Lost In Translation

Burning

Chang-dong Lee's (Poetry) latest film, Burning (2018), is one of those films that stays in your mind after seeing it. It is an adaptation of a Haruki Murakami story, "Barn Burning"-which in itself was inspired by a William Faulkner short story. Jong-su (Ah-in Yoo) is a would-be writer and aimless unemployed ex-student living on hi s father's farm when he runs into an ex-classmate the vivacious Hae-min (Jong-seo Jun). They have brief romance and she asks him to feed her cat while she is traveling in Africa. She returns with Americanized Ben (Steven Yuen) in tow. The unlikely trio is broken up when Hae-min suddenly disappears. Jong-su suspects foul play, but nothing is cut and dried in this film, which causes the viewer to reevaluate what has gone on in the film, because there are hints, clues, and false starts throughout. The cinematography is remarkable, this is one of the best films I've seen this year.

Elevator To The Gallows

Elevator To The Gallows (1957) was French director Louis Malle's feature length debut, and what a remarkable debut it was. It is a both a well-made crime thriller and New Wave paean to wayward youth at once. There's a fresh on location feel, due to the impressive cinematography of Henri Decae, to the story which takes place in Paris. Malle also was able to get Miles Davis to score the film.  It starts out with a crime of passion , where Julien Tavernier (Maurice Ronet) enacts a plan to kill his mistress Florence's (Jeanne Moreau) husband-his boss. However, he gets stuck in an elevator and his car is hijacked by a petty thief and his girl. They end up racing with a German couple on the freeway and then spend the evening with them before foul play occurs and they go on the run. It is an audacious and entertaining debut.

My Brilliant Friend

I can't say that I waited long debating whether to read Elena Ferrante's novels before seeing the HBO adaption of her books, My Brilliant Friend. The series follows the lives of two perceptive and intelligent girls, Elena (sometimes called “Lenù”) Greco and Raffaella (“Lila”) Cerullo, from childhood to adulthood and old age, as they try to create lives for themselves amidst the violent and stultifying culture of Naples, Italy. It started somewhat slowly for me-the first two episodes depict the characters, Lila (Gaia Girace) and Lenu (Margherita Mazzucco) while they were in elementary school in working class neighborhood. It becomes much more interesting for me when it picks up when they are middle school age. The series boasts great writing, production values, and ensemble acting and it is done entirely in Italian on location. It is certainly one of the better TV programs of 2018.

Let's Go (So We Can Get Back)

I have been a fan of Jeff Tweedy's music since his start as co-singer/songwriter in Uncle Tupelo and have followed him ever since. His second band, Wilco, has long been one of my favorites. As a result I was probably the ideal audience for an autobiography from Tweedy-Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) (2018). It was simultaneously released with his most recent solo album Warm (2018). This memoir is a very accessible and self-aware reflection of Tweedy's life and career to date. This includes essentially talking about his bands in chronological order as well as other musical endeavors such as producing albums for Mavis Staples. He also gives insight into his family and songwriting process. And he does not shy away from addressing controversial topics such as his opiate addiction, mental health issues, and his celebrated break up with former Uncle Tupelo co-founder Jay Farrar and his later firing of Wilco member Jay Bennett. It was a book I found insightful and entertaining-so very much written for fans of Tweedy's various musical projects.

2018: The Year in Music

Since I subscribe to iTunes I listen to more new music than I used to. So I'm going to list the music that has been getting heavy, moderate and low rotation on my iTunes this year.

Heavy Rotation: Hell On Neko Case, Look Now Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Tokyo Bay/Crying Inside EP-Nick Lowe, Suspira (Soundtrack) Thom Yorke, Dean Wareham vs. Cheval Sombre Dean Wareham & Cheval Sombre, I'll Be Your Girl-The Decemberists, Warm-Jeff Tweedy, Dust of Our Love-Joe Pena

Moderate Rotation: What a Time to be Alive Superchunk, Digital Garbage Mudhoney, With Animals Mark Lanegan, There's a Riot Going On-Yo La Tengo, Pas de las Luces-Mint Field, God's Favorite Customer-Father John Misty, Sparkle Hard-Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, How to Solve Our Human Problems-Belle and Sebastian

Low Rotation: American Utopia-David Byrne, In a Poem Unlimited-U.S. Girls, Big Red Machine-Big Red Machine, Tell No One-Bad Moves, Record-Tracy Thorn, Foolin' Around/Tailor Made-Lemon Twigs

Also, I really got into Godspeed Your Black Emperor! and The Sadies (who I saw live) when I was in traveling in Canada. Some other retro music that I added included The Fall (since Mark Smith died) as well as several albums I missed from 2017 from the likes of Jason Isabell, Old 97s, LCD Sound System, Black Angel, and more.

Escape From Japan

Yoshishige Yoshida's pulpy crime action film Escape From Japan (1964) feels as if it could be a Seijun Suzuki film. I suppose it has something to do with the bold primary colors used in the color production. It is several genre films at once-it opens like a heist film then there's a tense moral standoff after the crime goes awry in velodrome basement. Then it's a lovers on the run. None of the story line was very satisfying to, and the acting is way over the top with lots of screaming and maniacal laughing. There is some impressive cinematography and the jazzy score was composed by one of the Japanese masters Toru Takemitsu. I always enjoy seeing postwar close up on location like we see in this film and other cultural tidbits-like the fact the female romantic interest worked at a "Turko Bath"-which was  euphemism for brothels that a Turkish diplomat complained about and were later re-named "Soaplands"-which still exist today. The films opens and closes with an avante garde shot of artist Taro Okamoto painting on glass. Apparently, Yoshida left Shochiku Studios after this film and went independent because they cut the last reel, which was supposed to show the lead insane in a jail cell-I'm not sure that would have helped this film at all. All in all, I have to say this is my least favorite Yoshida film to date, but not without merit.

Enemies: The President, Justice & The FBI

Enemies: The President, Justice & The FBI (2018) is a well-researched documentary based on Tim Wiener's book of the same name. It is produced by Alex Gibney (Enron, Taxi to the Darkside, etc), and it looks at the most recent constitutional crises over time and compares them with the current one with the Trump administration. Nixon's example was a clear cut and dried example where there was no escape for Nixon. Reagan avoids getting caught and George H. Bush, how almost certainly was involved in the Iran-Contra affair pardoned many of the missing links in that fiasco like Gerald Ford before him. Clinton's impeachment is seen as a witch hunt with over reach by Congress and special counsel Ken Starr. I have a feeling Trump's going to dodge a bullet even as his cronies are being incarcerated right left and center and indictments are pilling up around him. He'll continue to fire people and pardon people in obstruction of justice. I hope I'm wrong, but it seems like that he'll be protected by the GOP.

 

Lupi 32

I saw that a new local restaurant, Lupi 32, got included as a Michelin Bib Gourmand selection, so stopped by tot check it out. Pizza Diavora.

Kurashi beef from Aomori.

Rigatoni with Kurashi beef and Yonezawa pork. I was really impressed, not cheap, but I'll be back sometime.

We Need To Talk About Kevin

I recently saw Lynne Ramsay's latest film You Were Really Never Here and decided I needed to see the only other film she's made that I haven't seen-We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011). I had some trepidation regarding it since I thought I knew what kind of film it was going to be. But those ideas were smashed in the opening where Eva (Tilda Swinton) is shown at a tomato festival in Spain that is surreal and self-consciously arty-this is no t your father's horror film. The film is a series of jagged flashbacks in which it exposes how thing s came to be in the present in the movie's universe. Eva's first son (played by three actors at different ages) has turned out to be some sort of demon seed hell bent on torturing his imperfect mother and those she loves. It is  another stunning tour de force with exceptional visuals and use of music.

Utage

Utage / Rebellion Of Japan (1967) is Heinosuke Gosho's last major film and a late career masterpiece. It is the story of a romance between an idealistic army officer (Jin Nakayama) and a married woman (Shima Iwashita). It takes place in the background of the failed coup d'etat in February 26, 1936. The soldiers fail and are tried and executed for their offenses. It is an unconsummated affair since the officer is completely devoted to his duty (giri) in serving Japan and sacrifices his personal desires (ninjo). The film stands out for tis visual style that combines elements of expressionism, realism, and theatricalism. The core style is realism, but Gosho uses expressionism when the tow lovers walk home from a kabuki play in the snow. And the fact that the woman's husband is a kabuki actor, allows Gosho to show scenes of a kabuki play throughout the film. It was a successful way to end his lengthy and active career as a director.