The Criterion Chronicles - The End of Summer

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither...

The Kohayakawa family is under duress in this 1961 film by Japanese master of melodrama, Yasujiro Ozu. The family business, a sake brewery is having a hard time keeping up with larger competitors. This puts more pressure on the two unwed daughters, Akiko and Noriko to find suitors. And the rest of the family is growing more and more concerned with their man-child Father and his recent exploits with an old girlfriend.

I picked this film because of the fitting title for the season. Living in Phoenix, I think I was hoping that maybe by the magic of cinema, watching this film would somehow usher out the triple degrees temperatures this year. I also have been wanting to watch more Ozu films lately. I have only seen a few and they have all been great. This is one of the two most influential filmmakers in Japanese history and for good reason. His stories are typically small family dramas but they never have any trouble making the audience feel the full weight of the turmoil at hand. This film is no different. In fact, it is a shining example of the power of a small story in the hands of a talented and accomplished storyteller. The film handles three major plot lines that each revolve around a different member of the family, each with its own unique tone and conflict and each conflict integral to the fabric of the entire family. It manages to do all of this within the span of about an hour and forty minutes.

This story, like the others I've seen from Ozu, unfolds at its own pace. It never seems to lag or rush through

itself. It shifts from moments of solemn quietness to some scenes of outright silliness. The score is great, especially in some of the goofier moments showing the Father sneaking around town to engage in his affair. Ozu's signature camera work is on display here as well. He typically shoots interiors from a very low angle. This gives his films a look that is unique only to themselves. It also adds to the intimate feel of the relationships on screen.

With multiple layers of story structures going on here, Ozu brilliantly ends the film by pulling all the way out to show what the family looks like from the point of view of the unaffected onlookers. It's here that you realize the true power of Ozu's cinematic touch. He shows us how engrossing and important a story is to those involved, if only by contrasting this with how unimportant it is to those who aren't.

In more recent history, filmmakers like Charlie Kaufman have been showing us how we are all the lead in our own films in a meta-blend of literal and absurdist style. Ozu was doing the same thing many years before using only the poetry of melodrama.

Note: I usually embed a trailer for the film but I can't seem to find one so I decided to post this amazing thing instead

....

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - The Cars That Ate Paris

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither...

The town of Paris, Australia has a secret. Its citizens orchestrate auto accidents for people passing through, then they scavenge the wreckage for its valuables. The film begins with brothers Arthur and George stumbling into the town while towing a caravan and looking for a place to sleep for the night. They are met with the inevitable careening off of a sheer cliff, killing George. Arthur is left to recover in a town that murdered his brother and now has plans to keep him in their extremely weird company.

I'm a big fan of arthouse films from around the world and different eras of filmmaking. I've probably seen

more Kurosawa than Spielberg and frequently champion films that are more ponderous than visceral; more meditative than exploitive. All of this notwithstanding, it is often very easy to underestimate the value of the many cult classics and B roll gems from various regions and times in cinematic history. These films often tell a far more revealing story that relates more specifically to the turmoils and tribulations of the culture in which they were conceived. While auteurs like Renoir, Lang and Haneke have done amazing jobs at exploring artistic concepts and discovering universal truths, it has been the genre makers like Alex Cox, Seijun Suzuki and Roger Vadim that have more accurately portrayed the general attitudes and angst of their surroundings. Larger budgets along with more artistic prestige have afforded some artists the freedom to explore topics that are more relatable to all people and not confined to the limits of space and time. Whereas, films that are restricted by funds and experience will often be required to tell a smaller and more local story. This is one of those films. As the doctor in the film says: "We get far more opportunity to do experimental work in the field of surgery and psychiatry than your city experts. This is where the really exciting work is being done..."

I really enjoyed the crescendo of this film. It begins with a glimpse of bizarre and gradually ascends into a very lovable form of bat-shit craziness that had a lot of fun with. It was filled with some very standout performances by John Meillon as the town's Mayor and Terry Camelliri as Arthur. I specifically liked Meillon s character. The opening of the film paints him a the benevolent protector but as we learn more, we find out he's one of the worst of the lot. Bruce Spence (The Gyro Captain in the Mad Max films) also has small but thoroughly amazing part in this film as the town loony.

This film is not without its faults however. The slow burn effect has an unfortunate side effect that causes the story to lull for the first half so just be patient. The third act more than makes up for it. I would suggest that you check this film out if you're a fan of Australian New Wave or "Ozploitation" flicks in general. This is a pretty good glimpse of what's to come from the country that would later give way to gems like "Long Weekend", the "Mad Max" trilogy and masterpieces such as "Picnic at Hanging Rock" and "Walkabout".

 

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - The Cremator

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

Karel Kopfrkingl works in a Czechoslovakian crematorium in the late 1930's in this 1969 film by lesser known Czech New Wave director, Juraj Herz. He thinks of himself as a pillar in his community and considers his job and the process of cremation to be cleansing of Earthly suffering. He loves quoting the Tibetan book of the dead during funerals. He reconnects with an old friend that he served with in the first World War who convinces him to assert his supposed Germanic heritage and that his half-Jewish wife, Lakme has been hindering his career.

I've seen quite a few films of the Czech New Wave movement and quite a few of them deal with the German occupation during WWII. I will say that these film, including this one are some of the most fascinating you will ever see. The retrospective viewpoint of the artists of an occupied country 20 to 30 years removed is seen with a very unique attitude. It's akin to watching a group of people open up a time-capsule and commenting on its contents. Keep in mind that most of the filmmakers of this time were only babies during the occupations. I think a lot of this movement was fueled by their drive to rebel against their parent's generation that allowed a nation to be taken over by the most evil force in recent history. I would also suggest Ján Kadár's "The Shop on Main Street" and Jirí Menzel's masterpiece "Closely Watched Trains" for a bit more of what I'm talking about. I think the Czech filmmakers were the first to have the courage to add comedy to these stories.

This film is off putting to say the least. This guy is a complete weirdo and the filmmaking supports the

audience's general feeling of unease and discomfort. Karel is obsessed with death and the macabre alike. He likes to groom himself and sometimes his children with the same comb he uses on the corpses awaiting the furnace. His round smug expression permeates the film with a combination of extreme shallow focus and a plethora of fish-eye lens shots. He also seems to be engrossed with his own strange version of antiseptic cleansing. He believes in the cleansing power of his furnace and of death itself and as such makes it a point to cleanse his own house and crematorium. And he manages to do this with the same indifferent smirk throughout. 

This film and specifically the performance of Rudolf Hrusinsky will get under your skin in the best way possible. I highly suggest it but you may want to keep an episode of your favorite sitcom handy to cleanse your palate  afterwards.... unless you prefer nightmares... You've been warned.

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - The Stranger

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

"The Stranger" by Satyajit Ray is about an affluent Calcutta family who is paid an unexpected visit by a man who claims to be a long estranged uncle. He claims to have other business in town and apologizes for the intrusion. Having not seen the man in the past 35 years, the family grows more and more suspicious of his true identity and motive for the visit.

This is only my second film by India's Satyajit Ray. Earlier this year, I watched his 1958 film, "The Music Room" and was completely blown away so I've been looking forward to checking out some more of his work. This film made me even more excited about exploring the rest of his filmography. I really took me by surprise.

There isn't much of a plot. The world-weary stranger shows up, the family is suspicious, he tells them fantastic stories of his many travels, then he leaves. The film essentially is a series of dialog driven set pieces about trust, respect, culture, religion and human relationships. This is the dialog driven type of heartfelt drama like "Certified Copy" or "Before Sunrise" that I have been more apt to fall for over the past few years.

It's fitting that this film turned out to be the swan song from an accomplished auteur. He passed away in the

year following this film's release. It feels as though the titular character of the film knows his time is limited and is attempting to leave us with his last tidbits of knowledge before his final parting. As such, the film itself turns into a smorgasbord of philosophical and thought provoking colloquy.

It's worth noting also that this film looks completely beautiful. Most Indian films have lavish colors palettes and this one is no exception. It also features a great dance sequence at the end.


I'm glad I watched this one and I'm looking forward to finding more from this Satyajit Ray. There are several from me to chose from on Hulu.

 

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - Cria Cuervos

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

Carlos Saura's 1976 film takes place in the Franco's fascist Spain and tells the story of three orphaned girls being raised by their aunt and long time housekeeper. We watch through the eyes of the main character, Ana (Ana Torrent), the middle sister who is fascinated with the macabre, having witnessed both of her parent's deaths. 

The title of this film is an abbreviation of the Spanish proverb,  "Cria cuervos y te sacaran los ojos." which literally translates "Raise ravens and they'll take your eyes out." I think this story is meant to be a metaphor of the self destructive nature of an entire generation 'raised' by a fascist dictatorship and it illustrates the inevitable turning of the tides. The girl's father was a high ranking military official and Ana thinks that she was responsible  for his death. Bear in mind that this film was being made while Francisco Franco was on his deathbed. Director, Carlos Saura, an avid anti-Francoist even joked, "Franco took so long to die, we had time to buy champagne."

I love the way this film toggles between fantasy and reality from the eyes of Ana. She still seems to maintain a relationship with her deceased mother. It's not always clear whether this is from a supernatural medium or from a combination of her imagination and memories. Either way, its clear that she sees more than what meets the eye. This is similar to Ana Torrent's performance in her earlier performance in "The Spirit of the Beehive." I'm pretty sure its that performance that inspired the casting for this film. This film also features a great dual performance from screen legend Geraldine Chaplin as both the mother and Ana as an adult. 

I can't really tell how much of a fan of this film I am or will be. I can tell you that it demands a second viewing. I think I'll have to revisit it some other time. I was very struck by the performances and I've always loved when a film skips the exposition and just takes takes you for the ride. I also really dug the song, "Porque Te Vas" by Jeanette, which is featured prominently a few times in this film.... My suggestion, check it out... it won't hurt and you might like it...

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - Eyes Without A Face

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

George Franju's "Eyes Without A Face" (1960) is about a genius plastic surgeon, Dr. Genessier (Pierre Brasseur) who, with the help of his assistant Louise (Alidia Valli) abducts young pretty girls, cuts off their faces and grafts them onto his cherished daughter's face. His daughter, Christiane (Edith Scob) has been in hiding and is thought dead since the accident that left her disfigured. As the operations fail one after another, Christiane spins deeper and deeper into guilty depression as her Father becomes more and more obsessed with successful procedure.

This is not my first experience with this film but I wanted to rewatch it this week because Criterion has just

announced its Blu-Ray release and new high definition transfer in October of this year. I remember liking this film before but I was completely floored with it this time around. This film does an amazing jobs at lulling you into thinking that it will be handling its more disturbing and gory aspects with kid gloves. This is eventually found out to not be true. Then it blasts you in the face with its practical effects. I was honestly taken aback by how gruesome the visuals were for a film that was made over half a century ago. 

But I feel the gore factor really takes a backseat to the creepy factor in this flick hands down. As well done as the makeup job is in the various women, sans-face shots, the mask that Christiane wears in between operations just wigged me the hell out. There's just something about a slightly off humanistic mask that looks absolutely disturbing. It's the perfect amount of recognizability combined with the complete lack of relatability. Coincidentally, I recently watched an episode of Vsauce, a science based web series, about the creepy phenomenon. Check it out, it's really good...

I was reminded of this picture a couple of years ago when Pedro Almodovar's brilliant film "The Skin I Live In" was released. At the time, I remembered it being somewhat similar but I was surprised at how many

similarities I noticed this time around. The subject matter is close, a brilliant doctor obsessed with his daughter committing unspeakable crimes. There's also the presence of the brick and mortar underground lair that the doctor hides away in after hours. I'm a big fan of post-modern filmmaking and I love to experience the great art that inspires other great art.

It's also worth mentioning the year that this film came out, 1960. This was a pretty great year for ominous and disturbing cinema. Alfred Hitchcock proved that he in fact does not have your best interest in mind in the first thirty minutes of his masterpiece "Psycho" and Michael Powell directed the equally off putting voyeuristic thriller "Peeping Tom" in that year. The movie industry does tend to follow trends and its good to keep in mind that this is not a new thing... and it wasn't a new thing in 1960. This would probably make a great Sunday afternoon triple feature... as long as you didn't plan on getting any sleep that night.

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - Cure

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 1997 film is centered around a wave of murders in Tokyo that baffle the police. The murderers are found dazed and confused but calm with no explanation for a motive to the murders. Detective Takabe and police Psychologist Sakuma team up to connect the dots. A strange young man shows up and appears to be suffering from the some type of amnesia, Takabe suspects he is the key and attempts to make sense of it all through a series of interrogations.

This film felt kind of like Japan's answer to "Se7en" from a couple years prior. It was a psychological thriller

revolving around gruesome deaths at the hands of a complicated killer. It's much more of a slow and meditative thriller than it's American counterparts and with a considerably lower death toll. This is probably all relative considering the lower crime rate of the Eastern metropolis but I think some film fans may find that it drags a bit. I thought it was great.

This film strikes a great balance between pensive and spine-chilling. It's pacing lends itself amazingly to the type of matter-of-fact violence that I love from the films of the Coen brothers. There's a great flow throughout and the shocking moments are truly off-putting. I really appreciate a film that can do this as they are few and far between.

Aside from being a murder mystery crime caper police procedural, this film adds a supernatural twist and a great dramatic sidestory. It is very rare to find all of this in a film that clocks in at less than 2 hours. This is great because I almost always check the running time before I watch a film. I'm not allergic to longer films, I just typically don't have enough time to watch one that's much more than 2 hours and it's great to be able to explore so much ground in such a small amount of time. It feels like a good value.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this film and I think its something that most fans of police procedurals and crime dramas will respond to it. Some will undoubtedly however, find it a bit too slow.

 

Enjoy.

Revisitation Rights - Only the Strong

This will be a semi-ongoing blog series in which I revisit films from my past. These are the flicks that I watched over and over far before I became the film snob I am today. I'm curious whether these films will stand not only the test of time but my own personal scrutiny.Or if the magic of them resides only in my own nostalgia.

Today's secret ingredient is................

MARK DACASCOS!!!!!!!!!

That's right, I rewatched 1993's Mark Dacascos vehicle called "Only the Strong" about a young Green Beret named Louis Stevens that returns home to Miami after a four year long tour in Latin America. He heads back to his old high school to find that it's been taken over by street gangs. Fortunately, Louis has mad Capoeira skills... Capoeira is a Brazilian style of martial arts/dance and its also some sort of a game.... It's most similar American counterparts are known as B-Boying or Stompin' da Yard... only sometimes you kick people in the face... And I think you're supposed to be really really extra sweaty while you do it. I guess it's also very fortunate for Louis that all of the street gangs seem to use this style of dance party to settle all of their disputes as well.... You know, instead of guns and stuff.

So in case you didn't know, Mark Dacascos made a career as actor in many martial arts films before he was known as the crazy eyed host of "Iron Chef" or the twinkle toed beefcake of "Dancing with the Stars." He's worked on many films but this one is one of his very few starring roles. And, as far as I'm aware, this is the only role that he does any Capoeira.

I could probably make fun of this movie and just tell that it was a 'so bad its good' fun fighting flick. The plot is completely ridiculous. It's sort of a lovechild of "Dangerous Minds" and "Gymkata". And just look at
the tagline on the poster... "The strength ultimate power martial rhythm art."... Huh??? Did I mention the sweat... There's a lot of it...

But I digress, I actually really enjoyed it this time around. The stuff that's bad is pretty bad, but there is still quite a bit that you can take away on a positive note. The fighting style is a real joy to watch and this is only film that uses it to my knowledge. It seems like a highly inefficient style that lends itself much more to flair than self defence. But, I guess that would make it the perfect candidate for cinema. I also took special note of the stunt work in this film. This picked up a lot of the pieces where some of the fight choreography lacked. You could feel the weight of the slams and falls the various henchmen

I watched this movie on Netflix Watch Instantly with my 12 year old in "Super HD". He dug it in the same way that I did when I was around his age. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to introduce it to him. This film had a profound influence on my upbringing as a young man... After all, its the reason that I used Eddy Gordo every time I played Tekken Tag Tournament... and I kicked ass at that game...

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - French Cancan

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

French Cancan (1954) is Jean Renoir comedic drama about Nini, a poor laundress that is recruited as a Cancan dancer by Henri Danglard, proprietor of recently bankrupt cafe. Romance and jealousy ensue as Nini dances through life and love eventually finding herself the star of the Moulin Rouge. 

This film was shot using the very beautiful Technicolor process during its heyday, very shortly after it became
possible to strike a color print from a single camera negative. This process combined with the amazing restoration job by The Criterion Collection results in colors that pop right off the screen. This is one of the few color films that I've seen from Renoir and you can tell that he thrived in the medium.  You can tell that this film's lavish style was an inspiration to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 picture "Moulin Rouge!"

The two stars of this film, Jean Gabin (Danglard) and Francoise Arnoul as Nini give the films film's best performances. Their charisma provides the emotional core and the supporting cast gives the audience its comic relief. I especially loved the performance by Philippe Clay as Casimir le Serpentin. He's a tall and lanky all around showman who comes up with witty songs that seem to narrate the antics that transpire throughout the film. Overall, the cast put on great performances in the story as well as the set pieces.

Ultimately, this film actually turned out to be a bit of a disappointment to me. There is nothing specifically wrong with it but if you are comparing it to Renoir's greatest, it doesn't measure up. This is a shame because the first third of the story seems to be treading on his most familiar ground. Renoir has made some amazing stories of the 'haves' and their relationships and codependencies with the 'have nots'. This film begins this way, with essentially a broke art peddler begging for money from the rich and labor and love from the poor. Unfortunately, the film seems to abandon this theme around the halfway mark. It is definitely worth a watch but I would consider "The Lower Depths" and "The Rules of the Game" necessary prerequisites.

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - Eraserhead

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

Eraserhead (1977) is auteur, David Lynch's first feature length film about industrial printer Henry Spencer and his dismal existence. The world around him is loud and filthy, his apartment is tiny and run down, his only entertainment is a singing woman living in his radiator and his girlfriend is completely nuts. To make matters worse, she gives birth to a premature mutant child that cries all night. After all that, the movie start to get a bit weird...

This is not my first experience with this film. I watched it for the first time around ten years ago as a fan of David Lynch's other work. I really didn't like it at the time. For whatever reason, I just couldn't get into the story. But alas, I'm older and more patient now so I thought I should give it another chance. This film is very well respected by many of my peers and the cinematic community in general. Maybe my first viewing of it was skewed by my mood or something I ate. Maybe I just wasn't mature enough to appreciate it as the cinematic masterpiece it is. So, I gave it another shot....

Well Eraserhead, ummmm... have a seat.... can I get you anything?... Maybe a glass of water...? This is never easy... I'll just come out and say it... It's not you, it's me... No, really... There's actually a lot of things I really like about you. The practical effects used are well....... effecting to say the least, the cinematography is stark and at times very beautiful and the characters are very well written and fleshed out. I loved Allen

Joseph's "Mr X" as he is describing the "man made" chickens they are about to eat for dinner... "Little damn things, smaller than my fist.."

As far as I'm concerned, nobody should talk about this film without mentioning what I feel is by far it greatest attribute. Like many of his other films, Lynch does his own sound design. And this film is an amazing example of his genius at work in that particular department. The entirety of the picture is full not only of great sound effects but a constant ambient noise of the pulsating and whirring industrial machinery that absolutely fills the air. It's this attention to detail that I think led to Lynch's ability to achieve masterpiece status just three years later with 1980's "The Elephant Man".

So in summation, this may have not been my first experience with this film, it will be my last. I do admit however, that it is a far better movie than I had previously realized. And on some levels, it could probably be considered a masterpiece in its own right. Unfortunately, after watching it for the second time, I'm simply having too hard of a time not stabbing my eyeballs with my car keys.... Eraserhead, you're gross...

Enjoy.

The Criterion Chronicles - Summer With Monika

This is an ongoing series in which I chronicle the films of the Criterion Collection that I watch. I will include a brief synopsis and my thoughts. I usually watch these films on Hulu Plus' Criterion Channel..... I am currently paid by neither..

Ingmar Bergman' 1953 film tells the story of Harry Lund, an ambitious and responsible 19 year old who falls in love with Monika, the flighty and romantic 17 year old. They quit their jobs and steal away in his father's boat and spend the Summer on an isolated island. When Monika gets pregnant, they decide to go back home and marry. Very quickly, they both begin to realize that the same differences in personalities that attracted them to each other in the first place are now driving them further apart.

During Ingmar Bergman's entire career, he used two cinematographers almost exclusively. Sven Nykvist and Gunnar Fischer. This film was shot beautifully by the ladder. Fischer, who also collaborated with him on "The Magician", "The Seventh Seal" and "Wild Strawberries" has put together some of the best exteriors of Bergman's filmography. The entire second act of this movie takes place outside and he took full advantage of the breathtaking Swedish countryside. I love reflection shots and he uses the still water to bounce light and shadows into the lens in a truly amazing fashion. There are also a lot of scenes that take place during the first and last light of the day. This 'magic hour' combined with slightly abstracted angles gives some great silhouetted images against an overcast backdrop that I've always been very keen on.

This, like most of Ingmar Bergman's work begins with a rather capricious and light hearted tone and ends on

a far more serious note. By its final credits, you feel as though you have experience the equivalent of a cinematic gut-punch. I'm sure he was a fan of Shakespeare's work and because of films like this one, has been referred to the greatest dramatist since the 16th century playwright. I personally consider him among Alfred Hitchcock and Akira Kurosawa as one of the three most influential filmmakers in history. You could easily make the case for him simply by the sheer amount of great work he has done. This film is a great example of his good work... but falls short of being a good example of his great work. If you are so far unfamiliar with his other films, I wouldn't suggest you start with this one... But, get around to it nonetheless....

Enjoy.

Pieta Review

Directed by Ki-duk Kim

Pieta is the newest film by South Korean auteur, Ki-duk Kim about a violent loan shark who is encountered by a woman claiming to be his long estranged mother. She apologizes for abandoning him some thirty years earlier and begs for his forgiveness. This confrontation forces him to reevaluate his life's path and priorities. This film has a wild plot but ultimately is a story of love, forgiveness and revenge, not necessarily in that order.

I've been a big fan of Ki-duk Kim films for a very long time. He is my favorite South Korean director and it is because of films just like this one. His ability to fuse unflinching violence with heart and spirituality makes for some of the best arthouse films of the past two decade. I am a fan of many of his fellow countrymen as well but, while filmmakers like Jee-woon Kim, Chan-wook Park and Joon-ho Bong are  getting enticed by Hollywood, Ki-duk Kim's films have never been accessible enough for mass consumption. His films often take unexpected shifts in plot and tone, many times blurring the lines between spirituality and reality. Among his repertoire is 2003's "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter..... and Spring", which is his only film that has been almost universally acclaimed. Most of his other films have received mixed reviews at best, this one included. I personally would apply the 'masterpiece' tag to several of his other efforts including both of his films from 2004, "Samaritan Girl" and "3-Iron". In forty years or so, when the cinematic community is discussing the Korean New Wave, Ki-duk Kim's name will be at the forefront.


Pieta is Ki-duk's best film since "3-Iron". The acting is amazing especially by Min-soo Jo as Mi-Son, the estranged mother. It's amazing to see such a performance from an actress in her first cinematic role. Her mannerisms flawlessly display the longing mother desperate to do right by her lost son. And her portrayal has been recognized by several festivals. Jeong-jin Lee does a great job as Gang-do, a character who toes the line between violent sociopath and vulnerable man-child.. I haven't seen him in anything previously but after this film, he will likely have a pretty substantial career ahead of him.

This was also a first feature for cinematographer Young-jik Jo and I was completely captivated by his work. I've never seen a film shot this way before. The majority of it was shot handheld with what was probably a very light weight DSLR. As a result, this film feels extremely intimate and the audience is treated (or mistreated) as part of or a party to even the most egregious and horrible acts performed on screen. There is no allowance for breathing room. The camera many times even goes as far as shaking slightly every time a man is struck in the face. We are also often subjected to what might best be described as the floating point-of-view perspective. Sometimes, you get the feeling of the fly on the wall. At other times, the perspective feels much less innocuous, as if you are some sort of spirit or guardian watching the story unfold and guiding its players to inevitability. This is a style that I can only hope the he keeps up because I am very much looking forward to seeing more of it. Its also very encouraging to see established filmmakers that have been in the industry for years using newer techniques and equipment that is closer to consumer grade. This is a great way to usher in the new era of cinema that is far more welcoming to those of us that would love to create art but have no means for the price tag associated shooting a film the old fashion way.

Aside from this being an amazing film, it's very encouraging to see that it is getting the type of attention it deserves. Ki-duk Kim was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, beating out big names like P.T. Anderson, Olivier Assayas, Brian DePalma and Terrence Malick. This will be his first film since 2006's "Time" that has a DVD/Blu-Ray released in a North American regional format. He has made four films since then and only 2008's "Dream" is available (streaming on Netflix).... and that's one of his lesser films. Hopefully, the critical success of this one combined with all of the new methods of distribution will pave the way for his forthcoming film, "Moebius" currently in post-production.

So far, this is my favorite film of the year and if it had come out last year, it probably would have topped my list. It is exactly the type of story I've come to love and expect from this director. It superbly handles many themes that come alive organically from the plot. The characters comment on them not as exposition but as a form of reflexion. The screenplay (written by Ki-duk) may be the unsung hero of this tale. No matter how complex the actions of the character seem, they never feel shoehorned. This is no small accomplishment. But ultimately, the plot merely serves us with the backbone of an underlying truth. Everything has its price. All actions, whether paved by good or evil intentions, will eventually require restitution.

This year is shaping up to be a very good one, especially for Korean filmmakers. Chan-wook Park's film, "Stoker" was also very impressive and Joon-ho Bong's new sci-fi film, "Snowpiercer" is set to be released yet this Summer. I watched Pieta on a VOD platform in HD for about $7. The DVD and Blu-Ray will be out on the 23rd of July from Drafthouse Films. It comes with my full recommendation.

 

Enjoy.

The Cinema of 2012 - The Final Word

First off – a disclaimer: there are still a few big films that I have yet to see this year. I still haven’t finished watching Ben Affleck’s “Argo”. And I haven’t had a chance to see Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” or Katherine Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty” yet. They probably all could have sprinkled somewhere in my list but seeing as how I don’t do top ten list and just seemingly pick a random number of films to talk about, who knows where they would end up and I wouldn’t remove anything that’s on this list… I don’t go to the cinema very often so I’m always a little late to this party but this year I was able to see a lot more of what peaked my interest because of Netflix and other various forms of VOD. So, I came up with 14….. Sounded like a good idea at the time.. Well, here you are. Two weeks after the Oscars and I'm finally posting it... Let's just call this one the final word.

14 - Moonrise Kingdom

Directed by Wes Anderson

This is the most Wes Andersony film that Wes Anderson (or anyone else for that matter) has ever made. It’s so full of the very typical minutia we cinefiles have come to expect and love or hate over the years. Of course, if you’re not a fan of his previous work, my God you will probably despise this film. I don’t think this is his best film, just the one most obviously created by him.

13 – Cosmopolis

Directed by David Cronenberg

I’m not going to pretend I understood all of the themes going on this film. There are times it had me pretty lost. But there is beauty in its complexity and the chords it struck with me peaked my fascination as much as any of Cronenberg’s best films. This one deals with a search for personal identity (big surprise) in an increasingly chaotic world. It also speaks to the very nature of commerce and the principals of anarcho-capitalism in a global market. It reminded me of episode 31 of the 2^nd season of ‘DuckTales’ in which Scrooge McDuck unwittingly destroys the morale of a peaceful village by flooding them with bottle caps that they use a currency…. But then again, most of the films I saw this year remind me of some episode of ‘DuckTales’….

12 - Beasts of the Southern Wild

Directed by Behn Zeitlin

This is a very sweet and touching film about community told from the perspective of an adorable six year old girl name Hushpuppy. Quvenzhane Wallis’ super realistic portrayal blends perfectly with the fantastical elements of her imagination. He tells a relatively simple story about a very interesting portion of the country, one far off the grid in which government workers in helicopter appear to be aliens from another planet. This film is comparable in that sense to 2010’s “Winter’s Bone” and cinefiles should be eagerly awaiting what comes next from both the director and the star.

11 - Cabin in the Woods

Directed by Drew Goddard

This is a great example of deconstructionist horror. I think it’s important to note that this movie is actually deconstructing a very specific type of horror and all of the tropes that it relies on. I've heard a few complaints about how weak this film’s horror story aspect is but I don’t think it would have worked as well if it had been a “good” horror flick. Ultimately, this film doesn't quite work as well as Scott Glosserman’s 2006 film “Behind the Mask” or Eli Craig’s “Tucker & Dale Vs Evil” but it threw its hat into the mix and achieved what it was attempting.

10 - The Master

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

So you want to make a film that seriously conflicts and confuses the Academy?.. It’s simple really. Just make a great movie with amazing performances, fantastic cinematography and score. Write a brilliant screenplay and then use it to poke fun at Scientology. You should get several nominations and zero wins. I’m kidding a little. I saw this film really early and I honestly had no idea that it had anything to do with Scientology while I was watching it. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I heard some stuff coming out that it could be a topic of controversy… I also passionately don’t care one way or the other. I just saw a very well made film about male relationships, self-loath and control. Joaquin Phoenix gave what I thought was hands down the best performance of his career and of the year for that matter. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams were also great.

9 - The Imposter

Directed by Bart Layton

Lying is part of human nature. This is self evident. We come to lie from a host of different paths but they all stem from the same reason. We don’t want the truth… says Captain Obvious. Luckily this film digs into something even deeper than our very natural tendency to tell a lie. It takes a look at our similarly natural need to believe one. This is my favorite documentary this year. I've said before that the types of docs I prefer are just like this one. They tell a very specific story that you would have otherwise been unexposed to and are relatable because of the universal truths they explore.

8 - Holy Motors

Directed by Leos Carax

Leos Carax’ latest film is an episodic storytelling of the past present and undeniable future of cinema. Denis Lavant brilliantly portrays 11 different characters as he travels via limousine through Paris, fulfilling each one of his appointments as a different character. This is one of those films that I really loved but I’m not too sure who I could recommend it to. Not to sound too much like a condescending snob but, if you don’t spend a significant portion of your life watching, discussing and studying cinema, there’s just a lot of stuff in here that you’re not going to get.

7 - The Avengers

Directed by Joss Whedon

I don’t think I had more fun with a film this year. I was really setting myself up for a disappointment with this one too. The origin stories leading up to this one have been a pretty mixed bag so I really wasn't sure what to expect when the big one hit. I feel like I should have just trusted director Joss Whedon to deliver what he always brings, a fun, intelligent action film with an ensemble list of characters. It took a little while to get going but all is forgiven once the action starts to fly. This blu-ray will surely be one that gets plenty of use.

6 - Django Unchained

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Any new film by Quentin Tarantino that is not at the very top of my list is kind of a disappointment to me, especially after 2009’s “Inglourious Basterds”. I really tried to watch this one without those types of expectations but Tarantino’s films simply don’t just exist in a bottle. He has spent the past two decades creating his own cinematic world that each one of his films play a specific roll in. That being said, this is a pretty great addition to that world. It was thoroughly enjoyable and featured a standout performance by Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie. This film is not without its missteps though. I found some of the comedic moments to be a bit ham-fisted and Tarantino should really stop casting himself in rolls. His acting usually leans on the distractingly bad side.

5 - The Raid: Redemption

Directed by Gareth Evans

This is the year I learned what Silat is. It is a form of martial arts practiced in Indonesia and Malaysia.  I've always liked martial arts flicks but I think it would be pretty rare for me to include them in a top ten list. This film starts out fast and never lets up throughout. It’s great to see a director of a fighting film put so much effort not only in the choreography of the fighters but of the camera as well. If you’re on the fence about seeing this one, I would highly suggest you check out Gareth Evans previous film, “Merantau” on Netflix. It features some of the same actors and great stunts and choreography.

4 - Amour

Directed by Michael Haneke

Amour is a great title to Michael Haneke’s latest film. This film is an uneasy, sometimes downright disturbing portrait of a very long lasting love and the grief associated with it. This is not a flick for the weak of heart because the characters involved are not as such. This is also why Haneke was the perfect filmmaker for it. His fans (myself included) have come to expect his unflinching and often punishing technique. He does a great job at showing the true nature of an impatiently patient and imperfectly perfect love.

3 - Lincoln

Directed by Steven Spielberg

I would say that this is Spielberg’s best film since 2005’s “Munich”. It’s a captivating and in depth procedural about one of the most crucial times in our nation’s history. Daniel Day Lewis is amazing and supported by a fantastic cast. And cinematographer Janusz Kaminski uses his incredible control of light, shadows and color to create a beautiful and picturesque portrait of a debate that is still relevant today. I also appreciated that the story’s focus was on the events that took place in Washington and it left out all of the stuff about zombies and vampires.

2 - Compliance

Directed by Craig Zobal

Whether or not a film is based on a true story has almost never informed my opinion one way or the other as to how good of a film it is. This is an exception. If this had been just some story that someone had made up, it would not have been a story worth telling. It’s just too unbelievable… But alas, this actually happened. I actually remember the news story about this and although I can’t attest to how accurate the film is to real events, this thing has actually happened. That fact alone means that it is a story that should be told. I would suggest that you watch this film as though it is a low budget horror and the titular character is the great evil lurking in the dark.

1 - Cloud Atlas

Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer

This film got probably the most mixed review of the year. Rolling Stones added to their worst of 2012 list and Time Magazine named it the worst film of the year. Fortunately for me, my opinion of the film is the only one that matters to me in my own head and I loved this one. This film features six different timelines, all interwoven with multiple impacts on each other and one single strand of truth. Everything that anyone and everyone has ever done or been has an effect on everything that anyone and everyone is and ever will be. No man is an island despite all of our best efforts. I am a little disappointed in the fact that most references that I've heard of this film mention the Wachowski siblings and rarely Tom Tykwer. Fans of Tykwer’s previous work like “Run Lola Run”, “Heaven” and “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” have come to expect greatness from him and I feel his influence delivered a great film…. Whereas, the last great film the Wachowskies have given us was “The Matrix”, 14 years ago.... but I digress. This film is exactly what I want cinema to be. It's big, bold, beautiful and completely audacious.