by Sandy | May 4, 2012 | Blogroll, Directors, Film, Movies
I was reading a movie review and the writer described the film as “Felliniesque”. No reference to the director, for whom the term was coined, just – “Felliniesque”. I got it. 
Federico Fellini (Dec. 1924 – Dec. 1976) was one of the most influential Italian writer/directors of his day.
His films were character driven, people and plots sometimes bizarre and outrageous, but the inhabitants of his pictures were closer to the reality of the everyday world than what was usually seen on screen during the 50s and 60s.
Four of his films won the Best Foreign Film Oscar: La strada (1954), with his wife Guilettea Masina and Anthony Quinn, Le Notti di Cabiria (1957) (Nights of Cabiria), 8½ (1963) and Amarcord (1973).
But, his film La Dolce Vita (1960) with Marcello Mastroiannibrought him worldwide fame. The famous/infamous frolick in the fountain scene with Marcello and Anita Ekberg seemed such wild decadence in the 60’s, but, pretty tame now.
BTW : “Felliniesque” is often used to describe films that put a character’s inner thoughts/memories into dreamlike sequences, and/or scenes that move backward/forward in time. (Ya gotta pay attention with his movies)
Federico Fellini films to find on DVD:
by Bob Martin | Apr 3, 2012 | Art, Cable, Directors, HBO, Movies
Simultaneously, as we began to understand the characters and their dynamics on the HBO series “Luck” we learned that the series had been cancelled, because of the concern for horses that might be used in the production of the series. Ironically the series was beginning to paint a bleak portrait of the “sport” of horse racing, the people associated with the sport as well as the care for these magnificent animals once they are no longer able to race, leaving some people to wonder if the heat that HBO felt (and reason for cancellation) was about the death of 3 horses or the exposure given to the seedy side of this sport.Unfortunately races horses die from racing and not from being filmed. So the cancellation of show is about politics and not horses, so ending the series did do much for the horse.
Growing up in an urban area, I’ve had a fascination with horses and believed that they were always treated like “Scout” or “Trigger” the always appreciated sidekicks of the Lone Ranger and Roy Rogers, respectfully and that the people surrounding the “sport” of horse racing were the type of people you see at the Kentucky Derby, woman with flowered hats, and owners in white linen suites. “Luck” put to rest this fantasy.
Like everything that turns out to be worth watching, the series “Luck” was about more then just the horses and any one single thing. A well acted, written and directed portrait of people whose background story we seldom hear about. It was the bazaar and conflicting human story that was just beginning to unfold and there just didn’t seem to be enough time (episodes) to tell the whole story. Like the “Sopranos” and “Deadwood” it would have been the second season (I believed) that would make the series a hit.
I am sorry to see the series end. Maybe the next time they will use puppets.
by Bob Martin | Mar 30, 2012 | Directors, Film, Movies
Art awakens us to the truth.
When I first viewed White Ribbon I overlooked one element that the film highlights, that was “privilege”. Privilege came with blue eyes, fair skin and Christianity in the 1930 and 40(s). It’s now 2012 and hope for ending the discrimination of people who comprise of over 80% world population has remained just a hope.
Recently with the murder of a young black man in Florida, the people responsible for the murder, its investigation and prosecution, all claimed that they were not racist or bigots and therefore the killing of a young man on his way home could be justifiably ignored. There was no deeper consideration and that is the sad and sickening part. The young dead man was left with the burden of proof.
We all have become so comfortable with telling ourselves lies, that we let the obvious escape us.
White Ribbon” is wonderful and disturbing movie. “Like the truth.
Some movies are best filmed in Black and White. The lack of color gives the story a factual realness and solemness that suggest violence. No need to see the gore. White Ribbon is an elegant movie wonderfully directed and shot that got great reviews when it was first released.
Most of the reviews that I’ve read speak to how the director Michael Haneke may have painted a picture of the origins of Nazi Germany and World War Two. I on the other hand thought about what is it that is being preached today, disguised in bright glorious colors and apocalyptic rhetoric, that might be leading this world toward another horrific adventure.
by Bob Martin | Jan 12, 2012 | Directors, Film, Movies, Poem
Just see this movie, make up your own mind and then see it again and come to a different conclusion and repeat. Give up on getting it right or choosing sides – it’s great or it’s horrible – take your side.
by Bob Martin | Aug 5, 2011 | Art, Culture, Directors, Movies
Awkward love stories are not unusual, however they are seldom about African Americans or as elegantly told as this film. The normalcy of the main characters existence, in one of the world’s most beautiful cities, sets the stage for the complexity of racial transformation. The juxtaposition, that some of us want to keep what we’ve got and others want to move on to something new and that reconciliation is both difficult and necessary.
Medicine for Melancholy is a small film which tries to tell a lot and succeeds for the most part. It goes to show that you don’t need a huge budget to make a movie that tells a good story and enlightens its audience.
I am hopeful that the Director, Barry Jenkins, is still working his craft and will get the opportunity to continue to do insightful movie making.
Wyatt Cenac, Tracy Heggins and Barry Jenkins
by Bob Martin | Jul 1, 2011 | Art, Directors, Movies, Writers
Carina Nebula
It is the first words spoken that makes this movie understandable and perfect for me. Malick treats the rest of the dialog like the utterance of the universe, important but not understandable. The idea that nature and grace exist for us to choose from is not a religious idea and that following one over another is neither right nor wrong, that in the larger scheme of things it may not matter. There are no understandable answers.
I kept thinking of the first verse of Joni Mitchell’s “The Sire of Sorrow”, and that we seek pain, not satisfaction. Life’s awareness will bring to your knees in pure awe, but that would be too easy.
“Let me speak, let me spit out my bitterness–
Born of grief and nights without sleep and festering flesh
Do you have eyes?
Can you see like mankind sees?
Why have you soured and curdled me?
Oh you tireless watcher! What have I done to you?
That you make everything I dread and everything I fear come true?...joni mitchell
I didn’t find this movie religious or trying to clarify the origins of stuff and can understand why some people would. For me the compelling message is that there is wonder all around us and we spend most of our time focused on ourselves and that what we pay attention is what we get.
If you decide to see this movie go with a group committed to viewing the full movie. Later have a conversation about what you saw or felt about the movie, it all in the experience of seeing “Tree of Life” vs. trying to understand it. All interpretations have value.
Also it will help to see it in a theater that has both exceptional visual and sound equipment. I’ve got to see it again at a different theater. Sorry Hawkins Scottsdale.
