Top 20 Films Seen in 2013

I've seen an unusually high amount of movies this year so I decided to make a Top 20 list instead of the usual Top 10 one. Here they are in chronological order from date seen along with their initial review.

01. WORLD ON A WIRE (1973, Rainer Werner Fassbinder) 1/1

It's quite hard to believe this film was made in 1973. A mysterious death of a creative director of an institute which runs a virtual reality program called Simulacron kicks off a heady, twisty film on computers, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. That's all one needs to know. This was made before Tron and way before The Matrix and Inception. Yet somehow manages to be more thought-provoking and mind-bending than any of them. The film is almost eerily prophetic on the way it depicts the virtual world. Originally a TV miniseries, the 3.5 hour running time doesn't feel that long at all and it gives you a lot to digest philosophically.

02. HOLY MOTORS (2012, Leos Carax)  2/3

Who says art house films can't be fun? This sure is! At least for me. If you're into film, acting or the arts, it will probably be for you too. The film's strange, bizarre structure where an actor drives around in a limo acting vignettes is a stupendously unpredictable tribute to both the art of acting and of film in general. The film is a strange, weird but joyous ride that mixes shocks, drama and laughter in almost equal doses. I'm guessing this is what happens if a Godard film and Bunuel film meet and have a baby. These types of films for me can be either pure joy or pure torture (...and the latter can be a good thing or a bad thing). This is definitely pure joy. One of the best films of 2012, for sure.

03. COME AND SEE (1985, Elem Klimov) 2/27

I've seen tons of World War II movies and a whole bunch of the subgenre of World War II films from the point of view of children and adolescents. This one ranks as one of the best. The plot is simple: An eager beaver teenage boy from a small village in Russia volunteers for the army during the war and witnesses first hand the true horrors of war. I've heard this film's reputation for being bleak. It is. Very. But also it has moments of beautiful imagery that almost borders on dark fantasy/horror/surrealism especially on the first half. I thought I've seen everything but this managed to still shock and horrify me despite seeing and knowing all that I know about World War II. It hammers the point too hard just a tad at the end but it's still a stunning piece of cinema.

04. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (1946, Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger) 3/28

Quite possibly one of, if not, the best film about love, death and the afterlife ever made. David Niven is a World War II RAF pilot who falls in love with an American service woman moments before he's supposed to die finds himself fighting for his life. It's extremely intelligent, sweet, funny and moving, no matter what your religious or spiritual beliefs are. It also helps that the Archers' vision of Heaven and the Afterlife is among the best I've ever seen helped by Jack Cardiff's fantastic cinematography which alternates black & white and technicolor (The way they switch around is also similarly breathtaking).

05. A MAN ESCAPED (1956, Robert Bresson) 3/31

I've seen quite a number of prison escape films: From The Great Escape to Le Trou to The Shawshank Redemption. This is probably the best prison escape movie. It's my favorite so far at least. The plot is simple enough: A French man is in imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II and wants to escape. Like with most films by Robert Bresson, the film is fairly minimalist and the emotions are muted but there are still moments of suspense. Bresson was masterful with his direction here, particularly his use of sound. Like with many Bresson films, there's an added spiritual layer to this film which makes the ending surprisingly moving in an odd way. A real masterpiece.

06. FITZCARRALDO (1982, Werner Herzog) 4/9

This is a film that has many layers of insanity and I absolutely love it, not quite as much as Aguirre, Wrath of God but I still do. Basically, it's all about a man who treks deep into the jungles of the Amazon river and enlists natives to help him drag a steamboat over a hill to the other side of the river in order for him to earn enough money so he can build an opera house in the Amazon village where he lives. It's as insane as it sounds and I love it. Even more insane is the fact that they actually did it on film. The passion that the title character has for this project is very much reflective of the passion of director Werner Herzog and his star, Klaus Kinski. 

07. SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER (1960, Francois Truffaut) 4/20

I'm a huge fan of Francois Truffaut so it's amazing even to myself that I haven't seen this before which is widely considered one of his major works. A piano player gets caught up in a web of murder and kidnapping. Despite the crime angle and the experimental nature of the film, it's very much Truffaut. I can see how much influenced this film made to generations of filmmakers: It's funny, it's thrilling and it's so much fun and stylish without sacrificing character. Truly it's one of the best.

08. CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974, Jacques Rivette) 5/12

I didn't know much about this film going in. I've heard of it. I knew of its reputation. I knew it was gonna be kind of a strange film. I'm glad I didn't know because part of the joy of this film is letting its strange narrative structure to unfold before your eyes. What goes on is alternately confounding, disturbing, shocking, surprising and even hilarious. The three-hour running may be intimidating and indeed as the film progresses, you may feel that the film is going off the rails but believe me when I say that the final 20 minutes that it all builds up to and it all comes together, it is pure cinematic joy. An astounding piece of work.


09. HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER'S APOCALYPSE (1991, Fax Bahr & George Hickenlooper) 6/1


I'm a huge fan of Francis Ford Coppola's film Apocalypse Now and I was aware of the fact that it was a troubled production and he went through almost literal hell to get it made. Having seen this brilliant documentary, which is about almost as great as the film it was documenting, I have to say it's a miracle that it got completed and turned out to be both critical and commercial success. It's an endlessly fascinating and compelling documentary.

10. HATARI! (1962, Howard Hawks) 6/16

I wonder why this movie isn't more popular than it is. It stars John Wayne, it's directed by Howard Hawks, one of the greats and it features an unforgettable score by Henry Mancini which includes the piece "Baby Elephant Walk" which is way more popular than this film. Add to that the fact that it's really a fun, delightful and superbly crafted film. It's about a group of men and women who make their living capturing wild African animals for zoos. Sure, it's vaguely politically incorrect (but a lot of films of this era are, though) and the animal capturing sequences may upset PeTA supporters but it still doesn't change the fact that those sequences are quite impressively shot (because they're REAL, no CGI here!) and just as rousing and exciting (and in many cases even MORE exciting) than any modern era action sequences. Oh, and it's also really, really funny! It's very light and breezy and more character than plot-driven. It's something that they hardly make any more. It's a wonderful, wonderful film. I like "Baby Elephant Walk" a whole lot more now.
 
11. THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... (1953, Max Ophuls) 8/11

A wife of a count pawns her earrings in order to pay off some debts and this little incident sets off a series of events that culminates in a moving, heartbreaking love story. This is one of those films that really makes you think and stays with you always. On one end, it's a very sharp critique of the hypocrisy of the upper-class (very comparable to The Rules of the Game), it's got surprisingly funny moments and yet the last 20 or so minutes, it sucker punches you in a beautifully moving, tragic denouement. It's a masterpiece.

12. THE ACT OF KILLING (2013, Joshua Oppenheimer) 8/17

During the mid-1960's in Indonesia a group of government-supported paramilitary groups went around murdering "communists" i.e. groups of people they perceive to be threats. Over 2 million people were killed. I had no idea about this grim chapter in history probably largely because it's not seen as wrong by a majority of the population in Indonesia. These mass murderers are seen as heroes rather than criminals. The documentary actually lets them tell their story and chronicles what their lives are like today. However, they tell their story in a very unique way: They actually do their own re-enactment of the events in any way, shape or form they want to. So their dramatizations could take the form of a gangster movie, a musical, a Western or just plain straightforward re-enactments. The result is often disturbing, occasionally darkly humorous, fascinating and very thought-provoking and even moving and heartbreaking in a way. This film brings to light the capacity for human beings, and indeed they seem to be pretty nice, normal people, for doing evil monstrous things and of course, without giving away anything, the transformative power of film as an art form. It reminds me why I love film so much. It's an extraordinary piece of work, not just as a documentary film but as a film period.
 
13. WINCHESTER '73 (1950, Anthony Mann)  8/21

My exploration of director Anthony Mann's filmography continues with this Western. I've been told time and again that this one is pretty fantastic.....and IT IS! The title character (of sorts) is a highly coveted rifle which was won by the character played by James Stewart and through a series of events, it gets passed around which gives the film its very unique structure, almost episodic in a way. Despite the short running time of less than 90 minutes, the film feels very deep, rich and epic filled with fascinating characters. It's beautifully photographed and has great action scenes. Anthony Mann is rising in my list of favorite directors

14. PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948, William Dieterle) 8/26

After two less than satisfactory cinematic experiences in a row, I think I needed a palette cleanser and boy what a palette it is. Speaking of palette, this film is about an impoverished painter who encounters a little girl who seems to appear out of time. Then begins a beautiful, romantic love story which inspires him to paint his masterpiece. It's such a stunning, beautiful piece of work. The cinematography, which made some shots look like they're paintings is simply genius but only serves to heighten the beautiful love story that's about to unfold. Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones are both impressive. This film is a masterpiece. It's what great films should do and should aspire to.

15. ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984, Sergio Leone) 9/29

This is one of those films that I classify under Why The Hell Haven't I Seen This In Full Yet? The length is pretty intimidating but once the film starts to unfold, it really hooks you in and the 3.5 hours almost just flies by. This is the final work from Sergio Leone and it's evident that this is the work of true master of the medium. Everything here is perfect or near-perfect: The performances, the cinematography, the design, not to mention Ennio Morricone's goosebump-inducing score. It's a stunning piece of work which stands among the best gangster epics out there.

16. SAMURAI REBELLION (1967, Masaki Kobayashi) 10/6

Between this and Harakiri, Masaki Kobayashi must specialize in samurai movies that will make you cry. This one's about a samurai warrior whose lord asks that his mistress be married to his son. Reluctantly, they agree. But then his son and the mistress fall in love and just as they have their first child together, the mistress is ordered back to the castle. They refuse. Let's say shit hits the fan. The film takes a while to get to the samurai action but it's an emotional roller-coaster ride getting there and by the time the action hits, you'll be too busy crying to see the astounding sword play. It's masterfully directed and Toshiro Mifune has never been better! Kurosawa may get a lot of press but I think Kobayashi deserves some attention too.

17. BIGGER THAN LIFE (1956, Nicholas Ray) 11/24

This film blew me away. A mild-mannered schoolteacher/family man discovers he has a serious heart ailment and is prescribed an experimental medicine that will help prolong his life. But then the drugs start changing his personality. This is a heartbreaking and even thrilling film. James Mason plays the lead in this and his performance is absolutely astonishing. The way he goes from loving family man and mild-mannered schoolteacher to....something else was masterful. Also masterful was Nicholas Ray's direction. The way he uses technicolor, light and shadow when composing the scenes and building dread was pitch perfect. This easily, EASILY ranks among his very best that already includes In a Lonely Place and Rebel Without a Cause. I absolutely LOVED it.




18. THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967, Jacques Demy) 11/30

For me, this is probably the cinematic version of a deliciously sweet and luxurious but light and airy dessert. Three women in the titular place long for love with the men they seek just around the corner. It's fluffy stuff but the filmmaking is simply breathtaking. It's obviously heavily inspired by classic MGM musicals (including a supporting role from Gene Kelly!) but manages not to feel like a cheap imitation. This is from the director of another French musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Jacques Demy. This musical considerably lighter in tone and features dance numbers this time around. But it also features a memorable score courtesy of composer Michel Legrand. As a huge fan of movie musicals, I never wanted this one to end!
 
19. CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT (1965, Orson Welles) 12/16

Filipino film critic (and on-line acquaintance) Noel Vera considers this one of, if not, THE best films ever made. He's right that it's a great film, probably one of the BEST Shakespeare cinematic adaptations ever. It wouldn't QUITE make my upper-tier all-time list but I just saw this a few hours ago and I have to say my admiration for it grows the more I think about it. This adaptation is unique since it is actually not based on one Shakespeare play but five of his historical plays, constructing a narrative around the fictional supporting character of Falstaff. Orson Welles plays Falstaff embracing his more grotesque features. The film has a grimey, almost avant-garde feel to it but despite that, it still manages to pull off one of the BEST medieval battle scene ever committed to film and one would EASILY stand up along CGI/gore-laden battle scenes of today.

 20. NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY (2013, Lav Diaz) 12/22

Lav Diaz's films can be a bit intimidating due to their tendency to be very long and deliberately paced. He's one of the most uncommercial filmmakers out there (he made an 11 hour black & white silent film for crap's sakes!). But brave open-minded film buffs are often rewarded with a one-of-a-kind emotional, immersive, thought-provoking cinematic experience that comes from his brand of cinema. Norte is no different. More than that, and I don't use this word lightly, it may be his masterpiece. It's about a horrific double murder that happens in a provincial town. The real killer gets away with it while an innocent man who has a wife and kids goes to prison. The film chronicles and examines the fall out during the next few years following three main characters: The innocent convict, the killer and the convict's wife. It's alternately shocking, heartbreaking, moving, suspenseful and even funny! Despite it being deliberately paced and over 4 hours long (short for Lav Diaz's standards but long for most people), I almost never drifted away from the film nor did it feel dragging or felt too long at all. I felt like watching a master at work.

Weekly Round-Up (12/22/13 - 12/28/13)

These are in addition to the stuff I saw at Cinemanila.

Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Din (Randolph Longjas) *** - The title roughly translates to "A Turkey Is Still a Turkey". Who knew that there would be such a thing as a Filipino Thanksgiving comedy? Well, here it is. This one is about the love story between an American man and his Filipina fiancee whom he met online. The film skewers culture clash and Filipino habits, beliefs and idiosyncracies that would seem weird to outsiders. The result is often quite but I wish they had gotten a real professional actor to play the American. I found his acting is amateurish at best. One could argue that it adds to his charm but I found it jarring. Still, a better comedy than most mainstream Filipino comedies.

Dukit (Carved from Wood) (Armando Lao) *** - This is a unique biopic since the actual guy plays himself! (In fact, several people in his life play themselves). This tells the story of Waldo Tayug, a man who made a name for himself for his beautiful religious themed wood carvings. He makes those statues we see in churches. The film follows his story from childhood to present day but jumping back and forth in between time periods (and at times it's a bit confusing). Brillante Mendoza co-produced this film and directed by his script collaborator Armando Lao and Mendoza's docu-drama style shines through this one. It's imperfect but when it works, it works.

Mga Anino ng Kahapon (Shadows of the Past) (Alvin Yapan) ***1/2 - After her husband leaves to work abroad, a woman starts to exhibit symptoms of schizophrenia. This is from one of the Philippines' most promising indie directors, Alvin Yapan. I will definitely say that this is a far better cinematic depiction of schizophrenia than, say, A Beautiful Mind. I'm surprised by the terrific performance of Agot Isidro. Before now, I've never thought of her as that much of an actress but she was great. This one gets a very high recommendation from me.

 Blue Is The Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche) **** - I saw this film on Christmas Day because nothing says "Christmas" like graphic lesbian sex. Actually, the much ballyhooed sex scenes were nowhere near as graphic as I imagined them to be based on the reactions I've read. They were about as graphic as, say, Lust, Caution and Y tu mama tambien. But it's graphic enough that I'm glad I saw it in the comfort of my bedroom instead of a movie theater filled with people. Those scenes aside, the controversy and a brouhaha surrounding it often makes people overlook the fact that this is a wonderful, beautiful bittersweet story about young love/first love. It's simple enough: A teenage girl's sexuality is awakened as she falls for an older woman. The audience is taken to the journey of their relationship. As I was watching this, I almost forget the fact that it's about two women and I was just taken by a beautifully and intelligently told love story. At almost three hours, is it a bit too long? Perhaps but personally, I didn't mind.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Adam McKay) *** - This is another one of my comedic blind spots since I'm not really the biggest Will Ferrell fan (I mean, I find him funny in small doses but big doses, he can get annoying to me). With the sequel already out, I thought I should finally catch up on it. Though it's nowhere near the comedic masterpiece its fans thinks it is, there are still quite a number of very funny moments in this just enough that I would like to see the sequel now. The gags and jokes are hit-and-miss but when they hit, it REALLY hits. Not a comedy classic but it's still quite enjoyable.

Boy Golden: The Arturo Porcuna Story (Chito S. Roño) ***1/2 - Very loosely based on the true to life story of an infamous Filipino criminal from the early '60s, this film was described by a critic as being like Johnnie To film --- and he is right. I don't particularly like the lead actor of this film, Jeorge ER Estregan, who always strikes me as an arrogant prick who thinks he's more talented than he is. I didn't mind him in this film because there are sooooooo many fun elements: The colorful cinematography, the surprising twists and turns, the fight scenes that are on the level of the best Southeast Asian (Thai, Hong Kong, etc.) martial arts action movies, a genuine sense of humor, outrageous violence and it's ridiculous and silly in the best possible way. I've always thought why can't we produce a fun action flick/crime drama on the level of, say, The Raid or Ong Bak or Kung Fu Hustle. Well, I can now say we do! Seriously. I'm surprised. Who knew Chito Roño (who is best known for dramas) had this in him? I like this better than On The Job.

Donkey Skin (Jacques Demy) ***1/2 - This is a fairy tale written by Charles Perrault who also did Cinderella and I was wondering why I haven't heard much about this one. Oh, and then I find out there's attempted incest in this one. That aside, this is a beautifully mounted musical-fantasy. The costumes and the production design are eye-popping. Those combined with sharp, almost dream-like cinematography creates something that's like literally straight out of a picture storybook and gives it a surrealism and beauty that's surpassed only by Jean Cocteau. Jacques Demy definitely had Cocteau in mind since Jean Marais (who played the Beast in Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast) plays the King.

10,000 Hours (Joyce Bernal) *** - This is a thinly-veiled, fictionalized version of a true story involving a cop turned Philippine senator being unfairly prosecuted for murder. This film where the names were changed whitewashes his character a bit and obviously upped the action-thriller ante. Is it any good? Yes, it's a solid, fairly decent, well-made thriller. Director Joyce Bernal, previously known for doing broad, light comedies, acquits herself well as an action director. It didn't blow me away (totally not Best Picture material) but it was fun.

The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino) **** - This film surprised me. I mean, I heard that it was really good but I was surprised by how much I loved it. It's about an ageing writer who hasn't written another novel in years seeing friends, having affairs, going around the city and reminiscing about the old days. The film is quite Felliniesque in its content and structure. As great as Fellini? Not quite but it's still holds up as a great film on its own two feet. I'd like to think that this is Fellini's spirit living on, seeping through the present day. There's also a Wild Strawberries element in it as well. It's also beautifully filmed (boy those steadicam shots!), designed and acted. It's one of the very best films of the year.

Cinemanila Day 6

The one day grace extension of the festival. One film I wanted to see didn't push through but one did, fortunately.

Heli

directed by Amat Escalante

A Mexican family gets sucked into the brutal, unforgiving world of Mexican drug cartels after the 12 year old younger sister gets involved with a 17 year old cadet who stole drugs from a corrupt official. This is an excellently crafted crime drama whose shocking, disturbing and brutal elements are tastefully done and does not feel at all exploitive. It's beautifully photographed and acted and its deliberate pace only serves to highlight the brutal violence (one scene in particular will make you cringe). It falls a bit short of true greatness but it's still a quite excellent cinematic depiction of the drug war and corruption in Mexico.  (***1/2)

Cinemanila this year has been plagued with cancelled screenings, delays and a shortened time frame. But, even then, it was more than worth it because I got to see a whole bunch of great films.

Weekly Round-Up (12/15/13 - 12/21/13)

This is in addition to the Cinemanila Film Festival entries I've seen this week (see below for my reviews of those films).

Kind Hearts and Coronets (Robert Hamer) ***1/2 - I try my best to be able to see a wide variety of films. I must admit that one of my cinematic blind spots are the Ealing Studios comedies which I hear so many good things about. Well, they're right. This is a delightful black comedy about a young man whose mother was a black sheep of a wealthy aristocratic family so he murders all the other heirs in order to climb his way to being duke. It's surprising twisted especially for its time (it's still quite twisted to this day, it held up). It has some surprising twists as well. The highlight of course is watching the great Alec Guinness portray all the victims.

Chimes at Midnight (Orson Welles) **** - Filipino film critic (and on-line acquaintance) Noel Vera considers this one of, if not, THE best films ever made. He's right that it's a great film, probably one of the BEST Shakespeare cinematic adaptations ever. It wouldn't QUITE make my upper-tier all-time list but I just saw this a few hours ago and I have to say my admiration for it grows the more I think about it. This adaptation is unique since it is actually not based on one Shakespeare play but five of his historical plays, constructing a narrative around the fictional supporting character of Falstaff. Orson Welles plays Falstaff embracing his more grotesque features. The film has a grimey, almost avant-garde feel to it but despite that, it still manages to pull off one of the BEST medieval battle scene ever committed to film and one would EASILY stand up along CGI/gore-laden battle scenes of today.

Cinemanila Day 5

The Cinemanila Film Festival was supposed to end today but due to the screw-up on Day 2, they extended it by one day so there will be a Day 6 entry.

Norte, The End of History

directed by Lav Diaz

Lav Diaz's films can be a bit intimidating due to their tendency to be very long and deliberately paced. He's one of the most uncommercial filmmakers out there (he made an 11 hour black & white silent film for crap's sakes!). But brave open-minded film buffs are often rewarded with a one-of-a-kind emotional, immersive, thought-provoking cinematic experience that comes from his brand of cinema. Norte is no different. More than that, and I don't use this word lightly, it may be his masterpiece. It's about a horrific double murder that happens in a provincial town. The real killer gets away with it while an innocent man who has a wife and kids goes to prison. The film chronicles and examines the fall out during the next few years following three main characters: The innocent convict, the killer and the convict's wife. It's alternately shocking, heartbreaking, moving, suspenseful and even funny! Despite it being deliberately paced and over 4 hours long (short for Lav Diaz's standards but long for most people), I almost never drifted away from the film nor did it feel dragging or felt too long at all. I felt like watching a master at work.(****)

Cinemanila Day 4

The Rocket

directed by Kim Mordaunt

 

A young boy whose twin brother died at birth is believed to bring bad luck to everyone around him. He decides to try and break the curse and win a rocket making contest. The film is quite formulaic and somewhat predictable despite being in an otherwise unfamiliar milieu of a rural village in Laos. It hits all the familiar story beats. But this Australian-Thai-Laotian co-production is very lovingly made and beautifully acted that you won't really care so much. It's a solid piece of work. (***)

How to Disappear Completely

directed by Raya Martin

I have to say that there isn't a director (Filipino or otherwise) out there QUITE LIKE Raya Martin. From the films of his I've seen, this is probably the most conventional but only Raya Martin standards. This is billed as a "deconstruction" of a supernatural horror thriller. An androgynous teenage girl (I wonder if that was a deliberate, conscious casting decision) who lives with her religious mother and drunkard father is haunted by something. That's basically the main plot, if you call it that because then goes off into a series of surreal visions which has the appearance of a narrative film while breaking the rules of narrative film through imagery and sound. Filmmakers can come off as *gulp* pretentious when attempting something like this but Martin comes off as a wild imaginative child just playing with the medium of film. I recommend this film for the cinematically adventurous. (***)

Harmony Lessons

directed by Emir Baigazin

A quiet, nerdy teenage boy from a small Kazakhstani village is bullied by an older boy and his gang who has criminal connections. He deliberately plans an elaborate revenge. Now, there have been a lot of films about school bullying. I think this would end up ranking as one of the very best. Deliberately paced but never boring. Beautifully photographed too and features very natural, first-time actors. The film gets darker and darker and troubling. The ending is particularly haunting though it may piss off a few people. I would highly recommend keeping an eye out for this one.(***1/2) Check this box to be notified of replies to this topic. Note: BBcode and smileys are still usable.

 

Cinemanila Day 3

Yes, I know. What happened to Day 2, you ask? Unfortunately, there was technical difficulties and a lot of the screenings lined up for Day 2 were cancelled and replaced by films I have already seen. There were still technical difficulties in Day 3 but I still managed to see two films.

The Missing Picture

directed by Rithy Panh

One man recounts his experience under the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. I've been to Cambodia and visited a lot of museums and learned a lot about it from the source. It's a story that's been told cinematically several times before but this one is unique in that it presents its re-enactments through a combination of shots of dioramas of clay figures interspersed with archival footage direct from the source. It's TECHNICALLY a documentary but its unique presentation elevates it into something that's almost poetic. It doesn't quite reach the greatness that it could have but it's still a beautifully mounted, heartfelt film that simply must be seen. (***1/2)

Neighboring Sounds

directed by Kleber Mendoca Filho

Oh, God. I loved this film. The synopsis doesn't do it justice and the over-two-hour running time may scare some people away. It's a multiple-storyline multi-character film about a middle-class neighborhood in a city in present-day Brazil. The film is basically a glimpse into the lives of the characters in the area. Some funny, some sad, some just a little weird. I don't want to say anything else because one of the pleasures of the film is discovering the characters and taking a peek into their lives. I was completely enraptured. Such a wonderful, wonderful film. I highly recommend it. (****)

 

Cinemanila Day 1

From now until the 22nd, I shall be blogging about the films I've seen in the 15th annual Cinemanila International Film Festival.

The Terror Live

directed by Byeong-woo Kim

A demoted broadcast journalist receives a phone call in his morning talk program threatening to blow up a bridge. When the man follows through his threat, the journalist seizes it as an opportunity to climb back to the top. The film starts out quite strong. It built some genuine tension while mixing some satirical jabs at the media. But it regresses into a popcorn thriller in the third act. It's still overall a very good, solid thriller that's well worth a watch. I'm gonna predict that Hollywood is gonna be remaking this Korean film within the next 5 or so years. Mark my words. (***)

 

R.I.P. Peter O'Toole and Joan Fontaine

Two great, legendary performers of the silver screen passed away within 24 hours of each other a couple of days ago. Peter O'Toole, of course, is best known for his work in Lawrence of Arabia and The Lion in Winter but he also excelled in practically every movie he was in, including his voice-over performance as Anton Ego in Ratatouille. Joan Fontaine, sister to Olivia de Havilland (who's still going strong) who she had an on-going feud, starred and is best known for in two classic Hitchcock films Rebecca and Suspicion but she was also heartbreaking and magnificent in Max Ophuls' Letter from an Unknown Woman. They will never be forgotten. Here are two excerpts from my favorites of their works:

Weekly Round-Up (12/8/13 - 12/14/13)

Marketa Lazarova (Frantisek Vlacil) ***1/2 - I've read this being compared to Game of Thrones. I can definitely see it. It's about a clan that runs afoul of their ruling king and all sorts of complications abound. The title character is the virgin daughter of a neighbor village whom the rebel clan kidnaps. It takes a while to get into and it drags here and there but when it delivers, it really delivers and becomes a really exciting, compelling piece of work. This is my second film from director Frantisek Vlacil whose other film I've seen of his, Valley of the Bees also similarly juxtaposes and depicts religion, sexuality and savage violence. I liked that film just a tad better but I think this one is excellent piece of work. It's nice to discover great filmmakers.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Peter Jackson) *** - Is it as good as the original Lord of the Rings trilogy? Overall as a film? No. Does this film justify turning a light-hearted adventure book whose story should have just been told in a packed 2.5 hours into a full trilogy? Not really. But that doesn't mean that this film doesn't have really good moments. Peter Jackson still knows how to create exciting action sequences. The barrell chase scene was delightful and fun. But the highlight is of course Smaug, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, a really awe-inspiring creation. Even at over 2.5 hours long, the film feels brisk. It is enjoyable overall. But I still think splitting this into three is a huge mistake.

The Great Scenes # 66: Frozen (2013)

Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

This is probably the most recent film I've featured in this series. It was only released a couple of weeks ago. I have to say, I couldn't stop listening to this song and I love this sequence. "Let It Go" is probably this year's front-runner in the Best Original Song category. It features lovely animation but what really makes this scene fly is Idina Menzel's vocal chops who knock the song out of the park. Frozen is one of my favorite films of the year. 

Weekly Round-Up (12/1/13 - 12/7/13)

The Freshman (Sam Taylor/Fred C. Newmeyer) ***1/2 - I don't think it's QUITE as great as Safety Last! but it's pretty darn great Harold Lloyd film. A college freshman struggles to find popularity and acceptance with the upperclassmen. Harold Lloyd as usual blends a lot of clever gags and physical humor with great filmmaking. There's also a lot of pathos and sweetness in it too. I suspect a lot of college-set comedies and comedy sports movies after this stole a lot ideas from this film.

Ilo-Ilo (Anthony Chen) ***1/2 - This is Singapore's entry to the Best Foreign Film Oscar race. I think it deserves to get in. It's a wonderful, deceptively simple little drama about a Singaporean family who hires a Filipina nanny/maid who forms a bond with the family's young son. Very loosely autobiographical, the film is heartfelt and very sweet without being cloying. It has emotional heft. The quartet of actors all hit the right notes under the very assured direction of first-time director Anthony Chen, who is really a talent to keep an eye out on. One of the best films of the year.

Ender's Game (Gavin Hood) *** - I read the book this film was based on which I really enjoyed but that was years ago and I barely remember it so I'm not 100% sure how faithful it is. But based on what I remember, I think they hit everything. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this though. The dialogue is borderline George Lucas/Phantom Menace terrible but thankfully, the strong cast actually sells it. The first two acts which SEEM to push a neocon rah-rah-rah view of war was thankfully salvaged in the end though. The repugnant beliefs of author Orson Scott Card aside, this film is a solid sci-fi action picture.

Weekly Round-Up (11/24/13 - 11/30/13)

Bigger Than Life (Nicholas Ray) **** - This film blew me away. A mild-mannered schoolteacher/family man discovers he has a serious heart ailment and is prescribed an experimental medicine that will help prolong his life. But then the drugs start changing his personality. This is a heartbreaking and even thrilling film. James Mason plays the lead in this and his performance is absolutely astonishing. The way he goes from loving family man and mild-mannered schoolteacher to....something else was masterful. Also masterful was Nicholas Ray's direction. The way he uses technicolor, light and shadow when composing the scenes and building dread was pitch perfect. This easily, EASILY ranks among his very best that already includes In a Lonely Place and Rebel Without a Cause. I absolutely LOVED it.

Frozen (Chris Buck/Jennifer Lee) ***1/2 - Is it the best animated musical from Disney since Beauty and the Beast? Hmmm. I don't know. Not quite but very, very close. I liked The Princess and The Frog and Tangled very much myself and this is probably the best among them. Part of that reason is the mostly very strong song score courtesy of Robert Lopez and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez which contain quite a few sly references from Disney songs and musical theater songs of the past. Another thing that surprised me is that it is nowhere near as snarky as the trailers suggest, it's actually a very sweet and moving look at the relationship between two sisters that genuinely moved me. Add to that beautiful animation and a great voice cast and it's probably the best mainstream Hollywood animated film of 2013. The cold never bothered me anyway.

The Young Girls of Rochefort (Jacques Demy) **** - For me, this is probably the cinematic version of a deliciously sweet and luxurious but light and airy dessert. Three women in the titular place long for love with the men they seek just around the corner. It's fluffy stuff but the filmmaking is simply breathtaking. It's obviously heavily inspired by classic MGM musicals (including a supporting role from Gene Kelly!) but manages not to feel like a cheap imitation. This is from the director of another French musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Jacques Demy. This musical considerably lighter in tone and features dance numbers this time around. But it also features a memorable score courtesy of composer Michel Legrand. As a huge fan of movie musicals, I never wanted this one to end!