Track the Films You Watch (2007) (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

The Architect (2006) - :star::star::star:1/2 / :star::star::star::star::star:

Revisited this nicely done and extremely short film, not even reaching 80 minutes without closing credits. An ambiguous story of conflict, both internal and external, with an Architect (Anthony LaPaglia) facing a woman pursuing the demolition of a housing project he designed years earlier, while both their family members cope with various shortcomings and perceptions in their lives. Sorry to beat a dead horse, but this is yet another example of what Crash should have been.

 

[george kaplan]

When Comedy Was King

Another compilation of silent shorts. Most I hadn't seen, though I had seen some of this before. It suffers the same fate as the previous one - historically interesting, but comedically lacking.

 

[Mario Gauci]

06/05/07: WHITE DOG (Samuel Fuller, 1982) :star::star::star:

Adapted by Fuller and Curtis Hanson from the Romain Gary novel (to whom the picture is dedicated), WHITE DOG was the iconoclastic director’s last Hollywood effort – and one of his most remarkable, in my opinion. However, due to accusations of racism, the film was never released to theaters in the U.S.; undaunted, Fuller took it to Europe instead!

Having watched it twice myself (first on Italian TV and now on DivX, both viewings compromised by the full-screen format – since it was originally filmed in Panavision – and the latter even more so by the VHS quality of the source!), I have to say that I really don’t see it as a racist picture at all. On the contrary, the film deals extremely tactfully with its delicate subject matter, and nowhere does it condone such views! One perhaps tends to forget that, hand in hand with the racial angle, the film also tackles another very sensitive issue: animal cruelty. This is handled just as effectively, particularly in the scene towards the end where the dog’s previous redneck owner appears out of the blue to reclaim it.

Despite the violence it commits, the dog is never portrayed as a ‘monster’ that should be destroyed like the ones we encounter in conventional horror films. However, it does carry undeniable connotations with the genre – notably Robert Louis Stevenson’s perennial “Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde”. Like the leading character of that story, the dog seems to register two diverse and entirely opposing personalities – docile, protective and even playful with its mistress (Kristy McNichol), then turning suddenly into an unstoppable beast out for blood whenever a colored person crosses its path!

The ‘reconditioning’ scenes with Paul Winfield are exceptional, and really give one an idea of what trained animals have to go through before they finally learn to ‘perform’. The rather bleak final scene (so typical of Fuller) is especially powerful – and poignant. The film is accompanied by a simple yet tremendously effective score by the great Ennio Morricone. From the cast, both McNichol and Winfield are superb; Burl Ives is admirably cast against type; Jameson Parker (from the SIMON & SIMON TV series) appears as McNichol’s boyfriend; and there are nice cameos by the likes of veterans Marshall Thompson and Dick Miller, director Paul Bartel and even Fuller himself (as McNichol’s agent).

Twenty-five years after the fact, it seems that Paramount has had enough time to reconsider its position and accommodate this important motion picture with an official release, at long last – which is rumored to be coming via a Criterion DVD, no less! I truly hope that we will soon see this fascinating and thought-provoking film receive the exposure it so well deserves: if anything, it ought to be made available for its valid sociological aspects – which it doesn’t exploit for sensationalistic value but rather aims for maximum eloquence with a direct, realistic style that really shouldn’t offend anybody…


06/11/07: BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN (Larry Charles, 2006) :star::star:1/2

I wasn’t into Sacha Baron Cohen’s previous alter ego, rapper Ali G, at all; I didn’t think I’d be drawn to this character (who has garnered as much admiration as contempt either), given his sexist nature – but, at least, it provides a wider range of targets and opportunities for controversy. Incidentally, the head-shaking reaction which usually greets Borat is ultimately more of a comment on his ostensibly cultured ‘victims’ than the unsophisticated hero himself.

The film itself is patchy but mercifully short – and, surprisingly, I found it to be genuinely inspired at times (even if its brand of savage no-holds barred satire has been more stylishly explored by Monty Python 35 years ago); besides, the dinner-table defecation was much better done by Luis Bunuel in an unforgettable scene from THE PHANTOM OF LIBERTY (1974)! Anyway, it generally plays like a live-action version of “South Park” (that series’ creators, in fact, receive a special thanks during the end credits here).

Some scenes are undeniably uproarious – his rendition of the national anthem of Kazakhstan at a rodeo; the dinner sequence in a Southern household (mentioned above); the mayhem at an antique shop; and the lengthy nude fisticuff between Borat and his heavy-set manager (which is where the film really oversteps the threshold of grossness). However, other ‘sketches’ fall miserably flat – in particular, the entire Pamela Anderson episode (which actually takes about half the running-time!) is an embarrassment: this section includes Borat’s meeting with a group of wasted kids in a trailer (which is how the hero gets wise to Anderson’s marital status) and his eventual brush with a community of revivalist Christians.


06/12/07: TUTTI DEFUNTI…TRANNE I MORTI (Pupi Avati, 1977) :star::star:1/2

I had first watched this some years ago and recall being underwhelmed by it – but, then, that viewing had been accompanied by Avati’s much more somber and altogether superior efforts THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (1976) and ZEDER (1983)…

A bizarre but heavy-handed giallo spoof whose overall effect is extremely uneven, it features a plethora of eccentric characters: inept detective, diminutive hero, a cross-eyed psycho and a dwarf (actually a man in drag!) for servants – plus a mad combo of relatives including a matriarch suffering from dementia, her cowboy of a second husband, her sex-crazed retard son who has to be frequently restrained via electro-shock therapy, another son who’s also a ‘little man’ (played by Bob Tonelli, one of the film’s own financiers!), etc. Both the hero and the detective overstate their masculinity – the former swaggers incessantly, while the latter is frequently caught with his pants down; the lovely and lively heroine is played by Francesca Marciano (whose character in THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS was given a particularly gruesome death, a scene which had even adorned that film’s memorable poster!).

The film does provide some belly laughs – such as the casual knifing of a book vendor early on, the death of a relative by a booby-trap hair-dryer, his wife’s demise via a dynamite placed in her mouth, the detective biting Tonelli’s hand to check if it’s fake (with the latter snapping “F*** You!” at the former’s suggestion to try the other one), and the American jumping on his horse from a high window (with the animal ending up half-buried in the ground and the rider with a tremendous pain in the groin!). There’s also an ingenious resolution (with the initials of all the victims comprising an anagram of the location of the family treasure’s hiding-place) – even though the identity of the killer is rather given away by the film’s very title!

The Raro DVD edition I watched includes an interesting featurette – lasting a little over half-an-hour – involving the Avati brothers (co-writer/director Pupi and co-writer/producer Antonio), star Gianni Cavina (the detective) and character actor/TV personality Michele Mirabella (the cowboy) in which they discuss the genesis of the film and its production, as well as their relationship to one another and the rest of the cast.

Ultimately, I liked the movie well enough this time around to want to check out two other Avati comedies I recently taped off late-night Italian TV – LA MAZURKA DEL BARONE, DELLA SANTA E DEL FICO FIORONE (1975) and BORDELLA (1975)…


06/14/07: BLOOD LINK (Alberto De Martino, 1982) :star::star:1/2

This obscure Italian film – made in the English language – mixes typical elements of the giallo with a few sci-fi trappings, and adds to them a doppelganger theme. Incidentally, given that it deals with Siamese twins who haven’t been in contact for years but are able to ‘see’ what one another is doing, it somehow feels like the long-lost sibling of two Brian De Palma films itself – coming, as it does, in between his SISTERS (1973) and RAISING CAIN (1992)!

Anyway, it’s mildly interesting (even more so for me, being a twin myself!), good-looking (the film was shot in the U.S. and Germany) and features an understated Ennio Morricone score – but, in the long run, emerges as nothing especially remarkable. Besides, even if the supporting cast is decked out with veteran presences – Geraldine Fitzgerald, Virginia McKenna and Cameron Mitchell – they’re all basically wasted (McKenna, for instance, is already dead within the first 5 minutes!).

The lead is played by Michael Moriarty, an actor noted for his intense performances – and, here, we get double the dose (with the star, predictably, hamming it up particularly in his serial-killer characterization)! However, he’s flanked by two lovely ladies whose contribution is above-average for this sort of thing – Penelope Milford (ex-Oscar nominee for COMING HOME [1978]!) as the good Moriarty’s girlfriend and Sarah Langenfeld (in one of only 4 films she did) as the daughter of has-been prizefighter Mitchell, whose cold-blooded murder at the hands of the bad Moriarty she witnesses. By the way, the film features a surprising amount of nudity (by the two girls and others) – but it’s not done in an overly sleazy or exploitative manner.

The ‘face/off’ situations between the two brothers provide the expected fireworks; the climax, then, sees Milford distracting the villainous (and impotent) Moriarty by letting him rape her – thus enabling the police to track him down through his brother’s ability to recognize the surroundings! This is followed, however, by a far-fetched CARRIE (1976)-like twist set in the city morgue…but which leads to an effectively unsettling ‘curtain’ where Milford is literally unable to tell which brother she’s ended up with!


P.S.If all goes well, I should be getting to another of De Martino’s horror films – HOLOCAUST 2000 (1977) – in the near future, which is one I’ve missed out on numerous times in the past…

 

[PatW]

Who Killed the Electric Car (2006) :star: :star: :star: 1/2

A fascinating documentary that is quite biased but still an interesting watch. I learned a few things that I wasn't aware of.

 

[george kaplan]

The Thin Man Goes Home

Finished introducing my son to the Thin Man series (I don't intend to waste his time showing him Song of the Thin Man).

 

[george kaplan]

The Motorcycle Diaries

As a standalone film, the first half is a pedantically cliched buddy road picture. The second half is better, with some social relevance, but overall, a pretty forgettable film. It is far more interesting as a (relatively true?) portrait of Che during that early time, but that doesn't really make it any better as a film per se.

 

[george kaplan]

Raise the Red Lantern

Well-made Chinese soap opera. But no matter how well-made, it remains a soap opera. I've seen a number of such Chinese films, and I couldn't tell them apart at this point to save my life.

 

[PatW]

Father of the Bride (1950) :star: :star: :star: :star:

Though the Steve Martin re-make of this classic is not without its charms, it can't hold a candle to the original. This is Spencer Tracy at his best, during the peak of his career and this movie really belongs to him. Joan Bennett was great as the mother of the bride and Elizabeth Taylor - Well what can I say about her other than, what a beauty!!

 

[george kaplan]

Ball of Fire

Written by Billy Wilder, directed by Howard Hawks, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper and loaded with top-notch character actors (S.Z. Sakall, Henry Travers, Richard Haydn, Allen Jenkins, Oskar Homolka, and many others). Put them all together, and you get one great classic comedy.

 

[SteveGon]

Waning Solstice (2005)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Occult thriller has a centuries-old Inquisitor and a band of contemporary young
adults battling a she-demon whose legion of zombies threatens humanity. Potentially
interesting premise is ruined by shoddy execution and an overbearing sountrack.

:star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Apache Point: Zombies Gone Wild (2005)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Jokey, super cheap short about a group of friends who go on a camping trip
and run into flesh-eating zombies. Not much to it and just when you think
there might be, it's over. No relation to Zombies Gone Wild unless
sucking can be counted as a degree of familiarity.

:star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Ouanga (1934)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Obscure, old school zombie flick was the second film to feature the living
dead (after White Zombie). A mulatto woman loves a white plantation
owner on tropical Paradise Island (alas, no Wonder Woman here). Unfortunately
he spurns her on account of her blood so she has his appropriately white fiancee
kidnapped by zombies with the intent of using her in a voodoo sacrificial ceremony!
Fun little chiller if you can stomach the inherent racism.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Dead Next Door (1989)

Viewed 6/11/2007

Revisited J.R. Bookwalter's 8mm zombie epic that has a squad of soldiers
battling not only the undead, but a religious cult that wishes to preserve
them! Cheesy but pretty entertaining. Bruce Campbell dubs the lead actor's voice.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Ghouls (2003)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Grimy thriller about a news photographer who specializes in filming urban
carnage. Secretly he gets off on recording bloodshed, but even he isn't
prepared when he runs across "the ghouls," a ravenous horde of sewer-dwelling
mutants (shades of C.H.U.D.). Surprisingly decent low budgeter.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Zombie Genocide (1993)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Homegrown zombie outing was Ireland's first ever undead feature. Four
friends return from a camping trip to discover their town has been overrun
by the living dead. Technically no different than its cheapo American cousins,
but tense and exciting. The Irish accents give it an added novelty value.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Corpses of Doom (2006)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Cheeky Scots short has four pals returning from a camping trip only to
find themselves in the middle of a zombie outbreak. What's worse, there's
no food in the house!

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Zombie Town (2005)

Viewed 6/11/2007 (first viewing)

Parasites turn the inhabitants of a small Vermont town into slavering ghouls
and only an inept mechanic, his hot and brainy girlfriend and their public servant pal
stand a chance of stopping them. Entertaining if rote; the male leads' monotonous
delivery is a debit.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Stolen Children (1992)

Viewed 6/12/2007 (first viewing)

Modern Italian classic about a young brother and sister who are left homeless
after their mother is arrested. A youthful soldier is tasked with delivering them
to a children's home and along the way the three develop a bond. Simple but
powerful film harkens back to the days of neorealism.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Whirlpool of Fate (1925)

Viewed 6/12/2007 (first viewing)

Directorial debut from Jean Renoir stars his then wife Catherine Hessling as
a young girl who is left in the care of her brutish uncle after her father dies.
She then strikes out on her own and takes up with a poacher and his mother.
Good melodrama with some standout scenes.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Twisted Nerve (1968)

Viewed 6/13/2007 (first viewing)

Superior thriller from John Boulting about a disturbed young man who adopts
the mannerisms of a simpleton in order to get close to the girl of his dreams.
The main theme here by Bernard Herrmann was later used in Kill Bill
(the tune Daryl Hannah whistles).

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Stone Council (2005)

Viewed 6/13/2007 (first viewing)

A woman adopts a Mongolian boy only to discover that he's wanted by a
coven of witches for his paranormal healing abilities....or something like that.
Silly, half-baked thriller never catches fire and coasts on the star power of
Monica Bellucci. This junk probably would have made a godzillion dollars
had it been made stateside.

:star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Daisy (2006)

Viewed 6/13/2007 (first viewing)

Korean romantic drama about a love triangle that develops between a
cop, a hitman and a pretty young artist. Nicely done with great use of
its Amsterdam locations, though it gets to be a bit much at the end.
Sort of a lower octane version of The Killer.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Third Part of the Night (1970)

Viewed 6/14/2007 (first viewing)

Polish classic from Andrzej Zulawski set in Nazi-occupied Poland. A
man joins the resistance after the slaughter of his family and ends up
living with a woman who closely resembles his dead wife - and that's
not the only odd happening! Nightmarish film with spurts of Sam
Peckinpah-inspired violence.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Man Who Left His Will On Film (1971)

Viewed 6/14/2007 (first viewing)

Experimental film from Nagisa Oshima follows a group of leftist students
as they ponder the inscrutable final testament - left on film - of one of
their own who has comitted suicide. Dense and talky, but not without
interest (though frankly I could only stomach about five minutes of
these self-important twits).

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Dust Devil (1992)

Viewed 6/15/2007 (first viewing)

A woman is menaced by a shapeshifting demon in the African desert. Pretentious
entry in the serial killer genre is fortunately well done and stylishly captivating.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Rampo Noir (2005)

Viewed 6/15/2007 (first viewing)

Uneven but intriguing quartet of tales based on the stories of Edogawa Rampo,
the Japanese Edgar Allan Poe. Definitely not for those weak of stomach.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Sade (2000)

Viewed 6/16/2007 (first viewing)

Engrossing account of the Marquis de Sade's stay at Picpus prison, a former
convent used in revolutionary France as a holding pen for aristocrats awaiting
the guillotine. While he dallies with a young woman who wants to experience
pleasure for the first - and probably last - time, an old lover schemes to free him.
Daniel Auteuil protrays the Marquis as a likeable, free-thinking pragmatist. Simple,
solid filmmaking.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Strange Circus (2000)

Viewed 6/16/2007 (first viewing)

A young girl is molested by her parents and later writes a novel based
on her experiences. But did the events she describes actually happen?
This twisted tale is stylishly done and full of surprises.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Les Miserables (1935)

Viewed 6/17/2007 (first viewing)

Superior version of Victor Hugo's novel starring Fredric March and Charles Laughton.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Labyrinth of Dreams (1997)

Viewed 6/17/2007 (first viewing)

Cool, dreamlike tale of a bus conductor who comes to believe that her new
driver - the man she's falling in love with - is the serial killer who murdered
her best friend. Beautifully photographed if a bit distant.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[george kaplan]

Visages d'enfants

On the plus side, this silent French drama has very little overacting, beautiful cinematography and the last half hour of the film is both interesting and touching. On the negative side, some of the acting is rather wooden and stiff, and the first hour and a half of the film is not terribly interesting. Overall a mixed bag, but good to see that not all silent dramas had to engage in overacting.

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

6/16: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer :star::star::star::star: out of :star::star::star::star::star:

The humor, action, characters, gadgets, effects, and all of the other elements of the film are well done. I am particularly impressed with the realization of the Fantasticar this time around. This sequel does not have the same freshness or wow factor of the first film, but it delivers 90 minutes of solid entertainment and does not overstay its welcome.

 

[Adam_S]

I've almost forgotten that I saw How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days - 5 of 10

Reasonably funny film that falls apart if you think too hard. There's good chemistry and a fun premise, but every beat and moment of the film is predictable from one scene to the next.

 

[george kaplan]

High Noon

My son's classic film education continues, with, I think, his first classic western.

 

[george kaplan]

Sweethearts

There's something about high-pitched singing that just irritates the hell out of me (it's the reason I can't stand Journey). And Jeanette MacDonald is about as irritatingly high-pitched as they come. Painful.

 

[JohnRice]

Carlito's Way - :star::star::star: / :star::star::star::star::star:

I used to really like this flick, but it hasn't held up well for me. Still, even a fair gangster flick is pretty decent.


Little Children - :star::star::star::star: / :star::star::star::star::star:

I think it is safe to declare Todd Field one of the all-time most talented directors of seriously unpleasant films. His first feature film, In the Bedroom, was based on stories by Andre Dubus (as was the equally joyous We Don't Live Here Anymore) and is one of the best English Language films of the decade. Little Children has a similar feel and theme, though it is from a different writer. There is a gutsy move of having a literary style omniscient, somewhat sterile narrator in this movie. Well done, unpleasant movie.

I also have to give props for more guts, as this is only the second film I have ever seen (with The Woodsman) which attempts to create sympathy for a convicted pedophile.

 

[PatW]

Bridge to Terabithia (2007) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2

I was watching my niece this afternoon and decided to rent this movie. Very big mistake. Heather is a sensitive little girl and even though she's 11, this movie was just too much for her. She was extremely upset after the movie was over. Her parents assured me that she would love it. I only wish I had screened it myself. :frowning:

This movie is wonderful and I will be adding it to my collection. It's not exactly as it was advertised but no matter. I thoughly enjoyed watching this even though I cried for a good portion of it. The acting was superb especially from the two children. I loved the creatures in this imaginary world. Beautifully photographed and directed. Next time I'll be watching it alone.

 

[george kaplan]

That Uncertain Feeling

It has a few laughs, but not what you'd expect from a Lubitsch film. Not bad, but certainly not at the top of his game.

An Angel at my Table

Jane Campion isn't the worst director to ever make a film. But she's certainly in the bottom 10.

 

[Sandro]

Out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End :star: :star:
Noisy and irritating

Robocop :star: :star: :star:
I was not too impressed by recent viewings of Verhoeven's Dutch films and actually find his Hollywood movies far superior. His brash, slick style seems perfectly suitable to the American sensibility and to this film in particular. Great fun as either as an violent comicbook film or as a satire.

Sympathy for the Underdog :star: :star: :star:
Another excellent Fukasaku yakuza effort

Tower of London (1962) :star: :star:
Corman and Price do the princes in the Tower story and the result is uninteresting.

Tomb of Ligeia :star: :star: :star: 1/2
The last of the Corman Poe series has a slightly different feel as the emphasis is more on the serious elements of the film. With this and Masque of the Red Death it seems like Corman was trying to show that he had a more serious/arty side.

Idiocracy :star: :star: 1/2
Fitfully amusing comedy satire hits uncomfortable close to home at certain points. Well worth a look.

Dead Man's Shoes :star: :star: :star:
British revenge story is an antidote to the usual slickness and superficiality of the genre. I was actually taken by surprise by both the twist which adds depth to the story and also by the climax.

Two Mules for Sister Sarah :star: :star: :star:
Enjoyable and entertaining Siegel/Eastwood Western.

Creature from the Haunted Sea :star: 1/2
Goofy early Corman cheapie.

And Soon the Darkness :star: :star: 1/2
I have wanted to see this movie for ages but it turned out to be a disappointment in a couple of respects. I admire it for its minimalism, subtlety, short timeframe and setting in broad daylight. The set-up is pretty good but there is hardly any plot development after the first 30 minutes. It would have worked better as an hour TV show which is the medium in which the writer and director came from. Secondly this is one of those whodunnits where any of the characters could have been the villain - they are all given certain scenes where the audience wonders whether each could be the killer but the final reveal is less than exciting.

Joe Kidd :star: :star: 1/2
Average Eastwood Western

Poppy :star: :star: 1/2
You're Telling Me :star: :star: :star:
The Old-Fashioned Way :star: :star: :star:
All from the WCFields box.

White Skin :star: :star:
A French language Canadian horror film set in Montreal covers some new ground but comes off as a bit amateurish. It did not help that I saw the dubbed version and not the subtitled version.

Face of Another :star: :star: :star: 1/2
Wonderfully perverse Japanese film from 1966 about a man who seriously damages his face in an industrial accident, struggles to relate to his wife and others while wrapped in badages and then begins to wear an extremely lifelike mask. This fascinating film brings up many themes and questions concerning identity, how faces reflect character, appearance and reality and goes off in unusual directions. The visuals in the doctor's office are extraordinary and there is also a parallel story of a young scarred woman woven into the film.
There are some similarities in subject matter and themes to Eyes Without a Face, Seconds and Onibaba and this film deserves to be more widely known and seen.

 

[PatW]

Miss Potter (2007) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2

Bio-pic based on the life of famed English author Beatrix Potter. A very charming movie with a lovely performance by Renee Zellweger as the author of a famous series of children's books. The movie details how she came to develop her characters, her romance with her book editor and her later interest in preserving the farm land in the lake district. Also a great performance by Ewan McGregor. I was enchanted by this story from beginning to end.