ROBIN HOOD (2010, Ridley Scott, A+++++)
LES VIOLONS DU BAL (1974, Michel Drach, A+++++)
DÉTECTIVE (1985, Jean-Luc Godard, A+++++)
I LOVE YOU, PHILLIP MORRIS (2009, Glenn Ficarra + John Requa, A+++++)
ROME: A BIT PART AT CINECITTA (2007, Alessandro Cassigoli + Dalia Castel, A+++++)
IP MAN 2 (2010, Wilson Yip, A+++++)
QING MING (2010, Chinnat Nopkam, stage play, A+)
ONG BAK 3 (2010, Tony Jaa + Panna Rittikrai, A+)
LA MAITRESSE DU PRESIDENT (2009, Jean-Pierre Sinapi, A+)
DOUCE FRANCE (2009, Stéphane Giusti, A+)
SCREEN TEST: KAREN ELKIN (2006, Michel Grondin, A+)
CHIRAC (2006, Patrick Rotman, possibly A+)
THE LOSERS (2010, Sylvain White, A)
SHREK FOREVER AFTER (2010, Mike Mitchell, A-)
SAM YAN (2010, Ping Lumprapleung, Yuthlert Sippapak, Jaroenporn Onlamai, A-)
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010, Samuel Bayer, A-)
UN HOMME DE MAIN (2008, Martin Talbot, A-)
THE BOUNTY HUNTER (2010, Andy Tennant, B+)
KITES (2010, Anurag Basu, B)
A CRES PARODY WITH COLONEL ROAST CHICKEN (2010, John Winyoo, no grade)
I gave "possibly A+" to CHIRAC, because I watched only 3/4 of the film, not the whole film. I missed the third part of the film when it was shown on TV.
I would like to give A+++++ to some parts of A CRES PARODY WITH COLONEL ROAST CHICKEN, because these parts are very funny. But I decide to give "no grade" to this Youtube clip, because there are some parts of the clip which are not funny for me, partly because they accidentally remind me of my friends who may lose their jobs because of the fire, and my colleagues whose houses were destroyed by the fire. I cannot laugh at my friends' suffering. But maybe these "seemingly-insensitive" parts of the clip are not meant for laughing. They may be meant for satire or thinking. I'm not sure. You decide for yourself.
LA MAITRESSE DU PRESIDENT is partly about the Dreyfus affair, which I think is very interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyfus_affair
"The Dreyfus affair (French: Affaire Dreyfus) was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent. Sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly having communicated French military secrets to the German Embassy in Paris, Dreyfus was sent to the penal colony at Devil's Island in French Guiana and placed in solitary confinement.
Two years later, in 1896, evidence came to light identifying a French Army major named Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazyas the real culprit. However, high-ranking military officials suppressed this new evidence and Esterhazy was unanimously acquitted after the second day of his trial in military court. Instead of being exonerated, Alfred Dreyfus was further accused by the Army on the basis of false documents fabricated by a French counter-intelligence officer,Hubert-Joseph Henry, seeking to re-confirm Dreyfus's conviction. These fabrications were uncritically accepted by Henry's superiors.
Word of the military court's framing of Alfred Dreyfus and of an attendant cover-up began to spread largely due toJ'accuse, a vehement public open letter in a Paris newspaper by writer Émile Zola, in January 1898. The case had to be re-opened and Alfred Dreyfus was brought back from Guiana in 1899 to be tried again. The intense political and judicial scandal that ensued divided French society between those who supported Dreyfus (the Dreyfusards[2]) and those who condemned him (the anti-Dreyfusards), such as Edouard Drumont (the director and publisher of the antisemitic newspaper La Libre Parole) and Hubert-Joseph Henry.
Eventually, all the accusations against Alfred Dreyfus were demonstrated to be baseless. Dreyfus was exonerated and reinstated as a major in the French Army in 1906. He later served during the whole of World War I, ending his service with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel."
Sunday, May 30, 2010
FAVORITE OLD SONGS 88: REACH FOR ME (1992) -- FUNKY GREEN DOGS FROM OUTER SPACE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erADFyQqX-A&feature=related
Mixmag wrote that this song is slow, with a dirty hard bass that is pure techno, a sweaty garage swing, and a barely in-tune, scorching vocal.
Mixmag wrote that this song is slow, with a dirty hard bass that is pure techno, a sweaty garage swing, and a barely in-tune, scorching vocal.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
FAVORITE OLD SONGS 87: ACID TRAX (1987) -- PHUTURE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9hYX4XCzQ4
Mixmag said that Phuture's freaked out Roland 303 pulses were played to death by Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles and it was soon the biggest tune in Chicago.
Mixmag said that Phuture's freaked out Roland 303 pulses were played to death by Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles and it was soon the biggest tune in Chicago.
FIVE VS. NEWS FROM HOME VS. EUROPA 2005 -- 27 OCTOBRE
This is my comment in Filmsick's blog:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20100505/five-abbas-kiarostami-2003-iran
ถ้าหากเปรียบความสามารถในการกำกับภาพยนตร์เป็นวิทยายุทธในหนังจีน อย่างนี้หรือเปล่าที่เขาเรียกว่า "สูงสุดคืนสู่สามัญ" อ่านแล้วทำให้นึกถึง EUROPA 2005 – 27 OCTOBRE ของ Jean-Marie Straub + Danièle Huillet ที่เนื้อเรื่องแบ่งออกเป็น 5 ช่วงเหมือนกัน ใช้ชุดภาพที่คล้ายคลึงกัน แต่แตกต่างกันที่ "แสงเงาที่เปลี่ยนไปในแต่ละช่วงของวัน", "เสียงร้องของหมา" ฯลฯ และอ่านแล้วก็นึกถึงหนังอย่าง NEWS FROM HOME ของ Chantal Akerman ที่เต็มไปด้วยภาพที่ดูเหมือนเรียบง่ายด้วย ผู้กำกับสี่คนนี้อาจจะมีจุดประสงค์ในการสร้างหนังที่แตกต่างกัน แต่ดูเหมือนพวกเขามีความสามารถสูงสุดในการใช้ศักยภาพของภาพยนตร์
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20100505/five-abbas-kiarostami-2003-iran
ถ้าหากเปรียบความสามารถในการกำกับภาพยนตร์เป็นวิทยายุทธในหนังจีน อย่างนี้หรือเปล่าที่เขาเรียกว่า "สูงสุดคืนสู่สามัญ" อ่านแล้วทำให้นึกถึง EUROPA 2005 – 27 OCTOBRE ของ Jean-Marie Straub + Danièle Huillet ที่เนื้อเรื่องแบ่งออกเป็น 5 ช่วงเหมือนกัน ใช้ชุดภาพที่คล้ายคลึงกัน แต่แตกต่างกันที่ "แสงเงาที่เปลี่ยนไปในแต่ละช่วงของวัน", "เสียงร้องของหมา" ฯลฯ และอ่านแล้วก็นึกถึงหนังอย่าง NEWS FROM HOME ของ Chantal Akerman ที่เต็มไปด้วยภาพที่ดูเหมือนเรียบง่ายด้วย ผู้กำกับสี่คนนี้อาจจะมีจุดประสงค์ในการสร้างหนังที่แตกต่างกัน แต่ดูเหมือนพวกเขามีความสามารถสูงสุดในการใช้ศักยภาพของภาพยนตร์
Friday, May 28, 2010
POLL 81: FILMS ABOUT SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS
POLL 81: FILMS ABOUT SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS
My poll 81 is inspired by THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, A+++++), which deals with the bias of people and the kind of problems which can be found in societies worldwide.
I LIKE THE PRESENTATIONS OF SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN THESE FILMS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.AGORA (2009, Alejandro Amenábar, Spain)
I like that this film deals with the catastrophe caused by intolerance.
2.THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (2008, Uli Edel, Germany)
I like that the film shows us that sometimes good intentions can lead to very, very bad things.
3.CROSSING OVER (2009, Wayne Kramer, USA)
I gave this film "A-" after I just had seen it, because I thought the film is lamely directed. But now I think I may give this film "A+", because I like the story about the fifteen-year-old girl who is the victim of prejudices in this film very much.
4.DOGVILLE (2003, Lars von Trier)
5.eXistenZ (1999, David Cronenberg, Canada)
6.THE FEVER (2004, Carlo Gabriel Nero, UK)
I like the review on this film by Josh Begley:
http://movies.insidepulse.com/2007/12/19/72504/
"This is what happens to Vanessa Redgrave’s character, Woman. While attending an art gallery, a friend begins talking about class differences and the uselessness of the rich. Like a virus, this simple rant changes the way that Redgrave feels about her life, her world, and her soul. Based on the play by Wallace Shawn (quick movie trivia: Shawn played Vizzini in The Princess Bride along with many other roles), The Fever centers on Redgrave’s newfound and rather late awareness of class and her inability to reconcile her guilt over being one of the “haves” while still trying to think of herself as a good person. The film begins and ends with her in a rundown hotel room in a nameless small country in the middle of a civil war,"
7.FIGHT FOR US (1989, Lino Brocka, Philippines)
8.GAS ATTACK (2001, Kenneth Glenaan, UK)
I like that this film deals with the social tension, the bureaucratic problems, and the widespread fear of terrorism.
9.THE GOD OF BANGPOON VILLAGE (1980, Pagorn Promwituck, Thailand)
10.GULABI TALKIES (2008, Girish Kasaravalli, India)
11.THE HANGMAN (1964, Les Goldman + Paul Julian, USA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZSS3yxpnFU
12.THE IMPRINT (1975, Jacques Cardon, France)
13.THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)
14.KUHLE WAMPE, OR TO WHOM DOES THE WORLD BELONG? (1932, Slatan Dudow, Germany)
15.MUEN AND RID (อำแดงเหมือนกับนายริด) (1994, Cherd Songsri, Thailand)
I think this film should be screened together with IRON JAWED ANGELS (2004, Katja von Garnier, A+).
16.OUR TIMES (2002, Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Iran)
17.LA PASSANTE DU SANS-SOUCI (1982, Jacques Rouffio, France)
The suppression of press freedom during the Nazi era is very frightening.
18.POUR L'AMOUR DE DIEU (2006, Ahmed Bouchaala + Zakia Tahiri, France)
I think this film should be screened together with OSAMA (2003, Siddiq Barmak, A+).
19.THE SWIMMER (1981, Irakli Kvirikadze, Soviet Union)
The second part of this film makes me feel very afraid of dictatorship and Stalinism.
20.THE THREE INVENTORS (1980, Michel Ocelot, France)
You can cast multiple votes.
This poll is related to POLL 12: POLITICS WILL TEAR US APART
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/twelfth-poll-politics-will-tear-us.html
The theme song for this poll is NOTHING HAS BEEN PROVED by Dusty Springfield:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZip7Y_IDqQ
My poll 81 is inspired by THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, A+++++), which deals with the bias of people and the kind of problems which can be found in societies worldwide.
I LIKE THE PRESENTATIONS OF SOCIAL/POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN THESE FILMS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.AGORA (2009, Alejandro Amenábar, Spain)
I like that this film deals with the catastrophe caused by intolerance.
2.THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (2008, Uli Edel, Germany)
I like that the film shows us that sometimes good intentions can lead to very, very bad things.
3.CROSSING OVER (2009, Wayne Kramer, USA)
I gave this film "A-" after I just had seen it, because I thought the film is lamely directed. But now I think I may give this film "A+", because I like the story about the fifteen-year-old girl who is the victim of prejudices in this film very much.
4.DOGVILLE (2003, Lars von Trier)
5.eXistenZ (1999, David Cronenberg, Canada)
6.THE FEVER (2004, Carlo Gabriel Nero, UK)
I like the review on this film by Josh Begley:
http://movies.insidepulse.com/2007/12/19/72504/
"This is what happens to Vanessa Redgrave’s character, Woman. While attending an art gallery, a friend begins talking about class differences and the uselessness of the rich. Like a virus, this simple rant changes the way that Redgrave feels about her life, her world, and her soul. Based on the play by Wallace Shawn (quick movie trivia: Shawn played Vizzini in The Princess Bride along with many other roles), The Fever centers on Redgrave’s newfound and rather late awareness of class and her inability to reconcile her guilt over being one of the “haves” while still trying to think of herself as a good person. The film begins and ends with her in a rundown hotel room in a nameless small country in the middle of a civil war,"
7.FIGHT FOR US (1989, Lino Brocka, Philippines)
8.GAS ATTACK (2001, Kenneth Glenaan, UK)
I like that this film deals with the social tension, the bureaucratic problems, and the widespread fear of terrorism.
9.THE GOD OF BANGPOON VILLAGE (1980, Pagorn Promwituck, Thailand)
10.GULABI TALKIES (2008, Girish Kasaravalli, India)
11.THE HANGMAN (1964, Les Goldman + Paul Julian, USA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZSS3yxpnFU
12.THE IMPRINT (1975, Jacques Cardon, France)
13.THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, Thailand)
14.KUHLE WAMPE, OR TO WHOM DOES THE WORLD BELONG? (1932, Slatan Dudow, Germany)
15.MUEN AND RID (อำแดงเหมือนกับนายริด) (1994, Cherd Songsri, Thailand)
I think this film should be screened together with IRON JAWED ANGELS (2004, Katja von Garnier, A+).
16.OUR TIMES (2002, Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Iran)
17.LA PASSANTE DU SANS-SOUCI (1982, Jacques Rouffio, France)
The suppression of press freedom during the Nazi era is very frightening.
18.POUR L'AMOUR DE DIEU (2006, Ahmed Bouchaala + Zakia Tahiri, France)
I think this film should be screened together with OSAMA (2003, Siddiq Barmak, A+).
19.THE SWIMMER (1981, Irakli Kvirikadze, Soviet Union)
The second part of this film makes me feel very afraid of dictatorship and Stalinism.
20.THE THREE INVENTORS (1980, Michel Ocelot, France)
You can cast multiple votes.
This poll is related to POLL 12: POLITICS WILL TEAR US APART
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2008/02/twelfth-poll-politics-will-tear-us.html
The theme song for this poll is NOTHING HAS BEEN PROVED by Dusty Springfield:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZip7Y_IDqQ
KICK-ASS IS THE WINNER
My poll 80 ended with 7 votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:
THESE FILMS ENTERTAIN ME TREMENDOUSLY. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn)
This film got 4 votes, or 57 %.
2.FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, Thailand)
+OM SHANTI OM (2007, Farah Khan, India)
Each of these films got 3 votes, or 42 %.
4. RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES (1972, Emilio Miraglia, Italy)
+20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY (2008-2009, Yukihiko Tsutsumi, Japan)
+WEB OF DECEPTION (1989, David Chung, Hong Kong)
Each of these films got 2 votes, or 28 %.
7.A BOLD FAMILY (2005, Jo Myeong-nam, South Korea)
+CEASE FIRE (2006, Tahmineh Milani, Iran)
+DONG ROG FAR (ดงรกฟ้า) (2001, Chookiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)
+G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009, Stephen Sommers)
+HISTERIA (2008, James Lee, Malaysia)
+THE LOCALS (2003, Greg Page, New Zealand)
+MINOES (2001, Vincent Bal, Netherlands)
+32 DEC (2009, Rerkchai Puongpetch, Thailand)
Each of these films got 1 vote, or 14 %.
15.CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986, Peter Faiman, Australia)
+HEXAGON (2006, Kyi Soe Tun, Myanmar)
+MEN...(1985, Doris Dörrie, West Germany)
+THREE IDIOTS (2009, Rajkumar Hirani, India)
+TO LET (2006, Jaume Balagueró, Spain)
+WELCOME TO THE STICKS (2008, Dany Boon, France)
Each of these films got 0 vote.
This is the photo of Lee Byung-hun, who stars in G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA:
THESE FILMS ENTERTAIN ME TREMENDOUSLY. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn)
This film got 4 votes, or 57 %.
2.FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, Thailand)
+OM SHANTI OM (2007, Farah Khan, India)
Each of these films got 3 votes, or 42 %.
4. RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES (1972, Emilio Miraglia, Italy)
+20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY (2008-2009, Yukihiko Tsutsumi, Japan)
+WEB OF DECEPTION (1989, David Chung, Hong Kong)
Each of these films got 2 votes, or 28 %.
7.A BOLD FAMILY (2005, Jo Myeong-nam, South Korea)
+CEASE FIRE (2006, Tahmineh Milani, Iran)
+DONG ROG FAR (ดงรกฟ้า) (2001, Chookiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)
+G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009, Stephen Sommers)
+HISTERIA (2008, James Lee, Malaysia)
+THE LOCALS (2003, Greg Page, New Zealand)
+MINOES (2001, Vincent Bal, Netherlands)
+32 DEC (2009, Rerkchai Puongpetch, Thailand)
Each of these films got 1 vote, or 14 %.
15.CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986, Peter Faiman, Australia)
+HEXAGON (2006, Kyi Soe Tun, Myanmar)
+MEN...(1985, Doris Dörrie, West Germany)
+THREE IDIOTS (2009, Rajkumar Hirani, India)
+TO LET (2006, Jaume Balagueró, Spain)
+WELCOME TO THE STICKS (2008, Dany Boon, France)
Each of these films got 0 vote.
This is the photo of Lee Byung-hun, who stars in G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA:
FAVORITE OLD SONGS 86: RED 2 (WISDOM TO THE WISE MIX) (1994) -- DAVE CLARKE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhMxAuD6jNU
Mixmag said that RED 2 is the record that firmly and irrevocably kicked down the barriers between pure techno and hard jacking house.
Mixmag said that RED 2 is the record that firmly and irrevocably kicked down the barriers between pure techno and hard jacking house.
WALLFLOWER WISH LIST
I'm glad to find the book FEMINIST AUTEURS: READING WOMEN'S FILMS by Geetha Ramanathan at Kinokuniya, Paragon. It has reviews on INDIA SONG, CHOCOLAT (Claire Denis), HOUR OF THE STAR (Susana Amaral), MALOU (Jeanine Meerapfel), THE SMILING MADAME BEUDET (Germaine Dulac), SATI (Aparna Sen), A VERY CURIOUS GIRL (Nelly Kaplan), ILLUSIONS (Julie Dash), FLAME (Ingrid Sinclair), and DANZÓN (Maria Novaro).
http://www.amazon.com/Feminist-Auteurs-Reading-Womens-Films/dp/190476469X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274982341&sr=1-1
Graiwoot told me about the Wallflower publisher. I think it is a very interesting publisher! Sompot gave me the book JAMES BENNING published by this company a few years ago. These are my Wallflower wish list:
1.ALTERNATIVE EUROPE: EUROTRASH AND EXPLOITATION CINEMA SINCE 1945 (including interview with Jörg Buttgereit)
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/alterimage/alternative-europe
2.CINEMA OF PRAYOGA: INDIAN EXPERIMENTAL FILM AND VIDEO 1913-2006
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/cinema_of_prayoga
3.CINEPHILIA IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL REPRODUCTION
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/film-media/digital-culture
4.DEKALOG 2: ON MANOEL DE OLIVEIRA
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/alterimage/alternative-europe
5.HUNGARIAN CINEMA
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/film-media/hungarian-cinema
6.THE IMAGE AND THE WITNESS: TRAUMA, MEMORY, AND VISUAL CULTURE (It discusses works by Chris Marker, Errol Morris, Derek Jarman, Doris Salcedo, Gerhard Richter, and Boris Mikhailov, )
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/non-fictions/the-image-and-the-witness
7.JOHN COOK
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/john-cook
8.THE MEMO BOOK: FILMS, VIDEOS, AND INSTALLATIONS BY MATTHIAS MULLER
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/new-titles/The_Personal_Camera
9.PETER TSCHERKASSKY
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/peter_tscherkassky
10.THE UNDERCUT READER
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/the-undercut-reader
http://www.amazon.com/Feminist-Auteurs-Reading-Womens-Films/dp/190476469X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274982341&sr=1-1
Graiwoot told me about the Wallflower publisher. I think it is a very interesting publisher! Sompot gave me the book JAMES BENNING published by this company a few years ago. These are my Wallflower wish list:
1.ALTERNATIVE EUROPE: EUROTRASH AND EXPLOITATION CINEMA SINCE 1945 (including interview with Jörg Buttgereit)
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/alterimage/alternative-europe
2.CINEMA OF PRAYOGA: INDIAN EXPERIMENTAL FILM AND VIDEO 1913-2006
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/cinema_of_prayoga
3.CINEPHILIA IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL REPRODUCTION
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/film-media/digital-culture
4.DEKALOG 2: ON MANOEL DE OLIVEIRA
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/alterimage/alternative-europe
5.HUNGARIAN CINEMA
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/film-media/hungarian-cinema
6.THE IMAGE AND THE WITNESS: TRAUMA, MEMORY, AND VISUAL CULTURE (It discusses works by Chris Marker, Errol Morris, Derek Jarman, Doris Salcedo, Gerhard Richter, and Boris Mikhailov, )
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/non-fictions/the-image-and-the-witness
7.JOHN COOK
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/john-cook
8.THE MEMO BOOK: FILMS, VIDEOS, AND INSTALLATIONS BY MATTHIAS MULLER
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/new-titles/The_Personal_Camera
9.PETER TSCHERKASSKY
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/peter_tscherkassky
10.THE UNDERCUT READER
http://www.wallflowerpress.co.uk/product/artists-film-video/the-undercut-reader
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
DÉTECTIVE (1985, Jean-Luc Godard, A+++++)
I just watched DÉTECTIVE on a cable TV channel yesterday. I'm glad I will be able to watch it again on Youtube, because I don't understand anything at all in my first viewing of it.
The reason why I gave it A+++++ in my first viewing is just because it gives me the kind of unique pleasure I often find in Godard's films. It's the pleasure of feeling extremely disorientated. When I watch most films by other directors, I feel as if I am watching it on a firm seat or on a fixed point. When I watch most films by Godard, I feel as if I am watching it while I am floating in space. There's no firm seat, no fixed point, no solid ground I can hold on to or stand on while I watch his films. I don't know how I should watch each of his films. I don't know on which things in his films I should focus my mind, etc. This kind of "not knowing" is a real pleasure. And it is a very rare pleasure.
There's one scene which exemplifies very well the pleasure I find in his films. It's the scene in which Françoise Chenal (Nathalie Baye) is talking to her husband (Claude Brasseur). I think they talk to each other for about one minute, and that makes me start to feel as if I am watching the scene on solid ground, because I think I can just focus my attention on the dialogue or on what the characters are talking to each other, like in most films.
Then, suddenly, instead of replying to her husband, Françoise just says, "The voice of man. The body of man." These short phrases jolt me out of my solid ground. They remind me that there's another aspect of what I am experiencing. There are other things I may be overlooking but in fact I should also pay attention to, etc. There are countless scenes like this in the film.
If I were to arrange a film screening schedule, I would like to screen DÉTECTIVE together with A PLACE AMONG THE LIVING (2003, Raoul Ruiz), LA BELLE CAPTIVE (1983, Alain Robbe-Grillet), FOUR SEASONS (2009, Keren Cytter), and POLITICALLY LAWYER AND NARRATIVE CINEMA (2009, Chaloemkiat Saeyong), because all these five films play with the elements or the conventions of film-noirs/detective stories/murder stories. I particularly like the parody in LA BELLE CAPTIVE. If I remember it correctly, the hero of LA BELLE CAPTIVE finds a woman's shoe. So he is determined to find the other missing shoe, because it might help him solve the mystery. But in the end he finds "three shoes", not "a pair of shoes". And I still don't know where the excess shoe or the third shoe in this film comes from, but it makes me laugh every time I think of it.
Favorite quote from DÉTECTIVE: " Have you noticed that there are two kinds of men? Those who have a clean cock, and wash their hands before pissing so as not to dirty it, and those who have a dirty cock, which they touch while pissing and get their hands dirty, which they wash afterwards. "
The reason why I gave it A+++++ in my first viewing is just because it gives me the kind of unique pleasure I often find in Godard's films. It's the pleasure of feeling extremely disorientated. When I watch most films by other directors, I feel as if I am watching it on a firm seat or on a fixed point. When I watch most films by Godard, I feel as if I am watching it while I am floating in space. There's no firm seat, no fixed point, no solid ground I can hold on to or stand on while I watch his films. I don't know how I should watch each of his films. I don't know on which things in his films I should focus my mind, etc. This kind of "not knowing" is a real pleasure. And it is a very rare pleasure.
There's one scene which exemplifies very well the pleasure I find in his films. It's the scene in which Françoise Chenal (Nathalie Baye) is talking to her husband (Claude Brasseur). I think they talk to each other for about one minute, and that makes me start to feel as if I am watching the scene on solid ground, because I think I can just focus my attention on the dialogue or on what the characters are talking to each other, like in most films.
Then, suddenly, instead of replying to her husband, Françoise just says, "The voice of man. The body of man." These short phrases jolt me out of my solid ground. They remind me that there's another aspect of what I am experiencing. There are other things I may be overlooking but in fact I should also pay attention to, etc. There are countless scenes like this in the film.
If I were to arrange a film screening schedule, I would like to screen DÉTECTIVE together with A PLACE AMONG THE LIVING (2003, Raoul Ruiz), LA BELLE CAPTIVE (1983, Alain Robbe-Grillet), FOUR SEASONS (2009, Keren Cytter), and POLITICALLY LAWYER AND NARRATIVE CINEMA (2009, Chaloemkiat Saeyong), because all these five films play with the elements or the conventions of film-noirs/detective stories/murder stories. I particularly like the parody in LA BELLE CAPTIVE. If I remember it correctly, the hero of LA BELLE CAPTIVE finds a woman's shoe. So he is determined to find the other missing shoe, because it might help him solve the mystery. But in the end he finds "three shoes", not "a pair of shoes". And I still don't know where the excess shoe or the third shoe in this film comes from, but it makes me laugh every time I think of it.
Favorite quote from DÉTECTIVE: " Have you noticed that there are two kinds of men? Those who have a clean cock, and wash their hands before pissing so as not to dirty it, and those who have a dirty cock, which they touch while pissing and get their hands dirty, which they wash afterwards. "
THREE FAVORITE THAI NOVELS
This is my comment in a friend's Facebook:
ของกฤษณา อโศกสินที่เราชอบมากๆมีอยู่สองเรื่อง คือเรื่อง "เนื้อนาง" ที่นางเอกเป็นสาวฟรีเซ็กส์ กับเรื่อง "สมมุติว่า เขารักฉัน" ที่นางเอกเป็นบ้า ตัวละครที่เราชอบสุดๆใน "สมมุติว่า เขารักฉัน" คือสาวบ้าคนนึงที่นางเอกเจอในโรงพยาบาล โดยสาวบ้าคนนี้ยุให้นางเอกทำอะไรสักอย่างเพื่อให้คุณหมอหญิงเสียใจ เพราะสาวบ้าคนนี้เห็นว่าชีวิตของคุณหมอหญิงคนนี้มีความสุขมากเกินไป เพราะฉะนั้นเธอจึงเห็นว่าคุณหมอหญิงควรจะได้ลิ้มรสชาติความเจ็บปวดซะบ้าง (ไม่รู้เราจำถูกหรือเปล่า เพราะเคยอ่านนานมากแล้ว)
ส่วนของทมยันตี เรื่องนึงที่ชอบมากคืออันธการ ที่มีเนื้อหาเกี่ยวกับแม่ที่ถูกลูกชายตัวเองข่มขืน ถ้าจำไม่ผิด ทั้งเนื้อนาง, สมมุติว่า เขารักฉัน และอันธการ ยังไม่เคยได้รับการสร้างเป็นหนังหรือละครทีวีเลย
ของกฤษณา อโศกสินที่เราชอบมากๆมีอยู่สองเรื่อง คือเรื่อง "เนื้อนาง" ที่นางเอกเป็นสาวฟรีเซ็กส์ กับเรื่อง "สมมุติว่า เขารักฉัน" ที่นางเอกเป็นบ้า ตัวละครที่เราชอบสุดๆใน "สมมุติว่า เขารักฉัน" คือสาวบ้าคนนึงที่นางเอกเจอในโรงพยาบาล โดยสาวบ้าคนนี้ยุให้นางเอกทำอะไรสักอย่างเพื่อให้คุณหมอหญิงเสียใจ เพราะสาวบ้าคนนี้เห็นว่าชีวิตของคุณหมอหญิงคนนี้มีความสุขมากเกินไป เพราะฉะนั้นเธอจึงเห็นว่าคุณหมอหญิงควรจะได้ลิ้มรสชาติความเจ็บปวดซะบ้าง (ไม่รู้เราจำถูกหรือเปล่า เพราะเคยอ่านนานมากแล้ว)
ส่วนของทมยันตี เรื่องนึงที่ชอบมากคืออันธการ ที่มีเนื้อหาเกี่ยวกับแม่ที่ถูกลูกชายตัวเองข่มขืน ถ้าจำไม่ผิด ทั้งเนื้อนาง, สมมุติว่า เขารักฉัน และอันธการ ยังไม่เคยได้รับการสร้างเป็นหนังหรือละครทีวีเลย
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
LE CAS DU DOCTEUR LAURENT (1957, Jean-Paul Le Chanois, A+)
RICHARD BRODY'S VIDEO ESSAY ON "NOT RECONCILED OR ONLY VIOLENCE HELPS WHERE VIOLENCE RULES" (2008, A++++++++++)
LE CAS DU DOCTEUR LAURENT (1957, Jean-Paul Le Chanois, A+)
TIM TOM (2002, Romain Segaud + Christel Pougeoise, A+)
THE MOTHER WANNA GO TO CARREFOUR (2010, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, A+)
PERIL AT END HOUSE (2009, Eric Woreth, A)
RICHARD BRODY'S VIDEO ESSAY ON "NOT RECONCILED OR ONLY VIOLENCE HELPS WHERE VIOLENCE RULES"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGMtHfM6opQ
TIM TOM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUAO9HIjkmM
THE MOTHER WANNA GO TO CARREFOUR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swRF2p9sihA
From Video Essay on NOT RECONCILED:
"The mother speaks with Robert about events in the past as if they were very recent." "This woman who was ostensibly insane, who is supposed to be in her crazed belief that history is now, is the sanest of them all."
LE CAS DU DOCTEUR LAURENT (1957, Jean-Paul Le Chanois, A+)
TIM TOM (2002, Romain Segaud + Christel Pougeoise, A+)
THE MOTHER WANNA GO TO CARREFOUR (2010, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, A+)
PERIL AT END HOUSE (2009, Eric Woreth, A)
RICHARD BRODY'S VIDEO ESSAY ON "NOT RECONCILED OR ONLY VIOLENCE HELPS WHERE VIOLENCE RULES"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGMtHfM6opQ
TIM TOM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUAO9HIjkmM
THE MOTHER WANNA GO TO CARREFOUR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swRF2p9sihA
From Video Essay on NOT RECONCILED:
"The mother speaks with Robert about events in the past as if they were very recent." "This woman who was ostensibly insane, who is supposed to be in her crazed belief that history is now, is the sanest of them all."
I HAVE MOVED TO A NEW PLACE
Don't send anything to my old address. I have moved to live in a new place, because my old place is destroyed by termite.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
MY PARTICIPATION IN THE OBSCURE, THE FORGOTTEN, AND THE UNLOVED FILMS POLL
My participation in THE OBSCURE, THE FORGOTTEN, AND THE UNLOVED FILMS POLL:
http://obscureforgottenunloved.blogspot.com/2010/01/jit-phokaew.html
Abigail's Party (1977) Mike Leigh
Autohystoria (2007) Raya Martin
Birth of the Seanema (2004) Sasithorn Ariyavicha
Les Bonnes Femmes (1960) Claude Chabrol
De Bruit et de Fureur (1988) Jean-Claude Brisseau
A Case for a Rookie Hangman (1970) Pavel Jurácek
Days and Nights in the Forest (1970) Satyajit Ray
Death Bed: The Bed That Eats (1977) George Barry
The Devil, Probably (1977) Robert Bresson
Duelle (1976) Jacques Rivette
Eden and After (1970) Alain Robbe-Grillet
Eternity (1982) Raymond Red
Evolution of a Filipino Family (2004) Lav Diaz
Finye (1982) Souleymanne Cissé
4 Adventures of Reinette & Mirabelle (1987) Eric Rohmer
Gamperaliya (1965) Lester James Peries
The Greatest Civil War on Earth (1961) Wang Tian-lin
Hitler: A Film from Germany (1977) Hans-Jürgen Syberberg
In the City of Sylvia (2007) José Luis Guerín
India Song (1975) Marguerite Duras
Jeanne Dielman (1975) Chantal Akerman
Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 (1976) Alain Tanner
Judex (1963) Georges Franju
Katzelmacher (1969) Rainer Werner Fassbinder
The Kingdom (1973) Kanai Katsu
Land of Silence and Darkness (1971) Werner Herzog
Life and Nothing But (1989) Bertrand Tavernier
The Long Day Closes (1992) Terence Davies
Motherland Hotel (1987) Ömer Kavur
Palms (1993) Artour Aristakisian
People on Sunday (1930) Robert Siodmak & Edgar G. Ulmer
Perfumed Nightmare (1977) Kidlat Tahimik
Phantom Love (2007) Nina Menkes
The Quince Tree Sun (1992) Víctor Erice
Syndromes and a Century (2006) Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Van Gogh (1991) Maurice Pialat
Wanda (1970) Barbara Loden
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) Naruse Mikio
Yella (2007) Christian Petzold
Yesterday Girl (1966) Alexander Kluge
http://obscureforgottenunloved.blogspot.com/2010/01/jit-phokaew.html
Abigail's Party (1977) Mike Leigh
Autohystoria (2007) Raya Martin
Birth of the Seanema (2004) Sasithorn Ariyavicha
Les Bonnes Femmes (1960) Claude Chabrol
De Bruit et de Fureur (1988) Jean-Claude Brisseau
A Case for a Rookie Hangman (1970) Pavel Jurácek
Days and Nights in the Forest (1970) Satyajit Ray
Death Bed: The Bed That Eats (1977) George Barry
The Devil, Probably (1977) Robert Bresson
Duelle (1976) Jacques Rivette
Eden and After (1970) Alain Robbe-Grillet
Eternity (1982) Raymond Red
Evolution of a Filipino Family (2004) Lav Diaz
Finye (1982) Souleymanne Cissé
4 Adventures of Reinette & Mirabelle (1987) Eric Rohmer
Gamperaliya (1965) Lester James Peries
The Greatest Civil War on Earth (1961) Wang Tian-lin
Hitler: A Film from Germany (1977) Hans-Jürgen Syberberg
In the City of Sylvia (2007) José Luis Guerín
India Song (1975) Marguerite Duras
Jeanne Dielman (1975) Chantal Akerman
Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 (1976) Alain Tanner
Judex (1963) Georges Franju
Katzelmacher (1969) Rainer Werner Fassbinder
The Kingdom (1973) Kanai Katsu
Land of Silence and Darkness (1971) Werner Herzog
Life and Nothing But (1989) Bertrand Tavernier
The Long Day Closes (1992) Terence Davies
Motherland Hotel (1987) Ömer Kavur
Palms (1993) Artour Aristakisian
People on Sunday (1930) Robert Siodmak & Edgar G. Ulmer
Perfumed Nightmare (1977) Kidlat Tahimik
Phantom Love (2007) Nina Menkes
The Quince Tree Sun (1992) Víctor Erice
Syndromes and a Century (2006) Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Van Gogh (1991) Maurice Pialat
Wanda (1970) Barbara Loden
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) Naruse Mikio
Yella (2007) Christian Petzold
Yesterday Girl (1966) Alexander Kluge
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
POLL 80: ENTERTAINMENT
POLL 80: ENTERTAINMENT
My poll 80 is inspired by KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn), which is one of the most entertaining Hollywood films I have ever seen.
Noel Vera wrote about KICK-ASS here:
http://criticafterdark.blogspot.com/2010/05/iron-man-2-jon-favreau-kick-ass-matthew.html
THESE FILMS ENTERTAIN ME TREMENDOUSLY. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.A BOLD FAMILY (2005, Jo Myeong-nam, South Korea)
2.CEASE FIRE (2006, Tahmineh Milani, Iran)
3.CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986, Peter Faiman, Australia)
4.DONG ROG FAR (ดงรกฟ้า) (2001, Chookiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)
5.FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, Thailand)
Filmsick wrote about this film in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20090219/rough-cut-2009
6.G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009, Stephen Sommers)
7.HEXAGON (2006, Kyi Soe Tun, Myanmar)
8.HISTERIA (2008, James Lee, Malaysia)
9.KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn)
10.THE LOCALS (2003, Greg Page, New Zealand)
11.MEN...(1985, Doris Dörrie, West Germany)
12.MINOES (2001, Vincent Bal, Netherlands)
13.OM SHANTI OM (2007, Farah Khan, India)
14.RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES (1972, Emilio Miraglia, Italy)
Filmsick wrote about this film in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20080509/red-queen-kills-seven-times-emilio-miraglia-1972
15.32 DEC (2009, Rerkchai Puongpetch, Thailand)
16.THREE IDIOTS (2009, Rajkumar Hirani, India)
Anuj wrote about this film here:
http://www.indianauteur.com/?p=893
17.TO LET (2006, Jaume Balagueró, Spain)
18.20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY (2008-2009, Yukihiko Tsutsumi, Japan)
Peter Nellhaus wrote about the first part of this trilogy here:
http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/2009/03/philadelphia_fi.html
19.WEB OF DECEPTION (1989, David Chung, Hong Kong)
20.WELCOME TO THE STICKS (2008, Dany Boon, France)
You can cast multiple votes.
My poll 80 is inspired by KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn), which is one of the most entertaining Hollywood films I have ever seen.
Noel Vera wrote about KICK-ASS here:
http://criticafterdark.blogspot.com/2010/05/iron-man-2-jon-favreau-kick-ass-matthew.html
THESE FILMS ENTERTAIN ME TREMENDOUSLY. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.A BOLD FAMILY (2005, Jo Myeong-nam, South Korea)
2.CEASE FIRE (2006, Tahmineh Milani, Iran)
3.CROCODILE DUNDEE (1986, Peter Faiman, Australia)
4.DONG ROG FAR (ดงรกฟ้า) (2001, Chookiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)
5.FIREBALL (2009, Thanakorn Pongsuwan, Thailand)
Filmsick wrote about this film in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20090219/rough-cut-2009
6.G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009, Stephen Sommers)
7.HEXAGON (2006, Kyi Soe Tun, Myanmar)
8.HISTERIA (2008, James Lee, Malaysia)
9.KICK-ASS (2010, Matthew Vaughn)
10.THE LOCALS (2003, Greg Page, New Zealand)
11.MEN...(1985, Doris Dörrie, West Germany)
12.MINOES (2001, Vincent Bal, Netherlands)
13.OM SHANTI OM (2007, Farah Khan, India)
14.RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES (1972, Emilio Miraglia, Italy)
Filmsick wrote about this film in Thai here:
http://filmsick.exteen.com/20080509/red-queen-kills-seven-times-emilio-miraglia-1972
15.32 DEC (2009, Rerkchai Puongpetch, Thailand)
16.THREE IDIOTS (2009, Rajkumar Hirani, India)
Anuj wrote about this film here:
http://www.indianauteur.com/?p=893
17.TO LET (2006, Jaume Balagueró, Spain)
18.20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY (2008-2009, Yukihiko Tsutsumi, Japan)
Peter Nellhaus wrote about the first part of this trilogy here:
http://www.coffeecoffeeandmorecoffee.com/archives/2009/03/philadelphia_fi.html
19.WEB OF DECEPTION (1989, David Chung, Hong Kong)
20.WELCOME TO THE STICKS (2008, Dany Boon, France)
You can cast multiple votes.
RESULTS OF POLL 79
My poll 79 ended with four votes. Thanks to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:
THESE FILMS MAKE ME CRY A BUCKETFUL OF TEARS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002, Elia Suleiman, Palestine)
+THE INVISIBLE FRAME (2009, Cynthia Beatt, Germany)
+LETTER TO A CHILD (2009, Vlado Skafar, Slovenia)
+VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch)
Each of these films got 2 votes, or 50 %.
5.AFTERNOON TIMES (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
+AFTERSHOCKS: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY (2002, Rakesh Sharma, India)
+BUNNY (2000, Mia Trachinger)
+KOENIG'S SPHERE: THE GERMAN SCULPTOR FRITZ KOENIG AT GROUND ZERO (2001, Percy Adlon)
+LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, Thailand)
+THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffé)
+THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale)
+TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson)
Each of these films got 1 vote, or 25 %.
13.THE ASSASSINATED SUN (2004, Abdelkrim Bahloul)
+CHOICES OF THE HEART (1983, Joseph Sargent)
+DÉJÀ VU (1997, Henry Jaglom)
+HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY (2009, Lasse Hallström)
+THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
+THE PAINTBALL PROJECT (2007, Wafaa Bilal)
+THE PINOCHET CASE (2001, Patricio Guzmán, Chile)
+SEVEN POUNDS (2008, Gabriele Muccino)
Each of these films got 0 vote.
THESE FILMS MAKE ME CRY A BUCKETFUL OF TEARS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002, Elia Suleiman, Palestine)
+THE INVISIBLE FRAME (2009, Cynthia Beatt, Germany)
+LETTER TO A CHILD (2009, Vlado Skafar, Slovenia)
+VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch)
Each of these films got 2 votes, or 50 %.
5.AFTERNOON TIMES (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
+AFTERSHOCKS: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY (2002, Rakesh Sharma, India)
+BUNNY (2000, Mia Trachinger)
+KOENIG'S SPHERE: THE GERMAN SCULPTOR FRITZ KOENIG AT GROUND ZERO (2001, Percy Adlon)
+LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, Thailand)
+THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffé)
+THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale)
+TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson)
Each of these films got 1 vote, or 25 %.
13.THE ASSASSINATED SUN (2004, Abdelkrim Bahloul)
+CHOICES OF THE HEART (1983, Joseph Sargent)
+DÉJÀ VU (1997, Henry Jaglom)
+HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY (2009, Lasse Hallström)
+THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
+THE PAINTBALL PROJECT (2007, Wafaa Bilal)
+THE PINOCHET CASE (2001, Patricio Guzmán, Chile)
+SEVEN POUNDS (2008, Gabriele Muccino)
Each of these films got 0 vote.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
FILM WISH LIST: NOT RECONCILED OR ONLY VIOLENCE HELPS WHERE VIOLENCE RULES (1965, Jean-Marie Straub)
http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/straub.html
" the film chronicles three generations of architects and their personal association with - and ancestral legacy through - St. Anthony's Abbey and, in the process, presents an incisive and relevant portrait of a traumatized nation's culturally fostered (but publicly unarticulated) xenophobia, suppressed memory, deliberate inaction, and tacit support for (and therefore, condoned harboring of) war criminals into positions of power, authority, and influence in postwar Germany. "
FILM RE-WATCHED: EUROPA 2005, 27 OCTOBRE (2006, Jean-Marie Straub + Danièle Huillet, A+++++++++++++++)
Could two deaths inspire 2,900 rioters?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_civil_unrest_in_France
"riots began on Thursday 27 October 2005, triggered by the deaths of two teenagers in Clichy-sous-Bois, a poor commune in an eastern banlieue (suburb) of Paris. Initially confined to the Paris area, the unrest subsequently spread to other areas of the Île-de-France région, and spread through the outskirts of France's urban areas, also affecting some rural areas. After 3 November it spread to other cities in France, affecting all 15 of the large aires urbaines in the country. Thousands of vehicles were burned, and at least one person was killed by the rioters. Close to 2900 rioters were arrested."
Olaf Möller on EUROPA 2005, 27 OCTOBRE:
http://www.cinema-scope.com/cs29/spot_moller_queiloro.html
" the film chronicles three generations of architects and their personal association with - and ancestral legacy through - St. Anthony's Abbey and, in the process, presents an incisive and relevant portrait of a traumatized nation's culturally fostered (but publicly unarticulated) xenophobia, suppressed memory, deliberate inaction, and tacit support for (and therefore, condoned harboring of) war criminals into positions of power, authority, and influence in postwar Germany. "
FILM RE-WATCHED: EUROPA 2005, 27 OCTOBRE (2006, Jean-Marie Straub + Danièle Huillet, A+++++++++++++++)
Could two deaths inspire 2,900 rioters?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_civil_unrest_in_France
"riots began on Thursday 27 October 2005, triggered by the deaths of two teenagers in Clichy-sous-Bois, a poor commune in an eastern banlieue (suburb) of Paris. Initially confined to the Paris area, the unrest subsequently spread to other areas of the Île-de-France région, and spread through the outskirts of France's urban areas, also affecting some rural areas. After 3 November it spread to other cities in France, affecting all 15 of the large aires urbaines in the country. Thousands of vehicles were burned, and at least one person was killed by the rioters. Close to 2900 rioters were arrested."
Olaf Möller on EUROPA 2005, 27 OCTOBRE:
http://www.cinema-scope.com/cs29/spot_moller_queiloro.html
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
PREVIEW MAGAZINE (1995-1996)
This is copied from my Facebook:
พูดถึง Béart ช่วงนี้เรากำลังรื้อนิตยสารเก่าๆเพื่อเอาไปโยนทิ้งและพบว่านิตยสาร Preview ของไทยในปี 1996 เคยลงบทความสั้นๆเกี่ยวกับหนังเรื่อง UNE FEMME FRANÇAISE (1995, Régis Wargnier) ที่นำแสดงโดย Béart ด้วย เรายังไม่ได้ดูหนังเรื่องนี้เลย แต่รู้สึกว่านิตยสาร Preview ล้ำยุคล้ำสมัยมากๆที่พูดถึงหนังเรื่องนี้ แถมนิตยสาร Preview ยังพูดถึงหนังเรื่อง THE BLUE VILLA (1995, Alain Robbe-Grillet), DÉSIRÉ (1996, Bernard Murat), LA MACHINE (1994, François Dupeyron), MON HOMME (1995, Bertrand Blier, A+), BYE BYE (1995, Karim Dridi, A), JEANNE LA PUCELLE (1993, Jacques Rivette), RAÏ (1994, Thomas Gilou), etc. ด้วย เราคิดว่า Preview เป็นนิตยสารของไทยที่ล้ำยุคล้ำสมัยจริงๆ เสียดายที่อยู่บนแผงได้แค่ 2-3 ปีเองมั้ง เห็นมีชื่อคุณเกรียงศักดิ์ ศิลากองอยู่ในกองบก.นิตยสารนี้ด้วย
พูดถึง Béart ช่วงนี้เรากำลังรื้อนิตยสารเก่าๆเพื่อเอาไปโยนทิ้งและพบว่านิตยสาร Preview ของไทยในปี 1996 เคยลงบทความสั้นๆเกี่ยวกับหนังเรื่อง UNE FEMME FRANÇAISE (1995, Régis Wargnier) ที่นำแสดงโดย Béart ด้วย เรายังไม่ได้ดูหนังเรื่องนี้เลย แต่รู้สึกว่านิตยสาร Preview ล้ำยุคล้ำสมัยมากๆที่พูดถึงหนังเรื่องนี้ แถมนิตยสาร Preview ยังพูดถึงหนังเรื่อง THE BLUE VILLA (1995, Alain Robbe-Grillet), DÉSIRÉ (1996, Bernard Murat), LA MACHINE (1994, François Dupeyron), MON HOMME (1995, Bertrand Blier, A+), BYE BYE (1995, Karim Dridi, A), JEANNE LA PUCELLE (1993, Jacques Rivette), RAÏ (1994, Thomas Gilou), etc. ด้วย เราคิดว่า Preview เป็นนิตยสารของไทยที่ล้ำยุคล้ำสมัยจริงๆ เสียดายที่อยู่บนแผงได้แค่ 2-3 ปีเองมั้ง เห็นมีชื่อคุณเกรียงศักดิ์ ศิลากองอยู่ในกองบก.นิตยสารนี้ด้วย
Favorite scene from I COMME ICARE (1979, Henri Verneuil, A+)
Favorite scene from I COMME ICARE (1979, Henri Verneuil, A+)
This scene is about the Milgram Experiment, which " measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience. In Milgram's first set of experiments, 65 percent (26 of 40) of experiment participants administered the experiment's final massive 450-volt shock on the victim, though many were very uncomfortable doing so; at some point, every participant paused and questioned the experiment, some said they would refund the money they were paid for participating in the experiment. Only one participant steadfastly refused to administer shocks below the 300-volt level. This experiment shows that ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sqqhr4_J28
This scene is about the Milgram Experiment, which " measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience. In Milgram's first set of experiments, 65 percent (26 of 40) of experiment participants administered the experiment's final massive 450-volt shock on the victim, though many were very uncomfortable doing so; at some point, every participant paused and questioned the experiment, some said they would refund the money they were paid for participating in the experiment. Only one participant steadfastly refused to administer shocks below the 300-volt level. This experiment shows that ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sqqhr4_J28
BOOK WISH LIST: STEPS BY JERZY KOSINSKI
BOOK WISH LIST: STEPS by Jerzy Kosinski
http://www.amazon.com/Steps-Kosinski-Jerzy/dp/0802135269
Below is a comment on this book by Dr. Joseph Suglia:
"The book's ethical dimension first becomes apparent in an italicized transitional episode in which the protagonist tells his lover of an architect who designed plans for a concentration camp, the main purpose of which, the narrator explains, was "hygiene" [IV, 1]. Genocide was for those responsible indistinguishable from the extermination of vermin: "Rats have to be removed. We exterminate them, but this has nothing to do with our attitudes toward cats, dogs, or any other animal. Rats aren't murdered-we get rid of them; or, to use a better word, they are eliminated; this act of elimination is empty of all meaning." This passage in particular casts light on the "theme" of dehumanization that runs pervasively throughout the book. In Steps, the other person is reduced to the status of a thing. To make of the other human being a thing: such is sadism. Only by representing those to be murdered as vermin (as things to be exterminated) is mass murder possible. It is no accident, from this perspective, that the narrator imagines himself felling trees when he obeys an order to slit his victim's throat toward the end of the book: it is the only way that he can suppress the nausea that wells up within him [VIII, 3]. Each human being is irreplaceable, and the death of a person is, therefore, an irrecoverable loss. By forgetting this, by turning the other human being into a mere object, one is able to dutifully "obey orders" to kill without the intrusion of moral consciousness. Steps aims at disgusting the reader by showing him/her the obscene consequences of objectification. From this perspective, Steps is a profoundly moral book."
I read a short story from this book in Krungthep Dhurakij's newspaper more than ten years ago. It is very disturbing.
http://www.amazon.com/Steps-Kosinski-Jerzy/dp/0802135269
Below is a comment on this book by Dr. Joseph Suglia:
"The book's ethical dimension first becomes apparent in an italicized transitional episode in which the protagonist tells his lover of an architect who designed plans for a concentration camp, the main purpose of which, the narrator explains, was "hygiene" [IV, 1]. Genocide was for those responsible indistinguishable from the extermination of vermin: "Rats have to be removed. We exterminate them, but this has nothing to do with our attitudes toward cats, dogs, or any other animal. Rats aren't murdered-we get rid of them; or, to use a better word, they are eliminated; this act of elimination is empty of all meaning." This passage in particular casts light on the "theme" of dehumanization that runs pervasively throughout the book. In Steps, the other person is reduced to the status of a thing. To make of the other human being a thing: such is sadism. Only by representing those to be murdered as vermin (as things to be exterminated) is mass murder possible. It is no accident, from this perspective, that the narrator imagines himself felling trees when he obeys an order to slit his victim's throat toward the end of the book: it is the only way that he can suppress the nausea that wells up within him [VIII, 3]. Each human being is irreplaceable, and the death of a person is, therefore, an irrecoverable loss. By forgetting this, by turning the other human being into a mere object, one is able to dutifully "obey orders" to kill without the intrusion of moral consciousness. Steps aims at disgusting the reader by showing him/her the obscene consequences of objectification. From this perspective, Steps is a profoundly moral book."
I read a short story from this book in Krungthep Dhurakij's newspaper more than ten years ago. It is very disturbing.
THE FOREST OF EROS (1976, Kounavudhi, A+++++)
THE FOREST OF EROS (1976, Kounavudhi, A+++++)
A BRAND NEW LIFE (2009, Ounie Lecomte, A+)
AM STRAM GRAM (2008, Stéphane Kappes, A+)
LADY BAR (2006, Xavier Durringer, A+)
THE HOLE 3D (2009, Joe Dante, A+/A)
LES DIABLOGUES (2008, Jean-Michel Ribes, A-)
I don't like some details in THE FOREST OF EROS (ป่ากามเทพ), but what I love very much in this film is the fact that the hero is a male prostitute, and the heroine is a girl who much prefers a male prostitute to a male doctor. I hope Thai films nowadays make more films of which the heroes are male prostitutes, like THE FOREST OF EROS and CHANG MUN CHUN MAI CARE (1986, M.L. Bhandevanop Devakul, A++++++++++).
What I like very much in AM STRAM GRAM is the gay subplot concerning the romantic relationship between a gay policeman and a bisexual suspect. This makes AM STRAM GRAM much more interesting than ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE (1984, Desmond Davis, A-), which is adapted from the same novel by Agatha Christie.
I like the review on A BRAND NEW LIFE at FILM, EYEBALLS, BRAIN blog very much:
http://filmeyeballsbrain.com/2010/04/26/notes-on-sfiff-53-ounie-lecomtes-a-brand-new-life-2009-whang-cheol-means-moscow-2009/
" There’s an unsentimental spareness in A Brand New Life that throws into greater relief the barely articulated emotional devastation at the heart of the film. I can’t describe my favorite scene, but suffice it to say that it’s wordless, and that it’s unexpected, and that it comes at the absolute perfect moment in the narrative, and that it’ll break your heart again."
A BRAND NEW LIFE (2009, Ounie Lecomte, A+)
AM STRAM GRAM (2008, Stéphane Kappes, A+)
LADY BAR (2006, Xavier Durringer, A+)
THE HOLE 3D (2009, Joe Dante, A+/A)
LES DIABLOGUES (2008, Jean-Michel Ribes, A-)
I don't like some details in THE FOREST OF EROS (ป่ากามเทพ), but what I love very much in this film is the fact that the hero is a male prostitute, and the heroine is a girl who much prefers a male prostitute to a male doctor. I hope Thai films nowadays make more films of which the heroes are male prostitutes, like THE FOREST OF EROS and CHANG MUN CHUN MAI CARE (1986, M.L. Bhandevanop Devakul, A++++++++++).
What I like very much in AM STRAM GRAM is the gay subplot concerning the romantic relationship between a gay policeman and a bisexual suspect. This makes AM STRAM GRAM much more interesting than ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE (1984, Desmond Davis, A-), which is adapted from the same novel by Agatha Christie.
I like the review on A BRAND NEW LIFE at FILM, EYEBALLS, BRAIN blog very much:
http://filmeyeballsbrain.com/2010/04/26/notes-on-sfiff-53-ounie-lecomtes-a-brand-new-life-2009-whang-cheol-means-moscow-2009/
" There’s an unsentimental spareness in A Brand New Life that throws into greater relief the barely articulated emotional devastation at the heart of the film. I can’t describe my favorite scene, but suffice it to say that it’s wordless, and that it’s unexpected, and that it comes at the absolute perfect moment in the narrative, and that it’ll break your heart again."
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A GRUESOME LIST
My friend asks for the list of films in which a middle-class family is killed in their own home, such as FUNNY GAMES, THE STRANGERS, ORPHAN, so this is my answer in his Facebook:
I'm not sure if these films fit your descriptions or not:
1.SISTER MY SISTER (1994, Nancy Meckler, A)
It is inspired by the same case as LA CEREMONIE.
2.L'ARGENT (Robert Bresson, A+++++++++++++++)
I'm not sure if the massacre occurs in a middle-class family or a lower-class family.
3.KHON JORN (1999, Attaporn Thaihirun, A-)
The family members are attacked, not murdered, by Burmese laborers in this film, if I remember it correctly. HOSTAGE (2005, Florent Emilio Siri, A-) and DESPERATE HOURS (1990, Michael Cimino, A+) also deal with the "attack" on middle-class families.
4.STORYTELLING (2001, Todd Solondz, A+)
Like what happens in KHON JORN and SISTER, MY SISTER, the attack in this film is perpetrated by the labor class.
5.SCREAM (A+)
6.FLESH AND BONE (1993, Steve Kloves, A+)
7.LA MADRE MUERTA (1993, Juanma Bajo Ulloa, A+)
8.LÉON (1994, Luc Besson, A+)
9.GLORIA (1980, John Cassavetes, A+)
10.WONDERLAND (2003, James Cox, A-)
LÉON, GLORIA, and WONDERLAND may not be what you're looking for, because the murdered families in these films are not totally innocent. These families had been involved with criminals before they were killed, if I remember it correctly.
11.BEYOND RANGOON (A+)
The family members of the heroine are murdered in their own home, though it is just a small point in the story.
FLESH AND BONE, LA MADRE MUERTA, LÉON, GLORIA, and BEYOND RANGOON don't focus on the murder, but focus on the survivor from the murder.
I exclude films in which the bourgeois people kill their own family, such as TENDERNESS, LOVELY RITA.
The reversal of the films in the list above may be LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972, Wes Craven, A+/A).
I'm not sure if these films fit your descriptions or not:
1.SISTER MY SISTER (1994, Nancy Meckler, A)
It is inspired by the same case as LA CEREMONIE.
2.L'ARGENT (Robert Bresson, A+++++++++++++++)
I'm not sure if the massacre occurs in a middle-class family or a lower-class family.
3.KHON JORN (1999, Attaporn Thaihirun, A-)
The family members are attacked, not murdered, by Burmese laborers in this film, if I remember it correctly. HOSTAGE (2005, Florent Emilio Siri, A-) and DESPERATE HOURS (1990, Michael Cimino, A+) also deal with the "attack" on middle-class families.
4.STORYTELLING (2001, Todd Solondz, A+)
Like what happens in KHON JORN and SISTER, MY SISTER, the attack in this film is perpetrated by the labor class.
5.SCREAM (A+)
6.FLESH AND BONE (1993, Steve Kloves, A+)
7.LA MADRE MUERTA (1993, Juanma Bajo Ulloa, A+)
8.LÉON (1994, Luc Besson, A+)
9.GLORIA (1980, John Cassavetes, A+)
10.WONDERLAND (2003, James Cox, A-)
LÉON, GLORIA, and WONDERLAND may not be what you're looking for, because the murdered families in these films are not totally innocent. These families had been involved with criminals before they were killed, if I remember it correctly.
11.BEYOND RANGOON (A+)
The family members of the heroine are murdered in their own home, though it is just a small point in the story.
FLESH AND BONE, LA MADRE MUERTA, LÉON, GLORIA, and BEYOND RANGOON don't focus on the murder, but focus on the survivor from the murder.
I exclude films in which the bourgeois people kill their own family, such as TENDERNESS, LOVELY RITA.
The reversal of the films in the list above may be LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972, Wes Craven, A+/A).
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
VISRA VICHIT-VADAKAN'S INTERVIEW
Visra Vichit-Vadakan gave an interview at Third Class Citizen's blog. You can read the interview in Thai via the link below:
http://thirdclasscitizen.exteen.com/20100511/femme-fatale-05
Visra is the director of RISE SON (2006, 8 min, A++++++++++), THE STAGE (2007), ANATOMY (2008), FALL (2008), and IN SPACE (2009).
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
"10. ประวัติพี่ในเวบ NYU มีการอ้างอิงถึงคุณจิตร โพธิ์แก้ว (บล็อกเกอร์ / นักดูหนัง) พี่เคยเจอกับคุณจิตรหรือยัง และถ้าเค้าอ่านบทสัมภาษณ์นี้อยู่ อยากจะบอกอะไรกับเค้าครับ
เรายังไม่เคยเจอพี่เค้าเลยค่ะ แล้วก็อยากจะเจอกันสักวันหนึ่ง คุณจิตรเค้าพิเศษสำหรับเรา เพราะตอนปี 2006 เราทำหนังสั้นเรื่องแรก เป็นหนังทดลอง เราก็แค่ทำขึ้นมา แล้วส่งไปที่งานของมูลนิธิหนังไทย แค่นั้นเลย หลังจากนั้นเราก็ไปเจอบล็อกของพี่จิตร ซึ่งพี่เค้าเลือกหนังเราเป็นหนึ่งในหนังที่ชอบที่สุดของปีนั้น มันเป็นฟีดแบ็กแรกที่เราได้รับน่ะ มันรู้สึกดีมากๆ พี่เค้าทำให้เรามั่นใจที่จะใส่หนังเรื่องนี้ลงไปใบพอร์ตโฟลิโอของ NYU"
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
http://thirdclasscitizen.exteen.com/20100511/femme-fatale-05
Visra is the director of RISE SON (2006, 8 min, A++++++++++), THE STAGE (2007), ANATOMY (2008), FALL (2008), and IN SPACE (2009).
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
"10. ประวัติพี่ในเวบ NYU มีการอ้างอิงถึงคุณจิตร โพธิ์แก้ว (บล็อกเกอร์ / นักดูหนัง) พี่เคยเจอกับคุณจิตรหรือยัง และถ้าเค้าอ่านบทสัมภาษณ์นี้อยู่ อยากจะบอกอะไรกับเค้าครับ
เรายังไม่เคยเจอพี่เค้าเลยค่ะ แล้วก็อยากจะเจอกันสักวันหนึ่ง คุณจิตรเค้าพิเศษสำหรับเรา เพราะตอนปี 2006 เราทำหนังสั้นเรื่องแรก เป็นหนังทดลอง เราก็แค่ทำขึ้นมา แล้วส่งไปที่งานของมูลนิธิหนังไทย แค่นั้นเลย หลังจากนั้นเราก็ไปเจอบล็อกของพี่จิตร ซึ่งพี่เค้าเลือกหนังเราเป็นหนึ่งในหนังที่ชอบที่สุดของปีนั้น มันเป็นฟีดแบ็กแรกที่เราได้รับน่ะ มันรู้สึกดีมากๆ พี่เค้าทำให้เรามั่นใจที่จะใส่หนังเรื่องนี้ลงไปใบพอร์ตโฟลิโอของ NYU"
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
Monday, May 10, 2010
POLL 79: LLORANDO
POLL 79: LLORANDO
My poll 79 is inspired by TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson, A+++++++++++++++), which makes me cry because the pain of the heroine touches my heart and my soul very deeply.
THESE FILMS MAKE ME CRY A BUCKETFUL OF TEARS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.AFTERNOON TIMES (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
http://screenville.blogspot.com/2007/09/afternoon-times-2005boonsinsukh.html
I cried for the scene in which the heroine is packing up things in her restaurant, knowing that she will never find the guy she likes again.
2.AFTERSHOCKS: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY (2002, Rakesh Sharma, India)
After watching this film, I locked myself up in a toilet in a department store and cried for half an hour. The lives of the people in this film are very sad.
3.THE ASSASSINATED SUN (2004, Abdelkrim Bahloul)
I cried at the ending of this film.
4.BUNNY (2000, Mia Trachinger)
Two months after I had seen this film, I woke up and cried uncontrollably thinking about it. It is strange that this film didn't make me cry instantly after I had seen it. The pain of the characters in this film seemed to be locked up in my subconscious and one day it broke open into my dream and my consciousness.
5.CHOICES OF THE HEART (1983, Joseph Sargent)
6.DÉJÀ VU (1997, Henry Jaglom)
7.DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002, Elia Suleiman, Palestine)
This is the film that makes me cry the most in my life, and I'm not sure why.
8.HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY (2009, Lasse Hallström)
I never expected that I would worship or cry for a film like this. But the scene in which Joan Allen finds out that Hachiko has been waiting for the return of her husband for more than ten years makes me cry. I think it is because what Hachiko does in this film is like what some human beings do—doing something unreasonably, doing something though it is utterly hopeless, doing something which you know you will not succeed but still you can't stop yourself from doing it. You know you shouldn't do it, but you still do it because your heart compels you to do it. It's like a mother who knows her son is dead but still finds it hard to accept the truth. It's like person A who still keeps on loving person B though A knows that B will never love A back.
HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY should really be screened together with ROZA (1999, Ramon Swaab, Netherlands, A+++++). In ROZA, we saw an old man in present time sits in a train station, waiting for someone. In the end we know that this man has been waiting for Roza for more than 60 years. The last time he saw Roza is when this girl was deported in a train during WWII, because she was a Jew. This old man must know that it is useless to wait here, because Roza was likely to be killed in a gas chamber 60 years ago. But he still waits here. He does what his heart wants to do, not what his brain tells him to do. He does what is beyond reason or understanding, like Hachiko.
9.THE INVISIBLE FRAME (2009, Cynthia Beatt, Germany)
The ending of this film is tremendously touching for three reasons:
9.1 It's what Tilda Swinton says at the end of the film
9.2 It's the contrast between the image we saw at the ending of this film and the image we saw at the ending of CYCLING THE FRAME (1988, Cynthia Beatt, A+)
9.3 It's the text at the end of this film. This short text turns a film which has "a very happy ending" into a film with arguably sad ending. At the end of this film, we feel very glad to see the freedom of German people. We see the beauty of this freedom, which is the opposite of what we see in CYCLING THE FRAME. We may think, "Oh, what a wonderful world! Goodness has triumphed over evil. Bad things have been destroyed. There are still hopes in life." And then the text says, "For Palestinian people." This short text suddenly and powerfully reminds us of the misery which continues until now. This short text reminds us that happiness like in THE INVISIBLE FRAME is still being denied in some places in the world. THE INVISIBLE FRAME doesn't show us directly the misery of Palestinian people, but because it shows us what a free country looks like, it makes us feel very sad and angry that some people who should be able to live in a free and undivided country like that are still unable to do it.
10.KOENIG'S SPHERE: THE GERMAN SCULPTOR FRITZ KOENIG AT GROUND ZERO (2001, Percy Adlon)
11.THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
The ending of this film makes me cry. It makes me feel that Marker still likes Aleksandr Medvedkin very much, and Marker doesn't care at all if other people like Medvedkin or not.
12.LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, Thailand)
13.LETTER TO A CHILD (2009, Vlado Skafar, Slovenia)
14.THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffé)
15.THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale)
One scene that makes me cry in this miniseries is the scene in which a politician who tries to uncover the truth about the murder of Mary Phagan despite the protest of the villagers tells his young assistant something like this:
"If you want to succeed in politics, never do what I have done."
And his assistant replies, "Now I don't want to succeed in politics any more."
It is very touching for me to see that this young assistant who used to be ambitious has learned that what is more important to him now is not success, fame, or being worshipped and loved by the voting people. What is important to him now is "truth", "justice", and "helping innocent people", though choosing truth and justice might make the voting people hate him.
16.THE PAINTBALL PROJECT (2007, Wafaa Bilal)
I cried for the scene in which someone drives a long way to meet this Iraqi artist and offer him some support. And it is utterly surprising and touching for me that the person who seems to understand the most about the pain of this Iraqi artist is a US marine.
17.THE PINOCHET CASE (2001, Patricio Guzmán, Chile)
18.SEVEN POUNDS (2008, Gabriele Muccino)
I like it very much that the hero does not intend to make the heroine love him forever. Instead, he seems to intend to make the heroine find a new love after him.
19.TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson)
20.VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch)
There are many things in this film which make me cry. One scene which makes me cry is the scene in which Valerie meets a woman who used to love Valerie's husband.
The woman says, "You won. I lost," and smiles. She seems to accept the truth that it is Valerie who won the heart of this guy.
"No, you won, I lost," Valerie replies, knowing fully well that happiness doesn't last forever. Things which give you happiness will not last forever. People who give you happiness will not last forever. And things which you used to hold dear might cause you unhappiness in the future.
You can cast multiple votes.
The soundtrack for this poll is LLORANDO by Rebekah del Rio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIpkMg9sh6Q
My poll 79 is inspired by TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson, A+++++++++++++++), which makes me cry because the pain of the heroine touches my heart and my soul very deeply.
THESE FILMS MAKE ME CRY A BUCKETFUL OF TEARS. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.AFTERNOON TIMES (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, Thailand)
http://screenville.blogspot.com/2007/09/afternoon-times-2005boonsinsukh.html
I cried for the scene in which the heroine is packing up things in her restaurant, knowing that she will never find the guy she likes again.
2.AFTERSHOCKS: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY (2002, Rakesh Sharma, India)
After watching this film, I locked myself up in a toilet in a department store and cried for half an hour. The lives of the people in this film are very sad.
3.THE ASSASSINATED SUN (2004, Abdelkrim Bahloul)
I cried at the ending of this film.
4.BUNNY (2000, Mia Trachinger)
Two months after I had seen this film, I woke up and cried uncontrollably thinking about it. It is strange that this film didn't make me cry instantly after I had seen it. The pain of the characters in this film seemed to be locked up in my subconscious and one day it broke open into my dream and my consciousness.
5.CHOICES OF THE HEART (1983, Joseph Sargent)
6.DÉJÀ VU (1997, Henry Jaglom)
7.DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002, Elia Suleiman, Palestine)
This is the film that makes me cry the most in my life, and I'm not sure why.
8.HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY (2009, Lasse Hallström)
I never expected that I would worship or cry for a film like this. But the scene in which Joan Allen finds out that Hachiko has been waiting for the return of her husband for more than ten years makes me cry. I think it is because what Hachiko does in this film is like what some human beings do—doing something unreasonably, doing something though it is utterly hopeless, doing something which you know you will not succeed but still you can't stop yourself from doing it. You know you shouldn't do it, but you still do it because your heart compels you to do it. It's like a mother who knows her son is dead but still finds it hard to accept the truth. It's like person A who still keeps on loving person B though A knows that B will never love A back.
HACHIKO: A DOG'S STORY should really be screened together with ROZA (1999, Ramon Swaab, Netherlands, A+++++). In ROZA, we saw an old man in present time sits in a train station, waiting for someone. In the end we know that this man has been waiting for Roza for more than 60 years. The last time he saw Roza is when this girl was deported in a train during WWII, because she was a Jew. This old man must know that it is useless to wait here, because Roza was likely to be killed in a gas chamber 60 years ago. But he still waits here. He does what his heart wants to do, not what his brain tells him to do. He does what is beyond reason or understanding, like Hachiko.
9.THE INVISIBLE FRAME (2009, Cynthia Beatt, Germany)
The ending of this film is tremendously touching for three reasons:
9.1 It's what Tilda Swinton says at the end of the film
9.2 It's the contrast between the image we saw at the ending of this film and the image we saw at the ending of CYCLING THE FRAME (1988, Cynthia Beatt, A+)
9.3 It's the text at the end of this film. This short text turns a film which has "a very happy ending" into a film with arguably sad ending. At the end of this film, we feel very glad to see the freedom of German people. We see the beauty of this freedom, which is the opposite of what we see in CYCLING THE FRAME. We may think, "Oh, what a wonderful world! Goodness has triumphed over evil. Bad things have been destroyed. There are still hopes in life." And then the text says, "For Palestinian people." This short text suddenly and powerfully reminds us of the misery which continues until now. This short text reminds us that happiness like in THE INVISIBLE FRAME is still being denied in some places in the world. THE INVISIBLE FRAME doesn't show us directly the misery of Palestinian people, but because it shows us what a free country looks like, it makes us feel very sad and angry that some people who should be able to live in a free and undivided country like that are still unable to do it.
10.KOENIG'S SPHERE: THE GERMAN SCULPTOR FRITZ KOENIG AT GROUND ZERO (2001, Percy Adlon)
11.THE LAST BOLSHEVIK (1993, Chris Marker)
The ending of this film makes me cry. It makes me feel that Marker still likes Aleksandr Medvedkin very much, and Marker doesn't care at all if other people like Medvedkin or not.
12.LETTER FROM THE SILENCE (2006, Prap Boonpan, Thailand)
13.LETTER TO A CHILD (2009, Vlado Skafar, Slovenia)
14.THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffé)
15.THE MURDER OF MARY PHAGAN (1988, William Hale)
One scene that makes me cry in this miniseries is the scene in which a politician who tries to uncover the truth about the murder of Mary Phagan despite the protest of the villagers tells his young assistant something like this:
"If you want to succeed in politics, never do what I have done."
And his assistant replies, "Now I don't want to succeed in politics any more."
It is very touching for me to see that this young assistant who used to be ambitious has learned that what is more important to him now is not success, fame, or being worshipped and loved by the voting people. What is important to him now is "truth", "justice", and "helping innocent people", though choosing truth and justice might make the voting people hate him.
16.THE PAINTBALL PROJECT (2007, Wafaa Bilal)
I cried for the scene in which someone drives a long way to meet this Iraqi artist and offer him some support. And it is utterly surprising and touching for me that the person who seems to understand the most about the pain of this Iraqi artist is a US marine.
17.THE PINOCHET CASE (2001, Patricio Guzmán, Chile)
18.SEVEN POUNDS (2008, Gabriele Muccino)
I like it very much that the hero does not intend to make the heroine love him forever. Instead, he seems to intend to make the heroine find a new love after him.
19.TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson)
20.VALERIE FLAKE (1999, John Putch)
There are many things in this film which make me cry. One scene which makes me cry is the scene in which Valerie meets a woman who used to love Valerie's husband.
The woman says, "You won. I lost," and smiles. She seems to accept the truth that it is Valerie who won the heart of this guy.
"No, you won, I lost," Valerie replies, knowing fully well that happiness doesn't last forever. Things which give you happiness will not last forever. People who give you happiness will not last forever. And things which you used to hold dear might cause you unhappiness in the future.
You can cast multiple votes.
The soundtrack for this poll is LLORANDO by Rebekah del Rio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIpkMg9sh6Q
THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE AND GONE BABY GONE ARE THE WINNERS
My poll 78 ended with four votes. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:
I LOVE THE DILEMMAS OR DIFFICULT DECISIONS THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THESE FILMS FACE. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997, Taylor Hackford)
+GONE BABY GONE (2007, Ben Affleck)
Each of them got 3 votes, or 75 %.
3.AE FOND KISS... (2004, Ken Loach)
+THE BOX (2009, Richard Kelly)
+CASUATIES OF WAR (1989, Brian De Palma)
+LUST, CAUTION (2007, Ang Li)
+MUSIC BOX (1989, Costa-Gavras)
+PARADISE NOW (2005, Hany Abu-Assad)
+PERSONNEL (1975, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
+LA PROMESSE (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne + Luc Dardenne)
Each of them got 2 votes, or 50 %.
11.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa)
+THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995, Clint Eastwood)
+THE FAREWELL – BERTOLT BRECHT'S LAST SUMMER (2000, Jan Schütte)
+THE RIDER NAMED DEATH (2004, Karen Shakhnazarov)
+ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960, Luchino Visconti)
+SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982, Alan J. Pakula)
+WATCHMEN (2009, Zack Snyder)
Each of them got 1 vote, or 25 %.
18.BANG RAJAN 2 (2010, Thanit Jitnukul)
+BEAUTIFUL CITY (2004, Asghar Farhadi)
+THE GOOD SON (1993, Joseph Ruben)
Each of them got 0 vote.
You can read Tasanatas's review on BANG RAJAN 2 in Bioscope Magazine, Issue 102, May 2010.
I LOVE THE DILEMMAS OR DIFFICULT DECISIONS THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THESE FILMS FACE. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997, Taylor Hackford)
+GONE BABY GONE (2007, Ben Affleck)
Each of them got 3 votes, or 75 %.
3.AE FOND KISS... (2004, Ken Loach)
+THE BOX (2009, Richard Kelly)
+CASUATIES OF WAR (1989, Brian De Palma)
+LUST, CAUTION (2007, Ang Li)
+MUSIC BOX (1989, Costa-Gavras)
+PARADISE NOW (2005, Hany Abu-Assad)
+PERSONNEL (1975, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
+LA PROMESSE (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne + Luc Dardenne)
Each of them got 2 votes, or 50 %.
11.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa)
+THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995, Clint Eastwood)
+THE FAREWELL – BERTOLT BRECHT'S LAST SUMMER (2000, Jan Schütte)
+THE RIDER NAMED DEATH (2004, Karen Shakhnazarov)
+ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960, Luchino Visconti)
+SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982, Alan J. Pakula)
+WATCHMEN (2009, Zack Snyder)
Each of them got 1 vote, or 25 %.
18.BANG RAJAN 2 (2010, Thanit Jitnukul)
+BEAUTIFUL CITY (2004, Asghar Farhadi)
+THE GOOD SON (1993, Joseph Ruben)
Each of them got 0 vote.
You can read Tasanatas's review on BANG RAJAN 2 in Bioscope Magazine, Issue 102, May 2010.
MOERO ATTACK (1979-1980, A+++++++++++++++)
This is copied from my Facebook:
กรี๊ดดดดดดดดดดด ยอดหญิงชิงโอลิมปิก (1979-1980) คือหนึ่งในละครทีวีที่เราชอบมากที่สุดในชีวิตการแสดง แต่ไม่เคยหาข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับละครเรื่องนี้ได้เลย เพราะเราไม่รู้ชื่อภาษาอังกฤษของละครเรื่องนี้ ดีใจมากๆที่เพื่อนหาไตเติลกับชื่อละครเรื่องนี้เจอ
เราไม่ได้ดูละครเรื่องนี้มาสัก 27 ปีได้แล้วมั้ง เสียดายที่จำรายละเอียดเกี่ยวกับละครเรื่องนี้ไม่ได้แล้ว จำชื่อลูกตบอะไรต่างๆในเรื่องไม่ค่อยได้แล้วด้วย ถ้าจำไม่ผิด นางเอกจะมีลูกตบ 4 รูปแบบ ซึ่งได้แก่
1.ลูกตบฟ้าผ่า
ในลิงค์ข้างล่างนี้จะมีรวมคลิปสั้นๆจากยอดหญิงชิงโอลิมปิก ถ้าจำไม่ผิด ลูกตบฟ้าผ่าจะอยู่ในกรอบสี่เหลี่ยมเแถวบนสุด อันริมขวาสุด
http://booska.freehostia.com/moero.html
2.ลูกตบฟ้าผ่าซ้ำซ้อน
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สอง อันริมซ้ายสุด
3.ลูกตบทอร์นาโด (จำไม่ได้ว่าใช้ชื่อนี้หรือเปล่า)
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สาม อันที่สามจากทางซ้าย
4.ลูกตบเฮอริเคน
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สาม อันริมขวาสุด
ส่วนเพื่อนนางเอกสองคนจะมีท่าไม้ตายประจำตัว ซึ่งได้แก่
5.ลูกตบประกายไข่มุก
6.ลูกเสิร์ฟหลังคา
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สอง อันริมขวาสุด
ส่วนศัตรูนางเอกจะมีท่าไม้ตายดังต่อไปนี้
7.ลูกเสิร์ฟ UFO
อันนี้น่าจะอยู่แถวบนสุด อันริมซ้ายสุด
8. BERMUDA SCRAMBLE
ชอบท่าไม้ตายอันนี้มากๆ มันฮามาก รู้สึกว่ามันจะเป็นท่าไม้ตายที่แต่ละคนในทีมจะวิ่งสลับกันไปมาจนคู่ต่อสู้ตาลาย ดูท่าไม้ตายอันนี้แล้วนึกถึง "ท่าเท้าท่องคลื่น" ของต้วนอวี้ในแปดเทพอสูรมังกรฟ้า ที่พอเกิดเหตุคับขันขึ้นมาต้วนอวี้จะใช้วิชาท่าเท้าท่องคลื่นวิ่งไปมาจนคู่ต่อสู้งุนงง
BERMUDA SCRAMBLE จะอยู่ในแถวบนสุด อันที่สองจากทางซ้าย ไม่รู้คนแต่งละครเรื่องนี้คิดขึ้นมาได้ยังไง รุนแรงมากๆ
9. ลอยตัวรับ
10. ลูกตบลวงตา
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สาม อันที่สองจากทางซ้าย
11.ลูกตบควงสว่าน
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สอง อันที่สามจากทางซ้าย
12. ลูกตบสลาตัน
ชอบอันนี้ที่สุด จำได้ว่ามันรุนแรงมากๆ ถ้าเราเลือกได้ เราขอเลือกเป็นตัวละครที่เป็นเจ้าของ "ลูกตบสลาตัน" ในละครเรื่องนี้
ส่วนลิงค์ข้างล่างนี้จะเป็นไตเติลของละครเรื่องยอดหญิงชิงโอลิมปิกเหมือนกัน โดยในนาทีที่ 3:20-3:30 จะมีท่านางเอกขณะตบลูกตบเฮอริเคนด้วย ดูแล้วรู้สึกเป็นบุญตามากๆที่ได้เห็นท่าลูกตบเฮอริเคนอีกครั้งในชีวิตนี้
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep-RTXb0C8g&feature=related
กรี๊ดดดดดดดดดดด ยอดหญิงชิงโอลิมปิก (1979-1980) คือหนึ่งในละครทีวีที่เราชอบมากที่สุดในชีวิตการแสดง แต่ไม่เคยหาข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับละครเรื่องนี้ได้เลย เพราะเราไม่รู้ชื่อภาษาอังกฤษของละครเรื่องนี้ ดีใจมากๆที่เพื่อนหาไตเติลกับชื่อละครเรื่องนี้เจอ
เราไม่ได้ดูละครเรื่องนี้มาสัก 27 ปีได้แล้วมั้ง เสียดายที่จำรายละเอียดเกี่ยวกับละครเรื่องนี้ไม่ได้แล้ว จำชื่อลูกตบอะไรต่างๆในเรื่องไม่ค่อยได้แล้วด้วย ถ้าจำไม่ผิด นางเอกจะมีลูกตบ 4 รูปแบบ ซึ่งได้แก่
1.ลูกตบฟ้าผ่า
ในลิงค์ข้างล่างนี้จะมีรวมคลิปสั้นๆจากยอดหญิงชิงโอลิมปิก ถ้าจำไม่ผิด ลูกตบฟ้าผ่าจะอยู่ในกรอบสี่เหลี่ยมเแถวบนสุด อันริมขวาสุด
http://booska.freehostia.com/moero.html
2.ลูกตบฟ้าผ่าซ้ำซ้อน
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สอง อันริมซ้ายสุด
3.ลูกตบทอร์นาโด (จำไม่ได้ว่าใช้ชื่อนี้หรือเปล่า)
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สาม อันที่สามจากทางซ้าย
4.ลูกตบเฮอริเคน
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สาม อันริมขวาสุด
ส่วนเพื่อนนางเอกสองคนจะมีท่าไม้ตายประจำตัว ซึ่งได้แก่
5.ลูกตบประกายไข่มุก
6.ลูกเสิร์ฟหลังคา
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สอง อันริมขวาสุด
ส่วนศัตรูนางเอกจะมีท่าไม้ตายดังต่อไปนี้
7.ลูกเสิร์ฟ UFO
อันนี้น่าจะอยู่แถวบนสุด อันริมซ้ายสุด
8. BERMUDA SCRAMBLE
ชอบท่าไม้ตายอันนี้มากๆ มันฮามาก รู้สึกว่ามันจะเป็นท่าไม้ตายที่แต่ละคนในทีมจะวิ่งสลับกันไปมาจนคู่ต่อสู้ตาลาย ดูท่าไม้ตายอันนี้แล้วนึกถึง "ท่าเท้าท่องคลื่น" ของต้วนอวี้ในแปดเทพอสูรมังกรฟ้า ที่พอเกิดเหตุคับขันขึ้นมาต้วนอวี้จะใช้วิชาท่าเท้าท่องคลื่นวิ่งไปมาจนคู่ต่อสู้งุนงง
BERMUDA SCRAMBLE จะอยู่ในแถวบนสุด อันที่สองจากทางซ้าย ไม่รู้คนแต่งละครเรื่องนี้คิดขึ้นมาได้ยังไง รุนแรงมากๆ
9. ลอยตัวรับ
10. ลูกตบลวงตา
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สาม อันที่สองจากทางซ้าย
11.ลูกตบควงสว่าน
อันนี้จะอยู่ในแถวที่สอง อันที่สามจากทางซ้าย
12. ลูกตบสลาตัน
ชอบอันนี้ที่สุด จำได้ว่ามันรุนแรงมากๆ ถ้าเราเลือกได้ เราขอเลือกเป็นตัวละครที่เป็นเจ้าของ "ลูกตบสลาตัน" ในละครเรื่องนี้
ส่วนลิงค์ข้างล่างนี้จะเป็นไตเติลของละครเรื่องยอดหญิงชิงโอลิมปิกเหมือนกัน โดยในนาทีที่ 3:20-3:30 จะมีท่านางเอกขณะตบลูกตบเฮอริเคนด้วย ดูแล้วรู้สึกเป็นบุญตามากๆที่ได้เห็นท่าลูกตบเฮอริเคนอีกครั้งในชีวิตนี้
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep-RTXb0C8g&feature=related
Sunday, May 09, 2010
FAVORITE OLD SONGS 67: SOMEDAY (1988) -- CE CE ROGERS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvQRcpEl4tA
I got to know this song via Mixmag's 100 greatest dance singles of all time.
I got to know this song via Mixmag's 100 greatest dance singles of all time.
Saturday, May 08, 2010
TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson, A++++++++++)
TENDERNESS (2009, John Polson, A++++++++++)
THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, A+++++)
L'AFFAIRE DOMINICI (1973, Claude Bernard-Aubert, A+++++)
COMME UN JEU D'ENFANTS (2009, Daniel Janneau, A+++++)
THE SHOCK LABYRINTH 3D (2009, Takashi Shimizu, A+)
SIN CHRONICLES: PANATIPATA (2010, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, A+)
THE INTRUDER (2010, Thanadol Nualsuth + Thammanoon Sakulbunthanom, A+),
BROOKLYN'S FINEST (2009, Antoine Fuqua, A+/A)
IRON MAN 2 (2010, Jon Favreau, A)
THE EDGE OF THE EMPIRE (2010, Nirattisai Kaljaruek, A-)
TENDERNESS is surely one of my most favorite films I saw in 2010. It made me cry. I think it is almost unbelievable that this film was made by the same guy who made SWIMFAN (2002, C+). However, I think John Polson might be an interesting director, because SWIMFAN, HIDE AND SEEK (2005, B+), and TENDERNESS all deal with mentally-troubled female characters. I hope he has a chance to make a film about this topic again.
When the heroine of TENDERNESS says, "Dissolve me", I wonder how enormous pain she has gone through in her life to inspire her to say something like this. And when she shouts "Nothing ever changes", it makes me cry. I feel as if TENDERNESS understands my pain. Lori (Sophie Taub), the heroine of TENDERNESS, is one of my most favorite female characters. In a way, she reminds me of Kristin Spitz (Zhang Ziyi) in HORSEMEN (2009, Jonas Åkerlund, A+) and Aileen in MONSTER (2003, Patty Jenkins, A++++++++++).
A week has passed after I saw TENDERNESS, but I still feel like crying every time I think of this film.
THE JUDGEMENT (1989) might not be as aesthetically interesting as THE JUDGEMENT (2004, Pantham Thongsangl, A+), which is made from the same novel. However, what I like very much in Permpol's version is the headmaster character. This is an evil character who is worshipped by the whole villagers, who sincerely believe the headmaster is virtuous. THE JUDGEMENT portrays one of the scariest societies I have ever seen. The "metaphorical blindness" of the society in THE JUDGEMENT reminds me of the "metaphorical deafness" of the society in ELECTRA, MY LOVE (1974, Miklós Jancsó, A+++++++++++++++), because the citizens in ELECTRA, MY LOVE praise Aegisthus a lot and refuse to listen to what Electra says about Aegisthus.
THE SHOCK LABYRINTH 3D somehow reminds me of CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING.
THE JUDGEMENT (1989, Permpol Choei-aroon, A+++++)
L'AFFAIRE DOMINICI (1973, Claude Bernard-Aubert, A+++++)
COMME UN JEU D'ENFANTS (2009, Daniel Janneau, A+++++)
THE SHOCK LABYRINTH 3D (2009, Takashi Shimizu, A+)
SIN CHRONICLES: PANATIPATA (2010, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, A+)
THE INTRUDER (2010, Thanadol Nualsuth + Thammanoon Sakulbunthanom, A+),
BROOKLYN'S FINEST (2009, Antoine Fuqua, A+/A)
IRON MAN 2 (2010, Jon Favreau, A)
THE EDGE OF THE EMPIRE (2010, Nirattisai Kaljaruek, A-)
TENDERNESS is surely one of my most favorite films I saw in 2010. It made me cry. I think it is almost unbelievable that this film was made by the same guy who made SWIMFAN (2002, C+). However, I think John Polson might be an interesting director, because SWIMFAN, HIDE AND SEEK (2005, B+), and TENDERNESS all deal with mentally-troubled female characters. I hope he has a chance to make a film about this topic again.
When the heroine of TENDERNESS says, "Dissolve me", I wonder how enormous pain she has gone through in her life to inspire her to say something like this. And when she shouts "Nothing ever changes", it makes me cry. I feel as if TENDERNESS understands my pain. Lori (Sophie Taub), the heroine of TENDERNESS, is one of my most favorite female characters. In a way, she reminds me of Kristin Spitz (Zhang Ziyi) in HORSEMEN (2009, Jonas Åkerlund, A+) and Aileen in MONSTER (2003, Patty Jenkins, A++++++++++).
A week has passed after I saw TENDERNESS, but I still feel like crying every time I think of this film.
THE JUDGEMENT (1989) might not be as aesthetically interesting as THE JUDGEMENT (2004, Pantham Thongsangl, A+), which is made from the same novel. However, what I like very much in Permpol's version is the headmaster character. This is an evil character who is worshipped by the whole villagers, who sincerely believe the headmaster is virtuous. THE JUDGEMENT portrays one of the scariest societies I have ever seen. The "metaphorical blindness" of the society in THE JUDGEMENT reminds me of the "metaphorical deafness" of the society in ELECTRA, MY LOVE (1974, Miklós Jancsó, A+++++++++++++++), because the citizens in ELECTRA, MY LOVE praise Aegisthus a lot and refuse to listen to what Electra says about Aegisthus.
THE SHOCK LABYRINTH 3D somehow reminds me of CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Monday, May 03, 2010
POLL 78: DILEMMAS
POLL 78: DILEMMAS
My Poll 78 is inspired by BANG RAJAN 2, in which the main characters face a dilemma or a difficult choice. These characters are Thai villagers during a war. Food is very difficult to find at that time. And there are many other Thai people who try to flee from the war and want to go to live in this village. The villagers must decide whether they will accept these newcomers or not. If the villagers accept these newcomers, the food might not be enough and they will starve. If the villagers drive away these newcomers, these newcomers might die. I think this is a very difficult choice. I'm just glad I don't have to make a decision like the characters in BANG RAJAN 2. If I were in their situation, I'm not sure what my decision will be.
The dilemma in BANG RAJAN 2 reminds me of the fact that there are many occasions in our lives in which we have to make a very difficult decision, especially the decision between two evil choices. I wish my life is full of "difficult decisions" like—Should I choose Maurice Ronet or Jean Sorel as my boyfriend? Or should I choose Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Yûzô Kayama, Tatsuya Nakadai, or Ryo Ikebe as my husband? But in my life this kind of difficult choices never come by. The difficult choices that often occur in my life is the kind that some eastern European people faced in World War II—Should we choose to support Hitler or Stalin? This dilemma is found in the film ENIGMA (2001, Michael Apted).
I LOVE THE DILEMMAS OR DIFFICULT DECISIONS THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THESE FILMS FACE. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.AE FOND KISS... (2004, Ken Loach)
If you were the hero, would you deny your heart to be with your family or would you follow your heart?
2.BANG RAJAN 2 (2010, Thanit Jitnukul)
3.BEAUTIFUL CITY (2004, Asghar Farhadi)
If you were the protagonist, what would you choose to do at the end of the film?
4.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa)
If you were the hero, would you kill a guy to save the lives of your family members?
5.THE BOX (2009, Richard Kelly)
Would you push the button when you are not sure if your actions would cause the deaths of other people or not?
6.THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995, Clint Eastwood)
If you were the heroine, would you choose to abandon your family to be with your lover?
7.CASUATIES OF WAR (1989, Brian De Palma)
If you were the protagonist, would you choose to be gratitude to the man who saved your life by participating in the rape and murder of an innocent girl to satisfy him or would you choose to be ingratitude to that man by exposing his horrendous crime?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MMYPZEMEL._SS500_.jpg
8.THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997, Taylor Hackford)
If you were the protagonist, would you do your job as a lawyer by helping evil clients or decline to do your job?
9.THE FAREWELL – BERTOLT BRECHT'S LAST SUMMER (2000, Jan Schütte)
If you were Bertolt Brecht's wife, would you choose to betray your friends to save your family from Eastern Germany police?
10.GONE BABY GONE (2007, Ben Affleck)
If you were the protagonist, would you expose one crime of a man who has done many good things in the past? If a man has done many good things in the past, does it mean he can be allowed to commit a crime?
11.THE GOOD SON (1993, Joseph Ruben)
If you were the mother, would you choose to save your good nephew or your evil son?
12.LUST, CAUTION (2007, Ang Li)
If you were the heroine, would you help the one you love even though he is evil?
13.MUSIC BOX (1989, Costa-Gavras)
If you were the heroine, would you choose to help your evil father or to
expose his crimes?
14.PARADISE NOW (2005, Hany Abu-Assad)
What would you do at the end of the film? Does standing up against tyranny justify killing innocent people?
15.PERSONNEL (1975, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
If you were the protagonist, would you choose to denounce your friend to save yourself or to possibly ruin your life by standing up for the right thing?
16.LA PROMESSE (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne + Luc Dardenne)
If you were the protagonist, would you help your evil father or help the victim of your father?
17.THE RIDER NAMED DEATH (2004, Karen Shakhnazarov)
If you were the protagonist, would you help overthrowing the tyrannical government if it involves killing innocent children?
18.ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960, Luchino Visconti)
If you were in Rocco's family, would you help covering the crime of your family member or expose it?
19.SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982, Alan J. Pakula)
If you were Sophie, who would you choose to save, your son or your daughter?
20.WATCHMEN (2009, Zack Snyder)
Would you choose to do like Rorschach or Night Owl II at the end of the film? Would you choose to expose the truth or think the truth is not important? Do you think that peace which is based on lies can last long?
You can cast multiple votes.
My Poll 78 is inspired by BANG RAJAN 2, in which the main characters face a dilemma or a difficult choice. These characters are Thai villagers during a war. Food is very difficult to find at that time. And there are many other Thai people who try to flee from the war and want to go to live in this village. The villagers must decide whether they will accept these newcomers or not. If the villagers accept these newcomers, the food might not be enough and they will starve. If the villagers drive away these newcomers, these newcomers might die. I think this is a very difficult choice. I'm just glad I don't have to make a decision like the characters in BANG RAJAN 2. If I were in their situation, I'm not sure what my decision will be.
The dilemma in BANG RAJAN 2 reminds me of the fact that there are many occasions in our lives in which we have to make a very difficult decision, especially the decision between two evil choices. I wish my life is full of "difficult decisions" like—Should I choose Maurice Ronet or Jean Sorel as my boyfriend? Or should I choose Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Yûzô Kayama, Tatsuya Nakadai, or Ryo Ikebe as my husband? But in my life this kind of difficult choices never come by. The difficult choices that often occur in my life is the kind that some eastern European people faced in World War II—Should we choose to support Hitler or Stalin? This dilemma is found in the film ENIGMA (2001, Michael Apted).
I LOVE THE DILEMMAS OR DIFFICULT DECISIONS THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THESE FILMS FACE. WHICH FILMS DO YOU LIKE?
1.AE FOND KISS... (2004, Ken Loach)
If you were the hero, would you deny your heart to be with your family or would you follow your heart?
2.BANG RAJAN 2 (2010, Thanit Jitnukul)
3.BEAUTIFUL CITY (2004, Asghar Farhadi)
If you were the protagonist, what would you choose to do at the end of the film?
4.BEFORE THE STORM (2000, Reza Parsa)
If you were the hero, would you kill a guy to save the lives of your family members?
5.THE BOX (2009, Richard Kelly)
Would you push the button when you are not sure if your actions would cause the deaths of other people or not?
6.THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995, Clint Eastwood)
If you were the heroine, would you choose to abandon your family to be with your lover?
7.CASUATIES OF WAR (1989, Brian De Palma)
If you were the protagonist, would you choose to be gratitude to the man who saved your life by participating in the rape and murder of an innocent girl to satisfy him or would you choose to be ingratitude to that man by exposing his horrendous crime?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MMYPZEMEL._SS500_.jpg
8.THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997, Taylor Hackford)
If you were the protagonist, would you do your job as a lawyer by helping evil clients or decline to do your job?
9.THE FAREWELL – BERTOLT BRECHT'S LAST SUMMER (2000, Jan Schütte)
If you were Bertolt Brecht's wife, would you choose to betray your friends to save your family from Eastern Germany police?
10.GONE BABY GONE (2007, Ben Affleck)
If you were the protagonist, would you expose one crime of a man who has done many good things in the past? If a man has done many good things in the past, does it mean he can be allowed to commit a crime?
11.THE GOOD SON (1993, Joseph Ruben)
If you were the mother, would you choose to save your good nephew or your evil son?
12.LUST, CAUTION (2007, Ang Li)
If you were the heroine, would you help the one you love even though he is evil?
13.MUSIC BOX (1989, Costa-Gavras)
If you were the heroine, would you choose to help your evil father or to
expose his crimes?
14.PARADISE NOW (2005, Hany Abu-Assad)
What would you do at the end of the film? Does standing up against tyranny justify killing innocent people?
15.PERSONNEL (1975, Krzysztof Kieslowski)
If you were the protagonist, would you choose to denounce your friend to save yourself or to possibly ruin your life by standing up for the right thing?
16.LA PROMESSE (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne + Luc Dardenne)
If you were the protagonist, would you help your evil father or help the victim of your father?
17.THE RIDER NAMED DEATH (2004, Karen Shakhnazarov)
If you were the protagonist, would you help overthrowing the tyrannical government if it involves killing innocent children?
18.ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (1960, Luchino Visconti)
If you were in Rocco's family, would you help covering the crime of your family member or expose it?
19.SOPHIE'S CHOICE (1982, Alan J. Pakula)
If you were Sophie, who would you choose to save, your son or your daughter?
20.WATCHMEN (2009, Zack Snyder)
Would you choose to do like Rorschach or Night Owl II at the end of the film? Would you choose to expose the truth or think the truth is not important? Do you think that peace which is based on lies can last long?
You can cast multiple votes.
FAVORITE OLD SONGS 1-60
FAVORITE OLD SONGS 1-60
1.ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME – Espiritu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eUo4NSjOEQ
2.ANOTHER LIKE MY LOVER – Jasmine Guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtWGM8Nj9OM
3.BABY IT'S TONIGHT – Jude Cole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pavmG-YKLM
4.BRING ME EDELWEISS – Edelweiss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVIICWRbjM
5.CANDY – Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0zTMsGBy1Y
6.CAN'T STOP FALLING INTO LOVE – Cheap Trick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqCG8hFpHz4
7.CRAZY – Daisy Dee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D1WT7s5n6c
8.DEAL FOR LIFE (1990) – John Waite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M588soBcjjs
9.DEEP IN VOGUE – Malcolm McLaren
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVLFLLKIgzg
10.DEFINITION OF LOVE – Kaos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnhK98JLIYo
11.ECHO MY HEART – Lindy Layton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL2TPSpxof8
12.GHETTO HEAVEN – Family Stand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoIaDkJfBRY&a=dNYhIRSIiuM&playnext_from=ML
13.GIVE YOU ALL MY LOVE – Stacey Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCoMPD5_YMA&feature=related
14.GRAND PIANO – Mixmaster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxe8iZeKPxI
15.THE HARDER I TRY – Brother Beyond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTs2Z3jYzq4
16.HEAVEN'S HERE – Holly Johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk6w1WQbwEQ
17.HELLO – The Beloved
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBNFiK7PkA
18.HEY THERE LONELY GIRL – Big Fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXnBhCMCo88
19.HOUSE SENSATION – Liaz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_r-nQRdYs
20.HOW CAN I FALL – Breathe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Koj6IEKQx2E
21.HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH – The Fixx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGHmhjzolTM
22.HOW TO DANCE – Bingo Boys featuring Princessa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJIr8Bd28_8
23.I HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET – Pat & Mick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkP8lVE2_0A
24.IF I HAVE TO STAND ALONE – Lonnie Gordon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nVMrpdxp-4
25.IF YOU CARED – Kym Appleby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BMxpj7pww
26.IT'S ALL RIGHT – Ayumi Nakamura
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFljV4gIkTA
27.IT'S TOO LATE – Quartz featuring Dina Carroll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSwekflTlVQ
28.JINGO – Candido
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzHOVR6N5UY
29.JOEY – Concrete Blonde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap5vXJi-cgc&feature=fvst
30.LIFT ME UP (1990) – Jeff Lyne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kly8Wu-MlQc
31.LOOKING FOR A LOVE – Joyce Sims
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rib5le5WU0A
32.LOVE MAKES THINGS HAPPEN – Pebbles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5egURt6AKPk
33.MERRY X MESS – Rotterdam Termination Source
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDzLHu7wo5Q
34.MY ARMS KEEP MISSING YOU – Rick Astley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU1PaLmUcKg
35.NORMAN BATES (1981) – Landscape
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLvnYwvJMKE
36.THE ONE AND ONLY – Chesney Hawkes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_r0oQE5jEU
37.ONE MAN IN MY HEART – The Human League
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L960Cr06iZs
38.ON THE WAY UP – Elisa Fiorillo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4adFezvdNso
39.PIECE OF MY HEART – Tara Kemp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLMTyz-oSXA
40.RAIN FALLS – Frankie Knuckles featuring Lisa Michaelis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhWhn6lbrAs
41.REMEMBER THE DAY – Innocence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ktPgA0ANpQ
42.SAVE SOME LOVE – Keedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fduHpswKpAg
43.SOMETHIN' – Lalah Hathaway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJYh0wfHDf8
44.SOMETHING IN MY HEART – Michel'le
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSTzQFQwE0A
45.SPEAK TO ME – Michael Franks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aKM3LvKDAM
46.STAKKER HUMANOID (1988) – Humanoid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK1LuYqU68M
47.SUCKER DJ – Dimples D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZmiiemR6Hk
48.SUEÑO LATINO (1989) – Sueño Latino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PxJNkoeWi8
49.TEMPLE OF LOVE – Harriet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ldo8JyjIy0
50.THIS HOUSE – Tracie Spencer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLBo4IbJDaU
51.THIS IS YOUR LIFE – Banderas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rcLLa5mPvU
52.TILL WE MEET AGAIN (1991) – Inner City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tvn-qOgkHE
53.TURN UP THE BASS – Tyree Cooper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIXEN3hbmMM
54.WARM LOVE – The Beatmasters featuring Claudia Fontaine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrpGnX-BlvI
55.WAS THAT ALL IT WAS – Kym Mazelle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WRpdGZtzM0
56.WELCOME – Gino Latino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3jwiuXKJTk
57.WHAT'S IT GONNA BE – Jellybean featuring Niki Haris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJjPa9pdVcQ
58.WHO'S THE BOSS – Antoinette
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaAkgkSzbBs
59.YOU'RE WALKING – Electribe 101
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_6-8lilkc8
60.YOU'VE GOT TO BE A HUSTLER IF YOU WANT TO GET ON – Sue Wilkinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td4WAh1ShiE
1.ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME – Espiritu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eUo4NSjOEQ
2.ANOTHER LIKE MY LOVER – Jasmine Guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtWGM8Nj9OM
3.BABY IT'S TONIGHT – Jude Cole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pavmG-YKLM
4.BRING ME EDELWEISS – Edelweiss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVIICWRbjM
5.CANDY – Iggy Pop with Kate Pierson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0zTMsGBy1Y
6.CAN'T STOP FALLING INTO LOVE – Cheap Trick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqCG8hFpHz4
7.CRAZY – Daisy Dee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D1WT7s5n6c
8.DEAL FOR LIFE (1990) – John Waite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M588soBcjjs
9.DEEP IN VOGUE – Malcolm McLaren
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVLFLLKIgzg
10.DEFINITION OF LOVE – Kaos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnhK98JLIYo
11.ECHO MY HEART – Lindy Layton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL2TPSpxof8
12.GHETTO HEAVEN – Family Stand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoIaDkJfBRY&a=dNYhIRSIiuM&playnext_from=ML
13.GIVE YOU ALL MY LOVE – Stacey Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCoMPD5_YMA&feature=related
14.GRAND PIANO – Mixmaster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxe8iZeKPxI
15.THE HARDER I TRY – Brother Beyond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTs2Z3jYzq4
16.HEAVEN'S HERE – Holly Johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk6w1WQbwEQ
17.HELLO – The Beloved
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBNFiK7PkA
18.HEY THERE LONELY GIRL – Big Fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXnBhCMCo88
19.HOUSE SENSATION – Liaz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_r-nQRdYs
20.HOW CAN I FALL – Breathe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Koj6IEKQx2E
21.HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH – The Fixx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGHmhjzolTM
22.HOW TO DANCE – Bingo Boys featuring Princessa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJIr8Bd28_8
23.I HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET – Pat & Mick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkP8lVE2_0A
24.IF I HAVE TO STAND ALONE – Lonnie Gordon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nVMrpdxp-4
25.IF YOU CARED – Kym Appleby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BMxpj7pww
26.IT'S ALL RIGHT – Ayumi Nakamura
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFljV4gIkTA
27.IT'S TOO LATE – Quartz featuring Dina Carroll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSwekflTlVQ
28.JINGO – Candido
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzHOVR6N5UY
29.JOEY – Concrete Blonde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap5vXJi-cgc&feature=fvst
30.LIFT ME UP (1990) – Jeff Lyne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kly8Wu-MlQc
31.LOOKING FOR A LOVE – Joyce Sims
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rib5le5WU0A
32.LOVE MAKES THINGS HAPPEN – Pebbles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5egURt6AKPk
33.MERRY X MESS – Rotterdam Termination Source
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDzLHu7wo5Q
34.MY ARMS KEEP MISSING YOU – Rick Astley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU1PaLmUcKg
35.NORMAN BATES (1981) – Landscape
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLvnYwvJMKE
36.THE ONE AND ONLY – Chesney Hawkes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_r0oQE5jEU
37.ONE MAN IN MY HEART – The Human League
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L960Cr06iZs
38.ON THE WAY UP – Elisa Fiorillo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4adFezvdNso
39.PIECE OF MY HEART – Tara Kemp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLMTyz-oSXA
40.RAIN FALLS – Frankie Knuckles featuring Lisa Michaelis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhWhn6lbrAs
41.REMEMBER THE DAY – Innocence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ktPgA0ANpQ
42.SAVE SOME LOVE – Keedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fduHpswKpAg
43.SOMETHIN' – Lalah Hathaway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJYh0wfHDf8
44.SOMETHING IN MY HEART – Michel'le
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSTzQFQwE0A
45.SPEAK TO ME – Michael Franks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aKM3LvKDAM
46.STAKKER HUMANOID (1988) – Humanoid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK1LuYqU68M
47.SUCKER DJ – Dimples D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZmiiemR6Hk
48.SUEÑO LATINO (1989) – Sueño Latino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PxJNkoeWi8
49.TEMPLE OF LOVE – Harriet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ldo8JyjIy0
50.THIS HOUSE – Tracie Spencer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLBo4IbJDaU
51.THIS IS YOUR LIFE – Banderas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rcLLa5mPvU
52.TILL WE MEET AGAIN (1991) – Inner City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tvn-qOgkHE
53.TURN UP THE BASS – Tyree Cooper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIXEN3hbmMM
54.WARM LOVE – The Beatmasters featuring Claudia Fontaine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrpGnX-BlvI
55.WAS THAT ALL IT WAS – Kym Mazelle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WRpdGZtzM0
56.WELCOME – Gino Latino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3jwiuXKJTk
57.WHAT'S IT GONNA BE – Jellybean featuring Niki Haris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJjPa9pdVcQ
58.WHO'S THE BOSS – Antoinette
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaAkgkSzbBs
59.YOU'RE WALKING – Electribe 101
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_6-8lilkc8
60.YOU'VE GOT TO BE A HUSTLER IF YOU WANT TO GET ON – Sue Wilkinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td4WAh1ShiE
MY IMAGINARY LIFE (INSPIRED BY THE FACEBOOK STATUS OF WIWAT LERTWIWATWONGSA)
I want to stroll on the streets in the evening with Fred Kelemen, explore the world after midnight with Philippe Grandrieux, spend a quiet day with Jun Ichikawa, dream a daydream with Jacques Rivette, dream a night dream with David Lynch, and resurrect Luis Bunuel so that he can make films about Thailand.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
RESULTS OF POLL 77
My poll 77 ended with three votes. Thanks to everyone who participated in it. Here is the result:
I WORSHIP THESE WEST GERMAN FILMS WHICH WERE MADE DURING THE 1970'S. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?
1.BREMEN FREEDOM (1972, Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
+KINGS OF THE ROAD (1976, Wim Wenders)
+THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN (1977, Peter Handke)
+MADAME X: AN ABSOLUTE RULER (1978, Ulrike Ottinger)
+NIGHTSHADE (1972, Niklaus Schilling)
Each of these films got 2 votes, or 66 %.
6.DAS ANDECHSER GEFÜHL (1974, Herbert Achternbusch)
+CALM PREVAILS OVER THE COUNTRY (1976, Peter Lilienthal)
+THE DEATH OF MARIA MALIBRAN (1972, Werner Schroeter)
+LAND OF SILENCE AND DARKNESS (1971, Werner Herzog)
+MATHIAS KNEISSL (1970, Reinhard Hauff)
+SOCCER AS NEVER BEFORE (1971, Hellmuth Costard)
Each of these films got 1 vote, or 33%.
12.THE ALL-ROUND REDUCED PERSONALITY: REDUPERS (1978, Helke Sander)
+HITLER: A FILM FROM GERMANY (1977, Hans-Jürgen Syberberg)
+MOSES AND AARON (1975, Jean-Marie Straub + Danièle Huillet)
+THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN (1979, Alexander Kluge)
+THE SECOND AWAKENING OF CHRISTA KLAGES (1977, Margarethe von Trotta)
+THE SUDDEN WEALTH OF THE POOR PEOPLE OF KOMBACH (1971, Volker Schlöndorff)
+TWO FRIENDS KILL BY POISON (1978, Axel Corti)
+YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW (1978, Wolfgang Staudte)
+ZERO HOUR (1977, Edgar Reitz)
Each of these films got 0 vote.
As for German films in the 1980's, my favorite ones include:
1.ANGELS OF IRON (1981, Thomas Brasch)
2.THE BASIS OF MAKE-UP I (1984, Heinz Emigholz)
3.BERLIN CHAMISSOPLATZ (1980, Rudolf Thome)
4.CLASS ENEMY (1983, Peter Stein)
5.FREVEL (1984, Peter Fleischmann)
6.THE HUNGER YEARS: IN A LAND OF PLENTY (1980, Jutta Brückner)
7.THE SLEEP OF REASON (1984, Ula Stöckl)
8.STADT IN FLAMMEN (1984, Schmelzdahin)
9.A VIRUS KNOWS NO MORALS (1985, Rosa von Praunheim)
10.WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? (1983, Christoph Schlingensief)
You can read Jutta Brückner's interviews here:
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC27folder/BrucknerInt.html
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC27folder/GerWomenGroupInt.html
I WORSHIP THESE WEST GERMAN FILMS WHICH WERE MADE DURING THE 1970'S. WHICH ONES DO YOU LIKE?
1.BREMEN FREEDOM (1972, Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
+KINGS OF THE ROAD (1976, Wim Wenders)
+THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN (1977, Peter Handke)
+MADAME X: AN ABSOLUTE RULER (1978, Ulrike Ottinger)
+NIGHTSHADE (1972, Niklaus Schilling)
Each of these films got 2 votes, or 66 %.
6.DAS ANDECHSER GEFÜHL (1974, Herbert Achternbusch)
+CALM PREVAILS OVER THE COUNTRY (1976, Peter Lilienthal)
+THE DEATH OF MARIA MALIBRAN (1972, Werner Schroeter)
+LAND OF SILENCE AND DARKNESS (1971, Werner Herzog)
+MATHIAS KNEISSL (1970, Reinhard Hauff)
+SOCCER AS NEVER BEFORE (1971, Hellmuth Costard)
Each of these films got 1 vote, or 33%.
12.THE ALL-ROUND REDUCED PERSONALITY: REDUPERS (1978, Helke Sander)
+HITLER: A FILM FROM GERMANY (1977, Hans-Jürgen Syberberg)
+MOSES AND AARON (1975, Jean-Marie Straub + Danièle Huillet)
+THE PATRIOTIC WOMAN (1979, Alexander Kluge)
+THE SECOND AWAKENING OF CHRISTA KLAGES (1977, Margarethe von Trotta)
+THE SUDDEN WEALTH OF THE POOR PEOPLE OF KOMBACH (1971, Volker Schlöndorff)
+TWO FRIENDS KILL BY POISON (1978, Axel Corti)
+YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW (1978, Wolfgang Staudte)
+ZERO HOUR (1977, Edgar Reitz)
Each of these films got 0 vote.
As for German films in the 1980's, my favorite ones include:
1.ANGELS OF IRON (1981, Thomas Brasch)
2.THE BASIS OF MAKE-UP I (1984, Heinz Emigholz)
3.BERLIN CHAMISSOPLATZ (1980, Rudolf Thome)
4.CLASS ENEMY (1983, Peter Stein)
5.FREVEL (1984, Peter Fleischmann)
6.THE HUNGER YEARS: IN A LAND OF PLENTY (1980, Jutta Brückner)
7.THE SLEEP OF REASON (1984, Ula Stöckl)
8.STADT IN FLAMMEN (1984, Schmelzdahin)
9.A VIRUS KNOWS NO MORALS (1985, Rosa von Praunheim)
10.WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? (1983, Christoph Schlingensief)
You can read Jutta Brückner's interviews here:
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC27folder/BrucknerInt.html
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC27folder/GerWomenGroupInt.html
FAVORITE QUOTE FROM FILMSICK
This quote is from Filmsick's interview in GM Magazine Vol.24 Issue 381, April 2010:
"นั่นคือวัฒนธรรมของการใช้อำนาจ การสร้างวัฒนธรรมคิดแทนคนอื่น มันคอยปลูกฝังว่า เราสามารถที่จะปิดกั้นสิทธิ์ของผู้อื่น โดยการใช้ความคิดของเรามาเป็นตัวตัดสิน การปลูกฝังวัฒนธรรมอำนาจแบบนี้คือเรื่องอันตรายที่เรายังคงเห็นกันอยู่เต็มไปหมดในสังคม เราถูกสอนว่าการใช้อำนาจเป็นเรื่องยอมรับได้ พอเราโตขึ้นเราก็กลายเป็นคนแบบนั้น สิ่งนี้เผลอๆมันน่ากลัวกว่าอีกนะ เพราะมันเนียน มันเชื่อว่าตัวเองเป็นสิ่งถูกต้อง มันเลยไม่เคยตรวจสอบตนเอง"
"นั่นคือวัฒนธรรมของการใช้อำนาจ การสร้างวัฒนธรรมคิดแทนคนอื่น มันคอยปลูกฝังว่า เราสามารถที่จะปิดกั้นสิทธิ์ของผู้อื่น โดยการใช้ความคิดของเรามาเป็นตัวตัดสิน การปลูกฝังวัฒนธรรมอำนาจแบบนี้คือเรื่องอันตรายที่เรายังคงเห็นกันอยู่เต็มไปหมดในสังคม เราถูกสอนว่าการใช้อำนาจเป็นเรื่องยอมรับได้ พอเราโตขึ้นเราก็กลายเป็นคนแบบนั้น สิ่งนี้เผลอๆมันน่ากลัวกว่าอีกนะ เพราะมันเนียน มันเชื่อว่าตัวเองเป็นสิ่งถูกต้อง มันเลยไม่เคยตรวจสอบตนเอง"
Saturday, May 01, 2010
DESOBEIR – ARISTIDES DE SOUSA MENDES (2009, Joël Santoni, A+++++)
DESOBEIR – ARISTIDES DE SOUSA MENDES (2009, Joël Santoni, A+++++)
BIG BOY (2010, Monthon Arayangkoon, A+++++)
SELON MATTHIEU (2000, Xavier Beauvois, A+++++)
TWO DREAMS (2007, Anders Jedenfors + Jamie Stone, A+/A)
THE SCROLL MASTER (2010, Arinchavit Chomsri, B-)
DESOBEIR and BIG BOY are not aesthetically interesting. I love DESOBEIR because it inspires the viewers to do good things, to fight against tyranny, and most importantly, the film doesn't let the viewers forget the truth that you may be severely punished for doing the right things, like Sophie Scholl. Aristides de Sousa Mendes is like Oskar Schindler. He saved many Jewish lives during World War II by disobeying the cruel orders of António de Oliveira Salazar, the Portuguese leader/tyranny. But Sousa Mendes was severely punished by Salazar and he died in poverty, while Salazar claimed after WWII that it was he who saved those Jewish lives. Fortunately, the fascist regime of Portugal was overthrown by the Carnation Revolution in 1974, and the good deeds of Sousa Mendes were rightfully recognized.
I love BIG BOY because the film seems to show that the old must learn from the young and the old must learn to face the truth that they may have lived wrongly for nearly all of their lives. I love some attitudes in this film very much. Before I went to see this film, I expected that the film might emphasize that the young must learn from the old. Fortunately, the film is the opposite of what I expected. I like that the film tells us that "wanting to win" is the cause of misery and unhappiness. The film also shows us that some old people are obsessed with "winning" and try to make young people obsessed with it, too. And when you are obsessed with winning, you are bound for disaster.
BIG BOY also reminds me of some experiences in my own childhood. In BIG BOY, the young guy doesn't want to compete, but his grandfather accuses him that he "runs away from problems". I love it very much that the film proves that it's the grandfather who is wrong, not the young guy. It reminds me of the time when I was 12 years old. I decided not to go to a scout camp at that time, because I don't like scout camps. A female teacher accused me that I ran away from problems. But I don't understand why she wanted me to face UNNECESSARY problems. My life is miserable enough already without these unnecessary problems.
I think THE SCROLL MASTER has virtues of its own, like SIN SISTERS (ผู้หญิงห้าบาป) and many films by Poj Arnon. They are cult films. It's hard to judge them by grades. THE SCROLL MASTER may not be suitable for my tastes, but I think some audience may enjoy it very much. I think one reason why I don't enjoy THE SCROLL MASTER that much is just because it is a male action film, which is not my kind of films. However, I love the first ten minutes of this film very much. It's the semi-documentary part about Noo Gunpai. His presence, his way of talking, and his hairstyle at the beginning of this film makes the scene an instant classic in my point of view. I also think Suebsak Punsueb who plays Noo Gunpai in this film is very sexy.
I think Xavier Beauvois might be as interesting as Arnaud Desplechin and Jacques Audiard. SELON MATTHIEU surprises me a lot because it injects some realism into a revenge story. At first I thought the film might be just a fine revenge story like THE PAGE TURNER (2006, Denis Dercourt, A+), but the characters in SELON MATTHIEU are very human and that means they don't always do what characters in most revenge stories do. It is also interesting to see Nathalie Baye and Benoît Magimel have sex with each other in SELON MATTHIEU, before they went on to play mother and son in THE FLOWER OF EVIL (2003, Claude Chabrol, A+).
I also think that SELON MATTHIEU should be screened together with other films which deal with the exploitation of the working class, such as:
1.MOTHER KÜSTERS GOES TO HEAVEN (1975, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, A+)
2.SIGNORINA EFFE (2007, Wilma Labate, A+)
3.WORK HARD, PLAY HARD (2003, Jean-Marc Moutout, A+)
4.COUP POUR COUP (1972, Marin Karmitz, A+)
5. MATAHARIS (2007, Icíar Bollaín, A+/A)
I also love DON'T FORGET YOU ARE GOING TO DIE (Xavier Beauvois) very much. It is like three films in one. It is like a dramatic film, a romantic film, and a war film blended into one. I think what I love most in his three films is the "unexpected things" found in his plots. I think he also has some kinds of magical touches. The endings of his three films, including LE PETIT LIEUTENANT, can be easily transformed into melodramatic endings which make the audience weep, but Beauvois doesn't choose that easy path and he can still end his films in touching ways.
BIG BOY (2010, Monthon Arayangkoon, A+++++)
SELON MATTHIEU (2000, Xavier Beauvois, A+++++)
TWO DREAMS (2007, Anders Jedenfors + Jamie Stone, A+/A)
THE SCROLL MASTER (2010, Arinchavit Chomsri, B-)
DESOBEIR and BIG BOY are not aesthetically interesting. I love DESOBEIR because it inspires the viewers to do good things, to fight against tyranny, and most importantly, the film doesn't let the viewers forget the truth that you may be severely punished for doing the right things, like Sophie Scholl. Aristides de Sousa Mendes is like Oskar Schindler. He saved many Jewish lives during World War II by disobeying the cruel orders of António de Oliveira Salazar, the Portuguese leader/tyranny. But Sousa Mendes was severely punished by Salazar and he died in poverty, while Salazar claimed after WWII that it was he who saved those Jewish lives. Fortunately, the fascist regime of Portugal was overthrown by the Carnation Revolution in 1974, and the good deeds of Sousa Mendes were rightfully recognized.
I love BIG BOY because the film seems to show that the old must learn from the young and the old must learn to face the truth that they may have lived wrongly for nearly all of their lives. I love some attitudes in this film very much. Before I went to see this film, I expected that the film might emphasize that the young must learn from the old. Fortunately, the film is the opposite of what I expected. I like that the film tells us that "wanting to win" is the cause of misery and unhappiness. The film also shows us that some old people are obsessed with "winning" and try to make young people obsessed with it, too. And when you are obsessed with winning, you are bound for disaster.
BIG BOY also reminds me of some experiences in my own childhood. In BIG BOY, the young guy doesn't want to compete, but his grandfather accuses him that he "runs away from problems". I love it very much that the film proves that it's the grandfather who is wrong, not the young guy. It reminds me of the time when I was 12 years old. I decided not to go to a scout camp at that time, because I don't like scout camps. A female teacher accused me that I ran away from problems. But I don't understand why she wanted me to face UNNECESSARY problems. My life is miserable enough already without these unnecessary problems.
I think THE SCROLL MASTER has virtues of its own, like SIN SISTERS (ผู้หญิงห้าบาป) and many films by Poj Arnon. They are cult films. It's hard to judge them by grades. THE SCROLL MASTER may not be suitable for my tastes, but I think some audience may enjoy it very much. I think one reason why I don't enjoy THE SCROLL MASTER that much is just because it is a male action film, which is not my kind of films. However, I love the first ten minutes of this film very much. It's the semi-documentary part about Noo Gunpai. His presence, his way of talking, and his hairstyle at the beginning of this film makes the scene an instant classic in my point of view. I also think Suebsak Punsueb who plays Noo Gunpai in this film is very sexy.
I think Xavier Beauvois might be as interesting as Arnaud Desplechin and Jacques Audiard. SELON MATTHIEU surprises me a lot because it injects some realism into a revenge story. At first I thought the film might be just a fine revenge story like THE PAGE TURNER (2006, Denis Dercourt, A+), but the characters in SELON MATTHIEU are very human and that means they don't always do what characters in most revenge stories do. It is also interesting to see Nathalie Baye and Benoît Magimel have sex with each other in SELON MATTHIEU, before they went on to play mother and son in THE FLOWER OF EVIL (2003, Claude Chabrol, A+).
I also think that SELON MATTHIEU should be screened together with other films which deal with the exploitation of the working class, such as:
1.MOTHER KÜSTERS GOES TO HEAVEN (1975, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, A+)
2.SIGNORINA EFFE (2007, Wilma Labate, A+)
3.WORK HARD, PLAY HARD (2003, Jean-Marc Moutout, A+)
4.COUP POUR COUP (1972, Marin Karmitz, A+)
5. MATAHARIS (2007, Icíar Bollaín, A+/A)
I also love DON'T FORGET YOU ARE GOING TO DIE (Xavier Beauvois) very much. It is like three films in one. It is like a dramatic film, a romantic film, and a war film blended into one. I think what I love most in his three films is the "unexpected things" found in his plots. I think he also has some kinds of magical touches. The endings of his three films, including LE PETIT LIEUTENANT, can be easily transformed into melodramatic endings which make the audience weep, but Beauvois doesn't choose that easy path and he can still end his films in touching ways.
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