Wayne's Talk

The Life of Oharu (Saikaku ichidai onna)

An unrelentingly bleak film about how a patriarchal, class based society destroys an innocent woman. The narrative moves economically from various humiliating episodes of her life, each exposing the hypocrisy, greed, and prejudices that dehumanize her existence. Oharu's descent into prostitution is the result of her refusal to play by society's rules. Surprisingly for such an uncompromising film it is less melodramatic than the other Mizoguchi's I've seen (most of the melodrama is at the beginning). Technically one have to try really hard to find any fault with the aesthetics of the film. While there are some pretty funny moments in the her, the movie is so depressing that I would not ever want to watch it again.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This is the most disappointing film I've seen in years. From it's mediocre writing (seriously, Aliens?), wealth of plot holes, and decent into schlock sci-fi (Aliens!), CRYSTAL SKULL has replaced TEMPLE OF DOOM as my least favorite entry in the series.

Cate Blanchett's scene stealing performance, Karen Allen's stellar screen return, and a handful of colorful action scenes are worth noting... but none of these make an otherwise tired film any better.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a film truely "out of this world," and I mean that in the worst way possible.

88 Minutes

I can't firmly declare 88 MINUTES as Pacino's worst film (I have yet to see REVOLUTION, and there's always GIGLI), but it is quite possibly the worst film that we'll see released in 2008 (not including those witless, pointless horror films we seem to be getting every few weeks).

Everything's a misfire here, from the writing to direction, and sadly Pacino is equally as terrible. It's pretty hard to watch a screen legend like him reduced to such drivel, but hey; he signed on to the project.

RIGHTEOUS KILL (with Pacino and De Niro) is a film I've been anticipating for quite a while, but after how Jon Avnet has handled 88 MINUTES, I'm kind of nervous. Mr. Avnet, we'll allow you this one strike; just don't go letting RIGHTEOUS KILL be your second!

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I thought it was better than both "Knocked Up" and "Superbad!"

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is my favorite comedy in recent memory, and is the most mature effort so far from the Apatow cannon. I can see it perplexing some audiences (mostly do to it's slower pace and Jason Segel's exposed "member"), but those without A.D.D or repulsion towards the male anatomy should be thuroughly entertained. SARAH MARSHALL is sure to become a classic, and I loved every minute of it.

Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge (The Flight of the Red Balloon)

This is no doubt my favorite modern HHH film. It's a beautiful slice of life in Paris as seen through the eyes of a foreigner, or perhaps from the viewpoint of the red balloon which seems to symbolize the wonder and curiosity of childhood. Of course Hou integrates his theme of history's impact on the present gracefully into the spontaneous, free-flowing narrative. Also similar to Cafe Lumiere the film depicts the interpretation of a foreign culture from one's own, as in how the character played by Binoche runs a chinese-inspired puppet show (a reference to The Puppetmaster) and how the Chinese film student is trying to film a homage to The Red Balloon. The composition and inventive use of reflections make this IMO the most visually accomplished film among his post 2000 films. Binoche does a great job here as well. In one of my favorite scenes a class of schoolchildren goes to a museum with their teacher to see Félix Vallotton's painting "The Balloon." When they are asked whether the painting is happy or sad, one child says that since part of the painting is dark and part of it is light, the painting is both happy and sad. The description sums up the mood of the film.

Blowup (Blow-Up) (Blow Up)

Culloden (The Battle of Culloden)

Another masterpiece by Peter Watkins. Culloden is a detailed re-creation of the last and likely the most lopsided battle in Britain and its aftermath between the outequipped, disorganized, and poorly fed Highland Scottish rebels and the larger well-equipped and trained English army. Watkins depicts the battle in a personal way by interviewing the various common soldiers, leaders, and observers in the battle. Through this we get a slew of at times conflicting perspectives, from which forms a more complete, truthful picture of history. Much of the film focuses on the common people who fought in the battle, this works perfectly in showing that it is always those people who suffer while the leaders benefit.

I Fidanzati (The Fiances) (The Engagement)

To me this film is the logical progression of Italian neorealism. Olmi's attention to the fine details and rhythms of everyday life is accentuated by his editing that takes the viewer further into the subjective consciousness of the protagonist. The editing often reminds me of that of Aimless Walk and The Man With A Movie Camera, while at times reminscent of Hiroshima Mon Amour and Last Year at Marienbad. The high contrast photography is gorgeous, and Olmi makes evocative images out off many mundane daily events.

Come and See (Idi i smotri)

This is probably the most harrowing war film ever. The amount of insanity in it makes Aguirre or Apocalypse Now feel like a walk in the park and the atrocities in Schindler's List look like a calm dinner party. The closest film that I can compare it with is Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood, but a million time more horrifying and surreal. A brutal masterpiece.