Flakes
Flakes
★ / ★★★★
“Flakes,” directed by Michael Lehmann, looked good from the trailer because it focused on why these group of characters are different (and proud of it). But the actual film was very disappointing because it ultimately succumbed in typicality; it focused on the romantic relationship between the two leads instead of the actual concept: having a food establishment that serves nothing but cereal. The bistro was lead by Aaron Stanford whose goal is to be a musician but doesn’t quite get there because of his own fears of spreading his wings. On the outside, he says that he wants to be something more but on the inside he’s content on where he is. His girlfriend is played by Zooey Deschanel, someone as quirky and different as Stanford, who’s a painter and wants to help her boyfriend out by taking over the cereal restaurant for a couple of days. Another part of the problem was when a competitor opens in front of them that also features cereal. From then on, a rivalry insues between the two restaurants and the couple. This indie comedy would have been so much more interesting if it did not focus on the relationship between the two leads. Seeing them act like children by trying to make each other miserable, claiming that what they do is “just a job and nothing personal” was too immature and insulting. A smart person (and filmmaker) should realize that sometimes job and relationships DO affect each other in more ways than not. The premise (and therefore the execution) would have been that much more interesting if it straddled that line instead of simply taking sides. Also, in my opinion, Christopher Lloyd was wasted here as the original cereal bistro owner. All he did was pretty much look unkept and mumble nothingness. In the end, I couldn’t get over its “Look! I’m being so indie and different!” feel to the point where it felt almost commercial–the antithesis on what it’s trying to be. Not even the always lovable Deschanel could save this train wreck.
Brüno
Brüno (2009)
★★★ / ★★★★
I think people’s claims that this movie was “provocative,” “unnecessary,” and “crude” should pass as compliments because it was what Sacha Baron Cohen (as the lead character) wanted to achieve. Directed by Larry Charles, the picture tells the story of the recently fired Austrian television reporter named Brüno and his aspiration to become the most popular Austrian since Hitler (his own words). In his quest to achieve his dream, he visits celebrities and politicians for interviews ranging from Paula Abdul, Harrison Ford, to Ron Paul. He also had the bravado to visit the Middle East and interview two men from extreme political parties currently at war with each other; not to mention visiting the home of a terrorist and throwing insults like he was asking to get hurt. If those weren’t enough, he also ended up going to a swingers party, to Alabama in the middle of nowhere, and to a group of people who “converted” homosexuals into heterosexuals. And believe it or not, there were still a handful of things that I haven’t mentioned. Not everyone gets satire. This film satirizes the fashion industry, celebrities from behind the cameras as well as those in the focus of the tabloids, to the very same people who choose to become mindless drones of the television, trying to shape their lives into what’s currently “in” or “hip.” I also liked the fact that it made fun of people who claim to know what they’re talking about when they really don’t (that scene with the two blondes was a riot) and it critiques overbearing parents who desperately push their children to superstardom no matter what the cost. If one really looks into it, there’s a certain thought that was put under the farcical (and downright hilarious) façade that it tries to market. In a way, this movie holds up a mirror to the American society and the very same people who react negatively toward the movie without strong, well thought out reasons are the ones who are being made fun of. And the funnier (or more tragic) thing is, they know it’s all true. The second half was more about Brüno’s homosexuality and how people in less liberal (to say the least) people in America reacts to it. Yes, the character is extreme but I doubt the reactions of such people would have varied that much differently if he wasn’t as “flaming.” At the end of the day, ignorance is ignorance and hatred is hatred. I had a really good time watching this film despite its flaws because it has a certain sharpness to it that I couldn’t help but admire. People say “Boycott this!” or “This should be rated NC-17!” All I can say is that they need to watch more movies and smarten up a bit.
Passengers
Passengers (2008)
★ / ★★★★
This is supposed to be a thriller but it’s not thrilling in any way. I couldn’t believe this was directed by Rodrigo García, also the director of the accomplished film called “Nine Lives,” because this movie feels like it does not have focus when it comes to character development, tone and what it wants to convey. Anne Hathaway stars as a therapist who was assigned to help the psychology of the survivors of a plane crash. Along the way, she falls for one of them–the ever-charming Patrick Wilson. If this picture had been a romantic comedy or a romantic drama, it would have worked for me because the two of them have great chemistry. However, this is a supernatural thriller and the film spent too much time observing their relationship to the point where I kept thinking, “Where is this going? How come no one is exploring the mystery angle of the story?” That lack of direction was glaring because I was expecting for Hathaway to unravel questions about the plane crash. Instead, she becomes sort of a secondary character because she really was not given much to do. The same goes Dianne Weist, David Morse and Clea DuVall–three actors who are usually fantastic when they have a challenging role. As for the twists, they felt forced because the core of the picture was not established in a strong way. There is not much more to say other than to skip this movie. It saddens me whenever talented actors get stuck in a dreadful movie like this. Were they just in it for a quick buck? Did they really believe in the story’s potential to entertain? If it’s the former, it’s understandable. But if it’s the latter, the script should have been a signal for a refusal and take up another better project that’s worth their time (and ours).
Franz Patrick’s Summer 2009 Playlist
I know I talk a lot about movies. Way more than a normal person should.
But hey, I listen to music, too.
I.
[Wake up, Franzie. Get ready for class.]
Skins Theme – Fat Segal
Balamb Garden – Nobuo Uematsu
My Patch – Jim Noir
My Generation – The Who
Campus – Vampire Weekend
II.
[Walking to campus, where every pathway is a runway.]
America’s Next Top Model Theme – Tyra Banks
The Fame – Lady Gaga
Great DJ – The Ting Tings
Disturbia – Rihanna
Gonna Be on Top – Tiaan Williams
III.
[Driving to the beach with the windows down.]
California – Phantom Planet
You’re the Only One – Maria Mena
How Do You Sleep? – Jesse McCartney
Black or White – Michael Jackson
Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys
IV.
[Getting a tan and jumping in the ocean.]
Breathe – Michelle Branch
Soak Up the Sun – Sheryl Crow
Folding Chair – Regina Spektor
Things I’ll Never Say – Avril Lavigne
Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne
V.
[Driving to the city while eating on the car.]
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman
Godhopping – Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Sheepdog – Mando Diao
Sour Cherry – The Kills
Vlad the Impaler – Kasabian
VI.
[At the movies. Guess what we're watching?]
New Batman/Superman Adventures Theme – Shirley Walker
Tangiers – John Powell
Raid on the Castle – Harry Gregson-Williams
Molossus – James Newton Howard
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Santa Esmeralda
VII.
[Club I: Before Midnight.]
Boys Boys Boys – Lady Gaga
Funkytown – Lipps, Inc.
Tribulations – LCD Soundsystem
Robot Rock – Daft Punk
I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked – Ida Maria
VIII.
[Club II: Past Midnight]
She’s Lost Control – Joy Division
Deceptacon – Le Tigre
Wildcat – Ratatat
Ready Steady Go – Paul Oakenfold
Yeah (Pretentious Version) – LCD Soundsystem
IX.
[On the way home. Everyone is tired and cranky.]
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
All My Friends – LCD Soundsystem
Mad – Ne-Yo
If It Makes You Happy – Sheryl Crow
Tears Dry on Their Own – Amy Winehouse
X.
[Good night, Franzie. Sweet dreams.]
We’ve Been Had – The Walkmen
Clean and Sober – Anya Marina
The Hill – Markéta Irglová
The Blower’s Daughter – Damien Rice
Sleep – Melissa Etheridge
Delirious
Delirious (2006)
★★ / ★★★★
“Delirious,” written and directed by Tom DiCillo, is a satire about paparazzis, tabloids and celebrities. Although it had a certain bite from time to time, it lost its way somewhere in the middle only to find its core once again toward the end. I really enjoyed watching Steve Buscemi as a photographer who wants to prove to everybody that he’s the best as what he does. There was a brilliant scene when he visited his parents’ house and neither the mom nor the dad approved of his job. Although Buscemi is convinced that what he does is art, that void inside him is never really filled because he always wants somebody (regardless of their overall importance) to tell him that he’s doing a great job. When no one feeds his ego, he goes off on rather amusing temper tantrums yet still retain a certain sadness to his situation. I also really liked Michael Pitt as an initially homeless aspiring actor who Buscemi takes under his wing and eventually rises to superstardom. Even though he eventually gains a status among celebrities and the media, he remains true to himself and that was nice to see. In most movies, characters like him get corrupted so it’s refreshing to see that change. As tension rises between Buscemi and Pitt, (Buscemi’s character declares that Pitt’s character is ungrateful for all the things he’s done when Pitt was homeless–completely unaware to the fact that he’s been nothing but a jerk/parasite) themes such as jealousy, envy, self-reflection and companionship are explored in meaningful ways. My problem with this picture is that a scene is either really good and focused or it’s really irrelevant to the overall scope of what it’s trying to satirize. If DiCillo had tweaked the middle portion a bit more (such as minimizing the “love” aspect between Pitt and Alison Lohman which felt superficial at most), this would’ve easily been a solid film. Still, this is an interesting movie with funny cameos and interesting subject matter. It’s not that I didn’t like it–I just think that it could’ve been a lot stronger with its smart script and talented actors.
The Uninvited
Uninvited, The (2009)
★★ / ★★★★
“The Uninvited,” directed by Charles Guard and Thomas Guard, is a remake of a Korean film “A Tale of Two Sisters.” I have not seen the latter but I was actually surprised with how this one turned out because the trailers looked unconvincing to say it lightly. This picture is about a girl (Emily Browning) who is recently released from a mental hospital. When she returns home, she finds out that her father (David Strathairn) is in a relationship with the very same nurse (Elizabeth Banks) who took care of her mother when she was still alive. After dreaming about her mother’s angry ghost proclaiming that the nurse murdered her, the main character teams up with her spunky sister (Arielle Kebbel) and the two gather up evidence to get the nurse out of their lives. Since the movie is about a girl who has been recently released from a mental hospital, I decided to view this film from a psychological point of view. Right away, I knew something was a bit off with some of the characters because they exhibited paranoia, delusions and even psychosis with memory relapses. Yes, the premise of the film involved a ghost story/murderer backdrop but I thought that all of it was ultimately justified considering the main character’s state of mind. To me, this is not really a horror film as most people would say. It’s more of a psychological thriller because the way the story unfolded is really from the main character’s perspective. It was able to utilize the whole evil stepmother concept to add to the ever-growing conflict in the house (and stress that comes with it). The stresses then triggers something explainable (to an extent) which happened in the final act. This horror remake is far from perfect but it was interesting enough to keep my attention to figure out what was really happening underneath the supernatural facade. Having said that, I can also understand why a person who sees this film from a purely horror genre perspective may be frustrated with it. I say if one is remotely interested in watching it for whatever reason, then by all means do so. But I must give a warning that “The Uninvited” offers nothing new.
Smother
Smother
★ / ★★★★
This movie’s greatest weakness is its writing and it is ultimately its downfall. Diane Keaton stars as an overbearing mother who moves into her son and daughter-in-law’s (Dax Shepard and Liv Tyler) house because she’s having marriage problems with her husband (Ken Howard). If her annoyances are not enough, an awkward writer who’s a friend of Liv Tyler’s character (Mike White) moves in with them to work on his potential science fiction/war movie script. With the exception of Tyler, I found everyone to be really annoying. I feel like the characters are more like caricatures of people with extreme personality problems instead of actual complex people with good qualities and bad qualities. Keaton tends to overact and I felt her desperation to be funny in every frame. It was painful to watch in the least. Shepard is also very unfunny; in fact, his character is pretty unkind to his mother even before she moved into the house. If I was in his shoes, even I would try to hear out my histrionic mother’s problems. Shepard’s character needed more heart and his frustrations in his own marriage and jobs are not enough of an excuse to warrrant his behavior. I also didn’t like the fact that Vince Di Meglio, the director, was too obvious in regards to telling his audiences what’s funny and what’s not funny. What I noticed was, most of the time, when something funny was happening, a character would scream or yell. Someone always has to be the butt of the joke and it’s utterly unappealing to me. The movie even resulted to two characters trading remarks at a funeral. It’s supposed to be funny but it’s ultimately not because it’s just plain pathetic. That funeral scene cements how immature and self-centered the characters are. This is another one of those bad comedies that you try to forget but cannot quite get there because of how demeaning it was for the actors who are usually pretty entertaining.
sex, lies, and videotape
sex, lies, and videotape
★★★ / ★★★★
I really enjoyed “sex, lies, and videotape,” written and directed by Steven Soderbergh, because it was able to deliver intimacy among characters that are extremely flawed and at times downright unlikable. Andie MacDowell (as the wife who is so uncomfortable about sex, she stops having sex with her husband), Peter Gallagher (as the husband who does not get any sex from his wife so he decides to get it from his wife’s sister), Laura San Giacomo (as the extroverted sister who is driven by jealousy to the point where she will get herself in situations that can potentially hurt her sister), and James Spader (as the husband’s college friend who videotapes women and their sexual secrets) all did an amazing job trying to measure each other up–what they know, what they don’t know and how they can untangle themselves from each other. This is a prime example of achieving a lot without a big budget. Instead of flashy special and visual effects, it focuses on the script and the role of psychology in these characters’ lives. The conversations felt real because what the characters say out loud are sometimes lies and we have to constantly figure out what they really mean by looking at their body languages. This film is not only about human relationships. It’s also about voyeurism, how one’s alienation with oneself can sometimes infect others, and how one can share more information when facing a camera instead of facing another individual. I think that’s very relevant today now that YouTube vlogging is such a phenomena. Some of the most popular YouTube bloggers are very soft-spoken in real life but when they get in front of the camera, it’s like they become a completely different person. This film reflected that and I was very, very impressed. This is the kind of picture that I wouldn’t mind watching multiple times because of the complex dynamics between the characters. It’s just that good and I highly recommend everyone to watch it especially those who are into character studies.
Public Enemies
Public Enemies (2009)
★★★ / ★★★★
Based on “Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-43″ by Bryan Burrough, Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” stars Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, a notorious bank robber in the 1930’s. Along with his friends, they rob banks but do not take the citizens’ money, have intense showdowns with the police, and find intense ways to escape from jail. Just when I thought Dillinger was simply a tough (yet charismatic) criminal with some immutable principles, he falls in love with Billie Frechette (the lovely Marion Cotillard) and the couple’s bond is challenged by going through myriads of trials. What I love about this film was its action scenes. They reminded me of that infamous scene in “Heat” when all the audiences could hear were silence, rushing footsteps, and guns going off. Those scenes, especially the climactic cabin scene at night, are reasons enough to see this film. Another aspect I liked about the picture was that it didn’t try too hard to be cool. With most gangster films I encounter (even though I enjoy them), at times I’m taken out of the experience. With “Public Enemies,” not for one second was I distracted because the scenes had an innate organic flow despite the film being a period piece. Lastly, I enjoyed the idea that we didn’t know much about Dillinger’s past. There’s something about him, right off the heart-pounding first scene, inclined me to think that how he reacts to certain situations is more important than how he became the way he is. However, this film definitely had its weaknesses. Now that I had more time to think about it, I felt that it was a bit too long. While I did enjoy how the FBI agents (led by Christian Bale) found ways to find their targets (sometimes through illegal means), they were a bit repetitive. I get that Mann was trying to show that there are no good guys but did we really need to see Bale getting theatened by his superiors? Right away, I knew that he was a serious man all about reaching his goals (but still maintaining some sort of ethics) because if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been assigned to catch Dillinger. If the film had been about two hours long, it would have been leaner and some weaker extraneous scenes could’ve been cut out. Nevertheless, “Public Enemies” will reward the audiences who are willing to think about the subtleties of each character. If not, then the very realistic action scenes should be more than sufficient.
Momma’s Man
Momma’s Man
★ / ★★★★
Have you ever seen a movie where fifteen minutes into it you have a feeling it’s going to be a disaster but you decide to sit through it, hoping that it will get better or maybe even redeem itself but ultimately doesn’t? “Momma’s Man,” written and directed by Azazel Jacobs, is that kind of movie. It tells the story of a man (Matt Boren) who initially visits his parents (Ken Jacobs and Flo Jacobs–the director’s real-life parents) for a few days but then decides he wants to say for a longer period of time as he totally abandons wife and child. He comes up with so many ways to stay such as lying to people about the health of his mother, lying to his parents about his wife cheating on him and even deliberately falling down the stairs hoping to break his bones. It’s supposed to be funny but I didn’t find anything amusing about it because I seriously thought that this man had a psychological disorder. And to me, people with psychological disorders are not to be poked fun of unless it’s done in a bona fide manner like in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” In here, the character is so unlikeable because he fails to see how his actions cause a ripple effect to the lives around him. His parents are very worried about his mental state and his wife has no idea why he refuses to come back. I didn’t like the parents either. I felt like they have no real authority over their son: the mother is an enabler, the father is emotionally distant. No wonder their son wants to relive his childhood–he wasn’t brought up in a healthy way. I don’t want to delve into Freudian mechanics but the main character is literally fixated on everything about his younger years. As for the film’s tone, I found it to be really annoying. I couldn’t believe I was made to sit through bad song lyrics written by the main character back when he was a teenager or even watch him put shaving cream on his face for five minutes. I’m very familiar with independent filmmaking and I love smaller films. However, this one is just weak all across the board. The acting was painful for me to sit through, especially the mother’s, because her tone of delivery is so consistently flat. I have absolutely nothing positive to say about this picture (which is a rarity because I usually find something positive about most movies) and I urge everyone else to stay as far away as possible from this wreck. It was a waste of a hundred minutes.
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Dead Drop
Franz Patrick. 21. Cinéphile. Medicine. Biology. Psychology. Writing. BtVS. Alias. ANTM. Alt-Rock. Indie Rock. Soundtrack. Imagination. Introspection. Extrospection. Self-actualization. Transcendence.
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Wilderness of Mirrors
Lizz on Smother queerlefty on sex, lies, and videotape queerlefty on Public Enemies Becky Hill on Religulous Brent on Wendy and Lucy Franz Patrick on America’s Next Top Model… LeeLee on America’s Next Top Model… Namora on My Sister’s Keeper Franz Patrick on The Firm Franz Patrick on O Lucky Man! queerlefty on The Firm reeltoreel on Franz-ism cribbster on O Lucky Man! hkyson on Religulous queerlefty on Out of Sight
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Outro
