Lost In Translation

Son Of Godzilla

It would seem the creators of Godzilla consciously began catering to their main viewers, children, in Jun Fukuda's Son Of Godzila (1967). Researchers on an uninhabited island find massive radioactive praying mantis' and spiders. It also is the birthing ground for Son of Godzilla who hatches there and must contend with the pests until his father, Godzilla, arrives to save the day.

The Fugitive Kind

The Fugitive Kind (1960) directed by Sydney Lumet is something of a noble failure. It is the adaptation of a Tennessee Williams screenplay, Orpheus Descending and starred Marlon Brandon, Ann Magnani, and Joanne Woodward in the principal roles. The film did poorly at the box office, at a time when Williams could do no wrong, but was something of a triumph for the cast.

Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep

Jun Fukuda takes the helm for Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep (1966). This is a fun approach to a Godzilla film which begins with a 60s rock and roll dance fest tot win a yacht. Akira Terada returns as a thief who becomes caught up with a scheme to save one the stranded brother of one member of the group, however, things escalate quickly and soon they're trying to save the world with help from Godzilla who fights Ebirah (a giant prawn) as well as Rodan and an adult Mothra-no more baby larva.

Invasion Of Astro-Monster

In Invasion Of Astro-Monster (1965) sees Ishiro Honda directing original star Akira Takarada in a outer space story of earth invasion. Takarada is one of tow space men sent to a moon of Venus that turns out tobe inhabited and has a plan to colonize earth by using Gidirah, Godzilla, and Rodan. Some good special effects, however, spaceships and flying saucers are not among them. Otherwise good fun as usual.

The Farewell

The Farewell (2019) is an appealing film based on director Lulu Wang's own experiences as an immigrant straddling two cultures. In the film she travels to China for a sham wedding that is the cover for her family to spend time with her grand mother before she dies since she has been recently diagnosed with lung cancer. There's an added development that puts strain on the director's alter ego-Bili (Akwafina); the fact that they are with holding the diagnosis from her grandmother-she doesn't know she has cancer. It's an entertaining and moving film about life, death, and family ties.

Betty Blue

Jean Jacques Beineix's third film Betty Blue (1985) was an audacious film from the start. It is essentially about a passionate love affair between a handyman/would be novelist, Zorg (Jean-Huges Anglade) and a volatile younger lover, Betty (Beatrice Dalle). The relationship goes between highs and lows and Betty becomes his writing champion-typing it out after reading the 25 notebooks that contain the novel. So on one level she can be seen as a metaphor and on the another as the uncontrollable girlfriend headed for a breakdown. The film has some powerful cinematography and broad contrast of colors throughout. It was a revelation when I saw it when it first came out and it remains a powerful film 30 odd years later. The Criterion features include: high-definition digital restoration, approved by director Jean-Jacques Beineix, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack, Blue Notes and Bungalows, a sixty-minute documentary from 2013 featuring Beineix, actors Jean-Hugues Anglade and Béatrice Dalle, associate producer Claudie Ossard, cinematographer Jean-François Robin, and composer Gabriel Yared, Making of “Betty Blue,” a short video featuring Beineix and author Philippe Djian, Le chien de Monsieur Michel, a short film by Beineix from 1977, French television interview from 1986 with Beineix and Dalle, Dalle screen test, Trailers, New English subtitle translation, and an essay by critic Chelsea Phillips-Carr.

Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster

Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster (1964) once again has Ishiro Honda at the helm. In the last film Gozilla is defeated by Mothra-but here Gozilla joins forces with Mothra AND Rodan to fight Ghidorah. There's a return of The Peanuts as the spokeswomen for the monster and a subplot about a princess with a bounty on her head who is taken over by a 5000 year old spirit from Venus. I guess flying creatures work better than upright creatures such as King Kong. I still find it odd that a month is a hero in these movies-am I missing something?

Marriage Story

Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story (2019) may be his best film to date. It is the story of a controlling director, Charlie (Adam Driver) and his actress wife, Nicole (Scarlett Johansson). The film starts with them in couples therapy where we hear the voice-over of letters they have written to remind themselves why they married each other. When they get to the therapist's office Nicole refuses to read her letter and the slow march to divorce begins. Nicloe moves back to LA to work in a pilot that gets picked up and things start to get ugly as Charlie tries to exert his will of a "New York" family to the courts. Amid the tension are some great comic set pieces. It's a drama that relies on comedy to release the tension building in the film. There's an ensemble cast that adds to the film's likeability-especially Nicole's lawyer-Laura Dern and Charlie's lawyer-Ray Liotta. The film alternates between a variety of moods-whimsy, drama, comedy, and pathos in equal measures.

Matewan

Matewan (1987) is an indie film masterpiece from director John Sayles. It's based on the true story of a massacre that took lace between miners and strike breaking agents for the mine. It is Chris Cooper's first starring role as Joe Kenehan a union organizer who moves to Matewan to organize a union. It's a great ensemble cast that included Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham, David Straitham, and James Earl Jones among others. The film captures the look and sound of West Virginia in the 20s. The Criterion extras include: new 4K digital restoration, supervised by director John Sayles, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack,audio commentary featuring Sayles and cinematographer Haskell Wexler, new documentary on the making of the film featuring Sayles, producer Maggie Renzi, production designer Nora Chavooshian, and actors Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, Will Oldham, and David Strathairn, new interview with composer Mason Daring on the film’s soundtrack, new program on the film’s production design featuring Chavooshian, Trailer, and an essay by critic A. S. Hamrah.

Mothra Vs. Godzilla

Mothra Vs. Gozilla (1964) directed by Ishiro Honda is a markedly step up from the previous film in the series, king Kong vs. Godzilla. The Gozilla suit looks more realistic this time as do most of the models. You got to wonder about the writers--let's have him fight a giant...moth! Weird monster choice aided by the decision to use The Peanuts-a pop singling duo-as the spokeswomen for the island and the monster as miniature humans. Worse yet Gozilla is defeated by two moth larvae that wrap him up in a cocoon and then he falls into the sea. There a message in the film against greed and for the need for trust among all peoples-something that was missing from the last film. Akira Takarada returns from the original to star in this episode as well.