Chapter 27, Taxi to the Dark Side, Bigger Stronger Faster
Chapter 27
[ 2 stars out of 4 ]
This is an interesting movie because I didn’t like it but I’m somewhat recommending it. There’s a big sense of realism in this picture that made it that much more haunting. Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman, infamously known as John Lennon’s assassin, gives a borderline great performance not only because he gained about sixty pounds for the role; Leto really embodied Chapman’s twisted and fractured mind. The film gave possible reasons why Chapman did what he did, from J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” lack of genuine human connection, to alienation, but does not cross that line where the audiences are asked to feel for Chapman. Lindsay Lohan is pretty good here as Jude, who realizes that Chapman is more of stalker than a fanatic. Whenever she and Leto interact, the picture feels more alive. Thankfully, it’s a short film because I was beginning to feel uncomfortable watching Leto; usually he plays a pretty boy who’s damaged in some way but not as shocking as he is in this film. This movie is definitely not for everyone because it feels more like a broadway play than anything (one of the main reasons why I didn’t like it). I’m recommending “Chapter 27″ for the sheer power of Leto’s acting and a nice reminder that Lohan still has star power because she can genuinely act.
Taxi to the Dark Side
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]
I consider this the twin of the very informative “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” because it essentially tackles the same issues. However, it does not mean that “Taxi to the Dark Side” doesn’t have anything worthwhile to offer. Although it obviously leans toward the left side of the political spectrum, it is able to set up its thesis and arguments in a focused manner. I was also surprised by how affecting this documentary becomes when the narrator (director Alex Gibney) and the people being interviewed stop talking and let the images speak for themselves. I have my own opinion of the Bush administration and I’m not going to discuss them here. However, I thought it was smart move when the film points out the flaws of President Bush and his regime–to highlight the source of why military personnel are capturing and torturing people despite their lack of evidence to support that those people are terrorists. Not only that, the film also points to the media (such as television shows like “24″) and its audiences. The media anesthetizes us when it comes to violence. And without our thirst for revenge after the 9/11 attacks, we wouldn’t have supported Bush’s notion to basically rewrite the constitution by passing “laws” that “can be interpreted differently” in order to justify torture that crosses the line of cruelty by a mile. The film is also smart enough to consider alternative (more effective and truthful) ways of acquiring information from people that were taken in custody. I really liked this film even though the subject is familiar because it is able to open our eyes about our government and allow us to question our own morality. This issue of torture is still relevant today and will remain so until the supposed “War on Terror” is “won.”
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
“But in America, it seems like cheaters always prosper.” I know this is a very personal documentary by Chris Bell but he helmed this film in such a way that it gets better the deeper the audiences get into it. It starts off as a critique on American society where most people are willing to do anything to be the best. And then suddenly, it becomes about family values, body images of both youth and adults, childhood dreams, politics, what we’re willing (or not willing) to give up in our lives just so our loved ones can sleep a little better at night. I found this movie to be really scary but also very realistic. Just when I was convinced that, generally, steroids are okay (I am aware of its benefits in the medical field such as stereoids being a solution for muscular dystrophy), my perception is altered because it provides cases which argue that steroids are not okay (risk of suicide, adverse effects in our bodies, addiction). This picture contains a lot of footages that features George W. Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone… which sets up issues that concern us because of what is presented in the media: hard body/masculinity is good; soft body/femininity is bad. It was also interesting when the action figures from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s were brought up and how their looks have changed. This film covered so much ground to the point where I thought it was so rich with information, I could discuss them all day. Some people may argue that it’s a sign of a lack of focus. I disagree because all of those seemingly disparate things connect to the overall picture: the role of perfomance-enhancing drugs in the United States. I consider this a very important film and it’s one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in 2008.
