Introduction
My quest to watch 100 films I've never seen before by the end of 2007 continues toward the halfway point. However, this week I've hit an exact average of three films per week -- if that were to continue I'd easily pass 150 films by the end of the year! It's really beginning to seem that 100 is a rather easy mark to cross, while 150 would be more realistic... though only if I kept this rate up, and I slipped I would fail. That's never fun.
So, my indecisiveness shall continue. Probably until I actually reach 100 and decide if there's enough time to see another 50 films. Oh well, they say gambling's bad anyway.
Week Fourteen
As noted last week (and above), week fourteen means we're now over a quarter of the way through the year, and so on the path to the halfway point (which, by-the-way, would be about July 1st, which is the Sunday at the end of week twenty-six). I'm also still on holiday, so once again I've seen a fair few films this week, and six of them new to me. Here they are:
36) Ladies in Lavender (2004, Charles Dance, DVD) 4/5
Judi Dench puts in her fourth appearance in this list (far and away the most represented actor, I should think) in Charles Dance's first film as writer and director. Dench and her long-time friend Maggie Smith play believable sisters in a beautiful Cornish setting who discover a young Pole washed up on their beach. The story progresses from there in a gentle but engrossing fashion, and the cast of experienced Brits are as excellent as ever.
37) The New World (2005, Terrence Malick, DVD) 4/5
Slowly paced and beautifully photographed, this is about as far from Disney's telling of the story (in Pocahontas, of course) as you could get. This is not a bad thing, as the pace and photography combine to make for a serene unravelling of story and mood. It only begins to wear a little thin around the time Christian Bale's character turns up -- sticking to the facts of a story, and in the process damaging the film, is sadly a regular flaw in real-life tales such as this. I also loved the sound design, imbued as it was with the small sounds of nature, all creaking timber and rustling grass.
38) The Devil Wears Prada (2006, David Frankel, DVD) 4/5
Emily Blunt steals every scene, which is impressive alongside an Oscar-nominated Meryl Streep (that being the now-customary acting-nominee-from-a-blockbuster, est. 2004 by Mr Depp). Anne Hathaway provides the plot/emotional through-line against these performances, which is somewhat impressive when playing a lead character who morally sells out (albeit into a lifestyle that is undoubtedly desirable to the film's intended audience). The plot and character arcs may be pretty predictable, but it's an above-average example of a film of this type.
39) Three Colours Blue (1993, Krzysztof Kieslowski, DVD) 4/5
The first in Kieslowski's thematic trilogy based around the French flag and the values it represents. Here it's liberté/freedom, in this case brought about by the death of Julie's husband and daughter in a car accident. In the lead role Juliette Binoche is the film and she carries it admirably, taking her character through a range of phases and emotions. It takes a little time to get going but is worth it in the end (speaking of the end, it appears to have been an inspiration to films such as Donnie Darko and Magnolia...)
40) Happy Feet (2006, George Miller, DVD) 4/5
While it might not be in quite the same league as The Incredibles or Finding Nemo, this year's Animated Oscar-winner does have a few things going for it. There are a couple of enjoyable songs, a few exciting action sequences, and even some bits that actually make you laugh. Couple this with a positive (if improbable) pro-environment message, and an even better anti-religious one that's only half-hidden, and you have an entertaining film for kids that grown-ups will find something in too.
41) Three Colours White (1994, Krzysztof Kieslowski, DVD) 4/5
The second in the trilogy (see #40) features the idea of égalité/equality. The lead character is a Polish immigrant who, at the start, is divorced by his French wife and, in a roundabout way, forced to return to Poland. The narrative follows an odd path toward an odd resolution; it's also odd that a film about a basic French value is set mostly in Poland. While it has its moments and is certainly intriguing, White comes out as inferior to Blue. I'm looking forward to what Red has in store.
Monday 9 April 2007
Monday 2 April 2007
Weeks 12-13
Introduction
I knew I should have posted the not-too-short-really week twelve by itself, as week thirteen has seen a veritable mass of films viewed toward the end. But it's done now, so on with the show!
The end of the second week here marks the exact quarter-way point of my filmic quest (in time terms anyway) and so it seems an appropriate point to reflect a little on my quest so far. So here are some numbers, all totalled up to the end of week thirteen:
Statistics
I have seen a total of 36 films.
Of those, 1 was released in the 1910s, 2 in the 1920s, 1 in the 1940s, 2 in the 1950s, 4 in the 1980s, 3 in the 1990s, and 23 in the 2000s. That means there's nothing from the 1930s, 1960s or 1970s.
I have seen 27 on DVD, 6 at the cinema, 2 on VHS, and just 1 on TV.
The only directors to turn up multiple times are John Glen (twice) and F.W. Murnau (twice). As it turns out, a fair few actors turn up at least twice, mainly thanks to films like Hot Fuzz, Boogie Nights and Crash. It was only Roger Moore who managed several appearances when I first started putting these stats together!
I have awarded 4 films 5/5, 17 films 4/5, 10 films 3/5, 4 films 2/5, and 1 film 1/5. This makes the average score 3.5/5. Either I see lots of pretty good films or I need to adjust my scoring downward slightly. For anyone interested, the five-star films were Hot Fuzz, United 93, Crash and Trainspotting, whilst the one-star was Flight 93.
My weekly average is now 2.8 per week, which means I'm on course to see about 145 films this year. Maybe I should adjust that aim...
Weeks Twelve and Thirteen
Anyway, it's time to get on. Here are the films I watched between March 19th and April 1st...
25) Doom (2005, Andrzej Bartkowiak, DVD) 2/5
Doom is quite flawed in many ways. I don't say this because I inherently dislike mindless action films (while I am perfectly aware they are not usually Great Films, I enjoy them as entertainment); I say this because Doom doesn't really succeed at being one. It takes too long to get anywhere -- I think someone thought it was building suspense, when really it's just nothing happening. When it does kick off it's brief and only vaguelly entertaining. And the much-discussed first-person sequence is far too much like watching someone play a video game.
26) Flight 93 (2006, Peter Markle, DVD) 1/5
Oh dear. The Other Film About United 93 is just that. With poor acting, pedestrian direction, dreadful effects, and a young child in every single scene involving a relative, this film is infinitely inferior to Paul Greengrass' United 93. Where that was subtle, realistic and moving, this is over-worked, cheesy and laughable -- yes, laughable; we spent half the running time taking the piss out of it! Not good for a film about a tragedy. Some have called this a worthy companion piece to United 93. It's not. United 93 is essential; Flight 93 you can take or, preferably, leave.
27) Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002, George Clooney, TV) 4/5
George Clooney's directorial debut is part biopic, part comedy and part spy thriller. It's the last part that works best, but perhaps that's just because I have a predilection for spy thrillers; that said, the filmmakers would seem to agree as, after a late appearance in the plot, it comes to dominate its climax. It's also nicely shot, especially the excursions to Europe. I would recommend it (though not quite as heartily as Clooney's second film, the excellent Good Night, and Good Luck).
27a) Crash: Director's Cut (2004, Paul Haggis, DVD) 5/5
OK, I must confess, this one is something of a cheat -- I've seen Crash before, and whilst some 'director's cuts' can be vastly different this one is only around two minutes longer. But I'll take any chance I can get to go on about how this is a much better and more Oscar-deserving piece than a certain overrated film about gay cowboys. In my opinion this is a film that should be seen, not necessarily for its message but for its quality in terms of performance, direction, etc.
28) The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005, Tommy Lee Jones, DVD) 3/5
Empire gave this film one of their rare five-star reviews, immediately making me want to see it. Shame they overrated it then. A confused first act (which jumps about in chronology for no discernible reason) gives way to a more linear second two that, while more pleasing, seem to do away with major characters for no reason other than the plot ran out of things for them to do. The film has its moments, and some pretty views, but five-star it ain't.
29) Trainspotting (1996, Danny Boyle, DVD) 5/5
Choose great direction. Choose iconic images. Choose a great soundtrack. Choose a brilliant cast. Choose a career-making performance from Ewan McGregor. Choose a witty script. Choose realism. Choose drugs. Choose sex. Choose a condom, for the first time on screen. Choose swearing. Choose violence. Choose drink. Choose Scotland. Choose Trainspotting.
30) Little Miss Sunshine (2006, Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, DVD) 4/5
People will tell you this is a comedy, when really it's a comedy-drama. A TV critic once said, not wrongly, that a comedy-drama is something that isn't especially funny nor especially dramatic so tries to do both. Luckily, Little Miss Sunshine is frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, from the opening dinner scene to the send-up of inherently paedophilic beauty pageants at the climax (so hilarious it almost single-handedly pushed my mark up to a five). There's also some competent drama threaded through to make that side worthwhile. And I suspect that lovable little Abigail Breslin was more deserving of the Oscar than that irritating Jennifer Hudson.
31) Mrs Henderson Presents (2005, Stephen Frears, DVD) 4/5
Judi Dench is clearly having a whale of a time in this 1930s-set comedy about a 70-year-old widow who starts up a nude revue. It begins as light comedy with a gently risque edge (rather in-keeping with its subject matter!), but things get a tad serious when the war hits. Luckily the film finds its lightness again in time for the ending, which is much more suited to the general tone. All told it's simply a bit of fun, but its overall quality just about nudges it into a four.
32) Chocolat (2000, Lasse Hallstrom, DVD) 4/5
Although not the lead character this time, Judi Dench once again revels in playing an old lady who can say what she likes, in this pleasant adaptation of Joanne Harris' novel. It's a neat little story about acceptance that doesn't suffer from an occasionally episodic plot or a sometimes quaint depiction of French small-town life. (I was occasionally distracted spotting the sci-fi/fantasy credentials of the cast. But that's just me.)
33) American Dreamz (2006, Paul Weitz, DVD) 3/5
This loosely satirical comedy from the director of such diverse fare as American Pie and About a Boy sees Dennis Quaid's Bush-growing-a-brain President agree to be a guest judge on Hugh Grant's Simon-Cowell-with-looks TV talent show that features Mandy Moore's moral-less wannabe and Sam Golzari's Iraqi potential-suicide-bomber as contestants. It's pretty much as loopy as that sounds, though not as clever as it thinks it is. It starts well, the quality dips as it takes too long to get to the actual contest, but the ending manages to redeem things.
34) Secretary (2002, Steven Shainberg, DVD) 3/5
I seem to recall reading that Secretary attempts to depict a realistic and sympathetic dominant/submissive relationship. Unfortunately this seems to come a bit unstuck with the feeling that the relationship is initially based in an emotionally (and physically) abusive act against a clearly vulnerable character, leaving the following events and mutually loving resolution tinged with a hint of something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, in my opinion. Well acted and all, but fundamentally flawed.
35) The King and I (1956, Walter Lang, DVD) 3/5
To be fair to The King and I, I was a little sleepy through most of it, and, thanks to some slightly cheesy bits at the start, my mind was occasionally locked in a spoofing mode. However, there are some recognisable songs and an Oscar-winning performance from Yul Brynner, as well as truly sumptuous sets and costumes.
I knew I should have posted the not-too-short-really week twelve by itself, as week thirteen has seen a veritable mass of films viewed toward the end. But it's done now, so on with the show!
The end of the second week here marks the exact quarter-way point of my filmic quest (in time terms anyway) and so it seems an appropriate point to reflect a little on my quest so far. So here are some numbers, all totalled up to the end of week thirteen:
Statistics
I have seen a total of 36 films.
Of those, 1 was released in the 1910s, 2 in the 1920s, 1 in the 1940s, 2 in the 1950s, 4 in the 1980s, 3 in the 1990s, and 23 in the 2000s. That means there's nothing from the 1930s, 1960s or 1970s.
I have seen 27 on DVD, 6 at the cinema, 2 on VHS, and just 1 on TV.
The only directors to turn up multiple times are John Glen (twice) and F.W. Murnau (twice). As it turns out, a fair few actors turn up at least twice, mainly thanks to films like Hot Fuzz, Boogie Nights and Crash. It was only Roger Moore who managed several appearances when I first started putting these stats together!
I have awarded 4 films 5/5, 17 films 4/5, 10 films 3/5, 4 films 2/5, and 1 film 1/5. This makes the average score 3.5/5. Either I see lots of pretty good films or I need to adjust my scoring downward slightly. For anyone interested, the five-star films were Hot Fuzz, United 93, Crash and Trainspotting, whilst the one-star was Flight 93.
My weekly average is now 2.8 per week, which means I'm on course to see about 145 films this year. Maybe I should adjust that aim...
Weeks Twelve and Thirteen
Anyway, it's time to get on. Here are the films I watched between March 19th and April 1st...
25) Doom (2005, Andrzej Bartkowiak, DVD) 2/5
Doom is quite flawed in many ways. I don't say this because I inherently dislike mindless action films (while I am perfectly aware they are not usually Great Films, I enjoy them as entertainment); I say this because Doom doesn't really succeed at being one. It takes too long to get anywhere -- I think someone thought it was building suspense, when really it's just nothing happening. When it does kick off it's brief and only vaguelly entertaining. And the much-discussed first-person sequence is far too much like watching someone play a video game.
26) Flight 93 (2006, Peter Markle, DVD) 1/5
Oh dear. The Other Film About United 93 is just that. With poor acting, pedestrian direction, dreadful effects, and a young child in every single scene involving a relative, this film is infinitely inferior to Paul Greengrass' United 93. Where that was subtle, realistic and moving, this is over-worked, cheesy and laughable -- yes, laughable; we spent half the running time taking the piss out of it! Not good for a film about a tragedy. Some have called this a worthy companion piece to United 93. It's not. United 93 is essential; Flight 93 you can take or, preferably, leave.
27) Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002, George Clooney, TV) 4/5
George Clooney's directorial debut is part biopic, part comedy and part spy thriller. It's the last part that works best, but perhaps that's just because I have a predilection for spy thrillers; that said, the filmmakers would seem to agree as, after a late appearance in the plot, it comes to dominate its climax. It's also nicely shot, especially the excursions to Europe. I would recommend it (though not quite as heartily as Clooney's second film, the excellent Good Night, and Good Luck).
27a) Crash: Director's Cut (2004, Paul Haggis, DVD) 5/5
OK, I must confess, this one is something of a cheat -- I've seen Crash before, and whilst some 'director's cuts' can be vastly different this one is only around two minutes longer. But I'll take any chance I can get to go on about how this is a much better and more Oscar-deserving piece than a certain overrated film about gay cowboys. In my opinion this is a film that should be seen, not necessarily for its message but for its quality in terms of performance, direction, etc.
28) The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005, Tommy Lee Jones, DVD) 3/5
Empire gave this film one of their rare five-star reviews, immediately making me want to see it. Shame they overrated it then. A confused first act (which jumps about in chronology for no discernible reason) gives way to a more linear second two that, while more pleasing, seem to do away with major characters for no reason other than the plot ran out of things for them to do. The film has its moments, and some pretty views, but five-star it ain't.
29) Trainspotting (1996, Danny Boyle, DVD) 5/5
Choose great direction. Choose iconic images. Choose a great soundtrack. Choose a brilliant cast. Choose a career-making performance from Ewan McGregor. Choose a witty script. Choose realism. Choose drugs. Choose sex. Choose a condom, for the first time on screen. Choose swearing. Choose violence. Choose drink. Choose Scotland. Choose Trainspotting.
30) Little Miss Sunshine (2006, Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, DVD) 4/5
People will tell you this is a comedy, when really it's a comedy-drama. A TV critic once said, not wrongly, that a comedy-drama is something that isn't especially funny nor especially dramatic so tries to do both. Luckily, Little Miss Sunshine is frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, from the opening dinner scene to the send-up of inherently paedophilic beauty pageants at the climax (so hilarious it almost single-handedly pushed my mark up to a five). There's also some competent drama threaded through to make that side worthwhile. And I suspect that lovable little Abigail Breslin was more deserving of the Oscar than that irritating Jennifer Hudson.
31) Mrs Henderson Presents (2005, Stephen Frears, DVD) 4/5
Judi Dench is clearly having a whale of a time in this 1930s-set comedy about a 70-year-old widow who starts up a nude revue. It begins as light comedy with a gently risque edge (rather in-keeping with its subject matter!), but things get a tad serious when the war hits. Luckily the film finds its lightness again in time for the ending, which is much more suited to the general tone. All told it's simply a bit of fun, but its overall quality just about nudges it into a four.
32) Chocolat (2000, Lasse Hallstrom, DVD) 4/5
Although not the lead character this time, Judi Dench once again revels in playing an old lady who can say what she likes, in this pleasant adaptation of Joanne Harris' novel. It's a neat little story about acceptance that doesn't suffer from an occasionally episodic plot or a sometimes quaint depiction of French small-town life. (I was occasionally distracted spotting the sci-fi/fantasy credentials of the cast. But that's just me.)
33) American Dreamz (2006, Paul Weitz, DVD) 3/5
This loosely satirical comedy from the director of such diverse fare as American Pie and About a Boy sees Dennis Quaid's Bush-growing-a-brain President agree to be a guest judge on Hugh Grant's Simon-Cowell-with-looks TV talent show that features Mandy Moore's moral-less wannabe and Sam Golzari's Iraqi potential-suicide-bomber as contestants. It's pretty much as loopy as that sounds, though not as clever as it thinks it is. It starts well, the quality dips as it takes too long to get to the actual contest, but the ending manages to redeem things.
34) Secretary (2002, Steven Shainberg, DVD) 3/5
I seem to recall reading that Secretary attempts to depict a realistic and sympathetic dominant/submissive relationship. Unfortunately this seems to come a bit unstuck with the feeling that the relationship is initially based in an emotionally (and physically) abusive act against a clearly vulnerable character, leaving the following events and mutually loving resolution tinged with a hint of something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, in my opinion. Well acted and all, but fundamentally flawed.
35) The King and I (1956, Walter Lang, DVD) 3/5
To be fair to The King and I, I was a little sleepy through most of it, and, thanks to some slightly cheesy bits at the start, my mind was occasionally locked in a spoofing mode. However, there are some recognisable songs and an Oscar-winning performance from Yul Brynner, as well as truly sumptuous sets and costumes.
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