dangerundone

I originally saw this film at Slamdance, and it left me wanting more. While it's visually arresting, the ideas all seem brilliant but incoherent. I struggled with the puzzle for a year. It took me that long to come around to the conclusion that it didn't all have to add up. That unlike most cinema, where there's the thematic wrap-up at the conclusion... this film doesn't leave you with that same sense of Hollywood satisfaction. It jumps through characters each struggling with their place in the world; each slamming and being slammed in an unpredictable fashion. And this is what I was left with. Not a neatly wrapped present but an open box that's had its guts dumped all over the ground. This is a film that I imagine will get better each time you watch it. Familiarity with the huge cast of characters, and their relationships to each other will only assist with interpretation. But brain-candy aside, the moments in the film are enough to keep you smiling. 8/10

While this film could be touted as the next "Spellbound" given the subject matter; the actual film itself doesn't nearly live up to that kind of comparison. The film chronicles many students at 4 different schools around the country all vying for Presidential bids in their Jr. Highs. A great concept. But somehow it ended up being boring. We never feel any connection with any of the characters. This may be because there are too many. But more likely, the flaw lies in the editing. Rather than doing a character study, really delving into home-lives, getting perspectives of multiple teachers and students; the film tries to stretch the "competition" across 90 minutes. I'm sorry, but watching kids shop for posterboard, then making their posters, then carrying their posters, then putting up their posters just isn't that interesting. What should have been focused on was the politics of Jr. High Elections. That subject was only scratched upon. So were the mid-term elections against which the film is set. The movie suffers from an inconsistency in how the schools are approached, too many schools, a painful soundtrack, and the wrong execution. Still, watching kids get emotional about losing/winning an election is entertaining, but the film needed more than just an over-extended plot. 5/10.

Pulling from old stock footage found circa WWII, and weaving it with new material that ties it all together, Military Intelligence pulls off an original feat. What's doubly unique, is that most "out of the box" ideas are half-baked, and the follow-up usually does it right. This filmmaker gets the idea right first time around. Not knowing what to expect going into the theatre, I became a little wary 5 minutes in when it seemed like the Narrator was going to be around for 80 minutes. Turns out, my fear was actualized. However, it wasn't valid. I came to love that Narrator, he became the main character, and the biting satire that brings all the pieces together was darn well written. I laughed harder during this movie than anything I've seen in two months, except Da Ali G Show. I was unsure how the filmmaker managed to craft a story from such a mish-mosh of footage. Must have been a daunting task. But the film is cohesive, entertaining, and even manages to take some original chomps at the current political situation using WWII ideologies as a foil. Brilliant!

I wanted to like this film. It has masked superheroes fighting injustices on the streets of Mexico City. It has a good soundtrack, and a neat comic book-like vibe that is carried throughout the film. But the film suffers from one impossible problem: we never get to see the men behind the masks. Only their characters. And for those who like comic books, you know that what makes a hero great is their weakness, their human side. You need to know Bruce Wayne to care about Batman. Sure Batman does some important stuff; but what makes his story compelling is the identity and life he has when he's not Batman. While it's understandable that these masked heroes didn't want their identities revealed, it makes for a far less dynamic film. Super Amigos never gets beyond the points it makes about social injustice, and the need for the heroes. While it is still a film worth watching, it's not the film you'll want it to be.

Saw this at the Santa Fe Film Festival. I knew little more than what I had read in the program and seen on the trailer. Not being a "Larper" (which is never fully explained) I never had a clear sense of the complexity of the activity. Overall, I thought that the film did a cursory job of presenting the characters and their motivations. Because the film takes itself so seriously, I felt we were laughing at the characters, not with them. All we really get from the characters is a reinforced theme of "at home I'm nobody, I'm not in control... at Darkon, I'm somebody, I'm in control" (not a direct quote).

Rather than documenting, this film seems to promote the activity, never taking the time to question whether or not participating in Darkon is always a good thing. It's more narrative than documentary, and the story simply isn't that compelling. I think this film thrives largely on the foreignness of the subject matter.

The editing is a little sloppy (the film could be about 15 minutes shorter), characters are a bit bland (give the subject, I expected more dynamic personalities), visuals range from professional to poorly shot/poorly exposed, the music is quite excellent... though it gives the film a pseudo "Lord of the Rings" vibe when it's really just Medieval Reenactment with padded weapons. Again, I felt this undermined the objectivity and made it Pro-Darkon.

The preview has all the best shots from the film, as previews often do. Most of those images have no context in the film itself, and are just visual asides.

Of course, independent film-making is no small task, so for that reason I'm giving this a 5/10. It was a good effort, but overall, I would not recommend the film. Boredom sinks in at about minute 15.

I cried in this film. I wasn't sure if I was crying because of the cinematic experience, because of the climactic conclusion, because of how I connected with the fantastical world... but when the lights came up, I didn't want anyone looking at me. I just wanted to vanish, not be left in a house full of people. It's rare that a film captures me so deeply, that I'm able to actively watch it without a live critique going on in my head. This is a sample of film-making at it's finest. Using the language of cinema to say something more about a time and a place. Putting his best metaphors forward, the filmmaker harnesses the reason why imagination exists, and juxtaposes it brilliantly with a brutal war. I was astounded by this film. I expected more of the Labyrinth, and less of the war; but that's just a preconception based on advertising. Despite the lack of David Bowie, this film was the best I've seen all year.