Amy Wren Watched What? December 16-22, 2024

Green for Danger (1946) - Directed by Sidney Gilliat
I've been watching a lot of "project" movies, so it was a nice change of pace when Cora and I sat down to just watch this murder mystery on a lark. It's a fun movie set in 1944 England made by people who had just lived that experience, so it has a verisimilitude to it that were it made a decade or two later it just wouldn't have. It was also a lot of fun watching Alastair Sim as a playful yet dogged detective trying to solve the murders at the makeshift hospital. All in all a nice warm treat on a cold winter night.

Down by Law (1986) - Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Now old Jim sure likes his conversations, that's for sure. But sometimes you gotta throw a whole wrench in things to find the story, and what better way to do that but to toss someone who doesn't really speak English into the mix. Such as it is when Italian tourist Bob (Roberto Benigni) is thrown into a prison cell with Jack (John Lurie) and Zack (Tom Waits). The constraint actually works in the favor of the film, as the characters still find ways to communicate and connect. It's also to the films credit that Jarmusch was more concerned with the characters and their interactions than explaining how they escaped from prison. And I really appreciate that the ending isn't definitive, but instead ends with a shot of two new, if begrudging, friends as they make their way down separate paths. To freedom, or recapture, or the end of the road? Who knows?

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) - Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
As of December 2024, this is the last film the Coen Brothers have made together. And though it's not the strongest of their films, it's still got some great things going on. For my part, I would have rather seen a stronger narrative instead of several vignettes connected by the clear theme of death and how we face it and react to it. But within each segment are stories that range from good to excellent. My favorite is probably the first, featuring the titular Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson) as a singing gunslinger, although I also really like "All Gold Canyon" and the moody finale "The Mortal Remains".

Manon des Sources (1986) - Directed by Claude Berri
Released a few months after Jean de Florette, this tells the story of Manon, the daughter of Jean, as she deals with the attention of the nephew of the locally powerful César "Le Papet" Soubeyran. Oh, and also, did I mention that "Le Papet" and his gooblin of a nephew had blocked a spring on Manon's father's property, which had ultimately led to his death and the loss of the farm? The result is a compelling story about reaping what you sow, and how complicity in looking the other way at reprehensible actions can come back around to bite you in the ass. My biggest quibble with the movie is that it definitely feels like the second part of a two parter, and just doesn't exist as a film independent of the first part.

Other Films Watched

Under the Skin (2013) - Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Haunting and full of arresting imagery that just sticks with me.

Frank (2014) - Directed by Lenny Abrahamson
Surprisingly sad for a film about a rock musician who constantly wears a giant head over his actual head. But it's also funny, incorporates social media into the film in an interesting way, and was moving at times.

Men, Women and Children (2014) - Directed by Jason Reitman
At times this was actually good and made me wonder if previously I'd been too harsh on it. Then the god-awful voiceover narration would kick in, and I'd realize I was dead on in not really liking this.

Ernest & Celestine (2012) - Directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, and Benjamin Ritter
A sweet, but not tooth-rottingly so, animated film about two characters from different worlds who find friendship at the edges of their societies.

Get on Up (2014) - Directed by Tate Taylor
This biopic seems to have looked at Walk Hard and said "more of this, but for real". And you know what? It kinda, sorta works! A lot of that credit has to go to Chadwick Boseman, who just goes for it as James Brown.

Listen Up, Philip (2014) - Directed by Alex Ross Perry
This would be an entertaining enough film if it was just Jason Schwartzman being a shitty Jason Schwartzman type self-absorbed asshole. But what elevates it is Elisabeth Moss as his ex, actually doing the work of moving on with her life and not falling into the same self-destructive cycles.

The Theory of Everything (2014) - Directed by James Marsh
Despite having some of the same pitfalls as a long term biopic always has, this has works pretty well. The key is that it focuses on what happens for better or worse, rather than "how brave" everyone was for going through it.

Grand Piano (2013) - Directed by Eugenio Mira
A silly, silly premise written by Damien Chazelle that's (surprise surprise) secretly about pushing yourself to ridiculous lengths for your art. Would completely fall apart if it wasn't for Elijah Wood's amazing performance.

Snowpiercer (2013) - Directed by Bong Joon-ho
It's a revolution on a train barreling through the frozen wastes of Earth. What's not to love?

Ida (2013) - Directed by Pawel Pawlikoski
Starkly beautiful with a good central relationship between a young novitiate and her troubled aunt as they reconnect over the young niece's discovery of her secret origins.

Blue Ruin (2013) - Directed by Jeremy Saulnier
A testament to the best of what crowd funded art can be, unlike a certain film by Zach Braff that shall go unnamed.

The Green Ray (1986) - Directed by Éric Rohmer
A woman travels around France having conversations and searching for meaning and connection. In other words, it's pretty great.

The Congress (2013) - Directed by Ari Folman
At times almost prophetic about the entertainment industry a decade later. But at other times a complete mess.

Wild (2014) - Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Great film. Bad "How-to Through Hike" guide.

Have you watched any of these film? What did you think? What have you watched over the last week? Let's talk about it in the comments!

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