krossie
Well-Known Member
My own completely personal chart!
The ones the critics and, in many cases, the punters ignored.
In no particular order except for number 1 which was my favourite.
1. Redrock Dir: Andrea Arnold. – This got honourable mentions from a few critics noticeably Philip French in the Observer – Subtle, bleak and complex thriller set in a housing scheme in Glasgow. A female security woman scans banks of TV screens and becomes riveted by a man involved in a sleazy outdoor sex act at the back of a garage. Slowly she moves from behind the screens and cameras into the pretty shoddy reality of his life but why the obsession? Utterly stunning central performance from – throws you curved balls to the very end. – Superb film.
2. Mary Antoinette Dir: Sofia Coppola. Dissed by critics and ignored by the public. Unfortunately, in many respects, they were probably right – not the greatest film ever made but vastly enjoyable purely as eye and ear candy of the highest order “massive luxury overdose” – file under guilty pleasure I suppose.
3. Romanzo criminale Dir: Michele Placido. Every single critic featured The Departed some where in their chart. I think this tells us more about their relief that Scorsese had managed to drag out an OK ish if very over the top interpretation of the vastly superior Korean film: Infernal Affairs!
This Stylish gem pissed all over Martin’s OTT stuff with a subtle and awesomely stylish thriller about the 30 year or so reign of a gang of crazed suburban crims who decide to “invade” Rome. That Fredo lad (and the way he might look at you), a bumbling but sympathetic Boratt like police inspector and one savagely sexy and scary woman character – a master class in how to make a decent crime film. Scorsese should have the print super glued to his back side for future reference.
4. The Host Dir: Joon-ho Bong Superb Korean film. Some sorta giant fishy dragon yoke with fearsome gills is speeding through the sewage systems by the river. Horror, comedy, family soap opera or political statement? All the above and so much more. In fairness the great Donald Clarke from the Irish Times did big this up continuously. As to the punters there were about 5 single fellas in IFI2 the night I was at it - pity!
5. Que Vadis Baby Dir: Gabriele Salvatores Golly Gosh I never knew I was such an Italian film fan! This actually came out in 2005 but was slipped into the screen for a week or 2 for some strange and unexplained reason. Nothing like the joy of going to a film which no one has reviewed cause it doesn’t officially exist – weird.
A middle agedish, slightly unkempt Joy Divison loving, gothy female existentialist detective tries to investigate the mysterious death of her party hard sister back in the eighties.
Subtle and excellent from start to finish.
6. A Scanner Darkly dir: Richard Linelaker - Wickedly good casting of Keano Reeves especially after they suck his brain out! A really genuine tribute to P K Dick’s darkest moment – believe the hype the rotascope animation is superb – especially those face changy suit things!
7. Isolation Billy O’Brien: What’s this? - A genuinely good and disturbing Irish Horror film. Aliens crossed with cattle. What’s not too like?
(Good review at http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=62580 Where one Mr. Hugh K David tells us: As one is always aware of in the art of cinema, it is easy to take a serious concept and render it in a comic manner, but it is very hard indeed to take a ludicrous-sounding concept and make the audience take it seriously.)
8. I’m Your Man Dir: Liam Lunson. Depends a lot on your position on Leonard Cohen I suppose but I loved this documentary of various assorted bods covering his tunes and commenting on his work. Needless, to say, his own contributions tend to tower over most of them. Check out the hapless Bono Vox – his leaving cert poetry knowledge clearly completely out of place at this, the deeper end of the philosophical swimming pool. I wasn’t the only punter in the Screen Cinema with their head in hands muttering: “you bring shame to our nation”. Watch out for the bizarre version of Tower of Song. U2 all in Rhinestone suits grinning like cats at the irony of being Leonard Cohen’s “band” (wow man – look at us) and Leonard quietly laughing on the inside (think rustling of dry Autumn leaves) at the god like ease with which he outclasses the loosers around him! Last laugh on him as ever. Fear not though there’s not enough U2 to ruin it thankfully. Also the beginning of total Martha Wainwright obsession for yours truly with her searing version of The Traitor being me second favourite song of the year!
9. Dumplings dir: Fuit Chan. A Hong Kong film I really liked but would not like to say again. Took a few hours before I could face any food after it and I had much pity for my vegetarian companion who toughed it out despite looking ready to die at any minute. A black, black, black, black comedy about wealth, youth and the rapidly declining value of pretty much close to every in advanced state capitalist society
10. Volver dir: Pedro Almovadar – Yeah I liked this loads – though no Penelope Cruz fan by any means. Simple and effective, funny and moving. This guy in lowest gear is still way in advance of almost anyone else. The usual subtle, some times affectionate but still highly ambiguous portrayal of women and families in strange and tangled situations.
Bubbling just out side the ten we have – Pan’s Labyrinth, Little Miss Sunshine (pure Hegel!), Flushed Away (cracking stuff!) Lady Vengeance, Flag of Our Fathers and Broke Back Mountain which had me bawling, .
And there’s the one that got away – The Squid and the Whale – if one more person tells me how good this was I may have to go straight to do a festival of cruelty on their ass…oh and Tommy Lee Jones “The three burials of Melquiades Estra” which sounds really amazing.
The ones the critics and, in many cases, the punters ignored.
In no particular order except for number 1 which was my favourite.
1. Redrock Dir: Andrea Arnold. – This got honourable mentions from a few critics noticeably Philip French in the Observer – Subtle, bleak and complex thriller set in a housing scheme in Glasgow. A female security woman scans banks of TV screens and becomes riveted by a man involved in a sleazy outdoor sex act at the back of a garage. Slowly she moves from behind the screens and cameras into the pretty shoddy reality of his life but why the obsession? Utterly stunning central performance from – throws you curved balls to the very end. – Superb film.
2. Mary Antoinette Dir: Sofia Coppola. Dissed by critics and ignored by the public. Unfortunately, in many respects, they were probably right – not the greatest film ever made but vastly enjoyable purely as eye and ear candy of the highest order “massive luxury overdose” – file under guilty pleasure I suppose.
3. Romanzo criminale Dir: Michele Placido. Every single critic featured The Departed some where in their chart. I think this tells us more about their relief that Scorsese had managed to drag out an OK ish if very over the top interpretation of the vastly superior Korean film: Infernal Affairs!
This Stylish gem pissed all over Martin’s OTT stuff with a subtle and awesomely stylish thriller about the 30 year or so reign of a gang of crazed suburban crims who decide to “invade” Rome. That Fredo lad (and the way he might look at you), a bumbling but sympathetic Boratt like police inspector and one savagely sexy and scary woman character – a master class in how to make a decent crime film. Scorsese should have the print super glued to his back side for future reference.
4. The Host Dir: Joon-ho Bong Superb Korean film. Some sorta giant fishy dragon yoke with fearsome gills is speeding through the sewage systems by the river. Horror, comedy, family soap opera or political statement? All the above and so much more. In fairness the great Donald Clarke from the Irish Times did big this up continuously. As to the punters there were about 5 single fellas in IFI2 the night I was at it - pity!
5. Que Vadis Baby Dir: Gabriele Salvatores Golly Gosh I never knew I was such an Italian film fan! This actually came out in 2005 but was slipped into the screen for a week or 2 for some strange and unexplained reason. Nothing like the joy of going to a film which no one has reviewed cause it doesn’t officially exist – weird.
A middle agedish, slightly unkempt Joy Divison loving, gothy female existentialist detective tries to investigate the mysterious death of her party hard sister back in the eighties.
Subtle and excellent from start to finish.
6. A Scanner Darkly dir: Richard Linelaker - Wickedly good casting of Keano Reeves especially after they suck his brain out! A really genuine tribute to P K Dick’s darkest moment – believe the hype the rotascope animation is superb – especially those face changy suit things!
7. Isolation Billy O’Brien: What’s this? - A genuinely good and disturbing Irish Horror film. Aliens crossed with cattle. What’s not too like?
(Good review at http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=62580 Where one Mr. Hugh K David tells us: As one is always aware of in the art of cinema, it is easy to take a serious concept and render it in a comic manner, but it is very hard indeed to take a ludicrous-sounding concept and make the audience take it seriously.)
8. I’m Your Man Dir: Liam Lunson. Depends a lot on your position on Leonard Cohen I suppose but I loved this documentary of various assorted bods covering his tunes and commenting on his work. Needless, to say, his own contributions tend to tower over most of them. Check out the hapless Bono Vox – his leaving cert poetry knowledge clearly completely out of place at this, the deeper end of the philosophical swimming pool. I wasn’t the only punter in the Screen Cinema with their head in hands muttering: “you bring shame to our nation”. Watch out for the bizarre version of Tower of Song. U2 all in Rhinestone suits grinning like cats at the irony of being Leonard Cohen’s “band” (wow man – look at us) and Leonard quietly laughing on the inside (think rustling of dry Autumn leaves) at the god like ease with which he outclasses the loosers around him! Last laugh on him as ever. Fear not though there’s not enough U2 to ruin it thankfully. Also the beginning of total Martha Wainwright obsession for yours truly with her searing version of The Traitor being me second favourite song of the year!
9. Dumplings dir: Fuit Chan. A Hong Kong film I really liked but would not like to say again. Took a few hours before I could face any food after it and I had much pity for my vegetarian companion who toughed it out despite looking ready to die at any minute. A black, black, black, black comedy about wealth, youth and the rapidly declining value of pretty much close to every in advanced state capitalist society
10. Volver dir: Pedro Almovadar – Yeah I liked this loads – though no Penelope Cruz fan by any means. Simple and effective, funny and moving. This guy in lowest gear is still way in advance of almost anyone else. The usual subtle, some times affectionate but still highly ambiguous portrayal of women and families in strange and tangled situations.
Bubbling just out side the ten we have – Pan’s Labyrinth, Little Miss Sunshine (pure Hegel!), Flushed Away (cracking stuff!) Lady Vengeance, Flag of Our Fathers and Broke Back Mountain which had me bawling, .
And there’s the one that got away – The Squid and the Whale – if one more person tells me how good this was I may have to go straight to do a festival of cruelty on their ass…oh and Tommy Lee Jones “The three burials of Melquiades Estra” which sounds really amazing.
