Revanche

The Austian film Revanche made a big splash in 2008, and was even nominated for an Academy Award. In 2010 it got the criterion treatment, and usually I dislike it when Criterion releases new films (cough: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) but it really helped the overall image. Most of the allure to Revanche derives itself from the meaning behind what is said. The film explores a succession of events that inevitability intertwine and mulls them over within each character so poignantly. The characters react with such calm the idyllic setting further perpetuates the dissection of meaning that distances itself from typical question of mortality. Revanche is a film so rigorously dedicated to endearingly flawed characters that the seemingly flawless countryside accentuated through the cinematography prove to be that much more captivating.

Shutter Island

Walking into a Scorcese movie is not like walking into any movie. You go in with certain expectations and an idea of the sorts of characters he likes to construct. Shutter Island plays like an idea i've seen done before but with better cinematography. It's like in 3rd grade, when a kid in my class got an A++ for his project on Australia even though he basically printed off everything the online encyclopedia had and it being the early 90's most kids didn't have access to such things. The acting was well done and the writing, though predictable and somewhat muddled, was still entertaining. The strongest aspect of the film was the cinematography. Scorcese definitely took cues from Kubrik, and some of the cranes shots were amazing but somehow it still felt like I was watching a print of a Scorcese film and not the real thing. He went through the motions, but it just didn't compare to his other works. All the same motifs and personas were there, but it all just seemed so tiresome. I did not dislike this film I just wish I could have left the film with more.

Valentine's Day (the movie)

Don't worry I didn't pay to see this movie. Valentine's Day is a film so clearly made by a 75 year-old man, and comes with such a sanitized version of love that Disney looks like Filmore's. I think the last thing I wanted to see was Emma Roberts preaching abstinence or Taylor Swift in general. I did go into the film with very low expectations, but usually there is one charming moment that though I realize is a candy-like craving, makes the 90 minutes seem worth it. What can I say, my filmic preferences have a lot of depth, but sometimes I need Hollywood schlock if even to poke fun at.

I liked Valentine's Day the movie as much as I like Valentine's Day itself, so not at all. Unlike this year when I was pleasantly surprised, I was not at all by this film EXCEPT for the gay football player but that was just too minor of a character to win me over. Come on, they don't even kiss. Wasting time blasting or critisizing a movie like this seems like a moot point, its all-star cast is just smoke and mirrors to draw in the general public despite having an overly cliche...well everything. The over abundance of heteronormativity, while nothing new, was kind of frightening. I mean the film made even heterosexual sex look boring. I can't wait for this shit to catch up with the times.

Frozen

These guys are drinking at a party. One guy says to the other "Man, i thought of such a great movie." The other guy, intrigued, asks what it is about. The guy looks him square in the eye and tells him this: "Okay, so these three people are snowboarding and skiing and whatever and they just have to go on one last run. They beg the chairlift dude to let them on, and he does but he leaves and they get stuck. Here's the thing, the hill won't be open for another week. So they like start freaking out and one guy jumps off the chairlift to try to get help but he breaks his legs. Then like wolves come and totally tear him apart. The other two like freak out but decide to try to wait it out but like they wont make it because its so cold so the other guy tries to escape but he also gets eaten by wolves. Then there's like one chick left who falls off the chairlift, almost gets eaten by wolves but like makes it. The end. How rad is that?" After hearing this story, the guy drunkenly calls his producer friends and then movie magic happens.

A Headless Woman

Sometimes it is refreshing to see a subtle film. A Headless Woman demands a deep performance from the lead actress by basing a feature length film around the effects of a 10 second event. The additional characters accent the experience of said event, but with remarkable and unspoken loyalty. The silent malaise of the main character works to curb any dramatization of the categorically terrible event so as not to distract from the more deep rooted emotions that become more and more evident as the film progresses. A Headless Woman works as an interesting character study over a case study, and should be watched without distraction.

A Single Man

I watched an interview with Tom Ford a month ago where he stated that his filmmaking and his fashion are two separate entities. After watching A Single Man, it was clear to me that he was being a little too ambitious about that statement, which worked wonderfully. Not only was the fashion of the film completely breathtaking, interesting and remarkably diverse, but the cinematography was on point. The sudden outburst of colour at opportune times during the film really called to popular film as an art. Yes, it was a pretty film, but what was even more surprising was the complexity and precision of the plot. A fashionable film is often devoid of a decent storyline, but Colin Firth as a grieving professor was particularly intriguing. He showed great depth, and I understood some of the hype around his performance. A Single Man is essentially Tom Ford's wet dream, but who cares when it works out so well!

James Cameron, racist.

Okay so I am being a little facetious with the title, but was anyone buying it? Not only is it basically the plot line to Dances With Wolves (and I'm sure I am the millionth person to point it out) but it's so blatantly problematic. Apparently coming up with an 'alien race' really meant blending a couple that already exist on earth. Wow, SUCH creativity. Furthermore, the white man saves the day again? And not only that he does it while posing as an Avatar. Sure, they've accepted him into their tribe, but somehow by the end of the film the message is: White man can perform your identity better than you can. It's silly, and I can't believe that in 2010 this kind of shit is still being made, and not only that but POPULAR. Don't even get me started on the ablest problems as well. I just think that there should be more questioning of these portrayals of identity, and more accountability. Avatar, really?!!