Recently Watched Films

Irving Lerner - Murder by Contract (1958)

finally released on DVD! are we allowed to admit that This Gun for Hire (1942) is lame and not the inspiration for Le Samouraï now?

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (De Sica, 1970) - Well this is different than De Sica's earlier films that I am familiar with (Bicycle Thief, Shoeshine). How does it compare to the book you ask? Well, the casting is excellent. Micol, Alberto, Malnate, Giorgio, are all exactly as I pictured them while reading. Not just their appearance, but their mannerisms and personality as well. Pitch perfect. And the acting is excellent. The plot sticks pretty close to the book, but the movie plays up the Nazi bit at the end. In the book, its hinted at more than actually shown. I dont think the movie needed to be so overt about it. It works better as an omnious foreshadowing, imo. The dialogue and feel of the movie is also more overtly melodramatic, veering into soap opera-ish territory at times, esp the scenes between Micol and Giorgio. Cinematography is decent but not inspired, except for some great pillow shots that are impressionistic, I think De Sica could of had more of that impressionistic feel, to give the movie more of an an elegiac tone that the book has. Overall, not bad, I'd recommend it hesitantly. I dont think its a canonic Italian movie, and not really up to the earlier De Sica movies. Not surprised this won an Academy Award though.

In Bruges (McDonagh, 2008) - Gerardo and I both watched this for a second time this past weekend. Best Christmas movie EVER? It didnt quite make my top ten of the decade, but it'd be #11. I cant find anything to criticize about this one, except maybe Fiennes plagarising his performance from Ben Kinsgley in Sexy Beast. See it if you havent. I'd say it holds up better than Pulp Fiction (a similar type of movie).

the movie plays up the Nazi bit at the end. In the book, its hinted at more than actually shown. I dont think the movie needed to be so overt about it.

yes but it fits in nicely with the film's more soap opera-ish feel--the final ironic twist. De Sica adores melodrama and i think he executes it to a tee here.

In Bruges (McDonagh, 2008) - I'd say it holds up better than Pulp Fiction (a similar type of movie).

i disagree, i thought it was quite derivative of both Pulp Fiction and Sexy Beast and in no way transcended either one. too much macho juvenilia for my tastes as well. McDonagh is only really good in small doses, when he is allowed to go on for very long at all the whole thing gets painfully contrived IMO. i liked Brendan Gleeson and Željko Ivanek (with his bottle) though.

Nikita Mikhalov, Neskolko dney iz zhizni I.I. Oblomova ("A Few Days in the Life of I.I. Oblomov"), 1980

I never got round to finishing the book, but that'll be one of my New Year's resolutions, if I can get out of bed.

i disagree, i thought it was quite derivative of both Pulp Fiction and Sexy Beast and in no way transcended either one.

'I fucking love Bruges, me...'

I thought it was better than Sexy Beast and, to be honest, it didn't really remind me of Pulp Fiction bar the shouting and shooting.

Nikita Mikhalov, Neskolko dney iz zhizni I.I. Oblomova ("A Few Days in the Life of I.I. Oblomov"), 1980

I never got round to finishing the book, but that'll be one of my New Year's resolutions, if I can get out of bed.

Never got through that book either, for some reason.

Nikita Mikhalov, Neskolko dney iz zhizni I.I. Oblomova ("A Few Days in the Life of I.I. Oblomov"), 1980

I never got round to finishing the book, but that'll be one of my New Year's resolutions, if I can get out of bed.

The name is Mikhalkov
I like this film.
But the book is one of top ten in Litterature . Of course not in your country but you can read it in your bed. And this goes for Walto too.

Thanks for reminding me about the missing k! Yes, Oblomov is on my "To Read" pile for 2010!
Meanwhile:



Douglas Sirk, The Tarnished Angels, 1958

Is that a Oblomov woman? I guess you 'd finished the book already , wouldn't you ?
C рождеством! Happy Xmas!

The Human Condition (Ningen no jôken, 1959-61), Part II, for the 4th time.

dammit, I had successfully held out on picking up that box so far (I love Kobayashi and have been dying to see this for years, but have a ton of unwatched DVDs here already), but I didn't see the cover art until you posted it. final straw, just ordered, arriving Monday.

dammit, I had successfully held out on picking up that box so far (I love Kobayashi and have been dying to see this for years, but have a ton of unwatched DVDs here already), but I didn't see the cover art until you posted it. final straw, just ordered, arriving Monday.

I've been waiting for years for Criterion to release this one, so I picked it up as quick as it came out a few months ago. Totally worthed. Kobayashi is a true, unparalleled artist.

[quote=]dammit, I had successfully held out on picking up that box so far (I love Kobayashi and have been dying to see this for years, but have a ton of unwatched DVDs here already), but I didn't see the cover art until you posted it. final straw, just ordered, arriving Monday.

I've been waiting for years for Criterion to release this one, so I picked it up as quick as it came out a few months ago. Totally worthed. Kobayashi is a true, unparalleled artist.[/quote]


Hello
Enoah Ballard after you look part 3 I would really like to read your opinion on the whole since you posted already a war film when you have finished . I'm gretly interested .

I watched the Human Condition on crappy VHS, and I too have been coveting that box. I own 5 DVDs and Kobayashi is one of them.

dammit, I had successfully held out on picking up that box so far (I love Kobayashi and have been dying to see this for years, but have a ton of unwatched DVDs here already), but I didn't see the cover art until you posted it. final straw, just ordered, arriving Monday.

I've been waiting for years for Criterion to release this one, so I picked it up as quick as it came out a few months ago. Totally worthed. Kobayashi is a true, unparalleled artist.

Hello
Enoah Ballard after you look part 3 I would really like to read your opinion on the whole since you posted already a war film and you too Jon Abbey when you have finished . I'm gretly interested .

I already watched Kobayashi's THC long before the Criterion released their special collector's box. Like all of his other movies, Kobayashi's more than 9 hrs masterpiece is a powerful indictment of militarism, and of all systems in general. His somewhat melodramatic style captures the tragic struggles of the individual who suffers in order to keep his or her moral integrity while being swallowed up in the absurdities of a totalitarian system. The themes and symbolism of THC are as relevant today as they were then, when the events portrayed in the movie transpired. And let's not forget that this is one of the earliest movies to show the Japanese abuse against the conquered Chinese - reason for which Kobayashi had to clear a few major hurdles in order to make and even release his film. I simply love the film and I think it's one of the greatest that postwar Japan has to offer, both stylistically and thematically.

Lone Scherfig - An Education (2009)

i've liked the other Scherfig films i've seen (though it's been a few years), and while the first two thirds of this one were very enjoyable as well, it all goes to pieces in the final act. poor speeches replace story and the whole things turns quite formulaic. at least there is some very strong acting from Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike and Peter Sarsgaard (playing his usual charming creep).

just saw district 9 & avatar in 3-d imax

didnt know much about either one before watching (yes, i live under a rock)

d9 was pretty good. i feel like the director did a pretty good job w/ the aliens & made them as relatable to as possible, probably. also good job keeping everything very taut & creating a kind of claustrophobia to the whole movie.

avatar was one of the most simple-minded movies ive seen of late that seems to have built some sort of consensus around it as a film of relatively good quality. i could only recommend it to someone on the grounds that they should see some sweet 6 story 3-d imax cgi action.

after watching both d9 & avatar in 2 days, it occured to me that the movies are not entirely dissimilar, but i would consider d9 much more of a success than avatar. in both, the alien cgi is often in plain, clear view, w/o the directors trying to hide the fakeness of the cgi through shadows & quick movements. although the facial movement texturing of avatar was really impressive, on the whole, i thought the art direction was better for d9. the aliens in avatar looked like extras from 'cats' & it was kind of distracting & pandering how they were basically alien native american indians.

also, the socio-political message of eacch film was pretty thinly veiled, but i didnt think it distracted all that much from d9, as the entire plot seemed to be somewhat more realistic than avatar. also, maybe it wasnt so distracting b/c of some of the godawful dialogue in avatar.

lastly, both plots were pretty damn predictable, but again, wasnt super distracting for d9 b/c it was still kind of a fresh, novel gimmick, whereas avatar was one of the most simplistic plots ive ever seen in a movie.

one thing that got me thinking after watching both is whether movies like these that simultaneously serve as blockbuster affairs & 'message' movies will ever rise above the 'shoot em up battle' finale. not that i mind all that much b/c thats where your real cgi appeal comes from, right? but i thought w/ d9 @ least, it was a fairly heady film, all things considered. but then everything gets resolved through a big battle. same w/ avatar. it just seems so lazy, but the big battle finales still appeal to me & i understand why they do them

i dunno

what im trying to say is d9 was a legit movie. avatar, not so much

[mudd]

friend of mine sugested avatar be retitled 'dances with aliens'. haven't seen it, though.

i did watch sherlock holmes. don't have that much to say about it.

m

from the otherwise largely worthless "year in review" articles in today's paper:

Cameron’s “Dances With Blue People’’ is politically deranged and as tin-eared as all his movies.

he then goes on to praise it as a technology wonder that everyone and his brother should go see. it annoys me so much that a film that people so openly bad mouth is still considered worthy while a cheaper made marvel like District 9 is basically disregarded despite it's more positive reception.