Review: Love Exposure

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Tom

Making its way to Blu-ray, thanks to Third Window Films, and released today, Love Exposure is a 2008 release directed by Sion Sono and is probably unlike anything you’ve seen before.

The film opens with a scene of a young boy – Yu – and his mother, who is terminally ill and praying. His mother asks only that Yu finds his ‘Maria’, his one true love. Young Yu promises to do this.

Years later, Yu (Takahiro Nishijima) is a normal seventeen year old boy living with his father, who has become a priest. After his father breaks up with another woman and has his heart broken, things begin to go wrong. His father demands that Yu goes to confession on a daily basis, and is not happy until his son confesses to sins. Yu, being a young normal seventeen year old, has little to confess to. For a while he has to ‘squeeze out sins’, but this is not adequate. So, in an attempt to bond with his father, he begins to purposefully sin. Eventually, he perfects the art of ‘peek-a-panty’ photos, which has him branded as a pervert. This proves enough to truly enrage his father.

“All perverts were created equal”

Throughout this, there is a constant countdown to ‘the miracle’, which happens almost exactly half way through the film. This is the moment that Yu meets his ‘Maria’, Yoko (Hikari Mitsushima). They fall in love instantly. The only problem is that Yu is dressed as a woman called Miss Scorpion at the time, and is completely unrecognisable.

“Jesus I approve of you as the only cool man besides Kurt Cobain”

The third strand in the film, and the one that holds most sway over the second half of the film is the story of Koike (Sakura Ando) who has been manipulating events and characters in order to bring the family into her ‘Zero Church’ cult.

Love Exposure is asking questions of love, sex and passion. There is an analysis of faith and sin, religion and identity. There is more than a touch of disillusioned and abandoned youth (which Sono would go on to look at even more in Himuzu). Gender, sexuality, broken families, parenthood also get tackled with. There is a lot going on here.

The Zero Church have their own agenda. And a bird.

The film plays across several genres, and goes from comedy to thriller and back again. There are jokes about erections mixed in with much darker scenes. It looks great throughout, with clever lighting and some interesting shots. The soundtrack is fantastic, with use of pop and rock as well as classical pieces. These reflect characters as well as enhancing the mood or drama of scenes.

Love Exposure may not be for everyone, but for such a long film (four hours) it remains quick moving and entertaining, as well as managing to cover so many themes. I admit that at first I was worried some of the visual metaphors were far too obvious, but the film builds themes so quickly that things merge and mix like colour on an artist’s pallet, creating something entirely new. Definitely worth investing some time with.

Extra features:
One hour long ‘making of’ feature
Thirty-minute interview with Sion Sono
Deleted and extended scenes
Trailer

Note: I saw the DVD version, not the Blu-ray.

Review: King of Devil’s Island

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Tom

King of Devil’s Island is essentially a prison movie, starring the wonderful Stellen Skarsgard as the Governor. However, due to some great touches to the script and performances the film manages to rise above so many others in this genre.

The build of tension is superbly done, and it is beautifully shot throughout.

I really, really liked it. I wrote a full review of King of Devil’s Island for CinetalkTV.

Chernobyl Diaries and Kosmos

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Tom

A couple of reviews have gone up over at Cinetalk.

Chernobyl Diaries, a horror in which a group of young holidaymakers find more than they bargained for in the ruins around Chernobyl.

Kosmos, in which a strange figure turns up at a small town, possibly with the power to heal.

Dinotasia Review

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Tom

Dinosaurs, Herzog and magic mushrooms…

We played Dinotasia for only a week at the Gate Cinema, and I didn’t get a chance to see it until Thursday, the last day of screening. (Cinemas work on a Fri-Thu week). Hence, I didn’t bother reviewing it at the time. However, it’s such a niche film that I realised I was doing it a disservice by ignoring it!

Dinotasia is a weird film. It was billed as a dino-documentary narrated by Werner Herzog, but it isn’t really. It’s a series of shorts, all starring different dinosaurs going about their daily lives, but vaguely anthropomorphised so that stories can be told. Battling T-Rex’s, who are out for revenge, a sauropod getting high on magic mushrooms, giant deadly frogs… Between each short, Herzog narrates. He doesn’t get a lot of time, so he has managed to squeeze ‘extra Herzog’ into each line he has. It is brilliant.

Although the science behind the film is relatively sound (not just in my opinion, but that of a palaeontologist friend also) this is not a documentary and it isn’t out to teach us anything new. If you’re after depth and learning, then you’re better off visiting the Natural History Museum. It is also not a film for young children, as it’s fairly violent in places, and includes some dino-sex.

Dinotasia is, essentially, a late-night beer film for people like me. I am the niche audience, and I loved it. (The film should have been sold with a great B-Movie poster: SEE Dinosaurs fight, love and Get High! SEE giant deadly frogs! HEAR Werner Herzog!)

The film is unlikely to be seen a great deal in cinemas, but if a screening does come up I recommend the film. Go in ready to laugh, and you’ll have a great time.

Review: Life Just Is

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Tom

Life Just Is

I was lucky enough to be invited to see an early screening of new British Indie LIFE JUST IS, a fresh take on the lives of urban 20-somethings, from writer/director Alex Barrett

We follow a group of friends for a week. We see relationships begin, break up and develop. However, these aren’t standard ‘movie’ relationships, and they don’t necessarily go the way the characters would like. One of them, Pete is going through a tough existential crisis, while Tom and Claire are struggling with the simpler problem of mutual attraction.

It took me a while to get into the film, but much like real friendship, I think that is because I had to get to know the characters. Once I did, I was thoroughly engrossed. I was worried that the episodic nature of the film – each day has its own title card – might break up the flow, but it works really well and actually keeps the film moving, where perhaps it could have stalled on certain events.

The film manages to be both very large in scope, discussing religion and the existence of God, and also extremely intimate. The conversations are very realistic in the way they are written and are performed naturally by the cast, which really brings the characters to life. Of course, in an ensemble piece like this, some of the characters will end up a little neglected – but wanting to know more about them just proves that what we see is interesting and well thought-out.

Ultimately, once the film had finished, I find myself wishing I could see the next day in the lives of these characters. Watch it, and you’ll feel like you’ve made some new friends.

Visit the official website and follow on Twitter.

Monster Movie Action!

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Tom

Kim Jong-Il’s monstrous creation, PULGASARI

I went to the fantastic Roxy Bar And Screen to see PULGASARI.

Now, the story behind the film is pretty amazing. Back in 1985, Kim Jong-Il had South Korean Director Shin San-ok make a monster movie. Of Course, San-ok had been kidnapped by North Korea, and was being held against his wishes. Special effects are from Godzilla studios Toho.

The film follows the story of a village which is being, essentially, pillaged by the King. The villagers revolt, and several are taken prisoner. One, the blacksmith, creates a small doll out of rice and food. When touched by human blood, the doll comes to life, and begins to eat metal.

As the villagers continue to fight against the evil regime, the monster grows in size, before becoming large enough to take on entire armies.

Some of the torture scenes are surprisingly shocking – particular an old woman getting her legs beaten by a plank of wood. Some of them are fairly silly (such as an executioner giving a full-on movie ‘evil laugh’). However, it isn’t the people that are the stars of this film, it’s Pulgasari himself.

In his first scenes, he’s tiny. You will want one as a pet. Once he’s big, though, the effects are standard 80′s Godzilla stuff. It’s bonkers, and I loved it. It’s really the sound effects that lift this film, though. They are very cartoonish in places, with hilarious consequences.

Without getting into the politics of the film, it is very entertaining in a ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ kind of way, and is different enough from other Toho monster films to be fresh.

Like the ‘Asian Movies Meet-up Group‘ to stay up-to-date with other events and screenings.

Review: The Artist

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Tom

The first film of 2012

A silent film about the death of silent film. Rave reviews, great anticipation and awards buzz that would be deafening, except, of course, it’s all silent.

Can a film eighty years out of time really be as good as everyone is saying?

The film starts in the 1920’s, and George Valentin (jean Dujardin) is a Hollwood star at the height of his fame. Following a chance encounter with Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young actress, Valentin steps in to give her career a boost, and the sparks between them fly.

The trouble begins when cinema takes that giant leap into the unknown – sound.

As with so many of the great silent stars, George Valentin doesn’t make the transition, and his life begins to fall apart. At the same time, Peppy Miller become the new biggest name in town.

The story is simple and won’t tax you at all. The real joy of The Artist is the clever way that homage is made to silent classics, but in a very fresh, very modern way. There are moments of absolute brilliance. What’s more, the comedy is spot-on.

Watch it, ideally in a cinema that’s been running since the 1920′s, because the year has started with one of the very best films!

Review: Hugo

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Tom

Learn to love cinema again

I had to go and see this one. One scene was shot in my beautiful cinema – the Gate at Notting Hill. Of course, the film doesn’t fit our standard audience profile, so I caught it instead at my local indie, the Genesis. (Their screen 1 is massive!).

The story of a young boy, Hugo, who lives in a train station in Paris. He is very good at fixing things, and is currently trying to fix an automaton. His attempts to get it working again lead him on an adventure. This much I knew before the film, and it sounds like standard ‘Family Christmas Film’ stuff. HUGO is so much more than that, though. Whoever arranged the advertising has really sold the film short, HUGO has heart and soul and character and, frankly, I loved it.

The story at it’s basic level is a heartwarming one, where several lost characters manage to find themselves and their purpose through the course of the film. Hugo is, of course, the catalyst for all of this. The meat of the story is the exploration of relationships and loss, (The loss of parents in particular). It’s not all emotional wash, though, I felt some real compassion for the characters.

The most surprising thing for me, however, was the simple and undying love for the magic of cinema. I don’t want to give away an major plot points, but early silent cinema plays a massive part in HUGO. It really feels like Scorsese has put his love of film out there for us to see.

The thing is, I do love cinema. And, I would expect, so does anyone reading this review. I work in a cinema. In fact, I’m in a cinema pretty much every day of the year for one reason or another – and I forget just how magical they are. This film reminded me, and for that, I am thankful.

Asa Butterfield is great as Hugo, and Chloe Moretz shines again as Isabelle. A little older than she was in KICK ASS, and I can see her becoming a huge star.

I saw the 3D version, and I liked it. Of course, the 3D scenes are a little more ‘CGI’ than the rest, but Scorsese manages to find the perfect balance. He doesn’t overuse the 3D, but manages to harness is to create a greater atmosphere.

I would also like to praise the score – it’s great! Howard Shore has done well.

I think this has just replaced the awesome RANGO as my family film of the year. Go and see it in a cinema.

(If you’re wondering about the Gate… It’s the scene where the kids sneak into a cinema. That’s our auditorium.)

Review: Snowtown

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Tom

Serial killing Australians are nice people too…

SNOWTOWN is the story behind the worst murders in Australian history, those committed by John Bunting and his friends.

The film largely follows Jamie (Lucas Pittaway), a 16 year old victim of sexual abuse. John becomes a father figure to him and his brothers, strict but caring. Jamie is slowly introduced to the brutal murders being committed, and eventual begins to take an active role.

The performances are all excellent. Daniel Henshall as John Bunting impressed me in particular. He is quietly charismatic and powerful. The role could have easily fallen into a ‘Norman Bates’ trap, but John is a fully rounded character here, which makes the calculating torture and murder of his victims even more horrific.

The location – a depressed are of Adelaide – is used very, very well by first-time Director Just Kurzel, being an almost oppressive character in its own right. I also got the sense of them living in a wilderness, despite it being an urban area, without ‘official’ authority figures, left to their own devices. It is portrayed as an environment filled with danger, sexual predators and terrified people – the ideal home for a serial killer to grow.

There are some intense scenes of torture, which have impact due to both the realistic way the film is shot and because the film is based on real events.

Recommended viewing, but not for the squeamish.

Raindance: Days Gone By

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Tom

DAYS GONE BY

This is the first feature from director Joh Zhao. A mysterious illness is striking inhabitants of an American City, and nobody know why. When his girlfriend, Shelley (Jennie Epland) is close to death, Mitch (Kyle Walters) behind to desperately search for a rumoured cure. This search takes him into the dark underground of the City, where he meets Trixie (Julia Max) and her drug-dependent family.

The film is, strikingly, shot using various different formats. This is cleverly used to illustrate the differing mental states of the characters. Zhao shows great skill with this – some of the film is really incredibly beautiful (Although this doesn’t come across so well in the trailer below. It must need a big screen for the full effect). Colour, light and movement are also used extremely well, helping to build mood. The only shots in bright light are when Mitch is at work (a pharmacy), and even then we only see this section of the world as a series of stills.

Additionally, the music has a massive impact. Some of it beautiful violin, guitar or piano, and some of it more complex soundscapes. It all creates an all-encompasing world and heightens the drama and the experiences of the characters.

The only thing that lets the film down is that, other than Mitch and Trixie, the characters feel a little two-dimensional.

Overall, however, I found the film to be intense, intriguing and a stunning debut from all involved.

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