Martin Scorsese's spectacularly-entertaining "Shutter Island"
by Sam Juliano
Snow and cold weather continues to grip the northeast, as Oscar fans map out their plans for their annual Oscar parties. Winter Olympic Game followers have no doubt enjoyed the unexpectedly fantastic performance by the USA contingent, which presently leads the field in medals. Congratulations to Joel Bocko on the launching of his new site and for the splendid series that began posting at WitD this past day. Action at Dave Hicks’s site continues with tireless enthusiasm for the greatest film noirs, while Jeffrey Goodman is up to the mid 40′s in his consideration of the greatest films of all time. Of course at Wonders in the Dark, Allan’s silent films marathon countdown has reached #36 with Vertov’s Man With A Movie Camera. Dee Dee and Tony have collaborated to navigate the Oscar prediction posts, and the work there is outstanding.
On the movie front it’s been a memorable week in theatres, the best of 2009 in fact, led by triumphant returns by film masters Martin Scorsese and Roman Polanski, and an exquisitely beautiful and spiritual French film, Lourdes, reviewed here at the site on Friday. I saw four films, one with the entire family, one with Lucille and Bobby McCartney, and two by my lonesome:
The major issue with the passably made documentary PHYLLIS AND HAROLD is that it’s really like watching the home movies of someone who hardly know. The two “subjects” are not very likable people to begin with, and the film’s director Cindy Kline (who is married to Andre Gregory of MY DINNER WITH ANDRE fame) seems detached from her parents, making for a very awkward emotional connection to anyone. These aren’t people I would like to spend any time with. In any case in a crowd of almost all seniors on Friday night, when the director appeared aat the Cinema Village to engage in a Q & A, I was sold a senior citizen ticket at the box office without asking for it, so it’s official now! Ha!
Martin Scorsese’s long-awaited SHUTTER ISLAND, turns out to be a spectacularly-entertaining film, that will still have at least a few bloggers crashing the party, telling us about it’s ‘narrative inconsistences’ as if we were first-graders. Those of us having a roller-ride of a time don’t give one iota about such insignificant issues, as we’re being whisked around at atmospherically-enthralling island, visiting a lighthouse, cave, cemetery burial vault, a prison cafeteria and a doctor’s study among such other deliciously intoxicating places. I never read Dennis Lehane’s novel, so I was thrown for a loop by the terrific ending, and as always was mightily impressed with Ralph Richardson’s weathered lensing and Scorsese’s excellent use of a Dachau flashback structure. Red herrings abound of course, and Leonardo Di Caprio gives his most mature performance to date, and a bevy of supporting players, especially Patricia Clarkson are superb. I already have plans to see this a second time on Tuesday night with sire regular Dennis Polifroni.
Then there’s good old Roman Polanski, who also does not shirk the call of duty with GHOST WRITER, turning in a taut, witty an dparanoid thriller, which recalls David Mamet’s ability to impart vital information in the silences between words. It’s a place Polanski has never visited before, but he’s adept at holding you enthralled with this political film with Hitchcockian pacing and subtle performances, anchored by Ewan McGregor in the title role. It’s a vivid and complex piece about among other things, missed chances.
So how was your week? You know the menu! Let’s hear it.
There’s a lot of great stuff out there, and it’s my pleasure to provide links:
At Films Noir headquarters, Tony d’Ambra continues to raise the bar with his consumate posts, most recently a stellar essay with literary references and a video clip on Robert Montgomery’s Ride the Pink Horse. http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/ride-the-pink-horse-1947-a-heart-full-of-soul.html
Dave Hicks’s tireless ‘Noir’ countdown continues with his latest essay on Phil Karlson’s Kansas City Confidential, which checks in at #59: http://goodfellamovies.blogspot.com/2010/02/59-kansas-city-confidential-phil.html
One of the net’s most prolific writers, John Greco, has another marvelous review from Hollywood’s Golden Age up, and it’s Hawks’s Ball of Fire: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/ball-of-fire-1941-howard-hawks-2/
At Aspiring Sellout, Jon Lanthier typically has a lot of recent goodies up including Slant reviews of a television show and the recent film Lourdes: http://aspiringsellout.com/
Talk about sustained passion for a television show?! Well, I’ve been there many times, and Troy Olson’s extraordinarily written and pictured post on Season 1 of Friday Night Lights really takes the cake. It’s stunning: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2010/02/tv-review-friday-night-lights-season-1.html
Wellmann expert and early American cinema buff Judy in the U.K. has a terrific new review up at Movie Classics on 1932′s Frisco Jenny: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/frisco-jenny-1932/
Craig Kennedy has a breaking report on the BAFTAs up at Living the Cinema: http://livingincinema.com/2010/02/21/as-they-happen-the-baftas/
David Schleicher is hot out of the gate with one of the first reviews on Scorsese’s Shutter Island, and it’s a doozer! Head over to The Schleicher Spin: http://davethenovelist.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/shutter-island-part-two-the-film/
Dee Dee, who has supported Marilyn and Greg’s noble ‘Film Preservation blogothon’ all week long, makes a final pitch here at Darkness Into Light: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2010/02/national-film-preservation-blogathon_20.html
Michael, the active and effervescent “Coffee Messiah,” continues to raise the bar for creativity and the through process with his deft combination of literary quotes, montages and poster art at his one-of-a-kind abode: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/
Marilyn Ferdinand, film preservationist and writer extraordinaire, is winding up one of her most admirable weeks of blogging: http://ferdyonfilms.com/
Daniel Getahun, who actually saw Shutter Island a week before it opened, also has a review up at his place, a stellar 300 word essay with an already building comment section: http://getafilm.blogspot.com/2010/02/300-words-about-shutter-island.html
A great interview involving Ed Howard at “Only Good Movies” contains Ed’s own philosophy on movies and movie going. It’s a must-read: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2010/02/ive-been-interviewed.html
Film Director Jeffrey Goodman moves forward with his terrific (and addictive) all-time annual countdown, and his latest post showcases Wilder’s Double Indemnity as the best film of 1944: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2010/02/1944-double-indemnity-billy-wilder.html
Donophon talks on Shutter Island and “New Directions” at his place:http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2010/02/shutter-islandnew-formatnew-direction.html
At Radiator Heaven, J.D. has a terrific essay up on “Bright Nights Big City”: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2010/02/bright-lights-big-city.html
At “Cinemascope” Shubhajit has an excellent capsukle up on Hershbiegel’s Downfall: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2010/02/downfall-der-untergang-2004.html
Longman Oz continues his excellent “Noughtie Films” series at his Dublin home “No Ordinary Fool” and as usual he has some great choices here: http://noordinaryfool.com/2010/02/21/100noughtiefilms_2005/
Kevin J. Olson makes some sober admissions at hi smost recent post, a truly great one at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/those-were-days.html
At Mondo 70, Samuel Wilson continues his mastery of world cinema with an outstanding essay of a film from Thailand: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2010/02/fireball-2009.html
R.D. Finch’s most recent post at The Movie Projector is a fine essay on Nicholas Ray’s In A Lonely Place: http://movieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/02/in-lonely-place-1950.html
At Gateway Cinephiles, Andrew Wyatt has penned a great review of a DVD release: http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2010/02/20/film-diary-black-mama-white-mama/
Looks like the gifted “Film Doctor” has really written up an exquisite review of A Serious Man at his place: http://filmdr.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-can-such-sign-mean-schlemiel-and.html
Jason Bellamy talks Shutter Island, and his exceptionally-penned review contains some serious issues he has with it: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2010/02/identity-crisis-shutter-island.html
Tony Dayoub has penned an exquisite review of the 1922 Sherlock Holmes for the historical preservation blogothon: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2010/02/for-love-of-film-film-preservation.html
Greg Ferrara, who with Marilyn, create dthis blogothon also has a magnificent review of the de Mille silent, The Godless Girl, at his place: http://cinemastyles.blogspot.com/2010/02/godless-girl-192829-d-cecil-b-demille.html
More gorgeous photography and incomparable outdoor nature is again featured at Terrill Lynch’s awesome blogsite, Creativepotager: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/simplicity/
Stephen Russell-Gebbet, always one to make forceful assertions, has what appears to be a must-read up at Checking On My Sausages on “Filmmaker’s Intentions.” Check it out: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2010/02/film-makers-intentions.html
At The Aspect Ratio, Ari continues to headlinw with Scott Gleine’s Top 25 list, but it’s a real good one: http://theaspectratio.net/scott2009list.htm
Pat at Doodad Kind of Town is breaking for a bit, but she still headlines her piece on J.D. Salinger: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2010/01/j-d-salinger-1919-2010.html
Likewise, Rick at “Coosa Creek Cinema” is on hold, but he’s still supporting the blogothon: http://coosacreek.org/mambo
Screen-cap from Roman Polanski's "Ghost Writer"
Sam,
You made my day. SHUTTER ISLAND and GHOST WRITER are two movies I wanted to hear good things about. And LOURDES comes as an added bonus. Thanks for this!
I caught up with a few movies last week including UP IN THE AIR, which I felt was mighty average. I could also catch up with a film that I’d missed so far – THE GRAPES OF WRATH. I can’t imagine the film getting made in the USA any time after the war. Somehow, it seems cozily locked in its own time. Wonderful movie nonetheless.
Thanks so much JAFB! Well, I can’t be sure of how SHUTTER ISLAND or GHOST WRITER will wash with you, as both have some dissenters, but I do know you generally respect both directors immensely. So we’ll see what happens.
I didn’t care much for the one-note UP IN THE AIR, so your appraisal isn’t far off from mine, and as far as THE GRAPES OF WRATH? I’m experiencing cinematic nirvana my friend! Ha!
Sam – Thanks for the shoutout. As you know from our conversations today, I too had a wonderful experience seeing Shutter Island. I rated it a 9/10 in my mini-review and think that I’m going to try and catch it again on Thursday.
In fact, I had a hell of a Saturday evening, as I was killing time at a local Wal-Mart prior waiting to head across the street to the cinema and ran into a Blu Ray sale of some sort. I picked up copies of Casablanca, The Searchers, and The Wild Bunch on Blu-Ray for $10 each. I’ve only started to convert some stuff over to Blu-Ray, but at those prices I couldn’t resist. But, yeah, outside of the continuation of re-watching some things for the noir countdown, I’ve been buzzing from Shutter Island.
Oh, the other viewing for me this week (prior to Shutter Island) was continuing a recent Billy Wilder kick. I picked up a 9-movie boxed set of his work – spanning from Witness For the Prosecution through The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes – for only $30 at a used book store and have watched a few. I thought that ONE, TWO, THREE was marvelous and Jimmy Cagney gives a hilarious performance. Definitely an artifact of its time, but it’s wonderful Cold War humor that plays right to my likes as a history nut.
Dave, you are my kind of guy! I may be older of course, but I have the same hankerings, though I think in a bad sense I’m more destructive. Leaving me in a mall with a credit card with some room is the recipe for disaster, especially that I too just bought a blu-ray player and would like to make some upgrades. But you got a great price there, and those masterpieces you mention should be the first on any improvement plan. And I too was buzzing about SHUTTER ISLAND. I am disappointed that a few bloggers I know who said they really liked the film a lot, feel they need to cover their bases by refusing to let certain rather unimportant issues go. This film was so fantastically entertaining that I do see it making the Top 10 at the end of this present year. In accordance I am thrilled with your 9/10 rating! What a wonderful, unpretentious guy you are.
Now please, by calling Dave “unpretentious” I am NOT saying that all blogger critics who have some issues with SHUTTER ISLAND are pretentious!!! I’m not saying that!!! Ha!
Of course I saw SHUTTER ISLAND (thanks for linking to my review) and would also award it ****1/2 stars. I especially found Michelle Williams and the use of the Richter music piece to be brilliant.
In other news, I laughed non-stop watching BLACK DYNAMITE, which I would give *** (alas, it is a one-joke film, thoug,h man, what a funny joke) and it should develop a cult following that will likely be quoting from it for years. Ya dig?
And I am now into week two and six films deep into THE DECALOGUE. I found Film One to be quite possibly the greatest thing Kieslowski ever filmed (apart from perhaps BLUE)…the body retrieval scene on the lake followed by the wax tears flowing down the Madonna’s face…brilliant, haunting, emotionally draining and unforgettable stuff. Film Two was also a deliciously twisted morality piece that foreshadowed what the director would do later with his Three Colors Trilogy. I found Films Three through Six, though all interesting in their own ways, to offer diminishing returns, though perhaps it’s Kieslowski fatigue setting in and I reserve the right to change my mind about them once I am through all Ten.
Indeed David on the Richter piece and on Michelle Williams. I always mention Patricia Clarkson, but Williams is at least as excellent, true enough. I have never seen BLACK DYNAMITE David, but somehow your three-star rating would seem to be just about right for this.
But you save that masterpiece for last, and I know how overwhelmed you are with film 1, though A SHORT FILM ABOUT KILLING is the one that overwhelmed me the most, and has the most lasting resonance. But that entire work transcends what we can rightly expect from the most profound works of cinema. It’s humbling.
Thanks as always for the great re-cap!
Well, I’m not gonna read Bob’s dissection of SHUTTER ISLAND till I get a gander of it on Tuesday night with Schmulee. Had WQXR on again this Sunday and caught the wonderful HD radio live broadcast from CARNEGIE HALL. It was the New York Philharmonic, with choir, performing Beethoven’s immortal 9th Symphony. Was there ever a greater piece of music ever written? Moving, bold, thunderous and full of power, I fully expect, when I’m dead and standing before God, that the sounds I hear when he opens his mouth will be this music. Beethoven was stone-cold deaf when he commited the 9th to paper, using his inner ear to guide him. Considering that, it makes one wonder if the people of Beethoven’s day were right in the idea that he was taking dictation directly from God. The final movement, the celebrated ODE TO JOY, is full 20 minutes of such perfection, power and happiness as to leave you utterly in awe. He was, probably, the greatest artist music has ever known. I’m left speechless every time I here this symphony.
Look forward to our planned viewing (re-viewing for me Dennis) of SHUTTER ISLAND Dennis. Af far as Bethoven as #1, well the problem is we have Mozart, Bach, Wagner Handel, and Tchaikovsky in that mix. But yes, the 9th of course is brilliant.
Thanks for the link and nice words, Sam. Looks like I better go check out SHUTTER ISLAND soon so I can get involved in the discussion (I’m purposefully avoiding all talk of it for the time being).
I got quite a few movies in this week, both good and bad.
First, the good (which I’ll expand on more later on my blog):
24 CITY — interesting mix of documentary and fiction, but not quite interesting enough. ***
TWO LOVERS — A good romantic drama from James Gray, it wants to be a great tragic love story, but comes across as something closer to soapy melodrama. ***
FLAME AND CITRON — Fair or not, I kept comparing it to ARMY OF SHADOWS, to which it can’t quite match the philosophical and political underpinnings or character development. It’s still a very good (and good looking) film with some obvious neo-noir elements that keep it interesting. ***1/2
As for the bad, Kevin and I spent Saturday morning watching what appears to now be considered the current “worst movie ever,” THE ROOM (no stars — it lives up to its billing, and is a crack-up), the 1987 Scott Glenn starring version of MAN ON FIRE (**1/2), and the first 1/3 of the terrible film ALIENATOR, starring Jan-Michael Vincent (no stars, but hilarious in it’s terribleness) before calling it a day.
Tricia and I also watched the second season of Friday Night Lights over the weekend. It sadly doesn’t lay a candle to season one, adding in too much typical melodrama and removing the character interaction that made the first season so great. Some of the acting and character work is still good enough to overcome that, though. If I gave the first season ****1/2, then the second season is a ***.
Hey Troy!
Well that FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS season yielded one of your most impassioned presentations all around, but I understand the first season was superior.
I can’t really hold you to task either for your ratings, though I may have liked both FLAME AND CITRON a bit more. TWO LOVERS is pretty much held in the highest esteem by many, but I found what you say to be true there, and never considered it for a ten-best list, a position a number of others could not resist.
As to THE ROOM and ALIENATOR, i assure you I won’t be breaking any plans to watch them! Ha! At least you are honest. Thanks for the typically terrific re-cap!
Wow! Shutter Island reviews were mushrooming everywhere in my blog reader this morning! That is going to be a lot of unread posts today! Good to see the first offering of Scorsese’s post-Oscar Bait period getting a positive reception!
Thanks again for both the plug above & the hugely generous post during the week.
Has been a hell of a week. Saw 11 films and 1 play, as the Dublin International Film Festival madness descended upon me!
Mostly trying to avoid films that really ought to get releases later in the year. However, Gaspar Noe’s latest film “Enter the Void” is a must-see, despite it seeming interminably long!
Also worth a quick mention are Todd Solondz’s “Happiness” sequel called “Life During Wartime” (same characters a decade on but entirely re-cast), an extraordinary Korean criminal drama about violence and father figures called “Breathless” (apparently, the Korean name is so much better, but does not translate!), and the return of Bruno Dumont – a man whose work is rarely less than challenging and provocative but who rarely seems to get much of a screening outside of the festival circuit!
Anyway, many more to come this week and will try to write about most of what I see over the coming month or so!
Longman, you are a tireless guy who ranks up there with the most prolific at this site. And I greatly admire (especially) your dedication to the Dublin theatre scene! Wow, you are getting to see that Solondz film??? Fantastic! And I very much respect Bruno Dumont, especially HUMANITE, though I never cared for 29 PALMS, earning me the wrath of my friend Jason Giampietro, who often visits here. But I really would be thrilled to read about your reactions at ‘No Ordinary Fool.’ Thanks as always!
Sam thanks again for the link. Glad to see most love the Scorsese film, as I did. In addition, I highly anticipate the opening of Polanki’s “Ghost Writer” here (don’t know when) which has been getting excellent reviews mostly. I had another highly productive week of film watching thanks to the Olympics which I pretty much ignore and my wife loves to watch. Subsequently, I go into another room and catch up on the never-ending list of films to watch.
In the theater, I saw two films, yesterday the previously mentioned Shutter Island (****1/2), a truly thrilling ride of a film with some wonderful performances especially from Michelle Williams. I wrote a rushed review last night for “Watching Shadows on the Walls” but I really need to watch the film again and rewrite what is there. Hopefully, we will see another MS film toward the end of the year, I read somewhere that he should have his George Harrison documentary ready. On President’s day, I looked at “The Wolfman”(**1/2) and found it wanting, though I still enjoyed it. Probably safe to say I liked it better than you but not at much as our friend David Scheicher did.
At home, it was a movie almost every night, so I just give a listing. Some of these I will be posting reviews at one of my two blogs.
Ball of Fire****
Observe and Report**1/2
The Snake Pit****
Bride of Frankenstein****
They Mad Me a Fugitive****
The Spiral Staircase****1/2
Big Fan***1/2
Manhattan****1/2
Five Star Final***
With the Olympics going on for another week I foresee a good movie week in the forecast before things settle down (ha!). Currently, still reading “Dangerously Funny, The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” and I just started listening to Philip Norman’s biography on John Lennon.
And you John are the bionic man when it comes to film watching. This latest post provides the evidence, but it’s been gloriously ongoing! And thanks again for reminding me of the two blogs, as I am a scatterbrain who keeps forgetting. And this group here contains films that one would definitely want to read about. Your BALL OF FIRE review was great to start things off! Wow, I love that rating for Siodmak’s THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE, which has long been one of my favorites. What a fabulous line-up you managed there!
And SHUTTER ISLAND and THE WOLFMAN to boot. But your **** 1/2 stars for Scorsese’s film is music to my ears, and with Dave Hicks, David Schleicher and Donophon on board in a big way I am really on Cloud 9. Hopfully others will feel the magic in the upcoming days. You’ll b egetting a visit at “Shadows” this evening, Sir, and I’ll check out just what made this one work so well for you, but I’m sure we’re thinking the same.
Thanks as always for the kind of post that enhances the experience of blogging John!!!
Sam, thanks so much for the terrifically kind words!
I’m glad you’re using the adjective “addictive” to describe my countdown because I’m actually addicted to doing it right now. My week was wholly consumed with watching older films I had never seen before. This week it was THE CIRCUS, EARTH, STREET ANGEL, MURDER!, MONTE CARLO, THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA, HALLELEUJAH!, and PANDORA’S BOX. I enjoyed them all, but I was particularly blown away by EARTH. As I retroactively wrote in my post, among other things, it was the first time Eisenstein’s montage theory truly moved me and convinced me that he was really onto something. A really powerful film for me.
I still haven’t seen the new Scorsese or Polanski but plan to catch them both soon. I’m also excited after your review for LOURDES.
Thanks, Sam, for all your great work and for being such an integral part of the countdown.
Jeffrey: Your annual countdown has been a real joy, and I thank you for making the visits so painless, with your eternal effervescence. I’ve actually gotten into the rhythm of the countdown as have John, Dave, Donophon, Troy, Ed, and others here, and it’s been a great ride.
You have watched great films there, but nothing can match the one you rightly place the highest, Dovzenko’s expressionistic masterpiece EARTH. Hearing your reaction makes me smile from ear to ear, not that I am a bit surprised. Of course MOVIE CAMERA, PANDORA’S BOX and THE CIRCUS are masterworks too, and who could argue with STREET ANGEL, MONTE CARLO and HALLELUJAH?
Great stuff. Thanks as always for the much-appreciated report and movie passion.
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan, and WitD readers,
Hmm…Once again what an interesting round up of films to end your
week…with Shutter Island, Ghost Writer and Lourdes.
It seems as if these are the three films that I should seek out first…after checking out your ratings of all four films.
Lourdes **** 1/2
Phyllis and Harold ** 1/2
Shutter Island **** 1/2
Ghost Writer ****
Sam Juliano, Once again, I was so happy to participate in the For the Love of Film blogathon, (Which ended yesterday…) but most importantly, to assist two new acquaintances out… Marilyn from over there at Ferdy on Film, etc. and Greg Ferrara, from over there at Cinemastyle and acquaintance The Self-Styled Siren from her self-titled blog. (Even though my crusade for The National Film Preservation, haven’t ended…yet (With “yet” being the operative word.)
…First of all, Sam Juliano, thanks for the mention…as usual, but most importantly, I’am about to resume our 31 days to Oscar@ countdown. (and I also plan to send you an email…pertaining to the Oscar@ countdown and some films.)
Once again I didn’t watch any films, but like I mentioned last week I did purchased two books…
Film Noir, Femmes Fatales and Crime Movie Vintage Posters From Day One. Book 1: Hollywood Studios Posters of the Silver Screen, Classic Period and The Gangsters Days. (Volume 1)
by Maximillien De Lafayette and Melinda Pomerol and Film Noir,
Femmes Fatales and Crime Movie Vintage Posters From Day One. Book 2: Hollywood Studios Posters of the Silver Screen, Classic Period and The Gangsters Days. (Volume 2)
by Maximillien De Lafayette and Melinda Pomerleau.
(I’am not sure when Volume 3 and Volume 4 will be released but I will be keeping my “ear to the ground” once both volumes are released.
Arts…No comment…
Theatre, …No comment…
Music…No Comment Food … Hmmm…a very light touch…as usual.
Sports… No Comment,…Oh! No,…
Politics…No Comment
Sam Juliano, I guess that about wrap up my week in review for this week.
Take care!
DeeDee
And then there’s Dee Dee, whose contribution is always invaluable for so many reasons.
Yes, Dee Dee, the Oscar countdown will indeed resume this week (of course at your convenience) as I must send on my analysis of Best Supporting Actress first and then Best Actress. For next week, I will have the Best Director and Best Picture, and perhaps at least a shoter report on the other categories, which I’ll simply make a final prediction on. Your work in putting all this together is extraordinary, as it was last year, and I also know full well what Tony d’Ambra has been doing with that sidebar with the polling documentation. Thanks a million times over.
And yes this was an unusually good week at the theatres with three exceptional films, SHUTTER ISLAND, LOURDES and GHOST WRITER. I recommend them all and hope the DVDs don’t take a long time to surface.
Those ‘Femme Fatale’ books are essential for any noir bookshelf, and I hope you do get a chance to do some reading there. Wow, there will really be a Volume 3 and 4 as well?
Your work for the Film Preservation Blogothon was deserving of an award, and yes you’ve met some very nice people there in Marilyn and greg. Your site has really looked great over the past month, and again I thank you for highlighting the Oscar countdown, my wonderful friend.
Boy that is some re-cap there from “Dee Dee.”
As I stated under Bob’s review, I really enjoyed Shutter Island, and didn’t find any carry over issues from Dennis Lehane’s novel to affect the fun time I had. I did see the ending beforehand though.
Joe, I think I’m the only one who didn’t see it. But nice to have you on board. Thanks as always, and yes, Dee Dee’s recaps are always fantastic.
Thanks, Sam. As usual, you are too kind. I also saw Shutter Island, but given the massive blogger response already, I will hold back on my review for awhile. I would have preferred that Scorsese had made the film on a much smaller budget, just to lessen the pressure some. By the time the movie starts to turn around later on, I was reminded of a battleship trying to delicately turn on a dime.
Ha Film Dr.! That’s an interesting analogy there! Well, I definitely will be looking forward to your eventual essay!
Hey Sam! Thanks for the mention, altho, a couple of minor corrections. In your review for SHUTTER ISLAND, I believe Robert Richardson was the cinematographer and not Ralph Richardson the actor.
Also, on my blog, it’s BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY not BRIGHT NIGHTS. No biggie.
I’m glad you enjoyed SHUTTER ISLAND. I am really eager to check this one out as I always enjoy what Scorsese has to offer and this looks like a very entertaining film. I was curious to read your thoughts on Polanski’s latest as it has been dividing critics (surprise). That one also looks good.
J.D.
I am losing it. LOL!!!!!!!! Ralph Richardson? Now THAT is an embarrassment, but I’ll be changing it ASAP. Likewise the error on your title. I hope to get something together on GHOST WRITER, which didn’t do badly at all among the critics, but yeah there were some dissenters. Always a big pleasure to have you here J.D.!
I saw this week’s big release too. Too bad Marty didn’t get this in before the end of 2009, but whatever changes he made apparently made it a better film than what people were fearing. I understand where Sam is coming from, and I condemn those who are overly critical. Sometimes I think some just want to ‘cover their asses’ which is sad. You go to movies to have fun. Sure everyone thinks differently, but with this film I think the convolutions are actually part of the enjoyment. This is one place I wouldn’t mind visiting a second time either.
Let me know if you do go again David!
That’s an interesting way to put it David, though others can shoot back with th enotion that we are on the other side of the fence sometimes too, and that when WE don’t like something we might be raining on other’s parades. So, there’s no easy answer except to say that you either feel it or you don’t.
When you DON’T feel it, you start to do mental research to tear it down, providing “evidence.” That’s the way it goes.
Thanks as always David!
Well thanks for being a good sport about Shutter Island, Sam, engaging in the conversation at my place and voicing your disagreements. As you describe it here it sure sounds like a winner, but I think we simply had differing expectations for this one – at least when discussed in hindsight. Personally I’m tiring of Scorsese pursuing projects that could be described as thrill rides or fun what-have-you’s; both Shutter Island and The Departed fit that bill. Entertaining enough, but a little too empty otherwise compared to his earlier work (even The Aviator had more heft, despite its flaws). In any case I’m not calling it an outright bad film, but I was expecting something more (and no, I never saw any of the trailers, for those who are asking, “What did you expect?”).
Moving on, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed Lourdes as I have a screener of that waiting to be watched. And I’m looking forward to The Ghost Writer, though it won’t be here for a few more weeks.
Dan, that was one of the best SHUTTER ISLAND threads on the net at Getafilm, and I was frankly thrilled to get my teeth into it. I fully understand where you are coming from, and know that you always express what moved or enlightened you. I don’t think your expectations are unreasonable at all, and if you had enjoyed it even more you would have admitted it. It seems the film is getting high grades here at WitD, but not as high over at Craig Kennedy’s. We’ll have to conduct a duel, with the losers getting lobotomies.
Just kidding.
I do look forward to your reports on LOURDES and GHOST WRITER! Thanks as always for the thoughtful response Dan.
Thank you for the kind words, Sam.
Shutter Island is not opening here for another month, but I am not looking forward to another unholy Scorsese / Di Caprio duet.
Thanks Stephen. Well, hopefully it will get over there soon. Judy, who is also British, thinks the wait will be short. But if you didn’t go for the other collaborations, I am not sure this one will float your boat. But on the other hand you really may enjoy it.
I’m looking forward to seeing SHUTTER ISLAND Sam. I kind of have a passion for islands and island life though this seems a little out of the ordinary day-to-day experience. (and thanks for the mention:)
Aye I hear ya Terrill, and that’s what convinced me to leave that comment at your place. I’d be very much interested in finding out what you think, but I suspect you’ll enjoy it quite a bit. Thanks as always for the much-appreciated visit!
Hope you enjoyed your vacation Sam, and more importantly, hope you are feeling better now.
I can’t dive in, as I couldn’t get to the theatre this past weekend, but I can’t wait to see Shutter Island and Ghost Writer!
Thanks Frank! I still have issues with my root-canal tooth, which is still giving me problems with hot and cold. I am going back to the dentist tomorrow. This has been a living nightmare, I tell ya.
Hopefully you’ll be able to dive in with the discussion next week, if you get a chance to see it.
If I can ask, how does “Shutter Island” measure up to some recent Scorsese films like “The Departed,” “The Aviator” and “Gangs of New York?”
I don’t have much as I’ve been busy with some personal matters, but I hope to see this movie soon. That “Lourdes” really looks likes an exceptional work.
Frederick:
Well I’ll rate them numerically:
1.) Shutter Island
2.) Gangs of New York
3.) The Departed
4.) The Aviator
But I like all of them to varying degrees.
Thanks again for the too-kind mention and the great round-up, Sam. Sounds as if you have packed a lot into your week, as ever. I have been to Lourdes, many years ago, and found it a very strange place, putting it mildly – the tacky gift shops are one of the things that stick in my mind, the Stations of the Cross are another, in sharp contrast – so would be interested to see the film about it. Shutter Island isn’t out yet in the UK, but we won’t have to wait very long for it – I’ll look forward to catching up with people’s reviews after seeing it.
I’ve just been watching coverage of last night’s BAFTAs (I was at work last night so couldn’t see it live), and was very pleased to see Colin Firth get best actor, though A Single Man hasn’t made it to my town as yet. Also a moving speech by Vanessa Redgrave when she was given her BAFTA Fellowship – at the start I wasn’t too sure what she was saying, but by the end she was great.
At the cinema this week I saw the Japanese anime film Ponyo – my teenage son’s choice, but I quite liked it and thought the hand-drawn animation was beautiful.
Ah PONYO is wonderful indeed Judy, and I’m not surprised at your response (and your son’s as well). That one sadly got lost in the shuffle, but it actually received very good reviews.
You were at Lourdes? That’s quite a special trip, I’m sure. My father’s oldest brother who passed on at age 83 in 2000, was an unmarried Catholic Church loyalist, who would accompany some of the priests and nuns to Lourdes annually fo rover two decades as I recall. He alway sbrought home “holy water.” But yes, the gift shops you mention would definitely be food for thought. Ha! That’s great that SHUTTER ISLAND will be with you guys soon. I’d love to hear your reaction!
I know Vanessa has mellowed out quite a bit since that unconscionable tragedy in her family, but she can deliver some great speeches. I remember seeing her here a few years back for her one-person show on Broadway. I am also very happy that Colin Firth won the BAFTA and only wish he could win the Oscar too, as his was the best performance. I see Carey Mulligan also won. Overall th eBAFTAs were not bad at all this year.
Thanks as always, our very good friend!
Well,personally, I see NOTHING wrong with “entertainments” coming out of Martin Scorsese. A film like THE DEPARTED is meant more from the point of view of a thriller and, I believe, should be viewed as such. Does Scorsese have to put intellectual heft into every picture he makes? No. Sometimes, a film-maker of his stature likes to lighten up. THE DEPARTED, although one of my least favorite films of Scorsese’s, is the director lightening up and having a bit of fun. I’ll assume, until I see the film tomorrow, that that is exactly what he’s doing (as well) with SHUTTER ISLAND. Personally, I like Scorsese films like these. He puts his attention and creative passions into projects that remind him of the films that made HIM fall in love with movies all those years ago. Tarantino does this with EVERY film he has made. Its like therapy, going back to the beginning to understand how things tick. I’m looking forward to Marty’s horror film.
Yes Dennis, this is precisely the point, methinks. Entertainment come sin all shapes and packages.
I, For one, have no guilt in loving “entertainments”. So often I am accused of “reading” too deeply into a film for its “intellectual” meanings that I don’t know how to ENJOY something fun. Not true. I’m as capable as any passive film-goer is to just kicking my feet up and going with the flow. A film like Rob Marshall’s CHICAGO, for instance, doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is: a big, colorful, boisterous, funny and entertaining film. It doesn’t ask you to think beyond what is presented on screen. I feel the same for films like (the recent) TAKEN, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and STAR TREK. So, why should Marty be held only to heftier and weightier fare? Besides, his next one, THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT is taking him back to his old territory anyway. Pictures like SHUTTER ISLAND are scratching posts so he can sharpen his claws for bigger game…. IMO….
Well Dennis, yes and no. I don’t think SHUTTER ISLAND in inferior because it ain’t “important.” In a filmmaking sense it’s as important as any other film, and you’ll see why tomorrow night, methinks. Thanks as always for the thoughtful response here.
O. M. G. Joel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This piece you liked is FANTASTIC!!!! And had you not linked it here, I may have missed it. The gallery of screen caps is cinematically enthralling, and your umteenth nod to Wonders is greatly appreciated. Allan deserves all the credit you gave him here, and he has most assuredly provided many rarities. What a top-rank submission to Marilyn’s blogothon too!
Thanks, Sam – it got some good link-ups as well and the timing, right as I was starting up the other blog, was serendipitous, though unintentional. Hopefully it leads a few newcomers to the countdown as well.
My week was pretty damned surreal. Every Saturday on my blog I post a still shot from a movie that sums up my general state of beign (subtitled “Today, I Feel Like This”)…and this past Saturday I used the famous shot of Eraserhead.
Still, my weekend sorted itself out, helped in great part by an amazing conversation with an L.A. movie blogger about SHUTTER ISLAND and Marty Scorsese for my podcast.
That is definitely a surreal touch, Hatter, and I will be checking things out at your place as well as a hoped for appearance of a review on SHUTTER ISLAND, which I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed. (and yes that ERASERHEAD connotation is well understood! Ha!)
But above all I REALLY want to hear that podcast!!! Now that is a super catch there Hatter!!!! Will you be posting it soon?
Thanks so much for stopping by.
@ Sam… Well when you do happen to mosey on over to my humble soapbox, know that my review of Shutter Island is up and waiting for you. Honestly though, I’m not sure that it’s my best one.
Perhaps you can tell me better than I can tell you.
As for the podcast, it’s up and ready. It’s embedded into the sidebar of my blog, and is available for subscription via iTunes and Google reader. I’m still sorta new to podcasting, but am actually quite proud of how they are turning out.
If you do get a chance to listen, please let me know what you think.
Cheers!
Hatter, I’ll have to subscribe then before I can listen, but I will definitely be reading and commenting on your SHUTTER ISLAND review momentarily. Thanks for the heads up!
Thanks for the nod Sam. It was mostly a Rivette week for me, catching up on some of his classics (Duelle, Secret Defense) that I have not seen in awhile, and wanted to see before doing a post later in the week. I loved Shutter Island, as you know. Differentiating between entertainments and serious films is silly in my mind, and I also disagree with the idea that’s been flying around here that Scorsese’s latest has nothing to say. It has a hell of a lot to say, far more than anything since his masterpiece Gangs Of New York, he’s just not beating us over the head with it.
Ah this is aresponse that really warms my heart Donophon, and thanks much for making appearance at this vital weekly post. Yes, I also am of the believe that Scorsese is saying something here, which manifests itself it his superior filmmaking. And I also agree with you that his two greatest films of the past fours are this and GANGS!
Rivette’s DUELLE was named by my colleague Allan Fish as the #1 film of the 70′s during our decade poll, and the choice set off some delicious controversy. I’d love at some point to hear your opinion of it, but I suspect as this is a repeat viewing that you do rate it highly. Actually I will know soon, as you indicate here you are planning a post. Great!
Thanks Sam, I’m not writing a post on Duelle but on a different, more recent Rivette and I wanted to refamiliarize myself with some of his work. I think Duelle is spectacular, and as good a candidate for best of the seventies as anything. It’s amazing to me that he made Celine and Julie, Duelle and Noroit all in a row.
Sam, thanks for the mention and the updates. And my apologies for being a bit late in joining the party. I’ve been looking forward Scorsese’s Shutter Island & Polanski’s Ghost Rider. Your positive reaction to these movies have added them to my must-watch list.
Watched just 1 movie over the weekend – the police procedural Police, Adjective, directed by the same guy who made the brilliant black comedy 12:08 East of Bucharest. And just finished watching Pixar’s the likeable Up this evening. As with Wall-E, the silent section near the beginning of the movie was quite enthralling.
Thanks Shubhajit! It’s never too late to join this party! And I am thrilled to hear that you saw and apparently liked POLICE ADJECTIVE, which was one of my top films of 2009. That final sequence with the long near-monologue, was one of the year’s finest, methinks. And you nailed it there with the scarbook sequence in Pixar’s UP, which was one of the great segments of the year too, and one of the studio’s proudest moments. And WALL-E as you note is enthralling all the way through.
I hope SHUTTER ISLAND and GHOST WRITER make their way to you real soon! Thanks as always for your always valued re-cap Shubhajit!
SAM, OTHERS AT WITD… Please don’t think that a “lightening” in theme or subject matter by a “titan” director is viewed as less important by me. On the contrary, I often think that light-hearted romps by big serious directors are absolutely essential in their growth. As I said earlier, I believe that “entertainments” (only way I know how to describe them) are like rehearsals before the big presentation. They use less weighty material to try out new means to tell stories and bone up on new styles of visual presentation. Spielberg sharpened his claws on JURASSIC PARK months before he unveiled SCHINDLERS LIST. WAR OF THE WORLDS was a summer release before winters MUNICH. Hitchcock boned up with PSYCHO before the advent of THE BIRDS, FRENZY and FAMILY PLOT. I think this is exactly what Scorsese is doing with SHUTTER ISLAND. THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT is his next production, requiring every bit of ingenuity he can muster to bring this epic to screen. It only makes sense that he’ll bone up beforehand.
Yes Dennis, point well taken. I basically agree, though I’m not quite so sure of what to expect from Marty’s upcoming production.
Scoreses’s out-put, in my opinion, since 2000 has been spectacular. Each film has been nominated for the BEST PICTURE Oscar (THE DEPARTED won), and all have been ranked as one of the ten best by critics around the globe. But, which is best? THE DEARTED, the weakest of the bunch is still expertly made and compulsively re-viewable. THE AVIATOR proves Scorsese the master-craftsman and recreates old Hollywood flawlessly. But, for me, GANGS OF NEW YORK flits the bill. His editorial choices, particularly the battle sequences are dazzling and resonate with a mordern power few younger directors would brave. The epic structure of the film reverts back to films like LAST TEMPTATION and KUNDUN. The gritty gothic quality of the visuals are reminiscent of his work in TAXI DRIVER and AGE OF INNOCENCE. The performances, particularly Daniel Day-Lewis, have a naturalistic “lived-in” quality that earlier films like DRIVER and RAGING BULL defined. I’m hoping SHUTTER can be added to this group of greats.