Change Your Image
artemis-23
Reviews
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Flashes me back -- every time
OK, it's lean on content and wit, as well as storyline, but if you were in HS between '75 and '77, you will appreciate this flick. I have watched it at least 10 times, and still can't pass it up when it's on the tube. I'm sure it's cult status has everything to do with all of us who actually had a high school experience similar to this and completely respect Linklater for recreating a snippet of our youth.
Linklater's duplication of the time period is right on -- from the clothes, to the cars, the drugs, and the average-joe blue collar environ -- and even though shot in Austin, it could have been MY high school (except our doors were turquoise)and pretty much is representative of my HS experience.
This was one of the first movies to really use a soundtrack in a way that hits a chord realistically with the time period it represents. Makes me want to break out a quart of Miller, slip on some sky-high clogs and bell bottoms and crank up Foghat.
This movie isn't for everyone, and it's not intended to be. It's by a child of the 70's FOR us children of the 70's. We don't care what the rest of you think -- we enjoy the flashback and revel in it.
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (2009)
Hideous? Oh yes.
I'm sorry, but this was the most self-absorbed, void of emotion movie I've every seen. Monologues were WAY too long and had NOTHING to do with the supposed subject and story of the movie. It felt like it was drama written for drama's sake by a Yale lit major. The idea was worthwhile (but didn't deliver any message), and some of the editing was very good and interesting, but it was so jumbled in it's presentation, that I have no idea what I'm supposed to extract from this.
I couldn't wait for it to end and shuffled through the gentlemen going on and on about his father's job and through Krasinski's over-detailed description of the hippie girl's rape. It all felt like psychiatric deflection to me. And our protagonist said NOTHING. This movie wasn't about anyone or anything. I've not read any of the author's books, but somehow I can't believe the book had so little to say.
GasLand (2010)
I'm not an expert, but this was a good film
I learned a lot watching this movie. I guess I thought gas just came out of the ground without much effort -- kind of like farts! But no. Lots of chemicals involved, lots of semi trucks and a true raping of the land with horrific byproducts for the nearby residents to breathe, drink and live (and die) with. Makes me want to get off natural gas altogether. Or at least drastically limit my use.
This was a informative, well done documentary. Not nearly as much overt sarcasm as Michael Moore, lots of information (on the screen, in print people!) and a bit of irony and humor to sweeten the swallowing of such disturbing information. This was an important piece of film. Everyone in America who uses natural gas to heat their home, hot water heater, range or grill should see this.
Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out (2006)
Good, bad and the ugly
This was a total mish-mash for me. There were elements I found very impressive, and others plain awful. Overall, I wouldn't watch it again. Die-hard fans will be happy to see lots of behind-the-scenes and will probably enjoy it for that fact alone.
Here are the GOOD things: 1) Creative and thoughtful editing of what appears to be countless hours of footage. 2) The'derangement' and sound mixing of the songs - the highpoint for me. The vibe was great - felt reflective and a tad melancholy. You could tell it was pieces and parts of the original recordings used in a new way. 3) The music and video editing complement each other very well given that most rock docs feel tossed together by amateurs.
The BAD: 1) The grainy Super-8 and a combination of bad lighting made some parts difficult to see 2) There was not one shred of 'real' in this -- just the blokes messing around having fun.
The UGLY: 1) Stewart may have written the script, but he is absolutely HORRIBLE in narrating it. It completely overshadowed the good 2)The script was pompous, detached and avoided any real insight or emotional details about the rise and fall of this band. Left us knowing little more than we already do. Too much footage of fans, and very few intimate moments with the band. Guess The Police don't want to turn off their fans since they have re-stoked their machine and are milking it once again.