Archive for the ‘contemporary’ Category
One Too Many
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, or number 7, part two, is a film with many endings. I’m sure it has at least seven if you count all the signs of finish: a death and resurrection, villains vanquished one by one, a battle won against all odds, the reappearance of favorite characters from early in [...]
In: contemporary, endings, film · Tagged with: David Yates, Deathly Hallows Part Two, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, postaweek2011
Slow Motion Picture
The clip above is a good representation of its film, Sweetgrass (2009): slow, deliberate, and beautifully shot. The artistry is apparent, but the filmmakers, Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor, have the good sense to make the “story” subtle. As in this excerpt, the documentary is not narrated or prefaced or even introduced except through these [...]
In: beginnings, contemporary, documentary, environmental art, film, landscape, pastoral · Tagged with: documentary, Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, postaweek, sheep, Sweetgrass
Love is Not Enough
Many people I respect a great deal recommended I Am Love (2010) to me. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film introduces us to an upper-class Italian family undergoing generational shifts. The opening credits glide through exquisite black-and-white shots of Milan under snow, which quickly establishes an emotional and aesthetic tone. The dinner scene that sets up [...]
In: beginnings, contemporary, film, landscape · Tagged with: I Am Love, Luca Guadagnino, Milan, postaweek2011, Tilda Swinton
The King’s Body
I put off seeing The King’s Speech, multiple Academy Award winner and costume drama, for as long as possible. It seemed predictable: of course the awards, of course the triumph over adversity, of course the colorful eccentric Brits, of course the rich are just like us after all….What could it tell me that I didn’t know [...]
In: contemporary, film, gaze, speeches · Tagged with: Colin Firth, David Seidler, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, postaweek2011, The King's Speech, Tom Hooper
Their Corner
The Fighter (2010) presents as a classic ensemble film: with two well balanced male leads (brothers Micky and Dicky, played by Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale) and two equally balanced female leads (Micky’s girlfriend and mother, played by Amy Adams and Melissa Leo). The film, directed by David O. Russell, generously shares its attention and sympathies amongst [...]
In: contemporary, film · Tagged with: Amy Adams, Christian Bale, David O. Russell, Mark Wahlberg, Melissa Leo, postaweek2011, The FIghter