Camera Obscura wrote:Expected some bite or at least some older man's wisdom, but was rather disappointed by Manoel de Oliveira's A Talking Picture(2003), which is basically an extended travelogue of Lisbon, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, with some of the most painfully clichéd chitchat about Euro-American cultural relations I have ever seen. John Malkovich seems to enjoy himself, though, showing of his French skills and making 'sophisticated' dinner conversation with Catherine Deneuve and Stefania Sandrelli.
Just because Oliveira shows us something doesn't mean he endorses it. I would suggest that much of the conversation you discuss is meant to be a representation of cliche. That doesn't mean it all is or that it's all inherently disposable either. To what extent, for instance, does such thinking inform current prevailing mindsets? What does it mean for it to do so?
Compare it to what is being said and the way it is said between mother and daughter in the first half. This material too functions as suspect but in a different way. Nonetheless, it provides an obvious point of contrast for the later multi-language table discussions(perhaps all too obvious but then that is another level of the irony as I indicated). Part of the point of those captain's table scenes seems to me to be a reflection on to what degree such relatively easy, shallow comprehension and self-congratulatory rhetoric actually does serve as foundation for "sophisticated" geo-political views and what the implications of that may be for the propagation and even basic survival of civilization. Oliveira's critique settles on the observation that in an intellectually impoverished time any discussion of larger contextualizing issues of this sort will automatically seem more than adequate as evidence of intellect to many, including many of those responsible. The risks of an inadequately developed position (especially one absent the necessary ironic comprehension) are, shall we say, implied.
Last edited by John Cope on Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I wanted to add my voice to the chorus of praise (on this board, at least) for Who's Camus Anyway. The film lays down a carpet of dread, with little stylistic touches and character reveals, which Yanagimachi then pulls out from under the viewer so many times in the last twenty minutes, you can't help feeling a little wobbly when it's all over.
I think it ranks as one of the great filmmaking films, and will definitely be making my list.
I am planning on waiting until the last moment possible to submit my list. I'm assuming we have until midnight on the end of next Sunday, correct?
Or until I can be bothered collating the lists, whichever is the later. In general, there's a flood of last-minute submissions and it takes a while to chug through them. I keep accepting lists until I'm finished collating. If in doubt at the eleventh hour PM me.
On the voting so far, I'm not prepared to call anything yet, even with 18 lists in. There's a central canon of about thirty titles that are all bustling around within easy reach of the top ten, then there's acres of other films. But you can't even count out the also rans. One particular title received no votes whatsoever from the first ten voters, then appeared on almost every subsequent list and is now firmly ensconced in the top ten. There are two clear favourites for the top spot, but another two films are also within hitting distance, and if our late starter continues its current performance it will overtake all of them in about five lists' time.
carax09 wrote:I wanted to add my voice to the chorus of praise (on this board, at least) for Who's Camus Anyway. The film lays down a carpet of dread, with little stylistic touches and character reveals, which Yanagimachi then pulls out from under the viewer so many times in the last twenty minutes, you can't help feeling a little wobbly when it's all over.
I think it ranks as one of the great filmmaking films, and will definitely be making my list.
It made it onto my just-barely-missed list. ( I was unhappy that so many films I liked a lot got "left behind").
Awesome Welles wrote:Just ordered Cafe Lumiere and Nobody Knows, good places to start for Hou and Kore-eda?
Well, they're both terrific, lovely films, and are both well up on my list. I'm not sure I'd describe Café Lumière as a "good place to start for Hou" as I don't know how much it has in common with his earlier (pre-Millennium Mambo) work, but those 20th century titles aren't as easy to find as the later ones.
The BEST place to start with HOU's films is as early as possible -- Boys from Fengkuei (basically the point where he re-started his career -- as I consider Sandwich Man a unique one off, following the three early musical romances). ;~}
Really enjoyed Boy A.
The central performance is really well-calibrated in a somewhat difficult role. Was also impressed with the boy who plays Philip, the unruly friend from the past. The slow reveal of information was handled very well, as were the flashback sequences. All in all, a pretty powerful film.
I'll have to look back over my list.
I'm pretty loyal to my Top 30, perhaps even 40, but the bottom 10 is fairly up for grabs, filled with films I liked but not in any urgent way.
I started to watch João Pedro Rodrigues' Odete last night and really loved the first half. Can't wait to finish watching the DVD tonight. I can hardly remember the last time I experienced so much emotion in practically silent sequences with characters in solitude or looking at each other. My vote for the best cellphone-smashing scene of all time goes here.
Ana Cristina de Oliveira should be in more movies (not just the "But you got your tan in Miami?" bartender, though that was nice)!
Just finished watching Odete. It is definitely one of the best movies I have ever seen. Straight to my top 10 of the 2000s. Hate the English title "Two Drifters" but the non-anamorphic Strand DVD is the only way to go (unless you read French or understand Portugais). I wonder if anyone else is going to vote for this movie. People seem to like To Die Like a Man more.
EDIT: Just found out that there is a Portuguese DVD, available from Blue Planet DVD.
Lee's Oasis. Beautiful film. Two people who nobody listens to find each other and affirm the worth of the other. I loved the nicknames given to the other: "Your highness" and "General." Nobody would imagine Gong-ju as a princess, yet Jong-du comes to see her in this way, first in a joking, playful way, then in an utterly serious way. Spoiler
Cutting down the branches of the tree that casts scary shadows on Gong-ju's wall, Jong-du honors his princess in a selfless, chivalric act. Gong-ju, for her part, honors her general by playing the song they share together, pressing her stereo to the window so he can hear. At first, I was waiting for Jong-du to self-destruct in his relationship with Gong-ju, and end up hurting her in some selfish way. That the opposite happens, Jong-du finding purpose in the relationship such that he can express love through his actions, is no small measure of grace. Indeed, it is Gong-ju that gives him grace in forgiving him his initial actions towards her.
Cutting social commentary: love is not recognizable unless it happens according to society's standards. Society condemns Gong-ju to loneliness and celibacy. It takes another outsider to cut through the shit. I wonder though: is there a sympathetic character outside of Gong-ju and Jong-du? The younger brother? Is Lee, in turn, condemning social insiders to cruelty and slavishness to etiquette (their own brand of dysfunction)? What do we make of that? Another question that comes out of this: is there hope for the two to be allowed a space within society to be together? In Lee's world, ultimately, I'm not sure that there is and that is very sad.
artfilmfan wrote:My list would have these five at the top:
1. In the Mood for Love
2. Tokyo.Sora (Hiroshi Ishikawa)
3. Take Care of My Cat
4. Camel(s) (Park Ki-Yong)
5. Turning Gates
As far as I recall, this is the first mention of Camel(s), which made my list last time but got bumped off this go-round. Maybe if I'd had a chance to see it again it would have clung on. Is there a decent (subtitled?) DVD release of the film?
Ugh--just back from Amoeba, where I picked up five more 2000s titles, at least three of which are likely list-contenders. The closer Jan. 31 gets, the further behind I get.
I feel like a small child trying desperately to seat himself at the grown-ups' table by making a list of my own, but I do find it useful in sorting out my own favorites, and without it I probably wouldn't think about these films with the same intensity. Anyway, here's a top ten I feel pretty good about.
(also I spoil most of these films so tread with caution)
1 - In the Mood for Love - An article of beauty. This film is like a dream to me, one that seems to never be completely grounded in reality, thanks to its vibrant color scheme and smooth cinematography. There are few things better than this film.
2 - A Good Lawyer’s Wife - had I been active in this forum sooner, I probably would have offered this as a swapsie. The cinematography is rather understated, but that is fine because it doesn't distract from the depiction of the downfall of the primary relationship (which is equally understated to great effect). For me at least, to see a film that treats sex and sexuality so frankly, particularly within these circumstances (the elderly, a married couple, Korea) is a tremendous breath of fresh air, and one that holds up very well. The film doesn't distract from its goals, and it stays in your mind long after seeing it.
3 - 25th Hour - I was born and raised in New York, and am interested in portrayals of the city, because the movies are how I define my world. And this depiction of New York is fantastic, and certainly the single best post-9/11 portrayal of the city. There's an endless tension, as if anyone could explode at any moment; not just because he's going to jail, either, but a different kind of tension, as if the whole world itself could ignite. And it does, many times. These are people trying to ignore a wound, and only at the end of the film does Brogan (Norton's character) confront his own. Personally, I think Spike Lee is the best - or, at least the most accurate - NYC filmmaker of the decade.
4 - Caché - If there is anything I admire in Haneke's work, it would have to be his portrayal of violence. This film sits in my mind no matter how long between viewings, and even though I cannot completely understand the issues of French colonialism present in the film, watching Laurent deal with what might be the consequences of his childhood actions (well they might as well be) leaves a chill. If nothing else, the scene of the old man's death is one I will never forget.
5 - Nobody Knows - Despite the endless suffering these four children go through, they always seem to carry some kind of optimism. It's strange, in a way, because even when the tragic third act kicks in, the film still ends on an upbeat note, suggesting that the children can survive, and even be happy. And yet, as I write this, I think of the eldest child and the burden he carries to keep his siblings together, played so wonderfully by Yagira Yuya. The struggle to find peace in survival is a common theme of Kore-eda's, and I always appreciate it (Maborosi is one of my favorite films).
6 - A History of Violence - I am writing this last, and am far too tired to do it justice, but what I remember about this film is the slow unpacking of of Mr. Stahl as the past he tried to forget slowly breaks out. Then, when he returns to his family at the end of the film, you just see him at the other end of the kitchen table, his entire persona laid bare - he is who he is, and what should be done about it? Even in my drowsiness, I think of that face and the power it had on me.
7 - The Headless Woman - The exploration of insulated (white) wealth being hit in the face with societal inequality has rarely been handled as well as in this film. The cinematography is something like experiencing a head trauma, or at least a very bad migraine, and I think it helps expose the disconnect this woman has from the world around her oh so well. I've only seen it once (in theaters) but it still sticks with me.
8 - Memories of Murder - This came second to last, and I hope it doesn't show. I cannot help but think about the breakdowns of both police officers as their egos collapse at the cycle of finding, then losing (and repeating of such) the potential killer. At the end of the film, all that is left is uncertainty.
9 - Grizzly Man - I often think about the consequences of following your dreams to the very edge, and what happens when you jump off that edge. While I have no desire to live with bears, seeing a man who has been essentially driven mad in his quest to live his dream - becoming something other than himself - is a strange sight. I also think of Werner Herzog himself, a man for whom I have a tremendous amount of admiration, and I wonder how similar he may be to his subject. And then, I think about what makes him so different from Mr. Treadwell, and why that leads Herzog to criticize him like he does in this movie. Not a lot of answers, but I do enjoy thinking about this film a lot.
10 - The Incredibles - Another personal issue I think about a lot is my own worth in society - what am I good for? And what I love about this film is its strange suggestions about value within society. I mean, some of us are just better at certain things than others, and there's nothing to be done about that. At the same time, I find it really fascinating to watch these characters deal with society's total rejection of their abilities - essentially, a rejection of themselves. I also happen to think this film has some really great art direction, and some of the best choreographed action sequences of the decade (and this has been a decade of some really confusing action scenes).
But the list of films I still haven't seen yet is criminal, and I don't know if I even have the means or the energy to catch up...
46. Punch-Drunk Love – Paul Anderson
47. Gosford Park – Robert Altman
48. Bug – William Friedkin
49. A.I. – Steven Spielberg
50. Wet Hot American Summer – David Wain
thirtyframesasecond wrote:Inevitably there'll be films I just won't have been able to see that I'd have liked to, but I'll submit a list before the weekend's out.
You know that things are getting bad when you begin stockpiling films ready for the next time the decade comes around in the voting! I'm hoping to be able to engage a little more with the Silents list this time after spending the last few years tracking down some of the major titles at least (with the notable exception of course being Greed!)
zedz wrote:As far as I recall, this is the first mention of Camel(s), which made my list last time but got bumped off this go-round. Maybe if I'd had a chance to see it again it would have clung on. Is there a decent (subtitled?) DVD release of the film?
There was a short-lived Korean DVD release (which had subtitles -- longout of print, I believe).
