The Cat Returns (2002)

a.k.a. Neko No Ongaeshi (Japanese)

Directed by: Hiroyuki Morita
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring (voices): Chizuru Ikewaki, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Tetsu Watanabe, Takayuki Yamada
Trailer

For several years during my adolescence, I was fully devoted to Anime (ah-nee-meh), or Japanese Animation. My obsession started with Otomo's Akira and, back then, there wasn't any other way to view it aside from third-generation VHS copies, in the original language and sans subtitles. So, for a while, I'd sit in a church basement with my fellow Otaku and make fourth-generation copies. Ah...nostalgia. These days, we have things like DVDs and the internet. So, coming from the perspective of having been into the genre during that period of my life, watching anime seems a bit juvenile to me now. From time to time though, I like to revisit the land of Shojo and Hentai (okay, maybe not-so-much the Hentai) and recall just how magical it can be.

The Cat Returns is about an average teenaged girl named Haru (Ikewaki). One day, on her way home from school, she saves a cat from being flattened in the street. She's shocked when the feline stands up on his hind legs, brushes himself off and speaks a thank you to her. That night, she witnesses a bizarre procession of cats who stop in front of her door to announce that the fortunate creature she saved earlier that day is the prince of the cat kingdom! The following morning, Haru is treated to an overflow of gifts that would be perfect for any housecat, but a little disturbing for a young girl; catnip, boxes of mice, and the prince's hand in marriage! Not excited about the prospect of marrying outside her species, she seeks help from Baron (Hakamada) and Muta (Watanabe) who come to her rescue.

The characters in The Cat Returns are certainly adorable, if you're a cat person. Baron is a debonair toy cat who's come to life. He has a large, living raven statue for a friend and a rather scrappy, fat companion cat named Muta. The two of them are consistently trading insults! Yuki is a pretty little maid cat who also lends a paw to Haru's cause. When they're in their element, all of the kitties trot around on their hind legs, wearing clothes. Some of my favorite side characters are the king's bodyguards - tuxedo-colored cats who kick the neighborhood strays out of the way. Not all of the cats in this story are the same though, and I couldn't figure out why. It appears that some cats are gifted with human speech and mannerisms, while others are just normal cats. I couldn't really sympathize with Haru at all though. It seems like a delightful gift to be able to live as a cat and she's hardly appreciative of the Cat Kingdom's efforts to find suitable presents for her.

This film is a directorial debut for Hiroyuki Morita, though he's worked as animator on familiar titles like Gunsmith Cats and Tenchi Muyo. The movie reminded me a great deal of Hayao Miyazaki's work (My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke), but without his focus on environmental issues and sweeping drama. The Cat Returns does have a nice moral though, which is "believe in yourself". The animation is smooth and not heavily reliant on CGI. The character design is not overly "bug-eyed" or astoundingly odd.

Although by no means is all Anime suitable for children, The Cat Returns is an all-ages adventure. The tale moves along fairly quickly and, except for a few small quirks, is easy to follow. There are no giant robots or magical transformations. So, be aware, if your taste in film runs toward mechs or sailor-girls. If you've enjoyed films like the Miyazaki works mentioned above, you won't be disappointed with this one.

*A note on language: Regardless of what language a movie happens to be filmed in, I have made it a rule to be appreciative of the original actors. As such, whenever possible, I view the subtitled version. I'm also a bit leery of the translations in some instances and it's nice to have the authentic soundtrack available. All movies reviewed on this site were viewed with their original audio track.*

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Hottie Rating: 0 stars

Alternate Recommendation: My Neighbor Totoro (a.k.a. Tonari No Totoro)
Official Site (Disney)
IMDB Page
FilmAsia review

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The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

Directed by: Mary Harron
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring: Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, Chris Bauer, Jared Harris

I’m always surprised when I meet someone who doesn’t know who Bettie Page was. In my mind, it’s like not knowing who Marilyn Monroe or Jim Morrison were. Bettie was a pin-up girl and fetish model during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. She was never photographed having intercourse or in any scenes with men, so by today’s standards, she might not qualify as a “porn star”. During that era, full-frontal nudity could get a cameraman in trouble. It’s interesting to see how society has changed with regards to the human form. Bettie’s also famous for her iconic cropped bangs and black hairstyle. Featured these days on everything from notebook covers to air fresheners, even tattoos, Bettie’s image is everywhere. Her resurgence in popularity is likely one reason that Mary Harron decided to make her Notorious film.

The Notorious Bettie Page is a look at the model’s life during her career in pin-up. In this film, we’re first introduced to Bettie (Mol) as she’s waiting to be called to testify at the Kefauver Hearings (hearings in the late 50’s to determine the effects of certain materials on Juvenile Delinquency). Following that, a few short scenes allow a glimpse into Bettie’s childhood and teen years. Around the time she begins college, the picture slows down again to summarize her marriage and subsequent divorce from Billy Neal (Norman Reedus). Then, while strolling down the beach in Coney Island, she meets Jerry Tibbs (Kevin Carroll), who asks to take her photograph. From that point forward, her career takes off. In-between scenes of her posing, the movie shares her struggles with acting and with relationships. When the story circles around to the trial again, it’s near the end of Bettie’s career and the beginning of her devotion to Christianity.

Most of Harron’s movie is shot in black and white. It’s an effective technique for lending The Notorious Bettie Page the overall feeling of an era gone by. The scenes in which the director chose to use color still convey the sensation of an old postcard or a Technicolor film. All of Page’s most famous shots are re-created, including her jungle poses with the jaguars (who almost upstage her) and the Playboy Christmas card.

Mol is a fairly good doppelganger for the real model, which is an essential piece of pulling off a convincing biography. She even nails the innocence and carefree attitude that the real woman was said to have. I kept getting the feeling she was being taken advantage of and yet, she doesn’t come off as being stupid. Aside from Mol, most of the acting was mediocre. I once thought that Lily Taylor was a pretty solid actress. I’ll never forget her in The Addiction. But, after seeing her fake her way through this movie and The Haunting, I’m not so sure. She reminds me of a teenager lying to her parents – not very convincing. By contrast, the man who plays Irving Klaw (Chris Bauer), her brother in the movie, is very believable. Only two more characters, Bunny Yeager (Sarah Paulson) and John Willie (Jared Harris) were even remotely entertaining.

As is probably a danger when recreating someone’s life onscreen, this biography of Bettie Page was rather dry. As a fan, I had been curiously awaiting the film’s release. I was hoping that the icon’s memory would be honored and that the filmmakers would not take too much liberty with her tale. In that regard, I wasn’t disappointed but The Notorious Bettie Page ends up being something of a snore. It works well as a study of the shifts in society since that era, which is interesting, but it’s almost like reading a text book. If you’re curious about the woman, the pin-up style or just like to see nude models, this film might be a good bet. Anyone looking for some excitement will be sorely disappointed.

Overall Rating: 2 ½
Hottie Rating: 3

Alternate Recommendation: I Shot Andy Warhol
Official Site
IMDB Page
Creative Loafing Review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

I'm a Domain-atrix!!

I've got an exciting announcement! Gummi Popcorn now has it's own domain name! What does this mean for you? Well, instead of remembering that Gummi Popcorn started out as Neko Movies, and typing that whole URL into your browser, you can just remember "GummiPopcorn.com"!! So, from now on, you can set your links up to point to www.gummipopcorn.com. Or-you can still use the longer blogspot URL. Your choice!

Hooray!

We've recently gotten 2 more nominations! Way to go!

I'm a little under the weather lately, but more reviews are to be coming shortly - after all, what else is there to do when you're sick but lay around and watch movies? There are also several films I've seen trailers for that I'm excited to see, namely Ironman, The Hulk (love Ed Norton!) and The Strangers (looks spooky!). There's one more, but it's not floating to the surface at the moment.

So, let's fill up the rest of those categories, people!

The Gummi Awards Continues...

To date, we've recieved a good response to The Gummi Awards. But, we still need your help! There are a few categories that remain untouched. Don't be intimidated! Any genre and any era may be nominated. So, get your thinking caps on, your DVD player warmed up, and your nominations posted!! You can even nominate more that one film for any category. Remeber, there will be prizes!

Wondering how to post your nominees? Just scroll to the bottom of the post for the category you want and click on the comments link. Send me your nomination and email address. Your addy won't be posted, I just keep that in order to contact you if you win! For the complete rules, click on "The Lowdown" to the right.

Notorious (1946)

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Format: DVD
DVD features: trailers, radio adaptation, movie stills, production anecdotes, news reel, deleted scenes and alternate ending script excerpts (on Criterion DVD)
Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Cary Grant, Leopoldine Konstantin

Generally, I find myself watching recent movies, but from time to time, I like to revisit the classics; bone up, as it were, on my film education. I feel that, to understand cinema, it’s important to appreciate some of the early masters of the art. Many of the films made today pull from more classic film, as well as directly reference or even remake it. If watching movies in black and white or reading subtitles isn’t your bag, you’re seriously missing out on some of the greatest celluloid scenes. In summary, it’s important to be open to a wide variety of on-screen entertainment.

One of the most recognized names in classic Hollywood is Alfred Hitchcock. It’s almost impossible to go wrong with anything that has his name listed after “directed by”. Although Notorious isn’t one of his horror masterpieces, like Psycho, it certainly fits into the “suspense” category. Ingrid Bergman stars as Alicia Huberman, the daughter of a Nazi sympathizer who's just been sentenced to prison for treason. At a party after the trial, she meets T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) and the two embark on a drunken drive. When Alicia is pulled over, the policeman waives her ticket when he sees Devlin‘s credentials. Seeing as how Alicia despises cops, this doesn’t go over well with her at all. Devlin reveals that he is an agent, working for the federal government and his superiors would like to send her on assignment to Brazil. After some argument, she reluctantly agrees to the plan. But, it becomes a problem when the German conspirator she’s sent to seduce decides to marry her. She’s already fallen madly in love with Devlin. Notorious is a web of love affairs, shady dealings and sinister plots. Will Alicia make it out of her marriage alive? Will Devlin finally profess his love for her? Will the Germans get what’s coming to them? And what’s that strange dirt in the wine cellar?

It’s true that Hitchcock certainly knows how to tell a story. There are genuine moments of thrilling danger, although not of the gun fight variety, that keep you on the edge of your seat. But, the primary focus in Notorious seems to be the love affair between Alicia and Devlin. It’s not the syrupy type of love found in your average “chick flick”, but a sort of desperate desire that threatens to unravel the rest of the plot. The apparent detachment of the US government officials and willingness to throw Ms. Huberman to the wolves only exacerbates the affair.

Although the film is set in post WWII times, the only bit of history one needs to know is that the Nazis were the enemy and that, after the war, America was cleaning house. In fact, it’s partly the era in which the film takes place that lends it a great deal of charm. Rich contrasts, fabulous wardrobes, sprawling mansions, cocktail parties and smoking in the boardroom are all elegant throwbacks not to be under appreciated. There are also a few elements of the past that are less than savory in this picture. For instance, the fur fashion and substandard treatment of women are things we might like to forget.

After Casablanca, I can’t seem to see Ingrid Bergman in any other role. She’s a superb actress and beautiful, of course, but I always expect to see her in the arms of Humphrey Bogart. In Notorious, she’s a reckless alcoholic who has had a string of lovers. This is why the feds feel no sympathy for her situation. This is also the type of woman I like to see in movies. She’s a very strong woman, despite her faults, and isn’t afraid to walk into a nest of enemies. She also defies the simpering damsel in distress stereotype so often found in cinema. Cary Grant is very much the typical leading man. He’s suave and he can drink a litre of whisky without missing a step. Although expertly played, Devlin is very much a dry meal. It’s the villains in these movies who seem to have the most character. Claude Rains plays the target of the missions efforts and he’s much more interesting to watch. His mother is the most evil of all the Germans in the film. She’s a suspicious and sinister factor in the plot and the truest danger to Alicia. Maybe Hitchcock had issues with mommy?

Notorious is honest to goodness quality cinema. No over-endowed women, no burly action stars, no CGI and plot and dialogue are superb. So, after you’ve seen Psycho, Vertigo and Rear Window, pick up Notorious and pop some popcorn.

Alternate Recommendation: Wait Until Dark
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
The Duck Mafia's review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Keep 'Em Coming!

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who's submitted their nominations for The Gummi Awards so far. We have some good candidates! (I especially like having to review the abs category!) Let's see if we can get at least two nominations for each one! I don't see any nominations for Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending or Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design. I know you know that I know that you know you can come up with something! Remember, any movie can be nominated, no matter what year or genre. So, thanks again and keep the nominations rolling in!!

Van Helsing (2004)

Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Format: DVD
DVD Features: Explore Dracula’s Castle, bloopers, making of features, “You Are In The Movie”, legend of Van Helsing, commentaries, trailers, DVD rom, Xbox game
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, David Wenham, Richard Roxburgh

(**nominated for The Gummi Awards: Best Geek Sidekick**)

Dracula, ever since his creation by Bram Stoker in 1897, has been considered the lord of vampires. If Stoker had gotten royalties for every time his Count has been depicted in film alone (not to mention comics, television and cereal boxes), he’d have been very wealthy indeed. Dracula is the oldest, most feared and most powerful in vampire lore. However, just as Holmes had his Moriarty and Kahn had his Captain Kirk, Dracula has his arch nemesis in Van Helsing. Almost all of the films based upon Stoker’s novel feature Van Helsing in one regard or another. Sommers chooses to turn the ancient protagonist into an action hero, with just about as many weapons as Batman.

In the beginning of this movie, it appears that maybe the wrong disc is playing. A hunchbacked lab assistant throws a giant switch and amidst flying sparks and arching electricity, a mad scientist cries, “It’s aliiiiiiive!!” Um...Dr. Frankenstein? But, just as your hand reaches for the remote control, Dracula appears in the lab. It seems that The Count has ordered this monster’s creation and has come to collect him. But, his plans are thwarted by a white-haired undertaker and a torch wielding mob. Frankenstein and his monster disappear in a blazing windmill inferno.

One year later, we find Gabriel Van Helsing (the first name is another deviation from the novel) in hot pursuit of the beast known as Mr. Hyde. After an entertaining battle, chock full of spinning blades and pretty good CGI, Van Helsing vanquishes the villain and heads back to headquarters. It appears that our hero is a hit man, hired by The Vatican to rid the world of ghouls and ancient evils. He is in search of a past he can’t remember and the order believes that his next assignment might lead him to some answers. He and his sidekick, a friar named Carl, are sent to Transylvania to rescue the last remaining members of the Valerious family, who all look as though they’ve leapt from the cover of a trashy romance novel. Naturally, he falls for the only lady in town that’s not a vampire, Anna Valerious, and the two of them endeavor to find out what Dracula could possibly want with a young werewolf and the Frankenstein monster.

There are so many problems with the movie Van Helsing, that I hardly know where to begin. Should I start with the exceptionally poor dialogue, delivered through thin and inconsistent accents? Should I complain about the clumsy sentimentality, inserted into the film with awkward and pathetic timing? What about the extraordinarily tired male/female power struggle, (i.e. lame flirting) between Van Helsing and Anna? Someone forgot to tell Sommers that bats don’t lay eggs and that absinthe isn’t customarily drunk straight from the bottle. But, why should I dwell on those minor faults when I could easily point out that the half-assed “puzzle” that Carl takes so long to solve is about as challenging as going fishing with dynamite? I could wonder for a bit about Dracula’s weird, gas masked minions or even ponder why, when Carl and Van Helsing bust into a church, Carl is so concerned about breaking commandments when he’s already used the line, “I’m just a friar” to excuse himself from swearing and getting laid. Oh, and don’t forget that Dracula does more prancing about than his three “brides” who are hardly more than a trio of screeching boob displays. Why doesn’t Van Helsing, legendary vampire hunter, know fact one about vampires and how did he suddenly become the archangel Gabriel?????????

Whew. Now that I’ve unloaded those remarks like so many poorly aimed arrows from Van Helsing’s semi-automatic crossbow (the guy couldn’t hit the broad side of Transylvanian castle), let’s see if there’s anything good to be gleaned from the experience. If the movie Van Helsing has any saving graces, it’s the spectacular CGI and efforts of a few actors.

Hugh Jackman, while lovely to watch, is basically just Wolverine all over again (were-Wolverine?) and doesn’t make much of a leap in range here. Kate Beckinsale, who plays Anna, has just as much eye candy to offer as Jackman does, but little else. Would it be too much to ask for a heroine who could care less about the leading man and wears less than a D cup? I could see Jackman and Beckinsale performing much better if they actually had good material to work with. The best actor by far in this film is Shuler Hensley, who plays Frankenstein’s monster and even he seems to struggle against the horrific script.

The movie’s best feature - hands down – is its beautiful CGI. The Jekyll/Hyde battle is grossly entertaining and nicely choreographed. All of the transformation scenes in the film, whether they were Dracula, his brides’ or the werewolves’, were seamless. It’s too bad that it takes much more than badass visuals to make a movie. Had there been any good dialogue, consistency, or thought put into the mix, Van Helsing would have been bearable to watch more than once.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 4 (Um...shirtless male bondage? Hello!)

Alternate recommendation: Underworld
Official site
IMDB Page
Slate Review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

1. Most Overrated Leading Actor

The first category in The Gummi Awards is for the Most Overrated Leading Actor. Do you think Tom Cruise is a schmuck? Is Brad Pitt the pits? Want to give Matt Damon an ultimatum? Well, now's your chance to let it be known! Nominate a "leading man" who everyone seems ga-ga over and you don't get why.

The Nominees Are:

Russell Crowe - "especially in Gladiator. Couldn't stand him. Boring, not sexy, uninspiring line delivery. Couldn't figure out why everyone was all ga-ga over him."

George Clooney - "Yep, he's hot and yep, he can act. Except for his acting seems to kind of embody one persona, so he's kind of hard to stretch. But, maybe he does better in some of his newer movies, I don't know. All I know is that I'm not that impressed."

Tom Cruise - "who I consider the Britney Spears of the silver screen. But for the benefit of a good storyline, special effects, or talented costars, would his acting even be noticed?"

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

2. Most Nauseating Vomit Scene

The second category in The Gummi Awards is for the Most Nauseating Vomit Scene in a movie. Sure, there are loads of movies in which people blow chunks! Nominate the scene that made you want to follow suit!

The Nominees Are:

Beerfest - Kevin Heffernan (Landfill)

The Exorcist - The green, projectile vomiting (watch a clip)

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

3. Best Geek Sidekick

(Thanks to my Dad for suggesting this one)

The third category for The Gummi Awards is for the Best Geek Sidekick. This character can be male or female, generally wears glasses (but not necessarily), and is incredibly well read or technologically gifted in some way. This person supports the main character by interjecting invaluable snippets of info at just the right moment or MacGyvering the perfect surveillance device. Nominate the guy who can build robots or hack into the Pentagon, but not the guy who can play Halo for hours on end.

The Nominees Are:

Van Helsing (2004)- "Terrible movie, but David Wenham's Carl steals the show!"

True Lies - Tom Arnold "Not only does he serve a healthy dose of 90's era one-liners, but he bails out Arnold without cock-blocking him too much."

"Justin Bartha as Riley Poole in the National Treasure movies. He's a true geek, but he'll get you into anything and anywhere."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

4. Dumbest Blonde

(another suggestion from Dad)

The fourth category for The Gummi Awards is for the Dumbest Blonde in a film. Everybody loves blonde jokes, right? In this case, the character, rather than the actress/actor should be the nominee. Otherwise, Paris Hilton would win hands down. Your nominee must also appear in the movie for more than 5 minutes, i.e. a lead role or supporting role.

The Nominees Are:

Best In Show - Sherri Ann Ward Cabot played by Jennifer Coolidge


Legally Blonde

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

5. Best Use of Dialogue In A Single Scene

The fifth category in The Gummi Awards is for the Best Use of Dialogue In A Single Scene of a film. The dialogue can be a snappy one-liner, or a well-worded conversation between a couple. The catch is that the dialogue must be confined to one particular scene in a film. Some movies have great lines all the way through. The trick is to narrow it down to the prime portion. So, send in your nomination with the name of the movie and either the exact lines spoken or the particular scene in which the dialogue takes place.

The Nominees Are:

Running Scared - 1986 - "The scene where Billy Crystal is duping someone over the phone." (watch a clip)

The Princess Bride - "The scene where the Man in Black challenges Vizinni to a duel of sorts. Which cup has the poison? You know, that I know, that you know, that I am a genius, so clearly it's not in your cup?" (watch a clip)

Goodwill Hunting - "The scene where Matt Damon trumps a plagiarizing grad student by outwitting, out-sourcing, and out-matching him. It was an intellectual showdown worthy of MENSA itself." (watch a clip)

V For Vendetta: Nominated for just about every time V speaks in the film. Namely the scene where he takes over London's airwaves.

The Libertine: Nominated for Johnny Depp's brilliant and chilling opening monologue, ending with "I do not want you to like me" as he fades back into the shadows.

Pirates of the Caribbean: "Why is the rum always gone?"

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

6. Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles

(Thanks goes to Carrie for the suggestion)

The sixth category in The Gummi Awards is for movie which has the overall Best Gratuitous Display of Abdominal Muscles. Get it - sixth category...six pack!? The abs can belong to a man or a woman or a combination of men and women. Nominate the film that you think has the juiciest and most frequent display of rippling abdominals. This is a category I am most particularly going to enjoy screening (evil chuckle).

The Nominees Are:

Two for the Money

300

Top Gun

Thelma & Louise

Into the Blue

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

7. Most Awkward Moment

The seventh category in The Gummi Awards is for the Most Awkward Moment in a movie. Remember that time when you came running upstairs to tell mom about your high marks in creative writing class and burst in on her performing oral sex on Uncle Fred? That's the kind of awkward I mean. Yes, nominate a scene from a movie that made you squirm a little in your seat.

The Nominees Are:

A History of Violence - "Viggo's character and his wife (in cheerleader outfit) going 69...forever. Perhaps it would have been less awkward in the comfort of my own home; but I was watching at the theatre, sitting next to an elderly couple. Oh my."


Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - "Don't you hate it when you're all drunk and trying to pick up the hot chick, then you wake up with her ugly best friend laying next to you, but you can't remember what happened so you go to the hot chick's house and she slams the door on you thus amputating your finger, then later on a dog eats said amputated finger? Totally awkward."


Slums of Beverly Hills - "The scene where Vivian's father walks in on her dancing seductively with a vibrator. She is so embarrassed, she can't get it to turn off. Meanwhile, Rita is laughing hysterically. A great movie with Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei, and David Krumholtz."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

8. Best Scene Involving Food

The eighth category in The Gummi Awards is for the Best Scene Involving Food in a movie. The nominations for this category may include food-fight scenes, "naughty play" scenes and cooking scenes, as examples. The only exceptions are scenes in which human flesh is the main course. While The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and Eating Raul are two of my favorite films, it would have been all too easy to come up with nominations and all too difficult to choose between them. So, I have decided to rule them out for this category. Instead nominate your favorite scenes, like a great dinner conversation or an arousing chocolate tasting.

The Nominees Are:

Pan's Labyrinth - "The girl must complete a task, and has been warned that she will be tempted to eat, but that she should eat nothing from the table. It turns out that the table is set with a most sumptious feast - and she is starving. She manages to pass up everything, to complete the task, but on the way out her eye is caught by some delicious looking grapes. She takes just one...terror ensues!" (watch a clip)

Hook - "When Peter Pan finally starts to remember being a kid and how to imagine." (watch a clip)

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

9. Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty

The ninth category in The Gummi Awards is for the scene that provides the Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty in a film. Make no mistake - I do not condone animal abuse in any form, especially for entertainment. So, this category was not created to celebrate or glorify animal suffering in any way. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals often exhibits footage of slaughterhouse cruelty in an effort to raise awareness. Whether or not you are an advocate of animal rights, nominate a film that you thought showed a gross mistreatment of animal life in a realistic way. Your nomination must be a full-length feature and the animal featured may or may not have been actually harmed.

The Nominees Are:

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)- for the turtle soup

Atonement - for the scene on the beach where the British are executing horses Columbian drug-lord style...

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - "Poor little spider is just trying to feel up the cute blonde, and gets crushed in her bra. Sad, really, really, sad."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

10. Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design

The tenth category in The Gummi Awards is for the movie which features the Most Crazy-Cool Carpet Design. Although it's not often realized, a tremendous amount of effort goes into choosing design elements in film. Like choosing a wardrobe for the actors, choosing carpeting, furniture and wallpaper lend the picture a sense of style. In the movie Lucky Number Slevin, for example, the wallpaper in Nick Fisher's apartment building is made up of crazy-cool geometrics and Amy Butler-type patterns. Nominate a film which features at least one eye-popping carpet design. It may or may not be important to the plot of the movie. (As an aside, The Dude's rug in The Big Lebowski does not count.)

The Nominees Are:

The Shining - "of course! The carpet is very '70s and geometric and trippy, especially with little Danny rolling around on it with his Big Wheels. It almost makes sense to see the dead twin girls standing on that same carpet later in the movie (not to mention a recently-bludgeoned and bleeding dead man on the busy and colorful hallway tile)." (watch a clip)

The Devils Advocate - "The floor in the penthouse. Not as cool as the sculpture behind the desk though... "

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - "If you are hiding under a bed, next to a pink-haired dead chick, it's always nice to be laying on a cool carpet. Come to think of it, the whole apartment was pretty cool looking - maybe I'm just assuming the carpet was, too."

Beetlejuice - "The carpet in the entryway, 3-D patterned to look like square shaped holes in the floor." (watch a clip)

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

11. Most Entertaining Title Sequence

The eleventh category in The Gummi Awards is for the film with the Most Entertaining Title Sequence. Movies don't always have these, by the way. Cartoons, on the other hand, almost always do. For example, in any Teen Titans or Powerpuff Girls episode, there may be a period of action prior to the opening credits, but it's brief, before the theme music kicks in and the familiar characters are introduced. It's the same way with some movies, except that we only see the title sequence once. Remember that James Bond movie with the images projected onto naked women? That's what I'm talking about. Nominate the movie that you think provided the most stylized introduction.

The Nominees Are:

Farenheit 451 - "The opening credits are actually NOT printed, they are read by one of the characters. At the same time, the viewer is shown scores of TV antennas. This is important as it underscores the fact that printed word is illegal, in this particular reality, and that all pertinent information is "fed" to the public via television."

Se7en - "Not only does the opening sequence contain a montage of oddities and freakish, mutant-like images, it also serves as great foreplay into the mind of the psychotically brilliant, "John Doe." It also doesn't hurt that the background music is a b-side version of "Closer," by Nine Inch Nails." (watch a clip)

Drop Dead Fred

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

12. Most Creative Ending Credit Sequence

The twelfth category in The Gummy Awards is for the movie with the Most Creative Ending Credit Sequence. After the finale of the majority of films out there, the names of the cast and crew scroll by in white letters on a simple black background. Sometimes the colors vary, but the ending credits are usually a prompt to sweep the popcorn off of your lap and leave the theater. There are a handful of creative minds who have used the credits, instead, as a creative medium and embellished it with clever animations or amusing outtakes. Nominate a movie for this category, which had a closing credit reel that you can actually enjoy watching. The amusement doesn't necessarily have to carry the full length of the credits either, but must be at least until the cast listing is over.

The Nominees Are:

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Monsters Inc.

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

13. Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation

The thirteenth category in The Gummi Awards is for the film with the Most Accurate Book-To-Movie Adaptation. Many of us have caught ourselves complaining at one time or another that our favorite novel was mangled beyond recognition when Hollywood decided to dumb it down for the big screen (i.e. The Beach by Alex Garland). However, believe it or not, there are some directors/screenwriters who took tender care in preserving as much of the written story as possible. Some even included the author in the filmmaking process. So, nominate the film you think did the best job of conveying what you experienced in written form, on screen.

The Nominees Are:

Perfume

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The Mist

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

14. Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence

(Thanks to Richard for suggesting this catetory!)

The fourteenth category in The Gummi Awards is for a movie scene with the Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence. Have you ever been watching a movie when, quite unexpectedly, the characters break into song? Nominate a scene in which this frivolity seemed most absurdly timed or oddly focused.

The Nominees Are:

Almost Famous - "Elton John tour bus scene" (watch a clip)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - "I don't care if it's a musical. The singing in Sweeney Todd (with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter) was just plain inappropriate and ridiculous."

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order, counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

15. Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending

(Thanks to Chadstract for suggesting this one, even though he doesn't realize it.)

The fifteenth and final category in The Gummi Awards is for the movie with the Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending. Nominate a movie with an ending that left you with more questions than it answered, or just one fat question mark. Movies that are part of a series, such as Harry Potter or The Golden Compass do not qualify for this category as they are not complete storylines. James Bond movies, on the other hand, do qualify as plot does not carry over from one film to another; each Bond movie is self-contained.

The Nominees Are:

Gone Baby Gone

American Gangster

Premonition

(This category is now closed to new nominations. Stay tuned to GP to discover the winners!)

**Note: Categories are being listed in reverse order; counting down from 15. To get the full details of The Gummi Awards, read here.

Introducing...The Gummi Awards!!

I am proud to announce the inception of the very first Gummi Awards!! It seems that every movie reviewer or film website eventually devises their own version of the more famous awards programs, Gummi Popcorn being no exception. After all, we wouldn't be reviewers if we didn't like to offer our opinions (or force them on people)! However, I've tried to steer clear of the usual "Best Actor" and "Best Picture" categories and inject my special brand of weirdness into the mix. Yes, you've seen awards for things like "Best Kiss", but what about "Best Breakdance Routine" (that's not really a category, btw)?

Another aspect of the very special Gummi Awards that sets it apart, is timing. You'll notice that it isn't part of the pre-Academy hype. In fact, I'm not sure if I'll do this annually or just whenever the Hell I feel like it. This year, the Awards are roughly around the time of SXSW in Austin, TX. Having lived in that fantastic city for a while, the festival holds a special place in my heart. So, that could be one reason I chose this change of seasons to celebrate.

What's really going to cook your noodle though, is the way in which the winners will be decided! Instead of Gummi Popcorn presenting the nominations and our readers' votes deciding the winners, it's going to be a switcheroo! Are you psyched yet? Okay, here's how it all breaks down:

Within the next few days, all of the award categories will be posted here at Gummi Popcorn, along with their criterion. Your job, as the reader, is to nominate the movies, characters and scenes you think best fit the bill. You can nominate as many movies as you like, in as many categories as you like. As the nominations come in, I will post them under their category and watch them if I haven't seen them already. After I've had time to review all of the nominations, I'll make my descision and award the winner.

But, wait! There's a twist ~ Prizes!! And it's not Hollywood that wins this time, it's you! Once I've decided on a winner for each category, the person who first nominated that film, character or scene will receive a Gummi Popcorn bag full of Prizes!! What are the prizes you ask? Well, the Popcorn bag will include a very random assortment of items. You can expect to find things like Gummi Popcorn merch, something gummi, some type of microwave popcorn, and whatever else I find lying around HQ.

But, wait!! There's another twist!! The Popcorn bags come in two sizes: medium and large (we don't do small). The large bags bags will include a DVD or a theater gift certificate! How will I decide who gets a free movie? Well, most categories were invented specifially because I had a certain movie in mind. Of course, I'm not going to give away which films or which categories they are. The point is...if your nomination meets or beats my original idea, you get the bonus bag!!

Sounds good, right? Are you on board?? Wait...what's that?? "How do I submit my nomination," you ask? Well, I mentioned earlier that each award category will have its own post here at Gummi Popcorn. When you see a category that you'd like to submit a nomination for, simply post a comment at the bottom! It's that simple! You've got to include your name and email as well as a description of the scene and/or name of the movie/actor you wish to suggest as the winner. All comments left at Gummi Popcorn are sent to me via email for approval before they are posted on the site. I will simply record your nomination and info on a piece of paper here at HQ, and decline to post the comment. See how easy it all is! Your name and information will not be viewable by the public until winners are selected, at which point only your first name (or nickname) will be mentioned.

Gummi Popcorn will not, under any circumstances, sell, share or distribute any of your information at any point. Ever. Not even if they back a truckload of cash up to my house. So, the only thing I'll be using your info for is to notify you that you've won and find out where to send your Popcorn bag!!

Stay tuned for the Gummi Awards categories!

All Things Change In A Dynamic Environment

Although the redesign of Gummi Popcorn has been delayed (until I can afford a decent laptop), I do have some exciting changes in the works. In the days and weeks to come, look for:

~ A new rating system!! (insert cheer of crowd)
~ The Gummi Awards!! (crowd does "the wave")
~ Contests and prizes!!! (ooooh....ahhhhh!)
~ A new "lists" category!! (teenaged girls pass out)

As always, I encourage you to leave comments, I crave your requests, and I adore lavishly generous compliments!!

A Soul Haunted By Painting (1994)

a.k.a. Hua hun

Directed by: Shuqin Huang
Format: DVD / Mandarin with English subtitles
DVD Features: (coming soon)
Starring: Li Gong, Fang Cen, Shen Hairong, Shichang Da

I often boast that I have seen over 200 Hong Kong films. It’s true, of course, but I haven’t had nearly the same degree of experience with films from mainland China. Although both places are neighbors on the globe, their cinematic styles are worlds apart. While Hong Kong is home to action superstar Jackie Chan and comedic giant Stephen Chow, the films from China itself are generally more dramatic, artistic and subtle; what you might call “art house”. I have rarely ventured beyond those films which have gained popularity on Western shores; films like Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua) and Fairwell My Concubine (Ba weng bie ji). So, in an effort to round out my Chinese film experience, I decided to rent A Soul Haunted By Painting.

This movie is based upon the life of Pan Yuliang, one of China’s early controversial and ground-breaking painters. As the film begins, a young Yulaing is living in a brothel, in training to become one of the hired girls. On her first night as an official prostitute, she is raped. Terrified, she runs away from the brothel and begs local official Xiao Lan, for whom she was originally to entertain, to help her. He takes her in and the couple soon fall in love. Shortly after Xiao takes Pan as his second wife, he leaves to take part in a political uprising. While he is away, Yulaing entertains herself by learning to paint.

She finds that she has an affinity for the art and begins to study at a local Chinese school. But, the school is shut down for using nude models. Since it’s clear that her homeland is too conservative, she travels to France with a classmate to continue her studies. After meeting with some success there, she returns to China to be with her husband. Much to their chagrin, however, the couple discovers that Yuliang is unable to bear children. Recognizing the importance in their culture for a man to have a son, Yuliang writes to Pan’s first wife, inviting her to come and stay with them. As can be expected, the situation soon becomes unbearable for Yuliang and she returns to Europe.

The story continues in this fashion, back and forth between countries and cultures, throughout Yuliang’s lifetime. As is typical of some Chinese film, much focus is put on the tragedy and pain of existence. So, the film isn’t particularly upbeat, but no less interesting and important, if only for its biographical content and social commentary. Pan Yulaing is clearly an important historical figure and the filmmakers of Hua hun paint the woman as strong-willed in the face of a very restrictive and male-centric society.

Aside from its significance as an historical piece, the film isn’t particularly interesting. Many tales from China seem to begin in brothels and end in tragedy. So, it wasn’t terribly exciting or original. It also seemed to drag on forever and I kept checking the clock, wondering how much more of it I would have to endure. I think that the film could have been much more exciting while still maintaining the same degree of historical accuracy (or inaccuracy?).

My impression of Hua hun wasn’t helped by the low production quality of the DVD. The only mildly appealing feature on the disc (aside from the film itself) was an introduction that was obviously taken from a British television program that, at one point, must have featured this film. It points out some of the cultural highlights, which doesn’t actually help if you watch this feature after viewing the movie. The picture itself is very poor. The film is grainy and washed out and, in some scenes, it’s even difficult to make out what the actors are doing. Not being able to see the movie definitely detracts from enjoyment of it!

The most positive attribute of A Soul Haunted by Painting was, by far, the acting. While I don’t agree with the profoundly popular opinion that Li Gong is one of the most beautiful actors in the world, I do agree that she’s one of the more talented. She plays a fantastic Pan Yuliang, until the character becomes elderly. After which, she is less convincing. However, that version of her character is a very brief part of the film and the rest of her performance is passionate and committed. Her male counterpart, Fang Cen, is talented as well. Watching their two characters interact is the most absorbing element of Hua hun and without these two, I think the film might have been quite a bit less bearable under most circumstances (wine and Vicoden make almost any movie bearable).

I like the character Pan Yulaing and I think she’s an important historical figure, especially from the viewpoint of women’s rights. However, this depiction of her life failed to move me and if it weren’t for the earnest efforts of its actors, I think I may have panned the film completely.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate Recommendation: Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
SplicedWire DVD mini-review (the only other review I could find!)

***If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Fay Grim (2006)

Directed by: Hal Hartley
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring: Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Liam Aiken, Thomas Jay Ryan
Trailer

As I recall - and it’s been many years now - the movie Henry Fool was really good. I remember it as being an amusing, avant-garde film about an unusual poet janitor. Of course, I think I may have watched it back in my pot-smoking, Austin days (daze?) and nothing from that era of my life is terribly clear. So, I suppose it’s time I revisit that film, just to see if memory serves. Regardless, Henry Fool was directed by Hal Hartley and is the precursor to Fay Grim. So, when I saw Fay Grim in the video store, in the discount bin, and I needed to round out my stack of 4 for $20, my hazy recollection of Henry Fool prompted me to escort its sequel to the checkout counter.

Fay Grim (Posey) is the wife of Simon Grim, whose presence is presently unaccounted for. According to Agent Fulbright (Goldblum), Simon met his demise sometime after his scandalized flight from the country years ago. What Fulbright and his sidekick Carl Fogg (played by Leo Fitzpatrick) are after isn’t Fay’s estranged husband, but rather, the set of his journals. On the surface, his writings are merely the ramblings of a drunken lunatic. According to Fulbright, Simon’s ramblings may actually contain coded messages regarding national security. So, in exchange for her brother Henry’s release from prison, Fay agrees to fly to France in order to recover the books. The mission however, turns into a bit of a fiasco involving hitmen, international espionage and a secret radical political faction.

There are a number of aspects that make Fay Grim an unusual movie. Yes, it’s a low budget indie film with a few star actors, but that’s not what sets it apart. One obvious difference is the pacing of dialogue. Hartley’s characters all deliver their lines with an unsettling pattern of rhythmic pauses, so that everything they say seems suspect. Even though the plot involves some action scenes, foreign spies and mortal danger, it’s very clear that Fay Grim does not take itself seriously. I think that might be one thing that saves the movie. The entire film has the air of being an inside joke; one that you’re in on along with the actors. While the dialogue is only slightly annoying, what really irritated me was the lack of any straight camera angles. I am almost positive that every single shot in Fay Grim is slanted. At first, the technique was charmingly “art school”. After about 30 minutes of crooked scenes, it stopped being cute.

My verdict is still out on Parker Posey. I’ve never really had a fondness for the actress. Maybe it’s because she reminds me a little of Courtney Cox (and I hate Courtney Cox). Her performance in Blade Trinity was incredibly painful to watch. In Fay Grim, however, Posey was somewhat more appealing. On IMDB’s page for the movie, one user comments that Posey is, “the semi-official Queen of the Indies”. I never really thought of her that way, but as I peer at her filmography, it appears to support the claim. One thing’s for sure – her wardrobe in Fay Grim kicks butt. I am so running around in a black dress coat, wrist warmers and over-the-knee faux leather boots from now on!

One actor I’m not surprised to see on the indie circuit is Jeff Goldblum. He was fantastic in The Life Aquatic (is Wes Anderson still indie?). Like DeNiro and Walken, Goldblum is always himself, no matter which role he’s playing, but that doesn’t make him any less fun to watch. Fans of the actor will appreciate his portrayal as Agent Fulbright. Most of the cast from the original Henry Fool was retained for Fay Grim. One new character, however, is Ned Grim, Fay’s son. Ned is played by Liam Aiken, who I swore I’d loved in another film, but couldn’t remember for the longest time. Finally, I realized that he was Klaus in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Maybe it was the glasses that threw me off. All of the characters in this film are likeable (if somewhat strange) from one angle or another.

Sadly, Fay Grim failed to measure up to my expectations. It could be a bit confusing if you haven’t seen Henry Fool, but I think it’s equally so if you have. Aside from a little character background, which is hastily filled in anyway, you won’t miss out on much of the plot having not seen the first film. It’s a movie that requires a bit of attention, because most of the wit hits quickly and moves on. It doesn’t milk a joke for long. While I did enjoy the subtle humor here, the funniest scene might be Fay’s cell phone experience, which is almost entirely sight driven. But, the obnoxious camera work and the repetitive rhythm of the dialogue took away from my enjoyment of an otherwise entertaining flick. Used in moderation, the two techniques might have lent the film more charm.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 4 (for Aiken, if I was 20 years younger and for Simon, who I have an unexplained raging sexual desire for)

Alternate Recommendation: Doom Generation
Official site
IMDB Page
Roger Ebert's review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

Juno (2007)

Directed by: Jason Reitman
Format: Theater
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Trailer

Pending a verdict on her book Candy Girl, Diablo Cody might just be my new hero. A former stripper, Cody (that’s a nom de plume), is a year younger than me and has already won an Academy Award. She rocked out on Oscar night, looking like a tattooed Cleopatra. IMDB quotes her as saying, “If this whole writing thing doesn't work out, I'll be getting right back on the pole.” I admire her attitude and I think that the backlash against her is undeserved, but inevitable. Bottom line – she seems particularly human for Hollywood.

Like recent many, I came to know of Diablo Cody because she wrote the screenplay for the movie Juno. Several trusted friends recommended the film to me and when I heard that it stars one of my favorite new actresses, Ellen Page, I had to check it out. I even went to a late showing during the middle of the week so that I wouldn’t have to put up with irritating crowds. The experience would have been perfect if it weren’t for the $9.25 admission. (I feel a savage rant coming on about the steady decline of the movie going experience, but I’ll get back to the subject at hand.)

Juno tells the story of the title character, a high school student who finds herself dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. After flirting briefly with the idea of abortion, she decides to carry the child to term and find a suitable couple to take over. When she visits the home of Vanessa and Mark Loring, Juno chooses the couple as the ideal candidates for surrogate parenthood. All that’s left for her to do is cope with being the only pregnant girl in school, deciding what she wants from her relationship with the father, and her shifting hormones. Easy, right?

Fortunately for her, Juno has the help of a good friend and the support of a wonderful father and step-mom. She’s also got a tough hide and a sarcastic attitude. I thought that Ellen Page did a wonderful job portraying the pregnant teenager. However, I noticed certain elements of her character in Hard Candy carried over to this film. Juno is like a snippet of Hayley Stark extended over a 96 minute time frame. Maybe that’s why she was chosen for the role or maybe Page has less range than I’d hoped. Regardless of the similarity, I enjoyed each character immensely. Second to Juno, I think my favorite character in this movie might have been her boyfriend Bleeker, played by Michael Cera. He’s a little bit of an awkward dork, but he’s so genuine and good-hearted that it’s hard not to be drawn to him.

In fact, the entire film is pleasantly quirky like that, from the soundtrack to the dialogue; something like a cross between Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine. I wonder if the people out there, who’ve criticized Juno for its lingo, have ever listened to a group of teenagers carry on a conversation. Judging from my experience as sister to a teenaged brother, Diablo Cody captured the demographic superbly in that regard. I just wish I could get that Moldy Peaches song out of my head!

It was nice to see a film about a topic that could have easily been a heavily dramatic one, treated with a lighter touch. It’s important to remember that Juno isn’t a movie about teen pregnancy. It’s a story about a girl and how that individual experiences being a pregnant teen. So, don’t look to the film to provide poignant social commentary or moral lessons. Don’t expect a lengthy examination of the abortion issue. Just relax and let yourself fall in love with the characters.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 3 (I'm hot for Bleeker)

Alternate Recommendation: Little Miss Sunshine
Official Site
IMDB Page
Austin Chronicle review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by: Ethan and Joel Coen
Format: Theater
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald

There was only one movie nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture this year that I actually had the chance to see prior to the ceremony. However, if I had it to do over again, I would have chosen the same film. After all, No Country for Old Men may not have been the most hyped movie of 2007, but it walked away with the most statues.

Deep in the heart of Texas, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) is shootin’ at some food, when he catches sight of an injured dog in his scope. Following the dog’s trail of blood back to its origin, he discovers a cluster of pickup trucks and a collection of fresh corpses. It appears to be the scene of a drug deal gone sour and when Llewelyn finds a suitcase full of money, he doesn’t stick around to ask the dead any questions. He’s a clever fellow and he knows that someone will be looking for the cash. What he doesn’t know is that the “someone” is Anton Chigurh (Bardem), and Anton Chigurh isn’t exactly the most well-balanced individual in town. In fact, during one of the earliest scenes, Anton gives us a good healthy dose of just how nuts he really is. You might laugh at the haircut, but hardly any who cross paths with the man is laughing, or ever will again.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thought that Javier Bardem played an excellent hired killer. He did, after all, earn himself an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for this role. I loved the cool brand of insanity he put forth as Anton. His character isn’t Mickey & Mallory crazy, but smooth and sinister like James Bond if he had roomed with John Wayne Gacy in college. Tommy Lee Jones plays the small town cop trying to get a handle on the madness involved with his new case. Jones is one of those actors, to me, who can be either really terrible, or fairly solid, depending on what movie he’s in. In this one, he does a good job. His character is basically just watching from the sidelines though and primarily works to help the audience glue the pieces together and reflect on the bigger picture. Harrelson appears in a brief role as Carson Wells, the second hit man sent out to recover the suitcase full of cash. But, he talks a big talk without backing it up with anything impressive. The only purpose I could see for Wells was as a foil for Chigurh; to offer up an example of another hired man for the main killer to contrast against. Although well played, I didn’t feel that Harrelson’s character was necessary. I was engrossed in Josh Brolin’s character most of all. Llewelyn had that “common man” appeal, but with an unexpected edge of cunning. So, he was easy to root for as the protagonist. Even though I thought Anton Chigurh was a force to be reckoned with, I kept hoping Moss would get the jump on him.

Ever since Raising Arizona, I’ve been enamored of the Coens’ filmmaking. As if that film isn’t already a fine example, they went on from there, directing Blood Simple, The Big Lebowski and Fargo (another Oscar winner). I could go on for ages about the other films I’ve enjoyed from their filmography. However, the Coens are not infallible. In 2000, there was O Brother, Where Art Thou? , which was thoroughly disappointing. When they fell short of the mark again in 2004 with The Ladykillers, I was beginning to think they’d lost their touch. But, then came No Country for Old Men. At last, my faith was restored! It has everything that I’d come to love from the Coens; good dialogue, interesting characters, and just a little touch of oddity. No Country also has a more ethereal theme that overlays the entire film.

Since I actually braved the theaters for this movie, I had the opportunity to judge crowd reaction to the film. During the majority of the picture, there wasn’t the usual obnoxious rustling of popcorn bags, inconsiderate glowing of cell phones or irritating chatting going on. There was only silence, as if everyone was on the edge of their seats. This tells me that the movie did a great job of holding everyone’s interest. At the conclusion of the movie, there was audibly disappointed gasping. Personally, I enjoy an open-ended finale from time to time. However, it seems that this audience (and maybe you as well) doesn’t approve of endings that don’t arrive in neatly tied-up packages.

Overall Rating: 5
Hottie Rating: 3 (for Javier and his voice)

Alternate viewing recommendation: Miller's Crossing
Official Site
IMDB Page
San Francisco Chronicle review

***Note: If you found this review via IMDB, please let us know by leaving a comment. Thanks!***

The Oscar Report 2008

After reading over and over that the 80th Academy Awards show had the smallest television audience of any in its history, I wondered if I’d been the only person watching Sunday night. Had there been another show competing for ratings? The season finale of Lost, perhaps? After some quick research on the Nielsen ratings website, I discovered something that the newspapers neglected to mention. It seems that whoever was watching television that night was watching The Oscars. It was the most watched program all week! Lost, incidentally, was in 8th place.

You can find the official Academy Awards report on the Oscar website. The results for the most sought-after “bests” are:

Best Supporting Actor – Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Best Supporting Actress – Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose)
Best Picture – No Country for Old Men
Best Directing – Ethan and Joel Coen and Scott Rudin (No Country for Old Men)

As you can see, No Country for Old Men swept The Awards. Incidentally, it was the only movie nominated that I actually had the fortune to see beforehand. You’ll have to wait for the review to find out what I thought of it. Although, I can say that I wasn’t surprised to see the movie win.

There were a few disappointments for me this year, chief among them being the award for Best Costume Design. The nominees were Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Across the Universe, Atonement, La Vie En Rose and Sweeny Todd. Not only was my personal pick, The Golden Compass, not chosen; it wasn’t even nominated! I remember one of the aspects of the movie that made the biggest impression on me was the beautiful wardrobe. Nicole Kidman’s dresses were beyond gorgeous and Lyra’s jacket was sublime, to name only a few examples. How much imagination did it take to come up with the costume design for Atonement? Oh Please. It never fails though. Design a wardrobe for any Elizabethan/Shakespearean picture and you’re bound to land a golden boy for Best Costume. At least The Golden Compass won Best Visual Effects.

I haven’t yet seen La Vie En Rose, but I was mildly shocked to see that Marion Cotillard walked away with Best Actress. After all of the hype surrounding the movie Juno and considering how wonderful I thought she was in Hard Candy, I could hardly believe that Ellen Page didn’t score the prize. I did have to run out the very next night to catch the late showing of Juno at the theater. That’s another review I’m going to make you wait on. (wait no longer)

Another surprise was the amount of success The Bourne Ultimatum achieved. It was nominated for Best Film Editing, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing and walked away with all three Oscars. Isn’t it unusual for an action film to get much attention from The Academy?

Not surprising, however, were the musical numbers during the show. To put it bluntly, they sucked. The only performance that was borderline tolerable was the “Happy Working Song” from Enchanted. Enchanted had 3 songs nominated for Best Music (Song). Not surprising, since it was one of very few musicals out during the year. The movie didn’t, however, win for any of them. I seem to recall the musical performances at the 2007 Awards being equally dismal. These moments are definitely the best opportunities for bathroom breaks and drink refreshing.

One of the best features of The Academy Awards each year is the chance to preview gobs of movies and short films. Fresh on my list to see are: The Diving Bell & The Butterfly, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood and a smattering of short film and animation.

News!

This could mean quite a change in Cantonese cinema. For those of us who love horror, it's a little frightening. Will filmmakers currently producing film in China take their productions elsewhere? Judging from the article, I would say that the ban only effects video already released. However, it's bound to have a ripple effect. What do you think?

Fido (2006)

Directed by: Andrew Currie
Format: DVD
DVD Features: DVD-Rom, making of, Blooper Reel, trailers, deleted scenes, slide show, commentary
Starring: Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, K’Sun Ray, Tim Blake Nelson, Henry Czerny
Trailer

This is a review suggested by one of my readers. Thanks to Rochelle!

I’m surprised that Fido slipped beneath my radar. I don’t remember hearing a thing about it when it was released. Although horror films rarely ever acquire much acclaim, they most certainly get press. It seems that zombie movies have been appearing in droves these last few years. Ever since 28 Days Later met with such success, zombie horror seems to have risen from the grave. The Dawn of the Dead remake, Land of the Dead, Planet Terror and UnDead are all post 2002. Along with its new popularity, a sub-genre appears to have taken on life; the zombie comedy. While some older movies tend to be a bit campy and amusing, their humor generally wasn’t intentional. Shaun of the Dead, however, was purely farce. The only movie prior to that I can remember mixing humor with flesh-eating corpses was Dead Alive (a.k.a. Braindead), a terrifically gory film directed by Peter Jackson. Fido, in fact, reminded me a great deal of Dead Alive, which is one of my favorite horror movies.

The film opens with a flickering film reel, like the old “educational” reel-to-reels they used to show in class (if you’re old enough to remember). It’s a clever way to introduce the atomic age era of the movie and give Fido’s background story. Due to a sprinkling of space dust, the dead have risen and the newly dead rise again. Thank goodness for corporate entity Zomcon, which has invented a radio collar that quells the undead’s thirst for flesh and turns them into docile servants. “Now we can all be productive members of society, even after we’re dead.” The Robinson family has just gotten one of their very own. At first the man of the house, zombie fearing Bill Robinson (Baker), objects to the new addition. However, his persuasive wife Helen (Moss) reminds him that they’re the only family on the block without a zombie and what must the neighbors think? It’s hardly any wonder that little Timmy Robinson (Ray), slung between his maladjusted, distant father and his appearance obsessed mother, warms to the company of their undead servant.

Timmy decides to name their new zombie Fido and the two soon develop a boy-and-his-dog type of relationship. Fido protects Timmy from the neighborhood bullies and Timmy buries the neighbors that Fido munches on. Even his mother begins to form an attachment to the zombie, much to the chagrin of Mr. Robinson. But their new neighbor, head of Zomcon, starts to suspect that the reanimated neighbors are the result of a rogue undead. How long can Timmy keep Fido’s evil deeds buried?

Suburban 1950’s atmosphere of Fido is somewhat reminiscent of the neighborhood in Edward Scissorhands or Pleasantville; a sarcastic send-up of the era. Everything is over saturated with brilliant hues and unnaturally clean. The insidious corporate beast Zomcon and its brainwashing propaganda appears very lighthearted and campy on the surface, but has a definite edge of political commentary. The Timmy and Fido relationship would be unbearably cheesy if it weren’t for the occasional murder or accidental corpse. Some highlights from the film: elementary school children at target practice, neighbor Mr. Theopolis’ strange relationship with his girl zombie, Mr. Bottoms’ almost Bush-like speech in class and Mr. Robinson’s strange obsession with funerals. The soundtrack was wonderful as well. I was delighted to hear one of my favorite Squirrel Nut Zippers songs again.

All of the actors did a terrific job in this movie. It was strange to me, to see Carrie-Anne Moss in this role as a 50’s suburban housewife after her performance as Trinity, but as the movie progresses, she becomes a much more likeable and convincing character. Mr. Robinson, played by Dylan Baker, is very, very uncomfortable being a father and it is very uncomfortable watching him try to be one. The unease with which he relates to his son springs right off the screen and makes you squirm a bit. K’Sun Ray (who names their son K’Sun Ray??) couldn’t have been a better choice for Timmy. A little more suspicious of Zomcon than the other boys his age, but just as innocent and happy go lucky and Lassie’s companion. My favorite character is probably Mr. Theopolis (Nelson). He’s an odd mix of Hunter S. Thompson and someone I can’t quite put my finger on (probably whomever he’s a direct parody of). I wonder how many takes it took before Billy Connolly could keep a straight face.

The only thing that would have shoved Fido rudely into the realm of greatness would have been more gore. There are scant few scenes of severed limbs and bloody remains. The evil that the zombies in this movie lack though, is nearly made up for by the pseudo governmental security agency. It had a cleverly executed plot and the idea to have zombie slaves in 1950’s suburbia was a stroke of genius. The whole thing could have easily gone horribly wrong, but the filmmakers ended up with a gem. Sarcasm is by far my most beloved form of comedy and Fido was full up.

Overall Rating: 4 ½
Hottie Rating: 1 (freaky zombie love counts for somethin’)

Alternate recommendation: Dead Alive
Official site
IMDB page
Bullz-Eye.com review

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I Am Legend (2007)

Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Format: Theater
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Willow Smith, Salli Richardson, Abby

I Am Legend was one of the few films of 2007 that had its release date marked on my calendar. Everyone I knew was as eager to see it as I was. What made this movie so anticipated? Was it star power? Was it the theme? Was the trailer especially clever? For me, I think it was all three. Funny; even before I saw it, I kept saying that the film reminded me of an old Charlton Heston movie. Come to find out, the movie The Omega Man (1971) was adapted from the same novel - I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. There was apparently a third movie, The Last Man on Earth (which I haven’t seen) that also used the novel as a foundation. So, if nothing else, it seems I have a new book to add to my list.

Watch any of the TV spots for I Am Legend and you’ll get the basic gist of the movie. Robert Neville (Smith) is the last remaining human in New York City and, as far as he knows, the world. His only companion is Sam (Abby), a German Shepherd. Together they go through their daily routine; exercise, gathering food and trying to contact other survivors. As is typical of many other films in the genre, the rest of the population has contracted a virus which has turned them into inhuman monsters. These beasts only come out at night however, which is when Neville and Sam barricade themselves indoors. When he’s not simply trying to survive, Neville works on a cure for the virus that he himself is immune to, hoping to bring back some of the populous.

Some of the CGI in I Am Legend is a bit hokey. The deer and some of the monsters don’t move very convincingly. On the other hand, seeing Times Square deserted and overgrown with weeds was eerie enough. The zombie creatures definitely look like they came out of a video game. Granted, it’s harder to tell these days with graphics improving in leaps and bounds. Even though the city is empty and all the cars in the streets, save one, are stationary, it doesn’t seem to be a completely miserable environment. I’d be willing to bet that a sizeable number of New Yorkers might prefer the streets all to themselves.

I really believe that Will Smith is a terrific movie actor. He’s had the misfortune to be involved in a few stinkers (Wild Wild West), but even DeNiro has his bad days. From the first movie I saw him in, Six Degrees of Separation, it became apparent that Smith had skills beyond that of his musical career. I Am Legend is another movie he can count as a successful performance. It’s difficult for one actor to carry an entire movie on his own in the first place. Smith does it and makes it look easy. Abby did a great job too!

I’m the kind of person who wakes up everyday and hopes that a zombie apocalypse has occurred while I was sleeping. So, the idea of being the only human left isn’t particularly terrifying. But, I do think that the sorrow and solitude of losing human companions would eventually corrode the mind, as it does with Neville – to a degree. I enjoyed the idea of the last survivor as a scientist, trying to cure the disease. It was a different twist I haven’t seen often in the zombie genre. My only real complaint with I Am Legend is the ending. It seemed unnecessary and that lack of necessity cheapened what might have been a heroic finish.

Overall Rating: 3 ½
Hottie Rating: 3 (Smith doing pull-ups)

Alternate recommendation: The Omega Man
Official site
IMDB page
James Berardinelli’s review

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