November 2013 Film Wrap-Up

NOVEMBER 2

Being There (Hal Ashby, 1979) = 3.5/5

This one was a disappointment. I love films about people who live sheltered existences, and whom are finally forced to face the outside world. Bad Boy Bubby is my favourite film of this kind. Dogtooth and Rain Man both deal with similar themes. I expected to love Being There because of this subject matter, and also because of Peter Sellers and director Hal Ashby (whose Harold and Maude I quite like). Ultimately, the compelling premise fails to fully blossom. The screenplay is clever and the performances are great across the board, but the film is let down by wearisome pacing. It just drags too much. 

NOVEMBER 3

Les Diaboliques (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955) = 4.5/5

I can't believe it took me so long to get around to this one. It is an endlessly intriguing work of suspense that has aged terrifically. It features one of the most jaw-dropping climaxes in the history of cinema. 

NOVEMBER 9

The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973) = 5/5

Regular readers of my blog will be aware of my immense, undying love for this film. I first saw The Exorcist when I was five or six years old. I found a VHS tape in my uncle's room marked "THE EXORCIST". My uncle warned me not to watch it. He said it was the scariest movie he had ever seen. Of course, this only heightened my curiosity and I put the tape in the VCR about a week later. I was confused, but most of all, I was terrified. Since then, I have seen The Exorcist around 10 times, and it has lost none of its evocative power despite countless parodies and attempts at mimicry. A lot of people find this film funny on repeat viewings. I will concede that I do laugh during certain scenes, but at its core, The Exorcist remains the scariest film I have ever seen. I love how the different story arcs overlap. You have a young girl having her body invaded by a demonic force as she enters adolescence. There's her mother, an actress who cries helplessly as she watches her only child devolve into a "thing upstairs". My favourite character is Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a Jesuit priest who suffers a crisis of faith after losing his mother without getting the chance to say goodbye. If you're yet to see this horror masterpiece, do yourself a favour and take the plunge. 

The Purge (James DeMonaco, 2013) = 2/5

Firstly, I should note that I didn't watch this on my own volition. I was at a friend's house and we had a movie night. This movie followed The Exorcist, which is no easy feat. I'll admit that I was very tired when this movie was on, so I didn't fully invest in it. That said, there was very little to admire about this hackneyed attempt at profound social commentary. 

NOVEMBER 10

Daydream Nation (Michael Goldbach, 2010) = 3.5/5

This film, about a high school love triangle, was a nice little surprise! It is well-written and entertaining, and the characters are enigmatic. Unfortunately, it does falter at the end. That's a shame...it deserved a better conclusion. 

NOVEMBER 11

Submarine (Richard Ayoade, 2010) = 5/5

Let me tell you about this film. It is a beautiful film. It is a film that every teenager should watch. Oliver Tate is a 15-year-old from Swansea who finds himself infatuated with Jordana Bevan. He tries to sustain a meaningful relationship with her while attempting to save his parents from divorce. Oliver is such an idiosyncratic character, and I see so many elements of him in myself. He peruses the dictionary looking to build his vocabulary. He fantasises about his own funeral and how people would react to his death. He knows Jordana doesn't like romantic venues, so he takes her on a date to one of his favourite industrial estates. Please, please, PLEASE watch this film so we can talk about how delightful and moving it is. It captures the pain, awkwardness and tentative optimism of adolescence as well as any film I've seen. It's playful yet honest, with a brilliant soundtrack by Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner. 

NOVEMBER 12

Celebrity (Woody Allen, 1998) = 3/5

This is easily one of Allen's most boring films. I'm trying to remember what exactly happened in it, but I'm drawing blanks. It features a stellar cast and patches of good dialogue, but an ordinary plot and vapid characters make it tough to penetrate.

NOVEMBER 13

The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008) = 3/5

This was a rewatch. By now, you should know that I really don't care for superhero films. I try to view them as action or crime films, but I can't see past the cape. Most of them are based on comic books, and I echo David Cronenberg's sentiments that superhero films are adolescent at their core. I was forced to watch this by a friend, and I didn't care for most of it. Two stars for Ledger's performance; one for the atmosphere. I don't see how I'm meant to enjoy this if I never grew up liking Batman or superheroes in general. 

NOVEMBER 14

Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964) = 3/5

It saddens me to say that this is the first Hitchcock film I've seen that I haven't liked. It's a well-acted but clunky psychosexual mystery. None of the characters are likeable and the payoff is bizarre. 

NOVEMBER 16

Two Lovers (James Gray, 2008) = 3.5/5

A quiet film that gets under your skin with its brutally honest depiction of human relationships. It's wonderfully acted (especially by Joaquin Phoenix), and I think it ultimately argues that the heart, by default, will love.

NOVEMBER 17

In Bruges (Martin McDonagh, 2008) = 4.5/5

Do you know how wonderful it is when you LOVE a film you expect to merely like? Let me tell you...it's fantastic. That was the case with In Bruges. This film is pure entertainment from beginning to end. It's violent without being nasty, and also very funny. Let's not forget those brilliant characters, either.

NOVEMBER 18

Five Easy Pieces (Bob Rafelson, 1970) = 3.5/5

It doesn't contain the most absorbing story, but it's still a worthwhile character study about class anxiety and isolation. Beautiful cinematography by László Kovács imbues the film with a rustic naturalism. Jack Nicholson is in great form here.

NOVEMBER 19

A Separation (Asghar Farhadi, 2011) = 5/5

One of the most gripping dramas in recent years. A powerful exploration of faith, perspective, truth and responsibility, boosted by powerhouse performances. It's so refreshing to see movies like this one are still being made. It thoroughly deserved its Best Foreign Language Film win at the 2012 Oscars.

NOVEMBER 20

The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973) = 5/5

No, you're not seeing things. I watched this film twice in November. This time, I had the privilege of seeing it on the big screen after a Q&A session with none other than Linda Blair, who of course played Regan in the film. A big thank you to Popcorn Taxi for arranging this once-in-a-lifetime screening! Seeing as I have already given my thoughts on the film earlier in this post, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share some interesting things that Blair said during the Q&A session:

1. The Exorcist is a film about good triumphing over evil.

2. The Exorcist is a theological thriller, NOT a horror film.

3. She doesn't get scared watching the film because she was directly involved in its production.

4. Despite starring in the film at a young age, she wasn't disturbed by the things her character said or did because she wasn't raised as a Catholic. That's one of the reasons director William Friedkin chose her for the role.

5. She loves Australia because it's one of the only countries that treats her like a human being and not a monster.

6. Her final piece of advice: "If you can help another human being or an animal, do it. You will one day have the favour returned."

Oh, and I'll just leave this here:

NOVEMBER 21

Win Win (Thomas McCarthy, 2011) = 3/5

Disappointing considering McCarthy's previous efforts (The Station Agent and The Visitor). Not a bad film, but an unremarkable one. This is a dramedy, but I felt that the drama far outweighed the comedy, which made for an uneven, awkward film.

NOVEMBER 24

The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949) = 4/5

It didn't blow me away, but it's a well-directed film noir that features brilliant cinematography and a great score. The climax—a suspenseful chase through Vienna's sewers—is something special.

NOVEMBER 25

Whatever Works (Woody Allen, 2009) = 3.5/5

A self-indulgent and unoriginal film about compromise. Despite its flaws, the dialogue is endlessly entertaining. Only Woody Allen at this stage of his career could get away with making a film like this. If any other director had made this, I would probably hate it, but it makes sense as a 2009 Woody Allen film. 

NOVEMBER 26

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (Kurt Kuenne, 2008) = 4.5/5

I'd been meaning to watch this documentary for almost a year. Everyone was saying the same thing about it: "It will make you bawl." I mentally prepared myself before I hit play. An hour and a half later, I was speechless. I felt so many emotions but I had no idea what to do with them. Simply put, Dear Zachary is the saddest film I have ever seen. It also angered me to my core. If you have so much as an ounce of compassion, the film will make you seethe with rage. You will find it almost impossible to believe that so much evil could befall one family. The film is at once a loving gesture to a friend and those who cared for him, and a condemnation of an inept justice system. Do not watch any trailers or read any online comments about this film before you watch it. Go in blind. If you know the truth beforehand, the film will fail to land its visceral blow.

NOVEMBER 27

The Conjuring (James Wan, 2013) = 3/5

I don't get the hype over this one. Yeah, so it's a stylish horror with a few decent scares. I found there was hardly any character development, and the film is especially hampered by a rushed third act where everything becomes all too familiar. I felt the film also suffered from some miscasting. When I see Ron Livingston, I expect him to be funny. I must concede that a film like this is best enjoyed in a packed cinema, but a good film should hold up no matter how or where you watch it.

NOVEMBER 28

Manhattan Murder Mystery (Woody Allen, 1993) = 4/5

This is one of Allen's better post-1990 efforts. It's funny, fast, and there is excellent chemistry among the cast, especially between Allen and longtime co-star, Diane Keaton.

NOVEMBER 29

The French Connection (William Friedkin, 1971) = 4/5

A gritty though sublimely shot crime-thriller. It takes a while to heat up, but it succeeds in all the right places. The highly acclaimed car chase lives up to its hype. It will not disappoint.

In Summary - The Must-See Films (4.5 or 5 Stars)

* Les Diaboliques

* The Exorcist

* Submarine

* In Bruges

* A Separation

* Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father