STRANGE SPANNERS being an accounting of strangeness of the warp and woof of my mind For those of you new here, think of this as 1/2 "Night Gallery" Our Motto: Nos somnium quisnam es futurus fatum quod insolitus tutus vos!
Showing posts with label asian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label asian. Show all posts
Monday, July 12, 2010
Legend of the Tsunami Warrior
"Legend of the Tsunami Warrior" is just Thai craziness. It's not super Tony Jaa Thai craziness, but since Mr. Jaa has shaved his head and is now a monk, it will have to do. This is the story of a kingdom beseiged by other kingdoms who are using pirates, assassins, traitors, super cannons, and black magicians to take over. Our heroes who stand in the way are an intrepid inventor, a masked man who kicks butt, and a magical zen aquaman who is learning how to speak with the fishes. Sometimes it doesn't make as much sense as it could but by Lordie the action never stops. Also, it has to be said the underwater special effects are not bad at all! Certainly worth watching!!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sad sad story
"Born Into Brothels" when an acedemy award for best documentary. It deserves so not just for its subject matter, but in how it walks the finest of lines between reporting, sentiment, and exploitation.
Exploitation is of course the main spring the winds up the world of brothels. Someone is using someone. The children shown here aren't quite there yet, they are more the innocent bystanders to a car crash that began the day they were born and just won't end. Living in such a world they know no other except in the same way they might know a fairy tale. Oddly, I think this ignorance in a way saves them. They are still children and sometimes they even smile.
It is the type of smile that only break the hearts of adults who know better.
The good news during the movie is that the photographer who is spending time with the kids hands them cameras and encourages them to take pictures. So begins an unlikely true journey as the pictures they take of their lives has a chance to take them out of their life. But will it?
Definitely worth a watch but better have a hankie handy.
Exploitation is of course the main spring the winds up the world of brothels. Someone is using someone. The children shown here aren't quite there yet, they are more the innocent bystanders to a car crash that began the day they were born and just won't end. Living in such a world they know no other except in the same way they might know a fairy tale. Oddly, I think this ignorance in a way saves them. They are still children and sometimes they even smile.
It is the type of smile that only break the hearts of adults who know better.
The good news during the movie is that the photographer who is spending time with the kids hands them cameras and encourages them to take pictures. So begins an unlikely true journey as the pictures they take of their lives has a chance to take them out of their life. But will it?
Definitely worth a watch but better have a hankie handy.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll 8
Horror films have always had a sweet spot for anthologies that other genres simple do not. One would be hard pressed to find for example a Western anthology. As to why, I think it is simply that horror works best on a visceral level with as little information as possible. That is you are more likely to jump if someone popped out of the bushes behind you yelling "BOO" than if you were to observe said prankster walk slowly up to you and then say "BOO."
So now we have Shake, Rattle, and Roll part 8. Never heard of the other seven parts? Not suprised since this series is a filipino creation. I've enjoyed films from Asia but I admit this is an area where I'm not as well versed. One thing I noticed is the switch from English to Pinoy at the drop of a hat. It's almost as if these two languages have merged to form an uber language. I also note there is a definite weird classism going on. It's like a 200 year drop from the city to the country. Real time warp stuff that subtly effects everything.
As to the stories themselves, they are as always a mixed bag. The first story is called "The 13th floor" and it is about a bunch of young people throwing a party for a little girl and her friends. Her friends being dead kids. Pity the magician trying to warm that audience. It was ok, until you engage brain and then it didn't make any sense whatsoever. The ghosts were scary when they shouldn't have been. The key motivation of the story is just not carried by the actors and the whole thing is just a mess.
The second is both better and more focused. "The Nanny" is about a small boy who thinks his nanny has bad intentions for his little baby sister. The nanny is a Filipino version of a vampire and has a very long tongue among other strangeness. It's a straight forward tale of no one will believe the boy so he must do what he can to fight off the wicked nanny.
The final story LTR is a perfect anthology story. There's no back story, no reason for given for horrible mutant beastie. Just a bunch of people on a train stranded in a mysterious depot as weird freaky spiny mutant thing hunts them down. It's well photographed and it does convey the horror of the situation well. Nothing new, but it was well done.
So overall, I'm curious enough to look at the other shake, rattle, and roll films if I have the time. They could definitely use the Filipino version of Rod Sterling.
So now we have Shake, Rattle, and Roll part 8. Never heard of the other seven parts? Not suprised since this series is a filipino creation. I've enjoyed films from Asia but I admit this is an area where I'm not as well versed. One thing I noticed is the switch from English to Pinoy at the drop of a hat. It's almost as if these two languages have merged to form an uber language. I also note there is a definite weird classism going on. It's like a 200 year drop from the city to the country. Real time warp stuff that subtly effects everything.
As to the stories themselves, they are as always a mixed bag. The first story is called "The 13th floor" and it is about a bunch of young people throwing a party for a little girl and her friends. Her friends being dead kids. Pity the magician trying to warm that audience. It was ok, until you engage brain and then it didn't make any sense whatsoever. The ghosts were scary when they shouldn't have been. The key motivation of the story is just not carried by the actors and the whole thing is just a mess.
The second is both better and more focused. "The Nanny" is about a small boy who thinks his nanny has bad intentions for his little baby sister. The nanny is a Filipino version of a vampire and has a very long tongue among other strangeness. It's a straight forward tale of no one will believe the boy so he must do what he can to fight off the wicked nanny.
The final story LTR is a perfect anthology story. There's no back story, no reason for given for horrible mutant beastie. Just a bunch of people on a train stranded in a mysterious depot as weird freaky spiny mutant thing hunts them down. It's well photographed and it does convey the horror of the situation well. Nothing new, but it was well done.
So overall, I'm curious enough to look at the other shake, rattle, and roll films if I have the time. They could definitely use the Filipino version of Rod Sterling.
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