@MrPecans:
The over the top characterization of some of the characters and the set pieces seem like they would at home in an anime to me.
So I finally saw Snowpiercer recently, and I see what you meant MrPecans. But what came to my mind were the Matrix movies, particularly the parts that took place in the real world.
As far as post-apocalyptic type movies go, Snowpiercer has a pretty outlandish premise even by the standards of that genre, which I enjoy very much. I was pleasantly surprised by how visually appealing the film remains throughout. Having the sections of the train compliment the social class that section belongs to provides excellent ambience. The social uprising that serves as the central conflict of the movie is emphasized by the train itself. It's very impressive how much mileage the movie gets out of something that could have easily been a gimmick that didn't amount to anything.
I must say I do wish the korean father-daughter pair were the protagonists instead of Chris Evans. As I feel like it's alittle too obvious the movie wanted to capitalize on his star power to sell tickets. I sincerely believe, that the desire of the father to show his daughter the outside world could have motivated him to fill the role Chris Evans has here. That and I just found him very distracting, the whole time I thought to myself. "You're Captain America, hurry up and save everyone. What are you waiting for?" I didn't have a problem with his performance, the overlap between the two roles just amuses me.
All in all, this is an unusual movie. Which is something i've come to expect from a Bong Joon-ho production. I admire how well this movie handles a subject like class friction in an unconventional manner in such a confined space like a train. Between Snowpiercer and The Host I can say I dig their style, so I will be checking out other Bong Joon-ho films because I would like to see more of it.
Speaking of Marvel superheroes in bizarre movies, I finally sat down and watched the Scarlett Johansson film Under The Skin. I'm quite proud of myself, it's been on my checklist for years but it would always slip my mind to watch it.
I have to reiterate how strange this movie is, even more so than Snowpiercer, because it takes place in our world and not a fantasy setting. And I have to admit even though I knew there was sexual content in the film before seeing it, I was not prepared for how it's depicted. I think the reason for that comes from the film treating sexual desire as just another component of the human condition. It's not glamorized in a sensual way, so I didn't find anything erotic about those moments. Which leads me to what I enjoyed the most about this movie, that being Scarlett's character interacting with people. It's fascinating to watch. She starts off detached from humanity. As the film progresses you see her bond with the outward persona of humanity she literally wears as a second skin, without really meaning to.
I enjoyed the usage of surreal imagery throughout the film, I thought it all suited the extra-terrestrial nature of Scarlett Johansson's character, and the motivation behind her actions very well. So do the beautiful shots of real world environments throughout for that matter.
The film doesn't go out of its way to explain everything you see in detail either, I didn't have a problem with this. It's an intimate experience through the eyes of our protagonist, that's where its strength lies. In that respect, it's alot like watching a nature documentary about humanity. One specifically concerned with our desire to form relations with one another, for better or worse. The only regret I have about this movie, is that it took me so long to see it.