oslane
Joined Nov 2005
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oslane's rating
Why is this movie getting so much praise? It's just another coming of age movie framed by the director's dubious knowledge of a youth cult. It's no different than 'Suburbia' or 'SLC Punk' or I don't know... It's also very pretentious because the back drop is the Falklands war, trying to give the scenario some gravity.
But seriously it's no better than a made for TV movie. Its one, single, unique factor is that it portrays skinheads in their original identity - a bunch of fun loving, ganja smoking, reggae listening kids who dressed in those funny Erkle pants and red suspenders - then things get ugly.
The events in this movie move along with no real purpose other than to move through a script and throw some heavy scenes in the viewer's face. And what's worse is that the facts are also off. The racist skinheads of 1983 were not just nationalists trying to get Pakistani immigrants out of their country. They were full blown neo-Nazis, in other words the interaction between Combo and Milky, never would happen or at least not in the order the film insists. It's complete rubbish.
Furthermore the romance between the kid and the older, goth/glam chick is really weird and creepy. It makes no sense! It's like 'The Tin Drum' only it attempts to be real! It's really gross! In total, I didn't like it. I felt nearly every single moment of this movie was embarrassing and silly. The Falklands war imagery was pointless. And constantly reminding us what decade the movie was set in was annoying - hey another 'Maggie is a c***!' reference, woo!
But seriously it's no better than a made for TV movie. Its one, single, unique factor is that it portrays skinheads in their original identity - a bunch of fun loving, ganja smoking, reggae listening kids who dressed in those funny Erkle pants and red suspenders - then things get ugly.
The events in this movie move along with no real purpose other than to move through a script and throw some heavy scenes in the viewer's face. And what's worse is that the facts are also off. The racist skinheads of 1983 were not just nationalists trying to get Pakistani immigrants out of their country. They were full blown neo-Nazis, in other words the interaction between Combo and Milky, never would happen or at least not in the order the film insists. It's complete rubbish.
Furthermore the romance between the kid and the older, goth/glam chick is really weird and creepy. It makes no sense! It's like 'The Tin Drum' only it attempts to be real! It's really gross! In total, I didn't like it. I felt nearly every single moment of this movie was embarrassing and silly. The Falklands war imagery was pointless. And constantly reminding us what decade the movie was set in was annoying - hey another 'Maggie is a c***!' reference, woo!
Fans of Brakhage might be surprised at this film, in which in Walter Newcomb, an early actor in Brakhage films, portrays a baby, who causes a bunch of mischief and grief to his parents and a visiting doctor.
One thing I didn't quite understand was the perspective; I couldn't tell whether Newcomb was supposed to be his own size or that of a baby, only with his features. There's a humorous exchange involving a whiskey bottle which is huge when Newcomb pushes it, implying he's the size of a baby but during the scene where he jumps on the bumper of a car, he's his normal size.
The acting is more comedic and over the top than one might expect from a 16mm film but otherwise the film humorous and enjoyable.
One thing I didn't quite understand was the perspective; I couldn't tell whether Newcomb was supposed to be his own size or that of a baby, only with his features. There's a humorous exchange involving a whiskey bottle which is huge when Newcomb pushes it, implying he's the size of a baby but during the scene where he jumps on the bumper of a car, he's his normal size.
The acting is more comedic and over the top than one might expect from a 16mm film but otherwise the film humorous and enjoyable.
What really bugs me are the Werner Herzog fans who hated this movie. The best Herzog films are more about atmosphere rather than plot as most of his classics are extremely simple movies that take the viewer into the world and believe me he's a master of image and sound with a totally unique style.
Usually Herzog's films involve one very strange central character - Aguirre, Fitzcarraldo, Kasper Hauser, the body builder in Invincible - and in this case, Nicholas Cage delivers. His performance is very over the top yet at times very funny and his character is a lowlife, degenerate who becomes endearing.
The only problem with the movie was that there were too many plot elements interwoven into the film. Despite it essentially having Herzog's naturalistic, atmospheric approach, the plot made it seem too commercial, which all of his Hollywood films tend to be anyway. Oh well, sometimes you just can't go back 40 years to the hand-held 16mm camera.
Usually Herzog's films involve one very strange central character - Aguirre, Fitzcarraldo, Kasper Hauser, the body builder in Invincible - and in this case, Nicholas Cage delivers. His performance is very over the top yet at times very funny and his character is a lowlife, degenerate who becomes endearing.
The only problem with the movie was that there were too many plot elements interwoven into the film. Despite it essentially having Herzog's naturalistic, atmospheric approach, the plot made it seem too commercial, which all of his Hollywood films tend to be anyway. Oh well, sometimes you just can't go back 40 years to the hand-held 16mm camera.