Smultronstället (1957) - 4/5
Very cool Swedish film about life and relationships. What we choose to give up and regret later. What we pass on to our children in doing so.
I think the imagery is good and powerful and not too difficult to follow as a lot of people think.
I really liked hearing Swedish and recognizing words.
The devices of choice were good too w/ choosing btwn people, futures, loves, vocations, etc. Good stuff.
Showing posts with label subtitles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label subtitles. Show all posts
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Du rififi chez les hommes (1955) - 4/5
Du rififi chez les hommes (1955) "Rififi"
Next: "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" (2005)
An interesting movie, but it didn't seem to build enough on its strengths: the characters.
UPDATED: Thinking more about this movie and given time, I believe I appreciate this movie more for the same reason as before too: the characters. The heist itself is a work of art that at the time I didn't appreciate. More in spoilers.
SPOILERS
I enjoyed the scenes of the robbery: no dialog, intensity, etc. But then the story turned to the kidnapped boy, etc. I liked that turn, but too much time was spent on the robbery that was fun to watch, but didn't build. Update: I was wrong here - I didn't appreciate the heist for what it was: artwork and the payoff of who these characters are: professional and skilled. Great stuff! Blueprint.
Haiku Summary:
Men want diamonds.
They rob store, boy is kidnapped.
All die, the boy lives.
Next: "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" (2005)
An interesting movie, but it didn't seem to build enough on its strengths: the characters.
UPDATED: Thinking more about this movie and given time, I believe I appreciate this movie more for the same reason as before too: the characters. The heist itself is a work of art that at the time I didn't appreciate. More in spoilers.
SPOILERS
I enjoyed the scenes of the robbery: no dialog, intensity, etc. But then the story turned to the kidnapped boy, etc. I liked that turn, but too much time was spent on the robbery that was fun to watch, but didn't build. Update: I was wrong here - I didn't appreciate the heist for what it was: artwork and the payoff of who these characters are: professional and skilled. Great stuff! Blueprint.
Haiku Summary:
Men want diamonds.
They rob store, boy is kidnapped.
All die, the boy lives.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Volver (2006/I) - 2.5/5
Volver (2006/I)
NEXT: "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976)
I didn't really get into this movie. I never really tied into the characters or the reality. This cd be a casualty of my method of watching it over multiple sittings??? But as things happened, I just watched and never bought into it.
It also felt disjointed: they'd drop storylines altogether and start new ones.
SPOILERS
So what happened w/ the restaurant? What happened w/ the guy from the movie crew? What happened w/ the mother-daughter relationship and telling the daugher her father was also her grandfather? What about all that - it was kinda revealed and left. What about the friend w/ cancer? There seemed to be so much left undone which might be the point, but it didn't seem to fit right.
Haiku Summary
Girl kills dad. Cover up.
Opens restaurant, mother
back to life. What the?
NEXT: "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976)
I didn't really get into this movie. I never really tied into the characters or the reality. This cd be a casualty of my method of watching it over multiple sittings??? But as things happened, I just watched and never bought into it.
It also felt disjointed: they'd drop storylines altogether and start new ones.
SPOILERS
So what happened w/ the restaurant? What happened w/ the guy from the movie crew? What happened w/ the mother-daughter relationship and telling the daugher her father was also her grandfather? What about all that - it was kinda revealed and left. What about the friend w/ cancer? There seemed to be so much left undone which might be the point, but it didn't seem to fit right.
Haiku Summary
Girl kills dad. Cover up.
Opens restaurant, mother
back to life. What the?
Monday, May 12, 2008
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (2007) - 3.5/5
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (2007) (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
NEXT: "The Kite Runner" (2007)
A painful movie to watch about the editor of Elle magazine in France having a stroke and suffering from locked-in syndrome. He basically only has control over one eye and communicates by blinking. His mind is there, but he's trapped. Hard to watch.
W/ help, he's able to write a book which then is made into this movie.
I have to say, while this movie was somewhat inspiring that he was able to keep his sanity and continue to live, communicate, etc. It was a bit depressing too. You wd expect that somewhat... and it was.
I guess I hoped for a bit more of an uplifting story of his triumph. It was inspiring, but very, very sad too.
Haiku Summary
Man has stroke. Coma.
Can think, but little else. He
writes a book with help.
NEXT: "The Kite Runner" (2007)
A painful movie to watch about the editor of Elle magazine in France having a stroke and suffering from locked-in syndrome. He basically only has control over one eye and communicates by blinking. His mind is there, but he's trapped. Hard to watch.
W/ help, he's able to write a book which then is made into this movie.
I have to say, while this movie was somewhat inspiring that he was able to keep his sanity and continue to live, communicate, etc. It was a bit depressing too. You wd expect that somewhat... and it was.
I guess I hoped for a bit more of an uplifting story of his triumph. It was inspiring, but very, very sad too.
Haiku Summary
Man has stroke. Coma.
Can think, but little else. He
writes a book with help.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Laberinto del fauno, El (Pan's Labyrinth) (2006) - 3.5/5
Laberinto del fauno, El (2006) (Pan's Labyrinth)
Weird, but interesting. I didn't see the prequel but I listened to a bit of the commentary and it seems they are related by theme.
The visuals are great and the reality mixed w/ fantasy is really good. The gore and brutality of the soldiers is hard to watch at times.
My view of the main theme is something like: people that follow orders (or see things as black and white) are brutal, wrong and evil. Something like that.
SPOILERS
Vidal is set quickly to be someone who doesn't compromise or question what he's doing or why. He has no mercy, pity, conscious or humanity to him. He cares only about being the man his father was and thus passing on the burden to a son of his own.
The rebels are seen as caring, natural and righteous despite not actually communicating their cause other than to kill the military presence. W/o saying how or why, it's clear we're to believe they are right in their attempts to kill the soldiers but not the other way around.
The plot w/ Pan is that he directs the girl, but in her completing the tasks, she breaks some rules. The first time, it hurts her parents, the second time 2 fairies die and the third time, she saves her brother by sacrificing her life, but that was the test of the task: to see if she wd allow her brother to die to save her own life (though it wdn't have saved her life IMO).
So question authority and do what you believe is right despite everything else b/c ultimately that's what's right. Hmmm....
Haiku Summary
Girl moves to country.
Pan's tasks to become princess.
Question author'ty.
NEXT: "Fool's Gold (2008)"
Weird, but interesting. I didn't see the prequel but I listened to a bit of the commentary and it seems they are related by theme.
The visuals are great and the reality mixed w/ fantasy is really good. The gore and brutality of the soldiers is hard to watch at times.
My view of the main theme is something like: people that follow orders (or see things as black and white) are brutal, wrong and evil. Something like that.
SPOILERS
Vidal is set quickly to be someone who doesn't compromise or question what he's doing or why. He has no mercy, pity, conscious or humanity to him. He cares only about being the man his father was and thus passing on the burden to a son of his own.
The rebels are seen as caring, natural and righteous despite not actually communicating their cause other than to kill the military presence. W/o saying how or why, it's clear we're to believe they are right in their attempts to kill the soldiers but not the other way around.
The plot w/ Pan is that he directs the girl, but in her completing the tasks, she breaks some rules. The first time, it hurts her parents, the second time 2 fairies die and the third time, she saves her brother by sacrificing her life, but that was the test of the task: to see if she wd allow her brother to die to save her own life (though it wdn't have saved her life IMO).
So question authority and do what you believe is right despite everything else b/c ultimately that's what's right. Hmmm....
Haiku Summary
Girl moves to country.
Pan's tasks to become princess.
Question author'ty.
NEXT: "Fool's Gold (2008)"
Monday, February 12, 2007
Jésus de Montréal (1989) - 4.5/5
Jésus de Montréal (1989)
Great film. Only slightly dated too.
The premise is an actor is hired to put on a Passion play for a Catholic church. The priest has little faith himself and gives the actor free reign to hire who he wants and make any necessary changes to bring the play up to date.
The actors eventually feel the work is very significant and important.
Warning: one small scene of nudity - you'll know when.
SPOILERS:
The priest is admittedly a "bad" priest, but believes "a bad priest is still a priest" and won't give up his position despite his failings and discontentment. He believes a person "should live happily as long as possible." His only conviction seems to be that the Church serves the emotional needs of people who can't afford psychoanalysis or drugs elsewhere.
He is the modern Pharisee for the most part.
The "Jesus" character first gathers his followers starting w/ a single mother serving in a soup kitchen. She agrees to follow/support him and gives him a place to stay since "the son of man has no place to lie his head." We find out she's the priests mistress (adulterer) too.
Next he gathers other followers who are a group of misfits for various reasons resembling Jesus' followers.
The play is quite liberal and questions many of the claims of Jesus' life. The priest is worried about what his superiors will think and ultimately they try to shut down the play though the audiences/critics love it.
The actors all finally feel they are working on something meaningful and are more passionate about their "church" of acting. This includes a scene w/ one follower trying out for a "beer" commercial (which cdn't have been more blatant talking about how society "worships" beer and physical beauty, etc., but still great, that was the point).
Their insistance that she take her clothes off is such an insult in the Jesus character's "temple" that he has to over turn the tables and cleanse the house including whipping the "officials" w/ a whip of cords.
They go on w/ the play, but it is disrupted by security during the crucifixtion and thru an accident, the cross is knocked over and "Jesus" is hurt and taken to the hospital. His believers are somewhat scattered and there's little help amoung "His people" (St. Mark's hospital).
He begins to feel better and leaves though he starts his descent into the lower realms and darkness mentioning being forsaken by his father. He preaches to those standing idle underground being watched over by their master (and popular actor on a dard billboard for perfume).
He collapses and again those around him all scatter except for the two women. This time he's taken by Jews (the Jewish hospital) who care for his dead body. Ultimately, thru his death, others around the world are given life: a heart to an American, eyes to an Italian, etc.
This description may make the movie sound heavy handed and obvious, but I think they make it work well. The characters are good and their transformation is passionate. Early in the movie their attitude is literally "que sera sera" and by the end they are determined to continue w/ the work, establish an institution in their leader's memory and keep it free from defilment and compromise (though it is led by a clearly superficial lawyer - so great).
There are so many good scenes and shots in this movie that I think I'd have to watch it a few times to pick up on even more. Like a scene where they are all eating on the mountain and try to feed the guard who comes up. Just a part of a larger scene, but the details are great: the movement in the scenes (going up and down especially: stairs, escalators, buildings, etc.).
Great film. Only slightly dated too.
The premise is an actor is hired to put on a Passion play for a Catholic church. The priest has little faith himself and gives the actor free reign to hire who he wants and make any necessary changes to bring the play up to date.
The actors eventually feel the work is very significant and important.
Warning: one small scene of nudity - you'll know when.
SPOILERS:
The priest is admittedly a "bad" priest, but believes "a bad priest is still a priest" and won't give up his position despite his failings and discontentment. He believes a person "should live happily as long as possible." His only conviction seems to be that the Church serves the emotional needs of people who can't afford psychoanalysis or drugs elsewhere.
He is the modern Pharisee for the most part.
The "Jesus" character first gathers his followers starting w/ a single mother serving in a soup kitchen. She agrees to follow/support him and gives him a place to stay since "the son of man has no place to lie his head." We find out she's the priests mistress (adulterer) too.
Next he gathers other followers who are a group of misfits for various reasons resembling Jesus' followers.
The play is quite liberal and questions many of the claims of Jesus' life. The priest is worried about what his superiors will think and ultimately they try to shut down the play though the audiences/critics love it.
The actors all finally feel they are working on something meaningful and are more passionate about their "church" of acting. This includes a scene w/ one follower trying out for a "beer" commercial (which cdn't have been more blatant talking about how society "worships" beer and physical beauty, etc., but still great, that was the point).
Their insistance that she take her clothes off is such an insult in the Jesus character's "temple" that he has to over turn the tables and cleanse the house including whipping the "officials" w/ a whip of cords.
They go on w/ the play, but it is disrupted by security during the crucifixtion and thru an accident, the cross is knocked over and "Jesus" is hurt and taken to the hospital. His believers are somewhat scattered and there's little help amoung "His people" (St. Mark's hospital).
He begins to feel better and leaves though he starts his descent into the lower realms and darkness mentioning being forsaken by his father. He preaches to those standing idle underground being watched over by their master (and popular actor on a dard billboard for perfume).
He collapses and again those around him all scatter except for the two women. This time he's taken by Jews (the Jewish hospital) who care for his dead body. Ultimately, thru his death, others around the world are given life: a heart to an American, eyes to an Italian, etc.
This description may make the movie sound heavy handed and obvious, but I think they make it work well. The characters are good and their transformation is passionate. Early in the movie their attitude is literally "que sera sera" and by the end they are determined to continue w/ the work, establish an institution in their leader's memory and keep it free from defilment and compromise (though it is led by a clearly superficial lawyer - so great).
There are so many good scenes and shots in this movie that I think I'd have to watch it a few times to pick up on even more. Like a scene where they are all eating on the mountain and try to feed the guard who comes up. Just a part of a larger scene, but the details are great: the movement in the scenes (going up and down especially: stairs, escalators, buildings, etc.).
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