Happy New Month: Films of September 2012

The new month starts with an announcement: I will take a break from blogging for a few weeks. 

It's all going great at the time with statistic records, lovely comments and all that jazz. I want to thank you, as always, for joining the discussion of the amazing art of film, for you recommendations, criticism and everything else. My writing, I think, is getting better and better and I have written many things that I'm actually quite proud of. And I'm having fun doing it.

The reason why I want to take a break now, isn't because I want to stop doing what I love - writing - but because I want to do even more of it. I don't want to tell you too much, but I have a little project going on at the time and I would like to devote some more time to it. 

You might now that it's Lime Reviews' 2nd anniversary this month, the 22nd October. Of course I'll celebrate this a little, and update my 100 Favourite Films list some time. But otherwise I'll spend my fall holidays writing about something else than movie - and going to London, which is so great! I have a list of London-based movies I would like to watch, and I've already seen two of them, so at some time I will post something about these movies and my experience. 

Getting back to last month's movie experience: it has been a great month for movies. Especially my Journey to Wes Anderson Land has been a wonderful experience, and the first of its kind to me.

Here's what I've watched...

WATCHED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME

A Clockwork Orange (1971) Stanley Kubrick - USA/ UK

This was the first film in my London-list. And what a film it is. Absolutely disturbing, absolutely dystopian, absolutely perfect.

Rating: 9.5

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Elia Kazan - USA

It's so nice to see somehow who has my surname in a Hollywood movie. Did you ever notice that there are almost no Polish surnames in films? ... Second cool thing: I finally get the fuzz about Marlon Brando's looks. And this movie. Although I hated the main character.

Rating: 8.7

Bottle Rocket (1994) Wes Anderson - USA - short film 

Not as good as the feature movie, but a decent debut. 

Rating: 7.1

Bottle Rocket (1996) Wes Anderson - USA

Owen Wilson surely looked funny when he was younger. Pretty... unremarkable, but still cute. I really liked this movie, it wasn't as quirky as Anderson's later movies, which is neither a good nor a bad thing. Just a very simple and down-to-earth movie. 

Rating: 7.6

Business Man (2012) Puri Jagannadh and Vijaya Ram Prasad - India

I expected a slightly crazy Telugu movie, but this was just the top of it all. Perhaps the worst film I have ever seen - and a freaking BLOCKBUSTER! Oh Goddess, I just don't understand this.

Rating: 0.5

Cousin Ben Troop Screening With Jason Schwarzmann (2012) Wes Anderson - USA short film

Somehow they didn't play this before Moonrise Kingdom in my theatre. It's very cute.

Rating: 7.2

Don't Look Now (1973) Nicolas Roeg - UK/ Italy

Watched it because it's supposed to be the best British movie ever, and about half-way through I realized that this was the movie I had read so much about in books etc. I was hooked from the first minute by this subtle and emotional film, and I must recommend it to anyone who still doesn't think British cinema is that great. It is. And how great an actor is Donald Sutherland?!

Rating: 9.1

Easy A (2010) Will Gluck - USA

After hearing so much praise for this, I was still surprised by how funny and intelligent it is.

Rating: 7.5

Firaaq (2008) Nandita Das - India

An acclaimed Indian film on social issues (most of those are acclaimed), it didn't really catch me. I've seen enough shocking things to be able to demand a capturing script along with them.

Rating: 6.8

Frankenstein (1931) James Whale - USA

Watched in Danish class, our current subject is the Romantic Era. Had some great laughs, I mean there are some ridiculous scenes here. The one when Frankenstein breaks into the bride's room and she screams and he growls - comedy in perfection. 

Rating: 7.0

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Woody Allen - USA

After watching the documentary on Woody Allen, I have a great need to see many of his films. I had only seen newer films of his until then, this was my first older one. It's very, very sweet and has some great humour, which is what I love about Allen.

Rating: 8.2

Hunger (2008) Steve McQueen - UK/ Ireland

So, Steve McQueen is the next big thing, isn't he? I was already intrigued by Shame, in my opinion his best work until now, but Hunger is a wonderful debut. Much like Shame, it depends a lot on visuals and subtle atmosphere, and there are many long sequences without camera movement or cut. Of course, Fassbender is amazing in his role too.

Rating: 8.5

Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. [Int.: The good, the bad and the ugly] (1966) Sergio Leone - Italy/ Spain/ West Germany

I don't really get the term "Spaghetti Western" yet, for me there's no difference between a real western and this. Except this was maybe the funniest western I've seen aside from Steve Martin's Three Amigos. There's also Clint Eastwood, I mean, he's no Italian. Anyway, this was much better than I had expected. And the soundtrack is more than cult.

Rating: 8.4

Lammbock (2001) Christian Zübert - Germany

Sometimes, a really good German comedy comes along. This is one of them. Of course it's about marihuana.

Rating: 7.0

L'homme qui aimait les femmes (1977) François Truffaut -France

Much better than my first Truffaut film. I was intrigued by the main character, who has a lot of facettes. You could see him as a pervert, a heartbreaker, a stalker... but in the end, he simply is: The man who loved women.

Rating: 7.8

Noruwei no mori [Int.: Norwegian Wood] (2010) Tran Anh Hung - Japan

I don't really understand why so many people don't love this film as much as I do - though perhaps, it can't reach the quality of the book. I haven't read a Murakami book yet (I now, shame on me), but am going to soon - especially after this wonderful film. There's just something about Japan...

Rating: 8.2

Notting Hill (1999) Roger Michell - UK/ USA

There really was  a time when American-British co-productions were big, no? My second film on the London-list surprised me by being the best rom-com I'd seen for a looong time. I had almost forgotten what it feels like - the secret joy when they kiss for the first time, when the obvious ending chase comes around... And also, while Julia Roberts may not be as great an actress as most people think, she is certainly one of the most natural and beautiful ones.

... And I'm excited for London!

Rating: 7.4

Omkara (2006) Vishal Bhardwaj - India

I actually really wanted to write about this because it re-assured me that there are still great Indian films out there. And that Kareena Kapoor is not just the glamorous star she wants to be, but an exceptional actress too. Watch this if you think you hate Bollywood.

Rating: 8.6

Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008) Dibakar Bannerjee - India

This, however, was another letdown as it was just... okay. I do love Abhay Deol, but you know, I need more daringness. More, I don't know what.

Rating: 7.4

Parada (2011) Srdjan Dragojevic - Serbia/ Slovenia/ Croatia/ Montenegro/ Republic of Macedonia

Realizing that my knowledge of East European cinema is almost zero, I would really like to change that. This of course isn't a masterpiece, but it's quite original, important, and fun. 

Rating: 7.6

Pulp Fiction (1994) Quentin Tarantino - USA

So, this is why you can buy that poster everywhere.

Rating: 9.0

Requiem for a Dream (2000) Darren Aronofsky - USA

Definitely belonging to the category of "Movies you should see before trying out drugs". And "Movies you do need to watch before you die". Don't get me started on the technical perfection.

Only downer: the music has been spoiled by one of those talent shows - X-factor?

Rating: 9.2

Rushmore (1998) Wes Anderson - USA

The nineties... sigh. (They probably weren't that great, but I like nostalgia).

Rating: 8.6

Somewhere (2010) Sofia Coppola - USA

Only a few shorts to go until I'm done with my journey in Coppola-Land! This one already belongs to my favourite places there.

Rating: 8.5

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) Scott Derrickson - USA

Hey you hijo-de-puta, you spoiled my monthly average! (Ah, no you didn't but still). And what the hell does Jennifer Connelly think she's doing? Just look at her in Requiem for a Dream! And then this! By the way, I'd love to see the original of this one.

Rating: 5.4

The Third Man (1949) Carol Reed - UK

Kind of perfect for a detective film. Especially with the soundtrack, which reminded me of Midnight in Paris. But I don't understand the praise of Orson Welles, I mean clearly Joseph Cotten was the leading man!?

Rating: 7.7

The Wizard of Oz (1939) Victor Fleming - USA

I feel like my movie IQ has grown a lot after seeing this. It's true, you must see it some time in your life - the sooner the better. I'd have loved it to be part of my childhood memories.

Rating: 8.2

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) Lasse Hallström - USA

It's great to catch up with the 90s. You understand today so much better. Like, why are diCaprio and Depp so big, well I love them, but how did they become so big? I must say that this was diCaprio's best performance I've seen until now.

Rating: 8.4

What's Your Number? (2011) Mark Mylod - USA

Better than expected - stupid, rom-com, but actually funny!

Rating: 6.5

Woody Allen: A Documentary (2012) Robert B. Weide - USA

Quite perfect as it made me want to watch tons of Woody Allen movies right away. And it made me appreciate even his bad films (I've only seen one of those yet).

Rating: 8.0

RE-WATCHED WITH THE PURPOSE OF INTENSE EXAMINATION

Adams Æbler [Int.: Adam's Apples] (2005) Anders Thomas Jensen - Denmark

Just as good as the first time, though perhaps less surprising. And I think I'm growing out of my Mads Mikkelsen crush.

Rating: 8.4

Happythankyoumoreplease (2010) Josh Radnor - USA

Not so much growing out of this crush - Josh Radnor is just adorable, just like his debut as a director.

Rating: 8.5

Luck By Chance (2009) Zoya Akhtar - India

Very good yes, though I didn't remember it being that commercial.

Rating: 8.5

Same Same But Different (2009) Detlev Buck - Germany

Don't know if it's one of my favourite movies still, but one of the best German movies.

Rating: 8.5

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Tim Burton - UK/ USA

I noticed a lot of intriguing details about the lyrics, costumes, and much more this time.

Rating: 8.7

SERIES

True Blood, Season 1 (2008) Allan Ball, USA

Watched in two nights, and the best vampire thing I've ever seen. 

Verdict: Addictive

BOOKS READ

The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Barbey, Muriel

Oh wow, I had almost forgotten how great literature can be. I was just star-struck by this one.

***** out of 5

Uncle Tom's Cabin - Stowe, Harriet Beecher

A classic that I read in a very short time, but still nothing special to me. 

*** out of 5

Amount of feature films watched this month: 33 (August + 5)

Average rating: 8.3  (August + 0.9)

Worst Film of the Month: Business Man

Best Film of the Month: A Clockwork Orange