Red Cliff
5 ½ hour film, in two parts, based on a classic of Chinese literature about a great battle in 208 A. D. Directed by John Woo, famous for action films. Everything is designed to be an epic, and perhaps it has some more meaning for Chinese, but there are no real characters, just heroes. It’s OK, but didn’t really interest me. And I thought Woo’s directing, or the editing, was a little clumsy and disorganized. ²²

Blind Love
Japanese film about a blind woman who falls in love with a ventriloquist’s voice. A lot of sex, but a humorous and finally very sad meditation on the impossibility of true love. The ventriloquism is an insightful metaphor in several forms throughout. Surprisingly meaningful. I’ve been thinking about it since I saw it. Well worth it. **

Knowing
Film about an impending global disaster that is predicted by a little girl in a set of numbers. Everything about this film is bad. Nicholas Cage and his best buddy are completely unconvincing as scientists, the writing and acting are poor, and the ending, what we find out has been going on all along, has nothing to do with all the mystery. Waste of time. One star for the creepiness. *

The Last Station
A beautiful and well-acted film about Tolstoy’s last days. As always, Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer were superb, and everyone else was very good. Sticks close to the real history as well. Proves to be an interesting meditation on the difficulties and fundamental need for love. Very well done and enjoyable. ²²

Salt
Only went to this because Dave paid. Best thing about it was being with him. She is never the character, just always Angelina megastar. Because of that, the plot is transparent very early, and the ending is completely unbelievable, as she was as a Jane Bond character. Bad.

Sunshine Cleaning
Really uninteresting chick flick about two sisters who are mired in adolescence even though they are trying to act like adults. Though the acting and directing weren’t bad, and Alan Arkin was fantastic, as always, I really disliked both of the main characters and all their struggles to discover their personhood, at the expense of everyone around them. *

Creation
Film about Darwin’s struggle to write and publish On the Origin of Species. Having read a couple of books on this topic, I found it disappointingly unhistorical, especially his wife’s relationship to the book and the religious battle. Turns into a very contemporary relationship counseling session. Too bad. Wasted the fine acting. *

Predators
Latest in this franchise where the humans are now transported to the Predator planet to be hunted as game. Marginally interesting premise, but as usual, the narrative breaks down and the characterizations are non-existent or stereotypes. Waste. *

Stagecoach
John Ford is an icon of American cinema. I have seen his major works and I accept his place in film history. This is one of his earliest works (John Wayne plays a young man), and I was very uncomfortable with the overt racism and sexism, and the stereotype characters. Wasn’t enough cinematic genius to make it enjoyable. Don’t regret seeing it though. **

The Last Airbender
Entertaining and nice visually, this film is about a kid who returns after a 100-year absence to unite the peoples of the four elements against the hegemony of the fire clan. It’s got kids as the stars, and it is pretty much for adolescents. Because of what Shyamalan did with a film critic in Lady in the Water, every critic has been savaging it out of spite, but it’s much better than the reviews, and I’m glad I saw it. Hope he does the sequel it’s set up for. **

The Last Airbender
Entertaining and nice visually, this film is about a kid who returns after a 100-year absence to unite the peoples of the four elements against the hegemony of the fire clan. It’s got kids in it, and it is pretty much for adolescents.  Because of what Shyamalan did with a film critic in Lady in the Water, every critic has been savaging it out of spite, but it’s much better than the reviews, and I’m glad I saw it. Hope he does the sequel it’s set up for.**

Pitfall
A brilliant and beautiful film, visually and thematically, by Techigahara Hiroshi about miners in Japan. Hard to believe it was his first film. Starts his incredibly productive cinematic collaboration with Abe Kobo. Couldn’t take my eyes off it. Excellent video essay in the Criterion Collection DVD, as well. Very good. ***

Japan’s Longest Day
Interesting historical drama about the 24 hours between the time emperor Hirohito decided that the war must end and the radio address he made telling the Japanese people. A little too patriotic, but very well done. Well worth it, even though I already knew the history.**