This and That
Quick posting before I leave on vacation with my mom. I've been attending the New York Film Festival (which is great if you haven't heard of it) and seen 3 great movies so far. It's not like TIFF or even Tribeca as it's lower key. So far, every movie, we've had the director, screenwriter, and usually an actor or more show up for Q & A's afterward which is one of the reasons I like this festival so much.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - French, directed by Julian Scnabel
The Orphanage - Spain's oscar contender for 2008
4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days - Romania's oscar contender for 2008
All of them were fantastic films in their own way so if you get a chance to see them, please do. More thoughts after the cut.
The Diving Bell is the hardest to describe - it's artistically breathtaking, you can really tell Julian is an artist in vision. The topic is hard to deal with, basically about a man who suffers a type of stroke that leaves his mind intact but his muscles frozen, "locked-in" is the term. But it's inspirational and not in a hoky Lifetime channel way. You definitely understand what it would be like to live that way, Schnabel shoots it from the patient's POV and sometimes that makes you just cringe. He doesn't make the guy a hero, just a man who becomes more aware and creates something wonderful when his body fails him. Just a fantastic film by a man who is kooky but a true artist.
Also, this movie really shows how much Julian loves women - the French actresses in it were all great, each in their own right. Matthieu Almaric plays the lead guy and I don't know how he did half of what he does but he's very, very believable.
A note on Julian, he showed up in warm up pants and a flannel plaid shirt. Does that sound like someone? Someone who in fact dated his daughter? Yup! And he too rambles and goes off on Tangents.
The Orphanage was a scary thriller - if you've seen Devil's Backbone by Guillermo del Toro, it's got some of that same feel. It reminded me of several other classic horror movies, including Rosemary's Baby and The Others. People were really jumping in several scenes, lol. What's cool is that you can interpret the movie as a horror movie or more as a melodrama - the very cute young director explained this was his intent. Also cool on this film was that everyone in production was a novice - first time director, first time screenwriter, first time music score, etc. I hear that New Line is going to remake this in English so I have mixed feelings on that front but we'll see.
4 Months, etc. - is a very realistic harsh movie which takes place about 20 years ago in Romania. It's about 2 college roomates, one of whom needs an abortion which was illegal then. It's very intimate and intense. The main actress is incredible, no big over-the-top angsty scenes like a Hollywood actress would do (hey Oscar!), but just able to express such confusion and pain, frustration, worry, loneliness, in the sadness of her eyes, the tightness of her brow, etc. The movie really stays with you.
All for now, Spanish classes are back in gear, I have the same professor as last spring so yea! He is such a cutie. Also, if you haven't seen Eastern Promises - please GO! It's worth it.
Buenos Tardes!
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - French, directed by Julian Scnabel
The Orphanage - Spain's oscar contender for 2008
4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days - Romania's oscar contender for 2008
All of them were fantastic films in their own way so if you get a chance to see them, please do. More thoughts after the cut.
The Diving Bell is the hardest to describe - it's artistically breathtaking, you can really tell Julian is an artist in vision. The topic is hard to deal with, basically about a man who suffers a type of stroke that leaves his mind intact but his muscles frozen, "locked-in" is the term. But it's inspirational and not in a hoky Lifetime channel way. You definitely understand what it would be like to live that way, Schnabel shoots it from the patient's POV and sometimes that makes you just cringe. He doesn't make the guy a hero, just a man who becomes more aware and creates something wonderful when his body fails him. Just a fantastic film by a man who is kooky but a true artist.
Also, this movie really shows how much Julian loves women - the French actresses in it were all great, each in their own right. Matthieu Almaric plays the lead guy and I don't know how he did half of what he does but he's very, very believable.
A note on Julian, he showed up in warm up pants and a flannel plaid shirt. Does that sound like someone? Someone who in fact dated his daughter? Yup! And he too rambles and goes off on Tangents.
The Orphanage was a scary thriller - if you've seen Devil's Backbone by Guillermo del Toro, it's got some of that same feel. It reminded me of several other classic horror movies, including Rosemary's Baby and The Others. People were really jumping in several scenes, lol. What's cool is that you can interpret the movie as a horror movie or more as a melodrama - the very cute young director explained this was his intent. Also cool on this film was that everyone in production was a novice - first time director, first time screenwriter, first time music score, etc. I hear that New Line is going to remake this in English so I have mixed feelings on that front but we'll see.
4 Months, etc. - is a very realistic harsh movie which takes place about 20 years ago in Romania. It's about 2 college roomates, one of whom needs an abortion which was illegal then. It's very intimate and intense. The main actress is incredible, no big over-the-top angsty scenes like a Hollywood actress would do (hey Oscar!), but just able to express such confusion and pain, frustration, worry, loneliness, in the sadness of her eyes, the tightness of her brow, etc. The movie really stays with you.
All for now, Spanish classes are back in gear, I have the same professor as last spring so yea! He is such a cutie. Also, if you haven't seen Eastern Promises - please GO! It's worth it.
Buenos Tardes!