(1989) dir. Hayao Miyazaki
viewed: 09/07/03
I’ve been a fan of director Hayao Miyazaki for at least 10 years, since I originally saw My Neighbor Totoro (1988), though I had realized that I had seen others of his earlier films previously without knowing who he was. Despite a brief phase of trying to see some of [...]
Archive of entries posted on September 2003
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Too Many Ways to be No. 1
(1997) dir. Ka-Fai Wai
viewed: 09/12/03
Too Many Ways to be No. 1 is a pretty wacky Hong Kong thriller/comedy that I watched as part of my delving into the Johnny To productions. The visual and narrative approach bore some French New Wave via Wong Kar-Wai sort of influence, featuring a two versions of the narrative [...]
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
(2003) dir. Robert Rodriguez
viewed: 09/15/03 at AMC 1000 Van Ness, SF, CA
I was just reading an article about Robert Rodriguez and was thinking that he seemed like a cool guy; he has this admirable low-budget do-it-yourself mentality that he raises to near-mania. For Once Upon a Time in Mexico he acted as writer, [...]
Bowling for Columbine
(2002) dir. Michael Moore
viewed: 08/24/03
It took me long enough to get around to finally seeing this film. It was definitely one of those films that I had meant to get to see in its theatrical run, which ended up lasting almost to its DVD release date. Still, this is a simple fact of life that [...]
Irreversible
(2002) dir. Gaspar Noé
viewed: 08/30/03
Brutal and harsh, dizzying and disorienting, Gaspar Noé’s film Irreversible is far from pleasurable. Notable for a vicious 10 minute plus rape scene centerpiece, this film would make even the non-squeamish squirm in discomfort.
The narrative of the film rolls out in reverse, a gimmick that could have some significance for [...]
25th Hour
(2002) dir. Spike Lee
viewed: 08/18/03
The narrative of Spike Lee’s drama, 25th Hour, is a about a man’s last night of freedom before heading to prison for a drug charge. But, as many people have noted, Lee takes this story of reflection and casts it onto the image of New York City as a whole, [...]
