Weekly Recap 29 | Troy, Buster Keaton, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Rebuild of Evangelion & more

Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve made a Weekly Recap, but it has been a most enjoyable holiday, surprisingly sparse of film-watching. Still, now that summer is ending, I should be returning to my normal schedule – though I don’t know how well I will handle my studies alongside this hobby. Anyway, here’s a special AUGUST MEGA EPISODE to mark the end of the holidays and the start of a new year of (hopefully) lots of films.

But before you get excited, my obligatory super-obscure-film-that-I-always-regret-watching is here to spoil the fun. This week it’s a London gang film called Love, Honour and Obey:

Jonny dreams of leaving his dead-end job as a courier. Through his childhood best friend, nephew of the notorious crime lord Ray Kreed, he wins his way into the toughest gang in North London. Hungry for action, Jonny sparks a feud between Ray’s gang and a rival firm in South London headed by drug kingpin Sean and his lieutenant Matthew.

I’m not going to say much about this film, because there really isn’t much to say in all honesty. This reeks of being a student film, with shoddy camera work, atrocious performances and laughably bad dialogue, while being entirely devoid of a plot.  I will admit that there was some good comedy at the start, but it didn’t take long for it to become a most agonizing experience, and not even Jude Law was enough to make watching this film worthwhile.

This next film also seems to be rather obscure, and that’s Passport to Pimlico:

When an unexploded WWII bomb is accidentally detonated in Pimlico, it reveals a treasure trove and documents proving that the region is in fact part of Burgundy, France and thus foreign territory. The British government attempts to regain control by setting up border controls and cutting off services to the area.

I find it strange hardly anyone seems to have watched this film, as my family keep mentioning it for some reason. Though I really don’t know why it’s talked about so much by them, because for a supposed comedy, this just wasn’t funny in the slightest. Certainly an interesting premise, but it just isn’t explored with any wit and charm to make it worth watching. The whole thing was rather dry for the most part since the concept simply never gets stretched into interesting shapes or veered towards fun directions, plus the way it ended was incredibly unsatisfying. 

Fret not, we have now left the realm of the niche… though not the domain of the bad. From the butchered remains of Homer’s Iliad, I give you Troy:

In year 1250 B.C. during the late Bronze age, two emerging nations begin to clash. Paris, the Trojan prince, convinces Helen, Queen of Sparta, to leave her husband Menelaus, and sail with him back to Troy. After Menelaus finds out that his wife was taken by the Trojans, he asks his brother Agamemnom to help him get her back. Agamemnon sees this as an opportunity for power. So they set off with 1,000 ships holding 50,000 Greeks to Troy. With the help of Achilles, the Greeks are able to fight the never before defeated Trojans. 

Roger Pratt is a great cinematographer, and the abundance of art directors in this film did a brilliant job in bringing this epic to life. But the writing is simply pitiful, since even ignoring the many ‘creative’ liberties taken with this fascinating story, the dialogue is so clichéd that it oscillates between laughable and groan-inducing, with even a nonsense romance thrown in for good measure. But while the writing itself is certainly the worst aspect of the film, the characters are so strongly defined that I must admit I was gripped by the plot, with Eric Bana probably being the best actor of this bountiful cast. Not to mention the fantastic battles full of incredible choreography that make the fast pacing all the brisker in spite of the daunting runtime… which in all fairness is probably enough for this type of bombastic movie to be worth watching. 

Ok, I promise you that from here on out the films I will be reviewing are, at the very least, decent. First up, is The Omen:

Immediately after their miscarriage, the US diplomat Robert Thorn adopts the newborn Damien without the knowledge of his wife. Yet what he doesn’t know is that their new son is the son of the devil.

Finally, a horror film I actually think is good. Well, aside from the over-abundance of horror tropes and rambling religious exposition, the plot was tightly gripping and amusingly tense throughout. Gilbert Taylor’s cinematography was also spectacular in many places – I’d expect nothing less from the DoP for Star Wars – and it was nice seeing Patrick Troughton make an unexpected appearance, with his death scene being utterly magnificent. I probably prefer the comedic retelling of this story that Terry Pratchett managed to do with Good Omens, but Richard Donner has certainly crafted a decent horror movie that is fun to spot all of the moments that would later be homaged by more famous films.

From serious supernatural horror to silly splatter horror, I give you Saw:

Obsessed with teaching his victims the value of life, a deranged, sadistic serial killer abducts the morally wayward. Once captured, they must face impossible choices in a horrific game of survival. The victims must fight to win their lives back, or die trying…

I was expecting this to have a really cheap, low budget feel to it, but it’s actually of decent visual quality – well, aside from some rather silly uses of jaggedy fast motion. I was also expecting the entire film to be played out inside a single room though, so while the constant cutaways to give greater scope to the story were finely done, it did cause the narrative structure to become pretty messy – plus the dialogue and performances left much to be desired. But this was a pretty fun concept all the same with an interesting premise to hook me throughout and an amusing twist at the very end to make me excited for what’s to come.

We have now come to the section of my Weekly Recap were I gush over some personal favourites – old and new. And considering James Gunn’s latest film The Suicide Squad is garnering much acclaim, I’ve decided to revisit my favourite film of his – Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2:

The Guardians are a group of unlikely heroes who have recently just saved the Galaxy, but must now fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage.

I rewatched the first film last September, and my feelings on that mirror my thoughts on this one almost identically; which is to say: not quite as good on a rewatch, but still far and away one of the best films in the MCU. I adore James Gunn’s sense of humour, and here he has it in spades, with many hilarious one off jokes interspersed between the plethora of clever gags that build on one another. The plot is also enthralling, with every character feeling important and growing in interesting directions, while Ego is hands down one of my favourite Marvel villains. Not to mention how all of that is realised with the most gorgeous of visuals, which doesn’t even rely on the brute force of special effects because Gunn infuses every single frame with mesmerising colours. But what makes Guardians 2 truly remarkable is the way it proudly wears its heart on its sleeve, with Yondu’s funeral being quite possibly the single most beautiful scene in the entire MCU. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but I respect the boldness of all it tries to do immensely.

This next entry is an unlikely one, considering this is a review of a collection of short films rather than any single film. But I recently bought the entire collection of Buster Keaton, so I’m hoping to get through it all soon (and no, it’s definitely not because I was inspired by Count Dankula’s fantastic video on him that he did recently 😉 https://youtu.be/T1FgJfb21-M). While I’ve only managed to watch his first 10 films, I think that’s an adequate number to give you my thoughts on what I think so far. For those who don’t know, Buster Keaton was an American actor from the 1920s, most famous for his hilarious slapstick comedu and ridiculously dangerous stunts that make Tom Cruise seem like a coward. Almost all of the short films he made during this period star him alongside the same two other actors – Sybil Seely and Joe Roberts, who each provide just as much charm to the picture as the star himself. The plot is always very simple and only a vehicle to show off what crazy things Buster can do; the sheer creativity in his films is astounding as every facet of his sets gets put to brilliant use, all played to Buster’s hilarious sense of humour. I reckon the best films from these first 10 are One Week and Neighbours, though they’re honestly all worth a watch as they’re no longer than an anime episode. For such short films, I’m amazed at just how great the skits flow into each other, even if not every film shows Buster at his peak energy. I’ll try to finish the collection when I can, especially since his best films are yet to come, but for now I’ll leave you with two thumbs up for this absolute mad lad.

I’m sure you all know what a contrarian I can be, so what do you think my opinion will be when I tell you I rewatched 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film revered by cinephiles everywhere and made by Stanley Kubrik, a director who I find to be woefully overrated? I’d tell you it’s one of my absolute favourite films of course!

In the year 2001, humanity finds a mysterious monolith buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world’s most advanced super computer. But what do the monoliths mean? Does Hal have ulterior motives? And what truly lies beyond The Infinite?

I called 2001 “my favourite film of all time” the last time I watched this, and while that’s no longer the case – as I’ve watched way more films since then – the amount of love I have for this film most certainly hasn’t decreased. Every single scene is perfectly crafted and every single frame is utterly gorgeous, with fun and subtle performances amidst breathtaking special effects to entertain the mind in this slow and silent – yet ever gripping – voyage through the deepest corners of life, the universe and everything. Very few films have ever been able to change my perception of life so completely, but this is most certainly one of them. I’ve found this film to be awesome ever since I was a kid, but I gained a completely new found appreciation for its intricacies upon reading the book by Arthur C Clarke, which has become a strong contender for my absolute favourite novel. Kubrik’s vision of the epic does lose a lot of the amazing material Clarke wrote about, yet I nevertheless still find it hard to believe just how incredible this film looks for something made in 1968, just how real the worldbuilding feels, and just how transfixing the events that unfold are. And while the ending is the epitome of “oooh, pretty colours that don’t actually mean anything”, the incomprehensibility of it all is what makes me come back to this behemoth over and over again.

If you cast your mind back to Weekly Recap 25, I reviewed the entirety of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and… let’s just say I didn’t exactly fall in love with it like everyone else. Well, thanks to my most cherished patron, I was forced to watch the new Rebuild of Evangelion movies in the wake of the newest and final one coming out. And I must say, I’m so thankful for this chance to redeem myself, as Eva finally hit me right in the heart in a way the original just wasn’t able to. Oh, and worry not, for I have made this review of the four Rebuild Evangelion movies practically devoid of spoilers!

A quick recap for those who aren’t familiar with the series: Evangelion is set in an apocalyptic future of sorts where Angels have descended down to Earth in a mission to eradicate humankind; the only way to stop them is by putting children inside humongous biomechanical weapons called Evangelions. The first film follows the plot of the anime pretty much identically for the first 6 or so episodes. It’s simply a condensed version of those events, which many have pointed out has caused it to feel rushed and unsatisfying, since it doesn’t allow the setting to breathe properly. I do get those concerns, but as I said in my review for the series, I very much enjoyed the anime in the beginning, and since this is essentially just the first handful of episodes – with somehow even better animation – condensed into a feature length film, I naturally liked this film a great deal.

But from the second film onwards, the quality reaches such spectacular heights! First of all, I’m absolutely loving these new Angel designs, as it causes the battles to be that much more creative, while the stakes reach incomprehensible heights. Paired with stunning animation and incredible music, the awesome action that organically occurs as a result of the twisting, utterly unpredictable plot is simply mesmerising. And yes, the plot is unpredictable, because despite being a remake, this series of films actually takes the story in a radically new direction – and most certainly for the better. New characters make their appearance and the old get more distinct personalities and memorable screen time, while the world changes in irreversible and irrestible ways. The worldbuilding has always been masterful in this series, but it reaches its pinnacle with Rebuild in the way humanity – not just the military, but also ordinary people and even children – so stubbornly continue living in spite of damnation. I truly appreciate the dedication to exploring completely new territory, because I genuinely think this is a far more organic direction for the story Anno has been trying to tell since the 90s. Shinji is put front and center as the main character, with the overcoming of his internal conflicts and external hardships somehow reaching more heroic but simultaneously melancholic heights, while the characters surrounding him are made to feel that much more important. The new moments that Shinji spends with Rei – as well as his other friends and colleagues – are so sweetly crafted and cathartic, helping to make the films extremely enjoyable to watch. And oh my, I love Kaworu so much in the third film. I’m really happy he’s become a proper character now instead of having just a single episode like in the original, since it’s his dynamic with Shinji that makes him so enticing. Plus that piano duet is hands down the most beautiful scene in an already emotion heavy film. 

Obviously, these heights of joy just makes it all the more tragic when the narrative switches to 5th gear with the absolute rollercoasters that are the final acts of each film. Honestly, it’s thanks to not having a clue about who is safe anymore that the writing is simply much better than it used to be, as Anno now knows precisely what moments should be emphasised for maximum emotional devastation. However, I’m not going to lie, I was a tad disappointed with how this entered into End of Evangelion territory at certain points – which is to say, a barrage of extreme nonsense talked about with the utmost seriousness almost oblivious to how random it all is, the silliness only made bearable by the utterly beautiful presentation. Yet at least Anno does combine the bombastic nature of End of Evangelion with the quieter, character focused ending of the original series, shedding new light on old ideas to pull apart the thematic threads – that used to be such a frustrating knot – into something more tangible and digestible, all presented in a paradoxical combination of furious, apocalyptic battles with the gentle poignancy of internal torment. The visuals couldn’t convey this mix of emotions any better, since they just feel grander and more epic than the original, before becoming tender and more fluid. There’s a really nice balancing act happening here between the action and rage with the drama and melancholy, and I must say Anno strikes the sweet spot perfectly.

But it’s the very end of the final film that I think will stick with me for the longest time, as when Hikaru Utada – who has divinely sung her way through the end credits of each Eva film – started singing her final song for Evangelion while the animation transitioned into reality, I was utterly incapable of holding back the tears as the delayed impact of what I had just watched suddenly hit me with devastating impact. ‘The dam’ analogy works too well here, since I thought I was holding strong even while the characters dying, growing, changing and loving slowly chipped away at my stone edifice, with the film’s lofty metaphor of hope and despair intertwining like a spear piercing through my mental defenses to allow the entire flood to come crashing down. I don’t even know what it is that hit my heart so damn hard; I simply felt an irresistible wave of emotion sweeping me up as the final film cut to black. I honestly don’t think I’ve been this moved since The Queen’s Gambit, as I’ve never before felt such a powerful emotional aftertaste from a film. Well, that’s a lie as I definitely have, but it’s such a rare experience that everytime it unexpectedly happens it is unbelievably rewarding.

I think the reason I felt the series fell flat for me is because I wasn’t entirely certain what the main point of it was. Was it a simplistic kaiju anime focused around defeating increasingly tougher enemies every episode? Was it some grand, biblical tale exploring lofty ideas and incomprehensible metaphors? Or was it simply a story about human fallibility, with the flaws of each character becoming increasingly pronounced? Obviously, the answer is all of these at once, but watching the series completely blind to the twists and revelations meant that every progression of the narrative felt random and out of place, never settling on a single distinct theme to hold it all together. But because I do now know what this series is fundamentally about, I’m able to fully appreciate all the creative battles, thematic nuances and establishing of character as they are subtly weaved into the fabric of each film, finally recognising the depressing beauty of Shinji’s loneliness and the breathtaking character growth he undergoes that is unimaginably powerful. Like I keep saying, I felt the original anime was too simplistic before suddenly becoming uber-complicated, where as this seems to strike the perfect balance right from the outset. This is exactly what I was hoping to get when I first watched Eva, so I’m happy to have finally fallen in love with the story… even if it took me quite a while to get there.