What I Watched This Week (w/e October 12th 2008)

Blu-ray



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The Orphanage - This is one of those films that comes along when genre fans like me despair for the future of horror films. It reminds us why we love horror as there is such beauty and tragedy to be found in a film designed to unsettle and scare you. It is brilliantly directed by J. A. Bayona and there's a reason why Guillermo del Toro presented and produced it: it's terrific. :D

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http://nosferatu.myreviewer.com/default.asp?a=108762"">Zombie Strippers - It's not the greatest horror movie ever made, it's not consistently laugh-out-loud funny but it's entertaining and smarter than it lets on. :)

DVD



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Imitation of Life - As part of my Screen Aesthetics module at Uni I had to watch this, as the module concentrates on melodrama, and this 1959 film by Douglas Sirk is almost a rehabilitation film for Lana Turner following a downturn in her career and explicit details of an S&M relationship with a mobster had hit the press. The film plays on the life imitating art imitating life, with a large degree of artifice in each. Sirk uses race interestingly, with the genre staple of a fractious relationship between a mother and daughter compounded when the mulatto daughter of a black woman wants to pass herself off as white. Turner is impressive and Sirk's direction intelligent but this isn't my type of film and, even though I watched it twice, I can't say I liked it. :|

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The Big Lebowski - I don't know what my favourite Coen brothers film is - I keep settling on one and then changing my mind for another. Sometimes it's Fargo, sometimes Miller's Crossing, recently No Country for Old Men but every time I watch this I seriously consider it as my favourite. A fine neo-noir with brilliant dialogue, characters and situations, there are moments that have you giggling to yourself for hours or even days afterwards. Everyone from Jeff Bridges to Flea are fantastic and the writing and direction top class, making this a film that I never tire of watching. :D

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http://nosferatu.myreviewer.com/default.asp?a=108898"">The Guard Post - From the Korean director that made R-Point comes a new horror mystery set on the Korean border, repeating the military theme. A more accomplished film than his debut feature but, for my money at least, is less enjoyable. :)

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http://nosferatu.myreviewer.com/default.asp?a=108796"">The Passage - Beautifully shot in Morocco and with a fine performance by Stephen Dorff, this is memorable for a sequence in barely lit tunnels, rivalling The Descent for suspense. :)

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http://nosferatu.myreviewer.com/default.asp?a=108778"">Memories of Underdevelopment - An intelligent and important film about the situation in post-revolution Cuba. It's just a shame that the DVD only contains a gallery and the picture is so poor. :)

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http://nosferatu.myreviewer.com/default.asp?a=108995"">Chocolate - From the director of Ong-Bak and Warrior King comes another violent martial arts fest where the story takes second place to the action. :|

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http://nosferatu.myreviewer.com/default.asp?a=108962"">Skinwalkers - A distinctly average werewolf movie that takes itself too seriously. :|






Cinema



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Death Race - I didn't expect this to be a masterfully crafted piece of high art but suspected it might be some dumb fun that would prove a decent way to pass two hours. It wasn't. Paul W. S. Anderson has managed to make a film that is crass, stupid, juvenile, offensive and, despite the automotive carnage, unbelievably boring. >:(

Your Opinions and Comments

Not like Imitation of Life? I love that film. I am probably a bit naive when it comes to the treatment of black actors in films but I thought it addressed the issue head on. there is a Julianne Moore (??)film which is a sort of homage to this but is about homosexuality. (??)
of course I last watched Imitation of LIfe years ago so I might look at it differentlty these days-how's that for sitting on the fence?

The question marks indicate memory failure

Where's the spellcheck Rob?
posted by Sue Davies on 15/10/2008 16:26
The Julianne Moore film (Far From Heaven) was a remake of All That Heaven Allows, another melodrama by Douglas Sirk. Whilst Imitation of Life is technically excellent and an interesting commentary on attitudes to race during the time at which the film is set, I'm just not a big fan of melodrama.
posted by David Beckett on 15/10/2008 17:06
I'm glad you've got a better memory than me. I love melodrama but I didnt love Far From Heaven-will have to watch it again to see but would prefer the original I'm sure.

There's a whole new subtext just having Rock Hudson in the cast list.
posted by Sue Davies on 15/10/2008 18:22
Saying that "I'm just not a big fan of melodrama" may have been a bit of an overstatement given that the Godfather Trilogy, Vertigo and American Beauty could all easily be classed as melodramas.
posted by David Beckett on 19/10/2008 21:54
I thought Death Race was an enjoyable, if forgettable, popcorn movie. Some of the stunts, and indeed the races in general, were really well executed.
posted by Ben Franklin on 23/10/2008 14:26
I thought the stunts and races were well done but became tiresome and the whole videogame concept of picking up weapons and armour from symbols on the road just didn't work for me.

The ending was so stupid it defies belief - the prison purposefully built a racetrack but left that corner completely open!?

It was ridiculous and I didn't feel the races were that special when you have more exiting car stunts done decades ago. I thought it'd be brainless nonsense but, to be honest, I got bored.
posted by David Beckett on 24/10/2008 08:36