Sunday, January 07, 2007

Movies movies moooooovies


It was a great weekend to get some films watched that I missed in the theater - sadly, most were quite underwhelming.

The Black Dahlia failed to meet even my minimal expectations. De Palma failed to produce a speck of interest in any character in the film (especially with our lead heroes) making the experience murky and looong. The story failed and the filmmaking defintely struggled to keep my interest.

Even some Depalma novelties (POV shot - actor from Phantom of the Paradise) did nothing to help the film - at times they simply made a sad stamp showing that it was in fact his product.



I also threw down WTC - Oliver Stone's attempt to gracefully address the horrors of 9/11. More successfull than the previous film - but nowhere near the quality of Paul Greengrass' United 93! WTC feels a little empty on personal connection to the characters. Cliche's seem to fly around most of the images (even if the trapped sequences are somewhat exhilarating) leaving a film that seems to pump its chest claiming it is an emotional hit - rather than the stale miss it is.


Stone should have taken some lessons from Alfonzo Cuaron - his film Children of men blew me away.Cara and I snuck off for a date night this weekend and I was able to convince her to come see the film. She was happy she did - leaving as stunned and exhilarated by the experience as I was.


I was astonished by the complexity of the world that Cuaron has created. Not since Minority Report (which was also shot by Emanuel Lubezki) have I seen such a realistic look into the future. The camera walks around scenes of tortured refugee camps and bombed out coffee shops, showing inner London as the surving landscape for "civilized" society.

The film excels in storytelling, leaving me unsure as to where the film would go how things would resolve. I loved every grandoise long take that Cuaron used to deliver the viewer into this hell world - yet I also fell in love with the characters, enjoying every pot filled breath by Michael Cain!!!Children of Men can be shocking - crushing - exciting - luscious... and breathtaking.


This is the 3rd of Cuaron's films I have seen (following Prisoner of Azkaban and Great Expectations) and it definitely towers over the rest. I tossed Yu Mamma Tambien on Netflix arriving Tuesday. I will let you know how that goes.

Mega exciting week coming up... well, not really. But Scrubs is back... and 30 Rock and the Office las week were all gold!!!

Yo

10 comments:

Sheriff Officer Greg the Bunny said...

yo,

is little miss sunshine still waiting to be viewed?

we will all be waiting for the jed/cara 1st year in review post on friday.....ohhh, i love happy endings, especially when she gives it for free.


sheriff


ps: all the dirty bastards who read the blog should still be laughing from that last one.

Kern said...

To paraphrase Ms. KJ many moons ago:

"Oh my."

I was curious about the Little Miss Sunshine as well. I'm hoping to see Children of Men and Pan's Labyrinth really soon, but I may have to come into the office this weekend. That would royally suck puffin testicles. I did finally see Del Toro's The Devil's Backbone recently because it's thematically similar to Pan's apparently. Good flick...the Kern gives it the nod.

Damfino said...

Pan's should arrive next week and I will be seeing it!

Sheriff you are a fine filthy b@stard.

Kern - sorry to hear you are so busy... hope it is not cutting into your love life.

Yo

Kern said...

No, I'm able to regularly work in the library.

That said, I'm hoping one day that I'll meet a hot librarian who will teach me the do-me decimal system.

Kern said...

Oh, by the way, while my love life still sucks, I am still keeping in delightful contact with that one dancer I met in DM last year. I talked to her on the phone until 2:30 last night and she might come out to visit Seattle. Just thought I'd throw that tidbit out there.

Damfino said...

Um - a stripper might head out to Seattle to see you?

YEAHHHHH BOYYEEEE!


Actually that is a little odd... sounds like a no win situation... but you are probably in just for the book info and for the great friendship you are forming.

Atta boy!

Kern said...

Yeah, I don't think there will be any action, but as I've gotten to know her over the past few months I think she's a really cool and down to earth person and I always love having a really diverse cross-section of friends.

Though maybe Jed and the Sheriff can help me out with this, as I read female signals like Stevie Wonder at a fine print convention: would you say it's a good sign if she asked me if it's possible for people to play strip backgammon even if she's almost totally kidding?

Damfino said...

I would find her comment to be self-effacing... something to dissarm her issues with you being so smart (backgammon player) and her not being so smart (stripper).

Or she VANTS YOUR JOHNSON!!!

Kern said...

Well, that would be a refreshing change of pace...

Kern said...

I think what I like about her is that she's intellectually curious. She likes learning about new things, and I just happen to know a lot of random and strange things. Perfect fit!