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Reviews
Primer (2004)
multi-layered mind-bender
It's understandable that a lot of people gave up on the movie right away... there's a lot to swallow and even more to digest. But if you are a fan of mind-bending movies, time travel, or just a well-made independent film, you owe it to yourself to give this movie a chance. For starters... this is the first movie about time-travel that isn't riddle with illogical loopholes and lazy writing. In this case, complexity equals completeness... no detail is shrugged off or ignored.
In the interest of full-disclosure, I should warn you that the first time I watched it, I preceded to watch it twice more the same night... staying up into the wee hours trying to wrap my mind around everything that is going on in this brilliant debut. And then I watched it twice more the next day. Its not just the complexity of the time-traveling plot or keeping track of all the doubles that prompts repeat viewings - its the layers of subtlety that give the film its depth and character. It's a truly rare work that rewards the viewer based on their level of participation (i.e. how close are you paying attention?) Sure, the budget was minimal, but nothing is lost that would have been found with a million dollars in hand. I'll gladly sacrifice film and sound quality for a brilliant story that sticks in my mind for days and days later. And what of the inexperienced cast who brings a haunting realism to their characters? This movie is bare bones in the best way possible... no fluff or glamour to distract from the genuinely unique story.
Mind the Gap (2004)
Well-acted, slow-moving story with big payoff.
I was tempted to give up on this movie very early on. It seemed odd, sluggish and pretentious in that 'Touched by an Angel' sort of way.
And it was. The movie tries very hard to be heart-warming and self-important to the point that I imagine turns off many viewers.
But they are missing out on a true gem. Despite its over-earnest nature, the movie succeeds in being a feel-good movie thanks to a well-written story and some superb acting by a group of relative unknowns.
The film touches on 5 very different people's lives and how they keep their heads up despite some very sad fortunes. The film teases at first, giving us almost no information about these characters and expecting us to care about them as they plod along. But patience is certainly a rewarded virtue here as the BIGGER PICTURE is slowly revealed and the intricacies of these character's lives come together in a way I would have never imagined.
The fantastic acting done by the whole cast helps to move the story along whenever it appears to be stalling. Each actor manages to etch out deep, hidden emotions and secrets from their characters that are not fully-realized until the very end of the film. If nothing else, this movie is a great study of "effect and cause", rather than "cause and effect". You are privileged to see how each character has been changed by events in their life long before you find out what those events were and how profoundly they impacted their recipients.
In some vague ways, this movie reminds me of the 1984 film 'Paris, Texas' starring Nastassja Kinski and Harry Dean Stanton. A sparse, slow-moving film about a man deeply affected by an event we don't know until the last 15 minutes.
Looking at it's IMDb page, another user gives 'Paris, Texas' the "Life-Changing Movie" stamp of approval that others have given 'Mind the Gap', and I agree. If you have the patience and can stomach the incessant mushiness, 'Mind the Gap' is the type of film that makes you step back and look at the world (and your life) with fresh eyes. There is nothing in this movie that will blow the average-movie watcher away - but that is precisely why it is so good - it just doesn't work without YOU.
YOU are the 6th story - the 6th character.
'Mind the Gap' only sets up the formula, the pattern.
***YOU fill in THE GAP***
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
david lynch vs. filmmaking
to begin, what the hell did i just see? does any one know what david lynch's problem is? does he have something against logic? does he hate making movies. i felt the whole way through that david lynch was sitting at home laughing at me as a grasped franticlly at little details, trying to figure out what was going on. ive never been a lynch fan, but since mullholland drive got such great reviews, i thought id give it a try. never again. lynch is deranged. was the first part before the last part or was it the part that was with the part before the part. did the blue cube represent treachery or the lady with the blue beehive. its ridiculous! nothing had to do with anything! its as if he made twenty different movies, took out all the important parts and then taped the rest together. mullholland drive IS what got left on the cutting room floor of somebody's nightmares. its enough to f**k with sigmund freud's head.
ive heard and read a dozen times that, even if you dont 'get' lynch's movies, you can still appreciate the art of it. but what art is there to insanity. is it supposed to stir up some emotion within me, like some abstract painting? is the point of lynch's work simply chaos? i think anyone can throw together loads of fickle nonsense, but to make sense out of chaos is what art really is about.
if you ask me, lynch's point to mullholland drive was simply to p*** me off and drive me crazy. i liked twin peaks, to some extent, but maybe thats because lynch was not alone in writing it. maybe he needs a sane person to even him out. if he ever finds someone to work with again, then and only then, will i watch one of his movies. 5/10
Joy Ride (2001)
not what i thought! great despite a cheesy ending.
im not much of a horror-thriller fan (at least not the run-of-the-mill hollywood types), so i didnt expect much from joy ride, but it turned out to be a rather enjoyable movie. paul walker stars with steve zahn in pretty typical roles. walker is a studdly young guy who is somehow shy and reserved and zahn is his troubled, but remarkably good-hearted brother-in-need. leelee sobieski also appears as a ridiculously bold and daring, but innocent and pure, friend/love interest. the acting doesnt push any boundaries, but that said, steve zahn really steals the show with his witticisms and pranks. he plays well of the other two, in a way that seems they were meant for only that. the action is suspenseful, but still a but predictable and it keeps you guessing at the end, even though reality is stretched pretty far. suffice it to say, that i wish the police were as malleable and naive in real life as they were in this film.
George Washington (2000)
Stand by Me meets KIDS in an intimate and unpredictable way
i love being pleasantly surprised. not knowing what to expect of a film and being submerged in a fantastic work of art. george washington is a great example of that feeling.
the film could ride alone on its cinemagraphic efforts, but it goes to great lengths to make all ends meet. the budget is obviously low, the cast is a handful of inexperienced youth, and the story is an oddity in itself, and though that may sound like a negative mix, it certainly is not.
the cast of amateur actors fit snuggly into their confused, childish characters and the low budget filmmaking is a perfect match for the extremely poor town that makes their home. the story, as well as the feel of the movie, is very relaxed and sedated, yet dramatically powerful and intriguing. the story is shocking at times, but never gross or vulgar; just unpredictable. and it is never really depressing, despite the poverty-stricken setting and a bleak and saddening set of events. the director manages to find a true, pure beauty in each moment of sorrow. it is hard to explain the depths to which he manipulates your emotions, without suspicion.
it feels at times that the film crew barely wanted to make the picture. as if the director was hesitant to show such a vulnerable part of the character's lives, all the while knowing that it was his duty to put them on display. i didnt know what to think of gw before, and i still dont know what to think of it now, but i felt every gesture made, as if it was my own. truly, a beautiful and creative work of art.
Rain (2001)
laid back beach movie with a twist...
this movie had all the makings of a feel-good beach movie. set in new zealand in the 70's, it does a great job of making you feel relaxed, even sedated, as you watch a family's world turn upside-down. the key character is janey, a naive 13 year-old girl, but the real story is her parents and a marriage that is shaky at best. aside from the great direction and cast, ethereal camera-work, and a superb soundtrack, the real delight of this film is the part of jim, janey's little brother, who basically steals the show. a great film with a few good laughs that makes you feel good, despite a saddened ending.
Lost and Delirious (2001)
nothing could save this movie...
i went into this movie with high hopes. i am a man who can truly appreciate a good love story. the film started out well enough. with interest and intensity, but (a note to all filmmakers) use these things with caution, because an entire movie filled with pretentious insight and overdramatics, gets old, and even sickening, in a very short time. the story, which i would describe as a glossy Hallmark lesbian dreamscape, is so pretentious and so over-the-top, that it reaked of junior-high notebook romance. the kind that eventually develops into lonely-houswife romance novels.
the real downfall (not that there were necessarily any high points in the film) was the link between piper perabo's character and the hawk she nurtured. when bird-like sound effects and slow-action camera work began to follow her every move, it just got ridiculous. though, not as ridiculous as the ending, in which all this hawk nonsense leads into.
to the other men out there, i must warn; if you decide to watch this movie for the 'hot lesbian love scenes', for which there are some, do not waste your time. your time and your money would be much better suited by watching porn, than by sitting through this immature wreck of a movie. rage on!
Vanilla Sky (2001)
another masterpiece from a genius at work
cameron crowe is a genius. he has a way of taking something great and making it exquisite. i saw the original abre los ojos when it came out a few years back and enjoyed it, but crowe turned that film into a great piece of modern cinema. aside from a great cast, including jason lee and cameron diaz, who did a great job, not to mention the beautiful and talented penelope cruz and a usual so-so performance from tom cruise, crowe's attention to detail and passion for film is really what made Vanilla Sky stand out from its predecessor. i have a theory that says cameron crowe could remake a film like glitter into a top notch classic.
having seen the original i was not as drawn in by all the twists and surprises, but to those who are new to the story, i think you will really enjoy the thrills it provides. to those like me, who enjoyed the first i also reccommend it. i thought it was much easier to follow in english and whether you think 'thats not how its supposed to be' or 'i remember this part' (i did both), i think youll still enjoy watching a master apprentice at work.
open your eyes...
Training Day (2001)
intense intense intense
in a year of very dull movies, i would have to say this is one of my favorites by far. though it met with some bad criticism, i felt this film really delivered. the acting was absolutely stellar, denzel washington deserves an oscar, hands down. on top of that, the script is great. i was on the edge of my seat til the very end. i dont know what the critics who badmouthed this one were expecting, but training day stands out like a diamond in the rough this year.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
wasted potential
this movie could have been amazing. damn spielberg for blowing such a fantastic film. it had my vote for best film this year until the last twenty minutes or so. spielbergs take on kubrick was both breathtaking and thought-provoking, but leave it to spielberg to turn a dramatic/sci-fi/thriller into a family film below disney's standards. it wouldnt have been so shocking had the rest of the film been equally cheese-filled, but a movie that explores the deep pathos of our society and its future in a world with no boundaries, shouldnt end with a sunday night heart-warmer. there is a whole lot of good things to be said about this movie: acting, cinematography, and writing of a high caliber, but it all seems to go down the toilet when your forced to choke down the (literally) fairy tale ending.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
breakthrough in filmaking
despite the poor box office sales, i thought this film was done magnificently. the realistic animation is like nothing ive ever seen. the story was intriguing and fit the format well. i found it most impressive how human the characters felt. i think it was a great combination of animation and acting that brought the whole thing together. i really think this could open the door for a whole new world of film making, but its sales are pleading otherwise. i was very excited to see this movie, even though i was unfamiliar with the concept of the games, and i wasnt disappointed. computer graphics has become almost an integral part of film making these days and this is one of the best leaps ive seen beyond the cheesy cartoony feel that most graphics bring to otherwise high-class films. the only other film this summer that has reached this level is A.I. which could have been a masterpiece, but thats another review altogether. at any rate: support this film. the future of cgi depends on you!