Movies for July!
35 movies, from 1927 to 2009.
First Time
Chun gwon cha sit (1997) (Happy Together) - This was a GREAT start to the month. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. Like, basically there was nothing I disliked. The visuals were amazing, plus it is a movie about Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung breaking up and making up and fighting and it's just so good aaaaah. It's vivid, but also kind of livid - like a burn - and crazy. (He should have called this one Days of Being Wild ahaha.) Although, actually, it does remind me of ITMFL. On acid.
White Nights (1985) - Not a very good movie, and I came away with two impressions: 1) How did Gregory Hines get the necessary hair products in Soviet Russia? 2) Day-um, Misha (and Gregory Hines, too, obviously!).
Cleopatra (1934) - The Claudette Colbert version. I liked this, even though it seems like some of the lines were written for Marlene Dietrich. Colbert has a lot of life in the role. I don't think she was very sexy, though - I think she was sexiest in The Palm Beach Story).
The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927) - Ramon Navarro is in this one, except he's hardly tortured at all so I didn't recognize him. It was funny that, even though this was a silent movie, you could see where the musical numbers belonged. Lubitsch is hit and miss for me, but mostly this one was a miss.
Interiors (1978) - Yes, I did get "Death of an Interior Decorator" stuck in my head, thank you for asking. I think it was kind of like if Ingmar Bergman did a movie inspired by Edna St. Vincent Millay's family . . . very loosely inspired, and moved up to the 70s. I do not know if "liked" is the right word, but I definitely think I admired it? Or was impressed? Something like that.
My Brilliant Career (1979) - Molly Haskell talked about women hating the end of this movie, and I got to watch this with my mother who was angered by just that fact. I liked it, though. It took me a while to warm to the movie (and to Judy Davis, who I last saw as George Sand in a movie I hated) but now I really wish we made more movies like My Brilliant Career.
Da gong deng long gao gao gua (1991) (Raise the Red Lantern) - Gong Li is so-o-o-o good, and I was really impressed by the (mental and physical) claustrophobia and . . . viperous personalities. Also! I called the twist, but I still appreciated it. Although I was kind of like, "Teresa di'Marano would not be impressed with you people."
Double Happiness (1994) - AW! I liked this movie. It reminded me of Junebug. Sandra Oh FTW.
La Strada (1954) - NO.
Sophie's Choice (1982) - Is it bad that I kind of want to make out with Kevin Kline even after seeing the end of this movie? Even though I have seen A Fish Called Wanda. Clearly, I have problems. Anyway, Meryl Streep deservedly receives praise for this movie. I watched it not long after I read Maus but, hmm, I think WWII doesn't move me enough? But I still liked watching the story unravel (literally).
A Hard Day's Night (1964) - SO MUCH FUN! I really recommend it - it is very slick and modern-feeling, and the Beatles are great.
Fargo (1996) - I am so ashamed that I only saw this movie a few weeks ago. It was so good, oh my god. But it wasn't flashy! I do think the "this is a true story" thing at the beginning was a mistake, because then you're not worried about the ending.
Chinese Box (1997) - Maggie Cheung + Jeremy Irons + Gong Li should be a winning combination, but Chinese Box is NOT a good movie. Oh, I did like one thing! There were shots of Chinese bagpipe players at the beginning.
Dil Se.. (1998) - I suppose that this is my first genuine exposure to Bollywood, but sadly I did not enjoy it. Even though I really should have liked it - I think I did like it, actually, only my desire to STAB SHAHRUKH KHAN IN THE FACE distracted me. Seriously, SRK. You are SO LUCKY that there were movies I hated more this month, and that I gave you a second chance with a romantic comedy. The music is really good, though. And the acting. And the cinematography. Just. It's complicated.
Stagecoach (1939) - The fact that I root for the Apaches doesn't make this less of a good movie.
The Haunting (1963) - E-e-eh. I did like Claire Bloom a lot, though. I feel like giving up on horror entirely, sometimes.
Moonfleet (1955) - WTF, Fritz Lang, WTF. This is the most bizarre movie Fritz Lang has ever made, I'm pretty sure.
Sylvia Scarlett (1935) - I think we should make this a Yuletide fandom! Because someone needs to fix the stupid ending with a threesome (you know you want to read Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn/Brian Aherne but only because this is pre-Flynn) or possibly with Sylvia ditching men entirely. I don't know why she'd want to stick around any of these people.
Fellini-Satyricon (1969) - Sometimes, I also feel like giving up on Fellini. This movie tries much, much to hard. Although the visuals are very interesting, the rest of the movie is very boring. Considering how naked everyone is, that is kind of . . . you know. Disappointing.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) - It felt extremely rushed, but I also believed the magic and enjoyed the performances so . . . I think the fact that I remember 0 things about the book helped. Oh, and finally I was interested in the Quidditch! So, yay for HBP!
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) - I like this one a little better than the more recent version. It sprawls less, maybe. Anyway, it's fun and funny and . . . silly. Earnest isn't my favorite Wilde - I think because the stakes aren't high enough - but I did enjoy this interpretation a lot.
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) - Uuuuuh. I remain undecided.
Danton (1983) - OH, MAN, SO COOL. Although, on some level it's a movie about people touching Robespierre against his will. I'm not qualified to really talk about Danton, but I certainly do recommend it. It's not really about the French Revolution, though.
Blowup (1966) - As Michael Kors says, I was underwhelmed. Nice to see John Castle in a role with a better haircut, though.
Killer of Sheep (1977) - There's a scene in this movie where the main character insists that he isn't poor, because he and his family give things to the Salvation Army and it pretty much destroyed me.
Fanny och Alexander (1982) (If you cannot translate the title, we have a problem) - In a lot of ways, I think this is more of a sprawling family saga (think, The Forsyte Saga or Trollope or something) than the title would indicate - for example, there's basically nothing about Fanny; it's really "Alexander and his female relatives." But I really liked it, even though it only got weird in the last half hour. I want to see the TV series version, because I think the weird stuff was actually really cool and I'd like to see more of it. Also, more of the rest, because it was very cool and very interesting.
Om Shanti Om (2007) - This was a lot of fun. It's basically a romantic comedy (with a revenge + ghost story thrown in) and now SRK and I are cool. The music is so much fun. More importantly: Shreyas Talpade! He's kind of minor in the scheme of things (although, really, he has better chemistry with SRK than the actress SRK is supposed to be in love with) but he was completely the one I was watching. Maybe because SRK is so goofy? I'm not sure. Anyway, I've added several of his movies to my Netflix queue and now I can't wait to watch them.
Caravaggio (1986) - !!!!! Okay, hilariously, I watched this with my mother. We've talked about watching it for a while, and I figured it would be okay because even though this is a Derek Jarman movie, Sean Bean is in it (and I said, "you don't have to watch all of it" which is fair, I think). But apparently she forgot that Sean Bean was in the movie. So then I was like, WHY DO YOU THINK WE'RE WATCHING THIS?! Anyway, apparently it's because she loves me. But you should watch Caravaggio because it is good and transcendent and wonderful like sandburn.
(500) Days of Summer (2009) - Even though I enjoyed this movie, I didn't like it. Also, it reminded me of High Fidelity too much for its own good.
Repeat Viewings
Sullivan's Travels - You probably have to be dead not to enjoy this movie. (Except for the, you know, weird race stuff. WTF, Sturges, WTF. Your movies are funny enough without cringing and giggling black subordinates.)
Manhattan (1979) - Still my favorite Woody Allen movie. I guess all Woody Allen has to do is shoot a movie in black and white or something. Anyway.
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) - I really resent that the Princess' escape into the desert is hand-waved away into the part where she's asleep - don't get me wrong, I also resent that she doesn't get an actual name, but whatever - because that could be such a cool plot thread. Anyway. I blame Alexander Korda for everything I dislike about this movie, even though there are . . . more things about it that I like. Like, an overwhelming majority.
Paris, je t'aime (2006) - "Place des Fêtes" is still the best segment. It blows the others out of the water, as far as I'm concerned. Although, I DO like the one with Rufus Sewell and Emily Mortimer (although how he fails to make her laugh, I do not know: "He makes me laugh," I said to the friend I watched it with - and she concurred, so Emily Mortimer must have a medical condition).
'I Know Where I'm Going!' (1945) - I really like this movie. Also, I think the casting is perfect because Roger Livesey has this wildness about him which made me kind of wish A Matter of Life and Death had been written differently. And Wendy Hiller is so good, too. As a main character, I enjoy her very much. Even though this is kind of a romance novel . . . I think there are a great many unexpected things in it? Anyway, I wish it were in color. Also, it is weird in a way that reminds me My Beautiful Laundrette for some reason I haven't figured out.
The Opposite of Sex (1998) - Hee.
First Time
Chun gwon cha sit (1997) (Happy Together) - This was a GREAT start to the month. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. Like, basically there was nothing I disliked. The visuals were amazing, plus it is a movie about Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung breaking up and making up and fighting and it's just so good aaaaah. It's vivid, but also kind of livid - like a burn - and crazy. (He should have called this one Days of Being Wild ahaha.) Although, actually, it does remind me of ITMFL. On acid.
White Nights (1985) - Not a very good movie, and I came away with two impressions: 1) How did Gregory Hines get the necessary hair products in Soviet Russia? 2) Day-um, Misha (and Gregory Hines, too, obviously!).
Cleopatra (1934) - The Claudette Colbert version. I liked this, even though it seems like some of the lines were written for Marlene Dietrich. Colbert has a lot of life in the role. I don't think she was very sexy, though - I think she was sexiest in The Palm Beach Story).
The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927) - Ramon Navarro is in this one, except he's hardly tortured at all so I didn't recognize him. It was funny that, even though this was a silent movie, you could see where the musical numbers belonged. Lubitsch is hit and miss for me, but mostly this one was a miss.
Interiors (1978) - Yes, I did get "Death of an Interior Decorator" stuck in my head, thank you for asking. I think it was kind of like if Ingmar Bergman did a movie inspired by Edna St. Vincent Millay's family . . . very loosely inspired, and moved up to the 70s. I do not know if "liked" is the right word, but I definitely think I admired it? Or was impressed? Something like that.
My Brilliant Career (1979) - Molly Haskell talked about women hating the end of this movie, and I got to watch this with my mother who was angered by just that fact. I liked it, though. It took me a while to warm to the movie (and to Judy Davis, who I last saw as George Sand in a movie I hated) but now I really wish we made more movies like My Brilliant Career.
Da gong deng long gao gao gua (1991) (Raise the Red Lantern) - Gong Li is so-o-o-o good, and I was really impressed by the (mental and physical) claustrophobia and . . . viperous personalities. Also! I called the twist, but I still appreciated it. Although I was kind of like, "Teresa di'Marano would not be impressed with you people."
Double Happiness (1994) - AW! I liked this movie. It reminded me of Junebug. Sandra Oh FTW.
La Strada (1954) - NO.
Sophie's Choice (1982) - Is it bad that I kind of want to make out with Kevin Kline even after seeing the end of this movie? Even though I have seen A Fish Called Wanda. Clearly, I have problems. Anyway, Meryl Streep deservedly receives praise for this movie. I watched it not long after I read Maus but, hmm, I think WWII doesn't move me enough? But I still liked watching the story unravel (literally).
A Hard Day's Night (1964) - SO MUCH FUN! I really recommend it - it is very slick and modern-feeling, and the Beatles are great.
Fargo (1996) - I am so ashamed that I only saw this movie a few weeks ago. It was so good, oh my god. But it wasn't flashy! I do think the "this is a true story" thing at the beginning was a mistake, because then you're not worried about the ending.
Chinese Box (1997) - Maggie Cheung + Jeremy Irons + Gong Li should be a winning combination, but Chinese Box is NOT a good movie. Oh, I did like one thing! There were shots of Chinese bagpipe players at the beginning.
Dil Se.. (1998) - I suppose that this is my first genuine exposure to Bollywood, but sadly I did not enjoy it. Even though I really should have liked it - I think I did like it, actually, only my desire to STAB SHAHRUKH KHAN IN THE FACE distracted me. Seriously, SRK. You are SO LUCKY that there were movies I hated more this month, and that I gave you a second chance with a romantic comedy. The music is really good, though. And the acting. And the cinematography. Just. It's complicated.
Stagecoach (1939) - The fact that I root for the Apaches doesn't make this less of a good movie.
The Haunting (1963) - E-e-eh. I did like Claire Bloom a lot, though. I feel like giving up on horror entirely, sometimes.
Moonfleet (1955) - WTF, Fritz Lang, WTF. This is the most bizarre movie Fritz Lang has ever made, I'm pretty sure.
Sylvia Scarlett (1935) - I think we should make this a Yuletide fandom! Because someone needs to fix the stupid ending with a threesome (you know you want to read Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn/Brian Aherne but only because this is pre-Flynn) or possibly with Sylvia ditching men entirely. I don't know why she'd want to stick around any of these people.
Fellini-Satyricon (1969) - Sometimes, I also feel like giving up on Fellini. This movie tries much, much to hard. Although the visuals are very interesting, the rest of the movie is very boring. Considering how naked everyone is, that is kind of . . . you know. Disappointing.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) - It felt extremely rushed, but I also believed the magic and enjoyed the performances so . . . I think the fact that I remember 0 things about the book helped. Oh, and finally I was interested in the Quidditch! So, yay for HBP!
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) - I like this one a little better than the more recent version. It sprawls less, maybe. Anyway, it's fun and funny and . . . silly. Earnest isn't my favorite Wilde - I think because the stakes aren't high enough - but I did enjoy this interpretation a lot.
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) - Uuuuuh. I remain undecided.
Danton (1983) - OH, MAN, SO COOL. Although, on some level it's a movie about people touching Robespierre against his will. I'm not qualified to really talk about Danton, but I certainly do recommend it. It's not really about the French Revolution, though.
Blowup (1966) - As Michael Kors says, I was underwhelmed. Nice to see John Castle in a role with a better haircut, though.
Killer of Sheep (1977) - There's a scene in this movie where the main character insists that he isn't poor, because he and his family give things to the Salvation Army and it pretty much destroyed me.
Fanny och Alexander (1982) (If you cannot translate the title, we have a problem) - In a lot of ways, I think this is more of a sprawling family saga (think, The Forsyte Saga or Trollope or something) than the title would indicate - for example, there's basically nothing about Fanny; it's really "Alexander and his female relatives." But I really liked it, even though it only got weird in the last half hour. I want to see the TV series version, because I think the weird stuff was actually really cool and I'd like to see more of it. Also, more of the rest, because it was very cool and very interesting.
Om Shanti Om (2007) - This was a lot of fun. It's basically a romantic comedy (with a revenge + ghost story thrown in) and now SRK and I are cool. The music is so much fun. More importantly: Shreyas Talpade! He's kind of minor in the scheme of things (although, really, he has better chemistry with SRK than the actress SRK is supposed to be in love with) but he was completely the one I was watching. Maybe because SRK is so goofy? I'm not sure. Anyway, I've added several of his movies to my Netflix queue and now I can't wait to watch them.
Caravaggio (1986) - !!!!! Okay, hilariously, I watched this with my mother. We've talked about watching it for a while, and I figured it would be okay because even though this is a Derek Jarman movie, Sean Bean is in it (and I said, "you don't have to watch all of it" which is fair, I think). But apparently she forgot that Sean Bean was in the movie. So then I was like, WHY DO YOU THINK WE'RE WATCHING THIS?! Anyway, apparently it's because she loves me. But you should watch Caravaggio because it is good and transcendent and wonderful like sandburn.
(500) Days of Summer (2009) - Even though I enjoyed this movie, I didn't like it. Also, it reminded me of High Fidelity too much for its own good.
Repeat Viewings
Sullivan's Travels - You probably have to be dead not to enjoy this movie. (Except for the, you know, weird race stuff. WTF, Sturges, WTF. Your movies are funny enough without cringing and giggling black subordinates.)
Manhattan (1979) - Still my favorite Woody Allen movie. I guess all Woody Allen has to do is shoot a movie in black and white or something. Anyway.
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) - I really resent that the Princess' escape into the desert is hand-waved away into the part where she's asleep - don't get me wrong, I also resent that she doesn't get an actual name, but whatever - because that could be such a cool plot thread. Anyway. I blame Alexander Korda for everything I dislike about this movie, even though there are . . . more things about it that I like. Like, an overwhelming majority.
Paris, je t'aime (2006) - "Place des Fêtes" is still the best segment. It blows the others out of the water, as far as I'm concerned. Although, I DO like the one with Rufus Sewell and Emily Mortimer (although how he fails to make her laugh, I do not know: "He makes me laugh," I said to the friend I watched it with - and she concurred, so Emily Mortimer must have a medical condition).
'I Know Where I'm Going!' (1945) - I really like this movie. Also, I think the casting is perfect because Roger Livesey has this wildness about him which made me kind of wish A Matter of Life and Death had been written differently. And Wendy Hiller is so good, too. As a main character, I enjoy her very much. Even though this is kind of a romance novel . . . I think there are a great many unexpected things in it? Anyway, I wish it were in color. Also, it is weird in a way that reminds me My Beautiful Laundrette for some reason I haven't figured out.
The Opposite of Sex (1998) - Hee.