Song of the day: “Adore” by Prince

End of the month and you all know what that means, crunch time for me at work, which is why the reviews are slow in coming, but at the same time it has been a slow month for movies. I have sadly not made it out to theaters as much as I would like, one has to cinch the belts a little after Christmas time, and Netflix has been occupied sending me mostly episodes of The Wire rather than actual movies. I have to say, that show has me hooked, no doubt. I also have to say that I am not sure that Season 3 can be surpassed. Eagerly I await the following two seasons, but how does one compete with the twists and turns and surprises that Season 3 held? And Stringer…-Stringer-!!! I’m still sad about that. But anyway, late as it may be, I will try to get you guys at least one more review before the week is over, so here it goes…

-Fco.

Noriko’s Dinner Table

Director: Sion Sono
Genre: Drama/Horror
Year: 2005

I was very hesitant to watch this film, mostly because I knew from the start that it was tied to a film I previously watch, by the same director called: Suicide Club. It is not that Suicide Club was a bad movie, which it wasn’t, it is essentially a Japanese horror film with a pretty weird set up, trippy imagery and it answers less questions than it leaves you with at the end. I am sure that somewhere buried in my archives there is a review for it, but I watched it so long ago and remembered so little of it, that I was afraid this movie would be too closely tied in and I would be unable to understand it. Even if I had not been interested in Noriko’s Dinner Table, Suicide Club warrants a second viewing, which I did not get the opportunity to do. After letting it sit by my TV for almost a month I just cracked and decided to watch it.

Surprisingly, Noriko’s Dinner Table is NOT that closely tied in to the movie, not enough that it could truly be considered a sequel. Yet it does make reference (heavily) and in a way provides answers to one of the most disturbing questions of the first film, the scene were 40 Japanese school girls hold hands at a metro station and singing, dive into the path of an on-coming subway train. Bloody as all hell, I assure you.

Essentially this film takes place at the same time that Suicide Club does, except that it focuses mostly on Nariko as its primary character, a girl who is not exactly the popular girl in school and whose only escape happens to be a forum which she accidentally finds in the internet. In a way that seems altogether too common nowadays, Noriko forges a far more interesting personality on-line, than the one that she leads in real life and when she finally grows tired of her life, she decides to run away to Tokyo, with nothing but the clothes on her body and a backpack.

She has no plan or idea what she will do, other than the fact that perhaps, she will be able to get a hold of UenoStation_54, the handle of a girl in the forum whose name happens to be Kumiko, who eagerly and without questions decides to help her, bringing along with her family, much to Noriko’s surprise.

Needless to say, the world that Noriko is introduced to is vastly different from what she expected, the roles of those around her are not what she believes and very soon she finds herself sucked into a rather disturbing scheme, which eventually pulls Noriko’s younger sister (Yuka) as well, effectively destroying their family and driving their Tetsuzo, their father, in a maddening quest to bring them back.

This movie is in mood and format very different from Suicide Club and while it technically categorizes itself as a Horror, it lacks the signature monsters, ghosts or stereotypical effects driven scenes, favoring instead a dramatic and in my opinion, much more disturbingly realistic approach. The monsters here are all human, it would seem, and what is worse is that they were all innocent, just as Noriko and Yuka are and it was society itself, that brought them to this painfully depressing state.

Much like Visitor Q, Noriko’s Dinner Table makes some pretty blatant, blunt statements about family, technology and their roles in modern society but unlike Visitor Q, this movie presents it in a more watchable format which nonetheless still disturbing and might be difficult for some to watch. Using mostly psychological techniques, this film takes us into a hellish trip where a family destroys itself and attempts to put itself together by whatever desperate measures it can manage.

The film rides on the long side, with a running time of two and a half hours and demands some patience from the audience. There is most definitely a dramatic side to this film, so I would not recommend this to a strictly horror fan. However, those of you that can take your genres blended might find this a satisfactory, thought provoking film, if you can handle some of the violent images that end up taking place as the film reaches its climax. A powerful film, better than its precursor (I would say) but definitely not a film for everybody.

Rating: Most people here would probably rate it half a point lower than I did, but I dig disturbing.
Comments: Violence and very disturbing situations, I seem to recall some nudity as well and at least one violent sexual scene. Japanese language with English subtitles.
Quote: Kumiko: Everyone wants to be champagne, not the glass.

Transsiberian

Director: Brad Anderson
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Crime/Drama
Year: 2008

I feel bad reviewing this now, because I know I will hardly make a good argument for it, I watched it so long ago that it is no longer fresh in my mind and so I probably will not be able to make a very detailed review on it. However, the overall aspects of this film remain and I can confidently say that this was a good, very entertaining thriller. It is the story of Roy and Jessie (Woody Harrelson and Emilie Mortimer) a couple that have been out in China doing missionary work for a church group in which Roy is very active. Married and without children, Roy and Jessie seemingly saw this as an opportunity to connect, to find their place next to each other and it is on their way back, when they decide to take the Trans-Siberian train to Moscow, that they are truly tested.

What seems like a pleasant, albeit long, trip through Russia becomes a nightmare journey as Roy and Jessie meet Carlos and Abby (Eduardo Noriega and Kate Mara), a young couple that seems to travel light and freely. They seem pleasant enough and they befriend them, not knowing that one of them or both might have a secret agenda. Toss in a rather stubborn narcotics detective (Ben Kingsman), bound and determined to find a load of drugs and the strains that are slowly evident in Jessie and Roy’s relationship soon become dangerously stretched, as the film heads to and inevitably violent climax.

It is a solid thriller and while perhaps I did not find it to be anything necessarily ground breaking, it does bring some very solid acting on the part of the entire cast, good directing and a story that is almost entirely set in a train, in a way that almost becomes claustrophobic. Emilie Mortimer does not fail to shine and Woody Harrelson plays one of his better characters. This might not top your list of films for 2008, but in a year that was studded with lackluster movies, this one is definitely one of the better ones, even if it does, once it is over, leave you wanting a bit more.

Rating:
Comments: Some violent situations, language, and some graphic scenes depicting violence.
Quote: Jessie: Kill off all my demons, Roy, and my angels might die, too.

The Duchess

Director: Saul Dibb
Genre: Drama/History
Year: 2008

Here is yet another film I regret not reviewing earlier, while the details were fresh in my mind, but right off the bat I can tell you this was not the film I expected. Based on the trailers, I was perhaps bracing myself for another Pride & Prejudice, big epic movie which I was afraid would fall flat on its butt. I watched this somewhat hesitantly, more curious to see Keira Knightley in another period piece than anything.

It goes without saying, if you have seen the trailers for this film at all, that the art direction, sets and costuming are sensational, no doubt about that and above-par cinematography most definitely makes the most of this film, adding to it majestic landscapes, rich greenery, elaborate dresses, lavish mansions, spacious and elegant rooms…it is an ambitious movie and thankfully it failed to deliver what I expected and ended up being more interesting.

Rather than being a heavily feminist story of a woman that defies the world of men by trampling over the rules, this film instead shows a rather cheerless story of Georgiana (Keira Knightley), who is given in marriage to the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes), a selfish, self centered man who insists in having things his way. It is a somber story, which succeeds in showing the gender based atrocities of its time, not by showing a success story of broken chains, but a failure. Giorgiana, who has everything going for her, is stripped of her dignity, her choices and humiliated in numerous ways and to the end, she bares it with dignity along with a heavy heart.

This film is definitely worth a watch, with some incredible cinematography, great directing, fantastic acting particularly on the part of Ralph Fiennes who plays, for all intents and purposes, a complete bonghole; Keira Knightley and some of the supporting cast do not, however, stay far behind. Unfortunately, for those of you who are seeking a heart warming story, this is not going to be the film to give that to you.

Rating:
Comments: Adult situations, some brief nudity and some sexual content.
Quote: Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: I fail to comprehend how far we are fully committed to the concept of freedom.
Sir Peter Teazle: Freedom in moderation.
Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: The concept of freedom is an absolute.