Sometimes I feel left out

[Mysterious Dude]

While you're all out there having a great time watching The Incredible Hulk and Wall-E, I'm sitting at home watching African and Chinese films that I can't even find on IMDb. Should I give up being a white person (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/23/20-being-an-expert-on-your-culture/) and embrace my own culture? Or should I continue on my misguided, Asperger's-driven quest to improve my inadequate top ten of 1936?

On a related note, why did you all see The Happening anyway? Didn't you hear how terrible it was?

[MadMan]

I didn't see The Happening. But The Incredible Hulk was pretty entertaining and a really solid comic book film. I've still only seen five films from this year, and I doubt I'll reach 10 films until August or September, if I'm lucky.

But I am checking out Croupier and I'm going to see what all the fuss over Clue is about. I'd be seeing more older/obscure/foreign films if my public library hadn't been destroyed by flooding.

[Yxklyx]

Things to Come at #1!? I think you should just start over.

[monolith94]

Don't stress over it. So long as you've seen Speed Racer, then you're in tune with the modern zeitgeist.

[soitgoes...]

I'm right there with you.

[Spinal]

Moderation is the key. I throw a little mainstream entertainment into the foreign/classic/arty mix in order to stay fresh. And sometimes they're actually good.

[number8]

I think I've stopped differentiating my pop corn and arthouse films a while ago. I'm starting to see the fun in just dividing film types into "good" and "bad".

[Watashi]

I love your signature.

[Mysterious Dude]

Things to Come at #1!? I think you should just start over.
I said it was inadequate, dammit! Leave me alone!

I just know there's some great Chinese film from that year that I haven't seen yet.

[Sycophant]

Crap. That link reminds me I need to check out the newest Andy Lau CD. I heard his last single for the Olympics, "Everyone Is Number One," but it was a bit too cheesy for my tastes. And I like a reasonable amount of cheese in my C-pop.

Um, but yeah. I watch modern American art fare, American pop cinema, Asian pop cinema, Asian art fare, and a little bit of European stuff with pretty much equal vigor. I'm not so obsessed with seeing the best films out there as I am with seeing as diverse a crop as possible. One of these days, I'll get around to Africa and more European stuff, as well as rounding out my pre-eighties roster.

[Grouchy]

I think I've stopped differentiating my pop corn and arthouse films a while ago. I'm starting to see the fun in just dividing film types into "good" and "bad".
Yeah, I'm pretty much the same.

[MadMan]

Yeah, I'm pretty much the same.I don't believe I ever actually bothered to divide the films I see into any categories other than "Good" or "Bad." And the 100 rating scale is fun, if only because you can just slap on a number for a film's rating without really thinking about it. Reviews matter more with the **** scale simply to seperate one *** 1/2 film from another *** 1/2 film, and so on and so on.

[Bosco B Thug]

the foreign/classic/arty mix Don't forget Brassy. :)


On a related note, why did you all see The Happening anyway? Didn't you hear how terrible it was? I think it was worth a viewing. Shyamalan's always an inspired and idiosyncratic filmmaker, even when he's on desperation-tinged autopilot as he is here... and even though all his films kind of suck (imo, haven't seen Unbreakable).

[soitgoes...]

I said it was inadequate, dammit! Leave me alone!

I just know there's some great Chinese film from that year that I haven't seen yet.
Mid-30's Japanese films=the shit. I need to check out some Chinese films from then. I have The Goddess, Song of the Fisherman and The Peach Girl. I just need to get around to watching them.

[origami_mustache]

I've seen The Godess...tis goooooood

[Spinal]

Don't forget Brassy. :)



What? That's foreign and arty. Kind of.

[Bosco B Thug]

What? That's foreign and arty. Kind of.
Oh I know, and don't get me wrong, he sounds like definitely a filmmaker whose work should be delved into. I think he warrants his own exclusive, very distinguished niche, though!

[Mysterious Dude]

I've seen The Godess...tis goooooood
I want to give it a higher score, but I felt its depiction of prostitution was a little tame. I couldn't really picture her having sex with someone.

[soitgoes...]

I've seen The Godess...tis goooooood
Just watched this, and you are correct. It's real good. I'm gonna have to check out more early Chinese films ASAP.

[soitgoes...]

I want to give it a higher score, but I felt its depiction of prostitution was a little tame. I couldn't really picture her having sex with someone.
Yes, there wasn't much on her seedier side of life. Showing more of her day-to-day struggle would've made the ending more hard hitting. Still all in all a very good movie. Especially considering when and where it was made.

Do you have any other recommendations from this time period besides the two I mentioned having above?

[origami_mustache]

I want to give it a higher score, but I felt its depiction of prostitution was a little tame. I couldn't really picture her having sex with someone.

I know what you mean, but still a very liberal film at a time when the right-wing nationalists were censoring the cinema so strictly...sadly Lingyu Ruan, who was a huge star in China and harassed by the tabloids, killed herself, at the age of 24.

[Mysterious Dude]

Do you have any other recommendations from this time period besides the two I mentioned having above?
I've only seen this and The Peach Girl so far (loved that one). I'm quite pleased with what I've seen so far from this era, so I'm searching far and wide for more. I've discovered that I can request videos from pretty much any library in Minnesota through my public library (including college libraries), but I'm concerned that some of the early Chinese and Japanese films will be without English translations. The things I do for art!

[soitgoes...]

I've only seen this and The Peach Girl so far (loved that one). I'm quite pleased with what I've seen so far from this era, so I'm searching far and wide for more. I've discovered that I can request videos from pretty much any library in Minnesota through my public library (including college libraries), but I'm concerned that some of the early Chinese and Japanese films will be without English translations. The things I do for art!
Karagarga has a nice healthy collection of early Chinese and Japanese films. The problem is World War II pretty much destroyed a good portion of these early films. It's a shame.

[Mysterious Dude]

So I'm having this feeling again, this time for Transformers 2. Everyone except me is shitting all over it. I'm at home watching Goto, Island of Love.

[MacGuffin]

So I'm having this feeling again, this time for Transformers 2. Everyone except me is shitting all over it. I'm at home watching Goto, Island of Love.

Is this good?

[Dead & Messed Up]

On a related note, why did you all see The Happening anyway? Didn't you hear how terrible it was?

I liked the concept, and I ended up marginally liking the film.

[Mysterious Dude]

Is this good?
Let me put it this way. Who can I talk to about Goto? At least with Transfomers, there's a shared experience, even if it is a negative experience. Goto is an experience that I will share with no one. It's masturbation, really.

[MacGuffin]

Let me put it this way. Who can I talk to about Goto? At least with Transfomers, there's a shared experience, even if it is a negative experience. Goto is an experience that I will share with no one. It's masturbation, really.

Well, you can talk to me about the movie. I want to see some movies by that director.

[Derek]

So I'm having this feeling again, this time for Transformers 2. Everyone except me is shitting all over it. I'm at home watching Goto, Island of Love.

Hopefully rep will comfort you along with the knowledge that you made the right decision.

[Winston*]

You have two very mainstream movies in your signature that you've given positive ratings. Maybe you're not so out of step.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen (Bay, 2009) 6

:lol:

This whole time I thought your scale was out of ten.

[balmakboor]

As I said in a different thread earlier today, last night I felt really out of touch with most of mankind. In the middle of a busy and movie obsessed city (Seattle), I was in a "crowd" of about 30 or so people watching a little Korean gem called Treeless Mountain and then watching a little African masterpiece called Munyurangabo with only one other person. She and I chatted briefly afterwards like two lost souls briefly passing in the night.

[lovejuice]

It's masturbation, really.
as woody allen famously said -- and i paraphase him here -- what's wrong with that? it's having sex with someone you love.

[Qrazy]

If someone with a split personality masturbates is that incest? Or more to the point if siamese twins masturbate is that incest? Is it only incest if they have separate vaginas/penises? I've been thinking a lot about incest lately.

[Skitch]

I try to see everything. Except rom-coms. I watched Doctor Zhivago last week, Lakeview Terrace and Death Note last night, and I've got Miracle At St. Anna's for tonight.

[Dukefrukem]

:lol:

This whole time I thought your scale was out of ten.

:lol:

That rules.

[Qrazy]

I try to see everything. Except rom-coms. I watched Doctor Zhivago last week, Lakeview Terrace and Death Note last night, and I've got Miracle At St. Anna's for tonight.

I watched El Doctor last week as well. Your thoughts?

[Dead & Messed Up]

If someone with a split personality masturbates is that incest?

No.


Or more to the point if siamese twins masturbate is that incest?

Depends.


Is it only incest if they have separate vaginas/penises?

Yes.


I've been thinking a lot about incest lately.

Hrm.

[Qrazy]

No.



Depends.



Yes.



Hrm.

What if they are hermaphrodite siamese twins. So they share one pelvis but they have both sex organs and two heads.

[Dead & Messed Up]

What if they are hermaphrodite siamese twins. So they share one pelvis but they have both sex organs and two heads.

Unless the heads are distinctive sexually, it's kosher. Double your pleasure, bro.

[Skitch]

I watched El Doctor last week as well. Your thoughts?

Well made, well acted, fucking loooooong.

[Qrazy]

Well made, well acted, fucking loooooong.

Tis a bit long, still I don't think there was too much extraneous content. I found it interesting what a dark color palette the film had. Everyone wears blacks and there's so much shadow. The ice house set and sequence were amazing. Also I know he was a poet but did the Doctor always need to seem on the verge of tears?

[Skitch]

Tis a bit long, still I don't think there was too much extraneous content. I found it interesting what a dark color palette the film had. Everyone wears blacks and there's so much shadow. The ice house set and sequence was amazing. Also I know he was a poet but did the Doctor always need to seem on the verge of tears?

I agree, I thought it was too long, but would be hard pressed to mention any scene that really should have been trimmed. And yes, lots of crying. Made me appreciate being born here and now.

Also, the dark lighting, especially when people leaned in and the light was solely on their eyes...that was brilliant stuff.

[baby doll]

Moderation is the key. I throw a little mainstream entertainment into the foreign/classic/arty mix in order to stay fresh. And sometimes they're actually good.Maybe I'm willfully misreading this, but what you seem to be saying is that he should watch a mainstream film now and again, not because he thinks it might be good, but to show that he's with the people, or something. Of course that can't possibly be what you meant, because if it was that would be scarily conformist, creepy, and sad. Rather than moderation ("Okay, I just watched twenty art films, so now I have to watch Transformers as penance"), I just see whatever happens to piques my interest. I'm very intuitive.

Also, since when does the mainstream have a monopoly on entertainment? Isn't all film by definition spectacle?

[Derek]

Maybe I'm willfully misreading this, but what you seem to be saying is that he should watch a mainstream film now and again, not because he thinks it might be good, but to show that he's with the people, or something. Of course that can't possibly be what you meant, because if it was that would be scarily conformist, creepy, and sad. Rather than moderation ("Okay, I just watched twenty art films, so now I have to watch Transformers as penance"), I just see whatever happens to piques my interest. I'm very intuitive.

Also, since when does the mainstream have a monopoly on entertainment? Isn't all film by definition spectacle?

I think what he's saying is that rather than getting completely caught up in dour, serious art films, he prefers to throw in a little bit of everything, including mainstream entertainment, because it allows him to experience the full scope of cinema not simply what he may enjoy. I think this is obvious to anyone not being willfully pompous, but I don't think that's possibly your intention because that too would be creepy and sad.

[baby doll]

it allows him to experience the full scope of cinema not simply what he may enjoy.I thought this was kind of interesting, because I don't feel the need to embrace the full scope of cinema. I'm just not that interested in Asian horror films, French-Canadian action pictures, and Italian porno movies. I'd much rather stick to what I may enjoy, and try as best as possible to avoid what I likely won't enjoy.

[trotchky]

Speaking of dour, serious art films, I watched Almanac of Fall last night; after a point, it made me want to hammer nails through my skull. I don't know who you are, Bela Tarr, but I don't know if I like you.

[Derek]

Speaking of dour, serious art films, I watched Almanac of Fall last night; after a point, it made me want to hammer nails through my skull. I don't know who you are, Bela Tarr, but I don't know if I like you.

I think you should also include visual media unwillingly consumed in your signature.

[trotchky]

I think you should also include visual media unwillingly consumed in your signature.

I'd be willing to give it a try, but I think it might be hard to keep track of it all.

[Qrazy]

Speaking of dour, serious art films, I watched Almanac of Fall last night; after a point, it made me want to hammer nails through my skull. I don't know who you are, Bela Tarr, but I don't know if I like you.

Please don't tell me that was your first film from him because that's one of those best left until later in someone's filmography type films.

[trotchky]

Please don't tell me that was your first film from him because that's one of those best left until later in someone's filmography type films.

It was. I watched it because Ed Gonzalez compared Elephant to it. I guess I should see Werckmeister Harmonies or something as a proper introduction to Tarr, huh?

[Qrazy]

It was. I watched it because Ed Gonzalez compared Elephant to it. I guess I should see Werckmeister Harmonies or something as a proper introduction to Tarr, huh?

Yep. He has two very distinct periods. I recommend diving into the latter period. For latter period works Werckmeister is my favorite and the best place to start. Then Satantango and Damnation and finally The Man from London.

[Mysterious Dude]

Speaking of Bela Tarr, I don't even like all these art movies. I can recall recent consensus threads in which people were shocked that I gave low ratings to certain films by Bela Tarr and Carl Theodor Dreyer. I've been avoiding the Claude Chabrol thread.

I watched this Czech film last week called Daisies. Couldn't stand it.

[Qrazy]

Speaking of Bela Tarr, I don't even like all these art movies. I can recall recent consensus threads in which people were shocked that I gave low ratings to certain films by Bela Tarr and Carl Theodor Dreyer. I've been avoiding the Claude Chabrol thread.

I watched this Czech film last week called Daisies. Couldn't stand it.

Everyone has their gripes. I can't stand Vivre Sa Vie, Mouchette, or Autumn Sonata.

[monolith94]

Don't worry about it, Daisies is kinda dumb.

[Skitch]

As I said in a different thread earlier today, last night I felt really out of touch with most of mankind. In the middle of a busy and movie obsessed city (Seattle), I was in a "crowd" of about 30 or so people watching a little Korean gem called Treeless Mountain and then watching a little African masterpiece called Munyurangabo with only one other person. She and I chatted briefly afterwards like two lost souls briefly passing in the night.


Ok, where is your avatar from? That chicka is quite attractive.

[balmakboor]

Ok, where is your avatar from? That chicka is quite attractive.

WR: Mysteries of the Orgasm (I mean Organism).

[B-side]

Everyone has their gripes. I can't stand Vivre Sa Vie, Mouchette, or Autumn Sonata.

I've got a bunch of films I'm lukewarm on or dislike that have people wanting to punch me in the throat.

Army of Shadows, The Rules of the Game, The Grand Illusion, Tokyo Story, Au Hasard Balthazar, Pickpocket, Ugetsu, Gertrud, Good Morning and more.

[Ectothermal Puppy]

Things to Come at #1!? I think you should just start over.

WHat the Duce?!?! You took my avatar!! Man, leave RT for a few months and BAM Suzuki whores himself to another poster like a Mexican Border patrol prostitute.

[Duncan]

WHat the Duce?!?! You took my avatar!! Man, leave RT for a few months and BAM Suzuki whores himself to another poster like a Mexican Border patrol prostitute.

Hi. Welcome.

[Boner M]

Speaking of Bela Tarr, I don't even like all these art movies. I can recall recent consensus threads in which people were shocked that I gave low ratings to certain films by Bela Tarr and Carl Theodor Dreyer. I've been avoiding the Claude Chabrol thread.
Have you ever seen a Chabrol film? He's not very arty.

[Duncan]

Have you ever seen a Chabrol film? He's not very arty. Btw, what do you see in him? I feel like I'm missing something, but both films of his I've seen seemed like bad Hitchcock knockoffs.

[Boner M]

Btw, what do you see in him? I feel like I'm missing something, but both films of his I've seen seemed like bad Hitchcock knockoffs.
He's definitely hit-or-miss, and I'd probably find him more 'miss' when I see more of his filmography, but his good films are highly enjoyable and intriguing slow-burners with fascinating moral quandaries. Not to mention that his wife and frequent muse Stephane Audran is one of the most consistently watchable actresses ever. Sometime his borgeious-bashing can be annoyingly glib and his coldness exasperating, but conversely he can take those interests to such indulgent extremes that the films turn into awesome absurdist spectacles, like La Rupture, or he creates a world of such coldness and human expendability that he creates an air of inverse-humanism, like Le ceremonie. Even the lesser Cop au vin that I watched over the weekend has some formally impeccable sequences, an unforgettable character, and a shop sign that says 'closed due to murder'.

I guess I think he's 'addictive' more than 'great', but his good films are enough for me to consider him a minor favorite.

[Mysterious Dude]

Have you ever seen a Chabrol film? He's not very arty.
Le Boucher seemed fairly arty to me. Maybe I should give him another shot.

[Qrazy]

I've got a bunch of films I'm lukewarm on or dislike that have people wanting to punch me in the throat.

Army of Shadows, The Rules of the Game, The Grand Illusion, Tokyo Story, Au Hasard Balthazar, Pickpocket, Ugetsu, Gertrud, Good Morning and more.

I would also like to punch you in the throat. ;)

[Spinal]

WHat the Duce?!?! You took my avatar!! Man, leave RT for a few months and BAM Suzuki whores himself to another poster like a Mexican Border patrol prostitute.

I can't believe someone would do such a thing. Shameful really.

[Derek]

I would also like to punch you in the throat. ;)

I'm right behind you in line. Long wait I imagine.

[Eleven]

The Ascent (Shepitko, 1977) 83

I'm about halfway through this, and it's also hovering around that number. Have you seen her Wings? It's pretty awesome as well, less Come and See and more, I don't know, The Browning Version or something.