Movies You May Have Missed: 10/18/08
There’s only one new DVD release that makes LiC’s list of Movies You May Have Missed this week and I haven’t seen it either.
Flight of the Red Balloon (2008)
The first French-language picture from Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien (City of Sadness, Millenium Mambo, Three Times) is an homage to Albert Lamorisse’s 1956 short The Red Balloon. Juliette Binoche plays a neglectful mother who leaves the care of her son to the nanny, a Chinese film student played by Song Fang. Hou is a favorite of the arthouse crowd though his quiet, minimalist approach can be a huge turnoff to people who like their films with more plot and overt melodrama. This one pulls an 86 at Metacritic though perhaps tellingly only a 55 from readers.
Filed under: DVD
Tags: Flight of the Red Balloon, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Juliet Binoche, Song Fang
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I thought FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOOON was all right–I was involved throughout, just not on emotional level–but it’s definitely the type of movie that will work just as well on DVD. Now’s the perfect time to watch.
The only other release this week I have any interest in is THE STONE ANGEL, if only for Ellen Page and Ellen Burstyn. The thing vanished pretty quickly, but I liked the trailer even if it tried to come off a little too much like SWEET LAND.
And maybe I’ll check out the Blu-Ray of the old CASINO ROYALE for kicks before catching QUANTUM OF SOLACE.
Also, I’m not sure how many of you caught THE STRANGERS in theatres–or how well-liked it was around these parts–but I wholly recommend it as one of my favorite recent mainstream horror pictures. I know it did a ton of business, but perhaps a few of you missed it?
I thought The Flight of the Red Balloon was an intriguing concept, but with execution that was limited in its efficacy.
I’ve had a hankering to see it again for a while, to see where I landed in revisiting it.
Now that it is released on DVD, this is just about a perfect time to do so.
I loved Sweet Land, so perhaps I should take a look at The Stone Angel.
Well, I don’t mean to equate the two films, only their marketing strategies, Alexander… STONE ANGEL looks far more conventional, but the cast is admittedly good.
I’m definitely looking forward to this one. I watched THE RED BALLOON earlier this year and loved it.
I understood, Danny. You are right, The Stone Angel does look “far more conventional,” as you note, judging by the marketing on its behalf.
I really want to see this film, been waiting a while too.
Being a member of the red balloon-flying set, I’m eager to catch this one.
Another movie that hits DVD Tuesday is To The Limit, the doc from earlier this year. Here’s the Netflix synopsis:
“Written and directed by Pepe Danquart, this gripping documentary follows the adrenaline-spiked sport of speed rock climbing, as German überclimbers Thomas and Alexander Huber attempt to set a record scaling Yosemite’s legendary El Capitan. Featuring wicked camera shots of the pair in action, the film also explores the brothers’ unique relationship, fueled by love and rivalry. Will they make it up the monolith in record time?”
I’m looking forward to it.
Among the people I know who saw it, Red Balloon got mixed reviews, but I aim to check it out. I saw Three Times last year or the year before and it had that elusive Wong Kar Wai thing going on, but it was good.
I overlooked To The Limit. Why? I don’t know. I was going to write up Stone Angel, but I hadn’t seen it and the reviews for it weren’t so stellar.
There’s a documentary called On The Rumba River about Congolese Rumba musician Wendo.
I’m just in between Happy Go Lucky and W and I’ll be topping off with What Just Happened. More at the Watercooler on Monday…
I reviewed FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON over at CP and thought it was godawful.
The best cure for insomnia I’ve run across this decade…
I LOVED this…still one of the top 10 films of the year as far as I’m concerned.
Hou Hsiao-Hsien is a beautiful craftsman.
I admit I’m not a fan of THE FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON, but in the name of fairness, I bought it last night at Kim’s Video while I was in Manhattan attending the off-Broadway staging of THE OEDIPUS CYCLE. (I also picked up the restored and remastered Fox release of Hitchcock’s SPELLBOUND)
My original position was close to Miranda’s, but I’ll look at it again. I am aware of the great reviews, and I generally love this director. Naturally, like probably all on thethread I have loved the 1956 THE RED BALLOON for my entire life and use it regularly in my classes.
I do take note of what Craig says there about the film getting only a 55 from readers at MC, in contrast with its prohibitive numbers from the critics.
It is worth mentioning that there is a Criterion release this week, Costa Gavres’ MISSING with Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, which isn’t a great film, but still a good one. It’s riveting and at times deeply-moving.
A sixth volume of the Looney Tunes and a rather mundane fourth volume in the Warner Gangsters series are also on tap.
A sixth volume of the Looney Tunes…
Best purchase of all of those. I love Looney Tunes. :-)
Indeed, Alison, in this house those volumes are treasured too……
I have the first 4 Looney Tunes sets, but haven’t bought one for a while.
They’re awesome.
Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s “Flight Of The Red Balloon” is my favorite film of the year so far. It certainly seems to be a divisive film, which I guess I understand– it’s slow moving and does not follow a defined narrative structure– but it’s certainly not elitist. Any true film fan should be able to appreciate Juliette Binoche’s stunning performance (by-the-by, she’s really good in Assayas’ new joint, “Summer Hours,” as well), and it’s not like the film is complicated or difficult to understand. It’s very leisurely, and requires patience, but I find it to be well worth your patience for all the reasons I’ve mentioned, and for the gorgeous ending scene.
Hou is one of world cinema’s true masters, from the essential “City Of Sadness” to the heartbreaking “Goodbye South, Goodbye”, and his early work, the touching neo-realist “A Summer At Grandpa’s.” Seek him out, and see this gem; then you can decide for yourself. Just remember: patience is a virtue.
Looking forward to catching Summer Hours at AFI Sam C, thanks for the heads up.
I haven’t seen many of Hou’s films (including Red Balloon) but I really liked Three Times.
Thanks for stopping by!
I’d be inclined to tell you to see both “A Summer At Grandpa’s” and “A City Of Sadness,” but they’re damn near impossible to find; I can’t honestly expect others to be as pathetic as I in shelling out the 400ish dollars for that Hou Hsiao-Hsien box set. I guess I’ll just tell you to do a double feature of ‘Flight’ and Hou’s 2004 Ozu tribute “Cafe Lumiere.” Those two films are more like each other than any two films in Hou’s oveure, and both a very good– ‘Flight’ is better though.