2003 Screening Log Redux: Remix! Special Fan Mac Edition

Go backwards in time.

384. (24 Sep) Empire Records: Remix! Special Fan Edition (1995 [sic], Allan Moyle)* 64
385. (25 Sep) Fat City (1972, John Huston)* 60
386. (26 Sep) Nobody's Fool (1994, Robert Benton)* 72
387. (27 Sep) The School of Rock (2003, Richard Linklater) 75
388. (27 Sep) Duplex (2003, Danny DeVito) 57
389. (28 Sep) /Dark Blue/ (2003, Ron Shelton)* 69
390. (29 Sep) Seconds (1966, John Frankenheimer) 78
391. (30 Sep) Casa de los Babys (2003, John Sayles) 49
392. (30 Sep) I Walk the Line (1970, John Frankenheimer) 84
393. (30 Sep) The Rookie (1990, Clint Eastwood)* 32
394. (01 Oct) My Life Without Me (2003, Isabel Coixet) 50
s37. (01 Oct) Knock It Down (1998, Zach Ralston)*
395. (02 Oct) The Gypsy Moths (1969, John Frankenheimer) 68
396. (02 Oct) Billy Bathgate (1991, Robert Benton)* 44
s38. (03 Oct) Little Clumps of Hair (2003, Jim Hosking)
397. (03 Oct) The Flower of Evil (2003, Claude Chabrol) 48
398. (03 Oct) Wonderland (2003, James Cox) 20
399. (04 Oct) The Train (1964, John Frankenheimer) 65
400. (04 Oct) Dogville (2004, Lars von Trier) 74
401. (05 Oct) Out of Time (2003, Carl Franklin) 47
402. (06 Oct) The Station Agent (2003, Tom McCarthy) 75
s39. (07 Oct) The Shadows Company (2003, Christophe Perrier)
403. (07 Oct) Good Morning, Night (2003, Marco Bellocchio) 39
404. (07 Oct) Cold Mountain (2003, Anthony Minghella) [~] 66
405. (08 Oct) A House on a Hill (2003, Chuck Workman)* 42 [hideous, hideous projected video; looked like a low-res AVID output]
406. (08 Oct) Mystic River (2003, Clint Eastwood) 41
407. (09 Oct) The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996, Michael Lehmann)* 21
408. (10 Oct) Distant (2004, Nuri Bilge Ceylan) 75
409. (10 Oct) Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (2003, Quentin Tarantino) 83
410. (11 Oct) The Kids Are Alright (1979, Jeff Stein) 40
411. (12 Oct) Tightrope (1984, Richard Tuggle)* 37
412. (12 Oct) /Jackie Brown/ (1997, Quentin Tarantino)* 86
413. (13 Oct) PTU (2003, Johnnie To) 41
s40. (14 Oct) La Jetée (1962, Chris Marker)
414. (14 Oct) Sans Soleil (1982, Chris Marker) 42
415. (15 Oct) /21 Grams/ (2003, Alejandro González Iñárritu) 86 [first viewing: 87]
416. (15 Oct) Pieces of April (2003, Peter Hedges) 67
417. (15 Oct) Addicted to Love (1997, Griffin Dunne)* 31
418. (17 Oct) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003, Marcus Nispel) 2
419. (17 Oct) /A Christmas Story/ (1983, Bob Clark)* 42
420. (18 Oct) Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997, Kirby Dick)* 45
421. (19 Oct) Runaway Jury (2003, Gary Fleder) 49
422. (21 Oct) Things Change (1988, David Mamet)* 56
423. (22 Oct) In the Cut (2003, Jane Campion) 8
424. (22 Oct) Bus 174 (2003, José Padilha) 39
425. (24 Oct) /Babe/ (1995, Chris Noonan)* 62
s41. (25 Oct) Not I (Neil Jordan, 2000)*
s42. (25 Oct) Catastrophe (David Mamet, 2000)*
s43. (25 Oct) Mothlight (Stan Brakhage, 1963)*
s44. (25 Oct) /Mothlight/ (Stan Brakhage, 1963)*
s45. (25 Oct) Eye Myth (Stan Brakhage, 1972)*
s46. (25 Oct) Lovesong (Stan Brakhage, 2001)*
s47. (25 Oct) Lumière (David Lynch, 1995)*
s48. (25 Oct) Six Figures Getting Sick (David Lynch, 1966)*
s49. (25 Oct) The Alphabet (David Lynch, 1968)*
s50. (25 Oct) The Grandmother (David Lynch, 1970)*
426. (28 Oct) Au hasard Balthazar (1966, Robert Bresson) 34
427. (28 Oct) Elephant (2003, Gus Van Sant) 43
428. (31 Oct) Shattered Glass (2003, Billy Ray) 67
429. (02 Nov) The Human Stain (2003, Robert Benton) 63 [but it's a mess]
430. (02 Nov) The Singing Detective (2003, Keith Gordon) 37
s51. (02 Nov) Duck Amuck (1953, Charles M. Jones)*
431. (04 Nov) /Kill Bill, Vol. 1/ (2003, Quentin Tarantino) 88 [first viewing: 83]
432. (04 Nov) /Blue Car/ (2003, Karen Moncrieff)* 58 [first viewing: 60s]
433. (05 Nov) Eyes Without a Face (1959, Georges Franju) 51
s52. (05 Nov) What's Up Fatlip? (1999, Spike Jonze)*
s53. (05 Nov) How They Get There (1996, Spike Jonze)*
s54. (05 Nov) Mark Paints (1995, Spike Jonze)*
434. (05 Nov) /Babe: Pig in the City/ (1998, George Miller)* 61
435. (06 Nov) /Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle/ (2003, McG)* 64 [first viewing: 63]
436. (07 Nov) Elf (2003, Jon Favreau) 49
437. (08 Nov) The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (2003, Kim Bartley, Donnacha O Briain) 37
438. (08 Nov) Love Actually (2003, Richard Curtis) 56
439. (09 Nov) Revenge (1990, Tony Scott)* 36
440. (12 Nov) The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons Taken From the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003, Errol Morris) 77
441. (12 Nov) The Day of the Dolphin (1973, Mike Nichols)* 47
442. (13 Nov) Afterglow (1997, Alan Rudolph)* 70
443. (13 Nov) /Made/ (2001, Jon Favreau)* 72
W/O. (16 Nov) Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003, Peter Weir)
444. (18 Nov) Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003, Joe Dante) 51
445. (18 Nov) One from the heart (1982, Francis Ford Coppola) 23
446. (19 Nov) Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2004, Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill) 75
447. (19 Nov) Town & Country (2001, Peter Chelsom)* 33
448. (20 Nov) I Vitelloni (1953, Federico Fellini) 34
s55. (20 Nov) Baseball Bugs (1946, I. Freleng)*
s56. (20 Nov) Rabbit Seasoning (1952, Charles M. Jones)*
s57. (20 Nov) Long-Haired Hare (1949, Charles M. Jones)*
449. (21 Nov) /21 Grams/ (2003, Alejandro González Iñárritu) 86
450. (22 Nov) Old School (2003, Todd Phillips)* 47
451. (26 Nov) Duck, You Sucker (1972, Sergio Leone) 28
452. (26 Nov) /Twilight/ (1998, Robert Benton)* 72
453. (27 Nov) Bad Santa (2003, Terry Zwigoff) 73
454. (28 Nov) Cutter's Way (1981, Ivan Passer) 32
455. (29 Nov) A Fistful of Dollars (1964, Sergio Leone) 26
456. (30 Nov) The Cooler (2003, Wayne Kramer) 55
457. (30 Nov) The Missing (2003, Ron Howard) 36
458. (30 Nov) /Bad Santa/ (2003, Terry Zwigoff) 76 [first viewing: 73]
459. (03 Dec) The Triplets of Belleville (2003, Sylvain Chomet) 40
460. (04 Dec) The Backyard (2003, Paul Hough)* 41
461. (06 Dec) Beautiful Girls (1996, Ted Demme)* 63
462. (07 Dec) My Flesh and Blood (2003, Jonathan Karsh) 74
463. (08 Dec) Praise (2000, John Curran)* 76
464. (13 Dec) Kurt & Courtney (1998, Nick Broomfield)* 75
465. (13 Dec) Stuck on You (2003, Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly) 59
466. (13 Dec) Something's Gotta Give (2003, Nancy Meyers) 12
467. (17 Dec) Shallow Hal (2001, Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly)* 39
[Incredibly didactic and simplistic and repetitive and obvious (thanks for reminding me never to judge a book by its cover, Bros.); a hypocrite, really, since it's just as shallow as the superficiality it's preaching against; takes forever to get anywhere; Black confirms my belief that he's one of the most talented actors around by showing uncharacteristic restraint; Paltrow's wasted; Alexander's performance is misguided; amazing soundtrack, but "After the Gold Rush" should only be allowed in better films; luckily the Bros. seemed to realize with Stuck on You that you can be sweet and still, at least, occasionally be funny (whereas I don't think I laughed once here -- granted many would argue this isn't even a comedy, though nor was I ever moved).]
468. (18 Dec) Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam (1996, Nick Broomfield)* 58
[Ultimate subject matter -- a twisted, abusive relationship between Fleiss and Ivan Nagy -- is somewhat too banal to warrant a hour and forty-five minutes, so this film can't really compare to Broomfield's remarkable next three movies, each about death and media manipulation. Also impossible to feel pity for Heidi, a spoiled brat, who was given one million dollars in cash on her twenty-first birthday, continued to rake rake rake rake in the dough, and yet managed to combine guilelessness, arrogance, and mischievousness into prison time. Still sometimes compelling, and Broomfield's a genius, his delicate British accent and self-effacement allowing his subjects to feel both superior and close to him (notice how Broomfield's subjects are always addressing him by first name, like they're talking to a friend, yet never miss a chance to insult him -- which he leaves in the films, natch), merging with his admirably insatiable desire to get to the bottom of things, even if that means covering the same territory again and again (he probably quickly learned that he's best off examining mysteries that cannot be satisfactory solved). Contains one of the funniest scenes I've seen all year, an argument between Broomfield and a Los Angeles news crew.]
469. (19 Dec) To Live and Die in L.A. (1985, William Friedkin)* 69
[Much like The Hunted (but even better), a somewhat hollow exercise in dazzling style and gritty realism. 70s in feel, 1980s in look, frames drenched in smog and dirty pastels, everything driven by a propulsive techno beat. A procedural where things take too long because Friedkin insists spreading them to near real time, which can either be a bit tiring (the awesome chase that won't end) or hypnotic (Dafoe going through every step of making counterfeit money). Undeniable passion in the filmmaking kind of at odds with Friedkin's cold, cruel heart, but the directorial precision is right in line with Friedkin's ruthless calculation (shielded under the guise of spontaneity). Nothing wrong with that per se, since we obviously need a few talented people intent on making movies where emotion and reassurance (rightfully) have no place. At one point Petersen discovers his murdered partner, glares for a beat, and then just walks away. I believe that's how it really happens.]
470. (20 Dec) Big Fish (2003, Tim Burton) 29
471. (23 Dec) The Shanghai Gesture (1941, Josef von Sternberg) 41
[Shanghai as an opulent sewer, breeding dirty people and polluted secrets like bacteria. Looks good, performances pretty lousy (besides Victor Mature as a demented jester), weak plot, very hard to care.]
472. (23 Dec) Macao (1952, Josef von Sternberg [and Nicholas Ray]) 48
[Starts promisingly, identities uncertain, witty banter intriguing, sex and seduction in the air. Mitchum, Jane Russell, Gloria Grahame, William Bendix, Brad Dexter, all nicely relaxed. Looks good, progressively weaker plotting, loses steam (even at a scant eighty minutes), identities revealed, hard to care.]
473. (23 Dec) Secret Things (2004, Jean-Claude Brisseau)* 11
[Completely idiotic, embarrassingly juvenile in matters of sexual politics, utterly pretentious, not the least bit erotic (though it thinks it is), worse than most any soft-core cable film, and far worse than, say, Blowjob Fantasies 6.]
474. (24 Dec) Monster (2003, Patty Jenkins) 56
475. (25 Dec) The Company (2003, Robert Altman) 62
[Shot on appropriately hazy video, washing over you like a half-remembered dream, improving in hindsight. The ultimate Altman film, everything besides observational detail and swabs of overlapping dialogue falling by the wayside. Altman sustains a lovely, ethereal vibe, with majestic ballet scenes that somehow manage to be both forlorn and vibrant. If only there was a bit more to grab hold of. If only Campbell and Franco's beautifully tacit romance edged towards the center, and the company took a few steps back. Regardless, this could only be the work of a master.]
476. (25 Dec) Midnight Run (1988, Martin Brest)* 69
[Surprisingly tender character study masquerading as loony action/buddy comedy, notable for the way -- much like Gigli -- it gently subverts genre expectations. Might be overlong, but screenwriter George Gallo's impressively intricate plotting zigzags in all the right ways. Wonderful performances abound, especially De Niro and Charles "I sadly don't make movies anymore" Grodin; Elfman's score mostly terrible in that unavoidably 80s sorta fashion.]
477. (26 Dec) House of Sand and Fog (2003, Vadim Perelman) 58
[Excellent performances from Kingsley and Connelly are undermined by the occasional crass stroke (i.e. hey, could that house get any foggier?; James Horner, please retire; didn't quite buy Ron Eldard's character) and a disastrously miscalculated final act, mistaking How Deep Can You Get Tragedy (and a pinch of dimestore spirituality) for profundity. Unfortunate, because for most of its runtime House of Sand and Fog possesses a rare understanding of untenable maneuvering in the face of economic necessity and cross-cultural blockage.]
478. (27 Dec) Love Affair (1939, Leo McCarey) 47
[McCarey's typically fleet touch is irresistible, though as with his own remake An Affair to Remember, I can't get past the borderline offensiveness of the third act. I suppose you can look at the physical handicap as nothing more than a literal manifestation of the inadequacy all lovers feel from time to time, but it's still pretty dumb and phony. Aside from casting and a runtime difference, the two McCarey versions are extraordinarily similar: Charles Boyer is certainly no Cary Grant, but then again, Deborah Kerr is no Irene Dunne. God bless The Awful Truth...]
479. (30 Dec) Demon Seed (1977, Donald Cammell) 38
480. (31 Dec) Paycheck (2003, John Woo) 35