Monday, January 29, 2007

The Beast (of War) (1988)



The Beast is an interesting anti-war movie. It tells the story of a small band of Mujahadeen fighters hunting a Russian tank in Afghanistan during the Russian occupation. The tank, initially part of a larger tank group, had just erupted in a small Afghanistan village, hunting Mujahadeen fighters. The result is a decimated village, with few survivors, and hardly any Mujahadeen casualties. When the village fighters return to view the aftermath, they vow revenge, and set out across the desert in pursuit of the tank -- the one in question, that strays from the others in its group.

In the tank, the commander, Daskal (played by George Dzundza), slowly descends into madness. He trusts no one, not even his crew. The tank driver, Koverchenko (played by Jason Patric), reads Daskal like a book, and knows what is coming can't be good. When Daskal turns on his crew, Koverchenko finds himself abandoned -- left for dead, chained against a rock in the desert. Here's where the story takes an interesting turn. Koverchenko is rescued by the Mujahadeen, who spare him as he pleads for nanawatay -- the Pashtunwali concept of sanctuary, given to enemies who have surrendered. Taken in by the Mujahadeen, Koverchenko joins them in the hunt, knowing that he is the only one who can kill the tank with the Mujahadeen's RPG.

Koverchenko's transformation from Russian soldier to Mujahadeen fighter happens slowly through the movie. Koverchenko is disillusioned with the war -- disillusioned with the way it's being fought, and doesn't see a whole lot of point to it. He doesn't follow orders like a good soldier, but thinks and questions, earning for himself a series of demotions from where he was in army intelligence. The audience is led to empathized with Koverchenko, and see the fruitlessness of the war from his perspective. The filmmakers also uses the clever device of having the Russians speak English in the movie -- making it easier for the audience to get to closer to the Russian characters -- but then, having the Mujahadeen speak Pashto, which isn't subtitled for the audience. The audience has to work to feel for the Mujahadeen fighters, but sympathizing with their plight is easy.

Seeing this movie now, with the recasting of the Mujahadeen fighters as Taliban terrorists is interesting. The US propaganda machine has worked hard at transforming old allies in the cold war to enemies of today. Like this movie, the world is hardly black and white, and there are hardly good guys and bad guys -- just lots of shades of grey. The movie makes you think -- about a group of people who we in the west sometimes fear, sometimes hate, sometimes want to rescue and sometimes just want to have go away. The Beast of War is largely unknown war movie -- but it shouldn't be. It has a message, and it's right -- war sucks and sometimes, makes no sense.
Koverchenko to Daskal: Sorry, sir. Not much of a war. No Stalingrad. How is it that we're the Nazis this time?

Sunday, January 21, 2007

The Stuff (1985)



A couple of miners in some forsaken small town discover some white goo bubbling out of the ground. Being the experimental sort, they immediately stick their fingers in it and take it straight to their mouths for a taste. Turns out the stuff actually tastes pretty good, and once you get a taste for it, you crave more and more and more. It turns out that the stuff also does something weird with people's brains -- mind control -- making people who've taken the stuff wanting to see others do likewise so the whole world can be taken over by the stuff. In short order, the miners who discovered the stuff, make a hostile takeover of Chocolate Chip Charlie's business, hire a marketing genius to sell their wonder-goo, and partner with an unethical distributor to get the stuff out to the masses.

As America succumbs to the stuff being sold as an ice cream/yogurt alternative, it's up to our heroes who know something is wrong with the stuff to save the day. Enter Jason (Scott Bloom), the kid who refuses to eat ice cream that moves on its own; David 'Mo' Rutherford (Michael Moriarty), ex-FBI agent turn corporate saboteur; Nicole (Andrea Marcovicci), the TV commercial director that sold the stuff to Americans; Chocolate Chip Charlie (Garrett Morris), a cookie businessman with deadly hands, that saw his relatives sell out his company to the stuff; and Colonel Malcolm Grommett Spears (Paul Sorvino), a right-wing nut-job with his own army, who know the commies have been putting stuff in the water for years in order to control Americans.

The Stuff is a b-movie masterpiece. The effects, mostly white-goo purposely flowing, are OK for this sort of fare. The acting, quite memorable, especially Moriarty, Morris and Sorvino. This is a movie made for late night viewing, with loads of popcorn and friends. The movie isn't the least bit scary -- just plain fun.

Underlying this movie is a social commentary on American consumerism and food consumption habits. It wasn't a message that was delivered with a heavy-hand -- rather, it was subtle, and ran throughout the film. The message is especially relevant today, as obesity has reached epidemic proportions. I won't dwell on it in this review. If you're going to watch the movie, you may chose if you want to see the message or not.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

The Plague (2006)


The Plague, otherwise known as Clive Barker's The Plague, is a movie that capitalizes on the zombie resurgence. Barker served as a producer of the movie, and that was about it. Sticking his name on it is bit of marketing spin, but it did little to help this movie make it to the theatres. The movie itself wasn't all that bad. The acting was OK for this sort of thing, and the cinematography was good. The premise was a battle of the generations, with a zombie twist to spice things up.

Ten years ago, the story goes, children around the world were infected by a plague. Doctors know nothing about it, and have never found out what it was that infected the children. The infected children, all nine years old or younger, went into a coma. Since then, they've been cared for -- some at hospitals, in large wards -- some at home, by parents who still love them and are waiting for them to wake up.

Fast forward to today, and all hell breaks loose when the children wake from their ten year slumber, in a pissed off mood. Around the world, they're out hunting everybody who were not struck by the plague. They share some collective intelligence. Each learning from what the others are experiencing. That means in no time, they've disabled all vehicles and have learned to use guns. They also seem incredibly strong and can withstand a few good blows, and sometimes bullets. Yup, zombies.

The first half of the movie moves with a slow, steady and almost uneventful pace, with characters being developed. For some reason, there's repeated references to Grapes of Wrath, but I can't figure out why. When the kids wake up however, the pace of the movie jumps in high gear. The running, the screaming, the hysterics and purposeful zombie gait of the murderous children. It's a battle of the generations, as one seeks to obliterate the other.

This would have been alright for a zombie movie, but then suddenly, out of nowhere, religion is introduced. And I don't mean the, "Oh God! Oh God! We're all going to die!" sort of religion. I mean suddenly, this isn't about a plague, this is about retribution of some sorts, with the almighty pulling the strings to push the restart button on humanity. Or so I'm guessing. The movie is not quite clear on the whole idea. The end just comes abruptly. The kids suddenly stop their killing because one guy gives himself as a sacrifice to the kids. There was something about "having no fear when the children come." Something like that anyway.

The end threw, what was shaping up to be a good zombie movie, into sheer confusion. It took the entire movie away from the zombie-crazy audience, and left them with, WTF? Some people over at IMDB [registration required] think they can explain the movie, but I don't buy the explanations. Too many holes.

The Bone Snatcher (2003)


Ah, what cheap thrills b-movie horror poop can be. The Bone Snatcher is set in some desert somewhere -- filmed in South Africa -- where a monster is accidentally awaken by some diamond prospectors. There are characters, none of them really anything special. They're typical of this fare. There is the girl. There is the nerd. There is the crazy guy who breaks all the rules, acts first and may think later. And there is the superstitious one. They're all going to die so only the nerd and the girl will live to be happy ever after. Of course, that's going to take two hours.

The monster is introduced when it's awaken in the desert and it immediately grabs one of the mine prospectors and strips him of his flesh. Another two quickly follows. Others are sent in to investigate, and in short order, finds two bodies and start hunting the third, believed to be a murderer. In no time, they find the third body, a slinking skeleton covered with a black moving mass that looks like dust. Being simple people and having guns, they shoot, shout and scream. Not in that particular order. Then they run, when the guns prove to be ineffective.

The desert is hot in the day, freezing at night. Trucks break down mysteriously. A monster hunts people. And a magic gizmo seems to beep whenever the monster gets close. The monster is eventually explained by the nerd as being ants, that are governed by a queen that rules the nest. Their original nest is disturbed, so they need bones to to create a body to move around. Don't try to make sense of it. It's silly. But it's a b-movie, what did you expect? If you're into this sort of thing, you'll have fun with it. If you're not, well ... don't bother.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) Teaser Trailer

After the defeat of their old arch nemesis, The Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart as a family. Struggling to keep them together, their rat sensei, Master Splinter, becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City. Tech-industrialist Max Winters is amassing an army of ancient monsters to apparently take over the world.

300 Trailer

300, release date: March 9, 2007. Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller's (Sin City) acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale.

Ghost Rider Trailer

Ghost Rider, release date: Feb. 16, 2007. In Columbia Pictures’ adventure thriller Ghost Rider, a superstar motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze strikes a deal with the vile Mephistopheles for the most precious of commodities – his immortal soul. Now Johnny Blaze is forever destined to ride night after night as the host to the powerful supernatural entity known as the Ghost Rider.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia, release date: Feb. 17, 2007 An 11-year-old boy’s life is changed forever when he befriends the class outsider—who happens to be a girl. Together Jess (Josh Hutcherson) and Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) create the world of Terabithia, an imaginary kingdom filled with giants and trolls and all manner of magical beings. While the real world of family and school may be filled with difficulties, in Terabithia they rule as King and Queen. When an unexpected tragedy occurs, one of them will have to pull all the strength possible from the great legacy of Terabithia. Based on the Newbery Medal-winning novel by Katherine Paterson.

The Messengers Trailer

The Messengers -- Set to be released Feb. 2, 2007. An ominous darkness invades a seemingly serene sunflower farm in North Dakota, and the Solomon family is torn apart by suspicion, mayhem and murder. Stars: Kristen Stewart, Dylan McDermott, Penelope Ann Miller, John Corbett. Directed by Oxide and Danny Pang. Produced by Sam Raimi.

ARTHUR & THE INVISIBLES Trailer

From the creative mind of talented filmmaker Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element), comes a larger-than-life, family adventure about a boy who, after his grandfather disappears, sets out to save his family home from emerging real estate developers. Arthur learns that he must follow his grandfather’s ancient clues to a vast treasure – and unlock the passageway to a spectacular new world filled with mysterious little people, so tiny they are considered invisible, and enlist their help. But once in the magical land, Arthur must join swords with a beautiful princess and a reckless army of defenders to save the land from the evil wizard. It seems like an impossible task, but as he discovers along the way, sometimes the smallest heroes can make the biggest difference. Using a dazzling new combination of live-action and ground-breaking CGI technology, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES is the story about the true meaning of courage and the endless power of imagination. The film is scheduled for release on January 12, 2007, and stars Mia Farrow and Freddie Highmore, featuring the voices of Madonna, David Bowie and Snoop Dog. ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES was written and directed by Luc Besson and is based on the best selling children's book, “Arthur and the Minimoys.”

Pan's Labyrinth Full Trailer

Spain, 1944. The end of the Civil War. Recently remarried Carmen moves with her daughter Ofélia into the house of her new husband, coldly authoritarian Vidal, a captain in Franco’s army. Finding her new life hard to bear, the young girl seeks refuge in a mysterious labyrinth she discovers next to the sprawling family house. Pan, the guardian, a magical creature, reveals that she is none other than the long-lost princess of a magical kingdom. To discover the truth, Ofélia will have to accomplish three dangerous tasks, tasks which nothing has prepared her to face… Written and directed by Guillermo Del Toro, PAN’S LABYRINTH is released November 24th.