Gozu - 2003 - Dir. Miike

One of my long forgotten (as much as one could forget a film like Gozu) film loves, I unearthed Gozu as an attempt to explain my tastes at a certain point in my life. MAN! I feel like as much as I remembered about this film, I forgot all kinds of things (ie. soup ladle). Slowly, as I watched the film, it all seeped back. Apparently, the film has a lot like Miike, being unsupervised on such a low budget film, running wild. I'm hesitant to believe all the stories but things like improvised scenes and giving the writer only a week to write it give the movie a neat little touch. It is unflinchingly outrageous, but doesn't always feel like its trying to be shocking like Miike's Visitor Q. The film flowed much faster than I remember it. In fact, in retrospect, it probably moves a lot faster than Miike's shorter films. Impressive considering it's two-hour plus (barely) length and what I feel is films like this tendencies to drag. It does have a very satisfying feelings of having traveled a very long way. As the film ends, I remember how it begins and am surprised to have been watching the same movie. Although, I do think perhaps the film could have been edited quite a bit. I'm rather surprised at the films length considering how... well... unnecessary some scenes are. But the films has a distinct feel, and I wouldn't want to touch it.

High five!

Get Carter - 1971 - Dir. Hodges

From Mike Hodges who brought us Croupier, his first project was Get Carter, which is also Alun Armstrong's first big role. He looks surprisingly non-Alun Armstrong-esqe, although a little bit is shining through. But I suppose the big deal here is Michael Caine, who scowls his way through the film like nobody else. Entertaining enough, the film holds onto it's cards very tightly, which kept me interested even when the story was a little tough to follow. You get a lot of characters thrown at you and a somewhat difficult web to make out considering Carter is being thrown off the trail numerous times. It's mostly easy to follow, I think as I look back though, I still have no idea who the first person he killed was after he discovers the plot. Carter is cold AS hell, though. Which he is more than willing to acknowledge. Killing basically ANYONE remotely involved in his brother's death. He's positively charming as a sonuvabitch, too. The film in general squeezes in enough light moments that it doesn't exactly feel suffocating. I have to admit, as the Carter unravels the plot, the movie does begin to lag a bit. Watching him try and solve the mystery is a little more entertaining than his vengence. Although the final sequence with the whiskey bottle was a bit satisfying.

Hey now, Michael Caine! Looking a little badass, aren't we?

Fantastic Mr. Fox - 2009 - Dir. Anderson

I've been excited for Fantastic Mr. Fox all the way since when Wes Anderson was first connected with the project. I suppose maybe I was a little disappointed, I think a lot of doubt was raised by the trailer. The movie won be over however. With a terrific amount of charm and some fine directing. When I get right down to it, I liked what I saw. But I think as I headed into the third act, I realized "This is it." I couldn't help but crave a little bit more. Maybe since the film dodges between Adult and Children mode a little bit. The Child had fun but the film kept taunting the Adult me with Wes Anderson-isms, keeping him watching but never fully satisfying him. There's not a ton as far as character development goes. I can help but feel that Mr. Fox both learns and neglects his main lesson. I think perhaps the scenario with the Wolf sums up the movie very much. Well-crafted, beautiful... but it feels perhaps shallow. I won't deny that I believe that film requires a second viewing on my behalf. It would be a pleasure. For my eyes and my childlike self got a kick out of the movie. The movement of the characters is incredible and flows so well and Anderson isn't shy about showing off either. There's plenty of sneaking and dancing sequences, all of 'em kicking ass. As well as some great stand-off sequences and some spaghetti western nods, I can't help but recommend it.

OH NO! Someone killed Giant Bill Murray!

Miss Potter - 2006 - Dir. Noonan

Miss Potter was a fairly sweet movie. I have difficulty begrudging it very much. So I won't. While clearly not speaking to my demographic, whatever it may be, it is "a sweet movie." Not too sweet, mind you. Just sweet enough. I can see why perhaps it didn't make a huge splash, I hadn't heard of the movie until recently and with Zellweger and McGregor involved, you'd think I might've known about it. But the movie seems to lack the extravagance you might expect a biopic of a upperclass British woman. Naturally, all of the class battles and blushing and all the stuff that comes with the territory, but the movie is smart enough to shove it aside most of the time. Focusing rather on Potter's relationship with her characters as well as Ewan, who is delightfully shy. Noonan previously directed Babe and he clearly has a feel for charm. I mean, it's friggin Peter Rabbit, though! How could it NOT be charming!? The film delves into animation now and then. In a rather tasteful manner. Never too show-offy or lingering. It's enough to create an appropriately magic touch to the whole process of Potter's creation. A fine movie if it's what you're in the mood for!

Renée practicing sucking her face into her face.

Standard Operating Procedure - 2008 - Dir. Morris

Ahhh... Errol Morris. Is there anything I won't watch you make a documentary of? The Man knows how to do it. If you have an idea of how he puts together a story and an argument, you have an idea of how the movie plays out in a sense. I don't mean to sell him short, but just like Handke has a bag of tricks, Morris does too. Although, I must say, it was terribly strange to listen to Danny Elfman lay down some Philip Glass type tracks, BUT I DIGRESS! Standard Operating Procedure covers the well-known abuses that had gone down in Abu Ghraib. Naturally, the more you learn about the situation, the more fucked-up it becomes. Highlighting how mostly moral and competent soldiers began giving high-fives in photographs of soldiers in "stress positions" and whatnot. The film doesn't make excuses for their behavior, but it does suggest that perhaps some people who were higher up, might (JUST MIGHT) have escaped blame for creating a situation where soldiers who were untrained to be guards thought that making people masturbate and whatnot was Standard Operating Procedure. Although, there is that one fellow, who did seem to be fairly reemed out. :p The film also goes in the nature of the photograph, what it reveals but what it hides as well. As engaging as anything else Morris has made, it shows that he's just as adept at tackling current events as naked mole rats.

All right, Huddle up, guys. Now... what do you guys think about making the prisoners masturbate for us?

Coffy - 1973 - Dir. Hill

MAN! I was trying to watch this movie and Netflix kept screwing with me so I had to call it quits! So I had to watch it in two parts. Coffy is known for having a tough lady protagonist (PAM GRIER!) and how it didn't glorify the Pimp/Pusher lifestyle. It was an all right movie. Fairly capably made considering the low the bar can be for exploitation films. It's very satisfying as far as a vengeance movie goes. I was constantly digging it whenever Coffy was busting some ass. Pam Grier is an awfully foxy lady. I wasn't expecting her to be nearly as foxy as she turned out to be. And, yes, I'm going to continue to call her FOXY. You're just going to have to deal with that. And there's a MASSIVE cat fight that is totally awesome. It might have been the high point of the movie. I mean, it's just terribly shameless and Grier kicks some real lady ass. Also the film highlighted the skills of Sid Haig, who was great being a henchmen. Easy to see why this was such a "well-respected" blaxploitation!

Damn Pam Grier... You foxy!

Milk - 2008 - Dir. Van Sant

Shamefully, I didn't know who Harvey Milk was when this film was released. Although, I must say, it certainly made the ending a lot more surprising. :o I think there's a few interesting aspects to this movie. One of which is how Milk operated to begin with. The film is fairly honest and upfront about Milk's tendencies and occupation with creating headlines. He's a little manipulative in some ways. Not that it's bad, he just seemed to be very good at stirring up controversy and knowing what to do when it came knocking. Penn plays it off as a little smug, knowing. Not really malicious, but someone who knows how the media and the system works. Like how he defuses brings a march to City Hall and then setting himself as a pacifier. He's sly. The movie acknowledges this. But it makes Milk constantly seem in control. His struggle is always progressing forward. It never seems like things are not going to go his way. I think that's why it's so surprising when Dan White murders him and the Mayor. Especially since White was not firing the shots as much because their ties with Homosexuals but more because he was seeking vengeance. I guess, the movie seems to be aiming to be a little more epic than it really was. It's really a very hopeful story, and I'm nitpicking. I guess I felt a little thrown a little bit. Milk never seems to be the figure the movie wants him to be. His story doesn't escalate as high as the movie leads you on to believe. But the performances were great. And I'm usually not a Sean Penn fan, it's kinda surprising to watch him grin and smile. He's usually such a morose bastard. So really a very enjoyable movie even with what might be a slightly mismatched tone.

Josh Brolin and Sean Penn: Masters of the Artistic Lean