Saturday, April 30, 2022
Radicchio
Friday, April 29, 2022
Across 110th Street
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Young Mr. Lincoln
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Tortilla
Friday, April 22, 2022
Running on Empty
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Bergman Island
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Scales
Friday, April 15, 2022
Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages (Code Unknown)
Active stasis.
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Die Brücke (The Bridge)
During World War II, as Allied forces cross into Germany, the Nazis refuse to surrender, preferring to enlist children and the elderly to fight against astronomical odds.
Men of conscious attempt to intervene but their humanistic pleas are stubbornly ignored, order and duty cold calculation overriding instincts for self-preservation.
The remnants of a revolting ideology still absolutely hold sway, the fascist Nazi imperialists still clinging to toxic masculinity.
Thus, a group of school children is enthusiastic when suddenly drafted, and given one day of uninspired training before being sent off to the field.
They've grown up together during the war and most unfortunately know little else, and they're very brave intent on self-sacrifice if it means defending their native soil.
The officer in charge decides to desert leaving the kids alone to defend a bridge, he's shot while trying to outwit the authorities codes and classification above all else.
Shortly thereafter, the very next morning, the kids find themselves ferociously tested, as three American tanks attempt to burst through their dedicated defiant deft defences.
What follows is an utterly loathsome grotesque pungent tragic lament, bold innocent lives needlessly lost which were harmlessly playing a short time ago.
Die Brücke (The Bridge) is rather graphic as it presents the fight like a typical war film, to bluntly accentuate the ghastly carnage with lethal despondent absurdist reckoning (the horror maniacally awaiting in the realistic absurdism).
Made in post-World War II Germany (1959) to assist with what must have been an abysmal spiritual reconstruction, I'm not sure how it was received, but it still makes a shocking impact.
I'd argue it's an essential war film which makes an impact like no other, the sight of innocent children enlisted to fight as thoroughly repugnant as it is catastrophic.
Earlier in the film, some of them are so carefree and playful they have yet to form dreams for the future, preferring to play tricks with mice or critique or boast as the endless day passes by like any other.
There were many films in my youth which sought to make war seem unappealing (Jacob's Ladder, The Thin Red Line, Apocalypse Now, Platoon), as artists set about creating a peaceful aesthetic designed to stifle cultural belligerence.
Peaceful egalitarian unions backed them up while fighting racism.
Too bad they lost their hold in Russia (and elsewhere).
And gave way to vicious nationalism.
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Paragon
Friday, April 8, 2022
Planet of the Apes
Suddenly shocked and separated the startled travellers quickly flee, one shot in the neck with a non-life threatening wound then brought to a nearby village.
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Newsfront
Saturday, April 2, 2022
Pearl
Friday, April 1, 2022
What Happened Was . . .
A date.
A get together.
Both parties unsure what to do.
It's their first romantic conversation in a while.
Good impressions sought.
Along with good food.
They both work at a law firm but aren't in possession of law degrees, their crafty assistance still essential no doubt to the smooth flowing distilled jurisprudence.
Jackie (Karen Sillas) likes Michael's (Tom Noonan) sense of humour and the way he proceeds with a lighthearted touch, no stilted airs or predetermined fussiness generally complicating his reliable work.
She's straight up and borderline daring as she honestly shares pastimes and preferences, with little interest in codes or concealments she genuinely delivers the dependable goods.
But she simultaneously doesn't disseminate emphatic criticisms and dissonant avowals, perhaps not wishing to spoil the evening with ornery uptight imperious outbursts.
Perhaps also she's just sincerely curious and realizes you learn more by embracing interest, or at least may generate something prolonged or won't have to keep meeting new people quite so often.
He's uncertain as to how to proceed since he's suddenly encountered direct honest innocence, and isn't used to unceremoniously sharing honest thoughts and open revelations.
The suppressed yet cognizant snob deep within is overwhelmed by the freeflowing gratitude, and he begins to feel somewhat humble and suddenly re-evaluates his bold declarations.
He also starts telling the truth and feels rather embarrassed as he awkwardly does so, but she's worried she's somehow upset him, he's somewhat blind to the catch he's found.
What Happened Was . . . thoughtfully examines insecurity as it engages in unscripted exploration, suddenly abounding with practical material to realistically characterize imaginative fluctuations.
They're both unprepared for reality but she's a little more willing to experiment.
A perfect film if you're worried about dating.
Or would perhaps rather never abandon the single life.