Films 08,09:Catching up on a Wishlist
Bright Star
This one is for my low literature quotient. The film gathered rave reviews at the last Cannes, then it brings the Romantics in full bloom in a pre-Victorian era, has Jane Campion behind the camera. Keats. Poetic. Subtle. Doomed love. Epical. Love. Loss.Reasons enough. I am also interested in seeing how poetry(evident and symbolic) is blended into cinema. Few titles I can think of are Mirrors(Tarkovsky), The Reader, The Pianist, Campion’s own The Piano etc.
A decorous meditation on mortality.
A woman in Berlin
A humanistic look at war, a la The Reader, should be interesting to see how it is handled. I have always enjoyed the euro-human-war-tales which tend to present the oft-satirist inconsequentiality (changing priorities, choosing pride over life, the same pride turning into guilt etc.). Gloomy Sunday was one such film I liked. Another reason to like it, Boss gives it a nod too.
The Burning Plain
Written & Directed by Guillermo Arriaga, I know what I will be watching. I just hope it is not too revelatory. I often thought Charlize Theron looks like Kim Basinger. Now I got company.
The Blue Tooth Virgin
“Pretentious arthouse bullshit!” just to say that loudly. And to get on the wrong side(was there ever a right side?) of mumblecore that pretends to be elitist succulent drama. I mean it might be easier to watch than say, Bergman. Moreover the critic angle sounds way too familiar to me to miss.
“This is self-vindicating L.A. narcissism that tries even less hard than usual.”
Not Forgotten
Paz Vega in a film about compulsive cause-and-effect motifs…well, all is not lost, for it is said to have “a batshit-crazy finale, which involves demented religious sects, ridiculously bloody face-offs, and a gaggle of cross-dressing Mexican prostitutes.” I’ll take it.
By the way, it is damn hard to find a Paz Vega image that can be put soberly for a family reading post.
Extract
Jason Bateman and Mike Judge. Should be a smart offering from the satirist. Though I liked his oft-panned Idiocracy(which was as annoying as the immediate future we are doomed to have, and that was the point), Extract seems to be more in popular flavor of Office Space.
“Uh..huh…I got me some popular flavor last night, Beavis…huh huh..heh heh”
Disgrace
I have never read the famous book(by J.M. Coetzee). But I will watch this one as it stars Malkovich. I might compare or associate it to Doubt.
Unmade Beds
This might be doing a status check on the contemporary (scary!) post-punk of East London. I will compare it against The Dreamers, or some other post-punk titles I don’t remember.
The soundtrack is supposed to be nice too. And we could all use a nice little indie post-punk film that actually doesn’t suck almost any day.
Passing Strange
This new Spike Lee rockumentary(Stew) is being much appreciated for its ‘richly satisfying’ tenor. A generous portion of Do The Right Thing as a pre-watch might only elevate the experience.
Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
I don’t care if this does not make the cut, but I am watching this, just for that title. It is home video, it is confessional, it is the unapologetic senile heart on sleeve(reminds me of a certain something…hey you lower your eyes and see me, Mother Superior would know), and for some bad documentaries we saw at you know where. And for the long-titled-historically-weird-realistic-film-shot-in-Central Park, can’t remember the title, for obvious reasons. And Itchyfoot means Wanderlust. A certain Melvin Van Peebles might enter our book of cool soon. And I am listening to ‘Nana’ from Couples Retreat and it oh so absolutely fosters my imagination.
Paris
Juliette Binoche casting in a film called Paris? An episodic film, might refresh memories of Paris Je t’aime, and when it is Paris as the context, you tend to go a little less harsh. Going through the plots, I didn’t think they were extraordinary(with the exception of the one about the Parisian historian turned stalker), but will still look out for this one for a lazy watch, and for the French Connection, if you may.
(available on VOD)
Another Binoche film I have been wanting to see if Assayas’ quiet countryside family drama, Summer Hours.
Coraline
Henry Selick, of the Nightmare before Christmas supposedly made this stop-motion, in the legacy of Burton, except that this one had some elements of its own – a take on Alice, nicely un-studio look. The themes here are interesting, and Selick has enough credibility to be trusted. We should catch this one, in Burton aftertaste, along with James & The Giant Peach.
Art & Copy
This is important shit. NY and popart and commercial banner art, and pop culture, and the ambiguity of form in minimal art and the almost-present-everywhere-to-the-point-of-nausea-or-high-art Apple designs. Yes you can play any of those last year new age records that I gave you.
Directed by : Doug Pray(Hype!)
Shorts
I like the possibilities, though it might be the first SPYKIDS kinds that we catch here at the local theater. I mean that Cloudy and that meatball film(I could sense a heavy Monsters Vs Aliens hangover in the look) might not have had such a great strike at chance, but this might, just might make it. And it has Macy & Spader.
Ponyo
Miyazaki is back, with this classic animation, joined by the likes of Lassater, Blanchett & Neeson, this one should restore some faith in the long lost love of classic animation.
We just might have it in the magic formerly known as Aquascope, if we ever plan to revive it, Mother.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
Another consumerist satire, well not that acute and shit, this one has Will Farrell on board(mostly as producer). I like salesman plots, so many examples for that. Another one I am yet to check, though it is much better reviewed and written about than this one, is Observe & Report(whose influences range from Taxi Driver to Dirty Harry, and also features Anna Faris & Ray Liotta for fun and honest intentions), Seth Rogen’s supposedly classy act. And it’s been some days since I saw Ving Rhames . And no, I am not gonna say the same for you, Mr. Koechner.
Cold Souls
I was watching this crazy kid film with Giamatti as a blue-man, and I thought this guy hasn’t been used much on his goofy quotient. I mean I like the occasional Shoot ‘em up, but it doesn’t really give me what I want. This one, with all the realism in place, might just be satisfying enough. This one also has David Strathairn(last seen in Wong-Kar Wai’s lazysleepydreamyyawny My Blueberry Nights.) And explores the raunchy, urban surreal and existential terrain a la I heart Huckabees. Probably it is Giamatti letting it out in full humor, cathartic, considering all that he has been assigned to do in films, Shyamalan and what not. And you give him absurdist possibilities, Russian entrepreneurs and Chekhov, and it all becomes wildly exciting. I am also thinking American Splendor, but that might be pinning it a little too higher to touch. Let’s see…
The Informant
Soderbergh revisits his Erin Brockovich days in this low-hum whistle-blowin’ corporate thriller, and you have Matt Damon in ‘that’ look. Being praised for its tonal twists and detailed execution, the film might be one of the last few ones to come out from a very tired Mr. Soderbergh. Admittedly so.
Paper Heart
Michael Cera. Charlyne Yi. Very hip. Very neo-Rogen-Cera-Hill-Apatow-in-milder-moods. A touch of realism, and a fresh promise, don’t expect to be mushied though.
Shrink
This surprisingly low-buzz Kevin Spacey pot-indie should be essential for Spacey lovers from K-Pax days. This should be no Arriaga on the soul, but L.A. still gives a dimension to the plot, and Spacey is seldom unrewarding so.
(500) Days of Summer
Not that this film needs any buzz or preview, it will safely hit the home run on sheer purity of form and look, I wish it stays true to all the talks. For all those Almost Famous lovers, there is a nostalgic connect to the summer that was, and we do not get romantic capers any more that do not talk about dirty sex wrapped in fake commercial unmentionables. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel promise a memorable summer, and you better be up for it. Last breezy romantic I could recall is Once. If this one is even close, I will twist and shout.
State of Play
Russell Crowe in that serious do, classic journo thriller(All the President’s Men, The Front, Zodiac to some extent) , great cast(Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman), State of Play might end up the year as one of the top contenders.
A deeply nostalgic movie, with its heart in the 70’s…
Some more hopefuls and sureshots…
The White Ribbon – Micheal Haneke
Where the Wild things are – Spike Jonze
A Serious Man – Coen Brothers
Eccentricities of a Blond-Haired Girl – Manoel de Oliveira
The Boat that Rocked
My Son, My Son, What have ‘ye Done?
Bad Lieutenant
Limits of Control
Goodbye Solo(Ramin ‘Chop Shop’ Bahrani)
Still Walking
My One and Only - an old school Road Movie starring Kevin Bacon, Renee Zellwegger
The Rogen-Apatow-Cheap Thrills Machine
Gigantic
Adventureland
I love you, man
Funny People
By the way, I enjoyed Up immensely, and it rates as the year’s best, running close to The Hangover, 9, Public Enemies(that looks like it’s gonna age beautifully), Watchmen(or was it last year?) etc.
In other words, everything is pretty much ready for the over-abused and over-shoutedout Mr. Tarantino to come and rule.
Play Along:
Thanks:
Village Voice(what would we do, without you?)
Roger Ebert(are you watching more films than ever before?)
The Flawed Genius of Mother Superior(you are Wanted for all the wrong reasons)
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
I have read Disgrace, Can’t wait, though it isn’t gonna come out ohere in theatres
(unless it scores at the oscars). Wonderful call on the Ebert review, btw. Love them.
Sorry, forgot. Great list. I want to watch all. except maybe ‘The Goods’. And I think you should von T.’s ‘Antichrist’.
thanks. I am more interested in The Goods than Antichrist though.
Thanks for the write up
catching up on my world cinema too, now that I’m free from “you know what” ;) Watched Fissures (french) last night about a sound recordist who can hear voices from the past in her mom’s house and her mom’s been murdered there a few months ago.
Triangle… three masters – Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To directing one piece. (from Hongkong). Lovely!
About to get down to watch Goodbye Solo this noon, followed by Alexandra (from Russia)
waah kya baat hai. i am catching up on some wong kar wai, lars von trier….fissures sounds nice.
Wow Et tu! I mean with Lars! Boy was I blown away to pieces and shards of glass all over with the first 5 minute slow mo piece in Antichrist. I saw it in ladakh last night. Imagine the effect it would have on me. Also if you dig poetry on celluloid then you must OD on Nuri Blige Cellan. And yes, Workmeister Harmoniaok by Bella Tarr.
seen most of von trier, ceylan, tarr. currently watching the kingdom(von trier).
So now, recommend some films for me bro, from the genre I just mentioned. BTW I just finished watching Katyn. Brilliant!
Oh and saw your putting in Jeremy Piven’s The Goods. If you are a Piven fan (well most of the streets of Hollywood are by now) – you’ve got to watch the entire Entourage Series, where he plays a blood sucking selfish bastard of an agent in movie business – boy o boy! and does he do it well!
I agree… If you watch the first season you can see that his role was limited. But from 2nd season onwards the writers gave him the same space as much as the main lead. Amazing…..
Hope this one see the light of the day!
Sorry, I meant Shabri sees the light of the day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpkQNRr1F_U
ya, that’s a very noble intention indeed.
It says ‘India’s first women gangster’.
Doesn’t RGV have a basic grammar checker?
You can add this one to the list too
http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/09/09/official-black-dynamite-trailer-watch-this-jive-sucker/
Hell yeah.. i’ve be awaitin-awaitin these below
Black- senegal-hiest and black magic, The micmacs something by the amelie guys, the two herzogs- BL: Port of Call New Orleans and My Son, My Son. The two mesrine flicks.. that i’m sure will kick baader-meinhoff’s pompous ass. and when joe dante does a william castle, front seats for me The Hodle in 3D. and it’s been some time now, but i still have to watch Tetro . and this was curious.. ron perelman and a hobbit drinking in ‘Ye Old Tavern’ and swapping creepy tales in ‘I sell the dead’. and come out with Bubba Nosferatu… been waiting a long time for this one.
Art & Copy!!!!!! Welcome to The Suck
Excellent list. I have watched a few on the list. Goods was a disappointment. Shrink is .. pure pleasure. Esp when u have a guy named Jesus selling you weed. Watch out for Dallas Roberts