28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Bosco B Thug]

i'm now rating films with batting averages. Man, and they make no sense to me. I can only assume the higher the better.


No fucking way Atonement bats that low. Yeah, only because it's on steroids.

And the metaphor really works. Still has probably the integrity of its natural virtues/talents, but now its also got aspects of meatheadedness and inadvertant shrinkages.

[Qrazy]

Are there any happy Romanian films?


The Kazakh village scene shot in Romania for Borat comes closest.

[megladon8]

Much of what the public and media think about Christian Bale's life is totally false.

He freely admits that for much of his career, he was so tired of interviews and being asked the same questions over and over and over that he would just out-right lie. He entertained himself during these interviews by making up stories about himself and his family.

Yet another reason why he's the man.

[Sycophant]

Yet another reason why he's the man.

More like another reason why he's a man.

Lying brutes, all!

[megladon8]

Do Americans consider Canadian films to be "foreign"?

[Sycophant]

Do Americans consider Canadian films to be "foreign"?No.

Just ignorable.

[Qrazy]

No.

Just ignorable.

Hiyo!

In your face and up your ass Denys Arcand!

[Sven]

Lying brutes, all!

Big HAIRY beasts! With eight hands!! And they only want one thing from a girl...

[MadMan]

I don't think I've ever seen a movie from Canada. If I did, I must have forgotten about it.

[Derek]

No.

Just ignorable.

Almost. Cronenberg and Maddin are great, but aside from them and C.R.A.Z.Y., I'm not sure I could come up with too many others off hand.

[Boner M]

Almost. Cronenberg and Maddin are great, but aside from them and C.R.A.Z.Y., I'm not sure I could come up with too many others off hand.
Umm... Egoyan?

[Spaceman Spiff]

Umm... Egoyan?

Heh.

Point taken though that our cinema is pretty bad. Other than Maddin, Croney and yes, Egoyan... who and what else is there? Please don't say Don McKellar.

[Boner M]

I like Bruce McDonald's films, though I can see how others might not.

[Qrazy]

Almost. Cronenberg and Maddin are great, but aside from them and C.R.A.Z.Y., I'm not sure I could come up with too many others off hand.

Frederic Back - Crac, Man Who Planted Trees
Atom Egoyan - Exotica, Sweet Hereafter
Denys Arcand - Barbarian Invasians, Decline of the American Empire
Francois Girard - Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould, The Red Violin
Jean-Claude Lauzon - Leolo

James Cameron and Norman Jewison are also Canadian.

There's a ton of other great Canadian animators but I don't feel like listing them.

[MadMan]

Well I have seen movies from James Cameron, and History of Violence from Cronenberg. So does that mean those movies can be considered Canadian, since they were made by Canadian directors? Even if they were made in the US with American actors? Hmm.

[Derek]

Frederic Back - Crac, Man Who Planted Trees
Atom Egoyan - Exotica, Sweet Hereafter

Yep, these guys are great too.


Denys Arcand - Barbarian Invasians, Decline of the American Empire
Francois Girard - Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould, The Red Violin
Jean-Claude Lauzon - Leolo

Barbarian Invasions was ok, but pretty forgettable. Haven't seen anything from the other two guys.


James Cameron and Norman Jewison are also Canadian.

There's a ton of other great Canadian animators but I don't feel like listing them.

Weren't we talking about Canadian films, not Canadian filmmakers who have worked primarily in the U.S.?

[Qrazy]

Yep, these guys are great too.



Barbarian Invasions was ok, but pretty forgettable. Haven't seen anything from the other two guys.

Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould is the best of the others I'd say.




Weren't we talking about Canadian films, not Canadian filmmakers who have worked primarily in the U.S.?

Just being inclusive.

[megladon8]

Goin' Down the Road is considered a pretty dang important Canadian film.

[Amnesiac]

What about Claude Jutra? Norman McLaren? Don Shebib? Michel Brault?

Plus, the more obvious ones already stated: Egoyan, Arcand, Cronenberg, Maddin.

With notable talent like this, Canadian cinema is hardly 'ignorable'.

[Winston*]

Zacharias Kunuk is a good one.

[Qrazy]

Michael Snow also.

[Amnesiac]

Yeah, Michael Snow... although, admittedly, I can't say I thought much of Wavelength outside of it being an interesting test of endurance. Although he does seem to get a lot of praise.

Same goes for Serene Velocity and T,O,U,C,H,I,N,G (although neither of those have anything to do with Snow or Canada, I guess they still fit under the category of the structuralist film).

[Philosophe_rouge]

Canadian cinema? I've been meaning to explore it more... far more interesting in terms of documentary and animation than narrative, though there are a few notable gems and filmmakers that have been touched on... uhhh... I don't have much to add.

[Winston*]

Gone Baby Gone - very good acting, solid direction, starts off well then goes progressively off the rails. Movie's entire existence is ultimately contrived around a moral quandary that doesn't exist.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Speaking of Canadian cinema, anyone seen Lonely Boy (1962)? Been on my to see list for a long time now.

[MadMan]

Gun Crazy(1950)-Not only is this movie rifled with sexual tension, but its also highly entertaining. I liked the main characters, and I find it interesting how the movie manages to make them sympathetic despite the fact that one of them is a killer and both of them are running around, robbing banks. To me this movie was ahead of its time in terms of expressing youthful rebellion, especially considering that it was made in the highly conservative 1950s. I'm curious about how much effect this movie had on Bonnie and Clyde, which I will hopefully be viewing in the near future.

Modern Times(1936) was incredibly delightful, and very funny. The more I see of Chaplin, the more I really like. Many of the gags were well executed, and the satire of the working class and the rat race, while obvious, was quite spot on. I want to see this movie one more time before I return it, if only to write a longer review and because I'm sure there's some thoughts on class that I may have missed.

[transmogrifier]

Movie's entire existence is ultimately contrived around a moral quandary that doesn't exist.

Explain.

[Winston*]

Explain.

Were these crazy people in the moral right to (instead of going through any logical channels of trying to prove this woman an unfit mother) steal a girl, fake her death and have her live under an assumed identity? *unsettling ambiguities*

The movie, or book I guess, seems to have come up with this ridiculous ending dichotomy first and reverse engineered a bunch of smoke about to try and convince the audience of a grey area that isn't there.

Also, CJ7 is a really sweet movie.

BTW, whenever someone within a movie says that movie's title, does anyone hear Ron Howard's voice in their heads saying "Hey, that's the name of the show!"? I know I do.

[Ezee E]

Were these crazy people in the moral right to (instead of going through any logical channels of trying to prove this woman an unfit mother) steal a girl, fake her death and have her live under an assumed identity? *unsettling ambiguities*

The movie, or book I guess, seems to have come up with this ridiculous ending dichotomy first and reverse engineered a bunch of smoke about to try and convince the audience of a grey area that isn't there.

Also, CJ7 is a really sweet movie.

BTW, whenever someone within a movie says that movie's title, does anyone hear Ron Howard's voice in their heads saying "Hey, that's the name of the show!"? I know I do.
A friend of mine used to always make a silly "ba-ding" noise whenever that happened.

[Wryan]

Oh Christ, let's not start the Canadian financing of American movies that have British directors with Lebanse aunts who owned mulatto slaves two centuries ago stuff...

I hate those discussions.

[Amnesiac]

Speaking of Canadian cinema, anyone seen Lonely Boy (1962)? Been on my to see list for a long time now.

I've seen it. It's a pretty interesting direct-cinema film. It interrogates the idea of fame, and seems to identify it as a calculated process rather than something natural or inherent. Paul Anka has some very candid interviews where he calmly states all the changes he had to go through to become suitable 'star' material (weight loss, nose job, etc.). Paul Anka really seems to draw attention to himself as a construct.

There are also some really hilarious shots of his screaming fans who at times seem to be bordering on absolute lunacy.

And there's somewhat of an elegiac tone interspersed throughout the film, notably at the end. It's worth a look.

[Russ]

Apart from Maddin, my favorite Canadian director is John Paizs. I highly recommend both Crime Story and Springtime in Greenland. Too bad he's not more prolific.

[Rowland]

I love Gone Baby Gone, and I acknowledge that much of its narrative is contrived, but then I figure that most film noirs are to some degree, and the arguably artificial plot machinations are, besides being justified on thematic grounds, a large part of its lurid charm. Affleck's tight, restrained direction imbues it all with an air of grim authenticity as well.

[Qrazy]

Yeah, Michael Snow... although, admittedly, I can't say I thought much of Wavelength outside of it being an interesting test of endurance. Although he does seem to get a lot of praise.

Same goes for Serene Velocity and T,O,U,C,H,I,N,G (although neither of those have anything to do with Snow or Canada, I guess they still fit under the category of the structuralist film).

Yeah but you don't have to like a filmmaker for them to be historically significant.

[Amnesiac]

Yeah but you don't have to like a filmmaker for them to be historically significant.

Yes, that's fairly obvious. Plus, I didn't say otherwise.

[Qrazy]

Were these crazy people in the moral right to (instead of going through any logical channels of trying to prove this woman an unfit mother) steal a girl, fake her death and have her live under an assumed identity? *unsettling ambiguities*

The movie, or book I guess, seems to have come up with this ridiculous ending dichotomy first and reverse engineered a bunch of smoke about to try and convince the audience of a grey area that isn't there.


Um yeah... that is a moral grey area actually. It does seem reverse engineered and perhaps in a sense contrived but the grey area is there.

[Qrazy]

Oh Christ, let's not start the Canadian financing of American movies that have British directors with Lebanse aunts who owned mulatto slaves two centuries ago stuff...

I hate those discussions.

Thank god for you that no one is having such a discussion then.

[Qrazy]

Yes, that's... fairly obvious. Plus, I didn't say otherwise.

Ok then.

[transmogrifier]

Were these crazy people in the moral right to (instead of going through any logical channels of trying to prove this woman an unfit mother) steal a girl, fake her death and have her live under an assumed identity? *unsettling ambiguities*

The movie, or book I guess, seems to have come up with this ridiculous ending dichotomy first and reverse engineered a bunch of smoke about to try and convince the audience of a grey area that isn't there.


Um, there IS a grey area there, you just seem to have a firm opinion about it. Doesn't mean other people wouldn't feel differently.

[Rowland]

And besides, what matters most is how Patrick construes the situation, why he makes the choice he does, and the tragic moral implications that result.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Watched Timothy Carey's The World's Greatest Sinner

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: :eek::eek:

[megladon8]

I don't understand...what's contrived about Gone Baby Gone?

And how does the moral quandry "not exist"?

[Sycophant]

I don't understand...what's contrived about Gone Baby Gone?

And how does the moral quandry "not exist"?
The plot is pretty far out there. And on a surface level, it's not exactly a moral dilemma you're terribly likely to run into yourself.

Not that I fault the story for it. It never ceases to be a bit of a stretch, but the movie supports it well. And still, I think the moral quandary has real world implications at least in a metaphorical sense.

[Philosophe_rouge]

The plot is pretty far out there. And on a surface level, it's not exactly a moral dilemma you're terribly likely to run into yourself.

Not that I fault the story for it. It never ceases to be a bit of a stretch, but the movie supports it well. And still, I think the moral quandary has real world implications at least in a metaphorical sense.
I think the moral dillema is more a battle of ethical ideas. Is morality an issue of categorical imperative, where laws and rules are never worth bending. Or should it be strictly a case by case basis. Unfortunately, there are pittfalls to each argument. The first, there are times when lying can be right, as can be stealing, or as this film tries to suggest, kidnapping... but it also sets an unfair precedent, and it's difficult to ever really judge what is best for another person, or who you are slighting in the process.

[megladon8]

The plot is pretty far out there.

Kids getting kidnapped is far out there?

Or are you referring to the revelation at the end?



And on a surface level, it's not exactly a moral dilemma you're terribly likely to run into yourself.

Well, I'm not a private detective, so I guess I probably wouldn't run into this.



Not that I fault the story for it. It never ceases to be a bit of a stretch, but the movie supports it well. And still, I think the moral quandary has real world implications at least in a metaphorical sense.

I thought it was realistic where it needed to be. I don't think the film ever tried to say "this kind of stuff happens every day".

I don't think it should matter whether or not the situation is one you or I will run into. It was thought-provoking and very powerful, and its outcome...

where Casey Affleck has obviously made the "wrong" choice, and must now pay penance by taking care of the girl himself

...had great weight to it.

I thought it was an astounding film. The whole cast was great. The conversation between Casey and Ed Harris outside the hospital is probably my favorite part of the film.

[Watashi]

Pick up your daily newspaper and read some of the fucked up shit that happens in our world, and you'll realize that Gone Baby Gone's premise isn't that far off.

[Mysterious Dude]

Well, I'm not a private detective, so I guess I probably wouldn't run into this.
I think I can say, with great confidence, that no private detective has ever asked themselves, "Should I return this kidnapped child to her mother, or allow her to remain with her kidnapper?" It's a question with one obviously correct answer that the movie wants us to think could possibly have a different answer.

[Winston*]

I think I can say, with great confidence, that no private detective has ever asked themselves, "Should I return this kidnapped child to her mother, or allow her to remain with her kidnapper?" It's a question with one obviously correct answer that the movie wants us to think could possibly have a different answer.

Yes.

[Qrazy]

I think I can say, with great confidence, that no private detective has ever asked themselves, "Should I return this kidnapped child to her mother, or allow her to remain with her kidnapper?" It's a question with one obviously correct answer that the movie wants us to think could possibly have a different answer.

It's really not that obvious if the mother is a prostitute, a drug addict or something of that nature. If the kid is bound to end up in a terrible foster care system anyway it does present a moment's pause. If we lived in a different society where the welfare of the child was more important than the rights of the parent then we would have a very different obvious answer.

On a side note, The Wire deals with a similar issue but in a less heavy handed manner and at least one of the parents of the kid agrees that the kid should grow up in better circumstances.

[megladon8]

I still don't understand how this is a negative for the film.

It takes an issue that normally has a very clear-cut answer, and tries to get us looking at it differently.

What's wrong with that?

[transmogrifier]

I think I can say, with great confidence, that no private detective has ever asked themselves, "Should I return this kidnapped child to her mother, or allow her to remain with her kidnapper?" It's a question with one obviously correct answer that the movie wants us to think could possibly have a different answer.

To you, maybe.

[The Mike]

I think I can say, with great confidence, that no private detective has ever asked themselves, "Should I return this kidnapped child to her mother, or allow her to remain with her kidnapper?" It's a question with one obviously correct answer that the movie wants us to think could possibly have a different answer.

The argument of whether being a parent is a right or a privilege is one that I know many human service workers deal with every day. Considering that, in this case, the private detective is being posed the same kind of question by a police officer (which is kinda a human services thang), I think that it's at least worth considering.

[Henry Gale]

So this year we've had:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Step Brothers
Pineapple Express
Tropic Thunder
Burn After Reading

and now Role Models. I can't believe that Seann William Scott was such a funny and memorable character (that wasn't Stifler). Everyone else was great too, but I'm particularly glad Rudd and Wain have another great movie (and a hit at that) after all these years.

This has maybe been the best year for comedies I can think of. Sure you can point to the fact that we also had two(!) Frieberg/Seltzer movies in 2008, but the ones I love here were (for the most part) more successful than those (in both the box office and not making me lose faith in humanity ways).

I know not everyone will agree that all of them were particularly funny, but for studio-backed, R-rated comedies that aren't just dick jokes and slapstick (which again, many will argue), they all found a way of making hilarious movies (seemingly made just for me) that bothered to create great characters and scripts while still having the funny there instead of just actors riffing on what they're known for to some story running in the background.

But yeah... Role Models... go see that. It falls into what I described as being something I liked in one of those paragraphs/run-on sentence blocks.

[dreamdead]

James Lapine's TV production of Sondheim's Passion is quietly resonant. The themes of emotional faithfulness and commitment to another in times of war and struggle find mature expression, and even though none of the songs here have the "breakaway single" quality of the best of Sondheim's work, they all nonetheless contribute to the ideas presented. As per usual with Sondheim, the best songs are those that interweave melodies and crosscut rhythms back and forth... It's certainly interesting to see how Lapine and Sondheim adapt film into musicals, as this and A Little Night Music (Bergman's Smiles of a Summer Night) both resonate in different ways. All in all, Passion is expressive and sophisticated, though it lacks the immediacy and rewatchability of something like Sweeney Todd or Into the Woods.

[Spinal]

I saw the Broadway production of Passion in previews way back in 1994. The audience reaction was priceless as they were clearly bewildered by the protagonist's actions late in the show. It remains one of my favorite Sondheim shows. He's made better musicals, but if I just want to put on the CD and listen to it, this one just might be my favorite. Such beautiful songs.

[Sven]

In a fit of "needing to turn my brain off," I watched Kill Bill v.1 again tonite. For some reason, its nerdiness and collagey presentation really got on my nerves this time. I mean, really, what does Morricone have to do with Japan? T-baby, I understand you like "bad" movies, but turning them all into a giant fondue seems pretty artistically, umm... regressive maybe? There's probably a better word, but whatever the case, I found myself quite disinterested. Very sad.

[Ivan Drago]

So this year we've had:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Step Brothers
Pineapple Express
Tropic Thunder
Burn After Reading

...Get Smart?

But I think I will see Role Models sometime.

[Henry Gale]

...Get Smart?

But I think I will see Role Models sometime.

Haven't gotten around to that yet. I guess mixed reactions when it came out bumped it down on my priorities list a bit.

[Spinal]

In a fit of "needing to turn my brain off," I watched Kill Bill v.1 again tonite. For some reason, its nerdiness and collagey presentation really got on my nerves this time. I mean, really, what does Morricone have to do with Japan? T-baby, I understand you like "bad" movies, but turning them all into a giant fondue seems pretty artistically, umm... regressive maybe? There's probably a better word, but whatever the case, I found myself quite disinterested. Very sad.

I don't think you succeeded in turning your brain off.

[Sven]

I don't think you succeeded in turning your brain off.

I think you're right. Perhaps I should've gone with some DuckTales instead.

[Watashi]

I think you're right. Perhaps I should've gone with some DuckTales instead.
I can't tell if this post is praising or bashing Ducktales.

Positive or Negative rep may follow depending on your answer.

[Sven]

Positive or Negative rep may follow depending on your answer.

Bitch, please. You know it's gotta be one of my absolute favorites.

[Raiders]

DuckTales.

Best. Theme. Song. Ever.

[Spinal]

DuckTales.

Best. Theme. Song. Ever.

It's pretty good, but ...

Not (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSDeoO-j3G0)

Quite (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5oniErmeuE)

Best. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-anabfAg06U)

[Boner M]

Russian versions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB4FKSsJESw) of beloved childhood theme songs are the best.

EDIT: Duck Tales in Arabic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2LP0FQrZOk&NR=1) is pretty boss too.

[Sven]

It's pretty good, but ...

Not (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSDeoO-j3G0)

Quite (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5oniErmeuE)

Best. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-anabfAg06U)

You missed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVS3WNt7yRU) a couple (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgssjkrRqA4).

[SirNewt]

I just returned from Borders where I blind purchased "Leon", I'm off to watch it now.

[Boner M]

D'oh, how could I forget Avenger Penguins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE-0HGbrJ1s)?

[Raiders]

Not (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSDeoO-j3G0)


Maybe.



Quite (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5oniErmeuE)


Nah.



Best. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-anabfAg06U)

Good, but no cigar.


You missed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVS3WNt7yRU) a couple (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgssjkrRqA4).

Hell no to both of these.

[Sven]

Hell no to both of these.

Anyone who says "Hell no" to John Sebastian deserves a kick in the pants.

[Derek]

You missed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVS3WNt7yRU) a couple (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgssjkrRqA4).

Let's not (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukSvjqwJixw&NR=1) go nuts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb1OGZ6GVT0), since these (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b30CLSFaEz0) are (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbnLYROCj8) clearly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnNMiEkYJjQ&feature=related) superior (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71RyZuJHpj0&feature=related) based on the standards (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UkZzdyD0A&feature=related) you've set above.

[Russ]

DuckTales.

Best. Theme. Song. Ever.

I don't think so. (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=J6I5DzMYqcU)

[Sven]

The only one I could agree with is "clearly". But this is still a fun game!

[D_Davis]

You guys obviously haven't seen Overman King Gainer. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97j86qH91Nk)

[D_Davis]

I don't think so. (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=J6I5DzMYqcU)

Man I love this song.

[megladon8]

Anyone else remember "The American Rabbit"?

[Winston*]

Unless one of those youtube links is TaleSpin, you're all wrong.

[Qrazy]

These (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zDfxZ4NcE) are (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2lkvrMa27c) fun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-5egVKTBW0) too. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipaV4k2n__I)

[dreamdead]

Hey Derek. Thoughts on this?


Still Life (Jia, 2008) 71

[dreamdead]

I saw the Broadway production of Passion in previews way back in 1994. The audience reaction was priceless as they were clearly bewildered by the protagonist's actions late in the show. It remains one of my favorite Sondheim shows. He's made better musicals, but if I just want to put on the CD and listen to it, this one just might be my favorite. Such beautiful songs.

I can't see why audiences would be so bewildered by Giorgio's decision, though. It is perfectly in tune with how he proffers others over himself; he is constantly martyring his own affections to benefit others. Naturally, then, that sensibility shifts his own preconceptions about Fosca. Other reviewers of this work have pointed toward how unimaginative the plot, characters, and staging are, but I think instead that I would lean toward words like "understated" or "quiet." I know that I'd rather listen to Into the Woods or Assassins for pure virtuosity of the music, but this was challenging in another way entirely. Good stuff, I'd say.

[Spinal]

Hmmm ... I think Assassins is one of his weakest, to be honest.

[Spinal]

Nah.


How dare you 'nah' Star Blazers?! How dare you?!

[dreamdead]

Hmmm ... I think Assassins is one of his weakest, to be honest.

Narratively, probably. It celebrates its artifice more than it celebrates emotion. (Wait, why wouldn't that appeal to you? :twisted:)

In terms of pure listening to a musical score, though, Assassins has the tradition of being my formative experience with Sondheim, so I have an affection for that one that isn't there for the others.

I'll likely check the 2007 TV version of Company next.

[Spinal]

Forgot to mention that The Edge of Heaven was pretty sweet. Akin does such a great job of creating detailed, compelling characters. I was riveted throughout, though I'm not too sure about the (intentionally) anticlimactic ending. Clearly, Akin is avoided certain scenes that the audience expects to happen, but I'm not sure if the film is necessarily better off for it. The final image straddles the line between poetry and a giant fizzle. Still, much to recommend. I was particularly fond of the actress who played Lotte.

[Raiders]

All horror fans owe it to themselves to watch Billy O'Brien's Isolation. Nothing really unexpected in terms of the direction the story takes, but it outdoes Cronenberg in the nastiness of its gruesome body-horror and contains some subtle, grounded characters that give the film a bit of levity in the face of its genetic experiments-gone-wrong plot. I am pretty desensitized to horror films, but I was averting my eyes on a couple occasions. Despite losing some of its chilling atmosphere late and the rather derivative nature of its plotting, it is a supremely effective film, all the more so because of its use of real, bloody effects that have the same visceral shock as Carpenter's The Thing.

[megladon8]

So glad you liked it, Raiders. It's going to make my year end list for sure.

I really liked all the characters, and the sparse dialogue worked well.

And I agree about the un-CGI monster effects. Computers just haven't been able to reach true photorealism yet, at least not in most horror films where the budget is comparably lower. Prosthetics, animatronics and make-up are noticably different from the way computer effects try to mimic an object's movement and mass.

[SirNewt]

What's the general match-cut opinion "Classe Tous Risques"? I'm a huge Lino Ventura fan so I almost bought this today.

[megladon8]

Ever seen one of those movies where you're left thinking, "there was a great movie in there...somewhere"? Somewhere under the layers of putridness there's something good to be had. A good story, or a strong character, or an interesting angle at which to tell this story. This movie is Hellraiser: Hellseeker, a film that is such a mess it's almost admirable in how it has tried to differ itself from "the pack", but I also can't help but scorn it for being so lazy in the way it incorporates different elements into the story.

These elements are, well, the Hellraiser parts. It's painfully obvious that the studio took an amateurish 4th-tier script for a psychological thriller (one that had obviously been sitting on their shelf since around the release of Memento, just waiting to ride that scattered-timeline gravy train), and they tacked Pinhead into about 3 scenes and called it a Hellraiser movie. And I'm not exaggerating there. Pinhead might be in 5 minutes of the movie, and that's being generous by including the appearance of his name in the end credits. And the other Cenobites aren't there any longer. I think there were two or three Cenobites in the film, but I'm not sure because they are basically shown in flashes and it's hard to discern which one's which.

The basic story is that Trevor (played by a sleepwalking Dean Winters) was in an accident with his wife, Kirsty (yes, Kirsty from the original films in the series, and the role is reprised by Ashley Laurence). The accident (supposedly) left Kirsty dead, and Trevor with such severe head trauma that he's lost his memory of the incident and the events leading up to it. Now he's trying to piece it together and possibly avenge the death of his wife, while his memories continue to scatter and the timeline blurs.

Sound familiar?

The way the Hellraiser stuff is thrown in is haphazard at best. A little bit of dialogue here (during a hallucination, a doctor probes Trevor's brain while talking about "pleasure and pain"), and maybe a hallucinatory conversation with Pinhead reflected in a puddle of water, where he spouts out completely arbitrary lines like "I can see into your soul" and "Do you prefer pleasure or pain?" The lines between what appears to have been the original story, and what has been thrown in to add this to the famous horror franchise, are chiseled with a jackhammer. It has no flow, and even the most inept filmgoer could see that it's two films mashed together.

Underneath all this, though, is something that could have been interesting. Perhaps I'm biased, because it reminded me so much of the script I spent years toiling over (except for all the demonic stuff, of course). But if it had contained less shameless Memento-isms and been more of a story of this man's own discovery of himself and his questionable past, it really could have been something.

There are scenes that only hint at a great betrayal on his part, against Kirsty. These actually do have to do with the Hellraiser mythos, and so it would have been great to see more come of this. I wanted to know more about what made him the way he was before the accident, and what drove him to do what he did to her.

Alas, none of that would come to pass. It's a DTV-sequel to a dying franchise, and there's a reason why people don't talk about it for having revitalized the series or anything. It's pretty bad, and frankly it's boring at places since Winters - an actor who has trouble conjuring up enthusiasm at the best of times - appears to be bored with and almost mocking the terrible writing with his performance.

I did a little research on this and the other DTV sequels after Inferno (which is actually a pretty decent little movie you should check out) and found that this, Hell World and Deader (does anyone else find that title hilarious?) are all similarly disjointed due to being based on totally un-Hellraiser-related scripts with the Pinhead face tacked on. Also, like Hellseeker, they apparently feature about 5 minutes of Cenobite action collectively.

I can't say I'll be digging any deeper into Rick Bota's interpretations of Clive Barker's horror classic, but I remain cautiously optimistic towards the remake of the original due in cinemas next year.

[monolith94]

To add to the opening theme song discussion, I'll put forth my faves:

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGQ5DSzxsZU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AL7npkSXZE

[Stay Puft]

Lest we forget:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM45YnqsfVk&feature=related

[Dead & Messed Up]

My bid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UieDo4GoRPE

[Sven]

You owe me rep, Wats.

[D_Davis]

Ever seen one of those movies where you're left thinking, "there was a great movie in there...somewhere"? Somewhere under the layers of putridness there's something good to be had. A good story, or a strong character, or an interesting angle at which to tell this story. This movie is Hellraiser: Hellseeker, a film that is such a mess it's almost admirable in how it has tried to differ itself from "the pack", but I also can't help but scorn it for being so lazy in the way it incorporates different elements into the story.

...

I did a little research on this and the other DTV sequels after Inferno (which is actually a pretty decent little movie you should check out) and found that this, Hell World and Deader (does anyone else find that title hilarious?) are all similarly disjointed due to being based on totally un-Hellraiser-related scripts with the Pinhead face tacked on. Also, like Hellseeker, they apparently feature about 5 minutes of Cenobite action collectively.


Nicely said, meg. I really like the direction they took these DTV Hellraiser films. Yes, the scripts were at one time not Hellraiser related, but by adding in the cenobites they did a great job of bringing the narratives into Barker's world. I like how they approached these films more like episodes of Tales From the Darkside or something.

[Sycophant]

My bid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UieDo4GoRPE

That's fantastic.

Monty Python is always there to remind me that our generation hasn't invented as much comedy as we think we have.

[Sycophant]

So I saw Wong Kar-Wai's Ashes of Time Redux (never did see the original cut) last night. It was excellent. A good reminder after My Blueberry Nights as to how wonderful Wong is when he's really on.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Lest we forget:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM45YnqsfVk&feature=related

I read this post forty-five minutes ago, wikied DarkPlace forty minutes ago, tracked down the first episode thirty minutes ago, and now I'm happier. That was the funniest thing I've seen in a while.

:lol:

"Seems like a regular burial, Rick. Do you really buy this portal to hell deal?"
"I wouldn't say I buy it, Liz. Let's just say I'm window-shopping, and right now there's a half-price sale on weird."

[Stay Puft]

I read this post forty-five minutes ago, wikied DarkPlace forty minutes ago, tracked down the first episode thirty minutes ago, and now I'm happier. That was the funniest thing I've seen in a while.

Watch the second episode asap. That's the best one, I think.

Dean Learner's scene on the telephone is amazing.

[D_Davis]

Is Darkplace on DVD yet?

[megladon8]

Is Darkplace on DVD yet?


Only in Britain, I think.

A shame, really. Such an awesome show.

"Blood. Blood. Blood. And bits of sick."

[D_Davis]

Only in Britain, I think.

A shame, really. Such an awesome show.

"Blood. Blood. Blood. And bits of sick."

Yeah. Hilarious. He reminds me of a British Harlen Ellison, especially with those glasses. I wonder if Ellison was an influence?

[megladon8]

Yeah. Hilarious. He reminds me of a British Harlen Ellison, especially with those glasses. I wonder if Ellison was an influence?


I think he's just like a collective mockery of all modern horror authors, even the good ones like King.

I love how convinced he is of his own genius, it's wonderful.

"I'm the only person I know who has written more books than he's read."


Oh and D, going back to the Hellraiser DTV sequels, have you seen Inferno? I think it's the best of the bunch (that I've seen). In fact, it's so good, I might even say it's the best movie in the series after the original.

[D_Davis]

Oh and D, going back to the Hellraiser DTV sequels, have you seen Inferno? I think it's the best of the bunch (that I've seen). In fact, it's so good, I might even say it's the best movie in the series after the original.

Oh yeah - didn't we already talk about this? Inferno is the first one, right?

[megladon8]

Oh yeah - didn't we already talk about this? Inferno is the first one, right?


We probably did. I lose track of all the stuff that's talked about on here.

[D_Davis]

Inferno is fantastic. That's the one with the Siamese twin cenobite, no?

[megladon8]

Inferno is fantastic. That's the one with the Siamese twin cenobite, no?


Yep, also the torso.

The siamese twin cenobites make me feel sexually confused and frightened.

[megladon8]

One more "Dark Place" quote then I'm done, I swear...

"He's right, Sanch. One of the main reasons I went into medicine was for the laughs. That and the pussy. And that dried up 10 year ago, pardon the expression."

[D_Davis]

I was more than pleasantly surprised by Inferno. I picked it up in the 'free junk' box when I worked at Tower Records, thinking that it would be terrible. I ended up really liking it, as did most of those who watched it with me. It was surprisingly creepy, atmospheric, and well made, I only wish they wouldn't have shied away from the gruesome stuff as much as they did. Hellraiser is all about that kind of grotesque body horror, and Inferno felt more like a TV movie in this department. However, it's easily the best of the DTV films, and probably better the worst of Hellraiser 1 and 2, but not quite as good as the best of 1 and 2.

[megladon8]

I was more than pleasantly surprised by Inferno. I picked it up in the 'free junk' box when I worked at Tower Records, thinking that it would be terrible. I ended up really liking it, as did most of those who watched it with me. It was surprisingly creepy, atmospheric, and well made, I only wish they wouldn't have shied away from the gruesome stuff as much as they did. Hellraiser is all about that kind of grotesque body horror, and Inferno felt more like a TV movie in this department. However, it's easily the best of the DTV films, and probably better the worst of Hellraiser 1 and 2, but not quite as good as the best of 1 and 2.


Yeah I know what you mean about the effects being more limited, but I think a lot of that was budgetary constraints.

This is probably the last of the films to still have that unsettling, pseudo-sexual undertone. Like I mentioned with the twin Cenobites - are you supposed to be turned on? Revolted? Both?

It could have used more of the gross imagery, yes, but I'd take the solid plot and execution over more gore any day.

[Philosophe_rouge]

My Darling Clementine was absolutely lovely, as perfect a western as I can remember seeing. It's surprisingly heartfelt, and never heavy handed. Watching the film, I see scenes that could have been embellished or made more blatant, but Ford gives faith in the audience that we will come to our own conclusions about the relationships and motives of the characters. I have to invest in further exploring John Ford's filmography, because I've barely scratched the surface.

[Stay Puft]

I rewatched Casino Royale last night to prep for a viewing of QoS, and I was surprised by how well it held up. I wasn't sure if I'd still dig it as much, and sure enough there was plenty there to induce some groans, but it's still an engaging and entertaining romp. Basically, I guess my opinion didn't really change. It's not the best Bond movie, no, but Daniel Craig is a promising lead, and it's much better than the other one Martin Campbell directed.

I decided to rewatch it because I had forgot quite a few details and wasn't sure how important that may be to the new one (e.g. going by reviews, I had no idea who Mr. White was, or why he was Bond's prisoner - completely forgot about that final scene). On that note, I discovered my new favorite detail in the film: Bond's joking disappointment that Mendel didn't bring any chocolates with him. Mendel's respone and sudden laugh, and Bond's bewildered smirk, is beyond.

[Ezee E]

Tokyo!, like the Paris film, continues the trend of why I don't like short films. I continue to get tricked into them as I'm curious about a director's approach, but the short film medium is a tough one to approach.

Gondry's - It has a good story of a young couple trying to live the city-life in a city that's much too expensive for them. However, it ends on a funny note (which is at least foreshadowed) but ultimately comes up, "meh." Gondry doesn't use any of his traditional special effects here.

Carax - Oi, a short film that goes way too long, and forces a message that isn't at all thought-provoking, as well as overdoing jokes that aren't at all funny. Garbage. Did that court scene really have to go on that long?

Ho-Bong - an interesting one that is probably the best of the three, as this may be the exception to the rule. Perhaps a little too "obvious" and "teacher from Ghost World" worthy, but it's one that ends properly, has a beginning, middle, and end, and doesn't end on a silly deus ex machina trick.

Overall, my rating may be a bit harsh because of the Carax film.

Gondry - ** 1/2
Carax - 0 Stars
Ho-Bong - *** 1/2

[Winston*]

I would've thought you'd get at least one Japanese director in when making an anthology film about Tokyo.

[Ezee E]

I would've thought you'd get at least one Japanese director in when making an anthology film about Tokyo.
I have a feeling that was on purpose.

Strangely, none of these directors seemed to like Tokyo.

[monolith94]

One more "Dark Place" quote then I'm done, I swear...

"He's right, Sanch. One of the main reasons I went into medicine was for the laughs. That and the pussy. And that dried up 10 year ago, pardon the expression."

"The doors of Darkplace were open. Not the literal doors of the building, most of which were closed. But evil doors. Dark doors. Doors, to the beyond. Doors that were hard to shut because they were abstract and didn't have handles. They were more like portals really. From this day on I'd have to fight these forces of darkness, and deal with the burden of day-to-day admin."

Dark Place quotes never did anyone any harm. :)

[megladon8]

"The doors of Darkplace were open. Not the literal doors of the building, most of which were closed. But evil doors. Dark doors. Doors, to the beyond. Doors that were hard to shut because they were abstract and didn't have handles. They were more like portals really. From this day on I'd have to fight these forces of darkness, and deal with the burden of day-to-day admin."

Dark Place quotes never did anyone any harm. :)


"So here I am. Dean Learner. Not putting on an act...but putting on the truth."

"I call Garth the 'Orson Welles of horror', and that's not just because of his weight. He is a titan of terror."

[Sycophant]

The American Experience: Jimmy Carter: A typically excellent, extensive documentary from the PBS series that does a very good job of portraying the climate of the time, the tenor and the presidency, and the character of the man. Watched Richard Nixon a few weeks ago, of which I had a similar reaction. I aim to watch every presidential one they've done in the near future.

I should probably also check out Demme's picture.

Tokyo!: Even though they frequently let me down, I love short film anthologies. And I need to get my hands on anything Bong Joon-Ho has done--I find E's words very encouraging. He's high among my favorite new directors. Weird that Gondry didn't do any special effects in his, as I thought that was at least 51% of the reason he was making movies to begin with.

Dark Place Quotes: There are very few things that turn me off to the idea of watching a movie like people quoting it.

[megladon8]

Dark Place Quotes: There are very few things that turn me off to the idea of watching a movie like people quoting it.


It's a TV show.

You grump.

[Sycophant]

It's a TV show.

You grump.
Oh.

My bad?

This is a longstanding rule, BTW. IRL and on the tubes alike.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Dark Place is probably the funniest show I've ever seen, and deserves to be quoted as much as Monty Python. And those quotes should deter no man from basking in its glory.

[D_Davis]

"I ran the only way I knew how: by putting one foot in front of the other in rapid succession."

"He exploded much too young."

[chrisnu]

are (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2lkvrMa27c)
This. I also like this (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IJEyhemH_FM) and this (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=G6lPw8kfENs).

[Spinal]

Did we really get this far without mentioning this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y)?

[Raiders]

Did we really get this far without mentioning this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y)?

It's awesome, but I didn't really think of it in the same way as actual theme songs.

[Ezee E]

Tokyo!: Even though they frequently let me down, I love short film anthologies. And I need to get my hands on anything Bong Joon-Ho has done--I find E's words very encouraging. He's high among my favorite new directors. Weird that Gondry didn't do any special effects in his, as I thought that was at least 51% of the reason he was making movies to begin with.


Gondry still uses a few camera tricks, but none of the cartooney effects that he did in Science of Sleep or 95% of his music videos.

Although there are some impressive costume special effects that changes a certain person. And that is impressive. I guess I should say that Gondry minimalizes the effects this time around.

[Winston*]

Turned off 30 Days of Night halfway through. Christ, David Slade is a horrible director, no idea how to build tension in a sccene whatsoever. Not even hilarious Ben Foster scenerey chemwing and Danny Huston speaking Star Wars talk can make this worth watching.

[origami_mustache]

Carax - Oi, a short film that goes way too long, and forces a message that isn't at all thought-provoking, as well as overdoing jokes that aren't at all funny. Garbage. Did that court scene really have to go on that long?


Overall, my rating may be a bit harsh because of the Carax film.

Gondry - ** 1/2
Carax - 0 Stars
Ho-Bong - *** 1/2

I agree, Carax's segment was pretty terrible.

Billy the Kid was an interesting documentary. Not that much really happens in it, and technically there isn't anything impressive about the film, but the kid is such a fascinating character that you really grow to love and care for. Venditti uses an almost verite style to document just a short span of time in the life of this 15 year old kid who comes from a broken home and has asperger syndrome, although this topic is never formally addressed during the film.

[MadMan]

All horror fans owe it to themselves to watch Billy O'Brien's Isolation. Nothing really unexpected in terms of the direction the story takes, but it outdoes Cronenberg in the nastiness of its gruesome body-horror and contains some subtle, grounded characters that give the film a bit of levity in the face of its genetic experiments-gone-wrong plot. I am pretty desensitized to horror films, but I was averting my eyes on a couple occasions. Despite losing some of its chilling atmosphere late and the rather derivative nature of its plotting, it is a supremely effective film, all the more so because of its use of real, bloody effects that have the same visceral shock as Carpenter's The Thing.Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Its being added to "THE LIST."


Did we really get this far without mentioning this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y)?That's what I was thinking.

I couldn't resist posting this: I'm a One Track Lover (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BH4_mZh-bj8)
So hilarious...

[Boner M]

I agree, Carax's segment was pretty terrible.
Doesn't it feature Denis Lavant as some kind of hobo-monster? I fail to see how it could be anything less than awesome.

At any rate, don't let it deter you from checking out Carax's Boy Meets Girl and especially Lovers on the Bridge. I haven't seen Pola X or The Night is Young (have them both in the Artificial Eye boxset next to my desk), but I hear the latter is great... will watch it soon.

[origami_mustache]

Doesn't it feature Denis Lavant as some kind of hobo-monster? I fail to see how it could be anything less than awesome.

At any rate, don't let it deter you from checking out Carax's Boy Meets Girl and especially Lovers on the Bridge. I haven't seen Pola X or The Night is Young (have them both in the Artificial Eye boxset next to my desk), but I hear the latter is great... will watch it soon.

Yeah, Denis Lavant was pretty awesome, and the short had potential, but it was squandered.

[Duncan]

Is there a Happy-Go-Lucky thread somewhere? Cuz it's a really good movie and it probably deserves one.

[Wryan]

Saw Lawrence of Arabia on a big screen this weekend. You can't help but bask in a film like this. Some of the compositions made me weep a bit, right there in my seat. Details that I had once complained about were swept aside. What a great goddamn movie.

[Melville]

Is there a Happy-Go-Lucky thread somewhere? Cuz it's a really good movie and it probably deserves one.
I'll probably be seeing this in the next day or two. I don't know anything about it other than the director.

Did you get my PM?

[Amnesiac]

Is there a Happy-Go-Lucky thread somewhere? Cuz it's a really good movie and it probably deserves one.

Agreed.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Le Plaisir was a pleasure (I'm too clever!), really though, I love my Ophuls, and this is one of my favourites. I rarely like the episodic three story system employed by many films, but Ophuls makes it work, not only thematically, but somehow 3 works well within his world of 360 degree pans, and constant tracking shots. It's a glorious sight for the eyes, and comes to interesting conclusions about love and pleasure. I'm now halfway through his filmography, Lola Montes is the last of his major works I need to see.

[Sycophant]

David Chase had a deal to write, produce, and direct a feature film over at Paramount.

It's an awfully vague thing to get excited about, but excited I am.

[Derek]

Hey Derek. Thoughts on this?

I didn't forget about you. I had three reviews to write in the past week or so and unfortunately got behind on all capsules. A few uber-short ones...

Still Life (Jia, 2008)

Jia's ability to weave the personal stories of loss and reconciliation into the backdrop of a city that is quickly losing its identity and historical past puts this film in the rare position of capturing cultural transition not on a broad, epic scale but on a mundane, experiential level. While I still think The World was more fascinating in its depiction of the drastic consequences of global capitalism sweeping across China, Still Life does more successfully convey a palpable sense of loss on a more human and individual level. Jia's ability to converge personal and political concerns into a sustainable narrative make him, in my opinion, every bit as good as Hou Hsiao-hsien.

Judge Priest (Ford, 1934)

It's The Sun Shines Bright with the offensive stereotypes in tact, althought honestly it wasn't the condescension evident in the relationship between the Judge and his yes-Massa, just-happy-to-be-free African American helpers that bothered me as much as the third act burst of Southern pride delivered in the form of a painfully contrived "gotcha" that ruined this otherwise formally competent, breezy comedy for me. Obviously, I understand why Ford chose to remake this some 20 years later.

Kill Baby...Kill! (Bava, 1966)

A marked improvement from Black Sunday, particularly in making use of its impressive cinematography and sound design by constantly using it to reflect an atmosphere of pervasive fear and the way it quite literally traps and eats away at the locals and the town itself. Bava effortlessly and smoothly transitions between reality and the realm of superstition effectively making one an extension of the other rather the easy route of either praising or condemning the man of science.

[Ezee E]

David Chase had a deal to write, produce, and direct a feature film over at Paramount.

It's an awfully vague thing to get excited about, but excited I am.
Hopefully it's not The Sopranos. As much as I love the show, he should leave it be.

[ledfloyd]

David Chase had a deal to write, produce, and direct a feature film over at Paramount.

It's an awfully vague thing to get excited about, but excited I am.
had or has?

[Sycophant]

Whoops. "Has."

Apparently, he's got three scripts he's working on, one about music, one about movies, and one about acting (per some interview I can't recall the source on I read earlier today). He's never completely ruled a Sopranos film out in the future, but he said he has no interest in actively developing one. He believes it's done and he's done with it. If an idea comes to him that bowls him over, I think, he might be for it, but I get the distinct impression that he isn't going to return to that well--anytime soon at least.

[Kurosawa Fan]

The David Chase interview was in EW. He said he has no plans to do anything about the mafia ever again, or something along those lines.

[megladon8]

So King of Kong is getting a remake.

How the hell do you remake a documentary?

[D_Davis]

So King of Kong is getting a remake.

How the hell do you remake a documentary?

They are turning the real life story into a non-documentary, a fictionary.

[D_Davis]

The David Chase interview was in EW. He said he has no plans to do anything about the mafia ever again, or something along those lines.

I wish more people would take this stance.

[Raiders]

So King of Kong is getting a remake.

How the hell do you remake a documentary?

Werner Herzog has already done it.

[Winston*]

Werner Herzog has already done it.

Felt pretty redundant when he did it too.

[Sycophant]

I wish more people would take this stance.
I couldn't disagree more.

I just want people to make good movies, some of which to do new and interesting things, but mostly just that they be good. Those might be mafia movies or westerns or science fiction flicks or musicals or romantic comedies.

That The Sopranos ended just last year is a testament to the fact that there are still things to say against this backdrop.

[Winston*]

Everything new to be said in movies has been said and everything new to be done in movies has been done and we're all wasting our lives IMO.

[Sycophant]

Everything new to be said in movies has been said and everything new to be done in movies has been done and we're all wasting our lives IMO.It's like I saw the light and the light was darkness.

[megladon8]

It's like I saw the light and the light was darkness.


Wow, how introspective.

It's like that puddle outside that's as shallow as my soul.

[MadMan]

Everything new to be said in movies has been said and everything new to be done in movies has been done and we're all wasting our lives IMO.Exactly. We're just spinning our wheels here people. Nothing matters. Embrace the infinite.

[The Mike]

There's plenty of new ideas out there. They're just based on other ideas.

We can't all invent fire!

[megladon8]

There's plenty of new ideas out there. They're just based on other ideas.

We can't all invent fire!


Nope, but we can invent laser-guided nuclear accelerators that create new, more impressive fire!

[MadMan]

There's plenty of new ideas out there. They're just based on other ideas.

We can't all invent fire!I invented fire last week. In my backyard. :P

[transmogrifier]

So King of Kong is getting a remake.

How the hell do you remake a documentary?

Hopefully it'll improve it. Somehow make it less broad.

[Mysterious Dude]

So King of Kong is getting a remake.

How the hell do you remake a documentary?

http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/j/I/6/lordsofdogtownposter.jpg

I expect great things.

[Ezee E]

I saw three short documentaries today. All about third-world country living, but nothing remotely interesting, as it felt like a quick vacation for the filmmakers involved.

Tomorrow is The Class. Looking forward to that.

[Qrazy]

Watched The Mist and Hellboy 2 last night. I enjoyed both. Going to watch Bubba ho-tep this evening.

[megladon8]

I did not know this until last night...

With Blu-Ray, you can record your own commentary tracks.

This is by far the biggest selling feature I have come across for the technology.

[Ezee E]

I await the day to hear a match cutter record a commentary.

[megladon8]

I await the day to hear a match cutter record a commentary.


I plan on doing TONS.

My super hot and sexy voice will make you squirm with pleasure. Women don't call me the "30 second man" for nothing.

[Raiders]

I did not know this until last night...

With Blu-Ray, you can record your own commentary tracks.

This is by far the biggest selling feature I have come across for the technology.

Isn't this exclusive to the Mamma Mia! Blu-ray? I mean, I guess it proves the technology is there, but I don't think this is something offered on any Blu-ray disc or that comes with the Blu-ray player.

[Ezee E]

I plan on doing TONS.

My super hot and sexy voice will make you squirm with pleasure. Women don't call me the "30 second man" for nothing.
Now meg, I don't listen to commentaries to squirm with pleasure.

[/winston]

[The Mike]

Lotsa regular DVDs come with that feature. In fact, I remember hearing about it first when Spider-Man came out on DVD.

[megladon8]

Isn't this exclusive to the Mamma Mia! Blu-ray? I mean, I guess it proves the technology is there, but I don't think this is something offered on any Blu-ray disc or that comes with the Blu-ray player.


There was an advertisement at the beginning of the Hellboy II DVD which showed lots of cool menu shots and stuff from various Universal Blu-Rays (I think there was The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy II, and The Mummy 3), and had a voice saying over the montage "record your own commentaries!"

It was an advertisement for Blu-Ray technology in general, not just these movies, so I assumed it was saying that it's just a general feature.

Besides, (again, an assumption) wouldn't it save the commentary to some sort of hard drive on the player, not the disc itself? In which case, what probably matters is the model of player you get, not the movie.

[megladon8]

Lotsa regular DVDs come with that feature. In fact, I remember hearing about it first when Spider-Man came out on DVD.


This isn't true.

Stop making things up, Mike.

[MadMan]

I think if I ever did a commentary for a film it would probably be for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Or Jurassic Park. Knowing me I'd end up coming off like Tarentino, although he has worse ADD than I do.

[The Mike]

This isn't true.

Stop making things up, Mike.

Go grab your copy of Spider-Man and look about halfway down the case under DVD Rom. ;)

[Raiders]

I think if I ever did a commentary for a film it would probably be for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Or Jurassic Park. Knowing me I'd end up coming off like Tarentino, although he has worse ADD than I do.

Come on. You know you'd never get around to it.

[megladon8]

Go grab your copy of Spider-Man and look about halfway down the case under DVD Rom. ;)


*plugs ears*

LA LA LA LA LA!

Mike should come home from WRONG-LAND soon.

LA LA LA

[The Mike]

*plugs ears*

LA LA LA LA LA!

Mike should come home from WRONG-LAND soon.

LA LA LA

To be fair, I'm not sure if it's on "Lotsa" DVDs. But it is on some.

[MadMan]

Come on. You know you'd never get around to it.Um.....*Shifty eyes*



Hey I procrastinate. Its what I do. That will end up being my downfall. Eventually.

[Winston*]

Why would you want to record your own commentary for a movie? What is the appeal there?

[SirNewt]

Why would you want to record your own commentary for a movie? What is the appeal there?

MST3K

BTW, on the last page, at the bottom E was doing a great impression of you.

[Ivan Drago]

I'm actually thinking about recording commentary tracks for the movies I'll be making in my Film Production 1 and II classes the next couple semesters just for fun.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Why would you want to record your own commentary for a movie? What is the appeal there?

I'm actually working on one right now for John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness. I'm doing it mostly because I think there's value in the picture that the DVD commentary never exploits (or even discusses).

So far I have eight minutes recorded.

[Ezee E]

Elite Squad is City of God...

http://www.scificool.com/images/2008/05/ben-foster-pandorium.jpgTO THE EXTREME!

[D_Davis]

Recoding commentary tracks is hard, really hard.

Originally, the Genrebusters podcast was going to be a series of commentary tracks to listen to while watching the film. The first movie was Chang Cheh's Chinese Super Ninjas.

I had notes, I practiced, and had lots to say. It took about 2 hours to record the first 30 minutes, and after this I just gave up. I think it is best to have two sets of people: the commentators and an engineer. I really needed someone at the boards controlling the recording and doing on the fly editing, or at least marking spots to go back to.

The Mondomovie guys are in the process of recoding a track for The Thing - it won their year-long Movie War. I can't wait to hear it.

[Sven]

I was sitting here, working on my paper, and it occurred to me:

Mars Attacks is pretty much the greatest movie ever. Discuss.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I was sitting here, working on my paper, and it occurred to me:

Mars Attacks is pretty much the greatest movie ever. Discuss.

I don't know about greatest movie ever, but on most days I'd say it's the best Burton film I've seen. Kudos to you sir for stepping up and recognizing it.

*cues the backlash*

[Wryan]

*cues the backlash*

Not from this quarter...

[Kurosawa Fan]

Not from this quarter...

Oh it'll come. I promise you that. I still remember the travesty that was Burton's consensus. Just be patient. They're on their way.

[Rowland]

Oh it'll come. I promise you that. I still remember the travesty that was Burton's consensus. Just be patient. They're on their way.Hopefully everyone's just tired of discussing Burton.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Hopefully everyone's just tired of discussing Burton.

Perhaps they've seen the error of their ways?

[Russ]

I just noticed the status of an "Untitled Todd Solondz project" as currently filming. From the plot summary: "The characters in this part-sequel/part-variation on Happiness struggle to find a place for themselves in an unpredictable and volatile world..."

The cast includes Allison Janney, Ally Sheedy, Charlotte Rampling, Paul (Pee-wee Herman) Reubens, Paris Hilton, Michael Lerner, and Faye Dunaway.

Drool.

[Watashi]

WALL-E on Blu-Ray today.

Buy it, bitches.

[Scar]

WALL-E on Blu-Ray today.

Buy it, bitches.

Ordered it from Deep Discount. Cost me less then $21.

[Yxklyx]

Pretty Baby (1978, Malle) was meh (new official word in the dictionary). The cinematography is excellent but Keith Carradine gives a poor performance and the ending felt very rushed. 13 year old Brooke Shields is shown naked in a few scenes. 6/10

The above Solondz reference made me post something about the Malle film since the two explore taboos more than your typical director.

[Grouchy]

MST3K
Yeah, exactly. I'd use it to make fun of films and not to champion them.

So, The Osterman Weekend. Holy sacred cow, what a fucking cast! Rutger Hauer, Mr. Incredible, John Hurt, Burt Lancaster (I love that man) and Dennis Hopper! They all give incredible performances, specially Hurt as one of the slimiest bad guys imaginable. The movie... not so good. Knowing Peckinpah's career, it's obvious that the Robert Ludlum source material was never fitted for him and he only did it because some crazy producer would allow it. Regardless, he brings his own personality to the editing choices and to the development of really despicable characters struggling for their own humanity. There is a lot of interesting stuff going on, though - I specially liked how Sam fooled around with the VHS format and confused audiences by creating flashbacks-within-flashbacks that end up being surveillance videos being watched and stuff... That was a nice touch. Most of the spy stuff and technology is hopelessly dated, unfortunately. I say it's an ensemble thriller that deserves a watch from any fan of the director, since it's his last feature film. Not everything he made might be Cable Hogue or The Wild Bunch, but you can always trust him to be entertaining.

[Raiders]

WALL-E on Blu-Ray today.

Buy it, bitches.

The 3-disc SE is at the top of my Christmas list.

[Sven]

Oh, and remember at the Oscars last year when John Stewart brought the girl from Once back so she could deliver her acceptance speech and it ended up being a really awesome speech? Mega-props to both of them. Inspiring moment, working against the formula of pomp and decorum to deliver an absolutely moving moment.

[transmogrifier]

Maybe I'm getting bored of movies. I watched the following films, and they all ranked in the mid 50s:

Intermission
M. Hulot's Holiday
The Piano Teacher
Bad Blood

Meh.

[Derek]

Oh, and remember at the Oscars last year when John Stewart brought the girl from Once back so she could deliver her acceptance speech and it ended up being a really awesome speech? Mega-props to both of them. Inspiring moment, working against the formula of pomp and decorum to deliver an absolutely moving moment.

Yup. It was awesome, wasn't it Chris?

[Sycophant]

I just noticed the status of an "Untitled Todd Solondz project" as currently filming. From the plot summary: "The characters in this part-sequel/part-variation on Happiness struggle to find a place for themselves in an unpredictable and volatile world..."

The cast includes Allison Janney, Ally Sheedy, Charlotte Rampling, Paul (Pee-wee Herman) Reubens, Paris Hilton, Michael Lerner, and Faye Dunaway.

Drool.I am so game.

I should really watch Solondz's other films, though. Still only seen Happiness.

[Sven]

Yup. It was awesome, wasn't it Chris?

Hmmm... Chris... Chris... why would you say Chris...?

[Derek]

Hmmm... Chris... Chris... why would you say Chris...?

http://us.ent3.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/tv_pix/nbc/saturday_night_live_episode_ph otos/_group_photos/chris_farley15.jpg

Or this (http://www.hulu.com/watch/4186/saturday-night-live-the-chris-farley-show).

[Wryan]

http://us.ent3.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/tv_pix/nbc/saturday_night_live_episode_ph otos/_group_photos/chris_farley15.jpg

Or this (http://www.hulu.com/watch/4186/saturday-night-live-the-chris-farley-show).

Teehee. I wonder if Chris were alive today whether SNL would be funnier or whether he would have slipped into the land of the inconsequential by now. I'm optimistic that it would have been the former. Also, I'd like to see him act alongside John C. Reilly or Steve Carrell.

[Sven]

Or this (http://www.hulu.com/watch/4186/saturday-night-live-the-chris-farley-show).

I remember those now. Hilarious.

Anyway, yeah. My comments are the product of a mind that is wandering as it attempts to wrap itself around schoolwork and chooses instead to distract itself with random comments on a message board. Carry on.

[thefourthwall]

Watched Carl Dreyer's Ordet (1955) last night. I thought it was incredible. The nuanced and delicate explorations of faith and the variety of responses people have to it was extremely well done without being preachy or dismissive. All the characters seemed very realistic in their responses to each other and spiritual issues, which is unusual. I cared a lot about what happened to them...

...when Inger died and Johannes ran away, I was sure he had committed suicide, and I was an emotional wreck for a full ten minutes.

Despite being set in Denmark in the 1920s, the film felt very contemporary and relevant. I also enjoyed the pacing of the film, which was just slow enough to feel unhurried as the film savored the weighty themes introduced.

[Ezee E]

I'm fairly sure that Chris Farley would be way past SNL if he were alive by now, taking several of Will Ferrell's roles.

[Spinal]

I was sitting here, working on my paper, and it occurred to me:

Mars Attacks is pretty much the greatest movie ever. Discuss.

I'm pretty sure that the opposite of this is closer to the truth.

[Winston*]

Burn after Reading was great. Second funniest film I've seen from this year after Happy Go Lucky. Those are probably the only two funny films I've seen from this year though, so this post is meaningless. Wall-E and Iron Man had their moments ,I guess.

[Boner M]

Maybe I'm getting bored of movies. I watched the following films, and they all ranked in the mid 50s:

Intermission
M. Hulot's Holiday
The Piano Teacher
Bad Blood

Meh.
Which Bad Blood?

[transmogrifier]

Which Bad Blood?

NZ film about our first mass murderer. What's the other?

[Boner M]

NZ film about our first mass murderer. What's the other?
Carax' Mauvais sang goes under that title. And there's like a zillion other Bad Bloods out there.

[megladon8]

Did Jess Franco ever make anything worth seeing?

I don't get why his whole filmography is getting these beautiful new DVD releases, yet it seems he never made anything even close to being good.

[The Mike]

Did Jess Franco ever make anything worth seeing?

I don't get why his whole filmography is getting these beautiful new DVD releases, yet it seems he never made anything even close to being good.

The Diabolical Doctor Z.

[Spinal]

Oh my god, Stuck was craaaaazy. The dog ... oh dear lord, the dog. :eek: Mostly, it's just a fun, schlocky concept pulled off with style and some help from two excellent lead performances. But it's also kind of a nifty commentary on the balance within humans between compassion and selfishness. It's so awesome that they got Stephen Rea for this. It would have been a totally different film without him. I was too horrified to laugh while I was watching it, but I think back on some of those scenes and I start to chuckle. Some moments that are difficult to watch, but I think, for the most part, it justifies its use of violence. Only one moment struck me as going too far ...

... the pen in the eye.

Anyway, good flick. I was somewhat skeptical going in, but it won me over.

[Derek]

Forgot to post what I wrote about the new Takeshi Kitano film, Achilles & the Tortoise, after I saw it...

Starts off with the methodically paced, overly mannered style that has tempered my appreciation of the other Beat Takeshi films I’ve seen, but the first act (childhood) gives way to a few gorgeous, surprising moments and the film never looks back afterward. The first 30 minutes are still unfortunately weak on their own, but the setup of a boy whose lifelong obsession is thrust upon him at a young age is crucial for everything that follows. The rest of the film more than makes up for it as Kitano’s offbeat, deadpan humor makes constantly challenging, funny, even self-effacing observations on the purpose and nature of art. I haven’t seen My Kid Can Paint That, but I can’t imagine it matches Kitano’s in either pure entertainment value or the depth and commitment with which it explores modern art and the role of the artist. The dialectical nature of the film keeps it balanced, so while it takes its fair share of shots at the oft-absurd nature of abstract art, those shots are matched by a character whose pure dedication and determination outweigh his seeming lack of artistic prowess. Even so, Kitano is not content to let the film rest there, instead driving it further towards the absurd in the witty, bizarre third act that forces you to question everything the film seemed to be saying until that point.

[Ezee E]

If The Class' teachers think they have it hard, then I wonder how many classes they'd last in Baltimore.

On a serious point, the movie remains interesting the entire time, but never seems to be fulfilling. Maybe it's because that fourth season of The Wire just makes any attempt at the class system silly at this point, but everything here is done better there. It remains in the classroom, and we never see the teacher become a "hero" a la Dangerous Minds or that Hilary Swank one, and the students stay true to themselves, but what's the point? I still don't really understand it myself.

[Winston*]

Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon - I watched this because a guy at work handed me the DVD and said I should, not really something I would seek out. Kind of fun the mockumentary part, mostly because of the lead guy's performance, not so fun once it becomes Scream.

[MadMan]

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter(1984)-This is one of the more entertaining horror films I've ever seen. There really isn't anything scary about it, aside from one decent jump scare moment. What was supposed to be the last entry in the Friday the 13th series features plenty of nudity, gore, and violence, and most of the kills are fairly well executed. Although Parts II and III had far brutal ones. Jason by this point is well established, and thus the fact that the people going into his woods are quite dumb, considering that news of his brutal murders is all over the TV. Plus this film has Corey Feldman going completely batshit insane (he shaves his head for one thing), plus Feldman murders Jason in a sequence that is very hilarious and kind of disturbing and Cripin Glover weirdly dancing. Worth viewing if only for enjoyment purposes, and really nothing more.

[Winston*]

Worth viewing if only for enjoyment purposes, and really nothing more.

Weird thing to say.

[MadMan]

Weird thing to say.How so? Many a movie has been made merely to entertain, and to be enjoyed. And for only that sole purpose.

[Winston*]

How so? Many a movie has been made merely to entertain, and to be enjoyed. And for only that sole purpose.

"I'm going to go see the new James Bond if only for enjoyment purposes and really nothing more."

"I'm going to eat this entire red liquorice rope if only for enjoyment purposes and really nothing more. "

"I'm going to go out sea-kayaking tomorrow morning if only for enjoyment purposes and really nothing more. "

"I'm going to have sex with this prostitute if only for enjoyment purposes and really nothing more. "

[MadMan]

Your post amuses me greatly. But it does nothing more :P

[megladon8]

Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon - I watched this because a guy at work handed me the DVD and said I should, not really something I would seek out. Kind of fun the mockumentary part, mostly because of the lead guy's performance, not so fun once it becomes Scream.


"I only keep pets that I can eat."

[Sven]

Anyway, good flick. I was somewhat skeptical going in, but it won me over.

I wonder what you'd make of all the political readings of it that've taken place in this thread several pages back...

[Grouchy]

Behind the Mask: the Rise of Leslie Vernon - I watched this because a guy at work handed me the DVD and said I should, not really something I would seek out. Kind of fun the mockumentary part, mostly because of the lead guy's performance, not so fun once it becomes Scream.
Have you seen Man Bites Dog? I owe myself a Behind the Mask watch, but I have a hard time believing it can be better than that.

[megladon8]

Behind the Mask was great. The dissenters suck.

Though I agree, it wouldn't have been nearly as good without the lead. He stole the show times a million.

[Scar]

Have you seen Man Bites Dog? I owe myself a Behind the Mask watch, but I have a hard time believing it can be better than that.

I couldn't get into Man Bites Dog.

[Spinal]

I wonder what you'd make of all the political readings of it that've taken place in this thread several pages back...

All well and good. It's the kind of film that lends itself well to fun interpretations. I didn't really take it that far in my viewing. I mostly just enjoyed the concept that a single human being could act with tenderness and compassion in one situation and with utter disregard for humanity in another. The political implications are numerous.

[Sven]

All well and good. It's the kind of film that lends itself well to fun interpretations. I didn't really take it that far in my viewing. I mostly just enjoyed the concept that a single human being could act with tenderness and compassion in one situation and with utter disregard for humanity in another. The political implications are numerous.

Interestingly put.

[Winston*]

Have you seen Man Bites Dog? I owe myself a Behind the Mask watch, but I have a hard time believing it can be better than that.

Yeah I have. Hated it.

[Sycophant]

Thomas Kinkade gives advice on how to make a movie as shitty as his painting with 16 helpful notes (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/culture/2008/11/14/thomas-kincades-16-guidelines-for-making-stuff-suck.html) he distributed to the crew on his now-direct-to-DVD feature film.


15) Nostalgia. My paintings routinely blend timeframes. This is not only okay, but tends to create a more timeless look. Vintage cars (30's, 40's, 50's, 60's etc) can be featured along with 70's era cars. Older buildings are favorable. Avoid anything that looks contemporary -- shopping centers, contemporary storefronts, etc. Also, I prefer to avoid anything that is shiny. Our vintage vehicles, though often times are cherished by their owners and kept spic-n-span should be "dirtied up" a bit for the shoot. Placerville was and is a somewhat shabby place, and most vehicles, people, etc bear traces of dust, sawdust, and the remnants of country living. There are many dirt roads, muddy lanes, etc., and in general the place has a tumbled down, well-worn look.

16) Most important concept of all -- THE CONCEPT OF LOVE. Perhaps we could make large posters that simply say "Love this movie" and post them about. I pour a lot of love into each painting, and sense that our crew has a genuine affection for this project. This starts with Michael Campus as a Director who feels great love towards this project, and should filter down through the ranks. Remember: "Every scene is the best scene."

[Wryan]

Thomas Kinkade gives advice on how to make a movie as shitty as his painting with 16 helpful notes (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/culture/2008/11/14/thomas-kincades-16-guidelines-for-making-stuff-suck.html) he distributed to the crew on his now-direct-to-DVD feature film.

This is more awesome than I can actually put into words. Some of the comments are good too: "What we have in Kinkade is more or less the kind of art we'd see everywhere if the Nazis had won the war."

[D_Davis]

This is more awesome than I can actually put into words. Some of the comments are good too: "What we have in Kinkade is more or less the kind of art we'd see everywhere if the Nazis had won the war."

How long did it take for someone to Godwin the comments?

[Wryan]

How long did it take for someone to Godwin the comments?

Scant few.

[dreamdead]

Like thefourthwall, I am rather awestruck by the remarkable simplicity and pure cinematic grace that was Dreyer's Ordet. Marvelous engagement of the issues surrounding faith, and how society becomes enraptured in the petty squabbles of sects that they forget the wonder of their faith. I thought the issue with blaming Johannes' disease on Kierkegaard was fascinating given that Kierkegaard never really renounced faith; rather, he wished to fine-tune it and refine relations between God and man. Actually, the whole film's discussion with faith is philosophical, with the topic getting full coverage (though characters always have enough humanity that they never become ciphers or allegorical). The film's camera is remarkably fluid for a film of this time, tracking almost constantly, settling upon characters' throwaway glances or grimaces and always reminding us of how sustaining a shot can open up the filmic world. Just a wonderful film, and one that'll place high on any future Top whatever list.

The Korean film, Lies is a study of sexual immorality that attempts to subvert the economic discourses that demand work and individual sacrifice from contemporary South Korea. However, the film distances itself so much from the culture that's surrounding it that the film devolves into relentless depictions of sex without any story tying it together. Rather disappointing, even if its subversive goals have a point.

[D_Davis]

The Korean film, Lies, however, is a study of sexual immorality that attempts to subvert the economic discourses that demand work and individual sacrifice from contemporary South Korea. However, the film distances itself so much from the culture that's surrounding it that the film devolves into relentless depictions of sex without any story tying it together. Rather disappointing, even if its subversive goals have a point.

Some of the sex is pretty hot though.

[dreamdead]

Some of the sex is pretty hot though.

Eh. I nodded off for ten minutes halfway through, woke up, saw they were still going at it (with new haircuts to signal a changed scene), and realized that nothing had moved forward plot-wise or character-wise. It's too quotidian to be hot. Whereas a film like The Pillow Book or Last Tango in Paris advances character and plot psychology through sexual encounters, here everyone was just too static. And even though it feels purposely static here, it's just remarkably limp.

[dreamdead]

Still Life (Jia, 2008)

Jia's ability to weave the personal stories of loss and reconciliation into the backdrop of a city that is quickly losing its identity and historical past puts this film in the rare position of capturing cultural transition not on a broad, epic scale but on a mundane, experiential level. While I still think The World was more fascinating in its depiction of the drastic consequences of global capitalism sweeping across China, Still Life does more successfully convey a palpable sense of loss on a more human and individual level. Jia's ability to converge personal and political concerns into a sustainable narrative make him, in my opinion, every bit as good as Hou Hsiao-hsien.


Jia's integration of China's cultural shifts toward modernity are why I think he's one of the most interesting voices in cinema today. I thought it was impressive how the film maintains a narrative focus even when over half of it is composed of our leads staring off into the horizon. Yet here, unlike his Platform which was so oppressive structurally, the consideration of Hong Kong film and pop culture give the film a playfulness that allows it greater thematic dexterity. The resonance of the repeated A Better Tomorrow gesture or the quiet discomfort that follows the cell phone ringing in the rubble all have greater weight attached to them than I expected. It's one of the few films that can attempt total surrealism with its computer effects and not have me questioning the intent. One of the greatest films of the past few years in my eyes...

[Watashi]

Transsiberian got a 90% on the tomatometer? Really?

This was one of the silliest Hitchcock imitations I've seen in awhile.

[Rowland]

You Don't Mess With the Zohan > Role Models, Tropic Thunder, Get Smart, Baby Mama, Step Brothers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall

[Ezee E]

Rowland, you made a mistake. You have a > and it's suppose to be a <

Just letting you know.

[Ezee E]

Transsiberian got a 90% on the tomatometer? Really?

This was one of the silliest Hitchcock imitations I've seen in awhile.
Starts off well until it goes Hitchcock.

[Watashi]

I don't if he just posted this up, but Mike D'Angelo listed his Top 10 performances of the decade so far.


01. Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain
02. Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
03. Sylvie Testud, Fear and Trembling
04. Denzel Washington, Training Day
05. Scarlett Johansson, Ghost World
06. Pascal Greggory, Raja
07. Sam Rockwell, Joshua
08. Moon So-ri, Oasis
09. Eric Bana, Chopper
10. Peter Sarsgaard, Shattered Glass

[Melville]

I don't if he just posted this up, but Mike D'Angelo listed his Top 10 performances of the decade so far.
Bizarre. What's so great about Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World?

[megladon8]

ScarJo in Ghost World? Really? She pretty much plays herself...


And I watched most of Sukiyaki Western Django last night before falling asleep (don't worry, when I finish it, I'll watch it from the beginning again).

It's...all right.

But yeah, seriously, QT...NEVER ACT AGAIN.

EVER.

[D_Davis]

It's...all right.

But yeah, seriously, QT...NEVER ACT AGAIN.

EVER.

To me this is becoming one of those things like when people complain about Gears of War being brown. We all know QT can't act. It really doesn't ever need to be mentioned again. He likes being in movies, and so when you know he's in one, just deal with it.

[Sycophant]

Maybe Tarantino isn't much of an actor. But he's having so much fun on camera, I must admit I enjoy watching him.

[megladon8]

To me this is becoming one of those things like when people complain about Gears of War being brown. We all know QT can't act. It really doesn't ever need to be mentioned again. He likes being in movies, and so when you know he's in one, just deal with it.


Fanboy.

:P

[D_Davis]

Fanboy.

:P

There is only one thing I'm a fanboy of, and QT ain't it!

:)

[Spinal]

I wouldn't call it one of my favorite performances of the decade, but I love Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World. Just a pitch-perfect, genuine performance.

The Illusionist was a somewhat fun diversion, but there's very little there that feels like it's going to stick with me for much longer than the end of the week. The ending has a been-there-done-that feeling to it and the bulk of the film feels like it is sitting around waiting to hit that final hanging curve ball. The murder mystery raises suspicions because it is not at all mysterious. Fine performances. Some entertaining moments. But all in all ... whatever.

[D_Davis]

I wouldn't call it one of my favorite performances of the decade, but I love Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World. Just a pitch-perfect, genuine performance.


It's one of the most natural depictions of young adult indifference I've seen.

[Sven]

Sarsgaard in Shattered Glass is so totally overrated. Good call on Ledger and Bana though.

[Spinal]

Top performances of the decade (put together somewhat hastily):

1. Laura Dern, Inland Empire
2. John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
3. Isabelle Huppert, The Piano Teacher
4. Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream
5. Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
6. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
7. Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean
8. Angela Bettis, May
9. Bjork, Dancer in the Dark
10. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

[Sven]

6. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
7. Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean
10. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

I just cannot comprehend sometimes. Like, my mind is literally unable to function. In fairness, I think my list would be similarly mind-melting to you, so...

[megladon8]

And back to the topic of QT in Sukiyaki Western Django.

I don't understand that defense, "everyone knows he's a bad actor, so it's OK!"

This is quite the cop-out argument, and could be rearranged and re-applied to defend any flaw in any movie.

"Everyone knows Chris Nolan's Batman films are dark and serious, so get over it."

"Everyone knows M. Night Shyamalan writes terrible dialogue, so get over it."

"Everyone knows the Bond films all have similar plot structures, so get over it."


It's nearly the equivalent of simply saying "you're wrong".

QT can't act, and his inability to act (even in a scene that is wink-wink, nudge-nudgingly supposed to be cheesy) hindered my enjoyment of the opening of the film.

I don't see how it's an invalid criticism, at all.

[D_Davis]

I didn't say it's OK.

I said we don't need to hear about any more. It's vapid because it is brought up every single time he is in a movie.

We know he's bad. There will never, ever be a time when I hear that QT is in a movie and I will think to myself, "I wonder how his acting will be?"

We all know Gears of War is brown.

Nothing can change this.

It doesn't need to be brought up as a criticism any more because its been brought up a seemingly infinite number of times.

You're not wrong.

QT is a bad actor. He's terrible.

But he likes doing things like this, and it looks like he's having fun.

You already knew he was going to be in it, so what did you expect?


But the irony of complaining about QT's acting in a film in which almost everyone speaks a language they don't understand by memorizing the phonetics is pretty insane.

[Watashi]

I thought QT was okay in From Dusk Till Dawn.