Week 39 in film

Nostalghia (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1983)
Tarkovsky fascinates me. I like all of his films (some are all-time favorites) and I like re-watching his films. Nostalghia is perhaps his slowest and most challenging film. A second viewing made me appreciate this film more than the first time and I can imagine this film can grow on me. Situated in Bologna, Italy we follow a poet who has beautiful nostalgic visions and is fascinated by a guy who allegedly locked up his family for seven years. Tarkovsky was banished from Russia when this was filmed and this film is clearly autobiographical. Lots of depth, symbolism (the candle scene) and filled with visual hints. I might take notes and screenshots during a third viewing, that's the kind of film this is and how it fascinates me. For now:  9/10


Sweet and Lowdown (Woody Allen, 1999)
A documentary style film about the fictional jazz guitarist Emmett Ray (the second best guitar player in the world after Django Rheinhardt). Allen creates a believable world and Sean Penn portrays a character of which I would believe he really existed. These notions are not enough to make this a good film, the story is very Allen-like, focuses on Ray's love life, something that has been executed by the director much better many times. The fact that he is a great guitarist doesn't add much except for a good soundtrack. Dull-ish. 5/10

California Split (Robert Altman, 1974)
Robert Altman en Elliot Gould in the seventies, a wonder formula. This time Gould is a gambler who together with his friend slowly becomes more and more addicted. Portrayal of an addiction Altman style, a lot of noise, odd side-characters, no clear plotlines. I would say messy if it wasn't so interesting and well acted. I believe Altman knew exactly what he was doing. Not his best from this era, but with such a high standard this is still a good film. 7.5/10

The Man Who Fell to Earth (Nicolas Roeg, 1976)
David Bowie as an alien, perfect cast I would say and it works. Unfortunately this film lacks something which you might call a 'plot drive', not uncommon in some of the cinema of the seventies if you ask me. It made me experience this film as messy and unfocused. Just the peculiar Bowie and some good looking imagery is not enough to keep you up for almost two and a half hours.  4/10


Onder Ons (Marco van Geffen, 2011)
Dark dutch film about a Polish au pair and the circumstances in her environment. I like the narrative choice, a choice which asks for a creative twist or surprise. I won't spoil, but this notion has something to do why this movie doesn't convince me fully. 6.5/10

42nd Street (Lloyd Bacon, 1933)
The great Busby Berkeley. I am not a fan of musicals, but this is simply a lot of fun. The plot is like so many and most viewers will be waiting for the eye candy in the final act, which delivers. Not as good as Gold Diggers of 1933. 7/10

The Devils (Ken Russell, 1971)
Hailed as a masterpiece by many, at least according to some of the reviews I am reading over the internet. I can see the historical value, the controversy and why this is interesting. For me it wasn't so special, merely because I didn't like how the story is told and its visual style. I didn't experience much depth or character development (only the protagonist maybe) resulting in a partly tedious experience. 6.5/10

Week 38 in film

Seconds (John Frankenheimer, 1966)
Yes, I was 'hoping' for a positive surprise, how unlogical this may sound. Concept of starting a new life with a new identity is not necessarily brilliant, even though original in 1966, but combined with the style of this film makes it more than worthwhile. Some great distorted imagery of which I only wished more and more. The last act is simply brilliant in more than one aspect and the overall message of this film is a fundamental one, I believe. I would spoil by explaining why. See for yourself :-).  8.5/10



Zusje (Robert Jan Westdijk, 1995)
Dutch film that only shows footage shot with a handicam by the protagonist. The choice for this form makes the 'reliable narrator'-angle interesting. At some points it does feel as a bit of a gimmick and the film doesn't manage to hold its suspense the whole time. I would recommend this if you like a somewhat more original narration, I am not saying all the cinematic elements are good though. 6.5/10

This is the End (Seth Rogen, 2013)
Kevin Smith-like friends-have-a-lot-of-fun-production. Tries to be both comedy and horror, and fails in at least one of the two. Some interesting issues are adressed (male friendship) but nevertheless I didn't really like this film. Why? It wasn't that funny, most of the jokes (sperm, penis, gay) felt forced and were hardly jokes. I did like the Michael Cera joke, and the Moneyball joke...that's about it. I will recommend this film if you like(d) the Backstreet Boys.  5/10

Saw (James Wan, 2004)
I remember being really impressed by this film the first time. Once you know the story (and twists etc), what remains is a very moderate film. I don't know why but I remembered this film to be much more suspenseful than it actually is. The whole time element, kidnapping of families etc is not very well executed, neither are the acting performances. Just because some parts are explicit or shocking doesn't necessarily make them good. 5/10

Week 37 in film

Fireworks (Takeshi Kitano, 1997)
My first encounter with Kitano leaves me with some mixed feelings. This film is supposedly his masterpiece and I can see why some hail it as such. It has some stylized, concentrated violence versus a beautiful peaceful pace. Has it moments, but unfortunately didn't really affect me emotionally.  7/10



Wolfsbergen (Nanouk Leopold, 2007)
Dutch arthouse. Slow, static and in this case very intense. Portrays members of a family that is, to say the least, dysfunctional. Its slow pace works in the sense that emotions can be felt really well and for at least an hour this film is good. Unfortunately the last part loses the quality of being interesting and the pace turns against you. In other words, it becomes too slow, way too slow. 6.5/10

Ghost World (Terry Zwigoff, 2001)
2001, as Kubrick, predicted was a magical (film) year. Ghost World is not a perfect film but has charming acting performances and shows wit and confident directing. Thora Birch (what happened to her?) shows to be a better actress than the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. I like the world of the 'imperfect' that is portrayed here in an original piece that partly manages to capture the world of the teenager. Reminded me of a much better film from the same year, Donnie Darko.  7.5/10

Jobs (Joshua Michael Stern, 2013)
Inevitably to be compared with David Fincher's The Social Network. That film managed to portray a brilliant asshole who did something that really mattered for his generation. Fincher gave us an insight in both why and how Eisenberg is an asshole and why Facebook is such a hit. Jobs fails to do both, Kutcher gives it a nice try to show us what Steve Jobs was like, but no why he was like that or why his product is so special. 4/10

North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)
It was a couple of years ago when I last saw this classic Hitchcock. After seeing it again I understand why I only remembered a couple of scenes. The film is not as visionary as some of the other films that the master of suspense created in those years. This film sandwiched between Vertigo and Psycho, two of the best ever, is not as good but definitely entertaining and influential for the later (spy) action film.
"I am a big girl. -Yeah, and in all the right places, too"  8/10



Lovelace (Rob Epstein, 2013)
Week of the horrible biopics. I was hoping for something that could be in the region of Boogie Nights. Forget about it, this film has the artistic value of a late night TV-movie. 2.5/10

The Earrings of Madame de... (Max Ophuls, 1953)
I like Ophuls his beautiful visuals and camerawork, and again this picture is eye candy. Not as good as his Letter from an Unknown Woman (a personal favorite). Somehow this one is more distant and despite some smart devices (the earrings obviously) and a role for the great Vittorio de Sica it felt like a long and at times tedious exercise. 6.5/10

Week 36 in film

Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959)
Safe to say that this film, the last in Sirk's oeuvre, is a culmination of the themes he likes to use in his films. I haven't seen the issue of racism been adressed so clever and effective before. The drama is truly gripping and the final scene is brilliantly sarcastic. Sirk is becoming one of my favourite directors and the late Hollywood 50's was already an era I love.
"I'm somebody else. I'm white... white... WHITE!"    9/10



Mud (Jeff Nichols, 2013)
There was a time when I couldn't stand Matthew McConaughey, I hated his self-indulgent overacting and presence on the screen in general. How easy this can change once an actor starts picking up good role after good role. In this film he is again acting great in a story which can best be described as a fairy-tale like drama from the perspective of children. Love the vibe, eventhough the ending leans towards the sweet and sappy. 8/10

The Wire - Season 3
Yes, I am still as excited as I was after the first season. How good is a series when you actually start missing (criminal) characters that are either killed or arrested? Two seasons to go and I will fall into a deep hole when this is over.... 9.5/10

Sharknado (Anthony C. Ferrante, 2013)
Best tagline ever: 'Enough said'. This film is so extremely bad...but it is made like it doesn't care and knows how bad it is. I had fun actually and you can't really say that the director failed since I am sure he was self-aware during the making of this crap. If not, he, and the rest of the world, should worry.... 5.5/10

The Last Relic (Grigori Kromanov, 1969)
You may have never heard of this film. Apparently the cinematic pride of Estonia. With or without this notion a pretty standard medieval adventure film that definitely has something going for it, for instance being charming and perhaps controversial (let's not spoil but the ending definitely makes a statement). Boring at times as well unfortunately. 6/10

The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh, 1939)
Bogart and Cagney together in a picture never disappoints. I did expect a bit more fireworks in this film not only because of the cast but especially because I consider Walsh his White Heat (ten years later) a masterpiece and that one has a lot more suspense and action. The Roaring Twenties is a bit more timid and fragmented. Not a bad movie though, especially not if you are interested in its historical context.  7/10

Paradies: Glaube (Ulrich Seidl, 2012)
Not as good as Paradies: Liebe. This film somehow makes more of a caricature of its Christian female protagonist. People like her may be out there, but sympathy for her or her (moslim) husband is hard to feel. Well, I felt a bit bad for the husband a couple of times. Some moments are really funny and I wonder if that is what the director intented. 6/10

I'm a Cyborg, But That's Ok (Chan-wook Park, 2006)
The director of Oldboy made a messy, chaotic comedy that fails to be funny. This film is boring, and that's not ok.  3.5/10



The Hour-Glass Sanatorium (Wojciech Has, 1973)
Quite a trip. This film (from Poland) portrays a guy who visits his dying father in a sanatorium where some hour-glass trick can reverse time and change events. Sound like a science fiction film but this film is more a dreamlike, colorful trip. The protagonist is confronted with ex-girlfriends, his father and mother in better times, jew ghetto's etc. When I read this synopsis I was hoping for a film like Tarkovsky's The Mirror. The comparison doesn't hold up that well, this film is more static, colorful and fantasy-like. Looks like something that inspired Terry Gilliam's nineties work.  Beautiful, but at times confusing and (too) trippy.  7.5/10

Week 35 in film

Blue Jasmine (Woody Allen, 2013)
One of the better Allen's again. Blanchett really is good and I think the mix of drama and comedy worked well. I do believe Allen doesn't have a very clear and realistic view on the lower classes in this world. They don't live in San Francisco the way they do in this film and they don't all have bad taste in style.  7.5/10



The Last Stand (Jee-Woon Kim, 2013)
Korea doesn't direct well in Hollywood as it turns out. This film is also the return of 'Arnie' in cinema. It is ridiculous at times, and not in a good way. Not a good film and only at times enjoyable or fun which can sometimes overcome low quality. Not in this case.  4/10

Straw Dogs (Sam Peckinpah, 1971)
Best Peckinpah I've seen so far. Great directing in the last half hour, which has suspense all over it. Even though Hoffman's character is portrayed as a stereotype at first there is a lot more to him and he gives the film it's depth in a scary and convincing way, I believe.  8/10

Jean de Florette/Manon de Sources (Claudi Berri, 1986)
Overall slightly disappointing after all the positive reviews I've read and heard. The story is interesting but the directing is too safe and moderate. Becomes somewhat boring at times, the second film portrays some characters with a little more depth and nuance but overdoes it in the end. Still the second film is a little bit better, not only because I am not a big fan of Gerard Depardieu.  7/10;7.5/10

The Frozen Ground (Scott Walker, 2013)
By some hailed as the return of the 'solid' Nicolas Cage, true but this choice is a bit too safe. It is a by the numbers thriller based on a true story. We know who did it from the beginning, Cusack is portraying the serial killer somewhat creepy and his scenes with Cage are not bad, but this film lacks suspense and originality. I prefer a crazy Cage, luckily he is rumoured to have something to do with the new film of Richard Kelly. 4.5/10

Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954)
Unconventional western. Intentional colorful and played with by the director. Reversed roles (a stellar Joan Crawford) and plenty of sexual undertones. Above all, extremely enjoyable.
There's nothin' like a good smoke and a cuppa' coffee. You know, some men got the craving for gold and silver. Others need lotsa' land, with herds of cattle. And then there's those that got the weakness for whiskey, and for women. When you boil it all down, what does a man really need? Just a smoke and a cup of coffee. 8.5/10


Borgman (Alex van Warmerdam, 2013)
Absurd, funny and darker as ever. Van Warmerdam has a unique position in the Dutch cinema and after Cannes perhaps in European cinema. Not the worst billboard for our humble country in the cinematic world. The film itself is good, but not very much better as some of the previous films from this director. His absurdity is fun, but only works up to a certain point and doesn't keep your full attention (or concern) for almost two hours. Nevertheless, not your everyday movie. 7.5/10