John's 2003 Films In Review
(still much to see)


Films To See

1.  Dogville (Lars Von Trier, Denmark)
     - This film is a triumph of imagination 
       and intellect.  It's artistic design 
       and bold statement feel like bomb 
       blasts in a dreary and tiresome 
       Hollywood world of cookie-cutter crap.
       PERFECT.  I hate von Trier, but I love
       this film.
	 
2.  Kill Bill: Volume 1 (Quentin Tarintino, U.S.)
     - Ultra-stylized, ultra-violent camp.  
       SuperHappyTwistedFun.  Warhol would weep 
       with joy.

3.  Shattered Glass (Billy Ray, U.S.)
     - Smart little picture.  The cast is great
       (including Skywalker).  Fine direction
       from a man named Billy Ray.  Bravo!

4.  Bad Santa (Terry Zwigoff, U.S.)
     - Funny as shit.

5.  American Splendor (Berman & Pulcini, U.S.)
     - Interesting little hybrid documentary/
       fictional bio flick.  Catchy like a tune.
       Not Crumb, but a solid and enjoyable
       indie flick.

6.  School of Rock (R. Linklater, U.S.)
     - Cute, funny film.  Jack Black finally gets
       to flex his manic energy in a proper 
       vehicle.

7. Seabiscuit (G. Ross, U.S.)
     - This film is about fighting spirit, the 
       will to win, and the charm of the underdog.
       Overall a pretty good film.  (I liked Ross'
       use of silence.)  A tad long and makes too
       gratuitous an effort to explain itself.

8. Akarui mirai (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan)
     - Interesting film about family, insanity
       and jellyfish.  Not sure it adds up to 
       much in the end, but enjoyed the trip.

9. Holes (A. Davis, U.S.)
     - Fun.  Like a fairy tale, or an urban
       legend.  Great little family flick.

10. X2 (B. Singer, U.S.)
     - A very well executed sci-fi/action 
       flick.  Love how it stays true to the
       comics it's based on.  (Yes, I'm a geek.)


Films To Avoid

1. Cold Mountain (Anthony Minghella, U.S.)
     - Deplorably pointless, criminally miscast,
       and painfully long.

2.  Something's Gotta Give (N. Meyers, U.S.)
     - Written by an idiotic 50-something woman 
       for idiotic 50-something women.  Painful
       to sit through.

3.  Intolerable Cruelty (Coen Broth., U.S.)
     - Pretty damn unfunny.
	 
4.  Matchstick Men (R. Scott, U.S.)
     - Ridley and Tony Scott need to lay off the
       coke, hire new editors, and find some way
       to make a film without 5 fucking million
       pointless, dizzying, rapid-moving cuts.
       They give me a headache, and so does this
       film.

5.  The Hunted (W. Friedkin, U.S.)
     - Idiotic.  Zero logic.

6.  House of Sand And Fog (Vadim Perelman, U.S.)
     - Great performances, poor direction.  The
       cast gives so much and the result is a 
       mockery of their efforts.  I hate this 
       film.  Perelman should be flogged.


Films Worth Mentioning

Lost In Translation (Sofia Coppola, U.S.)
 - Interesting, slow, and self-absorbed little
   film about bored and lonely people on the
   fringe.

Gokudô kyôfu dai-gekijô: Guzo (T. Miike, Japan)
 - Another moving canvas skillfully painted with
   Miike's insanity.  I don't get this one.

Old School (T. Phillips, U.S.)
  - Stupid, but funny.

The Recruit (R. Donaldson, U.S.)
  - Farrell and Pacino are in top form.  
    Ridiculous ending ruins serious potential.

Irréversible (Gaspar Noé, France)
  - Great film for discussion.  I think it's a
    pointless parade of shock antics.  Others
    think it's a grand work of art.  You decide.

Demonlover (Olivier Assayas, France)
  - Just like Irréversible, a good conversation
    piece.  And likewise, I think this film is
    utterly pointless.

Pirates of the Caribbean (Gore Verbinski, U.S.)
  - Fun popcorn flick.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (Mostow)
  - Fun popcorn flick.

Cowards Bend The Knee (Guy Maddin, Canada)
  - If bravery and innovation were enough,
    this film would have made my "best of."
    Unfortunately, they're not.


Still Need To See

21 Grams
The Brown Bunny
Bus 174
Love Actually
The Station Agent
etc.


Looking Forward To In 2004

Watching less, reading more.


Random Questions

How in god's name did this year manage to be 
worse than last year in terms of film?  
So much money.  So much crap.


My personal home page.