One Gang Movie You Have to See

America loves gang movies!  Scarface, Godfather, American Me...  The list goes from Italian American gangs, Irish, Mexican and the bloody, urban, film list goes on...
But one movie is never mentioned and I hope you have the time and the luck to find this gem.
1979 film, The Wanderers is a film that has comedy, great acting and more importantly, "the giant rumble."
The Wanderers is considered a "greaser" film but what makes it unique is the recognition of many "ethnic" gangs and does not view them as a threat but as part of growing up.  Phillip Kaufman wrote and directed the script (based on the novel written by a 24 year old author) and the authenticity comes in the fact that Philip was a gang member.  When you look at Kaufman's work, it is diverse as The Wanderers.  Kaufman is credited with directing Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1978), The Right Stuff (1983) and Quills (2000).  A truly dynamic range from horror to period piece, Kaufman has no limitations.  Now, most of his work are in screenplays but The Wanderers represents a piece of American Film-making that is rare in today's films.
Today, in high school movies, we see the infamous tour seen where the new student is being shown the school and where everyone hangs out.  The Wanderers has such seen and we witness the school being divided by gangs, racial gangs.
The Wongs ("Nobody fucks with the Wongs"), The Mo-Mo's, The Del Bombers and The Ducky Boys are an array of gangs divided by race and later united by necessity and the changing times.  In fact, this film represents the division of gangs such as Little Rascals, into the real dark side of gangs we see today.  The Ducky Boys in the film is depicted as a dark, sadistic, evil gang.  They are zombie like, dimly lit and portrayed as destructive and hopeless.  In the film, all the racial gangs unite and fight the Ducky Boys and win the battle.  This is a battle that represents the true America, uniting into one to fight an opposition that is destructive and evil.  
The most fascinating aspect of the film is the death of President Kennedy.  The movie has its plot, comedy, violence and then the Assassination of Kennedy happens and disrupts life and the movie itself.  The community is unified in sadness and it all doesn't really matter what was going on in your life at that moment.  Everyone shares their feelings of  remorse and sadness.  I was not around during Kennedy's death but watching The Wanderers gave me a true feeling of the interruption in the routine of life, triggered by a tragedy that everyone feels.
The Wanderers is a truly American film and will never grow old, the soundtrack is golden, acting is great and you will yearn for more films like The Wanderers but will learn, its one of a kind.

2 Swedish films you must see!

Sweden, known as a peaceful country that offers great offshore accounts, is also known for world renown films.  Ingmar Bergman (Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries) and my favorite Swedish director, Lasse Halstrom (My Life as a Dog, Cider House Rules) are filmmakers that focus on relationships whether they be twisted, unhealthy and the family next door. 

The following two films delves deep into the relationships of people and how sometimes friendships brings strange bedfellows.  Let The Right One In (1993), is a movie that was released in a micro-small amount of theatres.  A movie about a boy named Oskar, who befriends a little girl who happens to be a vampire.  The movie is Fright Night meets My Life is a Dog.   It’s a horror film but what makes you horrified is the fact that you really care about the two main characters.  We don’t see this in American horror films; usually we hate all the victims and root for that one female character that is not as obnoxious as the rest of the cast. 

Director Tomas Alfredson reinvigorates the vampire genre with this scary and interesting film based on a popular European novel.  Children with adult problems have been a common theme but when injected with horror, it takes the genre to another level.  The following scene is a sample of that kind of storytelling.  The movie is available on DVD and Netflix BUT PLEASE NOTE: There is an American version that has mixed reviews, stick to the original and please don’t be turned off by the subtitles.  

WARNING THE CLIP BELOW IS THE FINALE SCENE, I WAS TRYING TO ADD ANOTHER SCENE, WITH NO SUCCESS!  SORRY!

Our second film is Evil (Ondskan), directed by Mikael Hafstrom and it was nominated for best foreign film in 2004. It is a dark tale that tackles the issue of anger management. It doesn’t offer solutions but it does portray the cause and effects of violence. In fact, you can call it the Swedish Clockwork Orange to an extent.

Without giving too much away (I never do) the protagonist of the film is a violent and real talented fighter at his school. His mother realizes she must step in before she loses his son through his rage and sends him to an expensive boarding school. Erik’s mother has sold many of her belonging to pay for the school and makes him promise not to cause trouble, to go to school and study without incident. Unfortunately, there are sadistic rich students, who are evil, disgusting and arrogant. Erik must make a decision in how to handle his new environment without breaking a promise to his mother.

Evil is at times difficult to watch and every character has a flaw. But the brutality and honesty of the film is what makes you watch from beginning to end.

Both films can be found on netflix and feel free to shoot me a message whether you like the film or not!

City of Life and Death

I have posted many foreign films on this blog.  Primarily, because it’s a great time on Netflix.  The American movies are dreadful and mostly low budget crap you would have ignored at the video store (RIP Video Stores).  But the foreign films offers a cornucopia of new voices, visions and POV’s that are both profound and universal.  Today, I would introduce 2009’s City of Life and Death, directed by Chuan Lu, one of China’s youngest promising directors.

City of Life and Death is about the Invasion and occupation of China by the Japanese, in particular, the city on Nanking.  The movie is shot in black and white and is as brutal as Schindler’s List with beautiful vision and horrific shock! 

The shock to me and why I watched it was my consistent romanticizing of the Samurai culture.  Yes, I love Samurai movies.  However, the atrocities of Japan inflicted to both China and Korea seems like the remnants of that Samurai culture and a country that paid homage to warrior and his bloody and proud lifestyle.

The following scene is towards the third act of the movie in where Japan is celebrating their occupation of Nanking.  PLEASE NOTE: the dance is not historically correct.  However, director Lu is trying to portray the romanticizing of the Samurai culture.  Many Japanese consider this scene a propagandist and incorrect scene but the poetry of what the director is conveying is riveting. 

City of Life and Death is not an easy movie to see.  But to understand China and Korea’s continued animosity towards Japan is explained a little bit more.  And reflecting on the romanticizing of the Samurai culture makes you think twice.  One last thing, Japan gives the world hope.  When you see how brutal their society was and how they have evolved now, the world can feel comfort in the fact that societies can change for the better. 

2 Foreign Films YOU HAVE TO SEE

I love Samurai movies.  Actually, I'm a bit of a foreign film addict.  The world has caught up with the U.S. and at times can tell a better story than many of the mainstream films out today.  Here are 2 films I would highly recommend that are available now on Netflix.  Twilight Samurai is a wonderful samurai film and if you don't like movies like 13 Assassins, this film will delight you because of the lack of violence and the injection of humanity.  Twilight is still not a family film but the importance of family and how it raises the stakes in every aspect of our lives is a timeless and universal theme.  Siebei Iguchi is a run down single parent who sold his sword to pay for his wife's funeral.  Now the samurai must make his living walking around with a wooden sword.  He must balance his life as a father of 2 daughters, a life he cherishes more than anything.  Versus his volatile Samurai life where his colleagues cannot stand the sight and smell of him.

My second film has to be one of the most memorable and emotional film I have seen in my lifetime. Aftershock, was China's more profitable film a couple of years ago and based on a true story. Aftershock, a film that should have been nominated for best foreign film is a film about survival and forgiveness during China's most horrific and deadly earthquake in 1976. Its a mix of Sofie's Choice and Titanic. Aftershock is a riveting look during chaos where a devastating earthquake destroys Tangshan, and Da Qiang dies while trying to rescue his children from their apartment. When a collapsed beam traps Fang Da and Fang Deng, Yuan Ni is forced to decide between saving her son or daughter and the long term trauma she must face.

Both Aftershock and Twilight Samurai are subtitled and if that what keeps your from watching these films then you are missing out on 2 of the most wonderful films you can catch on netflix.

What do you think?  Japan and China are two countries with a strong consistency of making excellent films.  See you at the movies! 

Pastiche movie making is the putting together of different genres and making a new one.  Yes, its also called Post Modernism Film-making and that is what you get when you watch AB2525!  The movie is a pleasant mix of Escape From New York, The Warriors and American Me.  Co-directed and written by Jo Jo Hendrickson, AB2525 is a fun and exciting look into the future.  Sure this movie lacks budget, but not imagination and when you see this film you wonder what would have happened with a bigger budget because the producers of this film made a visionary film without spending top dollar. 

Dear movie snob, you can go watch War of The Worlds or Chronicle.  But this low budget sci-fi has a lot of heart in its message and story.  Without giving too much away, I would defiantly urge you to consider renting, downloading or even purchasing AB2525 because it’s so original.  It’s a fresh voice to cinema and worth a look. 

Hollywood Only Listens to Dollars

Yes, Hollywood is changing.  And patterns of behaviors have been recongized and taken into consideration.  With video games, downloads, netflix and redbox - How can Hollywood stay afloat?  More importantly, how can people of color get their stories made and how can Hollywood reflect its American audience who is red, white, brown and yellow?
I started this blog in hopes to enlighten and debate with creative people in this country and abroad about film and its evolution.
The first thing I want to talk about is the concept of: "stop paying for that shit!"
Let's go to music - Chris Brown and Rihanna - Fans are outrage that the two have reunited - Its their lives, its their business.  But if you want to take a real stand: TURN IT OFF - "Stop paying for that shit!"  Eventually, they'll go away and replace your like of music with someone else.  Its your stand and people can go away.
MOVIES - With movies becoming filled with stereotypes:
1. The black character dies first
2. Latino femme fetale
3. Latino and Blacks as gangmembers and bad guys
4. Asians as smart and uncomfortable
5. The minority side-kick
The list goes on and I can get specific if you want but we've seen this consistently in the last 100 years of cinema.
Its time to STOP PAYING FOR THAT SHIT
Its time to tell our families, neighbors and friends that opening weekend on a film of color is a essential now more than ever in the history of cinema.  The fact that filmmakers like Katherine Bigalow (Hurt Locker) and Spike Lee (Malcolm X), two excellent award  wining filmmakers find it difficult to produce and shoot their projects, due to lack of studio support, is alarming.
You want to see more people of color in front and behind the screen?  PAY FOR THAT SHIT!!!  Opening weekend please support all films by Women, Asians, Black and Latino filmmakers.  We live in a diverse country, our movies should reflect that beautiful fact!
And for the filmmakers who show no balance!  Full of stereotypes and think less of us through the characters they write, produce and create: TURN THAT SHIT OFF!
Then you will see some REAL change.