Thursday, January 30, 2003

I've been pretty busy lately between work and other projects, not to mention I've been managing to see lots of movies, most of them pretty great, although there was one in the last week or two that was pretty dull. Look at the list and try to guess! One of the more noteworthy things was a Martin Scorsese series at Music Box, which paired one of his more famous films with one of his earlier/less acclaimed films. Of particular note was their screening of American Boy, unavailable on video, which I of course missed. This hour-long interview with Steven Prince (who played the gun store owner in Taxi Driver) is supposed to be pretty rich as well as showing him telling a story which Tarantino ripped for the overdose scene in Pulp Fiction. Alas, opportunities lost. Still, this presentation of his earlier short works (paired with Mean Streets which I skipped out on) was pretty interesting as well. [more]

Posted by gdd @ 07:50 AM CST [Link]

Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Everyone is saying this is Spike Lee's best film since Do The Right Thing, and they're all right. If it had come out just a week earlier I would have had to make room for it in my 2002 top ten, but its now on the 2003 list where it seems likely to last through the year. As an aside, I'm having an internal struggle about how to put films into specific years. I feel odd putting films in the 2002 that were "officially" released in 2002 (usually defined as LA/NY opening) when I didn't get to see them until 2003. However that makes my list seem weirdly out of synch with other lists. For instance, everyone else seems to consider 25th Hour and Russian Ark 2002 films, but I feel like I can only rank based on Chicago releases since thats where I live and how the hell else would I rank? Your guidance is appreciated, and now back to this wonderful movie which I loved. [more]

Posted by gdd @ 07:41 AM CST [Link]

Tuesday, January 21, 2003

Initially Bethany and I were going to see this at Music Box as a midnight movie, but being the old farts that we are, we fell asleep before it even started. Thank you Netflix. Totally warped and funny kids movie, the only live action representation of the world of Dr. Seuss. Someone should have gotten a set design Oscar for this, because they are bright, huge, and totally impressive. This is only enhanced by the expansive shots, largely far away and/or wide angle. Not only do these long shots show off the sets, but they enhance the whole otherworldliness of the film. Often you will see just one or two people running through a totally empty courtyard, and its pretty surreal. Also noteworthy for putting together several Simpsons gags, including how Sideshow Bob got his last name. In addition, the DVD has Gerald McBoing-Boing's Symphony, a cartoon also penned by Dr. Seuss which is a ton of fun and has some cool 50s animation.

Posted by gdd @ 07:11 AM CST [Link]

Friday, January 17, 2003

Certainly an interesting contrast to the Christopher Nolan version. Almost identical in basic plot yet so different in so many ways. [more]

Posted by gdd @ 07:32 AM CST [Link]

Tuesday, January 14, 2003

I had never seen any Lubitsch before, but this month Film Center is doing a retrospective of his American films. So hopefully I will see several more. I already plan to see The Shop Around The Corner on Thursday and The Marriage Circle on Sunday. Unfortunately I already missed Trouble In Paradise which seemed really great.

Ninotchka was a lot of fun. A very warm, funny romantic comedy with Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas. I also think this is the first time I've seen Garbo, although I understand this is an atypical role. Billy Wilder co-wrote the script and you can really feel his hand in a couple sections, most particularly in the final shot - Iranoff and Buljanoff unfair to Kopalski. That cracked me up, he obviously picked up on these characters later for One, Two, Three. Although I have often read that Lubitsch was a major influence on Wilder, so maybe instead of feeling Wilder's influence in the Lubitsch film it is the other way around. Regardless, I very much look forward to as much as I can get in of the rest of the Lubitsch series.

Posted by gdd @ 07:31 AM CST [Link]

Wednesday, January 8, 2003

I will try not to spend too much time here on the stuff that has been stated everywhere else, most of which I agree with. Daniel Day-Lewis is absolutely amazing as Bill The Butcher. I realized later I had never seen him in anything before and suddnely I need to. Leo looks like Leo, but he does a good job. Cameron Diaz is terribly miscast. Her part is already reduced to a traveling plot-point, and she is pretty plain at it. She has gotten to that star power place where you see her in movies and she takes you out of them with her mere presence. I would have much rather seen an unknown (or at least less known) here. Note massive spoilers follow. [more]

Posted by gdd @ 09:38 PM CST [Link]

Monday, January 6, 2003

Today we mourn the loss of Conrad L. Hall, one of the most influential cinematographers in modern film history. He died at the age of 76 yesterday. He lensed around 30 films, including such classics as Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, Cool Hand Luke and In Cold Blood. Conrad was the first cinematographer whose name I knew, and it is sad to see him go. I will take this opportunity to recommend the documentary Visions Of Light to everyone in the audience. It is an amazingly insightful look at the art, craft and business of cinematography, and Conrad features prominently in it.

Posted by gdd @ 08:01 AM CST [Link]

Sunday, January 5, 2003

I had been waiting FOREVER to see this, I can't believe I missed it when it came out. A tight, well-executed thriller from Christopher Nolan, the director of Memento. The story and performances are pretty straightforward and basic. Only Pacino brings any real life to his role, which should come easy since he's been playing this role for decades. Robin Williams is also good, even making you forget that he's Robin Williams for a while. It is really the technical craft of Nolan and his team which makes this rise above being a straightforward thriller.
[more]

Posted by gdd @ 05:04 PM CST [Link]

Thursday, January 2, 2003

I think that I will start doing more shorter posts rather than less of these longer ones. However I will admit that I haven't seen much lately either. Hopefully that will all begin to change this weeknd. [more]

Posted by gdd @ 07:36 PM CST [Link]

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