Celluloid #85

In Home

Un Chien Andalou (1929) Bunuel & Dali - Famous short film where eyeballs are sliced. Actually, these seventeen minutes are full of cool old school effects, and even a little shocking today, so I can only imagine the scandal it caused when it came out. 4.5/5

Divorce, Italian Style (1961) Germi - Fefe has had it with his overbearing, overaffectionate wife. Mind you, he's a creep who has feelings for his seventeen year old niece. Anyway, he finds out that "crimes of passion" can get one basically excused from spending much time in jail for murder. He fantasizes constantly about ways to kill his wife and eventually seeks out a man to cuckold of him --all too successfully. 4/5

Schindler's List (1993) Spielberg - Oskar Schindler begins as a greedy businessman who belongs to the Nazi Party. He decides he can make more profits by exploiting cheap Jewish labor supplied by the newly erected ghetto. Over the years, he develops bonds with some of his workers and devises a way to keep them out of the deadliest concentration camps. This was the first time I had ever seen this film and I found it a bit overrated and surprisingly not tear-jerking. Black and white was obviously used to convey a sense of gravity, but I thought the occasional items in color were pretty cheesy. 3.5/5 

35 Shots of Rum (2007) Denis - A man and his grown daughter are very close. Each seems to struggle with being black and getting older. When one of the neighbors leaves, everyone else in the building gets really depressed and introspective. Josephine confirms that Gabrielle, another neighbor, has feelings towards her dad. Light on plot, heavy on mood. 3.5/5

Youth of the Beast (1963) Suzuki - Silly '60s gangster film with cool clothes, hip music, and snazzy hookers. An ex-cop gets involved with a gang in order to exact revenge for an old co-worker. He also has to find the gang boss's "Sixth Mistress", rumored to run a call girl ring and kill her or risk his own death. 4/5

Celluloid #84

In Theaters

I Am Love (2010) Guadagnino - Annie and I saw this Italian film starring Tilda Swinton as part of our stint with the SF Int'l Film Fest. Basically, the film centers around the trials surrounding a wealthy family, whether that means issues with handing over the business or adult children growing up to get married or forge new identities. Emma (Tilda's character) embarks on an affair with one of her son's friends. Beautifully shot and avoids becoming predictable. My only real complaint is regarding the cheesiness of some of the love scenes, but I am willing to forgive those based on the quality of the rest of the film. 4/5

Wild Grass (2010) Resnais - A disappointment from the man who has directed such beautiful and generally serious films such as Night and Fog and Last Year at Marienbad. This film is just too silly. A man finds a wallet and that sets off a chain of events involving stalking the owner, her becoming obsessed in response, a dentist office, a plane, etc. The film feels a lot like three films mashed into one and that chaos did not pay off for me. 2.5/5

In Home

Charlie Bartlett (2007) Poll - Mediocre film about a young man expelled from private school and forced to attend public school despite his family's wealth. Every one of his previous expulsions has been due to an entrepreneurial spirit and desire for popularity. At the new school, Charlie embarks on a scheme of deceiving his psychiatrists in order to to supply his schoolmates with prescription drugs. Meanwhile, he is also predictably falling in love with the principal's daughter. 3/5

Donnie Darko (2001) Kelly - I'm still not exactly sure why so many people peed their pants over this film. This was my second viewing, far removed from a time when this film was being overly hyped-up. In general, I thought it was an entertaining, and pleasingly bizarre film about an emotionally disturbed teenager coming of age in the late 1980s. It doesn't hurt that the soundtrack is pretty great, Jake Gyllenhaal is easy on the eyes, and there are strange wormholes and alternate realities. I like that many of the elements are left mysterious and unexplained, and makes a good entry into this genre. 3.5/5

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) Babenco - Two prisoners, revolutionary journalist and a male-to-female transgendered person share a cell. Luis passes time by recalling his favorite film to Valentin. Unfortunately, Luis is a mole for authorities trying to get information about a revolutionary cell out of Valentin. A real emotional bond develops between the two, with tension evolving from the threat of betrayal. For my taste, a little melodramatic...3.5/5

Love in the Afternoon (1972) Rohmer - A happily married man encounters a friend from the past. She slowly plots to seduce him and for a while he seems to hang out with her so often and in secret that the sexual affair seems inevitable. However, much like in La Collectioneuse, when it comes to sex, people often don't get their way. 3.5/5

Pixote (1981) Babenco - Pixote is a ten year-old sent off to a juvenile boarding facility in the slums of Brazil. In the detention center, many young men are killed off by those in charge, and their murders are blamed on other boys. It seems like no one makes it to their 18th birthday - the date of release. The film is unflinching in its depiction of drug use, specifically glue-huffing as a means to assuage fear. Interestingly, Babenco includes a trans-gendered character as one of the main protagonists. 4.5/5 

Virgin Suicides (2000) Coppola - Moody debut from Sofia Coppola and one of my favorite movies from college. Set in 1970s suburbia, a group of teenage sisters captivate the imaginations of the neighborhood boys. The girls have to endure a strict upbringing by their parents, particularly their mother, who wants them sheltered as much as possible from the outside world. Heartbreaking and bizarre events  happen, triggered by the suicide of their youngest sister. 4.5/5

Celluloid #83

In Theaters

Cracks (2010) Scott - Moody film featuring a predictable plot, but a great amount of tension and awesome, surreal, slow-motion diving scenes. A group of girls at a British boarding school are threatened by the addition of a new girl from a wealthy aristocratic Spanish family. She's beautiful and talented and has become the new teacher's pet--completely against her will. 3.5/5

In Home

Babel (2006) Inarritu - Once again Inarritu presents us with a series of intertwining stories, this time taking place in four different continents. The title alludes to the difficulty and confusion that come with a diversity of language and culture. This film is a bit of a mess, but not as bad as I remembered it upon first viewing. I was personally most attracted to the Tokyo storyline about the deaf-mute girls, but I have to acknowledge that is was the least connected to the other stories...3.5/5

la Collectionneuse (1967) Rohmer - Two men and a young woman live as roommates in a country mansion. At first the young woman is ignored or berated for her promiscuity, but after a while, both men pursue sexual relations with her (to varying success). 3.5/5

the Fifth Element (1997) Besson - In the future, a cataclysmic event is about to occur and can only be prevented by aligning ancient artifacts with the "fifth element" - a female alien-type. This film is flashy, colorful, full of action, and essentially the definition of a pop film. 4/5

Leon: the Professional (1994) Besson - A 12 year-old's family gets killed by a dirty cop during a drug bust and she seeks refuge with her neighbor, who happens to be a sensitive hit-man. I think this is the strongest film in Besson's filmography that explores the idea of turning young women into killers. (See also La Femme Nikita and even the Fifth Element) 4.5/5

Manhattan (1979) Allen - This film was the epitome of Woody Allen - neurotic, relationship-obsessed, and featuring a pairing between a 17 year-old girl and a 40-something man. Admittedly, I do not worship at the altar of Allen, so I found this movie to be fine, not something to drool over. People are cheaters, brokenhearted, or all too willing to compromise - all of which makes love look like a bad idea. 3.5/5

Maya Deren: Experimental Films (1943-1959) Deren - Lots of dance incorporated into these short films. Choreography is used as a stylized way to represent interactions. This is a fine collection of films, but as a side note, as I am being exposed to experimental film, I cannot help but compare this genre to poetry, by which I mean that both forms work better for me within the context of a narrative. One can use poetic language in a novel or experimental techniques within a film to make the overall artifact stronger, but each on its own leaves seems often a little silly. 4/5

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) Altman - Revisionist Western that actually takes place in the Northwest. The title characters are essentially small business owners of the local saloon and brothel. Men from a larger business or trust seek to buy McCabe out. After he refuses, he faces severe danger to his life. Leonard Cohen soundtracks this film where everybody seems to be having a rough time. 4/5

Salesman (1968) Maysles - Documentary about Bible salesmen that provides a series of snapshots into peoples' homes. In addition to our glimpse into Middle America, we also get to see the inner workings of the salesman trade, including motivational conferences promising reward or punitive measures. Lastly, we see the casual racism present in the language of these aging men. 3.5/5

Celluloid #82

In Theaters

Date Night (2010) Levy - Last night I got suckered into seeing this romantic comedy for the married set. I like Steve Carell and Tina Fey in their respective shows, but I'm not a fan of them in starring roles in films. For two people who are often very funny, this movie rarely brought any laugh out loud moments.(The bloopers and a moment when my roommate gasped at a lizard featured in one of the previews elicited more chuckles) I didn't have high expectations, but even still, found myself getting annoyed with predictable lines and plot conventions. 1.5/5

In Home

Beauty and the Beast (1946) Cocteau - Surrealist take on the classic story. I enjoyed the old school special effects. In addition, in this version, the Beast exchanges outer appearances with the "handsome" man who originally asked for Belle's hand. 4/5

City Lights (1931) Chaplin - Chaplin is charming as ever playing the "Little Tramp." He falls for a blind girl who works at a flower shop. She believes him to be a wealthy man and he helps her get an operation for her eyes, knowing that she may reject him once she can actually see his shabby appearance. Abrupt ending, but nice in its irresolution. 4/5

the Draughtsman's Contract (1982) Greenaway - In 17th Century England, the lady of an estate makes an arrangement with a local artist. For twelve days, he will produce twelve drawings of the house and landscape as a gift to the woman's husband. In exchange, he will get full room and board and twelve sexual favors. 3.5/5

Innocent Voices (2004) Mandoki - While any story about the heartbreak of child soldiers should be incredibly moving, I was too annoyed by the hammy child actors. The film focuses on the terrors of turning 12 - the age when soldiers forcibly recruit boys into the military. They can try to hide or join the guerilla forces, but every option is a loser. 3/5

Lorna's Silence (2009) Dardenne - Lorna is in a sham marriage with a junkie in order to obtain Belgian citizenship. Her partner wants to kill the fake husband because it's quicker than getting a divorce. Lorna has a little more compassion and wants to avoid murder. She is put through the ringer for her humanity, which isn't all that surprising considering the brutality of many of the Dardenne brothers films. 4/5

Machuca (2005) Wood - At an all-boys Catholic school, a progressive priest decides to integrate some boys from the poorer neighborhood with the current students who are primarily children of the elite. Meanwhile, socialist president Allende has come to power, much to the frustration of the upper class. Gonzalo and Pedro (one of the new boys) become friends despite their class differences. 3.5/5

Phantom Museums (1979-2003) Quay - Stop-motion animation in the lineage of Jan Svankmajer. These shorts are creepy and surreal and have been featured in contexts as varied as MTV, art museums, and the film Frida. 4/5

the Searchers (1956) Ford - A John Wayne vehicle where a family is massacred by a tribe of Indians. One of the young girls is believed to have been adopted by the tribe. For five years, Ethan and Debbie's brother search for her. Once they find her, she doesn't want to leave. Whether this is chalked up to love of the Indians or brainwashing is unclear. There is some pretty blatant racism, but that mostly has to do with how this film has dated. Perhaps one could even argue against the racism, but then you have to side against the protagonist. 3/5

28 Days Later (2002) Boyle - Zombie film where nearly all of England is infected by a virus unleashed from a research lab. Our protagonists are a group of four: Jim, a former bike messenger; Selena, a tough and sexy black woman; Hannah and her dad. They band together in search of a military rescue station, but once they arrive, they are confronted with the ugliest side of humanity. 4/5

Test Pattern #3

Battlestar Galactica (Seasons 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 4.5) - Jon and I spent a good portion of the end of last year watching this entire series. Season 1 had Jon jumping on the couch in excitement over the initials battles between the remaining human race and a race of robots called Cylons. I think this show is interesting for so many reasons that are probably better articulated elsewhere on the internet. In addition to this epic storyline with religious undertones about finding a new home, various plots deal with human rights, abortion, slavery, religious expression, the military, martial law and treason. I would guess that most viewers fall on the left side of the political spectrum, but sometimes the show seems to at least superficially take conservative stances--an aspect that I find fascinating, especially when you find yourself saying things like "just let Adama (the admiral and military leader) do what he wants" when I would never express a similar sentiment in real life. In addition to being thought-provoking, the show is immensely entertaining even when there are throwaway episodes. My only real complaint is that I think Season 4.5 could have been abandoned all together, as I prefer the ending presented at the end of Season 4.

Big Love (Season 3) - In this very short season, the focus is happily on Nikki Grant, the second wife and daughter to Roman Grant. Roman is despicable for his practices as "the Prophet" of Juniper Creek; exiling teenage boys and marrying off teenage girls. However, as his daughter, Nikki is still ever seeking his approval, this time in the form of lying to her own family by working in the law office who is responsible for prosecuting Roman. Nikki is my favorite character on the show, precisely because she makes bad and selfish decisions. In addition to that storyline, Bill and the other wives are courting a fourth wife, and Sara has to deal with a pregnancy that she cannot share with anyone. 

Firefly (Season 1- the only season) - I was caught a little off-guard when I realized that this show was essentially a Western set in Space (for some reason, I imagined it to be more "Space-y"). At times you would be forgiven for not realizing that this had anything to do with Space at all. Mal captains a ship with a motley crew, that makes a living by transporting goods, often of an illegal nature. They are at odds with the government sponsored military, and therefore have to fly below the radar or at the outskirts of the explored planets. Meanwhile, part of the crew includes a brother-sister pair of fugitives. Overall, a pretty fun show that should have easily been renewed for additional seasons.

Homicide: Life on the Street (Season 1 & 2) - Before the Wire, there was Homicide. It was written by the same key players and used to air on NBC in the 1990s. Once again, the setting is Baltimore, but this time the main characters are all on the same shift in the Police Department. It's fun to see Richard Belzer play Detective Munch (as he does on Law & Order) and Yaphett Kotto play Lieutenant Giardello. The cast also features a Baldwin and Melissa Leo. A typical episode may focus on a case or a couple cases being handled by various pairs of partners, intertwined with the detectives' personal lives, philosophies, etc. The visual style is particulary gritty and nearly monochrome in Season 1. I also appreciate that the cases don't always get solved.

the O.C. (Season 2, 3, & 4) - I think Season 1 and 2 of this series aren't too bad in the context of teen dramas, but it would be difficult to make the same argument for the Seasons 3 & particularly 4.  Season 2 sticks to the typical teenage high school/romance dramas of Season 1, with the additional drama of having Ryan's bad-boy brother Trey invade the lives of the main characters. Season 3 includes a lot of drama between Ryan, Marissa, and Marissa's new friend Johnny, who predictably loves Marissa. Johnny is perhaps the most tragic character on the show, never getting anything that would make him happy. After the death of one of the main characters at the end of Season 3, Season 4 takes a serious nosedive. The season starts out with a ridiculous revenge scheme, and then episodes later everyone seems fine and even more unbelievable relationships start up. The last episode is particularly saccharine and overall, I don't like the way loose ends are tied up.

RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 1) - Season 2 is only a few episodes from ending, but in a fit of impatience, Jon and I devoured the first season (it's only 8 episodes) via LOGO's website. This show is essentially America's Next Top Model, but with sewing, lip-synching, and much more bitchiness. Obviously, being a reality show, there are no real plot-lines, but it's difficult to not get swept up in the camp of it all. I loved Nina Flowers and Ongina, precisely because of their androgyny rather than "realness." Their styles just seemed so much more creative than the competitors and it is a shame that they didn't win. Either one of them would have dominated all of the girls in Season 2...

Celluloid #81

In Theaters

Mother (2010) Bong - This mother will do anything to protect her idiot son. Their relationship is already inappropriately close and he is basically the focus of her entire life. When the son is accused of murdering a local girl, Mom heads up her own investigation. I love the dancing scenes and Bong Joon-ho's characteristically awesome visual style. 4.5/5

A Prophet (2010) Audiard - Malik is sentenced to six years in prison. Without any friends or family, he finds himself in a predicament when the Corsicans force him into doing a favor for them. Malik is constantly straddling the fence between the Arabs (his own ethnicity) and the Corsicans who provide him with protection. Gritty, often bloody. 4/5

In Home

Fitzcarraldo (1982) Herzog - Klaus Kinski plays a crazy idealist who has a dream of building an opera house in the middle of the Amazon. This film is remarkable in that it took four years to film and the famous scene of a steamboat being pulled over a mountain does not involve special effects, but actual hard work on the part of the locals and Herzog's film crew. As far as Herzog's crazy jungle movies go, I would always opt for Aguirre, Wrath of God, but I am super interested in watching the documentary about the making of this film called Burden of Dreams. 4/5

Good Hair (2009) Stilson - Chris Rock hosts and narrates this documentary about the black hair industry. He interviews celebrities, barbers and barbershop dudes, scientists, and platform hairstylist performers about relaxers, weaves, and black womens' hair in general. Rock also travels to India where the most desirable hair comes from. This documentary is very entertaining, much in part to the platform show, but also just because it is really funny and informative. 4/5

Heart of Glass (1976) Herzog - The legend surrounding this film is that most of the actors were hypnotized for the duration of the shoot. Whether that is true or not, the film does have a strange trance-like tone. The setting is a small Bavarian town, famous for its ruby-colored glass. When the keeper of how to make the glass dies, the town experiences a variety of odd happenings. One man babbles about prophesies (perhaps pertaining to future events in Germany) and there are some really cool scenes of glassblowing. The whole thing is capped off with an epilogue that is difficult to explain or interpret (involving people on the beach and birds and the killing of an imaginary bear). 4/5

Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) Resnais - A couple in bed discuss the horrors of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. He is Japanese, but did not witness the tragedy firsthand. She is white/French and has her own baggage from suffering through France's occupation as  young woman. Very artsy. 3.5/5

Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1998) Herzog - This is the documentary about Dieter Dengler, a guy who just wanted to be a pilot and got shot down early in his enlisted tour of Vietnam. Dieter is a charismatic eccentric, much in line with the characters that Herzog is attracted to. The film is strange because Herzog basically forces Dieter to reenact his time as a POW--probably the most traumatic time in his life. 3.5/5

Motorcycle Diaries (2004) Salles - A buddy roadtrip movie about Che Guevara and his friend Alberto--years before his infamy as a revolutionary, and this film remains mostly apolitical with small hints to his ideologies. This is the Che who still goes by Ernesto and is a semester away from becoming a doctor. The film is full of beautiful landscapes from around South America. This is my second time viewing this film, and while I was largely dismissive the first time, this time I found the scenes of the leper colony quite touching. 3.5/5

Raising Victor Vargas (2002) Sollett - An indie film about a Dominican family living in New York. Victor sees himself as a ladies' man, but his reputation is damaged when word gets out that he slept with a fat girl. Judy is the neighborhood hottie, tired of guys hitting on/harassing her. Victor pursues Judy and she agrees to let him hang around to keep the other guys at bay. Meanwhile Victor and his siblings have to appease their grandmother before she kicks Victor out of the house. 4/5

Celluloid #80

In Home

Jeanne Dielman (1975) Akerman - This is the type of film that requires a fair amount of patience, but if you can calm down, it is ultimately worth watching. Featuring very little dialogue and clocking in over three hours, we basically follow around a housewife as she completes her multitude of chores and tasks over the course of approximately three days. Jeanne lives an extremely regimented life, occasionally interspersed with some light home-based prostitution for extra cash. While her routine might put you asleep, it's the breakdown of this routine that leads to much bigger consequences. 4/5

Melies the Magician (1896-1912) Melies - I recommend you skip the documentary and just watch the shorts on this DVD. Melies' films are funny and really cool to look at, but the format they are presented here (as a screening with an audience and narration by his granddaughter) gets pretty annoying. Besides the iconic "A Trip to the Moon," I loved the dancing in "The Infernal Cakewalk." 3/5

Mysterious Skin (2004) Araki - Odd but ultimately worthwhile film about sexual abuse. Our dual protagonists are two boys from small town Kansas. On the surface, they seem almost polar opposites. Brian is quiet, nerdy, and obsessed with alien abductions. Neil is gay and confident and wields his good looks around town as the local male hustler. Definitely makes me want to seek out more Araki. 4/5

Pickup on South Street (1953) Fuller - A man steals some film from a lady's purse. Somehow this film is linked with Communist plots. The woman is a former hooker and the man an active pickpocket, but despite their shady tendencies both characters are portrayed in a far more favorable light than the Communists. Fun noir showcasing the attitudes of the Red Scare. 4/5

Polyester (1981) Waters - Fairly mild Waters featuring the drag queen Divine. Her daughter is a slut who wants an abortion. Her son has a foot fetish that causes him so much anxiety that he stomps on ladies' toes. At some point the children become reformed and Francine (Divine) meets a "nice" guy, but you know that this happiness can only be short-lived. 3.5/5