Celluloid #43

In Home

the Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003) Kitano - An old blind man is actually an amazing sword fighter. He successfully slays all of the bandits in a town with the help of two "sisters" on a mission to avenge their family's death. Ultra-violent Asian cult cinema at its most fun- incorporating percussion into work scenes, a giant dance scene, and a admiration/celebration of transgendered people. In many ways it's your typical samurai tale, but with modern stylization. 4.5/5

Bodysong (2003) Pummel - No dialogue (other than the section on communication) but a series of film clips from various decades and countries depicting different parts of the life cycle. The chapters are broken up into "Birth", "Growth", "Sex", "Violence", "Death", and "Dreams."The film has probably been seen as much as it has because Jonny Greenwood composed nearly all of the music. It is classified as a documentary, but I think one could just as easily label it an art film about humanity. 4/5

Last Life in the Universe (2003) Ratanaruang - I have learned that Thai films that receive distribution in this country tend to share similar qualities; namely they are slow, moody, and have a somewhat loose narrative, but incredibly lush and beautiful. This film is true to form, but may even have a more substantial plot than other Thai films I have seen. A suicidal librarian witnesses his mobster brother's death. Almost immediately after, he befriends a young woman whose sister has just died by getting hit by a car. The two are opposites in many ways - he's a neat freak and she's a sloppy stoner. On one level a love story, but mostly just two sad people finding solace in one another. 4/5

Celluloid #42

In Home

Closely Watched Trains (1966) Menzel - One of my all-time favorites, all though I had not seen it in a while. A young man gets a job working at a train depot because it requires the least amount of work/effort. Everything in life seems to come easier to everyone else, particularly when it comes to the ladies. Features a really sexy scene involving stamps...5/5

Cowards Bend the Knee (2003) Maddin - A really bizarre film that combines B-movie themes with 1920s silent film aesthetic and plenty of surreal imagery thrown in for kicks. The basic premise is that a man on a hockey team named Guy Maddin (the director's name) takes his girlfriend to get an abortion. During the procedure he becomes interested in an Asian seductress and his girlfriend dies and remains a ghost for the rest of the film. Hand amputations occur. Affairs, pranks, over-the-top cliches ensue. Weird, fun, hour of my life even if at times it felt like a student film of better production quality. 4/5

Into the Wild (2007) Penn - Recent college graduate, Chris McCandless, decides to set out on his own without money or possessions and without telling his family. He justifies this behavior in a search for "truth" and in rebellion to his economically privileged upbringing. This character on his own would have been enough to annoy me endlessly, but I could have possibly enjoyed a film about his struggles if it wasn't so cheesily done...slow-mo shots, montages, and a horrendous soundtrack by one Eddie Vedder. 2/5

I've Loved You So Long (2008) Claudel - Juliette has just been released from a 15 year stint in prison for killing her own son. Her sister, who was just a teenager when Juliette began her sentence, decides to take her in and reconnect with this person that so much of society writes off as evil. A slow movie that I had no complaints about, but also produced no strong reactions. 3.5/5

Lola (1981) Fassbinder - Part 3 of the "BRD Trilogy" about women in post-war Germany. This time we are introduced to Lola, a singer/prostitute who wants to capture the heart of a new building commissioner in town, and apparently the only person free from corruption. Everyone lives hypocritical double lives, and eventually even Lola's secret life is discovered by the commissioner causing him to struggle with his own sense of morality. 3.5/5

Memories of Murder (2003) Bong - A serial killer strikes every time it rains and a woman is wearing red. The local investigators prefer to bully "confessions" out of their suspects, but also do a lot of foot work on their cases. A specialist is called in from Seoul whose strengths lie in the more scientific/forensic aspects of investigation. The two parties butt heads, but realize that a combination of their styles may be necessary to obtain their killer. From the director of the Host. 4/5

Celluloid #41

In Theatres

Hunger (2008) McQueen -The true story of Bobby Sands, an imprisoned member of the IRA, who led a hunger strike in protest against British occupation and inhumane treatment of prisoners. This is McQueen's debut feature, previously known for his work as a visual artist, so to say the least, the shots and images are quite arresting. Hunger is incredibly visceral and terribly hard to watch at times. Blood, shit, emaciation dominate the screen; nearly a week later, and many scenes still creep into my idle thoughts. 4.5/5

In Home

Dark City (1998) Proyas - Inspiration for the Matrix but tapping into a Metropolis stylization. Humanity's memories are being stolen and fabricated so that an alien species can survive and discover what makes someone "human." Meanwhile, our protagonist is accused of murder. There's a pretty silly mind battle and Kiefer Sutherland uses a bizarre cadence in speaking, but as a sci-fi noir, I had no major complaints. 4/5

Predator (1987) McTiernan - Classic 80s action film where skilled fighters are sent to the jungle on a rescue mission. Instead they are attacked by a chameleon-like creature that can turn invisible yet totally fatal. With Schwarznegger and Jesse Ventura, masculinity abounds, dialogue gets campy, and it doesn't fail to deliver the expected amount of fire/explosions. 4/5

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) Allen - So after seeing Match Point and this film, I guess I can say that I'm a fan of recent Woody Allen output. Vicky and Cristina embark on a summer in Spain where they meet a sexy and passionate painter. The girls differ a lot on their expectations of love. Vicky is engaged; Cristina is looking for a less traditional path. This sexy painter propositions the girls to a weekend of eating, drinking, and lovemaking and their reactions are in alignment with the character traits we have been introduced to. Cristina moves in with the painter and his ex-wife becomes part of the equation. I could have done without the voice over narration, but otherwise appreciated the directions the film takes. 4/5

Year in Film Retrospective: 2004

As some may know, I am an enthusiastic and faithful listener of the podcast "Filmspotting" out of Chicago. Every week, the show features a Top 5 list a la High Fidelity on a different theme. Recently, the two hosts have decided to dedicate their lists for the last week of every month on their favorites from the years prior to the show's inception in 2005. Given my penchant for lists, I want to follow along (but figure I'm entitled to a Top 10 since there's only one of me..)

10.) the Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles)
9.) the Bourne Supremacy (Paul Greengrass)
8.) Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright)
7.) Bad Education (Pedro Almodovar)
6.) Night Watch (Timur Bekmambetov)
5.) Dead Man's Shoes (Shane Meadows)
4.) Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Quentin Tarantino)
3.) the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson)
2.) I Heart Huckabees (David O. Russell)
1.) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry)

Filmspotting's results: http://www.filmspotting.net/top5.htm
Feel free to post your own list in my comments section...