Set in the mid-1800's Ukraine and awash in Tarrantino and Sergio Leone, this is an action comedy that also is about freedom, bigotry, and... well just a lot more action. If you know something of Ukrainian culture, you may guess the identity of the Ukrainian protagonist before it's revealed. A lot of fun here and a fair amount of fairly cartoonish violence. The characters are quirky, the situations are deadly serious, and the movie moves along at a rapid clip. There is a stand-out scene the subverts the usual "fight training" cliche. The dialog is well-written and the rental version on Amazon has both Ukrainian with English subtitles and a dubbed English version. Definitely a good Friday night flick!
Reviews
11 Reviews
Hutsulka Ksenya
(2019)
Beautifully designed and filmed, Wes Anderson meets David Lynch, in a Rom-Com
3 August 2020
On its surface this is a romantic comedy, but the subtext here is huge. The visual design and music are spectacular. The music hall sensibility and lampooning of the rich Americans let you know all isn't what it seems. And a single title card at the end literally changes the entire story. If you're open for a truly unconventional take on a Rom-Com, welcome to the Carpathian Mountains. Dahk Daughters provides a suitably mysterious presence through-out the film and Dahka Brakha also performs a number at the party toward the end of the film. Ultimately it's a better film than you may have been expecting and very, very Ukrainian.
16 Blocks
(2006)
Big, dumb, and loud
10 August 2006
Bruce Willis is a jaded, drunken cop whose conscience inexplicably kicks in when he takes the mission of transporting a witness across town to testify to a grand jury about police corruption. In the process of this moral transformation he (among other things) shoots other cops, who are all out to kill the witness to stop him from testifying.
The attempt here is to amp up the Chase Movie to the emotional pitch of, say, "Speed." Certainly the director has chops for this type of film, but mostly it's used here to construct successively louder and less believable confrontations. And, speaking of "Speed", this includes hijacking a bus.
There's not really wrong with this film -- it keeps moving and the gunshots and violence will at least ensure you don't sleep through it. But there's also little to recommend a movie where you can't believe the action or the motivations, and where you've seen it all done before. The ending (which I won't spoil) attempts to both provide a positive resolution and explain Willis' actions. A neat trick, if you can pull it off. This movie, however, can't.
As I said in the subject line: big, dumb, and loud.
The attempt here is to amp up the Chase Movie to the emotional pitch of, say, "Speed." Certainly the director has chops for this type of film, but mostly it's used here to construct successively louder and less believable confrontations. And, speaking of "Speed", this includes hijacking a bus.
There's not really wrong with this film -- it keeps moving and the gunshots and violence will at least ensure you don't sleep through it. But there's also little to recommend a movie where you can't believe the action or the motivations, and where you've seen it all done before. The ending (which I won't spoil) attempts to both provide a positive resolution and explain Willis' actions. A neat trick, if you can pull it off. This movie, however, can't.
As I said in the subject line: big, dumb, and loud.
In a Lonely Place
(1950)
Powerful, emotionally real and devastating...
10 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
"In a Lonely Place" starts with the classic Bogart character we all know: the cynical and world-weary tough guy. In this case he's a screenwriter, but it's the old Bogie we know despite the sophistication the profession may imply. The film moves quickly to a murder where Bogart's character is a suspect, but he hardly seems concerned about that, much less the death of the young victim.
The murder investigation throws him into a romance with a neighbor (who vouches for him). The romance temporarily transforms his life from cynical torpor to giddy romance and productivity. We all know from Bogart films that this isn't going to last...
But what ultimately happens is what distinguishes this film from the other classic Bogart films. What we see is not the cynicism of Sam Spade in the "Maltese Falcoln" or the lonely principles of Rick from Casablanca.
Instead we're given the reality behind the devil-may-care Bogart character from the other films as his dark side emerges. The film is brutally realistic in its depiction of a the faults of the character, who is at heart a sociopath with his demons just barely held in check.
Ultimately this is a great, tragic film, in the classical sense of tragedy as the fall of a character from his own faults. The nuanced writing, the wonderful acting, and the uncompromising depiction of a relationship gone terminally bad make this a unique and uniquely powerful film.
It's probably not as well-known as some of the other Bogart films simply because its realism subverts the "Bogie" character we all love from the other films. Still, "In a Lonely Place" stands up against the best of film noir -- and the best of the Bogart films.
The murder investigation throws him into a romance with a neighbor (who vouches for him). The romance temporarily transforms his life from cynical torpor to giddy romance and productivity. We all know from Bogart films that this isn't going to last...
But what ultimately happens is what distinguishes this film from the other classic Bogart films. What we see is not the cynicism of Sam Spade in the "Maltese Falcoln" or the lonely principles of Rick from Casablanca.
Instead we're given the reality behind the devil-may-care Bogart character from the other films as his dark side emerges. The film is brutally realistic in its depiction of a the faults of the character, who is at heart a sociopath with his demons just barely held in check.
Ultimately this is a great, tragic film, in the classical sense of tragedy as the fall of a character from his own faults. The nuanced writing, the wonderful acting, and the uncompromising depiction of a relationship gone terminally bad make this a unique and uniquely powerful film.
It's probably not as well-known as some of the other Bogart films simply because its realism subverts the "Bogie" character we all love from the other films. Still, "In a Lonely Place" stands up against the best of film noir -- and the best of the Bogart films.
The Corporation
(2003)
OK, premise, but far too long
10 August 2006
Having heard raves about this film, we got the DVD and sat down to watch it. There are certain films that you click with instantly, and others you don't. This was one of those that just didn't click. The premise is a good one: taking the legal concept of corporation as person literally and then setting "him" on the psychiatrist's couch (that would be my thumbnail of the movie.) The execution of this conceit in the film not only tends to be long-winded, but also too didactic in places. I am not sorry I saw this film, but I don't think it deserves the praise lavished on it. In the end, it would be much more watchable -- which translates to thought-provoking -- if it were a half-hour shorter.
In rating the film this low, I've asked myself whether I responded so negatively because of the film itself or perhaps because I wasn't in the mood for this type of film. Unfortunately, both of us watching the film had heard good things, were excited to see it, and ultimately disappointed.
In rating the film this low, I've asked myself whether I responded so negatively because of the film itself or perhaps because I wasn't in the mood for this type of film. Unfortunately, both of us watching the film had heard good things, were excited to see it, and ultimately disappointed.
First on the Moon
(2005)
"Alternative History" at its best...
16 June 2006
"Mockumentary" doesn't do this film justice. Apparently the director's label is "documentary fantasy", but "alternative history" works for me. There's some humor here, but it's not a comedy. After all, taking the premise that Stalin had a secret space program in the 30's to its logical conclusion doesn't exactly point to it being a Laff Riot... What you DO have is a fascinating "historical" documentary tracing this secret rocket program of the late 1930's and following the cosmonaut's lives before, during, and after. Much of what would be seen as "fictional recreations" in most documentaries is explained and presented as NKVD surveillance video -- a great conceit. The film includes recreations of newsreels, training films, and also "contemporary" interviews that support a fascinating story. I saw this at the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival, where it sold out both showings. See it if you can!
House of D
(2004)
A transporting period film with a few problems...
29 March 2005
Set mostly in a flashback to 1973 New York City, this is at heart not a coming of age movie but a coming to terms movie. From the opening scenes in Paris, we're set up by a voice-over narrative to expect terrible events which would change a boy's life. And, true to its word, we are delivered a series of disasters, many of which are prefigured in a short-handed kind of way. But it doesn't really matter, because you know where the film is heading, and your reaction to the last 15 minutes coming out of the flashbacks will pretty much determine whether you like this film or not. (Note that the ratings here are split pretty dramatically between very positive and very negative.) The things that are right with the film are good, sometimes very good. At the top of the "good" list is Erykah Badu's outstanding performance as a prisoner in the Women's House of Detention , an urban jail with windows over the street, who offers conversation and advice to the young protagonist. Also, the evocative period setting, which puts to shame a lot of films with many times the budget. Finally, there are a few deft touches of humor in the dialog, particularly in the early scenes of school life. The other performances are a bit more uneven. Anton Yelchin, the younger version of Duchony's character, is often winning and natural, but when real crisis hits, I didn't buy his grief and desperation. Not knowing the Robin Williams role, I cringed a bit when he first appeared on screen, but his performance is for the most part fairly restrained -- at least by Robin Williams' standards. Ducovny and wife Tea Leoni were competent but not compelling. We saw this film at a preview that featured a Q&A with Ducovny afterward. He clearly has affection for the material and, if anything, set out to make an even more modest film, budget-wise, than this. This is potentially pretty dicey plot material and could have veered severely wrong, particularly toward sloppy sentimentality. While I don't think the film entirely escaped this, it's certain a better film than, say, the dreadfully manipulative, "The Notebook". If you're not expecting too much and you can appreciate the 70's period setting, you'll probably enjoy this. If you're expecting a genius writer-director first film out of Ducovny -- you will be disappointed. Bottom line: give Ducovny some space and let's wait for his second film before delivering an real judgment on his career as writer-director.
Monsignor
(1982)
one of the worst movies I've ever seen
24 October 2004
A really bad movie essentially has to be a broken promise. You go to see a Troma flick or something by Ed Wood, and you pretty much know the expectations are low, and they'll be realized. On the other hand, when you've got a decent budget, a fairly ambitious plot, studio backing, and a cast of well-known actors -- that's what it takes to set up a really bad movie. Monsignor is harder to appreciate for all its awfulness in light of the real life tragedy suffered by Christopher Reeve. But it must be said that Reeve's acting is at the heart of this Really Bad Movie. Reeve plays a priest who essentially breaks every rule and vow -- and is rewarded with rapid and consistent promotion, all the way to the heights of the Vatican. Corrupt, sleeps with nuns -- and he becomes the Vatican's trusted financial manager. There doesn't seem to be much logic behind his brilliant career -- or behind much else that happens in this film. Some bad films are hard to watch, but this one is more in the head-scratcher category... what the hell were they thinking?
Ghost in the Shell
(1995)
the bridge between "Blade Runner" and "The Matrix"
24 October 2004
from the curtain of green zeros and ones out of which the credits emerge, to the cyborgs and mirage of implanted memories, "Ghost in the Shell" is a vital link in the chain of the best science fiction films, linking "Blade Runner" and "The Matrix". The smart, fast moving plot, philosophical undertones of what it means to be human, and the stunning animation of urban scenes add up to a great film. There's a lot of action here, but the plot is complex enough that it keeps your mind working, too. The film was released in 1995 at the beginning of the Internet boom (albeit well into the cyberpunk era), it would be understandable if the film hadn't aged well over the last decade. But it looks, if anything, better today.
Fun on a Bun: A Visual Feast
7 September 2004
Brilliant CGI mix of 1930's "futurist" Saturday morning serials, comic books, and a squeeze or two of "King Kong" and German Expressionism.
For the first few minutes it's easy to wonder whether the whole thing is going to look artificial or distracting, but it moves so quickly that you really are in a whole different world before you know it.
The visuals are stunning and inventive, the plot moves along briskly, and it doesn't take itself too seriously for even an instant.
If you grew up with, or just love, old sci-fi, serials, or even just CGI effects, you will especially enjoy this film. Wonderful fun -- and frankly the less you know or see of it beforehand, the better.
For the first few minutes it's easy to wonder whether the whole thing is going to look artificial or distracting, but it moves so quickly that you really are in a whole different world before you know it.
The visuals are stunning and inventive, the plot moves along briskly, and it doesn't take itself too seriously for even an instant.
If you grew up with, or just love, old sci-fi, serials, or even just CGI effects, you will especially enjoy this film. Wonderful fun -- and frankly the less you know or see of it beforehand, the better.
Los Angeles Plays Itself
(2003)
Is there an Editor in the house? Uneven, unstructured
30 May 2004
Clocking in at about 2 hours and 45 minutes, there's some good material here, but it would only make a good documentary of about 100 minutes. Which means it runs over an hour too long, made worse by the fact that there's very little structure, so that as it meanders from topic to topic, you have no sense of where the film is headed, and how much damn longer it's going to last. Symptomatically, when the film did end, it ended abruptly -- without a resolution to any of the themes or even a "goodbye". Last of a series of vignettes and a jump cut to credits.
I saw this at the Seattle International Film Festival, and it's the first film I've seen this year that had more than a few audience walk-outs.
All of which is a shame, because there's interesting stuff here, great clips around the general theme of how the city has been portrayed in film and comparing historical realities with portrayals in films as diverse as "Chinatown" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". The understated tone of the narrator is at time effective, and at other times just drones on too long or too polemical...
While the film is nominally about the portrayal of Los Angeles in the movies, it meanders from segments on architecture to political and law enforcement scandals, to discussions of class and race. Again, there's some interesting material on almost all of these topics, but it never gels and is at least an hour longer than it should be. Too bad.
I saw this at the Seattle International Film Festival, and it's the first film I've seen this year that had more than a few audience walk-outs.
All of which is a shame, because there's interesting stuff here, great clips around the general theme of how the city has been portrayed in film and comparing historical realities with portrayals in films as diverse as "Chinatown" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". The understated tone of the narrator is at time effective, and at other times just drones on too long or too polemical...
While the film is nominally about the portrayal of Los Angeles in the movies, it meanders from segments on architecture to political and law enforcement scandals, to discussions of class and race. Again, there's some interesting material on almost all of these topics, but it never gels and is at least an hour longer than it should be. Too bad.
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