Sukiyaki Western Django among other things...

Okay, so the movie's done and will be sent out to cast and festivals starting tomorrow. I finished a day after the last deadline for the Sarasota Film Festival. Ah well. There's always next year depending on how well this year goes. The sound mix went well. Basically, my brother and I realized that whatever he would do to make the songs flow together, I'd already done so we decided to just keep the music edits I did. :D So, out it goes and where it stops I'll post here.

Anyway, as today is sort of a day off, I've decided to watch movies. The other day, I picked up a newer film from one of my favourite directors, Takashi Miike; he was behind such intense, amazing, bizarre fare as Audition, Ichi the Killer, The Happiness of the Katakuris, and Visitor Q (the only one of his flicks thus far that I haven't liked.)

The flick I picked up was Sukiyaki Western Django and it is the best Japanese Western ever made. Unfortunately, the American DVD had something like twenty minutes cut from the original film. Normally, I don't buy cut versions, and there is one part in particular where you feel it, but apparently the Malaysian subtitles for the looped track (the film was made with Japanese actors speaking English) are terrible. Since it was never released here theatrically, I really wonder why First Look cut it up, but whatever.

The flick is awesome...so long as you don't mind that it's really weird and sometimes a little hard to understand; I had to turn on the subtitles a couple of times. Since I don't mind that in the least, I freaking loved it.

I hate Westerns, but lately I find myself drawn to a few modern interpretations of the classic tropes in the genre: Stephen King's Gunslinger, Joss Whedon's Firefly, and now this. It was beautifully shot, the music was awesome, the performances were fantastic, and the direction superb. I LOVED it, but it's definitely not for everyone.

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I hate doing the review dumps so here's a quick round-up of the flick's I've watched during post:

I saw My Bloody Valentine 3D and hated it, though the 3D was great. I saw Coraline and loved it. Last Chance Harvey was wonderful; I love Emma Thompson so so so much. The Life Before Her Eyes was good, but the ending was a little "eh."

Repo! The Genetic Opera -- I hated the lyrics and Paris Hilton makes me vomit a little, but all else was awesome. Too bad the lyrics are EVERYTHING in a rock opera. I think I'm the only Goth who doesn't think this flick is the Bee's Knees.

Ghost Town -- Much better than I thought it was going to be.

I Vampiri -- Cinematography by Mario Bava. Beautifully shot, pretty good story having very little to do with vampires.

Superstar in a Housedress -- A documentary about Jackie Curtis, one of Andy Warhol's entourage. It was good. I had no idea who Jackie Curtis was before I saw this. Never heard the name before, haven't heard the name since. You learn something new every day.

I think that's everything. I'm slowly trying to break out of my production cocoon, too... :D I've had enough of sitting in front of this computer for one night, I'mo go watch a movie.