So, here's something I'm fond of doing. It's a list of all the movies I own that I haven't watched yet. Why not? Well, Netflix takes priority because I'm paying for those and the quicker I watch, the more I can see. Same pretty much goes for the library and TCM, though those are free. However, the DVDs I bought are always going to be there waiting for me, so unfortunately, they're not too high priority. So, here's a list of all the movies I currently own on DVD that I've yet to watch, so everyone can comment and bitch that I haven't seen X movie or Y movie. :)

The Blood of a Poet (1930)
Orpheus (1949)
Testament of Orpheus (1959)
Red Beard (1965)
Knife in the Water (1962)
A Story of Floating Weeds (1934)
Floating Weeds (1959)
Stray Dog (1949)
The Lower Depths (Jean Renoir) (1936)
The Lower Depths (Akira Kurosawa) (1957)
Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Mr. And Mrs. Smith (1941)
Suspicion (1941)
Stage Fright (1950)
The Wrong Man (1956)
Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Band of Brothers (2002)
My Favorite Wife (1940)
Destination Tokyo (1944)
Night and Day (1946)
The Batchelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)
Dinner at Eight (1933)
Libeled Lady (1936)
To Be or Not to Be (1942)
Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)
Die Hard With a Vengance (1995)
Frank Herbert's Dune (2000)
Gun Crazy (1949)
Dillinger (1945)
Born to Kill (1947)
The Narrow Margin (1952)
Shame (1968)
The Passion of Anna (1969)
The Serpent's Egg (1977)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
After Hours (1985)
New York, New York (1977)
Boxcar Bertha (1972)
The Alamo (1960)
Angel Heart (1987)
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Apollo 13 (1995)
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
Chocolat (2000)
Chungking Express (1994)
Do You Believe in Miracles? (2001)
Easy Rider (1969)
EDtv (1999)
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
eXistenZ (1999)
Freeway (1996)
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Hollywood Ending (2002)
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
The Iron Giant (1999)
King of New York (1990)
The Lasy Boy Scout (1991)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Logan's Run (1976)
Lonesome Dove (1988)
Love Nest (1952)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Aboniable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Dr. Phibes Rides Again (1972)
Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
The Return of Count Yorga (1971)
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
The Land that Time Forgot (1975)
The People that Time Forgot (1977)
The Monster that Challenged the World (1957)
It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958)
Invaders From Mars (1986)
Theater of Blood (1973)
Madhouse (1974)
Mulan (1998)
The Naked Gun (1988)
The Naked Gun 2 1/2 : The Smell of Fear (1991)
The Naked Gun 33 1/3 The Final Insult (1994)
Noqoyqatsi (2002)
Out of Sight (1998)
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)
Personal Velocity (2002)
Powaqqatsi (1988)
Red Heat (1988)
Scanners (1980)
Starman (1984)
The Ten Commandments (1956)
Thirteen Days (2000)
Titan A.E. (2000)
Titanic (1997)
To Live and Die in LA (1985)
The Underneath (1994)
The Untouchables (1987)
The Way of the Gun (2000)
We're Not Married (1952)
Call Northside 777 (1948)
Panic in the Streets (1950)
House of Bamboo (1955)
The Street with No Name (1948)
Nightmare Alley (1947)
Sunrise (1927)
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
The Song of Bernadette (1943)
Anastasia (1956)
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)
The Mark of Zorro (1940)
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
Peyton Place (1957)
Desk Set (1957)
The Snake Pit (1948)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

This is one of the hardest blogs I've ever had to write. Not because of any ambivalence towards the film, or that I can't find much to say about it. In fact, quite the contrary. It's hard, because I can't wait to read all about it, study it, dive into the symbolism, the 'tells', analyze it. As a general rule, I avoid all other reviews or essays on a film until after I've written about it, just because your judgment can easily be colored by what other people say about films, my judgement especially. So, that aside, I can easily say Million Dollar Baby is a masterpiece.

It's no big secret that there's a 'twist' in the film, which occurs closer to the end of the film. It's best to go in fresh, not knowing anything, so I won't spoil it for anybody. I had it spoiled for me a while back, in a general way, but it still can really take away from the impact of the event. Needless to say, it's one of those great slack-jawed moments in cinema.

Right from the start, it's hard to resist Baby. Truth be told, the plot of the film isn't entirely refreshing or original. You know where it's going, at least for the first half, and nothing's really surprising. However, it all unfolds in such a way that it's utterly engaging to watch. The performances are all pitch-perfect in just about every way. What I found most impressive is the chemistry between all of the leads. The way they interact, it all just falls right into place in a way that's irresistible.

I really wasn't expecting it, but it's got one helluva emotional impact as well. To tell you the truth, I really don't know precisely why it has such an effect, at least not after one viewing, but it's the undeniable truth. I think it's due in part to the brilliant characterization throughout the film, they're just so vivid, detailed and rich.

Edit: I forgot to mention one of the great 'mysteries' of the film. You know that Frank has a daughter and that they had a falling-out years ago, but you never know exactly why. When he was telling Maggie about her, in the only scene where she's talked about specifically, he mentions that she "used to be real athletic" but he doesn't know if she kept it up. I'm thinking that maybe she was being trained by her Father, like Maggie, but couldn't keep up with it, or gave it up, which caused the rift. Just a small theory. It's a minor tactic that almost never fails to pique your curiousity and make you think.

The lighting as well is great. It's a very dark, grimy film, but never feels artificially gritty. Many times, characters have dark shadows across their faces, or even sometimes in complete silhouette. It really adds to the entire atmosphere of the picture. The audio is awesome; every hard punch really feels like a jab to your gut, and when the crowd roars, it's almost overwhelming.

Not much else left to say other than it's a great film. I wasn't sure if anything could top Eternal Sunshine as my personal favorite of last year. Million Dollar Baby is at least neck-and-neck with it, though. To put it in DVD-cover-style talk, it's 'BRILLIANT!'

A Very Long Engagement (Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles)

Like anyone with a pulse, I adored Amelie, but haven't had a chance to see his earlier films yet. So, him re-teaming with Audrey Tautou sounded pretty divine me. I've been waiting to see A Very Long Engagement for a long while, since it didn't come anywhere near me theatrically (hooray for excuses!), so I finally got to check out Warner's beautiful DVD. Pretty impressed with it in general.

First off, it's a spectacularly gorgeous film. From Jeunet's use of color, to the impressive composition and movement, to the masterful editing, to the tastefully-done CGI. This movie says more in a single frame than some others say in entire scenes. Luckily, we've got a company like Warner doing a great job of replicating the film for home viewing.

It's very typically Jeunet-ish in its execution. Right from the start, we're shown tiny flashbacks to short moments in characters' lives to get a good grip on who they are. It straddles the line between brutal scenes of war and lyrical romanticism, which is sure to divide many who see it. Personally, I thought it was mostly well-done, but there were a few parts that I thought were just too much to bear. But for the most part, it never falters in its tone.

The only real problem stems from the plot. At time's, it's very confusing, especially for English-speaking folks, not entirely used to all the French names flying about. The film's narrative, which resembles Rashomon, or Yimou Zhang's Hero, doesn't help this either, as characters keep popping in and out of the picture. But, I think, much like Rashomon and Hero, the viewer is SUPPOSED to be disoriented and kept guessing, at least in some spots. I know a whole lot of people will just end up frustrated, though.

Great A/V on the disc, too. The video is damn near flawless. Being a war-based film, the 5.1 soundtrack is excellent as well. The bombings, gunfire, and strafing runs are all brought to life. In the quieter moments, Badalamenti's score surges up from the surrounds and envelops the listener, which makes it hard to resist the emotions in the picture. It's not perfect, but a great way to spend the time and money.

Phantom Lady

Phantom Lady is one of Siodmak's earlier noir titles. It's not out on DVD yet, so we can only hope it's in one of Universal's next Noir batches. I love Siodmak's version of Ernest Hemingway's The Killers, so it's great to check out some of his other stuff. It's hard to imagine anything living up to the noir masterpiece that is The Killers, but even with that knowledge, Phantom Lady is slightly disappointing.

In Phantom Lady, a man is out on the town for a night and meets a young woman in a strange hat. He persuades her to accompany him to the theater, but she never tells him anything about herself. Arriving home, he finds his wife has been murdered and he's the prime suspect. Nobody seems to remember the woman in the strange hat, who is the one person who can prove his alibi, so he's sent to jail, leaving his plucky secretary (man, I could use one of those noir staples) to unravel the mystery.

The story is definitely very interesting, without a doubt. It's easy to confuse it with Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes, but it really stands on its own. It's an engaging thriller, and the plot only faults in a couple of moments throughout the film. However, it definitely does feel contrived at plenty of times, which can take away from it a bit. The lighting, of course, is great. There are a few choice moments that really stood out, where somebody's shadow follows them along, or where a menacing silhouette literally engulfs a lesser character, signifying his or her demise.

Phantom Lady was very good, definitely worth checking out. Despite faltering, it's a very entertaining thriller. The plot, of course, is wrapped up a tad too neatly for my tastes, but that's just Hollywood, I 'spose.

The Piano

I was intrigued when I saw Criterion was to release Jane Campion's An Angel at My Table, because it sounded good and it's rare to see a female director in the collection. I'd wanted to check out The Piano for a while, mostly because of Holly Hunter. So, to see the movie and check out Campion's style, I'd kill two birds with one stone.

The Piano is about a young woman mute woman, Ada, who expresses herself through sign language and playing her beloved piano. She enters an arranged marriage with a man whom she doesn't feel anything for, and worse, decides not to transport her piano to their home. His friend George decides to buy the piano, and has Ada give him lessons, in order to 'buy' back her piano. Of course, he starts to force her to let him kiss her and lie down with her to expedite the 'payment' and I'm sure you can tell where it goes from there.

The Piano is a poetic film, often very lyrical. There's strong symbolic ties to music, naturally, as well. The characters are pretty intriguing, especially the choices made involving George. It would be extremely easy for the filmmakers to paint him essentially perfect, romantic and attractive, but he's not. He's very brutish, lacks patience, and is anything but intelligent, at least in the way that Ada is. Seeing somebody who's not perfect, who isn't what you'd think, is far more interesting than somebody who is.

I'm definitely checking out Campion's other films when they hit. Hey, a female director I like. Who would've thought?

Etc.

For the few of my loyal readers, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve for the next few days. Of course, they'll be under wraps until they got posted, but I think it'll make for some fascinating reading.

What's left to say about Raising Arizona? It's hilarious, yet poignant. It has so many "oh god, I love it when..." moments. And yet, it still gets you choked up in the end. A modern classic.

Vagabond

Vagabond is a complex little film. It tells the story of an enigmatic drifter named Mona, who, in the beginning of the film, is found dead in a ditch. Her story is told in flashbacks of those who came into contact with her. There's really not much of a plot here, and the fact that you already know the outcome doesn't help. That's where the movie falters, in presenting a compelling narrative story. However, the movie never tries to do that, and like Mona herself, never makes any apologies.

In many ways, it's a very experimental film. The narrative is splintered, sometimes people remember entire stretches of detailed information about her, some only remember encountering her for a few seconds. Also, you never find out anything about her aside from the events that occurred on her voyage.

The character of Mona is a very interesting one. On one hand, she's very unlikable; she insults the guy who picked her up for not having a radio, laughs at the woman who lets her use her water pump, and makes a guy buy her a sandwich while she uses her money on the jukebox. However, after a while, you start to become jealous of her, of her freedom and her nature in general. Also, she never has any qualms with her way of life. She tells people the truth, flat out, and never hides her emotions or intentions. For that, at least, she's admirable.

The Shop on Main Street

A good friend recommended The Shop on Main Street to me, and I'll have to thank him. It was another one of those bland-looking Criterions I'd always passed up at stores, so I probably wouldn't ever had watched it. Thankfully, it really exceeded my expectations.

It's the story of a Czech man who gets appointed Aryan Controller of a local button shop, run by an elderly Jewish widow. He thinks that he'll be making all kinds of money and it'll be a cinch, but he quickly finds he's been given a meaningless position in a struggling business run by a bossy Jewish woman. He pretends to the woman that he's a worker underneath her, and hides her from the truth.

One of the biggest questions in the film, is why does he deceive her in this way? Is it because he's good at heart, and wishes to protect her? Or, is it because he's greedy and wants to keep things running smoothly so he'll make more money? Or, perhaps, maybe he's just lazy and this is the easiest way out? Throughout the film, he's torn between complicity or empathy, and it's really a great story to watch unfold.

I was thinking that deceit plays a large part in films about the Nazi Occupation. In this film, of course, but in Schindler's List, Empire of the Sun and Life is Beautiful. Probably because the Jews were so deceived at that time. It's still harrowing to think about, to this day.

The film is well-made, and unfolds at a leisurely pace, with plenty of well-defined characters that are easy to relate to. The strange violin score is very odd, but it actually lends itself well to the film, in the same way that the zither score did for Carol Reed's The Third Man. The camerawork is great as well, as there's plenty of information in every frame to keep your attention. A great film, worthy of the Criterion label.

Punk: Attitude

I've seen at least a couple documentaries all about punk, and this was one of the better ones. Organized mostly by time, and by different genres, a lot of the more important movements are covered. It was nice to see Jello Biafra yapping again, and Henry Rollins had a lot of great things to as, as usual, and I loved the stuff he said about hardcore. I wish they'd covered more on the Dead Kennedys personally, but that's just me. I guess they're not important enough, hmph. But, a pretty good doc, I can only hope it turns more people onto good stuff. The icing on top of course was the end credit, 'For Joe Strummer'

8MM

Not a bad little movie. Nothing great, but not bad at all. Definitely entertaining enough to warrant a viewing once. I was intrigued by the snuff film angle, and it was interesting to see how it all operates. Since it's a Hollywood movie, it's probably not true, but interesting to see nonetheless. It felt a bit too long though, despite only being 2 hours. It kind of dragged towards the end, I suppose. Not a bad movie to watch, but nothing too spectacular. Popcorn entertainment, no more, no less.