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Reviews
Wildfire (2019)
A Well-Made And Decently Poignant Indie Production
It's rare in the indie film scene to witness projects actually come to fruition, and rarer still for those projects to be imbued with any kind of substance. Wildfire is a series that challenges both its characters and the world in which they live, and as such, it stands out amongst home-grown sagas.
Inception (2010)
A Roller-coaster of the Mind
Going into see Inception, I have to admit, my expectations were just about as high as they've ever been. I try not to anticipate films too much, so as to avoid disappointment, but with this one, I couldn't avoid it. My expectations were even higher than those I had for The Dark Knight.
I just finished watching not thirty minutes ago, and here's how it breaks down. I was instantly drawn into the world that Nolan has so brilliantly created. Each time a new concept was introduced, I found myself captivated by it. I've heard people recently compare this film to Avatar. I have never heard such and erroneous comparison. The thing that separates that two is that Avatar is based solely on its visual effects. Things like that don't amaze me. I am well aware of the capabilities of today's technology. What did amaze me about Inception was not the visuals, it was the ideas. As the movie suggests, and idea is the most powerful thing on earth. It is the greatest weapon mankind possesses. Ideas have built and destroyed the greatest of nation thousands of times over. The ideas in Inception are truly amazing. A group of the 100 smartest people on earth could lock themselves in a room for a year, together, and they still may not imagine so many wonderful things.
The first thirty minutes had only a few minor flaws. The next hour was totally spectacular. The final hour dragged somewhat. Everything that was happening was interesting, but it still dragged quite a lot. The beauty of the film, though, is that even when it drags, the ideas behind it never cease to amaze from start to finish.
I believe a second viewing may be in order, just to nail down exactly what I didn't like. However, what I did love about it is and will always be very clear. This is the most creative, imaginative, deeply though out film I have ever witnessed. The ideas deserve more than a 10. It is a shame that a lack of knowledge of how to really use them plagued the last hour. But, for all its flaws, its concepts are still truly mind blowing.
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
The Edge of Reason
Never have I seen a film that so expertly diverges from reality. It just love those kinds of movies. The problem, though, is that they are so hard to perfect. I've seen many promising psychological thrillers that border the edge of reality that, in the end, flop. With this genre in particular, there are millions of things that could go wrong. One of these is that the viewer may not understand what is happening. When I first watched Mulholland Dr., I had no clue what kind of film it was. I failed to watch closely for the little clues scattered throughout. And so, when the film ended, I had just about the biggest "what the heck" moment of my life. I knew immediately that a second, possibly third, maybe even fourth viewing would be required. A few days later, I gave it another shot. On the second attempt, I picked up so many things that I hadn't before. There was the dance scene at the beginning, the coffee cup, the cigarette dish, the strange way the characters acted toward one another, etc. I also picked up the brilliant way that the "dream" world parallels with the reality. I have since watched the film a third time, and I have watched several specific scenes ten times. Each time, I pick up something new.
If you are just looking for a fun film to pass the time, Mulholland Dr. is not the movie for you. It is an intricate web that takes time and intelligence to sort through. Over most of the movie, the viewer has not the slightest clue what is happening. Then, you reach the Fight Club level twist and you still either have no clue or are left with looming doubts.
David Lynch is and outstanding director. His style is meticulous and suspenseful. He is a man who understands the minds of other humans and knows exactly how to play on them.
The cast also gives a great overall performance. There are some that could have used improvement, but no one was bad. Some of them were amazing.
In 2001, Mulholland Dr. did not receive many awards. This shows the prejudice of the Academy Awards, the Goldem Globes, etc. Psychological thrillers have always been thrown over for dramas. Don't get me wrong. Many of my favorites are dramas, but I also love every other genre. I think each film should get a fair shot. Alfred Hitchcock's best films were not even nominated for many awards. Rebecca did win in 1940, but there have been many Hitchcock films much mire deserving (i.e. Psycho, Rear Window, North by Northwest). The only time a thriller has truly succeeded if with The Silence of the Lambs (1991). But all those films that failed at the time have now achieved that status they deserve. One day, Mulholland Dr. will surely achieve that same status.
Mulholland Dr. is a roller-coaster of psychological twists. For those intelligent enough to understand it, it is definitely essential viewing.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Apocalypse Wow!
Terminate with Extreme prejudice.
Apocalypse Now begins with no opening credits, just a shot of trees and some helicopters. Then, the forest erupts into flames as the song "The End" begins. I can think of no better way to begin such a film with. It sets the mood perfectly for what is about to happen. The, it transitions straight into a voice-over from Captain Millard, masterfully played by Martin Sheen. In the first five minutes, you go deeper into Willard's character than some films can take you in 3 hours. Willard is given a mission to go up river and kill the renegade Col. Kurtz.
I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
Willard is taken down the Nung river by PBR Streetgang, a crew consisting completely of strange characters. They take him right to the front lines, where they are met by Lt. Col. Kilgore, played by Robert DuVall. Though his screen time is brief, about 25 min. of the 2 1/2 hour film, he makes each minute count, giving an astoundingly believable performance. His character is also somewhat frightening, as he gives you the first glimpse of the horror of the war.
Don't get out of the boat. Absolutely godd*nm right. Unless you were going' all the way.
After departing into the river, the crew enters what seems like another world. Throughout the journey, it slowly gets darker and further from reality. Sheen's voice-overs give the viewer a terrifying picture of Kurtz, and you also learn about the true characters of all the men. Even Willard himself, you see, has a very dark side to him. As they get closer to Kurtz, the insanity builds, both around them and in them. Then the deaths begin, and they are some of the most terrifying on-screen deaths ever.
You're and errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect the bill.
Willard and the survivors of the crew arrive at the compound in Cambodia, where Kurtz has been set up as a god by the local tribe and a group of Americans that live there. Kurtz, played by THE Marlon Brando, is very obviously insane...or is he? They were gonna make me a major for this, and I wasn't even in their f*cking army anymore.
When Willard meets Kurtz, he finds he has no clue what to do. He questions Kutz's mental state as well as his own. The difference between right and wrong, good and evil, and life and death is blurred.
The horror..The horror.
In the end, Willard kills Kurtz during the natives' highly symbolic caribou sacrifice. As Kutz dies he utters those famous, resounding final words. Willard and the only survivor of PBR Streetgang depart without a word.
The entire film is a descent to madness and to hell. From the very start, it is terrifying, and it only intensifies as it goes. It never lets up. Just when you think it can't get any scarier, it goes off the deep end, and especially so with the ending.
Apocalypse Now is quite simply a brilliant piece of film-making and tied for my favorite movie of all time (see review for The Godfather) and it may perhaps be even superior to that masterwork. Coppola, who directed both films, is a genius. The acting was flawless. The cinematography, sound, visual effects, music, etc. are some of the best that film has ever produced. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone who loves film. It is an experience that should never be missed. The descent of the human soul is one of my favorite themes, and it has never been portrayed better than in Apocalypse Now.
To describe this film curtly, "Wow" almost does it justice.