Shin Godzilla - A really interesting discussion on the structure of modern Japanese government that makes you feel like you actually know what's going on over there. Digging its scaly heels in right away, the film wastes no time getting to the action. Unlike his recent iterations in kaiju flicks (movies with big monsters fighting each other, for lack of a better cultural explanation and time constraints), Godzilla resurges (ehehe, it's localized title is "Godzilla: Resurgence", so that's a nice little easter egg for the fans) as metaphor for The Bomb.
This is probably the film's greatest strength, returning to its roots as envisioned by IshirÅ Honda (even using large portions of the original soundtrack to drive home this point). Godzilla as natural disaster, utter powerlessness and futility in the face of eldritch horror. Hideaki Anno directs this iteration, the first Japanese-made Godzilla since "Godzilla: Final Wars" in 2004, and you may recognize him (if you're a big old nerd like me) as the creator of popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, which borrows heavily from the kaiju genre, enriched with heavy-handed mysticism and psychodrama. Anno's nihilistic horror in the face of destruction is palpable and goes hand in hand with his vision for a modern Godzilla as metaphor.
Enjoyable as it is on paper, it is not without its controversy in application: Anno's desire was to portray, as realistically as he could, what would happen in the modern era if Japan were to face a godzillian threat from the perspective of the Japanese government, which can make the film very difficult to jive with as the titles of government officials and subtitles (as it is not voiced-over) create a pollution of visuals that can almost physically jar the audience. Personally I was a big fan, as it seemed to illustrate the inundation of information and futility of said information in the face of such a cosmic threat. The ending may also be somewhat unsatisfactory to some in the sense that no real answer to the government's problems is proposed, just hope that mankind can learn from its mistakes. If the mysterious last clip of the film is any indicator, I believe we can assume that the problems with the governmental system may lie not within the systems themselves but within an inherently deeper problem in humanity.
Maybe the monster wasn't Godzilla at all, but the friends we'd made along the way...
Whiplash - If you've ever played an instrument before, maybe this movie will give you staggering anxiety like me!
I was never the most dedicated to my instrument, the piano. Other than the weekly lessons, I would try to wriggle my way out of daily hour-long practices with every conceivable excuse. I was at that tender age where rebellion was endemic to my nature, and since I was a golden angel when it came to schoolwork and behavior in all social circles, it naturally leaked out in the area with the least consequences. Though, when the weekly lesson would inevitably start, a cold sweat would break out on my brow as I full-well knew that I could not sight-read the simplified "Good King Wencenslas" sitting in front of me (true facts: after nearly 10 years of piano I was never able to sight-read sheet music), and my teacher Marcia Cuneo/Steve Schroth would ask me: how long did you practice this week?
The shame and the fear and the butt-clenching that I experienced in those days came back, full force, within minutes of Whiplash's first 10 minutes. Rather than a "Ray" or "August Rush" vibe, engaging with a musician and wishing the best for their indelible passion, I feel that it was more akin to witnessing the sociopaths of "Gone Girl" or "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and the developing horror of knowing there was no return. J.K. Simmons performance is perfect and also "The Worst", "I Hate Him", "Please Turn This Off", and "I Long For Death".
That said, it's an incredible film. The producer even faved a tweet I made about the movie stressing me out, so I might have a biased opinion about it all.
To think that people could yell at each other like that, for money!!
The Handmaiden - Perhaps my favorite and least talked about film this year—least talked about on my end because, well, it's hard to talk about Korean lesbian murder dramas without giving people very specific ideas about you that could either be Very Good or Very Very Bad.
An example: during one of the films sex scenes, my sister was summoned by the Lord Our God at that 1AM hour to ask me a question about some such engagement we had the next day with a group of friends, and found her brother huddled in a dark room watching an inexplicable tangling of female bodies by himself. After pausing, rewinding, and explaining to her how it all fit in, how it wasn't what it looked like, that it would contradict my nature to do such a thing, etc. etc. etc., I still am not convinced that I'll ever be able to sell her on the idea of watching a film like this as entertainment.
So it goes. (I'm allowed to say this at least once every five years because of my English degree. This is a thing.)
Park Chan Wook (director of one of my favorite films last year, OLDBOY) brandishes a dark saber, sharp with wit, slender in design, and cutting to the bone. It's difficult to speak to specifics, for fear of betraying its haunting moods and setting, as it is a movie best experienced with no prior knowledge. In fact, I've said too much.
Except, that, well, you should be careful with all the sex stuff. Learn from my mistake.
Honorable Mention
Muppets Christmas Carol - first christmas movie to make me cry in 6 and a half years
meet me in the pit at 9PM tomorrow for some nerd talk
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