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I expected more, yet it's still a solid flick. Very ambiguous which is a good thing in the end, but I wish it had made me care more for its characters.

A haunting and bizzare tale of 3 boarding school girls and their governess who went up the mountain onf a field trip but never came down. The mountain looks out into the world as Weir photographs them like they had faces, like they were alive. Similar to The Last Wave this film is again about the clashing interests between the refined European ancestors that settled in Australia, an the ancient, savage and mysterious native culture that lives there. Weir expands on this story, examining the lure of the innocent and fair sex on young men. Two boys were the last ones to see the girls that fateful day, and after they vanish they feel compelled to find them. The film is mostly about the effects after the dissapearence. It surrounds Mrs. Appleyard, the head of this school which has proudly been in her family for generations. Now after the disappearence, families are taking their girls home and others are not paying tuition for next semester. For the first time in the school's history it will be forced to close. Mrs. Appleyard is a stern woman it's true, but did she diserve this? What is trying to ruin her? The movie also surrounds the sole survivor of the ordeal, as the young boys find one of the missing girls barely alive. She is hurt by the burden of not remembering what happened yet being the key to all the answeres. The performances of the film are solid, they ground the film in emotional realism when so many bizarre events are occuring. It's an original film unlike any other, it's unpredicable and moving.

This is a really pretty movie, right at the edge of "visually dazzling", even. If you haven't seen it, it's a period piece set in 1900, about a few girls who vanish during a field trip/picnic. The acting is pretty good, if a little melodramatic, but then we're talking 1900, when melodrama was the order of the day. The costumes were excellent, as was makeup and hair. (Unusual in 70's films!)

The meaning of the movie is kind of an enditement of the conservatism of the day, which (perhaps) contributes to the hampering of the investigation of these girls' disappearance. Despite being laid out in the poem in the opening scene, that theme is pretty muddled, though. I was ok with that when I thought it was a depiction of an actual event. In that case, I'd think there would be facts they might want to include, even if it was a little unclear how those facts contribute to the story. But you get to the end, and there's the disclaimer that "any resemblance to anything real is a big coincidence" and I start asking "why did I watch this again??"

They're not so much telling a story as laying out a lot of . I get that it was Victorian times and people were very careful about what they presented to society, but as the unseen watchers, we're really not privy to much, either. For example, there's all this wierd lesbian energy that's hinted at, and sort of expressed, and MIGHT be a motivation in a murder, or else that girl just killed herself, or maybe she killed herself because she was a lesbianand we don't actually know which it is. It's entirely unclear what the story is. I think if it's fiction, then someone ought to decide which it was and tell the story.

It was fun to watch, though.

eery and haunting tale from down under. what isn't seen is most important. i put this one against any modern "horror" film in terms of creepiness. impossible to watch and not be affected.

Comments pending.

Memorable Picture with a haunting music score. This is a must see for all Peter Weir fans.

Picnic at Hanging Rock **** (85 / A)
Credited with bringing Australia's film industry to the forefront in its era, Weir's adaptation of Joan Lindsay's creepy novel is impressive in what it neglects to show us. The story is simple; in 1900, a group of schoolgirls and chaperones went on an outdoor excursion to Hanging Rock. A group of four girls went off by themselves to explore the terrain... and only one returned. The film then explores the reactions of the community; indeed, the mystery of the disappearance is only one element to consider. This version (found on the Criterion DVD) is a director's cut that actually deletes seven minutes of footage from the theatrical version. Since I haven't seen the original, I can't very well say how this adds or detracts to the story. Apparently, Weir decided to take away sequences that attempted to hint at the possibilities regarding this strange happening. If that's true, then I applaud the decision. Knowing less adds to the appeal of a film that already has much to note about sexual repression, hysteria and the natural sublime. Some flaws persist, such as a few of the raw performances (several actors' voices have been dubbed, and not with much sublety) and awkward editing choices. Still, Picnic at Hanging Rock resonates as a film that will never quite satisfy (and I mean that in the best possible sense). I have a feeling that I'll be revisiting this film quite a bit in the near future.

50 First Dates *** (66 / B)
One of the better mainstream releases this year, the successes in Peter Segal's amnesia comedy are two-fold: one, a (however ludicrous) premise that is actually engaging and consistently built upon; and two, excellent chemistry between the two leads. I must admit, I'll watch anything with Drew Barrymore in it; she can make the most ridiculous films interesting. I'll be the first person to acknowledge that she doesn't have much range, but she's perfect when playing sweet, attractive and loving women - it's her forte. Where this film loses points is its mean-spirited treatment towards any character not played by Sandler or Barrymore (that is to say, everyone). From taking shots at the simple-minded (and furthermore exoticized) nativefolk to sexually ambiguous figures (like Barrymore's lisping brother and Sandler's genderless assistant), 50 First Dates is relentless in its bashing of the "other". If it weren't for such ghastly and condescending humour, I would count this high among the best releases this year.

Torch Song Trilogy **1/2 (60 / B-)
You can't really fault this gay drama for tacking on every cliche of early queer cinema (the unaccepting mother, a gay-bashing incident) because... well, it was one of the first gay melodramas of its time. Still, Torch Song Trilogy can't help but feel very dated. Adapted from the off-Broadway play by Harvey Fierstein (Robin Williams' eccentric brother in Mrs. Doubtfire), this film incarnation never gets past tv-movie-of-the-week quality, despite its lofty intentions. The wide-reaching time span of the story is squeezed into a constricted length, and as a result, the situations feel tacked on, and the characters poorly developed (all except Fierstein in the lead). What works here is the actor himself in the spotlight; Harvey is excellent essentially playing himself (the play is based on his experiences), while Anne Bancroft lends able support as his overbearing mother. Matthew Broderick has a small role as one of Fierstein's lovers.

La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc **** (94 / A)
What can be said that hasn't already been said about this masterpiece? It was simply an overpowering experience; not enough can be said about Maria Falconetti's performance here.

Ooh most excellent. 'Twas very good and I highly recommend. Slow plot but kept you completly wrapped up in it. Beautiful in every way and hypnotizing.

Well, it's been a long time since I last wrote on here. A damn long time and since then I've seen plenty of good films. I couldn't even fit all the films I wanted to, so this will be a double-entry (HA!).

I'm not really in the mood to talk about each film in detail so I'll give a breakdown.

Once Upon a Time in the West, the forgotten cousin of Leone's more famous Man with No Name trilogy of films. Leone's trilogy of films with Clint Eastwood redefined the western genre. It ushered in the sixties revisionist style that is commonly associated with the spaghetti western. However, following these three films, Leone filmed Once Upon a Time in the West. An homage to the classic western film. A huge bomb at the time, it is now regarded as a classic and rightly so. Leone directs with such precision and his pacing is beautifully rhythmic and soothing. Also watch out for Charles Bronson's performance. Oh, before I forget, Henry Fonda plays a villain. Must be seen to believe.

Picinic at Hanging Rock is simply a haunting film but beautifully crafted. I fell asleep and missed about half an hour and was still completely engaged. Based on a novel of the same name, Picnic at Hanging Rock details the psychological fallout from the disappearance of three female students and their headmaster in the physically imposing hanging rock. What seems to set up as a whodunnit flick, the film is transformed into an emotional whirlwind of those affected by the mystery.

Well, now we get into some recent films. Firstly, I must say, Jim Carrey was robbed. The least the Academy could have done was given him a nomination. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, should have garnered Carrey a nomination but apparently the Academy is still upset over Carrey talking out of his ass in a previous show. Regardless, he was robbed. It's been awhile since I've seen this film and I'm trying to describe it the best I can from memory. Basically, Carrey and the brilliant Kate Winslet try to forget each other by having a new procedure done to their minds where someone can be completely removed from their memory. From the eccentric but brilliant mind of Charlie Kauffman.

Sideways was this year's big surprise. Paul Giamatti takes his friend Thomas Haden Church on a week long stag across different California vineyards, sampling some of the golden state's finest vino. Church is looking for one last lay before he settles down, Giamatti is just looking for acceptance from both the literary world and from women (be it his ex-wife or new flames). In the end, Church and Giamatti are a duo who need each other more than anything. Surprisingly funny too. Church steals this film with some impeccable comic timing. Definately deserved his best supporting actor nomination.

Million Dollar Baby is a quintessential American film. Clint Eastwood is one of America's finest cinema stars. With Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood has gone back to what filmmakers like John Ford and Howard Hawks did with American cinema, which is to tell an American story in a fashion that is poetic, theatric and rhythmic. There is one scene in particular that I'm thinking of that better explains what I'm trying to say. It is near the opening sequences of the film when the boxing gym owned by Eastwood is first revealed. I say no more, must be seen, an incredible shot. As for the film itself, I'm not too interested in delving into it; I plain loved it and worthy of all it's Oscar accolades. If you haven't seen this film, DO NOT READ any online articles on it. A lot of reviews and criticism reveal too much of the film. Just go check it out.

Finally I would like to comment on the Academy Awards. I'm a huge Chris Rock fan. I have a couple of his DVDs and several of his performaces on my computer. I think he is one of the most talented stand-up comics in the biz. In comedy central's top 100 stand-ups he came in fifth place behind Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, George Carlin and Richard Pryor. The Academy's decision to employ Rock as host was certainly a bold move. While Rock was enjoyable, he just did not have the edge that makes his stand-up bold. He was of course held back by censors and what not (bleedin' facists FCC!!!!). However, he made the best of it and I certainly enjoyed monologue. I certainly would not mind seeing him do it again. Million Dollar Baby dominated the major awards, which was good, after the joke that was last year's Academy (Lord of the Rings??? Give me a break, enjoyable but not best picture material), it was nice to see classic filmmaking and storytelling recognized this year.

Alright, I'm done writing for now. I said there was going to be a double entry but I'm tired of typing. So all three of you are going have to wait.

Here's a little known fact: almost every time you hear a monkey calling in the movies, what you're really hearing is this guy: