Another day, another two reviews from the chicago film fest. Welcome to day three of my coverage. Today, I give you Around the Bend. At the screening I attended, Christopher Walken was there and really energized the crowd. He is strangely charismatic, and its easy to see why he's been in the business so long while working so steadily. Also, I give you Journey Into Bliss. The director attended and impressed me. He was hilarious and astute. His film is the craziest I've seen in years, but is still quite amazing. Keep checking back for continuing coverage. You know you want to.
Journey Into Bliss
Review by Jon Waterman
****
Normally, this would be where I quickly summarize the plot of the movie within a short paragraph. I don’t know if I can really do that here. There is no real plot to this movie. If I were to describe it, I suppose I could say, “King Knuffi wants Eva. Eva is Gustav’s wife. Eva is held prisoner and Gustav must get her back with the help of his ship’s crew – a bunch of animals.” However, that doesn’t do the film much justice and of course more happens than that. The purpose of it all isn’t exactly always known.
Where do I start? Writer/director Wenzel Storch has definitely made a name for himself as one of the most outrageous directors, not only in Germany but also in the world. This is the ultimate in contemporary surrealist storytelling. It doesn’t start off that way. In fact, it lures you into the world of the absurd by opening the film with an animation sequence leading into a live-action storybook to provide the backstory. It’s immediately funny and the dialogue is such that you don’t quite know what you’re getting yourself into. While the dialogue stays crazy, the visual element catches up.
Like I mentioned, live animals run Gustav’s ship. A bear is the first mate (and my favorite character). They all talk and are all understood by humans and other species of animals. The sets, costumes, props and everything are elaborately created. It’s visually stunning and overwhelming. What do you look at? What do you focus on? Just try to soak it all in, from the snail boat to the regal palace. The fish-eye lens that’s consistently used warps the whole thing even more.
The movie looks rushed together in that it makes little sense and the props are so randomly constructed. However, there is a lot of care and time invested in this madness. The camerawork is very nice (although sometimes lacks a smooth flow) and not only shows off the brilliant, eye-popping set pieces but also the landscape surrounding them. There are some beautiful shots of the adjacent forest.
Since it is so bizarre, not everything will make total sense or seem incredibly motivated. For instance, a lot of people pee on things and other people. It’s actually surprisingly funny, even though it is also lame. The sound effects and dubbed dialogue work the same way. It’s easy to tolerate all the wacky stuff like exploding people and a rabbit assimilating with inanimate objects it has sex with to become a time machine (one of a couple sequences that remind me of “Meet the Feebles”), because it doesn’t take itself seriously. The narrator has a fantastic voice and attitude and keeps the atmosphere light.
If you know that surrealism isn’t your thing, then obviously skip this movie. If you’re into trying new things or want a good, trippy flick I don’t think you can do much better than this. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a lot of fun and entertaining and I loved it.
++++++
Around the Bend
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
Jason has been living happily with his son Zach, his grandfather Henry, and their live-in nurse. Sure, Henry and Jason argue every once in a while, but it’s only because Jason is adverse to the gigantic adventures Henry wishes he could still go on (and plans for anyway). One day, out of the blue, Jason’s father Turner shows up on their doorstep. Having just been released from prison and not being around to raise him, Jason is extremely wary and confrontational. When Henry dies, he plans one last adventure they must adhere to. One where the demons from the past come out in attempt to bring the family together in a way that just may be impossible.
The film starts off a little slow, but once it reaches its top speed, it stays there. That’s not to say it’s fast paced, but rather the interactions get to be more important and the story continually progresses and fleshes itself out. Writer Jordan Roberts (in his directorial debut) makes the ultimate dramedy. There are some heartfelt, emotionally charged scenes, but at the same time it comes right at you with a hearty comical moment. This film is funnier than most straight comedies you’ll see, while still having a poignant, touching core. It doesn’t pretend to be one genre or the other, but rather both at the same time. It can switch back and forth like a switch, without losing any of the impact. In general, I think that’s more representative of real life. Even during depressing circumstances, there can be incidents that make us laugh. Roberts captures this better than I have seen before.
As a director, Roberts doesn’t offer anything quite so new. He does a great job with the actors. He has an amazing cast to start with anyway. Josh Lucas as Jason, Michael Caine as Henry and Christopher Walken as Turner. There’s also this little boy named Jonah Bobo who plays Zach. He’s given some of the best lines and he knows how to deliver them. I think Roberts relies a little too much on the kid’s cuteness in a “Jerry Maguire” type way, but he is a good young actor nonetheless. The camerawork isn’t the best, but it serves its function and provides us with the standard fare.
Road trip movies are tough. Self-discovery movies are tough. They usually turn out overly clichéd and tend to beat the emotions into the audience’s head. This movie, however, is interesting. You want to see what happens on the pseudo-treasure hunt as they go from KFC to KFC (Henry’s favorite restaurant). You know at each stop something new will come out and they’ll deal with it on the way to the next secret. You want to know the answers to the questions, and, just like in life, some are left unrevealed. It’s a fun, sincere film complete with genuine and charming characters. Unlike “Without a Paddle” this is an adventure you want to go on.
Journey Into Bliss
Review by Jon Waterman
****
Normally, this would be where I quickly summarize the plot of the movie within a short paragraph. I don’t know if I can really do that here. There is no real plot to this movie. If I were to describe it, I suppose I could say, “King Knuffi wants Eva. Eva is Gustav’s wife. Eva is held prisoner and Gustav must get her back with the help of his ship’s crew – a bunch of animals.” However, that doesn’t do the film much justice and of course more happens than that. The purpose of it all isn’t exactly always known.
Where do I start? Writer/director Wenzel Storch has definitely made a name for himself as one of the most outrageous directors, not only in Germany but also in the world. This is the ultimate in contemporary surrealist storytelling. It doesn’t start off that way. In fact, it lures you into the world of the absurd by opening the film with an animation sequence leading into a live-action storybook to provide the backstory. It’s immediately funny and the dialogue is such that you don’t quite know what you’re getting yourself into. While the dialogue stays crazy, the visual element catches up.
Like I mentioned, live animals run Gustav’s ship. A bear is the first mate (and my favorite character). They all talk and are all understood by humans and other species of animals. The sets, costumes, props and everything are elaborately created. It’s visually stunning and overwhelming. What do you look at? What do you focus on? Just try to soak it all in, from the snail boat to the regal palace. The fish-eye lens that’s consistently used warps the whole thing even more.
The movie looks rushed together in that it makes little sense and the props are so randomly constructed. However, there is a lot of care and time invested in this madness. The camerawork is very nice (although sometimes lacks a smooth flow) and not only shows off the brilliant, eye-popping set pieces but also the landscape surrounding them. There are some beautiful shots of the adjacent forest.
Since it is so bizarre, not everything will make total sense or seem incredibly motivated. For instance, a lot of people pee on things and other people. It’s actually surprisingly funny, even though it is also lame. The sound effects and dubbed dialogue work the same way. It’s easy to tolerate all the wacky stuff like exploding people and a rabbit assimilating with inanimate objects it has sex with to become a time machine (one of a couple sequences that remind me of “Meet the Feebles”), because it doesn’t take itself seriously. The narrator has a fantastic voice and attitude and keeps the atmosphere light.
If you know that surrealism isn’t your thing, then obviously skip this movie. If you’re into trying new things or want a good, trippy flick I don’t think you can do much better than this. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a lot of fun and entertaining and I loved it.
++++++
Around the Bend
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
Jason has been living happily with his son Zach, his grandfather Henry, and their live-in nurse. Sure, Henry and Jason argue every once in a while, but it’s only because Jason is adverse to the gigantic adventures Henry wishes he could still go on (and plans for anyway). One day, out of the blue, Jason’s father Turner shows up on their doorstep. Having just been released from prison and not being around to raise him, Jason is extremely wary and confrontational. When Henry dies, he plans one last adventure they must adhere to. One where the demons from the past come out in attempt to bring the family together in a way that just may be impossible.
The film starts off a little slow, but once it reaches its top speed, it stays there. That’s not to say it’s fast paced, but rather the interactions get to be more important and the story continually progresses and fleshes itself out. Writer Jordan Roberts (in his directorial debut) makes the ultimate dramedy. There are some heartfelt, emotionally charged scenes, but at the same time it comes right at you with a hearty comical moment. This film is funnier than most straight comedies you’ll see, while still having a poignant, touching core. It doesn’t pretend to be one genre or the other, but rather both at the same time. It can switch back and forth like a switch, without losing any of the impact. In general, I think that’s more representative of real life. Even during depressing circumstances, there can be incidents that make us laugh. Roberts captures this better than I have seen before.
As a director, Roberts doesn’t offer anything quite so new. He does a great job with the actors. He has an amazing cast to start with anyway. Josh Lucas as Jason, Michael Caine as Henry and Christopher Walken as Turner. There’s also this little boy named Jonah Bobo who plays Zach. He’s given some of the best lines and he knows how to deliver them. I think Roberts relies a little too much on the kid’s cuteness in a “Jerry Maguire” type way, but he is a good young actor nonetheless. The camerawork isn’t the best, but it serves its function and provides us with the standard fare.
Road trip movies are tough. Self-discovery movies are tough. They usually turn out overly clichéd and tend to beat the emotions into the audience’s head. This movie, however, is interesting. You want to see what happens on the pseudo-treasure hunt as they go from KFC to KFC (Henry’s favorite restaurant). You know at each stop something new will come out and they’ll deal with it on the way to the next secret. You want to know the answers to the questions, and, just like in life, some are left unrevealed. It’s a fun, sincere film complete with genuine and charming characters. Unlike “Without a Paddle” this is an adventure you want to go on.
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