1. NAKED LUNCH * * 1/2
2. HELLBOY * 1/2
3. THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI: ACROSS THE EIGHTH DIMENSION * *
4. LA JETEE * * * 1/2
5. SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW * * *
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1. NAKED LUNCH
YEAR : 1992
DIRECTOR : David Cronenburg
CAST : Peter Weller , Judy Davis , Ian Holm , Julian Sands , Roy Scheider
RATING : * *
If you first like to analyse your movies and then maybe be entertained, then you will like Naked Lunch, an adaptation of a William S. Burroughs novel.
This is David Cronenburg moving into David Lynch territory. Peter Weller is a bug exterminator. One day he is short of bug powder for extermination, and so he then faces up to his wife (Judy Davis ) whom is using the bug powder for hallucinations .
Through her encouragement he also starts taking the bug powder. Over the next hour and a half we are treated to typewriters that talk then turn into bugs and also strange sexual situations that border on bestiality. This movie captured my attention.
It felt like I had to concentrate so much that its almost an interactive movie. I also enjoyed the undertone of conspiracy, which keeps you guessing throughout the movie. On the negative side it sometimes delves to much into to the abstract and possibly the end may leave you hanging wondering if you have Been cheated into something for two hours.
I did enjoy the noir feeling, Peter Weller is like Humphrey Bogart on acid The mixture between noir and science fiction almost leads it into Blade Runner territory. If you enjoy your movies with a nicely wrapped up ending then stay away from this movie, but if you differ then your imagination is the limit.
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2. HELLBOY
YEAR : 2004
DIRECTOR : Guillermo Del Toro
CAST:: Ron Perlman , Selma Blair , Jeffrey Tambor
RATING : * 1/2
Men in black, X men and now Hellboy. Learning scenarios in which a character forms part of or joins a select team have always provided us with good ntertainment. This has ranged over different variances from the films mentioned above to movies like blackboard jungle and The Principal. Over the last decade a trend such as the above movies has begun with a group of talented people joining together to form super groups. This also ties in with the recent opularity of placing comic book hero's on to the big screen.
While the first two movies mentioned above where fun and fresh , I don’t think that Hellboy added anything to this comic arena . The story begins with a group of Nazi's experimenting with the gates of hell , when the accidentally release a demon which accidentally turns out to be Hellboy in future years . It turns out the Hellboy is actually a good guy , and so he is asked to investigate certain crimes which smell of the supernatural .
I guess there is a strong message that one's personality is based on your environment and not your genetics . He is asked to investigate murders in a museum when his archenemy is unveiled .Yes , we have seen this all before but maybe not as badly laid out as this . I found Hellboy slightly obnoxious and irritating and couldn’t help thinking what the movie would've been like if they did not use such a GI Joe for a character. One liners are thrown out one after the other , like some 80's Arnold Schwarzenegger movie with half the charm .
Story holes are the size of a subway , for instance when the demon dies ,it is meant to split into two and be reborn , but the idea does not carry through to the end of the movie . The movie does have some good points such as some entertaining action sequences , but if you really want to be entertained rather watch a rerun of men in black on TV .
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3. THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI: ACROSS
THE EIGHTH DIMENSION
YEAR : 1984
DIRECTOR : W.D.Richter
CAST : Peter Weller , John Lithgow , Ellen Barkin , Jeff Goldblum , Christopher Lloyd
RATING : * *
There are certain movies that every cult enthusiast tries to watch. You have
a need to watch it or else your film knowledge of a specific genre feels
incomplete. I think you pick up these ideas by reading lost of books on Film
and surfing the net. Your expectations grow every time you see something
written on a particular movie. Buckaroo is one of those movies for me and
finally I watched it. My point on this first paragraph is that whatever I write
after this will not really matter as this is the type of movie that has a life
of its own and lives outside the normal laws of the cinema experience.
Anyway as for the movie itself, we have Buckaroo and his team involved
in certain experiments to enter the eight dimension. Along the way we have
Buckaroo and his team trying to stop a group of aliens from destroying
the world. This movie was a strange experience, the scenes may logically
fit together, but as you watch the movie you feel like you realise that you’re
actually not to sure what is going on. It feels like you are looking at
some crazy painting by Picasso and you’re living in the 16th century.
The movie has an eighties feel to it (as expected) so its interesting to
reflect on the science fiction style of the period with the bright colours
and synthesiser music.
The movie has some funny moments, especially with John Lithgow
doing his Italian-English accent. He style of acting in this movie
is almost like a practice run for “ Third Rock from the Sun “. In fact
a number of actors seem to have sprouted to different science fiction
movies from this movie such as Jeff Goldblum who went on to the Fly
and Christopher Lloyd who went on to Back to Future.
So the movie itself, doesn’t make much sense, it does however
have some humorous moments, and a cool Tarantino style closing
credits, but other than that there is not much to recommend.
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4. LA JETEE
YEAR : 1961
DIRECTOR : Chris Marker
CAST : Davos Hanich , Helene Chatelain , Jacques Ledoux, Jean Negroni
RATING : * * * 1/2
The short film which inspired Twelve monkeys. And what a short film it is.
This movie proves that we don’t need the conventional manner of a
moving picture to actually enjoy a moving picture. Photographed in
black and white, this movie also proves that simplicity can go a far way.
The movie begins with a man (Davos Hanich) haunted with a beautiful
woman’s face (Hélène Chatelain), which he sees at the airport on a pier.
Suddenly we see images of Paris being destroyed by a nuclear
holocaust and Davos moving to society, which lives beneath the
city. He is then set up to take part in a series of experiments, which
seem to transport him through time.
If one has not seen twelve monkeys, the twist that occurs
will be an even bigger surprise. If one has seen twelve
monkeys, you will find a lot to entertain you as you think
about the different styles of each movie. The movie is actually
a set of still black and white photographs, which are shown
while Jean Négroni narrates the movie. The strongest scene
occurs when watching a sleeping woman; she suddenly comes
to life and opens her eyes. It’s one of the great moments in
twentieth century art.
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5. SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
YEAR :: 2004
DIRECTOR : Kerry Conran
CAST : Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Gambon, Bai Ling, Omid Djalili, Sir Laurence Olivier
RATING : * * *
I am sure that most readers are familiar with this movie as it’s such a new
entry. As you may know this movie was filmed via blue screen. Most movies
already do have a lot of bluescreen filming, but its never been done quite this way.
The movie commences in possible time warped 1930’s New York, which
seems to be a New York that is created out of someone’s imagination.
Soft light and mono colours enhance the city’s atmosphere.
Gwyneth Paltro/ Reporter and Jude Law/Sky Captain are the two main
characters in the story. They are a combination of the couples we have
seen in other movies such as Romancing the Stone, Indiana Jones, etc.
The earth is under threat from a German Scientist Dr. Totenkopf and this
commences with an attack on New York with Giant Robots that seem to
look very similar to “ The Iron Giant’s “ main character. The story as
expected focuses on our two hero’s trying to save the world. The film’s
highlight is not only its use of colour and reference to a noir science
fiction movie, but there’s also some entertaining sub stores
(Gwyneth and her camera) which enhance the movie and some
goofy moments (again by Gwyneth) which add to the human touch of the film.
There are some nice small references to other movie as “ The Wizard of Oz “
and I am sure the rocket in the film looks very similar to the one drawn
by Herge in “ Tintin “.
I found the early middle section of the movie to be slightly weak. It follows
too much of a predictable story line and the usual action chase sequences.
But this is only a minor complaint, the movie should be watched as a
new experience in cinema and that doesn’t come along to often.
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