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23 December 2010 00:50![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chrryblssmninjaSOLSTICE SPECIAL #8
You'll see a bunch of words and phrases reused and stylistic errors being committed because this stuff is tiring. If there's nothing written, I probably didn't have time to write down review notes for it.
I have provided Amazon and IMDB links so you can look up any titles you're interested in.
I became tired of writing reviews around the middle of this post (and a work issue came up), so just ask me if you want to a see a review for a title I haven't written one for yet.
6/29/2010
film: Alice (Neco z Alenky) (1988, directed by Jan Svankmajer)
A film hybrid of live action and stop-motion animation, telling the story of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Alice (played by Kristýna Kohoutová, voiced in English by Camilla Power) enters Wonderland through a desk drawer. She encounters bizarre versions of Carroll's characters, and some original Svankmajer creations such as living slabs of meat.
This is an odd and nightmarish version of the Alice story. It feels long but bustles with creative energy, and after a while I started to go along with its own peculiar logic. The voice-over effect is disconcerting at first. All the shocks in the movie feel tangible, and there are some very frightening scenes of pure madness. It's an entrancing vision of exploration, with Alice building up courage to follow through on her curiosity, even when a mouse is burrowing through her brain. The ending is close-ended but slightly ominous. Svankmajer has created a fresh yet, in a way, faithful adaptation of the often-adapted novel.
6/30
film: Elevator to the Gallows (Ascenseur pour l'échafaud) (1958, directed by Louis Malle)
Based on the novel by Noël Calef.
The planned murder of a lover's husband goes wrong, bringing about dangerous yet unintended consequences.
Brilliant film about how mistakes and inexperience can eventually ruin a person's plans. A moody soundtrack composed by Miles Davis is used sparingly but effectively, and the use of time makes the plot complications unfold at just the right pace. Jeanne Moreau is mesmerizing as the stubborn femme fatale, and legendary director of photography Henri Decaë creates elegant compositions in black and white. Here, the details become important, and the parallels are unexpected. Like other French films of this period, there are hints of the war with Algeria. The violence in this movie is silent and mostly unseen.
7/6
film: Cure (1997, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
reviewed here at my film blog
7/8
TV movie: Séance (Kôrei) (2000, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
based on the novel Séance on a Wet Afternoon by Mark McShane
An amateur medium (Jun Fubuki) and her sound technician husband (Kôji Yakusho) find themselves trapped in a difficult situation when they become inadvertently involved in a local kidnapping spree.
This is a quiet horror turned drama, with an interesting twist but a few obviously plot-serving coincidences. What works best about this movie is how it pits the ordinary versus the extraordinary, gradually overwhelming the protagonists. Kiyoshi Kurosawa displays strong mastery over mood and visuals, letting terror slowly emerge amongst the muted palette. Jun Fubuki gives a humble yet chilling performance as the housewife unsure of how she can use her powers.
7/12
film: Nói (Noi the Albino, Nói albínói) (2003, directed by Dagur Kári)
Nói (Tómas Lemarquis), a teenager stuck in an Icelandic island village, dreams of running away to the rest of the world.
Simple but kept going by glum Nordic wit, details in the performances, and the fresh framing of scenes. There is a soft indie feel in the direction, but any excesses and extreme moments are soon clipped and shown some sense. The end is very depressing, and may be too abrupt for some, but I felt it was hinted at throughout the movie. This is a film about islands literal and metaphorical; traced in white, green and blue.
7/14
film: Sauna (2008, directed by Antti-Jussi Annila)
In 1595, two brothers, one a grizzled veteran (Ville Virtanen) and one a college graduate from the city (Tommi Eronen), work with a joint Finnish-Russian treaty party towards the end of a twenty-two-year war between Sweden (which at that time claimed what is now Finland) and Russia. Their treatment of a young girl, as well as past transgressions, soon come to haunt them, especially when they arrive at a mysterious village with a stone sauna.
I appreciate letting a movie take time to build up dread and characters' guilt. I appreciate icy, desolate visuals and plots that don't explicity state everything. However, halfway through this movie, I wanted to fall asleep. The pacing wasn't measured quite right for me, and the characters could have been more interesting with better focus. There are some legitimate scares, but the soundtrack is too obvious. We can all connect with guilt, but the exploration of guilt here is at once too simple and too vague, as if they used what first came to mind but didn't think everything through. Does the childless village tie into this? Couldn't the conclusion give one or two more hints as to what happened? The culture-clash aspect of the Finnish-Russian party could have also been utilized more.
7/15
film: Dog Soldiers (2002, directed by Neil Marshall)
Soldiers training in the Scottish forest run into werewolves.
Entertaining, with colorful characters and conversations. There's sometimes visual or physical incoherence, but director Neil Marshall keeps the film running on energy. This film shows he's a fan of '80's action archetypes, and there's a nice parallel between the wolf pack and the team. There's a twist that's both too sudden and telegraphed. Yet most of the clichés are used in a a fresh, clipped, feel-good manner. This is a fun action film with appealing performances, as well as the best use of "Clair de Lune" I've seen in a movie so far.
7/16
film: Shiri (Swiri) (1999, directed by Je-gyu Kang)
North Korean sleeper agents, including a notorious female sniper, plan an attack in South Korea.
Smart political thriller brimming with constant action. The cast is filled with stars of the Korean movie industry, yet they give competent and unassuming performances that don't distract from the plot. The ending is somewhat predictable but otherwise the film works fine as entertainment. Interesting use of a fish motif.
7/18
film: They Came Back (Les revenants) (2004, directed by Robin Campillo)
The dead suddenly come back to life in a French small town. The townspeople try to adjust with their constant, eerily quiet presence in their everyday lives.
Good tone and use of colors, with slow drama building up. However, what does the end mean? There are many parallels possible for this story, and the intimate scope matches this arty take on the zombie genre. Narration is suddenly abandoned, and characters don't ask all the questions the audience wants them to answer. There are some geniunely creepy moments, and Campillo displays skill in fostering a sense of dread. Marie Matheron is a particular standout amongst the actors, while the actors portraying the walking dead "ghosts" know how to seem slightly off. In the end, something feels incomplete about this film. It's an admirable effort but reaches for more than it can accomplish.
7/19
film: Il Posto (The job) (1961, directed by Ermanno Olmi)
An Italian teenager (Sandro Panseri) goes to the city in order to take a test that may get him a job for life.
This is a somewhat depressing look at the life of people trying to earn a living in Italy. However, the film doesn't wallow in sadness, with details of humor and humanity breaking through. Sometimes the cuts are too quick. The naturalistic performances make the story work, and one really gets the feel of life in the fictional characters' world. The plot structure is ingenious, incorporating various cycles in the proceedings. In the additional materials (included in the Criterion Collection version) it is said that that Il Posto is not neorealism, but the film had the same needs and the same means as neorealist films. Olmi wanted to create an "isolated world" that was "ethnologically correct."
7/25
novel: Blackout by Gianluca Morozzi, translated by Howard Curtis
2008, originally published in Italian in 2004
Three people in Bologna are trapped in an elevator and hope for rescue. However, everyone and everything are not as they seem.
This novel builds up its characters well, sets up scenes effectively, and pulls off twist after twist with pulpy vigor. There is a final, jarring twist that may polarize, but it's somewhat justified. Morozzi has a master manipulator's hand at intercutting present scenes with memories, like chorus and poetry. This is a dark but defiant pulp novel; aiming to depict a deterioriating, American media-infected Bologna and Italy of today. Morozzi imbues claustrophobia with almost visceral dread. There are also interesting third-person omniscient metaphors.
8/1
film: Moon (2009, directed by Duncan Jones)
An astronaut (Sam Rockwell), accompanied only by a robot (voiced by Kevin Spacey) is almost at the end of this three-year term on the Moon. However, complications may prevent him from returning back to Earth as soon as he wished.
Though slow at first, this film uses story to hook the audience. It has a great, painterly look. The little details prove important later on, and Jones establishes a distinct rhythm and contained tone for the piece. Jones makes few errors in judgment, and just as the story seems to remind you of other films, events occur that let the film stand on its own. This is a movie that make you wonder, and there are funny touches and an ending to reward the viewer.
8/5
film: Cría cuervos (1976, directed by Carlos Saura)
A young girl (Ana Torrent) is present when her father dies, and her mood grows increasingly darker as she and her sisters are placed in her aunt's reluctant guardianship.
Stick through the first 25 minutes, for then the plot really starts moving. The film uses a conceit of telling the story from the young girl's perspective as well as that of her older adult self. Ana Torrent is innocent, inquistive, and even devious when appropriate. Geraldine Chaplin excels when playing the girls' gentle, departed mother; yet is too odd and alienating when playing the adult version of the young girl. It could be just the fault of her dubbed narration, but the effect does not work as Saura intended. The rest of the film earns its classic status, though, building up surprising suspense in the mind of a little girl. Turmoil from past and present, in the household as well as in Spain, fester throughout the house. The atmosphere is rich to a choking point, and there are moments of dark wit as well as a haunting use of the pop song "Porque te vas."
8/10
film: I am Waiting (Ore wa matteru ze) (1957, directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara)
An ex-boxer (Yûjirô Ishihara) and a singer (Mie Kitahara) with a fading voice meet one night on a Yokohama pier. Fearing that this stranger may be committing suicide, the ex-boxer invites her to his café. Their lost dreams soon confront them as they grow closer in the following days.
Though there is earnest dialogue and some convenient coincidences, this is a great example of film noir from Japan. It's soaked in melancholy, of desires to be somewhere else. Most of the music is Western, and Ishihara's character aspires to have his own farm in Brazil. I am Waiting is ultimately a bittersweet film; with excellent use of staging, silent flashbacks, and transitions. Even when it drifts from the story, Kurahara maintains the contained world that these characters seek to escape.
8/14
film: Hausu (1977, directed by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi)
A schoolgirl brings her friends to her aunt's house, not knowing that the house is haunted.
This is one of the craziest films ever made. It's an experience you won't forget. Go watch it.
There's also an interesting characterization of the house as a being who refuses to accept change, and so grows twisted.
8/16
film: Black Angel (1946, directed by Roy William Neill)
The wife (June Vincent) of a composer who is sentenced to death seeks the help of the victim's ex-husband (Dan Duryea) in order to set her husband free.
This is a noir with low ambitions but an interesting plot. Great use of doubles, flowers, lights, song, and cast. The twists are genuinely surprising, and the film feels through the themes of second chances and guilt. It's also nice to see the femme fatale do some of the detective work on-screen.
8/20
poetry collection: The Manyoshu: The Nippon Gakujutsu Shinkokai translation of One Thousand Poems
with Romaji texts, and a foreword by Donald Keene. Columbia Press, 1965.
The foreword is overlong, and the format is a bit confusing with names, but it's great for an abridged collection. There is a wide variety of poems from the Manyoshu shown here. The committee translation and adaptation of the poems tend towards an older English style that suits the works well.
film: Dead Snow (Død snø) (2009, directed by Tommy Wirkola)
Norwegian students on a ski vacation encounter Nazi zombies.
The first half of this film is boring and formulaic, hitting the plot points of most modern horror with little invention or charm. However, past the halfway point, it suddenly becomes awesome. Wirkola revels in the blood and gore, having fun with some inventive and extreme situations. The two most interesting characters get to chop up Nazi zombies to their hearts' delight, and the other characters provide some very Scandinavian comic relief (There's even a Nokia joke).
8/23
opera for film The Turn of the Screw
(2004, directed by Katie Mitchell)
opera by Benjamin Britten, libretto by Myfanwy Piper
It’s overall an elegant and effective adaptation of Henry James' story, though the pacing and other aspects needs work. There’s a very scary sequence about 3/4ths through, and while I’m still getting used to English-language opera, the musical patterns were very effective. They go with the basic “repression!” interpretation of the story, though, which can be boring.
9/19
film: [REC] (2007, directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza)
A TV reporter (Manuela Velasco) and a cameraperson -through whose camera we watch the events- follow a team of firefighters to an apartment complex where things are more dangerous than expected.
Once you figure out what kind of horror genre this movie falls into, things do get predictable, although everything is delivered with heart-pounding speed. There is a final twist that may either annoy or further terrify the viewer. Some coincidences go unexplained, some details are dropped, and some stereotypes are used. This film bored me for the first twenty minutes or so, and then scared me until my heart raced for the rest of the running time. It's the cinematic equivalent of being trapped in an expertly crafted horror house at a theme park.
short story collection: Stained Glass Elegies by Shusaku Endo
translated by Van C. Gessel, 1985
Eleven short stories, one biographical, covering topics ranging from Catholicism to members of the Japanese war generation to hospital experiences to suffering. There is one humorous story amongst the sadness: a parody of the body exploration film Fantastic Voyage. Some of the repetition of themes can be tiring. Yet the introspection and masterly control shine through. Endo is honest even in ambiguity, and stays true to his characters.
10/2
film [in theater]: Inception (2010, directed by Christopher Nolan)
A businessman (Ken Watanabe) hires a team of dream invaders to plant an idea in the mind of his business rival's son (Cillian Murphy). The team is led by an "Extractor" (Leonardo DiCaprio) with a dark secret.
Inception is probably the most successful sci-fi film noir in recent years. The noir influences are obvious - the earlier parts of the soundtrack, to the formal suits, to the mostly dark pallette of browns and blacks and greys. Yet the parallels run deeper than appearances. A tortured man, DiCaprio's Cobb character, is paid to undertake a morally dubious scheme. He is haunted by thoughts of his late wife, Mal (cast standout Marion Cotillard), who in death became the ultimate femme fatale, a "Shade," bringing to mind the quote from Laura: "That was Laura. But she’s only a dream." The rest of the team is given job descriptions -more emphasized in the promotional material, but still referred to in the film- that echo the staccato beat of pulp fiction: Saito the "Tourist" (Watanabe), Yusef the "Chemist" (Dileep Rao), Eames the "Forger" (Tom Hardy, in what may prove to be his international breakout role), Arthur the "Point Man" (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Ariadne (Ellen Page) the "Architect" of dream templates. With the use of disguises and doubles, as well as the threat of plunging into "limbo," one could further explore this film's ties to film noir.
Yet this is also a sci-fi action film, mechanizing (such as in the appearance of music and dream collapse) and streamlining the possibilties of dreams in order to provide a straightforward yet multilayered path for the team and the audience to follow. There are a few plot quibbles, but the momentum and dream setting lead one to forget them until the movie is over. If one considers other sci-fi blockbusters of the past few decades, I think that Inception is much more complex and human than The Matrix. The dialogue displays the matter-of-fact patter that somewhat annoyed me in The Dark Knight, but one can draw comparisons to the dialogue in much film noir. The scenes alternate between warm and cold tones, and Nolan is getting better at trying to make his action scenes more legible to the eye. The "spinning hallway" fight will inspire imitators for years to come.
While it might not be the best movie of the year, it's still good to have a financially successful film that tries to engage the audience's excitement and mind. It's rare to see a film that places such high value on an idea, and one that manages to convince audiences into rooting for a team of criminals trying to separate an orphan from his inheritance.
10/3
film: Watching the Detectives (2007, directed by Paul Soter)
A film noir geek who owns a video store (Cillian Murphy) meets a quirky woman (Lucy Liu) who brings danger and excitement into his life.
Pleasant, light piece of fluff with some bits of movie meta interest. Funny how Liu's character mixes aspects of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl with the Femme Fatale. The comedy is at best somewhat amusing but tries too hard. There is a fantastic moment neart the end where things turn dark, but the movie loses its guts by the actual ending.
10/4
film: Border Incident (1949, directed by Anthony Mann)
A Mexican federal agent (Ricardo Montalban) and and American federal agent (George Murphy) work together to investigate the exploitation and murder of illegal farmworkers.
The script is lacking and relies on stereotypes and coincidences, and though there are some very dark moments -particularly one shocking death- it's still a very Hollywood-safe movie about illegal immigration that paints the US government as faultless.
However, while the film is imbalanced, Mann's direction has many thoughtful details. In addition, by working with cinematographer John Alton, there are brilliant compositions that elevate the movie above a simple goverment catch-the-bad-guy procedural.
The film finds potential in the angles of the setting to blend elements of the Western and what we now call film noir. From More Than Meets the Mogwai: "Alton has the well-earned reputation as the master of film noir lighting, and even if the film in question scarcely falls into film noir territory -- in character, location, or even plot -- Alton and Mann still mine the shadow-play for all its worth in this, their fifth of six collaborations."
The film also portrays the braceros in a sympathetic light, shows respect to the Mexican government, and stars Ricardo Montalban in his first dramatic role, as the capable Mexican agent Pablo Rodriguez.
10/7
nonfiction: The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern World by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid
Penguin Books 2008
A history of the city of Alexandria.
The book reflects the authors' background in TV and film production with reflection and voice, but they are still erudite and careful about what multiple sources say. Sometimes the phrases and metaphors overreach. It also displays a Western bias, especially in the subtitle "Birthplace of the Modern World," and the earlier chapters need a better understanding of Christianity - at times, they refer to "the church" without further description. However, this is a fine introduction to the history of this magnificent city, flowing easily for any casual reader (I bought this at Costco). Great focus on the city and some of the personalities that lived within it. The Rise and Fall of Alexandria brims with the excitement of ideas.
10/8
film: White Zombie (1932, directed by Victor Halperin)
A plantation owner in Haiti (Robert Frazer) pays a mysterious voodoo magician (Bela Lugosi) to bring him everything his heart desires.
It may not have been the filmmaker's intention, but this film provides interesting allegories for slavery and the subjugation of women. These are traditional zombies, tied to voodoo practice. The film is stagey but has great settings and reaps the potential in silent moments. There is even a little humor. There is a particularly chilling scene in a factory that both reinforces and counters the racist imagery of plantation horror stories.
film: Silk Stockings (1957, directed by Rouben Mamoulian)
source novel by Melchior Lengyel, adaptations titled Ninotchka
music and lyrics by Cole Porter
A strict Soviet agent (Cyd Charisse) is sent to Paris to complete a mission three of her comrades have bungled. Her mission leads her to a American movie producer (Fred Astaire), who shows her the wonders of Paris and capitalism.
Absurd plot with a ridiculous ploy used to set up the ending scenes. It is sexist and relies on numerous stereotypes, but is genial in its own way. There are some really sharp parodies of the film industry here, and the song "Stereophonic Sound" is still relevant today. The dialogue is coy and sometimes clever, delivered at a nice speed. Cyd Charisse is magnetic, even in scenes where she doesn't dance, and Peter Lorre is fun as one of the incompetent Soviet agents. There is a turning point in this movie that states a surprisingly wise view about the nature of relationships. Otherwise, it's an uneven but well-produced movie musical.
film: Mad Love (1935, directed by Karl Freund)
based on the novel The Hands of Orlac by Maurice Renard
A crazed surgeon (Peter Lorre) will stop at nothing to appeal to the actress (Frances Drake) he obsesses over.
Karl Freund and the rest of the production (including Dimitri Tiomkin, who wrote the score) give this especially pulpy story a great deal of elegance. Sly, smart and scary, this is a thoughtful take on the "mad scientist" genre. It bends to some Hollywood conventions, but also starts with a hand punching through the traditional opening credits. Lorre goes extreme but never overboard in the leading role, showing moments of humanity.
10/11
film: The Big Sleep (1946, directed by Howard Hawks)
based on the novel by Raymond Chandler
A detective (Humphrey Bogart) is paid to investigate several troubles in a rich family. The troubles double and overlap and lead to darker and darker paths.
Fast dialogue and a plot whose complicated nature baffled even the original author. The female characters are all interesting, although even the minor ones are inexplicably attracted to the main character. It's fun to follow all the understandings and mysteries and deadly games. Now I know why Bogie and Bacall are a legendary screen duo.
10/14
TV movie: Imprint (2005, directed by Takashi Miike)
An American journalist (Billy Drago) travels to an isolated Japanese island, searching for his lost love (Michie). He meets a prostitute (Youki Kudoh) who might be able to aid his search...but he might not like what he finds out.
Shocking and full of twists. Like Miike's more internationally-known works (he directs 5 or 6 movies a year, varying widely in subject and quality), there is plenty of gore and geniune horror. Yet, even though there is a graphic torture scene, Miike still pulls away the camera when it might be too too much. The production is somewhat low-budget, as this was intended for the Masters of Horror series, but never aired due to its graphic content. Given these restraints, it is set in a sort of fantasy pulp world, with anachronistic hair colors and stagelike sets. Sometimes cult character actor Billy Drago goes overboard in his interpretation, but things are grounded by Kudoh and the absorbing story. The "secret" is quite extreme, but is soon followed by an oddly touching flashback scene.
10/16
film: Cheyenne Autumn (1964, directed by John Ford)
When the US government fails to hold up its end of the treaty with the Cheyenne they have placed on a desert reservation, the Cheyenne tribe decides to escape and head back to their native lands. A reluctant US Calvary captain (Richard Widmark) is given the order to bring them back.
10/18
film: Ninja Assassin (2009, directed by James McTeigue)
A ninja (Rain) fights back against the clan that raised him, and works with a Europol investigator (Naomie Harris) to stop the deadly organization.
10/22
film: The Unsuspected (1947, directed by Michael Curtiz)
A murder occurs in the home of a popular radio show host (Claude Rains) whose niece (Joan Caulfield) has supposedly died in a recent accident off the coast of Brazil. A man (Michael North) shows up at the house, claiming to be the husband of the recently departed. Why is this man here? How are the other niece (Audrey Totter) and her husband (Hurd Hatfield) involved? Who is the unsuspected killer?
10/27
film: Sweet Smell of Success (1957, directed by Alexander Mackendrick)
A powerful gossip columnist (Burt Lancaster) employs an ruthless, ambitious press agent (Tony Curtis) to prevent the columnist's sister (Susan Harrison) from marrying a jazz musician (Marty Milner).
10/28
film: Running on Karma (Daai zek lou) (2003, directed by Johnnie To and Ka-Fai Wai)
An exotic dancer (Andy Lau) has the power to see people's past lives. He teams up with a cop (Cecilia Cheung) to catch a killer. Yet, when it seems like the cop will meet an undesired end, the two try to escape the power of karma.
10/29
TV movie: The Baby's Room (La habitación del niño) (2006, directed by Álex de la Iglesia)
Everything seems to be going fine for a couple with a great new house and a newborn baby. The baby monitor, however, shows that something sinister is in the house...
10/30
film: Le silence de la Mer (1949, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville)
During World War II, a French man (Jean-Marie Robain) and his niece (Nicole Stéphane) are forced to provide quarters for a German officer (Howard Vernon). They refuse to speak with the German officer, but the officer continues to speak each night about his views of the world, and his growing love of France.
novel [pdf format]: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, book 3) by George R.R. Martin
11/2
film: Eight Men Out (1988, directed by John Sayles)
11/4
film: Aftershock (Tangshan dadizhen) (2010, directed by Xiaogang Feng)
11/11
film: The Mark of Zorro (1920, directed by Fred Niblo)
Has one of the best fights ever filmed.
11/15
film: Rashomon (1950, directed by Akira Kurosawa)
based stories collected and written down by Ryûnosuke Akutagawa
During the rainstorm, three men discuss a strange local crime involving murder and rape. The witnesses all had a very different view of the crime.
Starts out stilted, but becomes involving once the story is set. It's a fable told with theatrical aspects, with a spirit medium scene that's especially creepy. The acting is believable for all of the characters, no matter whose perspective is being told at the moment. The ending begins with a bit of coincidence but finishes on a strong note. This is a movie about people trapped by inner and outer forces, with one of the few freedoms being how they tell their story. One could characterize this as a late Heian-era mystery, where the side characters and the audience are the detective.
11/16
film: Undead (2003, directed by Michael and Peter Spierig)
11/19
film: Topkapi (1964, directed by Jules Dassin)
11/21
film [in theater]: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010, directed by David Yates)
11/30
film: Carnage (Carnages) (2002, directed by Delphine Gleize)
12/4
film: Throw Away Your Books! Rally in the Streets! (Sho o suteyo machi e deyou) (1974, directed by Shûji Terayama)
12/5
film: Teenagers from Outer Space (1959, directed by Tom Graeff)
12/6
film: Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971, directed by Gordon Hessler)
12/7
film: No One Knows About Persian Cats (Kasi az gorbehaye irani khabar nadareh) (2009, directed by Bahman Ghobadi)
12/8
film: Sunset Boulevard (1950, directed by Billy Wilder)
12/9
short story collection: Selección De Leyendas Puertorriqueñas Del Dr. Cayetano Coll & Toste compiladas Y anotadas por Cayetano Coll Cuchi
12/13
film: Four Lions (2010, directed by Christopher Morris)
GO SEE THIS MOVIE
12/15
film: Electric Shadows (Meng ying tong nian) (2004, directed by Jiang Xiao)
12/17
film [in theater]: TRON: Legacy (2010, directed by Joseph Kosinski)
film: The Shooting Party (1985, directed by Alan Bridges)
12/18
film: Black Christmas (1974, directed by Bob Clark)
12/21
novel: Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco
The Filipino writer Crispin Salvador has died in New York, and his assistant (named after this book's actual author, Miguel Syjuco) decides to investigate Salvador's past.
Genius.
I was struck by the vivid and precise nature of Syjuco's descriptions of both scene and sentiment. Even though I haven't been to the Philippines since I was four year old, all the details feel true to what I've absorbed from family and friends and media.
You'll see a bunch of words and phrases reused and stylistic errors being committed because this stuff is tiring. If there's nothing written, I probably didn't have time to write down review notes for it.
I have provided Amazon and IMDB links so you can look up any titles you're interested in.
I became tired of writing reviews around the middle of this post (and a work issue came up), so just ask me if you want to a see a review for a title I haven't written one for yet.
6/29/2010
film: Alice (Neco z Alenky) (1988, directed by Jan Svankmajer)
A film hybrid of live action and stop-motion animation, telling the story of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Alice (played by Kristýna Kohoutová, voiced in English by Camilla Power) enters Wonderland through a desk drawer. She encounters bizarre versions of Carroll's characters, and some original Svankmajer creations such as living slabs of meat.
This is an odd and nightmarish version of the Alice story. It feels long but bustles with creative energy, and after a while I started to go along with its own peculiar logic. The voice-over effect is disconcerting at first. All the shocks in the movie feel tangible, and there are some very frightening scenes of pure madness. It's an entrancing vision of exploration, with Alice building up courage to follow through on her curiosity, even when a mouse is burrowing through her brain. The ending is close-ended but slightly ominous. Svankmajer has created a fresh yet, in a way, faithful adaptation of the often-adapted novel.
6/30
film: Elevator to the Gallows (Ascenseur pour l'échafaud) (1958, directed by Louis Malle)
Based on the novel by Noël Calef.
The planned murder of a lover's husband goes wrong, bringing about dangerous yet unintended consequences.
Brilliant film about how mistakes and inexperience can eventually ruin a person's plans. A moody soundtrack composed by Miles Davis is used sparingly but effectively, and the use of time makes the plot complications unfold at just the right pace. Jeanne Moreau is mesmerizing as the stubborn femme fatale, and legendary director of photography Henri Decaë creates elegant compositions in black and white. Here, the details become important, and the parallels are unexpected. Like other French films of this period, there are hints of the war with Algeria. The violence in this movie is silent and mostly unseen.
7/6
film: Cure (1997, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
reviewed here at my film blog
7/8
TV movie: Séance (Kôrei) (2000, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
based on the novel Séance on a Wet Afternoon by Mark McShane
An amateur medium (Jun Fubuki) and her sound technician husband (Kôji Yakusho) find themselves trapped in a difficult situation when they become inadvertently involved in a local kidnapping spree.
This is a quiet horror turned drama, with an interesting twist but a few obviously plot-serving coincidences. What works best about this movie is how it pits the ordinary versus the extraordinary, gradually overwhelming the protagonists. Kiyoshi Kurosawa displays strong mastery over mood and visuals, letting terror slowly emerge amongst the muted palette. Jun Fubuki gives a humble yet chilling performance as the housewife unsure of how she can use her powers.
7/12
film: Nói (Noi the Albino, Nói albínói) (2003, directed by Dagur Kári)
Nói (Tómas Lemarquis), a teenager stuck in an Icelandic island village, dreams of running away to the rest of the world.
Simple but kept going by glum Nordic wit, details in the performances, and the fresh framing of scenes. There is a soft indie feel in the direction, but any excesses and extreme moments are soon clipped and shown some sense. The end is very depressing, and may be too abrupt for some, but I felt it was hinted at throughout the movie. This is a film about islands literal and metaphorical; traced in white, green and blue.
7/14
film: Sauna (2008, directed by Antti-Jussi Annila)
In 1595, two brothers, one a grizzled veteran (Ville Virtanen) and one a college graduate from the city (Tommi Eronen), work with a joint Finnish-Russian treaty party towards the end of a twenty-two-year war between Sweden (which at that time claimed what is now Finland) and Russia. Their treatment of a young girl, as well as past transgressions, soon come to haunt them, especially when they arrive at a mysterious village with a stone sauna.
I appreciate letting a movie take time to build up dread and characters' guilt. I appreciate icy, desolate visuals and plots that don't explicity state everything. However, halfway through this movie, I wanted to fall asleep. The pacing wasn't measured quite right for me, and the characters could have been more interesting with better focus. There are some legitimate scares, but the soundtrack is too obvious. We can all connect with guilt, but the exploration of guilt here is at once too simple and too vague, as if they used what first came to mind but didn't think everything through. Does the childless village tie into this? Couldn't the conclusion give one or two more hints as to what happened? The culture-clash aspect of the Finnish-Russian party could have also been utilized more.
7/15
film: Dog Soldiers (2002, directed by Neil Marshall)
Soldiers training in the Scottish forest run into werewolves.
Entertaining, with colorful characters and conversations. There's sometimes visual or physical incoherence, but director Neil Marshall keeps the film running on energy. This film shows he's a fan of '80's action archetypes, and there's a nice parallel between the wolf pack and the team. There's a twist that's both too sudden and telegraphed. Yet most of the clichés are used in a a fresh, clipped, feel-good manner. This is a fun action film with appealing performances, as well as the best use of "Clair de Lune" I've seen in a movie so far.
7/16
film: Shiri (Swiri) (1999, directed by Je-gyu Kang)
North Korean sleeper agents, including a notorious female sniper, plan an attack in South Korea.
Smart political thriller brimming with constant action. The cast is filled with stars of the Korean movie industry, yet they give competent and unassuming performances that don't distract from the plot. The ending is somewhat predictable but otherwise the film works fine as entertainment. Interesting use of a fish motif.
7/18
film: They Came Back (Les revenants) (2004, directed by Robin Campillo)
The dead suddenly come back to life in a French small town. The townspeople try to adjust with their constant, eerily quiet presence in their everyday lives.
Good tone and use of colors, with slow drama building up. However, what does the end mean? There are many parallels possible for this story, and the intimate scope matches this arty take on the zombie genre. Narration is suddenly abandoned, and characters don't ask all the questions the audience wants them to answer. There are some geniunely creepy moments, and Campillo displays skill in fostering a sense of dread. Marie Matheron is a particular standout amongst the actors, while the actors portraying the walking dead "ghosts" know how to seem slightly off. In the end, something feels incomplete about this film. It's an admirable effort but reaches for more than it can accomplish.
7/19
film: Il Posto (The job) (1961, directed by Ermanno Olmi)
An Italian teenager (Sandro Panseri) goes to the city in order to take a test that may get him a job for life.
This is a somewhat depressing look at the life of people trying to earn a living in Italy. However, the film doesn't wallow in sadness, with details of humor and humanity breaking through. Sometimes the cuts are too quick. The naturalistic performances make the story work, and one really gets the feel of life in the fictional characters' world. The plot structure is ingenious, incorporating various cycles in the proceedings. In the additional materials (included in the Criterion Collection version) it is said that that Il Posto is not neorealism, but the film had the same needs and the same means as neorealist films. Olmi wanted to create an "isolated world" that was "ethnologically correct."
7/25
novel: Blackout by Gianluca Morozzi, translated by Howard Curtis
2008, originally published in Italian in 2004
Three people in Bologna are trapped in an elevator and hope for rescue. However, everyone and everything are not as they seem.
This novel builds up its characters well, sets up scenes effectively, and pulls off twist after twist with pulpy vigor. There is a final, jarring twist that may polarize, but it's somewhat justified. Morozzi has a master manipulator's hand at intercutting present scenes with memories, like chorus and poetry. This is a dark but defiant pulp novel; aiming to depict a deterioriating, American media-infected Bologna and Italy of today. Morozzi imbues claustrophobia with almost visceral dread. There are also interesting third-person omniscient metaphors.
8/1
film: Moon (2009, directed by Duncan Jones)
An astronaut (Sam Rockwell), accompanied only by a robot (voiced by Kevin Spacey) is almost at the end of this three-year term on the Moon. However, complications may prevent him from returning back to Earth as soon as he wished.
Though slow at first, this film uses story to hook the audience. It has a great, painterly look. The little details prove important later on, and Jones establishes a distinct rhythm and contained tone for the piece. Jones makes few errors in judgment, and just as the story seems to remind you of other films, events occur that let the film stand on its own. This is a movie that make you wonder, and there are funny touches and an ending to reward the viewer.
8/5
film: Cría cuervos (1976, directed by Carlos Saura)
A young girl (Ana Torrent) is present when her father dies, and her mood grows increasingly darker as she and her sisters are placed in her aunt's reluctant guardianship.
Stick through the first 25 minutes, for then the plot really starts moving. The film uses a conceit of telling the story from the young girl's perspective as well as that of her older adult self. Ana Torrent is innocent, inquistive, and even devious when appropriate. Geraldine Chaplin excels when playing the girls' gentle, departed mother; yet is too odd and alienating when playing the adult version of the young girl. It could be just the fault of her dubbed narration, but the effect does not work as Saura intended. The rest of the film earns its classic status, though, building up surprising suspense in the mind of a little girl. Turmoil from past and present, in the household as well as in Spain, fester throughout the house. The atmosphere is rich to a choking point, and there are moments of dark wit as well as a haunting use of the pop song "Porque te vas."
8/10
film: I am Waiting (Ore wa matteru ze) (1957, directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara)
An ex-boxer (Yûjirô Ishihara) and a singer (Mie Kitahara) with a fading voice meet one night on a Yokohama pier. Fearing that this stranger may be committing suicide, the ex-boxer invites her to his café. Their lost dreams soon confront them as they grow closer in the following days.
Though there is earnest dialogue and some convenient coincidences, this is a great example of film noir from Japan. It's soaked in melancholy, of desires to be somewhere else. Most of the music is Western, and Ishihara's character aspires to have his own farm in Brazil. I am Waiting is ultimately a bittersweet film; with excellent use of staging, silent flashbacks, and transitions. Even when it drifts from the story, Kurahara maintains the contained world that these characters seek to escape.
8/14
film: Hausu (1977, directed by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi)
A schoolgirl brings her friends to her aunt's house, not knowing that the house is haunted.
This is one of the craziest films ever made. It's an experience you won't forget. Go watch it.
There's also an interesting characterization of the house as a being who refuses to accept change, and so grows twisted.
8/16
film: Black Angel (1946, directed by Roy William Neill)
The wife (June Vincent) of a composer who is sentenced to death seeks the help of the victim's ex-husband (Dan Duryea) in order to set her husband free.
This is a noir with low ambitions but an interesting plot. Great use of doubles, flowers, lights, song, and cast. The twists are genuinely surprising, and the film feels through the themes of second chances and guilt. It's also nice to see the femme fatale do some of the detective work on-screen.
8/20
poetry collection: The Manyoshu: The Nippon Gakujutsu Shinkokai translation of One Thousand Poems
with Romaji texts, and a foreword by Donald Keene. Columbia Press, 1965.
The foreword is overlong, and the format is a bit confusing with names, but it's great for an abridged collection. There is a wide variety of poems from the Manyoshu shown here. The committee translation and adaptation of the poems tend towards an older English style that suits the works well.
film: Dead Snow (Død snø) (2009, directed by Tommy Wirkola)
Norwegian students on a ski vacation encounter Nazi zombies.
The first half of this film is boring and formulaic, hitting the plot points of most modern horror with little invention or charm. However, past the halfway point, it suddenly becomes awesome. Wirkola revels in the blood and gore, having fun with some inventive and extreme situations. The two most interesting characters get to chop up Nazi zombies to their hearts' delight, and the other characters provide some very Scandinavian comic relief (There's even a Nokia joke).
8/23
opera for film The Turn of the Screw
(2004, directed by Katie Mitchell)
opera by Benjamin Britten, libretto by Myfanwy Piper
It’s overall an elegant and effective adaptation of Henry James' story, though the pacing and other aspects needs work. There’s a very scary sequence about 3/4ths through, and while I’m still getting used to English-language opera, the musical patterns were very effective. They go with the basic “repression!” interpretation of the story, though, which can be boring.
9/19
film: [REC] (2007, directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza)
A TV reporter (Manuela Velasco) and a cameraperson -through whose camera we watch the events- follow a team of firefighters to an apartment complex where things are more dangerous than expected.
Once you figure out what kind of horror genre this movie falls into, things do get predictable, although everything is delivered with heart-pounding speed. There is a final twist that may either annoy or further terrify the viewer. Some coincidences go unexplained, some details are dropped, and some stereotypes are used. This film bored me for the first twenty minutes or so, and then scared me until my heart raced for the rest of the running time. It's the cinematic equivalent of being trapped in an expertly crafted horror house at a theme park.
short story collection: Stained Glass Elegies by Shusaku Endo
translated by Van C. Gessel, 1985
Eleven short stories, one biographical, covering topics ranging from Catholicism to members of the Japanese war generation to hospital experiences to suffering. There is one humorous story amongst the sadness: a parody of the body exploration film Fantastic Voyage. Some of the repetition of themes can be tiring. Yet the introspection and masterly control shine through. Endo is honest even in ambiguity, and stays true to his characters.
10/2
film [in theater]: Inception (2010, directed by Christopher Nolan)
A businessman (Ken Watanabe) hires a team of dream invaders to plant an idea in the mind of his business rival's son (Cillian Murphy). The team is led by an "Extractor" (Leonardo DiCaprio) with a dark secret.
Inception is probably the most successful sci-fi film noir in recent years. The noir influences are obvious - the earlier parts of the soundtrack, to the formal suits, to the mostly dark pallette of browns and blacks and greys. Yet the parallels run deeper than appearances. A tortured man, DiCaprio's Cobb character, is paid to undertake a morally dubious scheme. He is haunted by thoughts of his late wife, Mal (cast standout Marion Cotillard), who in death became the ultimate femme fatale, a "Shade," bringing to mind the quote from Laura: "That was Laura. But she’s only a dream." The rest of the team is given job descriptions -more emphasized in the promotional material, but still referred to in the film- that echo the staccato beat of pulp fiction: Saito the "Tourist" (Watanabe), Yusef the "Chemist" (Dileep Rao), Eames the "Forger" (Tom Hardy, in what may prove to be his international breakout role), Arthur the "Point Man" (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Ariadne (Ellen Page) the "Architect" of dream templates. With the use of disguises and doubles, as well as the threat of plunging into "limbo," one could further explore this film's ties to film noir.
Yet this is also a sci-fi action film, mechanizing (such as in the appearance of music and dream collapse) and streamlining the possibilties of dreams in order to provide a straightforward yet multilayered path for the team and the audience to follow. There are a few plot quibbles, but the momentum and dream setting lead one to forget them until the movie is over. If one considers other sci-fi blockbusters of the past few decades, I think that Inception is much more complex and human than The Matrix. The dialogue displays the matter-of-fact patter that somewhat annoyed me in The Dark Knight, but one can draw comparisons to the dialogue in much film noir. The scenes alternate between warm and cold tones, and Nolan is getting better at trying to make his action scenes more legible to the eye. The "spinning hallway" fight will inspire imitators for years to come.
While it might not be the best movie of the year, it's still good to have a financially successful film that tries to engage the audience's excitement and mind. It's rare to see a film that places such high value on an idea, and one that manages to convince audiences into rooting for a team of criminals trying to separate an orphan from his inheritance.
10/3
film: Watching the Detectives (2007, directed by Paul Soter)
A film noir geek who owns a video store (Cillian Murphy) meets a quirky woman (Lucy Liu) who brings danger and excitement into his life.
Pleasant, light piece of fluff with some bits of movie meta interest. Funny how Liu's character mixes aspects of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl with the Femme Fatale. The comedy is at best somewhat amusing but tries too hard. There is a fantastic moment neart the end where things turn dark, but the movie loses its guts by the actual ending.
10/4
film: Border Incident (1949, directed by Anthony Mann)
A Mexican federal agent (Ricardo Montalban) and and American federal agent (George Murphy) work together to investigate the exploitation and murder of illegal farmworkers.
The script is lacking and relies on stereotypes and coincidences, and though there are some very dark moments -particularly one shocking death- it's still a very Hollywood-safe movie about illegal immigration that paints the US government as faultless.
However, while the film is imbalanced, Mann's direction has many thoughtful details. In addition, by working with cinematographer John Alton, there are brilliant compositions that elevate the movie above a simple goverment catch-the-bad-guy procedural.
The film finds potential in the angles of the setting to blend elements of the Western and what we now call film noir. From More Than Meets the Mogwai: "Alton has the well-earned reputation as the master of film noir lighting, and even if the film in question scarcely falls into film noir territory -- in character, location, or even plot -- Alton and Mann still mine the shadow-play for all its worth in this, their fifth of six collaborations."
The film also portrays the braceros in a sympathetic light, shows respect to the Mexican government, and stars Ricardo Montalban in his first dramatic role, as the capable Mexican agent Pablo Rodriguez.
10/7
nonfiction: The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern World by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid
Penguin Books 2008
A history of the city of Alexandria.
The book reflects the authors' background in TV and film production with reflection and voice, but they are still erudite and careful about what multiple sources say. Sometimes the phrases and metaphors overreach. It also displays a Western bias, especially in the subtitle "Birthplace of the Modern World," and the earlier chapters need a better understanding of Christianity - at times, they refer to "the church" without further description. However, this is a fine introduction to the history of this magnificent city, flowing easily for any casual reader (I bought this at Costco). Great focus on the city and some of the personalities that lived within it. The Rise and Fall of Alexandria brims with the excitement of ideas.
10/8
film: White Zombie (1932, directed by Victor Halperin)
A plantation owner in Haiti (Robert Frazer) pays a mysterious voodoo magician (Bela Lugosi) to bring him everything his heart desires.
It may not have been the filmmaker's intention, but this film provides interesting allegories for slavery and the subjugation of women. These are traditional zombies, tied to voodoo practice. The film is stagey but has great settings and reaps the potential in silent moments. There is even a little humor. There is a particularly chilling scene in a factory that both reinforces and counters the racist imagery of plantation horror stories.
film: Silk Stockings (1957, directed by Rouben Mamoulian)
source novel by Melchior Lengyel, adaptations titled Ninotchka
music and lyrics by Cole Porter
A strict Soviet agent (Cyd Charisse) is sent to Paris to complete a mission three of her comrades have bungled. Her mission leads her to a American movie producer (Fred Astaire), who shows her the wonders of Paris and capitalism.
Absurd plot with a ridiculous ploy used to set up the ending scenes. It is sexist and relies on numerous stereotypes, but is genial in its own way. There are some really sharp parodies of the film industry here, and the song "Stereophonic Sound" is still relevant today. The dialogue is coy and sometimes clever, delivered at a nice speed. Cyd Charisse is magnetic, even in scenes where she doesn't dance, and Peter Lorre is fun as one of the incompetent Soviet agents. There is a turning point in this movie that states a surprisingly wise view about the nature of relationships. Otherwise, it's an uneven but well-produced movie musical.
film: Mad Love (1935, directed by Karl Freund)
based on the novel The Hands of Orlac by Maurice Renard
A crazed surgeon (Peter Lorre) will stop at nothing to appeal to the actress (Frances Drake) he obsesses over.
Karl Freund and the rest of the production (including Dimitri Tiomkin, who wrote the score) give this especially pulpy story a great deal of elegance. Sly, smart and scary, this is a thoughtful take on the "mad scientist" genre. It bends to some Hollywood conventions, but also starts with a hand punching through the traditional opening credits. Lorre goes extreme but never overboard in the leading role, showing moments of humanity.
10/11
film: The Big Sleep (1946, directed by Howard Hawks)
based on the novel by Raymond Chandler
A detective (Humphrey Bogart) is paid to investigate several troubles in a rich family. The troubles double and overlap and lead to darker and darker paths.
Fast dialogue and a plot whose complicated nature baffled even the original author. The female characters are all interesting, although even the minor ones are inexplicably attracted to the main character. It's fun to follow all the understandings and mysteries and deadly games. Now I know why Bogie and Bacall are a legendary screen duo.
10/14
TV movie: Imprint (2005, directed by Takashi Miike)
An American journalist (Billy Drago) travels to an isolated Japanese island, searching for his lost love (Michie). He meets a prostitute (Youki Kudoh) who might be able to aid his search...but he might not like what he finds out.
Shocking and full of twists. Like Miike's more internationally-known works (he directs 5 or 6 movies a year, varying widely in subject and quality), there is plenty of gore and geniune horror. Yet, even though there is a graphic torture scene, Miike still pulls away the camera when it might be too too much. The production is somewhat low-budget, as this was intended for the Masters of Horror series, but never aired due to its graphic content. Given these restraints, it is set in a sort of fantasy pulp world, with anachronistic hair colors and stagelike sets. Sometimes cult character actor Billy Drago goes overboard in his interpretation, but things are grounded by Kudoh and the absorbing story. The "secret" is quite extreme, but is soon followed by an oddly touching flashback scene.
10/16
film: Cheyenne Autumn (1964, directed by John Ford)
When the US government fails to hold up its end of the treaty with the Cheyenne they have placed on a desert reservation, the Cheyenne tribe decides to escape and head back to their native lands. A reluctant US Calvary captain (Richard Widmark) is given the order to bring them back.
10/18
film: Ninja Assassin (2009, directed by James McTeigue)
A ninja (Rain) fights back against the clan that raised him, and works with a Europol investigator (Naomie Harris) to stop the deadly organization.
10/22
film: The Unsuspected (1947, directed by Michael Curtiz)
A murder occurs in the home of a popular radio show host (Claude Rains) whose niece (Joan Caulfield) has supposedly died in a recent accident off the coast of Brazil. A man (Michael North) shows up at the house, claiming to be the husband of the recently departed. Why is this man here? How are the other niece (Audrey Totter) and her husband (Hurd Hatfield) involved? Who is the unsuspected killer?
10/27
film: Sweet Smell of Success (1957, directed by Alexander Mackendrick)
A powerful gossip columnist (Burt Lancaster) employs an ruthless, ambitious press agent (Tony Curtis) to prevent the columnist's sister (Susan Harrison) from marrying a jazz musician (Marty Milner).
10/28
film: Running on Karma (Daai zek lou) (2003, directed by Johnnie To and Ka-Fai Wai)
An exotic dancer (Andy Lau) has the power to see people's past lives. He teams up with a cop (Cecilia Cheung) to catch a killer. Yet, when it seems like the cop will meet an undesired end, the two try to escape the power of karma.
10/29
TV movie: The Baby's Room (La habitación del niño) (2006, directed by Álex de la Iglesia)
Everything seems to be going fine for a couple with a great new house and a newborn baby. The baby monitor, however, shows that something sinister is in the house...
10/30
film: Le silence de la Mer (1949, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville)
During World War II, a French man (Jean-Marie Robain) and his niece (Nicole Stéphane) are forced to provide quarters for a German officer (Howard Vernon). They refuse to speak with the German officer, but the officer continues to speak each night about his views of the world, and his growing love of France.
novel [pdf format]: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, book 3) by George R.R. Martin
11/2
film: Eight Men Out (1988, directed by John Sayles)
11/4
film: Aftershock (Tangshan dadizhen) (2010, directed by Xiaogang Feng)
11/11
film: The Mark of Zorro (1920, directed by Fred Niblo)
Has one of the best fights ever filmed.
11/15
film: Rashomon (1950, directed by Akira Kurosawa)
based stories collected and written down by Ryûnosuke Akutagawa
During the rainstorm, three men discuss a strange local crime involving murder and rape. The witnesses all had a very different view of the crime.
Starts out stilted, but becomes involving once the story is set. It's a fable told with theatrical aspects, with a spirit medium scene that's especially creepy. The acting is believable for all of the characters, no matter whose perspective is being told at the moment. The ending begins with a bit of coincidence but finishes on a strong note. This is a movie about people trapped by inner and outer forces, with one of the few freedoms being how they tell their story. One could characterize this as a late Heian-era mystery, where the side characters and the audience are the detective.
11/16
film: Undead (2003, directed by Michael and Peter Spierig)
11/19
film: Topkapi (1964, directed by Jules Dassin)
11/21
film [in theater]: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010, directed by David Yates)
11/30
film: Carnage (Carnages) (2002, directed by Delphine Gleize)
12/4
film: Throw Away Your Books! Rally in the Streets! (Sho o suteyo machi e deyou) (1974, directed by Shûji Terayama)
12/5
film: Teenagers from Outer Space (1959, directed by Tom Graeff)
12/6
film: Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971, directed by Gordon Hessler)
12/7
film: No One Knows About Persian Cats (Kasi az gorbehaye irani khabar nadareh) (2009, directed by Bahman Ghobadi)
12/8
film: Sunset Boulevard (1950, directed by Billy Wilder)
12/9
short story collection: Selección De Leyendas Puertorriqueñas Del Dr. Cayetano Coll & Toste compiladas Y anotadas por Cayetano Coll Cuchi
12/13
film: Four Lions (2010, directed by Christopher Morris)
GO SEE THIS MOVIE
12/15
film: Electric Shadows (Meng ying tong nian) (2004, directed by Jiang Xiao)
12/17
film [in theater]: TRON: Legacy (2010, directed by Joseph Kosinski)
film: The Shooting Party (1985, directed by Alan Bridges)
12/18
film: Black Christmas (1974, directed by Bob Clark)
12/21
novel: Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco
The Filipino writer Crispin Salvador has died in New York, and his assistant (named after this book's actual author, Miguel Syjuco) decides to investigate Salvador's past.
Genius.
I was struck by the vivid and precise nature of Syjuco's descriptions of both scene and sentiment. Even though I haven't been to the Philippines since I was four year old, all the details feel true to what I've absorbed from family and friends and media.
