Skip to main content

Quickie Review - Timecrimes (Minor Spoilers)

After hearing about this movie a lot recently, I dove in last night. Clear head, full stomach and a couple of cups of coffee ready. Time travel movies need you sharp and this one was no different. Like all movies, I went in with a blank slate. I knew absolutely nothing about this, other than it being a time travel movie. So the first scene sees this buffoon trip his way around his house, while his wife works busily. I noticed something right away. What's interesting, is not one review I read after seeing the movie even touched on it. The bet on the table. Hector knew the table wasn't going to fit in the house. So I'm assuming right away, he's done this before.

Fast forward close to 80 minutes and the same table is used in two scenes that are meant to mimic each other. Now, without noticing the obvious hint, this makes the movie very neatly wrapped and people can go home happy. I wasn't, because not only does it mean there is either another layer, it could mean it was an enormous plot hole. So say I'm wrong and there is another reason for it, then the movie is to be taken as is. But then, how do you explain what transpires right after the table incident, if there was Hector #1?

Timecrimes is very well done for the genre. It is absolutely killed by a lethargic performance by it's star, but the story alone is fun. It also uses a very clever technique, which has been commented on, but is absolutely brilliant. The director uses breasts as a distraction to an enormous plot hole. That might sound funny or downright ridiculous, but at some point in the movie, no matter if you are male or female, you are taken by this beautiful nude woman who is utterly (pun intended) perfect. What this scene does is it allows you to forget that there is no logical explanation for it happening, because the logic actually contradicts the plot....unless of course you picked up on the table hint. The second time we see the woman, we're not shown her naked body and in an odd instinctual reaction, we're sidetracked. While we wonder why they edited it, we're distracted again, by the second plot hole.

I don't like giving things away, so I'll say this. Timecrimes is good. It's no Triangle as it's been compared and it's not even as effective as Looper in many ways, but when you realize that they created a time travel movie with no special effects and only four speaking parts, it's absolutely genius. It is one of those movies I'll revisit a year or two from now and probably appreciate more for it's artistic prowess, but a lot less for it's ability to deceive and confuse. If you do adore this genre, it will without a doubt jump to the top of your favorite list.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

White Privilege

This was a post I wrote on Facebook after surprisingly not seeing any moaning about the Documentary by Jose Antonio Vargas, titled White People Dayyum! I just scrolled my timeline and not a single white person got their feelings hurt by White People. I unfortunately haven't seen it, but the number of fake accounts that popped up on twitter, tells me it was a damn good show. Here's the thing. If someone of color aka non-white says "White Privilege," are you offended? If you said yes, then you are exhibiting white privilege. It has nothing to do with how hard you work or study, how you stayed out of trouble, because here's the thing, that is entirely the point. Somewhere out there, there are 100 Black, Spanish, Native American, Arab, Asian, who worked and studied as hard as you and never got in trouble, but they don't have what you "earned" or achieved. Stop looking at the one person you know who isn't white that achieved as your benchmark. Loo...
10 comments
Read more

Quickie Review - Finding Vivian Maier

While I thoroughly enjoyed the film, especially the first 15-20 minutes, I was a little bothered by the way the film played out. The interviews with the clearly disturbed brother, sister and the mother, who obviously, was in for a cut, didn't need to be in the film. Then the woman who suggested abuse, yet seemed to have her life defined by Maier, as she tried to muster every ounce of emotion and fake guilt. Her friend, more than happy to be party of the charade. People who talk about abuse for the first time, usually don't do so on camera. The fact these scenes were so prominent, shows that they felt wronged that they were not rewarded. Maloof on the other hand, seems to disappear from the documentary during this part, almost hiding away from the fact, he went from complete praise, to even making money off of her, to destroying her personal legacy. He almost mentions the family of boys taking care of her rent, as an afterthought. Her burial spot, never shown, yet a video of her...
7 comments
Read more

If You Listen To One Speech - Lana Wachowski

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/videos/lana-wachowski-opens-up-about-difficult-past-and-attempted-suicide-20121024 Today I saw a link to a video for a speech by Lana Wachowski.  The last name rung a bell, but I could't put my finger on it. Lana, used to be Larry, one of the writer, director, producers of the Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta and the upcoming Cloud Atlas.  Lana is transgendered and has "come out" as a woman.  She was being honored by the Human Rights Campaign. I didn't know what to expect when this broad woman with crazy hair and a raspy voice began to speak.  She began with the usual pleasantries and told of her hair dresser. She then tells of her desire to be a quiet person and how hard the success of the Matrix movies made this.  The first ten minutes is telling of how she's not quite ready to be this spokesperson.  Then she speaks about the new movie Cloud Atlas and reveals the heart of the movie and this speech. She states,"The resp...
Post a Comment
Read more