This evening I watched the lovely and spectactularly colorful The Curse of the Golden Flower on Blu-Ray DVD in lovely 1080P.

The film is a visual treat to behold and has an interesting story wrapped around the fantastic set and costume design. I enjoyed the film quite a bit for what it is and would give it a 85 (+/-2).

I feel bad rating Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and this film right next to each other, as it points out that my rating system is not absolute. Whatever… is obviously a better film and a more important contribution to film, but this film was enjoyable as a period Kung Fu drama, and the rating is as such.

C’est la vie…

I rented and watched Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? this past Sunday. An excellent performance by Bette Davis overcame weakness of the plausibility of the actual scenario and the Godawful acting of Joan Crawford.

The ending puts the whole film, events and actions by the characters into a different context; always my favorite film technique (if doen in an authentic manner and not as a gimick).

I should never look at the IMDB or any other rating if I want mine to remain untainted (damned anchoring). I will give this film an 83 (+/-6) with a note that I could revise it downward after additional thought.

I went to the Cerrito Speakeasy last Sunday to watch Be Kind Rewind, which I had been looking forward to for quite a while.

The film has a terrific idea that is presented in an earnest manner. I thought the film might be a bit too much about the Sweded versions of the films erased, but this was just snippets, which were damned fun.

The reconnaisance mission sideplot by Danny Glover’s character detracted from the film quite a bit, although I did not peg that as its flaw at the time. Jack Black’s characters magnetization was the high point, or perhaps the disguises that allowed Black and Mr. Def to blend in with a very specific place and circumstance.

I would give it a 76 (+/-2), but this maybe either too critical or high of a score; I am not sure which…

I rented Gone Baby Gone on Blu-Ray sometime last week, and I forgot to write that I had seen it. The date may be incorrect, but it is close enough. The movie had an interesting idea, good characters and settings that seemed realistic and had some depth, but the whole of the story seemed a little disconnected.

I think I liked it better last week, but today it gets a 74 (+/-3).

Last evening I watched The Fountain using Comcast’s On-Demand service.

I enjoyed it, but my wife’s feeling sentiment was along the lines of: “it is interesting and cool looking, but I am not going to remember anything about this tomorrow.” I could agree with this statement as a review.

Beautiful and interesting film with a non-conventional narrative. Review of 78 (+/-2).

I watched the film Notes on a Scandal via Comcast’s On-Demand service this evening.

The character-driven film was well-acted and held my attention throughout. The dueling motivations and weaknesses of the two leads leads to a fascinating interplay and power dynamic.

This film receives a rating of 84 (+/- 2).

Tonight was the final episode of the Wire. The fifth season was too short and lacked the immediacy of the prior seasons due to its three year hiatus, but it still had a compelling storyline that transported the series to a satisfying and logical conclusion (unlike other HBO series, such as Deadwood).

The character of Omar Little, played by Michael K. Williams, might be the greatest television character ever created. The situational morality and code of ethics he lived by allowed a different perspective in which to evaluate and contrast the differing types of world views that dealers, thugs and police held and adapted to on the streets of Baltimore. His performance was always intense and truthful; you believed the character could exist and could create the type of mythology that made him larger-than-life and a legend in death.

This series never did the expected, but was far from gimmicky. It set the standard high for what makes a television show great and is a testament to the legitimacy of the medium’s ability to become a form of art.

This afternoon, I watched the movie Juno at the Cerrito Speakeasy, In El Cerrito, CA.

The movie was enjoyable, although perhaps a little too self-aware and intentionally clever. The first third of the movie was rife with jargonish slang, but it gave way to a more realistic speech pattern and moving narrative in the second half.

I will admit that I was more than likely primed for this thought-train as I had read reviews, seen satire videos and other assorted peripheral media musings regarding this overt witticism of the script. I will freely admit that I would have probably not noticed at all if I were not tainted by foreknowledge.

Overall, the film was well-acted with a witty script and excellent characterization. I would give it an 84 (+/-3).

Just an aside, the movie has music choices that seems premeditated to create a Garden Statesque indieish-mix soundtrack. I have a feeling at some point I will be burning a CD of these selections for my wife…

Last evening I ventured outward into the world and watched Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, aka The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (English International title), at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco.

I had wanted to see this film, as it was quite well reviewed and a fascinating story, but my wife and I were forced to watch it at the insistence of Carrie’s Great Aunt.

The first half of the film was entirely from the perspective of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a well-known French journalist and editor of Elle magazine. The film begins as he is in his hospital bed, awakening to discover he had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed excepting the use of his left eye. The director chooses to show the film as if the camera is his good eye; fluttering and with flashes of light as he gazes around his world, blinking to communicate.

Carrie and I thought the film was very good. The film’s cinematography was beautiful and an effective conveyance of the feeling of being trapped in one’s own paralyzed body.

My wife’s relatives left half way through the film due to boredom, leaving us alone in the theater for most of the film. Their point of critique was that the film had a slow pace and was boring. Personally, I thought that the tedium and slow-pacing was an effective technique to employ in order for the audience to comprehend the day-to-day life of the person about whom the film was portraying.

This movie’s gorgeous experimental cinematography and fascinating story merit a rating of 87 (+/- 3), although it is not for everybody…

On the evening of Monday, March 3rd, I finished watching the final two episodes of Deadwood, a historically-based western series originally aired on HBO.

I must say that I enjoyed his television program quite a bit, and it actually got better as the series progressed. The final season ended with numerous open questions and plotlines, so it is unfortunate that the series is not continuing.

The stand-out performance on the show was Ian McShane as the anti-hero Al Swearengen. This character could have become a caricature of evil or depravity, but McShane’s performance adds layers of depth and nuance to the man creating superb ambiguity to his nature.

Movies on HBO have been mentioned, but it is looking less likely as time rolls past…

I watched a rented copy of Michael Clayton on Blu-Ray this evening.

The movie was well-acted and filmed, but lacked the nuance of script and proper immediacy and style in editing that would transform the narrative into compelling instead of merely interesting.

The movie was good, but not great. I will rate it at 78/100 (+/-:3).

I watched the film Persepolis at the Parkway Speakeasy in Oakland on this eve’.

The film was superb; excellent animation and a moving story that was deeply affecting using a non-traditional narrative and visual technique.

More animated films should focus on more mature subject matter and how the medium can convey things in a completely different manner than live action.

I saw There Will be Blood at the El Cerrito Speakeasy. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the first fifteen minutes (no words…. bitchin’).