Film Review by Sedai
 

Jeunet and Caro



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Unique. That is one word to describe the 1999 dark fairy tale The City of Lost Children by surrealist pair Juenet and Caro, the Belgian directing team that brought us Delicatessen and Amelie (as well as Alien Resurrection, which was a sole effort by Juenet). Dystopic cityscapes, warped dream sequences, and absolutely stunning visual effects all combine with some well played roles to bring the viewer on a bleak but hopeful adventure. When a little girl and a circus strongman (played wonderfully by Ron Perlman) set off to rescue a small boy who has been captured by the malicious Krank, a madman who can't dream bent on stealing the dreams of children.

Many times during the film I was taken aback by the absolutely stunning and original photography and set design that just fills this film from first frame to last. Alice and Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Journey to the Center of the Earth. I was reminded of all these classic tales while watching, as this film instills that same sense of wonder that one got when watching/reading these classics as a child.

Not to mention the bizzare cast of characters that the unlikely duo meet on their journeys. From a conjoined twin who exploits children, to a drunken sideshow flea circus master, to the borg-like henchman of the sinister Krank, these characters come to life and whisk you away for an hour and a half to a dark and dreamy land rich with unique artistry.

One scene sticks in my mind, which starts with the shedding of a single tear, which sets into motion a chain of events that are expertly and artfully filmed in a two minute sequence that is one of the most creative and beautiful scenes I have ever witnessed. Really, watching this film for the art and set design alone is worth the time.

If there is a flaw in the film, it's that the story moves at an erratic pace and is not clearly set down for the viewer. Some of the people I watched it with were confused and annoyed at the loose style the story was told in. I get the feeling the european plot styling, which doesn't hit you over the head with storyline, might not be for everyone.

So if film that is more than story alone is your cup of tea, give this adventure a try. It is a rewarding experience that really leaves an impression and shows just what a creative team can do with a good cast, great imagination, and a camera. We watched the film in the original french with subs, I recommend doing the same.

Ravenous
 

Antonia Bird



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Picked this gem up recently. I had a dim recollection of the film from trailers at release etc. but couldn't remember hearing anything about it good or bad..

Set in 1800's wartime California, A half frozen, half starved man wanders into a fort in the mountains with a horror story of being trapped in a cave with a few others for three months. Apparently they tried to survive off what little nourishment they could find in the cave which only lasted for about a month. He goes on to say that after the food (which included shoes) ran out, they resorted to cannibalism and the survivor barely made it out of the cave without being eaten! He states a crazy colonel has a woman still trapped in the cave and something needs to be done fast. A search party is formed and they are off to save the woman. Soon they come to find not all is as the man said, and things start to get tricky....

This film is an experiment in genre blending. I'd have to say a somewhat successful one at that. By injecting some comic elements into the dialouge and screenplay, the film makers keep the film from taking itself too seriously, and puts the viewer in a state of acceptance for a few of the movies other ideas that aren't very realistic. Some supernatural idealogy is brought into the play that might have seemed way out of place in this otherwise mundane setting, but the comedy elements keep you in a light mood, and ready for anything this bizarre piece serves up. There is some tastey photography and the roles are well played, especially Colonel Ives. I do have a feeling the genre blending is going to make or break this film for many viewers.

Some might find the film to be a directionless mess with no clear cut footing in storytelling. It is not particularly hilarious, scary, or suspenseful. Ravenous is a unique blend of the three distinct genres that takes a few chances in architecture, but I think the rewards far outweigh the failings that some may find. Even the music rides this line, with a slightly corney banjo part that wriggles it's way into some scenes that would otherwise be disturbing and dark.

If I have any complaint, It would be that Guy Pierce is a bit subdued in this role and is outshined by his co-stars, albeit somewhat intentionally. He is sort of a brooding victim of a past trauma (which plays into the story) and he plays up the whole "I am the the brooding guy" trip. It might just be this guys demanor, as he was sort of subdued in Memento as well.

Amelie
 

Jean Pierre Jeunet



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Ah, Amelie. How I already miss her. The bat of an eyelash, the quirky smile. Juenet has done it again. Putting the sci-fi on the shelf this time, Juenet brings us a wonderful story about a young french waitress who is about as shy as they get. She works is a small cafe' near her flat in Paris, and you may be wondering just why this girl would be interesting or filmworthy at all. Well, it is not what she does for a living or her ravishing good looks (although she is quite charming and alluring in her cute little way). Amelie notices people, lonely people. From her depressed father to a hermetic painter with a rare bone disorder (although not too rare, as a character in another film from the same year suffered the same ailment), Amelie takes it upon her self to change these people's lives for the better.

Not long after starting her little mission of the heart, she gets caught up in the lives of the people she has chosen to help, and becomes involved in a little mystery of her own. AA lost backpack with a well-cared for but unique photo collection draw her to an enigmatic man who has been visiting the photo booths in train stations and other public areas, only to tear his photo's up and throw them to the ground. She make's it her personal goal to find this man whop seems so unhappy learn more about him. Soon she is faced with her own failings in life and we the viewers begin to see that Amelie also needs some new direction, and we are on the journey to achieve this with her. We can not help but go along for the ride....

Another masterwork from Jeunet. That is what springs to my mind whenever I think about this film. It's been a few weeks since I watched it, but the film is still fresh in my mind. The sets, the direction, the acting, the atmosphere. Everything comes together and just works to bring the viewer into Amelie's heart and mind. The clever ways that Amelie helps people are heartwarming and funny, while still carrying an important message that Juenet made sure was present at all times, that even people with a heavy weight upon their shoulders can have the burden lightened with the smallest of thoughts or actions. She brings her father, who is in a funk of depression and suffers from a tremendous lack of motivation back into life with an extremely clever, but simple idea that she has to put very little effort into at all. She also exacts a little justice on a mean-spirited grocer who really does deserve it ;)

As with most Jeunet pieces, the production design is incredibly creative, with original ideas and images appearing at every turn. This has to be one of the most well-crafted feel good pieces I have ever seen, and I am usually not a fan of the genre. I would have to say it could be one of the best films, period, that I have ever seen. The impression it leaves is priceless and this movie can turn any glum morning into a cheery afternoon. I have neglected to mention some of the plot points and mechanics used in the film, because I would hate to ruin any of the surprises this film has in store for any of you folks who haven't seen it yet. So run out and rent/buy Amelie! I can't recommend it enough and I doubt it would disappoint anyone.

One of my top 10 favorite films of all time!


I highly recommend checking out Holden's thread on this film as well:

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's AMELIE

Great reviews, Sedai!

I was one of those people who got a little lost in the storyline of The City of Lost Children. However, as you stated, the visuals are incredible. Very interesting film, and certainly worth watching for the style alone.

I, too, have a slight recollection of Ravenous. Thanks for reminding me about this film. I've put it on my "to see" list! I'll trust your recommendation :D

Amelie is as wonderful as wonderful could possibly be. I've talked to friends who stay away from foreign language films, but they LOVE Amelie! Not only is the character and story unique, but once again, the camera, editing, and style is amazing.

Good job, Sedai! Anytime you want to join LordSlaytan and me at Movie Reviews 4 Fun, you're more than welcome!

I've read and, I believe, commented on all these reviews before, but I am glad you consolidated them. I like your style and taste in films reviewed.

I especially like your review of Amélie. Now I know for sure that you’re not an alien from another planet. To hate this movie is an obvious sign of that condition.

Great reviews! Keep ‘em coming! Please! :D

Nice reviews! I especially liked the one on Ravenous, a film I've been eyeing for some time now. :D

Thanks folks, I really appreciate the comments on these somewhat older reviews I did. This weekend I watched quite a bit of film and will post reviews on at least one of the films, hopefully later today. Again, thanks for the support.

Nice reviews all around Sedai. I haven't seen the first two, but I've seen Amelie and I loved it. Definately a heart warmer. Nice job!

I can't wait to see what you're writing next. :)

To Live
 

Yimou Zhang



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**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS HEAVY SPOILERS**

I felt a summary review was necessary for this film, please skip to the bottom for the final ratings to avoid spoilers if you choose.

To live, the basic need of humanity. Yimou Zhang brings us a story of one Chinese family, and the triumph and tragedy that befalls them over a period of approximately fifty years. The film follows the lives of Feng Gui, who begins the film as a compulsive gambler in the 1940's. In the opening scenes, Feng Gui loses his home and in doing so, his family. This is bad for Feng, but we find out it could have been worse, as if he had kept going the way things were, he would have been put to death for his actions as a landlord. Now without hearth and home, Feng is forced to look to make a living, to live, in whichever way possible.

Feng Gui "aquires" some puppets and begins a puppet show in earnest, not only to keep his sanity and food in his stomach. Again, at first this seems like a struggle, which it is, but we are shown things could have been worse once again for Feng, as he manages to stay on the sidelines of some political infighting that gets bloody fast, also managing to bring laughter and joy to many of the downtrodden chinese soldiers. Feng manages to stay alive by following his new, and more honest, path. During the dicing scene his wife begs him to stop playing, before he loses everything, and he makes what appears to be the incorrect choice to continue, indeed losing everything he had at that point, but the choice turns out to be better in the end. With the puppets, he makes what appears to be the correct choice, and it does in fact turn out to be the correct choice. This showcases that no matter what choices we make, fate can have an impact no matter what and redefine our lives.

Again time passes, and Feng Gui is once again reunited with his lost family, now a changed man. The new party is also gaining strength, and the family devotes themselves to the party. It is not long before another difficult choice presents itself to Feng Gui. The party requires work from the family, and Feng Gui must make the choice whther to send his exhausted son to work, therefore staying in excellent favor with the party, or refusing to send his son, and letting him get the rest he desperately needs. He chooses the party over his son, and pays dearly. Another example of choice making all the difference, but this time fate has little to do with the sons death due to lack of rest on the job. The family is crushed once again, but they stick together an press on, holding their daughter Fengxia tightly. They manage to live and overcome once again.

Things go well for some time and a marriage is arranged between Fengxia and a half-lame red guardsman Wan Erxi. Wan Erxi, the family, and the town leaderperson (they never give an official title, or I missed it) are all extremely dedicated to the new party, and show their support by having festivals and even painting portraits of the party leader on the walls of their home. The wedding goes off, and things are good for a short time until once again event take a turn for the worse as the red party begins to arrest local townsfolk as capitalist roaders. Many leaders, physicians, and scholars are arrested and ridiculed publicly, including the leader of the small town the family resides in. The family knows things are amiss when the town leader gets taken away, as his support for the party had been exemplary, and if he could get taken away, anyone could. This chapter in the families lives comes to a close with tragedy again, as Fengxia is brought to the hospital to have her child, only to find the staff comprised completely of medical students, as all the doctors have been taken away by The Party. Feng Gui attempts to find a doctor and bring him to help, but days of starvation put the old doc out of commision just atthe wrong time. As you would imagine, students aren't doctors, and the family once again faces the loss of one member, even as a new life enters the circle.

The film wraps up with what is left of this battered family traveling to the grave of Fengxia, happily, to visit and share family time with the new grandson. Erxi and his son face a hard life ahead, but with all they have endured, we feel confident that they will indeed, live.

**END SPOILER SECTION**

This is a wonderful, if not sad film. I felt moved by it numerous times and can find little flaw in story, acting, and pacing. I did feel the cinematography a bit flat, but I think the locale had something to do with it, all gray walls and brick in the villages. All the characters were believeable and the hardships and hopes of this family become yours while you watch. I was also a big fan of all the fate/choice concepts interwoven throughout, and wanted to convey some of the concepts in this review, hence the summary format this time. This director masterfully peppers his film at regular intervals with these concepts and I find this to be one of the film's main strengths. Even if you read the summary (which is very light in comparison to the storythreads in the film), I still recommend viewing the film as it has much to offer. I plan on watching it again soon.

Nice review and a great choice Sedai. I LOVED this movie. You’re right...it’s wonderfully done and for me a tremendous heart breaker on may levels. My only disagreement is the Overall B-....for me it’s an A+. :)

As a wife and mom...my heart went out to Gong Li’s character Jiazhen. From the moment she tries to confront her husband with his gambling addiction, to leaving him, eventually taking him back....trying to stand up to him where their son is concerned (several times), dealing with the aftermath and emotions towards the family friend, marrying off her daughter that has a disabilty, to her watching what happens to her beloved daughter and not being able to do anything to help her. This is one of the most moving movies I’ve ever seen. :bawling: :bawling:


****SpoilerSpoilerSpoilerSpoilerSpoilerSpoilerSpoilerSpoilerSpoiler****

Another part that moved me to tears is when the family friend comes to them saying his wife left him and basically insinuates he has nothing else to live for...Jiazhen steps forward and reminds him he still owed her a life. He wasn’t to take his own. :bawling:

She was a remarkable woman...I loved her character.

Great points. I meant to mention her performance in my review but I didn't type it out for some reason. The birth scene with Fengxia was indeed heart rending. Also, know that my B- came about because of cinematic issues, and I had no problems with the acting/story. I just felt a lot of the locales were drab. I'm sure this was on purpose, to highlight the communist society, but I still felt I had to knock a couple points, I guess I am just a sucker for good photography/interestingly shot scenes. :eek:

Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you liked this film!!!

_S

You're welcome. It would be hard to touch on everything in that movie. I'm just a sucker for tearjerkers. You did a very nice job with your review Sedai. :yup:

Nice review, I really liked it. I made one for this film as well. I disagree with your assessment in regards to the cinematography though. I thought it was gorgeous. It can't be helped that during those times and places depicted in the film, there was little color, or that things seemed drab, because that’s the way it really was then. Even though I love movies with brilliant colors and lots of flair (Amélie for example), I don’t necessarily have to have that sort of stimuli in order to appreciate the cinematography. I appreciate these stark visuals for their realism and in filming it that way this movie excels brilliantly. Yet, to each his or her own, it’s all a matter of taste, not if one is right or wrong.

Regardless of that minor issue, in the end, this movie isn't about how beautiful the landscape is, but about how love can see people through tragedy and that regardless of what happens in life, there are still reasons To Live.

Secret Window
 

David Koepp



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*Minor spoilers*

This weekend I was on a mission. My mission was to avoid any and all information regarding Secret Window, the stylish David Koepp thriller that opened here in the Boston area this past Friday. A writer (Johnny Depp) who lives in a cabin in the woods, begins getting stalked by a strange man (John Turturro) who claims this writer has stolen his story. The trailer for this film had caught my eye a few months ago, and I remember thinking it had the appearance of a film that had all the right elements in it’s equation to perhaps amount to something greater than the sum of it’s wonderful parts. Moody, surreal lighting, spooky locales, a solid director with some impressive films under his belt, and not one, but two of my favorite actors portraying main characters. Johnny Depp and John Turturro squaring off in a film inspired by Secret Window, Secret Garden, a novella found within the 1990 Stephen King release, Four Past Midnight. My interest was peaked, to say the least.

I was mostly successful in my mission, and having not read the novella, I arrived at the theater with almost no foreknowledge of the film whatsoever. Into the seats we go, and just in time for the feature, I prepare myself for some wide eyed suspense. The film delivered on the suspense, I must admit, but unfortunately, it came up a bit short in some other areas. My biggest issue was with the gimmick ending, which I’ll get to shortly, but first I feel I have to mention how many times I found myself thinking of other films while watching. From Friday the 13th, to Fight Club, to Stephen King’s own The Dark Half, I was constantly being whisked from one derivative scene to another and I kept getting the feeling that at any moment either Jason Vorhees or George Stark would come lurching out of the cabin.

That said, the film has quite a few strengths I would like to mention before wrapping up with a couple of comments about the ending. Depp and Turturro both deliver in spades. Depp’s performance as the manic, reclusive writer, Mort Rainey, is all at once comedic and unnerving, while Turturro transforms himself into a wild-eyed hick by the name of John Shooter, with a dark stare that chills to the bone. Hutton et al., however, are for the most part underused and flat, and don’t log much screen time. The cinematography was well done, and I found myself drawn into the eerie mood quite a few times during the film, the dark and somewhat minimal symphonic score adding to these scenes considerably. The cabin was quite spooky and the scenes shot within were well done and had knots in my stomach a couple times, so again the suspense is one of the highlights of this film.

About four minutes after the introduction of Turturro’s character, I knew how the film was going to end, or more precisely, I knew the gimmick that would be used at the end of the film. About four seconds after finding out the name of Turturro’s character, I figured out the other gimmick that would be used at the end of the film. It seemed to me the director just wasn’t giving his audience much credit, as the clues he gave the audience seemed like anvils to me. Perhaps if Mr. Koepp had taken a more subtle approach with his hints the film would really have been something, as this was my main problem with the movie almost from the get go.

I must also mention an irritating story thread where Mort can’t get his hands on a copy of a magazine he desperately needs and seems to have way too much trouble getting a copy. Why not check the internet or the library, or perhaps call the publisher of the magazine to get a back copy? I kept asking myself this question throughout the movie and only after viewing the ending did I understand that this was not an oversight after all, but a necessary omission, as in order to set up the trick ending, they couldn’t have anyone doing something as far fetched as ordering a back copy of a magazine until it was time for the film to end.

Overall I enjoyed Secret Window and would recommend the film for a fun night out, but I doubt many will find themselves drawn to watch it a second time to figure out the intricacies of the plot.

Great review Sedai … Thanks for sharing… :) I was curious about Secret Window but have been trying to decide whether to see it in the theater or wait for the DVD…

I agree with the performance factor but, the review? As Cait says, thanks for sharing with us .....it's written well, yet I disagree with it thoroughly (the 4th and 5th paragraph actually).
Although in general, your reviews are great to read and a positive addition to the review section of MoFo. :)

BTW................where exactly are those popcorn buckets???? Ya'know, to be used in posted reviews.

Check the VB script page for the new addition :)

As for your comments on the review JRS, thanks for reading as always, and it's okay to disagree, as it's only my opinion of the film. You pinpointed the last couple of paragraphs, which contained my opinion of the ending and what I considered a misuse of hints. You didn't find those clues to be painfully obvious? Also, did you not find the entire idea of the film derivative of The Dark Half in general? Again I really liked some of the technical aspects of the film, I loved the performances by Turturro and JD, and Dutton for the small time he was used anyway. I felt the writing was subpar for the most part though. Reading Beale's review It seems he perceived a lot of the same flaws I did. I usually try to watch a film twice before reviewing it, but this time around I just felt I had seen enough of this one, usually an indicator of a flawed film, for me anyway.

Anyway, thanks for the comments and thanks for reading :)

I did, yes, find it similar to The Dark Half. I did not disagree on your thoughts on your toughts on the technical aspect, performances, or writing at all though.
As for the VB Script Page, I don't want to sound like an idiot but where is it?

Down at the bottom of the page click the VB Code link :)

Thanks.

np ;)

Thanks for your comments and generous rep Caity
:cool:

_S

Great review Sedai!

Before I gush on about how good you are at writing reviews, I want to point out that the novella came out before the advent of the Internet, and Mort’s story was long since been out of publication. It made more sense in the book. Anyway, I like the way you break down the different aspects of the movie for your overall rating, it is unique and entirely you. I doubt I’ll ever see this film until it is on cable, even though I like to pay for all things Depp, people should always help their favorite actors by adding to their overall worth. I just didn’t think the story should be made into a movie, too many King stories that are actually crappy get made just because of his name.

Okay, back to gushing…

You are great
You are swell
I don’t wish you to go to hell
But if you do
I’ll be there
I’ll be the one with burning hair
I’ll protect you
From the Baddie’s
But who’ll protect you from me?
…um, that’s all I’ve got


Keep up the good work, bro!

:rotfl:

Glad you enjoyed reading! I have kind of felt the same way about King's stuff as of late as well, but since my girlfriend is all about the Deppster at this point, seeing the film was required ;) As for your poem, I don't think I can return the thought in kind, as my poetry is...well, not worth discussing :eek:

Thank you for the time/compliments! I appreciate it a lot!

_S

Nice reviews, Sedai! I really enjoyed reading the reviews that you have so far and I hope to see more :)

Sunset Boulevarde
 

Billy Wilder



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Film Noir Classic review for your reading enjoyment.

Sunset Boulevard has one of the most memorable opening sequences in film history, or so I had heard many times. My father had pestered me for what seemed like ages about how I just must see Sunset Boulevard if I was to learn more about film noir, a genre we both seemed to have an affinity for. Far be it for me to let my pop down, I convinced him to lend me his copy of the DVD. Before the review itself, a comment or two about the DVD. The transfer, overall, looks fantastic. I did notice some artifacts occasionally, but they were negligable, not hindering my enjoyment of the film at all. The menus were simple and elegant, with a classic feel in line with the atmosphere of the film. A quality DVD by all means.

The film opens with a man, yet unnamed, floating face down in a swimming pool. A deadpan voiceover begins recalling the events that have led up to this poor unfortunate man ending up in this most unfortunate position. So begins one of the strangest dark comedy/noir I have ever seen. I really enjoyed this picture. So much so that I immediately watched it again, but a mere twenty four hours later. This was two weeks ago, and now that I have had time digest this masterpiece of dark celluloid, I would like to touch on a few of the most intriguing aspects of the film.

First off, Norma Desmond. I have to say one of the most interesting and memorable characters in any film I have seen. She was wonderful! Transforming from an aging, sad delusional to a catlike predator and back again in the space of three seconds. Her facial expressions were mesmerizing. Gloria Swanson is just absolutely perfect in this role, a role which, when compared to her real life career as an actress, draws a clever parallel. In Sunset Boulevard, Swanson plays the role of an aging silent film star, who was incredibly popular in the heyday of silent film, long forgotten in the time of “talkies”, or films with sound. In reality, Gloria Swanson was an aging film star of the silent era. In Sunset Boulevard, Desmond goes on incessantly about how sound has ruined pictures, and dialouge is unimportant, yet Swanson's dialouge is completely convincing and engaging. I loved the way the director toyed with this concept.

William Holden’s Joe Gillis is the classic noir hero. A down on his luck script writer attempting to elude a pair of hard case repo men, Gillis ducks his car into a driveway on Sunset Boulevard, and in true noir form, into the labyrinth from which there will be no escape. A grand, palatial estate stands before him, and a mysterious woman calls to him from a balcony above, the siren of his doom. His life quickly becomes inextricably linked to Desmonds, a tangled enmeshment of deceit and seduction. He is in her labyrinth, as well as the labyrinth of his own troubles and insecurities that keep him from escaping the house. Gillis certainly couldn’t be locked in the labyrinth, as this house has no locks, yet he can not, and will not escape.

The atmosphere, set design, lighting, and camera work were all spectacular. Billy Wilder knew exactly what he was doing and precisely what he was saying with his imagery and dialouge. Early in the film, while Norma gives Joe a tour of the house, they pass through a room with an old pipe organ against one wall. A dreary, hollow wail is emanating from the organ and Norma comments that a draft blows through the organ constantly and is the source of the sound. Brilliant foreshadowing and allegory on this woman’s madness, again I applaude Mr. Wilder. Creative scenes like this abound in this film. I found myself reminded of Everything from The Twilight Zone, to The Adams Family, to David Lynch. I would venture to guess this film has inspired countless films and television programs.

Honorable mention goes out to Eric Von Stroheim, who plays Ms. Desmond's butler; cold and solemn, he adds a spooky edge to many scenes. Nancy Olsen is also well cast as Betty Shaefer, the sole beacon of hope, trying with all her might to save poor Joe, but alas, this is film noir. Simply put, one of the best film noir I have yet to see.

eXistenZ
 

David Cronenberg



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I had forgotten what it felt like to watch a Cronenberg film. It’s a difficult feeling to describe, a combination of interest, bewilderment, wonder and revulsion. The man has a style all his own, and in over 20 years of film making, hasn’t lost his ability to approach a subject, any subject, from a perspective all his own. This time the subject is video games.

Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Allegra Gellar, the worlds most sought after and creative video game designer, who is currently under the employ of the Antennae Corporation, developers of the quite unique and interesting bio-technology the eXistenZ game uses. The film opens on a control group who have been chosen to beta-test, or try out, what Gellar claims is a game like none before it. She goes on to explain that through the use of game pods, basically the controller, people will interface with the game organically, by connecting to the pod with an umbilical like cord that plugs directly into the players spine! Sound bizarre? Keep reading.

The control group plugs in, and begins to play. At this point I expected to be whisked into the game world in a special effects whirlwind. It didn’t happen. Instead, the camera focuses in on the pods and we begin to get the idea that these pods are alive. Not only alive, but in true Cronenberg form, sensual. The sexual overtones in this scene were overwhelming at first and got quite a few comments out of the people I was viewing the film with. The pods themselves were a flesh colored, knobby organism that undulated about in the lap of the player. The players don’t play long, as an assassin, bent on destroying Gellar and here creation in order to preserve true reality, springs his trap and produces a very strange looking organic gun that appears to be fashioned out of some sort of carcass.

At this point I started to get interested. Just what in the world was going on here?

A commotion ensues and the man running the control group grabs the door man, Ted Pikal (Jude Law), and tells him he must get Gellar, who has been shot in the arm, away to safety. The duo escape and drive away, looking for some sort of hideaway to gather themselves and figure out what has happened. Gellar tells Ted Pikal (Law’s character) that her game pod contains the only source copy of ExisTenZ in existence, and that in order to preserve it, she must play the game with someone friendly. The control group had been infiltrated and her game was in danger. Law reminds her she has been shot and should be worrying about things other than her game at this point, but here we start to get the idea that Gellar is a woman obsessed, and her game is all she cares about, and not just having her game, playing it. Law digs the bullet out only to discover it is a human tooth! Now I am really interested.

She continues to insist that she must play with a friendly, and play now. We soon discover that Pikal doesn’t have a bioport, as his fear of something going wrong on installation has stopped him from getting the minor surgery required. To Gellar this in unacceptable and she insists they venture out to find her friend, Gas (Willam Defoe), to get a port installed so they can play and save the source code. From here on, lots of twists and turns and alternate realities are portrayed, and I found myself enjoying the ride. Again I have to mention the constant bombardment of sexual ideas and imagery. A lot of the interaction between Pikal and Gellar has an intimate feel, and any interaction with the game pods has major sexual overtones. There are also a few gruesome surgery scenes with the biopods that are exceptionally repulsive, as well as various scenes where various objects get inserted into a lubed up bioport (the ports bearing a striking resemblance to other body orifices). Cronenberg at his best in other words.

When the viewer is finally brought into the game, it coincides with Law’s first insertion into the game and the scenes are handled quite well, with almost no special effects. For a film dealing with virtual reality to use little or no special effects and still deliver is quite impressive to me. Numerous other films have attempted virtual reality and overdone the alternate realities with effects (The Cell), instilling a most unrealistic feel in the audience. Cronenberg uses camera techniques for the reality shifts instead, and the effect is fabulous. I did pick up on what was going on with the realities pretty early on in the film, but feel the director intended this, as the clues were obviously meant to allude to the fact that something wasn’t right or real about the places some of the characters were going.

Most of the performances were well played and believable, even if the subject matter requires a stretch for believability. Law was great as usual, and Leigh surprised me somewhat, although she seemed better in some scenes more than others. DeFoe is always great, and in this film my only complaint being that he doesn’t get enough screen time.

I really enjoyed eXistenZ! Cronenberg combines gaming, emotion, neurosis, and corporate espionage into one intriguing picture. I felt it was slightly derivative of other films in the genre, but Cronenberg gives it enough style and such a unique tone that it I hardly noticed. So, If mind bending science fiction sprinkled with a healthy dose of social allegory as well as sexuality is something you might enjoy, I would definitely recommend eXistenZ.

Nice Review, BUT, I thought Existenz was absolutely awful, when I saw it years and years ago. I didn't know Dafoe and Eccleston were in it though, I think I may have to give it another go sometime.

I can see where your coming from, I can not STAND Naked Lunch, another Cronenberg film. Many feel it is genius and a wonderful film, but it is too absurd for me. eXistenZ is also absurd, but I liked it for some reason. I like mind benders so i think that had a lot to do with it.

_S

I did see it at a time in my life when I thought that Independance Day and the like were cinema's greatest achievements, a lot has changed since then, lol

Nice reviews, I must get a hold of Sunset Boulevard and watch it again, nice touch mentioning Erich von Stroheim, who, amongst others, had actually directed a silent movie starring Gloria Swanson in the twenties.
I liked both eXistenZ and Naked Lunch, but then again I'm a Cronenberg and William S. Burroughs fan.
A word of warning: I recommend not to watch any Cronenberg film, whilst under the influence of hallucinogens.

I'll keep that in mind. Are you a Gilliam fan as well? I feel most of his work is really amazing, with films like 12 Monkeys and Brazil topping the list. I liked some of the other Cronenberg films as well. I remember The Brood and Rabid disturbing me in my youth, as well as a later film called The Kindred, which reminded me of Cronenberg but he wasn't involved.

Thank you for reading and commenting on the reviews. :)

_S

Good advice. I've seen Naked Lunch 2/3 times and it still baffles me no end. Its an eternatl brainteaser.

Some smart reviews there Sedai.

You think the movies tough to figure out? Try reading the book. I set fire to the damn thing.

Nice Sedai. :)

Terry Gilliam is the best thing to come out of Monty Python, but I'm a bit inebriated at the moment,so I might have more say at another time. :D

I may or may not be as well :dizzy:

Thanks again for reading guys :D

_S

:laugh:... I'm pretty sure that is the one my dad threw in the garbage...



Great reviews Sedai... thanks... :)

Great review, I enjoyed this movie also. :cool:

Nice review Sedai. I liked this one as well. Gloria Swanson was wonderful as was the rest of the cast.

Have you seen The Picture of Dorian Gray? That's another old black and white/film noir you might like.

Keep the reviews coming. :)

I missed this review when you first posted it. I don't know if you read my "Quick Review" for Sunset Blvd. or not, but it wasn't completely favorable. I have received more criticism for my comments about this film through email and Yahoo! Groups forums than any other film. It seems that people LOVE this film to the point of not understanding how anyone could think it was so-so.

I do believe, however, that I need to give it more chances. Based on initial reaction, it was my least favorite Billy Wilder film out of about 7 or 8 I've seen. I may also be rebelling against the tremendous amount of praise and hype this film receives, which I was aware of going into the film.

No one is able to explain to me how Holden is able to narrate the film if he is already dead. Did you have a problem with this, Sedai? Is this an experimental device Wilder attempted to use to get the audience to forget his fate by the end of the film?

I haven't seen that, but I'll put it on my list. Touch of Evil is up next for me for noir viewing :yup: I am interested in the Dorian Gray story, but the only exposure I have had to it was in the awful League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. (The movie was awful, not the graphic novel...)

Thanks for reading Annie :)

Hmmmmm, interesting question. According to the materials I have read on the genre, this is a fairly common mechanic in film noir. If I remember correctly, films like Out of the Past and Laura also use this mechanic. I'll have to dig around a bit, but I remember an author specifically mentioning this device. My father also seems to think it's a common film noir device, and I bet he can dig up ten films for every one I can mention in the genre.

My father and I obsess over common mechanics in noir, such as the multi-tiered labyrinths in these films, character archetypes, locales etc... This stuff fascinates me, which is probably why I like Sunset so much. It has been called a parody of itself, and I tend to agree. It pokes fun at all the concepts of noir, while delivering some of the most memorable scenes/characters I can remember.

I think I have mentioned the book before, but I must do so again. Nicholas Christophers Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City is just such a great resource/analysis on the genre. I CONSTANTLY find myself going back to it to re-read sections, especially after viewing a noir I haven't seen before. He will frequently draw parallels beyween films and show common threads that run through three or four (or ten) films.

Just yesterday I was reading the section on nightclubs, office buildings, and casinos as story devices. Using films like Gilda, The Big Clock, and Dead Reckoning, Christopher disects these devices down to their core elements and gives examples of the metaphor these constructs represent. Just wonderful stuff.

Alas, I think I need to view some more film before I am sure ;)

After that I might need to view some more film, just to make sure I have it :yup:

Thanks for reading folks :)

[EDIT] Just found a great interview with Spenser Selby, author of Dark City, He is quite the expert on the genre and it's a great interview which also includes a couple lists of great film noir to watch.

Spencer Selby Interview

I understand the narration by a character is a common mechanic in film noir, but the narration of a dead character? Out of the Past and Laura are on my "to see" list, but do they use narration by a dead character? :confused:

Yes, the device I am talking about is posthumous narration. Sorry I wasn't clear about that in my post. :eek:

_S

Any chance of you reviewing Strange Days Sedai?

This could be arranged. I haven't had much time to watch films this week, and I have Touch of Evil ready to watch next, but I have been wanting to watch Strange Days again.... I am also heading to the bookstore to pick up some Dickens and I was thinking about grabbing Wuthering Heights as recommended. I researched a bit into the book and it looks fabulous! I will let you know what I think if Heathcliff shortly :)

_S

Ooohhh....that's still probably what I would say as the best book I have ever read. I've recently been reading John Wyndham's library of fiction. The Day of the Triffids is a spectacular book written in the 50s. It's an 'end of the world' type book. Right now I'm reading The Midwich Cukoos, also written in the 50s. It was later made into a film entitled The Children of the Damned, it's another spectacular read. I heartily recommend his works.

Touch of Evil is my favorite Welles performance, I look forward to seeing your comments on the film.

Well it's your recommendation I am following with WH after all ;) For great 50s stuff, I recommend Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke. Short and sweet, and mind-blowing for the time it was written.

I'll check it out, thanks. :)

Sounds like another movie I have rent, it sounds like a great movie just by the way your describing it..
gotta see this one.

Hellboy
 

Gulliermo Del Toro



http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


I must say I wasn’t expecting much when I went into the theatre to see Hellboy, the latest slick offering about a demon hero trying to avert the apocalypse, from director Guillermo Del Toro. The directors previous works include such projects as Mimic, Cronos, and Blade II. I wasn’t expecting much because, frankly, I hadn’t been all that impressed with Guillermo’s work up until this point, having seen everything he had done save Cronos (which I will view soon, now that I see this man’s talents). I had enjoyed Blade II, but felt it a bit overwrought, and I had issues with the trashing of one of the characters. That said, Del Toro has matured his style quite a bit and has produced a stylish, unique, and downright fun movie.

This being a Del Toro film, there was plenty of dark, gloomy sets and an endless supply of slime. A film like this can quickly degenerate into a macabre gore-fest, but Del Toro cleverly injects threads of humor, love, religion, mythology, and existentialism to keep this from occurring. It occurred to me quite a few times while watching, that Del Toro has a superb eye for composition and color, as well as a knack for pacing. In one scene in particular:



I found this effect breathtaking, and not just because of the special effects (which were quite well done) but because it was shot in such a creative way, evoking emotion through pure beauty. Del Toro also strikes feelings of awe, wonder, and disgust with equal fervor. The effect of this clever blend of genre and material, is that you are almost immediately drawn into the world of Hellboy. I went in with absolutely zero knowledge of the material, and had no trouble immersing myself in the story and visuals. There were plenty of places for this film to go wrong, but Del Toro balances all his elements like a skilled juggler and keeps the entertainment flowing.

What I realized during this film, is that I hadn’t given Del Toro the chance he deserved through his crucial filmmaking adolescence. I had noticed appealing stylistic elements in his earlier works, but had discounted the films as lackluster in other departments. I think I now have a slightly better understanding of Del Toro’s overarching vision in film as well. This man truly loves the horror/action genre, and from what I can tell, wants to raise the bar for what is acceptable fare.

I am also starting to see signature visual/ideological concepts in his films. Kroenen, an ancient cyborg clockwork Nazi assassin(!), who was underdeveloped, but still very cool, bore striking resemblance to the two stealth infiltrators in Blade II, with the same meticulous attention to detail in character design. The idea of intricacy also seems a common one throughout Del Toro’s work as well. Be it intricate weaponry, artifacts, locales (at one point in Hellboy, two characters attempt to chase and capture the shadey clockwork in a maze-like underground passage system), or in the case of Kroenen, people, one doesn’t have to wait long for an example to appear. Watching a director develop and perfect their unique style is art in motion. If creative, original films like Hellboy are what we can expect from Mr. Del Toro from now on, I look forward to watching.

A couple of small issues with the film did crop up. While a few of the characters are well developed and just as well played, some of the characters are underused, or just irrelevant. Rasputin’s right hand girl, Ilsa, barely makes an appearance, yet starts waxing on about various concepts at films end. I had to remind myself who she was before disregarding her completely to pay attention to the story. Another character that just seemed like he was supposed to be on the set of an entirely different film, was Jeffrey Tambor’s character, Dr. Tom Manning. As if this stuffy, corporate knob could actually have any effect on these character’s lives. He prattles on about revoked funding and other nonsense that would have nothing to do with an apocalypse, was one actually occurring, as the film would have us believe.

Ron Perlman, on the other hand, is spectacular in his role as Hellboy. Perlman is one of the few actors that can pull off a rough exterior, while still coming across as vulnerable. An actor I had once passed up as a second rate bit player, has become one of my favorite actors working today. His features are so unique and expressive, I warmed up to his character almost from the start.

The only other caveat I would mention regards the slime effects. This director seems to have a penchant for goo, and if movies with lots of dark, oozing bio-sludge aren’t up your alley, you may want to pass on this one. I happen to like sludge, so it wasn’t an issue for me. The music also seemed a bit understated, and didn't leave much of an impression.

thanks for the review..itwas excellent...i missed it this weekend, preparing for the holidays so we'll certainly see it this weekend...

Great review, I haven't seen the film yet, so that's only your writing. :)

I went into this movie with high expectations based on the previous works of del Toro (Blade 2 was very entertaining) and came out somewhat disappointed. I agree with your overall review of the movie, but would recommend to any who have yet to view this film to plan on seeing it during a matinee. You'll get your moneys worth from the superb special effects (big round of applause to Rick Baker and crew) and the great action sequences through out the film, but as Sedai points out, there are some glaring problems with certain characters being over developed (Ilsa and Dr. Manning are useless) and I would have liked to have seen more done with the "Abe Sapien" character, maybe more on his background.
As usual, Sedai posts another great review and I look forward to his next, whenever he gets the chance to write one between the countless hours of CIV 3 and Knights of the Old Republic. :D
P.S. Does anyone else think Ron Perlman's portrayal of Hellboy is a dead ringer for Ben Grimm? :suspicious:

Thanks folks. I appreciate you taking the time to read. :D

I did get that impression a couple of times during the movie, usually when his stone hand became the center of attention. His mannerisms and attitude were a bit Grimm-like (The Thing of Fantastic Four fame, for those not steeped in the lore.)

I would venture a guess that the Hellboy character in the comic is modeled after Grimm to some extent as well, although I haven't seen an issue myself.

Thanks for the comments peeps.

Cheers :)

Great review, bud! What's next?

Not sure as of yet. I have been soaking myself in some classics this week, but I want to review something a bit newer. Did I mention Chinatown in the s**t? Anyway, Thanks for the comments peeps and I hope to have another piece up this week.

_S

What classics have you been "soaking" in? I thought I read recently that you were going to watch Diabolique and Touch of Evil. Did you get around to those yet?

Touch of Evil twice so far, and I really liked it, but I think I need to watch it again. I also watched Chinatown twice this week, as well as some exerpts from Kiss Me Deadly, as I have become fascinated with some of the sequences in that film, such as the opening minutes and also the conversation between Hammer and his secretary(where she is on the checkered tile floor). This conversation is great, as it lays out what will become of the characters. The comment she makes "Your type are all the same, you find a bit of string and you follow it. The string leads to a rope, the rope leads to a noose, which ends up around your neck." Lines like this make this one of the best film noirs in my opinion.

Some notes on Kiss me Deadly:

Taking a page from Nicholas Christopher, a noir analyst I like, We find Hammer entangled with not one, but two destructive ladies (Femme Fatales) in this film. Mirroring Dante, Hammer finds his Circe(two of them!) and Beatrice in this hellish labyrinth of a film. Two sirens whose songs lament of but one thing, Hammer's bitter end. The Hammer of this film is ultra confident, possesed of almost precognitive detective ability. From intuitively finding a bomb in his car to knowing exactly which buttons to push when he is shaking somebody down, this man has his mission in site and he is dead set on solving the case. This being film noir, we the viewer know, he hasn't got a chance. For it isn't the faceless, syringe toting psychiatrist (another noir regular), or the slew of jacked up muscle he wades throgh that end up undoing our hero. In the end, it's Circe, opening Pandora's box, who not only does our hero in, but everyone else as well. The line mentioned above, about the string, is spoken as a grim warning to Hammer, spoken by the only beacon of hope or escape in the film. Unfortunately, the tether his secretary throws down to Hammer, only serves to entangle her in the twisted, ever growing web of deceit and death in which Hammer has become inextricably ensconsed.

So, to answer your question, these are the concepts and films the "soaking' referred to. I could go off on another tangent (fitting the Dante paradigm perfectly again, btw) about Chinatown, but maybe that is for another day. I will say thet one could watch Chinatown without sound, and still be blown away by the photography alone.

Cheers

_S

I have yet to find a copy of Diabolique to watch.

Kill Bill Volume 2
 

Quentin Tarantino



http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


The second installment of the Kill Bill series, writen and directed by Quentin Tarantino, is quite a departure from the first chapter. While we were treated to a slick, fast paced action/adventure film in Volume 1, Tarantino slows it down this time, expanding on character and adding many more levels of depth to the concepts put forth in the series. Some fans of the first film may be put off if they arrive at the theatre expecting more of what the first film had to offer, and will find the second film quite a different, if not just as enjoyable, animal altogether.

The first immediately noticeable difference is the pacing. Kill Bill Volume 2 insidiously creeps along, immersing the viewer in a quagmire of deliberate dialogue, for most of the first hour, really digging into the under soil of the characters that managed to survive the initial onslaught of The Bride. Bill, who had been just but a faceless voice off-screen in the first film, reveals his countenance at the beginning of Volume 2. Played wonderfully by David Carradine of Kung Fu fame, Bill is a clam mannered south-westerner, with cracked lips, rawhide skin, and a chilly, piercing stare that speaks volumes. After watching his performance for a few minutes (the initial conversation between Bill and The Bride seemes interminable, and sets the pace for the first hour of the film), I found myself thinking that Carradine and Tarantino are a perfect match, just the actor for such a visceral director. I could practically smell tequila on Bill’s breath, just as I could almost feel the blowing dust around the chapel sting my eyes.

I use the word interminable, but not in a negative way mind you, but because the slow pace of the film is such a departure from kinetic energy and rapid fire editing of the first piece. Tarantino shifts gears and directs his homage to the smokey, dry westerns of old. While the first volume had the look and feel of today’s explosive martial arts pieces, Volume 2 is comparable to the spaghetti westerns Clint Eastwood lived in for years. Many scenes had an extremely deliberate feel, as characters would slowly step closer to each other, their dusty boots filling the screen as they walked. This is not to say this film is devoid of action, as it has plenty, it just isn’t the centerpiece of the film.

That said, there are a number of impressive, bloody action scenes, and quite a few showdowns. Before confronting Bill, The Bride hunts down another member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who is played by the always good Michael Madsen, most widely recognized as Mr. Blonde, from Tarantino’s cult classic, Reservoir Dogs. Madsen’s character gets a surprising amount of development, and is absolutely convincing as Madsen never breaks character. This reviewer is from southern Arizona originally, and Madsen’s characters is right out of my hometown, almost to the point where I had to ask myself if I had met this creep. Daryl Hannah has more of a role in this film and she is quite imposing. At 6’2”, Hannah has no problem portraying a towering, juggernaut of a bad ass. The showdown between The Bride and Elle is one of the most intense fight scenes I have ever seen. I was cringing every few seconds as these two inflicted wave after wave of brutal punishment on each other. Spectacular cinema folks.

In sticking with his homage style, Tarantino has an entire section of the film devoted to a massively overused martial arts film mechanic, the training of a student by an old master with long white eyebrows and beard. Everything from character design, to locale, to dialogue is templated directly off of black belt theatre, and Tarantino injects humor in all the right places, telling the audience exactly what he thinks about this very cool, but clearly campy methodology. I loved this section of the film; it was absolutely hilarious, and one can tell Tarantino has a true love for this goofy genre. Just another example of this directors exceptional vision.

Like the first film, the second volume is peppered with interesting and creative mode shifts in cinematography and style. Black and white, filters, grainy shots, and some experimentation with aspect ratio all add to the experience. In one rather intense scene in particular, dealing with a coffin, Tarantino had me gripping my seat with white knuckles, as the photography and sound techniques draw you into this dark scene utterly.

Hitchcock would have been proud. There is also a vast amount of homage in this film, as with any Tarantino film. I saw references to many films and shows, including Kung Fu (Bill plays a wooden flute), Blade Runner, (Hannah flopping around on the ground while hurt), Shoalin Invincibles, and many others.

In closing, I must comment on Uma Thurman, who was perfect for this role, and is in perfect form throughout both films. This is an actress who understands high acting. She may not be the most skilled actor, but she understands how to use her face and body to get ideas across to the audience, a concept many actors fail to grasp. Who says women can't be action stars, I can't think of anyone else in this role?

I liked Kill Bill Volume 2. At this point I think I may like Volume 1 a bit more, but I have a feeling after additional viewings of both, that may change, as Volume 2 is a more character driven, personal film. So if you don’t mind some drawn out conversation and additional character development, I recommend Kill Bill Volume 2. If you’re looking for another high energy action film, You may want to stick with Volume 1.

Thanks for the excellent review. I still have to wait another couple of days until it's released here, and I hope that there'll be a back-to-back screening of Vol. I and II somewhere nearby.

Very impressive review of Kill Bill Volume 2. You have an interesting writing style thats never makes me bored. Thank you for the great review, and keep spitting them out please. ;)

Great review Sedai, I haven't even seen No 1 yet, http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/fit.gif must get out the whip http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/whipg.gif

Great Killus Billus review. Cannot wait much longer for the final volume over here in the UK. Watched Volume 1 last night to wet my appetitie, and, oh my, I think im drooling...

Oi, I shipped and incorrect version to Yoda for the main site. Can a mod please replace that version with the corrected one in my thread. Uggg, embarrassing.

Thank you

Cheers

Sedai

Not are you only drooling, but actually, OMG, you are bleeding, must stop biting down on that long tongue of yours
http://pages.prodigy.net/bestsmileys...cons3/frog.gif

good review sedai on kill bill and hellboy. i like that your sticking to recent movies reviews.

I saw kill bill volume 2 already 4 times. i think its a superb job well done by tarantino. its the pure dialogue and charcter development of this movie that makes it more superior to its predesccor. I LOVE THAT MOVIE.

PS bill is the most likeable villian ever, man he reminded me of Frank from what else but once upon a time in the west

Wonderful review. I laughed, I cried, I stuck a needle in my eye. Lol. I loved it keep up the good work.

Nice review of Kill Bill Vol 2, Sedai. It sounds to me that I will like this one better than the first one. The first film was very spectacular and neat looking but shallow and almost entirely without character development and in my opinion Tarantino's least good film to date. But you're review of the new one gives me hope for the sequel and I might be enjoying that one more.

Thanks for the support folks. While we are on the subject of Kill Bill, I found this great interview with Mr. Tarantino. It is quite lengthy, and chock full of wonderful tidbits of info.

Read it here.

Great review for Kill Bill Vol 2 ... :) ... I still haven't seen the first one though... and at the rate I am catching up on movies... I might just have a Kill Bill double feature on DVD... :p

I'm putting all Kill Bill V. II reviews on hold until I see it. I'll get back to your review, Sedai, hopefully, soon.

Good reviews, Sedai... I like how yours are long and extensive... I'm trying to write one like that for "The Brotherhood Of The Wolf" right now.

Great review! I saw the movie last night and loved it - especially the Elle / Bride showdown and the Pai Mei segment.

Garrett - I would love to read a review of Brotherhood of the Wolf, really enjoyed that film.

Great movie, Great Review

Finally managed to see Volume 2 last night. I peed it was so good. Lot more talking than i expected, which is perhaps why i liked it so much.

Definalty the best bits! I think i was actually wobbling off my seat when Elle was talking to the Bride about her and Pai Mei. Shes soooooooooooo evil i love it!! :yup:

Too late my dear, for now i can only communicate via the medium of typing or blinking. :(

Man, I've fallen so far behind on everyone's reviews lately. Great job as usual, M'man! Still working on a classic movie review?

hmmm, was I doing one? I think I was talking about Sunset Blvd. which I did end up doing. Not sure what is next, I have been watching Solaris quite a bit lately, but don't think I need to review that one. By Sunday night I should have something up though ;)

_S

Thanks for the comments all :)

uhm... which Sunday will that be? ;)

James Wan



http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


Saw, a new hard-core thriller from up and coming director James Wan, follows a familiar road set by earlier films such as David Fincher’s Se7en, with little deviation into unknown territory. Derivative origins aside, Saw does offer up a few new twists, some clever set design, and some very intense scenes that some viewers might not be able to handle. Overall, the film has quite a bit going for it, but a couple of glaring weaknesses keep this from being what it could have been.

First off, the acting is incredibly uneven. Elwes, in my opinion miscast in this role, has never been one to play complex characters, tending to stay on the lighter side of the fence and rely on good screen presence and good comedy writing to help carry his performance. His character here, Dr. Gordon, is a crucial cog in the machinery of this film, and Elwes doesn’t quite pull it off. Waffling from over-the-top and melodramatic, to deadpan and distant, Elwes fails to lock down a clear path of development and left me wondering just what he was going for in this character. No clear moral standing is ever made clear, but this character’s morality plays a massive role in the film. Alas, at least this man can act to some degree, which cannot be said of Leigh Whannell.

Saw features an interesting concept of two men trapped in a room, each with a few scant clues as to why they are there. A serial killer, who uses intricate traps to kill his victims, has given Dr. Gordon a choice: Kill the other man in the room, or lose his family to the killer. Now, any two men in this situation would be at least somewhat out-of-sorts, emotionally. Elwes, uneven performance aside, manages to get this across to the audience. Whannell, however, can’t seem to convince even the other man trapped in the room that he is concerned. Aside form a small outburst right at the beginning of the film, Adam (Whannell) seems relatively calm about the whole situation. There are a number of instances where I assume the director had instructed Whannell to become upset and irrational, but his performance is so unconvincing and lame, that I could hear chuckles sporadically throughout the theater. I found myself questioning the credibility of the director multiple times, wondering if he had even seen the cut while making the film. Glover’s ho-hum performance as the obsessed cop, Tapp, reinforced this conclusion.

The screenplay is actually rather clever, and had me guessing for most of the film. I did figure out who the killer was by the end, but I most certainly didn’t have the whole mystery figured out, as it is hidden quite well. The director also tosses red herrings at the audience quite liberally to throw the viewer off, and is successful for the most part.

The set design, although again somewhat derivative of Se7en, was well thought-out and executed, and had a level of detail I really enjoy seeing in films. Directors like Terry Gilliam use detail as a trademark, and this filmmaker seems to follow the same school of thought when conceptualizing for his projects. Kudos to the folks who put this together. The lighting design and photography are also a few rungs above average, setting mood quite well, and creating some very interesting deep focus compositions. I really enjoyed the sound design and engineering, as well.

I liked Saw, all warts aside, and had to grade on a curve, considering the genre, and the usual fare (save Se7en) that is served up in films of this sort. I will also keep an eye on this creative new director. If you are a thriller/horror/shock buff, this is one you probably don’t want to miss. If you are a sensitive viewer that has trouble digesting hard-core violence and grotesque situations, you may want to skip this one.



EDIT - I saw this again recently - Saw is terrible. Don't see it. I must have been on glue or something when I wrote this review...

I wasn't sure about seeing this one but maybe I will check it out after all. Thanks!

I was planning on seeing this or Ray, i haven't seen either yet. But im just going wait until DVD and going see Ray instead...

Great review Sedai!!!

That was a great review, Sedai; hopefully Yoda will post it to the main site.

Glad to see you're reviewing again.

I know, been slumping lately :( Oh, and Sammy, I guess I meant this past Sunday, which is actually Tuesday :D

Thanks for reading folks :yup:

great review!
I'm a fan of Elwes but I think I'll take your advice and skip this one. Thanks for the heads up!

No prob :) I usually enjoy his comedy stuff, and think he has great charisma, but this type of role is just not for him...

...that and I have a weak stomach for excessive violence and disturbing images.

I liked this film, I agree with your view on the acting and set design. The main reason I liked this film was because i'm a horror/gore fanatic..

Thanks for another great review :D

Great review Sedai… but I think I'll pass on this one until it comes out on DVD… I've seen the aftermath of enough violence lately…

Yay, it was finally "Sunday"! ;)
Great review, and good advice from what I've heard. My roommate was psyched to see it and his review was, "meh".

I don't know if you are like me Caity, I have to be in a certain mood to see movies that remind me of work. :yup:

At first they didn't bother me… but now it seems the more I see in real, the less I want to see "Hollywood style"… :(

I saw this with a friend. I'd have to give it a B-.

That is exactly how i feel, I still haven't seen a beautiful mind and shine yet. :rolleyes:

Shine was enjoyable, I wasn't a fan of Beautiful Mind, even with Connelly in it...

I think your opinion is reason enough to give them a miss. :yup: :nope: :yup:

Well, see Shine, I think you will like it!!

I am sure it is, I will try and watch it, it, is, just, that the subject is like work, when i watch a movie I like to escape from work related stuff, but for you i may do it ;)

excellant review sedai