AUGUST:
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
It's rare to see a sequel improve on the original; rarer still to see a trilogy peak with the final film. Bourne Ultimatum is an action movie that never slows and never disappoints - truly awesome and astonishing. One long protracted action/chase plot that winds you up so tight you can barely breath. Greengrass is at the top of the list for working Hollywood directors. [I wrote more about it here.]
Double Indemnity (1944)
Easily the best noir film I've ever seen, with dialogue that sizzles and a plot so lean that it left me jittery. The script is the perfect mousetrap, quite potentially one of the tightest examples of writing I've ever seen. Bonus points for Fred MacMurray who delivers great Bruce Campbell "babies" throughout.
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man (2005)
I figure myself to be a pretty big L.Cohen fan and even I found this doc to be dry and flavourless. Interviews with the songwriter are cut with live performances of artists paying tribute and at times, the balance makes the film seem like more of a benefit concert than a look at the Leonard Cohen. Still, some nice stage performances included; pity there isn't more to learn about Cohen. Side note: Bono is becoming sort of ridiculous. His appearance here proves it.
The Fog of War (2003)
McNamara is a tremendously engaging subject for a first-person doc and as he walks through his experiences in the 20th century, the film is equally fascinating, surprising, and at times terrifying. Insightful backroom anecdotes of some of the monumental moments in history (and the personalities therein) make this a film well worth the Oscar it took home for Best Doc.
Heaven's Gate (1980)
Wouldn't you be disappointed to learn that the most famous dud in Hollywood history was actually a beautiful and mostly kick-ass epic? Well, mostly. Kris Kristofferson at his gravelly best and straight-from-the-lens-of-God photography by Vilmos Zsigmond are almost enough to make this bleak western a lost masterpiece, however some of Cimino's extravagant choices (what's with that protacted opening anyway?) hobble the film. Still, it's at least 1,000 times better than its rep and sure to be regarded with more objective eyes in the decades to come. Special mention for Willem Dafoe in his first (and uncredited) screen appearance.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds (1984)
Weak by Miyazaki standards but those standards are enormously high. Earthy little fantasy film that gets a little too tangled up in its own tribal warfare; still the design and character animation is top class and the aerial sequences are as breathtaking as anything in the Ghibli catalogue.
Murderball (2005)
Effective documentary despite the hype; the filmmakers wisely put the story of the "characters" ahead of the story of the "sport" and in effect, Murderball is more about life in between the competitions. Joe Soares is a fascinating cat, but it's Zupan who steals the movie - a guy this colourful is documentary gold.
Factory Girl (2007)
Fine performances and a stylish picture, but ultimately the movie is stuffed full of empty calories. It's tough to muster much interest in what's happening to any of the characters (in particular Sedgwick herself) as everything about them seems so wafer-thin. Even so, Guy Pearce proves himself again to be enormously talented, virtually disappearing into the role of Andy Warhol. Sienna Miller is fine...nothing special.
Breach (2007)
Mighty bland, but Chris Cooper gives good grumpy. Based on true events, it's clear that the movie chooses to be factual over exciting at a few turns in the film; nevertheless, Cooper owns the film and is superb to watch throughout. One of the most underestimated character actors out there.
The Fountain (2006)
Remarkable, heartbreaking, spectacular, breathtaking. On first pass, this was a 3 1/2 star movie but with a second viewing, it's clearly 5 stars; a movie that is rich with the stuff that rewards repeat viewings. Hugh Jackman gives the performance of a lifetime and Clint Mansell delivers what is easily the best score of 2007. Aronofsky remains a director to watch but this is an instant masterpiece. [I wrote much more about it here.]
Vertigo (1958)
Not quite what I was expecting and I have to confess that I was a little disappointed; after an astounding run of "classics", all of which exceeded their high-falutin reps, Vertigo felt a little...well, flat and underwhelming. Great mystery, wonderful pace and a Herrmann score that completely blew my bucket, but the whole package didn't rise to the level of a timeless masterpiece. I suppose I'll need to see it again - maybe it's a slow burn; still, the movie did deliver some genuine shocks which is no small feat for a film this old and weighted with this much historical baggage.
Inland Empire (2006)
How does one describe a movie like this? It's the standard-issue chemistry of David Lynch: impenetrable plot, enigmatic characters, stiff and deliberate dialogue and stunning images. Either you're already in the club or you're not. That being said, this is one of Lynch's best - hynoptic, dreadful, mysterious and completely upsetting. I don't know how Lynch gets so deep under the skull, but I'm tremendously uncomfortable with the stuff he pulls out.
Intolerance (1916)
Creaky and antique, even for me. Title cards (of which there were many!) seem to be written by Yoda, making it a tough slog to keep up with the intersecting maze of plot and character. Plus at 3 hours, it's a bit of bum-killer - I'm afraid I felt every minute of it. Still, the photography is great and D.W. Griffith deserves full points for his epic staging of sequences like the fall of Babylon. It's always a kick to watch a film that it is *almost* 100 years old. A true museum piece.
Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
Not quite in the same 5-star league as The General, but still a remarkable Buster Keaton flick with some clever ideas, particularly during the movie within the movie. Keaton is impeccable at every turn, consistently sharp and sort of a miracle to watch on-screen. Love the motorcycle chase. Every Keaton film I've watched to-date is a veritable treasure.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Sometimes you're in the right mood for a good zombie movie. And sometimes you're in the mood for a zombie movie with cricket bats. Superior zombie film and an even better Brit comedy (with some dry dry pay-offs that only improve with repeat viewings). Simon Pegg rules and this is a high-point in any zombie line-up.
Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006)
Truly wow. Remakes don't get much crappier and this might even be considered a remake of a *remake*! The experience sort of feels like the producers of The Littlest Hobo took the rights to the Romero masterpiece from the public domain and hired kids from the local high school. A truly remarkable mis-fire. Even the zombies look terrible. One of the worst things I watched this year, though I'll confess my expectations were low.
Un Chien Andalou (1928)
David Lynch owes an awful lot to Un Chien Andalou - surreal imagery, shocking images, impenetrable story that seems to have no meaning at all. The dream-state of Un Chien Andalou is too brief to cause the deep damage of a Lynch film; however it's also short enough to watch more than once (which I did). The infamous eyeball shot is still extremely shocking. Tough to imagine this film in 1929!
Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
The book was a sort of staple of my elementary school days, so I felt I should check it out, and I was a little surprised at just how much I remembered (proof that the novel packed a punch for 12-year-olds.) Worthy adaptation and reasonably entertaining; a little too mature for my 4-year-old who was asking to see it, which was at least part of the test here.
Underdog (2007)
At the halfway point, my 4-year-old wanted to leave, and so goes my course. Not terrible for what it is, but not really worth the gas to the theatre either. I may have laughed at a dog-poo joke somewhere in that first hour, but I won't admit it here.
The Last Laugh (1924)
One of the most astonishing silents I've seen to-date (and 2007 has been chock-full!), in large part because of Murnau's weightless camerawork, but also because of the daring lack of title cards - in fact, this is a true silent film, one that lets the on-screen action and subtle clues fill out the details of the story. Emil Jannings' performance as the broken-hearted doorman is spectacular, a high point in any era but it's the visuals that make this a masterpiece worth checking out if you're serious about movies. Can't believe how modern this film felt at times - truly outstanding stuff.
3:10 To Yuma (2007)
A fine update to the original western which adds some intriguing surprises in the second half. Russell Crowe is exceptional as the exceedingly dangerous prisoner with miles of black charm to spare. Mangold could have opened up the camera a little to show off the landscapes (it appears he build a town for this but we scarcely get to see it?); however the performances and direction are otherwise great. Ben Foster plays a scenery-chewing villain that people are going to love or hate - I'm on the side of the recently-converted Ben Foster fans. Not enough new Westerns getting spun out these days - here's hoping this movie starts a new wave.
The Hustler (1961)
I can't possibly imagine that Paul Newman films get much better than this - a much more layered character piece than I was expecting, particularly given the lean set-up in the first 15 minutes. Photography is gorgeous and the cast is spectacular. The hustle itself is built with all of the trapdoors and tight corners of a bank heist; something really entertaining to watch unfold. I loved this movie.
Rocket Science (2007)
Much too quirky and precious for its own good, Rocket Science belongs to that pseudo-Wes Anderson school of too-hip-for-the-room indie comedies which are great when they work and tedious when they don't. Admittedly, I laughed at a few choice lines ("there goes your tip!") but was otherwise unconvinced by the parade of "quirky" characters - it would seem that everyone in the universe of Rocket Science has at least 1-2 personality ticks or charming imperfections. This feels like a "movie" in the worst possible way, entirely scripted and composed for maximum eccentricity. Anna Kendrick as the Tracy Flick-ish female lead is the real find and almost (almost!) makes up for the shortcomings of the rest of the film.
In The Mood For Love (2000)
Rich…but maybe too rich to enjoy at first pass. Tepid, slow, stiff, and I think that was the point. However without much of a reference point (this was my first Kar Wai Wong film), I felt like I was coming into a story already in progress. Photography was spectacular but for the story, I'm still letting it percolate...
A Sunday in Kigali (2006)
Stunning, horrible, haunting. Favreau finds the most heartbreaking fix on the Rwanda failure by focusing on two people amid the chaos and their doomed love story. The result is completely devastating, particularly the last 30 minutes which do not flinch from telling the whole story. To be honest, I'm very surprised that this film didn't get a lot more attention when it was it released as it is spectacular piece of business. Completely recommended though the experience likely won't be shaken off easily when you step away from the couch.
Disturbia (2007)
The very definition of a servicable "rental" - fun and diverting, but also as predictable as they come. I would have eaten this up like candy when I was 14, but 20 years later, I feel like I've seen this movie at least two or three dozen times in just as many variations. Even still, my wife and I had some fun guessing the plot points to come next. Always fun to see David Morse in full-on psycho mode.
Shane (1953)
A little more Leave It To Beaver than 3:10 To Yuma, and ultimately a lot more dated than I was expecting. Seen from a child's perspective, this western would fit comfortably in the late 70's line-up of Disney movies from my childhood which might explain how it was a fond part of my father's childhood. However with a modern eye, it feels like one of those "classics" that's barely hanging onto the title (see also: High Noon) and which will ultimately be knocked out by dustier epics like The Searchers or Once Upon a Time in the West. It doesn't help that Alan Ladd seems more like a gameshow host than a world-weary gunfighter.
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
Another Keaton film that is virtually note-perfect. The stunt work (and sheer insane staging) of the famous "storm" sequence is like watching a miracle on film, particularly given the time period in which it was shot. There has never been anyone else like Keaton and movies don't get much better than this.
You Kill Me (2007)
A great black-hearted little sleeper that works because Ben Kingsley is just so freakin' fantastic. As a hitman suffering through alcoholism, he provides an exceptional balance of humour and genuine agony, selling the "fish out of water" set-up at every turn. Supporting cast is also good, but the movie really rests on Kingsley's shoulders. This kind of movie has pretty much been done to death, so it's great to see a movie that still finds a few new angles and twists to the formula.
McCabe & Mrs Miller (1971)
I've seen and loved a lot of westerns in the last few years, but nothing that has challenged me quite like McCabe. First impression was that I was a little disappointed, and more specifically, had difficulty reconciling the Altman style with the western aesthetic. But like the absolute best movies to be found and particularly the best Altman films, McCabe is a bit of a time-bomb. I love it much more today than yesterday (when I saw it) and I expect that after I see it again (inevitable), the 4-star rating will grow to 4 1/2 or 5. That's just the way a movie like this works on me. Nevertheless, first impression was that this was as cold and sad and empty as a movie can be; the shoot-out on the bridge and particularly the last 15 minutes were chilling.
No comments:
Post a Comment