Weekend Forecast: 5/2/08
By Craig Kennedy - May 1st, 2008; 12:01 am
And so it begins: Summer Blockbuster Season. Fasten your seatbelts, hitch up your lederhosen and hold on to your hats.
- Iron Man. In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a little superhero movie coming out this weekend. Factually, some theaters are rolling it out tonight at 8pm local time. All I ask is that they don’t play the Black Sabbath song like they did in one of the trailers. Mum’s the word on this one though, OK? We wouldn’t want to over hype it or anything.
- Made of Honor. If superheroes are not your cup of tea; or if you don’t feel like sitting in a theater surrounded by 13-year-old boys or men who wish they were; or if you’re not interested in having your man parts frozen in liquid nitrogen and smashed into a million cold tiny bits by your “special lady,” you might want to have a look at this romantic comedy with Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan instead of Iron Man. Or maybe not. Maybe you’d just rather have a lobotomy. (”She’s not my special lady, she’s my fucking lady friend. I’m just helping her conceive.”)
Don’t let the first wave of summer blockbusters keep you out of the movie theater this weekend. There are a few decent looking limited releases sneaking in under the radar as well.
- Son of Rambow. A perfect antidote to the summer hubbub, Son of Rambow is about two young boys in England in the early 1980s creating their own version of a blockbuster from another age. Stay tuned to LiC for the fruits of a roundtable interview with filmmakers Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith plus a full review of the film.
- Mister Lonely. The writer of Larry Clark’s controversial Kids, the writer/director of Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy and the man Warner Herzog called “The Future of American Cinema” is back with this psychological drama about a Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna, Y Tu Mama Tambien) who falls in love with a Marilyn Monroe impersonator (Samantha Morton, Morvern Callar) and goes to live with her and a bunch of other celebrity impersonators in a seaside castle in the Scottish highlands.
- Redbelt. David Mamet brings us another tale of manly men and their manly ways. Chewitel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things, Children of Men, Talk to Me) plays an honorable Jiu-jitsu master/instructor who, through a confluence of events, gets wrapped up in the shady world of ultimate fighting championships. Also with Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer and of course Mamet regulars Joe Mantegna, Ricky Jay and Rebecca Pidgeon.
- The Favor. Documentarian Eva Aridjis (Children of the Street) makes her narrative feature debut with this family drama about a man who takes in his dead high-school sweetheart’s troubled teenaged son.
- Fugitive Pieces. Writer/Director Jeremy Podeswa Canadian poet Anne Michaels’ best-selling novel about a man haunted by his childhood in Poland during WWII.
Opening in New York:
- XXY. From Argentina, a coming-of-age drama about a 15 year-old who was born with both male and female genitalia. Being an adolescent is difficult enough under the best of circumstances.
Coming to LA:
- Standard Operating Procedure. Errol Morris’ documentary about the Abu Ghraib scandal finally hits the left coast.
Expanding:
- The Visitor
Filed under: Upcoming
Related Posts: - The Watercooler: 3/10/08
- Make Believe, Not War: Son of Rambow Online
- First Impression: Son of Rambow
- Weekend Forecast: 5/16/08
- More Loose Ends: 10/29/08
I know he gets some shit, but I generally enjoy and occasionally love Mamet’s tales of manly men, and the idea of Mamet taking on Ejiofor and jiu-jitsu furthers my interest.
Me and the Iron Man are happening tonight. I just hope Downey’s new super fame empowers him instead of dragging him down. I don’t want him to get Kevin Spaceyed.
I think I want to see Mr. Lonely too.
Craig, that line about “helping her conceive,” is that your own doing or is that actually from the movie? Either way, it’’s hilarious.
I’ll probably check out Iron Man and Forgetting Sarah Marshall sometime this week as they are now playing at my theater.
But Kendal in Boston gets Irina Palm, which looks like it might be really good. I’m up for a movie where Ms. Faithfull is the lead. Other than that though, not much else is new over here. I’ll probably end up watching some Netflix movies (For All Mankind and The Savages).
I was hoping Mr. Lonely or Son Of Rambow would be playing around here but it looks like I’ll have to wait a little bit longer. I know Rambow will be playing mid May at the MFA, not sure about Mr. Lonely, though.
Screw Iron Man, I’m seeing Made of Honor.
The L.A. Times ran an interesting article yesterday theorizing that in these bad getting worse economic times, people will want to escape to the movies again in a way we haven’t since the early ’90s.
I haven’t been to a movie theater since November, yet find myself curiously pulled toward going to see Iron Man. Any thoughts, Craig?
IRON MAN! I’ll probably hit this one on Monday because I’ll be out of town all weekend, but it’s tops on my list.
I’d also like to see Redbelt, but I’m now behind on releases as Priceless and Blueberry Nights are both playing here now. At least I have something to look forward to catching up on as the summer madness begins.
I hope to god Iron Man doesn’t disappoint me. I’m not expecting it to be amazing but the hype on it is somewhat overwhelming.
I just saw Iron Man and My Blueberry Nights, loved them both!
Take that back, Evan. Seriously, even in jest.
Justin, I heard some decent buzz about Irina Palm when it played at the festival here last week, but I know nothing about it.
The festival closes tonight (with two more days of holdovers) with Werner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World. No idea what to expect, but combined with the post-party there’s no reason I shouldn’t go.
Iron Man will obviously happen sometime in the next few days (I’m with Joel re:hype), and then I’ll be playing catch up over the next week with Blueberry, Visitor, Priceless, Young/Heart, and Sarah Marshall (which I might combine with Harold/Kumar).
Looking forward to the arrival of Rambow and Redbelt here next weekend.
That’s a really, really interesting theory, Joe. Hope you don’t give up on reviewing the classics, though!
Chuck, I’ve got no beef with Mamet…just some of his worshippers.
Justin. That’s a line from The Big Lebowski and how it popped into my head is a long, boring story.
Evan. Either you have a huge crush on Michelle Monaghan or you’re lying. Or both.
Joe. Good to see you again. I was thinking about the state of the world and the lighter nature of many of this summer’s offerings when I was doing the summer forecast thingy. I’m sure it was intentional on the part of the studios. Whether it will work or not, I don’t know.
As for Iron Man, I’m there. Tonight. 8pm. Cinerama Dome. Seat N-20.
Joel, normally I’d steer well clear of something like Iron Man for the first few days anyway. Reserved seating makes it tolerable going on opening night. Enjoy the weekend!
Nick, who would win in a fight: Nora Jones or Iron Man?
Daniel.Wow,that’s a lot of excellent movies to get caught up on. Lucky sumbitch. I also heard good things about Irina Palm and also managed to miss it at a film festival.
Iron Man is a blast. Saw it last night and it didn’t let me down. Doesn’t exactly reinvent the superhero genre, but it’s all kinds of entertaining. And it should do for Downey what Pirates did for Johnny Depp in terms of taking his stardom to a new level.
Have fun tonight, Craig. Seeing this was a big crowd was great, and it sounds like you’ll have much the same experience.
Being summertime, genre reinvention is not required. Just be fun without pissing me off. No small task, but it’s all I ask.
I hope you’re right, Paul C. Downey certainly deserves it.
I missed XXY when it played in the MOMA New Directors festival, but it sounds really interesting. I’ll be making it my business to catch that one.
And, of course, Iron Man. I love the song by Black Sabbath, so I don’t care if they use it in the movie.
The song is fine, but it’s too smirky in conjunction with the movie. Too cutesy…you know?
Iron Man, duh, Downey Jr. is a blast, Norah is a breath of fresh air.
Also, don’t rush out of the theatre before Iron Man’s closing credits finish - all I am saying.
Thanks for the tip, Nick. :-)
Yeah Nick, I hate finding out about that stuff afterwards.
I think Mamet has become an awful parody of his inner-fantasies. His last essay in praise of his limp political conversion was so silly and devoid of real thought. It was a paen to himself finally admitting he doesn’t give a shit and he’s taking the money and running. Which anybody would already know if they’ve read his lousy scripts like HANNIBAL for the past decade.
As for REDBELT, I can just see Mamet, furiously investigating the no-holds-barred world of dirty fighting and finding some bullshit corollary ala FIGHT CLUB about how today’s men are just not tough enough to kick each other in the balls anymore. Puh-lease.
I watched GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS recently, just to remind myself how great Mamet was. And seriously, how did Al Pacino get a Best Actor nom for that film but not Jack Lemmon?
I’m feeling a li’l ornery today. Wanna fight? Come on! Bring it!
I walked out before the credits rolled, then I snuck in at the end of the second showing - I felt like quite the tool.
To me, Mamet is what Mamet is. He writes hardboiled, very specialized dialogue and likes to keep going back to the same basic tropes and genre conventions, but he tries to fit them into a wide range of stories. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but I enjoy the non-real worlds he creates (typically).
Redbelt looks like it might defeat a number of my expectations of what the movie would likely be, probably because Mamet will go after the underside rather than the surface. Plus the cast is great.
In real life, Mamet is sort of douche but then again, a LOT of people in Hollywood are douches in real life. The smart ones just keep their douchiness out of the public eye.
The smart ones just keep their douchiness out of the public eye.
Exactly.
I’d agree that Mamet seems to have gotten stale. His insistence on casting his wife in every movie really hurts his credibility, IMHO.
I enjoyed his script for Hannibal though. Have quibbles with the source material, if you want, but the adaptation was pretty concise.
I thought his draft read like “Check, please.” For one thing, to mis-spell Hannibal’s last name as Lechter through the whole script shows some kind of hubris or lack of caring. But Rebecca Pidgeon is so awful in THE SPANISH PRISONER that I’ve never been able to look at his films in the same way since. Plus, I believe he’s writing a play for Jessica Alba, which tells me all I need to know.
I really liked Edmond as directed by Stuart Gordon.
The Black Sabbath song is indeed in the film. Not gonna say where though. :-P
It really has to be. I know some people think it’s cheesy or too much, but it’s just an iconic kick ass Sabbath song and has earned its place in the IM mythos and belongs in the film…somewhere!
Rebecca Pidgeon is often the worst thing in any of his movies and his insistence on casting her is pretty irritating.
I love the Black Sabbath song, too, so I’m definitely cool with it being in the film. It could be a bit too smirky or cutesy in the wrong place… But I’m a sucker for that song so even if it’s poorly used I won’t mind it too much.
I agree with Christian that Mamet is really spinning his wheels these days. Still haven’t seen Edmond yet, though, it’s just one of those I missed.
Rebecca Pidgeon is so bad in his movies she makes me feel bad for her, kind of like Charles Foster Kane’s “actress” wife.
It definitely works the way it’s used…not cheesy or cutesy at all. It’s really a great moment.
I’m psyched for Iron Man, though I’m really stoked to see the blockbuster follow-up, Ironic Man.
Seriously, though. It’s at 94 percent on RT. 94 percent! I’m bound to be disappointed, aren’t I? Oh, Iron Man, be great. Don’t break my heart. I just need a giant, fun, action-packed blockbuster with a twisted center that doesn’t make me feel ashamed to love it.
Also guys (and Allison & Miranda), The Counterfeiters is showing about an hour away from here. Whaddya’ll think? Worth the trip or wait for the DVD? Gas prices over hilly Ozark highways must be factored into the equation.
“I just need a giant, fun, action-packed blockbuster with a twisted center that doesn’t make me feel ashamed to love it.” Exactly! Is that so much to ask? Here’s hoping it’s not. Robert Downey Jr, don’t fail me now…
As for The Counterfieters, as I’ve mentioned before I’ve managed to skip this one despite the fact it’s been playing nearby for well on two months. Consequently, I’m hardly the expert on this matter, but the thing is screaming “rental” to me. If it’s your only choice besides Iron Man and you’re really itching to get away and see a movie, then I say go forth in peace and enjoy. If not, or if you have other choices…skip it.
I do not know if it is worth an hours drive…..but it really is good. I think it really is a DVD kinda movie…
As for Iron Man, “I just need a giant, fun, action-packed blockbuster with a twisted center that doesn’t make me feel ashamed to love it. ” That is what I got.
Jennybee, I think you could wait to see The Counterfeiters on DVD. It’s a well-made, well-acted film and the story was interesting enough, but it was a fairly typical Holocaust film, in my opinion, and didn’t really tread new ground. Save the gas.
That’s my take, anyway. Some people thought it was great.
Having seen The Counterfeiters theatrically, I don’t think you’ll lose all that much by seeing it on DVD. In my own honest opinion, I found it generally lackluster. It’s got a solid center in Karl Markovics, but once you move away from him all the other characters are cut-outs who behave exactly the way we all figure they would at all times. In retrospect, the more I think about it, despite its Austrian origins, it felt like it could have been a TV movie.
Oh no! I’ve recommended The Counterfeiters more than once here - sorry if anyone regrets it. I don’t think it’s worth an hour’s drive, jennybee, but I still do think it was a great film. Without saying too much, I found to be less about the Holocaust and more about one man’s incredible development as a human. As a true story it had to be set in its time and place, but if you put his character in another film I think you’ll find that it’s a pretty remarkable story. Of course, it ISN’T in another film and it IS during the Holocaust, but I guess I found enough positives to justify its critical acclaim.
I might try to see Iron Man Saturday night, but I think the chance that it’ll be sold out is pretty high. I’m interested in seeing Redbelt, too, but that’ll have to wait until DVD unless it expands in the next few weeks. I’m not familiar with David Mamet’s work, but I’m pre-sold on practically anything with Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Best you keep low for a while Daniel. Cineastes across the country angered by your misleading recommendation are burning effigies of you. Addressing an unruly mob baying for your blood at the New Beverly, Craig made an eloquent and impassioned defense of your right to express an alternative opinion, and only just got out of there alive.
I’m going to nail my 95 theses on Daniel’s door ala Martin Luther.
I suspected a demonic figure in the guise of a Holy Man was behind this uprising, inciting and exploiting the anger for some dark purpose. Alexander, the power of Christ compels you!
Thanks for the input everyone. I’ll wait and DVD The Counterfeiters. Considering that the other local choices–outside of Iron Man—all hover around the caliber of Fool’s Gold or Baby Mama, it was sort of tempting. We every now and then get foreign films, but they don’t last long and there are plenty of blue moons between them. But I’m running behind on a deadline, so I imagine it will be a working/writing weekend for me anyway.
Iron Man’s still a-go, though, for Clan Jennybee. I’m heartened by your opinion, Nick. Here’s hoping mine echoes it.
Still working out my blog thoughts, but I thoroughly enjoyed IRON MAN. Downey is the film as has/will be pointed out by most. Paltrow surprisingly strong since they kept the comic’s relationship. The film needs a bit more poetic spectacle but there’s lotsa good stuff. Favreau’s anti-CG mindset really helps.
And you must stay through the credits.
jennybee, you have a thoroughly wicked wit. “…I’m really stoked to see the blockbuster follow up, Ironic Man.” Love it.
So glad everybody that’s viewed Iron Man is enjoying it. It’s on my radar. But crowds give me hives - even when I’m with someone else or a group of people. When I was a teenager or in my early twenties I was bound and determined to see a lot of these heavy duty releases either opening day or opening weekend.
(People always used to say, “How the hell did you get in? It’s been sold out for DAYS,” regarding anything that was terribly popular. It was usually a combination of getting to the box office at a convenient time and/or knowing the right people. Let’s just say I can be enormously persuasive when I want to be - and there are very, very few that would be able to say no. For a variety of reasons.)
I went to the movies last night and I’ll likely see something tonight (Friday) that’s more low key or artsy. I’ll pencil Iron Man in for next week some time…
As for Rebecca Pidgeon, I quite liked her in the few things that I’ve seen her in. She’s very attractive and she seems to have some raw talent. Yeah, I’ve known for years that she’s David Mamet’s wife. But if he wishes to promote her career and work with her consistently there’s really nothing that can be done about that. I’m sure she’s not complaining.
WOODY ALLEN cast DIANE KEATON and Mia Farrow in a wide variety of roles in many films. MARSHA MASON got parts in practically every Neil Simon movie at the time she was married to the playwright. It’s all about who you know. Or roll around with. Or both. Some of the people that benefit are deserving and genuinely gifted. Some…not so much.
It won’t ever change. That’s the fim industry for you.
It’s also the way of the world.
She’s not my special lady. She’s my fucking lady friend.
I wish you had left that for me, Craig. I’d have finished it off easy. Although I forgot the conception line.
LOL, thanks for the free pass, Alexander and sartre. Love it…
Regarding Iron Man, I’m now starting to get just a little suspicious of its smashing reviews. Is this thing, currently considered a cinematic masterpiece on RT, going to show up on Best of 2008 lists? Or is it just the first good movie to come along in a few months, and everybody’s giddy? Appears to be setting the bar pretty high for the other blockbusters - Speed, Knight, Indy, etc.
Guess I’ll find out for myself this weekend. Just seems to be an odd occurrence for such a film to receive such unanimous praise.
I will be taking all the kids to see IRON MAN on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday night I will see XXY. A local arthouse triplex now has MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS. As I greatly respect Craig’s passion for this film, I have decided to see it a second time, before I write my long-delayed final review on it.
Daniel, I’m with you regarding Iron Man. This is insane. The critical reaction to this film makes it sound like the perfectly realized sequel to No Country for Old Men or something.
The letdown factor could be considerable for many, though I’m not going to let it affect me personally.
It certainly has “raised the bar” for the rest of the summer films right out of the gate.
Sam, I’m glad you’re giving My Blueberry Nights another try. I did and I liked it a great deal more than I did on my first viewing, which was almost a year ago. It’s still Wong’s most flawed, problematic film in my estimation, but it’s much better and deeper than I believed it to be, too.
This is why I haven’t read any reviews of this movie yet. For me, this is supposed to be a fun movie with a great, highly talented actor who I’m pleased to see is making a well-deserved comeback. And one that I can go into without ridiculously high expectations, whatever the critics are saying.
“Let’s just say I can be enormously persuasive when I want to be - and there are very, very few that would be able to say no. For a variety of reasons.”
You’re like some terrible and irresistible force of nature bending others to your will :-)
I believe you Miranda. I believe you.
As fer the over-reaction to IRON MAN, it’s more symptomatic of how much Downey is beloved — and he absolutely carries this film — and how well Favreau did given his limited track record. He loves actors, which is a good thing and he loves clunky robots, which is also a good thing. My major gripe with IM is my typical one. The fight scenes. All ya gotta do is rip out the panels of any comic and stuff ‘em in the camera. But Favs did good because he respects the realism of the suits until the climatic battle, as actually most critics have pointed out. I don’t need to see another movie explosion ever. Ever.
Why I know this is gonna be HUGE is because I went with a decidedly non-superhero-lovin’ female friend and she liked it a lot. The Downey Factor is enormous here. And I’ll say again, this is the most appealing I’ve even seen Paltrow. And Terence Howard was also good and they gave him a few things to do.
I woke up still thinking about the film. A good sign. But I can understand why Craig is burned out: you have no heart;]
The Downey Factor is alive and well, christian. It’s one of the main things that’s got me interested in the movie. And I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Full disclosure: since I couldn’t find the review draft I was planning on working on, I had cocktails instead and the Arclight bartender was NOT screwing around with the booze. These were fierce Manhattans.
The point is, Iron Man did not receive the full attention it deserved from me, particularly in the first hour, so take my ennui with a large grain of salt.
What’s funny Alison and Christian is that, if you’re right, the Downey factor is playing out exactly the opposite of how Jeff Wells claimed it would. He seem to recall him posting something about Downey not having the wattage to make Iron Man a 4 quadrant success.
I think Downey is underrated by a lot of people. He really has great talent and screen presence. His Oscar nomination for Chaplin was the least that he deserved. Not a great movie, but he was astounding as Chaplin. The turn that his life took was tragic. I’m glad that he’s turned himself around and that he is (hopefully) making a comeback in a big way. It’s about time.
Screw Jeff Wells.
Isn’t it firmly established by now that a Jeff Wells prediction would make Criswell blush?
He pretty much lost all credibility about anything when he called Hellboy II a paycheck movie for del Toro, but I can’t resist punching him in the nose whenever he’s wrong because I’m a very very small human being.
And I’m a big man. I’m a big expansive man and you’re a small petty man.
Anybody know what that’s from?
Curb that enthusiasm!
Saw Iron Man an hour ago. It is essentially a Toyota Camry that Robert Downey Jr. drives like a Ferrari. All of the elements work well (Favreau’s direction, Paltrow, Howard, the suit itself, the villain), but Downey is the heart and the soul of the film. Whoever came up with the idea to cast him, whether it was Avi Arad or Favreau or some casting director, deserves a big shiny gold star.
Here’s hoping he gets the same career boost that Hugh Jackman did.
Here’s hoping he gets the same career boost that Hugh Jackman did.
I’m thinking more along the lines of the career boost that Depp got with POTC.
Pretty good, sartre. Pretty, pretty good.
Exactly, Alison. I’m thinking Iron Man is Downey’s Pirates. Though I’m not predicting an Oscar nom for it like Depp received. But in the way that Depp finally provided a hit that longtime fans, critics and new fans could all rally around. I think part of IM’s critical reception is because of the fact it’s a viable new Superhero franchise (ie, one that isn’t Daredevil or Ghost Rider), another part is due to the fact that everyone’s always secretly loved RDJ and is happy to see him in this kind of high-profile movie, and another due to its own merits, whatever Favreau, Paltrow, Howard and the rest bring to it.
I’m glad you do, christian. Oh my yes…You’d better.
sartre, EXACTLY. You know me too well, good sir.
I actually had to tone that down a LOT. Kids could be reading this, you know. Plus I would NOT want to be accused of being an egomaniacal sort of femme fatale, which I am most surely…
Oh hell, skip it…
As to what Alison said about RD Jr., I concur totally. (I see jennybee just beat me to the punch. What she said. As well.)
I’m always happy that he was nodded for Chaplin. He was wonderful in that. But I still think he should’ve gotten some recognition for LESS THAN ZERO. I’m sure the nay sayers will bleat, “Oh, he was just playing himself.” There were a lot of similarities between him and Julian. But so what? He was brilliant and compelling - and he absolutely broke my coal black heart. Not an easy feat.
The guy’s a STAR….
I posted my blog review of IM (pimp, pimp) and reference the exact moment when I first noticed Downey in LESS THAN ZERO. In later days that performance would have gotten him a supporting actor nom.
He still might get a best actor nod for IM depending on who else is around by the end of the year.
I’m thinking what you’re thinking. If b.o. is huge (and it looks like it will be) then there may very well be an enormous surge in RD Jr.’s popularity. Big comeback. All of Hollywood will fall (back) in love with him, especially the suits - since he brought lots of green stuff in.
If Sigourney Weaver can get a WELL DESERVED Oscar nod for Aliens, I don’t think we’re whisting Dixie here. This is not unprecedented and it’s well within the realm of possibilities. Don’t have a crystal ball.
But we shall see, christian…
Yeah, I’d be VERY surprised if RD Jr. were to get an Oscar nomination for this, but as Christian points out, who knows what the standings will be at the end of the year.
I’ll be able to judge better after I’ve seen the movie, of course, but I can say without hesitation that POTC was hardly an earth-shattering film. It was run-of-the-mill
Bruckheimer crapDisney family fare that was entertaining enough, but was elevated by Depp’s creative take on a stock role and his hilarious scenes with Geoffrey Rush, who also made the movie worth watching.As Miranda says, we shall see…
I thought Depp’s nomination was well earned. It was an original creation filled with comedic and oddball charm in, as Alison noted, a run of the mill summer blockbuster. I wonder whether Downey Jr’s performance, for all that he appears to elevate this film, will be seen as innovative?
Thanks for those comments Alexander. I am leaving to see the Kar-Wei now—it will be interesting to see if my opinion is altered, as you suggest it just may well be.
Good luck with My Blueberry Nights, take number two, Sam.
Today I saw Iron Man at the biggest theatre in Marin County. Approximately 65% full. Some applause for the new Indiana Jones trailer. I enjoyed it a great deal. It in no way whatsoever reinvents anything. This is pure formula but it’s done quite well. Definitely my favorite film of this particular sort since the dark, brooding Batman Begins, Iron Man is funny, rather light, but with just enough pathos sprinkled in to make it all worthwhile. You can’t go wrong with a film that opens up with Back in Black.
Like I say, it’s sheer formula with formulaic characters, but, the difference here is that the actors all bring enough gravity to their respective roles to make you genuinely care about what happens. David Poland criticizes the film for being so formulaic, relying on such archetypal figures, such as Gwyneth Paltrow’s “The Girl,” and Terrence Howard’s “The Black Friend” (and I’ve said myself here before that it’s been sad to see Howard take one lazily written role after another since Hustle and Flow, but this time the character was given just enough depth to, again, work despite itself).
I always stay through the credits with all films, and the big reveal afterwards was fun. A fair number of people stayed, too, which almost never happens, so they were most likely tipped off about that as well.
Then I saw My Brother is an Only Child at the arthouse. I really kind of loved this Italian film. Much like Fellini’s Amarcord or Cinema Paradiso, this is a beautiful, personally rendered look at Italian familial dynamics with a lot of intimate twists and turns throughout the course of two brothers’ lives. A great deal of laughs to be had, particularly early on, as the family seems to ceaselessly argue, but gradually things become more solemn and serious in this exquisitely layered picture. Sensitively directed, this is a film I wholeheartedly recommend to all LiC readers. Seek it out, I don’t think you will regret it.
After seeing MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS a second time, I can say that it still has narrative issues, but it’s visual style and atmospherics make it appreciable on a different level. It is a sort of tone poem, where characters’ motivations and interactions define a transient sub-culture, and Kar-Wei’s metaphysical leanings contribute mightily to these perceptions. I earlier called the film, ‘pretentious’ but that conclusion (after this repeat viewing) was admittedly too harsh. The narratibe shortcomings that it has may in the end really be beside the point. The visual palette, imbued with abstract design is fascinating, and while I may not be quite in the same position as Craig, I can see this film isn’t one to dismiss.
Alexander, I completely agree with you on MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD. Most definitely in the tradition of Tornatore, and fully delightful.
Thanks Sam and Alexander together with everyone who commented on MBN earlier. Your thoughtful reactions coupled with Craig’s very fine review have really whetted my appetite for seeing it. I loved In the Mood for Love, but unlike most everyone else I was overall disappointed in 2046. But even Kar Wai Wong films that don’t completely work for everyone stimulate intriguing discussion.
And thanks to you Sartre. Like you, I seemed to buck the majority on 2046. I liked it but I didn’t see it as a masterpiece.
Thrilled you had another crack at MNB Sam, and glad that it paid off for you, even if your enthusiasm remains tempered.
You gave it a shot and you kept an open mind, that’s what you call a true film fan.