CINEMANIA:

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (USA, 2005, Wes Anderson)

Ben sed:

Anderson is a substantive feel-good story-teller. His point of view is essentially wholesome and forgiving. All of the foibles and antagonisms are what make the characters interesting and their relations entertaining. But underneath everything is real affection and this gives us a warm feeling inside. Personally, I like it. Call me an old fashioned square but it is a nice change from all the cynicism and irony and crass, abusive rudeness that so often passes for humour. Anderson creates a slightly unreal, phoney, falsely-safe universe in order to show us the basically positive emotions genuinely felt by the characters who express them.

Fight Club (1999, USA, David Fincher)

Ben:

Well you can't help enjoying this picture even though its sheer existence vitiates most of what it has to say. All of the adolescent male, anarcho-punk, pre-fascist anti-mobilization mobilization nihilism is 100% sublimated, domesticated and commodified in obedience to the dictates of currently fashionable cinematic style and yet another helping of the ersatz critique that is postmodern irony.

Rushmore (USA, 1998, Wes Anderson)

Where the love for Anderson flows...

Ben Begins:

As you know better than I do, the so-called "independent" film is no such thing. We've had it now for about 20 years right? Not unlike so-called "alternative" rock music, these cultural products emerged in the 80s from creative forces that could not tap into existing sources of financing but nonetheless had to rely on existing outlets of distribution and promotion.

La Strada (Italia, 1953, Federico Fellini)

Wherein Ben and I do the Fellini Shuffle, with yer humble narrator (supposedly) taking the initiative.

Ben suggests:

Hey, we didn't talk about La Strada. What say you go first for a change, even though I have seen the film more recently than you?

Dan replies:

I'm game. But that will necessitate me seeing the film again. It's been awhile.

Fawlty Towers (UK, John Howard Davies

Bob Spiers, 1975)

And now for something completely different, Ben and I extol the virtues of one helluva funny televisual feast.

Ben sed:

Jacob is starting to watch some of them for the third time as I write this. I won't gush much. I mean, should I go on and on that Michelangelo did a damn find job on the Sistine Chapel, to which Fawlty Towers is analogized on the DVD cover?

I just want to mention one observation.

Brazil (USA, Terry Gilliam, 1985)

Wherein you will find a virtual lovefest for Gilliam's dystopic vision.

Ben sed:

this is a textbook case of more being more. At one point, relatively early on, I found myself thinking that the music was simply too much, over the top. Soon enough, however, I realized that the music was barely keeping up with everything else about the film. The brush strokes are broad man, on a canvas stretched out of all proportion.

The Trial (USA, Orson Welles, 1963)

At which time we take a break from Lynchian parrying and volleying and take up the subject of existential misery.

Ben sed:

What's the point of being a substitute if you're going to work every freakin' day? This is my way of warning you that I have the time to write a long review. How convenient for me, as I believe the film warrants it. But of course, I will mostly talk about Kafka.

This is a very good film, almost great, almost.

Mulholland Dr. (USA, David Lynch, 2000)

Wherein Ben and I have further disagreement about the merits of another of the works of David Lynch.

Ben sed:

[Blue Velvet] is worse than Mulholland Dr. even.

And Dan:

Don't get me started on your misreading of Mulholland Drive. I believe that I suggested to you an avenue into this film (a vicious expose of the cruelty of the dream factory that is Hollywood) that reveals that it is MUCH more than a simplistic piece of debauchery.

Blue Velvet (USA, David Lynch, 1986)

Ben and I disagree over the film's merits, or lack thereof.

Ben sed:

Not me. Jacob. Before I could get it out. Jacob. The minute the credits came up. Before they started to roll. "What a piece of shit!"

And after I concurred, he nails it again. "The only good part is the bad guy."

That's what everyone was talking about when it was first released. Oh, Dennis Hopper is back! It's been so long. We missed him so. What a great villain. How cool.

The Stunt Man, USA, 1980, Richard Rush

Ben sed:

I noticed that the film is based on a novel. I wonder if the novel is equally interested in the what's-reality? theme so at the centre of the film. I suspect that the book would address this more in terms of the psychological manipulation of the cast and crew conducted by the director.