Film Moi
Hey! How you doing?! Come in. Seat there if you want it? OK.
I’ve seen a number of films lately and I’m here to tell you what I thunk.
Brokeback Mountain
I wanted to like this, but that’s often the way with films that other people rave about. Then I seem to magnify the bad points, like I can balance out the vibes of hype. It’s just something I do. I liked the dialogue: “Hell, the most travelling I’ve ever done is around the coffee pot looking for the handle” and I liked the way they didn’t talk about love, because people in love don’t do that. But people do in films when they are in love. (Woody Allen in Hannah and her Sisters: “The heart is a very resilient muscle” Yes it is, but who says that?) I also like films that span many years of a lifetime. (Goodfellas, Blow, Boogie Nights) A film can be pretty average but I will like it if it spans many years of a lifetime. But I thought this was average.
Shopgirl
I liked this. I loved the relaxed sexuality without it being sleazy. I think Steve Martin is a really good actor when he doesn’t do his flappy arms thing. He’s great with the hangdog eyes. I like the way the girl in it isn’t all boring cheerleader sexy, which makes her more desireable, and I love Jason Schwartzman for having a style all his own.
The Usual Suspects
For years this fell into the category of “Classic Films I Have Not Seen”. This is an illustrious category which includes Citizen Kane, 2001. Raging Bull, On The Waterfront, Streetcar Named Desire, Alien, and (until recently) The Godfather. I knew how it ended but still enjoyed it, but can’t talk about because other people will enjoy it more if they don’t know how it ends.
Solaris
Immaculately shot, and I love the woman in it. The film is all beautiful and weird although for me in dipped into philosophy when it should have taken a dive. I guess it didn’t because some people would have said they were spending too much time there, but for me they should have. Or maybe that’s the point - people who think about things a lot can go away and think about them after the film instead of having it done for them. OK, good film.
Vanity Fair
This was so-so to OK, but moved too quickly because there was a lot to cover,in the space of a couple of hours. Then again it picks up extra points for, that’s right, being a film that spans many years of a lifetime.
Sideways
Now this I liked. It was lots of things and not too much, but enough all the time in terms of characters, jokes, dialogue, actors looks, photography, pace and sentimentality.
July 17th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
Brokeback Mountain was abominable. But it’s impossible to say why without spoiling the ending. It got an Oscar simply because this was ‘gay year’ at the Oscars, imho.
Which version of Solaris did you watch, by the way? Clooney’s, or Tarkovsky’s? Both are good.
July 17th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I think this did well on the pink vote, instead the film vote. But that’s understandable - you can’t break a mould without making a few omlettes first.
Solaris - Clooney, but I heard the original was better, although since it was the (if you will) mis en scene (oh yeah) that won me over, then I’m going to have to give a big reluctant and sincere Tom Paulin-esque: “I rather liked it.”
Essentially.
July 17th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Ah, yes… The Usual Suspects is one of my all time favorites. May I suggest another for you (if you haven’t seen it, that is)?
‘Babe’. Probably my #2 movie.
Cheers, friend.