Entry #7
Some of the more interesting films in this update:
Thor was a solid, if unremarkable experience. Sarah was right in noting how annoying it is to include an accompanying love story in movies these days. I thought the movie was structured well enough, given the nature of Thor's back story, but otherwise it was a pretty predictable affair. Acting was competent, and there were some great visuals but way, way too many dutch angles in the film gave it a slightly ridiculous feel.
They Drive by Night was a 1940 film starring Humphrey Bogart, George Raft, Ann Sheridan and Ida Lupino. I purchased the film on a whim, for $4 at the bargain bin at Video-EZ. Strangely enough, the story of truck drivers trying to make a living in capitalist America struck a unusually prescient note, given the climate of elections. 70 years on, not much has change, apparently.
The screenplay gets muddled in its dual storylines, the dialogue does have its moments. The major motivation for purchasing the film was to catch a glimpse of Humphrey Bogart. His character disappeared halfway through the film, but there really was something about him. A certain humanity to his acting that made him believable. All in all, it was a surprisingly enjoyable affair, given my initial fears that I would not be able to get into the film given its 70 year age. A nice little peek into the old studio system and pre-war America.
I'll save my last comment for Children of Men, which i caught well over a month ago. I reckon i'll be met with a fair amount of disagreement, but it was an instant favourite of mine, and an absolutely absorbing experience. It drops us straight into the dystopian world of UK in 2027, and startles us with a world that is seemingly devoid of hope. As the story develops, the main character Theo finds personal salvation, and along with him, we discover what it means to be human. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography provides us a number of memorable images, and deserves every bit of praise it has received. Cuaron's masterpiece is, for me at least, the rare perfect blend of smarts and entertainment.
--
Caught in the cinema:
- Thor
- Sucker Punch
- The Kids Are All Right
- True Grit
- The King's Speech
- Winter's Bone
- 127 Hours
- Black Swan
- Monsters
- The Fighter
- Love and Other Drugs
Caught elsewhere:
- Swingtime at the Movies (short)
- They Drive by Night
- Man on Wire
- Despicable Me
- Children of Men
- Into The Wild
- 28 Weeks Later
- Memento
- An Education
- The Great Train Robbery
- Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip to The Moon)
- Inception
- Inglorious Basterds
No comments:
Post a Comment