by Sam Juliano
Our 19 year-old daughter Melanie’s move into NYC for the opening of the college fall semester at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) was our primary focus over the past week, though the same support and preparation was afforded to young Sammy, who begins classes at Bergen Community College in Paramus. Though Melanie is a year older than Sammy, she took one year off after high school to make sure of what direction she wanted to take in moving forward. Though Melanie will be living at the SVA dorm, she plans to return home nearly every weekend, and we will be active to make that happen. Sammy, on the other hand will be commuting by bus, so he will be staying under our roof. Getting him to the bus stop at 6:15 A.M. every day (some days I will no doubt just drive him there outright I am sure) will be ushering in a new and drastic change of focus for us, and to be sure we now know what our central priority is. In the meantime, Danny now enters his Junior year at Cliffside Park High School, which is also the location where Jillian starts as a freshman. Jeremy will be our final child to leave the Fairview School system, where he enters the eight grade on Wednesday.
The Childhood/Adolescent Countdown continues to advance with deceptive speed, and basically is down to its final six weeks. The authors of the reviews must again be commended for their brilliant coverage. many thanks to those who have been part of this great venture.
With much of the week taken up by shopping in clothes and bed stores, and visiting the respective colleges for orientations, and luncheons, Lucille and I didn’t see any new films in theaters, though we did watched some stuff on her HD screen at home, and on Saturday evening attended a staged reading of a new play from a lifelong friend, Peter Danish, titled “Herb and Lenny” at the Antrim Playhouse in Suffern, New York. The work focused on the two most celebrated conductors of the past century, Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein.
At home Lucille and I watched the following:
Age of Kings (1960) first five episodes of the fifteen that comprises this terrific and ambitious Shakespeare production. We watched “Richard II: The Hollow Crown”; “Richard II: The Deposing of a King”; “Henry IV: Rebellion from the North”; “Henry IV: Road to Shrewsbury” and “Henry IV: The New Conspiracy.” Without a doubt some of the best Shakespeare one is likely to see. I’ll have much more to say, including a star rating- when I finish the entire presentation. I am one-third of the way through it.
Danton (1983) **** 1/2 : Andrzej Wajda
The Conspirator (2010) **** 1/2; Robert Redford
At Noirish our great friend the esteemed prolific author John Grant has a fabulous review up a ten-minute noir available on you tube, titled “Web of Lies”: https://noirencyclopedia.wordpress.com/2015/08/22/web-of-lies-2012/
At Overlook’s Corridor, the cinematic storm trooper Jaimie Grijalba is involved in a remarkable series focusing on Hispanic American films that have won awards. The latest in his impressive string is the 2014 Cuban work “Vestido De Novia”: https://overlookhotelfilm.wordpress.com/2015/07/18/5dop-5-vestido-de-novia-2014/
Aaron West has anchored another fabulous podcast at Criterion Blues on the November releases: http://criterionblues.com/2015/08/23/episode-3-november-releases-and-2015-geekfest/
At Mondo 70 Samuel Wilson has published an excellent essay in his “Pre Code Parade” series on 1933’s “Fast Workers”: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2015/08/pre-code-parade-fast-workers-1933.html
At Tuesdays with Laurie, our great friend Laurie Buchanan talks about “rules” in her fantastic new post: http://tuesdayswithlaurie.com/2015/08/18/rules-are-meant-to-be/
Sachin Gandhi has posted a terrific review of Simon West’s “Wild Card” at Scribbles and Ramblings: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2015/08/wild-card.html
Over at Attractive Variance Jamie Uhler offers us an authoritative musical capsule piece titled “Three Days of Bass”:https://attractivevariance.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/three-days-of-bass/
At Movie Classics, Judy Geater has posted a fantastic piece on George Cukor’s 1933 classic “Dinner at Eight”: https://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2015/08/14/dinner-at-eight-george-cukor-1933/
Our longtime friend the film maker and movie lover extraordinaire Jeffrey Goodman has posted Part 29 of his series on four films that recently has impressed him. His latest roundup contains some great stuff: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2015/07/favorite-four-part-twenty-nine.html
Ever exploring new angles the resilient Tony d’Ambra has posted a brilliant piece on “Noir Beat: The Finnish Connection” atFilmsNoir.net:http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/noir-beat-the-finnish-connection.html/
Over at Patricia’s Wisdom, the terrific book reviewer and friend Patricia Hamilton has posted an affecting essay on Jean Dvies Okimoto’s novel “The Reinvention of Albert Paugh”: https://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2015/08/14/dinner-at-eight-george-cukor-1933/
At It Rains….You Get Wet Robert Tower has showcased an enthralling feature on the once regular drive-in theater experience: http://www.enic-cine.net/horse-1941-2/
J. D. Lafrance’s fantastic review on 1974’s “The Nickel Ride” by Walter Hill is leading the way at Radiator Heaven: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-nickel-ride.html
Shubhajit Lahiri has penned an excellent review of Woody Allen’s 1992 “Husbands and Wives” at Cinemascope: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2015/07/husbands-and-wives-1992.htm
Weeping Sam’s latest post at The Listening Ear features another masterful musical round-up, and some brief commentary on the current state of affairs: http://listeningear.blogspot.com/2015/08/lazy-summer-day.html
At Unseen Films Steve Kopian has a number of announcements including some festival dates: http://unseenfilms.blogspot.com/2015/08/nightcap-81615-help-jason-kartalians.html
Roderick Heath has published an exhaustive, brilliant piece on two of Hammer’s most celebrated films – “The Horror of Dracula” and “Prince of Darkness: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2015/dracula-aka-horror-of-dracula-1958-dracula-prince-of-darkness-1966/25589/
At Lost in the Movies our longtime friend Joel Bocko is leading up with a banner piece on “Neon Genesis Evangelion: Episode 11″: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2015/07/neon-genesis-evangelion-episode-11-day.html
Terrill Welch’s incomparably beautiful Creative Potager blogsite offers up all kinds of nature-inspired sublimity, and leading up is a revealing work-in-progress feature titled “For the Record I Am Still Very Much a Living Artist”: http://creativepotager.com/2015/08/04/for-the-record-i-am-still-very-much-a-living-artist/
At Filmicability Dean Treadway’s latest post is a superlative examination of the famous film year 1941: http://filmicability.blogspot.com/2015/07/1941-year-in-review.html
At his new site Enic-Cine, murderous Ink has penned a brilliant piece on a relative Japanese obscurity from 1941 titled “Horse”: http://www.enic-cine.net/horse-1941-2/
David Schleicher has penned a fabulous review on the masterful German film “Phoenix” at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2015/08/23/survivors-guilt-and-a-phoenix-soaring-to-rarefied-cinematic-heights/
At The Reluctant Blogger the photographer Jeff Stroud has a wonderfully rejuvenating post up at The Reluctant Blogger titled “We Awaken”: https://jeffstroud.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/we-awaken/
At The Seventh Art the exceedingly gifted writer Srikanth offers up a fabulous review on 2015’s “Papanasan” by Jeethu Joseph Tamil: http://theseventhart.info/2015/07/04/ellipsis-81/
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Writers/Founders
Awesome, as usual, Sammy. Many thanks for the links! 🙂
Many thanks as always my excellent friend!
Well you have your hands full at the moment and all will settle out as the school year unfolds. Best you and all the family.
No films watched this week for me either, as soon as I join the library where I can get them on loan. I have been viewing an old TV series Eli Stone which I find enlightened for a major network to produce, and it it kind of difficult to watch Johnny Lee Miller when I strongly identify him as Sherlock on Elementary.
Jeff, you hit the nail on the head there my friend. However I do think things will settle down by week’s end. 🙂
I can’t say I am familiar with that Eli Stone series, but I will investigate it. True what you say about the primary identification with Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock though. Have a great week my friend! many thanks as always.
Sounds like a busy time for the Julianos. Good luck to Sammy and Melanie as they start their college careers!!
I saw two new films on VOD this week:
SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY – a moderately successful attempt at 21st century, R-rated screwball comedy from Peter Bogdanovich. Well cast, with a particularly charming ingenue turn from Imogen Poots and nice cameos from old Bogdanovich regulars like Tatum O’Neal and Cybill Shepherd.
TOM AT THE FARM: The latest Xavier Dolan film, an unnerving Hitchcockian thriller with a slow, unnerving escalation of dread. Dolan himself plays the title character, a young gay man attending his late partner’s funeral in a remote, rural corner of Quebec and forced to deal with the partner’s thuggish, creepliy controlling brother. Dolan is becoming one of my favorite directors — this is a stylistid departure from the intensity and visual extravagance of LAURENCE ANYWAYS and MOMMY, but an impressive and well-calibrated film.
Thanks so much for the very kind words Pat!!
I was really hoping for a big return here from Bogdonovich, who has have always been fond of for his masterful early 70’s work, including that masterpiece with a title I don’t have to mention here again! 🙂 I see the reviews are poor to middling from most, though you seem to be reasonably upbeat about it. Yes that is great to see that O’Neal has gotten back in the swing and of course Shepherd! I’ll check it out for sure! As far as the Dolan film here (I also consider him a terrific talent!!) I REALLY am looking forward to it and much appreciate this glowing assessment!!
Thanks so much Pat! Have a great week! 🙂
Best wishes to Melanie and Sammy for the first years of their college runs. I can only imagine how this development will alter life as you know it Sam and Lucille!
Many thanks Frank! Yes, our focus and direction have been altered indeed. Have a great week my friend.
Good luck to Melanie and Sammy for the start of their college careers — here’s wishing them all success!
Not much movie-watching here this week, although I swiftly watched Flood Tide (1958) and The Hei$t (1989 TVM) for Noirish while together we plowed through all six hours of Jane Campion’s miniseries Top of the Lake (2013), which was pretty good but could have been, we agreed afterwards, about two hours shorter.
And thanks as always for the shoutout!
Thanks so very much for the kind words John! I have always been meaning to see TOP OF THE LAKE, but never moved forward with it. I’ll be soon checking out your reviews of both FLOOD TIDE and THE HEI$T at Noirish, though again I haven’t seen those. have a great week my very good friend!
I can see why you are implying this will be a life-changing development in your lives Sam. But I know you are happy and proud. I wish the best times for Melanie and Sammy as they begin their college careers.
Yes we are simultaneously happy and proud indeed Peter! Thanks so much for the very kind words my friend!
Wow 2 kiddos off to college and starting their adult lives, it is a big change and does make a difference at the home fires. I sent one to Denmark and one 2 years early to college in Missouri – It worked out well, but was hardest on youngest sister to be an only child at the home front.
I am still enjoying the childhood series and am beginning to recognize some of the movies now – I have quite a list to work on from the earlier entries.
Have a big/1991 book review up this week which is attracting attention and that has been good for the summer has had meager views. I am so appreciating your shout out. At the moment, I have no books coming in for November and December because my views dropped to below 100….and there you are celebrating 3000 posts and seven years – hurrah for you.
All the book fairs are in progress now – I wish I could travel and especially come to the NYC publishers gatherings. Everyone comes home with bags and bags of free books and it sounds like a piece of heaven. Bumbershoot, the Arts and Food Festival is happening in Seattle next weekend, but the tickets are beyond me this year and thus I will not be at the book fair at the center either. I just know some more authors will find me and share their books, just as I know our house will sell very soon and we can move into the smaller one story next adventure.
New WiFi equipment installed this week and as my partner retires a new computer on order for him. I have started watching the 8 part mini series from BBC – An Honorable Woman which is very good and mysterious.
Saw the Comedian and Economist Yoram Beckman (? – suddenly that last name does not seem right) this week as our community is working very hard to ban fossil fuels and the proposed coal ports on Puget Sound One spill on Puget Sound could destroy the environment forever. It is a huge deal – It is one topic that the Right and Left agree upon here with a 74% majority opinion support. Takes lots of effort and education to keep moving forward. What is with these KOCH brothers and ALEC ? – what evil in the world.
Hope it is a good week and a great weekend ahead.
Aye Patricia, the changes here are drastic, though it seems we have a hold on the situation, what with Melanie a short distance across the river in Manhattan and the likelihood of weekend returns aside from the times where her workload may be prohibitive. Sammy commutes, and I am part of that daily transportation. 🙂 Sending a kid to Denmark is unimaginable for me, but obviously you can reflect back as a very proud parent! As far as the childhood series, yes we are getting to a supremely identifiable juncture now with all the masterpieces popping up as we wind down. I wouldn’t fret too much about page views, which is a fluctuating proposition, though I lament the book deliveries being curtailed because of that. After Labor Day I think people will return to their favorite pastimes, and one no doubt is reading blogs. Thanks for the very kind words. Yes the book fairs and festivals are coming very soon, and I plan to go to those in Princeton, Brooklyn and Westchester. Sounds like your own festival may give you welcome opportunities to connect with some of your favorite authors! haven’t seen that BBC series, but sounds intriguing! That is a harrowing business in regards to the environment and the Puget Sound. As to the Koch brothers, they are an albatross over the heads of all of you good people.
Many thanks my great friend. Hope you are enjoying your Labor Day weekend, just started! 🙂
The last 10 movies I’ve seen.
1. ‘Irrational Man’ Woody Allen, 2015 Onward and downward with the Woodman.
2. ‘Badlands’ Terrence Malick, 1973 Miraculously, it’s better than ever.
3. ‘Autumn Sonata’ Ingmar Bergman, 1978 The face is the repository of the soul, and no director in film history has understood this truth better than Ingmar Bergman. Here Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann are the objects of his long, emotion-laden, majestic close-ups.
4. ‘Stromboli’ Roberto Rossellini, 1949
5. ‘Ricki and the Flash’ Jonathan Demme, 2015 Neither Demme nor Streep at their best, but this is still a pleasant diversion and I’m glad I saw it.
6. ‘Petulia’ Richard Lester, 1968 Lester’s anarchic comedy satire set ironically in San Francisco during the Summer of Love. Early on Julie Christie is swathed in feathered couture like Delphine Seyrig in Marienbad, and in 1968 she was the most dazzling looking creature in films.
7. ‘The Mother and the Whore’ Jean Eustache, 1972 The final, belated crest of the Nouvelle Vague, which “officially” dissipated in 1966. A masterwork.
8. ‘Trafic’ Jacques Tati, 1972 Film buffs (correctly) exalt ‘Playtime,’ but this one’s almost as wonderful.
9. ‘The Thief Who Came to Dinner’ Bud Yorkin, 1973 Jacqueline Bisset’s dark beauty and Warren Oates’ acting chops are all that’s going on here.
10. ‘A Woman of Affairs’ Clarence Brown, 1928 Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. A trinity of divinities. Prepare to swoon.
Fabulous comment here Mark! I will response in kind.
1. Yes IRRATIONAL MAN is Woodman in descent. Sad.
2. BADLANDS is definitely better than ever! Amen.
3. Yes, no other director has ever understood “the repository of the soul” like Bergman, my own favorite director in a close race with Bresson. I guess it depends on what day of the week you ask me. And yes, the use of close-ups in the superlative AUTUMN SONATA are searing.
4. STROMBOLI is excellent!
5. Haven’t set seen RICKI AND THE FLASH (almost did last week) but based on your favorable response I better get hopping. I’ll remember you said neither Demme nor Streep are at their best though.
6. Yes Seyrig was quite the looker in those days, as was Christie of course! I’m a fan of PETULIA for sure! Love your writing here in assessing it.
7. THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE as I’ve framed it many times is a supreme masterpiece of the cinema!! We are on the same page here!
8. I love TRAFIC for sure, a superior Tati feature!
9. Agreed that the two leads for those varying reasons are what matters in THE THIEF WHO CAME TO DINNER.
10. I have swooned over A WOMAN OF AFFAIRS, a silent masterpiece!!!
Thanks so much for this Mark!! Have a great week. Hope you are feeling better this week my friend.
I’d love to share perception on Age of Kings, which is probably the finest Shakespearean multi-work program I have ever seen. Few would know that Sean Connery starred in some of the episodes.
Bill, that is great to hear you say that! As a fellow Bard aficionado I’d certainly like nothing better. Thrilled to hear from you on this board. Will keep you abreast!
Oh, what a time in a person’s life—going to college. I recall my first night away in the dorms; either the worst night of my life (at the time, maybe), but also a hugely transformative one (now, in retrospect). Best of luck to the both of them. Tell Melanie to spend at least a few weekends in the city (hehe)…
But alas, the real reason for posting here: no one (!) has offered the prerequisite RIP for Wes Craven. I’m no large fan of his films, but as a lifelong horror fan I can’t deny some of his quintessential images. For me, the original HILLS HAVE EYES is his singular great film. It plays like a weirdo-western; THE SEARCHERS where Scar and Co. play the leads…
Aye Jamie I hear ya, and Melanie certainly does too. She admitted to us yesterday that though she will take things week to week it is inevitable that she won’t be able to return every weekend. We have changed our Saturday night Manhattan rendezvous with our friend Broadway Bob to Friday night now, as it would give Melanie the opportunity to return home with us if she so desires. If that does come about I would of course escort her back there on Sunday night. I know this will take some time to adjust to. Melanie’s first night in the dorm as per her response to us was a tearful one.
I am very happy you mentioned Craven’s passing. R.I.P. To be honest I would have included it in this MMD, but I didn’t actually hear about it until I had prepared it. Someone shared a post on my FB timeline, but that was afterwards.
On Robert Tower’s timeline I also identified THE HILLS HAVE EYES as his greatest film and I stand strongly by that. I love that proposition that it is like a “weirdo western.” Perfect framing! The first two ELM ST films are good, and I have a guilty pleasure affinity for a wicked little film called THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS. As far as THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, it is crude and stomach churning, but in a way it works as n over-the-top modernization of Bergman’s THE VIRGIN SPRING.
Have a great week my very good friend! Many thanks!
How serendipitous that WitD would be doing a Childhood countdown just as your daughter is entering adulthood and heading off to college! Good luck to her – except for the last few years of my life recently, college had been the best 4 years of my life – so here’s hoping she lives it up to the fullest (and doesn’t give her dear old dad any added grief haha).
David, that’s so much for making that terrific correlation! And to boot, Sammy (age 18) is also starting college this week (Bergen Community). That’s wonderful to hear that your last several years have been so rewarding so as to match those in your college sojourn. That certainly says a lot! Many thanks my very good friend. Have a great week!
Sam I admire your and Lucille’s dedication to these thriving youngsters of yours! What a worthwhile focus and commitment for the year ahead. But also an added strain. Here is a heartfelt wish of to strength and creativity for each and everyone one of you!
I deeply appreciate your list of links updated or not. It usually takes me more than one week to drop by everyone anyway.
On the movie front we watched ANOTHER YEAR (2010) Directed by Mike Leigh that displays the beauty of everyday life with poise and homour. It was our second viewing and I think we enjoyed it more than the first.
We also watched THE REWRITE (2014) directed by Marc Lawrence which I felt might be one of the best Hugh Grant performances to date. Nice to seem him successfully portray a character with some complexity and depth.
Our movie watching was briefly interrupted by an earlier than usual west coast storm with high wind damage on the British Columbia south coast made worse by a lengthy dry spell this summer. But I must admit to my attention being drawn to organizing my latest seven northern California paintings for viewing. What that means is painting edges, adding hanging wires and getting them into the inventory program. So off to work I go!
An amazing first week of September to the lot of you Sam!
Terrill, many thanks for the very kind words!! Yes, our lives are altered this semester, but the priorities are firmly in place as well they should be. The links (unfortunately) were not updated on this particular MMD, but they definitely will be tomorrow (Sunday) when I prepare the new installment. Keeping up the links is the best way for me to remain abreast of what is going on in the blogosphere to be sure. 🙂 There is some really good stuff up there I see in many quarters. I absolutely adore ANOTHER YEAR, and consider it one of my favorite Mike Leigh films. It holds up marvelously well to re-viewings indeed. I have not alas, seen THE REWRITE, but much appreciate your solid assessment here. That was an early storm, and particularly surprising because of the dry spell which has also been a fact in these parts. Looking forward to another year of your art masterpieces my friend! Many thanks and have a marvelous Labor Day weekend!
I paid close attention to this MMD, as it signals an important time for you and your family. Must say that hearing the words, the ways in which you’ve prepared your family and all, it does bring forward an emotion that I will now know that I’ll feel when the time comes for me to be in your place. I have the most admiration for your kids and for your family for the steps and ways in which you’re going, and I can’t say much more else than Buena Suerte y Éxito! From the bottom of my heart.
So, onto less important matters, the films that I saw:
– Allende, mi Abuelo Allende (2015, Marcia Tambutti Allende) **** A deeply personal and touchy-feely documentary that brings forward memories from the past through the perspective of those that didn’t have a consciousness when living it. It’s not political in terms that it doesn’t just repeat the thinking of Allende, and that’s neat not because we’ve heard enough of them or because they were wrong, but mostly because that is not the issue. There’s a hint here or there about how the confirmed (finally?) issue of suicide gave in to the family a justification to end their lives in that way. The scenes with the wife of Salvador are wonderful in how her silence and bluntness speaks what millions of other documentaries about Salvador Allende couldn’t.
– El ardor (2014, Pablo Fendrik) ** Extremely boring beautiful shots marred with obnoxious morality and overserious elements make this a film that defies enjoyment in practically every scene.
– The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened? (2015, Jon Schepp) ***1/2 Interesting as a document and as a depository of everything that’s available about the failed Tim Burton project. Not having seen (at least consciously) his Batman films, I don’t really know if this would’ve been a great movie or not, but what is glimpsed here is still a half-baked project that needed a much more clear grounding for it to become the greatness that so many people seem to think it would’ve been. But that doesn’t mean that Nicolas Cage as Superman isn’t a really cool and interesting idea.
– Dheepan (2015, Jacques Audiard) ***1/2 I will write a full review for some place soon. In the meantime I can say that this movie feels that it has its last 20-30 minutes forced upon instead of happening naturally, and thus while exciting, it mostly comes from nowhere just to later retaliate and shelter itself into a too idyllic happy ending (?).
– In the Grayscale (2015, Claudio Marcone) *** SANFIC has been a disaster so far. Not showing movies completely, sold out screening for people wearing press badges. Not good for a Festival that tries hard to become more and more known as the “stellar” cinematic event of the year. Sadly, it’s not. And this movie, well, it does sport two great performances and has many moments that boil with emotion, but there’s an undermining message that finally breaks this thing apart, and I think I’m being kind with this rating. In the end, if you have your LGBT movie thinking that LGBT people are inherently sick, then we have a problem.
– Godzilla 2000 (1999, Takao Okawara) ***1/2 A downer of a film in many ways and because of many reasons. First, it’s the first time that a Japanese Godzilla film uses CG in an extensive manner (for a space ship and some shots of Godzilla), and thus is a downer that they had to resort to it, specially when it’s not that great. Also, this film is way too focused on things that aren’t Godzilla, even though everyone constantly talks about him, but it’s not as interesting as in other films mainly because we are being talked extensively about him but we never see him because he’s healing himself (like Goku in the Freeza saga in Dragon Ball Z but I digress). The main reason why this is a downer is the ending, and that’s also the main salvage point of this movie from complete mediocrity: it sports an amazing (yet it comes too late) final fight between Godzilla and an incredibly designed monster, and once the fight ends and Godzilla comes out a victor… well, he decides to destroy the city anyway. We must purge our sins.
– The Memory of Water (2015, Matías Bize) **** Incredible in its nuanced performances and how sweeping and simple the cinematography is. It could’ve been more daring in its direction, but what I heard from the director, present at the screening, was that both the place where it takes place and the actors as well as his own direction had to remain invisible so the emotion of the situations had their own weight. The film does take a very “Black or White” conundrum that makes the ending a bit simplistic, but this doesn’t mean that the film is easy on you, as the statements towards the end find themselves in one of the darkest corners of the soul. One of the better Chilean films of the year for sure.
– The Assassin (2015, Hsiao-hsien Hou) ****1/2 I will also write a long(er) review of this film for somewhere else. I personally think that this movie is not complicated nor obscure in terms of following the actual plot, but I must admit that at one time my brain just plugged off by itself and just saw a bunch of colors crossing the screen and that was beautiful.
– Scherzo Diabolico (2015, Adrian Garcia Bogliano) **** The transition towards a Mexican environment for Argentinian director Adrián García Bogliano, only based on what I’ve seen from his films made in his native land and the two that he has done in the northern country, I must say that the jump in quality is noticeable as well as in how he constructs his movies. They aren’t perfect and sometimes the tone is extremely weird from one scene to the next, but that’s Bogliano, he is not a perfect filmmaker, but here he has been the most fun that he has ever been. The playfulness of the classic music and its final consequences, as well as the scenes of our protagonist that grows into becoming a figure of both love and hate at the same time, it’s incredible. This film also uses drones to film certain parts, and it’s maybe the best extensive use that I’ve ever seen in a major film.
– Stranger Than Paradise (1984, Jim Jarmusch) **** For whatever reason this was in the list of Slow Cinema that I’m checking off one by one. This isn’t slow cinema, at least from what I understand from what I’ve watched. This is mostly stilled and independent cinema at its most original and raw form (that still tries to attain that elusive critical appraisal). Still, I think back when I started Film School, had I seen this, I’d probably fall in love with this, right now it’s a pretty solid debut from Jarmusch and one of the most interesting yet still not great debuts. A lot of here is more interesting as the story progresses, and the initial segment is maybe the weakest.
Have a good week Sam!
Jaimie, thanks so much for giving this particular MMD added attention, my friend! Well, yes we have reached the crossroads so to speak, and we must move forward with a renewed sense of commitment and priority. We will surely be busy on both fronts, and have already gotten our feet wet. Your deeply moving words are much appreciated!
Sounds like we are on opposites pages with SCERZO DIABOLICO, which I saw at Tribeca and awarded a single star to. Ha! But fair enough, we sometimes come up with completely different responses to films. For me STRANGER THAN PARADISE gets a bit more – 4.5. No fan of that 2000 GODZILLA, am very much interested in seeing THE ASSASSIN, DEEPHAN and THE MEMORY OF WATER! As far as IN THE GREYSCALE, that does sound like a seriously sick movie indeed! Likewise THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN LIVES and EL ARDOR are films I won’t be rush out to see. As always a fantastic round-up of fabulous capsules, proof parcel that you are always on the move my friend!!
All the best to your son and daughter Sam. I attended Bergen Community for two years before moving on to Ramapo. Great school.
Celeste, I didn’t know you were at Bergen! Great school indeed. I attended there for two years before transferring my credits to Montclair. Thanks for the very kind words my friend.
Sam, thanks for the link as always. Best to the two young JulIanos on their new adventures. SVA is a great art school. My own movie viewing was also all at home.
Sophie’s Choice (*****) first time viewing. Superb performance by M. Streep.
It Happened in Brooklyn(***1/2) surprisingly entertaining with good musical numbers.
My only other film was a re-watch of Anatomy of a Murder (*****)
Thanks so very much John! yes, SVA is a fabulous institution, and I’m sure Melanie will be making the best of it. Pretty much agreed with both your film assessments, and kind of think that Streep has never eclipsed her performance in SOPHIE’S CHOICE. As far as ANATOMY OF A MURDER, that is a masterpiece without question. Hope you are enjoying your Labor Day weekend my friend!
Sam — Two, count ‘em T-W-O, in college! And for one you’ve got to be to the bus stop by 6:15am? Lawdy, lawdy! That’s what Len calls “the butt crack of dawn.”
And you’ve got two, count ‘em T-W-O in high school, with Jeremy smack-dab on their heels!
The morning get-ready-routine in your home has got to be filled with high octane energy!
Aye Laurie, the numbers do add up and we are focusing on two fronts! I have since decided to personally drive Sammy to school every morning. It takes 30 minutes, so an hour round trip set to commence at around 6:40. It leaves me with plenty of time to arrive at my own job. He will take the bus back from the college, which will ultimately leave him around the corner from our school! 🙂 Yes Jillian starting HS, Danny a Junior there and Jeremy in 8th grade has really raised the level of octane indeed. Hope you are enjoying your Labor Day weekend my friend!
Sam, congratulations on all of the kids and their exciting paths forward. Sounds like great and formative times for everyone!
Quiet here still unfortunately but did see STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON in the theater, only because that music was a major part of my high school years. Nothing surprising in the approach but fun to relive the late eighties, early nineties for a couple of hours.
Hope you are doing great. Thanks so much, Sam!
Jeffrey, thanks so very much for those beautiful words! Yes this is a time of focus and commitment, and I dare say it appears everyone concerned on both ends is up to the task. Nice that you got out to see STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, which brings back fond memories for you. And always a thrilled to partake in a theatrical experience of course. Things are moving forward nicely my friend; thanks as always for your remarkable and unwavering support and glowing attendance here! The very best to you and yours always and trust you are enjoying this four day weekend! 🙂
Hi Sam,
Glad to know your little ones are now onto higher education, learning and learning. Taking time off to think about the future is a great thing. You never can prepare for the perfect future, but thinking about yourself is an important process, I think. And I applaud your support to your kids on such occasions.
As you know, a friend of mine and I are hosting the PD film screening event every two months or so. So, I have been fishing around the possible candidate film for the show. We are probably settling on “Hangover Square” for the next occasion, but we are still debating for the candidates for the next year. It is somewhat difficult because we have a rule that the film to be screened is not in DVD form in Japanese market. I am thinking about James Wong Howe retrospetive, and watching some of his stuff lately. I saw “City for Conquest (1940)” and “Algiers (1938)” and both are good. However, I can’t find a good transfer of “Algiers” (most of them are, I believe, low quality stuff). Do you know any good DVD transfer? Actually, I am also looking for the good transfer of “Transatlantic (1931)”, which is an excellent example of James Wong Howe’s early work. If you know anything about it, I would appreciate your input.
By the way, are you planning to attend NYFF? There are lots of interesting stuff there.
MI
Thanks so much for the very kind words my friend! So true what you in regard to Melanie’s taking that one year off after high school to sort out what direction she wanted to take. Sammy, on the other hand is attending immediately, though initially in general studies mode. sad to say MI, the existing prints of ALGIERS are all poor, as the film is in the public domain and hasn’t been remastered. Shame too. Whatever you have over there now is probably no better or no worse than out prints. I will investigate the situation with TRANSATLANTIC and get back to you. There may be something good on that. HANGOVER SQUARE by the way is a great film and an excellent choice there to start things off! I love James Wong Howe’s work for sure! I usually take a pass on NYFF, mainly because I can’t get passes, and prices are very high. The films usually wind up releasing in NYC theaters shortly thereafter. I have been indeed following it and am looking forward to a good number of features. Thanks so much my friend!