Cinematic Distractions

[dulcedemon]

Kantara (2022):
Written and directed by and also starring Rishab Shetty.
This is my kind of movie in so many ways. I got lucky when I stumbled onto a promotional music video for it on YouTube. It has all the charisma of RRR, which occupied the top spot on the previous list, but it has so much more heart, better character development, and greater emotional depth.
It even has a catchy song. That is, it did have a catchy song, or it might still, or if it doesn't right now, maybe it will later, depending upon how the court rules.
Read about the song controversy here:
Kantara song Varaha Roopam can't be played in theatres and digital streaming platforms, rules Kerala court:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/kantara-song-varaha-roopam-can-t-be-played-in-theatres-and-digital-streaming-platforms-rules-kerala-court/ar-AA19TjQO
As of this posting, the song is still up on YouTube and in the movie as streamed on Netflix.
https://youtu.be/gH_RYRwVrVM
The story takes place in a tribal village in the state of Karnataka, India. There is a land dispute between the village and the government forestry service. Things get heated when the government orders a new land survey that marks a portion of the village as over its boundary. Complicating the situation is the fact that while the villagers own their homes, they do not own the land. The land is held by a local official who essentially acts as their landlord.
The action begins shortly before a local religious festival honoring the deities that watch over and protect the village and the crops that the villagers grow. The festival, known as Bhuta Kola and often referred to simply as the Kola, honors Panjurli and Guliga. Panjurli is the village benefactor and protector. Guliga is more of an enforcer and punisher. My basic understanding is that if you disobey or break your word to Panjurli, Guliga will show up and make you regret it in a big way.
Read more about Buta Kola here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buta_Kola
Shiva (Rishab Shetty) is a charismatic and bold young man from the village. Given his family history, he should be the one to perform the Kola ritual dance, but for reasons, he has elected to let that sacred duty fall to his cousin. Shiva prefers to spend his days drinking, carousing, cutting wood and hunting wild game with his friends (illegally according to the forest service). Kishore Kumar G. is outstanding as Murali the head of the forest service survey team. Sapthami Gowda is excellent in her role as Leela.
The last time that I got everything I wanted in a movie was with Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Kantara easily meets that standard. It has the right balance of action and drama, a bit of romance, and complex yet relatable characters that the audience can really care about. It teaches something about the culture and its belief system. It looks amazing, and it's got groove.

Exquisite Short Films of Kihachiro Kawamoto (1968):
Stop-motion animator Kihachiro Kawamoto began his career under the mentorship of the extraordinarily gifted Jiri Trnka, and it shows. This is a wonderful collection of animated short films. There are few happy endings to be found, but the craftmanship and storytelling are excellent.

Dames (1934):
Story by Robert Lord. Screenplay written by Delmer Daves.
This film introduced the song I Only Have Eyes For You to the world. I have seen several Busby Berkeley films, but this one is something else. It's easy to tell from all the drinking and smoking that they got this one out before the Hays Code was strictly enforced. Technically, they are taking medicine in the form of Dr. Silver's Golden Elixir (thirty-five percent alcohol by volume). Alcohol is the least of its vices. CW: Cousin fuckers
The dance numbers, and I hesitate to call them that, but words fail me, are the most stunning geometrical displays I have ever seen outside of an actual kaleidoscope. Taken in combination with the camera trickery used, if you can withstand the psychic damage this film inflicts, you can endure just about anything. I loved Hugh Herbert, Guy Kibbee, and ZaSu Pitts. Joan Blondell is fabulous as always.
Dick Powell is Dick Powell. Once you have seen enough of these you will know what I mean. I hated Ruby Keeler's bangs. As far as the featured song goes, I prefer the version recorded by The Flamingos in 1958.
Extras on the DVD include:
Featurette:
Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic Eyes (2006)
Shorts:
Melody Master: Vitaphone Presents: Don Redman and his Orchestra with Red and Struggie (1934)
Good Morning, Eve (1934) - The most surprising thing about this one is that it's in color. Also, the tune Emperor Nero plays sounds quite like Mysterious Mose minus the goofy sound effects. I imagine the bevy of pants-less pages made the censors sweat.
And She Learned About Dames (Movie Promo 1934) - This is a corny promotional film for Dames (1934) in which a wallflower gets herself a makeover, so she can compete in the Miss Complexion contest and have a chance at kissing Dick Powell.
Cartoons:
Those Beautiful Dames (1934) - Chuck Jones was one of the animators for this one. Directed by Isadore "Friz" Freleng. CW: Racial caricatures
I Only Have Eyes For You (1937) - Robert Clampett and Chuck Jones are among the animators. Directed by Tex Avery. CW: Ageism, sexism, and ableism

Empire of Light (2022):
Written by Sam Mendes.
I rented this only because it was nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards. I haven't seen the winner or any of the other nominees yet, and I'm not sure when I will. Newer movies are no longer a priority now that we have come to the last precious months of DVD rentals. It makes me sad beyond measure to know that such a vast collection of classics and rarities from every decade of cinema history is about to be lost. There is no way I will be able to watch all the movies still in queue by the end. There was so much left to discover, study, and enjoy. It's a dreadful shame and a terrible loss. The service is still making money in spite of their refusal to promote it. They just don't care. Apparently, Netflix doesn't care about history, film preservation, or even what people find entertaining. They are a de facto film archive, and as such, they have responsibility to do right by that collection whether it turns them a profit or not.
I could have said it separately, but it's apropos of Empire of Light. Most of the action takes place at a cinema built in the early 1920s. The building is a beautiful Art Deco relic still hanging on in the 1980s in Margate, UK.
It's a real theater. They changed the name for the movie.
I didn't read the synopsis until it was en route. My initial reaction: Oh shit! A mental illness movie. Although the main character struggles with mental illness, it's more about interpersonal connection and perseverance. It's also a little bit about how movies provide people with solace and hope. That latter notion is conveyed beautifully by Norman (Toby Jones) the projectionist. He was my favorite character by the end.
I can relate to Hilary (Olivia Colman) to some degree, especially in terms of how her first boss exploits her and sort of dangles that she is a probationary hire through social services. There are people who like to take advantage of the marginalized, condemning them while at the same time using them and squeezing them for little extras, favors, added fees for the privilege of participation.
It's one of several challenging issues the story attempts to address. I thought its handling of certain topics was a bit too shallow. I was also conflicted by the depiction of Hilary's mental illness. It's said to be schizophrenia, but it looked like bipolar disorder. That conflicted feeling might stem from bias on my part. I've known quite a few bipolar people but only one schizophrenic. I did not see that one person reflected in the portrayal here, but it matched up with every bipolar person I have ever known.
The actual diagnosis doesn't matter in the context of the story. Hilary's relationship with Stephen (Micheal Ward) was beautiful, but it didn't always feel real, and as a vehicle for social commentary, I think it fell short. As a dreamy, poetic, bittersweet romance in a pretty location, it's not bad.

Fanny Hill (2007):
Based on the novel written by John Cleland. Screenplay written by Andrew Davies.
Tonight, on a very special (adults only) Masterpiece Theatre...
Just kidding. Well, not about the adults only part, but I don't know if Fanny Hill was ever shown on PBS. I doubt it. It was released by Acorn, which is the company responsible for Midsomer Murders, Doc Martin, and others.
It was shown as a television mini-series in the UK.
It's a period drama with lots of corsets and frock coats, ladies with heaving bosoms and daintily coiffured men, and smallpox with a side of tuberculosis. A provincial young lady, Fanny Hill (Rebecca Night), is made a destitute orphan when she loses her parents to smallpox, so she heads to London with a friend to seek employment.
She finds employment of a sort. Technically, it finds her. It turns out to be drastically less than what she had hoped. She absconds with a devoted client before fulfilling her contract. Things are looking up until his father raises an objection, and Fanny winds up freelancing. Feel free to open a window and let out all this innuendo.
This was not my cup of tea. Maybe it could have been if it had been less predictable. Fanny tells her tale in flashback, and I didn't like knowing the ending from the beginning. Had Netflix made their disappointing announcement prior to this being shipped, I might have chosen something else like Vampires in Havana (1985) or Happy Together (Chun gwong cha sit - 1997), both of which I've seen several times but neither of which is easy to obtain.