Les Herbes Folles is an odd film. The first part of the film is replete with deadpan humour and bizarre situations. The second half of the film channels a bit of Pierrot le Fou and tries to leave the audience guessing. Director Alain Resnais leaves the audience guessing, providing a Hollywood ending followed by the “real” ending five minutes later. Two random strangers are connected by a lost wallet and become infatuated with each other. There is a sense that Georges, who found the wallet, is hiding something but it is never totally revealed, only suggested. Marguerite initially wants nothing …
Four Forgotten Alfred Hitchcock Films
Rebecca moves slowly but picks up speed as it progresses. It is one of the first films that Alfred Hitchcock made after crossing the Atlantic and the only one which won him a Best Picture Oscar. Shot along the Côte d’Azur in black in white, it lacks the brightness and clarity of To Catch a Thief, which was filmed in Technicolor. The film features tight angles that focus on the leads, Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine and wide, chaotic shots that emphasize how the Second Mrs. de Winter and Mrs. Danvers are losing their heads. At this point, Hitchcock had …
Flame and Citron
Flame and Citron is a Danish film chronicling the exploits of two members of the Copenhagen resistance movement during World War II. I watched the film alone in an empty cinema but the work deserves far more credit and recognition than it has received. Aside from the fact that the piece is very historically accurate – in terms of costumes and locations – it requires the viewer to ask sophisticated questions of themselves. Flame and Citron are the code names of two hitmen who are working underground against the Nazi regime in Denmark. It is uncertain whether they are merely …
2004 Academy Awards Revisited
Recalling the controversy over the Best Picture selection at the 2004 Academy Awards, I think it was much ado about nothing. Brokeback Mountain (***) had won numerous awards that year, including the Best Director Oscar for Ang Lee but I think Crash (****)- which was little known at the time – rightfully won the big prize. Brokeback Mountain was very scenic and featured a very appropriate soundtrack, transporting viewers back to Wyoming in the 1960s. The film carried the positive message that love isn’t limited by gender or race but a far deeper emotion. But although the film was enjoyable, …
Dead Poets Society
The schoolmen were schoolboys fist, Stephen said superpolitely. Aristotle was once Plato’s schoolboy. Previous graduates of Welton Academy go one to teach English Literature, run the school, and eventually pass on and merely occupy a place on the wall. The current students face numerous challenges trying to live up to the expectations of the school, their parents, and the ghosts on the wall. Occurring in the 1960s, Dead Poets Society accurately captures the clash between generations. Only Mr. McAllister, a self-described realist who teaches biology, seems to understand and appreciate what is happening. Society, the school, the students, and finally …
Masculin, Féminin
Paul is a young man living in Paris who has recently finished his military service and is now looking for places to work, a place to live, and a place to belong. Madeleine is a photo editor with a French fashion magazine looking for a place to belong. When they meet in a café, they fall in love. However, despite their emotional relationship, they never connect intellectually and remain distant. According to one of the flashcards in the film, Jean-Luc Godard could have called his film Masculin, féminin “For the children of Marx and Coca-Cola.” Paul struggles to find a …
The Fog of War
Robert S. McNamara was one of the brightest minds of the twentieth century yet he was still unable to prevent one of the fieriest conflagrations in modern times from exploding. Reflecting upon his time as Secretary of Defence for John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, he grants a lengthy interview with director Errol Morris, who combines the 2003 discourse with archival footage, original tape recordings, and thoughtful music composed by Philip Glass. McNamara does not limit himself solely his role in the escalation of the conflict in Vietnam but explains his background, education, military service during World War II, and …
The Bicycle Thief
When Antonio Ricci’s bicycle is stolen, jeopardizing his employment posting bills, his subsequent search forces him to realize that he is not only seeking the actual vehicle and the wealth that it will bring him and his family but also struggling to follow his morals and maintain his integrity. Ricci had been given a lucky break, a well-paying job that could help his family escape their destitute and desultory existence but his joy is curtailed when the bicycle that he needs to do his job is stolen. The next day, he crosses the city with his son Bruno, encountering a …
The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker is incredibly tense and engrossing for the first hour and a half. Visually, the film is incredibly similar to Black Hawk Down in terms of technology and style. It seems as if there are a number of hand-held cameras that capture chaotic action with tight shots, pulling the viewer into the conflict zone. There are never any wide angle shots, because that would provide an overview of the situation and some degree of control. Unfortunately, one of the key messages of both films is that war offers no control and survival can be entirely arbitrary. Although both …
Rashomon
What more can I say about Akira Kurosawa that I haven’t already discussed? Rashomon was another innovative masterpiece, building on the themes of his other works, like High and Low and The Seven Samurai. I was mildly astonished that I didn’t have any Kurosawa DVDs on my shelves when I got home. I was sure that I had purchased The Seven Samurai some time ago. A body is discovered in the woods and three people – the accused, the victim’s wife, and the spirit of the dead man via a medium – recount different stories about what happen. The three …
Brock and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince may be the funniest film in the series although it could have done more to assume its intended place as the saddest one to date. As usual, it’s a very well produced film. Direction is somewhat atypical, but the odd camera angles seem appropriate. The actors do excellent work, especially Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, and Michael Gambon. Almost everyone could screen this film and enjoy themselves, as shown by a nearly $160 million opening weekend gross and an 84% Rotten Tomatoes Rating. However, The Half-Blood Prince disappoints in a way that foreshadows what made …
Public Enemies
Michael Mann has constucted an entertaining period film with his latest release, Public Enemies. The film recounts the exploits of bank robber John Dillinger during the Great Depression. Although he may be an outlaw, Dillinger captures the public imagination with his charisma and Robin Hood persona. Initially, Dillinger was sent to prison for robbing a grocery store. He regretted the crime because of the kind nature of the store owner but became embittered towards society because of a sentence that he felt was excessive. After leaving prison, he successfully organizes a series of daring bank robberies but always steals from …
Le Corbeau
Black and white film seems to suit the Film Noir genre, from the moral ambiguity to the focus on acting and tension created by a well-written screenplay instead of meaningless explosions. Le Corbeau is no exception. Popular in Vichy France but banned after the liberation, it covers the disintegration of a small town when an anonymous letter writer begins accusing public figures. Henri-Georges Clouzot uses a great deal of light and shadow to show the difference between right and wrong. Like Plato’s parable of The Cave, the viewer is left wondering about the true nature of each character: the real …
Invisible City
How does one find meaning growing up? How does one develop a sense of responsibility if there are no role models to watch? How does one create self-esteem if nobody seems to care? Invisible City – a film which was honoured with the Best Canadian Feature Documentary award at this year’s Hot Docs festival – endeavours to answer these questions, intertwining the stories of two youths in Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood with the massive redevelopment and gentrification of the area. From a cinematic point of view, Invisible City is an excellent documentary and a very good film. A subtle soundtrack …
The Brothers Bloom
A tale of two films, The Brothers Bloom hits and misses. The caper, with a spirited soundtrack, clever twists, and absurd comedy at the right moments, is excellent. The love story, with an undue focus on Adrian Brody’s sad face, artificial dialogue, and poor performances, falls flat. The viewer is always guessing what will come next as two brothers, Bloom and his older sibling Stephen, attempt to con a clueless heiress. I enjoyed how the film followed up on details from earlier in the film and the comic timing. There are some unnecessary twists which seem to be a way …
The Pool
The Pool is a problematic film, typical of recent cinema. The plot moves slowly and this patient pace enables director Charles Smith to successfully set a mood and engages the audience in the lives of the characters. You want the protagonist – a Hindi-speaking hotel boy named Venkatesh – to succeed but the film never tells you if he makes it. It is pleasant to watch but the fact that it is considered to be one of the most outstanding films of 2008 illustrates how much North American cinema has fallen. The screenplay contains little tension and no denouement. It …