Movie Review - Super 8 (2011)

It is 1979...

                     Four months after losing his mother to a terrible industrial accident, 13 year old Joe Lamb sneaks out of the house, under the nose of his small town deputy father to gather with friends for a night of film shooting. Newly enlisted for their ambitious zombie opus, is classmate, Alice Dainard who has sneaked out to underage drive the boys to the train station in Lillian, Ohio's outskirts, and co-star in the film. However, what the night has in store may have implications beyond anything these kids, nor anyone else in town could ever possibly imagine.


                     There is something about film waxing nostalgic for another time that is capable of enrapturing viewers with a sense of comfort. A sense of the familiar for those older audience members, able to clock what is happening on screen. But this is also a two-fold problem when the film is unable to implement anything new and fresh to the proceedings. Firstly, the identification becomes a spoiling factor when the script is otherwise lacking central focus. And the second is that while nice on the surface, it is very easy for a film to roll around in its own artifice, keeping us from remembering that we are here for a story. We've seen this recently in other major releases, most egregiously, TRON LEGACY. To see Generation X have its hand at the period piece has been something of a barbed affair to say the least, and in the case of JJ Abrams' grand scale ode to the early films of producer Steven Spielberg, is an entertaining, albeit lacking affair when it comes to giving us a new angle to a world so familiar to so many.

                                   The underlying emotional core of the film centers on young Joe, who still secretly carries his mother's locket necklace with him wherever he goes, and the revelation that the capable and resourceful Alice, is also the daughter of the man (played by Ron Eldard) who shares a terrible secret regarding the fateful day four months back. This naturally affects the already strained relationship between Joe and his father (Kyle Chandler), who's early on been rumoured to have been something of an absentee dad. So when the film's central event involving a truly spectacular train crash brings over military attention, and boatloads of secrecy involving the train's cargo, sets into motion the vanishing of not only local machine parts and wanton destruction, but eventually a loss of local citizens and even pet dogs, his role eventually has to step up to be the town's father. And with this mountain of responsibility, the concerns of his son spending time with friends, working on makeup & monsters, while hanging with a local troublemaker's daughter could only be the final straw. Not to mention the relationship between Joe, and his filmmaking buddy Charles Kaznik(A VERY well done Riley Griffiths) as all of this spools out of control after that night.

                                  There is indeed an incredible amount of detail granted to the production as expected. Right on down to the lovingly added AMBLIN Entertainment logo at the opening, and the simulated graininess of era-appropriate film stock, Abrams' 1979 is a wonderful re-creation of a time quite familiar, and evocative of the last days of disco, and the coming onslaught of New Wave, as kids were compelled to step out into the world, and explore possibilities with sometimes very dangerous vigor. From the homes, to the cars, and even technology, the film gets so much right, and goes even further to almost perfectly capture The Beard at his most everyman best. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, and ET receive a lot of love in this film as well as some unexpected nods to Joe Dante's Explorers, and naturally Richard Donner's The Goonies (which Spielberg also produced). The world of Lillian, Ohio is perhaps the film's biggest achievement complete with grand sweep, and feel of analog, as Joe, and his buddies struggle at first attempt to keep quiet about what they witnessed, only to have the problem turn the screws with everything and everyone around them.

                        But it is when Abrams himself, along with his script that keeps the film from being anything more than just a grand nod to this particular time, which is a shame since it's clear that so much else is in place. As his post-grand slam performances with 2009's Star Trek, and even (2006) Mission Impossible III, it is clear that this is a much more personal work, but when the emotional arcs never seem to gel in any satisfying fashion, the final product feels relatively hollow. Especially when the film goes out of its way to cast no major name actors with clearly great results (leads Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning are especially game in this, as are the rest who are unfortunately deeply underwritten), there is plenty of bold to go around, but when it comes time for the visual and incredible sound effects, nearly everything else gets drowned out. And this is likely attributed to a script that never seems willing to follow through on the growing divide between the kids and their parents. It is something that Spielberg's films understood in those times, even when they were more background. What is brought to center stage (which for many reasons, I've been tiptoeing about as it really needs to be seen, even if it is a little more obvious that expected) never seems to connect terribly well with what is happening in the lives of these character. While Super 8 attempts to merge the world of the ordinary, and the fantastic, the disconnect is almost constant, and never resolves itself right unto a finale right out of ET. The film never seems to have the patience necessary once the sturm and drang kicks in, so all we're left with are often one-note stereotypes, mixed in with some well-intentioned nods to more character driven pieces of the time.

                            Letting go becomes the film's thematic driving force, which seems strange considering the fact that the film is a throwback, which was clearly the goal. Even when the director's signature swooping cameras, and full 360 moves start coming into play, the film attempts to merge eras in an at times jarring mix. And when the mystery plaguing the town comes to a full boil come the third act, it feels as if some vital pages were either missing, or neglected from the script, which leaves the rest of the film in mere spectacle territory, so all viewers have to fall back on is the nostalgia factor. But there is only so much nostalgia one can take before it begins to wallow, which is a deep shame since so much else seems to be working. Being a late addition to Copeland's Gen-X, this reviewer lands at something of an admirer of the film when love should have been the operative word.

Movie Review: X-Men: First Class (2011)

 

The year is 1962, and a world weaned off of several decades of conflict is once again reaching a divisive brink, as the United States and the U.S.S.R. spiral towards irrevocable conflict As The Age Of The Atom has dawned, humanity must now grapple with a newfound possibility of nuclear holocaust with casualties in the realm of the incalculable, and no likely winner. And yet beneath this cacophony of tension, another rift is brewing that could shatter the very reality so many seem to be fighting over.

Young professor-to-be, Charles Xavier(James McAvoy), just finishing college and ready to hopefully expand awareness of gifted human beings by way of genetic mutation is called upon to assist the CIA who have run afoul of a nuclear plot of unimaginable proportion. A plot spearheaded by rogue scientist, Sebastian Shaw(Kevin Bacon) who also harbors the revelation that he himself is a powerful mutant, and in the company of several "enabled" accomplices. It is within the belief of CIA agent Moira MacTaggert(Rose Byrne) that in order to thwart Shaw's plans, it is time to look toward similar individuals with their respective abilities. Little do they know that somewhere else in the world, a young & vengeful Erik Lensherr(Michael Fassbender) is on a neverending quest to track down and destroy every last remnant of the Nazi contingent he feels responsible for his painful past during the Holocaust, and is zeroing in on Shaw who in fact was once known as Dr. Schmidt, the man directly responsible for murdering his mother before his very eyes when he was a child, and unable to display his frightening magnetic power on call. With the open and empathic Charles, and the broken & angry Erik's ideologies on a collision course, the greatest conflict has yet to begin.

As a general rule, I tend to intensely dislike the very idea of a prequel as it implies not only a bit of laziness on the part of studios, incapable of looking anywhere but backward as a means to cannibalize profits from a well-worn property, but also almost always fall on the lazy side by nudging at how cool it is by referencing instead of operating freely as its own film. One doesn't even have to think very hard to see why this has become something of a bad word in certain geek circles. But there have been the occasional third base hit that not only stays true to the franchise that inspired it, but offered exciting new avenues for the franchise to breathe, and I'm happy to report that Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class fits hand in glove with Bryan Singer's first two installments in what can be considered to be one of the most universal of superhero properties.

So this is where I reiterate that enthusiasm notwishstanding, I am by no means a superhero comics fan. But the most exciting possibilities of comics that hit home with me are one with a certain tether to our reality. Ones that reveal often undermentioned truths, and perhaps explore these themes in a visceral, entertaining manner. Which in many ways is why the X-Men franchise has been one of so much potential since it's early days in the latter 60s. In fact, one could go so far as to say that the mythology of X-Men was one of the medium's master strokes implicit of the time in which it was made. And when Bryan Singer took to bat with the first film in 1999, it was clear that audiences were at long last ready to embrace the civil rights angle, as well as the CG-laden spectacle one would only expect. But what noone expected, was the attempt to ground the film in a wholly new realm of verisimilitude that has remained a powerful influence in adaptations of comics since. Even if Stephen Norrington's BLADE was a precursor of comic-to-film-ad-nauseum to come, it was Singer's rough and ready event that changed the outlook of the comic book movie forever. And then Singer & Co. took it a huge step further with X2, and it was as if the prayers of not only comic book fans, but of genre geeks of all backgrounds were answered. The bar was raised, and it seemed like the craft could only fly higher....

And then came X-Men 3...And then Origins...It was as if Fox never seemed to have a clue what they had on their hands, and decided to single-handedly destroy what goodwill had been gathered by those first two entries.

But then, it also stands to reason that one of the biggest strengths Singer brought to the first two films is not only great thematic filmmaking, but sharp use of ensemble, which is in no way an easy task for a two-hour film filled with massive special effects. The films grasped the debate between both mutant factions, as well as the human reaction to the conflict which only serves to raise the stakes against Charles, and his school of mutants in their quest for greater acceptance in the world. The writing and directing need to perform a tricky balancing act in order for us to see both Charles & Erik's points of view without reducing either's validity, and Singer's films struck that balance nicely.

Based on a story by Sheldon Turner & Bryan Singer, and a script handled by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, and Vaughn, one could only be wary by so many hands, and yet an overwhelming amount of it works seamlessly as the film adopts an almost Bondian sense of globetrotting, mixed with a classy early 1960s edge ala the legendary secret agent.

Of the many effective touches in the film, one that hits home as an admirer of the early films is the relationship between Charles & Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), a shapeshifter who's unusual appearance serves as a counterpoint to his ability to read minds and use telepathy, which cannot be outwardly seen by average people. There is a lingering sense of melancholy throughout this as those familiar know of her future role in the mythos, and knowing what they go through here only makes the first two films that much more painful. One would think that Charles' and Erik's relationship would be enough to fuel an entire film, and the fact that this is in here as well, only makes the inevitable that much more emotionally pummeling. From the initial meetings between Charles and Raven, and onto the first time he runs across Erik, it is clear that he is longing to be something of a den mother to many who feel so alienated by some uncontrollable twist of fate. There is a sincerity to McAvoy's performance that serves as a potent setup for things to come, and do they come in torrents.

As Shaw's plans with the Hellfire Club begin to advance aggressively, the CIA ( with the help of McTaggart & an open and curious Man In Black, played by Oliver Platt) open up the ability for Charles & Erik to seek out fresh & skilled mutant recruits to help stop what eventually becomes distorted history in Cuba. We are introduced to a number of young exceptionals such as Angel(Zoë Kravitz), Darwin(Edi Gathegi), Banshee(Caleb Landry Jones), Havok(Lucas Till ) , along with the already invaluable help of youth prodigy, Hank McCoy(played with awkward aplomb by Nicholas Hoult), who's own personal arc could easily have been the focal point of an entire story. And yet the overarching plot featuring our heroic few against those who would destroy us, and possibly impact historical events is handled well enough to carry several subplots that cement the classically universal themes of the original comics and films.

Which leads us to the flourishes that Vaughn's film brings to the table. As the central theme has always been one reminiscent of not only the civil rights movement of the era (which again, only makes the film's possibilities stronger), but of any great struggle for equality, the film brings its own unique stamps to the desk by going for some of the more obvious, but not as often stated struggles of the past; particularly of women in a so-called "man's world", and seething memories of enslavement. The era itself being something of a central character in the film is perhaps its masterstroke.

Division, and unification are at the core of the piece which is clearly reiterated by way of Charles as advice to Erik. The yearning for a place between rage & serenity is a difficult place to find, and this is where Erik's ultimate choice lies in view of everything he sees around him.

 In no way is this oversold throughout the film, but it is there just enough to make for some sly commentary on the era, as well as a means to bolster what comes to be Erik's ultimate calling in the film. Again, the man who would be the infamous Magneto may be seeing the other side of the argument from Xavier, but he is not merely driven by impulsive emotion. It is easy to see why his influence could be so strong, and in the hands of Fassbender, this works far better than the films first half almost implies. Vaughn's film lets us know where he stands from the beginning, and never lets us forget that even as he is elated to know that there are others out there like him, he still refuses to accept a notion of humanity ever accepting them despite all they're doing to potentially save the world. Seeing the 1960s through Erik Lensherr's eyes, division seems inevitable, with only a just purging being the reasonable option.

And what of Mr. Sebastian Shaw & Hellfire? Looking at Shaw, we can see quite well the man who would shape Erik's life by painting the vision of a charismatic, debonair monster in disguise. By making him possibly a greater ideological threat than what would come later can only conjure up horrible thoughts of what caused this man to envision an improved world with mutation reigning supreme. And yet the unexpected casting of Kevin Bacon is terrific. There is a mixture of cool-handed intelligence, Bond villain-esque humor, and ultimately simmering rage to his performance that helps us even better understand the origins of what would be the Brotherhood. Along with him are Emma Frost(January Jones), a telepath capable of deflecting another's ability to read by way of forming crystalline skin. Azazel(Jason Flemyng): a teleporter, and Riptide(Álex González), an air manipulator make up the remainder of Shaw's A-team, and are formidable as a Brotherhood prototype. With perhaps a hint of progressiveness just a stone's throw away, it feels reasonable to accept certain late additions to the team, even if it moves too quickly to feel truly earned.

Which is perhaps one of my only real issues with the film as a whole. Vaughn, fresh off of his no-studio daredevil stunt via last year's Kick-Ass is a director who embraces the general, and can move incredibly fast from plot point to plot point, which in many ways succeeds. But there are times when the whole could likely have been improved by letting the viewer breathe in the world for a little extra time. Two good opportunities lie with the early days between Charles and Erik. It is efficiently told for sure, but at times it feels as if there is one more good philosophical conversation missing between the two. And this is made up for by a great moment in the second half which is almost marred by an overbearing score by Henry Jackman.(I'll get back to that in a tic)And this also happens after the death of a character. There is a need for our young recruits to truly clock the stakes at hand, and it all passes by too quickly. Again, this is minor, but to have gone any faster would have undermined the film's already loaded storyline, and thereby hurting the inevitable payoff, which inevitably works in a lovely fashion. Vaughn and company deftly dodge that, and offer a solid thesis on how we came to be in the universe we have seen in the more standout films of the franchise to date, finally making this a successful trilogy of sorts. (the feeling of forgetting that X3 ever happened, and that this fits well as part ONE, makes for a doubly satisfying experience.)

I just wish the score were differently handled. As serviceable and fun the Jackman music is, it is far too modern rock score for the era we are witnessing, and a tale like this is classical in nature, which calls for something closer to John Ottman's music for X2. A minor quibble perhaps, but there it is. A film with this much class, and thoughfulness deserves nothing less.

And yet despite these minor gripes, there is much to love about X-Men: First Class. It is a welcome return to the emotional center of what makes this cast of characters so endearing, and relatable. And it serves as a smart & sleek counter part to other above par comic book adaptations. It proves that one doesn't have to be grim & overbearing, or drunk on familiarity to sell a successful action fantasy. X-Men is a mythos that deserves nothing less than careful exploration, and can offer new dimensions far into the future as so many of us at one time or another have felt ostracized for being "different". It is a testament to something inherently human, which is why comics themselves can be important in responsible, intelligent hands. And yes, it can kick royal ass when necessary.

Which is why Vaughn's film is an unmitigated success; it both compliments the best elements of Singer's films, and infuses this backstory with both a sense of adventure and impending tragedy that could easily have been another studio cash-grab. From script to cast, this is an unexpected return to form for a franchise long in the muck due to one bureaucratic miscalculation or another. It is also telling that Vaughn had been one of the directors attached to X3 before having to drop. It feels very much like he has had a great X-Men film in him brewing for a long time. And perhaps that extra few years was a necessary  for this particular brewing period in order to make this happen. And if that's the case, it's time to break into the tap, because X-Men is back, and possibly better than ever.

The Ending Of Fight Club & The Science Of The Exploding Shark

Spoilers lie for Fight Club & Jaws. You Have Been Warned!

Imagine if you will; your nth draft of your proposed film project has finally been green lit, and with a respected name director attached to helm it. The production process works like a dream. It all seems to be going beautifully, despite the fact that we're months off from final edit, and its pretty foggy at this point as to whether or not we know that the vision of the film works as a potent, cohesive whole. Millions of dollars spent on what can fairly be called something of a massive gamble. From the signs of all involved, all seems well.

But then a creeping worry arrives.

Your finale leaves the reader/potential viewer in a bit of a quandary. The hero needs that one last push. That final bit of oomph that can take the project into a potentially crowd-pleasing stratosphere. Problem is, that up until shooting, the film was hewing pretty close to some manner of reality. And the only logical thing to do with a story that has done so well until now, is to take a risk, and do the possibly unthinkable.

That's right....We pull an exploding shark.

Now what prompted all this was an old discussion regarding the Jeff Uhls penned, David Fincher directed subversive cult classic, Fight Club, when many have complained regarding the final denoument. As our narrator (namelessly played by Edward Norton) has finally revealed to us, not only his long-in-denial alternate personality in hunky mangod revolutionary, Tyler Durden (an unforgettable Brad Pitt), but their mad plan for destroying several blocks of credit card company buildings as part of their now nearly out of control, Project Mayhem moves into legend territory. The "hapless" captive in "narrator" soon realizes that in order to defeat Tyler from his mind, there is only one logical conclusion seeing as how the gun in Tyler's hand moments before, is really in his. The ensuing gunshot into his mouth, is seen coming out of the back of his cheek which soon is clocked by Tyler who smells smoke, and then succumbs to what looks like a perfect bullet wound out of the back of his head. While much of this is close in many ways to the Chuck Palahniuk novel of the same name, the big change comes when the thought captured Marla Singer comes back into the picture to find our narrator with the bullet wound, and very much alive as the bombs go off, setting everything back to (possibly) zero.

Mixing this with the giddy/creepy strands of the Pixies classic, "Where Is My Mind?, we are given the Tyler Durden special before credits roll. Now the complaints come as this in many ways seems unjustifiably bizarre, and not to mention screwy as the novel ends with narrator in hospital, tended to by nurses who seem to know that certain plans are still in motion. Now as much as I love that book's ending, it is by no means cinema-worthy. Especially in a film so rife with some of the most uncompromising notions, and actions ever captured in a mainstream release. The explaination I often offer is that in 1999, there was a great anxiety regarding the coming milennium that had been building up over the years prior, and perhaps that was in perfect alignment to even allow Palahniuk's novel to be opted into a large-scale production complete with name stars, some astounding CG-animation, special effects, and product placement so brilliant, it could only be IN a novel. Fight Club is simply a film that has NO place in a multiplex, and yet there it is...for all to see..Black blood & all.

Which leads me to something I mentioned via Twitter earlier today. Perhaps a means must be shared to help explaina way the difference between mediums. Especially the difference between independent, and large scale films. As well as films versus literature. And since film is cemented in the language of the immediate, there are varying ways to play with source material that doesn't stray too terribly far, and yet seems..well..out of this world.

So in the spirit of Jumping The Shark, or Deus Ex Machina, and for internet's sake, let's just call this phenomenon #explodingshark.

This is when a film is working on a multitude of levels, and by some minute decision, a change is made to the main character's final actions that border on straining whatever credulity that the preceding two-hours had established. Or maybe not straining so much as takes liberties with them in a final wild push.

The name, naturally comes from the story of possibly the ultimate surprise success story, the production of JAWS when the then still up-and-coming Steven Spielberg, beset by a number of production problems, came up with a peculiar new death for the film's titular Great White menace. Upon bringing this up to original novelist, Peter Benchley, a fairly knowledgable name regarding maritime life, and oceanic survival protested that for Brody in the now nearly completely sunken Orca, to in fact shoot the aqualung recently shoved in the shark's maw, the ensuing reaction would be nothing as aqualungs do not explode when shot.

Spielberg's response is nothing if not iconic, and telling:

"I have the audience in the palm of my hand by this point. They will believe anything I tell them!"

And how much was that decision worth? Oh, well over $260,000,000 in its initial run, the birth of the summer blockbuster, and a firm place in Hollywood history.

What Benchley eventually granted to Spielberg, was that film language by its very nature is very different. The emotional release from that film's wild assortment of tension, and memorable characters hit home in all the best populist forms. But this is far from a fix when regarding films made years after. We've seen time and again that it takes a certain alchemy of stoytelling, editing, performance, and energy to captivate an audience and suspend disbelief with such efficiency. And as audiences have grown to become more discerning by the year, the challenge becomes even greater when considering this rarely used narrative trump card.

Now again, only certain films with a certain propulsive quality that seem to be working on multiple levels can earn an #explodingshark card. These things are not cheap by any means, and can only be used once per film. Overplay these, and the audience can turn on you. (see M.Night Shymalan) The operative idea is for filmmakers to pick their shots, and only use them when instincts seem in alignment with the planets. Films need to earn moments like these, and often they don't, and just come out of the blue. (strangely enough, the last Gamera film I reviewed does have this problem at the very end, but the film is so lightweight in many ways that it hardly bears mentioning.)

So an #exploding shark is something that can be considered anathema by most major studios, particlarly in a time most desperate for a definitive financial success. The race has become even more intense due to changes in moviegoer habits, and has many studios running scared of taking even the most innocuous of risks, which is a shame. So in looking back at the mentioned Fight Club change, it seems more than understandable for a near 50 million dollar production to go in what can still be considered a (literally) ballsy fashion. Laughing mockingly at a coming decade of eschewed risk, and diminished returns. More and more, it seems like a perfect choice. And if not perfect, fitting (which is still great considering that this is a film that with it's rampant anti-consumerism, and near -again, mockingly- fascist bent, in no way could ever be green lit by a studio now. It remains a monumental rarity in the landscape of Hollywood.).


So naturally, a caveat had to be made. Especially a caveat in spirit of the often incredibly dark and freewheeling humor the film heaped upon its audience. To perhaps view the finale as a sort of surreal, alternate reality in the narrator's mind seems very much in keeping with the established themes, and in many ways, doesn't step beyond the bounds of what the film had established. It's catharsis by anarchy. (Catharsis being the operative word in the reason, even if it doesn't fit within common logic's rhyme. )

Have you ever found yourself at the mercy of an #explodingshark? Was there a final movie moment that seemed particularly created just to amp up the vibes coming off the screen? Let us know!

Making Up For Missing Out?

In no way is this news any compensation for the fact that I'm likely missing the L.A. concert event of my year with YMO/Cibo Matto at The Hollywood Bowl, but the thought that much of my anime convention time is set to be monopolized by two unusual high-tempo import concerts means that it's time for me to prep for what'll likely make for an interesting report. If there has been any flicker regarding guest appearances at this year's Anime Expo, it has got to be the news regarding its musical battery which includes two out-of-the-blue L.A. debuts. Strangely, these are two acts that I have a) been listening to on and off for well over two years, and b) would never in a million, ever considered seeing them on these shores.

First will be the Yuki Kajiura borne project Kalafina, which consists of three vocalists in a wildly dramatic mix of anime-infused energy, and gothic melodies. Having originally been created for the Kara no Kyokai series, the project has grown into something of a beyond the medium powerhouse who have also provided songs for the recent tv hit, Puelle Magi Madoka Magika. There is a flare for the grand scale that is truly impressive, and as exhibited by this clip, something of a terrific live presence as well.



Secondly at Nokia Theater, comes the even less likely concert appearance, even if they are not even human. The growing legend of YAMAHA's VOCALOID has been something I've been closely following since roughly 2007. And while I still regard reigning software icon, Hatsune Miku are something of the Sharon Apple Beta Version, there's always been something of a grand curiosity within me to witness a virtual concert for myself. And now, it looks like the aqua-haired chanteuse will have her first US audience, and there was no way I was to miss something so singularly surreal.

For those still not familiar...



Again, how these in any way make up for Sakamoto, Hosono, Takahashi, alongside Buffalo Daughter & Cibo Matto, I have no idea. But there is enough potential for excitement and curiosity for this particular party.

Stay Tuned Here, Or At Anime Diet For Further News As It Hits!

Week(s) In Watching: Late May 2011 Report

As a three day weekend comes to something of a relaxed close, it felt like a pretty good time to go ahead and share some thoughts on a number of things watched over the last few weeks. And since Gamera: Revenge Of Iris is nowhere to be seen on Blu-ray, this feels like a good place to follow up my reviews for Kaneko's first two monster entries. And while the majority of what's been playing in the domicile veers relatively far from the Kaiju side of things, I'm sure there'll be something worth examining here as many of these are re-watches that are telling of how much certain views of them remain the same, versus others that may have changed over time (or rather, post-film education, podcasting, reading, etc.). It is an interesting thing to re-evaluate something that at one time may have had a more prescient place in the heart. But before getting to all that, here's something I wasn't sure was going to wind up on these pages...

Midnight Eagle (2007)

Oh boy. If there is anything regarding J-cinema that hurts like a rock in the shoe, it's television-laced sentimentalism, and artifice. And that pretty much oozes throughout Izuru Narushima's adaptation of Tetsuo Takashima's political thriller novel.It's the story of respected photojournalist Yuji Nishizaki (played half asleep by Takao Osawa), who's work covering not only war-torn lands in an unnamed Middle Eastern nation, but of vast mountain ranges becomes witness to what looks to be the downing of a U.S. aircraft into the snowy Northern Alps of Japan, where he is enlisted to attempt to cover the story, which could very well blow the lid off of several parties looking to gather the remains of the plane by any means necessary. The plot grows more suspicious when it is revealed that the pilots were not as one may assume, and the aforementioned unnamed parties are in hot pursuit of those responsible in order to silence them. All the while, Nishizaki & magazine rep, Ochiai are in the mountains, surrounded by not only JSSDF, but another unnamed party with full knowledge of a terrible secret, an explosive nuclear payload within the remains of the plane! And we haven't even mentioned Nishizaki's estranged son, his (also journalist) sister-in-law (Yuko Takeuchi) looking to gain custody, the Japanese Prime Minister looking to do the right thing, and a group of (again nationality unnamed) refugees chased by men with coats and guns. What it all adds up to, is a slow, tonally uneven piece that careens headlong into melodramatic (There are still apparently many in Japan who found Michael Bay's ARMAGEDDON impressive, and influential.) territory.

To muddle matters even further, is a clear decision to not name opposition. This treading on thin ice approach is not only naked, but it serves to make matters even more confusing than the film has to. Especially in nearly a decade after S.Korea took on regional tensions to great success with Shiri(1999), this feels ill-concieved, not to mention murky in the storytelling department. If we are meant to feel any sympathy for the refugee characters, let alone our heroes, it takes much more than showing a cute kid, and some treacly photos to make the viewer care about any of this. And considering the subject matter (US aircraft involved in potential conspiracy opening rifts between the long, tenuous relationship between the american military and the JSSDF, and the ramifications of Article 9.), this could have been a golden opportunity to further explore the debate in a way that Mamoru Oshii & Kazunori Ito so eloquently did with an anime film (Patlabor 2 - 1993). But as it stands, the film opts for languid pacing, tin characterization, and forced sentimentalization to wrench whatever crocodile tears it can. It's the type of film that requires the audience to know who is what, and what is at stake beyond the nuclear threat to drive such themes home, and as a movie experience, Midnight Eagle fails to do any of this. In fact, one can even argue that once the scripts comes to an impasse with the political plot, it cops the nuclear finale as a last resort. If one is willing to explore touchy subject matter, it's best to go as far as one can, or not at all. And From the looks of things, it feels as if there wasn't enough from the getgo to even warrant a release. JSSDF involvement, or no. It lacks the punch required to make something like this truly work, and is indicative of many trends bogging down recent Japanese film. It's like directing in a vacuum; cold, empty, and utterly devoid of risk. File Under: dreadfully dull.

And it isn't even that this is the kind of film to normally even be considered for the Kaijyu, but rather the spiritual connection to Patlabor 2 hovers over the film like a cloud. But the big obvious difference here, is that even when Oshii's film opts to give a little to the mecha otaku near the finale, it reverts quite nicely into the central debate, which ME clearly forgets halfway through the film.




Thank goodness for antidotes. Especially older, still potent antidotes!

Had the chance to spend some time in early 90s Hong Kong this last week with another semi-annual ritual  viewing of  John Woo's initial goodbye to British HK, Hard Boiled(1992), and it remains one of the last truly astounding pre-CG action achievements. Sure, it's loud, cartoony, completely illogical, and over the top, but hey, the film knows exactly what it is, and delivers the goods without regret. For those unlucky five who haven't seen the film, it is essentially a bombastic precursor for Andrew Lau's Infernal Affairs films, and the ultimate primer for virtually every first person shooter ever created. Simple plot: Renegade cop, Tequila (played with every last bit of charisma by Chow Yun Fat) is on the trail of the Triad baddies who's trail left him without a partner, leading him to a bright & dangerous killer(a still fresh-faced & pre-dramatic legend, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) who's obviously more than he seems. Mix in an almost meta-now Anthony Wong as the unstable gun runner, Johnny Wong, along with Phillip Chan, Teresa Mo & martial arts favorite Philip Kwok, and one has a "they truly don't make-em like this anymore" good time complete with insane stunts, pyrotechnics galore, and some great drama to hold it all together. It almost doesn't even warrant posting since this has become such a part of cine-geek royalty, but it just stands to reason. Woo's film was meant to be something of a Dirty Harry-styled epic sendoff before his mixed trip overseas, and it remains an influential piece of action cinema that any admirer of genre shouldn't miss. The mention here comes courtesy of finally getting claws on a copy of the Blu-ray, which for better or worse is lacking the trailer which is mentioned in the print (false advertising chaps, no matter what), and the three-year-old Dragon Dynasty commentary by Bey Logan is still very informative, if a bit dry. Either way, all this recent talk of a sequel/remake of Woo's films remains as ineffective for this writer, as it seems that more than ever, action films are at a place where story comes first. But can these projects ever come as close to death-defying as they were back in HK's heyday? Doubtful.



As for anime, well I guess it's going to be hard to be considered anything but a yearning for nostalgia, which in some ways can be true. But giving some old favorites a good re-watch lately has been interesting. Now granted a part of me is looking for a means to better explain these thoughts, as Anime Diet is in need of some more 80s anime discussion. But I will share here for now that these thoughts involve shows made during the early days of the OVA, and considering how rocky and still untested the medium was, the results were often mixed to almost revolutionary for an industry that remains shackled to an antiquated tv-based model. Again, now isn't the time to go into it all, but for now...

Into The Wild Reviews: Gamera Attack Of The Legion (1996)

                      

After the sudden success of Daiei's revival of its long-mordant kaiju icon, it was clear that the throne of Japan's big baddies was suddenly up for grabs. Which is why it was only natural to follow up the Shusuke Kaneko/ Shinji Higuchi hit that newly heated iron with all rockets bursting. Only a little over a year since the previous film, it was time to deliver a to-the-nines action piece with attitude to spare. Now a full-fledged new franchise, Gamera Tsu: Legion Shurai (Attack Of The Legion) comes at the audience with everything a bigger budgeted sequel could offer in terms of thrill factor.

                                Opening the film, we are witness to a Japan amidst reconstruction, and unyielding concerns regarding the whereabouts of Gamera, whom many still consider a threat to humanity. Trouble almost immediately rears its head with a bizarre series of meteor showers that end with a significant impact within the mountains of Hokkaido. Initially there with a busload of touring children, Youth Science Museum team member, Midori Honami (Miki Mizuno of Gilgamesh Night fame) witnesses the intense crash that ends with the supposed meteorite "vanishing" to the bewilderment of the scientific community.

                            No sooner does this happen that even more puzzling, and violent attacks on humans begin taking place, including a terrifying attack on the Sapporo train system. As the military, and scientists scramble to explain the rash of events, the ravaging insectoid horde creates a nestlike cocoon, along with plantlike vegetation around major structures in the city. And it is only after a massive attempt by the JSSDF, a familiar roar is heard, and the giant turtle returns for what could very well be a shocking final battle.

                             Now unburdnened by the admittedly hackneyed attempt to unveil the shelled-avenger via a so-called mystery plot in the previous film, Gamera: Attack Of The Legion hits the pavement with both feet firmly planted, delivering an aggressively paced actioner, complete with a significant upgrade in visual effects. True to Kaneko's rendition of the monster mythos, it is schlocky fun, but schlocky fun done right. By this point in tokusatsu history, the vernacular as explained last time is dished out in truckloads, and also ups the monster battle ante by offering one of the more intimidating villains in the genre's history; an army of large symbiotically linked, Hercules-beetle-like creatures that are attracted to electromagnetic waves, and overwhelm simply by their increasing numbers. Only made all the more trying by them protecting...SURPRISE..A giant, flying queen. Make no mistake, this is ALIENS to Gamera: GOU's ALIEN. A film that knows what has come before, and just gets on with the proceedings with gusto, not to mention real stakes.

                             And the stakes come in several well-implemented touches; Firstly, Gamera. As tough as this creature can be, to see Legion unleash its fury upon our hero is a truly impressive, and in some ways, unsettling sight. Second, this interstellar threat's predilection for the aforementioned waves also carries with it an additional battery of nasty. (Sure, one can attempt to quell the problem in Sapporo. But what about Tokyo?) Furthermore, with the public still concerned about where the giant turtle stands with us, the military are ready to consider taking out both sets of monsters if necessary. (Where's the Z-Plan when you need it?) So it's up to Honami, Colonel Watarase (played by Toshiyuki Nagashima), and others to fight to survive, and perhaps once and for all, see who's side Gamera truly is on.

No sooner that all of this madness comes down like an avalanche that we also see that Gamera's human contact from last time, Asagi Kusanagi (a seemingly shoehorned, but still welcome Ayako Fujitani) is almost among the many victims of Legion attacks after returning from a skiing trip.(???)

                             It is here that the film's want to have its cake and so-on almost detours the film into vintage 60s-70s Gamera sillyville. Thankfully, the urgency of the movie's running time helps from making matters more glaring than they have to. And even with Kazunori Ito serving writing duties, it is clear that this project is one of great admiration for the genre, and attempts to have fun paying tribute while making good on the action side. The cast is fun, but again nowhere near as exciting to watch as the meticulously crafted chaos takes place around them. Higuchi & Co. craft some truly memorable battle sequences this time around, utilizing some very clever camerawork, along with some interesting uses of CG animation for certain biological effects. But it is the image of an overwhelmed Gamera that sticks like a sliver in the brain. One can imagine some childhood nightmares being borne out of this moment.

                                 Again, the film also teeters into the expected hokum with egregious overacting, overlong takes, and some seriously dopey dialogue. But as mentioned, this is a style of filmmaking borne out of years of making giant monster films for largely young audiences. Naturally, kaiju films would have to evolve in some form after all those years, and in doing so, it was largely in two places a) the special effects and b) a sense of continuity. Thankfully, the Heisei Gamera films as slight as they can be, have an interesting thematic bridge between them in the concern for the monster's role in the lives of the people of Japan, as well as the possibility that we may very well become the greatest threat Earth has ever known. How different does it see us next to the ravaging masses of the fearsome Legion?

                         So the second entry in the Heisei Gamera series is nothing short of summer-movie style fun, high on energy, and short on logic (What's with that finishing move? Never seen Gamera do THAT before!). Yet it pays off the first film in many ways. And even carries with it sobering notions that may hit closer to home now than back in 1996. "Could we be destroyed by the little ones, or the BIG one?" The stigma of having to live in the shadow of calamity has long been a staple of Japanese myth, and yet somehow, the kaiju film has worn many hats since Gojira became legend in 1954. Not the least of which is to help us better cope with the difficulties within worlds we share, as well as alter on a daily basis.

Into The Wild Reviews: Gamera Guardian Of The Universe (1995)

"Sometimes you gotta fight for your right to have a monster!"  - Tori Amos

Upon first venturing this blog as an extension of the wall of busy that I often find myself chasing regularly, one of the prime inspirations was that of my love of not only reviewing the kinds of movies and media that pique the curiosity, but also of favorites from years past. Which leads to the site's namesake which hopefully aptly describes the often scattershot focus of material covered, as well as my adoration for old Japanese genre works which played almost ritualistically in the family home as a child. This upcoming review, while of a film reboot made over sixteen years ago, helps represent a major shift in not only how I enjoyed this style of work, but of how I looked at it in a broader context. As often as some may gripe about my giving giant monster movies a pass, while megadollar Disney revisions a brutal shaft, it's important to consider the mighty word..intent..

                                  Hard to believe it's been sixteen years since the theatrical re-interpretation of Daiei's rocket powered, hard-shelled answer to the big G hit Japanese screens with a more than welcome reception, and granted the classic kaiju feature a spectacular new visual arsenal. Combining the sure-handed direction of former Nikkatsu director, Shusuke Kaneko (later known for his films based upon the popular Death Note manga series), alongside former Gainax luminary & storyboard mastermind, Shinji Higuchi, and featuring script by Mamoru Oshii stalwart, Kazunori Ito, this version of the often laughable Gamera franchise that started in the wake of a Gojira-taming period in the 1960s, is a much more serious, kinetic affair that gives the origin of the legendary "Friend To All Children" a refreshing spin.

Beginning somewhere south of Japan, near the Philippines, a trawler carrying a hidden cache of plutonium runs into what is initially assumed to be a strange, "moving" atoll. Upon closer inspection, the so-called mini-island hosts dozens upon dozens of metallic mitama-shaped objects that are naturally collected, until crew members run across a stone slab covered in archaic writing inscribed into it. But after a few pictures are taken, and before further analysis could be made, a tremor hits the atoll, destroying the slab and throwing crew members into the ocean where one of them for a brief moment sees the terrifying vision of this questionable island...staring right back at them.

As this bizarre discovery unfolds, other nearby islands are experiencing attacks by what some are calling giant birds. The discovery enlists the expertise of scientist Mayumi Nagamine (Shinobu Nakayama of Fist Of Legend & Rakutenshi fame) with the assistance of bumbling inspector Osako (Yukijiro Hotaru), to which they help piece together the mystery that these two grand scale events are (surprise!) directly co-related. Soon, both investigating parties convene, while one of the investigators hands one of the many found mitama-amulets from earlier to the daughter of head sleuth, Kusanagi. And it is here, that the connection between child and you-know-who comes into play. And not a moment too soon as the flying enemy (behold, the return of fan favorite, Gyaos!) is on the advance(and possibly growing in number), and no military force seems capable of stopping them!

Not if this shellfull of turtle-meated badassedness has anything to say about it.

And that's pretty much the plot of this initial entry, which pretty much sticks to the formula of many a kaiju favorite. But what Gamera: Guardian Of The Universe lacks in terms of story nuance, it more than makes up for in sheer energy, and visual punch. Even as a costumed actors-in-suits rolling around detailed miniatures are concerned, the craft, cinematography, and editing congeal in ways that the Heisei Gojira films just weren't delivering at the time. There is a gravity and energy to the monster battles in this piece that while still scream toy set disaster time at the playpen, there is also a true feeling of enthusiasm for the work that truly goes a long way for films of this ilk. There is even a "humans attempt large scale plan to save Tokyo" sequence that works to nice effect. And while the Gyaos closeup effects resemble little more than done-up hand puppets at times, the articulation is much more versatile than its previous appearance in Gamera Vs. Gyaos in 1967. We even have a spirited take on the "attack the local train line" scene, which works.There are even some aerial battles here that are pretty reminiscent of indelible images from the classic Gainax anime, Shin Seiki Evangelion. And possibly the biggest standout image of them all is of a Gyaos perched into a nest-like crater made out of the Tokyo Tower as the sun grants us a startling visage.

Of the new decisions made to this rendition of the monsters, the concept that Gamera was in fact created to counter the advance of the also human-made Gyaos hordes is an interesting switch to the admittedly throwaway ancient god idea of the original. Adding a dose of ecological message not only granted Gamera a timeliness closer in tone to the original Gojira, but it also plants humanity square in the moral quagmire, as Gyaos was initially designed to cleanse the Earth from polluting forces. It makes Gamera on one hand our guardian, but it also makes the viewer wonder to which extent does this trust stretch. The implication that our bond with the legendary turtle is tentative at best helps set up a new franchise nicely.

And what of the human element in the film? Again, as far as these films tend to go, the humans are rarely given much shrift to work with, and with this one it's no exception. The acting is hammy at best, and awkward at worst. Which for most other films would be the kiss of death. But for this writer, this comes as no real shakes since when one considers it, kaiju, as well as most tokusatsu films are known for stilted acting, and occasional screen mugging (the classic "gasp" look always comes to mind). In fact, it has become part of the vernacular. When one watches a Kaneko film, or any other piece from the JFX world, it's almost expected. Regardless, the presence of Nakayama & veteran Onodera as Naoya Kusanagi are more than welcome. But even if little is done with the character, the real standout is Ayako Fujitani (Shiki-Jitsu) who's mostly unspoken connection with the heroic creature still carries visual impact. (Could it be the stare? Sidenote: Fujitani is also widely known as the daughter of the one-and-only Steven Segal) 

Another thing one can't help noticing this go-round is the multiple nods made to other films made around the time of the film's 1995 release. And when one thinks giant reptilian creatures on a rampage, and munching down on anything running on two legs, one can only really consider Jurassic Park(1993) for the expected samples. From the gag-inducing diet-check scene, to even a few snatches of Kou Otani's otherwise excellent score, it's clear that Kaneko & Co. took big notice of Spielberg's CG-drowned monsterfest.

So the first entry into Gamera's Heisei Era remains something of a kaiju classic. And while it still requires quite a bit more seriousness, and power to match that of the Great heavyweight, Gamera: Guardian Of The Universe at sixteen years continues to be a wholly entertaining marriage of FX schools, and genre era. It's cheeky enough for some great laughs, but it also offers some serious bang for monster-loving buck. Of the big G is still the king, then little G is the immovable prince. And with three more movies (including a well-noted "fan film", and a more recent "inspired"-style piece.) it was clear that this Testudine icon still bore some fire within.