Zander’s Weblog

Il Conformista (1970, Bernardo Bertolucci) was beautifully shot and edited, very edgy for its time, and a bit difficult to follow. The director’s interview on the DVD was very helpful in sorting things out. A masterpiece, especially considering that Bernardo was 29 at the time!

Les quatre cents coups (1959), was François Truffaut’s first feature film. A touching portrait of the extent to which children are necessarily victims of their parents’ defects.

Well done and satisfying. George Clooney always has a commanding presence, and the story is laid out with minimal fuss or obfuscation, so you don’t have to work too hard to stay on this horse. Steak and potatoes.

Stunning. Loved it. The production design was killer! The portrayal of paranoid hallucinosis was worthy of William Burroughs Naked Lunch, and the film’s texture of Blade Runner.

An IMAX short film (37 min) about flying that was supposed to “blow you away” according to the promo materials. The unnecessary “plot”, cheese-ball characters, and I-just-learned-my-lines-five-minutes-ago acting made it unwatchable.

Kelsey Keel, as Tiger Ann Parker, deservedly won an Emmy for her performance in this Showtime film (2001–TV). Her sometimes sidekick, Jesse Wade Thompson, was competently played by a 12 year-old Michael Cera. Both lay on a nice Louisiana accent. Very sweet, well filmed and well acted–hints at To Kill a Mockingbird but without the dark side.

What a mess! Seems like the script was written by the marketing department: add one part 12 year-old boys inexplicably inhabiting 30 year-old bodies, one part beautiful women acting as if these boy/men were somehow typical/normal, throw in a heart warming childbirth scene to lock in the female viewership, and “poof”–Hollywood success. Yecht.

Another film by Louis Malle and set in the south of France in 1944. Beautifully filmed with gorgeous locations and an equally pretty lead (Pierre Blaise), but slowly paced and “atmospheric”–the characters never say quite enough to reveal who they are or what their motivations might be and I struggled to like any of them. The lead is a villian, but as the father of the girl he is banging put it, “It is strange. I cannot seem to bring myself to despise you completely.”

I picked up this film in a NetFlix sweep of director Louis Malle’s films. Although for the 40 minutes or so I gave it I could appreciate its quality, I ultimately blew out. When the psychology of the plot doesn’t ring true for me I tend to lose interest quickly–and this film’s psychology was worthy of Jerry Springer. I could not bring myself to comprehend why any of the main characters would ever ever associate with those with whom they were involved. Sorry, Louis.

Currently at the ACT Theatre, The Women is Clare Boothe Luce’s 1930’s comedy that plays equally well straight as in drag, a rare achievement. This straight production is superb, and I’m not just saying that because my friend Ed made lots of the amazing dresses (over 100 costume changes in this show!), and my friend Julie Briskman, whom I’ve known since ASU days in Tempe, was one of the leads (Sylvia Fowler). Rumor has it the show will be held over until New Year’s.