jinazaki Reviews

Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)

a remake of a remake of a remake

[21 February 2005]

After finally seeing the movie, I came away mostly struck by the similarities between it and John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars. So in a way I suppose the lineage of this film is Rio Bravo->Assault on Precinct 13->Ghosts of Mars->Assault on Precinct 13. I was particularly taken by Maria Bello's performance. She really got on my nerves, which I suppose, is a good thing.

One comment about all the sharpshooters who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn: They were shooting little M-16 type rounds. Those are notoriously unstable in high winds. I'm sure that wasn't part of some screenwriter's confab but it's the out they need.

Overall a fairly entertaining movie tho in all likelihood it won't be sitting in my DVD collection anytime soon. And yes, you could see the "twists" coming a mile away. Even in the snowstorm.

Tarnation (2003)

Seriously disappointed

[17 October 2004]

I guess I fall into the "art school gimmicks" camp regarding this film. I went into it intrigued with the idea of watching a 13 year tale of a mother and son. Such was hardly the case. I have to admit somewhat brutally, that this movie seemed somewhat exploitative. Given how much of the film was about Caouette growing up as a gay male, I fail to see how his mother's condition actually had a hand in it. Honestly she seemed to merely be a device (an unwilling one at that) to extend Caouette's angst well into adulthood where he otherwise seemed pretty settled and happy.

The structure of the movie was: shock the viewer with my mother's condition, now talk about my horrible angst ridden teen years, now bring mother back to keep the emotion going.

I was not at all impressed with the experimental/disjointed editing style. I've been to a fair amount of film festivals and, if anything, that sort of manipulation disappeared with the advent of affordable editing software. In short, they don't even do that in film school anymore.

One more disappointment: quite late in the film, we have an opportunity to hear about Caouette's mom from two people in Caouette's family. In one instance, the opportunity is totally wasted; nothing comes of his on-camera time. In the other (with his grandfather), Caouette's manner of questioning badgering and accusatory; he doesn't let the old man get a decent thought out.