Films I Watched - April, 2005
Submitted by lbangs on Sun, 04/03/2005 - 10:15
Tags:
- 4/24 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Thirty years on, and this film plays even stranger than ever, and that is a very good thing. I've reviewed this before, so I'll simply state that the film is still quite funny, and that I still favor The Life of Brian , but don't tell any Python fans... *** 1/2
- 4/20 - Nobody Knows - Hirokazu Koreeda now officially strikes me as one of the best directors currently working. Yes, that is a foolhardy declaration, especially since I am basing it on two films, but between the wondrous After Life and this later masterpiece, I am not hedging any bets. Nobody Knows tells a grim, gritty story and dares not always to tell it in a similar fashion, instead occasionally opting for a peek through the young point of view of the children the story focuses on. Sure, this is type of film I adore and many despise; long shots fade to black and are replaced by more long shots, atmosphere is relied upon to carry much of the narrative, and the running time stretches past the two hour mark, but events do happen, characters do exist, and I was riveted throughout the entire film. If you are not touched by any of the abandoned children by the time the credits roll, you are made of denser material than I am. The director catches both poverty and adolescence with fine detail. It is an incredible film, and though I fear it will largely be ignored, it is as deserving of fame and attention as any movie this decade. ****
- 4/17 - The Mask of Zorro - Raiders of the Lost Ark joins arms with James Bond and the original films of the series to create a brilliant sequel to the long-running, often tepid Zorro franchise. It isn’t just that a terrific cast works to sell this stuff, though they certainly do, but the story is an excellent example of continuing and developing a story that could have simply been recycled and resold, and Martin Campbell directs the stunts and meticulous set pieces like a young Spielberg. The film also folds true history, costumes, music, and decorations into the batter to make an authentic Zorro finally flourish, and while the action scenes are fantastic, complete with horse-leaping and sword fighting, this film is really an classic, old-fashioned adventure flick disguised as an action film. Sure, it made money, but this is really criminally under-rated. It is one of the best of its kind to arrive in the last fifteen years. ****
- 4/17 - It! The Terror from Beyond Space - The most exciting element of this 50s sci-fi flick is the exclamation point punching the first word of the title. Even after that, the problems begin; since when is Mars ‘beyond space’? The greatest virtue of this boring, senseless movie is its length. Still, even at little over an hour, the tedious two-minute space walk, achieved by turning a camera on its side, is duller than watching bread toast, and no thrills are present to help disguise the lack of logic, skill, or shred of anything approaching a reason to watch this terrible turkey. It is easy to see how this film influenced Alien, but that Scott squeezed honey from this dry hunk of refuse from better movies is only a testament to Ridley’s skill in the late seventies. The only fun here is the trailer with its early attempts at subliminal advertising. 1/2
- 4/17 - Black Orpheus - This explosion of creative color and context resituates the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus into the Carnival season at Rio de Janeiro; what amazes is not only the fact that the folks behind the film have made this fit well, but also the reality that as viewers watch, they may not care about tracing the analogues from the original to the screen. The colors are both dusty and brilliant, and the music courteous of Antonio Carlos Jobim is infectious and enlivening. Death is visualized to an eerie perfection, and all the stars are great, from Breno Mello’s lead and Marpessa Dawn’s ethereal beauty and grace to Lourdes de Oliveira’s slinky sleek sexiness. Marcel Camus knows when to set up the startling angles and when to disappear, leaving a wonderful movie to play for itself. ****
- 4/12 - Ong-Bak - Let us be honest. To what extent are we supposed to treat these martial-arts films as fiction, and to what extent should we watch them as we view documentaries? Sure, there is a ready-made plot, complete with prefabricated characters, laid over the mass of flying limbs, but really, we watch for the moves, for the stunts, for the moment our chin drops and we gasp, “How did he do that?” These films are spectacle movies to the extreme, and in that sense, Ong-Bak is splendid. Tony Jaa gladly joins the ranks of Bruce Lee and, especially, Jackie Chan as an entertainer whose incredible physical aptitude and ability prove amazingly entertaining; this may be closer to watching a circus sideshow than a full-fledged movie, but it is still quite a show. As often, if almost always, happens, I cannot help but wonder just how much more thrilling this material would be in the hands of a great director, or how perfectly it could compliment an actual involving narrative, but this is only to dream of the film transcending the limitations of its genre rather than succeeding within them. After the credits roll, one’s appraisal of the work will hinge on how artistically satisfying one finds such entertainment, but if this is your cup of sake, you will probably find that it does not get much better than this. ** 1/2
- 4/10 - The Education of Shelby Knox - Shelby Knox takes a journey many, though certainly not most, teens growing up in the heart of Texas take. Despite her conservative Christian background and beliefs, she begins to take a stand on issues her church and town frown upon. Sex education starts the ball rolling; Shelby believes that even if pre-marital sex is wrong, comprehensive sex education should be implemented as opposed to the more limited, abstinence-oriented material her high school provides. You can see her parents struggle, trying to support their daughter while often disagreeing with her. This documentary is quite engaging; Shelby Knox is in the title, but I often found the people around her at least as interesting. At moments, it seems like the directors are seeking for easy bad guys that the story often refuses to provide, but for the most part, the viewpoint is fair, the events are dramatic (kudos to the directors for not trying to over-punctuate the story's turning points), and the people interesting. Shelby is certainly brave, even as she loses most of her political battles, and she triumphs personally by beginning to ask many of the important questions of life. In fact, the documentary ends with most of the issues up in the air as Shelby asks a few simple questions. This is progress. She doesn't have the answers yet, and frankly, I don't care if she eventually arrives at different answers than I have. She is asking the questions, and that is the key to education and personal growth. As Lloyd Alexander says, "We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself." The education the title trumpets is an inspiring tale. ***
- 4/9 - Bringing Up Baby - One of cinema’s most versatile directors takes two of the most intelligent and sophisticated leads in Hollywood history, forces them to play an absent-minded nerd and an apparent airhead, enlists the aid of some of the zaniest character actors around, and somehow lassos a leopard and Asta the dog into the frenetic affair. It all seems so insanely perfect that it should have bombed. Instead, it ends up being the greatest comedy ever made. Katharine Hepburn stole my heart with this film, and Cary Grant proved to me that he could play incredibly crazy physical humor as well as he usually played the suave lady’s man. Did I mention the pace? Hawks loved energy; like his His Girl Friday, this film launches without pause and only accelerates. By the end, well, that would be telling. The delicious dialogue and wacky pratfalls zip by so quickly that a second viewing is virtually essential to absorbing the essence of the glory here, and even watching it again for my kazillioneth time, I still espy nice touches I haven’t caught before now. Am I praising this film to high heaven? Well, it is one of my five favorite films ever, so at least a little enthusiasm is called for. ****
- 4/7 - Kandahar - This one goes into that pile of films I love but I sharply hesitate to recommend to others. It is very depressing, it is amateurish in spots, and its narrative thread is so, so slender. Still, I like this film. It has a desolate, quiet poetry about it, it is occasionally absurd in the way only true life can be, and the camera captures a story that may not move quickly, be stuffed with plot twists, or even contain a traditional opening and ending, but I found moving and involving nevertheless. At first glance, this may appear to be a medicine film, good for you and tough to the taste, but keep looking. I think I spied a grim beauty beneath the grime. ***
- 4/3 - Sin City - Any one watching this film after first reading the graphic novels will have no doubt why Frank Miller scored a co-director credit; the books are storyboards for the finished product. That certainly does not take away from Robert Rodriguez’s work; those same people will also know that transferring Miller’s vision to film is an impossible feat. Sometimes, though, the impossible happens, and in this case, Hollywood has blessed us with this masterpiece of twisted vision, hard luck life, and the gritty individuals who suffer both. The casting, even the choices that at first had me worried, is inspired and precise; Rourke’s career may not get quite the boost Travolta’s did from Pulp Fiction, but if so, it won’t be because the actor faltered here. The screenplay practically lifts its entire body from the excellent source material, and the technology and the artistry to imagine and realize it both soar breathtakingly. Somebody obviously has pictures of the ratings board in compromising positions, as even the darkest, grisliest, and most explicit portions of the original somehow manage that R rating. The result is a joy ride the likes of which we see on screen once or twice every half-decade. I honestly did not realize Rodriguez had this in him. You will think of Pulp Fiction, and this is not quite up to that level of glory, but it is no small praise to state that it is not that far below. Fans will delight in the miracle of seeing the comic live; newbies might run for cover. What can I say? Welcome to Sin City. ****
- 4/3 - West Side Story - The visuals are incredible, especially when the lens joins in Robbins’ modern dances, and the music by titans Bernstein and Sondheim is justly famous, but confound it all, why does Lehman’s script bog the entire affair down? And don’t answer that the times saddled the “street tough” talk with censorship, since many of the hardboiled film noirs manages to inject edge into the dialogue without resorting to profanity. The mystery remains, but the large screen does help this film, as it is a DVD’s nightmare with all its intricate set designs and slashing lines in wire fences and skyscraper landscapes. It is moving, at times powerful cinema, but it is flawed. Alas. *** 1/2
Author Comments:
I'm rating the films on a zero to four star basis. ** 1/2 is average.
Damn, I just got back from seeing Sin City. All I can see is: damn. I feel blown away. And by that I mean, I was enthralled. It's not quite up to the same level, I think, as Pulp Fiction, but that's the only other film I can think of that made me feel like this as I was watching it. As much as I love film, I rarely feel myself completely carried away as I sit in the theater--maybe I'm just too conscious that I'm watching--but Sin City, like Pulp Fiction, did. The directors' vision enveloped me in its world, and I just let it take me for a ride. I think I might have to go see it again...
Johnny Waco (who immediately went and bought the first volume of the Sin City graphic novel)
I think I am going to have to catch it on the big screen again as well! I am so thrilled you dug it; I had a feeling you might...
It may be this year's ultimate love-it-or-hate-it film, but I also will be surprised if I see another flick this year that is half as thrilling. Obviously, I'm in the 'love it' column!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Glad you liked it so much! I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the book.
I've read a little, and so far, I love it as well. I'll let you know when I've finished it.
Johnny Waco
So you finally went out and got the new DVD, huh? Did you look at the entire box set?
Johnny Waco
I could hold back no longer.
I considered the box set. It is very tempting. Who knows? Maybe I'll decide to dish the DVD off used and nab the whole kit and caboodle soon.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
The Education of Shelby Knox sounds fascinating; I have never even heard of it. Do you remember what town it takes place in?
An interesting contrast to Tarnation, another recent documentary set (partly) in Texas, and one which I know you liked. (I'm still not quite sure what I thought)
Johnny Waco
The film unfolds in Lubbock, Texas, which means loads of Buddy Holly music and landmarks make their ways into the movie.
I liked this film, but I loved Tarnation. I would really like to see it again. I saw both films at Tulsa's Circle Theater. The Education was part of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Unfortunately, it was the only entry I had the time and money to catch during the three or four day event.
I believe it was made for POV (or, as more often happens, was picked up by the series), which probably means it has or will show on PBS.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
For the curious, The Education of Shelby Knox is airing free on tonight's installment of the PBS series POV...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
You have once again written the review I wish I wrote. This happens to me far too often. :-) Your Ong-Bak review and rating is right on the money. Perfect. Exactly. Bravo.
Wow, I am impressed. You made me smile today.
No easy task...
Thanks!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
"but that Scott squeezed honey from this dry hunk of refuse from better movies is only a testament to Ridley’s skill in the late seventies"
Don't think nobody noticed that little disavowal of Scott's later work. :-)
Y'know, you really make me want to see Mask of Zorro again (it helps that I liked it the first time around). I don't get the "Raiders" reference in the title though.
You always seem to notice which hand I'm using to give out the compliments. :)
The Raiders reference is not in the title - it is just the first few words of the review's opening sentence, and it looks like a subtitle bolded like it is up there.
The Mask of Zorro is incredible fun. I actually own the Superbit double-DVD of it, so I obviously enjoy it.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
You didn't like It!? I thought the actor who played Van gave a career-defining performance. Not only did he master righteous anger at the beginning, he deftly balanced both being jilted by his girl and dying of an alien infection. What more could he accomplish in one film? Oh yeah, he sacrifices himself to save the crew at the end. What a powerhouse role...
Johnny Waco
Van had a plan, even while rambling.
He actually ran a close contest with Mr. Morrison in the 60s to claim the title, "Van the Man." He lost. He blamed this on the confusion generated by people thinking his first name was part of his last name, German-style. I suspect it had more to do with the revelation that the actor's first name is Kim.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs