REVIEW: The Godfather (1972)

After my friend's suggestion, I watched one of those movies that always appears on those 'Top 10 Movies of All Time' Lists - The Godfather.

I feel like a lot of the film's brilliance was lost on me due to a number of reasons. One because I always have high expectations of acclaimed films such as this one. Secondly the film was way too long for someone who grew up in the internet age and rolls their eyes at a 20 minute YouTube video. It dragged on a bit and it was hard paying attention to everything.

And lastly not only do I have the attention span of a goldfish I'm also as deaf as a....um...bat? No that's not right.... Well I always miss lines in movies and I'm one of those people that has to know what every single character, however minor, said at each second. Foreign accents just make it that much harder for me, so subtitles are my best friend even when I'm watching something in English. Actually not even foreign accents, as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button proved THAT wrong. So yeah, the rolling r's and mumbling crescendos of the sing-songy Sicilian accents were so very authentic but I felt like I missed a lot of important dialogue.

All in all, repeat viewings are in order methinks.

Marlon Brando really stood out as the titular godfather figure Don Corleone, an amazing characterisation from the get go with that limply hanging jaw (apparently Brando came up with that by putting cotton balls in his mouth) and all-knowing look he scrutinises everything with. And according to IMDB, he was only a few years older than the actors who played his sons, so cudos to hair and makeup.

Look at that deliciously dark chiaroscuro

The family dynamics between the Corleones was also played out very well and Al Pacino's Michael gradually transitioning from a reluctant bystander and foil to a key member of the gang operations was fascinating to observe.

And not just Al Pacino, amazing execution from all of the cast, many of whom looked so young and different that I didn't realise who they were until afterwards.

That's Diane Keaton, believe it or not. Yes you may pick up your jaw now.

I think a lot of the fun of watching this movie was also due to the fact that it was so famous and referenced that it became a game of 'spot the famous scene', with shouts of 'Oh my god! That scene! That sceeeennne! ...and that liiinne!'. It was fun to finally see them in context. Not gonna give anything away, but they're so famous you know...

TL;DR VERDICT: 4/5 stars, beautiful detailed epic with epic cast, a little drawn out though

In a gangster mood now, will probably try to watch the others in this trilogy and perhaps Scarface and Goodfellas too.

Procrastination Reviews

Somewhere between the start of stuvac and the end of exams I managed to fit in four movies, a feat only plausible in the wild frenzy that is exam procrastination. And as my usual lazy self, I was only bothered to WATCH but not to actually document my thoughts on them here. So now that exams have ended and I've finally comfortably settled into holiday mode, I thought I should redeem myself.

I saw the new Sacha Baron Cohen comedy The Dictator to celebrate the end of semester, in the blind refusal that it also signaled the on-coming exams. Mr Baron Cohen, I salute you for being a ridiculously normal looking guy (with a British accent to boost!) and then being able to slip into one of your crazy characters like that - *insert finger snap*. Pretty unique considering most Hollywood comedic actors feel the need to be 'on show' even off screen.

I had low expectations for The Dictator because the trailer gave me a more formulaic feel than Sacha's previous endeavours such as Borat and I was scared it would lose the shock value that made his comedies so great. I was pleasantly surprised when he still managed to turn it around in this giant parody of extreme leaders that pop up on our news programs now and again. Highlights include a soundtrack of Arabic renditions of songs popular from film soundtracks and a Wii game tailor made for blood-thirsty tyrants. Props for attention to detail.

Some parts of the script felt a little contrived so at the end of the day, not super amazing.

TL;DR VERDICT: 3/5 stars, good for short term laughs, not memorable

Next on my list is a little more adventurous, as I decided to sit down with my mum one night and take advantage of SBS's Bollywood season. And what was on that night was Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, which is a typical rom-com with a geeky guy getting a makeover for love.

I haven't ventured very much into Bollywood territory but at least this film let me have a proper look at the apparent 'Brad Pitt of Bollywood' aka Shahrukh Khan. All I can say is, I can see where he might be idolised....but his constant derpy expression seemed comical and over the top, even as a nerd in a comedy. Seriously I've seen glimpses of him in other movies and I swear that look is plastered on his face 24/7. Also I got creeped out by the fact that he's forty and his jaw-droppingly gorgeous leading ladies are all almost a generation younger.

Apparently a makeover also means a return to the nineties

Apart from not being used to the super long length of Bollywood movies, I found myself enjoying the catchy songs and cheesy romance. What really impressed me though, was the gorgeous cinematography, which increased my wanderlust towards the subcontinent of India. Loved the motif of yellow which drew everything from the bustling streets to the isolated temple together.

Guh, I'm gushing all over the place at the landscape

TL;DR VERDICT: 3/5 stars, cute cheesy rom-com with added spice (aha)

The third movie on my procrastination list was a classic that I really wanted to watch - Frank Miller's Sin City. Wow, what can I say. At first I was unaccustomed to the comic book stylisation and found it cheesy (I'm overusing this word in this post), but soon the gripping plot and tough characters grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me hard, and threw me into their monochrome world.

I relish any movie that thrills and chills me, and it's actually harder than you think even as I'm a wimp when it comes to violence. So the almost cartoon-like quality to the gritty underground world made me feel a bit less uneasy. Even so, I don't think I'll ever forget Elijah Wood's Kevin's creepy unwavering eyes. I had to pause the movie after his segment and resume the next day. Yes you may make fun of me now.

Damn Frodo, you've really changed after Mordor

Besides that, I loved the alternative noir elements, I loved the really well done interconnecting plots, and the casting was excellent (including the brilliant late Brittany Murphy). Well.....except for Alexis Bledel. Please, just stay in Gilmore Girls, you don't belong in Basin City, even if you were supposed to portray an innocent girl. I mean how can you compare to this:

And don't get me started on the awesome rocking soundtrack. If I played this track while doing chores it would be the most epic of tasks ever.

TL;DR VERDICT: 5/5 stars, black and white only serves to highlight all the awesome in Basin City

Last on my list is something I randomly picked out at this year's Sydney Film Festival. When I finished picking up the pieces of my heart after being rejected from volunteering there, I still decided to go back and see one film, being exam season after all. It took me so long to decide before a last minute addition to the program caught my eye and I purchased a ticket to Holy Motors.

Hmm....how to explain this French film? Basically a man, Oscar, rides around in a limousine every day and completes 'assignments', which involve him assuming a new identity and playing that character to its fullest. So I guess this is basically one big collection of character studies and a big meta exploration of acting and theatre itself. Only not for an audience, but for life.

Before I get too philosophical (I'm still confused about the film myself), this was an amazingly weird movie. Everything from street urchins to a motion capture artist to a family man is explored by the same man, and nothing is explained.

Intriguing, beautiful and erotic

But unlike a lot of pretentious ambiguous film festival entrants, this one still managed to coax out laughs from the audience, although we weren't really sure what we were laughing about, we knew it was partially intended. Perhaps it was the seriousness of A-list actresses in absolutely head-scratching situations:

Eva Mendes is not fazed by strange companions when it comes to smoke breaks

There isn't much to say except go out and see this, one way or another, just to see what kind of reaction it'll elicit in you. Oh, and Kylie Minogue's in it too.

TL;DR VERDICT: 4/5 stars, strange, intriguing, will leave you wanting an answer, but to what question?