2009 Films CXII-CXV
CXII: Der Amerikanische Freund (The American Friend, Wim Wenders, 1977)
Rewatch for the first time in twenty years - a loose adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's Ripley's Game, with Dennis Hopper as Ripley (believe it or not). Ripley takes offense at framer Jonathan Zimmerman's refusal to shake his hand, and suggests his name as an innocent assassin and patsy. Zimmerman is conned into believing he is dying and agrees to do the job - whilst Ripley has second thoughts. This is a grim Germany, with a run down New York, although there is a strange beauty in the maze like streets and grey blocks. I recall Wenders in one film as a hit man, slowly breaking more limbs and being put into casrs, but either this is not it, I am thinking of someone else or I fell asleep.
CXIII: Where the Wild Things Are (Spike Jonze, 2009)
I really wanted to like this, but something didn't work; perhaps the wild things themselves, a mix of suits and CGI I assume, are too kinetic, perhaps the motives are too opaque. Or perhaps the decision to substitute a real journey for a dream, whilst understandable, doesn't work. Or it turning into a story about turning into a patriarch.
CXIV: A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2009)
A more opaque film than normal from the brothers who write, edit, direct and produce with none of their usual cast, although their usual crew of composer, photographer and sound engineer. The explanation is proffered by an historical prologue, of a couple who are damned by their encounter with a dybbuk, or demonic spirit in the form (this time) of a rabbi. Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a college professor, whose brother is crashing on his sofa, wife wants a divorce, son is heading for a bar mitzvah, and he himself faces upheaval on his way to tenure. Don't look for closure seems to be the message, as a pulled-rug ending leaves more questions than are answered. But hugely recommended, and interesting to see the Coens embrace Jewish culture more than usual.
CXV: Humpday (Lynne Shelton, 2009)
Mumblecore bromance which risks being a prick tease, with him off Blair Witch. Ben (Mark Duplass) is happily married to Anne (Alycia Delmore) when old university pal Andrew (Josh Leonard) crashes on them. This begins a debate as to who is more stuck in their ways and who is the bohemian, and results in Ben and Andrew deciding to make a porn as heterosexual friends having sex together. On the one hand, this film is very much of the moment - the subtext once readable into buddy movies is no longer the elephant in the room, and male friends can do everything together except have sex. On the other hand, these male friends can do everything together except have sex. For all the not being a big deal, it is a big deal. It's not even the male equivalent of lesbian chic - however metrosexual the participants (in this case, not very). About a third of the way into the film, Andrew is in bed with two women and is stopped right in his tracks by things that would hardly be out of place in straight porn. For all the finding himself in Mexico, he is as rigid as ever. Perhaps that is the point - if this is a bromantic When Harry Met (S)Ally, sex clearly does get in the way of friendship. Ben is given a touching confession, but one man crush in thirty years is no big deal either. For all the apparent crossing of sexual boundaries, the pigeonholes remain as fixed as ever, (even? because? despite being?) directed by a woman. And I don't think the presumably improvised dialogue is sharp enough to be compensation. There are moments, just not enough.
Off to see Avatar 3D.
Totals: 115 - [Cinema: 35; DVD: 70; Television: 10]
Rewatch for the first time in twenty years - a loose adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's Ripley's Game, with Dennis Hopper as Ripley (believe it or not). Ripley takes offense at framer Jonathan Zimmerman's refusal to shake his hand, and suggests his name as an innocent assassin and patsy. Zimmerman is conned into believing he is dying and agrees to do the job - whilst Ripley has second thoughts. This is a grim Germany, with a run down New York, although there is a strange beauty in the maze like streets and grey blocks. I recall Wenders in one film as a hit man, slowly breaking more limbs and being put into casrs, but either this is not it, I am thinking of someone else or I fell asleep.
CXIII: Where the Wild Things Are (Spike Jonze, 2009)
I really wanted to like this, but something didn't work; perhaps the wild things themselves, a mix of suits and CGI I assume, are too kinetic, perhaps the motives are too opaque. Or perhaps the decision to substitute a real journey for a dream, whilst understandable, doesn't work. Or it turning into a story about turning into a patriarch.
CXIV: A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2009)
A more opaque film than normal from the brothers who write, edit, direct and produce with none of their usual cast, although their usual crew of composer, photographer and sound engineer. The explanation is proffered by an historical prologue, of a couple who are damned by their encounter with a dybbuk, or demonic spirit in the form (this time) of a rabbi. Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a college professor, whose brother is crashing on his sofa, wife wants a divorce, son is heading for a bar mitzvah, and he himself faces upheaval on his way to tenure. Don't look for closure seems to be the message, as a pulled-rug ending leaves more questions than are answered. But hugely recommended, and interesting to see the Coens embrace Jewish culture more than usual.
CXV: Humpday (Lynne Shelton, 2009)
Mumblecore bromance which risks being a prick tease, with him off Blair Witch. Ben (Mark Duplass) is happily married to Anne (Alycia Delmore) when old university pal Andrew (Josh Leonard) crashes on them. This begins a debate as to who is more stuck in their ways and who is the bohemian, and results in Ben and Andrew deciding to make a porn as heterosexual friends having sex together. On the one hand, this film is very much of the moment - the subtext once readable into buddy movies is no longer the elephant in the room, and male friends can do everything together except have sex. On the other hand, these male friends can do everything together except have sex. For all the not being a big deal, it is a big deal. It's not even the male equivalent of lesbian chic - however metrosexual the participants (in this case, not very). About a third of the way into the film, Andrew is in bed with two women and is stopped right in his tracks by things that would hardly be out of place in straight porn. For all the finding himself in Mexico, he is as rigid as ever. Perhaps that is the point - if this is a bromantic When Harry Met (S)Ally, sex clearly does get in the way of friendship. Ben is given a touching confession, but one man crush in thirty years is no big deal either. For all the apparent crossing of sexual boundaries, the pigeonholes remain as fixed as ever, (even? because? despite being?) directed by a woman. And I don't think the presumably improvised dialogue is sharp enough to be compensation. There are moments, just not enough.
Off to see Avatar 3D.
Totals: 115 - [Cinema: 35; DVD: 70; Television: 10]