Today on the metro i saw a fat american tourist wearing a fake rolex watch that was exactly the same as my own.
The Disappearer
Los Bastardos. Just saw this last night.
follows 2 Mexican immigrants (illegal probably) in So Cal for around 24 hs as they get shitty construction work and then proceed to go to a single Mother’s house and assasinate her for money (hinted at).
Nice pacing (slllloooooooow), nothing much happens until it does. Major flaw is characterization of american characters and anglo acting. Mexicans are great. American’s are treated in stupid and i think wrong cliches.
Overall.. good film with flaws.
I went barefoot instead. The pavement wasn’t that cold and I reached the top of the hill in about 10 minutes.
"Le Fils" by the brothers Dardenne
Just saw this film last night.
In short: A man working at a youth rehabilitation center comes into contact with the teenager who killed his son years ago. The teenager, now out of prison is unaware that his new “mentor” is the Father of his victim. Bang.
These guys are the best thing going on, as far as I can see. This film is so minimalist and elegant. Allot has been said about the Dardennes Brothers “style”, handheld camera and use of available light.. but for me it’s not the “style” that makes the magic. Style, like Bresson said, is the stuff left over after the technique. The Magic of the brothers Dardenne is in the script. Simple, economical, and hiding behind that simplicity… heavy melodrama. Another element of their Magic is the “Looks”. As Aki Kaurismaki said, Cinema happens between the camera’s lens and the actor’s eye. Bresson talked about the “Look” being the only thing that connects people and objects in films. The Dardennes certainly understand this. Their characters are inevitably peeking around corners, trying to remain unseen as they gaze at the object of desire. Allot to learn from them.
See it if you haven’t yet.
The Brothers..
Interview with Kelly Reichardt
She’s the director of Old Joy, and now Wendy and Lucy.
Check the interview here.
