The Week in Moving Pictures

4 Comments

1. 

   1minutefilmreview

    /  September 1, 2008

   Nice selection of films.

2. 

   Jordan

    /  September 1, 2008

   I know “grading” films is impossible, as so few of them are apples to apples, but I can not sit idly by and allow you to say that Mildred Pierce and Hamlet 2 are of equal standing.

   Mildred Pierce is an absolute milestone in cinema – when we talk about the film language of “noir” half of these creations stem from Pierce – is it also a juicy text for gender politics as well. (Is Vida just like Bristol Palin? Or something?)

   Hamlet 2, what parts aren’t stolen directly from Ultrachrist!, is certainly loaded with chuckles, but the type of movie you can catch on Comedy Central’s “Secret Stash” and not worry about missing too much.

   Okay, I’m done.

3. 

   Jürgen

    /  September 1, 2008

   Thanks, 1minute.

   Jordan: I see where you’re coming from, but in purely subjective terms, I enjoyed Hamlet 2 a good deal more than Mildred Pierce. Noir is great, but the melodrama got to be too much for my taste, to the point where the characters weren’t believable anymore — and the mystery wasn’t really much of a mystery.

   You’re right, of course, that the finale of Hamlet 2 borrows much from that underappreciated gem Ultrachrist, but it’s also a cleverly calibrated comedy that’s a lot better than it’s generally getting credit for. I don’t know what Secret Stash is, but Coogan’s characterization is surprisingly rich, and I like the ways in which the movie plays with the conventions of the “inspirational teacher” genre. Plus, Elizabeth Shue. Marcy thinks it deserves 4 stars, actually — I watched this movie turn her from I-hate-New-York-everybody-get-out-of-my-path-or-I’ll-KILL-YOU angry to a silly heap of joy & laughter in less than two scenes.

   Still, you win this argument by default for mentioning Bristol Palin.

4. 

   Jordan

    /  September 2, 2008

   I meant, of course, to say Michael Palin.