American Splendor

Runtime: 116 min

Directed By: Shari Springer Berman &
Robert Pulcini

Starring: Paul Giamatti

This film does things to the fourth wall that are illegal for one person to do to another in 34 states.  There is Harvey Pekar, there is the actor playing him, there is the comic version of him and that is drawn four of five different ways and then there is the guy that plays the movie version of a guy playing the theater version of a guy playing Harvey Pekar.  Interesting, like I’m sure the comic is.  It was original, it was raw and it was depressing.

It lies somewhere between a documentary of a comic writer and a biopic.  I think we can take something very valuable away from the experience and that is this.  “If your life sucks enough, people will pay you money for things like comics, tv appearances and movies about you so that they can feel better about themselves.”   I don’t know if that makes Pekar an inspiration or a charity case.  So I guess in the end, all this is is all it ever was.

Technique- 9

Production Quality- 8

Story- 5

Thought Provoking- 3

Entertainment- 6

Sweeney Todd

Runtime: 116 min

Directed By: Tim Burton

Starring: Johnny Depp & Helena Bonham Carter

When you see Johnny Depp & a knife on the cover of a DVD you could expect it would be awesome.  If you did it for this movie you would be wrong.  They tricked us.  There was no talk from the trailer or the box of it being a musical.  It was and not a good one.

Obviously it is about revenge, hate and love.  I’m sorry Sweeney, but I’m just not that into you.

Technique- 6

Production Quality- 8

Story- 6

Thought Provoking- 4

Entertainment- 2

Mulholland Dr.

Release: (2001)

Runtime: 147 minutes

Directed By: David Lynch

Starring: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring & Justin Theroux

This one will not be easy.  I did a little bit of research on it to try and make some sense.  I can say for now that I am a subscriber to the dream theory.  I think on top of that the fact that it was created with the intention of being a TV show is a big deal.  See, TV shows are designed to go on forever and so they thrive on loose ends.  Sometimes I even think that TV writers put in loose ends without knowing where they will go, just so they can use them in a later season after reminding us about them in a short little “Previously on Lost.”

Regardless of if the plot makes sense, I think Lynch is saying something.  I sure hope he is saying something.  I don’t think it is as coherent a theme as we are used to and I bet a lot of it is simply an expression of various emotions and fantastic tones.  It is Lynch taking us into a world that he has dreamed up and I think there are significant parts that are there less to tell us something and more so that we can see the view.  (and possibly to set the tone for our interpreting another scene)

I think some of the big themes have to do with; “Hay no banda,” the dumpster person, and perceived reality.  Obviously there is a lot to do with dreams and memory, which I think ties into the whole “it is all recorded” thing.  I think there is a message about the nature of life and its consequences.  (that is so vague)  We know the box is what switches between the universes and we see the dumpster person with the box at the end.  I think there is a can pop-top in the bag as well. (is that a reference to alcohol?)  The sight of the dumpster person kills/wakes up the Winkies man.  I don’t know.  I don’t think there is a nice answer, and I think there is a lot of directionless rabbit holes to chase but what I do know is that Diane is haunted by guilt and escapes to a world that is much more beautiful for her, but equally as horrible for others.  I think maybe Lynch is just borderline insane and putts his thoughts on film to mess with us all.

Technique- 8

Production Quality- 8

Story- 10

Thought Provoking- 10

Entertainment- 8

Metropolis

Release: (1927)

Runtime: Depends; I saw the 123 Minute Restored edition

Directed By: Fritz Lang

Starring: Germans

While a lot of the content seems silly, I can not deny the awesomeness of the art direction and purity of the class struggle presented.  Who can forget the shots of the model city with its towering buildings five and six blocks wide or the transformation of the robot.  The rigid movements of the factory workers help exaggerate their plight while Maria’s eyes do not let us forget she is a robot.

The historical significance of this piece set a tone of decadence that helped shape the way we now think of movies.  Without the risks taken here where would our big budget sci-fi movie be?

The problem that speaks to us is the nature of the gap between the hands and the head.  The same problem addressed by Wordsworth and the Romantics, translated to film form.  We are told without mediation the hands slave for something they do not understand and the head demands something it has no part in creating.  How different are the hands of the clock the workers spin towards the lights and our own cubicles?

Technique- 6

Production Quality- 9

Story- 7

Thought Provoking- 7

Entertainment- 5

The Silence of the Lambs

Release: (1991)

Runtime: 118 Minutes

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

Starring: Jodie Foster & Anthony Hopkins

If you go wikipedia this movie you’ll see a bunch of other media references to it.  Before I had seen any part of Hopkins performance, I knew exactly what to expect.  I think that alone says a lot about the film.

There is suspense, but it is not created by shaky cameras and dark shots.  There is fear but it is not from cheesy monsters.  There is horror but it is more from a realization that none of these characters are too far fetched.

We know that Hannibal eats people and we know he is creepy but what is most off putting is that he is not totally evil.  We, as Clarice begin to trust him and we know he knows this.  Even when he has freedom we are given no reason to believe he is totally corrupt.  The possibility that there is humanity inside this cold monster is almost as horrifying as the notion that there is a shred of monster in our own humanity.

Technique- 9

Production Quality- 8

Story- 8

Thought Provoking- 5

Entertainment- 8