This latest scene that I love is for all of you Godzilla fans out there! In this scene from 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars, the original Japanese Godzilla takes on his American counterpart, Zilla. Needless to say, it’s not an evenly matched battle.
Zilla, of course, starred in Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla, a film that is often cited as being one of the worst of the 90s. Will the upcoming Godzilla film help to erase memories of Zilla? We’ll find out on May 16th!
For now, enjoy the original kicking the imposter’s ass!
Is it possible that the iconic American independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch is a fan of the late and beloved French film director Jean Rollin?
I ask this question because Jarmusch’s latest film, Only Lovers Left Alive, is one of the most Rollinesque films to have ever been made by a director other than Jean Rollin.
The most obvious similarity between Jarmusch’s film and much of Rollin’s work is that they both deal with vampires. Rollin was the visual poet of vampire cinema and, if nothing else, Only Lovers Left Alive is a very poetic film. The film tells the story of three vampires — ennui-stricken Adam (Tom Hiddleston), Adam’s wife Eve (Tilda Swinton), and Eve’s hedonist sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska), all of whom would be perfectly at home in any of Rollin’s vampire films.
But, to be honest, the horror genre has reached the point where ennui-stricken and decadent vampires are hardly unique. What distinguished both Only Lovers Left Alive and the best films of Jean Rollin is the way that they both use and defy the conventions of the vampire genre to explore issues of sexuality, religion, politics, and artistic expression. Much like Rollin, Jarmusch understands what the audience expects from a vampire film and he makes his larger points by manipulating, defying, and occasionally even confirming those expectations.
In other words, Only Lovers Left Alive is no Twilight and we’re all better off for it.
There are other similarities between Only Lovers Left Alive and the best films of Jean Rollin. Much like Rollin, Jarmusch tells his story through a collection of sensual and increasingly dream-like images. Even Rollin’s trademark lingering shots of empty beaches and ancient castles are duplicated, in Only Lovers Left Alive, with haunting shots of the empty streets in Detroit and Tangiers. When, towards the end of the film, two hungry vampires find themselves searching for blood in an ancient city, it was impossible for me not to think of a similar scene in Jean Rollin’s Two Orphan Vampires.
Now, I’m sure that some of you are probably saying, “That’s great, Lisa, but can you just tell me whether the film is worth watching or not?”
To answer your question, it is. It’s not a flawless film. There’s a few comedic scenes involving a doctor played by Jeffrey Wright that aren’t quite as entertaining as they could be. And while it’s an interesting idea to have Christopher Marlowe show up as a vampire, John Hurt’s performance did not quite work for me. But, whenever the film concentrates on the chemistry between Hiddleston, Swinton, Wasikowska, and Anton Yelchin (who plays a hilariously naïve human), it works brilliantly.
So yes, definitely — see Only Lovers Left Alive.
See it for the scenes in which Adam and Eva drive through the ruins of Detroit, looking for Jack White’s house (“Oh! I love Jack White!” Eve exclaims) and discussing Adam’s belief that the “zombies” (his term for the rest of us) are on the verge of destroying themselves. Adam serves as the film’s philosophical and political mouthpiece and often times, his dialogue runs the risk of being a bit too on-the-nose perfect but Tom Hiddleston is such a charismatic performer that it doesn’t matter. Wisely, Hiddleston delivers his most portentous lines with just a hint of self-mockery, as if to let us know that even Adam knows he’s being overdramatic.
See it for the amazing sequence in which Adam plays music in Detroit while Eve dances to it in Tangiers. If Katharine Hepburn had been turned into a vampire, she would have been a lot like Tilda Swinton’s Eve.
See the film for Mia Wasikowska’s hilarious turn as a petulant and immature brat who just happens to be vampire. The scenes in which she goes out of her way to annoy the dour Adam left me convinced that, if I ever become a vampire, I’ll probably be a lot like Ava.
See it because the White Hills appear as themselves, playing in a club and absolutely killing it.
See it because it’s one of the few vampire films to strike a perfect balance between humor and drama.
Most of all, see it because it’s a good and unique movie and, so far this year, we’ve had a bit of a shortage where those are concerned.
As for me, if I ever meet Jim Jarmusch, I’m going to ask him for the title of his favorite Jean Rollin film.
If nothing else, it should be an interesting conversation.
As I’ve mentioned previously on this site, I love old educational films. Not only do they serve as valuable time capsules but they’re also often so melodramatic and over-the-top that I can’t help but appreciate them.
After all, there’s a reason why one of my favorite DVDs is entitled Driver’s Ed Scare Films Volume Five.
And one of my favorite films on that compilation is 1980’s The Last Prom. Taking place in the small town Indiana and featuring a ghostly choir wailing away on the soundtrack, The Last Prom tells the tale of Sandy, a junior who makes the mistake of going to the prom with a senior who owns a van. Needless to say, the entire film is a bit of a downer but its worth watching just to see all of the old clothes and the old haircuts (not to mention the Sandy spinning around in circles montage).
Having watched this film several times, I have to say — in Bill’s defense — that tunnel was way too narrow. But, seriously, don’t drink and drive.
Today, the film community woke up to the news that British actor Bob Hoskins passed away on the 29th. He was 71 years old. Over the course of his career, he appeared in over 100 films and is well-remembered for performances in everything from Brazil to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? to Spiceworld to Felecia’s Journey to Made in Dagenham. However, perhaps his best performance is to be found in a film that’s still not very well-known here in the States.
In 1980’s The Long Good Friday, Bob Hoskins plays Harold Shand. Harold is a crude, violent, and ruthless London gangster who, at the same time, remains oddly likable. Perhaps his likability is due to the fact that, for all of his sociopathic tendencies, Harold does seem to be genuinely devoted to his girlfriend Victoria (Helen Mirren). Or perhaps it’s because Harold is a fighter, a man who refuses to surrender and, as a result, has managed to make something of himself in one of the most rigidly class-conscious countries in the world. Say what you will about his methods, gangster Harold is still more honest than your typical businessman.
However, ultimately, the main reason we root for Harold is because he’s played by Bob Hoskins. Hoskins turns Harold into a true force of a nature, playing him as manic, charismatic, and — as the film progresses — more and more desperate. The genius of Hoskins performance isn’t that he suggests that Harold isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. The genius is that Hoskins lets us know that, despite all of his bluster, Harold understands that he’s not as smart as he’s pretending to be.
As the film opens, Harold is the most powerful man in the London underworld and is on the verge of staking his claim on the legitimate world as well. All he has to do is convince an American gangster (played by Eddie Constantine) to agree to partner with him on a real estate deal.
However, two assassins (one of whom is played by a silent and devilishly handsome Pierce Brosnan) are killing his associates. Somebody is blowing up his businesses. Even as Harold desperately tries to impress his American guests, he finds himself under siege by an unknown enemy. At first, Harold assumes that a rival gangster is coming after him but, as the day progresses, it becomes evident that there’s a new threat to Harold’s power.
Without Bob Hoskins’ performance, The Long Good Friday is an entertaining gangster film, one that is distinguished by John MacKenzie’s sure direction, Francis Monkman’s energetic and powerful score, and an absolutely perfect final scene. With Hoskins’ performance, The Long Good Friday is one of the best gangster films ever made.
And, as today, it’s a tribute to a truly talented actor.
Are you feeling sad? Does the world seem to be oppressive and overwhelming? Do you just need a break from all of the nonstop bullshit that seems to be the price that we pay for every day of our existence?
If you answered yes, all I can say is that I know where you’re coming from. Seriously, I’ve spent this entire month feeling depressed and overwhelmed. Whenever I feel this way, I’m glad that — nearly 60 years ago — a director named Nathan Juran made a movie called The Brain From Planet Arous.
Seriously, I defy anyone — ANYONE — to remain depressed after having watched this movie. It’s just so wonderfully ludicrous and silly. The Brain From Planet Arous is just that, a gigantic floating brain that comes to Earth from a planet called Arous. The brain, incidentally, has a name and it is Gor. Gor, it seems, is a criminal, and he’s hiding out on Earth. He possesses a scientist named Sam (John Agar) and spends most of his time trying to force himself on Sam’s fiancée (Joyce Meadows). Fortunately, another brain from planet Arous has come to Earth. Its name is Val and it possesses Sam’s dog and…
Look, the plot is not important. What is important is that this film features two giant brains floating around and arguing. It also features an adorable dog and some atomic weapon testing stock footage. It’s not good but it’s a lot of fun.
Sadly, I’ve read that director Nathan Juran thought so little of this film that he was credited under a fake name. That’s a shame because you know what? The Brain From Planet Arous makes me happy and it’ll make you happy too.
Hi there and welcome to another edition of Lisa Marie Watches An Obscure Film Via On Demand And Then Reviews It.
Last week, I watched and reviewed a 2001 guilty pleasure called Tart.
This week, I watched another film from 2001, Instinct to Kill.
Instinct to Kill begins with homicide detective Jim Beckett (Tim Abell) sitting outside a suburban house and secretly filming Tess (Missy Crider) as she dresses. As Jim watches, Tess joins her parents for dinner. Tess’s father strikes her mother. In case we needed anymore reason to hate him, Jim chuckles.
A day later, Tess is at cheerleader practice and again, she is being watched. Sitting in the bleachers, Jim films her until he finally approaches her and strikes up a conversation. Jim may be creepy but he’s also charming. Agck!
The film jumps forward 3 months. Tess and Jim are getting married. Jim and his partner Lance (Kadeem Hardison) spend the reception filming the bridesmaids and leering over all the cleavage. Bad Jim, bad!
And again, the film moves forward by 3 months. As all too often happens, the daughter of an abusive father has ended up with an abusive husband. As Jim attempts to murder Tess, Lance rushes into the house with his gun drawn. Jim is arrested and sent to prison.
3 months later, Jim escapes from prison and, after retrieving a disguise kit from his own abusive father, Jim starts to stalk his ex-wife, her family, and her friends. As Lance attempts to track down his former friend, Tess gets a bodyguard and a self-defense instructor in the form of J.T. (Mark Dacascos).
According to the imdb, Instinct to Kill was rated R for featuring “brutal violence and strong sexual content” and yes, it certainly had both of those. However, to be honest, if you toned down the violence and edited out all of the boob shots, Instinct to Kill would be an almost prototypical Lifetime movie. After all, it has all the classic Lifetime elements: a sociopathic ex-husband, a sensitive guy who teaches self-defense, and a female protagonist who comes out of it all newly empowered and confident. Fortunately, I happen to love Lifetime movies and maybe that’s why, somewhat to my surprise, I actually found Instinct to Kill to be an effective B-movie.
Some of that may also be due to the fact that Instinct To Kill’s executive producer was Mark L. Lester, who has directed some of the best B-movies of all time. (He also directed The Ex, which has become a bit of a staple on the Lifetime Movie Network.) I don’t know how involved Lester actually was with the production of this film but it feels much like a Lester film — the villain is flamboyant, the action moves quickly, and the end result packs much more of an emotional punch than you would expect.
Instinct to Kill may have a generic title but it’s definitely not a generic film. Tim Abell makes for a genuinely scary villain and Mark Dacascos is the epitome of strength and sensitivity. That said, the film’s best performance comes from Missy Crider, who believably transforms from being a helpless victim to an empowered warrior over the course of the film and, as a result, elevates the entire film.
Here is the extended trailer for the much anticipated film adaptation of The Fault In Our Stars. With so many people currently comparing Shailene Woodley to Jennifer Lawrence (and Divergent to The Hunger Games), it’ll be interesting to see if this film becomes Shailene’s Silver Linings Playbook.
Last night, my BFF and I were searching for a movie to watch. As we were looking through what was available on demand, we came across a film from 1987 called Someone To Watch Over Me. The film was described as being a romantic thriller about a “happily married cop who becomes infatuated with the wealthy and beautiful woman he’s been assigned to protect from a death threat.”
“This sounds like it might be good,” I said, “Plus, it’s directed by Ridley Scott and he’s good … sometimes.”
“Who’s in it?” my BFF asked.
“Tom Berenger.”
“Who?”
“He was in Inception.”
“Who did he play in Inception? Was he the rich guy or was he one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s friends?”
“Neither. He was just kinda there.”
Anyway, whether it was the Inception-connection or the fact that my friend was tired of listening to me obsessively read the description of every single film that was available on demand, we decided to watch Someone To Watch Over Me.
And you know what?
It’s noInceptionbut Someone To Watch Over Me is still a fairly entertaining little film.
In Someone To Watch Over Me, a youngish Tom Berenger plays Mike Keegan, a New York cop who has just been promoted to detective. When wealthy socialite Claire Gregory (Mimi Rogers) witnesses a murder, Mike is among the detective assigned to guard her. Though the resolutely blue-collar Mike and the sophisticated Claire come from different backgrounds, they both find themselves attracted to one another. For Mike, Claire represents the type of lifestyle that he can only dream of. For Claire, Mike is the opposite of the pretentious and vapid men that usually surround her. Unfortunately, a sinister gangster is attempting to kill Claire and Mike’s down-to-earth wife Ellie (played by Lorraine Bracco) will kill him if she ever finds out.
Now, let’s make one thing clear. The plot of Someone To Watch Over Me is just as predictable as you think it is. As you read my summary, you probably guessed every single thing that happens in the film. There are no surprises and there are no twists. Everything in the movie plays out exactly the way that you’re expecting it too.
And yet, as predictable as it was, I still enjoyed Someone To Watch Over Me. One reason was because of a scene in which Ellie reacts to Mike’s self-serving apologies by punching him in the face. Lorraine Bracco — who is great in this film — throws that punch as if the fate of every woman on the planet’s self-respect depended upon it. When she strikes out at her husband, it changes the film. It’s no longer a film about romance. Instead, it becomes a film about adultery. Even while the film itself tries to play up the romance between Claire and Mike, both Ellie and Lorraine Bracco refuse to be pushed to the side. After sitting through so many films that feature women nobly stepping aside so that their significant other can find happiness with his “true love,” it was refreshing to see Ellie call Mike out on his sanctimonious bullshit.
Secondly, I enjoyed Someone To Watch Over Me because it truly is a time capsule of the time when it was made. I was born in 1985, which perhaps is why I’ve always been fascinated by 80s films. If nothing else, they give me a chance to see what was going on in the rest of the world while I was busy learning how to walk. Someone To Watch Over Me was released in 1987 and everything about it — from the fashion to the celebration of wealth and glamour to Ridley Scott’s artfully composed shots of New York at night to the vaguely cokey vibe given off by some members of the supporting cast to the landline phones — made me feel as if I had stepped into my own personal time machine.
So, in the end, Someone To Watch Over Me is not exactly a great or even a memorable film. However, I’m still glad we watched it.
A lot of people have given up on Nicolas Cage. I’m not one of them but I can understand the sentiment. After all, it was hard not to feel a bit frustrated watching an obviously talented actor continually give performances in films that were so obviously beneath his ability. For every Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, there seemed to be a dozen generic action films in which Cage seemed to be mostly concerned with positioning himself to get a supporting role in the next Expendables film. To many viewers, the conventional wisdom seemed to be that Nicolas Cage just didn’t care anymore.
Well, for everyone out there who has given up on Nicolas Cage, I recommend that you make the effort to track down and watch a film called Joe.
Cage plays Joe Ransom, an ex-con who is struggling to stay out of trouble. As the film quickly makes clear, that’s not always easy in Joe’s case. Joe is in alcoholic with a quick temper and a thing for prostitutes. He’s been arrested enough times that he’s on a first name basis with every single cop in the backwoods Southern town that he calls home. Interestingly enough, the film doesn’t go into the details of Joe’s past. Even when he explains how he ended up in prison in the first place, both the script and Cage’s performance gives us reason to believe that he might be lying. In many ways, Joe remains an enigma throughout the entire film but Cage gives a performance of such power and focus that we feel like we know who the character is even if we don’t always fully understand him. One need only look at Cage’s haunted expression or watch the brilliantly acted scene where a drunk Joe searches for his dog to understand both the character’s demons and his heart.
Joe is in charge of a group of laborers who, under the direction of the local lumber company, spend their days poisoning old trees and planting news ones in their place. As the film makes clear, Joe may be a fuckup in his personal life but “professionally,” he’s a hard worker and a good boss. When Joe hangs out with the members of his work crew (all of whom are played by nonactors, which brings a good deal of authenticity to the film), he’s confident and responsible in a way that he can never be in the “real” world.
When 15 year-old Gary (Tye Sheridan) and his alcoholic father Wade (Gary Poulter) join the crew, Joe starts to find it difficult to maintain his usual detached attitude. Despite his attempts to remain aloof, Joe becomes a bit of a mentor towards Gary. Once he discovers that the alcoholic Wade is both beating his son and prostituting his daughter, Joe is forced to take matters into his own hands.
As good as Nicolas Cage is, the rest of the cast deserves a lot of credit as well. Gary Poulter turns Wade into a pathetic but frightening monster, a man who shows hints of his former humanity even while doing some truly disturbing and viscous things. Wade is a terrifying villain because he’s real. When, halfway through the film, Wade commits one of those most shocking (and pointless) acts of violence that I’ve ever seen, it’s effective because we all know that there are countless real-life Wades out there right now. Gary Poulter, himself, was a homeless street performer who was recruited off the streets of Austin. He made his film debut in Joe and sadly, he died before the film was released. Those who assume that Poulter was just playing himself are doing both him and the film a great disservice. Regardless of how much his background may or may not have mirrored Wade’s, it takes genuine talent to give a performance as effective and thought-provoking as Gary Poulter’s work in Joe.
Gary Poulter in Joe
Joe was directed by David Gordon Green, who comes from my hometown and who obviously has a feel for and an understanding for the type of rural community that most film directors either ignore or treat with the usual yankee combination of condescension, fear, and loathing. As directed by Green, Joe is a moody and atmospheric southern character study. It’s also one of the best films of 2014 so far.
