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Reviews
Batoru hîtâ (1989)
A great little satire, well worth re-watching
What could be scarier than having a completely mundane and ubiquitous household appliance suddenly sprout fangs, breathe fire and try to eat you? What could be funnier than watching a monster from the depths of Hell try to devour an unsuspecting punk band? Set in a low-rent boarding house, this movie follows the odd little stories of a cornucopia of personal tragedies, that eventually intertwine in a heroic fight against a demonic force of tremendous evil. During a punk band performance. It's all a subtly but expertly tongue-in-cheek story of misfits, losers and lovingly demented people all colliding in a mixed-up nexus of fate and coincidence.
The pace of the film is subtle and unassuming. The comedy timing and the dialog are first rate. The performances are right on and the characterizations are all well-drawn. You have sympathy for the poor protagonist, who (via an accidental screwdriver plunge through the neighbor's wall that finds a startled and shrieking target) runs afoul of a struggling but eager punk band. You feel sorry for the electrical repairman who seems so accustomed to his failures that, when faced with tremendous supernatural forces, simply takes them in stride and resignedly reaches for his tool box. It's about common people trying to find their way in this chaotic and unforgiving world. Oh, and while they are at it, unbeknownst to them, the building around them is surreptitiously becoming host to a demonic force.
And don't forget the murderess in 2-C who is busy in the kitchen with a tree saw, cutting up the body of her husband, giving flushable pieces to her timid boyfriend who keeps thinking that the remains of the torso might be trying to come back to life.
This is a satire/horror/suspense/concert/slice-of-life movie that unassumingly pokes fun at both comedies and horror movies at one shot. From the ominous appearance of a wandering Buddist monk at the start of the film (who barely dodges a giant, flaming meteorite crashing to the Earth) to the audio commentary explaining how the only way the director could get the money to make the movie was to feature a punk rock band in it, you'll be ensnared by this story of the poignant lives and silly fates that befall this odd lot of miscreants. I got some huge laughs out of this film, and if you are familiar with Japanese cinema at all, you'll really get a kick out of it.
War of the Worlds (2005)
This movie rocks! Spielberg is a wizard!
This movie had me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time! My heart was beating and my muscles were tensed for most of the movie. That's one thing that Spielberg can do, and that's grab you by the lapels and drag you along.
A very intense movie. Granted, there were a number of things that weren't explained or set up very well, and some of the problems were a bit glaring, but the overall story moved very quickly and the suspense was just non-stop. My critiques of inconsistencies were completely overwhelmed by the super pacing and great editing.
Certainly, there were some gratuitous set-ups. But the editing and the score and the sound effects really worked things into a frenzy, enough to overlook the somewhat formulaic or incongruous passages. This is not a cerebral movie -- it's an action/adventure with a corny happy ending that makes you glad things turned out okay and lets your nerves start to settle down before you have to stand up on slightly wobbly legs to leave the theater.
Cruise didn't really do quite the acting job that I think other actors could have done with this role. A better actor could have been more effective in conveying the terror and helplessness. Which may have been just as well, since the movie was intense enough to wring me out like a damp rag.
I have to give Spielberg a lot of credit for including a number of references and scenes from the original book and the 1953 movie into this production. As a fan of both, it was a real thrill to see so many aspects of both melded into the finished film. The turning of a section of the street, the crazy guy in the basement and the alien physiology are just a few of the things he incorporated from the book and earlier movie.
The choice of Morgan Freeman for the narration had more to do with his name power than with his delivery. I feel that there are many voice talents in Hollywood who could have done at least as well, if not better. Too bad Orson Wells isn't around to do it.
And much of the credit has to go to the soundtrack. I'm sure John Williams commands an outrageous amount for movies these days, but in this movie he earned every penny of it. His music contributed to the mood just as much as the director did. And the score even included some little tributes to the earlier film.
Amazing! A really hot movie! Best seen on the big screen.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
You will want to watch it over and over. A great movie!
Quite likely the funniest, most enjoyable movie ever made. A great musical play, honed on Broadway to perfection, with many of the original Broadway cast. Directed with a breezy style to let the talent and chemistry show through. Great performances and incredible casting.
Adapted for the silver screen with tongue firmly in cheek. Since it's obviously an adaptation of a rather irreverent play, the stunt and location shots were done with a lighthearted, campy feel. Parts are set and filmed as more of a pastiche, in keeping with the tone of the material. Almost everything about the filming is done with a slight broadness and exaggerated aspect, in keeping with the flavor of the stage production origins.
The fact that the players clearly had fun making this, contributes to the joy of watching this production. There is an intimate, friendly feel to the interplay of the characters. The comedic timing of the seasoned, legendary actors is incredible and the performances of all are a hoot.
1941 (1979)
A great send-up by a true American master
This is Spielberg's big homage to the golden days of Hollywood and big comedies. Set in a little-known period of US history, it utilizes the backdrop of hometown America caught up in the turbulent and frightening days when Americans living on the West Coast expected to be invaded at any moment by hordes of crazed attackers, as a canvas on which to craft a glorious ode to his favorite movies.
He proceeds with tongue in cheek to lovingly skewer countless cliches and conventions, such as Hollywood's sappy WW2 heroic quasi-propaganda films, the myth of an invincible US military, and our-country-right-or-wrong patriotism. You can see how he blends his worship of the movie genre with a desire to make the ultimate over-the-top parody.
While he falls a little short on character development and other fine points, this is overshadowed by his enthusiasm and his gleeful weaving of many unabashedly wild character spoofs and in-jokes into otherwise pompously serious situations. Misunderstandings, mis-communications, overreactions, overenthusiasm, and just plain recklessness are skillfully blended to create a nearly complete hysteria that is scarily almost believable. This movie is meant to be enjoyed first on a surface level for the physical comedy, and secondly as a non-stop parody.
The result is a wacky, frenetic, slapstick spoof of Spielberg's boomer upbringing in front of the tube, spent doting on late-night and Saturday afternoon movies. Having breathed and dreamed the best that Hollywood had to offer from the 20's through the 60's, Spielberg stirs it all together and splashes it on to film with a giant brush. This movie must be seen more than once to appreciate the comedic timing and the uproarious references to the American movie legacy.
It is the obvious precursor to the big, yet subtler and more carefully crafted homage to movie serials, Raiders of the Lost Ark, yet another movie in which Spielberg re-lives and repays his love of Hollywood creations and the movie genre.
1941 has thus far been misunderstood and under-appreciated. The public has been cowed and misled by critics into shunning this film and feeling guilty about enjoying it. It is sure to become a true classic, secretly admired by movie buffs and envied by movie makers for many decades to come.
Animato (1977)
A SPFX wizard's portfolio of early short works
A compilation of short works of fantasy and adventure by a brilliant, self-taught SPFX wizard. With the most basic of tools, this modest genius creates short films of wonderful movement, colour and energy, sprinkled with humour and green stars. Jittlov dares to dream big and follows through with technical expertise second to none. His movies are thrilling, uplifting, and a joy to watch. Audiences never fail to gasp and cheer when they catch rare showings of these works in their full resolution and glory.