Aaron R.'s Comments

INDEPENDENT THOUGHT: "Grindhouse" Isn't a Grind . . . It's a Pleasure by Aaron R.

Apr 9, 2007 | comments: 9

Aaron R. Apr 10, 2007, 2:17am EDT

I loved Kill Bill; visually impressive, delightfully entertaining, and well-acted. The pacing didn't work as well for me in Part 2, but Tarantino's good at redefining classical genres. As for the two films . . . as with any good comedy, it's played 100% straight, but at the same time, it's so over-the-top (s'why I reference Sam Raimi) that it's hard to take seriously. "Where...is...the...shit?" is one of the big catchphrases of "Planet Terror," and there's tons of silly one-liners amidst the gross-out gore of intestine-eating heroes and acne-splattering zombies. The movie's played for ENTERTAINMENT, and while "Planet Terror" is homage to splatter, "Death Proof" is more like a chattier version of Spielberg's "Duel" -- quiet buildup and then a climactic chase -- than it is a horror film.

ONE HARSH CRITIC: The Hills Have Eyes 2 by ONE HARSH CRITIC

Mar 26, 2007 | comments: 60

Aaron R. Mar 26, 2007, 10:05am EDT

A disconnect between popular taste and critical taste, Fred? That's always been the case. That's why films like "The Hills Have Eyes 2" get made. As Josh G. wisely points out, that hand is in the frame just to get chopped off, and those characters are introduced simply to be killed (or raped). Critics understand how crude the mechanics of the film-making are, and generally don't see films to be entertained or blow off steam, which is part of the problem with the industry. What I like about Josh's style of review is that it's more personal, more bloggish, than most, and I try to keep the same level of gut response in my own reviews.

A couple of things to keep in perspective though: TMNT was #1 in the box office with a pitiful $25M, and the majority of that is first-week hype from retro fans and children with nothing else to do over the weekend. A lot of films sell because people are bored, and ones that reach a family audience (especially in a week with "300" and "Shooter") are bound to do well on slow days. The problem with this is a lack of discerning in the studios, who long ago figured out that the quality of their movies didn't matter as much as the marketing and the timing.

HOLLYWOOD POV: Behind the Scenes at American Idol by Digital Dogs

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 12

Aaron R. Mar 26, 2007, 2:51am EDT

Here's more background on the whole crying girl, if you're interested. She was in the audience for a dress rehearsal that day of the episode (again, obviously there are scripted lines if there's a dress rehearsal) and the producers noticed her crying. They invited her back that evening and put her in a prominent spot hoping that they could vulturize her expression with their cameras, and they succeeded. They want to make good TV; that's why they make the soulless decisions they do.

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 26, 2007, 2:44am EDT

Jennifer C., aside from your love of Lynch, you've got the same take on films as me. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is one of my favorite directors (so much so that I'll even revisit "Alien: Resurrection"), and "The City of Lost Children" is a delightfully dark fantasy. I like his other films better, like "Delicatessen" or "Amelie," because they seem more playful, but I don't think he can do wrong.

Josh G., I'm pretty sure I spoke about "Irreversable" in another thread, but it's one of the few films whose scenes I can recount shot by shot because of how it haunts me. The film IS hard to watch, both because of the painful emotions and the vertiginous camera, but you almost have to suffer through it.

John M., that trilogy has been on my list for a while. I think I wound up seeing "Underground" instead of "Blue" when I was still using Netflix, but I'll get to it when I start going through '87-'97 in May.

As for "Schindler's List," I know I thought it was a well-made film, but it wasn't as powerful as I thought it would be from all the hype. It just seemed a little too culled, a little too proper. But that's part of the point, part of the character.

Anyway, this is everybody's last week to pick a film for me to watch in in April. This is where I draw the comparison to American Idol: whatever you choose, I will see. You might pick horrible Sanjaya-like flicks because you don't like me, or you might do some serious soul-searching and find that deep-down gem of a movie. If you want to change what you've picked, just let me know and I'll amend the list, but hopefully this list will end up representing the best films of the '97-'07 period.

----------------------[APRIL]-------------------------
Mark E. - "Wide Awake" (1998)
Pat D. - "Croupier" (1998)
Jeanette D. - "Sexy Beast" (2000)
Sheryl O. - "House of Sand and Fog" (2003)
C. M. - "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005)
Alex M. - "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" (2005)
Josh G. - "The Amityville Horror" (2005)
Erika B. - "Jesus Camp" (2006)
Elana K. - "Scary Movie 4" (2006)
Natalie S. - "Miami Vice" (2006)

-----------------------[MAY]-----------------
John M. - "Trois Coleurs: Blue" (1993)
Amy E. - "Legends of the Fall" (1994*)

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 23, 2007, 7:28pm EDT

Kat B. - I'm really not a fan of the over-hyped, over-referenced, over-the-top Napoleon Dynamite. The way in which this exaggerated story was over-the-top was to be the exact opposite, quiet and lonely, but that wasn't subtle, it was painfully obvious, and it made the entire piece a deliberate art piece, like an installation that references only itself. I much prefer "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." That was original, dark, and thrilling.

Hustle & Flow was a decent film, but miles from what I'd call the best offering of '97-'07. Nice to see more walks of culture represented, and I like the grit that the direct managed to lend to the flick -- and I agree, the performances were inspired . But it ain't got that swing, if you know what I mean.

Elana K., though it sounds like you've got different tastes from me, that's part of what this great experiment is all about. And I did like the original Scary Movie, so while I don't think it aged as well as the Scream franchise, I'm more than willing to give that fourth installment a shot. It'll be nice to have some comedy up here.

Alex M. - I meant to see Tommy Lee Jones' pseudo-Western when it came out, and I thank you handily for giving me the excuse to do so. You make it sound very good.

Josh G. - Narc WAS a great film; Patric and Liotta did a bang-up job making a film that I thought was in every way shape and form better than Training Day. Saturation isn't something most crime flick filmers think about, but that picture was sizzling with a greasy badness. Got anything else for me?

----------------------[APRIL]-------------------------
Sheryl O. - "House of Sand and Fog" (2003)
C. M. - "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005)
Erika B. - "Jesus Camp" (2006)
Mark E. - "Wide Awake" (1998)
Natalie S. - "Miami Vice" (2006)
Amy E. - "Legends of the Fall" (1994*)
Pat D. - "Croupier" (1998) / "Sexy Beast" (2000)
Elana K. - "Scary Movie 4" (2006)
Alex M. - "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" (2005)

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 23, 2007, 10:03am EDT

I think Croupier will be enjoyable; slow films aren't bad -- I did like Fargo, and Lone Star was a sweet character piece. Never heard of Cosi, so I'll check it out. The Proposition is a severely underrated film, and Guy Pierce has done more than just Memento. I recommend people check out Ravenous; that's the film that sold me on him as an actor. (You know, before The Time Machine made me sad.)

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 23, 2007, 9:41am EDT

So what you're saying is that it's no "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"?

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 23, 2007, 9:24am EDT

Josh G. - Electra Glide in Blue I'll gladly see, but right now I'm only taking directions for '97-07 films. As I work backward to the classics, I'll get there. I know that it's harder to come up with modern works that classics for all you film buffs out there who have seen everything, but just think of it as an added challenge ;)

Natalie S., both Miami Vice and The Illusionist are in my DVD queue at home, so I will get to one of them over the weekend and let you know what I think!

Amy E., "The Constant Gardener" I found to be a little slow-paced, although yes, filled with beautiful cinematography. I enjoyed "Rabbit Proof Fence" more -- another beautiful film, but without the political complications. "Legends of the Fall," however, that makes my list for this month ('94 is close enough, but if I get bogged down, I'll certainly put this one for Month 2).

Phaedra, not only did I see Stigmata, but I saw End of Days too, which was a hilarious double-feature in which Gabriel Byrne goes from playing the hero to the villain. Little ironic Hollywood twists like that are what I live for. Not a fan of either of those, and not a fan of The Ninth Gate either, but at least Depp was in that last one.

Pat - Layer Cake was alright, but I thought it was completely outdone by fellow films like Intermission, or the beautifully vibrant action of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. You have to move fast, and your narrative needs to have zip if you're going to pass off the same old story. (That's why "The Transporter" is a passable film, and "The Transporter 2" is a soulless freakshow.) Croupier, however, I'm glad to hear of!

Finally, Kat B. - Wes Anderson is touch-and-go with me. I actually prefer those who have built off his pretentious works and made better ones, like "The Squid and the Whale" or "Me and You and Everyone We Know." For me, "Rushmore" was a peak, with "Bottle Rocket" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" a little too stilted and awkward for me to enjoy (like, say the more violent "Buffalo '66"). "The Life Aquatic" just didn't do it for me at all.

Keep it coming folks! You decide what I see! TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH, and I will! And we'll sit down and talk about it (you bring the popcorn).

THIS MONTH IN FILM [April '07]
Sheryl O. - "House of Sand and Fog" (2003)
C. M. - "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005)
Erika B. - "Jesus Camp" (2006)
Mark E. - "Wide Awake" (1998)
Natalie S. - "Miami Vice" (2006)
Amy E. - "Legends of the Fall" (1994)
Pat D. - "Croupier" (1998)

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 23, 2007, 12:26am EDT

Erika, by all means, documentaries are fair game. I mean, in some ways they're harder to make than straight films, because they have to follow more of the rules of reality, while at the same time transporting us to another place. "Air Guitar Nation," which opens this week, succeeds with the sublimely silly. "Al Franken: God Spoke" fails miserably because it's too focused on what we all know (and love/hate). I am a self-professed crossword fiend, and I did see "Wordplay," (which I loved) and "Spellbound" (which, despite being manipulative, was a decent flick). I have heard nothing but good things (i.e., terrifying stories) about "Jesus Camp," and I'll gladly add it to the list. Thanks!

Running through the other recent selections, Amy S., you are correct that I've already seen the brilliant comedy "Thank You For Smoking." It's hard to be satirical without being a straight parody of the subject material, and the film was so seriously funny that I'd almost add it to my list again (if that weren't cheating).

Pat D., "The Big Lebowski," "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and "Fargo," are the three Cohen movies that I actually liked ("The Man Who Wasn't There" is close but no noirish cigar). I feel that The Dude makes that one the most accessible, even though it's a somewhat subtle parody of "The Big Sleep," and I could listen to that perfectly mundane dialog for days on end (and watch the dream sequence all night long).

Cynthia B., I fully agree that "Chicago" was a great film. I was razzle-dazzled by the brilliant back-and-forth direction between reality and fantasy, which is ultimately what the show comes down to: perception and truth. It's a truer courtroom drama than most pictures out there, and it comes with showtunes and top-notch acting, too. I enjoyed "Moulin Rouge" more because of the freewheeling complexity (Baz Luhrmann's whole Red Curtain Trilogy is a contemporary masterpiece), but it's certainly the best musical since.

Mark. E, I've never heard of "Wide Awake," but seeing Dennis Leary out of his element... how can I resist?

And finally, De M., I don't think "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is as accomplished a film as "Chicago" or "Moulin Rouge," but it captures the punk mentality far better than that "Velvet Goldmine" (also a good film, but you need the musical numbers).

On my list so far:
Sheryl O. - "House of Sand and Fog"
C. M. - "Kingdom of Heaven"
Erika B. - "Jesus Camp"
Mark E. - "Wide Awake"

TELL ME WHAT TO WATCH: "The American Idol of Film" by Aaron R.

Mar 22, 2007 | comments: 46

Aaron R. Mar 22, 2007, 4:17pm EDT

Off the bat I have to eliminate "Dead Man," "Cicade de Deus," and "A Beautiful Mind" from the list, just because I've seen them already. But of Jim Jarmusch, a few more words: I find his work to be agonizingly slow. I loved everybody who was cast in "Coffee and Cigarettes," the vignette film, and yet walked away with a disdain for the work. Why not just watch "Smoke," which at least had a Paul Auster screenplay at the heart of things? "Dead Man" has Johnny Depp, but something about the film rings hollow, and I think it has to do with the same stuff that makes David Lynch so inaccessible to viewers: you have to love filmmaking more than film (at times).

Faith -- "City of God" is a well-made film, but the crisp and deliberate cinematography made me think that something was hollow and out of place. Have you seen "Amores Perros"? I've never seen such fiercely controlled chaos: mucho enjoyable.

As for the double-edge of "A Beautiful Mind," yes, it's Hollywood claptrap, but it was a better made film than "Proof," and visually, Ron Howard only fell short of "American Beauty" (which is what he was shooting for) because of his script and subject. Dystopia is a lot easier to film than suburbia. ;)

On my list so far: "House of Sand and Fog" (Sheryl O.) and "Kingdom of Heaven" (C.M.).

One A Day: TV Grows Up by Cynthia B.

Mar 21, 2007 | comments: 13

Aaron R. Mar 22, 2007, 1:23pm EDT

I enjoyed this column a lot; glad you spotlighted a wide variety of TV films, including the one from your bonus trivia (which I actually enjoyed). What about the opposite, though? There are plenty of movies becoming TV shows (Terminator), and a lot of television shows that continue AS movies (Firefly, as you mentioned) . . . I'm surprised you didn't mention the lengthy Star Trek chain, but then again, why would you want to recommend those? ;)

INDEPENDENT THOUGHT: "The Host" Is More Fun Than A Barrelful of Plague Rats by Aaron R.

Mar 20, 2007 | comments: 9

Aaron R. Mar 21, 2007, 3:38pm EDT

Cynthia - excellent question! It is in fact subtitled, a point that I should've mentioned in the review (and for which I often take for granted), but it's very clear subtitling.

Mario, good prescience. It's already in the works for an Americanized adaptation, and I shudder to think how bad it will be. (You can see my review of "The Messengers" to see what I think of even original Korean directors working in America. The horror is just sucked out for dry, silly (non)substance.)

INDEPENDENT THOUGHT: "The Host" Is More Fun Than A Barrelful of Plague Rats by Aaron R.

Mar 20, 2007 | comments: 9

Aaron R. Mar 21, 2007, 12:15am EDT

Josh, Michael -- I'm glad you guys are pumped about seeing The Host; it's a fun, fist-pumping film . . . that is, if you can stop laughing at the pathos long enough to remember to be terrified.

300 - A Blushing, Bloody Review by Miz Lynn aka/BooBoo

Mar 12, 2007 | comments: 24

Aaron R. Mar 13, 2007, 3:08pm EDT

Fredi -- historical accuracy and films have never gone hand-in-hand (especially if you consider that "history," especially Grecian, will forever be limited to hearsay); 300 isn't trying to be truthful to anything other than the comic (which in turn tried to be truthful only to the entertainment of Miller's fans).

Lynn -- you are not alone in observing the stylized eroticism of the film; at least you're honest about its effect on you. ;)

CREAM OF THE CR*P: A Study in Trailers by Aaron R.

Mar 5, 2007 | comments: 5

Aaron R. Mar 10, 2007, 3:55am EST

WM H., I agree to some extent. There was a big fuss in the papers over how the producers had changed the slant of "Bridge to Terabithia" to make it look like Harry Potter, when in fact those were clips from the last five minutes or so. And "Ghost Rider" pulled the same stunt for Valentine's Day, shunting focus from his vengeance to his "love." I'm not talking about the MESSAGE of the film being seen in a trailer though; I'm talking about seeing what the film itself LOOKS like. The preview for "A Scanner Darkly" gives you a feel for the style, the trailer for "The Fountain" establishes the theme of the film. Granted, the trailer may play up the better parts of the picture, as with the latter, but VISUALLY I was not disappointed.

CREAM OF THE CR*P: A Study in Trailers by Aaron R.

Mar 5, 2007 | comments: 5

Aaron R. Mar 10, 2007, 3:52am EST

Nick, glad you like the idea! I figure there's an inexhaustible supply from week to week, and since I'll mostly be covering independent films here, this'll be my chance to lash out at the stuff that I'm not willing to waste more time with. Side question for the next column will have to be what the best/worst trailers ever were... Nice description of Solaris -- which one were you talking about though?

INDEPENDENT THOUGHT: "Reno 911!: Miami" by Aaron R.

Mar 4, 2007 | comments: 4

Aaron R. Mar 7, 2007, 12:05am EST

I'd actually only seen clips from episodes here and there, but Frank, based on your recommendation, I think I may have to start tuning into the show. Edgier than, say, Sarah Silverman's show?

Killing Me Slowly: Zodiac by Sam Biederman

Mar 5, 2007 | comments: 2

Aaron R. Mar 5, 2007, 12:18pm EST

Is it just me or is something up with the formatting? I'm curious to read what you thought, especially since the one comment I can read at the bottom is about how the editing process seems to have ruined the film, but can you try reposting this?

HOLLYWOOD POV: "Children of Men" by Digital Dogs

Feb 8, 2007 | comments: 12

Aaron R. Feb 10, 2007, 12:02am EST

While I don't agree with all the gripes you posted about the film (I'd reviewed it for Film Monthly before I joined Gather), I am glad that you were at least able to appreciate the beauty of the film. I'm also impressed that you recognized and highlighted the cinematographer; not a lot of people realize the hard work that goes into establishing some of the shots in a film (and this one had tons of protracted single-shots). I agree that there are some faltering points in the plot, but the point of a parable isn't the plot; it's the statement behind it. I would advise potential viewers to first consider that, and then go see it.

INDEPENDENT THOUGHT: "The Messengers" Is Warning You...To Stay Away by Aaron R.

Feb 6, 2007 | comments: 6

Aaron R. Feb 9, 2007, 12:47am EST

Jen - there's certainly a lot of repetition in here, though Josh makes a valid point that we should be able to make even repetition a lot creepier than it used to be. However, one of the reasons why The Messengers is such a failure is that it takes more than money to make something frightening. The mise en scene evoked by a Hitchcock didn't rely on the budget; it relied on the director's masterful shots. If the Pang Brothers had not been so totally subsumed by the Hollywood industry--i.e., if they had remained true to their past work--we might have seen a new take on an otherwise stale genre (and the staler story that came along with it).