Reviewed

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

2005-11-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

Naturally, after reading the book, I had to watch the movie, directed by Milos Forman and starring Jack Nicholson. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture in 1975. I was surprised to see many other familiar faces among the cast. I thought the movie played fairly true to the novel, particularly in showing how much some people disregard the human condition. There are many ways to live a life and it is very difficult to judge another's.

Nicholson does a fine job of portraying McMurphy, the rebellious mental patient. I especially enjoyed the scene in which, having been denied the privilege of watching the World Series on television, McMurphy sits down in front of a lifeless TV and begins giving a mock-broadcast to the delight of the other patients on the ward.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest – Ken Kesey

2005-11-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

A story about a feisty, confrontational man, McMurphy, who is admitted to an mental institution after some violent disputes which occurred while he was serving time on work detail as a prisoner. Revelations of his questionable past suggest he is a little headstrong, but also, perhaps, simply the victim of human indiscretion. As a patient in a mental institution, it appears that McMurphy really doesn't belong in such a facility. His zeal for life is contagious and he tries to rally the patients to break out of their malaise, which ultimately brings him up against the authorities of the institution.

The book challenges notions about what determines a man's sanity and finally suggests that man must take control of his own life and not let other people control it. The story is told through one of the patients, Chief Broom, a Native American, who had fooled everyone in the institution into believing that he was dumb: that he could neither speak nor hear. These are his observations and, as he documents the story of McMurphy, Chief Broom began to reign in his personal fears and, eventually, took matters into his own hands for the book's surprise ending.

Soundings: (small circles the world makes – Guatam Verma

2005-11-11T17:17:00.000-08:00

Released by BlazeVox, this small collection, totaling nineteen pages of poetry, left much to be desired. From something that must be described as experimental, I expected more resonance. Bearing a picture of crop circles on the cover, which suggested an extraterrestrial hoodwink, the contents didn't quite match the allusion, largely based in the world of objects. Objects, not images, which should be the primary stuff of poetry. Based on the title, I thought there would be more of an emphasis on an aural experience and, as a means to convey an image, that would be enough to satisfy me, but the text was unfortunately lacking in that regard as well.

Firstly, as an experiment in form, the methods of presentation weren't particularly exotic or inventive. The majority of the contents was left-aligned, even if it was moved away from he margin. Use of white space seemed excessive or inappropriate. A variation on a Sestina, in which all of the lines in a given stanza ended with the same word, disturbed me. One bright spot was a sonnet, History in 14 lines ... & then 1, which featured words that were blurred and, alongside the main body of the poem, replacement words were listed, all utilizing the same footnote. Modern text manipulation was not utilized in the poem entitled Robert Rauschenberg: Soundings, 1968, which displayed cut-outs of text-blocks pasted onto the paper at slanted angles. It gave the poem a cluttered, though box-y, feel and I wanted a more seamless appearance. I expected an overlapping effect.

Initially, I couldn't tell if I was reading one long poem or not. I am looking for unity in the collection and, after the opening sequence, the collection seemed to lose coherence as a whole. Footnotes appeared throughout the e-book, which weren't used effectively. As an experimental addition to the text, they didn't seem to add the right kind of mystery. As traditional footnotes, they didn't seem to be particularly relevant or informative. Take this footnote, for example:

¹listening: Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms

The footnote appears in a poetic fragment at the top of page eight. A block of white space separates the fragment from a block of text at the bottom of the page, which also mentions Stravinsky. When I reach the block of text which mentions Stravinsky, I am listening to him in my mind. Is it important to mention Stravinsky again in the footnote? Other footnotes seemed simply referential and, if that is the case, they should simply be added to the acknowledgements section at the end of the e-book.

Basically, there was just too much textual manipulation. It obviously distracted from a clearer reading of the actual text. When the reader must spend so much time analyzing the techniques, and writers should make their readers work, there is something lacking in meaning. Form should augment the language of the poems rather than detract from them.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

2005-10-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

Director Tim Burton's remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), based on a book by Roald Dahl, which doesn't really improve upon the original. I like Tim Burton, and will gladly follow wherever he may lead his audience, as his movies are simply fun to watch and he chooses captivating stories to portray, but this one left me wanting more, aside from the wonderful squirrel scene. I'm also a huge Johnny Depp fan and go out of my way to catch his movies, so this was a must see for me.

The special effects in the first movie were outta sight, to use a term from that period, particularly the swirly graphics of text during the oompa loompa songs, which were largely non-existent in this newest version. The initial glimpse of the factory didn't seem very different from the original and the boat ride down the chocolate river was lackluster in comparison. Additionally, I wasn't enthralled by the new oompa loompa songs, which were a little too glamorous for my taste and a bit redundant as all of the oompa loompas were played by one actor.

I heard Tim Burton was trying to remain truer to the original story, although I never read it, but movies aren't books. It's hard to beat Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in the original movie version, and Depp plays Wonka in a strangely weird and girlish way, which often left me questioning his portrayal of that character rather than just accepting it.

Cinderella Man (2005)

2005-10-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Directed by Ron Howard, Cinderella Man tells the true story of James Braddock, a boxer during the Depression in America. Russell Crowe plays the failed boxer who returns to the ring to make some money to help feed his family. The fight scenes are quite nice and tense, particularly the scenes which utilize special effects to show bones breaking upon the impact of certain punches during the movie.

I'm not sure why I like boxing movies so much, but I do, and I liked this one. It's such a rugged and brutal sport that it makes for some good stories. What more can you say about a feel good movie in which you already know the outcome?

A Short Film About Killing (1988)

2005-10-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski, a Polish director, the movie tracks the lives of three people and how their lives become entangled through a murder. I may have simply been unaware in other films, but the obvious use of filters in this film added a nice surreal effect. It felt like everything I was watching was unclear or indirect, suggesting a less precise interpretation of the events portrayed. It also added nice tension to the movie and asked me to pay closer attention as events unfolded.

As the lives of the three main characters, all of them unlikeable, converge, the karmic implications of their actions seem to return to them. Each character was forced to face the irony of their individual predicaments. In what came across as a criticism of capital punishment, it was difficult to see who was without fault. The movie showed that, perhaps, all people who condemned someone to die are, in part, responsible for the death. Ultimately, a quite enjoyable movie which presented the viewer with the raw materials to make a decision, but didn't provide the answer.

Update

2005-09-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let you know that I'm going to begin adding e-books to the bunch. I have been reading quite a few of them and, as they are growing more and more popular, thought I would include my thoughts here and give some of those folks, some of our modern writers, some hype. They're also quite easy to find and they give you nice samples of a writers work, hopefully, prompting you to seek out their hard-copy work.

Green Fish (1997)

2005-09-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

Korean film directed by Lee Chang-Dong. The story follows a soldier who returns home after serving in the military. Things seem good as he meets a woman on a train at the beginning of the movie but, in defending her, ends up getting beat up on a train and losing his bags. This marks the beginning of a strange relationship and changes the soldiers life dramatically.

Upon returning home, the soldier doesn't really appear to know what to do with himself. His family and friends seem unchanged, but the world around him has changed tremendously. In pursuing the woman he had met on the train, he lucks into a job as a kind of mob henchman and gets caught up in a life and world which quickly exceeds his grasp.

Nice hard-luck movie with, otherwise, nothing too special to offer in terms of exceptional film-making. Ultimately, all of the characters are negatively affected by their apparently random relations or destinies. I enjoyed the tender love story, but generally don't like such tragic endings in which no one seems to survive or rise above daunting circumstances.

War of the Worlds (2005)

2005-09-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, War of the Worlds follows a father and his two children in the aftermath of an alien invasion of Earth. Following some unusual weather activity, huge three-legged machines mysteriously appear on Earth and begin destroying everything in sight. When you watch a movie like this, you're not exactly dreaming of fine acting performances, and there wasn't really much to mention on that tip. Spielberg's directing was nice, particularly during a tense scene in a car in which the camera was circling around outside the car. I hadn't seen this effect utilized in such a way before and found that it helped build the tension in that scene.

Based on the novel by H. G. Wells, this sci-fi thriller was gripping from start to finish as the action kept the film moving along nicely. I was literally on the edge of my seat. I don't know how well it held up against the book, but I don't think it's an important issue. I don't recall the movie's sub-plot, which dealt with the father's relationship with his children, from the book, which I read many years ago. The special effects were excellent and if you have a chance to see this film on the big screen you should probably look for it.

My only real knock on the film was that there were a few too many American flags scattered throughout, but otherwise, well worth the 100 minutes. It was also quite disgusting, as the space invaders seemed to ingest earthlings and expel their blood back onto the planet in a kind of blood rain, which may not sit well with some folks. All things considered, it was a good ride and that's about my only requirement for a movie.

Bring on the Night (1989)

2005-09-18T23:25:00.000-07:00

Rockumentary, directed by Michael Apted, about the making of Sting's first solo album Dream of the Blue Turtles. I'd seen this one before, many years ago, but revisited it again recently.

As you might expect, great music from one of the most talented pop stars, as well as a nice insight into his artistic process, especially with the unusual band he had assembled. Most of the band members were black jazz musicians from America and Sting, an English lad, brought them together to make a pop music album. I thought it was funny that Sting was so concerned about the success of this endeavor, which he and other members for the group mention more than once during the film. The musicians were some of the most renowned in their field and, coming off his former band's most successful album (Synchronicity by The Police), it was a little hard to believe that he would have such trepidations about the success of this project.

There was a nice parallel with the birth of his son and the birth of this group and its first performance in France, which built in a layer of complexity in what would otherwise be simply the making of a successful pop album. The music, highlighting composition of the songs, the band practicing and live performance, is excellent and, if you haven't seen this side of Sting, take a look.

Samsara (2003)

2005-09-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, passionate love-story about a Tibetan monk, Tashi, who leaves his monastery to pursue his physical desires. After a long meditation and a number of telling signs, his preoccupation with a woman he had seen once (and also the world outside of the monastery), forces him to leave his home of 20 years. He meets the woman, Pema, and they eventually marry and raise a son together in her small mountain village. They struggle to live in the village and overcome the difficulties that arise due to Tashi being an outsider.

The movie didn't have much dialogue, and many of the changes were handled visually, were suggested. The right choice for a movie. I could only find very little English information about director Pan Nalin, although it seemed like there were a number of links to French websites. Apparently, he filmed for National Geographic. Nonetheless, the movie was particularly nice as it showed the woman's side of the Siddhartha story. As far as I could tell, Siddhartha left his wife and son to seek enlightenment. In this movie, it didn't come across as a particularly acceptable action and, as a result, appeared to be a fresh take on what, I assume, is generally an overlooked part of that myth. I'm not an expert so it's difficult to say without doing more research. Vivid, picturesque movie which was cheapened by the gratuitous sex.

Be Cool (2005)

2005-08-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

This film, directed by F. Gary Gray, was not really that cool. If you love a glitzy cast, that's about all this one has to offer, but that may be enough of a reason for you to check it out. It was the only reason I watched it.

I thought Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was good in his role as a gay bodyguard, but otherwise I was snoozing through most of this one.

Illuminations – Arthur Rimbaud | Translated by Louise Varèse

2005-08-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I was reading a translation, as you can see above. This is an odd but engaging book of poetry, prose poetry, but then most prose poetry might appear unusual to the average Joe. If you've read other poetry by this legend, who had given up writing before he was twenty-one years old, as the back cover states, the work in this volume will seem quite different, but should also captivate you as completely.

It's an exciting book to read, which is one of the powers behind the writing of Rimbaud. His youthful fire and energy is hard to duplicate and comes through clearly in the text. It's hard to believe someone so young could write such inspiring verse. A barrage of imagery and colors awaits, and colors seem particularly important as can be seen in this poem entitled Flowers:

     From a golden step,– among silk cords, green velvets, gray gauzes, and crystal discs that turn black as bronze in the sun, I see the digitalis opening on a carpet of silver filigree, of eyes and hair.
     Yellow gold-pieces strewn over agate, mahogany columns supporting emerald domes, bouquets of white satin and delicate sprays of rubies, surround the water-rose.
     Like a god with huge blue eyes and limbs of snow, the sea and sky lure to the marble terraces the throng of roses, young and strong.

On the surface, a beautiful homage to flowers and their wonderful, colorful images, but as a metaphor of people and their blind attention to their deceptively alluring champions, it takes a deceptively darker turn. I can barely even begin to speak about this poem in a critical way, much less the collection as a whole. It was a pleasure to read and read again, as must be done. Finally, the order of the poems in this collection is in dispute as the manuscript is not presented in its original form, if, in fact, it ever had one, which only makes it difficult to respond to as something that may or may not be intrinsically tied together by some overarching form.

Only Yesterday (1991)

2005-08-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

Another animated film by Japanese master Hiyao Miyazaki which follows a young working woman, Taeko, as she returns to the countryside for her vacation and, ultimately, discovers what is missing in her life. While most of her coworkers and friends travel abroad, Taeko choose instead to go to the countryside to work on a farm harvesting saffron.

Throughout the movie, Taeko has flashbacks from her childhood which include scenes about her first boyfriend, menstruation, the only time her father slapped her, and many other firsts which mark important events in her youth and which all awakened her a little more. She wonders why she is remembering these things as she tries to sleep on the train. As she remembers these scenes from her past, the animation takes off as Miyazaki incorporates some great sequences which add more fantastic and symbolic elements to the story.

Unlike the other movies I've seen by Miyazaki, which all revolved around a young girl as the central character, and this movie, to some extent, also revolves around a young girl as the flashbacks make up nearly half of the movie, the main character is a young single woman. The movie appeals to a slightly different audience because of it, dealing with more adolescent issues, things that would interest a young adult, rather than environmental or social issues. The movie had a slower, nicer pace and I felt well-entertained at the conclusion as Taeko finally understands for what she was unconsciously looking.

this connection of everyone with lungs – Juliana Spahr

2005-08-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

A beautiful long poem spawned when the author realized that America would again invade Iraq which, as the title suggests, attempts to show a connectivity among human kind. It can be taken a step further to include a connectivity within the world, in the things of the world and in the individual who desires to arrive at an understanding of it. About her process, Juliana Spahr is particularly revealing in her note preceding the section entitled November 30, 2002:

I thought that by watching the news more seriously I could be a little less naive. But I gained no sophisticated understanding as I wrote these poems.

She admits that she couldn't find answers to her questions or that her answers, if they were that, would only be as satisfying as her observances.

The poem, a wonderful list of the senses, kicks off with a passage about cells dividing. As in any good poem, the rules for its interpretation are provided within the poem, and the opening lines show us clearly where we begin. The smallest structural unit of living matter capable of functioning independently:

There are these things:

cells, the movement of cells and the division of cells

and then the general beating of circulation

and hands, and body, and feet

and skin that surrounds hands, body, feet.

This is shape,

a shape of blood beating and cells dividing.

A fine beginning. Ending with a colon, the first line is a cold, matter-of-fact and, by itself, plain statement about what will follow, a list. The poem then advances to introduce its first image in the second line, cells. They are not simply biological components of living things, they are also containers, jails, spaces. They form the living world, the places and people and things to which we respond and react. This is the shape of the poem, its form, which reflects its things and inhabitants and the whole huge list of the world.

But outside of this shape is space.

There is space between the hands.

There is space between the hands and space around the hands.

There is space in the room that surrounds the shapes of everyone's hands and body and feet and cells and the beating contained within.

There is space, an uneven space, made by this pattern of bodies.

This space goes in and out of everyone's bodies.

Everyone with lungs breathes the space in and out as everyone with lungs breathes the space between the hands in and out

as everyone with lungs breathes the space between the hands and the space around the hands in and out

This shape which occupies this space is a living, breathing thing. Every stanza or trope which follows is repeated in its entirety, adding a new image to the end of each, pulling further away until we are actually in space, observing the entire world while we breathe in the poem and the world.

The poem shows a controlled use of repetition and list techniques to expose the contradictions of the microcosm of the narrator's life on a tropical island with the macrocosm of the world beyond. It also demonstrates a fantastic use of language and image to emphasize form and build the poem dynamically from the seed of its beginnings. The poem asks us to consider this place, this space we share, and also that those things which often seem so far removed from us must really be considered as parts of us. Parts of our shape and breath.

Under the Net – Iris Murdoch

2005-07-31T06:19:00.000-07:00

Her first novel, originally published in Great Britain in 1954. A book both comic and serious, Under the Net documents Jake Donaghue's somewhat aimless progress following his expulsion from his current place of residence. At the beginning of the novel, Jake finds himself in limbo. He doesn't appear to be very involved in the world around him. His actions seem aimless, but soon take direction as he searches for a new place to live, seeks old friends and follows-up on a number of coincidences. Additionally, Jake is jobless and considers a number of possibilities to acquire income, most of which come about as he rekindles relations with his former acquaintances and lovers.

The writing and dialogue are impeccable, and the stories read easily. The descriptions of her characters, in particular, shine, as in this exchange between Jake and Sammy:

      "What do you think you're doing?" he asked.
      I wasn't quite ready for this, and felt let down. "Don't you want to fight?" I replied, with irritation.
      Sammy stared at me, and then broke into a roar of laughter. "My, my!" he said. "Whatever gave you that idea. You're Donaghue, aren't you? Here, have a lotion." And quick as a flash he put a glass of whiskey into my free hand. You can imagine what a fool I felt, with the whiskey in one hand and my belt in the other.
      When I had reorganized myself, I said, hoping that I didn't sound sheepish, "I suppose you're Starfield?" I felt thoroughly at a loss. I suspected that it ought to be up to me whether we fought or not. I certainly didn't want to fight but I had let Sammy get the initiative now, and no mistake, and I hated that too.
      "That's me" said Sammy, "and you're young Donaghue. Well, what a fire-eater!" and he went off into another explosion of laughter. I took a gulp of whiskey and put on my belt, endeavoring to wear the expression of one who, contrary to appearances, is master of the situation.

It's exceptional because the image of Sammy, his manner and character, is quite clear. I like him and I like the way he talks. I can imagine what this older gambler who stole Jake's girlfriend from him looks like. I also get a nice sense of Jake. His thoughts as he drinks the whiskey and puts his belt capture his approach to the world around him, show that he is trying to make a good show and that he knows what is going even if he doesn't.

It's difficult to say exactly what I like so much about Iris Murdoch novels, but this is the third book of hers that I've read and I gobble them up. I never feel overwhelmed with philosophy or pretense and simply slip into the worlds she has created. Finally, her novels are always surprising, but I'll leave the surprises for your own discovery.

The Bhagavad-Gita – Translated by Barbara Stoler Miller

2005-07-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

A fantastic, philosophical story which allows us to consider the spiritual discipline of man as he faces contradiction in his life. The ancient Hindu religious text, The Bhagavad-Gita, written in the first century A.D., continues to speak to the modern world. Subtitled Krishna's Counsel in Time of War, this long poem follows a conversation between Arjuna, a mighty warrior, and Krishna, his charioteer and protectorate, a god. Arjuna, when facing the opposing warriors, sees his relations, his family and friends, among the enemy and begins to question his actions:

"Krishna, I see my kinsmen
gathered here, wanting war.

My limbs sink,
my mouth is parched,
my body trembles,
the hair bristles on my flesh.

The magic bow slips
from my hand, my skin burns,
I cannot stand still,
my mind reels.

I see omens of chaos,
Krishna; I see no good
in killing my kinsmen
in battle.

Is it important why a great warrior would suddenly consider his situation in the face of it, Arjuna who wields the emblem of a rampant monkey, blows into a divine conch, rides his chariot out to the middle of the battlefield, and brandishes magical weapons? Facing his familiars, he questions his intention to make war against his family. Perhaps the battle had never before come so close. Krishna answers in god-like fashion:

You grieve for those beyond grief,
and you speak words of insight;
but learned men do not grieve
for the dead or the living.

Krishna suggests that it is useless to worry about what has happened (the dead) and also what will happen (the living). There are more important things to do than grieve over possibility. Krishna then begins to explain, perhaps, his most important message:

Never have I not existed,
nor you, nor these kings;
and never in the future
shall we cease to exist.

His message takes a more cerebral, metaphysical turn and suggests that Arjuna is simply a part of all things. Even if he should die or, as his profession warrants, cause another's death, his presence and the presence of others will continue.

I particularly liked this text for its familial context which, mentioned at the beginning, provides a strong backdrop for the rest of the tale. It not only relates the message on a personal level, but helps us to consider the greater community of the world and its inhabitants as a larger family. I could say much more about this book, but I will leave the rest to your own exploration.

Maelström (2001)

2005-07-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Fantastic French film by Denis Villeneuve, who also wrote the screenplay, about a young woman, Bibi, who is having one of the worst days of her life. While dealing with some of the maladies in her life, she encounters a number of coincidences, good and bad, which force her to reconsider her situation, ultimately, for the better.

The movie begins with a talking, blood-smeared fish on the chopping-block telling the story as a way to use his last breaths, which casts an eerie light on what follows. Fantastic in its observations of movement of the human form, but also in its clever unveiling of the plot, the movie is surprising and fast-paced. I love colorful films and this one has lots of great use of color and light. Another movie with excellent music, which made the movie more powerful and increased the irony of many scenes.

Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

2005-07-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

My continuing education in Chinese film brought me to this masterpiece, directed by Zhang Yimou (Hero-2004, House of Flying Daggers-2004). Taking place in China in the 1920s, it is the story of a wealthy man and his wives, each living in separate houses within the master's estate.

The movie begins as a young girl journeys to a rich man's estate to become his fourth wife. She quickly learns about the daily competition among the wives for the master's attention as her wedding night is interrupted by one of her predecessors. As the master announces with whom he will spend each evening, following an old family tradition by lighting a number of red lanterns outside the chosen wife's house, the wives play malicious tricks on one another, some of which have tragic results, to gain his favor.

The master of the estate is never really seen in the movie, which foreshadows unmentionable troubles and highlights the general lack of attention he has for all of his wives. Great sound and music in this movie, which helps build and sustain tension while also adding to the mysterious seduction of the film. Beautiful to watch, the movie showcases Zhang's love of color, portrayed in the sultry shades and interior decorations of the houses of his four wives, and contrasted with the dark and dull exteriors. Don't expect a happy ending.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

2005-06-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

Quirky movie about the misadventures of Steve Zissou, an oceanographer played by Bill Murray, and his crew of misfits. I like Bill Murray and blindly go where he goes. As a behind-the-scenes documentary parody of Jacques Cousteau, it's fairly silly as Team Zissou embarks on an expedition to find the mythical Jaguar Shark which swallowed Zissou's long-time friend on a previous dive.

I liked it if only for the music, which was fantastic and must surely be the big secret behind this film. Directed by Wes Anderson, nearly the entire soundtrack featured David Bowie cover songs performed in Portuguese on acoustic guitar by Seu Jorge. Otherwise, there's not much noteworthy about this flick.

Constantine (2005)

2005-06-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Directed by Francis Lawrence, this supernatural mystery didn't offer much. Loosely tied together, the movie depicts Keanu Reeves as a supernatural version of Neo, his famous character from the Matrix movies, who roams the Earth searching for evil spirits in a kind of personal purgatory wherein he serves as a mediator between Heaven and Hell.

Aside from Keanu's lines, which were generally mumbled and unclear, the movie wasn't a complete loss. I did like the actress who played the angel Gabriel, Tilda Swinton, as well as the actor who played Lucifer, Peter Stormare, who both gave their roles a unique spin on traditional expectations for those biblical characters.

Sin City (2005)

2005-06-11T00:31:00.000-07:00

Fantastic, hard-boiled, comic book movie that is sheer wild ride from start to finish. Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, with special guest director (whatever that means) Quentin Tarantino, the film is pure Hollywood cheese and I loved every slick minute of it!

Not a movie for your kids, full of lots of violent goodness, blood, guns and impossible super-hero possibility to knock your socks off, the film follows three tough-guy stories through the crime-laden streets of Sin City, a fictitious city where vigilante law rules the streets. Filmed almost entirely in B & W, the plentiful and cool special effects, unusual characters and creative filming made it seem as if I had stepped into a comic book. Almost exactly what I want when I watch a movie.

Twenty Thirty Forty (2004)

2005-06-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

A Taiwanese film about three women, one in her twenties, one in her thirties and one in her forties at three different waypoints in their lives. Directed by Sylvia Chang, the movie is stylish and creatively filmed. I particularly liked the use of mirrors. They are so commonly used in movies, but rarely used well. The stories are tied together through the women's pursuit of love or meaningful relationships, largely disappointing: the 20-something as she begins to discover the world, on her own for the first time; the 30-something, a working woman juggling her relationships and her fast-paced lifestyle; the 40-something, a married woman managing her own business and discovers her husband's infidelity.

It was a little strange to see how Westernized Taiwanese people have become, if the movie can be taken as an accurate representation of the people. Most of the people addressed each other by using Western names, and their language was infused with many English expressions and words. Quite different than life on mainland China, especially Beijing, where I almost never hear English mixed with Chinese.

The Mystic Masseur – V. S. Naipaul

2005-06-07T22:32:00.000-07:00

Enjoyable, humorous story about the remarkable life of a man, Ganesh, who lived in Trinidad and became one of its most famous inhabitants. Much of his success seems to occur haphazardly, although Ganesh continually pursues his dreams, which may be one secret of his or anyone's success, and eventually achieves what he desires.

Initially, driven by his curious passion for reading and a threat that he would one day write a book, Ganesh attempts to enter the working world as a masseur, following in the footsteps of his deceased father. As the years pass, his threat about writing a book seems to become just one of his silly utterances. Once, when challenged by his wife, he says:

A man may turn over half a library to make one book.

Unsuccessful as a masseur on an island overrun with them, he begins to market himself, along with the publication of his first book, 101 Questions and Answers on the Hindu Religion, as a mystic. His success is unprecedented and, as his fame as a mystic grows, he continues to write books with less difficulty and greater vision. Ganesh continues to meet success in all of his endeavors which finally lead him to embrace a larger political role.

Bad Education – La Mala Educación (2004)

2005-06-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

A film by Spanish director Pedro Almadóvar that was quite enjoyable. I can't recall whether or not I'd seen any other movies by this director, but I will look for more in the future. All of the scenes were very colorful and it was a beautiful movie to view. An inappropriate movie for kids due to a large dose of adult content, it is based on the director's youth.

Two men, former classmates as boys, are reunited after 20 years apart and the mystery begins. One man has become a film director, Ignacio, and the other man, Enrique, is an aspiring actor who returns to Ignacio in pursuit of a job. Enrique has a script in his possession and, as Ignacio is in a lull between projects and looking for new material, he decides to attempt the project. There is a feeling of uncertainty right from the start as Ignacio doesn't completely recognize his old friend. At first, I thought it was simply a typical story about sexual misconduct in the Catholic Church, but as the movie develops, there is a unique surprise.

I Heart Huckabees (2004)

2005-05-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

An unusual comedy, directed by David O. Russell, about an environmental activist, Albert, who tries to understand a number of coincidences in his life, especially in the wake of his organization's partnership with a giant chainstore, Huckabees. After presenting his case to a couple of existential investigators, sleuths who specialize in alternative solutions to psychological problems, Albert quickly finds that he is even more confused.

Cinematographically, there are some nice scenes which utilize special effects in an interesting way and add more of an edge to the movie's philosophical side. Unfortunately, they are limited and fail to run through the entire film, which left me wondering about technique rather than story. A movie which tries to philosophize about the meaning of life without a nice metaphor to hide behind, most of the dialogue and ideas are relatively simple and portrayed in an overly simplistic manner. As a comedy, it's only mildly humorous and, as a philosophic jaunt, it's relatively plain. Still, if you like movies with more of a philosophical bend, or if you are particularly fond of the actors (Jude Law, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Mark Wahlberg), then you might give this one a shot.

Wandering – Lu Xun | Translated by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang

2005-05-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

Again, as I had purchased all of Lu Xun's books printed by Foreign Languages Press, this volume exhibits the same problems: poor editing (lots of misspellings and missing words) and, although I cannot read Chinese, I got the feeling that it was a poor translation. Often, British expressions and language were used, rather than, I'm guessing, more literal translations. Does that make it colonized literature?

Despite the poor edition, this collection of eleven wonderful stories shows the real genius behind Lu Xun's writing. The stories mainly document the lives of particular individuals as they observe their loved ones or misunderstood acquaintances. A theme of return or returning to places and people once familiar but who have since changed reoccurs throughout. Often, the changes are absurd or seemingly unusual.

These stories are much longer than those from Wild Grass, a collection of Xun's stories I had previously read and, between two stories which take place on New Year's Eve, they carry the reader from scene to scene, from young to old, as naturally as any leisurely traveler might wander. The story I enjoyed the most was A Happy Family, which documents a man who, continually interrupted by his family, tries to think of a new story to write. One of the more comedic stories in the book, it contradicts the writer's enthusiasm to find an idea with the mundane reality of his family life.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

2005-05-23T05:49:00.001-07:00

I had to go to the theater to catch this one. A movie with so much special effects mythology behind it must be viewed under optimum conditions. It was also my first trip to a Chinese movie theater, which was far from disappointing and rivaled many theaters I've been to in the states. The seats were comfortable, relatively spacious and reclined, and the sound was fantastic. Despite it being only the second day after the movie's release, I got a great reserved seat near the center and not too close to the screen.

Directed by George Lucas, the movie was everything I'd expected: lots of dazzling special effects, climactic light-saber action, fantastic/exotic sets and creatures and, of course, Darth Vader. In a movie of this kind, I don't expect perfection on all fronts, and there are some things to complain about like rugged acting and much less than award-winning dialogue, but the positives outweighed the negatives. The leader of the droids, General Grievous, was particularly memorable with his hunched gait and smoker's cough. As this movie primarily follows Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, I left the theater joking with my friends about the message of the movie being: love will turn you into a monster. So try not to take it too seriously, strap in with a bucket of popcorn and enjoy the ride.

Goodfellas (1990)

2005-05-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

A violent Mafia movie, based on a true story, directed by Martin Scorsese with little to offer in terms of technique, Goodfellas felt dated and silly, at times, although I wasn't completely disappointed. I had seen the movie once before, when it had first been released, but had completely forgotten the plot. The movie tells the life story of a mobster (played by Ray Liotta), his rise to power and his inevitable downfall and expulsion. As a young boy, he becomes part of a Mafia family, although they are not his biological relations, and eventually earns more authority as the years go by.

One of the final scenes, the scene leading up to his capture by the police, is excellent. Narrated by the actor in a kind of breakneck pace while images depicting his coked-out, drug-dealing, paranoid romp through the day stream past, we hurl along on our way to another drug deal. An additional bright spot in the film is actor Joe Pesci who plays a great, violent, uncontrollable, fast-talking mobster who gets what's coming to him in the end.

Criminal (2004)

2005-05-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

The story of a couple of con-artists who meet in a casino and agree to work together on a temporary basis. They start off by pulling a number of relatively light-weight scams, but eventually come across a golden opportunity, which brings the movie the movie to its surprising climax.

Criminal contrasts one man who has swindled everyone around him and simply looks out for himself, with another man who has turned to crime to help his father pay a debt but really doesn't like taking advantage of people. Directed by Gregory Jacobs and produced by George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh, Criminal is a sort of poor man's, low-tech, Ocean's Eleven without the big star thunder.

Aside from Diego Luna, who has a great role as a naïve, young hustler learning the ropes from an older, more experienced, but unlikeable, con-man, there really wasn't much to this film. The dialogue was relatively plain, the acting flat and the cinematography typical. By the end of the movie, I was tired of the predictable misfortunes which happened a little too often to the characters to be believable.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

2005-05-07T00:41:00.000-07:00

Japanese animation from the master, Hayao Miyazaki, still pleasing to watch and still, perhaps, even more relevant today. More than 20 years old now, this movie keeps you interested from the start with its fantastic world, exciting story and surprisingly poignant message about mankind's rapid destruction of the environment. A fantastic story, supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), about a princess from a small tribe and her attempts to respond to the encroaching dangers of her environment caused by the abuse of people who are simply unaware of the effects of their actions.

Princess Nausicaa is a girl endowed with natural instinct, genius and fierceness. She is also a protectorate of nature and has learned not only how to live within it but also how to communicate with its inhabitants in a peaceful manner. Set in a futuristic world in which The Sea of Decay, brought about by the wrath of a legion of guardian insects, is rapidly destroying the world, Princess Nausicaa must protect her tribe and the world as the ensuing power struggles between nations ultimately makes its tragic presence felt in her homeland. The message contrasts our world, one in which humans destroy the planet willy-nilly and species disappear from the planet every day, with the world of Princess Nausicaa, where men live in fear of the repercussions of harming even one insect and humans are the endangered species.

What makes Miyazaki animation so good, aside from the beautiful animation and imaginative stories, is his attention to the characters. His feature-length cartoons aren't only showcases for his artwork. He has learned how to make the animations of people seem real, even though we know they are simply cartoons. For example, Princess Nausicaa apologizing when she accidentally steps on an insect, a dream sequence in which she remembers her past or the way her pet reacts to her. These details and, in some cases, imperfections, give Princess Nausicaa dimension. So go out and look for a copy and expect to be delighted.

The Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison

2005-04-24T03:26:00.000-07:00

There has been a heavy amount of praise for this book, first published in 1952, so the main question for me was how it lived up to those expectations. It is considered by some as a modern American classic.

The writing itself is a well-crafted joy to read. The images in many of the scenes work to create vivid moods and pictures in the reader's mind, as in this early scene when the main character describes how he had stopped himself from stabbing another man:

And I stopped the blade, slicing the air as I pushed him away, letting him fall back to the street. I stared at him hard as the lights of a car stabbed through the darkness.

The main character does not have a name. When the main character joins a political group, his only option for finding suitable employment after a number of failed attempts in areas where he thought he would find success and build his career, he is given a new name which is never revealed. His associates only refer to him as "brother." Having no name is surprising as there is nothing for which the reader can associate, no handle for the personification of the message, which makes it feel, somehow, more omnipresent. It is not simply the cry of a luckless fool weary of the world.

And I defend because in spite of all I find that I love. In order to get some of it down I have to love. I sell you no phony forgiveness, I'm a desperate man–but too much of your life will be lost, its meaning lost, unless you approach it as much through love as through hate. So I approach it through division. So I denounce and I defend and I hate and I love.

The story has a positive message. It's not a science fiction about a man who cannot be seen by other people, but rather, the story of a black man as he discovers that the world does not pay attention to him because of the color of his skin. It isn't only about race, though, and the well-known struggles against racism in America. It's about how the main character learned to see the world and make his own decisions, how he learned to take his life into his own hands, without letting other people use him for their own selfish devices.

Fireworks – Hana-bi (1997)

2005-04-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

Takeshi "Beat" Kitano wrote, directed, edited and starred in this violent movie about Nishi, a former detective, struggling with the results of his negotiations with the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia), a crippling injury to his close friend and partner which confines him to a wheelchair, and his wife's illness following the unexpected death of their son. Disguised as a Japanese tough-guy movie, the title reflects the explosive nature of things which can so often be both beautiful and deadly. Full of symbolic imagery, especially the images of flowers which become the main inspiration for Nishi's friend as he discovers painting, the movie does a great job of showing how different people deal with the different crises in their lives.

Sparse dialogue, a good story well told and a collection of unusual characters makes the film well worth watching. The violence, though graphic, is not gratuitous and contrasts nicely with the quieter scenes of reflection and re-evaluation.

The Aviator (2004)

2005-04-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

Typical Hollywood film directed by Martin Scorsese depicting the life of Howard Hughes. Typical in the sense that it has the stars and the spectacular sets that Hollywood generally lavishes on its audiences. If you don't know anything about Hughes, it might be an entertaining story, and I thought so, although I don't know how much of the story is factual. Is it that important? No.

The film portrays Hughes as a champion of American ambition and a man who would let nothing compromise his efforts. His successes as a businessman, film director and aviator are counter-balanced by his personal paranoia about cleanliness. Unfortunately, this movie will appeal to aviation enthusiasts as well as an older set, one that remembers Hughes and his contributions to aviation when commercial air travel was still relatively new.

Aside from the obvious star power of the movie, which is as good a reason as any to see one, I was far from satisfied. The movie was too long, a cool 168 minutes, which is one thing that will kill any flick. Some scenes were tedious, especially a scene near the end in which Hughes, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, locks himself into his screening studio and refuses to see anyone as he fights against his paranoia.

Chungking Express (1994)

2005-04-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Unusual film about two cops and their pursuit of romance, by Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai. The title of the movie shares the same name as the restaurant where the two cops regularly eat, serving as the location where both stories converge. Although funny throughout, the movie could neither be considered a comedy nor a romance, despite the obvious focus on love in both stories.

While not completely polished, the film was initially unique in its presentation, making use of stop-motion and liberal editing to create a feeling of nervousness and speed during the beginning of the movie. This feeling dominated the first cop's story and captured both his personality and his fleeting encounter with a troubled woman. The second cop's story was cuter, highlighting both his and his lover's shyness as they began to realize their love for one another, and served as a nice contrast to the first story's rougher, hard-boiled edge.

Unfortunately, an over-reliance on technique and form can't make up for weaknesses in dialogue and plot. Often less than inspiring, especially the scenes in the restaurant, the lackluster dialogue could simply have been a result of poor subtitling. Difficult for me to judge such things. A bit on the long side, I found myself wondering when the movie would end.

Lan Yu (2001)

2005-04-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Acquired this movie from a coworker. Interestingly, after doing some cursory research on the eye-net, it was difficult to track down an accurate release date for this Chinese movie, directed by Stanley Kwan from Hong Kong. I'm not overly concerned with that information and, as release dates differ in different countries, there is bound to be some confusion. Someone else more meticulous than I will surely correct me eventually. Additionally, I read that this movie wasn't initially released on mainland China, although it may now be available.

I'm sure part of the reason for not releasing the movie in China, set in Beijing, was due to the content, which involves the relationship between a successful middle-aged businessman and his male lover, a young college student. At one point during the movie, which appears to take place in the late 1980s, there is also mention of the police clearing the "square," which is undoubtedly that famous square in the heart of Beijing. Whatever the reasons, those are easily the most intriguing for watching this film as the acting didn't wow me, the directing didn't amaze me, nor did the story surprise me.

Kitchen – Banana Yoshimoto | Translated by Megan Backus

2005-04-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

Her first book, a thin affair showcasing nice, tightly constructed prose, contains two short stories. Two overriding details which appeared in each story, men who like to wear women's clothing and the recent death of loved ones, made it easy to see why these stories were linked together. Unfortunately, because of these strong parallels, the book, as a whole, felt very melodramatic and also very Japanese. In these terms, it might sound a little morbid or perverse, but I enjoyed it.

The first story, Kitchen, revolves around a woman, Mikage, and how she faces her life after all of her relatives die and she is left alone. Through the kindness of friends, a boy and his transvestite mother, she learns to give her life some meaning or direction as she becomes a part of their fractured family. I particularly liked how sight (color) and sound, as well as the other senses, were brought into the story from the beginning, as this example demonstrates, taken from the end of the story's opening paragraph:

White tile catching the light (ting! ting!)

These kinds of details give the writing a nice dimension and also demonstrate Mikage's enhanced perception as she reasons with her grief. It's as if the reader is being toasted before a fine meal.

The second story, Moonlight Shadow, documents a high school girl's attempts to come to grips with the sudden death of her boyfriend. Satsuki tries to keep herself busy as a way to avoid thinking about her grief, and meets a strange, almost ghostly, woman one morning while she is running. It shows the heightened perceptions of the protagonist which, as in "Kitchen," demonstrates how the characters began to see the world in a new way.

There are people I have yet to meet, other I'll never see again. People who are gone before you know it, people who are just passing through. Even as we exchange hellos, they seem to grow transparent. I must keep living with the flowing river before my eyes.

This passage, taken from the end of Moonlight Shadow, shows how Satsuki has accepted her grief. Grief is simply a part of the cycle of our lives.

Brotherhood – Taegukgi (2004)

2005-04-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

A Korean film directed by Kang Je-gyu, Brotherhood tells the story of two brothers from South Korea forced into military service during the Korean war. Evacuating their homes shortly after North Korea invaded South Korea in the early '50s, the brothers are suddenly enlisted at a train station, along with all eligible 18-30 year old men, and separated from their family before they can catch a train to safety.

As the movie unfolds, the elder brother tries to perform valorous acts in an attempt to protect and, hopefully, earn a discharge for his younger brother. These efforts only work to build a wall between the brothers, turning the elder brother into a hardened soldier, as they face the brutalities and trials of war. The brothers, who had been able to stay together, were finally drawn apart and, after seeing his fiancé killed by anti-communists and believing his brother dead, the elder brother switches sides and begins fighting for the North Koreans. Eventually, the brothers are reunited on the field of battle, bringing the movie nearer its sad conclusion.

A long, graphically violent war flick, there was plenty of action to go around and I wasn't disappointed. A bit sentimental and overly dramatic, at times, but a good story if the gore and grim realities of war don't get you down.

A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth

2005-04-04T02:08:00.000-07:00

An intimidating book (nearly 1500 oversized pages) and a long story about the intertwining lives of many of the members of four Indian families. In particular, the story centers around the marriage possibilities for Lata, a young college student, for whom her mother is attempting to find an appropriate mate. Set in the early '50s, after India has gained its independence from British rule, some of the contradictions presented in the book, such as Hindu vs. Muslim relations, were culturally interesting, although I don't know how accurately depicted. My lack of knowledge about Indian holidays, words and customs didn't detract from the story and, despite my ignorance, I still found most of the book captivating.

Full of poetry and music (many of the characters are musicians, and there is even one poet among Lata's suitors), I was naturally entranced by those details. Even though I have a soft spot for all things poetic, I wasn't blinded by them. Unfortunately, I felt that these details made almost all of the characters seem overly academic or scholarly which, in turn, gave the story a pretentious air. I simply didn't believe it.

Written in nineteen parts, further divided into smaller subchapters, reminiscent of Dickens or any other serializer, the book was easy to digest. Nonetheless, it was too long. Some of the events and characters in the story felt superfluous, that is, they didn't advance the story, especially many of the younger characters who seemed to only be around for ambiance or to give the reader a semblance of dimension. The writing wasn't exceptionally beautiful and, although I was happy to read song lyrics and poems sprinkled throughout the book, even though they weren't especially poignant, the rest of the writing seemed bland in comparison.