The Wandering Image

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Viewing Journal: 12/10/2011

647) MUNICH
(2005 dir. Steven Spielberg) 3rd Viewing: December 10 2011

Arguably Spielberg's darkest film. Incredibly violent and doesn't end on the most uplifting of notes. And given the subject matter, i'm thankful it doesn't have the traditionally happy Spielberg ending. I can see why he and screenwriter Tony Kushner were attracted to the material and felt it needed to be told cinematically for a post-911 world. Few Hollywood films have portrayed the effects of violence on the international community and the individual so operatically. Remains powerful 6 years later & people who still somehow view it as zionist propaganda just don't get it. + features what may be Eric Bana's finest performance. Lensing legend Janusz Kaminski makes excellent use of filters, flood lights, & reflective surfaces yet again. Naturally...

Why the hell is there not a blu-ray of this yet?

646) THIS IS NOT A FILM
(2011 dir. Jafar Panahi) Date Seen: December 10 2011

somehow Panahi makes a documentary about being stuck in an apartment feel more alive & cinematic than most actual narrative features in a year. It’s funny, sad, & very pissed-off + you realize that only death is gonna keep this guy from doing his passion. & hopefully that shite authoritarian regime currently presiding over Persia will one day collapse -- preferably sooner than later & via zero "nation building" intervention by the West.

645) THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
(2011 dir. Catherine Breillat) Date Seen: December 10 2011

Didn't like it quite as much as Breillat's update of the BLUEBEARD fairytale from last year, but still found things mesmerizing throughout. Funny too. She continues to get great naturalistic performances from non-experienced youths.