Introduction
And so the end is here. Yes, finally this time! (Check out the previous post for my best and worst of the year.) A nice round 25 entries, too... well, 26 with the Star Wars one...
Anyway -- As we've reached the end, here's the full alphabetical list of everything I saw, followed by some intensely interesting statistical whatsits.
What a year, eh?
The Full List
300
Alfie
American Dreamz
Annie Hall
Basil the Great Mouse Detective
Before Sunrise
Before Sunset
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City
The Black Dahlia
Blood Diamond
Bonnie and Clyde
Boogie Nights
The Bourne Ultimatum
Breathless
Brick
Brief Encounter
Bringing Out the Dead
Bullets Over Broadway
C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America
Capote
Casanova
The Cat's Meow
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
Chocolat
A Cock and Bull Story
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Confetti
The Crowd
The Departed
The Devil Wears Prada
Doom
Educating Rita
Eragon
Fantomas: In the Shadow of the Guillotine
Fantomas: Juve Versus Fantomas
Fargo
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Flight 93
For Your Eyes Only
Garden State
Goodfellas
Great Expectations
Happy Feet
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Heat
Hellboy: Director's Cut
Hello, Dolly!
Hidden
Hot Fuzz
An Inconvenient Truth
It
It's All Gone Pete Tong
Johnny English
The King and I
The King of Comedy
Kinky Boots
Kramer vs. Kramer
Ladies in Lavender
The Last Days of Pompeii
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
Manhattan
Manhattan Murder Mystery
March of the Penguins
Mean Creek
Mean Streets
Miracles
Monster
Mrs Brown
Mrs Henderson Presents
Mystic River
The Naked City
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
The New World
New York Stories
Night Watch
Nosferatu
Notes on a Scandal
Ocean's Twelve
Octopussy
On the Town
Ong-Bak
Over the Hedge
The Paleface
Pan's Labyrinth
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Piglet's Big Movie
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Play Time
Point Break
The Prestige
Primer
The Pursuit of Happyness
Ray
The Reckless Moment
Right at Your Door
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Road to Morocco
Romance & Cigarettes
Secretary
Sense and Sensibility
The Sign of Four
South Pacific
Spider-Man 3
Starter For Ten
Stormbreaker
Stranger Than Fiction
A Study in Scarlet
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
Taxi Driver
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
This is Spinal Tap
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Three Colours Blue
Three Colours White
Three Colours Red
Thumbsucker
Thunderbirds
Traffic in Souls
Trainspotting
Transporter 2
United 93
West Side Story
While You Were Sleeping
Wild at Heart
Wilde
The Woodsman
Alternate Cuts
Crash: Director's Cut
Gone With the Wind*
Spider-Man 2.1
Star Wars - Episode 4: A New Hope - DVD Edition
Star Wars - Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back - DVD Edition
Star Wars - Episode 6: Return of the Jedi - DVD Edition
Shorts
Bus Stop
The End
Manhatta
Nine 1/2 Minutes
Park
A Propos de Nice
Skyscraper Symphony
Telling Lies
* Not strictly an alternate cut; see the review for more.
The Full Statistics
In the end, I watched 129 new feature films in 2007.
I also watched 6 features I'd seen before that were extended or altered in some way. (All of those are left in the statistics that follow unless otherwise indicated.)
I also watched 8 shorts (none of which shall be counted in any of the statistics).
I've already seen 2 films from this list again (specifically, Happy Feet and Hot Fuzz).
I saw 9 films at the cinema this year. That's far beaten by the number of new films I saw on DVD though, which stands at 97 (rising to 103 with those extended/altered ones). I also saw 14 on TV, 4 via downloads, and 5 on good ol' VHS.
The most popular decade by far was the 00s, with 70 films -- that's 52%! Of the rest, 4 were made in the 10s, 5 in the 20s, 1 in the 30s, 8 in the 40s, 2 in the 50s, 6 in the 60s, 7 in the 70s, 12 in the 80s, and 20 in the 90s. That's every decade of the 20th Century covered!
The average score was 3.7 out of 5. That includes 16 five-star films and just 1 one-star film. The majority of films scored four stars, with a total of 72 receiving that mark. There were also 32 three-star films and 14 two-star films.
21 of my new films appear on the IMDb Top 250 Films at the time of writing. Their positions range from 15th (Goodfellas) to 247th (Manhattan). None of them are bad enough to make it onto the Bottom 100.
Additionally, 4 films appeared on Empire's 25 Greatest Films of the Year -- Notes on a Scandal (at #14), Letters From Iwo Jima (at #11), Hot Fuzz (at #8) and The Bourne Ultimatum (at #1). Many of the films undoubtedly appear on other 'Best Films Ever' lists, but I'm hardly going to go research them all!
A total of 111 directors (or directing partnerships) appear on the list. Martin Scorsese appears most often with 7 films. He's closely followed by Woody Allen with 5 and Krzysztof Kieslowski with 3. Others with multiple films are Clint Eastwood, Louis Feuillade, Lewis Gilbert, John Glen, Paul Greengrass, Lasse Hallstrom, David Lean, Richard Linklater, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, F.W. Murnau, Sam Raimi, and Guillermo del Toro. Also, Gene Kelly and the pairing of Hideaki Anno & Kazuya Tsurumaki directed 2 films each, but in both cases one of them was co-directed with someone else. Obviously, the other 94 just directed one film here.
The actors and actresses who appear multiple times are too numerous and difficult to list. There were at least a few though.
In film titles, the most common first letters are B and S (the latter thanks to a big boost from the alternate cuts). The next-closest were T, C, M and P. A total of 17 titles begin with "The", while just 3 start with "A" or "An". (Also, can you see the places where I've cheated slightly in the alphabetical list above?)
57 of the films are currently in my DVD collection.
The End...
So that was 2007.
Here's to 2008!
Monday 31 December 2007
2007 In Retrospect
Introduction
And so the end is here! Finally. For this entry I've chosen my five least-favourite films that I've seen this year, and (more interestingly, I'm sure) my top ten -- in a lovely countdown and all!
A Bit of an Explanation
I'd like to point out that these lists aren't based on the ratings I gave at the time. That is to say, if I gave out precisely ten 5-star ratings it doesn't mean those will be my top ten. A slightly strange thought I know, but opinions can change and therefore so may mine. The title of this entry sums it up: in retrospect these are the films I wanted to pick out as the best I've seen in 2007. Hard work it was choosing too!
I've included a "see also" section for each of the top ten. These aren't supposed to be the ten next-best films I've seen this year, but are instead other films I've seen this year that are in some way related (with the briefest of explanations as to how). These are really just a chance to point out films that are of similar interest; I wanted to stress that they're not necessarily numbers 11 to 20 on my list.
As a final note, I've not considered any of those controversial different-cuts-of-films-I've-seen-before for inclusion here. If I had then I'm sure Crash would've been high in the top ten.
The Five Worst Films I've Seen in 2007
Flight 93 (#26, Week 12) 1/5
The only film all year to achieve the lowest possible score; if this list were numbered, it would surely be my worst film of the year. Nothing in it is above the level of cheap TV movie -- which it is, but that's no excuse. The script, acting, direction, effects... I genuinely failed to find anything worthwhile here, especially in light of the excellent United 93, a truly brilliant film of the same story. Some say this makes a good companion piece to the movie, but I really don't think it does: the latter is a respectful, realistic, thoughtful piece of filmmaking; this is tacky and unrealistic, and tries so hard for an appropriate level of sentiment that it often winds up being laughable. And laughable is not something this event was. In short, don't even bother.
New York Stories: Life Without Zoe (#117, Week 47) 3/5
It seems almost churlish to pick out one segment of a film, but as it's an anthology where the other two parts are pretty good it would be even more churlish to slate the whole film. The centre short of New York Stories, an anthology film by Scorsese, Coppola and Allen, is second only to Flight 93 as the most painful thing I've had to sit through this year. The characters are irritating, the performances weak, the writing twee... Sofia would obviously go on to better things (Lost in Translation mainly), but Francis Ford seems to be firmly leaving the quality filmmaking behind at this point. (As a side point, I thought Scorsese's short in this film was decent enough, while Allen's is utterly brilliant. The listed score is the one I gave the whole film.)
Play Time (#118, Week 47) 2/5
Jacques Tati has his fans. Filmmakers such as him (especially foreign ones) inevitably do. But I just can't fully get to grips with his style of comedy, and I suspect many truly discerning critics wouldn't either. There are gags, but they're slipped in among long stretches of interminable boredom where literally nothing happens, and when they arrive they have a tendency to run on too long. Tati is undoubtedly making some points about the state of the modern urban world with this, but that doesn't make it any more entertaining. Repetitive and flat, it's not worth sitting through for the handful of genuinely good comic moments.
C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (#79, Week 32) 2/5
As well as being a poor film in its own right, this represents a variety of films which failed to live up to my expectations. In this case, I was looking forward to a well-developed alternate history of America, where things were vastly different because the Confederates won the American Civil War. Instead, the film is almost solely concerned with the idea that, if they had won, black people would still be slaves. This preoccupation is unsurprising when you learn the background of the filmmakers, but the film isn't sold as simply a "what if black people were still slaves?" piece. Most major historical events play out as they did anyway... except that black people are still enslaved! It's far too one-dimensional.
Thunderbirds (#85, Week 33) 2/5
I was left with a few potential final choices from my short list of bad films, all of fairly equal poorness. This is the worst though, because, like C.S.A., it's so disappointing. I didn't have great expectations for this film thanks to all the bad press it received at the time of release, but that doesn't detract from the fact that Thunderbirds is a great TV series full of wonderful and entertaining ideas, most of which are squandered in this poor Spy Kids rip off. The only good thing about it are the ship designs, which faithfully modernise all of the Thunderbird craft. Other than that, it's a poor script, poor story, and pretty poor acting too (even from Sir Ben Kingsley, who camps it up something rotten). What a waste.
The Ten Best Films I've Seen For the First Time in 2007
10) Blood Diamond (#19, Week 8) 4/5
Ed Zwick pulls off the impressive task of making a Moral Message Movie that is also a proper action thriller, something which (as far as I've seen) usually leads to a film winding up greatly more in one camp than the other. The action sequences are exciting and impressively staged, the message is conveyed but not over-played, and within this there's still room to focus on the characters and their personal journeys. All of the actors perform well in their roles, though Djimon Hounsou can still be singled out as the best of the bunch. Important and entertaining -- a rare feat.
See also: The Bourne Ultimatum, a more widely praised gritty action-thriller.
9) 300 (#101, Week 40) 4/5
Pure testosterone-fuelled entertainment. That's a pretty simply way of summing up what is, at the end of the day, a pretty simple film. It looks gorgeous, with cinematography, design and CGI combining to create a series of hyper-real, beautiful visions. The fight scenes are brutally excellent, though in danger of becoming a bit repetitive if they're not your thing. The story is also a little slender, padded out with copious slow motion and a bolted-on political subplot in the final act, which could have been excellent if integrated better. But none of these flaws really matter, because 300 does what it sets out to, and it does it bloody well.
See also: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, an equally CGI-heavy bit of constant action.
8) Three Colours Red (#42, Week 15) 5/5
This really (slightly cheekily, but unashamedly) represents the whole Three Colours trilogy. You see, while each film is completely standalone and works excellently in its own right, they still work best when viewed together, in order, at which point the ending of this (the third part) is wonderfully effective. The trilogy explores the three values represented on the French flag: freedom, equality, brotherhood; but these are clearly themes with broader resonance, which gives these films a more universal appeal. They do tend toward the slower-paced and slightly 'arty' end of the filmic spectrum, but, considering that's a style I don't generally get on with either, these are nonetheless brilliant.
See also: Hidden, another French film with occasionally similar themes.
7) Citizen Kane (#100, Week 36) 5/5
Widely regarded as one of, if not the, best films ever made, Citizen Kane has certainly had to fight hard for such an accolade. But it's pretty well deserved: almost everything about the film still stands up well today, from the engaging mysteries of the plot, to the collage of styles, timeframes and unusual camera moves that can still seem innovate 66 years on. As I said in my original review, there is masses that can (and has, and will) be said about this movie. You shouldn't need me to tell you that if you have any real interest in films you ought to at least give it a go. For me, it mostly managed to live up to its colossal reputation.
See also: Chinatown, an acclaimed noir-ish & unsolvable mystery of America's wealthy.
6) Brief Encounter (#76, Week 31) 5/5
Most classics are so for good reason; and, chances are, the older a film oft-cited as a classic gets, the better the chance of it genuinely being one (as the lesser films drop away in favour of newer 'classics', you see). At 62 years old, then, Brief Encounter stands a fair chance of being a damn good film. And, lo and behold, it really is. The social conventions of a bygone age are beautifully played out -- while things certainly wouldn't go this way today, one can still oddly relate to it all. With a touching, funny script, note-perfect performances, and terrific direction, you don't get them much more classic than this.
See also: Before Sunrise, a modern take on railway-related romance (that only narrowly missed a spot here).
5) Stranger Than Fiction (#81, Week 32) 4/5
This is a wonderful conceit for a film: one day, a man begins to hear his life being narrated, as if it were a novel. And then the novelist tells him he's going to die. To explain what happens from there would ruin it, of course (and take too long), but it's variously fantastical, romantic, thoughtful, and fun. It's stylishly directed by Marc Forster, who's fast becoming one of my favourite directors (I expect Bond 22 to cement that opinion), and has plenty of originality. While some plot threads may be pretty standard fair, they're well executed too, which makes for a highly entertaining whole.
See also: While You Were Sleeping, a quirky (though not as fantastical) setup for a rom-com.
4) The Prestige (#14, Week 7) 4/5
I must confess to being a bit unsure about The Prestige at first. Not that I didn't think it was good, just that I wasn't sure how good. In retrospect, it's good enough to make it this high on my list (beating off a most of the films that I rated higher than it!) Nolan is a great storyteller: the chronology of the film is all over the place, yet never once is the viewer lost as to what we're seeing when. It's all propped up by a brilliant cast and a central mystery that is intriguing, with a number of neat twists in its resolution. The more I remember it, the more I like it.
See also: Primer, a somewhat similar mystery in a (sadly) less satisfying film.
3) Mean Creek (#69, Week 30) 5/5
It's a simple concept: a group of kids take the school bully out to teach him a lesson and it all goes horribly wrong. But it's not a sanitised, irritating kids movie, with shiny little brats and a beautiful message about friendship; it's an indie with a realistically dark heart, and thankfully not one that has succumbed to the "nothing happens because it's about the characters, see" school of 'intelligent' filmmaking. The kids carry the movie (barely an adult is seen, and even then only briefly) and their performances are all strong, often a worry with child actors. It's a tense, believable story, with a good exploration of the consequences of their actions, including an appropriate level of ambiguity. A fantastic little drama.
See also: Brick, another indie of middle American kids in potentially murderous situations.
2) Hot Fuzz (#20, Week 8) 5/5
The Shaun of the Dead team return, this time spoofing action movies (as opposed to zombies). Many say this isn't as good as Shaun, but I rather suspect they're mostly the sort of people who are into the niche-y zombie films in the first place (don't get me wrong, mind, I love Shaun). Hot Fuzz is funny throughout, has a good stab at some exciting action sequences, and the cast of British stalwarts are fantastic. It was a big hit in the UK and deservedly so. It's set to form a loose trilogy with Shaun and an as-yet-unrevealed project, which I feel we should all be looking forward to immensely.
See also: Stormbreaker, a kid-centred slice of tongue-in-cheek British action.
1) United 93 (#22, Week 9) 5/5
Paul Greengrass didn't stand a chance at the Oscars, as Scorsese had finally got round to making another film good enough for them to finally give him an award. Greengrass deserved it more though. The Departed was a decent film, but as this is the only mention of it in this entire article you can see I was hardly blown away. But this is all beside the point: United 93 is a great film. The direction is perfectly suited to the subject matter, the storytelling appropriately tense and with a good dose of realism, and the performances utterly believable. The fact that this is endorsed by the families of those who died is the final stamp of approval. The men and women who were on board United 93 are all heroes -- not in some cheesy Hollywood way, but in a very real-world way. This captures that, and feels an appropriate tribute.
See also: Right at Your Door, a fictional tale of terrorism's potential effect on ordinary people.
Special Mentions
I just wanted to take a moment (or, a section) to highlight a few other films, for various reasons.
Firstly, I can't end this without mentioning the 13 films that earned themselves 5-star ratings this year, as only six of them made it into the top ten -- those being Brief Encounter, Citizen Kane, Hot Fuzz, Mean Creek, Three Colours Red, and United 93. Perhaps I was less certain about rating some so highly in retrospect, but, regardless, the other seven were: Chinatown, Educating Rita, Goodfellas, Heat, The King of Comedy, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Trainspotting.
As the year went on I kept a running list of potential contenders for both my bottom five and top ten. The former eventually totalled 15 films (some were shortlisted not because they were truly bad, but due to the level of disappointment involved, such as Spider-Man 3). The list for the top ten reached the giddy heights of 48 films -- 37% of the total! Maybe I'm just the generous sort. As well as the top ten itself (obviously), some of these were the other 5-star-ers listed above, and several more have been named in the "see also" sections. Rather than list all the remaining 24 (you do the maths), here's nine of them that stuck in my mind enough to warrant mentioning:
- Night Watch, an entertaining epic/fantasy/horror mash-up from Russia.
- Perfume, a visually pungent, thoroughly bizarre adaptation of the popular novel.
- Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, a classic silent urban fairytale.
- Manhattan, a beautiful black & white relationship drama.
- The Woodsman, an intelligent and character-centric study of a difficult issue.
- Pan's Labyrinth, an engaging blend of fantasy and cruel reality.
- Bullets Over Broadway, an amusing and entertaining take on the mob and the theatre.
- Octopussy, a surprisingly entertaining Roger Moore Bond film.
- Basil the Great Mouse Detective, an underrated Sherlock Holmes-riffing Disney flick.
The Films I Didn't See
Of course, this obviously isn't a Top 10 of 2007 in the traditional sense. But, nonetheless, new films do feature, and with that in mind there were a number of notable films released this year that I've yet to see.
Here, then, is an alphabetical list of 50 films made in 2007 that I've missed. (To be fair, some of these aren't actually out over here yet... but when I finally see them they'll be listed as 2007, so on this list they go! Equally, a fair few films have cropped up on best-of-year lists but are technically from 2006, so have been left off.) The films listed here have been chosen for a variety of reasons, from box office success to critical acclaim.
2 Days in Paris
28 Weeks Later
3:10 to Yuma
30 Days of Night
Across the Universe
Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
American Gangster
The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
Becoming Jane
Beowulf
Blades of Glory
Charlie Wilson's War
Control
Die Hard 4.0 / Live Free or Die Hard
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Enchanted
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Ghost Rider
The Golden Compass
Grindhouse (or its constituent parts individually)
Hairspray
Halloween
I Am Legend
I'm Not There
Juno
Knocked Up
Lions For Lambs
The Man From Earth
Michael Clayton
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
No Country For Old Men
Ocean's Thirteen
Ratatouille
Resident Evil: Extinction
Rush Hour 3
Shrek the Third
Sicko
The Simpsons Movie
Southland Tales
St. Trinian's
Stardust
Sunshine
Superbad
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
There Will Be Blood
TMNT
Transformers
Waitress
Zodiac
A Final Thought
It's been very strange, looking back over this list to pick my choices. Some films I saw at the beginning of the year feel like they were just the other week; others seen more recently feel like they were an age ago. It's quite an interesting experience -- one that I'd recommend.
And so the end is here! Finally. For this entry I've chosen my five least-favourite films that I've seen this year, and (more interestingly, I'm sure) my top ten -- in a lovely countdown and all!
A Bit of an Explanation
I'd like to point out that these lists aren't based on the ratings I gave at the time. That is to say, if I gave out precisely ten 5-star ratings it doesn't mean those will be my top ten. A slightly strange thought I know, but opinions can change and therefore so may mine. The title of this entry sums it up: in retrospect these are the films I wanted to pick out as the best I've seen in 2007. Hard work it was choosing too!
I've included a "see also" section for each of the top ten. These aren't supposed to be the ten next-best films I've seen this year, but are instead other films I've seen this year that are in some way related (with the briefest of explanations as to how). These are really just a chance to point out films that are of similar interest; I wanted to stress that they're not necessarily numbers 11 to 20 on my list.
As a final note, I've not considered any of those controversial different-cuts-of-films-I've-seen-before for inclusion here. If I had then I'm sure Crash would've been high in the top ten.
The Five Worst Films I've Seen in 2007
Flight 93 (#26, Week 12) 1/5
The only film all year to achieve the lowest possible score; if this list were numbered, it would surely be my worst film of the year. Nothing in it is above the level of cheap TV movie -- which it is, but that's no excuse. The script, acting, direction, effects... I genuinely failed to find anything worthwhile here, especially in light of the excellent United 93, a truly brilliant film of the same story. Some say this makes a good companion piece to the movie, but I really don't think it does: the latter is a respectful, realistic, thoughtful piece of filmmaking; this is tacky and unrealistic, and tries so hard for an appropriate level of sentiment that it often winds up being laughable. And laughable is not something this event was. In short, don't even bother.
New York Stories: Life Without Zoe (#117, Week 47) 3/5
It seems almost churlish to pick out one segment of a film, but as it's an anthology where the other two parts are pretty good it would be even more churlish to slate the whole film. The centre short of New York Stories, an anthology film by Scorsese, Coppola and Allen, is second only to Flight 93 as the most painful thing I've had to sit through this year. The characters are irritating, the performances weak, the writing twee... Sofia would obviously go on to better things (Lost in Translation mainly), but Francis Ford seems to be firmly leaving the quality filmmaking behind at this point. (As a side point, I thought Scorsese's short in this film was decent enough, while Allen's is utterly brilliant. The listed score is the one I gave the whole film.)
Play Time (#118, Week 47) 2/5
Jacques Tati has his fans. Filmmakers such as him (especially foreign ones) inevitably do. But I just can't fully get to grips with his style of comedy, and I suspect many truly discerning critics wouldn't either. There are gags, but they're slipped in among long stretches of interminable boredom where literally nothing happens, and when they arrive they have a tendency to run on too long. Tati is undoubtedly making some points about the state of the modern urban world with this, but that doesn't make it any more entertaining. Repetitive and flat, it's not worth sitting through for the handful of genuinely good comic moments.
C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (#79, Week 32) 2/5
As well as being a poor film in its own right, this represents a variety of films which failed to live up to my expectations. In this case, I was looking forward to a well-developed alternate history of America, where things were vastly different because the Confederates won the American Civil War. Instead, the film is almost solely concerned with the idea that, if they had won, black people would still be slaves. This preoccupation is unsurprising when you learn the background of the filmmakers, but the film isn't sold as simply a "what if black people were still slaves?" piece. Most major historical events play out as they did anyway... except that black people are still enslaved! It's far too one-dimensional.
Thunderbirds (#85, Week 33) 2/5
I was left with a few potential final choices from my short list of bad films, all of fairly equal poorness. This is the worst though, because, like C.S.A., it's so disappointing. I didn't have great expectations for this film thanks to all the bad press it received at the time of release, but that doesn't detract from the fact that Thunderbirds is a great TV series full of wonderful and entertaining ideas, most of which are squandered in this poor Spy Kids rip off. The only good thing about it are the ship designs, which faithfully modernise all of the Thunderbird craft. Other than that, it's a poor script, poor story, and pretty poor acting too (even from Sir Ben Kingsley, who camps it up something rotten). What a waste.
The Ten Best Films I've Seen For the First Time in 2007
10) Blood Diamond (#19, Week 8) 4/5
Ed Zwick pulls off the impressive task of making a Moral Message Movie that is also a proper action thriller, something which (as far as I've seen) usually leads to a film winding up greatly more in one camp than the other. The action sequences are exciting and impressively staged, the message is conveyed but not over-played, and within this there's still room to focus on the characters and their personal journeys. All of the actors perform well in their roles, though Djimon Hounsou can still be singled out as the best of the bunch. Important and entertaining -- a rare feat.
See also: The Bourne Ultimatum, a more widely praised gritty action-thriller.
9) 300 (#101, Week 40) 4/5
Pure testosterone-fuelled entertainment. That's a pretty simply way of summing up what is, at the end of the day, a pretty simple film. It looks gorgeous, with cinematography, design and CGI combining to create a series of hyper-real, beautiful visions. The fight scenes are brutally excellent, though in danger of becoming a bit repetitive if they're not your thing. The story is also a little slender, padded out with copious slow motion and a bolted-on political subplot in the final act, which could have been excellent if integrated better. But none of these flaws really matter, because 300 does what it sets out to, and it does it bloody well.
See also: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, an equally CGI-heavy bit of constant action.
8) Three Colours Red (#42, Week 15) 5/5
This really (slightly cheekily, but unashamedly) represents the whole Three Colours trilogy. You see, while each film is completely standalone and works excellently in its own right, they still work best when viewed together, in order, at which point the ending of this (the third part) is wonderfully effective. The trilogy explores the three values represented on the French flag: freedom, equality, brotherhood; but these are clearly themes with broader resonance, which gives these films a more universal appeal. They do tend toward the slower-paced and slightly 'arty' end of the filmic spectrum, but, considering that's a style I don't generally get on with either, these are nonetheless brilliant.
See also: Hidden, another French film with occasionally similar themes.
7) Citizen Kane (#100, Week 36) 5/5
Widely regarded as one of, if not the, best films ever made, Citizen Kane has certainly had to fight hard for such an accolade. But it's pretty well deserved: almost everything about the film still stands up well today, from the engaging mysteries of the plot, to the collage of styles, timeframes and unusual camera moves that can still seem innovate 66 years on. As I said in my original review, there is masses that can (and has, and will) be said about this movie. You shouldn't need me to tell you that if you have any real interest in films you ought to at least give it a go. For me, it mostly managed to live up to its colossal reputation.
See also: Chinatown, an acclaimed noir-ish & unsolvable mystery of America's wealthy.
6) Brief Encounter (#76, Week 31) 5/5
Most classics are so for good reason; and, chances are, the older a film oft-cited as a classic gets, the better the chance of it genuinely being one (as the lesser films drop away in favour of newer 'classics', you see). At 62 years old, then, Brief Encounter stands a fair chance of being a damn good film. And, lo and behold, it really is. The social conventions of a bygone age are beautifully played out -- while things certainly wouldn't go this way today, one can still oddly relate to it all. With a touching, funny script, note-perfect performances, and terrific direction, you don't get them much more classic than this.
See also: Before Sunrise, a modern take on railway-related romance (that only narrowly missed a spot here).
5) Stranger Than Fiction (#81, Week 32) 4/5
This is a wonderful conceit for a film: one day, a man begins to hear his life being narrated, as if it were a novel. And then the novelist tells him he's going to die. To explain what happens from there would ruin it, of course (and take too long), but it's variously fantastical, romantic, thoughtful, and fun. It's stylishly directed by Marc Forster, who's fast becoming one of my favourite directors (I expect Bond 22 to cement that opinion), and has plenty of originality. While some plot threads may be pretty standard fair, they're well executed too, which makes for a highly entertaining whole.
See also: While You Were Sleeping, a quirky (though not as fantastical) setup for a rom-com.
4) The Prestige (#14, Week 7) 4/5
I must confess to being a bit unsure about The Prestige at first. Not that I didn't think it was good, just that I wasn't sure how good. In retrospect, it's good enough to make it this high on my list (beating off a most of the films that I rated higher than it!) Nolan is a great storyteller: the chronology of the film is all over the place, yet never once is the viewer lost as to what we're seeing when. It's all propped up by a brilliant cast and a central mystery that is intriguing, with a number of neat twists in its resolution. The more I remember it, the more I like it.
See also: Primer, a somewhat similar mystery in a (sadly) less satisfying film.
3) Mean Creek (#69, Week 30) 5/5
It's a simple concept: a group of kids take the school bully out to teach him a lesson and it all goes horribly wrong. But it's not a sanitised, irritating kids movie, with shiny little brats and a beautiful message about friendship; it's an indie with a realistically dark heart, and thankfully not one that has succumbed to the "nothing happens because it's about the characters, see" school of 'intelligent' filmmaking. The kids carry the movie (barely an adult is seen, and even then only briefly) and their performances are all strong, often a worry with child actors. It's a tense, believable story, with a good exploration of the consequences of their actions, including an appropriate level of ambiguity. A fantastic little drama.
See also: Brick, another indie of middle American kids in potentially murderous situations.
2) Hot Fuzz (#20, Week 8) 5/5
The Shaun of the Dead team return, this time spoofing action movies (as opposed to zombies). Many say this isn't as good as Shaun, but I rather suspect they're mostly the sort of people who are into the niche-y zombie films in the first place (don't get me wrong, mind, I love Shaun). Hot Fuzz is funny throughout, has a good stab at some exciting action sequences, and the cast of British stalwarts are fantastic. It was a big hit in the UK and deservedly so. It's set to form a loose trilogy with Shaun and an as-yet-unrevealed project, which I feel we should all be looking forward to immensely.
See also: Stormbreaker, a kid-centred slice of tongue-in-cheek British action.
1) United 93 (#22, Week 9) 5/5
Paul Greengrass didn't stand a chance at the Oscars, as Scorsese had finally got round to making another film good enough for them to finally give him an award. Greengrass deserved it more though. The Departed was a decent film, but as this is the only mention of it in this entire article you can see I was hardly blown away. But this is all beside the point: United 93 is a great film. The direction is perfectly suited to the subject matter, the storytelling appropriately tense and with a good dose of realism, and the performances utterly believable. The fact that this is endorsed by the families of those who died is the final stamp of approval. The men and women who were on board United 93 are all heroes -- not in some cheesy Hollywood way, but in a very real-world way. This captures that, and feels an appropriate tribute.
See also: Right at Your Door, a fictional tale of terrorism's potential effect on ordinary people.
Special Mentions
I just wanted to take a moment (or, a section) to highlight a few other films, for various reasons.
Firstly, I can't end this without mentioning the 13 films that earned themselves 5-star ratings this year, as only six of them made it into the top ten -- those being Brief Encounter, Citizen Kane, Hot Fuzz, Mean Creek, Three Colours Red, and United 93. Perhaps I was less certain about rating some so highly in retrospect, but, regardless, the other seven were: Chinatown, Educating Rita, Goodfellas, Heat, The King of Comedy, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Trainspotting.
As the year went on I kept a running list of potential contenders for both my bottom five and top ten. The former eventually totalled 15 films (some were shortlisted not because they were truly bad, but due to the level of disappointment involved, such as Spider-Man 3). The list for the top ten reached the giddy heights of 48 films -- 37% of the total! Maybe I'm just the generous sort. As well as the top ten itself (obviously), some of these were the other 5-star-ers listed above, and several more have been named in the "see also" sections. Rather than list all the remaining 24 (you do the maths), here's nine of them that stuck in my mind enough to warrant mentioning:
- Night Watch, an entertaining epic/fantasy/horror mash-up from Russia.
- Perfume, a visually pungent, thoroughly bizarre adaptation of the popular novel.
- Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, a classic silent urban fairytale.
- Manhattan, a beautiful black & white relationship drama.
- The Woodsman, an intelligent and character-centric study of a difficult issue.
- Pan's Labyrinth, an engaging blend of fantasy and cruel reality.
- Bullets Over Broadway, an amusing and entertaining take on the mob and the theatre.
- Octopussy, a surprisingly entertaining Roger Moore Bond film.
- Basil the Great Mouse Detective, an underrated Sherlock Holmes-riffing Disney flick.
The Films I Didn't See
Of course, this obviously isn't a Top 10 of 2007 in the traditional sense. But, nonetheless, new films do feature, and with that in mind there were a number of notable films released this year that I've yet to see.
Here, then, is an alphabetical list of 50 films made in 2007 that I've missed. (To be fair, some of these aren't actually out over here yet... but when I finally see them they'll be listed as 2007, so on this list they go! Equally, a fair few films have cropped up on best-of-year lists but are technically from 2006, so have been left off.) The films listed here have been chosen for a variety of reasons, from box office success to critical acclaim.
2 Days in Paris
28 Weeks Later
3:10 to Yuma
30 Days of Night
Across the Universe
Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
American Gangster
The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
Becoming Jane
Beowulf
Blades of Glory
Charlie Wilson's War
Control
Die Hard 4.0 / Live Free or Die Hard
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Enchanted
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Ghost Rider
The Golden Compass
Grindhouse (or its constituent parts individually)
Hairspray
Halloween
I Am Legend
I'm Not There
Juno
Knocked Up
Lions For Lambs
The Man From Earth
Michael Clayton
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
No Country For Old Men
Ocean's Thirteen
Ratatouille
Resident Evil: Extinction
Rush Hour 3
Shrek the Third
Sicko
The Simpsons Movie
Southland Tales
St. Trinian's
Stardust
Sunshine
Superbad
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
There Will Be Blood
TMNT
Transformers
Waitress
Zodiac
A Final Thought
It's been very strange, looking back over this list to pick my choices. Some films I saw at the beginning of the year feel like they were just the other week; others seen more recently feel like they were an age ago. It's quite an interesting experience -- one that I'd recommend.
Weeks 51-52
Introduction
And so here we are: my 23rd entry, the final two weeks of 2007, and the end of my quest! 2008 is just around the corner, meaning the imminent restarting of my quest. New-look entries will appear soon, but before that there'll be summaries of this year (back-dated to December 31st! Hurrah!). They'll appear in the next few days. Then it'll be a fresh start as it all begins again for 2008...
Weeks Fifty-One and Fifty-Two
After the emptiness of my last entry, I have actually watched some films this time. Three of them, in fact -- my final three films of the year! And one short too. And they were...
127) The Bourne Ultimatum (2007, Paul Greengrass, DVD) 4/5
This final installment in the action-thriller trilogy was recently announced as Empire magazine's film of the year, following wide praise on release that dubbed it the best action movie in a long time. Unfortunately, I fear it may've become a victim of its own hype. It's certainly a good film for many reasons: its appropriately unrelenting momentum, even in dialogue scenes; several stunning action sequences; a mostly decent plot. But it's also flawed: despite the globe-hopping, complex plot, it feels somehow slight; several villains and plot devices seem tacked on to create an over-arching plan for the trilogy, when Bourne had really dealt with all these matters in the first two. Ultimately, it simply didn't feel as entertaining as the first two installments, though I had an odd sense that I should be liking it more. Perhaps future re-viewings will aid my appreciation.
127a) Telling Lies (2001, Simon Ellis, DVD) 4/5
A simple idea, very well executed: as we listen to a series of phone conversations, the speakers' dialogue appears on screen... except instead of transcribing their exact words, it reveals their true thoughts. At only a few minutes long this doesn't out stay its welcome, instead maintaining the basic idea well and crafting a neat and amusing little story with it. Worth checking out if you have a chance. (Available on the DVD Cinema16: British Short Films.)
128) While You Were Sleeping (1995, Jon Turteltaub, TV) 4/5
I wound up accidentally watching this on TV, and was ultimately glad I did. If you've ever seen a '90s rom-com then the general shape of everything here will be familiar, though it does have a neat coma-related twist at its core. In spite of this predictability, and Sandra Bullock, I found it to be very enjoyable. It's not a laugh-out-loud comedy and it is (of course) heavy on the sentiment, but it does have a lovely Christmasness that is perfect for this time of year. It made me all nostalgic for the '90s -- they don't make 'em like this any more. I don't think. I don't really watch rom-coms... I can easily see myself tracking this down in time for next Christmas, and probably Christmasses after too.
129) Piglet's Big Movie (2003, Francis Glebas, TV) 3/5
I used to enjoy the Disney Winnie-the-Pooh series when I was younger. I also used to love the original books by A.A. Milne. In fact, I still enjoy the books -- they're witty, knowingly written, and often sweet. Sadly, Disney's interpretation seems to have faired less well. In this case it's largely down to the first half, where the mostly original storyline and weak & randomly inserted songs simply aren't up to scratch. However, things improve massively with a couple of fairly straight adaptations of Milne's original tales. Mildly amusing at times and with a positive (if predictable) message about friendship and self-worth, this would undoubtedly entertain young children -- which, to be fair, is its intended audience. While it initially seems to fall far short for older audiences, it turns out to be not all bad.
And so here we are: my 23rd entry, the final two weeks of 2007, and the end of my quest! 2008 is just around the corner, meaning the imminent restarting of my quest. New-look entries will appear soon, but before that there'll be summaries of this year (back-dated to December 31st! Hurrah!). They'll appear in the next few days. Then it'll be a fresh start as it all begins again for 2008...
Weeks Fifty-One and Fifty-Two
After the emptiness of my last entry, I have actually watched some films this time. Three of them, in fact -- my final three films of the year! And one short too. And they were...
127) The Bourne Ultimatum (2007, Paul Greengrass, DVD) 4/5
This final installment in the action-thriller trilogy was recently announced as Empire magazine's film of the year, following wide praise on release that dubbed it the best action movie in a long time. Unfortunately, I fear it may've become a victim of its own hype. It's certainly a good film for many reasons: its appropriately unrelenting momentum, even in dialogue scenes; several stunning action sequences; a mostly decent plot. But it's also flawed: despite the globe-hopping, complex plot, it feels somehow slight; several villains and plot devices seem tacked on to create an over-arching plan for the trilogy, when Bourne had really dealt with all these matters in the first two. Ultimately, it simply didn't feel as entertaining as the first two installments, though I had an odd sense that I should be liking it more. Perhaps future re-viewings will aid my appreciation.
127a) Telling Lies (2001, Simon Ellis, DVD) 4/5
A simple idea, very well executed: as we listen to a series of phone conversations, the speakers' dialogue appears on screen... except instead of transcribing their exact words, it reveals their true thoughts. At only a few minutes long this doesn't out stay its welcome, instead maintaining the basic idea well and crafting a neat and amusing little story with it. Worth checking out if you have a chance. (Available on the DVD Cinema16: British Short Films.)
128) While You Were Sleeping (1995, Jon Turteltaub, TV) 4/5
I wound up accidentally watching this on TV, and was ultimately glad I did. If you've ever seen a '90s rom-com then the general shape of everything here will be familiar, though it does have a neat coma-related twist at its core. In spite of this predictability, and Sandra Bullock, I found it to be very enjoyable. It's not a laugh-out-loud comedy and it is (of course) heavy on the sentiment, but it does have a lovely Christmasness that is perfect for this time of year. It made me all nostalgic for the '90s -- they don't make 'em like this any more. I don't think. I don't really watch rom-coms... I can easily see myself tracking this down in time for next Christmas, and probably Christmasses after too.
129) Piglet's Big Movie (2003, Francis Glebas, TV) 3/5
I used to enjoy the Disney Winnie-the-Pooh series when I was younger. I also used to love the original books by A.A. Milne. In fact, I still enjoy the books -- they're witty, knowingly written, and often sweet. Sadly, Disney's interpretation seems to have faired less well. In this case it's largely down to the first half, where the mostly original storyline and weak & randomly inserted songs simply aren't up to scratch. However, things improve massively with a couple of fairly straight adaptations of Milne's original tales. Mildly amusing at times and with a positive (if predictable) message about friendship and self-worth, this would undoubtedly entertain young children -- which, to be fair, is its intended audience. While it initially seems to fall far short for older audiences, it turns out to be not all bad.
Monday 17 December 2007
Weeks 49-50
Introduction
It's the last month of the year! The winter holidays have started! There's only a week (and a bit) til Christmas! And, after the fourteen-film craziness of the last entry, in the past two weeks I've only watched... well, NO films!
Yet there is still an entry. Why? Well, I resolved that, regardless of how many films I watched, I'd post double-week entries for both this one and the next. And I haven't watched any films, so there's none here. A silly resolution, obviously. Incidentally, this all means you can expect the final chapter of my 2007 quest to appear on Monday December 31st. How very appropriate.
So instead of film reviews, but in light of the fact I'm posting this anyway, I've decided to share with you some of the changes I have planned for 2008. I'm sure there's nothing mind-blowingly exciting here, but maybe it'll be of vague interest.
2008 Preview
The most notable change to the blog will be that, instead of large week-spanning multi-film round-ups, I'll be posting reviews individually. The weekly format is a hold-over from the blog's deviantART origins and obviously isn't as blog-like as individual entries will be.
In a similar vein, there'll be a few more details beyond the current year/director/format selection -- for example, the running time, or the BBFC classification (perhaps the MPAA one too). These things are hardly integral to the content, I know, but it might make the whole thing feel a bit more well-informed.
In the unlikely event anyone particularly enjoys my little introductions and updates, something like these will crop up from time to time in a new format -- expect 'editorials' scattered amongst the film reviews at imprecise intervals.
I had also considered adding in reviews of other things, such as re-watched films and TV shows, in a similar way to the editorials. I decided this would dilute the focus and clutter the blog, however... but be sure to check out my new sister blog, Smaller Screens, which will cover those things with a broadly similar 'voice' to this blog.
Finally, I might actually start using keywords. I tried initially for this year, but it seemed a little pointless. I'll try to keep them general and helpful, rather than bogging them down with one-off things like the film's title. Information like the director, the genre, the year of production, the format, and so forth, will likely go in the keywords, to create some sort of browsable thingamie on the sidebar.
Maybe one day I'll go back and mix some of these changes into how the 2007 posts are organised, just to streamline the whole thing. But don't count on it.
Next Time
It's the final entry of the year! And then two more... You'll see.
See you on New Year's Eve...
It's the last month of the year! The winter holidays have started! There's only a week (and a bit) til Christmas! And, after the fourteen-film craziness of the last entry, in the past two weeks I've only watched... well, NO films!
Yet there is still an entry. Why? Well, I resolved that, regardless of how many films I watched, I'd post double-week entries for both this one and the next. And I haven't watched any films, so there's none here. A silly resolution, obviously. Incidentally, this all means you can expect the final chapter of my 2007 quest to appear on Monday December 31st. How very appropriate.
So instead of film reviews, but in light of the fact I'm posting this anyway, I've decided to share with you some of the changes I have planned for 2008. I'm sure there's nothing mind-blowingly exciting here, but maybe it'll be of vague interest.
2008 Preview
The most notable change to the blog will be that, instead of large week-spanning multi-film round-ups, I'll be posting reviews individually. The weekly format is a hold-over from the blog's deviantART origins and obviously isn't as blog-like as individual entries will be.
In a similar vein, there'll be a few more details beyond the current year/director/format selection -- for example, the running time, or the BBFC classification (perhaps the MPAA one too). These things are hardly integral to the content, I know, but it might make the whole thing feel a bit more well-informed.
In the unlikely event anyone particularly enjoys my little introductions and updates, something like these will crop up from time to time in a new format -- expect 'editorials' scattered amongst the film reviews at imprecise intervals.
I had also considered adding in reviews of other things, such as re-watched films and TV shows, in a similar way to the editorials. I decided this would dilute the focus and clutter the blog, however... but be sure to check out my new sister blog, Smaller Screens, which will cover those things with a broadly similar 'voice' to this blog.
Finally, I might actually start using keywords. I tried initially for this year, but it seemed a little pointless. I'll try to keep them general and helpful, rather than bogging them down with one-off things like the film's title. Information like the director, the genre, the year of production, the format, and so forth, will likely go in the keywords, to create some sort of browsable thingamie on the sidebar.
Maybe one day I'll go back and mix some of these changes into how the 2007 posts are organised, just to streamline the whole thing. But don't count on it.
Next Time
It's the final entry of the year! And then two more... You'll see.
See you on New Year's Eve...
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Weeks 46-48
Introduction
Welcome to the second most film-packed entry ever! And possibly the longest, thanks to some ramblings. Why has this come to be so? Well, I'll come to that shortly, after those ramblings I mentioned...
An Extended Musing
First, another issue that's come to my mind while writing this entry (specifically after viewing film #123): when was the last time I 'fell in love' with a film? It's got me pondering not only that, but what caused me to fall for things I liked. Was it the critical reaction as much as my personal opinion? The in-built notion of This Is A Good Film making sure I liked it? I don't think that's quite true: I was certainly aware of the high praise for films like Pulp Fiction or Fight Club (both of which I adored from first viewing) when I saw them, but I'm sure there was something more to them that impressed me. Certainly, there are films I've enjoyed to a similar degree where my awareness of its wider praise has followed, such as Donnie Darko or Children of Men. By a similar token, there are films where I knew of the praise, such as Memento and The Departed, and still didn't come to love them.
It leaves me wondering if, as I grow older, I'm less prone to being swayed by received critical opinions and finally just judging films on their own merit; or, possibly, I'm so eager to try to have my own thoughts and to therefore avoid things that I'm not taking them in the right way? It's a very self-reflexive question and consequently a hard one to answer, especially as all opinions on art are so subjective anyway.
As for the issue of films I've 'fallen in love' with, the issue is slightly complicated by a division between Entertainment Films and Proper Films (I use these terms loosely, for the sake of this argument). To use some of the same examples, I would class all the films thus far mentioned as Proper Films (we can already see the line blurring as they all certainly have high entertainment values too), whereas things like Pirates of the Caribbean or Serenity are more clearly of the Entertainment variety. Handily, I have a list of all the films I've seen in the past eleven months, so I can see what I may've loved in the past year.
And, indeed, there are some. Under the Proper banner we might find the likes of Mean Creek, Brief Encounter, or, probably most of all, United 93. Under the Entertainment heading there could possibly be 300, Stranger Than Fiction, or, undoubtedly, Hot Fuzz. But it can be tricky to designate the difference between "liked a lot" and "loved" -- there were several more films I nearly listed, but then just wasn't sure.
Indeed, how much I love even the ones mentioned, and even more so whether they rank amongst films I'd call all-time favourites, is a complex proposition. When does "liked a lot" become "loved"? In the past, the likes of Se7en, Apocalypse Now and Magnolia, as well as one or two others mentioned earlier, easily jumped straight to the top of my favourites list after just one viewing... but then maybe I was just young and impressionable. Or maybe I wasn't as easily persuadable as I seem to think, and I'm just still waiting for something to capture me the same way they did...
Weeks Forty-Six to Forty-Eight
With all that (partially) exorcised, let's finally move on to what I was wittering about in the introduction.
I've had a little bit of a theme season (one might say) these past few weeks, so I've been waiting for those films to appear in a single entry -- plus there are other films watched in between, making the list even longer. So, what was the theme? Well, being the dedicated student that I am, I've watched all the suggested viewing for a seminar in which my group had to pose the questions. The seminar was on "Urban Rhythms"... but in film-viewing terms that translates to four Scorseses, four Woody Allens, and an anthology featuring shorts by both of them and Francis Ford Coppola (plus a fifth Scorsese that wasn't on the list but was on TV). Such respectable viewing!
Throw in another four films and this is the most film-packed entry since the seven-week, fifteen-film behemoth that was the first entry! And it makes it to only one film less in under half the time! Well blimey. Best get on with it then...
113) On the Town (1949, Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly, VHS) 4/5
Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra lead the cast in this musical comedy about three soldiers who have 24 hours of shore leave in New York. The plot is sometimes predictable, but at least it's not as standardised as many. Equally, none of the songs are truly memorable but most are fun while they last. The humour may be quite gentle (though be prepared for some sexed-up female characters!), but as a whole it's never less than entertaining (with the exception of a third act dance almost as incongruous as Oklahoma!'s change of cast). Several of those who watched it with me were surprised to find they actually enjoyed a musical.
114) Bringing Out the Dead (1999, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 3/5
It's hard to know what to make of this, because by the end it all seems a little pointless. The storyline, which follows Nicolas Cage's paramedic across three nights in New York, is a mixture of short episodic medical incidents with longer threads that continue throughout. These connect and fall apart, feeling as episodic as the rest, and most of them don't really lead anywhere. Perhaps the best description is that it's a collection of subplots in search of proper story. There are some decent scenes and good shots, but the film doesn't seem to have anything to say, and it doesn't end so much as simply fade to black when it runs out of things to do.
115) Annie Hall (1977, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
Widely considered to be Woody Allen's breakthrough movie and winner of four of the 'Big Five' Oscars. One might call it a romantic comedy, but it's very much an indie comedy-drama (for one thing, it utilises the ever-popular tactic of not taking place in chronological order), rather than the mainstream cliche-fest that first springs to mind whenever "rom-com" is mentioned. Annie Hall is either the basis for or just exemplifies all the cliches of Allen films (essentially, neurotic Jew who struggles with life), but that doesn't make it bad. It's very funny in places, suitably realistic in others, and has a nice line in comedic philosophy too.
116) Wild at Heart (1990, David Lynch, DVD) 4/5
My experience of David Lynch's work has so far been limited to Dune, the first short season of Twin Peaks, and Mulholland Drive. Admittedly, a list including the latter two isn't that bad, but it fails to encompass any of the acclaimed films that made his name. Wild at Heart doesn't come much closer: a quick look at IMDb reveals that it only beats Dune and the Twin Peaks movie in user ratings. I think I can see why: it's filled with mannered performances that can seem cheaper than those in daytime soaps (I presume this is deliberate, but some people just won't get, or like, it); characters and plot threads that meander off and seem pointless, while others don't come to anything; plus it lacks the opaqueness that many seem to hold as the key worthy feature of Lynch's work. In spite of its many faults I quite liked a lot of it, so my rating falls on the generous side. I still have no idea why there were so many Wizard of Oz references though.
117) New York Stories (1989, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola & Martin Scorsese, DVD) 3/5
Anthology of three shorts, connected only by the New York setting (which, incidentally, may as well be anywhere in all but the last segment). Scorsese's Life Lessons opens the film, a tale of an artist and his love for his younger assistant. It's an alright little drama. Next is Coppola's dire Life Without Zoe, concerned with an irritating rich little brat and her irritating rich little brat friends (none of whom can act). Mercifully the shortest piece, but its very existence is lamentable. Finally, Allen's Oedipus Wrecks drags the quality up. It may largely be typical Allen fare (see the Annie Hall review), but its quite funny and the fantastical twist halfway through is brilliantly bizarre. As a whole, then, an unsurprisingly mixed bag.
118) Play Time (1967, Jacques Tati, DVD) 2/5
I know some people love the work of Tati, just like there's always someone who loves everything; personally, I find his films largely dull. His character, Monsieur Hulot, is like Mr Bean but less funny (don't worry, I know Hulot comes first by a good few decades). There are some laughs to be had in Play Time, but they're a long way in and not necessarily worth waiting for. Play Time is certainly pertinent to the Cityscapes course we were shown it as part of, but even the subtext (which is about as 'sub' as a space station) about the depressing similarity of modern cities is repetitively over-done. Recommended only as a cure for insomnia.
119) Manhattan (1979, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
Drama (though it does include some very funny bits) focusing on the interrelationships of a handful of 40-something New Yorkers. Allen fails to convince as a bit of a womaniser, even if he is notably less neurotic than usual; however, once the viewer gets over that little fantasy of his, I believe there's a lot to be had here. It's a much more traditional film than Annie Hall -- events occur in chronological order, with no unusual comedic breaks, or monologues to camera -- and, as a drama, it's all the better for this. The black & white photography is gorgeous throughout, helping the city to shine far brighter than any of the characters -- for me, the best bit of the entire film is the opening three-and-a-half minutes, in which the beautiful images, Allen's narration and Gershwin's music combine in a tribute to what must be the most genuinely loved of all cities. (A 5-star rating system only allows minimal delineation, so for the sake of clarity I'd like to point out that I personally preferred this to Annie Hall, though it falls just off attaining a full five.)
120) Hellboy: Director's Cut (2004, Guillermo del Toro, DVD) 4/5
A surprise hit on release, this live action adaptation of the cult comic book is an exciting and entertaining, though flawed, mix of pulp fantasy, gothic style and action. Surprisingly, it spends more time focused on the characters than the plot; while this is nice, and those scenes are expertly played, they do seem to throw the pacing off kilter somewhat. And, in an amusing reversal of the usual action movie cliche, while the character bits are great the action scenes are a tad underwritten! The score is also pretty lacklustre: it sounds like a typical, appropriate SF/F action score, but one where the cues have all been incorrectly placed. But these flaws are easily overlooked when the characters are such fun, the dramatic moments suitably poignant, and the action passable enough. Hopefully the forthcoming sequel can see to the faults and be even better. (I haven't seen the theatrical cut of Hellboy, hence why this is numbered.)
121) The King of Comedy (1983, Martin Scorsese, TV) 5/5
Underrated black comedy from the prolific partnership of director Scorsese and star De Niro. De Niro gives an excellent performance as an obsessive wannabe comedian, stalking the host of a popular talk show in his desperation for a guest spot. The depth of his delusion is both hilariously funny and deeply unsettling; subtly woven between the laughs is the impression that this sort of behaviour must be all-too-real among those over-obsessed with celebrity culture. Jerry Lewis and Sandra Bernhard are also worthy of note in their supporting roles. Rarely mentioned when it comes to discussions of Scorsese's work, I think its the best film I've seen from him. (This closing comment is subject to the fact that I've only seen The Departed, The Aviator, Gangs of New York and Bringing Out the Dead, a list clearly missing most of his highly-praised work! Expect a more informed opinion to appear when I see them (later this entry!))
122) Taxi Driver (1976, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 4/5
Much praised, discussed and quoted, Taxi Driver needs little introduction. The weight of expectation also makes it hard to judge when first viewed. Personally, I didn't buy Travis' slide into psychosis, which is unfortunate as it's the core of the film and why it's meant to be so great. In fact, I found Robert Pupkin's broadly similar, self delusion-based, character arc in The King of Comedy more believable. The ending was also dubious, although one theory does make it work better, so it perhaps depends on what you choose to believe. Further viewings may help the film work better for me -- as my rating shows, I still liked the film as a whole, but I wasn't as impressed as I'd been led to believe I would be.
123) Goodfellas (1990, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 5/5
These days perhaps even more praised than Taxi Driver, Goodfellas tells the true story of Henry Hill's 25-year career as a gangster. It's certainly a notable achievement on virtually every level, which are too numerous to list here. The use of popular music struck me especially though, creating a sense of time (and never too obviously) while also complimenting the visuals in its own right. In the lead role, Liotta seems to have been underrated, lost behind the top billing of De Niro and the award-winning craziness of Pesci; he carries the film, with a performance that isn't showy but is perfectly pitched. I didn't fall in love with the film as so many seem to have, but I also don't think there's really any denying its worthiness for full marks.
124) Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
Woody Allen mixes a bit of the thriller into his usual relationship-based comedy/drama style, with effective results. The combination produces an engaging thriller with the usual character-focused drama woven around it, and a decent dash of comedy too. The first half hour or so is a tad slow, but the pace picks up as the story rattles into the second half. Murder Mystery has been criticised as lightweight -- the comedy stops the thriller being too serious, the thriller stops the drama being the focus, and they both prevent the comedy from overpowering -- but Allen has dealt with these elements in isolation elsewhere, so it's refreshing to see him do more than merely repeat himself. This is an underrated gem in Allen's relatively vast body of work.
125) Bullets Over Broadway (1994, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
The final Allen film of this little 'season' is that rare thing: one that doesn't star him! This is its biggest flaw, as Cusack spends the entire film doing a blatant and middling impression of the writer/director. But he nonetheless does OK, and when the rest of the cast are note-perfect, the script pacy and funny, the photography gorgeous and the long takes never more appropriate, it's hard not to be impressed. Special mention to the final scene, a four-way shouted conversation between two high windows and the street -- it's beautifully written and executed. Another underrated Allen film, and probably the most down-right entertaining of his I've seen so far.
126) Mean Streets (1973, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 4/5
Semi-autobiographical New York gangster movie, guaranteed a place in history as the first collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro -- what a place to end my little season! As with Goodfellas, it's someone else who's the main character; and, as with Goodfellas, De Niro's supporting character is a disturbing presence even when off screen. The similarities don't end there, but I'm not going to go into them in detail. Suffice to say, Mean Streets feels a bit like a less epic, oddly less focused, grittier, and perhaps more realistic, prototype for Goodfellas. But even then it's only that in some ways -- the two are notably different enough to make each worthwhile.
Welcome to the second most film-packed entry ever! And possibly the longest, thanks to some ramblings. Why has this come to be so? Well, I'll come to that shortly, after those ramblings I mentioned...
An Extended Musing
First, another issue that's come to my mind while writing this entry (specifically after viewing film #123): when was the last time I 'fell in love' with a film? It's got me pondering not only that, but what caused me to fall for things I liked. Was it the critical reaction as much as my personal opinion? The in-built notion of This Is A Good Film making sure I liked it? I don't think that's quite true: I was certainly aware of the high praise for films like Pulp Fiction or Fight Club (both of which I adored from first viewing) when I saw them, but I'm sure there was something more to them that impressed me. Certainly, there are films I've enjoyed to a similar degree where my awareness of its wider praise has followed, such as Donnie Darko or Children of Men. By a similar token, there are films where I knew of the praise, such as Memento and The Departed, and still didn't come to love them.
It leaves me wondering if, as I grow older, I'm less prone to being swayed by received critical opinions and finally just judging films on their own merit; or, possibly, I'm so eager to try to have my own thoughts and to therefore avoid things that I'm not taking them in the right way? It's a very self-reflexive question and consequently a hard one to answer, especially as all opinions on art are so subjective anyway.
As for the issue of films I've 'fallen in love' with, the issue is slightly complicated by a division between Entertainment Films and Proper Films (I use these terms loosely, for the sake of this argument). To use some of the same examples, I would class all the films thus far mentioned as Proper Films (we can already see the line blurring as they all certainly have high entertainment values too), whereas things like Pirates of the Caribbean or Serenity are more clearly of the Entertainment variety. Handily, I have a list of all the films I've seen in the past eleven months, so I can see what I may've loved in the past year.
And, indeed, there are some. Under the Proper banner we might find the likes of Mean Creek, Brief Encounter, or, probably most of all, United 93. Under the Entertainment heading there could possibly be 300, Stranger Than Fiction, or, undoubtedly, Hot Fuzz. But it can be tricky to designate the difference between "liked a lot" and "loved" -- there were several more films I nearly listed, but then just wasn't sure.
Indeed, how much I love even the ones mentioned, and even more so whether they rank amongst films I'd call all-time favourites, is a complex proposition. When does "liked a lot" become "loved"? In the past, the likes of Se7en, Apocalypse Now and Magnolia, as well as one or two others mentioned earlier, easily jumped straight to the top of my favourites list after just one viewing... but then maybe I was just young and impressionable. Or maybe I wasn't as easily persuadable as I seem to think, and I'm just still waiting for something to capture me the same way they did...
Weeks Forty-Six to Forty-Eight
With all that (partially) exorcised, let's finally move on to what I was wittering about in the introduction.
I've had a little bit of a theme season (one might say) these past few weeks, so I've been waiting for those films to appear in a single entry -- plus there are other films watched in between, making the list even longer. So, what was the theme? Well, being the dedicated student that I am, I've watched all the suggested viewing for a seminar in which my group had to pose the questions. The seminar was on "Urban Rhythms"... but in film-viewing terms that translates to four Scorseses, four Woody Allens, and an anthology featuring shorts by both of them and Francis Ford Coppola (plus a fifth Scorsese that wasn't on the list but was on TV). Such respectable viewing!
Throw in another four films and this is the most film-packed entry since the seven-week, fifteen-film behemoth that was the first entry! And it makes it to only one film less in under half the time! Well blimey. Best get on with it then...
113) On the Town (1949, Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly, VHS) 4/5
Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra lead the cast in this musical comedy about three soldiers who have 24 hours of shore leave in New York. The plot is sometimes predictable, but at least it's not as standardised as many. Equally, none of the songs are truly memorable but most are fun while they last. The humour may be quite gentle (though be prepared for some sexed-up female characters!), but as a whole it's never less than entertaining (with the exception of a third act dance almost as incongruous as Oklahoma!'s change of cast). Several of those who watched it with me were surprised to find they actually enjoyed a musical.
114) Bringing Out the Dead (1999, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 3/5
It's hard to know what to make of this, because by the end it all seems a little pointless. The storyline, which follows Nicolas Cage's paramedic across three nights in New York, is a mixture of short episodic medical incidents with longer threads that continue throughout. These connect and fall apart, feeling as episodic as the rest, and most of them don't really lead anywhere. Perhaps the best description is that it's a collection of subplots in search of proper story. There are some decent scenes and good shots, but the film doesn't seem to have anything to say, and it doesn't end so much as simply fade to black when it runs out of things to do.
115) Annie Hall (1977, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
Widely considered to be Woody Allen's breakthrough movie and winner of four of the 'Big Five' Oscars. One might call it a romantic comedy, but it's very much an indie comedy-drama (for one thing, it utilises the ever-popular tactic of not taking place in chronological order), rather than the mainstream cliche-fest that first springs to mind whenever "rom-com" is mentioned. Annie Hall is either the basis for or just exemplifies all the cliches of Allen films (essentially, neurotic Jew who struggles with life), but that doesn't make it bad. It's very funny in places, suitably realistic in others, and has a nice line in comedic philosophy too.
116) Wild at Heart (1990, David Lynch, DVD) 4/5
My experience of David Lynch's work has so far been limited to Dune, the first short season of Twin Peaks, and Mulholland Drive. Admittedly, a list including the latter two isn't that bad, but it fails to encompass any of the acclaimed films that made his name. Wild at Heart doesn't come much closer: a quick look at IMDb reveals that it only beats Dune and the Twin Peaks movie in user ratings. I think I can see why: it's filled with mannered performances that can seem cheaper than those in daytime soaps (I presume this is deliberate, but some people just won't get, or like, it); characters and plot threads that meander off and seem pointless, while others don't come to anything; plus it lacks the opaqueness that many seem to hold as the key worthy feature of Lynch's work. In spite of its many faults I quite liked a lot of it, so my rating falls on the generous side. I still have no idea why there were so many Wizard of Oz references though.
117) New York Stories (1989, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola & Martin Scorsese, DVD) 3/5
Anthology of three shorts, connected only by the New York setting (which, incidentally, may as well be anywhere in all but the last segment). Scorsese's Life Lessons opens the film, a tale of an artist and his love for his younger assistant. It's an alright little drama. Next is Coppola's dire Life Without Zoe, concerned with an irritating rich little brat and her irritating rich little brat friends (none of whom can act). Mercifully the shortest piece, but its very existence is lamentable. Finally, Allen's Oedipus Wrecks drags the quality up. It may largely be typical Allen fare (see the Annie Hall review), but its quite funny and the fantastical twist halfway through is brilliantly bizarre. As a whole, then, an unsurprisingly mixed bag.
118) Play Time (1967, Jacques Tati, DVD) 2/5
I know some people love the work of Tati, just like there's always someone who loves everything; personally, I find his films largely dull. His character, Monsieur Hulot, is like Mr Bean but less funny (don't worry, I know Hulot comes first by a good few decades). There are some laughs to be had in Play Time, but they're a long way in and not necessarily worth waiting for. Play Time is certainly pertinent to the Cityscapes course we were shown it as part of, but even the subtext (which is about as 'sub' as a space station) about the depressing similarity of modern cities is repetitively over-done. Recommended only as a cure for insomnia.
119) Manhattan (1979, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
Drama (though it does include some very funny bits) focusing on the interrelationships of a handful of 40-something New Yorkers. Allen fails to convince as a bit of a womaniser, even if he is notably less neurotic than usual; however, once the viewer gets over that little fantasy of his, I believe there's a lot to be had here. It's a much more traditional film than Annie Hall -- events occur in chronological order, with no unusual comedic breaks, or monologues to camera -- and, as a drama, it's all the better for this. The black & white photography is gorgeous throughout, helping the city to shine far brighter than any of the characters -- for me, the best bit of the entire film is the opening three-and-a-half minutes, in which the beautiful images, Allen's narration and Gershwin's music combine in a tribute to what must be the most genuinely loved of all cities. (A 5-star rating system only allows minimal delineation, so for the sake of clarity I'd like to point out that I personally preferred this to Annie Hall, though it falls just off attaining a full five.)
120) Hellboy: Director's Cut (2004, Guillermo del Toro, DVD) 4/5
A surprise hit on release, this live action adaptation of the cult comic book is an exciting and entertaining, though flawed, mix of pulp fantasy, gothic style and action. Surprisingly, it spends more time focused on the characters than the plot; while this is nice, and those scenes are expertly played, they do seem to throw the pacing off kilter somewhat. And, in an amusing reversal of the usual action movie cliche, while the character bits are great the action scenes are a tad underwritten! The score is also pretty lacklustre: it sounds like a typical, appropriate SF/F action score, but one where the cues have all been incorrectly placed. But these flaws are easily overlooked when the characters are such fun, the dramatic moments suitably poignant, and the action passable enough. Hopefully the forthcoming sequel can see to the faults and be even better. (I haven't seen the theatrical cut of Hellboy, hence why this is numbered.)
121) The King of Comedy (1983, Martin Scorsese, TV) 5/5
Underrated black comedy from the prolific partnership of director Scorsese and star De Niro. De Niro gives an excellent performance as an obsessive wannabe comedian, stalking the host of a popular talk show in his desperation for a guest spot. The depth of his delusion is both hilariously funny and deeply unsettling; subtly woven between the laughs is the impression that this sort of behaviour must be all-too-real among those over-obsessed with celebrity culture. Jerry Lewis and Sandra Bernhard are also worthy of note in their supporting roles. Rarely mentioned when it comes to discussions of Scorsese's work, I think its the best film I've seen from him. (This closing comment is subject to the fact that I've only seen The Departed, The Aviator, Gangs of New York and Bringing Out the Dead, a list clearly missing most of his highly-praised work! Expect a more informed opinion to appear when I see them (later this entry!))
122) Taxi Driver (1976, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 4/5
Much praised, discussed and quoted, Taxi Driver needs little introduction. The weight of expectation also makes it hard to judge when first viewed. Personally, I didn't buy Travis' slide into psychosis, which is unfortunate as it's the core of the film and why it's meant to be so great. In fact, I found Robert Pupkin's broadly similar, self delusion-based, character arc in The King of Comedy more believable. The ending was also dubious, although one theory does make it work better, so it perhaps depends on what you choose to believe. Further viewings may help the film work better for me -- as my rating shows, I still liked the film as a whole, but I wasn't as impressed as I'd been led to believe I would be.
123) Goodfellas (1990, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 5/5
These days perhaps even more praised than Taxi Driver, Goodfellas tells the true story of Henry Hill's 25-year career as a gangster. It's certainly a notable achievement on virtually every level, which are too numerous to list here. The use of popular music struck me especially though, creating a sense of time (and never too obviously) while also complimenting the visuals in its own right. In the lead role, Liotta seems to have been underrated, lost behind the top billing of De Niro and the award-winning craziness of Pesci; he carries the film, with a performance that isn't showy but is perfectly pitched. I didn't fall in love with the film as so many seem to have, but I also don't think there's really any denying its worthiness for full marks.
124) Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
Woody Allen mixes a bit of the thriller into his usual relationship-based comedy/drama style, with effective results. The combination produces an engaging thriller with the usual character-focused drama woven around it, and a decent dash of comedy too. The first half hour or so is a tad slow, but the pace picks up as the story rattles into the second half. Murder Mystery has been criticised as lightweight -- the comedy stops the thriller being too serious, the thriller stops the drama being the focus, and they both prevent the comedy from overpowering -- but Allen has dealt with these elements in isolation elsewhere, so it's refreshing to see him do more than merely repeat himself. This is an underrated gem in Allen's relatively vast body of work.
125) Bullets Over Broadway (1994, Woody Allen, DVD) 4/5
The final Allen film of this little 'season' is that rare thing: one that doesn't star him! This is its biggest flaw, as Cusack spends the entire film doing a blatant and middling impression of the writer/director. But he nonetheless does OK, and when the rest of the cast are note-perfect, the script pacy and funny, the photography gorgeous and the long takes never more appropriate, it's hard not to be impressed. Special mention to the final scene, a four-way shouted conversation between two high windows and the street -- it's beautifully written and executed. Another underrated Allen film, and probably the most down-right entertaining of his I've seen so far.
126) Mean Streets (1973, Martin Scorsese, DVD) 4/5
Semi-autobiographical New York gangster movie, guaranteed a place in history as the first collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro -- what a place to end my little season! As with Goodfellas, it's someone else who's the main character; and, as with Goodfellas, De Niro's supporting character is a disturbing presence even when off screen. The similarities don't end there, but I'm not going to go into them in detail. Suffice to say, Mean Streets feels a bit like a less epic, oddly less focused, grittier, and perhaps more realistic, prototype for Goodfellas. But even then it's only that in some ways -- the two are notably different enough to make each worthwhile.
Monday 12 November 2007
Weeks 43-45
Introduction
It's goodbye to October and hello to November, as the year moves into its final sixth. It'll be over before you know it! And with it, my final total of new films this year. How exciting! It may wind up being lower than some of my previous predictions would've had it though, considering the increasing number of weeks I feel the need to cover, and with increasingly low number of films too...
Weeks Forty-Three to Forty-Five
But anyway, all of that's a whole seven weeks away yet. For now, let's stick to this little (literally) lot:
109a) Manhatta (1921, Paul Strand & Charles Sheeler, download) 2/5
Another '20s city film, showing off (as you might guess from the title) parts of New York. The focus appears to be industrial -- skyscrapers under construction, finished architecture, tug boats, trains near the docks; the people of the city only crop up at the start and close, and then only in faceless crowds. It's interspersed with poetic intertitles, which make for an odd contrast. Once again, I feel that, unless you want to go getting a bit pretentious (and, to be fair, at least some of these films were made for just that), the main interest here is in an historical perspective: it provides another snapshot of a time and place long gone. (Available for legal download and streaming at Google Video.)
110) The Crowd (1928, King Vidor, TV) 4/5
Late silent-era drama -- though you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a comedy until halfway, when the light antics of a young couple in '20s New York give way to some increasingly dark drama (interesting trivia: seven endings were shot for distributors to choose from, some happy and some sad; all chose sad ones. However, the copy we saw (taped from an '80s TV showing) had a happy ending). The first half is gentle but amusing; the sudden shit catches the viewer off-guard, undoubtedly making what follows more effective. The main character is in many ways pretty useless and at least some of the problems that befall him are his own fault, yet his comedic treatment in the first half makes you care for him throughout the second. If you can accept the shifting styles of an age before genre was rigidly defined, The Crowd is a worthwhile experience.
111) Fantomas: In the Shadow of the Guillotine (1913, Louis Feuillade, DVD) 4/5
The first of the silent Fantomas films (I reviewed the second last time) . It's interestingly structured: there's no 'origin story' for Fantomas, he just is an infamous master criminal, who's introduced in what would undoubtedly be a pre-titles sequence today, before the story switches to follow Inspector Juve and his quest to solve the disappearance of Lord Beltham... which of course leads back to Fantomas. Its pulp fiction roots shine through in the entertaining plot that's just far-fetched enough. As I said before, it's not for everyone, but for those who enjoy this sort of thing it's unmissable.
112) The Naked City (1948, Jules Dassin, DVD) 4/5
Police procedural film noir, shot entirely on location in New York (unusual at the time). The story is quite straightforward -- girl is murdered, police investigate -- but it exists mainly as a structure on which to hang perspectives of the city, its criminals and its law enforcement (though in an infinitely less pretentious way than that sounds). The acting is sometimes stilted and some of the direction is actually a little flat, but there are enough enjoyable elements to cover for it -- particularly the chance to see so much footage of a real city at this time. The odd, character-less voice-over narration is more puzzling than any mystery in the plot.
It's goodbye to October and hello to November, as the year moves into its final sixth. It'll be over before you know it! And with it, my final total of new films this year. How exciting! It may wind up being lower than some of my previous predictions would've had it though, considering the increasing number of weeks I feel the need to cover, and with increasingly low number of films too...
Weeks Forty-Three to Forty-Five
But anyway, all of that's a whole seven weeks away yet. For now, let's stick to this little (literally) lot:
109a) Manhatta (1921, Paul Strand & Charles Sheeler, download) 2/5
Another '20s city film, showing off (as you might guess from the title) parts of New York. The focus appears to be industrial -- skyscrapers under construction, finished architecture, tug boats, trains near the docks; the people of the city only crop up at the start and close, and then only in faceless crowds. It's interspersed with poetic intertitles, which make for an odd contrast. Once again, I feel that, unless you want to go getting a bit pretentious (and, to be fair, at least some of these films were made for just that), the main interest here is in an historical perspective: it provides another snapshot of a time and place long gone. (Available for legal download and streaming at Google Video.)
110) The Crowd (1928, King Vidor, TV) 4/5
Late silent-era drama -- though you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a comedy until halfway, when the light antics of a young couple in '20s New York give way to some increasingly dark drama (interesting trivia: seven endings were shot for distributors to choose from, some happy and some sad; all chose sad ones. However, the copy we saw (taped from an '80s TV showing) had a happy ending). The first half is gentle but amusing; the sudden shit catches the viewer off-guard, undoubtedly making what follows more effective. The main character is in many ways pretty useless and at least some of the problems that befall him are his own fault, yet his comedic treatment in the first half makes you care for him throughout the second. If you can accept the shifting styles of an age before genre was rigidly defined, The Crowd is a worthwhile experience.
111) Fantomas: In the Shadow of the Guillotine (1913, Louis Feuillade, DVD) 4/5
The first of the silent Fantomas films (I reviewed the second last time) . It's interestingly structured: there's no 'origin story' for Fantomas, he just is an infamous master criminal, who's introduced in what would undoubtedly be a pre-titles sequence today, before the story switches to follow Inspector Juve and his quest to solve the disappearance of Lord Beltham... which of course leads back to Fantomas. Its pulp fiction roots shine through in the entertaining plot that's just far-fetched enough. As I said before, it's not for everyone, but for those who enjoy this sort of thing it's unmissable.
112) The Naked City (1948, Jules Dassin, DVD) 4/5
Police procedural film noir, shot entirely on location in New York (unusual at the time). The story is quite straightforward -- girl is murdered, police investigate -- but it exists mainly as a structure on which to hang perspectives of the city, its criminals and its law enforcement (though in an infinitely less pretentious way than that sounds). The acting is sometimes stilted and some of the direction is actually a little flat, but there are enough enjoyable elements to cover for it -- particularly the chance to see so much footage of a real city at this time. The odd, character-less voice-over narration is more puzzling than any mystery in the plot.
Monday 22 October 2007
Weeks 41-42
Introduction
Ah, University! Work has now fully returned to interrupt all the lazing around and film-viewing I so enjoyed before; of course, studying a film module does mean there's a guaranteed one or two new films every week, and probably quite unusual ones too. "Hurrah" cry the statistics! "Ooh" cry... erm... anyone who likes more unusual choices...
I do feel a tad arty this week, actually. Of the six films listed below, two are French, one German, one Japanese, two are shorts, and five are between 77 and 94 years old! That's two weeks at the start of a University film module for you, eh!
Weeks Forty-One and Forty-Two
We begin with the two oldest of all those, both made 94 years ago! That's no guarantee of anything mind... well, except no spoken dialogue...
105) Fantomas: Juve Versus Fantomas (1913, Louis Feuillade, DVD) 4/5
Second installment of the early French film serial, adapted from a long-running series of pulp novels. Fantomas is a criminal adept at disguise and avoiding capture by police inspector Juve. It's full of crazy schemes and action set pieces, which means it's actually a great deal of fun, relatively fast-paced and densely plotted, exciting and deliberately amusing (though, as with anything this old, there are things to point and laugh at if you're so inclined). It also looks stunning for its age, with a stable and crisp picture, which incidentally makes great use of colour tinting (for example, turning from blue to yellow when someone switches on a light). It's not for everyone, but if you're interested in early cinema this is one of the most entertaining examples I've seen. As you may have guessed, we were shown this as part of my degree; off the back of it I've ordered the DVD of the full serial.
106) Traffic in Souls (1913, George Loane Tucker, VHS) 2/5
Silent movie (Universal's first feature-length release) about white slavery in America. You don't expect that from a 1913 film, eh? Of course, the issue is handled in a suitable way for the period: why the women are kidnapped is never alluded to (in reality it was for prostitution) and all the Bad Men are brought to justice. It's not all bad: in a surprising move for the time, the main villain is an apparently-respectable society gentleman who publicly campaigns against white slavery; by a similar token, the kidnappers are made up of women as well as men. The first half zips along an intricate multi-stranded narrative covering several groups of unrelated characters, but as they come together it begins to slow: what seems to be the climax takes half the film to play out its immediately-obvious events. It sadly ruins something that was initially rather promising.
107) Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997, Hideaki Anno & Kazuya Tsurumaki, DVD) 3/5
Eight weeks and sixteen films later than I'd've liked, I can finally complete the Evangelion story! (For my review of the first film, check out week 34.) First off, don't even attempt this if you haven't seen all of the (excellent) TV series -- it won't even vaguelly make sense. Sadly, if you have seen the series, it's a disappointing climax. Promising a clearer ending than the original arty philosophical one, it winds up delivering something that's almost as bad. It's somewhat redeemed by what leads up to this final confusing half hour: some proper story, resolutions for some outstanding plot threads, and a few instances of decent action too. As a conclusion it's far from satisfying though. One can only hope the new four-film remake of the whole story (the first of which was recently released in Japan), which promises another fresh conclusion, can come up with something more comprehensible. I wouldn't count on it though.
108) Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927, Walter Ruttman, download) 2/5
German silent movie depicting a day in the 'life' of Berlin, part of the 'city symphony' genre that was popular around the 1920s. This makes it one of those films that is in some way important, but sadly it's still a bit, well, boring. Essentially it's a documentary showing many facets of city life and industry, though with no kind of narration and often edited in an artistic fashion (fast cutting and crazy angles to represent the chaos of a busy junction, for example). It has its moments (the opening train journey being the highlight for me) and I'm sure some would find the footage of '20s life fascinating, but it's the sort of thing that's just too dull for my tastes. For something similar which I enjoyed a bit more, try the Russian Man With a Movie Camera. (Berlin is available for legal download and streaming at Google Video.)
108a) A Propos de Nice (1930, Jean Vigo, download) 3/5
Short film about the French city of Nice, mixing documentary-style footage of people with shots of the architecture, as well as clearly staged scenes (a man getting sunburnt, for example). There's a certain playful edge to it all, not just with content such as a garish parade and crazy dancing, but with amusing tricks (again, the sunburning), camera tomfoolery (for example, moving it to follow the loops of arches at speed; or using slow motion and sped-up shots), and picking out shots of pedestrians apparently for their annoyance at being filmed. It's an interesting amalgamation, then: part art, part documentary, part sketch show. (Available for legal download and streaming at Google Video.)
108b) Skyscraper Symphony (1929, Robert Florey, download) 2/5
Another 'city symphony' film, this time a short one of skyscrapers in New York. It's probably hard to 'appreciate' this without getting a little pretentious; certainly, it's much more aimed at creating the feeling of a city, or a visual representation of it, or something like that, than it is with, say, showing pretty views of New York's buildings. That said, in between the meaningful mucking about, there are some fairly impressive sights to be seen. (Available with mildly dubious legality, and a live score by "experimental sound artists" Ampersand, on YouTube.)
109) The Paleface (1948, Norman Z. McLeod, DVD) 4/5
Bob Hope and Jane Russell star in this Wild West comedy, in which Calamity Jane (Russell) has to stop a group of men smuggling rifles to the Indians. It's clearly designed as pure entertainment, mixing styles in a way no film would dare attempt today -- there's broad comedy, gunfights, horse chases and even a song or two! It works too. OK, so the direction may be a little flat and some of the comedy old fashioned... but it was made in the '40s and there's still a good number of laughs, so it seems churlish to complain.
Ah, University! Work has now fully returned to interrupt all the lazing around and film-viewing I so enjoyed before; of course, studying a film module does mean there's a guaranteed one or two new films every week, and probably quite unusual ones too. "Hurrah" cry the statistics! "Ooh" cry... erm... anyone who likes more unusual choices...
I do feel a tad arty this week, actually. Of the six films listed below, two are French, one German, one Japanese, two are shorts, and five are between 77 and 94 years old! That's two weeks at the start of a University film module for you, eh!
Weeks Forty-One and Forty-Two
We begin with the two oldest of all those, both made 94 years ago! That's no guarantee of anything mind... well, except no spoken dialogue...
105) Fantomas: Juve Versus Fantomas (1913, Louis Feuillade, DVD) 4/5
Second installment of the early French film serial, adapted from a long-running series of pulp novels. Fantomas is a criminal adept at disguise and avoiding capture by police inspector Juve. It's full of crazy schemes and action set pieces, which means it's actually a great deal of fun, relatively fast-paced and densely plotted, exciting and deliberately amusing (though, as with anything this old, there are things to point and laugh at if you're so inclined). It also looks stunning for its age, with a stable and crisp picture, which incidentally makes great use of colour tinting (for example, turning from blue to yellow when someone switches on a light). It's not for everyone, but if you're interested in early cinema this is one of the most entertaining examples I've seen. As you may have guessed, we were shown this as part of my degree; off the back of it I've ordered the DVD of the full serial.
106) Traffic in Souls (1913, George Loane Tucker, VHS) 2/5
Silent movie (Universal's first feature-length release) about white slavery in America. You don't expect that from a 1913 film, eh? Of course, the issue is handled in a suitable way for the period: why the women are kidnapped is never alluded to (in reality it was for prostitution) and all the Bad Men are brought to justice. It's not all bad: in a surprising move for the time, the main villain is an apparently-respectable society gentleman who publicly campaigns against white slavery; by a similar token, the kidnappers are made up of women as well as men. The first half zips along an intricate multi-stranded narrative covering several groups of unrelated characters, but as they come together it begins to slow: what seems to be the climax takes half the film to play out its immediately-obvious events. It sadly ruins something that was initially rather promising.
107) Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997, Hideaki Anno & Kazuya Tsurumaki, DVD) 3/5
Eight weeks and sixteen films later than I'd've liked, I can finally complete the Evangelion story! (For my review of the first film, check out week 34.) First off, don't even attempt this if you haven't seen all of the (excellent) TV series -- it won't even vaguelly make sense. Sadly, if you have seen the series, it's a disappointing climax. Promising a clearer ending than the original arty philosophical one, it winds up delivering something that's almost as bad. It's somewhat redeemed by what leads up to this final confusing half hour: some proper story, resolutions for some outstanding plot threads, and a few instances of decent action too. As a conclusion it's far from satisfying though. One can only hope the new four-film remake of the whole story (the first of which was recently released in Japan), which promises another fresh conclusion, can come up with something more comprehensible. I wouldn't count on it though.
108) Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927, Walter Ruttman, download) 2/5
German silent movie depicting a day in the 'life' of Berlin, part of the 'city symphony' genre that was popular around the 1920s. This makes it one of those films that is in some way important, but sadly it's still a bit, well, boring. Essentially it's a documentary showing many facets of city life and industry, though with no kind of narration and often edited in an artistic fashion (fast cutting and crazy angles to represent the chaos of a busy junction, for example). It has its moments (the opening train journey being the highlight for me) and I'm sure some would find the footage of '20s life fascinating, but it's the sort of thing that's just too dull for my tastes. For something similar which I enjoyed a bit more, try the Russian Man With a Movie Camera. (Berlin is available for legal download and streaming at Google Video.)
108a) A Propos de Nice (1930, Jean Vigo, download) 3/5
Short film about the French city of Nice, mixing documentary-style footage of people with shots of the architecture, as well as clearly staged scenes (a man getting sunburnt, for example). There's a certain playful edge to it all, not just with content such as a garish parade and crazy dancing, but with amusing tricks (again, the sunburning), camera tomfoolery (for example, moving it to follow the loops of arches at speed; or using slow motion and sped-up shots), and picking out shots of pedestrians apparently for their annoyance at being filmed. It's an interesting amalgamation, then: part art, part documentary, part sketch show. (Available for legal download and streaming at Google Video.)
108b) Skyscraper Symphony (1929, Robert Florey, download) 2/5
Another 'city symphony' film, this time a short one of skyscrapers in New York. It's probably hard to 'appreciate' this without getting a little pretentious; certainly, it's much more aimed at creating the feeling of a city, or a visual representation of it, or something like that, than it is with, say, showing pretty views of New York's buildings. That said, in between the meaningful mucking about, there are some fairly impressive sights to be seen. (Available with mildly dubious legality, and a live score by "experimental sound artists" Ampersand, on YouTube.)
109) The Paleface (1948, Norman Z. McLeod, DVD) 4/5
Bob Hope and Jane Russell star in this Wild West comedy, in which Calamity Jane (Russell) has to stop a group of men smuggling rifles to the Indians. It's clearly designed as pure entertainment, mixing styles in a way no film would dare attempt today -- there's broad comedy, gunfights, horse chases and even a song or two! It works too. OK, so the direction may be a little flat and some of the comedy old fashioned... but it was made in the '40s and there's still a good number of laughs, so it seems churlish to complain.
Monday 8 October 2007
Weeks 37-40
Introduction
This entry we move right from the start of September on into October -- under three months of the year left!
As I mentioned last time, my 8-day trip to New York has brought about the first multi-week entry in almost two months; couple that with moving in to a new place and all the associated sorting, plus having almost two weeks' worth of TV to catch up on (and that taking up most of my viewing time), plus starting my final year at University, and this is a four-weeker! Actually, it's pretty much a one-weekender -- I didn't watch a new film until Thursday 4th!
And so, following that 'accidental' almost-four-week break, I'm finally getting on with moving past the aim of 100 and into the grounds of "let's see how far I can get". This entry I make it to... well, read on and see for yourself!
Weeks Thirty-Seven to Forty
It's an all-action extravaganza this entry, with no less than four films with a distinctly violent centre. But don't think it's all the same, oh no no -- between them they cover several continents, even more countries, and spread out from the ancient past to the distant (or, at least, alternate) future, via the present day of course. There are spears, swords, guns and fists causing pain left, right and centre... and a few more unusual objects too. If you thought "action movie" meant endless bullets and slow motion... well, it does tend to involve at least one of those... but still, have a look and see that there is room for some variety!
We begin with what will likely be the first in an on/off series I like to call "Films From This Year That I Missed At The Cinema And Am Finally Seeing When They Hit DVD"... with one that's technically from 2006. But it didn't arrive over here until March 2007, so, y'know, still counts...
101) 300 (2006, Zack Snyder, DVD) 4/5
Highly stylised (and praised) adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel about the battle of Thermopylae. It's very much a Man's Film: long graphic battles, esteemed warrior values, mostly-naked women, heavy soundtrack... This doesn't mean it's without virtue: it looks stunning, and while the slow motion may be overused it creates some beautiful tableaus. There's even room for characterisation among the soldiers; these arcs may be familiar, but for once the filmmakers seem aware of that and keep such scenes to an appropriate, deftly handled minimum. The slight plot may be stretched a bit thin and the closing speech is sadly over-written, but 300 is nonetheless an enjoyable and surprisingly pretty minor epic.
102) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005, Tetsuya Nomura, DVD) 3/5
For those who don't know, this isn't the seventh Final Fantasy film -- it's the second; though it's not a sequel to the first; though it is a sequel, to the game Final Fantasy VII (which isn't related to the preceding six). Just to be confusing, eh? Advent Children is far from standalone then, but with the help of a DVD featurette and some concentration it's possible to have an idea what's going on. It almost doesn't matter anyway: the main point is clearly the action, which is pretty spectacular; if you can bear the dense, plot-heavy first half (which does also contain several good sequences), the second is non-stop action, only occasionally marred by overactive camerawork. From a technical standpoint the CG is endlessly impressive (don't expect it to be lifelike, just extremely good) and the freedom afforded by the format is well used. I don't know how satisfying fans would find this (I'm sure they've all seen it by now anyway), but for us lay-people, if you can ignore the plot (or put in some effort to follow it) and enjoy impressively executed fights and chases, there's definite enjoyment to be had.
103) Transporter 2 (2005, Louis Leterrier, DVD) 3/5
Sequel to 2002's low-key, disposable but fun actioner. The plot is almost senseless and thoroughly familiar from the likes of Man on Fire or M:i-2, but that doesn't matter: the action's the focus, and on that promise it mostly delivers. In spite of the odd bit of CG-aided silliness, or the lack of anything as inspired as the first film's oil fight, the fights are still a lot of fun; one involving a fire hose is especially well executed. There's also a good number of amusing moments (both intentional and not, it must be said). It may not quite reach the first movie's simple highs, but there's still enough to like. More films in the series wouldn't go amiss.
104) Miracles (1989, Jackie Chan, DVD) 3/5
I've always been a bit wary of Chan's films: he's renowned for using comedy in his action (to help break away from the frequently-applied "new Bruce Lee" label), which isn't really to my taste; but after we were shown an impressive clip from this in a lecture I felt I had to give it a go. It's 1930s Hong Kong and Chan accidentally becomes the head of a mafia-like gang. The film follows a "gang war" plot for about 40 minutes before abruptly changing tack to become an identity-based farce! It's all a bit messy and most of the genuinely funny bits are still in Chan's excellent action sequences, which are mind-bogglingly impressive feats of acrobatics and choreography. Of course, it's these that we've come for, and the film would benefit from less pointless farcing about, a shorter running time, and more evenly distributed action sequences. Enjoyable, but flawed.
This entry we move right from the start of September on into October -- under three months of the year left!
As I mentioned last time, my 8-day trip to New York has brought about the first multi-week entry in almost two months; couple that with moving in to a new place and all the associated sorting, plus having almost two weeks' worth of TV to catch up on (and that taking up most of my viewing time), plus starting my final year at University, and this is a four-weeker! Actually, it's pretty much a one-weekender -- I didn't watch a new film until Thursday 4th!
And so, following that 'accidental' almost-four-week break, I'm finally getting on with moving past the aim of 100 and into the grounds of "let's see how far I can get". This entry I make it to... well, read on and see for yourself!
Weeks Thirty-Seven to Forty
It's an all-action extravaganza this entry, with no less than four films with a distinctly violent centre. But don't think it's all the same, oh no no -- between them they cover several continents, even more countries, and spread out from the ancient past to the distant (or, at least, alternate) future, via the present day of course. There are spears, swords, guns and fists causing pain left, right and centre... and a few more unusual objects too. If you thought "action movie" meant endless bullets and slow motion... well, it does tend to involve at least one of those... but still, have a look and see that there is room for some variety!
We begin with what will likely be the first in an on/off series I like to call "Films From This Year That I Missed At The Cinema And Am Finally Seeing When They Hit DVD"... with one that's technically from 2006. But it didn't arrive over here until March 2007, so, y'know, still counts...
101) 300 (2006, Zack Snyder, DVD) 4/5
Highly stylised (and praised) adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel about the battle of Thermopylae. It's very much a Man's Film: long graphic battles, esteemed warrior values, mostly-naked women, heavy soundtrack... This doesn't mean it's without virtue: it looks stunning, and while the slow motion may be overused it creates some beautiful tableaus. There's even room for characterisation among the soldiers; these arcs may be familiar, but for once the filmmakers seem aware of that and keep such scenes to an appropriate, deftly handled minimum. The slight plot may be stretched a bit thin and the closing speech is sadly over-written, but 300 is nonetheless an enjoyable and surprisingly pretty minor epic.
102) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005, Tetsuya Nomura, DVD) 3/5
For those who don't know, this isn't the seventh Final Fantasy film -- it's the second; though it's not a sequel to the first; though it is a sequel, to the game Final Fantasy VII (which isn't related to the preceding six). Just to be confusing, eh? Advent Children is far from standalone then, but with the help of a DVD featurette and some concentration it's possible to have an idea what's going on. It almost doesn't matter anyway: the main point is clearly the action, which is pretty spectacular; if you can bear the dense, plot-heavy first half (which does also contain several good sequences), the second is non-stop action, only occasionally marred by overactive camerawork. From a technical standpoint the CG is endlessly impressive (don't expect it to be lifelike, just extremely good) and the freedom afforded by the format is well used. I don't know how satisfying fans would find this (I'm sure they've all seen it by now anyway), but for us lay-people, if you can ignore the plot (or put in some effort to follow it) and enjoy impressively executed fights and chases, there's definite enjoyment to be had.
103) Transporter 2 (2005, Louis Leterrier, DVD) 3/5
Sequel to 2002's low-key, disposable but fun actioner. The plot is almost senseless and thoroughly familiar from the likes of Man on Fire or M:i-2, but that doesn't matter: the action's the focus, and on that promise it mostly delivers. In spite of the odd bit of CG-aided silliness, or the lack of anything as inspired as the first film's oil fight, the fights are still a lot of fun; one involving a fire hose is especially well executed. There's also a good number of amusing moments (both intentional and not, it must be said). It may not quite reach the first movie's simple highs, but there's still enough to like. More films in the series wouldn't go amiss.
104) Miracles (1989, Jackie Chan, DVD) 3/5
I've always been a bit wary of Chan's films: he's renowned for using comedy in his action (to help break away from the frequently-applied "new Bruce Lee" label), which isn't really to my taste; but after we were shown an impressive clip from this in a lecture I felt I had to give it a go. It's 1930s Hong Kong and Chan accidentally becomes the head of a mafia-like gang. The film follows a "gang war" plot for about 40 minutes before abruptly changing tack to become an identity-based farce! It's all a bit messy and most of the genuinely funny bits are still in Chan's excellent action sequences, which are mind-bogglingly impressive feats of acrobatics and choreography. Of course, it's these that we've come for, and the film would benefit from less pointless farcing about, a shorter running time, and more evenly distributed action sequences. Enjoyable, but flawed.
Sunday 9 September 2007
Week 36
Introduction
While I've managed to keep things to single-week entries for a fair while now, I suspect it'll be back to double-weekers for at least next week. I'm off to New York for 8 days, y'see (also explaining why this entry is ever so slightly earlier than usual), and my film watching is likely to be minimal. Though there's a cinema right near the apartment, so you never know. Maybe I'll finally see The Bourne Ultimatum...
By-the-by, those musings I mentioned back in Week 34 (about the IMDb Top 250) have completely gone from my mind. I have absolutely no idea what they were. And so now neither will you. Ho hum...
Week Thirty-Six
This week is an unusually short one. Normally I'd just carry it over into the next entry, but one very important thing stops me...
I've reached 100!
Hurrah! And, as predicted, I'm there well before the end of the year! In fact, there's only just shy of a third of it left, meaning that my average viewing has me hitting 145 by year's end. Quite a bit more than 100, clearly. Of course, the spacious summer weeks are now giving way to term time work, so quite how well that whole average thing will work out is another matter entirely.
But, for now -- 100! Whoo! And I specially picked a pretty momentous film to view in celebration of the achievement. In film terms, you'd struggle to find any more significant than... well, read on, and you'll see!
99) Starter For Ten (2006, Tom Vaughan, DVD) 2/5
A predictable British rom-com, enlivened only by a few good moments and performances, as well as the excellent '80s soundtrack. You'd assume the plot would focus on the characters' aim to win University Challenge, coupled with a woefully predictable romantic subplot; sadly, it turns out the woefully predictable romance is the main plot and the quiz only turns up now and then to lend some structure. The final contest is almost entirely devoid of tension thanks to this and the other conclusions hold no surprises. McAvoy is likable, though held back by Brian's near-unbearable ignorance about life. The best performances come from Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall, both actors worth watching.
100) Citizen Kane (1941, Orson Welles, DVD) 5/5
Yes, that's right: I'm a film buff and I've never seen Citizen Kane. I think this is a good occasion to have saved it for though. But I digress -- what of the film itself; the film often voted Best Ever in countless polls? Certainly, a lot of its fame rests on its innovations -- the frequently ambitious camera work, the non-linear narrative, the multiple perspectives, the 'trick' beginnings, the dramatic lighting, the expansive sets... Not all of these are truly new (European art cinema and silent movies generally got to some first), but Welles can be credited for bringing some of it to the Hollywood mainstream; and even then, there's enough truly new to justify the praise. A lot of it may be commonplace now, or at least widely imitated, but viewed in light of the limitations of the time it is frequently breathtaking. It isn't just technically marvellous though: the story is moderately complex, telling and re-telling itself from various perspectives, framing recollections of Kane's life within a 'present day' quest to find the meaning behind his final words. The jumps demand the viewer's attention even today, the full story slowly coming together... even though it's almost all given to you in a 10-minute fake newsreel at the start! Welles' performance is exceptional, depicting Kane as he grows from a young reckless newspaper editor into an aged recluse. He's aided by effective make-up (looking remarkably like Welles himself would later in life), but its his performance from under it that shows the real differences. There's a lot more to be said about Kane (much of it already has, of course), and you don't need me to tell you that if you're a film fan this is required viewing. But even if you're a 'Normal Person' I'd recommend it; I can't guarantee you'll like it, but you might well be surprised.
While I've managed to keep things to single-week entries for a fair while now, I suspect it'll be back to double-weekers for at least next week. I'm off to New York for 8 days, y'see (also explaining why this entry is ever so slightly earlier than usual), and my film watching is likely to be minimal. Though there's a cinema right near the apartment, so you never know. Maybe I'll finally see The Bourne Ultimatum...
By-the-by, those musings I mentioned back in Week 34 (about the IMDb Top 250) have completely gone from my mind. I have absolutely no idea what they were. And so now neither will you. Ho hum...
Week Thirty-Six
This week is an unusually short one. Normally I'd just carry it over into the next entry, but one very important thing stops me...
I've reached 100!
Hurrah! And, as predicted, I'm there well before the end of the year! In fact, there's only just shy of a third of it left, meaning that my average viewing has me hitting 145 by year's end. Quite a bit more than 100, clearly. Of course, the spacious summer weeks are now giving way to term time work, so quite how well that whole average thing will work out is another matter entirely.
But, for now -- 100! Whoo! And I specially picked a pretty momentous film to view in celebration of the achievement. In film terms, you'd struggle to find any more significant than... well, read on, and you'll see!
99) Starter For Ten (2006, Tom Vaughan, DVD) 2/5
A predictable British rom-com, enlivened only by a few good moments and performances, as well as the excellent '80s soundtrack. You'd assume the plot would focus on the characters' aim to win University Challenge, coupled with a woefully predictable romantic subplot; sadly, it turns out the woefully predictable romance is the main plot and the quiz only turns up now and then to lend some structure. The final contest is almost entirely devoid of tension thanks to this and the other conclusions hold no surprises. McAvoy is likable, though held back by Brian's near-unbearable ignorance about life. The best performances come from Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall, both actors worth watching.
100) Citizen Kane (1941, Orson Welles, DVD) 5/5
Yes, that's right: I'm a film buff and I've never seen Citizen Kane. I think this is a good occasion to have saved it for though. But I digress -- what of the film itself; the film often voted Best Ever in countless polls? Certainly, a lot of its fame rests on its innovations -- the frequently ambitious camera work, the non-linear narrative, the multiple perspectives, the 'trick' beginnings, the dramatic lighting, the expansive sets... Not all of these are truly new (European art cinema and silent movies generally got to some first), but Welles can be credited for bringing some of it to the Hollywood mainstream; and even then, there's enough truly new to justify the praise. A lot of it may be commonplace now, or at least widely imitated, but viewed in light of the limitations of the time it is frequently breathtaking. It isn't just technically marvellous though: the story is moderately complex, telling and re-telling itself from various perspectives, framing recollections of Kane's life within a 'present day' quest to find the meaning behind his final words. The jumps demand the viewer's attention even today, the full story slowly coming together... even though it's almost all given to you in a 10-minute fake newsreel at the start! Welles' performance is exceptional, depicting Kane as he grows from a young reckless newspaper editor into an aged recluse. He's aided by effective make-up (looking remarkably like Welles himself would later in life), but its his performance from under it that shows the real differences. There's a lot more to be said about Kane (much of it already has, of course), and you don't need me to tell you that if you're a film fan this is required viewing. But even if you're a 'Normal Person' I'd recommend it; I can't guarantee you'll like it, but you might well be surprised.
Tuesday 4 September 2007
Week 35
Introduction
As you may remember from last week, this is technically Week 34 Days 5-7 and Week 35; and I bet no one would've remembered if I hadn't said! For a 10-day week I haven't watched a great deal of films, though (as explained last week) there have been reasons. Nonetheless, the four I have watched leave me only two short of the long awaited number 100!
Week Thirty-Five
But that's for next week. So, here are those four films, each from a different decade, across almost 60 years no less!
95) Before Sunrise (1995, Richard Linklater, DVD) 4/5
Two 20-somethings meet on a train from Budapest to Paris, get off in Vienna and spend the night there until one of them has to fly out in the morning. A simple premise, though you may wonder how it sustains 95 minutes. The answer is, very well. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy make for a likable couple and it's no chore to spend so long with, essentially, just them chatting to each other. Some of the attempts at philosophising may wear thin (Delpy especially seems more adept in the lighter parts), but the funny and romantic sections do work beautifully. Bittersweet in all the right ways. Probably best watched while still fairly young.
96) Before Sunset (2005, Richard Linklater, DVD) 4/5
Nine years on, Jesse and Celine meet again in Paris... It's as simple a premise as Sunrise, and in many ways is very similar: it's essentially two people talking, laughing and philosophising. It's an odd sort of sequel -- it doesn't just take the same characters into a new story, or directly continue the original. These are the same people, but they're older and changed. It's very reflective; it's almost about the first film, from a different perspective. You also don't miss a thing -- its in real time from beginning to end, showing us every second the characters spend together. Personally I didn't think it was as good as Sunrise -- it's not as funny and it sadly closes off some of the original's beautiful ambiguities. Part of the problem may be that I'm close to the character's ages in the first film but a good decade out here (though, I hasten to add, that's not solely it). In the end, it works quite nicely as a companion piece, but (perhaps) not as a film in its own right.
97) A Study in Scarlet (1983, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, DVD) 2/5
Peter O'Toole is again the voice of the famous sleuth in this disappointing animated adaptation of the first Sherlock Holmes mystery. The adaptation is faithful to the original novel's structure (sadly, as its a somewhat bizarre one, and ripe for a more interesting interpretation), but loses any elements pertaining to Holmes and Watson's first meeting. The animation seems more basic than the other entry in this particular series that I've seen, and O'Toole's performance is flatter; the rest of the cast don't fair any better. The story itself isn't a bad one, but after being pleasantly surprised by The Sign of Four I just found this to be disappointing.
98) Great Expectations (1946, David Lean, DVD) 4/5
Classic adaptation of the acclaimed novel. While my experience of Dickens is woefully limited to screen adaptations, this is one of my lesser favourites; the first act and elements of the climax are wonderfully Gothic (and here beautifully directed to that effect), but it seems to lack the depth or importance of works such as Bleak House, Oliver Twist or A Christmas Carol. Though, aside from the dully straightforward middle, there's little to dislike about the adaptation. John Mills is too old to convince as a 20-year-old Pip, but his performance is good and he's ably supported. However, the main highlights are undoubtedly all in Lean's brilliant direction.
As you may remember from last week, this is technically Week 34 Days 5-7 and Week 35; and I bet no one would've remembered if I hadn't said! For a 10-day week I haven't watched a great deal of films, though (as explained last week) there have been reasons. Nonetheless, the four I have watched leave me only two short of the long awaited number 100!
Week Thirty-Five
But that's for next week. So, here are those four films, each from a different decade, across almost 60 years no less!
95) Before Sunrise (1995, Richard Linklater, DVD) 4/5
Two 20-somethings meet on a train from Budapest to Paris, get off in Vienna and spend the night there until one of them has to fly out in the morning. A simple premise, though you may wonder how it sustains 95 minutes. The answer is, very well. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy make for a likable couple and it's no chore to spend so long with, essentially, just them chatting to each other. Some of the attempts at philosophising may wear thin (Delpy especially seems more adept in the lighter parts), but the funny and romantic sections do work beautifully. Bittersweet in all the right ways. Probably best watched while still fairly young.
96) Before Sunset (2005, Richard Linklater, DVD) 4/5
Nine years on, Jesse and Celine meet again in Paris... It's as simple a premise as Sunrise, and in many ways is very similar: it's essentially two people talking, laughing and philosophising. It's an odd sort of sequel -- it doesn't just take the same characters into a new story, or directly continue the original. These are the same people, but they're older and changed. It's very reflective; it's almost about the first film, from a different perspective. You also don't miss a thing -- its in real time from beginning to end, showing us every second the characters spend together. Personally I didn't think it was as good as Sunrise -- it's not as funny and it sadly closes off some of the original's beautiful ambiguities. Part of the problem may be that I'm close to the character's ages in the first film but a good decade out here (though, I hasten to add, that's not solely it). In the end, it works quite nicely as a companion piece, but (perhaps) not as a film in its own right.
97) A Study in Scarlet (1983, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, DVD) 2/5
Peter O'Toole is again the voice of the famous sleuth in this disappointing animated adaptation of the first Sherlock Holmes mystery. The adaptation is faithful to the original novel's structure (sadly, as its a somewhat bizarre one, and ripe for a more interesting interpretation), but loses any elements pertaining to Holmes and Watson's first meeting. The animation seems more basic than the other entry in this particular series that I've seen, and O'Toole's performance is flatter; the rest of the cast don't fair any better. The story itself isn't a bad one, but after being pleasantly surprised by The Sign of Four I just found this to be disappointing.
98) Great Expectations (1946, David Lean, DVD) 4/5
Classic adaptation of the acclaimed novel. While my experience of Dickens is woefully limited to screen adaptations, this is one of my lesser favourites; the first act and elements of the climax are wonderfully Gothic (and here beautifully directed to that effect), but it seems to lack the depth or importance of works such as Bleak House, Oliver Twist or A Christmas Carol. Though, aside from the dully straightforward middle, there's little to dislike about the adaptation. John Mills is too old to convince as a 20-year-old Pip, but his performance is good and he's ably supported. However, the main highlights are undoubtedly all in Lean's brilliant direction.
Thursday 23 August 2007
Week 34
Introduction
This was going to be the first double-week entry in a fair while, the main reason being that I'm going away for the best part of a week very shortly, probably without internet to post an entry. But then I watched a fair few films at the start of this week and decided to just do an earlier entry instead! So this may be called Week 34, but it's actually Week 34 Days 1-4, and the next entry will just silently include Week 34 Days 5-7 (if I even watch anything then). I'm sure no one will mind but me!
If I do get the net working during my away-time, you may be lucky enough to see the first stand-alone editorial here. I've been musing on the IMDb Top 250 and may put some of those thoughts down...
Week Thirty-Four
Several over-long reviews this week -- I appear to be losing my self control on that front. They'll have multiple paragraphs before long, you mark my words!
Something I've also just noticed is that across five reviews I've used four different scores. Considering I've so far this year only seen one film deserving of the lowest score, that's quite a spread. Just a shame the scores nicely rise only to fall right back at the end, eh.
91) Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (1997, Hideaki Anno, Masayuki & Tsurumaki Kazuya, DVD) 2/5
The genesis of this film is a long story (at least, longer than I'd like for this review!) The anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion ends with bizarre theme-centric episodes that fail to conclude the story; a film was produced to re-tell the end from a story-centric position and/or to provide an alternate ending (depending who you believe). This is not that film, but something that was released a bit before that. The first 69 minutes (titled Death) are an intriguing reorganisation/summary of the series in a somewhat impressionistic way, including a few new scenes. It's either quite clever or just a jumble. The final 27 minutes (titled Rebirth) are an all new continuation of the story. There are answers, revelations, some great sequences, and a great cliffhanger! Unfortunately this is also the start of the concluding film, which ultimately renders this as just one thing: a fan-only curio. Its main value, in my opinion, is the neat cliffhanger, which makes for a tantalising ending (instead of the first act plot point it must be in the next film). If you're curious about Evangelion and think a filmic summary sounds a good idea, don't watch! Get hold of the series, it's worth the time. (I'll undoubtedly share my thoughts on the conclusion, The End of Evangelion, as soon as Play.com get it back in stock!)
92) The Cat's Meow (2001, Peter Bogdanovich, DVD) 3/5
Possibly-true 'murder mystery' set in 1920s Hollywood. As with the similar Gosford Park, the point lies less in plot and more in characterisation -- there are some good performances, especially from Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley and Edward Herrmann, though Kirsten Dunst seems a bit flat in comparison. The era's style suits her though, and the whole period is beautifully evoked; for my money the prettiest scenes are the black & white bookends. Sadly the similarity to Gosford Park is the film's main shortcoming: once realised, it's clear that Cat's Meow doesn't have the same subtle complexity in its story or performances. In its own right, though, there's much to like.
93) Letters From Iwo Jima (2006, Clint Eastwood, DVD) 4/5
Companion to Flags of Our Fathers (widely considered the better of the two), showing the same battle from the Japanese perspective. Letters focuses on the human angle, getting to know the characters as they prepare for battle (the Americans don't arrive for almost an hour) and through flashbacks. The action sequences and cinematography owe a lot to Saving Private Ryan -- desaturation is becoming a war film cliche; that said, it works here, fitting the bland sandy environment and emphasising bursts of colour from blood and flames. The film aims to humanise 'The Enemy' but only succeeds in showing that there were some good people in a society of old-fashioned ideas; the obsession with pointless suicide over genuine use of men may be true, but still seems savage and unpractical (probably more a flaw of the real military attitude than of the film, then). No character who follows this is a good guy; likable ones survive or are Westernised. The Americans we see are a mix too (one shoots captured soldiers for no reason, for example), but this feels like a hollow attempt to depict the filmmakers' countrymen equally rather than genuinely aiding the concept of the Japanese as good guys. A mixed film then, the value of which lies not in presenting a view of war, humanity or Japanese culture, but in providing a view (or, indeed, half a view) of this one particular battle. (I'll undoubtedly share my thoughts on the first half of this pair when LoveFilm decide to send it to me.)
93a) Gone With the Wind (1939, Victor Fleming, DVD) 5/5
I thought I'd seen Gone With the Wind but, watching it again, it's clear I hadn't properly. This is partly because I first saw it on TV, in two halves, a week apart, each starting at 1AM. I just about managed to follow the story, in between drifting off for whole chunks. Another reason is the quality of the restored print on the DVD: it looks stunning, every frame is beautiful; it's a shame no films look like this today. The performances are uniformly excellent, especially (of course) Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable; though special mention must be made of the fantastic Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel as Mammy (the first African American to be nominated for and win an Oscar, and deservedly so). The direction is brilliant, displaying styles you think weren't invented for another 20 years; all of the design work is gorgeous; and the story is epic and expertly told, moving across genres (romance, war, melodrama, comedy) with ease. It's easy to see why this is the most popular film ever made. First time round I just thought it was very good; now it's firmly one of my favourites.
94) The Black Dahlia (2006, Brian De Palma, DVD) 2/5
Noir-wannabe, adapted from the James Ellroy novel based on a real, unsolved case. That case is far from the focus here; from the start the apparently-central crime is anything but, meaning the biggest let-down is that events barely follows the eponymous story. It's one of many problems in a film that tries hard to be a proper noir but fails in almost every respect: performances (most of which wind up flat), corny dialogue, plot, pretty-but-vacant direction, and even voice-over narration. I haven't read the novel, but apparently it's a poor adaptation too. What you want is a '40s-style thriller; what you get is a weak '40s-set character drama.
This was going to be the first double-week entry in a fair while, the main reason being that I'm going away for the best part of a week very shortly, probably without internet to post an entry. But then I watched a fair few films at the start of this week and decided to just do an earlier entry instead! So this may be called Week 34, but it's actually Week 34 Days 1-4, and the next entry will just silently include Week 34 Days 5-7 (if I even watch anything then). I'm sure no one will mind but me!
If I do get the net working during my away-time, you may be lucky enough to see the first stand-alone editorial here. I've been musing on the IMDb Top 250 and may put some of those thoughts down...
Week Thirty-Four
Several over-long reviews this week -- I appear to be losing my self control on that front. They'll have multiple paragraphs before long, you mark my words!
Something I've also just noticed is that across five reviews I've used four different scores. Considering I've so far this year only seen one film deserving of the lowest score, that's quite a spread. Just a shame the scores nicely rise only to fall right back at the end, eh.
91) Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (1997, Hideaki Anno, Masayuki & Tsurumaki Kazuya, DVD) 2/5
The genesis of this film is a long story (at least, longer than I'd like for this review!) The anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion ends with bizarre theme-centric episodes that fail to conclude the story; a film was produced to re-tell the end from a story-centric position and/or to provide an alternate ending (depending who you believe). This is not that film, but something that was released a bit before that. The first 69 minutes (titled Death) are an intriguing reorganisation/summary of the series in a somewhat impressionistic way, including a few new scenes. It's either quite clever or just a jumble. The final 27 minutes (titled Rebirth) are an all new continuation of the story. There are answers, revelations, some great sequences, and a great cliffhanger! Unfortunately this is also the start of the concluding film, which ultimately renders this as just one thing: a fan-only curio. Its main value, in my opinion, is the neat cliffhanger, which makes for a tantalising ending (instead of the first act plot point it must be in the next film). If you're curious about Evangelion and think a filmic summary sounds a good idea, don't watch! Get hold of the series, it's worth the time. (I'll undoubtedly share my thoughts on the conclusion, The End of Evangelion, as soon as Play.com get it back in stock!)
92) The Cat's Meow (2001, Peter Bogdanovich, DVD) 3/5
Possibly-true 'murder mystery' set in 1920s Hollywood. As with the similar Gosford Park, the point lies less in plot and more in characterisation -- there are some good performances, especially from Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley and Edward Herrmann, though Kirsten Dunst seems a bit flat in comparison. The era's style suits her though, and the whole period is beautifully evoked; for my money the prettiest scenes are the black & white bookends. Sadly the similarity to Gosford Park is the film's main shortcoming: once realised, it's clear that Cat's Meow doesn't have the same subtle complexity in its story or performances. In its own right, though, there's much to like.
93) Letters From Iwo Jima (2006, Clint Eastwood, DVD) 4/5
Companion to Flags of Our Fathers (widely considered the better of the two), showing the same battle from the Japanese perspective. Letters focuses on the human angle, getting to know the characters as they prepare for battle (the Americans don't arrive for almost an hour) and through flashbacks. The action sequences and cinematography owe a lot to Saving Private Ryan -- desaturation is becoming a war film cliche; that said, it works here, fitting the bland sandy environment and emphasising bursts of colour from blood and flames. The film aims to humanise 'The Enemy' but only succeeds in showing that there were some good people in a society of old-fashioned ideas; the obsession with pointless suicide over genuine use of men may be true, but still seems savage and unpractical (probably more a flaw of the real military attitude than of the film, then). No character who follows this is a good guy; likable ones survive or are Westernised. The Americans we see are a mix too (one shoots captured soldiers for no reason, for example), but this feels like a hollow attempt to depict the filmmakers' countrymen equally rather than genuinely aiding the concept of the Japanese as good guys. A mixed film then, the value of which lies not in presenting a view of war, humanity or Japanese culture, but in providing a view (or, indeed, half a view) of this one particular battle. (I'll undoubtedly share my thoughts on the first half of this pair when LoveFilm decide to send it to me.)
93a) Gone With the Wind (1939, Victor Fleming, DVD) 5/5
I thought I'd seen Gone With the Wind but, watching it again, it's clear I hadn't properly. This is partly because I first saw it on TV, in two halves, a week apart, each starting at 1AM. I just about managed to follow the story, in between drifting off for whole chunks. Another reason is the quality of the restored print on the DVD: it looks stunning, every frame is beautiful; it's a shame no films look like this today. The performances are uniformly excellent, especially (of course) Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable; though special mention must be made of the fantastic Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel as Mammy (the first African American to be nominated for and win an Oscar, and deservedly so). The direction is brilliant, displaying styles you think weren't invented for another 20 years; all of the design work is gorgeous; and the story is epic and expertly told, moving across genres (romance, war, melodrama, comedy) with ease. It's easy to see why this is the most popular film ever made. First time round I just thought it was very good; now it's firmly one of my favourites.
94) The Black Dahlia (2006, Brian De Palma, DVD) 2/5
Noir-wannabe, adapted from the James Ellroy novel based on a real, unsolved case. That case is far from the focus here; from the start the apparently-central crime is anything but, meaning the biggest let-down is that events barely follows the eponymous story. It's one of many problems in a film that tries hard to be a proper noir but fails in almost every respect: performances (most of which wind up flat), corny dialogue, plot, pretty-but-vacant direction, and even voice-over narration. I haven't read the novel, but apparently it's a poor adaptation too. What you want is a '40s-style thriller; what you get is a weak '40s-set character drama.
Monday 20 August 2007
Week 33
Introduction
As of this week, the blog is genuinely in sync with the entries on deviantART. I will switch to individual film entries here at some point, as mentioned in the introduction, but for the time being I'm going to stick with these compendiums. I expect I'll either switch at the start of year two, or with film number 101. Which, as you shall soon see, may not be so far off...
Week Thirty-Three
The biggest news this week: I've passed 90! 90! Only ten films to go til I hit the final aim -- I think I can manage that in 19 weeks, to be honest. Anything after that... it's all a bonus, and something to aim to beat next year!
Anyway, on to the business of the films themselves. The first one up this week is an odd'un, but I've gone ahead and justified that in the review itself. Elsewhere it's the usual mixed bag of filmic delight and despair. How I've fit it in whilst also watching nearly all of Neon Genesis Evangelion I do not know.
83) The Sign of Four (1983, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, DVD) 3/5
A slightly unusual one to review, this -- it's a 49-minute animated Sherlock Holmes adaptation from the '80s, one of four in this particular series. But, as best I can tell from IMDb, it's not specifically TV-based, and it does feature the voice of Peter O'Toole. Vocally he makes for a good Holmes, though the character design could be a little better. I can't recall the original story well enough to comment on this as an adaptation, but it's a decent mystery that's well explained. The animation is not bad; certainly no worse than most kids' TV animation from the '80s and '90s, and better than the flat Flash-animated stuff of today. A solid production.
84) Alfie (1965, Lewis Gilbert, DVD) 4/5
Michael Caine stars as the eponymous London lothario in this '60s sex-based comedy/drama, which helped bring about a change in British abortion law thanks to its chilling final act. If you're only familiar with the Jude Law-starring remake, most of the original might come as a shock to you -- whereas the 2004 version was pretty light and amusing, this is actually a more serious affair. There is humour, but it's tinged with a sad awareness of how deluded and misogynistic Alfie is; horribly so now, but bad even for his time. This one may be more complex and worthy but, sacrilegious as it may be, I'd rather watch the remake.
85) Thunderbirds (2004, Jonathan Frakes, TV) 2/5
No doubt you've heard only bad things about this re-imagining of Gerry Anderson's '60s puppet extravaganza (apart from that esteemed publication The Funday Times proclaiming "You'll love this!" on the DVD cover). Certainly there's much for fans to hate -- dull teen angst, tired moral messages, low budget CGI, an iffy storyline and a truly horrendous re-mix/ruining of the theme music. But, believe it or not, it's not all bad: the redesigns of the Thunderbirds and Tracy Island are modern but faithful, the scenes where they're doing some proper rescuing aren't bad, the characters are as annoyingly FAB-perfect as they actually are on TV (apart from Alan's angst of course), and Lady Penelope and Parker are near spot-on too (except when they go all Buffy). The interpretation of the Hood may be weak (even more so thanks to his pathetic henchmen) but his plan's not bad. There are even times when the whole thing feels like it's adapted from an original episode... albeit a relatively poor one. If you loved the series you'll never like this; heck, unless you're under 10 you'll probably never like this (and that's being generous). Maybe, someday, there'll be a decent new version of Thunderbirds. Sadly, this has probably hindered any attempts at that. Shame.
86) An Inconvenient Truth (2006, Davis Guggenheim, DVD) 4/5
Famous/infamous documentary centred on Al Gore's presentation about global warming. Many were surprised by the numerous high-scoring reviews this film received, considering it's a bloke talking in front of some pictures for an hour and a half. Watching it, though, it's easy to see why. For one thing there's more to it than that -- the show (made on Apple's Keynote, not PowerPoint as many reviews incorrectly state) is full of clear diagrams and video footage. Gore is a captivating speaker, explaining the issues in understandable terms without being patronising, and with humour when appropriate. The little interruptions following Gore on his 'campaign trail' are a mixture of illuminating and pointless, but ultimately don't detract from the point.
87) Point Break (1991, Kathryn Bigelow, DVD) 3/5
Jock-tastic '80s-style surfing-based crime thriller. If you've seen Hot Fuzz you'll know of this -- it's the one where Keanu Reeves lies on his back and empties his gun into the air while screaming "nooo!" The first half hour is pretty dull, unless you like surfing or American football, but it picks up to some pretty decent action sequences in the middle (a foot chase through back gardens is especially worthy of note). It's nothing particularly remarkable, but if you can stomach the overlong sports sequences, the occasionally cliched plot and Keanu Reeve's' acting, there are a few good things to be had here.
88) Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006, Tom Tykwer, DVD) 4/5
Recent adaptation of Patrick Suskind's popular novel, often considered unfilmable because of its focus on the sense of smell. Tykwer covers for that with strong cinematography, with sumptuously rich visuals and a judicious use of close-ups to evoke beauty of disgust as appropriate (the early birth scene in a fish market is particularly rancid -- do not watch this right after eating!) Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman give typically brilliant supporting performances, and Ben Whishaw is fairly notable in the virtually mute lead role. John Hurt's narration is also excellent; he may well have the best narrative voice known to film. The ending is pretty bizarre, yet possibly very appropriate; certainly, it raises the whole story up to the level of legend.
89) Mrs Brown (1997, John Madden, TV) 4/5
Period drama focusing on the friendship between Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown, alongside political threats faced by the British monarchy in the 1860s. There are undoubtedly some parallels to be drawn with recent Oscar-winner The Queen (British Queen retreats to Balmoral to escape the public eye amidst political events threatening the monarchy's future, etc), but the real treats here are the performances. Judi Dench is fantastic as ever as the Queen, a character more complex than the stereotypical "we are not amused" image; and comedian Billy Connolly is surprisingly effective in a rare serious role.
90) Wilde (1997, Brian Gilbert, TV) 4/5
Stephen Fry leads a starry British ensemble in this biopic of poet, novelist, playwright and genius Oscar Wilde. The film focuses not on Wilde's literary achievements and public life, but on his private relationships with various men, and in particular his obsession with the young Lord 'Bosie'; of course, eventually, all of these things collide. Fry is perfectly cast as Wilde and Jude Law is suitably horrid as the spoilt, stroppy and thoroughly dislikable Bosie, whose selfishness brings about Wilde's downfall. Also worthy of note is the ever-excellent Michael Sheen in a smaller but vital role; he's a criminally under-acknowledged actor.
As of this week, the blog is genuinely in sync with the entries on deviantART. I will switch to individual film entries here at some point, as mentioned in the introduction, but for the time being I'm going to stick with these compendiums. I expect I'll either switch at the start of year two, or with film number 101. Which, as you shall soon see, may not be so far off...
Week Thirty-Three
The biggest news this week: I've passed 90! 90! Only ten films to go til I hit the final aim -- I think I can manage that in 19 weeks, to be honest. Anything after that... it's all a bonus, and something to aim to beat next year!
Anyway, on to the business of the films themselves. The first one up this week is an odd'un, but I've gone ahead and justified that in the review itself. Elsewhere it's the usual mixed bag of filmic delight and despair. How I've fit it in whilst also watching nearly all of Neon Genesis Evangelion I do not know.
83) The Sign of Four (1983, Ian Mackenzie & Alex Nicholas, DVD) 3/5
A slightly unusual one to review, this -- it's a 49-minute animated Sherlock Holmes adaptation from the '80s, one of four in this particular series. But, as best I can tell from IMDb, it's not specifically TV-based, and it does feature the voice of Peter O'Toole. Vocally he makes for a good Holmes, though the character design could be a little better. I can't recall the original story well enough to comment on this as an adaptation, but it's a decent mystery that's well explained. The animation is not bad; certainly no worse than most kids' TV animation from the '80s and '90s, and better than the flat Flash-animated stuff of today. A solid production.
84) Alfie (1965, Lewis Gilbert, DVD) 4/5
Michael Caine stars as the eponymous London lothario in this '60s sex-based comedy/drama, which helped bring about a change in British abortion law thanks to its chilling final act. If you're only familiar with the Jude Law-starring remake, most of the original might come as a shock to you -- whereas the 2004 version was pretty light and amusing, this is actually a more serious affair. There is humour, but it's tinged with a sad awareness of how deluded and misogynistic Alfie is; horribly so now, but bad even for his time. This one may be more complex and worthy but, sacrilegious as it may be, I'd rather watch the remake.
85) Thunderbirds (2004, Jonathan Frakes, TV) 2/5
No doubt you've heard only bad things about this re-imagining of Gerry Anderson's '60s puppet extravaganza (apart from that esteemed publication The Funday Times proclaiming "You'll love this!" on the DVD cover). Certainly there's much for fans to hate -- dull teen angst, tired moral messages, low budget CGI, an iffy storyline and a truly horrendous re-mix/ruining of the theme music. But, believe it or not, it's not all bad: the redesigns of the Thunderbirds and Tracy Island are modern but faithful, the scenes where they're doing some proper rescuing aren't bad, the characters are as annoyingly FAB-perfect as they actually are on TV (apart from Alan's angst of course), and Lady Penelope and Parker are near spot-on too (except when they go all Buffy). The interpretation of the Hood may be weak (even more so thanks to his pathetic henchmen) but his plan's not bad. There are even times when the whole thing feels like it's adapted from an original episode... albeit a relatively poor one. If you loved the series you'll never like this; heck, unless you're under 10 you'll probably never like this (and that's being generous). Maybe, someday, there'll be a decent new version of Thunderbirds. Sadly, this has probably hindered any attempts at that. Shame.
86) An Inconvenient Truth (2006, Davis Guggenheim, DVD) 4/5
Famous/infamous documentary centred on Al Gore's presentation about global warming. Many were surprised by the numerous high-scoring reviews this film received, considering it's a bloke talking in front of some pictures for an hour and a half. Watching it, though, it's easy to see why. For one thing there's more to it than that -- the show (made on Apple's Keynote, not PowerPoint as many reviews incorrectly state) is full of clear diagrams and video footage. Gore is a captivating speaker, explaining the issues in understandable terms without being patronising, and with humour when appropriate. The little interruptions following Gore on his 'campaign trail' are a mixture of illuminating and pointless, but ultimately don't detract from the point.
87) Point Break (1991, Kathryn Bigelow, DVD) 3/5
Jock-tastic '80s-style surfing-based crime thriller. If you've seen Hot Fuzz you'll know of this -- it's the one where Keanu Reeves lies on his back and empties his gun into the air while screaming "nooo!" The first half hour is pretty dull, unless you like surfing or American football, but it picks up to some pretty decent action sequences in the middle (a foot chase through back gardens is especially worthy of note). It's nothing particularly remarkable, but if you can stomach the overlong sports sequences, the occasionally cliched plot and Keanu Reeve's' acting, there are a few good things to be had here.
88) Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006, Tom Tykwer, DVD) 4/5
Recent adaptation of Patrick Suskind's popular novel, often considered unfilmable because of its focus on the sense of smell. Tykwer covers for that with strong cinematography, with sumptuously rich visuals and a judicious use of close-ups to evoke beauty of disgust as appropriate (the early birth scene in a fish market is particularly rancid -- do not watch this right after eating!) Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman give typically brilliant supporting performances, and Ben Whishaw is fairly notable in the virtually mute lead role. John Hurt's narration is also excellent; he may well have the best narrative voice known to film. The ending is pretty bizarre, yet possibly very appropriate; certainly, it raises the whole story up to the level of legend.
89) Mrs Brown (1997, John Madden, TV) 4/5
Period drama focusing on the friendship between Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown, alongside political threats faced by the British monarchy in the 1860s. There are undoubtedly some parallels to be drawn with recent Oscar-winner The Queen (British Queen retreats to Balmoral to escape the public eye amidst political events threatening the monarchy's future, etc), but the real treats here are the performances. Judi Dench is fantastic as ever as the Queen, a character more complex than the stereotypical "we are not amused" image; and comedian Billy Connolly is surprisingly effective in a rare serious role.
90) Wilde (1997, Brian Gilbert, TV) 4/5
Stephen Fry leads a starry British ensemble in this biopic of poet, novelist, playwright and genius Oscar Wilde. The film focuses not on Wilde's literary achievements and public life, but on his private relationships with various men, and in particular his obsession with the young Lord 'Bosie'; of course, eventually, all of these things collide. Fry is perfectly cast as Wilde and Jude Law is suitably horrid as the spoilt, stroppy and thoroughly dislikable Bosie, whose selfishness brings about Wilde's downfall. Also worthy of note is the ever-excellent Michael Sheen in a smaller but vital role; he's a criminally under-acknowledged actor.
Wednesday 15 August 2007
Special 1: Star Wars
Introduction
While my main quest this year has been to see 100 films I've never seen before by the end of 2007, I've obviously seen other films around this. One of these has been to watch all six Star Wars films in their narrative order, over a three-day weekend. This turned out to be the weekend just passed, from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th. This special entry documents my thoughts on the films when viewed back to back in such a way.
Star Wars
Of course, everyone knows that these films were made 'back to front', in that 4 to 6 were made from 1977 to 1983 and 1 to 3 were made from 1999 to 2005. One might argue that there are reasons for viewing a story in such an order (for example, Memento works because it's back to front), but the fact that the films are numbered so suggests they should be watched that way. I've tried to view them with this in mind -- not as two trilogies from 4 to 6 and 1 to 3, but as one continuous story across six films, 1 to 6. Hopefully my comments reflect this. To help bolster this illusion, I watched the first two on Friday, the next two on Saturday, and the final two on Sunday.
For the sake of clarification, the versions of 4 to 6 watched were the most recently remastered DVD releases, complete with all sorts of controversial changes. Details of them can be found on sites such as IMDb.
1) Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (1999, George Lucas, DVD) 2/5
Everything you remember about Episode 1 is still true: the plot is too mired in political machinations, the dialogue is truly dire, the acting frequently wooden, the direction flat and Jar Jar Binks is as annoying as ever. There are some good bits -- the pod race is exciting and the four-way climax works, especially the excellent lightsabre battle. A lot of the CGI holds up remarkably well, but equally a lot of it wouldn't pass muster for a computer game now. If you're a 10 year old it all might be fine: you've grown up with CGI everywhere, you won't notice the dialogue, most plots wash over you anyway, the action is cool, and you're the same age as Anakin so you might not find him as whingeingly irritating. The Star Wars series would never have taken off (probably at all, let alone to the degree it has) if this had been the first entry we all saw.
2) Episode 2: Attack of the Clones (2002, George Lucas, DVD) 3/5
10 years on from Episode 1 and Anakin's a fully fledged Jedi (almost), Padme's a senator and Obi-Wan has a beard. Episode 2 benefits from improved dialogue and performances. Unfortunately it's still far from ideal -- the overuse of CGI leaves much of it looking fake (this is, almost, an animated film with a few real actors in) and the first hour is blighted by a slow pace, too much plot, and the allegedly all-important love story in which Anakin and Padme fall in love because, well, the plot says they do. There's also a building sense of the connectedness of all the films... well, obviously, because the Clone Wars kick off here; but it also more subtly lays the groundwork for other plot and character developments. It's a film still filled with flaws, but it still feels a lot better than the previous one in spite of them.
3) Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005, George Lucas, DVD) 3/5
The sextet reaches its darkest point: Anakin turns to the Dark Side and slaughters the Jedi younglings before burning in the fires of Mustafar. It's all very depressing. To the film's credit, it doesn't conclude; that's to say, as the last film to be released you might've expected Lucas to bring things to a definite conclusion, but instead it ends with a sense that there's more to come -- exactly how things should be at the halfway point! The rest of the film is a mixed bag. The opening and closing 25 minutes are action-filled excellence, all epic space battles and lightsabre duels; Obi-Wan vs. Anakin even manages to pack an emotional punch. But the Anakin-Padme love story still rings false, and the latter is wasted, sitting around in her apartments waiting for updates and then dying of Plot Implausibility. In trying to make Anakin a Complex and Divided character, Lucas instead makes him seem fickle and underwritten. The simpler, action/adventure-orientated characterisation of the later films is actually stronger and deeper. But I'm getting ahead of myself: Revenge of the Sith is undoubtedly a better film than the two that precede it, but we all really know the best is yet to come.
4) Episode 4: A New Hope (1977/2004, George Lucas, DVD) 4/5
Here it is: the big crossover; the moment of truth. How does it fair? Pretty well, actually. A long time has passed since the dark finale of Episode 3 and there's undoubtedly a lighter feel (despite the Empire being in control!) C-3PO and R2-D2 are onboard the ship from the end of Episode 3, a useful visual link as things almost start over -- it's Luke's story now, and, with a new actor as Obi-Wan, it's only the droids and Darth Vader who are recognisable from before. The events of the previous trilogy add weight to Guinness' performance, as well as to the mythology that gets thrown about. Obi-Wan's final duel may not be as visually stunning as the one on Mustafar, but there's added emotion now we've seen the character develop. Real sets, costumes and models largely look better than CGI, though there are a few dodgy effects that you'd think they'd've fixed. Sadly, the CGI added in 1997 doesn't seem to have been improved for the 2004 release, so things like Jabba look pretty dreadful; that said, it's presence helps smooth the link between the trilogies, as does the music, a couple of plots (Obi-Wan vs. Vader; the Death Star) and some ship designs. However, the biggest change is in tone: 1 to 3 present an epic fantasy story, full of wizard-like Jedi, intricate galactic politics and ancient prophecies; by contrast, A New Hope is straight-up action/adventure, far more concerned with gunfights, tricky situations, exciting dogfights and amusing banter than with whether the President has been granted too much executive power. It's all the better for it -- even without glossy CGI and choreographed lightsabre duels, this is by far the most fun film so far. If anyone's only seen the prequels they may be baffled why so many people love Star Wars. This is the answer.
5) Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back (1980/2004, Irvin Kershner, DVD) 4/5
There are a variety of elements in the series' penultimate film that have a very different impact in light of what we've experienced in the first trilogy. The most obvious is the revelation that Vader is Luke's father: it's no longer a twist, of course, but the emotional impact on Luke still makes it an important moment. Yoda's line "There is another" is less mysterious, as is Luke's ability to telepathically alert Leia near the end. Thank God their kiss is only a brief moment of humour though! Speaking of Yoda, he seems to have gone a little loopy after several decades alone on Dagobah; the odd little green puppet is quite far removed from the wise old CGI sage we've seen before. His first mention (by an 'hallucination' of Obi-Wan) is also far less mysterious considering we know who Yoda is. The film finds itself lacking in the lightsabre duel department -- after the long, complex fights of the prequels the Luke/Vader duel looks decidedly weak; though, at the end of it, Vader exhibits characteristics which are very reminiscent of Anakin in Revenge of the Sith. Also, Han and Leia's burgeoning romance is infinitely more believable than Anakin and Padme's in only a fraction of the screen time. With Yoda, Boba Fett, the Emperor and Jabba all cropping up, threads planted and grown in all four preceding films are coming together, and things are in place to be wrapped up in the concluding film...
6) Episode 6: Return of the Jedi (1983/2004, Richard Marquand, DVD) 4/5
Considering it's the grand finale, it's perhaps surprising that Episode 6 is largely the lightest of all the films, filled with extra humour and all those cute little Ewoks. Personally, I like the Ewoks -- they make me laugh, go "aww", and it's sad when they die! Yoda's death is another sad moment, and even more so having seen him in full action in the first three films. The threat posed by the Emperor is also even more apparent, there's more of a sense that Luke truly could follow in his father's footsteps, and there's added poetic irony in Darth Vader's final decision -- it is the same thing that caused him to turn to the Dark Side that saves him from it. Here is also the biggest failing of the films as a single series, however: the prequel trilogy is endlessly obsessed with the prophecy about Anakin bringing balance to the Force; it isn't mentioned once here. A dubbed line or added shot with Yoda saying something would've been nice. Instead, the major change at the end is adding Hayden Christensen over Sebastian Shaw. It's a dreadful idea on paper... and so too in practice. He looks out of place and doesn't at all match with the man we just saw die in Luke's arms. Seeing celebrations across Bespin, Tatooine, Naboo and Coruscant neatly ties this right back to Episode 1 and shows the larger impact of the end of the Empire in what is an otherwise surprisingly brief and low key post-victory epilogue. Another thing worth a quick mention is the speederbike chase through the forests of Endor -- one of the series' very best action sequences, and all the more effective for being entirely practical instead of CGI. When all's said and done, I think Jedi is actually the most underrated of all the films.
Final Thoughts
So, does it work?
As with most things it's a case of yes and no. As I'm sure you've seen, my review of A New Hope covers many of my thoughts on the changeover between the two trilogies, and my comments on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi elaborate on how things progress across the final two episodes. In short, it is, perhaps surprisingly, not the haircuts or quality of effects that really give away the change between the two trilogies, and the 28-year gap between Episodes 3 and 4; rather, it's the dramatic shift in tone, away from epic fantasy into thrilling action/adventure. This is not a bad thing, but when viewed in order it leaves you longing for Yoda and Obi-Wan to start wittering away about the fulfillment of prophecies and whatnot at the end of Episode 6.
The other thing potentially bothering is how some of the original trilogy's plot explanations come off, considering we've just seen them spelt out in almost seven hours of detail. Pretty well, as it turns out -- most of Obi-Wan's explanations to Luke are surprisingly brief, coming over more as gentle reminders to the audience, or at worst well-handled instances of those always-awkward cases of "Character X must be told Information Y that audience already knows". There's the odd reference that doesn't quite gel with what we've seen (for an example, Leia having some vague memories of her birth mother) and the lightsabre duels aren't up to the calibre of those in the new trilogy, but that's hardly bothersome.
If you're a fan of the films it's an interesting exercise to watch them in this order, and I'd recommend giving it a go. If you know someone who's never seen them before, especially if they're young enough to not be aware that Vader is Luke's father, I'd say they should still watch the original trilogy first -- it may still be effective in numerical order, but nothing beats that as a shocking revelation!
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