China/HK 2002
Director: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung
Score: ***

One of the most eagerly awaited martial-arts films, HERO arrives in North America first in DVD form rather than on movie theatre screens.  Miramax has picked up distribution rights and left it collecting dust on the shelves for their own selfish reasons.  Finally this April, HERO will apprear in screens across North America.

What is intriguing about HERO is the fact that it is director Zhang Yimou’s first venture into martial-arts/swordsmanship territory though the director is no stranger to the Chinese period piece having made RED SORGHUM, RAISE THE RED LANTERN and JU DOU. The meager plot, set in 3 B.C. when China was split into many kingdoms, concerns a nameless hero (Jet Li) given audience to the king (Chen Dao Ming) of the Qin Kingdom, having thwarted the previous attempts of three assassins, Sky (Donnie Yen) and lovers Broken Sword (Tony Leung) and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung).  As Nameless relates his questionable heroic exploits, it becomes apparent that it is he that is now out to do the deed, being granted the privilege of approaching less than 100 paces from the king.  As far as Yimou’s storytelling abilities go, HERO diverts into separate segments, the number equaling the frequency of costume changes (from red, green to white and so on).

HERO is full of luscious colour, a trademark of the director, an ex-cinematographer himself, as he pushes the film to excess, thanks to Chris Doyle’s (Wong Kar-Wei’s CHUNGKING EXPRESS and Van Sant’s PSYCHO) cinematography and the award winning costumer designer Emi Wada.  This is therefore no CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.  Action and excitement are surely replaced here by movement and grace.  The fight scenes are done mostly in slow motion, from extreme attention to detail to broad spectacle like the blood that drips down from the blade of a sword to the thousands of arrows shot by the archers who storm the calligraphy school.  Yimou and scriptwriters Li Feng and Wang Bi are unashamed to douse the film with Chinese culture, so unfamiliar to western audiences. Lovers argue more about right and wrong than declare their love with sacrifice, honour and duty rising in importance over sacrifice, honour and dignity.  Even the beauty of China’s scenery is given a further lift by Doyle’s favored use of reflections.  Interiors are handsome shot as well, like the rows of candle lit flames that flicker gloriously in the palace giving the film a mythical sense.  Tan Dun’s musical score, comprising largely of violin and drums further enhances the gothic feel.

But viewers should be forewarned that story and narrative, normally strong in Yimou’s previous films are noticeably weak here, the frequent shift from action to love story being noticeably unsettling.  The ambiguous characterizations, whether intentional or not, are at times confusing because of the different segments and version of stories that unfold.  Realism is thrown out the window, the spotless costumes and the fight scenes that take place only by waterfalls, lakes or forests being cases in point.  Vengeance, a strong element in most Chinese swashbucklers is replaced here by the search for fulfillment.  The film turns out to be a little too preachy at the end.  The final result is that HERO evolves more into an opera than an action flick.  Viewers will either be amazed or disappointed depending on their expectations.  But whatever outcome, HERO is still a feast to the eyes and perhaps the prettiest film to emerge this year.

Review by Gilbert Seah.

2002, Japan
Director: Takashi Shimizu
Starring: Okina Megumi, Ito Misaki

Plot: Rika is a volunteer social worker that is sent to a home to check on an old woman. When she attempts to clean the house, she hears noises coming from upstairs and finds a boy named Toshio trapped inside a closet. This turns out to be the beginning of the chain reaction that would soon pass through those who come in contact with this mysterious residence.

If you thought Ringu was scary enough, think again.  This is based on 2 straight-to-video films (JU-ON and JU-ON 2) of the same title. Having seen both, this theatrical version actually feels like a sequel to it. I must say this is another masterfully crafted horror film from Japan. The story is told in separated short vignettes that go back and forth throughout the film (just like straight-to-video versions). Each segment is packed with more than enough creeps. Sure, most of the characters are not developed enough for us to really care, but the structure of the film plays very well since the associations between players and how the curse spreads are the main focus of the story. Production design and cinematography are just right. They create a super eerie atmosphere throughout the film. People say cinematography is not to create good images or bad images but to create right images. It really is amazing how effective they are in this film.

Just when you thought Japan possibly reached the top in horror film genre, director Shimizu has created something that is possibly scarier than anything you have seen before. I recommend everyone watch it before an American remake hits theaters in the fall. And make sure to watch it alone.

Review by Shogo.

Germany, 2003
Director: Wolfgang Becker
Score: ****

It is not difficult to envisage why Wolfgang Becker’s bittersweet comedy drama GOOD, BYE LENIN! came about to be the highest grossing film in Germany of all time. The film is a well-intentioned carefully plotted tale complete with family values (there is a mother, son, daughter and absent father), historical cynicism and moral values that neither offends nor take sides be in the socialist eastern or the democratic western bloc.  Entertaining, relevant and timely, it has sufficient substance to enthrall even those not so familiar with German current affairs.

Poor socialist mother, Christiane (Katrin Sass) suffers a heart attack and goes into a coma for the period of time the Berlin wall is demolished.  To prevent shock that probably might lead to another attack, her teenage son Alex (Daniel Bruhl) keeps the news of the new Germany from her.  Bringing her back to the little apartment, he furnishes it with all the ‘old eastern Germany’, complete with hard to find groceries (Spreeewald pickles and Moccca Fix coffee), carpet, furniture and the like.  This is no simple task as Christiane wishes to watch television and walk about.  So, he fabricates news items and videotapes his own creations, passing them off as news to her.  There is plenty of material to play about here and director Becker takes the first half of the film to reveal how easy (while tricky) it is to put such a scheme into place. 

GOOD BYE, LENIN! could easily have fallen into satirical farce and it would be interesting to contemplate how good a film that might have turned out.  But it is difficult to fault what Becker has done – to give the majority of Germans what they preferred, which is a light hearted comedy with heart.  Still intelligence abounds with Alex’s search for his real father standing in for his desire for a real utopian ‘Fatherland’.  Particularly comical is what sister Ariane (Maria Simon), working at Burger King says to her dad meeting him after a long period of years: “Enjoy your meal and thank you for choosing Burger King”.  No person is displayed as all knowing or perfect.  Alex has flaws, as pointed out by Ariane and girlfriend, Lara (Florian Lukas).

What is also striking about this movie is the way director Wolfgang Becker craftily imposes his ‘Utopia’ – a blend of east and west, where west German refugees flood the east and the rat race is replaced by people working their best with their good intentions- to his audience.  Yet this is a brave new ideal place to live it, even though it arrives complete with flaws.  It is without doubt that non-Germans will miss out on most of the local humour (especially during the scene of mother’s birthday celebrations), but enough good-will and ideas exist for all viewers to be entertained.

Review by Gilbert Seah.

France, 2003
Director: Francois Dupeyron
Cast: Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger, Gilbert Melki
Score: **

MONSIEUR IBRAHIM, based on famed Jewish author and playwright Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s novel of the title MONSIEUR IBRAHIM AND THE FLOWERS OF THE KORAN, is director Dupeyron’s earnest tale of the friendship of two highly different individuals. One is Momo (Pierre Boulanger), a young Jew, alone and ignored by his sometimes abusive father (Gilbert Melki) and the other an Arab-looking Muslim shopkeeper by the name of Ibrahim (Omar Sharif, looking strangely distant).  This scenario offers intriguing issues that would make exciting drama – like the differences in life’s outlook as depicted by the two religions or the incompatibilities resulting from age differences.  But the script (co-written by both Dupeyron and Schmitt) unfortunately dismisses both as trivial.  Momo does not consider himself Jewish, so whatever conflicts immediately disappear.  As for age, Momo’s adulthood is emphasized, as he encounters his first sexual act with a local prostitute.

Despite the open setting of the Parisienne streets and the travelogue during the film’s second half, Dupeyron’s film feels claustrophobic and stage-bound.  At least the music and props create a convincing 60’s Paris.  The peripheral characters such as Momo’s father or the kindly prostitute are under-written and serve only minor distractions.  Isabelle Adjani has a neat cameo as the Brigitte Bardot look alike star. 

When Dupeyron’s film finally gets into motion, the duo takes off for Turkey crossing borders of the other countries on the way.  (As if only the metaphor of the two doing the same traveling together could not be made any clearer?) Dupeyron gained international recognition when his last film, THE OFFICERS’ WARD, a dramatic account of one soldier’s acceptance of reality with the coping with war’s injuries affected audiences’ emotions.  MONSIEUR IBRAHIM, however, is only mildly entertaining, slightly humorous and non-confrontational, after having side stepped away all the major issues.

Review by Gilbert Seah

USA, 2003
Director: Steve Herold

Four film-festival shorts comprise this disc from New Jersey-based filmmaker Steve Herold. The shortest is T.Fly Boxed, an agreeable cartoon about a fly that Herold created for school. It’s some good-ol’-fashioned animation – that means by hand, people – that never bores. Yeah, so it’s only a minute long, but still…

The real meat lies in the shorts H.R. Pukenshette and Bum Runner. The former is an adults-only parody of the Sid & Marty Krofft H.R. Pufnstuf show, with a newly brokenhearted man unknowingly giving birth to his new best friend after he attempts to drink himself to death and instead pukes up the disgusting title creature. Looking a little like a miniature Grimace covered in, well, puke, H.R. helps get our prematurely balding hero back in the game, as well as in touch with his other bodily functions. Yes, the humor is largely juvenile, but I laughed, and it’s better than 90 percent of anything Saturday Night Live has attempted the past couple of seasons.

Bum Runner is even better, the story of two homeless men (one fat, the other a midget) in search of one last “big score” so they can retire to Crackworld. Said big score is found in the form of a grocery cart full of aluminum cans, being pushed by the recently departed Fred “Rerun” Berry. They steal the cart, and thus begins a chase sequence that cleverly skewers every chase-sequence cliché trotted out by Hollywood, from the upturned fruit stand to the workers carrying a pane of glass. It’s slightly reminiscent of the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker Airplane! style of humor, but the best laughs lie in the little details, like the panhandler’s sign reading “IM BLIND – GIMME DIME” or the toothless bum wearing a “WORLD’S #1 DAD” cap.

The final short, Asburied, is the odd man out here. Not because it’s bad, but because it’s serious. It’s an eight-minute black-and-white look at the current state of Asbury Park – all but abandoned – while a narrator lovingly remembers the way it used to be. A nice piece, if existing in another universe entirely.

I liked all the shorts, but I’m most impressed with the disc’s sheer volume of bonus features – interviews, deleted scenes and more – and the cool menu design. Homemade indie films are usually thrown together with little care to how they’re packaged, but the professionalism of the presentation here matches Herold’s comedic skill.

You can find out more about this disc at www.jointfilms.com

Review by Rod Lott.