Wisdom of the Sages Reviews
2010 Best of Stuff Lists
Well, here we are with another year winding down to its final countdown. Funny, that we constantly celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a new one as if getting through one is some great accomplishment. Yet, all it is is just one day turning into another. Oh well. As with this time of year I put out what I think were the Top Ten things for the past year based on my own limited experience.
Top One Music Buy of 2010
I bought only one single album this year but what an album.
1. “Two Bedroom Apartment” is the third album from Danielle Ate the Sandwich, a Colorado-based singer-songwriter whom has gained some fame from her quirky videos with her singing and playing a ukulele featured on YouTube. I bought her previous self-produced release “Things People Do” and it was on my lists last year. With “Two Bedroom Apartment” Danielle Ate the Sandwich expands her sound with the addition of backing instruments.
With this album she has grown stronger in singing and in lyrics. Her previous album had the sameness of strumming and her lilting voice, mainly due to the constraints of self-production, but her songs are sweet and her lyricism is her strong point. Here, the added layering of the backing instruments seems to have awakened a spark of lyricism and singing in her. Her voice is strong as ever and she takes new risks with the music. The best example is my favorite song of the album and possibly my most favorite song of hers ever “17 and 53”.
The song changes up tempo and beat differing from her previous albums, giving it a darker driving edge than anything I’ve heard from her before. Splendid song. There are others “American Dream”, “Public Property” and the title track. This is quite easily her best album so far. And since she is merely at the beginning of a great creative career I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
I hope that one day she can do an album of cover songs as she seems to really cut loose with her vocals on these. You can catch her on YouTube, and if you do look up her cover of CCR’s “Fortunate Son”. You won’t regret it.
Top 3 Books of 2010
All Star Superman vol. 1 – scripted by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Frank Quietly: This series finally got me into Superman. You see? I was never a big fan of the comic books, preferring the movies, but with Morrison’s sense of fun and Quietly’s pencils, they revived Superman in comics for a new generation. I am definitely going to get volume 2.
U2 by U2: A great read from my favorite all time band of their experiences, from the beginning to their Veritgo Tour, all in their own words. Highly recommend. Now, if Cuba would give back my only copy that I lent him.
Three Kingdoms – 1999 updated abridged edition: Reread this again. This editon focuses more on the Liu storyline and Han-Shu Kingdom. But I heartily recommend it as a good starting place for those interested in the story. Also, stay tuned for my extensive, all-editions (I’ve read) review of Three Kingdoms.
Top 10 DVD Buys of 2010
10. “The Hit: Criterion Edition”: I bought this on a whim because it featured Terrence Stamp. I vaguely remember someone mentioning or talking about this film to me. But once I got it home and viewed it I really appreciated it. Two hitmen kidnap a supergrass (An informer) to bring him to Paris, France to kill him. But, along the way, the Stamp character, Willie’s rather zen like attitude toward his own death begins to have an effect on both the hitmen and the beautiful woman they hold hostage. Directed by Stephen Fears.
9. “47 Ronin”: Once I heard about this story in the John Frankenheimer film “Ronin” I looked up any film version and behold, a two-part1941 version that has absolutely NO swordplay in it but unfolds in terse discussions and long, tracking shots. It is absolutely beautiful. I would recommend this as a great starter film for those interested in samurai culture.
8. “Come Drink with Me”: From the Shaw Brothers Studios comes a film directed by the famed King Hu. I had heard about this classic and bought this “Dragon Dynasty” produced DVD sight unseen and was not disappointed. Watch the beautiful Cheng Pei Pei fight ruthless gangs.
7. “Unforgiven: The 10th Anniversary Edition”: Bought this for “a steal” and cannot get over this classic story of a gunman trying to forget his past but at the same time engaging in the very trade that conjures that past for a chance at some future. Mostly seen as a treatise against violence but also a capable drama and study of good and bad in a time of very limited law enforcement. Also, a good look at the view of women of the times. Great film by Clint Eastwood.
6. “REEL INJUN”: This documentary directed by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond, explores the Hollywood representation of Native Americans. It says the same things I’ve been saying for years. The DVD I have is for the FNFVF but I watched it three times the days I relieved it in the mail. Funny, stirring and raises great questions about why Native American defend a constructed identity labeled “indian’.
5. “The Warlords”: I bought the DVD since I could not see it theatrically. See my notes below.
4. “Wings of Desire: Criterion Edition”: I put the Blu Ray on this list last year as a way of getting myself to get it. But Criterion in their wisdom released a standard DVD with the same features. I love it.
3. “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon”: Many have disliked this version of the Zhao Yun story because of its many departures from the story in “Three Kingdoms” and history. But I view it more along the lines of a spaghetti western, even the music evokes Morricone, and found I enjoyed this telling as much as “Red Cliff’ or the book.
2. “F for Fake”: I finally snapped this up, probably my most favorite documentary. A great magic trick of a film about art and art fakery. Helped my clarify my views on art and film and Native representation in media. Highly recommend.
1. “Red Cliff” two-disc US release: Finally, some behind the scenes documentaries on the making of my most favorite movie of the past few years! I’ve seen these films so much that once I saw that behind the scenes documentaries were included I had to own them Both this and the US Cut feature three different making-of features! One is about all the things that went wrong during the filming including footage of John Woo chewing out his second unit crew. One of whom remarks that in all the years he worked with Woo he’s never seen him once loose his temper. Which goes to show how important this film was to him.
2009 RECAP:
Last year when I put out my lists, I added another list of the movies that I had looked forward to which came out in 2010. It was an impressive list. So for a short recap I will list them again here with some commentary:
1) Inception – Christopher Nolan (July 16) SEE BELOW
2) The Warlords – Peter Chan (April 2) SEE BELOW
3) Mulan aka Hua Mulan – Jingle Ma (released November 26, 2009 in Asia, awaits US distribution)
Mulan never saw a US theatrical release, which is not surprising considering US movie companies keep chugging out Twilights and Parody Movies. It would not have been a big money maker here in the shadow of the Disney-fied Mulan, which has already ingrained itself on the American psyche. Still, a Chinese-produced version of a Chinese myth (yes, it is considered a myth since no historical record exists of an actual Mulan.) is as appealing as ever to me. Sure, you can say that the Chinese government would have impose its own segregationist, nationalism on the film, but how much did we impose a very American colloquialism upon a very Chinese story with the Disney Mulan? We shouldn’t complain. They’re only movies. The Chinese are great at producing war epics as evidenced by two movies on my lists, “Red Cliff” and “The Warlords”. An added bonus would be seeing Zhao Wei in a role she was tailored for. I am awaiting a US DVD release in any case.
4) Tron Legacy – Joseph Kosinski (December 17) SEE BELOW
5) The Expendables – dir. Sylvester Stallone (August 13) Probably my biggest disappointment in movies, ever. Sure, I get what it was supposed to be. But this one never gets beyond looking good on paper. The thing about those action movies of the 80’s and this supposed throwback to action movies of the 80’s is the fact that the action movies of the 80’s were trying HARDER to be more than just ACTION MOVIES OF THE 80’s! They had stories and villains and heroes however sketchily written. They tried to make movies, not homages!
And for all those “guys” proclaiming that “Real Men” appreciate this sort of movie never had a real manhood worth appreciating to begin with. Come on, it’s a movie. Still, "Wasted Talent” always comes to mind when I think about this.
6) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – David Yates (November 19) SEE BELOW
7) Machete – Robert Rodrigez (April 16) I never got the chance to see this in a theater. I never had the time nor was able to rope friends in. Which is surprising that one friend didn’t want to see it due to “cartoony, over the top, no-story, all-violence” which was kind of hypocritical because he liked “The Expendables”. Still, I hold out hope for a return to form from Mister Robert Rodriguez. (Did he ever fall out of form?) I’ll catch it on DVD. Maybe even buy it. I loved “Planet Terror” more than “Grindhouse” or “Death Proof” and the fact that RR can make these flicks because he wants to gives me hope in my own movie making.
8) Predators – Nimrod Antel (July 7) I really did like this one. I bought into the premise. Liked most of the characters. Even liked the tie-in to the first movie. Even though I thought Laurence Fishburne was a waste of screen time for what should have been the coolest character in the “Predator Universe”, I could overlook that with the smart story and action. Heck, I even bought into the Predators Civil War deal, but then the end credits rolled with that stupid song and ruined everything.
9) The American – Anton Corbijn (September 1) SEE BELOW
10) Kick Ass – Matthew Vaughn (April 16): This proved to me all the things wrong with Geekhood. It had me when it was about NOT being a superhero/comic book movie. But then, with the introduction of Hit Girl and Big Daddy, it became the very thing it was trying not to be. “Superman the Movie” actually tried to be more than a comic book movie. It tried to be a drama with action and comedy mixed in. It wasn’t trying to be a comic book/superhero movie. Plus, like every other movie, what put the nail in the coffin of disliking it for me is when the very-capable female protagonist suddenly needs a man’s help at the end. I hate that. For once I’d like to see a female character in an action movie as capable as a man, NOT needing a man’s help. I hated how suddenly the very strong Hit Girl became weak for the purpose of giving Kick Ass his dramatic conclusion. And sorry “Kick Ass” but “Unbreakable” is the SUPERIOR Villain Origin film.
So, for 2010 I am 5 out of 5 = 50%
Top NINE Films of 2011That I’m Looking Forward To:
1) Thor dir. Kenneth Branagh (May 6, 2011) – Mainly because I’m a Kenneth Branagh Fan. I really don’t care about Thor.
2) The Lost Bladesman dir Felix Chong & Alan Mak (Asian Release April 28, 2011) - A movie based on a portion of the life of Guan Yu, of Three Kingdoms Fame. Here, Guan Yu must serve Cao Cao against his oath brother Liu Bei. After winning victories for him, he takes his beloved and rides the famous a thousand mile ride to return to Liu Bei's side. Stars Donnie Yen and Guan Yu! I cannot wait to see this. I hope it gets a US release.
3) Reign of Assassins dir’s. Chao-Bin Su & John Woo (Awaiting US Release) – This is the long-awaited return of the beautiful Michelle Yeoh to wuxia films. Produced in China in 2009 and produced and co-directed by John Woo, critics the world over have been giving it rave reviews and praising it for its returning of wuxia to its roots. I cannot wait to see it, if only to watch Michelle Yeoh in a John Woo film.
4) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides dir. Rob Marshall (May 20, 2011) – I like the series, so sue me. No, don’t! With Marshall at the helm with an all-new adventure for Jack Sparrow, it should be a welcome breath of fresh air for the franchise. It would be cool to see a Pirates Trilogy down the road with a Jack Sparrow son or daughter and he in the Keith Richard’s role. That would be neat. Besides, this has Ian McShane as Blackbeard, so, they have my money already based on that.
5) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two dir. David Yates (July 15, 2011) – I hope it impacts me more than the first part did. Now, the first part was good at setting the premise up for tying up the loose ends. But there is so much cool stuff yet to be mined from the book. (Sorry, no Part Two only trailer, yet.)
6) The Tree of Life dir. Terrence Malick (May 27, 2011) – Three of the Top Seven movies I am looking forward to come out in May? That doesn’t bode well for 2011. I have never seen a Terrence Malick film, ever. I don’t know how I made it though film school at Columbia (of all places. Malick is revered as a god there.), but I did. Seeing this on a tiny window at Apple was awesome. Seeing it on the big screen was better than awesome. So, hopefully, I will see my very first Malick film in 2011.
7) Rango dir. Gore Verbinski (March 4, 2011) with Johnny Depp as a lizard doing “Support Your Local Sheriff” looks and sounds great.
8) Cowboys & Aliens dir. Jon Favreau (July 29, 2011) Harrison Ford fighting aliens again. What else needs to be said?
9) Sanctum in 3D dir. Alister Grierson, prod. James Cameron (February 11, 2011) For some reason, this hooked me, 3D and all. I think it may be my fear of drowning in deep murky, underwater caves. But I am look forward to trying to see this.
2011 MAYBE’S:
The Thing Prequel – Oct 14: I’ve always wanted to see a prequel that leaves off where a sequel begins. Let’s hope this is worth it.
Hugo Cabret dir. Martin Scorsese – Dec. 9: Martin Scorsese doing a mystical children’s book. What’s not to like?
X-Men: First Class dir. – June 3: Just curiosity mainly.
Sorry 2011 is not looking to be a good year of movies for me. Well, what about “Green Hornet”, “Captain America”, “Green Lantern” or “Transformers 3” you ask? Well, I’m not very interested in “Green Hornet” since Stephen Chow dropped out.
“Captain America” lost me when they picked Evans over John Krasinski. It should have been one of those great casting choices, like Christopher Reeve and Superman or Michael Keaton and Batman or Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man, but the Geeks got all mad that their mancrush wasn’t getting played by a cutie but a “serious” actor. So, Chris Evans was cast without an audition to wring the money from our wallets. Krasinski would have been a great choice in what he could have brought to the role after upsetting expectation. He would have had a clean slate to actually bring something to the role. But no.
“Green Lantern” made me go “Huh?” when they chose Reynolds, then completely lost me when he looked too Ben Stiller ala Dodgeball as GL in the trailer. Plus, every word Blake Lively uttered in the trailer makes me facepalm with annoyance. Am I being too harsh or is she Austrian or something? It looks cool and sci-fi-y, and is directed by Martin Campbell, but man, Reynolds and Lively show me everything that’s wrong with casting comic book movies.
Sorry. I never cared for Transformers because they had a great chance to do some epic storytelling with that mythology but instead, and thanks to the geeks, it became giant robots bashing the sh*t out of each other. Which is what happens to a lot of promising films of late. Hell, they even made “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots: The Movie” called “Real Steel” starring the Geeks biggest crush, Hugh Jackman. Also, I cannot say that I won’t see these movies. I am at the mercy of my Charlotte and I go where she tells me. Who knows, I may even enjoy one or two of these.
Okay, here’s what you are waiting for:
EW3’s Top Ten a’ Twenty Ten Movies
Honorable Mention: Black Swan: Sure, it was good, a tale of a young woman’s search for perfection in herself while events around her and indeed her own body and psyche, seem to mirror events of the story she is readying and perfecting herself for, but a couple of things bothered me. First: Why is it when ever a woman goes bat-shit insane, she goes lez like that is some manifestation of being, literally, fuck-all crazy? Like it’s “abnormal”? Second, I hate it when events are revealed to be simply mental happenings within the protagonist’s mind rendering all that happened in the movie to be false or to have never happened? Because of this I never found her mental split to be really grotesque or real. In the end she simply broke down from overexertion. It was basically “The Wrestler” with a lesbian sex scene to make it “Important!”
10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One (From last year’s list): The whole series has been leading up to this film. While it is a good, fast-paced yarn, it does feel like the first half of a whole. Sure, you say, because “Part One” is in the frickin’ title. But, you see, because of that the threat is gone. You cannot feel for their cause because you know that they survive to the second part. Still, it is good that they are putting a lot of loose ends to bed. (Is that even a phrase?) A lot of grown dudes liked this in the online reviews and forums. (Mainly because you kind of see Hermione nude and engaging in a sexual act. Like “Black Swan” the promise of nudity of someone they find attractive doing something naughty gets the guys in.) It caught me by surprise but its melding in with Ron’s biggest fear and in a way reveals his level of insecurity when compared to the great Harry Potter, it was a great character moment wrapped inside a very scary and very shocking package. (Unlike “Black Swan” in which a drug-induced sex scene between two hot women was used to reflect mental instability but was made to be erotic instead.) Overall a good start to what should be a great finish. I just hope they don’t jam-pack Part Two with ACTION, ACTION, ACTION!!
9. The American (From last year’s list): I was so looking forward to this feature film directorial debut from music video director Anton Corbijn, most famous for working with U2. This stars George Clooney and an aging gunsmith/assassin whom once flushed out of hiding is giving the proverbial “last job” to do. He goes against orders and hides in a small town in Italy. There he meets a prostitute and builds a rifle for his next job. But things are not what you expect. The movie is purposely paced slowly. The idea that being a hitman is deglamourized due to the amount of anxiety he deals with. It contains one of the slowest, strangest chase scenes and the violence and gun actions are rough and disturbing. Here with this film gun violence gains some of its threat back. I look to this film as a model for my own hitman film.
8. True Grit/The Fighter (TIE): I had to place two of the best performances of the year at #8. The first is one I just saw. Christian Bale in “The Fighter” playing a meth-addicted, former boxer to Marky Wahlberg’s up-and-coming boxer brother. Every performance feels real and grounded in this one, from Amy Adams (playing the sexiest bar maid ever, yeah, only in a movie.) to Melissa Leo who plays the brothers’ mother. But Bale steals the show here with a great performance with a great arc.
The second great performance is from the Coen Brother’s adaptation of the novel “True Grit” of which the previous filmed version gave John Wayne his only Oscar award. Here, as everyone knows the great performance is that of 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld as Matty Ross recruiting Jeff Bridges’ cartoony Rooster Cogburn to hunt down the murderer of her father. Matt Damon chimes in with a nice performance as LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger also on the hunt for Chaney, played by the barely there Josh Brolin. Matty hires Cogburn for his “grit and determination” and finds him to be a ruthless alcoholic while she changes her tune about LaBoeuf and his determination. But in the end, it is Matty herself that displays the True Grit of the title as she keeps up with two full-grown, hard men in their shared journey.
I know what you are thinking “What about Jeff Bridges, man?” Well, as evidenced by my dislike for “Inglorious Basterds” it takes more than a goofy-gravelly accent and a script full of catchphrases to convince me that you are acting. I found Bridges work in Tron Legacy more fulfilling because he didn’t hide behind an accent but played a man from the 80’s perpetually trapped in a world of his own creation. Bridges as Cogburn served the story but by no means is it a great performance. Think, Ledger and The Joker, hell, think Ledger and “Brokeback Mountain”. Think, Daniel Day-Lewis and “There Will Be Blood” or anything else he’s been in. Think Josh Brolin in “No Country for Old Men” where actors disappear into the roles. This didn’t happen with me. All I kept thinking was Bridges saying Cool Shit as a drunk cowboy.
Still, the story, the photography (The opening shot alone is worth a ticket) and the Great performance by Hailee Steinfeld are what makes the 2010 True Grit a Best Picture contender.
7. Toy Story 3: Pixar steps up to the plate once again and hits it out of the park once again. This (hopefully) final tale of Woody and the Gang is exciting, poignant and so utterly final. What surprises me, and most audiences, is here, there is a tale, a caper for Woody and the rest to go through. The toys, having fallen into disuse by Andy, decide to strike out on their own at a daycare only to find themselves wrapped up in a very “Maderlay” type situation with the other toys there. But what really grabs your attention is the balance of humor with heart. It was so sad to see the toys go. It is one of the best of the year, easily.
6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: A pretty fun and solid movie. I loved all the 80’s and 90’s video game references and liked the story of a selfish young man learning some self respect and respect for his girlfriends. Plus, the fights were pretty cool too. Saw this with Charlotte and we gave each other the DVD for Christmas. Sweet.
5. Despicable Me: I love movies about adoption and adopted families. This one about a villain adopting three girls to carry out his plan but instead finding that he cares deeply for them may sound trite and clichéd but in the hands of Dreamworks animation, it is a touching, funny story. I loved this and saw it again in the theater. Plus, the Minions were funny without being overly cute or overbearing.
4. The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole: This movie convinced me to give the whole 3D trend a try and instilled my new-found faith in Zack Synder’s talent to which he will bring to “Superman” in 2012. This is a story about the truth of legends with villains and heroes battling it out to save a society. Plus, it stars nothing but owls! An awesome animated tale with an attached mythology, great visuals and a nice fast moving story makes for a great and fun movie.
3. The Warlords (From last year’s list): This had such a limited theatrical run back in January that I was never able to catch. But once it showed up on DVD I was so impressed with almost every aspect of the story. Three Oath brothers turn from a life of banditry to join the army in an era of civil wars. What follows is some of the best epic war action in Chinese cinema. (Yes, I rank it with “Red Cliff” in this regard.) Watch as the Brothers succeed in war and then as the limits of their oath to one another is tested with some great acting from Jet Li (I know, right?), Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro (whom continues to impress me.).
2. TRON: Legacy (From last year’s list): The entire geek world was so disappointed with this one. I wasn’t because I was not expecting the be-all-end-all of Tron films. It made a certain sense of what it was about but the visuals and soundtrack tend to overshadow a fairly straightforward plot about a son looking for his father then helping him stop a creature of his own design. Sure, there were some disappointing things, such as a barely-there Tron, the ridiculous Michael Sheen, but the action, the story and visuals balanced just right for me. And here is Jeff Bridges, having a blast. Watching it a second time (Yes, I did.) I realized that it sets up a sequel. So, maybe we will not have to wait 29 years for the sequel. Maybe Tron will return.
1. Inception (From last year’s list): The only other film besides “Tron Legacy” and “Despicable Me” that I saw multiple times. Christopher Nolan is fast becoming one of my favorite directors. Here, he takes a very interesting and original idea and wraps in into a genre that is accessible with set pieces that dazzle and excite. How many directors can do that? “Inception”, while it may not win best picture of 2010, it is the best movie I saw last year. As you can see, this was the only film to live up to my expectations from last year. Looking forward to "The Dark Knight Rises" and anything else Nolan does after that...
Thanks for sticking with it this far. I know some pretty expected selections, but hey, maybe I threw a curve at you here and there. I’ll see you here next year.
Until Next Time…
© 2011 Ernest M. Whiteman III
