The Banal, the Blah, the Banausic:
1. Eros (2004) Dir(s). Wong Kar Wai; Steven Soderbergh; Michelangelo Antonioni – USA/Italy/Hong Kong
2. A Home at the End of the World (2004) Dir. Michael Mayer - US
Guilty Pleasure Cinema:
1. Cleopatra (1963) Dir. Joseph L. Manckiewicz - US
2. Tim (1979) Dir. Michael Pate – Australia
Astounding Cinema:
3. Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006) Dir. Cam Archer – US
2. London To Brighton (2006) Dir. Paul Andrew Williams - UK
1. Bad Santa (2003) Dir. Terry Zwigoff – US
Theatrical Screenings:
1. Big Fan (2009) Dir. Robert D. Siegel – US 8/10
Rewatched Goodies:
1. Fallen (1998) Dir. Gregory Hoblit – US 7/10
2. Total Recall (1990) Dir. Paul Verhoeven – US 10/10
1. Eros (2004) Dir(s). Wong Kar Wai; Steven Soderbergh; Michelangelo Antonioni – USA/Italy/Hong Kong
2. A Home at the End of the World (2004) Dir. Michael Mayer - US
Guilty Pleasure Cinema:
1. Cleopatra (1963) Dir. Joseph L. Manckiewicz - US
2. Tim (1979) Dir. Michael Pate – Australia
Astounding Cinema:
3. Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006) Dir. Cam Archer – US
2. London To Brighton (2006) Dir. Paul Andrew Williams - UK
1. Bad Santa (2003) Dir. Terry Zwigoff – US
Theatrical Screenings:
1. Big Fan (2009) Dir. Robert D. Siegel – US 8/10
Rewatched Goodies:
1. Fallen (1998) Dir. Gregory Hoblit – US 7/10
2. Total Recall (1990) Dir. Paul Verhoeven – US 10/10
Eros (2004): Three short films from three international auteurs about love and sex all seem to say the same thing about their subject matter – tedious. Wong Kar Wai’s “The Hand,” seems to fare the best of the three films, though it pales in comparison to some of his greater work, similar work in In the Mood For Love (2000). Steven Soderbergh’s “Equilibrium” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Alan Arkin is sometimes amusing, but Michaelangelo Antonioni’s “The Dangerous Thread of Things” is the most tedious of all, and ultimately only shows us that young Italian women love showing off their naked bodies, especially their breasts. Yet another reminder that films trying the hardest to document eroticism usually are the least erotic to watch.
A Home at the End of the World (2004): I really wanted to like this film. The first twenty minutes or so are actually quite good, thanks to a lovely performance from Sissy Spacek---but when Colin Farrell’s character grows up circa 1982, the whole film reeks of vintage veneer that never gets beyond trying to hard to recreate early 80’s New York. While I don’t mind Farrell in the lead (an infamous full frontal shot was cut at the last minute) and Michael Cunningham’s The Hours is an extraordinary film and novel, I just felt like this ended up being a huge piece of schlock that failed on all levels to make me believe that the three main characters would ever love each other, much less have a baby and raise it together. Dallas Roberts as the AIDS stricken gay character suffers the most as an unlikeable imp, and the usually marvelous Robin Wright Penn is hampered by insipid eccentricities and kool-aid colored hair. Theater director Michael Mayer (who would go on to direct the 2006 film version of Flicka) clearly should have let more experienced hands take the reigns, especially considered Cunningham also has screenwriting cred.
Cleopatra (1963): Wow, what a long dull failure this film is. And I love director Mankiewicz. But the film is only recommended for extreme aficionados of Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton films. It’s four hours long. And most of it is talking. Dull talking. Liz looks lovely, though. Burton is Marc Antony and Rex Harrison is Julius Caesar (you could toss a coin concerning who is more miscast) but it’s fun to see supporting players like Roddy McDowll, Martin Landau, and Hume Cronyn show up.
Tim (1979): An Australian production starring Mel Gibson as a mentally handicapped youth seduced and married by an older woman played by Piper Laurie. Need I say more? Watch for Gibson imitating a kangaroo and his first love scene, filmed in pitch black. While the film is certainly not offensive, you’ll laugh once or twice at the “demure” performances. Australian actor Michael Pate directs, his only directorial effort. Based on the novel by Colleen McCoulough, Laurie’s character is shamelessly shown to be reading McCoulough’s masterwork, “The Thorn Birds” in once scene. Tsk tsk.
Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006): While not the best independent effort about growing up gay, Tigers is an intriguing, if somewhat forgettable first effort from Cam Archer. While it’s easy to become impatient with this slow moving narrative, it’s an interesting portrayal (Michael Stumpf) of a 13 year old boy named Logan, who’s falling in love with the school rebel. Donning a female alter ego, Logan seduces Rodeo (Patrick White) via the telephone to have meet and have sex in a cave. Appropriately uncomfortable (watching kids try to have sexy times is decidedly awkward and creepy, but realistic), Logan’s voiceovers are perhaps the most touching parts of the narrative, aligning his alienated status with that of the hunted wild cougars that have been spotted in the area. At time tedious, and at times poetic, Wild Tigers I Have Known also sports an interesting turn from Fairuza Balk as Logan’s mom, and indie darling Kim Dickenson as the school counselor.
London to Brighton (2006): This is director Paul Andrew Williams’ astounding debut---and he’s gone on to direct the excellent The Cottage (2008) and also penned Tom Shankland’s The Children (2008). London to Brighton is a gritty little grunge thriller about a beat-up prostitute and a young girl on the run, leaving the narrative to unfold and reveal who is chasing them and why. An interesting and disturbing look at the sex trade (which is usually the case – except for the case of last year’s Taken, that just seemed hammy) London to Brighton loses a little steam in it’s last 20 minutes, but that might be because I guessed the twist half way through the film---but that’s not to say this isn’t an excellent piece of cinema from an evocative new voice in cinema.
Bad Santa (2003): The number one film this week is the foul mouthed Christmas caper from Terry Zwigoff, featuring Billy Bob Thornton in what must be his best performance outside of Sling Blade (1996). Basically the tale of a con artist Santa Clause, Santa manages to be dirty minded and funny as well as touching at several moments---I actually got misty eyed two times when Thornton ends up bonding with a chubby young lad. Lauren Graham didn’t quite do it for me (any young woman that’s a bartender with a fixation about getting screwed by Santa seems like a land mine waiting to blow). Cloris Leachman, who looks about the same here as she did in Prancer (1989), is also featured as well as the now deceased Bernie Mac and John Ritter. Tony Cox is also excellent as Thornton’s partner in crime.
A Home at the End of the World (2004): I really wanted to like this film. The first twenty minutes or so are actually quite good, thanks to a lovely performance from Sissy Spacek---but when Colin Farrell’s character grows up circa 1982, the whole film reeks of vintage veneer that never gets beyond trying to hard to recreate early 80’s New York. While I don’t mind Farrell in the lead (an infamous full frontal shot was cut at the last minute) and Michael Cunningham’s The Hours is an extraordinary film and novel, I just felt like this ended up being a huge piece of schlock that failed on all levels to make me believe that the three main characters would ever love each other, much less have a baby and raise it together. Dallas Roberts as the AIDS stricken gay character suffers the most as an unlikeable imp, and the usually marvelous Robin Wright Penn is hampered by insipid eccentricities and kool-aid colored hair. Theater director Michael Mayer (who would go on to direct the 2006 film version of Flicka) clearly should have let more experienced hands take the reigns, especially considered Cunningham also has screenwriting cred.
Cleopatra (1963): Wow, what a long dull failure this film is. And I love director Mankiewicz. But the film is only recommended for extreme aficionados of Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton films. It’s four hours long. And most of it is talking. Dull talking. Liz looks lovely, though. Burton is Marc Antony and Rex Harrison is Julius Caesar (you could toss a coin concerning who is more miscast) but it’s fun to see supporting players like Roddy McDowll, Martin Landau, and Hume Cronyn show up.
Tim (1979): An Australian production starring Mel Gibson as a mentally handicapped youth seduced and married by an older woman played by Piper Laurie. Need I say more? Watch for Gibson imitating a kangaroo and his first love scene, filmed in pitch black. While the film is certainly not offensive, you’ll laugh once or twice at the “demure” performances. Australian actor Michael Pate directs, his only directorial effort. Based on the novel by Colleen McCoulough, Laurie’s character is shamelessly shown to be reading McCoulough’s masterwork, “The Thorn Birds” in once scene. Tsk tsk.
Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006): While not the best independent effort about growing up gay, Tigers is an intriguing, if somewhat forgettable first effort from Cam Archer. While it’s easy to become impatient with this slow moving narrative, it’s an interesting portrayal (Michael Stumpf) of a 13 year old boy named Logan, who’s falling in love with the school rebel. Donning a female alter ego, Logan seduces Rodeo (Patrick White) via the telephone to have meet and have sex in a cave. Appropriately uncomfortable (watching kids try to have sexy times is decidedly awkward and creepy, but realistic), Logan’s voiceovers are perhaps the most touching parts of the narrative, aligning his alienated status with that of the hunted wild cougars that have been spotted in the area. At time tedious, and at times poetic, Wild Tigers I Have Known also sports an interesting turn from Fairuza Balk as Logan’s mom, and indie darling Kim Dickenson as the school counselor.
London to Brighton (2006): This is director Paul Andrew Williams’ astounding debut---and he’s gone on to direct the excellent The Cottage (2008) and also penned Tom Shankland’s The Children (2008). London to Brighton is a gritty little grunge thriller about a beat-up prostitute and a young girl on the run, leaving the narrative to unfold and reveal who is chasing them and why. An interesting and disturbing look at the sex trade (which is usually the case – except for the case of last year’s Taken, that just seemed hammy) London to Brighton loses a little steam in it’s last 20 minutes, but that might be because I guessed the twist half way through the film---but that’s not to say this isn’t an excellent piece of cinema from an evocative new voice in cinema.
Bad Santa (2003): The number one film this week is the foul mouthed Christmas caper from Terry Zwigoff, featuring Billy Bob Thornton in what must be his best performance outside of Sling Blade (1996). Basically the tale of a con artist Santa Clause, Santa manages to be dirty minded and funny as well as touching at several moments---I actually got misty eyed two times when Thornton ends up bonding with a chubby young lad. Lauren Graham didn’t quite do it for me (any young woman that’s a bartender with a fixation about getting screwed by Santa seems like a land mine waiting to blow). Cloris Leachman, who looks about the same here as she did in Prancer (1989), is also featured as well as the now deceased Bernie Mac and John Ritter. Tony Cox is also excellent as Thornton’s partner in crime.
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