by Sam Juliano
We are wishing all our friends and readers stateside a Happy Thanksgiving! After a pandemic-ravaged year, this will be the first time in two seasons many will be getting to see their families again.
Jim Clark published a fabulous essay on Antonioni’s Red Desert this past week at the site. My novel Paradise Atop the Hudson inches closer to publication, but this past week I have had to remove some song lyrics from the narrative, since a writer must obtain written permission to include them.
The past week Lucille and I saw one new film in a theater (on Friday evening.) First the caveats. Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is NOT as great a film as Hope and Glory, nor The Long Day Closes. The former had stronger plot cohesion and the latter more overtly impressionist strokes that aren’t compromised by the clash between romanticism and realism we see in Belfast. The thick Irish brogue is often incomprehensible, and subtitles would have helped. This largely charming film makes fine use of Van Morrison songs, and boasts some splendid performances, led by the youthful protagonist, Buddy, played by Jude Hill. Incorporation of movies, and some wonderful scenes with the boy’s grandparents brings some added familial resonance in a film that combines the idyllic with the horror of Protestant and Catholic violence in a city where the former adherents are trying to purge their religious adversaries from the soil at every turn. Belfast is alluring and memorable for sure, but not the best film of the year as some have been touting it as. The use of monochrome was wise, methinks, and I count myself as a fan of the “Everlasting Love” segment. 4.5 of 5.0
Thanks to all who have been preparing and submitting ballots for the Latin American film poll. It is sizing up to be another fabulous project!
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Thankful you’re in my life (or at least my mailbox). Wishing you and your family a restful, healthy, love-filled holiday, dear Sam.
Same to you and Joe my great friend! Many thanks for your exceedingly kind words!
Does Eisenstein and Aleksandrov’s “Que Viva Mexico” qualify for the new film poll?
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving my very good friend!
Unfortunately that film is Russian, despite the setting/subject and was considered for that completed polling.
I just finished watching BELFAST and quite liked it. I’m so used to films about the Troubles being grim. It was nice to see the normal people caught in the middle but still going about the business of living their lives and rejecting the tribalism around them. This is a timely film for the U.S. and many parts of the world.
Marilyn, I am delighted to hear about your glowing estimation of BELFAST, and I couldn’t agree with you more about the timeliness of the narrative and themes, so relevant to this troubled era. The acting was uniformly excellent methinks, as was the use of monochrome. I plan to see Jane Campion’s film over the coming week, and am hoping it too will resonate. Thank you as ever my friend!
I saw THE POWER OF THE DOG on Friday and found it a very absorbing experience. It is no surprise that the acting is superb, and while I didn’t quite buy New Zealand as Montana (which I’ve seen), the strangely off look of the setting works beautifully to further the tense atmosphere. My short review of it will be up by tomorrow at https://awfj.org.
Marilyn, I am delighted to hear you have a review of it posting, and I will absolutely be over there to check it out tomorrow. I know some people prefer to wait until they have seen a film to read any reviews, I have always been quite the opposite in that sense. You are on a roll, as far as seeing all he majors as we head through the most vital part of the movie year. I have resisted seeing the Campion on the big screen as I feel the option to have subtitles on my at-home 70 inch screen will guard against the difficulties I experiences with the brogue in Belfast. I am delighted you are coming in with a mainly glowing report, even with that geographical disclaimer. We saw a Disney film on the big screen last night (Enchanto) which we did like, though perhaps not as much as we did Coco.
Well, it is awards season, and I belong to two groups that give awards. I try to catch as many films as my eyes can stand, though it’s getting a bit tough now. I can recommend VAL – excellent documentary about Val Kilmer – which we watched last night.
Well, it is awards season, and I belong to two groups that give awards. I try to watch as many films as my eyes can stand, though it’s getting a bit rough. I can recommend VAL, an excellent doc about Val Kilmer, which we watched last night.
Marilyn, I am keeping watch for your review on BELFAST. Am I missing anything, or will the posting of it occur soon?
https://awfj.org/
And yes I remember now, you vote with several awards groups each year.
No review of Belfast – on The Power of the Dog.
Did I misread again Marilyn? Unreal. I continue to lose it.
Let me look there right now.
A capsule review of scholarly heft, economical and lyrically penned. I’d love to make mention of that, but of course it is a no-comment site. I’m stoked to see the film, which you give a top-tier rating for, here.