Night on Earth

2011-08-072018-01-15 ~ Mark

Night on Earth. It’s a mixed bag. A set of five short films, like Paris, je t’aime. None of the stories connect or tie in with each other in the Syriana/Babel/Magnolia/Pulp Fiction/Crash/Love Actually kind of way, besides the fact that they revolve around taxis. They all stand on their own. The Los Angeles and New York stories are the best. Paris was also very good. Rome and Helsinki rely too much on the storytelling of the drivers rather than the passenger-driver relationship of the first three stories. Though I wonder if there’s some cultural or filmic references that I’m missing that would have made those more enjoyable.

The Last Days of Disco

2011-08-032018-01-24 ~ Mark

The Last Days of Disco. I loved Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan. (At this point I might as well complete the semi-trilogy with Barcelona). This one isn’t quite as fun or funny as Metropolitan, but it still has that same well-paced, compulsively watchable slice-of-life-ness to it. Some of the old characters reappear, slightly older, but still as earnest and floundering and full of shit. Sevigny’s character Alice is the most grounded of the lot. Worthwhile. And it’s got an UNDENIABLE SOUNDTRACK. Criterion essay. Ebert says:

The underlying tone of the film is sweet, fond and a little sad: These characters believe the disco period was the most wonderful period of their lives, and we realize that it wasn’t disco that was so special, but youth.

3:10 to Yuma (1957)

2011-08-012018-01-24 ~ Mark

3:10 to Yuma (1957). This is another western with a somewhat reluctant hero on a deadline, like the excellent High Noon. This one, in Glenn Ford’s character, also has an early appearance of the now-archetypal chatty, charismatic villain. Lovely camerawork and a good soundtrack, too.

People’s Champion: Behind the Battle

2011-07-262018-01-24 ~ Mark

People’s Champion: Behind the Battle. I was bummed I missed the Atlanta premiere back in May, so I’m glad the first half of People’s Champion is now online. It’s a documentary going behind the scenes of the Eli Porter vs. Envy freestyle battle. They’re trying to Kickstarter the second half.

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

2011-07-222018-01-24 ~ Mark

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. You know it’s serious when the skies are overcast for two hours straight. Setting aside the expected clichés of dim lighting, muted palettes, stormclouds, speeches, etc., I went in expecting to be highly entertained and I was not disappointed. Until the end. I see the last five minutes as a pretty serious failure given the ~15 hours of good work that came before. Seriously, just throw an Ewok party and call it a day. Don’t try to make 20-year-olds-who-look-like-teenagers look like 40-years-olds. Yep, I’m old and grumpy. One day I’ll be glad to watch these again with my kids.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

2011-07-222018-01-24 ~ Mark

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. Honestly, I don’t remember this one well at all. My friends were talking a lot while it played. Whereas I’m not a superfan, and whereas I stopped reading the books after 2¼ books, it struck me as the same kind of chase-this, find-that sort of adventure I was expecting. Which is not at all a bad thing. It was fun. The best moment is Dobby unscrewing the chandelier.

Days of Heaven

2011-07-042018-01-15 ~ Mark

Days of Heaven. My first Malick film, and luckily an interesting, beautiful one. The story has scattershot narration by a young kid. Sometimes she has wise observations and sometimes she has immaterial asides. With this distance in age, we sort of see the characters in the central love triangle at a remove, a little more inscrutable. We see the drama and the tragedy but Malick’s not looking for your tears, I don’t think. The story’s too thin to bear it. The magic’s in the editing. The shots are elliptical, working by collage and juxtaposition and suggestion. Check out some lovely stills. Nice soundtrack from Mr. Morricone, to boot.

No Strings Attached

2011-07-042018-01-24 ~ Mark

No Strings Attached. This is pretty terrible. Awful script. But Lake Bell’s character was wonderful.

The Kids Are All Right

2011-07-042018-01-24 ~ Mark

The Kids Are All Right. It’s… alright. Not particularly funny nor dramatic. Breezy and halting in turns. Mostly a little awkward.

127 Hours

2011-06-202018-01-24 ~ Mark

127 Hours. This was the perfect movie to watch while trapped in the middle of a 10-hour plane ride. Well done. We need more 90-minute movies.

Days of Thunder

2011-06-062018-01-24 ~ Mark

Days of Thunder. It’s not very good. But is Robert Duvall the most likable actor of all time? Also, I didn’t realize that director Tony Scott is Ridley Scott’s little brother.

Back to the Future

2011-06-062018-01-24 ~ Mark

Back to the Future. I had an essentially perfect viewing at Screen on the Green. Far too long since the last time. I’m still blown away how flawless this movie is. Seems like not a single wasted second in the whole thing.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2011-05-312018-01-24 ~ Mark

Exit Through the Gift Shop. I wish I felt more strongly on the love/hate spectrum for this one, either direction. Hoax or not, this was a little… boring? I’ll add the disclaimer that street art isn’t really my thing. It was fun to see the gleeful rush that the artists get from making their projects come to life in the dark of night. There’s some kind of manic drive to it all, legal/ethical/logistical difficulties be damned.

Avatar

2011-05-302018-01-24 ~ Mark

Avatar. I’m of two minds on this one. Glad to cross it off the list, but you could live happily without seeing it. It’s about as good as you can do a dumb movie. Strange pacing. Heavy-handed political parallels. So much swooping sweeping camera movement. Give James Cameron credit for, gradually, over the course of the movie, making me actually want to finish it, and for not being afraid to kill off side characters. Maybe I’ll watch Titanic this year, too.

Hable con ella (Talk to Her)

2011-05-302018-01-24 ~ Mark

Hable con ella (Talk to Her). DNF.

Lars and the Real Girl

2011-05-262018-01-24 ~ Mark

Lars and the Real Girl. A little dreary, perhaps? Lots of people talking quietly. I wasn’t looking for perverted gags or slapstick or anything, but I just couldn’t hang with this one. But it’s got a good heart.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

2011-05-222018-01-24 ~ Mark

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Watch this more for the historical significance (successful interracial romance in the ‘60s) and star-studded cast (e.g. Spencer Tracy’s last performance) than for miracles of cinematography or storytelling. My modern perspective finds it overt and not very adventurous. Either we’ve come a long way or I’m fooling myself. Spencer Tracy’s final monologue is worth your time, though.

ATL

2011-05-202018-01-24 ~ Mark

ATL. Don’t expect Casablanca, but I recommend this without reservation – there’s some really great movie here. And it’s always flattering to have a movie in your home city. T.I. doesn’t do any dramatic fireworks, but he’s charismatic as usual. Big Boi’s character is terrifying and hilarious. You might know director Chris Robinson from his work on Bring Em Out, Shutterbugg, Go Getta, One Mic, No Love, etc.