My Week In Film: 4/28 - 5/04

I mostly did rewatching this week. Catching up with old favorites and seeing how they've held up. I also watched Chungking Express again for the 3rd with a friend. He liked it but thought it was weird. Perhaps it seems weird because it's just different from traditional mainstream films? It's a pretty normal film to me so who knows. Maybe I'm just used to the style. Anyway, since I saw the film just a couple of weeks ago, I'll exclude it from the running for Film of the Week. Also, I'll be adding a star rating to all the films I talk about (I'll go back and edit past editions) to make this thing even cooler!

Whisper of the Heart (1995)*
(Directed by Yoshifumi Kondo)

I watched it again for the 2nd this week and it was still as perfect as I remembered it. There's something deeply comforting about this film. It's sort of like a favorite blanket. The attachment is pretty irrational. I mean, surely, there's nothing really special about this movie. But, I do think there's something quite special about it. I recommended the film to a filmspotting forum member and while he liked, he mentioned that he thought it was completely schmaltzy. I don't see that all. Everything feel true to me. Or, maybe, I just have a taste for the schmaltzy and the overly sweet (I luv Jens Lekman). I'm fine with that being the answer. I'm just glad that there's a movie out there that's made just for me.

★★★★★

The 400 Blows (1959)*
(Directed by François Truffaut)

Quite simply, one of the best films ever made. Astounding in its simplicity and staggering in its emotional power, I doubt the French New Wave could offer something purer and more beautiful (eh, don't try). It follows Antoine Doinel (or Jean-Pierre Leaud) as he gets into trouble at school, goes back home to deal with his parents and escapes to the movies. On past viewings the thing that I always got hung up on was the inevitability of everything that happens. Everyone keeps misunderstanding Antoine's actions or not paying attention to him. However, while watching the film for the 3rd time, I noticed how fun the movie is. As perfect a film as I've ever seen.

★★★★★

Fallen Angels (1995)
(Directed by Wong Kar-Wai)

It plays like the depressed brother of Chungking Express and the straight cousin of Happy Together. Now that I've gotten those cheap generalizations out of the way, I'll be sure to say something productive about the film! The film seems to be more concerned with isolation more than anything else. The connections that are made here are tenuous at best. Anyway, Wong Kar-Wai once again manages to infuse the screen with the very essence of youth? I don't know. It's just fun to look at. So many great images are found here that even if that's all I take away from it, I would still think it's great. But, yeah, the Japanese trailer called it The Hippest Movie In The World and I wouldn't disagree.

★★★1/2

Iron Man (2008)
(Directed by Jon Favreau)

Iron Man is a lot of fun. There's no doubt about it. Robert Downey Jr. hasn't been this good since, ahem, Zodiac. He's probably the main reason why the film works at all. It coasts by on his personality and wit. Pretty much all the exposition is great. The stuff leading up to the battles is what's most interesting to me and since Robert Downey is so great, all that stuff is gold. Anyway, Bridges is pretty fun. Paltrow is good as well. Howard is ok. So yeah, I'm pretty pumped up for whatever Iron Man goes next. However, not as good as Batman Begins.

★★★

Stalker (1979)
(Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky)

First Tarkovsky film I've seen. It alternates between absolutely fascinating and pretty boring. The first hour before they enter the "Zone" is totally fascinating. The cinematography is amazing. However, what's really striking for me is the sound. I don't know why. Anyway, most films involving kind of philosophical stuff do nothing for me. I'm just not that kind of a person so those things are sort of wasted on me. However, I can find enough here to enjoy. Will I watch more? Obviously.

★★★

Jhon's Movie of the Week is... The 400 Blows