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Reviews
God Said, 'Ha!' (1998)
Absolutely wonderful
This is one of the most life-affirming movies I've ever seen, even though it's not really a movie. It's actually a filmed version of Julia Sweeney's heartbreaking and heartwarming one-woman show about the worst year of her life. What's wonderful about her is her point of view. She never whines about why has this happened--about why her brother is dying from cancer at 31, or why her family must all live in her tiny bungalow and rob her of her privacy and sanity, or why she's dealt another massive blow (I won't mention it). She knows her brother Mike is in stage 4 of cancer ("stage 5 is death"), and there's no room for selfishness. It's her complete selflessness and plucky humor that pulled her through this terrible time and helped her see the silver lining of getting to understand her parents better. It's to her credit that she was able to create a show from her pain that can teach every one of us a lesson or two about life without being the tiniest bit pedantic, and it's even more to her credit how incredibly funny and deeply moving it is. I laughed one huge gut-laugh after another, and, yes, I had some tears. Sometimes I cried for her because she refused to.
The Trial of Billy Jack (1974)
Desperately needed some editing
Child abuse, the trampling of Indian rights, prejudice, illegal FBI wire-tapping and subterfuge, television exposes, campus shootings by the National Guard, the Mi Lai massacre, culture clashes, Jungian philosophy, police brutality, government corruption, karate, guns, and a spiritual journey are just some of the subjects explored in this sequel to Billy Jack. Surprisingly, despite the title, this is not a courtroom drama. The film is told in flashback, and the trial is over rather quickly. Instead, it's an angry film that was finished shortly after several of the campus killings (ie, Kent State) and Watergate. Most of the film's events and anti-government sentiment were taken directly from the events of the early 1970's.
The director's commentary on the DVD is very interesting, and my favorite discussion is when Tom and Delores acknowledge they "threw in everything but the kitchen sink." They both wish they had reduced the exposition and some of the plot lines, which would have certainly made it a better film, but they were being true to themselves at the time. Unfortunately, this makes the film too long and too preachy, but I still enjoyed it.
My Son the Fanatic (1997)
This film has gained significance since September 11
Boy, has this movie gained significance since September 11. It's about a man whose son, Farid, grows to feel alienated in Northern England. His parents immigrated from Pakistan, but Farid has never been there. As an adult, he rejects his British culture to seek his Pakistani roots that he's never known. The film is about the father, Parvez, as he watches the boy, whom he has adored and doted on, slip into Islamic fundamentalism. At first he thinks his son is on drugs, but then he finds the truth. Which one would be worse?
This is a complicated film in that none of the characters are really good people. Parvez is a true gentleman who is completely tolerant of everyone around him, but he is essentially a pimp. He has a good heart, but his lack of morals is partly what pushes Farid toward the Islamic fanatics. Farid, on the other hand, does not have a good heart. He and the rest of his fanatical friends want to impose their rigid moral code on everyone else. When they fail, they resort to violence. Sound familiar? Can you say "Taliban?" It's this attitude that has spawned the terrorism we live with today.
This is a thought-provoking film that sheds some insight into the clash of the Eastern and Western cultures. When you see middle-class kids like Farid, who have been raised entirely in a western culture, turn to fundamentalist Islam, you know we're all in a lot of trouble.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The greatest film ever made
What can I say about the greatest film ever made? It's odd because I saw this film (or parts of it) once when I was a teenager. I remember being baffled and irritated by the ending, and I didn't see it again for 20 years. Watching it a second time, even though it was on a tv screen again, I sat in awe. I don't think there has ever been a more visually beautiful film. It's gorgeous. I hope I can see it in a theater someday. Also, the marriage of classical music to the scenes was brilliant. Regardless of how good the commissioned score may have been, it wouldn't have been able to match the power and beauty of "Thus Spake Zarathustra" or "Blue Danube."
On one hand it's difficult to believe this film was released in 1968, because it looks better than anything produced since. On the other hand, it had to be made during that period. I don't think a 2 1/2 hour, slow-paced, contemplative science fiction film that asks more questions than it answers could be made today. Who would finance it? Who would see it? The closest thing to that description is "Contact," which was as deep and interesting as a teaspoon of mud.
Just like great art in any given medium, this film is not accessible to everyone. If you're looking for plot or action, don't look here. You'll feel the same way I did as a kid. If you're looking for beauty or wish to contemplate man's position in the universe, see this film.
Boiler Room (2000)
Why the rap soundtrack?
This movie had its good points and bad points, but I'd like to know why the hardcore rap soundtrack? I knew it was a bad sign when notorious b.i.g. was quoted (I never thought I would watch a film that quoted notorious b.i.g.). This led to a comparison of stockbrokers slinging phony stock to boyz in the hood slingin' crack, but there's no way that comparison justified subjecting the viewer to 2 hours of rap crap. All I can say is I haven't used the mute button this much since britney spears did her Pepsi commercial...
The Straight Story (1999)
Gorgeous film
This was a personal story for me, in that it's a mid-western tale, and it reminded me of home. I grew up on a farm just like any of the hundreds that Alvin drives by, and the kindness and generosity of the farmers was right on. The people he met along the way could have been my dad, my grandfathers, or my neighbors.
Although it's rated G, it's not intended for children. Pre-teens, as well as most teens, would be bored out of their minds. This is a gentle movie intended for adults who can appreciate the fear and sadness associated with old age, the regrets of past actions that can't be undone, and the kindness of strangers. This is clearly one of the best films of 1999 and should have been nominated for Oscars for both Best Picture and Cinematography. At least Richard Farnsworth was nominated for Best Actor. As good as Kevin Spacey was in "American Beauty," Farnsworth deserved the Oscar more for his subtle, moving performance.
La fille seule (1995)
An absorbing experience
"A Single Girl" is an absorbing experience. Nothing really happens and there's not much dialogue, but it's completely engrossing. It's about a morning in the life of a hauntingly beautiful woman, Valerie, who's at a crossroads in her life. It's filmed in real time, meaning there are no cut-aways that skip time. If Valerie needs to get somewhere, we watch her walk to that place. There's no narration or "traveling" music. It's as if we are Valerie. What makes the film work so well is the wonderful, subtle performance by Virginie Ledoyen.
The Eruption of Mount St. Helens! (1980)
Excellent footage of lava, but...
There are two documentaries on the DVD. The first is an IMAX film that describes the eruptions and show lots of footage of spewing ash, but it's quite shallow in its description. I watched it at home, so I didn't get the IMAX experience. I'm sure I would have liked it better in the proper theater (ie, the Science Museum in St. Paul, MN), but it was rather weak. The other documentary is simply 25 minutes of spewing, oozing, bubbling lava, and it's beautiful. It makes a rental worthwhile.
Suzie Washington (1998)
Good film
Nana is a middle-aged woman, who desperately wants to leave the Soviet Union. She wants to visit her uncle in Los Angeles, and, ostensibly, defect. As the movie opens, she's detained in an Austrian airport, because her passport is forged. Frightened to return to Russia and desperate to get to America, she escapes from the airport and becomes a fugitive. She doesn't speak the language and knows no one, and must use her fierce determination to avoid capture and try to get to her destination.
This is a very interesting film that never drags, but it's not very emotionally involving. It hold Nana at arm's length, which is good in that it never becomes maudlin or melodramatic, but that prevents the audience from emotionally connecting with her. I definitely recommend it, though. It's very good.