BEST MOVIES OF 2010 -- so far

Ken Russell, uh? The "wizard of excess". I saw a lot of his movies at the time of release when they were inappropriate for someone my age. The only two I've dared to watch recently are TOMMY and WOMEN IN LOVE (Glenda Jackson was among the very best actresses of the 60s and 70s). I like these two. Not fair to Russell to comment on the others. There is a strong element of camp in his work. Many find it repellent, perhaps because he marries camp to highbrow subjects, like the lives of famous classical composers. After Lair of the White Worm (1988), he has made only straight-to-video and TV movies. Not a single movie made for theatrical release in 22 years! But he keeps making them. He is 83 now.

Again thanks for more background. I never liked him; I'm not into camp (one of the ways I'm not a proper gay person). Those two you mention are good though, quite good. I never walk out of a movie I've paid to see but THE DEVILS severely tried that resolve. He has made lost of movies in those 22 years. How can we be sure they aren't as good -- or as bad -- as his previous theatrical releases? I wonder if THE RAINBOW would be good since it's also D.H. Lawrence, and WOMEN IN LOVE was one of his good ones?

THE DEVILS has its fans. I'm with you though. I understand why one would walk out of this movie. Your instincts are probably right regarding THE RAINBOW. You can buy a copy of the DVD at Amazon UK for about $10 including shipping. I probably will buy a copy because it is unlikely to be released in the US.

I didn't walk out, though. I just wanted to, and came closer than ever before. Of course THE DEVILS has its fans. What doesn't? But seriously, there is an auteurish intensity about Ken Russell's movies that inspires fandom. I wouldn't personally go out and buy a copy of THE RAINBOW in UK format just because it isn't available here and maybe won't ever be; but at one time I was involved enough in the novels of D.H. Lawrence, which I still admire, to do that, and I wonder why I didn't see it in 1989 if it was in theaters here, as IMDb indicates it was; it grossed $444,000. Maybe it was the fact that it didn't come out on video. Unlike now, at that time I watched far more movies on video than in theaters. THE RAINBOW does sound like a must-see if one is interested in film adaptations of famous English novelists.

I perused box office charts at boxofficemojo and found out I've seen a mere FOUR movies in the top 25. Most of what people pay to see does not appeal to me at all. That seems to be the logical conclusion, good or bad. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to watch other movies that apparently interest few. Rosenbaum has written books about how people let the media lead (dictate) them away from certain movies and towards others. Two of the most interesting and enjoyable movies I have seen recently are AGORA and RAAVAN. Their combined box office is just over $1 million nationwide.

AGORA is the new film by Alejandro Amenabar (The Others, The Sea Inside) with Rachel Weisz as a 4th century philosopher and astronomer struggling against the righteous power of the emergent Christians. The recreation of ancient Alexandria and a well-cast Weisz are reason enough to check it out. RAAVAN is an artful, re-imagining of "The Ramayana" by director Mani Ratman (Dil Se, Guru). There are some set pieces in this film that have to be seen to be believed.

I watched ALTERED STATES by Ken Russell last night (he's coming to Toronto to be at the FanExpo at the end of Aug.- I hope to meet him).

I absolutely LOVED Altered States. Brilliant concept and great cinematic imagery is in it. I wish my time wasn't so crimped right now or I'd post a review. (tomorrow? hopefully?)
There were Kubrickian elements in Altered States that should be highlighted. It was made at the same time as Kubrick's The Shining and I think Russell may have been inpsired...maybe not. But it's worth thinking about.
William Hurt is great in his first ever film role.

Triple Oscar-winner Paddy Cheyefsky had his name removed from the credits of ALTERED STATES after he watched the final product. I remember my 19 year-old self loving aspects of it and hating others. My last post got lost at the bottom of last page. It's about AGORA and RAAVAN, two great-looking films lost in the avalanche of Hollywood crap in theaters this summer.

Oscar Jubis:

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Two of the most interesting and enjoyable movies I have seen recently are AGORA and RAAVAN. Their combined box office is just over $1 million nationwide.

AGORA is the new film by Alejandro Amenabar (The Others, The Sea Inside) with Rachel Weisz as a 4th century philosopher and astronomer struggling against the righteous power of the emergent Christians. The recreation of ancient Alexandria and a well-cast Weisz are reason enough to check it out. RAAVAN is an artful, re-imagining of "The Ramayana" by director Mani Ratman (Dil Se, Guru). There are some set pieces in this film that have to be seen to be believed.

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These new Hindi/Bollywood movies have been shown locally (in the East Bay) this year that I have seen:

3 Idiots (Rajkumar Hirani 2010) R
Khatta Meetha (Priyadarshan 2010) NR
Kites (Anurag Basu 2010) NR
Raavan (Mani Ratnam 2010) NR
Rajneeti (Prakash Jha 2010) NR

Of these, and I think this is by general consent among Indians, only 3 IDIOTS is really an unqualified success and seemed worthy of review. Actually some sequences in RAAVAN are extraordinary but they are not to be believed when they are seen. It is a travesty on the Ramayana. Its attempt to update the classic legend isn't successful. KITES is an attempt at crossover with US sequences and dialogue in Spanish and English. It's terrible, and so is KHATTA MEETHA, a remake of the same director's 1988 film, which purports to be a comedy but is not; the reviews in India are generally unfavorable also. RAJNEETI is about political corruption, as KHATTA MEETHA is about corruption in city government and the construction trade. RAJNEETI is a sort of Hidi GODFATHER. It is confoluted and extremely violent. Parts of it are memorable but it is ultimately incomprehensible and a mess. I recommend 3 IDIOTS to any Bollywood fan or person who wants to try its latest manifestations. I saw only a part of AGORA and it seems interesting, good as Oscar says as a role for the rather earnest Weisz, if a bit stilted. Nice to have a film in theaters that is about ideas.

Thanks for the reply.
I think Raavan is superior to 3 Idiots.
I plan to watch Winter's Bone, Metropolis and Wild Grass this week.
At home: rewatched Broken Blossoms (1919) and The Embalmer (2002, Fassbinder would have been jealous) today. Jarman's Edward II is next (Jarman's best and one of the great "gay films", I remember thinking after a screening in the 90s).

RAAVAN ought to have been great, but it is not all it should be. The Indians were very disappointed and "skewered" it, according to a Time Magazine article. . 3 IDIOTS has been generally heralded as one of the best Bollywood comedies of all time, and firmly in a fresh youthful up-to-date genre. I don't know that that is Jarman's "best". Again you lay down the law without justification -- or good reason. It's an interesting piece, and usually ranked with Caravaggio as one of his two best, but not quite successful, rather murky. His Caravaggio is more of a triumph in many areas An interesting, multitalented man. Perhaps his life was his greatest work of art. Which is a renaissance thing. Of course he played a big part in the rise to power of Tilda Swinton, who now reigns supreme in the world of androgynous superstars.

Raavan is not all it should be but I believe what you say about "the general consent among Indians" but I can only go by what my critical faculties produce and that is a firm opinion that Raavan is a film one must see. Manu Ratman revises Bollywood conventions in a modernist, artful manner that cannot please everyone. I understand why 3 Idiots has a deserved large following. But it's Raavan I want to watch again. Just my opinion. Also, I cannot agree with characterizing Edward II as "not quite successful" or "rather murky". I think it is a remarkable film, even more so then Caravaggio. Good points about Jarman's life and Swinton's career.

http://a.imageshack.us/img28/8820/angelic00cover.jpg

Thanks. Of course, you are entitled to your opinion on RAAVAN; I am simply giving mine, that of my friend whom I watch Hindi films with, and Indian reviewers. Disappointment is my impression of EDWARD II, but as I said, it is ranked with CARAVAGGIO as one of Jarman's two best. I might be wrong on that one and I might take another look since EDWARD II is available to watch online. I like Jarman's Shakespeare sonnets one, THE ANGELIC CONVERSATION. It certainly pushes the gay thing but I didn't mind and I loved hearing good English actors read from Shakespeare's sonnets. I've seen all that's readily available but I'm far from having seen all his work and I'm not sure one could have without having lived in London from the Seventies onward. Certainly an interesting figure especially from the gay point of view. Part of the general artistic ferment and excitement of the Eighties. As young Caravaggio Dexter Fletcher was a voluptuous boy such as maybe only a gay man could have discovered and showcased in such a memorable way. Funny to see him now grown up in a great many roles including gangsterish, tough-guy parts. Along with seeing CARAVAGGIO when it came out for me was the beginning of the gradual realization that the Italian painter was a much greater artist than I had realized. And his reputation has soared generally, which has not hurt the film.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4876/jarman2.jpg
Dexter Fletcher

Interesting. Thanks. Not so long ago, I found a film site belonging to Jim Clark who specializes in "GLBT cinema" and includes quite lengthy and insightful reviews of films by Jarman, Pasolini and Fassbinder. In case you are curious, as I was, here's his "Top 10 GLBT Movies":

* Brokeback Mountain & The Wedding Banquet (Ang Lee / 2005 & 1993)
* Edward II (Jarman / 1991)
* Fellini Satyricon (Fellini / 1969)
* Heavenly Creatures (Peter Jackson / 1994)
* In a Year With 13 Moons (Fassbinder / 1978)
* Maurice (Merchant/Ivory / 1987)
* Mikaël (aka Michael) (Dreyer / 1924)
* My Own Private Idaho (Van Sant / 1991)
* Paris Was A Woman (Schiller / 1995)
* Poison (Haynes / 1991)

His discussion of EDWARD II the film is quite detailed. I can't comment further now.

From the website Awards Daily here are some Oscar nomination guesses. This is just junk really, not highly selective, but again a start. This includes films not yet released. Note absence of GREENBERG. What about THE GHOST WRITER? Kosashvili's ANTON CHEKHOV'S THE DUEL is foreign, but in English, and definitelly one of the finest of the year so far.

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Best Picture
Toy Story 3
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
Blue Valentine
Shutter Island
Fair Game
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Another Year (Mike Leigh)
Winter's Bone
Biutiful

Best Actor
Robert Duvall,Get Low
Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Michael Douglas, Solitary Man
Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Sean Penn, Fair Game

Best Actress
Annette Bening,The Kids Are All Right
Julianne Moore,The Kids Are All Right
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Naomi Watts, Fair Game
Lesley Manville, Another Year

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Jim Broadbent, Another Year

Best Supporting Actress
Marion Cotillard, Inception
Ruth Sheen, Another Year

Best Director
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Doug Liman, Fair Game
Mike Leigh, Another Year
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kid Are All Right
Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island
Debra Granik, Winter's Bone

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Upcoming films (also from Awards Daily, August 2010).

Fair Game (Doug Liman, with Naomi Watts, Sean Penn) About the Valerie Plane outing story
Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance) with Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling; about a failed marriage
The Extra Man (Kevin Kline, Paul Dano), Metacritic 57, but possible nom for Kline?
Eat Pray Love (Ryan Murphy) "Because you just never know. Oprah power. " -- and Julia Roberts power? Aug. 13 relase.
The American (Anton Corbijn) Vintage spy thriller. Corbijn (Control) is an interesting director; this actually looks good "Never underestimate the power of George Clooney." Release Sept.
The Social Network (David Finche). The Facebook story.
Release Oct. 1, I have high hopes. NYFF opener, Sept;
Secretariat (Randall Wallace) Diane Lane, John Malkovitch. Unlikely.
Hereafter (Clint Eastwood; writer Peter Morgan) Matt Damon, Cecile de France, Bryce Dallas Howard. Oct. 22. "A supernatural thriller." Never underestimate Clint.
(Roger Mitchell) Harrison Ford and Rachel MacAdams with Diane Keaton – the news business. (November 12)
Love and Other Drugs (Edward Zwick), Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway. About the pharmaceutical business and a girlfriend with Parkinson's.
Next Three Days (Paul Haggis). Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. Legal procedural.
The King’s Speech (Tom Hooiper) Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter . About problems of the new king when Edward abdicated to marry Ms. Simpson.
The Fighter "The eagerly anticipated David O. Russell film starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale." (November 26) Lots of trouble getting this one out. Russell is always one to watch.
Tree of Life (Terrence Malick) Brad Pitt. November release. Filmed in Smithville, Texas in 2008. Mystery surrounds this. To be unveiled at the Toronto Festival.
Somewhere (Sofia Coppola) "SC in familiar territory with a young daughter relating to her older father as they try to eke out a normal life at the Chateau Marmont." Dec. 22 release.
True Grit (Coen brothers) Jeff Bridges. Remake. Dec. 25 release. The Coens have done will with Bridges. before.

My comments except where they are in quotes, which are from Awards Daily. I have omitted some.

From the website Awards Daily here are some Oscar nomination guesses. This is just junk really, not highly selective, but again a start. This includes films not yet released. Note absence of GREENBERG. Mostly just American films.

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Best Picture
Toy Story 3
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
Blue Valentine [see below for details]
Shutter Island
Fair Game [see below]
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Another Year (Mike Leigh)
Winter's Bone
Biutiful (Alejandro González Iñárritu) with Javier Bardem. Debuted at Cannes, and Bardem got the Best Actor award for it there.

Best Actor
Robert Duvall,Get Low
Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Michael Douglas, Solitary Man
Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Sean Penn, Fair Game

Best Actress
Annette Bening,The Kids Are All Right
Julianne Moore,The Kids Are All Right
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Naomi Watts, Fair Game
Lesley Manville, Another Year

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Jim Broadbent, Another Year

Best Supporting Actress
Marion Cotillard, Inception
Ruth Sheen, Another Year

Best Director
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Doug Liman, Fair Game
Mike Leigh, Another Year
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kid Are All Right
Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island
Debra Granik, Winter's Bone

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Upcoming or new films (also from Awards Daily, August 2010).

Fair Game (Doug Liman, with Naomi Watts, Sean Penn) About the Valerie Plane outing story. Nov 5 limited release.

Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance) with Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling; about a failed marriage. Dec. 31 release.

The Extra Man (Kevin Kline, Paul Dano), Metacritic 57, but possible nom for Kline? Already released.

Eat Pray Love (Ryan Murphy) "Because you just never know. Oprah power. " -- and Julia Roberts power? Aug. 13 relase.

The American (Anton Corbijn) Vintage spy thriller. Corbijn (Control) is an interesting director; this actually looks good "Never underestimate the power of George Clooney." Release Sept. (14?)

The Social Network (David Finche). The Facebook story. I have high hopes. NYFF opener, Sept. Release Oct. 1,

Secretariat (Randall Wallace) Diane Lane, John Malkovitch. Unlikely to win anything? Oct. 8 release date.

Hereafter (Clint Eastwood; writer Peter Morgan) Matt Damon, Cecile de France, Bryce Dallas Howard. Oct. 22. "A supernatural thriller." Never underestimate Clint. Oct. 26 release date.

Morning Glory (Roger Mitchell) Harrison Ford and Rachel MacAdams with Diane Keaton – the news business. (November 12) Unlikely.

Love and Other Drugs (Edward Zwick), Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway. About the pharmaceutical business and a girlfriend with Parkinson's. Weeper appeal? Nov. 24 release date.

Next Three Days (Paul Haggis wrote and directed). Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. Legal procedural. Nov. 19 release date.

The King’s Speech (Tom Hooiper) Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter . About speech therapy for the new king when Edward abdicated to marry Ms. Simpson. Little, Briish. From a stage play. Nice acting? Weinstein. Release, Nov.?

The Fighter "The eagerly anticipated David O. Russell film starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale." Lots of trouble getting this one out. Russell is always one to watch. Nov. 26 release.

Tree of Life (Terrence Malick) Brad Pitt. November release. Filmed in Smithville, Texas in 2008. Mystery surrounds this. To be unveiled at the Toronto Festival. Nov. release?

Somewhere (Sofia Coppola) "SC in familiar territory with a young daughter relating to her older father as they try to eke out a normal life at the Chateau Marmont." Dec. 22 release.

True Grit (Coen brothers) Jeff Bridges. Remake. The Coens have done will with Bridges. before. Dec. 25 release. Merry Christmas!

My comments except where they are in quotes, which are from Awards Daily. I have omitted some.

Let me add:

Animal Kingdom (David Michôd). Described as an Australian 'Goodfellas.' Metacritic 82. Aug. 13 limited US release.

The Town (Ben Affleck) Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall. A thief has second thoughts about a heist plan. Set in Boston. Sep. 10 release dae.

It's gon' be fun, man. Thanks.

Lodge Kerrigan is one of my favorite American auteurs. I imagine the reason he has only released two movies (Claire Dolan, Keane) since his groundbreaking debut Clean, Shaven (1993) is his interest in fringe characters and his formal experimentation. I always look forward to his movies with excitement. His new film Rebecca H, about an actress shooting a film in which she plays Grace Slick circa 1967, premiered at Cannes '10. Regrettably, it has no distributor. It's possible Kerrigan has released a film too avant garde to play anywhere except museums that foreground moving-image art, like MOMA. There are a number of filmmakers around the country who are just a little too far from the mainstream to have their films shown theatrically. Nina Menkes is my favorite. Kerrigan seems to be edging in that direction if the Variety review of his Rebecca H is to be trusted.

Our discussion of KEANE on Filmleaf four years ago can be found here.

I gather you would not have been able yet to see Lodge Kerrigan's new one REBECCA H, which debuted at Cannes, l (Un Certain Regard), May 20, 2010.

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Kerrigan seems to be edging in that direction if the Variety review of his Rebecca H is to be trusted.

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I assume you mean "that direction" is the direction of being shown only at museums. KEANE was shown theatrically in NYC and I remember reading reviews of it while there but i missed it then and caught it later on a DVD. The Variety review you refer to by Rob Nelson calls REBECCA H. (RETURN TO THE DOGS) "meticulously dizzying," and concludes the lead paragraph "While it reprises vintage documentary scenes of Jefferson Airplane singer Grace Slick onstage in 1967 and thus could be said to have a commercial hook, the experimental pic sends even game cineastes down the rabbit hole. Go ask Alice." REECCA H. is set mostly in Paris and features the French film veteran Pascal Greggory, who was in a film we once discussed somewhere, Jacques Doillon's RAJA, and many others I've lked, such as GABRIELLE, CONFUSION OF GENDERS. I most recently saw him in Doilon's latest in Paris in April (2010), MARRIAGE À TROIS, the day it opened. Kerrigan's switching to a French setting interests me, despite how off-putting the new film typically sounds.

Thanks for the links, Chris.
Yes, that is what I meant by "that direction", the specialized circuit of places like the Wexner Center in Columbus, OH and other modern art museums with screening rooms. I am convinced it will eventually made available for easy downloading if it there is no better alternative. I see that we discussed Kerrigan before. We've been at this for quite some time, uh?
I like Pascal Greggory too.

Indeed.

Until recently I hadn't realized Jacques Doillon is rather prolific and well known in France. Some of his films are about kids, but the new one I saw in April, Marriage à trois, is totally different, a sophisticated, talky film like a stage play. So I don't have much of a grasp of who he is (both French and US Wikipedia have only stubs on him) but Ponette remains his best known.

Doillon blames his fringe status on his failing to graduate from high school. I think he means he was outside certain social circles by virtue of class and level of education. He is a kind of self-made director who is on the outside of France's mainstream film industry. Most of his films have only had limited distribution in France and they seldom feature actors of significant fame (his latest appears to be an exception). From my readings: there is a consensus that his main theme is familial discord, from a youth's perspective. I don't know his work to be able to comment. I have only seen Petit Freres, ponette, and Raja (and maybe The 15 year-old Girl, but not sure). I definitely want to see more.

Thanks. I'm not sure I'd put too much store by the idea that Doillon is somehow outside the mainstream. France is a little country kind to minor filmmakers. Doillon is of was married to Jane Birkin, a national figure, the famous wife of Serge Gainsbourg, and he is a professor at the prestigious film school Le Fémis, and you can't get much more insider than that. However, his new film was shown at MK2 Beaubourg, which is one of MK2's film buff venues in Paris like MK2 Hautfeuille, rather than one of the big ones like MK2 Monparnasse or MK2 Nation or St. Germain. But there was a big article about the new film in Le Monde.

Thanks. I'm not sure however that I'd put too much store by the idea that Doillon is somehow outside the mainstream. France is a little country kind to minor filmmakers. Doillon is the son of Jane Birkin, a national figure, the famous wife of Serge Gainsbourg, and he is a professor at the prestigious film school Le Fémis, and you can't get much more insider than that. However, his new film was shown at MK2 Beaubourg, which is one of MK2's film buff venues in Paris like MK2 Hautfeuille, rather than one of the big ones like MK2 Monparnasse or MK2 Nation or St. Germain. But there was a big article about the new film in Le Monde. Besides "familial discord, from a youth's perspective," he has done various films about adult love relationships. I have found a one-page discussion of him on a French film buff website, CinemaPassion. He must have finished high school since he was a philosophy student at the university but he "dropped out to enter the work force." Shortly thereafter he made a stream of films to order for government agencies. He is good, they say, as we might guess, at directing teenagers, but women are another of his big subjects. Far from only directing unknowns he has worked with Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Huppert, Béatrice Dalle, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin, Melvil Poupaud, Yvan Attal (Charlotte's husband)l, Jean-Louis Trintignant and André Dussollier, Sandrine Bonnaire, Michel Piccoli, Sabine Azéma, and Agnes Jaoui, besides recently Louis Garrel, Pascal Greggory and Julie Depardieu. Apparently his first big success was The Year 01 in 1973, which starred Gérard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte, and Patrice Leconte. I think he is significant, highly regarded, and hard to classify. But there is not enough information about him in either the English or French Wikipedias.

Doillon has not had the same exposure in France and here as other directors of comparable talent who emerged around the same time. I don't know why. In his Petit Freres review, The Chicago Reader's Fred Camper quotes Doillon as saying:"Because I failed high school, I have always been on the fringe". He was almost an unknown to the average film buff (like me) until Ponette. Of course, he was better known in France than abroad. But he had a status similar to Luc Moullet, who was at Cahiers in the 50s, started a career in filmmaking in the 60s but even folks who love the Nouevelle Vague have not seen his films. Obviously you proved Doillon's relative marginality is not related to the actors starring in his films.

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Doillon has not had the same exposure in France and here as other directors of comparable talent who emerged around the same time.

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That is probably true, though of course "of comparable talent" is a rating open to different interpretations. I've proved Doillon's relative marginality is less marginal, because using a lot of famous actors shows Doillon is fully a member of the French filmmaking community. In what sense then is he marginal? Only in not being seen by a majority of French moviegoers. But that goes for many of the most importand French directors. Mollet, who is seven years older and was on the fringes of the Nouvelle Vague, seems more of a cult figure and a man who has by choice and sensibility worked more on is own.

For details of a French director's life, like Doillon's educational history, The Chicago Reader may not be the best source of information. If Doillon dropped out of high school, as I say he evidently survived to drop out of university later on too, and whether that choice adversely affected his ability to make films seems uncertain. His being on the faculty of Le Fémis again shows him to be a member of the French cinema elite, and in a country where the filmmaking process works differently than in the US, "mainstream" status would mean something different, and perhaps is less important.

But we can agree we need to know more about Doillon. Both directors are quite well known in France at least to people who care about film, and in France that's a relatively large slice of the population. Maybe some day we will be able to sample or watch all the films by all the known directors of the major filmmaking countries. Wouldn't that be nice? Meanwhile, a lot of French films by important directors remain accessible only if you go to Europe or order expensive DVDs not in the US region code and wade through them without subtitles in many cases.

There have been occasional, less than comprehensive Doillon retrospectives in the US. Here's a link the latest one: http://www.fiaf.org/french%20film/wi...-doillon.shtml

"We had the misfortune to come after the New Wave, Because of the New Wave, we remained marginal."
Jacques Doillon

Here's a brief interview on the ocassion of the retrospective: The New Yorker

I wish you'd linked to the Richard Brody piece in the first place. I don't know why I missed it. So now we know that he declares to have been marginalized (though if that applies to any French director after the New Wave, it doesn't make much sense), and that he has had a hard time getting his films made, with great limitations, but within those, considerable freedom, but now, the TV producers rule, and he finds much less freedom.

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And so, between the Advance and Canal Plus, we were able to get some money. Say, 400,000 francs. And, with not enough money to make a film, we made a film.

A certain kind of film, with two or three characters, a small crew. We were very limited. But within these limits, we had remarkable freedom.

Today the system has become an obstacle. Now we’re isolated in a way that we weren’t in the eighties.

It’s a little desperate. In the eighties I made ten films. Despite everything. It wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t easy, I had to fight. Now the bosses are television, and they all want to make what will work in prime time.

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However, we have seen some nice films made in France in recent years for television. Or at least I think so.

I posted the link to Brody piece as soon as I found it. The mammoth sensesofcinema site doesn't have anything on him, which speaks of a certain marginality, at least in the English-language world. The text most widely used to teach French Cinema at American universities, Alan Williams' Republic of Images (Harvard U Press,1992) mentions Doillon in one short paragraph as a "specialist in intimate family dramas" often shown primarily on specialized TV channels. Williams praises him for his "consistent refusal to sensationalize his material".

As I said neither the US nor the French Wiképedia have much; their articles on Doillon are stubs. There is an English Facebook page being set up on him but it is sketchy so far. There are pages on him in French. Here is another at Ciné-Club here. Note that they list three interrelated areas his films focus on: "the drama of childhood, the drama of adolescenes, and the drama of sentiment." And the sentimental dramas are the most numerous. Here's the whole passage (NB: very roughly translated) surveying Doillon's work and method, in case it may be of some interest:

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In the sentimental drama, the most numerous category, jealousy and manipulation of feelings dominate. This is true among couples married to adulterers: THE WEEPING WOMAN (1979), THE PIRATE (1984), THE TEMPTATION OF ISABELLE (1985), COMEDY (1987), THE REVENGE OF A WOMAN (1990), A MAN OVERBOARD (1993), FROM THE HEART (1994), TOO (LITTLE) LOVE (1997). This is also true for romantic relationships at school, whether undertaken by young peolle -- THE LOVE (187), LOVE (1992), DOWNRIGHT WEST (2001), RAJA (2003), or the relationship of someone older -- MONSIEUR ABEL (1983). Chamber dramas set in hotel rooms are the major device of this genre in Doillon's work.

The dramas of adolescents can be distinguished from the sentimental dramas by the fact that the love relationship is at the same time an initiation and a break with the past. In HANDS IN THE HEAD (1974), THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER (1981), THE PURITAN (1986), THE GIRL OF FIFTEEN (1989) that often comes through a difficult relationship with the father. In YOUNG WERTHER (1993) and THE FIRST MAN (2007) all figures of authority have disappeared.

In Jacques Doillon's dramas of childhood the family has often disappeared, dispersed by war in A BAG OF MARBLES (1975), or death in THE TREE (1982), PONETTE (1996), or social hardships in: THE HUSSY (1979), FAMIILY LOFE (1985), MANGUI (1985), THE LITTLE CRIMINAL (1990) OR LITTLE BROTHERS (1999).

In all three genres dialogue abounds because it is a true means of expression favored by the camera and the concentration of effort into a short period of time. FOR A A YES OR A NO is a confrontation in one scene, with a text by Nathalie Sarraute, André Dusollier and Jean-Louis Trinntignant, which comes across as exemplary of Doillon's "method" as it is illustrated, with greater or lesser variations, in all his films.

Dialogue does not explain the comportment of characters. It sometimes moves the action forward, but not the evolution of the characters. As in a cinema of behavior, it is through studying the characters' behavior that one learns about them. The behavior is not reaslitic….The characters do not talk face to face. Thus in THE LITTLE CRIMINAL his hand is on the wrist of Nathalie's mother, with downcast eyes.

The filmmaker finds out this truth himself cutting his films in sequences of long takes that force his actors -- professional or not, children or adults -- to repeat their performances over multiple takes, to the point of fatigue:

"Emotionally a first take is less interesting than a twelfth! Fatigue makes the guard drop away. I cannot work with an actor who is too guarded." (Positif, April 1998)

This shooting method that often requires 20 or 30 takes but in which only two or three are developed is actually inexpensive. Involving a fixed head-on camera position close to the characters, it's a method that thus comes close to a state of theatrical or psychological confinement.. . .

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Thanks, Chris. This is very helpful.

I found the Variety Review of Le Mariage a Trois, which is unfavorable and likely to scare away potential US distributors. Any comments?

Thanks. I hope it is useful. I had not seen the Variety review of the new MARRIAGE A' TROIS. Since it's only two paragraphs I'll quote the main one.

Quote:

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Vet cineaste Jacques Doillon's films ("Raja," "Ponette") have occasionally featured bizarre love triangles and sexual tensions, but his oeuvre reaches new heights of faux-kinky gobbledygook in the low-budget chamber piece "The Three-Way Wedding." With a pitch that could have provoked untold laughter in the hands of a Larry David, pic somberly reveals the ego-tripping, backstabbing and, well, butt-slapping that occurs when two thesps spend a day at the country home of a misanthropic playwright. What ensues is far from enjoyable, and adequate perfs won't carry Doillon's pretentious banter further than French ears.

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In truth I did not enjoy it. I was disappointed there wasn't more of Louis Garrel but there's even less of him than in MAKING PLANS FOR LENA (Honoré), which I do like. But the cast and the description made it seem obviously the "cinéma d'auteur" opening of the week, so I made an effort to go on my last day in Paris. I wanted to learn, and I still do, and a friend had said Doillon was important. And he still may be. Maybe as Jordan Mintzer of Variety says the "semi-realistic [sic] adolescent characters" are what make the filmmaker's work attractive and without them, we just have some well known actors talking. However, I don't entirely trust Mintzer, and did not feel I entirely caught the tone of this verbose flick. It did have Ibsenesque qualities...

The "Word a Day" mailings today chose this:

auteur

PRONUNCIATION:
(O-tuhr)

MEANING:
noun: A filmmaker, such as a director, who has a distinct personal style and is involved in all aspects of movie-making, giving a film the unique imprint of the filmmaker.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French auteur (originator or author), from Latin auctor (originator), from augere (to originate, to increase). Some other words derived from the same root are auction, author, and inaugurate, and augment.

USAGE:
"Ang Lee, a Taiwanese director who'd been working as a kind of auteur-for-hire on the US indie circuit for several years suddenly found himself poised to become the next Kurosawa, but -- sad to say -- he blew it off to 'go Hollywood' and make the most regressive career move possible, a comic-book flick."
Giovanni Fazio; Heros at Large; The Japan Times (Tokyo); Aug 13, 2003.

"If we can discern anything from interviews with auteur Mel Gibson, however, The Passion looms as possibly one of the most presumptuous, intelligence-insulting biblical adaptations since The Ten Commandments, a film that managed to depict the exodus of the Jews without ever once referring to them as 'Jews'."
Lynn Coady; The Dolorous Passion of Mad Max; Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); Aug 19, 2003.

Explore "auteur" in the Visual Thesaurus.

Personally I eschew the recommended pronunciation of "oh-TOUR" and say it the French way, "oh-TERR." With a hint of a French R of course. I can't help myself.

Thanks for your auteur post and your comments about Doillon's latest. Perhaps it's better to search for his older titles. I wrote some comments about GREENBERG to which you replied. I have yet to write anything about WILD GRASS, which I watched on Sunday.

For me, it's clearly one of my favorite movies of 2010. Perhaps my favorite even though it had less emotional impact on me than GREENBERG. I simply had a smile from ear to ear watching this delicious movie-movie. I just can't get over how a Master approaching 90 years of age keeps experimenting with the medium rather than attempting to repeat old successes. WILD GRASS may well be Resnais' most surrealist and playful film even though it is not his best. I love Dussolier and Azema together. I love their neurotic and erotic mania and how it contrasts with the passive enabling of the sedate secondary characters. This is so much fun to watch. I love the fake ending which uses the Warner Brothers fanfare, the non-sequitur real ending, the scene-within-a-scene device, the occasional use of an unreliable narrator,...I could keep going. I hope I find the time to rewatch it before it leaves town.

Thanks. Don't know; any of Doillon's films from any period might be of interest.

Howard started a WILD GRASS thread here. I saw it in the NYFF 2009 (you commented that the slate included many of your favorite directors) and reviewed it here. He gave it a B+ but later commented, "Not the kind of film that really clicks with me though I can admire the artistry. ."

My NYFF 2009 review from last year ends:

Quote:

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The result is far more conventional than those Sixties films, and on the glossy and mainstream side, veering between farce and melodrama. Wild Grass is full of assurance, and engages from the start. It may disappoint viewers in search of something more profound, more meditative, or funnier, but it's still a work of considerable accomplishment and doubtless may reward repeat viewings by devotees.

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So there you are. You should see it again and I planned to do so, but I fear it vanished from the Bay Area before I got a chance .

Nyff 2009 comments thread.

New addition to the year's best list: the Australian David Michôd's debut story of a brutal coming of age amid a criminal family's violent meltdown: ANIMAL KINGDOM. It turned out to be much more subtle, contemporary, and suspenseful than the trailer suggested. Tense from the first few minutes. Review will follow shortly. (August 21, 2010.)

(August 21, 2010.)

Strong new addition to my year's best list: the Australian David Michôd's ANIMAL KINGDOM. This directorial debut is the story of a brutal coming of age amid a criminal family's meltdown. It also turned out to be much more subtle, contemporary, and suspenseful than the trailer suggested. Tense from the first few minutes and extremely well acted. A review will follow shortly but you can see in general the response is good -- Metacritic 83.

It is interesting that you list five French films among your favorites and none of them is one of my three favorites: Wild Grass, Let it Rain, and Lourdes. I post because I don't think you intended to leave out Let it Rain.

Of course anything really good has to be listed among the "Best of 2010," but I think I'm looking for exciting new work. THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN is a great film by a fine, very young director Mia Hansen-Love (29). Honoré (39) and Audiard (57) for me are two of the best "younger" French directors, who keep getting better, as does Hansen-Love. I'll think about LET IT RAIN. However, for me it's old news in two ways. The Bakri-Jaoui genre is charming but very familiar, plus this is something I reviewed in 2008. Since I may already have plenty of French entries on my 2010 best lists, I don't have to include LET IT RAIN. I will keep it in mind, though. I'm sure I will delete some of my current items. But not the French ones.

Seem to have forgotten to add Solondz's LIFE DURING WARTIME, seen and reviewed by me originally as part of the 2009 New York Film Festival, to my Best Movies of 2010 -- so far list. It opened in theaters and got reviews July 23. Here are a couple of critics' comments culled from Metacritic:

Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly
83

Quote:

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In a staring contest with his audience, Solondz never blinks. He picks and picks at the themes that consume him, and he doesn't care who stays and who leaves. Me, I'm rapt.

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Todd McCarthy Variety
80

Quote:

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In revisiting his darkly comic 1998 ensembler "Happiness," Todd Solondz may have made his best film with Life During Wartime.

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Anthony Lane The New Yorker

Quote:

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For anyone who finds the films of Todd Solondz, like “Happiness” and “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” too acidic on the tongue, his new work, “Life During Wartime,” is to be recommended. Not that it’s an antidote; Solondz will never be meek and mild, and there are spasms of shame and awkwardness here that will make even devoted viewers wince as sharply as ever. But the movie, his best to date. . .

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critic...#ixzz0xpuyEdx6

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Watch for the DVD.

I'm updating my list and enthusiastically adding THE SOCIAL NETWORK to my Best English Language list and I've separated for English language films from ones in other languages released in the US this year. This is fro the NYFF; of course I'll be making up my Best of the NYFF in a couple weeks when I've seen them all, by Oct 8th.

MY LIST OF BEST FILMS OF 2010 -- SO FAR, Sept. 24, 2010

FOREIGN FILMS
-Ajami (Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani 2009) DVD
-Alamar (Pedro Gonzalez Rubio 2010) DVD
-Eyes Wide Open (Haim Tabakman 2009) First Run Features reportedly will release a DVD
-Father of My Children, The (Le père de mes enfants, Mia Hansen-Løve 2009) DVD
-I Am Love (Luca Guadagnino 2009) finishing in theaters
-Mademoiselle Chambon (Stéphane Brizé 2009)
-Making Plans for Léna (Non, ma fille, tu n'iras pas danser, Christophe Honoré 2009)
-Prophet, A (Un prophète, Jacques Audiard 2009) DVD
-Terribly Happy (Henrik Ruben Genz 2010) DVD
-Welcome (Philippe Lioret 2009) DVD

FILMS IN ENGLISH
-Animal Kingdom (David Michôd 2010), in theaters Aug. 14, 21 ff.
-Anton Chekhov's The Duel (Dover Kosashvili 2009) in theaters
-Daddy Longlegs (Josh and Benny Safdie 2009) VOD
-Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy 2010) in theaters
-Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould (Michèle Hozner, Peter Raymont 2010) in theaters
-Ghost Writer, The (Roman Polanski 2010) DVD release August 3, 2010
-Greenberg (Noah Baumbach 2010) DVD release July 13, 2010
-Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (Tamra Davis 2010) in theaters August 2010
-Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold 2009) DVD coming
-Life During Wartime (Todd Solondz 2010) in theaters, DVD coming
-Social Network, The (David Fincher 2010) release coming Oct. 1, 2020
-Solitary Man (Brian Koppelman, David Levien 2010) DVD
-Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich 2010) DVD
-Winter's Bone (Debra Granik 2010) in theaters