Volver (Film)

I've always enjoyed European films. I find those films tend to be more ambiguous in their storytelling. They don't have a need to tie everything together in some neat bow. It's ok if some things are left a little messy. Volver is a prime example of this. I initially saw this because Penelope Cruz was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar and she looked sizzling in the trailer. I found the film itself not without it's charms, but felt curiously flat to me. I was hoping for a little more heat from the storyline to better match what Cruz was bringing to the role. I give this tale of mothers and their daughters a C-.

Batman: Year 100 (Comic)

It's a Batman tale set in the future year of 2039, a hundred years after the publication of the first Batman story. The story's a mite wonky and the questions aren't all answered, but the vision created by Paul Pope is complete and utterly unique. It took a bit to get used to his art, but I found a freshness and energy I hadn't seen in a while. Looking at the art shows Pope has thought long and hard of what he wants to put down and that care really shows. Well worth picking up and checking out. B+.

Smokin' Aces (Film)

A loud, annoying, unexciting, and worst of all, dull wannabe cool hipster action movie. It's someone thinking if they wear the right clothes they're automatically cool, not realizing it's not what you wear, but who you are. All the characters seem to have come out of movies from better movies and the influences are painfully clear: Tarantino, Guy Richie, Coen Brothers, and Trainspotting. The problem is, this film never rises above those influences and creates it's own unique mojo. The movie's only an hour and forty-eight minutes, but it's a long, long hour and forty-eight. I'd stay clear and it's the reason I'm only giving this a D-.

The Queen (Film)

I admit upfront I only saw this movie because it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and the buzz behind Helen Mirren's performance as the Queen. I don't really understand the public fascination of the English monarchy or the English class system for that matter. Given all this, I felt at times while watching the movie, it seemed like I was watching a movie on PBS. While the film largely dealt with the Queen's reaction in the week following Diana's death in Paris, I was much more interested in Prime Minister Tony Blair's handling of the situation. Helen Mirren is appreciatively restrained in her aloof performance, but I saw nothing particularly dazzling. Perhaps that was the point, how understated she seemed. I did find the overwhelming public reaction to Diana's death surprising. I had no idea she was so loved. Given my lukewarm reaction, is it any surprise I'm giving this movie a C-.

Letters from Iwo Jima (Film)

One of the more compelling films I've ever seen on the subject of war. I found the Japanese's point of view particularly interesting because I think all the World War II pictures I've seen have largely been about the American forces and in particular their battles in Europe. It was refreshing to see things from the "enemies" perspective and it turns out it's not that much different from the other side. The soldiers we meet on Iwo Jima are not professional soldiers, but instead are bakers and farmers, ordinary men asked to defend the country they live in and love. Who can fault these men who've answered the call to arms? Through the letters they write to loved ones back home and the conversations they share, we learn to respect and honor the sacrifices they make in the name of patriotism. I'm amazed at the directing job Clint Eastwood has pulled off and marvel at his masterful ability to direct a film in a foreign language. I did think he had it in him. It's a film well worth seeing. I give this film a A.

Babel (Film)

Wikipedia:
According to Genesis 11:1-9, mankind, after the deluge, traveled from the mountain where the ark had rested, and settled in 'a plain in the land of Shinar' (or Senaar). Here, they attempted to build a city and a tower whose top might reach unto Heaven, the Tower of Babel.

The attempt to build the Tower of Babel had angered God who, in his anger, made each person involved speak a different language which ultimately halted the project and scattered and disconnected the people across the planet.

This film is a fractured tale made up of three stories that intercut with one another and are vaguely connected to one another. The most interesting of these story lines involves a deaf mute Japanese teenager whose inability to hear so isolates her from her peers as to be heartbreaking. She wants to lead the normal life of a teenaged girl complete with flirting with cute boys and perhaps even fall in love. The filmmakers effectively convey what it might be like to be deaf. The silence speaks volumes.

I had wished the other stories were as effective. I found my mind wandering and checked my watch to see how much more time was left. I admire the intent behind the film, for all our differences, we are more like than different and how communication can so easily be jumbled as to mistake intent. As it stands, I would give the movie a C.

My 5 Favorite Albums (Random Musing)

Fiddling with my iPod the other night and I came to muse upon what my favorite albums are. Now I've heard in this day of buying singles, people actually buying whole albums is a rather antiquated concept, a product of a by-gone era. Perhaps. Maybe people don't have enough time to absorb albums anymore, not when something new could be heard a mouse click away. Any way, for your listening pleasure and mine, I'd thought I'd list what my five albums are. I do like a wide range of music, but these are albums I can actually find myself listening to the whole way through. Not as easy as I might have thought. And this is in no particular order.

By the Way by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I found this album to be a real departure form their previous efforts. It has a real strong sense of harmony I would not have thought possible from this group.


Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction. The song Three Days is as fine as a rock song can be and the other songs are not too shabby either. It's the album that made me love Jane's Addiction and the reason why I kept getting their albums in the hopes they will be as good as this.


Come Away with Me by Norah Jones. Her lush voice made me swoon over these songs.


The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. Awesome. I was planning on listening to just the first track and I damn near listened to the entire album.


OK Computer by Radiohead. Over an entire winter all I listened to was this album. And I never got sick of it. This album alone will make me get every single album Radiohead makes for the rest of my life.

Perfume - The Story of a Murderer (Film)

At times the visual images flowed like sublime poetry. The story is about a man whose sense of smell is so acute, he can discern the precise contents of a perfume with just one whiff. He wants to create the most potent scent ever devised and to do so, like making an omelet, he must break a few eggs or in this case, sacrifice a few lives. I see this as a statement on the necessity of great art comes from great pain and sometimes suffering. I found this film to be utterly captivating coupled with a sense of unease. I found myself wondering how this story would ultimately end. It's been a while since that's happened to me. I'm a big fan of this director's earlier work, Run Lola Run, and see his love for red heads remains intact. I give this film a B+.

Anime Simpsons

Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess (Video Game)

The game is finished and is a fitting end for the Nintendo Gamecube system. While at times, which in fact is too many, this Zelda outing felt like a spiffier super-sized version of N64's Ocarina of Time, I still enjoyed my time in Hyrule. I did feel there wasn't enough challenges in the game. I found myself beating end bosses way too easily. I had hoped for a better fight. The quest is epic and diverse. I'm very curious how this would play out on the Wii with it's unique controller set up. All in all, I'll give this game a A-.

Children of Men (Film)

I've been a big fan of this director ever since Alfonso Cuaron directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I think he is enormously talented and has a real eye for taking interesting shots. His talent is very much evident in this movie with breathtaking shots of extended takes with no apparent cuts. I wish the story was as compelling. If you've seen the trailer, I'm afraid you've seen most of the major story beats for this film. I wasn't as annoyed as I should have been given the story's acute ambiguity on the reasons why children are no longer being born or the lack of information on the Human Project. What story is present is compelling and worth watching. I give this film a B.

Pan's Labyrinth (Film)

My expectations got the better of me this time. I had heard so much about this movie I was expecting such big things. It was like someone telling you he has this really funny joke. A really, really funny joke. I mean, you'll just bust a gut laughing and that's no joke, seriously. Then you hear the joke and you're just left feeling, eh. That's how I felt after seeing this movie.

I wanted the main character of Ofelia, a reincarnated soul of a lost Princess, to be more clever and show her worthy of her royal title. The film is beautifully made, I think the director has some real skill and style all his own. I just wish the film was as good. I give the film a C.