![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Home Movie (2008, dir. Christopher Denham)
Fear of our children is deep seeded in humanity it seems. From Rosemary’s Baby to The Omen to Orphan, there is an innate apprehension and concern that the children will turn on us. While most films traditionally try to make the child an outsider of some kind, not natural born of the mother, Home Movie gives us two biological children gone awry. Home Movie is another entry in the “found footage” sub-genre of horror (The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield) and handles the conventions of the genre in unique and creative ways.
( Read more... )
The Family has always been an important element in Coppola’s work. In The Godfather he examined the literal family and the symbolic family of the Italian mafia. The Outsiders and Rumble Fish took a close look at the divide between brothers by blood and brothers in gangs. Outside of his films, Coppola’s family has had an integral role: music in his early films was typical composed by his father Carmine, sister Talia and daughter Sophia employed their acting skills. And many of his family members have become involved in the industry, albeit changing their names for various reasons.
( Read more... )
Pontypool (2008, dir. Bruce McDonald)
Making a film about zombies these days is like printing money. Since the success of flicks like 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead the trope of the mindless flesheater has been a draw to the theater. Disappointingly though, these films usually end up being the same batch of clichés with the desiccated dead stumbling around and groaning “Brains”. This little indie film from Canada seeks to inject the zombie genre with some new twists.
Waltz With Bashir (2008, dir. Ari Folman)
In 1982 Israel invaded Southern Lebanon, citing an assassination attempt on their U.K. ambassador as the impetus. The conflict brought them up against the PLO, Muslim Lebanese forces, and Syrians. Working with the Israelis were the Lebanese Phalangists. The Phalangists claimed secularism but are mainly supported by Maronite Christians, a sect of the Catholic Church founded in Syria in the 7th century. This mad cluster of forces came together for a bloody war that increased in intensity with the assassination of Lebanese president Bashir Gemayel. The Phalangists, incredibly loyal to Bashir, culminated the war with the Sabra and Shatila massacres, where Palestinians families were bombed and those that survived the bombing where then lined up against walls and executed by firing squad.
The Reader (2008, dir. Stephen Daldry)
A couple years ago I watched an episode of Frontline titled “A Jew Among the Germans”. It followed Holocaust survivor Marian Marzynski a he explores Germany to see if he can forgive them for what they did. What I found fascinating were the myriad of ways Germans have psychologically dealt with the guilt of the Holocaust. I saw that each generation since has developed a unique way of either acknowledging it or ignoring it. How does a culture process its collective crimes? Can it continue on or does it inevitably have to slowly fade and die off, never to reclaim its former glory?
It’s not recognized too often, but Danny Boyle always makes happy endings. In Trainspotting you have Renton getting the money and the girl. In 28 Days Later Jim and company are rescued from the zombies. Even Sunshine ends with the sun being reignited and the world saved. I’ve seen some criticism about the Love Conquers All style of this film and realized that’s Danny Boyle’s style. However, in terms of plot I didn’t find this film to standout much at all. Despite the praise being heaped on it, it’s not a film that transcends or does anything incredibly innovative.
( Read more... )
The Visitor (2007, dir. Thomas McCarthy)
Maturing. The way characters are shown to mature in their personal views on film is usually a gross exaggeration. We’re given very direct speeches where a character states in no uncertain terms what they have learned and what happened in the film to bring them to this understanding. I think of a lot of the performances in Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road as examples. This is an acceptable trope of filmmaking but it is refreshing to see a character grow intellectually in more subtle, realistic fashion.
Doubt (2008, dir. John Patrick Shanley)
It may sound trite, but the moment where I began to deeply doubt all I had been raised to believe was 9/11. Politics. Religion. Education. That seemed to be a moment where many other people either experienced great doubt or great certainty. And out of this came a cultural paradigm in which each side has tried to de-legitimize the other. John Patrick Shanley’s film adaptation of his stage play may be set in 1964, but it captures this conflict in all of its complexity and ambiguity. I can’t help but think that this setting was chosen because of the cultural shifts occurring in American society.
Henry Fool (1997, dir. Hal Hartley)
What makes an artist? A big question and it’s at the center of this wonderful independent film by Hal Hartley. This was the first Hartley film I’ve seen, I’d heard his name for years, and I was very pleased with what I saw. The plot concerns Simon Grim (James Urbaniak), a young garbage man who lives a quiet existence with his emotionally troubled mother and older sister, Fay (Parker Posey). Everything in Simon’s life begins to change when the family takes on a lodger named Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan). Henry talks quite pompously about his memoirs and contacts he has in the New York publishing world. He goes on to encourage the almost mute Simon to begin writing in a theme book and surprisingly Simon produces a poem that will be the center of the film.
( Read more... )
Renaissance (2006, dir. Christian Volckman)
We live in an age of film where spectacle can be generated inside a computer and placed against a green screen. Most films that adopt this special effect aesthetic suffer for it. Look at Lucas’ second Star Wars trilogy and see how so much of the surroundings fail to be immersive and instead work with other weak elements to distance us from the story. The reason behind employing this technology is that it creates more spectacular effects that would be too expensive to accomplish materially. This little French animated film shows how the artificial world can be used to great effect but you need to jettison the humans.
Traditional horror films in our age are diluted, harmless fluff. The world around us is more frightening than the idea of inbred rural cannibals or creatures of the night. True horror for humanity today would be introspection. To examine one’s self would provide terrors beyond that of anything Freddy Kreuger could accomplish.
( Read more... )
( More... )
The parallels between Randy the Ram and the actor portraying him, Mickey Rourke are pretty transparent from the start. Rourke got his big breakout role in Barry Levinson’s Diner (1981) and had some highwater marks along the way with The Pope of Greenwich Village and Nine and a Half Weeks. My personal favorite is Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish, a very stream of consciousness story of brothers involved in gang violence. By the late 1980s, Rourke’s stock fell due his reputation as hard to work with and an increasing dependence on drugs and alcohol. He left the acting business for a brief foray into boxing but eventually returned to films at a very low budget level. He has not yet had a major leading role since his return until the release of The Wrestler.
( More... )
10. Milk
9. The Fall
8. Let The Right One In
7. Timecrimes
6. Blindness
5. The Dark Knight
4. Funny Games
3. Children of Men
2. The Wrestler
1. There Will Be Blood
( My thoughts )
( The List )
So Monday night, on my way home, I was in a car accident. Totally my fault and the result of plain stupidity. Thankfully there were witnesses who immediately rushed in to see that both drivers were okay, 911 was called and ambulances and police came. The paramedics asked if I wanted to go to the ER at Vanderbilt and I said yes, my upper right chest was feeling sore and my left leg, right below the knee was also very tender. I was able to walk immediately after the wreck so that made me feel a little bit okay. I have to say at the time I was most worried about the car. I'm going to the towing yard tomorrow to take a look at it and I don't remember seeing any significant damage at the time. I was hit on the passenger's side, not sure exactly where. Hoping it was near the back door, far from the engine. The other driver has the front impact so I think there was probably more damage to her engine. She was very nice though. I was in tears right after, it was the first car accident I have ever been in. I assured her I had insurance and she said she would be very easy to deal with and we were both very concerned about the other and how injured we were.
( The saga continues... ).</div>
- Got temporary tags for my car and got an emissions test today. Am returning tomorrow for the license plate and title transfer.
- Got to visit the teachers and kids at Westside on Tuesday. Was happy to see everyone and they were happy to see me. Actually helped out in Mrs. Brewer's classroom for about an hour during Math. They kept telling me that they really wished they could have me back there. Mrs. Brewer and Mrs. Corbin said they would try to come down to Nashville on a Saturday and we could all go to lunch. Looking forward to it.
- Going to the downtown library this weekend and getting my card reinstated. Looking forward to being able to use the Davidson County Library system again. There is so much material between the main branch and the 13 smaller ones that its overwhelming. Always having to make a "shopping list" before I go.
- Might go by the Southern Festival of Books which is happening Fri - Sun this weekend. No authors that really jumped out at me. Interesting how I've already seen many of them in person. I could go see George Singleton for the 3rd time but thinking I'd rather be lazy.
- I still get this terrible knot in my stomach every time I think about having to drive. Hopefully with time it will pass. I haven't been in an accident and I have good control over my vehicle. Just takes time for the confidence to build I guess.
I don't hate McCain. During the 2000 election, when I leaned much more Republican, I liked him because he didn't pander to the Christian fundamentalists. He took what would truly be considered a more moderate stance. But the John McCain running today is no longer the same candidate. The "Straight Talk Express" has been exchanged for the No Talk Express. He has moved from saying in 2000 that he would never overturn Roe v. Wade to saying publicly he would do it and seek to place judges who would support highly conservative views to their rulings. John McCain has exchanged any of his true "maverick" sensibilities for a chance to win this election. His hesitancy to release his medical records, as all candidates are expected to do, brings up a lot of suspicions to his health. This bid for the presidency seems to be one last go for a man who knows he is going to die soon and simply doesn't want to be forgotten. McCain is not an evil figure, he's a pathetic one. His selection of Sarah Palin was in no way his own. She was a running mate that could reassure the Conservative base that their issues weren't going to be forgotten. It was a highly partisan move. There were so many other choices that would have made much more sense and would have strengthened McCain on his weak points. Instead, they picked a VP for shock value and to pander to the base.
There's a lot of talk about who won the debates on Friday. I believe it was Obama, however it was an extremely subtle win. A lot of us, including myself, wanted Obama to obliterate McCain but that's just not the kind of man he is. Instead, he was extremely cordial yet stood firm on the issues. Obama successfully took down this notion that he doesn't have the experience to govern. Yes, McCain has traveled to a lot of places but simply going somewhere doesn't equate understanding the diplomatic subtleties of how to work with the leadership there. McCain seemed to fall back on talking points while Obama was able to speak about the topics in a very natural way. McCain has admitted in his memoirs that he prides himself on making decisions quickly, whether they are the right or wrong ones. I believe that's been the policy of the current administration for the last 8 years and we see where that has gotten us. Obama may not be an expert on every aspect of governing the nation but I see him being much more likely to call in people who are highly educated in each field and listen to what they have to say before making a decision.
A lot of time has been spent talking about Sarah Palin. A lot of this is because no one knows who she is. Joe Biden has been around for a long time so there's not much to vet about him. He has a lot of experience in terms of foreign policy and his bluntness is a character trait I've seen missing in politics as of late. Do I agree with him all the time? No. I find his stance on Net Neutrality extremely uneducated but I think he is a much better second in command than the embarrassingly inept Palin. I find Sarah Palin offensive because of what she shows us in terms of how Conservatives view women. She is supposed to be a pitbull/barracuda/whatever
Despite such blatant flaws in the McCain campaign I still think the election will be close. That's such a sad statement on the American people. We have devalued knowledge and intellect in this country. So many people say they want the president to be "a guy I could have a beer with". Well, I don't. I want the president to be the most empathetic, understanding, tolerant, intelligent, humble person we can put up. There are lot of people who are fun to hang out with but that doesn't make them good presidents. This is a job of the utmost importance and is not to be entered into lightly. It is not a game and you can't suspend it when it gets too hard.
A lot of people will be basing their votes on issues such as gay marriage and abortion and other very emotional domestic issues. They have every right to, but I suggest that these things will not be "fixed" by officials. I have a very liberal stance and believe that one day the gay citizens of this country will have the rights they are fighting for. You can vote against it all you like but it is inevitable. Once people fought to break away from the tyranny of an unjust goverment in the form of the British Empire. And we won. Once people fought so that the abomination of slavery would end. And we won. Once people fought so the women who had given so much to this country and received little in return could have a voice. And we won. Once people fought to end the oppression of minorities in this country, to change the laws and to change some of our hearts. And we won. Right now, there is a similar fight going on. And even when it gets to the point of despair I try to remember that Freedom always wins. It's not the terrorists who want to, or even have the ability to, take away our freedom, it's an ideology that fills the halls of our capitol with a terrible stench. Every time a group has fought for more rights, they have gotten them. It has never been fast, but it is always inevitable.
So that's my piece for now.
