Long Days, Long Months: 7 August

Watched The Anniversary Party. Late '90's-early Aughts: "Let's make a documentary-like digital film." Have I mentioned lately what a terrible influence Lars von Trier had? At least we get John C. Reilly in this one. Young Hollywood talent... very boring. Scanning some of the reviews, the critics go it right: Ebert ranks it too highly, but does say it shows a life "where smart people are required to lead their lives according to dumb rules." He might be wrong as to why they're smart, and what those rules are, but the summation works. Travers says, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming "let their actorly urge for high drama blunt their flair for bracing wit and subtle feeling." Indeed, and then there's that hair-cut Cumming sports - just awful!

Watched Lakeview Terrace. Surprised that Neil LaBute directed. His movie for men, In the Company of Men, and for women, The Shape of Things. Otherwise, no worries.

Watched The Big Chill - another "classic" I'd never seen. Could've done without it...

I was going to watch all of Godard's films from Breathless to Week-End, accompanied by reading the biography Everything Is Cinema. Other entries explain why this plan ran aground. I suppose I'll watch some anyway.