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Reviews
The State (2017)
Game of Thrones But More Real
While the action and character development took a little while to unroll I found myself thinking on several occasions, "That's a Game of Thrones twist right there." After watching the first episode I ended up binge watching the remaining following three episodes in one sitting. The characters enter into the ISIS death cult with the best of intentions and soon discover that their idealized, romantic vision of an Islamic paradise on Earth is in actuality a corrupt, power-obsessed regime bent on creating a uniform group think with an apocalyptic vision of the future, reinforced by heinous acts of savagery and barbarity. There are other reviews that outline the story line but in general, if you like the convoluted political machinations and character awakenings of Game of Thrones, you will really like The State.
Forces spéciales (2011)
The CO Should Be Fired
First, while I really like this genre as well as many gritty French policiers movies, Special Forces was a big disappointment. The "elite" team sent in to rescue the journalist was no more competent than a band of Eagle Scouts would have been in that situation. The team parachutes into Pakistan during broad daylight and gently floats to earth interminably circling one another like a gaggle of sport jumpers. An incursion into Pakistan with any chance of success would require a night drop and HALO techniques. Without the use of camouflage sticks to darken their faces, they blithely launch, again, a daylight assault on a heavily guarded compound, of which they have little intelligence. They scoop up their objective, the reporter, and make a run for it, but of course, there was no interdiction personnel assigned to destroy or hinder the Talib reinforcements. Of course things get worse when their sole means of communication is destroyed and they can't contact higher headquarters. The helos assigned to recover them fly in, broad daylight, get chased away by Talib gunfire causing our plucky band to have to high tail it over the Hindu Kush mountains back into Afghanistan. Didn't anyone ever hear of redundant comm systems, and backup extraction points? Apparently not, so with the Talibs in full pursuit they trek onwards. Disregarding any sense of security they blithely walk into a Pakistani village hoping that the locals will be friendly. Of course they are, which results in a playful game of keep away with one of the soldier's hats, much more important than perimeter security, and oops, one of the solders gets sniped. How was he part of the unit anyway as it looked as if he was serving as an ANF assistance instructor when the team arrived in country? Anyway, after clearly exposing themselves by walking on every ridgeline in the country, more soldiers die and the Talib numbers grow. After seemingly evading being overrun by weathering a snowstorm, the half dead survivors are suddenly ambushed by the chasing Talibs who are all fresh as daisies. How did they get there? The amount of ammo expended by our heroes would require a deuce-and-a-half to carry, yet despite sending 10s of thousands of rounds downrange do they happen to carry any grenades or claymores? Nope. Finally, by sheer luck, the reporter is found and she pluckily helps the SAR team find the team survivors, now reduced to two. Most likely they'll receive the Legion d'Honneur medal, but what they really need is a refresher course at basic infantry training school.
G.I. Jane (1997)
Keeps getting better
This flic's been out for quite awhile, but I just watched it again a few days ago for the third time. I like it better now than when I saw it when it first came out. Looking at a lot of other reviews, it seems that a lot of negative posts were based on the notion that the premise of a female successfully completing "SEAL" team training was improbable, or that it was a feminist screed. In the former case, if that was the criteria for determining good from bad there would be very few films made at all. In the latter case, where's the same rant against Ripley in Alien(s), or Starling in Silence of the Lambs, or Jeanne d'Arc in the Messenger? In any case, what I did like was the dialog. Short, ironic, cynical and to the point, just like I remember most of my discussions when I was in the Marines. "The ebb and flow of the Atlantic tides, the drift of the continents, the very position of the sun along its ecliptic. THESE are just a FEW of the things I control in my world! Is that clear?" That could have been uttered by my Sergeant Instructor at OCS. The tempo is quick, the demands of the physical regimen undercut by politics made for an interesting twist or subplot, and the positive outcome through grit and determination to overcome all obstacles was rather heartwarming. This movie didn't cause me to ponder great issues after it was over, but I was carried along by its challenge and conflict to its ultimate resolution. If you can get over your political/social predisposition going in, I suspect that you'll rather enjoy it.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
Outstanding Flic
I loved this film because it explored an area of consciousness rarely addressed. Of course it's fantasy, but it makes one think about how we perceive reality. The camera work and music are spectacular, giving a hint of the world that the subject Grenouille inhabits. Because we are all so accustomed to perceiving the world through our eyes and ears, it's stimulating to try and relate to the subtext of the film. While the film traces the life and obsession of a madman, it does so without a lot of visceral gore and mayhem. The obsession of Grenouille, to capture the ultimate scent, of love, of life, of the soul, is doomed, and so is he. In the end he holds the ultimate power over men and women, however, in his mind it comes to nothing as he comes to learn that he can never be like all the rest.
Dealing: Or The Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972)
One of the Better Teen Flicks
This was a great little Saturday night flick that kept me laughing and highly entertained. This was actually a fairly intelligent teen comedy for the day without the Adam Sandler style inanity. The director had some very interesting techniques that really kept my attention. There was the guitar solo that was sung off-key, but by the end of the song, it really worked. The cool "dealer" kid all buffed out in his shades, sitting on the pot, and somehow devolving into an infant. The big dope deal, and just after our hero departed the house, every cop on the West Coast descends upon it. I really liked it, and I wish it was available on re-release somewhere.