Movie Review - "Thor"

Thor was great. I went in with almost no knowledge of the canon crafted by the Thor comics, and I had a wonderful time. It's a very successful action flick that left me in a great mood afterwards. It does lean on a few tropes, but, and this is to the film's credit, not for too long. I was worried that too much of the film was going to be the fish out of water story of Thor trying to transition from the world of Norse Gods to the human world, but it really didn't linger to long, and kept the plot moving at an increasingly rare fast pace. I'm not sure to whom I give the credit, but this film could have come of as really silly, but the costumes, the diagetic reality, and even the very un-Earthly dialogue came through pleasantly well. I absolutely plan on seeing this again, as well as checking out some of the Thor trade paperbacks. FYI, I saw the film in 2D and did not feel like I was missing out.

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Short Film Watch - "More Than You Can Chew"

A short film from director/writer Dan Trachtenberg who I was introduced to as one of the hosts of The Totally Rad Show. He's a commercial director normally, but has made a few other short films in the past. This short was made for Black Box TV, which I've heard was created with the intention of being something of a YouTube Twilight Zone.

This film is why I love short stories and vignettes. So much story is packed into so little plot. Everything feels so salient and succinct, and this handles the subject matter in such a realistic manner that it doesn't feel heavy handed. So simple, yet, in an instant, so many huge implications are revealed regarding the story world. I would also recommend watching the commentary and the making of.

More Than You Can Chew -

Movie Review - "We Jam Econo: The Story of The Minutemen"

We Jam Econo: The Story of The Minutemen was a nice little documentary. I say "little" because the scope of the film is not very big. Within the first 10 minutes, you see pretty much everyone you'll be hearing from for the next 80 minutes. The film has a pretty dirty, hand made look to it which, once you meet "The Minutemen," makes a lot of sense. The way the filmmakers switch from interview to interview isn't particularly inspired, but the points get across to you. This is definitely one of those documentaries where it is more the subject matter, rather than the filmmaking, which will pull you through to the end. All things considered, it left me feeling inspired to both try some different things with my own work as well as try and get my hands on some music by The Minutemen.

Currently available on Netflix Instant.

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Do You Think They Like Weezer?

Image taken from Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay!.

By Most Standards, It Was Not A Bad First Date

Image captured from Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon.

Movie Review - "I Am Love"

I Am Love is one of the most wonderful films I have ever seen. I am intentionally choosing the word "film" instead of "movie," because "movie" just feels to simple and pedestrian. The actual plot is quite easy to follow, and is one that I think anyone could understand quite easily, but the characters carrying the plot are so deep, and complex, that anyone who really wants to dig in has more than enough earth in which to play. The photography is absolutely sublime, and gave me chills on many occasions. The camera just feels so effortless, and almost etherial, to the point where you could imagine if someone weren't holding the camera, it would simply float away. Then the soundtrack, which is comprised entirely of pieces by composer John Adams, is nothing if not completely arresting. With the music, there is never a moment when it is present, when it is also unwelcome, and there is never a moment when it is absent, when you feel like it should be there. In the climax, the imagery and music combine for what was, to me, one of the most heart pounding, exciting, and liberating finales ever. The film has a very meditative pace, so if you are in the mood for fast paced action, please look elsewhere. If, however, you are looking for a beautiful, dramatic film about finding one's own identity, and about what it means not only to be alive, but to be truly awake to yourself and the world around you, look no further. Currently, I Am Love is available, in HD, on Netflix Instant.

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Also, only the first part of it is about I Am Love, but this really is a great interview with Tilda Swinton partially about how I Am Love came to be, and also about how she views her work as an artist, as well as a fascinating discussion about identity.

Movie Review - "Merantau"

Straight away, I'll say the the martial-arts in this flick, called Silat, is an absolute joy to watch. The narrative in this movie, however, has a lot more soul than the average movie in its genre. The premise is quite simple, but moment to moment the story actually feels quite poetic. Things happen that one would be unlikely to predict, and the photography is much more than the traditional wide-angle coverage of the action. For martial-arts fans especially, but also just for movie lovers in general, Merantau really has something new and special to share with you. I would highly recommend it, and it is currently available on Netflix Instant.