Music Review : Enslaved – In Times (2015)

Music Review : Enslaved – In Times (2015)

Coming from a string of acclaimed albums from Below the Lights , ISA, Ruun, Vertebrae, Axioma Ethica Odini, and RIITIIR, the Norwegian progressive black metal masters of Enslaved have put in front their rock influences like Rush, Pink Flolyd and Led Zeppelin.

With In Times, Enslaved are going another step forward into melodic rock and retaining the rage and violence of their original genre. It is a catchy album that without Grutle’s growl would have made a noticeable prog rock product. Not that it is a bad thing or not enjoyable either. But, as far as I am an early fan of Enslaved and I’ve followed and appreciated each and every record they did, I feel a bit tired of the formula and I would rank Below the Lights as their masterpiece and then the later albums slowly decreasing in originality and inspiration.

Some would say that as the guys in the band get older they get softer and turn back onto their early influences. It is, in fact, not a wrong proposition but a very dull one as to say that they don’t make them like Mardraum anymore.

Finally, In Times is far from a complete mess but just the continuity of the slow fall of Enslaved from the aforementioned Below the Lights into the boredom of average albums.

6.5

Music Review : Melechesh – Enki (2015)

Music Review : Melechesh – Enki (2015)

Mostly known for being one of the most important Extreme Metal band coming from Israel, Melechesh who deported themselves in the Netherlands a few years ago claim to be playing Assyrian Metal mixing some elements of black, death, and middle eastern sonorities. In fact, they play a melodic extreme metal with some elements of orient music. However, never pushing it as Nile would go and introduce instrucments from the middle East or as great and meditative as OM.

With globalization, music and in this case metal has been all over the world and many bands from around the world have done many times the entire globe. With Global Metal, Scott McFayden and Sam Dunn have traveled and documented the genre in the most incongruous place on Earth. So this is no more a surprise when a band like Melechesh releases an album. Borders are now a simple label but music is now universal.

With Enki, the follow up to the celebrated 2010 release of The Epigenesis, which is by the way an average album that is not as ground breaking as many claimed. Well, Enki suffers even more from the comparison to its predecessor and from the many praises. This is an easy album to get into because it touches many paths that have been touched before. It sounds like a numeric version of early Keep of Kalessin that is too well produced and that lacks a deep that could elevate it from the average records.

I must admit that I am sure this is a crowd pleaser with its melodic guitars, nice drum parts, and the semi-guttural semi-clean vocals. Repeat listens don’t make this a better album unlike the dual records of Old Man Gloom for example.

It is too much a generic album that is inspired by classic metal and is far from being avant-garde or ground breaking. I guess that if you liked The Epigenesis you’ll be quite satisfied with the same formulaic offer that is Enki.

5.8

 

The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz

The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz (Luis Bunuel, 1955)

The delirious journey of a mental disordered man, who is obsessed in making the perfect crime.

Another film from Luis Bunuel’s Mexican period, The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz, works on many recurrent themes of the director’s filmography with the use of dreamt or fantasized sequences, sexual provocation and its politics, and freudian elements of childhood traumas.

As with Bunuel’s other films of this era, this is a visually interesting film with sumptuous camera movements, and an imagery of suggestive sexual elements. With its overture with the death of the governess and the revealing of her legs you have everything that you need to know about this film. The suggestion that Archibaldo de la Cruz desires death to women and links it with sexual desire. Since that movie was made in 1955 it is easily readable as the choices to suggest sexual desire and not attribute the deaths to Archibaldo was to represent a repress sexual desire but also to respect some censorship rules. In fact, the movie is much more efficient in its representation of sexuality and the imaginary criminal life of its subject.

This is a deep film in its meanings and sadly a lesser known film in the vast filmography of its director. Sure it is not as important as Los Olvidados in his Mexican period, but The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz is essential as to its use of many surrealist elements like the mirrors and Bunuel’s foot fetish.

On my main reference list as a movie watching goal, this is the lowest ranked film in the Bunuel selection. However, this is one of the most underrated and this surpasses many titles that don’t even deserve their spot on the list. Sure it is not as celebrated as Un chien andalou or The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie but I believe that once a cinephile starts digging deeper into a cinéaste he must get into the lesser known titles and discover the director’s films as a whole.

Coming soon in my Bunuel reviews; El (1952) and The Exterminating Angel both also from his Mexican period. I’ll also try to get my hands on his most virulent punch in the face of religion Simon of the Desert and the last title I’ll have to watch will be Tristana that never really interested me.

Link: Editors Guild Selects 75 Best Edited Films of All Time

Here is a list of the 10 best edited films of all time from Rope of Silicon's list of the 75 best edited films of all time.

1. Raging Bull (Thelma Schoonmaker, 1980)
2. Citizen Kane (Robert Wise, 1941)
3. Apocalypse Now (Lisa Fruchtman, Gerald B. Greenberg, Walter Murch, 1979)
4. All That Jazz (Alan Heim, 1979)
5. Bonnie and Clyde (Dede Allen, 1967)
6. The Godfather (William H. Reynolds, Peter Zinner, 1972)
7. Lawrence of Arabia (Anne V. Coates, 1962)
8. Jaws (Verna Fields, 1975)
9. JFK (Pietro Scalia, Joe Hutshing, 1991)
10. The French Connection (Gerald B. Greenberg, 1971)

What do you think of this list? Should a montage be visible or invisible to be more efficient?

Catching on 2014 Music : Young and in the Way – When Life Comes to Death (2014)

Music Review : Young and in the Way – When Life Comes to Death (2014)

Formed in Charlotte, North Carolina, YAITW are a blackened crust punk band or a crust punk band playing black metal. In fact, they are using various elements of each genre to form their own particular sound.

As one would have guessed it this makes it for a very aggressive album and a very somber used of many themes like the title Whe

n Life Comes to Death would suggest. With songs like Fuck This Life, Be My Blood, We Are Nothing, Final Dose, and Embrace Extinction don’t expect any joie de vivre. The revolving of those themes reminds of old school punk  and makes it for a very homogenous record. Surprisingly, this is somewhat of an accessible piece for fans of each genre because of the easy mingle between crust punk and black metal and the opened path by the recent releases of the legendary Norwegians of DarkThrone.

Finally, since this is a crossover of two hermetic genres, When Life Comes to Death reminds us how bands that mix many genres like the finnish power/black/heavy metallers of Children of Bodom have gained many non-metal fans or non-fans of each genre to rally and be the poster boys of metal, well YAITW despite their dangerous attitude are kind of giving a similar message of entry into the genres but not completely immersing into the core of both of the infamous music.

6.0

68e Festival de Cannes 13 to 24th of May

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (David Zellner, 2014)

 

A jaded Japanese woman discovers a hidden copy of Fargo (1996) on VHS, believing it to be a treasure map indicating the location of a large case of money.

Just like Fargo itself, Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is based on a true story. Well, it is what it is stated when entering into each film.

Staring beautiful Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi as Kumiko this Zellner bros (David and Nathan Zellner) film captures by its plot line but does it delivers as much as its promises?

First off, this is a beautiful contemporary film with high contrasted colors. It is visually stunning with Kumiko’s red coat that sparks just like the blood on the snow in the infamous scene of the wood chipper in Fargo. In fact, much of the Coen bros’ film aesthetics is recognizable as an influence or an inevitable copy to keep us in the right mood that links both films together.

Kumiko’s conquistador quest is interesting, heartfelt, and well balanced funny. However, a lack of writing elevates this from the good level of independent cinema of nowadays. The danger when a film links to a high esteemed film, and in this case a masterpiece like Fargo

I liked that they linked both films with the same opening of true events inspiration. As many knows, Fargo weas not based on a true story. Why? This is how the Joel and Ethan Coen are, they know how to manipulate the viewer to make him believe or care for insignificant things. Gifted storytellers do this, they can lead us anywhere they want with the most ridiculous characters. In the case of Kumiko, there’s another level but it never goes as far as a post-modernist study of the stupidity of the human race.

This is the real danger when making a film with an interesting storyline or a great starting idea. I’ve seen numbers of films that showcase a great starting idea but that have a less than average ending. Many things can elevate a good story to a great story, but an average story needs better writing and Kumiko suffers mainly because of its middle of the road writing.

Still, this is a beautiful film that was made with good values and a will to be quiet but efficient independent reflexion of a lost woman in the modern world.

Nazarin

Nazarin (Luis Bunuel, 1959)

Nazarin is a priest, attempting to living a pure and honest life strictly according to Christian principles - but others only show him distrust and hatred, apart from the local prostitute...

Of Luis Bunuel’s Mexican period many major films have earned their recognition with Film History. Nazarin is without a doubt one of them. Winning the 1959 International prize at the Cannes festival this story of a defrocked priest trying to help and preach in a world of poverty, sickness, and injustice. As Jeffrey M. Anderson mentioned in his short and sweet review Bunuel’s Nazarin is very down to earth and his far from his surrealist cinematic approach. Anderson also highlights with his great knowledge of John Ford’s films, that Nazarin feels like Ford’s The Fugitive and was shot by the same cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa. The later’s camera work is subtle, natural, dusty, highly filled with sumptuous camera movements that captures the arid exteriors and darkens the interiors.

Religion is a central theme in Bunuel’s filmography and his treatment has often criticized by subversive manner the subject and how sometimes messianic figures can be psychotic, illogic, and contrary to moral or common sense. His moral often permitted to his storytelling abilities to punch in the face of his subject without getting too much blame.

With Nazarin, Bunuel wants to pass a message that even the most good willed fellow can fail to help their peers. Every scene ends with Nazarin letting the people in a worse position that they were before he got there. He leaves the hotel and the prostitute he was helping put fire in his room and burned down the whole place, then the workers get into a fight after he left the field, and on and on. He doesn’t solve a problem and, in fact, he tries but never succeeds. This is subtle for Bunuel but it is like as if Bunuel has decided that humanity has failed religion and not the other way around.

Nazarin is a deep film filled with deep meanings and is one of the best from Luis Bunuel’s Mexican era along with his masterpiece Los Olvidados. The fans of the director are split in two groups; the lovers of the Mexican period and the lovers of the French surrealist era. I would be more inclined to rewatch his later films that are in the second group but the whole body of Bunuel’s work is way richer with his early Spanish films, his Mexican ones, and his comedic surrealist French films. Nazarin is a must see but way more sober than The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.

Whiplash

Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014)

A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.

It is important to immediately inform you the reader that before we get into this film review of Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, I own and play on a drum occasionally and I even introduced the instrument to my daughter when she was six months old. So music and drumming are important to me and a strong interest for me. So in a way, this review might be tainted with other than a simple movie review.

Staring off with the mention of the tremendous performance by J.K. Simmons as Fletcher the tyrannical mentor is not an understatement to say that he steals every scene he is in. As his opposite, young Miles Teller plays the greatness driven Andrew who wants to become one of the best jazz drummer of his generation. It is a bit of a surprise that Teller was not nominated for an Oscar for his performance. The chemistry between the two actors works because the manipulative Fletcher works like a chameleonic presence of building and destroying to build better artists than they ever dream of.

My reading of Whiplash is a Freudian one with Andrew in the middle of his biological father who wants the best for his only child that he raised by himself having to be his father and his mother. While Andrew prefers Fletcher’s hard love father figure of a despotist dictator conductor. While he sees his father as weak and too soft for him he goes to Fletcher to get the kick and beat himself to become great. He is relegating his biological father as a figure of moral support but not a life guidance one. Feeling that his father has failed him and does not understand his drive and aspirations.

Apart from the great tension of the story and its acting performances, the cinematography and editing of the musical sequences are warm and well executed. Lighting is very dark but gives the right atmosphere for jazz music and how the conservatory seems to be taking its students into a close set of isolation and obsessive study.

Whiplash is a strong film and having never heard of its director, Chazelle, I’m looking forward to discover his next projects. It is a film that makes me want to grab the sticks and jam on my set during long hours. This is the kind of film that inspires and also understands how creative teachers can be pain in the ass but also just want to get the best out of everything. Personally, I had a father like that and it was difficult when I was a child and a teenager but today I would not be the man I am.

Yeah, I'm A Freak: Or Here's the List of Recent Films I Want to Catch Up

Yeah, I'm A Freak: Or Here's the List of Recent Films I Want to Catch Up

Please visit They Shoot Pictures Don't They?

One of my many obsessions is to complete lists. And another of my obsessive behavior is to collect everything. Going to a thrift shop near my day job has been a near religious experience buying rare records, rare books, rare comics, etc. In fact, you know what? I love culture in all of its forms, pop, underground, counter, well name it. I will collect it.

Cinema or films has been an amalgame of all this crap and completing lists and collecting movies is a passion of mine. As my long time followers might have got since a bit one of the main focuses of this blog is to watch all the films on the 1000 Greatest Films lists posted yearly on the referencial website hosted by Bill Georgaris They Shoot Pictures Don’t They?

It might be lesser known that Bill also compile a list of the best films of the 21st Century. It is a top 250, much like IMDb but better. The ten first films have been pretty static but the rest changes a bit each year with every new Oscar Season and new movie buzz. It is an interesting list but I’ve been too much into classic or old films to even take real notice of the list. However, lately, I watched some pictures that were 2015 Oscar winners and I was intrigued to catch up on the more recent years.  

Here’s its top 10 :

1. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
2. MULHOLLAND DR.
3. YI YI
4. SPIRITED AWAY
5. WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES
6. THE TREE OF LIFE
7. THERE WILL BE BLOOD
8. RUSSIAN ARK
9. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
10. CACHÉ

It is a conversation starter and a hint for more discoveries but I think it is a pretty interesting top considering that I have still Yi Yi and Werckmeister Harmonies to watch. For 2015 I’ve challenged myself to complete the 100 first films of this list as a starter and a way to catch up on contemporary Cinema.

Here’s my mandatory list of 35 :

3	Yi yi	Yang, Edward	2000
5	Werckmeister Harmonies	Tarr, Béla	2000
12	Gleaners & I, The	Varda, Agnès	2000
16	Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks	Wang Bing	2003
17	Platform	Jia Zhangke	2000
21	Death of Mr. Lazarescu, The	Puiu, Cristi	2005
27	Y tu mamá también	Cuarón, Alfonso	2001
37	Melancholia	von Trier, Lars	2011
42	Son, The	Dardenne, Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne	2002
43	Grizzly Man	Herzog, Werner	2005
45	Goodbye, Dragon Inn	Tsai Ming-liang	2003
46	In Vanda's Room	Costa, Pedro	2000
50	Piano Teacher, The	Haneke, Michael	2001
51	Songs from the Second Floor	Andersson, Roy	2000
55	Colossal Youth	Costa, Pedro	2006
56	Turin Horse, The	Tarr, Béla	2011
60	Capturing the Friedmans	Jarecki, Andrew	2003
62	Distant	Ceylan, Nuri Bilge	2002
63	Zero Dark Thirty	Bigelow, Kathryn	2012
64	Boyhood	Linklater, Richard	2014
66	Code Unknown	Haneke, Michael	2000
68	Still Life	Jia Zhangke	2006
69	Amour	Haneke, Michael	2012
70	Finding Nemo	Stanton, Andrew & Lee Unkrich	2003
78	Headless Woman, The	Martel, Lucrecia	2008
79	Ciénaga, La	Martel, Lucrecia	2001
84	Winter's Bone	Granik, Debra	2010
85	As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty	Mekas, Jonas	2000
87	Ghost World	Zwigoff, Terry	2001
88	Act of Killing, The	Oppenheimer, Joshua	2012
91	Master, The	Anderson, Paul Thomas	2012
95	Commune (Paris, 1871), La	Watkins, Peter	2000
96	Fog of War, The	Morris, Errol	2003
97	World, The	Jia Zhangke	2004
100	Nostalgia for the Light	Guzmán, Patricio	2010