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hello. I'm currently listening to: Work And Non-Work- Broadcast, Five Leaves Left - Nick Drake while watching: Futurama- Cartoon Network reading- The Major Film Theories- J. Dudley Andrew, (as pretention follows)Candide- Voltaire, Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man- James Joyce, Franny And Zooey- J.D. Salinger, and The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald last film seen Vivre Sa Vie - Jean Luc Godard. currently working on (film)
"Games: Scrabble"- Me, recent ambitions: Shooting games stuck in my head "Paranoid Android", OK Computer - Radiohead. View my archives for quality posts. |
9.28.2003
Why the hell not?
My recent viewing log American Splendor Somewhat splendid Firstly I'll say this film plays out very strangely, besides the fact it uses animation and other sort of "tricks" there are frequent cuts into the film that let you know that what you are watching is a film. (they cut and they pull back to reveal a set; also commentary by the actual star of the film, the real harvey peckar, and the real life people that characters are potraying). I didn't really started until Hope Davis came into the film. Before that it was a charmiong little miserable tale, but she really illuminated the picture and made it worth watching. The pace is a bit slow as in the plot (although it is hardly recognizeable, like the comic, mostly tangents). All in all it is subtle film about life and and has (in my opinion) a rewarding (although you don't feel your worth it) ending. Anything Else (Woody Allen) Incredibly Charming. Ricci and Biggs have such a great chemistry, most of the joy in this film comes from them sharing a scene together. Ricci, though, is just so incredibly graceful and interesting to watch. Here little quirks enhance her character (Amanda) that she becomes (at least to me) the best character in the film. Jason Biggs does a great job channeling Allen, and Allen (finally) takes a supporting role (which he gives himself the best lines) that truely shows his late evolution. The film although is over long, and at times frustrating to laugh at some the predictable and staley said (mostly from Biggs) jokes. Either way, the most entertaining and humorous film of the year (in my opinion). Lost In Translation (Sofia Coppola) Everyone wants to be found. Upon first viewing: I rather liked it. I loved how the whole film felt like one continous jet-lag bout, days moved but you don't notice. The lack of story was a bit of a turn off and due to the jet-lag, the pace was frustratingly sluggish, but Bill Murray was extraodinary, as an actor, he has ascended in Buster Keaton territory; with one slight movement of his face he can induce laughter, and with anothe subtle change, tears. It would be offensive to call him a sad clown as an allegory because he brings more poigancy and depth to the stereotype. Scarlett Johansenn also had a great vulnerability she brought to her character which really brought it to life. And, of course, the visuals compliment the lack of story nicely as well as the music adding even further to the alienation and lonliness in this culture that the main protagonist struggled and soon gave up to understand. The more I think about it, the more I love it. Something else really interesting is how the whole film was like a dream, no real story, just events that look pretty and touch you in a sort of subconscious way. Upon second viewing: I found something else that made me like the film more than the first time, and something that made me dislike it more than the first time, so they balanced each other out to maintain the same rating. What I liked was the attention to the visuals and technique Coppola incorporated. I noticed it the first time, but I appreciated it the second. The out of focus and shaky handheld shots are beautifully done and add another layer to the surreal feeling the film incorporates. It also has one of the most beautiful scenes I've seen this year; the scene in which Charlotte ties a piece of paper to the branch of the tree. Absolutely gorgeous, along with her entire outting that surrounded the scene. What I didn't like, however, was the lack of cohesion between scenes. Yes, they went though a mudane time sequence, but it seemed most of the scenes juxtaposed to each other were poorly correlated. This can all go into the notion of how this film was dream because of the surrealness, no real story, and pretty visuals, but for some reason (since I got past the shock of the visuals the first time) it just seemed like nagging problem to me, and I often found it distracting. So alas my rating is unchanged, maybe I'll see it again... Life is too short to waste on bad films. |
