28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[megladon8]

It was interesting to read that that part of the movie was based on a real event.


Yes, I was just reading about that today.

Did you like the movie?

[EyesWideOpen]

Yes, I was just reading about that today.

Did you like the movie?

I loved it.

[Rowland]

It was interesting to read that that part of the movie was based on a real event.Very loosely...

[Raiders]

Very loosely...

Yeah, I heard that in actuality, the monster killed the girl first before kidnapping her. But, artistic freedom right?

[Wryan]

Yeah, I heard that in actuality, the monster killed the girl first before kidnapping her. But, artistic freedom right?

The best kind of freedom.

[Eleven]

Jafar Panahi's Offside is glorious. Naturalistic, specific, and ultimately uplifting without being cloying or sentimental. Pretty damn funny, too. Not to mention its unobtrusive, enveloping long-take style that fits perfectly within the crowded, thriving milieu. Makes me want to check out his more explicitly political flicks.

[Rowland]

Yeah, I heard that in actuality, the monster killed the girl first before kidnapping her. But, artistic freedom right?Well, he was referring specifically to the formaldehyde incident, which was blown out of proportion by the South Korean media.

[MacGuffin]

Jafar Panahi's Offside is glorious. Naturalistic, specific, and ultimately uplifting without being cloying or sentimental. Pretty damn funny, too. Not to mention its unobtrusive, enveloping long-take style that fits perfectly within the crowded, thriving milieu. Makes me want to check out his more explicitly political flicks.

While I loved Crimson Gold, for some reason, I have no interest in this.

[Sycophant]

While I loved Crimson Gold, for some reason, I have no interest in this.That's strange. I haven't seen any of Panahi's other films, but Offside is straight-up great.

[Rowland]

Jafar Panahi's Offside is glorious. Naturalistic, specific, and ultimately uplifting without being cloying or sentimental. Pretty damn funny, too. Not to mention its unobtrusive, enveloping long-take style that fits perfectly within the crowded, thriving milieu. Makes me want to check out his more explicitly political flicks.Yes, it's an amazing movie. I don't think I walked out of the theater after any other movie last year feeling happier. As cheesy as this is to say, the movie sorta restored my faith in humanity for a few precious moments.

[MacGuffin]

Weekend

Phantom Museums: The Short Films of the Quay Brothers (The Brothers Quay)
Gone Baby Gone (Ben Affleck)

[EyesWideOpen]

Well, he was referring specifically to the formaldehyde incident, which was blown out of proportion by the South Korean media.

The US officer was found guilty by a South Korean court which leads me to believe it is somewhat in proportion.

[Rowland]

The US officer was found guilty by a South Korean court which leads me to believe it is somewhat in proportion.The chemicals dumped were proven to have gone through several treatment facilities before reaching the Han and were thus harmless. Even the South Korean government acknowledged this, but propagandists used the incident as a means to incite waves of anti-US fervor in the public.

[megladon8]

Well, I honestly found The French Connection quite disappointing.

Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider were both wonderful, and there are some moments of brilliance, but the film just didn't hold my interest. It put it in laymen's terms, I found it quite boring.

Though, it's always interesting to see New York City in what could arguably be called its "dirtiest".

On the whole I think I prefer To Live and Die in L.A..

[Ezee E]

In The Shadow of the Moon would certainly be my vote for Documentary of the Year had I seen it one week ago or two. We've heard the stories already, but we get to actually see it from footage that we've never seen before, and is simply breathtaking to see. They push away the idea that there was no landing until the very end, and that's a good thing. Hearing the astronauts talk about this feat is an amazing story on its own.

Good stuff.

[Eleven]

Mother of Tears, the final installment of Dario Argento's Three Mothers Trilogy, narratively hearkens back to the headlong, illogical supernaturalism of Inferno and Suspiria, but it lacks those films' dexterous, flowing camera. The inclusions of Daria Nicolodi and Asia in the cast temper its finality with the positive unity of a family affair, in some ways connecting his more recent work with his daughter to his "classic" era. I don't think Argento has ever tried to compete with the current trends, and so I'm glad the heady stabbings and slicings retain Argento's breakneck vitality and cheap but sick makeup effects; the Saws and Hostels have nothing on even subpar Argento's excitingly garish bloodletting. Still, despite some sudden and lively gore (not including a surprising amount of violence inflicted on children), and more random nudity than the other Three Mothers installments combined, there's a slight sense of obligation in even the fiercest, bloodiest set pieces. Perhaps there was just too much time between Inferno and now to hope for a complete return to form, but for Argento hounds and completists, it marks a momentous occasion and a worthwhile viewing before the inevitable rewatches of the previous Mothers movies.

[Sven]

Mother of Tears, the final installment of Dario Argento's Three Mothers Trilogy, narratively hearkens back to the headlong, illogical supernaturalism of Inferno and Suspiria, but it lacks those films' dexterous, flowing camera. The inclusions of Daria Nicolodi and Asia in the cast temper its finality with the positive unity of a family affair, in some ways connecting his more recent work with his daughter to his "classic" era. I don't think Argento has ever tried to compete with the current trends, and so I'm glad the heady stabbings and slicings retain Argento's breakneck vitality and cheap but sick makeup effects; the Saws and Hostels have nothing on even subpar Argento's excitingly garish bloodletting. Still, despite some sudden and lively gore (not including a surprising amount of violence inflicted on children), and more random nudity than the other Three Mothers installments combined, there's a slight sense of obligation in even the fiercest, bloodiest set pieces. Perhaps there was just too much time between Inferno and now to hope for a complete return to form, but for Argento hounds and completists, it marks a momentous occasion and a worthwhile viewing before the inevitable rewatches of the previous Mothers movies.

Where'd you see this?

[Yxklyx]

Jafar Panahi's Offside is glorious. Naturalistic, specific, and ultimately uplifting without being cloying or sentimental. Pretty damn funny, too. Not to mention its unobtrusive, enveloping long-take style that fits perfectly within the crowded, thriving milieu. Makes me want to check out his more explicitly political flicks.

It was very good. Now can someone explain why Netflix recommended me Pinky and the Brain based on my Offiside rating. I've only caught snippets of Pinky so don't get the connection...

[Eleven]

Where'd you see this?

Torrent. I imagine it may be more fun with a crowd o' aficionados. I'm a big fan of his stuff up until Opera, for the record.

[Sven]

Torrent. I imagine it may be more fun with a crowd o' aficionados. I'm a big fan of his stuff up until Opera, for the record.

Have you seen Trauma? It is excellent.

I may search for this torrent. How's the quality?

[Eleven]

Have you seen Trauma? It is excellent.

I may search for this torrent. How's the quality?

Nah, but I'll search it out. Why I've seen Do You Like Hitchcock? and The Stendahl Syndrome and not that, I'm not really sure.

Some of the blacks in the dark shots don't come through, but besides that, the torrent was pretty decent.

[Yxklyx]

I recently watched The In-Laws and it was pretty funny when the taxi driver makes a crack about how The Price is Right has been on forever. This was the 1979 version of the movie I saw. :P

[Rowland]

Nah, but I'll search it out. Why I've seen Do You Like Hitchcock? and The Stendahl Syndrome and not that, I'm not really sure.Well, Trauma is commonly considered one of his worst, so it's no shock that you haven't gone out of your way to see it. As an Argento die-hard, I find it passable, but hardly excellent. It's just a cheaper, flatter, cheesier, goreless retread of his best work, albeit with enough going for it to be worth seeing for fans.

Otherwise, regarding post-Opera-period Argento, his best work is The Black Cat for the horror anthology Two Evil Eyes he made with Romero (whose half is dreadful), and The Stendhal Syndrome, which feels like the closest he came to forging a new path in his career, before he lost his mind and made Phantom of the Opera.

[Qrazy]

Yeah, I heard that in actuality, the monster killed the girl first before kidnapping her. But, artistic freedom right?

Ahaha awesome.

[origami_mustache]

Well, I honestly found The French Connection quite disappointing.

Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider were both wonderful, and there are some moments of brilliance, but the film just didn't hold my interest. It put it in laymen's terms, I found it quite boring.

Though, it's always interesting to see New York City in what could arguably be called its "dirtiest".


I was pretty underwhelmed by this film as well, although I can see it's worth as an inspiration for television crime dramas which isn't necessarily a good thing in my opinion.

[MadMan]

Well, I honestly found The French Connection quite disappointing.

Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider were both wonderful, and there are some moments of brilliance, but the film just didn't hold my interest. It put it in laymen's terms, I found it quite boring.

Though, it's always interesting to see New York City in what could arguably be called its "dirtiest".

On the whole I think I prefer To Live and Die in L.A..I still want to see To Live and Die in LA. However The French Connection to me is one of the best of the 60s and 70s action/thrillers. I thought it was a pretty tightly paced, at times suspenseful, film that features one of the best (if not the) best car chases ever. I also love how by the end of the film it becomes sort of an obsession piece, as Popeye becomes consumed with catching the Frenchman. I love that the film concludes with the Frenchman getting away and Popeye actually shooting a cop. Its pretty much the capper to his overwhelming, driven desire to catch the bad guy. But the bad guy gets away and Popeye doesn't even dwell on the fact that he just capped a good guy, even though his partner realizes it and becomes very frightened at the prospect that if he even accidently gets in Popeye's way he'll end up dead too. The whole ending is one big kicker.


Actually, my video store has Martin on DVD. I ALMOST picked it up yesterday, but I decided against it for whatever arbitrary reason. I'll be seeing one of the other Dead films this weekend (for a class actually) but I haven't decided which. I've never heard of the Dark Half actually.I wish I had been able to see Martin on DVD. If you see the other Dead films start with "Dawn" if only because its almost as good as "Night" and its considered the second film in the series. Its a pretty loose series though as none of the characters from the previous films appear in the later ones to my knowledge. The Dark Half was one of his 90s efforts and is solid but it suffers partly from the fact that the studio he was working for went bankrrupt thus hurting the picture. I thought it was an interesting film as well, and Timothy Hutton is sort of good in it.

[megladon8]

The Host

a review by Braden Adam


Korean cinema has been at the forefront of international cinema for several years now. The film that really caught my eye and put Korea on the map, for me, was Oldboy. I continued to watch the films of Chan-wook Park, and was consistently amazed at his incredible sense of style. I remember wondering why it was that so many American releases lacked this flare. Of course, not all stories are suited to surreal imagery and rousing electronic scores - but it seemed like other filmmakers could really learn a thing or two from Chan-wook Park about how to compose a great shot. Then I saw Memories of Murder - a similarly stylish crime thriller, which managed to infuse the beautiful cinematography I had come to expect from Korean cinema with a true-life story which oozed realism and heartbreak.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/megladon8/host2.jpg

Sometime in the summer of 2007, I heard about The Host, the next film from Memories of Murder writer/director Joon-ho Bong, and I was incredibly excited to see it. The reviews coming out stating it was “one of the greatest monster movies ever made” whet my appetite even further, and led me to order the official Korean DVD of the film. I was disappointed to say the least. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I just felt it lacked something. Perhaps it was because I was in the middle of a Godzilla-stint and I was in the mood for a little more building-crushing, but I doubt that’s the case. Let’s just say I wasn’t ready for what the film had to offer.

So after several months of deliberation, I decided to crack open the DVD case again in hopes that my $20 hadn’t gone to waste completely. What I got with this second viewing was the equivalent of going back to your old kindergarten class to find that your teacher was actually a sexy minx, and you simply hadn’t seen it due to your (at the time) undeveloped libido. The Host is an awe-inspiring film experience, and it does so much more with the monster movie conventions than any Godzilla film has done in many years.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/megladon8/host3.jpg

Telling a story at once epic and microscopic, satirical and straight-forward, it is on one hand the story of an irresponsible father coming to realize that if he really loves his daughter and his family members, he needs to actually do something with his life and try to make something out of himself. He needs to fill that void where fatherly responsibility has been lacking for so long. On the other hand, it is a story of the sensational paranoia the media is capable of evoking in people, as it refers back to a real-life case in Korea in which an American doctor ordered a Korean intern to dump several bottles of formaldehyde down a sink which he knew drained into the Han River. In real life this case was blown hugely out of proportion - he did something irresponsible, yet it turned into an enormous incident between the two countries. This incident is the catalyst event for the creation of the monster - which, in itself, is the catalyst for the coming-of-age story of a grown man who has spent too much time living the life of a boy.

It would be deceiving to say that the monster is not the most important part of the film, since it is a monster movie, and at its most basic state that is what drives the plot. But there’s so much more to the story, involving human connection and some unexpected yet very effective humor. The first appearance of a Korean soldier wearing a HAZMAT suit is one of the funniest moments in the film, as he walks into a room full of civilians and is clearly trying to look as imposing and authoritative as possible, before suddenly tripping on his own feet and falling flat on his back. It’s a simple sight gag, but in the rather bleak context of the scene, it works very well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/megladon8/host4.jpg

Since the film has been out for nearly two years now, the monster is no surprise - simply type “The Host monster” into any image search engine and you’ll be bombarded with images of what could best be described as a mutant tadpole the size of a bus. But the monster was never really meant to be a secret or a surprise. Unlike another recent monster film, the trailers for The Host showed the monster in full right from the start. Again, this just reinforces the fact that the monster is not the biggest surprise to be found in the film. The plot twists and turns, characters change or meet unexpected demises, and the writing keeps everything engaging throughout.

But that’s not to say that the monster is insignificant. Its presence is strong and there are some surprisingly chilling scenes to be found involving the creature. Seeing it disappear under the water of the Han River and then only a dark figure swim to the shore before suddenly springing from the water to grab an unsuspecting victim is an unnerving sight. And the CGI used to create the monster is great. The textures look real and wet, and you can practically smell the fishy stink of its leathery, amphibious flesh.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/megladon8/host1.jpg

It’s great to know that not only can monster films still be made well, but they can be taken seriously. The humor to be found in the film does not consist of self-deprecating winks at the audience, instead adding a great deal of emotional attachment to the characters. The Host is a solid film, and one that can be enjoyed by both monster-enthusiasts and movie-goers looking for a generally well made, well performed movie.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Philosophe_rouge, I suggest you check out Knightriders and Martin, out of Romero's stuff. They're interesting, different flicks.

As for myself - Netflix gave me Once and Sky Captain. Looking forward to both.

[Boner M]

Hostel Part II actually starts out reasonably decent; Roth at least has a fine visual eye, and his characters are sympathetic enough. I was actually thinking I could enjoy it until the ridiculous bidding montage and the first torture scene, after which the entire film turns into one big tug-of-war between desperate money shots and even more desperate attempts at self-justification. Roth really needs to take advice from Rob Zombie and let it all hang out, I don't think I've seen such a relentlessly insecure gorefest, other than perhaps Cannibal Holocaust.

[Qrazy]

Philosophe_rouge, I suggest you check out Knightriders and Martin, out of Romero's stuff. They're interesting, different flicks.

As for myself - Netflix gave me Once and Sky Captain. Looking forward to both.

Sky Captain is awful.

[Spinal]

I like Sky Captain. It's a fun, breezy adventure.

[Rowland]

Hostel Part II actually starts out reasonably decent; Roth at least has a fine visual eye, and his characters are sympathetic enough. I was actually thinking I could enjoy it until the ridiculous bidding montage and the first torture scene, after which the entire film turns into one big tug-of-war between desperate money shots and even more desperate attempts at self-justification. Roth really needs to take advice from Rob Zombie and let it all hang out, I don't think I've seen such a relentlessly insecure gorefest, other than perhaps Cannibal Holocaust.I didn't even think it looked that interesting. Roth's earlier movies at least had personality, whereas this struck me as blandly proficient in its professionalism, as if he hired a veteran cinematographer and strived to make his movie look as respectable as possible, forgetting to imbue his visuals with any atmosphere. Otherwise, the characterization and performance for the geek girl (which I can only assume was the product of Roth's direction) angered me, while the other two leads were anonymous beyond "party girl" and "nice rich final girl." The opening two acts are boring because Roth is lazy, too excited about his lame-o finale to successfully spice up all the redundant buildup material. Worst of all, he ultimately fails to make his movie scary or even unsettling, his stabs at misanthropic spectacle at the end being oddly watered down and lacking in resonance, while his desperate attempts at Haneke-style spectator critique and sociological commentary simply don't work. The last fifteen minutes are the worst... I wanted to kick my television. He did NOT earn that ending.

[Benny Profane]

I like Sky Captain. It's a fun, breezy adventure.

No.

[Mysterious Dude]

Sky Captain made my eyes bleed.

[lovejuice]

I like Sky Captain. It's a fun, breezy adventure.

me too. albeit i don't like it enough to give the movie a second chance, i have a fond memory of watching that flick in theatre.

[Raiders]

I like Sky Captain. It's a fun, breezy adventure.

Indeed. And dare I say for all its rough-around-the-edges technology, the expressive look is far preferable to what 300 did with the CGI universe.

[lovejuice]

Indeed. And dare I say for all its rough-around-the-edges technology, the expressive look is far preferable to what 300 did with the CGI universe.

i won't go that far, but yes it looks much more "artistic" than 300. the latter clearly has a better technology though.

[Lucky]

I'm in the pro-Sky Captain group, too. An achievment in art direction in a mediocre adventure story...enough to save it for me.

[megladon8]

I never saw Sky Captain.

That year a few of the "entirely CGI except for the actors" movies came out - there was also Casshern and that movie Immortel (ad vitam).

The first time I saw Casshern I was awed by the visuals, but a second viewing showed that it was way over-long, and the plot is beyond convoluted.

[Sycophant]

Weekend viewings, my friends:

Wild Strawberries (I really mean to... but we'll see.)
Quiet City
Persepolis
Funny Games
Jumper

And maybe one of those thing I've been listing every week for the last three months.

[balmakboor]

Thanks for that review of The Host Braden. It has significantly increased my interest in finally checking it out.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

I will be watching these this weekend:

La Verite
El
Rock Hudson's Home Movies

and maybe I'll start Star Spangled to Death, but that needs a big time investment.

[Russ]

maybe I'll start Star Spangled to Death, but that needs a big time investment.
Wow, I really want to see this. Where'd you find a copy?

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Wow, I really want to see this. Where'd you find a copy?


a local video store whose owner is driven to collect every film on earth. I guess Ken Jacobs sells it on his site for 75 bucks. Ouch.

[D_Davis]

Sky Captain is cool. I love the old robots that look like the ones from Laputa.

It reminded me of Giant Robo.

I think I need to rewatch this on my projector. I bet it looks pretty awesome.

[Spinal]

Why is Daniel Davis writing a sappy road trip movie for menopausal women (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0487195/)?

[Wryan]

Totally dug Sky Captain. Paltrow doesn't really get into it in the same way as the others do, but everyone else is totally game for the shenanigans. Lots of fun.

[D_Davis]

Why is Daniel Davis writing a sappy road trip movie for menopausal women (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0487195/)?

Trying to break into the romance genre.

It's a lot harder than you might think.

That's what she said.

[EyesWideOpen]

I never saw Sky Captain.

That year a few of the "entirely CGI except for the actors" movies came out - there was also Casshern and that movie Immortel (ad vitam).

The first time I saw Casshern I was awed by the visuals, but a second viewing showed that it was way over-long, and the plot is beyond convoluted.

I actually thought Casshern & Sky Captain were good (not great, but good) but Immortel was awful. I very rarely don't finish a film and Immortel was one of the ones I had to turn off about half way through.

[Stay Puft]

What about Monkey Shines? Any fans? I love it. Absurd premise, completely deadpan. And it works.

[D_Davis]

I actually thought Casshern & Sky Captain were good (not great, but good) but Immortel was awful. I very rarely don't finish a film and Immortel was one of the ones I had to turn off about half way through.

Yes, Immortel is terrible. I, too, couldn't not finish it.

[Spinal]

Trying to break into the romance genre.

It's a lot harder than you might think.

That's what she said.

I'm really hoping that at some point it is revealed that Joan Allen is a Shaolin master and that she opens a can of whoop-ass on Kathy Bates.

[Stay Puft]

I must now assemble the Immortel (ad vitam) Defense Force. I will proudly be its only member if need be.

[Ezee E]

Sky Captain was alright. Had the potential to be a child's masterpiece, but the story is a bit boring.

Weekend:
Extreme Prejudice
Brewster's Millions
Across the Universe

No theater :(

[Winston*]

Might c There Will Be Blood. Probably nothing else, been on the Davis train lately when it comes to home viewings.

[lovejuice]

Sky Captain was alright. Had the potential to be a child's masterpiece, but the story is a bit boring.


i think, the story perfectly captures the feel of the early-20th-century sci-fi. it's no brainer, but i'll say, so is many pulp published at the time. jolie is the only thing that seems out-of-place and underemployed.

[D_Davis]

been on the Davis train lately when it comes to home viewings.

Come on ride the train...

Watching movies at home is for jerks and lesbians.

[Qrazy]

Sky Captain was alright. Had the potential to be a child's masterpiece, but the story is a bit boring.


All the CGI didn't bother me. Even the absurd narrative didn't bother me. Hell, even the lame performances I could deal with. The problem for me was that the director didn't convey anything with his visuals. It was all sound and fury. His images didn't say anything about his story or his fantasy world. His world felt exactly like what it was, plastic.

[Qrazy]

Yes, Immortel is terrible. I, too, couldn't not finish it.

Oh that tricky Davis, such a tricky fellow.

[Yxklyx]

Weekend:

Passion of Anna
Out of Sight
Trust
Hell House

[Stay Puft]

All the CGI didn't bother me. Even the absurd narrative didn't bother me. Hell, even the lame performances I could deal with. The problem for me was that the director didn't convey anything with his visuals. It was all sound and fury. His images didn't say anything about his story or his fantasy world. His world felt exactly like what it was, plastic.

I agree, but I also posit that it was simply poorly crafted and that's enough. I remember having a discussion on RT about how much the editing sucked. That's what killed it for me. There's no tension - I remember watching one of the flying sequences and just checking my watch. Boring movie.

[lovejuice]

Oh that tricky Davis, such a tricky fellow.

i know what you mean. predicting if he gonna like this or that movie only appears easy.

[Winston*]

Sky Captain is incredibly, awe inspiringly boring. So spectacularly boring that it almost provokes interest in itself solely through it's baffling, all encompassing boredom. Boring.

[D_Davis]

I agree, but I also posit that it was simply poorly crafted and that's enough. I remember having a discussion on RT about how much the editing sucked. That's what killed it for me. There's no tension - I remember watching one of the flying sequences and just checking my watch. Boring movie.

I agree that the film lacks tension, and that this is normally a pretty bad thing for an action/adventure.

Pretty, pretty bad.

But I remember thinking that the film was fun regardless.

I need to rewatch it.

Looks like I'll be a jerk soon.

[soitgoes...]

Weekend:
Queen Kelly
Gone Baby Gone
The Travelling Players

[Rowland]

Funny Ha Ha is a promising debut. I eagerly await renting Mutual Appreciation next week.

[Dead & Messed Up]

What about Monkey Shines? Any fans? I love it. Absurd premise, completely deadpan. And it works.

I thought it was alright.

::shrugs::

[Benny Profane]

I agree, but I also posit that it was simply poorly crafted and that's enough. I remember having a discussion on RT about how much the editing sucked. That's what killed it for me. There's no tension - I remember watching one of the flying sequences and just checking my watch. Boring movie.

I think I stopped paying attention when a plane crashed full-speed into the ocean but remained intact.

[Boner M]

Weekend

Clean, Shaven
The Mist
The Seventh Continent
Harakiri

[Raiders]

I think I stopped paying attention when a plane crashed full-speed into the ocean but remained intact.

So giant robots attacking the city, a floating sky base, dinosaurs, and the fact that the plane could swim underwater were fine, but a plane not breaking apart hitting the water was too much for you?

[Benny Profane]

So giant robots attacking the city, a floating sky base, dinosaurs, and the fact that the plane could swim underwater were fine, but a plane not breaking apart hitting the water was too much for you?

I don't even remember all those other aspects of the film, unless you're talking about my acid trip in 10th grade.

[BirdsAteMyFace]

Watching movies at home is for jerks and lesbians.Ouch! Mean. :sad:

But, it's true; I've been watching films at home for the past few weeks. Guess my lesbianism set me up for that one.


The Taste of Tea
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A
There Will Be Blood
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OkayThird attempt. Adding: The Garden of the Finzi-Continis

[Eleven]

Weekend:

Finishing up 2007 with:
The Assassination of Somebody by the Something Somebody else
The Darjeeling Whatsit
Before the Devil Blahs You're Blah
Control

Maybe Fires on the Plain to commemorate Ichikawa.

[D_Davis]

Ouch! Mean. :sad:

But, it's true; I've been watching films at home for the past few weeks. Guess my lesbianism set me up for that one.


I can't take the credit - it's from Homer Simpson.

"Public transportation is for jerks and lesbians."

- Homer J. Simpson

[MadMan]

Come on ride the train...

Watching movies at home is for jerks and lesbians.I'm not a jerk. I'm just a lesbian trapped in a man's body. I just want some love damnit! :sad: That said that quote from Homer is classic.

Weekend Viewings:

Hah, watching movies. Anyways tonight TCM is only showing musicals. I might give some of them a chance later on after I get home from work. Eh, probably not. :P

[BirdsAteMyFace]

"Public transportation is for jerks and lesbians."Truth.

[Sycophant]

The other night, I popped in The Band Wagon to watch a few select sequences. The shoe shine song and "Dancing in the Dark" are two of the greatest dance numbers I've ever seen.

[D_Davis]

Truth.

I see a lot of jerks on the way home everyday, but I rarely see any lesbians. Maybe I should start asking the women on the bus...

[Qrazy]

i know what you mean. predicting if he gonna like this or that movie only appears easy.

Hehe no I meant his use of a double negative to throw us off his tracks.

[lovejuice]

Hehe no I meant his use of a double negative to throw us off his tracks.

:lol::)

[D_Davis]

Hehe no I meant his use of a double negative to throw us off his tracks.

OMG...I didn't even see that.

:lol:

I couldn't not not finish it.

[MacGuffin]

Weekend


The Seventh Continent


I'm curious to see what you think of this one.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Weekend
Bad Day at Black something
Sergeant York
Indiscretion of an American Wife
Faces
The Ox Bow Incident
Some Romero thing
Born to Kill
And anothger rental I forgot

[origami_mustache]

Weekend:
The Great Dictator
The Lady Eve
?

[Qrazy]

Do you all have hippocampal lesions and resultant memory loss?

Weekend, a few of the following:

Jeanne Dielman - Akerman
The Railway Children
Alice in the Cities - Wenders
General Idi Amin Dada - Schroeder
Hearts and Minds
Burnt by the Sun
I'm Not There - Haynes
Merchant of Four Seasons - Fassbinder
The Idiots - Von Trier
My Name is Joe - Loach
The Abyss - Cameron
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Hooper

[ledfloyd]

The Science of Sleep is further proof of Gondry's genius. Why was this so reviled? The reviews kept me from seeing it. Gondry's inventiveness is awe inspiring. I wish I had half his imagination.

[Qrazy]

The Science of Sleep is further proof of Gondry's genius. Why was this so reviled? The reviews kept me from seeing it. Gondry's inventiveness is awe inspiring. I wish I had half his imagination.

Woah, and I was just about to check out Gone Baby Gone... but your Brief Encounter rating makes me question my questioning.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Do you all have hippocampal lesions and resultant memory loss?

Weekend, a few of the following:

Jeanne Dielman - Akerman
The Railway Children
Alice in the Cities - Wenders
General Idi Amin Dada - Schroeder
Hearts and Minds
Burnt by the Sun
I'm Not There - Haynes
Merchant of Four Seasons - Fassbinder
The Idiots - Von Trier
My Name is Joe - Loach
The Abyss - Cameron
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Hooper
I am stunted by extreme exaustion at the moment. Too lazy to walk across the room to check my rentals. I've only seen I'm Not There and Texas Chainsaw. I like both quite a bit, especially I'm Not There.

[megladon8]

The Animatrix is more affecting and interesting than either of the sequels.

I just watched "A Kid's Story" and it still leaves me in tears. The image of him falling, then that final shot of the computer screen and the words "You are not alone".

Since, due to the heavy medications I was on as a teenager, I have often experienced a very real feeling of confusion between dreams and reality. This particular short just really gets to me.

[ledfloyd]

Woah, and I was just about to check out Gone Baby Gone... but your Brief Encounter rating makes me question my questioning.
i said in my first post i think most of my problems with gone baby gone stem from loving the source material so much. i also seem to be in the minority. don't let me deter you.

brief encounter, i couldn't stand the voiceover.

[Sycophant]

i said in my first post i think most of my problems with gone baby gone stem from loving the source material so much. As good as an endorsement for not reading books as I've ever seen.

[Ivan Drago]

Weekend:

No Country For Old Men (2nd)
Superbad (4th or 5th...can't remember)

[megladon8]

i said in my first post i think most of my problems with gone baby gone stem from loving the source material so much. i also seem to be in the minority. don't let me deter you.


No, I actually think the minority is the people who love it.

Rowland, number8 and I all loved it - I think we all rank it among the best of the year.

But beyond that, I think a lot of posters here thought it was "meh".

[Sycophant]

No, I actually think the minority is the people who love it.

Rowland, number8 and I all loved it - I think we all rank it among the best of the year.

But beyond that, I think a lot of posters here thought it was "meh".I was rather in love with it myself. It's either hanging out near the bottom or just falling off of my top ten for the year. Great film.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I was rather in love with it myself. It's either hanging out near the bottom or just falling off of my top ten for the year. Great film.
Exactly same for me. It's currently around #8 on my list.

[Rowland]

Speaking of the Gone Baby Gone book, I just bought Lehane's Shutter Island the other day on a whim while aimlessly wandering around Barnes and Noble. I don't even know its reputation, but I hope for the best.

[megladon8]

Glad to see some more people saying they loved it.

I actually haven't read anything by Lehane. Call it the elitist in me, but when he got uber-popular with "Mystic River" and I started seeing his books for sale at drug stores and grocery stores, I thought it was just typical crime-thriller shlock.

[Rowland]

But beyond that, I think a lot of posters here thought it was "meh".Besides the aforementioned posters, monolith liked it a great deal, and baby doll (Soori) has it as one of his five best of the year. The more the merrier.

[megladon8]

Besides the aforementioned posters, monolith liked it a great deal, and baby doll (Soori) has it as one of his five best of the year. The more the merrier.


That's awesome - I had no idea.

I honestly thought that back when the film came out and I asked a general "what did everyone think of it?", the response was lukewarm at best.

Casey Affleck had quite a year.

[ledfloyd]

Speaking of the Gone Baby Gone book, I just bought Lehane's Shutter Island the other day on a whim while aimlessly wandering around Barnes and Noble. I don't even know its reputation, but I hope for the best.
i didn't like the ending. you might want to stop reading when there is about 20 or 30 pages left. :lol:


I actually haven't read anything by Lehane. Call it the elitist in me, but when he got uber-popular with "Mystic River" and I started seeing his books for sale at drug stores and grocery stores, I thought it was just typical crime-thriller shlock.
i love the kenzie/gennaro novels. mystic river and shutter island i haven't liked as much.


Casey Affleck had quite a year.
no doubting that. i thought he was the highlight of gone baby gone, and i hope he gets the oscar for jesse james.

[monolith94]

Yeah, I really really liked GBG. I especially loved the intro, with the montage introduction of the neighborhood.

Also, Ed Harris delivered an amazing performance.

[Qrazy]

Is there any correlation between people liking Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River? Because I did not like Mystic River.

[Sven]

I watched Sunset Boulevard for the third time in class today and, no joke, it was disrupting my breathing. The whole time. Every second of that film has some element that makes me gasp, laugh, sigh, or hold my breath. It really worked for me this time. Liked it a lot before, but I absolutely adored my last viewing of it. One of the best I've ever had.

[Rowland]

Is there any correlation between people liking Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River? Because I did not like Mystic River.Not really. Their source materials are by the same author, but I've seen people like both, like neither, and like one but not the other. *shrug*

[Ezee E]

Other then the preview, the movies are incredibly different as they focus on different neighborhoods.

[Rowland]

Other then the preview, the movies are incredibly different as they focus on different neighborhoods.What do you mean by "other then the preview?" Anyway, I think there is a lot more different about them than the neighborhoods they're set in.

[Rowland]

Hey, Shutter Island is being made into a film, slated to be directed by Scorsese? I had no idea when I bought it... cool. More incentive to read it, I suppose.

[Ezee E]

What do you mean by "other then the preview?" Anyway, I think there is a lot more different about them than the neighborhoods they're set in.
When I saw the preview, I figured it was Mystic River all over again, but it's very different.

And yeah, Shutter Island by Scorsese. Leo, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley so far.

[MadMan]

Any thoughts on TCM: The Beginning and American Psycho Rowland? I'm curious especially since the former got a slightly higher rating than the latter. And I love the hell out of the latter.

PS: Now that I'm staying in town I will actually be watching all that TCM has to offer on Friday night, starting at 7 PM CST:

Little Big Man(1970)
Save the Tiger(1973)
The Shootist(1976)

Nashville and The Wind and the Lion follow all of those, but I'm not so sure I want to stay up that late since I have a chance to watch UNI play Drake in the afternoon (drink up if you want heh). I'm really excited to view Little Big Man since its been called the "Forrest Gump" of westerns (yes I know it inspired "Gump" but still) and as a John Wayne fan The Shootist is a must. Save the Tiger is simply going to be viewed because Jack Lemmon rocks.

[Boner M]

The Mist was most excellent, until the ending, which I suppose works on a thematic level, but the execution felt all kinds of off. Apart from that, a perfect example of the kind of thoughtful, refreshingly untrendy B-film that oughta be made more.

Matchcut = 1, critical consensus = 0.

[origami_mustache]

Any thoughts on TCM: The Beginning and American Psycho Rowland? I'm curious especially since the former got a slightly higher rating than the latter. And I love the hell out of the latter.

This is what I wrote up after watching TCM: The Beginning back around Halloween.

"A very lazily written hodgepodge of the original and the remake. It comes as no surprise that Michael Bay produced this piece of shit. The whole premise of being a prequel is basically canceled out after the first 20 minutes of the film as we are given the entire exposition and halfassed back story of Leatherface and his family mostly through montage. The marketing for the concept is to show how and why the killing spree began to in the first place, but really there is no motivation or explanation for the madness, which was ultimately the biggest disappointment for me. Despite having a unique opportunity to explore the character's motivations, emotions, personalities, etc. and make them fascinating and complex, the filmmakers settle for run-of-the mill one dimensional drivel. It's embarrassing how predictable the film is. Even the bad remake at least made Leatherface multi faceted. Since the film elected to focus purely on the horrific violence and suspense rather than the characters, I expected some intense and gruesome scenes, but in fact there was really only a moment of two that delivered the goods for me. Perhaps this is due to an increased desensitization after watching the Saw movies, but I suppose that's also a testament to Saw's superiority."


The Mist was most excellent, until the ending, which I suppose works on a thematic level, but the execution felt all kinds of off. Apart from that, a perfect example of the kind of thoughtful, refreshingly untrendy B-film that oughta be made more.

Matchcut = 1, critical consensus = 0.

Despite all of the positive feedback, I am still completely unmotivated to see it. In fact, before I was aware of the accolades, I allowed my brother to reveal the ending, which I rarely do, but I was so sure I would never watch it.

[Derek]

Bad Day at Black something

The awesomeness of that film begins and ends with Spencer Tracy playing a one-armed man who karate chops a guy to the ground. The rest is unfortunately dated and lame, which you'd think is virtually impossible given the mere presence of Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin, among others. But hopefully you'll be less disappointed than I was!

[Qrazy]

The awesomeness of that film begins and ends with Spencer Tracy playing a one-armed man who karate chops a guy to the ground. The rest is unfortunately dated and lame, which you'd think is virtually impossible given the mere presence of Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin, among others. But hopefully you'll be less disappointed than I was!

I agree. I have no love for The Magnificent Seven either. The Great Escape on the other hand, I thoroughly enjoy.

[MacGuffin]

I agree. I have no love for The Magnificent Seven either. The Great Escape on the other hand, I thoroughly enjoy.

Yeah, that's definitely one of my very favorites.

[Wryan]

The awesomeness of that film begins and ends with Spencer Tracy playing a one-armed man who karate chops a guy to the ground.

Whenever I happen upon it, I always exclaim "WHAM!" at that moment. Funny how whenever TCM pimps out the film, THAT'S the shot they use. WHAM!

Also, The Magnificent Seven is only as bad as Horst Buchholz can make it. Which is, unfortunately, pretty bad at times. It still has its moments though.

[origami_mustache]

The Great Dictator (Charles Chaplin, 1940)

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/chaplin_great_dictator.jpg

Links are to clips of scenes referred to:

Some complain that Chaplin was struggling to adapt to the sound era when he made The Great Dictator. I however contend that it is a lovely hybrid of silent and early sound aesthetics that was far ahead of it's time in terms of dark comedy and political satire. It's hard to believe the film came out in 1940 before the United States had even entered WWII. There are a few instances where I think the film could have been cut down as it gets a bit too talky and I think that it could have just as easily been entirely silent, however there are certainly scenes that make me think otherwise such as the riveting final speech (http://youtube.com/watch?v=5IvPIWzQcUY)which is just as relevant now as it was then. Scenes such as the one where Hynkel plays with the balloon globe (http://youtube.com/watch?v=IJOuoyoMhj8), the scene in which the men are eating cake with coins in them, or when the barber shaves along to the score (http://youtube.com/watch?v=J7_0rUZyuos) play like Chaplin's classic silent pieces. Conversely the film also makes audio gags that work well too. For example when the crowd applauds Hynkel's speech (http://youtube.com/watch?v=em7LWuP0T7Q&feature=related) only to be instantly muted by his hand gesture or the jingling of the coins in the Jewish barber's belly as he hiccups. My favorite scene has to be the upside down plane bit (http://youtube.com/watch?v=cXQJLzUnP7c) which only gets more hilarious as they run out of gas and apathetically embrace death as the plane crashes.

[Wryan]

The Great Dictator (Charles Chaplin, 1940)

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/chaplin_great_dictator.jpg

Links are to clips of scenes referred to:

Some complain that Chaplin was struggling to adapt to the sound era when he made The Great Dictator. There are a few instances where I think the film could have been cut down as it gets a bit too talky, but overall I found the film to be a lovely hybrid of silent and early sound aesthetics that was far ahead of it's time in terms of dark comedy and political satire. It's hard to believe the film came out in 1940 before the United States had even entered WWII. There are times where I think that the film could have just as easily been entirely silent, however there are certainly scenes that make me think otherwise such as the riveting final speech (http://youtube.com/watch?v=5IvPIWzQcUY)which is just as relevant now as it was then. Scenes such as the one where Hynkel plays with the balloon globe (http://youtube.com/watch?v=IJOuoyoMhj8), the scene in which the men are eating cake with coins in them, or when the barber shaves along to the score (http://youtube.com/watch?v=J7_0rUZyuos) play like Chaplin's classic silent pieces. Conversely the film also makes audio gags that work well too. For example when the crowd applauds Hynkel's speech (http://youtube.com/watch?v=em7LWuP0T7Q&feature=related) only to be instantly muted by his hand gesture or the jingling of the coins in the Jewish barber's belly as he hiccups. My favorite scene has to be the upside down plane bit (http://youtube.com/watch?v=cXQJLzUnP7c) which only gets more hilarious as they run out of gas and apathetically embrace death as the plane crashes.

I'm glad you liked the speech. Way too many people hate that speech. I adore it. :)

[origami_mustache]

I'm glad you liked the speech. Way too many people hate that speech. I adore it. :)

I understand why people would be turned off by it, as it it anything but subtle, but the entire film is pretty overt in it's satire and basically uses the same propaganda tactics used by the Nazis to defame the party, Hitler, Mussolini and facism in general.

[Boner M]

Excerpts from the new Diablo Cody screenplay have leaked! (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/diablo-cody-screenplay.php)

[Sycophant]

Excerpts from the new Diablo Cody screenplay have leaked! (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/diablo-cody-screenplay.php)
"She's different and she doesn't care who knows it!"

"That'd be paladin!"

"HAHA YEAH FUCK THE MUNDIES!"

That was great.

[megladon8]

I love The Great Dictator.

I think it's some of Chaplin's best work - and I, too, am a fan of the speech.

[Velocipedist]

I love The Great Dictator.

I think it's some of Chaplin's best work - and I, too, am a fan of the speech.

Seconded. It's probably my favourite of his, considering I'm not a big fan at all, but I haven't seen Modern Times.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Excerpts from the new Diablo Cody screenplay have leaked! (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/diablo-cody-screenplay.php)

That was brilliant. If I could buy advanced tickets right now, I would.

[megladon8]

Watched Mario Bava's Baron Blood last night.

It was great until about the last 1/4, which descended into some hoaky witchcraft stuff. Of course, the film's plot is based around a Baron who is cursed by witches and then brought back to life, but I just found the last section fell apart due to a completely change in tone.

But still, it was great, stylish fun.

[Spinal]

Excerpts from the new Diablo Cody screenplay have leaked! (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/diablo-cody-screenplay.php)

A colossal smackdown.

(sassy)

"Actually all lines should be read like this!!!"

:lol:

[Spinal]

I can only surmise that when people say they like the final speech in The Great Dictator they mean in a 'so bad it's good' kind of a way.

[Qrazy]

I can only surmise that when people say they like the final speech in The Great Dictator they mean in a 'so bad it's good' kind of a way.

Nope.

Sure it's explicit and over-the-top, but at least it's genuine.

[Sycophant]

The Great Dictator is my favorite Chaplin film and no amount of second-guessing rewatches have been able to convince me otherwise. I wish I could find a more articulate way to defend the final speech beyond my general (and somewhat inexplicable) love for Chaplin's recurring didacticism, something I also adore Limelight for. I certainly can understand why it rubs some people the wrong way, but considering the times and Chaplin's politics, I can't help but respect the choice. In fact, I think losing the speech at the end would do a great deal of damage to the film.

I need to spend some time developing my argument here. Perhaps another (seventh?) viewing is in order.

[Wryan]

I can only surmise that when people say they like the final speech in The Great Dictator they mean in a 'so bad it's good' kind of a way.

Actually, more like a "so genuine/naive it's painful to watch, but also moving" kinda way.

[Wryan]

Excerpts from the new Diablo Cody screenplay have leaked! (http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/diablo-cody-screenplay.php)

Funny, but also really easy.

Broadside: When people complain about the hipness of Juno, it's not so much the degree as it is the amount. I knew way more about Berkeley Breathed and Andy Kaufman at 16 than any 16-year-old kid should rightfully know and by 18 I had seen a fair amount of bizarrely obscure films. I don't doubt for a second that there are girls like Juno out there that have obscure channels of hipness, but I do doubt that so much hipness could be packed into one character. That's the real problem with the film, not the fact that there's hipness at all, but rather the amount we're asked to swallow. Too many critics complained about the presence/degree of the hipness when they should have been complaining about the amount.

Btw, I loved the movie. And I realize I wrote "hipness" too many times in the above paragraph. Deal with it, Admiral Ackbar.

[Sycophant]

I agree with those who say Juno would have been doubly funny with half as many jokes, though I'd be inclined to say it would have been doubly tolerable with half as many quips.

[Wryan]

I agree with those who say Juno would have been doubly funny with half as many jokes, though I'd be inclined to say it would have been doubly tolerable with half as many quips.

Might have been. Hard to say though. I laughed a whole helluva lot with/at the film.

[Spinal]

The funniest part of the film for me was probably the way Ellen Page says, "Whoa! Dream big!"

[Kurosawa Fan]

The funniest part of the film for me was probably the way Ellen Page says, "Whoa! Dream big!"

Was that in reference to Bateman's character revealing his profession? If so, I agree. In fact, it might have been the only time I really laughed out loud during the film.

[Spinal]

Was that in reference to Bateman's character revealing his profession? If so, I agree. In fact, it might have been the only time I really laughed out loud during the film.

No, it was in a scene with the stepmom. I think she said that she was going to get two dogs when Juno moved out or something.

[Sycophant]

The funniest part of the film for me was probably the way Ellen Page says, "Whoa! Dream big!"Imagine how much funnier that would have been if she'd said "Whoa! Dream big, Cheech and/or Chong!" or "Whoa! Dream big, [more obscure celebrity]!"

I'd watch the prequel film where Juno kills and absorbs the souls/pop culture knowledge of various teenage and twentysomething girls, thus explaining why she doesn't know what kind of girl she is beyond being a vague, idealized avatar for a certain screenwriter.

EDIT: I think I'm going to stop now.

[Watashi]

Juno is slowly becoming the most annoying film I've had to deal with regarding the general public.

I want this movie's popularity to end now.

[Watashi]

Napoleon Dynamite > Juno

[Sycophant]

Napoleon Dynamite > JunoI think I agree, though for me the popularity of the former was much more abrasive than that of the latter.

[Watashi]

I think I agree, though for me the popularity of the former was much more abrasive than that of the latter.
I can't go a day without people quoting the damn movie. At least ND didn't get any award recognizition so it didn't get that many followers. When you have middle-age men saying "cheese to my macaroni", you have a problem.

[Spinal]

Napoleon Dynamite > Juno

I would disagree. Napolean Dynamite doesn't have the cast that Juno has and is even more tiresome.

[Sycophant]

I can't go a day without people quoting the damn movie. At least ND didn't get any award recognizition so it didn't get that many followers. When you have middle-age men saying "cheese to my macaroni", you have a problem.
Ah feel your pain.

I live in Utah, which is part of the Greater Deseret area where the film was made. The film was also made by people from Brigham Young University (Jon Heder was actually one of my TAs there), so it had an amazing amount of regional support. My coworkers at the time quoted it ad nauseum.

[Watashi]

I would disagree. Napolean Dynamite doesn't have the cast that Juno has and is even more tiresome.
That one classmate in Juno is pretty much a Napoleon Dynamtie cut-out. It was pathetic.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I found an online copy of Truffaut's interviews with Hitchcock that he eventually turned out to his book. It's really wonderful stuff, and even throuh a translator there are many moments of great camaderie between two filmmakers. I'm a huge fan of both of them so listening to them talk during my daily commutes makes my days a little brighter. It makes me want to go back and see all of Hitch's films again.

[Philosophe_rouge]

While I like Juno I imagine it would be very annoying to have people quoting/referencing it constantly. I felt that way about 300 earlier this year, and Borat last year at my school. While I know many people who like Juno, the hip lingo phrases, etc. haven't entered the vernacular, something I'm thankful for.

[Spinal]

I would like to see SNL do another version of The McLaughlin Group featuring Juno, Dr. Phil, Quentin Tarantino and Flavor Flav.

[NickGlass]

Funny, but also really easy.

Broadside: When people complain about the hipness of Juno, it's not so much the degree as it is the amount. I knew way more about Berkeley Breathed and Andy Kaufman at 16 than any 16-year-old kid should rightfully know and by 18 I had seen a fair amount of bizarrely obscure films. I don't doubt for a second that there are girls like Juno out there that have obscure channels of hipness, but I do doubt that so much hipness could be packed into one character. That's the real problem with the film, not the fact that there's hipness at all, but rather the amount we're asked to swallow. Too many critics complained about the presence/degree of the hipness when they should have been complaining about the amount.

Btw, I loved the movie. And I realize I wrote "hipness" too many times in the above paragraph. Deal with it, Admiral Ackbar.

One of my main problems is that nearly every character in the film speaks in a convoluted, verbose, faux-hip way--even the father.

[Wryan]

I'd watch the prequel film where Juno kills and absorbs the souls/pop culture knowledge of various teenage and twentysomething girls, thus explaining why she doesn't know what kind of girl she is beyond being a vague, idealized avatar for a certain screenwriter.

Dunno if it's worth it since you are so strong in your feelings about the film, but she doesn't talk hip with her parents, specifically her dad, because they/he know it's mostly the posturing of a 16-year-old kid trying to protect herself. If she's with a parent but still around other people (going to meet the baby couple), she can still snark around to show off a bit. If she's with a friend or confidante (Batemen) she can wax that hip sheen to an even brighter finish. When her dad said "I thought you were the kind of girl who knew when to say when" (paraphrasing), you should be noticing the very pregnant pause (no pun intended) she takes before answering him, shaking just a bit from the tenuous ground she's on. She has no slick answer when her dad looks straight at her with disappointed eyes.

[Wryan]

One of my main problems is that nearly every character in the film speaks in a convoluted, verbose, faux-hip way--even the father.

I've seen this complaint before but I can't see it. Can you name some lines from the father that are "hip"? Punch the kid in the wiener? Cause I can't really think of anything. Her friend/boyfriend do because they hang out together. Bateman sorta does because he's practically still a teen. Garner doesn't. Mom doesn't.

[Ezee E]

I'm still surprised that a comedy gets so much discussion.

Anyways, Across the Universe may be up there with I'm Not There as one of the riskiest movies of the year. Although I'm Not There succeeds more than it fails, whereas Across the Universe is hindered by feeling like a Gap commercial at times, and sometimes focusing on the songs a little more than it should. Although it's tough to take focus off the songs when it's The Beatles. It is amazing to watch though. I would've definitely nominated it for Art Direction, and possibly Cinematography. My favorite section in the movie is when it was dealing with the draft.

[Rowland]

When her dad said "I thought you were the kind of girl who knew when to say when" (paraphrasing), you should be noticing the very pregnant pause (no pun intended) she takes before answering him, shaking just a bit from the tenuous ground she's on. She has no slick answer when her dad looks straight at her with disappointed eyes.Dude...

I say we call a moratorium on Juno discussion.

[Wryan]

Dude...

I say we call a moratorium on Juno discussion.

I wasn't really here when the frenzy went on before. Why should I hold back from defending a film or wanting to discuss it just because people who dislike it are tired of talking about it?

[Rowland]

Anyways, Across the Universe may be up there with I'm Not There as one of the riskiest movies of the year. I don't know, I'd say Across the Universe is a hell of a lot more accessible, given that it plays like a Disney-fied abridgment of the '60s made for undemanding Broadway patrons with short attention spans. On those grounds, it has its share of appeal, but I don't think there's anything particularly risky about it.

[Velocipedist]

Across the Universe

Titus remains my favourite Taymor movie. I'm adore it, actually. Yes, it's better than Frida.

[DavidSeven]

I can't go a day without people quoting the damn movie. At least ND didn't get any award recognizition so it didn't get that many followers. When you have middle-age men saying "cheese to my macaroni", you have a problem.

I have yet to encounter this. Is this even an especially quotable movie? It's not like Napoleon Dynamite or Borat where the main characters have very specific idiosyncrasies or quotes. I think you're overstating how much impact this movie has had on popular culture.

[Spinal]

I've seen this complaint before but I can't see it. Can you name some lines from the father that are "hip"? Punch the kid in the wiener? Cause I can't really think of anything. Her friend/boyfriend do because they hang out together. Bateman sorta does because he's practically still a teen. Garner doesn't. Mom doesn't.

The dad is explictly a non-hip spin on the same kind of character. Same kind of writing except that the character in question 'doesn't get it.'

Examples:

Mac MacGuff: Whats that thing?
Vanessa Loring: It's a pilates machine.
Mac MacGuff: What do you make with it?
Vanessa Loring: Oh you don't make anything with it, its for exercise.
Mac MacGuff: Oh. My wife ordered one of those Tony Little Gazelles off the television... I don't know about that guy. He doesn't look right.

.....

Mac MacGuff: Are you having boy troubles? I gotta be honest; I don't much approve of dating in your condition, 'cause well... that's kind of messed up.
Juno MacGuff: Dad, no!
Mac MacGuff: Well, it's kind of skanky. Isn't that what you girls call it? Skanky? Skeevy?
Juno MacGuff: Please stop now.
Mac MacGuff: [persisting] Tore up from the floor up?

[NickGlass]

I don't know, I'd say Across the Universe is a hell of a lot more accessible, given that it plays like a Disney-fied abridgment of the '60s made for undemanding Broadway patrons with short attention spans. On those grounds, it has its share of appeal, but I don't think there's anything particularly risky about it.

Yeah, the difference between Across the Universe and I'm Not There is that Across the Universe is risky simply in its over-the-top aesthetic, while I'm Not There is risky in its academic approach to filmmaking. Haynes plays with the idea of challenging the concept of history and "celebrity" while Taymor simply panders to her ostensibly liberal-minded audience.

[Wryan]

The dad is explictly a non-hip spin on the same kind of character. Same kind of writing except that the character in question 'doesn't get it.'

Examples:

Mac MacGuff: Whats that thing?
Vanessa Loring: It's a pilates machine.
Mac MacGuff: What do you make with it?
Vanessa Loring: Oh you don't make anything with it, its for exercise.
Mac MacGuff: Oh. My wife ordered one of those Tony Little Gazelles off the television... I don't know about that guy. He doesn't look right.

.....

Mac MacGuff: Are you having boy troubles? I gotta be honest; I don't much approve of dating in your condition, 'cause well... that's kind of messed up.
Juno MacGuff: Dad, no!
Mac MacGuff: Well, it's kind of skanky. Isn't that what you girls call it? Skanky? Skeevy?
Juno MacGuff: Please stop now.
Mac MacGuff: [persisting] Tore up from the floor up?

Well right there you've just proved that everyone isn't hip (one of the complaints we were talking about). Plus, I take the second passage as a very knowing kind of inversion. Not the "doesn't get it" kind but the "trying to cheer his daughter up" kind. He's not brainlessly running off lingo. He's doing it intentionally because he knows he doesn't talk like that.

[Ezee E]

Dude...

I say we call a moratorium on Juno discussion.
It's okay to have a full page of bashing, but someone comes up with a good defense, and things have to end? Mmm'kay. :)


I don't know, I'd say Across the Universe is a hell of a lot more accessible, given that it plays like a Disney-fied abridgment of the '60s made for undemanding Broadway patrons with short attention spans. On those grounds, it has its share of appeal, but I don't think there's anything particularly risky about it.

Taking the most popular music and using it as your soundtrack is a bit of a risk to me. Especially when presented with all the techniques that are used. If it's not risky, it's definitely unique.

[Ezee E]

It's okay to have a full page of bashing, but someone comes up with a good defense, and things have to end? Mmm'kay. :)



Taking the most popular music and using it as your soundtrack is a bit of a risk to me. Especially when presented with all the techniques that are used. If it's not risky, it's definitely unique.
While the dad may not understand the hip, he still has a unique way of talking, which leads to the daughter talking the way that she talks.

[Rowland]

It's okay to have a full page of bashing, but someone comes up with a good defense, and things have to end? Mmm'kay. :)Hey man, I just got here. The bashing is tiresome too. Note that I didn't contribute. ;)

[Wryan]

Note that I didn't contribute. ;)

:P

[Spinal]

Well right there you've just proved that everyone isn't hip (one of the complaints we were talking about). Plus, I take the second passage as a very knowing kind of inversion. Not the "doesn't get it" kind but the "trying to cheer his daughter up" kind. He's not brainlessly running off lingo. He's doing it intentionally because he knows he doesn't talk like that.

It's still a shallow character who is defined largely by his knowledge of pop culture (in this case, not very much).

[MacGuffin]

I picked up some flicks from my local library. Does anybody have any thoughts on them, or care to discuss them?

Magnolia (Paul Thomas Anderson)
Last Life in the Universe (Pen-ek Ratanaruang)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Alfonso Cuarón)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Chris Colombus)
Le Diable probablement [VHS] (Robert Bresson)

I saw part of Magnolia years ago, but I didn't really like movies like I do now. I'm really excited to see Last Life in the Universe. I liked the first Harry Potter, so I'm hoping the next two deliver that same fantasy atmosphere. As for Le Diable probablement, it's a VHS tape, so it's not going to be great quality, but I'm curious to see how it compares to Les Amants réguliers.

[Wryan]

It's still a shallow character who is defined largely by his knowledge of pop culture (in this case, not very much).

Can't agree. :)

[Derek]

Well right there you've just proved that everyone isn't hip (one of the complaints we were talking about). Plus, I take the second passage as a very knowing kind of inversion. Not the "doesn't get it" kind but the "trying to cheer his daughter up" kind. He's not brainlessly running off lingo. He's doing it intentionally because he knows he doesn't talk like that.

Ohhh, because he's old and not hip to the lingo! Peel another layer off this onion.

[Spinal]

Taymor simply panders to her ostensibly liberal-minded audience.

If you say that about Across the Universe, you have to say it about Yellow Submarine. Taymor's film is very much in keeping with the view of the era we get by listening to Beatles' albums, which was the whole point of the project.

[Spinal]

Can't agree. :)

Nobody's perfect.

[Spinal]

Ohhh, because he's old and not hip to the lingo! Peel another layer off this onion.

He is the ivory to her ebony.

[Qrazy]

I haven't even seen Juno and I know it's awful. In fact all films are awful. You're all wasting your lives.

[Wryan]

Magnolia (Paul Thomas Anderson)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Alfonso Cuarón)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Chris Colombus)


Magnolia is basically like a woman slow-waltzing with a sledgehammer as a partner, occasionally leaning over to kill someone waltzing nearby. It's a great film.

Prisoner is the best HP film because it's actually an adaptation and Cuaron's sensibilities about angst and sexuality are allowed to bloom just slightly, just enough to be palpable. Also, it's got Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, and incredible cinematography/direction.

Chamber is a sight better than the first Columbus foray but it's still not good enough to warrant multiple viewings. Some great special effects but the story plods on too melodramatically.

[Wryan]

Ohhh, because he's old and not hip to the lingo! Peel another layer off this onion.

/shrugs

If you didn't like the film, that's fine. No need to diminish my opinion of it.

[dreamdead]

Last Life in the Universe (Pen-ek Ratanaruang)

I'm a huge fan of this one. Extremely understated in terms of dialogue, so much so that most of the dialogue centers around mundane phrases, but Pen-ek and Christopher Doyle orchestrate a marvelously cinematic vision. In terms of a visual template, it's magnificent; as a study of repressed identity, it's likewise solid--a friend opined last summer that he and I should write a critical essay on the film titled "Cumming into Consciousness". Once you see the film, the title becomes obvious. And the film, when read from a framework of repression and trauma studies, it's quite instructive.

The key to your appreciation will be how you handle the shift in tone in the third act. Some feel Pen-ek loses his focus there; I feel it's led into beautifully.

[MacGuffin]

I'm a huge fan of this one. Extremely understated in terms of dialogue, so much so that most of the dialogue centers around mundane phrases, but Pen-ek and Christopher Doyle orchestrate a marvelously cinematic vision. In terms of a visual template, it's magnificent; as a study of repressed identity, it's likewise solid--a friend opined last summer that he and I should write a critical essay on the film titled "Cumming into Consciousness". Once you see the film, the title becomes obvious. And the film, when read from a framework of repression and trauma studies, it's quite instructive.

The key to your appreciation will be how you handle the shift in tone in the third act. Some feel Pen-ek loses his focus there; I feel it's led into beautifully.

Sounds just awesome.

[Derek]

As for Le Diable probablement, it's a VHS tape, so it's not going to be great quality, but I'm curious to see how it compares to Les Amants réguliers.

It's one of Bresson's weaker films, but still very interesting. Aside from the setting, it's not all that familiar with Regular Lovers since it's very much a post-revolution film. He's more concerned with the oppression of the individual and the complete failure of all discourse to effectively combat the inevitable encroachment of capitalism (the widespread effects of which he outlines brilliantly in L'Argent).

[MacGuffin]

It's one of Bresson's weaker films, but still very interesting. Aside from the setting, it's not all that familiar with Regular Lovers since it's very much a post-revolution film. He's more concerned with the oppression of the individual and the complete failure of all discourse to effectively combat the inevitable encroachment of capitalism (the widespread effects of which he outlines brilliantly in L'Argent).

I basically heard Garrel ripped this one off.

[Derek]

/shrugs

If you didn't like the film, that's fine. No need to diminish my opinion of it.

Didn't mean to diminish your opinion of it, but rather point out Cody's obvious pandering to youth in those exchanges. Not a single line of the parts Spinal quoted rang true or were even particularly clever......in my opinion, lest you think I'm insulting your intelligence once again. ;)

[Rowland]

If you say that about Across the Universe, you have to say it about Yellow Submarine. Taymor's film is very much in keeping with the view of the era we get by listening to Beatles' albums, which was the whole point of the project.Is that really the view of the era we get by listening to their albums? A trite love story that spans the era while lightly touching upon every basic characterizing historical detail that has been saturated and white-washed into the public consciousness? I'm no Beatles expert, but I can't imagine their music isn't being oversimplified here. And does the movie say anything about the relation between the Beatles and the era? It seems to me a more cynical branding of marketable icons.

[Sycophant]

I'm still surprised that a comedy gets so much discussion. No matter how many times I read this sentence or others like it, I'll never understand it.

[Derek]

I basically heard Garrel ripped this one off.

Garrel's has a similar feeling of resignation, but it's still set in the '60s when there was hope and the dream of a possible utopia was seemingly within reach. Bresson's film is far more despairing as the revolution has descended to internal fighting and senseless anarchy. The revolutionary kids are still going through the motions (drugs, sex, etc.) but there's no longer a foundation beneath their actions and its merely mimicry in a feigned attempt at standing opposed to the powers that be. But don't worry, Bresson equally skewers organized religion and psychology for leading to similar dead ends...quite the uplifting film. :)

[Wryan]

Didn't mean to diminish your opinion of it, but rather point out Cody's obvious pandering to youth in those exchanges. Not a single line of the parts Spinal quoted rang true or were even particularly clever......in my opinion, lest you think I'm insulting your intelligence once again. ;)

Well I do consider myself moderately intelligent, and I still laughed at both of those exchanges. Take of that whatever you wish.

[Derek]

No matter how many times I read this sentence or others like it, I'll never understand it.

Yup, the mindset that if a film is only meant to be fun or funny, we shouldn't be critical of it or think critically about it is one that always makes my head hurt.

[Derek]

Well I do consider myself moderately intelligent, and I still laughed at both of those exchanges. Take of that whatever you wish.

I take that you and I disagree about the effectiveness of Cody's writing. I'm still not sure where you thought I was insulting your intelligence simply because I disagreed with you.

[Wryan]

I take that you and I disagree about the effectiveness of Cody's writing. I'm still not sure where you thought I was insulting your intelligence simply because I disagreed with you.

"Ohhh, because he's old and not hip to the lingo! Peel another layer off this onion."

Felt like you were mocking my argument. That's all. :cool:

[MadMan]

This is what I wrote up after watching TCM: The Beginning back around Halloween.

"A very lazily written hodgepodge of the original and the remake. It comes as no surprise that Michael Bay produced this piece of shit. The whole premise of being a prequel is basically canceled out after the first 20 minutes of the film as we are given the entire exposition and halfassed back story of Leatherface and his family mostly through montage. The marketing for the concept is to show how and why the killing spree began to in the first place, but really there is no motivation or explanation for the madness, which was ultimately the biggest disappointment for me. Despite having a unique opportunity to explore the character's motivations, emotions, personalities, etc. and make them fascinating and complex, the filmmakers settle for run-of-the mill one dimensional drivel. It's embarrassing how predictable the film is. Even the bad remake at least made Leatherface multi faceted. Since the film elected to focus purely on the horrific violence and suspense rather than the characters, I expected some intense and gruesome scenes, but in fact there was really only a moment of two that delivered the goods for me. Perhaps this is due to an increased desensitization after watching the Saw movies, but I suppose that's also a testament to Saw's superiority."Awesome write up, and you hit on many reasons why the film fails. Sure I was creeped out, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I was in a darkened theater watching it late at night. I actually prefer to watch horror films during the day or early at night at home simply because that's a better way of gaging their scariness. Although I must admit the fact that I watched The Blair Witch in the month of October with fall in full bloom on a gloomy afternoon certainly contributed to its high levels of creepiness.
I haven't seen the TCM remake but I might actually check it out, just to see how much Bay bastardized the concept of the original film. I have no intention of ever seeing the Saw films.


I would like to see SNL do another version of The McLaughlin Group featuring Juno, Dr. Phil, Quentin Tarantino and Flavor Flav.That would be hilarious. The only one of those people I would be able to hang out with would probably be Flavor Flav :lol:

I have a feeling that I will really like Juno. I'll probably catch it after it gets released on DVD though. TCM while great has also helped reduced my theater viewings to zero.

Maybe its because I saw it when I was younger (actually on New Years' Eve 1999 because I was sick at the time) but I really like Bad Day At Black Rock. I have to say that Tracy's badass performance really drives the film, even if its attempts at diving into issues such as racism, small town bigotry and distrust of strangers fall somewhat flat. Marvin and Ryan are pretty cool as bad guys though.

Sure I'll give it a chance but judging from the trailer and the descriptions of it I have a feeling I won't like All Across the Universe. And I'm a huge Beatles fan.

[Derek]

"Ohhh, because he's old and not hip to the lingo! Peel another layer off this onion."

Felt like you were mocking my argument. That's all. :cool:

No no, I was mocking the shallowness of Cody's inclusion of those exchanges.

[Rowland]

No no, I was mocking the shallowness of Cody's inclusion of those exchanges.So you're saying he likes shallow entertainment?!

:P

[Winston*]

I have done the research, and while there may be some soul named after a certain Roman goddess, there is no one in the United States of America with the last name "McGuff". No one.

[Derek]

So you're saying he likes shallow entertainment?!

:P

Hey man, internet discussion boards are not for the thin-skinned! :)

[Rowland]

Hey man, internet discussion boards are not for the thin-skinned! :)Nor should they be.

Right on with your rating for We Own the Night, by the way. As admirably unfashionable as it is, I found most of it to be leaden, and the ending was curiously lacking in impact or resonance. The drug lair sequence was the highlight.

[Qrazy]

Hey man, internet discussion boards are not for the thin-skinned! :)

They're for the big boned?

[Spinal]

I'm no Beatles expert, but I can't imagine their music isn't being oversimplified here.

The Beatles, particularly John Lennon, loved boiling things down to strong, simple emotions.

Example:

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be in time
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need

Another example:

Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism,
Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, That-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m

All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Yeah!
C'mon
Ev'rybody's talking about Ministers,
Sinisters, Banisters
And canisters, Bishops, and Fishops,
And Rabbis, and Pop eyes, Bye, bye, bye byes

All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Let me tell you now
Ev'rybody's talking about
Revolution, evolution, masturbation,
Flagellation, regulation, integration,
Meditation, United Nations,
Congratulations.

All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Ev'rybody's talking about
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary,
Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan,
Tommy Cooper,
Derek Taylor, Norman Mailer,
Allen Ginsberg, Hare Krishna,
Hare, Hare
Krishna

All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance,
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Simple, broad, deeply felt emotions are what the Beatles are about. Overthinking and sophisticated political thought are not.

[Wryan]

Hey man, internet discussion boards are not for the thin-skinned! :)

You're forgetting I shrugged.

A prolepsis wins every argument for you. :)

[DavidSeven]

I have done the research, and while there may be some soul named after a certain Roman goddess, there is no one in the United States of America with the last name "McGuff". No one.

Google says otherwise.

[MadMan]

Overthinking and sophisticated political thought are not.That would be Dylan's province to some extent....although he's more like a traveling poet.

[Derek]

Nor should they be.

Right on with your rating for We Own the Night, by the way. As admirably unfashionable as it is, I found most of it to be leaden, and the ending was curiously lacking in impact or resonance. The drug lair sequence was the highlight.

Definitely. That sequence finally brought some much needed ambiguous tension to the film and I loved Gray's use of silence within the reeds to build tension along with the sudden single gunshot that immediately deflated all tension, but in a good way if you know what I mean! :) The car chase was really poorly filmed and for such a crucial scene was surprisingly dull. Overall, it wasn't bad but disappointing since it had the potential to be great.

[Rowland]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Jonathan Liebesman, 2006)

Lean and mean, this prequel to the remake is not only superior to the overly slick and bloated thrills of its direct forebear, it's a pretty respectable effort in its own right.

Liebesman demonstrates a genuine flair for expressive visuals that successfully evoke grit, dread, and even existential despair when the situation calls for it, while rarely coming across as overly affected. There are no CGI-zooms through fresh head shots here, which isn't to say that Liebesman has eschewed all sense for the playfully absurd. On the contrary, pitch-black humor is employed steadily throughout, and to my pleasant surprise, some of it actually works, enough so that I imagine Hooper would approve.

The exposition is kept minimal, with cross-cutting applied between plot threads to keep the pace lively and tension escalating, while the protagonists are written as less obnoxious than the slugs who typically populate these movies, making them easier to root for than one is usually accustomed to and thus driving home the inevitable nihilism of the piece with something resembling genuine pathos. Even the family of cannibals are afforded some dimension, their collective fate correlated along with the protagonists as a direct product of the Vietnam-era milieu. Sadly, their origin material isn't written as gracefully as I'd hoped, but the execution provokes less groans than I anticipated.

As cynical, exploitative entertainment goes, this isn't bad. The movie doesn't amount to much (how could it?), and there are assorted notably contrived elements at play in the narrative, but it IS gruesome, there are a few good scares to be had, and it manages to effectively shift tones between sobering hard-R horror and black humor without missing a beat, all without coming across as overly glib.

[dreamdead]

The Dardennes' films elicit some of the most internal, yet visceral, reactions to a film I've ever encountered. La Promesse is more of the same, just as relevatory to me as The Son (the first work of their I watched due to Boner's prodding). Just phenomenal storytelling, full of metaphor and symbolism that's woven into the narrative. And the layers of psychology and redemption in their cinema make me come away from the films refreshed and rejuvenated. Masterful. Just masterful.

[Sycophant]

I watched Haneke's original Funny Games last night. Still working out my thoughts on it. Certainly interesting, but I'm not sure exactly how much I liked it.

[Bosco B Thug]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (Jonathan Liebesman, 2006) Interesting.

You know, I think when it comes to movies, it's not the material that makes or breaks a movie. If Robert Altman directing this material, this would be awesome. If Paul Thomas Anderson or David Gordon Green directed this script: likely awesomeness. But Liebesman is a meh. When Leatherface is let go, the close-ups and then his angry turn in slo-mo is awful. That final shot is laughable. Also, the kills were boring. Everyone got killed in the same way (chainsaw-strike then an interminable amount of time watching said sawing); there was nothing as memorable as the calf-sawing in the first film. The movie was one long big sludge.

As for humor, all I remember is the fat-lady-in-chair gag. Which was pretty good. And the leg sawing. Which was pointless.

But I understand you aren't totally championing the flick. But you know, Hostel II "greater-than"-sign... I guess with that and Juno, I don't mind me some glib sometimes.

[koji]

Concerning Juno, on many liberal blogs, eg the NY Times, a negative comment about Juno elists a response about sexism. I liked the film more than others here, and the metaphor-laden speech seems like Chandler, Hammet, and Cain to me. But, I can certainly understand that many won't like the movie for reasons that are not sexist. It's a film, I guess many don't seem to get that.

[Rowland]

Concerning Juno, on many liberal blogs, eg the NY Times, a negative comment about Juno elists a response about sexism.Unless the negative comments are explicitly sexist, anybody who responds to Juno criticisms in such a manner deserves a double-twirl jump-kick.

[Watashi]

The best thing about Anatomy of a Murder is George C. Scott. He's the perfect counter-balance to Jimmy Stewart's "aw shucks" routine (this is a role Jimmy sleepwalks through). It is a film ahead of its time (it was the first time words like "panties" were uttered), and for a courtroom drama, it's definitely engaging through it's near 3 hour runtime. I just wish the ending was tied a bit tighter. After the verdict is reached, the film just sorta... ends.

[koji]

Unless the negative comments are explicitly sexist, anybody who responds to Juno criticisms in such a manner deserves a double-twirl jump-kick. I agree. The comments were not remotely explicitly sexist.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Is that really the view of the era we get by listening to their albums? A trite love story that spans the era while lightly touching upon every basic characterizing historical detail that has been saturated and white-washed into the public consciousness? I'm no Beatles expert, but I can't imagine their music isn't being oversimplified here. And does the movie say anything about the relation between the Beatles and the era? It seems to me a more cynical branding of marketable icons.

Nope. Trite just about nails it.

[Raiders]

Nope. Trite just about nails it.

No post has deserved negative rep more, but I'll let the sheer wrongness of this post speak for itself.

[baby doll]

Weekend:

Ashes and Diamonds (Andrzej Wajda)
A Generation (Andrzej Wajda)
Mistaken Memories of Medieval Manhattan (Brian Eno)
Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
Thursday Afternoon (Brian Eno)

[MadMan]

Interesting write up Rowland to say the least. I wish I had been able to see as much as you did in that flick, but I just didn't. Its the very definition of "meh" to me. I actually wrote a review of the flick after seeing it (a year before I actually viewed the original "TCM" actually) that I may dig up. Its burried in one of my school note books from my freshmen year of college.

Little Big Man(1970) is a film I highly recommend. I loved how it not only took the side of the Native Americans, but also showed the west in a sort of comedic yet at times very serious manner, throwing in satire for good measure. To me the film is not only awesome fiction with historical elements (the protangonist Jack wonderfully played by Dustin Hoffman has a front row seat to Little Big Horn) but manages to convey a bit of sorrow over the death and demise of the west and the freedom that roomed over its plains. I must also note that I believe this film was a strong influence on Forrest Gump(1994) abeit not as good, and that I really loved this film as well. Chief Dan George is also pretty awesome in this also, although I prefer his cooler performance in the underrated western The Outlaw Josey Wales(1976). I wish I had seen this film before the 1970 consenus as it would have gotten my vote. 90

[Spinal]

Alfonso Cuarón?

Still silent on the topic of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

[dreamdead]

Alfonso Cuarón?

Still silent on the topic of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

They're like Rosebud, man. Rowling and the directors could tell what they mean to the mythos of Potterland, but would that get you any closer to understanding what they really mean? Embrace the mystery. In the epilogue to the seventh film, a slow dolly-out shot will reveal all.

[MadMan]

They're like Rosebud, man. Rowling and the directors could tell what they mean to the mythos of Potterland, but would that get you any closer to understanding what they really mean? Embrace the mystery. In the epilogue to the seventh film, a slow dolly-out shot will reveal all.:lol:

So far Save The Tiger is very interesting. The feeling of desperation, despair, and a man (Jack Lemmon) on the edge of ruin is very strong. I don't know if I'll be able to stay with this movie. But I'll try. After that its back to the western with The Shootest, John Wayne's final film.

[Raiders]

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Cuarón, 2004) **1/2

Oh come on. David Thewlis and the line "page 394" should get this an automatic three stars.

[MadMan]

Oh come on. David Thewlis and the line "page 394" should get this an automatic three stars.That line was funny. And Thewlis + Oldman are enough to get the movie ***/****.

[Rowland]

Alfonso Cuarón? As in you can't believe he wasted his time with this, or it doesn't feel like a Cuarón movie? Because if nothing else, I think his directorial imprint is all over the movie. As to whether his effort is misplaced or not is up for debate.

[Rowland]

What is this "page 394" line?

[MadMan]

What is this "page 394" line?Alan Rickman says it. The way he says it is funny to me. Its when he's holding one of his classes.

[Raiders]

What is this "page 394" line?
The best scene in the film when Rickman is substituting for Thewlis.

[Wryan]

Geez, Prisoner should start at 2.5 stars before beginning the movie, at the least.

:(

[ledfloyd]

The King of Kong was pretty exciting. Billy Mitchell is a superdouche. Still, it's no Wordplay.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Wow. Vacancy was actually a pretty tight, nice little thriller. Faltered a bit by being a bit too tidy in its resolution, due to some contrivances and head-scratching character decisions, but overall I liked it. Color me surprised.

Not so surprisingly, In the Shadow of the Moon was remarkable. Hearing the stories from the astronauts that lived it was something special. I think maybe because I didn't grow up in that time period that perhaps I've taken space travel for granted, but there was one image in the film that really struck me. It was a short clip of a guy doing maintenance to the thrusters of one of those 300 foot rockets. That really put things in perspective. Too often I seem to take technology for granted, and don't properly consider the amount of human effort and ingenuity that goes into creating some of the things around me. To see this one man tightening bolts on a rocket of that magnitude, one that would be responsible for carrying three men to the moon, it just kind of knocked me over. The film had a lot of wonderful images, and a fantastic score as well. Definitely recommended.

[Spinal]

As in you can't believe he wasted his time with this, or it doesn't feel like a Cuarón movie?

As in he has nothing to say about Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

[Spinal]

Geez, Prisoner should start at 2.5 stars before beginning the movie, at the least.

:(

Why?

[Sycophant]

Oh come on. David Thewlis and the line "page 394" should get this an automatic three stars.
It's all about Harry, ahem, exploring in that first scene.

But I still give it 2.5.

[Spinal]

The direction and pacing are clearly superior to the first two films and there's some nifty effects, but eh, with all that and many of the finest actors on the planet, I still don't give a hoot. I'll probably stop here unless my kid specifically requests the next film.

[Wryan]

Why?

Cause that's my cheeky way of saying it's a really good movie.

[Wryan]

The direction and pacing are clearly superior to the first two films and there's some nifty effects, but eh, with all that and many of the finest actors on the planet, I still don't give a hoot. I'll probably stop here unless my kid specifically requests the next film.

But if you miss the 4th and 5th movies, you'll miss Ralph Fiennes being a villain!

;)

[Watashi]

The 6th Potter is probably my favorite, but of course I am biased in favor of teh Luna.

[Spinal]

But if you miss the 4th and 5th movies, you'll miss Ralph Fiennes being a villain!

;)

Just when I thought I was out ...

[Spinal]

The 6th Potter is probably my favorite, but of course I am biased in favor of teh Luna.

Have they made 6 movies already? I thought it was 5. Or are you talking about the book?

[EyesWideOpen]

Alfonso Cuarón?

Still silent on the topic of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

The four houses in Harry Potter are meant to represent the world we live in. Gryffindor represent the small group of people who are truly good, Slytherin represents the small group of people who are truly bad, and Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are the majority who are people that are just there.

:|

[Watashi]

Have they made 6 movies already? I thought it was 5. Or are you talking about the book?
Oops. I mean 5th.

[Spinal]

The four houses in Harry Potter are meant to represent the world we live in. Gryffindor represent the small group of people who are truly good, Slytherin represents the small group of people who are truly bad, and Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are the majority who are people that are just there.

:|

Best explanation I've heard so far.

[Spinal]

It was pretty cool to have Rickman, Thewlis, Oldman and Spall all in the same scene. Emma Thompson was kind of a disappointment though. Her ex-husband was much funnier.

[Sven]

It was pretty cool to have Rickman, Thewlis, Oldman and Spall all in the same scene.

It was cool, but I didn't understand it. (Is that the scene where Spall's character is exposed or whatever? When they're in the little treehut or whatever? Yeah. Whatever.)

[Spinal]

It was cool, but I didn't understand it.

I didn't really either, but I was willing to blame myself.

[Sven]

I didn't really either, but I was willing to blame myself.

I should probably start doing that. Blaming myself when a movie fails to make its narrative comprehensible to me. But I dunno... I don't consider myself particularly dense.

In the case of Potter, though, I'm not willing to give Rowling ANY credit for making sense.

[Sycophant]

Oh, yeah, I enjoyed Azkaban more than the previous two Potters, but the whole film pretty much doesn't make any damned sense.

[EyesWideOpen]

Oh, yeah, I enjoyed Azkaban more than the previous two Potters, but the whole film pretty much doesn't make any damned sense.

Me too, I think Azkaban is really where the films started getting good but 4 and 5 are my favorites so far.

[Spinal]

Oh, yeah, I enjoyed Azkaban more than the previous two Potters, but the whole film pretty much doesn't make any damned sense.

You know what scene I think works? When Harry discovers the true identity of the person who fends off the Dementors. There's a nice, subtle point made there. I liked that scene. Most of the time though, I don't get the sense that the stories are really about anything -- apart from colorful characters and a somewhat arbitrary series of perilous situations. Perhaps that should be enough.

[Winston*]

Me too, I think Azkaban is really where the films started getting good but 4 and 5 are my favorites so far.

Weird, because the books pretty much get progressively worse after the first one (haven't read the seventh).

[megladon8]

Oh, yeah, I enjoyed Azkaban more than the previous two Potters, but the whole film pretty much doesn't make any damned sense.


How so? You mean all the time travel stuff?

[MacGuffin]

I watched some shorts by The Brothers Quay. Great stuff for the most part.

[Yxklyx]

I watched some shorts by The Brothers Quay. Great stuff for the most part.

Did you watch the Special Features? My favorite of theirs is their first film that for some reason is in the Special Features section.

[Bosco B Thug]

Argh! Black Book was so close to being an 8.5/10 but that

very last double-cross (the Doctor) totally ruined it. It overkilled the double-crossing, forced its point across (how war isn't just good vs. evil but a complex network of pricks screwing each other over), and totally took away from that great scene with Van Houten back in prison, back again rboringly having to recite Bible verses, and getting shit dumped on her. The doctor had come in a hero, taken her away, allowed her finally the "Victory Jeep Ride" we anticipated for her, yet is all together unheedful of why she breaks down crying about Mutze. That should have been enough, but then it had to go and make him a one-dimensional villain! Argh. If it had ended with her crying and saying, "Will it never end?" (which, in the moment, so perfectly encapsulates the dashed expectations and irrevocable epiphany-humiliations Ellis has had to endure as a wannabe Mata Hari), this film might've even been a 9/10.

But other than that, I thought it was great and Verhoeven perfectly over-stylizes the film to fit Van Houten's romantic hopes of transgressing the Nazi regime, but throughout, he tinges the film with a very contemporary, matter-of-fact touch. The best thing about the film is Ellis (or Candice Van Houten, no need to give-or-take). The vague qualities and forced convictions the heroine forces on herself creates just the right balance to make her both involving and enigmatic. I have a thing for enigmatic heroines in which the film "acts on them" in a meta way (thus the Naomi Watts article and The Birds consistently rocking my world). Verhoeven doesn't let Van Houten get away with things, and the best moment is when

she sees her friend riding in the Victory parade, the place where she should have been, instead of being on the run.

[MacGuffin]

Did you watch the Special Features? My favorite of theirs is their first film that for some reason is in the Special Features section.

I watched The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer (which was great), This Unnameable Little Broom (or The Epic of Gilgamesh) (which was bad), and Street of Crocodiles (which was great as well). I'm open to suggestions anyhow, since I rented both disks from Netflix, and feel like I'll never get around to watching all of the shorts on them.

[Yxklyx]

I watched The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer (which was great), This Unnameable Little Broom (or The Epic of Gilgamesh) (which was bad), and Street of Crocodiles (which was great as well). I'm open to suggestions anyhow, since I rented both disks from Netflix, and feel like I'll never get around to watching all of the shorts on them.

Well you should watch The Comb and Nocturna Artificialia which is in the special features section. Have you seen any Svankmajer films - The Quays are greatly influenced by him.

[MacGuffin]

Well you should watch The Comb and Nocturna Artificialia which is in the special features section. Have you seen any Svankmajer films - The Quays are greatly influenced by him.

No, I haven't, but that's evident watching The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer.

[eternity]

Definitely, Maybe or when the fourth wall came crashing down.

[MadMan]

Drive by posts at 2:30 am:

Save The Tiger should be seen for Jack Lemmon's electric, amazing performance alone. Its a great film in itself of course (I'll expand on that later) but just take my word for it and view the film simply to see a master actor at work.

The Shootist almost made me cry near the end. I'm a huge John Wayne fan and I have to say the film was fucking badass in many spots and really awesome in others. It was the perfect send off for one of the most iconic actors in cinema history.

My journey through 70s cinema rocked harcore tonight. I love TCM now. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to move back home for the summer and I don't have it on tap.

[Velocipedist]

I watched some shorts by The Brothers Quay. Great stuff for the most part.

Did you watch Street of Crocodiles? I love absolutely everything that has anything to do with Bruno Schulz.