Finishing Filmographies- Thank goodness they were all better than 'Tideland'
Kyle fills in the gaps on his watchlist for some famous directors
By Kyle Matthies
I’ve always been a fan of watching a director’s entire body of work. I love seeing how their style changes over the years and how artists grow their own voice. But not every movie can be a winner, and sometimes even great directors can release something that, for whatever reason, I’m not excited to watch. Still, sometimes first impressions can be wrong, and the only way to truly experience a piece of art is to view it.
It is in that spirit that I have embarked on this week’s quest- to watch my final unseen movie from four prominent auteur directors. I am going to write about these movies in order of worst to best, and for each movie I am going to answer two questions: “Why did I watch this movie last?” and “Should this be saved for last?”
The Brothers Grimm (2005) Directed by Terry Gilliam
Why did I watch this one last?
At his best, Terry Gilliam is one of my favorite directors. His films from the 70s to the 90s are fantastic pieces of cinema defined by an imaginative style and inspired effects that were often imitated but rarely ever matched. But it does not take a film expert to notice that his quality took a nosedive after the turn of the century. Starting with this movie, his films were scorched by the critics who derided the lack of substance and passion that had once gone into his work. So it was that reputation that kept me away from this movie for so long. On top of that, and this may be petty of me, but the poster is so lame and bland looking in a way that embodies my least favorite aspects of mid 2000s filmmaking. There was just nothing about this movie that gave me reason to watch it, and that is why I saved it for last.
Should this be saved for last?
I’m going to answer this as a tepid no, only because I hated Tideland with just about every fiber of my body, while The Brothers Grimm was at least watchable, if perhaps a tad too unessential. I would not recommend anyone go out and search for a way to watch The Brothers Grimm, but if it’s playing on cable or already in your DVD player or something, there are worse movie out there. I think it’s also slightly better than Gilliam’s The Man who Killed Don Quixote, but that film is a great companion piece to Lost in La Mancha, so I’d consider it more essential than Brothers Grimm.
Somewhere (2010) Directed by Sofia Coppola
Why did I watch this one last?
Is it just me or does no one talk about this movie? I’ve been a fan of Sofia Coppola for a long time, and while I knew this movie existed, I had been told zero details about it up until I watched it. I figured, if no one talks about this movie, there’s probably a reason for that, and so I left it unwatched for many years. How foolish of me…
Should this be saved for last?
Definitely not. Save On the Rocks for last, that movie is actually bad. Somewhere fits in perfectly with Lost in Translation and Priscilla as examinations of boredom and a lack of belonging in the lives of wealthy figures. Together they form a thematic trilogy of figures who on paper have it all, but on the inside feel all alone and yearn for a deeper connection with someone. Somewhere does this through Johnny Marco, an A-list celebrity who feels miserable in his life and yearns to change somehow.
What makes Somewhere special is the same reason I think it’s so rarely discussed. There is practically no plot here. All that happens is Johnny drifts aimlessly around LA while taking care of his daughter, but that’s also why it’s unique among Coppola’s works. It’s the kind of movie that is felt, not followed. Its use of long, meandering shots drags the watcher into the same head space as Johnny, replicating the lack of meaning he’s feeling. It’s a more challenging watch than usual from her, but if you’re a fan of her other movies, it’s definitely worth a watch.
The Wind Rises (2013) Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Why did I watch this last?
It’s the odd one out in his filmography. Every other Miyazaki is a crazy fantasy world, and then there’s this movie, a WWII biopic. More specifically its about an engineer who designed the airplanes used by the Japanese Navy during World War II. Airplanes have always been a staple of Miyazaki’s work, but it’s a big genre change, which is why I put it off until last.
Should this be saved for last?
It pains me to say it, but yes, I think this was right to be last. I actually liked it more than the previous two movies you just read about, but compared to other Miyazaki movies, it’s my least favorite.
As a piece of animation, this some of Miyazaki’s best. The color choices are gorgeous, with the blues in particular shining like a vivid ocean in the sky, daring to be conquered. As a biopic, it’s a revelation. How the director takes the story of Jiro Horikoshi and reinvents it in his own way, full of fantastical dreams and other Miyazaki elements makes this one of the most interesting biopics I’ve ever seen. The only lens through which I didn’t like this movie is as a Miyazaki movie, which is unfortunately how I’m looking at it this week.
As I mentioned, there are some Miyazaki stylings, but I was left wanting more and was let down by the more traditional narrative and focus on real world events. That’s why I think if you’re someone who doesn’t normally like Miyazaki movies, this may be worth a shot. I liked it less because it aims at a different audience, but it’s that very reason that I suspect there are people out there who would love this movie more than anything else he’s done.
The Elephant Man (1980) Directed by David Lynch
Why did I watch this last?
To be honest, there isn’t any real reason why this movie was saved for last. I’ve jumped around Lynch’s filmography at random, with most of my first time watches of his movies happening in theaters. I guess I just never felt a strong draw to watching the second normal-ist movie in his filmography.
Should this be saved for last?
No, that honor was always going to go to Dune.
The Elephant Man was largely what I thought it was going to be- a more sentimental, studio type movie with David Lynch stylings. It’s definitely weirder than The Straight Story, but compared to any other movie he’s made, it’s a traditional movie. Lynch’s style is still there though, with a few surreal nightmares peppered throughout the story giving hints of what he is capable of. On top of that, I think this may have his career best sound-design work. The sound work here goes a long way towards creating this world, and it’s the key that makes the whole movie work.
I think the Elephant Man is best watched as a way of introducing someone to David Lynch. It’s got a sentimentality that can win over some audiences who would normally be adverse to his works. Plus, the makeup work is bound to astonish nearly anyone who watches it, making this movie oddly kind of a crowd-pleaser.