What I Watched, What You Watched: Installment #32
Clouzot, Ophuls and Lumet made up my week of movies
I wanted to mention that on top of movie watching this week I also finally join the ranks of most of you out there as I read J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" for the first time. My literary upbringing was not that impressive and to think of the endless number of classic books I have not read all while having a college degree in print and broadcast journalism is embarrassing. Oh well, you can only try to play catch up in some aspects of life…
As for movies, I also watched several titles I will be reviewing this coming week including the Studio Canal Collection Blu-ray editions of Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt (excellent film) and Akira Kurosawa's Ran as well as upcoming Warner Home Video Blu-ray releases of the original Clash of the Titans and The Neverending Story. That said, I also have a trio of titles to talk about beyond those. So let's dig in and as always share your list of movies in the comment section below with a couple of brief sentences for each one.
| Le Corbeau (The Raven) (1943) |
 |  |
| QUICK THOUGHTS: I have now seen three of Henri-Georges Clouzot's films and all three are excellent. On top of Wages of Fear and Diabolique, Le Corbeau is a film I am now determined to own as I want to check out every feature Criterion offers on their 2004 DVD release. Of course, the only concern is that the film would soon be ushered out on Blu-ray, but seeing how I don't own Diabolique either (while I own two copies of Wages of Fear), I think I will make it an unashamed double-feature pick-up… After all, I have a $25 gift card and 15% off coupon at Barnes and Noble. As for the film, at Criterion they write, "Made during the Nazi Occupation of France, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Le Corbeau was attacked by the right-wing Vichy regime, the left-wing Resistance press, the Catholic Church, and was banned after the Liberation." These are details I am too far removed from to decipher for myself from this early '40s release, but taking these words into consideration I can now see exactly how they would fit the story as a small French town is turned upside down as an anonymous letter writer, referred to only as The Raven, causes mayhem with their accusations. It's as intense as the other Clouzot features I have seen, and again utilizes intimate moments between characters to build its tension rather than grand moments to lure you in. Get on board with Clouzot and you will not be sorry. | |
 | |
 |
| Serpico (1973) |
 | |
| QUICK THOUGHTS: I had never seen Serpico, but I can now say I am sorry it took me this long to do so as I slowly manage to work my way through Sidney Lumet's oeuvre. To this point I have seen 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, Find Me Guilty, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and will soon be reviewing Criterion's upcoming DVD release of The Fugitive Kind starring Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward. To pick a favorite from the list above, while I was not a fan of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead in the slightest, is not easy as the rest are nearly impossible to separate. However, I will say Serpico had me locked from the opening scene. This is a film from the days when Al Pacino was still restrained for most of his performance, only to break out into uncontrollable rage when it was absolutely necessary, such as the fantastic scene here when he tosses Rudy Corsaro into his jail cell. However, this film also shows Pacino's ability for quieter moments such as when he sarcastically refers to his heroin-sniffing mouse. Golden. Oscar golden in fact as this earned Pacino his second Oscar nomination and his first Golden Globe win. The clip below, with Lumet discussing the film, brings up another moment with Serpico dressed as a Hasidic rabbi and the ability of that scene to be at once wholly believable as well as equally ridiculous. This is just a great film and I have to assume Paramount is working on a Blu-ray release… If not… why not? Hand it off to Criterion while Lumet is still around to contribute to the release. | |
| |
|
| The Earrings of Madame de… (Madame de…) (1953) |
 | |
| QUICK THOUGHTS: No lie, I just finished this film before I hit publish and I don't have a whole lot to say. Personally I don't like to discuss films immediately after watching them because I haven't had a chance to digest them just yet. I watched this manipulative little romance after reviewing Criterion's Lola Montes from director Max Ophuls, and while The Earrings of Madame de… is perfectly fine, I can't say I am enamored with it, but I think watching Montes prior to this film set me up for an interesting set of expectations that were met, but not in the way that was anticipated. While much of the obstructed blocking seen in Montes was found here as well as the long shots Ophuls used, driving his director of photography, Christian Matras, batty, it is all constrained to a 1.33:1 aspect ratio compared to the 2.55:1 Cinemascope of Montes. This isn't a complaint, just an ill-conceived expectation on my part to think it could match Montes in presentation and camera movement. However, I remained impressed by the feature and scenes such as when the camera follows a young man down a spiral staircase to the first floor as well as an innocent scene featuring Charles Boyer as Général André de… closing up the windows to their mansion as the dialogue continues at each open window, following him from room-to-room. This film also afforded me the chance to improve my acquaintance with Vittorio De Sica whom I've seen in Rossellini's Rome Open City and Il generale della Rovere as well as seen his classic work directing The Bicycle Thief and Umberto D., but De Sica has so many credits to his name I am only scratching the surface. | |
| |
|
There you have it. Now share your weekly recaps and weigh in with any thoughts you may have on the films I saw. And remember to connect with my Netflix queue by clicking here, I have already added several titles from those that have already linked up.
Links from Other Sites You May Like
Showing 27 Comments
~ PLEASE NOTE ~
If, in any way, your comment is an attack on the author of this post or a previous commenter, your comment will be deleted without question.
Add a New Comment |
Click to Read Our Commenting Rules & Guidelines
Howl's Moving Castle – B- – only the second Mitazaki feature that I've seen after seeing Spirited Away in 2004. Whilst the animation is great, his movies seem to lack the heart that Pixar films have.
Sunrise: a song of two humans – B+ – the first half of this is a masterpeice. The second half not so. Still a must watch.
The Secret in Their Eyes – B+ – I had a difficult time ranking this mainly because the ending blew me away. But after a couple days thoughts, you do remember some problems with the movie too. Definately my favorite of this years best foreign film oscar contenders.
The Crazies – B- – a very well made film, nicely shot too. There was no originality to it and I have started to give up on the horror genre which is one that I grew up on because of the lack of originality. The last original horror movie I saw was the original saw. Since then, all remakes and sequels.
Brad, I also have to admit not having read The Catcher in the Rye yet. I've had a copy for some years and I think I might finally start reading it after finishing another classic just this morning – Wuthering Heights. I have to say I didn't get it. Why is it considered such a classic? It was plain strange and cruel and almost made me nauseous at times.
The Shining (re-watch) – This scared the crap out of me when I read the book as a teenager. The movie didn't have the same effect simply because I knew what was going to happen. In spite of that it's a classic and very good movie. A
Blade II (re-watch) – Not as good as the first one. A decent vampire actioner nonetheless, harmless fun. C
The Lovely Bones – I was somewhat disappointed with this one. Too much cgi used, too many fantasy-heaven sequences, not enough of the real world which was by far the more interesting part of the story. C
You will storm through "The Catcher in the Rye", it is a very quick read.
By the way, have you seen Chapter 27 in which this book plays a significant part?
I'm torn as to which time people should read Catcher and the Rye. In high school you can be angsty with him, but when you're older you understand why he's angry. Can go either way.
And loved that you stayed up for Serpico as late as I did. The first half of the movie is a bunch of non-sequiturs. Police work, pet dogs, parties, ballet, conversations about Japanese traditional dance, pet parrots, more police work. And all of that was grounded onto Pacino's character and performance. And all of that was an amalgamation of the crime films Lumet has done as well as the bat shit we all enjoyed in Network. A
Russian Ark – it's a bit sleepy at times, but the last scene paid off so well. I drool in period films. B-
A Room With a View – Probably the most unrestrained British period film I've seen. But you know, the Brits did have Restoration comedy. A-
Be Like Others – it's a documentary about rhetoric, which was very refreshing to watch. B+
The Messenger – great performances from Foster, Harrelson, and Morton. Had its powerful moments while they were visiting army kin. B
I don't know whether to rewatch No Country or to look at fashion tonight.
Totally forgot. Saw parts of both Madame de… and Lola sometime last year, and in that order. Couldn't finish Madame de…, and I just caught Lola in the second half. I thought Lola was dazzling but the slow French distracted me. I can't wait to see all of Madame because apparently Darrieux's performance is one of film's best.
Stalag 17 ~ Gripping WWII film from Billy Wilder. 5/5
East of Eden ~ Just heartbreaking. James Dean is spectacular. 5/5
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest ~ Just as great as the book. 5/5
Smokey and The Bandit–how can you not like this film
Star Wars( Lost count on views)–rewatched in particular because I met Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) this weekend
GlenGary Glenross– A tutorial on how to act in a film by Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino,and Kevin Spacey
Cop Out – 6/10 Stupid, but funny. That's really all that I expected though. Not much else to say about it.
Brad, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now, but I highly recommend that you take a look at Sugar. Regardless of whether you're a baseball fan or not, it's such a realistic look into the life of a Dominican struggling to adapt to America.
Really? is it good? I was rather unimpressed by the script.
I could see that, because it probably would seem boring written. The thing is that it's so realistic, it's not cliched, which hurts so many sports movies these days, the performances are at their full potential, and it's moving.
Otherwise:
The Hurt Locker: A- The suspense is so gripping and I loved the camerawork in this. And Renner gave one of the top 5 performances of the year, IMO.
Avatar(Real-D)- B Nothing more than great effects and a good action movie. The acting is pretty bad(Worthington, Rodriguez) with the exception of Saldana.
District 9- D Highly overrated to me. I just couldn't find the so-called 'message' beyond all the gore.
Robin Hood: Prince of Theives- C I don't know why I put this in. It was just fun camp to me.
Ghost Town: B Nothing spectacular. A lot of laughs , but nothing that'll stick with me
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: B+ This was a lot better than I thought it would be. Really funny, and great voice work by Hader, Samberg, and Mr.T
Frost/Nixon B+- The acting made this movie. Great job by everybody, especially the two leads. I don't understand why they needed to have documentary-like cutaways, though.
So, Brad, what did you think of The Catcher in the Rye?
Loved it, and I think Paolo is on to something above when he wonders whether it is best to read it as a high schooler or as an adult. It's a book I am certain to return to.
…and I misspelled the name of the book. It was 7 in the morning, but I apologize anyway :'(
Shutter Island-Excellent mystery. I read the book before I saw the movie and even though I knew what would happen, I still enjoyed it a lot. Martin Scorcese does a beautiful job with the dreary colors. I still hate Leonard DiCaprio's accent. A-
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs-Surprisingly funny. I watched it expecting to be dissappointed for the prime reason that it would not do justice to the picture book that I grew up reading. I was surprised to find that I loved it even though it barely even resembles the book. B+
Antichrist-Boring, trashy art film. Antichrist wants to be way more than it actually is. Not only does it suffer because it is unnecessarily graphic, but its symbols are just so obvious. I don't think I'll ever forget the female circumcision scene. The film's only good part is the first seven minutes, which are incredibly beautiful. Too bad the rest of the film wasn't quite so nice. D
Brick-I actually just finished this a few minutes ago. Brick was an interesting movie. It's very complex, dark, and unusual. Not your typical high school drama. A-
Brad, I think I've seen all the same Sidney Lumet movies as you. I'm trying to make my way into his next tier, with The Pawnbroker and Fail-Safe likely being my next ones to watch.
IN THEATERS:
Shutter Island (9/10): It just worked for me in ways that it didn't work for a lot of other critics. I think I interpreted the ending slightly differently as well.
AT HOME:
2012 (5/10): It had its moments, but it was just too corny and long for its own good. I strangely admire Emmerich's self-indulgence, though.
A Perfect Getaway (7/10): The first hour was phenomenal, but it kind of turned into a mess at the end.
Tender Mercies (6/10): I watched this to see how it compared to Crazy Heart, and thought Crazy Heart was better. Tender Mercies felt rather aimless and I didn't buy into the relationship between Duvall and his new wife. Plus, the music wasn't as good.
Dark Blue (7/10): Possibly Kurt Russell's best performance, seamlessly shifting from antagonist to protagonist halfway through the film. He is electrifying in the final confession scene.
Easy Rider (8/10): This is not a great film by any means, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. The ending is quite impactful.
In the Loop (8/10): It is sad that Up in the Air will win the Adapted Screenplay Oscar because In the Loop is much more deserving.
The Abyss (theatrical cut)–A-. perhaps Cameron's "weakest" film, but in a way similar to Cars being the "weakest" Pixar film. i.e., still a wonderful movie. The beginning is really its low point. The dialogue is choppy and the setup is not that great, but by about the 30 minute mark it starts getting really good, and by the halfway mark I was totally engrossed. I even teared up! And, looking back on it, I only dwell on the good parts (as opposed to other films, in which they seem good when I finish them, but I end up dwelling on the bad parts, like "Watchmen"). I'm interested in the extended cut.
Twilight: New Moon- I can't give this a grade because I'm into the Twilight series precisely because it's so awful and unintentionally hilarious. I got to see it for free on my college campus with some friends, which is really the best way to watch it. :D I admit it did drag towards the end, but in all it was pretty cool. The two legitimately good parts of the film were the cinematography/art direction (production values improved between the first and second film) and Alexander Desplat's musical score. I'm interested to see what David Slade does with "Eclipse"–I mean, it's not like he can make the story any better, but hopefully it'll at least be quicker paced (btw: quicker paced does NOT mean shorter edits!).
Just remember, though, that with Twilight nobody watches/reads it because it's good. It's basically porn for conservative girls–and I'm not just joking when I say that: I mean it. They get off on the whole let's-wait-until-marriage and we'll-be-together-forever shit. Meanwhile, the rest of us find it stupid and jaw-droppingly bad. And that is exactly what porn is: it arouses its target audience, while everyone else sees it as the poorly-made video it is. So, instead of getting mad that Twilight is gaining so much popularity, I simply see it as the "Deep Throat" of our generation. That movie made a fuck ton of money, and now so is Twilight. It's cool; I'm zen about it. I just wish more people would recognize it as softcore Christian girl porn and not as an actual legitimate romance.
This Is It – 3.5/5
Cirque Du Freak – 3/5
Romulus, My Father – 3/5
Creation – 3/5
Billy Elliot – 3.5/5
Once A Thief – 3/5
Basil – 3/5
Money Train (Rewatch) – 3/5
Distinctly average week.
The Terminator- In my opinion james cameron's second best film. A-
Terminator 2: Judgement day- Cameron's worst film in my opinion. Yet still very good and likable. B
The Wrestler- I watched this film at 2am because I was bored and i will never regret it. Rourke downright gave a comeback performance for the ages. After his failed attempt in domino and man on fire. Marisa tomei adds to the acting with a feel that made me think if she was a jersian inside and out. A
Envy- Eh. not mmuch to say about it. it did its job. C
Sorority Row- So damn terrible nothing really good about. D
Speakinf of required reading, have you read 1984 or Fahrenheit 451? I'm guessing you have, considering almost everone knows those books. But you should check them out if you haven't.
Theaters: The Crazies- B+ this is a great horror movie that opens the door for a chance of GOOD remakes. After seeing the new Elm Street trailer, I think we might have another good horror movie.
Home: The Box- C. an entertaining flick.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (ORIGINAL)- A+ wow that is one scary movie. Picked it up on BluRay at Best Buy and I'm certanly glad I did. Worth a rewatch or two.
Here's the rest of the movies i watched this week
Assault on precinct 13(2005)- One of my favorite Action films of the decade. I just had a love for it. yet it struggles in acting on some levels and their was present miscasting.B
8 Mile- this movie proved that not all musicians make terrible films, especially this one. Basinger and Mathers excelled. while phifer and murphey were just plain good. B+
Dreamcatcher- This film was bashed by many critics but unlike critics I liked it enough to want to now buy it. Plus i just generally like watching movies with morgen freeman and timothy olyphant; 2 of my favorite actors. B-
The Crazies(2010)- I just saw it and I thought finally a good remake. Probably the best remake since zak synder's dawn of the dead.B
Kill Bill vol.1- It was nice to see this film just plain fun. I think it struggled here and there with some acting. But the action sequences, dialogue was the same old tarintino fresh as ever! A-
Who's That Knocking at My Door? – 3.5/5
Good Will Hunting – 5/5
The Ghost Writer – 4/5
Rewatch:
Mystic River – 5/5
Only one movie last week.
It was Revolutionary Road(2008): A
A great film.
Hell another great Sam Mendes film.
I've seen all of his movies except Away We Go(2009).
But anyways a film superbly acted and really emotionally touched for I like drama about people and relationships.
DiCaprio was very decent and so was Kate Winslet. And overall a solid film.
Check it out. It's worth a watch.
Love Sam Mendes's camera work.
Precious – Superb performances by Mo'Nique and Gabourey Sidibe but the film's pacing is erratic and its tone uneven. C
District 13: Ultimatum – Has great stunts and well shot fight sequences but it's just garbage and makes its predecessor look like a masterpiece. D
A Prophet – Got this on Region B Blu-ray, saw this film three times in two days, and it's still in my head. What a superb film with an unbelievable performance from newcomer Tahir Rahim. A+
Went to first weekend of AMC's Best Picture Showcase. I had already seen four of the five, but here goes.
Avatar(third time) – First time seeing it in RealD. The other two times were in IMAX. Gotta say, the story does not get better with repeated viewings, but the visuals are still just as impressive. Some of the acting and dialogue seem to get worse each time. Original grade A-. 3rd time B.
Up in the Air (second time) – Liked it the first time. Loved it this time. My favorite of the day. Reitman has proven to be a master of this dramedy kinda tone. A
Precious (second time) – I remember really liking this movie, but just couldn't get into this time. It kinda went all over the place. Sidibe and Mo'Nique are both incredible, and the more you see Sidibe do interviews, you realize how remarkable a job she did. That last scene with the two of them and Mariah Carey is as good as it gets. B
The Blind Side – Had not seen this one (because it looked horrible), but it was not terrible. Completely out of it's league, but it was okay. Sandra Bullock actually gave a very good performance, and it won't kill me now if she happens to win an Oscar. B-
Inglourious Basterds (third time) – I had been waiting for years to see this one when it came out. I love Tarantino as much as I love my dog. I took the day off work, and was super excited and all that anticipation led to a huge letdown. Of course, nothing could have lived up to the hype in my head. Now, with each additional watch, this one gets better and better. Some of the scenes are just magical, and I can't wait to watch it again. A-
I also watched Paranormal Activity. I usually avoid horror movies, and I should have stuck to that rule. C (although I did let my wife take the dog out that night)