Django Unchained & Clone Wars | Weekly Recap 11

Hello there! Sorry about getting this out to you one day late, but for once I actually had to prioritise my Uni work. To make up for it, I made sure to have this episode packed full of 5 stars, so this post will be brimming with positivity! Except for one film, though of course it wouldn’t be Weekly Recap without some contrarianism.

My uni film this week was none other than Man With A Movie Camera. At last, a film on my course that I could actually enjoy! This is my third time watching it, and I continue to be entranced by the utterly incredible editing, with its fast cuts and hyperactive exploration of city life. The way it experiments with film is simply such a treat to experience, so I was happy my university told me to watch it once again for my course, because it simply does not let down at any point. It’s so good in fact, that its lack of plot is inexplicably capable of bypassing what my eyes typically perceive to be a detriment, as all of the enjoyment comes from the pure chaos of a man simply playing around with his camera.

Man With A Movie Camera: https://boxd.it/1Gfu8Z ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This next one actually isn’t a film. Instead, I decided to watch a recording of Hikaru Utada’s Laughter in the Dark Tour. Like most Westerners, I fell in love with Hikaru Utada’s music thanks to Kingdom Hearts. Even now, I listen to her songs practically every day. But watching this recording of her live performance was such a magical experience, the 2 hours flying by to the melancholic lyrics and energetic rhythm. Something I love about Utada – aside from the perfection of her songs – is how lovably awkward she is on stage. She even managed to deliver a lot of Keanu Reevesian “you’re breathtaking” moments, which provided some nice levity in between the entrancing movements. The interview + skit was also very unexpected, but it was entertaining in a quaint kind of way. This production was pure nostalgia for me, so the majority of my enjoyment might only come from having a personal connection since childhood. But even so, this is an excellently crafted gig, because even though it’s celebrating Utada’s 20th anniversary (23 now), I think this is a great introduction to her world as she showcases the beauty of her pristine voice.

Hikaru Utada Laughter in the Dark Tour: https://boxd.it/1GFAuT ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ok, before we get to the highlights, allow me to sour the mood with a negative review. A.I. is a film I didn’t really have high hopes for because I simply don’t like Spielberg’s films most of the time, and will quite often not even bother watching it all the way through. But, at the very I was able to actually finish this one, most likely due to how magnetic Sora is. Still absolute trash, albeit hilarious trash. With that said, there are a lot of frustrating positives, as the 1st act is fantastic, the cinematography and special effects are sublime, and – as I’ve said – Haley Joel Osment gives a really great performance. But every second after he’s abandoned is just so boring. The style completely changes in a way that couldn’t be more jarring, so I just lost all interest. Even when I thought it was going to end on a poignant note, it just keeps going and the quality of the writing (which so far was simply cringy in a Spielbergian kind of way) nosedives into the absymal. There’s a lot of interesting ideas lurking within here, but there’s simply no consistency in tone nor refinement of plot to make the allegory worth experiencing.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence: https://boxd.it/1GLvvz ⭐⭐

Up next is the third and final part of my Tarantino marathon. I’ve really enjoyed rewatching all his films (bar the obvious one) and here he has a glorious streak of 4 masterpieces in a row. Starting with the most popular of the bunch, Inglorious Basterds is definitely worthy of the praise. I absolutely adore Nazis! Wait… that sounded wrong. What I mean to say is I absolutely adore Nazis screaming as they’re being shot and burned alive, before exploding in a blaze of glory. I also absolutely adore Nazis who completely embody their evil with no hesitation, laughing with sadistic glee while delivering some of the best dialogue ever conjured by a human being. And yes, I am specifically talking about Christoph Waltz’s character, who is such a joy to experience. From the opening scene (which may very well be the single best scene ever created), to the cinema lobby scene where he accidently corpses, all the way to when he sells out the Nazis for his own selfish gain, every second spent with this man is heaven. It’s a shame about the weak pacing in the middle, because other than that this film is incredible. One of the most hilarious films I’ve ever seen, though Christoph Waltz does most of the heavy lifting, with really great cinematography and fantastic dialogue, culminating in a film strung together by a myriad of masterfully crafted scenes.

And with Django Unchained we have another masterpiece from Tarantino! Naturally, Christoph Waltz continues to be the best, but Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio certainly gives one of their best performances too, delivering Tarantino’s immortaly brilliant dialogue amidst the bountiful comedy and tragedy that interplay in perfect harmony. I felt last time that the pacing plummets towards the end due to the really weird narrative structure that results in a double climax. I didn’t mind it so much this time though, simply because everything else is so perfect. Every death is simply such a cathartic experience, with Richardson’s unmatchable cinematography bringing out the beauty from the blood that lavishly paints this incredible revenge tale.

Onwards to another Tarantino Western, and I must say I really don’t understand why The Hateful Eight is among the least liked Tarantino films, as I loved every minute spent with these hilariously evil characters. Admittedly, I did feel every single one of those 188 minutes, but this has to be the most well written film Tarantino has ever made. All these insane personalities are brilliantly realised with perfect performances, elevated by the beautiful morbid sense of humour that I adore and that Tarantino excels at. Samuel L Jackson shines through, though the Tarantino regulars also have their individual moments in the spotlight. Richardson brings his usual gorgeous cinematography, with the snowy wide shots and intimate close-ups and bloody skirmishes inducing an immense amount of awe. The twists are also genius – even after knowing what they were – and each vignette is wildly engaging in its own unique way, so while this is Tarantino’s most theatrical film, it’s definitely his most sophisticated.

Thus concludes my Tarantino marathon with this final film. I’ve seen Once Upon A Time In Hollywood 3 times. Hell, the last time I saw it was actually just last November, so that may be the reason why I did sadly feel the drag this time. Even so, it was still a great experience. I tend to dislike meandering films, but Tarantino’s style is always a treat to experience. DiCaprio and Pitt are fantastic as ever – together and apart – with one of the goofiest yet likewise most satisfying endings I’ve ever seen. So while this film has nothing profound to say, there’s nothing more fun than watching these two act their hearts out while Tarantino indulges in his cinephilic artistry to craft many fantastic stand-alone scenes that will surely join the list of cinema’s most iconic moments for years to come.

Tarantino Marathon - Part 3
Inglorious Basterds: https://boxd.it/1GpSjH ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Django Unchained: https://boxd.it/1GxzDf ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hateful Eight: https://boxd.it/1GVazv ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: https://boxd.it/1H5yaJ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Right, I hope you’re strapped in for the final entry of this episode, because by God is it a long one. I spent the entirety of Winter rewatching The Clone Wars (the series, not the film), finishing it just in time to include in this Weekly Recap (and the upcoming seasonal ranking list I have planned, wink wink). This is my third time watching it all the way through, and I must say it’s among the best things ever created. It’s certainly the best of Star Wars – as much as I love films 1-4 – with writing that far exceeds anything else in the franchise. Although, frustratingly enough, when I was a kid, I didn’t watch Clone Wars because I thought it looked too childish. Only now, as an adult, do I realise what a masterpiece this is. Because this series is far from childish, exploring a myriad of mature themes without holding back even the slightest.

Now, it does take a little while to get going. Season 1 and 2 are plagued with many mediocre episodes, with subpar animation and a somewhat painfully childish tone. Even so, they do contain some gems, such as Rookies and the beginning of the long Mandalore subplot, which give an intriguing glimpse into what’s to come. Because everything jumps up massively in Season 3, with the likes of the Nightsisters arc, the Mortis arc, the Citadel arc, and the Peace Negotiation arc, bringing an incredible amount of nuance to the galactic war and depth to the mythological lore. Every character gets fleshed out from here on out, presenting engaging relationships and complex personalities that are a joy to watch with every episode. The voice actors are superb, with Matt Lanter creating a better Anakin (eventhough I am a fan of Christensen’s portrayal), JAT bringing to life my favourite version of Obi-wan (again, I am also a huge fan of what McGregor brought to the role) and Ashley Eckstein’s Ahsoka simply being my favourite Star Wars character, whose growth over these many episodes is unparalleled. But if Season 3 was already nigh perfect, then Season 4, 5 and 6 are godly treasures. The Zyggeria arc, the Obi-wan Undercover arc, the Umbara arc, the Onderon arc, the Yoda arc, and, of course, the Order 66 arc, are all fantastic standalone films, so Revenge of the Sith couldn’t ask for any better set-up. And yet these episodes still pale in comparison to Darth Maul’s return – who is the Ahsoka of all villains, with his obsession for revenge making for such a fascinating character study and a blast to witness slaughter – and even this is overshadowed by Ahsoka’s own arc that leads to her departure from the Jedi, with her character development reaching an all time high as her character has never fallen lower.

Which is why it’s all the more impressive that they are both beaten by the culmination of their logical conclusions, with the Siege of Mandalore soaring way above the entirety of the Clone Wars in the most satisfying climax of all. Darth Maul – ruling Mandalore from the shadows while tormented by his premonition of Revenge of the Sith – and Ahsoka – an exiled Jedi justified in her disdain for the Council that ironically pushed Anakin to the dark side. They would indeed have made a perfect team, yet the fight that ensues – as tragic as it may be for her misplaced faith in Anakin – both makes sense for their characters while being the best Star Wars fight ever put to screen. The use of motion capture shines through, elevating the already gorgeous animation to be absolutely sublime in its cinematic immensity. Which reminds me, as the last time I mentioned the animation I called it “subpar”. Well, I may have lied when I said Ahsoka’s growth was unparalleled, because the improvements in 3D animation that occured from season to season definitely leaves me in awe at how far they came and what a beauty they crafted. The final arc of Season 7 is the grand finale of the Clone Wars, showcasing the best it had to offer (which, as I think I’ve made clear, is a great deal). And don’t think I’ve forgotten about Rex and Fives, who somehow stand out immensely from every other Clone in their unyielding sense of individual identity. Yet said Clones also inexplicably emanate their own unique personalities to make each one a real character that puts into perspective the betrayal of Order 66, which is realised with such earnest emotion in the final episode as the unshakable loyalty is broken and the futility of the situation dawns on these characters that I adore.

If I haven’t made it clear yet, I adore the Clone Wars! The brilliantly written characters – who are tested at every turn in intricately written plots – are all brought to life with immense passion from the voice actors, who are similar enough to the film versions so as to be recognisable, while being distinct enough to make their existence worthwhile. Every arc adds something fresh to the universe of Star Wars, and while each time I didn’t think I needed it, only after experiencing the genius storytelling do I realise just how integral to understanding this humongous franchise these episodes are. And, of course, the animation is pioneering in every way, pushing the technology to look entrancing and pushing the violence to be thrilling, with a kinetic energy that strings together graceful movement with sheer spectacle. Clone Wars is as close to a perfect series as one can get, with everything getting better every step of the way until it’s ending is both saddening and joyous in equal measure simply because of how incredibly implemented every single element of filmmaking became in the process of creating such a masterpiece.

Clone Wars: https://boxd.it/1H6TAb ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐