must see films

woody allen’s annie hall 1977 vs. jean luc godard’s une femme est une femme 1961

i watched woody allen’s annie hall the other night for the tenth time (pp i was thinking of you saying how i am the real woody allen, which i took as a massive compliment) and couldn’t help but see so much of godard in the film a woman is a woman. of course, woody allen films are woody allen, and you can’t really compare–but i assure you, if you see the two films back to back (i didn’t but i have practically memorized une femme est une femme by now) you will see major parallels. the intellectual leftist protagonist, the talking to the audience gag, the personal relationship turned script, the humor and jab at overt intellectuality, the sexual comedy, the books and the titles, the street life, the references to great cinema, and simply the brilliance. two great films worth watching over and over again. the crazy thing is JLG’s film was made in 1961 while annie hall was done in 1977.  i always knew godard loved woody allen, but i’m sure the love and inspiration was quite mutual. by dd

CATEGORIES: clips, must see films

Last Thursday: Adrian Brody, Greenwich Hotel Shibui Spa, Robert Deniro, Owen Wilson, Win Wenders, Pina Bausch, Woody Allen, and salvador dali


every thursday should be like last thursday. after a full on month back from the holidays, i finally took a day off to rejuvenate. i slept till 11 am (i usually do, but still), picked up my date, and went for a coffee at la colombe.  then, we walked to the greenwich hotel, which is partly owned by robert deniro. the lobby is not impressive and the neither is the hotel really; but, if you want a private, quiet and out-of-the way place in the heart of NYC then this is probably it. downstairs at the hotel is the greenwich hotel spa and indoor pool. we had a hinoki bath for 2 containing a blend of hinoki cypress, cedar, mint, sage, and minerals, in a full on japanese “imported” room with low ceilings and tatami mat. we were catered to by a true japanese masseuse with little english ability (refreshing). while in our hinoki soaked bath, we were handed amazing drinks containing mint, ginger, and lemon which were so amazing i wanted to take them home (approx $95). after turning in to mush, i headed to my massage.  a “drunken lotus” ritual as they call it (approx $200-280). by the end i was floating and could barely feel my legs. regardless, i dragged myself to BAM in brooklyn, one of the last places in NY to be showing “pina” the 3d film by win wenders on pina bausch. i was unsold on the 3d, and found it to be sensationalist and a total waste of material; but, after seeing it i was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. regardless, i still think its quite unnecessary generally speaking. on the other hand, the film was out of this world. the sequences filmed on everyday streets and outdoor spaces were truly magical, as you never see dance in such a setting (films preview). a beautiful homage and a must see film ideally in a theater. so what’s next? japanese food of course, to keep the SPA experience alive. i had a fabulous grilled salmon with skin, and plenty of sake. i finished the early night with woody allen’s “midnight in paris”. another great film i had missed. this one was unfortunately off screen but it was the best woody allen film since he stopped being in his films. i loved it. owen wilson is a natural woody embodiment without cheap imitation. sometimes, when i see a good film, i wish i could erase my memory and watch all my favorite films again. thursday was the closest i could get to that. we had some wine and finished the day early in bed and i slept like a log. it was a day i would recommend to just about any friend or foe. by uh

CATEGORIES: hotels, must see films, ny places

wim wenders – pina

so after waiting for almost a year, pina, wim wenders homage movie to pina bausch is on screen in nyc at ifc… and that was worth the wait. i remember this interview of him saying that seeing a pina bausch show was a life changing experience and after viewing the movie i’m sure it’s not quite far from it. on top of that, i was a bit skeptical about the 3d thing but i have to say that it really topped the cake. a must see. check the trailer here. by pp.

CATEGORIES: art, must see films

la jetee


 

well as if we didn’t already know how much curriculum in high school and junior high schools has changed, take a gander at this incredible pamphlet from janus films.  this was handed out to teens around the time chris marker released the film to coincide with the film being shown in class.  clearly, i studied under the wrong individuals throughout my adolescence.  i think david bowie and terry gilliam would both be proud.  anyway, this film was and still is extraordinary and fundamental to any cinephile’s consciousness. by sv

CATEGORIES: must see films

melancholia world, what a joke: lars von trier banned from cannes for his nazi joke

what a paranoid world we live in, you can be for war or against war, you can be a racist or against it, you can believe in god or nothing at all, you can blast a government or wave the flag, you can make fun of the pope or worship him… there are all kinds of freaks out there and unless they take actions to harm others, they are entitled to their views. now what is it that makes muslims and jews think they can gag people over jokes they don’t like? in this case, lars’s comments about being a nazi were clearly a joke. as a matter of fact, if they were real he would have kept them to himself…  he says he does not approve of the wars or the nazis, after all, the man was raised with a jewish stepfather. so while he may have related to speer’s architecture or hitler’s desperate last hours that doesn’t make him a supporter to their horrific acts, it makes him a human. this policing of the arts by a bunch of real SS-bigots at cannes is a bit sickening, especially when affecting such a genius over some silly remark. can someone please find us a planet to move to and leave all of this world’s fucked up issues behind? it’s so damn boring… by ar

CATEGORIES: clips, must see films