ktincu Blog

Not what I expected

ktincu — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 16:31:00 GMT

I really expected to like Fast Food Nation, and to get all worked up about the issues presented. I loved Super Size Me, and can go on and on (with a bit of encouragement) about the many negative effects of our fast food culture. But this film puzzled me while I was watching it, and left me with no take away.

The puzzling aspects mostly came from a lack of fluidity and connectiveness in the movie. I kept expecting everything to come together in a more meaningful and natural way, but the various narratives and characters felt disjointed to the end. It seemed so contrived. There were also some characters and plot developments that didn't seem to serve a purpose at all (even though I had faith and kept expecting it all to make sense). Meaningless developments were belabored, while moments that could have been developed into something significant were skimmed over.

Which brings me to the lack of take-away messages. Sure, meat processing plants are disgusting. Sure, thinking about what goes on in them makes you think twice about biting into your next burger. But none of this is enlightening. The film doesn't drive home the fact that it's our American desire to get lots of food for almost nothing that creates the problem in the meat industry. It doesn't make you question what's more important, and what are we willing to sacrifice. It didn't touch on problemmatic government regulations (even when the system is at its best, what the government says is okay really isn't okay!). And the movie doesn't give hope or inspiration when it comes to changing any of this. Some people will say raising awareness of the situation is the first step, but this movie could have done so much more.

Chaos is worse than gore

ktincu — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:51:29 GMT

That's what watching this film made me realize: That complete, relentless chaos is much more terrifying than blood and death. Children of Men shows in frightening detail what utter despair looks like--what happens when people lose all hope, when they've forgotten what it's like to unexpectedly be struck by joy. And I hate to say this, but Jason and I thought the film portrayed more accurately than anything we've seen what the future will probably look like. Not cold and technical and sterile, but an utter return to human nature, almost a reflection of the early ages and a fight-or-flight mentality. Truly frightening.

Aside from that bleak assessment, this film is an amazing work of art, both in its conception and the execution. I don't know how Cuaron did it. The only reason I didn't give it a "loved it" rating, I think, is because I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters. The acting was good. Maybe Cuaron didn't develop the characters very much in favor of creating the film's amazing "big picture" effects and emotions. Or maybe I kept myself at a distance, not allowing myself to enter the story because it was too stressful and unimaginable for me.

Volver doesn't grab, but gently catches you up in its world

ktincu — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:10:00 GMT

I'm happy to say I pulled off one of my favorite types of movie-watching experiences yesterday. I saw a film (Volver) that I was looking forward to for vague reasons, but that I knew almost nothing about ahead of time. I had not seen the trailer. I had not read any reviews. I only knew that Penelope Cruz was in the film (looking stunningly beautiful in every way), that it was directed by Almodovar, and that it had something to do with a few generations of women in a family.

Ahh. No expectations. Perfect.

And I loved the movie--partly because of my lack of expectations, I'm sure. And partly because I love the quirky, the unexpected, and the not-always-fully-explained-or-justified moments in films, and Volver had plenty. The characters were complex but endearing, as were the relationships between them. The city- and village-scapes were beautiful in very real, unperfected ways. And there were some really stunning scenes that have just stuck with me, including the opening scene where all the widows are tending to graves in a very windy cemetery, and a scene where the character Raimunda (Cruz) sings a song from her childhood with such intensity and emotion.

Overall, this is not the type of film that just floors you with its beauty or profundity the entire time you're watching. It's the kind of film that gently and gradually catches you up, takes you by surprise, and follows you closely after you leave the theater.

Great guys made a great film

ktincu — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 19:45:00 GMT

Friendship, family, secrets, lies, truth, rivalry, forgiveness and the importance of moving on are all central in this funny film, written and directed by the young filmmaker Matt Bissonette. This was my favorite film at the Denver Film Festival. My overall experience with the film was even richer because we had the added bonus of being able to hang out with Bissonette and producer Corey Marr, both talented and truly quality people.

Who Loves the Sun is loosely based on an idea in the Paul Auster novel Leviathan (Auster is one of my favorite writers, so this reference immediately endeared me to the story). In Leviathan, someone disappears; in Who Loves the Sun, the one who disappeared eventually returns. The film is about what happens between him and the people he loves after he returns.

One of my favorite things about the film is the cast of only five. I love each of the characters--each played perfectly--and the small cast creates a very tight filmmaking and watching experience. Bissonette said they spent 20 days together filming in remote Canada, and it's obvious the actors developed a bond that plays out very well in the intense story about five people with a shared past.

Another thing I love about the film is its careful touches of humor. The humor is subtle, and tends to break through very intense moments, in ways you aren't sure whether to trust at first. (Is this supposed to be funny or not? Am I supposed to laugh or do I just want to laugh to break the awkwardness of the moment?) The scenarios between the two childhood friends, now in their 30s and still in love with the same woman, are definitely awkward, but they're also definitely meant to be funny. Bissonette is not trying to play off pain with humor in a false way--he's very clearly painting an image of life: pain and humor that are always one step before or behind one another. And he utterly pulls it off.

The soundtrack is wonderful, too, both on its own, and how it adds to to story and the comedic moments. I'm not sure how you can find a way to see this film, but I'll stay in touch with Matt and Corey and fill you in when I hear more about their distribution plans.

Now it's January 11, and I have a few links for those interested in this film. Here's the official website, which will have up-to-date information about upcoming festivals WLTS will be playing at, and here's an interview with Matt, recently published at The Filmlot.

Venus highlights the contrasts of life

ktincu — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 17:24:00 GMT

Paul and I saw this together our first night at the 2006 Denver Film Festival, and had mixed feelings about it. The man who introduced the film said he thinks it's one to watch for an Oscar nomination and possibly a Best Actor award for O'Toole. I'm not one to make such predictions, but it was an amazing performance. O'Toole's own life is winding down in a way that made him perfectly suited for the character study of Maurice, an aging actor whose health is beginning to fade. O'Toole does much more than just look and act appropriately aging--he seems to know at his core what it means to look back on your life with fondness and regret and one last burst of hope.

Apart from O'Toole and other very solid performances (Venessa Redgrave and Leslie Philips), the film has some slightly annoying qualities, as well as some very redeeming ones. I'll start with the narrative elements you'll need to understand the annoying things about the film. The whole premise of the film rests on the infatuation developed by the character Maurice for a very young working class girl named Jessie, a relative of his closest friend, Ian. He develops a relationship with Jessie (that is maybe 20 percent innocent and 80 percent highly questionable) that focuses on Maurice giving her a good dose of culture and class. In exchange, he wants to look at (and touch) youth. Can anyone say My Fair Lady? Pretty Woman? The thematic correlation is obvious, but it gets pushed over the edge by some scenes that involve buying Jessie some expensive earrings and taking her to the theatre and giving her a ride in a limo (yes, she stands up through the sunroof as they're driving through London).

But before you decide there's no way you'll see this movie, let me tell you what does work. Keep in mind that O'Toole works. There are some really funny and touching scenes between Maurice and his best friend, Ian. Their friendship is truly delightful. Plus, the use of light in the film is really beautiful. Look for the long, silent scenes where Maurice is sitting on the edge of his bed with the light coming in the window. And the film's treatment of larger issues and themes was very compelling to me. The film sets up several important contrasts: youth and aging; power and powerlessness; what we have and what we want; companionship/touch and isolation; privilege and poverty; pain and forgiveness. These are the contrasts of life, and they make the film worth seeing.

Don 't get caught up in "believability" issues.

ktincu — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:23:00 GMT

Stranger Than Fiction is, indeed, that, but I really enjoyed it. Off the top of my head, I'd say it's very much in the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Punch Drunk Love camps, so if those movies bugged you, this might not be your cup of tea. (And the reverse is true, too.)

Just to help get your expectations in order, here's some of what you should and shouldn't expect from the film:

DO expect great performances by Dustin Hoffman, Will Ferrel, Emma Thompson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal (one of my favorite actresses), but DON'T expect to feel endeared by the Emma Thompson character (she's beyond neurotic), or to laugh your pants off at Will Ferrel the way you're accustomed to.

DO expect lots of very charming quirkiness, especially in the details surrounding the Dustin Hoffman character (these details have stuck with me and reemerged since I saw the film two days ago), but DON'T expect to wholeheartedly embrace all the quirkiness packed into this film. (I'm a big fan of quirky, and some of it in this film wasn't quite...well, something enough. I can't decide if it wasn't quite raw enough or not quite refined enough.)

DO expect fantastical occurrences--the whole premise of the film is based on them, so get out of the critical "this would never happen" mindset. But you should also expect to be slightly annoyed by some of the things in the film that could actually happen, but probably wouldn't. (Even thought I really wanted the love interest to materialize, and I wanted a happy ending, I really had a hard time believing either one. Hope I'm not giving too much away.)

So, I guess my final thoughts are that you should go see the movie if you're looking for a light and entertaining yet not mind-numbing trip to the theaters. I thought it was well worth our time and money. Just don't get too psyched up for the movie experience of the year. If you don't see it in the theaters, most definitely rent it.

Ellie Parker is funny in such real-life ways

ktincu — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 16:12:00 GMT

Ellie Parker (the film and the character, played by Naomi Watts) got under my skin in ways I didn't expect. Although Ellie's life as an aspiring actor going to one audition after another in LA, isn't anything like my own, I found myself relating to her--understanding exactly why she was laughing or crying, why she felt trapped, how she felt toward her best friend, why she let her frustrations get the best of her. I essentially empathized my way through this film. It all felt so real to me.

I think two or three factors really played into my experience with this film. For one, Naomi Watts based this film somewhat on her own life. It makes sense that even a semi-autobiographical film will come across as "more real" and identifiable to its audience.

Another factor is that Naomi partnered with her friend Scott Coffey, a director and screenwriter, to make this film. (He also plays a somewhat significant character--one who is endearing yet at the same time awkward and maddening.) I could really sense the fun that Naomi and Scott had making this film together. I sensed their extreme comfort level and mutual understanding and the many conversations they probably had along the way. It wasn't just "work" to them. (I guess they filmed it over a five-year period.)

Finally, the film was shot on digital video in a style that really drew me in. It had just the right amount of a "home video" effect--it added to the story rather than distracting from it.

Beyond all of that, Naomi Watts is amazing, and there are just some really funny moments in this film. They're funny in the way life can be funny (and sad and frustrating all at once). I'm going to venture out and say I loved this film. But I say it with caution, because it's not for everyone. I think anyone who considers themselves a moderately- to highly-adventurous film watcher will not be disappointed.

Pretty Persuasion is both fun and not, all at once

ktincu — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 16:36:00 GMT

I watched Pretty Persuasion yesterday, and I'm still kind of stunned. I thought I'd be ready to post today, but I don't know where to begin. So maybe I'll begin with that point: I think the filmmaker wants us to be left somewhat speechless by the end of this film. It's the kind of film that drags your loyalties and emotions all over the place. Just when you think you know what's happening and what the motivations are, you're as duped by 15-year-old Kimberly (the main character) as her friends and the adults in her life are.

The film is a classic black comedy. For the most part, it is an upbeat, fun film, and I found myself enjoying it very much. At the same time, I couldn't shake the Shakespearean sense of impending doom, which slowly builds before descending over you. It's like a storm that you can clearly see approaching from behind, but you're determined to face the sun and stay ahead of it, as if you can outrun it. In this film, you clearly cannot.

The most engaging characters are the smartest and also the saddest. As they manipulate you, you're simultaneously pulled all over by the film's non-linear format, which feeds you information by the spoonful (and not necessarily when you need it most). Again, this is obviously part of the filmmaker's plan. And just when I thought every ounce of sympathy had been drained from my being, I found myself feeling empathy. It's hard not to, in the end, when you find yourself faced with jealousy, prejudice, neglect, selfishness and greed--a handful of the most powerful forces that make our world a less-than-perfect place.

Doug Block shares his story so we can share ours

ktincu — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 16:21:00 GMT

With 51 Birch Street, Doug Block has created a documentary around his journey to understand his parents as people, not just parents, and to understand their marriage in that light. In addition to many conversations with family members, the film includes insight drawn from years of his mother's journals, which were discovered after her death. (The journals include all kinds of information most adults would rather not know about their mothers). Overall, the film is touching, sometimes funny, often sad, but somehow not depressing. It seems to say, "This is life. This is what it means to be human. We all have variations on the same stories."

I think the most moving part of the film, for me, is an interview Doug has with his mother's best friend of many years, Natasha. He asks her if she thinks his mother would have wanted him to read her journals. Natasha goes through a long process of thinking and making a string of "difficult thinking" expressions before she answers emphatically "Yes!" I love how sure she is after taking the time to think about the issue from many different angles. I also love what she says to back up her response: "What a relief for someone to really know us, and still love us."

The film held many similar moments for me--moments of articulation that left me feeling that I was understood, not alone. As I talked to both friends and strangers after the screening, it became clear that I was not the only one to be moved in that way. We all have our own, unique stories, yet we are all connected. Films like 51 Birch Street simply bring that connection into the light.

Akeelah is a good feel-good

ktincu — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:31:00 GMT

I was so not surprised to get sucked in by all the "feel good" feelings while watching Akeelah and the Bee. It has all the necessary trappings:

- a school official who believes in the potential of an underprivileged child
- a stressed out, overworked mom who eventually learns to support her child's dreams
- a friendship between a working class black girl and an upper middle class Hispanic boy
- the eventual friendship between the black girl and a highly driven Asian boy
- a brother who "got out" of the neighborhood and another who is "sinking in" (but shows signs of hope by the film's end)
- a successful man who can't get beyond his own demons until a smart and sassy little girl comes into his life
- school bullies who are the losers in the end
- reasons to cheer

In general, many people in Akeelah's world are obstacles that eventually come around. It doesn't get more feel-good than that.

But amazingly, this film did not annoy me. In part, it's because Akeelah is such an engaging, endearing character. Even more so, though, it's because I watched the film with three girls, ages 6, 8 and 10. Not only were they completely rapt with attention through the whole film, they promptly began playing "spelling bee" as soon as the film was over. During dinner they even suggested that it would be fun each night at dinner to always spell the last word of any sentence spoken by any person at the table. (We let that go on for about 5 minutes before putting an end to the madness.)

Overall, I think this is a good family film. Kids sometimes need the cliches and feel-good trappings to get into a film and get what would otherwise be too-subtle messages. My kids haven't seen Spellbound yet, but I'm not sure they would be quite as inspired by it (even though it is a much better film). They didn't love Mad Hot Ballroom the way I expected because there were too many interviews (i.e.: slow parts). Ah kids. There's no accounting for taste.

For more on my feelings about Akeelah's ties to Starbucks Entertainment, read my SpoutBlog post.