Until The Light Takes Us

I wanted more from "Until the Light Takes Us". I have only seen two shorter "documentaries" about Norweigan black metal (Metal: A Headbangers Journey and an interview done with Vice Mag) and all of them have been fairly vague. I think it is always going to be hard to get an accurate doc out there about the scene/movement seeing as how most of the original founders are all not so willing to speak clearly about it. Its not that they dont want to talk exactly because there is a TON of talking but its hard to piece together what they are trying to say.

"Until the light takes us" tries to offer some back story and even explanations about the black metal scene in Norway. In the late 80's the bands started popping up, from what we get in the film it was partially about being dark and sounding as shitty and "lo-fi" as possible (recording albums through tiny amps, headset mics, etc). They wanted to be different and to get away from this com-modified metal that was around them. Later on we start to get to the infamous church burnings of the 90s. Members of bands began burning down ancient churches all over Norway, according to the media they were satanist. According to them they were not satanist, they wanted to make a point that they werent going to respect Christianity since Christianity hadnt respected Norway and their ancestry (since christianity was basically forced upon every country in the world). They called it a movement, a movement to reclaim their ancestry in a way. After though, the media got a hold of the scene and exploited it to be seen as this satanic metal movement which got kids and copy-cats across the country starting bands and burning down churches in the name of satan.

Despite an hour and a half I still didnt learn much more about black metal than I already knew. I do agree that some of these guys are creepy and most likely messed up, some are putting on an act (which is addressed in the film) but one thing I did get was that it doesnt seem like being an arsonist, murderer or satanist is really what they are all about. Even the directors talk about this in an interview, yet they still refer to them as murderers when in fact there was only ONE murder during this whole thing. One thing I do agree with the directors on is that this movement was about the "politics of identity and authorship and what happens if you are a person that creates things, what happens when youve put it out there and how things are interpreted and reinterpreted and how the context changes the original meaning and how the original meaning, it retroactively changes the reality of what occurred".

There was a lot going on in this documentary and I think that the directors needed to hone in a bit. Listening to them speak about it, you can understand what they were getting at but theyre film didnt really reflect it as well as it should or could have.

"Are we still the good guys?"- The Road

I had been looking forward to The Road for a while mainly for its bleak dark look. I enjoyed it overall but didnt love it, although some scenes really stuck with me as a photographer. I think it was a hard movie to do in the first place because of the following the book has, and also because with a book it is so much easier to put yourself into the characters shoes as well as stir up your nerves with your own imagination.

I cant imagine anyone else playing the lead, Viggo Mortenson was a good choice and the kid who played his son was not bad. Im sure one common complaint with the movie is wanting to know "what happened?", how did the world turn into this grey, bleak place in what seemed like a relatively short amount of time. At the same time, in the long run it doesnt matter whats happened just that theyre supposed to keep going even though it seems pointless and tough try to be the good guys. A lesson for life? I guess so. I think the movie got itself sidetracked with trying to be mainstream and action packed when the main story is about a man trying to raise a good son in a world that has fallen apart. You still get that from the film but not as much as we could have, it feels like hes preparing his son to survive not necessarily to be a good person as they try to emphasize in a lot of ways.

Now We Know. And Knowing Is Half the Battle.

This movie should have never been made. Or maybe it should have to show us what movies shouldnt look like. I understand the GI Joe Frranchise wanting to get in on the action like Spiderman and Transformers but this was a half baked attempt. One of the first complaints I encountered when the movie was announced was the fact that the GI Joes were not going to be US Military but an International mash up of people. I could see why that would bother fans but honestly the worst part of this movie were the special effects. I have seen better graphics in video games and I never understand how some big budget movies fall so short of effects.

I also really cant believe Joseph Gordon Levitt did this movie. At all. I heard that he did it to get a taste of effects make up but if thats all he wanted im sure he could have gotten some people to have a "Mrs. Doubtfire" moment at home one night and make him up as something. Adding a Wayans brother or sibling for that matter is also a recipe for failure. sorry guys but its true. When I think about it though, I dont think GI Joe really could have ever been a good movie no matter who made it or who starred.

Funny People Not So Funny

Im sure that title has already been used to describee Judd Apatow's Funny People, but its really all I could think of. I have taken a serious liking to Apatow over the last few years, the best thing about his movies are that they are smart comedies dealing with real issues in peoples lives not like comedies of the past. This one just fell short for me and it took way too long to get there.

Funny People stars Adam Sandler and Seth Rogan. Seth as a starving comedian and Sandler as a rich and famous comedian who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. The two meet and for a bond as Rogan tries to help him write as he returns to stand up. Eventually we meet the lost love of the story and we think "ok great the woman is going to take him back and everythings gonna be alright". But no, sure turns out Sandler is going to get better but things arent going to wrap up nicely. The movie is almost two and a half hours long which is way too long for any comedy in my opinion, and once its almost over the ending is disappointing and makes you think about all the women that led you on and did you wrong.

The best part of this movie is the character Daisy, played by Aubrey Plaza. She is best known recently as the intern on NBC's Parks and Recreation. Her dry sense of humor is pretty great, check out her stand up scene where she gives her take on hip hop: