Film Review: π (Pi)

You might think a movie about numbers and math would be boring, but Pi is anything but. It is one trippy experience that mixes experimental expressions with a gritty neo-noir style to craft a sharp and punchy thriller that exudes paranoia.

The film's style is what makes it consistently engaging. It's a very stark and gritty black-and-white picture with a lot of intricate sets, unique photography, and snappy editing. It's almost on the same level as Eraserhead, but with a production that looks like the first half of The Matrix. It's a pretty cool way to take an otherwise uninteresting subject and make it presentable. As the film goes on, the character becomes a target by various people, and he goes on the run in some mildly satisfying chase scenes. It all builds up to a climax that will come off as bewildering and extreme.

The story's pretty simple: a bunch of people chase after one man who knows a special number. It is pretty novel to use a number as a plot device. What makes the story most interesting, however, is the subtext. The film draws strong parallels between mathematics, nature, and the man-made world, suggesting that through math and patterns, there is a correlation between order and chaos. This is what gives the plot its weight, and gives the characters a reason to struggle to figure out numbers. Fundamentally though, this is a story about a man gifted with great talents and insight, but descends into self-destructive madness due to the knowledge in his own head.

Darren Aronofsky's debut film is made with very vivid black-and-white photography and editing. He employs some hip-hop montages here and there (as he later does in Requiem for a Dream), and it looks great. Acting is pretty good from the cast, and the writing gets the job done. The narration is pretty slick. This production uses pretty interesting sets, props, costumes, and locales. Electronic music is used throughout the movie, with a lot of beat and energy, and it is really cool.

This film is pretty bizarre, but there is plenty to think about in this basic story and plenty to admire in the intense style. If you enjoy experimental films, then this should interest you.

4/5 (Experience: Good | Content: Good | Film: Very Good)

Film Review: John Wick

If it's one thing action movies can teach us, it's that you don't mess with people who have nothing left to lose. John Wick hinges on the simple premise of a retired hitman who plows through the Russian mafia and leaves a mile-long body trail, all because they killed his puppy. And stole his ride. Somebody has to pay!

As silly this may sound, the film plays it all with a straight face, and it works because there is a good amount of heart to the setup. In the opening scenes, we see that this is more than the story of a man, his car, and his dog; it's the story of a loss and betrayal. Once the appropriate pathos is established, John Wick rises as the tough and skilled action hero we can root for. It doesn't take long for the butt-kicking to commence, but once it does, it's densely-packed, fast-paced, relentlessly-brutal, and very well-executed. Whether shooting, punching, stabbing, or running bad guys over, it is quite a rush to watch Wick descend into the criminal underworld and find payback.

As exciting and stylish as the film is, what really keeps it from falling into mediocrity is the title character. The film successfully evokes sympathy for Wick - the man who lost his wife, before losing everything else - and it provides a solid reasoning for why we should care about whether or not Wick succeeds. As the film goes on, Wick's journey takes him through a bizarre criminal world with its own set of rules, codes, and even currency. It turns out that it's a world Wick is already familiar with, and he has a history with most of the minor characters that pop up. Thus, the film unearths stark themes of how the past, present, and future are entwined.

This film is well-shot, with great-looking photography and editing. It is especially refreshing that the action scenes are solid and steady, with no fast-cutting or camera shake. I also think the color schemes and nighttime cityscapes lend the film a dark and grimy type of neo-noir appeal. Acting is fine for what it is; you may not think much of Keanu Reeves, but this film is proof that the man can act. His portrayal of John Wick is quite spot-on. And he can kick a lot of butt very impressively. Writing is not the best, but it gets the job done. This production has pretty good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music choices, and the music score, feature really heavy beats and hard rock cues, and I found it awesome that way.

John Wick, much like A Bittersweet Life, is a dark crime movie with lots of action, but also a lot of emotional backing behind its characters. It's a simple story that's told well and features plenty of satisfying setpieces. Recommended for at least one viewing.

4/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Film Review: Fight Club

"It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything." - Brad Pitt

I am Jack's review of the movie Fight Club.  If you don't know what that means, it's just a small taste of how sardonic this whole film is.

At first, I assumed Fight Club was just a movie about a bunch of guys beating each other up.  From the moment it starts, however, it proves to be much more than that.  It's actually a very strangely neurotic and mesmerizing descent into a testosterone-fueled madness.  Actual fighting is limited; what you get instead is a storytelling experience that's so warped, it will challenge your perception of what is and isn't real in the film.  The film itself even gets warped, with such bizarre effects as having single frames of images mixed into random spots, and one frenetic scene where the negative appears to come undone.  Throw in some wild computer-generated modelling effects and some brisk editing, and the film becomes a highly stylized and entrancing experience.

The story is a real doozy.  It kicks off strong and hard, showcasing the insomniac protagonist and chronicling how he went from being an average office worker with everything into a deviant with nothing (and nothing to lose).  Things get thrilling when the actual fight club takes off and anarchy starts to spread, but the main focus is always on exploring the characters, and it all builds up to an unpredictable climax.  There is a massive plot twist in the mix, but it's one of those that holds up extremely well on repeat viewings (even though it can be a little hard to believe).  Characters shine really well, thanks to their nuanced performances, their sharp dialogue, their convoluted relationships, and the nature of the plot, which really makes us stop and think about what's going on in their heads.

There are a number of themes that can be extrapolated from this crazy story.  The most blatant messages concern anarchy, as the characters constantly criticize the modern consumerist culture and emphasize "letting go." Much of the story is really about them abandoning the common goals of wealth, success, or material things, and just being yourself.  There are moments where the film also seems to dig up deeper metaphysical questions and meaning, especially regarding morality and the perception of reality.

As noted above, the film has one heck of a style.  The camera work is very solid and good, while the editing tends to be very inventive and wild.  Acting is great; Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter are effectively perfect in their roles.  Writing is awesome, and there are tons of great lines.  This production uses some very great and detailed-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects.  Music by the Dust Brothers can be a bit nutty, but is mostly pretty awesome.

Fight Club is a movie with some serious attitude and style.  The experience of watching it is like going through that feeling of wooziness after being punched in the face, for it is that trippy.  I could say more, but the first and second rules of Fight Club forbid me...

5/5 (Experience:  Perfect | Story:  Perfect | Film:  Perfect)