film school review

Ever since director John Woo left for Hollywood after Hard Boiled blew us all away in 1992, most fans have regarded his domestic output as a pale imitation of “the Hong Kong years”. One exception to the rule is Face/Off (1997), a clever tale of role reversal, redemption and revenge. Our subjects are two men on opposite ends of the moral spectrum who switch identities via unusual medical circumstances, resulting in a twisted game of cat-and-mouse peppered with liberal doses of gunpowder. What a predicament!

Originally conceived as a futuristic sci-fi action epic, the project was shuffled around and relegated to the present tense for, among other reasons, budgetary constraints. Woo was eventually brought on to helm the project, having initially turned it down because he wasn’t comfortable with the futuristic elements. Luckily, these compromises worked out quite well: the end result was a more emotionally charged yet down-to-earth version of its former self, but would the formula prove successful? The short answer was a resounding “yes”, as Face/Off enjoyed a strong performance at the box office and generally positive reviews. Having enjoyed the film during its original theatrical run, I somehow managed not to watch it again during the last decade. Luckily, Face/Off holds up fairly well.

Here’s a quick synopsis: our “two men on opposite ends of the moral spectrum” are Sean Archer (John Travolta) and Castor Troy (Nicholas Cage); the former is an obsessed FBI agent whose son was inadvertently killed by the latter, an international terrorist. An early confrontation leaves Troy comatose while a bomb ticks away somewhere in Los Angeles, leaving Archer little chance of infiltrating Troy’s inner circle to uncover the bomb’s location. He eventually agrees to an unusual facial transplant procedure, as his comatose enemy seems like the perfect candidate to literally “hide behind”. The plot thickens: aside from Archer’s continued neglect of his wife and daughter, the task of assuming Troy’s identity proves almost too much to bear. Without giving too much away, their identities are effectively swapped after Troy proves to be less comatose than originally assumed. Suspension of belief is certainly required to fully appreciate Face/Off…but it’s an action film, so what else is new?

Speaking of typical action movie elements, the sheer volume of explosions and gunfire rival most of Woo’s past contributions to the genre—but with the increased budget and longer shooting schedule (see also: Mission: Impossible 2), there’s a certain polish that often works to Face/Off’s advantage. It’s hard not to long for the frenzied spontaneity of Hard Boiled, The Killer and A Better Tomorrow, but Face/Off blends Hollywood slickness with Woo’s knack for controlled, fluid chaos better than any other of his recent films. Additionally, most of the film’s effects are 100% practical, trading in CGI trickery for realistic body doubles and daring stunt work. It’s a potent combination, all things considered, and one that hasn’t aged much in the last decade.

Clocking in at a daunting 140 minutes, Face/Off could’ve been trimmed a bit here and there without losing any of its real strengths. Woo clearly focused much of his attention on the film’s emotional content, yet it often isn’t enough in proportion to the endless shootouts and chase sequences. When the personal drama is present and accounted for, it’s usually pulled off quite well; the problem is, most of these domestic issues are given equal attention so none really stand out. Since this is a story based around dual identity and revenge, Face/Off has plenty of balls in the air at once—and it usually does a fine job with the juggling act, but a slightly more streamlined set of supporting characters would’ve made the film virtually seamless. Still, it’s hard to complain when you’ve got this much action, suspense and drama crammed into one enthusiastic package.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Face/Off returns on DVD in a polished two-disc set from Paramount, effectively replacing the single-disc version released all the way back in 1998. From top to bottom, there’s plenty of good news here: the technical presentation is better than ever, while a slew of retrospective extras supports the main feature quite nicely. Best of all, Paramount has resisted the temptation to slap a ridiculous title on this release; otherwise, this might have been named the “Woo-wee, You Good Lookin’!” Edition. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Quality Control Department

Video & Audio Quality

Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for 16×9 displays, Face/Off looks excellent from start to finish. Though the previous disc was never part of my DVD collection, it’s obvious that this squeaky-clean transfer is an improvement over the original version. Colors are bold and natural, boasting strong detail and excellent contrast. Digital problems—such as edge enhancement and pixellation, for example—are nowhere to be found, rounding out the visual presentation nicely. Until the delayed high-definition release hits store shelves in late October, this is the best that Face/Off has ever looked.

Equally impressive (if not slightly more so) are the included Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and DTS 6.1 mixes, both of which pack an incredible wallop. Dialogue is clean and clear from start to finish, while the film’s numerous action sequences come alive with strong surround activity and plenty of bass to keep your subwoofer happy. There’s little else to say here, except that fans of Face/Off will enjoy cranking this up to 11. A French 2.0 dub track is also included, while optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are included during the main feature and bonus material.

Menu Design, Presentation & Packaging

Seen above, the animated menu designs are basic and easy to navigate. The 140-minute main feature has been divided into 40 chapters, while no obvious layer change was detected during playback. This two-disc release is housed in an unhinged slim double keepcase; there’s no room for an insert, but a matching slipcover is included.

Bonus Features

Spread across both discs, the extras for this new edition of Face/Off are surprisingly well-rounded and entertaining. Disc 1 starts off with two feature length Audio Commentaries: one with director John Woo and co-writers Michael Colleary and Mike Werb, and the other with just the two writers. The first obviously focuses more on the director’s comments, though Colleary and Werb provide plenty of insight when not fielding questions to Woo. The writer’s commentary is a bit more technical, touching on the story development and themes generally unexplored during the first track…along with plenty of anecdotes, of course. Neither commentary lapses into silence very often, but a few stories are repeated along the way.

Also here is a short collection of Deleted & Alternate Scenes (7 clips with optional commentary, 8:18 total), including “Castor Kills the Janitor”, “Archer Weeps”, “Childhood Lessons”, “Hideaway Shootout”, “Archer vs. Castor Finale”, “Will Dad be Dad Again?” and an alternate ending. It’s easy to see why some of this material was cut, but the audio commentary by Woo, Colleary and Werb (recorded separately, in most cases) helps to put everything in the proper context. “Archer Weeps” is probably the only scene that could’ve been part of the final cut, as this short sequence emphasizes the loss of his son at the hands of Castor. The alternate ending puts a mysterious spin on things, but Face/Off works well enough without the added jolt.

Disc 2 kicks off with “The Light and the Dark: Making Face-Off“ (5 parts, 64:02 total), a detailed summary of the film’s production. Divided into “Science Fiction / Human Emotion”, “Cast / Characters”, “Woo / Hollywood”, “Practical / Visual Effects” and “Future / Past”, there’s a nice assortment of cast and crew interviews mixed with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage. Though portions of this documentary seem a bit disjointed—due to the somewhat extraneous section titles, no doubt—”The Light and the Dark” is a satisfying documentary that fans should certainly enjoy. From Woo’s original storyboards (above left) to the amazing practical visual effects work, there’s plenty of eye candy to gaze upon. Overall, it’s a concise and entertaining supplement that partners well with the audio commentaries.

Not to be outdone is “John Woo: A Life in Pictures” (26:06, above right) a relatively short but satisfying documentary about the director’s life and work thus far. Featuring plenty of comments by Woo himself, the director shares a few personal stories from his childhood and emphasizes his love for movies, music and art. Most of his recent Hollywood output is touched upon, as are his more notable Hong Kong films. It’s a solid enough overview, though most die-hard fans of Woo won’t learn many new details.

Closing things out is the film’s excellent Theatrical Trailer (2:08), featuring a wonderfully subtle tease that sells the film perfectly. All bonus features are presented in anamorphic widescreen (even the deleted scenes, though a few sequences don’t look quite as polished) and everything except the trailer includes optional English, Spanish and French subtitles. It’s an entertaining assortment of extras, but the thoughtful presentation makes them all the more satisfying. Compared to the original vanilla disc, fans will be very pleased.

Final Thoughts

Slick, stylish and over-the-top, John Woo’s Face/Off is one of the more memorable action films of the 1990s. The conventional cat-and-mouse story is turned on its ear with the reversal of our protagonist and antagonist—and though the opposites are almost cartoonish in their distinction, the jaw-dropping effects work and action sequences help us forget a few snags along the way. Fans of Woo’s Hong Kong epics like The Killer and Hard Boiled should be drawn towards the continued themes of justice and dual identity, making Face/Off more of a return to form than anything else in his domestic canon. Paramount’s excellent two-disc Collector’s Edition celebrates the film’s 10th anniversary in style, boasting a top-notch technical presentation and a host of terrific bonus features. All things considered, this is an extremely affordable double dip and an easy blind buy for action fans. Highly Recommended.

"Never fails. You get in the bath and there’s a rub at the lamp." (Worth A Look)

Phenomenal cosmic power…itty bitty living space.Of the modern Disney projects (from say, the mid-80’s on) this is probably my all time favorite. It’s actually the only animated Disney movie I have on tape, and one of the few that I still watch on a regular basis. You know the story of Aladdin and the lamp, and you know how Robin Williams steals the show as the Genie. So I won’t bore you with details. Point is, it’s not just a kids movie. It really isn’t. Williams makes literally dozens of references that adults (and some kids) will get, including impressions of popular culture figures. Loaded with jokes in addition to the love story between Aladdin and Jasmine, it’s really got something for every member of the family. And unlike most of the Disney films, the musical numbers are memorable and seem to fit the feel of the movie.A pretty good film, animated or otherwise.Don’t just rent it, buy it.
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Pirates if the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest opens with a tragedy: Will Turner’s (Orlando Bloom) marriage to Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) has been interrupted by Lord Beckett (Tom Hollander). Beckett has both Elizabeth and Will arrested for helping Captan Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) escape the noose at the end of the last picture. Beckett does offer Will a chance to save their skins, though. All he has to do is find Jack and return the compass that does not point North to Beckett. Jack, meanwhile, has his own problems. One night, while on board his ship The Black Pearl, Jack is visited by Bootstrap Bill (Stellan Skarsgard), Will’s father. Bootstrap has sworn service to Davy Jones (the incomparable Bill Nighy), the frightful master of the sea. He sails upon Jones’ ship, The Flying Dutchman, slowly becoming one with the sea. Bootstrap appears before Jack to warn him that Davy Jones is hot on his trail, looking for payment. It turns out that Jack made a deal with Davy Jones. In exchange for dredging The Black Pearl from the sea’s depths, Jack has sworn to serve on The Flying Dutchman after 13 years, and his time is up. Now it’s a mad rush as Jack tries to save himself from the inescapable grasp of Davy Jones and his mindless leviathan, The Kraken.

Director Gore Verbinski had a lot to live up to with this second Pirates outing. The first film was a practically pitch-perfect action movie, combining humor, drama, and excitement in equal measures. The script was unusually smart, and every scene moved the plot forward. Dead Man’s Chest is not as entirely well balanced. The most obvious flaw is the “cannibal island” section, where Will follows Jack’s trail, only to find him about to be sacrificed by cannibals on a tropical island. The entire sequence has nothing to do with the plot in any way, shape or form. The ensuing escape is not well done from an action standpoint, which begs the question, why is it in the film at all? It takes up at least 20 minutes of movie’s 150 total running time, meaning that the entire project could have been around a respectable 2 hours and still contain everything the audience would need to know. Even more annoying, the tropical island locale is repeated at the end of the film, making the cannibal island portion seem not just useless, but an active detractor from the quality of the movie.

However, once we’re squarely in Davy Jones territory, the film quickly picks up. Bill Nighy is a marvel as Davy Jones, both as an actor and as a special effect. ILM reached new heights with their work on Dead Man’s Chest. Jones and his crew are walking, talking sea creatures, with barnacles, algae, and other sea life living right on their skin. Jones himself has a giant octopus for a head, and his tentacles are constantly writhing. It’s a real tour-de-force, and to date the high watermark of cinematic effects work. Nighy himself is the man behind the mask, creating a nightmarish character the effects all the more effective.

And, of course, there’s Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. By now, he’s got Sparrow down to a science. It’s sheer joy watching him in this movie. He has, without any doubt, created one of the most truly memorable film characters of the past 20 years. The rest of the cast live up to the performances they gave in Curse of the Black Pearl, with the exception of Keira Knightley, who is significantly funnier, sexier, and all around more interesting in this sequel than she was last time.

Even with its flaws, Dead Man’s Chest is still a Pirates movie, with all of the fun that entails. The action is impeccably directed, and Davy Jones and his cohorts make for a far more interesting assortment of villains than undead pirates. It’s not quite as strong as its predecessor, but it’s certainly not bad, and it sets up high expectations for At World’s End. So pull out the rum, raise the sails, and get ready for another adventure with Captain Jack Sparrow!

The Blu-ray Disc:

The Image:
I’ve been reviewing these high definition formats for a while now, and have been watching HD programs even longer. And it isn’t a lie, nor hyperbole, when I say that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’s 2.35:1 AVC transfer has the best image quality of any HD content I have seen to date. The transfer was taken from the original digital sources, and color corrected for home video color space without any adjustments to the image. The opening scenes alone are so rich with vivid detail and bold colors that it looks as if you’re simply watching the scene unfold outside your window. I know that such a description has been used for HD before, but this one really gets everything right. You can see stubble on Will’s face, engravings on straps, the fine gold filigree in the sword commissioned for Commodore Norrington. Even better, the transfer lets you soak in all the hard work that went into the creature effects. Normally CGI effects look glaringly out of place in HD, but Davy Jones and his crew at times actually look like they were really there on the set looking exactly as they do in the shot. And the Kraken has to be seen to be believed. I could detect no forms of edge enhancement, polarization, or other artifacts. This is, simply put, a perfect transfer. It’s the best of the best, and the disc is worth a purchase for the image alone.

The Audio:
The uncompressed 48kHz/24-bit PCM 5.1 track matches the image transfer blow for blow. Fine aural details are clearly discernible, even amongst the biggest explosions (which are powerful enough to shake a house), and the channel separation is spectacular. Dialogue is easier to understand than in the theater, and the whole mix has a level of clarity that envelopes you. You could close your eyes, lean back, and still have a sense of what was going on and where. Also included is a still strong, although clearly not as impressive Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

The Supplements:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest is a two-disc set. The first disc contains only a few extras. The second disc ports over all of the extras from the DVD, sans the DVD-ROM materials. Disc two is a 25GB Blu-ray disc, not a dual layer DVD. Despite this, none of the extras on disc two are in high definition.

Commentary with screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio: These two writers have some impressive films on their resumes, including the last Pirates release. They’ve worked together just about their entire careers, and it shows. In this relaxed commentary, they talk about working on the series, creating the characters, their motivations, the plot, etc. They comment on the final product, too, of course, and the way the actors made the character their own. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Liar’s Dice: An interactive game made possible through BD-Java, Liar’s Dice is a form of the game played on Davy Jones’ ship in the film. You play against Pintel (Lee Arenberg) in a game of chance and deception. Each portion of the game is shown through pre-recorded video clips, played in response to how well or badly you are doing. There’s about forty five minutes of interactive video available, although you won’t see every clip in every game. In all, it’s a good start for BD-J features on Blu-ray, and a fun game besides.

Movie Showcase: Disney’s standard bookmarks for scenes they think shows off the benefits of HD especially well.

Blu-ray trailers: Trailers for several currently available and upcoming Disney titles on Blu-ray. Also available is a full 1080p trailer of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, which looks truly magnificent in high definition.

Disc two extras:

Charting the Return: A half hour look at the pre-production for the movie, this featurette immediately sets the stage for the rest of the supplements on the disc. It’s clear that the documentary crew had unlimited access to every aspect of the production, as the majority of the stuff is not interview-based, but fly on the wall material. In fact, a majority of this piece is about just how difficult it was to get the movie going. Screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio were constantly behind schedule, and things got so bad that the entire two-movie project was almost canceled. You have to appreciate just how candid this extra is.

According to Plan: This hour-long documentary chronicles the 200-day shooting period. It starts in Los Angeles, with a lot of buoyancy and optimism. Then, as the crew moves to various islands, enthusiasm wanes as fatigue sets in. Unforeseen problems also dampen spirits. However, the entire group perseveres and there are gobs of high quality interviews interspersed throughout. One of the best recent making-of documentaries I’ve seen.

Captain Jack: From Head to Toe: A collection of short clips that focuses on a single item from Jack’s wardrobe. And when they say “from head to toe,” they mean it. Everything from the stuff tied in to Jack’s hair down to his boots is described here by Penny Rose, the costume designer, or property manager Kristopher E. Peck. All the clips together come out to about 25 minutes worth of material.

Mastering the Blade: Clips of Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Jack Davenport (Norrington) training for all the swordplay. Interviews with the actors and their trainers are laid against footage of the training and then short clips from the actual shooting of the scenes.

Meet Davy Jones: Anatomy of a Legend: A 12 and a half minute look at the creation of Davy Jones, from Bill Nighy’s performance to the hard work done by ILM. The thing I ultimately took away from it was just how creative and inventive and physical Bill Nighy is as an actor. As a longtime Nighy fan, it was great to see him getting such praise.

Creating the Kraken: A ten-minute look on the Kraken. Humorously, Lee Arenberg identifies the monster as the same giant squid that appears in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. Also, you get to see Johnny Depp getting pummeled repeatedly by the gunk the Kraken spits out. In an interview in the feature, Johnny Depp says “When you come right down to it, it’s absolutely disgusting. Good fun.”

Dead Men Tell New Tales: Re-Imagineering the Attraction: To help promote the Pirates films, Disneyland and Disney World added Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones, and Captain Barbossa to their Pirates of the Caribbean rides. This extra shows how they changed it and the final results, culminating in Johnny Depp going on the ride himself. It’s quick but entertaining, and makes me want to go back to Disneyland and ride the ride again.

Fly on the Set: The Bone Cage A 3 minute clip of some blue screen work being done on the Bone Cage.

Pirates on Location: Cannibal Island and Tortuga: These pieces feel a little more like fluff than the majority of the discs, but they’re short looks at the scenes taking place on Cannibal Island and Tortuga. Some of the interviews are repeats from other extras, but some, such as interviews with the actors who plays cannibals, are new.

Inside Dead Man’s Chest: Clearly a promotional piece, this has a few quick interviews with Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio and others, but mostly it’s clips from the movie.

Jerry Bruckheimer: A Producer’s Photo Diary: 4 minutes of photos taken by Bruckheimer during the mammoth shooting of the two films intercut with footage of Bruckheimer taking pictures and interviews where he discusses his love of photography.

Pirates on Main Street: Dead Man’s Chest premiered at Disneyland, and we get to see some of the line for it here.

Bloopers of the Caribbean: 3 minutes of bloopers. Funny stuff.

Stills From The Set: Just what it sounds like.

Theatrical Trailers: Trailers and teasers from around the world, unfortunately all in 1080p.

The Conclusion:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest continues the story of Captain Jack Sparrow in high style. While there are flaws, they are not bad enough to stop the best parts of the movie from being a hell of a lot of fun. This 2-disc Blu-ray edition is worth purchasing just for the image and sound quality alone. Also, with Disney porting over all the extras from the DVD version and adding new interactive features, what you get is the definitive edition of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest on home video. DVD Talk Collector Series.
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Movie:
Rapid Fire, originally released theatrically in 1992, was directed by Dwight H. Little. Starring in the film are Brandon Lee (Jake Lo), Powers Boothe (Lt. Mace Ryan), Nick Mancuso (Antonio Serrano), Kate Hodge (Karla), and Tzi Ma (Tau).

At a fundraiser in Los Angeles, Jake Lo sees Chicago Mob Boss Serrano kill Chang, a Chinese drug dealer working for Tau. Barely escaping with his life, he quickly finds himself the prize witness in a grand jury investigation into the activities of the Chicago mob and placed in witness protection. However, the agents assigned to him make an attempt on his life and then frame him for murder. Now on the run and caught in the middle of two drug lords, the only chance Lo has to clear his name is to team up with Mace Ryan, a renegade cop, and bring down the both Serrano and Tau.

While The Crow was unquestionably Brandon Lee’s greatest film, Rapid Fire manages to do something that, for the most part, both The Crow and Showdown in Little Tokyo didn’t: showcase Lee’s amazing fighting ability. The film never completely breaks free from the B-movie mold, however, thanks to some bad dialogue, some questionable acting, and a bizarre love scene. Thankfully, Lee, who helped choreograph the fighting, is given quite a few action scenes to work with, making the film worth sitting through.

Picture:
Rapid Fire is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, though since the trailer is in 2.35:1, I’m unsure if this was the original aspect ratio. The Region 2 DVD, however, is also in 1.85:1. A few specks appear throughout the film, as does some artifacting. Detail is lacking in several scenes as well. Colors are well saturated throughout, with accurate flesh tones, and solid blacks.

Sound:
Rapid Fire is presented in Dolby 4.0 Surround in English and Dolby 2.0 Surround in French and Spanish. The front surrounds utilize a fair amount of separation to showcase the film’s numerous action scenes, though a few of the effects sound a bit tinny. Dialogue is clean throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Extras:
Extras include a featurette, a Brandon Lee Profile, and trailers for Rapid Fire, Big Trouble in Little China, Broken Arrow, Kiss of the Dragon, Marked for Death, and Point Break. The featurette runs five minutes in length and contains interviews with Lee, Boothe, Mancuso, and others. The participants discuss the film’s storyline: their comments are interspersed with a fair amount of film clips and some behind-the-scenes footage. The Brandon Lee Profile runs two and a half minutes in length and features most of the information and footage found in the featurette.

Summary:
While certainly not terrific, Rapid Fire manages to be entertaining and is highlighted by the spectacular fighting ability of the late Brandon Lee. The DVD is priced at a reasonable $14.98, considering the lack of substantial extras, so fans of the film should definitely consider a purchase. Others may find it worth watching, either as a rental or as late night fare on cable TV.

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Blue Velvet **** (out of 5) (1986)

Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope Lange

Directed by David Lynch

Here’s one of these polarizing movies you either love or hate. I guess I fit inot the former category, though I must admit Lynch has never impressed me in the slightest in any other outing. This is one of those rare exceptions where almost everything seemed to fit into place without going too far overboard into surreality.

The story revolves around a young man who finds a severed ear in a field. He takes it to the police but his own thirst for knowledge and mystery leads him to take matters into his own hands. He decides to investigate and it leads him into the apartment of a depraved woman whose need to be loved and debased at the same time causes conflicts within him. He wants to help her escape her captor, who has kidnapped her husband and son, but she won’t allow him to try. Soon he gets too involved, not only with her, but with his investigation and soon finds himself having to try to save himself.

With a Hitchcockian theme and Lynch’s unabashed mastery of the weird and perverse, this is a wholly unique and quite entertaining flick from the bizarro world. Definitely not for all tastes, but for those who don’t mind their tales thoroughly twisted, it’s about as fun a journey as you could hope for. Hopper is phenomenal as is Rossellini, giving their all in probably the best roles of their careers. Lynch’s direction meshes with his surprisingly adept screenplay with perfection, and some genuinely funny and genuinely disturbing moments fill the screen, and often at the same time. Bold, audacious, and beguiling. It’s too bad Lynch spent most of the next few years trying to outweird himself. Great entertainment (for some).

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