Saturday, May 08, 2021
Movies I've Seen, Do Not Own but Can't Forget
- Commentary: All of the following are movies I'd love to have in my collection but they are either unavailable, doubtfully available or their prices put them in my wait-until-later category. As a means of defining terms [The prices below don't include tax, which is sometimes collected and sometimes not, depending on the shopping outlet.]:
Cheap: Below $6 U.S. [Yes, Virginia, it's still possible to find DVD/blu-ray bargains below $6 U.S. I'm awaiting the delivery of one as I type this. No, it isn't an "old" movie. It is a 2017 movie.]
Reasonably priced: Between $6 and $10 U.S.
Moderately Priced: Between $10 and $15 U.S.
Pricey: Between $15 and $20 U.S.
Very Pricey: Anything priced above $20 U.S. - The L-Shaped Room: Available and very pricey in blu-ray, moderately pricey in DVD.
Not available for check out through local library system.
This movie made an impression on me because I was not even a teenager when I first saw it and was unable to follow it, but images from the movie haunted me. The circumstances of my first viewing were that my parents wanted a night out, so they decided to take my three sisters and I to a movie, a double feature at the outdoor-with-a-canopy theater at one of the local military bases. The first was a Disney cartoon which I don't remember. I've never much liked cartoons, even then. The second, though, was this moody, almost impressionistic black and white drama that transfixed me, even though I had no understanding of it. Its importance was further underlined when my older sister absolutely understood the gist of the movie, took offense and whisked us away from our seats and into the snack bar where waited until she was able to contact our parents and demand that they take us home. I internally chuckle, now, when I think of the incident. At the time, though, the evening seemed delightfully calamatous to me, so the movie at the center of it left an impression. I have, of course, since watched the movie with an adult sensibility. I don't find the story particularly compelling, but I love the cinematography and the interplay of the characters, all played by excellent actors. - Khartoum: Available and pricey to very pricey.
Available for check out through local library system.
My affection for this movie has nothing to do with the movie, itself. The reason I ever saw it was that during the summer of 1966 my family was vacationing in the States. We always spent a good third of that time in Hawaii, going and coming. The film was released during that year and was playing in a theater in Honolulu. My father and I were at loose ends, the rest of the family having gone shopping, and he asked me to accompany him on foot to a theater in the area showcasing the movie. I enthusiastically agreed. I remember nothing of the story, although the cinematography kept my eyes glued to the screen and made me feel like I was doing something exciting. My father adored the movie. He attempted to explain it to me afterwards. His explanations didn't help me, but I didn't care. I paid as close attention as I could to what he was saying, asked questions, and basked in the warmth of his tutelage. Since that time, of course, the movie has been raked over the coals by some, deservedly, and celebrated, despite its faults, by others (such as, for instance, Martin Scorsese). Since then, my only viewing of the movie, though, I have had fond memories of watching it in the theater with my father and raptly attending to his discourse as we meandered along the Ala Wai back to our hotel. I would love the chance to replay those memories as I replay a disc of the movie. - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai: Available and pricey to very pricey.
Available for check out through local library system.
I've seen this movie a couple of times since its release. I can't tell you, (and likely will never know) why I find this movie riveting. It's a strange and scrambled meditation with a disjointed-in-life character at its core. Maybe it's the way Forest Whitaker (an astounding actor) plays the character that attracts me. Maybe it's the mundane logic of the story played against Ghost Dog and his wildly out-of-place character. I'm not sure. What I do know is that, when I remember the film, I wonder what Pearline and Raymond are doing, now, and how their encounters with Ghost Dog changed their life trajectories. - The Ballad of Narayama: Availability pending, almost impossible to find in U.S. playable edition, very pricey.
Not available for check out through local library system.
Yes, I own a copy of another interpretation of this story, done in Kabuki style, which is excellent and I love. This 1983 version is done in classic movie style. It's a version of this story I haven't seen, but I've seen the first movie version of it and would love to see this version and own it. Knowing how much I enjoy the story in Kabuki style, I'm sure I'd enjoy the story in movie style, as well, and probably find it resonating more deeply with me, since I am of the screen generation, not the stage generation. - Memories of Tomorrow: Availability pending, almost impossible to find in U.S. playable edition, has yet to be priced.
Not available for check out through local library system.
I've never seen this movie, but I know a great deal about it and have been trying, since I became aware of it, before my mother died, to obtain a copy. Aside from featuring a universally applauded performance by Ken Watanabe (one of my favorite actors), it is the story of a dynamic man who develops dementia in later midlife and its effect on him and his family.
Frankly, I'm surprised that Criterion hasn't yet taken on the challenge of reproducing and distributing this movie. Although their editions are pricey, this is one movie for which I'd be glad to pay, even at Criterion prices and especially because of their stellar treatment of movies on which they focus. - 5/20/21 NEWS! NEWS!: The Wrong Man and The Best Man just became available, one "Reasonably Priced" and one "Moderately Priced", so, of course, I ordered them. The first will arrive this Saturday; the second, in a few weeks. I guess, in a bit, I'll be taking them off this list, giving them their very own spot, and adding them to the list at the left. Gee, I wonder if the movie gods are reading this movie journal!?! Just in case, thank you movie gods, for watching over my collection. You've made my day, as you make my collection.
- 7/14/21 MORE NEWS!: I now own The Apartment. Look for the listing to the left, as well as the listings the the aforementioned two movies.
- 7/15/21 YET MORE NEWS!: I now own Deep Cover. Look for the listing to the left. I've also added yet another category, specific to Deep Cover: police-procedural. Check it out to the left. So far, Deep Cover is the only movie in that category. I don't think I have any more, although I'll have to check, laboriously, movie by movie.
- 7/16/21 EVEN MORE NEWS!: I now own Frances Ha. Look for the listing to the left.
- 12/5/22 MORE NEWS!: I now own Cure. I've transferred what I said about it here to it's official write-up. Look for the listing to the left.
Friday, May 07, 2021
This is another "ketchup" post.
- Commentary: On 5/2/21 I added two more searchable labels: "feminist" and "sexual". Frankly, I'm surprised I've not added "feminist", before, as I'm sure I've got at least a few movies in my collection that can handle that label. Thelma & Louise for instance, comes to mind. The second new label, though, "sexual", I don't believe I own any movies so overtly sexual that this label applies, except the one I acquired today. Go ahead. Find the label and click it. If you're familiar with the movie to which "sexual" is applied, the only one in this category, so far, I think you'll understand what I mean.
The movie gods know, I have plenty of movies and series that discuss sex, ruminate about it, portray it, even show full, explicit, almost exclusively female nudity, sometimes performing the act of sex, hetero, homo or bi, (I'm thinking, now, of Sex and the City and Game of Thrones). However, although I've seen plenty of explicitly sexual movies, including those meant exclusively to titilate and are unabashed pornography, and enjoyed them, especially when I was younger and worked for a company that sold such films, I don't own any. I can't think, right off, of any I'd want to own, frankly. Is that a typically female thing to say, to think? Maybe. It's kind of like that scene in one of the Sex and the City episodes in which Miranda is having to deal with a guy who is interested in having sex with her while he's watching pornography. She becomes extremely irritated. His need cancels her desire. I can't remember whether she walks out or fakes it. In fact, I'm not even sure it's Miranda. It may be one of the other four women. But, without discussion, the episode completely expresses my reaction to pornography. I find it curious and interesting, sometimes, I have found it arousing, as well, but I don't want it around, even in the background, when I'm interested in sex. And, believe me, I had a partner, at one time, who insisted on watching either pornography or Top Gun (don't ask me why Top Gun, I never understood that one) when we were sexually engaged with one another. I remained good friends with him for the entire time I lived in his area, but he and I ended our sexual engagements early in our relationship, mainly because I found his choice of and his need for sexual background material unintentionally and uncontrollably hilarious.
The movie to which I've attached the label "sexual", though, isn't pornography. I'll discuss this later in my write-up. In fact, when I watch the movie, once again, (it's been some time since I last watched it) it has occurred to me that I may append the "feminist" label to it, as well.
Enough. Time to watch a movie.
Update 5/10/21: I just added one more category, "greta-gerwig". Although I have only one of her movies (as writer and director) so far, this label is in anticipation of adding more of her works to my collection.
Fat Girl
- Commentary: Under Construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Anaïs Reboux Anaïs Pingot Roxane Mesquida Elena Pingot Libero De Rienzo Fernando Arsinée Khanjian Mrs. Pingot Romain Goupil François Pingot Laura Betti Fernando's Mother Albert Goldberg The Killer Claude Sésé Police Officer
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
Release Date: 2001
Directed by Catherine Breillat.
Labels: §, coming-of-age1, Criterion1, drama1, female-director2, sexual
Dance, Girl, Dance
- Commentary: Under Construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Maureen O'Hara Judy O'Brien Louis Hayward James Harris Jr. Lucille Ball Bubbles/Tiger Lily White Virginia Field Elinor Harris Ralph Bellamy Steve Adams Maria Ouspenskaya Madame Lydia Basilova Mary Carlisle Sally Katharine Alexander Miss Olmstead Edward Brophy Dwarfie Humblewinger Walter Abel Judge Harold Huber Kashulian Sidney Blackmer Puss in Boots
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1940
Directed by Dorothy Arzner.
Labels: §2, Criterion1, dramedy1, female-director1, feminist, pussy-flick
Danton
- Commentary: Under Construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gérard Depardieu Georges Danton Wojciech Pszoniak Maximilien Robespierre Patrice Chéreau Camille Desmoulins Bogusław Linda Louis de Saint-Just Angela Winkler Lucile Desmoulins Andrzej Seweryn François Louis Bourdon Serge Merlin Pierre Philippeaux Roland Blanche Jean-François Delacroix Jacques Villeret François Joseph Westermann Anne Alvaro Éléonore Duplay Roger Planchon Antoine Quentin Fouquier-Tinville Franciszek Starowieyski Jacques-Louis David
Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
Release Date: 1983
Directed by Andrzej Wajda.
Labels: §1, Criterion1, drama1, gérard-depardieu, historical1, period1
Wednesday, May 05, 2021
The Rider
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Brady Jandreau Brady Blackburn Tim Jandreau Wayne Blackburn Lilly Jandreau Lily Blackburn Cat Clifford Cat Clifford Terri Dawn Pourier Terri Dawn Pourier Lane Scott Lane Scott Tanner Langdeau Tanner Langdeau James Calhoon James Calhoon
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
Release Date: 2017
Directed by Chloé Zhao.
Labels: §1, female-director2, western
The Hurt Locker
- Commentary: Under construction.
Roger Ebert wrote two reviews of this film two days apart, so impressed was he with it. His first is linked in the title of this post. This first post notes, at the end, that it was revised on 7/11/09, a day after his second review. Here is his second review. The end of this review contains lots of dead links to supplemental material Ebert considered important. Most (if not all, by now) of them are dead, so, I am going to attempt to ressurect them. If my attempts succeed, hopefully, they'll be around for awhile.
Article Links in Context:
1) "My headline is from Brian Turner's poem, 'The Hurt Locker'."
2) "James Cameron discusses "The Hurt Locker" with David Poland"
3) "How 'The Hurt Locker' opens"
4) "My (Roger Ebert's) review of Kathryn Bigelow's great 1995 sci-fi thriller: 'Strange Days'"
5) "The opening scene of 'Strange Days.'. (NSFW; f-bombs)" - Sorry, dear reader, couldn't find a video of the full opening scene, unless it was attached to the full movie, and you know how fast movies disappear on free streaming services. Oh well. Four out of five ain't bad. Chances are, some, if not all, of the links above will break in a short period of time, anyway. It was fun to try.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jeremy Renner Sgt. 1st Cl. William James Anthony Mackie Sgt. J. T. Sanborn Brian Geraghty Spec. Owen Eldridge Guy Pearce Stf. Sgt. Matthew Thompson Christian Camargo Lt. Cl. John Cambridge David Morse Cl. Reed Ralph Fiennes Private Military Leader Evangeline Lilly Connie James Christopher Sayegh Beckham Malcolm Barrett Sgt. Foster Sam Spruell Contractor Charlie Suhail Dabbach Suicide Bomber
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up on this movie.
Release Date: 2008
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
Labels: §2, david-morse, female-director2, guy-pearce, war2
Deadwood - The Movie
- Commentary: Under construction.
Deadwood The Movie: HBO site for the movie. Several extras, both written and video, all available to HBO non-subscribers as of 5/5/21.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Timothy Olyphant Seth Bullock Ian McShane Al Swearengen Molly Parker Alma Ellsworth Paula Malcomson Trixie W. Earl Brown Dan Dority Dayton Callie Charlie Utter Kim Dickens Joanie Stubbs Brad Dourif Doc Cochran Anna Gunn Martha Bullock John Hawkes Sol Star Gerald McRaney Sen. George Hearst Leon Rippy Tom Nuttall William Sanderson E. B. Farnum Robin Weigert Calamity Jane Brent Sexton Harry Manning Sean Bridgers Johnny Burns
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up on this film.
Release Date: 2019
Directed by Daniel Minahan.
Labels: §, brad-dourif, drama1, historical1, john-hawkes, me-favorite1, violence1, western
