13 Assassins

Director: Takashi "I Love Gore" Miike

FUCK YEAH! That was my review. But, if you need more:

Yeah, it's been over half a year since I last posted. I don't even care in the slightest, because I have never been more inspired to return to this blog than from the surprise introduction to "13 Assassins". This film is why we watch movies. Intense action. Raw emotion. Powerful drama. Surprising comedy. Strong characters. And a constantly looming sense of danger and fearlessness brought to the work that makes every moment leading to the conclusion so strong in tension, your eyes will never leave the screen.

I love samurai movies. With all my heart. They are the genre that taught me what is truly special about film and the strength of art in subtlety. They can make the most extravagant event out of something so simple. And in samurai tradition, the plot is actually quite simple for this one: In the Feudal Era, a former Shogun's evil son has become a Lord. And he reigns over villages in his march towards power with so much tyranny, I'm surprised he didn't have a top hat and curled mustache. In all seriousness, this villain is so treacherously evil(for no particular reason than his own amusement), that he was two steps from tying every female character to the railroad tracks. In the first 30 minutes, we see him rape, murder, maim and even slay a defenseless family(children included) while only smirking.

This causes the formation of our title heroes, lead by Shinzaemon(which is performed with sheer perfection by Koji Yakusho, who immediately catapulted to my list of favorite actors after this). Each assassin has their own method, style and skill, but here's my only problem(which I've heard is rumored to be solved elsewhere): I only really had the opportunity to be emotionally attached to 8 of them. The other 5 are barely given screen time for character development. And it's such a tragedy, because these 8 each have stories and individuality so strong, that when the final battle against the evil Lord begins, I was biting my knuckles in hopes that they would ALL make it out. Even the ones that I didn't know so well.

Their plan is simple: Cut him off from reaching the next village and assassinate him and his 70 guards. But, they face a nearly overwhelming surprise in the middle of their mission that they never expect. And none of these warriors back down an inch. For the entire second half of the movie, it turns into the hugest, big-budget samurai action scene that is so extreme, they level an entire village before the credits roll. Watch this one with friends or family, because you will be jumping on your feet or yelling at the scream with the reactions you would've hoped to have received this summer or last year with big budget flicks like "The Expendables". I can almost guarantee you'll want to yell out "They set the mutha fuckin _____ on fire!!!" or "They killed ______ and blew up _______ while it was still ______ in the air!". When you see those scenes, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Now, apparently there is a version of this movie that has almost an entire extra hour of both action and character based story that was cut. The Miike version. Somewhere out there that print of the movie exists and I will hunt it down and buy it. Because as of right now, this movie is a 4.5/5. But with those slight corrections I mentioned above, this could easily be A Perfect Action Film. Watch this with friends as soon as possible.

Firefly: The Complete Series

Space is quite possibly the greatest tool for any writer. The vast & unknown nature of it holds potential for it to be portrayed in any way by the creator of the story. Just the mention of it springs ideas of adventure, danger, aliens, intergalactic battles, horror and space operas. But, on that very rare occasion, it's used for something simple, but far more powerful: Hope.

Joss Whedon's Firefly is a series that is so well-known amongst sci-fi fans and aficianodos, it's status has grown beyond "cult-classic" to legendary. This 13-episode series was short-lived, due to FOX's CEO at the time who only bought new series to cancel them shortly after, no matter the ratings or quality. But, this gem was hailed so highly as being one of the greatest series ever brought to television, that Paramount picked up the rights and allowed an amazing two-hour, full-featured film released in theaters, Serenity, (also available on Netflix!) to conclude this amazing tale for millions of fans.


Firefly is the story of Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a former soldier who's fought in an intergalactic civil war for the freedoms of all citizens to continue to hold their liberties at will in a government ran by corporations in politics. He lost. With "The Alliance" defeating "The Independents", the entire structure of space colonies remolded as much as Malcolm's heart did. Where a once heroic, noble man stood was a man who lost his faith in religion, politics & the true love/strength in common man. Now, he watched as thousands of his fellow surviving Independent soldiers fled to desolate planets to hide from execution and struggle to live out their days with as little technology provided to them. His one last hope towards creating a life worth living for himself: Finding any means necessary to live as a pirate/outlaw on a ship called Serenity.

Easily, the strongest feature about this entire series is it's phenomenal cast of characters/actors. This arguably the best cast to hit a series to date. Joining the captain on his journey is his right-hand lieutenant and muscle, Zoe. A strong(physically and mentally), almost Amazonian woman who uses just as much silence as she does deadly skill and accuracy to use as a weapon that always remains at the disposal of her complete and unwiltering loyalty towards her captain. Zoe is expertly accented by her far smaller husband, Wash, who's also the ship's pilot and comedy relief. The relationship between these two provide a beautiful , comedic bit of hope towards the ship's crew. Also rounding out the more-action oriented side of the crew is Jane, a lug-headed, former mercenary thug who'll steal the ship at the first opportunity he finds attractive.

The remainder of the crew varies into even more creative varieties: There's the lovable Kaylee, the ship's young girl engineer. A farm girl who loves engines as much as exploring new parts of life. She most admires Inara, the ship's "companion". In the future, Companions are considered a prestigious profession that works as an escort with high political leverage. They're highly educated, trained in combat and can find the desire to any clients that THEY pick. Her sexiness pops on-screen with every entrance and every line is delivered with such confident nonchalance. Even to the hilarious dismay to Capt. Reynolds. Or to Shepard Book, who's a kind-hearted man who remains mysterious to his friends for a past that clearly effects many parts of their journey. And of course, there are the two characters who trigger trouble for our merry band of pirates: Simon & River Tam. These two are both on a high-alert status from The Alliance, as the wound-tight, ever-proper Dr. Simon has freed his sister River from their clutches, but only after they've tampered with her so heavily that she has reached a mental point of child-like insanity. Many stories center on the perils their presence bring to the ship and the struggle the Captain must decide if he wants a Doctor on board this badly.

The other leading factor of the series: The Settings. One moment, we'll see the comforting, lived-in confines of the old ship, Serenity(whom in itself is so well-detailed, it's considered a character to many members of the crew). The next, we'll be on old western plains, as society has been reverted to it's roots on many planets and reemerged with the laws of the old American West. The next, we'll see the horrible habitat of the "creatures" known as The Reavers, whom are a horror that can only be seen and described, as I would not be able to do them justice. And there's the more futuristic, Star Trek-esque backdrops of The Alliance ships and homeworlds. Even the influence of life after Earth is very heavy, as you'll see the only two remaining languages are English & Chinese, due to a result of World War III.

With this set-up, we're given some of the greatest, hard-hitting stories to ever be presented in any genre. From comedy, to action, to horror, to romance or even just dramatic sci-fi, this series never misses a beat. The escalating story and theme of "criminals with a heart of gold" opens a doorway to any possible story you can imagine for these characters. One moment they're ruthlessly assassinating guards to hijack a bounty, the next they're providing medicine for starving villagers. They're mercy ranges from startlingly ruthless to incredibly modest to those who need it, as they act under their own moral code. The series even pushes the boundaries of your heartstrings, as it continues to focus on an underlying dark tale escalating under these adventures. But, no episode in this collection dares to compare to "Out Of Gas". This single tale has been considered by many critics(myself included), to be one of the greatest hours of television ever filmed. It's been years since I've originally seen this episode aired and it still rings true to my heart as if I just watched it moments before writing this.

So, enjoy what I do consider my favorite television series. A story so strong, that even if it only had 13 episodes and one amazing movie, it hit every mark harder than entire 8-seasons series have. Get comfortable, and enjoy the exploration of such an amazing cast of characters and be prepared for an adrenaline rush of a hard goodbye to them in Serenity. You won't regret a moment of it.

You can't take the skies from me...

Lupin The Third: Castle Of Cogliostro

This is it. This right here is My Favorite Film Ever Made. So, that's my warning for the rest of this review. Because when it comes to this movie, I will gush my heart & soul into it. The reason why I watch film is to enjoy 3 things: Innovation, Escapism through the expression of art, and An emotional resonance(in range) given to the audience by the end of the film. This is perfection captured and placed in front of all of us to view with a magnifying glass.

Now, the simple reason why Castle of Cogliostro is such an amazing movie is because the character of Lupin may be the greatest fictional character of his genre. Everywhere else in the world, he is a character who is known as well as Mickey Mouse, James Bond or Sherlock Holmes. No matter what the situation is, he fits. Sci-fi, Espionage, Heist, Western, Kung-Fu, Drama, Comedy, Capers... The character fits in every scenario. And it's because he is a perfect mixture of mystery & familiarity. Of criminal and hero. Assassin one day, savior the next. Slap stick comedy one moment and tough-as-nails expert marksman in that same moment. And through this strange concoction of characteristics, it all somehow is specially crafted to remain in-character.

And the company the character keeps around him are all extensions of his own personality. Jigan, the older, hard-nosed veteran sleuth is a classic representation of a noir/heist character who always seems to be loyally there for "the last job". Goemon is a cinematic, samurai metaphor to the opposite of Lupin's playful Western cowboy. They both contain essence of each other, but they tend to work towards their opposite strengths when in eachother's company. And Fujiko is the classic "and then a dangerous dame walked into the room" type female. The beauty of her character is that she often fights her stereotype by avoiding capture, warding off Lupin's advances and even outdoing his own plans with more efficiency in many situations.

The strength of these character structures has even been the inspiration for so many other characters we know and love. Spielberg openly admits that Lupin & Cogliostro were the major inspiration for the creation of Indiana Jones & The Raiders of the Lost Ark. Even many of James Bond's (and his villain's) gadgets have stemmed from this movie. And the caper of the heist film never held as much optimism until this, which shows in other films like the original Ocean's Eleven. Our Man Flynt is a famous exact variation of the character. And even modern classics, such as the series, Cowboy Bebop, has taken the entire character structure from them (Spike Spiegel = The cool Lupin, Jet = Jigan exactly, Faye = Fujiko & Ed = Goemon as they are both used as "chaos factors".)

The movie itself is built on a very simple premise: An evil dictator has captured a damsel in distress inside his impenetrable fortress. And our heroes aim to stop him and a conspiracy that could change the entire structure of the world. Simple enough. But, what makes this special is that these characters are against such impossible odds that they must shine at their best skills just to maintain survival through this adventure. But, above all, they do it with such an epic level of optimism, coolness, flair and depth that you can't help but cheer every move and line along the way.

To prove to you how perfect this film is in action, adventure and comedy, look no further than a chase that kicks the story into high gear in the first act. It is pitch perfect direction in every action beat. Every pebble is felt on the edge of the cliff. Every bullet shot is near death. And the rules to the fight are laid out while the chase is going, keeping you at a break-neck pace with the situation. The character's expressions are priceless. Even when things get at their worst, they only get more excited and maintain an amazing amount of thrill that is so infectious, you can't help but smile along with them. To say it is rare to find any leading characters in stories who are optimistically looking forward to the next danger/battle/life-threatening scenario is putting it lightly. So, to find a group so willing to jump into danger, without caution and confidence to do their best to make it out alive is the most refreshing experience you can gain while watching a movie.

In all honesty, I could go on for days about this film, so I'll stop here. Watch this. Bring your friends, family or any loved ones. Hit play and be prepared to transport yourself into a caper that is so well done, it may find a place special in your heart. And an ending so satisfying that you walk away with as much satisfaction as you can gain with a film.

I truly love this movie. And I hope you can experience that, too.

Brick

Directed by: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Luka Haas, Nora Zehetner, Noah Segan

We have here what is one of the greatest films of this past decade. This is a film that belongs on the same list of some of the greatest classics that have ever hit the noir genre. The Maltese Falcon, North By Northwest, Chinatown, Le Samourai and many others would sit appropriately next to this crime classic. The originality and strength that this film holds in both it's plot, characters & direction sucks you into this dark tale of murder, drugs, revenge and self-destruction so tight, that you'll have to take a walk after the credits just to separate yourself. And here's the twist: It all takes place in a suburban high school.

First-time director Rian Johnson uses this idea in full effect to drive home this dark caper. This is a story in the same vein as the previously named movies, but with a usually happy backdrop. Even better, all of these dark, seedy characters maintain their 50's-60's era dialogue as they are placed in parallel roles from what they would've obtained in an adult, metropolis setting! The police chief who wants our star detective back on the case = The Principle. The showgirl harlot who has information from the inside, using her sexuality as a tool to gain & sell information = The school's leading Drama Club actress. The tough-as-nails muscle who runs the streets under orders for the crime kingpin = The school bully. Pure Genius.

Carrying this film is the acting revelation, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. At the time this movie was made, he was still considered the sitcom kid from NBC's "3rd Rock From The Sun". After this film, not only did every director want him as their star, he sky rocketed to many film goer's favorite actor(including myself!). He is performing the role of a lifetime, as you see his hard-nosed, always-one-step-ahead sleuth, Brendan, take a dark journey to find the murderer of his ex-girlfriend, whom he still loved. He plays the classic "they pulled me back into the game and this is the last case I'll ever take" noir-trope we've seen as our leads in almost every form of the genre. As the movie begins, he immediately brings a quite, subtle brooding that occasionally explodes off the screen into aggressive bits of confident, physical anger. And the entire time, never losing his mental edge over his opponent.

The transformation this character makes is an even greater accomplishment to Levitt's skills. Like most noir stories, the dark journey of unraveling so many layers of crime, deceit and corruption take both a physical and mental toll on our hero. You'll feel every bit of the weight of this journey because Levitt is FORCING you to. From difficulty to breath or stand, yet still maintaining his burning desire for vengeance(his character disguises as justice), you'll feel the gravity of every line and the weight of every punch or cough these characters inflict upon each other.

Speaking of which, Rian Johnson is now a LEGEND for this film in the indie world. His first film and he creates one of the headlining classics in a genre that is hard to even gain notice in. From the subtleties of the music, the appropriate shadows and cinematography of the school to give it the feel of a filthy metropolis or how the increasing intensity of the atmosphere makes you sweat in the inevitability of the consequences of a punch or a pulled trigger. His direction feels like he's been training for this all his life and it's funny to think he has so much ahead of him.

As for the rest of the performances in this movie, they all have to be seen to be believed. These kids are giants on the screen. To name the characters would be to reveal more than I care to, but watch every subtlety. Their insecure natures shielded by rays of confidence as they battle our hero mentally, verbally & even physically in many cases. Each performance shows they exist in an empire of corruption, and like all empires that use that as their base, it's falling down. And they all can feel it as they grasp for anything they can hold on to around them.

Brick may be the greatest film you'll ever find on Netflix. Take it in, enjoy and have repeat viewings to enjoy those subtle intricacies that make this dark tale even stronger. You'll never look back.

GODZILLA: Final Wars

If I'm going to start this blog right, I'm definitely giving you more than one movie to live on for the holiday weekend.

THIS MOVIE IS A PARTY IN YOUR LIVING ROOM WAITING TO HAPPEN! You may think this selection is strange, but I highly doubt that you will find more fun on your Netflix than this genuinely awesome thrill ride of action, comedy, camp and homage. Young or old, you will smile more than a little at this two-hour, guilty pleasure stuffed with no-holds-barred brawls for the ages.

There's always been a joke title that was given to Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) by one of my nephews: "Godzilla Versus Everything!!!" And he honestly couldn't be more right. In the span of two hours, your favorite rubber lizard fights every single monster in his entire rogues gallery. ALL OF THEM! Ghidora, Mothra, Mechagodzilla, Predator X, Godzilla(1997). Oh yeah. That's Right! Godzilla even battles the American/Matthew Broderick-CG-Godzilla from '97 with SUM 41 playing in the background as parody! This is literally a culmination of all things to love about the history of the character.

Many people don't know that in 2004, Toei decided to finally give the character one last send-off as a thank you for so many fun years that have raised generations of fans on a very goofy tradition. To do this, they hired director Ryuhei Kitamura, who's known for his films featuring fast, furious chaos(if you've never seen Versus, the yakuza-versus-demon-zombies flick from a few years back, you're missing out on one of the best guilty pleasures to ever come out of Asian Cinema). The decision to hire him as a director is seen immediately when the film kicks in. No longer are the slow movements and excruciating build-ups towards fighting moves a part of the usual Man-In-Suit combat we've come to expect. The battles are fast, hard, angry and straight to the point.

The inclusion Kitamura also solves Godzilla's 2nd biggest flaws within all of his movies: the excruciatingly boring human story. Kitamura's decision to create an anime/comic book style action story to accompany this giant battle royal across the globe is genius that we all greet with open arms. Instead of scientists frantically looking for a magical set of twins/fairies/McGuffin-like tool that can summon a second monster to help Godzilla (or something equally as trivial), they've basically given us a story that can be summed up as "The X-Men versus the aliens from V."

Honestly, you can't make this stuff up. You literally have a super-human, genetically-enhanced mutant fighting force called the Earth Defense Force(and YES, they are based after the cult-classic video game of the same name!) that fight giant aliens ON-FOOT! When the world is invaded by the deceptively friendly(and mysteriously attractive) alien visitors, it's up to several members of the EDF task force to solve the conspiracy and take them down. And with this, you get some of the best, over-the-top kung-fu fight scenes that feel like they were ripped out of your favorite anime(super-humans having a martial arts spectacle while driving motorcycles flying down the highway as the world is at war in the background?!? YES, PLEASE!)

And this deserves it's own paragraph: Sargent Slaughter is one of the main characters of the film! Yes, the one you're thinking of. The same dude from the WWF who used to tell you to brush your teeth at the end of every episode of G.I. Joe. You see, in Japan, what Chuck Norris is to us, Sgt. Slaughter is to them. And I couldn't be more happy, because he is having a FUCKING BLAST in this movie. His line delivery, his gun-kata fight scenes, his moments of nigh-invincibility, etc. They are fried golden camp that you will eat up and enjoy with a childish grin on your face.

And finally, I have to say that I love that for the final homage of the movie, they dare to remind us what Gojira was. The original film that was a truly fantastic horror movie. There's a moment that reminds you that Godzilla was once a character that represented overwhelming, unstoppable terror. And for this incredibly goofy, over-stuffed movie to take a moment to thank the original creators for that is something worth noting.

So, if you have a snowed-in/rainy day, get some popcorn, invite your friends over, tell them to bring a case of beer and get ready to feel like a kid holding your action figures in front of the TV on a Saturday afternoon. If The Expendables was a giant monster movie, it would be this. Only this movie is made with so much affection and love, it's damn near contagious. Have fun and be sure to leave your inhibitions at the door.

FUN FACT:
A) That poster used as the display picture is one of the most expensive there is. As it should be. The simple picture of what looks like a nuclear explosion at the heart of a city, pushing everything away from it and burning anything within reach to cinders.... with only one proud Godzilla standing in the center? Genius.

B) I'm pretty sure I used up all my remaining exclamation points for 2010 on this review.

Moon

Moon
Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell

The year of 2009 was quite a whirlwind in the second half for film fans. We were suddenly struck at (what seemed to be) one time with several modern classics instantly falling in our laps. There was The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, and even a new sci-fi classic in District 9. But, one very amazing science fiction drama dared to take us back to an era that most forget about in the genre. The risque', intellectual 70's era that's most known for with classics such as Planet of the Apes, The Black Hole & of course, Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This was an era that was very special in sci-fi, because it was at a time where you didn't need extreme space alien battles, laser guns or extreme, climactic battles with our model-esque, plucky young hero diving in to save the day in his most swashbuckler of stances of heroism. This was a time when it was okay for our protagonist to be just a scientist, astronaut or even a technician. When getting the job done and going home was the only mission and these characters were very good at their jobs. By creating characters like these, you didn't need any of those sci-fi explosions or chaotic battles. You fell into the psychology of their situations and feared what their fate would be at the other end of their peril. Or even worse, what would they become.

Enter Duncan Jones' debut movie: Moon. Sam Bell, an astronaut that has signed on to a solo, 3-year mining expedition on the(you guessed it) Moon for resources to send back to Earth. While eagerly waiting to finally return home to his wife and daughter, he gains as much comfort as he can find in his robotic companion/space station HIVE mind, GERTY(voiced by none other than Academy Award Winner, Kevin Spacey). The relationship between these two is something special to watch, as it has an aura of familiarity and mutual understanding that can only be developed with time. Considering this is Sam Rockwell acting off of a mechanical object that only has computer screens to emote to him, it's an amazing feat.

While we're on the subject, Sam Rockwell gives the performance of not only his career, but in my personal opinion, the best of 2009. To not even receive a nomination for what should be both Best Actor AND Best Supporting Actor is truly sad when considering the politics that were most likely involved with the previous year's awards. This is an actor who is quite literally giving a one-man show. He is playing off himself and the environment around him and creating such an extreme atmosphere that you fear for the fate of either version of him.

About that... You see, one day, while going through his usual mining expedition routines, he discovers one of his moon rovers mysteriously crashed into a crater outside of the station. While investigating, he discovers an unconcious, suited astronaut within the rover. Upon closer investigation, he gains a surprise so offsetting, it spins the rest of the film into top gear. To say any further the developments of the movie would be to spoil the intensity of the discoveries you're about to endure.

For a first time director, Duncan Jones knocks this out of the park with such a minor budget. The special effects are used as all films should use them: only to advance the story and not to provide extreme spectacle. The sets have an homage to 2001, while maintaining a very enriching "lived-in" vibe that immediately gives you a sense of the character of Sam, his hobbies, his strengths and coping mechanisms necessary for the forced solitude of this 3-year excursion. And the fearlessness in the way Rockwell is filmed is excellent and paid off well in return. With the situations endured by Sam, the slightest mistake from either of these men's performance in front of or behind the camera could have sent this movie off-the-rails so fast that it'd be unwatchable. But they both deliver on an experience that will leave you both breathless and emotionally shaken before the credits.

Sit back and enjoy a classic that you've most likely missed. You're about to enjoy two men who are the greatest at what they do.

FUN FACTS:
A) Duncan Jones is the son of David Bowie. Yes, THAT David Bowie.
B) Moon's poster is an awesome throwback to 70's film. (So, maybe that's more opinion than fact, but... LOOK AT THAT THING! Tell me you don't want that on your wall, somewhere!)