Sunday, April 25, 2010

DEATH NOTE: THE LAST NAME (2006)

What's up with that Red Hot Chili Peppers song?!  It seemed completely out of place during the closing credits of the first film, but now, not only is it in the closing titles of this second film, but it's played during the opening of the film as well!  It doesn't make any sense.  This is a Japanese language film about death and murder and they start the film with some upbeat California rock song?  It's completely out of place, but it does bring to mind a great movie game: Most Inappropriate Closing Credit Songs (that would completely ruin the mood).  A few examples:

The B-52's - "Love Shack", THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT
The Monkees - (Theme from) The Monkees, PLANET OF THE APES
DMX - "Party Up (Up In Here)", ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
Bruce Springsteen - "Glory Days", BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)
Ghostemane - "Venom", AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST
The Proclaimers - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" - THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE III (FINAL SEQUENCE)
$uicideBoy$ - "My Flaws Burn Through My Skin Like Demonic Flames from Hell, AMERICAN PIE
Papa Roach - "Last Resort", THE HOURS
Three 6 Mafia - "Who the Crunkest", LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
They Might Be Giants - "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", MIDSOMMAR
100 gecs - “money machine”, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
100 gecs - “stupid horse”, THE GODFATHER
100 gecs - sympathy 4 the grinch, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
The J. Geils Band - “Centerfold”, HEREDITARY
Elvis Presley - “Jailhouse Rock”, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Alphaville - "Forever Young", SALO, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM (1975)
GFOTY - “Tongue”, FATAL ATTRACTION
The B-52's - "Rock Lobster", JAWS
Celine Dion - "My Heart Will Go On", A SERBIAN FILM
"Weird Al" Yankovic - "Eat It", LA GRANDE BOUFFE (1973)
Fleetwood Mac - "Second Hand News", THE PERFECT STORM

...the list is endless really.

Anyway, this second Death Note film starts out strong as fuck.  As you remember, the first film ended on a cliffhanger that left the viewer going "Ohhh, shit!!!", but then the second film takes the excitement even further with the introduction of a second Kira!  "Ohhh, double-shit!!!"  It's awesome.  I was on the edge of my seat for the first half of the film, but then things get overly complicated and the ending drags on forever.  It was disappointing.

I still really like this film and watch it occasionally, but usually stop about 3/4 of the way through.

Part 1 - Death Note (2006)
Part 3 - Death Note: L Change the World (2008)