was good – so was Jude Law – and the guy who was the bad guy was good and that one vague chick was kind of stiff and boring – but whatever – didn’t feel the chemistry and didn’t care.

Why do we need to acknowledge the awkward homosexual relationships when you’ve got two guys working together in movies these days? Why? The reason why movies like Top Gun, Pointe Break and Tango & Cash are remembered for it is because it’s apparent but never acknowledged – these days it’s “funny” to make a self referential joke about it... Ha ha ha... Fuck you... It’s now a cliché – move on people.

Has any director ever fallen so hard as Guy Ritchie (I guess other than M. Night Shamylamydingdong)? He was considered a promising new director with Lock Stock and Snatch – but really hasn’t figured out how to stop being such a douche to direct something worthwhile or at least with the promise of his first two films (I’m on the fence with RocknRolla – think it’s kind of boring).

It’s not horrible – but it’s not good – it’s a fine way to kill time I guess – but you might as well watch infomercials or drink... Summer Shandy is out in the Midwest – you should check your liquor stores to see if they carry it – which they probably won’t but it’s fucking nice. Delicious. Refreshing.

Low end 3 out of 5 for this one.

Pirate Radio [2009]

In the 1960’s the national British broadcasting did not feature more than an hour of rock/pop music – so to give into the thirst for them ships would broadcast from out in sea in order to give the people 24/7 rock ‘n’ roll!

I quite liked this film – but look at the synopsis that I chose to use... The film is only a little about this – it’s mostly about the unique DJ’s and a kid who was sent off to the boat by his mother – and it became about the kid getting laid. The DJ’s were all played by hilarious actors – and their antics were quite fun – but the film fails simply because the filmmakers decided that the antics were what was going to carry the film.

It’s a slapstick kind of comedy with broad humor – so it makes sense not for this film to be bogged down in the drama of the struggle to keep Pirate Radio alive. This leads to a lot of what felt like filler scenes – where things happened just for the characters have reason to do wacky shit. The film almost felt like a sketch show or a few episodes of a television show – linked together with music montages of people dancing around to The Kinks or The Rolling Stones or The Hollies.

There was some very disconnected scenes with Government officials trying to find ways to shut down the boats. I liked how they were disconnected scenes – kind of speaking to the fact that the government doesn’t know what it’s talking about – and how they are disconnected from what the people want – but since they were disconnected from the main characters – the scenes felt tacked on to the film.

Anyway – the music was great – there was the whole romanticized rock ‘n’ roll used to mean something and hold us close together as a people feeling (and in the end credits they flashed up album covers from later decades as to show that rock ‘n’ roll never died – we could debate the effectiveness of this notion for days).

Anyway – the actors Bill Nighy as the patriarch of the boat was spot on as he usually is these days – he’s been a revelation as an actor – where has he been? Nick Frost as Doctor Dave was in a way that I haven’t seen him before – which is refreshing – he could pull off smooth and funny as apposed to kind of oafish and funny. Chris O’Dowd was great as Simple Simon – you really wanted to pull for him. Rhys Darby could’ve been used a bit more – but I’m glad he got a solid role in this film. Rhys Ifans was good – but not in my mind the most interesting as the wild Gavin. Kenneth Branagh as spot on as the official in charge of shutting down the Pirate Radio stations – but his story was left a bit incomplete – you needed that one scene of him tapping his foot to make the story feel completed.

Which leaves Phillip Seymour Hoffman in a role that seems like the logical extension to his Lester Bangs role in Almost Famous – he can pull the rock ‘n’ roll nut off with such ease. He’s got a lot of depth as an actor and pulls from every which way I wonder if it’s his natural place in the world to be such a rock fan or if it’s just his acting ability that makes it so believable. No doubt in my mind if I want to make a movie about rock ‘n’ roll – I want to call Hoffman first.

Overall – I quite liked the film – though I felt it was thin on plot when it didn’t need to be. The antics were enough to keep me entertained in one viewing – not sure if they’d be enough for a second. The music was solid – though they could’ve pulled from the Nuggets archive for some under utilized rock ‘n’ roll than rolling out a couple of the standards. The montages became a bit much for me at times – but it was fun – and I’m giving Pirate Radio 4 out of 5.

[directed by Rob Curtis]

When plans one through eight fail - there's always...

"This film we once saw was reviled for its flaws - but its flaws are what made us have fun"

lyrics from 'Singer/Songwriter' by Okkervil River

Keoma [1976]

I really like the direction of Keoma – not a traditional narrative – a lot of flashbacks and flash-forwards in the story keep it fresh. Interesting plot – not sure of Keoma’s motivations – but like it that way.

Dialogue's lacking a bit... Kind of a blunt force instrument in such an interesting plot - story... This could be a classic up there with the Leone/Eastwood films if there was a bit more strong silent moments.

Not sure if I buy Franco Nero as a half-breed anything – but maybe they just refer to him as that because he’s a half-brother to the 3 main villains... But I don’t think everyone would call him that.

Other than Morgan Freeman in my favorite film of all time – Unforgiven – is there another Western where a black character is such a strong figure with a pivotal role? Liked seeing that in Keoma.

Nero doesn’t have a Jesus complex or anything – being crucified to a wagon wheel is just a coincidence. Coming from the land of Billy Corgan – I kid of course – Nero is a badass not afraid to act and throw himself into a role. Modern Hollywood pansy action stars could learn a thing or two.

I really hate off key singing in the soundtrack that also doubles as a way for the director to be purposely vague – because the singer will sing part of the plot.

Me: “Who’s that character?”

Singer: “Father – that’s my father…” (not that much of an exaggeration)

Not sure if it’s the way Nero wears his hair up like that – but his head looks massive! He might just want to chomp his step-brothers in half!

Good action and stunts – good camera work – and build-ups in tension. Satisfying strange and wonderful climax... Not sure I expected that - cool.

I’ll wander off and give this a 4 out of 5 – something I’ll watch again – it’s a bit mystical and spiritual and out there for a western – but that’s good – not as good as Django or The Great Silence – but better than most.

[directed by Enzo G. Castellari]

Léon [1994]

Leon (The Professional) – is one of those films that I’ve liked – but even though my policy is to own only the movies that I really like – I purchased the special edition. It was a bit overkill at the time – because when I watched it – I thought it was still just only good – and probably a renter – not a keeper.

I rewatched it yesterday – while I was in a really good mood – and began to notice things – and felt the tension of Mathilda standing at Leon’s doorway. I didn’t just see their relationship as disturbing – but as both a mock to the traditional action film – where an adult woman is basically a child needing the hero to save her – and mutually beneficial for the both of them to grow as characters (though I still squirmed a little).

I find Gary Oldman’s scene chewing – to always be a pleasure – so to rewatch Leon and see Oldman’s villain character in all his oddball glory was nice (still kind of wished I saw more of that character’s antics – but the movie isn’t called Leon for nothing). This was the extended edition – and I thought maybe the fact that I wasn’t impressed stemmed from the fact that there was too much in the film – but now see it as necessary and pertinent.

The direction was really nice – interesting framing – keeping you wanting to see around a corner, around a wall or over a hill to understand more about these unique characters. It’s direction that kind of helps you want to like the characters as opposed to just showing you them. The thugs were comically outdated of course – due to this being an early 90’s film – and half of the thugs looked like they belonged shooting at John McClane in Die Hard.

The acting by Jean Reno and Natalie Portman was excellent – Portman shows a lot of promise as an actress even at such a young age. The action was mixed in fairly well – though this film isn’t about action – I wanted more of Luc Besson’s typical over the top variety of excellent action.

Overall – I’m happy to say that this film has upgraded its rating to a solid 4 – and if I believed in such a thing there would be a half that followed it.

[directed by Luc Besson]