The 28 Days Later series
In anticipation of the release of 28 Years Later I decided I would revisit this series.
In 2002 Danny Boyle and Alex Garland gave us 28 Days Later, an atmospheric and viceral evolution of the classic ghouls-are-out-to-get-us flick. I felt like they owed a debt to Romero's Night of the Living Dead movie series, but these ghouls are different, and in some ways more frightening. Double-feature idea: 2006's Children of Men.
In 2007 came the sequel, 28 Weeks Later. Boyle and Garland contributed as executive producers rather than writer and director. This one establishes a setup and savors every moment as the pieces come down. Some of those moments strain incredulity, which is fine, but perhaps not what I expected following from the first film.
Boyle and Garland reunited to make this year's 28 Years Later. There's a lot going on here. So much so that I'm not sure it all hangs together. I had a great time with it though.
Wes Anderson
The Phoenician Scheme is the latest from Wes Anderson. In a word, I found it delightful. It's dense, so I know another watch will help me unpack it, and therefore be further delighted. I feel glad that I'm living in a time when filmmakers I love are still offering up wonderful works.
Somehow I had never seen Isle of Dogs. It also was an utter delight to me. So beautiful and charming; a warm blanket kind of movie. I should note that it's a bit weird when a westerner sets a story in the Far East.
Samurai flicks
Yojimbo and Sanjuro by Akira Kurosawa are a kind of duology centered around Toshirō Mifune's nameless and super clever samurai. All of Kurosawa's hallmarks are here, including the beautiful way he composes shots. One thing I found difficult in the first film was that there were many characters introduced during an exposition download near the outset, making it difficult to remember who everybody was. Elsewhere in the film, Kurosawa brilliantly executes on the adage "show, don't tell".
I think I preferred the second movie over the first one, although it does have a similarly complex plot with loads of characters. If more of these films existed I would gladly watch more!
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance undoubtedly cribs from Kurosawa's work, but also does something unique. It's a striking formulation: a man dedicates himself to seeking revenge, and takes his baby with him. The ne'er-do-wells are truly terrible, making the quest righteous, or so we tell ourselves so we can enjoy some sweet graphic violence.
Hollywood classics
After watching some of Kurosawa this month I was interested in finding a western in a similar mold. I was fortunate to discover High Noon, a 1952 film starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. I enjoyed how much there was to discover about the characters and their relationships, and how much moral tension we're given while the clock ticks steadily onward 'til noon. It was also a perfect complement to the noir and the blacklist movies I watched.
Repulsion is an impressionistic and Freud-inflected 1965 horror film starring the arrestingly beautiful Catherine Deneuve. It delivers dynamic camera movement and striking compositions as the danger—and the fear of it—closes in on Deneuve's vulnerable Carol.
The Awful Truth is a delicious screwball comedy with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. I see that they did a few pictures together. I'll have to try them! Until I do, I'd say my nearest comp is His Girl Friday. Ralph Bellamy has the same role in both! Poor guy.
Noir and the black list
The Criterion Channel added a collection of noir films by left-leaning/blacklisted filmmakers who used the genre to challenge Hollywood's typically optimistic view of America. I was intrigued!
Brute Force is a brilliant 1947 prison drama starring Burt Lancaster which excoriates the prison system. The Shawshank Redemption seems to have borrowed from it. I recommend this one.
Gun Crazy is a 1950 noir. John Dall plays the male lead, and I kept thinking he'd be great in a Hitchcock film; sort of a cross between Jimmy Stewart and Farley Granger. When I finished the movie I looked him up and realized he actually is in a Hitch movie. In fact, he's the only lead in Rope that isn't Jimmy Stewart or Farley Granger! I was impressed by the execution of the shooting and driving sequences. The obvious comp is Bonnie and Clyde but High Sierra comes to mind too.
Thieves’ Highway was directed by Jules Dassin, who also directed Brute Force. It has a stretch that reminds me of The Wages of Fear. I enjoyed seeing Lee J. Cobb in this, who is unforgettable in 12 Angry Men.
Movies and TV with my kids
My kids and I love The Karate Kid, and we're going to rewatch it til it gets old, which is probably never.
I grew up watching and rewatching the Indiana Jones movies, so it was a once-in-a-lifetime joy to share Raiders of the Lost Ark with my kids. Through cultural osmosis they recognized bits like the weighing of the idol and the boulder escape. This is an all-timer.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a favorite of mine. Douglas Adams' vision of the complex, absurd, and unknowable universe resonates with me. Exploring these themes via humor and science fiction hits for me too. I rewatched this movie to share it with one of my kids.
We tried the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbors the Yamadas. It's a series of vignettes rather than a narrative, often funny and insightful, but not what we expected.
After watching a lot of Dragon Ball my kids wanted to try Demon Slayer next. I guess that means it's what kids today are watching. It's glitzy, melodramatic, and gory. They love it. We watched all currently produced episodes and now impatiently await the continuation of the story.
Misc
I finally filled in the most egregious gap in moviegoing, Spielberg's revolutionary 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws. I had seen bits and pieces, but never watched it from start to finish. It's perfect.
William Friedkin's 1977 film Sorcerer is based on the same book that Henri-Georges Clouzot adapted for The Wages of Fear. Last September I had seen the latter, so was curious to see Friedkin's attempt. It establishes its characters thinly but surely as antiheroes, then sets them on an edge-of-your-seat quest through the jungle. Its tension is so good it evokes visceral reactions. The locations, sets, and setpieces all impressed me as well. I definitely recommend it.
The Third Man is a 1949 noir set in Vienna. It's clever and enjoyable, but you wouldn't know it from the tedious first act, which has Joseph Cotten's interloping American being obviously lied to by every other character as he bumbles through an absolute deluge of dutch angles. It gets pretty good after that. The intrigue picks up and so does the cinematography. I found myself wanting to see more of Orsen Welles.
Repo Man is a madcap punk sci-fi set in LA. Funny and propulsive, there's a lot to like, but I'm glad I don't have to live in its world or spend any more time with its characters.
Like Demon Slayer, RRR is glitzy, melodramatic, and gory. Its CG sets look silly, and its physics bear no resemblance to those of our universe. I don't know much about the real history of the British Empire's oppression of India, but this film seems to imagine an alternate history where India resisted more violently.
