The Watercooler: 7/14/08
Brigitte Bardot in Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt (1963)
It was a hit and miss weekend here at the LiC head offices. Friday night brought Hellboy II: The Golden Army and my 3.5 star review is below if you’re interested. Suffice it to say, there was a lot to like about it, but it’s a movie that suffers from the fact that it could easily have been better. Some movies are as good as they can be and they’re judged accordingly, but Hellboy II had the potential to be great and its shortfall is disappointing. Having said that, it was still an inventive, beautiful and entertaining film that would probably appeal to an audience beyind the comic book crowd if they gave it a chance.
Next up was a screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt (Le Mépris). This is a movie that begs to be seen in a theater in all its colorful widescreen glory. If you get a chance, take it. I find it hard to talk about Godard without sounding pretentious so I’ll spare you. Besides I think I need to puzzle it some more. For now, I think this is one of Godard’s more accessible films and one where an emotional story manages to peek through the multiple intellectual layers Godard likes to slather on top.
Staying in a French vein, Contempt was followed by Catherine Breillat’s period piece The Last Mistress starring Asia Argento. I have to say that the 82 the film is currently pulling from Metacritic is a little bewildering. It had its moments and I didn’t actively dislike it, but it didn’t do much for me. It started out with a Les Liaisons dangereuses flavor as two people conspire to split up a couple before than can marry because the male half is keeping a mistress. It turns out the mistress is Asia Argento, a stereotypically hot-blooded (and occasionally blood drinking…don’t ask) Spaniard who doesn’t want to let go.
Movies that deal the most directly with sex are frequently the least sexy. Though it is probably by design, The Last Mistress is no exception to this rule. It also paints a pretty grim picture of love, particularly from a female perspective in 19th century France.
It’s a nice looking film and features a typically energetic and entertaining performance from Argento, but it’s mainly a dud - occasionally amusing but mostly pointless.
Finally, I saw the documentary Chris and Don: A Love Story. It paints a portrait of the 30 year love story between British author Christopher Isherwood (Berlin Stories which formed the basis for all the iterations of Cabaret) and an American portrait artist 30 years his junior, Don Bachardy. It was a nice story and had some great anecdotes, but I kept wishing the story would be remarkable for another reason besides the men’s sexuality and their age difference. It didn’t quite make it.
That’s my weekend in a nutshell. I hope you had a little more luck.
Filed under: Watercooler
Tags: Chris and Don: A Love Story, Contempt, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Last Mistress
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Sounds interesting, at least, Craig, if not the most completely fulfilling weekend of cinema-trekking. I’m glad you liked Contempt as much as you did, as I was beginning to worry you might dislike it or find it terribly frustrating, or something, and I didn’t want my review of it to lead you astray or anything. Glad it apparently didn’t!
That’s kind of a shame about The Last Mistress as my interest was slowly waxing, primarily because of the critical reception, but I do trust you and I suspect it will be one I check out on DVD one day in the future.
Also, too bad about the documentary Chris and Don: A Love Story.
I’m especially saddened that this weekend was less than stellar for you as it’s your birthday weekend, after all!
For me, Friday I saw The Edge of Heaven at the local arthouse, for which I’ve written a review… I liked it and admired it even more, albeit with some qualms. Then saw The Edge of the World, an early film by Michael Powell, which I enjoyed a good deal and found fairly fascinating. Finally a late night viewing of the James Cagney gangster noir Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, which I hadn’t seen in a good while. It holds up, even if it’s admittedly in the shadow of the previous year’s White Heat.
Saturday, the old ’50s epic melodrama The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit with Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones and Fredric March. Today it feels confused, especially with regards to its structure (not having read the book I can only surmise that it featured a massive narrative with numerous subplots, and some made it into the film and others didn’t), but Peck is solid and March, despite being given a fairly routine subplot involving his unfeeling daughter, steals the film as he was inclined to do. Then The Big Easy, that ‘87 New Orleans noir with Dennis Quaid. I liked it all right for what it was. Then I checked out Sydney Pollack’s The Yakuza again and found it riveting yet again. Love Robert Mitchum’s performance in that. Pollack’s main claim to auteurship is his angst-ridden male-female relationships, and this one is great, but The Yakuza has a lot more going for it. Then this little William Castle production from 1961 called Homicidal, which is possibly the most effective cheap knockoff of the previous year’s Psycho I can think of off the top of my head. Never had seen it before and it featured that endearing Castle touch of exploitative, lowbrow intrigue.
Today, I saw Hellboy 2, which I enjoyed. Then came home and returned to Fellini’s Roma–a film I love more and more as I revisit it over the years. I love the long, ruminative closing sequence with the motorcycles at night. Then the 1972 Michael Winner spy thriller Scorpio, with Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon. Flawed, but a legitimately interesting piece of ’70s paranoid cinema. I had never seen it in widescreen before, sadly, and it gains at least some value from it. Paul Scofield gives a rather fine supporting turn as a Soviet. Then finally saw 48 Hours, which means I only need to see Johnny Handsome to complete Walter Hill. I enjoyed it pretty well. I’ve come to like Nick Nolte more as I see more of his movies, whether they be the old ones or the newer films where he usually gives finely subdued and persuasive performances in character actor parts.
Real life is about to intervene some, and my film-viewing will take a hit in the coming days and weeks, but this was a good, diverse weekend for me.
Well, to use Sam’s words, my real life’s been intervening a lot lately. Friday I worked on my thesis all day, then pretty much slumped on my couch barely watching TV, only to pull myself together for a party. Then, Saturday, I had to work all day. The boyfriend (yup, moved to that stage, no idea how I got roped into that one but it’s still fairly casual) cooked me dinner, and then we (re)-watched Hellboy, but I must admit I missed great chunks of it. And Sunday was shopping with my sister all day in Rotterdam, leaving me too exhausted for a movie that night.
I DID see Hancock last Wednesday, and I must admit I sorta liked it. I actually enjoyed the last act twist that most people disliked, and I thought it added to the mythology of the character in an interesting way. Some people complain that it stopped being a parody at that point and became a normal superhero movie, but I don’t think it was a parody to begin with: just a different look at a tired genre.
The first negative Dark Knight reviews are coming in, incidentally. I dunno, my ass is going to be in that seat on the 24th regardless, but it does make me a little apprehensive….oh well, perhaps lowered expectations aren’t a bad thing.
I didn’t watch anything this weekend, as school has started and real life got in the way for me too.
I am on my way to see “The Dark Knight” right now though, so I guess that’s something.
When Craig says that HELLBOY II had the potential to be really great, it brings us back to statements posed by “sartre” in that summer blockbuster fare is not by its very design intended for such success. Again, citing “sartre”, the target audience are mainly kids, who aren’t mature enough to appreciate and process an emotional context.
Hence, while my overall value judgement of the Del Toro, which I saw on Friday afternoon with a bunch of kids, is in line with Craig’s (and the final half-star downgrade seems sound) I would say that there is a built-in provisal with these kind of films that makes a higher rating a kind of overkill. There may be the exception of exceptions coming up this week with the Nolan film, however, that may blow this unwritten rule to smithereens, at least for this one, single,solitary instance.
I am saddened that CHRIS AND DON: A LOVE STORY didn’t work all that well for you, but I can well understand the issues, as Isherwood is far more interesting a character than Bachardy. Oddly enough the film received very strong reviews, but there was a small minority who made voiced valid disclaimers, yourself and “Pierre de Plume” included. I liked the film more than you did Craig, but by December it won’t engage the memory while forming year-end best lists, like a few others docs, including the Herzog.
As far as THE LAST MISTRESS, I almost saw it on three occasions in the past days, but just couldn’t negotiate it. Yes, it received stellar composite reviews at MC, but your near-pan has admittedly taken the urgency out of catching it soon. I may do it yet, but only if it works in the schedule.
I know your weekend was saved by Godard’s masterpiece on the big screen, and that is one that improves with age, as in my own view it edges out BREATHLESS and WEEKEND as the director’s greatest work.
I saw JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH in 3D on Sunday afternoon, and while the kid’s loved using those expensive glasses, I just wished the film’s characters and emotions could have been three-dimensional. We’ve seen it all before, and the film did a poor job of matching JURASSIC PARK with the reptile pyrotechnics. The camp classic with James Mason and Pat Boone is a far better interpretation of Verne, warts and all.
I already discussed on a separate thread my generally (but with issues) favorable reaction to the Polanski documentary, which I saw on Friday night, and to the delightful French import THE GROCER’S SON, which I saw midweek.
Finally, I saw LA FRANCE, formerly showcased at the LAFF, and while there were some issues here, it was still in a good sense a bold foray into avante garde filmaking with two exceptional lead performances that define the very essence of despair.
On the home front I was honored to show two friends my Region 2 DVD of THE EDGE OF HEAVEN. Both immediately asserted that they felt it ranked among the best films they have seen this year, a sentiment I fully concur with. It held up beautifully on repeat view.
Nick, that most certainly is something!! You have the jump on everybody else,and we can all look forward to your reaction!
Hedwig:”shopping in Rotterdam”
That’s something many of us can only dream of.
Alexander, I admit I am not a fan of SCORPIO, (but acknowledge it does have its advocates-fair enough) in part for the reasons you provide. However, FELLINI’S ROMA is exhiliarating. The images that are on dispay on this travelogue through Roman history and society are arresting and indellible. I recently watched FELLINI SATYRICON with some friends again, and that one had comparable joys, even with the heightened perversities.
Hellboy 2 was pretty damned entertaining warts and all. I had family in town, but still managed to get to Wanted yesterday afternoon…my choices were limited and I wanted to see how this compared to the comic book.
I know there might be those that disagree, including the handful of folks that applauded the ending of Wanted in the theater, but I thought it was loud, dumb, big, and pointless, a tired retread of other movies with little new to offer other than more headshots than The Departed. Awful movie in my opinion. The loom was just plain ridiculous. I didn’t realize that when you eviscerate all the comic booky-ness from the original story all you’re left with is Fight Club with guns.
I also watched Rope last night, which continues to entertain me even with its obviousness. I kinda love Jimmy Stewart in this one.
Have to disagree about The Last Mistress, which, to me, is one of the best films of the year. Explicit in nature but never gratuitous, it’s a tragic yet tender portrait of a doomed affair. And I thought it was incredibly sexy. The way Breillat holds the close-up of Argento licking her ice cream as she stares down Aattou, her blood boiling under the surface but her poise strong and controlled. And the sequence where she sucks the blood from his wounded flesh was applauded at my screening. I loved it.
Thumbs up, obviously, to Hellboy 2. Also watched the old Alan Ladd starmaker This Gun For Hire, which was a mixed bag, although Ladd is fantastic in it.
This Friday I’m finally doing it… sitting down to watch Bela Tarr’s Satantango. Since I have kids it’s problematic, but I’m planning to start around 8:30 PM after they go to bed, inject pure caffeine into my veins, and finish the b&w Hungarian peasant epic somewhere around 3:30 in the morning.
Wish me luck.
Good luck, Evan! Good idea to make a plan for something like that.
I’m checking in from DC, where I’ll be for the better part of this week. A friend that I stayed with last night is moving to Paris in September, so we took the occasion to check out Paris Je’taime, which neither of us had yet seen, and because I’d already seen almost every movie playing in every theater. I liked it quite a bit, obviously some more than others. The last one by Alexander Payne would my favorite right now, but that may be just because it was the last one. They’re doing one of these for New York, too, right?
I saw Brick Lane on Friday and it wasn’t great. Fortunately my expectations had diminished somewhat since Nick’s review, and he was right on. An important story, just not a very engaging one this time around. Cool to look at but could have been cut down by a bit.
Batman countdown is on…I’m still struggling to get over the fact that I’m missing a 9:00 AM IMAX screening back in MSP tomorrow morning, mostly because I’m wary of the wild midnight crowd. I’m also a little wary of the review situation, as Hedwig mentions the negative ones are on the way.
Alexander, I haven’t seen The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit in awhile, but I do remember that it had some stunning emotional moments.
I spent both sunny afternoons in the pool this weeken so no cinema for me. However, my Mom just got the TCM channel so on Saturday night I watched Brute Force with Burt Lancaster. It features the wonderful Hume Cronyn as the sadistic, power-mad prison guard. TCM was apparently doing a Hume Cronyn retrospective that night. They showed the original The Postman Always Rings Twice, which I caught the end of before Brute Force, and my favorite Hitchcock Shadow of a Doubt after. It was very rewarding to see Cronyn’s power-mad Captain Muncey and his mild old next-door-neighbor Herbie Hawkins back to back.
I never saw the first Hellboy, but it sounds as if I don’t need to see it to enjoy the 2nd one, which definitely appears more worthwhile.
I’ve seen one of the first negative reviews of The Dark Knight, from New York Magazine. It made me cringe, especially the part about Heath Ledger. I look forward to comparing all of our experiences of the movie once we’ve all seen it.
Hosting and traveling with my sister and bro-in-law for 2 ½ weeks ended yesterday. They’ve now winged their way almost all the way back to their home in Holland. So we finally watched something last night – King of Kong. I really enjoyed how my wife described it, like a Christopher Guest mockumentary but for real. Only the eccentrics populating this arcade gaming world weren’t at all loveable, particularly in their individual and mutual self-aggrandizement and mythologizing. It was hard not to root for Steve Wiebe, a decent and more grounded outsider entering this bizarre realm of egos. We get enough of a picture of the depth of self-doubt and his sense of letting himself down in the past to understand what motivates him. But it’s hard not to wish he measured himself against what really counts in life, and simply walked away from a challenge rigged against him (the DVD postscript noted that his arch rival again regained the top score).
At times the documentary felt a little too staged - as in TV reality show - but the interplay between the personalities involved was compelling and real enough to make for engaging social anthropological viewing. And it acted as a telling commentary on aspects of American celebrity culture, as manifested in one of its lowest tiers.
Best of Luck Evan, with that towering seven-hour masterpiece by Tarr–SATANTANGO–that even eclipses his magisterial WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES. I saw it myself on the excellent Artificial Eye Region 2 DVD set last summer, opting to forego the theatrical run at the Film Forum due to that daunting and prohibitive running time, but at home you can overcome any time-related comfort problems. I predict you will come out a changed man, and will be mesmerized. I can’t wait to hear what you say Even!
By the way if I may ask–how old are your children?
Ari, you have just firmed up my resolve to see THE LAST MISTRESS either today or tomorrow. I am aware of the largely positive reviews, but also am cognizant of Craig’s sentiments.
Ari, I can see I’m in the minority on The Last Mistress and that’s fine. I have to say I was never bored, but I was never fully engaged either. The audience I saw it with giggled at the scene you mentioned.
Alexander, let that be a lesson for you though. Don’t take my word on Last Mistress. Perhaps, like The Fall, you will see the good in it and we’ll disagree.
Same goes for you Sam, don’t dismiss Mistress on my account.
Hedwig, I’m right in line with you on the Hancock twist, though it sounds like you liked the movie a teeny bit more than I did. The bad reviews are out of line in my opinion.
Joel, opinions are so mixed on Wanted, I’m almost tempted to see it for myself. Alas, there hasn’t been anything else at the multiplex I want to pay for to allow for a sneak-in.
Alison, you really don’t need to see Hellboy 1, though it doesn’t hurt. I’m tempted to say you might enjoy 2, but I can’t say. I will say it’s better than any movie called Hellboy has any right to be.
Also, Brute Force is a good one.
He raises a family and watches Satantango ladies and gentlemen…I present Mr. Evan Derrick! You have the strength of 10 men, sir.
Glad you could check in from the road Daniel and glad you liked Paris je t’aime. Payne’s was one of my favorites also. Yes they’re doing a New York one also.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808399/
Other cities are apparently planned to follow in the future.
Nick, that’s great you got to see DK early. I hope it kicks your ass six ways to next tuesday, but I won’t be able to read your review until the weekend.
Indeed, Craig, Brute Force is a really good, tough prison drama.
And best of luck, Evan.
I loves me some Burt Lancaster too.
Burt Lancaster was awesome. And he was damned good-looking, too.
I’d like to find out where Alexander got that helmet he wears that pipes movies into his head through electrodes as he sleeps.
Don’t worry Craig. I’m with you on THE LAST MISTRESS. It didn’t work for me at all.
http://fromthefrontrow.blogspot.com/2008/06/review-last-mistress.html
So “The Dark Knight” is awesome, and I won’t say anymore until I post my review on Wednesday/Thursday, and if my headache goes away.
I’m not entirely sure if it lives up to all the hype, but it’s good, like really good.
Alexander has actually cloned himself in a petri dish and uses the clone to watch all these movies, then transcribes the clone’s impressions of them. Works though because Alexander taught the clone everything he knows about films, hence they are of one mind on the subject. Or he’s an insomniac.
I think Alexander must use more than one clone. There is one who watches DVDs 24/7, another that goes to class, another who attends ballgames and some movies, and a fourth that dates his girlfriend.
Ryan, I had to buy them in stock like Bruce Wayne. I have many spares. :)
Regarding the two negative reviews of The Dark Knight, folks, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. For one thing, David Denby doesn’t seem to like movies much and I’m still smarting from reading his review of No Country for Old Men (he didn’t “get” that one, either), and Dave Edelstein’s complaints about The Dark Knight stem from similar problems, most being that it’s long and both use the term “sadistic” quite a bit.
Nick’s saying it’s awesome, though, is a good sign, eh?
Michael Winner is a very limited director, Sam, but I do like the acting of Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon in Scorpio, as well as Paul Scofield. I like the ’70s style zoom shots, too.
Alison, The Man in the… Suit does indeed have some pretty strong emotional beats, and it’s more morally complex than a good deal of American movies made at that time, particularly with the issue of infidelity.
And Brute Force is a strong prison drama by Jules Dassin. Lancaster and Cronyn are both pretty awesome in it.
Thanks for the pointer, Craig, regarding The Last Mistress.
Joel, I hated Wanted as well. I found it dumb, obnoxious, hateful and truly a soul-draining experience. The loom? Ridiculous. Morgan Freeman going through the motions again? Depressing. I just loathe that movie.
Satantango is quite the experience, Evan, and I agree with Sam that it’s even superior to The Werckmeister Harmonies.
Daniel, thanks for the report about Brick Lane. I’d been tempted to go to Mill Valley to see it at night (as the art-house there is going through hard times and is now only doing nighttime showings) but I think it’s another one I’ll patiently wait for on DVD this year.
HA! Ah, you guys are funny.
I’m at least partly an insomniac, that’s true. :)
The clones usually do what I tell them, but occasionally skip class or hurt my girlfriend’s feelings, and then I have to reprimand them.
haha!
Now I don’t know which story to believe.
The upside: 4 high-concept premises for Steve Carell movies.
I loathed Wanted too….though I have to admit to enjoying great chunks of it. I liked the aesthetic, for one, and I thought the fact that the director wasn’t even attempting a shred of realism was… refreshing? Sort of like Shoot ‘em up, also, not a movie I admire, but one that made me laugh despite myself.
As for The Dark Knight….Glad you liked it, Nick! I can’;t believe I still have to wait ten days…
Hedwig, I would have liked Wanted more if it felt like it had a point or if the action sequences felt more original. It did have some visual eye candy I liked but I couldn’t help feeling as if all that acting talent on-screen was being wasted on an incredibly pointless script.
Plus, anytime I’m actively bored at the halfway mark of a movie like this is a really bad sign. The only reason I stayed in the theater was to see if the finale would somehow pay off the buildup. For me, it did not.
I like how Edelstein gives 1,115 words to The Dark Knight, with “an anvil attached to that cape.” Then follows with a warm 294 words for Exiles, a movie about which he says, “there isn’t a banal shot.” (But apparently not enough of those “transfixing” shots to deserve more than a paragraph.)
Alexander, you’re intuition that “David Denby doesn’t seem to like movies much” could be true of Edelstein as well. If he gushes buckets over a “sadistic” movie, then what does that make him?
They’d both feel comfortable at a party at Max Mosley’s place.
I imagine for some ivory tower types, it’s as hard to open their musty minds to Batman as it is for bowling buddies to give it up for Carrie Bradshaw.
Went to see Argento’s not-on-dvd 4 FLIES ON GREY VELVET. Dumb splatter fun.
Tried to drag myself to see HELLBOY 2 but couldn’t. I hate the grove.
Watched STARDUST MEMORIES instead. One of Woody’s best.
Speaking of THE EXILES, at Friday night’s 6:30 and 8:30 P.M. shows, at the IFC in Manhattan, director Charles Burnett (”Killer of Sheep” will be introducing the film to moviegoers. That looks like an offer that’s hard to refuse. Has anyone seen THE EXILES yet?
Exiles is another one I didn’t even notice until it turned up in Fridays NY Times Sam.
Christian, where did you see the Argento film? Silent Movie Theater or New Bev or someone’s living room wall?
Speaking of Woody, I saw the trailer for Vicky Christina Barcelona. Reviews have been decidedly mixed, but I like the vibe the trailer gives off.
I liked Edelstein when he was at Slate, though I don’t always agree with him. Denby I have no real opinion.
Yeah, I like Edelstein pretty well and as you note Ryan, it does appear that The Dark Knight provoked a deeper response from him than many films do, no matter what he actually thought of it.
I hadn’t heard of The Exiles until seeing Edelstein review it.
Craig, I have mixed feelings about the Vicky Christina Barcelona trailer, as I fear for many it makes the film look too much like a travelogue lark (which it may very well be, actually), but on the whole it does look interesting.
One thing I meant to say in my earlier post: Sam, I agree with you about Fellini’s Roma being an exceptional film, and a great, accessible Fellini (a little like the next year’s Amarcord).
AMARCORD is one of my favorite Fellinis Alexander, (what a delighful, funny, whimsical reveree) although I’d think we would be on the common ground with 8 1/2, LA STRADA, NIGHTS OF CABIRIA, LA DOLCE VITA and I VITTELONI, all of which are irrefutable masterworks.
Agreed, though as I’ve said before here La Dolce Vita always feels like the one Fellini film that sort of resembles medicine–I like it, but it’s the one major work by him that I don’t completely love, as it feels a little bit caught between his previous neo-realistic/more linear works and his more markedly “unique” works.
I’m a huge fan of his earlier films and his later films, and Amarcord is probably my absolute favorite to actually watch. I Vitteloni is a good example of one of his earlier works being deeply personal, too, and even The White Sheik, something of a minor early work, illustrates just how “different” he immediately was.
Oddly enough Alexander, I have EXACTLY the same feelings about LA DOLCE VITA—isn’t that bizarre? I like it but it is too decadent to love, and the it’s falls between those two styles as you pose. I salute you.
As a huge admierer of De Sica (THE BICYCLE OF THIEF one of the greatest of films, followed by UMBERTO D and SHOESHINE) I am an advocate of neo-realism, so I am torn between I VITELLONI and NIGHTS OF CABIRIA as my favorite Fellini film.
Nights of Cabiria I think is my favorite Fellini. La Strada I haven’t warmed up to.
Great choice there Craig IMHO.
My weekend was Friday: Hellboy II; Saturday, the Vincent Price anthology Twice-Told Tales and The Orphanage; Sunday, the 1940s Thief of Bagdad and the 1970s horror movie Raw Meat. Lots of fun, too bad I’m poor now and can hardly manage to get to an actual movie theater because I’m sooo behind.
Speaking of Raw Meat, I saw another trailer for Midnight Meat Train and once again the audience laughed derisively.
Maybe I don’t know because I’m not the target audience, but the title of that movie is killing it.
Sartre, you a true world statesman!
I see that KING OF KONG has received excellent reviews when it released. I never got around to seeing it—don’t even recall getting the chance–but you have made this a must-see with that most appealing and interesting appraisal by you and your wife. I will attempt to netflix this documentary today.
Saw both Hellboys this weekend. Liked the first one all right, and got positively twitterpated with Del Toro’s imaginative creations in the second one. I concur with your review Craig, but I think I’d up it to a four-star out of five, just because some of those creatures and tinkered bits and the special effects actually gave me chills and had me bouncing in my seat with little-girl glee. I thought it was an altogether stronger movie than the first one, writing, directing, acting, everything. It did not disappoint.
Also got sucked into watching Inventing the Abbotts on cable last night, which was better than I remembered it being. Jennifer Connelly is one of those rare actresses who seems to just get more and more gorgeous as she ages.
I love The New Yorker, but David Denby has an imaginary Oscar up his butt. He’s a right smart thinker sometimes, but the man is dead inside, as cold and lifeless as limp shrimp at a New York penthouse cocktail party. He also seems to get off tearing apart whatever movie every other critic and movie lover is currently raving about. Pity we can’t all be so smart.
Sartre, that’s a great description of King of Kong by your wife. That movie was a great time, really suspenseful in places. I didn’t know Weibe got beat again. Makes me want to go out and buy a Donkey Kong game and beat that arrogant slimeball’s ass myself. I jump a mean barrel.
Thanks for explaining, Ryan, how Alexander manages to catch so many films. Some of you guys seem to watch movies at about the same rate I read the titles on the shelf at Best Buy.
Craig, I don’t know what’s wrong with those audiences. As far as I’m concerned, that title is what makes the movie seem especially awesome.
Midnight Meat Train is a title that actually caught my attention for the movie, and the trailer gives off a jubilantly macabre vibe. I’ve seen that trailer for almost as long as I’ve seen The Dark Knight’s legions of trailers/ads/viral marketing bits, so maybe I’m just becoming brainwashed by it.
That’s very interesting that we see Fellini, and La Dolce Vita, in a remarkably similar light, Sam. I wonder how many others think that way.
Wrong audience for a movie like that, methinks.
Saw the trailer for Quarantine, the remake of the Spanish horror film [REC]. It was fairly disappointing, aping a lot of Cloverfield and 28 Weeks Later. Maybe the movie will far outshine the trailer, but now I’m just more curious to ignore it
and see the original.
I watched 2001 and had the epiphany moment. I get the film now. I’m writing an essay about it. But I have a question: Does anyone else find it funny at times? I would bet Kubrick laughed his ass off about certain things.
2001 has a ton of icy humor in it.
The more times I see it, the funnier significant swaths of it become.
Jennybee. I probably already mentioned elsewhere but I tossed around 4-stars before going with 3.5. I’ve got the summertime movie blues and my impression of the movie unfairly suffered as a result. Other than that, I think we’re in full agreement over 1 and 2.
LiC officially loves Jennifer Connelly. We liked her better when she had more meat on her bones but she makes up for it by being an even better actress.
K Bowen wins for the weekend by having an epiphany moment. Those don’t happen every day. And yes I’d say 2001 has a lot of a certain kind of humor in it. It’s not a laugh riot or anything, but for one thing all the interactions with HAL make me laugh, particularly once he takes control.
I can’t remember whether Midnight Meat Train came before Contempt or Last Mistress. Either one is the wrong audience.
“I think you should take a stress pill, Dave” is one of the best understated jokes in cinema.
I have one gripe about Jennifer Connelly, which is that she seems to take herself and her choices so incredibly seriously these days, like she can’t be on a film unless it’s both deeply ‘meaningful’ and allows her the chance to be a ’serious actress’, from Little Children and House of Sand and Fog all the way down to Hulk and Dark Water. She needs to lighten up a little, I think the last movie she was in that could be called ‘light-hearted’ was The Rocketeer, 17 years ago.
Being gorgeous, she’s probably always had to fight to be taken seriously, so it seems understandable to me.
It would be nice though to see her in something lighter.
Serious or not, I thought she was great in Hulk.
My impression of Jennifer Connelly is that she was generally typecast with lighter weight roles and films after being discovered in Labyrinth. After The Hot Spot, she was further typecast as the bombshell/sex object.
She really had to claw her way to any level of serious respect and that took years so she’s not willing to relinquish it any time soon.
I kind of feel sorry for her in that respect. Happens to a lot of actresses who get roped into doing nudity for a part in a smaller movie then become defined by that nude scene for years after.
As for 2001, I find almost all the scenes of this film to have some sort of humor to them up until the Star Gate sequence. I think Kubrick couldn’t help but see the subtle humor in man being so far out of his element, but then again most Kubrick movies are far funnier than anyone gives them credit for being.
Jennifer Connelly is stunning, and I agree that she could use some lighting up. A lot of it was her role, and doubtless Ed Zwick’s sledgehammer-like direction, but Blood Diamond was where I thought, “She needs to have fun again and not always be so morose.” She’s actually a very gifted actress, and she’s made several bland/bad movies go down more easily for me including the aforementioned Diamond and A Beautiful Mind. I’ve yet to see the remake of Dark Water, as I think very highly of the Japanese original.
I always chortle at the point of the line, “I think you should take a stress pill, Dave,” in 2001. A lot of that stretch is actually pretty hysterically hilarious but the payoff is a sucker punch as Kubrick allows HAL’s demise to play in an especially awkward, creepy and sad manner.
“He’s a right smart thinker sometimes, but the man is dead inside, as cold and lifeless as limp shrimp at a New York penthouse cocktail party.”
Brilliant.
Like Joel I find humor in most of Kubrick’s films.
“I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.” Hal is very droll.
You guys picked up on it, too. When HAL is taunting Dave in space, his language is like a bad stock movie villlain - “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Dave.” The stress pill line, as well.
The other thing is the speech that Dr. Floyd gives on the moon base. It’s played so seriously, I don’t think the humor is easy to see. But basically his speech is “No, you can’t contact your family.Thank you so much for your cooperation, and have I mentioned the oaths of secrecy?” The way he liked to skewer authoritarian figures, I bet that scene had Stanley laughing all day.
Craig, 4 FLIES at the Egyptian!
2001 is quite funny, and the audience laughs when it should.
As per Jennifer Connelly, can I say without being banned that she brings out zero response in me? Her role in A BEAUTIFUL MIND was the typical, “Ooo, why are you doing this?” I find her…ephemeral.
It really is an emotionally rich film- it’s funny at those moments, but then there’ll something like the death of HAL, or the tidbit where Frank Poole’s parents are wishing him happy birthday from a billion miles away and he just sits there eating liquid peas or whatever it is and barely noticing, and it’s heartbreaking.
At least David Denby is actually out to review the films he’s writing about and doesn’t just them as excuses for quips and zingers, like Anthony Lane.
Connelly was very sexy in The Hot Spot. Though Virginia Madsen was easily her equal in the movie.
K. Bowden, re: the perverse humor in 2001
Three words: Zero Gravity Toilet ;-)
“K Bowen wins for the weekend by having an epiphany moment.”
One step closer to The Watercooler becoming an official Olympic sport.
Clockwork Orange always makes me laugh too.
Ryan, you didn’t know I’ve been keeping score this whole time? Don’t worry, you’re doing quite well for yourself.
Christian, I understand not liking Beautiful Mind, but Connelly? Come on! I mean, we can still be friends but I don’t think I even know you anymore.
Having said that, when are we going to hit the New Bev again? Inglorious Bastards (1977) is coming next Friday I believe.
You, Me and QT.
IB isn’t until the 30th/31st. If I am in town, I will be there on one of those nights.
Connelly is great in Requiem for a Dream. But I can’t say her recent work has been compelling.
What was her domestic drama from last October that featured the worst police force in history.
Just noticed all the well wishing. Hopefully I will actually make it through the film. :)
Sam, my children are 21 months and 3 months, but the little guy is sleeping through the night now, so that makes everything much easier.
An Joel, I’ve seen [REC] and it is quite good (as good as a shakycam zombie movie can be). The trailer makes it look like an exact duplicate of the original (from what I could tell), to the setting, dialogue, and shot structure…everything. Quarantine will likely be a very effective tiny horror film that will probably do quite well for whatever studio is putting it out, especially since it probably only cost $10 million to make.
If he sleeps through the night, that’s most of the battle, Evan………..lovely family, best wishes to you all!
Thankyou, Sam. I thought about seeing how much of Satantango my daugher would be able to endure, but seeing as she only lasted 15 minutes into Horton Hears a Who I think that might be a fool’s errand.
KB. I managed to skip Reservation Road. She was good in Little Children the year before.
Jeff/Christian. I vote for the 30th if Jeff is in town. It could be the first annual LiC field trip.
whoops, wrong thread.