Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2018

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#98 - Er ist wieder da (aka 'Look Who's Back') (2015) ~ September 8



Certainly not a bad picture, but could've been even more profound (in my opinion) if they kept it completely straight and a little less obvious at the same time. You'd have a completely diferent film, though, so it's probably not a fair criticism. It's enjoyable as it is.



#99 - Splendor in the Grass (1961) ~ September 8



Magnificent technicolor drama by Elia Kazan about destructive virility, youthful fragility and the social pressures that guide many people's lives, but also about forgiveness and closing/beginning important chapters in life.
Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty are of course always fantastic to look at, but I really loved all of the supporting actors as well. It's a very rich film that will definitely be fun to rewatch over time.

Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.



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#99 - Splendor in the Grass (1961) ~ September 8



Magnificent technicolor drama by Elia Kazan about destructive virility, youthful fragility and the social pressures that guide many people's lives, but also about forgiveness and closing/beginning important chapters in life.
Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty are of course always fantastic to look at, but I really loved all of the supporting actors as well. It's a very rich film that will definitely be fun to rewatch over time.

Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.

Good to see you enjoyed it Cob.
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Too weird to live, and too rare to die.



#100 - Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) ~ September 11



This certainly wasn't a pleasant watch overall, but it does have its own peculiar effects and moments of greatness. This was my first Pasolini film (and his last), so I'm very curious to see what he could do with less extreme material.



#101 - Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931) ~ September 11



After watching Pasolini's last film (finished right before he was murdered), I decided to watch Murnau's last film as well (finished right before he died in a road accident).

I really loved this! I'm a sucker for films that do interesting stuff with exotic locations. I already knew Murnau was a genius, so my expectations were pretty high for this. I'm glad to say they were all met.
It's a heartbreaking piece of exotic cinema about a man who flees from his home island with the girl he's in love with, right after the tribal chief declares her a sacred virgin. It's a fun and tragically beautiful film experience.



TV Series - Rick and Morty (2013) ~ September 15



I finished this famous and highly praised animation series today. I basically binge-watched the existing three seasons during the last few days. It's a very impressive example of high concept storytelling done right. There are a few episodes that are nothing short of brilliant.
It's a hilarious, intelligent and deliciously absurd series. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait for the fourth season to come out!



#102 - The Music Room (1958) ~ September 15



This may sound unbelievable, but this was my first ever Satyajit Ray film. He's probably the most important director I hadn't seen a film of up until now.
Simply by seeing this one film, it's already clear to me why he's regarded as one of the greatest. He told this story about decaying wealth with pure cinematic class. He communicates through simple pieces of symbolism, scenes with a strong sense of atmosphere and small gestures by the characters that tell us more than words ever could.
Fantastic first experience with Ray's cinema. I'm glad to know that there's a lot left to discover by this Indian filmmaking giant.



#103 - The Simpsons Movie (2007) ~ September 16



Can't say I fully enjoyed this. It had some good moments, but there were too little bits of creative hilarity and there was too much lame drama. Average but bearable Simpsons outing.



TV Series - Who is America? (2018) ~ September 16



There are dumb bits in this series, but its best moments are some of the most incredible and hilarious sequences Reality Comedy has ever seen. The series is certainly not politically balanced. It's clear that Sacha Baron Cohen mainly wants to make fun of far right Republicans, but that doesn't really matter, in my opinion. A comedy show doesn't need to be balanced as long as it's not boring or cliche.

This show is so far out there and so extreme that you won't believe what Cohen was able to make certain people do. He made Trump supporters suck a dildo (while he was wearing it), show their asses in order to scare away terrorists and he made a Trump supporter blow up (kill!) a liberal during a San Francisco rally (or at least make him believe he did). At its best this series is one hugely hilarious Milgram experiment.

It also features several clips with famous people like O.J. Simpson, Dick Cheney, Bernie Sanders, Roy Moore, etc. Some of the sequences are nothing short of 'must watch' material!



#104 - Public Enemies (2009) ~ September 16



At the start of this film, I must admit I was a bit skeptical, fearing that the film wouldn't be as wholesome and focused as I wanted it to be, but Michael Mann's fantastic (digital) filmmaking quickly convinced me that I did not need to worry.
This is one of the best modern (post 2000) gangster/crime films out there. The story slowly escalates towards a few extraordinarily well crafted climaxes. Some of those final action sequences are absolutely stunning, including the final scene at the theater. Marvelous cinema!



I wasn't a big fan of The Cabin in the Woods either. Too meta for its own good. I could practically hear the writers smugly clapping themselves on the back with every subverted trope. Splendor in the Grass is mid-tier Kazan for me, but I've only seen it once. Never been a big fan of The Simpsons, so while the movie had a few amusing moments, overall I didn't care much for it. Watched Public Enemies in theaters and came out disappointed. It's a solid film, but it definitely felt like less than the sum of its parts. It hasn't stuck with me whatsoever.

Never heard of Dogman, but I just read up on it a little more and then added it to my watchlist. I see it's from the director of Gomorrah, which I thought was a very well-made flick, so that bodes well. Saló, or the 120 Days of Sodom often ranks near the top of Most Disturbing Films lists, but I've yet to subject myself to its fecal matter. I'd hoped to get around to Tabu for the 30's Countdown, but I'm running out of time. Yet to see anything from Satyajit Ray.

Don't watch much TV, so I haven't seen a single episode of Rick and Morty, although I hear nothing but great things about it. Caught bits and pieces of Who is America? Saw the art gallery lady give Cohen one of her pubic hairs to add to his brush, which was hilarious (and oddly arousing). Some of the segments definitely feature the type of laughs that stick in your throat. I live in the American South, so I'm exposed to bigotry on a regular basis, yet I've still been shocked and depressed by the some of the actions and words spoken by people on that show.
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#105 - Clueless (1995) ~ September 21



Alicia Silverstone really carries this energetically directed teenage classic. It's easy to see why she was considered the "it-girl" at the time. A very enjoyable lightweight highschool comedy!



REWATCH #19 - An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) ~ October 17



I was extremely busy last month (and I'll still be extremely busy during the next couple of months), so unfortunately I can't make much time for my favorite thing in the world: watching films.

I was, however, able to catch this one on tv on a quieter saturday. Still like it.



#106 - First Man (2018) ~ November 1



FINALLY, I was able to watch another new film, during these busy times. I might catch one or two more because I have a long weekend.

First Man was a pretty great allround theater experience. A thoughtful personal (and yes, marginally fictionalized) story about a man who made history and the whole brutal run-up to that pivotal "giant leap for mankind". It's a marvelous rollercoaster full of raw emotions (something Damien Chazelle has excelled at in the past) and it's also a pretty amazing technical achievement, as it's truly one of the most realistic space films I've seen yet. Chazelle has made yet another step towards becoming one of the most important filmmakers of his time. Great job!



It's odd, but this is one of the few trailers I've seen for recent films (I went to the cinema recently to see The Breakfast Club, naturally it was brilliant) and I was quite interested in the story of The First Man. But the trailer really made it look awful. A whole load of emotional masturbation surrounding the events I'm interested in. I'm not saying I'd dislike it, just that the trailer was enough to put me off paying £13 to find out.

Glad you liked it so much though.



But the trailer really made it look awful. A whole load of emotional masturbation surrounding the events I'm interested in. I'm not saying I'd dislike it, just that the trailer was enough to put me off paying £13 to find out.
Yeah, there's definitely some "emotional masturbation". It's Damien Chazelle, he's just one of those kind of directors.
But the events themselves are presented impressively enough for me to keep caring and even going along with the more emotional stuff.



#107 - Girl (2018) ~ November 2



Intense film about the obsessive self-destructive behavior of a transgender girl who wants to become a ballerina.