dpcoronado Reviews

Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong (2015)

Same old stereotypical relationship pairing.

[4/10 · 18 February 2019]

First the good. Interesting story line, ans the use of delifferent city locations woven into the movie.

I'm struggling to think of anything else positive about because of the one glaring flaw: It's yet ANOTHER love story pairing an Asian female with a white male. The age-old plot line still in heavy use today (think of the nightly news where there's always the same pairing, or the white name alwys teaching English in Japan), is QUITE stale.

I would prefer something where not only the culture differences are explored, but the dynamic of having an Asian male lead/white female lead are brought out. It would be refreshing to see something barely explored in cinema.

The Day Christ Died (1980 TV Movie)

Saw this once as a kid over 30+ years ago, scared to watch it still

[7/10 · 16 April 2017]

Perspective from an 8-year old kid: This wasn't a Jesus portrayal I expected. In Catholic school, we're taught about a photogenic, almost hippie- resembling Jesus. (Jeffrey Hunter) or an almost tragically- beautiful Jesus (Robert Powell.) Even a strange-looking Max Von Sydow was acceptable. The reality of Chris Sarandon as Jesus made the suffering in the film all the more real to an 8-year old. This Jesus had fun, played around, joked, had friends, and didn't have the divine strength to ensure the suffering--he was truly about terrified about the ordeal he was about to undergo. My own suffering is watching a whipping (book of Luke) to an actual shooting (book of Matthew.) This deserves some explaining.

I try and face my fears, whether it be watching zombie movies, or Jesus-scourging scenes, to the point of studying details in the hopes of lessening the impact of those scenes. To no avail. (I still haven't watched the Passion.)

In Luke, Jesus gets whipped. By Israelites.40 minus one, law of Moses (Jesus Christ Superstar.) He doesn't even get whipped in John, which became my favorite gospel.

But in Matthew, he gets scourged by Romans, which was more horrific. Basically what Mel Gibson depicted. The Day Christ Died was definitely traumatizing to watch. Until then, Jesus seemed almost stoic and dignified in his suffering.

From the perspective of an adult: I cannot even WATCH any scourging/whipping Jesus scenes anymore. I fast-forward or skip them altogether, and I will NEVER ward by the Passion past the first 10 minutes. So I researched the details about scourging, from the flagellum construction, to ancient texts on the matter. For those of you criticizing how the film wasn't like the angelic, surreal Jesus of your dreams, read the actual book, which is based- off Matthew if I remember correctly. It is sobering to actually empathize, rather than sympathize with Jesus'suffering, which is what most Jesus flicks want you to do. I hope by writing this, I give someone else with the same fear I have, the strength to face it.

P.S. I just realized this Easter is the 33rd year since I saw it for the first and only time. Happy Easter today!

The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)

Worth a second look

[7/10 · 12 May 2012]

Beneath the visuals and suspense, this movie is ultimately psychological. If Tom Six, by way of keeping this movie under two hours, manages to lose some people's attention span or over-saturate the viewers with shock, it's because he didn't make the invitation to his mindset alluring enough. But this movie is an invitation nonetheless, and he would probably prefer we stay much longer.

It's too easy to get lost in the knee-jerk reaction of how this movie must eventually play out, but I find myself moving past that and trying to put myself into their shoes (all three pairs.) I first say that there wasn't any hate on the dear doctor's part. Something incredibly wrong, yes, but there was no hate. He punished the centipede, and disciplined them--but taking out the aspect of hate or mindless brutality or torture we would expect from someone twisted, we as the viewers are left with not much to base our discomfort with this movie. Which ultimately adds very subtly, a dangerously disturbing feeling: Where does one channel the mental fallout while watching this movie?

The doctor even takes on a jovial mode as he tries to motivate them to walk in unison, definitely not someone who "hates people" like he states in the beginning. He approaches the segments with care enough to heal them, and not leave them "neglected", a good owner. He even buried the previous attempt, his "sweet three-dog" and left a pretty expensive headstone! Like I said, not hateful in the least.

What I found myself thinking about is how the director's use of madness has a way of drowning out the things the centipede doesn't need, so there is some clarity given to them. The madness reveals their basic needs. B-segment will give up anything to not be put through that ordeal (not said explicitly, but other things suddenly not as valuable, i.e. money.) C-segment wants her mom. A-segment confesses his sub-par life and wants to be human again. All noble things when done voluntarily. When done under madness of becoming the centipede, I think the realization of what we really need just hits home for them, to the fact that A-segment feels that the only way to left for him to feel human, is to die.

It disturbs me that I can't find any hate for this doctor. And it's scary to be invited to Tom Six's head, wondering what this movie may have demanded of him to create. I say we can always decline the invite to delve deeper into that thought process, but it would be wrong to label this movie as his gratuitous way to live out this weird fantasy. That maybe the doctor's agenda, but not the director's. Definitely worth a second look.

P.S. If you don't like my review, watch it for the sake of seeing how this unravels. You know you want to!