Restaurant Review: Joël Robuchon (Las Vegas)
This was the most decadent, over-the-top meal I've ever had. Although there were a couple dishes that didn't quite work for me, the ones that did were outstanding in both taste and presentation.
Restaurant Review: Sage (Las Vegas)
Sage served up an impressive 8 course meal that included the best dish I've ever eaten.
Movie Review: Monsters
Monsters has a bit of everything: action, drama, romance, social commentary and gorgeous imagery of the Mexican and Central American countryside.
Movie Review: Monsters
Monsters (2010)
Director: Gareth Edwards
A space probe carrying samples of extraterrestrial life crashes in Mexico. Soon, half the country is teeming with huge new lifeforms and becomes known as the Infected Zone. Six years later, photojournalist Andrew Kaulder is in Mexico trying to get a good shot of one of the monsters. He's called upon to escort his boss's daughter Sam, who is travelling in the area, safely back home before the monsters' migration season begins and travel is restricted. Of course something goes wrong, they miss the last boat to the States and are forced to travel through the infected zone. The movie follows Sam and Kaulder on their journey through the Mexican wilderness as they try to get back home.
Despite the title, this is not a typical sci-fi monster movie. The focus is not on the 'invasion' and people panicking as most monster movies are. The aliens have become a fact of life, something people see on the news everyday. The film is more of a travelogue than anything. It really focuses on Sam and Kaulder's characters, their experiences as they travel through the infected zone and their budding relationship. The threat from the monsters lurks mostly in the background.
This movie has a bit of everything: action, drama, romance, social commentary and gorgeous imagery of the Mexican and Central American countryside. The cinematography and effects were exceptional. From crowded ports to jungles to Aztec ruins, everything was very visually attractive. Special effects were blended in seamlessly to showcase the destruction caused by the monsters.
*Mild spoilers*
My favorite part of the movie came when Sam and Kaulder (and the audience) finally come face-to-face with the monsters. Throughout the movie you see news footage of them and evidence of their devastating run-ins with people, but it's not until this point that you really get a good look at them and it's quite amazing. The sense of awe from the characters as they behold the gigantic, tentacled, bio-luminescent creatures is palpable; a most impressive job by the actors since the monsters are entirely CGI. The decision to keep the monsters hidden for most of the movie really pays off when they are finally revealed.
*End of mild spoilers*
The movie did have a few weaknesses. I found the relationship between Sam and Kaulder a little hard to believe at the beginning. Between the circumstances and the speed at which it was introduced, it felt a little forced. As the movie progressed it did become more believable. The narrative was also slow at times and some scenes went on longer than they should have.
Overall I liked Monsters. It's not something I have an urge to watch repeatedly, but it was enjoyable and was unlike any other sci-fi movie I've seen (the frequent comparisons to District 9 are tenuous at best).
Hearing the director speak about the movie after the screening made me appreciate it more than the actual viewing did. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but I was really impressed when I heard about the guerrilla-style of filming that was used. Gareth Edwards was not only the director, but was also the screenwriter, cinematographer and special effects artist. Most of the dialogue in the movie was improvised and besides the two leads the cast was made up of locals who agreed to be in the movie while the filming was taking place. It sounded like a very risky way to make a movie, but through luck, skill or perseverance (probably all three) it turned out very well.
Rating: 
Monsters will be released in theatres in the USA on October 29th, in Canada on November 5th, and in the UK on November 12th.
Movie Review: Bunraku
Bunraku (2010)
Director: Guy Moshe
In a violent, dystopic, gun-free world two strangers arrive in a crime-ridden city looking for revenge. One is a nameless drifter, the strong, silent type who wields his fists like bullets. The other is a young samurai, concerned with honor above all. With the help of an insurgent bartender the two strangers join forces to take down a shadowy crime lord and his group of 9 deadly killers.
As you can probably tell by the description, this movie holds to every western/samurai/revenge flick cliché you can think of, but it does it with style.
The heavily stylized visuals and sound effects are the stars of this film. The movie opens up with a Japanese puppet show (bunraku) which sets up the world and gives background for the lack of guns. The movie, which was filmed entirely on a sound stage, is full of elaborate sets that look like they came straight out of a pop-up book. The visual style is quite gorgeous. The fight scenes (of which there are many) are choreographed almost like a dance. Every move is planned and graceful. This especially applies to Kevin McKidd's Killer #2 who looks like a cross between Alex DeLarge and Gene Kelly.
The cinematography provides even more visual flare. Rather than cut from one location to another, the camera races over the landscape, the city being constructed along the way as it arrives at its destination. I really enjoyed this technique, which reminded me of Moulin Rouge's camera trekking through the streets of Paris. One scene that particularly stood out for me was The Drifter infiltrating a multi-level prison. He travels from level to level, knocking out guards as he goes in one continuous tracking shot that was reminiscent of an old Donkey Kong game. I do love a good long tracking shot.
The story plays out in a very predictable way. There are no surprises or shocking twists, this is a by-the-book revenge tale.
The acting in the movie is solid. Josh Hartnett seems born to play these mysterious stranger roles - he's got the look and the voice and I even believed all his fight scenes. Japanese superstar Gackt played his samurai role well. Woody Harrelson was right at home playing a bartender and provided most of the movie's laughs. Ron Perlman has the size and intimidation factor down pat. Kevin McKidd had the most interesting role to work with and performed admirably.
The weakest part of the movie was Demi Moore's character, Alexandra, the crime lord's woman. It wasn't the acting, that was fine, but the character itself was poorly thought out and completely superfluous. She attempts to bring some emotional depth to a couple of the male characters but it really doesn't work. She's brought in, given a couple scenes then disappears without any resolution to the plot-lines she introduced. This attempt at story-telling adds nothing and actually gets in the way of the movie. The whole character could have (and should have) been cut out. This would have had the added benefit of cutting the film's slightly bloated running time (118 minutes) down to something more reasonable.
Your enjoyment of Bunraku will depend on your expectations. If you're expecting fresh story-telling and well developed characters you will be sorely disappointed. I appreciate it for what it is: a good old-fashioned beat'em up with an exciting new visual style. What the movie lacks in depth it more than makes up for in entertainment value.
Rating:
Bunraku recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in North America in December 2010.
Movie Review: Blame
Blame (2010)
Director: Michael Henry
I had the good fortune to see the first international screening of Blame at the Toronto International Film Festival this week.
Blame is a movie about vigilante justice, revenge and the perfect murder gone terribly wrong. The film opens with a bang. A man comes home to his isolated house and is set upon by 5 masked intruders who, after a brief chase, tie him to a chair and force him to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills. The scene is well-shot, dramatic, and captured my interest right away. Of course, this seemingly perfect murder doesn't go as planned and the perpetrators have to scramble against both their intended victim and each other as events spin out of control.
Blame is a thriller is the best sense of the word. The tension created in the first scene never abates. From the beginning where it is unclear exactly what is going on, to the time the characters motivations begin to unravel and the truth is revealed, I was kept on the edge of my seat anticipating and even dreading what would happen next.
Blame is very minimalist. The majority of the film takes place in a single location and the cast consists of only a handful of actors. It is beautifully shot. While the plot and motivations of the characters are dark, the film takes place on a sunny afternoon in the gorgeous Western Australian foothills. The gritty, shadowy environment of run-of-the-mill thrillers is absent and the contrast is striking. The score is also quite effective, sullen piano notes provide a haunting backdrop to the events of the film.
The acting was very well done. The female leads in particular were good and got to portray a wider range than their male counterparts.
The one negative is that the plot falters a little in the second half. While the audience has figured out the truth about everyone's motivations the characters themselves take much longer to come to this realization. It made the characters seem rather oblivious. Perhaps this was the point, but I found it frustrating. Fortunately, the story finds its footing again in time for the dramatic and startling conclusion.
I thought Blame was a tremendous first feature film by writer/director Michael Henry and I hope to see more from him in the future.
Rating:
Blame is currently screening at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be screening at the Chicago International Film Festival in October.
Currently Reading:
Never Let Me Go
Currently Watching:
The West Wing: The Complete Seventh Season
Glee: The Complete First Season
Currently Playing:
Lost Odyssey