Duck Season (Fernando Eimbcke, 2004)
A full minute of this ninety-minute, black-and-white film is dedicated to a close-up of two large glasses being filled with soda by a pair of teenage friends, hanging out by themselves. And it's one of the more delightful moments in the film. If you get to that early point and aren't smiling just a little, you can probably give up on the film right there. But, if you're like me, and very in tune with Eimbcke's rhythm and warm, comic tone, then keep watching, because the film gets better from that point.
I rated
Duck Season a masterpiece eight years ago, but this second viewing brought to light some clear flaws. The first act is definitely the film's weakest, beginning with the series of urban still lifes which opens the film. The photography in this sequence isn't as impressive as it should be. In fact, the generic nature of the subjects makes it feel very much like an exhibit in a high school art show. That's just a minor point, though. The bigger problem with the first act is that, before the full ensemble of four principal characters is gathered in the apartment, the two youngest actors must carry the film — and one of them (Daniel Miranda, who plays the kid dealing with his parents' impending divorce) just isn't up to the task. The other kid (Diego Cataño) is a much more natural screen presence and has no trouble holding attention within a still frame. His scenes in the kitchen (opposite Danny Perea) are what begin to elevate the film from okay to very good.
Grade: B+
The Lone Chipmunks (Jack Kinney, 1954)
An enjoyable Chip 'n' Dale short, highlighted by the voice work behind those two characters, Dale's reaction to seeing Chip on the wanted poster, and Dale's pretending to be a gun in the bandit Pete's hand. Nice to see the chipmunks pestering a bad man, and not my buddy Donald.
Grade: B-
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966)
Clint Eastwood gets top billing, but this is really Eli Wallach's film. In fact, Clint often feels out of place in his scenes, with his 'cool' vibe not quite meshing with the atmosphere around him. Wallach is great, though, and Leone and Morricone do their usual good work. It's the screenplay that's a bit of a let-down, borrowing too much of its structure from the old Hollywood serials. Too many last minute escapes and sudden detours. The epic backdrop occasionally dwarfs the central characters, making them feel insignificant. I missed the more cohesive scope of
Once Upon a Time in the West. No question in my mind which of the two is the better film.
Grade: B
The Sword of Doom (Kihachi Okamoto, 1966)
Mifune's sword fight in the snow and Nakadai's unending assault in the brothel are more than enough to recommend this film on their own; and the splendid cinematography just adds to that argument. But, damn, Nakadai's character is as impenetrable as he is unlikeable, sometimes making it really hard to get a narrative foothold in this world. I think I sort of understand what the film is going for, but I still never fully connected with it. At times I felt like I was watching a superhero movie from the villain's perspective, and it kept me going that the villain would eventually get his comeuppance from the hero (presumably, Mifune), and my alignment with the villain would make me feel conflicted about the hero's triumph. Okamoto's film teases that kind of story but continually resists it. In the end, it's a little like Lex Luthor gets drunk and drives off a cliff on his way to a showdown with Superman.
Grade: B
Southbound Duckling (Joseph Barbera & William Hanna, 1955)
Apparently Quacker has a reputation as an annoying character, but his naive certitude is pretty fun here. I like Jerry's rapport with him, and it's enjoyably shocking when Tom comes out on top.
Grade: B-
The Last Unicorn (Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin Jr., 1982)
I read Peter S. Beagle's source novel a year ago, and it wasn't bad, but it didn't strike me as the best fodder for an animated children's movie. It's a weird story, with a self-reflexive tone that's really aimed more at adults nostalgic for childhood than at children themselves. Beagle also wrote the screenplay for this adaptation, and the result doesn't really address my concerns. In movie form, this is still a weird story — almost an anti-story. The offbeat tone of Rankin/Bass is a pretty good match for the material, and most of the voice acting is solid (Jeff Bridges' voice took me out of things), but the whole production just never quite works. Throw in some songs by America, and it's all just a near-miss jumble of wtf.
Grade: C+
The Lineup (Don Siegel, 1958)
More Eli Wallach! More nice location shooting! I wish I'd known beforehand that
The Lineup was first a television series (
for real, this time); that way I wouldn't have spent the bulk of the film trying to figure out the significance of the title. This film does indeed contain a police lineup, but it's an incidental moment. I had been expecting more of a
Usual Suspects type link. The television roots of this film also help explain the questionable split of time between the detectives and the criminals. Wallach is such a strong presence that his absence is definitely felt in the scenes that don't feature his crazed criminal. The character psychology here is fascinating, though it gives the film a pulp vibe which is at odds with the police procedural realism. My biggest disappointment is with the story. I rented this specifically because I wanted a tight noir narrative, with very precise storytelling.
The Lineup doesn't quite deliver on that front, but it's still a decent bit of late 50s noir.
Grade: B-
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