FOOSBALL (2013) New York International Children's Film Festival 2014

A huge hit in Argentina, this should, with the right voice cast, be a huge hit in the US as well.

FOOSBALL tells the story of a town threatened by one of their own, a soccer star who want to avenge his only loss at anything, namely a game of foosball. It all happened when he was a kid but he can't stand not being perfect.  He buys the town and plans to destroy it. Its up to the guy who beat him and the tiny soccer players from the foosball table who have come to life to stop the destruction and save the town.

Wickedly funny in all the right ways, this film works because the script is so damn good. Okay yes the visuals are amazing (I want to see this in 3D), but at the same time the script has great plotting, funny lines, and a huge cast of characters all of who stand out. Its very rare to see this many rounded characters in any film, never mind an animated one. You care for every one of the good guys and hate the bad ones.

Best of all the script doesn't talk down to the audience, it plays it straight with the result that when the big showdown came both the adults and the kids were cheering loudly.

A must see on either March 15 or 29

Lets hope this gets a US release- especially in 3D. One of the finds if not one of the best films of the year.

Catherine Deneuve talks ON MY WAY

Chocko has posted the talk with Catherine Deneuve that followed ON MY WAY Saturday night at IFC.
If you think she's beautiful on film, that's nothing compared to her in person.

Night Cap 3/9/14- The Joy of Shorts

Bully enjoying some sun and his shorts

Shorts are much maligned and largely unloved.

Lets face it short of an online promotional video most people don’t watch short films. I mean how many of you actually watch shorts with any regularity? Almost none of you do. Its okay to admit it I’m not going to beat you up for it.

The thing is shorts are vital. Without shorts many a feature filmmaker would never have gotten green lit to make the big film. Also many feature films started as shorts.

When shorts are good they are better than most feature films. Last year my best of the year list was full of them.

And yet most people don’t watch them. Not only don’t most people not watch them the media doesn’t cover them. How often do you see reviews of short films? Outside of Unseen you really don’t. I mean do you really think that any of the major outlets will give any sort of real coverage to the shorts at say Tribeca? It’s not going to happen.

I’m sure the decision is going to be that no one sees them so why report on them, but the other problem is most writers don’t want to write on them. Why should I spend an hour writing up a six minute film? More damaging is how do you write about something as delicate as a short film when the brevity of the telling requires great tact and skill since you don’t want to ruin the film and in some cases literally give it all away?

Not to toot our own horn again, we at Unseen do cover shorts. I spent all day today watching 3 of the short film collections at the New York International Children’s Film Festival. I gave coverage of a good number the shorts at DOC NYC last year (and got a lot of thanks yous from the filmmakers as a result). I got to see Jerimiah Kipp’s killer The Day God Slept last year (and yes I know I know I promised to do an interview with him, but life keeps pulling me away from doing the prep work for it).

Personally I like the challenge of trying to do a large article on something so small. Writing on short films requires a great deal of thought. You can’t attack them in the usual way because of the dangers of giving it all away.

The funny thing is that over the last six months some of our highest read posts are the ones covering short films. Rose McGowan’s Dawn got a lot of hits. The Mostly wonderful Rat Pack Rat not only got tons of hits but sparked several great conversations. Post from DOC NYC were among our most read of the festival. People clearly want to hear about good shorts.

I did a quick unscientific study in my office and I found two things-

The first is that most peoples aversion to shorts is not a version to the form, rather it’s a fear of seeing something bad. What if its a bad film? How can I tell if something is good if I can’t find anything out about it?

The other thing I found is that most people only think of short films as cartoons, if its not animated it confuses them. When I pointed out that the Three Stooges and the Little Rascals were shorts I had a couple of people correct me to say no they were TV shows.

We at Unseen are going to continue to try and get word out on worthwhile shorts. Not only will we be wading into the shorts at festivals like Tribeca but we’re going to ramp up out coverage of shorts. I’ve just signed up for a film festival service that has some great films I have to tell you about. been stock piling shorts from You Tube and elsewhere so in a couple of weeks, after NYICFF and New Directors I’m going to a run what will be the first of what I hope will be many weeks of nothing but shorts.

You have to believe me when I say good things come in small packages- and if you hang in there we at Unseen are going to prove it to you.

(and yes if you have a short or even a feature- you want Unseen to take a look at feel free to contact us.)

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A couple of quick reports on up-coming festival coverage

This week will have reports from this past weekend’s New York International Children’s Film Festival. This was the heaviest weekend for me (I was there every day) so there will be lots of reports. Reports will continue through the month as I’m going each weekend.

Tomorrow will have our first review from SXSW. I’m still trying to get more films into the cue and reports from the ground but my emails are not being returned so I don’t know where we stand.

Rendezvous with French Cinema continues this week and there is plenty of good things going on. I’m hoping that I can slip in a few more reviews.

I’ve been hip deep in films for the New Directors New Films series at MoMA and Lincoln Center. Look for at least twelve new reviews- maybe more. I do want to say that the festival is really all over the place this year with the films falling into some of the best I’ve seen and some of the worst.- and in one case a film is both at the same time. I’ve got more tickets for public screenings so I’m still hopeful I’ll be seeing more great stuff.

The Treefort Film Festival is 10 days away and I’m hoping to get you more coverage- I’ve got a film or two in the cue and I hope to get more reviews up.

Also look for the things to shift to all Tribeca all the time. They’ve started announcing titles and I’m starting to salivate. Yes I’m going, I’m just waiting for word from my compatriots at Unseen to see if they are going to the dance so so look for tons of reviews.
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And now we conclude with som links ala Randi-

When films fall into public domain
A reference needed to appreciate True Detective
Best films never made
Frank Darabont commentary
Muppets break the fourth wall
The Oral History of Ghostbusters
Why you can't recreate a film shot by shot
100 foot tall Pixar
Over a century and a half later the New York Times corrects itself
Watching Gravity while listening to Darkside of the Moon. (thank you John)

NYICFF Day 3- Lots of shorts

This is just quick word on the short film collections at NYICFF that I saw today. Reviews are coming of everything, but since there are about 40 shorts it's going to take a while (look for the reviews Wednesday Thursday and Friday)

HEEBIE JEEBIES is a very mixed.  Some of the films are just okay. the Oscar nominated Feral vexes me as to why it was nominated. On the other hand Cornea freaked the kids out big time with several kids talking about now having nightmares. The double twist of Bird Food was welcome. Slight of Hand was also really cool.

SHORTS ONE is the most consistent of the collections I saw.There isn'rt a bad one in the bunch with a couple of classics included. The Town Called Panic Christmas Log is just bent, damn funny, but really bent.

SHORTS  TWO has the Oscar winner Mr Hublot and I can't for the life of me think why it won. Outside of the look its not very good. Lots to discuss about the films when I do full write ups but the shorts Unlocking the Truth and Dam Keeper are near the top of the best films I've seen of any length in 2014.

The collections are getting lots of play and worth the effort to go.

ON MY WAY (2013) Rendez-vous with French Cinema 2014

Catherine Deneuve charms the pants off the IFC Center

Chocko had a spare ticket to see ON MY WAY with star Catherine Deneuve in attendance last night. Talk about not being worthy, she is a amazing in person, and no matter how beautiful you think she is on screen she's even more so in person.

The film is the story of Deneuve's character who ends up on a road trip. Her resturant is in trouble, her mother is annoying her and notlong after the film starts she finds out  that her lover has left his wife for a much younger woman that he knocked up. In a fit of panic she heads off on a short drive to clear her head, it then turns into a quest to find smokes, and through a long roundabout  way, reconnect with her daughter and grandson.

Atypical rambling road film is frequently funny, occasionally touching  and never what you expect.Its a film that acts like we do in life and just rambles across the screen. Its both difficult for that reason and really wonderful since it doesn't do what we expect.

I would love to recount all of the things that happen along the way, but I want you to see the film and I don't want to spoil any of the sights. In this film the pleasure is really in the travel and not the destination, which is wonderful. Besides I don't want to pick one or two to tell you about when so many are charming.

After the film Denuve spoke for about 15 minutes. I'm not going to go into that because Chocko recorded it and as soon as he uploads it I'll put up a link.

On My Way opens in theaters Friday- Go see it.

NYICFF Day Two and Catherine Deneuve in brief

This is a quick word on today in the dark.

I saw three films at the New York International Children's Film Festival and On My Way at Rendez-vous with French Cinema reviews of all of them are coming but the short verison goes as follows:

Eric Beckman introduces Boy and the World

FOOSBALL is wonderful. Its one of the best "mainstream" sort of animated films in years, except its from Argentina. If they can get this released in the US it will be a HUGE hit.  you must get tickets for when this plays March 15th or 29th because its that good.

BOY AND THE WORLD is intellectually one of the best films of the year. Its a film whose course isn't obvious until the end...but it's an end that will mean something different to kids than adults. Bittersweet doesn't begin to do it justice. Emotionally I fell asleep twice. Kudos for the festival for daring parents to take their kids to something this challenging.

HOUSE OF MAGIC is a 3D thrill ride that must be seen in 3D. While the story about a magician who's nephew wants his house is good,the visuals are the joy since the film was deigned with a big OH WOW factor, It had the kids in the audience talking back because they were so invested. Let hope this gets a wide US release

Eric Beckman tosses a shirt at SVA

ON MY WAY is a wild road film with Catherine Deneuve. The film opens Friday and is an absolute joy. A review goes up tomorrow and the Q&A will be posted when Chocko uploads it.

Chocko records Catherine Denueve

Opening Night New York International Children's Film Festival AMAZONIA in 3D and SNOWFLAKE

Last night was the opening night of spring, er the New York International Children's Film Festival. That comment about spring is apt because over  the course of the four week festival New York goes from too damn cold to green and spring like.

I  was bouncing all day at work because while the opening night film can be a mixed affair with some films just being okay-Monster in Paris or Mars Needs Moms (in retrospect) it does mean spring to me. I wanted to be nowhere else other than the Directors Guild all day.Hell I went into work extra early just so I could get there early enough to get a prime seat.

Outside the Directors Guild things were a tad dicey since there is sidewalk construction going on, with the result that we were let into the theater much earlier than usual.

I have to say that in the lobby and in the theater the staff was, as always top notch and wonderful. How they put up with all of us crazies I'll never know.

Tonight was unique as far as the festival goes, I wanted to cold cock several of the people around me. First and foremost was the obnoxious kid behind me who first spent the time before the film bitching about subtitled films, and then when the movie started providing a running commentary on what all the animals were and their habits.It was in its way incredibly sad since the kid's tone was one of a show off and one upsmanship since he was clearly trying to one up the people who were with him (and were also commenting- despite being shushed). The kid needed a beating.

Also needing a beating were the bathroom runners. The  row in front of me seemed to be going every ten or 15 minutes.COme on it's an 80 minute movie can't you hold it? I'm kind of more forgiving of the lady and her daughter a couple down next to me since they only went once, but announced that they were trying to get by by stepping on you with a semi-loud "toilet".

Enough bitching about the people-

The moment Eric Beckman steps on stage suddenly the world is made right. Its suddenly spring again. This year his welcome was filled with references to past years, the introduction of the jury and assorted thank yous. He sequed right into the t-shirt toss and it was clear that he's had Tommy John surgery since the shirts went farther and faster than in past years.

Before the feature  they showed SNOWFLAKE a Russian short about an African boy who gets a paper snow flake in the mail. He puts it under his pillow and when he wakes up the plains where he lives is covered in snow.

Its a sweet charming film that's worth tracking down (Hey its playing in Shorts for Tots). Here's a clip from the film. It takes place after our hero goes out into the snow covered world and rounds up some freezing animals.


The feature was AMAZONIA.

I'm giving up ever seeing nature films at NYICFF. The Chimpanzee one from a couple years back was okay,  but this was dull.

Not a documentary but a narrative assembled from footage shot during time with the animals in preserves the film tells the story of a monkey in a a cage that survives a plane crash and ends up in the Amazon jungle. He travels down the river until he meets some other monkeys, he finds a girl friend and stays despite finding a way back to civilization.

The film dies early on when  a CGI plane does a half-assed crash into the jungle. I don't think its ever clear what happened to the pilot,  but its possible he walked off since the crash was so inconsequential, despite crashing through trees that anything is possible.

Showing all  the problems of a film assembled by shooting enough film of animals doing things to form a story, much of the film has the monkey just drifting down the river or running through the trees reacting to the animals around him. There is never any sense of danger to any of it, other than his battles with the alpha male of the monkeys. Unfortunately its clear that the film has been assembled from separate shots and not the events depicted. Most times prey and hunter, or even the animals that the monkey is reacting to never appear together. Or else shots are wildly mismatched, for example a sequence that has two sloths swimming involves under water shots of a single sloth  swimming, while the out of the water shots show two.

To be honest the film just sort of goes on showing animals and then the monkey reacts and more animals, then more reaction and so on... there is barely a story.

As for the 3D why did they bother? Many shots are not 3D, and some sequences are comprised of shots that seem to alternate between 2 and 3D.  To be honest outside of the mushroom trip sequence the 3D is a non-factor. This maybe the worst use of 3D I've ever seen in 30 years of watching 3D films. Yes some shots and the mushroom sequence are amazing, but mostly its a bust.

After  the film the director held a Q&A but after a couple of questions I left, I just didn't care.

Outside in the lobby I spoke with a couple of of the staff about the upcoming films. I'm especially high on Boy and the World which everyone seemed to love.

I then headed home.

I have three films at the festival plus one at Rendez-vous with French Cinema tomorrow and three shorts programs Sunday so expect reviews and write ups through next weekend- and the rest of the month.
And now its time for bed.

Again The Ringer (1965)

In the original German version of the film Klaus Kinski literally begins the film rising up out of a coffin (see below). Its a ghoulish little treat that sets the whole mood for what follows.

A rare sequel with in the German Wallace series, this film picks up where The Ringer (The Mysterious Magician in it's US release)  left off. The film is set in motion when a series of murders are committed and blamed on The Ringer.He of course had nothing to do with it and get more than a little annoyed at being blamed. He then returns to England in order to exact revenge on those who framed him.

A solid entry in the series the film balances the comedy and mystery that were the typical mix of the series with a great deal of success.  While not completely mysterious, the Ringer was revealed in the previous film, things move along at a good clip and hold your interest all the way to the end.

Definitely worth tracking down.

Kinski rises from the dead in the opening cut from most prints

Strange Countess (1961)

Containing one of Klaus Kinski's meatier roles in an Edgar Wallace adaption, The Strange Countess, tells the story of a young woman who works for a well respected law firm. She gets the job to work for a socially prominent Countess as her personal secretary. However just as she gets the job a strange man (Kinski) begins to call her to say that he time was running out. Kinski then makes several attempts to kill her.  What then transpires is weird tale that has connections back to events twenty years earlier when a poisoner was sent to prison.

One of the more complex films in the German Wallace series, this is one where you can kind of un ravel who done it via a lucky guess, but you'll never get everything that's going on until its revealed simply because they keep tossing twists and turns at you.

I like that the film has very little of the tongue in cheek humor that would come to dominate the series in later entries. Yes, the Countess's son is a bit loopy but he doesn't take the fore front and the mystery and suspense is allowed to take it's rightful place front and center.

While in many ways this is one of the best mysteries of the series I'm not sure I would say its one of my favorites. The film is almost impossibly busy with the plot forever driving forward with new twists. The film never takes a break, and while it does keep you watching you're never given time to reflect.

Still as Wallace films go,any one that keeps the focus on the mystery is a must see in my book.

A few words on the sources that I use to track down the movies I'm looking for

In the sidebar is listing for sources which is a listing of the places where I find a good number of the films I see. These are a listing of some of the places outside of the mainstream (Amazon, DVD Empire, Warner Archive, You Tube, Netflix) where I’ll search for films. While I’ve been trying to keep the listing up to date some of my favorite places in the original article on sources are now long gone and off the list, I haven’t updated the piece where I say some words about the various sources. To keep things up to date I’m going to update my thoughts tonight.

Sinister Cinema is the granddaddy of all of the places on the list. I’ve been using them pretty much since they started and I can’t recommend them enough. Specializing in B genre movies (horror, science fiction, westerns, Forgotten Horror, Mystery..) they have the best films in the best prints. They are so good that several of their competitors have taken their prints and called them their own (bastards). They have been so instrumental in my film education (I own probably 70% of their output not including westerns) that if they were a college I’d have a doctorate. They are amazing and Gregg Luce who runs it is a fantastic guy. If you’re looking for films from the 30’s 40’s 50’s 60’s or 70’s this is the place to start looking. Big tip- they run several killer sales every year including their legendary $98 dollar special with 10 or so films for $98 bucks plus shipping. Do yourself a favor and get on their mailing lists and then gorge yourself on wondrous things.

Diabolik is a wonderful source for films from around the world. The films they carry run the gamut from old films to new films. Tending toward exploitation and genre films they are the place that I’ll go to first when I’m looking for a film from overseas that I want to track down. The fact that they carry films from around the world does mean that many of their films are region coded, so if your DVD or Blu-ray players aren’t region free you have to remember to pay extra attention to make sure that you get the right region disc. I have to add that I have had several occasions to have long email conversations with the guys at Diabolik and all I can say is I wish they lived closer so I could hang with them.

All Clues No Solutions  is Michael Little’s wonderful collection of films from around the world. I discovered him sometime last year and I’ve blown a huge wad of cash on getting a large number of films, most of which I haven’t looked at yet. His selections run from silent horror and mystery to off the charts Japanese films to obscure TV shows to Russian art films to I don’t know what else. I love All Clues greatly and to be quite honest its now one of my most favorite places to get movies from. I suspect my love comes from Michael’s ability to pick out great films and his truly eclectic loves which mirrors my own. Do yourself a huge favor and go to the website and go through his catalog. I dare you not to find anything that doesn’t make you go I must own that.

Jpdorama- is a recent addition to the side bar. Specializing in films and TV series from Japan they are a wonderful source of inexpensive versions of films that would cost an arm and leg if you got them from Japan. While you will have to keep an eye out for what is in English, a large proportion of their DVDs do not have English subtitles, they still manage to give you access to a world of titles you might never otherwise encounter. Two pieces of advice, first their stock cycles through and what they may have today may change down the road so if you see something you want pick it up since they don’t always get restocks. Secondly get on their mailing list since they will send you frequent updates to their stock and coupons so you can get even more off.

Asian Cult Cinema is what’s left after Asian Cult Cinema the magazine folded. They are a good source for not only Asian films but also European exploitation films as well. Their films tend toward action, sex and horror

R&B is the company of a great guy named Brendon. Brendon is a great source of classic films that no one else has. I have no idea where he gets some of things he does, but he manages to get all sorts of things that have been hidden away in vaults. I’m going to be honest and tell you up front that what he lists on his website is only a small part of what he actually carries. He’s got tons of stuff not listed and I have on numerous occasions emailed him because I haven’t been able to find something somewhere. I should also point out that I tend not to use the website and instead I pick up films when I see him when I can get to the monthly nostalgia show that he runs in New York City.

Yes Asia is the reliable source for all sorts of goodies from Asia. This is the place to get official DVDs from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and everywhere else in Asia. It’s also a great place to get books, fashion, CDs and other goodies. This is the place that I use to feed my love of really cool DVD box sets having picked up some great editions of films that were dull releases here in the US (my Pan’s Labyrinth box in the shape of a book is way cool). The selections are endless, and the choices of editions are bountiful. My only complaint is that unless you pay extra for rapid shipping it can take a while to get your order.

Oldies.com/Alpha Video is a regular go to for me. Oldies itself is a great source of cheap DVD’s and Blu-rays, the Alpha video portion leaves me slightly conflicted. Oldies.com specializes in selling movies and music at a greatly reduced amount. They have tons of stuff that’s out print or just not available. When I’m looking for something I always check them to see if they have a cheaper copy.

Their Alpha Video subdivision specializes in public domain films at a very affordable price (They run a deal of 5 for 25). They have also shifted from DVDs to DVD-R’s. I love the selection of films and the affordable prices they charge. The one drawback to Alpha’s product is that some of their prints aren’t the best (and there had been some charges from other companies that they had been taking some public domain prints as their own). Still their prices frequently can't be beat-but you have to be aware of what you're getting.

The Indian Scarf (1963)

I must announce that food will be rationed, particularly mustard which is in short supply.- The butler after the power goes out in a great storm

Well done, if slightly tongue in cheek, murder mystery from the German Wallace crime series. This time out the patriarch of a family is killed with the titled scarf. When the family gathers for the reading of the will they are told that they must live together for 6 days in "peace and tranquility" at which time the final will be read. At this point a storm comes and knocks out the lights and phone.  Its not long before the various family member start dropping like flies.

While there is a sameness to many of the Edgar Wallace films, occasionally the series could spice things up with just the right amount of knowing humor. This time out the humor is nicely modulated and it keeps you watching even as the story goes down well worn paths (how many films with similar plots can you name). It also doesn't help that the series has a stock cast of actors who keep  showing up in many of the films (how many of these films have Klaus Kinski in them?).  I suppose you could inter-cut many of the films without anyone ever knowing.

The one thing that stands out in the film is the final 15 minutes when we find out who is doing what. There is a level of insanity that it kind of rare for the series with a twist into ugly violence as the murder meets their end in a nasty way. While the reading of the will is amusing, it also kind of disappoints even as it speaks volumes about being self aware.

I like this film a great deal. While nothing earth shattering its familiarity is some how comforting. If you like your black and while mysteries with just a touch of knowing humor this film is worth a look see.

Treefort Film Festival Recommendations

The Treefort Film Festival is only a couple of weeks away and despite some arm twisting on my part I am not going to be able to get some on the ground coverage for the festival. Those of us based on the East coast can manage it due to conflicts and the people I’ve contacted on the West Coast are equally booked up.

However even though we at Unseen can’t go that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an effort especially if you’re in the area. How do I know you should go? Because we’ve seen several of the films previously and we know the films they are picked are very good.

I have yet to write up LENNY COOKE, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth seeing, it just means that I’ve been distracted (actually it means I’ve not seen it from start to finish). The story of Lenny Cooke who was picked to be one of the greatest basketball players ever, he found his Basketball career going sideways thanks to some choices that left him unable to play in his senior year in high school and undrafted by the NBA . This is a great film about what happens when things remain just outside of our reach.

I saw DOOMSDAYS as part of last year’s Fantasia Film Festival. I laughed my ass off. This is a funny funny comedy about a pair of guys breaking into homes in the Catskills. Don’t ask me more than that because outside of remembering laughing a great deal during the film I don’t remember much. To some that may mean a bad comedy, to mean that means a good comedy since several of my favorite films are like that- I have no idea what the details are, all I know is I really like the film.

MISSING PICTURE was an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, which is a tad confusing since the film is a documentary, but then again the Academy makes no sense most days. The film is the story of the directors life after the Kamher Rogue took over Cambodia which is reconstructed via dioramas and some footage of the time. The title refers to the Khmaher destruction of the past via destruction of photographs and such. When I saw the film at last year’s New York Film festival I was rapturous during the first hour of the film which was a deeply moving recounting of what happened. The final Half hour my love of the film lessened as the film seemed to lose its way. That doesn’t mean that it’s a bad film, only that what was close to being one of the best of the year became one of the really good films of the year.

BENDING STEEL is one of the best films of 2013 and an absolute must see. Here’s my review. Here’s Mondocurry’s review. You have to see this film, all the more since the subject of the film Chris Schoeck is going to be there and doing a bending demonstration. Trust me you want to see what he can do, and you want to talk to Chris who is a gentleman and a scholar and one of the finest people you’ll meet. Anyone I know who has some steel bent by Chris treasures it highly. I treasure the fact that we have this glorious examination of what you can achieve if you follow your dreams.

I know that’s only four films but seeing any combination of them will make the trip to Boise worth your time. Trust me, go see some films, and if you make to the fest go see some live music too, you’ll thank me.

And expect a few more reviews,I think I can manage to get a few more films reviewed before the festival hits.

For details on the festival and tickets go here.

The Case of the Frightened Lady (1940)

Strange goings on around the Lebanon family manor house have Isla Crane in a tizzy. The family she works for all seem to be hinding secrets. Lady Lebanon seems to be up to something, her son the Lord is being pressured to marry Isla, the footman are acting strange, and there is some sort of weirdness with the family doctor having to do with India. Additionally the architect brought in to fix the estate has eyes for Isla and then there is the problem of the dead body found after a masquerade party.

Twisty turny mystery story based on an Edgar Wallace play moves like the wind.  The film deftly juggles numerous story lines so that it keeps one watching even as things get a little too obtuse- there is so much going on that you kind of have to throw up your hands and just go with it...which is kind of par for the course for Edgar Wallace's work which frequently seems gets impossibly knotted. In the Wallace stories I've read the plots were more like amusement park thrill rides that spin you all about before depositing you somewhere safe. I don't think I've ever worked out who did it in one of his stories for any reason other than dumb luck.

The film gets bonus points for not being overly stuffy or static which is something that many British films of the period could be. If I didn't know this was produced in England I'd have sworn it was from Hollywood.

If you like black and white mysteries this is one to track down.

Zatoichi The Last (2010)

Latest stab at reinventing  the Zatoichi story is a good looking film that kind of misses the point of it all.  Add it the long list of recent films that in rethinking a classic character completely missed what made it work. Of all the Zatoichi inspired films this is the one that I would be happy never to see again and forget ever existed,

The plot of the film has Ichi returning home heart broken after his wife was killed by the son of a yakuza. Hoping to put all the violence behind him and lead a normal life Ichi tries his hand as a fisherman. However the local yakuza is looking to squeeze the peasants so it's up to Ichi to once more take up the cane sword to protect them.

A good looking film, with some great music and some good fights, the film is missing the point when it comes to everything else. I could go on about the dullness of the plot (its a variation on several Zatoichi films and lifts bits from Shintaro Katsu's final film) and the pacing which pushes the film to an unwieldy and stupefying 130 minutes. Instead I'd just like to go on about how wrong they got the character of Ichi.

 Ichi is pretty much a broken man when the film begins and by the time his wife is killed a couple minutes into the film he completely unravels. Why was he so broken to begin with? We don't know. While Shingo Katori gets some of the twichiness of what we think a blind man should have right, the problem is it's radically different than a man we think should be a swordsman. How could he fight so when the whole world makes him wince. He almost seems incapable of getting around.

Feared swordsman? I think not.

Actually the real question is with all the damage he takes in this film, how the hell did he not end up dead sooner? Seriously? He's cut and shot and stabbed and beaten so many times that he shouldn't be a feared swordsman he should be dead.

All humor has been drained out of the character. Yea I know the film isn't about happy stuff, but before this there was always a humor and a humanity under lying everything. The humor is gone, the humanity has been twisted to provoke sadness. This Ichi is so different as to almost be an abomination to connect it to every film that went before.

Actually what this reminds me of is all of those embarrassing restarts that fill modern popular culture. You know things like the Roland Emmerich remake of Godzilla, Sylvester Stallone's Judge Dredd , orJonah Hex. This is one of those films that needs to be forgotten and dumped into the dust bin of time.

I hate this film, and while I would be happy that the end of the film assures that there can't be a direct sequel, I hate that the film may have put the kibosh on the character reappearing any time soon.

The worst Zatoichi film ever.

Love is the Perfect Crime (2013) Rendez-vous With French Cinema 2014

Messy film noir/psychological thriller/black comedy/romance/wtf film concerns Marc. He's a college professor who is a hit with the ladies, he has a hard time remembering anyone’s name. Living with his sister in a chalet in the mountains he teaches writing a college where the administration doesn’t much care for him. His boss keeps him around because he’s hot for Marc’s sister. Things begin to go sideways when one of his students goes missing (we later find out that this was the student he had been sleeping with at the beginning of the film.) If the missing student wasn’t bad enough, the girls bombshell mother is wandering around making eyes at him, another student wants “private lessons” and there is something about the relationship with his sister that’s not quite right.

There is much to like about Love is the Perfect Crime from the great cast who sells all their roles, to the gorgeous scenery and the wonderful sense of place, to the witty script that manages to mix uneasy humor (Marc’s blank stares at some of the women he’s bedded and whose names he can’t remember) with some genuine tension (What has Marc gotten himself into). For most of the films running time the film is a really good thriller cum (very dry)comedy of manners. It frequently cause me to crack a smile at the humor of the awkward situation as I winced as our hero gets deeper into trouble.

Unfortunately the film kind of loses its way in the final third or so as the film has to resolve everything it’s set in motion and finds it can’t do so without some twists that seem really contrived. The feeling I got was either the filmmakers painted themselves into a corner or that something was lost in the editing- like the exposition that would make things run smoothly. It’s one of those times where I get the feeling that the ending and a resolution was an afterthought.

I don’t hate the film but at the same time I wish it had a better ending.

The FIlm Plays Friday (which I think is sold out) and Monday at Lincoln Center. Details on this film and others in the series can be found here.

A quick note- We were supposed to provide coverage for around 10 of the films in this series and there was supposed to be reviews running into next week. However life, or in my case a really bad case of the flu happened and the 10 films looks to be around 4. I'm trying to scramble and get you some more coverage, but we're limited by what we can manage with the public screenings. More is coming- just please be patient.

Chariots of Fire, changing tastes and deciding what is good

Recently I found myself watching Chariots of Fire again. I know it’s not fashionable, but I do like the movie. What I mean by not being fashionable it’s kind of looked down upon as one of the years when Oscar got it wrong and now looking back 30 year it's felt Reds should have won. (Then again Reds is kind of forgotten and most people just remember Raiders of the Lost Ark)

Of course as with most things if we knew what the right choice would be several years or decades later we probably would choose differently – just think about any of your ex-girlfriends or boyfriends.. A large part of this is the result of changing times, how films get copied ripped off or made fun of. How perception of a moment in time changes as history does (Cold War films anyone?)

Actually the fickle finger of fashion shifts around especially when it comes to popular culture so that films can be hailed great then crap then great again all over a period of a couple of years. All you need is the right person to say something to get the ball rolling and people will go along with what ever the supposed person says is right.

I think a great deal of the dislike of Chariots is that the music and the running sequence which bookend the film have been the source of much merriment. The sequence has been made fun of to death, and past that to the point that people now think the jokes are the film. I also think the film is one of the British wave that filled Hollywood with films and filmmakers through the late 70’s and early 80’s. You may not realize it but there was a period where anything English was deemed instantly better than if it was from Hollywood. Once the wave crested anything that was in it was discarded or at least diminished.

To be honest Chariots of Fire vexes me. It’s a good film, extremely well done on every level. I enjoy it every time I’ve seen it, which, thanks to cable is close to two million times (actually I think Peter Gutierrez and I worked it out to be about 150 times). The trouble is I don’t know what the point of the film is. I mean why are we being told this story? I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong it’s a good story with great characters but why are we getting the story of both runners? Is it just because both men ran in Paris? I could see the story of Ben Cross's Abrahams, but not both. I’ve never heard it adequately explained even going back to the film’s original release.

Seeing the film I started to ponder what are considered great films. For those of us at Unseen this is an important question since the site’s primary purpose is to highlight films that not being thought of as worth seeing. Many times the films we recommend run counter to what people say are great or even good. Who should we listen to when deciding what to see and what might be good? Should we ever consider what the critics and the awards say is good or should we just go with gut reaction?

I would argue our own gut reaction. What you think is more important what I think, or what anyone else thinks. Yes, you can use what we say as a guide but at the same time if you see something on TV or the shelf that looks interesting go for it and forget what anyone says about it. If something looks good you have just a good a shot at it being good. What I or any other film writer says is good doesn't mean anything other than that one person liked it.

A couple of things you need to remember when looking at the Best of awards or lists. If the award or list was made by any sort of group of people its highly suspect. The winners are likely not the best of the year but the best that the majority of the group can come up with.  I say this after talking to someone from one of the New York Critic’s associations last year who said that the group choice was more often than not the best that they could come up with under the rules of the association. Best of the year? No best of the choices given that they can agree on. I would bet, that if you asked the all of members of the deciding body what their favorite best film was it would be different than what was picked.

As for awards- say the Oscars- the voting is based on any number of factors that has to do purely with things other than quality. Sure sometimes they get it right, but I think sometimes the reasons have to do with more than straight quality- like Sandra Bullock is my friend.

Recently there was a call to re-evaluate the films we consider classic. I don’t remember who it was, but they had just seen The Searchers and were shocked that it wasn’t the classic they had been told. They had all sorts of problems including ones with the racist tone of the film. My reaction to the piece was to wonder why anyone would assume that any film was classic just because they were told it was. I’m constantly finding classics and all-time best films less than advertised. I mean Citizen Kane is good and Vertigo leaves me cold.

For me any film called classic is automatically suspect until I see it. Until I see a classic its like any other film. I want to see if it stand up to being called a classic and if its not why not. Obviously some films have been over hyped, some films have been stolen from so many times they no longer surprise or seem less than they were, many films were very much of their time, and some films have just been over sold by the intelligentsia who have to seem smarter than the rest of us. I try to walk into a film and see where it stands in my own pantheon and why.

With Chariots of Fire I'm at a loss to explain anything. Why did it win the Oscar? Whats it all about, or even why I like it. I don't suppose I'll ever know. All I know is that I like it, and that in all probability had it not won the Oscar we'd  not be having the conversation because odds are it would have been completely forgotten by time..

If you don't feel like watching the Oscars you might want to try these films instead

The Magic of Filmation


Breaking the Mold:Remaking Mighty Mouse


Cadaveri Eccellenti


Pharaoh

Simon(1980)

Marshall Brickman’s Simon is a funny film.

That the film works as well as it does has less to do with the script by the one time Woody Allen co-writer than the cast which is headed by Alan Arkin and has people like Austin Pendtleton and Wallace Shawn in support.

The plot of the film has a group of too intelligent for their own good scientists at a think tank deciding to brain wash someone into thinking they are an alien. They then trick a psychologist played by Alan Arkin into thinking he is smart enough to join them. Once he is in their clutches they use brainwashing techniques and convince him he’s an alien. This then spins off into unexpected directions as Simon begins to become a guru.

I fell in love with this film way back when because of Arkin. The performance which combines verbal and physical comedy is one of the underrated performances of the 1980’s. There is a reason that most people remember the sequence when Arkin comes out of the isolation tank and goes through the history of man from the creation of the universe to the modern day and that’s because it’s brilliantly done.

This was also the point where I discovered many of the supporting actors such as Wallace Shawn,Austin Pendleton and Max Wright who would soon rise to prominence in other roles and in other ways. The quirky collection of faces, mannerisms and ticks are both hysterical and annoying, and make you want them to get their comeuppance.

Is this a great film?

Overall no, it’s not. While it is most certainly better than you think it is going to be, and while it most certainly has great moments, the film over all is just good. That’s no crime.

Recent and semi recent films including some Oscar films

Over the last week or so I managed to catch up with a bunch of recent releases including a bunch of the Oscar nominees.  Because I am incapable of just watching a movie without scribbling notes, I now present a bunch of short reviews. I'd have held off and  done something with them down the road but the Oscars are a few hours away and I can't think of a better time then now to present this.

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Matthew McConaughey gives a truly great performance as Ron Woodroof a man who refused to die of AIDS without putting up a fight. The best choice for Best Actor. One of the best films of the Oscar choices. All I can say is see it. My second choice for the Best Picture Oscar behind Captain Phillips.

NEBRASKA
Bruce Dern thinks he's one a million dollars so his son drives him to pick it up-knowing full well dad never won it. Cute quirky comedy/drama from Alexander Payne has a great performance by Bruce Dern. This would never have worked in color. Bittersweet

FROZEN
This isn't a movie so much as a Broadway musical. The tale of two sisters, one of which has an icy touch is a dead lock for Best Animated Film which is a shame since it's merely okay. Yes the songs soar and the film will look damn great on the Broadway stage but as a film it's just okay. The story structure suffers also since the big song is a quarter if the way into the film.

WOLF OF WALL STREET
Three hours of excess from Marty Scorsese as we watch the life and crimes of a Wall Street trader. Its slick. Its funny. Its vulgar. Its has no point. I know people love it. I don't. What is the point of all of the excess? Why am I being shown this? I don't know- frankly other than recounting the excess I can't think of a reason for telling this story, yea its funny, but at the same time its really empty- and if the emptiness is the point then Scorsese has gotten lazy since the emptiness is obvious. I expect more from Marty.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play was adapted by author Tracy Letts for the big screening losing approximately and hour of material. I never saw the play but I read it.My reaction to the play was that it was over long soap opera and unremarkable. Seeing the film my attitude on the play changed since it was clear that the material came alive with great performances- the trouble is  that the film is unevenly cast with the result that it only works in fits and starts- basically the big name stars Julia Roberts and  Meryl Streep being in a different film than everyone else. For me the film is okay only sporadically worth bothering with.

PHILOMENA
Touching story of a woman searching for her son and a writer searching for direction. Very good and deeply moving. And best of all not what I expected at in the slightest.

HER
Heartbroken man has a kind of affair with his computer. Oscar hopeful left me bewildered since its clear that love between man and machine is just as complicated as that of the human to human sort, except the computer can love more.I never fully connected since I never like Joaquim Phoenix who was too mushy for me, then again such are Spike Jonez heroes and out side of Where the Wild Things Are I'm not a fan of his films.

LEGEND OF HERCULES
Renny Harlan's sword and sandal film is big and loud and kind of dull with lots of CGI. Ugh. Give me any of the Italian films of the 60's over this.

I, FRANKENSTEIN
Frankenstein's monster holds the key to the war between gargoyles and demons. What coulda woulda shoulda been a great action film gets mired in never ending exposition. I kept waiting for things to happen and not be explained. It feels like the introductory five minutes of a film stretched to 90 minutes. It almost works.

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS
Made for kids tale of dinosaurs, with the dinos talking to each other in a mostly bad kiddie film way. Didn't Disney almost go bankrupt doing something similar with Dinosaur? The wrong sort of juvenile.

Altered States (1980)

Paddy Cheyefsky was beyond pissed at Ken Russell over what he did with his screenplay for Altered States. Russell, realizing that Chayefsky over heated mumbo jumbo was ultimately nonsense had all of the lines spoken either while other characters were speaking or when their mouths were full of food. Russell made the conversations real and believable instead of constructed and silly.

I mention this at the start since people’s reaction to this film very much depends on how and where you saw the film. Those who saw it in it’s initial big screen 70MM run I find are enthralled with the film and it’s hypnotic and quasi-mystic nonsense. Seeing it big you bought Chayefsky's nonsense. This is the way I saw the film and I was blown away by the film, so much so that I had my parents taking me back again and again to see it BIG. Friends who saw it on TV or home video or in the later run in the bargain theaters were less enthused about the film, if not openly hostile to it.

For my money the film is somewhere in between the awesome and the crap.

The film has Dr Jessup (William Hurt) doing an investigation into consciousness with the help of an isolation tank where he floats suspended in darkness in warm water. As he extends his studies with the help of a mix formulated by a native shaman Jessup’s work begins to show signs of breakthrough. Unfortunately it also begins to have weird physical side effects.

Despite what screenwriter Chayefsky thought the plot of the film is a dressed up horror movie, not too far away from the likes of the schlock classic The Neanderthal Man. Russell knew this when he took the assignment and he decided to sell it for all it’s worth with as much A list power as the studios would through his way. The result is a film that is a heady trip in heady matters.

The high point of the film. Especially in 70mm and Dolby stereo were the trip sequences which enveloped the audience and rumbled the seats. Cliché or not the sequence kicks serious ass….

The problem with the film is that stripped of the light show sequences the film is forced to stand on the screenplay and it’s weak. Yes it’s serviceable and it works because Hurt and Blair Brown as his wife sell this film.That said I still find it a wonderful head trip film and recommend it to everyone to at least try.