December 2008

December 2008

Pink Flamingos (Waters, 1972) 5.5
The story has a remarkable simplicity and Waters' screenplay is surprising in its expressiveness. The contrast made between the non-territorial, non-intrusive, convivial (to those who understand her way of life) and principled and self-respecting Divine and the imposing, fascistic, materialistic Marbles has an almost brilliant clarity. The sort of defensiveness implicit in Waters' all-in championing of the private agency of the extra-ordinary outsider (and the support of those of exclusive good nature) does have a poignancy and one that comes through in the vivaciousness of the film.
5.5, though, because it's a lot of juvenile antics and stunt repulsiveness to take, and, like, zero effort seems to have been made by Waters toward any formal directorial craft. Good set design. The film is complete trash filmmaking, so maybe it does deserve a lower score... but the meaning and sensibility behind the film's story is there, and it's damn funny sometimes. Divine's proceeding over the Marbles' trial and fielding of the press is expert comedy.
Southland Tales (Kelly, 2006) 4.5
The Fall (Tarsem Singh, 2006) 6
* The Mist (Darabont, 2007) 7.5
Le Petit Soldat (Godard, 1963) 8
Elephant (Van Sant, 2003) 7.5
Tropic Thunder (Stiller, 2008) 5
The Squid and the Whale (Baumbach, 2005) 7
Me and You and Everyone We Know (July, 2005) 6.5
Wings (Shepitko, 1966) 8.5
* Re-Animator (Gordon, 1985) 6
* The Long Goodbye (Altman, 1973) 8.5
* The Elephant Man (Lynch, 1980) 6
* Dogville (Von Trier, 2003) 9
* Heavenly Creatures (Jackson, 1994) 9
* Frenzy (Hitchcock, 1972) 6.5
Walkabout (Roeg, 1972) 8.5
* Red (Kieslowski, 1994) 7.5
* Blue (Kieslowski, 1993) 9