Another sick day, so that means another movie day! Kind of a love-hate thing going with that.
The Girlfriend Experience
I liked the performances, and the cinematography, and especially the almost-documentary feel of it. I think the hopping about in time was pointless and confusing, and I usually like that. I guess I only like it when it's well done. Not a waste of my time, but not a great movie. Still, okay for one of Soderburgh's experimental flicks. At least this one had a story to follow. When you could. 3.5/5
24 City
Certainly a winner for cinematography. And the editing was fantastic. It is a film make by a top-notch filmmaker on a subject that I couldn't really get interested in. I loved the story of "Little Flower" and wished there was more about her, and there were a couple other interesting sequences, but the plight of 420 just didn't interest me. Also, one of my favorite shots of last year is here-- where you see flowering trees, and the camera is lifted above them, where you find it was only a sign and behind the sign are bulldozers leveling a basketball court. Just fantastic. Visually-- 5/5 Overall-- 3.5/5
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
I was deeply moved by this movie on an intellectual level. It really makes me want to read the book. The discussion about the current state of feminism, and how it seems to have not effected men is great, but so is the points about humiliation and pain and how it makes one a stronger person. The ideas of this film are woven together brilliantly, and I was captivated from the very first. However, the performances were for the most part lackluster and just uninteresting, except for Dominic Cooper, Frankie Faison, and one scene by John Kraninski. But still fascinating. Much more interesting than Roger Dodger, a film that covers some of the same territory. 4/5
The Decalogue 1-3
I believe that Krzysztof Kieślowski is truly one of the greatest writer/directors of all time. I still have to put Miyazaki first, but I am truly stunned by everything I see Kieslowski do. It is all so perfect-- the symbolism, the morality, the story, the cinematography-- it is as if he takes everything that I find amazing in film and puts it all together. And even though he begins his series of films with a concept, he doesn't allow the concept to drag his story or characters down-- they feel completely free to act as who they really are. They aren't just slaves to a moral storyline, they are real people, fully realized. And yet, somehow, when you reach the end of the short story, you are left with not only new people you have met, but a sense of meaning in their tragedy.
Ebert says in his intro that to try to pin a single commandment on each movie is a distraction from the films. I can see why that would be, but I found it helpful. If we take the Catholic numeration of the commands, I think I can see the first three, in order, in these first short films:
1-- The command is "You will worship the Lord your God and serve him only". But our main character, according to his sister, only serves measurement, or so it seems. Yet when his measurement finally fails, it is God he blames. 4.5/5
2-- The second command in the Catholic numeration is "You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Most people think of that as meaning cursing using God's name, but the better understanding of it is to use God's name in stating your own opinions-- to be a "false prophet". And the focus of this movie is "playing God". Yet the question this film leaves one is: Is it always wrong to play God? 5/5
3-- The third command is "Keep the Sabbath day holy" with a focus on the idea of "rest". The film takes place on a holy day-- Christmas-- and it is all about finding rest and the lengths one must go to to find rest. The key idea is home as one's place of rest, and all throughout the film is a drunk, pulling a Christmas tree, asking, "Where is my home?" 4.5/5
I can't wait to watch more. Truly a set of moving experiences.