The 'Recently Watched Films' Thread

[aao]

I never said anything about the film "making" any "statements", I said it "analyses or at least tries to show the anxieties, maladies and traumas that shape and condition contemporary Western culture". OK, it was a very pretentious thing to say, however, analyzing or "trying to show" something isn't synonymous with making a statement about it. And, the way Brandon "handles" the details of his sex life does show something about the way sex, mental/physical conditions, privacy and maybe even bodily functions are viewed and handled in society. Also, I never said anything about "the specific living environment in New York", I said, as you know, "contemporary Western culture". Childhood/adolescence traumas, sexual abuse, incest and mental illness; things that the siblings probably experienced, as was hinted at in the film, and the way they're handled in society and the family unit DO have a part in shaping and conditioning them.

[Rumpelstilzchen]

I never said anything about the film "making" any "statements", I said it "analyses or at least tries to show the anxieties, maladies and traumas that shape and condition contemporary Western culture". OK, it was a very pretentious thing to say, however, analyzing or "trying to show" something isn't synonymous with making a statement about it. And, the way Brandon "handles" the details of his sex life does show something about the way sex, mental/physical conditions, privacy and maybe even bodily functions are viewed and handled in society. Also, I never said anything about "the specific living environment in New York", I said, as you know, "contemporary Western culture". Childhood/adolescence traumas, sexual abuse, incest and mental illness; things that the siblings probably experienced, as was hinted at in the film, and the way they're handled in society and the family unit DO have a part in shaping and conditioning them.

Ok then in slightly shifted words: I do not think the films analyses or tries to show anything as general as shaping or conditioning of contemporary western culture (does not make much of a difference, does it? ). It is rather a very specific case study of a form of addiction that has never been handled in film before (to my knowledge). I do not think one should generalize anything from this movie to society. New York is the setting in the film, therefore I chose it in my short argumentation, what is the problem with that? It is part of the Western world isn't it? Where does sexual abuse and incest come into play in the film at all? I do not remember any scene where abuse or incest are shown or indicated. In any case nowhere are the latter addressed in such a detail that one could say that the film is discussing the origin of both protagonist's (severe) psychological problems. One can guess that something might have happenend in their childhood, but this is only guesswork. The film does not treat the origins of their problems at all. It only shows their problems as they have them in this period of their life. Therefore I agreed with you saying that the film is naturalistic

[Rumpelstilzchen]

Btw, I think the acting of Fassbender in the film is incredibly strong. Imo, the only explanation for him not be taken into account for an academy award must be the 'exquisite' topic of the film, probably not suitable for the academy award ceremony.

[Hamlet]

"Walkabout" is on UK TV in the next couple of weeks, looking forward to finally seeing it. Still holds up I've heard!

[Liam]

Had a little Robert Altman marathon recently:

Nashville (1975):
3 Women (1977): +
The Prairie Home Companion (2006):

The first two of these have aged really well. Altman's last film is short, sweet and unostentatious, but beautifully filmed.

[Hamlet]

Nashville's a favourite.

Thanks for the other two Liam, I'll look those up as I haven't had the privilege.

[Stiffelio]

Had a little Robert Altman marathon recently:

Nashville (1975):
3 Women (1977): +
The Prairie Home Companion (2006):

The first two of these have aged really well. Altman's last film is short, sweet and unostentatious, but beautifully filmed.

Nashville is an extraordinary film; probably one of his best. I haven't seen Three Women but your mentioning it reminds me I should.

[Liam]

I haven't seen Three Women but your mentioning it reminds me I should.

It's extraordinary, and not very Altman-like; hugely surreal. A little derivative, as I said, and probably influenced by Bergman's Persona (1966).

[Liam]

Corpse Bride (2005): -

Pure Tim Burton. Amazing visuals, but short on depth. Had a couple of brilliant scenes, but the rest is easily forgettable (if enjoyable).

[Liam]

Blade Runner: Director's Cut:
A.I. Artificial Intelligence:

Although visually more spectacular and definitely a more "fluid" and genuine masterpiece, Blade Runner still leaves me cold emotionally. I kept watching replicants getting killed and just shrugged my shoulders: it's all part of the surreal atmosphere the movie evokes. You're never able to connect with any of the characters on any level, which, for a movie that attempts to broaden the viewer's humanity to a new level--the level of caring for something/someone that's soulless and mechanical--is rather a failure.

A.I. has many weak and sensational moments (like the infamous Flesh (Flash?) Fair sequence), but the question of man's moral responsibility toward inanimate things--machines, robots, toys, etc--is explored to such a degree, I don't believe there will ever be another film after this that will achieve the same intensity of emotion, not quite.

The final half-hour is probably the most miraculous thing in cinema--the rediscovered "childhood," the scenes with the Mother, "I found you...", the tears on the cheek of the robot-child (David, how beautiful!)--makes me cry every time. Tonight was about the third or fourth time I watched this film, and I'm trying to ration myself, so as to save some of the same intensity for future viewings.

Beowulf is on tomorrow's menu.

[kpjayan]

The two Escobars - ESPNs documentary on the Drug Don Pabo Escobar and the Colombian Footballer Andres Escobar ( killed after their exit from 1994 FIFA World Cup in USA). Drug money and Soccer in Colombian Football. Awesome.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1522863/

[Liam]

Andrucha Waddington: The House of Sand (2005):

3rd time watching it, and gorgeous, as always. There's a beautiful moment when the main character, having been cut off from civilization for ten years, comes across a camp of scientists in the desert, and the first thing she picks up is not food or any of their scientific instruments but a novel by Eça de Queiroz (never mind that the book belongs to a soldier and a pornographic photograph falls out of it, ). I thought it was a beautiful quiet moment, stressing our hunger for the written word.

[toshiro]

Recently watched Apocalyspe now on the box. The original version for me was better than the redux version. The only scene I would have liked to have seen in the original version which wasnt cut , was the scene where Kurtz, reads extracts from magazines to Willard.

[Liam]

Ki-Duk Kim: The Isle (2001):

Poetic, scary, and visually breathtaking, but very uneven and ends on a weak note: I would much rather simply have them float away into the sea...

[Stiffelio]

Ki-Duk Kim: The Isle (2001):

Poetic, scary, and visually breathtaking, but very uneven and ends on a weak note: I would much rather simply have them float away into the sea...

We oftentimes disagree about books but maybe we tend to have similar thoughts about films. I love Kim Ki-duk in general but I thought this one was one of his weaker movies.

[Liam]

@ Stiffy: One of his weaker movies, yes, but filled with some very strong moments, yes? Like the mutilated fish thrown back into the sea (an image out of Woolf's To the Lighthouse, I am convinced) or the caged little bird sinking underneath the waves.

Just watched Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout for about a fourth or fifth time. I try not to watch it too often (I own it on DVD) so that I approach it, each time, with the appropriate degree of freshness, and it didn't disappoint me this time. Many beautiful moments I have forgotten about: like the wombat (or what I took to be a wombat) sniffing at the sleeping boy's blond hair--lovely.

[Hamlet]

Too many to list, but watched the Peck version of Moby Dick, and did enjoy it, he seemed slightly miscast, but may have been better than the Patrick Stewart ed I have somewhere on dvd.

Moby Dick seems to be a bit of a problem for film adaptation, too big, too mythic?

[pigeonweather]

'Sound of my Voice' - "A journalist and his girlfriend get pulled in while they investigate a cult whose leader claims to be from the future". Directed by Zal Batmanglij

This is a very Southern California "indie" film and nicely done, a fairly mellow film that leads to a really good moment (if not a classic 'climax'). It doesn't have anywhere near the sheer quantity of action or emotion that define contemporary American movies, but it does have an interesting story, decent acting, zero special effects, and a handful of ideas. It did leave me with the feeling that things don't have to be 'great' all the time. It seems that in this superlative-infested era if something is not deemed 'great' it's therefore shit. One thing I liked about this movie is that it was just good and that's okay.

You can't really talk much about the details of the movie without wandering into spoiler territory so I won't do that here.

[Liam]

The Plea (1968), dir. Tengiz Abuladze:

A beautiful allegory, based on neo-classical Georgian poetry. Strongly reminiscent of Paradjanov, but earlier (and in black and white).

[Liam]

A Serbian Film: +

My god, what a crock o' shit. Only in Europe.

A very well-made film, but raping a newborn baby was a bit uncalled-for, wouldn't you say?