The insane ramblings of a sick dying man

raidersoftheark @ 2007-08-26T23:04:00

2007-08-27T03:41:51Z

104. Wings of Desire [5]
Interesting colour scheme and visual design, but once people started endlessly pontificating on non-sequiters I started to tune out. Also, Bruno Ganz is really not the kind of guy who should have a ponytail. Ever.

105. Casino [7]
Too much of a retread of Goodfellas for my liking, and despite the extra half-hour, it almost feels like there's less substance to this film than the former. But still, it's hard to not be blown away by Scorsese's dizzying direction, Schoonmaker's disorienting editing, and the bombastic performances by just about everyone involved. If only I hadn't seen it all before.

106. The Thin Red Line [9]
Malick's haunting and totally mesmerizing look on man's relationship with nature during Guadalcanal is equally devastating as it is enlightening. This is NOT a film for everyone, however. Malick's dizzying pontification of man, the eternal soul, God, nature and war can seem endless to some, and I will have to admit that at times it got a little heavy handed. A few minor quibbles aside, (just what the fuck are George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, John Cusack and John Travolta doing with their 20 second cameos?) do little to tarnish the intricately woven-characters and heartbreaking moments of psychology in the face of war. I have truly not seen carnage this poetic since Hillcoat's The Proposition.

107. Knocked Up [5]
A pretty darn standard comedy, if you ask me. Apatow's follow-up to his less-than-stellar "The 40 Year Old Virgin" has even less laughs and an even harder to believe romance than that film. A few funny Paul Ruddisms aside, there was absolutely nothing worth of note in this movie. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, Boy fucks up, Wins her back at the end, They drive into the sunset with a new baby. Also... wanting to leave your husband because he goes to a fantasy baseball group? What?

108. The Night of the Hunter [8]
Robert Mitchum delivers a film-stealer in Laughton's solo effort about a criminal posing as a preacher to take 10,000$ from a widowed wife and her kids. Balancing Capra-esque sentimentalism, with flights of fantasy and bone-chilling suspense, it can feel like too many different films in one (which I think hurts the overall impact of the film), but it's hard to deny Mitchum's simply amazing role as the deranged preacher and the overall creepiness pervading every scene.

109. Playtime [10]
How the fuck can one even begin to describe this movie? I sure as hell can't, and I'm not even going to try. If there truly is one artist who truly makes you believe in the beauty and life found in every single thing on this planet, it's Tati. I came out of the theatre convinced I saw something I'll never forget. It truly is like the film came from some distant planet.

110. Goodfellas [8.5]
Scorsese's better gangster flick of the 90's. I'm also not going to say very much, because everybody has seen this movie. It's a slick piece of Shakespearean filmmaking, that loses a bit due to the constant barrage of machismo. Not that I can really blame Goodfellas for it, as it is a theme that Scorsese enjoys revisiting time and time again. One of the defining moments of 90's cinema, to be precise.

111. The New World [8.5]
Love him or hate him, there truly is no denying Malick's ability to photograph a pretty sunset, and constructing a moving love story seems to also be second nature to him, as the romance between John Smith and Pocahontas feels incredibly real. There is much less philosophy in this film compared to TTRL and more drama, but somehow it never quite feels as devastating, breathtaking and exhausting as that film. I can't get over how wonderful the musical score to this film is though. It has to be heard to be believed (the finale must be one of the most amazing moments I've seen in a film for a long while).

112. Superbad [7.5]
As someone who didn't like either of Apatow's comedies, it certainly was a surprise to find myself enjoying something as gleefully anarchic as Superbad. The relationship between Seth, Evan and the totally lame Fogell (or "McLovin"), felt incredibly real, and there were a few moments to cringe at due to the brutal honesty. I felt the entire b-story of McLovin having a joy ride with 2 bumbling cops hurt the overall picture due to its complete fantasy (and surprise surprise, Seth Rogen who plays one of the cops is the co-writer who wanted more screentime) and I really didn't like the menstrual blood scene (the film's sole attempt at gross out humour). But the film does deal with a relatively important issue (the notion of whether or not a friendship can survive through the transition to adulthood) and the film's coda does crystallize into something poignant and moving when we realize that the two characters who we are so invested in, accept the need to separate. Plus it has Michael Cera, and who wouldn't love him? His eccentrically soft-spoken delivery counter-balances wonderfully with Jonah Hill's loudmouth (making the best use of his relatively low range) and ends up becoming the most realistic and honest friendship I've seen in a film for a long, long time.

I also saw "if....". Don't really know quite what to make of it. Thoughts will follow in my next entry.

raidersoftheark @ 2007-08-11T18:42:00

2007-08-11T22:55:31Z

101. L'Avventura [6]
I reeeeeeeeeeeeeallllllyyy don't like movies where so little happens. Antonioni could have sliced off half of this film and still had basically the same story. I understand the desire to create some sort of dreamy landscape through still images and long takes where characters sit, look at something in the horizon, or try to harness their telekinetic powers, but it makes for some dull viewing. If it hadn't been for the ultimately intriguing plot, this film would have failed.

102. Elephant [8]
Much to my surprise (or chagrin), I quite liked Van Sant's examination of an idyllic high school, and the ensuing violence when 2 students decide to go on a murderous rampage. One thing that bothered me quite a bit was Van Sant showing the audience the 'probable' causes of their homicidal tendencies. All the cliches are here, from violent video games to being too interested in Hitler. Despite such cheap tactics to get to the heart of these matters, as well as a few eye-rolling scenes (the gay shower scene seemed cheap and somewhat fake), it really is hard to not be totally and utterly captivated by the absurdly intelligent filmmaking present. Yes, some of the 'walking' scenes are a bit pretentious (hell, all of it is really), but I cannot think of a better way to have made such a film. It certainly is a breath of fresh air from all the shaky-cams that accompany violence and indie movies nowadays. I don't think I've ever seen such a brooding and menacing film.

103. Before Sunrise [9]
What a gorgeous film! For my money, Jesse and Celine represent one of cinema's greatest romances, and I was pleased to revisit an old favorite with stoppingpolaris, the other day. An hour and a half of just real people talking, and by god... I just don't want it to end. If I have to find fault with anything, it's that the film really is somewhat narcissistic, and some of the conversations (the one on souls in particular) are a bit far-fetched. However, they are blocked out by moments of such moving honesty and beauty (the sound booth scene) that I find myself too swept away too care.

The random 10 minutes I saw of The Simpsons Movie: Blllllllleeeeeaaaaaggggghhhhhhhh.

raidersoftheark @ 2007-08-08T14:13:00

2007-08-08T18:14:03Z

97. MacCabe and Mrs. Miller [6]
I originally thought that the poor audio quality and dark video was part of the crappy tape I got out of the library. Turns out that it was intended. Heh. The Leonard Cohen songs were quite grating, and I didn't care much for the plot (or lack therof), but the final scene in the snow raised this above mediocrity.

98. Dawn of the Dead (original)[6]
People blowing zombies up. Fun for 5 minutes. Kinda grating after 2+ hours. Romero's critque on consumerism felt flat too, but I liked the poorly done blood effects. I could do that shit, man.

99. La Notte [7]
I've come to dislike Antonioni's overtly artsy long takes and huge segments where nothing of any importance whatsoever occurs, but I sorta liked this one. Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau are both great, the cinematography and lighting is excellent, and I loved the set and costume dessign that transforms swinging 60's Milan into a bourgeois nightmare.

100. The Virgin Spring [9]
Bergman's attempt at a grindhouse flick, but with a little more existentialism.

raidersoftheark @ 2007-08-01T11:00:00

2007-08-01T15:02:42Z

95. Femme Fatale
Basically the true story of how maddy and I fell in love. ****

96. Children of Men
Maybe it was watching this in a smokey room with red eyes, but I liked this film a lot more than before. What atmosphere! Some of the dialogue is a bit flat, but I feel that the acting (Clive Owen deserved a nomination), the spellbinding direction, the wonderful editing and the great use of filters, imagination, and one shot scenes are just unbelivable. ****

raidersoftheark @ 2007-07-23T23:17:00

2007-07-24T03:23:37Z

92. Whisper of the Heart
Wonderfully sweet. Now that stoppingpolaris has been gone for a while, I've been looking at a few romance films and this one was so sweet in its childlike innocence. ****

93. Before Sunset
This would be the more mature romance, but it's every bit as good as WotH. I loved Before Sunrise, and this film really does make me think of how wonderful love is, and how depressing it can be. Ethan Hawke looks baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad, though. ****

94. The War Game
Peter Watkins' faux-documentary of a nuclear holocaust and how it would affect the socio-political and economic status of Britain is indescribable. You simply have to see it. It's one of the greatest things I've ever seen. ****

raidersoftheark @ 2007-07-19T18:27:00

2007-07-19T22:33:10Z

87. Aliens
Expolding Aliens, awesome weapons and questionable dilaogue. A hallmark of the '80s. ****

88. The Terminator
Read above. Only change "aliens" to "cybernetic systems module" ****

89. Exotica
One of the most fascinating looks at despeartion and the ways in which we manage to try to reach out to humanity. Sad stuff. ****

90. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Perhaps it is not as intelligent as Talk to Her, but I'll be damned if Almodovar ever wrote a better comedy. Gazpacho hijinks ensue! ***1/2

91. Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
One of the most cogent and fascinating looks at computational reality and about the innocence as well as experience of childhood. It isn't Speilberg's greatest film, but it is perhaps his most endlessly intriguing and the one with the most heart. The last 30 minutes are HIGHLY controversial (it's definetly Kubrickian) but it might be some of the most brilliant cinema ever. ****

raidersoftheark @ 2007-07-05T15:35:00

2007-07-05T22:41:02Z

84. Ratatouille
A self-reflexive Pixar film with a Parisian twist? Yes please. ****

85. Paprika
Total mind-fuck. I agree with the idea that the film is a take on the burgeoning world of technology and the information highway which makes life more and more impersonal by the day, but I also believe that Kon's work is a loveletter to cinema and all the magic that is contained in it. Let the show begin! ****

86. Army of Shadows
The greatest french gangster film ever (even though they morally aren't gangsters). I loved the atmosphere dripping from every frame. I loved the hats and long coats. I loves the speeding vehicles. I loved the magnificent shots of London and Paris. I loved the unbearable suspense throughout the film (although one escape scene is a bit of a cheat), and I loved, LOVED, LOVED the magnificent ending. Truly one of the greatest works of art ever. ****

raidersoftheark @ 2007-06-28T16:52:00

2007-06-28T21:03:38Z

81. Robocop
Goofy fun. Not much else to say. I've heard some analysis on the high-brow satire of the film, but I don't buy it. Robocop is primarily a movie with gore and explosions (but surprisingly, no sex) with some basic commentary on the nature of mass industrialization and the dangers of capitalism. I'LL BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR! ***

82. Killer of Sheep
Holy fuck. Charles Burnett masterpiece which was practically unavailable due to copyright and legal issues is a brilliant slice of urban life. A series of vignettes of the people in a South Central L.A. ghetto, Burnett records the daily minutiae of the men whose lives have come crashing all around them and the children who have that to look forward to. Burnett demonstrates all this in a poetic, almost lyrical way, while using a magnificent soundtrack to help set the mood. An utterly breathtaking film, its suppressed sadness makes it all the more poignant than any catharsis that tends to plague these kinds of films. ****

83. Notorious
One of Hitchcock's best films, and for my money his most suspenseful. The jaw-droppingly hot, Ingrid Bergman is asked to clear her name which has connections with Nazi informants, by spying on a group of them located in Brazil. I don't really want to get into too much detail, but I was pleasantly surprised by where the film went, considering the first 20 or so minutes were located squarely into "middling 1940's Hollywood output" with overdramatic musical scores accompanying aggressive smooches. Cary Grant is the man. ****

raidersoftheark @ 2007-05-30T20:37:00

2007-05-31T00:40:49Z

79. Alien (Scott, 1979)
Awesomeness. Perhaps the best horror/sci-fi melange ever. The last 20 minutes are some of the most perfect in cinema, and there are about 4 scenes on the top of my head that would make any "great film scenes list" in the future. H.R. Giger is the fucking man for creating the most amazing looking villain in the movies. ****

80. Casino Royale - 2nd viewing (Campbell, 2006)
Heh. I saw this with stoppingpolaris and her parents. Awkward initially, but funny. ***1/2

raidersoftheark @ 2007-05-15T20:38:00

2007-05-16T00:38:33Z

75. No Direction Home (Scorsese, 2005)
Wow. Scorsese's 4 hour examination on the man who is routinely considered to be THE musical genius of the past century is astonishing. Scorsese showed a lot of restraint and artistic brilliance in leaving Bob Dylan in the shroud of mystery where he belongs and not delving too deep into his myths and origins as well as those of the traditional folk scene of the early 60's. In a way, Scorsese's documentary isn't about who Dylan is, but who he isn't. Compiling hundreds of hours of footage, Scorsese ultimately leaves us with more questions than answers. Seeing Dylan today (or at least, the most recent footage in that film) I was somewhat depressed. The man was undoubtedly a rare poetic talent (who often was compared to Keats and Blake) and yet there is such apathy among the newer generations for what he wrote, perhaps because it doesn't affect their time anymore. Needless to say, his music is an artistic artifact not soon to be forgotten, and Scorsese's best film since Goodfellas reminds us all to question our preconceptions on the man. ****

76. Inland Empire (Lynch, 2006)
My head fucking hurts. This is probably the most unsettling, frightening, maddening, insufferable and perverted film I've ever seen. I'm not totally sure what to write about this. Laura Dern's performance is one for the ages, really. The range she demonstrates is mind-blowing, and that's perhaps only one of the mind-blowing scenes of this film. I understood the film as a pervasive and disjointed, Lynchian look at method acting (and perhaps even directing from emotions and dreams, like Lynch does) and the perils it brings. I gotta see this again. It raped my mind. ****

77. One Week (Keaton, 1920)
So unbearably cute. The wall falling on Buster was probably the best part. ****

78. The Goat (Keaton, 1921)
Keaton's very best after Sherlock, Jr. The train scene (with the "zoom" on Buster, as well as any of the insanely complex and hilarious sight gags and stunts make this one of the best silent shorts ever made. Ever. ****

WOW! Four, 4-star films. Sweet.

raidersoftheark @ 2007-04-22T18:34:00

2007-04-22T22:34:44Z

71. A Zed and Two Noughts (Greenaway, 1985)
Weird shit. I'm not too sure about this one, but the fantastic score and striking symmetry are unquestionable. ***

72. Dead Man (Jarmusch, 1995)
Jarmusch's bizarro acid-western is one of the most singular experiences of 90's cinema. Johnny Depp's turn as an accountant turned killer who is accompanied by the magnificent white-man hating Gary Farmer on a mystical quest is full of laughs and thrills. ****

73. Shoot the Piano Player (Truffaut, 1960)
One of the best revisionist-noirs, with a magnificent turn by Charles Aznavour. I couldn't believe that Truffaut had the moxie to show a pair of juicy breasts in the film (being 1960 and all) but I'm glad he did that and made a damn fine film that stands at the pinnacle of French New Wave cinema. ****

74. The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Loach, 2006)
Hurm. I rather liked this one. Loach's trademark gritty story about poor people struggling to survive is put to great effect in this Palme D'Or winning film about a group of Irish rebels who try to push the British of their land. This is all well and good, but the film doesn't get truly interesting after the UK-Ireland pact which pits Irishman against Irishman in a state of chaos to determine how the nation will be controlled. I didn't like the total lack of blood in a film filled with warfare though. Kinda cheapened the movie. ***1/2

Viridiana/Mad Max 2/Serenity/Grindhouse

2007-04-08T02:16:29Z

67. Viridiana (Bunuel, 1961)
Bunuel's attack on ignorance and the contempt that religion fosters in our hearts is one of the surrealist master's very best films. Not very much I can say about this one. I really liked it, and stuff. ****

68. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (Miller, 1981)
This film along with Alien and Blade Runner represents some of the most influential sci-fi presentation and atmosphere at the movies, and the great action set-pieces and interesting ideas make this film better than the average action flick. I liked this a lot. Very Fallout-y. ***1/2

69. Serenity (Whedon, 2005)
Augh yeah! Atrocious dialogue! Laughable acting! Ridiculous set-design! Boring direction! LEK, OMGZORZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!! *

70. Grindhouse (Rodriguez and Tarantino, 2007)
Is there anything I need to say about this one? You probably know pretty damn well if you'll like it. As far as these kinda films go, it's certainly better than all of Rodriguez's output as well as just about anything that Harry Knowles praises. Death Proof is the more interesting of the two features (for how it manages to subvert certain exploitation elements) but they're both dumb fun, which you slowly forget as you leave the theatre. (PT: **1/2, DP: ***)

The Dogwalker/Underground/Casino Royale

2007-04-02T22:11:14Z

64. The Dogwalker (who the fuck cares)
Meh. Crappy little short. Nothing much of note. The dog killing itself was pretty sweet. *1/2

65. Underground (Emir Kusturica, 1995)
Woah. Kusturica's fantastic examination of the nature of Yugoslavian politics and the effects on its terrified populace is perhaps the best Serbian film ever made. Using a mixture of lowbrow slapstick and devastating political satire, Kusturica's underground cellar filled with people who have lost their hopes and dreams manufacturing weapons for a false cause is simply brilliant. Marko and Blacky are wonderful characters, and its structure reminds me heavily of One Hundred Years of Solitude (which is a great thing). These people get old and die, and some of them are never privy to the realities of modern politics, warfare and destruction, regardless of the beauty and wonders that life holds. ****

66. Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
Campbell's remake of the crappy '66 version is easily the best Bond film ever made. Perhaps it is my aversion to life being too easy for the hero, but the previous Bond films with the high-tech gadgets, the silly physics-defying action, the needless exploitation of sex and the flat main character never appealed to me as much as it did my friends. Daniel Craig gives a wonderful performance as a torn and frayed Bond with a much darker veneer hiding under the mountain of cool and bad-assery he exudes. A few quibbles keep this from being a magnificent film (the pacing issues towards the end was very uneven, despite paying off with a great climax), but this has to be the purest actioneer since what... Die Hard? I can't wait for the next installment. ***1/2

Universal Video/Reservoir Dogs/The Life Aquatic/Repulsion

2007-03-30T01:16:03Z

60. Universal Studios Employee Video (Stone and Parker, ???)
Funny shit. That's all to be said really. The Sylvester Stallone bits were awesome. ***

61. Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino, 1992)
Tarantino's first effort and still 1 of only 2 great films he's done (I'm sure you can all guess the other one) is every bit as witty, engaging, bold, brassy and brilliant as it must have been when it sent shockwaves down the indie film scene back in the early 90's. After a failed jewel heist, 4 mobsters end up at the meeting place in order to comprehend what went wrong when they realize that there is a cop in their midst. That's all that needs to be said really, I've heard many criticisms over the past few yearsof it lack of originality (mostly from the elitists and hipsters who cannot admit to liking Tarantino's work), yet getting Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Chris Penn and Michael Madsen together to spout off some of the more awesome lines of the past 15 years is good enough for me. ****

62. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Anderson, 2004)
Hurm. I remember back when this first came out and I remained unfazed at this films rather lackluster critical reception. The Royal Tenenbaums wasn't greeted with universal acclaim (well, sorta) and I felt that it was one of the most human and touching films I've ever seen, so I saw the film with relatively high expectations and this film failed to meet any of them. I've since seen it again, and even though the disappointment of the hype has now faded, this still isn't a really good movie.

Despite some great performances (I especially like the interview between Bill and Cate) and a few lol-tastic moments (the wonderful cut to Owen Wilson receiving CPR after scuba diving) this film somehow doesn't deliver on the laughs despite being much more concerned with the comedic aspects than TRT or Rushmore. Frankly, it fails most of the time and Wes doesn't seem to be as interested in dramedy, but more so this indie-style quirk that has become so popular. (Woah! That crazy Brazilian dude is singing Bowie songs! Ahaha! It's that kid from Harold and Maude as a bond company exec!) I also didn't get the entire father-son subplot and why Anderson chose to purposefully dilute the impact of that entire story by suggesting that Owen Wilson is indeed not his son (like, what the hell?).

Working with the worst script that Anderson has worked with, relying too heavily on quirk and settings and not caring at all about the drama, this film seems much like a regression from his, The Royal Tenenbaums, which shifted from side-splitting hilarity to devastating and gut-wrenching sadness without blinking an eye. Even this film’s attempt to mimic the wonderful poignant catharsis of that film feels tacky and less thought out. **1/2

63. Repulsion (Polanski, 1965)
Heh. You'd LOVE this one stoppingpolaris. Polanski's nightmarish Repulsion, is a masterpiece in mood and atmosphere, evoking some of the freakiest and awesomest use of claustrophobia and insanity I've ever seen in a film. A slow burn of a film which balances the surreal with reality, Deneuve gives one of her very best performances in it. This had to be a major inspiration for early Lynch, which is always cool. ****

Eraserhead/L'Enfant/The Cook...her Lover

2007-03-26T21:02:34Z

57. Eraserhead (Lynch, 1976)
Woah... I need to see this again, but I loved every second of this I think. ****

58. L'Enfant (Dardennes, 2005)
Why the fuck do European movies need to be so goddamned great and so soul-crushingly depressing all the time? I dunno. ****

59. The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover (Greenaway, 1988)
This was awesome. I need to see more of this Greenaway fella. Loved the colours, the awesome ending, the set design and the magnificent directing and use of lighting. Great stuff. ****

8.5/The Departed/Fido

2007-03-21T23:22:52Z

54. 8 1/2 (Fellini, 1963)
Words cannot express the love I have for every single frame of this film. Perhaps one of the most touching and brilliant explorations on life, love and happiness, Fellini's intensely personal surrealistic masterpiece is the best Italian film ever made. A big review will come later. ****

55. The Departed (Scorsese, 2006)
While I am not one who believes that Scorsese has "lost it," I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss the intensely personal and gritty films that characterized the very best of Scorsese's work. One of the few remakes that outdoes the original in terms of depth, better characterization and a love triangle that I didn't feel unnecessary (unlike many of the pundits who applauded IA, while thrashing this film). It's just such an exciting film brimming with such energy, and I still think that Jack Nicholson's baroque expressionism serves as a template for the rest of the film. This is one of Scorsese's finsest comedies, most certainly. My #5 of last year. ****

56. Fido (Currie, 2006)
A cute little movie, but this one had so much potential. I apprecaited the "Leave it to Beaver"-meets-Romero flick concept, but this really was one that could have used more gore rather than succumbing to the (reletively) lame PG-13. It's a great concept, but it feels rushed (2 subplots are left unresolved and heavily wanting), and the social satire is barely scratched upon, when this could have easily been the smartest zombie movie ever. It's still really funny, and the acting is top notch, but man... so many missed oppurtunities. ***

The Circus/The Heart of the World/The Thing/The Fountain

2007-03-15T00:15:49Z

50. The Circus (Chaplin, 1928)
Not one of Chaplin's best. Maybe Keaton is spoiling me more and more, but Chaplin's "stunts" never seem to be too impressive, now. I thought that the abusive father was also too ridiculous, in contrast with the virtue and kindness of the Tramp. There is the odd moment here and there, that I like, and the ending was surprisingly poignant and powerful. Chaplin's got a good voice, too. **1/2

51. The Heart of the World (Maddin, 2000)
Such a delightful little film! Guy Maddin attempts to capture everything that is so right about cinema in 6 minutes of zaniness. Witty title cards, striking images and wonderful conventions of silent film (there should have been more frames deleted, though) abound, much to my heart's content. Two brothers (an engineer, and an actor performing as Jesus) both fall in love with a woman who needs to cure the heart of the world but gets waylaid by the Russian industrialist. I can't forget to mention the rousing score and the editing that would make Eisenstein green with envy. I love, love, love, love everything about this one. ****

52. The Thing (Carpenter, 1982)
Caprenter's best film by a fair bit. This chilling film about a "thing" that jumps from organism to organism and mutates then into horrifyingly disgusting beasts is still as fresh and exciting as it must have been 25 years ago. Set in a remote Antarctic station, with no means of escape the crew members must learn to work together in order to survive, despite the fact that none of them can trust each other. About as fun as this kind of movie gets, really, some silly dialogue aside, the uber-gross and fantastic visual effects more than make up for it. ***1/2

53. The Fountain (Aronofsky, 2006)
So I finally got around to seeing the heavily polarizing new film by Aronofsky. Firstly, I don't get the love for this man. Both Pi and Requiem for a Dream were rather mediocre films with great ideas, and while I entered The Fountain with a combatitive frame of mind, it all melted away within the first 30 minutes and I ended up loving this one. This is a work of such astounding imagination and such emotional power that I was completely enraptured during its 95 minute running time (and I'm now seriously considering buying this - something I rarely do thanks to torrent).

Tommy and Izzy are a couple very much in love, but Izzy has been plagued with a tumour that is slowly growing into something deadlier by the moment. Desperate to do anything for the woman he loves, Tommy tries to cure her disease and eventually discover the secret to eternal life itself. Set in three different periods (although I'm sure the '2500 A.D.' era was not literal) Tommy must learn to accept death as a natural part of life.

The acting in this film is wonderful. Rachel Weisz (who was little more than a beautiful woman) demonstrates such compassion for Tommy. Hugh Jackman was extraordinary. I seriously didn't think Wolverine had it in him, but his lack of an Oscar nomination is beyond insane. He is WONDERFUL as the loving husband who NEEDS his darling woman. There is a moment they have in a bathtub that is so compassionate and so human, that it must rank as one of the best scenes in a film last year.

I have also read many criticisms on the ideas this film presents, and while the film is thematically, a simple one (which is a small fault of the film, I think) I found myself not really caring. I've worked out 2 different ways that The Fountain can work on (literally and metaphorically) and I'm certain there is a deluge of other interpretations out there. I also can't forget the stunning Clint Mansell score which is easily my favourite score last year. As good as his work was on Requiem for a Dream (the high point of that film), he truly achieves an aural beauty rarely heard here.

Yes, there are some problems. Certain moments of the film don't seem to gel, and some might argue that Aronofsky is dancing around these profound ideas much more than he is directly dealing with them, but frankly I don't care. Perhaps a re-watch may be in order, but in any case, The Fountain is one of the finest achievements of last year. ****

The Sweet Hereafter/M/Paths of Glory/Lost Highway

2007-03-12T19:32:11Z

46. The Sweet Hereafter
I'm not quite sure what I was thinking the first time I saw this film, but my word, I love it now. Such a harrowing and unforgettable film with the hardest and most traumatic of sadness. It's a great film, filled with great performances, wonderful cinematography and it contains one of the best scenes in film history. Unforgettable. ****

47. M
Oh Peter Lorre. You are a big weirdo with your eyeballs and that look of "o noz! I accidentally pissed myself." Hard to believe that a film like this could be made in the early 30's, and it might have some of the most intelligent editing in film history (the abduction of the little girl and her ball for instance). I also love the final monologue delivered by Lorre, but I'll admit to being less than enthralled in certain parts of the movie. ***1/2

48. Paths of Glory
ARGH! The stupid movie crapped out on me with 10 minutes left (and this movie has an amazing ending). Easily the very best of pre-England Kubrick, this horrible tale of the stupidity of generals and how it leads men to their deaths is quite great. Good acting all around, and magnificent war sequences. It's a tad on the simplistic side, though. I generally don't like cut-and-dry good guys and nefarious villains (unless they don't take themselves seriously). ***1/2

49. Lost Highway
SO GOOD. I *think* I *got* the film (it is a Lynch picture, after all) but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it. Ominous lighting, cinematography, sound and acting galore. A very twisty and turny story, weird guys who look like lesbians, vibrating breasts, RAMMESTEIN, death-by-coffee-table and possibly my new favorite Lynch villain (the Mystery Man). Basically there was no way I couldn't love this film. Maddy, you NEED to see this. ****

Lives of Others/Babel/Zodiac

2007-03-11T00:21:28Z

42. Lives of Others
A taut, suspenseful thriller whose political message manages to be quite effective when exposing the bureaucratic and oppressive tactics used by the East German Stasi as a means of controlling its populace. I really liked this film. The performances were all strong, especially the creepy/cute German guy (you'd know who I'm talking about). I'm not sure I like these movies that don't know where to end though, and I felt that with tighter editing and perhaps a chunk of the Third Act cut off, we might have got a better film. Not Pan's Labyrinth good, but very good nevertheless. ***1/2

43. Babel
I didn't realize until late in the film how politically timid this movie really is. Firstly, I think the concept is great and could have made for a fascinating film, but it ends up becoming one of these "globe-trotting, hands across the world" multi-fractured narratives that we really don't need anymore. This movie shouldn't be called Babel, it should be called "Really stupid people doing really stupid things for 2 and a half hours." I liked certain segments, and the performances are generally good, but this is a very silly film. I can't think of many recent movies that had so many "you gotta be kidding me" moments. *1/2

44. Zodiac
I guess I can't expect another masterpiece from the man who perfected the serial killer/police procedural film (Seven) but I was pleased with Zodiac anyways. The Zodiac killer represents one of the worst episodes in police history, I'd imagine, and the cavalcade of information and facts render this film absolutely dizzying yet always fascinating. Very good performances from across the board (with the exception of Robert Downey Jr, who needs to stop playing the same role in every movie), the good dialogue and the magnificent (and typical) editing in a Fincher film are some of the highpoints. I'm also pleased to hear that this film was shot on digital, which is always good news. It does have the same problem that The Lives of Others had (it just doesn't know how or when to end) but it's still a captivating movie. ***

45. Decalogue V
I also rewatched Decalogue V with the delicious stoppingpolaris, and it's still a **** movie.

The General/Cops/The Playhouse

2007-03-08T02:00:53Z

So Ms. winterabbit was kind enough to lend me some Buster Keaton, and I managed to find enough time for Keaton and French homework. So without further ado...

38. The General
There's this one shot that I love. After Buster has just been turned down by the beautiful Annabel Lee, he sits on a bar connected between the wheels of the train. He starts thinking about her, and he's so caught up in his infatuation that he doesn't notice that the train is moving with him being moved up and down by that metal bar. It's such a wonderful moment that I can't help but love the rest of the movie. Even though it drags at times (and for a Keaton film, it's pretty darn long) the movie is peppered with so many moments of understated and obvious brilliance that I can't help but treasure it. ****

39. Cops
A short from the early, early Keaton days, it is effective in showing you what Buster Keaton could accomplish, yet he's not quite "there yet" at this time. Sherlock Jr and The General would come later, and although this is a cute little short, it isn't nearly as funny or as memorable as most of his late 20's stuff. It was still cute though, and the ladder scene was amazing. ***

40. The Playhouse
Wow! I liked this one. Perhaps Keaton's most surreal short ever, the Playhouse opens with an entire cast and crew played by the great stone-face himself. I imagine he must have dropped a lot of jaws when this first came out as I didn't know that that kind of editing was around in the 20's. Classic Keaton through and through, and Monkey Keaton > Keaton in drag. Any. fucking. day. ****

41. The Paleface
This was kinda lame to be totally honest. Other than the asbestos suit, I didn't care much for this one. Eh... Hurm... Indians! **

I've been meaning to do full write-ups for The Lives of Others and Babel for a while now. I should get on that.

Peeping Tom/Dekalog X

2007-03-07T03:17:25Z

36. Peeping Tom
Awesomeness. One of the creepier and most satisfying of the deluge of 60's horror, Peeping Tom remains a very intense and disturbing film about madness and voyeurism. Of course, the main character is an obviously German guy trying to act English. But that's not the point. The point is that it's a thoroughly engrossing horror film shot in beautiful Technicolor. This is even better than Psycho. ****

37. Dekalog X
Finally! I'm glad to report that after the rather disappointing last 3 dekalogs, the series ends on a good note, with the only comedy (of the dark persuasion) in the bunch. Easily the most straightforward of the bunch, the seedy underworld of stamp collecting is quite dark indeed. Fine performances and cute story. I liked it, but it never reaches a level of 'greatness' attained by dekalogs 1, 5 and 6. ***

The Queen/Half Nelson

2007-03-04T13:50:03Z

34. The Queen
Pedestrian to the nth degree. Fine performances, but I really cared little for this "Liz: The Untold Story" that you'd find on history channels and entertainment tonight. **1/2

35. Half Nelson
This cinema verite thing needs to be addressed. I am getting rather sick of excessively shaky cameras. I want to see what people are doing rather than be subject to a cameraman shaking the camera on purpose and toying around with the focus at inopportune times. But in any case, Shareeka Epps is probably one of the best "new finds" in a good while, and Ryan Gosling was incredibly good. I'd be surprised if he lost that Best Actor oscar because to Whitaker, because Whitaker was actually better. And surprises of surprises, I did like the Broken Social Scene score, as it was used effectively in the film and it was generally good at times. Silly climax at the end though. Clearly a screenwriter contrivance. ***

O Brother/Cache/Seven/Titus

2007-02-18T22:41:18Z

30. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
A charming little divertissement from the Coens, but frankly, the Coens really shouldn't be doing charming little divertissements. The cinematography and lighting are amazing in the movie, and I love the silent movie title credits at the beginning. Heck, I love the opening shot so goddamn much too. But something about it never really clicked with me. For a comedy, it might be the least funny film they've done, and I don't care for the early country as much as many seem to have taken to it. **1/2

31. Cache
Fuck. I don't even really quite know what to say about this one. Great use of suspense building, but I got the feeling that the film was way too ambiguous for its own good. At the end of the film, I wasn't quite sure what the real meat of the story was, and frankly I didn't care. I think this may need a rewatch, as I can't really say anything cogent about it, but for now... **1/2

32. Seven
Probably the best 'suspense thriller' in a decade drowning in them. It's such an unflinching and brutal film, but unlike many of its predecessors and successors, the writing in this film is actually good. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt both give one of their better performances, and this film has some of the most orgasmic and magnificent editing of any film in recent memory. The chase sequence in this film is second to none, and the entire concept is a true work of gory genius. ****

33. Titus
My absolute fave Shakespeare adaptation ever, (although that's not really saying much) but I really do like this movie a great deal. It's a tad on the long side, and while the mixture of the contemporary and the ancient is quite original, I don't feel it works very often. There are also some stretches in this film that I have a bit of trouble with (because I'm a philistine, I'll admit) but it's quite the orgiastic feast for the senses, and I LOVE Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange in this. Probably the best movie made by a woman, I think. ***1/2

Last Laugh/Sherlock Jr./Our Hospitality

2007-02-11T14:46:52Z

27. The Last Laugh

Murnau's bleak silent film about a man who loses the job he loves most, in order to become a toilet attendent is equally a commentary on how we treat the old and weak when we no longer need them, as well as a tale of the unfortunate nature that society places on status. It's infamous 'ludicrously happy' ending was forced upon Murnau (and it shows) so I son't consider it in the rating of the film. It does tend to drag in spots, and I love Emil Jannings, but not unlike Shimura's performance in Ikiru, I can only look at a guy being miserable and do everything real slowly for only so long. Still, it's a really great film, and required silent film viewing. ***1/2

28. Sherlock Jr.

My absolute favorite Keaton film. There's more wit, imaginiation and creativity in this film than in some directors entire careers, and I urge everyone to watch it at least once in their lives. This also has my absolute favorite stunt by Keaton. I'll leave you to guess which one it is. ****

29. Our Hospitality

Yeah, I'm kinda in a Keaton mood, heh. A weak Buster Keaton film is still incredibly great, and although this one suffers from being a bit on the long side, and having a lot of unnecessary exposition (do we really need almost half the movie to set up the main players?) In any case, it's still a very funny movie, commenting on the aspects of Southern hospitality. The stuntwork isn't as jawdropping as it is in The General or Sherlock Jr., but the climactic waterfall scene did give me some goosebumps. And the ending really is quite exceptional. ***1/2

Dekalog IX/Little Miss Sunshine

2007-02-06T02:51:06Z

25. Dekalog IX
An interesting premise, but like many of the Dekalogs, it fails to really build upon its premise. Roman, a man diagnosed with impotence, tells his wife to look elsewhere for her sex fix. When she complies, it hurts him. Very cute (in a weird way) and also sad, but it could have been... oh... I dunno. It could have used a bit more pizazz or something. ***

26. Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine is yet another in a long line of "indie" film comedies in which the central characters walk a thin line between being lovable misfits and being complete and utter asses. The biggest concern that I had when I first heard of Little Miss Sunshine was that it would try to attract the scarf-wearing, indie rock listening, rimmed-glasses wearing idiots that sucked Zach Braff's cock in Garden State. I was a bit surprised when I found out that this was not the case at all. As a fun little divertissement, it barely works. (and you can sure as shit bet it doesn't as a Best Picture nominee.) The biggest problem with LMS, is that it wants to be both a dark and mean-spirited farce, and a sentimental/touching statement on how a family so fucked up can come together and love each other. One moment we are privy to see a moping Steve Carell (the real highlight of the film) lament on why he is still alive after a suicide attempt, and the next we are supposed to go 'awwwwww!' when Alan Arkin tells his granddaughter that she is the most beautiful girl in the world.

The other real problem is the horrendously lazy (and Oscar nominated) screenplay, which portrays every single character as a walking, talking caricature. Carell is the 'suicidally depressed, gay, Proust scholar,' Paul Dano is the 'sourpuss, Nietszche reading, mute-by-choice son' and Alan Arkin is the 'horny, coke snorting, crazy asshole who due to a poor writing becomes a genuine guy' grandpa. These characters are so poorly written that it's hard to take any of them seriously, much less care about them (which the film desperately wants you to do.) I feel I must also mention the absolutely ludicrous 'comedic' set-pieces that are so utterly impossible, that they seem like desperate attempts at getting the audience to laugh.

In the end, we are not convinced by the power of familial bonds to overcome obstacles. We are convinced that this group should be broken up and kept as far away from each other as possible. Sure, it has a few laughs, and the acting (especially Steve Carell and Toni Collette) is pretty good (although nominating Abigail Breslin is quite silly, and Alan Arkin has been much better) but the poor writing and inept directing can't make me award this film with any praise. **