Author: phil

The Last Ship by William Brinkley

THE USN destroyer Nathan James survives a nuclear holocaust, but is alone in the North Atlantic with only a 6 month supply of fuel and food. Cut off from all radio communications, the Nathan James and her crew (152 men, 26 women) face perplexing questions: are there survivors? how to replenish supplies? is there an uncontaminated port? are they alone? and how do they perpetuate the human race?

The story is narrated by the captain, and we see inside his thinking and into life on a navy ship. The writing is somewhat wordy but once you settle into it, paints rich and detailed pictures of the captain’s state of mind.

The book is a great thought experiment–and remains intriguing and satisfying to the end. There are so many angles: life on the high seas, navy discipline, a post nuclear world, and most interestingly, the relations outnumbered women to men in a small society.

Well crafted, hefty (600+ pages), and a surprising but satisfying ending.

Amazon: The Last Battleship by William Brinkley

The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Bear

So, this is the way to do animation. Beautiful combination of watercolors, and subtle, effective use of computer graphics.

a great story, and atmosphere.

really leverages the power of animation–rather than pursuing realism.

See you to the Edge of Town – SFIAAFF 2004

SoCal college grad hosts Hong Kong parents, sibling and boyfriend on a graduation trip through Americana.
Hilarity ensues.

Story had moments, but needs to be tighter. Decent casting for comedy, but didn’t move into the dramatic very well. Ultimately too specific and too literal. The cinematic crime is to focus on the details rather than the theme.

I wonder if the director will ever read this mini review. This movie is a remarkable first effort. There is a lot of talent and potential here–some of the scenes speak very clearly. The ingredients are there, but it doesn’t quite gel together. So, a very good effort, but it’s a solid B grade. I’m sure the next one will be better.

March 6

Travellers and Magicians

TRAVELLERS AND MAGICIANS gorgeous movie, incredible location. High production values. Really liked the ‘dreamland’ storytelling.

One of the best films of the festival.

Dream Cuisine – SFIAAFF 2004

Movies – March 6th

DREAM CUISINE
NHK 21 PRODUCTION. Fascinating subject matter. A story of love between an old couple expressed thru fights. They run a Chinese restaurant in Tokyo that preserves a very particular regional cuisine (Shendong province?). After years inTokyo, she wants to move back to teach the cuisine that has been lost in the modernization of China. He wants to stay in Japan. Poignant, funny portrait of love in old age.

INVISIBLE LIGHT
isoteric.

PURPLE BUTTERFLY

So, I loved Lou Ye’s last movie, but this was a let down. It’s well photographed and acted, but the jittery style and story left me a little cold.

Wanted to like it, but didn’t happen.

I’m writing this several months later, and I happened to see a move today with similar wartime themes that I liked a lot better–even though it was in Madarin and no English subtitles.

THE OTHER FINAL

entertaining and involving documentary. Great editing and art design. Bouncing ball visual theme, great soundtrack, & 8mm intercuts added up to unique visual style. Top notch graphics. Good job covering all aspects of subject. Really liked the cuts of national anthems at start of game (contrast btween game anthem and sung anthem). Variety of interview subjects brought lots of perspective to the game. The stress of putting the event together must have been nervewracking but ultimately made great story. And the closing montage, to the moby song, was great.

Somewhere over the Dreamland

Here’s a movie sweeps you along in a strong and consistent emotional current. One story unfolds, and then another, but it’s the same story, or at least the same mood.

A crippled man, old and drunk, gets a postcard that brings him to a lost wallet, and memories of an old love. He goes off to search for her.

A young man dreams of going to Tokyo, while eeking out an existence as a sushi chef and a prostitute. And then the phone rings, and he hears a love story.

Beautiful music and photography. You’re right with these characters as they dial into some deeper internal sense of what life is about.