Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2018
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#72 - A Face in the Crowd (1957) ~ June 14
Stunning cinematic spectacle. I think Truffaut said it best:
"What is important is not its structure but its unassailable spirit, its power, and what I dare call its necessity. The usual fault with 'honest' films is their softness, timidity, and anesthetic neutrality. This film is passionate, exalted, fierce, as inexorable as a 'Mythology' of 'Roland Barthes', and, like it, a pleasure for the mind."
I will probably watch a few more of Elia Kazan's films this year. I've only seen four of his films so far (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, East of Eden and now A Face in the Crowd). It's easy to see why Scorsese (amongst others) thinks of Kazan as one of the greatest masters of filmmaking that ever existed.
Stunning cinematic spectacle. I think Truffaut said it best:
"What is important is not its structure but its unassailable spirit, its power, and what I dare call its necessity. The usual fault with 'honest' films is their softness, timidity, and anesthetic neutrality. This film is passionate, exalted, fierce, as inexorable as a 'Mythology' of 'Roland Barthes', and, like it, a pleasure for the mind."
I will probably watch a few more of Elia Kazan's films this year. I've only seen four of his films so far (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, East of Eden and now A Face in the Crowd). It's easy to see why Scorsese (amongst others) thinks of Kazan as one of the greatest masters of filmmaking that ever existed.
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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019
Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019
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REWATCH #11 - The Big Lebowski (1998) ~ June 29
This was on TV so I decided to give it a rewatch. As we all know, it's a fantastic film!
This was on TV so I decided to give it a rewatch. As we all know, it's a fantastic film!
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#74 - Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982) ~ June 30
A very interesting experiment that occasionally succeeds in what it sets out to do.
A very interesting experiment that occasionally succeeds in what it sets out to do.
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#72 - A Face in the Crowd (1957) ~ June 14
Stunning cinematic spectacle. I think Truffaut said it best:
"What is important is not its structure but its unassailable spirit, its power, and what I dare call its necessity. The usual fault with 'honest' films is their softness, timidity, and anesthetic neutrality. This film is passionate, exalted, fierce, as inexorable as a 'Mythology' of 'Roland Barthes', and, like it, a pleasure for the mind."
I will probably watch a few more of Elia Kazan's films this year. I've only seen four of his films so far (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, East of Eden and now A Face in the Crowd). It's easy to see why Scorsese (amongst others) thinks of Kazan as one of the greatest masters of filmmaking that ever existed.
Stunning cinematic spectacle. I think Truffaut said it best:
"What is important is not its structure but its unassailable spirit, its power, and what I dare call its necessity. The usual fault with 'honest' films is their softness, timidity, and anesthetic neutrality. This film is passionate, exalted, fierce, as inexorable as a 'Mythology' of 'Roland Barthes', and, like it, a pleasure for the mind."
I will probably watch a few more of Elia Kazan's films this year. I've only seen four of his films so far (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, East of Eden and now A Face in the Crowd). It's easy to see why Scorsese (amongst others) thinks of Kazan as one of the greatest masters of filmmaking that ever existed.
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#75 - Psycho II (1983) ~ July 8
Usually I don't watch unnecessary sequels, but this was on TV and I couldn't resist checking it out for a while. I ended up watching the whole thing.
It's certainly not as bad as it could've been and it actually has some interesting aspects to it. A fun sequel!
Usually I don't watch unnecessary sequels, but this was on TV and I couldn't resist checking it out for a while. I ended up watching the whole thing.
It's certainly not as bad as it could've been and it actually has some interesting aspects to it. A fun sequel!
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#76 - JFK (1991) ~ July 9
As a standalone fictional piece of cinema, this is absolutely exhilarating. It's unbelievably well made.
It's important to read about the actual subject matter, though, if you really want to get an honest look at the truth. This formally brilliant picture is full of inaccuracies. Once you're aware of those inaccuracies, you can enjoy this spectacle for what it really is: entertaining historical fiction with a few wise lessons underneath!
As a standalone fictional piece of cinema, this is absolutely exhilarating. It's unbelievably well made.
It's important to read about the actual subject matter, though, if you really want to get an honest look at the truth. This formally brilliant picture is full of inaccuracies. Once you're aware of those inaccuracies, you can enjoy this spectacle for what it really is: entertaining historical fiction with a few wise lessons underneath!
Last edited by Cobpyth; 07-11-18 at 08:30 PM.
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#77 - Pauline à la Plage (1983) ~ July 12
My fourth Rohmer film. This was just as lovely, intelligent and breathing as the other three!
My fourth Rohmer film. This was just as lovely, intelligent and breathing as the other three!
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#78 - Incredibles 2 (2018) ~ July 13
A fun but ultimately quite predictable ride. The action is fantastic (seriously... there are some amazingly spectacular action sequences in this film!) and I laughed a lot, but the plot and the overarching themes didn't reach the greatness and depth of the first film.
I can't really be disappointed with this film, though, because I think its (cinematic) qualities vastly outweigh its problems. I knew it wasn't realistic to expect something as good as the first installment, so my initial expectations ended up being pretty correct.
Would definitely watch a third Incredibles-film as well!
A fun but ultimately quite predictable ride. The action is fantastic (seriously... there are some amazingly spectacular action sequences in this film!) and I laughed a lot, but the plot and the overarching themes didn't reach the greatness and depth of the first film.
I can't really be disappointed with this film, though, because I think its (cinematic) qualities vastly outweigh its problems. I knew it wasn't realistic to expect something as good as the first installment, so my initial expectations ended up being pretty correct.
Would definitely watch a third Incredibles-film as well!
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#79 - Nixon (1995) ~ July 16
Great historical fiction by Oliver Stone about one of the most fascinating American presidents of all time, the only one who ever resigned from office, Richard Milhous Nixon. Anthony Hopkins is perfect!
Great historical fiction by Oliver Stone about one of the most fascinating American presidents of all time, the only one who ever resigned from office, Richard Milhous Nixon. Anthony Hopkins is perfect!
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#80 - The Music Lovers (1971) ~ July 26
Yet another breathtaking film by Ken Russell, telling the (historical fictional) story of Tchaikovsky, the famous composer, who, as a homosexual, gets married to a nymphomaniac.
It's pretty much insane that two of his other brilliant films, The Devils and The Boy Friend, were also released in 1971. He must've been on one of the most amazing creative highs in filmmaking history. Stunning cinema!
Yet another breathtaking film by Ken Russell, telling the (historical fictional) story of Tchaikovsky, the famous composer, who, as a homosexual, gets married to a nymphomaniac.
It's pretty much insane that two of his other brilliant films, The Devils and The Boy Friend, were also released in 1971. He must've been on one of the most amazing creative highs in filmmaking history. Stunning cinema!
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REWATCH #12 - Star Wars - Attack of the Clones (2002) ~ July 26
Much better than I remembered. Have been rewatching some Star Wars films with my dad lately.
Much better than I remembered. Have been rewatching some Star Wars films with my dad lately.
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#81 - Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) ~ July 27
Of course there are always plot issues with this kind of super-twisty spy action films, but besides that, this film was another worthy entry in this excellent series. The stunts are flat out insane and Henry Cavill does a fine job in this as one of the major new characters (I already loved him in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as well).
The real star remains Tom Cruise, though. There are very few performers who can bring intensity to the screen in the same way Cruise can. This makes for a very cool and hugely entertaining trip to the theater!
Of course there are always plot issues with this kind of super-twisty spy action films, but besides that, this film was another worthy entry in this excellent series. The stunts are flat out insane and Henry Cavill does a fine job in this as one of the major new characters (I already loved him in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as well).
The real star remains Tom Cruise, though. There are very few performers who can bring intensity to the screen in the same way Cruise can. This makes for a very cool and hugely entertaining trip to the theater!
Last edited by Cobpyth; 07-28-18 at 12:17 AM.
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#82 - Lisztomania (1975) ~ July 27
I watched yet another "composer film" by Ken Russell (this time about the life of Franz Liszt), but this film leans way more towards Russell's Tommy instead of The Music Lovers or Mahler. The latter two do have their metaphorical and crazy moments, but Lisztomania describes the life of its main subject on a completely new level of over-the-topness. As its slogan says: it even out-Tommys Tommy!
Liszt is portrayed as a decadent sex-addict and a passionate lover (in a whole sequence of great scenes, including one where he impersonates Charlie Chaplin) but eventually comes to terms with himself when he's in heaven. Once there, he pilots some kind of weird angelic rocket and eventually shoots down Richard Wagner's reincarnation/creation: Adolf Hitler!
It's one of the weirder films I've ever seen in my life (probably the weirdest I've seen from Ken Russell, which already says a lot), but despite that, I think a lot of it does work quite well! Many scenes are an absolute delight to watch (I know I'll revisit quite a few) and the film probably also hangs together better than Tommy.
Admittedly, I'd place Mahler and The Music Lovers a few steps above this film, but as a kitschy, hallucinatory adventure, I can't think of a much better piece of cinema to go with than this!
I watched yet another "composer film" by Ken Russell (this time about the life of Franz Liszt), but this film leans way more towards Russell's Tommy instead of The Music Lovers or Mahler. The latter two do have their metaphorical and crazy moments, but Lisztomania describes the life of its main subject on a completely new level of over-the-topness. As its slogan says: it even out-Tommys Tommy!
Liszt is portrayed as a decadent sex-addict and a passionate lover (in a whole sequence of great scenes, including one where he impersonates Charlie Chaplin) but eventually comes to terms with himself when he's in heaven. Once there, he pilots some kind of weird angelic rocket and eventually shoots down Richard Wagner's reincarnation/creation: Adolf Hitler!
It's one of the weirder films I've ever seen in my life (probably the weirdest I've seen from Ken Russell, which already says a lot), but despite that, I think a lot of it does work quite well! Many scenes are an absolute delight to watch (I know I'll revisit quite a few) and the film probably also hangs together better than Tommy.
Admittedly, I'd place Mahler and The Music Lovers a few steps above this film, but as a kitschy, hallucinatory adventure, I can't think of a much better piece of cinema to go with than this!
Last edited by Cobpyth; 07-27-18 at 10:55 PM.
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Is that Roger Daltrey as Liszt?
He starred in two Ken Russell films that were released in 1975.
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Lizst's hard-on.
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