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Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
IT IS... CUTE!!!, TENDER!!!, AND MOVING!!!
CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS. This is the first time I've waited so long with anticipation to see a sequel. Finally, last friday I went to the first press screening for Kill Bill Vol. 2 in L.A. The theatre was packed and the emotion began as soon as the Miramax logo appeared on the screen. Then the "Silhoutte of Doom" theme by Ennio Morricone. And then, there she was, the Bride talking to the camera in her way to kill Bill. The applause went bigger when the title Volume 2, in a film noir kind of style, appeared. I'm not going to give away any significant spoilers. The film lasts almost 2 hours and a half. It consists of another five chapters. Every one of them is shot in different styles and different kind of film stock. And of course, they are all told in non-linear order. There is an extraordinary "cat fight" between The Bride and Elle Driver. It is quite the opposite from the elegance of the scene between O-Ren and The Bride at the end of Vol.1, but it is equally effective. And probably, the most memorable scene of the film: I'm not going to tell you what happens, but it is one that provokes claustrophobic feelings in the audience and is quite terrifying. You'll know what I'm talking about right away when you see the movie. The rest of the movie is soooo different from Vol.1, that you won't believe it is actually part of the same story. Tarantino lowers the level of violence in a pretty significant way, and dwells on a complex love story between Bill and The Bride, who have more things in common that you would think. And who would have known that Bill was such a cool intellectual guy? The movie is almost 100 percent dialogue-dialogue-dialogue and the music is pretty spaghetti western like. We all know what happens at the end. But many will be surprised (and I hope not dissapointed) at how Tarantino resolved it in the end. Just try to understand every word Bill says to The Bride trough the movie and you'll probably loooove the way it ends. Don't expect something graphic, though. But rather, something quite emotional. It goes really deeper than anyone of the press members expected. Kill Bill Vol. 2 goes straight for the audience's heart (well... o.k. you'll see). At the end of the movie, though many adored it and many despised it, we all agreed that Tarantino has surprised us again. The words that people uttered were "it is cute", "tender" "moving"...!!! Did we expect that from Tarantino? Never. Is it wrong to make a love story? No, not at all, especially when he is so good at it. Is it better than Volume 1? No, it is different. Extremely different. Is it worth the wait? Hell YEAH!!! ... But will it leave you wanting for a Volume 3?.... Nah.... The Bride has completed her journey. Now, move over.
Dogville (2003)
It is God's Will In Dogville...
Yesterday I saw Dogville after almost one year of waiting its release in Mexico. I didn't know anything about the movie besides the basic plotline: a fugitive from justice seeks refugee in a small town that takes advantage of her. I knew that it was shot in a stage and that it was being criticized for being anti american. To my surprise and being a big admirer of both, Von Trier and Kidman, Dogville exceeded all my expectations. The movie is about major issues and throughout its exciting imagery, raw performances and sharp script, Dogville digs deeper than what its detractors are saying about it. It is not, in no way, an anti american film. ***WARNING. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*** My interpretation is that it is metaphor on Jesus, as a female character, an arrogant rebel that denies her own father (because she doesn't understand his and thus, her power) and doesn't want to be her daughter.
She's kind, noble, and teaches everyone how to be a better person and how to be useful, but in the end they turn against her, condemning her and -metaphorically speaking- crucifying her. Then, in a surprise ending that is literally taken from the Bible, she decides to do God's will in Dogville. It is a really brave decision from Nicole Kidman to do this character that may cause some heavy conflict in some viewers, and its is a triumph for Von Trier to choose such an exciting way to shoot the film, after all, if God is everywhere and see us from the top, he should see trough walls and ceilings. This is one of the greatest films I've ever seen.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Subversive art! Grandieur filmmaking!
I've seen Kill Bill twice so far and there's no doubt that we are in front of the best film of the year and one of the most exciting piece of cinema to come in a long time.
Just as it happened with Pulp Fiction, the movie will go down on history and it's destined to become a cult classic in a blink of an eye.
Being said that, that it is a cult film, it will no doubt polarize audiences in a very violent way, just as it happened with such bold works of art as Magnolia, Dancer In The Dark or even Pulp Fiction. Art should be subversive. Kill Bill is.
What's the most amazing thing about Kill Bill? To me, it is Tarantino's extraordinary ability to "steal" from every possible genre and make them his very own.
Let's face it, this could be material for a B movie or worst, but through Tarantino's vision, Robert Richardson's masterful cinematography, the sharp dialogue, Uma's one of a kind performance and the epic soundtrack that makes you feel like you're watching a Sergio Leone / Ennio Morricone film on acid, Kill Bill feels like the most original, extravagant and hyper cool movie we always wanted to see.
Kill Bill it's already there, in my top ten list of all time, along with Rosemary's Baby, The Godfather, Dancer In The Dark, Pulp Fiction, Vertigo, and all the movies that, for being such strong works of art, you either love them or hate them, but you can not be gray about it. And Tarantino is not mediocre.