366 in 366 - Week 6

 
By Matt Cohen

I’ve caught up since last week’s fall-behind! Here’s what I’ve seen recently.

1) Star Trek (2009) - A young Star Fleet recruit named James Kirk must live up to his father’s legacy and save the galaxy from a malevolent and vengeful alien captain. I had a ton of fun watching this one. What could have been a disappointing and unnecessary remake/reboot turned out to be a very successful and technically marvelous film which has enough to please both new and old fans alike. I especially loved the way the production design separates Federation and Romulan ships via stellar set dressing and creative lighting. (8.75/10)

2) One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) - R. P. McMurphy is admitted to a mental institution populated by an eccentric and incredibly special individuals, where he strives to reintroduced life into an otherwise lifeless community. Having never read the book nor seen the film as most do in high school, I figured it was about time. Besides it’s absolutely brilliant albeit depressing story concerning the human condition and what it means to be alive, the performances are what really blew me away. Brad Dourif’s portrayal as Billy especially caught my attention, as this was a new side to the actor I thought I would never see. Capped off with some compelling cinematography by legendary DP Haskell Wexler, this film is a total classic. (9/10)

3) Finding Dory (2016) - After obtaining a spectacularly rare memory, Dory is compelled to swim across the ocean once again to find her parents. I did not go into this film with high hopes, but it was a successful family film release from Pixar. However, it seemed to not truly live up to its name as a Pixar film, as I found the story to be a little contrived, and the lackluster set pieces and lack of scope (that the original film had loads of) left me wanting something a bit meatier. Even with this in mind, the characters and jokes were cute and entertaining, and I’d recommend it to fans of the original and the rest of Pixar’s library (6/10)

4) Dawg Fight (2015) - Dhafir “DaDa 5000” Harris runs a backyard mixed martial arts league in his hometown on the outskirts of Miami, with dreams of becoming a professional combatant. This was an incredibly raw and brutal documentary detailing a fringe community within the ghettos of southern Florida. Some of these characters feel just like that: characters that could have only been written by a screenwriter. Juxtaposed with the footage of raw bare-knuckle fist fights is a heartfelt story where good men find themselves in a situation where the only way to support the ones they love is violence, a violence that they feel is safer and far more benevolent than the gang activity that surrounds them. (7.75/10)

5) Antiviral (2012) - Second generation body horror filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg directs a film in which a technician named Syd March injects the viruses of celebrities into the public in order to make them feel closer with their famous idols. What results is a brilliant tale of corporate conspiracy marked with the criticism of modern society’s obsession with celebrity for celebrity’s sake. This film truly stands out, especially as the debut film from a young director. It is shot beautifully, with the bright white walls of the virus facility glowing and popping from the screen. Though I might be a bit biased as a huge fan of his father David, Cronenberg here creates a great film that is not to be missed. (9/10)

6) Gojira (1954) - The lumbering shadow of a mountainous dinosaur-like creature terrorizes Japan, and a small group of scientists must create a way to stop it. As far as I am concerned, kaiju movies begin and end with this. There is not a single giant monster movie besides Ishirō Honda’s original classic that manages to be this horrifying and this poignant as a commentary/examination of the aftermath of the nuclear attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In my opinion, the “suit-a-mation” effects still completely hold up, and there is not another film in the now 62 year old series that manages to have more interesting human characters (366/10 Seal of Quality)

7) The Double (2013) - An uninteresting and boring Simon James meets his doppelganger, James Simon, who makes his intentions apparent: steal all that is good from Simon’s life. This film was absolutely captivating, mostly due to Jesse Eisenberg’s awesome performance as both Simon and James and Richard Ayoade’s directorial tone, which I can only describe as the style of Wes Anderson meeting the style of David Lynch. While at times hilarious, what makes this one for me is the ambiguous setting and the explicitly droll existence of all of the characters. This is highly recommended for fans of the films of Anderson, Lynch, and films like Jean Pierre Jeunet’s Delicatessen as well. It must be seen to be believed, in a way.(9.5/10)

8) Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - Intellectually-empty and near-talentless, a young man named Gord travels to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming an animator. I have an absolute love-hate relationship with this film. On one hand, I think it is absolutely brilliant what star-writer-director Tom Green managed to put in theatres, as the quality and content of the film seem like a prank on the cinema audience and industry at the time. On the other hand, this movie is really terrible. It is shot, acted, edited, and presented horrendously. Only watch this if you are familiar and a fan of Tom Green’s comedic style, as those uninitiated with his work will be appalled and decidedly unsatisfied. For example, jokes include sausages attached to pianos, hooves that go “cloppity-clop,” a man who walks backwards, and the swinging of a baby by the umbilical cord. (?/10)

9) Invaders From Mars (1986) - A young boy and a school nurse band together with the military to stop an alien threat from controlling the minds of their small town. Tobe Hoober is usually a brilliant director, and the other two films I’ve seen of his which he put out through the Israeli production company The Cannon Group were cheesy yet thoroughly entertaining and well made films (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Lifeforce). However, Invaders falls completely flat. Performances are absolute garbage, even from the usually terrific Karen Black, and the story, which mimics that of 50s sci-fi flick (the film is a psuedo-remake of a 1956 film), is uninspired and dull. The film’s only redeeming factor is its amazing creature effects designed and executed by legendary artist Stan Winston. (3.5/10)

10) The Elephant Man (1980) - Surgeon Frederick Treves seeks to use his skills and compassion to reintroduce the horribly disfigured sideshow act John Merrick back to normal Victorian Society. David Lynch’s brilliant biopic about the legendary “Elephant Man” is an encapsulating and touching look into the human condition, not dissimilar to One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Both Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt play their parts stupendously, and the special makeup effects used to achieve the incredibly accurate look of Merrick is mindblowing. One of David Lynch’s more subdued and calm films, this is a great jumping on point to the director’s work and an excellent entry into the canon of biographical films. (8.5/10)

11) I Am Thor (2015) - This documentary chronicles the career and comeback of power metal singer Jon Mikl Thor, who crafted a frontman persona and stage show centered around his impressive physique. I was stunned to learn of this man, as I have never heard of him nor his band Thor. Though the film itself is a slightly generic profile on a musician, the big music and even bigger personalities transform the doc into something incredibly entertaining. I’d highly recommend it for fans of the genre and for those interested in biographical documentary. (7.25/10)

12) The Stuff (1985) - A corporate spy and a marketing exec travel together in order to stop the malevolent and self-aware dessert known only as “The Stuff” from consuming the minds of all of its consumers. Larry Cohen is the king of schlock filmmaking, and this is no exception. The cheese factor is turned up to 11 here, but that is ultimately a very good thing. Beyond the cheesy “so-bad-it’s-good” delight is a nice little anti-consumerism message that is very well placed into the library of 80s horror comedies. (7/10)

13) Spring Breakers (2013) - Four college girls find themselves deep in the criminal world after ripping off a restaurant in order to travel to Florida for spring break. Harmony Korine is the definition of a polarizing director. Those who I have talked to about him usually either love or despise his incredibly unique style of filmmaking. I felt Spring Breakers, while you could definitely tell it was a Korine film, tried to have too much of a plot when it should have resorted to Korine’s already established collage-like style. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this parody of spring break and female youth culture, and I wholeheartedly feel like most of this film’s negative criticism stems from a deep misunderstanding of its purpose. (8/10)

14) The Resurrection of Jake The Snake (2015) - Legendary pro wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts struggles with addiction to the point of near death, until being “saved” by friend and former protege Diamond Dallas Page. For fans of the “sport,” it is always disastrous to see a legend fall to his vices, but this documentary is a truly inspiring story that shows that camaraderie and love can save any man from the darkest of depressions. Though at times it feels a bit of an advertisement for DDP Yoga, a fitness program designed by Page, the film is incredibly emotional and worth a watch. (8/10)

  

Today’s spotlight film is The Neon Demon (2016)

Writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn forges the tale of Jessie, a teenage model who lets her beauty get the best of her as paranoia and terror being to sink into her life. What culminates is a quite thrilling study into the minds of those obsessed with beauty.

As a huge fan of some of Refn’s other work (namely 2011’s Drive), I admit I went into this film with incredibly high expectations. What I anticipated was a modern interpretation of the classic giallo story format, primarily when it comes to an investigation following a series of murders. I was surprised to find that although trailers and style may have implied it, The Neon Demon is an original story draped in themes of paranoia and deceit more reminiscent of a film like Black Swan than Profondo rosso.

The movie was much more interpretative and surreal than I had expected, with a few sequences favoring total style over explicit substance. Even though this might be true, I do not agree with the majority of criticism that the film lacks any amount of significant story or thematic substance beyond its absolutely brilliant, stunning, and near perfect imagery. While story sometimes takes a backseat, Refn does present a cogent and poignant story examining the ins and outs of the modeling industry through the representation of human jealousy and passion.

As far as the technical side of things, The Neon Demon’s visuals are expertly crafted by Natasha Braier, as neon lights and deep blacks pop out of the screen with magnificent power. Performances all around were solid, with the most notable coming from Jena Malone and Keanu Reeves. Keep in mind, this is not a film for everyone. It is certainly a surreal experience that sometimes takes liberties with straightforward storytelling. This being said, it is a truly beautiful piece, and those who enjoy these types of films will most definitely be satisfied. (8.5/10)

Naturally, I’ve watched way more movies than just these so far this year. For a full, up-to-date list on what movies I’ve watched so far, check out this link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ONvaq887hN2dy1N7WrOqzNC0tSzrzivwcq0ltqTBcrE/edit?usp=sharing