Dear Cinema Diary - Vol 1 E 2 - Aug 2010

Ah, the top of the picks and managed to knock of a film from my best of 2009 films list.

Don't let the posters fool you this is a low-tech sci-fi. While much has been said about the unique handling of the immigration issue. I appreciated the story between the main character (the subject), the journalist (the writer) and finally the reader. Great dynamics between the three.

Amusing and fun film that still manages to be respectful to the characters.

A dark and sometimes disturbing film that still manages to pull off some cute and upbeat tones... so... strange or quirky are good descriptions of this film. I like that the issues in the film are not handled in trite or simplistic ways and the characters have more then one dimensional to them.

Could easily place this in 'mixed bag' because I'm not too fond of this film. I liked the idea but it just didn't quite work out well on the screen.

Very surprised at how low the rating for this film is on various sties. An absolutely remarkable cast. Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons are at the top of their game without any of the over the top acting that directors seem fond of encouraging.

Won an Oscar for best Cinematography and took home the Golden Palm award from the Cannes that year. Both awards were well deserved.

"People who believe their own truth call me Leo Lauzon"

Feces, masturbation and insanity keeps this film in a rather dark territory. The surrealist elements are very subtle.

Great film based on a true story. It is an amazing adventure of one life during WWII. Sometimes truth is really is stranger then fiction.

One of the films from my 1946 Cannes list that I really wanted to see.

It is surprisingly candid about the relationships between the men held as POW's and the women back home. It is remarkably well done and a nice break from the typical 'princess and the warrior' drivel that Hollywood currently pumps out. The last 15min are a little strange and cut poorly but the copy I watched was second hand so... have to wait for a re-release.

Considered a "French Noir" and actually this is perhaps the best way to approach this film from the new wave movement. While the breaking out of prison aspect might lead one to think this is a hard boiled drama... it far more subdued then that.

You know I really have no interest in watching the latest Tim Burton version of this story but oddly enough I did REALLY want to watch this one.

I was pleasantly surprised at this modest budget retelling of Wonderland, many years after Alice's first visit.

This is such a great ghost film and on a submarine! With a top notch cast this will be worth rewatching in the future.

The problem with any 'travel back in time to fix things' film is that your stuck watching the same footage over and over again. Yet, despite that inherent flaw, this French film does handle the story well without breaking any paradox.

I really do love this film and it is one of the best 'con job' movies. Most of the action is dialog driven which can be an issue for the 'subtitled impaired'. Still, the pacing was quick and script was well tooled. So, there was very little lacking from this little gem.

Guys family gets killed and then he goes about with an elaborate scheme for revenge. Yep, it is just a plan old revenge flick with a slight "Silence of the Lambs" feel. There isn't enough mystery, personal debate or personal insights to make this movie stand out from the pack.

I am always favorable to the thriller type of horror film. So, this worked well for the most part. Like *many* people have said... towards the end it just becomes silly.

So, it is a serial killer movie with a twist? Ah... nope sorry just a serial killer movie that is oddly disjointed. I kept looking for something beneath the surface especially with so many great actors but there wasn't much there.

Horrible, horrible, film... shot on video and most of that is in someones living room :P