If You Watch Both

The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick, and Dogtooth by Giorgos Lanthimos, in the same week, you will cover the entire gamut of family life, from the way of grace, the way of nature, and the way of the psychopath.

It is a strange juxtaposition.

Malick's fifth film in 38 years has already generated a great deal of press and opinions about what it is, what it means, and whether it is even worth seeing. Comparisons to Kubrick's 2001 have been made. Some theaters post notices that anyone leaving the cinema will not receive refunds. I suspect that many years from now a more definitive examination in retrospect will seal this film as either the work of a genius or an overreaching flop. The path to release has been long, and the film was supposed to have been released two years ago. Rumors of much footage cut have circulated. What is left is almost pure cinema, very little dialog, emotional images with whispering narrators who do not so much preach as opine. The beginnings of the universe, a family growing up in Texas, the death of a brother. A more serious A Serious Man? Perhaps.

It has already won the Palme d'Or at Cannes.

I can't wait to see it agin.

Dogtooth was nominated for best foreign language film and is a much more straightforward examination of the extremes of family life with a patriach who lives in a gated estate. His three children are never allowed to leave the house and have grown up only under the twisted guidance of their parents who assert that they are protecting them from the outside world. Their world, a microcosm of the outside, has been altered in order to prevent outside influences from creeping in, but of course, creep in they must, to both horrific, comic, and liberating effect.

It is a fascinating look at family life at the extremes, but I do not think I shall see it again.

Academy Award Nominees - Short Form - Animation/Live

Weak year for the short fiction categories (what happens if there's a short animated documentary - what category is it in?). Usually it's the shorts that show the most imagination, but this year it might actually be the full length documentary category. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to see any of the short docs.

• The Confession - very heavy handed and I felt cheated by this one.
  
• The Crush - somewhat funny, but could have been better.
  
• God of Love - I predict/hope this one wins. It at least showed some originality.
  
• Na Wewe - OK. Sure.
  
• Wish 143 - Almost had me.
  

Really, I only liked two of them, God of Love, and Wish 143, and GoL is the clear winner IMO. A lot of fun, a decent story, acting, great composition, etc.

• Day & Night - Pixar - 2D characters who's outlines reveal the background - interesting idea, but I get the feeling I've seen the idea before.
  
• The Gruffalo - somewhat dry tale of a mouse in the forest chasing away predators by telling them of The Gruffalo (ie. The Jabberwocky).
  
• Let's Pollute - ironic message, pollution is fun.
  
• The Lost Thing - I liked this one, great style, story just ok.
  
• Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary) - great tale of a trip to Madagascar with great flipbook style.
  

Pixar doesn't need anymore Oscars, so I hope Madagascar wins.

Two Docs

Both dealing with very horrific experiences but in different ways.

Waltz with Bashir is getting numerous awards and buzz, some of it due to the unusual nature of it being an animated documentary (Wikipedia, IMDB, web). It explores the remembered, misremembered, and forgotten experiences of Israeli soldiers during the invasion of Lebanon and the Sabra and Shatila massacres. The name Bashir in the title refers to the Phalangist leader Bashir Gemayel whose assassination led in part to the tragedy explored in the film.













Trouble the Water (IMDB, web) is another doc dealing with tragedy: Hurricane Katrina and the vicious aftermath. Using footage shot by a survivor (Kim Rivers Roberts) who decided to stay when the storm hits, the film shows the utter devastation caused by the natural force of the hurricane. As we all know, the destruction caused by human ignorance, neglect, unpreparedness, and hubris turns out to be far greater. Following the survivors both during and after the storm results in a fantastic story that everyone in America should see.













Of the two I think Trouble the Water is the better film. Bashir deals with horrific experiences, but in the reliving and retelling of them. There appears to be no consequences to the exploration of memories of a horrific event, and apparently little long term repercussions to those who witnessed them besides bad dreams and memory gaps. In Trouble the Water, the repercussions are real and immediate, both good and bad. Although the plight of poverty and racism taints the entire Katrina event, there still appears in this film a thread of hope. Bashir never transcends its animated reimaginings, and in fact, abandons the them at the end, something that I think arguably concedes that the way they were used is flawed.

Still, I highly recommend both films. Both are nominated for Oscars, although in different categories, so they both could win.

Oscar Animated Shorts Nominees

Are playing in select cities. If you get a chance, check them out on the big screen.

The nominees are:

“I Met the Walrus”
Animation and line drawings set to a recorded interview with John Lennon in 1969 (which some kid recorded after having snuck into John's hotel room).

“Madame Tutli-Putli”
National Film Board of Canada (yah) makes a very strange puppet/animation mix.

“Même les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)”
This one is pretty amusing. A priest is trying to sell the afterlife to someone who is about to die anyways.

“My Love (Moya Lyubov)”
Animated painting (oil on glass). The story is mediocre, but the animation is definitely unique.

“Peter & the Wolf”
This one is my favorite. Not sure of the techniques, but it is a well told story (no dialog) that mixes humor and horror, comedy and drama wonderfully.

Some are also available online:

Ticklebooth has a list.
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