Illegal Shorts A filmmaker needs to decide early in the game who is going to capture her. The normal choices are short form or long form, usually cast described as stories about people or ideas with stories. (There’s an in-between choice having to do with situations that is increasingly popular.) The first choice usually means… Continue reading Chicago Cab (1997)
Category: Threes
Films rated three stars out of three
Harry Knuckles and the Pearl Necklace (2004)
Two spheres Why are Canada and Australia so invested in exploring the periphery? My own theory is based on the existence of a few talented teachers in key places. For whatever reason, this is something you are unlikely to find elsewhere. First, note that every production value that normally paves the way to connection is… Continue reading Harry Knuckles and the Pearl Necklace (2004)
Happy Feet (2006)
Mad Maximum Motion You can parse this into three bits I think. The first is what people normally see, the story. Miller and many of the Oz New Wave don’t pay much attention to this. They put something there of course, otherwise we would get distracted. Here it is an amazingly clever fold, referencing another… Continue reading Happy Feet (2006)
Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973)
Arabiana Jones Boy, I’ll tell you that when this was new, it was great. This was before Lucas and Spielberg made it impossible to have a straight ahead adventure film with no winks at the audience. This was when special effects were more believable because the monsters were so unlike humans. This was before Arabs… Continue reading Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973)
Girl With a Suitcase (1961)
Million Dollar Baby I watched this together with Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby.” I knew I would be challenged by that film (you can read my comment), and I wanted something that I knew would be a safe island after the offences therein. I chose this. Its between “Million” and “Nights of Cabiria” and more perfect… Continue reading Girl With a Suitcase (1961)
Funky Forest: The First Contact (2005)
Visits With a project like this, it is as likely that it is a random goof as something with some structure. It could be both. As this was sent to me by a fellow viewer, and because I am so inclined, I tend to see structure. And what I see I like — a lot.… Continue reading Funky Forest: The First Contact (2005)
First Spaceship on Venus (1960)
The Beginning In 1958 Russia changed the world by launching Sputnik. This really was a shock; modern readers may not appreciate it as of the magnitude (in the US) of 9-11. In terms of national will, there was a more universal mobilisation and commitment of resources than after 9-11, that’s for sure. Both the Russian… Continue reading First Spaceship on Venus (1960)
Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Reflective Engagement I normally write about folding; the most obvious is when a film contains a film or play, but there are a bewildering number of types. The most interesting of these to me is when the film ‘folds’ the watcher in, in some way. The least interesting is when a film overtly quotes another.… Continue reading Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Enola Holmes 2 (2022)
Confidence Games Three things to like in this. The first is the obvious breaking of the fourth wall. Rather than be sly like Bruce Willis often was, this is in your face old school in-action narration. It is refreshing. Not so sure it will still work in a third film, though. The second is simply… Continue reading Enola Holmes 2 (2022)
See How They Run (2022)
More Layers The film itself is lovely, after the style of Anderson but with softer edges and more welcome split screens. The use of the splits is cinematically reflective of the story. That’s the real star here, though most folks focus on the comedic cops. So, what we have is a movie about a movie… Continue reading See How They Run (2022)