New blog: "El Cine es Sueño"

After thinking about it alot, I have decided to open up a new blog about cinema. Only this time it'll be written in my mother tongue, Spanish. The thing is, when W-Cinema started, it all began by two things: a desire for sharing my love for the movies, and a manner of practicing English while doing it. It all evolved into this current blog, with some reviews written whenever I can. However, as years have gone by, I have been thinking about the possibility of now improving my Spanish, in the sense of improving my writing on Spanish. That's the origin of "El Cine es Sueño".

Paraphrasing the title of Calderón de la Barca's famous play, "El Cine es Sueño" is basically W-Cinema in Spanish. The name change results on a distaste for having a blog named "W-Cinema-Esp", or "W-Cinema-MX". It just didn't sound right to me. But the content will be basically done in the same style. Several reviews from W-Cinema will be translated to "El Cine es Sueño" (hopefully all), and later, films will be reviewed in both sites. What I mean is that this new blog doesn't mean activity in W-Cinema will stop. It may slow a bit from the fast rythmn that I was carrying in 2011, but it will not close. At least, not in the immediate future.

With nothing else to announce, please, if you have W-Cinema in your links, make some room for "El Cine es Sueño" as well. I promise it'll be worthy.

Cheers!

The usual New Year post (Top of 2011)

Once again, a year ends and another one begins, and with that comes new things, new life events, new problems, new triumphs, and of course, new movies. The fabled year of 2012 is upon us, and so it's time to look back and see what did the year of 2011 left us. Personally, 2011 was a great year, not only W-Cinema seemed to resurrect (somewhat) and deliver more reviews, but I also may have learned a thing or two about life in the process. Life is good.

Back to movies, given that realistically, nobody can truly get a full grasp of what's released during in the year (because of different release dates for different countries or limited availability), I decided to make three lists. One dedicated exclusively to the Top of 2011 as per tradition in W-Cinema (that is, based on the original release date, meaning the IMDB date). Another to detail my theatre experience (since I live in Mexico, expect several films of 2010 in the list, which didn't arrive until the last year). And finally, a list chrinicling the discoveries I made during the year, that is, films from any other year that I just happened to watch for the first time during this year that ends.

Naturally, with every list, you may agree or disagree with it, but whatever be the nature of the feeling this humble lists incite in you, don't be afraid to stop by and comment. Opinions are greatly appreciated. An now, the lists:

Top films of 2011

I couldn't decide what to place in first place, if Woody Allen's heartfelt tribute to the City of Lights, or Verbinski's animated homage to Sergio Leone. In the end, I opted for Allen, as his "Midnight in Paris" is a superbly done exericise in comedy that is always intelligent, witty and charming. Pretty much what used to be Allen's trademark in the past. Is this a return to form? A new masterpiece? I don't know, it's not. But it's certainly a remarkably enjoyable film. Oh, and I did not find "The Tree of Life" as amazing as it claim it is.
1) Midnight in Paris (2011, Woody Allen)
2) Rango (2011, Gore Verbinski)
3) Miss Bala (2011, Gerardo Naranjo)
4) Moneyball (2011, Bennett Miller)
5) Source Code (2011, Duncan Jones)
6) The Lincoln Lawyer (2011, Brad Furman)
7) Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, Rupert Wyatt)
8) Bridesmaids (2011, Paul Feig)
9) Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011, Brad Bird)
10) The Tree of Life (2011, Terrence Malick)

At the theatre 2011

My theatre experience, as expected, shows a lot of 2010 at the top places. The reason of this is simple: most of the best films of a given year that I see, are not seen during that given year. Four 2010 films appear at the top, and still, I have the feeling that they could probably end up not being the best of 2010. Who knows? Perhaps there's an unknown film from the Eastern bloc that I'll end up discoverying in the following years... Yes, once again I fell under the spell of Darren Aronofsky, but I don't mind to admit that "Black Swan", as unsubtle and loud as it is, is a film that works for me. But then again, "The Kids Are All Right" could also had been #1, so between both films, the decision was purely arbitrary.
1) Black Swan (2010, Darren Aronofsky)
2) The Kids Are All Right (2010, Lisa Cholodenko)
3) 127 Hours (2010, Danny Boyle)
4) Copie conforme (2010, Abbas Kiarostami)
5) Midnight in Paris (2011, Woody Allen)
6) Rango (2011, Gore Verbinski)
7) Miss Bala (2011, Gerardo Naranjo)
8) Moneyball (2011, Bennett Miller)
9) Source Code (2011, Duncan Jones)
10) The Lincoln Lawyer (2011, Brad Furman)

Discoveries of 2011

While I try to watch more modern films and recent releases, there is a lot in the history of cinema that I still have not discovered yet. This year gave me 10 films that simply left me breathless. It may sound preposterous, but the previous two lists have nothing on these 10 true masterpieces of cinema. Each one of them a landmark of filmmaking that rightfully earned its place in history. From the stylish "Laura" to the enigmatic "Zerkalo", each is a very well recommended movie to learn just how truly great an art form that humble invention call cinema can be.
1) Zerkalo (1975, Andrey Tarkovskiy)
2) Viskningar och rop (1972, Ingmar Bergman)
3) Paris, Texas (1984, Wim Wenders)
4) Nazarín (1959, Luis Buñuel)
5) Fort Apache (1948, John Ford)
6) Les quatre cents coups (1959, François Truffaut)
7) Paths of Glory (1957, Stanley Kubrick)
8) Viridiana (1961, Luis Buñuel)
9) Ladri di biciclette (1948, Vittorio De Sica)
10) Laura (1944, Otto Preminger)

Some Stylish Facts...

My dear friend, Dr. Morbius, mastermind behind the wonderful blog Krell Laboratories (a blog you should check out, as well as her equally insightful old website, Monsters of the Id), has picked me for her Stylish Blogger Awards, somewhat of an ongoing blogging event. What does this mean? Well, for starters it means that Dr. Morbius likes this humble place, which is in itself a great compliment. But also means that I should share seven "stylish" facts about myself, and tag seven more bloggers which I consider stylish enough for this. Well, her stylish facts were movie facts of course, so I'll refrain from breaking the laws and will have to do the same.

1) My first memory of attending a movie theatre is one visit to a cinema in the center of Mexico City, to see "Starchaser: The Legend of Orin" (1983) in glorious 3-D. However, that did not happen in 1983, as I wasn't even born yet; it should had taken place aroun '87 or '88. Anyways, I remember vividly the old school 3-D glasses, red and cyan, the popcorn smell, my younger brother asleep, everything. Now I know that "Starchaser" is mainly known as an animated "Star Wars" rip-off, but to me, it was the discovery of a new world. The world of cinema, as it was intended to be seen: on the big screen. Probably, I had been at a movie theatre before, but "Starchaser" is the earliest conscious memory of being in one that I have. Gosh, I still remember how cool it was the film's ending for me.

2) Since that early age, I became a devotee of home videos. In my house we had Betamax (which I still hold as the superior format, no matter what), and I began collecting bootleg tapes and recording things from TV. I was very young, and the first movies I remember having were a set of the "National Geographic Specials" series of documentaries. It included for example titles such as "In Search of the Great Apes" (1976), "Man: The Incredible Machine" (1986), and my two favourites: "Egypt: Quest for Eternity" (1982) and "Land of the Tiger" (1985), which I used to watch on a weekly basis (Egypt and tigers were two of my favourite things as a kid). That set was the beginning of my film collection. Amazingly, they musy still be around someplace at home.

3) As could be easily imagined given the content of this blog, I'm a also a devotee of horror films. The film that fully made me a horror fan was David Cronenberg version of "The Fly" (1986). I must have seen it around 1990 or 1991, and it blew me away. Never before had I seen a movie that disturbed me yet fascinated me at the same time. A monster so repulsive yet so tragically sad. The ending broke my heart (it still does), and I couldn't believe I was feeling sad for a monster. It was a whole new world for me in every aspect. Also, the whole thing mesmerized me: how in the hell could the filmmakers create that kind of monster? What was used to make it so real? I became a fan of "behind-the-scenes" videos after that. Oh, and it also left me a huge fear for skin-related diseases that I still have to date. Thank you David Cronenberg! "The Fly" (1986) is still a masterpiece, in my opinion, and it's one of those films I still try to watch at least once every year.

4) Still, movies were just enetertainment for me. A great source for enterteinment, but still nothing more than that. I roamed every mom-n-pop videoclub near my house looking for horror and sci-fi stuff to rent. And so, I discovered misunderstood gems such as the Godzilla films ("Gojira tai Hedora" and "Gojira tai Biorante" were my favourites), as well as the "Planet of the Apes" series. Films like "Adventures in Babysitting", "Big" and of course, "The Goonies" were also part of my usual movie viewing habits, which were based now mainly in the video stores and the tv. I did went to movie theatres, but mainly for big summer blockbusters. However, certain films made me discover more of what a director did at work, as they were unrelated films that carried a notorious and well-defined visual style: the films of Tim Burton. Not surprisingly, the 80s-90s Tim Burton's films became a hero for me and probably my earliest memory of wanting to become a filmmaker myself.

5) When I was fourteen, for some reason one weekend I decided to rent two films that changed my view on cinema forever: "Psycho" (1960) and "A Clockwork Orange" (1971). Granted, I may have not understood Kubrick's film as a whole, but "Psycho" did made me discover the magic of pre-1970s cinema, and the work of Alfred Hitchcock. The following weekend I rented the 30s version of "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" for a Universal double-bill and fell in love with B&W cinematography. Everything was different for me after "Psycho".

6) I kind of believe in the auteur theory that Cahiers du Cinema originated in the late 50s. I know that filmmaking is a collective work, but I find that there's always a certain vision that is followed. Of course, it is not always that of the director, it can be the producer's, the writer's or even the studio's. That said, I have five directors I hold in high regard. Perhaps I'll dislike some of their movies, perhaps even hate a couple of them, but they are my top 5 directors. The 5 names are Alfred Hitchcock, David Cronenberg, Luis Buñuel, Ingmar Bergman and John Ford. My goal as a filmmaker is not becoming rich and famous, not even to make a living out of filmmaking, my only goal is to make at least one film in the level of the ones made by those 5 directors, which I consider masters of the craft.

7) That said, in my quest through Luis Buñuel's filmography, I have found that I have not liked his most surrealist films as much as I have liked his most conventional films of the Mexican period. I could not get that much out of "L'Âge d'Or" (1930), and was initially confused by "El ángel exterminador" (1962), despite I did ended up liking it in the end. Still, I'd watch his enormously funny potboiler "La Ilusión viaja en Tranvía" over those two anytime.

8) I'd love to remake "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". Not only because I love Alan Moore's comic book, but because I love the original incarnations of the main characters (and think Moore made them justics in the comic book). It may not be something deep or artsy, but the film version of the comic left me so dissapointed that I take remaking it almost like a moral duty.

8 1/2) I kind of hate Pauline Kael's work as a critic. These two last stylish facts were freebies.

And that would be it. Of course, there's more, as for me, movies have been an integral part of my life. Many nmemories of mine are related to films in some way or another, and so my fascination with cinema is deeply rooted in my soul. From that first time watching "Starchaser" in 3-D to yesterday's viewing of 2011's spy-thriller "Unknown" (at the cinema, holding my beloved girlfriend in my arms), movies are for me, magic. Plain and simple. Cinémagique, as Georges Méliès would probably describe it...

Now I'm suppoused to tag seven bloggers who may be interested in making this. Unfortunately, I don't follow many bloggers (I'd still consider myself new in this, despite having been in W-Cinema since 2007), and the ones I follow, have been dormant for months. And of course, I could not pick Dr. Morbius again, even when I admire her writing quite a lot. So, let's see...

From Scotland, old pal Kevin Matthews from For It Is Man's Number
From Chicago, the awesome Dr. AC from Horror 101
And if you know Spanish, be sure to check out Diez Martínez' Cinevertigo

See you soon at the movies!

P.D. The cat is there cause he's cool.

W-Cinema's Brief top of 2010

Well, 2010 is over and, while here at W-Cinema things have gone from erratic to barely alive, it's still time to make the classic post about what was good (for W-cinema's standards) in the year. As with every list, you may agree with it, you may disagree with it, or you may perhaps send a good anthrax-filled letter to our door for not giving enough praise to González Iñárritu; all I can say is that this list reflects only the few 2010 releases I managed to see through the year, and that it also reflects W-cinema's taste in films. As expected, the list follows our somewhat established belief in genres and auteurism, including nice incursions in science fiction, heist films, fantasy, a meditation on superheroes and two nice case studies on the classic way of making a thriller. Two (ok, three) of W-cinema's all-time favourite directors do appear in it, two Mexican directors make the cut, and one Portuguese film made by the oldest living director. I know it's nothing but a small glimpse of what 2010 had to offer, but what the hell, here's W-Cinema's Top 10 of 2010 (and some certain honorific mentions).

10) O Estranho Caso de Angélica (2010, Manoel de Oliveira)

After 79 years of active career, Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira has seen a lot of the world, and that includes, a lot of cinema. In "O Estranho Caso de Angélica", known in English as "The Strange Case of Angelica", Manoel de Oliveira tells a simple fantasy of a man in love with a ghost, but behind the romance theme, it's also the tale a man in love with the past. And while the film takes place in modern times, Oliveira's style is also in love with the past. Perhaps, in love with his past. Classy and restrained, "The Strange Case of Angelica" feels like a window to a style that, like Angelica, can not remain dead but is in fact, very alive.

9) Kick-Ass (2010, Matthew Vaughn)
Comic book artists Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr. hooked up with scriptwriters Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman, and conceived the story of a teenager who becomes a superhero out of his love for comic books and a comics-influenced sense of justice. The result was a comic book published by Marvel, and an independently financed film directed by Matthew Vaughn. Flashy and hip, "Kick-Ass" looks like another cheap superhero parody, but it's actually a nice, fun analysis to the themes of idealism and the masked vigilante. Classic comic book concepts and motifs are viewed with a darkly humorous eye (and a taste for good gratuitous violence) that may put off someone expecting a David Zucker parody.

8) El Infierno (2010, Luis Estrada)
In Mexico, the open war against the drug cartels that the government has started has taken the violence to the civilians; and while the results of the Mexican Drug War are still to be seen (and we won't get into politics), the open acts of violence has turned towns and cities into branches of hell. Or that's what filmmaker Luis Estrada states in "El Infierno" (literally, "The Hell). Telling the story of a naive man whom gets deeply involved with the drug cartel that rules his town, only to discover the crude hell behind all the riches and fortunes; Luis Estrada brings back the raw aesthetics of the classic Mexican low budget action films with Mario Almada (who even has a cameo) and adds his brand of acid, satirical humor to make harsh criticism of the drug culture, the Mexican government, and everything in-between.

7) Biutiful (2010, Alejandro González Iñárritu)
Mexico again, but this time only via its director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, as "Biutiful" locates us in Spain, specifically in Barcelona, where Javier Bardem offers a tour de force in terms of acting as the film's tragic hero, Uxbal, a man who knows he is going to die. Living in poor conditions, working in the underworld and with a terminal illness over him, Uxbal begins to walk his last road, looking for redemption and attempting to ensure a slightly better future for the family he'll leave behind: his two kids. While I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, it is truly a great achievement, and also, probably González Iñárritu's most human film.


6) Hereafter (2010, Clint Eastwood)
Death and what comes after is what director Clint Eastwood explores in his 2010 film, "Hereafter", narrating three stories of people touched by death in some way, the legendary filmmaker makes a warm, subtle and classy meditation on the after life. A French reporter with a near-death experience, a real psychic who considers his gift as a curse, and a young boy desperately trying to find a message from the dead, all collide with an elegance that brings back memories from an older style of crafting drama films. And Eastwood opens his film with a quite powerful scene.


5) The Ghost Writer (2010, Roman Polanski)
Like Eastwood, Roman Polanski is a favourite here at W-Cinema, and fortunately, Polanski's adaptation of Robert Harris' novel of the same name, is quite a thrilling ride. Ewan McGregor and a terrific Pierce Brosnan star in this story of politics, lies and books; in which Polanksi once again demonstrates a talent for creating interesting tales of conspiracy. Sure, "The Ghost Writer" is far from being a reinvention of the political thriller genre, but the classy way the mystery unfolds makes this a truly enjoyable experience. Slow and subtle, the film begins with a certain tranquility that only begins the construction of a strong sense of urgency and paranoia in a way that Polanski knows very well.

4) The Social Network (2010, David Fincher)
Showcasing a great talent as a storyteller, David Fincher tackles on the story about the early years of Facebook. While it may or may not be an entirely accurate description of Mark Zuckerberg's life, it is an extremely well crafted story that manages to capture the essence of a generation. Fincher makes captivating this tale of young entrepreneurs breaking the rules and then breaking themselves. In the end, seeing it as an artistic expression, I guess it doesn't matter if it's a sensationalizing or not (although who knows how the real Mark Zuckerberg must have felt), it is a great story, told masterfully with great care and powerful talent.

3) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010, Edgar Wright)
Talking about films that capture the spirit of a generation, Edgar Wright's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" takes pop culture by the horns and fully captures the aesthetics of video games better than any video game movie. Based on the comic books (ok, graphic novels) series by Bryan Lee O'Malley, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is a surreal fantasy where indie rock, martial arts and 8-bits video games collide in a pastiche that's not only a flashy spectacle beautiful to look at, but also a fine example of a fun yet thought-provoking coming of age film. Along "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz", this movie consolidates Wright as a master storyteller for this generation.

2) Shutter Island (2010, Martin Scorsese)
Haunting, dark and atmospheric, Martin Scorsese's adaptation of "Shutter Island" feels like a throwback to the days of Val Lewton's somber horror-noirs of the 40s. In a mystery involving memories, paranoia and insanity, Martin Scorsese doesn't attempt to reinvent the genre, just toys with its elements building a thriller in the most classic sense. Now, this doesn't mean that Scorsese plays it safe, it's more a conscious recreation of a style of filmmaking that, while probably out of fashion now, still works effectively. Slow in its pace, and ominous in its atmosphere, "Shutter Island" is a thriller that goes back to the roots in gothic horror and Film Noir's emphasis in suspense; delivering a haunting tale of madness with a classy touch.

1) Inception (2010, Christopher Nolan)
Amongst the most recent breed of filmmakers, Christopher Nolan stands out as a director being able of churning out big Hollywood productions without losing his very own trademark style (in the same lines, only Del Toro and Fincher come to mind). After reinvigorating the "Batman" franchise, Nolan earned the chance of making his own film and the result is "Inception". A heist film for the 21st century, "Inception" shows Leonardo DiCaprio gathering a team of specialists to make a heist inside a man's mind. The mission? To enter the subconscious mind of a dreaming state, to implant an idea, and return alive to tell the tale. With this concept in mind, Nolan plays the rules of heist films, bending them to his will, resulting in a quite entertaining and though-provoking thriller. It's certainly not without its flaws, but certainly, "Inception" ended up being the most interesting film of the year.

And now, some honorific mentions:
- Piranha (2010, Alexandre Aja)
With great knowledge of the genre he loves, Alexandre Aja unleashes a powerful non-stop roller-coaster of nudity, blood and gore in a glorious old school style. Almost as if it had been made in the late 70s or early 80s.
- TRON: Legacy (2010, Joseph Kosinski)
While showing a good deal of respect to the original film, Kosinski's sequel fails to reach full circle and leaves one with the desire of revisiting the original. Still, it's quite a ride and the music (by Daft Punk) is perfect.
- La Pantera Negra (2010, Iyari Wertta)
Inventive, quirky, and fun (despite having a severely disjointed storyline), this walking tribute to film noir, Bergman and Mexican wrestling films shows a promising future for director Iyari Wertta.

Well, that would be all for 2010 (so far), at least, what W-Cinema could watch through the year (as always, I won't be able of watching some important releases, such as Aronofsky's "Black Swan", for a while). We'll see what does 2011 will have to offer, certain films do call my attention, like "Cowboys and Aliens", and I must admit to have a certain interest in Aronofsky's take on the "X-Men" films (as the last couple have not been entirely of my liking). As usual, the same annual promise of writing more in this place and bring back a constant flux of ideas. Until then, good night, and good luck!

Good bye 2009: A Top 10

Well, 2009 is gone, and as expected, it's time to talk about the good films the year brought with it. At W-Cinema, the focus tends to be on older films, movies released prior to 1970, but during the last year, I tried to watch as many 2009 films as I could. While it wasn't really a good amount of movies, it was an improvement over previous years, and probably this time I have a better idea of how was 2009, in terms of film. Granted, there are many films I have not seen, specially from countries outside the U.S., and some sound so promising that could even enter this list, in the future. I have not see yet "Zombieland", which being a horror film is quite attractive to me. Also, I have not seen Turkey's "Nefes: Vatan sagolsun", a war drama that looks incredibly interesting. The Coens' "A Serious Man", Anderson's "Fantastic Mr. Fox", and Reitman's "Up in the Air" are another three films that are receiving a lot of buzz, and probably will be on the Academy Awards this year. Finally, I also have not seen the documentaries "Home", "The Cove", and "Los Que Se Van".

Anyways, from the few 2009 movies I could catch, here are what I consider the 10 best. It seems that the sci-fi genre has returned and is here to stay.

10) "Inglorious Basterds" (2009, Quentin Tarantino)

9) "Up" (2009, Pete Docter & Bob Peterson)

8) "(500) Days of Summer" (2009, Marc Webb)

7) "El secreto de sus ojos" (2009, Juan José Campanella)

6) "Coraline" (2009, Henry Selick)

5) "Moon" (2009, Duncan Jones)

4) "Mary and Max" (2009, Adam Elliot)

3) "Antichrist" (2009, Lars Von Trier)

2) "District 9" (2009, Neill Blomkamp)

1) "Avatar" (2009, James Cameron)


...and welcome 2010.

...and a new year begins!

Well the year 2008 is gone now and so it's time to reflect about what happened through the year and wonder about what the new one will bring. Hopefully, it'll bring us great cinema, whether that means newly released movies on the big screen or newly released films on DVD, I won't mind. As long as it's great cinema. Will this be the year when Tod Browning's "London After Midnight" (1927) gets discovered? Nobody knows, but 2008 brought us the release on DVD of the most completer versions of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1923), "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens" (1922)and of course, the discovery of some of the missing footage of "Metropolis" (1927) in Chile promises a new DVD for 2009. In the mean time, we can only hope.

The big screen was pretty good last year, while I wasn't really watching the newest releases, the critics I respect and follow covered pretty good films (that I'm sure I'll check later this year) that seem to prove that cinema is not dead, on the contrary, it's quite alive and kicking. I've already published my humble Top 10 of year 2008, which isn't much considering that out of 200 films I saw last year, only 16 were 2008 releases. Anyways, this time I'm publishing two brief lists: out of the 200 films I saw, here are the Top 15 discoveries I made in the year, as well as the Worst 15 discoveries of the year.

Let's start with the rotten eggs first:

15) Love Wrecked (2005, Randal Kleiser) 5/10
14) The Mummy's Curse (1944, Leslie Goodwins) 5/10
13) Moving Target (2000, Paul Ziller) 5/10
12) Virus (1980, Bruno Mattei & Claudio Fragasso) 5/10
11) La Mujer murciélago (1968, René Cardona) 5/10
10) The Devil's Daughter (1939, Arthur H. Leonard) 4/10
9) Night of the Blood Beast (1958, Bernard L. Kowalski) 4/10
8) Spontaneous Combustion (1990, Tobe Hooper) 4/10
7) La Momia azteca contra el robot humano (1958, Rafael Portillo) 4/10
6) Scared to Death (1947, Christy Cabanne) 4/10
5) El Hombre de Blanco (1994, René Cardona Jr.) 4/10
4) Chloe, Love Is Calling You (1934, Marshall Neilan) 3/10
3) Teenage Zombies (1959, Jerry Warren) 3/10
2) Rats - Notte di terrore (1984, Bruno Mattei & Claudio Fragasso) 3/10
1) Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966, Harold P. Warren) 1/10

Topping the list is the legendary "worst film of all time", Harold P. Warren's 1966 turd, "Manos: The Hands of Fate" , which I must say lives up to its hype. It's truly beyond awful. Italy makes its way to the top with Bruno Mattei & Claudio Fragasso's "Rats - Notte di terrore", which really has one wacky ending. The 50s nuclear era appears in #3 with "Teenage Zombies", which is pretty boring, same as our #4, 1934's obscure and racist tale of voodoo, "Chloe, Love Is Calling You". Mexico makes its entrance on #5, with a clone of 1986's "The Hitcher" called "El Hombre de Blanco".

Now, the discoveries:

15) El Esqueleto de la Señora Morales (1960, Rogelio A. González) 9/10
14) The Unknown (1927, Tod Browning) 9/10
13) The Queen of Spades (1949, Thorold Dickinson) 9/10
12) Dellamorte Dellamore (1994, Michele Soavi) 9/10
11) El Libro de Piedra (1969, Carlos Enrique Taboada) 9/10
10) Låt den rätte komma in (2008, Tomas Alfredson) 9/10
9) Pedro Páramo (1967, Carlos Velo) 9/10
8) The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976, Clint Eastwood) 9/10
7) The Searchers (1956, John Ford) 9/10
6) The Invisible Man (1933, James Whale) 9/10
5) El Hombre Sin Rostro (1950, Juan Bustillo Oro) 9/10
4) Santa Sangre (1989, Alejandro Jodorowsky) 10/10
3) M (1931, Fritz Lang)
2) Citizen Kane (1941, Orson Welles) 10/10
1) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962, John Ford) 10/10

Well, a lot of those films are well-known classics that I just discovered this last year. One of my favourite direcors, John Ford, keeps surprising me, not with his most famous film ("The Searchers", which also made the list), but with "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". I have no words to describe it other than "perfect". I was able to finally see "Citizen Kane", a film that, like all famous books, everybody talks about it but few have really seen. As a fan of 30s cinema, it was for me an eye-opening experience, as to me that film meant the ending of 30s style and the birth of modern cinema. Speaking of the 30s, I manages to catch Lang's "M", and was enormously pleased with it, not only because of its extremely awesome technic, but with Peter Lorre's performance. Easily one of the best of all time. To my surprise, my native country, Mexico, made the top 5 twice: #5 with Juan Bustillo Oro's remarkable mix of Film-Noir and Horror, "El Hombre Sin Rostro", and with Alejandro Jodorowsky's nightmarish "Santa Sangre". I must say that "Santa Sange" was a surprise, because I had talked about Mexican horror in October, making a list and all, and barely a week after publishing that I was watching a Mexican horror film good enough to top all the listed films. Finally, I was glad to find a 2008 release so good to make the Top 10, "Låt den rätte komma in" or "Let the Right One In".

In the end, 2008 was a very good year, and here's hoping that 2009 gets even better.

Cheers!

2008: Another year that ends

As a quick glance to the archives of the site may prove, here at W-Cinema the main concern tends to be films older than 1970, however, I do try to watch a fair amount of modern movies as well, specially films the releases of the year. Unfortunately, the volume of recent releases I watch is enormously inferior to the amount of older films I watch, but while this year that tendency did not change (to date I've I watched 190 movies this year, and only 16 of those were 2008 films), I managed to build up a humble top 10.

Granted, 16 films are not exactly a good measure of how was the year, specially since most of the films of 2008 that I saw verged towards horror, fantasy and documentaries; but still, I wanted to list these 10 films mainly because I may not be able to fully write about them for a while. By the way, four films on my list were superhero films, and while very different from each other, the four had in common that the story and characters had more weight than the special effects. Perhaps the sub-genre has reached maturity at last:

10) "Hancock"
Badly marketed as a parody of superhero films, "Hancock" was actually more a character study about the concept of superhero and the real implications of a super powered being roaming around the cities. Don't get me wrong, this Will Smith vehicle had its fair share of superhero comedy, but it was more on the style of "The Incredibles" (albeit on a very much darker tone) than on the one of "Super Hero Movie". Peter Berg's film was not without its flaws (including special effects that left a lot to be desired), but "Hancock" was a big surprise for me.

9) "Kung Fu Panda"
I have a soft spot for Dreamworks animated films, but while I have enjoyed their movies probably more than what I should, I've always thought that their overuse of cultural references is a severe flaw that tragically dates their films and eliminates any chance of them existing beyond their release year. Well, "Kung Fu Panda" it's the first of their films that I can see having a lifetime of more than 2 years. A loving homage to Kung Fu films (the whole thing seems as if it had been shot by Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan, whom actually lends his voice to a character), "Kung Fu Panda" is an excellent tale of adventure that, without being a masterpiece, places Dreamworks closer to Pixar's level.

8) "Iron Man"
I must admit I wasn't really interested in the film because, while "Iron Man" is one of my favorite characters and Robert Downey Jr. one of my favorite actors, all the trailers that were released showed a film that in my opinion, was nothing but explosions and shallow one liners. Fortunately, I was wrong. True, the film has a good amount of explosions and shallow one liners, but it also has a key factor: complete understanding of the character. Without making any compromise, director Favreau and Downey Jr. portrayal Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, as what he has always been: an arrogant prick. This choice may not make him the friendliest superhero of the bunch, but it made up a good story that hopefully will get even better in the sequels (it's planned as a trilogy).
Review here.

7) "Be Kind Rewind"
In the story of two friends who decide to remake the erased tapes of a rental video store, director Michael Gondry creates one of the best tributes to cinema since "Nuovo Cinema Paradiso". And a funnier one at that too. Jack Black and Mos Def's characters use extremely limited resources to make their movies, but beyond their naiveté, creativity and willpower, what makes them special is the heart they put in them. "Be Kind Rewind" is about the many ways cinema affects those who make the movies, and those who watch them, and makes a strong point about how the importance of money seems to have taken away the magic from movies. Because to the characters of "Be Kind Rewind", films are more than mere entertainment, more than successful blockbusters and box office hits, to them films are part of the collective memory of their culture.

6) "Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero"
A dedicated fan of wrestling, Canadian director Lee Demarbre decided to follow professional wrestler Ian Hodgkinson, better known as Vampiro, in his tour across Europe to make a film. What he got was more than a simple sports documentary, but a very intimate view on Vampiro, an inside look to what really happens behind the scenes and what probably is the best film about that mix of show and sport that is pro-wrestling. "Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero", recounts the story of Vampiro from his troubled youth in his native Canada to his meteoric rise to stardom in Mexico, and then his sudden fall from grace. In the mean time, we see Vampiro preparing his biggest show ever as a promoter, and of course, the tour he did in Europe. With an excellent work of editing, independent filmmaker Demarbre makes of this movie his best work to date.
Review here.

5) "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
Guillermo Del Toro returns to his favorite comic book character in a sequel filled with lots of action and black humor. Having already introduced Hellboy in the first film, Del Toro uses this sequel to let us know more about the secondary characters, while at the same time keep developing the relationship between the demonic hero and his pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz. Still, the most interesting theme is the whole gang's relationship with the world, a world that they are supposed to protect, but that considers them freaks at best, and monsters at worst. While this may sound kind of clichéd, Del Toro's film is full of twists and turns and makes for a thrilling second chapter in the saga of the big red guy.

4) "Niño Fidencio... de Roma a Espinazo"
Directed by Juan Farre, "Niño Fidencio... de Roma a Espinazo" (literally "Niño Fidencio... From Rome to Espinazo") is a Mexican documentary about the different beliefs surrounding the figure of Niño Fidencio, a mystic and healer who lived in a small town called Espinazo in the years after the Mexican Revolution. After his death, his persona has become the center of diverse religious ideas that go from those who think he should be canonized by the Catholic Church to those who consider themselves a new religion based on his teachings. Farre recollects a lot of information about the life of the real Niño Fidencio, and then goes on a very objective overview about the diverse religious and cultural manifestations that take place in the deserted town of Espinazo, where people goes to find spiritual and physical healing. A very complete and tastefully done documentary.

3) "The Dark Knight"
Probably the most discussed film of the year, Christopher Nolan's second "Batman" film was definitely one of the most expected movies of the year, and it didn't disappoint. However, I must say that to me Heath Ledger's performance wasn't the star of the film, to me the movie's real highlights are the Nolans script and Aaron Eckhart. True, this Joker was awesome, but I think that a lot of that comes from the way the story was developed, in the sense that for once the duel between Batman and the Joker is like it should had been in the first place: a duel between a detective and a terrorist, taken to the extreme of course. About Aaron Eckhart, I'll just say that I find his role more challenging that Ledger's and Bale's on the basis that unlike them, he has no mask, no ticks, no extreme personality to explode; and yet he has to make us believe in Harvey Dent. While its politic ideas may be debatable, it's still a remarkably done crime thriller.
Review here.

2) "Wall-E"
Personally, I think this movie is the closest Pixar has been to a perfect masterpiece in its history. There are almost no dialogs in the film, but through the visuals, they have created a story of comedy and romance of a beauty akin to what Charlie Chaplin used to make. Wall-E's attempt to find love in Eve makes the basis of some of the most beautiful and charming scenes in an animated film in a while. Sadly, I think that the last third gets messy as the characters and their love story seem to go the backseat in favor of a more typical conclusion and the somewhat forced inclusion of a social commentary that, while I personally find relevant and truly important, still feels like a terrible stop from what to that point had been a pleasant trip as it has the subtlety of a hammer. Despite this, it's the closest Pixar has been to a perfect film.

1) "Låt den rätte komma in"
Easily the best horror and fantasy film about vampires in quite a long, long time. Straight from Sweden, director Tomas Alfredson comes up with the years greatest surprise, in a beautiful tale of romance and horror that truly blows that soap opera named "Twilight" out of the water. Shot with more imagination than resources, "Låt den rätte komma in" or, "Let the Right One In", is proof that horror genre is not dead, that it's not all about guts and gore, and that with nothing more than creativity and talent, it still can be the source of great artistry.

Happy Birthday Hitch!

A day like today, 109 years ago, one of the my most favourite filmmakers of all time was born: Alfred Hitchcock, the one and only Master of Suspense. I remember vividly the first Hitchcock film I saw, "Psycho", his most popular movie. I was 14 years old and dissapointed with what cinema offered at the time, decided to give old movies a try and rent a few thatlooked interesting (or that I had previously read about them) for a weekend. My three choices for that weekend were Tod Browning's "Dracula", James Whale's "Frankenstein", and Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". The Hitchcock film was the one I saw first and I was just hooked by the very beginning. The powerful musical intro by Bernard Herrmann together with Saul Brass' visuals was just unlike anything I had seen before. I had seen my fair share of old classics, but this was different. Maybe I had matured, but that was the first time I saw cinema as an artform, not just enterteinment. And the film was glorious. Still is. It's probably th emovie that I have seen the most times (saw it three times that first weekend. Now I see it religiously at least once every year).

I bought the film as soon as I had the chance. And kept hoping that one day I could see more of the Master's work. After "Psycho" and that powerful Universal Horror combo, I became a cinephile, and began the travel through the past, discovering and rediscovering cinema, as I saw it now under a new light. Movies I liked before now I loved even more, and some I liked were now dissapointing. But the magic could be present everywhere. Later, when DVD became more accesible, I saw the chance of finding more from Hitchcock and yes, with the release of his most famous American films by Universal and Warner Brothers, I finally was able to discover what was so mysterious about uncle Charlie, why was Guy Haines so afraid of Bruno Anthony, what was the meaning of the plane dusting crops, and how beautiful a woman named Grace can be. Despite his disdain for actors, Hitchcock introduced me to some wonderful one, such as the above mentioned Princes of Monaco, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Peter Lorre, Teresa Wright, Henry Fonda, and many, many more. I still have more films by him to watch (his early British period, but hopefully I'll watch them soon), and I'm sure the trip will be interesting.

In a way, my whole cinephilia exists thanks to the day I put the "Psycho" tape on my VHS. For that and more, today this humble blog remembers Sir Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, who would be 109 years old if he was alive today. So like any respectable cinephile would do, I present now my list (oh, the lists!) of favourite films, by the legendary filmmaker:

5) "Psycho" (1960)

Even when the plot and twist is so deeply ingrained in our collective mind, it STILL is a powerful experience. With self imposed limits of budget and resources, Hitchcock proves that a low budget horror b-movie can be a masterpiece, with the proper directing. A landmark of horror (it played a key role in the developing of the slasher subgenre, as well as inspiring the filmmakers of the 60s and 70s), "Psycho" may not be really perfect (not even on its initial release), but it's so enjoyable that it feels perfect in every way.

4) "Strangers on a Train" (1951)

Two men meet on a trip by train and one comes up with a novel idea: one man will kill the other's "biggest problem", and since they are not related, it'll be a perfect crime. Suspense is the key here, as while one (Guy Haines, played by Farley Granger) of the two refuses the proposal, the other (Bruno Anthony, a marvelous Robert Walker) won't take a no for an answer, and so a battle of wits between the two begins, with Bruno Anthony haunting the Guy's world, and consuming every piece of it. And it all started with the meeting of two strangers on a train.

3) "Rope" (1948)

Hitchcock famous "one take" experiment is often labeled as a merely a gimmick (because of the film's concept of attempting to look as if no editing had been done, with everything in an apparent one long take), however, "Rope" is one marvelous film, gimmick or no gimmick. What I like the most is the dynamics between Dall, Granger and Stewart, and the subtle (ok, not so subtle) hints of homosexuality that Hitchcock managed to put in fron of the censors... and they didn't notice it.

2) "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943)

A dark story about the horrors at home in the story of the visit that the favourite uncle, Charlie, pays to a quite dysfunctional family. Everything looks fun, but as time goes by, the young daughter, also named Charlie (who idolizes her uncle), begins to suspect that her favourite uncle may actually be a serial killer. I love everythign about this, but most of all, it's gorgeaous Noir look, and the whole concept of horror entering a small town in order to corrupt it. And the whole suspicion thing, which just works perfectly. I must admit I fell in love with Teresa Wright in this one.

1) "Rear Window" (1954)

Probably the film that best captures the Hitchcock style of black comedy. Sure, he made "The Trouble with Harry" as a straighforward, in-your-face black comedy, but I feel that it is here where it works the best, as part of a bigger story, the story of a man paralyzed in his apartment, who begins to suspect that his neighborh has killed his wife. The whole thing about vouyerism is just marvelous, and well, what can I say about Jimmy Stewart and the beautiful Grace Kelly. Just perfect.

Morricone live

I had the opportunity of experiencing the legendary Ennio Morricone directing several of his classic musical masterpieces done for film. He visited my country (Mexico) last May and on the 29th he came to my city. Only one word could describe the show: "glorious". Or at least it was for me. Naturally, I nearly cried when "The Ecstasy of Gold", composed for Sergio Leone's 1966 classic "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" was played (and he played it one more time as an encore!), although I must admit that the best part was when the orchestra played music from "The Mission".

Bravo maestro! Glorious!

"Horror 101" reviewed

5 months ago, what started as a small idea among 79 horror aficionados from all over the world finally saw the light of the day, and a book titled "Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies" was released. I'm glad to say that I was part of this worldwide contingent of writers brought together by Aaron Christensen's dream, and now the book is beginning to get good reviews by reputable sources. As a member of the team that wrote this book, I'm really happy about it, because not only this means that we have a work in paper (something I'm really thankful, don't get me wrong), but that sometimes dreams can become a reality too, no matter how difficult it seems at first. It has been awesome to witness how Aaron's project became our project too, and while we may not get any real financial benefit from the book, it's something that we can see and say: "hey, we did it".

You'll have to excuse me for taking space from what's usually present in W-cinema to write this, but I really thank God for giving me the chance of joining Aaron's band of outsiders. So here I am again, just spreading the word about this little book made by 79 people from places as diverse as Brazil and Ireland, but everyone sharing Aaron's dream: spreading the love for horror films and monster movies. 5 months later, there are now several reviews that you can check on it, and of course, more info is given on Aaron's very own website. Here's some of the praise the book has received in the past months:

"Bringing a refreshingly egalitarian approach to the subject, Horror 101 collects musings on our favorite chillers not by the expected assortment of critics and filmmakers, but the audience... the fans themselves. Young and old, male and female, located all over the globe. From Alien through The Wicker Man, each entry brings a breath of fresh air to the consideration of seminal movies many of us thought had been analyzed to death. As editor Aaron Christensen puts it, "Keep America strong! Watch more monster movies!"
-- Joe Dante, director, The Howling, Piranha, Gremlins

"A great read for both veterans and those new to the horror genre…Highly recommended!!"
--Aaron Crowell, HorrorHound Magazine

"A brilliant collection… Passionate fans like these don’t come around too often. Do you remember [the] fun you had remembering the time you first watched your favorite horror film? These people do."
--Tony DeFrancisco, Fatally-Yours.com. Full Review here...

"Overall though Horror 101 is a fantastic read even if you've already seen every movie in the book. It's an interesting look at film by people who enjoy movies first and writing about them second."
--Ed Demko, Bloodtype Online. Full Review here...

It's not much, but hopefully, it'll be only the beginning. Now, after this bit of shameless selfpromotion, it's time to get back to what W-Cinema is really about...

Buy "Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies"

Horror 101: The A-list of horror films and monster movies

As I wrote back in August, I was lucky to be invited to join a team of horror fans from around the world in the writing of a reference book about horror movies. Well, the book was finally released on August 31, but at the time it was available only via our dear publishers, Midnight Marquee. However, to those like me who live out of the USA, it is now finally available on Amazon.com, whom while have a slightly higher shipping cost, it's a lot safer than the normal shipping from other bookstores.

I want to thank once again to Aaron Christensen for letting me participate in this great event (as far as I know, there aren't many books written by an international team of more than 70 horror fans) and hopefully, it won't be the last time this happens.

By the way, I've added a link to get this book below the "Interesting links" sections on this humble blog.

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry for the slow movement that has been on this blog, but personal reasons have prevented me from writing for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, I'll be back very, very soon with more.

Buy "Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies"

A shameless bit of self promotion: Horror 101 - The Book

Many moons ago, I was invited by a dear friend of mine, Aaron Christensen, to collaborate in a strange yet interesting project he had been developing alomst since we met each other at the IMDB forums: a book about the most influential films in the history of the horror genre. I was surprised by the idea, mainly because he had decided to choose me, but also because it seemed so impossible to coordinate a project of this magnitude among horror fans. However, after months of hard work, me, Aaron, and 76 like-minded comrades from many different places, finished working on what was now called, "Horror 101: The A-list of horror films and monster movies", a book collecting essays on 110 classic films. I did the essay concerning Roger Corman's "House of Usher" and the one about both versions of "The Fly", and I truly appreciate that Aaron had picked me back when this was still just a horror fan's dream.

Well, here it is, by the fans and for the fans, "Horror 101: The a-list of horror films and monster movies". If you are interested in what does the book contain, click here to learn more about this little project, it'll take you to our current myspace site. Those able to go to the "Horrorfind Weekend" convention at Baltimore, Maryland be sure to visit Aaron, who surely will be there creating as much buzz as possible about the book.