1911 (2011) [Li Zhang]

1911

Directed by: Li Zhang

Starring: Jackie Chan, Joan Chen

Written by: 
Wang Xingdong
Chen Baoguang

Score by: Ding Wei

Release Date: 
2011.10.07 - US Theatrical
2012.01.10 - US DVD/Blu-Ray

It's been hard to get excited about Asian cinema in general (and Jackie Chan in specific) in the same way I did in the 90's and early 00's. Once again, it's only because I'm trying to put up current DVD releases that I even wound up watching the 10 minutes I did. 


Plot: The film takes place in the early 1900's (1911, actually). In the first 8-9 minutes people speak vaguely about a revolution and talk about people you haven't met, then a lot of people with guns attack people in a building. Then it was over.

The film has a unique way of introducing characters by putting their name and who they are on the side of the screen when they show up, which means they don't have to have needless dialogue

Verdict: While I'm sure I might just not be getting the full impact of what's going on, since I'm not Chinese, even the first 10 minutes was pretty boring. Still, I think its 9% Rotten Tomatoes rating backs up my decision not to go any further.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011) [Troy Nixey]

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Directed by: Troy Nixey

Written by: 
Guillermo del Toro
Matthew Robbins

Starring: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison, Jack Thompson

Score by: 
Marco Beltrami
Buck Sanders

Release Date: 
2011.08.26 - US Theatrical
2012.01.03 - US DVD/Blu-Ray

This is a perfect example of the type of movie that I would never watch, if I weren't embarking on this project for this website. I really don't care for horror films at all. 


Plot: The film opens up some time in the past. A man summons his housekeeper down to his basement where he kills her with a hammer and chisel and takes her teeth out. He then gives them to some creature that's in a hole in the basement as an offering, but the creature pulls him down anyway.

After a short credit sequence (where I found out that Guy Pearce is in the film, and that Guillermo del Toro wrote and produced it), we find a couple waiting at an airport to pick up his daughter. At the ten minute mark they are just arriving at same mansion as in the pre-credit sequence.

Verdict: Sorry, not interested. I really don't need to be seeing/thinking about someone getting their teeth removed with a chisel.

Contagion (2011) [Steven Soderbergh]

Contagion

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Written by: Scott Z. Burns

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston

Score by: Cliff Martinez

Release:

2011.09.09 - US Theatrical

2012.01.03 - US DVD/Blu-Ray

Plot: Contagion begins with the sound of a cough, and text on the screen that says Day 2. The cough belongs to Gwyneth Paltrow, and in a brief exchange we find out she had an affair while in Hong Kong for business. Several characters from around the world are seen, all of whom are in various stages of illness, including death.

We continue to jump from place to place at the days progress, including the CDC, a newsroom at a newspaper and finally, exactly 10 minutes after that first fateful cough is the conclusion of the scene where Matt Damon learns that his wife, Gwyneth Paltrow has died mysteriously after he brings her to the emergency room while she suffers a seizure and foaming at the mouth.

My thoughts: I enjoyed the quick pace of the film so far. Given the fact I already knew what the film was about (and who wouldn't, given it's title), it's nice that it moved straight into the story.

It has a typical Soderbergh feel, with naturalistic dialogue and cinematography (handled, as usual, by Soderbergh himself.

It is kind of hilarious that Paltrow dies in the first 10 minutes. I guess they didn't have to make too difficult a decision when deciding what picture of her to put on the box. I'm curious, after seeing that Scott Z. Burns is the writer on this, why they couldn't maintain this disjointed, multi-character/multi-group arc style of storytelling for World War Z.

Verdict: Will definitely be watching, ASAP.