Shelter in the Summer Storm
In this morning’s New York Times, Stephen Holden has an interesting look at the best arthouse films from summer. If you’re like me, you’re a little worn out from all the hubbub over the summer tent-pole season and here are a bunch of terrific alternatives, most of which are still playing in theaters.
I missed Edge of Heaven and Days and Clouds, but I can vouch for all the other ones to one degree or another. I wasn’t as taken by Frozen River, The Last Mistress or A Girl Cut in Two as the wider critical establishment, but they’re still worth seeing.
Trumbo is excellent though and I should’ve given it a proper review.
Man on Wire of course is my pick for the best film of the year so far, not just of the summer.
Via: Vulture
Filed under: Links
Tags: A Girl Cut in Two, Days and Clouds, Edge of Heaven, Frozen River, Man on Wire, The Last Mistress, Trumbo
Related Posts: - Review: Frozen River (2008) *** 1/2
- The Watercooler: 8/4/08
- Gotham Awards: Cry Me a ‘Frozen River’
- Leo Rising
- Tom O’Neil’s Brown Derby
I missed Days and Clouds; I liked The Edge of Heaven. I need to see Frozen River, The Last Mistress and A Girl Cut in Two, which I will very soon.
Man on Wire lived up to all of the hype and expectations, Craig. I saw Boy A yesterday as well; will review it in the next 24 hours or so…
This summer, from Roman de Gare to The Fall (still one of my favorite films of the year), and Man on Wire, Mongol and so many other art-house films, was rich with alternatives from the tent-pole product.
Another recruit to the MoW cult!
Yes, I’m the latest recruit, hahaha.
I probably should’ve reviewed Boy A and Roman de Gare as well.
Sometimes I suck.
This headline has compelled me to listen to Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks for the 10,000th time.
Ah, Craig, don’t be down on yourself!
Seriously. That’s my new goal for fall: up the review percentage.
Cue the Rocky theme.
A montage of shots begins, with Craig doing push-ups on the floor while intensely looking at his computer screen, running on a Los Angeles beach with Carl Weathers, voicing points about films he’s seen into a tape recorder between synchronized inhaling and exhaling, carrying a tree in the Russian wilderness in the wintertime as he mentally focuses on the relationship between the film he has just viewed and the respective canons of Tarkovsky and Eisenstein, and then pounding away on the keyboard in grueling, timed typing drills run by a vociferous instructor who looks suspiciously look R. Lee Ermey.
Like R. Lee Ermey, heh.
Seriously, as you know, Craig, I’m very excited about your autumnal goal!
I saw the Holden piece and was quite thrilled to see that he has confirmed what most of America’s professional establishment has been saying from the very beginning (regardless of the majority opinion here at LIC. LOL!!!)………….that both EDGE OF HEAVEN and THE LAST MISTRESS rank among the best films of 2008.
Amen.
hahah Alexander. Let’s not get carried away. Or let’s!
Validation is sweet, Samuel. Is it not?
LOL Craig!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But after becoming the undisputed Film Blogging Champion of the World, Craig starts having an existential crisis - What does it all mean? Where am I going? How long do I have? His standards start slipping as he seeks solace in hard liquor, tawdry sexual encounters, and daytime soaps. It’s only with the emergence of the seemingly unbeatable young challenger - Alexander Drago - that Craig regains his focus and commitment to being the best.
(little does Sartre know, it was only my quest to become Film Blogging Champion of the World that led me away from hard liquor, tawdry sexual encounters and daytime soaps in the first place. I’m still hitting the chicken pot pies pretty hard though)
As you probably know, I’ve seen none of those.