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dmitrykusanov
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Rush (2013)
must "Listen"
You not only watch this film, but listen to it. Ron Howard knows what's up with F1. I can see a sound editor's great effort on recording/editing the noise of machines back in these days.... flat 12 and DFV.
When the film is based on a real story, its all about how to wrap it up with back stories that were not told on TV. The complex feeling of being a racer, inferiority and superiority, outside of their machines was nailed down perfectly.
I also knew that actors were so carefully chosen. When I finish watching this film, I thought "who else but Hemsworth and Bruhl could act Hunt and Lauda?" While some films that based on a real story chooses to use the actor who is in totally different impression to the original person, this film makes you feel like you are watching real Hunt and Lauda racing each other again.
Spectacular story (of course), awesome CGI (especially the "heavy rain") and again, the noise of engines....
If you are F1 fan, watch it. If not, watch it.
Sunshine (2007)
Opposed in theme of "Gravity"
I thought "Gravity" was very fresh in theme because it showed how Earth is "our place" by portraying the universe as total evil.
Did I like it? No, because there was no dream there. For me, astronauts are people who can die for their dream. Watching "Gravity" makes you feel you never want to go up there. But astronauts still go up there... why? I always thought that was the core question of astronauts character.
Which leads to this film, Sunshine 2057.
Danny Boyle knows how to show sanity and insanity of the men. He did it so well in 28 days later by using zombies, and this time by using astronauts.
If they can die for their dream, they are not only brave, but insane.
The scene where Kaneda waiting for certain death by the burst of flare showed that perfectly. "What can you see?" Searle asks Kaneda same question again and again. I mean, Kaneda is going to die, but his crew wants to know what is Sun like with his own eyes instead of whether his captain is OK or not. That's not sane... but agreeable.
Some people take points off for later part of the film where a zombish psycho attacks the crew members, but I thought that part was necessary too. As he went too far on his dream, and he became unhuman.
And still, the ending tells you that dream is beautiful. Capa burned alive by his dream, but his smile tells it worth dying to see.
I think its the best space thriller film so far.
Eastern Promises (2007)
Beautiful Violence
If you are thinking about watching this film just because you like Aragorn, .... don't. There is no epicness nor exhilaration in this film. There is no music to pump you up, no John Woo style gun shooting, nor agreeable ending that satisfies you.
What's there, is Viggo fighting in naked a spa slowly and miserably. And some how, that is far more thrilling than him charging into brig of orcs.
That is what this film is about. Violence as it is.
However, you want to keep watching this film till the end because its simply beautiful. Starting with Viggo, all the characters, even the biggest villain in this film is portrayed somewhat noble. This is nothing to do with justifying their character but you will realize there is beauty in evil.
If you only know Cronenberg for "The Fly", this film will totally changes his impression.
Gamera 3: Jashin kakusei (1998)
This is it
Poisoned by watching Godzilla(2014), this was purely an antidote for me. Great plot, epic SFX, deep theme of what "heroic kaiju" is....
This film is OMEGA of Kaiju film. It reached the extreme. I don't think there will be any better Kaiju film for ever. And I'm not exaggerating about this. The technique of Tokusatsu (Japanese style SFX) is starting to lost because of CGI. It is common idea that Tokusatsu is old and dummy, and CGI is cool and dramatic.
If you are one of them thinking that way, you HAVE to watch this film.
The last battle between Gamera and Iris in Kyoto Station is the last but brightest light in history of Tokusatsu. It is so goresome, so terrifying, and so real. CGI would never "shocks" you as this last scene of the film.
Seriously, if you are going to waste your money on something like Godzilla(2014) or Transformers, typical "dunno what is going on CGI", go back to classic. You will never regret it.
Godzilla (2014)
Enough Hollywood
What is this? I mean WHAT IS THIS?
When I first watched the trailer, I thought this film is going to be typical "USA save the world" kind of thing, but it was "Godzilla save the world" instead.
True, some of the early productions of Godzilla portrayed him as a hero, but that is a totally different story. They were never dug deeper into a real theme of Godzilla, which is of course, nuclear problems. After all, those films were purely "kids entertainment" and was not intended to put terror in there.
When we come across the terror of what we have made, Godzilla, is never on our side. You can't forget that.
And now this film says it would be "solid serious" with "a little" change in a plot.
"All the nuclear experiments by USA and Soviet were to kill Godzilla".
.....Really? So now you think you can justify your nuclear problems under the name of "Godzilla?" I mean, it was westerners who decided to call him "Godzilla" instead of "Gojira". Why? I thought they knew better idea of what God is; what Judge is.
I can talk about how poor the CGI was and so the camera works etc.
But I'd rather get to the conclusion.
This is awful remake of "Gamera". Not Godzilla.
Father and Daughter (2000)
Classic but modern
This film isn't like Disney animation at all. The film intentionally excludes facial expressions of the characters, yet still emotional. With monochrome tone and roughly sketched picture, the film seems to be drawn with respect to very classic animation. However at some point, you can find "depth" to it, in other words, three dimensions. The mixtures of the classic and modern style of animation not only gives you a nostalgia, but satisfaction of watching the structure. It is too bad that the director isn't active since 2006. I really love the way he makes the animation... challenging against that of Disney, and its followers.
The Gift (2010)
Watch for CGI
It was very easy for me to be dragged into the world of sci-fi Russia. Mixtures of CGI and old fashioned Moscow was something worth watching for sure. However, there was "too much information" on the other hand, as a short film. As there is "high fantasy" and "low fantasy," we can say that the sub genre of this film is "low sci-fi". And since it is based on our real world, the question of asking "how?" was inevitable. For instance, I found my self getting interested in how Russia (or could it be Soviet still? Lots of questions) became a Robo-tech super nation rather than its main theme, "Gift" To conclude, I wanted to watch this in 90 minutes film.
Three Days in Kamakura (2012)
Adults Only
The grief of depressed wife Keiko, and her husband David who tolerates his problems was truly natural, giving my heart-ache while watching. Yet since the theme was so solid and clear, I have to say that I felt some aspect... Jay was bit idealistic for David and Keiko - somewhat lacking in emotion. I couldn't imagine "a child" stays at his teacher's house with any word about his parents and would let that family-game go acting as "their child". Although the focus of the film was the liberation for David and Keiko, and it was done with a perfect sense, what came in my mind at last was "but will Jay ever be saved?" which made me step back from the satisfaction of David and Keiko.
Whacked (1998)
Makes you realize the monster inside you
Living in a big city can be great stress. Streets full of cars honking every second, sidewalks where you challenge how many shoulders you can bump into, and all mixed up odors from gas, colons, and sweat.... And yet, everything that happens there is routine.
And again, you are in that routine at your office on a 10th floor; you look down at all the people from a window, thinking innocently that they are like working ants... You only need to put your foot down.
Don't you ever have an idea? In a monochrome picture, "Whacked" portrays the insanity of one man magnificently, making everyone who watched it thrilled. But the time you realized the true fear hidden in this film is when you find "you" in the man. You are one step into your insanity.
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
Escapist wins
To be honest, I don't understand how this film earns such a high rating everywhere on the movie review sites. The ending, weirdo who think himself as Dr.Emmet turns out to be a real one, is not only Deus Ex Machina-ish, but totally ruins the theme that has been persuasive. Characters in this film are either depressed or optimistic, which they face to a reality throughout the story and overcome their problems. How Darius changes, learning her love is more precious than peer pressure, was very well constructed. On the other hand, Kenneth, was his "problem" that he can really build a time machine? The answer is no. He was also an escapist, lying to his past. The motivation of him building a time machine was after all, a cover up for his weakness. Letting that ending happen means Kenneth being an only winner saying "reality sucks" to the others who decided to live in the real world. To conclude, subggenre killed the genre.
Terry Tate, Office Linebacker (2002)
Still the best short comedy after 10 years
I have a hard time finding a bad comedy that takes place in an office. Recently "Wolf of Wall Street" had gave me a cramp of the diaphragm, "The Office" has been earning my love since I was 10, and Terry Tate... is any word necessary but thumb up to Reebok? A linebacker thrown into the office "the idea". And Lester Speight figured it out with being totally in character of "Terrible Terry Tate(a.k.a The Pain Train a.k.a Triple T)". I remember watching the U.S president election commercial of the guy some time ago, which was the first "Terry Tate" series I ever watched and yet it was the last one as the series. I'm seriously hoping Terry Tate will come back on TV, which I, and younger generation not knowing Terry Tate would definitely interested in Reebok products.
P.S, I found out that Reebok came in after this short film