Movie Diary 3/15/2010

Make Way for Tomorrow (Leo McCarey, 1937). A great film on a rare subject, and a splendid choice for the Criterion Collection to turn their attention to. Among other things, a demonstration of how conversation can be a revealingly cinematic spectacle.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Thor Freudenthal, 2010). Based on a web comic. Greasy kid stuff. One wants to root for a director with that name. (full review 3/19)

Antonio Gaudi (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1984). The director of Woman in the Dunes glides his camera around Barcelona, taking in the Gaudi landmarks and bathing it all in music by Toru Takemitsu. It’s almost exactly what it should be, even if those buildings threaten to get over-exposed in movies.