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SCREENING LOG
-5/24-5/30, 2004
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Good bye Lenin! (2003, Wolfgang Becker)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301357/
I didn't have high expectations so I was quite stunned to
see such a deftly contrived and sophisticated work dealing
with the legacy of recent history (something I'm trying to
do in a couple of my own projects). I'm sure my time in Berlin
(and relevant subsequent work) added to my enjoyment of this
film in its historical background and unmistakable sense of
nostalgia. It's a slick film to be sure, and moves quite swiftly
lest the improbability of its own plot catch up with it. Actually
the improbability of the plot ended up becoming a virtue,
because by the end the movie isn't so much about what is believable
but about what we want to believe. I thought there was a remarkable
fusion of special effects and real footage to present Berlin
at different stages of history. It actually reminded me of
FORREST GUMP -- with the big, big, critical difference of
the story being quite self-conscious and sensitive (in quite
a touching way) to its own project of reviving and revising
history to create a feeling of closure for its audience. The
acting is great, the script is fantastic, it's a great film
any way you cut it. YES (#6 for 2003 between MY ARCHITECT
and RAJA, #7 for new films seen in 2004 between SYMPATHY FOR
MR. VENGEANCE and 15)
Young Adam (2003, David Mackenzie)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289635/
Worked for me more as a mood piece and I was into it for
a good two thirds of it to see where it would lead me, but
alas the protagonist made me no longer care for him. I also
just couldn't get my head past the notion that this film was
basically structured as a porn movie, minor everyday banalities
giving way to transgressive, somewhat fantastical, ritualized
copulation. I liked a lot of the moods evoked, as only movies
in England can evoke, and I could definitely stand to watch
more movies with Emily Mortimer. Actually, some of these comments
could apply to TWENTYNINE PALMS, a movie I liked more even
though it was perhaps more awkward... maybe it's that awkwardness
that made it seem more lively to me and less like a 90-minute
posture. David Byrne's ponderous, overused score didn't help
either. mixed
Mississippi Mermaid (1969, Francois Truffaut)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064990/
yes (#9 for 1969 between THE WILD BUNCH and THE DAMNED)
28 Days Later... (2002, Danny Boyle)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/
mixed
Manny and Lo (1996, Lisa Krueger)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116985/
yes
The Twilight Samurai (2003, Yoji Yamada)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0351817/
yes
Shane (1953, George Stevens)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046303/
yes
Local Hero (1983, Bill Forsyth)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085859/
YES (#3 for 1983 between VIDEODROME and TRADING PLACES)
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