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talfarlow
Reviews
Sense8 (2015)
Where's the controversy?
I usually review stuff that I love, but this is not the case. This time the reason is the over-sized controversial, imprecise feedback I am learning which pushes me into giving my opinion, as simple as I can.
First of all, this is not porn: some people seem to have the wrong concepts. If you think this is porn, just try watching a so-labeled porn movie: this could be extremely useful to get concepts properly settled before categorizing here so wrong.
But, surprisingly, this is not even nudity-explicit: it's far below TV standards. Yes, there is a strong sexual content but in a totally different sense. Here we find an obvious defense of plurality in human relationships, as opposed (never excluding) to the "standard straight couple". Thus, we know characters involved in stable gay, lesbian or threesome liaisons -nothing new under the sun, though-, while the sex scenes, which are often potentially controversial, go no further than the plain suggestion in Sense8. For instance, a half-mental orgy where you just don't see *those* body parts at all.
So, it grows all in the viewers' mind, not on the screen. Then we would be talking about personal preferences and/or prejudices, and not about what we actually see in Sense8. This can be a show for adults, but not particularly for the sexual topic. Otherwise, we may say the 95% of the shows set in modern or recent times are easily more adult-oriented than Sense8.
*Possible spoilers in this paragraph* The story is simple. A group of people with extremely rare mind gifts, chased by a bad guy/corporation: the usual stuff in superheroes comics. So, once they've come to know each other (and the chasers) by means of their powers, the main story line is almost entirely told. So, the writers spice things up, giving different personal lives to each character; well, that's fine. But the problem is you can depict each individual story with no more than a ten words phrase. And that's the deepest it gets. Let me try: "asian girl marries rich unloved guy". Another one: "movie star risks career revealing homosexuality". Or "poor African bus driver becomes popular hero". All these stories (and a few more) are also easy to be told in 3 or 4 episodes, but then there is nothing left: that's exactly how it feels in Sense8. From then on, characters go round and round with no newer actions... or no action at all.
The production is excellent. Locations, photography, cast... There are lots of obvious know-hows and money there. The video-clip, spiritual dances, flash-mob-type scenes may work... if you don't mind to meet such scenes in many episodes, looking like fillers more than plot-required. The mainstream pop, recurrent soundtrack goes along well with this.
Then we get into the perilous world of expectations. This has nothing to do with Matrix or Cloud Atlas (except for the nonlinear, unreal, sci-fi taste behind), so don't expect another Matrix. In fact, don't expect anything: take this as an useful advice.
Finally, a point regarding the Wachowskis and some comments read here: they surely have the fame and the resources to do whatever they want: this must be what they've just done in Sense8. I, personally, got bored to death from mid Season 1 and on, but I am not ranting about "what this might be instead". Here they chose to go through the soft-activism, sexual-self-definition, rainbow-beauty-universal-love paths. If this has anything to do with their personal lives it's not our business, because we are talking of television.
For the overall feeling I get, this can't be more than a 4/10. Thanks for reading.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko's Death Dream
I've recently read a user comment about Hitch's North By Northwest based upon the several absurd situations of the movie -like chasing a man to death using a biplane- to justify a low score review. Thinking of it, I understand we just can't take the superlogical mood to watch a movie (maybe unless it was by Ken Loach), since the very most of them have asburds and necessary tricks. Otherwise, genres like Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi or Horror would be completely pointless without this "cheating". And, in the other hand, this is the same old story about putting rules to art, boxing the emotions and so.
But some of those tricks sometimes seem a bit unfair. I mean: putting the world of next-to-death dreams inside a plot (Muldholland Dr., What Dreams May Come, The Sixth Sense, Fearless) gives the story and characters absolute freedom. Similarly, focusing the facts from an out-of-order mind (Julia & Julia, American Psycho), provides the same facilities to the writer. Also virtual realities (Tron, The Matrix) are extremely useful jokers in every game. Let's say the imagination bandwith is -intentionally?- boosted when any of these resources is assumed as the initial condition to develop a fiction, since everything in the Universe would have enough room to exist inside a nightmare, an ill brain or a computer program.
***** SUBJECTIVE SPOILERS BELOW *****
Donnie Darko -imho- may be taken in two different basic ways:
1) A nightmare come true... with all that it implies.
2) A death premonitory dream.
In the first option everything is real: Donnie's visions, the rabbit, the psychologist, the school sabotage, the fire at the preacher's, the preacher himself, the car over the girl, the time warp, the plane incidents (the same only one but shown twice from different views), etc. Obviously, this is the romantic and non-realistic approach, at its top when Donnie's bravely decides to enter the reverse time warp.
The second option grows on the premonitory dream of Donnie. This may seem pretty unreal too, but think there is just one premonition within his dream: the jet engine crash. Everything from this very point may easily be taken just as the threaded subsequent -agonic- dream; everything takes sense in this environment, as mentioned above. After the 1,5 hours dream lapse, reality retakes the scene to show the sad results of the disaster (actual people in actual situation).
But, even this only premonition doesn't need to be a premonition at all: assuming Donnie, asleep, could hear for sure the loud noise of a turbojet getting too damn near and, then, dream of the crash right before it actually happens (don't you ever dream with cops and robbers while the TV plays a siren sound?). This last consideration makes this second hypothesis my favourite. Anyway, you can find lots of hints of this being the right look, for example the mother and little sister "surviving" the accidented flight... just because they never took that jet.
In both cases, Donnie is the most sane and clever subject around; no matter he's a victim of Beyond experiences or just a very cohesive last-minute dreamer.
An very interesting movie, not suitable for easy watchers.
A P.S. question for the heavy staff: if you support the dream idea, who is the actual Frank? A friend? And the preacher? A relative? (Who cares?)
The Pandora Directive (1996)
A landmark
Seven years after the release, a game which stands so well, despite of the 6 discs swapping needs, must be a really great one. I've played -and finished- TPD last week for the very first although not the last time (considering the game features seven different endings). Recent adventure hits like Syberia or Runaway never reached TPD overall quality level for me, and the explanation is pretty simple.
First, we find well crafted movie sequences which are not fillers at all, but necessary links within the story. Virtually interacting with Kevin McCarthy or Tanya Roberts is a divine pleasure for cinema freaks (and what about that gorgeous mutant beauty played by Suzanne Barnes?).
Second, the 3-D engine works pretty well; you can walk, run, tilt, slide freely in any angle, like in modern first-person shooters; objects are pixel-level detailed and characters look alive even when they are in the background. Back in 1996, this may have seemed a true miracle.
Third, the plot is superb, suspenseful and addictive, not just the average last-minute excuse; talking about Roswell, NSA and Mayan heritage, mentioning Eco's Foucault's Pendulum or Majestic-12... one even wonders if this game is actually revealing something which finally drove it into commercial deletion - not to talk about Big Brother Microsoft having the rights of the Tex Murphy whole series.
Fourth and last, the playability is great; the things to do are pretty logical, you don't ever need to figure out absurd combinations of actions and objects since you never get stuck in too absurd situations, which otherwise is the handicap in most adventure games.
This game well deserves a re-release, a good chance to implement MPEG-4 video, environmental sound, cast, shooting and bibliographical extras and full language support in one or two discs (DVD). 9,5 out of 10.
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Efficiency
I sat at the big screen to watch TBI with the only initial condition of hating that wormy Mr. Ripley role by Damon which, otherwise, gave me the feeling of this guy making serious improvements in his acting. No doubt, I verified this fact in TBI.
Belmondo meets Bond meets Nikita. Wonderful settings (Paris and other locations in Western Europe) host very surprising, realistic and tense action scenes (forget the Seagal-Van Damme standards) on a simple but suspenseful plot (sparsely inspired by the book), with a coolest, superb-shaped and overtrained "agent Damon" repelling equally impressive adversaries on his desperate run for the thruth. Franka Potente easily spoils the female directives of the genre with a beautiful raw, casual and nomad-instincful mood which catches you from her very first appearance, while oscarized Chris Cooper seems not to be -imho- the best choice for a boss in the top secret underworld.
Car chases, expert tricks and fair fight scenes on the European background a-la-Besson are freshly amazing. This movie in a word: efficiency.
8.5/10
Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Not dated at all - VAGUE SPOILERS
If we have to be objective, the movie is not dated at all. Otherwise, the looking has to be necessarily "pure 70s" (clothing, technology, music...), but they are just secondary things against a suspenseful and clever plot and great acting. Disagreeing with some detractors, I like the ending: in a hand, the dark and no-mistakes assasin turns to be a sensitive simple guy and a gentleman in some sense. Anyway Von Sydow inside a spy plot is like sugar in coffee. In the other hand, the doubt about Turner's fate is diffuse, but it's also diffuse what the CIA will do the next, and even if Turner really talked to the newspapers: this is just a way of stretching the suspense beyond the movie ending, without neither innocent happy endings nor over-worn drastical actions. I love the casting as well, the only one I can't fully catch is Robertson, who I can't fit anywhere, to be true. Redford is perfect; for any reading lover it's easy to feel identified with his role, just a self-taught rookie against the whole system with the only input of his books. Dunaway gray and secretive personallity is really seducting, and even Turner short-lived pals are really nice. I just want to mention other similar titles for anyone interested in this witness-chase and/or conspiration movies: -The Bourne Identity (both versions for very different approachings) -Conspiracy Theory (Mel Gibson) -Witness (Harrison Ford, with Peter Weir direction as an added bonus)
Different plot but also similar groove (say North By Northwest): -All The President's Men (obvious) -The Prize (Paul Newman) -Silver Streak (Pryor and Wilder)
Wish I could get the book soon.
Don't Look Now (1973)
Just Venice
Instead of collecting clever adjectives to show how much I liked/disliked this movie, I'd say something -I hope- more objective. There are two kind of Venice visitors: the lovers and the haters. The lovers usually can't explain where or what is exactly Venice fatal attractive (love is not explainable, is it?), which acts as a deathly disease and never lets you once you've seen it. While the haters see more a collection of damp ruined buildings, sinking in putrid waters. The same thinking line would likely talk about Rome and Athenas in terms of just debris. These are both the same sides of the coin for this movie watchers. Don't Look Now *IS* Venice: SHE is the main starring. The damp, the echoes, the silence (not actually paradoxical), the mist, the light... mostly everything special one could appreciate in this film atmosphere is Venice quintessence. Forget the Great Canal, gondolas and San Marcos preconceived ideas, they are just shiny golden baits for avid tourist masses. But it's the darker, the dying side of Venice which really impresses a soul, and so it does this movie. If Venice sights are not enough to attract your attention for a couple of hours, maybe Sutherland and Christie will do. Daphne du Maurier's story is the root masterpiece and Pino Donaggio's standard work perfectly pushes this time the dagger of anxiety deeper into your heart. If you think you are inside the lovers group, don't miss the movie. Try also the stories by du Maurier, Donna Leon and Michael Dibdin: their books are damped with the same venetian sticky matter; I bet their minds too.
Don't Look Now (1973)
Just Venice
Instead of collecting clever adjectives to show how much I liked/disliked this movie, I'd say something -I hope- more objective. There are two kind of Venice visitors: the lovers and the haters. The lovers usually can't explain where or what is exactly Venice fatal attractive (love is not explainable, is it?), which acts as a deathly disease and never lets you once you've seen it. While the haters see more a collection of damp ruined buildings, sinking in putrid waters. The same thinking line would likely talk about Rome and Athenas in terms of just debris. These are both the same sides of the coin for this movie watchers. Don't Look Now *IS* Venice: SHE is the main starring. The damp, the echoes, the silence (not actually paradoxical), the mist, the light... mostly everything special one could appreciate in this film atmosphere is Venice quintessence. Forget the Great Canal, gondolas and San Marcos preconceived ideas, they are just shiny golden baits for avid tourist masses. But it's the darker, the dying side of Venice which really impresses a soul, and so it does this movie. If Venice sights are not enough to attract your attention for a couple of hours, maybe Sutherland and Christie will do. Daphne du Maurier's story is the root masterpiece and Pino Donaggio's standard work perfectly pushes this time the dagger of anxiety deeper into your heart. If you think you are inside the lovers group, don't miss the movie. Try also the stories by du Maurier, Donna Leon and Michael Dibdin: their books are damped with the same venetian sticky matter; I bet their minds too.
Talmage Farlow (1981)
A lesson in Life and Music
This is more a window briefly opened to a man's soul than just a jazz portrait. Being a superb showcase for lost masters like Farlow, Flanagan or Breau in exquisite intimate line-ups, the philosophical weight may prevail even over the music itself. Tal was both the humblest guy versus the greatest performer, so he chose fishing and painting signs on boats anonymously near his wife for years, while the whole world was struggling for him to haunt the stage again. Despite of his unique tremendous input in jazz, he shows unsatisfied with his own achievements in life. An overwhelming lesson by a true genius.
Angel Heart (1987)
Nothing you've seen before
Really "like nothing you've seen before", but not much more to agree with usual opinions about this movie. It's been compared to gore, porn and such sharply defined content genres. Everybody who watches a thriller may tell which scenes are suitable for critical evaluation, but it's just a technical mistake calling "porn" a movie where the nudity is restricted, no explicit body parts are shown (no more than usual in any recent cash-maker Hollywood production) and the only -intentionally unpleasant- sex act takes less than two minutes of the whole playing time- neither a nice boyfriend turns Carrie into a romance movie... Faithfully based upon the book by Hjörtsberg, who tells a mystery crime story gathering supernatural, religion, voodoo, thugs, dog races, and other common references in crime genre, the movie must be and is also impressive, fast, shocking and hard-boiled. In fact, the novel features harder numbers which the film simply skips -I'm not spoiling-, such like a satanist mass and a monsters parade. But it's true that blood is widely used, from plot-required reasons to just nightmare fillers. I really can't find the flaw in the main actors work. Rourke is certainly playing Rourke, but this matches exactly this dirty detective rol. Fallon, the terrorist from A Prayer For The Dying and Stanley White, the police captain from The Year of the Dragon are other examples of tough characters where I really find him to fit perfectly. Screen monster De Niro is usually out of question, maybe with the rare argueable exceptions of Frankensteins and blood-thirsty ex-prisoners. His "special" role here demonstrates his versatility once more. Only Lisa Bonet may be considered short of resources, but not a problem this time, since this matches her character well: opaque, secretive, mysterious and... beautiful. The twisting suspenseful plot is the key to this film, very well supported by the New Orleans-Louisiana superb background. Just add a terrific soundtrack by Trevor Jones (similar to other collaborations with Parker), featuring the tenor sax player Courtney Pine, which puts extra adrenaline and fear in dangerous doses, and a few good old tunes, and you'll get a clearly underrated movie which is even better on the big screen.