Pusher (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn) - 6/10
Not bad. I enjoyed the story within the clear limitations presented. Nothing that special but of merit and displaying talent.
(RE: TRAFFIC - and minor spoilers!)
I think my charges of hopelessness is an overstatement only in the sense that Benicio Del Toro uses the system to create something for future generations. As a whole, Catherine Zeta-Jones (d)evolves into one woman cartel, Michael Douglas bails on his policy, Erika Christensen becomes a year-long drugged-out casualty in a week...the most you can say about Traffic is that it acknowledges that the cycle of substance and abuse can be manipulated for some good only by playing the game, like Del Toro's character does. This may be true, but Traffic has crafted a mold this decade that is becoming tiresome. Traffic is better than most but it's pretty simplistic. Soderbergh elevates the material.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Crossfire (1947; Edward Dmytryk) 8/10
Taut, interesting combo of noir thriller and earnest social drama as police detective Robert Young investigates a hate crime. Richard Brooks' novel was original about the killing of a gay man, but RKO changed it to the killing of a Jewish man; yet, the film retains aspects that makes you think all this is happening precisely because of homophobia and Robert Mitchum's character, in particular, struck me as being gay (and comfortable with it). Some of the dialogue is a bit trite and forced, but the actors really make it work and it's probably Dmytryk's best film.
Taut, interesting combo of noir thriller and earnest social drama as police detective Robert Young investigates a hate crime. Richard Brooks' novel was original about the killing of a gay man, but RKO changed it to the killing of a Jewish man; yet, the film retains aspects that makes you think all this is happening precisely because of homophobia and Robert Mitchum's character, in particular, struck me as being gay (and comfortable with it). Some of the dialogue is a bit trite and forced, but the actors really make it work and it's probably Dmytryk's best film.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
Dogville (von Trier) - 9/10
1) It's gorgeous. DP Anthony Dod Mantel shoots the soundstage in an incredibly pleasing manner. He understands the limits of handheld digital cinematography and the Sony F-900. The way that he covers the performers in the soundstage with backdrops of alternately blinding white and black is something we haven't seen before on film.
2) The soundstage is pointed. Beyond being something we haven't seen before, it serves to emphasize the arbitrary limitations placed upon Kidman. When Nicole Kidman traipses through Lauren Bacall's gooseberry bushes as if they weren't there, her consternation that she hasn't earned the use of the short-cut emphasizes how much this is a town built of cards. Who cares if she uses the short-cut? Who cares when it's not really there in the first place? It's a world without walls where molestation can occur in clear view of the others as they go about molestations of a different sort, one unaware of the other but feeding. In Dogville, there is double-meaning in every notion of privacy.
3) Kindness misconstrued for blind willingness is something that has concerned Lars von Trier for sometime in film. Dogville is the first time that I can remember that he does not stack the deck endlessly against her protagoness cast down from God. There is retribution in Dogville, which coincides with this being the first time that he has created a wide-range of characters who, if not conglomerated together in one stage, would all individually be deserving of judgment and condemnation. So because von Trier tackles them all, he has been condemned.
4) To continue, I think what frustrates viewers the most is his willingness to condemn Paul Bettany's ineffectual idealist, who gives in my opinion the strongest performance in the film. What is more loathsome than spinelessness? Than the pretense of importance and integrity not for a moment backed-up with action. Part of this is because he is jilted in love because Grace does not have sex with him while is raped by others. Grace would be in his arms more were Thomas not so timid in his initial advances. Women do not want someone who pussyfoots around, slowly bolstering courage. He has an opportunity to kiss her and he does not seize it, and then he is alloted kisses for his kindnesses; beyond this, he would find more perhaps if she was not so goddamn tired, which she would not be if he would stand his ground for her and demand her status validated. We desire pardon for Thomas Edison because he at least would imagine himself as something different, stronger, wiser, at least not the same part of the problem as the rest. von Trier views ineffectual idealism as apart from justice as a sadistic child is from a blind, grab-happy old man. This is not without merit. Nor is his criticized portrait of a young boy who only desires punishment. It's seen as a critique on all children as being capable of sadism, not that the child is raised in a small world of punishment that it can be the only thing he knows. It's a dark joke but also a very sad one.
5) It's incredibly well-acted. This should be no surprise. von Trier may be a world class asshole, but he's a fine director of talent. This ensemble is one of the most superb of the decade. This is a high-wire act that one false note could disrupt. I'm certainly biased by the fact that I don't outright loathe the film like some queerly, but this is a great acting ensemble. Every time I view it, I find new subtleties in the cast. Those who hate Dogville find it monotonous. I understand this but I don't subscribe to it. Grace's subjugation is organic and if there's one instance that feels manufactured and not thematically set-up, I didn't catch it.
6) Dogville is many things, as a town and as a film. And as a reaction. To watch Dogville is to be confronted with our notions of America, or certain American ideals. Lately a string of American nihilist self-critiques have begun to enter and leave fashionability. Traffic, Syriana, and the sort bemoan the endless cycle already set-up and see no escape. They believe in nothing but hopelessness. They exist as template for a fashionable bitching between Americans, whereas Dogville believes in something: fraud and action.
7) The credits suck.
1) It's gorgeous. DP Anthony Dod Mantel shoots the soundstage in an incredibly pleasing manner. He understands the limits of handheld digital cinematography and the Sony F-900. The way that he covers the performers in the soundstage with backdrops of alternately blinding white and black is something we haven't seen before on film.
2) The soundstage is pointed. Beyond being something we haven't seen before, it serves to emphasize the arbitrary limitations placed upon Kidman. When Nicole Kidman traipses through Lauren Bacall's gooseberry bushes as if they weren't there, her consternation that she hasn't earned the use of the short-cut emphasizes how much this is a town built of cards. Who cares if she uses the short-cut? Who cares when it's not really there in the first place? It's a world without walls where molestation can occur in clear view of the others as they go about molestations of a different sort, one unaware of the other but feeding. In Dogville, there is double-meaning in every notion of privacy.
3) Kindness misconstrued for blind willingness is something that has concerned Lars von Trier for sometime in film. Dogville is the first time that I can remember that he does not stack the deck endlessly against her protagoness cast down from God. There is retribution in Dogville, which coincides with this being the first time that he has created a wide-range of characters who, if not conglomerated together in one stage, would all individually be deserving of judgment and condemnation. So because von Trier tackles them all, he has been condemned.
4) To continue, I think what frustrates viewers the most is his willingness to condemn Paul Bettany's ineffectual idealist, who gives in my opinion the strongest performance in the film. What is more loathsome than spinelessness? Than the pretense of importance and integrity not for a moment backed-up with action. Part of this is because he is jilted in love because Grace does not have sex with him while is raped by others. Grace would be in his arms more were Thomas not so timid in his initial advances. Women do not want someone who pussyfoots around, slowly bolstering courage. He has an opportunity to kiss her and he does not seize it, and then he is alloted kisses for his kindnesses; beyond this, he would find more perhaps if she was not so goddamn tired, which she would not be if he would stand his ground for her and demand her status validated. We desire pardon for Thomas Edison because he at least would imagine himself as something different, stronger, wiser, at least not the same part of the problem as the rest. von Trier views ineffectual idealism as apart from justice as a sadistic child is from a blind, grab-happy old man. This is not without merit. Nor is his criticized portrait of a young boy who only desires punishment. It's seen as a critique on all children as being capable of sadism, not that the child is raised in a small world of punishment that it can be the only thing he knows. It's a dark joke but also a very sad one.
5) It's incredibly well-acted. This should be no surprise. von Trier may be a world class asshole, but he's a fine director of talent. This ensemble is one of the most superb of the decade. This is a high-wire act that one false note could disrupt. I'm certainly biased by the fact that I don't outright loathe the film like some queerly, but this is a great acting ensemble. Every time I view it, I find new subtleties in the cast. Those who hate Dogville find it monotonous. I understand this but I don't subscribe to it. Grace's subjugation is organic and if there's one instance that feels manufactured and not thematically set-up, I didn't catch it.
6) Dogville is many things, as a town and as a film. And as a reaction. To watch Dogville is to be confronted with our notions of America, or certain American ideals. Lately a string of American nihilist self-critiques have begun to enter and leave fashionability. Traffic, Syriana, and the sort bemoan the endless cycle already set-up and see no escape. They believe in nothing but hopelessness. They exist as template for a fashionable bitching between Americans, whereas Dogville believes in something: fraud and action.
7) The credits suck.
"How's the despair?"
Shoot the Moon (dir. Alan Parker, 1982)
I rented this film because I was curious to see why dws1982 rated Diane Keaton's performance so high for that year (the year of your birth as well, dws?). And now I can see why. Shoot the Moon presents what is probably one of the most realistic portrayals of what can happen to a family torn apart by affairs, separation and divorce. And Keaton's mercurial, earnest performance as Faith Dunlap is what makes it succeed. She has so much to do in this film and she does it all so whole-heartedly: lambasting her husband for abandoning their family, attempting to move on with another man (the scene where she succeeds in seducing Peter Weller is very successful), protecting her children, etc. It ranks up there with some of her best work. The scene where she's singing The Rolling Stone's "Play with Fire" by herself in the bathtub is just stunningly heartbreaking.
While there were some verisimilitude issues for me in the second half of the film (the entire dinner sequence between Keaton/Finney was laughably bad and seemed like it was lifted from some cheap screwball comedy), I think there was a believability about the family's dynamic that overcame some more shallow concerns I had with plot. Albert Finney never recovers for me as a character to root for after one particular scene about halfway through the film, but he also turns in a very good performance. Karen Allen takes on the unbelievable role of sex goddess here and somehow pulls it off; she is almost perfectly cast.
The three kids played by 80's sit-com familiars Tina Yothers, Tracey Gold and Viveca Davis are good at portraying the varying emotions of children in this situation, but end up pretty indistinguishable from each other. It's the late Dana Hill (European Vacation) who will break your heart. A fantastic performance that I'd rate with some of the best juvenile work of the decade.
It's hard to see how this film was so ignored by the Academy at the time of its release. The only thing I can think of is that it was covering ground similar to what Ordinary People had two years earlier, although that seems too flimsy of an excuse. I definitely would've supported nominations for Keaton and Hill in lead and supporting, respectively.
And, damn, if that Eagles song "I Can't Tell You Why" isn't just perfectly placed during the devastating, yet beautiful conculsion. Wonderful stuff. Well worth seeking out.
Edited By flipp525 on 1256677398
I rented this film because I was curious to see why dws1982 rated Diane Keaton's performance so high for that year (the year of your birth as well, dws?). And now I can see why. Shoot the Moon presents what is probably one of the most realistic portrayals of what can happen to a family torn apart by affairs, separation and divorce. And Keaton's mercurial, earnest performance as Faith Dunlap is what makes it succeed. She has so much to do in this film and she does it all so whole-heartedly: lambasting her husband for abandoning their family, attempting to move on with another man (the scene where she succeeds in seducing Peter Weller is very successful), protecting her children, etc. It ranks up there with some of her best work. The scene where she's singing The Rolling Stone's "Play with Fire" by herself in the bathtub is just stunningly heartbreaking.
While there were some verisimilitude issues for me in the second half of the film (the entire dinner sequence between Keaton/Finney was laughably bad and seemed like it was lifted from some cheap screwball comedy), I think there was a believability about the family's dynamic that overcame some more shallow concerns I had with plot. Albert Finney never recovers for me as a character to root for after one particular scene about halfway through the film, but he also turns in a very good performance. Karen Allen takes on the unbelievable role of sex goddess here and somehow pulls it off; she is almost perfectly cast.
The three kids played by 80's sit-com familiars Tina Yothers, Tracey Gold and Viveca Davis are good at portraying the varying emotions of children in this situation, but end up pretty indistinguishable from each other. It's the late Dana Hill (European Vacation) who will break your heart. A fantastic performance that I'd rate with some of the best juvenile work of the decade.
It's hard to see how this film was so ignored by the Academy at the time of its release. The only thing I can think of is that it was covering ground similar to what Ordinary People had two years earlier, although that seems too flimsy of an excuse. I definitely would've supported nominations for Keaton and Hill in lead and supporting, respectively.
And, damn, if that Eagles song "I Can't Tell You Why" isn't just perfectly placed during the devastating, yet beautiful conculsion. Wonderful stuff. Well worth seeking out.
Edited By flipp525 on 1256677398
"The mantle of spinsterhood was definitely in her shoulders. She was twenty five and looked it."
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
All About Steve (2009) Phil Traill 4/10
Whilst it is a terrible film as has everyone who has seen it seems to be saying, I found it to be a guilty pleasure. And it's one truly hilarious scene helps too and Sandra Bollock's red boots help too.
An Education (2009) Lone Scherfig 7/10
Hard Labour (1973) Mike Leigh 8/10
One of the very good of Mike Leigh's made for TV films of the 1970's. A prelude to Vera Drake in some respects.
Edited By Precious Doll on 1256469164
Whilst it is a terrible film as has everyone who has seen it seems to be saying, I found it to be a guilty pleasure. And it's one truly hilarious scene helps too and Sandra Bollock's red boots help too.
An Education (2009) Lone Scherfig 7/10
Hard Labour (1973) Mike Leigh 8/10
One of the very good of Mike Leigh's made for TV films of the 1970's. A prelude to Vera Drake in some respects.
Edited By Precious Doll on 1256469164
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6391
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6391
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6391
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
We Won't Grow Old Together (1972) Maurice Pialat 7/10
Frisco Jenny (1932) William Wellman 4/10
She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945) Alexander Hall 5/10
Astro Boy (2009) David Bowers 6/10
Frisco Jenny (1932) William Wellman 4/10
She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945) Alexander Hall 5/10
Astro Boy (2009) David Bowers 6/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Paranormal Activity (Kely) - 6/10
Good for a couple of scares. Some very stupid, amateurish decisions but for an eleven thousand dollar movie, not bad at all. Good for this guy. I kept thinking about Stan's Dad from SOUTH PARK too much to take any character motivations seriously. Comparison between this as The Blair Witch Project are absurd.
/The House of Mirth/ (Davies) - 9.5/10
Oddly, the mediocre ensemble (save for acerbic Linney) bolsters Anderson's tour-de-force. Nothing stodgy here. Watch how through editing, pre-lapping dialogue, and camerawork Davies implies literary inner-life without resorting to voice-over. A very, very strong film and one of the best of this decade.
Good for a couple of scares. Some very stupid, amateurish decisions but for an eleven thousand dollar movie, not bad at all. Good for this guy. I kept thinking about Stan's Dad from SOUTH PARK too much to take any character motivations seriously. Comparison between this as The Blair Witch Project are absurd.
/The House of Mirth/ (Davies) - 9.5/10
Oddly, the mediocre ensemble (save for acerbic Linney) bolsters Anderson's tour-de-force. Nothing stodgy here. Watch how through editing, pre-lapping dialogue, and camerawork Davies implies literary inner-life without resorting to voice-over. A very, very strong film and one of the best of this decade.
"How's the despair?"
-
HarryGoldfarb
- Adjunct
- Posts: 1071
- Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:50 pm
- Location: Colombia
- Contact:
I've been resting at home due to Influenza... got complicated with a moderate bronchitis by a Strep but I'm doing fine right now... This time have been helpful in order to catch some films...
Ran (1985): At first I thought it was kind of underwhelming but the more I got into it the more effective it got. Loved the performances and technically of course the film is a gem. 8,5/10
Frost/Nixon (2008): It's great to be pleasently surprised. I finally took the decition to watch the film. I wasn't excited about it considering its director and the lukewarm reception it had, even among the members of this board, but I have to give Howard a lot of credit. The film is a great one indeed and totally deserving of the surname "Best Picture Nominee". Considering that the original story is a play, Howard improved a lot the language used in the storytelling creating a lot of cinematic moments, thus putting significant distance with the fact that this was that, a theater play (In contrast, this film explains by itself how wrong was the directing work in Doubt, which basically was a taped play in exteriors). He gave the film a perfect tone of intrigue. It got nerves and a pulse that might be the main aspects of this, probably his best directing effort. The cast was great and this is the kind of films that should be rewarded by the SAG award for best Ensemble. Of course they all are lead by the wonderful Langhella but everyone else was quite fitted for their roles. 8/10
Adaptation (2002): The screenplay was amazing, as I expected it to be, but the film didn't blew me away. Cage gave what I consider his best acting work to date, and both Streep and Cooper were terrific, even though in the end, when the film gets more satyrical and bizarre my attention and awe had diminished considerably as I felt it was getting too "oversmart/in-your-face". 7,5/10
Ran (1985): At first I thought it was kind of underwhelming but the more I got into it the more effective it got. Loved the performances and technically of course the film is a gem. 8,5/10
Frost/Nixon (2008): It's great to be pleasently surprised. I finally took the decition to watch the film. I wasn't excited about it considering its director and the lukewarm reception it had, even among the members of this board, but I have to give Howard a lot of credit. The film is a great one indeed and totally deserving of the surname "Best Picture Nominee". Considering that the original story is a play, Howard improved a lot the language used in the storytelling creating a lot of cinematic moments, thus putting significant distance with the fact that this was that, a theater play (In contrast, this film explains by itself how wrong was the directing work in Doubt, which basically was a taped play in exteriors). He gave the film a perfect tone of intrigue. It got nerves and a pulse that might be the main aspects of this, probably his best directing effort. The cast was great and this is the kind of films that should be rewarded by the SAG award for best Ensemble. Of course they all are lead by the wonderful Langhella but everyone else was quite fitted for their roles. 8/10
Adaptation (2002): The screenplay was amazing, as I expected it to be, but the film didn't blew me away. Cage gave what I consider his best acting work to date, and both Streep and Cooper were terrific, even though in the end, when the film gets more satyrical and bizarre my attention and awe had diminished considerably as I felt it was getting too "oversmart/in-your-face". 7,5/10
"If you place an object in a museum, does that make this object a piece of art?" - The Square (2017)
That Hamilton Woman (1941; Alexander Korda) 8/10
Lavish romance/propaganda, using the tale of the notorious affair between Lord Nelson (Laurence Olivier) and Lady Emma Hamilton (Vivien Leigh) to give the Blitz-weary Brits some inspiration. Extraordinary sets and costumes, Olivier and Leigh are marvelous, and there are some occasionally wonderful set-pieces, but the cummulative effect isn't as effective as I'd hoped. Still, definitely worth seeing.
Edited By Penelope on 1255923341
Lavish romance/propaganda, using the tale of the notorious affair between Lord Nelson (Laurence Olivier) and Lady Emma Hamilton (Vivien Leigh) to give the Blitz-weary Brits some inspiration. Extraordinary sets and costumes, Olivier and Leigh are marvelous, and there are some occasionally wonderful set-pieces, but the cummulative effect isn't as effective as I'd hoped. Still, definitely worth seeing.
Edited By Penelope on 1255923341
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster