Children of Men (2006)

Watching this film was a visceral experience. Many moments drew you uncomfortably into the scene and left you feeling shaky and on edge. One of the last scenes rivals the terror of most any war movie I've ever watched. Clive Owen was fantastic and I have no complaints about any of the other performances. The plot was fascinating and engaging--and grim and depressing. It was a mystery story, but the central mystery was never resolved. Really, that's the best way. It's just there, fueling the action, never to be questioned or fully understood. It gave the audience something to gnaw on but didn't distract from the action. You just had to accept it and see how such a fact might change the world. Yet, it didn't feel like a sci-fi or a mystery film. A good example of how "genre" movies can do a lot more if we let them. I definitely recommend it.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

A surprisingly enjoyable film. Don't be fooled by the preview--it's in Spanish, with subtitles, though I don't think that detracts at all from the film. The cinematography is luscious and eerie, bizarre and fantastical. The story is grim and sad and totally engaging. You don't need to separate fantasy from reality--it's just as enjoyable to watch not knowing where the boundaries are. It makes the incredibly sad ending a bit easier to take than it would be otherwise. The fantasy softens the blow.

I didn't realize until later that the sadistic military man in the center of the picture is the usually handsome and charming Sergi López. He transforms into an ugly man for this role. That's pretty good acting.

Night Nurse (1931) & The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)

The AFI had a double feature this weekend of of two early Barbara Stanwyck films. Being an old movie enthusiast, I've seen many of Stanwyck's films, but I wouldn't count her as one of my favorite actresses. I adore Ingrid Bergman, Katherine Hepburn, Jean Arthur, Judy Holiday, Claudette Colbert, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe.... But Barbara Stanwyck (born Ruby Stevens)? I wouldn't usually include her. Yet, she's in some of my favorite movies, or at least one, The Lady Eve. And she's in many more that I greatly enjoy. I think I need to add her to the list.

These two early films were quite entertaining. Night Nurse works mostly as a historical document of how nurses used to be trained. The plot gets complicated in the second half of the film and Clark Gable makes an appearance as a heavy. Not a great film, but fun.

The second feature, The Bitter Tea of General Yen, was a lot more interesting and a thousand times more bizarre than the first. The film is set in Shanghai during a civil war. The young American heroine is kidnapped by a renegade Chinese general. There is plenty to object to in the portrayal of the Chinese in this film, but in some ways it's rather progressive. And the ending is...unexpected. It's certainly interesting enough to recommend but beware of the racial stereotyping.