Speed Racer

[Raiders]

http://www.filmsfolded.com/movie.php?movieid=811080

So, this is a good film because the visuals are so overloaded they present a "choose your own adventure" game in which my mind will pick which part of the screen I wish to focus and thus my experience will be slightly different from someone else's whose mind chose to go to a different part? Interesting, but not very convincing. I prefer the visual to have meaning as opposed to be so overloaded with noise that I can only comprehend a portion of it. What skill is there in essentially throwing so much color and motion together that the result is both disorienting and completely unmoving. Every monkey reaction shot and every character moment is so hopelessly thrown in it feels almost like an avant-garde piece akin to Bunuel's un chien andalou where nothing actually coheres into a larger film. But where Bunuel's images strike both horror, beauty and a sense of the filmmaker's fears and feelings, this is nothing but a hyper-processed piece of white noise. The weightlessness of the action is very much on par with the fact that the Wachowskis haven't actually made a film as much as an excuse to give all epileptics an instant seizure. This film proves more than almost any other that having bounds is a good thing and that if you don't know when to say "when," you might want to start with developing characters and plot, therefore when your overload becomes unmanageable, you can always fall back on something concrete instead of aimless inanity.

[Sycophant]

The film's critical and box office performance make me weep.

[Sven]

Tedg is a lame.

[Watashi]

Tedg is a lame.

I agree, but still... good movie.

I see you digging it.

[EyesWideOpen]

I was pretty saddened to see this morning that the Taco Bell font movie almost made more money then this.

[number8]

I was pretty saddened to see this morning that the Taco Bell font movie almost made more money then this.

I actually have no idea what you're referring to. Made of Honor has the Taco Bell font?

[EyesWideOpen]

I actually have no idea what you're referring to. Made of Honor has the Taco Bell font?

What Happens in Vegas

[monolith94]

So, this is a good film because the visuals are so overloaded they present a "choose your own adventure" game in which my mind will pick which part of the screen I wish to focus and thus my experience will be slightly different from someone else's whose mind chose to go to a different part? Interesting, but not very convincing. I prefer the visual to have meaning as opposed to be so overloaded with noise that I can only comprehend a portion of it. What skill is there in essentially throwing so much color and motion together that the result is both disorienting and completely unmoving. Every monkey reaction shot and every character moment is so hopelessly thrown in it feels almost like an avant-garde piece akin to Bunuel's un chien andalou where nothing actually coheres into a larger film. But where Bunuel's images strike both horror, beauty and a sense of the filmmaker's fears and feelings, this is nothing but a hyper-processed piece of white noise. The weightlessness of the action is very much on par with the fact that the Wachowskis haven't actually made a film as much as an excuse to give all epileptics an instant seizure. This film proves more than almost any other that having bounds is a good thing and that if you don't know when to say "when," you might want to start with developing characters and plot, therefore when your overload becomes unmanageable, you can always fall back on something concrete instead of aimless inanity.

Frankly, I think that visually un chien andalou pales in comparison to Speed Racer visually, which is not "white noise" visually. The vision has a purpose: it is an appropriation of Japanese themes and styles. For example, there's an overhead shot of a car racing over a track, with the track a deep, rich, red with black japanese (chinese?) characters written on the track. I found that beautiful. Similarly beautiful was the segment near the beginning where Speed imagines himself racing, which is given anime-style special effects. Watashi's allusion to pop-art was correct, but I'd say this is closer to Lichtenstein than Warhol.

I disagree with tedg on some, perhaps many instances, but to dismiss the man's film project/odyssey with a throwaway "lame" doesn't do him justice, I think.

[dreamdead]

This is for Wats.
It approaches the film with an, albeit subjective, interesting take. One that I largely agree with on its study of the film's merits.

[Ezee E]

All images aside, the movie never quite has an exhilirating scene, and even becomes a bit too talky in my mind.

An enjoyable experience for sure, just not greatness.

[Teecee]

Liked it after one viewing, love it after two.

It might be the most visually audacious -- and spectacular -- movie I've seen since Hero five years ago; the aforementioned shot of the Mach 5 sliding across a red-and-black logo on the Grand Prix track is one of many that took my breath away. Also, contrary to many detractors, I found the use of wipes and such editing to actually enhance the fluidity of the action scenes.

As a lifelong gearhead, I was also overjoyed to see someone put into words what all true racing fans believe -- that racing is a sport and an art, and has appeal beyond fiery crashes and sponsorship spectacles.

Certainly my favorite film so far in '08.

[Sycophant]

Certainly my favorite film so far in '08.

Agreed, and I can see a good chance of it hanging in my tops throughout the year, if not longer. And I don't even like racing!

[Grouchy]

One thing I never get about racing fans is going to the tracks to watch it live. That doesn't make an ounce of sense. You're basically standing there, cheering, when ZOOOOOOOM! A car goes breaking the sound barrier. Then another, another... Then you're stuck there for twenty minutes until the next time you see them, watching an empty-ass route. Meanwhile, you watch the race on a screen, same as in your home.

[Raiders]

One thing I never get about racing fans is going to the tracks to watch it live. That doesn't make an ounce of sense. You're basically standing there, cheering, when ZOOOOOOOM! A car goes breaking the sound barrier. Then another, another... Then you're stuck there for twenty minutes until the next time you see them, watching an empty-ass route. Meanwhile, you watch the race on a screen, same as in your home.

Some racing may work like this, but I have been to a few NASCAR races, and unless the track is over 1.5 miles or so, you can see the majority of the track and after a few laps, the cars become spread out over the whole track.

[Ezee E]

Some racing may work like this, but I have been to a few NASCAR races, and unless the track is over 1.5 miles or so, you can see the majority of the track and after a few laps, the cars become spread out over the whole track.

I don't care for Nascar, but I assume that it's like going to any other sporting event in that the atmosphere makes it fun enough. Plus, I think before and after the races you can see the cars getting ready, the pit crews, etc.

[Grouchy]

Some racing may work like this, but I have been to a few NASCAR races, and unless the track is over 1.5 miles or so, you can see the majority of the track and after a few laps, the cars become spread out over the whole track.

Ok. I guess it depends on where you're sitting, too.

[Thirdmango]

Also in terms of going to Nascar, I've never been but from talking to people who have, the thing which is cool about it, is you can get headphones which have a whole hell of a lot of different channels, so you can listen to any commentator, you can listen to the radio between your favorite driver and their pit crew, and all that sort of stuff. So in that sense I think it'd be awesome.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I went into this fully expecting to hate it, as I expressed from the first trailer. I was going to come in here and join Raiders as the voice of reason. I was fully prepared to ridicule all of you for getting caught up in Match Cut hype, for not thinking clearly, and for giving the film far more credit than it deserves.

I liked it. I really liked it. It was fun, it was exciting, it was crazy, it was ridiculous, it was funny, it was everything that you guys thought it would be from the trailer. I don't know why I didn't recognize its potential, but I'm here to admit that I was wrong, and that Raiders is the one who is nuts. In this case, Match Cut is the voice of reason and the critics missed on this one.

Oh, and my son loved it. He was upset with himself when he had to leave the theater for a pee break. He literally ran to the bathroom and then ran back to the theater. The manager (and my good friend) gave him the movie poster, which now hangs proudly on his wall. He couldn't stop talking about the monkey. The whole night. He was laughing hysterically in the theater at just about everything that monkey did, and was still laughing today. As I was driving him to school this morning, he kept recalling parts of the races. I haven't seen him this excited about a movie before. He wanted to take the money in his bank and go buy the DVD, and was crushed when I told him it would be a few months before it was released.

Maybe I just got caught up in his excitement and his enjoyment (I stole glances at him frequently during the races, and his eyes have never been wider). But I don't think so. I think I would have enjoyed this regardless.

[Sven]

Damn it, KF, you've convinced me. I will see it.

But probably not for a week or so. Finals. Bah. Although I am stealing away to the Walter Reade tomorrow for a theatrical screening of Nausicaa and I'm very very excited.

[Cherish]

Oh, and my son loved it. He was upset with himself when he had to leave the theater for a pee break. He literally ran to the bathroom and then ran back to the theater. The manager (and my good friend) gave him the movie poster, which now hangs proudly on his wall. He couldn't stop talking about the monkey. The whole night. He was laughing hysterically in the theater at just about everything that monkey did, and was still laughing today. As I was driving him to school this morning, he kept recalling parts of the races. I haven't seen him this excited about a movie before. He wanted to take the money in his bank and go buy the DVD, and was crushed when I told him it would be a few months before it was released.

This is great! How old is your son? Mine is 9, and he liked the movie quite a bit, but it was bittersweet. He came out of the theater sad that [

Show Spoiler

Racer X didn't tell his family the truth.

] That's what he was asking questions about the next morning. Still, we had a great time in the theater.

[Kurosawa Fan]

My son is 6. The politics went over his head, [

Show Spoiler

and I think he was a bit confused by the Racer X part.

] The theater was huge, and there were only two other people in there (sitting far from us), so I was able to quietly explain a few things as it went along.

iosos, be warned by my last paragraph. It's entirely possible that I just fell in love with how much my son was enjoying things, and he influenced my opinion. Still, I do think I would have enjoyed it regardless. It's definitely worth a viewing, even if you end up hating it. It's a film that needs to be seen on the big screen if you're going to succumb and watch it eventually anyway.

[Cherish]

My son is 6. The politics went over his head, [

Show Spoiler

and I think he was a bit confused by the Racer X part.

] The theater was huge, and there were only two other people in there (sitting far from us), so I was able to quietly explain a few things as it went along.

iosos, be warned by my last paragraph. It's entirely possible that I just fell in love with how much my son was enjoying things, and he influenced my opinion. Still, I do think I would have enjoyed it regardless. It's definitely worth a viewing, even if you end up hating it. It's a film that needs to be seen on the big screen if you're going to succumb and watch it eventually anyway.

Yeah, I was explaining throughout, also. (Kids today just don't understand the stock market! Don't they learn anything in school? ) If anything, I suspect I would have enjoyed the movie more, if I'd seen it alone. I would have liked to just relax and enjoy the ride...

[monolith94]

Oh, and my son loved it. He was upset with himself when he had to leave the theater for a pee break. He literally ran to the bathroom and then ran back to the theater.

Heh, your son and myself have something in common!

[Raiders]

Madness. Pure madness.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Maybe I'm not touch with my inner child but I could not invest myself in this beyond a purely superficial level. I can't say I was ever bored, which is a major plus, and puts the film as a mild success in my books but there were many eye rolling moments and absolutely no emotional attachment. I never grew up with blockblusters, and even as a kid I'm not sure I would have been won over by the film. The visuals are incredible though, almost awe-inspiring. It's honestly worth recommending for that alone, a theatre is a must... As incredible as they are though, I have a difficult time mustering up any excitement over racing or cars, even when so clearly removed from reality as this.