SCREENING LOG - 12/29/2003-1/04/2004

Back to 2004 Index

I watched THE CIRCUS, THE FOG OF WAR, FINDING NEMO, A VERY MORAL NIGHT, MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST, THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE, THE CUCKOO, SWEET SIXTEEN, DOWN WITH LOVE, PISTOL OPERA, STROSZEK, THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK and KES. In order of preference:

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003, Errol Morris)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0317910

Ever since A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME (or even earlier, it can be argued, with THE THIN BLUE LINE), Errol Morris has repeatedly explored how men attempt to control or manipulate their worlds, a theme that is reflected in Morris' own increasingly flashy, self-conscoiusly stylized brand of "documentary". This paradox of arriving at documentary truth through rigorous manipulation adds multiple layers of subtext to his interview with Robert McNamara, who served as the U.S. Secretary of Defense during the Cuba Missile Crisis and the first half of the Vietnam War. On the one hand, Morris uses a self-designed camera that allows both him and the camera to look directly in the eyes of his interview subject while filming him, with bracingly intimate results; yet at the same time he frames McNamara at different positions and repeatedly uses jump cuts to disrupt the flow of McNamara's mellifluous, charismatic delivery. At 85, McNamara comes off as a charming, intelligent old man who isn't afraid to reflect critically on both his public and private decisions that affected both his loved ones as well as millions of people over the world. The points of his monologue, summarized as eleven "lessons," are alternately elaborated, supported and challenged by a dense and stunning array of archival footage and computer-generated imagery designed by Morris, as if the two personalities are engaging in a dialogue that becomes increasingly contentious as to the hazy issue of what is the right thing to do in times of war. Despite the impression of great experience and accompanying wisdom that McNamara conveys, the film doesn't exonerate him for what he has done nor give a clear conclusion as to what the "right thing" is, putting the audience in the uncomfortable but necessary position of having to make their own assessment of this man and his views of how we should learn from our collective history in order to apply them to the crises of the present. #4 among 2003 IMDb releases between ELEPHANT and RAJA #5 among new films seen in 2003, between ELEPHANT and DIVINE INTERVENTION

The Circus (1928, Charlie Chaplin)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0018773

Some of Chaplin's most inspired slapstick can be found in this raucous comedy that doubles as a masterful meditation on the art of comedy: how it works, what good it does for the world. Along these lines, much is made of the relationship between order and disorder: a troupe of circus clowns can't get any laughs because their routine has become, well, too routine -- when the Tramp wanders in amongst them and mucks up the works; riotous laughter ensues. Few film directors of any period had as intuitive a sense of how human beings oppress themselves with rules and regulations, as well as how to subvert and exploit those systems of control to create a sense of liberation; his brand of comedy has socio-political implications that could well be defined as revolutionary. Gradually, another more darker theme emerges: the transience of Chaplin's own ability to act as an agent of change -- in one of the saddest images in his career, he's left holding a tattered star where a circus tent once stood. This theme of doing some lasting good in the face of imminent demise would haunt his films for the rest of his career -- you see it in CITY LIGHTS, THE GREAT DICTATOR, even MONSIEUR VERDOUX and A KING IN NEW YORK -- but given that the silent film was in the midst of being phased out, this particular moment has a special poignancy for the greatest of all silent artists. The DVD I saw this on is loaded with fantastic extras, such as publicity materials, production reports that document the soap-opera saga in making the film, and a fascinating series of outtakes with commentary by historian David Shepard that give great insight into Chaplin's creative process and obsessive pursuit of perfection. #6 for 1928 between ARSENAL and THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK

The Docks of New York (1928, Josef von Sternberg)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0018839

I readily admit that of the two films von Sternberg directed in 1928, THE LAST COMMAND is, on the surface, a more impressive, epic film than this relatively brief and intimate melodrama between a swaggering seadog and a suicidal prostitute, set largely in a grungy dockside bar. But as I come to understand what von Sternberg is about, and what movies as an artform (as opposed to being a rousing diversion) are about, I'd argue that this is the more critical film. This is for all practical purposes a Marlene Dietrich movie without Dietrich (which calls into question how essential she was to the fulfillment of von Sternberg's unique vision). Without her, there's still the densely atmospheric smoky interiors, impeccably, sensuously lit; and von Sternberg has already mastered his groundbreaking technique of having his actors act with a Zen-like economy of bodily gestures and facial expressions, so stiff and automatic, yet so transparently human, as if they were mannequins of pure libido with their hearts worn on their sleeves (compare what George Bancroft does in this movie to Emil Jannings' more ostentatious performance in THE LAST COMMAND and you have an instant debate on the ethics of acting for the camera.) All this begs the question: were we really getting aroused by Dietrich's presence, or by the light and shadows that caressed our eyes as surely as they caressed the contours of her face? Is it all a matter of how you swing your arms and raise your eyes that make you an object of desire? Von Sternberg appears to have the answer. #7 for 1928 between THE CIRCUS and THE LAST COMMAND

Finding Nemo (2003, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0266543

My vote for the best Hollywood film of 2003 goes to the latest effort by Pixar, because it excels at the modestly ambitious goals that most self-respecting mainstream movies set out to achieve: to entertain, to innovate, and to offer a modicum of grist for rumination (usually in that order). The dramatic content is serviceable, helped largely by Albert Brooks' vocal performance as the timid clownfish who embarks on a heroic quest to rescue his only son -- Ellen DeGeneres is even better as the forgetful bluefish who assists him. The aquatic CGI effects specially designed for the film succeed brilliantly in submerging the viewer in a simulated underwater world, alive with a seemingly limitless palette of colors. There's a laugh or a smile to be had every 30 seconds, thanks to a witty script and a diverse cast of sea creatures each with their own unique charms. There's a lot of life and creative energy invested in each frame -- what struck me while watching the credit reel is how more unified and homogenized the Pixar community (located in San Francisco) appears to be, compared to other studios (the credits listed numerous "Production Babies" birthed during the making of the movie -- how many credit reels do this?)... It strikes me that the many talented people involved in this enterprise largely share an insular suburban worldview propelled by techno-geek interests, but whatever the case their product is vastly more enlivening than others issued by the hedonism factories of Hollywood. #6 among 2003 IMDb releases between RAJA and DOWN WITH LOVE #9 among new films seen in 2003 between RAJA and SEAFOOD

Down with Love (2003, Peyton Reed)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0309530

The intermittent flashes of brilliance in Reed's previous feature BRING IT ON didn't prepare me for the sustained waves of creative energy and sheer bubbly enthusiasm in this shamelessly giddy retro rehash of 50s and 60s battle-of-the-sexes comedies set in corporate America. The cast, led by Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, all seem to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and who can blame them with the juicy, pun-drunk lines they get to deliver thanks to a script by Eve Ahlert and Dennis Drake that is as razor-sharp as it is light-headed. The costume design and spacious sets (especially McGregor's gadget-infested space age bachelor pad) are a most worthy tribute to the period and films they honor, but most impressive are Reed's inventive use of montages and split-screens (which contribute to one of the most hilarious phone sex scenes ever filmed). What's surprising is how the film, for all its nostalgia, manages to hit at a conundrum that still exists today for working women roaming in a world of seemingly conflicting desires. After all, if the worldviews in this movie are supposedly outdated, then why is SEX AND THE CITY such a hit? For its sensitivity, style and crackling wit, I'll take this over FAR FROM HEAVEN any day. #7 among 2003 IMDb releases between FINDING NEMO and COLD MOUNTAIN #11 among new films seen in 2003 between SEAFOOD and HERO

many thanks to howard schumann for:

Kes (1969, Ken Loach)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0064541

Famed social realist Loach became an internationally renowned filmmaker with this touching and intimate portrait of a country boy who keeps falling into trouble at home and school, but finds focus and discipline in training and caring for a kestrel he finds near a farm. There isn't so much a story as there is a free-ranging exploration of the different settings that comprise the boy's world, most notably the classrooms, where Loach gives a documentarian's objective view of the fickle application of rules by which teachers govern the lives of schoolchildren -- most memorably and hilariously captured in an extended soccer sequence where the phys ed teacher lives out his ridiculous superstar fantasy at his students' expense. Loach tends to make big statements out of the careful, unassuming accumulation of everyday occurrences -- where there lacks for surprises is made up for in masterful pathos and great performances elicited from a largely nonprofessional cast. #6 for 1969 between RED LION and Z

Pistol Opera (2001, Seijun Suzuki)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0285906

At age 79, Suzuki Seijun is as ever a master of willfully difficult exercises of aestheticism under the guise of genre -- those expecting to find a straight-up bang-bang flick about how the #3 hitwoman in Japan kills her way to the top may be disappointed or utterly bewildered by what they find, though one might argue that Seijun is giving what a lot of people want out of their action movies these days: pure sensation. This movie has much of the most ravishing imagery in years, with colors that explode from the screen, with bodies and sets arranged in dynamic geometrical patterns; the soundtrack of eclectic gems is a killer as well. I've watched it twice and still barely have an idea as to what it all means, but if considered under the category of experimental film it could be one of the very best things Suzuki has ever done. One of these days I'm going to give his entire body of work a closer look; based on past comments there seem to be three schools of thought concerning Suzuki: a) that he's all style, no substance; b) that his more narrative-oriented films (i.e. STORY OF A PROSTITUTE, FIGHTING ELEGY) are more accomplished than his more unabashedly stylized works (i.e. TOKYO DRIFTER, BRANDED TO KILL); and c) that he is at his greatest and most singular when he actively opposes any sort of convention (and knowing something about his career biography, this last reading seems more and more significant to me. Suzuki may very well be the John Coltrane of Japanese cinema, a figure who stretched the strictures of his medium well beyond the comprehension of the majority, if only to argue on behalf of the inherent principles of the freedom and beauty of the creative act. #15 for 2001

Stroszek (1977, Werner Herzog)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0075276

An American end-of-the-road trip courtesy of Werner Herzog: the alluringly bizarre Bruno S. (previously the star of THE ENIGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER) lights out to Wisconsin with his prostitute girlfriend and an elderly mentor. The ostensible statement being made, that America ain't the Dream it's cracked up to be, plays rather smug and shallow, but the fun here is in the journey. Herzog gets his best moments from having the oddball cast of natives let it all hang out: there's enough local color to paint the walls of your local Wal-Mart, but Herzog is far less intent on mocking quirky Americans than in celebrating them; it's the faceless, normalized systems which govern all their lives that really give him the creeps. The film ends in a blazing apocalyptic sequence on an Indian reservation, involving a flaming pickup and a dead-end ride on a ski-lift; it's a memorable climax though Herzog gets a bit carried away with the dancing chickens. #16 for 1977 between DESPERATE LIVING and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003, Peter Weir)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0311113

I readily admit to being completely absorbed in the first hour of this handsome and masterfully mounted adaptation of Patrick O'Brian's seafaring novels as few new films (certainly not LORD OF THE RINGS) have gripped me all year -- Weir's recreation of life on an English naval vessel and naval battle techniques circa 1800 seems unassailable in its breathtaking detail. Russell Crowe is impressive as the revered but haggard captain, though his performance verges on mimicking the all-purpose nobility of Tom Hanks' recent performances; in fact the film reminds me a good deal of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN in how it dresses a dubious argument on behalf of war and macho morals with oodles of blood and bravado. The film tries to entertain a debate between the conflicting pursuits of war and the humanities (embodied in the ship's doctor, played by Paul Bettany wearing a frock that screams out "pansy") but ends up sounding ridiculous, esp. when it seems to conclude that the arts and sciences are best useful when contributing to innovations in martial conquest. I am deeply impressed with this film's level of classic craftsmanship, but this is about as high a rating as a right-wing movie will get from me these days. #12 among new films seen in 2003 between MYSTIC RIVER and THE STATION AGENT #23 among new films seen in 2003 between MYSTIC RIVER and SWEET SIXTEEN

Sweet Sixteen (2002, Ken Loach)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0313670

British teen soccer player Martin Compston gives a powerful, unmannered performance as Liam, a teenager determined to rehabilitate his mother, a drug addict about to be released from prison. During visitations Liam refuses to slip his mother drugs supplied by her pusher boyfriend; instead he steals the dealer's stash to bankroll a living situation independent of the boyfriend -- but this leads to a confrontation with the powerful forces running the drug distribution network. Using unobstrusive camerawork and persuasive but occasionally predictable storytelling techniques, Loach does no more or less than shoot Liam's willful efforts to do right by his mother as situations present themselves to him. In doing so Loach makes a statement that is in tune with the particulars of the Scottish surroundings (the dialogue is drenched in heavy Scottish brogue) while detailing a situation that could exist anywhere in the world. #18 for 2002 between UNKNOWN PLEASURES and RAISING VICTOR VARGAS #24 for new films seen in 2003 between MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD and RAISING VICTOR VARGAS

The Triplets of Belleville (2003, Sylvain Chomet)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0286244/

An elderly woman and her pudgy dog take a most bizarre trans-atlantic journey to rescue her grown grandson, a pro cyclist, after he is abducted by the French mafia for mysterious purposes. Some critics have hailed this gimpy phantasmagoria as a European countermeasure to Hollywood's increasing CGI-zation of the art of animation; the hand-drawn frames have a tactile, roughhewn charm (though some of the caricatures -- esp. of fat women -- are too gross for my taste), but what really captivated me was the dense and masterful use of sound, both in everyday ambient noises and snazzy vintage jazz tunes. Much like the films of Jeunet and Carot, Chomet's vision is as weird and inconsequential as a dream, with moments possessed with a haunting beauty. #15 for 2003 IMDb releases between CRIMSON GOLD and LOVE ACTUALLY

A Very Moral Night (1977, Karoly Makk)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0075996

This gentle comedy-drama about a 19th century medical student who finds lodging in a bordello, only to be visited by his prudish, unsuspecting mother has a great sense of atmosphere, both bawdy and genteel, and lush red decor. It becomes a bit too farcical for my tastes in the second half, but it makes for a nice throwback to the stories of Maupassant and Chekhov.

The Man without a Past (2002, Aki Kaurismaki)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0311519/

The whimsical Finn offers his characteristically sly, deadpan view of humanity and un-humanity engaged in a perpetual thumb-wrestling match, this time centered on a construction worker who forgets who he is after being brutally attacked and robbed. Through a mildly improbable series of events, he scrapes out an existence in a community of vagrants, falls in love with a lonely missionary (Kaurismaki mainstay Katia Outinen, in a lovely performance) and fends off the abuses of a couple of silly authority figures. While I still can't shake the feeling that Kaurismaki is trailing the wake of Bresson, Ozu and Fassbinder (not to mention Wenders and Jarmusch) in terms of both style and worldview, he does stake out his own unique world and conveys it masterfully through his own sardonic mannerisms made palatable by a tempered romantic streak. I suppose the problem I have is that this sweet coating mitigates the urgency of the issues at stake.

The Cuckoo (2002, Aleksandr Rogozhkin)

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0308476

Towards the end of Word War II a Russian officer and a Finnish sniper find themselves exiled together in the hospitality of a Lapp peasant woman -- none of them speak the same language, leading to a 90 minute equivalent of a "Three's Company" episode (RIP John Ritter, you are missed). The repeated miscommunications feel sitcomish in the deliberateness of their meanings and effects (especially compared to how Werner Herzog handles similar cross-cultural situations in STROSZEK), but the film certainly has its heart in the right place and the jokes work every so often. The performances are winning and add to the warm, cozy feel of the proceedings.

Back to 2004 Index