As you can tell by the title, this particular post will cover three subjects.
First, I saw the wonderful band Why? this weekend at the Spanish Moon. They mainly played material from their two most recent albums, Alopecia (one of the best albums of the decade) and Eskimo Snow (one of the best albums of the year, pitchfork be damned). It was a great show, not to mention an interesting night... from the couple who literally seemed to making out for two straight hours, to an awkward exchange I had with this nice girl. She was telling me and some friends about how her father designed the medical PET scanning device. We were all very impressed and told her how cool her father was and then she said, "Yeah... he died of radiation exposure." And then for some reason I said, with far too much enthusiasm, "Well, at least he got the PET scan down!" Wow, right?
Secondly, I saw Paranormal Activity this weekend. Initially, I was very skeptical of this film. I felt the beginning was marred by a feux naturalism the couple was trying to convey, but the film slowly built into a potently frightening experience. A very good movie.
Lastly, a note about the premier of the new show V. I saw it over the week and was supremely unimpressed. In case you're not familiar with the show, V follows events on earth after an advanced alien race, who call themselves "the Visitors", reveal themselves in massive interstellar ships over the major cities on the globe. One of the show's main developers is Scott Peters, who was executive producer on The 4400, one of my favorite sci-fi series. As I was watching the pilot to V I thought to myself, "so much of what they got right in the The 4400 they've gotten terribly wrong in V. Firstly, all of the mystery surrounding the alien race is dispensed with in the first half-hour, in which the audience learn that the aliens are not only bad, but they've planning to take over Earth for years. Also, we find out there are alien defectors. Those who have abandoned the Visitors and are working to help the humans. Hmm, a distinct race disguised as humans who ultimately decide to embrace their inner humanity? If that sounds like a vapid facsimile of Battlestar Galactica, it's because that's what it is.
Finally, my last problem with V is it's suspect political inclinations. In the show, the Visitors ingratiate themselves to Earth by offering universal health care and attempting to engage the youth of the world. Not to mention the fact that the aliens rhetoric constantly emphasizes peace and hope. Peace, hope, engaging the young, univeral health care? What could this be an allegory for? Either this show is presenting an insipid allegorical critique of the Obama administration or the show's creators are so dense that they don't realize what they're doing.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Top 100: 5-1
Finally... here is the final installment.
5. Schindler's List (1993, dir. Steven Spielberg)
If there was any doubt that Steve Spielberg was one of the pre-eminent storytellers and visual artists of our time, I would certainly hope that this magnificent film could lay those to rest. It is one of the most complete films I have ever seen. In terms of performance, production, content, direction, nearly every aspect of this film is perfectly executed. But the film also has certain intangible qualities that make it transcendent, one of these being the seamless presentation of the title character, Oskar Schindler. But more than anything, Spielberg's artisty shines in this movie. It is the most bracingly vibrant and powerful film of his career.
4. The Insider (1999, dir. Michael Mann)
Although I was underwhelmed by his most recent effort, Public Enemies, I know one thing about Michael Mann with absolute certainty: he is capable of being an ingenius filmmaker, and nothing illustrates this better than his best film, The Insider. Let me say one thing from the outset, I think Al Pacino's performance in The Insider is the best of his career. Godfather... No. Godfather 2... No. Dog Day Afternoon... No. Scent of a Woman... No. The Insider... Oh, Yeah! Secondly, The Insider is one of the most dazzlingly well-made films of all time, and it is perhaps the best example of Mann's extraordinary abilities as a director. And finally, this film just sticks it to the tobacco companies, and in reality I find this film to be a piercing critique of the corporatization of America in general.
3. Children of Men (2006, dir. Alfonso Cuaron)
Cuaron's visually astonishing Children of Men is the best film of the 21st century, and it stands as a stark but brilliant plea for humanity to take a stake in their own world, and each other.
2. Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcoc)
What I love about this film is that for the first 30 minutes it is a genuine, deeply involved character study, and yet, it transitions seamlessly into an absorbing voyeuristic mystery. One of the most compelling and richly entertaining films of all time.
1. JFK (1991, dir. Oliver Stone)
Occassionally, or perhaps even frequently, a film may require a totally open and unbiased second viewing in order for a person to fully appreciate that film’s distinct quality and transcendent power. Oliver Stone’s highly controversial JFK is in my opinion a film uniquely deserving of a such a second look, although I must personally confess that one viewing is all it took for me to be completely astonished by Stone’s dazzlingly rich masterpiece. Even JFK’s most stern detractors would most likely be perfectly willing to admit that the film is technically brilliant. Its seamless and hypnotic juxtaposition of not only multiple film formats but also a dizzyingly impressive amount of alternate narrative strains alone makes it a modern cinematic landmark. More than advocating for any specific conspiracy theory, Stone's film is a passionate plea for Americans to take back their country from corrupt interests.
5. Schindler's List (1993, dir. Steven Spielberg)
If there was any doubt that Steve Spielberg was one of the pre-eminent storytellers and visual artists of our time, I would certainly hope that this magnificent film could lay those to rest. It is one of the most complete films I have ever seen. In terms of performance, production, content, direction, nearly every aspect of this film is perfectly executed. But the film also has certain intangible qualities that make it transcendent, one of these being the seamless presentation of the title character, Oskar Schindler. But more than anything, Spielberg's artisty shines in this movie. It is the most bracingly vibrant and powerful film of his career.
4. The Insider (1999, dir. Michael Mann)
Although I was underwhelmed by his most recent effort, Public Enemies, I know one thing about Michael Mann with absolute certainty: he is capable of being an ingenius filmmaker, and nothing illustrates this better than his best film, The Insider. Let me say one thing from the outset, I think Al Pacino's performance in The Insider is the best of his career. Godfather... No. Godfather 2... No. Dog Day Afternoon... No. Scent of a Woman... No. The Insider... Oh, Yeah! Secondly, The Insider is one of the most dazzlingly well-made films of all time, and it is perhaps the best example of Mann's extraordinary abilities as a director. And finally, this film just sticks it to the tobacco companies, and in reality I find this film to be a piercing critique of the corporatization of America in general.
3. Children of Men (2006, dir. Alfonso Cuaron)
Cuaron's visually astonishing Children of Men is the best film of the 21st century, and it stands as a stark but brilliant plea for humanity to take a stake in their own world, and each other.
2. Rear Window (1954, dir. Alfred Hitchcoc)
What I love about this film is that for the first 30 minutes it is a genuine, deeply involved character study, and yet, it transitions seamlessly into an absorbing voyeuristic mystery. One of the most compelling and richly entertaining films of all time.
1. JFK (1991, dir. Oliver Stone)
Occassionally, or perhaps even frequently, a film may require a totally open and unbiased second viewing in order for a person to fully appreciate that film’s distinct quality and transcendent power. Oliver Stone’s highly controversial JFK is in my opinion a film uniquely deserving of a such a second look, although I must personally confess that one viewing is all it took for me to be completely astonished by Stone’s dazzlingly rich masterpiece. Even JFK’s most stern detractors would most likely be perfectly willing to admit that the film is technically brilliant. Its seamless and hypnotic juxtaposition of not only multiple film formats but also a dizzyingly impressive amount of alternate narrative strains alone makes it a modern cinematic landmark. More than advocating for any specific conspiracy theory, Stone's film is a passionate plea for Americans to take back their country from corrupt interests.
Damned Democrats
Just to clarify, I AM A DEMOCRAT and I want nothing more than a forceful, progressive, unapologetically liberal agenda to be successful in this country. I say 'damned democrats' because it so difficult to be enthusiastic about the democratic party when they continually show how comfortable they are with failure.
As some of you may or may not know, there were a few elections today of varying importance, and most of the outcomes were disastrous for Democrats, particularly governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey in which Republican candidates won both races.
The Republicans ran a candidate from the stone age in the Virginia race and he beat the democratic candidate by nearly 20 points. I mean this Bob McDonell criticized laws allowing married couples to use contraception, attacked homosexuals as "fornicators" and he also attacked working women and feminists as "detrimental to the family". This guy is crazy!
New Jersey now has a Republican governor-elect. New Jersey. This is one of the bluest states in the union. Granted, the state's Democratic governor Corzine was extremely unpopular, but still, this does not look good for democrats.
All of this on top of the fact that meaningful healthcare reform has still not been passed by Congress. It's fair to say that I've been less than impressed with the national Democrats legislative skills when it comes to crafting this healthcare bill. The Democrats' healthcare stipulations have been so diluted by Republicans, moderate Democrats, and corporate influences that we may not have public healthcare for years, at least until this public option trigger activates. Or maybe the states have an opt-out clause now. I honestly don't know, it seems like the Democrats legislative goals on healthcare change daily.
Truthfully, one of the people I blame is Harry Reid. I don't think he's a strong Democratic leader in the Senate (there's a big surprise). I have much more respect for Nancy Pelosi who seems like she is genuinely ready to go to the mat for the public option.
Now... I won't lay all the blame on Harry Reid because he is dealing with some truly despicable people in the Senate. Namely... JOE LIEBERMAN. What happened to this guy? 9 years ago he was a Supreme Court ruling away from being the Vice President of the country as a DEMOCRAT. Now he's an independent, former supporter of John McCain for president, and he says he'll use his powers as a senator to prevent a vote on the public option in the senate. When I heard that I was speechless. I wanted to strangle puppies. To not let Senate VOTE on perhaps the most important domestic issue of the 21st century!
How did George W. Bush and the Republicans do it. When 'W' was "elected" president in 2000 he had NO voter mandate and razor thin majorities in the house and senate and yet he still managed to push through gis sweeping tax cuts for the rich! What were the Republicans collectively smoking at this point and where can Democrats get their hands on it!
As some of you may or may not know, there were a few elections today of varying importance, and most of the outcomes were disastrous for Democrats, particularly governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey in which Republican candidates won both races.
The Republicans ran a candidate from the stone age in the Virginia race and he beat the democratic candidate by nearly 20 points. I mean this Bob McDonell criticized laws allowing married couples to use contraception, attacked homosexuals as "fornicators" and he also attacked working women and feminists as "detrimental to the family". This guy is crazy!
New Jersey now has a Republican governor-elect. New Jersey. This is one of the bluest states in the union. Granted, the state's Democratic governor Corzine was extremely unpopular, but still, this does not look good for democrats.
All of this on top of the fact that meaningful healthcare reform has still not been passed by Congress. It's fair to say that I've been less than impressed with the national Democrats legislative skills when it comes to crafting this healthcare bill. The Democrats' healthcare stipulations have been so diluted by Republicans, moderate Democrats, and corporate influences that we may not have public healthcare for years, at least until this public option trigger activates. Or maybe the states have an opt-out clause now. I honestly don't know, it seems like the Democrats legislative goals on healthcare change daily.
Truthfully, one of the people I blame is Harry Reid. I don't think he's a strong Democratic leader in the Senate (there's a big surprise). I have much more respect for Nancy Pelosi who seems like she is genuinely ready to go to the mat for the public option.
Now... I won't lay all the blame on Harry Reid because he is dealing with some truly despicable people in the Senate. Namely... JOE LIEBERMAN. What happened to this guy? 9 years ago he was a Supreme Court ruling away from being the Vice President of the country as a DEMOCRAT. Now he's an independent, former supporter of John McCain for president, and he says he'll use his powers as a senator to prevent a vote on the public option in the senate. When I heard that I was speechless. I wanted to strangle puppies. To not let Senate VOTE on perhaps the most important domestic issue of the 21st century!
How did George W. Bush and the Republicans do it. When 'W' was "elected" president in 2000 he had NO voter mandate and razor thin majorities in the house and senate and yet he still managed to push through gis sweeping tax cuts for the rich! What were the Republicans collectively smoking at this point and where can Democrats get their hands on it!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Top 100 Films: 10-6
OK... we've finally made it to the top ten, here's the first installment.
10. Blue Velvet (1986, dir. David Lynch)
David Lynch's beguiling film is one of those rare artistic feats that provokes extreme and profoundly felt reactions from nearly everyone who sees it. And for good reason... it's one of the most jarring cinematic experiences one will ever have. Both lyrically dream-like and viscerally, captivatingly real, Lynch's film is a masterpiece about the darkness lurking beneath even purest things.
9. In the Name of the Father (1993, dir. Jim Sheridan)
As I've said before, I'm someone who has a deep amount of respect for Jim Sheridan. When he operates at the peak of his artistic abilities, he is simply one of the most forceful storytellers there is, and his most potently expressed film yet has been In the Name of the Father, a stirring account of the false imprisonment and later release of the "Guilford 4". Daniel Day Lewis gives the most blisteringly vulnerable performance of his career as Conlon, a wayward Irishmen who along with his father is wrongfully convicted of participating in an IRA bombing. I've watched this film several times and the ending always brings me to tears.
8. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972, dir. Werner Herzog)
Mesmerizing... Haunting... Soul-scorchingly beautiful... All accurately describe Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Werner Herzog's singular vision of a doomed conquistador mission in South America. Quite simply, this film may be one of the most expressive and hypnotic visual achievements in cinema.
7. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001, dir. Peter Jackson)
So many superlatives have-rightly-been throw at this film that it's almost become fashionable to underrate it. I won't make that mistake, as I happen to believe that Jackson's masterful epic is one of the few indisputable modern classics. 50 years from now, Fellowship will most likely be remembered as one of the most important films in the history of recent cinema (here I go, addding to the superlatives). Despite my feelings about the other two films--strangely, I tend to think they are unusually flawed, particularly the Two Towers--this first installment in the trilogy is the best. Its structure is nearly perfect, its direction flawlessly inspired, and almost of the performances are memorable.
6. The Verdict (1982, dir. Sidney Lumet)
Conventional wisdom surrounding the 1982 Academy Awards, in which Richard Attenborough's Gandhi won Best Picture, is that the more beloved E.T. should have taken the top prize (hell, even Attenborough himself said that). I'm here to say there was yet another film that should have won: Sidney Lumet's The Verdict, an under-the-radar courtroom drama about a washed-up alcoholic attorney who takes one last stab at redemption. Admittedly, this film does not possess the flash or epic scope of either Gandhi or E.T., but it just may be the best film of the 1980s. Paul Newman's towering turn as the feeble but searching Frank Galvin is in my opinion the best acting performance of all time.
10. Blue Velvet (1986, dir. David Lynch)
David Lynch's beguiling film is one of those rare artistic feats that provokes extreme and profoundly felt reactions from nearly everyone who sees it. And for good reason... it's one of the most jarring cinematic experiences one will ever have. Both lyrically dream-like and viscerally, captivatingly real, Lynch's film is a masterpiece about the darkness lurking beneath even purest things.
9. In the Name of the Father (1993, dir. Jim Sheridan)
As I've said before, I'm someone who has a deep amount of respect for Jim Sheridan. When he operates at the peak of his artistic abilities, he is simply one of the most forceful storytellers there is, and his most potently expressed film yet has been In the Name of the Father, a stirring account of the false imprisonment and later release of the "Guilford 4". Daniel Day Lewis gives the most blisteringly vulnerable performance of his career as Conlon, a wayward Irishmen who along with his father is wrongfully convicted of participating in an IRA bombing. I've watched this film several times and the ending always brings me to tears.
8. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972, dir. Werner Herzog)
Mesmerizing... Haunting... Soul-scorchingly beautiful... All accurately describe Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Werner Herzog's singular vision of a doomed conquistador mission in South America. Quite simply, this film may be one of the most expressive and hypnotic visual achievements in cinema.
7. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001, dir. Peter Jackson)
So many superlatives have-rightly-been throw at this film that it's almost become fashionable to underrate it. I won't make that mistake, as I happen to believe that Jackson's masterful epic is one of the few indisputable modern classics. 50 years from now, Fellowship will most likely be remembered as one of the most important films in the history of recent cinema (here I go, addding to the superlatives). Despite my feelings about the other two films--strangely, I tend to think they are unusually flawed, particularly the Two Towers--this first installment in the trilogy is the best. Its structure is nearly perfect, its direction flawlessly inspired, and almost of the performances are memorable.
6. The Verdict (1982, dir. Sidney Lumet)
Conventional wisdom surrounding the 1982 Academy Awards, in which Richard Attenborough's Gandhi won Best Picture, is that the more beloved E.T. should have taken the top prize (hell, even Attenborough himself said that). I'm here to say there was yet another film that should have won: Sidney Lumet's The Verdict, an under-the-radar courtroom drama about a washed-up alcoholic attorney who takes one last stab at redemption. Admittedly, this film does not possess the flash or epic scope of either Gandhi or E.T., but it just may be the best film of the 1980s. Paul Newman's towering turn as the feeble but searching Frank Galvin is in my opinion the best acting performance of all time.
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