The latest film from Werner Herzog, like his many other documentaries, is beautiful in that you begin to see, and ultimately enjoy, the way Herzog views the world. Not to be seen as March of the Penguins 2: Revenge of the Little Tuxedos, this film focuses more on the people one would expect to meet at the South Pole. Each one is very, very unique from the Eastern European philosopher/backhoe driver to the misanthropic penguin expert that tells those who see a penguin heading away from water and into the interior of Antarctica to just "let 'em go".
Unfortunately the Indiana Jones of my youth (the hard-nosed and spry Jones of Raiders of the Lost Ark) has been (see South Park's accurate but obscene take on the most recent Jones film for verb) by George Lucas. Once again, the man who gave us the original Star Wars trilogy only to sour the entire series of films by making tween-friendly prequels has done it again with this film. Right from the outset, this film is loaded with cliches and Jones seems to be only able to spout catchphrases and one-liners. Cate Blanchett does a very unconvincing Russian as her British accent comes through again and again. Harrison Ford's Jones continually reminded me of a senile grandfather that somehow wandered onto the sets of old King Kong films. I felt more sorry for him than anything, like I should talk to him in a soothing voice only to have him yell "What?" as he turned up his hearing aid.
A terrifying film about the lengths to which a Cold War-raised government will go when it is most afraid. This documentary also reminds us that moral responsibility, so easily attached to superiors during the Nuremberg Trials, is conspicuously absent in today's Abu Garaib's and other atrocities.
Yes, it is a cartoon and, yes, it is about a samurai named Jack that is thrown into the distant future by his arch nemesis the evil Aku to continually battle foes of all shapes and sizes in the hope of getting back to his own time. It is all of these things but it is also really, really good. The pacing and cinematic style just makes you smile and enjoy the ride. The characters are very imginative and they each have a presence all their own. If all of that isn't enough for you, Samurai Jack also won 4 Emmy Awards.
The first non-white man in the White House and it looks like he is about to heal something too. Amen.
The first part in Sergei Bodrov's triology about Genghis Khan made me very mad because I want to see all three right now. I only learned later that Bodrov had a very low budget for such a massive epic and that it was a joint effort between Germany, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia. The cinematography is incredible and most of it was filmed in Mongolia. Both the young and old actors that play Temujin (Genghis Khan) do a superb job and there is recognizable continuity between the two.
Thomas McCarthy's second film (his first being "The Station Agent") again delivers a film with characters that are uncomfortably realistic. He excels at finding the perfect actors for these roles that place ordinary people in situations that push them beyond their comfort zone. All the while making the viewer experience it along with them.
If you watch the trailer for this film you will most likely feel the beginnings of a good cry when and elderly gentleman does his version of Coldplay's "Fix You". When you watch this film (and you most definitely should) the tears will start flowing as the director introduces more and more of the characters that make up the Young @Heart chorus group and you begin to realize the context in which this song was song.
