Damn this is hysterical. It feels so much like a film you’d expect to see in the ‘60s as opposed to the early ‘80s. Everything is commentary on yuppie culture, sexual liberation, and morality. There is also a Sweeney Todd vibe to this. It had to be inspired by the musical that came out only 3 years earlier. Susan Saiger as Doris the Dominatrix is so funny. Not just when she is playing the dominatrix role but also as she plays the mother role.
Quarantine Watch #145: The Mask of Zorro (1998)
My roommate has been dying to get me to watch this. I really dig swashbuckling films and this film is played so charmingly, but there is a lot of stuff in here that just feels slightly off tonally. So many moments are played like Marx Brothers or Looney Toons bits. The good thing about this is that Antonio Banderas is legitimately really funny. It’s why he was perfect for the SPY KIDS and SHREK films. It is weird, though, to see Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta Jones playing Spaniards.
Quarantine Watch #144: Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary (2019)
This was very heartfelt, specifically the moments where everyone talks about Alan Rickman. The stuff about the aspect ratios in the film is also fascinating, however the true heart of this film has to deal with its fandom. Twice I cried just seeing how passionate people were about the film. It also really makes you think about how amazing this cast is.
Quarantine Watch #143: Scary Movie (2000)
This really brought me back to middle school, because back then my friends and I all loved this. A lot of stuff didn’t age well — specifically rape and violence towards women and the trans character (which comes off almost minstrelly). Still, it’s very funny and stupid, which we needed in such a tumultuous time we are in.
Quarantine Watch #142: Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
This really feels like an old folk tale (I know it is based on one), it just has that essence. The lake scene is so hauntingly lovely. The actors really give it their all by throwing emotion into everything they do, especially when it comes to the suffering. Its so insane that people just became slaves like this. The film also stands on its overt theme of mercy. If this didn’t feel like a fable, it wouldn’t work, but it doesn’t need to be slick to be emotional. Sansho is such a good villain and Zushiō is such a compelling character to follow.
Quarantine Watch #141: Nights of Cabiria (1957)
Cabiria is such a tragic character. Her eyes emote so much, you can’t help but feel bad for her despite her poor decisions, which are mostly due to hope and naiveté. Even after her lover has tried to drown her she runs back to him. She keeps doing it out of hope for that life she so desperately wants. The moment where she is forced to hide in the movie star’s bathroom hurts so much especially during the wonderful shot with her looking through the keyhole. Just like her, we want her life to be so much better than it is. This is also the most Italian film I’ve ever seen complete with big emotions and hand waving, weeping women in a church, people telling women they are beautiful ad nauseam, etc. It also represents the cycle of men being cruel to women.
Quarantine Watch #140: Close-Up (1990)
At the start, it doesn’t seem like there is all much about this. Once we get to the trial we get to watch a trial in a way I’ve never seen before — in a documentary or film. It’s all due to the titular close-up. The judge continually asks “Why did you do this, I don’t understand?” but it’s really obvious that this guy wishes he WAS someone else, specifically Mohsen Makhmalbaf. They can’t comprehend that the only rational assumption for them is he was casing their place to rob the family. The recreated scenes are also fascinating. I can only imagine what these people must be thinking by doing it. It’s both incredibly meta and human.
Quarantine Watch #139: The Big Shave (1967)
This is pretty freaking gross and I’ve seen some rough movies in the past before that feel worse than this. Maybe it’s because this is from the ‘60s or because it’s Scorsese, but it just felt so much more visceral to me. I know it’s supposed to be a comment on the Vietnam war, but it was hard to watch even at it’s 5 and half minute length.
Quarantine Watch #138: Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
This film just feels like a memory. The way it’s edited and paced it just feels like a whisp of smoke dancing in the air inside your head. The documentary-esque shots really effect you. The bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki are such a dark point in humanity. It’s horrible to think about how many innocent people and descendants would be so destroyed. The film allows you to reflect on this. I teared up a few times during these moments. When these two actors come together their love really radiates off the screen. You really feel these people are so deeply in love with each other. The actors are truly magnetic. They are both good looking, but not so overt where it feels like they are too perfect. The moment when she stares down the camera feels like her eyes penetrated my soul.
Quarantine Watch #137: Yojimbo (1961)
There is something magical about Kurosawa films. They just inject themselves right into your soul. This film is amazing, yet I can’t succinctly say why — it just is. You can really see where films like A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS and KILL BILL are influenced by this. Sanjuro is such an interesting character. He starts off at such self interested place, but he has so much honor in him, that it really does seem like he does everything he does, only because of the couple he passes in the street on his way into town. Westerns and Samurai films are so damn similar and this is the most Western Samurai film I’ve ever seen.
Quarantine Watch #136: Smithereens (1982)
I was amped going into this. Jersey girl. Punk rock. This just feels like the movie I would have made in college. It’s so interesting to see a movie doing things that films like SLACKER, IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS, and the mumblecore movement would eventually get into doing. Wren really isn’t a good person and it’s hard for me to follow her after she continually makes a complete ass out of herself. She comes off crazy and not in touch with reality. She’s so desperate in everything she does. I guess this is kind of the point as she continually stoops lower and lower until she can’t fall apart any more. I also hurts because you see her fawning all over Eric and you know he doesn’t give a shit about her. This film also feels like a time capsule for how shitty New York City was in the early ‘80s.
Quarantine Watch #135: Z (1969)
I’m not one to get political, but this week has been trying. From our president trying to stifle internet social media companies to the murder of a black man by the police, to the tact in which the response was handled, to the global pandemic that is happening. This film REALLY aligns with what’s going on in the world now and I can only be as angry and frustrated as Costa-Gavras was over the assassination of Grigoris Lambrakis. The film has so many layers and smart metaphors — from Z having a strong heart (his brain is dead but his heart is alive) to ROSHOMON-esque flashbacks of people telling “their side of the story” and we get to see what their lies look like. Corruption is everywhere. Espionage and murder and letting all of it just happen without consequence IS this film. Most of the characters don’t really have names. People are called The Chief of Police, The Deputy, The Lawyer, etc. This makes them feel less like human beings and more of the faceless roles they occupy. In real life, the villains do tend to get away with things and this film really reflects on this. The editing is FAN-TAS-TIC. Françoise Bonnot really deserved his Oscar win. It’s so face paced and helps to really put you into the frenzy everyone is in.
Quarantine Watch #134: The Last Battle (1983)
The concept to this is so great, but ultimately I had a hard time really enjoying my time with it for the 93 minutes. It would have made a better short. It’s look feels like if Akira Kurosawa directed THE ROAD WARRIOR. The music, at times, is often jarring and feels out place. It’s very of the ‘80s while the world of the film isn’t. Even without words, Jean Reno really pops on screen. It’s interesting that Luc Besson turns this bespectacled man into a brute. The scene with the gas is just beautiful, although the whole film just feels futile for humanity.
Quarantine Watch #134: Beastie Boys Story (2020)
Funny and Endearing. These are the main two words that come to mind while watching this documentary. Ad-Rock and Mike D are so good and charming during the live portions. The live aspect is also really engaging and feels like a stand-up comedy set mixed with a two-person show. My main takeaway from the entire documentary is that MCA was the best Beastie Boy. It’s a fun cameo that Bill Hader is the voice that says, "CRAZY SHIT!”. Spike Jonze did a great job.
Quarantine Watch #133: The Limey (1999)
I love the muted and flat look to the colors here. The whole film has a slight yellow tint because of it and because of that feels older. This is now my favorite Terrance Stamp performance. I feel like he’s channeling Clint Eastwood during this. Peter Fonda is also a really good/creepy bad guy. The editing is interesting and I always love Luis Guzmán in anything.
Quarantine Watch #132: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
I went into this thinking I wouldn’t like it, as Terry Gilliam films just never do it for me. This is definitely my favorite out of his Imagination trilogy (with TIME BANDITS and BRAZIL). The set design, story and overall look feels like a mix between THE NEVERENDING STORY and George Millies’ films with a German Expressionism influence. Young Sarah Polley was a nice surprise. I can also see a lot of Tarsem Singh’s THE FALL in this — he definitely got inspiration from it. Also surprisingly, the Robin Williams stuff did nothing for me. It’s the first time he’s ever annoyed me, mainly because he really is overindulging in his schtick.
Quarantine Watch #131: Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
The design, as always with Miyazaki films, is very beautiful. I wish we got to see even more of Howl, as his character is so fascinating. He really isn’t seen as much as you’d think. Everything about this was fun, even with it’s anti-war themes. Calcifer was my favorite character though and Billy Crystal’s reading of him in the English dub is so great. I’d love to see him do more animated films. This also would make a great series as the world is so wonderful.
Quarantine Watch #130: Bringing Up Baby (1938)
I know this is an understatement, but this is so funny. All of the ways the conversations ping pong off each other while dealing with the fact that people are misunderstanding each other in every single sentence. It’s masterful in how the conversations interact with one another. The amount of things that happen in this are absurd and if made today, I don’t know if anyone would ever buy into it.
Quarantine Watch #129: Fires Were Started (1942)
This really feels ahead of it’s time in regards to how the fire fighting scenes were shot. A few things to notice are that all the women working on the phones all dress the same and have the same haircut - it’s almost like they are Nurses or Cops in the Pokemon Universe. Also — everyone is SUPER British, especially when the area is bombed, everyone goes under they’re desk, and then acts like nothing happened.
Quarantine Watch #128: Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (2020)
Hannah Gadsby has a huge problem that she will alway have to deal with when she performs and she addresses it at the top — Nanette is HUGE. It’s one of the biggest/most personal stand-up specials ever and everything she does after it will be compared to it. At the time Nanette came out, the world was also perfectly aligned to connect with it so. Douglas had to be different, and it is. It’s more story after story after story that follow different trains of thought. The genius is she is like a magician. At the start she states exactly how the show will go and then proceeds to do the show weaving into everything so effortlessly.
