What an amazing debut film! The buzz on Zvyagintsev’s next movie at Cannes 2007 was mixed but I’m still really eager to see it. It plays in the US in February at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s series “Film Comment Selects.”
…will always be preferable to 3D. One day, once there is a deluge of interchangeable CGI animated films, a day that already seems upon us, I think audience will want to go back to the craft, charm, and artistry of hand-drawn animation.
Great directors, hard to see favorite films, the festival award-winner that isn’t being shown in your town, that one movie that you can never seem to track down…what would you like to see shown here?
-The Darjeeling Limited’s use of old movie scores, many from India.
-Howard Shore’s score for Eastern Promises
-Alex Beaupain’s jazzy score for Dans Paris
-The live soundtrack (narration, orchestral score, foley sound effects!) for Guy Maddin’s Brand Upon the Brain!
-Robert Ellis-Geigers’ dissonant score for Johnnie To’s amazing thriller, Election 2
-John Murphy and Underworld’s unusual score for Sunshine, which blended sound effects with composed music.
But my favorite by far was Jonny Greenwood’s score for There Will Be Blood. It’s a shame it can’t be qualified for an Oscar. It reminded in equal part of Penderecki and the percussive parts of Jon Brion’s score for Punch-Drunk Love.
What’s good that you’ve seen recently? I just saw two amazing films last week, Jia’s STILL LIFE and Mungiu’s 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS. This year will be good for foreign films in the U.S., as IFC Films picked up a number of great 2007 movies, like Mungiu’s, as well as films by Ferrara, Hou Hsiou-hsien, Chabrol, Loach, and Rivette.
I’ve heard THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES is great! It’s a shame Bolaño’s fame is only starting to increase in the U.S. now that he has passed away. His forth coming book, FASCIST LITERATURE IN THE AMERICAS, also sounds fantastic.
Agreed Efe. One of the best things about CGI animation–and the recent splurge of CGI in general, BEOWOLF, for example–is that the way different technological elements are parlayed out to different groups in a company, or different massive effects scenes are distributed to separate teams in ILM, means that even if the films stumble artistically (or just as films!) they are always full of small wonders accomplished by various smaller parts of a huge team.
I forgot about the new Miyazaki! Off of the top of my head, I’m looking forward to new films by Johnnie To, Claire Denis, Philippe Garrel, Guy Maddin, Hong Sang-soo, Wong Kar-wai, Arnaud Desplechin, and Olivier Assayas.
Hi Rodrigo. You are asking a big question and a small one! The small one, and the easy answer, is that we have a large database list of directors from which you can select. It is simply a list, no prerequisites, however it does have some gaps, mostly obscure directors and recent foreign filmmakers such as Reygadas. Please send us an email with any directors that you find missing and would like us to add, and in the future we hopefully will have an ADD or SUGGEST button in the profile page to avoid this problem.
Now, the big question, what actually constitutes an auteur, is much more up for debate!
Yes, that series is fantastic and short format films like that (roughly 60 min each) are really ideal for watching online. I’d love to see that series here.
I’ve still got a couple more screenings to do, but for the new films I really liked UNITED RED ARMY, NIGHT AND DAY, and LE PREMIER VENU (Just Anybody).
Also good: Guy Maddin’s MY WINNIPEG, the very promising debut film from Thailand, WONDERFUL TOWN, and the Austrian revenge story REVANCHE.
How is it that the multiplexes of a crazy over-programmed European Film Festival have bigger screens, more comfortable seats, and better seating than anything we have in Manhattan? Perhaps the wildly different film culture in Berlin magically encourages great venues as well!
Did anybody see or hear of any particularly good first films in Berlinale? I saw Aditya Assarat’s debut feature WONDERFUL TOWN, which I’ll review pretty soon, and really liked it. Nothing is more exciting than finding new talent emerging in the international film world!
I have the sneaking suspicion that while it SHOULD win, THERE WILL BE BLOOD will be upset by something as oscar-baity as ATONEMENT. And no nomination for Jonny Greenwood’s score? A travesty!
Oh yeah, ETERNAL SUNSHINE no doubt. I remember a couple years ago at the Tribeca Film Festival I was seeing LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE and there was this strange, French-accented guy asking great questions during the director Q&A. Somehow I deducted it was Gondry, and since I had just fallen head over heals with ETERNAL I went up to him and told him I thought it was the best film I had seen that year. He was very nice and humble, as well as flattered, but then he coyly asked me what I thought of his first film, HUMAN NATURE.! I hemmed and hawed and stumbled my way out of that conversation trying not to hurt his feelings!
Personally, I thought SCIENCE OF SLEEP was a bit too twee and navel-gazing, and I hope BE KIND REWIND will be a return to form.
Brazilian cinema definitely gets the short shrift in terms of distribution in the US. Likewise the rest of South American, whose so-called Argentianian New Wave of a couple years ago only touched our shores in the brilliant form of Lucrecia Martel’s films.
Akin’s film unfortunately only screened at the European Film Market, Halim, so I didn’t get a chance to see it. It is playing here in NYC this month though.
Directorially, I thought Johnnie To was the most impressive (his film Sparrow was one of my favorites), although James Benning’s rigor is to be admired, and I found Wakamatsu Koji’s tension, tenacity, and thoroughness particularly great.
Yeah, watching Funky Forest was like watching insane channel changing tv, a new show every 10 minutes. Homeroom!!!!! was my favorite: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tmGxPTJ8GLg
We could do very well for ourselves just getting every movie Miike releases, since he seems to make at last 2 films a year. I can’t wait to see Sukiyaki Western Django, unfortunately it only played at the market in Berlin.
Depends on who we are talking about? Really they just support the very people who put them on. When was the last time an Oscar was awarded to a film that not only deserved it but then the award raised the film’s profile? This is how it should be with the foreign award, but these days people haven’t heard of those movies, me included.
I never saw him in that (and it would probably taint my memories of childhood) but I knew things looked bad when he started to parody the role in THE PRINCESS BRIDE in Coppola’s DRACULA and later in Brooks’ ROBIN HOOD. He was quite funny in those though, even as his career sloped downwards…
Hey better NO COUNTRY than indie trite like JUNO or Oscar-bait like ATONEMENT. Props to John Stewart for letting the ONCE girl come back and give her speech!
Director Andrei Zvyagintsev over 4 years ago
What an amazing debut film! The buzz on Zvyagintsev’s next movie at Cannes 2007 was mixed but I’m still really eager to see it. It plays in the US in February at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s series “Film Comment Selects.”
Go to Comment
2d animation... over 4 years ago
…will always be preferable to 3D. One day, once there is a deluge of interchangeable CGI animated films, a day that already seems upon us, I think audience will want to go back to the craft, charm, and artistry of hand-drawn animation.
Go to Comment
Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
Great directors, hard to see favorite films, the festival award-winner that isn’t being shown in your town, that one movie that you can never seem to track down…what would you like to see shown here?
Go to Comment
Best soundtrack of 2007 over 4 years ago
I really liked:
-The Darjeeling Limited’s use of old movie scores, many from India.
-Howard Shore’s score for Eastern Promises
-Alex Beaupain’s jazzy score for Dans Paris
-The live soundtrack (narration, orchestral score, foley sound effects!) for Guy Maddin’s Brand Upon the Brain!
-Robert Ellis-Geigers’ dissonant score for Johnnie To’s amazing thriller, Election 2
-John Murphy and Underworld’s unusual score for Sunshine, which blended sound effects with composed music.
But my favorite by far was Jonny Greenwood’s score for There Will Be Blood. It’s a shame it can’t be qualified for an Oscar. It reminded in equal part of Penderecki and the percussive parts of Jon Brion’s score for Punch-Drunk Love.
Go to Comment
Current cinema over 4 years ago
What’s good that you’ve seen recently? I just saw two amazing films last week, Jia’s STILL LIFE and Mungiu’s 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS. This year will be good for foreign films in the U.S., as IFC Films picked up a number of great 2007 movies, like Mungiu’s, as well as films by Ferrara, Hou Hsiou-hsien, Chabrol, Loach, and Rivette.
Go to Comment
Books that are Similiar. over 4 years ago
I’ve heard THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES is great! It’s a shame Bolaño’s fame is only starting to increase in the U.S. now that he has passed away. His forth coming book, FASCIST LITERATURE IN THE AMERICAS, also sounds fantastic.
Go to Comment
Trailer for Kore-Eda's latest film over 4 years ago
It may sound odd, but his newest is samurai film! Here’s the trailer:
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2d animation... over 4 years ago
Agreed Efe. One of the best things about CGI animation–and the recent splurge of CGI in general, BEOWOLF, for example–is that the way different technological elements are parlayed out to different groups in a company, or different massive effects scenes are distributed to separate teams in ILM, means that even if the films stumble artistically (or just as films!) they are always full of small wonders accomplished by various smaller parts of a huge team.
Go to Comment
What to look forward in 2008? over 4 years ago
I forgot about the new Miyazaki! Off of the top of my head, I’m looking forward to new films by Johnnie To, Claire Denis, Philippe Garrel, Guy Maddin, Hong Sang-soo, Wong Kar-wai, Arnaud Desplechin, and Olivier Assayas.
Go to Comment
Trailer for Kore-Eda's latest film over 4 years ago
Anything seems like a romantic comedy after a three hour movie about neglected children starving in their Tokyo apartment…
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
Yeah let’s get Rivette’s Out: 1 and put it in it’s proper 13 installments 45 minutes each! That would be an online event to be sure.
No request for Pedro Costa stuff Dave? I want it for here…
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Wow over 4 years ago
How amazing is that girl’s performance?
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What constitutes an Auteur? over 4 years ago
Hi Rodrigo. You are asking a big question and a small one! The small one, and the easy answer, is that we have a large database list of directors from which you can select. It is simply a list, no prerequisites, however it does have some gaps, mostly obscure directors and recent foreign filmmakers such as Reygadas. Please send us an email with any directors that you find missing and would like us to add, and in the future we hopefully will have an ADD or SUGGEST button in the profile page to avoid this problem.
Now, the big question, what actually constitutes an auteur, is much more up for debate!
Go to Comment
Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
I second Eugene Green films, they are great!
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
Yes, that series is fantastic and short format films like that (roughly 60 min each) are really ideal for watching online. I’d love to see that series here.
Go to Comment
Best Film over 4 years ago
I’ve still got a couple more screenings to do, but for the new films I really liked UNITED RED ARMY, NIGHT AND DAY, and LE PREMIER VENU (Just Anybody).
Also good: Guy Maddin’s MY WINNIPEG, the very promising debut film from Thailand, WONDERFUL TOWN, and the Austrian revenge story REVANCHE.
Go to Comment
Berlinale theaters over 4 years ago
How is it that the multiplexes of a crazy over-programmed European Film Festival have bigger screens, more comfortable seats, and better seating than anything we have in Manhattan? Perhaps the wildly different film culture in Berlin magically encourages great venues as well!
Go to Comment
Feature film debuts over 4 years ago
Did anybody see or hear of any particularly good first films in Berlinale? I saw Aditya Assarat’s debut feature WONDERFUL TOWN, which I’ll review pretty soon, and really liked it. Nothing is more exciting than finding new talent emerging in the international film world!
Go to Comment
Best Picture Oscar for 2008 (?) over 4 years ago
I have the sneaking suspicion that while it SHOULD win, THERE WILL BE BLOOD will be upset by something as oscar-baity as ATONEMENT. And no nomination for Jonny Greenwood’s score? A travesty!
Go to Comment
Your Favorite Michel Gondry Film? over 4 years ago
Oh yeah, ETERNAL SUNSHINE no doubt. I remember a couple years ago at the Tribeca Film Festival I was seeing LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE and there was this strange, French-accented guy asking great questions during the director Q&A. Somehow I deducted it was Gondry, and since I had just fallen head over heals with ETERNAL I went up to him and told him I thought it was the best film I had seen that year. He was very nice and humble, as well as flattered, but then he coyly asked me what I thought of his first film, HUMAN NATURE.! I hemmed and hawed and stumbled my way out of that conversation trying not to hurt his feelings!
Personally, I thought SCIENCE OF SLEEP was a bit too twee and navel-gazing, and I hope BE KIND REWIND will be a return to form.
Go to Comment
Recent Brazilian Cinema over 4 years ago
Brazilian cinema definitely gets the short shrift in terms of distribution in the US. Likewise the rest of South American, whose so-called Argentianian New Wave of a couple years ago only touched our shores in the brilliant form of Lucrecia Martel’s films.
Go to Comment
Most Imperessive Director at Berlin Film Festival 2008 over 4 years ago
Akin’s film unfortunately only screened at the European Film Market, Halim, so I didn’t get a chance to see it. It is playing here in NYC this month though.
Directorially, I thought Johnnie To was the most impressive (his film Sparrow was one of my favorites), although James Benning’s rigor is to be admired, and I found Wakamatsu Koji’s tension, tenacity, and thoroughness particularly great.
Go to Comment
Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
Funky Forest is crazy as all get out.
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Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
Yeah, watching Funky Forest was like watching insane channel changing tv, a new show every 10 minutes. Homeroom!!!!! was my favorite: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tmGxPTJ8GLg
Go to Comment
Which movies would you like to see on The Auteurs? over 4 years ago
We could do very well for ourselves just getting every movie Miike releases, since he seems to make at last 2 films a year. I can’t wait to see Sukiyaki Western Django, unfortunately it only played at the market in Berlin.
Go to Comment
Best Picture Oscar for 2008 (?) over 4 years ago
Depends on who we are talking about? Really they just support the very people who put them on. When was the last time an Oscar was awarded to a film that not only deserved it but then the award raised the film’s profile? This is how it should be with the foreign award, but these days people haven’t heard of those movies, me included.
Go to Comment
TOP 5 Childhood Films over 4 years ago
I just caught on TV some of my all time favorite childhood film, THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Now that is a perfect film.
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TOP 5 Childhood Films over 4 years ago
I never saw him in that (and it would probably taint my memories of childhood) but I knew things looked bad when he started to parody the role in THE PRINCESS BRIDE in Coppola’s DRACULA and later in Brooks’ ROBIN HOOD. He was quite funny in those though, even as his career sloped downwards…
Go to Comment
TOP 5 Childhood Films over 4 years ago
I’ll also add I grew up with most of the original James Bond films. Let’s see, what else, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? for sure…
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Best Picture Oscar for 2008 (?) over 4 years ago
Hey better NO COUNTRY than indie trite like JUNO or Oscar-bait like ATONEMENT. Props to John Stewart for letting the ONCE girl come back and give her speech!
Go to Comment