Once And Never Again

 There are films out there that I've seen and been overwhelmed at how brilliant they are. Whether is it the story, the acting, the places or the subject matter, these all make for a great film, a masterpiece, but this doesn't mean I want to watch over and over again.

There are many people out there who may be disgusted by my film collection. I know they would ask 'why do you have so many, its not like you can watch them all the time'. This is true but I buy films for three reasons. One, I like the film dammit and I do want to watch it all the time. Two, I haven't seen the film and I am intrigued. Three, buying the DVD was literally the only way I could or ever would see the film.

BUT there are films I've seen and bought in the past and present that I've admired but have had a strong desire to never see ever again. Mostly because they were too depressing, too much in general or because I want to keep the menmory of seeing it for the first time. After reading Joseph Wade's post on The Film Magazine, I have written a short list of some of the films I never want to see again.

1. Blue Jasmine

 I do like Woody Allen films and I do enjoy Tennesse Williams' plays, particularly, A Streetcar Named Desire, so when Allen made a film inspired by said play I was very intrigued. The film is brilliant, the casting and story is just perfect. But overall, the film is incredibly depressing, Jasmine is a very disturbed character. Usually characters progress but none of the characters actually change, they learn no lesson.

2. We Need to Talk About Kevin

I don't think I need to explain why for this film, as anyone who has watched this can understand. A woman, so in love and happy with her husband has her world shattered by the arrival of her son. She knows theres something not quite right about him and so she never really bonds with him. She tortures herself thinking she's to blame for his action but some people are just born evil.

3. Requiem for a Dream

Another film that doesn't need explaining. I first bought this for 50p in a charity shop on VHS when I was in college. I did this a few times after classes before I started work at 4pm at the pharmacy. After my first viewing, I thought the film was ridiculously sad and brilliantly made, I saw it as a film about addiction. But after the second time on DVD, I vowed never again. It's a horrible presentation about drugs and how they ruin your life. But the characters who you get to know are just ruined by the end with no hope in sight. It's rather soul crushing.

4. Funny Games

This was a film I was reccomended to watch during my college days in Film Studies. Thinking back I cannot remember why I was told to watch this. The film is horrible. Director Michael Haneke even made a shot for shot adaptation. No one asked for it. Two young men terrorise a family staying at a cabin by a lake. It is revealed they have already done this to the neighbours and at the end they begin on the next house. There is no hope for anyone here and what makes it worse is the intruders break the fourth wall, addressing and looking at the camera.

5. Melancholia

The film is esstionally about the world potentially coming to end, that in itself is enough to not want to see the film again. I have a thing about the world ending, it freaks me out. There are two sisters as the leads, one of which is a manic depressive and she ruins her wedding day. Every unfolds slowly throughout the evening like slow moving tragedy. The second half is about the depressed sister accepting the end of the world and the other sister panicking, where as earlier she was normal and had everything in her life sorted.

Thursday Movie Picks: Movies about Music/Making Music/Musicians

 Now, the rules for this theme are quite strict. No Biopics or any focus on real life musicians. There are actually plenty of films that are about music or making music or about musicinas themselves.  Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

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British film about a a call centre worker who tries to start a band. Simple idea, bring together those who wish to make music. A guitarist who wants a record deal and falls in love with the bassist. It's a gentle story with added music.

Inside Llewyn Davis

I've been dying to pick a Coen Brothers film and this was a perfect fit. The latest of the brothers film inspired by the folk music scene in New York in 60s, they created the definition of a truggling artist who goes full circle. Singing soulfully to getting gigs, to causing drama, losing money, giving up to singing soulfully to causing drama and so on. Great music and the brilliant Oscar Issacs.

School of Rock

This had to be included at some point. Back in 2003, this was the film to watch when I was at school. Not only was the finale performance damn good but those kids was ace musicians. A deadbeat musician poses as a substitute teacher for money then use and trains the children to be his band so he can enter a battle of the bands contest. There nothing about the plot that I don't like.

Tragic Romance with Piano Music

Back in May, my friend and I became obsessed with Suite Francaise. We saw it a few times at the cinema and read the book the film was based on. Our obsessed started because the end was so abrupt and there was no conclusion for the two main characters. It was an unsatisfying end. I had hoped the book would help but it only made things worse. The author, Irina Nemirovskaya, had planned 5 parts to the story but only two were included in the book and the film focuses on the 2nd part of the story.

Thinking back to 2006, I saw The Painted Veil. This was a love story in reverse. A married couple fall in love only after they are married and living in a cholera striken remote town in China. Of course tragedy is on the horizon. I found the end so unbelievably depressing and thought about reading the book but I never did.

I had read about The Piano briefly but it wasn't high on my list of 'must see films'. A friend of mine suggested I see the film as Anna Paquin had won an Oscar at 11 years old for her role and she is a big fan of Panquin. The Piano is less tragic than the other two films but the saddness of all the characters involved builds up to breaking points, centering around a piano. 

What links all three films is a distinct piece of piano music in each film. Not to be misledaing, I mean separate pieces of music, unique to their own film. I hope I'm not confusing anyone. Another common thread is that all the stories are set in places slightly remote. The Piano is in New Zealand during the mid 19th Century, The Painted Veil is first set in London, then Shanghai and then in a remote village in China, Suite Francaise is in a small town in France.

Suite Francaise, is set in a town on the outskirts of Paris soon after the occupation of France. With many refrugees seeking a place to stay, the town is already over crowded when a German regiment arrives. Lucille lives with her overbearing mother-in-law when an officer is placed in their home. Lucille and Bruno grow closer after their share their love of piano. But with the war, the judging neighbours and Lucille's mother-in-law, there is no hope for these two be together, barley savouring a moment alone together. The piece of music that Bruno is writing, of which the film and book are named after, is echoed through the film. Bruno gives Lucille the finished music so that she can play it and as she said at the end, whenever she does play it, it will always bring her back to him.

Suite Francaise - by Alexandre Desplat

The Painted Veil is about spoilt Kitty who marries bacteriologist Walter to escape her family. While at his post in Shanghai, Kitty has an affair with a married man, a British Vice consul. She assumes that they will marry but she is naive. To punish her, Walter takes a post in a remote village which is experiencing a cholera outbreak. While in the village however, Kitty find a place at the orphanage playing the piano. Slowly Walter and Kitty fall in love again, only for tragedy to strike. The piano music that Kitty plays on the piano at home then in the orphanage echoes through the film is a similar way to Suite Francaise. In one particular scene she plays the music in a way to connect with Walter who remembers the first time he saw her and fell in love with her.The tragedy of it all is that they're just at that point where they can be happy but its taken away from them.

The Painted Veil - Gnossienne, the complete series, by Erik Satie

The Piano is about a mute, Ada, who is sold by her father to marry a frontiersman in New Zealand. All Ada cares about is her daughter who translates for her and her beloved piano. Problems in her new marriage start when her new husband sells the piano to a sailor named Baines who also requests lessons. Through these lessons that start off as a way for her gain her piano back turn into a love affair. The Piano is such a slow paced and at times difficult to watch. But the images of the piano left on the beach with the water curling up around it is beautiful. Combined with the music, the tragic element in the story turns to true romance.

The Piano - soundtrack by Michael Nyman

The Afternoon Movie: Harry and the Hendersons

I cannot recall exactly the first time I saw the 1987 film about a family who run over a sasquatch and decided to take him home, only for him to wreck revoke and cause a media stir, not to mention grabbing the attention of a hunter. It is now regarded as a classic in our family. We quote only a few moments, mostly famously the short scene where the hunter, Jacques LaFleur (David Suchet), has been arrested and is making a call on the phone. Another favourite involves George Henderson, (John Lithgow) stuttering his name when the news cameras turn their attention on him. But I'm getting ahead of myself, I know there are those out there who are yet to watch the wonder that is, Harry and the Hendersons.

Unlike my previous posts of The Afternoon Movie, Harry and the Hendersons is not animated and was made in the 80s but it is still most definitely an afternoon movie.

The Henderson family, while on their way back from a campiing trip hit something with their car. Thinking that the creature is dead and deducing that it must be the myth like animal, Bigfoot, believe it might be worth money and take it home with them. Back in the forest a hunter who was tracking Bigfoot finds the car's licence plates. In the Henderson house, the creature is very much alive. Chaos ensues. But after an awkward scene of removing all the dead animals, trophies lining the walls are removed, the family makes the creature settle in. They name him Harry. And once you name something theres no going back. Of course Harry does run away and the family try to find him and take him home after the media grabs hold of the story. Jacques LaFleur continues to track Harry and the Hendersons turn to a Bigfoot expert for help

There are bits in the film that I recall more than others, such as the knocked over fridge in the kitchen. The drawings that George does of Harry. Little Bob the family dog. Harry eating Sarah Henderson's prom flower. Harry knocking her over thinking its affectionate. The annoying nosey neighbour who is the mum from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The other neighbour, Kim Lee. Always getting hungry in the scene where the family throws a load of fast food burgers in the car to entice Harry. These little moments are just pitch perfect in memory.

When Harry starts to settle in and become a family member, he even starts to watch TV, laughing his head off. Hi choice of TV is excellent.

The story of how a sasquatch lives with a family and how they try to save him from being hunted first by the media then by that hunter, is odd, but its funny and bizarrely enjoyable. I think the fact that John Lithgow and David Suchet are in the same film is a massive draw for me personally. The film has some interesting observations, especially about traffic. Stick your head out of the window and make siren noises and this is guranteed to create a path through. The story is touching especially when George who has already admitted that Harry is like a friend, he pushes him away with anger as he knows that Harry is better off in the forest. This scene was also used to illustrate the point you have to be mean to keep someone safe, in an extremely funny episode of 30 Rock. This film has power.

Luckily this film is available everywhere. At one time you could only buy this now classic in US, DVD opened up for everyone and I have a sneaky suspicion that it was Netflix at one time. If you're in the mood to be amused and amazed, I'd suggest an afternoon in with Harry and the Hendersons.

Thursday Movie Picks: Secret Agents and Spies

 My first thought for this theme was 'YES!' but then I struggled for while thinking what I could pick so I went for random choices. I did really want to pick 'Burn After Reading' but that might be for a different sort of category altogether. I was also very tempted to include my latest obsession, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E' but I thought, save it for another day.

Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

OSS: Cairo Nest of Spies

After I saw The Artist, I sought out Michel Hazanavicius' previous films and to my delight his hit film and sequel were spoof spy stories set in the 1950's. Agent OSS 117 (Jean Dujardin) is sent to track down a missing agent who then literally stumbles upon international intrigue, that somehow involves everyone from the Soviets to some Nazis.A favourite scene invloves a light switch and chickens.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The film has it all really, spies, moles, secrets a great cast and its set in London. British agent, Smiley is charged with trying to find the Soviet double agent at the British Secret Service. I know Alec Guinness played Smiley first (one of my Dad's favourite TV shows) but I do love Oldman in this. It was good to see him with his British accent.

The 39 Steps

The book, the films, the TV adaptations and the play. My favourites are the Hitchcock film and the hilarious play, it's just pure brilliance. I should mention, I haven't read the book. A man ends up helping a secret agent only to have her killed in his home. From there he's on the run, climbing out of moving trains, scrambling around the Scottish moors and trying to uncover the secrets of a spy organisation while trying to stop them from getting important information. Pure Hitchcock all over.

Perception of Love

Usually all the new films I see in a month are included in the Watch List. Most of them. But I thought The Lobster deserved a stand alone post.

Having recently seen a film where it's not clear where it's set and it's confusing mixture of accents and location terrain, I was wary about The Lobster. But within a few minutes I accepted this universe. I accepted as if it was something that was real. For me, it was like watching one of my most personal grievances played out as one of the scenarios I thought how things would turn out.

In a world, dystopian future or not, where everyone has to have a partner or they are sent to the sinister 'The Hotel' where they have 45 days to find a partner or they are turned into an animal of their choice, seems extreme but it is played out in such a 'matter of fact ' way where everyone under dramatises their speech, emotions and their environment, everything fits perfectly in this amusing yet terrifying place.  

After his wife of 12 years leaves him for someone else, David (Colin Farrell) is sent away from The City to go The Hotel where he must find a partner in 45 days. Everything is so damn formal. All the men and women are issued the same clothes and forced into awkward seminars and odd interactions as well as being summoned by a siren to hunt 'loners' in the wood, earning extra days for everyone they successfully hit with a tranquilizer. Trying to find a partner in The City is difficult enough but trying to fall in love in this environment is near impossible so some resort to desparate measures.

After an unsuccessful match David had manipulated goes wrong, he escapes into the woods and joins The Loners. The rules of The Hotel are strict enough but The Loners are even more grim. One of the things each person has to do is dig their own grave, as no one will do this for them. Loners are not allowed to flirt or kiss each other and they can barely show affection towards one another. A some group is selected to go into The City every so often to collect supplies but then they must return to the woods. This is where David meets the Short Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz). They fall in love, showing their affection and I think flirting when they are in The City when they are paired as a decoy couple. One of the only times in the film where the barrier between real emotions and the world that is created is when the two lovers are listening to music in sync and slowly dancing. But, their fate is not a happy one. After the leader of The Loners finds the Short Sighted Woman's notebook from which the film has been narrated up until this point, she takes her anger out on the Short Sighted Woman and therefore crushing David's hope of happiness.

There only seem to be two choices in the society, find a partner to escape being an animal, even if you have to lie to them or be utterly alone with no affection or even emotion forever. Of course there is the third option, become an animal. In the woods, there are plenty of weird and wonderful animals wondering around minding their own business. Of course both groups are flawed and show little forgiveness for either. The would be couples desparately shoot down loners in the hope of extra days. The Loners blurt out uncomfortable truths shattering couples trust in one another.

If you were to delve deeper into this story, it is most definitely an unconventional love story but it is also a comment on how single people are viewed by couples and vice versa. Single people obviously have something wrong with them and couples are constantly lying to each other - apparently.

Another observation was on how couples are deemed worthy of being couples. The residents are obsessed with finding their perfect match. Each couple who make it through the 45 days, and their doesn't seem to be many of them, seem to share one thing in common and this defines them. The couple who like to ski. The couple are interested in science. The couple with nosebleeds. And so on. No one is defined by personality, interests and to be honest, not even by attraction. David is delighted to meet the Short Sighted Woman because of this small trait they share. David wears glasses for the same issue. This small detail doesn't ultimately matter but he clings to it. But when the Loner Leader punishes the Short Sighted Woman, that trait she shares with David is taken away. But their connection is more than this, its obvious. I think they both know it but they find it hard to continue, so they take drastic measures to share a new trait as they als believe that is their connection, forgetting of course that they are in love with one another.

What I learnt from The Lobster is that being single is a crime in the eyes of couples and that being in a couple you keep secrets. But this is not what is true in our society, right? It's a brilliant film upon reflection. My first reaction was mixed, being stumped by the end but then realising there was no other way for it to go. Then, thinking it over, reminding myself of the story and the locations, it was a great film. I have already said it but it is has some hilarious moments but the whole concept is terrifying.