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| gromit |
 Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 8:45 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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Resnais has made some odd films.
My American Uncle takes a behaviorist approach to analyzing three people's relationships. There's a small bit of humor, but basically, he seemed pretty serious about applying insights gleaned from maze rats to human affairs. Odd.
And Days of Love and Roses gathers a bunch of people at a chateau for a conference and romantic affairs and social engineering. Not as interesting as it sounds.
(I should check that last title). |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:09 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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I picked up a film about Hispanic immigrants in NYC, Entre Nos. And was amused to notice on the back cover a promo saying it was "one of Michael Moore's 20 Best Pictures of 2009."
Not sure what that means.
It's a good film?
It's political?
He watched it?
Besides I have no idea how many new films he sees per year. I see a lot and hit around 40 to 50, so Top 20 would be something I liked, but just slightly above the average.
Probably in the Good, But with Flaws category.
Anyway, Moore's supposed endorsement amused me.
Maybe I'll look for his '09 list. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:51 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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Entre Nos.
It's the story of a Colombian woman who comes to America with her husband and two kids, only to have the hubby disappear after 10 minutes. So she needs to take car of her two kids without much support and limited English. It's the true story of the writer-director's mother, and she also plays her own mother in the film.
It's one of those films where it's almost too personal a project. Its heart is in the right place. But it seemed too much a collection of scenes, with not enough depth, and an almost 80's style soundtrack. They want to show the poor with dignity, but at times it falls into the trap of making poverty look fun, as with a montage of can collecting. The film is gritty at times, but in a sort of artificial way. We never really doubt that everything will work out. Also, I thought Mom and the kids were a little too good looking for the parts. I did like the boy (around 8 ) who had an interesting presence, and is the only one who speaks English in the family. I wish his character was more developed.
I really liked the extras on the disc. A behind-the-scenes feature shows some casting calls, rehearsals, and some of the art direction crew. And then there is the lovely bit of the director, Paola Mendoza, and her co-writer/director giving a lesson on how to make empanadas (selling empanadas is one way the mother in the film makes some money).
And then there is a short film about Marantz. Well, not exactly, but Paola Mendoza's Colombian grandmother married her American penpal and moved to Mississippi. Unfortunately, years later Hurricane Katrina came through and completely leveled her home and the whole small town. So Paola Mendoza made a short film about going to comfort her grandmother and investigate the extent of the damage. Grandma keeps an earthy sense of humor despite her tragedy (and she is alone, as her husband had already passed away).
I almost wish I watched the extras first. Might have pulled me into the film more. |
Last edited by gromit on Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:49 pm; edited 1 time in total
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:21 am |
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Quote: I did like the boy (around 8 ) who had an interesting presence, and is the only one who speaks English in the family. I wish his character was more developed.
A lot of the young people in Medellin speak English. I think it is pretty well a mandatory course in school now. Much fewer older people know English than I thought there would be, and these are highly educated individuals. My wife took an English course and being the diligent student that she was, she speaks it very well. Both her children are fluent in English also.
Quote: ... giving a lesson on how to make empanadas...
Empanadas are ubiquitous in Colombia. There are empanada dishes in virtually every restaurant in the country. They all love it.
Quote: (and she is alone, as her husband had already passed away).
I'm dead???????? |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:51 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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marantzo wrote: I'm dead????????
Eh, things happen ... what are ya gonna do?
At least you missed the worst hurricane to hit Winnipeg on record.
And at least this wasn't your fate.
The family in Entre Nos mention that they had lived in Medellin and two other cities in Colombia. Dad seems never to have been the stable, settled-down type.
Quote: Empanadas are ubiquitous in Colombia. There are empanada dishes in virtually every restaurant in the country. They all love it.
Any such thing as vegetarian empanadas?
It would seem that potatoes, scallions and tomatoes would be enough. Kind of like samosas.
Btw, the co-director says that cumin is the key ingredient in making the empanadas taste right.
If Marta saw the film, I'm sure that she could pick out other specifically Colombian touches which I likely missed.
Tonight I picked up another '09 Colombian film -- The Wind Journeys.
I'll probably put it on tonight (now), to make a Colombia double-feature.
This film seems to have to do with an accordion musician wandering through northern Colombia.
According to IMDb, the film is still doing the int'l film festival circuit, and the Dvd just came out in July.
Film Movement does a pretty nice job of releasing interesting contemporary world films. |
Last edited by gromit on Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:11 am; edited 1 time in total
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:57 am |
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Quote: Any such thing as vegetarian empanadas?
It would seem that potatoes, scallions and tomatoes would be enough. Kind of like samosas.
For sure. You can get empanadas with just about anything you want.
Many dishes have an epanada with them, just like a side of hash browns or toast etc. so you can make your own empanada combination. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:32 am |
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Quote: Tonight I picked up another '09 Colombian film -- The Wind Journeys.
It played in Medellin for a good stretch. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:17 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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So, is accordion music ubiquitous as well in Colombia?
It is in The Wind Journeys.
I really liked the film.
Good music, great scenery, a simple quest type story.
It basically resembles a Western film, with a strong silent lead character on a mission somewhat shrouded in secrecy, passing through ruggedly beautiful countryside.
The lead musician is the type of guy who knows what to play during a machete fight to the death. His accordion also is accessorized with bull horns. The film has an authentic feel, even if it does play up the exotic and primitive quite a bit.
Worth watching if Netflix carries Film Movement dvd's.
FM mostly puts out film festival films which don't find other distributors.
Do you know if The Wind Journeys was popular in Colombia? Not much dialogue, so if you know the basic plot and character relationships, it would be pretty easy to follow without English. Though you'd miss the "lyrics" to the accordion cutting contest. Unfortunately, one participant's relative takes it a little too literally and whips out his machete.
Are machetes ubiquitous? Probably not in the city. |
Last edited by gromit on Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:42 pm |
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Quote:
So, is accordion music ubiquitous as well in Colombia?
Well, I've been to many restaurants and clubs that had live music, and it was always very good, but not an accordion in sight. Never saw them on the street either. Maybe it is different in the Colombian south. Medellin is in the North.
From what I remember the movie played for at least three weeks so I guess it had a good turn out. Non-Hollywood films don't play at as many venues there. If I had known that there was little dialogue in the movie I'd of probably gone to see it.
In the Colombian south (and other areas also) there are jungles so machetes are a common tool. Come to think of it I've seen the yard workers at the apartment building next to ours using machetes to prune the palms and cut down a plantain plant (they grow very tall and look like palm trees) that had been snapped in half by a wind storm the day before and hanging like a dead man over the fence between our properties. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:14 pm |
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Actually the film takes place in northern Colombia, well above Medellin.
They start in Majagual, near Sucre, just south of the good-sized lake north of Medellin. And they head to .... Toroa or something like that. Possibly Tolu on the coast?
From IMDb reviews:
Quote: A journey throw the diversity of the Caribbean cost of Colombia, its people and its music.
It is very interesting that the lead actor is actually a well known Valletano singer. His songs a lot more popular than his funny name: Marciano.
The selection of songs along the movie is perfect.
Ciro Guerra, the director, is making a great effort to show people around the world the most beautiful and forgotten places of the north region of Colombia.
Quote: I'm from Bogotá (capital), so i didn't grow up surrounded by the "vallenato" culture, but this movie manages to show the entire culture from the Colombian coast based not only on the accordion, but also the "caja" and "guacharaca" in such a beautiful and complete way that you cant help but feel amazed at it. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:32 am |
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| Gromit, when you first mentioned the movie I thought you wrote that he was wandering around southern Colombia, my mistake. There are jungles in the northern part too and FARC has some, what's left of, their guerrillas in the jungle. Most are in the southern jungle. Sucre is around 200 miles NNE of Medellin. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:50 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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| R.I.P. Patricia Neal. Age 84, lung cancer. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:09 am |
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| Some of the North Colombian landscapes are quite remarkable. Verdant mountains, sheer cliffs -- they even had some salt flats, where you can relive your past. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:15 am |
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I liked Patricia Neal in every movie I've seen her in. I always looked forward to seeing a movie if she were in it. For some strange reason I never did see Hud.
Kate Mulgrew reminds me of Neal. Today's version. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:24 am |
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gromit wrote: Some of the North Colombian landscapes are quite remarkable. Verdant mountains, sheer cliffs -- they even had some salt flats, where you can relive your past.
Colombia is full of spectacular vistas. I never saw any salt flats though. Guess I have to go farther north.  |
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