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They're watching out for you
Oct. 20th, 2009 11:42 am
There is something deliciously creepy and perfectly apt abut this poster. In fact it makes me want to see the film in a way the original poster ever did. At any rate: Retro-looking movie posters from Seek&Speak
( more images behind cut )
The red-beard is not on!
Oct. 19th, 2009 01:20 pm
I'll admit to being relieved that the nationalistic and "patriotic" Italian film about Barbarossa tanked at the box office. Like most normal people I'm not overly fond of jingoistic, discriminating films, and I'm hard pressed to see why the world needs another one of those.
Still, I've researched Barbarossa-symbolism in the past, and so a tiny part of me is fascinated by the Redbearded Emperor still being symbolically potent so to speak. Albeit in this film Barbarossa is clearly the villain, as opposed to the 19th Century German version with all his pseudo-religious trimmings.
( An article about the film )
If you're interested in what all the fuss is about the trailer can be found here:
( Barbarossa )
Sadly, I've only found a trailer in Italian without subtitles - but the dialogue is pretty standard. In fact I'd say you could guess most of what is being said, including Barbarossa declaring that the city of Milan will be a tomb for its defenders. And the endless cries for "Liberta!" hardly needs translation.
Alain Delon in the French Resistance
Oct. 5th, 2009 01:24 pmI'm having a bit of fun listing all the films and series I've watched and rewatched in 2009. So far I must say that autumn has been more relaxed than spring (wherein April and May were a bit absurd).
The only downside is that I set an adjacent goal of writing a bit of a blurb about most of the films, but so far I'm not even half way. So I'd thought I do some mini write-ups about some of the films, and at least make some progress.
Any excuse to put up a picture of Cary Grant. Here from Only Angels have Wings
Paris is Burning
The film adapts a documentary style when narrating the last few days before the Allied liberation of Paris in 1944. Problem is that the film has followed in the footsteps of The Longest Day and other luminaries, and so all the parts are played by famous actors. You're left with the impression that Alain Delon, Jean Paul Belmondo and Leslie Caron all worked for the French Resistance - or more precisely you stop caring about the story and start actor-spotting instead.( +++ )
Home of the Brave
The only times I truly dislike my work is when I have to watch bad films. And by bad I mean "films' that aren't even entertainingly bad, just plain awful." Home of the Brave is one of those. ( +++ )
Red River
John Wayne and Montgomery Clift drive cattle, while being manly men who quarrel over manly things - like, apparently, cattle. To be honest the film is very good, its just that it is a Howard Hawkes' action picture and I've never managed to engage with those (as opposed to his comedies such as His Girl Friday and Bringing Up Baby). ( +++ )
Only Angels Have Wings
( +++ )
Hotel Rwanda
This was a rewatch, and considering the film's material not a very pleasant one. But one thing struck med then, and even more so now and that is the bitter irony inherent in the film's message.( +++ )
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Films watched in 2009.
The only downside is that I set an adjacent goal of writing a bit of a blurb about most of the films, but so far I'm not even half way. So I'd thought I do some mini write-ups about some of the films, and at least make some progress.
Any excuse to put up a picture of Cary Grant. Here from Only Angels have Wings
Paris is Burning
The film adapts a documentary style when narrating the last few days before the Allied liberation of Paris in 1944. Problem is that the film has followed in the footsteps of The Longest Day and other luminaries, and so all the parts are played by famous actors. You're left with the impression that Alain Delon, Jean Paul Belmondo and Leslie Caron all worked for the French Resistance - or more precisely you stop caring about the story and start actor-spotting instead.( +++ )
Home of the Brave
The only times I truly dislike my work is when I have to watch bad films. And by bad I mean "films' that aren't even entertainingly bad, just plain awful." Home of the Brave is one of those. ( +++ )
Red River
John Wayne and Montgomery Clift drive cattle, while being manly men who quarrel over manly things - like, apparently, cattle. To be honest the film is very good, its just that it is a Howard Hawkes' action picture and I've never managed to engage with those (as opposed to his comedies such as His Girl Friday and Bringing Up Baby). ( +++ )
Only Angels Have Wings
( +++ )
Hotel Rwanda
This was a rewatch, and considering the film's material not a very pleasant one. But one thing struck med then, and even more so now and that is the bitter irony inherent in the film's message.( +++ )
-----
Films watched in 2009.
Some of the answers to the Top Five Meme, the rest will come shortly.
( Top Five Films )
( Top Five Favourite things about Norway )
( Top five storylines from The Wire )
( Top five film noir style movies )
( Top five classic Hollywood pairings(either in real life or film) )
( Top five films set during WWII )
( Top five war movies where women play an important on screen role )
( Top Five Films )
( Top Five Favourite things about Norway )
( Top five storylines from The Wire )
( Top five film noir style movies )
( Top five classic Hollywood pairings(either in real life or film) )
( Top five films set during WWII )
( Top five war movies where women play an important on screen role )
it is after all a visual medium...
Jul. 6th, 2009 03:20 pmWith some films the sheer beauty of the cinematography is the main reason why I love the films. of course the story and the acting helps, but I've always been a sucker for images and love it when I can indulge in gorgeous visuals. So I figured that instead of writing about the film, I'd screen cap parts of them instead. That makes this post rather image heavy, but it is also the only way to do the beautiful cinematography justice.
( Blade Runner - with a tiny spoiler for BSG )
------
The German director F. W. Murnau consistently made films that were highly visual, and that often had a supernatural theme. This resulted in some stunning cinematography - like in Faust. It is a retelling of the tale of Faust who sells his soul, and Murnau uses the tale for all it is worth to include alchemy, heavy religious symbolism and some of the more stunning special effects of its time. ( ++++ )
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The great combo of the supernatural and early cinema also produced the wonderful and weird Swedish silent film Häxan or Witchcraft through the Ages. The film proposes to tell in a lecture like manner the story of witchcraft and analyse it via the science of psychoanalysis. Complete with numerous images of naked women worshipping devils or course.( ++++ )
-----
Films watched in 2009.
( Blade Runner - with a tiny spoiler for BSG )
The German director F. W. Murnau consistently made films that were highly visual, and that often had a supernatural theme. This resulted in some stunning cinematography - like in Faust. It is a retelling of the tale of Faust who sells his soul, and Murnau uses the tale for all it is worth to include alchemy, heavy religious symbolism and some of the more stunning special effects of its time. ( ++++ )
The great combo of the supernatural and early cinema also produced the wonderful and weird Swedish silent film Häxan or Witchcraft through the Ages. The film proposes to tell in a lecture like manner the story of witchcraft and analyse it via the science of psychoanalysis. Complete with numerous images of naked women worshipping devils or course.( ++++ )
-----
Films watched in 2009.
I'm the guy you buy
May. 7th, 2009 09:15 pm
Michael Clayton
One on hand there is nothing new, shocking and shiny about Michael Clayton. On the other hand there is nothing bad about it either. Which I guess goes to show that with a good script, great actors and some nice cinematography you can dispense with that damn obsession with "plot-twists-the-audience-didn't-see-coming (but they actually did)", and just focus on telling a very good story. *sigh* I wish more filmmakers would do just that. ( spoilers )
Out of the Past
I feel there are two staples to a proper film noir. The first is Raymond Chandler’s legendary advice "If in doubt have a guy come in the door with a gun", the other is the importance of the quick reply. The latter is evident in full force in Out of the Past where the battle between scruffy detective Markham/Bailey (Robert Mitchum) and gambler Whit (Kirk Douglas) is a battle of words more than brawn.( +++ )
Memos to Hollywood
May. 5th, 2009 02:10 pmI'm a bit in love with this article called Memos to Hollywood
Several memos in the style of "urgent, eyes-only communiqués to Hollywood, fully confident that they will be carefully and thoughtfully ignored."
A few of my favorites are:
To: Filmmakers, especially under 40
From: Manohla Dargis
The tripod is your friend. Few filmmakers can pull off florid handheld camerawork because most aren’t saying all that much through their visuals, handheld or not. (Also: Shaking the camera does not create realism.) Though it’s a cliché of contemporary cinema, fiction and nonfiction both, handheld camerawork that calls aggressive attention to itself tends to make empty images seem even emptier. If you want us to notice your cinematography, make sure you have something to say, like the French filmmaker Olivier Assayas ("Demonlover"), whose restlessly moving images convey a searching intelligence. He isn’t just waving the camera around; he’s saying something about the world and the people in it.
----
To: John Lasseter
From: M.D.
I’m psyched that you and the guys at Pixar Animation Studios are finally making a movie with a girl as the lead character and with a woman as director, no less — another first for you! Congrats! Of course we have to wait until 2011 to see "The Bear and the Bow," but on behalf of 51 percent of the population, I salute you.
----
To: Members of the Writers Guild of America
Cc: M. Night Shyamalan
From: A.O.S.
You may think that slipping a doozy of a third-act surprise into your screenplay — a shocking twist that no one could possibly see coming — might make you look smart and the audience feel dumb, but please consider that the reverse might actually be the case.
Several memos in the style of "urgent, eyes-only communiqués to Hollywood, fully confident that they will be carefully and thoughtfully ignored."
A few of my favorites are:
To: Filmmakers, especially under 40
From: Manohla Dargis
The tripod is your friend. Few filmmakers can pull off florid handheld camerawork because most aren’t saying all that much through their visuals, handheld or not. (Also: Shaking the camera does not create realism.) Though it’s a cliché of contemporary cinema, fiction and nonfiction both, handheld camerawork that calls aggressive attention to itself tends to make empty images seem even emptier. If you want us to notice your cinematography, make sure you have something to say, like the French filmmaker Olivier Assayas ("Demonlover"), whose restlessly moving images convey a searching intelligence. He isn’t just waving the camera around; he’s saying something about the world and the people in it.
----
To: John Lasseter
From: M.D.
I’m psyched that you and the guys at Pixar Animation Studios are finally making a movie with a girl as the lead character and with a woman as director, no less — another first for you! Congrats! Of course we have to wait until 2011 to see "The Bear and the Bow," but on behalf of 51 percent of the population, I salute you.
----
To: Members of the Writers Guild of America
Cc: M. Night Shyamalan
From: A.O.S.
You may think that slipping a doozy of a third-act surprise into your screenplay — a shocking twist that no one could possibly see coming — might make you look smart and the audience feel dumb, but please consider that the reverse might actually be the case.
Memos to Hollywood
May. 5th, 2009 02:10 pmI'm a bit in love with this article called Memos to Hollywood
Several memos in the style of "urgent, eyes-only communiqués to Hollywood, fully confident that they will be carefully and thoughtfully ignored."
A few of my favorites are:
To: Filmmakers, especially under 40
From: Manohla Dargis
The tripod is your friend. Few filmmakers can pull off florid handheld camerawork because most aren’t saying all that much through their visuals, handheld or not. (Also: Shaking the camera does not create realism.) Though it’s a cliché of contemporary cinema, fiction and nonfiction both, handheld camerawork that calls aggressive attention to itself tends to make empty images seem even emptier. If you want us to notice your cinematography, make sure you have something to say, like the French filmmaker Olivier Assayas ("Demonlover"), whose restlessly moving images convey a searching intelligence. He isn’t just waving the camera around; he’s saying something about the world and the people in it.
----
To: John Lasseter
From: M.D.
I’m psyched that you and the guys at Pixar Animation Studios are finally making a movie with a girl as the lead character and with a woman as director, no less — another first for you! Congrats! Of course we have to wait until 2011 to see "The Bear and the Bow," but on behalf of 51 percent of the population, I salute you.
----
To: Members of the Writers Guild of America
Cc: M. Night Shyamalan
From: A.O.S.
You may think that slipping a doozy of a third-act surprise into your screenplay — a shocking twist that no one could possibly see coming — might make you look smart and the audience feel dumb, but please consider that the reverse might actually be the case.
Several memos in the style of "urgent, eyes-only communiqués to Hollywood, fully confident that they will be carefully and thoughtfully ignored."
A few of my favorites are:
To: Filmmakers, especially under 40
From: Manohla Dargis
The tripod is your friend. Few filmmakers can pull off florid handheld camerawork because most aren’t saying all that much through their visuals, handheld or not. (Also: Shaking the camera does not create realism.) Though it’s a cliché of contemporary cinema, fiction and nonfiction both, handheld camerawork that calls aggressive attention to itself tends to make empty images seem even emptier. If you want us to notice your cinematography, make sure you have something to say, like the French filmmaker Olivier Assayas ("Demonlover"), whose restlessly moving images convey a searching intelligence. He isn’t just waving the camera around; he’s saying something about the world and the people in it.
----
To: John Lasseter
From: M.D.
I’m psyched that you and the guys at Pixar Animation Studios are finally making a movie with a girl as the lead character and with a woman as director, no less — another first for you! Congrats! Of course we have to wait until 2011 to see "The Bear and the Bow," but on behalf of 51 percent of the population, I salute you.
----
To: Members of the Writers Guild of America
Cc: M. Night Shyamalan
From: A.O.S.
You may think that slipping a doozy of a third-act surprise into your screenplay — a shocking twist that no one could possibly see coming — might make you look smart and the audience feel dumb, but please consider that the reverse might actually be the case.
Who needs realism anyway?
May. 4th, 2009 05:25 pm3:10 to Yuma
At one point in 3:10 to Yuma Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is beaten repeatedly in the face with a shotgun. The guy hitting him is enraged to the point that the others almost have to drag him away, and when they do we see dark blood trickle out of Wade’s mouth and down his chin.
( And then....that’s it. )
Quo Vadis
This is one of those epic sword and sandal epics, with Romans in tiny skirts and women with anachronistic hairstyles. Since Quo Vadis is from 1951, the women sport 1950’s hairstyles – except the evil empress who looks like something out of sci-fi film. The men are very good at posing, the women’s breasts are very pointy, and the Technicolor is as garish and wonderful as the rest of the film. I cannot help it – I love these old films with their flim-flam approach to history and boasts of "A cast of thousands!"
( The story is simple )
Francesco, guillare di Dio
If 3:10 to Yuma couldn’t decide when it wanted realism to apply and when it didn’t, and where Quo Vadis possibly went looking for realism in all the wrong places then Roberto Rossellini decides to approach realism from a completely different angel; by casting monks from Nocere Inferiore monastery as St. Francis and his brothers.( The film deals with )
Where Eagles Dare
Where Eagles Dare doesn’t bother with realism. In fact Where Eagles Dare laughs realism in the face and then has Clint Eastwood shoot it with a sub-machine gun. Based on a book and script by Alistair McLean the film is supposedly set during World War II. To be honest it could be set during any war and any conflict, but I suppose the Nazis make for smashing villains. There is a plot – of sorts. Truthfully I cannot sum it up better than the film’s tagline:
They look like Nazis but . . . The Major is British . . . The Lieutenant is American . . . The Beautiful Frauleins are Allied Agents!
( If you to that add a castle )
At one point in 3:10 to Yuma Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is beaten repeatedly in the face with a shotgun. The guy hitting him is enraged to the point that the others almost have to drag him away, and when they do we see dark blood trickle out of Wade’s mouth and down his chin.
( And then....that’s it. )
Quo Vadis
This is one of those epic sword and sandal epics, with Romans in tiny skirts and women with anachronistic hairstyles. Since Quo Vadis is from 1951, the women sport 1950’s hairstyles – except the evil empress who looks like something out of sci-fi film. The men are very good at posing, the women’s breasts are very pointy, and the Technicolor is as garish and wonderful as the rest of the film. I cannot help it – I love these old films with their flim-flam approach to history and boasts of "A cast of thousands!"
( The story is simple )
Francesco, guillare di Dio
If 3:10 to Yuma couldn’t decide when it wanted realism to apply and when it didn’t, and where Quo Vadis possibly went looking for realism in all the wrong places then Roberto Rossellini decides to approach realism from a completely different angel; by casting monks from Nocere Inferiore monastery as St. Francis and his brothers.( The film deals with )
Where Eagles Dare
Where Eagles Dare doesn’t bother with realism. In fact Where Eagles Dare laughs realism in the face and then has Clint Eastwood shoot it with a sub-machine gun. Based on a book and script by Alistair McLean the film is supposedly set during World War II. To be honest it could be set during any war and any conflict, but I suppose the Nazis make for smashing villains. There is a plot – of sorts. Truthfully I cannot sum it up better than the film’s tagline:
They look like Nazis but . . . The Major is British . . . The Lieutenant is American . . . The Beautiful Frauleins are Allied Agents!
( If you to that add a castle )
Who needs realism anyway?
May. 4th, 2009 05:25 pm3:10 to Yuma
At one point in 3:10 to Yuma Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is beaten repeatedly in the face with a shotgun. The guy hitting him is enraged to the point that the others almost have to drag him away, and when they do we see dark blood trickle out of Wade’s mouth and down his chin.
( And then....that’s it. )
Quo Vadis
This is one of those epic sword and sandal epics, with Romans in tiny skirts and women with anachronistic hairstyles. Since Quo Vadis is from 1951, the women sport 1950’s hairstyles – except the evil empress who looks like something out of sci-fi film. The men are very good at posing, the women’s breasts are very pointy, and the Technicolor is as garish and wonderful as the rest of the film. I cannot help it – I love these old films with their flim-flam approach to history and boasts of "A cast of thousands!"
( The story is simple )
Francesco, guillare di Dio
If 3:10 to Yuma couldn’t decide when it wanted realism to apply and when it didn’t, and where Quo Vadis possibly went looking for realism in all the wrong places then Roberto Rossellini decides to approach realism from a completely different angel; by casting monks from Nocere Inferiore monastery as St. Francis and his brothers.( The film deals with )
Where Eagles Dare
Where Eagles Dare doesn’t bother with realism. In fact Where Eagles Dare laughs realism in the face and then has Clint Eastwood shoot it with a sub-machine gun. Based on a book and script by Alistair McLean the film is supposedly set during World War II. To be honest it could be set during any war and any conflict, but I suppose the Nazis make for smashing villains. There is a plot – of sorts. Truthfully I cannot sum it up better than the film’s tagline:
They look like Nazis but . . . The Major is British . . . The Lieutenant is American . . . The Beautiful Frauleins are Allied Agents!
( If you to that add a castle )
At one point in 3:10 to Yuma Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is beaten repeatedly in the face with a shotgun. The guy hitting him is enraged to the point that the others almost have to drag him away, and when they do we see dark blood trickle out of Wade’s mouth and down his chin.
( And then....that’s it. )
Quo Vadis
This is one of those epic sword and sandal epics, with Romans in tiny skirts and women with anachronistic hairstyles. Since Quo Vadis is from 1951, the women sport 1950’s hairstyles – except the evil empress who looks like something out of sci-fi film. The men are very good at posing, the women’s breasts are very pointy, and the Technicolor is as garish and wonderful as the rest of the film. I cannot help it – I love these old films with their flim-flam approach to history and boasts of "A cast of thousands!"
( The story is simple )
Francesco, guillare di Dio
If 3:10 to Yuma couldn’t decide when it wanted realism to apply and when it didn’t, and where Quo Vadis possibly went looking for realism in all the wrong places then Roberto Rossellini decides to approach realism from a completely different angel; by casting monks from Nocere Inferiore monastery as St. Francis and his brothers.( The film deals with )
Where Eagles Dare
Where Eagles Dare doesn’t bother with realism. In fact Where Eagles Dare laughs realism in the face and then has Clint Eastwood shoot it with a sub-machine gun. Based on a book and script by Alistair McLean the film is supposedly set during World War II. To be honest it could be set during any war and any conflict, but I suppose the Nazis make for smashing villains. There is a plot – of sorts. Truthfully I cannot sum it up better than the film’s tagline:
They look like Nazis but . . . The Major is British . . . The Lieutenant is American . . . The Beautiful Frauleins are Allied Agents!
( If you to that add a castle )
From war to Italian memories
Apr. 24th, 2009 07:06 pmThe Dirty Dozen is one of those films that claim to be about World War II, but none of the historical events of this war is actually central to the films plot. I always feel that all The Dirty Dozen really wants is a war scenario, and it chooses WWII simply because it is easy, at the time of the film’s production already mythified and because the Nazis make great villains.( The plot is simple.. )
Tora! Tora! Tora! is somewhat the opposite to The Dirty Dozen, in that it takes its strive for historical accuracy so to heart that it adopts an almost documentary style. The film is a Japanese & American co-production about the attack on Pearl Harbour.( ++++ )
My favourite scene in Amarcord is when the Fascists hold a rally, and as part of the celebration they run around the town all while talking to the camera about how glorious everything is. In the background is giant head of Mussolini that looks like something out of Monty Python cartoon. It all looks terribly silly and you find yourself laughing at the strange fascists. Then a quick turn of events later ( ++++ )
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Films seen in 2009.
Tora! Tora! Tora! is somewhat the opposite to The Dirty Dozen, in that it takes its strive for historical accuracy so to heart that it adopts an almost documentary style. The film is a Japanese & American co-production about the attack on Pearl Harbour.( ++++ )
My favourite scene in Amarcord is when the Fascists hold a rally, and as part of the celebration they run around the town all while talking to the camera about how glorious everything is. In the background is giant head of Mussolini that looks like something out of Monty Python cartoon. It all looks terribly silly and you find yourself laughing at the strange fascists. Then a quick turn of events later ( ++++ )
----
Films seen in 2009.
From war to Italian memories
Apr. 24th, 2009 07:06 pmThe Dirty Dozen is one of those films that claim to be about World War II, but none of the historical events of this war is actually central to the films plot. I always feel that all The Dirty Dozen really wants is a war scenario, and it chooses WWII simply because it is easy, at the time of the film’s production already mythified and because the Nazis make great villains.( The plot is simple.. )
Tora! Tora! Tora! is somewhat the opposite to The Dirty Dozen, in that it takes its strive for historical accuracy so to heart that it adopts an almost documentary style. The film is a Japanese & American co-production about the attack on Pearl Harbour.( ++++ )
My favourite scene in Amarcord is when the Fascists hold a rally, and as part of the celebration they run around the town all while talking to the camera about how glorious everything is. In the background is giant head of Mussolini that looks like something out of Monty Python cartoon. It all looks terribly silly and you find yourself laughing at the strange fascists. Then a quick turn of events later ( ++++ )
----
Films seen in 2009.
Tora! Tora! Tora! is somewhat the opposite to The Dirty Dozen, in that it takes its strive for historical accuracy so to heart that it adopts an almost documentary style. The film is a Japanese & American co-production about the attack on Pearl Harbour.( ++++ )
My favourite scene in Amarcord is when the Fascists hold a rally, and as part of the celebration they run around the town all while talking to the camera about how glorious everything is. In the background is giant head of Mussolini that looks like something out of Monty Python cartoon. It all looks terribly silly and you find yourself laughing at the strange fascists. Then a quick turn of events later ( ++++ )
----
Films seen in 2009.
WWII - coming to a cinema near you....
Apr. 23rd, 2009 01:00 pm
Saints and Soldiers
Saints and Soldiers is a low budget film that tells the story of four American soldiers and one Brit who tries to get back to the Allies, after escaping the massacre of Malmedy. The film was made in 2003, and the aesthetics of the film makes me believe it was very much inspired by Band of Brothers. The fact that it takes place during The Battle of the Bulge intensifies the similarities. There is even a troubled medic as one of the main characters, but this medic is far more cynical than Doc Roe.( The film, as the title suggests.. )
Young Lions
Somewhere in Young Lions there is the story of World War II, but it is one of those war films that uses WWII as a backdrop for moral reflection more than a historical re-enactment. At least I think that is the films intention. Sometimes it is hard to say.. ( Apparently Irwin Shaw... )
In Harm's way
In some sense this is "John Wayne does the Pacific", but the saving grace is that he does it well. Directed by Otto Preminger and starring pretty much everyone from Kirk Douglas, Dana Andrews to Henry Fonda, and is one of those solid pictures where you go "oooh..that was an interesting turn of events" or "Where have I seen this guy before?". I like those kind of pictures, and so I really liked In Harm's Way. ( The story starts with Pearl Harbour.. )
----
Films seen in 2009.
WWII - coming to a cinema near you....
Apr. 23rd, 2009 01:00 pmSaints and Soldiers
Saints and Soldiers is a low budget film that tells the story of four American soldiers and one Brit who tries to get back to the Allies, after escaping the massacre of Malmedy. The film was made in 2003, and the aesthetics of the film makes me believe it was very much inspired by Band of Brothers. The fact that it takes place during The Battle of the Bulge intensifies the similarities. There is even a troubled medic as one of the main characters, but this medic is far more cynical than Doc Roe.( The film, as the title suggests.. )
Young Lions
Somewhere in Young Lions there is the story of World War II, but it is one of those war films that uses WWII as a backdrop for moral reflection more than a historical re-enactment. At least I think that is the films intention. Sometimes it is hard to say.. ( Apparently Irwin Shaw... )
In Harm's way
In some sense this is "John Wayne does the Pacific", but the saving grace is that he does it well. Directed by Otto Preminger and starring pretty much everyone from Kirk Douglas, Dana Andrews to Henry Fonda, and is one of those solid pictures where you go "oooh..that was an interesting turn of events" or "Where have I seen this guy before?". I like those kind of pictures, and so I really liked In Harm's Way. ( The story starts with Pearl Harbour.. )
----
Films seen in 2009.
Max Manus is a film about the Norwegian Resistance fighter and saboteur by the same name. He was part of the resistance group based in the capital during the Second World War, and his main task was to plant bombs and blow things up - be it supply ships or registers used by the Nazi bureaucracy. The film based on his exploits premièred in Norway just before Christmas, and quickly became one of the highest grossing films in Norwegian history. We do love our history in this country - particularly WWII.
Flammen og Citronen
Apparently Scandinavia is caught up in a trend of producing excellent films about WWII. This is fine by me. This is the Danish film Flammen og Citronen (it means the Flame and the Lemon, the aliases of main characters), and deals with the part of the Danish resistance that effected liquidations of Danes suspected to be collaborators. ( spoilers )
The Kingdom
Perhaps I should have known better than to watch a Peter Berg film about an FBI team investigating a terrorist attack on the American compound in Saudia Arabia – aka The Kingdom. But the mean fact is I had to. You see the Kingdom claims to fall under the banner war films, and therefore watching it was part of my job.
Thankfully The Kingdom isn’t one of those "so bad I want to stab my eyes out to avoid the pain" type of films. But it is a bit peculiar.( +++ )
----
Films seen in 2009.
Max Manus is a film about the Norwegian Resistance fighter and saboteur by the same name. He was part of the resistance group based in the capital during the Second World War, and his main task was to plant bombs and blow things up - be it supply ships or registers used by the Nazi bureaucracy. The film based on his exploits premièred in Norway just before Christmas, and quickly became one of the highest grossing films in Norwegian history. We do love our history in this country - particularly WWII.
Flammen og Citronen
Apparently Scandinavia is caught up in a trend of producing excellent films about WWII. This is fine by me. This is the Danish film Flammen og Citronen (it means the Flame and the Lemon, the aliases of main characters), and deals with the part of the Danish resistance that effected liquidations of Danes suspected to be collaborators. ( spoilers )
The Kingdom
Perhaps I should have known better than to watch a Peter Berg film about an FBI team investigating a terrorist attack on the American compound in Saudia Arabia – aka The Kingdom. But the mean fact is I had to. You see the Kingdom claims to fall under the banner war films, and therefore watching it was part of my job.
Thankfully The Kingdom isn’t one of those "so bad I want to stab my eyes out to avoid the pain" type of films. But it is a bit peculiar.( +++ )
----
Films seen in 2009.
Ten Favorite Film Characters
Apr. 17th, 2009 07:46 pmI'm stuck writing a boring paper, so for some recreational amusement I was inspired by the meme floating around on LJ and the blogsphere about your Ten Favorite Film Characters.
Captain Renault (Claude Raines) from Casablanca
He may only be a poor, corrupt government official, but he is easily the best thing about the whole film. Largely because his cynical and realistic stance is a good balance to the film's more dramatic, ideological moments, but also because he applies the same clear sighted cynicism to himself as well. And of course:
Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in this establishment!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
( the other nine )
Captain Renault (Claude Raines) from Casablanca
He may only be a poor, corrupt government official, but he is easily the best thing about the whole film. Largely because his cynical and realistic stance is a good balance to the film's more dramatic, ideological moments, but also because he applies the same clear sighted cynicism to himself as well. And of course:
Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in this establishment!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
Ten Favorite Film Characters
Apr. 17th, 2009 07:46 pmI'm stuck writing a boring paper, so for some recreational amusement I was inspired by the meme floating around on LJ and the blogsphere about your Ten Favorite Film Characters.
Captain Renault (Claude Raines) from Casablanca
He may only be a poor, corrupt government official, but he is easily the best thing about the whole film. Largely because his cynical and realistic stance is a good balance to the film's more dramatic, ideological moments, but also because he applies the same clear sighted cynicism to himself as well. And of course:
Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in this establishment!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
( the other nine )
Captain Renault (Claude Raines) from Casablanca
He may only be a poor, corrupt government official, but he is easily the best thing about the whole film. Largely because his cynical and realistic stance is a good balance to the film's more dramatic, ideological moments, but also because he applies the same clear sighted cynicism to himself as well. And of course:
Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in this establishment!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
