(Out from Under) the O.C.

After what seemed like years on my one-disc-at-a-time Netflix subscription (but was actually only about 2 months, ) I have finally finished my fervent indulgence in The O.C. Season 2. Now my nights can return to all of the stuff I should have been doing while watching those wacky Orange County residents: this blog, writing for Bostonist.com and starting Christmas list prep (oh yes I did.)

Since his review of "Grizzly Man" was so well-received and as I am obviously getting heavy help from my friends this week, I present three reviews from Jeffé on recent movie viewings. I haven't seen a movie since "Serenity" opened (a whole different story for a whole different day,) but this week I might catch "Capote," so then perhaps I'll pen a little critique of my own.

Enjoy.

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Paris, Texas { Wim Wenders } 1984
My introduction to Wenders' films was a definite success and I can't wait to see another. I'm a fan of simple well-paced stories combined with beautiful cinematography and Paris, Texas offered me just that. The highly saturated shots of the seemingly barren Texas landscape was a treasure to behold just as much as the few but memorable shots of the luscious Nastassja Kinski. The story was warm, touching and rewarding.
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Wild Strawberries { Ingmar Bergman } 1957
Wild Strawberries is somewhat of a combination of Capra's It's a Wonderful Life and De Sica's Umberto D. both of which I am not the biggest fan of. Bergman's film takes the retrospective wasted life / death story and weaves a much more interesting and successful tale. It lacks the ridiculousness (and ridiculous actor) of Capra's film and the inevitable loneliness and despair of De Sica's morbid chronicle of a man at death's door. It gives hope to death. I like this.
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Sword of Doom { Kihachi Okamoto } 1966
I wasn't sure what to expect from this film and the little review I read beforehand was completely off anyway. What I found was a solid samurai film that deals with the sword as a death instrument in a more serious way than I have witnessed before. Tatsuya Nakadai is wonderful as Ryunosuke who is a student of killing so devoted to his sword and it's purpose that he has lost sight of the ramifications of that purpose. This is a fantastic movie with some of the best b + w shots i've seen on film. Toshiro Mifune plays an important but subtle roll and his fight with would-be assassins in the snow is absolutely gorgeous.

Comments

[General Disarray]

Also like to add that i seen Capote the other night and it was wonderful.

[speeder]

Nice work Jeffe. Another successful guest spot.