Movies & Miscellaneous (films 84-
May. 27th, 2012 01:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
felicitykingNewest to oldest per usual. My last review set was nearly all movies! I need to work on the miscelleous part!
Captain America: The First Avenger. It's weird. I can go weeks on end watching obscure, less mainstream, non-Hollywood type films on hulu and then one day, it hits me, I NEED to watch another fluffy, popcorn, mainstream, Hollywood film. This was the lastest boom! example. I've actually put off watching it for awhile, because I was afraid I would be disappointed given my high expectations regarding the cast (you can't stick Hayley Atwell, Richard Armitage, Dominic Cooper, and most importantly, JJ Feild in one movie and not expect me to freak out). Well, of all the Avengers lead-ins, this is the one that surprised me: even though I love Tony, Loki, and Thor, never quite prepared me for how wrapped up I got in Steve's journey. He was just so adorkable! I found myself getting quite emotional at times. Thor still remains the most Shakespearean, and Iron Man the most cool, but Captain America, he's got a place in my heart too. I'll always root for him!
The Queen. I've seen this film a few times, and each time, I have mixed feelings about it. I was in my teens when Diana died and I remember that week, that summer. I believe the film manipulated or exaggerated facts to suit its purposes, but it got the essence of the truth right: it's hard to remember now (because the Queen has modernized the Institution) but back then, the monarchy was considered out-of-touch. At the same time, I also think the film is trying TOO hard, and too obviously, to be an apologist note for the way the Queen/Windsors behaved back then (I don't think she deserves it. If Jackie Kennedy could rise to the moment in 1963, so could the Queen in 1997. The Queen misfired, greatly.) Why do I think that? Because everything and everyone is portrayed grey (but overall, in a pleasing light) except Princess Diana. True, she had her problems, but I well remember how much loved she was for her charity work. But the film damns her ~everything. Nothing about her, not even her charity work, is considered worthy of merit. I think this is a film I will come to hate in a few years, but right now, I like it enough to rewatch it. Even now, I get chills when I remember that time and particularly when I see footage of Diana. (Footnote: I like the Queen now since she the common sense to update the monarchy, but I don't like how the film tries she say she didn't deserve to be damned back then. She did. And I'm glad William and Harry take from Diana in how they treat the Monarchy.)
Enchanted April. Only my 2nd viewing of this flawless film. I remember the first time I saw it, I thought it was good if slow-paced. This time I was so sucked in the scenery and the characters, I didn't notice the time. This is probably the most beautiful film ever made. Every scene looks like a painting. During the Roaring 20s, 4 women go on a quiet holiday to Italy. I highly rec this. It's like A Room with A View, but more lazy and enchanting (yes, the film lives up to its title!). My immediate thoughts though are: WHY DO I NOT OWN THIS YET??? I will be definitely be buying it!
Ugetsu. I can this can be considered The Virgin Spring of Japan, but rather than dealing with conflicts of religion, this one deals with conflicts stemming from war and profitting. Based on Japanese folklore, it follows the rise and fall of two pleasants who get what they want....but also have to deal with the suffering their greediness incurs. Despite being shot in 1953, the film is rather harrowing in showing how war affects women (poverty, rape, abandonment). This is one of the few times where the critical praise of the cinematography wasn't underrated. This film is strangely enchanting, haunting, and beautifully shot. Everything just fuses together. Definitely a must see!
Strictly Ballroom. What Dirty Dancing is to you is what this film is to me. It was a staple of my teen years. Often I would rewind and watch certain sequences obsessively. I haven't seen it on years (my VHS is waiting to upgraded to bluray), but hulu made it free so I watched it. I kept on thinking "wow!, they don't make movies like they used to." Not in the storytelling sense, but the ~budget~ sense. Everything is so shiny, designer-y, and CGI-y nowadays. This was a low-budget film but I don't remember thinking throughout the 1990s it looked low-budget. Now, I'm realized how accustomed I've become to glitz and sparkle. This film is seriously underrated though (YOU BAD BAZ FANS WHO HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET! ***shakes fist****) It really is a gem. Like all of Baz's films, it's more a parable/fairytale/dream fantasy rather than reality. It's about having the courage to be yourself, no matter how late in life, no matter what the odds. Something I didn't notice in my teen years: the dark undercurrents that lie beneath the frothiness.
The Brothers Grimm. I was bored. Although I enjoyed that the scenery porn was clearly inspired by Pre-Raphaelite painting, it also felt deriative of Harry Potter. Also, the special effects were too many and too distracting. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders had NO special effects, but it worked because it was pure storytelling. Here the CGI felt show-offy. Didn't much care for the movie either. Heath Ledger stole the show doing nothing, but even he couldn't get me invested in the movie. I read that Miramax interfered with Terry Gilliam which is probably why it's not as good as his other movies.
Flirting With Disaster. Without a doubt, movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Sideways couldn't exist without this David O. Russell indie (and it is a true indie!). The problem is this genre is now so ...exploited...that this film no longer feels groundbreaking like it once was. Intriguingly though, it also sets the stage for more mainstream fare like the Fockers movies (however, Ben Stiller is comparably low-key here). While I did like this movie (it's something I've wanted to see for years), I wasn't as in awe with it as I thought I'd be for the reasons named above. But overall, it's good.
The Avengers. I'm late to the party, but I finally saw it! Do I dare say I prefer the individual movies that I've seen to this? Yes, I do. I didn't dislike it: far from it, but it was soooooo action-heavy. I liked the small bonding scenes best: between Tony and Bruce, Clint and Natasha, Pepperony, and every scene Agent Coulson was in. And...Surprise, surprise! While I sympathized with Loki after Thor, he just seemed to evil here. I don't think Hiddles was attempting to play him one-noted, but I no longer felt the love I did for him. I did like the characters played off another and how their chemistry was developed but I think the sequel will be far better, since the obligatory squabbling will be out of the way.
Jules et Jim. This film annoyed me in the same way Breathless did: everything felt calculated to achieve the ending. The film is about a love triangle between longtime friends, Jules and Jim--who are intellectual, pretentious males--and Catherine, a flaky female with no personality whatsoever (the film uses lazy shorthand by comparing her to a Spinx). I enjoy Troffaut, and I enjoy Jeanne Moreau, but this film was stupid. The costumes and scenery porn were beyond beautiful, but the story itself is not worth the investment.
Iron Man 2. I FINALLY got around to seeing this. It's not as enchanting as the first one. The villians annoy, the plot drags, and there wasn't enough Pepperony (best ship name ever!). But I fully enjoyed having my heart broken by Tony trying to hide the fact that he's dying, that's he's in love with Pepper--but doesn't know quite how to show her--and that he wants to be remembered for being Iron Man, no matter what show he puts he puts on as Tony Stark. Even though I know what's coming, I still found myself thinking "OMG, he's gonna die!" Mostly I spazzed out over how extremely Robert Downey Jr looked, and Tony's priceless scenes with Nick Fury. (Still have to see Incredible Hulk and Captain America. And, Avengers.)
Good Morning. My 2nd Ozu film. He's such a masterful director! Even though this was filmed in the 1950s, it feels surprisingly contemporarily. When their parents won't buy them a TV, two kids decide not to talk to any adults. Despite its slight premise, the film manages to delve into many cultural things: how misunderstanding arises and generational conflict. It's like a highbrow Desperate Housewives.
Five Corners. Despite its A-list cast and Academy Award winning screenplay writer, everything about this feels like a made-for-TV movie. A convicted rapist comes back the Bronx to seek out his victim. A subplot involves drunken, high teens having fun night out. The last half hour just felt too over the top and ridiculous. Although it is set in 1964 to try to make it look artsy (and to have a conversation about non-violence and race relations), it really feels no different than the typical (non artsy-fartsy, non-indie) 1980s "psycho killer on the loose" films. I didn't like it.
Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Elevator to the Gallows) A French film noir that is awesome! Definitely one of the best I've ever seen. Louis Malle's debut film is clever take on "wrong place in the wrong time" genre. It's suspenseful and full of plot twists. Not going to reveal the plot! You just have to see it and enjoy it. Oh, and the scenery shots are amazing! It really benefits that it's shot in black-and-white too.
The Kid. I have the strong impression I've seen this before, but if I have I don't remember it. One of Chaplin's earlier Tramp outings. It's very Dickenseque with an abandoned baby being raised by the Little Tramp, while the regretful mother searches for it. Despite the poverty and underlying sadness, this is a rather comic outing.
Zéro de conduite. My 2nd Jean Vigo film. This director is amazing! I think he lucked out being in the "in-between" period when films were neither complete silents nor completely sound. He has all the benefits of sound, while being able to keep in the best things about silents: the use of slightly-over-the-top characters and comedy. This charming little short is about an unruly boys school and the the inept (but also repressive) schoolmasters. Trouffant was said to have borrowed liberally from this film when he made The 400 Blows, and I could see the influence. However, The 400 Blows is sad, while this is just fun.
M. My 2nd Fritz Lang film. He really is an amazing, innovative director! This film is noted for being the German sound film, but it's obviously transitional as most of it is still silent (which contributes nicely to the atmosphere of the film). Didn't realize until I had finished watching it, but the film has no orchestral soundtrack. Which reminded me of another soundtrackless film I've watched this year: L'Argent. Like this film, this film is about a serial killer. However, this one goes one step beyond. It is almost surrealist in how it shows society falling apart under fear. The absurdist bits (like the black market underworld gathering together to hunt the killer) rise from the film from the mundane to amazing. Many elements are ahead of their time: the forensic science, the 'uselessness' of the policemen, etc. This film isn't as good as Metropolis but the ending places it firmly in the will-rewatch category.
Captain America: The First Avenger. It's weird. I can go weeks on end watching obscure, less mainstream, non-Hollywood type films on hulu and then one day, it hits me, I NEED to watch another fluffy, popcorn, mainstream, Hollywood film. This was the lastest boom! example. I've actually put off watching it for awhile, because I was afraid I would be disappointed given my high expectations regarding the cast (you can't stick Hayley Atwell, Richard Armitage, Dominic Cooper, and most importantly, JJ Feild in one movie and not expect me to freak out). Well, of all the Avengers lead-ins, this is the one that surprised me: even though I love Tony, Loki, and Thor, never quite prepared me for how wrapped up I got in Steve's journey. He was just so adorkable! I found myself getting quite emotional at times. Thor still remains the most Shakespearean, and Iron Man the most cool, but Captain America, he's got a place in my heart too. I'll always root for him!
The Queen. I've seen this film a few times, and each time, I have mixed feelings about it. I was in my teens when Diana died and I remember that week, that summer. I believe the film manipulated or exaggerated facts to suit its purposes, but it got the essence of the truth right: it's hard to remember now (because the Queen has modernized the Institution) but back then, the monarchy was considered out-of-touch. At the same time, I also think the film is trying TOO hard, and too obviously, to be an apologist note for the way the Queen/Windsors behaved back then (I don't think she deserves it. If Jackie Kennedy could rise to the moment in 1963, so could the Queen in 1997. The Queen misfired, greatly.) Why do I think that? Because everything and everyone is portrayed grey (but overall, in a pleasing light) except Princess Diana. True, she had her problems, but I well remember how much loved she was for her charity work. But the film damns her ~everything. Nothing about her, not even her charity work, is considered worthy of merit. I think this is a film I will come to hate in a few years, but right now, I like it enough to rewatch it. Even now, I get chills when I remember that time and particularly when I see footage of Diana. (Footnote: I like the Queen now since she the common sense to update the monarchy, but I don't like how the film tries she say she didn't deserve to be damned back then. She did. And I'm glad William and Harry take from Diana in how they treat the Monarchy.)
Enchanted April. Only my 2nd viewing of this flawless film. I remember the first time I saw it, I thought it was good if slow-paced. This time I was so sucked in the scenery and the characters, I didn't notice the time. This is probably the most beautiful film ever made. Every scene looks like a painting. During the Roaring 20s, 4 women go on a quiet holiday to Italy. I highly rec this. It's like A Room with A View, but more lazy and enchanting (yes, the film lives up to its title!). My immediate thoughts though are: WHY DO I NOT OWN THIS YET??? I will be definitely be buying it!
Ugetsu. I can this can be considered The Virgin Spring of Japan, but rather than dealing with conflicts of religion, this one deals with conflicts stemming from war and profitting. Based on Japanese folklore, it follows the rise and fall of two pleasants who get what they want....but also have to deal with the suffering their greediness incurs. Despite being shot in 1953, the film is rather harrowing in showing how war affects women (poverty, rape, abandonment). This is one of the few times where the critical praise of the cinematography wasn't underrated. This film is strangely enchanting, haunting, and beautifully shot. Everything just fuses together. Definitely a must see!
Strictly Ballroom. What Dirty Dancing is to you is what this film is to me. It was a staple of my teen years. Often I would rewind and watch certain sequences obsessively. I haven't seen it on years (my VHS is waiting to upgraded to bluray), but hulu made it free so I watched it. I kept on thinking "wow!, they don't make movies like they used to." Not in the storytelling sense, but the ~budget~ sense. Everything is so shiny, designer-y, and CGI-y nowadays. This was a low-budget film but I don't remember thinking throughout the 1990s it looked low-budget. Now, I'm realized how accustomed I've become to glitz and sparkle. This film is seriously underrated though (YOU BAD BAZ FANS WHO HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET! ***shakes fist****) It really is a gem. Like all of Baz's films, it's more a parable/fairytale/dream fantasy rather than reality. It's about having the courage to be yourself, no matter how late in life, no matter what the odds. Something I didn't notice in my teen years: the dark undercurrents that lie beneath the frothiness.
The Brothers Grimm. I was bored. Although I enjoyed that the scenery porn was clearly inspired by Pre-Raphaelite painting, it also felt deriative of Harry Potter. Also, the special effects were too many and too distracting. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders had NO special effects, but it worked because it was pure storytelling. Here the CGI felt show-offy. Didn't much care for the movie either. Heath Ledger stole the show doing nothing, but even he couldn't get me invested in the movie. I read that Miramax interfered with Terry Gilliam which is probably why it's not as good as his other movies.
Flirting With Disaster. Without a doubt, movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Sideways couldn't exist without this David O. Russell indie (and it is a true indie!). The problem is this genre is now so ...exploited...that this film no longer feels groundbreaking like it once was. Intriguingly though, it also sets the stage for more mainstream fare like the Fockers movies (however, Ben Stiller is comparably low-key here). While I did like this movie (it's something I've wanted to see for years), I wasn't as in awe with it as I thought I'd be for the reasons named above. But overall, it's good.
The Avengers. I'm late to the party, but I finally saw it! Do I dare say I prefer the individual movies that I've seen to this? Yes, I do. I didn't dislike it: far from it, but it was soooooo action-heavy. I liked the small bonding scenes best: between Tony and Bruce, Clint and Natasha, Pepperony, and every scene Agent Coulson was in. And...Surprise, surprise! While I sympathized with Loki after Thor, he just seemed to evil here. I don't think Hiddles was attempting to play him one-noted, but I no longer felt the love I did for him. I did like the characters played off another and how their chemistry was developed but I think the sequel will be far better, since the obligatory squabbling will be out of the way.
Jules et Jim. This film annoyed me in the same way Breathless did: everything felt calculated to achieve the ending. The film is about a love triangle between longtime friends, Jules and Jim--who are intellectual, pretentious males--and Catherine, a flaky female with no personality whatsoever (the film uses lazy shorthand by comparing her to a Spinx). I enjoy Troffaut, and I enjoy Jeanne Moreau, but this film was stupid. The costumes and scenery porn were beyond beautiful, but the story itself is not worth the investment.
Iron Man 2. I FINALLY got around to seeing this. It's not as enchanting as the first one. The villians annoy, the plot drags, and there wasn't enough Pepperony (best ship name ever!). But I fully enjoyed having my heart broken by Tony trying to hide the fact that he's dying, that's he's in love with Pepper--but doesn't know quite how to show her--and that he wants to be remembered for being Iron Man, no matter what show he puts he puts on as Tony Stark. Even though I know what's coming, I still found myself thinking "OMG, he's gonna die!" Mostly I spazzed out over how extremely Robert Downey Jr looked, and Tony's priceless scenes with Nick Fury. (Still have to see Incredible Hulk and Captain America. And, Avengers.)
Good Morning. My 2nd Ozu film. He's such a masterful director! Even though this was filmed in the 1950s, it feels surprisingly contemporarily. When their parents won't buy them a TV, two kids decide not to talk to any adults. Despite its slight premise, the film manages to delve into many cultural things: how misunderstanding arises and generational conflict. It's like a highbrow Desperate Housewives.
Five Corners. Despite its A-list cast and Academy Award winning screenplay writer, everything about this feels like a made-for-TV movie. A convicted rapist comes back the Bronx to seek out his victim. A subplot involves drunken, high teens having fun night out. The last half hour just felt too over the top and ridiculous. Although it is set in 1964 to try to make it look artsy (and to have a conversation about non-violence and race relations), it really feels no different than the typical (non artsy-fartsy, non-indie) 1980s "psycho killer on the loose" films. I didn't like it.
Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Elevator to the Gallows) A French film noir that is awesome! Definitely one of the best I've ever seen. Louis Malle's debut film is clever take on "wrong place in the wrong time" genre. It's suspenseful and full of plot twists. Not going to reveal the plot! You just have to see it and enjoy it. Oh, and the scenery shots are amazing! It really benefits that it's shot in black-and-white too.
The Kid. I have the strong impression I've seen this before, but if I have I don't remember it. One of Chaplin's earlier Tramp outings. It's very Dickenseque with an abandoned baby being raised by the Little Tramp, while the regretful mother searches for it. Despite the poverty and underlying sadness, this is a rather comic outing.
Zéro de conduite. My 2nd Jean Vigo film. This director is amazing! I think he lucked out being in the "in-between" period when films were neither complete silents nor completely sound. He has all the benefits of sound, while being able to keep in the best things about silents: the use of slightly-over-the-top characters and comedy. This charming little short is about an unruly boys school and the the inept (but also repressive) schoolmasters. Trouffant was said to have borrowed liberally from this film when he made The 400 Blows, and I could see the influence. However, The 400 Blows is sad, while this is just fun.
M. My 2nd Fritz Lang film. He really is an amazing, innovative director! This film is noted for being the German sound film, but it's obviously transitional as most of it is still silent (which contributes nicely to the atmosphere of the film). Didn't realize until I had finished watching it, but the film has no orchestral soundtrack. Which reminded me of another soundtrackless film I've watched this year: L'Argent. Like this film, this film is about a serial killer. However, this one goes one step beyond. It is almost surrealist in how it shows society falling apart under fear. The absurdist bits (like the black market underworld gathering together to hunt the killer) rise from the film from the mundane to amazing. Many elements are ahead of their time: the forensic science, the 'uselessness' of the policemen, etc. This film isn't as good as Metropolis but the ending places it firmly in the will-rewatch category.
