28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[baby doll]

So far I've seen six films that were in competition at Cannes last year, and putting them in order from best to least, they are: The White Ribbon, Inglourious Basterds, Bright Star, Antichrist, Fish Tank, and Broken Embraces. One and two are pretty close, and Tarantino's is perhaps the more audacious of the two, but at least Haneke's film didn't make me feel like a goon for liking it. I've just seen one film from Un certain regard, and it's Precious.

[B-side]

My girlfriend called me a pedophile once, to which I replied, "That's an awfully big word for a nine-year-old."

Chinatown is great, though.

Haha.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm almost embarassed to admit this, but I just saw Marley and Me and the ending really got to me. :sad:

[balmakboor]

I was walking out of the theater tonight after seeing Shutter Island and I overheard the following from a woman as she lectured her husband and teenage son:

"I think it's a phenomenal story. I mean, can you imagine allowing a big black boy into your home?"

Make of it as you wish. I'm still shaking my head.

[hey it's ethan]

I certainly can't imagine it.

[Ezee E]

I was walking out of the theater tonight after seeing Shutter Island and I overheard the following from a woman as she lectured her husband and teenage son:

"I think it's a phenomenal story. I mean, can you imagine allowing a big black boy into your home?"

Make of it as you wish. I'm still shaking my head.
"Because if you did, you'd end up in Shutter Island."

[MadMan]

The Goodbye Girl, cliches and sappy sentimental love story aside, was wonderful. Quite funny, and sporting great performances from both of its leads, in addition to being delightful. The movie is merely good, but I'm glad I caught it on TCM regardless.

[Boner M]

So far I've seen six films that were in competition at Cannes last year, and putting them in order from best to least, they are: The White Ribbon, Inglourious Basterds, Bright Star, Antichrist, Fish Tank, and Broken Embraces. One and two are pretty close, and Tarantino's is perhaps the more audacious of the two, but at least Haneke's film didn't make me feel like a goon for liking it. I've just seen one film from Un certain regard, and it's Precious.
From the comp, I've seen:

Inglourious Basterds ***1/2
The White Ribbon ***1/2
A Prophet ***1/2
Face ***
Broken Embraces ***
Bright Star ***
Vengeance ***
Antichrist **
Thirst **

From UCR, I've seen (from memory; maybe a few more but I can't bother looking the slate up):

Everyone Else ****
Dogtooth ***1/2
Samson & Delilah ***
Mother ***
Precious **1/2
Land of Madness **
Blood Appears *1/2

The first two UCR titles are really strong films, esp. for new-ish filmmakers, and S&D is a promising if overrated debut.

[megladon8]

I freaking adore this photograph...

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/9112/ddlandcruz.jpg

[Wryan]

Just rewatched Half-Blood Prince on DVD and I think it may yet surpass my liking for the 5th movie. Delbonnel's cinematography becomes increasingly more deserving of its nomination--rich and enveloping and carefully observed. The romance doesn't always fold into the rest with the right touch, but there's so much wonderfully dark stuff remaining. Great humor and delicate nuances. We seem to have passed a kind of "miniseries threshold" in which we've spent enough time with the characters that simple events can carry significant weight to them just by happening to these people. Lovely work by Gambon, Rickman, Broadbent, and the trio. Technicals all up to usual snuff. Better than my first viewing in the theatre. The 3rd is still my favorite, but I'm kind of happy that Yates will finish out the series. Given the 5th and 6th, he seems to have the right knack for finishing this thing off with a punch. I hope the last two movies really knock it out of the park. I'm sort of happy I live in a world with these stories/films. While not perfectly consistent, they effect a cumulative storytelling power.

[Spun Lepton]

Son of the Mask is on Cartoon Network, even though it's not a cartoon. I just watched a scene that should've been exploding with energy, but it was flat and dull and seriously unfunny. No wonder it went straight to DVD. What an embarrassment.

[hey it's ethan]

Oh, it was in theaters alright.

[number8]

Son of the Mask is on Cartoon Network, even though it's not a cartoon. I just watched a scene that should've been exploding with energy, but it was flat and dull and seriously unfunny. No wonder it went straight to DVD. What an embarrassment.

1. Cartoon Network has long stopped being cartoons only. They have reality shows and children's sitcoms.

2. Son of Mask was a theatrical release.

[Spun Lepton]

I suppose the fact that I don't remember it ever making it to the theater speaks volumes.

[Boner M]

After watching Hausu, finding out that it was co-written by the director's 10-year-old daughter, then seeing one of the commercials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8bqVL0VXrE) he did for MANDOM deodorant featuring Charles Bronson, I'm convinced that Nobuhiko Obayashi is a pop-artist genius.

[Milky Joe]

After watching Hausu, finding out that it was co-written by the director's 10-year-old daughter, then seeing one of the commercials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8bqVL0VXrE) he did for MANDOM deodorant featuring Charles Bronson, I'm convinced that Nobuhiko Obayashi is a pop-artist genius.

I'm seeing this in the theater in an hour and a half. Pretty excited.

[Derek]

After watching Hausu, finding out that it was co-written by the director's 10-year-old daughter, then seeing one of the commercials (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8bqVL0VXrE) he did for MANDOM deodorant featuring Charles Bronson, I'm convinced that Nobuhiko Obayashi is a pop-artist genius.

That commercial is amazing. I've been meaning to check out Hausu since it's Eureka release, but I will be giving higher priority now!

[Raiders]

Buchanan Rides Alone (Boetticher, 1958) ***½

O rly?

I have been meaning to check more of the Scott collaborations.

[Boner M]

That commercial is amazing. I've been meaning to check out Hausu since it's Eureka release, but I will be giving higher priority now!
Awesome!

O Sangue (Costa, 1989) ****
AWESOME!!! :pritch:

Buchanan Rides Again (Boetticher, 1958) ***½
This and Decision at Sundown were the two films on the Boetticher set that I didn't get around to watching, I shall re-rent it and watch the former post haste.

[Rowland]

Decision at Sundown is a good one too.

[Boner M]

Zombieland (Fleisher, 2009) *½
Hey, it's 'ratings win' day! :pritch:

[Derek]

O rly?

I have been meaning to check more of the Scott collaborations.

Scott's performances is a bit of an anomoly here in that he's light-hearted, even jokey at times, smiling in the light of the multiple threats closing in on him, yet the film still tackles some big issues and crosses into the moral gray area, particularly with the Agry family members who run the town, that Boetticher tends to feel comfortable in. It's quick as a whip, quite funny without diverting from the seriousness of the situation and features some of Boetticher's most impressive shots that I've seen so far.


AWESOME!!! :pritch:

I'm gonna let this sink in before saying too much about it, but it's the best film I've seen in the last 2 or 3 years. The cut to Clara arriving at the fair where The The's "This is the Day" kicks in is one of the most surprising and powerful expressions of fleeting joy amidst despair I've ever seen. Even Mouchette on the bumper cars didn't hit me quite like that shot did. Speaking of, the cinematography is absolutely stunning - some of the best black-and-white imagery I've seen. This is one of those rare films that makes all other films around it seem minor by comparison.

[hey it's ethan]

So I went into Julien Donkey-Boy knowing that the Dogme format would restrict Korine's visual panache. I still found a lot of the film pretty interesting and at times powerful (the albino rap, pretty much anything with Herzog, the skating rink sequence) but at times it just borders on dull. Like with Gummo, Korine has enough empathy for his characters that the film escapes the realm of nihilism but in the end it just doesn't reach the beautiful power of that film. A noble effort...I hope I get more from Mister Lonely.

[Spun Lepton]

So I went into Julien Donkey-Boy knowing that the Dogme format would restrict Korine's visual panache. I still found a lot of the film pretty interesting and at times powerful (the albino rap, pretty much anything with Herzog, the skating rink sequence) but at times it just borders on dull. Like with Gummo, Korine has enough empathy for his characters that the film escapes the realm of nihilism but in the end it just doesn't reach the beautiful power of that film. A noble effort...I hope I get more from Mister Lonely.

The albino rapper's name is Victor Varnado, and he's from Minneapolis. I know this, because I knew him. He was a co-worker of mine for a year or two, he was also one of the lead instructors at the Tae Kwon Do school I attended. AND ... I would regularly run into him at Pop's Video Arcade back inna day, and he'd wipe the floor with me in Mortal Kombat II.

So, I guess that kinda means I'm only two degrees from Werner Herzog.

Eat it, snobs.

:D :lol:

[Qrazy]

Eat it, snobs.

:D :lol:

Julien Donkey Boy was a horrible piece of shit.

[B-side]

Julien Donkey Boy was a horrible piece of shit.

Your face.

[Qrazy]

Your face.

Is awesome.

[B-side]

Is awesome.

Yeah, but not as awesome as Julien Donkey-Boy.

[Qrazy]

Yeah, but not as awesome as Julien Donkey-Boy.

Oh snap!

[Skitch]

Triangle was pretty entertaining. I like this guy's movies...especially Creep.

[number8]

http://cache-04.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/8/2010/02/500x_alien_-_translucent_cowl.jpg

[Skitch]

What's that from?

[number8]

Alien.

It's the alien with the head's skin peeled off.

[Dukefrukem]

Anyone here seen Segal's A Dangerous Man?

[Dukefrukem]

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/02/500x_piratemovie.jpg

[balmakboor]

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/02/500x_piratemovie.jpg

Yep. My sentiments exactly.

[Dukefrukem]

also found this to be quite accurate... except for Blade

http://www.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/the-trilogy-meter.jpg

[Skitch]

Thunderdome better than Mad Max? Nonsense.

[Dukefrukem]

Thunderdome better than Mad Max? Nonsense.

it most assuredly is. barely.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I take issue with several of those. The first Alien and Terminator are the best, Die Hard 2 is simply awful, and even though 3 isn't that good, it's better than the second, Jaws 3 is definitely not better than 2 (though again, neither is very good), and LOTR got worse as it went along.

[Raiders]

Damn it, all I'm getting is a red x.

[Pop Trash]

KF is right that the third Die Hard is a bit better than the second. Neither are great. I do think Aliens is slightly better than Alien (both are excellent in their own ways) because of the interesting feminist allegories. I also think T2 is the best because it develops the apocalyptic dread a little more (but I also love the first one). I also think their assessment of the Mad Max trio is right on. I'm a Thunderdome fan.

[Ezee E]

I mean, it's subjective and all, but Die Hard 2 and 3 rated that high? I've never heard it raved about that much.

[Dukefrukem]

Well lets look at the ones that absolutely correct. The Matrix, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park.. can't argue with those.

[megladon8]

The only two I even come close to agreeing with are Blade and Star Trek.

[Scar]

it most assuredly is. barely.

This scene makes it better than Thuderdome:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2x8RhadlpA

[Grouchy]

What are they considering a Batman trilogy?

[bac0n]

The ones I have issue with are:


Indiana Jones (i think 3 is much better than 2)
Jurassic Park (ditto)
Superman (are you kidding? 2 ain't nowhere near as close as the original)
Alien (I would put the first two on even ground, tho I find them hard to compare as I enjoy them both immensely, but for completely different reasons.

[Skitch]

The ones I have issue with are:


Indiana Jones (i think 3 is much better than 2)
Jurassic Park (ditto)


I agree, sir.

[megladon8]

Star Wars - 1 and 2 are on par, 3 is just ever so slightly lower.

Indiana Jones - 1 and 3 are on par, 2 is lower but not by a huge margin.

The Matrix - 1 is highest, 2 and 3 are on par but about 20% lower than 1.

Star Trek - 2 is highest, 3 is slightly lower, and 1 is lower still.

Superman - 1 is highest, 2 is slightly lower, 3 is much lower.

Jurassic Park - 1 is highest, 2 is about 40% lower, 3 is about 40% lower than 2.

X-Men - 2 is highest, 1 is slightly lower, 3 is about 20% lower than 1.



Ugh...fuck this.

[D_Davis]

All three Star Wars films should be lowered by exactly 15%.

[megladon8]

And where the hell are the "Man With No Name" and "Bourne" trilogies?

Those are two of the greatest film trilogies of all time. They have much more right to be on a list like that than many of the others on that chart, especially since a good chunk of them are just the first three entries in ongoing series' and don't really constitute "trilogies" at all.

[Derek]

Where the fuck is Michael Haneke's Glaciation trilogy!!??

[number8]

So much wrong in that trilogy meter, but the Blade one is probably the most accurate one on there, dukie.

[hey it's ethan]

Uh...back to Julien Donkey-Boy, I was stoned today in History Western Civilization class and couldn't stop laughing because the image of Werner Herzog throwing the banana and going "DISQUALIFIED FOR BAD BEHAVIOR" was stuck in my head. I had to leave the room for about ten minutes to get all the giggles out of my system.

Damn that Harmony Korine.

[Rowland]

Yeah, those trilogy meters are largely orientated to popular fanboy consensus. I take issue with almost all of them to some degree.

[Wryan]

The third Die Hard movie is great fun. The second is not. And the LOTR movies were pretty consistently wonderful, just in divergent ways.

[Skitch]

Women In Trouble was amusing. Watching Whiteout now.

[megladon8]

Yeah, Blade 2 is by far the best of the trilogy.

Blade: Trinity is absolute dreck. At least they got that part right.

[number8]

RAN on Blu-ray: squee.

[megladon8]

RAN on Blu-ray: squee.


When is this coming out?

[number8]

When is this coming out?

Last week.

[megladon8]

Last week.


Whaaaaat? I had no idea.

[baby doll]

In case anyone's curious, the full German title of The White Ribbon translates as (at least, according to Google translator): The White Ribbon: A German Children's Story. I knew that guy sitting behind me was laughing about something.

[Skitch]

JGL's bit after the credits of Women in Trouble was hysterical.

Whiteout is definately not good, but its not the worst thing ever.

On to the South Park movie.

[Boner M]

Bronson is pretty lame. Obnoxiously over-stylised and generally bereft of any ideas, minus that of 'criminality as performance', which is literalised in the film to a deadening degree (although the vaudeville scenes, taken on their own, are pretty neat). Stick with Chopper.

[Fezzik]

Well lets look at the ones that absolutely correct. The Matrix, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park.. can't argue with those.

I disagree on Back to the Future, actually. I thought the 2nd one was somewhat of a mess. It was made better by being associated with the 3rd, but still.

[Winston*]

I saw the Back to the Future trilogy in one sitting not so long ago while playing a Back to the Future trilogy drinking game. I found they got much harder to follow as they went along.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I saw the Back to the Future trilogy in one sitting not so long ago while playing a Back to the Future trilogy drinking game. I found they got much harder to follow as they went along.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[BuffaloWilder]

Thunderdome better than Mad Max? Nonsense.

Actually, I think Thunderdome should be a little higher, and Mad Max just a bit lower, myself.

Sven's got my back on this.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Actually, I think Thunderdome should be a little higher, and Mad Max just a bit lower, myself.

Sven's got my back on this.

I frakking adore Thunderdome.

"What's this?! What's this?! You think I don't know the Law? Wasn't it me who wrote it? And I say that this man has broken the Law. Right or wrong, we had a deal. And the Law says...Bust a Deal, Face the Wheel."

:lol:

[number8]

Mad Max sucks.

[BuffaloWilder]

Mad Max sucks.

I certainly wouldn't say it sucks - it's a great first film, but it's very obviously a first film, just like District 9. It also has one of the most nonsensical monologues I've ever heard in a film, Max's spiel about his father's boots or something.

[BuffaloWilder]

I frakking adore Thunderdome.

"What's this?! What's this?! You think I don't know the Law? Wasn't it me who wrote it? And I say that this man has broken the Law. Right or wrong, we had a deal. And the Law says...Bust a Deal, Face the Wheel."

:lol:

I like - "Look here, mister. All this I built. Where there was desert, now there’s a town. Where there was robbery, there’s trade. Where there was despair, now there’s hope. Civilization. And I’ll do anything to protect it. Today, it’s necessary to kill a man.”

[Qrazy]

Mad Max sucks.

Agreed.

[BuffaloWilder]

Must be the water.

[MadMan]

Oh I forgot to add that after revisiting Back to the Future last night, I found it to be even better than I actually remember. I'm now interested in seeing the rest of the series again, especially the third one, which I haven't viewed in years.

[Rousseau]

Has anyone seen twin falls idaho? thoughts?

[Spinal]

Thunderdome is so quotable.

[B-side]

Anyone seen Ferrara's New Rose Hotel? It's Ferrara's take on sci-fi, and it has Willem Dafoe.

[Rowland]

I was really digging Beyond Thunderdome until it turned into fucking Hook. I haven't seen Mad Max, but I greatly prefer The Road Warrior to the former.

[Skitch]

Hey, don't get me wrong, I dig Thunderdome, I just don't think its better than the original. And both are obviously inferior to part two.

[Raiders]

Has anyone seen twin falls idaho? thoughts?

Been a while, but I remember liking it alright, particularly in its striking opening section. It seemed to become more and more rote as it went along. I'm not much on the Polish brothers though, having disliked Northfork and despised The Astronaut Farmer.

[Chac Mool]

Just rewatched Half-Blood Prince on DVD and I think it may yet surpass my liking for the 5th movie. Delbonnel's cinematography becomes increasingly more deserving of its nomination--rich and enveloping and carefully observed. The romance doesn't always fold into the rest with the right touch, but there's so much wonderfully dark stuff remaining. Great humor and delicate nuances. We seem to have passed a kind of "miniseries threshold" in which we've spent enough time with the characters that simple events can carry significant weight to them just by happening to these people. Lovely work by Gambon, Rickman, Broadbent, and the trio. Technicals all up to usual snuff. Better than my first viewing in the theatre. The 3rd is still my favorite, but I'm kind of happy that Yates will finish out the series. Given the 5th and 6th, he seems to have the right knack for finishing this thing off with a punch. I hope the last two movies really knock it out of the park. I'm sort of happy I live in a world with these stories/films. While not perfectly consistent, they effect a cumulative storytelling power.

Just caught this yesterday: a very, very good movie indeed and, along with Prisoner of Azkaban, miles above the other four. #3 and #6 are the only ones that manage to merge the fantastic and the human convincingly.

[baby doll]

Anyone seen Ferrara's New Rose Hotel? It's Ferrara's take on sci-fi, and it has Willem Dafoe.It's pretty awesome. Easily my favorite Ferrara, despite being his most unpleasantly misogynistic, though I still need to see The Driller Killer, Ms. 45, Body Snatchers, The Addiction, and The Funeral.

[balmakboor]

I finally got around to A Serious Man last night. It may be my new favorite out of the best picture noms. I'll know for sure after seeing it again.

[kuehnepips]

Damn it, all I'm getting is a red x.

You are a paying customer.

[kuehnepips]

Women In Trouble was amusing.

:lol:

Was? So you dumped the third girlfriend?

[B-side]

It's pretty awesome. Easily my favorite Ferrara, despite being his most unpleasantly misogynistic, though I still need to see The Driller Killer, Ms. 45, Body Snatchers, The Addiction, and The Funeral.

The Driller Killer is probably my favorite Ferrara thus far. Ms. 45 and The Addiction are both nearly as great.

[dreamdead]

Kazan's Baby Doll. Man, this one screws with tonal genre conventions. It jumps from revenge film to erotic drama, from screwball comedy to redemptive melodrama, and it does each switch easily and seamlessly. Much of the energy is generated by the exceptional cast, especially Malden, who is wonderful. I think my biggest critique of the film is how steadfast it is in retaining African-Americans as incidental characters who only exist for background laughter. It's a tenet of an earlier generation of caricatures, and it's the only thing keeping the film from being truly exceptional.

[balmakboor]

I finally got around to A Serious Man last night. It may be my new favorite out of the best picture noms. I'll know for sure after seeing it again.

Naw, I watched it again and I love it to death. It actually reminds me of a Todd Haynes film in a way. It is also like a mirror image of No Country for Old Men.

But my favorite best picture nominee is still Inglourious Basterds.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I love Baby Doll

[Winston*]

Rewatched Memories of Murder. Wasn't so keen on it the first time I saw it, must've been out of it. Motherfuck this is a good movie.

Is this the only film ever made to use double fly kicks to the chest as a motif?

[Morris Schæffer]

The Damned United (2009)

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/news/00021543.jpg

An uncommonly strong sports movie about one of the great rivalries in British football. It isn't rousing like most sports movies, but it is a compelling, authentic & engaging look at one of the most famous English coaches in the nation's history. The acing is strong with Michael Sheen giving another exceptional performance, but there is fine support from the likes of Spall, Broadbent (a bit too cartoony perhaps) and Meaney as the rival coach Don Revie. That The Blind Side was nominated for best picture and this wasn't, just begs for someone to be punched in the face.

Good stuff this.

[Boner M]

Is this the only film ever made to use double fly kicks to the chest as a motif?
Bong's Mother has a few instances of it as well; when I saw the film with a Korean friend of mine, I asked what the deal was and he said that fly-kicking is a relatively common fight move in Korea.

Glad ya joined the MoM cult. One of the richest films of the last decade.

[Adam]

One of the richest films of the last decade.

Ya, lotta people whose opinions I respect seem to feel this way, but I don't get it. Take away the goofiness and Memories of Murder's pretty much standard boiler-plate procedural (with a visual flair). At least that's how I remembers it. Bong's waaaay more successful with The Host. It's even sillier than MoM, but somehow he works in a ton of genuine emotion and it just has this intangible quality to it where it always feels like you're watching something truly epic

And were there really that many dropkicks in Memories of Murder? I only remember the one where Song Kang-ho first meets the other detective and tries to break up the supposed raping

[Raiders]

The Host is just plain awesome. Memories of Murder has faded mostly from my memory but I remember enjoying it for the most part except I could not quite get in line that fourth-wall-breaking coda. I definitely want to see it again.

[number8]

Memories of Murder has faded mostly from my memory but I remember enjoying it for the most part except I could not quite get in line that fourth-wall-breaking coda.

I'm at the front of the line. It was awesome.

[number8]

I saw Looking for Eric last night. Pretty good stuff. Bit sentimental, but fun.

[dreamdead]

I appreciate Bong Joon-ho's filmmaking style, which is solid in its appropriation and subversion of Hollywood genres, but I have the sneaking suspicion that other Korean filmmakers are putting out more challenging fare. That said, I've begun to see really interesting analyses on how Bong critiques American superiority. While it's obvious in The Host, I like the subversive take on America being unable to provide an answer to the killer's identity vis-a-vis the blood sample in MoM.

[Ezee E]

Why did The Good, The Bad, and The Weird never get an official release? I really enjoyed that.

[Winston*]

And were there really that many dropkicks in Memories of Murder? I only remember the one where Song Kang-ho first meets the other detective and tries to break up the supposed raping

There's at least 4.

[Raiders]

Why did The Good, The Bad, and The Weird never get an official release? I really enjoyed that.

http://www.24framespersecond.net/index.php?/24frames/news_details/the-good-the-bad-and-the-weird-rides-into-the-us/

[number8]

Dropkicks are actually fairly common in Korean films. I'm not sure why, but Memories of Murder is definitely not the only one sporting that random move.

[D_Davis]

I finally saw Coraline a couple of weeks ago. WOW! What a film. Very, very good. The artistry is stunning, and it really commits to its bleak premise.

[D_Davis]

Mad Max is awesome.
The Road Warrior is more awesome.
Beyond Thunderdome almost awesome, but contains a number of parts that are way awesome.

[Raiders]

Speaking of Kim Ji-woon, anyone here seen A Bittersweet Life? I loved A Tale of Two Sisters and The Quiet Family and found The Foul King an interesting but uneven film. I'm certainly going to be watching The Good, the Bad and the Weird when it comes out here, but this one seemed kind of a Park-esque revenge film, which of my limited exposure I am not a huge fan.

[D_Davis]

Speaking of Kim Ji-woon, anyone here seen A Bittersweet Life?

One of my favorite movies. Almost made it on my top 100, and could end up there in the future. It's very cool, very well made crime-thriller.

I didn't care for The Good, The Bad, and the Weird at all. I though it meandered too much, lacked drama and tension, and it seemed to lack any kind of driving force.

[MadMan]

Crazy Heart, aside from feeling like The Wrestler only done country music style (and with a less ambigious ending), was still fairly solid overall. Jeff Bridges is great in this, but he's done much better work (see: The Dude), and yet he'll probably win an Oscar for this. Even though I'm not even sure this is even close to being the best actor performance I've seen from 2009.

The Hurt Locker was truly great, a high wire act full of tension. I liked that the movie was not overall political, and instead focused on the characters. The camera work in this movie is nothing short of amazing, and the scene where things become a chess match between snipers is fantastic.

Superfly of course rocks, and is one of the best blaxplotation movies I've seen. The soundtrack is awesome, and the movie of course features plenty of style, only a little bit of subsistence, and plenty of low budget 70s cool.

[Skitch]

Speaking of Kim Ji-woon, anyone here seen A Bittersweet Life? .

Absolutely love the film.

[Stay Puft]

There's only one dropkick in Mother (funniest part of the film).

And Winston is right in that it is a motif in Memories of Murder. That one cop kicks just about everbody in the film, and dropkicks one guy from across the table. It's pretty epic. It even constitutes a major part of his character arc, as he is eventually stabbed in the leg and loses it to infection. I showed the film to a couple friends and their immediate response to the scene was, "Aw, he can't kick people anymore!"

Awesome movie, one of my favorites of the decade as well.

[number8]

The interrogation one is the best for sure, because it comes out of nowhere. When have you ever seen a cop jump an interrogation table to dropkick a suspect in the middle of questioning? Intense.

[baby doll]

I didn't care for The Good, The Bad, and the Weird at all. I though it meandered too much, lacked drama and tension, and it seemed to lack any kind of driving force.Yeah, it's pretty much the worst Korean film I've seen, and I've seen Lady Vengence.

[Qrazy]

Yeah, it's pretty much the worst Korean film I've seen, and I've seen Lady Vengence.

So you've seen like five Korean movies then?

Here's a list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Korean_language_films

There's one called Public Toilet. Here's the synopsis.

"Public Toilet is a 2002 movie by Hong Kong director Fruit Chan, his first in digital format. The story talks about a Beijing man, "Dong-dong", who was born in a toilet. To look for his past, he searched in the lavatories around the world."

... Actually I kind of want to see it now.

[D_Davis]

There's one called Public Toilet. Here's the synopsis.

"Public Toilet is a 2002 movie by Hong Kong director Fruit Chan, his first in digital format. The story talks about a Beijing man, "Dong-dong", who was born in a toilet. To look for his past, he searched in the lavatories around the world."

... Actually I kind of want to see it now.

That sounds awesome.

[Sycophant]

I think I have a copy of that, actually.

[Skitch]

Yeah, it's pretty much the worst Korean film I've seen, and I've seen Lady Vengence.
Wait...what? There seems to be some Woody Allen in your avatar.

[kopello]

I didn't care for The Good, The Bad, and the Weird at all. I though it meandered too much, lacked drama and tension, and it seemed to lack any kind of driving force.

I kind of liked it but I agree. There is a definite lack of tension and it's really hard to care about any of the characters on screen. Some of the actions scenes were really fun but it could have been a lot better.

[BuffaloWilder]

My favorite moment in The Bank Dick is when the character Egbert mistakes a stepping stool and a table for the stairs - Fields just stops and absent-mindedly mumbles, "Oh god what am I doing?"

I don't think it was at all rehearsed, and because of that, it's the best moment in the film.

[Qrazy]

My favorite moment in The Bank Dick is when the character Egbert mistakes a stepping stool and a table for the stairs - Fields just stops and absent-mindedly mumbles, "Oh god what am I doing?"

I don't think it was at all rehearsed, and because of that, it's the best moment in the film.

I watched It's a Gift not too long ago. Hilarious film. I liked The Bank Dick but I think I preferred Gift.

[Rowland]

Public Toilet is a 2002 movie by Hong Kong director Fruit ChanFruit Chan directed the marvelous Dumplings.

[B-side]

New Rose Hotel was good stuff. Pitch-perfect mood and staging.

[Boner M]

Weekend double bills:

Don Siegel's Two Mules For Sister Sara & Flaming Star
Richard Lowenstein's Dogs in Space & We're Living on Dog Food
Damon Packard's Space Disco & Tales of the Valley of the Wind

[Dukefrukem]

This is straight out of Jaws 3 (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2868305/Terror-as-mall-shark-tank-cracks.html)

[Ezee E]

I forgot who it was, but I really want to thank whoever recommended Wait Until Dark. Very good thriller.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I forgot who it was, but I really want to thank whoever recommended Wait Until Dark. Very good thriller.

Best jump-scare ever. And I love how, like The Bad Seed, the film makes its stage-based origins into an asset, offering us a fantastic setting with clear geography. Also, Harry Roat is one of the coolest villain names ever, and Audrey Hepburn is mesmerizing.

Really, one of the best horror/thrillers ever.

[Raiders]

The Bad Seed... the film makes its stage-based origins into an asset

Eh, not sure how much I agree. In any case, it's a film hampered by being overlong and with a host of poor performances, or at least ones hardly suited to the cinema. None of the filmmakers or cast realized this is actually a film. They have a curtain call for pete's sake.

[Ezee E]

Best jump-scare ever. And I love how, like The Bad Seed, the film makes its stage-based origins into an asset, offering us a fantastic setting with clear geography. Also, Harry Roat is one of the coolest villain names ever, and Audrey Hepburn is mesmerizing.

Really, one of the best horror/thrillers ever.
Hepburn is great indeed.

I was thinking the same thing about the great use of every location inside the apartment. I figured it had to come from a play, and it turned out it was. Duvall was in it. In the updated version? Marisa Tomei and Quentin Tarantino. haha.

There's a great shot in the beginning of the movie, a great use of widescreen, and it's the shot where Hepburn is on the phone for the first time, and all three criminals are spread out in the apartment, all watching her in the dark. Creepy.

[Ezee E]

Thanks to number8, I'm going to mark my calendar for Tuesdays in March.

TMC is doing a Kurosawa Month, and every Tuesday they'll be showing five of his movies. On his birthday, they're going all out.

Link (http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/6420-mark-your-calendar-kurosawa-fest.html)

[number8]

Oh yeah, I forgot to post that here. Calendars ready, KF.

[bac0n]

Thanks to number8, I'm going to mark my calendar for Tuesdays in March.

TMC is doing a Kurosawa Month, and every Tuesday they'll be showing five of his movies. On his birthday, they're going all out.

Link (http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/6420-mark-your-calendar-kurosawa-fest.html)

Five Kurosawa films in one day? You can actually fit five Kurosawa films into one day? They aren't truncating some of them? They're doing all seven samurai, correct, and not just, say, three of them?

[B-side]

A Closed Book is a mediocre, neatly packaged Hollywood thriller touching on interesting ideas Hollywood wouldn't, replete with rote musical cues attempting to ratchet up the tension in a silly, transparent manner. Ruiz's camera is nice and ethereal, swooping through dead hallways and finding a voyeuristic angle to view the action. The acting, too, is more than adequate for the most part, except when Hannah attempts the more extreme emotions where she comes off rather false. Strangely, I think the direction is the bigger issue here. I never thought I'd say that about a Ruiz film.

With so much focus on art, specifically a heavy visual focus on paintings, the script conjures up matters of the tactile and perception, most prominently in that the blind writer needs an assistant to describe things to him. This all brings to mind subjective interpretation. If he's blind, how will he know when the lights aren't on, though he insists they remain so? Hannah's character's escalating sabotage of his world is fairly absorbing when it's not being ruined by the aforementioned excessive musical cues. This is something Hollywood would eat up if it contained a bankable star in it.

[Winston*]

The pullquote on the DVD of The Death of Mr Lazarescu call it "A Comic Masterpiece". Can someone please point me to all this funny I missed?

[Skitch]

Just got from Netfrix...

The Right Stuff
Not Quite Hollywood
Dead Snow (blu ray)

[balmakboor]

The pullquote on the DVD of The Death of Mr Lazarescu call it "A Comic Masterpiece". Can someone please point me to all this funny I missed?

The reviewer probably just read the title and thought, "Lazarescu? What a funny name."

I haven't seen it. It's been sitting in my instant queue for months, but I keep looking at the running time and then my watch and realizing I'll be asleep in bed long before it's finished.

[Yxklyx]

The pullquote on the DVD of The Death of Mr Lazarescu call it "A Comic Masterpiece". Can someone please point me to all this funny I missed?

It's geared towards Health Care Insurance Execs.

[Boner M]

The pullquote on the DVD of The Death of Mr Lazarescu call it "A Comic Masterpiece". Can someone please point me to all this funny I missed?
Pullquote translator: "The only way to win potential viewers back is selling it as a comedy!"

http://windinthetrees.files.wordpress .com/2007/12/mr_lazarescu.jpg

What's the Winston* verdict otherwise? I think it's easily the best of the celebrated ungainly-titled Romanian new wave figureheads (4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days and 12:08 East of Bucharest being the others).

[Glass Co.]

Alice in Wonderland:

RATING: PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar

[Raiders]

Anybody else here seen The Way of the Gun? It was about 10x better than I expected. There isn't really a single truly redeeming character and anyone looking to give much of a damn about anybody in the melee ought to look elsewhere. But damn has it got some style. All of the shootouts are wonderfully choreographed and the plot is rather insidiously simple in terms of action but the shifting allegiences and motives makes for a intricate but never difficult-to-follow arc. There are some truly sublime moments in the film, little grace notes that dwell on characters for just a few extra seconds that show a great talent in McQuarrie beyond his ability to write double-edged characters.

[number8]

Don't like it that much, but it has some terrific scenes. The opening scene is still one of the best opening scenes ever.

Oh, Sarah Silverman...

[Kurosawa Fan]

It's always been one I've enjoyed. I agree with your take completely. I've actually owned the DVD for years. I bought it blind because it was dirt cheap.

[MadMan]

The Way of the Gun is a film that I merely found to be decent. However, I agree that the shootouts are expertly crafted and showcased, and that its a pretty entertaining action/thriller. Maybe a second viewing would make me appreciate it more, or just confirm what I already think. I really dig the ending, though.

[Winston*]

What's the Winston* verdict otherwise? I think it's easily the best of the celebrated ungainly-titled Romanian new wave figureheads (4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days and 12:08 East of Bucharest being the others).
I haven't seen the other two, but I thought this was great. So sad and frustrating and I loved the character/performance of the nurse.

[soitgoes...]

I watched Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl yesterday. The film itself is rather uninteresting. What is neat is that it is directed by a man who was 100 years old at its release. Crazy. The fact that de Oliveira has made almost a third of his total output since turning 90 makes me happy. Oh yeah, he's currently working on his next film.

[hey it's ethan]

Ridley Scott's The Duellists is basically Diet Barry Lyndon. Imagery in general is stunning and there are interesting ruminations on the always interesting theme of the passing of time, but unfortunately the script feels a little thin when it comes to the characters. Harvey Keitel brings tons to the role but Keith Carradine is pretty much a black-hole of charisma and screen presence, recast his role and you'd have a maybe great film on your hands.

[baby doll]

Weekend, if I make it out to Montreal:

L'Enfer d'Henri-Georges Clouzot (Serge Bromberg and Ruxandra Medrea)
My Name Is Khan (Karan Johar)
Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese)
Un prophète (Jacques Audiard)

[Qrazy]

Ridley Scott's The Duellists is basically Diet Barry Lyndon.

Keith Carradine is pretty much a black-hole of charisma and screen presence, recast his role and...

Can't say I agree at all with either of these comments.

[Derek]

Anybody else here seen The Way of the Gun? It was about 10x better than I expected. There isn't really a single truly redeeming character and anyone looking to give much of a damn about anybody in the melee ought to look elsewhere. But damn has it got some style. All of the shootouts are wonderfully choreographed and the plot is rather insidiously simple in terms of action but the shifting allegiences and motives makes for a intricate but never difficult-to-follow arc. There are some truly sublime moments in the film, little grace notes that dwell on characters for just a few extra seconds that show a great talent in McQuarrie beyond his ability to write double-edged characters.

I'm completely with you, though I might have liked it just a bit less. I saw it a couple years ago and was very surprised how good it was, especially since I was expecting a sub-par Tarantino ripoff.

[Spinal]

The pullquote on the DVD of The Death of Mr Lazarescu call it "A Comic Masterpiece". Can someone please point me to all this funny I missed?

This annoyed me as well.

[Boner M]

Can't say I agree at all with either of these comments.
Me too. I thought Carradine was excellent and perfectly cast.

[MadMan]

Weekend:

*In The Mouth of Madness
*Strange Days

[Pop Trash]

Elias Koteas is one of the most consistently underrated working actors around.

[soitgoes...]

Elias Koteas is one of the most consistently underrated working actors around.
I completely agree.

[B-side]

I completely agree.

Seconded. Err, thirded.

[B-side]

I'm not sure how much more of John Waters' Polyester I can handle.

[Mysterious Dude]

I kind of like John Waters as a person, but I really despise his movies.

[B-side]

I kind of like John Waters as a person, but I really despise his movies.

A gay rights activist is almost always cool in my book, and I liked what I've heard from him, but boy, this film is actively grating. It's mostly the fat dude dressed up as a woman. I've never found cross-dressing funny at all, and it's even less so in this film if that's possible.

[Adam]

Got home way late last night and started watching Guillaume Canet's Tell No One, but I fell asleep about 15 minutes in. I've got a no-roommate scenario this morining and I'm trying to decide if I spend the next two hours on checking out the rest of that movie or just settling down with some sweet, free streaming amateur porn

[Adam]

I kind of like John Waters as a person, but I really despise his movies.


A gay rights activist is almost always cool in my book, and I liked what I've heard from him, but boy, this film is actively grating. It's mostly the fat dude dressed up as a woman. I've never found cross-dressing funny at all, and it's even less so in this film if that's possible.

I just feel like he tries too hard. Like they always say you can't set out with the intention of making a cult movie - that it has to happen organically. He does seem like a nice man, though. And he was fairly dynamite on that one Simpsons episode, so he's okay in my book, too, even if I don't dig his films

T1b6ko1I00A

[hey it's ethan]

I completely agree.
He should've been nominated for The Thin Red Line.

[number8]

Cry-Baby is one of the greatest films ever, and Johnny Depp's best role after Ed Wood.

[Mara]

Cry-Baby is one of the greatest films ever, and Johnny Depp's best role after Ed Wood.

I went through a really strange phase when I was about fifteen when I watched Cry Baby several times a week for about six months. I have the whole damn film memorized.

In retrospect, it's still pretty fun, but I'm at a loss what I found so endlessly captivating about it at that time. Even the fiftieth time I saw it, I'd be laughing hysterically.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Serial Mom gets my vote for the best Waters film. In fact, it's the only one I've enjoyed thus far.

[Adam]

Cry-Baby is one of the greatest films ever, and Johnny Depp's best role after Ed Wood.

Pfft, you go watch Cry Baby and I'll take Arizona Dream and The Ninth Gate and Dead Man and Fear & Loathing and probably a bunch of other movies, too

[number8]

I went through a really strange phase when I was about fifteen when I watched Cry Baby several times a week for about six months. I have the whole damn film memorized.

In retrospect, it's still pretty fun, but I'm at a loss what I found so endlessly captivating about it at that time. Even the fiftieth time I saw it, I'd be laughing hysterically.

I can watch it however many times and "Hey, Mister Jailer" will still be sizzling sexy.

[Mara]

I can watch it however many times and "Hey, Mister Jailer" will still be sizzling sexy.

Netflix has it on instant watch.

I just got to "Look right, look left, then walk. That's right! Good teenagers!"

...and I'm cracking up. Apparently I still find this funny.

[Ezee E]

Next year, someone recommend John Waters for the Directors Consensus. I'm shocked I've overlooked him.

[number8]

Oh, I finally posted my reviews for the new StudioCanal Blu-rays. (http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/6429-studiocanal-Blu-ray-round-up-ran-the-ladykillers-and-contempt.html)

Getting stuff like this sent in the mail is one of the few joys of being an underpaid writer.

[Ezee E]

Oh, I finally posted my reviews for the new StudioCanal Blu-rays. (http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/6429-studiocanal-Blu-ray-round-up-ran-the-ladykillers-and-contempt.html)

Getting stuff like this sent in the mail is one of the few joys of being an underpaid writer.
My dad's been doing something similar since last year (was laid off as a sports editor) and just wishes it paid more.

He primarily gets sent to review concerts, but gets a few screeners in the mail.

[Mara]

"ELECTRICITY KILLED MY PARENTS."

"They died in the electric chair?"

"That's right, Allison. My father was the alphabet bomber. And he may have been crazy, but he was my pop. Only one I ever had."

"Oh, God. I heard about the alphabet bomber. Bombs exploding in the airport, and the barbershop."

"That's right. All in alphabetical order. Car Wash. Drug store. I used to lay in my cradle and hear him scream in his sleep... 'A B C D E F G... POW! POW!'"

Fine, 8, fine. This film is still brilliant.

[Raiders]

Serial Mom gets my vote for the best Waters film. In fact, it's the only one I've enjoyed thus far.

Indeed to this. Though to be fair, I've only seen three total.

[BuffaloWilder]

Oh, I finally posted my reviews for the new StudioCanal Blu-rays. (http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/6429-studiocanal-Blu-ray-round-up-ran-the-ladykillers-and-contempt.html)

Getting stuff like this sent in the mail is one of the few joys of being an underpaid writer.

Speaking of, I just got a press release copy of Stingray Sam in the mail, earlier today. And, it gave a little thrill seeing an envelope with "The Filmist" on it, I'll admit.

[Spun Lepton]

Seeing Zombieland and Black Dynamite tonight. Looking forward to both.

[baby doll]

Waters is a pretty good writer (I especially like his book Crackpot), but as a director he sucks. He's like Kevin Smith with talent and better taste in films.

[hey it's ethan]

My favorite John Waters-related thing ever. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1b6ko1I00A)

[balmakboor]

My favorite John Waters-related thing ever. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1b6ko1I00A)

This has always been my fave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnpofBtijF8

[MadMan]

Seeing Zombieland and Black Dynamite tonight. Looking forward to both.Both are awesome. Especially Black Dynamite. "Where's the smile?" "I am smiling." "Because doughnuts don't wear alligator shoes."

[Dukefrukem]

Law Abiding Citizen's ending could have been sooooooooooo much better....

[hey it's ethan]

Christ, Ghost Dog is cooooooooooool.

[B-side]

You guys should watch some Raoul Ruiz. I think a lot of you would like him a lot. Specifically Melville.

In particular, watch Time Regained. Or City of Pirates. Or Three Crowns of a Sailor.

[B-side]

You guys should watch some Raoul Ruiz. I think a lot of you would like him a lot. Specifically Melville.

In particular, watch Time Regained. Or City of Pirates. Or Three Crowns of a Sailor.

I'm prepared to deal with the eye-rolls, sighs of disbelief and general disdain for re-posting this daily until I get his name out.:lol:

[Melville]

I'm prepared to deal with the eye-rolls, sighs of disbelief and general disdain for re-posting this daily until I get his name out.:lol:
I've seen Klimt, which I thought was pretty clumsy (though it faded from memory almost instantly, so now I remember virtually nothing about it except the camera spinning around a table). I'd like to see Time Regained, which seems well suited to his dreamlike style. If I recall correctly, I once asked if I should blind-buy it, and you were the only person to respond. But I don't own it, so evidently I ignored your advice. :P

[B-side]

I've seen Klimt, which I thought was pretty clumsy (though it faded from memory almost instantly, so now I remember virtually nothing about it except the camera spinning around a table). I'd like to see Time Regained, which seems well suited to his dreamlike style. If I recall correctly, I once asked if I should blind-buy it, and you were the only person to respond. But I don't own it, so evidently I ignored your advice. :P

Bastard.:lol:

Klimt was pretty widely panned. I'm sure I'll get some enjoyment out of it. Three Crowns of the Sailor has a pretty widely available DVD, so you might be able to get your hands on that. Time Regained should be high priority. It's fantastic. He seems well-suited to you, being so influenced by literature and loving the surreal like he does.

[Melville]

Time Regained should be high priority. It's fantastic. He seems well-suited to you, being so influenced by literature and loving the surreal like he does.
I'll put it on my short list.

[B-side]

I'll put it on my short list.

:)

I'm going to assume you know it's based on the Proust book. Are you a fan of Proust? I didn't know anything about him before I saw it and still managed to love the film.

[Skitch]

Serial Mom gets my vote for the best Waters film. In fact, it's the only one I've enjoyed thus far.

I liked that one too, but Cecil B. Demented gets my fav vote.

I'm sorry, did someone say Waters is classier than Smith? Really?

[Melville]

I'm going to assume you know it's based on the Proust book. Are you a fan of Proust? I didn't know anything about him before I saw it and still managed to love the film.
I've read the first two books of In Search of Lost Time. The first one is an awesome, profound exploration of time, memory, sensory experience, love, aging, society, and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting. Proust really dwells on sensory experience, exploring every nuance of it quite brilliantly, almost making of it a material medium. The second book is more of the same, but it was already feeling a bit redundant, and the romance was less resonant.

[number8]

Klimt was terrible. Even Malkovich couldn't save it. All I remember from it is that George Melies showed up in a party and acted weird.

[Raiders]

You guys should watch some Raoul Ruiz. I think a lot of you would like him a lot. Specifically Melville.

In particular, watch Time Regained. Or City of Pirates. Or Three Crowns of a Sailor.

I have a copy of Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting ready to watch. I just need to remember to actually watch it.

[Spun Lepton]

Black Dynamite drags a little bit in the middle, but overall, it's an extremely funny movie, and definitely one I'll see again.

Thought it went a little too far when they got to the White House. But, that was easy to forgive when I was laughing as hard as I was at the rest of it.

So many hilarious and memorable lines.

"First Lady, I'm sorry I pimp slapped you into that china cabinet."

"Fiendish Doctor Wu, you done fucked up now!"

The funniest one:
"HAH-HAH! I threw that shit before I walked in the room!!"

[dreamdead]

Sweet mercy, Bigelow's Near Dark is an awful, awful film. There's often little sense of narrative build-up as Bigelow cuts between the vampire family and our hero's main family who's trying to save him, and the sense of narrative time is often manipulated just so that the script can keep things moving. Paxton is painfully overblown here. Only Leap Year has been a worse viewing experience this year.

For people interested in how filmmakers, especially female directors, respond to Laura Mulvey's 1975 critique of the male gaze through the apparatus of the camera, few films try to offer counterpoint to her vision as much as Bette Gordon's Variety, which subverts traditional notions of male voyeurism by positioning the female in the role of the follower, the female in the role of one able to discuss blunt pornography and therefore able to silence male subjectivity. It's an interesting experiment, one that stops just before Gordon gets at something really fascinating, but it's still a worthy film.

[megladon8]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't get the appeal of Near Dark.

[Raiders]

Sweet mercy, Bigelow's Near Dark is an awful, awful film. There's often little sense of narrative build-up as Bigelow cuts between the vampire family and our hero's main family who's trying to save him, and the sense of narrative time is often manipulated just so that the script can keep things moving. Paxton is painfully overblown here. Only Leap Year has been a worse viewing experience this year.

If you find that at some point in the near future you can no longer log in to the website, remember this moment.

[Raiders]

In all seriousness though, Paxton's performance is vastly better than it was in something like Aliens where he is endlessly annoying. He's unhinged here, goofy and yet terrifying. The narrative flow is most certainly awkward, but there are really only about three scenes with the hero's family and they don't disrupt the flow to the extreme you make it sound. The awkwardness makes sense in relation to the action of his scenes with the other vampires as it is a bit of an episodic daze and I think it works very well to the film's favor. Not to mention that bar scene is impeccably handled. The slow-burn viciousness of the group is chilling and yet Bigelow manages to make each character just in that one scene alluring in their own way.

I understand some of the criticisms of the film, particularly from a narrative level, but I can't accept someone can watch it and neglect the expressiveness of a lot of its visuals and the sensuousness of some of the scenes. It's a very elegantly made film.

[megladon8]

I found every performance in Near Dark annoying, Paxton included.

The vampires were not terrifying in any way, just, well, annoying. And goofy.

It's a film whose "80s-ness" doesn't do it any favours.

[Wryan]

In all seriousness though, Paxton's performance is vastly better than it was in something like Aliens where he is endlessly annoying.

Had to quote this just for posterity. Cause, really......what!?

[The Mike]

Everyone knows Paxton's best work is in True Lies.

Next question.

[number8]

Wrong.

Club Dread.

[hey it's ethan]

The difference : in Aliens, the camera pretty much worships Paxton, Near Dark he's at a chilly distance.

[Ezee E]

Yeah. Near Dark is pretty good.

[Raiders]

Had to quote this just for posterity. Cause, really......what!?

Yeah, I hate him in that film. He's annoying as hell.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Yeah, I hate him in that film. He's annoying as hell.

Abso-fucking-lutely.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Aw. I love Paxton in Aliens. I thought he did a great job of presenting a character whose machismo is so thoroughly eviscerated by the antagonists, then rebuilt slowly by the hero. When he goes into full-on warrior fury at the end, it's so badass: his trash-talking feels righteous instead of childish.

That one man's opinion anyway.

Besides, his best work is in Frailty. Bare, conflicted, totally earnest. All the more impressive considering that he had to focus on everything else in the scene, as director.

[StanleyK]

I like Paxton in Aliens; he starts out as this boasting, dick-waving hoorah marine, so it's supposed to be funny when he starts whining like a baby at everything.

From I am the ultimate badass! State of the badass art!

To That's it man! Game over, man, game OVER!

How can you not love it?

[Russ]

The correct answer is that Paxton is about the most memorable presence in both Aliens AND Near Dark.

[megladon8]

Wet Hot American Summer started out with some very funny bits, but slowly its randomness and poor direction take over and it becomes a totally unfunny mess.

[number8]

Has none of you seen Club Dread?

Coconut Pete, dammit.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Has none of you seen Club Dread?

Coconut Pete, dammit.

I blocked it out. Even by Broken Lizard standards, it's pretty dismal.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I hated Near Dark, EXCEPT Bill Paxton who I thought was the only saving grace of the film. I adore Paxton though.

[Spaceman Spiff]

When can I get out of this chickenshit outfit?

Raiders in a secretely wishing he was as cool as Private Hudson shocker.

[B-side]

I have a copy of Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting ready to watch. I just need to remember to actually watch it.

I'm a big fan of that one. If nothing else, you'll enjoy the film's visual aspect.

[Ezee E]

When is Broken Lizard doing a new movie anyway?

[The Mike]

When is Broken Lizard doing a new movie anyway?

Hopefully never.

[Boner M]

Super Troopers was the first and last Broken Lizard film I saw. That it's apparently their best by consensus is an unnerving prospect.

[chrisnu]

Super Troopers was the first and last Broken Lizard film I saw. That it's apparently their best by consensus is an unnerving prospect.
Indeed.

[Ezee E]

Beerfest always makes me laugh.

[megladon8]

I thought Super Troopers had its fair share of good laughs.

It also had its fair share of crud and retardation...but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me laugh a few times.

[Boner M]

I thought Super Troopers had its fair share of good laughs.

It also had its fair share of crud and retardation...but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me laugh a few times.
Brian Cox was its sole point of merit, for me.

[megladon8]

Brian Cox was its sole point of merit, for me.


Yeah, I laughed pretty hard when he bit into the bar of soap.

[B-side]

I enjoy Super Troopers.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Beerfest always makes me laugh.

I liked Will Forte in that, but that's because I have a very mild man-crush on Will Forte. I think his stuff on SNL is frequently hilarious - a recent sketch with him playing a grape-loving Roman Emperor that sounds like Truman Capote (http://www.hulu.com/watch/126475/saturday-night-live-grapes) made me laugh, and laugh hard.

[Pop Trash]

I'm probably alone here but I'm starting to think The Thin Red Line is Malick's "worst" film, in yet The New World might be his masterpiece.

[B-side]

I'm probably alone here but I'm starting to think The Thin Red Line is Malick's "worst" film,

Not alone there. It's probably my least favorite, too.

[Winston*]

I think it's his best but I'm an iconoclast.

[Boner M]

A Brechtian take on Miyazaki by Damon Packard sounded on paper like the kind of undertaking that's so perverse it just might work, but alas, in reality Tales of the Valley of the Wind is exactly what the uninitiated viewer would expect: a bunch of game non-actors fighting sock puppets on shitty DV, with everything you'd associate with Miyazaki stripped away except for the exposition and hamfisted environmentalism. Occasionally the recycled, sweeping epic soundtrack set against blown-out pixelated imagery generates some spontaneous aesthetic pleasures, but that's probably just me clutching at straws. If this was shown as part of an amateur trash-film fest it might be a passable diversion, but coming from a dedicated maverick like Packard, it's depressing.

Packard's SpaceDisco One, programmed before, was more on form, but not enough to get rid of the bad aftertaste.

[Skitch]

Has none of you seen Club Dread?

Coconut Pete, dammit.

I'm a fan. Hell, I'm having a hard time thinking of a Paxton performance I don't like.

[Skitch]

When is Broken Lizard doing a new movie anyway?

Their new one is around the corner, I believe. Its them as waiters in a restaurant or something...Broken Lizard does Waiting. I'm in.

The Slammin' Salmon (http://www.brokenlizard.com/home/slamminsalmon.html)

Hmmm...according to the site it was released in December...

[balmakboor]

I'm probably alone here but I'm starting to think The Thin Red Line is Malick's "worst" film, in yet The New World might be his masterpiece.

Naw, you're not alone. It's my least favorite as well. I'd rank/rate them:

Days of Heaven - 9.575
The New World - 9.573
Badlands - 9.572
The Thin Red Line - 9.570

[number8]

Super Troopers is Broken Lizard's worst.

[Raiders]

I'm probably alone here but I'm starting to think The Thin Red Line is Malick's "worst" film, in yet The New World might be his masterpiece.

Yeah, "worst" is a very useless term when talking about his films for me. I think I rate Badlands the lowest, but that may just be because it's the only one I haven't seen in a few years. I do know Days of Heaven is his best.

[Pop Trash]

Yeah, "worst" is a very useless term when talking about his films for me. I think I rate Badlands the lowest, but that may just be because it's the only one I haven't seen in a few years. I do know Days of Heaven is his best.

I used to think Days of Heaven was his best as well, and I need another rewatch to fully decide, but I'm pretty convinced The New World is his best film.

Upon a rewatch, The Thin Red Line, while still good and sometimes great, seems to be two movies at once for me. On one hand you this The Longest Day type of war film where all these big name actors show up to do their little part and it's pretty straight forward and linear, and not a whole lot different from Saving Private Ryan and the two Eastwood WW2 flicks...on the other hand you have a Terrence Malick film.

I just think his filmmaking seemed much more focused in The New World, probably because it's almost entirely centered around just the three central characters and not this sprawling multi-character thing like Red Line. Also, the ending of The New World, with the Wagner piece and the editing, is really breathtaking. Red Line just kind of ends, but it does have a great battle scene.

[Qrazy]

Hrm, personally I find The New World to be his least focused film. This probably stemming from the fact that he just shot tons and tons of footage and then pulled it together (fairly well) rather than executing the production with focused storyboarding. Now I think this results in a number of excellent moments that could not have been captured with focused storyboards, but it simultaneously results in a very loose and unfocused film. That being said after a recent rewatch of Badlands, which lowered it slightly in my esteem (it's still very good)... I'd probably rank them...

Days of Heaven > The Thin Red Line > The New World > Badlands

[Skitch]

Super Troopers is Broken Lizard's worst.

I'm kinda surprised you like Club Dread...I assumed I was that films sole defender. On Earth.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Why are we talking about Broken Lizard's "worst" film when none of them has been worth a damn?

[number8]

Beerfest is amazing.

[Derek]

What are your guys' least favorite Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy? The Proposal, Definitely, Maybe, Just Friends or The In-Laws?

[D_Davis]

What are your guys' least favorite Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy? The Proposal, Definitely, Maybe, Just Friends or The In-Laws?

That's a tough one. I'll need to rewatch them all a couple of times to give a valuable answer.

[D_Davis]

I love Near Dark. Great atmosphere.

[Qrazy]

This line of conversation makes me wonder why I never hear about Uwe Boll films anymore. Are Darfur and Tunnel Rats actually decent films afterall?

[Kurosawa Fan]

Aw, man. I kind of liked Definitely, Maybe.

[Raiders]

What are your guys' least favorite Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy? The Proposal, Definitely, Maybe, Just Friends or The In-Laws?

Haven't seen The In-Laws, but I'll go with The Proposal. I genuinely enjoyed Definitely, Maybe and my Reynolds man crush and general Faris crush got the better of me in Just Friends.

[D_Davis]

This line of conversation makes me wonder why I never hear about Uwe Boll films anymore. Are Darfur and Tunnel Rats actually decent films afterall?

I don't know, but I still really like House of the Dead.

[Qrazy]

In We Own the Night was the car chase in the rain partially CGI? Cause it looked off to me somehow.

[Raiders]

In We Own the Night was the car chase in the rain partially CGI? Cause it looked off to me somehow.

The rain is, but the chase itself is not. James Gray said it was too dangerous to do in the actual rain, so they added that in post. I thought it looked pretty great.

[Ezee E]

The rain is, but the chase itself is not. James Gray said it was too dangerous to do in the actual rain, so they added that in post. I thought it looked pretty great.
I never even considered the idea that it was CGI. Very good indeed.

[Qrazy]

The rain is, but the chase itself is not. James Gray said it was too dangerous to do in the actual rain, so they added that in post. I thought it looked pretty great.

Hrm I guess it was a combination of that and the camerawork/editing then that made it seem a little odd to me. For instance the way the semi slid or some of the stuff in the lane with on coming traffic.

[dreamdead]

In all seriousness though, Paxton's performance is vastly better than it was in something like Aliens where he is endlessly annoying. He's unhinged here, goofy and yet terrifying. The narrative flow is most certainly awkward, but there are really only about three scenes with the hero's family and they don't disrupt the flow to the extreme you make it sound. The awkwardness makes sense in relation to the action of his scenes with the other vampires as it is a bit of an episodic daze and I think it works very well to the film's favor. Not to mention that bar scene is impeccably handled. The slow-burn viciousness of the group is chilling and yet Bigelow manages to make each character just in that one scene alluring in their own way.

I understand some of the criticisms of the film, particularly from a narrative level, but I can't accept someone can watch it and neglect the expressiveness of a lot of its visuals and the sensuousness of some of the scenes. It's a very elegantly made film.

I really don't you to have wasted all of these words without getting a reply back. Ergo... I think Paxton is tonally off from the film, despite his presence being necessary to the film's structure. You're right that he's unhinged, but whereas he works better here rather than Aliens (a point that I agree with you on) he feels a little too disparate from the other actors. So while my attention gravitates toward him in the scenes, he feels odd compared to someone like Henricksen, who can be overblown without feeling as though he's excessive.

I think the film is well shot. The showdown at the end feels natural, and the scene in the bar (despite drawing my ire since there's no sense that the townies try to escape but instead seem to wait to be picked off one by one) does convey each of the vamps convincingly. Nonetheless, I think the script is horrendous. Between characters waiting an extra, and unnecessary, beat after talking about the Chicago fire or Civil War, or leaving main character dynamics way too broad--it leaves the characters feeling unconnected to the next set piece. Caleb especially feels unmotivated in the beginning--his connection to his human family feels cursory. And the business with Caleb's younger sister and the young(ish) vampire just wasn't well-acted.

In brief, the film's look=really interesting. The script=:frustrated: Unfortunately, I base most of my reactions based on script and character development.

[The Mike]

Topics on the last page were the Best and Worst of:

Terence Malick
Broken Lizard
Ryan Reynolds

....only on Match-Cut.

[MadMan]

Christ, Ghost Dog is cooooooooooool.Of course. The scene where's he practicing his swordplay on the rooftop is badass.

Ryan Renolds is a good actor who often makes bad movies. He has the likability factor, which works in his favor.

Never seen a Broken Lizard movie. But Malick is someone who's movies I am going to explore further.

I think that's all I missed.

[Grouchy]

http://justforthekicks.files.wordpres s.com/2009/01/gone-baby-gone.jpg

I finally saw Gone Baby Gone. Even with all the good things I'd heard about it, I was still surprised at how good it actually was. It's obviously a movie directed by an actor, and the odd scene here and there seemed a little too literal in how the conversations exposed the themes - kind of like Batman Begins - but it's a whodunit that raises a lot of interesting questions and doesn't settle for an easy answer. Plus, the feeling of grit and realism in every scene is amazing, almost documentary-like. I was always engaged by every turn of the plot, and Casey Affleck turned in a believable detective performance - I dug his voice. Loved the intensity of the shoot-out scene.

On the completely opposite end of the spectrum, The Lovely Bones fucking sucked and I will explain why on its thread.

Anyway, another movie I saw after a long time of hearing about it is Gattaca, and I also loved it. Plenty of chemistry between all the actors (obviously in Hawke and Uma's case) and frankly, very few science-fiction movies pull off the cold, pseudo-noir, gorgeous look this one was going for. Most of them, like Daybreakers, simply add some retro bullshit here and there. The script is pretentious and superficial to an extent, but it's consistently intelligent and when it has a suspense moment (like when Hawke has to cross the road without his lenses on) it really makes the most of it. With all the great actors involved in it (even in tiny roles like Ernest Borgnine) I was really impressed with Jude Law. If for no other reason, because I think very few actors manage to sell cripple, and not all movies have a scene with the cripple dragging himself up a spiral staircase.