Sachs’ love triangle a la Sundance is just more art house malarkey deemed important and groundbreaking, when it’s more soapy melodramatic fodder with a dull plot and a lackluster series of performances. I was severely disappointed as I was looking forward to “Forty Shades of Blue.” Mainly because the film looked to be an interesting take on the love triangle set to a life of a woman won by a man with a brutal ego.
Around the time of the attacks of September 11th 2001, America was at its all time high of security, ignorance, idiocy, anger, hatred, sadness, etc. But most importantly, filmmakers were compelled to express their sheer rush of emotions responding to this attack. Some gave us patriotic films, some paid homage to that day, and others preferred to examine more original views. Director Siddiq Barmak instead gives us an inside look at the practices and cruelty of the Taliban, and a society paralyzed under the control of the Taliban.
I admit to never having seen the original anime of “Death Note,” but now I feel compelled to. “Death Note” is an excellent horror film about self-righteousness, and what lengths people are willing to go through to ensure that justice is served when the law fails. Light Yagami is a boy seeking to become a police officer with his girlfriend, but after a frightening confrontation with a child killer who had just been excused of his crimes in a trial, he decides the law doesn’t work. One night, after walking home, he discovers the black book called “The Death Notebook,” a mysterious notebook that kills anyone with the name the holder prints.
Light then secretly becomes an angel of death codenamed Kira, who destroys criminals, and earns a countrywide following of folks who believe him to be a sign from god striking down the wicked. But Light knows better, after being confronted with a twisted winged demon named Ryuuk who explains the intent of the book. “What is the price for this book?” Light asks Ryuuk who responds with a wicked laugh. That’s the question, isn’t it? What price will Light Yagami ultimately pay? But Kaneko simply doesn’t make it a film about a sad little boy killing criminals. He then inserts many other folks into the fold, including many, many plot twists. When it seems Light has fate at his control, a mysterious investigator simply named L enters, and explains that they are on the hunt for Kira.
Light, a pure genius, now attempts to outwit L, who has also narrowed down the list of suspects, killing times, and is intent on finding Kira once and for all. “Death Note” turns then from a horror film, to a murder mystery as L attempts to investigate Kira, while Light attempts to outwit L, who has yet to ultimately reveal his identity to confused officials. But, as the power corrupts Light, he learns that power in the wrong hands is pure evil. Teamed with his wicked accomplice Ryuuk who watches with great interest, Kaneko directs a beautiful horror mystery, introducing many elements and questions. Why the focus on the TV star Misa Misa? How did L figure Kira’s identity? Who is L’s accomplice? Is Ryuuk merely an observer?
Why does he seem so interested in this mystery? Kaneko hopefully answers much of those questions in the last two sequels, but “Death Note” alone is a wonderful elaborate horror film about power and fate. The direction is dark often sleek, with Tatsuya Fujiwara giving a memorable performance as Light, while Ken’ichi Matsuyama is twisted and entertaining as the sugar fiend, L who watches and waits with sheer patience. I enjoyed this film immensely, even if it was a gamble to buy it blindly. Ultimately power corrupts, and Kaneko’s “Death Note” is an entertaining, creepy, and beautifully written horror film about the power of death placed in the hands of someone with the best of intentions. I can’t wait to check out the sequels.
I submit to you that if there’s a film that can perfectly express the notion of gay pride, “Breakfast on Pluto” would properly fit that ideology. Because, there’s never been a film before that’s depicted its flamboyantly homosexual main character before as something other than a caricature, gag, or sex joke. The character Patrick Braden is so utterly in tune with his own nature that he comes off more as an avenger and true symbol than as someone who is simply gay. Patrick knows he’s gay, dresses as women quite often, and simply will not be knocked down by people who fear his differences, because he enjoys what he is.
A lot can be said for facial expression. Mannerisms, expressions, gestures, and actions can often say more than words can. Sitting down at a table with a couple you can instantly notice if they’re either happy and comfortable with one another, or completely out of love and hateful toward one another. What is it about silence and expression that’s so fascinating yet so under-appreciated? To prove the sad fact that this observation has gone utterly unnoticed, most acting is done through the eyes and the face. It’s why silent movies were huge, its why make up artists accentuated the eyes of actors during that era, and it’s why we’re so disconnected in this world. We follow one another by words, and never by mannerisms and expression.
“Howl’s Moving Castle” is probably one of the weaker entries from Miyazaki. Miyazaki’s films have one thing for them that you can not deny. Originality. “Howl’s Moving Castle” is original, and it’s brutally entertaining, and that’s why I enjoyed this very much. Sure, I was watching the American dubbing (accidental, give me a break), but “Howl’s Moving Castle” possesses more unique fantasy elements and plot progression that really kept me in awe constantly. A scarecrow that follows our heroine like a lovesick dog? An old dog that weighs a ton? A little boy who masquerades as an old man? And a heroine who turns into an elderly woman sporadically? You take a look at Miyazaki’s universe and you’re nothing short of breath taken the entire time.
As an uncle, as a brother, the oldest of three, and as a son, “Grave of the Fireflies” was a grueling film to sit through. Being a victim of a horrible sequence of events and watching your loved one fade away is something I’m all too familiar with. Watching “Grave of the Fireflies,” possibly the most heart-breaking film I’ve seen in years, you will know what that’s like too. Isao Takahatacreates a film that doesn’t need ghouls and goblins and fairies. It’s all frightening enough.