Oh Daniel...

Casino Royale(dir. Martin Campbell)
Is he the best Bond ever? Not sure. Definately better than Pierce Bronson. Agree with most of the critics about how its too long, which seems to be its biggest problem especially the whole section that was like a mini chick flick or something. I liked it.
*** out of ****
When a Women Ascends the Stairs(dir. Mikio Naruse)
I've been curious to Naruse since there has been no releases of his films pretty much anywhere and he is often compared to Ozu and Mizoguchi. This film was somewhat underwhelming. Sure, I probably liked it more than any of the previously named director's works that I have seen(feel like I need to rewatch Tokyo Story and Late Spring), but I guess I was expecting alot more. This, however, doesn't mean this film was bad or even just good. It was really good, but it wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be.
**** out of ****

Oh Zachary...

The Southerner(dir. Jean Renoir)
Definately not as good as The Grand Illusion or Rules of the Game. In a way, I was pleased throughout the film and never got bored, but in a way, it just seemed generic and forgettable in some way. The scene where his friend starts throwing rocks at a bar window was pretty amazing. I liked it.
*** out of ****

Oh Edward...

Woman in the Window(dir. Fritz Lang)
Not one of his best. I really liked the beginning between Edward G. Robinson and the "Woman in the Window." I spread this over two days. I have a feeling that was part of my problem with the movie because I was generally not interested it today. Its still good. Better than Scarlet Street.
*** out of ****

Oh Woody...

A Scanner Darkly(dir. Richard Linklater)
More stylistic than Fast Food Nation, but not as good. The moments between Keanu, Robert, and Woody were the best parts. Just them haning out and talking about nonsense. Kind of some paranoid Dazed & Confused or something. When it hit the 80 minute mark, it tried to pretty much sum up the whole reason why Keanu was undercover and infilitrating these guys. I don't know. I liked it alot up until that point. Maybe I should see Waking Life.
*** out of ****

Oh Christina...

Buffalo '66(dir. Vincent Gallo)
In the beginning, I didn't like Billy that much until the scene in the restaurant with the girl he supposedly dated. The dinner scene was pretty amusing, but I wouldn't say it was that great. I was actually enjoying it quite a bit and would have given this **** if it wasn't for what happens alittle bit before the end. He makes the audience believe the story goes in a certain direction and then reveals that it actually didn't go that way. It seemed like just a cheap trick. Some of his visual techniques like the spotlight effect on his father, the man Ben Gazzara, singing or Layla tapdancing and how the flashbacks started small and ended up getting big on the screen was alittle off-putting. The scene before the ending ruined it for me. If that was out of the picture, I would have enjoyed this alot better. It is still a good film though.
*** out of ****

Oh Anna...

Two Rode Together(dir. John Ford)
Probably the worst film I've seen by him, that's not as bad as it seems. It seems extremely uneven between comedy and serious social commentary. It brings up an interesting point about how the individuals in the town view on Indians is just as uncivilized as they claim the Indians to be. First movie I've seen by Ford that didn't have John Wayne or Henry Fonda in it. I don't find James Stewart a particularly convincing cowboy. It seemed to get alittle heavy handed at the end of it when it started to make the social commentary because everything leading up to it was pretty light and unserious. Decent.
*** out of ****
The Wild(dir. Steve "Spaz" Williams)
Better than Over the Hedge, but that is not saying much. Would have been better if it was only an hour, but as it is, it has pretty shallow story that quickly becomes dull.
** out of ****
Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio(dir. Jane Anderson)
Biggest issue with this movie is its portrayal of Woody Harrelson's character. He does some really stupid actions and I can easily understand how some of the characters in the picture do not view him in a very positive light, but he means well. He seems to throw tandrums, but you never see him really meaning to cause harm to his family or his wife. The only instance he does harm his wife, he seems to have an emotional breakdown and you almost feel more for him than his wife. The film's insistance to paint him as the "bad guy" in the narrative just makes it seem strange. The bits where it seems to making fun of 50's/60's consumerism just seemed out of place. Overall, a decent movie.
*** out of ****
Mermaids(dir. IDK)
Bob Hoskins is in it. A light comedic movie. Don't have anything really intelligent to say about it.
*** out of ****

Oh Rosie...

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon(dir. John Ford)
Dragged on at the end.
*** out of ****
All the Real Girls(dir. David Gordon Green)
Reminded me of my emotions towards Fat City, it obviously isn't the greatest movie in the world, but has a lot of heart. Not nearly as beautiful or grand as George Washington, but more intimate.
**** out of ****

Oh Quick Reviews...

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer(dir. ?)
*** out of ****
Lifeboat(dir. Alfred Hitchcock)
*** out of ****
Six Feet Under: Season 1(TV)
*** out of ****

Quick Reviews

Walk the Line (dir. ?)
It is a by the numbers Hollywood biopic, but done really well. I thought it was really good and felt pretty honest in the way it portrayed him. I don't really know anything about Johnny Cash, but I know one thing he is not a very good singer. He kind of reminds me of the spirit of punk. Most punk bands are shitty musicians, but its the spirit that wins you over. It could have been grittier to me and could have got rid of the whole childhood segment of his life. Overall, a really good film.
**** out of ****

Swingers (dir. ?)
This is a guys hanging out sort of comedy. They don't really talk about anything that is really important except about themselves and each other. It was a nice little film I guess you would say. It is about a man's dealing with leaving the woman he loves back home and how he gets back on his feet again. Vince Vaughn was in it and he suprisingly not annoying. I thought it was pretty good.
*** out of ****

Everything is Illuminated(dir. Liev Schreiber)
I liked it alot. It just feels really uneven with the beginning being a goofball comedy versus the ending which is very depressing and serious. It also felt the director was pushing his style too much.
*** out of ****

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie(dir. Luis Bunuel)
This is my first experience with Bunuel other than the first few minutes of Un Chien Andalou. This film was pretty amazing and funny too. The bourgeoisie are portrayed hypocritical, extremely judging, and basically flawed human beings even a bishop is portrayed rather negatively. This film is funny because the situations are so bizarre yet the actors act so seriously when approaching them. It is an amazing satire on the upper class.
**** out of ****

Tokyo Story(dir. Yasujiro Ozu)
This film is considered the last of the Noriko trilogy and also Ozu's masterpiece. I actually felt pretty bored during the first hour and half or so because I didn't get into the rhythm. This lead me to extreme boredom, but the last half hour which I watched today, everything clicked revealing an astonishing film. I'm gonna have to rewatch it, but the last 30 minutes left with a profound impression.
**** out of ****

Late Spring Review

Yasujiro Ozu was considered too Japanese for Western audiences. His films didn't come over here until after he died. His films are often considered to Bresson's, but they have one thing Bresson's films don't. EMOTION. I can understand the comparision though. The characters seem like in a constant state of smiling and not just a blank expression. There are some scenes I found moving and they usually contained no words at all. It showed more emotion than any of the dialogue in the film. I don't feel I am used to style yet. I often heard he barely moves the camera and it is obvious, but not as off-putting. Probably the most off-putting thing to me was the conversations. Most of the conversations are done straight into the camera and goes back and forth between the characters which I feel doesn't flow that well, but this is one of earlier films so maybe his later films are more smoother or I grow more accustomed to it over time. I have another Ozu film on the top of my queue so I hope I get "into" this great filmmaker.
*** out of ****

Movie Reviews

Match Point(dir. Woody Allen)
I liked it alot, but doesn't really compare well to the other two movies I've seen by him. The film is basically a pseudo remake of Crimes & Misdemeanors which I love. Scarlett Johansson's acting is pretty shitty and overall the movie didn't blow me away. *** out of ****
Decalogue IV(dir. Kryzstzof Kieslowski?)
It took me awhile to watch anything on this dvd, but yeah. This story was pretty emotional and I liked the twist at the end even though I don't really like twists. I like Kieslowski's style alot. It feels very human and natural. **** out of ****

Taste of Cherry and The Leopard Mini Reviews

The Leopard(dir. Luchino Visconti)(US version)
The whole film was pretty good. Nothing really amazing about it. It kind of got boring during the last 45 minutes or so. I need to watch the original version of it.
*** out of ****

Taste of Cherry(dir. Abbas Kiarostami)
I'm borderline whether this film is actually good or bad. It was interesting and different. It was not as good as The Wind Will Carry Us which had conversations that felt natural and pointless yet meaningful. The whole film really doesn't engage the viewer but there is something bold about it that I have to respect.
*** out of ****

The Bank Dick Review

W.C. Fields's name is often referred with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, and so on and so on. He is basically considered a classic comedic actor. His slurred speech is highly enjoyable and his basic behavior throughout the film is pretty entertaining. I wouldn't say this film is as good as say Duck Soup, but it definately makes you laugh at some points. I felt bored at some periods of time. The film was only 69 minutes so it wasn't that huge of an issue.

Pros:
-Some good laughs
-W.C. Fields is pretty funny
-The nagging family turning rich and proper seemed highly enjoyable

Cons:
-Not that funny
-Some of the jokes with the bank inspector seemed somewhat mean-spirited
-The presentation of the black character seemed rascist, but it is the 1940's

Overall: A pretty good classic comedy
*** out of ****

Stranger Than Paradise

This film is directed by Jim Jarmusch. The only other film I've seen by him is Broken Flowers. This was his breakout film. This had a major impact on the independent film scene of the late 80's. It seemed rather simplistically made, but it didn't feel as rough as most independent films. It also didn't feel as pretentious. I enjoyed the editing style of the film. I basically enjoyed all of it. I feel torn whether to give this four stars or three because I liked it alot, but I didn't exactly love it.

Pros:
-Great editing style
-Great characters
-The New World is good
-The second part is great
-Minimalistic
-Not overblown

Cons:
-Doesn't leave that much of an emotional impact
-Third part is just descent
-Ending kind of stinks

Overall: Good film
*** out of ****

A Man Escaped

This film kind of wins me over about Robert Bresson. I've seen two of his films before, but it didn't really allow me to become involved since the acting was emotionless. The acting is still the same in this film, but I feel the protagonist's conquest is more heroic than the others in his other films. This is not the typical prison escape film. There is none of that hanging around with the guards and fellow inmates. It feels like prison and you can honestly understand why somebody would want to escape. This film is amazingly realistic and builds suspense without feeling manipulating. The Bresson style still seems off-putting to me. The lack of emotions makes it hard to get into the story. I understand during this film that I need to force myself to get into it instead of just watching the images. I hope the next Bresson film I see, I will fall in love with.

Pros:
-Suspensful
-Realistic
-Systematic
-Heroic

Cons:
-Emotionless
-Not many different settings

Overall: A good prison escape film
*** out of ****

Stroszek Review

I really can't think of anything to say. It feels so raw and non-stylized that you have to dig into it. It is pretty bizarre, but it works. It is not as good as The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, but better than Fitzcarraldo.
*** out of ****

Movie Reviews

Gonna do the one sentence after the rating format for this.

Good Night and Good Luck (dir. George Clooney)
*** out of ****
A brief film about the power of journalism. Biggest flaw is that it is kind of preachy and does not get the viewer very emotionally involved.

Anatomy of a Murder (dir. Otto Preminger)
**** out of ****
A film that raises questions about our legal process and morality. Is man morally right in killing his wife's rapist?

Ugetsu (dir. Kenji Mizoguchi)
**** out of ****
A beautiful film about the consequences of temptation in 16th century Japan. A great film.

Z Channel: A Magnificient Obsession Review

The film chronicles Z Channel and lead programmer Jerry Harvey. The channel allowed Los Angeles subscribers to see obscure, forgotten, and foreign films in their homes. The channel had an effect on people's perceptions of a film such as Heaven's Gate and Once Upon a Time in America by showing Director's Cut versions of the films before the term Director's Cut was even coined. It also chronicles the life of Jerry Harvey who meets his demise in a murder-suicide. The film is interesting and creates a new outlook on HBO and all those movie channels.

Pros:
-Some great interviewees
-Footage from great movies
-Informative
-Cinephile's wet dream
Cons:
-Not enough clips
-Seems rather short
-Does not feel complete
Overall: Interesting documentary that could have been longer
*** out of ****

Trial of Joan of Arc Review

I was also about to go to sleep and I tested my favorites on the remote since I just set them. The only stations I set were Nickelodeon and TCM. When I tried it out, it went to TCM and this film just started. I have wanted to see it, but I do not think there is a Region 1 dvd so I would have to buy one from Europe. This film is just basically a recreation of the trial of joan of arc with none of that Hollywood type story telling in it. It does not really glorify Joan of Arc or dismisses any of her judges. It just simply shows it. Now with the pros and cons.
Pros:
-Brisk and swift (65-68 minutes)
-Balanced view of the situation
-Learn about Joan of Arc
-Great repetition of locations
-"Model" acting
-More interesting than Pickpocket
Cons:
-No real emotional involvement for the audience
-Alot of talking
-Not many different locations
Overall: Interesting film about Joan of Arc
*** out of ****