I Just Watched (Films)

[Maturin]

For me, Mad Max 2 Road Warrior beats it hands down. One of my favourite films of the 80s.

[Achtung Englander]

Death In Venice (1971)

I kinda enjoyed it. Its beautifully filmed. The film became an icon of gay cinema, but for me the story is deeper than sexuality, I read it as lost love (because the main character Aschenbach loses his daughter when she was a toddler) similar to the ending of Walkabout. For me Aschenbach, who is a composer struggling to find beauty, is an awe when he sees, in his eyes, someone who is flawless. The use of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 in the ending scene is pure cinema.
8/10

The Most Beautiful Boy in the World

So this is a documentary about the young lad who played Tadzio in the film. The documentary delves into how he was used as a sex icon, especially among the gay community, even though he was not gay. The film was too long. It would have made a fascinating 1 hour documentary as a lot was filler. The entire cinematic career of Björn Andrésen, which would have been interesting, was just completely skipped. It was unfulfilling and the ironic thing is that film explores exploitation while at the same time exploitating the fact Andrésen discovered his mum committed suicide. I just came away with the impression the guy was still being used.
5/10

[Raid]

The Rock

Another one of those films that I probably ought to have watched, like, 20 years ago. Is there a director with as consistent and recognisable a style as Michael Bay? Military fetishism, gigantic American flags, that below-the-chin panning shot, hilariously bad dialogue, it's all here. It's that pretty unique American patriotism that I find so unnatural, almost a little disturbing. Was Bay's style cool in the 90s? I have no idea, but I seem to remember this one was pretty highly regarded.

But despite all of this, it's a massively enjoyable, dumb action film. I'm not sure the effect it had was intentional exactly, less shock and awe and more guffaw. I was laughing out loud constantly from the sheer absurdity of it all. Nick Cage is just brilliant throughout, his dialogue is awful, and he leans into it with such commitment while at the same time bouncing off the walls as if he's high as a kite the whole time. He's one of my favourite bad actors. Connery's great too. The whole cast is good really, they all perform perfectly for the style of the film; over-the-top, overly dramatic, always shouting as if their trousers are on fire, it's very consistent.

I don't generally like Michael Bay films, but I very much enjoyed this one.

[Mantis]

Haven't seen it for years but it's one of my favourite Nick Cage romps. Him and Connery are hilarious in it.

[Raid]

Outlaw King (Netflix)

Pretty good. I can't really speak for the historical accuracy as it's a period of history I know embarrassingly little about, but it makes for an enjoyable film. It's well shot and well acted. I know there are fairly strong feelings about non-Scots playing major figures in Scottish history, and I do question Chris Pine's casting as Robert the Bruce, but I don't think it's offensive. He just seems a bit vacant throughout, and in his rousing pre-battle speech his accent perhaps veers a little towards Swedish, but otherwise he's fine, I guess. You do get to see his penis, which I suppose is probably a good thing for some of the audience? The scenery is probably the better pornography; there are some stunningly beautiful shots in this that would make New Zealand blush.

[Achtung Englander]

Locke

Tom Hardy in a car talking on the phone for 80 min To think this actually got a theatrical run.

According to IMDB the film cost $2 million to make. That is unbelievable.

3/10

[Solitaire]

The Last Samurai

This is one of those films that I'll come across half-way through on the telly and plop myself down to watch the rest. I bought the DVD for $3 at a Goodwill store last year. Was interesting listening to the director's commentary.

There's an unexpected amount of emotion that is involved in my relationship with this movie. For one thing, I spent three amazing years in Japan, as a boy aged six to nine, and believe me when I say that being a left-handed blonde kid with glasses was an odd thing to be in mid-70s Japan; I really stood out from the crowds. Always treated amazingly well by everyone. I wandered around by myself countless times, without a single issue ever. I could sing all the Japanese commercials, in fact I can still sing "Sukiyaki" in the original, to this day. I watched anime decades before most in the West even knew what that word meant. My superheroes were Ultraman and Captain Harlock. I didn't know who Batman was until I was in my teens.

Tom Cruise has fascinated and perplexed me as an actor and human being, ever since "Risky Business." I've got a roller coaster of feelings about the guy, which I've expressed a bit elsewhere. Suffice to say that I have grudgingly accepted his work ethic over the last two decades, and honestly enjoyed his various sci-fi outings. They're some of the best out there. Of course, this is late-era Feudal Nippon, and I was wondering when I first watched this movie if I'd be able to suspend my disbelief for even a moment.

Not to worry, though. I think this is one of his better, more complex roles. He plays a deeply flawed man in this movie. If I think about it too much, I should be hoping he dies in the first combat clash. It's awesome, because I find myself loathing the character, not the actor. This is an achievement on his part. And as the movie progresses, his character believably grows as a human, comes to some sort of grip with his horrible past, and winds up quietly "winning" in the end. His counterpart and co-protagonist is a fascinating samurai played with remarkable subtly by Ken Watanabe. The dialog manages to capture some of the intricacies of Japanese social interactions, without overexplaining.

There's lots of silliness, like the ridiculous overacting by *everyone* in the finale battle as just one example. This whole movie was inspired by a historical figure but that's just about where the similarities end, from what I can gather. Late stage feudal Japan is recreated rather faithfully. Most of the sword fighting is brilliantly choreographed - there's something to be said about the Japanese way of swordsmanship compared with other cultures and continents. Wonder what I'm getting at? Watch a few minutes of kendo on YouTube and you'll understand immediately. Fights last seconds.

If you can get your mitts on the DVD, watch this with the director's commentary. Lots of interesting tidbits. This is one of my top ten movies of "all time" or at least my lifetime.

[Raid]

I have actually seen Last Samurai, but it's so long ago that I barely remember any of it. I've held off rewatching it (It showed up on Netflix or Prime recently) thinking it'll just be another example of whitewashing. I know there's a story reason for Cruise's character being there, but there was always going to be a distinct possibility of it being "white man tries to save noble foreigners". Still, with a top 10 recommendation, I'll give it another try.

[Rossell]

It's also been a while since I've seen Last Samurai but I remember coming out of it having enjoyed it. Will put that on the rewatch list for the year methinks.

[Snowy]

Hmm good shout Todd, I remember enjoying the film but not seen it in decades. Doesn't Timothy Spall star alongside Cruise too?

[Animalmother]

Saw it in the cinema but don't think I've ever rewatched since. The over acting annoyed me at the time, might give it another look soon. I do remember Billy Connolly is in it.

[Solitaire]

I have actually seen Last Samurai, but it's so long ago that I barely remember any of it. I've held off rewatching it (It showed up on Netflix or Prime recently) thinking it'll just be another example of whitewashing. I know there's a story reason for Cruise's character being there, but there was always going to be a distinct possibility of it being "white man tries to save noble foreigners". Still, with a top 10 recommendation, I'll give it another try.

It can certainly give that impression, especially since Cruise's character does a massive arc from "drunken lout murderer" to "white guy samurai" - but only sorta. It's not like he hasn't seen combat. He's a war veteran, and they used swords like crazy back in the days of manual reloading muskets and such. It's not a huge stretch that this guy finds his religion, so to speak, in the calming ways of Buddhism and the relentlessly efficient kendo style of swordsmanship practiced by the samurai. And yes, the final scene where he's handing over Katsumoto's swords to the Emperor feels gratuitous, but the character has kinda earned that privilege I think, seeing how devoted he's become to the cause of the samurai.

It feels to me, in other words, that the beginning of the movie sets up Cruise's character as the 'white knight' there to save the people, but he ends up being steamrolled, almost killed, and then spends a dreadful winter in alcohol withdrawals and being taught humility, by force, all while coming to appreciate the culture. The director throws in some subtle scenes, as well, like Algren having flashbacks to murdering Native Americans, while he's now watching and coming to admire the feudal Japanese culture, which is being decimated by modern society just like what happened in America. Did those Native Americans also have an intricate culture full of love, devotion, and hard work, that was never understood because stupid white guys just wanted their land? Absolutely, and now Algren has to truly mourn those innocents. He has to face all of this, all at once during this winter in the mountains, and I think his regrets from his previous life give him a purpose moving forward. He wants to protect these samurai and their lifestyle, their families, as much as they want it protected, and he's willing to die alongside them. He's not a superhero white knight, just another cog in the machinery, trying to fight back against a relentless enemy.

Of course, he has to survive to the end of the movie, it's a movie after all and he's the main character, although the movie isn't titled for him, as I've come to understand, but for Katsumoto-sama. But I can appreciate such compromises. And I've come to love the movie over the course of years, and much re-watching, and the director commentary as well.

(Sorry to prattle on about it! I didn't know I had so much to say about this movie. And yes, Ian, Timothy Spall does a fine job as a foreign journalist, seeming to be the person who "tells the tale" since he's taken photos and also has Algren's journals, and been witness to so much.)

[Raid]

Face / Off



9/10.

[Raid]

Kingdom of Heaven

Is.... is this supposed to be well regarded? It's a Ridley Scott film released five years after Gladiator, so I'm guessing the expectations were high, and it has 4.5 / 5 on Amazon. I suppose it's probably technically good from a filmmaking perspective, but it's just so cringeworthy.

Why is this blacksmith from rural France the only person in the desert that understands the importance of water? He literally arrives in his newly discovered Middle Eastern fiefdom and tells his people that the reason they've not been thriving is because nobody has thought to dig a well. Bloom's character is honourable to the point of tedium - suicidal so long as he defends the people.

And then there's the issue that this film about the conflict between Christians and Muslims was released in 2005, two years after the start of the second Gulf war. I can't decide whether the message is that religious conflict is ultimately futile or that the West should stay out of the Middle East. The piles of Christian bodies and glorification of the concept of Knighthood aren't exactly subtle.

Honestly the only thing I found enjoyable was Jeremy Irons doing his usual thing of dripping venom with every syllable.

And Eva Green is as believable a Middle-Eastern princess / queen as I am. I really hope I'm missing some historical context, because I don't think that a shitload of eye makeup really works for her supposed background.

Good grief, it's rubbish.

[Mantis]

I'm pretty sure the king in question at the time who had leprosy is meant to be a French one, so she technically isn't an actual Middle-Eastern character, she's his sister I believe so her appearance fits in with it.

The theatrical cut is pretty poor but I distinctly recall coming away from the directors cut thinking that overall it was a far better movie. Can't really recall why though as the issues highlighted above are mostly still present I'm sure. I think the extra running length of the directors cut just gives it all a bit more time to breathe. I think I mainly just liked the setting and a bunch of the actors, particularly Eva Green.