Sight and Sound (2002) Greatest Films Club - Page 124

Adam_S · 05-30-2008, 05:29 PM

I don't hate the ending of Blow Up, I think it's kind of funny and appropriate. but I never really got caught up in the mystery in the first place. :shrug:

Lew Crippen · 05-30-2008, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by george kaplan

...

If Antonioni built a house, it'd be absolutely beautiful, but the toilets wouldn't be hooked up to any pipes.

I think that the toilet would work just fine—as would everything else.

It would just take an hour of discussion as to wheatear it was worth it or not to use the toilet.

Martin Teller · 05-31-2008, 03:58 AM

Two really good ones tonight!

#328 - Love Me Tonight

This put a big smile on my face. A light and breezy musical comedy, with a marvelous anything-goes attitude. From the sounds of the city opening to the fairy tale ending, it's full of carefree little bits of business. Great gags, great songs, great energy. But it wouldn't be half as good without Maurice Chevalier, whose irresistible charm lights up the screen. Jeanette Macdonald is the weak link... she's okay, but she can't compete with Chevalier's infectious disposition. I thought Myrna Loy was a better match for him. Rating: 9

#329 - Il Deserto Rosso

Antonioni isn't necessarily a lot like Bergman, but they kind of dwell in the same realm. And it's no surprise to me that his most Bergmanesque film (at least, of what I've seen) would be my favorite. With its story of a woman veering over the edge of sanity, I couldn't help but think of Through a Glass Darkly, and also shades of Face to Face and perhaps even The Silence. In fact, Monica Vitti even looks quite a bit like Ingrid Thulin. And her performance is riveting (although I'd say Richard Harris was wasted). The whole thing is incredibly thoughtful and nuanced, giving you much to absorb and appreciate without overwhelming you. The cinematography is the best I've seen in an Antonioni film, with bold color and heaps of haunting images. And the sound design is an unsettling mix of industrial hum and electronic noise. I also found this to be the most emotionally involved of his movies, which is one reason why I connected with it more than I usually do. Beautiful and strange and definitely worth coming back to. Rating: 9

Thomas J. · 05-31-2008, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam_S

I never really got caught up in the mystery in the first place. :shrug:

Neither did Antonioni

Martin Teller · 06-01-2008, 02:54 AM

#330 - Rue cases nègres (Sugar Cane Alley)

Euzhan Palcy has distinguished herself (at least, according to iMDB) for being the first black woman to direct a Hollywood movie, A Dry White Season. I saw that one in the theaters and thought it was a decent but unremarkable drama. This earlier work is a bit better. The storyline is somewhat been-there-done-that, and the mise en scene is nothing special, but there is a heartfelt, authentic quality to it. In some ways it was reminiscent of Satyajit Ray's Apu trilogy. The film's greatest asset is the strong characterization: Jose and his grandmother are people who grow on you quickly. Rating: 8

#331 - Bigger Than Life

What at first seems like a rather silly melodrama turns into a wickedly subversive, 1950's version of The Shining. In this case, the evil comes not from a spooky hotel but from Cortisone. James Mason plays a schoolteacher who goes batshit crazy when he starts taking too much of it, and begins to shatter his complacent suburban lifestyle. I'm sure it's no accident that his nickname at his moonlighting job is "Voice", a moniker that becomes especially appropriate as he begins to say the things the rest of us are thinking. It's still a little on the silly side, and it takes a while to get going... but once it does, it's brimming with intensity (thanks to Mason's unbridled performance) and vicious critique. This is my favorite so far from Nicholas Ray, and Mason, too. Nitpick: there's a really obvious mirror gaffe; keep your eyes peeled for a few frames of Ray squatting in front of the camera. Rating: 8

Martin Teller · 06-01-2008, 11:00 PM

Bride of Frankenstein (rewatch)

Popular opinion seems to overwhelmingly favor this sequel to the original, but I have to go against the grain on this one. It's much, MUCH goofier with its limp attempts at humor, Dr. Pretorius' miniature creations, and the monster becoming more human. And I was really stunned to discover (since I'd long forgotten the last time I saw it) that the "bride" doesn't appear until the final moments of the film. Perhaps this movie is more nuanced than its predecessor, but I found it less exciting and less entertaining. Rating: 7

#332 - To Sleep With Anger

A slow-burn drama exploring the impact that an unexpected, insidious houseguest has on a family. Danny Glover's devilish performance is wonderful, but to single him out is a disservice to the rest of the cast, all of whom are impressive. I enjoy Mary Alice in pretty much anything, even those godawful Matrix sequels. The writing is beautiful, never overplaying its hand and giving the actors some very well-drawn characters to work with. I wasn't exactly blown away by the film, but I really enjoyed it. Going to check out more by Charles Burnett. Rating: 8

Brook K · 06-01-2008, 11:08 PM

308 The Rise of Louis XIV
Later in his career, Roberto Rosselini became interested in making historical biographies. His films have a more modernist sensibility than was common at the time, seeking to pare down everything about the "costume drama" to get a more honest depiction that attempts to really get at who these figures were. While the philosophy behind this approach is admirable, the execution in this particular film is not particularly noteworthy. With dramatics removed, almost half the film is spent in set-up, while Louis' "rise to power" is basically him entering a room and rattling off some orders. So despite the lack of flowery speeches and "Lion in Winter" style dialogue, I don't think Rosselini achieved any greater degree of truth here, as Louis comes off as a near perfect figure who always knows what to do in the situations he's faced with and who has his finger on the psychology of his enemies, the nobility and the people.

I've probably made the film sound worse than it is, as it is certainly watchable and has some interesting aesthetics (the building of Versailles set is quite impressive given how little it is onscreen), its just that it pales in comparison to many of Rosselini's earlier films and "watchable" isn't exactly what I'm looking for with S&S films. - B

309 Ashes and Diamonds
My first experience with Andrezj Wadja is this film about an anti-communist assassin caught between duty and love on the day of Germany's surrendar in WWII. While the film sports exceptional b&w cinematography, in particular the lighting, the film's mix of cynical politics, history, philosophy and love story never quite meshes in a satisfying way. There are several strong individual scenes, such as the opening and the scene where the assassin's commander and friend realizes the futility of their cause, but any scene that doesn't feature the two main characters feels undercooked and lacking in energy. The coincidental nature of the ending also feels like it could have been executed better. It isn't quite The Wages of Fear, but it certainly brought that movie to mind. - B-

Martin Teller · 06-02-2008, 11:44 PM

#333 - Still Life

A most appropriate title. For people who think Kiarostami is just way too hectic, man. Saless seems to be playing a game of low expectations -- load the film with so much inactivity that it makes the slightest occurrence take on added dramatic weight. But fuck it, it kinda works. I can't explain why, but I was really fascinated by this, and somehow a lot less bored than I was during The Hands of Orlac, which I'd watched just before this. You end up getting rather invested in this old couple. I'm on the fence about this one, the same way I am about a lot of Kiarostami, but I pretty much liked it. Rating: 7

Brook K · 06-03-2008, 02:33 AM

Quote:

That Netflix version of Pakeezah is full-frame, though. It simply won't do the film justice.

I started watching this tonight but was way too tired to get through much of it. Though the disc is listed as full frame on the site, it is actually in the proper ratio. It's just not anamorphic so you get a windowboxed picture. Certainly isn't a quality presentation by any means though and t