DUMB AND DUMBER TO
Would you think less of me if
I told you I really enjoyed this movie, even more than the first film? It’s certainly filled with more jokes per
minutes and fine tunes Jim Carrey’s and Jeff Daniels Three Stooges/Beavis and
Butthead hybrid schtick down to a beautiful science. Next to SHALLOW HAL, Harry and Lloyd are the
Farrelly Brothers greatest creation.
FILMAGE: THE STORY OF THE DESCENDANTS/ALL
Putting on the music critic's
hat for the moment, I think this enjoyable documentary overstates the
importance of The Descendants, a band I do like (punk with poppy melodies goes
back to The Buzzcocks among others).
That being said, this is a very complete story incorporating The
Descendants and the spin off band All formed when original lead singer Milo Aukerman
went back to school to get his P.Hd as well as various Milo-Descendant reunions. The linking factor being drummer/songwriter
Bill Richardson who was in all the different incarnations. This is not your standard music documentary
about artists who are busy whining about their lives while living in
mansions but rather one of performers out enjoying their music even if they
didn’t make a lot of money. Their spirit
is infectious as is this movie – A good time filled with the usual band highs
and lows and the obligatory ill member story (Richardson dealt with both a
blood clot in his lungs and a brain tumor).
THE SWIMMERS
The twists in this glossy, richly shot Thai
horror film are visible from miles away and it could have easily lost 15 or 20
minutes for a better paced narrative but it is suitably creepy and dark in
places and it is not afraid of making its characters do nasty things. The thing that ran through my head is how
well-suited this story of a triangle of two high school swimmers and the (late)
girlfriend they both were involved with and ghosts and a haunting is for America. It already looked very American in its depiction
of high school horrors.
A HARD DAY
This Korean film is all high
points of suspense and action. What
exposition is offered is done quickly in between moments of drama which come
fast and furious. In the end, despite
the fact that this film is both well-made and a thrilling rollercoaster ride of
the first degree, it didn’t make a big impression. Could have explained the events more clearly
especially what’s up with the main character.
BEFORE I DISAPPEAR
Mix humorless hipster
oversensitivity with fawning references to Martin Scorcese, throw in one precocious
girl for sentimental and humorous purposes and you have this – A movie with the
vibe of a film school thesis. I was
impressed with a few of the hallucinatory visual sequences from the suicidal protagonist’s
mind and the precocious niece part was well acted by Fatima Ptacek but overall it
couldn’t decide what it wanted to be and the end result was a mess.
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