Out of the Past: The Month In Film, September 2012

Top 10:
1. The Conversation (1974) Dir. Francis Ford Coppola – US
2. Umberto D. (1952) Dir. Vittorio De Sica – Italy
3. Les Visiteurs Du Soir (1942) Dir. Marcel Carne – France
4. Wake In Fright (1971) Dir. Ted Kotcheff – Australia
5. Punishment Park (1971) Dir. Peter Watkins – US
6. Bad (1977) Dir. Jed Johnson – US
7. Caterpillar (2010) Dir. Koji Wakamatsu – Japan
8. The Haunting of Julia (1977) Dir. Richard Loncraine – Canada/UK
9. eXistenZ (1999) Dir. David Cronenberg – Canada
10. Lunacy (2005) Dir. Jan Svankmajer – Czech Republic

Recommended:
Hollywoodland (2006) Dir. Allan Coulter – US
Last Embrace (1979) Dir. Jonathan Demme – US
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) Dir. Jose Quintero – US

Of Interest:
Anna Karenina (1948) Dir. Julien Duvivier – UK
My Little Eye (2002) Dir. Marc Evans – UK/Canada

Theatrical Screenings:
Looper (2012) Dir. Rian Johnson – US 10/10
Wuthering Heights (2011) Dir. Andrea Arnold – UK 10/10
End of Watch (2012) Dir. David Ayer – US 9/10
Francine (2012) Dir. Brian Cassidy & Melanie Schtazky – US 9/10
The Master (2012) Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson – US 9/10
House at the End of the Street (2012) Dir. Mark Tonderai – US 7/10
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Dir. Stephen Chbosky – US 6/10
Lawless (2012) Dir. John Hillcoat – US 6/10
The Campaign (2012) Dir. Jay Roach – US 5/10
3,2,1…Frankie Goes Boom (2012) Dir. Jordan Roberts – US 5/10
The Cold Light of Day (2012) Dir. Mabrouk El Mechri – US 4/10
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best (2012) Dir. Ryan O’Nan – US 4/10

Banal:
Paris When It Sizzles (1964) Dir. Richard Quine – US
Casa di me Padre (2012) Dir. Matt Piedmont – US
Zyzzyx Road (2006) Dir. John Penney – US

Cess Pool Cinema:

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012) Dir. Kirk Jones – US
The Letter (2012) Dir. Jay Anania – US

TIFF 2012: Best of Fest (And All the Rest)

By far, TIFF 2012 has been my most exhausting thus far---in 2013 I am hoping to attend Cannes in May, and, therefore, cut down considerably on the craziness in September. I caught 60 titles and feel like my head is spinning (with many reviews still to write as of this posting). 35 of these titles were quite good---and I had a hard time selecting my top 10.

The Top 10 Films of TIFF 2012:


1. Post Tenebras Lux – Dir. Carlos Reygadas (Mexico)
2. Barbara – Dir. Christian Petzold (Germany)
3. Berberian Sound Studio – Dir. Peter Strickland (UK)
4. Amour – Dir. Michael Haneke (France)
5. Beyond the Hills – Dir. Cristian Mungiu (Romania)
6. Paradise: Love – Dir. Ulrich Seidl (Austria)
7. In Another Country – Dir. Hong Sangsoo (South Korea)
8. The Paperboy – Dir. Lee Daniels (US)
9. Rust and Bone – Dir. Jacques Audiard (France)
10. The Place Beyond the Pines – Dir. Derek Cianfrance (US)

Best of the Rest:
11. iLL Manors – Dir. Ben Drew (UK)
12. Spring Breakers – Dir. Harmony Korine (US)
13. The Hunt – Dir. Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)
14. Reality – Dir. Matteo Garrone (Italy)
15. Sightseers – Dir. Ben Wheatley (UK)
16. Laurence Anyways – Dir. Xavier Dolan (Canada)
17. In the Fog – Dir. Segei Losntiza (Russia)
18. The Bay – Dir. Barry Levinson (US)
19. Byzantium – Dir. Neil Jordan (UK)
20. Peddlers – Dir. Vasan Bala (India)
21. Cloud Atlas – Dir. Wachowski Siblings/Tom Tykwer (US)
22. Dredd – Dir. Pete Travis (US)
23. In the House – Dir. Francois Ozon (France)
24. Blondie – Dir. Jesper Gandslandt (Sweden)
25. A Liar’s Autobiography – Dir. Bill Jones/Jeff Simpson/Ben Timlett (UK)
26. All that Matters Is Past – Dir. Sara Johnsen (Norway)
27. Smashed – Dir. James Ponsoldt (US)
28. Like Someone In Love – Dir. Abbas Kiarostami (Japan)
29. Something In the Air – Dir. Olivier Assayas (France)
30. Out in the Dark – Dir. Michael Mayer (Israel)
31. At Any Price – Dir. Rahmin Bahrani (US)
32. The ABCs of Death – Dir. Various
33. Seven Psychopaths – Dir. Martin McDonagh (UK)
34. Everybody Has a Plan – Dir.Ana Piterbarg (Argentina)
35. Just the Wind – Dir. Benedek Fliegauf (Hungary)
Of Minor Interest:
36. Passion – Dir. Brian De Palma (US)
37. Peaches Does Herself – Dir. Peaches (Germany)
38. To the Wonder – Dir. Terrence Malick (US)
39. The Land of Hope – Dir. Shion Sono (Japan)
40. Thy Womb – Dir. Brilliante Mendoza (Philippines)
41. Dormant Beauty – Dir. Marco Bellochio (Italy)
42. Here Comes the Devil – Dir. Juan Antonio Bogliano (Mexico)
43. Zaytoun – Dir. Eran Riklis (Israel)
44. Tower – Dir. Kazik Radwanski (Canada)
45. Rhino Season – Dir. Bahman Ghobadi (Iran)
46. Come Out and Play – Makinov (Mexico)
47. Three Worlds – Dir. Catherine Corsini (France)
48. Crimes of Mike Reckett – Dir. Bruce Sweeney (Canada)
49. Dead Europe – Dir. Tony Krawitz (Australia)
50. Shores of Hope – Dir. Toke Constantin Hebbeln (Germany)
51. White Elephant – Dir. Pablo Trapero (Argentina)
52. Lines of Wellington – Valeria Sarmiento (France/Portugal)
Banal:
53. Jayne Mansfield’s Car – Dir. Billy Bob Thornton (US)
54. What Maisie Knew – Scott McGehee and David Siegel (US)
55. Thale – Dir. Aleksander Nordaas (Norway)
56. When I See You – Dir. Annemarie Jacir (Israel)
57. Jackie – Dir. Antoinette Beumer (Netherlands)
58. Wasteland – Dir. Rowan Athale (UK)
59. Hellbenders – Dir. JT Petty (US)
60. God Loves Caviar – Dir. Yannis Smaragdis (Greece)

Already Seen:
61. Middle of Nowhere – Dir. Ava DuVernay (US)
62. John Dies at the End – Dir. Don Coscarelli (US)
63. The Sessions – Dir. Ben Lewin (US)

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

Top 10:
10. Detention (2011) Dir. Joseph Kahn – US
9. Plan B (2009) Dir. Marco Berger – Argentina
8. The Tales of Hoffman (1951) Dir. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger – UK
7. A Dream of Passion (1978) Dir. Jules Dassin – Greece
6. Redacted (2007) Dir. Brian De Palma – US
5. We Were Here (2011) Dir. David Weissman & Bill Weber – US
4. Tuesday, After Christmas (2010) Dir. Radu Muntean – Romania
3. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) Dir. Sidney Lumet – US
2. That Obscure Object Of Desire (1977) Dir. Luis Bunuel – France/Spain
1. Through a Glass Darkly (1961) Dir. Ingmar Bergman – Sweden

Recommended:
Salt of This Sea (2008) Dir. Annemarie Jacir – Occupied Palestine

Of Interest:
Miss Pinkerton (1932) Dir. Lloyd Bacon – US
What Just Happened? (2008) Dir. Barry Levinson – US
Pulse (2001) Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa – Japan
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) Dir. Bruce Beresford – US
Daddy and Them (2001) Dir. Billy Bob Thornton – US
Beauty Shop (2005) Dir. Bille Woodruff – US
Windows (1980) Dir. Gordon Willis – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Cosmopolis (2012) Dir. David Cronenberg – Canada/France 9/10
Chicken With Plums (2011) Dir. Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud – France 9/10
For a Good Time, Call… (2012) Dir. Jamie Travis – US 9/10
Las Acacias (2011) Dir. Pablo Giorgelli – Argentina 8/10
The Bourne Legacy (2012) Dir. Tony Gilroy – US 8/10
Almayer’s Folly (2011) Dir. Chantal Akerman – Belgium 8/10
Kumare (2012) Dir. Vikram Gandhi – US 8/10
The Eye of the Storm (2011) Dir. Fred Schepisi – Australia 7/10
The Other Son (2012) Dir. Lorraine Levy – France 7/10
Side By Side (2012) Dir. Christopher Kenneally – US 7/10
Ruby Sparks (2012) Dir. Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton – US 7/10
Tears of Gaza (2010) Dir. Vibeke Lokkeberg – Norway/Palestine 6/10
Sleepwalk With Me (2012) Dir. Mike Birgbiglia & Seth Barrish – US 6/10
Girl Model (2011) Dir. Ashley Sabin & David Redmon – US 6/10
10 Years (2011) Dir. Jamie Linden – US 6/10
The Possession (2012) Dir. Ole Bornedal – US 5/10
Goats (2012) Dir. Christopher Neil – US 5/10
Hope Springs (2012) Dir. David Frankel – US 5/10
The Village (2004) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan – US 5/10
The Tall Man (2012) Dir. Pascal Laugier – US 4/10
Sparkle (2012) Dir. Salim Akil – US 3/10
The Inbetweeners (2011) Dir. Ben Palmer – UK 2/10
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) Dir. Peter Hedges – US 1/10

Rewatched:
Weekend (2012) Dir. Andrew Haigh – UK
Night Warning (1982) Dir. William Asher – US
The Village (2004) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan – US
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Dir. James Cameron – US
Auntie Mame (1958) Dir. Morton DaCosta – US

The Banal:
Lockout (2012) Dir. James Mather & Stephen St. Leger – France
Cold Sweat (2010) Dir. Adrian Garcia Bogliano – Argentina
A New Kind of Love (1963) Dir. Melville Shavelson – US
The Betsy (1978) Dir. Daniel Petrie – US
ATM (2012) Dir. David Brooks – US
Water For Elephants (2011) Dir. Francis Lawrence – US

Cess Pool Cinema:
Chatroom (2010) Dir. Hideo Nakata – UK
Swing Kids (1993) Dir. Thomas Carter – US
The Three Stooges (2012) Dir. Farrelly Bros. - US

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

Top 10:

10. 21 Jump Street (2012) Dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller – US
9. Radio Days (1987) Dir. Woody Allen – US
8. Metropolitan (1990) Dir. Whit Stillman – US
7. Chasing Amy (1997) Dir. Kevin Smith – US
6. Taxi Zum Klo (1980) Dir. Frank Ripploh – West Germany
5. Goodbye Again (1961) Dir. Anatole Litvak – France/US
4. Camille Claudel (1988) Dir. Bruno Nuytten – France
3. Daniel & Ana (2009) Dir. Michel Franco – Mexico
2. The Story of Adele H. (1975) Dir. Francois Truffaut – France
1. Easy Rider (1969) Dir. Dennis Hopper – US



Recommended:
Goon (2011) Dir. Michael Dowse – Canada
Lovely, Still (2008) Dir. Nicholas Fackler – US
MST3K 3000: Soultaker (1990) Dir. Michael Rissi – US


Of Interest:
The Monitor (2011) Dir. Pal Sleutane – Norway
Shakes the Clown (1991) Dir. Bobcat Goldthwaite – US
Safe House (2012) Dir. Daniel Espinosa – US/South Africa
Night Watch (1973) Dir. Brian G. Hutton – UK
Henry’s Crime (2010) Dir. Malcolm Venville – US
Wanderlust (2012) Dir. David Wain – US


Theatrical Screenings:
Little White Lies (2010) Dir. Guillaume Canet – France 10/10
Our Paradise (2011) Dir. Gael Morel – France 10/10
Klown (2010) Dir. Mikkel Norgaard – Denmark 10/10
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Dir. Christopher Nolan – US 9/10
Any Day Now (2012) Dir. Travis Fine – US 9/10
2 Days In New York (2012) Dir. Julie Delpy – US 9/10
Take This Waltz (2011) Dir. Sarah Polley – Canada 8/10
Hello I Must Be Going (2012) Dir. Todd Louiso – US 8/10
Little Birds (2011) Dir. Elgin James – US 8/10
Exit Elena (2012) Dir. Nathan Silver – US 8/10
Mosquita Y Mari (2012) Dir. Aurora Guerrero – US 7/10
Nuit #1 (2011) Dir. Anne Emond – Canada 7/10
The Matchmaker (2010) Dir. Avi Nesher – Israel 6/10
Samsara (2011) Dir. Ron Fricke – US 5/10
Trishna (2011) Dir. Michael Winterbottom – UK 5/10
Rec 3: Genesis (2012) Dir. Paco Plaza – Spain 5/10
Walk Away Renee (2011) Dir. Jonathan Caouette – US 4/10
The Well Digger’s Daughter (2011) Dir. Daniel Auteuil – France 3/10
That’s What She Said (2012) Dir. Carrie Preston – US 1/10
Battelship (2012) Dir. Peter Berg – US 0/10


The Banal:
Duck Soup (1933) Dir. Leo McCarey – US
The Scenesters (2009) Dir. Todd Berger – US
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) Dir. Guy Ritchie – US
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006) Dir. Michael Hazanavicius – France
Angels Crest (2011) Dir. Gaby Dellal – US


Cess Pool Cinema:
When a Stranger Calls (2006) Dir. Simon West – US
A Thousand Words (2012) Dir. Brian Robbins – US
Cry For the Strangers (1982) Dir. Peter Medak – US
Mirror, Mirror (2012) Dir. Tarsem Singh – US


Rewatched:
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) Dir. Robert Aldrich – US
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz – US
Abduction (2011) Dir. John Singleton – US

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

Top 10:

10. Dishonored (1931) Dir. Josef Von Sternberg – US
9. Ganja & Hess (1973) Dir. Bill Gunn – US
8. The Killer Inside Me (1976) Dir. Burt Kennedy - US
7. The American Soldier (1970) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany
6. Burn Witch, Burn (aka Night of the Eagle) (1962) Dir. Sidney Hayers – UK
5. Rififi (1955) Dir. Jules Dassin – France
4. The Breaking Point (1950) Dir. Michael Curtiz – US
3. Silent Light (2007) Dir. Carlos Reygadas – Mexico
2. The Banishment (2007) Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev – Russia
1. Children of Paradise (1945) Dir. Marcel Carne – France

Recommended:
The Thin Blue Line (1988) Dir. Errol Morris – US
Love Is Colder Than Death (1969) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany
Saboteur (1942) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock – US
Romantics Anonymous (2010) Dir. Jean-Pierre Ameris – France
My Cousin Rachel (1952) Dir. Henry Koster – US


Of Interest:
Sugar (2008) Dir. Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck – US/Dominican Republic
The Sentinel (1977) Dir. Michael Winner – US
Jess+Moss (2011) Dir. Clay Jeter – US
How To Steal a Million (1966) Dir. William Wyler – US
Perrier’s Bounty (2009) Dir. Ian Fitzgibbon – Ireland/UK
Quicksand (1950) Dir. Irving Pichel – US

Theatrical Screenings:
Children of Paradise (1945) Dir. Marcel Carne – France 10/10
Red Lights (2012) Dir. Rodrigo Cortes – US/Spain 10/10
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) Dir. Colin Treverrow – US 10/10
The American Soldier (1970) Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany 10/10
Farewell, My Queen (2012) Dir. Benoit Jacquot – France 10/10
Union Square (2011) Dir. Nancy Savoca – US 9/10
Prometheus (2012) Dir. Ridley Scott – US 9/10
The Queen of Versailles (2012) Dir. Lauren Greenfield – US 9/10
Your Sister’s Sister (2011) Dir. Lynn Shelton – US 9/10
Searching For Sugar Man (2012) Dir. Malik Bendjelloul – Sweden/UK 7/10
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) Dir. Lurene Scafaria – US 6/10
Savages (2012) Dir. Oliver Stone – US 6/10
Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding (2011) Dir. Bruce Beresford – US 5/10
Bel Ami (2012) Dir. Declan Donnellan & Nick Ormerod – UK 5/10
Lola Versus (2012) Dir. Daryl Wein – US 5/10
The Awakening (2011) Dir. Nick Murphy – UK 4/10
Ballplayer: Pelotero (2011) Dir. Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin, Jonathan Playton – US 3/10


The Banal:
Contraband (2012) Dir. Baltasar Kormakur – US
We Bought a Zoo (2011) Dir. Cameron Crowe – US
The Big Year (2011) Dir. David Frankel – US
The Gate (1986) Dir. Tibor Takacs – Canada/US
Trona (2004) Dir. David Fenster – US
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012) Dir. Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor – US
Seeking Justice (2011) Dir. Roger Donaldson – US
Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003) Dir. Allan Mindel – US

Rewatched:
Red Lights (2012) Dir. Rodrigo Cortes – US/Spain

Best of Fest: Los Angeles Film Festival 2012

BEST OF FEST 2012 LAFF:
1. It’s a Disaster – Dir. Todd Berger (US)
2. The Banishment – Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russia)
3. Sister – Dir. Ursula Meier (Switzerland/France)
4. The Breaking Point – Dir. Michael Curtiz (US)
5. Four – Dir. Joshua Sanchez (US)
6. Neighboring Sounds – Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho (Brazil)
7. Gayby – Dir. Jonathan Lisecki (US)
8. Call Me Kuchu – Dir. Katherine Fairfax Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall
(US/Uganda)
9. Bear – Dir. Nash Edgerton (Australia)
10. Easy Money – Dir. Daniel Espinosa (Sweden)

Best of the Rest:
Teddy Bear – Dir. Mads Matthiesen (Denmark)
The Queen of Versaille – Dir. Lauren Greenfield (US)
Unforgiveable – Dir. Andre Techine (France)
Dead Man’s Burden – Dir. Jared Moshe (US)


Of Interest:
Searching For Sugar Man – Dir. Malik Bendjelloul – Sweden/UK
To Rome With Love – Dir. Woody Allen (US)


Worst:
Crazy & Thief – Dir. Cory McAbee (US)
People Like Us – Dir. Alex Kurtzman (US)
Pincus – Dir. David Fenster (US)


Already Seen:
Beasts of the Southern Wild – Sundance 2012
Middle of Nowhere – Sundance 2012
Bunohan – TIFF 2011
Killer Joe – TIFF 2011
LUV – Sundance 2012
Robot and Frank – Sundance 2012

Out of the Past: The Month In Film, May 2012

Top 10:
10. Heart of Glass (1976) Dir. Werner Herzog – West Germany
9. Lake of Fire (2006) Dir. Tony Kaye – US
8. Death Watch (1980) Dir. Bertrand Tavernier – France/West Germany
7. Thirteen Women (1932) Dir. George Archainbaud – US
6. Nobody Knows (2004) Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda – Japan
5. A Time To Love and a Time to Die (1958) Dir. Douglas Sirk – US
4. Mysteries Of Lisbon (2010) Dir. Raul Ruiz – Portugal
3. Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) Dir. David Lean – UK
2. Amelie (2001) Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet – France
1. The Baby of Macon (1993) Dir. Peter Greenaway – UK/France


Recommended:
Anything For Her (2008) Dir. Fred Cavaye – France
Flowers In the Attic (1987) Dir. Jeffrey Bloom – US
Eye of the Devil (1966) Dir. J. Lee Thompson – US
Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) Dir. Jack Arnold – US
This Happy Breed (1944) Dir. David Lean – UK
Battle In Heaven (2005) Dir. Carlos Reygadas – Mexico


Of Interest:
Cry Wolf (1947) Dir. Peter Godfrey – US
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) Dir. Brad Furman – US
The Woman In Red (1935) Dir. Robert Florey – US
Untamed (1929) Dir. Jack Conway – US
Presumed Innocent (1990) Dir. Alan J. Pakula – US


Theatrical Screenings:
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Dir. Wes Anderson – US 10/10
Natural Selection (2011) Dir. Robbie Pickering – US 10/10
Elena (2011) Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev – Russia 10/10
Sleepless Night (2011) Dir. Frederic Jardin – France 10/10
Lovely Molly (2011) Dir. Eduardo Sanchez – US 9/10
God Bless America (2011) Dir. Bobcat Goldthwait – US 8/10
Beyond the Black Rainbow (2011) Dir. Panos Cosmatos – Canada 8/10
5 Broken Cameras (2012) Dir. Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi – Palestine 7/10
360 (2011) Dir. Fernando Meirelles – UK 7/10
Snow White & the Huntsman (2012) Dir. Rupert Sanders – US 6/10
Dark Shadows (2011) Dir. Tim Burton – US 6/10
The Perfect Family (2011) Dir. Anne Renton – US 6/10
The Intouchables (2012) Dir. Olivier Nakache & Eric Toldeano – France 5/10
Mighty Fine (2012) Dir. Debbie Goodstein – US 4/10
Wallander: The Revenge (2009) Dir. Charlotte Brandstrom – Sweden 4/10
A Little Bit of Heaven (2011) Dir. Nicole Kassel – US 3/10
Mother’s Day (2010) Dir. Darren Lynn Bousman – US 1/10
John Carter (2012) Dir. Andrew Stanton – US 1/10
The Tortured (2010) Dir. Robert Lieberman – US 0/10


The Banal:
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011) Dir. Todd Strauss-Schulson – US
My Name is Khan (2010) Dir. Karan Johar – India
Ghost Rider (2007) Dir. Mark Steven Johnson – US
Underworld: Awakening (2012) Dir. Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein – US
Just Go With It (2011) Dir. Dennis Dugan – US
The Muppets (2011) Dir. James Bobin – US
Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (2012) Dir. Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim – US
Mum & Dad (2008) Dir. Steven Sheil – UK
The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) Dir. Roger Corman – US


Rewatched:
Mommie Dearest (1981) Dir. Frank Perry – US
Suspiria (1977) Dir. Dario Argento – Italy
Young Adult (2011) Dir. Jason Reitman – US
The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011) Dir. Tom Six – Netherlands/UK


Cess Pool Cinema:
Joyful Noise (2012) Dir. Todd Graff – US
Gone (2012) Dir. Heitor Dhelia – US