Three Stars: 2010 documentary directed by Lutz
Hachmeister. The movie focuses on 10
Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, the U.S., and Japan. It shows the differences in how the chefs
operate, how much they care about the Michelin system or don’t, the different styles
of cuisine, how much they work, the different atmospheres of their restaurants
and how they interact with their staff.
Sure, it’s a little slapdash and disjointed at times, but I think it was
interesting and a decent effort. If you
like the PBS-style cooking shows rather than the Guy Fieri’s or Paula Deen’s of
the world, maybe give it a shot.
Witness: 1985 thriller directed by Peter Weir and
starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Josef Sommer, Jan Rubes,
and Danny Glover. An eight-year old
Amish boy named Samuel witnesses a murder in a Philadelphia train station. When he identifies a police officer as the
shooter, Detective John Book (Ford) knows that serious trouble is afoot. The murderer makes an attempt on Book’s life
and he realizes just how far the corruption extends, so he heads to Amish country
to recuperate and hide until he can figure out his next move. Samuel’s mother, the recently widowed Rachel,
nurses him back to health – much to the chagrin of another man trying to work
that angle, and to the disdain of the rest of the community. As Rachel and Book grow closer, the danger to
them both grows – it’s only a matter of time until he’s found. Bum bum bummmmmmm!
So it’s not like I’m an authority
on Amish culture, but there were a few things I took exception to. Like the sponge bath scene. I really doubt it. But it’s a decent romance-y thriller, Lukas
Haas is totally adorable, and we catch a few glimpses of a young Viggo
Mortensen. It’s worth checking out.
Evil Dead: 2013 horror reboot of the Evil Dead franchise
produced by produced by Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Robert G. Tapert, directed
by Fede Alvarez and starring Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci,
Jessica Lucas, and Elizabeth Blackmore.
Mia, a recovering heroin addict, has holed up in a remote cabin in
the woods with her brother David and a few friends to ride out the withdrawal
process. The situation is tense enough
with Mia being sick and her family issues with David, and then they notice a
nasty smell coming from the basement.
There they discover rotting animal carcasses hanging from the ceiling
and a creepy looking book. Eric (Pucci)
can’t resist studying the book and testing out a translation. Once he’s read the incantations aloud, a
demon is summoned and they’re all basically fucked.
It
seemed a decent idea: make a
classic-horror version of The Evil Dead,
plus the addiction twist (is she going through withdrawal or is she
possessed?), add the slick, modern cinematography and special effects . . .
then it just got stupid. It tried to
bring in the campiness of the original way too late. I think if they had gone with one or the
other, it could have been successful.
Instead it’s just half-formed and lame.
Jig: 2011 documentary directed by Sue Bourne,
about the Irish Dancing World Championships.
Think super serious Riverdance-style competition for 10-19 year-olds,
with crazy wigs and sparkly outfits. It
follows families from various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, all of
whom are crazily hardworking and dedicated to getting that trophy.
Do you know what “foot perfect”
means? Yeah, me neither. Some of the finer points of the technique may
be lost on you, but if you like dance documentaries then give it a try. I really liked it, especially since not all
of my favorite kids won; that made it much more realistic. Plus OMG little kids with Irish accents!
Evil Dead 2: 1987 horror movie directed by Sam Raimi and
starring Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie DePaiva, and Ted
Raimi. Young couple Ash & Linda are
on a romantic vacation in a remote cabin in the woods, which they assume has
been abandoned. Ash decides to play a
cassette tape he finds, which turns out to be a recording of a professor, the
cabin’s former inhabitant, reading from the Book of the Dead. Demon possession
ensues, and Ash must escape before he’s taken over by evil forces. Meanwhile, the professor’s daughter is on her
way to the cabin with her boyfriend and some local yokels who are serving as
her reluctant guides. When
this party meets up with Ash, they all fight to survive the assault of the
wicked spirits.
It’s
crazy that I’d never seen this movie until now.
Maybe I thought it was the first Evil Dead? Since it’s so similar? Whatever, I’m so glad I watched this; it’s
far superior to the original. It’s
weirdly compelling and hilarious and weird and gory and strange and great. And weird.
