Did you know that my original Berlinale list consisted of 42 movies? I added a few more to the list (like “Calvary” which I completely overlooked) and kicked out a bunch, ending up with 27 films at the end. Just because I couldn’t see them doesn’t mean I am not interested, and one day I dream of a Berlinale where I can catch like 60+ films.
We saw quite a good amount of competition entries this year, but for some of them (Grand Budapest Hotel and Boyhood especially) it was unnecessarily hard to get tickets.
The Grand Budapest Hotel– We saw “Moonrise Kingdom” in theaters last year, and that was when I learned that new Wes Anderson films always must be seen in theaters. I also love “Moonrise Kingdom” to pieces. Anyways, this will most likely be the first missed Berlinale film I will catch.- Aloft – Uh, nowadays I am not so sure if I want to see this, but I want to see Jennifer Connelly.
- Aimer, boire et chanter – I was shocked when Resnais died shortly after the Berlinale was over. Strangely, it makes me more interested in his last film.
Boyhood– I am irrationally pissed at how popular “Boyhood” is. But it’s a Linklater and I am obviously interested.- The Monuments Men – My interest for this film doesn’t really make sense, because it’s Hollywood fare of the abominable kind. But I am still interested.
The shining star of this year’s Berlinale were actually the old films. While it is probably not a good idea to pitch new films vs. old films, it definitely makes sense that a selection from over 100 years of film history would produce more interesting results than a selection of films from 2013 and 2014 only. As a result there is tons of stuff I would have seen if I had the time, especially with this year’s many Japanese films.
- The Docks of New York – A Sternberg we actually wanted to see, but didn’t get in (shocking)
- La belle et la bete – Cocteau’s version of an actually rather disturbing fairytale is a classic
- The Dawn Patrol – Errr, it’s a Howard Hawks?
- Le quai des brumes – An old French film, there aren’t that many from those times before Renoir sweeped the industry
- Rebel without a cause – A must-see, especially since Edward Yang was apparently into it
- Shanghai-Express – This classic risks being somewhat racist too, but the Sternberg/Dietrich combo makes it enticing
- Haevens Net – Danish film from the 1910’s, could be fantastic, could be terrible
- Flesh and the Devil – A rather cool-looking old Greta Garbo film
- Oshidori utagassen – A one-hour long musical, looks like much fun
- Dirnentragödie – one of those German low society portraits from the Weimarer Republik, I always like them somehow
- Unter der Laterne – Another German society portrait, by Lamprecht who I know by name
- Sono yo no tsuma – an old Ozu, but at least one with an interesting premise
- Boheemielämää – A Kaurismäki tribute, Loris likes Kaurismäki and I have only seen a single one of his works
In the end, we managed to catch most films we wanted to see. For those we did not see, there at least is a chance to see most of them later on.
The 100-year old man who climbed out the window and disappeared– I knew about the book and I am tempted to see the film despite not having read itSnowpiercer– A definite must-see in cinemas, too bad it’s only going to come out in April- The second game (Ai doilea joc) – The premise is unusually tempting, and for some reason the film garnered a lot of positive press
- L’enlevement de Michel Houellebecq – I read a later article on the film, stressing how funny it was and I was pleasantly surprised that it stars the actual Michel Houellebecq
Bushi no Kondate– It has Aya Ueto in it… otherwise, it’s a shiny-looking film on Japanese food, how irresistible- Final Recipe – Another Chinese/Korean film on Chinese/Korean food, ohh food films
- Kumiko the Treasure Hunter – We were interested in the film for Rinko Kikuchi but the film smelled of badness; even so, the premise of a girl who goes to Minnesota (of all places!) because of “Fargo” (of all films!) is quite awesome
- Come to my voice – I doubt we will ever see this film anywhere, but if it’s anything as delicately human as what Kiarostami does, it’d be awesome
- Hitono Nozomino Yorokobiyo – It could be a terrible, pointless tearjerker
The two faces of January– A Hollywood film with a cast including Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen and Oscar Isaac, how could I ignore that?