Cineblog

Another Year, Another Blog

2006-01-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, Cineblog is moving again. Feel free to visit us at our new location until I get the domain name changed over. I guarantee at least ten posts before disappearing again.

INT SUPERMARKET NIGHT

2005-06-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Man enters, moves to video rental section. Picks up Spiderman 2, closup on FULL SCREEN SPECIAL EDITION title on DVD box. Cut to look of disgust on man's face. Man picks up Mystic River, repeat. Man picks up Friday Night Lights, repeat. Man disgustedly mvoes towards a rack of "classic" VHS tapes. Male 14, and female 10 approach on rack opposite. Female is clutching a DVD of Anchorman.

Male: How about this? The Man Who Knew Too Much? You remember that movie we watched last week by Alfred Hitchcock? You liked it right? I bet you will like this too.

Female: I want to watch Anchorman.

Male: Come on, this will be fun, Jimmy Stewart!

Female: Anchorman!

Male 14 sighs and looks up, facing Man from initial scene. Man smiles and shakes his head.

Man: Hey man, you tried. What can you do?

Male 14 heaves a heavy sigh, takes the Anchorman DVD from female 10, and trudges to checkout counter where he meets his family. Man leaves supermarket happier than when he came in. Goes home and watches Angel Season 3 DVDs all night.

FTB

The SIFF Failures

2005-06-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have been attempting to put down some thoughts about all the films I saw at SIFF, but there are a small pile that I just didn't like, and in addition have little to say about why I disliked them. Just trust me, there's nothing going on in these.

Pizza (2004, Mark Christopher) - If Welcome To The Dollhouse had been made by a Hollywood studio committe, it might have been this lame. A totally forced feelgood comedy/drama about a fat teenager whose life intersects on her 18th birthday with a moody left-wing pizza delivery guy. This was completely unbelievable from the word go, and it didn't get any better, although a couple of the actors do their best. There is one honestly painful scene involving a party and cocaine, but everything else just feels way too fuzzy and dishonest. Its a long way from 54 that is for damn sure.

The Writer Of O (2004, Pola Rapaport) - If you were making a documentary about the discovery of the author of the notorious French erotic novel The Story Of O copmplete with re-enactmens of some of the novel's most erotic scenes, you would think you could find a way to make it not be boring. Sadly Pola Rapaport could not, and even Zalman King would have made the sex scenes more interesting.

Max And Grace (2005, Michael Parness) - Almost completely without merit, totally plastic comedythat I would have walked from if I was alone.

Police Beat (2005, Robinson Devor) - This film is very pretty, and has lots of fun local color, but the story never engaged me much beyond being half-interested. The ending felt completely false and out of synch with everything we had learned about the character prior. Great use of Kinski's "Schedule for Using Pillows and Beanbags."

The World (2004, Jia Zhangke)

2005-06-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Dug this a little better than Jia's last feature (the interminable Unkown Pleasures) but not by a lot. It is helped immensely by its setting, The World Park, which contains small-scale restagings of various landmarks (The Great Pyramids, Manhattan with the twin towers, etc.) See the world without ever leaving Beijing! Still it was generally aimless, following a group of Chinese youth for 2.5 hours into a odd depressing finish with not a great deal of thematic binding of any type that I could see. There are entire subplots I could see done away with that you would never notice. I found the relationship between the main female protagonist and her Russian co-worker interesting and touching, but I couldn't say how it related to the rest of the movie at all. I'd still like to see Platform, but I'm thinking at this point that Jia is just not my thing.

The Lizard (2004, Kamal Tabrizi)

2005-06-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

This Iranian film was the country's highest all-time box-office earner until it was banned by the government for its blasphemous nature. A thief escapes from jail disguised as a holy man, and takes on that role in a small border village while trying to figure out a way to flee the country. The thing that stood out for me over all the other Iranian films I've seen is that The Lizard is really funny. It also has a strong heart and a great message at its core about who is really "good" and the place of religion in people's lives. My only problem with it was a shift in the character towards the end I didn't buy. Still a very enjoyable movie, and well worth seeking out. I'm surprised it hasn't gotten more press or a distributor, as it seems like it would play well with the Landmark crowd and the "BANNED IN ITS HOME COUNTRY" tag would probably draw people in.

Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire (2004, Peter Raymont)

2005-06-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

I am not at all happy with my writeup on Yes below and may be redoing it soon. I did not capture my feelings about the film well at all, partly because I was trying too hard to avoid spoilers.

Another thing I'm not happy with is this documentary about Romeo Dallaire (how's that for a segue, its a good thing I don't do this for a living.) The story is interesting and harrowing, but the film does not tell it well. I was somewhat familiar with the situation from seeing Hotel Rwanda last year, but I can't imagine anyone going into this blind coming out with any really understanding of what led up to the situation there. Thats just pure bad storytelling. The bigger problem is that the film never offered anything surprising or noteworthy about Dallaire. I don't need to watch 8 segments of Dallaire visiting his old haunts feeling bad and saying "our hands were tied." I already know he feels bad, and I already know his hands were tied. Give me something new or surprising or insightful about this man. Dallaire is not a particularly articulate speaker, which doesn't help matters any. This works better as a condemnation of the international community and the UN as they stood by and put Dallaire in the situation he found himself in. Unfortunately this isn't a movie about the international community, its a movie about Dallaire and apart from a few bits and pieces it just doesn't work very well.

Yes (2004, Sally Potter)

2005-06-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

A lot of people seem to actively dislike this film, a relationship drama recited entirely in iambic pentameter, and for the first hour or so I was right behind them. The text sounded terribly forced, and despite good performances, the story wasn't really going anywhere for me. I actually pondered a walkout, because my next film was right after this and I hadn't had dinner. The main thread of the story involves an rich American woman getting into a relationship with a Lebanese chef, and about an hour in they have a conflict which is pretty predictable and kind of comes off like something off the op/ed pages. However it is at this point that the film really started to come together for me. Soon thereafter the movie takes off in an amazing way, and by the time it was over I was filled with relief that I chose to stick with it. A great surprise, thus far my second of third favorite movie of the fest. I could not believe that this was not sold out considering that Joan Allen was in attendance. She looks far younger in person than she does on the screen, and she was also starving-African-child skinny.

3-Iron (2004, Kim Ki-Duk)

2005-05-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

I liked this a lot but don't have a lot to say about it, in part because I think this is a film where going in blank is best. It has a very mystical quality to it which is really nice, and the protaganists are interesting and a bit off but in a good way. The closing scenes are absolutely amazing. Now I'm even more bummed I missed out on seeing Spring Summer Fall etc last year. Highly recommended, this is probably my second favorite film from the festival to this point.

2046 (2004, Wong Kar-Wai)

2005-05-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

I am actually sitting in a movie theatre as I write this, waiting for the Iranian film The Lizard to start. Sweet ubiquitous wifi, thank you Seattle.

In this very theatre, three days ago, I saw my most anticipated film of the fest, Wong Kar-Wai's 2046. It was, as Melissa Schwartz so aptly put it, "a big sprawling mess. And I don't mean that in a kind Paul Thomas Anderson sort of way." At one point two of the characters have a discussion about escaping their past, and one wonders if Wong couldn't have taken this advice himself. He seems to be attempting to followup every one of his prior films all at once. Most explicitly a semi-sequel to In The Mood For Love, this also contains implicit references back to at least three of his other films without tying any of them together at all. Around the one hour point, the plot had gone so many places I began wondering how in the hell he was going to land the thing, then at around 90 minutes I actually thought he was going to pull it off. Then the movie went on for another half an hour. Still, like all Wong's films, 2046 is well worth seeing if for no other reason than the dreamy atmosphere and always-breathtaking cinematography from Christopher Doyle. Also Zhang Ziyi gives the best performance I've seen out of her so far. Mmmmm, tasty. Is Wong ever going to make another kinetic film filled with life and joy like Chungking Express again? Please say yes.

Rumors abound that this version which is being distributed is vastly different than the one shown at Cannes last year, although the only detail I know of for sure is that Maggie Cheung's role was pretty much non-existent in the Cannes version. If anyone has more details on this I would be interested. It is fascinating to me how much of Wong's films seem to come together in the editing room, see also all the deleted scenes from In The Mood For Love on the Criterion DVD, which are lovely but seem to come from another movie altogether. I'm sure its a personal thing but I can't imagine working that way, it totally makes my head hurt thinking about it.

The Aristocrats (2005, Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza)

2005-05-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, The Aristocrats is 90 minutes of comedians telling and discussing this joke (NOTE: this link points to a clip from the film and could be considered a spoiler. Also it contains language which it could be argued is not appropriate for anyone at all.) Supposedly passed down since the vaudeville days, the joke is the stuff of lore in the showbiz community. Comedians tell it to each other, but almost never to the public, giving them the freedom to riff and go off on the central bit without ever having to worry about offending anyone or bombing.

The Aristocrats is also about the funniest goddamn thing I've ever seen in my entire life. Beyond vulgar, intensely offensive, and utterly hilarious. The entire audience was rolling in the aisles from the first line. The film has a lot on its mind and is an intelligent statement on the work comedians do and how they do it. You really start to notice how every comedian makes their mark, adds their own little bit, turns this joke into their own. At its heart, The Aristocrats is a documentary about the art of comedy, and it succeeds fabulously. Thinkfilm had the balls to pick this up for distribution, look for it in your local Landmark complex in mid-August and do yourself the favor of seeing it with a crowd. This isn't one for Netflix.

Seattle International Film Festival

2005-05-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

Its fest time in Seattle, my first chance to attend a festival I had heard so much about in the past. Its actualy day 5 now, and its been great so far. The films have been good, the crowds are great, and the fest is setup really well. My only big complaint is that the theatres are scattered all hell and gone over town, so getting around can be a chore, esp if your screenings are close together. Thankfully I have not had that problem, and everything has gone smoothly. I have also had a chance to experience the legendary Secret Festival, and while I wasn't thrilled with the film they showed, I still love the concept.

Below is a preliminary schedule, subject to change (hopefully only additions.) Grades will be appearing on my Films Seen List before any commentary appears here, and as anyone who checks know the content could stop flowing anytime.

The Aristocrats - May 20, midnight, Neptune
2046 - May 21, 1:30, Neptune
3 Iron - May 21, 6:30
Secret Festival #1 - May 22, 11:00, Egyptian
Yes - May 23, 4:45, Egyptian
Shake Hands With The Devil, 7:00, Egyptian
The Lizard - May 24, 7:00, Neptune
The World - May 26, 6:30 pm, Harvard Exit

OUT OF TOWN May 28 - June 1

After The Day Before - June 2, 7:00, Harvard Exit
Tropical Malady - June 3, 9:30, Harvard Exit
Mysterious Skin - June 4, 3:45, Uptown
5x2 - June 4, 9:00, Egyptian
Kings And Queen - June 5, 8:30 pm, Neptune
Grizzly Man - June 6, 7:00, Egyptian
Cruel But Necessary - June 7, 9:00, Broadway Performance Hall
9 Songs - June 8, 5:30
Clean - June 9, 2:00, Uptown
Max & Grace - June 9, 6:45, Broadway Performance Hall
Howl's Moving Castle - June 10, 7:00, Neptune
The Circus - June 11, 11:00 am, Egyptian
Police Beat - June 11, 1:30, Egyptian

Topkapi (1964, Jules Dassin)

2005-04-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

Doesn't hold a candle to his 1955 masterpiece Rififi. Still, good fun and entertaining to see the heist that Mission Impossible stole from (as intricately and carefully plotted and executed as Rififi's.) I appreciate the desire to lighten the mood and bring a little humor into this film, but I just felt like that fell flat and those bits didn't really work. Also some pretty beautiful cinematography from Henri Alekan, who has a semi-weird IMDB filmography.

Sin City (2005, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez)

2005-04-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hey I had a redirect from the old cineblog to this site that I accidentally deleted recently. Sorry about that. I also haven't seen much in the way of movies at all lately, but here's a couple.

I had never read the books by Frank Miller, although I had been exposed to them a bit in the past by comic book loving friends, and knew enough about their look and feel that I knew what movie this was about 20 seconds into the trailer. I feel like by combining three of Miller's stories into one movie, this became a bit of overkill after a while. It was just so overwhelming. But as a filmic representation of a graphic novel, it was pretty much awe-inspiring. A delight to look at (if not necessarily experience) even though I feel the structure of the way the acts play together feels a little forced (although its not exactly unsatisying either.) I'm fairly mixed on this at this point, but I wouldn't mind another viewing to help me clear things up either.

Million Dollar Baby (2004, Clint Eastwood)

2005-03-10T17:01:00.000-08:00

A compelling story, told extremely well. Nothing more, nothing less. So far as I can see the best movie won (poor Marty etc.) I read some expressions of sorrow over the paper-thing representations of Southern hicks, with which I can sympathize, although it didn't bother me at the time. I managed to get into this spoiler free, although based on the fact that I knew there was some right-wing hand-wringing over it, I guessed part of it early on and the rest a bit later. It didn't matter, those who complain about the film fail to realize (or admit) that this film is not about how you choose to die, but how you choose to live.

The Red Shoes (1948, Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger)

2005-02-28T17:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you go to a film and you complain about how predictable it is, you saw the whole story laid out in the first ten minutes. When that happens you're not complaining about knowing what is coming, because if you sit down and think about it there are very few movies wherein this is not true. What you're complaining about is either a) you are so bored that you bothered to figure out what was coming or b) you figured out what was coming and then the excution of said plot was so boring and/or lame that it just annoyed you. I mention this because there is a point about 20 minutes into The Red Shoes where the dicatatorial ballet producer Boris Lermontov is explaining the plot outline of Hans Christian Andersen's story to his composer Julian Crastner, and suddenly in a flash the entire movie came to me. I saw every major plot point laid out in front of me, they all came true one by one, and this was still a truly amazing film-going experience because Powell and Pressburger pull it off with such class and style, and the ensemble performances are all beyond first rate. I was mesmerized from the word go, and about the only thing I can say bad about it is that the ending was a little overboard. Especially noteworthy was Anton Walbrook's turn as Lermontov, he kept the part at just the right level, never bursting out of the shell the character kept wrapped tightly around him. It's a great companion to his part as Theo in The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp. I had a lot of sympathy for this character, despite the fact that he is obviously poised as the "bad guy."

As the credits rolled I realized that a month ago I had seen none of the films of these two geniuses, and now I have seen four - three of which I consider masterpieces - and that suddenly this filmmaking team had entered the upper echelon of my favorite filmmakers. I wondered at how long these films had been out there without my having seen them, I wondered at how I could have possibly lived without the booming performances of Roger Livesey or the stunning cinematography of Jack Cardiff, and I wondered how many more of these awe-inspiring discoveries awaited me in the future. The sad truth of being a film buff is that inevitable as you work your way through the masters, these experiences are destined to be fewer and fewer. For now though, goddamn these are some good fucking movies.

Sideways (2004, Alexander Payne)

2005-02-25T16:16:00.000-08:00

So what you've got is two assholes (one raging, one enabling) going on a road trip and being assholes, and maybe at the end one of them has learned something about himself. Will someone please tell me why this is a big deal? kthxbye

Black Narcissus (1947, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)

2005-02-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

This was not my favorite of the Powell/Pressburger films, but jesus it sure is gorgeous. Worth seeing just for the cinematography, seriously. I was especially impressed with the scenes involving Kathleen Byron losing it at the end, they are perfectly lit to expose her state of mind without going over the top. Great print too. Thematically certainly it takes a turn from the likes of Colonel Blimp and A Matter Of Life And Death in that while it still focuses very closely on character building, interaction, and emotion, it is also a thriller, which P&P pull off admirably. Think about how this movie would end today - Deborah Kerr would leave the faith to spend the rest of her life with David Farrar and it would be ALL FUCKING WRONG.

Cat People (1942, Jacques Tourneur)

2005-02-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

For a while I was taping movies off TCM like mad and I found that pile of tapes recently while unpacking. This came off one of them, I am going to start moving through them when I have spare time. There's like 30 or 40 movies there. This Classic horror film from beloved auteur Tourneur took a little while to get going and seems a little trite from a modern view, but its influence on what followed is undeniable and there is some gorgeous b&w cinematography. The Leopard Man is also on this tape so I'll have to get to that next.

Hey

2005-02-15T21:28:00.000-08:00

So maybe yet again I will give this a shot. The last year has been extremely tumultuous, culminating in a 3600 mile drive to my new home in Seattle. It is cool here, there is no snow. This is good. The film action here has been far better than I expected. At the present time there are big retros going on for Bertollucci, Powell/Pressburger and Ozu. There's a small theatre giving week long runs to three old Howard Hawks comedies. I'm trying to figure out how to scam my way into film class screenings at U of W. The Seattle International Film Festival is probably the best fest in the country (especially if you're a film buff and not an industry type.) Scarecrow Video is the only place I've seen that gives Facets a run for its money, and it actually puts Facets to shame. Plus there are some good rock bands here and mountains and stuff. It's all good and I'm enjoying myself.

So there is stuff I've seen already since I've been here, and I probably won't spend much time on it. You can look it up in the list. Some very brief notes:

- Thelma Schoonmaker was in town and she did two events. First she gave a lecture on editing and presented a screening of Raging Bull, then did Q&A. It was 12:15 by the time they finally forced her to shut it down but she seemed like she would have been perfectly pleased to go for another hour or two. Second, she presented a screening of A Matter Of Life And Death and then did even more Q&A about her late husband Michael Powell. Both were really enjoyable, and she was a kind and gracious woman. Thank you.

- Speaking of Michael Powell, his films have thus far been this year's big revelation and I've only seen two. I was especially taken by The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp and its exquisite presentation of the ebbing and flowing of friendship.

- I have now seen three Ozus and I have to say I Was Born, But... is by far my favorite of them. Tokyo Story ranks a close second.

- Someone release The Conformist properly on DVD, OK? Please? PLEASE?

Now lets see if I can actually make this last more than a week or two.