Young @ Heart (2007) directed by Stephen Walker
Here's a way that we can connect to the older generation: they can sing songs of a younger generation. If you missed this in the theaters, you are a loser like me. Fellow blogger at Getafilm considers it on of the best documentaries of the year, and I believe him.
Snow Angels (2007) directed by David Gordon Green
Did I miss anything when I missed this film in theaters? Probably. David Gordon Green proved with George Washington and All the Real Girls that he is a director to watch, but Pineapple Express?
The Pyongyang Concert (2008)
No, the New York Philharmonic is not going to fix the problems facing North Korea, but neither is isolating the entire country. The population of North Korea deserves someone better (or at least less crazy) than Kim Jong Il and they also deserve a world with more diplomacy rather than finger-pointing and hate-mongering. This concert was pretty monumental and represented nothing but good intentions. The DVD includes some supplementary material that hopefully gives some behind-the-scenes of the event.
Death Note (2006) directed by Shusuke Kaneko
Those that want to keep up with the various films adapted from anime should check out Death Note. Tatsuya Fukiwara has yet to grow out of his beguiling youthful look that he trademarked in Battle Royale. On it's own, this film is nothing to write home about. But as a package (manga, anime, and two more live action films: Death Note: The Last Name and L: Change the World) it's pretty entertaining and easy to get caught up in.
Proteus (2004) directed by David Leburn
This documentary is either really cool or just kind of boring. From the synopsis is sounds very cool: "Filmmaker David Lebrun casts his eye on the evolution of art, science, and the world around us in this fusion of documentary and experimental forms. Ernst Haeckel was a 19th Century biologist with a keen interest in art; he found a way to merge these two disciplines when he published the book Art Forms in Nature, in which he offered detailed sketches of nearly 4,000 different single-celled organisms. As Lebrun tells the story of Haeckel and his work, he meditates upon the vision shared by the artists and scientist and other great minds of the age, and uses Haeckel's images as a jumping off point for his own visual explorations." I will report back.
La Ronde (1950), La Plaisir (1952) and The Earrings of Madmae de... (1953) directed by Max Ophuls
All from Criterion and I'm sure these are great films. Should I feel guilty for watching Cromartie High School instead of Max Ophuls films?
6 comments:
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Chief Critic, FIRONLINE
Thanks for the link love. I stand by Y@H as being the most emotionally draining doc of the year, even if it can be argued as to whether it's the best. Actually it's the only film I've ever given an "A+" to, so I guess that says something. It blew me away.
I feel like I should have seen Snow Angels as well. It was tough timing I think, right around MSPIFF or something.
Pyongyang also sounds interesting.
Thanks for stopping by Sam! I checked out your TIFF roundup. Looks like fun. I'm sorry to see you didn't like Tokyo Sonata though... Thanks for the offer too, although I'm afraid at this point my plate is rather full, but I'll let you know if that changes!
Daniel, I have to admit that I am resisting watching Y@H (for whatever reason), but I know it will be great. It's so hard to fit in all these movies that I've missed in theaters just when there is about to be good movie abound in these parts. Not enough time!
Those Ophuls are all masterpieces! Wonderful. "Proteus" seems pretty cool...
I do feel guilty for having seen none of those Ophuls films, especially given the films I do watch. I don't know where Proteus came from but I am definitely intrigued. I plan on renting it soon.
Yep, this Proteus seems to come out from a parallel dimension!...
About Green:
>David Gordon Green proved with >George Washington and All the >Real Girls that he is a director >to watch
You're right, especially for his worthwhile first feature, and I think I'll see "Snow Angels" in these very days. on the other hand, I have very bad feelings about "Pineapple" - I think it is a bad comedy, don't know why... By the way, here, Pineapple will be released only in December; we'll see.
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