Things I have watched recently
Heavy Metal in Baghdad: I cannot say enough in praise of this documentary film, a production of the Canadian company VICE Magazine Publishing. It is the story of Acrassicauda (part of the Latin name for the desert scorpion), the first heavy metal band to play shows in Iraq, starting under Saddam and then during the US-led occupation. Regardless of which regime was in charge of the country, the young men who made up the band faced a hard time being able to fulfill their dreams and artistic visions. I'm not a heavy metal fan by any stretch, but I could empathize with and relate to their passion for their art; it would not be hard to imagine a goth or industrial or punk or really any kind of rock band facing the same kinds of challenges under the same circumstances. The young men in the band are all highly engaging and likeable people and it's enormously painful to see what they have to endure. There's an extra on the DVD that provides a more recent update and I highly recommend watching that as well. Their comments on their country made me cry and so aware of the freedoms that we are able to take for granted--that sounds very cliché, but in this film I saw a glimpse of what it would be like to live without freedom of expression in a way that really hit me hard. Although some discussion of politics is unavoidable in nearly any treatment of Iraq, the politics are really minimized in favor of the personal experience in the film, which makes it all the more affecting. A+++
The Stone Raft (La Balsa de piedra): a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch co-production about the Iberian Peninsula detaching itself at the Pyrenees and heading out to sea, and a small group of individuals who know themselves to be somehow connected to this phenomenon. Based on a Nobel Prize winning novel by José Saramago. For the first 30 or 45 minutes, I thought it was one of the best films I'd ever seen, surrealistic in such a Spanish way. After that it meandered a bit too much; it's quite possible that there were things of importance that I missed due to not knowing much about Iberian and European politics. But it's still well worth viewing, if only for the beautiful cinematography of the Spanish and Portuguese countryside. The characters are all individually touching, with their quirks well conveyed in an economic manner. I couldn't help mentally contrasting it with a French end of the world film I saw in the last year, In the Time of the Wolf. When the world mysteriously ends in France, the French scream at each other for two hours straight, and turn violently on the immigrants. When the world mysteriously ends in Spain, the Spanish fall in love and have lots of sex in beautiful places. I know where I'd like to be when the end arrives! Many of the user reviews around the Internet are pretty negative, but you have to be the sort of viewer who is willing to drift along for the ride and not require a lot of sense or resolution, just enjoying the things to view and think about. A-/B+
The Sarah Connor Chronicles: I'm really enjoying this season. Tight taut science fiction with what is developing into a strong ensemble cast.
Last night's Heroes season premiere: decidedly underwhelmed. Hate what they've done with Mohinder, completely undermining his character's point. Very disappointed to see certain characters back. Feel like ground is being retrodden. And as far as menace goes, The Company has nothing on Skynet. Meh.
The Stone Raft (La Balsa de piedra): a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch co-production about the Iberian Peninsula detaching itself at the Pyrenees and heading out to sea, and a small group of individuals who know themselves to be somehow connected to this phenomenon. Based on a Nobel Prize winning novel by José Saramago. For the first 30 or 45 minutes, I thought it was one of the best films I'd ever seen, surrealistic in such a Spanish way. After that it meandered a bit too much; it's quite possible that there were things of importance that I missed due to not knowing much about Iberian and European politics. But it's still well worth viewing, if only for the beautiful cinematography of the Spanish and Portuguese countryside. The characters are all individually touching, with their quirks well conveyed in an economic manner. I couldn't help mentally contrasting it with a French end of the world film I saw in the last year, In the Time of the Wolf. When the world mysteriously ends in France, the French scream at each other for two hours straight, and turn violently on the immigrants. When the world mysteriously ends in Spain, the Spanish fall in love and have lots of sex in beautiful places. I know where I'd like to be when the end arrives! Many of the user reviews around the Internet are pretty negative, but you have to be the sort of viewer who is willing to drift along for the ride and not require a lot of sense or resolution, just enjoying the things to view and think about. A-/B+
The Sarah Connor Chronicles: I'm really enjoying this season. Tight taut science fiction with what is developing into a strong ensemble cast.
Last night's Heroes season premiere: decidedly underwhelmed. Hate what they've done with Mohinder, completely undermining his character's point. Very disappointed to see certain characters back. Feel like ground is being retrodden. And as far as menace goes, The Company has nothing on Skynet. Meh.