A while ago, I bemoaned the loss of my art-house pretensions. I'd been to several movies on the art-house circuit that I just didn't get or was simply unimpressed by and realized that my tastes were probably more mainstream than I liked to pretend. (The first two that come to mind are Ghost World and The Station Agent, but I'm sure there are others.)
But in recent weeks, I've caught a few movies that were firmly stuck in the art-houses this year that I've really enjoyed. (Now, some of this may have to do with where I'm living these days. Downey is not exactly a hot-bed for cutting edge movies, and anything outside of the all important weekly top-10 box office reports is likely to entail schlepping to Hollywood, Santa Monica or Pasadena, but some of these I'm SURE never got outside the art-house circuit.)
The first of these was, arguably, the least art-house of the bunch. But I never got a chance to see it in the theatres and it's Woody Allen, so while it may not be art-house, it's certainly got more of a claim to art than most big studio releases these days. I'm talking, of course, about Match Point. I don't really have to sell this one, do I? Woody does a darkly intriguing drama about luck, and what it's worth. A great ending, and a trip well worth taking to get there.
Next on the list is Brick. Another that I just didn't get a chance to see in theatres, it was well worth seeing on DVD. A film noir set in high school, played completely and convincingly straight. It's worth seeing just for the writing alone… no one talks like this in real life, but I wish that I could. Excellent performances and a convincing mystery round out the package.
And then there's Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor, for the purists among you). Being the sucker for vampire stories that I am, you'd think I'd have found a way to catch this one, but it was in-and-out of theatres so fast, I never had a chance. Reviews were decidedly mixed, but the trailer looked fantastic (in every sense of the word), so I grabbed it as soon as it hit DVD. What I find fascinating here (aside from the movie itself) is how many reviewers complained about it being obscure or confusing. Maybe it's because I'm stuck firmly in "genre" storytelling (I'll take an obscure Russian vampire story over the next "college lit prof in mid-life crisis" story any day). These are the same reviewers gushing enthusiastically over films like the Station Agent and apparently so distracted by the special effects that they can't concentrate on what I saw as a pretty straightforward bit of storytelling. And the decidedly dark ending makes you really want to see the next two films in the proposed trilogy. Here's hoping Day Watch is every bit as "obscure" and "confusing" and deeply entertaining as Night Watch was.
The only one I actually saw in a theatre was A Scanner Darkly, and it's one of the best of the bunch. Shot entirely in live action, then animated over, as director Linklater did in his earlier film Waking Life, it's got a look unlike anything you've seen this year. Based on one of Phillip K. Dicks morbidly dark stories, it's a fascinating look at the price of drug addiction and the people that pay it. The most chilling part may be the credit roll at the end, with (what I assume came straight from Dick's novel) a list of Dick's friends who paid a heavy price for their explorations and experimentations with drugs.
The last one was definitely NOT art-house, but after seeing it, I think I can understand why it didn't find its audience. Domino may have sounded like yet another Tony Scott blow 'em up extravaganza (and it definitely lives up to that notion in its finale) but the chances they took visually and the decidedly non-linear storytelling had me thinking art-house within minutes of the opening credits. Unfortunately, the art-house crowd was going nowhere near it, and the summer escape crowd probably didn't have the patience for the story. A great cast and some truly entertaining performances make it well worth the uncommon ride. (Christopher Walken's reality TV producer and Mira Sorvino as his assistant provide spot-on comic relief, and Tom Waits as a dessert preacher might even be inspired.)
But in recent weeks, I've caught a few movies that were firmly stuck in the art-houses this year that I've really enjoyed. (Now, some of this may have to do with where I'm living these days. Downey is not exactly a hot-bed for cutting edge movies, and anything outside of the all important weekly top-10 box office reports is likely to entail schlepping to Hollywood, Santa Monica or Pasadena, but some of these I'm SURE never got outside the art-house circuit.)
The first of these was, arguably, the least art-house of the bunch. But I never got a chance to see it in the theatres and it's Woody Allen, so while it may not be art-house, it's certainly got more of a claim to art than most big studio releases these days. I'm talking, of course, about Match Point. I don't really have to sell this one, do I? Woody does a darkly intriguing drama about luck, and what it's worth. A great ending, and a trip well worth taking to get there.
Next on the list is Brick. Another that I just didn't get a chance to see in theatres, it was well worth seeing on DVD. A film noir set in high school, played completely and convincingly straight. It's worth seeing just for the writing alone… no one talks like this in real life, but I wish that I could. Excellent performances and a convincing mystery round out the package.
And then there's Night Watch (Nochnoy Dozor, for the purists among you). Being the sucker for vampire stories that I am, you'd think I'd have found a way to catch this one, but it was in-and-out of theatres so fast, I never had a chance. Reviews were decidedly mixed, but the trailer looked fantastic (in every sense of the word), so I grabbed it as soon as it hit DVD. What I find fascinating here (aside from the movie itself) is how many reviewers complained about it being obscure or confusing. Maybe it's because I'm stuck firmly in "genre" storytelling (I'll take an obscure Russian vampire story over the next "college lit prof in mid-life crisis" story any day). These are the same reviewers gushing enthusiastically over films like the Station Agent and apparently so distracted by the special effects that they can't concentrate on what I saw as a pretty straightforward bit of storytelling. And the decidedly dark ending makes you really want to see the next two films in the proposed trilogy. Here's hoping Day Watch is every bit as "obscure" and "confusing" and deeply entertaining as Night Watch was.
The only one I actually saw in a theatre was A Scanner Darkly, and it's one of the best of the bunch. Shot entirely in live action, then animated over, as director Linklater did in his earlier film Waking Life, it's got a look unlike anything you've seen this year. Based on one of Phillip K. Dicks morbidly dark stories, it's a fascinating look at the price of drug addiction and the people that pay it. The most chilling part may be the credit roll at the end, with (what I assume came straight from Dick's novel) a list of Dick's friends who paid a heavy price for their explorations and experimentations with drugs.
The last one was definitely NOT art-house, but after seeing it, I think I can understand why it didn't find its audience. Domino may have sounded like yet another Tony Scott blow 'em up extravaganza (and it definitely lives up to that notion in its finale) but the chances they took visually and the decidedly non-linear storytelling had me thinking art-house within minutes of the opening credits. Unfortunately, the art-house crowd was going nowhere near it, and the summer escape crowd probably didn't have the patience for the story. A great cast and some truly entertaining performances make it well worth the uncommon ride. (Christopher Walken's reality TV producer and Mira Sorvino as his assistant provide spot-on comic relief, and Tom Waits as a dessert preacher might even be inspired.)
Comments
Let's talk about NIGHT WATCH!!! Knowing you as the vampire geek you are, I thought for sure you had seen this ages ago. My bad for assuming! This is, simply, a great little piece of movie making. Particularly considering it was made for around $4 mil!!
The thing I really love about the film is that it feels so darn...RUSSIAN. And, I've never been to Russia, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Of course, the glaring weakness here is (spoiler!!) that the whole airplane sub-plot...heck, even the cursed woman plot...is something of a red herring distraction that never pays off in any way. The real story here is the kid.
Now, I own DAY WATCH and I've watched it multiple times. I'd be glad to loan it to you if you have a region free DVD player. It is good, but not great. They tried to tie up the story in one film instead of two (weird, since DUSK WATCH is apparently still being made), and it simply needed to be stretched out more. Still, some great stuff here and still a serious Russian vibe.
I also loved MATCH POINT. How can you not? The ending is classic.
I also liked BRICK a lot. Fun stuff.
I'm mixed on SCANNER. It is a great film, well acted. But, the improv tends to be too funny and never capture the true tragedy of PKD. Still, good stuff.
Q
No such luck on the region free DVD player. Guess I'll have to wait, dammit! Oh well. And yeah, I think I do know what you mean. It just had a different flavor to it. Funny, I completely forgot about the airplane subplot till you mentioned it--the ultimate red herring.
As for the rest? Are these movies? Were they released in movie theatres or were they all straight to DVD? Just curious.
Do I really need to identify myself?