Dogs Bark

An Old City, An Older Story - - Ajami (2009) - - 27 November 2010

Recommended.  Many other reviewers have discussed the Oscar-nominated way Ajami depicts the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute and the drug-addled poverty of Jaffa's slum. True enough; however, what struck me, living in the American Palestine, was the portability of the story. This idea was, of course, explicitly hit on by the intercalated stories of Iñárritu’s Babel.  And fellow Tuscaño, Charles Bowden, in ‘Down By The River,’ talks about the toxic caldo of drugs, guns, family, and money on the border. So here’s a loaded question . . . is there more to the Middle East then a dogpile of religion? Could there be a global pattern here, Professor Chomsky? But whatever .  . . this is a well made movie. A bit too confusing in the elliptical story telling but a worthy shot from tyro helmer/scribblers Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani. The acting is great, considering the use of non-professionals.

Gogol’s Overcoat - - Salaam Bombay! (1988) - - 21 November 2010

Strongly recommended. This movie was the breakout vehicle for Indian director Mira Nair (Mississippi Masala, The Namesake), gaining universal praise and festival awards. Ms. Nair went on to direct Vanity Fair, while Brit Danny Boyle made Slumdog Millionaire.  To continue this riff on death, rebirth and show biz, brilliant star of HBO’s “In Treatment,” Irrfan Khan (The Namesake, Slumdog Millionaire) got his start from a small part in Salaam Bombay! but was also responsible for training the multitude of Mumbai street urchins used in the movie. Nair used her profits to create a trust for these talented kids. The MGM DVD has interesting follow-up videos on the two young stars (Shafiq Syed and Hansa Vithal), who live simple, middle-class lives in present-day India. The movie is less optimistic, suggesting that escape isn’t really an option; the ending, like This Is England, quotes The 400 Blows, and closes our karmic circle.

Veal Of The Sea - - The Cove (2009) - - 16 November 2010

Recommended. I don’t often review (or watch) documentaries with a strong political agenda. I’m not opposed, in theory; they just bore me. Not so with this Oscar-winning film. In a neat trick, director Louie Psihoyos, a former National Geographic photographer, invests the film with an actual plot. The Cove follows the attempt of anti-whaling activist Ric O'Barry to secretly film and expose the annual slaughter of 1500+ bottlenose dolphins by fishermen of Taiji, Japan. We’re also informed about the nationalistic stubbornness of Japan against the global anti-whaling movement. In addition, the film claims that the dolphin meat, subsequently sold to the Japanese public, is heavily contaminated with mercury. In other words, multiple tensions are tightened before we ever hit the subject beachhead.  Resolution is achieved when the footage rolls and the sea turns a bright, dense shade of crimson. Then the horror speaks for itself, leaving this viewer effectively disturbed.

Grizzly Mamas - - The School Of The Holy Beast (1974) - - 2 November 2010

Not recommended. Delightful that this movie showed up election night, providing a welcome alternative to the sadomasochism on Fox or MSNBC.  I wish I could have watched it with Christine O’Donnell, just to test her anti-self-abusive resolve.  But truth out, I sadly can’t recommend this well-made example of Japanese 70’s soft-core (‘pink’) porn, since, despite my quarrels with the Popery, I actually have respect for nuns and the blasphemous meanness of this movie is quite beyond even my libertine pale. Nunsploitation movies of the 70’s were a weird mixture of reform-school girls, erotic horror (ero guro) and vengeance gore, all expertly done by B movie studios like Toei. The plot is ridiculous but, that’s not the point. The lead actress, Yumi Takigawa, went on to a successful Japanese TV career, despite this. Director Norifumi Suzuki wallowed forward as the Russ Meyer of pinky violence. This film is considered his masterpiece.