28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[MadMan]

All That Heaven Allows' ending didn't completely suck, as there's something interesting in that final shot, but it certainly wasn't good. [

Show Spoiler

Had the goddamn studio not forced Sirk to end it the way the movie ended, the film would have been great, but at the same time I recognize that in some sly way perhaps he didn't completely give the studio and audiences what they wanted or expected.

]

[Bosco B Thug]

Glad to see from the Disney Consensus thread that people here appreciate Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It's a fine film, and goes to show that you can make engaging, stimulating, fun children's entertainment that is actually harmless. I felt Miyazaki vibes instead of Disney vibes.

[Russ]

I'm not sure if this will be of much interest around here, but I recently saw these three Guy Maddin shorts from 2009.

Danger, Will Robinson: this is Maddin in XXX gay porn mode. Proceed with due caution, if you must.

Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair - no porn here, just Isabella Rosselini as the one in the chair. Still, pretty crazy and funny stuff. **½

The Little White Cloud That Cried - Maddin's tribute to Jack Smith's Flaming Creatures is a very bold phantasmagoria that's very much in the spirit of Smith's underground classic. If you can make it past the all the transsexual porn (and that's a mighty big if) you'll discover one of Maddin's most inspired (not to mention best) creations. ****

Glorious - Sexy gangsters with very challenged shoes, and their deranged ghost of a father -- who likes to...aw hell, Guy, why don't you just go see a damn therapist already? *½

[B-side]

The Little White Cloud That Cried - Maddin's tribute to Jack Smith's Flaming Creatures is a very bold phantasmagoria that's very much in the spirit of Smith's underground classic. If you can make it past the all the transsexual porn (and that's a mighty big if) you'll discover one of Maddin's most inspired (not to mention best) creations. ****

Yup. This one's real good. Haven't seen Flaming Creatures yet due to the crappy print, but I'll probably have to give in.

[Izzy Black]

Been revisiting the films of Abel Ferrara lately. I recently watched The Funeral and New Rose Hotel, and I'm set to watch The Addiction again soon.

Ferrara has made an interesting career of examining Christian ethics, existentialism, and moral philosophy, and never are these themes more blatant than they are in The Funeral. This is perhaps why I am slightly partial to New Rose Hotel. I think Ferrara tends to be at his best when the Christian symbolism and references are at a minimum, and where subtlety is at the forefront, this allows him to engage these moral themes from a more objective, almost secular point-of-view. For example, Christopher Walken's character in New Rose Hotel claims he was interested in questions of "virtue" and the "examined life" prior to to his seedy career in corporate espionage, but has long since given that interest up in favor of living for that "edge." This contrast between the moral life and "the edge" is reflected on throughout the film in largely subtle strokes. Unlike in Bad Lieutenant, where the "edge" is entirely unattractive and abominable, Walken's character seems to have more confidence and a better handle on his lifestyle than Keitel's character, as he actively and consciously engages with his chosen role in life, even if only at arms-length. It's also never blatantly suggested - in the end - that he lived an unfulfilled life, as it is for Defoe's character, or Keitel's character in Lieutenant.

The Funeral on the other hand is in many ways Bad Lieutenant in different clothes. The difference in the end is that Walken doesn't make the sacrifice that Keitel's character does in BL. And, presumably, he pays the price for it (in traditional Judeo-Christian style justice). It's perhaps a better constructed film in terms of style and tone than New Rose Hotel, in fact it's a wonderful exercise in atmosphere and mood, but the overt theism is slightly less appealing here than the subtle gestures of New Rose Hotel, which, I think, is a slightly more philosophical treatment of Christian morality (by side-stepping the issue of justice altogether).

[Dead & Messed Up]

Fantastic Planet (1973) is a deceptively magnificent little film, a fable-like sci-fi story that's overstuffed with imagination and not short on deeper themes. The story deals with the conflict between gigantic blue humanoids called Traags and vermin called "Oms"...who just happen to be human beings abducted from a strange world called Terr. Although the movie deals with the escalating tension between the Traags and Oms, most of what I saw was unhinged monster-making and world-building. The designers of the film always seem two steps removed from an understandable reality. An alien "spring" consists of crystals blooming from the dust, and bat-like predators attack the refugee Oms with head-wings and toad-like tongues.


The thing in the cage tricks alien-birds into think its nose is a branch, and then it shakes them dead and throws them to the ground. Why? Because it's weird, that's why.

This isn't to sell the film's ideas short. The fight with the omnipresent Traags carries obvious totalitarian similarities, with them seeing the Oms more as a nuisance than worthwhile enemies, and given the film's Czech origins, there's likely some fear of Cold War Russia invading the film. At the least, the connection to real-world genocides makes the casual extermination at the end of the film much more horrifying. I kept wanting to shout "The Oms are people! Stop killing them!" Oddly, the Oms, who learn Traag language under the guidance of the main hero (also named Terr), never think that direct communication with the Traags is a viable option. Of course, if somebody's lived their life with a boot eternally stamping on their face, why would they expect mercy?

A-

PS: I gotta think that this film inspired the rows and rows of pale faces in Dark City. Both images refer to distant aliens who consider themselves superior to the rodent-like humans scurrying around.





PS 2: For those of you who've seen this movie, Chris Justice at Senses of Cinema has a thoughtful breakdown of the film's politics and style.

[Sven]

It's no wonder I don't get excited about watching movies anymore. Over the past few days, I've been catching up on superhero movies (and a few similar ones in between) and it's been such a slog. This is how it breaks down:

The Incredible Hulk
<--------------- good movie
Lethal Weapon
Iron Man 2
Captain America
Sherlock Holmes
<-------------- unwatchably bad movie
The Island
Thor

But I did also rewatch Seven Samurai, a film with nearly enough greatness to make up for the slough of detritus through which I've been wading.

[B-side]

Been revisiting the films of Abel Ferrara lately. I recently watched The Funeral and New Rose Hotel, and I'm set to watch The Addiction again soon.

Ferrara has made an interesting career of examining Christian ethics, existentialism, and moral philosophy, and never are these themes more blatant than they are in The Funeral. This is perhaps why I am slightly partial to New Rose Hotel. I think Ferrara tends to be at his best when the Christian symbolism and references are at a minimum, and where subtlety is at the forefront, this allows him to engage these moral themes from a more objective, almost secular point-of-view. For example, Christopher Walken's character in New Rose Hotel claims he was interested in questions of "virtue" and the "examined life" prior to to his seedy career in corporate espionage, but has long since given that interest up in favor of living for that "edge." This contrast between the moral life and "the edge" is reflected on throughout the film in largely subtle strokes. Unlike in Bad Lieutenant, where the "edge" is entirely unattractive and abominable, Walken's character seems to have more confidence and a better handle on his lifestyle than Keitel's character, as he actively and consciously engages with his chosen role in life, even if only at arms-length. It's also never blatantly suggested - in the end - that he lived an unfulfilled life, as it is for Defoe's character, or Keitel's character in Lieutenant.

The Funeral on the other hand is in many ways Bad Lieutenant in different clothes. The difference in the end is that Walken doesn't make the sacrifice that Keitel's character does in BL. And, presumably, he pays the price for it (in traditional Judeo-Christian style justice). It's perhaps a better constructed film in terms of style and tone than New Rose Hotel, in fact it's a wonderful exercise in atmosphere and mood, but the overt theism is slightly less appealing here than the subtle gestures of New Rose Hotel, which, I think, is a slightly more philosophical treatment of Christian morality (by side-stepping the issue of justice altogether).

Always nice to see someone else enjoying Ferrara's work. I knew you were a fan, but it's cool to see him discussed at any length. I wasn't all that taken with The Funeral, actually. Definitely one of my least favorite Ferrara's, along with King of New York and The Blackout. The latter two strike me as more formally ambitious and interesting, but not entirely successful. Their themes and ideas elevate them. I enjoyed New Rose Hotel more than any of them.

[Watashi]

It's no wonder I don't get excited about watching movies anymore. Over the past few days, I've been catching up on superhero movies (and a few similar ones in between) and it's been such a slog. This is how it breaks down:

The Incredible Hulk
<--------------- good movie
Lethal Weapon
Iron Man 2
Captain America
Sherlock Holmes
<-------------- unwatchably bad movie
The Island
Thor

But I did also rewatch Seven Samurai, a film with nearly enough greatness to make up for the slough of detritus through which I've been wading.

Dude. The Hulk remake is one of the worst superhero movies out there.

[B-side]

Humanité. Subtle, sexual suggestion in everyday activity. A 2 and a half hour plea for an answer with a suspect as a protagonist. His big, sad eyes illuminated with childlike innocence, and yet those same eyes linger in a slyly suggestive fashion. The ending hardly solves anything, but says everything. Great film.

[Rowland]

I'm rewatching the Harry Potter series with my girlfriend as she reads through the novels (she's a bit behind the times), and so revisited Cuarón's Prisoner of Azkaban for the first time since the theater. The dramatic shift in cinematic sensibilities from the Columbus adaptations is as striking and satisfying now as it was then, but because of this remarkably improved formal texture and all-around jazzier vibe, the jagged, contrived plotting (still arguably an improvement over the book in many respects) and sometimes-dopey action/slapstick set pieces are rendered in an even harsher contrast. The first two movies had their fair share of lame crap, but nothing felt as out of place as the Knight Bus sequence that was significantly expanded upon by Cuarón for this film, which I appreciate in theory for the spirit of imbuing the text with eccentric embellishments, but in practice this set piece is a dreadfully unfunny waste of time that could have been better spent fleshing out certain characters/conflicts/what have you later in the film. Other curious embellishments clash throughout, including a choir singing the witches' incantation from Macbeth upon the students arriving to Hogwarts, which is an awfully clever and macabre touch, but makes absolutely no sense and proves merely distracting in its implementation, whereas other such idiosyncrasies like the whomping willow being used as both a visual motif to signify the passing of time and as a particularly morbid source of black humor (squash those chirping birds!) work beautifully.

[Sven]

Dude. The Hulk remake is one of the worst superhero movies out there.

It's a Marvel monster movie; Hulk isn't a superhero. That's splitting words though, I know what you mean. Still, it's made with succinct craft, well-directed and economical. Not great, as the titanic clash at the end was too boring, and Norton's Banner is too bare-bones, reducing the film's function to mere plot. It's not about much (as opposed to the Lee film, which is definitely better), but it's excitingly told.

Pitting it against other Marvel movies like Iron Man 2 (which is about CG and personality cult) and Thor (I can't think of a more poorly mounted movie with the same budget), it's tremendously more satisfying as cinema. The visual structure reveals thematic connectivity, the action is kinetic and coherent, it's paced nicely--nothing plods. The supporting cast helps.

[Rowland]

Hmm, maybe I'll rent The Incredible Hulk someday. I was a strong supporter of Leterrier's work in his Transporter movies and Unleashed, but avoided Hulk due to the toxic word of mouth.

[Sven]

Hmm, maybe I'll rent The Incredible Hulk someday. I was a strong supporter of Leterrier's work in his Transporter movies and Unleashed, but avoided Hulk due to the toxic word of mouth.

My experience is the exact opposite. The films you mention were all limp and ridiculous to me. I avoided Hulk for the same reasons, but am definitely glad I saw it. The best part about it is the direction, which makes me want to reappraise the aforementioned.

[transmogrifier]

I can't imagine rewatching the Harry Potter films. Life's short, you know?

It took me 6 films to realise I was wasting my time. I'm a slow learner, though.

[MadMan]

While I have not viewed the last one split into two parts and with the exception of the forth one (which I thought was still good, btw) the Harry Potter movies get better as the series goes along.

And this is coming from someone who doesn't overly love the series. I have yet to give any of them a 90, even. My favorite is still Prisoner of Azkaban.

The Incredible Hulk was a pretty solid film, although granted I haven't seen the Eric Banna Hulk yet. Its not better than the Iron Man movies, Thor, or even Captain America, though. I'd say that the best superhero movie this year is X-Men First Class, and I doubt that Super or Green Lantern or The Green Hornet is better.

Avengers and TDKR will be better than any superhero movie that was released this year, anyways.

[Rowland]

It took me 6 films to realise I was wasting my time. I'm a slow learner, though.

Burn!

I like some of them quite a bit, and since I've read the books and my girlfriend is reading them now, we watch the films together and chat about what does and doesn't work about them as both adaptations and separate entities. It's pleasantly spent "us" time. *shrug*

[Watashi]

Trans will be single forever.

[Mara]

Burn!

I like some of them quite a bit, and since I've read the books and my girlfriend is reading them now, we watch the films together and chat about what does and doesn't work about them as both adaptations and separate entities. It's pleasantly spent "us" time. *shrug*

You're right. Totally sounds fun.

[MadMan]

Trans will be single forever.

Forever alone....





.....no I'm not posting that Internet meme. We have Brightside here to do that :P

[transmogrifier]

Trans will be single forever.

Better let my wife know. She needs to make arrangements.

Last thing my wife and I watched together was Breaking Bad Seasons 1 to 4. She rocks.

Oh wait, we watched Transformers 3 together. But just focus on the Breaking Bad part.

[Spinal]

Oh wait, we watched Transformers 3 together.

Just three more films until you realize you're wasting your time!

[Russ]

This blog puts forth pretty a pretty convicing argument as to why most modern movie posters SUCK.

[EyesWideOpen]

I quite liked Incredible Hulk. It's far better then the original Hulk and Iron Man 2 and I'd put it on even footing with Thor.

[transmogrifier]

Just three more films until you realize you're wasting your time!

Well, to be fair, I slept through the second half of T2, and parts of T1, so the fact that this one was the first one that kept me awake is a bonus.

With the Harry Potter movies, I was waiting for a point where the deus ex machinas disappeared and the genuine emotional core kicked in (while appreciating the fact that some of the most amazing actors appeared for one or two minutes at a time every now and then), but it never happened.