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Enter the Void

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:39:20 +0000

If you’ve never died, done hallucinogenic drugs, had an out of body experience, or been in a serious car crash, you may have trouble connecting with the film Enter the Void. I’ve done pretty much all of those things, so in spite of rather mixed reviews, this is probably one of my favorite films in years. I don’t know how I didn’t hear about this film when it came out in 2010, but…ah, scratch that. Clocking in at 2 hours and 41 minutes, and being comprised mainly of visually stunning, meandering shots of Tokyo sex clubs, street scenes, car crashes, swirling colors, and neon landscapes that connect a bunch of vignettes that border on pornographic or feature death, drug abuse, sex, and birth, the film didn’t enjoy a very wide release or much promotion in the states. Which is a shame, because I think – with one trivial criticism – it borders on being a cinematic masterpiece, eschewing tired, 120-page-script-driven storytelling to embrace the amazing tools that film puts at one’s fingertips. I would be willing to bet that this is a film that David Lynch would have wished he could have made, which for many, of course, would be a solid argument AGAINST the idea that it might be a masterpiece. In any case, while reading negative reviews one thing you’ll consistently notice is that the reviewer will say incredibly thick-headed, entertainment-biased things about plot development, acting skills, or their frustration with the length or having to view the back of the central character’s head more than they’d like. As a film lover since childhood, reviews like this simply affirm to me that this is indeed a great film; if you’re not pissing someone off, you’re probably doing it wrong. And director Gaspar Noé does it right in this film, managing to tell a textured, multi-layered story that is only simplistic – or “puerile” as one critic put it – if you’re too stupid or impatient or lazy to grasp what is being explored. The “plot” is launched by the main character Oscar’s introduction to the The Tibetan Book of the Dead as he starts a drug trip, and then is presumably killed. The ensuing two hours are a journey through life, death, base human experience, beauty, love, loss, and more, brilliantly told with little dialogue. Most of the film is a seamlessly connected series of mostly overhead shots as you journey from interior to interior, to the night streets of Tokyo, to strange “other worlds” of light and sound, and to flashback scenes from childhood. Thanks to remarkable implementation of boom shots, helicopter shots, handheld, CGI, lighting effects, and even tilt-shift-like focus effects, it’s impossible to tell – and therefore not disruptive to the flow – when one or another is being utilized. The stunning visuals are lent much of their effectiveness and seamlessness by some of the most brilliant sound design I’ve ever experienced. Arguably one of the most overlooked apects of creating film as art, Enter the Void’s “soundtrack” is on par with films like 2001 in terms of sound as an integrated part of stoytelling, which is probably not a coincidence – apparently Gaspar Noé saw 2001 at the age of seven, inspiring him at that point to become a filmmaker. If you’re interested in the technical aspects of how the film was made, there’s a detailed summary on Wikipedia. But I honestly wouldn’t recommend reading much about the plot, the technique, or the critical reception – I’ve said far too much here. The film just left enough of an impression on me that I had to spread the word. I personally saw the film after seeing nothing more than the image below. I somehow knew instantly that the film had something I needed to experience, and I was not disappointed. If you decide to check it out, just make sure you actually have the time and space to enjoy the film – it’s not for the impatient, and is as long and ponderous as it is brilliant.

For the record, the trailer doesn’t BEGIN to do the film justice, probably for commercial reasons, it focuses on dialogue and erotica. And although there’s a lot of unerotic “erotica” in the film, it’s hardly the core of the story.

Joaquin Phoenix’s I’m Still Here

admin — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:54:34 +0000

I don’t really know much about Joaquin Phoenix. I’ve never been exactly sure how his name is pronounced, and although I thought he was AWESOME as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line (and did a fantastic job on the soundtrack), and in spite of his busy career, I can’t think of another film he’s been in except as narrator of EARTHLINGS, the documentary about animal abuse and factory farms. The first time I remember hearing of him was when I had a surreal experience a few nights after his brother died at the Viper Club. I was at a different club when the L.A. Style club hit James Brown Is Dead came on, and I leaned to a friend and said “River Phoenix. Is Dead”. A few minutes later the entire dance floor was screaming the same words as they danced. Over drinks later my friend said “thank God Joaquin wasn’t there tonight”. I had no idea who he was talking about. But in spite of (or maybe because of) my ignorance, and the fact that he gives the impression that he’s one big huge bowl of crazy, I must confess to kind of being a fan. Which is why I’m looking forward to seeing I’m Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix, which is in limited release (“limited” apparently doesn’t include the cultural backwater in which I live) in the US as of yesterday. The film – shot by his brother in law – allegedly follows Phoenix’s career transition from actor to rapper over the past couple of years. Reviews are mixed, with many asserting that it’s probably a deadpan satirical mockumentary, which is my guess as well. And which is why I kind of admire the guy. In the tradition of Andy Kaufman, Crispin Glover, Pee Wee Herman, and frankly, a tradition stretching all the way back to the surrealists, Phoenix keeps you wondering with things like his perplexing appearance on David Letterman (clip below) and a quietly but insanely erratic personal life. I for one would LOVE to roll my car and have Wim Wenders come to the rescue. The DVD isn’t out until November, and if you’re not in a major city, who knows if the film will even come to your town. If you really want to see the film in the near future, you may be able to find I’m Still Here as a torrent. Personally I’ll wait. Seeing this in the theater would be a fun night with friends. Trailer and Letterman clips below.

The Trailer for I’m Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix

His wacky appearance on Letterman

As peculiar as Phoenix’s appearance was, Letterman’s had a lot of experience with this:

The Black Candle – An Award Winning Film About Kwanzaa

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:08:54 +0000

Last year I shared that I had decided to stop belittling Kwanzaa for being a made-up holiday, which I had been doing for years mostly because I was completely ignorant of what it was really all about, beyond the parts that were all too easy to poke fun at. This sentiment seems to be gathering some press here and there; this Slate piece by Melonyce McAfee, for instance, describes firsthand the positive part Kwanzaa played in at least one person’s upbringing. If you’re as ignorant as I was about the details of the holiday, you can of course hit Wikipedia, but I’m personally looking forward to watching The Black Candle, an award-winning documentary directed by author and filmmaker M.K. Asante Jr., and narrated by Maya Angelou. It’s available on DVD, but it also is making its TV debut on TVOne on Saturday December 26. If – like me – you’re in the Detroit area, there are also special free screenings on the 26th, 27th and 29th at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. If you’re elsewhere in the country, find a screening here. The official trailer is below, and there’s an extended unofficial nine minute preview on YouTube.

Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:52:24 +0000

The other day a friend of mine in Scotland turned me on to the latest Noah and the Whale release The First Days of Spring. I’m not always a huge fan of bands that might fall into some sort of alt/folk category, but this release is indeed “pure, dead gorgeous”, as my friend put it. The release is in one way a classic “breakup album”, but with a twist: it was conceived alongside a 45 minute film produced by the band. You can view the trailer at left, which features the wistfully hopeful Blue Skies. If the trailer is any indication, the film should be well worth a view on its own; with some compelling images and editing, they’ve cleverly created the feeling that you’re viewing an extended trailer from a non-existent conventional feature film that used their music. It’ll be interesting to see how they actually distribute the film; so far it’s only been shown at special screenings, and as of this writing there are no more US dates. It will, however, be available on DVD as part of an upcoming 2-disc edition. I would think they’d make it more available to coincide with release dates, but releasing a conceptual, slightly abstract film in conjunction with an album of songs is bold, uncharted….oh wait. Never mind.

Hollywood’s 3D Conspiracy

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:50:54 +0000

As I sat at a friend of a friend’s house the other evening watching a torrented “DVD rip” of the new Star Trek movie two weeks before its release date, it struck me that there’s a bit of irony in the fact that Disney is using a remake of “A Christmas Carol” to help roll out the film industy’s latest flailing attempt to save its way of life – the 3D movie. At a time in US history that teeters on the edge of being Dickensian, to take a story that is typically viewed as an indictment of nineteenth century industrial capitalism and use it as part of a platform that is meant to help Hollywood regain control of its media and its profits is either a master stroke or incredibly foolish. They’re going to have to do something though, I may have been watching a copy of a DVD release a couple of weeks early, but Star Trek was available as a torrent while the film was still in theaters. Hollywood’s been warming you up with 3D re-releases of Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, but the acid test will be James Cameron’s Avatar, set for release around the holidays, and touted as the spearhead of the new assault of 3D in theaters. If you haven’t pieced this all together yet, Hollywood’s idea is to offer something in theaters you won’t be able to take home later. Will it work? I personally don’t think so; I agree to some degree with the thinking of people like Chris Anderson, who’s book Free: The Future of a Radical Price points up the fact that pop media has little value in itself, but is a great way to build customer engagement. I mean, a pop song is 99 cents on iTunes, and Star Trek is free at my friend’s house. Why would I pay even more to watch a movie in an already overpriced theater? I’m not alone in this thinking, this mom’s reaction highlights Hollywood’s ongoing disconnect. In my opinion, the greed will eventually kill them. They literally own our brains already by virtue of how media like Toy Story saturates our existence and generates ancillary sales, but it’s not enough. They still want cash up front. Sorry Hollywood, my life is already in 3D. That’s precisely why I go to a movie or play; to invest a little imagination and get away from things.

Innovation.

Creepy Animated Map Of Wal-Mart Growth

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:40:27 +0000

The creepy video featured here shows the virus-like expansion of Wal-Mart in the United States (much clearer full-size animated map here). We all know that Wal-Mart is huge, but did you know that their annual sales are greater than the GDP of Saudi Arabia? Or that they employ more people than live in Idaho? I’ve strangely never shopped at Wal-Mart, not because of snobbishness or political correctness, but probably more because of geography. Wal-Mart has a strategy (see When Wal-Mart Is Gone) of opening several stores in separate rural areas and later closing the stores to condense the traffic into a “super store”, leaving behind what is known in real estate as a Dark Wal-Mart. For some fairly balanced insight into Wal-Mart in general, see this How Stuff Works piece. For a more anti-Wal-Mart view see Ask Al – The Battlemart Blog at WalmartWatch.com Or check out the DVD Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (it’s only USD9.99).

Until The End of the World

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 01:27:26 +0000

One of my favorite films of all time is also probably one of the most overlooked: Wim Wenders’ Until The End of the World. Released in 1991, and set in 1999, it tells a multi-layered tale about a novelist (Eugene Fitzpatrick, played by Sam Neill) who follows his dreamy and spontaneous wife (Claire Tourneur, played by Solveig Dommartin) around the world as she chases a mysterious man (Sam Farber, alias Trevor McPhee – William Hurt) from country to country, finally ending up in Australia, where she discovers that he is the son of an American scientist who has developed a special camera that will enable the blind to see. As a backdrop to all of this, the world is wondering if America will shoot down a failing Indian nuclear satellite. All of which gives the impression that this is a Sci-Fi film. Which it is, in part, utilizing some very well-executed realistic-future sets and props. But more importantly, it’s a poetic tale of pursuing your dreams, understanding the connectedness of things, and one of the quickest tours of multi-cultural quirks ever captured on film. So why am I writing about this film now? Because a friend just gave me their 3-Disc PAL format DVD version. Part of the reason for the film’s original weak performance in the states was the fact that it was 160 minutes long, which is ironic, because the actual complete version on this disc is 280 minutes, in three parts. The original release was beautiful, but this even more beautiful-er. The additional footage smooths some minor bumps in the rhythm of the original release, and the breaks are perfectly timed for the plot points. It’s almost like watching an epic mini-series. Even if you never check out this film, check out the soundtrack, which in typical Wim Wenders fashion is an incredibly diverse and listenable mix including Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Patti Smith, Jane Siberry with k.d. lang, T-Bone Burnett, Depeche Mode, U2, R.E.M., Can, Elvis Costello, David Byrne, and…Pygmies! Whenever I haven’t prepared a mix for a party I throw this on and people praise my genius.