After seeing my first Bollywod film this past Wednesday, I can honestly say that I am hooked on these films! When I went to see RA.ONE on Wednesday, I saw a trailer for a film that really looked promising. Lucky for me, it was to be released on Friday. So today I went back to the BIG Cinema Towne 3 and saw the new Eros International film ROCKSTAR.
Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)
The film focuses on Janardan (Ranbir Kapoor), a young, naive college student who is also a talented musician who dreams of becoming a famous rock star just like Jim Morrison. However, nobody will take his music (or himself) seriously. Also he lacks the ability to write songs, seeing how he has never experienced any sort of tragedy; suffering from painful heartbreaks, sordid upbringings and whatever the case may be that made them the stars they are. Enter the love of his life; Heer (the enchanting Nargis Fakhri), a tough and beautiful young woman who at first dismisses Janardan's advances. Eventually she gives him a chance and soon the two become the best of friends. However, she is to be married in a couple of months. Soon their feelings for one another surface, but Heer goes through with her marriage and Janardan is left completely devastated. A few months later he is signed to a record label and becomes the rock star named Jordon. But his erratic behavior and bad bay image is fueled for his lost of Heer and only she can help save him from self-destruction.
The ultimate love letter for hopeless romantics, the film really focuses on the forbidden passion between Janardan and Heer. We the audience are sympathetic to Janardan and his quest for not only to win the heart of Keer, but his desire to become a famous rock star. Both Kapoor and Fakhri have great chemistry on screen, and their acting is honest and believable. Also worth noting is director Imtiaz Ali's superb job at keeping the camera focused on the story. Amazing shots, clean sweeps, using fast and slow motion are some of the tools he uses to tell the story of longing love.
The music of the film was created by AR Rahman and it is incredible! His music alone is worth going to see the film. When we hear the song "Saddha Haq" in the film, you too will be pumping your fist in the air with Jordan as well. This awesome soundtrack is woven perfectly within the film!
ROCKSTAR is a dynamic, rockin', emotionally charged love film that couples everywhere should see! Leave it to Bollywood to create a fantastic and entertaining work of true art! Highly recommended!!
ROCKSTAR is currently playing at the BIG Cinemas. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://us.bigcinemas.com
Hollywood films depicting the end of the world isn't anything new. This has been staple for quite sometime now. Usually it is either caused by space aliens, an asteroid, or some man made nuclear device that devastates all life on Earth. Pretty much the same old cliches that I find rather boring. However, when I went to the Camera 7 in the Pruneyard Campbell to see director Lars von Trier's new film MELANCHOLIA, I can honestly say that this was the most beautiful apocalypse that I have ever seen in a film before!
Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)
In this mesmerizing and poetic film about the end of the world, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgard) are celebrating their wedding at a fancy party in the home of her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her wealthy husband John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite their best efforts, the wedding is a disaster, due to family squabbling, lack of love and support, and Justine's deep depression. To make matters worse, the mysterious planet called Melancholia, which has been hidden behind the sun for all this time, is now on a collision course with Earth. With the end of the world in sight, the two sisters try to make peace with one another and be a family again before it is too late.
While watching a Lars von Trier film, one expects certain themes woven within the frames, and this film continues with this tradition: death, sorrow, cynicism, and symbolism. Unlike his previous film, 2009's controversial ANTICHRIST, von Trier also throws into the mix just a pinch of science fiction as well as humor, especially in the beginning of the film, as if to throw the audience off after witnessing the majestic opening collage of images portraying the end of the world set to the music from the overture of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. However, this opening sets up the middle and end of the film. The beginning of the story explains our characters as well as how they face their fears and their mortality.
The film is divided into two parts: the first concentrating on Justine. We are immediately thrust into her wedding, and it would seem on the surface that Justine is quite happy. But then the smile fades away, and soon she is all doom and gloom. She escapes from her family, friends, guests, and even her new husband by hiding out in her room, taking baths with her veil still on, as if it was permanently attached to head as a reminder that today should be the happiest day of her life. Instead, the veil feels more like an anchor, which sinks her deeper into her depression. She seeks help and advise from her parents, however both are too busy with their disdain for one another to help their daughter out. Her sister Claire does all she can to cheer up her up, even making her favorite meal; meatloaf. But it doesn't help, and according to Justine it, "tastes like ashes." It's as if she's choking on the ashes of life itself, which could be seen as her personal view on life, or as some kind of warning that death is coming.
Part two focuses on Claire and her apparent inability to handle Justine's massive depression, her husband's loathe for her sister, and the fear that the wayward planet Melancholia will come crashing into Earth. Eventually her fears are realized and soon her and John lose control and let fear cloud their better judgment. Throughout part two, we see John as the voice of reason, reassuring to his scared wife that Melancholia is just passing by and in now way will it harm Earth. John soon realizes that he was incorrect, and "leaves" while both Justine and Claire, and her son Leo (Cameron Spurr) are left to witness their inescapable fates.
Again, von Trier's directing style in the film is very reminiscent of is early Dogma 95 days: hand held cameras, using mostly natural and available lighting that's there, and filming on location. But there are certain aspects that he has injected into his film: using established actors, musical soundtracks, and a dash of CGI; mostly for the planet Melancholia. With these added tools to his repertoire, von Trier has been able to transcend his films into works of art. Dunst is absolutely captivating in the film. Her performance as Justine will not doubt garner her a Best Actress nomination at next year's Oscars. Her best work ever!
MELANCHOLIA is a haunting and astonishing film; a visceral achievement that delves deep in the human psyche and exposes to us our fears and our intricities. The word melancholia is a Greek word meaning sadness, literally black bile. With his film, Lars von Trier has added a new definition to this particular word: illumination.
MELANCHOLIA is currently playing in select theaters nationwide, including the Camera Cinemas. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com
So while I was heading over to the Camera 12 in Downtown San Jose to see what was playing, I passed the Camera 3 Theater (which is half a block away for the Camera 12) and saw that there was a special screening of an independent documentary called 9,000 NEEDLES. Also the film's co-producer/director Doug Dearth and co-producer/cameraman Douglas Busby were there to participate in a Q&A session after the screening. This sounded like it was something very important, so I rushed into the theater to see the film.
Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)
Sponsored by the Five Branches Medical Centers here in San Jose, the film focuses on 40 year old Devin Dearth. Devin is living the American dream: he is a successful business man, an awarded bodybuilder, has a beautiful wife and three great kids in a nice house in their hometown of Central City, Kentucky. Then, without warning, Devin sufferers a severe stroke caused by a bleed in the brain stem. The stroke leaves Devin paralyzed on the right side of his body, resulting in him not being able to walk, double vision, difficulty speaking, and unable to take care of himself. And to make matters worse, the US Healthcare System only provided a small widow for recovery according to their coverage, forcing Devin to leave his treatment early.
Seeking alternative care, Devin's older brother Doug (the director of the film) discovers a medical facility in Tianjian, China that is both affordable and can also provide the treatment that Devin so desperately needs. After a successful benefit fundraiser, Devin is enrolled in the program in China, where they combined both modern and ancient Chinese medicine; the amalgam of these two worlds provide Devin the care he needs to win back his life.
Because Doug is family, and with clearance from the Chinese hospital, he was able to get up close and personal with documenting his brother's recovery. Through day by day treatment, which included acupuncture, herbal treatment, physical therapy, Devin showed vast improvement as well as his determination to heal quickly and to resume his daily routines again. The simply tasks that we perform on such as speaking and walking are a challenge to Devin, and to watch him gain such tremendous strides in his rehabilitation was just astounding! However, treatment go only go so far, for it is the human spirit that make a difference during the healing process. Devin was so focused on getting better that the Chinese doctors were surprised at how fast we was recovering. In the end, it was and still is a long road to for Devin, but after his full stay at the hospital, he walked out of there.
After the screening, the "Two Dougs" participated in a fascinating and informative Q&A. They talked about how Devin is doing, his second trip back to China, Devin's continuation of Chinese treatments like acupuncture and herbal remedies, and their future film projects they are working on. Later on in the lobby, Doug Dearth gave me an autographed copy of the film on DVD. I thanked him and made a small donation for his brother.
9,000 NEEDLES is a powerful, inspiring, and moving examination of the will of man, the acceptance of other medical treatments, and the faults of the American Helathcare System. Are we a country that has been outsourcing jobs and whatnot's for so long that now we as Americans are outsourcing ourselves to get the best medical treatment that we cannot afford by staying here? This doesn't sit well for me. We shouldn't have to be forced to go elsewhere in the world to get treatment, but until our healthcare system is fixed, we will continue to go to great lengths like Devin did. let's all hope that this problem is fixed very, very soon.
9,000 NEEDLES is now touring the country in select theaters and it will be shown again here over in Santa Cruz! To learn more about the film, visit the film's website at http://9000needles.com. To learn more about traditional Chinese medicine here in the South Bay, visit the Five Branches Medical Centers website at www.fivebranches.edu
So after driving by the BIG Cinemas Towne 3 (an Indian theater that was once owned by the Camera Cinemas before they sold it) for about the millionth time, I told myself that I really need to see a movie there soon. Then yesterday when I drove by it, I saw a movie poster that caught my eye. I pulled over to see what film it was for. As it turned out, it was for the new Bollywood, sci-fi action film RA.ONEand so, I went to see it the following night. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the amazing world of Bollywood!!
Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)
The films stars Shah Rukh Khan as Shekhar Subramaniam, a video gamer developer at Barron Industries who is loving married to his wife Sonia (the absolutely breathtaking Kareena Kapoor) and has a son Prateek (Satish Shah). While in the process of developing the ultimate superhero for his project, Shekhar faces harsh criticism from his son, saying that he would rather see the ultimate super villain instead. Wanting to part of his son's world, he takes he's advise and creates the indestructible villain called RA.One (pronounced as in Lankashwar Raven and portrayed by Arjun Rampal) and his arch foe, the heroic G.One (Jeevan and modeled after Shekhar's likeness). However, on the eve of the game's release, RA.One discovers a way to enter the real world and plans on destroying anything that comes in his path.
So as my first real Bollywood film ever, I have to say that I really enjoyed the film. It was first very entertaining. It had a good script with fun and eclectic characters, fantastic action scenes, and like other Bollywood films, three great song and dance numbers. The first musical dance sequence "Criminal" was fun and sets up the rest of the songs later on in the film. This at first shocked and surprised me. I'm not use to seeing an action fight scene fitted into a musical dance number, but this is common in these films. And so I fell in love with it! It was just that damn awesome! All the songs were catchy and it will make you dance in your seat!
Another fascinating aspect I noticed in the film was the influence of Western culture there in India. Brand name designer clothes, skateboards and American slang and behavior, as well as the music. While it contains traditional Indian music, it is also infused with hip hop and techno dance music; creating a very interesting and very creative style of music that I really enjoyed!
Shah Rukh Khan does a great job as both the nerdy, cowardly, goofball dad Shekhar and the heroic G.One. Khan is a very popular movie star in India, and has made several films. For me, seeing Kareena Kapoor up on the big screen was a revelation to me. Here is a talented actress who can sing, dance, act, and look beautiful while in the middle of a fight scene! And yes, I am in love with her!
RA.ONE is an cinematic experience that I will always cherish with me forever! A great film for fans of sci-fi, Bollywood, and it's fun the whole family. It is also a great introduction for those who have seen a Bollywood film before. I am so glad that I decided to see this film. Now a whole new world has been opened up for me, and I look forward to seeing more films at the BIG Cinemas.
So I was recently given the task to review a new DVD from my good friends at Fangoria, the home for all things horror. Here is a review that I just recently wrote for them, which I thought that it would be fun for you fine folks to read as well!
Original DVD Cover (2011
The marriage of exploitation and horror films has been part of cinema for decades. However, during the 1960s this union had an unprecedented amount of offsprings. And like most children, some were good, some were bad, and then there were some that were just plain awful. In this case, the newly released SHOCKORAMA double feature DVD offers to of these abominations, courtesy from the folks at Cheezy Flicks.
The DVD package consists of two movies on two discs. Disc one contains BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA, which as the Prince of Darkness himself (portrayed by John Carradine) traveling to the Old West, posing as an uncle to the young and naïve Elizabeth Bentley (Melinda Plowman). She introduces her “Uncle James” to her fiancée William Bonney (Chuck Courtney), who is better known as Billy the Kid. When strange supernatural occurrences begin to happen on the ranch, Billy suspects that Uncle James is a vampire, and tries to prevent him from turning his blushing bride into an unholy creature of the night.
With JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER on disc two, the legendary outlaw Jesse James (John Lupton) and his slow-witted sidekick Hank (Cal Bolder) are on the run from the local sheriff after a foiled stagecoach heist. Seeking shelter, the duo hide in the castle belonging to Dr. Maria Frankenstein (Narda Onyx), the granddaughter of Dr. Baron Von Frankenstein. Determined to carry on her grandfather’s legacy, she uses Hank for her experiment, thus transforming him into a walking bald monstrosity which she names Igor. Soon it’s up to Jesse to stop Maria and to end the Frankenstein curse.
Both films were directed by William Beaudine, better known as “One Shot” Beaudine because of his refusal to do more than one take of any scene. Both films were shot in 1966, and contain the basic ingredients of a bad, B-movie, horror flick: terrible acting, horrible dialogue, plausible storyline, and bland directing. While all these examples add up to two atrocious films, the transfer of these films was even more laughable.
The people behind Cheezy Flicks never disguised the fact that these films were obviously transferred from really bad and apparently really old VHS tapes that also contained early drive-in intermission commercials. The blatant scribble lines found at the bottom of the screen, fading picture quality, and muffled audio soundtrack shows a lack of quality and care. Even the DVD cover art for it looks like it was done on someone’s personal home computer. As for the DVD extras, both discs contain the same features: a chapter menu, and a director bio.
Overall, Cheezy Films’ SHOCKORAMA double feature is a lack luster release that won’t hold anyone’s attention, let alone grab any attention. While both films are nothing more than forgotten cinema trash, they at least deserve a better fate (and release) than this.
SHOCKORAMA Double Feature DVD is currently available at your local retailer. You can order a copy at the Cheezy Flicks website at http://cheezyflicks.com/shop/
Hello and welcome back to the final day of Phil's Massive Movie Binge Weekend! On Sunday, I went back to the Camera 3 in Downtown San Jose and saw the new documentary REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR, the sequel to director Chris Paine's 2006 film WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?
Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)
The documentary follows four entrepreneurs from 2007 through the end of 2010 as they fight to bring the electric car back to the world market in the midst of a world wide recession. The film follows four major players in this race: Bob Lutz from General Moters, Elon Musk from the American start-up Tesla Motors, Carlos Ghosn from Nissan, and Greg Abbott, an independent electric car converter from California. The film follows the trials and tribulations of these individuals as they attempt to be the first to release their own electric car.
Director Paine spent three years making this film, being granted with unprecedented access to top secret locations, specialty divisions, board meetings, and testing grounds. Whereas the 2006 film WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? ended on a down note with the destruction of nearly 5,000 electric cars (notably the GM EV1 vehicle) the new film ends with high hopes as it features the birth of a new generation of electric cars: the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster. According to the film, by 2015 there will be an estimated one million electric cars on the road along with a million electric car chargers. So far there have been many who resist this idea (most vocal are the oil companies themselves), but Paine really does believe that our dependency on foreign oil is coming to an end soon.
REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR is a fully charged and informative documentary that not only is about technology, but it's also about people. People who want to change other people's ideas about the electric car. People who want to end our dependency on foreign oil, but also people who want to make a difference in the world. Definitely a must-see documentary!!
REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR is currently playing in select theaters, including the Camera Cinemas. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com
Welcome back to Phil's Massive Movie Binge Weekend! So for the fifth and final film I saw on Saturday was the new DreamWorks Animation film PUSS IN BOOTS 3D. Now it is only fitting that I started out the day watching an Antonio Banderas film, that I should end my day watching an Antonio Banderas film. Boy this guy gets around, doesn't he folks?
Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)
The film is a spinoff prequel to the SHREK franchise and it follows the our furry, little friend on his adventures before his first appearance in SHREK 2. Accompanied by his sidekicks, his old childhood friend Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) and tough and street smart Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), Puss is pitted against Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris), two murderous outlaws who discover an ancient, magical power (the famed magic beans) which could threaten the entire world. A power that Humpty Dumpty will stop at nothing to possess, even if it means betraying his old friend Puss.
The film stays in the same tradition as with the SHREK films: the film takes place obviously in the fairytale world, and its inhabitants are all based on characters that have been with us since childhood, but with a twist of course. Jack and Jill, once beloved, are now despised as they are our villains. Humpty was our klutzy friend who became an omelet in the original nursery rhyme is now a brilliant inventor and mastermind behind their quest for the legendary magic beans. With Puss, we get to learn his backstory: orphaned and adopted by his "mother," befriending Humpty, his fallout with his egghead friend and the ramifications of why he is an outlaw. Pretty heavy stuff for a children's film, but it's a very funny and entertaining film! And the 3D effect really makes the fun even more fun!
Galifianakis is marvelous as the voice of Humpty, and Miss Salma Hayek is purrr-fect in her role as Miss Kitty Softpaws, who has the softest paws in the land. This enables her to rob her victims blind. As I stated earlier, Banderas is the star of the film, reprising his role as Puss and once again does a fantastic job!
PUSS IN BOOTS is a hilarious, action packed, swashbuckling fun ride film for the whole family to enjoy! So for this holiday season, go see the best fun you'll have while sitting still! Trust me, or else Puss in Boots will make go see the film.
PUSS IN BOOTS is playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com
