Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Last weekend was a great cinematic weekend!
I finally got to see Garde A Vue with English subtitles at LACMA (as part of a double feature with the masterful Classe Tous Risques), and on Saturday I was able to catch up with Coup De Torchon and Shoot the Piano Player (again at LACMA as part of their french crime series).

But it was the New Beverly that provided me one of the most satisfying film going experiences of my life with their screening of a remastered print of Sergio Leone’s masterpiece, Once Upon a Time in the West.

I had seen the film maybe 15 years ago on TV as a kid and I loved it back then, but I was absolutely blown away by it this time around. It is sheer perfection in every form and way.

The new 35mm print, struck for the Rome film festival in 2007, was just stunning and helped highlight the perfection of the film and how ahead of the time Leone was.

I talked to my co-worker who is a huge fan of the film, and he said he watches it at least once a year, and that it just gets better with each viewing. I can totally see this being case, and I sure hope it’s not going to be another 15 years until I catch up with it again.

Henry Fonda in an amazing performace

I've been on a huge Bronson kick lately, the man was just supercool!

Camino (2008)

Just saw this powerful and polarizing Spanish film at the Egyptian theater as part of their “New Spanish Cinema” series. This is easily the most powerful film I’ve seen recently.
It tells the story of a young girl called Camino who leads a seemingly ordinary happy life in Madrid. Camino and her family are part of Opus Dei, a small but powerful section of the Catholic Church. Things take a turn for the worse when Camino is diagnosed with a rare type of cancer.
I don’t want to talk too much about the plot, suffice to say that is a very rich film that like another Spanish film, Pan’s Labyrinth, combines reality and dream-like fantasy to tell the story of the suffering of a young girl by the hand of the adult world. In Pan’s Labyrinth it was the war that causes the suffering, and in Camino it is the strict rules of religion.
From a Cinematic perspective, the film is a triumph, at almost two and half hour it keeps you glues to the screen at all times and literally transports into the inner world of Camino and the strict lifestyle of Opus Dei followers.
In a Q&A session at the end of the film, the director, Javier Fesser, insisted that the he loves all characters in the film and that his point of view is completely neutral, but me and the rest of the audience, judging by the questions that were asked, couldn’t help  but feel that he is taking somewhat of a stand against Opus Dei and against their Camino (way) which states that there is only one way to happiness, through god.
Perhaps in that the film is somewhat of a failure as there is definitely less sympathy towards the ultra religious characters that  surround Camino and they only elicit sympathy when they are having a rate moment of secular show of emotions, such as the older sister playing the guitar, or the mother finally agreeing to purchase a revealing red dress for her daughter.
Then again it might just be my point of view and interpretation, in any event Camino is a film well worth watching and forming your own opinion of. An experience not easily forgotten.

Nerea Camacho as Camino in an impressive harrowing performace

Rififi/Topkapi (1955/1964)

The Aero theater in Santa Monica screened these two films as part of a Tribute to director Jules Dassin last weekend.

I had the pleasure of seeing Rififi for the first time on film about 4-5 years ago when Dassin himself presented the film at LACMA.

Since then Dassin has past away (he was already in his 90’s at the time), but his cinematic legacy is still alive and kicking.

Rififi is one of those films that get better with each viewing and your appreciation for how perfect the film is just grows.

Even though the running time of the film is over two hours, it is so tight and breathtaking that it feels more like one of those ultra efficient 70 minute American film noirs of the 40’s.

Topkapi is a nice companion piece to Rififi. It has probably been about 15 years since I last saw the film on VHS. My impression was always that it is the weaker of the two, and that impression still stands, but it is also much more light-hearted, breezy and colorful.

All in all a very cool evening, it was nice to see the Aero jam packed and it was nice to listen to people who were introduced to Rififi for the first time discussing how awesome the movie is in the hallway after the film.

Rififi - One of the ultimate films about craftsmen at work

The Private Eye (2009)

Caught this Korean film on Saturday night at mpark4 in Koreatown. Like other Asian films this is a somewhat successful attempt at mixing together several genres.

In this case we have a period piece (early 20th century Korea) mixed with a detective film mixed with some comedy.

All in all this doesn’t break any new grounds, but it’s an entertaining film with a great performace by the main lead (Hwang Jeong Min – who proves again that he is one of the most dependable stars in Korea).

At 110 minutes the film is just a tad too long and the end resolution is quite bloody and dark which does not mix too well with the lighter tone of the rest of the film.

Despite it’s shortcomings I still enjoyed the film and would recommend this to fans of Korean cinema, Hwang Jeong Min, or murder mysteries set in older times (Name of the Rose pops to mind as a similar example).

Hwang Jeong Min creatively extracts information from an opium dealer

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Caught this one over the weekend. The 4k digital projection at the Landmark is magnificent, but the film itself only gets a passing mark and is pretty much on par with most second tier superhero films such as Incredible Hulk or Fantastic Four.

I was never a huge fan of Gavin Hood’s films (I never quite figured out how Tsotsi won the academy award for best foreign film), and this film certainly won’t make me into one. Still, considering that this his first foray into truly mega budget action film making he handles himself quite well.

The true winners are Hugh Jackman, who proves once again that he can be cool even if the film is not so great (see Australia), and Korean heartthrob Daniel Henney who has a pretty juicy support role as a very slick gunmen.

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Henney at the South Korean premiere

The Italian Job (1969)

The original 1969 version is an incredible thrill ride with the perfect mix of wit and grit.
Michael Caine is outstanding as the leader of a large gang of British criminals who rob 4 million dollars worth of gold bullion from the Fiat factory in Turin, Italy.
Noel Coward is hilarious as the all powerful mastermind who helps Caine by pulling all the strings from within his (very lax) prison cell.
Everything about the film is perfect, the performance, the music (by Quincy Jones), the amazing cinematography by the great Douglas Slocombe, and of course the car stunts, which haven’t aged a bit and ironically are even more memorable than the ones in the new re-make.
The DVD is fantastic and contains over an hour of fascinating interviews with the screenwriter, the producers, actors, and the widow of Peter Collinson, the director.

(The energetic theme song by Quincy Jones – The Self Preservation Society)

Handphone (2009)

The Korean thriller Handphone tries to tackle the same territory as it’s hollywood and HK counterparts Cellular and Connected.
The problem is that the film isn’t quite focued on what it wants to be, a traditional thriller like the other two films, a social satire about the media and our dependency on technology, or an existential thriller about two men on a collision course.
In the end the existential thriller in it wins, but it’s no Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance or Old Boy.
That’s a shame, because it has some great performances (especially by Uhm Tae Woong who is one of my favorite Korean younger generation star) and fairly decent pacing.
Worth checking out for fans of the star of for die hard fans of dark Korean thrillers, not the best example of the genre though.

Uhm Tae Woong is Suave and Sleazy at the same time in Handphone

Top 10 films of 2008

A third of 2009 is already over, and I still haven’t posted my top 10 films of 2008.
In a way it’s a good thing, because it gave me a bit more time to think things over and see which films really stayed with me.
It’s a really hard list to come up with and it keeps changing in my mind all the time, but this is it for now.

1. Dark Knight

2008 belonged to Dark Knight. It’s the #1 film in the box office and it’s the only film I saw more than once in the theater. Christopher Nolan has crafted what is probably the best superhero movie ever made. It’s rich, dark, beautiful, exciting and it got better with each viewing.

2. The Wrestler

Darren Aronofsky’s film is an intense character study with an amazing performance by Mickey Rourke. It’s a really touching film about a dreamer who continues to dream no matter what the consequences are, a theme that I find particularly appealing.

3. The Good, The Bad, and The Weird

Kim Ji Woon’s loving tribute to Sergio Leone and Italian Spaghetti westerns is the best action film to have come out of Asia in years. A must see for any fan of action cinema or Asian cinema.

4. Der Baader Meinhof Komplex

Uli Edel’s political thriller/biopic is rich and ambitious. It’s a complex film that one has to see and form their own opinion about. Definitely one of the most thought provoking films of the year.

5. Wanted

Timur Bekmambetov’s film might be a bit too angsty and angry for it’s own good, but it’s an energetic and highly original action film. To me, one of the most entertaining films of the year and the biggest surprise of the year. (I didn’t think I was going to like it that much).

6. Frost/Nixon

Best “Oscar Season” film, and one of Ron Howard’s best films overall. It’s amazing to see Howard and the actors create such a rich and multi layered film with what seems to be so little.

7. Forever The Moment/The Chaser
OK, I’m cheating and including two very different films in one ranking, but it’s just to show that 2008 has been a bit of a comeback for Korean cinema. Both of these are very different and amazing in their own way. Forever The Moment is an intelligent and moving sports drama that stands out because it chooses to focus on the humanity of it’s characters and the situation. The Chaser is an original and intense serial killer thriller with an amazing performance by Kim Yun Seok (whom I always liked, ever since his turn as the popcorn munching detective in the TV show Resurrection)

8. CJ7/The Way We Are

Cheating again. Not the best year for HK films, but there were a few standouts.
CJ7 might have disappointed a lot of Stephen Chow’s fans, but I found it charming and lovingly made.
The Way We Are is moving in it’s honest and humane depiction of day to day life of the lower class in HK.

9. Everlasting Moments

Powerful Swedish drama about the liberating power of photography (and film making). Precision film making by veteran Swedish director Jan Troell

10. Waltz With Bashir

As with Baader Meinhof Komplex this is a problematic film that will certainly anger and divide film goers, it’s also an important film that has to be seen. Certainly the most meaningful Israeli film of the year.

————————————-
Some more notes:
Ip Man is out of the list because I only saw it in 2009.

Red Cliff is out too because I haven’t watched it (Still keeping fingers crossed for a screening on film some where in the LA area).

Jean Francois Richet’s Mesrine films are not in the list because I just caught them at the colcoa film festival, but are already a major contender for best film(s) of 2009 for me.

Both Changeling and Gran Torino deserve to be on the list. Not entirely sure why they are not there.

🙂

Surprisingly absent are Japanese films. I guess it wasn’t the best of year for Japanese cinema – or maybe I made some wrong choices.

CJ7 - You gotta love the little guy!

The Way We Are (2008)

I still remember how I first got into Hong Kong Cinema in the early 90’s. Cable TV was just starting out in Israel and we weren’t subscribers, but we could get the split screen that shows you what goes on in different channels. I used to leave that running on the background just to listen to the songs from MTV. I remember one day MTV Europe had their “Cult Corner” on and they were talking about HK movies. I stopped what I was doing and took a look at the TV. MTV Europe occupied the lower left square of the split screen. They showed two clips, one was the famous scene on the beach with Chow Yun Fat spotting the assassin sent to kill him by seeing the reflection in his sunglasses. The second clip was from Wong Jing’s God of Gamblers, the one where CYF bounces his gun with his leg to shoot an army of henchmen. Needless to say I was completely in love. I had never seen anything like this before in my life. I had to turn the city upside to get a copy of The Killer and it is still one of my very favorite films of all times.

That was when my obsession with HK cinema started. It was before DVD’s and I could only get what was available in Europe in PAL format. I was so obsessed that at one time I wrote a letter to the head of Golden Princess asking for copies of Bullet in The Head and City on Fire. Strangely enough the complied and sent me copies which I still have to this very day. They remind me that if you are stubborn enough and really want something you can be creative about it and accomplish it.

Fast forward about 15 years later. Who would have thought that the HK film industry will shrink to about a tenth of it’s size in the early 90’s, and that my favorite film of 2008 isn’t going to be a testosterone heavy gangster melodrama, but The Way We Are – Ann Hui’s beautifully realized love song to the lives of simple people in HK.

The Way We Are follows the lives of Sister Kwai, a hard working middle aged woman who lives in the huge housing estates of Tin Shui Wai. The film follows her life and her relationships with her slacker (but kind hearted son), her brothers (who are more well off), and her neighbor, an elderly lonely woman whose daughter past away.

I’m sure it was really tempting for the film makers to let the film become an all out depressing meditation about life’s difficulty for blue collar workers and their families, but Hui chooses a different route. She chooses to just follow it’s characters and show their lives in the most realistic way possible, the joys and the pains. The result is a realistic portrayal of the life of the low middle class in Hong Kong, and while some will argue that not too much happens in the movie, if you open your mind and your heart to it you will be rewarded with one of the most moving films I’ve seen in a while.

Hui has made many films in her 30 years career, she is one of the true veterans of the HK film industry. With this film she is adapting to the new reality of HK cinema. It’s a very low budget film, shot on DV with non professional actors. Sometimes from limitations rises greatness and this is certainly one of those cases. Watching a film like this gives me hope that HK film makers will continue to find ways to make good cinema and that a revival is only a matter of time. The heydays of CYF and John Woo will probably never return, but something different and exciting in it’s own way might still emerge from the HK film industry.

Buying a new TV at a local electronics store

Struggling together with a piece of Durian

The Good, the Bad and the Weird (2008)

I finally managed to catch this film last weekend at the AFI film festival. I’m a huge fan of Kim Ji Woon’s A Bittersweet Life, so my expectations for his followup were sky high. The good news is that the film kicks ass! Not only did it not disappoint me, but it pretty much exceeded my expectations. This is one of the very best action/adventure films of recent years and should not be missed by anyone, least of all fans of Asian cinema.

I would even venture to say that this is the most accomplished Asian action film since John Woo’s last Hong Kong film, Hard Boiled. The movie is pretty much action packed from start to finish and each scene is lovingly constucted with immense skill, creativity and energy.

The plot revolves around three gunslingers in 1930’s Manchuria. The Weird (Song Kang Ho in a show stealing performance) unwittingly acquires a treasure map in a “routine” train robbery which triggers a chain of events that involves a ruthless assassin (The Bad – Lee Byung Hun who has never looked cooler), an honorable gunflghter (The Good – Jung Woo Sung , who doesn’t quite hold his own with the other two, but still manages to crank out an enjoyable performace), a gang of Chinese mercenaries and a battalion of the Japanese army. Everyone is after the map without even know the true nature of the treasure.

Everything about Kim’s film oozes cool. From the rich and colorful environments and constumes, to the uniquely designed weaponry. Kim just gets better and better with each film. I liked The Quiet Film, loved A Tale of Two Sisters, completely fell in love with A Bittersweet Life, and I am all out crazy for this latest outing of his.

Kim’s film is not just about cool and good looks (although those play a big part). The story, while simple, is also engaging and entertaining and balances perfectly between comedy and intensity, mainly thanks to the presence of Song Kang Ho who continues to prove that he is one of the most versatile stars in Korean cinema.

I’m pretty sure many international territories will pick up the right to this film, so hopefully many film fans out there will be exposed to it’s magic. Just when you think the Korean wave is dead a film like this comes along and reminds you that Korea is still a cinema powerhouse. In fact 2008 has been a much better year for Korean films and I can name at least 5 films that I thought were very good to excellent. (Among them are Forever the Moment and The Chaser, the latter was also screened at AFI fest).

I’ll stop gushing. The movie is fantastic and I can’t wait to watch it again.

Song Kang Ho - The Weird

Lee Byung Hun - The Bad

Jung Woo Sung - The Good