This is seriously one of the most British films I’ve ever seen. Everything is so polite and about manner even when it comes to matters of life and death. Hell, the film telegraphs it’s Englishness with the opening scene when Candy exclaims, “War starts at midnight!” This could have been straight out of something like DR. STRANGELOVE, it’s comical. This comedy doesn’t diminish the seriousness of the film however, it actually makes it feel more alive. The friendship between Candy and Theo is so nice to see develop over film, especially in the beginning when it is hard for them to communicate with one another. The scene where Theo pleads his case to go to Britain during WWII is so well done as well. This is my favorite out of the Powell & Pressburger films I have seen so far, even though I have only seen this, BLACK NARCISSUS, and THE RED SHOES. The color of this film, as in the other Powell & Pressburger films is so vibrant and helps to give the film its character, although the character comes straight from the performance of Roger Livesey.
Quarantine Watch #627: Small Axe: Mangrove (2020)
It is so hard not to compare this to THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, which came out this same year. They tell very similar stories, although this focuses so much more on the human rights of African and more specifically Trinidadian people. It takes a bit for the film to get going but once it does, it is hard not to look away. The film is great at making you angry at such a mishandling of justice is taking place and the bullshit of a trial these people have to go through. Letitia Wright was phenomenal in this and the judge who handled the case was abhorrent. Every time the word "savages" is said, my heart broke.
Quarantine Watch #626: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, considering how much I really love the 1978 version. It is one of the best cold war parables in film I think the 1950s ever put out. I wonder how much Rod Serling was inspired by this with creating the TWILIGHT ZONE considering that came out 3 years later. This honestly feels like it could be an episode of it. Kevin McCarthy is so good in this, especially at the end of the film. The scene where all the pod people go to the town center is also so freaky and so well done. The mechanics behind how the pods replace the actually people still feel a bit murky for me and the framing device (especially the end of it) really hurts the film, but other than that it’s so good. There are also moments that play a little dumb like when Becky yells at the dog or when the pod people explain what is going on, but that’s more of the filmmaking/acting technique of the time and can’t really be held against the film.
Quarantine Watch #625: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
“In my earliest years, life consisted of two contradictory elements. One was words, which could change the world. The other was the world itself, which had nothing to do with words.”
This is such an interesting way to approach a biopic. You would think using so many different styles would be exhausting, but it’s not, it works perfectly. The stories are weaved into the life of their author so well. It is clear that Paul Schrader had a real vision and knew what he was doing was going to work. This really is an expertly crafted film in every way, especially from the amazing colors and production design the film works in. It reminds me a lot of what Zhang Yimou accomplished years later with HERO. Still I think what Eiko Ishioka accomplished, especially with the three stories, is even better. Phillip Glass’s score is also really well composed and deserves a shoutout. Ken Ogata is so good as Mishima. He is able to portray all sides of this complicated man from the joyous moments to the darker ones. The man is so complex and thus so is the way his story is presented. It is insane that this happened in real life and it is so nice that Schrader decided to look at his life as a whole instead of his final moments. I watched it with the Japanese narration — I would be interested in seeing it with Roy Scheider’s narration as well.
Quarantine Watch #624: Groundhog Day (1993)
This is one of the best movies ever made and surely one of the best scripts ever written. I haven’t seen it in sometime, but I think about it from time time to as it is so steeped within the cultural zeitgeist. It was fun to revisit it on Groundhog’s Day.
Quarantine Watch #623: A Place in the Sun (1951)
This is such a dark film, not only in the context of the plot and its substance, but also it looks dark. So many scenes are shot at night or in the shadows and George Stevens and cinematographer William C. Mellor really put you there. You feel like it is nighttime and not just a movie shot at night, because it is truly difficult to see things. I can talk about the cinematography of this film for hours, because it is so fascinating. At multiple instances, characters are blocked out of view with other characters and compositions off to one side of the frame. It forces the viewer to focus not only what the person who is off camera is saying as opposed to doing, but also on what is left in the frame. In this way you also feel like you are a fly on the wall since you are really only viewing certain scenes from a fixed point. Montgomery Clift and Shelley Winters give such wonderful performances. It is so interesting how you start out with them in such innocent wide-eyed love and how their love decays into something of darkness, pity, and desperation. The mechanics of the screenplay are really smart in how information is parsed out. The themes of the film in regards to class struggles are also wonderful, but this is where the script starts to derail. The trial at the end feels tacked on, especially in how it is edited. It feels like that could have been a movie all on its own. Additionally, George Eastman really had shit lawyers. No attorney should have let him get in a boat in the middle of the court room and let the prosecutor act out what they thought happened. It’s just dumb since they are not in the water and it is not nighttime. The final moments with priest are also off. It supposes that it was his love of Elizabeth Taylor that killed Shelley Winters. We know that we can’t throw blame on every tangental thing that leads to another person’s death otherwise every character in ROMEO & JULIET should be killed for driving the two of those lovers to their death. George is also his own worst enemy as he easily could have went to the cops after she drowned. That’s why he dies, not because of the stuff the priest says. Still, George being executed despite making the choice to not murder her, is a great dramatic irony that probably is the reason the film is remembered so fondly today. I also wonder how controversial this story was as it was based on a real murder and the film portrays it as an accident 100%. I wonder what the girl’s family must have thought about the film and its popularity.
Quarantine Watch #622: The Flying Ace (1926)
This is a film unlike anything I had seen before, in the sense of it being the oldest film I have seen with an entirely African American cast playing in a story that is not about race at all. Everyone feels like real people and that is attributed to the way Richard E. Norman shoots his films by going to various towns with stock footage and a basic script, recruiting local celebrities for minor roles, filming a small portion of footage over the course of a few days, then any funds raised would be split between Norman and the town where the scenes were shot. It’s so indie and feels like the world of shooting a film in college on the cheap. Kathryn Boyd who played Ruth and Steve Reynolds as Peg were the standouts in the cast. For all the things the film does really well, it relies heavily on its intertitle cards., which becomes a lot I find silent films that can work with the fewer amount of title cards, the better the film flows as it helps to keep the momentum up.
Quarantine Watch #621: The Little Things (2021)
John Lee Hancock is a director/writer I really like, but this feels like the project he couldn’t let go of. He wrote it in 1993 when David Fincher had only done music videos and ALIEN3. After he couldn’t get it made, because it was too dark, Fincher comes out with films like SE7EN and ZODIAC over the course of 30 years. I feel like Hancock couldn’t let this go and needed to show people the story he wrote before the Fincher crime films. This is just my speculation, but it feels accurate to me. As such the film feels like it covers ground we’ve already been on. The final moments are played similar to the end of SE7EN and everything leading up to it feels like ZODIAC. I did not care for Jared Leto’s performance. It is weirdly scene-chewing while being muted at the same time. I think he thinks he is playing a good creep, but it just played a bit cartoony. It kinda felt like, "How would Nic Cage play this without the yelling?" Additionally his character’s motivations only work to service the ending of the film. Another thing I just don’t buy is that Rami Malek is playing a guy named James “Jimmy” Baxter. It feels like such an Irish name which is not how Malek is portrayed. Why didn’t they change the character’s name? It would have been so easy to do.
Quarantine Watch #620: Yentl (1983)
I don’t think this would have been made or wide-released if Barbara Streisand wasn’t the driving force behind it. I’m sure financiers also wanted it to be a musical highlighting her singing, which makes it even more interesting that Yentl is the only character who sings or even acts like the film is a musical. I’m surprised Amy Irving and Streisand got the most accolades off of this, because Mandy Patinkin is amazing in this. This is a film where there is a true love triangle in the sense that it is all moving in one direction. Yentl loves Avigdor who loves Hadass who loves Anshel who is actually Yentl. The whole thing reads VERY Shakespearean comedy, but is played for drama here. I guess its more of a love circle than a triangle. I wish more attention could have been paid to the LGBTQ themes more as it is so interesting to think about what is in each of the three main character’s minds regarding their own sexuality. I think that is more a sign of the era it was made. With period romance films that play with gender, I much prefer something that takes a bigger swing with the story that is being told, like ORLANDO, but this still works well. Also FROZEN totally ripped off “Para Can You Hear Me?” with “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman,” I couldn’t help but hear it in there.
Quarantine Watch #619: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
I had never read the book or had seen any adaptation of it, although I knew the broad strokes from allusions in other works (like THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN) and just its presence in our culture. Angela Lansbury is really great and it was nice to see her younger than I have ever seen her. She really is a phenomenal actress, but before I saw this or THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE I only knew her how most people of my generation knew here — from MURDER, SHE WROTE and BEAUTY & THE BEAST. I can see a lot in her that reminds me of early Meryl Streep performances. The cinematography and editing are the best parts of the film. The lighting really adds a lot especially in the moment when Dorian kills Basil is really dark yet alive. The use of technicolor in the film is so amazing that when it is used, you are either taken aback by its beauty or disgusted by how vile it appears. I was shocked when the color appeared as I did not expect. It is so strange that George Sanders is top billed over Hurd Hatfield who actually plays Dorian Gray. Sanders’ character is a little too off for my books. He looks like a faustian character with his goatee. He also doesn’t seem to age with the rest of the cast either, making him a representation of the devil and evil itself.
Quarantine Watch #618: King of the Hill (1993)
It was so interesting watching a film about the economic struggle of the depression now because so many moments feel like they are still happening today specifically discussions on evictions and banks. I never knew Jesse Bradford was a child actor. I always knew him as a teen in stuff like HACKERS, ROMEO + JULIET, CLOCKSTOPPERS, BRING IT ON, and SWIMFAN. He really is amazing as he carries this film. I have such a bigger appreciation for him through this. Adrian Brody is so freaking good in the little bit he is given to do. Of course he became an Academy Award winning actor. I never new Soderbergh put him in one of his first films.Other people who were nice to see as young people were Amber Benson as the epileptic neighbor girl who has a crush on Aaron and Spaulding Gray as the older painter. The way the film is shot, I go back and forth on liking and disliking. I like the amber hue the depression era has, but there are weird dutch angels that feels stylized and out of something more like what was going on in the modern films of the early 90s. The second half of the film is where it really shines when Aaron makes a stand by not leaving the room and trying to get his brother back to him. That could have easily been a whole film. The moment where he cuts the pictures out of the magazine breaks your heart.
Quarantine Watch #617: The Lady Vanishes (1938)
The mystery at the heart of this is so Hitchcock and is so enthralling you need to see what’s going on. This film had to either be inspired by Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS which was released 4 years earlier. You can see the influence this film even has on the famous 1974 film adaptation of that book. The main issue of the film is that there are a lot of issues. The music feels out of place for the film at times, moments are played strictly for comedy beats, especially all of the Charters and Caldicott moments, but these clash with the seriousness of the missing woman. The first act goes on for entirely too long and is a little muddled due to the fact we are introduced to Charters and Caldicott first and spend so much time with them. Characters behave unlike real people (like when Charters and Caldicott don’t agree to seeing the missing person due to being late for a cricket match or when Todhunter walks outside expecting not to be shot and killed). The other thing that drives me nuts is we never know what was so important that Miss Froy needed to disappear. The villain of the film is also very obvious. The film is way more schmaltzy than Hitchcock’s later films. He is way less cynical here. Without Hitchcock’s strength as a director and the strong draw of the mystery is so strong, it gets you passed all of those shortcomings.
Quarantine Watch #616: Mr. Mom (1983)
I definitely had seen this before. My mom and dad loved it and I remember the VHS box when they rented it from a video store in the earl ‘90s. Still I remember nothing about it. From what I can see, the best way to view this film is to think of it like a cartoon. Moments are so big including expressions of the actors. This is especially the case in the moment where the vacuum cleaner chases everyone. My issue is this tone is not carried throughout the whole film. The main reason this film works at all is because it is super cute and because Michael Keaton is phenomenal. A big issue the film has is conflict. It plays off a fish-out-of-water premise that only could work in a pre-late 90's world where a man staying home and a woman working is a, "crazy premise." There is conflict in those moments at home and Keaton is funny enough that it works, but when it comes to his relationship with Teri Garr, I never for one second believe their marriage is in jeopardy. It would be if Michael Keaton was more of a jerk about being stuck at home, but he already takes a dive during the weird company picnic race and it is clear that his wife knows he threw the race. He knows that she know’s he’s better than Martin Mull so what does anything matter. There is a lot of stuff like that, that just doesn’t make sense. Still the jokes are really funny and the kids really help to keep you invested in the film.
Quarantine Watch #615: State of Siege (1972)
Fascinating and Mature. Those are two words that come to mind when thinking about this film. The structure of the film is what helps to make the film stand out. It is amazing to start a film knowing the end result but then going along on the journey simply to see if it is justified. So many scenes are expertly crafted — the voting on the bus, the interrogation scenes, and the moment where the guy tells Santore to write his letters knowing he is going to die.. The film also recontextualizes the opening by the time you finish the film because you know everyone let Santore die when they had the capacity to save him. Additionally the film really examines who is to blame for atrocities and the life of one person vs. the state of a government.
Quarantine Watch #614: Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)
I love so many things about this. The 16mm film stock, the somber tone, the use of close-ups, the amount of quiet the film surrounds itself with, and Sydney Flanigan’s everything — all of it is so good. Talia Ryder is also someone to look out for in the future because while she doesn’t have as much do, she conveys everything she needs to. Her character is also so strong but at the same time a child. The moment between her and Sydney at the end of the film is beautifully sad. The film is an interesting way to look at the theme of control. All Autumn wants is control over her life, her body, her everything. Whether that’s deciding she wants an abolition or if she wants to pierce her nose. The early moments of the film really show the frustration young girls in rural areas can face if they want to explore an abolition and it is all summed up by the quietly powerful moment where she beats her stomach wanting to self-induce herself. The question asking scene is amazing, so well acted, and engaging while also being so simple. Any little change or hesitation in her performance adds so much weight. The film is also shoots New York City in such a real way. It feels like it does to ride the subway these days. It also really showcases how messed up the modern world is in the most minimalist of ways. Since I have never been pregnant nor gotten an abortion, it is hard for me to really judge the experience of the characters in terms of how the details and feelings are portrayed.
Quarantine Watch #613: Eve's Bayou (1997)
The world of this film pulls you in deep. It feels like you are in the Louisiana bayou in the most authentic way. Jurnee Smollett is a treasure. She is so wonderful in this and it may be one of the best child performances I’ve seen. She has so much personality, grit, and innocence. Debbi Morgan is also great as the aunt. It is such a unique and special film in all of the best ways. The score is so beautiful and compliments the tones the film weaves through. The ways stories are told and how mirrors are utilized are so engaging and an interesting ways to handle memories and flashbacks. The supernatural elements also feel natural, which is a tough thing to finesse. There are moments that are little over acted, but this is the melodrama of the film that it bathes in. All of that is fine as the ending of this film is so spectacular.
Quarantine Watch #612: The American President (1995)
It is IMPOSSIBLE to watch this in a post-THE WEST WING world and not see it as a pilot for the West Wing that was made into a movie instead. The entire script sets up so many things about the show from the old lady secretary to the attitudes of the main characters. Martin Sheen is essentially playing Leo McGarry (even though it is impossible to not see Jed Bartlet when he says Sorkin dialogue in the Oval Office). Annette Bening is so adorable. I love how much levity she brings to the film with her personality. I feel like if they made this for a younger person at the time, it feels like a role Meg Ryan or Sandra Bullock would have played. Another thing to note is that Michael Douglas and Martin Sheen are so similar in terms of look and style, that it seems insane to cast them to play the President and Chief-of-Staff. They are both great actors, but it would be nice to see some variation in type. The rest of the cast is pretty great especially Michael J. Fox. The final speech is amazing, but the end of it is a little too sappy for my taste. The great thing about the script as well is it is funny and cute despite being about getting votes for bills to go through congress.
Quarantine Watch #611: La Dolce Vita (1960)
I had been wanting to see this film since I was high school and just never got around to it or couldn’t find it online when I searched. With so much love paid to this film from all of my favorite filmmakers I wanted to make sure I honored it. I finally got the Criterion DVD and watched it on my parents home theater. Fellini is a tricky filmmaker for me because you can see all of the skill and talent in his productions, but I always feel removed from the film. He is someone I have difficulty understanding. I appreciate moments of his films, but ultimately they never work as a cohesive unit for me (I have only seen 81⁄2, NIGHT OF CABIRIA, LA STADA, and AMARCORD and I feel the same way about all of them). The same thing happened here. I LOVED the design, style, and cinematography of the film. It looks gorgeous. The themes expressed by the film and Marcello’s journey resonates with me so much, especially the time in my life that I am in. I want to love it more than I did, but I just can’t wrap my head around it. I think if I wait 10 years and then watch this, I will feel differently about it, but I guess only time will tell. One thing is certain — Paparazzo are really annoying (not the character, the people in the profession).
Quarantine Watch #610: Kes (1969)
Holy crap this was a powerful film. You can really see the influence of the 400 BLOWS on this and then you can really see KES’s influence of this on films like RATCATCHER. David Bradley is amazing as Billy Caspar. It is such an honest performance in every way shape and form. I could not understand the thick Yorkshire accent to save my life and immediately had to watch with subtitles. Every adult truly sucks. It’s a great point of view to showcase from this type of kid and how he sees the world. I wasn’t a fan of times we left his point of view (like when we follow his mother and brother out on the town or when there is a lot of focus paid to the insanely dumb, pretty, and cruel football coach. Everything with Billy and Kes is pure magic. That bird is so adorable, I’ve never loved a bird so much in a film. Kes really is one of the best cinema pets of all time. The falconry scenes warms your heart like eating a warm home-cooked meal after not having it in a while. It’s just pure living that affects you in the best ways. After watching the film, you truly feel like you can accomplish anything if you put in the time and effort, no matter how much money or time you have. It brought me to tears in so many ways and is now one of my favorites.
Quarantine Watch #609: Meatballs (1979)
What is great about this is you get to see what Ivan Reitman and Bill Murray are playing with before they really refined their craft with films like STRIPES and GHOSTBUSTERS. Bill Murray is really funny in this and you can see how he is able to launch a movie career after this. Christopher Makepeac was so great as Rudy I can’t wait to see him in other things. The problem with the film is that it suffers from being just okay most of the times. Jokes are played pretty right down the center and overall feels like a riff on what ANIMAL HOUSE had already done and less on trying to create new things. Despite this it has a lot of heart and every single summer camp movie trope. Another hurdle that is hard to get over is that Bill Murray is WAY too old for this role.
