28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Winston*]

Magic hour!

[MacGuffin]

5 Centimeters per Second.


Seen it, didn't like it. Might watch it again though, as I thought The Place Promised in Our Early Days was great. While I thought Whisper of the Heart was excessively "jolly", I thought 5 Centimeters per Second was excessively melodramatic, but there is some amazing animation in the latter.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Whisper of the Heart. What is there to say about Whisper of the Heart? The animation is a notch above standard: I am still not too sure about animation, but whoever is in charge of the art design does a nice job with colors, especially during the night sequences. I saw this basically to get a sense of modern Japanese culture; it is really something that interests me. Any recommendations? And while the Japan I saw looked nice it, it felt very artificial thematically and in correspondence with the story. I watched the English dubbing, as it was the default on the DVD, I am familiar with the voice of Jean Smart, and it doesn't really matter anyways since their facial movements are not synced — if anyone has any differing opinions on precisely why I should watch an original soundtrack with anime, feel free to enlighten me, but I've always thought the American distributors do a fine job with dubbing — and it wasn't even something I can blame on voice narration, the script is just far too hyperbolic in emotions. Every line feels so exaggerated and immature. I know the last line is supposed to be a release of all the emotions bottled up by the dude during his relationship with that girl, but come on now? We could have been a bit more realistic with the wording, huh?

It's not just that line though, either. I'm used to the "huhs" and the yelling that usually accompanies animation for whatever reason; it's fine by me. I just can't stand the lack of realism in the dialogue when it isn't used for any particular effect. It is annoying. Otherwise, it's okay. I wouldn't recommend the movie, overall.
Young/first love is ALWAYS hyperbolic, I don't know... they're teenagers, they're learning and feeling love for the first time. It's overwhelming, it feels larger than life. I never found the film to feel artificial or over the top, at least not in how I understand the state of minds of the characters. I find the English dub a little annoying in this one, I'd recommend the Japanese... but you didn't seem to enjoy the film, so never mind.

[Cherish]

I saw this basically to get a sense of modern Japanese culture; it is really something that interests me. Any recommendations?

Have you seen The Taste of Tea? Despite its elements of magic realism, this movie made me feel like I'd been living with a Japanese family for a few weeks. A sort of virtual exchange student program, if you will. :)

[MacGuffin]

Have you seen The Taste of Tea? Despite its elements of magic realism, this movie made me feel like I'd been living with a Japanese family for a few weeks. A sort of virtual exchange student program, if you will. :)

I haven't seen it, but I have heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation. How about animated stuff?

[Cherish]

I haven't seen it, but I have heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation. How about animated stuff?

Despite my avatar, I'm not a big fan of Japanese animation. Paprika is a fun movie, but that's about all I can say for it. My favorite is The Place Promised in Our Early Days, but you've seen that. (I didn't like 5 Centimeters, either) Grave of the Fireflies is very good, but it's set during WWII, so it wouldn't help with modern culture.

[Qrazy]

I haven't seen it, but I have heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation. How about animated stuff?

Personally I doubt you're going to enjoy the genre much in general but ok...

Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0
All of Miyazaki's films and nearly all Ghibli films (Fuck Ocean Waves)
Grave of the Fireflies
Cowboy Bebop - Series and Movie
Satoshi Kon's films... Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Millenium Actress and I guess Perfect Blue although I don't like it.
Tekkon Kinkreet (the animation is good, the story is lacking)
Mindgame
Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust
Akira
Ninja Scroll
Metropolis
Rurouni Kenshin OVA
Angel's Egg
Ghost in the Shell

There are a number of other series worth seeing but start with these.

[Derek]

I haven't seen it, but I have heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation. How about animated stuff?

Since you seem determined to have realism in your anime for some reason, I can only recommend Only Yesterday. It's by the director of Grave of the Fireflies, but I definitely prefer this one. It often feels like Ozu directing anime.

As for watching it in the original language or English dubbed, I would ask the opposite question you did. Is their a reason not to watch the film as close to the way the director intended as possible?

[MacGuffin]

Since you seem determined to have realism in your anime for some reason, I can only recommend Only Yesterday. It's by the director of Grave of the Fireflies, but I definitely prefer this one. It often feels like Ozu directing anime.

As for watching it in the original language or English dubbed, I would ask the opposite question you did. Is their a reason not to watch the film as close to the way the director intended as possible?

Ha, guess not. I do not know if it was the original Japanese track though since English was default. I'm just used to watching anime in English since I grew up with a My Neighbor Totoro vhs tape.

[Boner M]

Parade - The cinematic equivalent of seeing this icon - :pritch: - for the first time. Tati without the formal precision initially seems kinda pointless, but the breakdown of the barrier between the spectator and the performer, as well as his trademark generosity of spirit is here in spades. The final scenes are really quite something; kinda reminiscent of that of L'Eclisse, only tinged with joy rather than eerie desolation.

[Sven]

Is their a reason not to watch the film as close to the way the director intended as possible?

Perhaps part of the intention of animation in the first place is the unilateral freedom of vocal exploration. You can't assume either intention, I think. Perhaps with some of the later stuff, where the animated lips form the dialogue realistically, then the position you espouse could be argued a little stronger, I think.

[Winston*]

I watched Cowboy Bebop that in a way different to the director's intention 'cos I thought the English voices fit the characters better and it made me enjoy the show more. I think that's a pretty good reason to do something.

[Watashi]

Perhaps part of the intention of animation in the first place is the unilateral freedom of vocal exploration. You can't assume either intention, I think. Perhaps with some of the later stuff, where the animated lips form the dialogue realistically, then the position you espouse could be argued a little stronger, I think.

I agree. Bad dubbing translations aren't really the fault of the director. I think Disney has done an excellent job in respecting the original dialogue of the Ghibli films and I prefer it to the original track. Whisper of the Heart probably has one of the best dubs I've heard.

[Derek]

Perhaps part of the intention of animation in the first place is the unilateral freedom of vocal exploration. You can't assume either intention, I think. Perhaps with some of the later stuff, where the animated lips form the dialogue realistically, then the position you espouse could be argued a little stronger, I think.

You're right that there's no way to know for sure, but if I'm forced to choose one, I would imagine that a Japanese animator/director would be animating the lips to be closer to matching his first language. I know it sounds absurd but I think the original language would in some cases be closer to the director's intention while I find it hard to believe that an English/German/Swahili track would ever fit better, even if at times it's equal. Had you accounted for this, you're argument could actually have held some water, I think.

But lest I get sucked into a pointless debate, I'll just say I wasn't a fan of the Princess Mononoke dub and while the work on Howl's was good for the most part, I'd prefer Billy Crystal to stay the hell away from my Miyazaki.

[Watashi]

Anyone seen Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters?

I bumped it up on my queue on the premise alone. I should get to it this weekend in my ever-going quest to see more obscure cinema.

[Derek]

Anyone seen Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters?

I bumped it up on my queue on the premise alone. I should get to it this weekend in my ever-going quest to see more obscure cinema.

Paul Schrader is obscure?

[Watashi]

Paul Schrader is obscure?
No, but the film is.

[Derek]

No, but the film is.

In that the average person on the street wouldn't have of it, I suppose...

[Watashi]

And Derek... please don't go down this route. You'd be surprised at how many "film buffs" have only heard of Paul Schrader through his affiliation with Scorsese.

[Watashi]

In that the average person on the street wouldn't have of it, I suppose...

Dammit. You just did.

[Derek]

Dammit. You just did.

:lol:

Ok, ok, it's obscure. No harm, no foul. :)

[Watashi]

:lol:

Ok, ok, it's obscure. No harm, no foul. :)

I'll forgive you, but your constant belittling of my knowledge of film is growing tiresome. I doubt if you posted the film, everyone would easily say "oh yeah, the 1985 Paul Schrader fragmented biopic of Yukio Mishima. Seen it a million times". I don't see film like that from all the way on top of your throne.

If I could, I would see three movies a day and spend all day at home indulging myself into foreign cinema.

I hold the belief that someone can be both a fanboy and a cinephile. No need to draw a line in between the two.

/rant over.

Sorry. :sad:

[Derek]

Uh ok, glad you got that off your chest if you needed to. I never realized I belittled your knowledge of film, especially since I know others give you a harder time about your Pixar love than I do and I was hardly the only one who complained about your whining in the last film swap thread. I'll be sure to keep your thin skin in mind when I respond to you in the future though.

*steps around eggshells*

[Sven]

Wats, your frustration is so totally misdirected. If we are to draw a line and say that A is obscure and B is not obscure, Mishima would be grouped in the B category on the basis of the sheer quantity of films that a) weren't directed by a cinematic heavyweight b) haven't been cited numerous times by many in the filmmaking community as an inspiration c) haven't been released as a Criterion DVD and d) are not widely considered to be a pivotal film of the 1980s by critics and historians. No throne here. Just general knowledge of cinema. Coupled with your illustration of cinephilia v. fanboyism is very telling of your desperation.

Just be comfortable with the fact that others know more about the film world than you do (a truth I have to remind myself of every day). You say that "Mishima" is obscure on a website populates with "cinephiles" and of course you're going to get strange looks. It's all about the company you're in and who you're trying to impress. Of course it's not as well-known as, say, Indiana Jones, but it's hardly obscure.

[Sven]

It's a good movie, by the way.

[Sven]

I know it sounds absurd but I think the original language would in some cases be closer to the director's intention while I find it hard to believe that an English/German/Swahili track would ever fit better, even if at times it's equal

That does sound absurd. Because it's entirely about inflection, nothing else. Well, little else. There are lots of little things that translate weirdly, certain conversations that play out better in rhythms of other languages, etc. I suppose ultimately it doesn't matter to me because I'll always seek out the original, but this is hardly the kind of thing I get purist about (unlike something like proper aspect ratios).

[MacGuffin]

The Reincarnation of Isabel is obscure.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/5884/5xhzqkibx8.jpg

However, intentionally seeking out obscure movies without knowing anything about them can be "iffy" because of that. The vast majority are obscure for a reason, but if you look in the right places, read the right reviews, know the good reviews sites, and you should find some hidden gems.

[Derek]

That does sound absurd. Because it's entirely about inflection, nothing else. Well, little else. There are lots of little things that translate weirdly, certain conversations that play out better in rhythms of other languages, etc. I suppose ultimately it doesn't matter to me because I'll always seek out the original, but this is hardly the kind of thing I get purist about (unlike something like proper aspect ratios).

As I said before, I'm not a purist and have already seen two Miyazaki's dubbed. I simply said that when given the choice, I personally would choose the original language as my own preference for the reasons stated and could see no reason (other than the ease of not worrying about subtitles, which is understandable) why others would want to choose anything else. I'm far from an expert at animation, so perhaps the characters mouths are animated in a way that makes every language match equally well, but in my limited knowledge, I would've thought that highly unlikely. Perhaps it's not.

[Watashi]

Wats, your frustration is so totally misdirected. If we are to draw a line and say that A is obscure and B is not obscure, Mishima would be grouped in the B category on the basis of the sheer quantity of of films that a) weren't directed by a cinematic heavyweight b) haven't been cited numerous times by many in the filmmaking community as an inspiration c) released as a Criterion DVD and d) widely considered to be a pivotal film of the 1980s by critics and historians. No throne here. Just general knowledge of cinema. Coupled with your illustration of cinephilia v. fanboyism is very telling of your desperation.

Just be comfortable with the fact that others know more about the film world than you do (a truth I have to remind myself of every day). You say that "Mishima" is obscure on a website populates with "cinephiles" and of course you're going to get strange looks. It's all about the company you're in and who you're trying to impress. Of course it's not as well-known as, say, Indiana Jones, but it's hardly obscure.

I've never heard of the film until I stumbled upon it on Netflix. That's why I said it was obscure considering only one person (Derek) has seen it amongst my Netflix friends. Sure, Match Cut is a bit more less-mainstream than normal, but it's not a cinephile-only group. I think your "general knowledge of cinema" might be just your years of experience talking. This is the only site I ever get the chance to talk about these type of films. I can't just walk down a corner and strike up a conversation about Ozu. You have to look at this through my corner. I've been trying to slowly work myself through all these films (what I do is just a pick a director and fill out their filmography and move to another).

But yeah, you make a good point. I don't think I could ever out-obscure Match Cut. The most obscure film I've seen according to imdb is Park Row which a bunch of people here have already seen.

[Watashi]

Just to let clarify, I'm not attacking any of the "cinephiles" here. I'm trying to become like you, but it's hard. Maybe I'm taking the wrong film classes.

[Sven]

I've never heard of the film until I stumbled upon it on Netflix. That's why I said it was obscure considering only one person (Derek) has seen it amongst my Netflix friends. Sure, Match Cut is a bit more less-mainstream than normal, but it's not a cinephile-only group. I think your "general knowledge of cinema" might be just your years of experience talking. This is the only site I ever get the chance to talk about these type of films. I can't just walk down a corner and strike up a conversation about Ozu. You have to look at this through my corner. I've been trying to slowly work myself through all these films (what I do is just a pick a director and fill out their filmography and move to another)

Well, I can see all that, and I apologize if I came off overly biting. If we are gauging "obscure" by one's ability to strike up a conversation about it with a stranger, then of course one would rather talk about Spielberg. It's just that somebody claiming Mishima to be obscure to me is kind of like someone claiming that Jim Jarmusch's Night on Earth is obscure. Which makes no sense to me.

[Sven]

Just to let clarify, I'm not attacking any of the "cinephiles" here. I'm trying to become like you, but it's hard. Maybe I'm taking the wrong film classes.

It's not a matter of attack. I think it's a matter of misplaced definitions. But hey... let's not get into that.

[Watashi]

It's not a matter of attack. I think it's a matter of misplaced definitions. But hey... let's not get into that.

I don't know how it was with you, but I assume you must have had friends or colleagues that you shared your love of film with.

Outside of Barty, most of my friends don't even know who Spielberg or Scorsese are. I wish there was a sort of real-life Match Cut I could go to.

It's not like obscure films just fall on your lap. They usually get recommended by one of your peers. I'll never just see a film because it has so and so votes on imdb. There are probably a lot of bad obscure films out there too.

[Derek]

And Wats, as iosos suggested, I wasn't challenging you in an attempt to put you down. I just happen to know it's not obscure because I've come across a lot of people who've seen it and it seems to be considered one of Schrader's best. I haven't even seen it myself, so it must've been another Netflix friend that rated it.

Park Row is pretty obscure, so you have that one! :)

[Watashi]

And Wats, as iosos suggested, I wasn't challenging you in an attempt to put you down. I just happen to know it's not obscure because I've come across a lot of people who've seen it and it seems to be considered one of Schrader's best. I haven't even seen it myself, so it must've been another Netflix friend that rated it.

Park Row is pretty obscure, so you have that one! :)
Yeah, nevermind. It was Raiders who saw it.

[Sven]

so perhaps the characters mouths are animated in a way that makes every language match equally well, but in my limited knowledge, I would've thought that highly unlikely. Perhaps it's not.

Well now you're reducing it to a point of absurdity (I think on purpose, no? :)). It's not about "matching". Watch My Neighbor Totoro again in Japanese and you will see that not even it has "matching" mouth movements (if we're talking about the mouth opening and closing with appropriate timing). This is the kind of mouth animation we don't see much anymore these days because I suppose people think that drawing the lips to realistically form the words on characters is more impressive (technically? sure. artistically? depends. effectually? no comment).

[Stay Puft]

As I said before, I'm not a purist and have already seen two Miyazaki's dubbed. I simply said that when given the choice, I personally would choose the original language as my own preference for the reasons stated and could see no reason (other than the ease of not worrying about subtitles, which is understandable) why others would want to choose anything else. I'm far from an expert at animation, so perhaps the characters mouths are animated in a way that makes every language match equally well, but in my limited knowledge, I would've thought that highly unlikely. Perhaps it's not.

My understanding is that you will often find, in Japanese animation, a lack of interest in matching words to mouths. The dialogue is important, the performance is important, and directors will of course direct their voice actors to get the desired performance.

What happens in English dubs, bad ones I mean, is the insistence that words and mouths match. Bad in the sense that this was not important to the animators and voice actors in one language, and is now suddenly and arbitrarily important in another. What becomes important is entirely mechanical. Dialogue is written and actors are directed to perform in such a way that confroms to speech matching the animation as closely as possible. The potential to simply destroy any possibility for retaining the poetry of the dialogue and having good voice performances first and foremost is manifest.

[Boner M]

Weekend platter:

Blast of Silence
Ace in the Hole
The Furies
L'Enfance Nue

[Watashi]

Weekend platter:

Blast of Silence
Ace in the Hole
The Furies
L'Enfance Nue
I have heard of three of those.

Not obscure enough. :frustrated:

[Winston*]

I've only heard of one of them. You're more of a cinephile than I am, Watashi!

[EvilShoe]

Redacted really isn't a good film.
The most unbelievable moment in the film came when a 14-year old posted a YouTube-video in which he commented on the war in Iraq AND received a rating on there of 5 stars.

[soitgoes...]

Weekend options:

La Chienne
This Land Is Mine
The Doll
The Bartered Bride
Lola Montes
Le Amiche

[Yxklyx]

Weekend:

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
The Plague of the Zombies
Venus in Furs
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
Jaws

[Amnesiac]

The exchange over 'obscurity' a few posts back made me think of this little article (http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/?p=2662) by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson.

[Boner M]

So, Raiders has Demme, Spinal has Watkins, iosos has... well, pretty much everyone, and now I think I've found my pet neglected filmmaker in Maurice Pialat. L'Enfance Nue (aka Naked Childhood) is a haunting, complex portrait of the moral rootlessness of an orphan child that eschews conventional character motivation while never falling into the trap of feeling calculatedly haphazard and arbitrary. Think I might start a Pialat review thread since I plan on acquiring every Masters of Cinema release as they come.

[baby doll]

So, Raiders has Demme, Spinal has Watkins, iosos has... well, pretty much everyone, and now I think I've found my pet neglected filmmaker in Maurice Pialat.I call Albert Brooks.

[Cherish]

My understanding is that you will often find, in Japanese animation, a lack of interest in matching words to mouths. The dialogue is important, the performance is important, and directors will of course direct their voice actors to get the desired performance.

Exactly. I don’t think lip movements are the issue. For me, it’s the fact that the director chose the Japanese actors (or at least was involved in the choice) and worked with them to get a certain performance.

I normally switch between the two at some point, and have always thought the Japanese voice acting seemed better. I don’t know Japanese, but I can hear the level and kind of emotion in the voices. A recent example: I hated Sayuri’s voice in the dubbed The Place Promised in Our Early Days. The American actress was too confident and professional, while the Japanese actress was more shy and enthusiastic.

[Mysterious Dude]

I saw L'Enfance Nue, but without English subtitles, so I didn't really have any idea what was going on. I heard it was better than The 400 Blows, so I had to see it somehow.

And I don't think I have a neglected filmmaker of my own. :sad: Then again, I never did care much about the director. It's the films I like.

[Wryan]

I call Albert Brooks.

Kevin Costner.

[Ezee E]

Eh, I have a crapload of movies on my Netflix queue. I don't really care if anyone's seen them or not, I just want to see them myself. What does that make me?

[D_Davis]

I watched Cowboy Bebop that in a way different to the director's intention 'cos I thought the English voices fit the characters better and it made me enjoy the show more. I think that's a pretty good reason to do something.

The only anime I've ever seen that I would recommend the English dub over the original Japanese is Cowboy Bebop.

[Ezee E]

WEEKEND:
The Visitor
Bigger, Faster, Stronger
Chapter 27

[Sven]

So, Raiders has Demme, Spinal has Watkins, iosos has... well, pretty much everyone

Heh... I'm not sure how to register this.

I will see some Pialat soon.

[dreamdead]

Weekend:

Iron Man (rewatch with friends who wanna see it again :|)
Temptress Moon
Salon Kitty :twisted:

[Grouchy]

Firstly, I don't find any of the evidence that it is very compelling.

At least consumerism was an issue that people faced in 1978. When Orwell wrote Animal Farm, Joseph Stalin was still in power. The allegory was clear. How did the genocide of Native Americans affect people in 1980? How were they supposed to recognize such subtle clues? Most people do not think about the issue that much, and The Shining does nothing to make them think about it. As it relates to the Native American issue, The Shining is a worthless film. Would you write an allegory about Joseph Stalin today?

Back in Aesop's day, people wrote fables to make fun of their leaders, since they could face punishment for doing so overtly. After a certain amount of time has passed, it seems rather strange to me to make an allegory about certain issues. I think the Native American issue is important to the extent that it relates to current U.S. policy and American behavior, and I think that would have made a better, more relevant film, if he really wanted to tackle the issue.

Besides, the "consumerism" aspect of Dawn of the Dead is a very obvious and small part of the film. Once you get past the fact that the dead have returned to the mall where they were used to being when they were alive, it's pretty much a movie about people fighting zombies.
But why is it relevant if the issue is contemporary to the film or not? All I'm trying to say is that if there are enough arguments to sustain a reading of a film, then that reading is there. It's tangible and valid. It doesn't even matter if Kubrick actually intended to speak about the Indians. It's the fact that someone can succesfully read that in the film what makes it a valid reading. And, as I said, it's also a (small) element of the King novel it's based on, so it's not out of place that it should feature in the adaptation.

I agree with you that none on his right mind can say that The Shining is only a complicated metaphor for the Indian genocide. But it's part of its themes. It might not be the main thing the film has to say, but it's one of the things it is about. Basically, I'm just defending the right to read that kind of stuff between the lines.

Oh, and I disagree that Dawn of the Dead's only attack on consummerism is the zombies returning to the mall. Like someone else pointed out, once the humans are safe from the zombies, they return to a life of empty comfort and boredom, only now they're wiser to how ridiculous it is. Besides, the bikers destroying their fortress is a sign of the times - the counter-culture elements bringing in the anarchy factor.

[Grouchy]

Diva is the kind of film that makes me glad I'm wasting my youth in cinema. Sure, it's shallow, but that's besides the point. It's beautiful to look at, gripping, well told, with strong and eccentric characters. Furthermore, it gives me more of a taste of a free-wheeling, Bohemian Parisian lifestyle than most films of the French New Wave which I've seen. Every shot has been planned to be both serviceable to the story and calling attention to the skill of the filmmaking, yet this never became a problem for me. I'm tempted to call it the slickest crime film I've seen, it just baths itself in its own style. It was also fun to see Dominique Pinon at the beginning of his career, in a one-note hitman role. The singer who plays Cynthia Hawkins also adds a lot of gravitas to the film with her beauty, awesome voice and screen presence. Beineix looks like an interesting director with very few titles to his credit. I think I'm going to track down Betty Blue next.

[Ivan Drago]

Weekend - EITHER

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist OR
Body of Lies OR
The Duchess OR
Appaloosa

[Sven]

iosos has... well, pretty much everyone

How about John Boorman? Give me John Boorman.

[Raiders]

Feels strange to call Demme "overlooked" or "neglected" as much as "misunderstood," but I'll take 'im. I'm all kinds of excited for Rachel Getting Married (seeing it on the 18th!).

For this weekend:

City of Ember (what's the deal with ZERO marketing for this?)
Little Odessa
Wings (1966)

[Watashi]

City of Ember (what's the deal with ZERO marketing for this?)


Have you read the book? It's actually a really cool read.

Weekend:

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
The Age of Innocence
Kundun
City of Ember

And oh yeah, and maybe that new Ridley Scott film, but even with Crowe and DiCaprio, I can't muster any excitement over it.

[Grouchy]

And oh yeah, and maybe that new Ridley Scott film, but even with Crowe and DiCaprio, I can't muster any excitement over it.
I've seen the trailer three times on theaters and I can't even remember what it's called.

So, yeah, it looks boring as all fuck.

[Winston*]

Got these at my disposal:

The Cotton Club
Lust Caution
Travellers & Magicians

[balmakboor]

I call Albert Brooks.

I'll claim Jonathan Kaplan.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Weekend:
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
The Cat and the Canary (1927)
Other stuff

[Dead & Messed Up]

Recent views:

Panic in Year Zero! was written and directed by Ray Milland, to middling success. He leads his family out of a nuked Los Angeles and into growing mass hysteria. Worth more as a cultural artifact than a compelling narrative; the apocalyptic tone is negated by the mild forms of "lawlessness" and the incessant jazz music. It's an ambitious film, and sort of endearing, but it doesn't amount to much.

Diary of the Dead has some of Romero's better moments as a practitioner of horror/suspense, but the use of mostly one-dimensional protagonists disappoints. The "message" of the film (the distancing effect of the camera lens) mostly resulted in me hating the protagonist, since so much of the action depends upon a steady camera capturing the situation. As it was with Land, the high points here are the high-energy momentum and the humorous gore gags. I wouldn't call it a bad film, but...

[The Mike]

Eh, I have a crapload of movies on my Netflix queue. I don't really care if anyone's seen them or not, I just want to see them myself. What does that make me?

Smart.

[Wryan]

Weekend:
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
The Cat and the Canary (1927)
Other stuff

A great film.

[Philosophe_rouge]

A great film.
I hear it's one of whats-his-face's best films.

[MadMan]

I call Albert Brooks.I guess I'll claim George A. Romero. Although I haven't seen all of his movies yet. Bah. Maybe Mel Brooks instead? I donno.

DaMU I think that you were supposed to hate the protagonist in Diary of the Dead, but also sort of emphasis with his mission and stuff. Like the media. But in the end I too really didn't like him at all. I'm pretty sure that I'm one of the few people who liked Diary a decent amount. At least enough to give it an 83.

The Omen remake could have been good. If the original never existed. The film knows the notes, but it can't really play the music, and the film's score fails miserably, where as the original's score amplified the film's scares and was awesome. The cast of course doesn't really measure up to the original bunch, either. Especially the kid, who wasn't creepy and came off as sort of laughable at times. But man did I like the film's style, and I sort of admire some of John Moore's attempts to craft a movie that built off of the original film while also incorporating previous elements. So after some thinking my rating of 64 is too high. A 62 or even a 60 is probably still not low enough, but more about right.

Weekend:

TCM is celebrating Jacques Tati's birthday tonight:

*Jour De Fete(1949)
*Mr. Hulot's Holiday(1953)
*Mon Oncle(1956)
*Playtime(1967)

Also my last two rentals:

*Hatchet(2007)
*The Tripper(2007)

[The Mike]

Weekend hopes:
The Man With Nine Lives
Savage Streets
L.A. Confidential
The Return of the Vampire
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer

And hopefully Body of Lies at the theater. Testosterone City!

[Stay Puft]

Weekend:
Oh! Soo-jung (aka. Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors)

Well, assuming I can find time...

Yeah, so let's try that again...

(Grad school is keeping me extremely busy...)

[Philosophe_rouge]

Why are we calling film directors? WHY? I call Michael Powell? Can I do that? What's going on?

[Kurosawa Fan]

I call Claude Chabrol.

[Ezee E]

I'm obvious on this one.

[Sven]

I'm obvious on this one.

It's gotta be someone disregarded.

[MadMan]

It's gotta be someone disregarded.In term of what they've done lately Romero's no longer really respected, I think. I guess for a director who's disregarded the closest one I got is Joe Dante. And I think he's still regarded by some around here.

[Ezee E]

It's gotta be someone disregarded.
Hmm... I find Demme pretty highly regarded, so I guess I missed that.

Someone disregarded...

Neil Marshall. Or Brazilian Cinema. ALL OF IT.

[Sven]

Hmm... I find Demme pretty highly regarded, so I guess I missed that.

I guess maybe "fringe" would be a better word.

Edit: Although maybe not. "Neglected." There's the winner.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I'll take Larry Fessenden.

[Watashi]

I haven't seen The Age of Innocence (will get to soon), but Kundun is Scorsese's best film of the 90's. I'm not getting the boring or "nothing happened" qualms from certain critics, but I think it is fairly underlooked in Scorsese's rather violent repertoire. Deakins and Glass both own this movie, painting a rather spiritual platform for the Dahlia Lama to stand on. Scorsese's heart is in this one all the way, and even if it's chronologically safe, it is a rare and gentle look at the reflection of perfection within a man.

[Yxklyx]

Quickie reviews:

Tarantula (1955, Jack Arnold) - another solid film from Mr. Arnold (The Incredible Shrinking Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon). Good effects - knows how to use darkness to hide limitations. Very well done.7/10

The Mole People (1956, Virgil W. Vogel) - the first half is fine. An extended caving sequence sans music is actually quite excellent; however, once they meet up with the underground inhabitants it turns into a horrible episode of Star Trek. 2/10

The Last House on the Left (1972, Wes Craven) - very coarse and good. Nice mixture of horror and comedy. Super B movie but with a bite. Liked it quite a bit. 7/10

The Mummy (1959, Terence Fisher) - the only Hammer movie I've seen that I can call awful. Very little to recommend here. 3/10

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963, Mario Bava) - another solid effort - felt similar to the superior Blood and Black Lace. The only negative is the ending - bringing it down a notch. 7/10

Plague of the Zombies (1966, John Gilling) - surprisingly good. Another Hammer but without Cushing. At first it seems like the lead would be awful (he's got one of those stuffy upper class English accents that doesn't age well) but he's actually very good (reminded me a bit of Ian McKellan). The ladies are lovely to look at. For a Hammer this was much darker and less colorful. Nice twists and turns. 8/10

[Ezee E]

I haven't seen The Age of Innocence (will get to soon), but Kundun is Scorsese's best film of the 90's. I'm not getting the boring or "nothing happened" qualms from certain critics, but I think it is fairly underlooked in Scorsese's rather violent repertoire. Deakins and Glass both own this movie, painting a rather spiritual platform for the Dahlia Lama to stand on. Scorsese's heart is in this one all the way, and even if it's chronologically safe, it is a rare and gentle look at the reflection of perfection within a man.
It's pretty good, and probably his second-most overlooked film (After Hours is the first) but no way does it beat Bringing Out The Dead, Casino, or even get close to Goodfellas.

Cape Fear is Scorsese's most Scorsese movie, especially by the end.
Age of Innocence is probably the least Scorsese movie. I also like it the least.

Not sure where you're at in his 90's films.

[D_Davis]

Plague of Zombies is awesome. Love the atmosphere.

[Spinal]

I must have missed the comedy in Last House on the Left.

[Ezee E]

I must have missed the comedy in Last House on the Left.
Maybe he was thinking of the Spielberg/Lucas rape.

[Ezee E]

The Visitor is a decent indie film. That's really all I can say about it as I can't really praise anything about it as I've felt like I've seen the movie many times before. Predictable and by-the-book.

[The Mike]

If we're drafting, I get Terence Fisher.

I was gonna say William Friedkin, but I assume he's too "big".

[soitgoes...]

Has anyone here seen anything by Otar Iosseliani? He's a Georgian, country not state, director who has been transplanted to France. I've just stumbled onto him tonight, never having heard of him before. I'm going to watch something by him, and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on what to expect.

[Yxklyx]

I must have missed the comedy in Last House on the Left.

Comedy was too formal a word - more like lightheartedness. But yeah, it's a nasty film - and I usually don't like those.

[Yxklyx]

Plague of Zombies is awesome. Love the atmosphere.

You should see The Flesh and the Fiends (same director) if you haven't. It's got Cushing and Pleasance and is even better. Essentially a remake of The Body Snatcher but with some different perspectives.

[Wryan]

I choose Thomas Edison.

Bitches.

[D_Davis]

You should see The Flesh and the Fiends (same director) if you haven't. It's got Cushing and Pleasance and is even better. Essentially a remake of The Body Snatcher but with some different perspectives.

Haven't seen it, but I'll check it out.

[dreamdead]

Tinto Brass's Salon Kitty is like Verhoeven divested of social critique. That is to say, it's an arthouse porn film that is so conventional in its construct that only the film's inherent artificiality and exploitation remain. Visuals are occasionally beautified, and it is nice to see a film so forward about sexuality, but this film rigidly adheres to narrative convention so that characters are no more than ciphers, which is especially disappointing since the film could have been transgressive and challenging.

And we won't even get into the chuckles that are elicited by the Nazi second-in-command who's been dubbed to shout every line.

[Dillard]

Has anyone here seen anything by Otar Iosseliani? He's a Georgian, country not state, director who has been transplanted to France. I've just stumbled onto him tonight, never having heard of him before. I'm going to watch something by him, and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on what to expect.

I've seen Falling Leaves, and found it to be mostly wonderful. The main character, Nico, is an extremely compelling character in his playfulness, innocence, and integrity.

[Watashi]

How sad. Out of all the movies coming out this weekend, Quarantine (the American [REC] remake) has the highest tomatometer.

[Rowland]

How sad. Out of all the movies coming out this weekend, Quarantine (the American [REC] remake) has the highest tomatometer.Yes, but look at how many reviews it has accumulated, and who the reviewers are.

[Watashi]

Yes, but look at how many reviews it has accumulated, and who the reviewers are.
Whatcha talkin' about. Kevin Carr is one of our finest critical philosophers of this modern era.

[D_Davis]

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/author/photo/3290_icon.gif

"This movie rules so hard it turned half my fucking hair red!"

[D_Davis]

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/author/photo/6773_icon.gif

"Number 2 here, this movie is totally number 1!"

[D_Davis]

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/author/photo/4262_icon.gif

"Choosing between seeing this movie and going to the ren fair was the hardest choice I've ever had to make."

[monolith94]

Where are those pictures from, D?

[Kurosawa Fan]

How sad. Out of all the movies coming out this weekend, Quarantine (the American [REC] remake) has the highest tomatometer.

It can't be worse than the original.

[D_Davis]

Where are those pictures from, D?

Those are the little pictures on RT for the dudes who've reviews Quarantine.

[monolith94]

Ah. I wonder if that ren fair chick is single.

[Amnesiac]

I just watched Hiroshima Mon Amour for the first time.

I'm kind of having trouble grasping the main pursuits/concerns of the film... I don't want to label it as esoteric, but it was a bit baffling at times. Is it interested in the suffocating, threatening possibility of forgetting those moments that, at one time or another, mean so much to us? The fear of forgetting? Is Resnais imploring his audience to not forget about Hiroshima, by using this girl's painful struggle with the prospect of forgetting her moments with her German lover? Hiroshima and this German, both portrayed as these emblems of innocence, perhaps, and both destroyed by the violence of man ... and then swept up by the fact of transience and buried underneath the relentless movement of time. The transient quality of memories and moments as contained within a world swept up in chaos and violence?

I'm not sure. And I'm particularly tired today so maybe it wasn't the right time to give this one my first watch.

Perhaps I'll watch it with the commentary on next.

[dreamdead]

I always viewed Hiroshima, mon Amour as a study of both personal and national history as palimpsest. That is to say, these monuments of history become glossed over so quickly that the layers and meanings that lie beneath the most obvious signifiers of the event are ignored, and this film is about exploring how the body circumscribes these narratives into its knowledge. So yeah, the film is a plea for remembrance and consideration of how bodies have been irrevocably damaged by the atomic bombs and all the destruction of war, with the bodies become the emblem for that testimony. With Resnais, though, it's also about passages insofar as these narratives are viewed as witnessing of the past, with the present almost becoming the invisible character; that's why I think this film is so vital; it's one of the few films to cast the past as a stronger emphasis than the present.

[dreamdead]

Next semester (unless the English chair directors at the Uni smile upon me) I'll be teaching an intro section of College English Composition. I'm thinking about using a Philosophy-based textbook with readings focusing on Science, Technology, and Religion. With the Religion section I've already thought that The Rapture would be a wonderful pairing with the basic core of readings.

Can you guys suggest thought-provoking films that explore facets of Science and Technology? I'm thinking A.I. could fit in there, but I'm hitting a wall on films that deal directly or not with those topics...

[Raiders]

Not for Technology, but for a good Religion and Science debate, I think Tarkovsky's Stalker would be a perfect fit. Though, not sure how willing your class would be to take that journey.

[Russ]

Can you guys suggest thought-provoking films that explore facets of Science and Technology?

Pi
Inherit The Wind
Who Killed the Electric Car?

[Amnesiac]

I always viewed Hiroshima, mon Amour as a study of both personal and national history as palimpsest. That is to say, these monuments of history become glossed over so quickly that the layers and meanings that lie beneath the most obvious signifiers of the event are ignored, and this film is about exploring how the body circumscribes these narratives into its knowledge. So yeah, the film is a plea for remembrance and consideration of how bodies have been irrevocably damaged by the atomic bombs and all the destruction of war, with the bodies become the emblem for that testimony. With Resnais, though, it's also about passages insofar as these narratives are viewed as witnessing of the past, with the present almost becoming the invisible character; that's why I think this film is so vital; it's one of the few films to cast the past as a stronger emphasis than the present.

Ah, thanks a lot for this. I'm going to keep these insights in mind for my next viewing.

[MadMan]

Last night, me and French cinema just really didn't get along. The only one of Tati's films I was able to finish was Mr. Hulot's Holiday. I was pretty bummed out by this, but at least I gave the rest of the films TCM showed from Tati a shot. And yes I did like "Holiday," and I found the film to be most enjoyable and delightful. I'm now reminded of when I tried to watch Blow-Up and I just couldn't get into it. I know that these films have plenty of talent, are skillfully made (Mon Oncle had from what I saw some extremely well crafted set design), but I may have to just try again next time. If there is a next time. I'm also wondering if the fact that I've pretty much devoted my time to viewing horror films this month played a factor.

[Boner M]

Blast of Silence - A cool bit of shoestring pulp (and clearly the template for Taxi Driver), but there's also an emotional undercurrent in the film that's frustratingly not exploited to the extent that as it could've been - maybe if Frank was just a little more pathetic, the narration a little less hardboiled, the scenes with his old high school crush more drawn-out, etc etc... Interesting that Peter Falk was the original choice for the lead before Baron cast himself; I kept thinking that if Cassavetes and Falk did this is it could've been a truly superb genre re-invigoration. Still, a potent study of loneliness and misanthropy, as well as a triumph of mood and tone.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I'm watching this Zeitgeist movie online right now, because a friend/acquaintance suggested I scope it out.

It's really goddamn irritating. I'm a half-hour into the flick, and it's taught me nothing I didn't hear, with greater poetry and understanding, from Joseph Campbell.

[Sven]

The wife and I watched Popeye tonite. Her response: "I didn't hate it..."

Her chief complaint was the seeming disjunction between the sensibilities of Altman and the slapstick Popeye universe. Personally, I see only harmony.
Her quote: "I wonder whose idea it was to have Altman direct this." Mine: "A frickin' genius, that's who."

[Yxklyx]

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969, Terrence Fisher)
Ouch! The Doctor (Frankenstein) turns really nasty really fast - well I missed the two previous Hammer Frankensteins. Cushing started playing Doctor Who around this time - now imagine The Doctor raping and killing people. Yikes!

[soitgoes...]

Has anyone here seen anything by Otar Iosseliani? He's a Georgian, country not state, director who has been transplanted to France. I've just stumbled onto him tonight, never having heard of him before. I'm going to watch something by him, and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on what to expect.
I watched his first film, Akvarel, just a 10 minute short. As good a first effort as any I suppose. It's about a poor family where the husband wants money to go drink, and the wife refuses to give him the money. The husband takes the money when his wife isn't looking and runs off. The wife chases him. The husband ducks into an art gallery where both he and his wife discover a painting of their rundown house. The painting puts the house in a better light, and the couple stand and stare for some moments, amazed at what they see. Iosseliani uses lighting to great effect in the opening scene at the house, along with some quick editing. It's piqued my interest enough to dig deeper into his body of work.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The wife and I watched Popeye tonite. Her response: "I didn't hate it..."

Her chief complaint was the seeming disjunction between the sensibilities of Altman and the slapstick Popeye universe. Personally, I see only harmony.
Her quote: "I wonder whose idea it was to have Altman direct this." Mine: "A frickin' genius, that's who."

That's cool that you and your wife can have intelligent conversations about movies. As for Popeye, it's been way too long since I've watched it, but I remember enjoying it thoroughly as a child.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Resurrected is a shockingly well-done film, a fine effort, on the part of Dan O'Bannon, to produce a Lovecraft film that honors his legacy. Based on "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," the film stars John Terry (TV's Lost) as a private investigator who checks in to the goings-on at the home of Charles Dexter Ward. The camera's assured, some of the set-pieces are satisfyingly claustrophobic, and the special effects are cheesy and delicious. It's about on the level of Stuart Gordon's work.

[Grouchy]

No mather how many weird shit you've watched, you've never seen anything quite like Possession, a film that seems to define "weird shit". Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani are the worst marriage in the world, and they spend the movie destroying each other emotionally, screaming and cutting themselves with knives. All this without mentioning the Horror part of the plot, which involves a Lovecraftian squid monster growing on a wall. At one point, Adjani screams and twists on the subway for what seems like ages, destroys her groceries and then spews various gross liquids from different parts of her body. There is plenty to admire about the film - the excellent creature work by Carlo Rambaldi and the exhausting trip the two lead actors seem to be in. But the overall impression is that everyone on this film needed a shot of heroine badly and signed on to make a film for the quick buck. It seriously has to be seen to be believed, and I'd actually recommend abandoning all expectations and seeing Possession, for what it has to offer, which is over-the-top melodrama, painful violence and the most angst-ridden sex imaginable. If this had bad acting, though, it would be nearly unwatchable. And all this without mentioning the strange camera work that tends to plane and go in circles even in very quiet scenes. A cinematic beast that stands on its own. Good laughs.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I LOVED Possession when I saw it about a week about, it's certainly weird, and I couldn't begin to put two words together about it. It has a very strong atmosphere that really propels the film forward. I need to see it again sometime, because there was a lot I didn't quite understand.

[Bosco B Thug]

Oh yeah, I am seeing Possession.

[Rowland]

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Nicholas Stoller, 2008) 41

Another product of the increasingly wearying Apatow formula, this overlong rom-com is too unconvincing to edify on an emotional level, nor is it funny enough to elicit more than a few chuckles (the sole highlight being a fourth-wall-breaking conversation relating to Kristen Bell's Pulse remake). There is a certain degree of scrappy, low-key charm to the picture, English actor Russell Brand is consistently entertaining as a conceited rock-sex god, and the approach to the lead character's dismissal of his ex in the closing reel is a clever extrapolation of the Apatow ethos (cock!), but for the most part, this is a forgettable exercise, lacking the charisma, wit, or persuasive humanity to elevate itself above rote formula.

Rogue (Greg McLean, 2008) 74

A sterling example of formula done right, this elegantly mounted, air-tight killer crocodile flick exudes a masterful grasp of tone, a poetic eye for evocative detail, a humanist's knack for sketching sympathetic characters, and an ability to invoke genuine suspense that, along with Wolf Creek, marks McLean as a serious talent. Beyond that, it also proves him to be an auteur, being woven from the same thematic concerns that bubbled beneath the surface of his debut, only this picture, perhaps as a natural result of a killer croc being inherently more light-hearted than a serial killer, is its more optimistic flipside. The crocodile effects are surprisingly convincing given the budget, thanks to McLean's talents in how he sets up and gradually exposes the creature, as well as what I can safely assume was a very talented effects team. Random highlights include a character coming to terms with the loss of a loved one during the crisis, how McLean reflects his concerns of humanity being humbled by alien, ancient natural terrain in the strains of xenophobia expressed by his national cross-section of characters, elegant visual punctuations imbuing the middle act with increasing urgency while cleverly reflecting the terrain's subjugation of man (in the sucession of footprints, tools, and fire), and a climax that recalls Ofelia's journey into the ancient tree from Pan's Labyrinth, both in execution and meaning. All-in-all, this is probably better than over 95% of the horror dreck that reeks up the theaters, and Miramax gave it their customary shabby treatment. :frustrated:

[megladon8]

Is Rogue really that different from the mounds of other STV crocodile movies out there?

Personally, I have never once enjoyed one of these croc/gator horror flicks. They're all the same, none of them are frightening or even entertaining.

And the trailers for Rogue that appear on the Dimension Extreme DVD releases lead me to believe it's not any different.

[soitgoes...]

Is Rogue really that different from the mounds of other STV crocodile movies out there?

Personally, I have never once enjoyed one of these croc/gator horror flicks. They're all the same, none of them are frightening or even entertaining.

And the trailers for Rogue that appear on the Dimension Extreme DVD releases lead me to believe it's not any different.I'm pretty much in the same boat. When I saw that McLean made a new flick I was all, "Ooooooh cool." Then when I read that it was a crocodile horror film, well let's just say I lost that desire to track it down to watch it.

But I have to say the recent positive reviews here have reignited my desire to finally watch it.

[transmogrifier]

It's really not that good.

Close your eyes. Remember back to that time you watched Lake Placid. Imagine that with more Australian accents and less laughs.

Done?

Awesome, you've now just seen Rogue. Saved you some money.

[Grouchy]

I LOVED Possession when I saw it about a week about, it's certainly weird, and I couldn't begin to put two words together about it. It has a very strong atmosphere that really propels the film forward. I need to see it again sometime, because there was a lot I didn't quite understand.
I think what builds that strong atmosphere and makes it so unlike any other film is that every scene seems to be striving for some kind of intensity award. There's not a single fucking scene where stuff quiets down. It's all screaming, going crazy, sweating, crying, self-hurting, moving around. Even supporting characters like Adjani's lover seem to be completely out of their minds and have a set of quirks of their own.

I came off as way too positive on my capsule, though. The dialogue is goofy as all fuck and not at all as profound as the director probably thinks it is. I'd say it's an interesting movie that I have zero desire to ever watch again.

[Ezee E]

There's just some movies that no matter how much effort you put into it, it still won't be interesting. Mark David Chapman's mind before the assassination of John Lennon is one of them.

I was curious, anticipating horrible, but it ended up simply being mediocre. Judah Friedlander without his custom ridiculous hat was a strange sight to see.

[origami_mustache]

ran across this great website that highlights opening title sequences in film.

the art of the title sequence (http://www.artofthetitle.com/)

It could use some more classics in there, but still very cool.

[megladon8]

Nice to see Cloverfield again, though I wish my dad had enjoyed it more.

Every time I watch it, I appreciate more how precise the filming is.

[Rowland]

Is Rogue really that different from the mounds of other STV crocodile movies out there?Honestly, I don't know if I've ever watched a STV crocodile movie, but I feel confident in asserting that this was probably better than just about all of them. Other than that, I can't really say much to convince beyond what I wrote in that capsule.

[megladon8]

Honestly, I don't know if I've ever watched a STV crocodile movie, but I feel confident in asserting that this was probably better than just about all of them. Other than that, I can't really say much to convince beyond what I wrote in that capsule.


I'm intrigued by having both you an Raiders really enjoy it.

I just think of movies like...

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/4250/40774427nn3.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/6441/90663193pq0.jpg

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/5002/76989137oi5.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/8027/81438714dn1.jpg

...and I can't help feeling a little skeptical.

[Watashi]

Blood Surf is awesome.

[MadMan]

Goddamn you Family Video. I get to within 21 minutes of finishing The Howling, and the disc skips over an entire scene. Wow. I'm pretty pissed right now.

[The Mike]

Croc is awful. Seriously, I think there might have only been 2 professional actors in the film, and everyone else was just pulled off the street and asked if they speak English. A yes answer got them a key role in the film.

Primeval's not STV anyway, so this theory fails. Hooray for Croc/Gator movies!

[Amnesiac]

Just finished watching The Godfather again for the first time in a few years. This time on Blu-ray. Stunning visuals, to say the least.

Ah, it still stands as an absolutely fantastic film. Indelibly masterful. What a superb, disciplined control of tone and ambience. Can't wait to check out the second one again tomorrow night.

[Boner M]

Ace in the Hole... didn't really buy how Douglas was able to prolong the rescue. I'm no expert at these sort of things, but I can't see how drilling from the top could be safer than using the space already available, let alone that a reporter was able to convince this decision. I guess Wilder's cynicism is ahead of me in that respect. The moment when the trap-ee poses for his front page shoot also rang false (besides, why would Douglas want him to smile for the camera?), another instance of satire-first, credulity-second. I'm not too bothered by plotholes though, and I can forgive that Wilder's worldview doesn't completely gel with mine since it's bound together with the film's formal energy. Also, I didn't see the actual circus being set up at the site as sledgehammer symbolism, but rather just absurd humor (almost Tex Avery-ish, really) that complemented the hysterical tone. Dynamite stuff, all round.

[Qrazy]

The wife and I watched Popeye tonite. Her response: "I didn't hate it..."

Her chief complaint was the seeming disjunction between the sensibilities of Altman and the slapstick Popeye universe. Personally, I see only harmony.
Her quote: "I wonder whose idea it was to have Altman direct this." Mine: "A frickin' genius, that's who."

Yeah I watched this recently... fairly poor but with redeeming elements. I like when he gets owned and rolls down the dock like a slinky. My roommate enjoyed it much more than I did.

[soitgoes...]

So as I'm watching La Chienne I couldn't help thinking that I've seen this film before. Of course I knew that this wasn't the case. Then it hit me, Lang's Scarlet Street. I never knew that that was a remake of Renoir's film. Or maybe I did and I forgot. Either way, Renoir's film ends up being superior.

[Bosco B Thug]

I am hopeful about Rogue...

Romero's Dawn of the Dead is a decidedly weaker film than I remember it. :sad: I can understand why an editor (like our scarce compatriot Buffaluffasaurus) would hate it. But I think its best qualities are its technical aspects - its mise en scene, art design, and cinematography are really striking. Romero is a keen visualist and he exhibits some sharp, almost "avant garde film"-like tendencies in his composition, which are prominent in his early non-zombie films.

I've become sort of a structure-hound as of late, though, and I was just less enamored this time around by its "shorthand" way of developing its drama. Not necessarily bad, since Romero's a pro at the "small gentle moment," but the film just isn't tight enough (so many montages... ugh... though they are pretty tonally appropriate here) and the film's thematic evocations are more scattershot and less intricate than I remembered.

[DavidSeven]

Bevery Hills Chihuahua is the #1 film in America for the second week in a row. DiCaprio/Crowe vehicle opens at #3. SAG just lost all their bargaining power.

[Watashi]

Bevery Hills Chihuahua is the #1 film in America for the second week in a row. DiCaprio/Crowe vehicle opens at #3. SAG just lost all their bargaining power.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua is probably the better film.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I am hopeful about Rogue...

Romero's Dawn of the Dead is a decidedly weaker film than I remember it. :sad: I can understand why an editor (like our scarce compatriot Buffaluffasaurus) would hate it. But I think its best qualities are its technical aspects - its mise en scene, art design, and cinematography are really striking. Romero is a keen visualist and he exhibits some sharp, almost "avant garde film"-like tendencies in his composition, which are prominent in his early non-zombie films.


I've become sort of a structure-hound as of late, though, and I was just less enamored this time around by its "shorthand" way of developing its drama. Not necessarily bad, since Romero's a pro at the "small gentle moment," but the film just isn't tight enough (so many montages... ugh... though they are pretty tonally appropriate here) and the film's thematic evocations are more scattershot and less intricate than I remembered.

I never thought about the number of montages he used, but I suppose that's true. However, the themes and exposition carried through them are so essential, and the montages so expertly executed, that I can't say I see it as a flaw.

As for its subtexts, I can't say I agree. The entire film gradually sharpens into an indictment of people's capacity for ignorance in the face of apocalypse. Romero misleads us with the high adventure of capturing the mall, pushes us to see the uselessness of such an act, and then gives us villains who believe what we believed an hour earlier: that we need to re-create the world that stifles and chokes us. I find it a damn-near brilliant way of making a satire.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I saw the Vampires Lovers (1970) last night, it was okay. Lots of boobs.

[Kurosawa Fan]

it was okay. Lots of boobs.

I'm confused. It was okay? Or it had lots of boobs?

[The Mike]

I'm confused. It was okay? Or it had lots of boobs?

Correct.

Not as good as Countess Dracula, which it's packaged with, which I would say is decent, and has lots of boobs.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I'm confused. It was okay? Or it had lots of boobs?
It was okay because it had a lot of boobs, I should be more clear.

[Kurosawa Fan]

It was okay because it had a lot of boobs, I should be more clear.

Okay. So long as the boobs elevated the material, everything makes sense.

[EyesWideOpen]

Midnight Meat Train was free on Cox On Demand so i decided to check it out last night. It was sponsered by Fear.net so they had Clive Barker do a little opening intro and half way through during a break he talked again which i thought was kind of neat. The movie itself was pretty lackluster, it had some good gore scenes but the story and acting was bad.

[Winston*]

I read that Midnight Meat Train story the other week and thought it was pretty good. Didn't really seem movie length though, I guess.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Midnight Meat Train was free on Cox On Demand so i decided to check it out last night. It was sponsered by Fear.net so they had Clive Barker do a little opening intro and half way through during a break he talked again which i thought was kind of neat. The movie itself was pretty lackluster, it had some good gore scenes but the story and acting was bad.

I thought the movie was pretty damn good. Some efficient gore, better acting than required, and a story that, while occasionally padded out (the girlfriend investigating the apartment), had the good sense to stop after ninety minutes. I also thought Ryuhei Kitamura did a great job of controlling the tone and directing the logic of chase scenes.

I thought there was a larger, more Lovecraftian ending in the short story, but maybe I'm wrong. It's been a while since I've read it.

[MacGuffin]

Where is a good place to start with Sion Sono?

[Derek]

Where is a good place to start with Sion Sono?

I hated Suicide Club and loved Noriko's Dinner Table. That's all I got.

[MacGuffin]

I hated Suicide Club and loved Noriko's Dinner Table. That's all I got.

Isn't the latter a sequel though?

[Derek]

Isn't the latter a sequel though?

Of sorts, yes, but it's a very different film.

[EyesWideOpen]

Suicide Club and Strange Circus are both favorites of mine.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Castle of Blood (1964) teeters a very fine line between greatness and mediocrity. There are moments of terror and atmosphere, but overall the film seems to fall short of genuine horrific moments.The character’s motivations are underdeveloped, and though broadly painted characters often work in horror, here it lends nothing to the supposed mystery of the characters who inhibit the haunted castle. There is no mystery, no enigma… they are not fascinating beyond the fact they are dead. Only Barbara Steele’s character emerges as a beacon of shining light, but this is due to her presence alone.

Still, overall I’d recommend it. Steele is always a wonder to watch and her role here is quite meaty. The sets are quite beautiful, they remind me of dreams.

[Bosco B Thug]

I never thought about the number of montages he used, but I suppose that's true. However, the themes and exposition carried through them are so essential, and the montages so expertly executed, that I can't say I see it as a flaw.

As for its subtexts, I can't say I agree. The entire film gradually sharpens into an indictment of people's capacity for ignorance in the face of apocalypse. Romero misleads us with the high adventure of capturing the mall, pushes us to see the uselessness of such an act, and then gives us villains who believe what we believed an hour earlier: that we need to re-create the world that stifles and chokes us. I find it a damn-near brilliant way of making a satire. Yeah, can't say I disagree with you on any of this. The moody visuals, elegiac tone (aided by the indeed very expressive montages), and emotional range the film has really elevate it. I'm just now convinced the thematic exposition is a bit stilted and the film just not as multilayered (in an immediate, "Oh wow, that was a great moment right there that really added lots of layers" way) as I had once thought. The film is a startlingly moody and emotional work, but I wasn't as mentally stimulated in response to these aspects as I should have been.

Of course, I was watching it with a group and I tend to feel the pressure of others' scrutiny while watching things I'm a fan of, which often bogs films down for me. And probably my memory's expectations were too high, also, since The Return of the Living Dead was group watched and it managed to surpass my original regard for it.


I read that Midnight Meat Train story the other week and thought it was pretty good. Didn't really seem movie length though, I guess. I wasn't that into the story, it's one reason I didn't rush out to see the movie. Pigs Blood Blues is an awesome story, though, and that one's up next for a film adaption, allegedly, but they'll probably make it bland and take out all the homosexual undercurrents and stuff.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Of course, I was watching it with a group and I tend to feel the pressure of others' scrutiny while watching things I'm a fan of, which often bogs films down for me. And probably my memory's expectations were too high, also, since The Return of the Living Dead was group watched and it managed to surpass my original regard for it.

One big thing that made me appreciate Dawn was reading a book called The Living and the Undead (now out of print). The author pretty much dissected every scene and suggested a lot of internal parallels, loaded images, and what-have-you. Some of it could've been the author reading too much into the film, but I got a lot out of the analysis.

I've only ever watched Return by myself, and I thought it petered out way too quickly. In a group, especially with a few beers, I bet it would be a real blast.

I remember watching apologizing to my sister for Evil Dead 2 after she asked, "Are bad things going to keep happening to this guy?"


I wasn't that into the story, it's one reason I didn't rush out to see the movie. Pigs Blood Blues is an awesome story, though, and that one's up next for a film adaption, allegedly, but they'll probably make it bland and take out all the homosexual undercurrents and stuff.

I want to see unabashed adaptations of "Down Satan" and "The Age of Desire." The latter especially (about a guy who's injected with sociopathic levels of horniness) would be nigh-impossible to produce.

[Rowland]

Where is a good place to start with Sion Sono?I liked Suicide Club a lot and thought Strange Circus was pretty great. I still need to see Noriko's Dinner Table and Exte: Hair Extensions.

[balmakboor]

I watched Evil Dead Trap the other night and was surprised by what happened. I fell asleep. I must've been too tired, so I won't count that viewing and will give it a proper shot soon before reviewing it.

[Sven]

Kristen's about to watch Brazil for the very first time, I'm about to watch it for the fourth time. My prediction: she will love it instantly and I will remain confused about the power it apparently has on many people who are not me.

[soitgoes...]

Kristen's about to watch Brazil for the very first time, I'm about to watch it for the fourth time. My prediction: she will love it instantly and I will remain confused about the power it apparently has on many people who are not me.
I thought it was good, but I'm definitely not enamored by it like most others. Gilliam has done better.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Kristen's about to watch Brazil for the very first time, I'm about to watch it for the fourth time. My prediction: she will love it instantly and I will remain confused about the power it apparently has on many people who are not me.

Or me.

[Spinal]

Pathetic.

[Raiders]

Brazil is very good, but I prefer Baron Munchausen.

[Spinal]

City of Ember (2008) 61

Hmmm ... glad you liked it at least somewhat, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm going to be flying solo with my love for this film. Haven't felt this out of step with general consensus in quite some time.

[Winston*]

Hmmm ... glad you liked it at least somewhat, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm going to be flying solo with my love for this film. Haven't felt this out of step with general consensus in quite some time.

Bill Murray said it was one of the best things he'd ever done on Letterman.

Brazil = best movie ever.

The Cotton Club was okay. Narrative's too aloof, hard to get involved in. Seems like Coppola was going for an Altmany thing, but I don't think he really pulls it off. Great moments though.

[megladon8]

I agree about Brazil not being top-tier Gilliam. He's one of my favorite filmmakers, but it's not one of my favorite films by him.

I'd rank 12 Monkeys above it.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, too.

[Raiders]

I agree about Brazil not being top-tier Gilliam. He's one of my favorite filmmakers, but it's not one of my favorite films by him.

I'd rank 12 Monkeys above it.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, too.

It's rather urgent that you check your PMs.

[Ezee E]

Brazil is mediocre in my book as well. I do like the "here's a receipt for your receipt line" a ton though.

[Ezee E]

Besides Man on Wire have there been any good documentaries this year? I'm getting the Errol Morris Standard Operating Procedures tomorrow and am looking forward to that. Otherwise, I can't really think of any others. I.O.U.S.A I guess, but that doesn't seem too appealing.

EDIT: Ha, I post this as I have Bigger, Stronger, Faster* waiting to be watched at home.

[Raiders]

Besides Man on Wire have there been any good documentaries this year? I'm getting the Errol Morris Standard Operating Procedures tomorrow and am looking forward to that. Otherwise, I can't really think of any others. I.O.U.S.A I guess, but that doesn't seem too appealing.

EDIT: Ha, I post this as I have Bigger, Stronger, Faster* waiting to be watched at home.

There's also Gonzo, the one about Hunter S Thompson.

[Spinal]

Religulous, although it's not really a documentary in the same vein as those other films.

[Qrazy]

I agree about Brazil not being top-tier Gilliam. He's one of my favorite filmmakers, but it's not one of my favorite films by him.

I'd rank 12 Monkeys above it.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, too.

Yeah well those are his three best but for me I'd put Brazil on top.

[Rowland]

Hmmm ... glad you liked it at least somewhat, but I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm going to be flying solo with my love for this film. Haven't felt this out of step with general consensus in quite some time.Goya's Ghosts comes to mind. :)

[Spinal]

Goya's Ghosts comes to mind. :)

Ah, yes. Thanks. Good call. :)

[megladon8]

It's rather urgent that you check your PMs.


...I don't have any PMs?

[Sven]

The outcome:

Kristen: "That movie is crazy. It's good, though."
Patrick: "Same old ambivalence with perhaps a slighter respect for the witty dialogue and the rapture of its dream."
Kristen: "I wonder what the tubing budget was..."

[soitgoes...]

Besides Man on Wire have there been any good documentaries this year? I'm getting the Errol Morris Standard Operating Procedures tomorrow and am looking forward to that. Otherwise, I can't really think of any others. I.O.U.S.A I guess, but that doesn't seem too appealing.

EDIT: Ha, I post this as I have Bigger, Stronger, Faster* waiting to be watched at home.
I enjoyed At the Death House Door quite a bit.

[MadMan]

Severance warrants a decent review. I enjoyed it, but I felt it had themes that could have been explored more. The film could have been more than just a slasher flick, which is kind of what it ended up becoming. I was entertained, but also I felt disappointed. I think my rating for this movie is jumping the gun, and if I had time I'd view it again.

[monolith94]

The outcome:

Kristen: "That movie is crazy. It's good, though."
Patrick: "Same old ambivalence with perhaps a slighter respect for the witty dialogue and the rapture of its dream."
Kristen: "I wonder what the tubing budget was..."
How did you get so lucky? :D

[Bosco B Thug]

I want to see unabashed adaptations of "Down Satan" and "The Age of Desire." The latter especially (about a guy who's injected with sociopathic levels of horniness) would be nigh-impossible to produce. Haven't read those, but heheh, yes. I like to wonder of the personal victory it is for Barker knowing those particularly liberal-minded stories of course have to, at the least, be picked around by when studios and new fans are digging into his work looking for another Hellraiser or Candyman.

I'm definitely in for a re-see of 'Baron Manchausen,' but it's the only one of Gilliam's films I (or I can imagine) liking more than Brazil in terms of ambition and scope. Brazil is awesome... though it came into my esteem around the same time Dawn of the Dead did and might need a similar reappraisal.

[balmakboor]

I will be taking the plunge tonight that I suppose all true film buffs must at some time or another. I'll be watching Pasolini's Salo. I stuck it in last night and watched the first five minutes or so and actually found it quite beautiful. It must not stay that way for long.

[Raiders]

I will be taking the plunge tonight that I suppose all true film buffs must at some time or another. I'll be watching Pasolini's Salo.

Hm, this is not a plunge I ever really considered taking.

[MacGuffin]

Hm, this is not a plunge I ever really considered taking.

Yeah, while folks like Derek seem to appreciate it, I don't really find it a plunge worth wasting your time on.

[Mysterious Dude]

Sometimes, I think I should watch Salò again, since I've really liked all of Pasolini's films that I've seen except that one.

Then I remember that a full quarter of the film is devoted to shit eating.

[Spinal]

Then I remember that a full quarter of the film is devoted to shit eating.

That's a rather large exaggeration.

[Mysterious Dude]

That's a rather large exaggeration.
Well, that's how I remember it. It's a film divided into four parts, and one of the parts is called "The Circle of Shit."

[Grouchy]

Brazil = best movie ever.
The truth.

I saw this early Cronenberg movie, Rabid. It came out two years after Shivers, and it shares many themes as well as the very sexual special effects and motifs. It also works as a very long HIV metaphor. Although the lead actress, Marilyn Chambers, is here on her first non-porn role, she fares a lot better than most of the professional cast. Stand-out scenes are the first manifestation of the mutation in the girl's armpit and the final fate of a certain baby. Regardless, this is ever more of an amateur film than Shivers, and there are many examples of poor lighting or sloppily edited scenes. It's major exploitation, that's for sure. But Cronenberg still had to develop the voice and unique craft that allowed him to do head-bursting stuff like Videodrome or Dead Ringers.

I also re-watched The Mist. One of the best Horror films ever made in my opinion. Instant fucking classic.

[Duncan]

Saw Dead Man. Dryly hilarious. Pretty great film.

[Raiders]

Saw Dead Man. Dryly hilarious.

Hm, really? There's definitely some comedy gold gotten out of the mutual confusion between Blake and Nobody over his name, but beyond that I didn't find much of it hilarious.

I do however agree it is a great film.

[Qrazy]

From personal experience, three films not to watch on dates... Dead Man, Chungking Express, Stranger than Paradise.

I was kind of surprised Chungking wasn't a better date film though, I really thought that would kind of be it's milieu... the bad transfer didn't help things.

[Duncan]

I generally find good date films depend highly on the girl.

[Arthur Seaton]

I once saw The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover on a date. The relationship was doomed.

Edit: Hey, we're on page 666!

[balmakboor]

I once took a date to a triple bill of The Grandmother, Eraserhead, and Blue Velvet. She hated them. She later married me anyway.

[Qrazy]

I generally find good date films depend highly on the girl.

Certainly, but these were all different girls. Anyway as a general rule I try to go just outside of mainstream but not far enough or experimental enough to cause unease. La Haine and Kiarostami's Ten were good date movies on the other hand. Here I would have predicted the former but not the latter.

[Duncan]

Hm, really? There's definitely some comedy gold gotten out of the mutual confusion between Blake and Nobody over his name, but beyond that I didn't find much of it hilarious.

I do however agree it is a great film.

I thought just about everything that happened was funny. The opening scene is funny because it contrasts the dullness of the train ride with Young's intense score and shots of the wheels, it has Crispin Glover, Johnny Depp is wearing a ridiculous plaid suit, the dullness erupts into all out absurd killing frenzy. And the whole movie is like that. Dry, but I thought there was an undercurrent of humour running throughout.

[Wryan]

Is Holy Grail not allowed to be a Gilliam film?

Anyway, I like Brazil, but I have more fun with Baron. I wanted to see Tideland.

[MadMan]

Saw Dead Man. Dryly hilarious. Pretty great film.I agree with Raiders that there really wasn't too much comedy involved, aside of course from Blake and Nobody's interactions. I did laugh pretty hard when Nobody kept calling Blake a "Stupid fucking white man though." And as one can tell from my sig, I too loved that film. Eventually I'll write a review for it. I'd have to check my planned list but I think its either on my Top Westerns list or an honorable mention.


I thought just about everything that happened was funny. The opening scene is funny because it contrasts the dullness of the train ride with Young's intense score and shots of the wheels, it has Crispin Glover, Johnny Depp is wearing a ridiculous plaid suit, the dullness erupts into all out absurd killing frenzy. And the whole movie is like that. Dry, but I thought there was an undercurrent of humour running throughout.Now that you do mention all that, I can see where you found the humor in such things. One of my few complaints about the film is that it lacked more Robert Mitchum.

PS: Its fitting that this thread hit 666 in the month of October.

[MacGuffin]

Can we change the title of this thread to something like Night of the Living Film Discussion?

[Spaceman Spiff]

The best date film is Eyes Wide Shut, for my money. The masked orgy is a great ice-breaker, and for what it's worth, I'm still with the same girl.

I did get lucky once to Being John Malkovich, however. It wasn't until after the film when I realized how Freudian that really was.

[Arthur Seaton]

The best date film is Eyes Wide Shut, for my money. The masked orgy is a great ice-breaker, and for what it's worth, I'm still with the same girl.

I did get lucky once to Being John Malkovich, however. It wasn't until after the film when I realized how Freudian that really was.

People hate on Forrest Gump. It got me laid, so it's alright in my book.

[Ezee E]

The best date film is Eyes Wide Shut, for my money. The masked orgy is a great ice-breaker, and for what it's worth, I'm still with the same girl.

I did get lucky once to Being John Malkovich, however. It wasn't until after the film when I realized how Freudian that really was.
Amazing first post. WELCOME!

[Sven]

I thought just about everything that happened was funny. The opening scene is funny because it contrasts the dullness of the train ride with Young's intense score and shots of the wheels, it has Crispin Glover, Johnny Depp is wearing a ridiculous plaid suit, the dullness erupts into all out absurd killing frenzy. And the whole movie is like that. Dry, but I thought there was an undercurrent of humour running throughout.

Yes.

[Stay Puft]

Yeah, gotta go with Dead Man being thoroughly humorous. The opening sequence is great, of course (Crispin Glover's entrance is hilarious in itself), and I particularly love every scene with Robert Mitchum. I lose it every time when he addresses the bear. And that painting! And of course there's Lance Henriksen. And... I might as well be listing everything.

[megladon8]

Seeing Collateral again was great, though I was saddened a bit by its not living up to my wonderful memories of it.

It's very uneven. The dialogue is sometimes pretty hoaky, and other times pretty brilliant, but it never stays on one side for very long.

I'd say it's my favorite Jamie Foxx performance, and quite possibly my favorite Tom Cruise performance as well.

The music actually mirrored the film's uneven tone. For the first 20-30 minutes, the music is - in typical Mann fashion - pretty offbeat, and this is reflected in the film's look and plotting. It feels like something familiar that's been turned on its head.

But in the last 30-40 minutes, suddenly the music turns into fairly typical inner-city-thriller fare, as does the actual film.

Though the scene in the club (using Paul Oakenfold's "Ready, Steady, Go", which was also used in The Bourne Identity, out the same year) is one of the best gun fights of new millennium.

Michael Mann remains not only the very best in the business of filming modern gun battles, but would probably rank in my top 5 favorite filmmakers of all time.

Collateral's really good, but Heat is still his crowning achievement.

[Spinal]

One of the first dates I went on with my wife was to see Happiness. It became one of her favorite films. If you're avoiding certain films because of who you're with, you might be with the wrong person.

[balmakboor]

A few notes on Salo:

I'm not quite smart enough to understand exactly what Pasolini is trying to communicate through all of this cruelty. But it sure is interesting and never dull.

I have no idea what movie people saw who call it obscene or disgusting or disturbing or sickening. What I saw is almost a case study in how to take disturbing subject matter and present it in a totally artful and distanced way. I'll dare to say Salo is the most over-the-top tasteful disgustingly distasteful film imaginable.

I also think it is one of the most beautifully shot movies I've ever seen, especially the final 10 minutes or so, and Pasolini's work here, totally in control and masterful, ranks high in my pantheon of great directorial achievements.

If you've been avoiding this due to its reputation for being vomit-inducing, stop avoiding it right now and give it a look.

[Spinal]

Bingo. It's amazing to me that people think nothing of sitting through the Saw movies and yet are avoiding Salo because they think it will be too disturbing.

[megladon8]

One of the first dates I went on with my wife was to see Happiness. It became one of her favorite films. If you're avoiding certain films because of who you're with, you might be with the wrong person.


Not the same situation, but I avoid seeing most movies with my best friend, now.

He's so damn picky, and he thinks everything is boring. I'm talking about someone who found Hard Boiled "too slow".

[MadMan]

The best date film is Eyes Wide Shut, for my money. The masked orgy is a great ice-breaker, and for what it's worth, I'm still with the same girl.

I did get lucky once to Being John Malkovich, however. It wasn't until after the film when I realized how Freudian that really was.Hah, awesome. Welcome to the boards btw.

I've never taken a girl to a movie, although I have gone to films with lady friends. I think that I would never let anyone, however pretty they were, rope me into seeing a chick flick. Unless I stood a great chance of getting laid, of course.


Can we change the title of this thread to something like Night of the Living Film Discussion?I vote for this.

Oh and I love, love Collateral. I've found that after three viewings my rating of 95 is still correct. And I stand by my opinion that Foxx should have won for his performance in that film instead of for Ray, although overall I think that Don Cheadle deserved to win for Hotel Rwanda.

[Spinal]

I am happy to change the title of this thread, but you've got to give me something better than that.

[MadMan]

I am happy to change the title of this thread, but you've got to give me something better than that."The Incredibly Strange People Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Posters!!? Film Discussion." Happy? :P

[MacGuffin]

"The Incredibly Strange People Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Posters!!? Film Discussion." Happy? :P

Problem is, it is difficult to come up with a horror movie with a lengthy enough title to still fit in film discussion somewhere. I was going for a Halloween theme. Someone else, feel free to try your luck.

[MadMan]

Problem is, it is difficult to come up with a horror movie with a lengthy enough title to still fit in film discussion somewhere. I was going for a Halloween theme. Someone else, feel free to try your luck.My response to Spinal was just me being sarcastic. I do indeed favor your suggestion. It makes sense to me.

[MacGuffin]

My response to Spinal was just me being sarcastic. I do indeed favor your suggestion. It makes sense to me.

Night of the Dawn of the Day of the Film Discussion?

[megladon8]

Bride of Frankenfilm Discussion

Nosferatu: Phantom der Film Discussion

Rosemary's Film Discussion Thread

The Last Film Discussion of Dr. Mabuse

Film Discussion and Daniel Webster

Film Discussion Without a Face

The Film Discussion of Dr. Caligari

[MadMan]

Night of the Dawn of the Day of the Film Discussion?:lol: nice.

Hmm meg, I think I like this one the best: Film Discussion Without a Face

[Russ]

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Film Discussion

[Qrazy]

One of the first dates I went on with my wife was to see Happiness. It became one of her favorite films. If you're avoiding certain films because of who you're with, you might be with the wrong person.

Alternatively you may be watching the wrong film.

[Qrazy]

The Silence of the Film Discussion Thread

[Spinal]

Alternatively you may be watching the wrong film.

You may also be wearing the wrong pants, but that's not important right now.

[Ezee E]

Only On Match Cut -- 666+ Pages of Film Discussion!

[Spinal]

Merely a transitional title. Feel feel to keep brainstorming.

[Winston*]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion Thread

[Spinal]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion Thread

Love it.

[Russ]

O, Film Discussion Thread, Where Art Thou?

[Russ]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion Thread
Winner.

[Grouchy]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion Thread
This one.

[Scar]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion Thread

Success!

[Qrazy]

You may also be wearing the wrong pants, but that's not important right now.

On dates I tend to prefer to wear no pants at all.

[Spinal]

On dates I tend to prefer to wear no pants at all.

You're preaching to the choir.

[origami_mustache]

I'm sure Kurious will appreciate this...

http://data.tumblr.com/mlsyKxOF8f0v9i3o2ELXg6nZo1_500 .jpg

[Qrazy]

You're preaching to the choir.

You're a lederhosen man yourself?

http://www.theatrehouse.net/mm5/graphics/00000001/0224-lederhosen.jpg

[MadMan]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion ThreadLove it, even though the movie that inspired it is one of the worst movies, ever.

The current one is sort of amusing, I guess. But that joke has kind of been done to death already.

[Spinal]

OK. So, I expect to hear from the dissenters any minute now ...

[MadMan]

OK. So, I expect to hear from the dissenters any minute now ...It sucks! You suck! Terrible! Failure! Its a horrible, miserable, disaster! Worse than Dubya!








:P ;) I really couldn't resist...

[MacGuffin]

Love it, even though the movie that inspired it is one of the worst movies, ever.

Indeed.

[Ezee E]

OK. So, I expect to hear from the dissenters any minute now ...
Nothing.

But, did you know there's a new Milla Jovovich movie out next year? Directed by David Twohy.

[thefourthwall]

From personal experience, three films not to watch on dates... Dead Man, Chungking Express, Stranger than Paradise.


I once saw The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover on a date. The relationship was doomed.



Both The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and Chungking Express were early date films for dreamdead and I, but were nowhere nearly as awkward as Samurai Cop which we saw before either of those.

[Amnesiac]

I watched eXistenZ today.

Interesting. Jude Law was kind of irritating, though. His performance reminded me of Mark Whalberg's from The Happening...in the sense that it left me wondering whether or not it was full of intentional camp (or stiltedness) or if that was just a by-product of an inefficient performance. I'm thinking the former, in this case. Didn't really enjoy either of the two leads, but I'm not entirely convinced that their off-putting performances went against the point of the film. What with the whole idea of virtual reality superseding actual reality, and people become alienated and disassociated with real behavior, etc.

The scenario in the film is a bit extreme (obviously). But, still, there is a pretty easy to recognize (yet valuable) message found in the ambivalence the film expresses towards technology and its concomitant threats of desensitization.

I haven't seen Videodrome since last Halloween, but from what I recall, this would probably be a good companion piece. Cronenberg even throws in a direct reference (or two) to the film.

[Qrazy]

I watched eXistenZ today.

Interesting. Jude Law was kind of irritating, though. His performance reminded me of Mark Whalberg's from The Happening...in the sense that it left me wondering whether or not it was full of intentional camp (or stiltedness) or if that was just a by-product of an inefficient performance. I'm thinking the former, in this case. Didn't really enjoy either of the two leads, but I'm not entirely convinced that their off-putting performances went against the point of the film. What with the whole idea of virtual reality superseding actual reality, and people become alienated and disassociated with real behavior, etc.

The scenario in the film is a bit extreme (obviously). But, still, there is a pretty easy to recognize (yet valuable) message found in the ambivalence the film expresses towards technology and its concomitant threats of desensitization.

I haven't seen Videodrome since last Halloween, but from what I recall, this would probably be a good companion piece. Cronenberg even throws in a direct reference (or two) to the film.

I've often found Cronenberg to be a fairly poor dramatist/actor's director... sometimes he can get good stuff... Goldblum, Fiennes, Irons, Mortensen but overall I find his drama lacking... but his ideas are usually solid.

[chrisnu]

Speaking of Goldblum, I found out he's joining the cast of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. As if the show needed to get more over-the-top and ridiculous, but with Goldblum around, at least it won't pretend to be serious any more.

I might watch it. :eek:

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7762/pubphoto3ip1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[soitgoes...]

I Spit On Your Film Discussion ThreadThis does win. I was going to suggest "Your Vice Is a Film Discussion Thread and Only Match-Cut Has the Key."

[Watashi]

DavidSeven's 15 minutes are over. :sad:

[Watashi]

Who knew that post #20,000 would go to a creepy picture of Jeff Goldblum.

Damn you chrisnu. *shakes fist*

[origami_mustache]

AFI Fest starts at the end of the month. I bought tickets to Che, Tokyo, 24 City, and Tokyo Sonata. I would have liked to see The Wrestler and Danny Boyle's new film Slumdog Millionaire, but they are playing during the week while I'll be at work, not to mention they are specialty shows that cost $25 per ticket as opposed to the "cheap" $11 shows.

[Raiders]

I just secured my tickets for the Nov. 14 screening of My Name is Bruce with Bruce Campbell attending in person.

Huzzah.

[Wryan]

Let's save this one for when we need it:

Don't Tell Mom the Film Discussion Thread's Dead

[Ezee E]

Let's save this one for when we need it:

Don't Tell Mom the Film Discussion Thread's Dead
Very nice.

Denver Film Festival lineup comes out in a week or so. Can't wait.