Superman

Richard Donner, UK, 1978
Two and a half stars

I know this film is generally well-regarded, but I can’t help but think that this is because of what it was at the time, rather than how well it stands up now. I’m sure it was quite revolutionary to have a film come out that showed a superhero as an adult, best indicated by the scene where he goes flying with Lois and makes the Peter Pan comment. I’m sure this went a long way to erasing all those “bam, pow” notions that the television adaptation of that other DC property put into the heads of non-comics fans. And even though the effects aren’t perfect, it’s fun to see Superman pick up helicopters. In fact I’d say all the parts where he is flying are probably the best

Nevertheless, most of this movie doesn’t work. The adaptation of Superman’s origin is really weak. If you know me, you know I’m not saying that because it’s “not faithful.” It’s actually quite similar to Batman Begins in that they took bits and pieces from everywhere, but making that comparison shows you how far they fell short here. The Marlon Brando floating head thing is no substitute for his parents actually playing some part in his decision to become a superhero. In fact, we don’t even see any kind of decision! It’s really astonishing how many things are conveyed in sloppy shorthand considering how long the film is, at least in this director’s cut.

That would of course be because the film spends too long with its stunt-casting. Hackman’s Luthor is atrocious, absolutely unforgivable (especially his “comic” sidekicks). And the aforementioned Brando head (as well as the Brando on Krypton prologue) is pretty rotten too. I do like the portrayal of Clark Kent for the most part; it’s overdone, but there’s a point to it. Overall though, the plot is very shoddy, and not really up to Superman’s standards. Here’s looking forward to the next installment!

Source: Warner DVD
27 March, 9:25 PM

My Neighbor Totoro

(Tonari no Totoro)
Miyazaki Hayao, Japan, 1988
3.5 out of 4 stars

The only trouble with this movie is that it’s too good-natured. Absolutely nothing is at stake. The nicer way of say that is that it’s very charming, and certainly perfect for children (although video-game playing boys might not think much of it).

What it has going for it is the magical weirdness of it all, and the fact that this “charm” is very sincere and well-executed. It would be disingenuous of me to say there’s “no conflict,” of course there is one, but it is something of a Miyazaki hallmark to not have things be so overblown and predictable. I suppose what I’m saying is, this is a very good film that, in anyone else’s hands, would have been an utter mess.

Source: Buena Vista DVD
27 March, 1:50 PM

The Squid and the Whale

Noah Baumbach, USA, 2005
3.5 out of 4 stars

This kind of movie is, I would think, particularly difficult to pull off right. There are some abhorrent behaviors depicted (okay, almost every behavior depicted here is abhorrent), and one critic dismissed the whole thing (and every one of his peers who liked it) by saying it was just bourgeois self-indulgence. Of course, that begs the question as to whether this film depicts bourgeois self-indulgence in a valuable manner or is just another diseased product of bourgeois self-indulgence.

I don’t know if I’m qualified to respond to that, and although I grew up with parents that didn’t split up and at least, compared to these characters, behaved normally, I still felt involved in (and repulsed) by this picture. The camerawork definitely seemed spot-on, quirky at times without being overbearingly “artistic.” I was really fascinated by the surprising and disturbing ways the two children backed up and imitated their respective “preferred” parent. My main criticism of it is that I really knew Jeff Daniels' character by the time the film was over, but I was a lot less clear on Laura Linney’s character, who gets a lot less lines in general. I felt like they made it easier to take her side because most of her transgressions were merely referred to by other people, whereas Daniels is always, constantly incriminating himself (and Jesse Eisenberg's performance is a very effective partial mimicry of his own). That said, that might actually be the intended effect… I’m not entirely clear on that. Definitely worth a rental, in any case.

Source: Sony DVD
25 March, 7:26 PM

V for Vendetta

James McTeigue, USA / Germany, 2005
3 out of 4 stars

Engaging if not necessarily flawless. Hard to put my finger on what its flaws are, there do seem to be too many lulls. Perhaps this is one of those adaptations that suffers from the “too faithful” bug (I’ve read Alan Moore’s comic, but I did seem to have forgotten all the plot points until I saw them happen again). It is amusing considering that Moore went postal on the filmmakers because they misquoted him as having given official approval, because I can’t really see what beef he would have with this version. I feel like they wouldn’t have kept it in Britain if they weren’t hoping to get his seal of approval, as it does make the whole Bush criticism thing a little peculiar.

Source: Warner 35mm print
21 March, 3:30 PM

A History of Violence

David Cronenberg, USA / Germany, 2005
3.5 out of 4 stars

I appreciated it a little better this time, perhaps because I wasn’t expecting to be unsettled by the violence rather than the emotional clashes. David Cronenberg says in one of the special features that you’re supposed to be “implicated” by the violence, which indeed does happen. You do still need to sort of be prepared for what you’re gonna see ahead of time, as my friends showed me when they talked about how laughable they found the whole thing to be. Subversiveness is the eye of the beholder, perhaps?

Source: Warner DVD
18 March, 10 PM

As Tears Go By

(Wong gok ka moon)
Wong Kar-Wai, Hong Kong, 1988

Well, I have “Take My Breath Away” stuck in my head now, for what that’s worth. Conventional and innovative at the same time, but you probably could have guessed that if you’ve read anything about this film or know Wong Kar-Wai. If you haven’t, well, Wong is my own personal representative of the “auteur theory,” actually not very well regarded at the film websites and message boards I frequent, which isn’t really that bad because it makes me feel like I am developing my own wacky pseudo-art-film taste.

Source: Kino DVD
16 March, 8:30 PM

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones, UK, 1975
3.5 out of 4 stars

I’ve decided that the funniest part is the bit with the killer rabbit, if only because I laughed the loudest for that. I was tempted to watch the whole thing with the subtitles borrowed from Henry IV, Part II, but that might get old I figure.

Source: Sony DVD
12 March, 11 PM

Unleashed

(Danny the Dog)
Louis Leterrier, France / UK, 2005
3 out of 4 stars

Actually I do like Jet Li’s acting in this, but sadly I might have enjoyed the American version better, because even though this international/European version is designated the “unrated” version, it apparently just has more quiet character moments, which here take up a very big middle portion of the film. I think these bits are good but after a while, you do want to see someone get beat up again. The film is very unbalanced in this regard, you’re either getting one or the other, at least until the film’s stellar closing bit. I mean, what are you supposed to do exactly when you’ve got an action film in which the protagonist must develop by refraining from violence entirely? I probably would have liked this movie better if Li’s father figure had been played by anyone other than Morgan Freeman. His shtick is definitely getting real old by this point, and actually sticks out more for me here than in something like Million Dollar Baby that pretty much has its schmaltz-level cranked up to Morgan Freeman the whole time.

Source: Universal DVD
10 March, 11:30 PM

Block Party

Michel Gondry, USA, 2005
3.5 out of 4 stars

I don’t know how much you’d like it if you’re not a fan of Dave Chappelle or the various artists in here, but I certainly liked it for those reasons. I wish there was more of The Roots and Common (and less of Dead Prez and Jill Scott).

Source: Universal 35mm print
5 March, 1:20 PM

The Beat That My Heart Skipped

(De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté)
Jacques Audiard, France, 2005
3 out of 4 stars

I thought I wasn’t going to like this at all at the beginning, but once the character’s arc gets off the ground it’s fairly involving. I found the status of the main relationship at the end to be very confusing, however.

Source: Genius DVD
4 March, 10 PM

Catwoman

Pitof, USA, 2004
1 out of 4 stars

Hilariously bad trash! Probably the best part of this movie is the dumbfounded looks on peoples’ faces when you tell them that you actually watched it. I wouldn’t make a habit of watching infamous flops, but a few here and there can be a good source of unintentional entertainment.

Source: Bootleg DVD
2 March, 9:30 PM