Comic-con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope

This is an affectionate behind the scenes look at the dedicated and passionate super-fans who attend the annual celebration of everything pop-culture related (Comics, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror, Gaming, Anime, Masquerades and fan merchandise) at the San Diego Comic-con in California, which is so much more than a comic convention and one of the largest and most popular in the world.

This documentary is directed by Morgan Spurlock, from Super Size Me (2004) fame, who recently made the product placement documentary The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011), in which he went behind the scenes of the making of his own film that was totally funded by companies who paid him to have their products shown in the film. Unlike his previous documentaries however, he never appears in Comic-con, preferring to give the spotlight to the fans themselves.

Told mostly from the perspective of exuberant fans, it follows several individuals who see themselves as fighting the super hero battle of their lives in order to be noticed and validated at the convention. It’s a job fair for nerds. There is a young costume designer who is passionate about creating costumes of video game characters for a masquerade competition, two young comic artists who are trying to break into the extremely competitive comic book illustration business by showing their work to professionals, a toy collector who has dedicated a whole room in his home to toys, a comic store owner who is conflicted about selling his most treasured and rarest comics, and a young geek couple who met and fell in love at a previous comic con and how the love struck boyfriend attempts to arrange a surprise public marriage proposal during the convention.

It’s narrated throughout with hilarious commentary from celebrity geeks who regularly attend and have a great affection for the convention since their childhood; Kevin Smith, Harry Knowles, Eli Roth, Seth Rogan, Stan Lee, Seth Green and Steve Sansweet to name a few.

This doc is similar in depth and scoop to the Star Wars doc Star Warriors (2007), as we get to follow our nerd heroes on their journey from home to the convention floor and are privy to the anxieties, hopes and mishaps of enthusiastic fans as they each attempt to make their dreams come true in front of a crowd of like-minded peers.

For people who are familiar with the comic convention scene as I am, this documentary has some surprisingly heartfelt and touching scenes. For those who are not that familiar or have never attended a comic con it will be a very illuminating and humorous experience that may make you want to get in line for the next upcoming comic con in your area.

Toronto’s own annual Fan Expo, which will be held on August 23 – 26, 2012, will also feature celebrity guests Kevin Smith and Stan Lee, who appear in the Comic-con doc. Other featured celebrity guest at this year’s Fan Expo include Gillian Anderson (X-Files), Patrick Steward (Star Trek & X-Men), and legendary horror director John Carpenter (Halloween, The Fog, The Thing, Escape from New York).

JP

Aguirre, The Wrath of God

Werner Herzog is fond of stories about obsessive characters and their struggles with the wonders and dangers of the natural world such as Grizzly Man (2005). It’s a familiar theme that also runs through many of his early films like Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972) and Fitzcarraldo (1982). These would make wonderful Earth Day films where we are reminded not only of how we are wreaking havoc with the environment, but where nature actually fights back.

Made 40 years ago, Aguirre, Wrath of God is one of my all-time favorite films that made a deep impression on me when I first saw it in the early 1980s. This German movie was released in Germany at the very end of December of 1972 but did not arrive in the US until 1977, and I did not see it until much later at Toronto’s now defunct second run theatres around 1984. It is about an expedition of Spanish explorers striking out into unknown territory and discovering their limitations while dealing with their darker natures.

This unforgettable Heart of Darkness story was entirely filmed in the thick jungles of Peruvian rainforest and the Amazon River, and is considered a masterpiece that was ahead of its time in terms of its documentary style depiction and level of realism. The opening shots in the mist shrouded Andes Mountains are some of the most striking images ever filmed and it was all done with the cast and crew practically living in the same conditions depicted in the film. The jungle soon becomes an ominous presence, like a vengeful character waiting for the opportunity to strike.

Its images and music are so haunting and hypnotic that you absolutely believe you are witnessing one of the first Spanish expeditions into the new world. It’s a cinematic classic and one of Werner Herzog’s best films, which made his reputation around the world as an uncompromising director who will go to any length to make his films as authentic as possible. The music is so eerie that it immediately gives the sense of a fatalistic downward spiral into a whirlpool of fatigue, fear and paranoia from which there is no escape.

Based loosely on historical events, the expedition of Spanish conquistadors looking for the legendary city of El Dorado get so lost and demoralized in the jungles of Peru, that they eventually turn on each other, abandoning all civilized behavior and become insane as the jungle slowly closes in on them and Indian spears kill them off one by one.

The movie gives you an overwhelming feeling of isolation and people completely cut off from the civilized world. Similar in theme to Lord of the Flies (1963), we see how soldiers and disciplined men morally deteriorate in the absence of civilized society. Klaus Kinski is absolutely mesmerizing in the role of Lope de Aguirre, known in history as a mad man driven by greed for fame and gold. Like an addicted gambler, he takes control of the expedition and mutinies against the Spanish Monarch, stopping at nothing in his ruthless and blind pursuit of riches.

Having influenced filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola to make Apocalypse Now (1979), it’s a stunning cinematic nightmare and will leave you pondering with awe the discovery and exploration by Europeans of the new world.

Werner Herzog, the infamous German director of 62 films, and documentaries who became famous during the 1970s and 80s for his collaboration with the brilliant but unstable German actor Klaus Kinski, later made a documentary about his volatile relationship with Kinski after he died in 1991 called My Best Feind

JP

Wrath of the Titans

The much anticipated sequel to Clash of the Titans (2010), which was a remake of an earlier Clash of the Titans from 1981, (see my review comparing the two original films) has arrived to poor critical reviews. It is actually a very satisfying and visually spectacular film for those who liked the previous two films and fans of the fantasy/adventure genre. 

The movie was directed by Jonathan Liebesman, known for directing the excellent but underrated Battle Los Angeles in 2011. He is an up and coming director making a name for himself as an excellent effects director with a talent for drawing compelling performances from his actors and will be one to watch out for.

What’s clear about this new sequel is that everything has been pushed up a notch; the story and visuals. Clash of the Titans was already a rather exotic cinematic spectacle but Wrath of the Titans aspires to the visual epic heights of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and often succeeds without being as epic in length. It also has elements from Gladiator (2000), and Troy (2004).

The story is loosely based on Greek mythology and delves more deeply into the familial bonds and the role of the gods of Mt. Olympus who are brought down from their lofty pedestal. Its theme of sibling rivalry and how parents can turn their children against each other will resonate even today. Brothers, Zeus and Hades play out their sibling rivalry which stems back to their childhoods when the arrogant Zeus was favored over Hades. Zeus has inadvertently carried this rivalry over to his own children when he favors his half-son Perseus, who now has a son of his own, over his other son Ares. 

Siblings who don’t have children of their own are often seen as failures in their parents eyes and when parents under appreciate one child who is seen as a disappointment if they did not produce grandchildren, often drives a huge abyss between siblings who feel resentment and robbed of the love that they feel should be unconditional.

Ten years have passed and the same rivalry is now being played out between Perseus and his neglected cousin Agenor, the half-son of Poseidon. Gods, it seems, do die if not worshiped and man must fend off evil without their help. Even the gods find that they have more strength without their divine power and unappreciated siblings find new motivation when they are treated with respect by their favored brother.

There are so many visual treats to behold in this mythical creature fest that we take for granted how far cinematic effects have progressed since the days of Ray Harryhausen. There is an Inception (2010) inspired sequence of a shifting maze of stone walls and halls that adds a new sense of visual excitement, Pegasus the flying horse is back, and some great new characters have been added. 

Hephaestus, forger of the gods is played with comic relish by Bill Nighy, Andromeda, warrior Queen of Argos is played with enthusiasm by Rosamond Pike, Agenor, half-god son of Poseidon is played with humor by Toby Kebbell, Ares the god and son of Zeus is played with intense pride by Édgar Ramirez who was recently seen as revolutionary Carlos the Jackal in Carlos (2010) and the Kraken that was dispatched at the climax of the previous film has been replaced by the even more ominous Kronos.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable franchise that pays homage to and treats with the utmost respect the original Harryhausen Greek myth fest. Even the original metallic owl has another cameo in this sequel. I highly recommend this film for fans of the fantasy/adventure genre.

JP

Spirited Away: the films of Hayao Miyazaki

The wondrous films of Japan’s Hayao Miyazaki are like a deluxe platter of sushi; a colorful explosion of varied tastes and textures. Celebrated and beloved by children and adults around the world, he is the Japanese version of Walt Disney. His traditionally animated films are of such remarkable quality and beauty, that they are admired by animators and audiences worldwide as the clear gold standard in not only animation, but also storytelling.

The deeply personal, naturalistic and carefully crafted realism of Miyazaki’s films are made with such loving attention to detail, they actually feel more like live-action movies and you forget that you’re watching animation. Some of the most popular and well-known in his oeuvre of works include Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), Princess Mononoke (1997), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) and Ponyo (2009).

One of his most acclaimed films and considered by many to be his best, is the award winning Spirited Away (2002), the only animated film to win the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival. It’s a touching coming of age tale about a young girl in Japan, who starts out as a lazy, spoiled brat when her family moves to a new house in the country. After losing her parents in an abandoned theme park, she must work hard to get them back, and through the extraordinary events that follow, she is forced to grow up quickly, becoming responsible and hard working.

The life lessons she learns take place while working in a spiritual bath house frequented by an assortment of Japanese nature spirits, who go there at night to be renewed and rejuvenated. After securing a job as a cleaner she is given the most difficult and dirtiest tasks and has to deal with a number of creatures that represent vices and virtues in the real world.

The movie is like a dream; full of whimsical and fantastical creatures and characters that all have a symbolic meaning in the real world and is based on actual people and experiences the director has known.  All Miyazaki’s films are full of recurring themes that relate to our connections with nature and our past, and the loss of those connections.

The strange adult world is often seen through the eyes of an innocent playful child, who must come to terms with the harsh working world of adults while learning to stay in touch with and preserving nature. Themes surrounding work ethics and discipline are a familiar feature in his films, but he shows us that when we stop and look closely and carefully in the right places, we can still discover the wonders and mysteries of nature that our ancestors before us enjoyed.

You clearly see these themes running through all his films including the recent film The Secret World of Arrietty (2012), which was written and produced by Miyazaki. This movie is a beautifully told tale of our distant connections with the world of our parents and our ancestors and the important role nature plays in our lives.

A retrospective of Miyazaki’s films is currently showing at Toronto’s TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre but many of these films are already available on Disney DVD and Blu-ray.

JP

Kahaani

This movie has several excellent things going for it that make it an absolute gem of a film. The cinematography and editing is first class and the Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) locations are breathtakingly evocative of the vibrant life in this commercial and cultural capital city of the Indian state of West Bengal. This may not be that exciting to a Hindi audience but will definitely be very striking to a western audience. 

If the thought of a Bollywood film turns you off, don’t let that deter you from seeing this wonderful film. You will be very pleasantly surprised. It is not your traditional song and dance Hindi film as there are no songs, dancing or melodramatic storyline. There are humorous moments but it’s also a suspenseful mystery thriller and drama that has clearly been influenced by the realistic visceral filming style and immediate storyline of Slumdog Millionaire (2008).

The story deals with a terrorist attack on a subway train and the search for the man behind the attack in the back alleys and the seedier side of Kolkata’s colorful neighborhoods. A pregnant wife arrives from London looking for her missing husband and enlists the help of the local police. Throughout the film the story is inter-cut with lively images of actual Calcutta street life through different stages of daily life during a festival period. 

The suspenseful story of a vulnerable, pregnant but extremely tenacious and determined woman searching for the missing father of her child is an instantly gripping mystery that will keep you hooked into this completely realistic movie from start to finish. Making this film even more convincing is the absolutely believable performance by the beautiful and likable actress Vidya Balan, recently seen in The Dirty Picture (2011), who plays Vidya Bagchi, the pregnant woman searching for her husband. She easily holds our attention and our sympathies throughout her entire ordeal. In fact you cannot take your eyes off her.

Kahaani means ‘Story’ in Hindi and refers to the fictional tales that the characters are telling each other about themselves to hide the truth. The ending therefore becomes a big twist as their true stories are revealed and we realize that each character is not what they seem.

This is a movie I would definitely watch again and is on par with the best of any recent film from Hollywood and well worth your time and money.  Critics from the US and Canada don’t normally review Hindi films but this one is definitely worth a serious look. 

JP