Kon Ichikawa: The Burmese Harp

This is what MUBI says:

A Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces in Burma at the close of World War II, while a private thought to be dead disguises himself as a Buddhist monk.

Magnificently shot in hushed black and white, The Burmese Harp is an eloquent meditation on the coexistence of beauty and death, and remains a highlight of Japanese cinema’s golden age. A masterpiece—in the 50 years since, war movies haven’t been more tender or shattering.

A very simple tale told in what seems a very simple way; washing over you like a warm sea. It all seems so obvious with seemingly no need for explanation or elaboration; as passive or inscrutable as a Buddhist monk can be. And then as we approach the end and it is time for the soldiers to return to their homeland, huge waves of emotion roll by and the profundity of what you have just witnessed is realised in all the depth and complexity of the human condition. If that were all, we could have chatted about it afterwards but the emotional strength is yet too strong and too fresh - its too soon and before you know it, this film has sown seeds in your soul that day by day shed a little more light in the darkness.

Fabulous is a seriously inappropriate word to describe this film; we need a different scale to measure this one.

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Les Poupées russes (The Russian Dolls)

A sequel to Pot Luck, fives year after the group first meet in Barcelona, they reassemble for a wedding in St. Petersberg. Perhaps trying to touch on more subtle, mature topics it struggles with considerable implausibility to get where it is going. Still full of beautiful people and excellent characterisation especially in Paris. But I suspect I am too old to really get this one or maybe there only seems to be something to get if you are of an age.

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L'auberge espagnole (Pot Luck)

First saw this a couple of years ago and evidently it made an impression on me then; second-time round I still enjoyed it. Not really sure why this is a likeable film though, certainly full of vitality and fun and vivaciousness. Maybe, sometimes that's all we need.
 
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M

Wow! this is cracker!
Directed by Fritz Lang in 1931 and staring Peter Lorre as the despicable murderer. This was Lorre's first major role and he plays it brilliantly especially his impassioned monologue toward the end.
The version I watched was assembled from archive material held in Netherlands, Germany & Switzerland to make 110 minutes of the original serial killer film. This was Lang's first "talking" film, in German of course, and Lang is so inventive in marrying sound & vision. Some spectacular innovative techniques are in use including the first example of leitmotif, borrowed from Opera, in film; Peter Lorre's character can be identified on & off-screen by whistling In the Hall of the Mountain King - bizarrely, Lorre was incapable of whistling so we actually hear Lang himself.
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Beat the Devil

Allegedly created as a parody of his own film Maltese Falcon by Howard Hughes and featuring Lorre, Morley as well as Bogart.
Bit of a romp with such a stellar cast; wonderful to see these greats again with Bogie in particular being hard-boiled,cynical and a thoroughly dissolute good guy.
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800 Bullets

Quite bizarre and unbelievable even as an entertainment.
Like as not, too clever for its own good.
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Tie me up! Tie me down!

Goodness this is an odd film. Not surprising it has courted controversy at various times and places; explicit sexuality, lewd photography, abduction, bondage, drug abuse, "being Spanish" (check wikipedia on that one) and goodness knows what else.
It is sort of a cross between a romcom and a horror thriller though you are never sure if it is actually one or the other - till the end. The soundtrack is often very dark, full of foreboding, Hitchcockian; but the film never delivers any horrific content more often flirting with farce, softening the implicit violence with innocence and surrealism, even pathos at times.
The tension from this ambivalence is what makes it watchable; there is something here for everyone and will certainly get folk talking and more than likely laughing. Not surprisingly it was a blockbuster in Spain when it was released.
Watch it with friends
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Swimming Pool

Quite an elegant film. Mostly in English but large parts in French - since it takes place mostly in the south of France.
The plot develops slowly, just like a relationship when two people are thrown together unexpectedly; trying to be civilised because of a mutual friend but not really succeeding. Mysterious events from the past are hinted at and suddenly a bloody murder is exposed bringing the two lead characters together in a perverse bond. And that would be that, except for the head-spinning twist in the tail.
A cleverly worked psychological melodrama full of artifice and a beguiling performance from Charlotte Rampling.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The Cave of the Yellow Dog

A gentle story told with superb style.
Populated by real people and the spectacular plains of Mongolia.
Prepare yourself before watching, make sure you are relaxed and ready to savour the pace of this glorious film.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Days of Glory

Terrific film. Watched on an iPod which obviously lost a lot in some of the big scenes so it would be even better on a big screen. Great story-telling treading on the right side of truth without being either maudlin or brutal about war and the fate of the Algerian troops.
Go out of your way to see this one.
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I'm a Cyborg, but that's OK

Seriously quirky and bizarre
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Scanners

Goodness, I first got this on VHS secretly bringing it home so the wife wouldn't see it. Very much of its time and unfortunately it has not survived the passing years too well; looks rather dated nowadays.
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Party Monster

Pretty dire stuff. I really could not relate to these bizarre characters and got bored half way through. Grotesque - as intended.
Seth Green's excellent performance was its only saving grace.
♥ ♥

Lebanon

Billed as "Das Boot" in a tank. Certainly captured the intensity and claustrophobia of the tiny cab. As the crew come increasingly under physical threat the emotional temperature rises almost to an unbelievable pitch.
Watch it!
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The Islanders: Christopher Priest

Christopher Priest has always been a favourite. This is his most recent - and possibly final - work.
Not really a novel, more a related collection of short-stories tied together with the theme of an imaginary groups of islands and presented as a gazetteer. The narrative is fairly fractured as a result but there are some terrific gems; and some of the threads introduced at various times come and go, never being wholly resolved. Some of the inventiveness create ideas or scenes or bizarre imaginary works of art of such power they almost become memories or real events. Exceptional!

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My Architect

I think one of the BBC channels broadcast this a while back.
Basically a documentary on the architect Louis Kahn by his "son". Kahn was certainly an oddball in his personal life and attempting to explore it at this distance is both admirable and fascinating; for his son (the film's creator) and us (the audience) there is no resolution, no comprehension - ending up asking more questions than it answers. But that's OK, we get enough insight into Kahn to appreciate the man even if we cannot really figure him out.
And curiously that lack of resolution is mirrored exactly when dealing with his architectural achievements. Not successful in the way many of his contemporaries where but leaving a legacy of creations which are spectacular and wonderful. Expecting to comprehend his creativity is as illusive as divining his personal motivations. The best we can do is gaze in wonderment at the contributions he has made to our world either its fabric or the people he has touched.
If architecture is a passion for you then this film is a gem; watch it.
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Coffee and Cigarettes

A collection of shorts cobbled together to make a full-size film. None of the pieces related to one another - other than the "coffee and cigarettes" of the title. Don't take it too seriously otherwise you will miss what wit there is. Very verbal enhanced by some careful editing. Most of the situations work quite well.
Don't worry if you miss it, the world won't stop.
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Black Book

Second time around and it is still damned good.

A war movie about the Dutch resistance. At least I think that is what it is about: could also be about betrayal or survival or deceit even. And of course it is that complexity and multi-layered story that make it so watchable.
 
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Audition

This is outrageously spectacular! Though it is full-on  Japanese horror

Starts out with a seemingly modern tale of a mature, single-man in search of romance. And gradually, slowly it descends into the dark depths of perverted subconscious you can imagine. And then it sinks a little bit deeper in to what must be the Japanese subconscious. Gorey in the extreme.

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Dogtooth

This is unreal as distinct from surreal. I didn't care for it at all.
 
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