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Hitlist: 2011

Jun 10, 2011

by rbuchanan

Not too many years ago, an acquaintance criticized my penchant for unsparing critique. "Go a little easier on everyone," he advised, "and what's more, you're so feminine. Can't you just choose one gender and stick to it?" After nodding and stroking my chin in mock contemplation, I smiled, we laughed together and I shoved the impudent churl from the railway platform. Peradventure his counsel was well-intentioned and in some part sound, but who is he to judge me, who so ably judges others? Nonetheless, I don't want to be thought an unswerving malcontent, so here's a listing of great works new to me this year. Enjoy!

Hamlet

Nicol Williamson's frenzied, incomparable turn as the embodiment of indecision churns the lifeblood of Tony Richardson's thrilling, cunningly twisted (albeit underproduced) screen adaptation of his hit stage production. Anthony Hopkins, Judy Parfitt and Mark Dignam also shine in this antidote to overblown Hollywood treatments of The Bard's classics.
See the full review, "Point to Contagion".

The Prestige (book)

Shades of H. G. Wells shadow Priest's exceptional Victorian saga, in which two masterful competing stage magicians astonish and terrorize one another until one realizes their crucial shared finale with a technique more extraordinary than its result, cursing both men and their descendants...
See the full review, "Science (fiction) as magic explained".

Wedlock

Escaped jailbirds Rutger Hauer and Mimi Rogers dare not stray beyond 100 yards from one another, lest their explosive prison collars decapitate them both! Hateful nebbish Stephen Tobolowsky and adorable femme fatale Joan Chen give chase in one of the most exciting and hilarious B-flicks you'll ever watch.

Dead Alive

Peter Jackson's domestic zombie massacre proceeds akin to a John Romero scenario by frantic mode of early Sam Raimi, though it evidences more gore and vigor than anything either ever turned out! For enthusiasts of the living dead subgenre, this is required viewing.

Lilya 4-Ever

Even the toughest audience is likely to come away shaken by the claustrophobic misery of Lukas Moodysson's harrowing, semi-fictional account of European sex trafficking. Lovely Oksana Akinshina expertly engages a piteous characterization as a perpetual victim of exploitation and abuse in one of the very best films of the godforsaken aughts.

The Cat Returns (Neko no ongaeshi)

More cute, thoughtful anthropomorphic adventure from Studio Ghibli, here directed by veteran animator Hiroyuki Morita under Hayao Miyazaki's guidance. Absolute fun from launch to resolution, this couldn't better befit lovers of cats and anime alike!

A Little Romance

George Roy Hill concluded his decade-long winning streak with this precious delight. Two bright teens (American bookworm Diane Lane and Parisian cineast Thelonious Bernard) abscond to Venice with the aid of charming con man Laurence Olivier to realize true love by dint of a dubious legend.

House (Hausu)

Something akin to '70s giallo, early Raimi, Jodorowsky, Scooby-Doo, an immersive psychotic episode...this first of many Nobuhiko Obayashi features disregards convention, taste and sanity entirely. Hilarious horror hijinks are realized with lavish set pieces, berserk editing, exquisite photography, deliberately unreal SFX and a gorgeous distaff cast. A ludicrous smash!

Rosetta

Cheapened by neither sentiment nor tragedy, this unromantic character study of a struggling working-class teenager is a micro-production of uncommon verisimilitude. In her first screen role, Émilie Dequenne's tough, uncompromising portrayal of the titular lead earned her a successful and enduring film career.

Wise Guy

Not too many years before Scorsese adapted his criminal career to an exemplar of period cinema, Nicholas Pileggi introduced the world to the most storied, candid, charismatic mafia outsider to ever exchange the freedom of his few surviving cohorts for his own and live to tell his extravagant tales of egregious mob exploits.

Classic Albums - Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon

Contemporary interviews with P. Floyd, Alan Parsons, mix supervisor Chris Thomas, Hipgnosis cover designer Storm Thorgerson, former Capitol/EMI CEO Bhaskar Menon and a few music journalists; photos and footage of concerts (including Live at Pompeii), studio sessions and music videos; demonstrative early-aughts performances by Waters, Gilmour and Wright of every track on PF's breakthrough album are all incorporated in this exhaustive, briskly paced and slickly edited documentary that tracks the '70s most famed pop music statement from song conception to studio production to retail marketing.

Ponyo

Ecological concerns are relegated to a subtext in Miyazaki's precious reworking of The Little Mermaid, in which a magical goldfish aspires to human life and form! Technically exceptional even by Ghibli standards, sophisticated and simple techniques coalesce seamlessly here to realize a great story defiant of expectation.

Porco Rosso

In interwar Italy, a porcine WWI air force veteran turned bounty hunter confounds skybound pirates for profit and competes with an obnoxious American ace pilot while dodging Fascisti special police. As always, Studio Ghibli's outstanding animation and exquisite color and sound design furnish Miyazaki's thrilling, heartfelt and hilarious sixth theatrical feature with production values second to none.

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

Revealing interviews, unnerving sound recordings, Eleanor Coppola's extensive footage shot on location and Orson Welles' phenomenal radio broadcast reading of Heart of Darkness are incorporated in this comprehensive account of Francis Ford Coppola's hellish, extended Apocalypse Now shoot.

Exchange Students

One magical temple exchanges the bodies of two personable high-schoolers. This hackneyed premise is elevated to prime genre fare by Obayashi's expert direction, extraordinary lead performances and beautiful coastal photography in this coming-of-age fantasy. You'll seldom view a more heartfelt entertainment.
See the full review, "Shohei Imamura Meets John Hughes".

The Rum Diary

Shelved for nearly forty years until Hunter S. Thompson's second surge of mainstream popularity encouraged him to see it published, this early novel is a vicious, lusty, heartfelt memento of his brief stint as a reporter in San Juan.
See the full review, "Better late than never".

Burden of Dreams

Essentially the Hearts of Darkness to Fitzcarraldo's Apocalypse Now, yet Les Blank's account of Herzog's famously troubled production is more artfully crafted than the Coppola/Hickenlooper/Bahr documentary, and tells a far more fascinating story. Ordinary filmmakers would have crumbled under the monumental hindrances that Herzog constantly suffered while shooting his Amazonian epic - circumstances in which the resolute Teutonic genius obviously thrives.

Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery

James Lileks does all he can to mitigate more heinous meals prepared for inter- and postwar mass consumption (and presumably, collective disgorgement) with his trademark snot-nosed humor, and succeeds. Nonetheless, the excerpted content of this book will make you sick.
See the full review, "CAUTION: DO NOT EAT WHILE READING THIS".

Rachel, Rachel

The success of Paul Newman's first directorial effort was assured by another in a string of great performances by his wife of a half-century, Joanne Woodward. Her verisimilitude in the role of a desperately lonely schoolmistress is a virtuoso feat of singular ability.
See the full review, "Whatever You Wish For".

When a Stranger Calls

This clever little thriller coaxed a few great performances from its notable cast and contributed one iconic concept and line to pop culture history...!
See the full review, "Terror By Telephone".

The Call of Cthulhu

Evocative of both its source text and silent era classics, this wondrous low-budget adaptation of Lovecraft's most popular story is a treat for both expressionist cinephiles and readers of Providence's famed grue-author.
See the full review, "Eldritch Lore Unearthed".

The Thing (2011 film)

It's nothing in comparison to Carpenter's classic of two genres, but on its own merits, this a rarity: a prequel that's worth seeing. Good performances and a quality production lift this at least a notch above the usual opportunistic revivals of cult hits.
See the full review, "Three days before...".

Venus Beauty Institute (Venus Beaute Institut)

Struggling with disloyalty and disappointment, can veteran cosmetologist Angèle (Nathalie Baye) believe in love, or ever find it? Her suitors, flings, clients and occupational associates reflect her sorrow and pleasure in this charming, occasionally penetrative tale concerning the vicissitudes of adoration.

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QUEENBFLIX July 12, 2011

Umm, I'm not so certain that The Shat knew he was parodying anything. Have you seen FREE ENTERPRISE?

rbuchanan July 13, 2011

I am. Whether producer Don Ralke and poet/translator Frank Devenport were in on Shatner's joke is the crucial question. However, the decision to contrast epic drama with pop song to illustrate the duality of the human condition was purely Shatnerian. Do see the liner notes, my favorite of which lists the juxtaposition of Spleen and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds as a contrast of "utter dejection" to "super elation." Yow.

If anything, Free Enterprise only confirmed that The Shat is a more obvious troll than he once was.

QUEENBFLIX July 16, 2011

I'll have to check out Fran's copy of the album for those liner notes the next time I see her. They seem to make all the difference in how the album is viewed.

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Annusya June 11, 2011

All of these that we watchedsie togethersies (and readsie, heehee ^-^) are so much funsies (or terrifyingsie! ^-^)! ^-^ Heehee! ^-^ Muu! ^-^ I Love You, You are a Snuudles! ^-^ *snugglesnus* *rubs nosies & cheekies* *juicy kisssssssssies* ^-^ ♥ Annusya ♥

rbuchanan June 12, 2011

Big smooches to you, sweet snus! We'll continue with Lileks and more Ghibli soon enough!

Annusya June 12, 2011

Yaysies! ^-^ Heehee! ^-^ Muu! ^-^ ♥ Annusya ♥

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