Much can be said about the concept and implications of globalization. That it’s good for corporations, indifferent to local economies and cultures, rough on the working class. Here’s another: globalization inspires very bad art. Besides Jia Zhangke and Olivier Assayas, who understand commercial exchange as being inseparable from life, and see business as transforming but not necessarily...
Just back from Olivier Assayas' L'heure d'été:Tinged with a very French sentimentality with heart-breaking moments an interesting study of what use is art if it isn't experienced and part of everyday life. I even enjoyed the seeming vandalism of the film by the young people in the last scenes. I loved it but I think I was one of the few at the screening - or maybe I sat in the wrong part...
Film News: Film unit acquires Assayas pic -- IFC Films has acquired U.S. rights to the theatrical version of "Carlos," directed by Olivier Assayas ("Summer Hours").
Film News: IFC to acquire Assayas-directed film -- IFC Films has acquired U.S. rights to the theatrical version of "Carlos," directed by Olivier Assayas ("Summer Hours").
Le voyage du ballon rouge [ Flight of the Red Balloon ] – dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien [Edited together from previous entries] There are so many singular aspects of Flight of the Red Balloon , Hou Hsiao-hsien’s first film made outside of Asia, to marvel at that it's almost stupefying that the film encompasses them with such ease. Firstly, there's Mark Lee Pin Bing's cinematography, with is so ravishing...
The central figure of Hong Sang-soo's new film Night and Day, like most of the director's artist-type protagonists, is a pretentious buffoon. Intelligent only in his ability to co-opt other peoples' opinions, Korean painter Seong-nam (Kim Yeong-ho) has fled to Paris after getting ratted out over smoking marijuana with some friends. At night, he cries on the phone to his smart, loving wife about how...
Aardman Animation, the UK studio responsible for the "Wallace & Gromit" films and "Chicken Run" have announced a new movie in the works. But it won't be directed by Nick Park, Peter Lord or any of the other great animators employed by Aardman. Instead, children throughout Britain will collaborate on every aspect of the project, [...]
New York, I Love YouDir. Mira Nair, Brett Ratner, Natalie Portman, et. al. [Vivendi Entertainment; 2009]110 minutesGenre: “collective feature,” romanceOthers: Paris, Je T’AimeLinks: On the way home from a screening of New York, I Love You, I made my daily descent into New York’s subway and sat down on a bench to read a book while waiting for the train. Across the platform, I...
New York, I Love You Heart of Larkness Trailers & Mo | Official Website I love New York, and so do you. If we didn't, what kinda persons would we be? Maybe persons who are lamer than people who owned a LeCar ? Speaking of things French, I love Paris, and you do too! And if you didn't then obviously you've never been to the Musée d'Orsay . So many people loved Paris that they made a movie...
Most are two bit "arts film" nobodies, and most are from the french film industry as well, but there are a few big names that you'll recognize. I'll update with new names and/or links as time permits. Polanski petition signatories, as of September 29th : Fatih Akin Stephane Allagnon Woody Allen known pedophile, married his adopted daughter and was accused of molesting his 7 year old stepdaughter...
It’s sickening to witness liberal Hollywood elites defend Roman Polanski. Whoopie Golberg said it wasn’t “rape-rape.” What’s that supposed to mean? Drugging a thirteen year old girl and then raping and sodomizing her while she says “no” isn’t “rape-rape?” Where? In Whoopie’s mind? Follow the link for the video, I don’t even want...
Very good news here for those of us who fell in love with Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans at the Toronto International Film Festival. Cinetic Media's new FilmBuff VOD channel has announced a string of new acquisitions and the Herzog picture is among them. While the release date is not yet set - and will likely depend on the theatrical release - it is definitely coming and,...
The great city of Rome has provided a backdrop to some of the most famous moments in cinema history, from screen siren Anita Ekberg's famous dance in the Trevi Fountain in La Dolce Vita to Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn's...
(Doesn’t count cos I saw it on DVD). Perhaps I wasn’t clear at the start of this little project, but the list of favourite films from last year were films I saw in the cinema. This is not a problem because I tend to see over 100 films in the cinema a year, and so rarely [...]