Rough Groove

Movies watched, March 08

March was another fruitful month with a number of films watched, a total of 27 comprising 19 films, 5 shorts and 3 episodes for television. Most of these were the works of Kryzysztof Kieslowski.

This is England - Shane Meadows, 2006 (UK)
The Full Monty - Petter Cataneo, 1997 (UK)
Billy Elliot - Stephen Daldry, 2000 (UK)
Atonement - Joe Wright, 2007 (UK)
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) - Guillermo del Toro, 2006 (Mexico)
10,000 BC - Roland Emmerich, 2008 (US)
The Eye - David Moreau & Xavier Palud, 2008 (US)
Love in the Time of Cholera - Mike Newell, 2007 (US)
Selda - Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos, 2007 (Philippines)

Short
Cwiczenia warsztatowe (Workshop Exercises) - Marcel Lozinski, 1987 (Poland)

The films of Kryzysztof Kieslowski, Mar 08

March was another fruitful month with a number of films watched, a total of 27 comprising 19 films, 5 shorts and 3 episodes for television. Most of these were the works of Kryzysztof Kieslowski.

This month was Kieslowski month when I watched 10 movies, 3 episodes for television and 4 shorts of the Polish Kryzysztof Kieslowski, acclaimed and considered one of the greatest and important directors who ever lived. His works are intelligent, a social statement. Love, choice, consequences of one’s actions as well as the human struggle are recurring themes.

Speaking of Kieslowski, van den Budenmayer and Zbigniew Preisner are never far behind. The latter, Polish composer who has been collaborating with the director in many of his movies and whose works are just as good. As for van den Budenmayer, supposedly a 19th century composer that can be heard not only in the Trois Coleurs trilogy but also in one of the episodes of Dekalog and Veronique. He is actually a creation of Kryzysztof and Zbigniew, who created the music and attributed it to van den Budnemayer.

Blizna (The Scar), 1976 (Poland)
Amator (Camera Buff), 1979 (Poland)
Bez Konca (No End), 1985 (Poland)
Przypadek (Blind Chance), 1987 (Poland)
Krotki film o milosci (A Short Film About Love), 1988 (Poland)
Krotki film o zabijaniu (A Short Film About Killing), 1988 (Poland)
Dekalog 7, 8 & 9 (Decalogue Parts 7, 8 & 9), 1989 (Poland)
La Double Vie de Veronique (The Double Life of Veronique), 1991 (France)
Trois Coleurs: Bleu (Three Colors: Blue), 1993 (France)
Trois Coleurs: Rouge (Three Colors: Red), 1994 (France)
Trois Coleurs: Blanc (Three Colors: White), 1994 (France)

Shorts (Documentary)
Urzad (The Office), 1966 (Poland)
Tramwaj (The Tram), 1966 (Poland)
Z punktu widzenia nocnego portiera (Night Porter’s Point of View), 1979 (Poland)
Gadajace glowy (Talking Heads), 1980 (Poland)

Watched films of Alfonso Cuaron, Feb 08

What a month! 27 movies and 3 shorts watched: 12 and 2 shorts from various directors from various countries but generally from the US, 5 plus a short are works of Alfonso Cuaron and 10 by the great Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar. Movies from the Philippines were really lean that I contented myself with offerings from Indiesine in Robinson’s Galleria since what was available mainstream was not to my liking.

Next month, I’ll be tackling at least 15 of Krzysztof Kieslowski and films produced in the UK.

Say Alfonso Cuaron, and Y Tu Mama Tambien comes to mind. This movie, a provocative and controversial sexual road comedy was quite successful internationally and was a hit with critics. But beyond this, he is also known for directing one of the Harry Potter movie series which the author, JK Rowling personally liked, screen adaptations, and his first feature film, Solo Con Tu Pareja, which was a big hit in Mexico. This was also the film that started his international career when acclaimed director, Sydney Pollack, so impressed with it, got him to do one of the episodes of Fallen Angels. While his filmography isn’t that long, he has won admiration for his work and received various wins and nominations.

Of his major film works, I only missed A Little Princess.

Solo Con Tu Pareja (Only with Your Partner), 1991 (Mexico)
Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too), 2001 (Mexico)
Children of Men, 2006 (US)
Great Expectations, 1998 (US)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004 (UK)

Shorts
Cuarteto para el Fin del Tiempo (Quartet for the End of Time), 1983 (Mexico, Short, no poster)

Movies watched: February 08

What a month! 27 movies and 3 shorts watched: 12 and 2 shorts from various directors from various countries but generally from the US, 5 plus a short are works of Alfonso Cuaron and 10 by the great Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar. Movies from the Philippines were really lean that I contented myself with offerings from Indiesine in Robinson’s Galleria since what was available mainstream was not to my liking.

Next month, I’ll be tackling at least 15 of Krzysztof Kieslowski and films produced in the UK.

LaLehet Al HaMayim (Walk on Water) - Eytan Fox, 2004 (Israel)
The Darjeeling Limited - Wes Anderson, 2007 (US)
The Mist - Frank Darabont, 2007 (US)
Bubble - Steven Soderbergh, 2005 (US)
Roxxxanne - Jun Lana, 2008 (Philippines)
Pisay - Auraeus Solito, 2007 (Philippines)
Jumper - Doug Liman, 2008 (US)
Juno - Jason Reitman, 2007 (US)
Rocket Science - Jeffrey Blitz, 2007 (US)
Temporada de Patos (Duck Season) - Fernando Eimbcke, 2004 (Mexico)
Vantage Point - Pete Travis, 2008 (US)
The Kite Runner - Marc Forster, 2007 (US)

Short: Hotel Chevalier - Wes Anderson, 2007 (US)
Short: Noche de Boda (Wedding Night) - Carlos Cuaron, 2000 (Mexico)

Watched films of Pedro Almodovar

What a month! 27 movies and 3 shorts watched: 12 and 2 shorts from various directors from various countries but generally from the US, 5 plus a short are works of Alfonso Cuaron and 10 by the great Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar. Movies from the Philippines were really lean that I contented myself with offerings from Indiesine in Robinson’s Galleria since what was available mainstream was not to my liking.

Next month, I’ll be tackling at least 15 of Krzysztof Kieslowski and films produced in the UK.

I had the great opportunity to have viewed last February 10 works of the great Spanish film maker and director Pedro Almodovar. His films are always beautiful, wonderfully unconventional, intelligent and unpredictable. Sexual identities shift, the irrational and extraordinary happen in real life. His films brings out laughter and at times, sadness but all of these are rich experiences that one cannot just forget. He is a master storyteller!

These films covers almost a decade (1987 - 2006) of all the director’s works during this period except for Kika (1993) which might be seen this month. I’m still looking for copies of the other 5 starting with his first feature film Pepi, Luci, Bom that he has made earlier.

La Ley del Deseo (The Law of Desire), 1987
Mujeres al Borde de Un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), 1988
Atame (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), 1990
Tacones Lejanos (High Heels), 1991
La Flor de mi Secreto (The Flower of My Secret), 1995
Carne Tremula (Live Flesh), 1997
Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother), 1999
Hable con Ella (Talk to Her), 2002
Mala Educacion (Bad Education), 2004
Volver (Coming Back), 2006