Monday, December 8, 2008

Films Viewed (November 2008)

Christmas in July
The Foot Fist Way
The Great Moment
I.O.U.S.A.
Quantum of Solace
Falstaff (Chimes at Midnight)
Happy-Go-Lucky
Let the Right One In
Joy Division
Trouble the Water
Rosemary's Baby
Badlands
Youth of the Beast
Synecdoche, New York
Slumdog Millionaire
Wu: The Story of the Wu-tang Clan
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Key
The Charles
The Senator/The Rotunda
The Landmark
Other (Enoch Pratt Free Library, Video Americain, Suburban Multiplex)
Total: 16 features (12 in theaters)

Notes: It is hard not to notice that I did not darken the doors of the Senator or the Landmark for the entire month. I guess I have a profound lack of interest in Christmas comedies and teenage vampires.

Pre-teen Swedish vampires, on the other hand, were well worth checking out. Let the Right One In was a surprising, disturbing, subversive good time even for someone who explores the horror genre sparingly. I guess when it comes to scary premises (and realities), I am more interested in films like I.O.U.S.A.

Two music documentaries, Joy Division and Wu: The Story of the Wu-tang Clan, both benefited from reams of interesting, rarely seen footage and a personal connection with the places from which the artists came. The latter, especially, as the filmmaker grew up in the "slums of Shaolin." Perhaps not just "for fans only", these two.

Synecdoche, New York
was a head scratcher of the first order. Movies that push like this are why I still show up, and I thank the Charles for squeezing it in between screenings of Slumdog Millionaire and Milk (now playing on two screens).

Otherwise, it was revivals and Bond movies, starmaking turns and ugly realities. Not a bad time at the movies, all in all.

Up next, some commentary on film exhibition in general.

2 comments:

1L* said...

Dave and I tried to see Synecdoche on my birthday (observed) -- but there were no afternoon showings. We saw Slumdog instead, and I wasn't disappointed, but this reminds me that we should really venture back for the movie that we originally set out to see.

Nice seeing you yesterday!

Spite Sprite said...

I loved Synecdoche, New York, and thought, "why oh why am I going to have to watch this at least three more times before I feel like I "get it/," whether I'm actually getting it or just fooling myself. God bless Charlie Kauffman and his narcissistic fantasies.