Fantastic Short Film Friday - The Piano Tuner (live-action)

And we are back with another installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we continue to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

It's time for another amazing short film for all you short film lovers out there. A thriller about a blind Piano Tuner who is more then he seems. The less said about the plot the better, but this short is a great example of what the short form of cinema can do. Here is the 13-minute French thriller, The Piano Tuner from filmmaker Oliver Treiner.

Here's the synopsis:

A blind Piano Tuner finds more then he bargained for when he makes a house call to an old couples home.

Talk about tense. When I first watched this I couldn't help but wonder what the whole point was, a short filled with unlikeable characters acting selfishly. Then around the 10 minute mark the short turns and becomes creepy as hell.

Check this out if you want to see something that will leave you breathless. Check this out if you want to an amazing foreign short that shows you why no one does thrillers like the French. Enjoy this weeks dose of short film goodness with, The Piano Tuner.

L'ACCORDEUR vost from 24 25 FILMS on Vimeo.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - The Guilt (live-action)

And we are back with another installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we continue to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

It's time for another amazing short film for all you short film lovers out there. Talk about intense. This is one short that will have you gasping for air, dancing on the edge of your seat as you finally take a breath and feel as if you've run a marathon. This is how you make a compact and deeply felt thriller. Here is the 13-minute Spanish short The Guilt from filmmaker David Victori.

Here's the synopsis:

After the murder of Leo's wife a single idea circles endlessly within his head: revenge.

This piece is just stunning. Winner of Youtube's "Your Festival Film Festival" as well as the insane prize of $500,000 from Scott Free (the production company of Ridley and Tony Scott) and the airline Emirates. $500,000! How crazy is that? This is one polished short, one that felt like it could have been directed by the late and great action director Tony Scott. This one's all about the revenge and the age old truism that revenge begets more heartbreak. Mixing beautiful set designs a la MC Escher style, fantastic acting and a nail biting score, the short just screams watch me. Director David Victori is one to watch for. I can easily imagine him releasing soon an amazing movie in the vein of Tell No One and Sleepless Nights.

Check this out if you want to see how thrilling 13-minutes of your life can be. Check this out if you want to see a pulse-pounding foreign short that will leave your mind spinning like after a Twilight Zone episode. Enjoy this weeks dose of short film goodness with, The Gift.

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Publication Date: 2005 in Sweden, 2008 in US

Synopsis:

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pieced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

Joshua's take: 4.5/5☆

Why I picked up the book: because everyone and their mother kept telling me I'm missing out on life by not having read this book and since it's been made into what I hear is a fantastic Swedish movie, and I always try to read the original source materiel before I see the adaptation.

There are some books that take your breath away, literally. You become so engrossed in the book that you forget to realize that your quiet drawn out breaths have stopped, as you suddenly gasp, drawing the air around you in, finding surface once again from an endless ocean. Your pulse quickens, pounding and your heart gets palpitations, as you nervously and hungrily turn from page to page, your heart beats in hurried succession, bump-bump-bump, akin to the feeling when a loved one say's, "we need to talk." You stop, breath in, catch your breath and smile as you again realize the truth that so rarely comes these days, "this is why I read." Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is such a book- part of that indelible truth- those rare books that not only live up to expectations, but exceed them as you close the front cover, caress it and and ask, "where have you been my whole life?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first book in the best-selling "Millenium Trilogy" from Swedish author and journalist Steig Larsson, who sadly died of a heart-attack shortly after handing in the manuscripts for what the world now sees as his legacy.

I haven't been this engrossed, this excited reading a book in quite some time. There's such a great mystery here, so much background explored, that you'd feel as if the Vanger family were real and the excesses and corruption of Swedish big business frighteningly close. Each page breathes new life into the story, and Larsson has created two of the most endearing, yet broken central characters that I believe will stand the test of time, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander- two characters at such opposites that they come together in an explosion of righteous justice and ecstasy, but I'll get more into them in a bit.

The book does a really good job at explaining the ins and outs of the Swedish stock-market and financial industry that while the story is concentrated on the Vanger family and their mysteries, is the backbone to the over-arching whole of the story. It all works amazingly well and draws the reader even more, as they feel as if they too are fighting for the sake of the everyday Swedish citizen. I also thought the action scenes were nicely paced, without being unrealistic and the intrigue and fact finding when they delve into the mysteries was wholly intoxicating to read.

If I had to nitpick, one of the flaws of the book is in its "aha" moment, the moment in all crime fiction when the curtain is lifted and we see the inside of its mysteries, or in the case of this book, the identity of the "killer." I do feel that that while the book is a wonderful labyrinth of crime documents and detecting, there was not enough information for the reader to come up with the same conclusion at the end that Mikael and Salander do. You can guess (I guessed correctly). But that's all you're left with, guesses, because in the end, the world of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is as much of a mystery to its inhabitants as it is to the reader. Some may not mind this, but I've read too many crime novels to not feel a bit toyed with and blinded, like at the end of a movie such as My Bloody Valentine (which still makes no sense too me). Still like I said, I'm nitpicking here and no way did that detract from my enjoyment of the overall story.

And talking about Mikael and Lisbeth. If they aren't the ultimate odd-ball, left-field couple ever I don't know what is, and yet it's because they are so not a match, such opposites, that in the end, they do turn out to be the "right" match because they can truly see what's inside the other, highly devastating flaws and all. I love them together and I can not wait to see where they end up. Mikael feels so real because he's Larsson, hard hitting journalist on a mission to bring down corruption and Salander is frighteningly and painfully real in her trauma and neurosis. And that's why The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo works so well, because while the world they live in may seem cartoonishly boundless, those two characters feel as if they have a soul, and it's their souls that capture us, the reader. And my god, poor Lisbeth, she is the ultimate crime noir heroine, a modern Valkyrie tied to the wonderful domination that is Swedish crime fiction.

Sadly now that Steig Larsson has passed away, we will never get more of his fantastic and captivating brilliance. But his work stands along in fine company with the works of Henning Mankell, Hakan Nesser, and my favorite Swedish author, John Ajvide Lindqvist (of Let the Right One In fame).

The greatest complement I can give an author is that right after I read this, the first book in a trilogy, I quickly ran out to the bookstore to buy the second book The Girl Who Played with Fire and the only reason I didn't buy the third and final book is because it hasn't been released here yet. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an amazing start in a trilogy where I find myself wondering if I'll ever finish the final book because once that's over there won't be anymore. But then again, that's what's re-reading is for. I for one can not wait to see the movie adaptations now. All three have been released in Sweden, with the film based on this book having been released here stateside in March. I can't wait to see the my minds vision turned to reality on the big screen. Seriously, run don't walk to your nearest book depository and get ready to what essentially amounts to crack on paper.

Book Review: Serena by Ron Rash (fiction)

Publication Date: 2008

Synopsis:

The year is 1929, and newlyweds George and Serena Pemberton travel from Boston to the North Carolina mountains where they plan to create a timber empire. Although George has already lived in the camp long enough to father an illegitimate child, Serena is new to the mountains--but she soon shows herself to be the equal of any man, overseeing crews, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving her husband's life in the wilderness. Together this lord and lady of the woodlands ruthlessly kill or vanquish all who fall out of favor. Yet when Serena learns that she will never bear a child, she sets out to murder the son George fathered without her. Mother and child begin a struggle for their lives, and when Serena suspects George is protecting his illegitimate family, the Pembertons' intense, passionate marriage starts to unravel as the story moves toward its shocking reckoning.


Penny's take - 4/5☆

I just recently finished the book, Serena by Ron Rash. I was interested in reading this book because Joshua informed me that this was going to be made into a movie starring everyone's favorite vixen, Angelina Jolie. The novel focuses on the Pembertons, a newly wed couple building their timber/lumber empire in North Carolina. They bully and coerce their way to the top, leaving a trail of blood behind them. When Serena (the wife) goes after George's (the husband) illegitimate child, who was conceived prior to Serena, things get complicated and very exciting.

I liked the backdrop of the story, pre-war, small mountain town in North Carolina. I also liked the characters. Serena is a very strong female character, who's knowledge of the timber business and hunting/training skills are unmatched by any man. George's position is difficult, he has a wife he loves and obeys but he also has a child he has a very, very mild soft spot for--the child not conceived with Serena however. The storytelling is greatly paced though I found at times a bit slow and that may only be because I don't care much about the tree cutting industry. This is a recommend.


Joshua's take - 4/5☆

Why I picked up the book - because I heard that director Darren Aronofsky's is developing a big-screen adaptation of this book staring Angelina Jolie as the main character Serena and I thought, "holy crap."

Stunning, simply stunning. Reading Serena is like watching a Hitchcock film, you have a sense of dread, you know somethings lurking just outside the camera vision, things break and tip, and your dread keeps building as Hitchcock plays with the filmatic devices at his disposal, prolonging the tension until the final nail comes down, bringing your emotions to a crescendo of relief and horror.

I'm not generally a fan of contemporary literature. I've always found them somewhat of a chore, as the narrative weaves in and out of heartbreaking sob story, to tragic family escapades. Give me a classic and you'll find a man in deep concentration with a smile from ear to ear. However author Ron Rash is an amazing writer. He's able to convey so much emotion in so few words, that his writing reminds me of Melville, or Rash's contemporary, Cormac McCarthy, sparse yet elegant. While I do find McCarthy a better writer than Rash, I find Rash's style lends itself to a more enjoyable read.

Serena is a beautifully tragic and heartbreaking story, however not in the way one may think. It's really the story of two young women living in the early 1900's and how they cope with the times. One raising a young child alone and penniless and another rich, stomping across anyone who gets in her way. It's about the duality of nature, of nurture and destruction. Serena is one of the most disturbing modern villains because everything she does, she does for a reason, with the unwavering belief that what she is doing is right and for the best. In truth, what I like so much about this book is that while it's written by a man, populated by men, the two women in the story are the one's who hold the most sway, hold the destinies of the other men in the actions that they take- fortunes rise and fall because of them.

This is a must read for anyone looking for a taut thriller with literary aspirations. Read it before the movie comes out

What I Think Of: A Perfect Getaway (2009)

Josh and I managed to catch a free screening of this movie on Thursday, about 3 couples in Hawaii who might have a killer among them who kills other couples. Now, Hawaii may indeed be the perfect getaway, but this movie most certainly was not. It's more like going on vacation and having it torrential downpour every day until you leave. In this particular getaway, the dark clouds are the story, and the torrential downpour is the dialog, which is downright awful. A little cheesy and funny, at times, but still awful.

I should also mention, without spoiling anything, that this poster to the left completely lies to you, and not just about this being A Perfect Getaway. One of the couples in this movie serve little to absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Granted, they might serve a better purpose if the story and dialog were better, but without those minor little details, they are just wasted space amongst a whole island of pretty obvious hints & clues given to you throughout the first half of the movie. I mean, shame on you David Twohy. You've directed and written better films than this.

Finally, I will just say that towards the end of the film lies one of the worst editing sequences I've seen for a while now. It looks like someone just saw almost every option in Final Cut or Avid, and just decided to go nuts with it. What makes it worse...or maybe better, is that this wacky editing is only used in one sequence. I mean, if you're going to attempt "suspenseful" editing like that, at least do it more than once during the movie. Otherwise, it just looks out of place and completely stupid, which it did. In closing, A Perfect Getaway is not bad enough to warrant a "Sneak Out, I Want My Money Back" rating, but not good enough to warrant a "DVD Rental/Matinée." Instead, I'll make up my own new rating and give this a "Late Night on TV & I've got nothing better to do!" If anything, check it out for the absolutely beautiful shots of Hawaii, which does look like a truly perfect getaway.

Also, to hear out what Josh thought of this movie, be sure to listen to the Podcast.

-Greg

What I Think Of: Aliens Vs. Predator (2004)

I decided to finish off the week, as well as what little credibility I have, with a film that has the word Alien in it's title. Okay, it's technically Aliens, as was the first review this week, but we'll let that slide. As for my credibility being finished, well that's because I actually like this movie. Now, I'm not saying this is a great movie or that it can hold a candle to the first two Alien movies or the first Predator movie (sorry Danny Glover), but I got exactly what I wanted to see out of this movie, which was Aliens vs. Predator. That's all I was expecting. The plot didn't have to make too much sense, nor did the acting have to be all that great either. And it wasn't, on both counts. However, the scenes with the Aliens & Predators were very well done, and didn't rely heavily on CGI either.

Honestly, there are times where I think that CGI has taken some of the luster, the magic, and the glory out of films of any genre, especially the action, horror, and sci-fi genre. I mean, look at Aliens and then look at Alien: Resurrection. The Aliens in Aliens looked and felt more real than the CGI ones in Alien: Resurrection. Of course, that's also thanks to the genius of Special Effects wizard Stan Winston, who won an oscar for his work on Aliens. May he rest in peace. It's a shame that director Paul Anderson did not go to Stan to work on Aliens vs. Predator, since Stan created the Alien Queen & the Predator.

Back to the movie. As I said, it's not a very good movie, but it is a fun movie, if you want to see Aliens and Predators go at it, with foolish humans along for the ride. What I love is reading some reviewers who said that this film destroys the Aliens & Predator franchise, which is hilarious, being that the Aliens franchise was already butchered with Alien 3 & especially Alien: Resurrection, and the Predator franchise hasn't had a movie since Predator 2, which wasn't really good in the first place. The plot is acceptable and makes sense, which is really the best you can expect from this kind of movie. If only Transformers 2 plot made more sense, or any sense at all, I would've enjoyed it more. Needless to say, I enjoyed this film, as well as it's sequel.

-Greg

The International movie review

This 2009 American-German espionage thriller is directed by German filmmaker Tom Tykwer (he of Run Lola Run and Perfume: The story of a murder fame) and follows Clive Owen and Naomi Watts as they investigate a string of murders and corruption all leading back to a banking institution. Basically Owen plays Interpol agent Louis Salinger, who has been trying to bring down the IBBC bank (the International Bank of Business and Credit) for years. He teams up with NY Assistant DA Naomi Watts as they uncover illegal acts committed by the bank such as arms trading, money laundering and assassination. Every step of the way they are hindered by red tape and the extreme corruption that goes even to the highest levels of the government. Is there any way for Salinger to bring down the IBBC bank legally, or will he have to step out, passing the lines of the law for justice?

As absurd as this story sounds, it’s actually inspired by the 1991 BCCI bank scandal which saw the 7^th largest private bank in the world use their 20 billion plus assets to launder money, support terrorism and traffic arms through the sale of nuclear technologies. So yeah the story is all too real, and yet the real story is much more interesting than the movie that was inspired by it. First off, The International is convoluted for convoluted sake. Much of the film makes little sense, as plotlines lead to other plotlines, branching out farther and farther, leaving many threads unanswered or forgotten. Another thing is that I don’t get why Naomi Watts is even in this film. She’s not a love interest and her part as an Assistant DA adds nothing to the story. She’s just there adding no new information to aid Owen, and basically is a character for Owen to talk to so it wouldn’t be weird that he’s talking to himself most of the time.

Also, there’s just way to many talking heads. This is a term used when characters are just sitting around in a room talking, as a type of expository, so the plot can move forward. This is fine and all, but for much of the near 2 hour running time, the whole movie is just a 2 or 3 people in a room talking to each other, and it got boring really fast. While I thought some of the plot was interesting, it’s like watching my college professor’s lecture. The trailers for this movie would have believe that this was an action fest, as ATM’s explode, giving the option for deposit or die, shoot-outs happening at a drop of the hat, and snipers taking out anyone and everyone. This is a flat out lie because besides a very nice 15 minute shootout in NY’s Guggenheim museum, there is simply no action. Not even the action of people running, I mean it, no action. Again, I don’t think anything is wrong with that, but the trailers are misleading. I mean the ATM’s exploding isn’t even in the movie.

Let’s talk a little about the Guggenheim shoot-out. This is by far my favorite part of the movie. I kept remarking how I couldn’t believe they filmed this at the Guggenheim because there’s bullet holes galore in all the art. Obviously, they built a replica set of the famous museum to film the action scene, but it just looks so real, exactly like the museum, that it was nice to watch all the modern art get torn up. Seriously people: showing a video on a 24-hour loop of people walking around in big hats and walking dogs is not art. But yeah, cool scene and Owen was pretty bad assed in it.

How about the acting? I came into this movie thinking of “what if?” For those that don’t know, before Daniel Craig took over for Bronson as the blond Bond, everyone thought Clive Owen would be the next Bond. After seeing Owen here, I think the producers of the Bond franchise made the right choice. While granted Owen is not given much to do here, I just think Craig’s hard and weathered face suits the new Bond character better than Owen’s tired and disheveled face. Anyway, here Clive Owen does his usual Clive Owen role and that’s why I love him. What makes him so great is that regardless if it’s a drama like in Closer, or an action scene like the Guggenheim shootout, his acting, his deadpan face, is always the same. It’s brilliant. Naomi Watts, well like I mentioned before I don’t know why she was in this film, and she just basically floats through the film without doing anything, but she’s not known for being a great actress. It’s just an overall really average group, but you have to wonder if it’s the script fault or the actors, and if I had to guess, I’d say the scripts fault.

One thing I wanted to point out before we wrap up this review is the ending. Now I’m not going to give anything away but I wanted to note that the International tries to set up a conclusion, a denouement, and yet by the end, all the planning bears no fruit, just a bunch of dried out seeds. So I was left baffled, thinking, then what was the whole third act about? What was the whole point of this movie? Nothing happens? It’s like planning for a month long vacation backpacking through Europe, paying for it all in advance, and then when the time comes you’ve forgotten all about it and are eating Chinese take-out in your apartment instead of going on the vacation. There’s all this setup and everything falls flat on its face, making the whole movie unnecessary. I just don’t get it.

Many critics have been pretty harsh on this film, and movie goers have been even harsher as it’s pulled in 17 million domestically in 3 weeks with an estimated 50 million dollar budget. When I first saw the trailers I thought the movie looked boring and uneventful, and I should have stayed true to my initial impression. It’s a shame because German director Tom Tykwer is a fantastic director, he’s just given very little to do here. So yeah, I give this a, “I want my money back/sneak out rating.” It does pose some interesting and thought provoking dilemmas, on how we as a society, as a government, can allow private institutions to get to big and ultimately hurt the very people they are set up to serve, but yeah, The International is just a confusing and boring mess, one that it’s director and cast are wasted on.