2004 Film List - Page 10

Brook K · 08-23-2004, 12:08 PM

2 newbies plus my usual assortment of oldies added to the list

Zatoichi The Blind Swordsman - Some outstanding fights, I thought the CGI blood worked (much better use of CGI than many $100m+ Hollywood films). Kitano once again shows off his unique comic sensibility which I never fail to enjoy. But the shift of the story away from Zatoichi to a comic sidekick and a brother/sister pair of geishas seeking revenge along with a story that has so many bad guys and multiple climaxes, results in a dispersal of the wonderful energy it had been building. B+

Intimate Strangers - A breath of fresh air from director Patrice Leconte who brings us one my favorite kinds of movies: The delicious complexity of human communication. No action necessary or desired, especially when we are watching two actors as skilled as Fabrice Luchini and Sandrine Bonnaire. Earns a spot on my top 10 list. A-

Seth Paxton · 08-23-2004, 12:15 PM

The Bourne Supremacy
8.5 of 10
First the bad. The direction just does not work well with the story. The hand camera style that works well for the "you are there" feel of great documentaries does not serve a serious action film that is centered around realistic action rather than Bay-over-the-top styles.

And that really is too bad because the script and stunts for the sequel are on par with the first (minus a cab taking a bit too much of a beating for how long it stayed in one piece). When the camera does get back far enough and stops zooming in and out you can see really great car stunts and interesting and intense fight scenes.

Backing it all is a solid script that actually motivates its characters appropriately and establishes their interaction quite well. The only scripting issues I had were in the last act as some pieces weren't well-connected on screen, a few leaps in their logic that might have made sense but came out of nowhere. Rather like the film was being hurried along at the end.

Bourne is not perfect and the people after him aren't nitwits. There is real danger here requiring him to apply his skills to the fullest, and this makes him a far more interesting character. More like James Bond without the fantasy. Finally a guy who limps and struggles to move after a hard fall or fight. Maybe not as much as he really would, but far more than is typical.

If only the camera would sit still and far enough away to let you clearly see all this great work.

The Big Bounce
1 of 10
I have read a few Leonard novels, though not this one (I also have not seen the original). As I watched this film I could see the original, interesting, typical Leonard story unfolding (ala Jackie Brown, Get Shorty, Out of Sight - all good at capturing his flavor).

What I couldn't see was a good script telling it. It was only because I know his character types and mix of light humor, criminals, and cons that I could appreciate what was going on in the film. Even still I struggled to recognize a coherent story in this film, made up of directionless scene after directionless scene.

Truly an awful adaptation. It might have had the characters right and the story right, but as for how it presented all of that in the film medium...just horrifyingly awful in a Tomcats/Ecks vs Sever way.

MichaelPe · 08-24-2004, 11:32 PM

Finally updated my list with entries from the last 2 months, including lots of great titles from the Fantasia and Comedia festivals.

And tomorrow is the opening of the sweet Montreal World Film Festival. I'm a tiny bit disappointed with this year's programming, but nevertheless, I'm planning on watching quite a few films again this year.

Edwin Pereyra · 08-25-2004, 08:13 AM

Joshua Marston's Maria Full Of Grace

As I noted in my review comments, this is the type of film that gets a director instant international acclaim in the same manner City of God did to Fernando Meirelles, Before Night Falls to Julian Schnabel and Amores Perros to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

~Edwin

Seth Paxton · 08-26-2004, 09:19 PM

That's pretty strong praise Edwin. You got my attention. I think its in town now so I might try to catch it if its still on this weekend.

Two DVD rentals

The Butterfly Effect
6.5 of 10
If it didn't feel a bit like other films at times and had some better acting in most of the roles (Ashton was one of the stronger efforts in the film IMO) I could have rated it higher. But while it treads some familiar Twilight Zone ground it also adds new elements like the confusion/insanity of trying to comprehend all the memories of different realities which gives it a good bite.

Not a bad effort.

13 Going on 30
4 of 10
Another film that really pounds familiar sidewalks (didn't we just cover this issue in Freaky Friday), its not really horrible as much as it is safe and dull most of the time.

At least Butterfly Effect had some real zip to some scenes. BTW, who in their right mind would join in on the Thriller dance? Hell, who really remembers it enough to do so? Not to mention the generally goofiness of the extras in that scene that slips into outright camp.

Edwin Pereyra · 08-26-2004, 10:13 PM

Seth, I would rather have you go in without that high of an expectation. Those three other films I mentioned above are unique in their own way, two of which I rated 4 stars. Maria Full Of Grace earns a 3 1/2 star rating from me.

~Edwin

Brook K · 08-27-2004, 01:23 AM

Maria has been playing here for 2-3 weeks but there is just so much to see right now that I probably will be waiting until DVD.

I'll probably be seeing Father And Son or Hero this weekend along with Taxi Driver at the midnight movie. I think there are 12 movies opening in Atlanta this weekend and I want to see at least 5 of them.

Edwin Pereyra · 08-28-2004, 08:17 AM

Zhang Yimou's Hero - U.S. Theatrical Version (Hong Kong/China)

On Deck: Garden State

~Edwin