Last week I strayed from the standard for a much more broad discussion for Sam Fragoso’s Contest Results. Here I return to basically the same format with a lot fewer films.
The end of the year is nigh, which means it’s the time of where I spend most of it either watching films I’ve missed or revisiting films from the year gone to decide once and for all if they truly deserve consideration for the award of best or worst films of the year. Here’s what I’ve been watching:
Life of Pi (2012)
A film which the longer I spend away from it is the more value I see in what it was saying. I may have touched on the surface with my review, but a revisit is definitely going to happen sooner rather than later to test out a theory or two. Read my full review here.
Too Late Blues (1962)
As I continue my reading into the catalogue of Cassavetes the movie serves as his first true foray into a more traditional narative as he talks about a romance between an idealistic musician and a much more realistic girl who expects the curtain to fall down on top of her every next minute. Look for a full review tomorrow discussing.
Holy Motors (2012)
This movie should be called Holy ‘Hell Fucking Shit’ Motors. It’s easy to look on the surface and just see that we’re spending this day with Mr. Oscar (Denis Lavant) and seeing him go from character to character with his appointments, but there’s something more here. It touches on the idea of the character and his disassociation from the stage and what that can do to someone. Are they really someone after they’ve broken that wall to the point where they must be playing a role every minute of their life? When does the illusion stop and they begin again? Then they have a crazy ass scene at the end which makes little sense, but that’s French cinema for you.
Amour (2012)
A highly well thought out film about the deepest definition of love as we watch an older couple deal with the tail end of life. I don’t want to take anything away from the themes of the film because it is something I deeply agree with, however the execution of which involves putting the audience to sleep so quickly that I’m not sure if anyone not hopped up on caffeine pills actually was able to tell you what the movie was about when it was over. I won’t dispute anyone who loves this movie, but a failed presentation of an idea in my mind.
Total Recall (2012)
After watching two of the most sought after French films of the year I felt I needed a little disposable cinema in my life and this was perfectly poised to deliver. I can’t really tell you what I liked or disliked because I don’t think anything really happened in this movie, but it did look very pretty doing that.
The Films I Rewatched
This week I decided to revisit Skyfall and The Cabin in the Woods (just received on Blu Ray – thanks Black Friday) to round out some 2012 viewings and both held up magnificently. Skyfall remains one of the most gorgeous looking films of the year and Cabin in the Woods one of the most joyous 90 minutes you can spend laughing at horror tropes.
In the rewatch department I also decided to knock a look at stronger/independent women as I took a look back at Young Adult and Winter’s Bone. Both films I love but somehow Winter’s Bone seems to be depreciating for me this time around. It’s this effect you get at times when revisiting films where you’re sitting around waiting for it to get to that great scene you know is around the corner but you feel bad if you press the fast forward button, while Young Adult I refuse to stop loving. The darkness of Theron and Oswalt‘s odd new friendship just gets me in the correct version of depression that makes me laugh and cry all at the same time.
I also had a run in with some Criterion revisits as The Killing and Broadcast News made its way into my Blu Ray player and there’s something about the way Holy Hunter gets obsessed with her control over the dumb anchor, the thing she despises, throughout that film that’s just great.
My count has been updated to 229 First time watches (133 from 2012); 128 Rewatches; 347 Total Films