Everybody remembers Stephen Gaghan from Traffic, but he also wrote Rules of Engagement, a hawkish Friedkin actioner which basically says that when push comes to shove, you can massacre civilians and wipe your ass with the Geneva Agreement. I don’t want to be a party pooper, but I think it’s useful to bear in mind [...]
Archive for the ‘BEST OF 05’ Category
Malick in Wonderland
Posted in BEST OF 05, Filmmakers on January 29, 2006 |
I’ve just sat through 135 mind-blowing minutes of The New World, and as always with Malick, the first viewing is so exhausting one can hardly fire a synapse let alone formulate a coherent opinion. A few random thoughts will have to suffice.
Cronenberg’s letdown
Posted in BEST OF 05, Filmmakers on January 19, 2006 |
For the first 80 minutes of David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence, I was in awe. But when it was all over 16 minutes later, I was more perplexed than satisfied, and I had a nagging feeling that somehow I’d just been fucked around with. What the hell happened here, Dave?
By George, it’s a Clooney!
Posted in BEST OF 05, Filmmakers on January 16, 2006 |
Here’s a tip, Academy voters: if you want to look like jackasses, don’t nominate Good Night, and Good Luck. I really root for this beautiful, no-nonsense movie, mostly because it so adamantly defends that important but sadly unfashionable aspect of democracy — free speech.
Brilliance Comes in Threes
Posted in BEST OF 05, Filmmakers on January 5, 2006 |
Phew — what a splurge. In less than a week, I’ve feasted on three exquisitely crafted movies. I’m not easily given to praise, but man, sometimes one’s gotta do what one’s gotta do. And now’s the time.
