Red Cliff - Part One: The Review

Red Cliffs - Part One
The Review

Readers of this website and of Wisdom of the Sages can recall my fervor for Luo Gaunzhong’s "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". What they probably do not know is how my interest in the 1300 year old novel actually stemmed from the first bits of news on this particular film.
Some time back I had heard of this film through one of the various movie news web sites, that John Woo was returning to his "Asian" roots of film making. Regular readers of WOS have followed my reading of the source book of this film, commonly called "Three Kingdoms". Readers have followed my journey through four different sets of translations and versions of the book that they know my passion for the subject.

They also know that I am an unabashed John Woo fan. I love "The Killer", "Hard-Boiled", "A Better Tomorrw", heck I even love his US works "Broken Arrow", "Face/Off", hell even "MI:II". So, when it was announced, years ago that Woo returning to his "Asian roots" to direct an epic based on this monumental novel, AND re-team him with Chow Yun-Fat, the World’s Greatest Actor, I was on board immediately.

Then, I read on-line about the myriad of problems and casting setbacks this film faced. Chow Yu-Fat dropped out of playing Zhou Yu days before filming, only to have the role filled by Tony Lieung who dropped out months before from the role of Zhuge Liang Kongming (My favorite character.). I read as the date of the opening was pushed back and that the search for a US Distributor came to naught. (Come on US!)

Then, in July of 2008, Red Cliffs opened huge in China, becoming the largest opening for a homeland movie in their box office history. In September of 2008 the Asian DVD was release and made for sale worldwide. I eagerly picked up a version from Ebay. I was fucking amazed!

Takeshi Kaneshiro (House of Flying Daggers/Warlords) steps ably into the role of Kongming. Tony Lieung fits the role of Zhou Yu admirably. The battles are spectacular, bloody affairs keeping in the Woo Style. The relationships between the male leads, brotherhood by circumstance, another Woo motif is also there. The strategy of battle and the tale of the three Oath Brothers are what make this a truly magnificent film.

For those who have not read the book nor are familiar with the history are bound to be lost but if you allow yourself to be caught up in thrill of the battles and action and the craft of te acting, you should enjoy Red Cliff. Part Two is to open in January and then a single combined release in the US is to follow. But finding this Asian Import DVD was a great thing and I would not have missed out on this, the best film John Woo has made thus far.

Highly Recommended.

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight
A Review by Ernest M. Whiteman III

The Pledge:
"You know, war paint. To scare people."

"I believe that what ever doesn’t kill you, simply makes you... stranger."

"Him, again."

"Ta-Da! It’s gone!"

"I know what you’re afraid of"

"Everybody knows, you’re Gotham’s White Knight."

"I hear they have another name for me at MCU."

"Die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

"Starting tonight, people WILL die!"

"I knew the mob wouldn’t go down without a fight, but this is different."

"You know that day you told me about, when Gotham no longer needed Batman? It’s coming."

"He locked up half the criminals in Gotham and he did it without a mask."

"You can be the symbol of hope I can never be."

The Turn:
"We got you, you son of a bitch."

"Doesn’t it depress you, Commissioner, to know how alone you really are?"

"Stop trying to talk like you’re one of them, ‘cause you’re not."

"You’ve changed things, forever."

"Kill you? What would I do without you? You, complete me."

"They’ll drop you. At the first sign of trouble."

"You have nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength!"

" ...so you're gonna have to play my little game if you want to save one of them."

"Tonight you’re going to break your one rule!"

"I just want my phone call."

"I do have an answer for you and it’s ‘Yes’."

"No! Not me!"

"He wanted me to put him MCU."

"Remember that name they used to call me while I was at Internal Affairs?"

"Say it.... SAY IT!"

"Hi."

The Prestige:
"This city deserves a better class of criminal. And I’m going to give it to them."

"I let that psychopathic madman blow him half to Hell."

"That man in Burma, did you catch him?" "Yes." "How?" "We burned the forest down."

"Introduce a little chaos..."

"You know the thing about chaos? It’s fair."

"Tonight, you are all going to be part of a ‘social experiment’."

"You just couldn’t let me go could you?"

"I think you and I are destined to do this forever."

"You really didn’t think I’d lose the battle for the soul of Gotham City in a fistfight with you? You have to have an ace in the hole."

"You thought we could be decent men, in an indecent time!"

"Because you are the best of us."

"Then why am I the only one who lost the most?"

"You’re not."

"It’s not about what I want. It’s about what’s fair!"

"Lie, like I had to lie."

"Die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I can do that."

"I’m what ever Gotham needs me to be."

"They’ll hunt you." "You"ll hunt me. You’ll condemn me. Set the dogs on me. Because that’s what needs to happen."

"Why is Batman running?" "Because we have to chase him."

"Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now...and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector...a dark knight."

I have just seen the best picture of 2008. And it is The Dark Knight.
Highest recommendation.

Indiana Jones and the Be-All-End-All of Nostalgic Childhood Cinema

Indiana Jones and the Be All End All of Nostalgic Childhood Cinema
A Review by Ernest M. Whiteman III

There has never been a bad Indiana Jones Movie.

Now, you may contend that statement. Thankfully, for me the trend, like the Adventure, continues with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the fourth movie of the series. (Or maybe I’m getting too cute in my phrasing.)

Now, I will try to leave nostalgia out of this review and talk about it in the present context. Most people now filter their movie-going experience through a lens of childhood nostalgia. Honestly, nothing will ever match the experience you had watching an epic movie as a child. For one, you are a completely different person now that you were as a child. You have gone through life’s experience and the expectancy and awe and wonder in which you viewed life as a child is changed to pragmatism and urgency, urgency as you now realize there are more years behind you that in front of you. Secondly, every movie you viewed as a child was EPIC, even the bad ones. Today, movies are not events so much as just another thing to do.

Hopefully, I will let go of that bias and review the movie as a movie rather than some nostalgic, childhood-recapturing event. In Crystal Skull the film makers wisely play to Harrison Ford’s real age and move the setting from pre-WWII Thirties to post-WWII Fifties, and it works. Indiana Jones has had many adventures in the meantime. This time the agents of the USSR force Indy to seek out a legendary Crystal Skull which would give the bearer unlimited power. Sound familiar? Yep, Crystal Skull becomes yet another race against the armies of darkness.

But as with other Indy Jones movies, the journey leads to a bigger personal discovery for Jones. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, it was that Marion could be the one and that belief in something can save you. In Temple of Doom, the search led to the idea that the greater good is more important that Fortune and Glory. The Last Crusade that the search for the Grail can lead to finding yourself, your family, and again, that simple belief in something can not only save your life, but that of your gut-shot dad. This new journey finds that time is not kind to an Obtainer of Rare Antiquity. But as Indy loses family, he gains family. No spoiler there.

The Good
What I enjoyed most about it was that it never once tried to re-hash past movies. It tried something new with the old formula. The passage of time and its effects on Indy. Just the fact that Indiana Jones was on the screen again in another, different adventure. I liked that they set it in the Fifties rather than trying to keep in the Thirties.

Plus, for some reason, I found Cate Blancett very sexy in this movie. Had to be the Bettie Page bangs. (Yum.)

The Not SO Good
Okay, let’s get down to it: the only one slacking here was John Williams. He was the one who actually tried to rehash past movies. Okay, we get it. The giant rubber snake and the swinging with the monkeys seemed a touch too jokey. That was one of the problems I had with "The Last Crusade", it was too purposely jokey. (Plus, I hated they turned Denholm Elliot’s character Marcus Brody into a dullard.) And there seemed to me to be too many characters. I am sorry they didn’t give Marion more to do, but I love that smile!

The Coolest
The shot of Indiana Jones running along the tops of the warehouse crates, snapping his whip at a hanging light and swing off all in a dead run, still amazes me. I did like the Sci-Fi direction they went in. The cool, iconic shot of Indiana Jones walking beneath a mushroom cloud. Not even an atomic bomb can take out Indiana Jones! Plus, it was cool to hear Elvis in an Indiana Jones movie.

Shia
I liked the character and who he turned out to be. It made sense. People, especially fan boys, have a real problem when their favorite characters suddenly have lives beyond entertaining us with their adventures. The fact that an IMAGINARY CHARACTER can be written to have moved on and HAVE CHILDREN seems to rankle us fan boys and we react like jealous lovers. Superman is a great example of this. It is an interesting turn when Superman discovers he has a child, (in Superman Returns) that the world has changed for him and that adds complexity and dimension to a 70-year-old character. And it was never done before, not even in the comics.

The same can be said for Indiana Jones and his son. (NO SPOILER THERE) What will the world be like with their offspring are in the world? How does that change their lives, their adventures, the dangers? It is all interesting and complex but we sit at our keyboards and complain in our anonymity like spurned boyfriends. (I think that the added sting for fan boys is that even imaginary characters are having more sex than us!)

Plus, people have this unexplainable hatred for people like Shia LeBeouf and M. Night. Could it be that because success seems to have happened pretty easily for them and they are making the movie we wish we could make that makes us hate them so? I don’t know. Why drag M. Night into this? I don't know. But, Shia didn’t bother me. (What bothers me about Shia is that he was drunk and driving and he wrecks, and it’s still not his fault? That is simply Cheney-esque.)

I enjoyed Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as much as I enjoyed the other two Indiana Jones sequels. Raiders is lightening in a bottle and cannot be re-captured. Let it go fan boys. I liked the Area 51 and alien storyline too. It didn’t bother me as it did some. I think it’s a generational thing. My two step-daughters were perfectly fine with the alien story. Besides, for so long the fan community wanted Indy to take on Area 51 and aliens, but when he does, why do they complain? I do hope they do another trilogy with the older and wiser Indy. The final line of the new trilogy, just before he rides off into the sunset, again, could be, "The name’s Henry Jones, Junior!"

I did not go into Crystal Skull trying to recapture a childhood experience. Why? Because I’ve grown, THE FUCK, up! (Hopefully) I was just happy to see one of my favorite heroes back on the big screen again. To see that Indiana Jones can still be relevant is truly special in these times. And we, like Indiana Jones, need to quit thinking about how life takes away and be appreciative for what life gives us. Like new adventures with our favorite heroes....

High recommendation.

Scads O' Movie Reviews

Wisdom of the Sages
Scads O’ Movie Reviews

The Brave One/ Nim’s Island
I don’t care what is written or proven about her sexuality. I have always had a crush on Jodie Foster. I remember seeing "Echoes of a Summer" on TV when I was a kid and found that I really liked that girl. (Yep, a romantic, even in Kindergarten.) But I must admit that is the bias in which I enjoyed both "The Brave One" and "Nim’s Island", though I did not get to see the entirety of "Nim’s Island".

"The Brave One" is a retread of "Death Wish" with Foster in the Bronson role as ravaged avenger. I enjoyed it very much. Foster is pretty good as an assault survivor traumatized into violent actions. Terrence Howard is especially good as the detective on her trail. While not exactly a cat-and-mouse film, it is interesting enough to keep my interest all the way to its contrived ending. Still enjoyable.

"Nim’s Island" is Foster’s first foray into family films since her Disney days. (Yep, the Original Freaky Friday was her.) This time she plays an agoraphobic Adventure writer who is in contact with little Nim, who has lost her father while they live on an isolated island. While Nim sort of exaggerate her circumstance, it leads the writer to come out of her shell and venture to save her. Their shared connection culminates in their meeting filled with ruined expectations and unexpected needs fulfilled. Neat little movie.

Plus, it was just neat to see Foster on the big screen.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford/ 3:10 to Yuma/The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance/Seraphim Falls
"Jesse James, et. al...." Fantastic cinematography is at the forefront of this retelling of the Jesse James Myth. It also helps to have solid performances from Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell (Who does not do a jittery dance) and Sam Shepard. But the movie "Stars" Casey Affleck as the star struck Robert Ford. It is a stunning and deeply complex performance into why of the assassination. It played out more like a gangster movie than a character-driven western, but Affleck’s great performance is worth the trip into this very good western.

"3:10 To Yuma" stars Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, a dream casting for any lady. Bale is a Civil War vet turned failing farmer who, after seeing Crowe’s failed coach robbery, enlists in the posse to escort outlaw Crowe to meet the 3:10 train to Yuma and prison. Bale hopes to collect the reward money to save his land and change how his own son views him and how he views him self. Along the way, Crowe’s gang hunts down the posse in the hopes of rescuing him. Crowe’s likeable criminal adds to the dangers of the journey. But I cannot buy that someone as lumpy as Crowe could sneak up on Apache Indians. It can’t be done. Sorry.

Still a good western with some good character studies. People need to quit casting Peter Fonda to play Peter Fonda, though. The finale and resolution are surprising and action-packed. I recommend.

"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" Saw this at the Gene Siskel Center. Don't you hate it when the too-cool, re-sale shop wannabes snicker during the old movie like they know what is good and cool in films? I just want to watch the movie. Jonathan Rosenbaum can quit showing off how much he knows.

Irregardless, it still one of the best old western movies out there and John Wayne does have a presence that is indefinable. You cannot dislike him for his rugged, manliness because there is something good and decent about him. And this coming from a Northern Arapaho.

"Seraphim Falls" went on an hour too long, which is sad because it is an hour and forty-five minutes long. (Felt longer) Starring Laim Neeson and Pierce Brosnan as two Civil War vets. Neeson is chasing Brosnan for some unfathomable reason. But once we get to their confrontation and ultimate reveal of the why, it suddenly delves into the wackiness of the "Post-Mod" western that made stuff like "Deadman" and "Silent Tongue" artistic failures.

When Wes Studi shows up for no other reason than to have a Native actor in it, and, when you got Angelica Huston playing Satan, you kind of pushed it too far. All that was missing was Tom Waites sitting in the desert playing a ruined piano under a cloth less umbrella. (Or maybe I missed that part.) Watch for the chase, but nothing else.

Gone Baby Gone/Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead/Michael Clayton
Another reason to hate Ben Affleck? He’s a damn good director! In "Gone Baby Gone", the Younger Affleck plays a private detective Patrick Kenzie searching for a missing girl in the tough Boston neighborhood in which he and his partner/girlfriend grew up. As they get closer to solving the case they come face to face with a tough, moral decision that could turn their life together upside down. A good movie under solid direction. I recommend.

"Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead" depicts two very desperate brothers concocting a robbery of a jewelry store. What follows happens after the botched attempt. Told in flashback from differing perspective, this offers a round of strong performances, most notable, Ethan Hawke playing a divorced loser with such desperation and tenderness, it was heartbreaking to see the tragedy unfold. Recommended. (Yes, I am fully aware of Marisa Tomei’s nudity. I mean, how could you miss it?)

"Michael Clayton" boasts strong performances in a tale about deep corruption. Goerge Clooney offers another in a series of strong performances as the title character, a legal "cleaner" working for a large law firm. When one of the top lawyers goes crazy, it is his job to get the man on the right track and back on the case. The late Sydney Pollack is good as the head of the law firm, but, Tilda Swinton, I felt, was not in it long enough to warrant her award, though, she is good. But who steals the show is Tom Wilkinson, as the crazed-in-love lawyer Auther Edens. When his antics threatens the outcome of a major case, Michael Clayton is sent in to clean it up. Wilkinson’s confrontation in an alley as he takes apart Clayton’s mental distress argument should have been his Oscar clip, and what should have won him the Supporting Actor award. Recommend strongly for that scene alone.

Maria Tallchief/Juno/Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Attended a special screening of "Maria Tallchief" at the Siskel Center. Neat little documentary that delve a bit too much into the Osage "Reign of Terror" which is way too interesting to not follow up on. But to see her rise in the just-forming American ballet scene is quite remarkable. Director Sandy Osawa did a remarkable job in covering her career and recovering lost dance footage, even though I thought she could have cut down on the dance sequences. But I know that dance fans will demand more. Nice movie.

"Juno" started off way too dialogue-cute. I almost tuned out. (Nobody talks like that. Only chacaters in a wacky, post-mod, teen comedy.) But it soon won me over with the strong performances of Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons who play Juno’s parents. When Juno MacGuff gets pregnant by her classmate, she opts to put up the child for adoption, along the way she realizes that she has the love of a good man. Too bad it took her getting pregnant to figure that out. Recommend.

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is way too funny to comment on. After breaking up with his famous TV Star girlfriend Sarah Marshall, songwriter/composer Peter Bretter travels to Hawaii to try and put her behind him, only to find that she is there with her current Brit Rock Star boyfriend. Wackiness ensues. Russell Brand as Aldous Snow is great and a deeper character than at first presented. Definitely not for the kids, but it has a heart and soul about it that I was charmed by. Though I am getting a bit tired of Jonah Hill’s shtick. Very funny still, though, I highly recommend.

Summer Palace/Play Time
Saw "Summmer Palace" at Siskel Center. Neat drama but man, all they did was screw. I mean sex, sex, sex, all the time. Which should have been no problem for me, but at one point when the two main characters started mashing again, even I was thinking, "Oh come on!".

"Summer Palace" is the story of a country girl attending college in the city and the life and loves she experiences amidst the political turmoil of Chinese youth demanding democracy. Her life becomes as mixed up as the protests escalate. The Tiananmen Square portion was scary. Having falling in love with a fellow student, his story becomes the central focus after the Tiananmen Square protest. I felt that this was going off course as the girl is never shown at all during the last 45 minutes or so, until the end, even though she serves at the voice-over narrator.

Once again, it is a film delves in justifying the male psyche and letting him off the hook while the female lead falls apart and into old habits at the film’s end. While it should have exposed this as a hypocrisy, it fails to. Instead, picking on the female lead as weak, seems typical. I recommend if you’re into that, and scads of sex scenes.

Again, saw "Play Time" at the Siskel Center. It was not what I expected. I never saw a Tati movie before. (Or maybe I had, but cannot remember.) I was expecting something bleak and drab, from the description the Siskel Center gave it. But it is colorful, fun, and very cool, in that 60's French vibe way. There are no subtitles but you can understand all that is going on, as Tati’s Mr. Hulot makes his way through a fabricated city. Highly recommend.

Iron Man/Prince Caspian
While I did like "Iron Man" very much and enjoyed the action, I did not feel it to be the be all end all of comic books movies that many take it for. While, Robert Downey Jr. was the correct actor to play loose, boozy Billionaire Tony Stark, it let me thinking it did not take enough chances or take the character into interesting directions. Stark becomes a hero only after he finds he's to blame for a lot of misery in the world. And how does he react? He builds another weaopon to cause more destruction. Weird. After being capture by Middle Eastern terrorists and forced to construct his latest destructive missile for them, Tony has a change of heart. Realizing you're to blame for all of the evil terrorist’s fire power can do that. So, he builds another destructive weapon: an armed suit of armor to escape by destroying everything in his path.

He then returns to the world and decides he will no longer build weapons. But, his evil partner/mentor has other plans, namely Stark's, and builds another, more destructive suit while pulling a Lex Luthor and going bat-shit insane for the final showdown. I did enjoy the movie. Really. Sounds like I didn’t. But Downey’s performance, as well as Paltrow looking better than she ever has in other movies (According to Cuba), made the ride enjoyable. Was ticked off about the Nick Fury cameo. Or I should say, the SAMUEL L. JACKSON cameo.

Enjoyable for the playful robots and Robert Downey, but putting a stop to the destruction to avoid blame kind of wore heavily upon my viewing.

"Prince Caspian" is the second movie based on the second novel from CS Lewis’ "The Chronicle of Naria" series. Here, the Pevensie Children, having to live life as children again after having lived as adults, return to Narnia to aid Price Caspian return to the throne. Some 1300 years have past and Narnia is indeed a darker place as the ads admitted. The children fight amongst themselves in how to best aid Caspian.

Peter, who wishes to have remained an adult, butts heads with Caspian, while Susan begins to feel the first pangs of attraction, possibly for the first time in her life. Edmound, the betrayer in the first story, has grown to be wiser and the voice of reason. He gets a great moment when Caspian and Peter are tempted to bring the White Witch (Tilda Swinton) back to aid their cause. But it is young Lucy, who keeps the faith and learns to overcome hear fears of the unknown world to reach Alsan.

The battles are bigger and the Telmaranes are lethal and the second part of the series raises the stakes for the rest. The series is getting better in my opinion. My favorite character indeed got his great entry and was brought to life with the voice of Eddie Izzard, Reepicheep the Mouse Warrior. Cool Beans as the kids say. (Or maybe they don’t) Recommend if you liked the first movie. Not, if you would rather read the books.

Music Box’s Sci Fi Spectacular
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Still the best Star Trek movie, in my opinion. There is some good acting by Shat and crew, with reflections on aging better than Star Trek: Generations ever could muster. (And I like Generations) Which is which sets Kirk apart from Picard. You see, Picard never faced obsolescence as Kirk did. There was never any doubt that Picard would continue being the Captain of the Enterprise or still active in some way. Kirk had to deal with retirement and old age. To set the Next Generation in a future where age no longer matters, takes some drama out of the sails in regards to the life expectancy of a starship captain. And this is why this movie stands up after time. Plus, you get Khan matching Kirk for hamminess, hit for hit, which continues to rock to this day. "And it is very cold ...in spaaaaaayce."

Death Race 2000
Better than I remember. A funny satiric look at the bloodlust of American Sports viewing.

The Road Warrior
The best of the trilogy still stands. While Mad Max was a more personal story for Max, this is the "For a Few Dollars More" of the trilogy. Too bad they missed the opportunity for a "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" with "Beyond Thunderdome".

The story, the action, and especially the stunts still hold up these years later. Too bad Gibson made his prejudiced rant and ruined his chances for a "Rocky Balboa"-like revivial for quite possibly his most beloved role. Recommended.

COMING SOON: Indiana Jones and Be All End All of Cinematic History

Photo Edition - April 2008

Hello People of the World!

Welcome to a test run of the photographic depiction of your favorite now-blog webpage. I think I have done photo pages before for WOS, haven't I? Well, if you like this, please make commentary, say so, and let me know what you think. If successful, I may branch it off into it's own page.

:[ First item: Check out how all the workers not doing anything, suddenly suck it in when the Sexy Sanwich Girl shows up:

:[ You know why grown, full-sized adult people disappear off the face of the earth? If there is one way of luring people into your white, eco-dome of commercialism, it's by giving people a free sample of your crap so your get them where you want them and able to preach at them about the great qualities of the crap they should buy from you instead:

:[ I noticed these stickers after they were mentioned in the Red Eye paper. Neat. I am sorry that CTA has no sense of humor, with service like theirs, you would think they do:

:[ You see? This is what I'm talking about. A man sooo important and busy that he is forced, FORCED, to text on the road. I don't know if you can see it, but there is a guy with a gun forcing him to e-mail while driving at the same time. Poor corporate hack:

:[ Man, is this necessary? I mean, you want answers to why life has no answers and you find this:

...AND at 30% off! I mean, how much more cruel can life get?




:[ Finally, I'll let you caption this one for yourself:

Until next time; "I. Drink. Your. MILKSHAKE!"

There Will Be Review

A review of "There Will Be Blood"
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis
Reviewed by Ernest M. Whiteman III

Plainly stated, this movie was robbed for the Best Picture Award. Of all the great dramas of 2007, this epic loosely based on Upton Sinclair’s "Oil!" stood head and shoulders above the rest, in scope, vision, script and most-definitely, acting.

"There Will Be Blood" is the story of Oil Tycoon Daniel Plianview’s rise in the industry. As Plainview, Day-Lewis commands your attention from the very start. His characterization had me as a viewer expecting the worst to happen, while inwardly cheering him on. Such is the magic of Day-Lewis’ performance.

Plainview arrives in a small California hamlet with his adopted son, H.W. to buy land for drilling. What plays out is a contest of wills between Plainview and the local pastor Eli Sunday, played superbly by Paul Dano.

Now, Day-Lewis does not drown out or overshadow the movie, yet he is the driving force of the story. He is supported by very capable and good actors and good acting; notably, Dillon Freasier as HW, Plainview’s "son" whom comes into his care after a rig accident, and the abovementioned Dano.

Anderson opens with Palinview working his mine, alone, to show us the type of person he is; driven, hard working, singular, and how these traits carry through the film. It is a powerful, and sometimes, moving portrayal, and wholly fascinating; much deserving of its many awards.

Why are we attracted to such characters? Think Deadwood’s Al Swearengen, think Hannibal Lecter, men acting outside of society’s norm, acting out extremis. I was indeed hoping for Plainview to triumph, but at the same time I was repulsed by his actions. It made me think of the cost to those around him. That is the power of Day-Lewis’ performance. While it can be safely said that, that alone is worth the price of admission, in the case of "There Will Be Blood", you get so much more than you expect, much like an exploding oil rig.

-o-

And while we’re on the subject, let’s talk about the ending of this and the Cohen’s "No Country For Old Men". Most audiences disliked the ending of both these films. Today’s audiences are so used to big climactic ending, like Lord of the Rings, or the "shocking twist ending" that many movies have been unsuccessfully trying to emulate since "The Sixth Sense", "The Usual Suspects" and "Titanic".

For "No Country," people wanted the showdown, the bloody shoot out. While many recognized that the ending was in line with McComac’s novel, all put forth their own reasoned needs to see a bloody shootout. The Cohen’s know this, I think. They know that the audience would clamor for violence. That is simply the state of the world we live in, and to which Tommy Lee Jones’ Sheriff "wakes" to. The Cohen want us to clamor for it because they know we will want it, but the also want us to question why we want it, even though it is not true to the novel, the canon that many movie goers hold sacred. We should question that need to see violence to be satisfied with the movie. We are desensitized to it. We denounce it, yet we all yearn to see violence play out. (Iraq?)

"There Will Be Blood" simply ends, after one of the characters get his comeuppance, bloody violently. It is a violent and bloody ending, yet, still, we disliked the ending because it was too pat. We like to think we want complications, but we only wish for gore and violence. Would Plainview cutting throats of every rival ala "The Godfather" been more satisfying? I cannot say, because that is not the ending of Plainview; it is however, only the end of the movie, with Plainview simply stating, "I’m through."

Both films are considered slices of life. There is no pat ending for Jones’ Sheriff nor for Day-Lewis’ Plainview, they will continue to exist in their worlds long after the last shot fades or cuts to black. There is no shattering climax for either because the world we live in offers none. Their lives within the movies will go on, much like ours in reality, living among the violence of our continuing world...

-o-

"There Will Be Blood" is the best picture of 2007, in my book. When it is released on DVD or the like, I implore you to see and experience it for your self.

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.

D-Wars, D-Review!

D-Wars: D-Review!

My (at-the-time) eight-year-old loved this movie. And I love her.

But I really did not like this movie. Ah, the trials of parenthood.

The movie, a Korean import, revolves around a centuries-old myth about good and evil dragons. Or pre-dragon lizards. Or "proto-dragons" if you will, or just really big snakes. Somehow, a Korean warrior, 500 years ago, failed to protect a beautiful, tattooed woman from "merging" with the good lizard thus ensuring peace for forever; opting instead to run away with her having fallen in love with her. This is told in flashback style to a much better but no-less confusing movie.

In the present frame, we have once-great Robert Forrester as the reincarnated Korean Sage, flailing his hands and speaking to everyone in that tone adults get when addressing a second-grader with ADD. He spends most of the movie stalking the reincarnated Korean Warrior who is re-born as boring Anglo who looks like that "trendspotting" Guy from the Daily Show. But not funny. When he appeared on screen my first instinct was to sing, "trends".

He discovers that he must now re-protect the reincarnated tattooed woman, reborn as a ditzy, boring blond. But not funny. Why the Fates would rest the survival of the planet on the shoulders of a guy, whom, so elegantly screwed it up the first time around, and give him another chance to screw it up again is beyond me. But, hey, that’s the Fates for you. Never trust them!

Now the bad guy is a Vader rip off; a European-y Club DJ looking Cat in a black leather trench coat and laryngitis, who has the bad habit of standing in front of moving cars. A lot. Although he leads a horde of armed, armored minions, he still cannot catch the Boring Couple, despite the assistance of a million flying mini-dragons, armored tanks, a gigantic f^cking lizard, and the fact that the Boring Couple, indeed the rest of society goes on with its day despite the presence of a huge f^cking lizard destroying downtown.

"Reports of a huge, f^cking lizard destroying downtown? I’m still going to stop in and get on my laptop at the coffeeshop!"

The huge, f^cking lizard was pretty useless too. It wrecked half the town in search of the Boring Girl, homing in with laser-precision with some sort of mental connection thingee-deal. Yet, whenever it had her cornered, say in a hospital room or, ON TOP OF A F^CKING BUILDING(!), it would slither and corner her at the speed of light, yet, upon reaching her, instead of, you know, maybe killing her, it would rear back and scream (Beowulf Style) as if to say "Whoa Mama, I’m gonna enjoy this!"

The Boring couple would just simply get in the car and drive off. The huge, f^cking lizard, who found her in nano-seconds, suddenly unable to keep up with a K-car. And the people in the streets who ignored all the warnings of a huge, f^cking lizard destroying the city, scream and run for their lives, their latte time ruined.

Now, there was a cool aerial battle between the millions of flying mini-dragons and Apaches. (The helicopters not the Indians. Though that would have been cool too. But it would be over too quick as the Apaches would wipe them like an- Off topic.) It contained the most realistic radio-chatter I have heard in a movie. Too bad it was completely wasted in this film and used as padding.

Another cool thing was at the end when (don’t care if I spoil it) the Boring Girls finally merges with the good, huge, f^ucking lizard, which waits until the last possible moment to show up. Why? The resultant dragon is very cool and Asian in appearance. (See image at top.) Too bad it was wasted in this film.

And can someone please tell me why the Indestructible Bad Guy always, always brings along the one person who could possible stop them on their final World Dominating scheme? He ties Dimitri Martin, to a post RIGHT NEXT TO the alter where he is going to kill the Boring Girl! Who thought up that plan? Would it have made more sense for Goldfinger to simply drop Bond from a plane, sans parachute over the Alps or something instead of dragging him to the site of his plan’s fruition? Come on.

Anyways, Dimitri gets loose and gets pounded on by Euro-DJ Guy for a while before Euro-DJ Guy inadvertently kills him self. No crap. This paves the way for the Good Lizard to apprear for some reason and the cool dragon fights the evil lizard. Spoiler: good wins.

All U.S. actors were spliced in in a fashion that would make the post-death of Bruce Lee Producers of "Game of Death" proud. Now, slumming it with Forrester were Elizabeth Pena and Geoffrey Pierson. (Of obscurity fame) I was surprised that a fella wearing a cut-out of Bruce Lee’s face didn’t make an appearance.

It would have been better for everyone to have had listened to the only Native American portrayed in the film, with his bandana, braids and dream catcher vest pins. He simply told everyone mucking around the sleeping evil lizard to leave it alone. But no. No one ever listens to the Native guy. Then you wonder why you have a huge, f^cking lizard smashing your Intellensia.

I did not like this movie. Avoid it.

But, my then-eight-year-old loved it. And I love her. So I watched it.

So you won’t have to....

Veggie Pirates and Chipmunks (Seriously...)

:[ Alvin and the Chipmunks/The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie - A Dual Review

I love my now-9-year-old.

We go on movie dates. She gets to pick what she wants to see.

I would have loved to write about the very first movie of 2008 I saw being something of vast import or acclaim. I wish I could have written about the drama "There Will Be Blood" or the innovative "Cloverfield", even the revived "Rambo". But I love my now-9-year-old stepdaughter. She gets to pick what she wants to see.

Much has made of the revival of these Singing Rodents. I have to agree that we just don’t need a comeback from Alvin and the Chipmunks, but you see, I am not the audience these movies are made for. I am only targeted because I pay for the ticket. My girl wanted to see this from the instant she saw the trailer last year. I love my little girl.

At its heart it is not a niche comedy about poo-eating rodents that happen to sing. If you look under the layers of eye-candy, noise, and child-humor, there can be found a nice story about adoption and the blending of families. But you need to invest in the premise. And two weeks at number one? A lot of people did.

The Veggie Tales have always been a hit in the WB Household simply for their goofy songs and parodies of pop culture. Now, it’s not the high-falutin’ satire of your Daily Shows or Tizzy Marizzy, that you can name drop and appear smarter, no. But their parody of a Boy Band is on the level with SNL’s best.

"The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything" is as simple a movie as you can get, loaded with gags, and morality. It is fun, and light and everything you need to keep a 9-year-old happy. Heck, I laughed out loud quite a bit with it. It was nice to see Larry the Cucumber in a lead role. Without the biblical overtones.

I know these are not movies you would want to watch, being of a higher filmic taste than myself.
But you see, I love my little girl. So I watched them.

So you don’t have to.

U23D

U23D
Directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington
Reviewed by Ernest M. Whiteman III

From now on, all of U2's concert films should be done in 3D.

I am an unabashed U2 fan. I try to own all their albums, see all their concert and music videos. I am proud to admit that I saw "Rattle and Hum" in the theater when it was released in November of 1988, (almost 20 years ago!) And now I have seen what could be described as the best concert film experience ever.

I saw them live in concert three times, twice on their Vertigo Tour, and this is a much different experience. The playlist is full of hits but for a fan such as myself, any order of songs could have worked. It is the visuals that capture your attention. The vast sea of fans rippling like sea waves, the screen bombarding text messages and imagery, just seeing the landscape of the stage. When images disappear into the next through the blacks was stirring. I loved the opening "Vertigo", "Ms Sarejavo" with Bono once again filling in aptly for the late Pavarotti., "The Fly" and it’s scrawling, floating text, "Love and Peace" with Bono scribbling into the air.

I will likely try and see this again. I cannot imagine other bands not trying to use 3D for their concert films. With Miley Cyrus on board as well, the 3D experience is reaching all ages. I am so happy I got to see this, the eventual DVD will be a letdown and I hope that U2 continues down the 3D path, because a band this exciting, relevant, and unafraid of new technologies, can only get better and better with it.

Highest Recommendation.

Four Sheets to the Wind - Reviewed

Four Sheets to the Wind
Directed by Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Creek)

Reviewed by Ernest M. Whiteman III

Now, I don’t generally review Native-produced films too often, if at all, and I’ll tell you why: I run a film festival in my spare time that deals with Native movie makers exclusively and to tout my preference for one over the other would seem unfair. As if I am saying is one is better than the other when the fact that they get made at all is the more important thing. But, I saw something rare in the Native-produced and directed “Four Sheets to the Wind”, that I found missing from many similar independent features; polish.

“Four Sheets to the Wind” is the story of Cufe Smallhill (Cody Lightening), a Seminole/Creek who, after their father’s death, decides to visit his sister, (a stunning performance by Tamara Podemski) who lives off the reservation in the city. What follows is not the standard reservation melodrama or comedic, fish-out-of-water road trip but a startling portrait of a young man finding something better when he was not looking for it. It is a quiet, reserved movie with great performances, racial humor that does not drown out the story with Native talking points, and best of all, it has the feel of intimacy and immediacy of many Hollywood dramas. That is the polish I speak of.

It portrays the reservation lifestyle without falling into the standard checklist of reservation clichés and actually manages to connect to the human experience of losing a loved one as well as moving on to different circumstances. Harjo, Podemski, and Lightening pull off a coup-de-grace of melding performance with craft which is a difficult thing to manage, even by Gigantor Hollywood Production companies.

I saw this DVD in a Blockbuster and was happy to find it there. It was never submitted to the film fest (nor would I take it now - apparently, the movie does not need my help in distribution). Seeing the movie on the shelves of such a large retail chain somehow made it more real as a “movie” (Making “quotation marks” with my fingers.). You could jump all over me for dismissing other Native films but what I saw in “Four Sheets” is a technical know-how that I ttruly appreciated. So, it was no surprise to me when I read Harjo’s bio and found he, like my self, went to film school.

He has learned not only the importance of mood, setting and performance, but of the level of craft you need to bring to tie it all into a compelling movie. I have often stated, and still believe, that a compelling story can overcome the means of bringing it to the screen, which is what makes “Four Sheets to the Wind” something special.

Harjo has learned the importance of lighting, the limits of what a video camera can do, and, probably the biggest lesson I learned in school, the importance of audio. Meaning, firelight is just is just not bright enough to shoot by. Darkened rooms will always need lights. While putting in lights may take away from the “reality” of a scene, you cannot be compelled by the acting and story, if you cannot see anything. Such are the limits of a digital video camera.

The importance of audio is found here as well. Presence tracks, Foley, these may seem like time consuming steps but if your audio levels shift one shot to the next, or suffer horribly from that tinny, “video” sound, then it can get distracting after a while. Luckily, “Four Sheets to the Wind” does not suffer those same mistakes I have made several times.

The two leads carry these elements and Lightening gives a quiet performance of a young Native man that is not hampered with the cinematic baggage of alcohol or drugs, or even Native identity, while present, do not flood the story in grief. His remembering his father to his new friend is a quiet, sad moment in the film and is among one of the best acted scenes in recent film history. But it is Tamara Podemski’s brutal performance of the sister that is the most skillful and full of nuances, it is heartbreaking. The movie has a slice of life feel that ends just when it should.

Character, setting, story, pacing, cinematography, audio, music, in “Four Sheets to the Wind”, they all come together with skill and power.

Native Cinema has been blessed with a near-perfect movie.

Seek out this film. Highly Recommended.

Comanche Moon

Comanche Moon
Produced for CBS Television
Directed by Simon Wincer

Comanche Moon is the final installment of the Lonesome Dove series of made-for-tv movies. The series is based on Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove series of book which began with his Pulitzer Prize winning Lonesome Dove. Both series continued with "Streets of Laredo", then "Dean Man’s Walk" and finishing up with "Comanche Moon", while the story itself begins chronologically with "Dead Man’s Walk" and ends with "Streets of Larado". Confusing, yes, but McMurtry’s way of defy expectations after unexpectedly winning the Pulitzer for a novel he admits to not liking very much.

Comanche Moon continues the story of Texas Rangers Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call, played respectively by Steve Zahn and Karl Ubran, of Lord of the Rings fame, as they battle Comanche Warriors and Mexican bandits on the last frontiers of Texas. For non-followers of the books, this takes place just BEFORE the Lonesome Dove movie.

Growing up in Wyoming you get enjoyment out of western movies. A lot has been made lately about the Native-content in films these days and rightly so. But I’ve always been a fan of the original Lonesome Dove movie as are many Natives. I grew up respecting the cowboy lifestyle as my father was a cowboy, as are my brothers. I grew up watching John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, which is why I enjoy "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly", "The Searchers", admire a series such as "Deadwood" and which is why I enjoyed "Comanche Moon".

What grounded the series for me was Steve Zahn’s performance as Gus McCrae, first brought to life in "Lonesome Dove" by the great performance of Robert Duvall. Zahn captures the mannerisms and syntax of Duvall’s performance while making the character his own. Urban, however, is unaffecting as Call, first played by the great Tommy Lee Jones. But the weight of Zahn’s acting brought to life one of my favorite moments in the book (Yes, I’ve read all of them, twice.); when Gus and Call decide to strike out on their own to rescue their captain, on the banks of the Rio Grande in the half-built town of Lonesome Dove. Seeing it played out on screen with Zahn’s performance made me smile as it fit my imagination. Such is a rare thing.

What drags this series down is the inevitable circumstance which befalls most prequels, more specifically, prequels that are made due to fan expectation. (Think the Star Wars movies), which is that every little detail must be explained or seen in the movie or it is considered a failure in the eyes of the fans. I am for leaving some ambiguity, sometimes. Think Hannibal Lecter, or The Joker in Batman, but Comanche Moon seems to trip over itself in explaining why Call is the way he is or trotting out the characters from "Lonesome Dove" but in younger forms. McMurtry actually wrote the sequel novel and prequels so as to not let anyone else do it. But he did it in his own fashion because sometimes the continuity does not line up or the novels contradict what was written in the Lonesome Dove novel.

But all that aside, I did enjoy the series. I know that they did research into the Comanche culture and it remains to be seen if they got it correct. I am sure there will be more than one website or review who will list every little detail they got wrong. But that is the easy thing to do. It is like priding yourself on being a good shot when all you shoot is fish in a barrel. It is harder to appreciate the story for just being a story, and the Lonesome Dove Saga has always been about Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call and not the Natives. We have our own Native movie makers to tell our own stories.

While I did enjoy seeing some famous Native faces, they are all mostly wasted. Especially poor Floyd Westermann, who has padded in. It sort of takes something out of it when you can tell none of the primary Native actors spoke Comanche fluently. It seemed stilted. It reminded me of Shonie De Le Rosa’s movie Mile Post 398 in which the entire cast is Navajo and spoke it very well. In contrast to, say, the Hillerman Mystery Movies on PBS where they speak it phonetically. You can tell who is Navajo.

Wes Studi (Buffalo Hump) is Cherokee and to hear him speak Cherokee in "Trail of Tears: the Cherokee Legacy" so elegantly and then to hear him stilt through the Comanche language sort of harms the performance. I wish they had Comanches playing Comanches. Soon enough. I was also sad to see that a couple of my favorite chapters of the book were excised:

In rescuing Inish Scull (Val Kilmer at his hammy best), the Kickapoo tracker Famous Shoes (played nicely by David Midthunder, and probably the best Native performance of the series), follows Gus and Call into Mexico to recover the bones of Three Birds, a Comanche character who dies in the captivity of the Mexican Bandit Ahumado. (Ironically, Famous Shoes was first played by Wes Studi in the series "Streets of Laredo".)

Yet, in the novel this happens in two chapters in which the Comanche Warriors, Buffalo Hump and Kicking Wolf, the famed horse thief who was there when Three Birds died, ride into Mexico on their own to recover the bones. Those two chapters were cool; nicely written, starkly quiet, and very humanizing to the Comanche characters. They bickered, talked, camped, and just hung out like two old friends do. They then gathered the bones and then simply ride back home. Those two chapters, plus the scene of Gus and Call by the Rio Grande made me hope for a television adaptation.

Hell, I would have directed those Comanche scenes for free if it meant having them in the series.

That those chapters were not included is also major disappointment for me. But seeing the early life of Gus and Call and the end of the Lonesome Dove series is well worth a watch. Not the be all end all of Native representation, but worth a look if you are a fan of the Lovesome Dove Saga. Recommended.

The Best of 2007 - The WOS Review Lists

WOS Reviews - Top Ten Lists for 2007
Don’t you hate when you cannot get a simple thing done when inspiration strikes you and you only get it done after it was tried by others, making you look like a follower? I had hoped to get these Top Ten Lists out before the end of 2007 but nothing ever really works out the way you plan. Anyways, now I look like a trend follower.

As you can see, I haven’t done much. Most of the stuff I experienced were stuff from the past, nothing new, or re-experiences. In between work, being out of state, birthdays, I had little time to get out and see stuff. Anyways. So, without further ado, my newly-re-titled "Best of 2007 Lists"!

Music:
1) Batman Begins - Motion Picture Soundtrack - Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - My new favorate movie music. I cannot get over this one and it took time for me to really just sit down and listen to it.

Movies:

Of what I watched this year at the theater. And as you can see. I didn’t see much.

5) Rocky Balboa (Saw it in Jan 2007, so it counts.) - People have something against Rocky movies, but this one about aging gracefully is something that should not be overlooked because of its pedigree.

4) Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End - Nice summation to a series that should not be considered the be-all-end-all of cinema, they're PIRATE MOVIES! Johnny Depp is at his best.

3) American Gangster - The performance of Crowe and especially, Denzel Washington anchor this crime drama. "Now, what was I saying?" Awesome.

2) Curse of the Golden Flower (Again, in Jan. Of 2007) - Costumes, drama, matrial arts, Chinese ninjas on ropes, what more could you ask for?

1) No Country for Old Men - I have to admit, this was pretty good. Mainly for Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin. Javier was not very scary, and Woody Harrelson was a victim of the Coens, "be in it to be in it" curse. And let's forget that ending and what it means, as Rolling Stone Magazine states: "It means the sheriff woke up to a dehumanized world of the present." So there. His, and Brolin's performances are worth it. It's just not the Be-All-End-All of Cinema.

Books:

Here's what I read this year, not only what was published this year.

7) DC: New Frontier - Excellent art and writing. Highly recommend.

6) To Kill a Mockingbird (R) - I encourage everyone to pick this up again.

5) It’s Superman! (R) - one of my favorite hidden gems. Stuff like "Kavalier & Clay" and "Soon, I will be Invincible" fall flat with me because the authors are winking at us the whole time.

4) The Journey of Crazy Horse - The best biography of Crazy Horse. Peroid. Right next to the movie I'm gonna make.

3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Great writing, great story, great series. What more can be said?

2) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian - Alexie's best work so far. Again, his translation of Beowulf will be awesome!

1) Three Kingdoms (R) - By far the best thing I have read in my life. And that is saying something. I recommend everyone at least trying to read this. It is dense but what you experience with every reading is both exciting and different.

DVDs:

Which are the same as movies but with extras. Some are re-watches and old dvds.

10) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Almost made the Movie list but the DVD has extras!

9) Gojira - I got this for my birthday a couple of years ago and guess what? I still haven' watched it. I want to watch it with a group of friends. (Like "The Passion of Joan of Arc") But it such a thoughtful gift from my wife , I had to include it.

8) Long Way Round - See my notes on this series in the main WOS page for Dec.

7) Le Samourai & Seven Samurai (tie) (r) - I saw these again back in Wyoming and was blown away by their coolness. I love them both and the extras are great as well. Criterion kicks ass.

6) F For Fake (r) - Always a favorite.

5) The Prestige (r) - Again, a favorite. Very inspirational along with F For Fake.

4) Eastern Promises - A great performance by Viggo. Up there with Tommy Lee Jones in "No Country..." and Denzel in "American Gangster".

3) Children of Men - The best movie by far from Curon.

2) Hamlet - by Kenneth Branagh, I waited for years for this and snapped it up as soon as it was available. Bonnie and I tried to get the girls to go to bed with this. They were stalling and asked to watch a movie before bed and we thought this would bore them or put them to sleep. Nope. Our girls followed it from frame one to the Intermission (2 and 1/2 hours) without out once asking to stop. We watched the second half the next night and our girls kept up with the story and plot. Amazing how smart our girls are and how Shakespeare transcends time and generations. Go buy this disc.

1) Deadwood: Seasons One though Three - I think they ended the series as it should. To drag it out would have lent to the characters becoming caricatures. (example: Steve the Drunk). I feel it too late to make the TV movies as the actors are now away from their characters and could be difficult to capture the perfomances again without the flow of the series behind them.

Cakes:
5) White cake with butter cream frosting and chocolate mousse filling. (From Costco)

4) Marble cake with butter cream frosting and chocolate mousse filling. (Costco)

3) My Birthday cake (any type)

2) The splendid cake from Rolf’s we got for Christmas.

1) The Big Food Fight Cake I brought home from work and My Bonnie, the Girls, and I trashed our dining area throwing it at one another in a food fight. That was fun and one of my most cherished memories.

Cookies:
1) Snicker doodles, Home-made chocolate chip cookies, Oreo Cookies.

Insults garnered from television and movies:
1) C*cks^cker (Deadwood) - I use this way too much.

Stuffed Animals:
10) Sir Charles and Lady Rebecca Poopsalot.
9) Ollie-phant
8) Green Lantern Monkey
7) Monkeous P. Monkey
6) Snowie
5)Allie-gator and Michele (a gorilla)
4) Mommy’s Racoon Slippers & the Manatees.
3) Baby & Bonnie Bear
2) Mister Bunny and Little Bear Tinkleberry
1) Ernest Bear & Bonnie’s Bear

I hope these list serve you well. I would have put up Amazon links but I'm really way behind already. Please feel free to comment on your favorites of last year. Oh, I know, some of you do not like to elevate one thing over another, but hey, that's cool. You are also a coward.

Take care all.

Until next time; You are in my Top Ten List of People ...in my Heart. (All five of you.)