Movie Diary 11/21/2008

The Quiller Memorandum (Michael Anderson, 1966). A Cold War movie in which almost nothing happens, scripted by Harold Pinter, with George Segal, Senta Berger and Alec Guinness. There were other bitter spy movies that reduced things way, way down (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and The Kremlin Letter, for two), but this is minimalist to a fault. John Barry did the music. I am officially curious about director Anderson, who did The Dam Busters and Logan’s Run and some famous flops, and who still seems to be working. He’s 89 in January. (And he should not be confused with Robert Stevenson, director of Mary Poppins, even though I half did that the first time I posted this — thank you RTJ.)

Wendy and Lucy (Kelly Reichardt, 2008). I couldn’t quite go along with Old Joy, try as I might. But this movie’s got it. (full review 1/23)

Dark Streets (Rachel Samuels, 2008). Stay tuned. (full review 12/12)

A Slumdog Twilight Tale (Weekly Links)

Movies I reviewed this week for the Herald. Kind of a strange moment when I find myself favoring a teenybopper vampire movie over an anointed Danny Boyle darling, and a Jean-Claude Van Damme picture is really interesting.

Twilight.

Slumdog Millionaire.

Bolt.

JCVD.

A Christmas Tale.

Days and Clouds.

Obscene.

Fuel.

And I talk to KUOW-FM’s Jeannie Yandel about Twilight and Slumdog; the movie part begins at 31:00: here.