CQ (2001)

I loved it too.  One of my favorite movies about the movies, and also a really good entry in the "What is real?" genre.

I saw this by myself at the Seattle International Film Festival way back in 2001, and really dug everything about it.  It's so weird how it's come to feel like a movie that didn't happen.  It's as if I never saw anyone talk about it or even get a DVD release.  I know it did, but I feel like I've never actually seen the case in person.

I remember thinking that the girl who played Dragonfly was destined to be a star.  Clearly, my hormones must've hindered my judgement... since the only thing I've seen her in since then is a tiny role in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

My tastes have changed a bit since then.  I feel like I'd probably not like this movie as much if I saw it now.

When I first saw this I really thought it was a 60's film. But then I recognised Jeremy Davis from LOST in it. I didn't catch all the film references, but I assumed it was a satire of those Modesty Blaise/Man Like Flint spy flicks.

The girl who played Dragonfly is drop dead gorgeous though. Hard to believe she isn't a bigger star.

Just saw this and liked it quite a bit. There's a mellow, stream-of-consciousness feel to the whole shindig (evocative of the autobiographical piece Paul is making within the film) that hit the spot. I've liked Jeremy Davies since Spanking the Monkey and Saving Private Ryan, and especially on Lost. He has a very relatable, approachable feel to him; always the brilliant character, but unimposing.

Loved the film within a film, Codename: Dragonfly, and everything it represented: that strange 60's idea of the future blended with the camp and action of James Bond, but what really got to me is Dragonfly herself. She was always having fun on her adventures, and was a woman that appreciated and revelled in her sexuality without apology. We need more real action film characters like that. There was a real feel of having-our-cake-and-eating-it-too, as we don't get Codename: Dragonfly but the way fiction starts bleeding over into reality gives us something better.

The only thing that bothered me is the relationship with Marlene, or lack thereof. She's introduced already fed up with Paul's filming himself, so we never see the two happy together. Their breakup and the denouement with Paul's 69, 70 narration lamenting her loss comes across as shallow, especially since we know Paul is much happier with Valentine. Valentine as well, and the actress that played her, are cute as hell, but we don't get much of an impression of her outside her character. I guess it doesn't matter, as this film resembles 500 Days of Summer in that it's about the male protagonists perception of his world and lovers.

There's little promise in the end, however, that Paul will love her for who she is or what characters she plays in his movies.

Kudos to the fetishizing, as well, of the old school film equipment. Loved all those shots of film reels and flashy buttons.

This film had a fun soundtrack as well.