No, Virginia… by the Dresden Dolls was released on May 20, 2008. Although I had to wait a bit longer than that because I ordered directly from the band in order to get a signed liner note. (faaaaaanboy) Apparently not considered a full-on studio album, No, Virginia… is made up of the left over bits from their previous album, Yes, Virginia…, and a small recording session the band did early in 2008.
So why yesterdays confusing preamble for a quick album review post?
It’s all about artist growth my friend.
The Dresden Dolls first release essentially was essentially about all the left-over angst and pain of a previous relationship. The album is one giant cathartic fuck you to whoever was stupid enough to screw over the band’s leader singer (Amanda Palmer). Its pain, its anguish, its anger, it’s tenderness, it’s the closest you’ll thing you’ll find to a digital soul.
After the album’s release I found that subsequent music from the band lacked much of the anguish, but none of thepassion. Unlike Tori, who buried her demons so far down that her musical fingerprint was completely changed, the Dolls choose to refocus their incredible energy into their music, allowing the band to grow musically but still retaining their core sound. And that’s part of why I admire this band so much.
Core sound is a huge pet peeve for me. I’m all for artists experimenting creatively with their muse of choice. It’s a necessary and crucial step for anyone. But I’m uncomfortable when
a) they push their sound so far that I can’t recognize what it is that attracted me to their music in the first place.
b) they experiment with being avant-garde just for the sake of it, with no thought whatsoever to whether people actually have any interest in going down that particular path.
I take in a respectable amount of alternative media, stuff that will never find a large audience, but nothing pisses me off more than watching or listening to an unintelligible, opaque vanity piece that no one beside the artist is allowed to understand. I don’t need a road map but at least give me a decent shot at unraveling the message.
Anyway, No, Virginia… neatly tracks the Dolls artistic growth while allowing them to strike out in new directions.
I always categorize Dolls’ songs in two ways, sparse and moody or frenetic and up-tempo. Traditionally I haven’t been as enthused with songs in the key of the former but this album seems to hold all the exceptions that prove the rule. No, Virginia… has all the musical highs of any Dolls album and absolutely none of the lows.
Bar one.
The Dolls cover of persistent 80’s favourite, Pretty in Pink, hurts my ears so badly I want to make the pain go away by shoving a screwdriver into my brain. I don’t blame the band, even the Dresden Dolls can’t make a pig turd smell like Chanel No. 5. This is a song I was genetically pre-disposed to hate, no matter who sings it.
It’s hard to tell you why you should listen to this album. The phrase “It’s absolutely amazing Brechtian Punk” will mean nothing to you unless you’re already a fan of the sound. So let me clue you in, it’s punk piano playing, the likes you never seen, pounding drums and, for a change, they’ve even thrown in some light guitar this time out. It’s a pair of musicians who do their level best to leave a little bit of themselves on the recording. It’s for those who are interested in music that doesn’t always play it safe.
The best songs on the album are Dear Jenny, Night Reconnaissance, Mouse and the Model and The Kill. That’s a pretty extensive cross section of the album, but one that highlights all of the band’s strengths.
But don’t just take my word for it…
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Muzak: No, Virginia...(Pt. 1 Prelude to a Review)
I loves me some Tori Amos.
From 1992 to 1998 I was privileged enough to be able to hear four amazing studio albums from her, plus a plethora of singles, remixes and side projects. It was some of the most powerful music I have ever known.
She was very much a product of her musical era, a 90’s singer/songwriter, showing off the softer, but no less tortured, side of grunge/alternative.
Then, in 1998, she seemed to make peace with many of her inner demons and her music went from soul-searing to light and breezy, and I lost my connection to her.
I enjoy female singers much more than I enjoy male ones. I touched on part of the reason for that in my Weezer Red album review. I find the majority of male-fronted musical ventures, who even touch on the subject of love, to be nothing more than sad, sappy bastards who waste my time moaning about how much they love some unobtainable woman.
I spent the majority of my late teens and early twenties doing the same thing so I fail to see the appeal. Why should I pay to hear some wanna-be rockstar complain about how, when he waves around his popularity and a fistful of cash, some groupie doesn’t throw herself at his feet fast enough. Gee I can totally relate to that scenario.
Pass.
So I found myself gravitating to female artists, the angrier the better.
Which is where I stumbled onto the Dresden Dolls. They opened for NIN at a concert about four years ago. I generally try to avoid opening acts like the bubonic plague but I’d made an exception for this one because I wanted to be as close to the stage as possible when Trent and Co. made their appearance.
Watching the Dolls (Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione) play on stage that night was akin to listening to Little Earthquakes for the first time. I’ve seen plenty of concerts and watched lots of musicians strut and preen but I’d never seen someone actually play themselves to the point of collapse before. This wasn’t music it was a live exorcism. There was a demon in that keyboard goddamit and Palmer was going to get that thing out of there if she had to rip it apart with her bare hands.
Hells yah.
I was sold. I had my Tori back. I had the anger, the passion and the sheer human pathos digitally etched into my brain. This is what I wanted out of my music.
So I bought the album, played it all day, every day, for about a month, drove my roommate at the time abso-friggin-lutely nuts and thanked my stars that I’d been lucky enough to find the Dresden Dolls.
From 1992 to 1998 I was privileged enough to be able to hear four amazing studio albums from her, plus a plethora of singles, remixes and side projects. It was some of the most powerful music I have ever known.
She was very much a product of her musical era, a 90’s singer/songwriter, showing off the softer, but no less tortured, side of grunge/alternative.
Then, in 1998, she seemed to make peace with many of her inner demons and her music went from soul-searing to light and breezy, and I lost my connection to her.
I enjoy female singers much more than I enjoy male ones. I touched on part of the reason for that in my Weezer Red album review. I find the majority of male-fronted musical ventures, who even touch on the subject of love, to be nothing more than sad, sappy bastards who waste my time moaning about how much they love some unobtainable woman.
I spent the majority of my late teens and early twenties doing the same thing so I fail to see the appeal. Why should I pay to hear some wanna-be rockstar complain about how, when he waves around his popularity and a fistful of cash, some groupie doesn’t throw herself at his feet fast enough. Gee I can totally relate to that scenario.
Pass.
So I found myself gravitating to female artists, the angrier the better.
Which is where I stumbled onto the Dresden Dolls. They opened for NIN at a concert about four years ago. I generally try to avoid opening acts like the bubonic plague but I’d made an exception for this one because I wanted to be as close to the stage as possible when Trent and Co. made their appearance.
Watching the Dolls (Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione) play on stage that night was akin to listening to Little Earthquakes for the first time. I’ve seen plenty of concerts and watched lots of musicians strut and preen but I’d never seen someone actually play themselves to the point of collapse before. This wasn’t music it was a live exorcism. There was a demon in that keyboard goddamit and Palmer was going to get that thing out of there if she had to rip it apart with her bare hands.
Hells yah.
I was sold. I had my Tori back. I had the anger, the passion and the sheer human pathos digitally etched into my brain. This is what I wanted out of my music.
So I bought the album, played it all day, every day, for about a month, drove my roommate at the time abso-friggin-lutely nuts and thanked my stars that I’d been lucky enough to find the Dresden Dolls.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Muzak: Weezer (Red)
What makes Rivers Cuomo a good songwriter? Well in my eyes it’s his ability to take simple song concepts, that have been subject to every hoary cliché since caveman first started banging sticks together, and elevate them to something greater. He’s just as likely to talk about a missed romantic opportunity as a baseball allegory or, I don’t know, a treatise on land rights claims by Native Americans.
The point is you don’t have to listen to a bunch of whiny, crying ‘why doesn’t she love me, I love her’ b.s.
Which is a GOOD thing.
It’s been three years since I’ve had the good fortune to be graced with another Weezer studio album. 2005’s Make Believe was one of the band’s strongest releases to date with a sound reminiscent of a more polished version of their debut album.
So does their sixth album, Red, stand up?
Well after putting the album on repeat on my iPod for almost a week, I’d have to say…pretty well. After all these years the band still retains their core sound. It’s pure Weezer all the way and even a passing fan will enjoy the music. Songs like Pork and Beans and Everybody Get Dangerous seem almost familiar, built around Weezer’s traditional growling guitars, driving drumbeats and Cuomo’s tongue in cheek lyrical stylings.
And while I don’t find they’ve gone out of their way on this album to push creative boundaries they’ve still gone a bit further than the average bear would. I recommend The Greatest Man That Ever Lived and Heartsongs. It took me a little while to get into both of these songs but once I did I found they retained a cultish appeal that some of the album’s more format friendly tunage lacks.
So where does this album stand in a completely subjective ranking with their other work?
…Something like this.
1. Pinkerton
2. Make Believe
3. Blue
4. Green
5. Red
6. Maladroit
So yah. It’s not their greatest album. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad album by any stretch of the imagination (Maladroit I’m looking at you). But after a couple days I found myself skipping over some songs and that’s a sure sign that you’re never going to get into Chris’ personal musical hall of fame.
So in the end, a solid album, even a good album, but not a great album. I’d recommend it to hardcore and casual fans alike, but I suspect that aside from one or two singles that this album isn’t going to be big with general population.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Six sentence comic book reviews
That’s right true believers, if I can’t review an issue of my weekly crack habit in exactly six sentences I’ll not only refund you all your money back, I’ll double it!
Action Comics #866
Hey, it’s the return of Brianiac: Version 833 squared to the fourth decimal place! Or at least that’s what Geoff Johns wants us to believe. Honestly, who knows anymore? Brainiac, to me, is one character who’s been changed so often that it’s impossible to have a definitive version of him anymore. Every time they settle on an interpretation I enjoy another writer comes along and revamps him. Gary Frank, you do gooooooooood penciling, a nice blend of pre-COIE Braniac influences with a modern touch.
Booster Gold #10
What the, Mr. Mind is back, again?! Reusing his own plot device from the somewhat successful weekly series, 52, Geoff Johns reveals that the evil genius responsible for forming the Time Stealers is a demented caterpillar. Either Johns is co-opting Mr. M as a Booster Gold villain or he's running a little low on ideas. But if ain’t broke don’t fix it. The next to last issue of Johns run on BG wherein our titular hero tries to fix time, rescue his pal Blue Beetle II and become a real superhero. I approve.
Trinity #2
You know what? I’m digging this series. I’ve always had a deep admiration for Mark Bagley’s art and Kurt Busiek is no slouch at writing a decent spandex slugfest. It’s nice to see Bags penciling something other than Spider-man for a change. My biggest beef so far is that for a title showcasing DC’s big three the cover art work, and series logo, falls a little flat. How about rotating in some high caliber cover artists to keep things fresh and coming up with a logo that does this series justice?
Invincible #50
I’m a late convert to this series. So I’m sure anything I’d have to add to an analysis of it has already been said elsewhere. But what the hell, it’s my g.d. blog. Reading this book feels like what it must have been like to read Spider-man in it’s early days. It’s always fun, fresh and absolutely free of the grim and gritty superheroes that seem to be populating my comic books. With Invincible’s upcoming costume change it almost reads like this series is a self-referential, tongue-in-cheek take on the traditional story arcs of decades old superheroes.
That’s round one in the bag. I’m hoping the six sentence review structure will force me to be concise and timely in my reviews. But then again, I hope that working out keeps me slim and in shape, instead of just giving me excuses to crummy foods. So, y’know, my standards are all over the place.
Action Comics #866
Hey, it’s the return of Brianiac: Version 833 squared to the fourth decimal place! Or at least that’s what Geoff Johns wants us to believe. Honestly, who knows anymore? Brainiac, to me, is one character who’s been changed so often that it’s impossible to have a definitive version of him anymore. Every time they settle on an interpretation I enjoy another writer comes along and revamps him. Gary Frank, you do gooooooooood penciling, a nice blend of pre-COIE Braniac influences with a modern touch.
Booster Gold #10
What the, Mr. Mind is back, again?! Reusing his own plot device from the somewhat successful weekly series, 52, Geoff Johns reveals that the evil genius responsible for forming the Time Stealers is a demented caterpillar. Either Johns is co-opting Mr. M as a Booster Gold villain or he's running a little low on ideas. But if ain’t broke don’t fix it. The next to last issue of Johns run on BG wherein our titular hero tries to fix time, rescue his pal Blue Beetle II and become a real superhero. I approve.
Trinity #2
You know what? I’m digging this series. I’ve always had a deep admiration for Mark Bagley’s art and Kurt Busiek is no slouch at writing a decent spandex slugfest. It’s nice to see Bags penciling something other than Spider-man for a change. My biggest beef so far is that for a title showcasing DC’s big three the cover art work, and series logo, falls a little flat. How about rotating in some high caliber cover artists to keep things fresh and coming up with a logo that does this series justice?
Invincible #50
I’m a late convert to this series. So I’m sure anything I’d have to add to an analysis of it has already been said elsewhere. But what the hell, it’s my g.d. blog. Reading this book feels like what it must have been like to read Spider-man in it’s early days. It’s always fun, fresh and absolutely free of the grim and gritty superheroes that seem to be populating my comic books. With Invincible’s upcoming costume change it almost reads like this series is a self-referential, tongue-in-cheek take on the traditional story arcs of decades old superheroes.
That’s round one in the bag. I’m hoping the six sentence review structure will force me to be concise and timely in my reviews. But then again, I hope that working out keeps me slim and in shape, instead of just giving me excuses to crummy foods. So, y’know, my standards are all over the place.
Sell crazy someplace else...
So this weekend I'm participating in the Relay for Life, which is a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.
Those who know me, even just in passing, know that I abhor walking. I view it as a massive waste of time. The only thing I hate more than walking is running. If you're walking for excercise, there are more enjoyable methods of keeping fit. If you're walking because you like the scenery, well I can't help you there.
Which is a shame, because S is a huge fan of walks and she has to put up with my sulky ass self every time she manages to convince me to join her on one.
So it's a little out of character for me to participate in event that's made ENTIRELY OUT OF WALKING.
The relay for life is a twelve hour event, 7pm Friday night to 7am Saturday morning. You don't have to walk for the whole thing but since my sisters are going to try to tough it out, I'm going to attempt it as well. We're competitive like that.
That means this will officially be the only fundraiser that bases itself on this.
Anyway, its for a good cause, one that's close to my heart. Thanks in advance to S for helping with my fundraising and my apologies to all those who will have listen to my perpetual bitching, before, during and after the event.
Those who know me, even just in passing, know that I abhor walking. I view it as a massive waste of time. The only thing I hate more than walking is running. If you're walking for excercise, there are more enjoyable methods of keeping fit. If you're walking because you like the scenery, well I can't help you there.
Which is a shame, because S is a huge fan of walks and she has to put up with my sulky ass self every time she manages to convince me to join her on one.
So it's a little out of character for me to participate in event that's made ENTIRELY OUT OF WALKING.
The relay for life is a twelve hour event, 7pm Friday night to 7am Saturday morning. You don't have to walk for the whole thing but since my sisters are going to try to tough it out, I'm going to attempt it as well. We're competitive like that.
That means this will officially be the only fundraiser that bases itself on this.
Anyway, its for a good cause, one that's close to my heart. Thanks in advance to S for helping with my fundraising and my apologies to all those who will have listen to my perpetual bitching, before, during and after the event.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Like drilling through your brain with a jagged ruler
Hey Chris.
Yah?
What's the laziest post you can think of?
How about a rough draft outline of a speech I did for class. Perhaps the dullest thing you'll ever read. I'm thinking of marketing it for insomniacs.
That'll do pig.
Topic: To advocate for the construction of a new downtown highway in the city of Toronto
Central idea: A new downtown highway will greatly improve the city’s economic backbone and allow Toronto to meet the needs of the local population.
I. The creation of a highway that connects to downtown Toronto will relieve traffic congestion and result in shortened commuting times. These faster commutes will have a positive environmental impact and help to increase the quality of life for many people living in the Greater Toronto Area.
a. By reducing the number of cars idling in Toronto’s stop and go traffic we will decrease the number of smog days in the city and see tangible economic and health related benefits.
i. Toronto Public Health (TPH) estimates that over 1,700 people die each year as a result of air pollution. Another 6,000 people are admitted to hospitals for the same reason.
ii. The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) estimates that it costs the province 150 million dollars in health care costs and 128 million dollars in lost productivity each year due to air pollution.
b. There will also be significant improvements to commuter quality of life. A downtown highway will allow commuters to spend more time at home with their families and less time traveling.
i. A recent report by the Toronto Star outlined a number of health risks associated with lengthy commutes, including sleep deprivation and compromised judgment under high level of stress.
ii. This same Toronto Star report highlighted the significant loss of time commuters were able to spend with their families due to their excessively long commute times. A downtown highway will help to return some of the necessary time families spend together.
II. There are also significant advantages to having a downtown highway for local businesses, commercial carriers and downtown residents.
a. A downtown Toronto highway will give better access to the city for local businesses and farmers, giving area residents increased access to high quality goods at lower prices.
i. Increased transportation infrastructure will allow local area farmers to get their product to Toronto’s markets more quickly, ensuring less spoilage.
ii. Better access to Toronto markets will result in lower transportation costs for producers (refrigeration, etc). These savings will be subsequently reflected in the price.
b. Increased Toronto transportation infrastructure will give consumers greater access to goods in a timely and reliable fashion, without unnecessary delays and additional costs.
i. In 2006 Transport Canada estimated that congestion costs the country between 2.3 billion dollars to 3.7 billion dollars annually. These costs are initially absorbed by the freight transportation industry before being passed on to consumers. A downtown highway will help to relieve local area congestion and ensure consumer costs are kept low.
ii. Increased transportation infrastructure will help to keep consumer prices low because of less fuel consumption by commercial carriers.
III. A downtown Toronto highway will have a considerable economic impact on the region by creating jobs and supporting improved access to variety of local industries.
a. A highway will help boost the economy by creating new employment opportunities.
i. Initially there will be an influx of temporary jobs, first through environmental assessments and planning and then, more significantly, in the construction phase.
ii. Over the long term a new highway will create job opportunities in highway maintenance and repair, law enforcement and snow removal.
b. Improved transportation access will also benefit Toronto and regional industries.
i. Toronto’s tourist, entertainment and sporting industries will have more reliable access to local populations.
ii. Toronto residents will have better access to cottage country and other nearby out of town destinations.
Yah?
What's the laziest post you can think of?
How about a rough draft outline of a speech I did for class. Perhaps the dullest thing you'll ever read. I'm thinking of marketing it for insomniacs.
That'll do pig.
Topic: To advocate for the construction of a new downtown highway in the city of Toronto
Central idea: A new downtown highway will greatly improve the city’s economic backbone and allow Toronto to meet the needs of the local population.
I. The creation of a highway that connects to downtown Toronto will relieve traffic congestion and result in shortened commuting times. These faster commutes will have a positive environmental impact and help to increase the quality of life for many people living in the Greater Toronto Area.
a. By reducing the number of cars idling in Toronto’s stop and go traffic we will decrease the number of smog days in the city and see tangible economic and health related benefits.
i. Toronto Public Health (TPH) estimates that over 1,700 people die each year as a result of air pollution. Another 6,000 people are admitted to hospitals for the same reason.
ii. The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) estimates that it costs the province 150 million dollars in health care costs and 128 million dollars in lost productivity each year due to air pollution.
b. There will also be significant improvements to commuter quality of life. A downtown highway will allow commuters to spend more time at home with their families and less time traveling.
i. A recent report by the Toronto Star outlined a number of health risks associated with lengthy commutes, including sleep deprivation and compromised judgment under high level of stress.
ii. This same Toronto Star report highlighted the significant loss of time commuters were able to spend with their families due to their excessively long commute times. A downtown highway will help to return some of the necessary time families spend together.
II. There are also significant advantages to having a downtown highway for local businesses, commercial carriers and downtown residents.
a. A downtown Toronto highway will give better access to the city for local businesses and farmers, giving area residents increased access to high quality goods at lower prices.
i. Increased transportation infrastructure will allow local area farmers to get their product to Toronto’s markets more quickly, ensuring less spoilage.
ii. Better access to Toronto markets will result in lower transportation costs for producers (refrigeration, etc). These savings will be subsequently reflected in the price.
b. Increased Toronto transportation infrastructure will give consumers greater access to goods in a timely and reliable fashion, without unnecessary delays and additional costs.
i. In 2006 Transport Canada estimated that congestion costs the country between 2.3 billion dollars to 3.7 billion dollars annually. These costs are initially absorbed by the freight transportation industry before being passed on to consumers. A downtown highway will help to relieve local area congestion and ensure consumer costs are kept low.
ii. Increased transportation infrastructure will help to keep consumer prices low because of less fuel consumption by commercial carriers.
III. A downtown Toronto highway will have a considerable economic impact on the region by creating jobs and supporting improved access to variety of local industries.
a. A highway will help boost the economy by creating new employment opportunities.
i. Initially there will be an influx of temporary jobs, first through environmental assessments and planning and then, more significantly, in the construction phase.
ii. Over the long term a new highway will create job opportunities in highway maintenance and repair, law enforcement and snow removal.
b. Improved transportation access will also benefit Toronto and regional industries.
i. Toronto’s tourist, entertainment and sporting industries will have more reliable access to local populations.
ii. Toronto residents will have better access to cottage country and other nearby out of town destinations.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Movie Review: Revolver
Oh man,
There’s busy and then there’s busy. I’ve got so many half-written posts in the hopper I’m starting to wonder if I might have ADD. There are wedding updates, movie reviews, new album reviews and about three weeks worth of comics reviews that are now massively out of date.
But instead of taking the time to clear some of these things up, I’m going to devote my lunch hour to reviewing a film that’s almost three years old, that I just saw last night.
You want current and relevant? Read a paper. I give you whatever is kicking around in my head at the moment.
So today I’m going to review Revolver.
Revolver is Guy Ritchie’s third film and I first heard of it about three years ago when it was playing at the Toronto International Film Festival. Unfortunately, due to the eternal scheduling dance that always accompanies film fests I wasn’t able to see it then. I wasn’t too worried because I figured that after the success of Snatch and Lock, Stock… that Revolver was likely to show up at my local Cineplex before too long.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Revolver winged its way silently back across the pond, opened for European audiences and then went quietly went to video, never bothering to open up in North America. Hardly a ringing endorsement for must-see status.
But when I saw it on the videostore shelf on Saturday, I couldn’t help myself. I was in the mood for some stylized violence and I’d already pigeonholed Guy Ritchie as a director with more sizzle than steak.
After watching this film, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Now I’ll be honest. The bulk of this movie is somewhat incomprehensible. On one level it’s a fairly straightforward gangster flick, full of bloodletting, drug dealing and power struggles only grafted onto an unseen story that feels much…bigger. Jason Statham plays the cryptic Jake Green, a gambler and a con man recently released from prison and looking to enact revenge on the man who put him there, Macha (Ray Liotta). However, Jake’s plans go awry when he discovers that he has a rare blood disease that only gives him days to live. In desperation he turns to Zach and Avi, two mysterious loan sharks who promise to help him if he offers his complete obedience.
There’s something off about this movie, something that you can feel from the first scene but you can’t put your finger on it. It’s clear the film is strictly following its own internal logic, but as the viewer I had a hard time understanding what that logic may be.
S and I went through, and discarded, half a dozen possible theories…
“Jake is dead…or in a coma”
“Zach and Avi are angels”
“Zach and Avi are demons”
“Jake is a big crime lord”
“Jake is creating the world around him, just like Dark City”
In the end the big twist is both much simpler and yet far more complicated than any theory we were able to come up with. I was reminded of Fight Club in the sense that you can completely re-interpret every previous scene in film after the climatic big reveal. It made me instantly want to watch the whole movie again, from the start, just so I could look at it through a new perspective and that NEVER happens to me.
I know from some of the special features on the disc that Guy Ritchie had to re-edit several key scenes. He was intimately familiar with the unspoken twist that underpinned the whole film and had to strike a delicate balance between giving the audience enough information to keep them interested and giving them too much information and blowing the payoff. I think, in the end he managed to strike the appropriate balance as best he could.
If I have any criticism of the film its that I spent too much time trying to part the surface story and discover the hidden messages underneath. The surface plot, while engaging, clearly exists only to serve the needs of the hidden philosophical themes. And while the payoff at the end makes it all worthwhile it can be a little trying to make it through the often murky gangster story to achieve that brilliant moment of clarity.
But on the whole Guy Ritchie made me think more about this film than I ever thought would be possible. It’s a shame that it never made it into North American theatres as audiences are definitely missing out on something special.
Well played Guy. Well played.
BONUS REVIEW: This just in. The title of the new Indiana Jones movie has been changed to Indiana Jones and the Fourth Straight Movie Ruined by George Lucas.
No word of a lie.
There’s busy and then there’s busy. I’ve got so many half-written posts in the hopper I’m starting to wonder if I might have ADD. There are wedding updates, movie reviews, new album reviews and about three weeks worth of comics reviews that are now massively out of date.
But instead of taking the time to clear some of these things up, I’m going to devote my lunch hour to reviewing a film that’s almost three years old, that I just saw last night.
You want current and relevant? Read a paper. I give you whatever is kicking around in my head at the moment.
So today I’m going to review Revolver.
Revolver is Guy Ritchie’s third film and I first heard of it about three years ago when it was playing at the Toronto International Film Festival. Unfortunately, due to the eternal scheduling dance that always accompanies film fests I wasn’t able to see it then. I wasn’t too worried because I figured that after the success of Snatch and Lock, Stock… that Revolver was likely to show up at my local Cineplex before too long.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Revolver winged its way silently back across the pond, opened for European audiences and then went quietly went to video, never bothering to open up in North America. Hardly a ringing endorsement for must-see status.
But when I saw it on the videostore shelf on Saturday, I couldn’t help myself. I was in the mood for some stylized violence and I’d already pigeonholed Guy Ritchie as a director with more sizzle than steak.
After watching this film, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Now I’ll be honest. The bulk of this movie is somewhat incomprehensible. On one level it’s a fairly straightforward gangster flick, full of bloodletting, drug dealing and power struggles only grafted onto an unseen story that feels much…bigger. Jason Statham plays the cryptic Jake Green, a gambler and a con man recently released from prison and looking to enact revenge on the man who put him there, Macha (Ray Liotta). However, Jake’s plans go awry when he discovers that he has a rare blood disease that only gives him days to live. In desperation he turns to Zach and Avi, two mysterious loan sharks who promise to help him if he offers his complete obedience.
There’s something off about this movie, something that you can feel from the first scene but you can’t put your finger on it. It’s clear the film is strictly following its own internal logic, but as the viewer I had a hard time understanding what that logic may be.
S and I went through, and discarded, half a dozen possible theories…
“Jake is dead…or in a coma”
“Zach and Avi are angels”
“Zach and Avi are demons”
“Jake is a big crime lord”
“Jake is creating the world around him, just like Dark City”
In the end the big twist is both much simpler and yet far more complicated than any theory we were able to come up with. I was reminded of Fight Club in the sense that you can completely re-interpret every previous scene in film after the climatic big reveal. It made me instantly want to watch the whole movie again, from the start, just so I could look at it through a new perspective and that NEVER happens to me.
I know from some of the special features on the disc that Guy Ritchie had to re-edit several key scenes. He was intimately familiar with the unspoken twist that underpinned the whole film and had to strike a delicate balance between giving the audience enough information to keep them interested and giving them too much information and blowing the payoff. I think, in the end he managed to strike the appropriate balance as best he could.
If I have any criticism of the film its that I spent too much time trying to part the surface story and discover the hidden messages underneath. The surface plot, while engaging, clearly exists only to serve the needs of the hidden philosophical themes. And while the payoff at the end makes it all worthwhile it can be a little trying to make it through the often murky gangster story to achieve that brilliant moment of clarity.
But on the whole Guy Ritchie made me think more about this film than I ever thought would be possible. It’s a shame that it never made it into North American theatres as audiences are definitely missing out on something special.
Well played Guy. Well played.
BONUS REVIEW: This just in. The title of the new Indiana Jones movie has been changed to Indiana Jones and the Fourth Straight Movie Ruined by George Lucas.
No word of a lie.
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