Salaam Bombay!
Mira Nair, 1988, India (10*)
This is one of the great Asian films. One a few films I'd call a masterpiece, and probably my favorite film by a female director, replacing Lina Wertmuller's Seven Beauties.
Unbelievably, this is director Mira Nair's first feature film - "fiction" that is. (Most will recognize Monsoon Wedding as hers, which wasn't nearly this good). After making 5 documentaries, she wanted to show the indominable spirit of these kids and their everyday struggle for survival. She used only 3 pro actors (the Madame, Aneeta Kanwar as Rakah the prostitute, Ragubir Yaday as Chillum the street addict), and 24 children of the streets of Bombay (almost none of whom could read the script!), selected from over 150 she had put into her special acting workshop she set up to cast this movie. Shafiq Syed is the amazing lead actor, as Chiapau/Krishna, and 11-yr old kicked out of his home and told not to come back until he could repay 500 rupees; he now delivers tea daily in the brothel district.
Nair based this on her experiences filming India Cabaret, a documentary about strippers, and meeting a lovable "chai wallah", or tea delivery boy (like in Slumdog Millionaire, which owes a lot to this film and Fernando Mierelles' City of God), who personally brought tea to the strippers daily at 4pm. She got financial assistance from the government in making this, giving her access to harsh prison/orphanages, closed to private filmmakers. She then used the profits from the film to set up 3 homes for street kids, which has grown now to 17. KUDOS all-around for making a social film that actually brought change to Indian society in the way they treat and educate orphans, and showed the world a terrific story, beautifully composed by Nair and shot by cinematographer Sandi Sissel, who, along with Nair, provides commentary for the film. Nair says she was strongly influenced by still photography, leading her to carefully compose every frame.
At the film's close, after all the other credits, it says "52 locations in 52 days. No Guts, No Glory". This is a great movie and DVD, an overall cinematic artistic experience. If you like Slumdog, this is even better; it's more real, harder hitting, makes the viewer care a lot more for all involved. I would watch both commentaries as well. Deservedly won Nair the best new director award at Cannes in 1988.
This is one of the great Asian films. One a few films I'd call a masterpiece, and probably my favorite film by a female director, replacing Lina Wertmuller's Seven Beauties.
Unbelievably, this is director Mira Nair's first feature film - "fiction" that is. (Most will recognize Monsoon Wedding as hers, which wasn't nearly this good). After making 5 documentaries, she wanted to show the indominable spirit of these kids and their everyday struggle for survival. She used only 3 pro actors (the Madame, Aneeta Kanwar as Rakah the prostitute, Ragubir Yaday as Chillum the street addict), and 24 children of the streets of Bombay (almost none of whom could read the script!), selected from over 150 she had put into her special acting workshop she set up to cast this movie. Shafiq Syed is the amazing lead actor, as Chiapau/Krishna, and 11-yr old kicked out of his home and told not to come back until he could repay 500 rupees; he now delivers tea daily in the brothel district.
Nair based this on her experiences filming India Cabaret, a documentary about strippers, and meeting a lovable "chai wallah", or tea delivery boy (like in Slumdog Millionaire, which owes a lot to this film and Fernando Mierelles' City of God), who personally brought tea to the strippers daily at 4pm. She got financial assistance from the government in making this, giving her access to harsh prison/orphanages, closed to private filmmakers. She then used the profits from the film to set up 3 homes for street kids, which has grown now to 17. KUDOS all-around for making a social film that actually brought change to Indian society in the way they treat and educate orphans, and showed the world a terrific story, beautifully composed by Nair and shot by cinematographer Sandi Sissel, who, along with Nair, provides commentary for the film. Nair says she was strongly influenced by still photography, leading her to carefully compose every frame.
At the film's close, after all the other credits, it says "52 locations in 52 days. No Guts, No Glory". This is a great movie and DVD, an overall cinematic artistic experience. If you like Slumdog, this is even better; it's more real, harder hitting, makes the viewer care a lot more for all involved. I would watch both commentaries as well. Deservedly won Nair the best new director award at Cannes in 1988.
Burden of Dreams
Les Blank, 1982 (9*)
Whether you liked, or even saw, Werner Herzog’s ambitious epic Fitzcarraldo, this documentary on its making is one of the best films about filmmaking ever made. Herzog became so obsessed with his story that he repeated the hero’s prodigious feat: bringing opera to the Amazon rainforest by moving a huge steamship inland over hills and up to a huge lake where it could move around a large area to bring the first opera seen or heard to the natives.
Les Blank and his assistant Maureen Gosling take us to both of Herzog’s film locations in the jungle. His first location became the scene of a border war between indian tribes, so he had to move to another location. Moving the steamship using manpower and pulleys was very dangerous, many crew members and a structural engineer walked off the job; another was bitten by a green mambo and immediately amputated his own leg with a machete – if not, he would have died in minutes. Such are the burdens of filmmaking dreams, and none were more grandoise than Herzog’s insane obsession. Lead actor Jason Robards succombed to dysentery and wasn’t allowed to return to location, so Klaus Kinski completed the film. Herzog also lost Mick Jagger to a concert tour, so this film had many setbacks, and Burden of Dreams becomes a chronicle of Herzog's obstacles to his maniacal obsession - perhaps the most 'larger than life' of all films. This is one of the best documentaries ever made.
Whether you liked, or even saw, Werner Herzog’s ambitious epic Fitzcarraldo, this documentary on its making is one of the best films about filmmaking ever made. Herzog became so obsessed with his story that he repeated the hero’s prodigious feat: bringing opera to the Amazon rainforest by moving a huge steamship inland over hills and up to a huge lake where it could move around a large area to bring the first opera seen or heard to the natives.
Les Blank and his assistant Maureen Gosling take us to both of Herzog’s film locations in the jungle. His first location became the scene of a border war between indian tribes, so he had to move to another location. Moving the steamship using manpower and pulleys was very dangerous, many crew members and a structural engineer walked off the job; another was bitten by a green mambo and immediately amputated his own leg with a machete – if not, he would have died in minutes. Such are the burdens of filmmaking dreams, and none were more grandoise than Herzog’s insane obsession. Lead actor Jason Robards succombed to dysentery and wasn’t allowed to return to location, so Klaus Kinski completed the film. Herzog also lost Mick Jagger to a concert tour, so this film had many setbacks, and Burden of Dreams becomes a chronicle of Herzog's obstacles to his maniacal obsession - perhaps the most 'larger than life' of all films. This is one of the best documentaries ever made.
Fight Club
David Fincher, 1999 (8*)
Simply great entertainment, as are most David Fincher films (The Game, Benjamin Button), with a few statements thrown in about nihilism, freedom, anarchy, and self-absorbed insanity. Edward Norton brilliantly plays a bored corporate lackey fed up with his nowhere life. One night he runs into Brad Pitt at a bar and they have a fistfight that has a cathartic effect on each one, so they make it a habit. Others later join in the “good ole boy” mayhem, and they form a club, hence the title. Of course its illegal, so the first two rules are “don’t talk about fight club.”
For me, this was one of Norton’s best performances (well, nothing can top American History X), but I also liked Helena Bonham Carter a lot, totally out of character here as Norton’s nihilistic girlfriend. Eventually the club becomes a gang, with bigger things on their agenda. This film was so hilarious to me, that I found myself the only person laughing out loud in the theater, then I later read that Fincher said “I make comedies yet no one laughs in the theater – they don’t get it.” Well, I did – this is a funny, violent, and influential film that actually spawned fight clubs across the nation. Just one word for all these idiots: boxing! You don’t break your hands or jaws as often and you still get to beat each other senseless if you like that. Yo meatheads, or is it Meatloaves (since he was in this), its just a film!
If you saw the ending coming, you're likely lying, and we might have to go outside!
Simply great entertainment, as are most David Fincher films (The Game, Benjamin Button), with a few statements thrown in about nihilism, freedom, anarchy, and self-absorbed insanity. Edward Norton brilliantly plays a bored corporate lackey fed up with his nowhere life. One night he runs into Brad Pitt at a bar and they have a fistfight that has a cathartic effect on each one, so they make it a habit. Others later join in the “good ole boy” mayhem, and they form a club, hence the title. Of course its illegal, so the first two rules are “don’t talk about fight club.”
For me, this was one of Norton’s best performances (well, nothing can top American History X), but I also liked Helena Bonham Carter a lot, totally out of character here as Norton’s nihilistic girlfriend. Eventually the club becomes a gang, with bigger things on their agenda. This film was so hilarious to me, that I found myself the only person laughing out loud in the theater, then I later read that Fincher said “I make comedies yet no one laughs in the theater – they don’t get it.” Well, I did – this is a funny, violent, and influential film that actually spawned fight clubs across the nation. Just one word for all these idiots: boxing! You don’t break your hands or jaws as often and you still get to beat each other senseless if you like that. Yo meatheads, or is it Meatloaves (since he was in this), its just a film!
If you saw the ending coming, you're likely lying, and we might have to go outside!
Malena
Guiseppe Tournatore, 2000, Italy (8*)
Malena is from the Guiseppe Tournatore, director of the classic Cinema Paradiso (Oscar® winner for Foreign Film), and if you enjoyed that film you should also like this one. Tournatore again returns to his childhood for inspiration. In this story, a young teenage boy in a small Sicilian seacoast town named Renato, excellently portrayed by Guiseppe Sulfaro in his first role, begins the film by getting his first bicycle. To the other boys, this bicycle represents manhood (for Renato, manhood is long pants!). On the same seminal day, he discovers the beautiful married woman Malena (whose husband is at war in Africa fighting for Italy), whom his friends watch walk to town daily, then the entire town watches her shop.
Melena is beautifully played in her first film by former model Monica Bellucci, and luckily for us, we get to see just about all of her beauty, as Guiseppe realizes that he is now becoming a man, and begins to spy on Malena, even in her private moments. He later defends her against the town gossips, which is just about everyone, as all the women are jealous of her beauty and the attention she garners from all the men.
The truthful pain of this story is that the boy cannot make himself older (she’s twice his age) and be the man Melena might need, as her husband does not return, so we feel Guiseppe’s helpless torture. Tournatore said that “the greatest love is all is unrequited love”; it’s a theme that also dominated Cinema Paradiso; the first love is almost always unrequited in Tournatore’s films, and it shapes his characters lives. The film starts as a romantic comedy, with Renato even imagining himself in films with Malena, shots eerily reminiscent of Morgan, when David Warner often saw himself as a film character - in fact, both saw themselves as Tarzan to their own Janes.
However, the movie later turns serious as the war affects all these residents of the town, which is perhaps the story’s biggest shortcoming, the shift in mood and tone. Suddenly adolescent romantic pain doesn't seem quite as important to anyone except Renato. The towns of Siracusa and Noto looked stunningly like the Renaissance paintings of Caravaggio, apparently untouched by war or time for centuries, as we see in many beautiful shots (the cinematography received and Oscar® nomination). We also hear another beautiful Oscar®-nominated score by Ennio Morricone (who has scored six of Tournatore’s seven films). Another rewarding and nostalgic film by Tournatore, whose fans won’t be disappointed.
Malena is from the Guiseppe Tournatore, director of the classic Cinema Paradiso (Oscar® winner for Foreign Film), and if you enjoyed that film you should also like this one. Tournatore again returns to his childhood for inspiration. In this story, a young teenage boy in a small Sicilian seacoast town named Renato, excellently portrayed by Guiseppe Sulfaro in his first role, begins the film by getting his first bicycle. To the other boys, this bicycle represents manhood (for Renato, manhood is long pants!). On the same seminal day, he discovers the beautiful married woman Malena (whose husband is at war in Africa fighting for Italy), whom his friends watch walk to town daily, then the entire town watches her shop.
Melena is beautifully played in her first film by former model Monica Bellucci, and luckily for us, we get to see just about all of her beauty, as Guiseppe realizes that he is now becoming a man, and begins to spy on Malena, even in her private moments. He later defends her against the town gossips, which is just about everyone, as all the women are jealous of her beauty and the attention she garners from all the men.
The truthful pain of this story is that the boy cannot make himself older (she’s twice his age) and be the man Melena might need, as her husband does not return, so we feel Guiseppe’s helpless torture. Tournatore said that “the greatest love is all is unrequited love”; it’s a theme that also dominated Cinema Paradiso; the first love is almost always unrequited in Tournatore’s films, and it shapes his characters lives. The film starts as a romantic comedy, with Renato even imagining himself in films with Malena, shots eerily reminiscent of Morgan, when David Warner often saw himself as a film character - in fact, both saw themselves as Tarzan to their own Janes.
However, the movie later turns serious as the war affects all these residents of the town, which is perhaps the story’s biggest shortcoming, the shift in mood and tone. Suddenly adolescent romantic pain doesn't seem quite as important to anyone except Renato. The towns of Siracusa and Noto looked stunningly like the Renaissance paintings of Caravaggio, apparently untouched by war or time for centuries, as we see in many beautiful shots (the cinematography received and Oscar® nomination). We also hear another beautiful Oscar®-nominated score by Ennio Morricone (who has scored six of Tournatore’s seven films). Another rewarding and nostalgic film by Tournatore, whose fans won’t be disappointed.
A Wednesday
Neeraj Pandey, 2008, India (9*)
Lately, I've been disappointed that every Bollywood film I see injects ready-made music videos into just about any story, such as Ghajini, which was inspired by Memento; it had five music videos included with the crime drama, with music and songs by double-Oscar® winner A.R. Rahman. Suffice to say that: (a) there are no music videos in this film (b) the running time is actually under two hours (c) a&b make this film unique among Indian films, at least in my experience!
A Wednesday came as welcome relief, as its a tightly plotted, finely crafted thriller from India. It might not be a stretch to say that it is, in fact, the best modern Indian drama I’ve seen. The story hits a timely nerve in most people. A police commissioner, well played by Anupam Kher, receives a phone call from a common man, as he calls himself, brilliantly played by Naseeruddin Shah (whom you never suspect of being an actor). The caller claims to have planted five bombs throughout the city, set to go off in a few hours, unless they follow his instructions.
As a show of good faith, he tells the commissioner the first bomb is in the police station across the street. When that bomb is found, the authorities decide the man is serious, and they start meeting his demands, beginning with bringing four deadly terrorists together who are being held seperately. This story becomes a battle of wits, and of two computer experts: the ‘common man’ terrorist and a hacker the police bring in to pinpoint the location of his cell phone calls to the police.
I can’t reveal much about the story without spoiling it, but it was very surprising overall. This is a theme which should hit home with audiences around the world.
Lately, I've been disappointed that every Bollywood film I see injects ready-made music videos into just about any story, such as Ghajini, which was inspired by Memento; it had five music videos included with the crime drama, with music and songs by double-Oscar® winner A.R. Rahman. Suffice to say that: (a) there are no music videos in this film (b) the running time is actually under two hours (c) a&b make this film unique among Indian films, at least in my experience!
A Wednesday came as welcome relief, as its a tightly plotted, finely crafted thriller from India. It might not be a stretch to say that it is, in fact, the best modern Indian drama I’ve seen. The story hits a timely nerve in most people. A police commissioner, well played by Anupam Kher, receives a phone call from a common man, as he calls himself, brilliantly played by Naseeruddin Shah (whom you never suspect of being an actor). The caller claims to have planted five bombs throughout the city, set to go off in a few hours, unless they follow his instructions.
As a show of good faith, he tells the commissioner the first bomb is in the police station across the street. When that bomb is found, the authorities decide the man is serious, and they start meeting his demands, beginning with bringing four deadly terrorists together who are being held seperately. This story becomes a battle of wits, and of two computer experts: the ‘common man’ terrorist and a hacker the police bring in to pinpoint the location of his cell phone calls to the police.
I can’t reveal much about the story without spoiling it, but it was very surprising overall. This is a theme which should hit home with audiences around the world.
Grand Illusion
aka La Grande Illusion
Jean Renoir, 1937, France, bw (9*)
I’ve often searched for the greatest classic French film (Children of Paradise, no), and I’ve often been disappointed, that is, until I saw Grand Illusion again for the first time in over 40 years. Most critics place Renoir’s Rules of the Game near the top of their lists (it’s #3 on the 1000 list, Illusion is #26, they are 1 and 10 for foreign language films), but like Roger Ebert, Rules of the Game I just don’t get, but I get Grand Illusion. This is probably the first great prisoner escape film, and along with All Quiet on the Western Front, one of the great anti-war films that preceded WWII.
This is a beautifully shot film about French prisoners during World War I being held by German officers in a tall, forbidding medieval castle. Career officers played by Erich von Stroheim, a German with a broken back now in a brace and relegated to prison warden duty, and a Frenchman played by Pierre Fresnay, are actually civil and gentlemanly toward each other, and symbolize the last of a dying breed of soldier: those born into families of career soldiers who continue the tradition. The others are common men, officers due to ability and necessity, and features Jean Gabin in his best role as a non-aristocratic everyman soldier, who, no matter how well treated they are, still plans an escape, as its their duty.
Without giving way too much, this has some eloquent statements about compassion, survival, heroism, and humanity in the midst of a brutal and senseless world war. The grand illusion, of course, is that war is not glory and bravery, but a useless waste of humankind, each one of which leaves behind a family and friends. There is one event between the two career officers that I did not understand, that didn’t seem true to their characters, and its an integral point in the plot so I can’t spoil it - that’s why this gets a 9 and not a 10. This was the first foreign language film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar®.
Jean Renoir, 1937, France, bw (9*)
I’ve often searched for the greatest classic French film (Children of Paradise, no), and I’ve often been disappointed, that is, until I saw Grand Illusion again for the first time in over 40 years. Most critics place Renoir’s Rules of the Game near the top of their lists (it’s #3 on the 1000 list, Illusion is #26, they are 1 and 10 for foreign language films), but like Roger Ebert, Rules of the Game I just don’t get, but I get Grand Illusion. This is probably the first great prisoner escape film, and along with All Quiet on the Western Front, one of the great anti-war films that preceded WWII.
This is a beautifully shot film about French prisoners during World War I being held by German officers in a tall, forbidding medieval castle. Career officers played by Erich von Stroheim, a German with a broken back now in a brace and relegated to prison warden duty, and a Frenchman played by Pierre Fresnay, are actually civil and gentlemanly toward each other, and symbolize the last of a dying breed of soldier: those born into families of career soldiers who continue the tradition. The others are common men, officers due to ability and necessity, and features Jean Gabin in his best role as a non-aristocratic everyman soldier, who, no matter how well treated they are, still plans an escape, as its their duty.
Without giving way too much, this has some eloquent statements about compassion, survival, heroism, and humanity in the midst of a brutal and senseless world war. The grand illusion, of course, is that war is not glory and bravery, but a useless waste of humankind, each one of which leaves behind a family and friends. There is one event between the two career officers that I did not understand, that didn’t seem true to their characters, and its an integral point in the plot so I can’t spoil it - that’s why this gets a 9 and not a 10. This was the first foreign language film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar®.
Note: I think I still prefer Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring as my favorite French movie, although technically it's two separate films, but its both halves of one novel and really should be watched together.
L'avventura
Michaelangelo Antonioni, 1960, Italy, bw (9*)
Cannes Special Jury Prize
This is one of the more pleasant film surprises of my lifetime. As I'm not an Antonioni fan (Blow Up, Red Desert, Zabriskie Point - all overblown bores, in my opinion, lacking real stories), I avoided this film since college, over 40 years. I finally gave in and saw the excellent Criterion version, and watched the commentary. I was entranced by this hypnotic film, titled "The Adventure", in which nearly every scene is a masterpiece of composition, lighting, and B&W cinematic beauty. Its very seductive visually, not like any other film, certainly at this point historically. This may be a difficult film for the public, it's a little slow and measured, but as a visual artist myself, I can't think of a better composed b&w film.
The story is basically a missing person scenario, a commentary on relationships, empty lives, and a romantic triangle, with some subtly erotic stops along the way, all done with visual cues and acting, not with plot or dialogue, both of which are scarce. A group of idle rich friends take a small yacht to an tiny uninhabited Aeolian volcanic island near Sicily, and the fiancée of the main character, Sandro (played by Gabriele Ferzetti in one of his 104 film roles!), goes missing, and while searching for her together, feelings develop between him and her best friend Claudia, subtly played by Antonioni's wife Monica Vitti. The island scenes are starkly beautiful, and took months to film, with the crew lugging heavy equipment by hand over a craggy, volcanic rock surface.
The Cannes film festival gave it a special jury prize for "beauty in film, a new way of looking at cinema" - to say the least! Along with Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist, this is now my favorite Italian film, I can see why it's an all-time top 100 critically (39th overall, 15th for foreign language). A must for fans of cinema art, but for fans of plot and action, and a nice pat story, this may be disappointing, so down a star for that alone when I wanted to give it a 10; this is its only fault.
Cannes Special Jury Prize
This is one of the more pleasant film surprises of my lifetime. As I'm not an Antonioni fan (Blow Up, Red Desert, Zabriskie Point - all overblown bores, in my opinion, lacking real stories), I avoided this film since college, over 40 years. I finally gave in and saw the excellent Criterion version, and watched the commentary. I was entranced by this hypnotic film, titled "The Adventure", in which nearly every scene is a masterpiece of composition, lighting, and B&W cinematic beauty. Its very seductive visually, not like any other film, certainly at this point historically. This may be a difficult film for the public, it's a little slow and measured, but as a visual artist myself, I can't think of a better composed b&w film.
The story is basically a missing person scenario, a commentary on relationships, empty lives, and a romantic triangle, with some subtly erotic stops along the way, all done with visual cues and acting, not with plot or dialogue, both of which are scarce. A group of idle rich friends take a small yacht to an tiny uninhabited Aeolian volcanic island near Sicily, and the fiancée of the main character, Sandro (played by Gabriele Ferzetti in one of his 104 film roles!), goes missing, and while searching for her together, feelings develop between him and her best friend Claudia, subtly played by Antonioni's wife Monica Vitti. The island scenes are starkly beautiful, and took months to film, with the crew lugging heavy equipment by hand over a craggy, volcanic rock surface.
The Cannes film festival gave it a special jury prize for "beauty in film, a new way of looking at cinema" - to say the least! Along with Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist, this is now my favorite Italian film, I can see why it's an all-time top 100 critically (39th overall, 15th for foreign language). A must for fans of cinema art, but for fans of plot and action, and a nice pat story, this may be disappointing, so down a star for that alone when I wanted to give it a 10; this is its only fault.
The Handmaid's Tale
Natasha Richardson, 1963-2009
Volcker Schlondorff, 1990 (7*)
This is a dystopian (opposite of utopia) science fiction tale is based on the Margaret Atwood novel, and was, in my opinion, Natasha Richardson's best film. The story is not that pleasant, but the cast is superb: Natasha co-stars with Oscar® winners Robert Duvall and Faye Dunaway, with Aiden Quinn as the romantic interest.
The story is a about a post-apocalyptic society that is now controlled by Christian fundamentalists. All individuality and freedom are gone, and the apocalypse left most women sterile. The few remaining fertile women are captured by the government and are used as "handmaid's" for the politically powerful, which is their name for birth mothers (or sex slaves). Sex is only for pro-creation as all pleasure is now basically outlawed by the fundamentalists, except of course, for the politically powerful. Natasha becomes the handmaid for the powerful and self-righteous Robert Duvall and his unhappy wife Faye Dunaway. Meanwhile, she establishes a friendship and romance with their driver Aiden Quinn.
This is not a pleasant film, but it is a good science fiction movie, often overlooked since it doesn't have the specials effects and battles we usually associate with science fiction. It simply tells a frightening story of a possible future where all freedom and pleasure have been removed, and all actions are controlled by one religious group, who base all their actions on "God's word" (basically the old testament here), or at least their interpretation of what they want that to be.
See Natasha's complete filmography here
This is a dystopian (opposite of utopia) science fiction tale is based on the Margaret Atwood novel, and was, in my opinion, Natasha Richardson's best film. The story is not that pleasant, but the cast is superb: Natasha co-stars with Oscar® winners Robert Duvall and Faye Dunaway, with Aiden Quinn as the romantic interest.
The story is a about a post-apocalyptic society that is now controlled by Christian fundamentalists. All individuality and freedom are gone, and the apocalypse left most women sterile. The few remaining fertile women are captured by the government and are used as "handmaid's" for the politically powerful, which is their name for birth mothers (or sex slaves). Sex is only for pro-creation as all pleasure is now basically outlawed by the fundamentalists, except of course, for the politically powerful. Natasha becomes the handmaid for the powerful and self-righteous Robert Duvall and his unhappy wife Faye Dunaway. Meanwhile, she establishes a friendship and romance with their driver Aiden Quinn.
This is not a pleasant film, but it is a good science fiction movie, often overlooked since it doesn't have the specials effects and battles we usually associate with science fiction. It simply tells a frightening story of a possible future where all freedom and pleasure have been removed, and all actions are controlled by one religious group, who base all their actions on "God's word" (basically the old testament here), or at least their interpretation of what they want that to be.
See Natasha's complete filmography here
Munich
Steven Spielberg, 2005 (9*)
I've always been puzzled that for some reason, this film didn’t receive the acclaim of other Spielberg films, yet it’s just about as good. The story is based on the true story of an Israeli agent, played by Eric Bana, who, along with four others (including Daniel Craig), relentlessly hunts down all the planners of the Munich Olympic terrorism that led to the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes. It's not a pleasant nor a quick mission, and is one which is bound to take its toll on all involved.
This is a long and gripping film, just what you would expect from the filmmaker of Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. When Spielberg tackles an important subject, such as these war films and war crimes, you can’t think of any better modern director to handle the balance of action and character motivation. Five Oscar nominations, including best picture and director. No wins – this was the year that the mediocre, tv-looking movie Crash (not the good J.G. Ballard s/m one either) surprised real movie people by winning over this and Brokeback Mountain. Of the three, I'd easily pick Munich over the other two. It's Spielberg, what would you think?
I've always been puzzled that for some reason, this film didn’t receive the acclaim of other Spielberg films, yet it’s just about as good. The story is based on the true story of an Israeli agent, played by Eric Bana, who, along with four others (including Daniel Craig), relentlessly hunts down all the planners of the Munich Olympic terrorism that led to the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes. It's not a pleasant nor a quick mission, and is one which is bound to take its toll on all involved.
This is a long and gripping film, just what you would expect from the filmmaker of Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. When Spielberg tackles an important subject, such as these war films and war crimes, you can’t think of any better modern director to handle the balance of action and character motivation. Five Oscar nominations, including best picture and director. No wins – this was the year that the mediocre, tv-looking movie Crash (not the good J.G. Ballard s/m one either) surprised real movie people by winning over this and Brokeback Mountain. Of the three, I'd easily pick Munich over the other two. It's Spielberg, what would you think?
House of Flying Daggers
Zhang Yimou, 2004, China (8*)
Following his tremendous success with Hero, top-grossing film in Chinese history, Zhang Yimou continued his enchantment with martial arts action-adventure epics with this story of a group of women who oppose the Tang Dynasty's male leaders continually involving the kingdom in wars. Believing if they overthrow the men and allow the women to take over, they can stop the wars and bring peace to the kingdom.
Ziyi Zhang (Crouching Tiger, The Road Home) is a member of the subversive revolutionary group known as House of Flying Daggers for their penchant of committing assassinations with daggers, made so that they can be thrown in curves, like a boomerang - so hiding behind a tree is useless. This is more exciting filmmaking from Yimou (director of the opening ceremony at the Summer Olympics in Beijing), who seems to have hit his stride in this genre: the historical, costume, epic action adventure, and the more intrigue the better. In fact, this is almost an espionage movie as well - I just don't want to lump it in with the Bourne and Bond films.
Along with Zhang, this stars Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau. Time Magazine and others called this the "best picture of the year". I'm not sure I would go that far, but fans of martial arts and Chinese epic films won't be disappointed.
I'm not watching all these Chinese films back-to-back, but for some reason I seem urged to get all them reviewed before I move on to more boring European films. Is it just me, or are French and Italian films generally overrated?
Following his tremendous success with Hero, top-grossing film in Chinese history, Zhang Yimou continued his enchantment with martial arts action-adventure epics with this story of a group of women who oppose the Tang Dynasty's male leaders continually involving the kingdom in wars. Believing if they overthrow the men and allow the women to take over, they can stop the wars and bring peace to the kingdom.
Ziyi Zhang (Crouching Tiger, The Road Home) is a member of the subversive revolutionary group known as House of Flying Daggers for their penchant of committing assassinations with daggers, made so that they can be thrown in curves, like a boomerang - so hiding behind a tree is useless. This is more exciting filmmaking from Yimou (director of the opening ceremony at the Summer Olympics in Beijing), who seems to have hit his stride in this genre: the historical, costume, epic action adventure, and the more intrigue the better. In fact, this is almost an espionage movie as well - I just don't want to lump it in with the Bourne and Bond films.
Along with Zhang, this stars Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau. Time Magazine and others called this the "best picture of the year". I'm not sure I would go that far, but fans of martial arts and Chinese epic films won't be disappointed.
I'm not watching all these Chinese films back-to-back, but for some reason I seem urged to get all them reviewed before I move on to more boring European films. Is it just me, or are French and Italian films generally overrated?
Farewell My Concubine
Chen Kaige, 1998, China (8*)This is yet another spectacular Chinese historical epic from Chien Kaige, director of The Emperor and the Assassin, with what also looks like the entire Red Army recreating the Chinese Communist revolution. Once again, we get the same scope and style of films about China, such as The Last Emperor and Zhang Yimou’s Hero, and western epics like Lawrence of Arabia and Ben-Hur.
This story is about two opera singers, Leslie Cheung and the terrific Gong Li, whose romance is spread over the backdrop of 20th century Chinese history: World War II, the Communist Revolution, the various subsequent cultural revolutions. The story itself may not be as compelling as those involving assassins and emperors, yet the sheer filmmaking itself is something worth seeing.
Fallen Angels
Wong Kar-Wai, 1995, China/Hong Kong (9*)
When I heard this had been remastered for dvd, I had to watch this Wong Kar-Wai film again, as I couldn't remember it very well from over a decade earlier (and likely saw the terrible full-frame video tape version). I was surprised and riveted by the stunning visuals. Kar-Wai is a visual master, and this is one of the most visual of his films.
This is the sequel to his excellent Chungking Express, the two films being intended to be one long film by Kar-Wai but due to length he put them out as two separate films. Taken together, the films are either a trilogy or tetralogy, it's kind of hard to tell, but suffice to say that they are films of more than one story. These films were the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, hence the trilogy of stories in that film.
The story is not the important part of these films, which are basically urban crime films, with a kind of 'neo-noirish' slant, as filmed by Hong Kong. This story is about a hit man, pondering one last hit before 'retiring'. The visuals take precedence here, with the cinematography of Christopher Doyle (who also works with Chinese master director Zhang Yimou) dazzling and inventive, as usual. The two films together provide an exciting introduction to the Hong Kong crime style, and have proven very influential around the world.
When I heard this had been remastered for dvd, I had to watch this Wong Kar-Wai film again, as I couldn't remember it very well from over a decade earlier (and likely saw the terrible full-frame video tape version). I was surprised and riveted by the stunning visuals. Kar-Wai is a visual master, and this is one of the most visual of his films.
This is the sequel to his excellent Chungking Express, the two films being intended to be one long film by Kar-Wai but due to length he put them out as two separate films. Taken together, the films are either a trilogy or tetralogy, it's kind of hard to tell, but suffice to say that they are films of more than one story. These films were the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, hence the trilogy of stories in that film.
The story is not the important part of these films, which are basically urban crime films, with a kind of 'neo-noirish' slant, as filmed by Hong Kong. This story is about a hit man, pondering one last hit before 'retiring'. The visuals take precedence here, with the cinematography of Christopher Doyle (who also works with Chinese master director Zhang Yimou) dazzling and inventive, as usual. The two films together provide an exciting introduction to the Hong Kong crime style, and have proven very influential around the world.
Note: When filmed, Hong Kong was still British. Since its reverted to Chinese nationality, I've been designating these as from China so that a scan for Chinese films will turn these up also. It's a major dilemna, you don't want to offend anyone, but will obviously offend someone - so I'll likely list them as both, no problem there. Same problem with Czechoslavakia vs Czech Republic.. You want a search of those to show Closely Watched Trains, Kolya, and Zelary, rather than have them split up between defunct and active nations.
Best in Show
Christopher Guest, 2000 (8*)Former SNL writer and actor Christopher Guest has made a series of small indie comedies, some funny but mostly not; however Best in Show is definitely his best, a hilarious spoof of the big Westminister dog shows that we can now see on cable. The story follows five dogs to the big show, beginning with each in their home town. Four are owned by couples: two married hetero couples, one gay couple (perhaps a little over the top but hilarious), and one lesbian couple (the owner and the dog's trainer). The last is a Tennessee bloodhound owned by bachelor Guest, a southern gentlemen who seems to have stepped out of a forgotten era. His low key style sometimes undermines the comedy, as he did in A Mighty Wind, but it works better here. One would have to say he's not known for his comic delivery.
Most of the owners treat their dogs better than people; the film even starts with Parker Posey explaining a sexual incident to what we first think is a couples psychologist, but who turns out to be a dog psychologist being consulted because her Weimeraner (sp?) is depressed after witnessing its owners making love in some humiliating kama sutra position(!) Former SCTV comedians the deadpan Eugene Levy and always lovably wacky Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice, Home Alone) play the funniest couple, with a little Scottie from Florida, who have a hilarious road visit with her former beau, standup comedian Larry Miller, now a hostage negotiator. However, its Fred Willard (Fernwood Tonight) who nearly steals the movie as the naive tv announcer who obviously knows nothing about dog shows. If you like SNL and SCTV, and something a little more cerebral than Adam Sandler, this comedy will likely tickle your bones.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
aka Crimes of Dr. Mabuse
Fritz Lang, 1933, Germany (8*)
This is an amazing film for its era, also known as "Dr. Mabuse, Gambler" - gee, are three different titles enough? Most just call it Dr. Mabuse. Those who had Poltergeist make the hair on their neck stand up will likely feel chills from this film as well. Master director Fritz Lang is more well-known for M (Peter Lorre as a child killer) and the futuristic SciFi classic Metropolis (he likes the "M" thing, just like Dr. Evil and "magma"!), yet this film has more radical, or advance, film techniques for the time, especially special effects of ghosts. The film is about a psychological study of a madman, Dr. Mabuse, in an asylum for 10 years, whose writings have progressed from rampant hallucination to lucid descriptions of perfect crimes.
This is all innocent until the crimes start being committed, exactly as Mabuse wrote them. A police detective is baffled and investigates the case, while the psychiatrist is obsessed with studying Mabuse. We see some incredible ghost effects, as an apparently "projected ghost" from the still living Dr.Mabuse talks to, and hands items to the living. This is an excellent early crime (and horror) film, of course, dated by today's standards, but should be seen by all film students, and fans of old crime movies. This film makes all the "critics all-time best" lists. In German with subtitles.
Note: known as "expressionism", these are films that show a character's inner torment as external visualizations in film. Lang hated the term but was its best practitioner.
Fritz Lang, 1933, Germany (8*)This is an amazing film for its era, also known as "Dr. Mabuse, Gambler" - gee, are three different titles enough? Most just call it Dr. Mabuse. Those who had Poltergeist make the hair on their neck stand up will likely feel chills from this film as well. Master director Fritz Lang is more well-known for M (Peter Lorre as a child killer) and the futuristic SciFi classic Metropolis (he likes the "M" thing, just like Dr. Evil and "magma"!), yet this film has more radical, or advance, film techniques for the time, especially special effects of ghosts. The film is about a psychological study of a madman, Dr. Mabuse, in an asylum for 10 years, whose writings have progressed from rampant hallucination to lucid descriptions of perfect crimes.
This is all innocent until the crimes start being committed, exactly as Mabuse wrote them. A police detective is baffled and investigates the case, while the psychiatrist is obsessed with studying Mabuse. We see some incredible ghost effects, as an apparently "projected ghost" from the still living Dr.Mabuse talks to, and hands items to the living. This is an excellent early crime (and horror) film, of course, dated by today's standards, but should be seen by all film students, and fans of old crime movies. This film makes all the "critics all-time best" lists. In German with subtitles.
Note: known as "expressionism", these are films that show a character's inner torment as external visualizations in film. Lang hated the term but was its best practitioner.
Posts
