movies in November
11, 1922-2009
New Movies
Tartuffe (1978) - A filmed version of the Richard Wilbur translation. I later saw this live, obviously with a different cast. Either Molière is funnier in French, or Richard Wilbur is not funny. Or Tartuffe is not a funny play. (Except, the scene with Marianne and Valère - that is funny.)
Hable con ella (2002) - First Almodóvar for me! I liked this movie - the dancing was brilliant. But I don't really have anything to say about it.
Nijinsky (1980) - The dancing was also brilliant in this movie, but, um, it sucked. And was wrong!
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) (Tomorrow May Not Come) - O-o-o-oh. This feels like a movie from the 1930s in a lot of ways, so this makes it both charming and infuriating at the same time. Troubling ideas about love? Check. Witty banter? Check. Love triangle? Check. Now, you know, I am not a huge fan of love triangles. Especially when they are combined with the "you belong to me" school of love. HOWEVER, in this movie, the love triangle really works because everyone involved loves everyone. Usually it's a choice between two equally stupid guys, and here it is a choice between two guys who are really guys, oh man, are they ever. But they are friends, in a friendship that sparked a million gay jokes. (Another way this movie feels like a 1930s screwball comedy.) The end is sad, but also ~*beautiful*~ and Saif Ali Khan is hot subdued enough to counteract SRK's, um, golden retriever acting style. I think they call this the Rover School? It's kind of like Stanislavski . . . Oh, but yeah, Saif Ali Khan: How so beautiful? I've had "Maahi Ve" stuck in my head since I watched it.
The Red Lily (1924) - Uuugh. On the one hand, it's a great example of silent cinematography. On the other, it's dreadfully boring and stupid and offensive. (In a very "oh, the French" way.)
Phantom (1922) - Also boring! Mostly because it never defined its terms. Like, is it a domestic drama? Or a psychological one? I think it was supposed to be about obsession but I have really no idea.
Vier Minuten (2006) (Four Minutes) - Mixed feelings abound! Very blue and green.
Ballerina (2006) - This was a nice documentary about Kirov/Marinsky dancers (one left to join the Bolshoi). I love documentaries about ballet, and this one was very tight. It was nice to hear so much from the dancers, too.
The Boat That Rocked (2009) - Somehow, this movie was slick and sloppy at the same time. I wasn't really interested in any of the characters, even though there were some really good performances. The soundtrack is good, but I wouldn't recommend the movie. I suppose that the shocking lack of Beatles songs is do to rights problems? That's the only way I can explain it.
Old Movies
La Grande Illusion (1938) - Always good. I actually listened to the spoken dialogue this time, rather than just looking.
Om Shanti Om (2007) - Okay, so I figured that it's not fair to make people go through life without experiencing "Dard-e Disco". Plus, I felt like rewatching it. So I showed it to my suitemates, who were suitably impressed and amused! And then I watched it in between paper writing. And then I took it home for Thanksgiving, because it's a fun movie to watch with your family. I watched it with my mother and one of my sisters, because the other one didn't come home till later. Then we were talking about it, and the second sister was like, "Ech, Bollywood." WHAT, I said. You like musicals! "But the music in Bollywood is so joyless, though," she said. OH NO. So I showed her "Dard-e Disco" too. And then she went, "hmm" so I showed her "Dhoom Taana" and then she watched the whole movie. Anyway, I won that round! Because I am right. Hopefully, she will reevaluate Bollywood now. Oh, but I realized that Om Shanti Om is actually even more fun upon rewatching, and also there are many components that you're unlikely to see the first time - but the second time around they enrich the experience a lot. So, that's good news.
New Movies
Tartuffe (1978) - A filmed version of the Richard Wilbur translation. I later saw this live, obviously with a different cast. Either Molière is funnier in French, or Richard Wilbur is not funny. Or Tartuffe is not a funny play. (Except, the scene with Marianne and Valère - that is funny.)
Hable con ella (2002) - First Almodóvar for me! I liked this movie - the dancing was brilliant. But I don't really have anything to say about it.
Nijinsky (1980) - The dancing was also brilliant in this movie, but, um, it sucked. And was wrong!
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) (Tomorrow May Not Come) - O-o-o-oh. This feels like a movie from the 1930s in a lot of ways, so this makes it both charming and infuriating at the same time. Troubling ideas about love? Check. Witty banter? Check. Love triangle? Check. Now, you know, I am not a huge fan of love triangles. Especially when they are combined with the "you belong to me" school of love. HOWEVER, in this movie, the love triangle really works because everyone involved loves everyone. Usually it's a choice between two equally stupid guys, and here it is a choice between two guys who are really guys, oh man, are they ever. But they are friends, in a friendship that sparked a million gay jokes. (Another way this movie feels like a 1930s screwball comedy.) The end is sad, but also ~*beautiful*~ and Saif Ali Khan is hot subdued enough to counteract SRK's, um, golden retriever acting style. I think they call this the Rover School? It's kind of like Stanislavski . . . Oh, but yeah, Saif Ali Khan: How so beautiful? I've had "Maahi Ve" stuck in my head since I watched it.
The Red Lily (1924) - Uuugh. On the one hand, it's a great example of silent cinematography. On the other, it's dreadfully boring and stupid and offensive. (In a very "oh, the French" way.)
Phantom (1922) - Also boring! Mostly because it never defined its terms. Like, is it a domestic drama? Or a psychological one? I think it was supposed to be about obsession but I have really no idea.
Vier Minuten (2006) (Four Minutes) - Mixed feelings abound! Very blue and green.
Ballerina (2006) - This was a nice documentary about Kirov/Marinsky dancers (one left to join the Bolshoi). I love documentaries about ballet, and this one was very tight. It was nice to hear so much from the dancers, too.
The Boat That Rocked (2009) - Somehow, this movie was slick and sloppy at the same time. I wasn't really interested in any of the characters, even though there were some really good performances. The soundtrack is good, but I wouldn't recommend the movie. I suppose that the shocking lack of Beatles songs is do to rights problems? That's the only way I can explain it.
Old Movies
La Grande Illusion (1938) - Always good. I actually listened to the spoken dialogue this time, rather than just looking.
Om Shanti Om (2007) - Okay, so I figured that it's not fair to make people go through life without experiencing "Dard-e Disco". Plus, I felt like rewatching it. So I showed it to my suitemates, who were suitably impressed and amused! And then I watched it in between paper writing. And then I took it home for Thanksgiving, because it's a fun movie to watch with your family. I watched it with my mother and one of my sisters, because the other one didn't come home till later. Then we were talking about it, and the second sister was like, "Ech, Bollywood." WHAT, I said. You like musicals! "But the music in Bollywood is so joyless, though," she said. OH NO. So I showed her "Dard-e Disco" too. And then she went, "hmm" so I showed her "Dhoom Taana" and then she watched the whole movie. Anyway, I won that round! Because I am right. Hopefully, she will reevaluate Bollywood now. Oh, but I realized that Om Shanti Om is actually even more fun upon rewatching, and also there are many components that you're unlikely to see the first time - but the second time around they enrich the experience a lot. So, that's good news.