oktech Reviews

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Grotesquely over-rated

[7/10 · 22 July 2000]

Deserves an academy award for editing. The story is simplistic, the acting one-dimensional and monotonous (Bruce is frustrated and bewildered, child is teary-eyed and nervous) and it has a single punchline. That punchline is held back by good cutting and direction and when delivered, has a fine impact.

Beyond that one-trick-pony device, it's more self-promo by Bruce Willis: "I've pretended I'm a streetwise tough guy, now due to boomer demographic shifts, I must pretend I'm a caring nurturer".

Is it worth two hours? Sure. Is it worth 8-10 bucks? Not quite, but it's better on the big screen than on video.

The Matrix (1999)

So well done in the first 2/3rds, that the last third is forgiveable

[9/10 · 22 July 2000]

Why do people see the concepts of the story as metaphoric? How are they any less than real? Sure, a few visual and plot devices were used to represent a society being operated by a totalitarian remote, and that may constitute symbolism, but the principles are at work in the world around us every minute of every day. I am slightly concerned that this movie leads people to believe it was more a sci-fi story with a social commentary, than it was a simple observation of society and how it actually works.

The whole post-apocalyptic messiah story is more than a bit tired, it's on life support, but that detracted little from the movie for me - Keanu needs to be the chosen one, aw, let him pretend.

Where the movie disappointed was in its degeneration from a thoughtful and interesting and visually spiffy romp through the concerns of the oppressed masses into a string of Starsky and Hutch chase scenes climaxing in a hail of gunfire.

Is a yank movie somehow incomplete without that seemingly requisite "only the NRA has the final solution to save the universe and that answer is limitless ammo" message? Chucky "God loves guns" Heston must have creamed his jeans when he saw all the big bang-bangs.

If you can forgive the individualist-supremacy hammer that the end of the movie hits you in the face with, it's great.

Fortunately, I can suspend that disbelief just because of the quality of the story, concepts, observations and execution of everything =up to= the denouement. Watch it for the story.

Naked Lunch (1991)

Bill & Dave connect on the subject of meat

[22 July 2000]

Mmmmm.... mugwump jizz

Themes: Substance addiction and how physically self-conscious it makes our protagonist feel, the creativity forced by imprisonment (a direct reference to real-life events between Burroughs, his wife, his subsequent incarceration and his heroin/acid issues), the sense of betrayal as more surprise than malice and of course the inevitable interface between Dave and Bill at the pelvic level.

The effects work is pre render-mation latex and sufficiently restrained to allow your imagination to back-fill the appropriate horror/fascination/titillation for the moment. Don't try to figure out which you =should= feel or to mentally sort it out, that'd rob you of the fun; it's the psychic and emotional disarray that makes it so compelling.

Peter Weller is suitably deadpan, allowing only a sparkle of the playful poet to shine through from time to time (the story about the Duke du Vantra's Espano-Suiza made me howl); he must have spent a few =fun= hours with Burroughs himself to get the role down.

If you liked Cronenburg's smarter stuff, such as Dead Ringers, you'll love this. If you've read Kerouac, Ginsberg or Burroughs in particular, I promise you'll love it. If you're not into exploratory literature, have issues with distasteful realities of poverty or have a personal affection for the quality works of Stallone, Willis and Schwarzenegger - you'll hate it.

It made a very strong impression on me; the day after I saw the opening night of Naked Lunch (long before the "internet"), I established and sysoped a BBS that was the primary alternative discussion forum for onliners in Edmonton, Alberta for several years. It's name? The Interzone.

The movie is fascinating, odd, reveals more on second viewing, and is faithful neither to Cronenburg nor Burroughs but an excellent mix of elements of both.

It has a great beat, easy to dance to... I give it an 89, Dick.

Either way, you won't look at a typewriter the same way ever again.