I Like You Temporarily
June 1st – June 7th
Martyrs – I am troubled by this one. I didn’t enjoy it, but I think I quite liked it. Thankfully, I watched it first without seeing the director’s introduction where he basically apologizes to the viewer in advance for what they are about to see. In many ways, it seemed a messier take on violence/voyeurism in the manner of Haneke’s Funny Games.
The movie, like Funny Games, sort of hinges on whether or not the viewer is willing to play along to the end. The first 45-minutes are high-thrill horror. But then the film shifts into a test of endurance. This either works for you or it doesn’t. I thought it worked, but I could certainly understand the contrary. It is surely divisive. Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, film is manipulative. And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it…aside from never pressing play (and life’s too short for that).
Paris, Je T’Aime – A nice set of short films with the city of Paris at its center. In high-def on Blu Ray, the city looks absolutely gorgeous (I especially like the films by the Coens, Cuaron, Tykwer, and Payne). Unfortunately, I neither speak nor understand French so I had to rely on the English subtitles. But for some idiotic reason, First Look Studios did not include proper subtitles on the disc. Instead, they included the English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard-of-hearing). The SDH subtitles were too large, obstructive, and what I could only assume to be poorly translated (or at least translated for someone at a 5th grade reading level). In the first segment, the subtitles indicate the main character calling a passerby a “buttface.” Really? The subtitles also included non-dialog audio and character identification, which is annoying at best and absolutely horrendous when mimes end up subtitled.
Magnolia – I still love this one SO much. Inspired by some new friends who also love it, I (finally) revisited it over the weekend. In the very near future, I plan on writing up a longer piece analyzing the movie (especially concerning the frogs) from my perspective.
Up – Pixar didn’t top Wall-E with this one for me. I really, really liked it though. The Carl and Ellie segment was as about as good as it gets (it got a little dusty in there). And the translating dog collars were genius (not quite as awesome as Pullman’s daemons when it comes to anthropomorphizing animals…but pretty close). Pixar’s up may very well have inspired me to renew my own spirit of adventure. And, I guess I should get around to actually seeing Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., and Toy Story at some point (now that I’ve been given ample evidence that Pixar isn’t just making mindless kid flicks).
I don’t remember the subtitles being only for the hearing impaired in the version of Paris, je t’aime we watched. I could be wrong, though. I probably need to watch it again. I remember in the Coens short (Tuileries, one of the better ones, probably because it hits close to home with our actual experiences in the Paris Métro), the translation appeared to be good b/c that was actually one of the jokes (“pussy” vs “c***-person” in Steve Buscemi’s phrase book).
I could SO write a giant treatise on Magnolia. Have you read the complete screenplay including the entire other subplot/story with “the Worm?” It makes a lot more sense of the whole kid rapping part, the Marcie part, and Jim losing his gun, etc… Orlando Jones (the Worm) got cut entirely out of the movie, poor guy. Of course it would have been like 3 1/2 hours if they left that entire subplot in. I’m glad P.T. Anderson chose to keep Earl Partridge’s full ‘regret’ monologue instead (he got some flak for that b/c it was so ridiculously long). I was bawling when I watched it a few weeks ago.
The subtitle issue with Paris may have just been with the Blu Ray edition. It wasn’t enough to destroy the experience. Eventually, you just get used to it. But still a disappointment.
My only interesting subway experience is when Sarah went running away from a subway cop down an escalator in the Prague Metro…leaving me to explain the situation to the cop.
I’ve only read parts of the complete Magnolia screenplay…but I’m aware of, especially, the missing scenes that show how Jim’s gun returns to him. I just found it online, so I’m going to have to give it full look. I think it makes things a bit more mysterious though when all you really have is Dixon’s rap…and then Jim’s gun falling from somewhere unknown. I like that…but I’m going to have read the rest of the scenes now though.
Yeah…we don’t need to mention that particular subway incident. Not my finest moment.
The Coen brothers’ film was wonderful, but Payne’s was by far my favorite. It resonated with me on a deeply personal level..the whole saving up to take the one big trip you’ve always dreamed of thing. I also think that when you have Paris as the theme of the film, it could be so easy to fall into the usual “beautiful people in love, strolling along the Seine” thing. The seemingly mundane details of an American tourist’s solo trip overseas can be much more interesting and much more profound, especially when told by someone like Payne. His film nailed that simultaneous feeling of joy and sadness that I love so much.
Up did the same kind of thing for me. I loved what the kid said when he was talking about sitting on the curb, eating ice cream with his dad: “I know it sounds boring, but the boring stuff is what I remember the most.” Between that and Payne’s film, I was reminded that you don’t need an exciting, adventurous life to be happy. You can have adventures anywhere, and maybe it’s okay if all you get is that one big trip overseas. That’s more than a lot of people ever get.
And even if you do end up only having cheeseburgers for your Parisian meals…the adventure can still be a wonderful success if you are happy, if you enjoy it, and/or if it transforms your life for the better. Strangely, I think Martyrs had a similar message–that your life is what is important, and you should be living it as such, instead of concerning yourself with what comes after (whether it be heaven or decomposition).
We have the Magnolia screenplay/shooting script in print form, so I’ll let you borrow it on Weds if I can find it. (I know we definitely owned it at one point but I have no idea where Jared may have put it as I haven’t seen it in probably 5 years).
Agreed, Sarah. The Payne short is the final one, right? I need to watch that one again. I’ve only seen it once and I’ve seen the first half of shorts (including the Coens’ one) a few times now. I LOVE Alexander Payne. From my memory, isn’t the American tourist woman really bad at French and it’s really touching and cute? I think it reminded me of Peggy Hill’s (from King of the Hill) terrible Spanish on that show. (I loves me some King of the Hill. Discriminatin’ tastes indeed.)
Yep, that’s the one. I loved that set-up, with the voice-over narration being done as if she was making a presentation to her community-college “Conversational French” class.
King of the Hill rules. I’m so sad that it is no more, but I suppose it’s been getting a little weak as of late. Hopefully, it will continue to live long and prosper in syndication.
Scratch that. We had the Magnolia shooting script in print form, but no more. Past tense. ‘Tis no more. Sorry.