28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[megladon8]

I would love to see ANYTHING by Sergio Leone on the big screen.

Colour me jealous.

[Bosco B Thug]

Enjoyable re-watch of Rio Bravo was very enjoyable, but perhaps I shouldn't rate it, it was more of a social (and thus inattentive) viewing. The singing scene won the crowd.

Weekend: Gremlins, Holy Mountain, Last House on the Left (2009)

[D_Davis]

I saw Once Upon a Time in the West last night, on the big screen. I've always liked it, but this viewing was a revelation somehow. I still can't entirely take Charles Bronson seriously, but aside from that, I was hypnotised.


Awesome. I need to rewatch this soon. Maybe this weekend.

[Derek]

I saw Once Upon a Time in the West last night, on the big screen. I've always liked it, but this viewing was a revelation somehow. I still can't entirely take Charles Bronson seriously, but aside from that, I was hypnotised.

Yeah, my second viewing was on the big screen and revelatory as well. It's definitely one of those films, Sven be damned, that plays much better in the theater, for the intricate sound design as much as the screen size.

[megladon8]

Let's see, new DVD release announcements...

Oo, The African Queen is getting a release, I'll have to get that one for my parents.

Let's see, a bunch I don't care about...some TV shows I've never heard of...Dead Snow...

Wait, what?

Dead Snow "finally" getting a DVD release in late February?

I've owned that DVD for more than 2 months.

And it's a piece of shit, too, so I don't get what that "finally" was about. Like someone's eagerly anticipating this?

[Raiders]

Yeah, that element takes up a few minutes of the movie. Most of the film relates the history, sans any critical eye, preceding the event and talking heads enthusing over their excitement and the mischievous particulars of their con reenacted through the heavily stylized prism of Petit's somewhat irritating persona.

What critical eye? What exactly is it you were looking for? Someone to burst in and say, "I don't care 'bout yet silly little prancin' on a tightrope!" I mean honestly, it was an approbation for a beautiful, daring and awesome act and one that is all the more cathartic post-9/11. I found it positively elating, even if the film takes no shame in bearing Petit's fully aggravating personality. His passion is terrific all the same. It's a fitting eulogy for the towers.

[Derek]

A Grin Without a Cat (1977) ****

Niiiice.

[balmakboor]

Niiiice.

Definitely Niiiice. There's still something I prefer about Sans Soleil, but A Grin and Last Bolshevik are right up there.

[Watashi]

Rowland must be a fun guy to go to parties with.

[Yxklyx]

Weekend:

In The Loop
Devils on the Doorstep
Scandal Sheet

plus

Tosca (at the Lyric Opera)

[Rowland]

Rowland must be a fun guy to go to parties with.Why, because Man on Wire embodies the typical party atmosphere? Sorry, I'll take the Crank movies over Man on Wire any day, and those are some fuckin' party movies.

[Lucky]

Weekend:

*Double Indemnity
*2046



Those are two of my favorite movies. Hope you like them both.

[Qrazy]

So Glory was a real piece of crap... probably Zwick's best film though.

[MadMan]

Those are two of my favorite movies. Hope you like them both.Cool, and I hope I do too. Especially as 2046 will be my second WKW. If I like that one considering how much I loved In The Mood for Love, I will try and see more from him.

[soitgoes...]

So Glory was a real piece of crap... probably Zwick's best film though.
I liked it alright, but it's been a good ten years since my last viewing of it.

[Qrazy]

I liked it alright, but it's been a good ten years since my last viewing of it.

More extensive vitriol to come after I review another 16 films or so.

[soitgoes...]

More extensive vitriol to come after I review another 16 films or so.
Ha! Good luck with that. Be thankful there aren't any other Zwick films for you to have to see.

[soitgoes...]

I just watched an Argentinian film, El secretos de sus ojos. The film was pretty good. What was amazing was a certain shot in the middle of the film. The camera, apparently on a helicopter slowly approaches a soccer stadium. It goes over the game in progress and joins the protagonist in the crowd who is searching for a bad guy. I won't spoil it, but I will say that the shot continues for a few minutes unbroken after that. I imagine some nifty editing happened to get the shot from helicopter to in the crowd and so on. Still, amazing stuff.

[B-side]

I just watched an Argentinian film, El secretos de sus ojos. The film was pretty good. What was amazing was a certain shot in the middle of the film. The camera, apparently on a helicopter slowly approaches a soccer stadium. It goes over the game in progress and joins the protagonist in the crowd who is searching for a bad guy. I won't spoil it, but I will say that the shot continues for a few minutes unbroken after that. I imagine some nifty editing happened to get the shot from helicopter to in the crowd and so on. Still, amazing stuff.

I saw that shot. Awesome.

[soitgoes...]

I saw that shot. Awesome.The transition from helicopter to steady-cam I get, I don't know how they did the part where the bad guy jumps down from the wall and the camera follows him. The camera swings out off the ledge, looks back suspended in mid-air and then goes down. Obviously its connected to some sort of crane or whatnot, but the transition from camera carried by a cameraman to some mechanized devise and then back to cameraman is flawless.

[Fezzik]

So Glory was a real piece of crap... probably Zwick's best film though.

Verily, I am slain.

(not really. My tastes don't seem to jibe with the general Cutter population)

[Skitch]

Verily, I am slain.

(not really. My tastes don't seem to jibe with the general Cutter population)

Be of good cheer, that's the first negative review of Glory I've ever heard from someone.

[Dukefrukem]

Weekend:

*Double Indemnity
*2046

And hopefully I'll get to:

*Control
*Felica's Journey
*Once

LOVE 2046!

Weekend for me? Maybe Book of Eli. Plus a bunch of horror movies.

[Ezee E]

Weekend:
-Broken Embraces
-The Book of Eli

-Halloween II

-Mad Men: S1D1

[megladon8]

Coming to DVD - The Avon Barksdale Story: Legends of the Un-Wired (http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/14/attention-the-wire-fans-the-avon-barksdale-story-has-a-trai/).

Um, please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that looks terrible.

[MadMan]

-Halloween IIConsidering I didn't care for it in the end and I liked the first one (the remake), I doubt you will like this at all.

[Qrazy]

Coming to DVD - The Avon Barksdale Story: Legends of the Un-Wired (http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/14/attention-the-wire-fans-the-avon-barksdale-story-has-a-trai/).

Um, please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that looks terrible.

It does indeed look terrible.

[baby doll]

So Glory was a real piece of crap... probably Zwick's best film though.I haven't seen that one, but the guy's pretty much mediocrity personified. If you have a lot of time to kill, you should check out a piece he wrote for the New York Times just prior to the release of Defiance, in which he says there should be more kick-ass Jews in Holocaust movies.

[Rowland]

The Last Samurai wasn't too bad if you ignore the shitty ending.

[Spaceman Spiff]

The Last Samurai wasn't too bad if you ignore the shitty ending.

The Last Samurai was a huge steaming pile, what are you on about?

[number8]

I prefer The Last Samurai to Dances with Wolves or Avatar.

They should rehash this premise with all kinds of societies. White guy defects to Incans! White guy defects to ninjas! White guy defects to Helldemons!

[Scar]

The Last Samurai wasn't too bad if you ignore the shitty ending.

I can endorse this.

[Dukefrukem]

The Last Samurai wasn't too bad if you ignore the shitty ending.

I'm also behind this.

[Rowland]

The Last Samurai was a huge steaming pile, what are you on about?The story is pretty ridiculous, but as macho melodramas go, it's well-acted, it looks great, its score is rousing, and the action sequences are coherent.

[Grouchy]

I just watched an Argentinian film, El secreto de sus ojos. The film was pretty good. What was amazing was a certain shot in the middle of the film. The camera, apparently on a helicopter slowly approaches a soccer stadium. It goes over the game in progress and joins the protagonist in the crowd who is searching for a bad guy. I won't spoil it, but I will say that the shot continues for a few minutes unbroken after that. I imagine some nifty editing happened to get the shot from helicopter to in the crowd and so on. Still, amazing stuff.
You're right, that shot is amazing. I think that's the real importance of this movie, in that it opens new grounds for local cinema, instead of all being either artsy fartsy with young people or minimalist social drama with oldsters. It's at the very least a fucking thriller.

Two questions for you -

How did you buy the logic that led to that soccer scene, in that the killer will ALWAYS be at a Racing game because he's a fan? When I watched it I thought the logic made perfect sense to any Argentinian because of the amount of fanatism involved, but it might look a little strange abroad.
What did you think of the very ending? I thought it should have ended with the lock-up scene, and the reunion of the couple was a little too condescending. And, after all, the movie was about how the case had fucked up this guy's life. It seemed contradictory to end it in a phony romantic scene.

[Dillard]

Lake Tahoe - Eimbcke (2008) Marvelous until the car gets fixed - I loved the long shots of moving back and forth between town and the car. When the car gets fixed, however, the scenes started to drag until the poignant final sequence with the brothers. I wanted more of the old mechanic and less of the teen mother. I will say that I'm intrigued by Eimbcke and plan to watch Duck Season before the end of the month - 6

The Boss of It All - von Trier (2006) I had a friend recommend this to me because he thought it was hilarious. There are some funny moments, and I did on the whole enjoy the characters (especially the two heads Ravn and Finnur). I loved the chats on neutral ground, particularly the one with the Ravn and Kristoffer riding a merry-go-round. How ridiculous is that? However, the whole thing felt a little slight. I also found it a little silly how Ravn was able to pull off his Boss-of-it-all character (manipulating each employee individually) when it seemed to me that the employees were much more intelligent than Ravn. This definitely seems to be von Trier going for Shakespearean comedy (the self-aware narration, the deception, the roles within the roles, etc.) - 6

[number8]

Great movie, and I don't mind the switch so much. Especially love the scenes with the locked mother.

[soitgoes...]

You're right, that shot is amazing. I think that's the real importance of this movie, in that it opens new grounds for local cinema, instead of all being either artsy fartsy with young people or minimalist social drama with oldsters. It's at the very least a fucking thriller.

Two questions for you -

How did you buy the logic that led to that soccer scene, in that the killer will ALWAYS be at a Racing game because he's a fan? When I watched it I thought the logic made perfect sense to any Argentinian because of the amount of fanatism involved, but it might look a little strange abroad.I bought it. I'm very aware of the love of that sport elsewhere. I did think that during the scene, where they approach the wrong guy making you for an instant doubt their own logic was great. Also the lead in to the scene with the speech was perfect.

What did you think of the very ending? I thought it should have ended with the lock-up scene, and the reunion of the couple was a little too condescending. And, after all, the movie was about how the case had fucked up this guy's life. It seemed contradictory to end it in a phony romantic scene.
The main problem I had with the film was the clunky romance angle, so yeah, I wasn't a fan of the very end.

[number8]

Here's that Netflix thing in my zip code:

1. Benjamin Button
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. Milk
4. Doubt
5. Twilight
6. Burn After Reading
7. Rachel Getting Married
8. The Wrestler
9. Changeling
10. The Dark Knight

Sounds white middle class, but I actually live in a neighborhood populated by African immigrants.

[Skitch]

I actually quite enjoy Zwicks films. :I

[D_Davis]

So Glory was a real piece of crap... probably Zwick's best film though.

I remember loving this movie when I was younger. A few years ago I bought the DVD, and I couldn't even make to the 1/2 point. It's terrible! And that score! My god - it never shuts up, and it telegraphs the emotions from a mile away. So yeah - bad, bad film.

[Adam]

Just watched The Daytrippers on hulu (http://www.hulu.com/the-daytrippers) and loved it. As awesome as he is now, Liev Schreiber used to be considerably more awesome. Walking and Talking, man

[megladon8]

So my revisit to Gosford Park solidifies it as a masterpiece in my books.

Anyone agree? Disagree? Interesting thoughts which can be presented in binary code?

[The Mike]

So my revisit to Gosford Park solidifies it as a masterpiece in my books.

Anyone agree? Disagree? Interesting thoughts which can be presented in binary code?
000001000001100000100101010001 .

That either means "I totally agree" or "I prefer my Fritos with Ginger Ale, Mr. Johnson." You decide. :D

[megladon8]

000001000001100000100101010001 .

That either means "I totally agree" or "I prefer my Fritos with Ginger Ale, Mr. Johnson." You decide. :D


I actually can't read binary, so for all I know you could have just shared with the entire board your plans to call out a hit on me.

That's...um...that's now what you were saying, is it Mike?

...Mike?

[The Mike]

I actually can't read binary, so for all I know you could have just shared with the entire board your plans to call out a hit on me.

That's...um...that's now what you were saying, is it Mike?

...Mike?

Just know that, if anyone named Mr. Jackal comes looking for you, he's a friend. :twisted:

[KK2.0]

Just finished watching Hellboy II: The Golden Army and i enjoyed it a lot more than i thought i would. Being a huge fan of the comics I've found the first one a passable entertainment and disappointing adaptation, but the second actually washed that away, had me involved and it throws so many amazing sets and monsters at you, i felt like a kid watching a great Jim Henson fantasy flick. It helps that they use tons of animatronic creatures instead of CGI as well, but they all look very imaginative and unique.

I thought Del Toro and Mignola found a tone and a feel of it's own for the Hellboy movies, instead of trying to emulate the goth horror style of the comics. The first one was still crude, but in the second they felt more in control, natural, the character bits were great fun again, but unlike the first the enemies were more interesting.

The new character, Johann Krauss the ectoplasmic man, was pretty cool, just checked and he was voiced by Seth Mcfarlane! That voice sounded familiar, it's fucking Stewie!

[number8]

Holy shit, Funny People's RAAAAAAAAANDY is not an exaggeration.

My head hurts.

[Sven]

Derek: thoughts on Brute Force?

[lovejuice]

Just finished watching Hellboy II: The Golden Army and i enjoyed it a lot more than i thought i would. Being a huge fan of the comics I've found the first one a passable entertainment and disappointing adaptation, but the second actually washed that away, had me involved and it throws so many amazing sets and monsters at you, i felt like a kid watching a great Jim Henson fantasy flick. It helps that they use tons of animatronic creatures instead of CGI as well, but they all look very imaginative and unique.
i like both films, but slightly prefer the first one. what's, you find, disappointing about it?

[Derek]

Derek: thoughts on Brute Force?

Yeah, I thought it was most effective when Lancaster & Co. were carefully planning every step, with Lancaster's determinism literally carrying the half-dozen inmates along with him. Brilliant performance and every bit as relentless and uncompromising as J.J. Hunsecker, but with an ever-slight presence of compassion. The backroom dealings between the warden and Munsey were interesting, but not as detailed as they could have been given the time devoted to them. That along with the two horrible and distracting flashbacks make it uneven enough to be a great film, but compelling nonetheless.

[Sven]

Yeah, I thought it was most effective when Lancaster & Co. were carefully planning every step, with Lancaster's determinism literally carrying the half-dozen inmates along with him. Brilliant performance and every bit as relentless and uncompromising as J.J. Hunsecker, but with an ever-slight presence of compassion. The backroom dealings between the warden and Munsey were interesting, but not as detailed as they could have been given the time devoted to them. That along with the two horrible and distracting flashbacks make it uneven enough to be a great film, but compelling nonetheless.

Cool. Some of the prison break imagery is incredible. Cronyn's performance is also incredible. You like it about as much as I do--solid, impressive, but not quite great.

[Derek]

Cool. Some of the prison break imagery is incredible. Cronyn's performance is also incredible. You like it about as much as I do--solid, impressive, but not quite great.

Yeah, it's great in stretches but never quite comes together. I'm with you as Cronyn - a wonderfully slimy performance.

What are your feelings on Naked City? I should be seeing that sometime next week.

[number8]

I watched two movies with Michael Rappaport today.

[Sven]

What are your feelings on Naked City? I should be seeing that sometime next week.

I'm less enthusiastic about it. Great, great street footage of NYC, but the narrative is rote and there are no stand-out performances to speak of. It's solid, and you'll certainly find more supporters of it than detractors (and I definitely don't wish to detract).

Seriously, if you haven't seen Night and the City, you need to. Post haste. It's a masterpiece.

[Rowland]

I'll echo the Naked City ambivalence. The direction is largely pretty mechanical outside of a solid sequence near the end, the procedural is rote, and the performances are of questionable quality.

[Boner M]

Seriously, if you haven't seen Night and the City, you need to. Post haste. It's a masterpiece.
Word. Widmark in that film is like the Kinski of Aguirre/Fitzcarraldo transported into a noir universe.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Adventures of Prince Achmed was disarmingly charming. It starts out feeling like a technical exercise, but, by film's end, it's amazing how enjoyable those little silhouettes become. I especially loved how Lotte Reineger blended the sometimes-stiff animation with all manner of photographic tricks, especially the simple-but-effective color inversions when the genies emerge from the lamp to help in the final battle against the evil Wizard. Got a real kick out of the magician's duel.

B+

[balmakboor]

I watched Salo' or the 120 Days of Sodom again the other day and then watched the outstanding disc of bonus stuff. I'm officially fascinated by this remarkably gorgeous and surprisingly funny film. I can't believe it was touted to me for so long as some sort of ultimate gross out. It's definitely ripped from the same cloth as Eyes Wide Shut and I thought about it a lot today as I watched This Film Is Not Yet Rated. Powerful, untouchable men doing terrible things to oddly complicit victims who only occasionally and very feebly utter "I can't do this any more."

[megladon8]

Adding to the Night and the City love. I've taken it out from the library three times :D

[Derek]

Seen Night and the City and like it a lot, though not as much as you guys. I'd still take Rififi by a nose.

[Winston*]

I saw Paranormal Activity today. This is supposed to be the scariest movie in years? Doors slamming with fishing line and lights turning on? Okay.

[balmakboor]

I saw Paranormal Activity today. This is supposed to be the scariest movie in years? Doors slamming with fishing line and lights turning on? Okay.

I thought that light turning on was one of the scariest things I've seen in years.

[number8]

I saw Paranormal Activity today. This is supposed to be the scariest movie in years? Doors slamming with fishing line and lights turning on? Okay.

Right. And The Haunting is supposed to be a horror classic? Jiggling doorknobs and creaking noises?

[Winston*]

Right. And The Haunting is supposed to be a horror classic? Jiggling doorknobs and creaking noises?

I didn't find The Haunting all that scary either but I could accept the reality of the film. With Paranormal Activity, I could never suspend my disbelief that this was anything other than people messing about with a video camera. Poorly written characters didn't help in that respect.

[BuffaloWilder]

Uhm.

[Winston*]

Uhm.

Uhm, what?

[number8]

Uhm, what you say.

[B-side]

Uhm, what you say.

You have no chance to survive make your time?

[Derek]

Find me one image in Paranormal Activity that's as close to compelling as any of these from The Haunting:

http://www.cineobscure.com/wp-admin/images/images/haunting.jpg

http://www.horrorexpress.com/images/07%20-%20hill%20house,%20aka%20ettin gton%20park-683.jpg

http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fd/TheHaunting1963_cast.jpg/180px-TheHaunting1963_cast.jpg

http://hollywoodlostandfound.net/pictures/films/haunting/haunting1.jpg

http://exclamationmark.files.wordpres s.com/2006/09/the-haunting-1963.jpg

I'm no great fan of The Haunting, but it creates a strong atmosphere through expertly framed shots and lighting, not just lights turning on and creaking and droning throughout the soundtrack.

[Bosco B Thug]

I thought that light turning on was one of the scariest things I've seen in years. Light turning on got the biggest chill from me, too, of the explicit "scare moments." It's just one of those "tapping into simple childhood fears" things, though, *Winston could scoff, even though it confirms he was never a child. :)

[B-side]

You don't post enough, Bosco. Or maybe you do and I'm not around for it. I don't know. I don't typically backread. I do if I wrote something and wanna see if someone pissed on me. It's a common fear of mine. Don't pity me, pity the Haitians. Pat Robertson be damned.

[Watashi]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.

[B-side]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.

I must see this film.

[Bosco B Thug]

You don't post enough, Bosco. Or maybe you do and I'm not around for it. I don't know. I don't typically backread. I do if I wrote something and wanna see if someone pissed on me. It's a common fear of mine. Don't pity me, pity the Haitians. Pat Robertson be damned. Oh, why thanks. :) I suppose we haven't had many run-ins or overlapping talking points, of either the wine and roses or the pissing kind. I encouraged your Hellman viewing not too long ago! (nice, you saw and liked Riding the Whirlwind) And yes, my posting is kind of anemic, I try to work on that.

[B-side]

Oh, why thanks. :) I suppose we haven't had many run-ins or overlapping talking points, of either the wine and roses or the pissing kind. I encouraged your Hellman viewing not too long ago! (nice, you saw and liked Riding the Whirlwind) And yes, my posting is kind of anemic, I try to work on that.

All I know is, when I see Bosco B Thug sitting next to a thread title, I kinda wanna see what this dude said. We shall have many run-ins in the future. You're on my stalker list.:pritch:

But seriously. I dig Hellman's brand of ethics western. I wanted to coin the term "vegetarian western" for The Shooting due to Oatess character's strangely humane protection of the various horses' well-being.

[number8]

When I watch Fred Astaire dance, I get the same excitement as when I watch Jet Li punch a guy in the dick. Just AWESOME.

[Derek]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.

The critics who label it one of the best of the year amuse me more.

[Grouchy]

Winston is right and you're all fucking delusional. I want to believe that when some of you guys get the chance to re-watch this on DVD we'll be able to laugh at it together.

[Watashi]

The critics who label it one of the best of the year amuse me more.
When it comes to visually appealing films about wandering loners, you can keep your Limits of Control.

It's kinda funny (and sad) that I guessed correctly almost all the critics who gave it a negative review when looking at the tomatometer. Surpisingly, Armond White was not on that list.

[Derek]

When it comes to visually appealing films about wandering loners, you can keep your Limits of Control.

It's kinda funny (and sad) that I guessed correctly almost all the critics who gave it a negative review when looking at the tomatometer. Surpisingly, Armond White was not on that list.

Is something wrong with critics having particular sensibilities? I mean, we here in MatchCut can often predict how one another will respond to certain films but I don't see that as an inherently bad thing. Mind you, contrarian twat is not a sensibility, so Armond is excluded from that question.

[Bosco B Thug]

All I know is, when I see Bosco B Thug sitting next to a thread title, I kinda wanna see what this dude said. We shall have many run-ins in the future. You're on my stalker list.:pritch:

But seriously. I dig Hellman's brand of ethics western. I wanted to coin the term "vegetarian western" for The Shooting due to Oatess character's strangely humane protection of the various horses' well-being. Ha, don't remember, but it sounds like offbeat Hellman flick, the hippie.

[Ezee E]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.
I want to hear your rave about Angels With Dirty Faces more.

[B-side]

Big Fan had some great ideas and refused to touch any of them. Instead it squandered any opportunity at being long-lasting and went the easy, predictable route.

[balmakboor]

My dad's name is Tom Ford.

[number8]

Big Fan had some great ideas and refused to touch any of them. Instead it squandered any opportunity at being long-lasting and went the easy, predictable route.

Yeah.

[Adam]

Thirded on the Big Fan apathy, though I think I maybe enjoyed it more than you two. Here's what I wrote about it a few days ago


Just saw Big Fan for the first time. Pretty good, though not as great as it might have been. There are a lot of wonderfully observed moments concerning northeastern sports superfandom and the whole WFAN talk radio scene and lower middle class living in Long Island and so on. But for every achingly real moment, there's some silly or broad misfire thrown in that mucks it all up. At times, there's an almost fantastical quality to some of the scenes in this film, sort of making it feel like everything's happening in this miserable parallel universe, but really the whole thing is trapped in a perpetual state of tonal limbo. It never knows if it wants to go for the big laugh or just keep its general run of pure pathetic going. Patton Oswalt does a credible enough job channeling De Niro in The King of Comedy, anyway. He's convincing throughout and possibly the best part of the film

I would recommend Big Fan to anyone who's familiar with the world it revolves around, because there is enough there to give you more than a few knowing chuckles. But I'm kinda surprised by all the people outside of that realm who seem to respond to this movie so enthusiastically. Either way, I am glad I watched it

What was the other Michael Rapaport movie you saw, number8?

[number8]

I liked it enough, because Patton was really good; just very disappointed with it. I agree that the authenticity was incredible, especially the atmosphere in the Eagles bar. Rappaport's childish "cock!" and "my balls!" additions to the "Giants sucks!" chant was great.

The other movie of him I watched was Special. Sven was with me, and he picked it. After he left, I turned on Big Fan not realizing Rappaport is in it.

[StanleyK]

What do you think is the cut-off point between a short and a feature length film? 40 minutes, like the AMPAS? 50 minutes? An hour?

[soitgoes...]

What do you think is the cut-off point between a short and a feature length film? 40 minutes, like the AMPAS? 50 minutes? An hour?I don't think there's really one set standard. I go by the AMPAS's definition myself, but at times that seems too short for features. It's kinda gray from 40 minutes to an hour.

[balmakboor]

What do you think is the cut-off point between a short and a feature length film? 40 minutes, like the AMPAS? 50 minutes? An hour?

I think you have to make something either less than 20 minutues or more than 70 minutes or nobody will know what to do with it.

[balmakboor]

Saw The Lovely Bones today. Pretty silly and muddleheaded and Mark Wahlberg didn't work at all for me as the dad, but it sure was a lot better than I expected.

[Qrazy]

I haven't seen that one, but the guy's pretty much mediocrity personified. If you have a lot of time to kill, you should check out a piece he wrote for the New York Times just prior to the release of Defiance, in which he says there should be more kick-ass Jews in Holocaust movies.

I appreciate the comment but I really don't think I'll be seeking out anything else Zwick related anytime soon.

[Qrazy]

The story is pretty ridiculous, but as macho melodramas go, it's well-acted, it looks great, its score is rousing, and the action sequences are coherent.

The action scenes are boring. The story is shit. The acting is melodramatic. But worst of all Zwick directs every scene in the most shallow, spoon feeding manner possible. *Tom Cruise gets beaten down by a stick* *he gets up* *beaten down* *gets up* *music swells* *I vomit*.

[Qrazy]

So my revisit to Gosford Park solidifies it as a masterpiece in my books.

Anyone agree? Disagree? Interesting thoughts which can be presented in binary code?

Don't know if it's a masterpiece but I did think it was damn great.

[Qrazy]

I'll echo the Naked City ambivalence. The direction is largely pretty mechanical outside of a solid sequence near the end, the procedural is rote, and the performances are of questionable quality.

Yeah I agree with the general sentiments here... Naked City - Mediocre... Night and the City - Great.

[Qrazy]

I want to hear your rave about Angels With Dirty Faces more.

I'll rave in his place. It's great. I love it.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Blockbuster had a 3 for $20 deal, so I picked up Revenge of the Sith, Sunshine, and The Departed.

I'm really looking forward to a re-viewing of Sunshine, since I thought three-fourths of it was not just good sci-fi, but one of the best sci-fi's ever.

[Skitch]

Blockbuster had a 3 for $20 deal, so I picked up Revenge of the Sith, Sunshine, and The Departed.

I'm really looking forward to a re-viewing of Sunshine, since I thought three-fourths of it was not just good sci-fi, but one of the best sci-fi's ever.

I just picked up Sunshine on blu ray, its amazing. Danny Boyle is a homerun for me everytime.

8, how was Special? The trailer is fantastic, and I've been quite looking forward to seeing it.

[number8]

There's no reason I'm really saying this, but fuck you if you don't like Chiwetel Ejiofor. Who do you think you are, Bonkers the Police Bobcat? Chiwetel is amazing.





...I'm drunk.

[Skitch]

There's no reason I'm really saying this, but fuck you if you don't like Chiwetel Ejiofor. Who do you think you are, Bonkers the Police Bobcat? Chiwetel is amazing.

...I'm drunk.

Who the FUCK doesn't like Chiwetel?!

...Also drunk, and watched Redbelt yesterday, again.

[balmakboor]

Hmm, big night for Avatar.

[BuffaloWilder]

I liked it enough, because Patton was really good; just very disappointed with it. I agree that the authenticity was incredible, especially the atmosphere in the Eagles bar. Rappaport's childish "cock!" and "my balls!" additions to the "Giants sucks!" chant was great.

The other movie of him I watched was Special. Sven was with me, and he picked it. After he left, I turned on Big Fan not realizing Rappaport is in it.

Man, does everybody on this forum live in the same apartment building, or something?

[MadMan]

I found The Naked City to be pretty entertaining and well made, but I also agree that the characters left no lasting impact and the actual story was decent at best. But the atmosphere and the city setting more than make for it, and I liked the documentary style of the entire movie.

[Dead & Messed Up]

After my rewarding viewings of The Thief of Bagdad and The Adventures of Prince Achmed, I decided to continue my enjoyment of the Arabian Nights with a full viewing of The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, a film of which I'd only seen parts. Luckily, the film is a well-paced, good-natured adventure, although it continues that odd Hollywood blend of Americanized heroes and ethnic villains and supporting characters. It's not that Kerwin Matthews does a poor job as Sinbad...it's that he's so damned white. Nevertheless, a breezy film with some stunning creatures courtesy of the heroic Ray Harryhausen. The highlight is a battle between a horned cyclops and pet dragon.

This is the kind of film I grew up on:

http://photos.bravenet.com/272/478/925/3/CAFBA3B009.jpg

B

[D_Davis]

20 minutes into Watchmen. 90% of it has been in slow motion. I will not finish this movie.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Now that I look at it, Netflix Instant Watch is a treasure trove for Harryhausen fans. It's got:

Jason and the Argonauts
The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
The First Men in the Moon
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
Clash of the Titans

[Grouchy]

I think you have to make something either less than 20 minutues or more than 70 minutes or nobody will know what to do with it.
Hah! I found that out on my own two years ago.

The Band's Visit is a slight film that has a lot of great ideas. It doesn't completely amount to something memorable, because it stays on a series of character vignettes, but I think that's the film's goal and it would be unfair to argue it as a detriment. The highlight for me was when the young, handsome officer is teaching Papi how to approach a woman. Nice film.

And continuing with contemplative movies, I also saw A Scene at the Sea. Subpar Kitano, I think. My main problem is that the story is poignant but it just has TOO MUCH FUCKING SURFING IN IT. Speaking of which, what is everyone's favorite Kitano movie? I know Sonatine and Dolls made a huge impression on me, but my all-time favorite has to be Hana-Bi. That film is amazing.

[KK2.0]

i like both films, but slightly prefer the first one. what's, you find, disappointing about it?

Probably went with too many wrong expectations, being a fan of the comic and of Del Toro's Devil's Backbone, i was in for a darker movie but the first Hellboy was like Men In Black: Halloween edition.

Which is not entirely a bad thing. Spoilers ahoy!

I thought the movie had perfect casting and it wasn't a complete failure, but got bored with Red fighting the same monster over and over and Rasputin could have been much, much better. The sequel was far more ambitious, i wonder how bigger was the budget, but they kept the charming character bits (Hellboy and Abe drinking, loved it) Krauss was far more interesting than the previous sidekicks, and Del Toro's imagination ran wild this time, i dig their interpretation of fantasy creatures (the Troll market reminded me of Harry Potter mixed with with Nightbreed) and the action was far better, specially the battle with Forest God in Manhattan and the final showdown with the Elf prince and the Golden Army.

It's a bigger, crazier sequel, and i prefer it over the first because of that.

[Sven]

Man, Pineapple Express was surprisingly bad. I mean, incoherent, poorly-made bad. A few pluses here and there (Franco and McBride, particularly), but talk about unimaginative...

[number8]

Here's Werner Herzog reading Curious George:

7T8y5EPv6Y8

[Dukefrukem]

Man, Pineapple Express was surprisingly bad. I mean, incoherent, poorly-made bad. A few pluses here and there (Franco and McBride, particularly), but talk about unimaginative...

I like the first half a lot. The second half is where I get pissed. It's worth watching.

[Raiders]

Man, Pineapple Express was surprisingly bad. I mean, incoherent, poorly-made bad. A few pluses here and there (Franco and McBride, particularly), but talk about unimaginative...

Yep. I still think this is among the best films from 2008.

[Sven]

Yep. I still think this is among the best films from 2008.

I'm using all of my powers of speculation at the moment and none of them satisfactorily explain how this could be. That is, unless you like dumb things. And I know you try to avoid doing that, so...

[Raiders]

I'm using all of my powers of speculation at the moment, and none of them satisfactorily explain how this could be. That is, unless you like dumb things. And I know you try to avoid doing that, so...

No, not really. I run headfirst into dumb things all the time. Love it.

[Sven]

No, not really. I run headfirst into dumb things all the time. Love it.

Heh. Yeah. Me too. This one missed me, though.

[Sven]

Heh. Yeah. Me too. This one missed me, though.

Case in point: I recently saw District B13 and totally loved it.

[Skitch]

Man, Pineapple Express was surprisingly bad. I mean, incoherent, poorly-made bad. A few pluses here and there (Franco and McBride, particularly), but talk about unimaginative...

I agree, I barely cracked a smile. Poorly made, and unfunny jokes.

[number8]

I dunno about the best film of 2008, but the ending diner scene is easily one of the best scenes of that year.

David Gordon Green and comedy mix well together. I can't wait until East Bound & Down start up again.

[Qrazy]

I don't see what's incoherent about Pineapple Express unless you found the transition from the first half to the violence of the second half tonally inconsistent (incoherent?). Personally I had no problem with the action genre send up.

But yeah I thought it was quite funny and directorially a major step up from other films of it's type (stoner comedies).

But I wouldn't say I loved it given that I didn't find it quite as funny on a second viewing... but I did like it a lot.

[Dukefrukem]

Case in point: I recently saw District B13 and totally loved it.

You excited for the sequel?

[Wryan]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.

I liked it too. Simple and delicate and lovely. Although people on the last days of their lives need to stop having deep philosophical conversations with everyone, coded or not.

And Angels With Dirty Faces is aces except for those awful, goddamned Dead End Kids.

[balmakboor]

Man, Pineapple Express was surprisingly bad. I mean, incoherent, poorly-made bad. A few pluses here and there (Franco and McBride, particularly), but talk about unimaginative...

I thought I was pretty much alone in not liking Pineapple Express. During the first 15 minutes or so, I thought it might be going someplace interesting and funny, but I was oh so wrong. It is one of those movies that left me positively numb from boredom.

[Adam]

Pineapple Express is a delight

[Raiders]

And Angels With Dirty Faces is aces except for those awful, goddamned Dead End Kids.

I liked them. One of the (few) instances where the failure to successfully pull off the character the actor is going for works in the film's favor.

[Qrazy]

I liked them. One of the (few) instances where the failure to successfully pull off the character the actor is going for works in the film's favor.

What do you mean?

[Raiders]

What do you mean?

They are ridiculously exaggerated stereotypes of gangsters, poorly performed by the children, but the inauthenticity of the performances sort of highlights their posing and the uncomfortable nature of seeing kids acting like James Cagney's character.

Unless Wryan is merely saying they are a bad narrative step (I assumed he meant their exaggerated performances were aggravating), in which case I also disagree. They are pretty much the center of the film; or rather, they are the physical manifestation of the film's central conflict.

[Watashi]

I thought the Dead End Kids were fine. They were impersonating the exaggerated gangster stereotype. It's really no different than kids trying to act "black" nowadays.

Still, that film is all about its ending and Cagney's performance.

[Wryan]

They are ridiculously exaggerated stereotypes of gangsters, poorly performed by the children, but the inauthenticity of the performances sort of highlights their posing and the uncomfortable nature of seeing kids acting like James Cagney's character.

Unless Wryan is merely saying they are a bad narrative step (I assumed he meant their exaggerated performances were aggravating), in which case I also disagree. They are pretty much the center of the film; or rather, they are the physical manifestation of the film's central conflict.

No you were right. They grate me in all of their films. I just can't handle them. Like tiny hooks being shoved into my cuticles and yanked, by turns slowly or quickly.

[Sven]

I don't see what's incoherent about Pineapple Express unless you found the transition from the first half to the violence of the second half tonally inconsistent (incoherent?).

I've read about this "transition" and I honestly did not see it. The film felt uniform in that respect. I'm talking about narrative things, mostly, like the whole belt buckle saw bit... the guy comes in and says "I can hear you out there." and they continue to talk at an elevated pitch... I don't get it.

I was also none-too-thrilled with its idea of what constitutes good action as well. The climax is the definition of weak.

Also, Rogen is terrible at improv.

I did love Bill Hader, though.

[chrisnu]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.
I am seeing both this and Parnassus tonight. Should be a good time.

[Fezzik]

It's a shame there is no thread dedicated to A Single Man. I thought this film was extraordinary. The film was absolutely gorgeous to look at and listen to. The few critics that label it as the worst of the year amuse me.

Just got back from seeing it. Aesthetically, I have no complaints. The photography is gorgeous. It's a really nice looking film.

Unfortunately, in the end, though, it just didn't resonate with me. Firth was outstanding, but I dunno.

For some reason it didn't flow. It all felt so calculated. I know that's a bad way to describe it, but that's the only word that came to mind.

I am stunned that the kid who played Kenny Potter (Nicolaus Hoult) was the little boy in About a Boy back in 2002.

[Grouchy]

I've read about this "transition" and I honestly did not see it. The film felt uniform in that respect. I'm talking about narrative things, mostly, like the whole belt buckle saw bit... the guy comes in and says "I can hear you out there." and they continue to talk at an elevated pitch... I don't get it.
The joke, obviously, is that they're so stoned they can't remember stuff that just happened. I can't believe I have to explain that.

Anyway, I love Pineapple Express, and since I often find it on TV and stay with it, I think it has a big replay value. Since most of the best jokes come in the banter between the protagonists, and it's impossible to remember all the banter that's in the movie, it still brings in fresh laughs.

[Sven]

The joke, obviously, is that they're so stoned they can't remember stuff that just happened. I can't believe I have to explain that.

But they remember other things of both less and greater relevance.

[Grouchy]

But they remember other things of both less and greater relevance.
Well... Yes.

[Bosco B Thug]

Man, Pineapple Express was surprisingly bad. I mean, incoherent, poorly-made bad. A few pluses here and there (Franco and McBride, particularly), but talk about unimaginative... I liked it somewhat, in principle perhaps, but it was definitely a disappointment. It was my Drag Me To Hell of 2008. A capable director who couldn't pull together screenplays that could've done with just a few more re-writes.

My complaints involved the two characters' relationship being shoddily developed, and a film that had no idea about dramatic momentum or pay off. I remember the scene when they're in the forest just being flat and slowing down the film.

[number8]

Did you put Freddy Got Fingered in your queue yet?

[Skitch]

Did you put Freddy Got Fingered in your queue yet?

Now there is one of the worst films of all time.

[number8]

You mean one of the best of the last decade.

[Dukefrukem]

You mean one of the best of the last decade.

Don't know about that but I laughed my ass off at this scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52mZs9ngNug). Still laughing...

[Russ]

this scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52mZs9ngNug)
Well now, that's certainly a line in the sand, isn't it?

To elaborate: In Pink Flamingos, why does Divine do that unspoken deed at the end of the film? Because she's the "filthiest person alive." (so there is a narrative purpose, or so it would seem...)

I have yet to see Freddy in it's entirety. Anybody care to explain the reason for that scene?

[megladon8]

I just don't find that stuff funny. Not even ironically so.

[Dukefrukem]

I have yet to see Freddy in it's entirety. Anybody care to explain the reason for that scene?

It's completely random. No reasoning whatsoever. He's just driving and see that on the side of the road. I'm not even kidding.

[number8]

I have yet to see Freddy in it's entirety. Anybody care to explain the reason for that scene?

His life-long dream is to become an animator, which his dad thinks is stupid. The dad keeps mocking him to get a real job like his brother. So in that scene, he's mocking his dad because he thinks what's considered a real job—like being a farmer—is equally puerile in his eyes, perhaps even more so than being an animator.

[Russ]

It's completely random. No reasoning whatsoever.
I have actually heard this same defense quoted as a bit of a qualifier for this film's "virtues" (ala Un chien andalou (seriously) )...which means I've been tempted to check it out (seems up my alley)...but every time I see a clip...

*sigh*

[Russ]

His life-long dream is to become an animator, which his dad thinks is stupid. The dad keeps mocking him to get a real job like his brother. So in that scene, he's mocking his dad because he thinks what's considered a real job—like being a farmer—is equally puerile in his eyes, perhaps even more so than being an animator.
What does being a farmer have to do with what happens in that scene?

[megladon8]

What does being a farmer have to do with what happens in that scene?


Nothing. number8 is just pulling your huge horse co-...I mean...leg.

[number8]

Umm, I'm not. I genuinely love Freddy Got Fingered and anybody who knows me know this. Because I force them to watch it with me. I think it's brilliant.

That's why I brought it up. Sven was with me the other day and I kept trying to convince him to go rent it.

[megladon8]

Umm, I'm not. I genuinely love Freddy Got Fingered and anybody who knows me know this. Because I force them to watch it with me. I think it's brilliant.

That's why I brought it up. Sven was with me the other day and I kept trying to convince him to go rent it.


I know you weren't, I just wanted to take the opportunity to make a horse dick joke.

[number8]

What does being a farmer have to do with what happens in that scene?

The farmers were extracting horse sperm. Gordy saw the big cock and thought what I said he thought. Hear what he's screaming? "Daddy, I'm a farmer"?

[number8]

I know you weren't, I just wanted to take the opportunity to make a horse dick joke.

:sad:

Leave the comedy to Tom Green.

[Russ]

Oh......kay.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Leave the comedy to Tom Green.

Why start now?

[Qrazy]

They are ridiculously exaggerated stereotypes of gangsters, poorly performed by the children, but the inauthenticity of the performances sort of highlights their posing and the uncomfortable nature of seeing kids acting like James Cagney's character.

Unless Wryan is merely saying they are a bad narrative step (I assumed he meant their exaggerated performances were aggravating), in which case I also disagree. They are pretty much the center of the film; or rather, they are the physical manifestation of the film's central conflict.

Ah, I kind of felt the exaggeration was a conscious directorial decision though so it didn't really seem poorly performed/inauthentic to me. I agree with Wats that you see kids doing that kinds of overexaggerated mimicry even now adays.

[Spun Lepton]

Leave the comedy to Tom Green.

'Cuz look at how it's helped his career!

[number8]

I don't really like Tom Green. I hated his show and everything else he's in.

But I luuuurve Freddy Got Fingered.

[Adam]

only in number8's wet dreams...

http://cdn.screenjunkies.com/www/sites/default/files/images/freddy-got-fingered.png

[number8]

Anyone know any (good) movies set in Haiti? I can only think of one that I really like, which was Laurent Cantet's Heading South.

[soitgoes...]

Anyone know any (good) movies set in Haiti? I can only think of one that I really like, which was Laurent Cantet's Heading South.The Agronomist. Great, great film.

[number8]

Yay, it's on Instant Watch.

I got reps as a reward for anyone that helps me with this.

[Ezee E]

Damn. It's not great, but I saw a documentary about some rapper in Haiti. Let's see if I can dig it up.

[soitgoes...]

The only other one I can think of is Craven's The Serpent and the Rainbow. I haven't seen it, so I can't comment on its quality.

[MadMan]

The Serpent and The Rainbow is a fairly decent movie, but it doesn't really cover Hati's people all that well, as its merely a horror movie.

Pinapple Express is one of the best comedies of the decade, and is quite hilarious. I really want to see it again so I can write a proper review, and to check up on how well the jokes hold up. The last action is insanely outrageous to the point of being a complete parody, so naturally unlike others I bought into the whole thing.

[[ETM]]

^That was reply No. 39,000 in the thread, MadMan. Congrats.

[MadMan]

Damn, 39,000 posts already? Whoa. And my total contribution to the FDT is 2.58% of that entire total, heh. So do we finally split when someone hits 40k? I sure hope not :pritch:

[Qrazy]

Fuck I post too much.

+1

[Boner M]

The Verdict was really good. I kinda wished it ended directly after Newman's summative speech, but thankfully it stays around a bit longer and ends on an even more resonant note. Lumet's dominant use of master shots for coverage in each scene is interesting... I'm starting to think his rep as an archetypal 'invisible craftsman' is a little off-base.

[Dukefrukem]

Wow. Why didn't someone tell me to watch the Fountain sooner?

[baby doll]

Weekend (tenatively):

Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodóvar)
The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (Lee Daniels)
A Single Man (Tom Ford)
Youth in Revolt (Miguel Arteta)

All of these are currently playing in Montreal, as well as A Serious Man, which I'm dying to see again. The Fantastic Mr. Fox is playing at Cinéma du Parc at 9:30 on Thursday night, so that's pretty much a lock. After that, the film I'm most looking forward to is the Almodóvar, so I'll probably check that out earlier in the day. If the rest are still playing on Friday, I'll check them out sometime over the weekend depending on what's opening.

[[ETM]]

Wow. Why didn't someone tell me to watch the Fountain sooner?

Um... some people were not that impressed with it, but you'd have found PLENTY of recommendations in the main thread. I loved it. The soundtrack is glorious, too, one of my all time favorites.

[Raiders]

;234425']Um... some people were not that impressed with it, but you'd have found PLENTY of recommendations in the main thread.

Which unfortunately was at the old site.

[D_Davis]

He KF, remember that time you saw The Room?

[Dukefrukem]

;234425']Um... some people were not that impressed with it, but you'd have found PLENTY of recommendations in the main thread. I loved it. The soundtrack is glorious, too, one of my all time favorites.

hmmm i did a search and nothing came up...


Which unfortunately was at the old site.

ah

[balmakboor]

Wow. Why didn't someone tell me to watch the Fountain sooner?

You should just start listening to me more. ;)

[number8]

Or meg. I think 17.9% of all his posts are related to The Fountain. 5% of that are pictures of his chest or wherever it was he had that Fountain tattoo.

[Dukefrukem]

I missed allllll of these posts. I'd love to see that tattoo pic.

[D_Davis]

Watched Oldboy for only the 2nd time last night. Blew me away, again. I was surprised by how many scenes I vividly remembered. It's just a perfect movie, and a totally messed up one that hits like a ton of bricks.

[Fezzik]

Wow, Netflix added:

Big Fan
World's Greatest Dad
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
and Mongol

to Instant Watch this week.

NICE.

[Ezee E]

Wow, Netflix added:

Big Fan
World's Greatest Dad
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
and Mongol

to Instant Watch this week.

NICE.
Pretty much every indie movie that came out last year seems to be on instant watch as the DVD is released. Nice.

Criterion even let the Che movie be available on instant watch before the DVD was released.

[Winston*]

Pretty neat movie blog

Kid Casting (http://kidcasting.tumblr.com/)

[Mysterious Dude]

http://6.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kw5vzlAK8P1qatq7bo1_r1_ 500.jpg

Worst kid-casting in the history of cinema?

[Boner M]

Worst kid-casting in the history of cinema?
Absolutely. Bruce Willis is only believeable as an adult.

[Spun Lepton]

KF, have you posted your thoughts on The Room anywhere? I noticed your rating, and got a bit of a chuckle from it.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is an improvement on The Seventh Voyage in a number of ways, primarily in the casting of John Phillip Law as the eponymous hero, and Caroline Munro, whose ample bosoms are put to good use throughout the adventure. Curiously, it's Harryhausen who falters here. While his Kali statue is an undeniable highlight - easily one of his best monsters - his climactic battle between a centaur and gryphon comes out of left field and feels inert, compared to the dragon/cyclops face-off in The Seventh Voyage. Also, while I enjoyed the film as much as the last, it's become increasingly clear that these films are not fascinating in any cinematic way. The general approach to any fight scene is to lock the camera, compose a long shot, and keep it steady for Harryhausen's effects.

http://thisdistractedglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/Goldenvoyage3.jpg

Seriously, though, Kali's awesome.

B

[number8]

Holy shit, do you guys subscribe to Netflix Instant Watch's RSS feed? They added 100+ titles yesterday.

Black Freighter, Under the Hood, Blade Runner Final Cut, Heat, Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Willy Wonka, Goonies, I can't even list them all!

[Ezee E]

Holy shit, do you guys subscribe to Netflix Instant Watch's RSS feed? They added 100+ titles yesterday.

Black Freighter, Under the Hood, Blade Runner Final Cut, Heat, Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Willy Wonka, Goonies, I can't even list them all!
Check out streamingsoon.com It makes me giddy when I check it every few weeks with all the movies that are getting added.

Black Narcissus, Fanny & Alexander (revisiting), Scorsese titles that I don't own, and several of the Looney Tunes movies. I'm really hoping they add the collections at some point.

[Grouchy]

The general approach to any fight scene is to lock the camera, compose a long shot, and keep it steady for Harryhausen's effects.
You have to understand, though, that if the camera angles were any more creative, it would have been a Herculean task to apply Harryhausen's stop motion.

[number8]

Anyone know any (good) movies set in Haiti? I can only think of one that I really like, which was Laurent Cantet's Heading South.


I got reps as a reward for anyone that helps me with this.

Still looking!

[Grouchy]

Still looking!
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/films/filmlist.htm

I'm amazed none thought of Angel Heart.

EDIT: Actually, just read further down the page. Angel Heart is mentioned because of the voodoo, but - as correctly stated - it actually has nothing to do with Haiti.

[MadMan]

Holy shit, do you guys subscribe to Netflix Instant Watch's RSS feed? They added 100+ titles yesterday.

Black Freighter, Under the Hood, Blade Runner Final Cut, Heat, Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Willy Wonka, Goonies, I can't even list them all!What does RSS stand for? And yes last night I did notice that they added Heat. They also added the Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, one of my old school favorite monster movies too, in addition to the other ones listed? Sweet. I just realized last night after looking through my viewing history that I barely use the actual by mail Netflix queue, where as I have heavily utilized the Instant Viewing queue a lot.

[Skitch]

http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/films/filmlist.htm

I'm amazed none thought of Angel Heart.

EDIT: Actually, just read further down the page. Angel Heart is mentioned because of the voodoo, but - as correctly stated - it actually has nothing to do with Haiti.
It was the first and only film I thought of! But after thinking about it, I concluded it was all in N'arlins.

[Dead & Messed Up]

You have to understand, though, that if the camera angles were any more creative, it would have been a Herculean task to apply Harryhausen's stop motion.

Oh, I do understand it. It's just one of those technological limitations that occasionally rears its ugly head, like the large, fuzzy black outlines on composite shots and the odd color variance between foreground live-action and background plates.

For the most part, I have great admiration for Harryhausen's work.

[Fezzik]

What does RSS stand for?

I think it simply stands for "Really Simple Syndication" or something similar.

Just a way for people to get delivery of content from websites sent to them instead of them having to go to each site they follow to check for updates.

[Raiders]

Holy shit, do you guys subscribe to Netflix Instant Watch's RSS feed? They added 100+ titles yesterday.

Black Freighter, Under the Hood, Blade Runner Final Cut, Heat, Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Willy Wonka, Goonies, I can't even list them all!

Is it different from this?

http://www.netflix.com/NewWatchInstantlyRSS

It isn't time-stamped and I don't see the titles you are talking about.

[Fezzik]

I was just on Netflix and found a ton of Kurosawa on Instant Watch.

The sad truth is that I've never seen a Kurosawa film. I can't even explain why, just never have. I'm going to remedy that starting tonight.

I added:

Rashomon
Yojimbo
Ikiru
Seven Samurai
The Hidden Fortress


I'm watching Rashomon first

[Dead & Messed Up]

I'm watching Rashomon first

Nice! That was one of my favorite "new views" from last year.

[Qrazy]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Granted I'm watching a terrible copy but I'm not really feeling the brilliance here.

[Spinal]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Granted I'm watching a terrible copy but I'm not really feeling the brilliance here.

Isn't there a Criterion coming out? I'm waiting for that.

[Qrazy]

Isn't there a Criterion coming out? I'm waiting for that.

Good call. Guess I was anticipating it too much to wait. Plus it's part of the 1001 race. But yeah I think the criterion will be a great improvement.

[Derek]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Granted I'm watching a terrible copy but I'm not really feeling the brilliance here.

The problem isn't the copy, it's you. :) I saw it on a terrible copy and saw its brilliance perfectly. That said, I'm not terribly surprised.

[Qrazy]

The problem isn't the copy, it's you. :) I saw it on a terrible copy and saw its brilliance perfectly. That said, I'm not terribly surprised.

You're not terribly surprised with the inadequacies of your taste? Neither am I. ;)

[Qrazy]

Also were the actors playing the parents old as fuck or? Why did they rear project a walk in the park?

[Derek]

You're not terribly surprised with the inadequacies of your taste? Neither am I. ;)

History has shown that those with good taste love Make Way for Tomorrow. I'm unsurprised not because you have bad taste, but because you complain about nearly every film you see.

[Qrazy]

History has shown that those with good taste love Make Way for Tomorrow. I'm unsurprised not because you have bad taste, but because you complain about nearly every film you see.

They're not going to complain about themselves.

[Watashi]

The 100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes of All Time (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTiAS7cdsYc&feature=player_embedded#at=51)

I think you guys would enjoy this.

[Derek]

They're not going to complain about themselves.

:lol:

[Raiders]

I guess this is why I was starting to see quite a few "House" writers over at Slant.

http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/

[Dukefrukem]

7 Futuristic movies that "Got it Right" (http://www.mania.com/7-futuristic-movies-got-right_article_120032.html) When talking about technology.

Can you guess any gadgets they are referring to before reading the list? I bet some of you will be able to guess 1 or 2 of them.

[Ezee E]

I think a lot of Minority Report's inventions are in process already... And more will be on the way.

Reads article. Yep.

I foresee more retinal scanners, with their "welcoming" as well. The technology ideas in that movie amazes me.

[Dukefrukem]

The 100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes of All Time (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTiAS7cdsYc&feature=player_embedded#at=51)

I think you guys would enjoy this.

I'm gonna guess a few easy ones... first few are Arnold

1. Let off some steam
2. Iced that guy, to cone a phrase.
3. Where's Sully? "I let him go".
4. "I'm gettin too old for this shit"
5. Tango: I've got good news and bad news.
Cash: What's the bad news?
Tango: We're almost out of gas.
Cash: What's the good news?
Tango: We're ALMOST out of gas.


edit: arghhhhh i forgot the Cornflakes, Time to Bleed and Bubblegum quotes!


and yes! i got #1 and #4, And I was gonna go with the "I lied" Line but I went with "I let him go" Argh.

[Dukefrukem]

I think a lot of Minority Report's inventions are in process already... And more will be on the way.

Reads article. Yep.

I foresee more retinal scanners, with their "welcoming" as well. The technology ideas in that movie amazes me.

nice work.


I figured someone may get the full body X-ray machine too

[Adam]

I guess this is why I was starting to see quite a few "House" writers over at Slant.

http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/

I hate their new layout

[Qrazy]

Red Sorghum (Yimou)
Head-on (Akin)
Diner (Levinson)
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

How well would these films play to a bunch of people who aren't all that into film (they're not like super mainstreamers but I wouldn't start showing experimental cinema to them)?

[balmakboor]

Red Sorghum (Yimou)
Head-on (Akin)
Diner (Levinson)
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

How well would these films play to a bunch of people who aren't all that into film (they're not like super mainstreamers but I wouldn't start showing experimental cinema to them)?

Diner is pretty safe for anyone. I was surprised by how experimental Sweet Sweetback is.

[Spun Lepton]

The 100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes of All Time (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTiAS7cdsYc&feature=player_embedded#at=51)

I think you guys would enjoy this.

Some of those lines only seem cheesy out of context. Some of them are definitely cheesy, though.

[Dukefrukem]

Some of those lines only seem cheesy out of context. Some of them are definitely cheesy, though.

If they wanted to go for the all time out of context cheesy line;

they should have included Spider-man 2: "Punch me, I bleed"

[MadMan]

Yeah, I don't foresee watching any movies this weekend. But I will try.


I think it simply stands for "Really Simple Syndication" or something similar.

Just a way for people to get delivery of content from websites sent to them instead of them having to go to each site they follow to check for updates.Sweet, I guess. Someone on IYPC over at RT posted a link detailing when the next batch of movies would go up on Netflix Instant Viewing, so I bookmarked it.

[Ezee E]

Big Fan is pretty hilarious.

[Skitch]

Demolition Man is so much fun.

[The Mike]

Demolition Man is so much fun.

Quoted for truth.

[lovejuice]

Demolition Man is so much fun.
weirdly enough, it is. a quite decent action film as well. only thing i dislike is the social commentary aspect, and the trip down the water sewer.

[Spun Lepton]

Big Fan is pretty hilarious.

I was a little* disappointed. Oswalt's character not only learns nothing from his experience, he is determined to learn nothing. I admit that's a pretty clever angle, but I think it makes his story kind of blah.

That said, the scene where Oswalt shoots Phil was a brilliant switcheroo. Clever and funny enough to redeem the modicum of the problems I'd had with it up until that point.

[The Mike]

Oswalt's character not only learns nothing from his experience, he is determined to learn nothing.
From my experience, that's the point of being a fan of a sports team.

[MadMan]

Demolition Man is so much fun.Yep. It also eerily predicted Arnuld being governor of California. Which means in the end we'll all have to eat at Taco Bell in the future :lol:

[Qrazy]

Anyone here seen Felidae? It's a little structurally unsound but ultimately I think it's a worthy addition to the adult animation genre. It seems like BuffaloWilder's kind of film.

[Beau]

Libraries are good for movie "rentals." I know everyone knows this already, but this is some novel stuff on my end. Anyhow, I watched The Burmese Harp, since people here maintained, maintained, that it was infinitely superior to Fires on the Plane, which is one of my personal favorites. Although I can't quite agree, I do see where they're coming from. It certainly hits loftier poetic heights with more frequency. The story's fairy tale roots occasionally surface in ways I don't much enjoy and I did find some elements frankly cornball (Communicating with parrots? And the parrots repeat their lines with flawless dramatic timing?) But it's a good film. It has a shadowy, dreamy, leisurely thing going on, piling on the blacks and harsh contrasts to give everything an unreal bent. Like that Qrazy-brand movie, Khrustalyov, My Car!, it almost felt like the images were being remembered or remembered in a dream. Both films have a reminiscing narrator, so these remembered images are apt.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Weekend

Broken Embraces
Inferno
Happy Together

[Boner M]

W/e

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Two Mules for Sister Sara
It Happened One Night
Barton Fink (rpt)

[number8]

I'm just gonna post the pile I have to review this weekend:

- Fireball
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
- Wushu
- Little Ashes
- Fame

Neat. Sigh.

[Spinal]

I'm just gonna post the pile I have to review this weekend:

- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown


They made a movie of this? Oh my.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Weekend:

Monsters Inc.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Wings of Desire

All first-time views.

Question: do I need to have watched Star Trek: The Movie before I hit II? I'd just as soon save myself the two hours.

[Watashi]

Weekend:

Monsters Inc.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Wings of Desire

All first-time views.

Question: do I need to have watched Star Trek: The Movie before I hit II? I'd just as soon save myself the two hours.
You don't HAVE to, but Star Trek: The Motion Picture is great.

[Rowland]

Meh, it's okay.

[StanleyK]

Question: do I need to have watched Star Trek: The Movie before I hit II? I'd just as soon save myself the two hours.

There's no plot unity between I and II, but from II to IV it helps to watch them in sequence. Also, if you're not like me (I just can't watch a sequel without watching the original), then I say skip I, it's pretty boring; Wrath of Khan is good.

[Dukefrukem]

Weekend:

Seeing Avatar again.
and I'm gonna trrrrrrrry to make it to Edge of Darkness. It takes place in Boston, gotta represent.

[Fezzik]

Weekend:

Seeing Avatar again.
and I'm gonna trrrrrrrry to make it to Edge of Darkness. It takes place in Boston, gotta represent.

Edge of Darkness comes out this weekend? I didn't know that. Looks like I am headed to the theater after all.

Additionally I plan the following:

District 9 (rewatch...my dad hasnt seen it yet)
Rashomon (I tried the other night, but was too tired and kept drifting off. Trying again - this time fully awake)
Some other, yet to be determined Kurosawa film.
Chungking Express (assuming my disk from Netflix arrives)

[Ezee E]

Crazy Heart
The Lovely Bones

Gamer
Mad Men: Disc 2
some Criterion

[Skitch]

Prophecy 3,4, and 5 (just to say I've seen em), maybe Sunshine or The Fall on blu ray, probably show the shorts I've worked on to the girlfriend.

[Dukefrukem]

Edge of Darkness comes out this weekend? I didn't know that. Looks like I am headed to the theater after all.


Nope I'm wrong. January 29, 2010. Legion comes out this weekend. That's what I was thinking of.

[NickGlass]

I'm just gonna post the pile I have to review this weekend:

- Fireball
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
- Wushu
- Little Ashes
- Fame

Neat. Sigh.

Please, please, please post capsules of all these--especially the last two. I actually know someone in Fame. Oof.

[number8]

Please, please, please post capsules of all these--especially the last two. I actually know someone in Fame. Oof.

The original, not the remake. They just released it on Bluray.

[number8]

This Fireball movie is insane.

Not sure yet if it's in a good way.

[Ezee E]

I was a little* disappointed. Oswalt's character not only learns nothing from his experience, he is determined to learn nothing. I admit that's a pretty clever angle, but I think it makes his story kind of blah.

That said, the scene where Oswalt shoots Phil was a brilliant switcheroo. Clever and funny enough to redeem the modicum of the problems I'd had with it up until that point.
My main problem is that the movie has a rather fantastic first half with what is just a funny second half.

The first delves into an obsession, and while being funny, it's also pretty sad to watch. The others around him can also be criticized for their own obsessions, whether it's being trendy, or the mother's hoarding. The reality Quincy Bishop is something that I'm sure sports doesn't want to let out, but I've seen and heard about it. I thought they handled the assault scene pretty weakly. I don't think there was enough motivation for Bishop to fight, and the actual shooting of it was pretty awful as well. i got over it, just a nitpick.

I've always been a fan of Michael Rapaport, but I haven't seen him for a while. For a second, I thought he was Patton's brother, and thought, "Man. Rapaport really went downhill." Instead, he was perfect as Philadelphia Phil.

I also really like Kevin Corrigan, an actor I've seen many a times in different movies, but never really looked him up until now. He's destined to be a supporting scruffy, mostly pathetic character for quite a while, but he is pretty funny.

[balmakboor]

W/E

Inglourious Basterds (re-watch)
The Hurt Locker (1st time)
Amadeus (about the 5th time)
Dog Day Afternoon (about the 10th time)

We are expecting to be snowed in.

[Ivan Drago]

You don't HAVE to, but Star Trek: The Motion Picture is great.

I hated it the first time I saw it, but the more I think about it, the more and more I like it. The score is amazing.

[D_Davis]

I was home sick yesterday.

I watched Paul Blart: Mall Cop. :sad:

I also watched Tarkovsky's Solaris. Didn't like it much. I really like the book, but the film failed to hold my interest - even a little bit. And I don't understand why. Well, that's not entirely true. That whole first part on Earth is just a bore. But once they actually get into space it gets a little better. It has the same slow, introspective nature of Lem's text, but for some reason it just doesn't work for me as a film. I love reading this kind of SF, but it simply doesn't make for a very remarkable film.

[balmakboor]

Btw, I've been meaning to re-watch Inglourious Basterds for a while and since the DVD at Netflix has been on Long Wait for like forever I decided to just buy the damn thing with some birthday money I just got. So I went into Best Buy across the street from where I work and held the Blu-Ray in one hand ($29.95) and the DVD in the other ($19.95). I thought "what the hell" and chose the Blu-Ray. The cashier charged me $16.95. Not sure if it was a mistake or if I missed a mark-down tag on the shelf. Don't care.

Anyway, so many people have rated it so highly that I figure they can't all be wrong. I was pretty meh on it the first time (except for the terrific first chapter), but then I was pretty meh on Dogs, Pulp, and Kill Bill vol. I the first go-around and loved them all on a second viewing.

More to follow, I'm sure...

[balmakboor]

I was home sick yesterday.

I watched Paul Blart: Mall Cop. :sad:

I also watched Tarkovsky's Solaris. Didn't like it much. I really like the book, but the film failed to hold my interest - even a little bit. And I don't understand why. Well, that's not entirely true. That whole first part on Earth is just a bore. But once they actually get into space it gets a little better. It has the same slow, introspective nature of Lem's text, but for some reason it just doesn't work for me as a film. I love reading this kind of SF, but it simply doesn't make for a very remarkable film.

I "watched" Tark's Solaris a few years ago. All I remember is a car driving through a tunnel for about five minutes and then waking up to see some freaky shot of a house on a island followed by the credits.

[Benny Profane]

I "watched" Tark's Solaris a few years ago. All I remember is a car driving through a tunnel for about five minutes and then waking up to see some freaky shot of a house on a island followed by the credits.


I remember they were supposed to be in Russia but all the street signs were Japanese. Really not much else.

[kuehnepips]

W/E

I Kina spiser de hunde - 1999, Olsen
Gertrud - 1964, Dreyer





W/E

Inglourious Basterds (re-watch)



Why?






We are expecting to be snowed in.

We already are. Stew the next three days and hours of Lord of the Rings for the kids.