dir. Maurice Pialat
France, 1980
Can't get past the oafishness of Depardieu. Although it was interesting to see Isabelle Huppert young - I've only ever seen her in recent films from the 2000s.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Precious
dir. Lee Daniels
USA, 2009
Surprisingly good - once you settle into it, the strange mix of social-realism, camp and Oprah-tackyness becomes rather wonderful, if flawed. But then the flaws are part of the wonder.
USA, 2009
Surprisingly good - once you settle into it, the strange mix of social-realism, camp and Oprah-tackyness becomes rather wonderful, if flawed. But then the flaws are part of the wonder.
Lovers of the Arctic Circle
dir. Julio Medem
Spain/France, 2000
If someone were to describe the stereotypical "art-house" movie, then it would be this. Not that that's particularly bad...
Spain/France, 2000
If someone were to describe the stereotypical "art-house" movie, then it would be this. Not that that's particularly bad...
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Anatomy of a Murder
dir. Otto Preminger
USA, 1958
James Stewart in top form in the gripping yet hilarious court-room drama. I don't think Stewart has managed the line between his corny country bumpkin persona and the more cynical lawyer/policeman type quite as well as he does here. He even sends up his Mr Smith Goes To Washington scout leader country type in a great little play to the judge, where he claims "I'm just a country lawyer, trying to mix it with the big shot city types". He's playing the judge, who he's figured thinks of himself as a country type himself, but he's also playing us, he knows what we think his persona is, and how this part in particular skirts close to it. Great film.
And there's a Duke Ellington score and an appearance from the man himself! And great Saul Bass titles!
USA, 1958
James Stewart in top form in the gripping yet hilarious court-room drama. I don't think Stewart has managed the line between his corny country bumpkin persona and the more cynical lawyer/policeman type quite as well as he does here. He even sends up his Mr Smith Goes To Washington scout leader country type in a great little play to the judge, where he claims "I'm just a country lawyer, trying to mix it with the big shot city types". He's playing the judge, who he's figured thinks of himself as a country type himself, but he's also playing us, he knows what we think his persona is, and how this part in particular skirts close to it. Great film.
And there's a Duke Ellington score and an appearance from the man himself! And great Saul Bass titles!
Friday, 4 December 2009
The White Ribbon
dir. Michael Haneke
Austria, 2008
Fantastic. Chilling, unsettling, edge-of-your-seat stuff. Nudges The Class off top-spot for film of the year.
Austria, 2008
Fantastic. Chilling, unsettling, edge-of-your-seat stuff. Nudges The Class off top-spot for film of the year.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
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