The Informers

USA, 2009

Director: Gregor Jordan
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder, Kim Basinger, Amber Heard, Chris Isaak, Brad Renfro
IMDB: 6.0/10

Based on the book by Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho) and featuring a cast of great actors, there was never any doubt I'd be checking this movie out.

With rampant sex, drug use, gratuitous nudity and outstanding use of period music, The Informers is an experience more than a film. As a slice of life evoking a specific time period, the film works extraordinarily well. As a complete story, not so much.



Set in 1983 Los Angeles, a time when materialism and vanity, sex, drugs and living the high life became available to a greater and greater amount of people. A time when AIDS was secretly spreading throughout the community, and about to reach the wider public consciousness, and in so doing instigate a sea-change in attitudes towards sex. It cannot be over-stated what an effect AIDS had ... little was known about this mysterious disease except that it killed, there was no cure, and you got it from having sex.

Introducing a large cast of characters of dubious moral fibre, the movie creates a subtle web of inter-relationships linking them together. However, the multiple story arcs while tangentially related, come to no explicit conclusion, and the film ends feeling like it finished abruptly halfway through. Even so, the message left at the end is clear enough, and the viewer is left to fill in the rest of the details themselves. For many viewers, especially those preferring their movies with a neat ending, this will seem like a cop out. For others, it will give pause for reflection.

 

Perhaps the point is that there was no point. Nothing but living for the moment, for the thrills, for the rush ... oblivious to the consequences. It was all about enjoying the 'now', and then it ended. And so with this movie.

Myself, I would've preferred to see the movie go further ... if only for the fact that I was so thoroughly enjoying the movie and the characters that I didn't want it to end. But the structure is what the author and director intended, and while it won't be to every movie-goers taste, I admire that they had the balls to do something different.



I loved this movie for every minute of its running time... superb acting, direction, cinematography and all the polish that we expect from Hollywood these days. Combined with a story of 80's decadence makes it a winner for me, but then I'm a sucker for anything with a sex, drugs and rock'n'roll theme.

Of special note is the score by Christopher Young, a smooth and contemporary vibe that sounds great, mixed in with a well chosen '80's soundtrack that suits the movie to a tee. This movie sounds fantastic. Special mention also to Amber Heard, the blonde nymphette who provides most of the film's gratuity and looks memorably fabulous while doing it.



Cuts on the soundtrack include: Simple Minds, Wang Chung, Pat Benatar, Men Without Hats, Gary Numan, and A Flock of Seagulls.

Rating: 6.5/10.
 

Valley of Flowers

India, France, Japan, Germany, 2007
aka La Vallée des fleurs

Director: Pan Nalin
Starring: Milind Soman, Mylene Jampanoi, Naseeruddin Shah, Eri
IMDB: 6.7

This epic story of love and karma, a spellbinding collaboration between four countries performed in two languages, is a must-see for lovers of world cinema.

At just over two and half hours long, much of it set in the timeless Himalayas, this is a movie that is the antithesis of Hollywood entertainment, and is fascinating for that very reason. Director Pan Nalin is forging an eastern style of film-making that is almost uniquely his own.



If you've seen his 2001 debut Samsara, then you will know the style I am referring to. This time around however, he's put together a far more complex script infused with the Buddhist principles of karma and reincarnation.

Jalan (played by Milind Soman) is the leader of a band of outlaws robbing caravans on the Silk Road in the early 19th century. After one of his raids, a beautiful woman (Mylene Jampanois) is left behind as the victims escape, and she asks to join him on his travels. Despite the rest of the men objecting (strangely, given her looks), Jalan is plainly intrigued and brings her along anyway.




Seducing her that very night and intending to send her on her way in the morning, he soon finds that he has fallen deeply in love with her. Despite causing discord among the men, she eventually wins them over with her preternatural ability to find rich pickings for them to plunder.

In fact, it soon becomes apparent that she may be more than she seems. As they wander the endless expanse of the Himalayas, they encounter swamis with mystical powers, steal the 'luck' and 'life energy' of unsuspecting peasants, and eventually find the secret to immortality itself.



All the while they are being hunted by Yeti (Naseeruddin Shah), who in the mythology of the region is a being that protects the equilibrium of mother nature. Along the way he treats us to various gems of buddhist philosophy, although 'reality is caused by alcoholic deficiency ... so let's have a drink' may or may not be one of them.

The story concludes in modern day Tokyo, with completion of the karmic cycle.




At a time when it seems like every second Hollywood movie is a remake, its refreshing to experience such a completely unique and fascinating story.

The locations in both Japan and the Himalayas are of course spectacular, as is the cinematography. There are some pretty nifty special effects as well, subtly implemented into the story in a way that doesn't draw attention. The acting is equally impressive, and the two leading ladies - Mylene Jampanois and her Japanese counterpart Eri - are both gorgeous.

Summary

A fascinating and unique story told masterfully, visually spectacular and sure to be a favourite of world cinema aficionados for years to come. It moves at a slow arthouse pace, so is definitely not for anyone looking for a Hollywood popcorn movie!

Rating: 9/10

Eight Miles High

aka Das Wilde Leben
Germany, 2007

Director: Achim Bornhak
Starring: Natalia Avelon, David Scheller,
IMDB: 6.2

Eight Miles high is the true story of German supermodel/groupie Uschi Obermaier, played by uber-hottie Natalia Avelon. A love of rock music and dreams of bigger things lead her to hitch-hike from home and shack up in a Berlin commune in the late 1960s.

Soon she's modelling, and before you know it she's shagging Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, living the free-sex ethos of the times.

 
 

Unable to limit herself to any single man, she goes from touring with the Stones to touring the world in a bus with a German playboy prince. An interesting life to be sure, and of course great material for a movie.

Natalia Avelon is the undisputed star of the film, strutting, pouting, and generally being undressed for most of the movie. I haven't seen her in anything else, but her performance here is superb. Interestingly she also co-sings the excellent signature track of the movie, Summer Wine.


 

If you ever wondered what it was like to live the life of the hip and famous in the golden age of late 1960's era Europe, you can't go too wrong here. The soundtrack is mostly excellent, and the atmosphere/costumes/locations seem authentic and true to reality. A true slice of life film from the psychedelic era of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll !

Twisted rating: 6.5/10

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Trailer