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Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)
Superb documentary
This documentary detailing the wave of Aussie exploitation (better known as Ozploitation) films through the 70s and 80s is not only made with such passion, excitement, complemented further so by the anecdotes and praise from the key players of the wave and their fans, but is criminally underrated. The film is always interesting, educational, inspiring, and choc-a-block full of tits, pubes, blood, gore, and the sexiest cars/car chases/car accidents you've ever seen. not only is this film so much fun, but it is the most important Australian film to come out this year because it gives the deserved praise to a wave of films that should've been treated better and in retrospect have been forgotten (until now. And some of the featured films in the doco are thankfully getting their first DVD releases). Thankfully, as the ending of the film details, Aussie film-makers are heading back to the days of Ozploitation and putting it in their movies, as seen in the likes of Wolf Creek, Saw, Undead, and Rogue. It's also great hearing these directors, producers, writers and actors alike talking about how much fun, dangerous, and crazy it was to make these sorts of films, and how it was never inspired by how much money could be made (however, money was made, and Ozploitation did have an audience, mainly in countries outside of Australia). This is an excellent, exciting, and informative documentary and is absolutely essential viewing for all aspiring film-makers. If this doesn't get a Best Documentary nom at the Oscars, I will be disappointed. I hope to see it on more "Top 10 in 08" lists, because it is certainly on mine.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
A fun film that you have to enjoy!
The reason I'm writing this review is because I've seen a lot of hate for this film, which is unfortunate because it doesn't deserve it. I might not say I'm a fan of the Indy series, though I do love all three (four) movies. Indy 4 did not disappoint me. It's like the first three; it's fun, entertaining, a bit unrealistic (actually, really unrealistic, I'll get to that later) and a whole lot of fun for everyone, so it amazes me that people didn't see this. The movie isn't too stupid, it's well put together, the script is decent and the action makes the original trilogy proud. The jungle sequence is definitely something great, even if seeing Mutt Williams swing along vines with monkeys isn't your idea of entertainment.
One thing that amazes me is that people hated the idea of aliens being involved in this movie. I didn't mind it; it seems to fit suitably with the supernatural elements of the Indy series, and we all know how big a fan Spielberg is of aliens. Well, perhaps it's an acquired taste. One other thing I loved about this film was Shia LaBeouf. His performance was nearly at a professional level and if they really make a Mutt Williams film (with Shia), I won't complain.
There is stuff to nit-pick about in the film. There is quite a bit of useless CGI, the action is sometimes unconvincing, there aren't as many wise-cracks, etc, etc. But as a whole, the movie is great and it's definitely something to go check out. Remember, it's a B movie, so don't think too much with this film and try to spot all the mistakes. Just enjoy the film because it's one of the most entertaining to come out this year.
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Best comedy of 2007 (so far)
No other movie this year has had this sort of anticipation. The movie based on the biggest, funniest and most popular cartoon of the past three or four generations. After the series began it's 22 minute prime-time broadcasting, it grew in popularity and immediately the fans began talking about a possible movie creation. The producers themselves of the show have suggested it to themselves two or three times before, but the idea has always been shrugged off. So finally in 2003, they decided again, but this time it stuck. Much was kept tight-lipped, but they did let slip some screens of storyboards, voices, synopsis and then finally trailers featuring finished content for the movie. Simpsons pandemonium swept up everyone, as 7-11s turned into Kwik-E-Mart's, various American Springfields' battled each other for the premiere spot of the movie and everyone was heading back down to the theatres, despite the holidays being over. So, does The Simpsons Movie stack up to what was anticipated, does it please this young Simpson fan, is it just a great comedy animation in general? Yes. The Simpsons Movie is pretty much everything. It is not disappointing, it appeals to Simpsons fans and it is easily the best comedy of the year, beating out the mediocre Epic Movie, Hot Fuzz, Mr. Bean's Holiday and Knocked Up. The Simpsons Movie is also most definitely in the top ten funniest films in the past decade. It's back to comedic basics. It just tries to make you laugh and works perfectly, in timing, voicing, animation and delivery. It can be argued that their aren't enough jokes in the movie, or that some of the jokes are awkward or don't work as well as they should, but there are definitely plenty of jokes in the movie that work perfectly. The jokes also appeal to a mass of people. The slapstick (or just people getting hurt) is always the kids' favourite moments, the satirical jabs work for teenagers and the family issues and hilarity of how the characters act and react appeals to the older audiences. It really is hard to go into this movie and not laugh.
The main complaint (if any) from mainly the fans is the lack of attention on some of the off-side, but popular characters, such as Moe, Mr. Burns, Apu, Chief Wiggum, whom get limited screen-time in the movie. This is true, as the movie focuses more on the actual Simpson characters, as well as a few new faces. These non-Simpson Simpson characters aren't in the movie that much, but when they are, it's a real treat. Not to mention all the characters that they remembered to put in the movie such as the Sea-Captain, Drederick Tatum, Ralph, Sideshow Mel, Kearney, Jimbo, Dolph, Nelson, Milhouse, Martin, Reverend Lovejoy, Principal Skinner, Barney, Itchy, Scratchy, Smithers, Professor Frink, Lou, Eddy, Gabbo, Dr. Nick, Dr. Hibbert, Grandpa Abe. That's just scraping the barrel of the bowl, so who's to say there aren't enough Simpson characters in the Simpsons movie. Onto the Simpsons characters themselves, Homer is the (very) main character here, with the story revolving very much around him. Not only does he conclude the conflict, but he also created the conflict as well. The rest of the family become more and more detached from him after he takes them all to Alaska after he pretty much destroys Springfield. Marge, despite sticking with Homer throughout so many ordeals in the show, feels very much unobliged to stick with him when he does not want to save Springfield from being properly destroyed. Bart no longer sees Homer as a fit father figure and throughout the movie continuously muses over the idea of having their neighbour Flanders as a more appropriate father. Lisa doesn't seem to be in this movie as much as the family, apart from the beginning and end when she tries to get the apathetic Springfield to react to the pollution in Lake Springfield and falls in love with a boy who is trying to do the same. The only Simpson character that sticks with Homer is the baby Maggie. Not to give too much away, but it's more than once in this movie does she save Homer's life.
The Simpson Movie praises on being good ol' 2-D, in contrast to the furious swarm of 3-D movies being mass released recently. Despite this, it still manages to make some very impressive animation that excels far further than the television show. There are no longer any boundaries or limitations to what they can offer. In some scenes, it's amazing the amount of characters, landscape or objects are portrayed on the screen. It goes to show that 2-D can be just as amazing as 3-D.
The Simpson Movie lives up to it's anticipations pretty well. Whether you're a die-hard fan, a general fan, like comedy movies or are just going along with someone who is one of the above, you'll most definitely enjoy this movie and laugh out loud a lot. This definitely isn't just a 22 minute episode stretched out to 87 (another complaint is the length of the movie. Too short for this post-Lord of the Ring crowd). This is the real deal. This is the movie we've all be waiting for 15 years. Everything about the show has been movie-fied for the movie. It even includes a lot of breaking of the fourth wall and referencing itself as being a movie (for example, Bart's chalkboard message is "I will not illegally download this movie". This is a great animation, comedy and Simpsons movie. An essential must-see. 8.9/10
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Great effects, great pacing, great acting, great movie!
If there's one thing the general mainstream movie audience don't have, it's patience. They want their movies fast, loud, tightly edited and a storyline so complicated and tangled up, it just might strangle you. This is evident from this year's block-busters such as Spiderman 3, At World's End, and Transformers, all of which display the traits stated above. I was growing sick of it, so in this time I headed off Video Ezy to rent out (which I ended up buying for $13) 2001: A Space Odyssey. This movie is most definitely slow, requires patience and tops the above movies by far, despite being released 39 years ago. Although 2001 is regarded a great sci-fi movie and pops up around the middle of many Top 100 list of movies, it was first received as too slow as well as too incomprehensible. This is exactly what the writers and director wanted the audience to feel and knowing the audience's reception, it was a daring move to make the movie like they did.
To give you an idea of how slow the movie is, the first 25 minutes of the film and the last 23 minutes of the film contain no dialogue. This movie is not driven by story, it is done by beauty. Each shot is perfect, which is fitting given the director Stanley Kubrick was known as Hollywood's most perfectionist director (that is until I'll come in). Being the time-sets of this movie show us the past and future, but not the present, the audience is always being shown something unfamiliar, something that whilst the characters walk past casually, we admire the worlds we are being presented to. The waltz music also helps.
The set design and special effects are more talented and more cleverer than those of today. You may be surprised to hear me say this, with CGI and digital shots used aplenty in sci-fi and action movies of today. But today, they are usually only used to make something seem realistic. In 2001, they are used to make something look beautiful or awe-inspiring. Also given that film-makers didn't have a great array of special effects at their hand back in pre-Star Wars 1968. Clever film-making and camera trick needed to be used to convince audiences a pen was floating or a man was running along a wall. These techniques are better than CGI any day. As for the psychodelic light journey near the end of the movie, it needs to be seen to be believed. Such amazing light spectacles makes the audience feel like they're in some sort of sicko Disney-Land ride.
If you want some sort of storyline from 2001, then it comes sometime after the hour mark. Two spacemen, Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Dr. Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) are on their way to investigate Jupiter, whilst testing cryogenic sleeping. Their mission is guided by the super-computer HAL 9000 (voiced by Douglas Rain). HAL betrays the two space-men when they decide to unplug the super-computer. There's more, but I don't want to give too much away. It'd be better to watch this film without having a clue about the synopsis. Though I will talk about HAL. HAL is a polite, intelligent and possibly suave computer. He is supposedly reliable, but Dave and Frank soon find out the super-computer is not all he's cracked up to be. HAL is disturbingly human, much more so than Microsoft Sam. Though he may be able to betray, he has no conscience, does not fear consequence, which makes HAL one of the most interesting and most deadly and most parodied villains in cinema history (behind Darth Vader).
2001: A Space Odyssey is a movie to be seen in a dark room at night, on the best TV available and be prepared to have your retina the time of its life (come the 2 hour mark of the film). 2001 is lavish with brilliant effects, flawless set pieces and designs and every shot is shot to perfection. Remember to be patient during this film. Space travel is tedious for the characters in this film, but to you hopefully is something much more marvellous. Don't expect everything to come together in the end, because it doesn't. Have an open mind to this film and don't interpret it literally, like you would with the movies stated at the beginning of this review (with the exception of the beginning of At World's End. That was like a David Lynch film). 2001 is slow, but fast enough to present its beauty and creation. Rating: 9.6/10