(no subject)
63) The Saddest Music in the World - As it turns out I had actually watched a movie by Guy Maddin last year without knowing it called The Heart of the World and while that was an amazing short film, this one was entertaining but not great. It was really funny, sometimes touching, but while the style worked really well in the short film, it was overused and often unnecessary in this one. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't floored.
64) Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... Spring - This film had some striking moments, but again not a great film. From what I've seen Ki-duk Kim's films have gotten better chronologically, so I'm very excited to see Hwal (The Bow), his film from this year. I do love the scene in this where the man carves the symbols into the raft. I feel like that is exactly the type of scene that Ki-Duk Kim does perfectly, and it was a perfect scene.
65) Donkey Skin - I've always wanted to see a film that starts off like this and becomes more filmic over the course of it. Start off stagey, booky, a little fake looking and become more and more cinematic over the course of the film. My hopes aside, it was pretty adorable. Jacques Demy definitely has interesting thoughts on the musical, and this was pretty frikkin enjoyable. I love some of the places he takes the film, but I think this could have been amazing and was instead just really good.
66) Kagemusha - I enjoyed this film as well. It's been a pretty middle of the road week so far. Everything is good but not great. I like the story: it's about a Japanese warlord who is killed in battle and a thief who looks exactly like him takes his place to help keep his enemies at bay. Some amazing scenes, but there is a reason that people call this the trial run version of Ran.
67) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - Best film so far this week. It is actually probably the best shot musical I've seen, I love the tracking shots, the moving camera. I think the story and the songs are completely wonderful. My one issue is this, I feel like at least in part the musical is about the moment before a person breaks into song. What leads them to this? Why did these thoughts need to be expressed in song rather than in prose? Because this film is all singing, all music, all the way through, it can't comment on this. While it is an interesting conceit, I feel like the film may have been stronger if people broke into song. It is pretty wonderful as is, but I know that one of my favorite moments in all of cinema is right before Gene Kelly begins his "Singin' in the Rain" dance number, and Les Parapluies de Cherbourg could have had that but did not. I saw The Young Girls of Rochefort a long time ago and did not like it, so I feel like I should rewatch it now.
peace.
64) Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... Spring - This film had some striking moments, but again not a great film. From what I've seen Ki-duk Kim's films have gotten better chronologically, so I'm very excited to see Hwal (The Bow), his film from this year. I do love the scene in this where the man carves the symbols into the raft. I feel like that is exactly the type of scene that Ki-Duk Kim does perfectly, and it was a perfect scene.
65) Donkey Skin - I've always wanted to see a film that starts off like this and becomes more filmic over the course of it. Start off stagey, booky, a little fake looking and become more and more cinematic over the course of the film. My hopes aside, it was pretty adorable. Jacques Demy definitely has interesting thoughts on the musical, and this was pretty frikkin enjoyable. I love some of the places he takes the film, but I think this could have been amazing and was instead just really good.
66) Kagemusha - I enjoyed this film as well. It's been a pretty middle of the road week so far. Everything is good but not great. I like the story: it's about a Japanese warlord who is killed in battle and a thief who looks exactly like him takes his place to help keep his enemies at bay. Some amazing scenes, but there is a reason that people call this the trial run version of Ran.
67) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - Best film so far this week. It is actually probably the best shot musical I've seen, I love the tracking shots, the moving camera. I think the story and the songs are completely wonderful. My one issue is this, I feel like at least in part the musical is about the moment before a person breaks into song. What leads them to this? Why did these thoughts need to be expressed in song rather than in prose? Because this film is all singing, all music, all the way through, it can't comment on this. While it is an interesting conceit, I feel like the film may have been stronger if people broke into song. It is pretty wonderful as is, but I know that one of my favorite moments in all of cinema is right before Gene Kelly begins his "Singin' in the Rain" dance number, and Les Parapluies de Cherbourg could have had that but did not. I saw The Young Girls of Rochefort a long time ago and did not like it, so I feel like I should rewatch it now.
peace.