the LAST FILM YOU'VE SEEN thread

[arsaib4]

Directed by Japanese horror master Hideo Nakata, Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara – I’ve no idea why the Japanese title is so long thus supporting Bill Murray’s wonderment of the language in Lost in Translation), pretty much falls in line with Nakata’s previous films, namely Ringu (1998) and Ringu 2 (1999). (He also directed The Ring Two (2005) and wrote the English language remake of Dark Water called Dark Water but let’s not confuse matters.) Stories involving mothers and their prepubertal daughters have become a trademark of East-Asian horror, and this is no different; although, in an attempt to elevate the material, Nakata has tried to incorporate some social commentary. Yoshimi Matsubara (Kuroki Hitomi) has recently gotten a divorce from her husband (Fumiyo Kohinata) but she’s still involved in a custody battle over their 6-year-old daughter, Ikuko (Rio Kanno). Due to Ikuko’s age, Yoshimi is at an advantage despite her husband’s best efforts, but she needs to stabilize her life, and in order to do so, she’s moved into a new apartment even though it seems like a less than ideal place. Initially, things seem to be okay until Yoshimi gets dogged by hallucinations of a young girl in a yellow raincoat with her red lunch bag which may have a connection to her past. Also, the ceiling of the apartment starts to drip through the ever widening stain. For long stretches, Dark Water feels like a minimalist relationship drama so many genre fans are bound to be disappointed. It certainly doesn’t help that this film, which was released to much success in Japan 3-years-ago, has taken this long to reach our shores. The problem being that this material has mutated into so many shapes that for many it’ll be hard to tell between the original and a copy. All’s not lost though. Nakata stages a couple of remarkable sequences in the final third of the film including one in an apartment besieged by water. Production values are top notch, but the film could’ve benefited from a better leading performer. Ultimately, Nakata also falters by revealing someone who was making more of an impression otherwise.


Grade: C

[Chris Knipp]

I understand the title "Honogurai mizu no soko kara" means "from the bottom of the gloomy waters." I'm surprised you didn't mention more speficially the recently released American-based Walter Salles "copy" starring Jennifer Connelly (is she the "better performer" you wanted with the original -- or just prettier? -- or even that?), which has not done well critically (I have not rushed out to see it)and wonder if you're going to compare it with this. Maybe it would rate a C- or a D+?

[wpqx]

went to see Dark Water, but my movie passes were no good so alas can't comment.

I did however get to watch Ken Burns' Civil War, which took three days, so hurrah it's done. Keeps it interesting, and I have not seen his other films, so can't judge it based on those. But since I was taking a US History class, I figured his film would be more interesting than the textbook.

[arsaib4]

wpqx: "went to see Dark Water, but my movie passes were no good...:

Perhaps that's some sort of a sign.


Chris:

Thanks for the "translation." I'm not a big Salles fan to begin with (to me he has always compromised his products in one way or the other) so I'm not sure if I wanna watch his remake of an original I didn't like. Although, I've read that there are some good supporting turns from John C. Reilly and the always watchable Tim Roth. As for the performance of Ms. Kuroki -- at times we underestimate the cultural/behavioral differences that play a part in the performance of actors (perhaps only N. American women are prone to start screaming at a drop of a hat). Having said that, I thought she was a bit underwhelming. But you'll happy to know that she's just as pretty as Mrs. Connolly.

[Chris Knipp]

arsaib-- I'd agree Salles looks to be going downhill. But I guess you didn't even like Central Station. For me it had a kind of raw power. The Motorcycle Diaries was watchable and a great vehicle (pun unfortunate) for Garcia Bernal but pretty soft core. Now we have a horror movie remake. Some like it, but I can understand your not wanting to go; if you'd just bite the bullet and see it, you could have made your review more complete, spanning both versions. But you may not be into bullet-biting right now.

[-- -- -- cattiness warning -- -- -- ]

I developed an aversion for Ms. Connolly with Beautiful Mind, a movie I happen to detest, and I was not one of the fans of House of Sand and Fog. She's certainly gotten some good jobs -- Inventing the Abbotts, Dark City, Waking the Dead, Requiem for a Dream, Pollack, Ron Howard's grade A tripe, Hulk, she's positively B-grade A-List. I think I can't stand her. (I was not one of the big fans of Requiem for a Dream either, though of course since Jared Leto is so pretty, they had to have somebody really pretty like Jennifer to go with him.)

[stevetseitz]

O.K. no taking shots at Jennifer Connolly. Gorgeous creature that she is...:)

[arsaib4]

Thanks for the "cattiness warning" otherwise that would've been a bit much to take. You seem to be putting the blame on her shoulders for A Beautiful Mind which is unwarranted. Just looking at the names above, I can't think of too many other American actresses who've accomplished as much in the recent past, especially considering, as Steve said, "Gorgeous creature that she is" which could often work against you in the business.

[trevor826]

Going back to arsaib4's review of the original, for once I actually went to see a remake in the cinema and it makes the original (which when I saw it the first time left me more than a little underwelmed) look like a classic modern Japanese ghost story (rather than horror film), I've just watched it again on DVD and can't believe how inferior the remake is, the audience is spoonfed and things which had great meaning in the original are left with little or no meaning, the red bag for one example!

I have written comments for the remake but unfortunately cannot post them yet due to serious PC problems but as soon as I can, I will.

Cheers Trev.

[arsaib4]

If the remake makes the original look like "a classic modern Japanese ghost story," then perhaps it's a good idea to avoid it. Looking forward to your take on both versions.

[Johann]

Re: Jennifer Connolly.

I agree with Chris completely on this one. I've seen Hulk (I posted a DVD review today) over 20 times now, and she is the worst thing about the movie.

She is "gorgeous", she can act, she's got a damn good resume, but there is something about her that makes me hate her. And it began after seeing Hulk several times. She seems like a robotic actress, one who emotes on command (and that is precisely what makes her a great actress), but her "aura" or "persona" or "vibe" or whatever it is just says "so what". There is no passion in her eyes. There is no "fire" burning behind those peepers.
It's just "a job". But she does that "job' very wel...

[stevetseitz]

"Closer" (2004)

I finally got around to watching this. I've had the disc for ages but never watched the movie. I thought it was a nice change for a relationship movie to be so blunt and straightforward. It dissects the effect of people who cheat in a relationship and the "domino effect" throughout the rest of the small world they inhabit.

Julia Roberts was surprisingly good, Clive Owen was better in this film than I have seen him elsewhere . I felt Jude Law was subdued and underplayed his role.

Natalie Portman had some amazing scenes but I'm not sure this was the best casting decision. She almost seems to innocent and pure to play a stripper/waif who could do what she did here. It was like she was willing herself to be "sleazy" but not really revelling.

I liked the abundant use of British terms and slang.

[Chris Knipp]

Wedding Crashers Contrary to reports this stays funny all the way through. Vince Vaughan is always worth watching and to say he and Owen Wilson work well together is an understatement.

Hustle and Flow A touching, heartfelt piece with some corniness but also great acting by everybody, especiallyTerence Howard, and good Memphis summer atmosphere.

Last Days Van Sant's minimalist style won't be to everybody's taste, but this showcases a career-making performance for Michael Pitt and has a haunting, dreamlike mood.

Reviews coming of the above, at least the last two.

On DVD, inspired by arasaib's review: Constantine. Something about the Devil and chain smoking, with Keanu Reeves looking very lean and sensitive and lots of nifty special effects. That's all I can say since for the fun of it and for the practice I watched it with the French sound track (dubbed in Quebec) so I may have missed some details.

I did not like Closer at all, but I agree with steveseitz on the relative merits of the actors.

[wpqx]

I enjoyed Closer quite a bit, and I generally like Jennifer Connelly. My question to Johann is why have you seen Hulk 20 times.

Anyways my last film was Gate of Flesh (1964) - Seijun Suzuki

This might be my favorite Suzuki film, with Tokyo Drifter coming close. It is exploitative, and was made as a soft core porn movie basically, so sprurpising to see so much nudity in a Japanese film from 1964, when America was still trying to let one breast in The Pawnbroker. There is also plenty of violence, and Suzuki's use of color is astonishing. He's in many ways a Japanse Samuel Fuller, and for that I love him. I was a little disappointed when I first heard this film was coming out, believing that Criterion didn't need 6 Suzuki films, but this has rekindled my admiration of his work, and I now anxiously look forward to watching Story of a Prostitute.

[arsaib4]

There are a few films from 2004 that I'm not ready to write-off just yet; Closer along with, say, The Life Aquatic, would be a couple of examples. I agree with Steve regarding its slightly different approach to relationship drama. Ultimately, though, the characters seemed trapped within its overall structure, not being able to grow in any way.

I know why Johann has seen Hulk 20 times: Jennifer Connolly.

[Chris Knipp]

I do agree Jennifer Connolly is radiantly beautiful, by the way. She's just as pretty as Jared Leto or even more so. That doesn't make them good actors and could be a liability for both. I just don't like her, I don't like the choices she's made of roles, and I'm glad at least one person sees that there's something wrong with her performances, something that is off. I guess you're joking about Johann, since he says he hates Jennifer, or was that ironic on his part? As for Closer, I think it masquerades as hip but is really an out-of-date theatrical piece, but the A-list cast pumped new life into it as a movie that it didn't deserve. Julia and Clive do good work but that's only half the principals and the screenplay is brittle and snide. I'm glad anybody is wiling to give The Life Aquatic another chance. I think it's been seriously underrated and I can't understand why that should be so when The Royal Tennenbaums which to me is not better was praised to the skies. But that's the way reputations go. People shoot their wad on one work, and when another good one comes along they say it's not up to the last one that they liked, when it's merely different.