Back from LA

Apparently, some parts of LA did change since A Star Is Born.

Go down to the pics where it says "Garland's boarding house." The big white building on the right in the contemporary picture is Westin Bonaventure, our temporary home in LA for the duration of SCMS. More on the Bonaventure as a postmodern hyperspace here, in Jameson's famous Postmodernism essay.

Scorsese's L'Avventura

A woman mysteriously disappears on a remote island, where the waves pound the rocks.

Well, that's where similarities end content-wise, but Shutter Island uses a gorgeous visual quotation of Antonioni's L'Avventura as Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo's federal marshall characters look for the woman. Anyone who has seen My Voyage to Italy would know Scorsese's fascination with that film. His references also include Hitchcock and possibly Shock Corridor which I haven't seen, so it's enjoyable as always for a cinephile to watch a Scorsese movie.

Apart from references, however, Shutter Island stretches itself too long, making portions of it almost as unbearable as being locked up on an island that houses an asylum for the criminally insane. On top of that, the trailer gives away far too much information (or a sense of it anyway), ruining any possibility of a surprise. Of course it is beautifully shot and stellarly (over-)acted. But with Scorsese, I think it's fair to expect more.

Wolfman

It takes a special talent to make Anthony Hopkins, Benicio del Toro, and Emily Blunt appear untalented. Wolfman manages to do just that. It is suffocated among all imaginable horror-film cliches, not a single one of which is used creatively. On top of all that, it's ridiculously Freudian in terms of the Wolfman's daddy issues. Its horror is limited to sudden loud scares, which only helps the viewer wake up at regular intervals. Such a waste...

Vavien

(This is a very late post. It's amazing I can be so behind with such short reviews.)

Vavien is the third feature film by Taylan Brothers, and for many, their best so far. By far. It is also a rare example of popular Turkish cinema that is actually good. The story is tight (until the third act anyway), acting is superb, art direction and music are just as they should be. Much of the credit might have to go to Engin Gunaydin, who wrote the script and plays the miserable (and rather pathetic) small-town family man Celal. The first half of the film has been likened to Coen Brothers' works (what a joy not to have to give proper reference!), but unfortunately the ending tries to get away with too much, too easily. Nonetheless, one of the most enjoyable Turkish films in years. Try to see it if it comes your way.

On a somewhat different note, I was completely expecting this film to get the 'Best Film' award from the Film Critics Association, and it didn't. Surprising.

Neşeli Hayat

A Turkish Frank Capra movie about a mall Santa. Has some good performances (especially Büşra Pekin) and an interesting take on life in the malls, but ultimately, it left me somewhat ambivalent.

Avatar

James Cameron is insane. In a good way.

Visually, the movie is stunning. Blue elves (the Na'vi, which sounds much like 'mavi', Turkish for blue) may not be very original, but they are beautifully rendered, and the entire planet of Pandora is a delight to watch. See it in 3-D if possible.

What bugged me is not how the film looks, and not even what it's saying, but how hard it's trying to be PC. You could read the Na'vi as Africans (there's the whole history of colonialism right there), with their jewelery, the giant baobab-like tree and certainly (and not very subtly) their accent. The general (who is now working for a private security firm) and the choppers come right out of any Vietnam movie. Iraq and the insurgents are certainly in there. There's even the fall of the twin towers, except that the roles are reversed. In case you missed any of the visual clues, the evil general utters the words "pre-emptive strike." The entire story feels like a lame attempt at a confessional for any and all US (and European) aggression. Yet, the ultimate hero of the film is a former marine, and the "natives" are properly othered.

And the song at the end - even worse than 'My Heart Will Go On.' Hopefully less catchy.

There's more to be said, for sure, but I'll keep it short. For now, anyway...

Chéri

There's a certain contentment that comes with watching a well-made period piece. Stephen Frears' Chéri is that kind of a period piece. It's absolutely gorgeous.

Apparently, Michelle Pfeifer is now officially Hollywood's 'older woman'. And what a woman.

As for the young man, Rupert Friend is fantastic. In many ways. This is what Kıskanmak's young man should have looked / acted like.