Posts Tagged ‘wes anderson’

  • 16 Mar

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    My 13 Most Anticipated Films of 2013

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    Anticipated2013MoodIndigo

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    In honour of finally seeing a 2013 movie that I’ve been eager to catch (Chan-wook Park’s Stoker – which was a heaping batch of candy and colour coated fun), I thought I would lay out some of the films I’m most excited to see in 2013. I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch (I’ve heard that Lucretia Martel has a new one coming out this year, but haven’t found any confirmation) and I could make the list even longer (sorry Richard Kelly and Terry Gilliam – you guys just missed the cut), but these 13 stand out as my most anticipated:

     

    Mood Indigo – Michel Gondry

    I’ve already mentioned in a previous post that this became my number one “can’t wait for it” movie of the year the second I heard about it. I’ll always be curious what Gondry does and this looks to have a great sense of wonder to it.

     

    Anticipated2013PigeonSatOnABranch

    A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence – Roy Andersson

    This would likely be my number one if I could only be assured it was actually coming out this year…I was over the moon for Andersson’s last film You, The Living from 2007 (not to mention adoring his 2000 film Songs From The Second Floor), so I’ve been waiting somewhat, though only somewhat, patiently for the follow-up…After seeing The Story Of Film at TIFF 2011, I was able to chat very briefly with director Mark Cousins and he said he had seen Andersson’s new film and that it was amazing. And now that this is the third year in a row that predictions are being made about it’s arrival at Cannes, the patience is, ahem, wearing thin. The word “eager” doesn’t even come close to describing my anticipation.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 31 Dec

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    Mamo #285: 2012 Unchained

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    Happy new year! Mamo casts its eyes back on the year 2012, the year in which the Avengers assembled, the Dark Knight rose, and the words “Mayan apocalypse” turned out to be referring to Taylor Kitsch’s career. The Matts give a broad survey of what worked, what didn’t work, and what were (in our wide and varied opinions) the best films of the year.

    Mamo #285: 2012 Unchained [ 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup

    To download this episode, use this URL: http://rowthree.com/audio/mamo/mamo285.mp3

  • 21 Jun

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    Cinecast Episode 262 – Sturdier!

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    Aaron Hartung, friend and (literal) neighbor of Rowthree, joins the cinecast as we discuss Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. After basking in the warm gloss of Anderson’s 1965 New England island adventure, Aaron cannot help himself (like Donnie in The Big Lebowski) and asks a few more plot questions regarding Prometheus before Gamble gives a middling summary of Timur Bekmambetov’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The Watchlist varies from pleasant if forgettable Dreamworks Animation, political backroom strategy, Ben Kingsley’s libido, The Rock’s ukulele skillz and from Technicolor meta-westerns to Danny Boyle’s resume for the London Olympic Ceremonies. Important questions such as who has a sexier voice (Aaron vs. Andrew) are addressed, as well as when is a fish hook simply a fish hook, or a shoe just a shoe. Riveting stuff folks and it is all here.

    As always, please join the conversation by leaving your own thoughts in the comment section below and again, thanks for listening!

     
     

    Cinecast Episode 262 [ 2:31:51 | 104.27 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup

     



    To download the show directly, paste the following URL into your favorite downloader:
    http://rowthree.com/audio/cinecast_12/episode_262.mp3

     
     
    Full show notes are under the seats…
    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 24 May

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    Review: Moonrise Kingdom

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    Perhaps the chief delight of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom is that it is the most quintessential Wes Anderson movie to date. That is not to say it is his best film, or his most insightful film, or even his most imaginative film but it feels as if the quirky auteur (both in style and grace) has come as close to the Platonic ideal of what his cinema is. It makes the film a pretty good entry point for the uninitiated, while simultaneously pandering to the faithful and likely further alienating those who do not like his brand of moviemaking. My overall experience added up to the most fun and pure aesthetic pleasure upon first experiencing any one of his films; and I like them all plenty good. Upon a weeks worth of post viewing reflection, there is some apprehension on the possibility of this being the most shallow, character-wise and story-wise, of all of his films, but time and further viewings will tell that tale.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 23 May

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    Movies I Watched at the 65th Cannes Film Festival 2012

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    With the 65th Cannes Film Festival enjoying one of its most (potentially) impressive line-ups in years I was lucky enough to attend the festival this year. Due to work and financial constraints I could only make the first few days of the festival, but I still managed to squeeze in 10 films (and the last half of Project A on the beach). So to give you my thoughts on what I watched, plus to rub it in for those who weren’t there, here are capsule reviews for everything I caught.

    A couple of my friends and colleagues are still there and plan to record some podcasts during the festival, so keep an eye out at Blueprint: Review for those. I recorded a couple with them last week so check those out over there too.

    Flying Swords of Dragon Gate

    Director: Tsui Hark
    Screenplay: Tsui Hark
    Starring: Jet Li, Xun Zhou, Kun Chen
    Country: Hong Kong
    Running Time: 121 min

    (2.5/5)


    Tsui Hark’s latest martial arts extravaganza is entertaining and handsomely mounted but rather uninspired and clumsily plotted. There are a few too many characters too and it gets a little confusing at times. It’s not as enjoyably crazy as Hark’s previous offerings either which was disappointing but it is action packed and still fun to watch. The 3D is OTT which does it favours at times, adding depth to the lavish and extravagant sets, but distracts at others with a barrage of items being thrown at the camera.

    Moonrise Kingdom

    Director: Wes Anderson
    Screenplay: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
    Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Edward Norton
    Country: USA
    Running Time: 94 min

    (3.5/5)


    Wes Anderson’s new film is charming and enjoyable but ultimately very slight. The central romance is a little too creepy to anchor the emotional core with the kids acting like adults all the time, but Anderson’s style takes centre stage and it’s clearly lovingly crafted, making for a very pleasant and easy watch. Maybe that’s faint praise but it’s hard to come up with a better way to describe the experience. I certainly enjoyed it at least.
    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 20 Feb

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    Kids Talk Film: Fantastic Mr. Fox

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    Episode #12 finds Willem (8) and Miranda (7) hitting up the heavenly combo of Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson. This episode may have a more kid friendly film than normal, but really, it is an adult film (and a Wes Anderson film) in fox’s clothing.

    The entire series, designed to be a not-too-varnished look at how young kids process movies both in storytelling, plot and meaning, can be found on the Vimeo Kids Talk Film Channel.

  • 12 Jan

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    Trailer: Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom

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    We’re big fans of idiosyncratic filmmaker Wes Anderson around here with the likes of The Royal Tenenbaums, Bottle Rocket, Rushmore and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou loved by many of the Row Three team (although I personally don’t care for Zissou all that much). Any new film by him is quite an event and his latest Moonrise Kingdom is no exception, the trailer for which has just hit the web over at Apple.

    IMDB describes the plot as:

    Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down — which might not be such a bad thing.

    The cast is to die for with the likes of Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel and Tilda Swinton inhabiting this particular example of the director’s unique world. The trailer is vintage Wes Anderson but as far as I’m concerned that’s a great thing. Watch it below.

    Moonrise Kingdom is scheduled for a limited U.S. release on May 25th.

  • 08 Jul

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    Friday One Sheet: Bottle Rocket

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    My love for this film is well documented in these parts, and I do quite like the pencil crayon Criterion covers for their Wes Anderson collection. But I like this one even more.

  • 20 May

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    Cinecast Episode 213 – Broadening Your Horizons by Telling You Something You Already Know

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    We still have not figured out that it is the ‘summer blockbuster’ season, so instead Kurt and Andrew decide to dig into one of the big Canadian films, (nominated for best foreign language Oscar) Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies (which we keep very light on *Spoilers*). An epic ‘what we watched’ section follows. Along the way, tangents on Lars von Trier and Cannes, the two fantasy epic mini-series on cable, Tree of Life, and Jodie Foster’s Beaver. There are lots of good DVD and Netflix picks to round out the show.

    As always, please join the conversation by leaving your own thoughts in the comment section below and again, thanks for listening!

     
     

    Cinecast Episode 213 [ 2:59:47 | 102.87 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup

     

    To download the show directly, paste the following URL into your favorite downloader:
    http://rowthree.com/audio/cinecast_11/episode_213.mp3

     
     
    Full show notes are under the seats…
    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 23 Mar

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    From our Netflix Queue

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    With the growing popularity of Netflix instant streaming in the U.S. and its most recent arrival into Canada, we at Row Three would like to highlight some of the great choices available at the press of a button.

     

     


    Annie (John Huston)

    One of the very first films I remember my parents taking me too. And wow does it still hold up! Great song and dance numbers, anti-communism subtexts, the political divide, the great depression, cute kids, a stellar Broadway cast and the 7-UP guy using the force. If Burnett and Finney weren’t nominated for an Oscar that year, they damn well should’ve! Sheer brilliance. Family films just aren’t made this way anymore perhaps most certified by an extended sequence with the joy of going to the movies. It’s exciting, funny and if nothing else the thirties had style. Relive this near masterpiece now while it’s available at the click of a button.
    -ANDREW
     

    it! (USA)

     

     


    Community – Season 1 (Dan Harmon)

    Enough people had told me to watch Community that I finally caved and took a look. Within the first five minutes of the first episode I laughed so hard I had to pause for fear of missing the next joke. The show follows a motley crew of characters trying to perpetually study for Spanish class in an undignified community college. As ensembles go, this has got to be the best, with the stand-outs for me being Joe McHale as Jeff, the so-called leader of the group (who is as close to Adam Scott in acting style as you can get), Chevy Chase as Pierce, the elderly student trying desperately to seem cool, and of course, Danny Pudi as Abed, the insanely meta oddball who insists they are all in a sitcom. Meshing a lot of the great aspects of Party Down and Freaks and Geeks, Community is relentlessly funny (sometimes veering a bit too far into non-sequitur comedy for my taste but usually tempered with a meta-understanding that apparently builds upon the Abed character in future episodes). As someone who has attended community college I see a lot of truth in this otherwise go-for-broke oneupmanship of half-hour sitcom comedies. I have only seen the first 15 episodes so far, but of these, the consistency of quality remains incredibly high. Try the first episode, this is quality straight out of the gate.
    -MIKE
     

    it! (CANADA)

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 08 Oct

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    Now Playing at the Row Three Rep: The Art of Travel Triple Bill

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    [Row Three programming if we owned a rep cinema]

    The Art of Travel Triple Bill

    The Brothers Bloom – 5 pm
    What Time Is It There? – 7:15 pm
    Hotel Chevalier, followed by The Darjeeling Limited – 9:30 pm

    I love travel. There is nothing quite like the sensations of being immersed in an unfamiliar place, of learning to adapt to (or, at least, keep afloat within) a different culture, of making new discoveries and memories as you are carried along your journey. I believe the films selected for this lineup perfectly capture the experience of travel, each one focusing on different facets that, overall, comprise the cascade of impressions both positive and negative that are felt when you venture forth into the world, suitcase and camera in tow.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • 05 May

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    Malick. Anderson. Von Trier. Criterion.

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    It looks like Amazon screwed up a little bit by jumping the gun on offering up preorder pages for DVDs that don’t exist… yet. Criterion has confirmed that this fall (sometime) they’ll be releasing a number of well known titles on both regular DVD and Blu-ray.

    No surprise that Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Ltd. will get the treatment; all the rest of Anderson’s work has, so why not this one?

    Better still, Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line (which I just finished rewatching over the weekend) will get a Criterion spine number as well. The picture is already glorious, so on Blu-ray it should look absolutely stellar. Already the most epic cast of all time, the extras might include the cut footage with eight more big name actors. That would be nice – to put it mildly.

    And of course a RowThree favorite (making my personal top ten last year) is Lars Von Trier’s gorgeously made, arthouse, torture porn film, Antichrist. Once again a visually stunning film that will best be captured by the folks over at Criterion.


    image stolen from playlist. thanks!

    Getting some nice re-release transfers onto Blu-ray are Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (an eventual Blu upgrade for all of his previously released titles is imminent I’m sure). And also the much divisive Videodrome from David Cronenberg will now be able to be seen in Hi-Def.

    Lookout pocketbook. Autumn is going to be a bit busy!

     

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