Thursday, April 14, 2016

Only Angels Have Wings

Only Angels Have Wings is a film that sneaks on you a bit as it begins as one might expect a screwball comedy to with two buddies attempting to impress a woman they chance upon. What develops is rather different as it examines the harsh life of pilots who put their lives on the line with every trip since sometimes they don't come back. This is well realized in the opening scene as one of the two friends dies on a late trip, and to mourn every pretends the man did not exist. The opening minutes are particularly effective. Now the rest of the film does not quite live up to the opening, though not for lack of trying, as it does still maintain a slight screwball edge with what is essentially a dramatic story. The film though manages to work with this mixture of tones though, in large part due to Cary Grant's leading performance. It meanders a bit in the middle, not in a bad way, but it does build to a rather memorable conclusion.
4.5/5

I Saw the Devil

Well after covering the Exorcist and The Omen, I Saw The Devil sounds like another film in the supernatural horror genre. Well the devil is in it, but that devil is a man. If one were to read a brief synopsis on the film they might think it is a simple revenge film, but it's anything but. The film follows a serial killer, and the man who wishes to punish that man for having killed his fiancée. This in itself never becomes a righteous cause, and this might be one of the most powerful films in terms of the emptiness of such a pursuit. The film certainly works as a horror film, all too brutally, but it is never so simple in its depiction of a fiend (brilliantly played by Choi Min-sik), and another man turned into a fiend in his attempt to find some sort of satisfaction. It's an unforgettable film as it takes you into hell without ever leaving earth.
5/5

The Exorcist

The Exorcist is notable as one of the earliest foray's of the New Hollywood into the horror genre. It is easy to see what it might have offered to the normal American filmgoer that would have been quite new with the film's particular techniques of horror, particularly in its use of editing to almost create subconscious terror in the viewer. William Friedkin technically takes the risk of so often visually the terror directly yet it works incredibly well by the images themselves, but also the always terrifying why they are employed. Certain images such as the devil face if focused on long might seem silly yet given just a monetary glimpse they are chilling. Friedkin makes this particularly effective by just how gripping the sense of dread is throughout the film, that it always seems like something terrible is going to happen even in simplest of moments. The film makes it past just being a terror though as there is an emotional connection pivotal to the film that is so well realized by the strong performances by Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller that always stay reserved even amidst the madness which the demon creates.
5/5

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

The Omen

The Omen was obviously made as a reactionary cash grab to the success of the Exorcist, but hey the motivation does not matter if the end result is a good film. That's the case here. I don't think it reaches the heights of that earlier film, but this is a rather chilling horror film in its own right. There is such a palatable atmosphere of dread throughout and it feels like the devil is at play in every scene. That birthday sequence in particular is so disturbing by just how simply it is played. As the film proceeds it gets more bombastic but does not fall off the rails. This is largely because of the main performances in the film with Gregory Peck and David Warner both adding some needed weight to the proceedings, as well as Billie Whitelaw who manages to find just the perfect place of being oh so off putting without becoming absurd. Then of course there is the score, that score is legendary for a reason. You hear that music and one has to instantly think of the devil. I won't say The Omen quite adds up to a great film, but it adds up to a very good one.
4.5/5

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is the film adaptation of the still running series that originally prided itself on crude humor, but transitioned more often into social commentary(with still plenty of crude humor). This probably really started here with the film that targets South Park's own critics as well as the MPAA for its rating system. The film itself has that commentary but it also has the humor you'd expect, most of it rather winning here. It's also a musical with a great selection of memorable songs that always propel the story while just being easy to listen to. The further step that really takes it beyond though as it goes about being a more traditional animated feature, of the Disney nature and has a tremendous amout of heart. That completely works particularly through the stories of Kenny and Satan which ends up being far more moving than you'd expect from a movie with to flatulent Canadians. It still stands as the best the series has ever had to offer, but also stands well as a very good film.
4.5/5

Alice in Wonderland

Alice In Wonderland is a film that I've seen somewhat derided when compared to other Disney fare of both the past and the present. When the film was made there was apparently the feeling that there were too many directors on the project which made for an inconsistent film. Well I will agree not every segment is equal, I actually think that is needed for the adaptation of the source material. The last thing Alice should have is purpose. It should be madness and that is what you get here, there is no lesson to be had and no real character arc for Alice. There shouldn't be though as that again would be at odds with the story. This might not have worked all that well but is helped along by Kathryn Beaumont's excellent voice work as Alice. The one criticism I can agree with is the songs are not especially memorable. Plenty of the sequences are though particularly the mad tea party, the entirety of the red queen, the White Rabbit House, The Walrus and the Carpenter, some less so, like the whole segment with the flowers, but there is far more great than just sort of okay which is the worst it gets. It's an adaptation that fits the material, its messy to be sure, just like it should be.
4.5/5

The Land Before Time

The Land Before Time is one of Don Bluth's early films so it goes without saying that it is wonderful look at and to hear. This story is very straight, and copied apparently by every dinosaur film to come after it, about a group of orphaned dinosaurs trying to find their home. Everyone always seems to name either Bambi's mother or Mustafa's deaths as that moment of complete devestation, for me it always has to be Little Foot's Mother, who we even see exactly when she receives the wounds which take her life. This film goes particularly dark, with Little Foot even having a moment where he seems to give up on life. Again though like the best of em when things it warm again it really seems so earned by what our characters go through. Each of the dinosaurs work and add something to the dynamic of the group, and there is some rather intense terror to be found in the villain Sharptooth. I will say the final third seems slightly rushed, apparently some of Sharptooths scenes were cut, but given what was left in those have to be terrifying. It's made up for climatic scene that should make most thrillers jealous though, which then leads to some well earned heartstring tugging by the end.
4.5/5

The Secret of Nimh

The Secret Of Nimh is unfortunately an underrated animated film, too often forgotten perhaps due to not being Disney as well as perhaps due to director Don Bluth's later efforts which were not exactly stellar. It's my favorite animated film of all time though as I love every single second of the film. It's astonishing to look at so many of sequences as such fine detail is given to every frame, while the animation always feels fluid and natural. It's grand yet subtle in the best way. The film itself goes past just looking great with a wonderful score, and a great song by Paul Williams. The film would be nothign though if the story did not work. I love the sense of mystery, fitting to the film's tittle, created by this society of oddly intelligent rats. The film is directed brilliantly by Bluth even past the beauty of the animation as there is such palatable atmosphere in the film, as well as even a certain dread as there are so many great dark moments in there. It of course has a heart and that is found with the lead character of Mrs. Brisby perfectly brought to life by Elizabeth Hartman's voice. I love the character in that it always shows her to be shy by nature, but her conviction to save her family is what allows her to be so brave. The heartfelt moments truly work and every one of them is wholly earned. It's a masterpiece, if you ask me.
5/5