2021 Movie Log: April

3rd: Cléo from 5 to 7 – Agnès Varda (1962)
I think expectations can always be a bit off with a film considered one of the greatest of all time. The first time I watched this film, I was a little underwhelmed. I admired it for its realism and structure, but found it somewhat slow. For whatever reason, I was blown away this time around. To me, this is an almost flawlessly constructed film. I love the way that Varda sets up everything we need to know in the opening tarot card reading. I was particularly amazed by the construction of her shots. So much of this film takes place in mirrors. I’m fascinated to know exactly how she set up these scenes.
Grade: A

10th: Can’t Get You Out of My Head – Adam Curtis (2021)
No matter what you think of Curtis’s argument, this is a pretty singular and extraordinary film. I’ve never seen anything remotely like it. In a sense, it does feel completely galaxy-brained. Not that the arguments that Curtis makes are necessarily false. Just that he moves between these arguments so quickly using all 480 (!) minutes of run-time before putting it together. What’s interesting is that there are several arguments that Curtis makes that I plainly disagree with. He uses an example of a trans woman in 1970s Britain as an example of how when individuals step out of a society they are inevitably defeated. To me, that seems like a somewhat grand conclusion based on one instance. But that, more or less, is what Curtis uses all of his examples to do. They’re all part of a larger argument that goes something like: Most (if not all) collectives are corrupt and it takes an individual to step outside of them, but individualism is equally as problematic. What’s more interesting to me though, is that I’m not sure that agreeing with Curtis really matters. I think the ultimate goal for this film is to spur independent thinking. If that end is promoted from disagreeing with Curtis, so be it. The opening and closing quote the film uses almost says as much, “The ultimate hidden truth of the world is that it is something we make and could just as easily make differently.” Even in what I have just said, I feel a million contradictions that I need to correct. I think to actually get any type of grasp on this film, you just have to see it. From seeing it once, I know that to really get a firm handle on it, I’d need to see it again.
Grade: B+

11th: Shiva Baby – Emma Seligman (2020)
I found myself almost resisting this movie for most of its run. It is overwhelmingly unpleasant to watch. But somewhere around the halfway mark, it turned for me. Not that the movie gets any easier to watch. But I found myself really admiring what Seligman was doing. I think I finally caught up to what the film’s wavelength. She shoots this exactly like a horror movie. There are close ups, quick cuts, strange angles. It’s pretty remarkable. I don’t know if I’ve seen a mix of genres work quite like this before. 
Grade: B
Shiva Baby – Emma Seligman (2020)

15th: Shirley – Josephine Decker (2020)
This is one of the strangest biopics I’ve ever seen. To be honest, I don’t even know if it qualifies as a biopic. It seems to me like a lot of the events in this movie must have been invented. Either way, I still think it’s pretty good. Between Madeline’s Madeline and this film, it’s clear that Decker has a unique vision and plenty of talent as a filmmaker. Her approach actually reminds me of Emma Seligman’s in Shiva Baby. Decker shoots her films as surrealist horror films even though they’re primarily focused on (somewhat) ordinary characters’ psyches. I think there are a few things that don’t really work in the movie. Or rather, I should say that I don’t think everything in this movie adds up as it should. Still, between the direction and the central performances, this movie is more interesting than most other films. I’m excited to see what Decker does next.
Grade: B
Shirley – Josephine Decker (2020)

17th: Daguerréotypes – Agnès Varda (1976)
As a fan of movies about “real life,” this movie is right up my alley. It’s literally a documentary about Varda’s street, Rue Daguerre. Of course, nothing is ever that simple. There are all sorts of interesting questions. How much are these real people “performing” because they’re on camera? What conversations and encounters are staged? What’s the line between documenting with compassion and something more nefarious (like exploitation, indulgence, or condescension)? I think the answers to these questions, and whether the film works is ultimately up to the viewer. To me it works though I’m not sure anybody else could have pulled it off besides Agnès Varda. 
Grade: B+

17th: Hard Eight – Paul Thomas Anderson (1996)
There is so much to like in this film. It’s well-directed. It’s extraordinarily well-cast. Literally every part is played by an actor at the top of their field. This film is also quite strange. I’m not sure if it knows what it is for most of its run-time. In fact, the film seems to shape-shift into something else about every twenty minutes. I also think there’s some immaturity when it comes to the writing and portrayal of Clementine. Obviously, PTA only got better from this film. Still, it’s an impressive debut. 
Grade: B
Hard Eight – Paul Thomas Anderson (1996)

18th: Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson (2014)
With the massive caveat that I have not read Inherent Vice, this is a damn good Thomas Pynchon adaptation. The film is really able to capture the vibe, conspiracy, and general insanity of a Pynchon novel. Moreover, it’s able to do so and still work as a coherent movie. Maybe coherent isn’t the right word. Like Pynchon’s novel, this film’s plot makes little sense. Still, I think Anderson is able to convey that in a highly enjoyable way. Pretty groovy stuff. 
Grade: B+

19th: California Split – Robert Altman (1974)
Every time I watch an Altman film I think he has to be the greatest director ever. I should obviously just finish watching the rest of his movies. California Split is already one of my favorites even among a stacked filmography. It almost reminds me of something like I Love You, Man. This fells as though it could be the 70s prototype of that movie. California Split obviously has all the complexity Altman brings to it. A loose plot, a blurred sense of time, questionable (but delightful) characters. My favorite part of the movie is just the general atmosphere. But what really blew me away was the ending. In any other movie Bill and Charlie would have kept riding this hot streak and lost all their money. Here, they keep winning which presents its own problems. 
Grade: A-
California Split – Robert Altman (1974)

20th: Honeyland – Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov (2019)
I did not expect this film to be so punishing. I thought it was going to be mostly about bees. In all seriousness, this film is good. It’s amazing to me how much of a story / plot Kotevska and Stefanov are able to get. For the most part, it has the beats and arc of a traditional feature. I almost couldn’t believe when Hatidže’s neighbor stole her bees. It’s so evil. I’m amazed it was captured on film. As I’ve started to watch more docs, I’ve become fascinated with how they’re made as opposed to just the subject. Obviously, Hatidže is incredibly endearing. Still, I think where I’m most interested is the ethics of making a film like this. 
Grade: C+

22nd: The Long Goodbye – Robert Altman (1973)
More evidence that Altman is the best to ever do it. The Long Goodbye is actually the first Altman film I ever saw. I liked it quite a bit then but I’m not sure I knew what to make of it. Until you watch more of his films, the sound mixing, the loose dialogue, and the blending of genres are all fairly new. Watching it this time around (perhaps with more of an expectation of Altman’s style), I thought it was a masterpiece. I’d put it up against anything Altman (or anybody else) has done. The patience with which he tells this film is remarkable. More than anything though, this film works because of Gould’s performance. I typically think of Altman as the master of the ensemble drama. This is a reminder that he could still make great movies centered around one character.
Grade: A
Long Goodbye, The – Robert Altman (1973)

24th: Ripley’s Game – Liliana Cavani (2002)
I was wary of this film for its first half. The pacing felt rushed. A lot of its exposition was forced. I wasn’t sure how I felt about John Malkovich’s performance as Tom Ripley. Perhaps unfairly, I kept comparing the movie against The Talented Mr. Ripley. While I don’t think this film ever gets quite that good, I did end up liking it. In particular, I thought Ripley’s emergence into the action and the home invasion were both really well executed. Also, it’s just pleasant to watch anything set in the Italian countryside.
Grade: C+
Ripley’s Game – Liliana Cavani (2002)

25th: Strangers on a Train – Alfred Hitchcock (1951)
Bruno Antony might be the most frightening villain in a Hitchcock film. The scenes of him following Miriam, and then later Guy, are absolutely terrifying. This would probably be the most fun Hitchcock film to unpack psychologically. There’s so much going on! There’s the way that Hitchcock portrays Miriam as somehow deserving or (as Mr. Morton says) underserving to be killed. There’s Bruno’s entire character. He loves his mother, hates his father. I think there is some suggestion that he could be gay. Overall, I think this would be in the second or third tier of Hitchcock films. There are some pacing problems especially as the movie races toward its close. The cutting back and forth between Bruno and Guy is almost comical by the end. But the film never stops working even when it gets a little silly. 
Grade: B+
Strangers on a Train – Alfred Hitchcock (1951)

26th: The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson (2014)
To me, The Grand Budapest Hotel is the culmination of everything Wes Anderson has done. I obviously like all of his movies quite a bit. I don’t think any of them come close to approaching the greatness of this one. The Grand Budapest Hotel just feels like a perfect film for Anderson’s style in every way. It’s the perfect merging of plot, sensibility, tone, and performance. I’m always amazed at the complexity of the story. There are so many layers to the narrative in this movie, and yet, it is flawlessly written. I wish I had more to say. Really though, I’ve watched this movie probably four or five times and each viewing I pick up new pieces. It’s an incredible film. 
Grade: A
Grand Budapest Hotel, The – Wes Anderson (2014)

27th: The Lady Vanishes – Alfred Hitchcock (1938)
What a strange movie! It’s almost a straight comedy for the first thirty minutes or so. Things do pick up once the plot kicks in. Still, there are moments of humor and levity throughout. The general structure is fascinating to me. For the first thirty minutes, I would have guessed that the two Englishmen would be the protagonists. I don’t think you realize that the movie will be a romance until about halfway through. I really did like this film quite bit. Maybe just because of how unusual it is. It’s clear that Hitchcock understands that having fun is as important as the general mystery. 
Grade: B+
Lady Vanishes, The – Alfred Hitchcock (1938) 

28th: La ciénaga – Lucrecia Martel (2001)
This had been on my watch list for quite a while. It did not disappoint. The comparison I keep coming to is Altman. Martel introduces us to this large family without going to great lengths to define each person or relationship. She, for lack of a better phrase, lets you feel it out. For most of this movie, I was trying to parse out exactly how two characters may or may not be connected. The result is that by the end of this film you almost feel a part of this extended family. You begin to understand the dynamics at play here. It’s something that really defines the setting of this film. Martel does as good a job as I’ve ever seen at capturing a place and time. It’s a pretty remarkable debut. I’m excited to check out her other work. 
Grade: A-

29th: Rope – Alfred Hitchcock (1948)
This feels like an entire movie of macguffins (a term that Hitchcock coined). The plot starts out seeming almost a bit absurd. Two men carry out the perfect murder just to prove that they can do it. They then invite over the victim’s family and friends for a dinner party just to heighten the tension and excitement. It makes for a film and characters ripe for psychological analysis. It also allows Hitchcock to film basically in one place. Despite these seemingly absurd constraints, the film ends up transcending all of it. Its premise is so twisted and evil, it’s really amazing to watch. I don’t think it’s the best of Hitchcock’s films, but it has to be one of his most interesting. 
Grade: B
Rope – Alfred Hitchcock (1948)

Shorts 
L’opera-mouffe – Agnès Varda (1958)

Les Dites Cariatides – Agnès Varda (1984)
Les Dites Cariatides Bis – Agnès Varda (2005)

Le Lion Volatil – Agnès Varda (2003)