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Reviews
The American Astronaut (2001)
The movie I always wanted to make...
...and still do.
Sure, this is at least partially a vehicle for the music of the Billy Nayer Show, but so what? If that is all it is, it is still the best music video I've ever seen. But it is much more. You can read many other reviews about the genre combining efforts, but even beyond that, the genre it becomes is something that I believe has been dreamed of but never done before with this much success. While not stooping to the lowest common denominator, it does have something for everybody, if one is patient with its refusal to engage in conventional entertainment trappings. After sitting in a screening class for a student run film festival for two years in a row, and seeing the often failed attempts at surrealism, humor, post-modern poetics, and just basic storytelling from the many entries from around the world, I have to applaud the successes in all of the above here. I look forward to more works from this talented crew, and I also recommend their early works. You can get them on this nifty DVD I just bought, which you can get on their website (no, I am not a promotor for the movie or the band... otherwise this review would be even more glowing, and probably unbelievable). The two and a half minute animated musical simply titled "Billy Nayer" is possibly my favorite, but "the Ketchup and Mustard Man" is quite an accomplishment, and stylistically anticipates "American Astronaut," while "The Man on the Moon" could almost be its prequel.
Thanks for existing, McAbee and co. And hurry up with that DVD release of this movie!!
Hide and Go Sidney (1959)
I love Sidney
This and the other Sidney cartoons are very clever, seemingly forgotten little films. The animation is simple but to the point. The trouble Sidney gets into, whether he's just trying to get people to play with him, or prancing around with fake tusks, or trying to kick his banana habit, is always the center of every episode. Kids are entranced, and adults are fascinated by the subtle, light social satire.
Herz aus Glas (1976)
Genuine film experimentation
This film truly used experimental techniques to become one of the few feature length films I've seen that is not just a simple narrative in disguise. The hypnotized actors are creepy, in my opinion, and knowing they were hypnotized, I wondered sometimes if all of them were, or if there were some performances that were done fully... clear-minded? Anyway, it was quite a nightmarish vision. The musical introduction was mesmerizing as well as the rest of the film. It made me think of places humans can never go. Waterfalls and fast-motion clouds create an atmosphere that seems beyond what we are meant to exist in.
The Limey (1999)
Accent? I'm American.
To those complaining about the accent, I can only say that it is a very small part of a role, and being American, I did not notice until I saw reviews mentioning it. Too bad it gets in the way of some people enjoying it for what it is. The rest of the movie was excellent in so many ways. The jump cutting was slyly effective. It sets things up so that you don't know in important moments whether you are seeing what really is happening, or whether you are seeing the limey imagining what he would like to do or say.
The acting is perfect. The final realization of the film is almost perfect, although I wanted Wilson to tell Valentine that Jenny would not have reported him, just to rub in his mistake. I suppose this would have been lacking in subtlety. However, at this point, there was not much being held back, I felt. I recommend this highly, and only rated it less than 10 (I gave it a 9) because of the aforementioned rubbing in not taking place, which is really unfair of me, I suppose, but that's my take on it.