Hey dudes, I gotta go out and do laundry so I'll keep this short. Here is a new poster I made, a commission from someone I met recently whose favorite movie is Hocus Pocus. Which is awesome. It's now for sale in my etsy shop. I've got a few more commissions I'm working on now that my semester is over so be on the lookout for lots of new art things over the summer! Yay!
Also just fyi I'm interning at this gallery and running their blog, where I get to interview awesome artists that we're exhibiting and also generally talk about art things and post pretty pictures. If you're into that please check it out!
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Seen: At the AMC/Loew's at Boston Common.
I like Iron Man, I do, and I've loved Robert Downey, Jr since middle school (yeah, BEFORE his comeback!), but I think it's fair to say a lot of us are getting a little sick of the whole character. He's funny and smart and actiony, but perhaps his braggadocio has worn out its welcome. I didn't see any particular need for Iron Man 3 but dammit they reeled me in with two things: Shane Black, and Pepper Potts donning the suit. I'm easy, as you guys probably know. This time around Tony is still reeling from the cataclysmic events of The Avengers, suffering from insomnia, paranoia, and panic attacks. He works obsessively on more and more Iron Man suits, alienating his girlfriend Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is also the CEO of his company. When a mysterious terrorist calling himself "The Mandarin" (Ben Kingsley) begins targeting American landmarks and Tony's friend/former bodyguard Happy (Jon Favreau) is caught in a blast, Iron Man is back in action. But he soon finds himself alone and with limited resources, forced to rely on his intellect and luck to get to the bottom of things. Meanwhile, Pepper becomes mixed up with a cocky scientist (Guy Pearce) who is wielding incredible, unpredictable power.
I can spoil stuff for this by now, right? Because I'll want to talk about some events that happen at the end, so be warned. Anyway. This movie is way better than most people probably thought it would be, but I'm not that surprised since by now I'm kind of into Shane Black's MO: it's darkly funny, violent, fast-paced, pro-friendships, and set at Christmas. With the self-aware RDJ narration it's basically Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 2, and that's just fine. I love how the general story goes against the grain of a lot of superhero movies in that its not as focused on the action and big effects (though of course those are there), and really takes its time to consider Tony as a person. His experiences have affected him deeply, and while his friends see it they can't really reach him because he's so unwilling to open up, so much of the film becomes about Tony's personal quest for healing. Black deftly blends actual human emotion with over the top sci-fi and goofy pop culture jokes, it's pretty impressive. Or maybe it's that Downey is just such an effective actor, since every time he had a panic attack I thought about the times I've had one and it made me so worried for him. So um good job making me feel feelings, Iron Man 3.
I'm not a huge Gwyneth Paltrow fan but I do like her Pepper Potts. She's feisty and savvy and not particularly impressed by Tony. So I was excited when I learned she'd be donning an Iron Man suit at some point in the proceedings. Because let's face it: superhero girlfriends are generally boring and useless, and their main purpose is to just get kidnapped. Though Pepper saves some folks with the suit earlier on, she's later abducted by the villain OF COURSE. But then she's temporarily given super powers and defeats the villain by herself in the big climactic battle. So THAT was AWESOME. It's stupid she was half-dressed at the time but fuck it, I'll take it. Tony's all flying and punching everything for like 20 minutes but then he can't defeat Guy Pearce and then out of nowhere Pepper's like STEP ASIDE, I GOT THIS and she just decimates him. Boom.
Anyway, all in all it's a really good time, though not perfect of course. The overarching story doesn't quite fit together, and I wanted more of Rebecca Hall's character, who was awkwardly forced into it (though, side note: this movie passes the Bechdel Test, which is uncommon in a superhero movie). I enjoyed Don Cheadle's side plot, since it made fun of the government and also featured the dad from Wonderfalls. And the reveal with the Mandarin is pretty great, very funny and ultimately true-to-life. Lots of things going on but it all fit together well, and was consistently interesting and fun, plus I liked the darker tone and unexpected focus on character. Sooooo great job everybody.
4/5
Pair This Movie With: Well obviously the other Iron Man movies make sense if you want to make a day of it. Or the aforementioned Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
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Seen: On my laptop, streamed from netflix instant.
It's been documented that I am a sucker for stories of ladies impersonating dudes so they can gain some privilege, so when I saw that there was a Lubitsch silent with just that premise, it seemed crucial viewing. Playful teenage tomboy Ossi (Ossi Oswalda) just wants to hang out with her bros, smoking and joking and playing cards, but her father and governess are both strictly against her wanton ways. They want her to grow up into a proper, refined young lady and so they enlist a strict male guardian (Curt Goetz) to keep her in line. Ossi realizes that she'll never be allowed to have fun as a girl, so she gets herself a nice suit, dons a toupee, and goes out for a night on the town looking like a dapper young gentleman. Of course, Ossi discovers that men have to grapple with some un-fun things too (Bow ties are complicated! Being forced to give up a seat for a lady on the train!) but ultimately she has a delightful evening with her guardian (!) who doesn't recognize her. There's a lot of man-talk, and some decidedly affectionate kissing. It's pretty awesomely gay... but only kind of?
At a curt 45 minutes, I Don't Want to be a Man wastes little time on over-plotting. This is a light, funny adventure in a young woman's life, with some silly drunken comedy mixed with satirical bending of social norms. Ossi Oswalda is adorable as the childish, impetuous Ossi, whose only goal is to have lots of fun all the time in a society that tries to pin her down. She makes a cute guy, too, if hilariously tiny. The acting is of course over the top and dragged out, but it's a silent comedy so I'm not going to fault it for that, and I did find it pretty funny for the most part. It's a little sappy at the end because of course once the guardian realizes he's been hanging out with his female ward all night, they have to fall in love. But again: whatever. The couple had way more sexual chemistry when Ossi was dressed like a dude and they kept drunkenly kissing each other, so I have no doubt her cross-dressing will continue or he'll leave her for an actual man. The whole thing felt more like a parody of romantic comedies than anything else, which is impressive considering the genre hadn't been established yet.
4/5
Pair This Movie With: For another cross-dressing oldie there is of course Sylvia Scarlett, a movie that starts off so great with Katharine Hepburn in drag and Cary Grant's Cockney accent and also con hijinks, but then it turns into a boring sappy love story, aw dang. Still a fun (if messy) film, just be prepared for ups and downs.
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Seen: On my laptop, streamed from netflix instant.
The other day I was exhausted and felt like lying in bed with a movie on, intending to fall asleep eventually. Wouldn't you know I put on Mirror Mirror on a whim and ended up watching the whole thing, curled up in bed. This re-imagining of the Snow White tale begins with the wicked Queen (Julia Roberts) describing how she took over a magical kingdom by bewitching the king, causing his death, and essentially placing his daughter, Snow White (Lily Collins), under house/castle arrest. She's obsessed with beauty and glamor and wealth, and bleeds the people dry with her tax demands under the cover of paying for protection against some mysterious beast. After she turns 18 the timid Snow finally gains some backbone and plots to reclaim her kingdom with the help of a confused prince (Arnie Hammer) and a band of valiant dwarf bandits. The queen is pretty set on murdering Snow through various magical attacks, though, so Snow will have to acquire some self-defense skills through a TRAINING MONTAGE. Oh yeah.
Let me state for the record that the regular story of Snow White is pretty sucky, mostly boring and maudlin and sexist, so I'm totally down with updates of it, and Mirror Mirror does a decent job of it. The sarcastic humor, exaggerated visuals (Helloooo Tarsem!), and, most importantly, focus on the main character's development as a multifaceted human woman instead of a bland, beautiful damsel in distress, are all welcome cinematic elements. I'm not really into Julia Roberts but she is gleefully malicious and sardonically funny as the wicked queen, while gliding about in hilariously huge ball gowns. She's evil but also kind of incompetent, and she's less a threat and more tangible motivation for Snow to stand up for herself. Collins is a little too subdued in her performance, I think, but for the most part I liked her, and I liked how her character was handled. Young and naive but also brave, stubborn, and a surprisingly good fencer. The dwarf characters steal the show, as goofy as they are badass, and I dug their action scenes on accordion stilts.
As a whole the film is a bit slow but I must say between the clever script and drop-dead visuals I was entertained the whole time. I mean, it's Tarsem Singh, I knew it would be pretty, and man is it pretty. Eiko Ishioka's fanciful, colorful costumes are icing on an already delicately baked cake. Everything is just sugary and colorful and elaborate, and while the CG landscapes aren't always the best the sets are truly elegant. And Arnie Hammer's multiple bouts of shirtlessness aren't anything to complain about, either. All in all a fun, sweet film that manages to subvert the typically passive Snow White characterization while still keeping the atmosphere light, funny, and adventurous. There's a nice Bollywood-style dance number at the end, too, as I am never one to scoff at unexpected musical numbers cropping up in movies.
4/5
Pair This Movie With: I think its tone, sourcing, and general fantasy-satire thing are in line with Enchanted, which I enjoy a whole lot.
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Seen: On my tv, streamed from netflix instant.
TerrorVision was my main other priority for netflix's great purge, after Modern Girls. And another recommendation from Andreas, who just totally gets me! It's got a ridiculous premise and Mary Woronov and Gerrit Graham as swinging yuppie parents, so it's fairly enticing on paper. The plot concerns the Putterman family and their new fancy satellite tv, which seems to be attracting uninvited feeds from outer space. Little Sherman Putterman (Chad Allen) is convinced that an alien monster is infiltrating their home through the television, but of course no one believes him. As all adults in the vicinity become swallowed up by the strange, ravenous creature, it's left to Sherman, his airhead punk sister Suzy (Diane Franklin), and her doltish boyfriend OD (Jon Gries) to stop it. But I'm not betting on their chances.
This movie is goofy to the max, and that's basically the point. It's both a send-up of stupid monster movies while also being a stupid monster movie itself, and mixing in jokes about various groups- primarily yuppies, conservative conspiracy theorists, and teenage rebels. It's funniest when the adults are front and center, with Mary Woronov and Gerrit Graham forming the perfect privileged suburban couple, horrendous parents but stylish dressers. They spend a lot of their scenes seemingly in a funny-face-making competition, and they both win! While they lead the earlier part of the film, the kids take over later and for me the film took a downturn. Not that I didn't love seeing a vapid Diane Franklin with huge, colorful hair, but their characters just aren't as interesting. Luckily there is a great Elvira-esque tv show peppered throughout the movie, with a hilarious Jennifer Richards showing off her assets as well as her excellent comedic delivery, and she spices things up at the climax.
With grisly sound effects, low-budget but well-done creature puppetry, and a high body count, TerrorVision works well as a monster movie, and director Ted Nicolau utilizes his large, ornate domestic space to the fullest. With all the tacky decor and sexual innuendo it was a bit like Rocky Horror only with less singing. As a whole it's funny and a little bit bizarre, but I think I would have liked it better if the kids had been less of a focus.
3.5/5
Pair This Movie With: I'm not sure. I watched Eating Raoul vaguely recently so Mary Woronov had me thinking about that. Or maybe another 80's alien monster movie? I liked the Invaders from Mars remake, or there's always Little Shop of Horrors.
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Seen: On my tv, streamed from netflix instant.
Last week a lot of titles were expiring on netflix instant so naturally I set to finally watching some of the things in my queue. I chose movies that weren't available on dvd since who knows how else I might see these movies. First priority was of course Modern Girls, whose Lichtenstein-esque poster and high praise from Andreas enticed me greatly. The movie revolves around three working women (Cynthia Gibb, Virginia Madsen, and Daphne Zuniga) who are roommates and good friends. They're dissatisfied with their day jobs but live it up most nights at the hottest clubs and bars in New York. The events of one particularly busy evening unfold as the girls track down a visiting rock star, rescue each other from bad decisions, sneak into clubs, and generally cause a scene, all with well-meaning dweeb Clifford (Clayton Rohner)- and his car- in tow.
This movie kind of has it all: Awesome ladies being awesome, kickin' tunes, LOUD fashions, drunken revelry, mistaken identities, a car chase, AND a food fight. Dang. The three leads are likable and funny, with cutesy waif Cece (Cynthia Gibb) taking most of the funniest bits because her character is the most exaggerated. Virginia Madsen is supposed to be the hot one, but she's a bit lost most of the time, and it's Daphne Zuniga who really sexes things up. She's got that great dry delivery and aloof coolness, paired with opera gloves and killer heels. Of course Clayton Rohner is adorably goofy in his dual role of lovesick nerd Clifford and lovesick rock star Bruno X. The choice to have him play both roles is a little weird, since there's really no reason for it except for one or two jokes around confused idenities, but whatever, he looks like he's having fun either way.
At first I thought this was going to be too shallow and frivolous for me to all-out love it, since it starts off as this night of young women who only care about dancing and boys and free drinks. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just sort of empty. BUT it turns out that there's more to these ladies than meets the eye (like how Daphne Zuniga went to COLLEGE and studied ENGLISH and so she likes to READ!) and the script toys with stereotypical portrayals of women in general. There are certain scenarios that start off cliche but are then turned on their heads, such as a near sexual assault on a drugged-up Virginia Madsen that is diffused in a cool and funny way without lessening the seriousness of her situation. And that same character's seeming victimization in a later scene becomes an opportunity for the girls to bond together and stick up for themselves. These are some pretty great ladies, even if they are a bit silly, and a lot of the movie is just learning about their neat attributes from the point of view of Cliff, who definitely judges them harshly at first and learns he's totally wrong.
It's fun, it's funny, it's fabulous- Modern Girls is a truly satisfying female-centric comedy, refreshing in its focus on friendships and lifestyle as opposed to romance (though there is of course some cute lovey-dovey stuff) and entertaining without being vapid. Best of all, it's got all those great 80's trappings I love, from outrageous fashions to a synth-heavy soundtrack. It's not especially groundbreaking, but darnit it's a good time!
4.5/5
Pair This Movie With: More Eighties Ladies! (Damn if that isn't the name of a screening series I'd host.) Just One of the Guys, Valley Girl, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, oh my god I haven't reviewed any of these movies somehow I'm sorry but just trust me.
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Seen: At the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, part of IFF Boston.
As has happened in the past, I found out about this movie through its awesome poster. And lucky me, it played IFF Boston! Rewind This! traces the history and reception of VHS tapes, interviewing collectors, retailers, and filmmakers for their personal insights and expertise. VHS launched an entertainment revolution by allowing consumers to watch films at home and record live tv, as well as offering new opportunities for studios and indie filmmakers who launched the direct-to-video market. It changed the movie industry, the porn industry, and the film retail industry, and united communities of movie buffs with video swap and bootleg programs. Though definitely a dying media, today many fans- especially children of the 80's- hold on to their VHS tapes out of nostalgia and loyalty, recognizing its importance to their personal lives and to film history in general.
While I'm not a collector or anything, I admit I've clung to VHS more than my tech-savvy friends. I grew up with VHS tapes, they were the first way I really experienced movies. Plus there are some movies that I love but aren't available on dvd or blu-ray, so every so often I have to dust off my VCR to revisit an old favorite. It's a shitty medium, definitely, but some movies kind of make sense that way! Many video artists from the 80's (who were not discussed in the film, sadly) played with the effects specific to tapes, creating artworks that are still inextricably linked to the medium. While Rewind This! does include loving commentary on the physicality of VHS and its quirks, most of the film is focused on the history, which is indeed fascinating.
The range of interviewees is pretty awesome, from b-movie stalwarts Llyod Kaufman, Charles Band, Cassandra Peterson, and Frank Henenlotter to nerds from hip movie theaters and various websites. Plus a lot of doofy horror geeks. Like, a lot. I was most surprised and pleased with the Japanese interviews, since that's where the technology was created and there is still a strong VHS culture there- they got anime filmmaker Mamoru Oshii! And some splatterpunk and J-horror people! Cool! The segments with video retailers and obsesssives were interesting as well, with some impressive home displays. I also loved the abundance of film clips, mostly hilarious and weird 80s schlock that had me running a mental list of movies to check out in the future. Generally the film is funny and lighthearted, and honestly super informative to someone like me, who grew up with VHS tapes but was not old enough to have seen the sweeping changes they made on how we experience visual culture.
I enjoyed this movie a lot, but I have to lament one major thing: There are so few women in this movie. And so few people of color. Aside from the 4 or 5 Japanese interviewees, it's mostly just white dudes. There are a few female collectors/enthusiasts, a retailer, an awesome teacher/editor (whose name I forget, damn! But she talked about home movies and film history and kids these days not knowing about VHS), and actresses Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira) and a Shôko Nakahara. I am NOT saying the Rewind This! filmmakers were being exclusive or sexist, so stop right there with your outrage. What bums me out is that seeing so many of the same kind of person onscreen (pasty dudes in their 30's, mostly), I was reminded yet again that here is a subculture that wasn't- and still isn't- particularly open to women. I loved the commentary from all these movie fans, I wanted to join in the conversation, and yet I never saw myself represented onscreen, or even that much variety in general represented. I KNOW THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME but it's still frustrating, especially since this is a subject close to my heart, and the film community in general is so important to me and yet I'm constantly reminded that I'm slightly on the outside of it simply because I'm a woman. It was also surprising that with all the discussion of new opportunities for indie filmmakers that came along with VHS technology, there were no women (or non-white?) filmmakers included. I guess because they were focusing primarily on action/horror directors? I don't know. Maybe when there's a documentary about the digital revolution there'll be some talking heads who aren't white dudes.
4/5
Pair This Movie With: I felt like digging out some VHS tapes myself! I have a small collection, mostly of films that aren't on dvd, as well as some classics I inherited from my grandmother. So I say get out your old VHS tapes (come on, if you're over 20 you probably have a couple!) and have a nostalgia party!
PS I know it says "John Carpenter" on the posters for this movie but FYI that's not THE John Carpenter, it's a producer who happens to have his name! They totally fooled me, though haha, I thought he'd be one of the interviewees. Panos Cosmatos is really a producer on it, which is neat, but he's not interviewed.
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Seen: On dvd on my tv, rented from netflix.
Embarrassingly, I got halfway through this movie several years ago when it was on netflix instant, and just never got around to finishing it. It wasn't because I wasn't enjoying it or anything, I remember I was watching it during a quiet shift at the gallery where I used to work, but I stopped it when visitors came in. Well I've finally righted myself and here we are. Smithereens is the debut feature of Susan Seidelman, who is beloved by me simply because she made Desperately Seeking Susan, a movie I watch really often. Her first film similarly explores a hip New York subculture, but this one focuses more on the fading punk scene of the early 80's and the encroaching commercialism. This is a community that's more style over substance, so self-centered they can't see how lackluster their surrounding culture is. Susan Berman stars as Wren, a wannabe punk rocker who spends most of her time hanging around punk clubs and bars, trying to make connections with musicians. The film follows her over the course of a few days, during which she gets kicked out of her apartment and moves into a van with Paul (Brad Rijn), a naive country boy who digs her cool city style. She also cozies up to Eric (Richard Hell), an assholey singer who's had one record made but isn't going far in his music career otherwise.
I'm always fascinated by the punk/new wave scene of the late 70's and early 80's, it just seems like an interesting time. New York was a complete shithole, everyone had awesome outfits and hairstyles, no one seemed to have a job, and they all just hung around listening to records and getting drunk. Like, what kind of world is this? A GREAT ONE, THAT'S WHAT. Smithereens is equally loving and derisive in its portrait of this lifestyle, placing a self-absorbed jerk at the center but throwing her into so many shitty situations that you can't help but feel sympathy. Wren is an interesting young woman, hiding behind a facade of over-confidence and attitude to protect herself from debilitating loneliness. She's loud and kind of annoying, but she's hard to keep down, and I liked that. Plus she always speaks her mind. She also gains some self-awareness as the film progresses, and by the end I was rooting for her even if I knew I'd probably hate her in real life.
The narrative is sort of choppy, circling around Wren's friends and connections, moving from dirty rock clubs to dirtier apartments. Everyone wants to be part of something, but they're not quite sure how to get there, or what that "something" even is. They all think of leaving, looking to LA as some magical sunny city, but New York's crumbling lure keeps its hold. At first I wasn't sure about the film's tone- it's kind of funny, mostly because the characters are all a little ridiculous. It becomes bleaker and bleaker as it goes on, with Wren losing everything she has bit by bit, often because of her own cold and misguided opportunism. The ending is unexpectedly dark, and while that makes it more realistic, I wasn't really ready for it. It felt out of place, and left me with mixed feelings about the film as a whole.
The soundtrack is excellent, with a rambling guitar score by The Feelies and tunes from various hip punks, and I dug the overall grungy aesthetic. Also this was one of the first independent American films to make it to Cannes, which is pretty cool. Lady filmmaker power!
3.5/5
Pair This Movie With: I immediately watched Desperately Seeking Susan, obviously. Then I just listened to The Feelies and Richard Hell and the Voidoids for a while.
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Seen: On dvd on our projector set-up, part of a Van Damme 3-pack along with Cyborg and Death Warrant.
DID YOU KNOW that I love ridiculous movies with twins? Sorry, but I do. Especially when played by the same actor. I also love Jean-Claude Van Damme, naturally, so Double Impact is kind of the ultimate movie. He plays twins separated as babies: Alex, raised in a French orphanage in Hong Kong and mixed up with some criminal underworld, and Chad, raised in France/California and now an aerobics/Karate instructor. Their parents built a bridge in Hong Kong and then got killed for it (or something) so now that they're grown up they have to take revenge. Their dad's old bodyguard Frank (Geoffrey Lewis), who obviously did NOT do his job right, enlists them in a vengeance mission against a bunch of criminals in Hong Kong. Alex's girlfriend Danielle (Alonna Shaw) is there too, so that there can be a mostly made-up love triangle.
With a mostly unintelligible and honestly uninteresting plot, Double Impact coasts on the strengths of its leads, er, lead. Van Damme is hilarious (sometimes intentionally) in his dual role, playing the doofus and un-badass Chad with an alarming number of goofy faces, and the dangerous twin Alex as a convincing asshole. Their wardrobes are amazing, their dialogue is atrocious, and at one point they fight each other! The body double action is pretty good, actually, especially in that scene. The action in general is strong, though more gun-heavy than I like in a Van Damme movie. After wowing everyone in Bloodsport, Bolo Yeung returns as a terrifying juggernaut villain who CAN'T BE STOPPED! Oh my gosh! Corinna Everson was my favorite bad guy, though, she's BUILT and also definitely had a crush on the love interest lady. She wears sexy black spandex and can choke a man with her thighs, and it was good.
The silliest thing about the whole movie is the supposed love triangle between the twins and Danielle, because it's basically a nonentity. Alex is so jealous if Chad is even in the same room as her that he just flips his shit. There's this slow-motion sex scene in some steamy, windy, soft-glow nothingness that's completely in Alex's head, and it's just so over the top. That's your one place to see boobs, though. And a tiny bit of Van Damme butt, whose appearance is sadly lesser than in other movies I've seen. You do get this at the beginning though, so it's not a total loss.
Anyway, Double Impact is not gonna become my favorite Van Damme any time soon, but the twin action and healthy doses of early-90's cheese definitely kept me entertained.
3.5/5
Pair This Movie With: Well I was reminded of Maximum Risk, another JCVD flick that involves his character getting mistaken for his twin. There's only ever one of him onscreen at a time though, since his criminal twin dies at the beginning.
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Seen: At the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge.
I have to admit, that while I've seen Primer and I remember really liking it, I barely remember it because I watched it in high school, once. I've been meaning to re-watch it ever since, but oops. I haven't. That didn't stop me from getting excited about writer/director/star's long-awaited followup, Upstream Color, though! It's a beautifully shot, strangely fragmented film with effective soundscapes and great core performances. The opening sequence made me extremely uncomfortable and seemed to go on forever so it took me a little while to get into it, but once it all clicked I really loved it. It's like this lovely/weird mix of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and David Lynch, sort of. It was also extremely hard to write about, but I tried.
For my full review of Upstream Color head over to 366 Weird Movies!
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