Blame! A Dystopian Nightmare

Like anime but had it up to here with “Ghost in the Shell” hype? I’ve got a good new anime for you. “Blame!” a Netfix original, may be the best anime since Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises.” Based on a very popular manga, it deals with a “distant technological future in which civilization has reached its ultimate net-based form (sounds like today!).An infection has caused the automated system to spiral out of order, which results in a multi-leveled city structure that replicates itself in all directions. With humanity having lost access to the city controls and being hunted down and purged by the defense system known as the Safeguard, a little enclave in a corner of the city known as the Electro-Fishers is facing eventual extinction. A girl named Zuru goes on a journey to find food for her village, only to inadvertently cause doom when an observation tower senses her and summons a Safeguard pack to eliminate the threat. With her companions dead and all escape routes blocked, the only thing that can save her now is the sudden arrival of Killy the Wanderer, on his quest for the Net Terminal Genes, the key to restoring order to the world.” (Thanks, Wikipedia!)

This cartoon combines the excitement of “The Matrix” with the craftsmanship of “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.” Although the plot is similar to quite a bit of science fiction including William Gibson, “The Matrix.” and “The 13th Floor,” the skill of the animation creates a real sense of urgency. While it doesn’t have the charm that many anime films do, it is made with enough skill to be really affecting. The animation is really good, apparently CGI but looking hand-drawn. I found myself unable to look away during the entire film. If you’re looking for proof that anime is still great, check out “Blame!”; the filmmakers are certainly blameless.

 

More Dystopian Cinema

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump has irrevocably altered the American political landscape. That can clearly be seen in two new low-budget horror films, Roger Corman’s “Death Race 2050” and Greg McLean’s “The Belko Experiment.” Although neither of these films is a cinematic masterpiece, they are both worth seeing because they perfectly show the fractured political landscape America is in right now.

“Death Race 2050” shows how we live in a very violent society presided over by a very strange man (Malcolm McDowell at his most outrisageous) who resembles Donald Trump. In the society portrayed in the film, nothing seems to matter except getting good kills. The film brings back the Frankenstein driver character from “Death Race 2000” as well as the dystopian future where nothing matters except hedonism and violence. The film attempts to make its low budget a virtue with deliberately cheesy special FX, but the concept of a deadly car chase is what works particularly well here. The point seems to be that our society is headed in a more nihilistic direction, and it is a point I do not disagree with. The film is new to DVD and Blu ray and is streaming on Netflix.

“The Belko Experiment,” which just opened in theaters., is written and produced by James Gunn, who gave us “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Slither.” The director gave us the “Wolf Creek” films. This film is about American employees at a corporation in Colombia who get locked into their workplace and forced into the ultimate corundum: kill or die. The film is about how the previously friendly employees at the corporation deal with the fact that to survive, they will apparently have to kill each other. This film is more disturbing than most horror films because:

1. The reasons for this deadly corporate psychological experiment are never explained.
2. The most likeable characters generally die first. I particularly felt bad for the black security guard who ends up getting killed for doing his job of holding onto the keys to the armory. Rarely have I seen a more likeable character bite the dust in a horror film.

This film will be criticized for being too cynical and having no apparent point, but in fact it shows the arbitrary divisions that are springing up between us in America right now, and how violence is being shown as a solution to our problems in some parts of our society. If you doubt this, look at the vitriol on both sides of the political aisle right now. This film shows us that we need to be careful before signing our rights away to a corporation (or, for that matter, the government) because the people in charge cannot be trusted.

These films will be regarded as exploitative trash by most people, but I found them to be well worth watching. They both show the consequences of a violence-obsessed society. I recommend them as good beer-drinking drive-in movies and as food for thought. Until next time… –CoolAC

Til The End of the World (5 hour version)

Thanks to a friend of mine, I inherited a region-free DVD player and the German director’s cut 3-DVD set of “Until the End of the World.” This film by Wim Wenders is a no-longer-available in the U.S. 1991 sci-fi saga starring William Hurt, Solveig Dommartin and Sam Neill about a futuristic 1999 world with great technological advances in which the world may be about to end due to a malfunctioning nuclear satellite. Against this backdrop, three lovers tour the globe, for reasons involving a massive amount of stolen money and a mysterious invention which may allow the blind to see.

I don’t want to talk about this film’s plot too much because it’s not the movie’s strength. The film’s strengths are its performances, its ideas, the depiction of technology, the music, the locations, and the special effects. First, all the performances are good and draw the viewer in. Max Von Sydow and Jeanne Moreau are the best actors, performing their hearts out as an inventor and his blind wife. The main trio of actors (see above) are also good as characters whose motivations are somewhat mysterious.

The ideas of technology that can help the blind see and, later, allow the recording of dreams are rather stunning. In terms of general depiction of technology, you can find GPS’s, cell phones, video phones, and other devices which are indeed in use now. Illuminati coding was present in this film, as it was in Back to the Future II. Other classics such as Metropolis, and Things to Come also were the elite hinting at what the future what be like according to their plan.

The soundtrack features R.E.M., the Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, Julee Cruise, Elvis Costello, U2, Peter Gabriel, K.D. Lang, and others performing music composed for the film. In the short version, you hear only parts of these songs but in this 280-minute director’s cut you hear the entire songs. The film also was shot on four continents in ten countries, which is a level of verisimilitude that I have never seen in a film. The special effects, which use then new high definition technology to show images that the blind can see as well as the recording of dreams, still amaze today. What’s it all about? I think the director is saying that technology is a wonderful thing but it’s bad to worship it or become too dependent on it.

Anyway, this film is supposed to come out on the Criterion collection and was rereleased in America in 2015. I can’t think of a better introduction to foreign cinema than this German classic (mostly in English though).. The short. 158-minute original release version on VHS and laserdisc was good, but of you get a chance to see the Director’s Cut. don’t miss it. It’ll change your life.

Paul Newman: The Dystopian

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Are you sick of the current run of dystopian science-fiction films such as “The Hunger Games” and “The Maze Runner” series? Would you like to see an entry in the genre that’s actually good? Check out Robert Altman’s “Quintet,” a flop from 1979 that does the whole dystopian future thing as well as any film besides “Blade Runner.” The film takes place in a distant future where the planet (maybe Earth, maybe not) is freezing over and Paul Newman and his pregnant wife are wandering through the ice and the ruins of a city. Soon they encounter civilization and Newman’s brother. After a violent incident, Newman ends up taking his brother’s identity and investigating and infiltrating a strange board game that everyone is obsessed with called Quintet. It involves five players and the roll of a dice. Everyone is obsessed with this game and people are dying, and Newman wants to know why. Eventually he finds out, after much bloodshed.

There are a few things that make this movie awesome. First, as I said, the depiction of the future is really interesting and cool. It’s super bleak. Secondly, although it’s not explained in that much detail, the board game Quintet is rather fascinating. The third impressive argument in the film’s favor is the performance of Paul Newman. He does the strong, silent hero thing better than anyone. and he gives us a reason to care about this film. Between this flick and the also underrated “Fort Apache, The Bronx” he shows that he is a really tough, manly guy. He’s sensitive when appropriate but mean and courageous when necessary. In short, Paul Newman is the man, and “Quintet” is a must-see if you can find it. You’ll never look at board games the same way again! –CoolAC

On DVD: High-Rise is an Elite Film

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One of the few terrific films so far this year is “High-Rise,” an alternate-future dystopian sci-fi film based on the ’70s cult novel by J,G. Ballard. It’s about a futuristic high-rise which is encompassed by Britain’s entire class system, with the poor on the bottom and going up in class level with each floor. Tom Hiddleston from the “Thor” films and “Marvel’s The Avengers” stars as the newest resident of the buildings, a doctor who is a bit befuddled when both Sienna Miller and Jeremy Irons (who plays the building’s architect) take an interest in him. People in the high-rise seem to have lots of free time, which they spend sun-bathing or socializing at parties. Some of the elite in the high-rise wear baroque-styled garb. There is a certain giddiness in the high rise until the power outages begin and all hell starts to break loose. As the poor work their way up the building total chaos ensues. People start getting chopped into bits in a brutal anarchistic state of nature.

The plot description sounds pretty simple, but actually this movie is pretty hard to follow. My brother and I watched it three times prior to attempting to review it, since its so off-beat and eccentric. So much happens that it’s hard to keep track of it all, but that’s ok because “High-Rise” consistently works as an exercise in surrealism. There is, for example, a gigantic party in which everyone is dressed in sort of Victorian garb while symphonic versions of Abba songs are played by a large orchestra. The scene doesn’t make any sense, but it’s mesmerizing. The film as a whole is funny and sad. It’s funny because it’s very eccentric, but sad because so much of Ballard’s futuristic vision of class strife has come true. This is a very good movie and I highly recommend it, but be ready to pay close attention. It’s a must for fans of offbeat cinema. –CoolAC & Steve

The Cure by @Hartator

rings

The Cure

It was time.

Actually, it wasn’t. But, Ella Rudson believed she deserved to treat herself. It would be the third time she undertook the procedure. Her body age was only forty-two years old. She was still considered biologically young for the procedure. However, it would feel so great to be eighteen again.

Matthew Brooks tried to dissuade her. He liked her the way she was. He had gone through the procedure only once. Matthew was seventy-three years younger than she was in actual age. They had been seeing each other for just a couple of months. He couldn’t possibly know what’s best for her or for them.

It was frowned upon to undergo the procedure before fifty. Nevertheless, Ella outperformed at her work at the Organization every single year in the past five years and got a special permission from the Organization. Her job at the Veracity organ was important. Computers were constantly monitoring the individual spheres, the global sphere and everything in between. They were looking for discrepancies. Ella’s task was to restructure the data to eliminate these discrepancies. It was helping getting everyone on the same page. It was mostly small things. It was for the good of the Organization and it was for the good of the people. She was making a better world.

The procedure was invented by John O’Connor a while ago. He funded the O’Connor Institute and, first, he invented a technology to slow down aging dramatically. He quickly acquired fortune and fame. Later, he found a revolutionary way to transfer human minds from old bodies to younger ones. The whole mind was shifted, from the global neuron charges to the quantum states of every particles. He then got greedy. He refused to share the procedure with the people. He refused to share the procedure with anyone. Fortunately, the Organization elders stepped in. They took over the O’Connor Institute by force. John O’Connor disappeared. The Organization elders then decided to sacrifice themselves. They vowed to never used the new procedure on themselves. Instead, they promised to ensure the people will be the ones benefiting from it.

At first, everyone had access to the procedure. Unfortunately, people started abusing it. The new bodies were unanimated dolls with a blank state. It required time, energy and man power to grow them. The Organization couldn’t bare the costs. The elders decided to divide the people into two groups. The first group would be living in the upper city. People of this group were selected by the Organization according to their estimated worth. They will be the ones working for the Organization. In exchange, they will have access to the procedure. Ella was proud to be part of this group. The second group would be living in the lower city. These are people that the Organization can’t used and didn’t need. They will be provided generously with everything for the rest of their life and they won’t have to work a single day. However, they won’t have access to the procedure. It was a fair system.

A calm tone accompanied with a dim blue light stopped her thoughts. She had arrived at the O’Connor Institute. She stepped lightly out of the bus and paused for a moment. She then felt the bus going away by itself, silently floating a few inches away from the ground. She entered the building with a smile at the corner of her lips.

Everything was exactly like she remembered. The ceilings were high and it looked more like a train station hall than the entrance of a building. The comically enormous bust of John O’Connor that was welcoming visitors before has been replaced years ago. Now, stood a globe made of pure gold and, on it, one could see hundreds of inch-tall figurines representing our people. The front desk receptionist looked twenty year younger. She must have gone through the procedure relatively recently. She did looked stunning. She greeted Ella with a warm “Miss Rudson, we were waiting for you.” and pointed to the elevator.

The elevator knew where she was going. It stopped on the seventh floor. A round pale purple light was waiting for her in the air. It guided Ella to her room. Three men were waiting for her. One recognized her. He said with a smile “Welcome back, Ella. So, what do you think?“. Inside a transparent tube, her new body was here, floating in a heavy brown placenta. New bodies didn’t have to be perfect clones. Slight variations in genetic code were allowed. She had ordered some minor improvements including this turned-up shape nose. She had always wished to have one. The results were beyond expectations. After thoughts, she should have also asked for a bit more prominent cheekbones. Maybe next time.

She nodded with a small smile. The men went back to their stations. They were getting ready for the transfer. She stripped from her clothes. She then stood still, her back against the padded wall used for transfers. She was just five feet away to her new body. She had a last look to it with a bigger smile. She nodded again to the operator and faced straight. He typed a few commands. A large white plastic sheet moved towards her. It covered her entire body and warped it tightly to the wall. She couldn’t move. It was mildly uncomfortable, but she knew it was only for a few seconds. Like the last time, she felt life fading away. Her closed eyes saw the familiar white light.

The smell was first to kick in. It wasn’t the usual smell of placenta being removed. Instead, it was a disgusting rancid odor. A mix between decay and spoiled meat. It didn’t felt she was in a new body. She tried to open her eyes, but couldn’t see anything. The place was perfectly dark. She could barely breath. She felt stuck. She was surrounded on all sides by some sort of flabby bodies. Her whole skin was covered by a granular viscous oil. She was still naked.

Ella slowly managed to climb up. She extracted herself from this putrid mix and felt on the side. She caught her breath for a few minutes. Her eyes began to acclimate to the bright light. She realized she just came out of a dumpster. She looked inside. She saw horrified a stack of maybe thirty naked human corpses. It looked like the bodies people were switching from when they were going through the procedure. Until now, Ella thought the Institute was incinerating these bodies. She couldn’t believe they were doing it this way. She felt like throwing up. She had a massive headache. It wasn’t unlike the ones she was getting after trying new drugs at the club. She looked around. She was probably somewhere in the lower city. It looked like a back alley of what must be a bar. They were a few passerby. Some looked at her with some interest, but oddly without surprise.

She just wanted to go home.

reprinted with permission by @hartator

https://medium.com/@hartator/the-cure-9c6d7bbf2588#.m6vj1l3om