Out to own today:
300: Rise of an Empire
| “We can only judge the future by what we have suffered in the past,” Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) Again, striking action sequences can't make up for woeful writing, and dubious politicking. RISE OF AN EMPIRE, the belated sequel to the surprise hit, 300, from eight years ago, avoids messing with the formula: Ripped dudes cut swathes through faceless foreigners in stylised slow-motion. George Bush Jr. era filmmaking birthed a worryingly fascistic blockbuster in 300, made seductive to the palate thanks to stunningly choreographed action. Ousting of the neocons in the form of Barack Obama might have led us to anticipate a more thoughtful follow-up. That the same warmongering remains front and centre, arguably shows the cynicism of Hollywood seeing only dollars and not wanting to dilute the brand, or subversively that nothing much has evolved since the change of presidential incumbent. [To read more, click here.] |
Fading Gigolo
| “I’m not a beautiful man,” Fioravante (John Turturro) to Murray (Woody Allen) FADING GIGOLO has bottled romantic, sensitive, witty yearning. What a year 2013 has been for capturing such passions. Paolo Sorrentino’s elegiac THE GREAT BEAUTY is a similar cinematic poem, albeit the mirror opposite – silent grace to FADING GIGOLO’s loquacious exploring. John Turturro not only writes and directs, he stars. [To read more, click here.] |
In a Bedroom
| “Let’s not say anything important, okay?” Edyta to Patryk Not to be confused with Todd Field’s masterful IN THE BEDROOM (2001), IN THE BEDROOM (2012, aka W SYPIALNI) is about a middle-aged woman, separated from her husband and son for unknown reasons, making her way in a Polish city. She speaks to her spouse twice briefly on the phone. He wants her to go back. Instead she has moved away and quickly runs out of money. [To read more, click here.] |
The Wind Rises
| “The wind is rising, we must try to live,” opening line quoted from Paul Valery Let’s put this out there: Hayao Miyazaki is the greatest animation director of all time. And one is heartbroken on hearing of his retirement. From MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO and PORCO ROSSO, to PRINCESS MONONKE and CASTLE IN THE SKY, he has wowed. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget PONYO. But what a swansong THE WIND RISES turns out to be. Complex and morally ambiguous, not only the most accomplished animated feature of 2013, but one of the most ambitious films of the year. Covering a huge swathe of time and momentous events, the project remains intimate. [To read more, click here.] |
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