Viewing Journal: 7/25/2010

159) [REC] 2
(2010 dir. Balagueró/Plaza) Date Seen: July 25 2010

While it doesn't pack quite the same visceral punch as the first one, i thought REC 2 was still a solid action-horror movie. You at least care about the characters in these which is more than I can say for about 80% of found-footage movies.

158) RESTREPO
(2010 dir. Hetherington/Junger) Date Seen: July 25 2010

On a visceral level, RESTREPO is the most intense documentary I've seen about combat. A lot of the footage the filmmakers gathered is truly horrific. But it's also one of the most intimate and compelling portraits of troops in the field that I've seen. By the end you really get an idea of what kind of awful & futile shit is going down in Afghanistan & what it means to the people fighting there. 

I definitely think all U.S. citizens should see it. Regardless of your opinion of the occupation.













157) RED CLIFF
(2009 dir. John Woo) 2nd Viewing: July 25 2010

abridged theatrical cut

Many of the 2 part international version's amazing segments remain largely intact here, but as a whole I'd say this version does disservice to the overall effect of John Woo's intended vision.

156) SHOWGIRLS
(1995 dir. Paul Verhoeven) 3rd Viewing: July 25 2010

Quite possibly the most misunderstood film of the 90s. Verhoeven is a brilliant satirist and one of the true comedic visionaries working in film. If you think people give him crap for this now, wait until he adapts his version of Jesus of Nazareth..Viewers more open to exploitation cinema; Check out the slick transfer of this film on the new "Sinsational" edition blu-ray. It's a trip. 

Avoid Schmader's hack commentary like the plague though.












155) HULK
(2003 dir. Ang Lee) 2nd Viewing: July 25 2010

Sure it's got some puzzling decisions in the narrative department; It also happens to be one of the most dazzling attempts to capture the tone of 1960s comic books ever committed to film. Watched it at 1am this morn with my roommate (who came home tipsy LOL) & I was quite amused by the gloriously cheesy edits + once again surprised by Ang Lee's stylish craft.. Hadn't seen since its initial '03 release.

154) HEAT
(1995 dir. Michael Mann) 3rd Viewing: July 25 2010

(After my endless pestering, Netflix FINALLY fixed their audio problems with the streaming version of this!) All these years later, HEAT still kicks much ass. Clearly one of the best films of '95 and arguably one of the best of that entire decade.

MZS is right, at times the movie feels a lot more like a sprawling ensemble drama than it does an urban crime film. "MAGNOLIA with gun play" indeed.