The Road

Is anyone else as excited about this as I am? This is a perfect meeting of actor, director, and material. Viggo Mortensen can really do some solid work; I've loved what he's done in the last two Cronenberg films, particularly Eastern Promises. John Hillcoat delivered a fantastic western with The Proposition. Roger Ebert favorably compared that film with Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian in tone, and I have to agree with him wholeheartedly. And finally, the book. It's a taut, grim piece of work, but very engaging. While his characters continue the trend of minimal dialogue, the action moves along a lot faster, like in his previous book No Country For Old Men. Just like that adaptation's success in the hands of the Coen brothers, I think this story is suited to the big screen. Hopefully, it will help erase the memory of All The Pretty Horses.

This article from the New York Times isn't "new", but it's still worth checking out if you missed it like I did. It looks like the movie is done with principal photography and is set to open in November.

Greatest. Superhero. Movie. Ever.

So I saw a 4am IMAX screening of The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan's new... Wait a minute. Who's been trapped under a large rock all year? I'm assuming it was a really wide rock, to miss all the posters and billboards. Honestly, it feels like the viral marketing has been going on for YEARS. It reminds me of the work done for Batman. Do you remember the advance marketing for Tim Burton's first Batman movie? The bat-symbol teaser trailer launched really early, at least really early for the time, stirring all sorts of speculation. Between that and the 1-900 hotline to decide if Robin died in the comic book, it was a great time to be a 7th grader enamored with the caped crusader.

But this is 2008, and I just saw The Dark Knight. Wow.



Let me go ahead and get this out of the way: Heath Ledger delivered a staggering performance. Menace and nihilism personified. But wonderfully charismatic. There were so many subtle touches. I loved his licking tic; it really sold the scarring make-up. I thought there would be a lot of baggage from Nicholson's take on the character, but it was never an issue. This really was Ledger's movie.

But if it was just one amazing performance in the midst of a mediocre movie, I wouldn't be this giddy. For all the talk that's bound to happen about how dark the tone of the movie is, I found it to be a LOT of fun. The base-jumping? Awesome. The "birth" of the Bat-Pod? Awesome. The Empire Strikes Back-esque take-down of a semi? You get the picture. I had a similiar feeling leaving this screening to leaving Casino Royale when that hit theatres. Sad as it may be, Batman and James Bond were heroes of mine as a child, and it's thrilling to see them treated with all due respect. Who knew there would actually be a Batman movie made that would seriously meditate on law and order, and the thin line you can cross into fascism? Without being preachy? A real achievement.

One minor gripe: Bale's "Batman" voice was sort of annoying. Like a bad Fat Albert impersonation.

2008 New York Asian Film Festival

So, a bit late, but here's my take on this year's New York Asian Film Festival.

First off, I had a great time. While this year's line-up expanded a lot from previous ones, I was only able to take in three. But all three were great films, including one I had been waiting to see long before NYAFF's lineup was announced. And free Sapporo after Sukiyaki Western Django didn't hurt my impression of the festival. Let's take these in chronological order, shall we?


Mad Detective (aka Sun Taam)

I have a confession to make: I've never seen a Johnny To film before. I took this festival as a chance to rectify that problem. First up was Mad Detective. This is the noir-ish tale of a police investigator who has the unique ability to see the spirits or "inner personalities" that dwell within other people. It allows him to see motivations and desires that aren't immediately obvious. While invaluable as an investigative tool, he isn't able to switch it off or turn it's gaze inward. He's shunned for his odd behavior, and further, isn't completely aware of it. It was an interesting premise that, fortunately, really delivered. The flawed superhuman concept reminded me of Unbreakable, yet not as dour in its execution. This story found a wonderful balance of humor with the darker material.

I imagine someone at a major studio is trying to figure out how to make this film a vehicle for Nicolas Cage. Let's hope that doesn't happen. I just read today that this will be getting a full theatrical run at the IFC Center. You can read more details here. So if you missed it during the festival, I suggest you don't make the same mistake twice.


Sparrow (aka Man jeuk)

This is about a group of four (very pleasant) pickpockets, whose tranquil existence is disturbed by the introduction of a mysterious woman. A wonderful parallel is drawn with a bird flying into the head pickpocket's apartment. He tries unsuccessfully to remove it, but it keeps returning. This movie is enchanting. And I don't use that word often. I actually felt pretty fuzzy leaving the theatre.

It was refreshing to see a new film that really understands how to use a score. Everything was kept very light, one could even say effervescent, without becoming cloyingly sweet. My favorite sequence is the shared cigarette in the car. It's already punching all the right buttons, reminding me of the shared cab scene in In The Mood For Love, one of my all-time favorite films. But the music takes a turn, that's reminiscent of Morricone's score to Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion. Specifically it brought to mind Mike Patton's cover of the main theme from Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, with his vocal pop and slow exhale. Very sexy and very effective. Sparrow is a film I will be revisiting.

But now to completely switch gears...


Sukiyaki Western Django

Wow. This movie was MADE for me. A riff on Spaghetti Westerns? I LOVE Spaghetti Westerns! A new film by Takashi Miike? I love Miike! Everything I read about it beforehand just whetted my appetite. From the fact that all the actors would be speaking broken English to the climax being set in the snow a la The Great Silence, it all was fuel to the fire. But how did it turn out?

Anyone familiar with Miike's work knows his stuff is all over the map. I'd say that the only two constants I can point to are 1) a solid entertainment factor, and 2) an obsession with bodily fluid. This one didn't break any trends in that regard. But as a mash-up of Spaghetti Westerns? I thought it was amazing. Not only were references piled on top of one another (Django's coffin "surprise" makes an appearance), but the sense of real fun that most Italian Westerns had was on full display. They were ultimately popular entertainment, and I was most impressed to see that spirit remain intact.

Word from the festival was that this has been picked up for a US theatrical release, I believe later this year. Unfortunately, I have to agree with my friend Abe: if this movie opens wide, it will tank. The "Engrish" will turn off a lot of fans of foreign films, and the utter zaniness and moments of poetry will confuse people looking for an action movie. But for me: Christmas came early.

Ashes of Time Redux

This news is so old now, it's dusty. But it's a pretty big deal for me, and I realized I didn't mention it here. You can read more details here, but Wong-Kar Wai will be re-releasing his "action" movie from the 90's: Ashes of Time.


This film has been something of a holy grail for me. I fell for In The Mood For Love and 2046, and learned of Ashes of Time while diving into his earlier work. Unfortunately, the DVDs available for Ashes of Time look horrible. Like bad VHS. Like a dub of a bad VHS. But I don't have to worry about that now. The director has gone back and cleaned up the best surviving film elements, added some new music, and trimmed some fat. (The Redux is about 10 minutes shorter) After its debut at this past Cannes festival, Sony Picture Classics has picked it up and it will be released domestically in September. I'm a big fan of Christopher Doyle's (Wong-Kar Wai's long-time DP) work, and I'm honestly giddy about the prospect of seeing this cleaned up on a big screen. That's right: giddy.

Do you think it's possible this release is intended to soften the critical blow he received from his English language debut earlier this year: My Blueberry Nights?

Metropolis Uncovered!

Big news.

Anyone who has seen Fritz Lang's seminal science fiction film Metropolis, knows there's some missing footage. Some sequences jerk forward like a fifteen year-old with a stick shift. After its Berlin premiere in 1927, it was repeatedly cut down by distributors looking to shorten the running time. All we're left with today are those truncated versions, the original prints have long since been lost.

Or have they?

You should read more here and here, but it seems that the closest thing we have to Lang's original version has been uncovered in Buenos Aires. Sent to Argentina in 1928, this print has been in the hands of collectors, eventually ending up at the Museo del Cine where it was "rediscovered" in January. While significantly longer, this is still not the complete version. Exciting nonetheless!

I'm Sorry

I've been incommunicato lately. Tech rehearsals are definitely the least-sexy aspect of my decidedly unsexy job. But that is done now. So you can expect lots of posts to be flooding in now. I mean it. Hold your breath.

For now, enjoy this website I found: Bottom Half Nude. I like it so much, I'm posting a link in the right-hand column. Over yonder.

New York Asian Film Festival Is Back!

You can read more at Subway Cinema. They have the line-up posted now. I'm particularly looking forward to Sukiyaki Western Django, Miike's "spaghetti" western. Sounds right up my alley. I was actually stressing earlier this week about how much it would cost to order the DVD from Japan.

Thank you New York Asian Film Festival!