This is the earliest Hsiao-Hsien Hou film I’ve seen and it’s an impressive work—it’s most outstanding for the hypnotically beautiful compositions. HHH doesn’t move the camera, doesn’t work in close-up really, we have these (below) elegant bodies in the wide frame, shoji doors, depth of field work sublime mise-en-scene here-- truly stunning Oddly enough HHH claims to have never seen an Ozu film at the time of making this film. That’s almost impossible to believe- HHH is his own filmmaker, but to say more than a few words about this film without mentioning Ozu would be crazy--- static camera,

The melding of comedy and violence a la Tarantino with some of the stream of consciousness metanarrative work of Charlie Kaufman (particularly Adaptation)—Martin McDonagh’s strengths are in his writing Adore the glowing 0/4 review from Rex Reed—a badge of honor- hahaWe get one freeze-frame on the first psychopath – drops that aesthetic choice quicklyMagnificent opening of Michael Pitt and Michael Stuhlberg—this is true Tarantino- mob-guys, Travolta and Samuel L making small talk The Hollywood sign—this is a metafiction—the lead, Colin Farrell is a screenwriter, he’s named Marty (hey), he’s working on a script called Seven Psychopaths Writers block and

George Pal produced and is generally considered the “author” of the film (not director Byron Haskin) – Pal would go on to make (and actually direct) 1960’s The Time Machine – both adaptations of essential sci-fi novelsGordon Jennings won the Oscar for his special effects work It’s an update of the HG Wells novel- Wells’ novel is 1897 London and this is 1953 California—it puts it in the modern political sphere so we have the cold war (though it isn’t explicitly about the Soviets) – we’re in the nuclear age It could benefit from a better cast—they’re really stiff

There are long periods in which we are just watching great acting and writing – rare for a Scorsese film—but a few flourishes from the auteur, including that Wizard of Oz-like opening, elevate it over the standard strong docudrama the gorgeously saturated-in-red-studio backlot opening Ellen Burstyn gives a tour-de-force here in the lead- she won the Oscar for it. The ensemble is incredible as well. Diane Ladd (supporting nom), a young and eccentric Jody Foster, Kris Kristofferson’s easy charm--- Harvey Keitel is too much of a New Yorker to pull off the Cowboy role here- but I’d argue it’s

A masterful war/spy film told with intelligence and a distinct tone (through Melville’s mature style)--- and draped in a jaw-droppingly beautiful and consistent mise-en-scene of muted blues, grays, and midnight indigo day-for-night shots day-for-night shots Opens with an impressive prologue—German soldiers goose-stepping past the Arc de Triomphe—Melville fills the entire frame Meticulous in the visual design from the color palette chosen by Melville, to the rain and night sequences just after the opening credits-- clearly setting the visual tone- a gorgeous wall-art shot here The score sounds a little like a precursor to John Carpenter’s HalloweenGreys, blues, very bleak

Starts with John Hubley’s gorgeous avant-garde drawing and fable origin story prologue—he was fired by producer Rosen during the direction of the film (Rosen took over) The style consists of some gorgeous nature arkwork and the simulated rolling tracking shots (pushing forward like Michael Curtiz) as we push past grass in the countryside Great surrealism sequence showing the prognostication – it happens again in flashback form to show what happened of the borrow—great imageryPredators and land development out to get these rabbitsA really beautiful shot that shows the sky changing to pink duskAnother standout sequence is the simulated 360

In medias res opening like all of the Toy Story films- of them playing The enemy is greed here- adult collectorsAgain, the talented voice cast is worthy of praise- Hanks, Tim Allen and the ensemble back from the first film—this time the addition of Joan Cusack as JessieThere’s a great visual in Al’s Toy Barn where we have a giant wall of Buzz Lightyear’s with our Tim Allen Buzz walking along the ground The “When She Loved Me” montage with accompanying song by Sarah McLachlan is magnificent. Gut-wrenching. The transitions are even imaginative wipes using an object. Some of