Films seen in 2004

Yeah, I do plan on doing that. Probably just a five star system to parallel my Netflix ratings. Thanks for the push.

Amen. I tend to watch movies with some form of critical acclaim. And though sometimes these kinds of films can have big flaws, it's rare that total stinkers are so acclaimed.

Well, I had recently listened to the book, so that was my impetus in seeing the film in the first place. It is wildly different, but I rarely find a good reason to hold that against the film. I think I'm generally a sucker for a story that revolves around children, but deals with fairly adult themes like death, poverty and alcoholism. While no masterpiece, it is generally very well-acted and worth watching.

It's funny that you choose the word complex to describe a movie that you sum up rather succinctly in five sentences (and perhaps more properly four, but I digress). Anyway, I'm not sure it's fair to say that I held back against the so-called rhythms of the movie, because honestly I spent most of the movie wishing I could feel some. This is one of the movies that I expected to really get into and it fell flat almost from the outset. I had a very hard time buying into the genesis of their relationship and it mostly flatlined from there.

But thanks for your thoughtful comment; I'm always good for a little dissension.

I actually subscribe to your feed, so I saw your post on L'Avventura. I thought you expressed my sentiment pretty well here: "Antonioni succeeds marvelously in the visual storytelling native to film, but does not always succeed in bending the medium of film to his will by transforming it into a novel."

Right, very pretty, very "aware of the power of the medium," but how's about a narrative worthy of such lofty devices?

Here's what I said in my Netflix review: "I have mixed emotions about this one. On the one hand, it is one of the most beautifully filmed movies ever visualized. On the other hand, it comes off as quite a bit on the pretentious and moody side, sort of like those perfume ads that SNL used to parody. But if you like beautiful people artfully filmed, then you can't miss this one."

Basically, I think an atmospheric style is fine, if it supports a narrative that engages. In this fundamental way, L'Avventura fails for me, but its artistry is certainly enough to make it worth watching at least once.

Oh, he was being a complete dickhead, but that's the idea. He's at wit's end and rock-bottom. And while self-destructing, he also resents everything that he sees as contributing to the direction his life has taken, particularly his inability to escape from Bedford Falls. His family is the embodiment of the trapped feeling that pervades his psyche. And ultimately, George is driven to regretting his own life.

I think the issues with money are mostly symbolic of George's lack of freedom and enhance his feeling of worthlessness and failure. Thus I would say it's misleading to characterize George's problems as simply "financial troubles." The psychological issue has only so much to do with money in and of itself, although it is certainly a contributing factor. Running that bank in the name of the common man (and in opposition to the evil banker) was all that held George together, the central thing that made life in Bedford Falls worth living.

When it all falls apart through the loss of the money, it's much more than a bank that falls apart with it. Nervous breakdown might even be an understatement. None of this justifies his abusive behavior (what would?), but it contextualizes it and paints a vivid picture of just how desperate George has become.

Anyway, I've never seen Arsenic and Old Lace, except as performed on stage, so I look forward to seeing Capra's interpretation.

Yeah, I'm generally too forgiving a critic. Two stars is really, really bad for me. I give very few one star or five star ratings on the whole and definitely more fives than ones. Regardless, Garfield is pretty abysmal.