Jon Peters Reviews: “Up the Yangtze”
China is in a pivotal transition for the country and its people. Once the Three Gorges Dam is complete, they will have the world’s largest hydroelectric power station, a clear sign of a new modernistic China. But this new advancement for China has caused displacement for near four million people since the dam is causing the great Yangtze River to flood, destroying historical sites and homes. Director Yung Chang has taken a broad approach to examining this subject and as he claims, films about the Yangtze River could be their own genre, but his self-assured eye has captured incredible human drama within China.
Yung Chang uses constant juxtaposition in the film, going from the poor along the river to the rich tourists, from farmers to city folks, establishing a unique look at the perversity of it all. Cindy Shui Yu comes from the poor side of Chinese life. She wants to go to high school but her parents can’t afford to send her, so she is basically thrown into working on this cruise that travels up the Yangtze River. We see her in the cruise’s kitchen learning her new job and hating it, while back at home her parents are worrying about the inevitable flooding that will force them to leave. Yung Chang said the Yu family is extreme examples of the poor in China, but this shifting or juxtaposition shows a monumental culture shock amongst them and the tourists. Cindy’s father is clueless to exactly what the dam is or will do for his country and the tourists are so naive and ignorant about the people of China. The cruise ship gives its workers American sounding names, teaches them what to say and not to say, they allow silly songs to be played, all the while we get the idea that maybe China is an undiscovered world. Even their own people don’t know much about its growth into consumerism and open-trade, but this is just one of many fascinating aspects you can take from the film.
The cinematography is a key element to the film as it gives us an almost travelogue photography of the great river. Shi Qing Wang used a 720p high-def DV camera and captured some breath-taking footage. Yung Chang crafts the scenes in a way directors would do for a narrative feature. It’s a keen eye for composition that helps give the film the epic feel and the atmosphere the film oozes creates a haunting lasting memory.
While Werner Herzog’s influence is all over the film, Yung Chang has clearly made the film his own. The film has many metaphors, a powerful Confucius quote the haunts over the film until its moody closing shot of the Three Gorges Dam opening up. Another gripping scene is a brilliant time-lapsed scene of the river’s flood levels rising and eventually putting Yu’s home under water. Without narration, we get the impact and devastation as much as people like the Yu family are clearly experiencing.
While the film might appear to be a sadden affair, Chang describes the film as ‘Love Boat meets Apocalypse Now’. There’s plenty of humor from the various subjects he captures but we are always reminded of the situation and perhaps the ‘elephant in the room’: the Chinese government. While the film never addresses them, we do see scenes of government officials controlling the protestors and ones who don’t want to leave through some brutal means.
‘Up the Yangtze’ never editorializes. We are left with our own thoughts about the dam and its soon-to-be lasting effects. The brilliant thing about the film is that everyone will have something they latch onto; silly Jerry Bo Yu Chen, the culture shock, Cindy Shui Yu’s plight, the praying old lady, the film’s magnificent cinematography, but we will all be affected by the tragedy. ‘Up the Yangtze’ is a powerful, beautiful, haunting documentary and one of 2008’s best.
Jon Peters Reviews: “Son of Rambow (DVD)”
August 29, 2008 by
Filed under Reviews
The Film:
Sometimes I wish I could go back to being impressionable, like when I was a kid and seeing ‘Star Wars’ or ‘King Kong’ for the first time. I remember coming home after seeing ‘Robocop II’ and walking, talking, and acting like Robocop. We sometimes forget how impressionable kids are and how movies can inspire. I surely would be a different person if I hadn’t been exposed to film. Luckily, Garth Jennings hadn’t forgotten and wrote a love ode to that time frame in our lives with ‘Son of Rambow’.
Remember ‘Be Kind Rewind’? This is the movie that it wanted to be. Jennings must have been itching to do a smaller film after the headache that was for him ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. It’s readily apparent as he fuses his wild imagination with a strong story, adding moments of low tech thrills when Will’s imagination runs wild to heartfelt friendship. While I can’t say that ‘First Blood’ was a movie that changed me, but Jennings was clearly influenced and showcases why movies can inspire. It could’ve been any film, but in the end it doesn’t matter because despite its title and the story arc of filming a sequel to ‘First Blood’, Jennings adds more to the film than you’d think.
The character of Will is a member of a religious sect called Plymouth Brethren, a rather strict faith. He’s unable to partake in watching videos in class, having friends outside of the religion, and cannot really be a kid. It’s the type of dedicated religion that a kid is almost unable to understand why and rebels against it for that reason. So when he first sees ‘First Blood’, it just one of those things that sets him free. It’s a feeling hard to describe but you know the feeling, we all have had it a few times in our lives when we were young. The movie allowed him to come to terms with his death of his father and rebel against the Brethren.
For Lee Carter, ‘First Blood’ acts as a friend to him, one that doesn’t quickly disregard him like his mother or brother has. He rebels in school because he is lonely and wants attention. With no guidance, what else could you expect?
Mixing those deep subtexts with laughs is one of the highlights of the film. The other highlight is the chemistry between the young actors. It’s natural and not forced something that’s rare in films but when you see it, it just adds so much to the film. You quickly embrace them and due to their newness in the acting business, they channel themselves with unexpected laughs and tears.
The film does become predictable in the third act, with your standard ‘everything’s fine’ ending. I think Jennings forced the resolution to Lee and his brother and his distance to him. But these never trip up the film. Just because you could predict some of the film, Jennings has created a truly fun, heartwarming film about movies and friendship, one that never forces a smile or a tear. They come natural.
The DVD:
Audio/video: The transfer is amazing for SDVD standards now days, so expect above average detail, with a crisp color reproduction. The audio is pretty front heavy; even the rear activity is limited. While it’s not that type of film, the bass is not as sharp and there’s noting happening in the overall range of the mix.
Commentary: The director is joined with the producer and the two young stars and this track is just for fun. Little filmmaking info is giving, as they are keener on messing around and having a good time, than talk technical. Perhaps having a second track with just Jennings would’ve been better for those eager to know more about the little production.
‘Son of Rambow’ making-of: nearly a half an hour long, this track offers no new info that the commentary, so use this if you’re not a commentary person, otherwise, it’s decent enough but hardly film school material.
‘Aron’: Jennings short he made as a precursor to ‘Son of Rambow’. Decent; I like when they include shorts on the disc, good or bad.
Trailer and a contest winner short round out these slim extras.
I was hoping for more extras, but the film makes up for it. Just remember if you are buying it, that the disc is a Best buy exclusive. I can recommend the film warmly enough, despite lame extras.
Jon Peters Reviews: “Redbelt (Blu-Ray)”
August 28, 2008 by
Filed under Reviews
The Film:
I’ll tell you up front right now, that if you were going to go see ‘Redbelt’ for some awesome fighting scenes, you will be disappointed. Those going because of the writer/director David Mamet might be pleased, since some of his filmmaking trademarks are here, but those people who go because the idea of a thinking man’s martial arts film intrigues them will be rewarded fully.
The martial arts genre seems to come with a recipe for success like all genres do. Most of their stories revolve around schools and a rivalry. Some involve one school taking out the other school’s master and it comes down to that school’s master pupil seeking revenge and getting it and some recent ones might just be a ‘Rocky’-like story, from a nothing to someone. There’s some variation, I know, but those are some of the more used conventions in the genre. But the thing these films had was clever and outrageous action scenes because they had to deliver the thrills. Most of them were imports from China, like the Shaw Brothers or American produced yarns, either way expect some chop sockey.
In some ways that’s why we watch them. Growing up I saw Jean-Claude Van Damme films numerous times and as I got older I worshiped ‘Enter the Dragon’, 36th Chamber of Shoalin’, and ‘Five Fingers of Death’, heck, some of these reasons were why I saw ‘Kill Bill’ opening night. But of all those reasons, ‘Redbelt’ isn’t one of them and that’s one of the reasons I really liked this film.
David Mamet is known within the film world for writing about characters that get screwed over, maybe even multiple times, characters trapped in an immoral world, and witty, vulgar, snapping dialogue. So for some, initially, a Mamet-directed mixed martial arts film seemed weird or odd. Secretly, Mamet is fascinated by this world as he has studied jiu-jitsu and currently holds a purple belt. All of these things are in here and to some varying effect that will please the basic Mamet fan. The plot involves Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his jiu-jitsu school and his training to his small group of students. Through some interlocking events, Mike’s life spirals towards corruption and into debt. His only way out it seems is to take part in what he is against-sports combat.
Of course, there’s plenty of layers of corruption and some curveballs, courtesy of Mamet. What on paper sounded like a martial arts ‘Rocky’ in fact isn’t and prevails for that reason alone. The film is as sure and steady as a samurai. Mike practices what he preaches. ‘There’s always a way out’ and ‘The hardest step is to leave the outside world out’ become the two basic themes of the film through every obstacle and encounter he faces with other characters. This is what I loved about the film. Mamet makes Mike like a wise old owl and while other writers would have had Mike buckle down in fighting for cash, and you certainly couldn’t blame him as his wife owes $30,000 to a loan shark, his academy is barely making ends meet, and like his wife’s brother says ‘You addicted to poverty’, but Mike never gives in. Even when you think the film is going to go in that ‘Rocky’-like satisfying climax, the film doesn’t betray Mike’s beliefs.
Mike is a pure man. He believes in good deeds no matter the circumstances, but as his wife states, ‘Purity doesn’t put food on the table’. It’s no spoiler that he goes into a Mixed Martial Arts tournament (think UFC) for the cash prize, but even here his ideals and purity stand up. Mike fights a different fight, one that is harder than fighting a champion. He’s fighting being caught up in corruption at any level and staining his soul. The film delivers the climax in a realistic jiu-jitsu showdown (note how Mike never uses offensive blows, it’s always defensive) and the final moments show the glory unexpected to even Mike for his battle against corruption.
The film is one you must pay attention to and one that is for people who like and want to see a martial arts film about philosophy and ideology over kung fu action. Your time invested is rewarded, I think due to Ejiofor’s great performances and Mamet’s use of a narrative rooted in philosophy and ideals over thrills.
The Blu Ray:
Audio/video: Colors are bright, blacks are deep and dark, and there are no flaws with the transfer. The stunning 2.40:1 aspect ratio looks better here on BD than in the theaters. The audio is dialogue heavy, but look for a nice rich mix. Bass comes from the few fights and the score, while the rear are mostly quite until the climax at thee Championship Match bout. Good surround sound mix.
Audio Commentary: Mamet is joined with Randy Couture, with each participant giving good info on filming and fighting. It’s a decent track for both MMA and filmmaking fans alike.
Behind the Scenes of Red Belt: This is a fluff piece about how everyone loved working with each other and whatnot. Skip it; you aren’t missing much.
Inside Mixed Martial Arts: About twenty minutes are the history and philosophy of the sport, with Mamet showing off some moves!
QandA with David Mamet: For those who dislike commentaries, this is the disc’s best extras with Mamet giving info about his ideas and wants for the film and other technical advice. Good stuff, but the only extra not in HD.
Interview with Dana White: This features the current President of UFC, with him talking about the history, is involvement and the sport in general. Good, fluffy stuff for UFC or MMA fans.
Trailer, Fighter Profiles, and a glimmer of magic with Cyril Takayama round out the extras and are pretty much filler.
This is a superb MMA drama, with a great performance by Ejiofor. The Blu Ray is top-notch to making this an easy recommendation for those interested.
Jon Peters Reviews: “Chicago 10 (DVD)”
August 28, 2008 by
Filed under Reviews
The Film:
In recent years it has become almost un-American to speak in opposition of anything our leaders do. Talking and conversing in rational terms about the whats and whys that our leaders, who we vote in, do and say is the very foundation of how well democracy works. If that right is taking away, the very notion of the first amendment is nullified. By having the freedom of free speech is what America is all about. If it’s gone, then America would have turned into a totalitarian society with dictators. But America isn’t that and to the people in recent years, who have damned other Americans for expressing questions towards the Bush Administration, I say go live in 1968 and see how well you like those times.
Brett Morgan has created a visually interesting and alarming film about how free speech went under attack needlessly and how a trial become a one-sided attack on that freedom. Finding rare audio tapes from the crazy, hilarious, and often media event the trail was Morgan uses those snippets to recreate a fist pumping call to action. Using animation to fill in the blanks then cutting right to even more rare news footage of police beating protestors, thousands marching in the streets, fires, riots, old women being arrested, all remixed with modern protest music, like Rage Against the Machine and Eminem, the ‘Chicago 10′ is a must watch.
The film never feels like a tedious history lesson, instead it stirs you up, much like a concert does when you’re smack dab in the middle of a mosh pit. He gives you all of the nuggets of information you’ll need to establish the scenario. It was 1968, we were in the midst of Vietnam, the draft was in effect and LBJ was calling for more to be drafted weekly. A group of idealists known as the Yippies decided it was time to have the leaders and future leaders of America known about their displeased attitude towards all of the conflict, to say it mildly. They formed outside, in Chicago, where the Democratic National Convention was to be held. As soon as they started forming there, more and more people joined suit, all in opposition of the war and draft. Soon police were circling the streets, not allowing them to march or gather. Then it was decided to put Chicago under martial law, all in defense of peaceful protestors.
Through stunning real life footage we witness how the police instigated violence and when push came to shove, the founders of the Yippies were put to trial. Ideals and suggestions lead to a crazy time and Morgan, like I said earlier, perfectly captures that time and what the whole fuss was about for the younger viewers of today. I was 12 years away from being born and by acknowledging his audience might not know anything about this, he controversially uses songs such as ‘Kicking Out the Jams’ by Rage Against the Machine and ‘Sabotage’ by the Beastie Boys to help underline what he wanted to have us understand. You can look at the film as an allegory to what’s happening now and it’s apparent in a line of lyric from the Eminem song used, referencing Bush.
The film is never dull. Something always captures our attention and it’s clear a modern anti-authority star is born as we see Abbie Hoffman living it up during interviews and the trial. It was all comedy that trial, putting an option that our Founding Fathers wanted us to have, in need of a defense. If we do not question or even care what is going on, then our politicians will not know what we as the people want or need. While it looks a lot like another Vietnam War, this current war on terror, Morgan at least wanted to present an option for us to show that we can question and comment on, that it is not anti-American for us to do so. It wasn’t in 1968 and it is not in 2008. The craziest thing about it all was it wasn’t meant for violence, they were just scared of what thousands of protestors would do-like demand a change.
The DVD:
Audio/Video: The audio is decent, with some range and bass during the songs and crowd scenes, but the video is sketchy simply because the video ranges from archival footage to newsreel interviews that are naturally not taken cared for. The times when the animation comes on, the quality improves and looks really good and sharp. Don’t let this sway you, it’s a documentary comprised of various sources.
Sadly, there’s no commentary or other insightful extras, just a quick short film, remixing ‘Chicago 10′. I say they dropped the ball here. At least include a commentary track.
Despite the lack of extras, the film is essential viewing especially now, with some elections coming up.
Jon Peters Reviews: “The Wizard of Gore”
August 27, 2008 by
Filed under Reviews
The ‘Wizard of Gore’ is just an odd, off-beat, horror film. It mixes a sense of film noir with gore, a blend that makes the film watchable, if only to see what will come next. I can’t say it’s an under-rated gem that the studios didn’t know what to do with, but I feel like it plays better on DVD than it would have in the theaters.
The story has an underground reporter (Kip Pardue) leading an investigation on a wildly popular secret magic show in which participants is seemingly murdered on stage. This is, of course, a remake of Herschel Gordon Lewis semi-classic 1970 film (remember what Juno was watching with Jason Bateman?). The film is told in narration (one film noir aspect) and shown in flashback. Lewis’ film never had the plot to carry its neat idea and here I say they used too much plot. The basic premise is his investigation in what is Montag the Magician’s secret. Is he really killing these girls? Is it staged? How does he know what people are thinking?
Whenever the film explores this, it succeeds. Casting the weird Crispin Glover is nearly ideal. He steals each scene he is involved with; he could be hamming it up, but there’s just something explosive in his deliver of lines and the way he forces your attention on him. It’s a small role as he probably only has 20 minutes worth of screen time and I think his character was explained to ambiguously. I have always enjoyed Glover from his great work in the wildly unseen ‘Willard’ to of course, stuff like ‘Wild at Heart’, ‘Back to the Future’, and ‘Friday the 13th: Part IV’ and here I can add another standout performance. He’s a great oddball villain, perhaps the best reason to at least give the film a rent.
The story mostly focuses on Edmund, the reporter and his relationship with Dr. Chong (Brad Dourif). Dr. Chong is an acupuncturist whom treats Edmund, despite warnings on Montag. After seeing Montag a few times, Edmund is unable to distinguish reality from what he thinks is reality. The film plays this with some visual gusto, displacing the girls Montag uses from his stage show to a possible ‘Are they really dead?’ scenario. The film gets overly complicated with this and unable to actually state what’s going on. It doesn’t help that the film is shot in very low light and in soft focus. While it starts to have the feeling that it’s a dream, it never gels together. Visually exploring madness is a hard concept to do and I give credit to director Jeremy Kasten for trying-hard. These scenes do slow the pacing down, but he knows when to give the film some energy, because Montag pops up just in time. The death scenes are wildly fun and gory and having the Suicide Girls as Montag’s muses is added eye candy.
For its low key demeanor, the film didn’t get a wide release theatrically but that’s really okay. The film probably plays better at home. For the reasons of over-plotting, it never really gelled together, but I still enjoyed the film a lot. It had some neat ideas, gore, and Crispin Glover and that is a-okay with me.
New Release Tuesday
August 27, 2008 by
Filed under Features
Welcome to another New Release Tuesday for August 26th!! If last week wasn’t expensive enough for you, check out these titles!
Redbelt
I really dug this film. While it didn’t feature many fights for a martial arts film, it made up for in philosophy and how the world challenged the lead character’s ideals. I loved it. Check out my Blu Ray review soon!
Extras:
-audio commentary
-interviews
-making of
Nightmare Before Christmas
**DVD PICK of the WEEK** The long out-of-print DVD now makes a big return. New transfer, new sound mix, new extras, with some of the older extras ported over, and some retailers are offer some cool exclusives. Best thing about this release? It’s on Blu Ray!!!
Extras:
-“Vincent†and “Frankenweenie†shorts
-new audio commentary
-new audio essay with Christopher Lee reading Burtons original poem
-making of
-Blu Ray exclusive features
Son of Rambow
Sounds like a bad sequel doesn’t it? Instead it is a heartfelt love letter to super 8 cameras, friendship, and Rambo but be advised this is only a Best Buy exclusive. Also, it’s a must-see.
Extras:
-audio commentary
-making of
What Happens in Vegas
It looked cheesy but sweet enough but funny thing is when this was released to counter-program “Iron Manâ€, it end up being one of 20th Century Fox’s biggest hit. Either sad or shocking or both? Also on Blu Ray.
Extras:
-digital copy
-deleted scenes
-gag reel
-two featurettes
Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) Criterion Collection
This became one of those DVDs that soon after it went out-of-print, eBayers sought to sell it for hundreds of dollars! Sucks to be those dudes who bought it for prices of $300 or more, because Criterion has released a new two-disc special edition for a controversial film about the defeat of consumerism featuring rape, violence, and feces eating. Dig in!
Extras:
-80 page essay
-three documentaries
-interviews
Postal
I wonder what future generations of film fans will think of Uwe Boll. He makes crap. He makes crap with stars. But somehow he makes more films and “Postal†is his latest. I heard some wild things about this but it’s Uwe Boll, so…um…yeah.
Heroes Season 2
Personally, I am not a fan of this show as I just can’t get into it. Sorry. But for those who are, I direct you to Best Buy which features a cool collectible samurai mask from the time when that guy went back into time or something. You know what I mean.
Extras:
-audio commentaries
-deleted scenes
-tons of featurettes
-BD exclusive features
Lynch (one)
This bizarre documentary focuses loosely on how Lynch works. At times interesting, other times slow and boring, but always intriguing to say the least. Lynch is the man.
Chicago 10
This is a fascinating documentary, perhaps even more relevant today than in 1968, but kids today should see this. Spielberg is said to be making a feature film on the ‘10’ and even tried to stop this doc in getting released-evil bastard. See this!
That is it, whew! I’m broke. Well, see you all next week as we begin September and keep it here for reviews on these titles and more!
Killer Film’s Smoking Hot Movie Babe of the Week
August 27, 2008 by
Filed under Features
Since movie babes are such a huge part of the Hollywood hype machine we here at Killer Film have decided to post a bunch of hot pics of a different movie babe each and every week. That’s right folks, not one, not two, but a bunch (that’s redneck for more than two) of pics. I know your thinking that it would be just as easy to Google hot pics of your favorite Hollywood hottie, but you shouldn’t have to waste time that might keep you from wasting time here at Killer Film. With that said, the Killer Film smoking hot movie babe of the week is…….Asia Argento
I’ve found religion.
Awwww, look at the angel.
Damn.
Angel again!
Peace out.
Donny Broussard Reviews: “Nympha”
August 26, 2008 by
Filed under Reviews
Right out of the starting gate director Ivan Zuccon’s “Nympha” hits all the right notes. The atmosphere set in the opening scenes is truly creepy, and for a little while I was thinking that I might be watching future cult film. And who knows, maybe “Nympha” will someday achieve cult status, especially because of the beautiful Tiffany Shepis, but after the second act the flick my attention span was weaning.
The movie starts out by introducing Sarah (Tiffany Shepis), a beautiful young woman that has decided to throw her life away by joining a convent. But as soon as she walks through the door of the convent the sisters show her to her room, the homely yet oddly sexy nuns help her get undressed. BAM! We are immediately treated to full frontal nudity from the nubile Tiffany Shepis, and believe me that scene alone makes the flick worth the rental price. After settling in at the convent Sarah starts to see visions from the past. These visions show a creepy old man reading the good book while his daughter struggles to have a baby, and various other scenes that I could have done without. Soon we find out that the daughter of the creepy old man had a child and that child grew up to be a hottie that occasionally enjoys a little girl on girl action. You see the hottie from the past visits Sarah in her dreams, they both get into their birthday suits, and then engage in a hot lesbian scene (I admit it, I rewound and watched that scene at least twice). Between all the dreams and visions Sarah is tortured by the nuns who pour acid into the corners of her eyes and thrust her hands into boiling water (I guess God digs that kinda thing). By the end of the flick I was confused, but I’m pretty sure that the nuns were using Sarah to conjure up the spirit of “Nympha.” At least that’s what I got from the extremely thin plot.
Director Ivan Zuccon has definitely got the atmosphere aspect down, but in order to move on to the next level he should seek out a better script. He also knows how to get a performance out of an actor because all of the performances in “Nympha” were pretty solid, and he positively knows how to pick a leading lady. So all in all the flick wasn’t terrible and Tiffany makes it easy to sit through even if the plot is thin. “Nympha” was almost a killer film, but Tiffany Shepis was definitely a killer babe.