Author: Robert Greenberger

The history of the world is rich with stories of personal triumph and epic events. In fact, so many stories remain to be told to modern day audiences, you would never need to leave the non-fiction section to find stories to tell. In school, we’re given such a surface review of global history that we’re constantly amazed to find out what really went on.

Take China for example. The country is our partner and rival in modern day affairs but what do we know of a land that can trace its culture back thousands of years? Sure, we were taught they were largely xenophobic and measured their rulers by dynasties but little else. But, to those growing up in the Pacific Rim, the stories of great warriors outnumber those we can tell about out forefathers.

This point is brought home in the release this week of the stunning [[[Red Cliff]]]. Director John Woo has wanted to tell this story about the fall of the Han Dynasty since childhood and spent years researching it, more years to craft a script and then months to film the story.

In 208 A.D., the Han Dynasty Emperor grants permission to the greedy General Cao Cao to form a movement that will pulverize two warlords who stand in his way.  The warlords, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, are sworn enemies but know their only hope for survival is to band together and counter the attack. Although outnumbered by Cao Cao’s vast and fast approaching army, the warlords put their rivalry behind them and end up surprising all those who doubted their small brigade. 

History, as we know, is written by the victors so most accounts make Cao Cao out to be evil incarnate but Woo wisely sourced most of the facts and character descriptions from the more level-headed Records of Three Kingdoms. This certainly makes all the players far from cardboard caricatures.

The story was so epic in scope, akin to [[[Lord of the Rings]]], that he shot a four hour film that was released internationally in two parts. A 148-minute edited version came to America last year, garnering excellent reviews although it didn’t perform well at the box office. The movie has been released by Magnolia Home Entertainment in a variety  of formats such as the two-disc Blu-ray International Edition with the complete film or the single disc with the shortened version. Both come packed with extras galore.

In watching the 148 domestic version, I thought I had seen enough. The problem for me was that too many of the key players were not developed as characters with Woo’s emphasis on his trademark action sequences which were larger and more involved than ever. As a result, Cao Cao is not the standard movie villain but also remains enigmatic, his true goals and desires absent. Similarly, Liu Bei and Sun Quan’s enmity is left mentioned and unexplored so their alliance is missing the significance it should otherwise posses.

(more…)

Loneliness is a universal theme and one immediately can feel empathy for poor Max, who, despite a sister and mother, feels alone and isolated in his home. The only place where he appears happy is in his imagination, an ever-changing place where anything can happen.

When the fantasy becomes reality, though, his life changes. This simple little adjustment to Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s tale [[[Where the Wild Things Are]]] breathes fresh life into the story. Spike Jonze did what feel even attempted, which was to adapt the slight but fanciful book into a feature film for the entire family.

The movie, on sale now from Warner Home Video, takes us from Max’s home to a world where the Wild Things live. His imagination helps him tremendously when he first is exposed to these oversized creatures so he quickly convinces these guileless beings that he is an experienced king. He is quickly adopted and made their king and as he gets to know them, bonds with them in interesting ways.

His blossoming friendship with Carol is the most fascinating of the plot lines, especially as he decides on a whim to turn her own fantasies into a reality by ordering construction of a fabulous castle. Along the way, though, others suspect his nobility and what happens when the truth is revealed is telling. Unlike he nameless beings in the book, writer David Eggers wisely named them.

The population of this land are large and potentially fierce-looking but are little more than overgrown children themselves, complete with shifting alliances, friendships, and exposed vulnerabilities. The parallels to what has happened back in Max’s world are subtle and nicely woven in, expanding Sendak’s world just a bit.

Jonze wisely decided to forego the shinier CGI approach and put his performers in oversized costumes, from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop that works in the world he created. Max (Max Records), wearing a wolf costume, fits right in so nothing looks out of place. The voice casting, with familiar names such as James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara, Chris Cooper, and Lauren Ambrose, is excellent.

The world of the Wild Things is nicely realized with a muted color palette to set it apart from Max’s real reality. Overall, you can’t, ahem, imagine a better adaptation of the source material.

The standard DVD looks and sounds just fine. Unlike the Blu-ray, the extras are limited to a series of shorts by Lance Bangs which includes The Absurd Difficulty of Filming a Dog Running and Barking At the Same Time (5:32), The Big Prank (3:32), Vampire Attack (:51), and lastly The Kids Take Over the Picture (4:57).

Clearly, if you have children, this movie belongs in your library.

(more…)

You have to wonder about the career advice Sarah Michelle Gellar has been receiving from her agent. Once she established that she could not only kick ass and stake vampires on [[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]], she also won over fans and critics by feeling the emotional impact of the events going on in her life. One reason the episode regarding her mother’s death is so well remembered has much to do with Gellar’s performance. We also saw that she could do other roles and gained attention in 1999 with Cruel Intentions.

Yet, since the series ended in 2003, she has made schlock horror films based on international offerings ([[[The Grudge]]]), slight comedies ([[[Scooby Doo]]]), and eminently forgettable films ([[[Suburban Girl]]]). In the fist category comes Possession, out this week from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Based on the 2002 Korean film [[[Addicgion]]], the American adaptation was filmed in 2007 and was initially set to release in 2008 before being consigned directly to DVD.

Set in San Francisco (although shot in Vancouver), the story is about a young married couple (Gellar and Michael Landes) trying to establish themselves while also taking in Michael’s criminal brother (Lee Pace). Lee creeps out Sarah so she insists he finally move out and this leads to a horrific car crash that sends both men to the hospital.

When Lee finally awakens, he appears in every way to have been changed…into his brother. He seems to possess Michael’s memories and is kinder, softer, and more emotionally vulnerable than he ever was before. With Michael comatose, Sarah has to decide whether or not to pull the plug on the life support equipment, complicated by the emotional connection she is forging with her brother-in-law.

Throughout, the question comes whether or not a freak accident swapped the men’s souls or Lee is faking it. This is intended to a psychological/supernatural thriller and while moodily shot using dim lighting, it also fails to emotionally connect with the audience. Largely this has to do with all three characters being woefully underwritten by Michael Petroni.  Directors Joel Bergvall and Simon Sandquist don’t help by letting the trio show much range. Lee Pace, we well know from [[[Pushing Daisies]]], can act and yes, he does the best job of the three by portraying two sides of the same man but even he feels flat.

Given that this story sprawls across a year or more, the lack of interaction with friends or family also robs the movie of feeling anything remotely real. Sarah’s brief interactions at work are the only proof that she has a life beyond her home.

The movie is a muddle and mercifully brief (1:25). The DVD comes complete with plenty of alternate and deleted scenes, none of which really would have helped make this a more enjoyable story. Then there’s the promo featurette that tells you absolutely nothing about the project.        

Gellar is an attractive, capable actress who has been repeatedly ill served by her film choices and maybe it’s time for her to find new representation.

(more…)