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...

Celluloid #40

In Theatres

Tokyo! (2008) Gondry, Carax, Bong - Triptych film presenting three outsider takes on the city of Tokyo. Interior Design is Gondry's entry and also my favorite of the three. A girl and her artist boyfriend move to the city, but things don't go very smoothly and she begins to feel under appreciated and undergoes a transformation that is visually interesting and sympathetic. I didn't completely understand what was going on in the second short, Merde. A man emerges from the sewer and begins wreaking havoc. He speaks gibberish and only eats flowers and cash. A comment on capitalism? terrorism? a modern day Godzilla? Your guess is as good as mine. Regardless, parts stretch on much too long and interest begins to wane after the first third. Lastly, Joon-ho Bong (the Host) offers up Shaking Tokyo, a look at the hikikomori (people who never leave their homes) and develops a love story that was a little sappy, but one that I was willing to enjoy. 4/5

In Home

Ballad of a Soldier (1959) Chukrai - A Russian film that utilizes innovative cinematography for the time and includes some very interesting shots and beautiful close-ups. A 19 year-old soldier gets a leave to go home for a few days, is asked by his comrades to run errands for them, and meets a girl along the way. Overall our hero is without faults or any ambiguity...I think a little greyness could have eased the quaint feeling. 3.5/5

Burn After Reading (2008) Coen - A decent offering from the Coen Brothers, that I think gets shit on a little too harshly, but would benefit from tapered expectations. My main issue was that the plot felt like a "non-plot", or some problem invented just to be sorted out in the course of the film. Enjoyable, if over-the-top performances from the all star cast, especially if you can handle Malkovich yelling all of his lines. Funny enough and worth a rental. 3.5/5

Leolo (1992) Lauzon - Kinda like Amelie, but male, French-Canadian, and dark, instead of female, straight up French, and whimsical. There's still the abundance of saturated greens and reds and overactive imaginations. However, Leolo's world is one of shit, obesity, fear, puberty, and constant masturbation. It's a little sad/disturbing, but provides some genuine laughs as well. 4/5

Wanted (2008) Bekmambetov - I thoroughly enjoyed Nightwatch for its visual style consisting of ridiculous effects (Timur loves his slow-mo), gratuitous violence, and silly action. Wanted delivers more of that, and I totally could have gone along with it all...if James McAvoy would stop talking! I don't mind him as an actor, but the dialogue made me a little crazy. 3/5

Celluloid #39

In Home

Cornbread, Earl, and Me (1974) Manduke - This film is only really notable for being the film debut of a really young Laurence Fishburne. While it features a blaxploitation-inspired soundtrack, this is really an urban melodrama. Cornbread is the local hero...great at basketball, stays out of gang trouble, teaches the younger kids, encourages his parents, and loves orange pop! Unfortunately, he is accidentally gunned down by the police, devastating the community. For the following hour we are left to see the coping strategies of the remaining characters, and a drawn out courtroom scene. While I appreciate the sentiment of the film, I couldn't completely swallow the complete lack of any subtlety and dialogue that often crosses over into complete cheesiness. 3/5

Reprise (2008) Trier - Two lifelong friends both want to become published authors. They are in their early 20s and their friendship is tested when Phillip has a nervous breakdown. Erik's first novel gets bad reviews and he suffers general insecurities, but his writing idol gives him praise that encourages him to keep writing. Mostly this is a Norwegian coming-of-age story dealing with growing up, relationships, and mental health. The film is really pretty, stark, and quiet-feeling...lots of black, white, and grey. It's also pretty hip--a fun scene at a party involves everyone dancing to Le Tigre's "Deceptacon." 4/5

Return to Oz (1985) Murch - Apparently the pinnacle of "creepy kid movies," Return to Oz starts off with Aunt Em getting tired of Dorothy talking about Oz to the point that she takes her to a doctor to receive electroshock therapy. Once we enter Oz, there are the Wheelers (weird long-appendaged clown people with wheels for hands and feet), Tic Toc (a stout metal man who needs frequent winding), Jack (pretty much the exact precursor of Jack in Nightmare Before Christmas), a moose head on a flying couch, a queen with 31 removable heads, and a really irritating talking chicken who thinks it's really clever. As an adult, the bad acting offsets any potential for scariness, but nonetheless a campy, odd little movie with some enjoyable old school special effects. 3.5/5

Celluloid #38

In Home

Alphaville (1965) Godard - This beautiful sci-fi noir was the inspiration for Blade Runner. A man from the "Outlands" comes to Alphaville. He lives in the past (because he takes pictures?) and kills a bunch of people (or lifelike robots) for unexplained reasons. Lemmy Caution is the ultimate hardboiled detective throwback. Women have numbers tatooed (referencing the Holocaust?) and say "I'm very well, thank you so very much" without any prompting. Alphaville is also a love story between Lemmy Caution and the lovely Anna Karina's character, emphasizing a need for nostalgia, emotion, and individuality in the face of sterility. 4.5/5

Chinese Roulette (1977) Fassbinder - A weirdo crippled teenage girl plots to have both of her parents and their lovers end up at a getaway mansion, and then shows up herself with her even weirder mute governess. As a group, they all play a game called "Chinese Roulette" where each person on one team has to answer random questions posed by the other team. Starts off basic enough, but morphs into hostile territory. 4/5

the Cyclist (1987) Makmalbaf - A short, simple, and sad film about an Afghani immigrant whose wife is dying, and in order to pay for her medical bills he agrees to participate in a circus. To make money he has to ride a bicycle in circles for a week straight...no sleeping, very little eating, and an awkward setup for using the bathroom. This film came out before Iranian film started getting more notice in the 90s, but uses some interesting camera shots. 4/5

Fistful of Dollars (1964) Leone - Classic spaghetti Western based on Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo. However, Yojimbo was a much easier film to understand what/why events were happening. Clint Eastwood ultimately makes a cooler protagonist, precisely because he talks less and comes across as a mysterious loner. The plot is still that two sides of town are feuding while a new gunslinger comes to town and plays each side for a profit. On it's own, this film isn't bad at all, but I probably would have liked it better had I not already seen Yojimbo and its sequel Sanjuro. 3.5/5

Life of Brian (1979) Jones - More Monty Python--Born just around the corner from Jesus, Brian develops his own religious following, but it's the last thing he wants. Totally irreverent, poking fun at customs during that time in history as well as people's tendencies to look for a leader. All of this leads up to a finale of a group of criminals on their crosses, singing a little song called "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." 4/5

Malcolm X (1992) Lee - A fairly well-done biopic that covers the material in Alex Haley's book. Malcolm Little was a young gangster with a conk and a white woman who undergoes a massive transformation while in jail. A follower of the Nation of Islam sparks his interest until he converts and later becomes the visible face of the movement. Malcolm X's life is undoubtedly interesting and I suppose deserves to be captured on film, I just don't like how biopics always include cheesy elements like the extended voice over narration towards the end. Angela Bassett also stars and I would dare to say that she looks even more attractive now than she did in this film 17 years ago. 4/5