I basically got called a misogynist tonight
but rather then spend this entry explaining why one would have a better chance arguing that Rear Window is misanthropic rather than specifically woman-hating, I'll write about the movies I'm genuinely interested in seeing in 2005.
my roommate, Dan, was reading the recent Entertainment Weekly "2005 in film" preview article, and his response --not to say it wasn't appropriate given what he was just reading-- bummed me out. he said, and I might quote inaccurately, that the film year of 2005 would suck. now, given the magnificence of the theatrical calendar of 2004 (don't get me started), I could understand a little disappointment when considering the prospects of the new year, but I still think there's a good deal to look forward to.
2046, the new film directed by Wong Kar-Wai (and I'd love it if someone could tell me how he's a misogynist, I'm serious) should finally get a release in the US. I've been waiting for a few years, and I even travelled to Toronto on the off-chance that it would play at their festival --as films tend to after they premiere at Cannes-- but WKW decided that his film needed more post-production work before being screened to more public, so it didn't show. I'm guessing, like In The Mood For Love, that this will recieve a February, or so, domestic release. I intend to watch it multiple times opening day, no matter the ferocity of the demonstrations protesting his latest woman-hating release (I kid, as anyone familiar with his canon would completely [assuming they've also been called a lady-hater for listing him as their fave director] understand).
also of WKW interest is news that he's already in pre-production stages on his next movie, The Lady From Shanghai (not a remake of the Orson Welles film) starring Nicole Kidman. he's saying in press reports that he wants this to be a quickie, much like Chungking Express, but seeing as how he saw 2046 as a potential quickie itself (and it ended up spending five years in various states of pre, production, and post stages) I can't help but wonder if we have a similarly long wait on our hands. one reason to be optimistic, though, being that Nicole Kidman, a very busy actress with little free time in her schedule, should provide WKW very little time to dick around, as seems to be his wont.
other films of interest (I apologize if I go off on heavy Kar-Wai tangents, but he's my absolute fave and I tend to get geeky just thinking about him) are: Hal Hartley's new one premiering at Sundance either right now or in the next couple of days (The Girl From Monday), as well as the hope that the new films from Joe (Tropical Malady), Francois Ozon (5x2), Kim Ki-duk (3-Iron), Claire Denis (L'Intrus), Hsiao-Hsien Hou (Cafe Lumiere), and Alain Resnais (Not On The Lips) will recieve US distribution, and the prospect of new movies from Spike Jonze and Jim Jarmusch getting majorly put out in the year to come, not to mention the stuff coming completely out of nowhere, Shane Carruth and Lucas Belvaux type shit. baring all of these chances of cinematic brilliance we'll have to witness in the new year, I can't see this being too much of a down year, at least conceding that last year's boon was a tiny bit of an aberration. I'd expect a return to 2001-2003 levels of goodness.
*worth noting: I'm drunk, and am probably forgetting other movies I have an interest in. needless to say, good stuff on the horizon.
on other note: I can't even handle "Follow The Leader" by Eric B and Rakim right now, I seriously need to change my underpants listening to this song. how do I not own one of their albums?
but most importantly: if I post a picture of Jeanne Balibar for no other reason than I think she's hot, am I part of the solution, or the problem (I submit this to the one, or maybe two, female(s) reading this)?
my roommate, Dan, was reading the recent Entertainment Weekly "2005 in film" preview article, and his response --not to say it wasn't appropriate given what he was just reading-- bummed me out. he said, and I might quote inaccurately, that the film year of 2005 would suck. now, given the magnificence of the theatrical calendar of 2004 (don't get me started), I could understand a little disappointment when considering the prospects of the new year, but I still think there's a good deal to look forward to.
2046, the new film directed by Wong Kar-Wai (and I'd love it if someone could tell me how he's a misogynist, I'm serious) should finally get a release in the US. I've been waiting for a few years, and I even travelled to Toronto on the off-chance that it would play at their festival --as films tend to after they premiere at Cannes-- but WKW decided that his film needed more post-production work before being screened to more public, so it didn't show. I'm guessing, like In The Mood For Love, that this will recieve a February, or so, domestic release. I intend to watch it multiple times opening day, no matter the ferocity of the demonstrations protesting his latest woman-hating release (I kid, as anyone familiar with his canon would completely [assuming they've also been called a lady-hater for listing him as their fave director] understand).
also of WKW interest is news that he's already in pre-production stages on his next movie, The Lady From Shanghai (not a remake of the Orson Welles film) starring Nicole Kidman. he's saying in press reports that he wants this to be a quickie, much like Chungking Express, but seeing as how he saw 2046 as a potential quickie itself (and it ended up spending five years in various states of pre, production, and post stages) I can't help but wonder if we have a similarly long wait on our hands. one reason to be optimistic, though, being that Nicole Kidman, a very busy actress with little free time in her schedule, should provide WKW very little time to dick around, as seems to be his wont.
other films of interest (I apologize if I go off on heavy Kar-Wai tangents, but he's my absolute fave and I tend to get geeky just thinking about him) are: Hal Hartley's new one premiering at Sundance either right now or in the next couple of days (The Girl From Monday), as well as the hope that the new films from Joe (Tropical Malady), Francois Ozon (5x2), Kim Ki-duk (3-Iron), Claire Denis (L'Intrus), Hsiao-Hsien Hou (Cafe Lumiere), and Alain Resnais (Not On The Lips) will recieve US distribution, and the prospect of new movies from Spike Jonze and Jim Jarmusch getting majorly put out in the year to come, not to mention the stuff coming completely out of nowhere, Shane Carruth and Lucas Belvaux type shit. baring all of these chances of cinematic brilliance we'll have to witness in the new year, I can't see this being too much of a down year, at least conceding that last year's boon was a tiny bit of an aberration. I'd expect a return to 2001-2003 levels of goodness.
*worth noting: I'm drunk, and am probably forgetting other movies I have an interest in. needless to say, good stuff on the horizon.
on other note: I can't even handle "Follow The Leader" by Eric B and Rakim right now, I seriously need to change my underpants listening to this song. how do I not own one of their albums?
but most importantly: if I post a picture of Jeanne Balibar for no other reason than I think she's hot, am I part of the solution, or the problem (I submit this to the one, or maybe two, female(s) reading this)?