Daily Archives: January 22, 2008
Warren Miller’s: Storm (2003)
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: Extreme-skiing/snowboarding documentarian Warren Miller traveled from Alaska to Aspen to the Austrian Alps to lens this amazing display of extreme skiing. The film keys in on some of the sport’s greatest competitors and rising stars. Witness the ultimate combination of deep powder and the high, lonesome clash when these superb and fearless athletes rocket down the slopes (all set to the music of the Dave Matthews Band, Nickel Creek and more).
REVIEW: Not one of Miller’s better ski films for a number of reasons. Too much two-planking, not enough knuckle-dragging. In comparison to many of Miller’s other films, the footage and locations in Storm seem almost pedestrian until the final sequence in the Antarctic. And the music is the worst soundtrack for a Warren Miller film since they started licensing songs from big-name artists instead of having Miller’s neighbor just noodle a bit on his guitar. If you’ve never seen a Warren Miller film before, start with Cold Fusion instead.
3 stars
HAWK
All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: In this chilling teen drama set amid the chaotic world of Japanese cyber-pop culture, 14-year-old Okinawan Yuichi Hasumi (Hayato Ichihara) is an avid fan of a pop star named Lily Chou-Chou. He spends substantial amounts of time on the Internet, communicating about Lily with other fans via email, Web sites and chat rooms. But before long, Yuichi’s obsession begins to turn dangerous. …
REVIEW: The synopsis makes it sound like Hasumi is the movie’s only focus, the only junior high school kid whose relationships at school are so unsatisfying and downright unhealthy that he finds solace in a fan group he creates on the Internet for a pop star named Lily Chou-Chou. Here, other members of the group provide him with encouragement and advice, unlike his “non-cyber” friends, who at times are paragons of camraderie and at other times are downright sadistic.
In fact, the movie follows Hasumi and each of his friends and classmates, one of whom I thought had the most chilling devolvement. He seems to be the perfect kid: a good-looking young man who’s also the class president (though he’s not very popular and is somewhat resented) as well as being the son of a rich businessman. His transformation and complete rebellion against his entire identity is the most frightening – not only does he turn extremely cruel towards his friends and classmates, including Hasumi, he makes them commit heinous acts or commands them to cause others to commit heinous acts against classmates. The acts against female classmates are particularly chilling, specifically one female classmate who garners the attention of all the male classmates because of her looks, but alternately is hated and bullied by her jealous female classmates. Talk about kicking someone when they’re down.
There is a very happy sequence in the film, perhaps the only happy sceneS in the film, when the boys, including Hasumi, spend their summer vacation together on a beach trip to Okinawa. In their time at the beach, the boys are so carefree and free-spirited that returning back to school is like night and day.
This film illuminated certainly the situation of disaffected youth in Japan, but it reminded me more of disaffected youth everywhere, including in the U.S. This film was like an arthouse version of the movie Kids set in Japan, with an overarching Internet theme. Man, kids can be so cruel to each other. This is way beyond Mean Girls territory.
This film is dark, deep and disturbing, but beautiful and beautifully crafted. It will stay in my memory for a long time. The cinematography is gorgeous – especially the dream-like sequences where Hasumi has his headphones on, presumably listening to the latest Lily Chou-Chou album, standing in tall fields of bright green, waist-high fields of grass. The ambient music befits the mood – lots of Bjork.
4 stars
Audrey
A Goofy Movie (1995)
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: It’s hard to be cool when your dad is Goofy. Just ask Max, Goofy‘s teenage son. Goofy has some old-fashioned ideas about fathers and sons spending time together, so he drags Max off on a wilderness vacation. But Max would rather be home, romancing his girlfriend and going to a rock concert. He gets his wish, but not before he has some wacky adventures.
REVIEW: Uh-huh-yuck! In his feature film debut, Goofy takes his teenage son Max on a vacation to strengthen their relationship. It’s Disney, so we know that everything will end happily in less than 90 minutes. The animation isn’t quite up to snuff, say halfway between most Disney movies and their awful daytime TV shows. Kids will be amused, but adults will find it dull. Includes an animated Pauly Shore, buuuuddy!
3 stars
HAWK
Stardust (2007)
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: A young man journeys to a magical world to win the heart of his true love in this charming fantasy based on Neil Gaiman’s novel. Tristan (Charlie Cox) has promised Victoria (Sienna Miller) that he’ll retrieve a fallen star to secure her love. Along the way, he battles a pirate named Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro), an evil witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) and other assorted goblins and ghosts. Peter O’Toole, Claire Danes and Rupert Everett co-star.
REVIEW: Whimsical fairy tale in the same vein as The Princess Bride. Although the filmmakers took some liberties with Neil Gaiman’s story, the end result is faithful to the theme of the novel: namely, finding your own way in life is the grandest adventure of all.
4 stars
HAWK
Underdog (2007)
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: Underdog — the canine superhero who debuted in the TV cartoon that ran in the 1960s and 1970s — is about to become a movie star with the release of this live-action film based on the character. Voiced by “My Name Is Earl” star Jason Lee, Underdog is actually Shoeshine Boy, a mild-manned pooch who’s been imbued with superpowers following a lab accident. Now, the hound’s 12-year-old owner (Alex Neuberger) is the only one who shares his secret.
REVIEW: “Not bird, nor plane, nor even frog, it’s just little ol’ me, Underdog!” If you never saw the original cartoon and you are unfamiliar with this quote, you won’t find anything special about this unlikely canine superhero. Fans of Kronk (from The Emperor’s New Groove) will get to see a rare, non-animated Patrick Warburton.
3 stars
HAWK
Netflix Cinemajig 