Le Film: 2004
Closer
2004, D: M. Nichols, S: J. Law, J. Roberts, C. Owen, N. Portman
Miscasting (Portman), mawkish dialogue, and deplorable characters make this
character study a trial to sit through. A waste of brilliant acting talent.
Clive stole scene after scene after scene. Give the man a hand and a decent
role. Somebody. Please.
Spongebob Squarepants
2004, D: S. Hillenburg, V: T. Kenny, C. Brown, R. Bumpass, B. Fagerbakke
Hilarious funfunfun.
Sideways
2004, D: A. Payne, S: P. Giamatti, T. Church, V. Madsen, S. Oh
A character piece with great character writing and great character actors.
A genuine, delightful, and faithful film about a rattled, introverted wine
connoisseur (played brilliantly by Paul Giamatti) whose tour of the
California wine country with his womanizing pal (Thomas Hayden Church, A.K.A.
"That guy from Wings!") leads to hilarious antics, awkward love, and chaos.
La règle du jeu [The Rules of the Game]
1939, D: J. Renoir, S: N. Grégor, P. Dubost, M. Dalio, J. Renoir
A bourgeoisie-skewering French film. Beautifully constructed and acted.
A classic in every sense of the word.
The Incredibles
2004, D: B. Bird, V: C. Nelson, H. Hunter, S. Jackson, J. Lee, S. Vowell, S. Fox
A fun film. A super summer popcorn type of movie opening in the middle of
autumn (go figure). Uber amusing stuff. Another great flick from Brad Bird.
Ray
2004, D: T. Hackford, S: J. Foxx, C. Armstrong
A decent bio pic about Ray Charles. Jamie Foxx and Curtis "Booger" Armstrong
are both in top form and worthy of Oscar nominations.
Team America: World Police
2004, D: T. Parker, V: T. Parker, M. Stone
Ultra-juvenile. Guffaw worthy at times, but mostly a squirm fest of crude potty
humor and conflicting messages. I guess I'm getting old. The set design
should win an Oscar.
Les invasions barbares [The Barbarian Invasions]
2003, D: Denys Arcand, S: R. Girard, M. Croze
A beautiful, slightly pretentious French Canadian film. seems to
think Ms. Croze won her award at Cannes for "looking cute." In my opinion this
is a misconception. Her subdued performance throughout the picture was
brilliant, but her scene at the end is what really won her the award. That
heart-wrenching final scene is what put her over the top. She broke my heart.
Touching the Void
2004, D: K. Macdonald
Intense docu-drama about two British climbers who conquered the Southern face
of Siula Grande (a dangerous mountain) in the Peruvian Andes in 1985, only to
brush with death on their descent. It's a harrowing tale, narrated by the
climbers themselves, and depicted by footage shot on-location in Peru with
reenactors. A gripping, human story of survival amidst utter hopelessness.
A beautiful film.
The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century
1996, N: J. Irons, R. Fiennes, L. Neeson, M. McDowell
A poetic, beautiful, and tragic 8-part documentary mini-series on the causes
and effects of World War One. It was produced by KCET/Los Angeles and the BBC
and published by PBS. Featuring 8 directors and primarily written by Blaine
Baggett and Jay Winter, the documentary combines narration by some of the most
gifted actors/tresses in Hollywood today with still images/motion pictures of
the fighting, people, and art, to form a revealing collage. The narrations
invoke the words of poets, politicians, soldiers, journalists, and citizens of
the times. The series garnered two Emmys and a pile of other awards in the
journalism and film industries. It deserved those awards. It is a truly great,
great thing. Anyone with the slightest interest in history should find a copy
of this series and watch it (I found a copy at my local library).
I <heart> Huckabees
2004, D: D. Russell, S: J. Schwartzman, J. Law, N. Watts
A long, torturous piece of crap. I have had dental work that was less painful.
Fans of Christopher Guest will adore this picture.
The Passion of The Christ
2004, D: M. Gibson, S: J. Caviezel, M. Morgenstern, M. Bellucci
I was told by everyone that The Passion was merely a parade of mindless
beatings put forth in an effort to scare the public into adherence to Christian
beliefs. I also heard the film had large currents of anti-Semetism running
throughout. I think these are both ridiculous misconceptions. Perhaps the
picture lost some of its impact on me since I wasn't trapped in a dark theater.
I was actually quite impressed by Gibson's unrelenting pursuit of biblical and
historical accuracy. From the use of the Hebrew (?) language to the method of
crucifixtion, it seemed that Gibson wanted to portray the events--from Christ's
passion in the Garden of Gethsemane to his death on the cross--in as pure a
fashion as possible. He didn't seek to gloss it over. It was like watching
the stations of the cross come to life. Having been put through a Catholic
education from grades K through 12, I'm all too familiar with the gospels. I
found the picture quite fascinating in the way I find all biblical and
mythological stories fascinating. I think the film was expertly crafted and
quite compelling. I chose not to interpret the film in its religious context,
but in it's greater, broader context (I'm not going to start attending mass
again any time soon). To me it was a story of grave sacrifice in the face of
popular opposition. My only complaint: The portrayal of the devil was a bit
cartoonish.
Waking Life
2001, D: R. Linklater
When I have asked several people about this film, all they could tell me was
something along the lines of, "Oh, man, it's really a head trip and
philosophical and stuff." It is indeed a head-trip, but Waking Life is
about dreams, both waking and sleeping. It's about where our dreamstates
end and reality begins. It's about the human mind, the soul, and the barriers
we can break through by harnessing the power of our imaginations. And, of
course, Bob Sabiston's animation work is gorgeous.
To Kill A Mockingbird
1962, D: R. Mulligan, S: G. Peck, B. Peters, R. Duvall
I made the mistake of watching this film after finishing the book. Had I
reversed the order, I undoubtedly would ahve thoroughly enjoyed the film.
However, nothing compares to Lee's novel. Brock Peters and Robert Duvall
were fantastic. I don't understand why Gregory Peck won an oscar for his
portrayal of Atticus Finch. I seems to me he was fine, but it certainly
was not a standout performance as was the case in Roman Holiday.
That Obscure Object of Desire
1977, D: L. Bunuel, S: F. Rey, C. Bouquet, A. Molina
Laden with blatant symbolism, but charming in it's pompous flair.
Stereotypically, everything you'd expect from a French film. Bunuel is a nut.
Vive la France!
Under the Tuscan Sun
2004, D: A. Wells, S: D. Lane, S. Oh
Cute chick flick. Diane Lane is in top form and the fine direction of Audrey
Wells is of note. A classic film feel with lovable side characters. A great
film for girls' night in.
Videodrome
1983, D: D. Cronenberg, S: J. Woods, D. Harry
Disgusting, bewildering, and frightening. Everything I've come to know and
love about Cronenberg films. Similarly themed, but much better than Existenz.
Super Size Me
2004, D & S: M. Spurlock
At times gratuitous and gross, at times fascinating and thought provoking.
An important film in a disappointly Moore-like way.
Shark Tale
2004, D: Bergeron & Jenson
Cute and funny. At times the classic film references were amusing, but the
story was stifled in its own preachiness (is that a word?). Will Smith
seemed right at home voicing a character with a grotesquely enormous ego. Jack
Black's voice was completely unrecognizable as the young transvestite shark (he
likes to dress up like a dolphin). The character of Crazy Joe was hilarious.
Hearts In Atlantis
2001, D: S. Hicks, S: A. Hopkins, H. Davis, D. Morse, A. Yelchin
Beautiful reflection on the innocence of childhood and the trauma of losing it.
Exactly my reaction to Salinger's 9 Stories, except it falls just shy
of Salinger's genius. Brilliant though. Scott Hicks is one hell of a
craftsman.
Ônibus 174 [Bus 174]
2002, D: Felipe Lacerda and José Padilha
Brilliant documentary encompassing not only the central event of the Bus 174
hijacking/hostage crisis, but also the greater problem of poverty and civil
strife in Brazil. Saddening.
Vanity Fair
2004, D: M. Nair, S: R. Witherspoon, G. Byrne, J. Rhys-Meyers, B. Hoskins
Everyone was good, but the picture sucked. The stellar cast was out performed
by the costumes and cinematography (with the possible exception of Hoskins, who
swallows scenes whole). Reese couldn't make the deplorable central character
likeable. Poor casting?
I, Robot
2004, D: A. Proyas, S: W. Smith, S. LeBeouf, B. Moynahan
A terrible, but delightful film. Cheesy CGI, decent acting from Smith, sexy
sobs from Moynahan, and a hilarious, scene-stealing cameo from Shia LeBeouf
make this popcorn flick a decent deal for a second run theater ticket price.
May LeBeouf live to make a thousand films.
Dr. T and the Women
2000, D: R. Altman, S: R. Gere, H. Hunt
Altman continues to piss me off. My god, my head hurts. This film is so awful.
I ... can't. It's not even bad enough to be good. This was a David Lynch
script if one ever existed.
Ali
2001, D: M. Mann, S: W. Smith, J. Foxx
*yawn* Jamie was funny. Jada was sexy. La, la, la. Toooooo loooong. Better
films on Ali have been made (When We Were Kings, etc.). What's the
point? *snore*
Roman Holiday
1953, D: W. Wyler, S: G. Peck, A. Hepburn
Hepburn and Peck were amazing. One of the greatest romantic films of all time.
Napolean Dynamite
2004, D: J. Hess, S: J. Heder, T. Majorino, J. Gries, E. Ramirez, A. Ruell
Hilarious. Offbeat. Written by the MTV generation for the MTV generation.
A celebration and skewering of absolute nerdom. Jon Heder is brilliant.
Ramirez is great. Majorino is adorable. And seeing Jon Gries (Lazlo in
Real Genius) on the big screen again planted a big fat grin on my stupid
face. Not Rushmore, but the next best thing. Damn delightful.
Ladri di biciclette [The Bicycle Thief]
1948, D: Vittorio De Sica, S: L. Maggiorani, E. Staiola
A beautiful and poignant work of art. An important film. Easily one of the
greatest works of cinema.
The Kid
1921, D: C. Chaplain, S: C. Chaplain, J. Coogan, E. Purviance
A work of genius. Rivals City Lights as Chaplin's magnum opus.
A beautiful, eloquently performed, hilarious film. Unbelievable.
Tillie's Punctured Romance
1914, D: M. Sennett, S: C. Chaplain, M. Normand, M. Dressler
Sometimes funny, never poignant, and overall a disappointment. The worst
Chaplain film I've seen to date.
The Office (BBC comedy series)
2004, D: R. Gervais, S: R. Gervais, M. Freeman, M. Crook, L. Davis
The first season is fall-out-of-your-chair, tears-streaming-from-your-eyes
hilarious. The performances and material hit their target with sniper accuracy.
Perfect comedic timing. The writing is fresh and brilliant. Then we make
our way to the second season ... which loses a little of its comedic steam and
starts wandering ever so precariously into dramatic territory. It remains
hilarious but ends awkwardly. I remain full of mixed feelings, but forever in
awe of the performers and their work.
Death Trap
1982, D: S. Bruhl, S: M. Caine, C. Reeve, D. Cannon
The ignorant man's Sleuth. Michael Caine is in his usual form: full of
on-screen English demure and nearly entrancing. Reeve is fine. Cannon is so
far over-the-top and so out of her league it's disturbing. And the writing ...
the writing is an atrocity. The screenplay should have been burned as the
multitude of prop screenplays in the film were burned ... with a vengence.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
1959, D: H. Levin, S: J. Mason, P. Boone, A. Dahl, D. Baker
Mason is brilliant, the special effects are campy, and the theme is epic. A
fine popcorn movie.
The Bourne Supremacy
2004, D: P. Greengrass, S: M. Damon, J. Allen, B. Cox
Fine writing and a fine performance from an amazing cast (as was the case of
'The Bourne Identity), but the single worst film I have ever seen in terms of
camera work. It was so horrible I still can't believe it now ... days later.
I may rent the film again some day just for the laugh. I'm sure I missed half
the film because the camera man was too busy shooting the subject's knees or
the ceiling. Action sequences were the absolute worst: It looked as though
someone hooked the camera man's genetalia up to a fucking car battery. He
convulsed and shook the camera violently. Un-fucking-believable. I'm
disgusted that a potentially fine film was ruined in such a ridiculous way.
Before Sunset
2004, D: R. Linklater, S: E. Hawke, J. Delpy
Goddamn Linklater. How does he do it? This film consists of: two people
walking the streets of Paris talking about everything and nothing, having a cup
of coffee in a cafe, talking some more, walking some more, they eventually wind
up in Celine's apartment where Hawke's character puts on a Nina Simone CD and
then the credits roll. It's 80 minutes of near-perfection and a perfect sequel
to a perfect love story. I'm so beside myself with jealousy for such talent,
I could kill. A humble, gorgeous, human film. !!!
The Ruling Class
1972, D: P. Medak, S: P. O'Toole, A. Sim, A. Lowe, C. Seymour
Deranged quasi-musical. A brilliant cast. Hilarious, disturbing fun.
Fahrenheit 9/11
2004, D: M. Moore
Michael Moore infuriates me. Anyone who receives their "education" from this
man, or takes his films at face value is a jackass (and I'm sure the country
is ripe with such people). Moore loves to take things out of context and do
some editing magic. He also likes to be an ass on camera (e.g. soliciting
members of Congress to sign-up their children for military service during our
occupation of Iraq). But he does it all with a noble purpose. Do the ends
justify the means? You be the judge. All I know is I have both tremendous
respect and hatred for the work and the man. Funny, disgusting agit-prop.
Spider-Man 2
2004, D: S. Raimi, S: T. Maguire, K. Dunst, A. Molina
Molina is interesting. Toby actually manages to shine in this one as a
bumbling citizen nightlighting as a superhero. I wish I could have seen a film
about just clutsy Peter Parker. Spider-Man interested me far less. Dunst is
still cute.
Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom (Spring Summer Winter Fall...and Spring)
2003, D: K. Kim, S: Y. Oh, K. Kim, Y. Kim, J. Seo, Y. Ha
Saw this gem at the Angelika in NYC with and . I was expecting
a boring film and instead witnessed a methodical meditation on life, love, loss,
dedication and honor. I was and remain in awe of this work. A beautiful,
beautiful film.
Spellbound
1945, D: A. Hitchcock, S: G. Peck, I. Bergman
An interesting nail-biter with a happy ending. I fear (but do not know for
certain) this film took some creative liberties with its depiction of psycho-
analysis. That aside, I thought the performances of Peck and Bergman were
par and Hitchcock's direction was (as usual) superb.
Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban
2004, D: A. Cuaron, S: D. Radcliffe, R. Grint, E. Watson
The loss of Richard Harris is felt in the picture. He anchored the last two
down rather well with his own magic. Like all good things, it's never more
apparent than when it is missing. However, the inclusion of Gary Oldman and
Emma Thompson (and the continuing presense of Alan Rickman and the other fine
cast members) produced wonderful results. Together they manage to pull out
another zinger of a popcorn flick. Enjoyed this one just as much as I enjoyed
the last two.
Hellboy
2004, D: G. del Toro, S: R. Perlman, S. Blair, R. Evans
Moderately interesting, well performed comic book-to-screen translation.
The X-men series is much more impressive. (Yes, I know your Geek Alarm is
going off.)
Fatal Attraction
1985, D: A. Lynne, S: M. Douglas, G. Close
Neat little sexual psycho thriller. A 'classic'.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
2004, D: Q. Tarantino, S: U. Thurman, D. Carradine, M. Madsen, C. Lui, M. Parks
Not quite as inspired, slick, or exciting as Vol. 1, but still far outclasses
everything else that's been in the theatres for the past 3 months.
The Work of Director Michel Gondry
2003, D: Michel Gondry
The modern day Houdini of the motion picture, Michel Gondry, has quite a
collection of work on this little DVD. I found his body of work to be a
combination of inspired genius and muddy nonsense. Some of it's brilliant ...
some of it's not. Most of his videos are bizarre and hypnotic, but his Bjork
videos, in particular, are ugly as sin.
The Secret Lives of Dentists
2002, D: A. Rudolph, S: C. Scott, H. Davis, D. Leary, R. Tunney
After seeing Afterglow, I was not looking to see another Alan Rudolph film
anytime soon. But, inisted I see Secret Lives. So, I did. I'm glad
he insisted because the film is a real treat. It succeeds in every area where
Afterglow fails. Its depiction of a married couple coming to terms with
infidelity is sincerely moving, and Alan Rudolph's off-kilter directorial antics
are amusing as shit (his depiction of the human imagination as an untrustworthy
conniver through Dennis Leary's character is genius). Also of note: This may be
the most realistic depiction of the modern American family on film to date (at
least, from my experience). The fantastic cast is dead on and Dennis Leary, in
particular, makes the most of every scene. Odd, odd, hilarious, charming romp.
One of the best films to come out of 2002. (If you see this on DVD, be sure to
watch the "Bloopers" found under the Special Features. Funny stuff.)
Afterglow
1997, D: A. Rudolph, S: N. Nolte, L. Boyle, J. Christie, J. Miller
Amusing, but shallow. Not funny enough to be a farce, but not serious enough
to evoke drama. Amongst all this shoddy, Julie Christie manages to deliver a
powerful performance worthy of a much better film. Afterglow is a character
study of four impossibly disfunctional and idiotic people. Since I do not
normally relate to morons, I found no foothold in this film for personal
involvement (found the characters simply unlikable). And since it's really not
a funny film, I could not enjoy it from the black comedy perspective. Somehow I
think it's a true Jarmuschesque depiction of the human dilemma. Unfortunately,
I do not usually appreciate Jarmusch's work either. <shrug>
The Italian Job
1969, D: P. Collinson, S: M. Caine, N. Coward
This 60's original is a fun little flick. It's part suspense/crime caper, and
part comedy. Unfortunately, it's a little too carefree for my taste (as in:
"Maaaaan, concluding the script is for SQUARES!" <takes a drag on a joint>),
but still ... a fun film. Reminds me of Ocean's Eleven (2001). Michael
Caine, in usual form, is above his material.
Emperor Tomato Ketchup
1970, D: S. Terayama
Holy shit. I'm quite sure this is art. But, it's content goes beyond the
line of decency right up to the edge of criminality. Brazen and sick,
but poetic. If Terayama went one step further, I would have been forced to
condemn the picture as reprehensible filth. The absolute edge of moral cinema.
Zatôichi
2003, D: T. Kitano, S: T. Kitano, T. Asano
A flaming turd. But an imaginative and sarcastic flaming turd. It's weakness
does not lie in its vision, but in its half-ass delivery. I was under sporadic
impressions I was expected to take the characters seriously. And just when
I began to, Kitano would pull the rug out from under me again by drawing eyes on
eyelids. It's a confused work. I would complain even further, but the whole
dance number at the end was a treat. And I can't help but admit I had fun
watching Tadanobu Asano and Takeshi Kitano play samurai sword wielding
bad-asses. Another interesting failure. (Has Tadanobu been in an interesting
success?)
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2003, D: P. Jackson, S: E. Wood, S. Astin, I. McKellen, V. Mortensen
Epic scale closing chapter of Jackson's trilogy. Again, great performances,
great direction, great SFX, and decent writing. I thoroughly enjoyed all
three parts. Like The Matrix trilogy, the first of the three is by far the
strongest picture and stands very well on its own. Melodramatic, but magical.
The Front
1976, D: M. Ritt, S: W. Allen, Z. Mostel, M. Murphy
Funny, charming, and interesting. I love the fact that these people all got
together 20 years after they were blacklisted (read: McCarthyism) to make a
film about the travesties of blacklisting. Delightful.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2004, D: M. Gondry, S: J. Carrey, K. Winslet
Creative, beautiful, dreamy, and confusing. Great cast, sound direction, and
finally a Kaufman script that doesn't make me want to stab someone.
Veronica Guerin
2003, D: J. Schumacher, S: C. Blanchett
Ms. Blanchett transfixes me. She could be singing show-tunes, wearing a barrel,
and spitting in my eye, but I'd still find her immensely entertaining. Here
she has some decent material and she makes the most of it. (It's a shame
Schumacher had to be involved in this project. He notoriously over-
commercializes his pictures, turning heartfelt stale.) Interesting story
though. And an awesome cameo by Mr. Farrell as 'Tattooed Boy'.
Spellbound
2002, D: J. Blitz
Amusing. The one "speller" is a poster child for Ritalin. EGAD.
Heavenly Creatures
1994, D: P. Jackson, S: K. Winslet, M. Lynskey
Beautiful, startling, and riveting. The most twisted coming-of-age story I've
seen this side of Murmurs of the Heart. Winslet is fantastic. Jackson
weaves some serious visual magic. Insidious and wonderful.
Ai no corrida [In the Realm of the Senses]
1976, D: N. Oshima, S: T. Fuji, E. Matsuda, A. Nakajima
An interesting porno or a questionable art film. Genitalia galore. Still
controversial 28 years after its release ... that's pretty impressive.
À Nous la Liberté [Liberty For Us]
1931, D: R. Clair, S: H. Marchand, R. Cordy
A cinematic masterpiece about conformity and personal freedom. A beautiful
marvel. Sweeping, hilarious, moving. I typed up the English subtitled opening
and closing song lyrics.
Entr'acte [Between Act]
1924, D: R. Clair, W: F. Picabia, M: E. Satie
A surrealist collage in black-and-white. A silent short. Experimental and
avant-gardist. One of the first of its kind. An important and semi-amusing
piece.
Le Dernier combat [The Last Combat]
1983, D: L. Besson, S: P. Jolivet, J. Reno, J. Bouise
What a piece of crap. Some nice ideas, but the reality of the thing is both
ugly and boring.
Capturing the Friedmans
2003, D: A. Jarecki, S: The Friedmans <cringe>
This film makes two all-important statements: Pedophiles are people too.
-and- McCarthyism is alive and well in these great States of America.
(For the record I disagree with certain critics who say the film is
opportunistic and takes advantage of the Friedmans and their plight.
Why would the Friedmans record almost every argument they had and then
agree to appear in countless interviews for the film, if they did not
want their voices heard by the public? No, the Friedmans obviously
wanted this.) It's not Crumb, but nothing is. Jarecki probes as deep as
one can go into the lives of these hopelessly disfunctional people.
Brilliant editing. One of the best films of the year.
In America
2002, D: J. Sheridan, S: D. Hounsou, P. Considine, S. Morton, S. Bolger, E. Bolger
Can melodrama get any more gratuitous or ridiculous? I felt like a
ragdoll being batted around by a dog. There were a few sincere and
charming moments in the film, and I found the performances and direction
to be well above par, but the writing and the circumstances therein were
just so ... artificial and contrived ... and a constant insult to my
intelligence. This film insulted me far more than Triplettes of Belleville,
and this one is pro-American. You figure that out. Because I can't.
Les Triplettes de Belleville [The Triplets of Belleville]
2003, D: S. Chomet
Delightfully creative anti-American film. It's both insulting (because
of its lack of any constructive criticism) and amusing at the same time.
I'm ashamed, but I thoroughly enjoyed Triplettes. Viva la France!
Wilde
1997, D: B. Gilbert, S: S. Fry, J. Law, M. Sheen
Interesting portrait of the late, great literary genius. Weak on the writing
side, but strong performances and sound direction. Not great, but good.
Cidade de Deus [City of God]
2002, D: F. Meirelles, S: A. Rodrigues
Paulo Lins' novel must be great because Bráulio Mantovani's screenplay
adaptation is smart. Not to mention Fernando Meirelles' masterful direction.
Alexandre Rodrigues as Buscapé (Rocket), Phellipe Haagensen, and
Leandro Firmino all give impressive performances. When you put all this talent
together, the sparks fly and Brazilian cinema bursts into brilliant flame.
This film roars. It's lush, and harsh, and engrossing as hell. I can't help
but think of it as one of the greatest gangster films of all time (right up
there with The Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Long Good Friday). Amazing.
Commando
1985, D: M. Lester, S: A. Schwarzenegger, R. Chong
Amusing but stupid action flick. Classic Schwarzenegger and a must see for any
Schwarzenegger completist.
Repo Man
1984, D: A. Cox, S: E. Estevez, H. Stanton, T. Walter
Finally, a camp cult classic worthy of a cult. It's surreal, off-beat, and
hilarious. Estevez is good, Harry Dean is awesome. Fucking bizarre. Punk
cinema.
Our Hospitality
1923, D: J. Blystone & B. Keaton, S: B. Keaton
More hilarious, mind-blowing antics from Buster Keaton.
Sherlock Jr.
1924, D: B. Keaton, S: B. Keaton
Hilarious physical comedy taken to extreme levels. Buster was the Jackie Chan
of the comedic silver screen. Jaw-dropping stuff.
Der Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire)
1987, D: W. Wenders, S: B. Ganz, S. Dommartin, O. Sander, P. Falk
A magnificent motion picture. One of the greatest films ever made, IMHO.
Spellbinding, beautiful, poignant. An amazing cast. Peter Falk is brilliant.
The Work of Director Spike Jonze
2003, D: L. Bangs & S. Jonze, S: S. Jonze, Björk, C. Walken, F. Slim
Great little compilation of Spike Jonze music videos, behing the scenes stuff,
and rarities/extras. Yes, Spike is a "gimmick" artist. But he may be the
finest gimmick artist ever to grace the musical short.
La Veuve de Saint-Pierre (The Widow of Saint-Pierre)
2000, D: P. Laconte, S: J. Binoche, D. Auteuil, E. Kusturica
Magnificently performed and photographed, terribly written and directed. A bore
to sit through.
The American Dreamer
1971, D: L. Carson & L. Schiller, S: D. Hopper
Revealing (and rare) behind-the-scenes "documentary" on Dennis Hopper in which
Mr. Hopper constantly smokes up, compares himself to Orson Welles, plays with
firearms, and convinces a room full of naked women to have a "sensitivity
experience." Dennis being Dennis with a little help from the directors.
The Last Movie
1971, D: D. Hopper, S: D. Hopper
A noble attempt from Mr. Hopper from the early seventies. What may have seemed
brilliant to him in his drug induced hazy bubble, turned out to be muddy
on-screen. Some of it, however, works. And one can see what he was trying to
do. In that, this film has value because of it's bravery and partial success.
An interesting watch for dead heads, film junkies, and Hopper fans alike.
The Shop Around The Corner
1940, D: E. Lubitsch, S: J. Stewart, M. Sullavan, J. Schildkraut, W. Tracy
A perfect film. Charming. Timeless. The quitessential romantic comedy.
The Long Good Friday
1980, D: J. Mackenzie, S: B. Hoskins, H. Mirren
A wonderfully gritty post-70's English gangster flick. Very likely a strong
influence for Scorsese's Good Fellas. Hoskins and Mirren are great. The story
writing and direction are superb. A damn fine film.
Kin-Dza-Dza
1986, D: G. Daneliya, S: S. Lyubshin, L. Gabriadze, Y. Leonov, Y. Yakovlev
I was told I would miss a good portion of the significance of this film because
I am not familiar with what went on in communist Russia during the 80's. Well,
I am a firm believer that all good art transcends time and place, is universal
in nature, and can be interpretted in many different ways. Kin-Dza-Dza is
definitely good art. It's a wonderful film. Surreal, funny, touching, and
quite amusing. I highly recommend this film to anyone who can get their hands
on it. (Yoo-hoo! Criterion! Here's one ya missed!)
Blood Work
2002, D: C. Eastwood, S: C. Eastwood, J. Daniels, A. Huston
I sure hope Michael Connelly's book was better than Brian Helgeland's
screenplay, because the screenplay sucks. Rule of thumb with these cookie-
cutter modern crime mysterys: The most far-fetched, yet obvious character is the
murderer. In this case it's Jeff Daniel's character, who's obviously glued onto
the entire movie and has no place in the story other than to be the surprise
killer at the end. It took me about 5 or 10 minutes to figure this out. The
only mystery was how they were going to go about revealing this to the audience,
and how poorly the rest of the screenplay was going to play out. Thanks to
Eastwood's acting and direction, it wasn't completely painful. But nothing,
and I mean nothing, could save this pathetic script. One of Eastwood's
worst films. (It's a good thing he followed up this piece of shit with Mystic
River. Otherwise, I would have lost faith in the man.)
Shattered Glass
2003, D: B. Ray, S: H. Christensen, P. Sarsgaard, C. Sevigny, S. Zahn
Smart little picture based on a true story about a journalist who fabricates
his stories. The cast is great. And who would have thought that a first-time
director with the name "Billy Ray," who's writing credits include Volcano, would
adapt and direct such a wonderful little film. Hmph. Interesting.
Start The Revolution Without Me
1970, D: B. Yorkin, S: G. Wilder, D. Sutherland, E. Aulin
Gene Wilder is brilliant as usual in the dual roles of a maniac and a quiet
peasant. What's really tell-tale here is that he's equally funny in both parts.
Unfortunately, he's once again above his material. The screenplay and direction
are abysmally poor. The picture starts out with a kind of whacky energy and a
few Monty Python-esque moments. But then the momentum of the humor runs out
really quickly as the homorous premise of the film wears thin. I spent the last
30 minutes of the picture praying for it to end. It seems like the longer it
dragged on the less I liked it. And I really wanted to like it. But in order
for that to happen, they would have had to turn the film into a 15-minute short.
Unless you're a Gene Wilder fanatic, skip it.
Street Smart
1987, D: J. Schatzberg, S: M. Freeman, C. Reeve, K. Baker, M. Rogers
Gritty, gritty goodness. and insisted Morgan Freeman was brilliant in this
film. They were both absolutely right. Freeman scared the shit out of me. It
may be his best performance. The rest of the cast, the direction, and technical
aspects of the film are all fine. The writing is rather good. And the result
is an exceptional film which needs to be brought to the attention of anyone who
missed it.
Night of the Hunter
1955, D: C. Laughton, S: R. Mitchum, S. Winters
Haunting classic about the ills of religious hypocrisy and zealotry. Mitchum is
good as a creepy preacher killer. The cinematrography is pretty amazing too.
I can't imagine what they went through to obtain some of the imagery they
managed to capture. A real solid picture, and deserving of it's lofty
reputation.
The Work of Director: Chris Cunningham
2003, D: L. Bangs, S: C. Cunningham, Björk, S. Jonze
The assembly and work put into this collection is actually pretty sparce/lame,
however, the work of Cunningham available within the collection is fantastic.
Cunningham's genius is on full-display in all his music videos and work. The
behind the scenes footage and interview with Cunningham for Björk's video:
"All Is Full Of Love," is pretty interesting. I just wish there was more of
the goodness. Highlights: Cunningham's videos for Portishead, Leftfield, and
Autechre.
Cowards Bend The Knee or The Blue Hands
2003, D: G. Maddin, S: D. Fehr, M. Dionisio, A. Smart
This silent film is a series of short films that when viewed separately are fun
to watch, but mean nothing, however, when they are combined with the overall
plot (crazy daughter of a bordello madame/salon owner conspires to murder her
mother by convincing her lover she has sewn her dead father's decomposing, blue
hands in place of his own) still mean absolutely nothing. It ... may have
something to do with father/daughter mother/son relationships, adolescent
sexual confusion, and revenge. But I think that may be giving it too much
credit. It's art gone awry. Whether it's good awry or bad awry, I leave to
you.
The Short Films of David Lynch
2002, D: D. Lynch
Six Men Getting Sick Six Times (1967), The Alphabet (1968), and The Grandmother
(1970) are unsettling as hell. But, equally intriguing. It's like sitting
through a series of nightmares. The nightmares tell us about ourselves (things
we wish we could forget/escape) by shaking us into an awful state. The Amputee
(1973) is gross, but effective. Potentially a fantastic discussion piece
because of the challenge it presents to its viewers. The Cowboy and The
Frenchman (1987) is fucking hilarious. Call me crazy, but I love this film.
Harry Dean is fucking great as the near-deaf cowboy. And finally, Lumiere
(1995). A 55-second masterpiece. Call me crazy some more, but I think it may
be one of the best films I have ever seen. Right up there with La Jetée.
Lynch manages to tastefully cram half a dozen visual (subliminal) clips into a
55-second burst of motion picture. I love it.
The Last Samurai
2003, D: E. Zwick, S: T. Cruise, K. Watanabe, T. Spall, Koyuki
Not a bad film. A tad long. I can't help but compare it to Ran, Dances With
Wolves, and Braveheart. It is not as good as these aforementioned films.
From all technical and creative standpoints, it's a sound film. I would
recommend it to most people. LS feels watered down somehow. Somehow
bland. Like a commercial action flick. All the characters are there, the
lines are delivered, but I'm just not convinced. I'm just not moved. <shrug>
Levity
2003, D: E. Solomon, S: B. Thornton, M. Freeman, H. Hunter, K. Dunst
Solid performances. The one exception is Dunst, who hasn't mustered a decent
performance since The Virgin Suicides. Here she over-emphasizes her
lines and giggles her way through her part--souring her own sweetness. The rest
of the cast glides through their roles, using quiet subtleties to convey their
characters' complex emotions. The direction is also quite noteworthy. First-
time feature film director Ed Solomon shows a real delicate touch. But, then
we get to the writing. When your best script to date is Men In Black, and your
resume includes Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, What Planet Are You From?, and
Super Mario Brothers, I'm sorry, but you're absolutely screwed. And here the
writing does prove to be the real weak point. The plot has several gaping holes
and contrivances which almost drown the overall picture. Solomon's screenplay
takes a step beyond idealism and winds up in completely unrealistic territory.
Some of his characters (Adele for instance) have completely unrealistic
responses to their situations, and some characters (Sofia Mellinger's mother)
are presented but then completely dismissed and forgotten--leaving many
unanswered questions. For the sentimental this film could prove to be a keeper.
It's not a bad film. For those of us who can't help but think, we're left
frustrated and disappointed. Solomon needs to stop writing, and continue
directing.
Ikiru
1952, D: A. Kurosawa, S: T. Shimura, Y. Itô
A beautiful and sad depiction of a dying man and his search for meaning in his
life. A tad overrated. At times it feels like the sentimentality is laid on a
little too thick and our sympathies are stretched thin, but undeniably another
fine work from the great Kurosawa. (Did this inspire It's A Wonderful Life?)
Lost In La Mancha
2002, D: K. Fulton & L. Pepe, S: T. Gilliam
A great behind-the-scenes film about the attempt-at-making-of a Terry Gilliam
film entitled: The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. The Terry Gilliam film
making effort wound up being a catastrophe of epic proportions. So, in essense,
it's a study of failure. This film was obviously originally intended to be a DVD
extra for Terry Gilliam's finished product, but what they captured became a film
in itself, and I believe this metamophosis and the decision to release this work
on its own is well justified. I immensely enjoyed this film. A sadistic
pleasure.
Dogville
2003, D: L. von Trier, S: N. Kidman, P. Bettany, S. Skarsgard
This film is a triumph of imagination and intellect. It's artistic design and
bold statement feel like bomb blasts in a dreary and tiresome Hollywood world of
cookie-cutter crap. The performances, script, set design, and direction are all:
PERFECT. I hate von Trier (because he's an arrogant ass and his films usually
give me motion sickness), but I love this film.
House of Sand And Fog
2003, D: V. Perelman, S: J. Connelly, B. Kingsley, S. Aghdashloo
Powerful performances, a poorly adapted screenplay, and criminally bad direction.
This film is especially painful to sit through because the cast gives so much and
the result is a mockery of their efforts. I hate this film. HATE. Quoth :
"They spent half their budget on smoke machines." Damn straight.
Underworld
2003, D: L. Wiseman, S: K. Beckinsale
I heard people say this film was terrible. That's not true. It's good fodder.
The effects aren't that bad, the acting is as good as it needs to be considering
the material, and the pace of the action and construction of the story is sound.
<shrug> It's not that bad.
Boiler Room
2000, D: B. Younger, S: G. Ribisi, B. Affleck, V. Diesel, N. Long
I hate to say it but Ben "Assflick" Affleck is good in this film. No, he's
tremendous. His angry tirades are comparable only to Pacino's work. The film
overall is quite a pleasant surprise. It's bold, brash, and fresh (like its cast).
Tigerland
2000, D: J. Schumacher, S: C. Farrell
Overrated, overacted, and overdirected. The only exception to the rule is Mr.
Farrell, who is calmly endearing as the company trouble-maker. His perf makes
this movie bearable.
Vienna Actionists: Vol. 1 & 2
1964-1970, S: O. Muehl, G. Brus, K. Kren, O. Bauer, R. Schwarzkogler
I brought in the new year with the most vile and appalling acts ever committed to
motion picture. Ah, yes, there's nothing like singing "Auld Lang Syne" while
watching a man eat his own vomit mixed with urine, re-vomit the mixture back up,
and roll around in it. I'm really unsure as to why the films were made. They
make for some lively discussion though. The films included: Sodoma, Mama And
Papa, Oh Sensibility, Leda Und Der Schwann, O Tannenbaum, Stille Nacht, Cosinus
Alpha, Scheiss-Kerl, Impudence In Grunwald, Psychotik-Party, and Otmar Bauer
Presents. Ugh.
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