Sorta into the wild
Movie review of Blindsight, Chicago Sun-Times, April 11
Validated
I was going to write a smart-ass little diatribe about my disappointment in Juno, but this J.R. Jones fellow from the Reader has already done so more civilly. Like a friend said, "It's like an episode of Gilmore Girls only more annoying." On the otherhand, Mr. Ebert thinks it's the best movie of 2007, and is sorely mistaken, in my opinion, when he says "the film has no wrong scenes." One example that comes to mind is the ultra-sound gathering when the stepmother demeans and humiliates the medical technician. It's cruel, unfunny, and in no way a "moment of instinctive, lightning comedy." After that scene I felt indifferent about these people and all their snarky one-liners that followed. Happy Valentines day!
What I'm watching - a new feature
Netflix appears to be the finest invention ever. Here's my current queue, and I'll add my ratings once I get around to seeing them. With super high ratings, like I've given Country Priest, I hope some will see what all the fuss is about. I am always looking for recommendations myself, so please take advantage of my comments section.
Diary of a Country Priest, dir. Robert Bresson 9.5/10
Why does Herr R. run amok? dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder 9.5/10
Gates of Heaven, dir. Errol Morris 8.5/10
Touch of Evil, dir. Orson Wells
Medium Cool, dir Haskell Wexler
L'Argent, dir. Robert Bresson
Cinema undone
Here's one for your Netflix queue: The Corndog Man (1999), dir. Andrew Shea. Came upon this gem in '03 and can't believe I haven't mentioned it on here. It's one of a handful movies that's literally impossible to turn off, even with subsequent viewings. Right 'off a bat' the oddities begin to pile up. Redneck boat seller Ace Barker gets a strange phone call one morning from a voice claiming interest in purchasing a boat. A few minutes later he gets another call and the exchange gets a little weirder. Then he gets another call. And another one. And so forth for the remainder of the film. What's it all leading to? Some pretty shocking material, that's what. The film's highest point is a scene where the anonymous caller puts Paul Butterfield's "It all comes back" on the record player, which uses music in ways that would make Wes Anderson envious. It's also a great big sin Noble Willingham's role as the bullheaded South Carolinan bigot remains unnoticed, and probably will forever. I see these great movies which look like they were made for about $50 and it's all so inspiring. Do me a favor and see it, and tell them Abysmal sent you.
A black comedy, done right
"Harry un ami qui veut du bien," or "With a Friend Like Harry" (France 2000), is a subtle and dark look at obsessive-weirdo Harry Ballestero and his relationship with old schoolmate Michael. It's "Cable Guy" meets the "Vanishing," but way more intense and restrained than the former. I have to give the French credit on this one, as this film's revealed a humor to me that I didn't quite think they had in them. Bravo, bravo!
Inland Empire
I'd like to discuss Lynch's latest with anyone who's seen it. It's been with me ever since I saw it. Even though most of the narrative was lost on me, the other elements really got under my skin. Your interpretations are welcome, but we're in an uphill battle with this one--even moreso than Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive. Laura Dern, the leading actress, even admitted to not making much sense of it. And Lynch desperately wants her to win an Oscar. Maybe some things are better left unknown.(?)
No more blue tomorrows
10/10, A!
Les Yeux sans visage (1960)
aka, Eyes without a Face. A maniacal surgeon kidnaps and skins alive the faces of young Parisian women in hopes of giving his disfigured daughter a new face. Pretty sinister material for early 1960s France, and I had always given Psycho the credit for breaking away from traditional zombie and ghost horror. I wonder if Ed Gein's story reached France with the same profound disgust as it did in the States. Available on the Criterion line, I'd recommend this for some good late-night viewing as we approach the coldest days of winter.
Factotum: thumbs up!
Only in Charles Bukowski's world can a sleazy bar rat seduce a pretty woman (Marissa Tomei) with Brahms' 3rd symphony.
Factotum opens in theaters tonight, but don't take your grandparents.
addendum: It's no secret Bukowski had a soft spot for Brahms and Bartok; a google search will reveal dozens of anecdotes about his fanaticism for classical music. Here's one of the pleasingly bullheaded variety: The poet who allowed so many who followed him to reject formalism is simply too complicated to be put into a box--even that of "the maverick." A girlfriend reports that he didn't like hippies, many of whom were fans of his. "Let them go work in a post office, they'll see what life is all about," he reportedly sneered. An interviewer driving with Bukowski points to the radio and asks, "Do you like this music, classical music?" He nods and says, "It's the only kind."On Brokeback
In light of Brokeback Mountain's success at the Golden Globes last night, I thought I'd comment briefly on the movie. A sports off-topic board I frequent allows me to gauge responses from Midwesterners and specifically conservative Christians. I heard most often that Annie Proulx and Ang Lee had a "homosexual agenda" to shove down Americans' throats and that "Hollywood liberals" adore movies with "sexually deviant themes." But this shouldn't strike any of you as very surprising. I joined in on the conversation that these same Hollywood liberals are the ones who rely heavily on the Nascar-Michael Bay-style conservatives to fork out $10, every weekend, for the King Kongs and Vin Diesel movies that come out at a much higher frequency than the Brokebacks (progressives too). Isn't that the very definition of hypocrisy: to willingly support something you endlessly lambast? So what's their alternative? Last I looked--and not to paint a broad stroke here-- indepenent art cinema has not exactly thrived off the conservative Christian demographic.
All unnecessary political stuff aside, Brokeback was a very powerful and remarkably visual film. I urge skeptics to see it.
