Out of the Past: The Month In Film, July 2013

Top 10:


10. Songs From the Second Floor (2000) Dir. Roy Andersson – Sweden
9. A Swedish Love Story (1977) Dir. Roy Andersson – Sweden
8. Vanishing Waves (2012) Dir. Kristina Buozyte – Lithuania
7. The Hairdresser (2010) Dir. Doris Dorrie – Germany
6. Once Upon a Time in America (1984) Dir. Sergio Leone – US
5. Life of Jesus (1997) Dir. Bruno Dumont - France
4. Pitfall (1962) Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara – Japan
3. Eureka (2000) Dir. Shinji Aoyama – Japan
2. The Seed of Man (1969) Dir. Marco Ferrerri – Italy
1. The Life of Oharu (1952) Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi – Japan

Of Interest:
Merci La Vie (1991) Dir. Bertrand Blier – France
Movie 43 (2013) Dir. Various – US
Another Country (1984) Dir. Marek Kanievska – UK
Carrie (1952) Dir. William Wyler – US
The War at Home (1996) Dir. Emilio Estevez – US

Banal:
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) Dir. Rawson Marshall Thurber – US
Orca (1977) Dir. Michael Anderson – US
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) Dir. Robert Wise – US
I Saw What You Did (1965) Dir. William Castle – US
The Collectress (2008) Dir. Kristina Buozyte – Lithuania
21 & Over (2013) Dir. Jon Lucas & Scott Moore – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Blue Jasmine (2013) Dir. Woody Allen – US 10/10
Blackfish (2013) Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite – US 10/10
Pacific Rim (2013) Dir. Guillermo Del Toro – US 9/10
Child’s Pose (2013) Dir. Calin Peter Netzer – Romania 8/10
The Frozen Ground (2012) Dir. Scott Walker – US 8/10
Beneath (2013) Dir. Larry Fessenden – US 8/10
Computer Chess (2013) Dir. Andrew Bujalski – US 8/10
Viola (2012) Dir. Matias Pineiro – Argentina 7/10
The Colony (2013) Dir. Jeff Renfroe – Canada 7/10
Drinking Buddies (2013) Dir. Joe Swanberg – US 7/10
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) Dir. James Wan – US 7/10
Jug Face (2013) Dir. Chad Crawford Kinkle – US 6/10
Broken (2012) Dir. Rufus Norris – UK 6/10
The Artist and the Model (2013) Dir. Fernando Trueba – France/Spain 5/10
The Purge (2013) Dir. James DeMonaco – US 4/10
The Complex (2013) Dir. Hideo Nakata – Japan 4/10
Still Mine (2012) Dir. Michael McGowan – Canada 4/10
The Time Being (2012) Dir. Nenad Cicin-Sain – US 3/10
Girl Most Likely (2012) Dir. Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini – US 3/10
I Give It a Year (2013) Dir. Dan Mazer – 2/10
Killing Season (2012) Dir. Mark Steven Johnson – US 1/10
Ritual: A Psychomagic Story (2012) Dir. Giulia Brazzale & Luca Immesi – Italy 1/10

Rewatched:
Jawbreaker (1999) Dir. Darren Stein – US
Pieta (2012) Dir. Kim Ki-duk – South Korea
Oldboy (2003) Dir. Park Chan-wook – South Korea
Female on the Beach (1955) Dir. Joseph Pevney – US
Border Run (2013) Dir. Gabriela Tagliavini – US
Drug War (2012) Dir. Johnnie To – Japan

Cess Pool:
The Lonely Lady (1983) Dir. Peter Sasdy – US
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013) Dir. Tyler Perry – US
Liz and Dick (2013) Dir. Lloyd Kramer – US
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) Dir. Jon Chu – US
Butterfly (1982) Dir. Matt Cimber – US
The Cloth (2013) Dir. Justin Price – US

Best of Fest: Outfest 2013

Best of Fest:

1. In the Name Of… - Dir. Malgorzara Szuowska (Poland)
2. The Happy Sad - Dir. Rodney Evans (US)
3. The Last Match - Dir. Antonio Hens (Spain/Cuba)
4. Reaching for the Moon - Dir. Bruno Barreto (Brazil)
5. Bridegroom - Dir. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (US)
6. Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf? - Dir. Anna Margarita Albelo (US)
7. G.B.F. - Dir. Darren Stein (US)
8. Igloo - Dir. Diego Ruiz (Chile)
9. Animals - Dir. Marcal Fores (Spain)
10. In Bloom - Dir. Chris Michael Birkmeier (US)


Recommended:
1. Bwakaw - Dir. Jun Robles Lana (Philippines)
2. Suddenly Last Summer/Going South - Dir. Leesong Hee-il (South Korea)
3. Big Gay Love - Dir. Ringo Le (US)
4. Born This Way - Dir. Shaun Kadlec & Deb Tullman (US/Cameroon)

Pass:
1. Breaking the Girls - Dir. Jamies Babbit (US)
2. Hot Guys With Guns - Dir. Doug Spearman (US)
3. Valencia - Dir. Various (US)
4. Southern Baptist Sissies - Dir. Del Shores (US)

Best of Fest: LA Film Fest 2013

Best of Fest:

1. The Fifth Season - Dir. Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodworth (Belgium)
2. Drug War - Dir. Johnnie To (Japan)
3. Two Men in Manhattan (1959) - Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville (France)
4. Lesson of the Evil - Dir. Takashi Miike (Japan)
5. Venus Vs. - Dir. Ava DuVernay (US)
6. The Act of Killing - Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer (Denmark/UK)
7. Wadjda - Dir. Haifaa Al-Mansour (Saudi Arabia)
8. The Conjuring - Dir. James Wan (US)
9. I’m So Excited - Dir. Pedro Almodovar (Spain)
10. Nobody’s Daughter - Dir. Hong Sang-soo (South Korea)

Best of the Rest:
1. Delivery - Dir. Brian Netto (US)
2. Short Term 12 - Dir. Destin Cretton (US)
3. In a World… - Dir. Lake Bell (US)
4. Boxing Day - Dir. Bernard Rose (UK/US)
5. Between Two Worlds (2009) - Dir. Vimukthi Jayasundara (Indonesia)
6. House with a Turret - Dir. Eva Neymann (Ukraine)

Of Interest:
1. The House That Jack Built - Dir. Henry Barrial (US)
2. Europa Report - Dir. Sebastian Cordero (US)
3. Pollywogs - Dir. Karl Jacob (US)

Pass:
1. The Patience Stone - Dir. Atiq Rahimi (Afghanistan)
2. Goodbye World - Dir. Denis Hennelly (US)
3. All Together Now - Dir. Alexander Mirecki (US)

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, June 2013

Top 10:

10. Outside the Law (2010) Dir. Rachid Bouchareb – France/Algeria
9. The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu (2010) Dir. Andrei Ujica – Romania
8. My God My God Why Have You Forsaken Me? (2005) Dir. Shinju Aoyama – Japan
7. A Lake (2008) Dir. Philippe Grandrieux – France
6. The World (2004) Dir. Jia Zhang-ke – Japan
5. Calmos (1976) Dir. Bertrand Blier – France
4. The Visit (1964) Dir. Bernhard Wicki – US/France/Italy
3. Planet of the Apes (1968) Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner – US
2. Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978) Dir. Bertrand Blier – France
1. Marketa Lazarova (1967) Dir. Frantisek Vlacil - Czechoslovakia


Of Interest:
Colors (1988) Dir. Dennis Hopper – US
Avida (2006) Dir. Gustave de Kervern & Benoit Delepine – Belgium
Seed of Chucky (2004) Dir. Don Mancini – US
Tormented (2011) Dir. Takashi Shimizu – Japan
Betty and Coretta (2013) Dir. Yves Simoneau – US
Buffet Froid (1978) Dir. Bertrand Blier – France
Housesitter (1991) Dir. Frank Oz – US



Theatrical Screenings:
Beyond the Walls (2012) Dir. David Lambert – France 9/10
2 Autumns, 3 Winters (2013) Dir. Sebastien Betbeder – France 9/10
Maniac (2012) Dir. Franck Khalfoun – US/France 8/10
You and the Night (2013) Dir. Yann Gonzalez – France 8/10
Just Like a Woman (2012) Dir. Rachid Bouchareb – US 8/10
I’m So Excited (2013) Dir. Pedro Almodovar – Spain 8/10
Nancy, Please (2013) Dir. Andrew Semans – US 8/10
The Heat (2013) Dir. Paul Feig – US 7/10
Museum Hours (2012) Dir. Jem Cohen – Austria 7/10
Some Girl(s) (2013) Dir. Daisy von Scherler Mayer – US 7/10
The Prey (2011) Dir. Eric Vallette – France 7/10
Man of Steel (2013) Dir. Zach Snyder – US 7/10
This is the End (2013) Dir. Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg – US 6/10
Much Ado About Nothing (2012) Dir. Joss Whedon – US 6/10
Now You See Me (2013) Dir. Louis Leterrier – US 4/10
Unfinished Song (2012) Dir. Paul Andrew Williams – US 4/10
Inverse (2013) Dir. Matt Duggan – US 3/10
The Stroller Strategy (2012) Dir. Clement Michel – France 3/10
100 Bloody Acres (2012) Dir. Cameron & Colin Cairnes – Australia 3/10
Absence (2013) Dir. Jimmy Loweree – US 3/10
Hello Herman (2012) Dir. Michelle Danner – US 0/10


Banal:
Mama (2013) Dir. Andres Muschietti – US
The Giants (2011) Dir. Bouli Lanners – France
Hell’s House (1932) Dir. Howard Higgin – US
Glitter (2001) Dir. Vondie Curtis-Hall – US
Beautiful Creatures (2013) Dir. Richard LaGravenese – US
Giallo (2009) Dir. Dario Argento – US/UK/Italy
Revenge for Jolly! (2012) Dir. Chadd Harbold – US


Cess Pool:
The Collection (2012) Dir. Marcus Dunstan – US
Taken 2 (2012) Dir. Olivier Megaton
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) Dir. Tommy Wirkola
Parker (2013) Dir. Taylor Hackford – US
Friday the 3th: Part III (1982) Dir. Steve Miner – US


Rewatched:
Stoker (2013) Dir. Park Chan-wook – US
The Room (2003) Dir. Tommy Wisseau – US
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Dir. Jonathan Demme – US

2013 LA Film Fest Rundown

Best of Fest:

1. The Fifth Season
2. Drug War
3. Two Men in Manhattan
4. Lesson of the Evil
5. Venus Vs.
6. The Act of Killing
7. Wadjda
8. The Conjuring
9. I’m So Excited
10. Nobody’s Daughter

Best of the Rest:
1. Delivery
2. Short Term 12
3. In a World…
4. Boxing Day
5. Between Two Worlds
6. House with a Turret

Of Interest:
1. The House That Jack Built
2. Europa Report
3. Pollywogs

Pass:

1. The Patience Stone
2. Goodbye World
3. All Together Now

Cannes 2013 Rundown: Nicholas Bell Best of Fest

1. Blue is the Warmest Color – Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche (France) Main Competition

2. Stranger By the Lake – Dir. Alain Guiraudie (France) Un Certain Regard

3. The Great Beauty –Dir. Paolo Sorrentino (Italy) Main Competition

4. A Touch of Sin Bazin – Dir. Jia Zhangke (China) Main Competition

5. The Bastards – Dir. Claire Denis (France) Un Certain Regard

6. Venus In Fur – Dir. Roman Polanski (France) Main Competition

7. Grand Central Bazin  - Dir. Rebecca Zlotowski (France) Un Certain Regard

8. Tip Top – Theatre Croisette – Dir. Serge Bozon (France) Directors’ Fortnight 

9. The Congress – Arcades  - Dir. Ari Folman (US/Israel) Directors’ Fortnight

10. Only Lovers Left Alive – Bazin – Dir. Jim Jarmusch (US) Main Competition

Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman’s locked lips haunted the Croisette at the 66^th Cannes Film Festival in what I’m told has been one of the wettest festivals in recent memory. A lineup that consisted of strange happenings and violent punctuations had little periods of reprieve in what was (mostly) a heady and exciting cluster of world cinema. In what happened to be this critic’s first Cannes experience, the surprises, both positive and negative, were aplenty. Nothing can quite prepare you for the rampant rudeness and consistent selfishness of fellow cinema lovers, those that are in and outside of the industry. Line cutting, chattering during screenings, and chronic texting happened at nearly every of the 40+ screenings I attended. And many seem to figure that when in France, why not smoke endlessly while captive in lengthy lines? But despite the setbacks involving self-centered individuals, luckily many of this year’s cinematic offerings were good enough to dispel the misanthropy brought about by such actions.

Despite several questionable entries, the main competition this year was impressive, including the much revered Palme D’or winning Blue Is the Warmest Color, which, despite its sexually explicit content, was awarded the respect it deserves. It stands at the forefront of a decidedly Queer year at Cannes. While Tunisian born actor turned director Abdellatif Kechiche should finally get the international attention he deserves, a variety of other auteurs switched it up a bit. The Coens, who took home the Grand Prix for Inside Llewyn Davisbrought a melancholic, understated tone to their latest, set in the folk music world of the early 60’s and featuring a nice lead performance from Oscar Isaac (some of the more distracting performances from Timberlake and a grating Cary Mulligan felt unnecessary), though I would have much preferred to see Paolo Sorrentino’s delightful The Great Beauty to have taken this prize, a magnificently intoxicationfilm that’s the closest anyone’s ever come to a Fellini homage as great as this. The Prix du Jury went to Hirokazu Koreeda’s elegant Like Father, Like Son, which is as good as everyone’s saying it is, but also feels a bit too similar to other fare from the director. Jia Zhangke’s excellent A Touch of Sin was my choice for this prize, though the filmtook home the Best Screenplay award, which usually goes to challenging material the jury can’t make room for in the top three. Likewise, Best Director usually goes to divisive material and this year is no exception, with Amat Escalante’s wonderfully flawed and utterly unforgettable Heli taking home that prize. If only its second half hadn’t left me so cold.

There were plenty of solid entries that are neither the best nor worst in their directors’ filmographies like Behind the Candelabra, Only God Forgives, The Past, and The Immigrant---all had one or more standout performances or striking stylistic flourishes that made them worthy of entry. However, some entries, such as Takashi Miike’s Shield of Straw or Michael Kolhaas, while not necessarily terrible, are done a disservice by being included in the Main Competition, forced to be judged not on the basis of their individual merit but also on why or how they were unnecessarily programmed here. Sadly, Mahamet-Saleh Haroun’s Grisgris felt like an ill executed project as well. On the lower end of the spectrum was the ridiculous inclusion of Valerie Bruni-Tedeschi’s A Castle In Italy, the only female in the main comp this year. Upon seeing Claire Denis’ The Bastards, one of her darkest, most brilliantly difficult films in years, one can only assume she’s being punished for some reason to explain why she’s been relegated to Un Certain Regard while Tedeschi’s pedestrian effort, which is basically a glossy re-do of her own feature debut from 2003, takes up space here. While it’s hard to imagine where else Desplechin’s Jimmy P. would have played, the auteur’s significant misstep has to be the worst thing I saw in the entire festival this year, completely wrong headed, an artistic stink bomb that’s devoid of drama, conflict, and enthusiasm of any kind.

Three other world class auteurs each brought fantastic new films to the fest, including Ozon’s Young & Beautiful, Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive, Polanski’s Venus In Furs, and Alex Van Warmerdam’sBorgman.

The sidebars had some thrillingly good entries this year, most notably a fantastic film from Alain Guiraudie, Stranger By the Lake, which won Best Director. Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring opened this section to some strong reactions, but while I found her film a bit narrow and trite, its nevertheless a fascinating social commentary that unfortunately comes about a year late as Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers beats her to the punch. Denis’ The Bastards and Rebecca Zlotowski’s Grand Central were the other fantastic entries here in a sidebar heavily populated by female filmmakers. Lucia Puenzo’sWakolda is interesting, if lukewarm, while German filmmaker Katrin Gebbe (the only German entry in the fest) drew boos and cheers, a veritable torture-porn entry made for audiences with a masochistic streak. Equally difficult to watch was Mohammad Rasoulof’sManuscripts Don’t Burn, a grueling, soul deadening true story filmedsecretly in Iran.

The Director’s Fortnight opened with Ari Folman’s thrillingly intriguing The Congress, a film filled with exposition and philosophies that surely left many cold but displays a level of intelligence and daring that should have seen this in the Main Comp. And yeah, Robin Wright, right? And Serge Bozon’s very strange and very funny Tip Top is completely owned by a crazy Isabelle Huppert performance. Flawed but interesting new films from Alejandro Jodorowsky with The Dance of Reality and Anurag Kashyap with Ugly are certainly worth a look. And even as it won a prestigious award, Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant is a paltry follow-up to her inventive documentary effort, The Arbor. More exciting was the directorial debut of cinematographer Jeremy Saulner with Blue Ruin.

One of this year’s most hailed film experiences will undoubtedly be J.C. Chandor’s All is Lost, which is certainly grueling and undeniably difficult to sit through. Unfortunately, I missed the Critics’ Week entries, except for the unenthralling and out of competition opener,Suzanne, which is about as exciting as its title would connote.

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, May 2013

Top 10:

10. Mammuth (2010) Dir. Gustave de Kervern & Benoit Delepine – France
9. Abel (1986) Dir. Alex Van Warmerdam – Netherlands
8. Black Venus (2010) Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche – France
7. The Northerners (1992) Dir. Alex Van Warmerdam – Netherlands
6. Il Divo (2008) Dir. Paolo Sorrentino – Italy
5. Down By Law (1986) Dir. Jim Jarmusch – US
4. Dog Days (2001) Dir. Ulrich Seidl – Austria
3. The Woman Next Door (1981) Dir. Francois Truffaut – France
2. About Elly (2008) Dir. Asghar Farhadi – Iran
1. Sex, Lies, & Videotape (1989) Dir. Steven Soderbergh – US


Recommended:
Models (1999) Dir. Ulrich Seidl – Austria
Maborosi (1995) Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda – Japan
Kings & Queen (2004) Dir. Arnaud Desplechin – France
Saint Clara (1996) Dir. Ari Folman & Ori Sivan - Israel
Jesus, You Know (2004) Dir. Ulrich Seidl – Austria
5x2 (2004) Dir. Francois Ozon – France
The Last Days of Emma Blank (2009) Dir. Alex Van Warmerdam - Netherlands
A Haunted House (2013) Dir. Michael Tiddes – US
That Guy Who Was In That Thing (2010) Dir. Ian Roumain & Michael Schwartz – US
Aaltra (2004) Dir. Gustave de Kervern & Benoit Delepine – France


Of Interest:
Love Like Poison (2010) Dir. Katell Quillevere – France
We Own the Night (2007) Dir. James Gray – US
Summer Things (2002) Dir. Michel Blanc – France
It’s Easier for a Camel…(2003) Dir. Valerie Bruni-Tedeschi – France
The Minister (2011) Dir. Pierre Schoeller – France


Banal:
Child’s Play 2 (1990) Dir. John Lafia – US
Step Brothers (2008) Dir. Adam McKay – US
The Fish Child (2009) Dir. Lucia Puenzo – Argentina


Theatrical Screenings:
Short Term 12 (2013) Dir. Dustin Cretton – US 8/10
The To Do List (2013) Dir. Maggie Carey – US 8/10
He’s Way More Famous Than You (2013) Dir. Michael Urie – US 7/10
Star Trek Into Darkness (2012) Dir. J.J. Abrams – US 6/10
Wish You Were Here (2012) Dir. Kieran Darcy Smith – Australia 6/10
The Great Gatsby (2013) Dir. Baz Luhrman – US 5/10
The English Teacher (2013) Dir. Craig Zisk – US 4/10
Goodbye World (2013) Dir. Denis Hennelly – US 4/10
Stuck in Love (2012) Dir. Josh Boone – US 3/10
Fresh Meat (2012) Dir. Danny Mulheron – New Zealand 3/10
After Earth (2012) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan – US 2/10
Safe Haven (2013) Dir. Lasse Hallstrom – US 1/10


Cess Pool:
Steel Magnolias (2012) Dir. Kenny Leon – US
I Declare War (2012) Dir. Jason Lapeyre & Robert Wilson – Canada
Playing For Keeps (2012) Dir. Gabriele Muccino – US
Parental Guidance (2012) Dir. Andy Fickman – US
Fly Me to the Moon (2012) Dir. Pascal Chaumeil – France
Texas Chainsaw (2013) Dir. Jason Luessenhop – US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, April 2012 (Plus COLCOA 2013 Rundown)

Top 10:

10. Gate of Hell (1953) Dir. Teinosuke Kinugasa – Japan
9. Bungalow (2002) Dir. Ulrich Kohler – Germany
8. Fireworks Wednesday (2006) Dir. Asghar Farhadi – Iran
7. Just Before Nightfall (1971) Dir. Claude Chabrol – France
6. What Time Is It There? (2001) Dir. Tsia Ming-Liang – China
5. Los Bastardos (2008) Dir. Amat Escalante – US/Mexico
4. Stranger Within a Woman (1966) Dir. Mikio Naruse - Japan
3. Games of Love and Chance (2003) Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche – France
2. Cure (1997) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
1. Khrustalyov, My Car! (1998) Dir. Aleksey German – Russia

Recommended:
Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1971) Dir. Jerry Schtazberg – US
Left Bank (2008) Dir. Pieter Van Hees – Belgium
Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988) Dir. Terence Davies – UK
Charisma (1999) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
Kenneth Anger Volume 2 (1964-1972) Dir. Kenneth Anger – US
Grimm (2003) Dir. Alex van Warmderdan – Netherlands
My Friend Ivan Lapshin (1986) Dir. Aleksey German – Russia
Stranger than Paradise (1984) Dir. Jim Jarmusch – US
No Rest for the Brave (2003) Dir. Alain Guiraudie – France
Kenneth Anger Volume 1 (1947-1954) Dir. Kenneth Anger – US
Bright Future (2003) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
La Luna (1979) Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci – Italy/US

Of Interest:
Platform (2000) Dir. Jia Zhang-ke – China
My Sex Life (1996) Dir. Arnaud Desplechin – France
Barren Illusion (1999) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
A Forest With No Name (2002) Dir. Shinji Aoyama – Japan
The Guilt Trip (2012) Dir. Anne Fletcher – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Frances Ha (2012) Dir. Noah Baumbach – US 10/10
The Searchers (1956) Dir. John Ford – US 10/10
Kuma (2012) Dir. Umat Dag – Austria 10/10
Twenty Feet From Stardom (2013) Dir. Morgan Neville – US 10/10
Kiss of the Damned (2012) Dir. Xan Cassavetes – US 9/10
Miss Lovely (2012) Dir. Ashim Ahluwalia – India 9/10
The Almost Man (2012) Dir. Martin Lund – Norway 9/10
Disconnect (2013) Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin – US 8/10
The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012) Dir. Mira Nair – US/UK 8/10
Free Fall (2013) Dir. Stephen Lacant – Germany 8/10
A Single Shot (2013) Dir. David Rosenthal – US 8/10
Lily (2013) Dir. Matt Creed – US 8/10
The Kings of Summer (2013) Dir. Jordan Vogt-Roberts – US 7/10
Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal (2012) Dir. Boris Rodriguez – Canada/Denmark 7/10
Flower Buds (2011) Dir. Zdenek Jirasky – Czech Republic 7/10
The Brass Teapot (2012) Dir. Ramaa Mosley – US 7/10
Welcome to the Jungles (2013) Dir. Rob Metzler – US 7/10
Aftershock (2012) Dir. Nicolas Lopez – Chile/US 6/10
Feed Me With Your Words (2012) Dir. Martin Turk – Slovenia 6/10
Jellyfish Eyes (2013) Dir. Takashi Murakami – Japan 6/10
Fat Shaker (2013) Dir. Mohammad Shirvani – Iran 6/10
The Revenants (2013) Dir. Andreas Bolm – Germany 6/10
Errors of the Human Body (2012) Dir. Eron Sheean – Germany/US 6/10
Kalifornia (2012 short) Dir. Laura Mahlberg – Germany 6/10
Summer Games (2011) Dir. Rolando Colla – Switzerland 6/10
Evil Dead (2013) Dir. Fede Alvarez – US 6/10
Oblivion (2013) Dir. Joseph Kosinski – US 5/10
Mushrooming (2012) Dir. Toomas Hussar – Estonia 5/10
Midnight’s Children (2012) Dir. Deepa Mehta – India 5/10
Arthur Newman (2012) Dir. Dante Ariola – US 3/10
Love Sick Love (2012) Dir. Christian Charles – US 3/10
No One Lives (2012) Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura – US 2/10
And Now a Word From Our Sponsor (2013) Dir. Zack Bernbaum – US 1/10


Banal:
Shanks (1974) Dir. William Castle – US


Cess Pool Cinema:
Red Dawn (2012) Dir. Dan Bradley – US
Out of the Dark (1988) Dir. Michael Schroeder – US


Rewatched:
Pulse (2001) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
Gayby (2012) Dir. Jonathan Lisecki – US
In Another Country (2012) Dir. Hong Sang-soo – South Korea
The Letter (1940) Dir. William Wyler – US
Moonstruck (1987) Dir. Norman Jewison – US


2013 COLCOA Film Festival Rundown:

Top 10:
1. Le Grand Soir (2012) Dir. Gustave de Kerven & Benoit Delepine 10/10
2. The Attack (2012) Dir. Ziad Doueiri 10/10
3. The Bronte Sisters (1979) Dir. Andre Techine 10/10
4. Haute Cuisine (2012) Dir. Christian Vincent 9/10
5. Populaire (2012) Dir. Regis Roinard 9/10
6. Therese Desqueyroux (2012) Dir. Claude Miller 9/10
7. You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet (2012) Dir. Alain Resnais 8/10
8. Augustine (2012) Dir. Alice Winocour 8/10
9. Aliyah (2012) Dir. Elie Wajeman 8/10
10. Stavisky (1974) Dir. Alain Resnais 8/10


The Man Who Laughs (2012) Dir. Jean-Pierre Ameris 6/10
11.6 (2013) Dir. Philippe Godeau 6/10
Jappeloup (2013) Dir. Christian Duguay 6/10
Hidden Beauties (2013) Dir. Nouri Bouzid 6/10
Cycling With Moliere (2013) Dir. Philippe Le Guay 5/10
Mobius (2013) Dir. Eric Rochant 4/10
It Happened in Saint Tropez (2013) Dir. Daniele Thompson 4/10


Shorts:
Clean (2013 short) Dir. Benjamin Bouhana – France 10/10
Bet She’an (2012 short) Dir. Julien Soler, et al – France 10/10
The Inn (2012 short) Dir. Izu Troin – France 6/10
A la Francaise (2012 short) Dir. Morrigane Boyer, Julien Hazebrouq, Ren-Hsien Hsu, Emmannuelle Leleu, William Lorton 6/10
Bad Toys II (2012 short) Dir. Daniel Brunet, Nicolas Douste 5/10
F*ck UL (2012 short) Dir. Benoit Forgeard – France 4/10

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, March 2013

Top 10:
10. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Dir. Isao Takahata – Japan
9. Greed (1924) Dir. Erich von Stroheim – US
8. Fire (1996) Dir. Deepa Mehta – India
7. In the Company of Men (1997) Dir. Neil Labute – US
6. Mademoiselle (1966) Dir. Tony Richardson – France
5. The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974) Dir. Werner Herzog – West Germany
4. Hustle & Flow (2005) Dir. Craig Brewer – US
3. The Ballad of Narayama (1983) Dir. Shohei Imamura – Japan
2. My Dinner With Andre (1981) Dir. Louis Malle – US
1. L’avventura (1960) Dir. Michaelangelo Antonioni – Italy

Recommended:
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) Dir. James Foley – US
Wreck-It Ralph (2012) Dir. Rich Moore – US
Hemel (2012) Dir. Sacha Polak – Netherlands
Beauty (2011) Dir. Oliver Hermanus – South Africa
L’age D’or (1930) Dir. Luis Bunuel – France
Hangmen Also Die (1943) Dir. Fritz Lang – US



Of Interest:
A Late Quartet (2012) Dir. Yaron Zilberman – US
Young Man with a Horn (1950) Dir. Michael Curtiz – US
Bestiaire (2012) Dir. Denis Cote – Canada
The Savage Is Loose (1974) Dir. George C. Scott – US
North Sea Texas (2011) Dir. Bavan Defurne – Belgium
The Hand (1981) Dir. Oliver Stone – US

Banal:
Born Innocent (1974) Dir. Donald Wrye – US
The Theater Bizarre (2011) Dir. Various – US/Canada
Ali G Indahouse (2002) Dir. Mark Mylod – UK

Cess Pool:
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 (2012) Dir. Bill Condon – US
Border Run (2013) Dir. Gabriela Tagliavini – US
Ooga Booga (2013) Dir. Charles Band – US

Rewatched:
Tremors (1990) Dir. Ron Underwood – US
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) Dir. Derek Cianfrance – US
Ministry of Fear (1944) Dir. Fritz Lang – US

Theatrical Screenings:
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) Dir. Derek Cianfrance – US 10/10
Love Is All You Need (2012) Dir. Susanne Bier – Denmark 10/10
The Lords of Salem (2012) Dir. Rob Zombie – US 9/10
Lotus Eaters (2012) Dir. Alexandra McGuiness – UK 9/10
You Will Be My Son (2012) Dir. Gilles Legrand – France 9/10
Paradise: Hope (2013) Dir. Ulrich Seidl – Austria 9/10
The We and the I (2012) Dir. Michel Gondry – US 9/10
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) Dir. Anurag Kashyap – India 9/10
No Place On Earth (2012) Dir. Janet Tobias – US 8/10
Leviathan (2012) Dir. Lucien Castaing Tayler & Valerie Paravel – US 8/10
Towheads (2012) Dir. Shannon Plumb – US 8/10
My Brother the Devil (2012) Dir. Sally El Hosiani – UK 8/10
The Call (2013) Dir. Brad Anderson – US 8/10
Eden (2012) Dir. Megan Griffiths – US 9/10
Hunky Dory (2011) Dir. Marc Evans – UK 8/10
Mental (2012) Dir. P.J. Hogan – Australia 8/10
Olympus Has Fallen (2013) Dir. Antoine Fuqua – US 7/10
Before and After Dinner (2013) Dir. Cindy Kleine – US 7/10
Trance (2013) Dir. Danny Boyle – UK 7/10
The Silence (2010) Dir. Baran Bo Odar – Germany 7/10
Snitch (2013) Dir. Ric Roman Waugh – US 7/10
The Company You Keep (2012) Dir. Robert Redford – US 6/10
K-11 (2012) Dir. Jules Stewart – US 6/10
New World (2013) Dir. Park Hoon-jung – South Korea 6/10
Not Waving But Drowning (2012) Dir. Devynn Waitt – US 5/10
Erased (2012) Dir. Philip Stotzl – UK/Belgium 5/10
Admission (2013) Dir. Paul Weitz – US 5/10
If I Were You (2012) Dir. Joan Carr-Wiggin – Canada/UK 4/10
Loft (2008) Dir. Erik Von Looy – Belgium 4/10
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) Dir. Don Scardino – US 3/10
The Last Exorcism: Part Two (2013) Dir. Ed Gass-Donelly – US 3/10
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) Dir. Brian Singer – US 1/10
The Host (2013) Dir. Andrew Niccol – US 1/10

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, February 2013:

Top 10:
10. Trading Places (1983) Dir. John Landis – US
9. Head-On (2004) Dir. Fatih Akin – Germany
8. Game Change (2012) Dir. Jay Roach – US
7. Lovers on the Bridge (1991) Dir. Leos Carax – France
6. La Promesse (1996) Dir. Dardenne Bros. – Belgium
5. Close-Up (1990) Dir. Abbas Kiarostami – Iran
4. Clone (2010) Dir. Benedek Fliegauf – Germany/Hungary
3. The Mafu Cage (1978) Dir. Karen Arthur – US
2. A Quiet Place in the Country (1968) Dir. Elio Petri – Italy/France
1. The Ballad of Narayama (1958) Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita – Japan


Recommended:
A Real Young Girl (1976) Dir. Catherine Breillat – France
Hit & Run (2012) Dir. Dax Shepard & David Palmer – US
The Wide Blue Road (1957) Dir. Gille Pontecorvo & Maleno Malenotti – Italy
Sansho the Bailiff (1954) Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi – Japan


Of Interest:
The Inheritance (2003) Dir. Per Fly – Sweden/Denmark
Liverpool (2008) Dir. Lisandro Alonso – Argentina
The Off Hours (2011) Dir. Megan Griffiths – US
The Unjust (2010) Dir. Ryoo Seung-wan – South Korea
A Safe Place (1971) Dir. Henry Jaglom – US


Banal:
Paranormal Acitvity 4 – Dir. Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman – US
Where Are We? (1991) Dir. Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman – US
The Pack (2010) Dir. Franck Richard – France
Melissa P. (2005) Dir. Luca Guadagnino – Italy
Wrecked (2012) Dir. Michael Greenspan – US
Success Is the Best Revenge (1984) Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski – UK
Monsignor (1982) Dir. Frank Perry – US


Theatrical Screenings:
Gimme the Loot (2012) Dir. Adam Leon – US 10/10
My Dog Killer (2013) Dir. Mira Fornayova – Czech Republic 9/10
Girls Against Boys (2012) Dir. Austin Chick – US 9/10
Side Effects (2013) Dir. Steven Soderbergh – US 9/10
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) Dir. Hiyao Miyazaki – Japan 9/10
Shopping (2013) Dir. Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland – Australia 9/10
Castle In the Sky (1986) Dir. Hiyao Miyazaki – Japan 8/10
Welcome to Pine Hill (2012) Dir. Keith Miller – US 8/10
Out of the Blue (1980) Dir. Dennis Hopper – US 7/10
Dead Man Down (2013) Dir. Niels Arden Oplev – US 7/10
Future Weather (2012) Dir. Jenny Deller – US 7/10
Starbuck (2011) Dir. Ken Scott – Canada 6/10
Dark Skies (2013) Dir. Scott Stewart – US 6/10
Der Fan (1982) Dir. Eckhardt Schmidt – West Germany 6/10
Broken City (2013) Dir. Allen Hughes – US 6/10
The Berlin File (2013) Dir. Ryoo Seung-wan – South Korea 6/10
Almost In Love (2011) Dir. Sam Neave – US 6/10
Better Mus’ Come (2010) Dir. Storm – Jamiaca 6/10
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) Dir. Sam Raimi – US 5/10
The Taste of Money (2012) Dir. Im Sang-so – South Korea 5/10
Identity Thief (2013) Dir. Seth Gordon – US 5/10
Welcome to the Punch (2013) Dir. Eran Creevy – UK 5/10
My Amityville Horror (2012) Dir. Eric Walker – US 5/10
As Luck Would Have It (2011) Dir. Alex de la Iglesia – Spain 4/10
Warm Bodies (2013) Dir. Jonathan Levine – US 4/10
Small Apartments (2012) Dir. Jonas Akerlund – US 4/10
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013) Dir. John Moore – US 4/10
The Condemned (2012) Dir. Robert Buso Garcia – Puerto Rico 3/10
Inescapabale – Dir. Ruba Nadda – Canada/South Africa 3/10
Bullet to the Head (2013) Dir. Walter Hill – US 3/10
The Playroom (2012) Dir. Julia Dyer – US 3/10
Upside Down (2012) Dir. Juan Solanas – Canada/France 3/10
Bless Me, Ultima (2013) Dir. Carl Franklin – US 3/10
Phantom (2013) Dir. Todd Robinson – US 1/10
The Power of Few (2013) Dir. Leone Marucci – US 0/10


Cess Pool:
Alex Cross (2012) Dir. Rob Cohen – US
Pitch Perfect (2012) Dir. Jason Moore – US

Rewatched:
Beetlejuice (1988) Dir. Tim Burton – US
Like Someone In Love (2012) Dir. Abbas Kiarostami – Japan
Girls Will Be Girls (2003) Dir. Richard Day – US

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, January 2013

Top 10:
10. Mo’ Better Blues (1990) Dir. Spike Lee – US
9. Inside Deep Throat (2005) Dir. Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato – US
8. Primer (2004) Dir. Shane Carruth – US
7. Formentera (2012) Dir. Ann-Kristin Reyels – Germany
6. Paragraph 175 (2000) Dir. Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman – US
5. Bright Star (2009) Dir. Jane Campion – UK
4. Easier With Practice (2009) Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez – US
3. Common Threads (1989) Dir. Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman – US
2. Serpico (1973) Dir. Sidney Lumet – US
1. Una Noche (2012) Dir. Lucy Mulloy – Cuba


Of Interest:
Frankenweenie (2012) Dir. Tim Burton – US
Superman (1978) Dir. Richard Donner – US
Superman II: The Donner Cut (1980) Dir. Richard Donner – US
Ted (2012) Dir. Seth MacFarlane – US


The Banal:
The Legend of Hell House (1973) Dir. John Hough – UK
Meeting Evil (2012) Dir. Chris Fisher – US
Hard Romanticker (2011) Dir. Gu Su-yeon – Japan
Superman Returns (2006) Dir. Bryan Singer – US
Ciao (2008) Dir. Yen Tran – US
Mulberry Street (2006) Dir. Jim Mickle – US
Four Brothers (2005) Dir. John Singleton – US


Theatrical Screenings:
No (2012) Dir. Pablo Larrain – Chile 10/10
Lore (2012) Dir. Cate Shortland – Germany/Australia 8/10
Yossi (2012) Dir. Eytan Fox – Israel 8/10
The Last Sentence (2012) Dir. Jan Troell – Sweden 8/10
The Last Stand (2013) Dir. Kim Ji-woon – US 7/10
The Sweeney (2012) Dir. Nick Love – UK 7/10
Gangster Squad (2013) Dir. Ruben Fleischer – US 5/10
The Gatekeepers (2012) Dir. Dror Moreh – Israel 5/10
Emperor (2012) Dir. Peter Webber – UK 4/10


Rewatched:
The Queen of Versailles (2012) Dir. Lauren Greenfield – US


Cess Pool:
The Lorax (2012) Dir. Chris Renaud & Kyle Balda – US
Supergirl (1984) Dir. Jeannot Szwarc – US

Sundance 2013: The Rundown

I caught a whopping 46 new titles at Sundance 2013, and yet I still wasn't able to catch everything I wanted! But here's my rundown as far as titles go.


1. Fruitvale – Dir. Ryan Coogler (US)
2. The East – Dir. Zal Batmanglij (US)

3. Mother of George – Dir. Andrew Dosunmu (US)

4. Magic Magic – Dir. Sebastian Silva (US/Chile)

5. Stoker – Dir. Park Chan-wook (US)

6. Prince Avalanche – Dir. David Gordon Green (US)

7. Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes – Dir. Francesca Gregorini (US)

8. Crystal Fairy – Dir. Sebastian Silva (Chile)

9. Don John’s Addiction – Dir. Joseph Gordon Levitt (US)

10. Mud – Dir. Jeff Nichols (US)

Best of the Rest:
11. Wrong Cops
12. Blue Caprice
13. Before Midnight
14. Halley
15. Upstream Color
16. Metro Manila
17. Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
18. Concussion
19. Kill Your Darlings
20. The Spectacular Now
21. Escape From Tomorrow
22. It Felt Like Love
23. C.O.G.
24. Newlyweeds
25. S-VHS
26. Two Mothers
27. Breathe In
28. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete
29. The Meteor

Of Interest:
30. The Way, Way Back
31. The Look of Love
32. Lovelace
33. Afternoon Delight
34. Interior. Leather Bar

Of Minor Interest:
35. ACOD
36. Circles
37. We Are What We Are
38. The Future
39. May In the Summer
40. This Is Martin Bonner
41. Soldate Jeannette

Waste of Time:
42. In Fear
43. The Rambler
44. Austenland
45. Sweetwater
46. Ass Backwards

Out of the Past: The Month in Film, December 2012

Top 10:

10. Toys In the Attic (1963) Dir. George Roy Hill – US
9. Before Sunset (2004) Dir. Richard Linklater – US
8. Before Sunrise (1995) Dir. Richard Linklater – US
7. Boy Meets Girl (1984) Dir. Leos Carax – France
6. Man on a Swing (1974) Dir. Frank Perry – US
5. Profound Desire of the Gods (1968) Dir. Shohei Imamura – Japan
4. Remember My Name (1978) Dir. Alan Rudolph – US
3. Oasis (2002) Dir. Lee Changdong – South Korea
2. The Shout (1978) Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski – UK
1. Mauvais Sang (1986) Dir. Leos Carax – France

Recommended:
Undertow (2004) Dir. David Gordon Green – US
Endangered Species (1982) Dir. Alan Rudolph – US
Patty Hearst (1988) Dir. Paul Schrader – US
Slacker (1991) Dir. Richard Linklater – US
Mickey One (1965) Dir. Arthur Penn – US
Guilty of Romance (2011) Dir. Sion Sono – Japan
I Want You (1998) Dir. Michael Winterbottom – UK
An Angel At My Table (1990) Dir. Jane Campion – Australia
The Maid (2009) Dir. Sebastian Silva – Chile
Go Go Tales (2007) Dir. Abel Ferrara – US
Play It As It Lays (1972) Dir. Frank Perry – US
Summer of ’04 (2006) Dir. Stefan Krohmer – Germany
Mama Turns 100 (1979) Dir. Carlos Saura – Spain
Dr. Jekyll and His Women (1981) Dir. Walerian Borowczyk – France/West Germany
Four Shades of Brown (2004) Dir. Tomas Alfredson – Sweden
Exotica (1994) Dir. Atom Egoyan – Canada
Bachelorette (2012) Dir. Leslye Headland – US

Of Interest:
The Good Doctor (2011) Dir. Lance Daly – US
Ladybug Ladybug (1963) Dir. Frank Perry – US
Immoral Women (1979) Dir. Walerian Borowczyk – France
Blood Feud (1978) Dir. Lina Wertmuller – Italy
Sparkle (1976) Dir. Sam O’Steen – US
The Room (1987) Dir. Robert Altman – US
Men in Black 3 (2012) Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld – US
Two Friends (1987) Dir. Jane Campion – Australia
Chained (2012) Dir. Jennifer Chambers Lynch – US
Coco Before Chanel (2009) Dir. Anne Fontaine – France
White Christmas (1954) Dir. Michael Curtiz – US
The Trap (2007) Dir. Srdan Golubovic – Serbia
Flirting With Disaster (1996) Dir. David O. Russell – US

Banal:
The Awakening (1980) Dir. Mike Newell – UK
Tanner Hall (2009) Dir. Francesca Gregorini & Tatiana von Furstenberg
Bad Boys II (2003) Dir. Michael Bay – US
Premonition (1972) Dir. Alan Rudolph – US
Chernobyl Diaries (2012) Dir. Bradley Parker – US
Total Recall (2012) Dir. Len Wiseman – US
That’s My Boy (2012) Dir. Sean Anders – US
Burning Man (2011) Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky – Australia
Premium Rush (2012) Dir. David Koepp – US
Starship Troopers (1997) Dir. Paul Verhoeven – US
Why Stop Now (2012) Dir. Phil Dorling & Ryan Nyswaner – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Django Unchained (2012) Dir. Quentin Tarantino – US 10/10
Mauvais Sang (1986) Dir. Leos Carax – France 10/10
Blancanieves (2012) Dir. Pablo Berger – Spain 10/10
Zero Dark Thirty (2012) Dir. Kathryn Bigelow – US 10/10
Purge (2012) Dir. Antti Jokinen – Finland 10/10
I, Anna (2012) Dir. Barnaby Southcombe – UK 9/10
Promised Land (2012) Dir. Gus Van Sant – US 8/10
How to Survive a Plague (2012) Dir. David France – US 8/10
Sahkanaga (2011) Dir. John Henry Summerour – US 7/10
Kauwboy (2012) Dir. Boudewijn Koole – Netherlands 7/10
Best Intentions (2011) Dir. Adrian Sitaru – Romania 7/10
This Is Forty (2012) Dir. Judd Apatow – US 7/10
Les Miserables (2012) Dir. Tom Hooper – UK 7/10
The Girl (2012) Dir. David Riker – US 7/10
Already Famous (2011) Dir. Michelle Chong – Singapore 7/10
Not Fade Away (2012) Dir. David Chase – US 7/10
Jack Reacher (2012) Dir. Christopher McQuarrie – US 6/10
A Werewolf Boy (2012) Dir. Jo Sung-hee – South Korea 6/10
The Deep (2012) Dir. Baltasar Kormakur – Iceland 6/10
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Dir. Peter Jackson – US 6/10
The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012) Dir. Edward Burns – US 6/10
Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) Dir. Roger Michell – UK 6/10
Yelling To the Sky (2011) Dir. Victoria Mahoney – US 6/10
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2012) Dir. Roman Coppola – US 5/10 Theodora the Sinner (2011) Dir. Anca Hirte – Romania 5/10
The Third Half (2012) Dir. Darko Mitrevski – Macedonia 5/10
Stand Up Guys (2012) Dir. Fisher Stevens – US 4/10
Struck By Lightning (2012) Dir. Brian Dannelly – US 4/10

Cess Pool:
Stolen (2012) Dir. Simon West – US
Man on a Ledge (2012) Dir. Asger Leth – US
Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996) Dir. S.S. Wilson – US

Rewatched:
Prometheus (2012) Dir. Ridley Scott – US
Following (1999) Dir. Christopher Nolan – UK