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Steven Spielberg's deeply emotional 'War Horse' based on novel and Broadway play is one of the best films of 2011.
by Sam Juliano
I was awakened at around 2:30 P.M. on Sunday morning by a loud crashing sound on the roof of my home. I immediately realized that our expected visitors had arrived with several sacks of gifts and goodies for the sleeping children. I opened the front door and offered the bearded fellow with the red and white suit some steaming hot cocoa and freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. The spritely fellow was the coolest St. Nick I’ve ever met, as he offered up a new blu-ray of Bad Santa and The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t. Still he admitted he was a lifelong fan of all the holiday staples, including Miracle on 34th Street, It’s A Wonderful Life and the 1951 A Christmas Carol, and had tens of thousands of copies to deliver before daybreak. So after a few words he was off again, leaving me to the horizontal position until the noise of opening gifts awakened me again after 9:00 A.M.
As Wonders in the Dark moves toward 2012, the present down period will almost definitely be replaced soon enough by upcoming John Ford and Stanley Kubrick retrospectives from The Long Voyage Home’s Peter Lenihan and WitD’s Dennis Polifroni, respectively. I am planning to post my Best Films of 2011 list a week from today, and am still undecided if I will be going with ten or twenty.
The week prior to Christmas typically included a slew of movie theatre visits and a DVD at home viewing of an essential film that will be opening in theatres on December 30. It also included a charity concert of Christmas songs from some distinguished Broadway alumni at the Symphony Space on Broadway and 91st Street.
Lucille and I (and some of the kids) saw six films, five of those in movie theatres:
A Separation ***** (Saturday) at home on plasma
The Adventures of Tin Tin ** (Thursday night) Edgewater multiplex
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ** (Wednesday night) Edgewater multiplex
War Horse ***** (Sunday night) Edgewater multiplex
Margaret **** 1/2 (Friday night) Cinema Village
Pina **** 1/2 (Saturday night) IFC Film Center
Note: As always my four-and-a-half star ratings are ‘holding patterns’ to see what a really feel in a few days. A few might go up or down a half star pending further reflection. It is exceedingly difficult to attach a grade immediately.
The Iranian A SEPARATION is a shattering drama of accidents destroying the family dynamics in a searing study of human failings and the guilt that can be sorted out on both sides of a destructive row. Another case where Iranian cinema has successfully achieved a universal resonance and is engineered with remarkable artistry. Electrifying performances by the entire cast. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO eventually seques into narrative convolutions, and despite David Fincher’s stylistics, it’s a film a dubious and unltimately forgettable context. THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN is bland and listless, and devoid of emotional connection with the animated characters. MARGARET may have some minor inconsistencies, but it is truly a brilliant and fascinating look at life in the city ands the turmoil that is caused when a female high school student witnesses a fatal accident. Anna Paquin is stupendous in the lead, and despite some studio interference, Kenneth Lonnergan’s work is too often arresting, with some unforgettable scenes. The documentary PINA is a magnificent. It’s an enthralling, ravishing work of avante garde cinema that takes the viewer to exhilarating heights never before experienced in it’s rapturous and provocative examination of a world famous dancer who passed on suddenly as the project was moving forward. Wenders took a new tact while staying the course, and the result is a spirit and suggestiveness that manifests itself into some of the extraordinary set pieces of time, space, movement ever filmed in the service of an art form. This is hands down the greatest use of 3D of all-time during the same year that Herzog and Scorsese expanded the form. So much of what I saw last night at a Christmas Eve showing at the IFC Film Center (yes I still got to spend the majority of the evening with my family! LOL!) is presently indescribable. I sent out an e mail to some of inner circle here proclaiming it as a five-star movie late Saturday night, but I have since relented to four-and-one-half. Still a top ten placement is practically a cinch. WAR HORSE, based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo and the Broadway stage play is as emotional a film as I’ve seen in years. I await the onslaught from the anti-Spielberg claque here at WitD and elsewhere in the blogosphere where I know some will be snubbing their noses, (playing the intellectual card) but it’s a clear case where the American master purposely played for sentiment in a story that practically demands it, and he pulls it off with some sumptuous visual artistry, buffo battle scenes and the intimacy that this story encourages. There are some stylistic homages here, (the film’s structure compellingly recalls Mann’s WINCHESTER ’73) and John Williams has surprisingly contributed one of his most affecting scores against all odds. This is one of 2011’s best films, and I applaud Steven for wearing his heart on his sleeve. It suited this material to a tee. I will be penning a full review on the film this week for the site. In a week where I saw three other excellent films (MARGARET, A SEPARATION and PINA) yet insist on going with a photo of Spielberg’s film, well I think that speaks for itself.
Nearly all the links are from last week, because of Christmas Day falling on Sunday (when the diary is always prepared) but the majority of bloggers have not updated over the past seven days anyway:
Tony d’Ambra envisions the perfect Christmas gift at FilmsNoir.net for genre fans: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/all-i-want-for-christmas-is.html
John Greco has penned a fantastic review of Mitchell Leisen’s “Remember the Night” at Twenty Four Frames: http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/remember-the-night-1940-mitchell-leisen/
R.D. Finch has written a buffo essay on “The Tree of Life” at The Movie Projector: http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2011/12/tree-of-life-2011.html
Judy Geater at Movie Classics announces the release of William Wellman’s “A Star is Born” on Kino blu-ray in February: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/a-star-is-born-1937-comes-to-blu-ray/
Jaime Grijalba offers up thanks to Wonders in the Dark for posting his fabulous essay on the writer Vargas Llosa at Exodus 8:2: http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2011/12/miercoles-de-cuentos-critica-de-la-casa.html
Joel Bocko offers up “Highlights For the Holidays” at The Dancing Image, which showcases some of the great posts from the past year: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2011/12/highlights-for-holidays.html
Just Another Film Buff (Srikanth) has posted some arresting images from a movie he admits ‘blew him away’: “We Need to Talk About Kevin” at The Seventh Art: http://theseventhart.info/2011/12/18/evakevin/
Laurie Buchanan at Speaking From The Heart covers “Leo” in her extraordinary astrological series: http://holessence.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/leo-jul-23-aug-22/
Dee Dee has posted a wonderfully informative and engaging piece on the origin of lobby cards at Darkness Into Light: http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2011/11/holding-auctiontaking-look-at-eleven.html
Jon Warner at Films Worth Watching has returned from a memorable trip to the U.K., and he offers up a fantastic review of “My Week With Marilyn” which he viewed during his time there: http://filmsworthwatching.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-week-with-marilyn-2011-directed-by.html
Kaleem Hasan’s Satyamshot blog continues to attract record-breaking numbers at this altar for Indian culture, film and politics. Here’s a recent post displaying images for the new “The Dark Knight” film: http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/the-dark-knight-rises-first-poster/
Roderick Heath has penned a brilliantly engaging and comprehensive essay on David Cronenberg’s “A Dangerous Method” at Ferdy-on-Films: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=12517
Meanwhile, at Heath’s solo movie blog “This Island Rod” the great writer offers up a classic takedown of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”: http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2011/12/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-2011.html
At Roderick Heath’s literature blog, English-One-O-Worst, the great writer takes on the Bard’s “King Lear” and the result is a scholarly masterpiece: http://englishoneoworst.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-he-rightly-is-king-lear-as-king.html
Pat Perry has penned another perceptive piece on the severely flawed sex comedy “Friends With Benefits” at Doodad Kind of Town: http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-home-screen-friends-with-benefits.html
Craig Kennedy’s always engaging Watercooler post is leading the way at Living in Cinema: http://livingincinema.com/2011/12/18/catching-up-is-hard-to-do/
After a brief hiatus Ed Howard has returned with a mighty essay on the all-time Carol Reed classic “The Third Man” at Only the Cinema: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2011/12/third-man.html
Murderous Ink, in Tokyo examines ‘Nuclear Noir’ in a brilliant new post at Vermillion and One Nights: http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2011/12/nuclear-noir.html
At Patricia’s Wisdom, our friend and proctor of the same name has authored a tremendous review of Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life”: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2011/12/the-tree-of-life/
At Scribbles and Ramblings Sachin Gandhi has penned a brilliant piece on ‘Three Films by Mohammad Al-Daradji”: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2011/12/three-films-by-mohamed-al-daradji.html
At the always-spectacular Creativepotager’s blog, artist Terrill Welch offers up another captivating work-in-progress on her latest oil painting: http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/spilling-over-original-oil-painting-by-terrill-welch/
Writer extraordinaire Samuel Wilson, has penned a superlative review of the Danish prison film “R” at Mondo 70: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2011/12/r-2010.html
At The Long Voyage Home, Peter Lenihan officially announces the upcoming John Ford retrospective at Wonders in the Dark that he will be chairing: http://thelongvoyagehome.blogspot.com/2011/12/announcement-john-ford.html
The gifted and always brilliant Jason Bellamy takes a fascinating and perceptive look at “J Edgar” that in some measure differs from the majority stand. It’s at The Cooler: http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2011/11/solid-weight-j-edgar.html
Filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman at The Late Lullaby offers up a new quartet of films including one by Ozu and another by Pialat that impressed him greatly as of late: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2011/11/favorite-four-part-fifteen.html
Again Stephen Russell-Gebbett offers up a wholly audacious position with some brilliantly perceptive writing in his announcement at Checking on my Sausages that “Sucker Punch” is his #1 film of 2011: http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2011/12/sucker-punch-film-of-year.html
At The Schleicher Spin David announces the birth of an exciting new literary magazine: http://theschleicherspin.com/2011/12/17/introducing-the-premier-issue-of-the-stone-digital-literary-magazine/
At Cinemascope Shubajit Laheri has penned a fantastic capsule on the Hungarian masterpiece, “The Round-Up” by Miklos Jansco: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2011/12/round-up-1965.html
Michael Harford, the erstwhile ‘Coffee Messiah’ offers up an engaging video about the beverage’s worldwide popularity: http://coffeemessiah.blogspot.com/2011/11/coffee-break.html
Troy Olson announces plans to commence with his Robert Bresson project at Elusive as Robert Denby: http://troyolson.blogspot.com/2011/11/argh.html
Jason Marshall issues an expertly reasoned pan of Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” at Movies Over Matter: http://moviesovermatter.com/2011/12/03/the-earth-is-evil-we-dont-need-to-grieve-for-it-lars-von-triers-melancholia/
At Radiator Heaven J.D. has penned a superlative piece on 2005′s “Mirrormask”: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2011/12/mirrormask.html
At Petrified Fountain of Thought Stephen Morton offers up three terrific capsules on “50/50″, “Moneyball” and “Ides of March”: http://petrifiedfountainofthought.blogspot.com/2011/11/recent-movies-5050-moneyball-ides-of.html
Fritz Lang, Joseph Losey and Jean-Luc Godard all figure in Drew McIntosh’s latest post “I’ll Be Damned” at The Blue Vial: http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2011/11/ill-be-damned.html
Kevin Olson offers up a postscript to his recent Horror Blogothon at Hugo Stigliz Makes Movies: http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/italian-horror-blogathon-postscript.html
Tony Dayoub at Cinema Viewfinder offers up an interview with the Self-Styled Siren: http://www.cinemaviewfinder.com/2011/11/gone-to-earth-conversation-with-self.html
Hokahey has penned an impressive review of “The Immortals” at Little Worlds: http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2011/11/immortal-imagery-immortals.html
Dave Van Poppel is gearing for some updates at Visions of Non Fiction, but presently is still leading up with his very fine review of “Project Nim”: http://visionsofnonfiction.blogspot.com/2011/08/project-nim.html
At The Reluctant Bloger Jeff Stroud has offered up some stunning beautiful images in a post titled “Autumn Leaves”: http://jeffstroud.wordpress.com/
In Kendal, The Fish got into the festive spirit.
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I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Sam! I hope the new year treats you well. Keep up the great work.
I look forward to seeing Margaret, but I doubt it makes it to Portland. Everything I’m hearing about Fincher’s latest is that it’s a dour and overly long experience that wears on the viewer. But I’ll still see it! Hehe.
I just wanted to let you know that I have a few new posts up on my blog. One on my favorite albums of the year and one on the Paul Rudd movie Our Idiot Brother. I also recently saw 50/50 (about a C+/B-), Super (Bleh…about a C-/D), and The Ides of March (a solid B). Nothing great. There will be a lot of reviews popping up on the blog in the next week as I enjoy my final week of relaxation before the Winter break is over.
See ya, Sam!
Kevin—
So happy to see you stop by at Christmas and hope you all in the Pacific Northwest had the best holiday ever. Everyone in the houuse was spared any varieties of colds or the flu, so all in all a very good holiday here indeed! We all ate at the home of my youngest brother and his wife and two daughters (with my father, my other brother and his family and my sister and her family) and some friends, so it was quite the get together. And all kinds of food to be tempted with! Kevin, I am one that feels that DRAGON TATTOO is rather an excrutiating experience, but I do urge you to see it all the same, as you may find the assets outweigh the debits (or something like that! Ha!) MARGARET I know is presently only playing in Manhattan, but I read that it may still be making the rounds. As a betting man of sorts, I’ll wager you’ll go for it big-time! I will definitely be over to HUGO STIGLITZ to check up on your recent posts today, and look forward to your upcoming output with school on hiatus.
I wish you, your lovely wife, Troy and his family, and all the Olsons the best year ever in 2012.
So Sam cried at The War Horse. I probably will, too, but not for the same reason. Let’s sentimentalise World War I (mind you, to be fair, America missed out on the real despair there and just turned up for the wake).
Christmas Day and Eve viewing; Scrooge (1951), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), both on Blu Ray, Toback’s Fingers, Steptoe and Son Christmas specials, Zodiac director’s cut (very festive), The Spirit of the Beehive on Blu Ray (lovely).
Today, Boxing Day racing, more old Doctor Who if Marco can get himself out of his pit, and then tomorrow the full restored Brownlow/Davis Napoleon (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, ya boo sucks to you Coppola!) streamed through the Blu Ray. Also got to watch El Sur (Blu Ray) and load gun ready to greet postman for not bringing me Marketa Lazarova Blu Ray, wanker that he is. Also waiting for some very rare old Korean classics from the 1940s, 60s and 70s. Gonna be an educational Christmas, even for me.
Fish gotta hunt…
They’re streaming the restored version of NAPOLEON????? Where? Does this mean a Blu-Ray is coming?????
Please tell…
No, that will never happen while Coppola breathes. But I have the DVDR of Napoleon and and watching it tomorrow.
THERE WILL NEVER, EVER BE A DVD OR BLU RAY OF NAPOLEON!!!!
This is once instance Allan, where I do hope you are wrong.
You think I don’t, but I’m a realist. Until Coppola’s name appears in the obituaries column, which one wouldn’t wish on anyone, it’ll never happen. Well, I watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it, but I always watch with sadness…
Allan, just to let you know that WAR HORSE is set in Britain with a British boy and his family setting off a story that involves Britain’s involvement inh World War II. It has nothing at all to do with America, Americans or the USA’s involvement in World War I, nor obviously with our late entrance.
You viewed some great Christmas standards there, and have some terrific plans for today as well.
That wasn’t my point, old boy. My point was that it’s a WWI film directed by an American. Only an American would sentimentalise that conflict. I find ther prospect as abhorrent as The Birth of a Nation’s politics.
Well, Spielberg has made sentiment an art form, and despite the outcries from the faction who are way too cynical to process it, it is an eternal joy for those of us who find ourselves deeply moved. The sentiment mind you was the horse, not the war itself, which was transcribed here as brutally as imaginable.
For a master manipulator with no soul, sentimentalizing his material to hysterical levels is the only way to operate effectively.
Did your opinion of Zodiac change at all Fish?
Touche on the first sentence Maurizio.
So the bottom line is that YOU aren’t fazed by the material, right? Does this mean that those of us who buy this kind of artistry should be disturbed that we are dealing with the devil, then? I personally like visiting Hell from time to time. If you can take the heat the sights there are rather spectacular.
I’ll go see it at some point and try to drum up some crocodile tears. Like I always say… the way most religious people talk about heaven and what would be allowed there, hell is surly a much more festive place to spend eternity.
Merry Christmas to you Sam, your family and the entire WitD population. Looking forward to another and hopefully brighter 2012 in the world. More locally, the weather has been way too warm for Christmas (low 80’s) which is even warm for Central Fla. at this time of year. Christmas trees are wilting and Santa fainted from heat exhaustion when passing through…this despite the ice cold Margarita (and cookies) I out left out for him!
Anyway, here is this week’s viewings.
Murder by Contract (****) Nice low budget B crime film. Bare bones essential filmmaking directed by Irving Learner.
The River Wild (**1/2) Too much of a stretch to be believable and story wise, there is not much new here. Thieves hold a family hostage so they can help them escape. Meryl Streep as action hero.
Born to Be Bad (**1/2) Late entry in the pre-code movie log, the film stars the gorgeous Loretta Young as a prostitute (a fairly high priced one from the clothes she wears) and con artist. A young Cary Grant co-stars. Young’s hard bitten persona, risqué moments of semi-undress, an adulterous affair and suggestive dialogue make this otherwise fair film worth watching.
The Philadelphia Story (****) Sharply written dialogue that burns with sly wit. The entire cast is wonderful but Katherine Hepburn receives the top honors here. She is brilliant as a priggish society daughter who the day before her wedding cannot decide who she is in love with.
The Shop Around the Corner (*****) More than a great Christmas film, Ernst Lubitsch created a masterpiece of sophisticated romantic comedy. Hysterically funny one moment, heartbreaking the next. The meeting of Stewart and Sullavan at the cafe is a dazzling piece of written dialogue. All the characters come across as genuine and real, but then that is part of The Lubitsch Touch!
Alias Boston Blackie(**1/2) Typical Boston Blackie film. This one mixes Christmas and murder. Cast includes character actor George E. Stone and, in a small role, an unbilled unknown named Lloyd Bridges as a bus driver.
JOHN-I have to agree with you completely on THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER. The brilliance of the dialogue and the timing of the performances land this film as a text book example on how romantic comedies should be made.
ANNIE HALL is a great example of Romantic Comedy that utilizes Lubisch’s style to perfection while SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE is a veritable rip-off of this classic and still has none of the charm…
Margaret Sullivan could break your heart with her performance and Jimmy Stewart is about as close to perfection as he has ever come with his wonderfully nuanced turn… THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is one of those rare films I never tire of and have seen a dozen times and will, probably, see a dozen times more….
Dennis – This is a film you can watch over and over and just soak in the writing and the performances. An intelligent romantic comedy, which is so rare in these days of films with improbable setups, little intelligence and no charm.
BTW – think you mean YOU’VE GOT MAIL instead of SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. Either way, the remake is not up to the standards of the original, but then so few films are.
John—
You did your best with the Matguerita and the cookies, but that heat wave leaves no prisoners behind! We had a brisk but sunny day up north here, and one that certainly didn’t convince anyone it was December 25th. But yeah, way too hot in central Florida, and sad to hear the trees were wilting. I wish you and Dorothy and everyone at the offices of TWENTY FOUR FRAMES (where I must make a vist today to respond to that terrific Leisen review) You did indeed see a masterpiece there with SHOP AROUND THE CORNER and another one that for me pushes close: THE PHILADELPHIA STORY. I am no big fan of THE RIVER WILD nor BORN TO BE BAD, so your ratings ring true for me. I like MURDER BY CONTRACT a bit less but fair enough, and as far as ALIAS BOSTON BLACKIE I have not seen that one yet. Typically your capsule assessments are superbly drawn and your movie-going week was stupendous.
Thanks for being one of my best on-line friends and the best to you always John!
Well, first off, I have to say that the picture of Fish at the bottom of your post intrigued me. The neatness of his office/study, the obvious attention to organization… Inspiring!
A far cry from others that that collect here at the site!
LOL! Dig-Dig! LOL!
I went to see two films this week, theatrically, and I’m pretty much in agreement with Sammy on the disastrous Motion Capture Animation Spielberg film THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN. It’s really kinda lifeless. The film looks gorgeous and the there are some inspired set pieces and action sequences, but for the most part it’s just a glossy animated film that borrows its inspiration from better Spielberg directed Indiana Jones flicks and crosses itself with Gore Verbinski’s PIRATES OF THE CARABBEAN. I was bummed out that the usually good Jamie Bell (BILLY ELLIOT) lowered himself to voice the main character so blandly and didn’t see how really blase this whole venture was…
On the other hand, I have to go a *1/2 higher over Sammy’s grade for David Fincher’s taut thriller THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. Although nothing to shake up the world with; Fincher’s stylistically slick direction, Trent Reznor’s moody score, a fantastic opening credits montage and the central performance by Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander, the title character, kept the film moving for me enough to pass it a recommendation. That said, I thought this one of the sexiest films I have seen in a while, though some might think I’m losing it as most of the sexuality comes from the grunge and goth culture that is still in full swing around the globe (quite frankly I couldn’t take my eyes off of Miss Mara for a second)…
Finally finished watching all the episodes of FRASIER on Netflix and I can say, without hesitation, that this has become one of my favorite comedy shows of all time. The pompous manner of the the main character, the split second timing of the intellectual humor and some of the greatest physical gags put on the tube, I felt hollow after I finished the final episode. Kelsey Grammar is devastatingly brilliant as the big, self centered windbag physchiatrist title character and I was often amazed by his ability to balance the physical comedy while belting out some of the hardest comedy dialogue ever written for television. Watching the show end was like saying goodbye to old friends.
Message to MAURIZIO ROCA:
I refer you to last weeks issue of Rolling Stone magazine where, in there end of the year wrap-up, they proclaimed BREAKING BAD the best drama show on TV and said it’s only gotten better with every year that goes by.
I couldn’t agree with them more…
I hope everyone had a great Holiday!!!!!
P.S.-Early shout out to JAMIE UHLER on his special day this week!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!
I don’t have neatness, Dennis, and it isn’t an office, it’s just a corner of the kitchen/dining room. But there is order in the inner sanctuary upstairs.
Yes Dennis, a great, classic photo of Allan there! I didn’t know it was Jamie Uhler’s Birthday, as our friend there is mum on such matters. Happy Brithday Jamie! Your analysis of both TIN TIN and DRAGON TATTOO are most fair, and I am looking forward this coming week to seeing a few others with you (repeats in fact) that will reverse this past week’s disappointments. Thanks as ever, and have the best New Year’s ever!
It’ll be the best NEW YEAR of all if it comes and goes without much fanfare as I am totally exhausted by the whole holiday season. I have a vacation coming up in late January/early February and am looking forward to recharging my batteries down in FLA with much sleep and some easy-going (and a performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto at the FLA performing arts center with the phenomenal Joshua Bell as the soloist-he’ll also be performing Saint Saen’s INRODUCTION and RONDO CAPRICCIOSO as well as Beethoven’s KREUTZER sonata for Violin and Piano (I told Shirl,my mother who you know well, to make sure she brings alot of Kleenex for me that night…)…
Saw MIDNIGHT IN PARIS on Blu-Ray the other night and thiought it was very good. Hoping I share your enthusiasm for WARHORSE as well. Seems the grand old men of Hollywood (Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg and Marty Scorsese) are really having a watershed year in 2011!!!!!!
I erased my comments on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo during our email exchanges (to paste on here), but unlike you I found the film devoid of any worth. Other than superficial edgy posturing/filmmaking their is nothing else going on of lasting value. An empty headed movie that can’t be saved by an idiotic story. I got it from trusted sources that the book stinks to high heaven. Rooney Mara’s performance is fascinating but one note. Fincher’s worst film since Alien 3 (though Panic Room is close).
As for Breaking Bad… I just finished with season two and the proverbial shit has hit the fan. I can’t wait to see what else befalls Heisenberg and Jesse. The show is absolutely incredible and on a par with the best of HBO like Deadwood and Carnivale. What I saw this week…..
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo **
Nostalgia For The Light ****
Meek’s Cutoff **1/2
Margin Call **1/2
Miracle On 34th Street ****
MAURIZIO-And, the second season is just getting the bal rolling! It’s absolutely the third and fourth season that sees the rope of morality begin to tighten around Walter Whites neck.
Now, please, remind me, because the seasons have tendency to blur together as I see the whole thing as one story… Did you meet Jesse’s on-again-off again Girlfriend Jane? She is a pivotal figure in the character make-up of Walter and the story arcs that surround her add to Walters growing reveal. Jesse, on the other hand becomes more and more important to the fabric of the show with every episode as well and, in a sense, becomes Walter’s only reminder of what humanity is all about (maybe). I keep thinking of THE GODFATHER PART 2 more and more when I think of a film as a parallel to this show. That and the instances of pure coincidence that befall Walter are fascinating. Fascinating but never false for a second.
I envy you seeing this show for the first time. Just gets better and better as it goes… And to think, you haven’t really gotten to the meat of the show yet…
Yes, the shit is beginning to hit the fan, but the shit storm has hardly begun…
Get ready to revel in chaos…
I was never a big fan (but a fan anyway) of CARNIVALE. Along with THE WIRE (absolutely a contender for greatest TV drama of all time) and SIX FEET UNDER, DEADWOOD was absolutely one of the best shows HBO, or for that matter, TV has ever produced… I was hoping that AMC’s HELL ON WHEELS would be like DEADWOOD but, alas, I just cannot get into it at all…
The end of season two is the moment where pieces of the plane drop into Heisenberg’s pool after the overdose of Jesse’s girlfriend. I will start season three later this week.
Sam, thanks so much for the wonderful mention, and a Merry Christmas to you!
It sounds like you had an absolutely fantastic week of movie-watching. I’m particularly keen on seeing MARGARET as I know it’s been an embattled work for quite awhile. I applaud Lonergan for somehow keeping up some semblance of a fight in the midst of all that messiness.
My week was actually a zero in terms of taking in new work. But I hope to do something about that starting today 🙂
Here’s to another awesome week, Sam! Thanks so much for making every Monday so much better.
Jeffrey—
Hope you all had a splendid Bayou Christmas and a festive New Year’s Eve on the horizon! Yes, we all did hit the theatres hard this past week, and I am not a bit surprised that Lonnergan’s MARGARET is the one most of all that has you most interested. Can’t blame you either as this film’s contentious artistic path is a story in and of itself. The end product here, even with the tampering and cults is still an astonishing achievement. I’d bet you will react most favorably to it. With the holiday week, it’s more than understandable that some kind of a break is in order. Again a great 2012 to you all, and thanks for always enriching the diary with your incomparable presence my friend!
Hi Sam!,
Sounds like you had a fabulous Christmas and I’m wishing you a Happy New Year to come! I am currently at my parent’s house and we’ve spent the last 4 days in Chicago visiting and it’s been good to catch up, since I missed Thanksgiving. I’ve had a serious bout of laryngitis, but you can’t have it all and I’m thankful that the kids and wife are happy and healthy and I can bask in the glow of listening to others. 🙂 I am not surprised that War Horse is getting raves from you and it appears you do appreciate this kind of film and I must admit I do really think that Spielberg is an excellent director, if not always at the top of his game. He certainly has made several of the most iconic films of all-time, although I know many bloggers use this as a strike against him.
My wife and I watched Midnight in Paris this week and I was rather disappointed with it and was expecting more. Ah well. I actually think Vicky Christina Barcelona was far more successful of the recent Allen’s. We are going to see Young Adult tonight (taking advantage of free babysitting by the grandparents) and we will also see The Descendants later this week as I try to catch up with the new releases worth noting. I will eventually unveil my top 5 or 10 of the year, but only after I see all I can, which may take a few more months. Tis the burden of living in a small town away from the art film hubs. Ha! One other film of course this week was Sunset Blvd., as I rewatched it to prepare for a discussion for a film club that I’ve joined at work. I was again impressed with the script, the attention to film history and detail, and of course Gloria Swanson’s towering performance that is one of the truly great turns. I saw it more this time as a darkly comic melodrama than a film noir, but that’s for quibbles. Have a great week.
Jon—
I am very sorry to hear about this bout with laryngitis, which I know is a real downer , especially at this time of the year. I think this is the first Christmas I can remember where everyone in this house was completely healthy. At least everyone else by you is A-OK, and yes, your ‘listening propensity, is now center-stage. As far as Spielberg, yes there is a serious opposition to him (which at this site borders on genuine hatred) but I will soon be penning a review on WAR HORSE to state my case, even if in the end I will do nothing to me the heavy stone. Of the site writers here only the soon-departing Joel Bocko and my dear friend Dennis Polifroni are big fans of the director’s work. Great to see you too value much of his output. Yeah, like you I found myself in the extreme minority with Allen’s MIDNGHT IN PARIS (I never bought the bumbling central character as a writer). I think you will find YOUNG ADULT most interesting. It’s not a great film, but still a good one that should be cited for it’s original approach to this material. The two leads are impressive as well. Glad to hear the baby-sitting situation there worked in your favor! In addition to the ones you have lined up for this week, I do hope you’ll be able to work in THE ARTIST and WAR HORSE, if they are in your neighborhood.
I greatly look forward to your own list of 2011 films! I wish you and your family the best year ever in 2012 my great friend!
Oh and yes, I can read SUNSET BOULEVARD as a darkly comic melodrama too at times. Swanson’s performance? Yep, one of the greatest by a lead actress in cinema history!
Sam –
Your visit from St. Nicholas sounds thrilling! And it’s amazing that he knew just exactly what you would want — blue ray goodies galore!
We’re looking forward to seeing what’s on your list of Best Films for 2011. We used your list from last year as our guide for ordering DVD’s for view from our local library this year. You, my friend, are an AWESOME resource!
We’ve been waiting on tenterhooks for your thoughts on WAR HORSE. It’s a go — whoohoo! That means we’ll include it in our actual go-the-the-real-movie-theater list of films that we see between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day. So far we’ve seen: Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible, and The Descendants. On New Year’s Eve we’ll see New Year’s Eve. Between now and then we’ll see War Horse.
We’re enjoying a cold but snowless holiday season. I know that a lot of people were hoping for a white Christmas. The Universe smiled on me this year with no snow — zero, zip, nada!
Laurie—
That was indeed a visdit to remember! And blu-rays to spare!!!
Thanks for the confidence in me; I’ll try to uphold it from my end. I can see my list shaping up to be heavy on foreign-language films, but more than a sprikling of American masterworks. I am still not over WAR HORSE, and I’d bet my home, my car and all my assets that you and Len will be connecting with it in a big way. Hope you at least liked THE DESCENDENTS of the three you saw there. I actually haven’t watched MI4 and SH just yet but hope to later in the week. Yes the universe did smile on you all in Crystal Lake with a dry turn. The way I look at thinks in these parts is that while we were denied a White Christmas we did “enjoy” a White Halloween with power outages and flooding. Heck now we can’t have everything now, can we? LOL!!!
Laurie, I wqish you and Len the best year ever in 2012. I am thankful for your friendship!
I’ll admit War Horse is not one I look forward to watching, but then again I hold very little regard for post-Jaws Spielberg. I did get to watch Pina however and believe it to be the first thing Wim Wenders has done that deserves recognition in maybe two decades. Its interesting to see him get on the 3D trend like so many other great filmmakers. To see it utilized in a more interesting way by the likes of Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, Ken Jacobs, and now Wenders, makes me believe this trend really is here to stay.
I’ve also begun compiling my list for the years best, and plan to begin writing new blog posts again. My first entry will most likely be my top ten. Sadly this year has been rather disappointing for new films, with a few exceptions. Malick’s Tree of Life may have set the bar too high for me, but I’ve been able to see a few other great films here and there. I expect Pina to be on it for sure.
Anu—
Hello and great to see you on this thread again! Yes I am aware that WAR HORSE will split the boards so to speak, and as always it comes down to what one is looking for from the cinema. For me, being moved is right up there will being intellectually challenged, and I stand by what I saw in the film in some honest manipulation that goes with this turf. Not at all speaking to you but to some others I know, it is simply impossible for a person with a cynical world view to embrace something like this. It would be like trying to sell an atheist with the notion of an afterlife. Spielberg isn’t the issue at all, it’s personal taste and philosophy that counts here in this assessment, methinks. It was never and will never be about artistry or lack thereof, but an attack on optimism, and a resistence to any kind of an emotional agenda.
Terrific what you say there about PINA and Wim Wenders! I couldn’t agree with you more. I do greatly look forward to your planned listing at THE CONFIDENTIAL REPORT, which I will be watching for!
2011 is actually way better than you might at this ppoint perceive it to be as in addition to THE TREE OF LIFE, we’ve had trasures like thse to consider:
Poetry
Melancholia
Tomboy
Hugo
A Separation
Margaret
Win Win
Of Gods and Men
Honey
Shame
Drive
The Mill and the Cross
Certified Copy
Jane Eyre
War Horse
Cave of the Forgotten Dreams
Pina
To Hell and Back
13 Assassins
Weekend
The Artist
Uncle Boonme
Incendies
City of Life and Death
Le Quattro Volte
The Princess of Montpensier
A Dangerous Method
Winter in Wartime
Confessions
Tuesday After Christmas
Mysteries of Lisbon
United Red Army
The Turin Horse
Roadie
and some others…..this has in fact been the best year in a very long time as I see it. But let’s see how you do with the list.
Thanks again for stopping by my friend!
this has been one of the worst and most dissapointing years in a lot of time.
Jaime, in view of the list above I find it hard to defend your own position. Every year there are bad films, but this year there was far more in the ‘plus’ category. I am figuring you might revise your position when you get to a number of these (I know you have seen some) but if not, fair enough.
the lack of actual masterpieces seen by me (1 and from Chile) has me shivering at the prospects. of those you mention I just look forward to:
Hugo
Margaret
War Horse
the rest? I can live without them until my best-of list. and i don’t expect masterpieces from any of these three (but who knows).
2010 was better, 2009 was infinitely better, 2008 was genius, 2007 was great, then it gets doozy.
I much prefer this year to the previous five (only 2006 seems to match it, but it’s hard to make persuasive comparisons) but that’s neither here nor there. I think the point is that I don’t judge teh year by the number of five-star masterpieces, but rather by the number of films that woul fall under the 4.5 and 4.0 umbrella. For me, there were more this year that did in a very long time. I find it almost impossible to believe that you wouldn’t come in with brilliant appraisals of films like LE QUATTRO VOLTE, HONEY, A DANGEROUS METHOD, SHAME, OF GODS AND MEN, CONFESSIONS, MARGARET, TO HELL AND BACK and TOMBOY among others. I am sure you would.
Ack, dangerous method, of course.And the rest? 2010, sorry, I’m the Allan kinda guy.
Sam, rememebr Jaime is like me and considers years of where they were first seen. Lots of what you see as 2011, he and I and plenty others see as 2010, 09, 08 or even 07.
Even taking into account Allan’s criteria and the fact that I’ve still yet to see a key bunch of 2011 films, this has been a very good year for cinema. Certainly better than 2008-10 as far as I can see. Tree, Shame, Drive, Method, Kevin, Cave Of Dreams, Turin Horse etc…… spectacular. A Separation, Margaret, Pina will probably continue to solidify that belief for me.
“Lots of what you see as 2011, he and I and plenty others see as 2010, 09, 08 or even 07.”
Right. I have maybe 99.9 % of the USA and UK critics and audiences doing the same as I do. Only a nit-picking contrarian looking to rain on the general parade would do otherwise.
Like me!
Sam, I have no choice, I can’t have my guidelines according to USA release, not even Chilean release, as we get the worse end of the stick, the one covered in shit.
Jaime, believe me I can well understand those restrictions. In your case it completely makes sense.
Written critics HAVE to do the same because of what audiences expect. But those with the choice to do the right thing, do the right thing. Stop getting defensive every five minutes, it does my tits in.
I am NOT getting defensive, on the contrary I think you are, especially since practically nobody does it your way. By the very nature of your approach to writing and film guide adherence you have a natural penchant for encyclopedic allocation, but this not the way anyone else plays the game. In preparing year-end lists it is the ‘here’ and ‘now’ that counts.
yes, but serious critics leave lists alone when done, for you they’re in stone even years later. You still think of films in the year in which they showed in the US afterwards, despite protestations otherwise. You still think of Dogville as 2004, and Three Colours Blue for 1994, for gawd’s sake. And just because the majority does something, doesn’t make it right. After all, the majority like X Factor, the majority voted for Reagan, Thatcher and Bush. Human beings are and will always be sheep.
Sam, hope you and your lovely family had a joyous christmas although the special visit ensured the day got off on the right foot. And I am glad it was the man himself who came for a visit and not his son which means you were not on the missed list. By this I refer to Arthur Christmas which I recently took my daughter to. The film answered so many questions about the secret inner workings about what goes on in the North Pole 🙂
On top of that, you had an incredible haul at the cinemas which certainly means you will have a few more titles to think about before compiling your year end list. Thanks for the mention.
Sachin—
Thank you Sachin for that! I know you and Kavita (and your oldest daughter) were celebrating the birth of Natsha during one of the most joyous times of your lives. Continued health and happiness to you all. Yes it was great getting a visit from the man, and not a worker! Ha! hahahahaha what you say there about the ‘inner workings of the North Pole’ in ARTHUR CHRISTMAS!!!
Yes, this has been quite a week at the theatres, and tonight we have the silent film festival at the Film Forum with a feature we had previously seen just a few months ago at the Keaton Festival (THE CAMERAMAN) but one Sammy and Danny can’t wait to see again! But the list will be very difficult to put together after all the late inclusions, that’s for sure! Like so many others, I’ll be looking at some other films in theatres over the coming week.
Many thanks my great friend, and the best to the four of you in 2012!
Hello Sam and everyone, here’s wishing that everyone had a great christmas and will a jolly happy new year! God, that Santa fellow sure is nice, and Mr. Fish couldn’t have a better time! As someone said in a video I like a lot: ‘that is the face of humour’.
And you sure saw a great deal of films on your own Sam, and of those I’ve seen “A Separation”, which I agree on the rating (****1/2, Almost Masterpiece), and “Pina”, which I found to be interesting and great technically, but even my love for the dance form (watching dancing, I’m a dreck at doing it) I couldn’t go higher than ****. On the rest, I wanna see all of them, specially Tin Tin and Dragon Tattoo, being my two most look forward films of the year, even if you didn’t think much of them.
I had a mixed week, and I’m still a bit sad. The short was shown and disliked by everyone, so now I failed, an equivalent of an F was given and so I have to repeat it all next year. Fuck. Now, I had quite a good christmas, in which I received an awesome cellphone with free internet as well as some clothing and a book on Nicanor Parra, one of my favorite chilean poets.
Well, that’s how we find ourselves at the end of the year… my week movie wise:
– Mission: Impossible (1996, Brian de Palma) ***1/2 Thrilling start that slowly starts to deflate as the protagonists starts to get more and more invincible and less vulnerable. It’s a great sequence how Ethan Hunt starts gioing alone, but from there, he just gets more confidence instead of less, and he gets less likeable. Some sequences are great, but the final exposition makes no sense.
– Night Fishing (2011, Chan-wook Park. Chan-kyong Park) ****1/2 Amazing short film from the korean master and his brother. The visual style and some undertones are the best thing about it, and it makes a great addition for the canon of vengeance and violence and ghosts from the past that has always plagued the ouvre of Park. I saw it without subs, it actually may go up if I see it for real.
– Project Nim (2011, James Marsh) **** Interesting subject matter and really insightful interviews make the most of this lacking in visuals documentary, and while there are many recreations, the film still feels uncinematic. The subject matter alone with some more conscious writing would’ve made an even better story. This one just gets a great grade on how the story is told.
– Sherlock Holmes (2009, Guy Ritchie) ***1/2 Again, just like M:I, this one has a great start and the best parts are the reasonaments of Downey Jr., but with time we get tired of it, and some repetitions feel really akward. Still, it has entertaining fights, entertaining dialogue and great action through. The mystery could’ve had more thought and time invested, it felt weak, comparing it to the great characters.
That’s all, have a good week Sam!
Jaime—
Aye Jaimie, the photo of Allan with the hat is priceless! Underneath that grumpy exterior I detect an inner joy that he tries mightily to conceal.
Yes, a memorable week in the theatres, no question about that. There was an interesting assortment here, with a return engagement and a Region 2 DVD in the mix. Fair enough with A SEPARATION and PINA from your end, and indeed you may find both DRAGON TATTOO and TIN TIN better than I did. Sorry to hear about you short’s reception, but perhaps you can make some changes and re-submit? If not, I’m sure you’ll just shrug it off and move forforward. No big deal. The cellphone with internet if of course a fantastic gift and a life changer of sorts! The volume of Chilean poetry is very nice too.
You like that MISSION IMPOSSIBLE film from Brian de Palma more than I do, but I think your capsule was fair enough. I am thinking I’ll be giving the new one (MI4) a shot this week even while I hold my nose going in. I did not at all like the pyro-technic-laden 2009 Sherlock Holmes, but I know I am in the minority there. You assess it quite impressively there. I would go an extra half-star on PROJECT NIM, which I like a bit more than you do, and as afr as NIGHT FISHING, I haven’t seen that one yet.
I’m assuming you have a full week off now! Hope you make the most of it my friend –I’m sure you will– and have a great year in 2012 in university and in your personal life. Many thanks as always for the priceless wrap!
here I have my review of Night Fishing, just posted
http://exodus8-2.blogspot.com/2011/12/paranmanjang-2011.html
Jaime, I just got home late from the Silent Film Festival, but will be responding to your review tomorrow for sure. Thanks for the heads-up.
Hope everyone is having a good break – and glad that Santa brought your household such a nice batch of goodies, Sam.:) I had been expecting to work Christmas Day, but then this changed, so in the end I had Christmas lunch at home with the family. As a result I was full of all the joys of the season and have enjoyed watching three festive-themed films over the past week – the 1951 ‘Scrooge’ and a Bing Crosby double bill, ‘Going My Way’ and ‘The Bells of St Mary’s’. I know both the Crosbys are quite sentimental in places, but I still liked them and am glad to have seen them.
I was given several DVDs for Christmas and also a couple of Frank Sinatra CD box sets, so, since I’ve been spending a lot of time with Bing and Frank this week, here is a clip of the two of them together singing ‘White Christmas’ on a 1957 TV special, shamelessly pinched from the Lady Eve classic movies blog:
Sadly, that link didn’t work – second try before I give up:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SneakyGuy66?feature=watch#p/c/02D90DB0E4E3FAC9/5/WFYM7SMlb48
OK, I’ve now given up:) But anyone who clicks on either of the links should be able to see it, I hope!
It came through quite nicely Judy! Bing and Frank are iconic!
Hey Judy!
What after all, would Christmas be, without a bit of sentiment. I may have taken that proposal to the ultimate with a Christmas Day screening of WAR HOUSE, but I loved every minute of it. Certainly the 1951 SCROOGE and those two Bings are just w\hat the yuletide doctor ordered, and age has only enhanced their appeal. That’s great that some new DVDs and the Frank/Bing CD set were added to your holdings, and best wishes with them. Seems like you have already enjoyed them!
Best Wishes to you and yours for 2012 my very great friend!
Hey Sam. As always thanks for the kind mention. Four 4.5s in a week is quite a lucky streak!
My week was family-centered and I managed only a couple of episodes of the classic British TV series ‘When the Boat Comes In’ from the late 70s.
Last night I watched Malick’s The Tree of Life. Short of a masterpiece but certainly great. A visually stunning and fluidly cinematic film where the images tell the story. But the editing was sometimes intrusive with some redundant jump cuts at the start. The mythic elements were largely superfluous and a touch heavy-handed, as was the reliance on the albeit achingly beautiful musical scoring. I wonder if limiting the scenario to the essential elements of the story would not have produced an elegiac masterpiece. Somehow, Sean Penn seems miscast – his angst has an arrogance that undermines the modest filaments of a more simple reality found in the childhood years. The scenes of thrusting towers of steel and glass were breathtaking but rather weak metaphors.
Yesterday before watching Malick’s film I was re-reading Saul Bellow’s masterful novel ‘Herzog’ and a particular passage struck me as very telling, and in retrospect particularly relevant to The Tree of Life. Herzog is being visited by a fellow academic who is waxing lyrical before Herzog’s attractive wife: “Madeleine, “stuck away in the woods,” was avid for scholarly conversation. Shapiro knew the literature of every field-he read all the publications; he had accounts with book dealers all over the world. When he found that Madeleine was not only a beauty but was preparing for her doctoral examination in Slavonic languages, he said, “How delightful!” And it was he himself who knew, betraying the knowledge by affectation, that for a Russian Jew from Chicago’s West Side that “How delightful!” was inappropriate. A German Jew from Kenwood might have gotten away with it – old money, in the dry-goods business since 1880. But Shapiro’s father had had no money, and peddled rotten apples from South Water Street in a wagon. There was more of the truth of life in those spotted, spoiled apples, and in old Shapiro, who smelled of the horse and of produce, than in all of these learned references.”
Similarly, there is more truth in that Texas garden with the modest vegetable patch and scruffy lawn than in all those cosmic pyrotechnics.
Hey Tony!
I am unfamiliar with ‘When the Boat Comes In’ but respect your opting for family time during the holiday. I read ‘Herzo’ in 12th grade for reading credit, but it’s been too long to remember passages. Yet, I have maintained an awe of Bellow (and that novel) over decades, and can well imagine it being referenced in pertinent instancesd like this. As I am preparing to name THE TREE OF LIFE as the best film of 2011, I am delighted at your extremely positive response to it, even with some considerable disclaimers that you feel keep the film from achieving masterpiece status. It’s definitely fair enough to take issue with the film’s sometimes disjointed editing and with Penn’s role and performance, the latter of which caused the actor to lash out against the film and Malick. Certainly, even the most positive assessment of this film (and mine would fall under that umbrella) would at least bring Penn’s role into questionable focus, even if the writer ultimately allowed for it. As you note, Malick’s musical choices were ravishing, as were some of the mythic reaches, but I can definitely see why you wouldf prefern a more unobstrusive and pure approach. Hence your query as to what the film would have been like free of this kind of audacious ostentation is most interesting. In any case, as always you bring so much top the fore with your brilliant enrichments, always food for thought.
Have a great 2012 my excellent friend in your new home with your lovely family!
Sam, you’ve been very busy. Indeed, the last two weeks in December bring a bumper crop of movies that I am interested in seeing. (Last December at this time, I saw only five different movies.) So far I have seen Sherlock Holmes, Young Adult, The Artist, Tintin, Dragon Tattoo, Mission Impossible, War Horse, and I can still think of at least 5 more I want to see! I agree that War Horse is a very good movie; sometimes it was a bit too sentimental and pat for me, but it was impressive in many ways.
Aye Hokahey! December is surely the most-anticipated time of the year for movie-lovers, and typically there are multiple moments near year’s end when one is excited beyond compare. You saw a batch there! Og thosde I like one exceedingly (THE ARTIST) and think there are a number of interesting aspects in YOUNG ADULT. I read your superb review of WAR HORSE at LITTLE WORLDS.
Thanks as always my friend and have the best year ever in 2012.
Sam –
Glad to hear that you and the Juliano clan had a wonderful, movie-filled holiday. I have had Marlon’s family visiting this week, also spent a few days in Indiana with my own family – our film viewing has been limited to seasonal and sentimental favorites on TV, including CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATAION,THE MUSIC MAN, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, and about half of BABES IN TOYLAND (which was inexplicaby on quite late at night – I faded at about the halfway point.) All company departs tomorrow morning, and I am planning a heroic rush to the multiplexes to catch as many of the year-end releases as possible. Highest on my agenda are A DANGEROUS METHOD, YOUNG ADULT, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN and SHAME. In the meantime, Santa did bring me a nice stocking stuffer – the director’s cut of 1776 (which, I assume, means they’ve included the “Cool Conservative Men” number that Richard Nixon persuaded Jack Warner to have excised from the initial release.)
Have a wonderful week!
Hey Pat!!
Yes, a great holiday was had in these parts, and an unforgettable movie (WAR HORSE) to cap off the festivities on the 25th. Nice to get to Indiana with your folks and to have Marlon’s brood visiting you. All splendid choices there for the holiday, and great especially that you saw our beloved THE MUSIC MAN!!! But obviously the others are Christmas staples. Yeah a late showing of BABES AND TOYLAND is odd indeed. All four of your planned movie trips are well worth it (as I have voiced in the previous diaries) and I’d humbly recommend THE ARTIST, HUGO, WAR HORSE and TOMBOY if you can manage any. Then again I recall you may have seen HUGO and/orTHE ARTIST. I’m not sure. Ugh.
Ah, the director’s cut of 1776!!! Nice. Yep, that great song “Cool Considerate Men” had no business being eliminated. Another strike against Tricky Dick!!!
Have a great week my friend!!! I can’t wait for your upcoming report!! And a great year in 2012.
..and a happy New Year to everyone here.
So you were bowled over by Spielberg’s ‘A Boy and His Horse’, Sam? Hmmmm. Have you seen La Streep in ‘The Iron Lady’? I say, in the previews she looks like a morphing of Sophie Zawistowski and Faye Dunaway’s Evelyn Mulwray. I remain stand-offish.
Watched some perennial TCM Christmas fare, etc.
‘The Man Who Came to Dinner’ — The famous migraine-inducing holiday farce starring Bette Davis, Monty Woolley and Jimmy Durante’s nose. Davis is oddly muted and Woolley serves up a heaping helping of corn and hamhocks. But the character of the ‘Countess of Cyanide,’ an imperious Hollywood star, is deliciously overplayed by Ann Sheridan, who flings the film around her shoulders like a mink and walks off with it.
‘The Lady in the Lake’ — Raymond Chandler’s very noir Christmas directed by Robert Montgomery, and I don’t know who came up with the disastrous camera-as-protagonist conceit. Another dame steals this picture, too — the get-a-load-of-her Audrey Totter, a coy temptress who can’t stop flashing her great big peepers at detective Marlowe (Montgomery). LMAO.
‘At Long Last Love’ — Politely put, a genial misfire from Peter Bogdanovich; a Cole Porter musical with a non-singing, non-dancing cast. Hard to believe this is contemporaneous with films like ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’, ‘Shampoo’, and ‘Nashville’. A unique aberration that’s not without a certain graceless charm if you stick with it long enough.
If I see only one picture per year as good as ‘The Tree of Life’ or ‘Poetry’ I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life.
Happy New Year, Sam. Allan, Maurizio, Jamie, Jaime, Bob, James, etc., etc.
Mark—
To show you how bowled over I was with the horse movie, I am presently thinking I’ll place it high in my top ten. I know that you are hugely skeptical and can even begin to imagine it being anything but manipulation and/or emotional exploitation, but the proof will have to be in the pudding for you. Some of the very last people I would ever have expected to embrace the movie are presently singing its praises. In any case I am hoping to state my case on Monday with my Top 25 list at WitD. As far as THE TREE OF LIFE and POETRY, be rest assured they rank among the very best films of the year as well. I am just as stand-offish as you are with La Streep in IRON LADY, though I’ll get to it later this week. I seriously doubt it will encourage any list changes though. Ha!
I loved your astute and perceptive capsules on LADY and MAN, both of which I concur with you on in just about every sense, but I haven’t seen that particular Bogdonovich film, I’m afraid. But I would expect as much as he did reach that dire period after the early successes and the one masterpiece.
Happy New Year to you and yours my friend!!! It has been an honor to have you around with all your brilliant observations over the past year!
Sorry I’m late, but I was still in holiday mode through yesterday. I hope to get out to at least one movie before the end of the year, and you may have just sold me on War Horse, which if a success would only continue that dubious tradition of romanticized American WW1 films encompassing All Quiet on the Western Front, Paths of Glory, Johnny Got His Gun, etc. Having made that point, I’ll add that you stoke my interest in Pina, especially since the local art house is 3D equipped. I remember watching some Bausch dances way way back when A&E actually showed such stuff, and with you saying that Wenders outdoes Herzog and Scorsese I’m very intrigued now.
Over the long weekend I was captivated by some recent library acquisitions, including that beloved New Year’s Eve classic, Victor Sjostrom’s Phantom Carriage. For Criterion to call that Dickensian was putting it mildly, and you have to get into a Dickensian frame of mind to even want to see the protagonist redeemed. Fortunately I was in a compassionate mood, thanks to Sjostrom. Also finally saw Rififi, which was disappointing to the extent that I expected something more profound from a blacklisted director but was definitely a narrative advance and a great crime film. It was coincidental that I watched it around the same time I saw Richard Boleslawski’s 3 Godfathers, given how both films finish. I’m a big fan of John Ford’s remake, but now I’m a fan of Boleslawski’s grimmer and perhaps for that reason more spiritual original as well. It’s certainly one of the bleakest Christmas movies Hollywood has ever made, and I say that having recently rewatched Batman Returns! Bleak in a different way was Julie Delpy’s auteurial showcase (writer-director-star-composer) The Countess, her take on the Elizabeth Bathory legend. It’s ambitiously rigorous but won’t satisfy many people, steering clear of both anachronistic feminist heroics and the sort of extended exploitation (despite many gruesome moments) that would win it more fans. After all that, my mood-lightener was Bertrand Blier’s Going Places, aka “Balls,” a Seventies picaresque that grows on you despite its idiot heroes.
A happy new year and new films to all!
Samuel—
Can’t blame you at all for holding to holiday mode. Heck it’s just once a year. There is no question that Spielberg is playing his game by his rules here Samuel, but if you surrender, you will be treated to one of the most moving films in years. I still haven’t seen the Tony award winning play (but have been looking into getting tickets for the last two days) but Spielberg’s take on the original material does have his trademarks, some stupendous painterly-like cinematography from Kaminski, a quartet of stunning set pieces, including a meeting between a German and British solider on the war line that does recall ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, and a basic premise that wil only be rejected by the hardest of hearts. I am hearing it may be teh Oscar favorite now, even if such a distinction is normally the object of scorn. But I do know it is affecting many people and some critics who you would never believe to stand by it. As far as PINA, yes, I do hope you see it ASAP. It’s an avante garde piece that in the end is visually captivating. The 3D use is the greatest to date, and actually impacts the overall experience. It’s essential to it, in fact.
Great framing there of Sjostrom’s THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE, one of my all-time favorites. Yes, great point about the Dickensinian context. I completely agree with you on Ford’s 3 GODFATHERS (we will soon be having a Ford retro at the site) but all in all like Dassin’s film classic more than you, even with your positive regard. But I hear what you are saying there.
BATMAN RETURNS? Bah humbug!
Blier’s GOING PLACES is lovely.
Have a great 2012 my friend. As always it’s a real pleasure breaking online bread with you!
Thanks a lot Sam for the mention. And wish you, and everyone who’s associated with WitD – be it as a writer or as a reader, Merry Christmas!!!
I’m enjoying a grand vacation and a great time at home – relaxing, meeting old friends, having good food, and watching cinema.
I’ve managed to watch the following movies since the last Monday Morning Diary of yours –
1. The Kingdom II (Riget II) – the second season of the Danish horror miniseries by Lars von Trier. It was unfortunate that it had to end so abruptly.
2. Nayakan – a much-acclaimed Tamil movie by Mani Ratnam, loosely inspired from the Godfather trilogy.
3. The Adventures of TIntin – Unlike you, I had a reasonably fun time watching it, and yes despite having been a Tintin fin as a kid.
4. Royal Bengal Rayasya (Royal Bengal Mystery) – recently released Bengali film by Sandip Ray based on a detective novel by his father Satyajit Ray
5. Au Hasard Balthazar – the poignant allegorical tale by Bresson.
6. The Ides of March – I found this George Clooney political thriller to be reasonably engaging.
7. Iti Mrinalini – a film based on the journey of an actress by Bengali filmmaker Aparna Sen.
8. Komol Gandhar (E-Flat) – yet another brilliant work of the maverick filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, which I finished watching just not.
Envy you on the Ghatak, Shubha. That and Ajantrik are ones I haven’t been able to track down.
Shubhajit—
Thanks so much for the holiday greetings and Best Wishes for a great and rewarding 2012 for you! Happy to hear you are taking advantage of teh time off and are hanging with friends and watching movies! (and eating good food!)
Lioke Terill, the Creative potager (below) you are speaking highly of TIN TIN, which again makes me feel bad about my own reaction. I know that you liking Tin Tin as a kid starts you off in the right direction, but obviously you feel there is more there. Fair enough. I am mixed on IDES OF MARCH, but again it has quite a bit of support. Of teh Bengali films, like Allan I look forward to seeing Ghatek’s KOMOL GANDHAR at some point if the opportunity arises.
Thanks again my great friend!
Dvd’s of both Komol Gandhar & Ajantrik exist, as I saw them on dvd’s. Ajantrik, by the way, is one of my favourite Ritwik Ghatak films.
Ah Sam, unlike you I really like “The Adventures of Tintin” but then I am not a usual viewer perhaps as I have ample imagination to bring almost anything to life. I felt it was a great example of the lasting ability of good storytelling. The animation was beautiful to my eyes and l liked how it used a painterly feel to help set the time period – or at least that is how I viewed the effect. And here is the real kicker – I want to see it AGAIN! 🙂
This week we saw DEAD MAN (1995) directed by Jim Jarmusch. Now here is a movie that left me unsure what to think. It was another one of those that seem to take all the best elements of a good western film and apply the method of throwing them in a bag, shake vigorously and start the cameras rolling. It had its high points but mostly seem to survive on mini skits rather than a feature length film.
Thank you Sam as always for your kind mention. Today is the second anniversary of CREATIVE POTAGER and I have a new celebratory post to mark the event. All the best of this holiday week to you and everyone on Wonder’s in the Dark.
Terrill—
No problem at all on TIN TIN, which many others besides yourself have been praising. I did of course respond in the biggest way imaginable to Sppielberg’s WAR HORSE, but you make some salient points there with the painterly feel and the good storytelling, which certainly would lead to a strong reaction. I await your response to WAR HORSE next!
I am not a big fan of DEAD MAN either, though it appears that you and I are in a serious minority with that one. A few mention it as among the best film of its decade. I think what you say makes sense in that I also saw it as a group of skits with no real cohesion. Yet I do like others by Jarmusch: STRANGER THAN PARADISE, DOWN BY LAW, MYSTERY TRAIN, NIGHT ON EARTH.
Congratulations on the second anniversary of CREATIVEPOTAGER. It’s been a breathtaking ride, and I plan on hanging arouind for all the encores through 2012 and beyond. It’s been great having you as a good friend! Many thanks as always!
I saw War Horse on Sunday with Carol. We both loved it just about as much as you did Sam. I’d say it stands with:
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Schindler’s List
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
Jaws
Munich
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Empire of the Sun
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Great to hear this news Frank! I wouldn’t have CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and MUNICH with the others here, but that’s just my (minority) opinion.
Have a great New Year’s my friend! And don’t work so hard on your time off!
Bless our friend Adam Zanzie of ICEBOX MOVIES for this frank and spectacular review of Spielberg’s WAR HORSE, which he states is one of the greatest films he’s ever seen in his life!!! Bravo Adam!!!!
http://iceboxmovies.blogspot.com/2011/12/war-horse-2011.html
Thanks once again for the shout-out, Sam. Means a lot.
About Tinbtin, although I do understand why so many have found it disappointing as an emotional experience, I did think Spielberg managed to humanize the story a little by focusing on Captain Haddock’s personal crisis — that he’s the last of his kind and has been drinking his legacy away up until the moment when Tintin has found him and challenged him to make his ancestors proud. I’ve only seen it once, but as a recent fan of the Herge comics I did find a lot about it to like, and I anticipate it may even hold up with repeated viewings.
Don’t know if the 3D was necessary, though; Scorsese used 3D more effectively (and appropriate) in Hugo. Spielberg still seems to be struggling with the process. Not that it affects the success of the film, just that it feels superfluous.
Adam–
Thanks for the worthy enrichment on TIN TIN, which I hope others will report back on here as well. I completely agree with you on the matter of the 3D, and how the process was employed to great effect by Martin Scorsese in HUGO.
The same can be said for Wim Wenders and Werner Herzog, who used teh process to maximum effect in PINA and CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS respectively.
Happy New Year to you and yours!