Le Million (1931)
A thoroughly enjoyable frenzy of pitch-perfect comedy, tightly directed by Rene Clair. Clair was a notable influence on Chaplin, and it is easy to see that here; there is a perfect pinch of pathos sprinkled into all of this wackiness and no matter how far into the abyss these characters fall, we are always wholly connected to them. This is really about as much fun as one can have watching a movie. Every situation, every character antic and every goofy musical number furthers the film's incredible charm. Along with its sense of fun, Clair's film is also of enormous significance for the history of the French cinema; this, one of the first synch-sound pictures the nation produced, stands as one of their proudest landmarks.
V, Fort, Return, Doc, neverending- have you seen this? Check it out if you haven't.
Red Cliff (2009)
A consistantly entertaining war epic by an artist who knows his craft. Obviously influenced by Kurosawa, Woo paints every inch of his mise-en-scene with rich colors and movement. One could certainly not accuse him of laziness as his screen comes more alive than almost any film this year. There are some definte dramatic pitfalls, and a handful of cliches; dialogue is often sprinkled with tired analogies and unpoetic monologues, but the central characters still come off as likable human beings; Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Takeshi Kaneshiro are appropriately humane and gentle creatues who happen to be excellently trained in the art of war, and both sides of this spectrum work. It can be a bit hokey from time to time, but on the whole this is an exciting picture painted on a very big canvas.
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
This is an often entertaining but constantly underwhelming story by a filmmaker who could have brought so much more audacity to the table. Aesthetically, this is a safe movie; aside from a few great dips into avant-garde territory the film is shot mostly statically. There is something to be said about Cage's performance; I wouldn't call what he has talent, but he does have the balls to completely let go. His foray into insanity is campy for sure, but it is fun to watch, and ultimately holds the picture together; Good support from Val Kilmer and Brad Dourif round the cast out. It's far from spectacular, but it holds itself together and even makes a few stabs at uniqueness.
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