5 out of 5. THE BURMESE HARP by Kon Ichikawa
was a surprising film. There's a lot going on here and the backdrop of
Burma is well-suited to it. The male chorale aspect of the film is both
haunting and uplifting. I'm not a fan of
musicals but this was incredibly effective. The lone character of
Mizushima, the harp player was the antithesis of change brought on by
the conflicts of war. But how he changes is really intriguing and the
way Ichikawa films it is quite masterful. If you like the Apu trilogy or
Frank Capra films, you will totally dig this. Try not to weep too much.
;)
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5 out of 5. Brad Bird and his team really
brought animation a shot in the arm with THE IRON GIANT. It hits on so
many levels it defies a single viewing. This is the kind of filmmaking
and storytelling that is almost
impossible. The fact that it's animated makes it even more of a miracle.
It's poignant without being saccharin. This and THE INCREDIBLES were
easily my two favorite Brad Bird outings. Highly recommended for
everyone!
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5 out of 5. I'm sure mostly everyone has seen
this by now but Fernando Meirelles has a goldmine in CITY OF GOD.
Everything about this film is high-voltage energy. I'm not one to watch
too many films more than once, but
especially hard-biting dramas like this but man, I have to see it again.
Maybe it's because the soundtrack comes up no my Ipod quite a bit and I
start thinking about the editing and shots and story...and before I
know it I'm feeling the vibe of Brazil. If you ever liked the grit and
rawness of THE WIRE...this one is a dynamo.
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5 out of 5. Juan José Campanella's Academy Award Winning THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is a very smart and masterfully shot film. Again, actor Ricardo Darin, pulls you right into the story of an unsolved crime that he's started writing about. Like any good mystery the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he puts himself in. The directing and cinematography is stunning and sharp. And the ending is deliciously satisfying while leaving a pit in the bottom of your stomach.
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5 out of 5. Harmony Korine broke cinema and put it back together in his own image with GUMMO. From its non-plot story to the fractured narrative as far
as I'm concerned this was the most entertaining and fascinating bit of
raw cinema. It's not shock or abstraction for abstractions sake.
Theirs and underlying weight of truthful and honest humanity that pulls
the viewer in to the lives of those living in a small post-tornado Ohio
town. It's daring the viewer to identify with the any one of it's
subjects and yet one is lucky they are far removed. What's beautiful is
that it doesn't feel forced and leans toward documentary every so often.
I'm not sure Harmony Korine has been this good since, though I did
enjoy Julian Donkey-boy for its deconstructionist footage and
assemblage. If you like your home-movies with the creepy feeling of
Deliverance, then you will enjoy this.
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5 out of 5. BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN by Sergei
Eisenstein was incredibly ahead of its time. It has such a contemporary
feel to it I really thought it was filmed in the 40s, until I looked
again at the release date. The message
of course has its propaganda roots but the story is still universal.
Eisenstein on images and Shostakovich on music is as close as you can
get to a near perfect marriage...right up there with Hitchcock and
Hermann. The imagery and cutting is really unique and beautiful, even
reminiscent of Bergman at times in the languid interstitial shots that
submerge the scene in symbolism. Anyone who enjoys silent movies will be
blown away by this epic. Anyone who liked Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the
Terrible shouldn't miss this either. Even if you don't like silent
films...this will surprise you.
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5 out of 5. Craig Gillespie's LARS AND THE REAL GIRL makes you
see the good in humanity, especially in community. It forces one to look
at how people have to grow beyond traumatic experiences in ways that
make very little sense to most of us.
The acting is first rate. Since HALF-NELSON I've been a fan of Ryan
Gosling's work. He's an actor's actor and he's got my respect. If you
like Edward Norton's early work you'll dig this guy. It's hard to
compare this movie to anything. It's bittersweet and makes you work for
it but by the end, you really get a satisfying pay-off.
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