Week 14

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.