Oct 09 2007
Some Movies to Look Out For
I’ve seen some good movies lately. Most of them fall under the category of Not Exactly Mainstream But Who Wants To Watch Mainstream Movies Anyway and either flopped at the box office or were hardly noticed or got mixed reviews or all of the above — but they’re all good movies. So you might want to check them out if you’re up for the challenge. I’ve listed them from the most surreal to the most conventional.
The Fountain — I wish I’d seen this one in a theatre. It deserves the biggest screen you can find. It’s a film I know I’ll have to watch again to fully appreciate, but even now I’m amazed by it. It’s the most surreal, spectacular, unusual film I’ve seen in years, but not so far out there that it’s alien — the complete opposite in fact. I agree with every word of the review I’ve link to. (Check out Jim Emerson’s blog for further commentary on the film.)
The Science of Sleep — I laughed out loud all throughout this film written and directed by Michel Gondry. He also co-wrote and directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And it shows. The films share much the same look and feel except Sleep leans more towards the comedic due in large part to the fantastic performance by Gael Garica Bernal. I had a great time watching this movie. (The DVD commentary track is funny too.) I plan to watch it again as soon as I can.
The Fisher King — A much better film than I remember. I don’t think Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams and Mercedes Ruehl could have given better performances in this surreal yet uncomfortably realistic film directed by Terry Gilliam. A fantastical mix of sorrow and humour.
Everything is Illuminated — A quirky, colourful, fantastic road trip movie that may surprise you with its poignancy. It’s funny, it’s touching and, yup, it’s illuminating. I’m not a huge fan of Elijah “Whiny Frodo” Wood, but he’s well-cast in this one.
Ponette — An extraordinary film about a 4-year-old girl dealing with her mother’s death — and it’s not a downer. From the first frame to the last, you are living in a 4-year-old’s reality as dramatic and moving as any adult world. It’s a one-of-a-kind film that’s hard to forget. Highly recommended.
Black Snake Moan — Just about the coolest movie I’ve seen all year. Samuel L. Jackson and the killer blues soundtrack is enough reason to give this one a try. The well-crafted story is the another. It’s full of dirt and sweat and sex and heart-break. (The trailer for this one is completely misleading, which is the case for most of the movies in this post.)
Seraphim Falls — A.k.a. 101 Things to Do With a Knife (watch the movie to get that joke). The first 15 minutes play like a Grizzly Adams version of 24. It’s brutal. Pierce Brosnan’s performance as a man on the run — who knows how to fight back — is outstanding. The film is mostly one long chase scene with a slightly surreal ending, but it’s the best western I’ve seen for awhile.
Little Children — I kept waiting for something really bad to happen while I was watching this movie, but it was alright. I had a few moments where I thought, “No one in real life would do that,” but overall the story is so well-constructed and intelligent in the way it develops the drama, it’s difficult not to be affected by the experience. An unusual film, kind of strange in places, but good.
The Brave One — Without Jodie Foster’s convincing performance of a woman who becomes a vigilante — and is conflicted about what she’s become — this movie would have been a melodramatic revenge flick. Half the audience is likely to miss the point and cheer whenever she shoots her gun; the rest might find it disturbing. I don’t agree with everything that goes down in the end, but the psychological transformation of Foster’s character makes this film worth watching. Terrence Howard is pretty good too. (Still in theatres.)
And if you happen to be tempted to rent Transformers just for the special effects or because you’re bored, don’t. It may be the worst movie I’ve ever seen. It’s not even worth the trouble of a download just to see how bad it is (trust me, you’ll regret it). Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is a masterpiece next to this. For mentally retarded Michael Bay fans only.
And with most of my film-related posts, this one is recycled from Mud Songs.
Your taste diverges significantly from the critics on several of these films (most notably “The Fountain” and “Black Snake Moan”). I haven’t seen either (the former because the critical reception was so bad), but may give them a look.
> Your taste diverges significantly from the critics on several of these films…
I know. I skipped most of these movies in the theatre because the critics’ response wasn’t so hot. “The Fountain” is definitely a bit out there and the most challenging for the average multiplex movie-goer, but it’s a beauty and I’m glad I finally ignored the critics. I agree with the reviewer from DVD Talk:
“The Fountain struck me both intellectually and emotionally, hitting with the force of an awakening slap. The Fountain is a passionate movie, and it moves with the inconstant waves of human feeling. For as much as it tickles the philosophical centers of the viewer’s brain, if you try to intellectualize it too much, you’ll lose it. You just have to let it happen and accept the irrational flow. The Fountain is about grief, about life and death, about sacrifice and the act of creation through reduction. Don’t try to force the pieces together; the movie will assemble the puzzle for you.”
That might seem like lofty praise, but I suspect the reviewer was compelled to go off like that because so many critics were unable to grasp the film; it seemed like a pretentious mess of a movie to most of them. I’ve only seen it once and I don’t understand it completely, and I’m not sure I’m supposed to. It’s so open to individual interpretation, it may be too open to interpretation for North American audiences that are used to having things clearly spelled out for them. I admire Darren Aronofsky’s courage and determination in making this film which was virtually guaranteed to bomb at the box office. I may have been in the right mood for it. Whatever happened, it took me for for a ride. It’s another one I’ll be watching again as soon as I can.
“Black Snake Moan” seems to have been marketed to people who want to see Christina Ricci naked and sweaty and dancing, which is missing point. It’s a straight forward morality tale that diverges from reality a bit to get the point across (Ricci spends half the movie chained to a radiator and doesn’t protest as much as she should) — and perhaps that’s what throws some viewers. But I went with it and it was fun. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s easily just as good if not better than 90% of movies that played in theatres at the same time.
“The Science of Sleep” is my favourite of the bunch because it’s so completely enjoyable. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before. I loved it. It’s not as dramatic as Eternal Sunshine, nor is it as plot-driven, but it’s totally wacky and playful and fun — and it’s inspiring.
It would have taken me a long time to get around to “The Fountain” if it hadn’t been recommended to me by a local film director. I’ve been working in the film industry in St. John’s for the past year and a half and I’ve experienced first-hand how movies are made. I don’t know how much that changed the way I view films. Mostly I can tell you things like, “Wow, it must have taken them half the day to light that shot.” I suppose it’s influenced my appreciation of film to a certain degree. Maybe that’s what’s going on. Maybe not. Whatever it is, I’m glad to see my tastes diverging from the mainstream a bit. I would have missed out on some excellent movies. Yup. Okay then.
Indeed, I’ll give “The Fountain” a look. The actors aren’t bad, and I’ve liked Aronofksy’s (sp?) other work.
Sorry for the rant, if that was a rant. Hey Jody, I have an edited version of “Death Proof” that you might like. No major violence or blood or gore, and it’s still fun.
Not too many of my pals liked “The Fountain” and my wife got up & left the room after about the first 15 minutes. I thoroughly enjoyed it, however! I’m a big Hugh Jackman fan and he certainly pulls out the dramatic stops in this one.
I really enjoyed “The Brave One” simply because it’s so far off-kitler for Jodie Foster. She plays it well, never resorting to anything Charles Bronson-ish. You do get the feeling that her actions - while justified and even a bit of a guilty pleasure - take a real toll on her.
Another off-the-beaten-path option you must consider is the BBC miniseries “Jekyll.” We’re still waiting on the 2nd disc from Netflix to complete the series, but the first disc is riveting! Nicely-crafted story that (for the most part) neatly sidesteps a lot of cliches that would’ve been easy to fall back on. It’s a remake of the old Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde monster story, but done in more of a psychological thriller fashion.
I caught the first episode of Jekyll, forgot about it for the next three weeks, and managed to record the last two eps. What I did see, I loved. Now, if I could only remember to watch Torchwood on Fridays, my life would be perfect…
Rebecca you are a LIBRARIAN! I know that there are inhabitants here who think you are living the dream. How is that “new” job and house settling in…..perhaps settling is the wrong term….housewise….my dream is to avoid home ownership…..
> my dream is to avoid home ownership
I hate owning a house.
The “new” job is still great, and keeping me busy. The best part is never being bored, even when I’m tearing my hair out or silently cursing at the patrons :) The house is also good, although I have fond dreams of redoing the bathroom and the kitchen someday. At some point this week, I have to winterize the back yard.
We saw Black Snake Moan last night. Brilliant. Great music, great acting, witty with laugh-out-loud moments.
Samuel Jackson is the coolest guy on the planet.