June 1st-June 7th

The General (Buster Keaton, 1927)

Children of Paradise (Marcel Carne, 1945)

The Long Day Closes (Terence Davies, 1992)

Dig (Joshua Caldwell, 2011)

Ashes (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2012)

Now, Voyager (Irving Rapper, 1942)

Fast Five (Justin Lin, 2011)

The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966)

Y Tu Mama También (Alfonso Cuaron, 2002)

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles (Chantal Akerman, 1975)

...

-The Battle of Algiers was my favorite this week. It took me a while to be drawn in, but once I did, I was completely swallowed up by it. I love films that give both sides sympathy, understanding, and doesn't try to make a STATEMENT. While this film does make a statement, it's not a STATEMENT (while the film does give the ultimate sympathy to the Algerian side, the film doesn't flinch from showing us the countless innocent civilians they killed to get their independence). No easy answers. The key of adopting cinema verite filmmaking for narrative fiction film is within Pontecorvo's film; mix the spectacle of extraordinary events with the casualness of amateur filmmaking. The result will be surrealism - much like real life.

-I feel Wallace & Gromit ruined The General for me. Every one of Nick Part's shorts show a great affection for the work of Buster Keaton, but especially The General. Gromit is essentially Buster Keaton reborn. The music is even the same! I don't know if this is a great comedy or if it's a great Civil War film or if it's even a Masterpiece, I just found the film to be incredibly entertaining, enthralling, and surprisingly touching. Also, these some of these sequences/stunts are CRAZY. Buster may be the only filmmaker/actor willing to die for his art. Maybe Herzog too.

-I was falling asleep during The Long Day Closes which only added to the lucid dream aspect of the film. I did finish it, though. Phantasmagoria. OMG.

-Y Tu Mama También was more Alfonso Cuaron Makes an Eric Rohmer Movie than anything. I've seen A Little Princess & Great Expecations, so I know he started his penchant for long takes early, but I feel that this is the film where he makes this otherwise gimmick his mark. I don't think the one-takes adds a whole lot here, but they're welcome nevertheless. My favorite was the one on the freeway where the camera actually gets quite far from the trio before slowing down to jump right back into the conversation. Fine editing.

-I was also somewhat underwhelmed by Children of Paradise after hearing so many adoring reviews over the years. Right before my viewing of it, I read that Truffaut loved the film so much that he would, if possible, trade all of the movies he directed to direct this single one. I see how the film inspired Truffaut (Carne and Truffaut share an odd perspective on women). The four different men that surround Garance give a multi-facet view on love, women, and loving women, but I feel that it gives into the drama (or melodrama) of the characters rather than providing a union of its thoughts, themes, and ideas. The film truly shines from the performances by Jean-Louis Barralt and Pierre Brasseur. Both performers, but especially Barralt who gives the film its undeniable beating heart, are legendary and every Top 100 Film Performances without them is incomplete.

-Fast Five. FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN. Ridiculous. Best Hollywood Blockbuster Franchise ever. As said previously,

The film series is an anomaly when you think about it. Huge, multi-ethnic cast with little to no star power directed by an Asian filmmaker in America. Not based on any comic books, young adult lit, or public dominion fairytale so it doesn't have to correspond to nerd's desires of lore or character detail - it has the freedom to go wherever it wants. Compared to the usual summer blockbuster film, not a whole lot of explosions. Even though there are no complex female characters, there aren't any complex male characters either. Despite this, the female characters that have a voice are strong and have agency outside of their male counterparts. Doesn't take itself too seriously. Hugely successful in box office.

-Now, Voyager : a fine melodrama. I wish "melodrama" wasn't such a bad word anymore. Bette Davis! I love her. Joshua Caldwell's Dig is a quite effective little indie drama. It explores themes of revenge in a way that would possibly make Quentin Tarantino reconsider his past few films. A very smart film, I would love to see it as a feature. I am still struggling with Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles. I can't quite wrap my head around it. Give me a few days. Maybe there will be an addendum to this post.

-I was on the fence on including Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Ashes. I didn't want to include it because Apichatpong says in the film that he might give up cinema for painting. Not cool, Thai Joe. Not even in jest. 0/10, F-, BAD!