The Movie Rat

Rewind Review – Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Posted on October 10, 2015 by bernardovillela

Introduction

As those who know me, and if such a person exists, cyberstalk me, know I created this blog after writing on another site, which shall remain nameless, for a while. The point is, I have material sitting around waiting to be re-used on occasion I will re-post them here. Some of those articles or reviews may have been extemporaneous at the time but are slightly random now, hence the new title and little intro, regardless enjoy!

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

This is quite an unusual Werner Herzog film. Of course, one must realize that the statement is quite nearly oxymoronic in as much as there is no standard or quintessential Herzog film. It just never really seems to have his stamp on it until we start seeing Terence’s hallucinations through our eyes rather than his; or rather in perspective rather than POV.

It is interesting to note Herzog insisted he wasn’t doing a remake but producers added the insinuation with the title, for marketing purposes and in crediting the original writer, for fear of law suit. What is most intriguing and at the same time most vexing about this film is that it is a tale which has a lot of circles, and they all close such that the film is nearly a Spirograph and the beauty of such a thing is in the eye of the beholder. The only reason it is vexing is because all these separate subplots are fine except a majority of them resolve themselves within two minutes of each other to very comedic effect, whether intentional or not.

Nicolas Cage is getting very good reviews for this film and they are deserved, the only minor caveat I will add is that saying this is him at his best may be a little inaccurate. Perhaps this is him in his type. As I scan his filmography I see where I have liked him previously and he was depressed, frantic or addicted to something. Where he’s been most effective has been in The Weather Man, Adaptation and Matchstick Men to mention more previous work, where he usually gets hammered, looks uncomfortable and falters greatly is in action parts like Knowing. No speculation as to why that is but the Nicolas Cage seen in this film is scarcely the same man as he was in Knowing and thank goodness for that because he has to carry the film.

In the end it is definitely an interesting film and not your usual fare. It leaves you torn between the comedy and the sad absurdity of the situation. At some point it does almost become a bit too much but all that is alleviated by a brilliantly directed and acted closing scene. A scene which frames the starting point of the troubles in the tale and while substance abuse seems to be over you’re left to wonder about the rest.

What Herzog does in this film can be best described as flirting with film noir. Flirting is as far as it ever goes because Herzog will never tie himself down to the conventions of genre but the seedy underworld elements are there as well as the lack of a moral compass, yet with so many frames thrown into the mix and some of the camera-work it could never be considered as such – barring the obvious fact that it is in color. It also resembles the progeny of those who loved noir, the New Wave, with some standard technique thrown in for good measure.

Herzog really works brilliantly with this cast which is part of what brings such a strange story home in the end. So well does he work with them that two actors in particular were nearly unrecognizable because of how they acted in their roles: one being Xzibit as Big Fate, the drug dealer who is the target of an investigation McDonagh (Cage) is heading the other being Fairuza Balk as a Highway Patrol Officer.

What is also interesting is that the story followed in the film for a significant portion of it is the execution of an immigrant family in the slums of New Orleans. That investigation vanishes after a while like a red herring but then works its way back in very interestingly.

What Herzog creates here is as always an interesting cinematic experience but also a transparent and approachable story line that perhaps will get people interested in his work. This may be about as close to convention as he ever is but you do get a taste for his style.

7/10

Short Film Saturday: Where Are They Now?

Posted on October 10, 2015 by bernardovillela

I liked this one in spite of myself. There are some really good gags here (some not as much), especially if you’re a fan of the cartoons they’re referencing.

Enjoy!

Mini-Review: Swoopes

Posted on October 9, 2015 by bernardovillela

Introduction

This is a post that is a repurposing of an old-school Mini-Review Round-Up post. As stated here I am essentially done with running multi-film review posts. Each film deserves its own review. Therefore I will repost, and at times add to, old reviews periodically. Enjoy!

Swoopes

Nine for IX continues with the tale of Sheryl Swoopes carer. It’s always great when I don’t know much about the subjects of these films, or as much as I thought I did. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Swoopes as a subject is the fact that she is not easily definable and is an individual. She’s not at all interested in labels of any kind. The only issues I really had with the film itself was that it glossed over what she did in the two-year span between her graduation and the Olympics, and then one interviewees seemed to have responses that made him seem the mandatory contrarian. It would’ve benefitted the film all the more if one subject had varying interpretations of her actions and career choices. However, it’s still a very effective piece that highlights many aspects of the game and the player that would otherwise be overlooked. A job very-well done by director Hannah Storm.

8/10

Mini-Review: Only God Forgives

Posted on October 8, 2015 by bernardovillela

Introduction

Only God Forgives

The fairly quick reaction here is that after many months and many reactions heard I was glad to come in fairly down the middle on this film. I understand but don’t agree with the frustrated, negative reviews, and if I take a look at the good ones I’m sure I’d center myself anew. This is a film that is unquestionably beautifully shot, and based on Drive unquestionably Winding Refn just not in as engaging and universally palatable way. One needs to be prepared for the violence, but I didn’t find it to be excessively out-of-place based on the narrative.

6/10

Mini-Review: The Wall

Posted on October 7, 2015 by bernardovillela

Introduction

The Wall

If you’ll forgive the simplistic analogy the way I can best express my feelings and thoughts about this film are via comparison to an analogous title. This film tells the tale of a woman going on a vacation in an alpine cabin who suddenly finds herself surrounded and isolated by an invisible barrier, a wall. In that regard it reminds me of Stephen King’s Under the Dome, more so the book than what I saw of the series. Therefore, it’s a tale not so much about the how and why but what occurs under the “dome,” or inside the wall while it’s up. There’s much exploratory voice over, nearly incessant amounts and not much by way of findings in the report that is being written; subtly surreal additions and interactions with new animals that through a lot of inner-monologue reveal less than something like Bestiaire. A well-acted and shot narrative, but not a very compelling one.

5/10

Review: Stranger (Zhat)

Posted on October 7, 2015 by bernardovillela

Yermek Tursunov’s previous film, that I was able to see, was The Old Man (Shal), and it was Kazakhstan’s official submission to the Academy Awards and was nominated for quite a few BAM Awards including Best Picture and won Best Cinematography. The Old Man was part of a trilogy. This one is not part of that multigenerational tale of familial legacy but Stranger very much feels of Tursunov’s milieu; exploring the world of Kazakh nomads.

In this case a tumultuous period of the 20th century in this then Soviet-state. Events are realized, and come home visually without too much assistance from the dialogue. However, it allows us to more quickly bring ourselves into the film and experience it not as outsiders, insistent on knowing precise causes and affects, but rather much as our protagonist Ilyas does. He doesn’t quite understand what’s going on and why his parents and friends are disappearing as enemies of the state, and he doesn’t care what the reasoning is. He just feels it’s not right, refuses to “get with the program,” and runs off. Not only living the only way he’s known how, but adopting and even closer-to-the-earth more insular existence than he heretofore had.

Music is perhaps more crucial to Stranger than it was to the old man because the narrative is not one compressed in the dramatic unities of time and space in cinematic terms but rather a sweeping epic than spans decades and goes from the protagonist’s childhood to his death. The timelessness and majesty of the music are another tool used to draw us in. For truly music, perhaps even more so than cinema, can have the evocative quality needed to truly transport a person to a time and place they’ve never been and identify as if they have.

With a tale that concerns a reclusive nomad and the small village he leaves behind and can only occasionally return to for short times. The cinematography by Murat Aliyev lovingly captures the steppes in their beauty and brutality but is also the key to creating the marvelous mise-en-scène this film has. The framing, quality of light, and the fact that this film speaks far more in images than in dialogue makes it even more crucial that it is this good and it is.

Stranger also hearkened me back the to the Norwegian film Pathfinder (Ofelas), but with a more allegorical than traditional epic slant. Most of that has to do with the magnetic performance of Erzhan Nurymbet not just the fact that he’s frequently isolated. Perhaps the rarest feat this film can claim is the equilibrium in quality of performance between two actors playing versions of the same character at different ages. Typically aging of a character from childhood into adulthood is only used to create an inciting incident, or illustrate a trauma; usually the appearance is all that remains the same. However, with Stranger there is shown, simply, in a gorgeous montage, Ilyas’ transformation from wide-eyed innocent fleeing into uncertainty to a fully red-blooded nomad more adept at living in the woodlands of the steppes than what passes for society in collectivized village. This is a testament to Erzhan Nurymbet, Nurgali Nugman, and the edit of the film.

An edit which frequently is deftly artful to convey the passage of time visually without having to resort to titles. In fact, only at the beginning do we outsiders get some necessary background information. What proceeds after that is a story embodying many aspects of that title card in one character’s life.

Even though the film may not be traditionally uplifting its a wonder to see the world through Tursunov’s eyes anew. I’m sure that some will experience these same joys for the first time. For beautifully made films about difficult subjects that deal in the highest of artistry and a minimum of didacticism are far too rare, even rarer still is the hypnotic ambience of these Kazakh film worlds.

9/10

Mini-Review: Stuck in Love

Posted on October 6, 2015 by bernardovillela

Introduction

Stuck in Love

While the cast is talented and the characters are ultimately likable Stuck in Love unfortunately relies a bit too much on convenient plot devices. The kids have been raised to be writers and they all succeed at exceedingly early ages and with seeming ease. The conflicts are there and the characters arcs are there, but the big moments are bit too simply achieved, that and there was a generalized sense of predictability. Despite the characters’ quirks nothing too surprising occurs. Lastly, on the production end the selection of source music is rather invasive, annoying and a bit too on the head more than once.

5/10

Blu-ray Review: Children of the Night

Posted on October 6, 2015 by bernardovillela

Children of the Night (Limbo, 2013)

Children of the Night is a film that offers a fairly different take on the vampire lore, and seems just as interested in using the guise of the vampire tale to make societal commentaries as it is in twisting the tropes of the genre.

It kicks off with Alicia (Sabrina Ramos) being contacted at her newspaper about doing a profile on Limbo, which claims it is a group home for children with a rare disease. As Alicia arrives and starts talking to Erda (Ana Maria Giunta) the true vampiric nature of these inhabitants starts to make itself known, as well as why she was really asked to come.

The English title play off a famous quote from Dracula, and it’s not entirely unfitting. It allows the audience to some extent understand what the film will be about as well as disambiguating it from other films also entitled Limbo.There are also allusions to Dracula herein so that makes it even less of a stretch.

It’s nearly inevitable now that when you hear of a tale of vampires who are children you will invariably think of Let the Right One In, or the Amerian remake Let Me In. This film is neither of those films and it’s not really trying to be. Aside from the mystery portion of the tale, which is not that long, it’s not playing things entirely straight. There is much dark humor to be found and it’s much appreciated.

Also allowing the film stand out is that it combines story elements interestingly. There is a compulsory vampire hunter angle thrown into the mix, which allows some of the expected viscera and action sequences. However, much of the intrigue in this film are about interpersonal relationships, and the suspense elements are from learning new bits of information.

If you’re one who’s over-concerned with budget allow me to assuage your fears: yes, this is quite a microbudget film. However, the film nevr puts itself in situations where that becomes apparent or a detriment. in fact, there are instances where its refreshing to see something actually being done, instead of virtually occurring with the aid of CG. The film gets quite ingenius about it as well.

The locations, the way its shot, and the uniquely indigenuous and entrancing score crafted by writer/director Iván Noel help to create a very unique atmosphere. The two leads newcomer Ramos and renowned veteran Giunta are positively captivating in their scenes in tandem. They are buoyed by two fairly strong debut turns among the young cast by Lauro Veron and Toto Muñoz. The latter especially as he is our introduction to this world, and has some of the longest, soul-searching scenes within.

Children of the Night is not a run-of-the-mill vampire tale. However, with the most recent surge in popularity of the vampire over (due mostly to an over-abundance of cynical, subpar, dime-a-dozen, mass-produced junk) the thoughtful well-rendered tale with laughs and gore within should still find an audience.

Bonus Features

Making-Of Featurette

It’s always interesting to see making-of featurettes. In this case it is especially intriguign to see some of the restraints they faced. You also see some footage from preproduction through to the making of the film, along with theatre games to get the kids warmed up. There are some English titles to give one a sense of information though I will warn viewers: my Spanish is pretty good so I got everything I could out of the featurette. Some may not.

Commentary

If some parts of the feturette leave you wanting the director’s commentary will help. Noel discusses the makign of throughout, all in perfectly enunciated English, and gives you soem great insights. While on occasion there’s some overload for those not as interested in the technical or textual aspects, he does counterbalance that by not talking the entire time and letting some scenes play out.

Children of the Night is available today on digital platforms, DVD, and Blu-ray.

It runs 105 minutes, with dialogue in Spanish subtitled in English.

Mini-Review: 17 Again

Posted on October 5, 2015 by bernardovillela

As you watch 17 Again you might wonder how often a concept like this can possibly work. This certainly isn’t a Romeo & Juliet type template, but it seems that no matter how many times this, or things like it, come along people will watch, and it will be enjoyable… to an extent. Then I realized it’s like the cinematic equivalent of a sitcom – enjoyable but disposable – use once and destroy.

So, yes, you do laugh, because the father does often forget he looks like Zac Efron and not Matthew Perry, and yes there are flaws. For instance almost no one recognizes him as, at the very least, a reincarnation of Mike O’Donell. What does work in this film’s favor are: Zac Efron, who being given a part where he needs to be more than an archetype delivers, and is rather impressive; Dad dialogue being delivered by a twenty-something that sounds funny when it needs to be and heartfelt when it has to be is no easy feat; and the biggest kudos go to Thomas Lennon who played Mike’s friend Ned to perfection. Lennon provided most of the comedy that put the film over the top and also had the most fully realized character. He was a continuation and expansion of his former self.

Suspension of disbelief occasionally becomes difficult with things like the coach not recognizing Mike, and Ned trying to beat Mike up thinking him an intruder for an overly-extended sequence. However, these flaws are counterbalanced with portions of the film which are told visually, especially in the beginning of the film, a decent editing style in certain scenes, and I did feel Burr Steers’ stamp on the dressing down of the bully scene. It was nice to see a glimmer of authorship in a generally formulaic piece.

If you’re looking to for an enjoyable way to kill time this film is as good as any.

6/10

Review: Birds of Passage

Posted on October 5, 2015 by bernardovillela

Birds of Passage tells a story that in synopsis, and in the trailer appears to be quite charming. The set-up is a simple one: Cathy (Clarisse Djuroski) receives a duck egg from her father (Alain Eloy) for her tenth birthday. The duckling imprints on her friend Margaux (Léa Warny) as its mother. Margaux is disabled, and wheelchair-bound so her parents do not think she can keep the duckling. Cathy and Margaux are then determined to find a way for her to care for the duckling at all costs.

This is a very simple, and straight forward story, which is always very refreshing. However, in a tale with so few sections where a single decision by a character can send it off the rails, it almost always veers off course, at least for the time being, and the total effect is irreparable to the end product.

In key moments there is a certain obtuseness to some of the characters that is hard to abide. This is not to say that characters, especially children, cannot make mistakes, it’s the how and when, combined with the predictably of the mistake or odd decision that ultimately makes this one hard to latch on to.

On positive notes: this film is a prime example of the importance of the first image we see, this one being a static shot of swans on a pond as the credits roll over it. There is a symmetry here, and a visual coming-of-age that is apparent and easy to admire. There is also throughout a reconciliation without speaking that is refreshing.

However, this brings us to yet another difficulty. In this film there are four parents, only one of whom is tolerable, in fact, he’s my favorite character. In coming-of-age tales individuation and parents being seen as a barrier is a natural state of affairs, but something’s off when the thought occurs to you “With parents like this who needs enemies?”

The young leads perform admirably, and the very close of the film, and occasional comic relief are nice but ultimately do not salvage the film. This is a film that should be a slam dunk: kids, one disabled, taking a road trip to not just save their duck from becoming pâté but so that it surrogate mother can usher it to its own independence (and their own), yet the whole thing becomes an example of how to take easily identifiable and watchable characters and situations utterly intolerable.

5/10

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