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Thread: Nyff 2007

  1. #61
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  2. #62
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    American moviegoers aren't likely to know this name, Jia Zhang-ke, but he's a New York Film Festival name: his sad, haunting 2002 Ren xiao yao/Unknown Pleasures was an official selection; it's a meandering tale of two lost young men in the wasteland between industry and countryside that is a lot of modern China and it's extraordinarily original and memorable piece of work. Earlier they showed his 2000 Zhantai/Platform , which reviews the whole period of the Eighties in China and the generation that grew up then through following a traveling theatrical troupe. Recently the festival skipped Jia's 2006 Dong, about a painter, and Sanxia haoren or Still Life, from the same year, though the latter got the Golden Lion at Venice. It was Jia's 2004 Shijie/The World that first got him worldwide exposure. (Chris Knipp)

    American filmgoers who pay attention to foreign films have known about Jia Zhang-ke for a few years. Platform had a theatrical release in the US in 2003, then a dvd release (let's face it, this is the main way films are consumed nowadays) in 2005. Unknown Pleasures has been available in the US on dvd since early 2004. I had bought both on import versions and sold them before the domestic releases. Jia had worldwide exposure before The World, particularly in Asia and Europe. Dong is an hour-long documentary intended as a companion piece to Still Life, which comes out in January courtesy of New Yorker Films. His earlier The Pickpocket ('97) is fairly obscure, but can be obtained with English subs in the UK.
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 10-12-2007 at 08:49 PM.

  3. #63
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    Thanks for the elucidation.

    I'll stick by my statement, that American moviegoers don't know Jia Zhang-ke's name. It's also still box office success that makes a director known, not DVD rentals. I would think Jia's The World would be the one that got the most US publicity. He said that when he learned that tens of tyhousands of pirated DVDs of his films were selling in China, he realized he was known. But that was in China.

    I wasn't referring to Jia's reputation among cinephiles and frequenters of major festivals, which I hope would be good. I hope he doesn't squander it.

  4. #64
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    Cool. I guess one can credibly say: "American filmgoers aren't likely to know this name, Wong Kar Wai" because let's face it: the average American filmgoer doesn't know the names of many directors, particularly not the ones whose work is in a language other than English.

    By the way, I'm a huge fan of Jia. His last three films landed in my Top 10, with The World second to WKW's 2046 in 2005. I can't wait for Still Life. So much so I might buy the PAL dvd of it so I don't have to wait a few more months. I trust you that the subsequent doc doesn't measure up.

  5. #65
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    If you're a "huge fan" you'll doubtless want to watch Useless too. I'd like to see the recent ones since The World that I haven't been able to see. I didn't like The World as much as Platform and Unknown Pleasures, at all, though. I hope he's not losing it, with "success."

    A lof ot Americans who like movies know Wong Kar Wai now. Some may know Hou Hsieu-hsien. Jia is a step further away from recognition.

  6. #66
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    *Secret Sunshine is South Korea's Oscar submission and Silent Light is Mexico's. If either is among the 5 nominated, distribution is more likely. As of now, nada.

    * Of course you can watch Still Life in early '08 during its theatrical run. I hope Dong is included by New Yorker in the dvd release, as it was included in the Asian dvds of the film. BTW, I reviewed Regular Lovers in the dvd section, which you watched at the NYFF last year (or was it '05?). Maybe you've already read it but "it don't hurt" to ask.
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 10-15-2007 at 08:54 AM.

  7. #67
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    I am in Paris now and find that Still LIfe is playing at the Odeon area rep house MK2 Hautefeuille, only one day a week and one hour. I will try to catch it if I can.

    No, I have not read your Regular Lovers review. I wish you'd provided the link. I know it's right here, but I'm paying top Euro for my time here...

    I saw regular Lovers twice, 2005 Nyff, and then I think last summer at either Quad Cinema or Cinema Village with a friend in NYC--so it did have a theatrical run there. Best seen in a theater since the images are rather grand in scale.

    Saw Claude Miller's new one "Un secret" last night, a drama about a Jewish family and half brothers during and after WWII. So so, I thought, thought Variety's Dennis Harvey says " "Un secret" is a fine drama that stands as Gallic vet Claude Miller's best in at least a decade." I found the "comples flashback structure" diminished the energy and there were too many themes. Good cast though.

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    The theatrical run of Regular Lovers in the US consisted of a 1 week engagement at the Cinema Village. It's great you saw it there, but what about the rest of us. That's why I posted my review under DVD RELEASES because it is the first release of a Garrel film on Region 1 dvd that truly matters (except to the relatively few who caught it during that January week in Manhattan). Check out the review, I think you'd enjoy it. You're the only one at FilmLeaf who's seen it.

    I've seen 8 Claude Miller films. All of them worth watching, none of them great. My favorite would probably be The Accompanist (1992) with Romane Bohringer. The new one will get distribution, I'd bet on it.

    Are you also going to Italy, like last year? Did you get to watch THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD? I loved it but it's not a commercial movie so it's going to be out of theaters by the time you come back. It's got Mr. Pitt so it'll play around the globe.
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 10-16-2007 at 03:19 PM.

  9. #69
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    I saw Assassination of...at the Angelike Film Center in NYC. I unfortuantely did not like it. Only Casey Affleck's performance is interesting though.

    It is showing here in Paris and got good reviews The critics top ratings according to Pariscope are:

    4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days (Romanian, in NYFF)

    Ratatouille

    Persepolis (NYFF closing film)

    My Brother is an Only Child (Italian---which I will see today)

    La vengeance dans la peau (not sure what this is)

    The Assassination of....

    Control (I saw in NYC)

    Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (NYFF)

    I will look for your Regular Lovers review. I saw it twice. Send the link.

  10. #70
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    Originally posted by Chris Knipp
    I saw Assassination of...at the Angelike Film Center in NYC. I unfortuantely did not like it. Only Casey Affleck's performance is interesting though. It is showing here in Paris and got good reviews
    I'm not surprised. It will turn up in some Top 10s at year's end. This is as psychologically complex as westerns have ever gotten. The photography is so accomplished with the distortion one gets from looking out through window edges extended to several outdoor scenes, great performances from Affleck and Pitt (perfectly cast as the "elder" James when he was as famous as the actor that portrays him), and a respect for "down time" that reminded me of...Regular Lovers.



    4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days (Romanian, in NYFF)
    Opens early 2008< I think. The third Romanian film in three years that receives a major prize at Cannes. Of course we've seen Lazarescu, but I wonder how many people caught 2006 Camera d'Or winner 12:08 to Bucharest when it came out here in the summer. Perhaps I should write a comment now that it's available on dvd.


    My Brother is an Only Child (Italian---which I will see today)
    It's bound to be enjoyable I'm sure but, as I've said before, Italian cinema keeps disappointing. We have two Italian cinema showcases here, one of them called Miami-Italian Film Festival. It just ended. I went to watch two of the best regarded films: Sergio Rubini's La Terra (7 David nominations) and Marco Bellocchio's The Wedding Director. Wish I had skipped the damn thing altogether.


    I will look for your Regular Lovers review. I saw it twice. Send the link.
    Here it is: REGULAR LOVERS I saw it twice too.

  11. #71
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    the distortion one gets from looking out through window edges Well, I thought the attempt was to duplicate the effect of some old lenses. But I didn't like it because it wasn't consistent. Maybe I didn't get what it was supposed to be. The "longeurs" in The Assassination of Jesse James and the aimlessness of the conversations are excessive. I'm sure you're right, though, that it will wind up on some annual Best lists--some love it.

    Perhaps I should write a comment now [on 12:10 to BUcherest] Yes, you definitely should.

    Italian cinema keeps disappointing. The Italian series at Lincoln Center this year was indeed pretty disappointing. But I have not been disappointed with Gianni Amelio. This one (My Brother is an Only Child ) is worth seeing. I found The Wedding Director a big bore. The other one La terra I haven't seen. I'll try to put up something on MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD, but I don't know where to put it on this site.

    Thanks for the link to your Regular Lovers review. I've read it with interest and written a reply.

    By the way I am in fact going on to Italy this time too--forgot to answer that question above.

    Last edited by Chris Knipp; 10-20-2007 at 06:12 AM.

  12. #72
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    Originally posted by Chris Knipp
    The "longeurs" in The Assassination of Jesse James and the aimlessness of the conversations are excessive. I'm sure you're right, though, that it will wind up on some annual Best lists--some love it.
    Well, I do. And I found the longeurs not unlike Garrel's in their contribution to providing a sense of authenticity and realism. The conversations, even when seemingly aimless, facilitate the depth of characterizations. As a treatise on fame and celebrity, the film is memorable. I can't possibly write a review as fu&%ing wonderful as J. Hoberman's or as admiring as Variety's, so I won't try.

    Perhaps I should write a comment now on 12:08 to Bucharest Yes, you definitely should.
    I'm a bit behind schedule with my writing. I finally posted the review Across the Universe merited, and I have yet to comment on The Darjeeling Limited (somewhat better than the previous Wes Anderson movie but not nearly as good as Rushmore) and Michael Clayton which, however earnest and entertaining, is getting overrated in the mainstream press. I'll try to post briefly on the minimalist but almost perfect Romanian film 12:08 to Bucharest (perhaps under dvd releases as the film is out on dvd).

    The Italian series at Lincoln Center this year was indeed pretty disappointing. I found The Wedding Director a big bore. The other one La terra I haven't seen. I'll try to put up something on MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD, but I don't know where to put it on this site.
    I've often thought we need a "Briefly Noted" thread somewhere to supplant the ancient "Last Movie I watched" thread. Although perhaps you have a long review of MY BROTHER in mind. So we agree on THE WEDDING DIRECTOR. Although it got a good review on Variety, I found LA TERRA just as mediocre.

    Thanks for the link to your Regular Lovers review. I've read it with interest and written a reply.
    Thanks. I basically wrote it for me and you. Of course, one hopes someone else will be inspired to give it a try now that it's available on dvd. I'll reply soon.

    By the way I am in fact going on to Italy this time too--forgot to answer that question above.
    Have a fun and safe trip. Hope you can post from there.
    Last edited by oscar jubis; 10-21-2007 at 06:29 PM.

  13. #73
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    I can't possibly write a review as fu&%ing wonderful as J. Hoberman's or as admiring as Variety's, so I won't try.
    And I can't write one as negative as Armond White's. I didn't hate it; I just thought it was misguided. Surely the difference between its evocation of Jesse James and Garrel's of Regular Lovers is that Garrel actually lived through 1968 in Paris, and probably very intensely. But Jesse James may become more intereesting with time. It's sort of a feather in the cap of Brad Pitt and a jump forward for Casey Affleck. I see that Gone Baby Gone is getting very decent notices (Metacritic 73).

    I've often thought we need a "Briefly Noted" thread somewhere to supplant the ancient "Last Movie I watched" thread.
    I stilll use that thread, I don't see what's wrong with it, but nobody else seems to notice it any more. I think I'll just post full reviews and new threads for all the films I see in Paris. Eventually people will be able to see most of them, if they try, I imagine.
    Have a fun and safe trip [to Italy after Paris]. Hope you can post from there.
    I'm sure I can, but I certainly won't have as many new films to see there--if any!

  14. #74
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