The human condition is never more difficult, gripping and intense than when it's in the hands of a Danish film maker. Take pretty much anything by Lars von Trier and even the darkly funny Adam's Apples by Andres Thomas Jensen (who co-wrote this film) and you'll start to understand that the Danes love to make you wince.
I haven't seen anything else by this director, Susan Bier, but in this film she doesn't, and Danes in general don't, shy away from the ugly, the uncomfortable or the unpleasantness of being human. In fact, these are the things they celebrate and I love them for that. Where most directors would move the camera away, they will zoom in on the spittle threads in the open, gaping mouth, the snot dripping onto the upper lip and the gasping sobs of a human in emotional torment. Beautiful!
In this great Danish drama, the life paths of an orphanage worker in India and a wealthy businessman in Denmark cross. They have to figure out their difficult situation, moving forward to new beginnings and ends as they get what they need from one another. Great camera work: interesting/weird shots that recur and develop the themes...well written, brilliantly acted.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Set in beautiful, rural Ireland in the 20s, Padraic Delaney and Cillian Murphy (whose crazy, wide-set, turquoise eyes are recognizable from the weird and wonderful Breakfast on Pluto) portray brothers who are Republican freedom fighters. They wage guerrilla war side by side in the anti-British movement until a turning point puts them on opposite sides of the ever-evolving conflict.
I am not sure I really enjoyed this movie. There were some heart-wrenching and horrific scenes and the payoff for going through it wasn't that great. The take-away message? War fuckin' sucks. There are no winners. Freedom at any cost is never as romantic as it sounds etc. etc. It was brutally sad, but I wasn't wholly sympathetic with any of the main characters, so the sadness (and my enjoyment) was diluted.
Ireland is gorgeous though. And their accents are nice. And Jon made some jokes about his wind shaking his barley. That part was pretty good too.
I am not sure I really enjoyed this movie. There were some heart-wrenching and horrific scenes and the payoff for going through it wasn't that great. The take-away message? War fuckin' sucks. There are no winners. Freedom at any cost is never as romantic as it sounds etc. etc. It was brutally sad, but I wasn't wholly sympathetic with any of the main characters, so the sadness (and my enjoyment) was diluted.
Ireland is gorgeous though. And their accents are nice. And Jon made some jokes about his wind shaking his barley. That part was pretty good too.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Cats of Mirkitani
When Linda Hattendorf met Jimmy he was living under the awning of a grocery in Lower Manhattan in New York. She begins to engage and film him for a possible documentary.
He is a "grand master artist" born in Sacramento, California. He grew up in Hiroshima, went to art school and came back to America only to be interred in Tule Lake interment camp after Pearl Harbor. His citizenship was taken away by the US government and he ended up homeless in the 80s in New York.
The film's amazing twist happens on 9/11 when, after the towers collapsed, Washington Square is deserted, but Linda finds Mirikitani in his usual spot, covered in dust and coughing in the toxic cloud. She invites him in to her (tiny) apartment and we begin to get to know him. I think this film is about the meaning of "home" and all the ways we can lose and find it.
We watch as, over the next few years, he paints in her apartment, hangs out with her cat, sings and waters plants. She helps him get his SSI benefits and finds him senior housing. Through her research and help, he visits Tule Lake, is reunited with his sister, who he hasn't seen in 60 years, and he teaches art classes at the senior home where he lives. The sweetest moments of the film are about the two of them.
He is a "grand master artist" born in Sacramento, California. He grew up in Hiroshima, went to art school and came back to America only to be interred in Tule Lake interment camp after Pearl Harbor. His citizenship was taken away by the US government and he ended up homeless in the 80s in New York.
The film's amazing twist happens on 9/11 when, after the towers collapsed, Washington Square is deserted, but Linda finds Mirikitani in his usual spot, covered in dust and coughing in the toxic cloud. She invites him in to her (tiny) apartment and we begin to get to know him. I think this film is about the meaning of "home" and all the ways we can lose and find it.
We watch as, over the next few years, he paints in her apartment, hangs out with her cat, sings and waters plants. She helps him get his SSI benefits and finds him senior housing. Through her research and help, he visits Tule Lake, is reunited with his sister, who he hasn't seen in 60 years, and he teaches art classes at the senior home where he lives. The sweetest moments of the film are about the two of them.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Zwartboek (The Black Book)
Two bad movies in a row and I have to start thinking that we are seeing too many movies. Would I rather see a bad film than no film? My instinct is to say , "no" but history doesn't lie, and I think I knew that The Lookout was going to be bad and I think I knew that this was going to be bad and we went anyway. How many times have I been surprised by low expectations with a good outcome? About 5 in the last 2 years. Not very good odds.
This was unrealistic drivel, and completely over the top and the fact that this guy directed Showgirls shouldn't be a surprise. He's a pervert (and not in any interesting way) and a sensationalist. I was thinking that Total Recall was enjoyable compared to this, but then I remembered that Total Recall is a P.K. Dick story and P.K. is great. This guy is not. I half expected the three-boobed Martian prostitute to pop into the picture at some point. Would have made as much sense as the cauldron of shit scene.
Well, the one thing this movie has going for it is that it has inspired the most links in any one post yet. I think I would have preferred not see this movie.
This was unrealistic drivel, and completely over the top and the fact that this guy directed Showgirls shouldn't be a surprise. He's a pervert (and not in any interesting way) and a sensationalist. I was thinking that Total Recall was enjoyable compared to this, but then I remembered that Total Recall is a P.K. Dick story and P.K. is great. This guy is not. I half expected the three-boobed Martian prostitute to pop into the picture at some point. Would have made as much sense as the cauldron of shit scene.
Well, the one thing this movie has going for it is that it has inspired the most links in any one post yet. I think I would have preferred not see this movie.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Sunday, April 01, 2007
TMNT
Those crazy turtles are at it again! The action scenes are so well done, you forget they are wearing costumes...After defeating Shredder in the last movie, the turtles have grown up (?) and apart and Leonardo (who always was the bossy one) and their sensei, Master Splinter, to pull them together to defeat the new evil that is lurking in NYC.
My secret favorite is Donatello. He is so funny! I just LOVE that turtle.
My secret favorite is Donatello. He is so funny! I just LOVE that turtle.
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