28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[BuffaloWilder]

I just revisited To Kill A Mockingbird, earlier. I'd forgotten how much Gregory Peck does for the film.

[B-side]

Despite some cool iconic photography, I was pretty underwhelmed by Night of the Hunter. I found most of the acting to be appalling, and the screenplay had the subtlety of a car crash.

Yup. I really don't see why people hold it in such high regard. It's a pretty cool little thriller, but that's about it.
______________________________ _______

Has anyone here seen Eisenstein's Que Viva Mexico? Mexican history is fascinating to me and word is this, despite being incomplete, is still excellent.

[Qrazy]

Yup. I really don't see why people hold it in such high regard. It's a pretty cool little thriller, but that's about it.
______________________________ _______

Has anyone here seen Eisenstein's Que Viva Mexico? Mexican history is fascinating to me and word is this, despite being incomplete, is still excellent.

No, but it is high time I watched the rest of Eisenstein's features (only seen Potemkin, the Ivan's and Strike).

[B-side]

No, but it is high time I watched the rest of Eisenstein's features (only seen Potemkin, the Ivan's and Strike).

I've only seen Potemkin, which I thought was good, the Ivan's, which I'm very much conflicted on and a short of his, Glumov's Diary, which wasn't really much of anything. Definitely interested in seeing Strike and October, too.

[BuffaloWilder]

Astaire pays tribute to Bill Robinson, at the blog below.

[Rowland]

Match-Cut has always been uncommonly lukewarm towards Night of the Hunter. I find it a richer and richer experience with every viewing. There is nothing else quite like it.

[Dead & Messed Up]

In high school I was taught to underline if I was writing long-hand, and to italicize if I was typing.

I think I'm going to start doing this. It'll be my big excitement for the weekend.

/dies inside

[The Mike]

Weekend Possibilities:

Red Sun
Hostile Intent
The Osterman Weekend
Heathers
Against the Dark
The Pit
Hellgate

And possibly a rewatch of Splinter.

[megladon8]

I thought Night of the Hunter was incredible.

[Ezee E]

I thought Night of the Hunter was incredible.
It is.

Match Cut does hold it in high regard, they voted Robert Michum as the Best Villain ever.

[MadMan]

Night of the Hunter is a damn good movie. I rented it last year, and thought it was a really well made film noir. Most of its awesome factor is related to the fact that Robert Mitchum gives a fantastic performance, though.

[Sycophant]

Holding a miniature Kitano festival with some friends tomorrow. The plan is to watch the following:

1. Fireworks
2. Zatoichi
3. Achilles & the Tortoise

We just watched Kikujiro like 5 weeks ago. I'd consider swapping out Zatoichi for Kids Return if the KR DVD was better.

[Sycophant]

Oh. My. God.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1264/slwz4.jpg

Beat Takeshi - Singin' Loud II

http://www.mediafire.com/?zrgmnzjxlrj

:eek:

And we're going to be listening to this.

[Derek]

And we're going to be listening to this.

I assume Takeshi's Castle or MXC will be figuring into your night as well?

[Sycophant]

I assume Takeshi's Castle or MXC will be figuring into your night as well?

Actually, no.

[B-side]

I'm not really sure what to make of I Stand Alone. I can't say I was particularly impacted. Noe's desire to invoke a primal response is rather limiting. He seems to have a very specific emotion or feeling in mind that he wants you to feel, but I can't say my response went to any extreme. I wasn't particularly shocked, nor was I really taken very far out by his use of jarring zooms accompanied by gunshots. Noe's decision to utilize Brechtian alienation techniques seem at odds with his decision to render the Butcher in such an everyman manner. It's not difficult to sympathize with someone who's so down on their luck and stuck in a world where it's every man for himself. Is he the master of his own destiny? Objectively speaking, of course, but within the context of the film is he a product of his surroundings and birth and/or is he exemplifying the very sort of black and white moral extremism that the world needs less of? I don't know, and I can't say I'm all that interested in figuring it out.

[Amnesiac]

Weird question, but I have to know this ASAP. To anyone who has seen Heathers, can you please confirm for me if this image is in fact from the film?

http://application.denofgeek.com/images/m/Heathers2.jpg

[The Mike]

Weird question, but I have to know this ASAP. To anyone who has seen Heathers, can you please confirm for me if this image is in fact from the film?

http://application.denofgeek.com/images/m/Heathers2.jpgI'm watching this tonight, so I'll let you know if no one else does.

EDIT: My gut tells me no.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I think it is

If I remember correctly, after Ryder tries to cut contact with Slater's character, he starts to terrorize her in the same way, including suggesting that he'll murder her by hanging and make it look like an accident. This is his little "message".

[Raiders]

Since I doubt this will actually be an upcoming movie, I'll post this piece about Lonergan's Margaret here:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-margaret26-2009apr26,0,4565897,full.story

Shame. Back in '06/'07 it was among my most anticipated films. I still would love to see it in some capacity.

[Rowland]

Michael Curtiz's The Adventures of Robin Hood doesn't quite live up to its reputation, but it's still a great deal of fun, with sumptuous sets, witty dialogue, spirited swashbuckling, and charming performances. There are however a few clunky stretches of storytelling, and the momentum begins to noticeably lag between the archery competition and the climax, but it's otherwise a finely wrought adventure romp. As far as what I've seen by Curtiz goes, I remain partial to his demented masterpiece, the woefully underseen Mystery of the Wax Museum.

[Amnesiac]

I'm watching this tonight, so I'll let you know if no one else does.

Thanks, please do.

[balmakboor]

Weird question, but I have to know this ASAP. To anyone who has seen Heathers, can you please confirm for me if this image is in fact from the film?

http://application.denofgeek.com/images/m/Heathers2.jpg

I believe so plus that's clearly a screen capture rather than a production still.

[dreamdead]

Finished out the South Korean horror/drama Memento Mori, a film that gracefully subsumes most of the cliches in the ghost story and appropriates them in new, interesting ways. Firstly, the fact that it only comes in a censored format vis-a-vis Korean censorship is intriguing, since the film concerns the ostracization of a high school lesbian couple and the ineffable rifts that rise up between the two. Images shown in the trailer, namely the two girls naked in a bath, have been truncated because of the stigma in any positive portrayal of lesbianism. Yet the film is nonetheless laudatory of this relationship and it spends most of its euphoric moments highlighting what could be, if the community at large merely accepted them. Secondly, for a film that is ostensibly about the third party witnessing the breakdown of this couple, the co-directors pay little attention to the secondary characters, fleshing them out but always remaining focused on the central love story; as such, any critique of the lesbianism fades away and the film instead interrogates the institutionalization of that oppression. And the film captures some truly startlingly beautiful imagery throughout, whether it's two reclining against each other or the majesty of a vocal performance.

It's really a strong film, and would make a fascinating juxtaposition with Fucking Amal, what with the shifts in culture and genre.

[Amnesiac]

I believe so plus that's clearly a screen capture rather than a production still.

Yep, I know it's a screen capture but I wanted to make sure it is a screencap from Heathers rather than a different film.

I would also like to make sure this one is from Heathers, as well:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4aONv4L2uYs/SVwrB36Ld_I/AAAAAAAACZ4/RnuUXSez160/s400/heathers2.png

Rep to whoever can lend me a hand here.

[Melville]

They're both from Heathers.

Don't rep me though, in case I'm wrong.

EDIT: But just to be clear, I'm like 99% certain they're both from Heathers. I'd bet my life on the first one being from it. And as I recall, the second one occurs during a dream sequence.

[baby doll]

I saw Heathers recently and can confirm they're both from the film (which was terrible, by the way). The first is almost definitely a screen cap from the film, but you can tell just by looking at the latter that it's a production still.

[chrisnu]

Since I doubt this will actually be an upcoming movie, I'll post this piece about Lonergan's Margaret here:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-margaret26-2009apr26,0,4565897,full.story

Shame. Back in '06/'07 it was among my most anticipated films. I still would love to see it in some capacity.
That's very sad. I had been looking forward to seeing this as well, when I first heard about in 2007, as you mentioned.

Apparently a musical score was completed for the film (http://upcomingfilmscores.blogspot.co m/2009/03/nico-muhly-margaret.html) over a year ago. It must be frustrating for the composer that his work hasn't/can't be heard.

[MacGuffin]

There's not enough time in Carne for us to fully understand what exactly it is about. It's clear that it is about a seriously disturbed individual, The Butcher (brilliantly played by Phillipe Nahon), but it just doesn't seem like a realized story. It's only half there. Still, the performances and the style and the fact that this traces the style Noé would fully attest to later on and the fact that it is an obvious precursor to I Stand Alone — to the point where I almost wonder why he didn't just tack this on to the beginning of that movie... seriously — makes it worth watching if you're interesting in the dude's work.

[B-side]

There's not enough time in Carne for us to fully understand what exactly it is about. It's clear that it is about a seriously disturbed individual, The Butcher (brilliantly played by Phillipe Nahon), but it just doesn't seem like a realized story. It's only half there. Still, the performances and the style and the fact that this traces the style Noé would fully attest to later on and the fact that it is an obvious precursor to I Stand Alone — to the point where I almost wonder why he didn't just tack this on to the beginning of that movie... seriously — makes it worth watching if you're interesting in the dude's work.

Hmm. I'm hoping I enjoy Irreversible more than I Stand Alone.

[MacGuffin]

Hmm. I'm hoping I enjoy Irreversible more than I Stand Alone.

I think you probably will. I mean, I don't really know what kind of movies you like, but I find it hard to believe that someone could not appreciate the masterful formalism of Irréversible, even if they are upset by its content. I am hoping I will not think any differently of it on second viewing, at least, for the worse.

[B-side]

I think you probably will. I mean, I don't really know what kind of movies you like, but I find it hard to believe that someone could not appreciate the masterful formalism of Irréversible, even if they are upset by its content. I am hoping I will not think any differently of it on second viewing, at least, for the worse.

So-called "extreme" content has never bothered me. Matter of fact, I'm more inclined to enjoy it as I can't help but feel it signifies artistic freedom in some capacity or another. I wouldn't say I'd readily rate anything "extreme" higher than something not, I just have an open mind, I guess.:P

If you'd like, I'd appreciate your thoughts in response to the reaction (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=163457&postcount=28028) I posted last night.

[MacGuffin]

So-called "extreme" content has never bothered me. Matter of fact, I'm more inclined to enjoy it as I can't help but feel it signifies artistic freedom in some capacity or another. I wouldn't say I'd readily rate anything "extreme" higher than something not, I just have an open mind, I guess.:P

If you'd like, I'd appreciate your thoughts in response to the reaction (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=163457&postcount=28028) I posted last night.

I saw that, but didn't respond since it has been a while since I saw I Stand Alone. I was left a bit uncomfortable by the ending, but it was Jonathan Rosenbaum's essay that had me thinking I may have interpreted it a bit wrong. I will try to respond to your comments when I rewatch the movie. Try to remind me if I forget.

[B-side]

I saw that, but didn't respond since it has been a while since I saw I Stand Alone. I was left a bit uncomfortable by the ending, but it was Jonathan Rosenbaum's essay that had me thinking I may have interpreted it a bit wrong. I will try to respond to your comments when I rewatch the movie. Try to remind me if I forget.

Ahh. OK. Can you link me to Rosenbaum's essay?

[Amnesiac]

but you can tell just by looking at the latter that it's a production still.

But that scene does take place in the film, right?

[The Mike]

The first image posted is a direct screencap from the film. Haven't seen the second yet.

[The Mike]

Yep, I know it's a screen capture but I wanted to make sure it is a screencap from Heathers rather than a different film.

I would also like to make sure this one is from Heathers, as well:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4aONv4L2uYs/SVwrB36Ld_I/AAAAAAAACZ4/RnuUXSez160/s400/heathers2.png

Rep to whoever can lend me a hand here.

This is NOT a direct image from the film. The scene occurs, but never does Ryder's character approach the casket.

[Amnesiac]

This is NOT a direct image from the film. The scene occurs, but never does Ryder's character approach the casket.

Kudos. I'm assuming it's a pretty representative picture for the film, regardless of whether or not she doesn't approach the actual casket.

[The Mike]

Kudos. I'm assuming it's a pretty representative picture for the film, regardless of whether or not she doesn't approach the actual casket.
Yeah, it's definitely from the production, just not an actual screenshot of the film. Didn't know if that mattered or not.

[balmakboor]

Kudos. I'm assuming it's a pretty representative picture for the film, regardless of whether or not she doesn't approach the actual casket.

I wouldn't call it very representative. Now the cowtipping and Corn Nuts scenes, those are pretty representative.

I liked Heathers until the silly re-worked ending, which Ryder more-or-less wrote herself.

[balmakboor]

Re-watched Crimes of Passion. Definitely has its moments. Just doesn't have enough of them. But cool. I'd forgotton that Rick Wakeman did the score. Yes' Close to the Edge is one of my favorite albums.

[BuffaloWilder]

You know, upon revisiting it, there's a lot more that's oh-so-right about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy than there is wrong.

[balmakboor]

Kudos. I'm assuming it's a pretty representative picture for the film, regardless of whether or not she doesn't approach the actual casket.

I'm curious as to why you are looking for a representative image from Heathers. But, anyway, this site has plenty and I'd say the ones of the croquet game dream sequence, the one of Slater holding the drain opener, and the cow-tipping scene are the most memorable for me.

http://fever-of-fate.com/caps/view/heathers/

[Qrazy]

Yeah I thought it was fairly enjoyable. It wasn't a great film but I didn't have too many problems with it (Hitchhiker's Guide).

[BuffaloWilder]

Yeah I thought it was fairly enjoyable. It wasn't a great film but I didn't have too many problems with it.

If somebody would just go back and cut out those sections where the score is tonally mismatched, I'd be set.

[B-side]

Hitchhiker's Guide can be pretty great. Overall, it's decent.

Ford: [after being thrown into the airlock by a guard] Wash your filthy hands!
[looks around]
Ford: Don't panic... don't panic...
Arthur: So this is it. We're gonna die.
Ford: Yeah. We're gonna die.
[pauses]
Ford: No... no! What's this?
[goes over to control panel]
Arthur: What's that?
Ford: What's this...? What's this...?
[flips switch]
Ford: This... is... nothing. Yeah, we're gonna die.

[BuffaloWilder]

Hitchhiker's Guide can be pretty great. Overall, it's decent.

Ford: [after being thrown into the airlock by a guard] Wash your filthy hands!
[looks around]
Ford: Don't panic... don't panic...
Arthur: So this is it. We're gonna die.
Ford: Yeah. We're gonna die.
[pauses]
Ford: No... no! What's this?
[goes over to control panel]
Arthur: What's that?
Ford: What's this...? What's this...?
[flips switch]
Ford: This... is... nothing. Yeah, we're gonna die.

I love the scenes on Magrathea, particularly. The only sour note is a continuity gaffe early on, where the first mention of what it is they do is, "you know we built planets, don't you?"

[MacGuffin]

Ahh. OK. Can you link me to Rosenbaum's essay?

http://www.chicagoreader.com/movies/archives/1999/0799/07099.html

[Dead & Messed Up]

You know, upon revisiting it, there's a lot more that's oh-so-right about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy than there is wrong.

Indeed. Freeman makes a great Arthur Dent, and I still get floored by Slartibartfast's tour of the constructed planets. It's a dazzling, lovely sequence.

[B-side]

http://www.chicagoreader.com/movies/archives/1999/0799/07099.html

Thanks. Thoughts on The Limits of Control?

[MacGuffin]

Thanks. Thoughts on The Limits of Control?

See The Limits of Control thread. In short: it's amazing. Really great to look at. Even better to experience.

[Amnesiac]

I'm curious as to why you are looking for a representative image from Heathers.

Trying to put together a genre collage. Anyways, why isn't that promo pic very representative? Is this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers15.jpg) or this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers417.jpg) any better? I'm looking for something aesthetically pleasing but also, primarily, representative of the film and, more specifically, the character that Ryder played.

Thanks for the link, BTW.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Trying to put together a genre collage. Anyways, why isn't that promo pic very representative? Is this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers15.jpg) or this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers417.jpg) any better? I'm looking for something aesthetically pleasing but also, primarily, representative of the film and, more specifically, the character that Ryder played.

Thanks for the link, BTW.
I think the latter. Even recently discussing the film with some friends, that exact moment and gesture by Ryder was signalled out as the best moment of the film by a few people.

[balmakboor]

Trying to put together a genre collage. Anyways, why isn't that promo pic very representative? Is this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers15.jpg) or this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers417.jpg) any better? I'm looking for something aesthetically pleasing but also, primarily, representative of the film and, more specifically, the character that Ryder played.

Thanks for the link, BTW.

Yeah, I'd agree that the second one is more representative.

Representative? Actually, I was just sort of messing with you. Depending on what you want to express about the film and what it meant to you would determine what was most representative. I was just going off of what images have stayed with me the strongest and longest.

For me, the most memorable sequence of images are in the sequence where Slater and Ryder kill the main Heather culminating with her uttering "Corn Nuts" before falling face first through a glass table.

[Melville]

Trying to put together a genre collage. Anyways, why isn't that promo pic very representative? Is this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers15.jpg) or this (http://hq55.com/cap/heathers/heathers417.jpg) any better? I'm looking for something aesthetically pleasing but also, primarily, representative of the film and, more specifically, the character that Ryder played.

Thanks for the link, BTW.
The second one is far more representative, I think. Heathers was all about black humor, teenage rebellion, and how the characters are too cool for school.

[Amnesiac]

Actually, I was just sort of messing with you. Depending on what you want to express about the film and what it meant to you would determine what was most representative.

Eh, not necessarily. If it wasn't clear already, I haven't had a chance to see the film yet. I needed something that seemed to encapsulate an important arc or the general deportment of a character. Something that would elicit unequivocal recognition. Something that is more universally representative, not narrowly and subjectively representative because that might only work for a handful of people. I think I got it right with the one I selected. While tons of people may have their preferred moments and scenes, that rebellious pose (from what I've read of the film) seems to be something a lot of people would recognize immediately. Any other screencap would likely elicit the same response but I feel this one is more effectively bold and iconic somehow.

Thanks a lot for all your help, guys.

[D_Davis]

You know, upon revisiting it, there's a lot more that's oh-so-right about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy than there is wrong.

Oh, totally. That movie is unjustifiably vilified - it's as good as any of the previous versions of the story; each one offers something a little different. It's a great film, and I wish it did better so that we could at least see a trilogy. It offered up some great humor, amazing f/x (that look better than many films with bigger budgets) and some very cool SF concepts. It's so much better than most of the stuff that passes for SF in popular cinema.

[MacGuffin]

This thread needs a title change.

[BuffaloWilder]

Oh, totally. That movie is unjustifiably vilified - it's as good as any of the previous versions of the story; each one offers something a little different. It's a great film, and I wish it did better so that we could at least see a trilogy. It offered up some great humor, amazing f/x (that look better than many films with bigger budgets) and some very cool SF concepts. It's so much better than most of the stuff that passes for SF in popular cinema.


I never will get the complaint that it's 'too different from the source' - I mean, did people do the same when Adams wrote the first book, or what?

[D_Davis]

I never will get the complaint that it's 'too different from the source' - I mean, did people do the same when Adams wrote the first book, or what?

Yeah - people often forget that the book was actually different than the original radio play. Adams always said that each version would offer up its own unique take on the story: the radio drama, the book, the game, the BBC series, and the movie can all be viewed as slightly different versions of the same story, and each one takes advantage of its own medium to tell the best possible version.

[BuffaloWilder]

Yeah - people often forget that the book was actually different than the original radio play. Adams always said that each version would offer up its own unique take on the story: the radio drama, the book, the game, the BBC series, and the movie can all be viewed as slightly different versions of the same story, and each one takes advantage of its own medium to tell the best possible version.

Indeedy. The only thing that bugged me in this regard was the lack of "...on display in a locked filing cabinet stuck in a dis-used lavatory with a sign on the door saying: Beware of the Leopard," early on.

That smarted. But, the moment was quickly saved by Mos Def's introduction.

[Spinal]

I also really like the Hitchhiker movie. My only major complaint is that Alan Rickman's voiceover doesn't work at all. Strange, because he's usually the bright spot in any film. But Freeman, Mos Def and Rockwell are all fantastic. Lots and lots of funny.

[BuffaloWilder]

I also really like the Hitchhiker movie. My only major complaint is that Alan Rickman's voiceover doesn't work at all. Strange, because he's usually the bright spot in any film. But Freeman, Mos Def and Rockwell are all fantastic. Lots and lots of funny.

Yes, he struck a strange note with me, as well. Maybe it's because he always sounds that depressed, I don't know.

[Pop Trash]

I didn't see an individual thread so I guess I'll post my thoughts here: I thought Wendy and Lucy was outstanding. A genuinely haunting meditation on poverty and I didn't think there was a false moment in it. Michelle Williams was fantastic. The only problem is that I found it so depressing (in an honest and pure way -meaning it didn't try to push the drama into an unrealistic territory) that I don't know if its a movie I'd ever want to watch again that often.

I was a fan of Reichardt's Old Joy, but I found this to be even better. It's more focused. It has a lovely construction of images, editing, and sound. It's one of those films where it feels like every new cut means something and no shot is wasted. The few times where Wendy finally lets some emotion out feels completely earned.

I also need to say that I've had that exact same situation happen to me with a car I owned and had that exact same conversation with a mechanic (and felt exactly the same way as Wendy, fortunately/unfortunately I had the money and went ahead and got my car fixed)

This is probably second only to Synecdoche, NY and The Wrestler as the best film of 2008 for me.

[BuffaloWilder]

Just to throw this out there, does anybody know where I might find a copy of Miller's Violence In the Cinema, Pt.1 short?

[Melville]

How much French dialogue is in Trouble Every Day? I started watching it online, but about twenty minutes into it I realized there aren't any subtitles.

[MacGuffin]

How much French dialogue is in Trouble Every Day? I started watching it online, but about twenty minutes into it I realized there aren't any subtitles.

I think you are going to need subtitles for that one.

[Melville]

I think you are going to need subtitles for that one.
Damn it.

[Winston*]

Was there a lot of French dialogue in Trouble Every Day? I don't feel like there was much dialogue full stop and most of it that exists was in English with Vincent Gallo. Could be wrong.

[MacGuffin]

Was there a lot of French dialogue in Trouble Every Day? I don't feel like there was much dialogue full stop and most of it that exists was in English with Vincent Gallo. Could be wrong.

Oh, Gallo's dialogue was English? You might be okay if this is true, Melville. It's been a while since I last saw the movie, but I remember Gallo's lines were pretty dense. In other words, they were important to understand the movies' themes.

[Amnesiac]

I didn't see an individual thread so I guess I'll post my thoughts here: I thought Wendy and Lucy was outstanding. A genuinely haunting meditation on poverty and I didn't think there was a false moment in it. Michelle Williams was fantastic. The only problem is that I found it so depressing (in an honest and pure way -meaning it didn't try to push the drama into an unrealistic territory) that I don't know if its a movie I'd ever want to watch again that often.

Pretty much agreed, except I don't think I'm so averse to watching it again. But I agree it's not exactly the kind of film you're dying to see again real soon. I still haven't seen Old Joy, though.

[Grouchy]

Lorna's Silence is a very good Dardenne Bros. movie. It clearly demands a lot of attention from the audience, particularly since the scenes don't seem to have been designed to clearly convey the plot. The machinations of Fabio and the rest of the gangsters only become completely clear after a while, and I bet this really benefits from repeat viewings. The main actress is amazing and her plight very effective. Speaking of repeat viewings, I don't think I will be making a lot of them, since this is a depressing film and emotionally very exhausting. I'd like to get into the older films from these guys (like Rosetta) since I liked this and L'Enfant so much.

[soitgoes...]

Lorna's Silence is a very good Dardenne Bros. movie. It clearly demands a lot of attention from the audience, particularly since the scenes don't seem to have been designed to clearly convey the plot. The machinations of Fabio and the rest of the gangsters only become completely clear after a while, and I bet this really benefits from repeat viewings. The main actress is amazing and her plight very effective. Speaking of repeat viewings, I don't think I will be making a lot of them, since this is a depressing film and emotionally very exhausting. I'd like to get into the older films from these guys (like Rosetta) since I liked this and L'Enfant so much.This film really seemed like a departure of sorts from their earlier works. It has a much more plot driven second half, which I felt derailed the film. I absolutely loved the first part, especially the interactions between Lorna and Claudy. Renier is again a great presence in a Dardennes film. I think another problem with the second half is the loss of his character.

[Rowland]

I've only seen The Child and The Son, the latter being a masterpiece whereas I felt the former was merely good.

[baby doll]

I've only seen The Child and The Son, the latter being a masterpiece whereas I felt the former was merely good.La Promesse (1996), which was the first movie of theirs that I saw, is still my favorite--in part because it's one of those great films that seems to come out of nowhere and is totally original. Their later films obviously don't have the same thrill of discovery, but L'Enfant (2005) has the most harrowing narrative after La Promesse and is probably the closest they've come to making a thriller. Rosetta (1999) is also way awesome. I need to see Le fils (2002) again, but it's obviously a good film. Le Silence de Lorna (2008) is the least harrowing of their films that I've seen, especially after Jérémie Renier leaves the film.

[Melville]

The Son - 10
Rosetta - 9
L'Enfant - 8.5
La Promesse - 8.5

[megladon8]

Ugh.

I wrote a huge post about The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, then when I hit "submit" it didn't go through. So I clicked "Back" on my browser, and no, it was lost.

I'll re-write it once my anger subsides.

Long story short - it was great, but a few very small missteps kept it from being masterful.

Also, Billy Wilder has made many great films, but I don't think there is anything that screams "Billy Wilder" in his visual style at all - they're very generic, but well made. If that makes sense.

[baby doll]

The Son - 10
Rosetta - 9
L'Enfant - 8.5
La Promesse - 8.5In the order I saw them:

La Promesse (1996) / ****
Rosetta (1999) / ****
Le Fils (2002) / [need to see it again]
L'Enfant (2005) / ****
Le Silence de Lorna (2008) / ***

[baby doll]

Also, Billy Wilder has made many great films, but I don't think there is anything that screams "Billy Wilder" in his visual style at all - they're very generic, but well made. If that makes sense.I always thought of Wilder as a screenwriter first and a director second. But then, the quality of his scripts varies wildly. You'd never guess that the guy who made Avanti! could also do something as awful as The Seven Year Itch (which I had to turn off the second time the hero slipped on one of his kid's roller skates).

[megladon8]

I love The Seven Year Itch.

[BuffaloWilder]

I always thought of Wilder as a screenwriter first and a director second. But then, the quality of his scripts varies wildly. You'd never guess that the guy who made Avanti! could also do something as awful as The Seven Year Itch (which I had to turn off the second time the hero slipped on one of his kid's roller skates).

The Seven Year Itch is - bad?

Well, this just turns my entire utopian worldview upside-down.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I enjoy The Seven Year Itch quite a bit, but I really dislike Tom Ewell. I can see why his presence alone could hinder someone's enjoyment of the film.

[Qrazy]

Billy Wilder has a distinct and excellent visual style. The Apartment, Ace in the Hole and Sunset Boulevard are visual highlights. I was less impressed with Double Indemnity than most seem to be (visually that is).

[megladon8]

Billy Wilder has a distinct and excellent visual style. The Apartment, Ace in the Hole and Sunset Boulevard are visual highlights. I was less impressed with Double Indemnity than most seem to be (visually that is).


I agree that several of his works are filmed really nicely, but I still don't see any consistent "trademark Wilder" type stuff.

Like baby doll said, his stylistic tendencies are more strongly expressed in his writing.

[Qrazy]

I agree that several of his works are filmed really nicely, but I still don't see any consistent "trademark Wilder" type stuff.

Like baby doll said, his stylistic tendencies are more strongly expressed in his writing.

Wilder purposely avoided shots which called attention to themselves. Despite this his best work uses staging, composition, and even lighting masterfully. His films aren't just filmed 'nicely'. Contemporary indie cinema is filmed nicely. His films are filmed purposively. The visuals strongly inform the narrative and themes of the story and I know a Wilder film when I see it. It is an understated style, but a style nonetheless.

[B-side]

I just acquired what footage exists of Welles' The Dreamers.

[baby doll]

I enjoy The Seven Year Itch quite a bit, but I really dislike Tom Ewell. I can see why his presence alone could hinder someone's enjoyment of the film.You mention Ewell, but he's only part of the problem. How about his on-going monologue to the camera? I mean, not every play is suited for the big screen. Also, this movie is played so broadly, it's as if Wilder, working for the first time in CinemaScope, was trying to compensate for the width of the screen by having his actors give the kind of performances you'd expect to see in the theatre, where the actors have to project. Even Marilyn Monroe, who I normally like, is terrible in this movie: she's not funny and she's not sexy. Her character is supposed to be Temptation personified (which gives you a sense of just how broad this movie is), yet her sex appeal--in the forty minutes I saw at least--is strictly theoretical.

[MadMan]

Hero(1992) was actually surprisingly good, and quite funny. The satire is blatantly obvious, yet it also results in an interesting problem: If a lie really does people good, is it best to maintain and keep up that lie, even though the truth is completely buried? And also if it results in one man taking credit for something another man did, even though the man truly responsible is kind of an asshole?

All of which is also surrounded by lots of humor, some of it black, some of it resting on pointed shots at the media. Dustin Hoffman is actually pretty funny, and Andy Garcia displays the kind of quiet charisma that he usually displays. Gena Davis and Chevy Chase simply serve as both sides of the media (one being the supposedly "caring" element, the other, Chase, the cynical ratings driven element). Which to be honest provides laughs, but doesn't really add much in terms of interesting or enlightening points about the media circus and news coverage.

However, I have to say that overall this is a fairly underrated, and quite good, movie. With more bite, it could have been something along the lines of a 90s day Network. Still I'll settle for a movie that nails its comedic elements, and left me with something to think about.

[Spinal]

Watched Slumdog Millionaire again tonight with some friends. Pretty much the same experience as when I watched it the first time. I am unrepentant in my support, though it is hardly one of the best films of the past year. Solid mainstream entertainment.

[Rowland]

Inside (Alexandre Bustillo/Julien Maury, 2008) 64

Don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. Pretty good stuff, certainly superior to last year's similar The Strangers, including a shot involving unperceived background menace that out-creeps the iconic Liv Tyler shot used in all of the latter film's promotional material. A few narrative-related head-scratchers diffuse tension in the picture's third act, but it still holds together nicely, imbued as it all is by such a gripping sense of anxiety anchored by terribly convincing performances as well as the ever-vulnerable condition of the protagonist, and the middle act remains tight as a drum. I'm embarrassed to admit that the ending caught me off-guard, especially in light of how obvious it seems in retrospect, but the payoff feels earned, if not outright affecting. And upon some research, I'm relieved to discover that those cheesy CGI fetus inserts weren't included by the directors' design, but rather enforced through studio manhandling.

[B-side]

Consider me pleasantly surprised by how much I liked The Idiots. Judging by glimpses of the synopsis and the reactions of even Trier fans, I wasn't expecting too much, but it turned out rather good. Great, even. I also wasn't expecting something so hard-hitting emotionally. It strikes me as a more important film in Trier's canon than it's given credit for. Outside of the Jackass-esque silliness of pretending to be mentally handicapped in public, there is some more than adequate acting and a film more concerned with pretenses, societal standards and acceptance. These people shed their egos in an attempt to find in themselves their inner "idiot", or basically, a form of themselves at their most basic, innocent and carefree.

What Trier seems to do so well here within the framework of the dogme style is create a very tangible sense of camaraderie, and when the characters endure hardships, you're right there with them. You're part of the gang. I wouldn't hesitate to call it the warmest Trier film I've seen. I don't mean that in the sense of happy endings and such, but more that sense of brotherhood and family. Trier doesn't mock the mentally handicapped for laughs. He mocks those incapable of accepting the mentally handicapped. He mocks the extensive work we go through to maintain appearances. He mocks the egos that grow too large.

To say the film is simply about learning to accept the differently-abled would be reductive. Trier sees himself in this group. Trier is often labeled an instigator much like this group. He has his jabs at the people that don't have the guts to do it their own way. It's amusing to me to think of this film as a part of his "Land of Opportunities" trilogy in that he's been noted as saying the trilogy's attacks were never solely on America, but if it's what keeps people pissed off, he's more than happy to say it is.

[Mara]

Hero(1992) was actually surprisingly good, and quite funny.

I'm... suddenly having this 1992 flashback. I saw this in the theaters with a really annoying friend who thought it was the best film evah and quoted it nonstop for months.

("Watch my shoes. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Do you remember that part?")

[balmakboor]

The more I think about Crimes of Passion, the more I think that Ken Russell is an idiot. I really should see some of his "best" films though like The Devils and Women in Love.

[Mara]

The more I think about Crimes of Passion, the more I think that Ken Russell is an idiot. I really should see some of his "best" films though like The Devils and Women in Love.

After seeing Gothic, The Lair of the White Worm, and part of Lady Chatterly, I'd rather lobotomize myself with a dirty hypodermic needle dipped in lemon juice and salt than subject myself to more Russell.

[balmakboor]

After seeing Gothic, The Lair of the White Worm, and part of Lady Chatterly, I'd rather lobotomize myself with a dirty hypodermic needle dipped in lemon juice and salt than subject myself to more Russell.

I've always liked Tommy, but I'm sure that has mostly to do with my liking The Who.

[Mara]

I've always liked Tommy, but I'm sure that has mostly to do with my liking The Who.

I like the album, but have resisted seeing the film.

[Sycophant]

could also do something as awful as The Seven Year Itch (which I had to turn off the second time the hero slipped on one of his kid's roller skates).

Congrats. You just convinced me to prioritize this movie. Sounds awesome!

And I didn't like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie not because it deviated from the novel, but because it was poorly paced, unfunny, and unfocused. At least that's my recollection. I remember my opinion better than I do the film.

[balmakboor]

I like the album, but have resisted seeing the film.

But how can you resist hearing Jack Nicholson sing?

[Grouchy]

Wilder purposely avoided shots which called attention to themselves. Despite this his best work uses staging, composition, and even lighting masterfully. His films aren't just filmed 'nicely'. Contemporary indie cinema is filmed nicely. His films are filmed purposively. The visuals strongly inform the narrative and themes of the story and I know a Wilder film when I see it. It is an understated style, but a style nonetheless.
Yet when the movie required an elaborate shot (like the opening moments in Sunset Blvd. or the travellings inside the Stalag 17 bunker) he used them. Wilder was a pretty stylish director.

I liked The Devils a lot. The rest of the Russell I've seen (Salome's Last Dance, for example) is pretty terrible.

Oh, and I'm taking notes about the Dardenne Bros. comments and recommendations.

[Mara]

I can honestly say that the only director I feel more violently about than Russell is Ralph Bakshi.

I hate you, Bakshi.

[Yxklyx]

Women in Love is ok. I didn't like Tommy much. I like Altered States quite a bit. The Lair of the White Worm was fun. The Devils is all sorts of amazing - I need to see it again - it's hard to find.

[BuffaloWilder]

I can honestly say that the only director I feel more violently about than Russell is Ralph Bakshi.

I hate you, Bakshi.

Bakshi's films, with the possible exception of the first Fritz the Cat, all just feel 'unrealized,' and half-finished.


This is not a new observation, but I thought I would toss that in.

[Mara]

Bakshi's films, with the possible exception of the first Fritz the Cat, all just feel 'unrealized,' and half-finished.

Or are they perfectly, exquisitely tuned to the frequency of PAIN?

[BuffaloWilder]

Or are they perfectly, exquisitely tuned to the frequency of PAIN?

Having just seen Coonskin a little while back, I might yet be inclined to agree with you.

[Sycophant]

American Pop and Wizards are phenomenal films.

[Raiders]

American Pop is a scatter-brained and occasionally brilliant film that ultimately served to frustrate me as much as entertain me. Bakshi is ass-backwards sometimes, but he's certainly an interesting failure even if he does often seem to fail.

[origami_mustache]

Kicking and Screaming is easily the worst Criterion release I have seen.

A Page of Madness might be my favorite movie of all time.

[Watashi]

Kicking and Screaming is easily the worst Criterion release I have seen.

:|

It's one of my favorite films.

[megladon8]

:|

It's one of my favorite films.


No, you're thinking of this one...

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5821/kickingandscreaming.jpg

[origami_mustache]

I prefer the Will Ferrell one.

[Watashi]

I can understand if you can't connect with the post-college angst of the characters, but what on earth did it do to deserve a 2? That's bottom of the barrell Uwe Boll material.

Did you not see Olivia d'Abo?

[origami_mustache]

I can understand if you can't connect with the post-college angst of the characters, but what on earth did it do to deserve a 2? That's bottom of the barrell Uwe Boll material.

Did you not see Olivia d'Abo?

I actually can connect with the post college angst completely, but there isn't a single likable character, the acting is horrible, the humor and dialogue is over written, trite, and just not funny, it's aesthetically unappealing, and Baumbach's camera setups don't make much sense.

[baby doll]

Kicking and Screaming is easily the worst Criterion release I have seen.Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of early Baumbach, either (Margot at the Wedding, on the other hand, rocked my world). Just because the film knows it's slight doesn't make it any less so.

[baby doll]

I actually can connect with the post college angst completely, but there isn't a single likable character, the acting is horrible, the humor and dialogue is over written, trite, and just not funny, it's aesthetically unappealing, and Baumbach's camera setups don't make much sense.If you need likable characters to enjoy a movie, I recommend you stay the hell away from Bigger Than Life, The Draughtsman's Contract, L'Enfant, Taxi Driver, Vertigo, and Weekend--just to name the first half-dozen that come to mind.

[origami_mustache]

If you need likable characters to enjoy a movie, I recommend you stay the hell away from Bigger Than Life, The Draughtsman's Contract, L'Enfant, Taxi Driver, Vertigo, and Weekend--just to name the first half-dozen that come to mind.

I don't need a likable character...I love a lot of awful characters, but these guys along with the whiney angsty mumblecore brats are just insufferable.

[MadMan]

I'm... suddenly having this 1992 flashback. I saw this in the theaters with a really annoying friend who thought it was the best film evah and quoted it nonstop for months.

("Watch my shoes. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Do you remember that part?")That would be annoying. However, I found the whole "Watch my shoes" parts to be quite funny. And the ending had me in stitches.

Love Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I feel that it captured the tone, humor, and feel of the book very well. Was it great? No, but I'd buy it and watch it again in a heartbeat.

[Raiders]

Hm, John Cassavetes' A Child is Waiting was rather strange and very underwhelming. Seemed to be a very uncomfortable blending of writer, producer and director. For every time Cassavetes wanted to focus on the children and the way they stand apart from society (who is at fault), Kramer and Mann seem intent on reeling us back to Garland and Lancaster and an argument seemingly for their place in the institution as a necessity for their development. Uneasy, bizarre and ultimately in comparison to Cassavetes' more freeform films, woefully dull.

[Sycophant]

So, hey, Achilles & the Tortoise. Weird film. Kitano sure knows how to hold a deadpan funny shot still until it becomes funny a second time.

Watched it right on the heels of viewings of Fireworks and Zatoichi, which actually was a pretty good summation of his career. A&T is a film seemingly produced of Kitano's own befuddlement at his status of artist and celebrity, something he's pondered in his last two films as well.

Some of my friends came away thinking it was one of the most depressing films they'd ever seen. I didn't get that out of it.

EDIT: Because I can't tell if it's communicated through what I wrote, I liked it a lot.

[Spinal]

I am likely going to pay to see a Star Trek movie this evening. I can't believe I'm doing this.

[MadMan]

I am likely going to pay to see a Star Trek movie this evening. I can't believe I'm doing this.Heh. I saw it for free last week (works at a movie theater) :Runs:

PS: Oh and its really good, btw. Not sure if you'll like it, though.

[Spinal]

It helps that I'm seeing it with a couple of adorable co-workers. I will likely be in a generous frame of mind. Adorable co-workers make everything better.

[MadMan]

It helps that I'm seeing it with a couple of adorable co-workers. I will likely be in a generous frame of mind. Adorable co-workers make everything better.That is very much true.


The Wrestler (Aronofsky, 2008) **:| Thoughts? I may be one of the few who has it as their #1 of 2008.

[Raiders]

I am likely going to pay to see a Star Trek movie this evening. I can't believe I'm doing this.

Ooof. This is not a good idea.

[Spinal]

:| Thoughts?

In the Wrestler thread.

[Stay Puft]

So, hey, Achilles & the Tortoise. Weird film. Kitano sure knows how to hold a deadpan funny shot still until it becomes funny a second time.

I wasn't sure what to make of Kitano's humor being... predictable. Am I just too familiar with his work? I knew how every joke was going to play out beforehand. I found myself missing that element of surprise I loved in Violent Cop, Kikujiro, etc. It's not so much the content, of course, but the structure. I could anticipate every beat.

The experience was a little disappointing, as such, though it still has some great material and a few great laughs.

[Spinal]

Ooof. This is not a good idea.

Drat.

[MadMan]

In the Wrestler thread.We apparently have a thread for every major movie around here :P

And come on Raiders, maybe Spinal will like Star Trek. He liked Muppets in Space :lol:

[Sycophant]

I could anticipate every beat.

Eh? Eh? Eh?



Really, you're kind of right, though. It didn't feel near as surprising as earlier work.

[Qrazy]

Yet when the movie required an elaborate shot (like the opening moments in Sunset Blvd. or the travellings inside the Stalag 17 bunker) he used them. Wilder was a pretty stylish director.


Yes, I agree, but he has been quoted as saying that he usually tried to avoid shots which called attention to themselves.

[Grouchy]

Yes, I agree, but he has been quoted as saying that he usually tried to avoid shots which called attention to themselves.
No doubt, and that's what's great about him. Too many people shrug him off as an actors director with uninteresting visuals. Yet when the story required bookmarking a visual element such as the lamp in Stalag 17, he knew exactly how to do it.

You want to see theatrical, stale, boring camerawork? Try literature classic adaptations from the '30s, and you'll see the difference. Like Tod Browning's Dracula.

[megladon8]

I maintain that Wilder doesn't have much od a discernable style of his own.

he knew how to shoot a good looking movie, for sure, but after seeing several of his directorial works, I don't find any consistencies between them.

Not a knock against him or anything. Not every director can be stylistically unique.

[Grouchy]

Not every director should be stylistically unique.
.

[BuffaloWilder]

.

Yes, I caught that, as well.

[B-side]

I feel like Irreversible might be brilliant. I'm doing some reading and letting it sit for a bit before deciding that, though. The infamous fire extinguisher beating had my jaw so far down in horror it was attempting to unhinge itself.

[soitgoes...]

Climates certainly had some pretty and well composed shots, it makes sense since Ceylan was a photographer first, but man the middle lagged something fierce. A wonderful shot in the first ten minutes of Ceylan's real life wife and lead actress of the film. He holds the camera on her face, and she goes from smile to tears over the course of a minute or two. The change is barely perceptible.

[Ezee E]

I feel like Irreversible might be brilliant. I'm doing some reading and letting it sit for a bit before deciding that, though. The infamous fire extinguisher beating had my jaw so far down in horror it was attempting to unhinge itself.
Yeah, the whole movie is pretty jawdropping.

[balmakboor]

I watched The Day I Became a Woman last night. It was directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf's daughter Marzieh who shows she inherited her father's gifted eye. It's a slight and beautifully directed little movie divided into three parts showing us a bit of what it's like to be a female in Iran as a little girl, young woman, and elderly woman.

The third story doesn't quite work because it tries too hard to wrap things up by bringing in characters from the first two stories and giving us an ending the evokes the opening images. Or, in other words, the first two stories are delightfully self-contained pieces while the third story has too much baggage to carry to become a satisfying story in its own right.

Still, I recommend it.

[Derek]

Yeah, the whole movie is pretty jawdroppingly awful.

Fixed.

[Raiders]

Fixed.

Thank the lord. I was beginning to feel like the only one.

[balmakboor]

Irreversible is one of those movies that I've read so much about, but have never seen. So far, the voices of the detractors have been louder than those of the supporters and my curiousity alone isn't enough to go there. Maybe, someday, the supporters will tip the scale the other way and I'll check it out.

[Ivan Drago]

Irreversible is one of those movies that I've read so much about, but have never seen. So far, the voices of the detractors have been louder than those of the supporters and my curiousity alone isn't enough to go there.

This, except my curiosity is enough to go there. I want to see the movie that supposedly cemented Gaspar Noe's place in Hell.

EDIT: Woah, wait, weren't you fasozupow?

[balmakboor]

EDIT: Woah, wait, weren't you fasozupow?

Yes. It changed in a moment of passion a while back. Now that I'm thinking more clearly, I've been trying to have an admin change it to alvmakboo. But nobody seems to read their PMs.

[Qrazy]

Irreversible is one of those movies that I've read so much about, but have never seen. So far, the voices of the detractors have been louder than those of the supporters and my curiousity alone isn't enough to go there. Maybe, someday, the supporters will tip the scale the other way and I'll check it out.

I don't know how you'll respond but this is another film in the Salo, Sweet Movie category. I remember you saying you stayed away because of their content and ended up liking them.

Anyway I'm not a big supporter of Irreversible. I think the film has a few very powerful moments and that it's frequently formally compelling. However, it's central thesis (time destroys everything) is trite and idiotic. And the film also seems as much about engaging and reveling in nastiness as it is about commenting upon it. But some of it's nightmare imagery is unique and memorable.

[Ezee E]

It's been so long that it'd be hard for me to explain why I like it, but the craftmanship that went into the nightmarish tunnels, through the clubs, and at the end, is among the best I've ever seen.

I'd have to watch it again to explain why I like the themes a lot, even if it is smashing your face in like its actors. Spinal might be able to help me here.

[balmakboor]

I don't know how you'll respond but this is another film in the Salo, Sweet Movie category. I remember you saying you stayed away because of their content and ended up liking them.

Anyway I'm not a big supporter of Irreversible. I think the film has a few very powerful moments and that it's frequently formally compelling. However, it's central thesis (time destroys everything) is trite and idiotic. And the film also seems as much about engaging and reveling in nastiness as it is about commenting upon it. But some of it's nightmare imagery is unique and memorable.

I don't know if it's the content in this case or that most people seem to be saying things like your "trite and idiotic" comment. I've always assumed that the thesis was something like "the things you do are irreversible so be careful what you do." But then, that seems pretty trite to me as well.

[jamaul]

Fellow Matchcuters, today I am depressed. This year is nearly half over, the decade is nearly at a close, and what more of a fitting way to finish out a successful ten years of film than to drop Malick's new film in theaters before the end of the year. And gosh darnit if it's looking like that won't happen.

Gosh . . . darnit. I guess we'll have to settle for the mass-hysteria, astronomic hyperbole everyone's just dying to ejaculate all over that other Brad Pitt movie coming out this year, to be screened tomorrow at Cannes.

[balmakboor]

Someone throw me a bookmark quick. What's the best site for keeping up to date on Cannes news and reactions?

I'd forgotten about Inglourious Basterds until just now.

But yeah, I'm dying to see The Tree of Life. Probably moreso than anything else on the horizon.

[MacGuffin]

Someone throw me a bookmark quick. What's the best site for keeping up to date on Cannes news and reactions?


avclub.com
festival-cannes.com
notebook.theauteurs.com

[Dead & Messed Up]

Fellow Matchcuters, today I am depressed. This year is nearly half over, the decade is nearly at a close, and what more of a fitting way to finish out a successful ten years of film than to drop Malick's new film in theaters before the end of the year. And gosh darnit if it's looking like that won't happen.

Gosh . . . darnit. I guess we'll have to settle for the mass-hysteria, astronomic hyperbole everyone's just dying to ejaculate all over that other Brad Pitt movie coming out this year, to be screened tomorrow at Cannes.

The decade technically ends at midnight on December 31st, 2010.

[balmakboor]

avclub.com
festival-cannes.com
notebook.theauteurs.com

Thanks. The first and last were especially what I was looking for.

[Raiders]

The decade technically ends at midnight on December 31st, 2010.

How is that even possible? Are you telling me the '90s ended December 31, 2000? That's absurd. I think I know where you are going with this (same discussion around the turn of the century), but it isn't the same thing. Same as the 1900s aren't technically the same as the 20th century since they are one year different (20th century started 1901).

[MacGuffin]

Thanks. The first and last were especially what I was looking for.

The first has D'Angelo's coverage. The second is good for press conferences and videos from Cannes; it's the festival's official website. The other one was brought to my attention by baby doll.

[Dead & Messed Up]

How is that even possible? Are you telling me the '90s ended December 31, 2000? That's absurd. I think I know where you are going with this (same discussion around the turn of the century), but it isn't the same thing. Same as the 1900s aren't technically the same as the 20th century since they are one year different (20th century started 1901).

Because there is no year zero, periods of time such as decades and centuries begin at 1 and end at 0.

That doesn't look as nice as 00-09, though, so we tend to view time the other way.

[Mysterious Dude]

Because there is no year zero, periods of time such as decades and centuries begin at 1 and end at 0.

That doesn't look as nice as 00-09, though, so we tend to view time the other way.
2000 is not part of the 1990's.

[balmakboor]

How is that even possible? Are you telling me the '90s ended December 31, 2000? That's absurd. I think I know where you are going with this (same discussion around the turn of the century), but it isn't the same thing. Same as the 1900s aren't technically the same as the 20th century since they are one year different (20th century started 1901).

This would be correct:

The decade technically ends at midnight on December 31st, 2009.

Jan 1 '00-Dec 31 '00
Jan 1 '01-Dec 31 '01
.
.
.
Jan 1 '08-Dec 31 '08
Jan 1 '09-Dec 31 '09

That makes ten years.

[Sycophant]

Same as the 1900s aren't technically the same as the 20th century since they are one year different (20th century started 1901).

*ahem*

[Ezee E]

This shouldn't even be debated.

[balmakboor]

This shouldn't even be debated.

Yeah, I know. But nobody's making comments on my Full Metal Jacket post and discussion has died down on Lars von Trier, so I got bored.

[Raiders]

Because there is no year zero, periods of time such as decades and centuries begin at 1 and end at 0.

That doesn't look as nice as 00-09, though, so we tend to view time the other way.

A "decade" is ten years. It is not restricted to starting with 1 AD.

[Dead & Messed Up]

A "decade" is ten years. It is not restricted to starting with 1 AD.

I understand that, but in the context of the first post, I took "the decade" to mean the historical decade, not the "zips" or "aughts" or whatever we call them. Do we have a name for them yet?

[balmakboor]

A "decade" is ten years. It is not restricted to starting with 1 AD.

Another way of putting it is the age of a person starts at zero and at 1 he is one year old. This allows a person to be things like 1/2 a year old. Shouldn't we allow decades the same privilege?

[Sycophant]

People don't really talk about the 201st decade, which we are presumably in, and I believe you're calling the "historical" decade. People do, however, generally talk about decades as the nineties, the eighties, and so forth, which are generally considered to run from like, 90-99, 80-89, &c. &c.

FDT, go!

[balmakboor]

Actually, if you google the topic, you'll see that people have been arguing this for a long time -- and they've come to both conclusions for seemingly good reasons.

I think the only true answer is if you sell goods and services that peak in need at "the end of a decade" you'll figure out a way to make both Dec. 31 2009 and Dec. 31 2010 apply. If not, you probably don't really give a rip either way.

[Dead & Messed Up]

People don't really talk about the 201st decade, which we are presumably in, and I believe you're calling the "historical" decade. People do, however, generally talk about decades as the nineties, the eighties, and so forth, which are generally considered to run from like, 90-99, 80-89, &c. &c.

FDT, go!

To tie things back in, some of my favorite number movies:

Pi
Seven
United 93
Assault on Precinct 13
12 Angry Men

Sadly, I have not seen The Third Man or 8 1/2.

[jamaul]

Holy crud, what did I start? Anyway, I think I'm less depressed now that this little decade arguement has taken my mind off of the whole 09-lacking-Malick-film thing.

Then I realized that today is also the Tenth Anniversary of The Phantom Menace. And I realized . . . what have I done with my life since TPM came out? And I got depressed again.

[Derek]

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i280/TheMadDJ/Facepalm.jpg

[D_Davis]

I'm thinking about changing my ranking system.

I was going to use the 100 point scale, but start at 0, so that I actually have 101 points of articulation.

[Raiders]

This was my favorite discussion in this thread in a long time. Who gives a shit about movies. Semantics, dammit!

[balmakboor]

To tie things back in, some of my favorite number movies:

Pi
Seven
United 93
Assault on Precinct 13
12 Angry Men

Sadly, I have not seen The Third Man or 8 1/2.

Well, since we're only counting in whole integers, 8 1/2 doesn't count anyway. ;) Neither does Pi for that matter.

[Sycophant]

Suggesting retitling of thread to Film Discussion & Semantics Antics Thread!

[Derek]

Well, since we're only counting in whole integers, 8 1/2 doesn't count anyway. ;) Neither does Pi for that matter.

Yeah, Pi is only representative of a number and shouldn't be classified as a number movie. I believe it must be grouped with geometric movies like The Circle, The Ring and Cube. Debate.

[D_Davis]

Pi is a mathematical constant.

[Derek]

Suggesting retitling of thread to Film Discussion & Semantics Antics Thread!

Shouldn't 'Semantics' be possessive in this case as the antics are semantic-related?

[D_Davis]

Is it Friday already?

[Derek]

Pi is a mathematical constant.

It's also a movie and something James Franco enjoys immensely.

[D_Davis]

Shouldn't 'Semantics' be possessive in this case as the antics are semantic-related?

I'd settle for an inner-cap:

'SemAntics'

[Sycophant]

But the antics do not belong to the semantics. Rather, "semantics" describes the antics.

[Dead & Messed Up]

But the antics do not belong to the semantics. Rather, "semantics" describes the antics.

If it were a show and there was, say, an ant named Semantic, we could call it Semantic's Antics.

[Winston*]

I saw Big Man Japan last night. This is a very strange movie. Anyone else seen it?

[jamaul]

Is the reason that Pie is called 'Pie' and sounds like 'Pi' because Pie is circular? I've always wondered that.

[Melville]

Is the reason that Pie is called 'Pie' and sounds like 'Pi' because Pie is circular? I've always wondered that.
"Pie" has been used since the middle ages to describe a pastry dish filled with meat. The number π was only called such since the 1700s; it comes from the Greek word for perimeter, and it's pronounced 'pee' in Greek. I doubt that there's any relationship between the two.

[Stay Puft]

I saw Big Man Japan last night. This is a very strange movie. Anyone else seen it?

Yeah, I saw it in Toronto. I liked it a lot. Some of the "baddie" encounters and special effects were kinda dull, but the pay-off with the final fight was great, and the copulation scene was a highlight. Overall, though, I prefer the scenes with Hitoshi Matsumoto just trying to eke out an existence. The film is at its best during the quiet, depressing/humorous scenes (like the opening, the interview in the park, or the tracking shot of him riding up to the power generator).

[Wryan]

Shouldn't 'Semantics' be possessive in this case as the antics are semantic-related?

I suggest we pitch this as an exciting action-adventure whodunit, to be called Seman7ics.

[Derek]

I suggest we pitch this as an exciting action-adventure whodunit, to be called Seman7ics.

Or a horror film to be called Semen Ticks. The tagline writes itself.

[Russ]

Or a horror film to be called Semen Ticks. The tagline writes itself.
Cumming soon? Phriday the 13th? Will this madness never end?



Oh, intercourse the penguin!!

[D_Davis]

Cumming soon? Phriday the 13th? Will this madness never end?



Oh, intercourse the penguin!!

Don't be a drip.

[Sycophant]

Oh, intercourse the penguin!!

I don't get this and it's making me anxious.

[Russ]

I don't get this and it's making me anxious.
We'll wait. Someone will make sense of it. If not, after a brief interval, I'll reveal all.

:cool:

[B-side]

I love semantics. I also support a name change. What name? Such a drastic action requires years of contemplation by our highest of minds.

[Winston*]

Yeah, I saw it in Toronto. I liked it a lot. Some of the "baddie" encounters and special effects were kinda dull, but the pay-off with the final fight was great, and the copulation scene was a highlight. Overall, though, I prefer the scenes with Hitoshi Matsumoto just trying to eke out an existence. The film is at its best during the quiet, depressing/humorous scenes (like the opening, the interview in the park, or the tracking shot of him riding up to the power generator).

Agreed. Though my favourite baddie encounter was the baby one.

Did that finale make you a bit uncomfortable? It made me a bit uncomfortable, it was like watching the kaiju version of the Irreversible scene.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I don't get this and it's making me anxious.
Two words; Monty Python.

[Russ]

Two words; Monty Python.

Yes. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k1ccguXiws)

Start at about the 2:30 mark.


I like to use it when particularly exasperated.


I also like to say "Burma!" for no reason at all.

[Watashi]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts? How old were you when you first saw it and did it live up to the hype?

[megladon8]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts? How old were you when you first saw it and did it live up to the hype?


I saw it in the theatre in '99. I was 12.

I thought it was pretty awesome.

It was one of the years when I was home from school a lot due to illness, and I watched it so many times that I wrote a 4-page essay on how it reflects events from the American Revolution.

If you come to Stittsville (just outside Ottawa) and drop by A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School, you'll find that their grade 7 history class includes a unit on this movie.

That was all my doing.

I'm awesome.

[D_Davis]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts? How old were you when you first saw it and did it live up to the hype?

I was 24.

The movie was terrible.

But waiting in line for 3 days for pre-sale tickets was one of the most fun things I've ever done. I'll never forget that.

[Qrazy]

I saw it in theaters when I was 14. I was young enough to enjoy it as well.

[megladon8]

I saw it in theaters when I was 14. I was young enough to enjoy it as well.


*high five*

[Watashi]

I was 24.

The movie was terrible.

But waiting in line for 3 days for pre-sale tickets was one of the most fun things I've ever done. I'll never forget that.
Where was this?

[Raiders]

I was 16. I didn't watch it in theaters.

[lovejuice]

i enjoy it too, but deep down i know, it kinda sucks.

[megladon8]

12 Monkeys is still all kinds of awesome.

[lovejuice]

i'm old. :sad:

[D_Davis]

Where was this?

Fresno, Ca.


i'm old. :sad:

Are you as old as I am?

[BuffaloWilder]

So, Where The Buffalo Roam.

Peter Boyle playing a white, white, whiiiiite Chicano.

Bill Murray playing Hunter S. Thompson.

Hmmm.

[The Mike]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts? How old were you when you first saw it and did it live up to the hype?

Was a recent highschool grad. I didn't buy in to the hype, so I didn't hate it like others...but then again, I'd been excited for Godzilla the previous year.


Now, it's still my favorite of the prequels, Jar-Jar be damned.

[Sycophant]

I was 16, which may have been a little late in life to have enjoyed it so much to have gleefully watched it 3 times in the theater. However, around the time of Episode II, I watched it again and it was like my eyes were opened to how awful it was. It's awful.

Someone (forget who) once told me that as bad as he is, Jar-Jar is actually just about the best thing about The Phantom Menace. I see where this person is coming form.

[baby doll]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts? How old were you when you first saw it and did it live up to the hype?I was in ninth grade, and I was pretty bored. Blah blah f-in' blah with the exposition. Even the light sabre action was über-lame and by the numbers.

When I was in seventh grade, I thought The Empire Strikes Back was the height of cinematic art, but you outgrow that stuff pretty quickly.

[baby doll]

But waiting in line for 3 days for pre-sale tickets was one of the most fun things I've ever done. I'll never forget that."Anyone who would camp out in a tent on the sidewalk for weeks in order to be first in line for a movie is more into camping on the sidewalk than movies."
- Roger Ebert

[Qrazy]

Tree of Wooden Clogs - This didn't have quite the inertia or power I'd hoped it would, but it did have a number of very powerful moments sprinkled throughout. Still I"m not sure it needed to be three hours long, there's a hell of a lot of farming chores. Perhaps that's the point but... fuck the point. Out of the four I've seen probably my least favorite Olmi so far actually but I like him quite a lot. I'm going to check out The Profession of Arms next.

Olmi, Wajda, Jancso are all excellent directors whose work I want to explore more fully outside of their most renowned films.

[Russ]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts?

22 years old.

That's kinda old for an opening day matinee of a Star Wars film, eh? I had a good reason, tho. I had really psyched myself up that I was in line for something really special. I had heard that this film was totally state-of-the-art. "You've never seen anything like this before." Many of us in line had heard something similar, and everyone was excited, 'cause we really believed all the hype. And for once, the hype was right. We saw things that day that we never imagined. And it was awesome. When we exited the theater, it was even more magical, more iconic...it was unlike any movie experience I had ever had in my entire life. When I exited the theater, I looked at the people lined up for the next showing, thinking, "You have no idea what's in store for you..."

Of course, I was just a dumb 22 year old back then.






22 years, later...

I saw that fucking Phantom Menace travesty. I went opening night, too. I looked at the folks in line when I exited the theater, and I thought back to another time...



i'm old. :sad:

Yeah, life's a bitch, huh?

[D_Davis]

"Anyone who would camp out in a tent on the sidewalk for weeks in order to be first in line for a movie is more into camping on the sidewalk than movies."
- Roger Ebert

That's definitely true in this case.

Hanging out with friends, playing a ton of Gameboy games, Trivial Pursuit, and laser tag; nothing wrong with that. It was a total blast.

[Ivan Drago]

The Phantom Menace turns 10 today.

Thoughts? How old were you when you first saw it and did it live up to the hype?

I was 11 and loved every second of it.


Yes. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k1ccguXiws)

Start at about the 2:30 mark.


I like to use it when particularly exasperated.


I also like to say "Burma!" for no reason at all.

I like this penguin sketch more:

Frontiers in Medicine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZmx0jml1jk)

[balmakboor]

I was 37 when Phantom Menace first came out. I was 15 when I stood in line around the block for Star Wars.

[Melville]

I saw Phantom Menace when I was 16, on opening day. I had been looking forward to it for years. It was painfully bad.

[balmakboor]

I saw Phantom Menace when I was 16, on opening day. I had been looking forward to it for years. It was painfully bad.

I thought it was pretty bad too when I first saw it. Over the years, lowered expectations and a desire to like them somehow, anyhow, have helped me find my peace with the PT. Now I can watch all three with a fair amount of enjoyment.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I haven't seen The Phantom Menace. True story.

[The Mike]

I haven't seen The Phantom Menace. True story.

Whysa yousa no seesa movie?

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6002/102273151.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=102273151.jpg)

[Melville]

I thought it was pretty bad too when I first saw it. Over the years, lowered expectations and a desire to like them somehow, anyhow, have helped me find my peace with the PT. Now I can watch all three with a fair amount of enjoyment.
I actually liked Revenge of the Sith a fair bit when I first saw it, though I've only seen it once. I'd probably rank it ahead of any of the other Star Wars movies; I'm a sucker for overblown romance and operatic stories.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Whysa yousa no seesa movie?

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6002/102273151.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=102273151.jpg)
Heh, not a big Star Wars fan I guess. I haven't seen Return of the Jedi either, or the third movie in the prequels. I saw Attack of the Clones for some reason? I don't remember it well beyond not liking it.

[Qrazy]

Heh, not a big Star Wars fan I guess. I haven't seen Return of the Jedi either, or the third movie in the prequels. I saw Attack of the Clones for some reason? I don't remember it well beyond not liking it.

Well you probably won't like it (judging by your reaction to the others) but Revenge of the Sith is fairly decent. It's not a great movie, but it's by far the best of the prequels and solid summer entertainment.

[Qrazy]

I actually liked Revenge of the Sith a fair bit when I first saw it, though I've only seen it once. I'd probably rank it ahead of any of the other Star Wars movies; I'm a sucker for overblown romance and operatic stories.

The Empire Strikes Back > Star Wars > Revenge of the Sith > Return of the Jedi > Attack of the Clones > Phantom Menace

I'm not even sure how much I like the original Star Wars. I quite like the first half of the movie but much of the stuff on the death star and the attack on the death star gets repetitive and dull. It does have a lot going for it though.

[The Mike]

In retrospect, I kinda wish I hadn't seen the last two prequels. I knew after TPM that the magic was kinda dead, but I ended up getting sucked in for them anyway. I think I would have a much greater respect left for the series without those two.

For the record, I'd go Empire > New Hope > Jedi > Phantom Menace > Revenge of the Sith > Attack of the Clones.

[balmakboor]

The Empire Strikes Back > Star Wars > Revenge of the Sith > Return of the Jedi > Attack of the Clones > Phantom Menace



I'm pretty close to that.

IV > V > III > VI > I > II

I and II are pretty darn close though.

[Melville]

The Empire Strikes Back > Star Wars > Revenge of the Sith > Return of the Jedi > Attack of the Clones > Phantom Menace

I'm not even sure how much I like the original Star Wars. I quite like the first half of the movie but much of the stuff on the death star and the attack on the death star gets repetitive and dull. It does have a lot going for it though.
I find the original to be pretty fun in a very silly way, but yeah, it's kind of dull and pointless.

Revenge of the Sith > Return of the Jedi > The Empire Strikes Back > Star Wars >>>>>> Attack of the Clones > Phantom Menace

ROTS, ROTJ, ESB, and SW all lie in the 6-7 range.

[megladon8]

I love all three in the original trilogy just about the same. I never really got what was supposedly so inferior about Return of the Jedi.

As for the prequels, I honestly haven't seen I and II in quite a while, but I'd probably rate them...

Revenge of the Sith - 7
The Phantom Menace - 6
Attack of the Clones - 6

...with The Phantom Menace getting the slight edge due to pure childhood nostalgia.

I thought the prequels were satisfactory, but overbashed because they mostly didn't have the same magic that the originals trilogy had. There are moments throughout the three films that display the same traits as the originals, like the thrilling opening to Revenge of the Sith or many of the pieces with Darth Maul. But none of them came together as well as the originals.

I've always found it interesting to hear about how the original films were basically intended to be children's entertainment. They just set out to make a fun fantasy that was pretty safe for kids, but ended up creating this huge cultural phenomenon, and what many consider to be some of the greatest movies of all time.

[Ivan Drago]

The Phantom Menace - 8
Attack of the Clones - 2
Revenge of the Sith - 8.5
A New Hope - 8.5
The Empire Strikes Back - 9
Return of the Jedi - 8

I do want to revisit Attack of the Clones though.

[Sycophant]

There was nothing good about Darth Maul.

[Watashi]

There was nothing good about Darth Maul.
He was a badass.

[baby doll]

He was a badass.Wasn't he on screen for only five minutes before Oskar Schindler iced him?

[Duncan]

Wasn't he on screen for only five minutes before Oskar Schindler iced him?

I remember him being cut in half by the heroin addict.

[Ezee E]

I went to the Star Wars convention earlier that year which was real cool. I got a Max Rebo Band poster. Thought Darth Maul would be the best thing since sliced bread, loved the Star Wars CCG, and played in tournaments.

The Phantom Menace came. It would've been great if it weren't for Jar Jar Binks. But he was there.

The Max Rebo Band poster is gone. Darth Maul was disappointing. The SW:CCG disappeared, and the cards are stored somewhere in my parents house (but have lost most of its value anyway), and I lost interest in all things Star Wars. Didn't even see Attack of the Clones in theaters.

Sad.

[Sycophant]

Wasn't he on screen for only five minutes before Oskar Schindler iced him?

Yeah, that's about right. Which is why I suspect claims of his badassery are more derived from marketing and peripheral products.

The first time he shows up, we see him very casually walk up next to the Emperor and say, like, "What up, boss? Duhrrrrrr, gimme orders, 'kay?"

Darth Vader he was not.

[Grouchy]

I was 12 and loved it. Now I think it's the worst of the six.

Empire Strikes Back > A New Hope > Revenge of the Sith > Return of the Jedi > Attack of the Clones > The Phantom Menace

[Rowland]

I can't stand the Star Wars series anymore, period. Over-saturation between the ages of 10 and 16, when I was listening to the scores, reading the books, watching the movies, playing the videogames, discussing the series with friends online and off, etc. I just don't give a shit anymore. Hell, by the time Revenge of the Sith came out, I'd been over the franchise for a few years, and I just thought it was lame.

[Sycophant]

Actually, I haven't watched the original trilogy since like 2001 or so. Kind of scared to go back to it. I've got so much vitriol for the recent trilogy and everything that's gone along with it, that I'm afraid it may either cloud my vision and make me hate something I otherwise would enjoy and used to enjoy, or I might truly find the series' faults too glaring to like the movies anymore. So I'm letting the memories rest peacefully for now.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Actually, I haven't watched the original trilogy since like 2001 or so. Kind of scared to go back to it. I've got so much vitriol for the recent trilogy and everything that's gone along with it, that I'm afraid it may either cloud my vision and make me hate something I otherwise would enjoy and used to enjoy, or I might truly find the series' faults too glaring to like the movies anymore. So I'm letting the memories rest peacefully for now.

I actually completed my original trilogy with those DVD's that include the unaltered versions, and I gotta say, it was nostalgic and satisfying to see the films the way I saw them as a child, free of new special effects, unaffected by the eventual prequels. Just three ripping mythic swashbucklers.

[lovejuice]

Revenge of the Sith > Return of the Jedi > The Empire Strikes Back > Star Wars >>>>>> Attack of the Clones > Phantom Menace
holy shit! you are probably the only other person on this planet that has this same order as i do.

[Watashi]

I watch the original trilogy at least once every year (same with the LOTR trilogy). I could never get tired of the classic trilogy.

I also never collected a single Star Wars action figure, trading card, or read a single Star Wars book. I was just a Star Wars movie fan only.

Though I did wear out Shadows of the Empire on my N64. That game was the shit.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Though I did wear out Shadows of the Empire on my N64. That game was shit.

I agree.

[megladon8]

Watched half of Lawrence of Arabia. First viewing. It's all right.

Funny, all this time I've been a "movie buff" and not only have I never seen this one, but I had no idea it featured Alec Guinness, Claude Rains, Anthony Quinn and Omar Sharif.

[D_Davis]

The LotR films have replaced Star Wars in my life. I'll watch those once a year.

I grew up during the Star Wars generation. Episode IV was the first live-action film I saw in the theater (I didn't even know what a movie was - I thought it was going to be like the circus or something. I had some of the toys, and I imagined that there were going to be people dressed in costumes walking around doing silly things). I had pajamas, sheets, and tons of toys. We played Sarlac Pit at school.

I only ever read 1 SW book though: a Han Solo adventure. I never saw the point in reading sub-par SF when there was so much good stuff to read.

The only SW game I owned was the Empire game on the 2600. That was awesome.

I did play the CCG for about a month, but it was far too complex.

I never purchased any of the prequel toys or things. I only own Attack of the Clones, for some odd reason. I don't even own the originals on DVD.

Guess I'm just kind of burnt out. It was such a huge part of my early childhood, and now I'd rather just leave it in the realm of nostalgia.

[Rowland]

I agree.Yeah, I loved it at the time, but my taste was hardly discerning. I tried it again about a year ago for the sake of nostalgia, and was appalled by how clunky it was in nearly every respect. The soundtrack is the best part.

[Watashi]

Stop deflating my childhood, plz.

[lovejuice]

Though I did wear out Shadows of the Empire on my N64. That game was the shit.
i like that star wars game on NES. the one that every time you defeat a darth vader, he turns into a scorpion, a bird or other crazy monsters.

[D_Davis]

Stop deflating my childhood, plz.

Didn't Lucas already do that?

[lovejuice]

i like that star wars game on NES. the one that every time you defeat a darth vader, he turns into a scorpion, a bird or other crazy monsters.
here's the picture. now, that's nostalgic!

http://www.blogcdn.com/nintendo.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/starwarsscreen071308.png

[MadMan]

Maybe in a couple of years I will finally be able to sit down and watch all of the LOTRs and Star Wars series all the way through. At the moment I'm burnt out on both of them.

Before the Devil Knows Your Dead was a fairly good crime drama. The flashbacks started to get on my nerves halfway through, but the acting is near great and the story is rock solid. Even though I'm not really a fan of the ending shot, at least the movie didn't drag on further. Also, I'd say that to me its kind of a messed up movie, in that it features two sons robbing their parents store, thus resulting in the mom dying. The asshole son, Andy, ends up going on a mini killing spree, and then ends up getting murdered by his own father, who found out what was going on. WTF.

Falls short of my Top 10 for 2008, but still noteworthy regardless. Oh and I need to see more Lumet.

[baby doll]

I watch the original trilogy at least once every year (same with the LOTR trilogy). I could never get tired of the classic trilogy.I haven't seen the original trilogy since it was re-released in 1997, and I haven't seen any of The Lord of the Rings films since the last one came out in theatres in 2003.


Though I did wear out Shadows of the Empire on my N64. That game was the shit.Yeah, I had that, too.

[Watashi]

The image of a young baby doll playing a Star Wars video game in his room blows my mind.

Just a reminder, Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience premieres tonight on the HDNET channel, so get your DVR's ready.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Stop deflating my childhood, plz.

The good thing about Shadows is that it led to the creation of the Rogue Squadron games, the first two of which are fabulous.