Face/Off

I really had no clue what I was in for.

Such an interesting movie, both in style and story but I can fully understand if it isn't someone's cup of tea. I'm fairly certain this is the first film I've seen of John Woo's filmography and I'm infinitely curious to see if any of the others fit this specific style. I will give some good points towards the plot, where a long standing feud between an FBI agent and a terrorist goes to new heights when the terrorist is apprehended but has one more ace up his sleeve, and information to his next act has to be procured in an interesting way. But the dynamic between hero and villain is the most intriguing part of the movie, and John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play their respective parts super well but then we get to the main crux. I'm still bewildered beyond words that after Nic is captured the very first idea that pops out in obtaining information on his biological bomb, is to literally undergo a face transplant to make John look like Nic. And it only gets wilder from there. Granted the movie sets it's tone expertly in the opening scene with batshit Nic on cloud nine, with one of the most overblown and highly unrealistic but still enjoyable action scenes I have seen in a long time. This is the epitome of action cop movie sequences, like it goes so out there and unashamedly so with sparks coming out of everything that gets hit, slow motion for no other reason than to have slowmo, shootouts where people stand on the roof of cars and point guns at each other while having conversations, and of course obvious wire work. Now I can appreciate that kind of pure Hollywood actionsploitation way of doing things, but I know it is not for everyone. You almost have had to have grown up on very specific kinds of action movies to fully enjoy this ride. But like I said the best part of the movie are our stars, and it is honest to God a super interesting and unique concept for a movie. Have the villain and hero swap places but still have it out for each other, collide some worlds just to see what happens, they do as much with the concept as the runtime allows and decently so. You can tell the actors are having a blast working with this material and the audience can enjoy it just as much, when Nicolas Cage is playing John Travolta who just so happens to look like Nicolas Cage there's a lot to read into that performance. I wouldn't mind seeing such a concept for a film in the future even if it doesn't have the gunplay and chases, it has that potential. While it is an absurdly ludicrous movie at times, I found it to be a decent one and can recommend it to some. 3 stars, 7/10, another week another new movie and no rest for the wicked.

Battlefield Earth

Screw it, I had fun, if not the most fun I've had this month.

Battlefield Earth is highly renowned for it's badness, swept the Razzies, was one of the most bashed films of this millenium, and probably is the reason you never really see John Travolta in movies anymore. The story is complicated, set in a post-apocalyptic world where a race of aliens has conquered Earth and humankind is near extinction, and I really didn't want either side to win the ruling of Earth. The humans are barely one step above cavemen and speak like brain damaged 4th graders, the aliens are hilarious in design and somehow speak more like humans than the actual humans and I'm just gonna say it, this is my favorite John Travolta role ever. Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Pulp Fiction, pssh it ain't got nothing on Terl. "While you were still learning how to SPELL YOUR NAME I was being trained TO CONQUER GALAXIES!!" Ohhh my sweet baby Jesus, he is so much fun, I laugh my ass off just about everytime he is on screen. If there was ever a reason to watch this movie it is because of his performance! I will give the movie a few points, the designs of the aliens though gut busting hilarious is unique and even their ship designs don't rip anything off but it just goes to show how originality isn't always the best thing. Second, I did not see a single actor who looked embarassed or really did not want to be there filming, they pull this shit dead straight and it is amazing. The sad part is Travolta still defends this movie and would gladly do it again, but Forest Whitaker was in the movie, though you probably couldn't tell because of the makeup, completely regrets it! I mean who could turn down a role where you're 9 foot aliens with dreadlocks and finger talons with weird breathing tendril masks calling other actors man-animals? It's Oscar worthy material! And you can't talk about the movie if you don't talk about the shots. Every single shot in the movie, every one, is a dutch angle and a dutch angle is where the camera is tilted at a 45° angle so everything looks slanted, and I caught myself multiple times tilting my head like I'm Michael Myers just trying to see things on a even level. Why is every frame at an angle? Well believe it or not, there is an answer and you're gonna love this! The cinematographer said he wanted the movie to resemble a comic book so that's why every shot is at an angle. Well of course! It all makes sense now! Oh my God, this movie is bad but it is a highly enjoyable bad. The movie has a reputation for a reason, it is so bad that you laugh and you laugh hard. It's perfect for a really shlock movie night with friends, you can get endless entertainment if you riff on this movie and have a few drinks. So if that sounds like your cup of tea, go for it.

Man this month has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. From Manos and movies that are really funny, to suffering through each subsequent Twilight movie, to the point where before we look at the last few pieces de resistance, I'm gonna give myself a break and watch a bad movie I genuinely like. I haven't picked which one yet but they both star the original Captain America all the way from back in the 70s. Yes, tomorrow we get to talk about Reb Brown.

Pulp Fiction

Still my favorite Tarantino movie.

Pulp Fiction is a fantastic movie by Quentin Tarantino, combining very film noir-esque storytelling with a galleon of star power behind it. I mean we got Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, and of course...Christopher Walken. Oh come on, how can you turn it down now? The plot is...a bit confusing cause you see, it is told out of sequence. No lineart strict progression from start to finish you really have to piece this puzzle together which is why I call it sort of a film noir but it is not a central character in the movie, it's you. You are present for all events and you try and figure out what sequence it went down in. And the plot itself is crazy and hell I don't even think I could recount it without giving something away but it revolves around quite a crew of characters, with a hitman and his partner, a mob boss and his wife, a boxer too, the Professor and Mary Ann, you get the picture. Still awesome and very quotable dialogue, good sense of humor but can still do tension filled scenes, memorable characters, and all around just a great film. Tarantino fan or not, watch this movie if you haven't already you will enjoy it.

And thus tomorrow we will look into more of a comic book film noir, in black and white and stylized like hell. Can't freaking wait man.