30th Hall of Fame

Tools    





I'm still watching Christmas movies but after the 25th I'll probably not be in the mood for them
Same here. I watched 4 Christmas movies today and 2 yesterday.



An Autumn Afternoon (1962) -


When I watched this film a couple years ago, I had a lukewarm reaction to it and I began to wonder if I was starting to feel diminishing returns with Ozu's style. When Early Summer blew me away earlier this year though, I thankfully found out this wasn't the case. I was also pleased to enjoy this film a bit more with a rewatch, though while I wouldn't say I'm a fan of it, I wouldn't say my issue is a result of feeling burnout with Ozu's style.

Before I explain my reservation though, it's important to defend Ozu a bit to explain why this film isn't just a case of recycled themes from his earlier films. While a couple other films I've seen from him (Late Spring and Early Summer) have recurring themes regarding marriage and while both their endings convey similar moods, this film stands in contrast from them by taking a two-sided approach to the subject of marriage, showing both the pros and cons of it. On one hand, we get the usual scenes of various people urging Hirayama to marry off Michiko, in addition to The Gourd and his middle-aged daughter Tomoko acting as a what-if scenario of what could happen if Hirayama's and Michiko's situations don't change. On the other hand though, given the occasional bickering between Kōichi and Akiko and the discussions of one of Hirayama's acquaintances being ruined by marriage, it's apparent that, while Michiko may not necessarily be worse off if she gets married, it might not give her any further happiness than living with her father would.
WARNING: spoilers below
As a result, the habitual bittersweet ending works in a few ways this time. Of course, there's the surface level solemnity of families splitting apart. More importantly though, it's the implication that Michiko's emotional state while married might be the same as it was when she was with her father. Finally, there's Hirayama's reaction in the ending mimicking The Gourd's drunken behavior throughout the film, suggesting that marrying off Michiko might not have been enough to save Hirayama from meeting Sakuma's fate.


With that being said, while the potential for a great film is certainly here, that we don't get enough memorable scenes of Michiko provides a ceiling for my enjoyment of this. Throughout much of the first two-thirds of the film, her character is largely secondary to the conflicts and sub-plots of other characters in the film, whether you're referring to the banter of Hirayama's classmates, The Gourd's fractured relationship with his daughter, Kōichi's conflict with his wife, or Sakamoto. As I sort of alluded to up above, these characters aren't necessarily irrelevant to the plot (I'm not sure how to interpret the post-WW2 aspect though), but their sub-plots took too much time away from Michiko. As a result, once the film got to the inciting scene of Hirayama urging Michiko to get married, I didn't have anywhere near the amount of emotional investment in her character to be moved by her scenes as much as I could've. Plus, that her arc in the final act moved at somewhat of a fast clip didn't help in this regard.

And this is a bit of a shame as the film had more than enough potential elsewhere to stand with Ozu's best films. Due to the lack of focus on Michiko though, it didn't reach that level of greatness for me. Regardless, it's still a pretty good film as the strengths I discussed up above are more than enough to carry it. If you're a fan of Ozu, you should find plenty to enjoy here.

Next Up: Candyman
__________________
IMDb
Letterboxd





The Uninvited (1944)

The Uninvited is a bit of a paradox of filmmaking. Apparently this was the first Hollywood ghost film to take itself seriously, It was also the popular gothic romance mystery genre that put out films like Jane Erye, Rebecca, Wuthering Heights. This is the story of a brother and sister who purchase a mansion in the country side. It's a gorgeous estate but it comes with a haunted ingenue Gail Russel. I don't know for a fact that Elizabeth Taylor and Cary Grant passed on this film but you get that feeling watching Russel and Milland act.

The film's photography is breathtaking, the score is haunting and the production design incredible. The film maker expertly crafts every shot to make you feel like you are witnessing a truly great ghost story. But it does have issues. Being the first serious ghost film it doesn't quite know how to keep the momentum going. The film has a number of third act script issues. The actual deliver of the mystery is muddled and you have these two characters who feel out of place. Beech and Holloway are two characters with potential but they feel like add-ons. Characters used to pad the run time.

This is a film with A potential but left me giving it a solid B. I really can't say how much I enjoy the first act of the film. It's a house that both terrifies you and you want to live in walking that fine line. The actors are really good in spite of the weird script choices Rick and Pamela's relationship is fresh and the romance between Rick and Stella is well handled.

B



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Been doing the same with Christmas movies these past few nights and two more nights to go LOL
__________________
What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
~Mr Minio



Been doing the same with Christmas movies these past few nights and two more nights to go LOL
Yup, last night was Elf, tonight is White Christmas and the Christmas day movie is still up for grabs.



I watched Dead Man's Shoes. It could have been my device, but the subtitles were about 2 seconds off on the version I watched on YouTube. I sent CR another link if anyone needs one.

Heck of a movie, hellish, nightmarish, whatever you want to call it, and it's not due to violence. Very unique and effective look. Doesn't overstay it's welcome. Great nomination that should do very well here.



I watched Dead Man's Shoes. It could have been my device, but the subtitles were about 2 seconds off on the version I watched on YouTube. I sent CR another link if anyone needs one.

Heck of a movie, hellish, nightmarish, whatever you want to call it, and it's not due to violence. Very unique and effective look. Doesn't overstay it's welcome. Great nomination that should do very well here.
By the way, I've seen Stalker once and I wasn't a big fan.



I watched Dead Man's Shoes. It could have been my device, but the subtitles were about 2 seconds off on the version I watched on YouTube. I sent CR another link if anyone needs one.

Heck of a movie, hellish, nightmarish, whatever you want to call it, and it's not due to violence. Very unique and effective look. Doesn't overstay it's welcome. Great nomination that should do very well here.
Could you send me a link to the version you watched? Sorry if the subtitles in the YouTube link were delayed.

Still though, glad you enjoyed it



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Yup, last night was Elf, tonight is White Christmas and the Christmas day movie is still up for grabs.
Been through several, but the other night we did Klaus on Netflix a recent addition to our Christmas Movie List. Last night, my roomie Ana watched her Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life while I revisited one I haven't seen in nearly two decades and truly loved and even more so last night, Scrooge (1970) musical with Albert Finney as one of the top-notch, layered Scrooges that challenges my ultimate favorite Alistair Sims. And Alec Guinness as Marley. I was downright giddy the entire time I watched, having forgotten so many nuances and some of the hilarious and catchy songs like Finney singing I Hate People with lines like "deplorable, kickable people" and the ones I could never forget like the caroling kids teasing Scrooge in Father Christmas "He's the meanest man in the whole wide and the whole wide world knows it" or Thank You Very Much sung during the visit of Ghost of Christmas Future when Scrooge is dead. I love, LOVE this flick, and SO glad I revisited it since it had been nagging me forever to do so.






An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

This was Ozu's last film and unlike other filmmakers he seemed to have maintained the same degree of quality throughout his run even to the end. Now if you are an Ozu fan and you enjoy glacier dialogue and minor stakes then that's great for you. For me I'm not a fan of the guy. I like how the film is shot though everything is very flat and staged. These films always feel like they are theatrical productions of plays that are very boring with a parade of forgettable characters.

On a political note it's also fairly uncomfortable to watch a film about women getting married where the women have little to no agency in their lives. You have a lot of great subtle aspects of the story (one old man has a suit that doesn't fit...he's the failure of the group. But on the other hand it was really hard for me to keep tracks of all the different relationships and bonds and characters in the story. The film is so slow that you kind of just glaze over and you miss who this XYZ person is.

It's also difficult to talk about things like performances and plot because everything and everyone is so sedate and polite. You have a scene later on in the film when the lead is at the bar and the bar tender gives him a sexy look and the story...does nothing with that. It's a part of Ozu's films that I just hate he's like anti-plot. But still I made it through and can respect the artists intent...I just wish that the selection would have more to talk about.

C



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
I watched Dead Man's Shoes. It could have been my device, but the subtitles were about 2 seconds off on the version I watched on YouTube. I sent CR another link if anyone needs one.

Heck of a movie, hellish, nightmarish, whatever you want to call it, and it's not due to violence. Very unique and effective look. Doesn't overstay it's welcome. Great nomination that should do very well here.
If you watched Dead Mans Shoes, you watched the wrong movie






An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

This was Ozu's last film and unlike other filmmakers he seemed to have maintained the same degree of quality throughout his run even to the end. Now if you are an Ozu fan and you enjoy glacier dialogue and minor stakes then that's great for you. For me I'm not a fan of the guy. I like how the film is shot though everything is very flat and staged. These films always feel like they are theatrical productions of plays that are very boring with a parade of forgettable characters.

On a political note it's also fairly uncomfortable to watch a film about women getting married where the women have little to no agency in their lives. You have a lot of great subtle aspects of the story (one old man has a suit that doesn't fit...he's the failure of the group. But on the other hand it was really hard for me to keep tracks of all the different relationships and bonds and characters in the story. The film is so slow that you kind of just glaze over and you miss who this XYZ person is.

It's also difficult to talk about things like performances and plot because everything and everyone is so sedate and polite. You have a scene later on in the film when the lead is at the bar and the bar tender gives him a sexy look and the story...does nothing with that. It's a part of Ozu's films that I just hate he's like anti-plot. But still I made it through and can respect the artists intent...I just wish that the selection would have more to talk about.

C
I wrote something to that effect on my review...

Just like with Late Spring, I have some very minor issues with the notion of an "arranged marriage", but that's not on Ozu, but the culture itself. Still, I like how Hirayama doesn't force things on his daughter as he's setting things up ("I'm not insisting on this other man. If you don't like him, you can say so") which, again, shows some degree of growth in the country's overall culture and Ozu himself.
So, although I understand the "arranged marriage" angle is something we have to accept as part of the time and place the film is set in, I also appreciate that level of growth I noticed when contrasting it with Late Spring.
__________________
Check out my podcast: The Movie Loot!



If you watched Dead Mans Shoes, you watched the wrong movie
Been through several, but the other night we did Klaus on Netflix a recent addition to our Christmas Movie List. Last night, my roomie Ana watched her Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life while I revisited one I haven't seen in nearly two decades and truly loved and even more so last night, Scrooge (1970) musical with Albert Finney as one of the top-notch, layered Scrooges that challenges my ultimate favorite Alistair Sims. And Alec Guinness as Marley. I was downright giddy the entire time I watched, having forgotten so many nuances and some of the hilarious and catchy songs like Finney singing I Hate People with lines like "deplorable, kickable people" and the ones I could never forget like the caroling kids teasing Scrooge in Father Christmas "He's the meanest man in the whole wide and the whole wide world knows it" or Thank You Very Much sung during the visit of Ghost of Christmas Future when Scrooge is dead. I love, LOVE this flick, and SO glad I revisited it since it had been nagging me forever to do so.
Oh cool, glad to hear you find a new-old favorite. Funny thing is the wife and I were going to watch Scrooge (1970) as part of our classic Christmas movies, but ran out of movie time. Now that Christmas is over and I'm exhausted from it, I need a movie vacation! So it's off to watch a HoF nom