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The Art of Self-Defense (2019)
great dark comedy about hypermasculinity
I saw this gem at a recent film festival. This is why I go to see movies - something original, something "real," and something important. I didn't find it preachy at all, actually I thought it got it's point across in the best way possible - by being funny and entertaining. The movie starts off by grabbing your attention with how weak of a character Casey is, and how cruel his world is. His world is unrealistically desolate and lonely. But the way he rises out of it is why the movie goes from boring Wes Anderson fantasy to kick-ass Fight Club absurdity. Yes, there are absurd moments but they are completely consistent with the theme of the movie. A theme that needs to be shown again and again in cinema. I won't explicitly state it, but it is the reason this movie goes from average to great, albeit 45 minutes in. A little more gruesome than I'm used to, but I still enjoyed it.
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme (2000)
its about time
A few years ago, Chris Rock yelled "Im sick of having to defend hip hop." even though he said it a few years back, his words still echo loudly today. Much of the reason is that, sadly, there's not much out there in the mass media to defend hip hop. the genre holds less status than less innovative genres out there. and isn't even regarded as art. Americana, which uses rap as a marketing tool and extols its materialistic side, also ends up hurting artists who try to do more than just sell their products. We see the bling, but often miss the substance behind the bling. The end result is that, simply put, most people just don't get hip hop But wait, there is hope. There are a few things in the mass media that show the artistic side of hip hop. this film is one of those few gems. it responsibly shows the hidden brilliance of rap - the lyrics, the cadence, the competition, the art, the spirituality, the depth, the innovation, etc. this movie, although technically not the most fluid documentary in the world, shows great live footage that you wont find anywhere else. It honors the starving artists and displays the beauty of their talent. more importantly, the film achieves great tasks for the entire genre - it equates the underground with the popular, and it balances rap with the other genres that Americana holds dear
I cant get enough of this DVD. I'm glad its out there and i hope it adds fuel to a new trend of more cerebral depictions of hip hop
American Beauty (1999)
puts our definitions of Normalcy and Beauty under scrutiny
This movie blew me away. It puts society's definitions of Normalcy and Beauty under heavy scrutiny. What appears ordinary is often captivating; what appears unique is often forlorn; what appears powerful is often empty; what appears strong is often weak; what appears strange is often beautiful.
Every character in this film is brilliantly chosen and interrelated thematically. There's a high-school girl who is insecure about being ordinary. Another high-schooler who has "made" herself unique by molding her persona and ambition around what others have deemed desirable. A working mom who desires social ambitions so much that she is losing sight of her life. A domineering father who has long-since lost sight his life and who has taken social mores and discipline to the extreme. A reticent mother whose life is dead and who is trapped in perpetual depression.
But, wait - there is hope. He is a teenage boy who lives next door. A strange kid who is both spontaneous and genuine - without social ambition, without social inhibition. He finds beauty in the purest form(like a dead bird or a floating plastic bag). He inspires both his girlfriend and her father to change their lives. Most notably, this happens with Kevin Spacey - the underappreciated husband, hated father, and corporate kick-boy who, inspired by his unique neighbor, recaptures his life by liberating himself from his suburban shackles.
Fire (1996)
Finally a good Indian movie
A landmark Indian film. Granted, that's not saying much (I made this conclusion after a whopping 15 minutes of watching). But I can truly say that Fire is also one of the really beautiful and innovative films I've seen.
Beautiful because of its imagery. The best example I can give is the parallelism between the 2 female leads(Radha and Sita) and the characters of the same name in Hindu mythology. Sita, for example, is the wife of the revered Lord Ram. As legend goes, Ram subjugates his wife by making her walk through a Fire to prove her 'purity.' Sita, in response, cries and leaves him, reuniting with her mother(the Earth). This story has all sort of crazy links to the stories of the 2 Indian women(Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi). The word 'Fire' all of a sudden has many meanings - marriage, tradition, religion, motherhood, and probably a few others I didn't catch.
Innovative because of its social overtones. Many who were offended by the premise for this movie should in fact be first to see Fire(e.g. my mom, who actually loved it). Why? Because although Fire is an attack on tradition, it is also an attack on tradition. In other words, that is its strength, NOT its weakness. Traditional conservative social mores(whether Indian or Canadian or American or whatever) are useless if they enslave you. Gender roles and self-denial can both do this.
These are the things I took with me after seeing Fire. The production is sloppy but the film is overall great. Hats off to Deepa Mehta
The Living Daylights (1987)
Possibly the Best Bond Film
In my humble opinion, John Glen II's "The Living Daylights" is the best inclusion in the Bond series. It was ridiculously overlooked because it starred an underrated Bond (Timothy Dalton) and lacked the glitter and marketing of today's Bond flicks (no comment). Recently, however, fans are giving the movie a second look and recognizing it as one of the great Bond films.
"The Living Daylights" starts off as a simple assignment to kill a KGB sniper. However, Bond disobeys orders on "instinct." This plot twist sets the tone for a dynamic film full of unpredictable turns, murders, and betrayals. Bond, initially investigating a plot to kill British agents, continues to follow his `instinct' and uncovers another assassination plot, forcing him to question who the enemy really is. In doing so, he travels through a half-a-dozen countries, ruins a fully loaded sports car, and, of course, finds romance. Simply put, the perfect Bond plot.
As an action film, "The Living Daylights" holds its own and then some. It's full of breathtaking sequences - from skydiving onto the Rock of Gibraltar, to skiing down a mountain on a cello, to hanging onto a plane midair (side note - this scene is UNREAL). These are just the action scenes. The drama is just as intense. My personal favorite is the confrontation between Bond and General Pushkin (John Rhys Daves). If you haven't seen it, check it out.
As a Bond film, "The Living Daylights" excels. 007 is in top form. Although not as cool as Connery, nor as pretty as Moore, Dalton's performance is outstanding. His portrayal of 007 as a rebel, an idealist, and a romantic adds depth to the character's somewhat arrogant and misogynous stereotype. In addition, the movie develops a romance that is the most realistic one I can recall in a Bond film. Add along quality dialogue (reminiscent of the older Bond films) and one of the best soundtracks I've heard, and one gets a damn good film.