Finding Is An End

Rating: 2 Trees

It, God animated by Michael Anders was a rather odd animation. A man falls from the sky, breaking into many pieces. However he survives and while collecting the pieces for his tattered body, he discovers a little creature, god. Anders uses this animation as an attack on established religion, targeting the christian church by stating in narration that “God and I visited a place we have both never been before….Church”. Some will view this film as a commentary on the corruption found in religion, while others will find it full of hate and stereotypical conclusions.  The animation is gritty, and the narration much like poetry. It is in the style, that despite what your religious views are, you will find this to be well done.

Rating: 1 Tree

And Life Went On directed by Maryam Mohajer is a very abstract look at a bomb raid in Tehran, Iran. It is in fact so abstract a times we are unable to comprehend the images that are being shown. The style was that of a children’s drawing containing messy lines, distressed colors, and at times unintelligible. The drawing of a child dressed in a red shirt stands out, but is not enough to pull me in. It has a rather loud ending, but to me this was a dud. 

Rating 2 Trees

Siu Siu directed by Matthew Cooper is a short animation, created using mix media. It follows the tenants of a large apartment complex and the taking over of one mans body by a moth-like creature. While I was unable to follow or understand the plot, I found the animation to be intriguing and I continued to watch. The shots containing the apartment, offered a view of the many tenants and a little bit of insight into their possible personalities. There are a few scenes where the animation stands alone as amazing, but without being unable to comprehend the meaning, the film is easily lost amongst others in the McLaren collection. However the scenes that stand out, offer hope that future projects from this director will bare more fruit.

Rating: 2 Trees

 Pecatum Parvum is a short mixed media animation directed by Asya Lukin, that looks at the Russian poet Daniil Kharms. The short is spilt into two sections one of which uses many different materials, while the other is made of clay. I am unaware of the poet’s work and I felt like that cost me a great deal. Even though I didn’t completely understand the meaning of the short, the claymation was well done. The characters movements and facial expressions were similar to that of expressionist paintings, depicting on the outside, the inner psychological issues. As impressed as I was with the claymation it outclassed the sections created of different materials. While the materials used in the mixed media were interesting, the characters and motion was stiff and forgettable. I saw this more as a stepping stone to greater things.

Rating: 4 Trees

A film set in the late nineteen forties about a wealthy older business man with an attraction to a younger woman even though he’s married, didn’t strike me as being of much relevance to a poor late-twenties happily married man as myself. Could a period piece have a potential draw to draw crowds who would usually shy away from this sort of thing? If one feels the answer is no, than this film will change the harbored disdain for what I’ve consider a rather boring genre.  

Married Life directed by Ira Sachs, begins with an animated opening that illustrates immediately the time period that one is about to observe. Harry, a mild manner businessman, played by Chris Cooper, invites his best friend Richard, played charmingly by Pierce Brosnan, to a dinner to discuss his affections for another woman other than his wife, Pat, played by Patricia Clarkson. Upon the entrance of a beautiful women, Harry stands up from the table gazing her way. Richard turns to look, squinting, seemingly unable to believe this beauty would love such a man as his friend. The woman Kay, played by Rachel McAdams, is a platinum haired belle who seems innocent at first, but beneath, darker things brew. She meets Harry with a kiss, and is invited to stay and chat a bit. Richard who is a  stereotypical ladies man, well dress, out going, well spoken and just plain cool, has fallen for her. Richard, rations that Harry is married to a fine wife and is asking to much, it is he, who should have Kay. This film is filled with deceit, that has the power over life and death and to destroy the morals that bind us as men.

Many will enjoy this film for its humor or wit, but it is the observation that no one is either good or evil, but are complex beings capable of both, that stands as a modern  and enlightening theme.  The film cinematography is smooth and well shot. The set director and costume designers captured the period well, submersing the audience into the forties. I know it made seem hard to believe, but this film is relevant and should be seen.

Rating: 2 Trees

The Gorillaz are a alternative band that has become well known through out the world only in the last few years. The band has pushed the envelope as to what a commercially viable band can sound and look like. Many have never seen the faces of the band members, but that of cartoon characters, that have appeared on CD covers and in videos. Even though some of the musicians have changed, their animated characters remain, so that in a sense the animated characters are more the band that the people behind it. It is with this group, shrouded in mystery, that many have became intrigued wanting to know more about the animation process, the creators and where their creativity explodes from. 

In the documentary Bananas Directed by Ceri Levy, we are introduced to the masterminds behind Gorillaz Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn. It is through following them that the process for creating the band and the animated characters that proceeded are suppose to come to light. The Documentary starts from the formation of the idea and continues through to their MTV Music award show in 2001. The viewer is to see an array of musicians who assist, shorts about the animation, and how Gorillaz really works. At least thats how it should be.

It appears that some documentaries become overshadowed by their subject matter and Bananas does just that.  I was excited upon entering to see this, but left disappointed. Where had this documentary gone wrong? Well, just about everywhere. This is not a well put together documentary and comes across as more of a collection of footage from a band friend than by a director seeking to offer insight. The creators are reduced to fart jokes, appearing unintelligent and incapable of the tasks they are noted for . Are they funny? Yes. However, this is not a comedy, it is a documentary and should attempt to document something. The animations appear to be a collection of already commercially available material thrown into cover bad editing. Anyone can hold a camera and capture footage, but its in what way one makes the footage become relative to the viewer, that distinguishes the masters from the amateurs. This documentary is boring  and plain in the presence of an entity that imbues the essence of fun and experimental.

The Color Red is Dull

Ratings: 2 Trees

Directed by Trygve Allister Diesen

There are actions that are so hideous and inhumane that they should compel all of mankind to rally against these travesties to seek justice. In the story Red (an adaptation of a book by Jack Ketchum), we are introduced to the team of Ludlow and Red. Red is not only Ludlow’s best friend but also, as the saying, mans best friend, a dog. Ludlow, played by Brian Cox, takes Red out fishing, but their recreational time is interrupted by teens, one of which is carrying a large shot gun. Danny, played by Noel Fisher, who heads the group of misfits, taunts Ludlow, but as he resists, a shot is fired that will further deepen the wounds that have haunted Ludlow many years. What fallows, are questions of how strong bonds are, and to what extent one will take to reach justice when everything stands in the way.

While the notions Red attempts to explore are intriguing, it fails to explore them in a way that is convincing, being plagued by poor dialogue, explanations, and cinematography.  At times the dialogue was to much, seeming rather, taken directly from the book, than being rewritten to fit the visual transformation.  Real people do not talk this way. Further, the deep relationship between Red and Ludlow, is not well established, leaving the actions taken in question. Scenes were bland and items such as the bloody paw prints on his shirt, felt to placed and greatly deterred me from being drawn into the   situation. I felt that, due to the nature of events that occur,I should care, but I couldn’t. I was bored, but maybe my mother, while flipping through the television channels one day, will happen upon the Hallmark Channel and will find this endearing.

The Robotic Heart

Ratings: 4 trees

What does it mean to have to have human connections? Does it require a beating heart? The film Mechanical Love explores the notions of human contact, the human soul and if there is a possibility of robots obtaining the ability to become, in a sense, more human than human.  This documentary follows the works of Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, a robotic engineer, and the creation of what he calls a “geminoid” (meaning loosly twin being). The geminoid is a robot that is so similar in appearance and action that Professor Ishiguro hopes it would be possible to take the place of the person it replicates. We are offered a glimpse of a geminoid that bares a remarkable similarity to the Professor. It is with this robot that he test the limits of what we define as being human and the existence of the soul. 

As humans we question things intensely, if we have had a large amount of exposer to them. We note ill-regularities that we cannot quite explain, but when something seems off, we know that we must question the validity of what is being seen. So in contrast to the geminoid, we are presented with a fluffy white robot that resembles a toy seal and is called Paro. Many have not had direct contact with seals on a daily basis, so we question it with less emphasis on if it real or living.

Paro is introduced to a retirement home, in particular one woman named, Mrs. Körner. She is elderly and rarely has relatives that visit. It is in this relationship between Mrs. Korner, and Paro that the film finds it charm. We are lead slowly into a web were we may view Mrs. Korner as our own grandmother. We share her frustrations and her desires for something, anything that will offer her love and interaction. Her environment questions if, we, as humans, treat some, as dispensable, providing only marginal care.  

In Japanese the word sonzai means roughly “the aura of human presence”. We are forced, due to dialogue and visuals, to question the possibility that the definition of life may delve further into the realms of phycology than into the logical realm of pure science. We are asked to note the importance of bonds and how those bonds frailly hold the structure of mankind. 

The Pursuit of What We Know

Rating: 5 Trees

Directed by Majid Madjidi

Are we to be entertained by a movie about an ostrich handler in the rural plains of Iran? At first, I was skeptical, but due to a well developed story, endearing characters and cinematography this movie stand as phenomenal achievement. It may sound like it’s impossible, but Director Majid Madjidi, pulls off a story that offers deep insight into the struggles of the poor, and how those struggles can effect everything around them. In Song of Sparrows, the struggle to provide for ones family, leads an Iranian rural laborer, Karim, on a journey to the city where acquired wealth leads him to questions his moral values and unravels the threads of the very family he is trying to protect. 

Reza Naji who recently won the, Best Actor Silver Bear, plays Karim giving a stunning performance, drawing the audience to empathize with his joy and dismay using his eyes, and wild antics.  While the movie has subtitles and cultural references, one must not be detoured, as Director Majid Madjidi, draws upon a rich wealth of universal experiences, so that we can share common ground. Everyone will draw something important that will alter their perspective of cultural similarities and the human experience.