August 5, 2005

[the early bird gets the worm] ^{2:33 AM}

Over the past week I've been able to see two films at their premiere test screenings: Memoirs of a Geisha and Jarhead. Both have been touted to be hot Oscar contenders, and I've got to tell you, as much as each of them is okay, it's gonna have to be a slow-ass fall (or the plight of amazing publicists) if these puppies snag top nominations for March.

Are they awful? Not at all. Could they be better? Absolutely.

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
I've never read Arthur Golden's source novel, and apparently that's a defining factor in your enjoyment of Rob Marshall's new film. Having not read the book I spent the better part of the film being confused and underwhelmed, whereas Peter greatly enjoyed the film despite it's technical flaws. The key issue here is that of Book vs Film. You could comment how books are always better, which is fine, but that's not the argument here: this argument is over information. Geisha never treats the viewer like an idiot (at times dialogue is in japanese and un-subtitled, and most signage is never explained — infer your heart out), but when it comes to important information the film doesn't give you enough to go on. Peter cited that almost every page of the book contained a cultural or traditional gem about Japan and what it meant to be Geisha. Myself, I'm still wondering what exactly a Geisha is. The lack of information completley hinders the enjoyment of the film, and removes all possible emotional resonance. I was left with all my tears intact and more questions than answers. You could feel that every image on film was probably accompanied with amazing prose if you'd read the novel, but I (like so many others) haven't read the book, and that's a real problem when you're trying to get some amazing cinema mojo to occur. The real standout of the film is Michelle Yeoh in a supporting role as a regal geisha with unknown motivations. For her, I cry Oscar. For everything else, I cry Netflix.
Bookless Watcher:

JARHEAD
Is Sam Mendes gay? No. Does Sam Mendes like filming semi-nude marine boys gallavanting around (and at times simulating sex with each other)? Yes. This my friends, is a mainstream fetish film if ever there was one. Want to see Jake Gyllenhaal's ass twice (once screwing his girlfriend upright into the wall, once dancing around wearing nothing but a santa hat)? Go see Jardhead. Want to see Jamie Foxx play/mimic Denzel Washington? Go see Jardhead. Want to see 15 soliders play "field fuck?" Go see Jardhead. Want to see a quirky movie about the Gulf War? Go watch Three Kings. If I had come to it not knowing it was a Sam Mendes film I might have thought it was intiguing-ish. Interesting, yet a now-familiar approach to "everyday soldiers" killing time (and others) in the Gulf, but this is Sam Mendes. Herald of the London stage, director of American Beauty and The Road to Perdition. It's nothing spectacular, which is a shame. The biggest surprise here was how much Chris Cooper and Dennis Haysbert annoyed me, and how Peter Sarsgaard is swiftly becoming my favorite new actor (and he surprisingly stays clothed). The film is at times hysterical, oddly horrific (marines watching Apocalypse Now has to be one of the most unsettling thing I've ever watched in a theatre), but overall lacks focus. Is this Jake's movie? It seems like Jake's movie. Or is this an ensamble? We're never given enough to make up out minds, but since we keep seeing Jake it's easy to infer we should attempt to root for Donnie Darko at War. I think they may try to market this as the Garden State of war movies. I'd like to see the Garden State of war movies, but this isn't it. Well, for 12 minutes it is, but 12 minutes doth not a great film make.
Roughcut:
Gyllenhaal/Military Boy Fan:

I just didn't connect with either film. I have higher hopes for the further editing and polishing onJarhead. The Geisha print seemed complete, even the score was done (and gorgeous, the highlight of the film), whereas Jarhead was still very rough. A lot of effects and color-timing were incomplete, and the temp scored borrowed heavily from Eminem, Nirvana (which may remain intact) and Newton Howard's score from Waterworld (ironically). My favorite of the incomplete effects involved undulating football stadium lights standing in for burning oil fields, almost turning the film in to avant garde art house war cinema. Part of me kind of hopes they'd stay in, just to make the film stand out more.

STEWIE GRIFFIN: THE UNTOLD STORY!
I also caught a showing of the new direct-to-dvd Family Guy movie last night, which was as to be expected: laught out loud funny (tho not as a profanity-ridden as one might expect). In fact, one could infer that it's really a 3 episode miniseries with R-rated bookends. Bonus points for a Thundercats skit involving the original voices of Lion-O and Cheetara, and mad props for Rene Auberjonois for reprising Odo from DS9. Plus, it's fun to see Family Guy on an anamorphic widescreen HD plasma TV. That was nice.

Something in the Way • Nirvana

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