The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Directed by David Fincher)

When you really think about it... there is no way that this film could have been good. Honestly, the film is a gimmick. I must admit even I fell for the hype and added to it by posting a trailer on my blog.

I saw this film last weekend with a couple friends so the film isn't as fresh as it could be but I still remember leaving the theater unsatisfied.

What gets to me the most is the fact that this film has parts of the film that are not related... There is a complete mini story that has no actual tie in to the film besides a weak attempt to use a clock as a metaphor. I have heard from a couple people, most notably my barber Troy, that this film was similar to Forrest Gump. I agree that this is a watered down version of Forrest Gump. Where Gump shined is where Button failed.

The beautiful thing about Gump was the fact that the director of that filmed tapped into our collective view of history and placed the character in the defining moments of the past 50 years. He utilized the fact that our memory of the past comes from the media that records it. Within this setting he was able to provide political commentary. Gump was a catylast of change. He was an Extrovert. Button was an introvert. This story is not so much about the changing of events in the world as it is about the changes that Button is experiencing. As Mick, one of the people i saw the film with, pointed out, this film would benefit if the Antiwar theme were more pronounced. I think the true meaning of the film is lost with the attempt to appeal to mainstream moviegoers...

If the aging backwards gimmick was taken away, this film would be considered the worst film of the year... It makes me curious to know what people see in Benjamin Button.

WALL-E (Directed by Andrew Stanton)

It is rare that I watch animated features that aren't from the 70's, about New york, or directed by Ralph Bakshi... Tonight I watched WALL-E and I can say it was a smart film that both children and cinema lovers can enjoy.

There is no spoken dialouge between characters for the first 25 minutes of this film. The scenes of an abandoned Earth being managed by a single robot and his pet cockroach carries the film very well. The absence of dialogue exemplifies the main character's loneliness and his search for companionship.

Fan's of Quentin Tarantino would have a Field day with the various allusion's presented in this film. Classic's such as E.T., The Matrix, The Wiz (yes the Wiz) and Space Odysesy 2001 are thrown into a blender and mixed together to form WALL-E. The outcome is a tasty treat for viewers of all ages. It neither goes over the heads of younger audiences nor mundane for veteran movie goers.

One of my favorite aspects of this film is the social commentary that it presents. Director Andrew Stanton paints an interesting Dystopia that i have never seen before in films. He presents citizens of the future as obese Hedonistic individuals living in a space station who depend on computers for their every need. They ignore their surroundings and live their lives in front of a screen. They do not exercise because they can not even walk. I believe the director see's this as the only solution to the progression of a hyper-consumer capitalistic society that tries to meet our every desire. In essence it is the fault of a single corporation named BNL (If my memory serves me right) that mankind is trapped in a Hedonistic Technological Singularity. Also, Mankinds issues of overpopulation and Pollution are explored in this films.

Whether you have kids or you just want to impress a date without trying to seem like you are trying to impress your date, give Wall-E a try.

Dolemite! (Directed by D'Urville Martin)

Just because a movie is bad doesn’t mean it is not entertaining. Rarely, a film is so bad that it is great. Dolemite is one of those rare exceptions.
It has been about an hour since I finished Dolemite and this tale of a storytelling pimp continues to make me laugh. I am amazed by how many rappers and entertainers have been influenced by this movie. As a matter of fact, ODB from the Wutang Clan (my favorite hip hop group) used scenes from this film in one of his music videos.
Here is the run down of the film:
The movie starts like other exploitation films as a black pimp is released from prison to help catch the pimp and crooked cops who initially framed him into the prison sentence. Then it gets interesting: Sex in cars, Shootouts in broad daylight on a two lane highway, Dolemite makes a white man dance to avoid bullets (only to be shot point blank), castration, crooked cops who openly snort cocaine, black revolutionary preacher with automatic weapons, sex, X-rated Nursery Rhymes, consensual rape, Prostitutes who practice Kung Fu, The player’s ball with pimps dressed in their finest gear, a grand finale fight scene featuring prostitutes with kung fu grips, somebody’s bladder gets ripped out, and of course more murder…

The acting in this movie is horrible! The direction of this movie is horrible! There are scenes where you can literally see the boom microphones in the frame. However, writer and star Rudy Ray Moore’s cursing rants and X-rated Nursery rhymes easily over shadow these negative aspects. With lines like, “You no business born insecure MUTHA FUCKAS!” and “Man! Move on and let me pass before I have to pull MY HUSHPUPPIES OUT YO ASS!” this film was obviously used as a vehicle to unleash some long pent up anger towards white people. Few movies top Dolemite in its use of Curse words and deliberate chauvinistic view of women.
If taken serious, this film is offensive to everybody. So expect and appreciate the worse in filmmaking when you look at this film “You movie going butter popcorn EATING MUTHA F***AS!”

The Passion of Joan of Arc (Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer)

I usually do not rent films before 1950 unless it is a Film Noir or directed by either Fritz Lang or Jules Dassin. I believe modern films have expanded upon the ideas that these films initially relied upon and the progression in filmmaking has left these films unexciting. Every now and then a film before the 1950’s can hold my attention. Unfourtanetly, Joan of Arc falls into the previous category.

Honestly, I want to enjoy this film. I want to be able to talk about how great it is. Instead, I am going to commit Blasphemy and critique a film that was made almost a century ago.

I understand there were major limitations for early filmmakers but I cant help that this film put me to sleep TWICE! I admit, the focusing on the emotions presented by the Human face is initially a great idea, but it is not a photographic element that neither keeps my attention nor carries a film of this length. The film is visually haunting and the burn scene is eerily realistic. But you wait through what seems an eternity for the films most famous and controversial scene… Kind of like Vincent Gallo’s Brown Bunny. Actually, Just like Vincent Gallo’s Brown Bunny.

Crossroads: Exit Exhibition

I am having my first Solo Exhibition Monday, December 8th in Tallahassee, FL. Please visit my website or contact me directly for more details.

Weekend (Jean-Luc Godard)

In the world of Professional boxing, a great boxer is not necessarily the undefeated boxer. A great boxer is one who's winning streak is interrupted by a particular opponent and all faith is lost in the boxer. Fans begin to equate his early success with luck and Critics forecast his demise in the rematch. In the rematch, The great fighter proves to the world why he is great and either brawls it out with the opponent for 12 rounds or humiliates the opponent. In essence, what makes a great boxer great is his character and will not to give up.

In comparison, Jean-Luc Godard is considered one of the great directors because of his contributions to the French New Wave. But like his Boxing counterparts, he was not without failure. His 1967 feature length film "Weekend" was a failure. At times the film with showed promise, but after 12 rounds it failed to deliver.

I must admit, the absurd metaphor of consumer and capitalistic society killing off itself in an endless amount of car accidents is an interesting idea. These scenes were so absurd that they were funny. However, i believe Godard was too experimental in this film and forgot about the basics of story telling. Overall this film is not cohesive. The jump cuts in this film are very harsh and usually seem very random. Furthermore, I feel completeley detatched from the main characters of this film.

This film is similar to Felini's "City of Women." It is a wild Oddessey into a world that is visually similar to our own but drastically different in the characters morals, laws, and ideology. These films show the characters being thrown from one situation to the next. Once they escape one camp of weirdos they run into another. However, Felini's "City of Women" had a clear goal from the start. The character was being put through various test because of his lust and views of females. In a sense, the film was Felini's self evaluation of his own chauvinistic views. In comparison, Godard's political statements are presented to boldly and forcefully in the feature.

This is not meant to be as harsh as it sounds, but one of the best parts of this film is the ending. The ending finalizes Godards statement that modern society will "consume" itself. Almost 10 years later, "Dawn of the Dead" would take this concept and produce a much better film.

For fans of Godard's "Breathless", this film can not be compared to the brillance displayed in the earlier film.

Golden Chicken (Director Samson Chiu)

I guess the stereotype is true… I cannot resist Golden Chicken.

This story of an aging prostitute sharing her memories of her 20 years in the profession to a would be robber in a locked ATM booth caught my attention when I initially picked up the box cover at Video 21. I knew I would love the film.
Initially, I thought the similarities to Nights of Cabiria made me love the film. However, I believe the performance of actress Sandra Ng was one that stands on its own. I felt that her performance as a fun loving and compassionate person, who happens to be a prostitute ,was stronger than Giulietta Masina’s performance as Cabiria. The actress’s expressions of joy were sincere throughout the film. By the end of the film, I felt that the main character was one of my best friends.
Another strong aspect of this film is the plot. I thought it was interesting to view 20 years of Chinese history through the eyes of a prostitute. Furthermore it was great to see how outside forces, such as the economy affected her trade. It was funny to see the transitioning of styles and wardrobes as well.

This film is one that I will watch for years to come… I hear that there is a sequel. I doubt that it can top this film, but this film left me itching to see more from the main character.