The
book, to some, is unreadable and was almost declared obscene. The idea that
anyone could – or would – make a movie from it was unthinkable. Yet somehow
when the author, William S. Burroughs, and the director, David Cronenberg, put
their minds together, magic happened. What’s the movie about, you ask? Ah,
there’s the rub. On the surface, it’s the story of a low-level exterminator who
becomes addicted to the powder he uses to kill cockroaches. It’s weird, a bit
stomach-churning and, if you enjoy very black comedy, wildly hilarious. Scratch
the surface, however, and you find a trippy exploration of the creative process
and how certain illicit substances, when consumed in mass quantities, can open
the door to thoughts and feelings that creative people need to make art. Peter
Weller gives an hypnotic performance as the exterminator, serving as the
perfect guide to the hallucinatory world of Burroughs’ novel. Judy Davis is equally compelling playing the
dual roles of the exterminator’s wife and, once the wife is out of
his life, his mistress/muse.
Samurai
Morito Enda conducts himself so bravely in defending his emperor that he is
rewarded with a promise to have any wish he asks for granted. When he asks for
a woman – an already married woman – to be his booty, however, Morito sets off
a chain of events that will virtually destroy the lives of all involved.
Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, the film is an emotionally charged thrill ride
that takes viewers through passionate human emotions that are rarely
spoken of, let alone explored, in Japanese films of this time. Unlike the lady
in a more tawdry romance, Lady Kesa, the woman that Morito tries to steal away
(played to perfection by Machiko Kyô) actually loves her husband and is willing
to do anything to prove it. Watching Kesa fight off the samurai’s advances, as well as the advancing
suspicions and gossip of the people around her, is as thrilling as watching the
well-staged fight scenes at the beginning of the film. Bold as it is in the
telling, it is the uncompromising ending that has made Gate of Hell resonate
over the years.
For
most people, Egypt was a hot news item for a couple days a few months ago. What
happened before the protests and what happened after are ideas that have been
replaced by the next headline. That’s why this documentary from writer/director
Lillie Paquette is such a must-see film. It not only gives you the background
you need to understand why the citizens of Egypt took to the streets in the first place, but points
you in the right direction to stay involved with the people long after they
have stopped being the focus of the six o’clock news. Better yet, the film
makes a strong case for why it is important to stay involved. There are a few
stumbling blocks, like Paquette’s indecision to be part of the movie or not,
but the passion she has to tell the story and make sure people understand it,
helps the audience get over them.
When
Gene Robinson announced his sexuality to the world and became the first the
openly gay bishop in the Anglican faith, one might have thought his battle for
equality had reached a successful end. However, as this fascinating documentary
from director Macky Alston reveals, his fight had really just begun. The story
starts with a convention of Anglican bishops at London's Lambeth Palace, a
convention that Robinson is not only not invited to attend, but where he is treated
like a pariah by the leaders of the
convention who threaten any church in England that lets Robinson conduct a
service or speak from a pulpit. So the elegant bishop simply stands where people
can see him and speaks to whoever will listen. He doesn’t have an agenda beyond
his firm belief that God loves us all, no matter who we choose to love in our
lives. It’s a strategy that not only changes people’s opinions, but helps change
church doctrine.
You
know that feeling you get when you hear a new song or a new band for the first time
and you feel an immediate attachment to the music? That’s what will happen to
you when you watch this combination documentary/concert film featuring the
music of J.J. Grey. Of course, if you already know his music, you’ll have a
great time watching this extremely well-made movie – the sound is great, the
concert is shot without a lot of fuss (which is the way it should be) and the quieter moments of Grey just
sitting there talking to the camera are the kind pf treasures fans live for. It’s the journey of discovery, though,
that makes this one worth buying. Be warned, though, that if you are the kind
of person that needs to know what “kind” of music he plays before you give it a
try, you may be a bit too uptight to enjoy it. Even the guys in the band can’t put
a label on the music J. J. Grey writes – only agreeing that it’s good to play,
good to hear and good to dance to. So you really need to know any more?
All Mike wants to do is put greasepaint on his
face, don a pair of big floppy shoes and make people laugh. When he is accused
of inappropriately touching a child at a kids’ birthday party, though, Mike
finds himself out of the only job he was really any good at. So he starts
drinking and then he starts blacking out. He also starts waking up covered in
blood, often with a dead body next to him. Instead of getting freaked out,
though, Mike starts to enjoy getting drunk and seeing what his alter ego,
Sloppy the Clown, will do next. Directed and co-written by Mike O'Mahony, who
also plays Sloppy, this low budget film may not be the most stylish horror
movie you’ve ever seen but there’s a raw energy to it that helps the material
rise above the minimal production value. O’Mahony does a pretty good job of
making Sloppy psychotically entertaining.
Stitches (Ross Noble) isn’t a good clown by any
stretch of the imagination, but not even he deserves to be treated the way he
is by the kids at the party he’s been hired for, so when he dies in a horrible
accident, it’s only fitting that his spirit should be allowed to come back to
seek revenge when the kids are old enough to die in a series of horrible
on-screen deaths. It’s clear that director Conor McMahon is a horror movie fan.
The film has an old school feel that doesn’t rely on cheesy CG or other cheap
tricks to make you jump; he just lets the blood and guts fly. Noble does a
great job of bringing the spooky dead clown to life, particularly in the way he
isn’t afraid to mix gallows humor with the gore. Unfortunately, the supporting cast is there
solely to provide a body count, which really keeps the movie from being more
than just bloody good fun.
