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CinemaLiberated
Reviews
New Kids Turbo (2010)
Rude and totally inappropriate, I loved it!
The economic crisis has hit the Netherlands hard, especially for the New Kids (Richard, Rikkert, Barrie, Robbie and Gerrie) from Masskantje. When they lose their unemployment benefits, they in turn refused to pay for anything. Their civil disobedience is captured by a local newsman; starting a local movement to not pay for anything. The authorities try to respond with escalating force but the boys respond with increased levels of idiocy.
If you enjoy your comedy with manly moustaches, mullets, horking, swearing, white trash but want a European vibe set to Techno music, then New Kids Turbo is the film for you. The New Kids are from a TV show on Comedy Central Netherlands. The only comparable would be Showcase Cable show Trailer Park Boys from Canada. It's not surprising that it's also shown on Dutch Comedy Central channel as well.
*excerpt from www.cinemaliberated.com
Dao jiàn xiào (2010)
Amazing imagery, too bad it's sprayed at you like a machine gun
A hapless butcher (Liu Xiaoye) is in infatuated with a courtesan named Mei (Kitty Zhang Yuqi). Her charms are unworldly. In his way is the infamous fighter Big Beard. The butcher doesn't stand a chance. When he happens upon a stranger with a magical cleaver, he suddenly has the means to win. Before he uses it, he's told the magical blade isn't for killing and the blade's origin is explained. As the title suggests, the rest of the story involves a chef and a swordsman (Ashton Xu).
Set in ancient china, this is a highly stylized version of the past. Director Wuershan hails from the commercial ad world and it's obvious. You can tell he makes ads featuring lots of slow motion, fast edits, bellowing fabric and soaring arias. The film is full of gimmicks. This includes, black and white sections with red highlights à la Sin City, animations, video game sequences, Taiwanese 3D news renderings and cartoons. Audio wise there are funky hip hop beats, techno tracks and a horrific Mandarin rap performed by the Bordello staff. Gimmicks or not, he knows how to compose a gorgeous visual. The images are great, the problem is the rapid fire delivery approach of it.
The story unfolds like a Russian doll; stories are nestled within each other. It's not a bad concept except only one of the three stories is watchable. The other two stories suffer from too much whiz-bang effects that leaves no room for digestion. They're simply over wrought, over edited and over produced. When the story settles down, it's in the middle part featuring Ando Masanobu as the chef. It is by far the best story of the three and if the movie is judged on this part, it would be a very good one. Unfortunately it's surrounded by the frantic blur of the rest of the film.
excerpt from www.cinemaliberated.com
The Goatherd (2009)
Virtually no story and little in the way of Horror, but nice Cinematography
Three friends go hiking in the Chilean Andes. Will (Wil Edgar) and Ilenka (Macarena Paz Chacon)are a couple visiting Ilenka's college friend Ana (Patricia Gonzalez). The countryside is in spring bloom and it's absolutely stunning. When Ilenka breaks her ankle, the other two carry her to help. What they find is a goat farm, it's occupied but no one is there. They aren't alone, a man attacks them with a shovel and knocks them all out. When they wake up they find themselves in a nightmare.
The film is positioned like a horror/slasher film but it's really more of a crime drama with some thriller elements. There isn't any torture. There is some cannibalism and implied rape. It is probably the most beautiful nature cinematography ever shot for a film of this sort. Too bad this film has such a thin plot. There's 5 minutes spent with the friends hiking before they're captured, the rest of it is of them being captive, but there's more scenes of goat herding than there is of the prisoners.
except from www.cinemaliberated.com
Pepe & Santo vs. America (2009)
OK Indie Comedy about the Mexican-American Dream
Pepe seeks the Mexican Dream. It's a dream inspired by his recently deceased grandmother to own a home in America. With a tattered real estate advertisement (to own a home for $2000 down), his life savings, and little doll named Santo, Pepe enters the USA on a fake passport to seek his dream. But he finds that his savings isn't enough for a down payment, he's short $500. He ends up on a street corner hoping for day labor jobs.
The movie is not just about Pepe's dreams but a multi-storied tale about Mexican immigrants. There's the stressed out father, boxing wannabe, aspiring dress-maker, no confidence lawyer, and a couple of telenovela stars researching a role. Pepe even meets a girl and of course there's a greedy American. They mow people's lawns, build their schools, pick up their dog's poo and take care of their kids. It's pointed out that Mexicans don't dominate the making of affordable spicy food. That crown has been taken by the Chinese, who according to the Mexicans, build a hell of a wall too.
excerpt from www.cinemaliberated.com