Week 2 in film

The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese, 2013)
Excited, a new Scorsese! And yes, it is a good one. Think of Goodfellas but then for the 'modern mafia'. DiCaprio is great as Jordan Belfort whose fast tongue makes him rich in no time giving him everything he wants. Women, a boat, a massive house and drugs, a lot of drugs. Scorsese turns this story in a crazy ride for the first two hours, the last hour was a bit too 'risen star falling' which we've seen so many times before. Some criticize this film for glorifying superficiality. I believe the final scene tells us the opposite. Not a masterpiece but a welcome addition in Scorsese's impressive oeuvre. And how great are Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey ("Do you jerk off?").  8/10



My Darling Clementine (John Ford, 1946)
So far I am not that impressed with John Ford his films. This one, about Wyatt Earp, is not bad at all but feels a bit by the numbers. Can't see how this should be one of the finest westerns ever.  7/10

Short Term 12 (Destin Cretton, 2013)
Missed this in 2013 but it would definitely have made my year's top 10. A very honest and gripping story about two adult foster children who are working in a shelter for teens who have problems at home or with themselves. Impressive to see how they manage to take on such a hard job after their own troubled youth especially when they are challenged the most. For Grace (Brie Larson) things become too much when a young girl with a resembling background walks in. The kind of film that makes you feel sympathy for its characters instantly.  8.5/10

Basic Instinct (Paul Verhoeven, 1992)
One of my all-time favorites. Probably the most entertaining and best Hitchcock-imitation I can think of. Has everything that could be great in 90's film: suspense, snappy one-liners, a twist (gave me the chills even for the 100th time...) and perhaps the best modern femme fatale imaginable. Love Sharon Stone, love Michael Douglas, love the genius Paul Verhoeven for his cynical and controversial contributions to Hollywood.  9/10


Kim Novak, anyone?

Le temps qui reste (Francois Ozon, 2005)
Ozon is one of those directors that never makes a bad film, he also never makes a great film (maybe Swimming Pool, i'll have to watch it again....). This one is on the bottom I would say. The story, about a gay photographer in his 30s diagnosed with terminal cancer, sounds promising but Ozon makes it a bit of a drag with some improbabilities regarding sexuality and sexual favours (or maybe they are typically French, I don't know). Despite some sad and potentially heartbreaking notions not very memorable. 6/10

Bulletproof (Ernest R. Dickerson, 1996)
Sandler was really funny in some of his films in the nineties. He disappoints as an 'action hero' as attempted in this film. 4.5/10

Carnal Knowledge (Mike Nichols, 1971)
I am surprised that this film isn't better known in the oeuvre of Mike Nichols. Nicholson is convincing as a sexual conquerer together with his friend, played by Art Garfunkel. Effectively shows the flipside of the sexual revolution by portraying the Nicholson character as someone who sees women as objects, physically desirable but as a potential threat to his freedom. 7.5/10

Week 50 in film

Total Recall (Paul Verhoeven, 1990)
My favorite Schwarzenegger ('Relax, you'll live longer'), probably my second or third favorite Verhoeven, who I think has made a handful of really great films. Like most of his films this one is highly entertaining and provides a lot of fun, humor and Cronenbergian body-horror. In this particular film he also shows how to balance action, plot and snappy one-liners. Something easily forgotten nowadays in films in the same genre, I am not even mentioning the terrible remake of this film. Seen it three times now, could easily watch it again, always a lot of fun, great example of how to make a good action-scifi flick. 8.5/10



Berberian Sound Studio (Peter Strickland, 2012)
Toby Jones as a stiff mommiesboy Englishman in a sound studio with Italians producing a giallo. Yes, the sound editing of this film is great, the editing itself as well. There is one problem however, this film lacks suspense. To me it wasn't clear why I should feel suspense, let alone that the individual scenes were directed well. Descend into madness is a craft to film not everyone masters, as it turns out.  4.5/10

A perdre la raison (Joachim Lafosse, 2012)
A mediocre, dark and somewhat pointless film about depression in a marriage. Not a common marriage. The husband still lives with the man, a docter, who raised him. Even when the family has four children they still live with the doctor, who made the family financially dependent of him. Not very plausible if you ask me. 5/10

Honeymoon in Vegas (Andrew Bergman, 1992)
Only one reason to watch this: a raging Cage. He is hilarious at times. The rest of this film, a comedy version of Indecent Proposal, isn't. 4/10



A Late Quartet (Yaron Zilberman, 2012)
Typical arthousepic. Four musicians have a very established quartet. When the eldest (Christopher Walken) is diagnosed with Parkinsons all the relations in the quartet are under pressure. Not a bad film, not very good, read very memorable. The acting performances are solid, Walken is somewhat touching. Not much more to say.  7/10

Les Salauds (Claire Denis, 2013)
Another dark, french film this week. Claire Denis her films are almost always interesting, not always that good. This one can be seen as a stylish 8MM (remember, with Nicolas Cage). I am sure Denis didn't have this crappy film in mind. Not sure what she wants with this. It is not as tense or styleful as some of her better films. I have to admit I got bored towards the end. And why didn't we see more of the beautiful and very talented Lola Creton? 6.5/10

Week 19 in film

Sisters (Brian De Palma, 1973)
One of the early chapters out of De Palma's "How to imitate my favorite director". Derivative of epic is still good enough.   7/10

Soldaat van Oranje (Paul Verhoeven, 1977)
This two and a half hour Dutch classic somehow failed to amaze me. Based on a true story but never as compelling or intense as many other WWII pics. Nevertheless a well acted and interesting enough film. Not Verhoeven's best, not his worst.   7/10


Criss Cross (Robert Siodmak, 1949)
An unreliable romance, suspense, bars filled with witty men and cigarette smoke. This film has all the elements that make me a noir-lover.   8/10

Another Earth (Mike Cahill, 2011)
This science fiction film feels realistic not because of the concept but because the concept is just on the side. Well acted and intimate drama where the 2nd earth should be seen mostly as a metaphor before people start complaining about scientific inconsistencies.  The last shot is simply awesome.   7.5/10

Werckmeister Harmoniak (Bela Tarr and Agnes Hranitzky, 2000)
My second encounter with the Hungarian master and this film proves why he is considered a master. It has a very slow pace but where other films might put you asleep, his extremely long takes start to fascinate me more and more. The black and white cinematography is extraordinary, same holds for the musical score by Mihali Vig. The plot is secondary, but a clear metaphor for the repression in Eastern Europe. Regardless, Bela Tarr is a unique filmmaker and I love his style.   9/10



Lockout (Stephen St. Leger & James Mather, 2012)
It's like Die Hard in space with a hint of The Rock. Not very original...    5/10

Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
Supposedly the version Spielberg always had in mind now it's in 3D, yeah right....3D, as usual, doesn't add a thing accept to the price of your ticket. On the other hand, pretty cool to watch this classic on the big screen.  7.5/10

Platinum Blonde (Frank Capra, 1931)
Typical Capra. Rich girl falls in love with 'normal' guy who has a hard time adjusting to his new-found class. "Like a bird in a golden cage". Not bad, but I was hoping for some more pre-code, which I couldn't spot to be honest, despite Jean Harlow's presence.   7/10

Showgirls (Paul Verhoeven, 1995)

Alright, I like some of the movies of fellow dutchman Paul Verhoeven. Basic Instinct has been a personal favourite for years now and I believe his Total Recall and Starship Troopers are hilarious. In 1995 (great movie year!) he made Showgirls, the erotic tale of a girl who wants to make it in Vegas. The critics were brutal: 14% fresh on rottentomatoes.com  and a 4.3 average on Imdb. In my memory this film was not that bad, now that I saw it a second time I see that I was wrong. Showgirls is not just ‘not bad’, it is great!

Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) is a girl like many others: young, beautiful and she wants to make a career in showbiz. She hikes to Vegas and starts working as a stripper. Through her friend, who is assisting the big star in the Stardust Hotel dance show, she gets in contact with people who recognize her dancing talent and see her as a great potential. She is invited for an audition (which results in a great scene, credits go to the ruthless Alan Richins, who reminded me of one of the many talent show jurors we see too much on television nowadays). Nomi gets hired and soon the rivalry and sexual encounters starts. She works her way up, but at what cost?

Okay ladies, I'm Tony Moss. I produce this show. Some of you have probably heard that I'm a prick - I am a prick. I got one interest here, and that's the show. I don't care whether you live or die. I want to see you dance and I want to see you smile. I can't use you if you can't smile, I can't use you if you can't show, I can't use you if you can't sell.

What Verhoeven did with this film is making it a satire in every possible way. Through the tough Nomi he shows us what it takes to make it in showbiz city and how superficial and numb one has to become to get there. This is illustrated by for instance the character James (Glenn Plummer) who is persistent to make a good dancer of Nomi. There is a striking scene in the film where Nomi, already a big star at this point, visits a show of James where he performs his real genuine dancing act. His act is shred to pieces by the discontent audience, they don’t want to see art, they want nudity! This last notion is one Verhoeven incorporated in his entire film, great satire I would say.

Another hilarious scene is where one of the dancers has her kids back in the dressing room. As her colleague is abusing her verbally one of the kids starts to cry, not over the violent tone, not over all the nude people around that might make her uncomfortable, no, she heard the F-word. The kid must be traumatized.

I can imagine why people see Showgirls as a bad movie. Its story and acting is over the top, but the director wants to tell us more with this than one might think. I believe that besides the satire within the film Verhoeven is using the protagonist and the world she is in as a metaphor for America and modern society. Completely superficial, commercial and merciless if it comes to working your way up to the top. The Jesus reference (present in almost every Verhoeven film) is illustrative: in flickering neon “Jesus is coming, soon”.

8.5/10