Sheer Khan

326) Life of Pi (2012) Dir: Ang Lee Date Released: November 21, 2012 Date Seen: October 24, 2012 Rating: 4.25/5

348) Thank You (2011) Dir: Anees Bazmee Date Released: April 8, 2011 Date Seen: November 5, 2012 Rating: 2.25/5

349) 7 Khoom Maaf (2011) Dir: Vishal Bhardwaj Date Released: February 18, 2011 Date Seen: November 5, 2012 Rating: 3.25/5

353) Paan Singh Tomar (2010) Dir: Tigmanshu Dhulia Date Released: March 2, 2012 Date Seen: November 8, 2012 Rating: 3/5

354) The Warrior (2001) Dir: Asif Kapadia Date Released: July 15, 2005 Date Seen: November 8, 2012 Rating: 3.25/5

359) Rog (2005) Dir: Himanshu Brahmbatt Date Released: ??!?!? Date Seen: November 10, 2012 Rating: 3.75/5

360) Hisss (2010) Dir: Jennifer Lynch Date Released (DTV): December 28, 2010 Date Seen: November 10, 2012 Rating: 1.75/5

In praise of the mighty Irrfan Khan, I wrote a feature profile of the man for the Village Voice.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

325) Chopper (2000) Dir: Andrew Dominik Date Released: April 11, 2001 Date Seen: October 23, 2012 Rating: 3.5/5

My favorite part of stories told from the confused perspective of a sociopath/psychopath/homeopath/ok-maybe-not-that-last-one is the part where the sociopath/psychopath/off-the-beaten-path starts to lose it. Not quite lost it, because filmmaker can usually fake it with sufficient bravado by that point. But almost lost it, the point in the story where the...the guy starts to get confused. In Chopper, Eric Bana almost breaks down repeatedly but he never does, mostly because he can't believe what he's done.

 I don't think Andrew Dominik's debut film is consistently compelling, but the scenes I liked most, like the post-shiv prison scene, are pretty compelling. Still, parts of the film were (understandably) monotonous. I mean, how long can I watch Bana, who gives a great performance here, tell people that they oughta trust him, trust him, why don'tcha trust him, just trust him, trust him, TRUST 'IM! For me, Chopper's just barely the weakest of Dominik's three recent features. But it is pretty compelling, in fits and starts.

I Won't Lie: Charlie Murphy Made Me Do It

322) Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) Dir: Wes Craven Date Released: October 27, 1995 Date Seen: October 20, 2012 Rating: 2/5

Ok, let me explain: I was looking for a comedy,* something to chase Lord of Illusions with. We settled on this one for a couple of lame reasons: it's also from 1995, and it's co-scripted by Charlie Murphy. As in, of Chappelle's Show fame. That Charlie Murphy. Too bad Vampire in Brooklyn doesn't have any discernible personality, apart from a funny scene or two with John Witherspoon. I don't know how, and I don't care to go into much length about this, but Wes Craven somehow found another way to disappoint me. What a guy. Even Eddie Murphy isn't very good here. What an auteurist snafu this turned out to be!

*My roommate Bill is, get this, usually in the mood for comedies. I know, go figure!

Yessir, This is Definitely a Clive Barker Movie

321) Lord of Illusions (1995) Dir: Clive Barker Date Released: August 25, 1995 Date Seen: October 20, 2012 Rating: 2/5

I'm beginning to think Nightbreed was a mirage. It's the rare movie that convinced me I should be reading Clive Barker's novels and short stories. Granted, Barker's not exactly had an easy time making movies. But while I kinda like Midnight Meat Train, Lord of Illusions is everything I've come to expect from Barker--based on his movies.* Lord sounds like tons o'fun on paper. It's got an amiable, Carny Fantastique atmosphere, Vincent Schiavelli vamping it up, Daniel von Bargen as a baddy, and Scott Bakula as a private detective. Sounds fun, yeah? Unfortunately, Barker blusters his way through all of the little climaxes that build toward the film's big finale. He's got some skill when it comes to rising tension, though the film's last thirty minutes sorely lack that, too. But that's the thing: Barker doesn't do overkill very well. Watching a guy get sworded to death in a magic act gone bad (it's, like, the tarot or somethin'?) is only so much fun, guys. And yes, we get it, Mr. Barker, you've seen Black Sunday and you LOVE it, hence the first scene's ludicrous, screw-on Iron Maiden-type mask. I want to be a Barker believer (Barker boy?), but even I have my limits.

*I started reading The Hellbound Heart, but stopped soon thereafter because I was reading it to my girlfriend, and shut up, stop laughing, I can hear you through the internet.

Emmanuelle Davos, Will You Marry Me?

319) The Other Son (2012) Dir: Lorrain Levy Date Released: October 26, 2012 Date Seen: October 18, 2012 Rating: 2.25/5

She probably won't, so let's just assume you're here for my Village Voice review of The Other Son instead.

SAIFF 2012: Now With More Realism

317) Akam (2012) Dir: Shalini Usha Nair Not Yet Released Date Seen: October 16, 2012 Rating: 3.5/5

318) Miss Lovely (2012) Dir: Ashim Ahluwalia Not Yet Released Date Seen: October 16, 2012 Rating: 3.75/5

Psychological realism, that is. See my feature for the Village Voice for more infotainment. 

Hipster Noir

316) Sheer (2012) Dir: Ruben Mazzoleni Date Released: October 15, 2012 Date Seen: October 15, 2012 Rating: 3/5

It's good enough for me! See my review for the Village Voice.