I just uploaded Malick's other interview to the Files section of this
board. Christine Lui, the founder and owner of this board, actually
has another 1975 Malick interview available for viewing at this board:
(http://www.eskimo.com/~toates/malick/art6.html).

The one I uploaded is the one he did with Michel Ciment in Positif,
and is appended at the end of the new book on Malick by Lloyd Michaels
I just finished reading. Hope the Malick fans, and particularly the
BADLANDS fans, will find it interesting.

The September/October issue of Film Comment features CHE on the cover
and features Amy Taubin's interview with Soderbergh. There is some
mention of Malick's early interest in the project.
http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/so08/che.htm

I have seen the trailers, and CHE looks amazing. But I was able to
resist seeing the special roadshow 4-hour version mainly because I
hate the particular Landmark theatre in LA it was showing at. I don't
mind waiting till it goes wide, and broken into two different films,
in January. Amy Taubin, a critic I enormously respect, called it a
"masterpiece." But she also loved Jean Luc-Godard's ÉLOGE DE L'AMOUR
(aka L'Crap).

But I think 2008 was a GREAT year for movies. I enjoyed the delightful
FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON. As romantic comedies go, I also thought IN
SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS was really good. More recently, I really
enjoyed seeing MILK at the historic Castro Theatre (the *perfect*
place to see it!) in San Francisco over Thanksgiving weekend. I sorta
liked WENDY AND LUCY, which I thought was very well acted and was
poignant and all; however, I'm not sure it had enough material to
justify a feature-length film. Critics described it as understated,
but I found it touching but ultimately underwhelming. One film I can't
wait to see is WALTZ WITH BASHIR.

Hands down, the best film I saw this year was LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.
From the opening shot of the snow falling against the blackest night,
accompanied by that melancholy music, I was *hooked.* The filmmakers
have a very strong aesthetic, as the composition of each scene was
carefully set up and beautiful to behold...I love every frame of this
movie...The cinematography is gorgeous. The acting by the two child
leads is incredible and totally believable. My favorite scenes are the
ones where they are together are wonderful. I came in thinking this
was going to be another "low-budget horror film", but it turned out to
be a deeply touching coming-of-age story of friendship and love as
well. The ending is *brilliant.*I have already seen this film five
times now, each time at the same West Hollywood Laemmle theatre (and
each time enjoying a nice hot cup of Earl Grey before the show at the
nearby cafe directly across from the Directors Guild of America). I
intend to see it several more times before its theatrical run ends.
This film is well on its way to cult status.

I would like to say something about the score. There is a recurring
music cue called "Eli's Theme" that has been playing in my head over
and over and over (just as every scene of this beautiful film has been
doing).If anyone is interested in hearing it, I put an audio-only
YouTube link here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TerKgrAFQ5k

I prefer the classical guitar and strings version of this theme, which
appears in the two scenes where the boy visits his father in the
countryside. It also makes a brief reprise over the end credits as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iivf1dN5Xg&feature=related

Wow, I have been thinking and thinking about this film *a lot* in
between repeated viewings. The last film that has occupied my mind
this much was...THE THIN RED LINE.