When I saw that Casa Kafka was a sponsor of this French-Belgian production, I knew it would be hopeless, depressing, senseless. In a small Belgian town, nature simply...stops. Chickens no longer lay eggs, cows stop producing milk, field lay fallow, trees die but won't burn. Young Alice and her friend Tom suffer and cope, with traveling beekeeper Pol and his son Octave as the only ones who maintain their senses against the seemingly global calamity. As food grows scarce and desperation grows, even they can't stop the tide of insanity.
There's seriously nothing cheerful about this film. Be warned.
La cinquième saison (The Fifth Season)
2012, 93 minutes, directed by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth
Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nature. Show all posts
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Friday, July 1, 2011
Jurassic Park III
Oh my God this is stupidly cheesy. Moar species, moar raptors, moar smarts. Moar moar moar. Any hints of unpredictability are gone; the special effects drive the plot. Such is the sad fate of part three of many a trilogy. And heaven forbid they get funding for a fourth.
Jurassic Park III
2001, 92 minutes, directed by Joe Johnston
Jurassic Park III
2001, 92 minutes, directed by Joe Johnston
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Somewhere out there is a Fisher-Price My First Sequel workbook diligently filled out by this film's screenwriter. I'm amazed at just how many clichés they can squeeze into a two-hour film.
So this time it's revealed that there's a second island filled with dinosaurs. Old John Hammond, recently removed as Ingen's CEO, says this was the "breeding" or "B" island conveniently unmentioned in the first film. (Later, though, there's some indication that this was the first attempt at a park, which likely went even more horribly wrong than the park from the first movie.) Ever the optimist, Hammond thinks a team should be sent in to document the creatures, and Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Ian Malcolm is a perfect fit. Oh, and Hammond has tricked him into going by sending his girlfriend, Julianne Moore's Dr. Sarah Harding, along first. Did I mention that there's a stowaway and a secret second mission by Ingen's new CEO, Arliss Howard's Peter Ludlow? Yeah, they brought a huge team, all of which, with the exception of the stereotypical hunter (Pete Postlethwaite's Roland Tembo), are complete idiots, hellbent on bringing the creatures back to San Diego and completely unable to take any reasonable means of precaution.
Hilarity ensues, which by hilarity I mean waiting inevitably for each and every one of them to be picked off and eaten. Some go quick, some stay surprisingly long (and a few do walk away), but in the end it's down to Malcolm and Harding to save the city of San Diego while the entire U.S. military, coast guard, and local SWAT remain completely helpless.
While I've seen the first film several times (having, I presume, more appeal for TV networks and their viewers alike), this was the first time I'd seen the sequel. I won't say it will be the last; next up on my Netflix queue is Jurassic Park 3, and as far as I know it's a clichéd clone again.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
1997, 129 minutes, directed by Steven Spielberg
So this time it's revealed that there's a second island filled with dinosaurs. Old John Hammond, recently removed as Ingen's CEO, says this was the "breeding" or "B" island conveniently unmentioned in the first film. (Later, though, there's some indication that this was the first attempt at a park, which likely went even more horribly wrong than the park from the first movie.) Ever the optimist, Hammond thinks a team should be sent in to document the creatures, and Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Ian Malcolm is a perfect fit. Oh, and Hammond has tricked him into going by sending his girlfriend, Julianne Moore's Dr. Sarah Harding, along first. Did I mention that there's a stowaway and a secret second mission by Ingen's new CEO, Arliss Howard's Peter Ludlow? Yeah, they brought a huge team, all of which, with the exception of the stereotypical hunter (Pete Postlethwaite's Roland Tembo), are complete idiots, hellbent on bringing the creatures back to San Diego and completely unable to take any reasonable means of precaution.
Hilarity ensues, which by hilarity I mean waiting inevitably for each and every one of them to be picked off and eaten. Some go quick, some stay surprisingly long (and a few do walk away), but in the end it's down to Malcolm and Harding to save the city of San Diego while the entire U.S. military, coast guard, and local SWAT remain completely helpless.
While I've seen the first film several times (having, I presume, more appeal for TV networks and their viewers alike), this was the first time I'd seen the sequel. I won't say it will be the last; next up on my Netflix queue is Jurassic Park 3, and as far as I know it's a clichéd clone again.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
1997, 129 minutes, directed by Steven Spielberg
Friday, March 18, 2011
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
I only plan to see one film tonight. After this I have to book it to La Zona Rosa for the Green Label Sound showcase.
Werner Herzog's 3D film, about the Chauvet cave in France, is an exploration of the earliest remnants of human expression. The images are stunning in quality and age, but Werner's narration is little more than cheesy. Laugh off his postulation and enjoy the views.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
2010, 89 minutes, directed by Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog's 3D film, about the Chauvet cave in France, is an exploration of the earliest remnants of human expression. The images are stunning in quality and age, but Werner's narration is little more than cheesy. Laugh off his postulation and enjoy the views.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
2010, 89 minutes, directed by Werner Herzog
Friday, March 11, 2011
Red Riding Hood
Another SXSW is here, and this one starts off early with a midnight premiere of Red Riding Hood. Ahem, actually we are just the "first audience to see the film" since studios like to co-opt the term "world premiere". I guess then technically we were the "first audience to see the film after having to empty our pockets and be swept by a metal detector" as well. Thanks Warner Bros.
The film is beautiful, in that much of it consists of images of the snowy village and close-ups of Amanda Seyfried's face. I did get the impression that there was a driving force to create a vision for the camera. Alas, what I didn't feel was any immersion in the plot. There's a love triangle which barely goes anywhere, a few family secrets laid bare, and lots of suspicion about who the werewolf might be. And of course there's Solomon, the killed-my-own-wife werewolf hunter who acts in the name of the Holy Church but of course fails to act very holy at all. Yes, they even run through all the major points of the modern version of the fairy tale.
But all is not lost. As director Catherine Hardwicke said before the film began, "Luckily I didn't have to have any grown men sparkle in this movie." For that, I truly feel lucky as well.
Catch it on Netflix.
Red Riding Hood
2011, 102 minutes, directed by Catherine Hardwicke
The film is beautiful, in that much of it consists of images of the snowy village and close-ups of Amanda Seyfried's face. I did get the impression that there was a driving force to create a vision for the camera. Alas, what I didn't feel was any immersion in the plot. There's a love triangle which barely goes anywhere, a few family secrets laid bare, and lots of suspicion about who the werewolf might be. And of course there's Solomon, the killed-my-own-wife werewolf hunter who acts in the name of the Holy Church but of course fails to act very holy at all. Yes, they even run through all the major points of the modern version of the fairy tale.
But all is not lost. As director Catherine Hardwicke said before the film began, "Luckily I didn't have to have any grown men sparkle in this movie." For that, I truly feel lucky as well.
Catch it on Netflix.
Red Riding Hood
2011, 102 minutes, directed by Catherine Hardwicke
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
The Last Winter
I go to survival films to find ones like this. Strong story, solid acting, and a good use of budget. I've heard complaints about the ending being too "explicit", but I'm happy for an ending that's not esoteric. I'll enjoy seeing this one again. Ron Perlman sighting!
The Last Winter
2006, 107 minutes, Larry Fessenden
The Last Winter
2006, 107 minutes, Larry Fessenden
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