Film Review: Killer's Kiss

Film noir has always eluded me, but Killer's Kiss is one rare exception.  Maybe it's because it's so short, or because the photography is so stylish, or because it has an excellent fight scene at the end.  Drag is pretty minimal, as is the story, but what it lacks, the film makes up for in its visual prowess.  In fact, with only limited dialogue and plot, the film is best seen as a visual experience:  it's a story told with the images, rather than with words or narrative.

I've shown this film off to a few folks, and they all find the plot to be pretty stupid and silly.  I can't deny that there's not a whole lot to it.  It's a very simple story with minimal character development.  It is framed as a flashback story, lending some strength to the narrative. 

What I find most notable, however, is the filming.  The photography is top-notch, with superb camera angles, lighting, and composition.  Editing is solid.  Acting is not too bad, and the writing gets the job done.  This production uses very simple, but also very real-looking, sets, props, and costumes.  Music is appropriate as well.

I find this film to be a quick and easily-accessible dose of quality film noir entertainment.  I recommend it.

4/5 (Entertainment:  Good | Story:  Average | Film:  Perfect)

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Film Review: The Heat

"That was almost cool.  Almost..." - Marlon Wayans

Watching this film's trailer, I certainly wasn't expecting anything deep or groundbreaking, but I was hoping for a riot of a good time.  With the premise of two totally opposite characters - a introverted by-the-books FBI agent, and a crass down-to-Earth cop - colliding with explosive force, it seemed like it'd be a sure thing.

Did the film deliver? Well, sorta.  The characters were definitely the thing that kept me hooked on the film; I did find their chemistry enjoyable.  It drives a lot of the outrageous dialogue and crazy situations that develop.  The problem is, even though I saw comedy on-screen, I didn't really laugh much.  There are plenty of physical gags and plenty of amusing lines, which should have elicited some kind of laugh from me, but it rarely happened.  And as far as action goes, forget about it; aside from some stuff at the end, most of this film is built on the (alleged) comedy and the chemistry of the characters.

The plot is a pretty lightweight affair as well; the actual investigation seems to get pushed aside often by the character development, so there are quite a few scenes that felt like they could have been cut, and quite a few character beats that could have been dropped.  It's also rather formulaic, drawing upon the same buddy-cop formulas that have already come to pass with 48 Hours, Lethal Weapon, and even Showtime.  The best that can be said is that the characters are very colorful.  It's pretty clear from the start that these characters are meant to bond and change in time; I wish such aspects were more subtle and transparent, because such developments feel very contrived here.  But even if the characters are flat and static, they are fun to watch.

This film uses pretty standard photography and editing.  Acting is appropriately over-the-top.  Writing is passable at best; the plot jerks along frequently with exposition, but the actual dialogue is amusing.  This production uses okay-looking sets, props, and costumes.  What few special effects are used are a bit gaudy.  Music choices are a mixed bag; lots of high-energy rock, which I love, and some weird rap and pop, which seemed out of place.

The Heat is not the hot s**t I was hoping for, but it has its moments.

3/5 (Entertainment:  Average | Story:  Average | Film:  Average)

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Film Review: Unbreakable

Strength is one of the resounding themes of superheroes; they protect the innocent lives around them because they are weaker, and it's their responsibility to use their superior strength for the greater good.  Superman, Spiderman, Captain America...they've all learned to use their powers for the good of humanity through various experiences.

Unbreakable is a unique movie that does this very same thing, only without superheroes per se.  It still draws strong parallels between the world of comic books and reality, building on the idea that everybody has varying levels of strength and weaknesses.  Most of this movie is about the main character discovering his strengths, and then figuring out what to do with it.  There's no real action to this, but the film maintains interest because it's laid out as a series of mysteries (first, the mystery of the protagonist's strengths, then the mystery of surrounding events).  The last act provides the most suspenseful and thrilling moments, but the film overall has a dark and emotional tone that makes it compelling throughout.  I almost can't help but to relate to these characters, thanks to all these aspects, and thanks to the quality acting and writing.

The story for this is what's most incredible though.  Even though it takes its time to get anywhere, it's layered on quite cleverly, slowly revealing the ideas and aspects until the fundamental core is exposed.  There is a big reveal at the film's end (customary to M. Night Shyamalan's earlier work, of course), which brilliantly puts the story and characters into a refreshing and smart context.  This is also a story that feels very creditable and realistic, thanks to its delivery.  Above all, the characters are very delicately and thoroughly well-developed.

This film uses very good photography and editing.  Acting is strong:  Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson both deliver very somber and understated performances, which accentuate the mood of the whole film.  Writing is good; M. Night Shyamalan's scripts aren't always gold, but with this film, he manages to find the perfect balance between exposition, characterization, plot-building, and everything else.  This production uses fairly spartan sets, props, and costumes.  The music score is really cool too.

Unbreakable is a smart, moody, powerful thriller.  Recommended!

4.5/5 (Entertainment:  Good | Story:  Perfect | Film:  Very Good)

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Film Review: The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

When it comes to works of fantasy and myth, it takes effort to relay the sense of wonder or whimsey that accompanies such things as magic or otherworldly creatures.  It's always been easy to relay such things through books, poetry, or even reciting it verbally to others.  On film, it's a far bigger challenge, and 1924's The Thief of Bagdad stands as one of the earliest and most ambitious attempts to conceptualize and execute a work of fantasy for the big screen.  It's a big production, with huge sets, a huge crowd of extras, lavish costumes, and convincing special effects.  It all works together to bring to life a fantastic world of flying carpets, magic ropes, mermaids, giant apes, and invading foreign armies, all contained within an exotic Arabian backdrop.

The film is pretty long, and it drags at certain parts (mostly the middle).  However, it does have a lighthearted whimsey to the tone, and in the characters, which keeps it entertaining and fun, even after all these years.

This story is a big and sprawling adventure, but thanks to the way it's told, with simple dialogue and exaggerated acting, it's never convoluted.  It's successful at telling a complicated series of events without losing the audience, and with a cast of decent and lovable characters.  I have no idea how this film compares to its original novel, but it appears to maintain the appropriate tone and all the right elements of a proper Arabian fantasy.

This film uses solid photography and editing.  Acting is very exaggerated and over-the-top, which can be laughable at times, but for a silent film it's quite forgivable.  Writing is simple but effective enough.  This production has huge sets, props, and costumes; a lot of it seems to reflect a more stereotypical view of Arabian and Asian culture, rather than trying to be anything realistic.  Special effects are great though; even after all these years, there are many shots that you can look at and wonder, how did they do that? In spite of that, the imagery is often great.  The music score is great too.

The Thief of Bagdad is not only a seminal classic for fantasy films, it's also one of the biggest and most imaginative silent-era films I've seen.

Recommended!

4.5/5 (Entertainment:  Good | Story:  Very Good | Film:  Very Good)

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Video: 4th of July Fireworks

The other day, everybody in the nation was out celebrating the 4th of July.  The United States is going on 237 years old; what better way to celebrate than to break out the fireworks and watch them fly, explode, and sparkle in all brilliant shapes and colors? 

People were out in my neighborhood, lighting these things on the street, in the parks, and in the yards.  There were fireworks all around, so I  took my camera and tried to capture as many as I could.  It's pretty difficult to get good shots of fireworks; the light is so dark by this time that the camera can't focus that well on all these flashes and sparkles.  Still, I managed to get enough footage for a lengthy clip.  I've assembled it here, for all to enjoy.

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Film Review: The Lone Ranger (2013)

"There come a time, when good man must wear mask." - Johnny Depp 

I am not a fan of westerns, not by a long shot. What few I like are a very specific few, but most strike me as being long, dry, and boring. I certainly never gave a flying rip about The Lone Ranger. Sure, I recognize the references that have permeated in modern pop culture over the decades; we all know of the mask, the horse named Silver, the Indian dude, and the William Tell overture. For whatever reason, I never had an interest in the franchise, until now.

As it stands, 2013's The Lone Ranger is easily one of the most exciting and evenly-entertaining westerns I've seen. It has big action, often venturing into realms of big-scale absurdity that's become commonplace in modern blockbusters. It has comedy; the interplay between the Ranger and Tanto is often amusing, and fills up the spaces between the action really well.  Despite the comedy, the film is also pretty gritty and rough:  there is a fairly high body count in this film, and it often pushes the boundaries of its PG-13 rating.  Overall, it's a long feature, but I was engrossed in it the whole time.

I was equally engrossed in the story. It gets a little wonky, given the unique narrative structure; this is one of those stories that's bookended by a character telling a story, with asides, flashbacks, and flashforwards at key moments.  A few scenes are made a little sloppy this way, and a few pressing questions remain unanswered (how did Tanto get out of jail?). The film also gets predictable at times, and the standard western elements are dispensed liberally throughout. However, I still felt that this was a dense and well-built plot. I'm especially pleased with the characters; they are colorful and fun, but also show enough depth and emotion to make them memorable and relevant.  The standard western themes of justice and civility pop up on occasion.

This film uses some fantastic photography. Editing is okay, but a few scenes seem to be slapped together lazily. Acting is good: I thoroughly enjoyed the performances of Armie Hammer (who does his best to embody the look and mannerisms of the title character), Johnny Depp (who channels the same deadpan lunacy that made Jack Sparrow so fun), and everybody else. Writing is pretty decent. This production has great-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music is generally good, and toward the end, the William Tell overture is utilized liberally.

A lot of viewers and critics don't seem to like this film, but I really don't see that much wrong with it. I feel it does to westerns what Pirates of the Caribbean did to pirate movies; it's an exciting, refreshing piece of tall-tale escapism.  For a western, I am especially pleased.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Good | Film: Very Good)

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Travel: Utah State Route 92 (Alpine Loop)

The state of Utah is practically surrounded by mountains, and many of them offer ample opportunities for hiking, camping, biking, mountaineering, or any number of other outdoors activities.  Since coming to this state, I was informed of something called the Alpine Loop, and I was compelled to drive through it at least once to see what views it has to offer.

The Alpine Loop highlighted in blue.

Getting to the Alpine Loop is easy; you basically follow the Timpanogas Highway straight into the American Fork canyon.  This highway starts around Thanksgiving Point, intersects the I-15, and it runs past the new Adobe building and past the new outlet developments.  As you enter the canyon, there will be a booth to purchase passes for staying in the Uinta National Forest (rates can be found at the national forest's website, but they are also posted near the forest's entrance; it's like $6 for 1 - 3 days).  However, if you want to just drive straight through the loop without stopping or recreating, you can pass through without having to pay.

The road cuts through the canyon for about five miles, before it starts ascending into the mountain.  Along this path, the Timpanogos Cave can be found; it may be closed in the winter and spring, but is open throughout the summer.  I did not stop for the cave this time around, but it was clearly open, and there were a lot of people parked around it.  All along the road, there are also places to pull aside, and quite a few areas to park and have a picnic.  Walking trails in these areas are short and limited.  A few branching roads also lead to campgrounds.

Further up, the road becomes steeper and a lot curvier.  You do have to drive cautiously, for the turns are tight, the road becomes narrower, and you may need to give oncoming traffic some room to pass by.  A few more miles up this road, and there's a parking place with a gorgeous vantage point of Mount Timpanogos and the surrounding landscapes.  This is a good place to stop for a respite, and there are longer hiking paths around this area.  In the spring, this might be as far as you can go; snow can remain in the mountains until June or July, so it's possible that the road will be closed from this point onward (the ranger at the shack at the beginning of the park should let you know).

If you are able to continue, you can continue climbing up the mountain in a long and winding length of road.  At one point, you'll reach the summit trailhead, where you can stop, park, and take one of several hiking paths branching out to different areas.  Some of these paths can be short, just a few miles; others can go on for fourteen miles or so.  These paths are usually marked with corresponding numbers and names, and a plaque will inform you as to whether the paths are suitable for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or whatever.

On this trip, I stopped here and took a path that looped around for a few miles or so.  The path led me through fields of lush green grass with pockets of colorful flowers everywhere.  At times, the path cut through dense groves of aspen trees.  It became strenuous with some steep inclines, which eventually led me to a high vantage point where I could see more of the surrounding mountains.  It wasn't a long hike, but it was hot, tiring, and satisfying.

Returning to the car, I followed the road again.  It continued past the mountains and started to slope downward; I was descending down the other side.  There are more rugged views along the way, with some areas to stop if need be.  There are more campgrounds to be found.  Another ten miles or so, and you'll eventually leave the Uinta National Forest, passing by another booth.  From then on, you'll pass by the Sundance ski resort, and a number of more expensive mountain homes.  Eventually, the road will end at the US-189 East Provo Canyon Road; you'd turn right to travel out of the canyon and drive into either Provo or Orem.  Turning left will lead to the Deer Creek Dam, which I didn't bother visiting this time around (I'm told that there's nothing much to see there, other than to stop for a quick picture or something).

This short adventure only took up a few hours, but it did have some decent scenic views and photo opportunities.  Whether venturing out for a quick drive-through, or setting out on an outdoors adventure, the Alpine Loop is good for a short getaway.

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