Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2018

Not much else to say Cob, you said it beautifully. I can't wait foir my second watch. Unbelievably good film.

__________________
Letterboxd

#26 - Lady Bird (2017) ~ February 15



When you look at Lady Bird from a distance in the aftermath, it can kind of seem like every film ever made about teenagers, but when you're experiencing it and are willing to look a little closer, you immediately realize that it's better than almost all of those films. Really enjoyed this one!

__________________
Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019

This happened to me too but actually earlier in the film with the scene Was doubting that the dynamic up to that point could satisfyingly be sustained then it kinda switched things up. Agreed on the ending too. Good review glad (although not surprised haha) you liked it so much.

#27 - Turist aka Force Majeure (2014) ~ February 17



Pretty good and occasionally very funny film about male egotism and insecurity. Beautiful snow landscapes as well.

I like Force Majeure quite a lot. It's a 2014 film btw.

Forgot to change that. I always copy the title from my previous post. Very interested in seeing The Square now.

I need to check out The Square, I keep forgetting about it. I liked Force Majeure, just not as much as most.

Have actually heard mixed things about it. That it's a bit heavy-handed and repetitive, and it's way too long. Still interested though. Have had it ready to watch for the past two weeks, the length has been holding me back.

#28 - Claire's Knee (1970) ~ February 17



Once again, a gorgeous picture by Eric Rohmer! I kind of get the same joy out of all of his films. They feel light while tackling interesting humanist themes that could very easily come across as heavy in less capable hands. He also always knows how to end his films with a certain profound yet unforced afterthought. Lovely!

Have to see that again. It's the only Rohmer i've watched years ago for a hall of fame here, barely remember it.

#29 - The Boy Friend (1971) ~ February 18



This was one of the most gorgeous cinematic spectacles I've ever witnessed. Escapism of the highest order! Ken Russell proves himself (once again) to be a true wizard of imagery here. It's a perfect tribute to the great Hollywood musicals of the past. It's insane that this film is almost never mentioned when people are talking about the greatest musicals of all time. This is probably because its US theatrical release was severely cut by the studios (luckily the 138 minutes version I watched is completely intact) or maybe it's because the story is as light as a feather... Nevertheless, purely because of its sheer beauty, this would definitely rank amongst the top ten greatest musicals I've ever seen, possibly top five. This film felt like having a wonderful dream.

It pleases me that you're enjoying Ken so much. I knew you'd like his stuff more than I do/did, but his stuff is always interesting.

__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.

I'm happy to see that you're doing another movie log this year, Cob, since last year's thread was a great follow. You've really got me wanting to check out more from Ken Russell. I've only seen three of his films so far: Altered States, Tommy and Whore. I liked the first two, but I also had my issues with them.

I've seen very little of what you've logged so far. I'd like to revisit Picnic at Hanging Rock. I remember really digging the first half and I loved the atmosphere that it built, but the second half tested my patience. Ugetsu was fantastic, but it's probably been a decade since I watched it, so I don't remember many details. I always find myself wishing that I liked Terry Gilliam more because I think he's a fascinating director, but I usually find myself admiring the creativity and imagination on screen more than the films themselves, and that same sentiment applies to Time Bandits. The dual performances in Whiplash were great, but I didn't love the film as much as most people. The Yakuza was good, even though I expected more from it. I only watched Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice because it sounded like a softcore porno, then was disappointed by the lack of wank material.

Most of the ones I haven't seen are already on my watchlist, and I'll be adding the ones I hadn't previously heard of, such as The Brand New Testament, which sounds particularly interesting.

__________________

Amazing how tiny the budget was back then.

I've been to Hanging Rock. Gorgeous. Has a really whimsical atmosphere but maybe that was just me.

#30 - The Party (2017) ~ February 23



Its B&W cinematography looks gorgeous and I love the music that's being played throughout, but otherwise, there isn't really that much more to enjoy. The plot has a few surprising twists and turns, but the story lacks the richness and finesse to truly make them count. The dialogues are mostly pseudo-intellectual ramblings spoken by, for the most part, quite insufferable characters. I guess perhaps Timothy Spall and Kristin Scott Thomas were pretty enjoyable to watch, simply because they're such charismatic actors...
I'm not going to lie, I expected more from this film than I ultimately got. A slight disappointment, even if it wasn't entirely unpalatable.

His best films (The Devils, Women in Love, ...) are in a different league than those first two. Haven't seen Whore yet.

I can see how that applies to some of his films (and certainly Time Bandits). Brazil is his true masterpiece for me. It's a film that I adore as much as I admire it. Everything in that film works for me.

The Party looks terrible to me. I could be wrong, but the trailer makes it seem like it's a bunch of snooty people in a room arguing. Hope it's better than I give it credit for though.

Unfortunately, that's pretty accurate.

#31 - Kes (1969) ~ February 24



A gorgeous and honest piece of cinema. This was the first Ken Loach film I ever watched (he was/is one of those shameful blindspots that I still need to delve into) and I already can't wait to explore his work further. This was truthful storytelling of the highest form. A great film about (amongst many other things) the importance and beauty of having a real passion and respect for something. It's an enrichment that cannot be underestimated..

Loach, even more so than Russell is one of those directors you wish could've had a Hollywood career but realise quickly it never would've worked. I think Whore is a good example of that from both ends.