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

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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

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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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Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

The Nick Name

The movie stars Josh Harnett as the oddly named Slevin Kelevra, a white boy lately tied up with a string of bad luck. First, he finds out his girlfriend is cheating. Then on his way to visit his buddy Nick Fisher in New York, he is punched on the nose and gets mugged. He enters his buddy’s apartment but Nick is nowhere to be found. There’s only the chatty neighbor Lindsay (Lucy Lui) – who talks the same unrealistic language as Mr. Kelevra (ah, how cute). Then thugs show up at the door mistaking Slevin for Nick. It turns out Nick owes money and suddenly it is Slevin who’s forced to take Nick’s place of paying rival crime bosses The Rabbi (Sir Ben Kingsley) and The Boss (Morgan Freeman).

“Lucky Number Slevin” is frustrating to review because it splits me into two. I can write a full review of how I passionately hate it, but on the other hand, I also enjoyed the movie. On first impression, it looked like another stylish gangster movie, trying too hard to be cool. It led me to underestimate, an action that oddly benefited the movie. With so low expectations, I was happily surprised that the film had some substance and skill after all.

Despite the cliché turns, they aren’t too obvious as they are happening. The plot is effective, with bits of rousing storytelling sprinkled about. And there are a lot of twists involving scenes deliberately left out by the editor. (I’m sure they could make the sequel “Still Lucky # Sleight” by just creating the movie’s missing scenes). The movie is not quite believable though. Without giving much away, it involves a grand scheme that depends on so many factors. And yet, with the exception of one snag, it’s perfectly executed. But hey, at least, “Lucky Number Slevin” attempts to plug some plot holes to stop credibility from leaking. While the goal was not attained, the effort noticeably improved the movie.

What gives the movie some clout is its well-known cast. The biggest revelation is Lucy Liu, in a welcome change from her dominatrix-vibe roles. She makes her Lindsay a sweet kooky girl with a penchant for unraveling mysteries. Josh Harnett in the lead role is a bit uneven. He’s good in comedic scenes, but quite unconvincing in other scenes. Veterans Freeman, Kingsley, Tucci, and Willis are at their professional level and elevate the movie from being cheesy. Sometimes I’m embarrassed by the lines they’re fed – it’s smart-ass, asinine, sculpted movie dialogue. It's sometimes amusing, but the overall effect is distracting. It comes across as fake. ALL the characters talk the same gibberish way. They all probably talk like the writer. How else can you account for characters with superb knowledge of movie trivia? Hey, I know movies too. Maybe I’d make a good gangster.

With its emphasis on tricks, gimmicks, sleight of hands, and misdirection, “Lucky Number Slevin” is more of a magic show than a movie. While it’s fun and enjoyable, it’s only deemed superior by the most gullible spectators. Furthermore, the whole film reeks of I’m-so-clever vibe. I think cleverness takes some subtlety. We all know who the filmmakers are trying to imitate: Quentin Tarantino. “Lucky Number Slevin” has the Tarantino tricks, but poof, it never achieves the Tarantino magic.

Grade: B (maybe B+ for the effort)

CAST Josh Hartnett, Stanley Tucci, Ben Kingsley, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu, Kevin Chamberlin, and Oliver Davis Screenplay by Jason Smilovic Directed by Paul McGuigan Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language

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The Proposition (2006)

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

“The Proposition” is an Australian Western that takes place during 1880s, in the brutal but beautiful landscape of the outback. Authority figure Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) has captured two brothers of the notorious Burns gang, wanted for murder and rape. He offers the older brother Charlie (Guy Pearce) an intriguing proposition. The good captain will set him free, but he has to find and kill his oldest and most rotten brother Arthur (Danny Huston). The deadline is Christmas Day and if Charlie fails, his also-captured 14 year-old brother Mikey will fatally dangle from a noose. Oh brother.

“The Proposition” has uniformly good cast. Winstone as Captain Stanley has a commanding presence, but the captain also struggles with a fragile and conscientious mind. Emily Watson, as the captain’s wife, brings emotional baggage to the story and it disastrously leads to one of the movie’s aching scenes. Danny Huston, as the savage brother, is quite the menacing creature. Guy Pearce, almost unrecognizable from “Memento” and “L.A. Confidential,” looks haggard and emotionally drained as Charlie.

To me, the movie is a fascinating study of people that lived during that place and time. The English settlers, who resided on the outback, think the land could be tamed with their sense of order, justice, and upright morality. Despite their effort to be all civilized, they don’t quite think, but fall back on the savagery of their emotions. The sickening displays of racism, prejudice, fear, revenge, and violence are the sources of the film’s power. In terms of story, writer Nick Cave has fashioned a startling Western that slowly gathers momentum. But in terms of characters, I didn’t connect the way I wanted to. The leads are introspective men and may across as cinematically boring. There are numerous scenes of staring off in the distance and where the soundtrack plays poetic reveries (not as overdone as “The New World” though). Sometimes it works. Other times, you’re left wondering what the character is wondering about, which led me to also stare off a distance and recite some poetry of silence.

Grade: B+

CAST Guy Pearce, Emily Watson, Ray Winstone, David Wenham, John Hurt, David Gulpilil, and Leah Purcell Screenplay by Nick Cave Directed by John Hillcoat Rated R for strong grisly violence, and for language

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Apocalypto (2006)

Oh Man, It's an Omen!

And the feel-good movie of 2006 is, drum roll please, not “Apocalypto.” One shouldn’t be surprised. Mel Gibson’s last two films should have been an omen. “Braveheart” – torture. “The Passion of the Christ” – torture. And “Apocalypto” – um, you guessed it, torture. Despite this beaten-to-death trend, Gibson’s recent torture-fest is, at least, notable for being off-the-radar from what Hollywood makes. Easily, “Apocalypto” has three things that could give studio executives heart attack: an unknown cast, English-free dialogue, and a time period so ancient, Suri Cruise wasn’t even born.

The film tells the fictional story of Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), who lives in a tribal village, somewhere in the jungles of Central America, sometime in 1500s. His father is proud of him. His pregnant wife and his young son love him. Life couldn’t get better for Jaguar Paw, until, well, life gets worse. Misfortune enters when a hostile band of men raids his village and bring in a lot of hurt. Some villagers escape, some die, and some, like Jaguar Paw, are subdued and held as captives. Tied up like animals, Jaguar Paw and his fellow slaves journey through pushy rivers and you-can-slip-off-the-edge high roads. They’re off to the heart of a Mayan city, where the bloodthirsty gods await.

While the movie can be aptly described, in a word, as brutal, “Apocalypto” begins with some primal high jinks. It is a welcome and rare tone in the midst of a barbaric setting. Unnerving comedy also shows up, to an extent, with the oh-so-frequent sightings of ass cheeks. I swear you can find more booties here than in a hip hop video, and they are mostly of men. Shudder. Let’s just leave those visions of behinds behind, shall we? Once the village raid scene occurs, the movie, from then on, is relentless in its full-bloodied savagery. The film runs as a creative exercise in inflicting human pain, both physical and emotional. While this exercise is undeniably shocking and grotesque, the excess of torture is more than I would like to stomach. At least, Gibson never displays excruciating agony in a senseless and lurid manner, as opposed to the gory crop of slasher flicks. In “Apocalypto,” pain is plain pain and not degraded as some form of entertainment for sickos.

The best part of the movie is its thrilling third act, set off by an omen of almost-inexplicable events. Here is where Gibson displays his technical talent in directing action sequences. The pacing is heart-beating brisk and the camera moves as agile as a jaguar in a jungle. The cinematography felt wrong though, as if it’s too pristine and professional looking. It needed either dirtier-earthier visuals or a majestic outlook a la Terrence Mallick’s "The New World.” Still, regardless of the film’s defects, “Apocalypto” is an unforgettable film that is bold enough to bring us a new cinematic world. In that respect, I guess it’s a refreshing film to feel good about.

Grade: B+

CAST Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez, Jonathan Brewer, Morris Birdyellowhead, Carlos Emilio Baez, Ramirez Amilcar, Israel Contreras, and Israel Rios Screenplay by Mel Gibson Farhad Safinia Directed by Mel Gibson Rated R for sequences of graphic violence and disturbing images

TRAILER

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Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Magic Kingdom

I never read Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia but judging from the movie adaptation, it seemed like a book worth treasuring. This is a fine family movie. I prefer this over the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia” - it is so much relatable and much more useful for children. While both worlds are about kids who enter a new world, “Bridge to Terabithia” is not entirely separate from reality. Here is a film informing children that fantasy does not simply happen in books or movies. It is a great message for a growing generation, fed in visual images instead of creating ones on their own.

The movie is about a boy named Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson). His life is anything but exciting. At home, the family is barely getting by on a tight budget. At school, his classmates tease him. Then, one day, a spirited new classmate enters his mundane world. Her name is Leslie and she just happens to live in close proximity. Pretty soon, Jess and Leslie become best pals. After school, they play in a nearby forest and pretend they are in a magic kingdom called Terabithia. This is their secret place, a haven from all the troubles from home and school.

“Bridge to Terabithia” is intriguing to watch since the plot works in different layers. Terabithia is not just a magic place created out of nowhere. The kids’ reality very much influences the imagined sanctuary. For example, the squirrels and the giant troll they fight in Terabithia are representation of the taunting bullies in school. It makes the fantasy part of the film more meaningful. Terabithia is simply another way of seeing or dealing with reality.

Josh Hutcherson, who was wonderful in “Little Manhattan,” is proving to be a child actor of value. His character Jess immediately drew me in; perhaps it was the doing of his genuinely sad eyes. The actress who play Leslie, AnnaSophia Robb, is pretty good too. As a contrast to the cheerless Jess, she is a bottle of joy, full of light. She is constantly happy - without being annoyingly perky. This is like the kind of roles Kirsten Dunst would play if she were younger.

Without these two talented kids, the movie would not have worked so well. The strength of the movie depends on how much we truly care for them and how much we are convinced of their strong bond. Hutcherson and Robb do their jobs well and they do so with subtlety. By the time the movie arrives at its third act, you might not know what hits you. Like most great films, “Bridge to Terabithia” has an undeniable power to move a viewer in a deep, poignant manner. Its prescription is to keep a healthy dose of imagination to fight instances when reality can be dangerously unimaginable.

Grade: A-

CAST Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick, Bailee Madison, and Lauren Clinton Based on the novel by Katherine Paterson Screenplay by Jeff Stockwell David Paterson Directed by Gabor Csupo Rated PG for thematic elements including bullying, some peril and mild language

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Away From Her (2007)

Intimate Strangers

Do you remember the first time being absent-minded? I don’t think I do. But once in a while, my brain is so cluttered I would completely lost track of what I am doing. As an example, I would go down the basement and I would forget what I came down to get. So I have to go back up, retrace my steps and search for the source that made me descend in the first place. These momentary feelings of loss are what surfaced while I was watching “Away from Her.” And I thought of what it must be like to constantly forget. It must be frustrating.

In the film, an old woman named Fiona (Julie Christie) exhibits early signs of Alzheimer’s. She puts the frying pan in the freezer. Then, she attaches post-it labels on the kitchen drawers. She forgets how “wine” is pronounced. Eventually, her memory fails her so badly that she could not find her way home. Her ever-patient husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent) continues to care for her and nourish her depleting memory. But as her condition worsens, she must enter a local care facility named Meadowlake. Grant finds the place agreeable, well-furnished, and ran by a helpful staff. The only drawback (and it’s a big one) is Meadowlake’s strict policy of no visitors in the first thirty days. Grant finds it difficult to leave her, or to borrow the movie’s title, to be away from her. What if she doesn’t recognize him after a month of his absence? What if he becomes a stranger?

While I have liked movies which employ memory loss as a story gimmick (Memento, First 50 Dates, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Bourne Identity, etc.), it’s about time a movie illuminates the affliction in a realistic manner. As the Alzheimer’s victim Fiona, Julie Christie is, in a word, superb. The foremost thing you notice about her is that she’s delightfully fetching. Actresses half or even quart of her age can rarely match the genuine charisma she displays. But what makes her performance so good is that she doesn’t resort to blank stares of ambivalence. There’s always life behind her eyes. You can always sense Fiona thinking and talking like she knows what she’s talking about. As Fiona’s husband, Gordon Pinsent brings a quiet but emotional anguish to the role. It’s heartbreaking to see Grant play along with Fiona, even when it is painful to do so. He might not be stricken with the disease, but he’s the one who suffers the most.

Despite the sad subject matter, it is to Sarah Polley’s credit that the film is neither a bleak downer nor a gushy tearjerker. In her directorial debut, the actress-turned-filmmaker has learned well from her mentor, the Canadian auteur Atom Egoyan. Indeed, her approach to “Away From Her” reminded me of Egoyan’s masterpiece “The Sweet Hereafter.” The parallel storylines, the metaphorical passages, the soft fade transitions, and the formidable Canadian landscapes are used to great effect on both films. In “Away from Her,” I liked that white, and not black, is chosen as the film’s dominant color. This seems to suggest that memory loss is more about having a clean slate than being in complete darkness. Yeah, I like that idea. Memory doesn’t really make us who are anyway. We are what we are without it. Remember that.

Grade: A-

CAST Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Kristen Thomson, Wendy Crewson, Michael Murphy, Alberta Watson, Thomas Hauff, and Katie Boland Based on the short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" by Alice Munro Screenplay by Sarah Polley Directed by Sarah Polley Not Rated

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