Viewing Diary, Entry 2: December 2007

Lots of movies this month, though not as many as if season four of The Wire hadn't eaten up a lotta my time.   I'd comment at length if I thought I had anything to add, but I'll only say that I found it strained at moments, particularly when hammering home the reverberations between societal strata that make the show so interesting in the first place.   Still, the best thing on television short of "Trick my Truck."

Linda Linda Linda (2005), dir. Nobuhiro Yamashita Easily my favorite movie of the month.  Not as candy-coated as you'd expect, and surprising at every other turn as well.  Low-key naturalism rules the day, but the snatches of pop you hear throughout pay off.

PS:  Du-na Bae has one of the most mystifying faces I've ever laid eyes on....

No Country For Old Men (2007), dir. Ethan Coen   When Tommy Lee wakes up, he's smirking, which is every bit the problem.  I simply part ways with this film.

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), dir. Frank Tashlin  Realityville met Cartoonworld years before Who Framed Roger Rabbit?.  A perfect feature for a Sunday afternoon matinee.  And oh yeah:  Va va va voom. 

Man's Castle (1933), dir. Frank Borzage  In this fascinating and remarkably political Pre-Code talkie, my current favorite director returns to the silent pattern of Street Angel and Seventh Heaven like a penitent to the altar.  Some day a Frank Borzage boxed set will reveal one of the best-kept secrets of classic Hollywood to the non-dork world. 

West Bank Story (2006), dir. Ari Sandel  "I feel disgusting / Oh, so disgusting. / I feel easy and cheap and laaaaaame."

Election (2005), dir. Johnny To   Not quite the revelation I'd been led to expect, but a good Hong Kong actioner with enough intrigue and insight into the political process to render null half of Robert Redford's career.  As modern crime trilogies go, I prefer Pusher.

In the Pit (2006), dir. Juan Carlos Rulfo   Despite a grating soundtrack, this film gets by on sheer faith in its endlessly watchable subjects. 

Several Friends (1969) & The Horse (1973), dir. Charles Burnett  A crying, god-awful shame.  Several Friends is laid-back proof that Killer of Sheep was no fluke, and The Horse hints at lyrical heights that only remained beyond his reach for lack of a decent stepladder.

The Ten (2007), dir. David Wain   How can such a prescriptive plot device result in a film so aimless and leaden?  Hardly Wet Hot American Summer II. Too agreeably offensive.  A tad boring, even.  But speckled with funny.

A Matter of Life & Death, or Stairway to Heaven (1946), dir. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger On third viewing, this film has lost a lot of its magic.  I prefer other work by the duo, but this one's first ten or so minutes jerks tears like nobody's business.

Local Color (1977), dir. Mark Rappaport  Extraordinarily fast-paced for such a statically staged film.  I'm amazed it's so obscure, what with all the juicy incest....

Shotgun Stories (2007), dir. Jeff Nichols  I've said my piece below.

Redacted (2007), dir. Brian De Palma I wrote a short review that was cut for space, but the only  part I can find worth saving is this: "The veteran filmmaker excels at constructing little hermetic snow-globes of suspense, but more agenda-driven pictures fall flat under the weight of his simple world view.  Redacted struggles under such over-determined and self-righteous direction, which consigns characters to that storied martial hell on a bitterly fast track.  If you see a redneck in the first act, he's bound to hoot and holler and do something horrible by the last."

Baby Face (1933), dir. Alfred E. Green Thomas Doherty files this under movies about "predatory trollops [who] went horizontal for upward mobility," and the scenario plays out just like that.  Babs is already tuff as nails in her first big role.

Police Beat (2006), dir. Robinson Devor  Funny and searing emotional dissection, with a hint of "Cops" for good measure.  I kept thinking of Portnoy's Complaint, for some reason.  Tune in next week for "Mr. Ed" meets "Rescue 911!"

Newsies (1992), dir. Kenny Ortega "Children's agit-musical?  Greenlight it."  I loved this film as a kid.  I was a union man even back then, having  witnessed my father on the picket line.  I can find no reasonable explanation for Robert Duvall's involvement, but Batman sure can bust a move.

The Taste of Tea (2004), dir. Katsuhito Ishii  A magical realist offshoot from the current crop of Japanese surrealists.  Ideas and talent and capacity for sudden beauty to spare.... 

Black Book (2006), dir. Paul Verhoeven Slick and provocative.  Are we meant to believe that Nazi loot funded Israel so literally?  "Based on True Events" seems a perverse epigraph to an otherwise interesting film....

Cocaine Angel (2006), dir. Michael Tully Scuzzed-out and effective filmmaking, but lulled by a mastubatory lead and half-finished script.  Skillfully captures the smoky airlessness of dark rooms and withdrawal.

Christmas in July (1940), dir. Preston Sturges My girlfriend now counts Sturges among her favorites.  Anyone who sees a real kinship between him and the Coen brothers couldn't scratch the surface off an M&M.  There's a difference between dramatic irony and cool disdain.

Seven Men From Now (1956), dir. Budd Boetticher Holy testosterone! I could feel my beard growing.  What rocks did they chisel actors like Randolph Scott out of?

The Untouchables (1987), dir. Brian De Palma  Mamet scripts.  Morricone scores.  Armani drapes.  Sean Connery hrrumphs.  De Palma directs.  (And focuses on form rather than politics.)  I watched this movie on television as a child, and I still find it a breathtaking example of what we lost when we abandoned the old studio system.   How was Zanuck not in charge of production? 

(BTW:  I saw this on satellite while visiting my family. The picture was cropped to fit old sets but then stretched to fit my parents' newfangled widescreen.  How I managed to still enjoy it is beyond me....)