#3 FILM OF 2010

#3 - TRUE GRIT

After watching Inglourious Basterds last year, I had almost reached a definitive conclusion that, despite the the tremendously high quality of Quentin Tarantino movies, there is a slight chance that there are certain types of movies that, if he made, I would be reluctant to be 110% excited about. That's a heck of qualifier, and I doubt that director won't continue to defy expectations, but if there's anything wrong with Basterds (and I need to see it again soon... I'm still picking up brilliant subtleties in Kill Bill upon repeat viewings) it's that little bit of extra eccentricity that might serve the interest of the director, but doesn't quite serve the audience or what I expect from the story. There's a risk that without a new film genre to break apart and comment on, Tarantino would have nowhere to go except retread through his punchy dialogue and cult actor cast. All I'm saying is that if he decided to make, for example, a gangster movie, I have a feeling that he couldn't surprise me, and might actually waste my time.

The Coen brothers, on the other hand, have earned by unmitigated devotion. I have now seen more films by them than any other director (Barton Fink, from 1992, in the last man standing), and, with the exception of the odd diversions of Intolerable Cruelty and The Lady Killers, they have provided, in their work, incredible characters, profound cinematic images, and a real lingering sense of mystery afterwards regarding what the film was supposed to mean or symbolize. Nothing sums things up better than a recent episode of the WTF Podcast where host Marc Maron and guest Kevin Smith, in between discussions about being stoned, took some time to discuss Coen Brothers movies. One or the other said that watching a Coen Brothers is like having a warehouse door opened for you. There are all these incredibly unique characters and activities going on in this warehouse, but no one is guiding you through this warehouse, telling you what to pay attention to, or what to focus on. The Coens just populate this warehouse with the most incredible situations, scenes, and quirks imaginable, and whatever there is lacking in a narrative is more than made up for the clear care in which this cinematic constructers have set these pieces in motion.

Now, critics have called TRUE GRIT a "genre exercise", and in many cases it is very straightforward. I saw a few clips of the original True Grit (with John Wayne) online and it sounds like there are even very similar scenes and plot points. Without that film as a reference point, there's still plenty of weirdness, beauty, humor, and a unique sense of hollow dread, resignation, and/or cynicism that has characterized their annual output since No Country for Old Men.

Overall, it's a film that respects the genre of the Western but with the types of imagery, performances, and off-kilter situations that make a remake of a movie from the 1960s strike a note with the film-going audiences of today.

It's hard to say much about a film that pretty much delivers perfectly. I think growing up and adoring all the other Coen Brothers films, you can appreciate this even more. Because these visionaries have pushed the cinematic envelope with so much wackiness, dark humour, and cynical quirks, it's an incredible thrill to watch them filter their energies into a measured, beautiful film that sits right in the middle of their stylistics and thematic extremes.

The 400 Blows

THE 400 BLOWS (1959)

CRITERION COLLECTION #5

I could probably get motivated to write another long-form essay solely devoted to discussing the implications of how my main point of reference coming into this movie was that I recalled on VH1's Pop Up Video many years ago that the techniques in some scenes of Beck's Devil's Haircut video were an homage to the final shot in this movie. I don't think that spoils it for anybody. Given a little bit of my familiarity with new wave European cinema, this could have been a riveting film that uses the art of cinema to tell a compelling story, or an exploration of film technique with a directionless narrative that I have to force myself to appreciate because it was one of those "important films". It's more of the latter with this one, unfortunately, and now the big question is whether I should take advantage of the feature length commentary track Criterion provided that might help me understand the film a lot more completely, as was the case with L'Avventura which could be comparable to this. As far as that modern context in which I watched that film, perhaps this film is too dated to appreciate in a contemporary setting. Maybe the lack of direction and deep story was the point of filmmakers back then, as they pushed the enveloped of what people could expect from filmmaking, and that there were truly revolutionary counter-culture elements in The 400 Blows that shocked audiences then, when a disturbing twist on other norms (creative use of sex and violence perhaps) are what can grab our attention nowadays. Anyway, it was a good looking movie. I just will probably have to read a film school textbook to understand why it was a masterpiece.

#4 FILM OF 2010

ABOUT ELLY

This was something I viewed at the 2010 Wisconsin International Film Festival. If you take a look at the film festival program it's a little overwhelming to decide which films to see... there are some obvious candidates... I usually keep my eyes peeled for an obscure director, unique film style, or something from a country that I'm not familiar with, but then you kind of just have to pick what fits into your schedule and seems intriguing. There wasn't a lot regarding About Elly, only that it was an Iranian movie and it involves the repercussions of a mysterious tragedy. Good enough for me.

The twist on this naturalistic film is how the cultural elements of Iran aren't commented on directly, yet shape the suspense and motivations of the characters in ways that enhance a story that could be very conventional and unmemorable if placed in a more common Western setting. It begins very organically with patient scenes of a set of young families and couples going on a beach vacation. Once again, a foreign film really seems to display a very straightforward depiction of people having a good time, and I would hope these depictions would make casual audiences identify with the global world more, especially with the bravado in which we threaten some of these countries with military might. But after settling us into what might be an understated drama, the aforementioned tragedy strikes, and slowly there are issues that are brought to the tension that are unique to the society of this country. It doesn't make the story alienating at all, but rather these norms subtly shape the action, as the hope for happiness is dangled and withdrawn, with an ultimately poignant finale that offers no easy answers.

It's the perfect kind of film festival discovery in that it is something unique and special, the viewing experience enhanced by the possibility that other than a few small audiences in small festival venues, a powerful film like this might not be exposed to as many people as it deserves. While in many respects About Elly doesn't hold a candle to the grander acclaimed cinema out there it's also wholly unforgetable.

TREELESS MOUNTAIN

TREELESS MOUNTAIN 2008

This was a WIFF selection from 2009, and it's availability on Netflix Instant expired this week. I actually remember this being a close candidate for my viewing schedule that festival weekend. I'm sort of glad I didn't watch it.

The one unique aspect of this is the perspective the director uses on keeping every scene in this movie focused on how these adorable little Korean girls deal with obstacles. Otherwise it's a very unfocused film. A narrative is definitely present but I think indie films start to reveal their faults when you start to think that it could very easily be a powerful short film (between 20-40 minutes) instead of feature length. Unlike other uniquely ambiguous endings, this one just seemed to stop.

I know that perhaps I'm too adjusted to Korean films being ultra-violent and/or morally disturbing masterpieces, but this was not that compelling.

In news of WIFF for 2011, I received 10 film festival tickets for the first weekend in April! By no means do I want the protests in Madison to subside in order cater to my film festival needs, but I am curious about how I'm going to get from place to place. Not to spoil anything there are two WIFF 2010 films remaining in my top four films of 2010, and it would probably be appropriate to wrap that countdown up before the end of the first quarter. Stay tuned.

SHOWGIRLS / THE ELEMENT OF CRIME

SHOWGIRLS

Not since The Human Centipede have I felt more ashamed to admit watching something out of morbid curiosity.

BUT, I had a rare bout of insomnia (likely caused by a rich dinner with coffee and dessert after a long week), and nothing is more appropriate to do when wired up at odd hours of the night then watching trashy movies available for free on Comcast OnDemand.

Also, Showgirls is put of AV Club's New Cult Canon, so it has some respects in some circles as a good "bad" film.

I remember when this first came out in 1995, I heard about it's reputation in my early high school years and was a little frightened of how extreme it might be for my wholesome adolescent eyes. Now that I'm more mature and have been exposed to much more sex and violence in pop culture, most of it wasn't too bad, although when it inches into soft-core porn territory I definitely felt defensive about justifying watching it, and subsequently, whether it's one of those cinematic treasures I want to go on record as deliberately watching....

ANYWAY, as far as it's campy cult status, you can hold Elizabeth Berkeley's performance responsible for its possibly unintentional WTF moments. The best part of the movie was waiting through Nomi Malone's blank stares at every situation she faces, and being hilariously surprised at whatever extreme emotional reaction she decides to express. That's the element that gives this film a little extra punch.

But, yes, let's never speak of Showgirls again.

THE ELEMENT OF CRIME 1984

So, I have referenced my movie list shuffle method before. Up popped the Lars Von Trier movie Europa, from 1991. I then found out that Europa was the final film of an informal Europe trilogy that consisted of the famous Danish director's first three feature films. So I decided that if I find a movie that's part of a series, even a seemingly loosely connected one, I'll start at the beginning, despite Lars Von Trier being a notoriously difficult and very artsy director.

The previews on the Criterion DVD for Element of Crime didn't look promising. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for something TOO stylistic this weekend. And for the most part, Element of Crime was very difficult and challenging, with an ending that didn't seem earned to me. But I excuse this film's eccentricities for a few reasons. First of all, it sets up a perspective in the initial scene that explains the murky, unstructured, surreal setting, so if things go off on tangents and elements are unexplained, that's kind of the point. Second, the style is wholly unique... I hope you enjoy the color yellow. Third, the movie is nonetheless anchored in a traditional crime story that you can follow for the most part.

But there are a lot of frustrating things about this movie. I'm glad I can say I watched it, but I have already read a review that said the second film in the Europe trilogy, is pretty unwatchable. I've got to ponder whether it's worth my time.

BEST OF 2010: NUMBER 5

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

So I have already discussed my predilection for animated movies, which seem to represent the purest form of escapism I seek in cinema. When non-animated movies come up short in the artistic escapist fantasy department, you get an endless range of realism and skewed relationships towards escapism and innocence that more than make up for the lack of pretty drawings and wonderment. But what about the live action cartoon? Who Framed Roger Rabbit, for example, combined some serious film noir elements with Loony Tunes. Cool World (taking me back a long time) was definitely an adult movie, probably to the chagrin of my father who took me and my brother to the theaters to see it. And the masterpiece Space Jam... well words would not do it justice.

Scott Pilgrim starts with Michael Cera acting in his typical understated ways... and I wonder if those not familiar that this was a comic book adaptation came into the theaters expecting, at the beginning at least, a quirky coming-of-age teen comedy, like a Juno, Superbad, or Adventureland. Upon the encounter with the first "evil ex", everything blows up, and kudos to the filmmaker for keeping everything calm and collected until that happens making it all the more spectacular as the video game graphics pop up and we start seeing crazy martial arts style fighting and flashiness. Because while the critics seemed to say that The Social Network captured the communication channels of a new plugged in generation, Scott Pilgrim made perfect use of those channels to provide the kinetics that made an endearing love story more relevant and in tune with the constant barrage of references and stimuli young generations are inundated with.

Analysis aside, it was an absolute blast. Once Scott Pilgrim vs. the World goes into hyperactivity, you don't know what to expect frame by frame, and the buildup between each Evil Ex battle is perfectly executed. I regret not reading the comics because I can imagine how perfect an adaption this was.

DEPARTURES

One movie this week, surprisingly, and it really wasn't really a complete movie...

Since I go off on rants on the movie watching experience, I might as well explain. My Instant Netflix movie viewing choice is often influenced by the looming expiration date for streaming. If I miss the deadline, the movie I want to see is relegated to my Snail Mail Queue. So the night before Departures was set to expire I dialed it up pretty late... I was pretty darn tired halfway in but I had no choice to stay up and watch. I couldn't split my movie viewing ordeal between an evening and morning like I sometimes do. It turned out the movie was really good... but with 50 minutes remaining, the audio/video got out of sync! Even for a Japanese language movie it was very distracting. So two weeks ago, I had to leave a movie.... wait for it.... UNFINISHED... until the hard copy was mailed to me. So, there is a risk to all this access, at least until the Netflix streaming nerds get their service down perfectly. Anyway...

DEPARTURES (2008)

A unique film, and a Foreign language Film Oscar winner from 2008. For those keeping track, of the 5 Foreign Language film nominees that year, I've now seen 2 (the excellent Revanche, from Austria, is another). I don't recall seeing a non-horror, non-bloody, non-Samurai, non-animated Japanese film in a long while, and it's nice to be reminded that can do human stories just fine, although there's a shifty tone (eyes bug out to show emotional expression, for example) which might be a little off-putting, probably due to cultural differences. It's a little heavy-handed and treacly at times, which was reminiscent of that shallow emotional magic that's a component of a lot of Oscar winners. But the film goes someplace really special and interesting when the camera spends an intimate amount of time depicting grieving families and the funeral rituals that give them some peace.