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2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
"Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop, Dave? Stop, Dave. I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I'm a... fraid."
This is one of those films you never forget...if you sat through it all. People will find this film boring, but I really liked it. (incidentally, I keep finding the poster a giant double entendre, goddamn it) The cinematic techniques used by Kubrick in one of the most famous of his films are extraordinary and were really ahead of its time. To this day many of its sequences are parodied, and HAL9000 has secured his place in history. It formed space and spacecraft into a work of art, and made people fear technology for generations.
Incidentally, I have been trying to find most of the songs used in the soundtrack - I have Also Sprach Zarathustra, and An der Schönen blauen Donau - if anyone can tell me the names of some of the others, let me know, goddamn it.
Rated PG, I think.
9/10
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
Image by Nick Slide via Flickr
"There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, Dim being really dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar making up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening."
Based on the book by Anthony Burgess and directed by Stanley Kubrick, ACO is one of those legendary films you either love or hate, whether for its ultraviolence, bizarre direction, or strange remixes of classical music. Malcom McDowell as 'no last name' Alex is creepy, disgusting, and oddly likable all at the same time. It's a classic that has been parodied and referenced in popular culture over and over again, and was banned in several countries for its content.
Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It's tied with WALL-E for my Best Film Ever.
From the very memorable opening sequence to the strange ending, this film will have you hooked...if you can stand the obscenity.
Rated R in most countries.
10/10
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BLADE RUNNER (1982)
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost in time, like tears...in rain. Time to die."
I saw this film in high school and I loved it.
Another film based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, this one being Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner is another dystopian tale of technology and fear of technology. Its vast cities inspired many other films, most notably Star Wars, and its grim portrayal of the future came as a contrast to other sci-fi of the time. Many of my peers didn't like the film, they didn't 'get it'. My teacher (who is awesome) and I forged a friendship over this film, as I have mentioned in other posts...but that's irrelevant.
The characters are unlikeable and gritty. Except for Roy Batty and JF. Sebastian, who are awesome, badass and insane. Well, JF isn't badass.
The atmosphere is bleak and realistic. Although flying cars are in effect, this is acceptable, as almost every futuristic sci-fi film has them. I think the only ones I've seen that don't are WALL-E, Minority Report and Dune.
There's also a fuckton of symbolism, some subtle, some more overt.
Watch this movie. You will not regret it.
Rated M.
9/10
CLOVERFIELD (2008)
"You know who Superman is?! Oh, I'm feeling a connection here...are you aware of Garfield?"
-contains spoilers-
What can I say, this film was different, but good.
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A lot of people said the party scene was boring and dragged on. Although it was a bit long, it provides great character development and really makes you feel sorry when the characters inevitably die.
Except for when that girl blows up. That was awesome.
I also loved how the film cut away to previous events, and with the manga providing some epic backstory (which isn't really needed to understand the movie, but might be revealed in the sequel), it really fleshes out the character of the creature.
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire feel of the piece. Some say the shaking camera causes nausea, but no-one in the cinema felt nauseous or had to leave to puke, so that's a good sign. There were several moments where you think the movie is over, only for someone to get up, pick up the camera and continue on, the situation becoming more and more hopeless for our hapless protagonists. The camera really gives a personal side to things. As Jenohart pointed out afterward, most monster movies just show the monster trashing things, but not the problems of the people in its way. It was great to only see things from an ordinary civilian's viewpoint. For most of the movie the monster is only glimpsed, but as the film progresses more and more of it is revealed, until, in the climax, it stares at the camera for a good 30 seconds before attacking.
Of course, we all expected the 'rocks fall, everybody dies' ending, [for the uninformed: not literally, it's just the name of a trope] but the way it got there was amazing. The ending, though abrupt, is a good one, and although it doesn't wrap up any loose threads, what were you expecting?!
Unfortunately, there were a few drunk yobbos in the back who didn't 'get' the ending and started yapping on about how there was no credits music. Actually, there WAS, being the only soundtrack in the entire film, excluding the background music played during the party.
Also, stick around after the credits. A bit of backwards audio is played.
Rated M.
7/10
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DONNIE DARKO (2002)
"Twenty-eight days... Six hours... Forty-two minutes... Twelve seconds... That is when the world will end."
This is one fucked up movie.
Just when you think you've got it all worked out, along comes another twist that will confuse you again.
And then you watch it again and realise everything was foreshadowed all along.
I watched the original cut for English class and it was really cool. The ending is extraordinary.
I can't really describe this film. It's surreal, it's fantastic, and it's one big mindfuck.
Rated M.
8/10
FULL METAL JACKET (1987)"Today... is Christmas! There will be a magic show at zero-nine-thirty! Chaplain Charlie will tell you about how the free world will conquer Communism with the aid of God and a few Marines! God has a hard-on for Marines because we kill everything we see! He plays His games, we play ours! To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep Heaven packed with fresh souls! God was here before the Marine Corps! So you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps! Do you ladies understand?"
I liked the first half of this movie, but after that it got really boring.
I particularly liked the characterisation of the legendary Sergeant Hartmann, who incidentally has been parodied a lot and even crossed over into real life drill training, and has been quoted in at least one song by every intrustrial band I listen to. I also liked Private Pyle.
Although I understand the political ramifications of this film, I felt it dragged on a lot.
This movie is also completely responsible for the introduction of the term 'hagane' ('fullmetal') into the Japanese language. It means 'stubborn'. Now you know why so many anime are called 'Full Metal _____'
Rated MA, I think.
6/10
METROPOLIS
Image by Steven Combs via Flickr
"The mediator between Head and Hands...is the Heart!"
This is an awesome film directed by Fritz Lang (yes, the guy in the Fullmetal Alchemist movie...which is worth watching just for the reference to this film) in 1927, making it the oldest film I've ever seen. It also kicks the ass of a lot of modern films.
It was way ahead of its time, using amazing effects with MIRRORS and portraying a view of the future that hadn't been seen before.
It's also a silent film (meaning it's easy to translate, just change the captions) with amazing music and actors. You haven't seen awesome actors until you've seen the proles in this movie.
I swear Kraftwerk were inspired by this film. Not just in the music itself, but the titles. I mean, come on. The Man-Machine?
Incidentally, the 'metropolitan' signs indicating staircases into the metro in Paris seem to have been inspired by this film.
Rated G, I think.
9/10
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MINORITY REPORT (2002)
"It's like my daddy used to say. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king."
A lot of people didn't like this film because Tom Cruise was in it. I've not seen many of his films, so I can't judge the movie on that standard.
This was another film we watched in English class at uni. I really liked it. I like dystopia, and I like science fiction, I like Philip K. Dick, who wrote the short story this film is loosely based on (also the novel for Blade Runner) and I like thinking films. This film has a lot of similarities to other texts: Oedipus Rex, Dune, Blade Runner, 1984, to name a few. I loved this film, although it's not among my favourites. Some will think it's 'weird', but it's much more comprehensible than Donnie Darko, for example. I didn't think much of the characters, because they take a backseat to the underlying themes of the film. The sci-fi isn't too over-the-top and many of its concepts are very plausible.
Rated M.
8/10
WALL-E (2008)
"AUTO, you are relieved of duty!"
-contains minor spoilers regarding the existence of robots other than WALL-E and EVE in the film, which you should know about already, but at the time of its release, it was very tight-lipped-
I can't get enough of this film. It's just...legendary. It's beautiful. It's art. It's everything a film should be, and what makes animated films so special. It has that Disney magic. Younger kids probably won't understand its lack of dialogue much and find its long sweeping shots boring and uneventful, but by god is this probably the best movie ever. From the opening sequence to the finale, this movie will give your eyes an orgasm and make your heart melt for every mindfucking second.
AUTO is one of the greatest villains I remember from a Disney film. He's no Chernobog: he has humble origins, but he exercises his power like Big Brother, although he has good intentions. He's a mix between HAL 9000 and GlaDOS, and his voice is fucking creepy. Everyone and their dog should watch this film, regardless of your opinion about animation or Disney.
Rated G.
10/10
WATCHMEN
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"This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout 'Save us!'... and I'll look down and whisper 'No.' "
(film poster wouldn't come up on Zemanta, and I can't be fucked uploading it myself, so you get a different one instead)
Having never read the graphic novel but having heard amazing things about it, I at first thought the film would suck. Then I saw the trailer, and I knew this would be awesome. I am now trying to find the book, (again, I saw it on sale before the film was announced, but didn't buy it) but it's always taken in sci-fi club.
Well, what can I say about Watchmen that hasn't already been said? It kicks ass. It deconstructs the superhero genre. It deconstructs fucking everything. And the script is written by David Hayter.
FUCKING
DAVID
FUCKING
HAYTER
FUCKING
SOLID
SNAKE
FUCK
YEAH
I really liked the opening sequence, too.
If you're looking for an action film, this is not it. This is a vigilante's muse on the world with massive political undertones. It drags on. If you wanted to see an action film, you will be very disappointed. I didn't expect anything but awesomeness, and I got it.
Also, the sex scene goes for too long.
Rated MA over here, R in the US.
8/10
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