Thursday 22 November 2012

The Rum Diary (2011)

Johnny Depp. It feels like I said all that needs to be said. Just that I didn't, but let me explain.
This is a story about a novelist, who pretends to be a journalist and takes up a freelance job in Puerto Rico's local newspaper. So far so good. He is then talked into some dirty work for some rich guys. Not getting better. A girl messes everything up. Oh shit , there we go again... Wait, it is all set in 1960s ! Ok, we're good.
So from the first glace it is not something special, but, nahh it is not something special. I don't want to be too picky, but even thou The Rum Diary has Johnny Depp in it, it is not perfect (Sorry for Depp fans, or as I like to call them "Depp fans"). So first comes the dirt and then, maybe, maybe I'll trow in some ice cream. If you will be good.
Bam, first thing that steps on your balls is the plot that has been seen more often then cats on the internet. There is a guy, who is not a pro, starts with non-pro work and suddenly gets some big time stuff. He would do great, but woman. Everyone is evil but the dude (not the Dude dude, just a dude), so he befriends the weirdest guy around and stuff happens and what ever. It's all great and all, growing with the main character, learning that weirdos are cool, killing jews. All great the first time you see a story like this, maybe the first five time, but eventually it gets boring to "grow". When will there be a pro who gradually finds out that being ultra good at something does not make you right all the time ? Or that opportunities don't fall from the sky, that you have to work hard for them. But yeah, who want's to see real life ?
Also, the worn out "women=evil" thing that has to happen ALL THE TIME. Just as a friendly note, that can be found in like, every movie ever made, if you are doing something, don't fall in love, or be seduced by a woman, because everything goes wrong with them around. Seriously,  writers need to find someone else to blame, because it's either women or Hitler. Blame greed, blame pride for once. Blame sloth, that would even make sense. You have great opportunities but you mess up because you are lazy. That happens.
Yeah, i'm picking too deep, blaming a movie for just being a Hollywood movie, but I expect more these days, and especially from great Johnny Depp, who , by the way, showed nothing special. But you love him anyway, don't you ? Yeah... So here are some good stuff:
It is set in 1960s. Fun fun fun, can't add anything more, great times, great cars, go to love the 1960s.
Oh yeah, there is something that still kick this movie above average Hollywood mediocrity. It's the ending. It is not sugar sweet, where the dude gets the girl and money. It's not too sad, where Bambi's mother dies. It's just... Ok. You don't see that too often these days and in the long run, that plays a great card. but without all the set up before , that would hardly be possible.
So in the scale of worthless time to taking my hat off, I keep my hat where it is, but it is surely worth a good company and maybe a glass of rum.

Sunday 28 October 2012

Unthinkable (2010)

You know that feeling when you get your finger cut off ? Whops, got a little ahead of myself. Let me start over.
Unthinkable, a movie about how Muslims are terrorists. So the plot goes down to a man , who is Muslim, films himself planting three bombs and everyone goes nuts and arrests every one with a beard. The FBI (CIA or Disney or whatever) finds him and interrogates him. Why ? Because the bombs are nukes ! How can there be Muslims with no nukes ? So H Humphries (Samuel L. Jackson) is the main (and cruel) interrogator, and Chik Von Rightie (Carrie-Anne Moss) is some FBI agent that H chooses as an assistant. So yeah, the whole thing is a dude flippin' fingers to get some answers about nukes (NNNNUUUUUUUKKKKKKEEEEEEESSSSS!!!!)
The most of the movie happens in the chamber where the interrogation takes place, so one could call this a Psychological-claustrophobic-thriller. Speaking of finger cutting, question asking black people, this reminds me of Five Fingers (2006), similar brutality and Muslims and stuff. But here are my thoughts about this:
First, i have noticed that this is a common military-spec ops style character design, a cool awesome pro takes a rookie under his wing and shows how to party. The rookie learns some new tricks and takes no shit from his master. Works every time.
Speaking about H's character (pretend that we were), the psychotic torturer role has it's charm. He is funny in the start, serious in the middle and smart(and right) in the end. Just like the main role should be written. Everyone else is fine too, i ques, what ever.
There is more. Remember when I asked about fingers being cut of ? Yeah, there is a lot of that. It is nasty, and sometimes it looks like it's a bit too much,  but there is never too much cruelty and blood and torture and death and killing and pain and.... khem.
So yeah, it is shocking, but to a level where you enjoy it, not to a level where you have to look away. I mean, what do you expect from a film about TORTURE ? Bunnies making love in a boat made of ice cream ? Really ? What is wrong with you ?
My take at the main idea is that it is about how dark your safety is, how much blood can be spilled so you would not die. Because of Muslims and nukes. Why only them ? Why not the Irish ? They like color green you know.
One more thing, that got me going: I have heard that there are different endings, anyone knows something of that ? If so, tell me.
I liked Unthinkable, not the best thing ever, but it was good. Worth just for Samuel L. Jackson. If i have to give it stars, i would give many but not too much, like twelve, or seventeen or even more, a lot.


Sunday 21 October 2012

Natural Born Killers (1994)

Years have past since my last update, and you know what ? Good, me too. Now , straight to business, what we (that is me in general) have is a film about two serial killers, who kill people (duh) and then eventually get caught and put to jail and the stuff happens that i will not spoil... They kill more people! So that is the summary of whole two hours, now this does not sound like something "oh so great" and all, but let us (me) not forget, that it is written by Quentin Tarantino. Actually, just to be clear as refined water(and it is clear God damn it!) I only watched Natural Born Killers because it is written by Quentin. But there are more reasons why You (yes you there!) should watch it (if you haven't, but if you seen it already, how did you like it ? Also, what is you favorite band ? Do you like modern art ? Why is the sky blue ? Is there God ? If there is an answer to a question, should the question even be like that ? Who makes these questions ? Find out more next week on Real Hard Answers !)


Aaaaannnnnddddd we are back on topic. One reason for watching is the characters and the cast. I mean really, the actors are great, they do their roles with passion , they know what they are doing and the fit their characters perfectly, I could not imagine anyone else in their place (you should't too, if you are , stop right now). And the characters, they are very different  very unique, caricature like personifications of whole groups of people like the media or law force or even the abused and cruel. Speaking about cruelty (don't worry, this will make sense), it is as if the concept of this film is about how the media, television mostly, is growing and sort of idolizing cruelty,that anger, hate and disrespect for life is pumped through tv screens,how every channel shows blood and gore the whole time and it get's so normal for people.Like as if the movie shows how the media forms and the exploits perverted and messed up folks, like Hitler. Sorry, I was serious for too long, it just happened like that, this will not happen again, like the holocaust.
And we're back! Another interesting, and view worthy thing about Natural Born Killers is the way it is filmed. It is sort of a hectic,  amateur,  gag-like sometimes, and professional, artistic,and  deep at the same time. It goes from "funniest home videos" to Fellini in few seconds. I liked it, it's like 8/10 would f*ck, would not marry. Here is the trailer cuz i like you and all that.