Fallen Angels

Built from an unused idea for Chungking Express, this is very much a sequel (or more accurately, a companion) to that film.  There are several callbacks, and the themes and styles are quite similar.  Fallen Angels is a little darker and perhaps a touch more leisurely, but otherwise if you like one, you’ll probably like the other.  Rating: 9 

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Do You Remember Dolly Bell?

I imagine I’d appreciate this more if I was more familiar with the politics behind it, but even so Kusturica’s first feature stands up quite well.  Not as exciting as his other work, but I’d like to watch it again.  I sure wish they’d get Life is a Miracle out on DVD.  Rating: 7

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

A resounding disappointment.  Adams’s humor simply doesn’t translate to the big screen, particularly not compressed down to two hours.  The casting was very good and the sets and effects were fine.  It simply felt lifeless and dull.  Hearing someone say “Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal” out loud just isn’t the same as reading it on the page.  Stick with the books.  Rating: 5

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Kill Bill (rewatch)

It works even better watching them back-to-back like this.  I’ve got nothing much to add to my earlier comments, except I don’t think Uma Thurman is a very good actress, some of her readings are off the mark.  But most of the time she does fine.  Rating: 10

Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2  

All That Jazz (rewatch)

Not much to add to my comments from August ’03.  I still don’t like Leland Palmer (I even hate the way she dances) and I still think “Air-otica” is silly, but otherwise I really love it.  The editing is so dynamic (won the Oscar that year) and the whole piece has such an unusual tone to it.  Rating: 9

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Duck Soup (rewatch)

Duck Soup is the best Marx Brothers movie because it’s the closest to pure comedy.  No time wasted on romance between characters we don’t care about, or plotting a story that really doesn’t matter, or interminable musical interludes from Harpo or Chico.  Even the two songs are humorous.  Wonderfully witty and tight.  Rating: 9

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It Was a Wonderful Life

Well, these are some sad stories, but most of them turned out okay once they wised up a little.  It’s hard to feel sorry for them after seeing Dark Days.  These women don’t have it nearly as bad as some.  There was a statistic at the end of the film: after a divorce, the average woman’s standard of living goes down 79% and the average man’s goes up 40%.  I think this was supposed to make us believe that the men are somehow screwing the women over… but it kind of made me think that maybe some of these women leeched off their husbands too much.  I know that sounds harsh, but that was my reaction.  Rating: 6

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Wings of Desire (rewatch)

Hmm.  I don’t know anymore.  It’s very unique, but it also kinda boring and at times feels pretentious.  I hate using that word, but there it is.  I’ll probably watch it again someday, but it’s not really me enough to be one of my favorites.  Rating: 8

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Sid and Nancy (rewatch)

Oh no no no.  This is no longer a favorite of mine.  Not there’s anything wrong with it but it’s a movie I loved in college and just don’t give a damn about anymore.  I didn’t even watch past the first half hour.  An old favorite that no longer has anything to offer me.  Rating: 7

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The Motorcycle Diaries

Boy, this one’s been sitting around here for months.  My wife and I intended to watch it together, she finally got around to wanting to see it.  Was it worth the wait?  No, not really, but it wasn’t bad either.  I think the copy I downloaded was missing a few minutes at the end, it just kind of abruptly stopped.  Oh well.  Rating: 7

IMDb