Ikiru **

Another non-samurai Kurosawa film which was ok but repetative in parts and somewhat long. I felt a lot could have been cut

There's an interesting article on Shimura Takashi in this month's Sight & Sound .

My problem with Ikiru, having only seen it once, was the two halfs were, as far as duration goes, so obviously unbalanced. I remember at the time trying to justify that, but I too felt it was overlong. But I've been meaning to revisit it for some time now...

Did anyone watch Stephen King's "Desperation" last night on tv? I like a lot of King's work, and watched the first two hours (it was 3 hours), and fell asleep. It was pretty good though. What a creepy town! (or what there was left of it).


TIS

X-Men ***

Gearing up for the 3rd installment on Friday. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are so incrediblly wonderful together onscreen

Unforgiven *
Prostitutes announce a reward for killing two cowboys who mutilate on of them. The story builds up expectation by constant references to the legends associated with the assasins. We get to see some action in the end, but nothing spectacular. Okay movie, way over-rated IMO.

There must be something I don't quite understand about the mystique of Clint Eastwood because it doesn't make sense to me why his seemingly-mediocre films suddenly are extrememly succesful and win a bunch of oscars as of late. I've been told Million Dollar Baby was overrated, I've seen half of Mystic River and had no real interest in seeing the rest, and I thought Unforgiven was good but nowhere near deserving of its Best Picture Oscar.

I think while Eastwood's films are somewhat conventional, they maintain their emotional punch unlike most conventional dramas that are weak.

Unforgiven is a masterpiece.

Mystic River is mediocre at best.

That's all I've seen from Eastwood.

The Sentinel (Clark Johnson/2006)

A very good and very suspenseful film. Douglas and Sutherland were great in their respective roles. Not a difficult role for Kiefer, as David Breckinridge is very much like Jack Bauer. It'll keep you on your toes. One of the better "summer blockbusters."

To be quite fair, the last two Eastwood movies have been average at best. Not bad pictures, but no way they are as great as the acclaim.

However Hagen, Eastwood did make some movies that I quite enjoy in differing levels. Some you've heard of...and others, probably not. Here are the films I've seen far from Eastwood the director that I would rate as good:

HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973)

Eastwood's second go-around as director, this western film of revenge and hellraising, with tones for a tale that may be a supernatural tale of vengeance from hell itself, or a desperate fever wishful dream of a wronged man.

THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976)

Replaced Phil Kaufman as director during shooting, Eastwood was behind this pretty popular and quite enjoyable western about a southener who's family gets massacred by those damn Yankees...and which he goes off on a long epic trek into the old west, with a strident lawman(the late great John Vernon) on his trail.

PALE RIDER (1985)

Many have cited this as a SHANE knock-off, and thats pretty fair. Still, a nice decent western that certainly helped to knock cobwebs out of the western genre, which was quite empty in the 1980s.

HEARTBREAK RIDGE (1986)

An average film for sure, with Eastwood as yet another tough-ass marine forced to make something out of a trash crew of Marine losers. However, he is sure entertaining as the asshole of a tough yet noble bastard. Nobody likes him, yet nobody disrespects him.

BIRD (1988)

Funny enough, Eastwood is a Jazz nut. BIRD was his biopic of legendary Jazz man Charlie "Bird" Parker, and pretty much an excuse for The Squint to dwell on his passion. This is a biopic which plays by biopic rules, so don't expect anything different or probably anything special, but damn Forest Whittaker is quite awesome never the less.

WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART (1990)

While Eastwood embarrased himself quite badly with the god-awful THE ROOKIE in 1990, that same year he unveiled to critical acclaim, but nothing more, a tightly-made movie of obsession and the false myth of machoism in his thinly-told cinematic tale of director John Huston during the shoot of a THE AFRICAN QUEEN-esque picture, where the hunt for an elephant becomes his sole purpose in life. No really, this owns MYSTIC RIVER and MILLION DOLLAR BABY like the Yankees own the Royals.

UNFORGIVEN (1992)

Maybe overrated, but still a good film where a bad man that has tried to reform himself becomes his own primal self once again.


Clint Eastwood isn't a Master director as many would argue, but hes made some good movies, some average flicks, some dubious star-vehicles for himself, and ya even some turkeys.

Amores Perros ***
First spanish movie I have watched. Literally means "Love is a bitch". It has three stories running in parallel, all dealing with love and relationships. Almost every scene has a dog in it, they play a major role in the story. It is a drama with a slight tragic touch. The music, editing and camera work are excellent. Highly recommended.

X2 *** 1/2

Easily surperior to the original X-Man. Nightcrawler was my favorite mutant in this film and the opening sequence with him in the White House is still one of my favorite opening scenes ever. It's a shame he won't be in the 3rd installment

Running Scared ** 1/2

I know this won't sound familiar, but Paul Walker was actually in a pretty decent movie. Chazz was fine too but I think I might understand why people don't like Tony Scott now. He didn't direct this film but I felt the directing/editing was too much

Rear Window
1954/Hitchcock

Continuing my foray into classic cinema, this was my 3rd Hitchcock film. I really liked the decision to frame almost the entire film from Jeff's apartment, as this really puts the viewer into the action. I'm also gaining more and more respect for Jimmy Stewart as an actor, after getting over the slightly comical aspect of his thick accent.

Although this was, overall, a very solid and well made film, I again did not feel as though it lived up to its hype. Neither the promised "shocking ending" or the power to hold up to its title as one of top 50 films of all time really matierialized for me. I'm sure it was groundbreaking and shocking in its day but it just wasn't a film I could get excited about. Still a solid piece of classic cinema though.

4/5 Stars

I'm a HUGE fan of Woody, MMTH, and I've seen just about all of his films.

I strongly recommend Broadway Danny Rose which, while certainly not his best film, is quite funny and particularly appealing because it involves Woody playing his typical self, but this time involved quite a bit with the Mafia.

What do you think of Match Point, Plaw?

I have a friend who is a Woody Allen freak and he recommended I see Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Hannah and Her Sisters, in that order. I've never heard of Broadway Danny Rose, but I'll make sure I get to it.

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of Allen's work as I thought Annie Hall was great.

Thanks for the recommendation Plaw.

The three you mentioned are generally considered to be among his best, and I'd agree.

I enjoyed Match Point, DV, but I certainly don't think it was one of his best.

I also think that a lot of his recent work has been criticized rather harshly and unfairly, and since Match Point was probably a cut above some of the things Woody has done recently as far as being what I'll call "a technical piece of film making", the critics were a bit lavish with their praise.

Call me crazy, but I really enjoyed his recent Hollywood Ending, and also Anything Else
Yeah, they were a couple of simple and goofy comedies, but I found them both to be quite funny.

I thought Match Point was a very good movie

It was very good, and somewhat different, and I liked it a lot, but it's not on the same level as his best work, IMO.

Okay so I just got back from X3, and I don't care what any of you say, I loved it.

****SPOILER****


Dude. The Juggernaut ACTUALLY SAYS "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch."... a;lsdkfja;lsdfkj;alfj!!!!!!!! I don't care. I laughed. It was hilarious. Especially since ever since the Juggernaut appeared in the film, I had been saying "IM THE JUGGERNAUT BITCH" every time he opened his mouth. And then it actually came out. And I was like ;alksdjf. Hahah, okay thats all. PS - Wolverine is teh h0ttn3ss. And I wish they'd put Gambit in it. Gambit rules all.
****/SPOILER****

Bogey i jus got back from it too i was laughing so hard when the juggernuat siad that it was so funny. It was also a good movie with a good ending. stay after the credits to see a short clip. ***1/2 stars i give it

Firewall **

I haven't seen a Harrison Ford movie since 2000's What Lies Beneath. Not bad but nothing great either. I'm really starting to enjoy Paul Bettany's work the more and more I see it

Irish, if you enjoy Bettany, I'd hope that you've seen Gangster No. 1? That's the first film where I truly realized his immense talent.

How was he in the Da Vinci Code?

AHHHH NOOOO!!! I KNEW I shoulda stayed

No I haven't seen Gagnster No. 1. As for the Da Vinci Code him and Sir Ian McKellen stole the show. I'm about to see X3 myself and WILL be staying after the credits :p

X3 ***

I was pleasantely surprised by this X-Men film. I was expecting it to be the worst of the trilogy. It wasn't better than X2, but I'd put it up there with the original X-Men. A couple of character surprises.

SPOILERS

I was pissed at the lack of airtime for Juggernaut a.k.a. Vinnie Jones. It was great to see him in the film but I wanted more Juggernaut! Also, for those who stuck around, what do you think the last clip meant after the credits? Who was the nurse? We didn't see his face but we knew it was Patrick Stewart's voice. I also loved the way the movie ended with Magneto

END OF SPOILERS

****SPOILER****

I was the only one who laughed too. I couldn't believe he said that. I was pissed that we never saw anything from The Sentinels except that 1 head

****/SPOILER****

Johnny Got His Gun - (Dalton Trumbo;1971;USA)
In WW1 after a shell burst leaves a soldier armless, legless, faceless, and without sight, hearing, or smell he is mentally trapped in memories, fantasies, and nightmares.
One of the most neglected war films I've seen and it's a shame because this may be one of the best. It's not about the war at all as it is about the character, in ultimate isolation. Some of the memories show a very humane portrait of life while the film turns around with fantasies and nightmares that have some subtle black humor, but more often become disturbing and depressing. Consider one where he discussing his current state with Jesus Christ, played by Donald Sutherland or one where he imagines himself in a freak show run by his father. I also liked the film didn't go beyond his immediate area, only showing nurses, doctors, and military officers. A haunting film.

Inside me I'm screaming and yelling and howling like a trapped animal, and nobody pays any attention. If I had arms, I could kill myself. If I had legs, I could run away. If I had a voice, I could talk and be some kind of company for myself. I could yell for help, but nobody would help me.

Highly highly recommended.