MORE ON FILM: Underseen

[Kasept]

With all the great film chat, here's a list of films many may not have seen in recent, and not so recent, years that would be good additions to your Netflix lists...

1.) RUSHMORE (1998): Like anything from auteur theory practioner Wes Anderson, under-marketed and highly underseen. Wonderful, with Jason Schwartzman brilliant and Bill Murray hysterical. With a thoughtful script, co-written by Anderson and Owen Wilson, Olivia Williams, Sy Cassel and Brian Cox support quietly. Great.

2.) THE KILLING (1956): Stanley Kubrick's first studio film, and a corking good caper story backdropped by the planning of a racetrack money room heist. Sterling Hayden, years later Capt. McCloskey in The Godfather ("I've frisked a thousand young punks"), as the ringleader, with a supporting cast of familiar faces with lesser known names. In black and white, the exact shading of the film's themes.

3.) THE PLAYER (1992): "A list" actors lined up when the just-past genius Robert Altman announced his plan to film Michael Tolkin's searing portrayal of the Hollywood movie-making apparatus. Art was imitating life here as no one had more trouble with the major studios than Altman, the first true "independent" film maker. Tim Robbins as vapid studio honcho Griffin Mill who literally "kills the writer". Must be seen 20 times to appreciate the nuances and notice all the stars with cameos.

4.) BARTON FINK (1991): With "Miller's Crossing" and "The Hudsucker Proxy", part of the Coen Brothers 'under-appreciated' legacy. While "Fargo" and "Raising Arizona" get the attention, these other three are all brilliant. Also a poke in the eye of the Hollywood studio system, this time from John Turturo's perspective as the title character, a NY playwright brought to LA by studio head Jack Lipnick (a perfect Michael Lerner) to make 'important films'. Instead he is assigned a Wally Beery wrestling movie, and his life spirals downward from there. Incredible turns from the Coen's casting index including treasure Jon Polito, John Mahoney, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Steve Buscemi and Tony Shaloub (incredible here as studio exec Ben Geisler).
If you've never seen it, you'll be stunned by its' depth.

5.) DARK CITY (1998): Roger Ebert made this totally unseen Alex Proyas sci-fi/film noir his 'Best of 1998', and the picture is undefinable. Along with "Being John Malkovich", it is the kind of movie that justifies the inordinate amount of crap typically churned out in theaters. The viewer is drawn into a bizarre world and a head-spinning murder mystery instantly as we follow Rufus Sewell through an ever-changing deco city. Who is he? Who are the strangers? What happened in the hotel room? Keifer Sutherland, as a doctor that helps Sewell answer questions, turned in a performance here that was the first indication that he had been handed down some of the talent his father has. William Hurt is tone perfect as Inspector Bumstead, and Jennifer Connolly, worth the price of admission to ANYTHING she is in, lights up the otherwise dark screen. With themes and visuals pulled straight from Fritz Lang, director Proyas ('The Crow', but also "I, Robot") creates a tension that is mesmerizing. Rent the DVD. Watch it once. Then again with the commentary track from Ebert. Truly a film for movie buffs.

SOME OTHERS...

LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945)

A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949)

BUFFALO 66 (1998)

HIGH ART (1998)






Will add more as they come to me..