Week 3 in film

One, Two, Three (Billy Wilder, 1961)
James Cagney reminds one of the thirties in this fast comedy. I like Wilder for his cynical and sometimes dark view on things, this film is definitely a form of satire but not always that funny or effective. Some of the jokes about communists are simply dull, this film isn't but I expected better.  7/10




Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Kenneth Branagh, 2014)
Looks and sounds like James Bond, Jason Bourne or Mission Impossible. And yes, especially the first hour meets up with these expectations. Unfortunately it goes downhill from there, especially when things are speeded up and the plot becomes too improbable I felt really disappointed. Chris Pine isn't the worst actor in this genre, although I never bought his relationship with Keira Knightley. 5/10

The Color of Paradise (Majid Majidi, 1999)
Cinema from Iran never disappoints, neither does this one. The notion of a blind boy being unwanted may sound like emotional manipulation, but this film stays very close to a realistic and honestly gripping story. The ending overdoes it a bit, but nevertheless good.  7.5/10

Brainstorm (Lais Bodanzky, 2001)
From Brazil, a teenage boy smokes pot and is send to a rehab institution by his father. What happens to him is horrible and yes this film has its powerful moments in stating how inhuman such an institution can be. Spreading this over the whole length of the film is a bit too much for me. 5.5/10

My Blueberry Nights (Wong Kar Wai, 2007)
As I am not even a fan of Wai his Chinese stuff I reluctantly gave his Hollywood film a try. It does have both Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz, so what could go wrong? Well, the lack of a plot and Norah Jones could. Portman, Weisz (and Strathairn) are fine but the rest really isn't, Jones isn't very suited for the lead. I could go with the mood of the opening scene for a while but it doesn't stick.  4.5/10



The Devil is a Woman (Josef von Sternberg, 1935)
The last in six von Sternberg Dietrich collaborations and not my favourite, I believe. Dietrich is great and as 'fatale' as ever but the story is simply too predictable too make this a film in the same league as the masterpiece The Scarlet Empress. 6.5/10

Panic in the Streets (Elia Kazan, 1950)
Think of this as film noir's Contagion. A corpse infected with the pneumonic plague is found in New Orleans. Richard Widmark, as the good guy, is desperate to find the killer and whoever else may be infected before the disease spreads. Suspenseful, but average. I like Richard Widmark as a doctor, but I like him better in a villain role. 7.5/10

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 1 in film

Witness for the Prosecution (Billy Wilder, 1957)
Best film I saw this week but I am a sucker for courtroom drama's and whodunnits. You've got to love Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich.
"I am constantly surprised that women's hats do not provoke more murders."  8.5/10



Klute (Alan J. Pakula, 1971)
This 'paranoia' thriller worked for me mostly the first hour thanks to an interesting role and performance by Jane Fonda. Her emotional motivation and involvement with men (and Donald Sutherland) is more interesting than the mystery itself. Succeeds in the 'psychological', but no so much in the 'thriller'. 7.5/10

Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1943)
Coincidentally, a comparable experience to Klute. The psychological depth between the characters is done very well, but the crime (the cheating wife killing the husband with help of her lover) isn't done that well. Has the vibrant atmosphere of film noir versus Italian neo-realism. 7/10

Primary Colors (Mike Nichols, 1998)
Apparently Bill Clinton liked this film and Travolta's performance which makes you wonder about the former president who doesn't come off as very upright. Not the best film about presidential elections and the political games involved. Does have great performances. 7/10

The Wicker Man (Neil LaBute, 2006)
Not the bees, not the bees! Notoriously unintentionally funny. Cage in a bear suit kicking and hitting women. Funny, but one of the worst movies you will see. 2/10

The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962)
A political thriller that could have been great, but the directing lacks focus and the storytelling is somewhat chaotic. Frankenheimers style worked well in Seconds, but this film is too tedious at times. The ending is probably a good illustration, directed by the numbers and not bad, but its predictability diminished the experience for me.  6.5/10

Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927)
Somehow I don't watch too many silent pictures. They don't appeal to me, which is a shame, because there are without doubt a number of great films made in the silent era, Metropolis being one of them. I'll keep pushing myself, who knows i'll become a fan one day.  8/10



La pianiste (Michael Haneke, 2001)
Started off with a great character and story built up. Isabelle Huppert fascinated me for at least 3/4th of the film. I am not too happy or fulfilled about the ending. Left me a bit disappointed. Haneke did manage to make me think about the sick sides of the 'intelligent' human race. 7.5/10

Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler, 2013)
Based on the real tragic events in 2009. Yes, dramatic, but this film overdoes it. Has Oprah Winfrey written all over it. Could have been good in a mozaiek-setup with different perspectives. Now it is a moralising exercise in tearjerking without any artistic value, one or two good acting performances aside. 4.5/10

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller, 2013)
Don't let this film fool you, the adventurous 'Into the Wild' settings can't disguise that this is an ordinary Hollywood-formula-product. Contains all the one-dimensional characters you expect. Stiller is annoying and glorifying himself. Never surprising or original.  3.5/10 

Week 52 in film

Christmas + lousy weather = cinema overdrive!

It's A Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
Another classic I still had to watch. Christmas felt like a good time to do it. James Stewart is endearing as ever and the fantasy angle in a very sweet and sappy Christmas tale is original and more compelling than I expected. The moral is impossible to miss, but more relevant than ever. 8/10



Star Trek Into Darkness (J.J. Abrams, 2013)
Amongst all the action-scifi crap made these days Abrams proves to be a good action-director. I liked the third Mission Impossible, Super 8 and this one, which surprised me, to be honest. The balance between action and plot is a bit off at the end, but thanks to a great start very sufficient overall.  7/10

The Quick and the Dead (Sam Raimi, 1995)
Raimi honours all these Western classics with some 'comic-book-like' action and directing. The plot development is not surprising or original but I couldn't help enjoying it for its full length. 7.5/10

Tabu (Miguel Gomes, 2012)
One of the most original films of the year comes from Portugal. The history of an old Portugese lady is told by her ex-lover whom she met when living in Africa. Beautiful black and white photography, poetic undertones and a relaxing pace. 8/10

Juliet and the Spirits (Federico Fellini, 1965)
Giulietta Masina seems to be playing herself in this visual treat from Fellini. Keep in mind: Fellini loved women. He was dreaming the biggest boobs and asses you can imagine, as visible in last years Eye-exhibition. He also loved Masina, who was always by his side. Knowing this makes this film very interesting. Giuletta her husband is cheating on her and she struggles with the thought of sexual freedom haunted by memories and (beautiful) visions. A very personal film by the Italian master. Did he 'borrow' the shot shown below from that other Italian master? 8/10



Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)
A hiatus in my film knowledge (there are a number of them...): the sword-and-sandal-genre. I decided to dedicate 4 hours to what is supposedly the best film in this category. Reminded me why I am not a fan. After two hours of sand and camels I felt bored. Of course the cinematography is stellar, and the ending makes up for a lot, but still, not a masterpiece if you ask me. 7.5/10

Paradies: Hoffnung (Ulrich Seidl, 2013)
Third and last film in the Paradies-trilogy. The worst. A group of teenage girls at fat camp are more boring than Seidl may have considered. Stays on the surface pretty much the whole film, there are a lot of possible angles here, the doctor-girl relationship is not the best one. 4.5/10

Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)
A very young John Wayne in a film that is more classic than good. The chase with the Indians is great, some of the characters are funny but the whole love-interest-angle didn't work for me at all. 6.5/10

Miracle on 34th Street (George Seaton, 1947)
Week of the (Christmas) classics. This one is just as endearing as It's A Wonderful Life. Due to a simpler plot and mediocre acting not in the same league, though. 6.5/10

Week 51 in film

Inside Llewyn Davis (Coen Brothers, 2013)
I didn't really like A Serious Man, by some considered as the best Coen-film. This film has many similarities. It is about a guy who doesn't have luck on his side, but can somehow blame himself by being an ass at times. He is a charismatic guy, a good musician, but he can't really control what happens to him and if luck is on his side faith manages to interfere. Coen territory for sure. The scenes with John Goodman, who gained a lot of weight again, are gold and extremely funny. It is a highlight in a film that is mostly a bit of a drag if you ask me. There is a lot to discover (the cat...) but some of it is not that interesting or urgent, like in A Serious Man. I like this one a bit better. 7/10



Mouchette (Robert Bresson, 1967)
I liked L'Argent and Pickpocket from Bresson. His minimalistic acting and showing events worked in those films and make him a unique filmmaker in the good sense. In this film, about a girl who has a horrible life, to say the least, it didn't work for me. Somewhat dull I am afraid, a state I also experienced when I was watching Au hasard Balthazar.  6/10

Runner Runner (Brad Furman, 2013)
Contender for worst film of the year. Totally ridiculous story, horrible acting (Ben Affleck...).  2/10

Last Vegas (John Turteltaub, 2013)
The Hangover for over 60? Yes, a bit. A group of four childhood friends in their sixties are going to Vegas because one of them (Douglas) is getting married. Of course there are some unresolved issues between the guys, and of course they win a lot of money, and of course they end up partying in Vegas. Actually quite funny at times and the cast makes it worthwhile. The lazy script and cheesy ending doesn't. 5/10



The World's End (Edgar Wright, 2013)
Not as funny as Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead. Basically the same setup. Instead of zombies we now have aliens...sort of. Some of the action scenes are directed very well and I liked the social criticism. Not too good, not too bad. 6/10

The Blues Brothers (John Landis, 1980)
Never seen this classic before. Not much of a plot really, a lot of good music and A-team-like car chases, which are done pretty well. Has a nostalghic 80's vibe on which I can't really lay a finger. It does help me appreciate this film. 6.5/10

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 49 in film

El secreto de sus ojos (Juan Jose Campanella, 2009)
The film that kept Das Weisse Band from winning an Academy Award. I can't see why. It is original in the sense that it plays with the conventions of the crime-genre. Halfway this suspenseful film about a brutal rape and murder from the past it turns into a love story that didn't convince me really. Maybe I was hoping for a puzzle/detectivefilm too much. Somewhat original, but lacks the depth the ending requires.  7/10



The Wire - Season 5
Unfortunately, it ends. For a while I was afraid it wouldn't end in style but all in all I think it does. The last season chooses another interesting angle with the newspaper editorial department. This season has more politics, McNulty and a bit less gangster-shit. It tends to become improbable at some point, and the writers may have chosen some developments as a metaphor. It does make a strong point (I won't spoil...). Yes, best series I've seen so far. Well worth the investment of 50 to 60 hours of my life. If I haven't made it clear already, comes highly recommended!  9.5/10

Rising Sun (Philip Kaufman, 1993)
As stated before I am really into the early nineties Hollywood films. This one with Wesley Snipes and Sean Connery is a perfect example of the many many films that have been produced in this era. A mystery, ridiculous plot but great characters in this case portrayed by the great Sean Connery. Not very good, but so enjoyable and almost melancholic. 5/10

Drop Zone (John Badham, 1994)
Second film this week with Wesley Snipes. Again, not a very qualitative film but oh so much fun. A lot of skydiving, Hans Zimmer soundtrack and Gary Busey. Guarantee for 1,5 hours of entertainment. The plot is absolutely not important.  6.5/10