The Best Movies of My Life, Part Whatever
For those who don't remember (and hey, why wouldn't you?), I've been trying to watch the three best movies from every year I've been alive (plus one for my the last few months of my birth year, making an even 100), as determined by the compiled list posted at They Shoot Pictures, Don't They. I posted my thoughts on the first few movies, but then I stopped. I'm going to try posting again.
Actually, I'm keeping notes for myself in a simple text file, and I'm just going to paste them here, so they aren't going to be carefully edited and there might be spoilers. I'm going to try not to post anything that you wouldn't see from watching the trailer (or maybe the Oscars), and I'll try to be more careful about recent films.
Part of why I'm doing this whole project is so I'll have interesting things to say after I see a movie. In the past, as I left the theater, I wouldn't have anything more significant to say than "Eh, I liked it." Unfortunately, what I really need is a back-and-forth conversation, and I'm not really sure I can do that on livejournal. We'll see.
Oh, and I'll put this all behind cuts so you can skip if you want.
January 19
United 93
****
I was really hesitant to see this one (I was working on 9/11 and didn't actually see a television until late in the afternoon), but it was about as well made as a film based on these events could be, considering that it had to be utterly faithful to the events as they are known, but also that there were gaps to be filled in. The decision to cast unknowns (and many of the participants from the day) worked for me, since it led to some very natural, unpolished dialog. (Unfortunately, Christian Clemenson's later fame on Boston Legal was distracting, once I recognized him.)
January 28
Crash
**1/2
Disappointing. The intersection of car crashes and sexuality is not so outre or fascinating to carry a whole movie. Once you accept the premise, the film doesn't go anywhere and doesn't seem to have anything else to say. There's nothing unpredictable here, and barely any character development.
January 30
A History of Violence
****
This a much better film from Cronenberg, with outstanding performances all around, especially from William Hurt (although, admittedly, the everything I know about Philadelphia accents I learned from Philly Boy Roy from The Best Show on WFMU). This movie actually seems to have something to say about our strong ambivalence about violence, both repulsion and attraction. Cronenberg maybe cheats a little by making the violence unrealistically sexy, but doesn't flinch from the aftermath. Similar cheats in making the small town too idyllic and the family relationship at the beginning too perfect hold it back from being a 5-star film.
Actually, I'm keeping notes for myself in a simple text file, and I'm just going to paste them here, so they aren't going to be carefully edited and there might be spoilers. I'm going to try not to post anything that you wouldn't see from watching the trailer (or maybe the Oscars), and I'll try to be more careful about recent films.
Part of why I'm doing this whole project is so I'll have interesting things to say after I see a movie. In the past, as I left the theater, I wouldn't have anything more significant to say than "Eh, I liked it." Unfortunately, what I really need is a back-and-forth conversation, and I'm not really sure I can do that on livejournal. We'll see.
Oh, and I'll put this all behind cuts so you can skip if you want.
January 19
United 93
****
I was really hesitant to see this one (I was working on 9/11 and didn't actually see a television until late in the afternoon), but it was about as well made as a film based on these events could be, considering that it had to be utterly faithful to the events as they are known, but also that there were gaps to be filled in. The decision to cast unknowns (and many of the participants from the day) worked for me, since it led to some very natural, unpolished dialog. (Unfortunately, Christian Clemenson's later fame on Boston Legal was distracting, once I recognized him.)
January 28
Crash
**1/2
Disappointing. The intersection of car crashes and sexuality is not so outre or fascinating to carry a whole movie. Once you accept the premise, the film doesn't go anywhere and doesn't seem to have anything else to say. There's nothing unpredictable here, and barely any character development.
January 30
A History of Violence
****
This a much better film from Cronenberg, with outstanding performances all around, especially from William Hurt (although, admittedly, the everything I know about Philadelphia accents I learned from Philly Boy Roy from The Best Show on WFMU). This movie actually seems to have something to say about our strong ambivalence about violence, both repulsion and attraction. Cronenberg maybe cheats a little by making the violence unrealistically sexy, but doesn't flinch from the aftermath. Similar cheats in making the small town too idyllic and the family relationship at the beginning too perfect hold it back from being a 5-star film.