Friday, July 13, 2012

Films Viewed (June 2012)

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Possession (1981) retains its power, rising from word-of-mouth film underground praise to full on uncut re-issue. A man and wife break up. She has met someone else that can give her something he cannot. Flat-out amazing histrionic fever-dream cinema.

I missed On The Bowery when it bowed as a revival, so I rented it. Bums of varying character and type struggle to survive in this hybrid feature/doc. Short and far from sweet.

I was part of only maybe the fourth audience to see Beasts of the Southern Wild at a special sneak preview via WYPR/MFF. A girl comes of age in a place on the brink of destruction. Wild, heartfelt, and free. Opens this weekend at the Charles. Check it out.

Haywire was about this woman who was really good at kicking ass and killing people and what happens when she has to "go rogue". Directed by Steven Soderbergh. A simple pleasure, but a well-constructed one.

Prometheus 3D was "eh," never rising above being a sci-fi/action thrill-ride. Dealt with "big questions" in ways that were at best quasi-profound. Many others were more sorely disappointed by this movie. But, you know, the air conditioning worked and the popcorn was fresh.

The Circus continued the Charles theater's Chaplin revivals. A great opportunity to continue my film education.


I really liked Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, despite how French and whimsically arty it was. I bought the concept and approach, didn't mind the puppets, got to hear some great music. Sometimes things were being alluded to that I did not understand, but the dude lived an insane life.


I really liked Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, despite how French and whimsically arty it was. I bought the concept and approach, didn't mind the puppets, got to hear some great music. Sometimes things were being alluded to that I did not understand, but the dude lived an insane life.


It was good to finally have the time to sit down and view Jimmy Joe Roche's "Black Midnight Death Trip" and "Daydreams." Experimental video made with a device I helped him create and assemble via Kickstarter. A good weird half of an hour.


It was good to finally have the time to sit down and view Jimmy Joe Roche's "Black Midnight Death Trip" and "Daydreams." Experimental video made with a device I helped him create and assemble via Kickstarter. A good weird half of an hour.


Moonrise Kingdom is a Wes Anderson movie, and it is about the things this his movies are about. I bought into the world he has created this time around quickly and enjoyed it, although opinion among my friends is divided.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp sort-of left me cold, like other "masterpieces" I could name. Maybe I am not British enough to appreciate it? The more I read post-screening, the more I seemed to remember enjoying it.

Public Enemies, on the list for some time, helped a summer afternoon pass by. Seems like the predecessor of most of the aesthetic and approach of the series  Boardwalk Empire, another slow-burning piece of filmic work I enjoy.

There is a new film group in Baltimore called Sight Unseen. They presented a series of short experimental films from the Enoch Pratt's film print collection at the Wind-Up Space entitled "Sights and Sounds". This was fun and good and I look forward to more events like this one.

I wound up seeing the revival of The Royal Tenenbaums twice the week in showed. I also watched it once at home on DVD with the commentary track on. It was just that kind of week.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was a movie where Abraham Lincoln kills vampires.

Safety Not Guaranteed won me over, taking its oddball premise and fleshing it out enough to be enjoyable. The solid ensemble performances helped, also.

Sometimes I get nostalgic for the East Baltimore of my ancestors and I put on Hairspray (1988) with the commentary track.

Key
The Charles
The Rotunda
The Senator
The Landmark Harbor East
MICA Brown Center/ Wind-Up Space/  Suburban Multiplex
Netflix Instant/ Netflix DVD
(Please note: Whenever possible, all titles are linked to their pages on the Netflix website)
Total: 14 features, several short films (9 features, one short film program in theaters/ screenings) rooms)