Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 November 2004 13:58:29
This is it. The fun-size multipack of opinions I have about dvds I've seen recently.
big fish: fantastic in several ways. It's a Tim Burtonfest replete with quirks and oddness; a dying man who has told tall tales all his life is visited by his grown-up son who hasn't spoken to him for ages because of the tall tales. Creative and gorgeous, quite fun and also sad. You'd probably like it.
belleville rendezvous: fine if you like that sort of thing. It's animation, it's unusual, and there isn't a lot of talking. Personally I liked it a lot; supported by great music and characters who say it all with their faces (including the dog). Some nice little arty moments and one of those plots which makes you wonder how on earth anyone could have dreamed up the details.
dogville: This seems to be a 'love it or hate it' film. It's quite claustrophobic; it's filmed in a warehouse or some such with chalk-marked house/mine/garden etc boundries which allow you to see straight into the 'houses' of everyone in the town (and into the mine etc). I thought it was superb - it's a bit chilling (I wouldn't say disturbing, it's a little too unlikely for that); the nicole kidman character is on the run in an end-of-the-road town; the community decide to harbour and protect her but it's not the safe haven it promises to be.
the last party: i might decide to apply for the position of phillip semour hoffman's new stalker. Bloody excellent documentary about the US elections of 2000, made more poignant through viewing it in the runup to the black day which was the US elections 2004. I actually found it difficult to watch for many of the same reasons I found it hard to watch the actual elections; hideously offended that people can hold certain views and herald them as the christian way. particularly when their actions and statements actually carry judgement and condemnation, which is fairly much outlawed in what i understand to be the christian faith. Anyway - forgetting about the christian right (if only they'd disappear so we really could...) I'm happy that people make documentaries like this - it's not only michael moore and the guy that did supersize me... I loved this but of course it's not one to watch if you want a plot and belly laughs. More of a horror show really...
mystic river: was all right until the last 10 minutes. It's a bit of a 'whodunnit', which is done fine, but sinks into a hideous pit of putrid 'think about what could have been, dwell on how it all turned out, make statements which must have looked really profound in the script (and maybe do in the book? who knows) but sound absolutely crass when delivered on screen'-ness . Some fine performances throughout (I think Tim Robbins is legendary but I have to concede he has been in some crap films; I think sean penn was nominated for an oscar, or got one or something) which you almost forget because the feeling you're left with is that it's a crap movie. I just don't want to talk about it any more.
raising arizona: Coen brothers, holly hunter, nicholas cage, john goodman, how could it go wrong?! Slapstick in places, quite silly, great music, loads of fun - good good good. Not their best (Coens), but you can see where they're going.
the station agent: poignant, gentle, funny, i think this might be my favourite of this bunch (dogville and big fish might be as well though!). It's basically about three people whose paths cross; they are a fairly unlikely combination but it manages to steer clear (only just, actually) of the sickly 'they're so different, but yet they get along' sentimentality that it could have slipped into. Some quite gutsy moments as well. Yeah, it's a quality one this. You are led to like the characters but that's through the insights you get into the reasons why they display the normal human traits of impatience/ rudeness/ kindness etc etc.