Murderball (2005)

Where There's a Wheel, There's a Way

I'm still not sure how murderball or "Wheelchair Rugby" is played, but at least, through the documentary "Murderball,” I’m aware of it now. It is a rigorous sport that features men in specialized wheelchairs attempting to drive a ball into the end zone or goal. The sport is played worldwide and annually, there’s world championship game that decides which nation has the best team.

In all honesty, I thought “Murderball” was simply a sports-info documentary, but I was pleasantly surprised that it transcends the game. What the documentary amounts to is a remarkable collection of human stories. Its featured group of quadriplegic men is like a cast of characters a genius writer would dream of making. There’s the aggressive Joe Soares, a pissed American who wants to revenge towards America by coaching Team Canada. And for contrast, Joe has a son who's not athletic but educationally gifted. There's Mark Zuban – who has the personality of an asshole, even before he was confined to a wheelchair. There’s also Chris Igoe, Mark’s guilt-haunted best friend, who is immensely responsible for Mark's disability. There’s Bobby who dreams of flying. And more guys who talk about being able to do "it," debunking myths that they can’t “rise to the occasion.” Probably my favorite is Keith, who’s fresh from a disastrous motorbike accident. As we learn, the hardest part for the quadriplegic is the first two years of rehabilitation.

The thing is - these guys come across pretty normal. Of course, my first reaction is pity, but with these men of overwhelming will and personality, I can’t help but overcome any sorry I feel for them. In fact, they make me feel inadequate for their human spirit is hardly as brittle as mine. “Murderball” is indeed a wonderful and memorable documentary. The stories of these men don’t only come across as inspirational, but also very real. My reaction went beyond “Wow, I can't believe what they overcame after everything they went through.” These men know they're accomplished. What moves me is their strength to motivate others. There's a difference between not being helpless and being helpful.

Grade: A-

FEATURING Mark Zupan, Joe Soares, Keith Cavill, Andy Cohn, Scott Hogsett, Chris Igoe, and Bob Lujano Directed by Henry Alex Rubin Dana Adam Shapiro Rated R for language and sexual content

Trailer

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Planet of the Apes (1968)

The Gap at Banana Republic

The late Charleston Heston plays George Taylor, one of the three astronauts marooned in a futuristic planet. After searching for some life form in desert-like surroundings, the men encounter a tribe of homo sapiens. These astronauts, intellectual beings they are, take note of the humans’ primitive fashion and their inability to speak. Things begin to get interesting however, when a group of gorillas in horsebacks, arrives at the scene and hunts the humans for sport. The astronauts split up but the film stays on George, who unfortunately gets captured and is jailed among the primitive humans. To his amazement, he discovers his simian captors walk upright and speak English. Why, they’re almost like humans. And the humans? Well, the apes treat them like animals. Weird. What accounts for this puzzling role reversal and gap among the species?

I wasn’t really planning on watching this. I had already seen Tim Burton’s “re-imagined” 2001 version. But the 1968 film is such a well-known and intriguing sci-fi that my inner Curious George couldn’t resist. And I discovered that the older film was more eager to be thought-provoking, even though Burton’s film had better production values. I think the 1968 version is genius in the way it skewers our perspective. Automatically, our sympathies lie with the human protagonist and go against the apes. But the man is in the "animal" role and the apes really represent humans. So, in a sly way, the movie makes us side with animals and make us examine the cruelty of a man. I call this the “take a good look at your bad self” movie. Granted, the lessons imparted are old-school stuff. These are for the 1960s generation to learn. We, the world community of the new century, already know better, right? And yet, the movie’s issues such as animal cruelty, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the rejection of evolution are still relevant today. Now, I understand why the film can be called a classic.

And yet, despite its brainy concept and significant message, the movie looks laughable and campy. The actors are obviously in ape costumes and on top of that, they don’t even act like apes. This isn’t necessarily a flaw, but adds a dimension of oddity to the whole experience. And it’s probably what makes the film entertaining in its own strange way. I also love the protagonist George Taylor in full-on hero mode, just because he’s Charleston Heston. The guy is always thinks he’s right and smarter than anybody, which is oddly the superiority complex the film tries to discourage. I love the out-of-this-world absurdity of it all. But hey, cheesy or not, “Planet of the Apes” remains one of the most fascinating social satires I’ve ever seen. It encourages us to be responsible humans and not go ape at each other.

Grade: A+

CAST Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison, Robert Gunner, Lou Wagner, Woodrow Parfrey, Jeff Burton, and Burt Kartalian Based on the novel "La Planète Des Singes" by Pierre Boulle Screenplay by Michael Wilson Rod Serling Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner Rated G

Trailer

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Drunken Monkey (2003)

Show Me the Monkey

What to expect in a movie called “Drunken Monkey?” A wild Friday night at the zoo? Well, it turns out to be a martial arts film. The premise involves an uncle and his nephew (roughly of the same age) searching for a legendary kung fu master who performs the Monkeyish Fist. They have no idea the trouble they’re in for because the master does not want to be found. He’s hiding from some bad guys (in opium business) who want him dead. And you know, when there’s trouble, there are going to be some arms and legs violently flailing for sure. That’s how things get settled in China.

No one is going to watch this movie for its story. It’s all about the kung fu fights. I haven’t seen an old-school Hong Kong flick in a long time. It’s really refreshing. I like watching martial arts turned into a virile art of dance. The choreography is very rhythmic and dynamic. The action does not disappoint, but sometimes feels interminable. It goes on and on and on. For all the deadly kicks and blows, some characters are so invincible – they can’t just die.

The movie is really a showcase for Lau Kar Leung, who not only directs but also plays the kung fu master. At 66, the old man exhibits agility and robust strength to the tip of his fingers. The fighting style however is a bit bizarre. The actors do monkey poses and silly faces. Their secret weapon is wine. Come to think of it, that makes sense. Alcohol does make a monkey out of you. The film’s humor is a bit of an acquired taste. It plays its comedy too broad, too obvious, too silly, too gimmicky, but probably altogether harmless. “Drunken Monkey” is a passable entertainment. With its mixture of kick-ass action and Chinese goofiness, this cocktail of a movie is a punch. It might be more fun if you watch it inebriated. Have yourself a simian party.

Grade: B

CAST Wu Jing Jason, Gordon Liu, Chi Kuan-Chun, Lau Wing Kin, Shannon Yao Yao, and Lau Kar Leung Screenplay by Pak Ling Li Directed by Lau Kar Leung Rated R for some violence

A Scene From the Movie

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Love Me If You Dare (2004)

Daredevils

There is no doubt a lot of work went into this French romantic comedy. It has flashy editing, whooshy camerawork, and super whimsy special effects. But “Love Me If You Dare” seems like a product of dare itself. It has one of the most absurd story lines in recent years.

The movie is about daredevils Julien and Sophie. As kids, they have bonded through a game of dares. They goad each other into risky antics, from public urination to wedding ruination. They’re pretty rotten, unruly children. But it is okay; they’re entitled. Because 1) they’re the main characters, 2) they’re really cute, 3) Sophie lives in a low-cost housing and 4) Julien’s mom is dying.

Years later, being a young gent and a young lady, Julien and Sophie (played by Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard, respectively) are still up to no good. However, the game is threatened by a growing romance. Or is it the other way around? They’re unable to come clean with their feelings, fearing that love might turn into a game.

Unfortunately, “Love Me If You Dare” is treated like a game. And worse, it invites us to play, only to be played. The filmmakers want us to care about the daring couple, but as the story evolves, it is becoming a challenge to like them. In fact, I grew to loathe them. It felt like I was a target of a mean prank.

To be fair, the film has moments of interest. There are a couple of scenes where their love turns into something sadistic. But it irks me that the film treats this as endearing or magical. Most of the time, the film’s viewpoint is so mentally unsound; the filmmakers need to get their heads examined. They’re not crazy genius; they’re crazy cuckoo.

Look, I am not asking for a reasonable movie, but I’d like to grasp or pin down something. At least, the American ouchfest “Jackass” is straightforward and clear in its purpose. This French film is all over the place and practically toys with just about everything. The story lacks logic. The characters do not solicit empathy, since they function as playthings rather than people. It’s just too bad. The actors are actually good and good-looking in this. Thibault Verhaeghe, who portrays the 8 year-old Julien, is so noogie-adorable. Marion Cotillard, the future Oscar winner, already exhibits a gruff of spunk that she expertly used in “La Vie en Rose.” So, by the end, I don’t hate the players; I hate the game.

Grade: D

CAST Guillaume Canet, Marion Cotillard, Thibault Verhaeghe, Joséphine Lebas-Joly, Gérard Watkins, Emmanuelle Grönvold, Laëtizia Venezia Tarnowska, and Gilles Lellouche Screenplay by Jacky Cukier Yann Samuell Directed by Yann Samuell Rated R for language and some sexuality

A Scene From the Movie

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