Films I Watched - September, 2002
Submitted by lbangs on Tue, 09/17/2002 - 11:19
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- 9/27 - Reservoir Dogs (1992) - These dogs just grow more impressive with age. Viewing the notorious "Madonna" scene at the diner before the opening credits, you can already see the personalities of the major characters revealed in minor, off-the-cuff dialogue - the sympathetic Mr. White, the cynical realist Mr. Pink, the trying to fit in Mr. Orange, the loyal psycho Mr. Blonde. None of this, of course, comes off as characterization, but as terrifically witty throw-away discussions. Mr. Tarantino doesn't show off, he simply builds a suspenseful, complex story and shoots it cheaply and effectively. It is very easy to miss exactly how much talent Quentin is burning here. This one of the great debuts, certainly one of the most impressive of my lifetime, and happily, reviewings only confirm this conviction. Shot for nothing on mostly one set, Tarantino created a masterpiece that threatened to overshadow his entire career. Of course, in two years, he would prove that threat impotent with the fantastic Pulp Fiction, but in 1992, this was about as good as film, certainly of the independent variety, got. In fact, it still pretty much is...
- 9/23 - The Cranes Are Flying (1957) - The Cranes Are Flying is a film about Russian life during wartime, but really, it is about so much more than that. It is about dreams and ideals, and it is about how life often snatches these from us, leaving us reality instead. It is also about wisdom, about understanding that while reality may not reach the heights our dreams soar in beside the lovely cranes, it still contains much to love. This film is incredibly intimate (notice all the closeup shots) and also experimental where it needs to be (the incredible intensity of the scene of piano playing during an enemy bombing must be seen to be believed). The results are incredibly moving. This film scored the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1958. See why.
- 9/16 - No Man's Land (2001) - It is about the Bosnian War. That's it. That is the only possible explanation for why this film stole the best foreign film Oscar from Amelie last year. True, it is a brave piece of film making, but the film's main risk, adding black humor to this otherwise stark war film, falls flat as often as it scores (the bimbo following around the UN officer belongs more in M*A*S*H than in this film). The script is also riddled with as many cliches (the treatment of the press, the elements of All Quiet On the Western Front) as fresh gems (the body on the mine, er, well, I think there were a few more...). The actors do their best to create characters out of the script, but there isn't always alot to work with. I did hate to be reminded of the lovely Katrin Cartlidge's death a few weeks ago, a sad event shamefully under-reported by the media, especially given her many great performances in films such as Before the Rain, Naked, Breaking the Waves, and Career Girls, but then, most Americans wouldn't have cared anyway, which is pretty sad, really. The film does manage to hold one's attention well, and some moments are suspenseful and some are quite touching, but the film seems to be constantly racing against its own tendency to undo itself. Who wins this race? The film, perhaps, but it is rather close to a tie. The film is worth seeing, but I wager anyone expecting something better than Amelie will be somewhat disappointed. No Man's Land's courage is admirable, but unfortunately, the film is not quite so.
- 9/14 - The Children of Paradise (1945) - Beautiful, moving, amazing. Even at over three-hours, this film flew by too quickly, losing the viewer in its Hugo-ish cast and epic story. You suffer, you smile, you cry. You get lost in another world that will never be again, and even as you wince, you love every second of it. No matter who you are or what your taste in films is like, you really should at least try the first hour of this film. It is one of the very best ones out there, even if it does feature a mime.
- 9/13 - People Will Talk (1951) - I love Cary Grant, and I love Joseph L. Mankiewicz, but despite that deadly duo of talent, I did not love People Will Talk. Oh, it is a perfectly decent comedy, I suppose, if one can overlook the preaching and the hard to swallow scenes, but darn it, I could not. They grab your attention, and they detract from a film I really wanted to love. The tone is odd, blending together unusual chunks of comedy and drama, and that is usually a plus. Here, however, it never quite convinces, and while the film has much going for it, it ends up being far from the great film I hoped for. Still, any film with Grant, Hume Cronyn, and the Wicked Witch of the West can't be all bad...
- 9/9 - The Bicycle Thief (1948) - Another viewing. See my previous lists to read my comments on this one. Still a great film, perhaps even better the second time.
