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Reviews
Yi He Yuan (2006)
sexploitation (circa 1975), tedious, a few seconds of poetry
I received a promotional pass to see this film and went without knowing any of surrounding hype, "controversy" or baggage it supposedly brings with it. I have generally like most Chinese films, especially those by Zhang Yamou, so I thought I'd give it a viewing.
*Warning* Many Spoilers Follow *
OK, this must be made clear at the outset. If you like dim lit naked bodies and lots of sex with a Chinese twist, this movie may be worth your price of admission. But if you would like to get a bit more out of a film, be prepared to endure painfully long minutes (hours) of wordless, earnest look scenes for a few brief gems of poetic insight and genuinely interesting philosophical questions.
It starts off in an interesting way with a young girl living in a small town who has just learned she has is accepted to the prestigious Beijing University. Bright lights, big city, here she comes! Cool, high-fives all around from the neighbors and a funny scene where she watches her "boyfriend" get drunk to cover his sadness at her leaving. Long, no, make that very very long interludes with absolutely no dialog follow, but on the up side the actors do convey quite a bit of emotion with their facial expressions. The girl and her friend end up in some out of the way place and suddenly she decides they should "do it" before she takes off for the big city ...cut to long scene of furious (and apparently inexperienced) humping in the dirt ....just the first of many such scenes.
Fade to Beijing where the girl is now a freshman student and her friends tease her because she doesn't have a boyfriend. That soon ends when her girlfriend's fiancée just back from Germany brings a friend along. Speed through a couple of scenes of cute dancing, long walks, and earnest serious stares with absolutely no dialog .... then cut to some more furious humping. Many more incredibly long, one-take scenes follow, often with serious intended voice overs and some poetic prose, but very little action .... until, well you guessed it, more double-backed beast time. Are you starting to see the pattern here? This film drags on for nearly two and one-half hours, covers a time period of approximately 14 years from 1987 to 2001, and does so with perhaps the least amount of dialog between characters that I can remember. There are plenty of voice-over thoughts, dreams and fears expressed, just like we were reading a novel. But don't worry, if you doze off there will always be yet another steamy, rabbits-going-at-it sex scene to wake you up.
Five out of ten, and I'm being kind.
Anna and the Moods (2006)
Bjork
A very cool looking digital animation featuring the voice of Bjork for the main character. The film was made and debuts in Iceland, with Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) as the narrator. Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz also does voice work on the film. Music is composed by Julian Nott and performed by the Brodsky Quartet. Directed by Gunnar Karlsson, based upon an original story by Sjón. "Anna and the Moods" is produced by CAOZ of Reykjavik. The movie is scheduled for release in Reykjavík, Iceland on February 9, 2007. As far I know, this is Bjork's first voice work for an animated film (other than her own music videos of course).
Boxing Helena (1993)
Horrible
Truly one of the worst commercial films I've ever seen. I have nothing against Jennifer Lynch or her famous father, but this is an example of the kink of pure junk that can smell up the theater when a famous, talented parent gives a camera and blank check to his untalented child, and says go make a movie. Then that child says, OK, I'll not only make a movie, I'll make a movie that's darker, and more gross than daddy's worst nightmare. You can't even blame the screenplay on anyone else because she wrote that too. There are very few films that I really go out of my way to warn people against. After all, we all have different tastes and opinions. But, there is simply nothing good I can say about this piece of garbage, and I would not wish it on my worst enemy.
Bolívar: el héroe (2003)
pure canine excrement
awful, garbage, trash, excrement, a total waste of film and ink. Easily the worst so-called "animated film" I've ever seen. Avoid at all costs. If you were foolish enough to rent it, demand your money back, no, demand double your money back! I really don't have anything else to say about this garbage film, but will just add that it appears to have been made as cheaply as possible, without any thought or care, possibly funded by drug cartels, or at least corrupt politicians. This might be instructional as a lesson in how NOT to make an animated (or any other kind) of film. I feel sorry for anyone who paid more than 2 cents to rent or view this piece of junk. But hey, this is just my opinion. I'm sure someone out there loves this piece of dog do-do.
Red Betsy (2003)
Red Betsy on DVD ?
I haven't seen the film, and I don't personally know of anyone who has even heard of it. Was it only shown in Wisconsin theaters for a limited time? I certainly don't remember it ever running at any theater in the NW, but I may have just missed it. Has it ever been shown on cable or network TV? I really enjoyed Alison Elliott's performance in Spitfire Grill, and I would really like to see this film. Does anyone has any information regarding a DVD release date. I have written to Lang Films, but not received a reply yet. Any information (or even rumors) are much appreciated. I would like to write more substantial comments, but it's difficult since I haven't yet seen the film yet.
Thanks, Gregg Humphrey
Bu san (2003)
Like being trapped in solitary confinement with water torture
Unending static camera shots of nothing, empty halls, grimy back rooms. Extremely spare and absurdest dialog. Zero plot or point. About as much soul and warmth as a stone cold tile bathroom floor.
Lighting ranges from dim to dark and dank.
No character development, actually no characters, just zombie-like warm bodies occupying a few scenes.
A promising premise (the last day of an old Asian kung fu movie house) goes nowhere and elicits no emotion except extreme tedium.
Truly one of the worst theater experiences I have ever been subjected to.
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Incredible, the most emotionally powerful film I've ever experienced.
Strange, loved and hated (parts) of it at the same time, but I couldn't look away and when the credits rolled, it was simply the most powerful film experience I've ever had. Bjork is fragile, vulnerable, radiant and utterly sublime. Von Trier is some kind of deranged genius, and I know he'd be the first to tell us so. Do not be afraid, see this film.