Obscure Beauty: 2046 (2004)

Mass for Cinephile Shut Ins: Part Two

Let us commune over all this vague pre-publicity so as to garner faith and hope for a bright cinematic future. Let us also pass invalid judgment.

This is Part Two.

Mark Walhberg survives the ring

and director David O. Russell.

The Fighter

directed by: David O. Russell

written by: Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colick

starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo

Basically: An Irish boxer tries for the title of world lightweight champion by using his half-brother, a fighter and criminal, to underperform him in matches.

And We Should Care Because: Other than the bountiful possibilities for behind-the-scenes bouts between Bale and O. Russell? Well it's a notable difference in material from O. Russell's last success, I Heart Huckabees, but could find itself more in the vein of his genre-melding Three Kings. While Mark Wahlberg may have struggled with the dramatic punch of The Lovely Bones, hopefully he has no trouble punching the lovely bones of Christian Bale for this drama. The sideline female stars are also worth the attention, as was this project once being attached to director Darren Aronofsky, who would still find his success in the ring with The Wrestler.

Status: Mild Intrigue

Tony Leung for the block.

The Grand Master

directed and written by: Wong Kar Wai

starring: Tony Leung, Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Chen Chang, Brigitte Lin

Basically: The life and times of Bruce Lee.

And We Should Care Because: One should never doubt this auteur's potential for arresting output, even after being slightly soured by My Blueberry Nights. Wong Kar Wai also doesn't seem to be a filmmaker who'd be easily swayed by the conventions that the biopic genre so often favors. Instead it leaves plenty of room for the on-the-spot innovation and character play that have served the director's most distinctive works (Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love). Along with many of his favorite collaborators and legends of Chinese cinema (as actors and inspiration), we can hope it has the force of As Tears Go By with the flourish of 2046. If anyone can make ass kicking look sumptuous and sexy, it's Wong Kar Wai and a smokin' (probably chain smokin' ) Tony Leung.

Status: Can't Miss

Ben Stiller flirts with disaster and Greta Gerwig.

Greenberg

directed and written by: Noah Baumbach

starring: Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Messina, Rhys Ifans

Basically: Aimless Roger Greenberg housesits for his brother and soon finds inspiration and direction in his brother's assistant.

And We Should Care Because: Noah Baumbach's scaldingly funny scripts often seem an acquired taste, but the attachment of Ben Stiller should bring about a different crowd to his wonderfully acidic wit. Greta Gerwig, who has been charming under-the-radar in films like Baghead and The House of the Devil, stars as Stiller's love interest, and she has the realistic deadpan quality that Baumbach seems to look for. Also on board is the immensely underrated Jennifer Jason Leigh, who resonated remarkably in her husband's last feature, the likewise underrated Margot at the Wedding. See the trailer here.

Status: Curious

Sylvain Chomet has something up his sleeve.

The Illusionist

directed by: Sylvain Chomet

written by: Sylvain Chomet, Jacques Tati

Basically: A traveling illusionist must conjure and come clean about his tricks to a young, adoring fan.

And We Should Care Because: Animated marvel The Triplets of Belleville was Sylvain Chomet's last effort, and should prepare us for the more literal magic this time around. The aim to craft a film of such charm and mesmerizing atmosphere without the aid of dialogue seems to be in keeping with this new project. Look forward to something funny, feeling and unapologetically French.

Status: Can't Miss

Christopher Nolan defies expectation and gravity.

Inception

directed and written by: Christopher Nolan

starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page

Basically: A story of a CEO's blackmail and the architecture of the mind.

And We Should Care Because: Remember Sammy Jankis? Well we should all remember that Christopher Nolan's a champ at creating thrillers with scale that don't forsake character and some sort of emotional crux. The hush hush nature of the script seems justified by the advanced footage, which displays a gravity distorting thriller akin to The Matrix, full of stunts and surreal spectacle. With the scope of The Dark Knight and the mindplay of Memento, Nolan looks to do fanboys proud.

Status: Can't Miss

Pass on the chips. And your seed.

The Kids Are All Right

directed by: Lisa Cholodenko

written by: Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko

starring: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Annette Benning

Basically: Lesbian parents struggle with their biological sperm donor when their child turns 18.

And We Should Care Because: Of course the kids are all right. Who better to be your lesbian moms than Julianne Moore and Annette Bening? Director Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon) always give her actresses room to delve (think Patricia Clarkson and Frances McDormand), and she's working with two masters of their craft. Advanced word at Sundance hailed its award-worthy performances and effortless emotional backing. Timing couldn't be better given the family-focused content and its relevance in the marriage equality debate. Also notable that Julianne Moore finally plays a decent mother to her kids after years of avoiding, abandoning and fucking them (Boogie Nights, Far From Heaven, The Hours, Savage Grace, etc.).

Status: Can't Miss

Part One here. Part Three SOON.

I Thought Nought: The Essentials

The decade's finally over. Me talking about it? ...Not so much.

Moments and Thoughts on

the Best of the Noughts

-THE ESSENTIALS-

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Directed by David Lynch

David Lynch's deliriously fascinating and addictive fever dream aloft the City of Angels boasts an epic breakthrough from a sexy/scorned Naomi Watts. One of Lynch's finest cinematic experiences and artistic expressions. Gorgeous, ominous and wholly original; it's an impossible puzzle with all its pieces perfectly in place.

In the Mood for Love (2001)

Directed by Wong Kar-Wai

Sensuous longing of such exquisite craft and resonance. Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung spark one of the most haunting and passionate romances to grace the silver screen, without even allowing their romance to ignite. Wong Kar-Wai's enveloping aura looks back on a love in full bloom stifled in its time and place. Painful and majestic in its emotional and visual restraint, it's one of the greatest love stories ever told, and yet barely spoken.

Before Sunset (2004)

Directed by Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater's sequel-de-resistance picks up the love connection of Jesse and Celine with startling ease from its predecessor Before Sunrise, then adds to and extends it with a poignancy, maturity and immaculate sense of possibility. One flirtatious, funny and sobering stroll through Paris reveals characters that feel entirely real, with a spark that lingers even stronger nine years later. Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke bring immeasurable authenticity and charm to their romantic reunion, no cutaways to the Eiffel Tower necessary. Finally a romantic comedy that makes love and connection seem like more than a requisite ending.

Y tu Mamá También (2002)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Bawdy sex comedy and coming-of-age drama gain a dose of maturity, melancholy and cultural perspective -- not to mention a deeper understanding of characters initially driven by getting their dicks wet. Alfonso Cuarón's film feels like a journey of the unexpected, taking one by surprise with a light, naturalistic, and pulsating energy underlined by heavy, unspoken emotions. By the time the film and its characters reach their climax, there's a whole new way of looking at things.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Directed by Ang Lee

Like Ang Lee's best films it's both sparing and superbly grand - if not in the majestic mountain vistas than in its thematic and emotional reach. Steeped in repression and yearning, it toys with its American West origins to reveal a love story that's both roped in tradition and completely free rein. Like the inner turmoil of its doomed lovers, the film has an ache at its center that remains long past its misty-eyed final frames, much due to the deeply felt performances of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. It's classic romance with a literal bent, with an elegant restraint matched only by its raw passion. "If you can't fix it, you've gotta stand it." Lucky for us, this one's pretty flawless.

Dogville (2004)

Directed by Lars von Trier

Lars von Trier bares his teeth, chains you to your seat and smashes your Hummel figurines. This audacious and inventive approach to stripped-down cinema is about as big-scale in its ideas as anything this decade -- another vicious think-piece to follow von Trier's equal parts stunning and savage Dancer in the Dark (another decade favorite). Dogville looks into a seemingly sweet small town and the sourest sides of human nature. It's not the anti-American tirade many have criticized, rather a worthwhile indictment of society as a whole. Its satire is scathing, funny and sensationally dark, told with remarkable innovation and yet another daring and devastating turn by Nicole Kidman. A bit like a cinematic Our Town, populated by Depression-era scum of the earth.

More I Thought Nought (Best of the Decade) entries here.

Obscure Beauty: In the Mood for Love (2001)

"He remembers those vanished years. As though looking through a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see but not touch. And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct."

UR So Gay and You Don't Even Like Online Polls

AfterElton just released the results of their "Fifty Greatest Gay Movies" poll. Naturally a list like this is never worth much more than curiosity -- the same as with any poll summing up cinematic history. It's pretty much a "name fifty gay movies you can find at Blockbuster" list, but that's not to discount the many absolute gems that made it. It will come as no surprise that Brokeback Mountain took top honors, and I must say it would rank there or nearby on my personal list. The fact that it's followed so closely by 2007's Shelter is another matter -- a commendable film no doubt, but clearly a win based on recent memory rather than sheer brilliance. Also, how cringe worthy that there's more viewers in love with Another Gay Movie and The Birdcage than there are My Own Private Idaho!

Here are five films that didn't crack the list and that are just too astounding to pass by. You may not find them at Blockbuster, but this is the age of Netflix and internet piracy, so queue it or steal it. Better yet, buy them with money you've earned by returning your copy of Another Gay Movie.

Come Undone
(Presque Rien)

If there must be a coming out film on this list, it best be from the French. No preaching, no shouting matches, and no falsely sentimental endings. Come Undone is all about the mood of self discovery and conflicted first love. For Mathieu (Jérémie Elkaim) it becomes an issue of finding himself amidst his desires for the more open Cédric (Stéphane Rideau), as well as some troubling family drama. But drama is hardly the focus in this film, in fact it largely avoids those big moments in pursuit of something far more subdued and atmospheric. The official "coming out scene" is so passingly subtle that it exists merely as a stage of Mathieu's often dark emotional transition. It contrasts well with the sunlit warmth of his escalating feelings for Cédric and their exploratory summer romance. Talented director Sébastien Lifshitz cuts between these two tones to form an ambiguity very much in keeping with Mathieu's internal struggle. Compared to most American fare it's quite sparse and ambient, and that's precisely what gives the film its naturalism. Equal to that is the film's frank sexuality, especially notable in a scene where Mathieu and Cédric take to each other passionately in the dunes. Stéphane Rideau is a wonderfully sexy presence here as well, making the swooning desire all the more palpable.

Law of Desire
(La Ley del deseo)

Pedro Almodóvar's equally masterful Bad Education did manage to get honored, but this less available film from the gay Spanish auteur officially cemented his place in queer cinema. Part of the charm of Bad Education is the reflexive nature of Almodóvar's work, and this film acts as somewhat of a precursor to that. The story follows queer director Pablo Quintero (Eusebio Poncela) as he becomes the object of desire for a young fan, Antonio Benítez, played by a smoldering Antonio Banderas. Antonio's endearing nature and inexperience has Pablo quickly warming to him, but Antonio's intense feelings of first love mean taking drastic measures when he finds that Pablo has eyes for someone else. Almodóvar shows his usual talent for rich, unusual love stories and passionate, involving characters. The plot turns are nothing revelatory, but the motivations and complications are effortlessly thoughtful and compelling. It's beautiful work on all fronts, even taking in a notably progressive transgender character, played to perfection by Almodóvar regular Carmen Maura.

Happy Together
(Chu gwong cha sit)

Lai Yiu-fai (Tony Leung) and Ho Po-wing (Leslie Cheung) are off and on lovers whose worlds constantly converge and break away in this beautiful and expressive film from Wong Kar Wai, who knows a thing or two about sensuous romance. Kar Wai uses a unique process as a director in which he lets the story evolve and change completely during filming. It allows him to find the greatest truth in his characters and their relationships to form naturally. The outcome is as much a surprise to him as it is to the audience, and perhaps that's why this love story feels so honest and so innovative. Yiu-fai and Po-wing aren't the typical couple cinematically speaking, but their constant battling crossed with their invested need for one another is very typical of real life couples. Happy Together is gorgeous, organic and longing in a way so few relationship films are, especially ones that just happen to be about two men.

"I worry that you'll work in an office, have children, celebrate wedding anniversaries... The world of a heterosexual is a sick and boring life!"

Female Trouble

It's scandalous that not one John Waters movie cracked the list! I'm hoping it's that none of his films are overtly about gay relationships and not that gay audiences haven't sought out his work. Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble are two of his most raucous and reprehensible masterpieces, and Waters influence on queer and underground cinema must be acknowledged. He manages to make absolutely everything subversive, including having drag queen Divine play both the naughty Dawn Davenport and her repugnant rapist. Likewise there's the lovable Aunt Ida (played by the incomparable Edith Massey) persistently urging her nephew to stop being straight, "Queers are just better. I'd be so proud if you was a fag and had a nice beautician boyfriend. I'd never have to worry!" It's hilarious and refreshingly unfiltered. Being crude is one thing, but Waters has the wit to back it up.

Fox and His Friends
(Faustrecht der Freiheit)

Rainer Werner Fassbinder always tackles complex characters and socially relevant themes, and this one is an especially powerful cautionary tale starring Fassbinder himself in the lead. He plays Franz Bieberkopf, nicknamed 'Fox', a gay carnival worker whose desire to transcend his station ultimately pushes him lower than ever before. Fox buys lottery tickets in hopes of making it big, especially since he has to steal or borrow just to get money for the ticket. A chance encounter leads him into the arms of some wealthy and elite gay men who happily feed off Fox once his luck finally cashes in. For a 1975 release date it's a remarkably rounded portrayal of gay characters, both good and bad, which is an immense rarity even for modern releases.



Also missing from the list, perhaps not surprisingly, were any documentaries of value to gay audiences. Upon finally sitting down with The Times of Harvey Milk this last week, I was astounded at just how moving and impactful the life of this legendary activist still is. Harvey Milk's legacy will soon come into focus once again with Gus Van Sant's biopic Milk, but it would be a difficult feat to match this documentary, which will light a fire in the heart of anyone passionate about gay rights.

Additionally, there was no mention of The Celluloid Closet, which gives a worthwhile look at gay cinematic history. I'm actually partial to this compilation I found online called The Lavender Lens. It forms its narrative solely through the editing and takes us through gay representation since the beginning of cinema with clips that are surprising, funny and often unbelievable. A must see.

Get to watching these now if you haven't already had the pleasure. And if you have, write up your own list bitching about the great gay films left off mine.

Inanimate Therapy with Tony Leung

"You've lost a lot of weight, you know. You used to be so chubby. Have more confidence in yourself."

"You have to stop crying, you know. Where's your strength and absorbency? You're so shabby these days. Look at you."

"Say something. Don't blame her. We all have moments of doubt. Give her a chance, okay?"

"Lonely? You look a real mess. Cold? I'll warm you up."