Todd Douglas Miller Apollo 11 2019
Beautiful archival photography here but as a film it really doesn't have that impact that Al Reinert offers with his For All Mankind from 1989 which features music from Brian Eno's Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks.
Tom Harper Wild Rose 2018
Michael Tyburski The Sound of Silence 2019
Interesting idea, Peter Sarsgaard as a gentleman that tunes houses and documents the effects of sound in different parts of New York City.
Pedro Almodóvar Pain and Glory 2019
Superb film with some stunning performances by Antonio Banderas and Asier Etxeandia.
Jia Zhangke A Touch of Sin 2013
Slowly going through the work of Jia Zhangke. Damn good film.
1.1.2020
Hirokazu Kore-eda Nobody Knows 2004
Also slowly going through the work of Kore-eda. Solid and emotionally intense film.
Bong Joon-ho The Host 2006
(rewatch)
Watching and rewatching works by Bong Joon-ho, some I liked at the time, some I was not sure about. The Host not as solid as Parasite or Memories of Murder, but pretty damn good. Still have to see his Barking Dogs Never Bite.
Park Chan-wook Oldboy 2003
(rewatch)
A film that I have had mixed feelings on over the years. Regardless of its shortcomings, it is a beautifully put together film with some sequences that are just stunning to the eyes and ears, especially when our hero is engaging in violence.
Susan Seidelman Desperately Seeking Susan 1985
(rewatch)
Hard to get into a film with Madonna, but this film has some solid moments, and it was great to see NYC in 1985. Many heavy actors (and non-actors) show up like Laurie Metcalf, Will Patton, Steven Wright, Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro, Victor Argo, Richard Hell, Rockets Redglare, and Anna Levine.
1.6.2020
Mike Nichols Charlie Wilson’s War 2007
(rewatch)
A great film worth many revisits.
Claire Denis Let the Sunshine In (Un beau soleil intérieur) 2017
1.7.2020
Todd Phillips Joker 2019
Was expecting to hate this film but it was what an old music teacher of mine use to say; "not without interest". A very good performance by Mr. Phoenix, but the story was a little soft and the photography frankly too slick for me. The comedy bits reminded me of Marty's great performance work in The Big Lebowski (I’d Love It If You Came Over And Gave Me Notes). Great score of course by Hildur Guðnadóttir. Not a film I would probably watch again but it had its moments. I really loved David Harbour's Oscar the Grouch on SNL, would almost rather see that film.
1.8.2020
Lee Chang-dong Burning 2018
(rewatch)
Can watch this over and over, gets better every viewing. Such a perfect ending with a killing that resembles love-making.
Lynne Ramsay You Were Never Really Here 2017
(rewatch)
One of the best films from 2017, third or fourth viewing. Another film that really starts to come to life after multiple viewings, like a wine that needs a bit of time to breath, there are many moments that wait to reveal themselves to the patient viewer.
1.10.2020
Ryūsuke Hamaguchi Asako I & II 2018
Tsai Ming-liang Rebels of the Neon God 1992
(rewatch)
Was really into Tsai Ming-liang back in the 1990s but had not seen his films much lately, and plan on going through most of them this year. Good stuff, very strange. Beautifully shot by Pen-Jung Liao.
1.11.2020
Ari Aster Midsommar 2019
(rewatch)
I liked parts of this film the first viewing and disliked much of the second half. This second viewing I was a bit more into it but still like Hereditary more. Great camera and sound work, and beautiful set design, quite a lovely film to experience. Still not totally sold on it but a decent film.
1.12.2020
David Lynch Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces 2014
Paul Haggis The Next Three Days 2010
(rewatch)
Heitor Dhalia Gone 2012
1.13.2020
Ridley Scott Alien 1979
(rewatch)
The 1979 theatrical release.
1.14.2020
Shintarō Katsu Zatoichi 1989
Intense fighting sequences and some really stunning low light photography.
Jérémy Clapin I Lost My Body 2019
Stanley Kubrick Eyes Wide Shut 1999
(rewatch)
Rewatched Kubrick's last film as I was wondering why it has become such an essential film for contemporary film enthusiasts. Being a huge lover of Kubrick's films I saw it when it was released but truly hated it. A second viewing a few years later with the same results. Third time now and I still don't see too many outstanding qualities. Thinking about the reasons for this lack of feeling it is mostly a reaction to the lackluster performances by Kidman and Cruise. I normally love Kidman's work but here it really feels insincere and Cruise is even worse except when he is silent and more like a Bressonian model. Sidney Pollack shows up and adds quite a bit, and Cruise gets better as the film progresses, but the soap opera screenplay Kidman struggles with hurts the ears, and the inconsistent lighting and cinematography often times gives the film a B movie feel. The color blue keeps appearing and its artificiality is jarring and for this viewer meaningless (does it refer to blues qualities of depth, stability, trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, heaven, producing a calming effect?). Have not read the book Traumnovelle (Dream Story) but the story reminded me very slightly of Arturo Pérez-Reverte's The Club Dumas except chronicling here a horny yuppie instead of a sleazy bookseller. The film gets cooking when Cruise visits a prostitute, then his friend playing at a basement bar, then Mr. Milich's costume shop, and finally the Bohemian Grove inspired orgy. The restrictions on what Kubrick could show give the film a great abstract quality, instead of seeing the sex full on, the camera glides through the spaces with obstacles slightly obfuscating the perversions. The character of New York City, at times raw, and other times looking like a set, is very appealing in this film and the Bohemian Grove circle of hell is quite wonderful and not unlike Passolini's Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom environment. Music by Jocelyn Pook gives the film an eerie feel throughout, very Kubrickian like it came directly out of his mind. Really the film is not so bad if you minus the scenes with Kidman and Cruise discussing infidelities, but still not a great one in the master's œuvre.
1.15.2020
Jean-Marc Lamoure Tarr Béla: I Used to Be a Filmmaker 2014
Behind the scenes of The Turin Horse.
Michael Crichton Westworld 1973
Grew up as a pre-teen watching Michael Crichton's 1981 film Looker over and over on cable. That film was truly transformative for a kid to see and offered a counter culture world view. In addition, there were films like Cherry 2000, They Live, Terminator, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The Hidden, and the television show V. A little later for me I saw Repo Man. Westworld would have fit in good, but somehow never saw it, one of the many holes for a kid growing up watching only cable. Compared to Looker, this film is a bit messy and could have used some serious editing or a more thoughtful approach to the total structure of the film. Surely worth watching and better than the HBO show.
Abel Ferrara King of New York 1990
(rewatch)
Really enjoyed the recent Rewatchables podcast featuring Quentin Tarantino on one of his favorite films; King of New York. Perfect film.
David Cronenberg The Dead Zone 1983
As a kid I remember seeing the end of this film often on the television, but somehow never saw it fully through. Stunning film, with wonderful music by Michael Kamen (not unlike Howard Shore). Christopher Walken offers a perfect performance, and the only thing a little strange is how the film awkwardly combines multiple stories in a way that draws attention to the off-beat structure. Somehow this gives the film an uncomfortable quality which works well.
Riley Stearns The Art of Self-Defense 2019
Brett Haley Hearts Beat Loud 2018
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