28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Spinal]

Orlando


One of my very favorites.

[Melville]

The Rules of the Game - 7.5. Slick cinematography and storytelling. I don't remember much else.
The Searchers - 8. I don't remember it all that well, but John Wayne is great in it.
Fight Club (seen it tho) - 3.5. Garbage that argues for contradictory points with equally boring cynicism.
Last Tango In Paris - 4.5. It felt smug and kind of silly to me.
Blade Runner - 8. Amazing atmosphere and visuals.
Orlando - 8.5. Terrific. Thoughts here (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=65637&postcount=13284) and here (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=66008&postcount=13348).
Lone Star - 8. A good, character-driven exploration of the confrontation between tradition, loyalty to family, etc., and individual morality.

[MadMan]

The Rules of the Game-Must see for me
The Searchers-Excellent western, and an amazing film
Fight Club (seen it tho)-Easily one of my favorites, truly awesome
Last Tango In Paris-Another must see
Blade Runner (seen it tho)-The DC is a masterpiece, the original cut also pretty damn good
Orlando-Since Spinal likes it, I'll check it out eventually
Lone Star-One of the best of the 90s

[Ivan Drago]

Blade Runner (seen it tho)-The DC is a masterpiece, the original cut also pretty damn good

Oh crap. Now I'm curious as to what cut of Blade Runner we'll be watching. Because I haven't seen the original or the final cut.

[MadMan]

Oh crap. Now I'm curious as to what cut of Blade Runner we'll be watching. Because I haven't seen the original or the final cut.The DC does not feature narration, and has a far superior ending. The original cut has narration from Harrison Ford. I have not seen the final cut, but I can't imagine its much different from the others. My friend owns the Final Cut DVD with all of the versions of the film on it, and that's how I finally saw all of the original cut and rewatched the DC.

[Duncan]

I just signed up with zip.ca. They managed to send me the #6 and #12 films in my queue...you'd think they would try a little harder on your intro to the program, no?

[Yxklyx]

I just signed up with zip.ca. They managed to send me the #6 and #12 films in my queue...you'd think they would try a little harder on your intro to the program, no?


Actually, I wouldn't mind a random feature on Netflix.

[Boner M]

Wendy and Lucy isn't bad, but it does contain two absolutely unbearable (and naturalism-shattering) supporting characters. That damn kid in the grocery store who catches Wendy and is completely relentless in his punishment is a false note to hit (I cringed when I saw he was wearing a crucifix on his neck--c'mon Kelly, give the audience some credit; you don't need to demonize a person for liberal audiences just by making them an unforgiving Jesus freak). Also, the car repairer played by Will Patton seems like he walked out of some goofball Will Ferrell film. Annoying to the extreme. I'm not being persnickety, either, since these character--despite their very limited screentime--are vital catalysts for the impoverished protagonist. All that said, I did enjoy its rhythm (you know I'm a sucker for this form of naturalistic filmmaking, though), the security guard handing Wendy six dollars as if it was a fortune, and Michelle Williams' performance (which is, as always, totally immersed and convincing). She dominates close-ups; she can make a blank stare meaningful.
I agree completely about the Jesus kid; I can only guess that Reichhardt lifted him directly from experience - the effect he has on the film reminded me of Brother Mouzone's appearances in The Wire. It was his reappearance (finishing his shift) that bothered me the most, as it made me realise the potential for Reichhardt to humanise him instead of just milking his scapegoat value for all its worth. Like Duncan and Derek, I wasn't really bothered by the mechanic; his goofball quality made his offer of a 'bargain' on the towing cost seem like an out-of-character selfless gesture, echoed later by the security guard's gift to Wendy.

What impresses me most about OJ and W&L is Reichhardt's ability to take a large-scale event (in the former, it was obviously the 2004 election, in the latter she's claimed it was Hurricane Katrina) and endow her most small-scale scenarios with a similar sense of overwhelming collective loss and/or struggle, all while keeping things completely grounded in the earthbound particulars of the situation. Like the best filmmakers, she works with intangibles.

[Melville]

Like Duncan and Melville, I wasn't really bothered by the mechanic
I haven't seen the movie, but I'm sure I would agree.

[Boner M]

I haven't seen the movie, but I'm sure I would agree.
:lol:

Derek has every right to feel flattered.

[Ivan Drago]

The DC does not feature narration, and has a far superior ending. The original cut has narration from Harrison Ford. I have not seen the final cut, but I can't imagine its much different from the others. My friend owns the Final Cut DVD with all of the versions of the film on it, and that's how I finally saw all of the original cut and rewatched the DC.

I knew about the changes from the original cut to the director's cut. I'm just curious as to which of the three we're gonna watch. If it is the director's cut...the discussion for that will be FUN. Listening to people argue about whether Deckard is a Replicant or not should be just as fun as hearing them argue if Leonard Shelby was faking his condition in Memento.

[Watashi]

Actually, I wouldn't mind a random feature on Netflix.

That would be really awesome.

[MadMan]

I knew about the changes from the original cut to the director's cut. I'm just curious as to which of the three we're gonna watch. If it is the director's cut...the discussion for that will be FUN. Arguing about whether Deckard is a Replicant or not should be just as fun as arguing about whether Leonard Shelby was faking his condition in Memento was.Oh, okay. And yeah hopefully you will watch the DC.

As for Memento: I don't think Shelby was faking. But I'll have to watch it again. I've only seen the movie three times.

[Watashi]

Don't you hate it when you take a film class and you know more about film then everyone in your class including your teacher but try not to boast about it and simply say, "Oh yeah, Slumdog Millionaire. It was good."

Match Cut: The best film teacher I'll ever have.

[MadMan]

Don't you hate it when you take a film class and you know more about film then everyone in your class including your teacher but try not to boast about it and simply say, "Oh yeah, Slumdog Millionaire. It was good."

Match Cut: The best film teacher I'll ever have.Match Cut: Making You a Better Elitist since 2004.

[chrisnu]

Don't you hate it when you take a film class and you know more about film then everyone in your class including your teacher but try not to boast about it and simply say, "Oh yeah, Slumdog Millionaire. It was good."

Match Cut: The best film teacher I'll ever have.
I thought that the PC response would be "OMG Slumdog Millionaire was AMAZING! It's like my second-favorite film ever."

I haven't seen it, so I really have no idea. However, milking the Oscar favorites will usually help save face.

[Derek]

:lol:

Derek has every right to feel flattered.

Heh, I think mechanics being douche bags is kind of universal experience. :)

Also, I don't think his "bargain" was selfless at all. He may have pitied her a bit, but I'm sure he also worried about her saying she didn't have the money and never coming back. He knew she was poor and took her for as much as he figured she could reasonably part with sans car. Had he not charged her a bit, then I would certainly have taken issue.

[Boner M]

Heh, I think mechanics being douche bags is kind of universal experience. :)

Also, I don't think his "bargain" was selfless at all. He may have pitied her a bit, but I'm sure he also worried about her saying she didn't have the money and never coming back. He knew she was poor and took her for as much as he figured she could reasonably part with sans car. Had he not charged her a bit, then I would certainly have taken issue.
Hmm. I guess you're right.

*has never owned a car/been to a mechanic*

[Derek]

Hmm. I guess you're right.

*has never owned a car/been to a mechanic*

Going to a mechanic is like getting an STD from a colonoscopy that's not covered by your insurance. Only not as pleasant.

[Ezee E]

Don't you hate it when you take a film class and you know more about film then everyone in your class including your teacher but try not to boast about it and simply say, "Oh yeah, Slumdog Millionaire. It was good."

Match Cut: The best film teacher I'll ever have.
Put this more in context of how you're smarter than the rest of the class, and the teacher.

[Wryan]

Did I watch the same Rules of the Game as everyone else? I remember a film of class consciousness and society ribbing more than Gosford Park mystery.

Regardless, I like Le Grande Ilusion better. By a hair.

[thefourthwall]

Match Cut: Making You a Better Elitist since 2004.

It's been drawing me back into the fold that I thought I'd renounced a number of years ago.


Don't you hate it when you take a film class and you know more about film then everyone in your class including your teacher but try not to boast about it and simply say, "Oh yeah, Slumdog Millionaire. It was good."

Match Cut: The best film teacher I'll ever have.

What did you know that the teacher didn't? Why don't they fire that individual and hire me instead?

[megladon8]

I got this for my dad for his birthday (on the 29th).

I'm hoping he likes it. I'm so bad at shopping.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QIpGsqG1L._SS500_.jpg

[Boner M]

À nos amours (Pialat, 1983) **1/2
What? Wasn't 'the French Cassavetes' warning enough? You stay away from my Pialat, thank you.

[dreamdead]

Thomas McCarthy's The Visitor is a film that, were it not for the excellence of the lead perforrmance by Richard Jenkins, would have little to offer. Kind though the film tries to be toward minorities, McCarthy ends up with a film that is simply too much about "liberal guilt" and sermonizing, as Nick Schager notes. McCarthy tries to keep things cinematic, letting the awesomeness of New York City convey the possibility of hope to illegal immigrants, but by positioning the entire vehicle through Jenkins' perspective, the message becomes muddled and lacking of complexity. No moment hurt in the film as much as Jenkins' chastisement of the ICE worker, which simply stopped the film dead. When it got away from politics, the film was more successful and the final image is a beauty, but even Jenkins' admittedly wonderful portrayal cannot save this film.

[Watashi]

I'm one of the least political people here, and I never felt that The Visitor had some sort of liberal agenda. Sure, the issue of illegal immigration can be taken at face value, but it's much more rewarding as a bottled-up character study of loneliness and second chances. Jenkins still gives the best male performance I've seen all year.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The Hunger
An effective series of images that eventually becomes repetitive and boring. The sex scene between Sarandon and Deneuve is erotic, sure, but there's barely enough story here for twenty minutes. Stretched out to an hour and a half, it's just plain numbing.

Dementia 13
A reasonable potboiler with some great sequences of suspense and a trick ending that will shock nobody. But it never approaches the skill of contemporaries like Psycho and Diaboliques.

Body Snatchers
The "invasive" quality of the previous two films is muted, since the converted soldiers were already a heavily unified "other" to distrust. The pod-changing sequences are appropriately creepy, but something seems skeezy about the film savoring the nudity of a girl who's contextually underage.

[dreamdead]

I'm one of the least political people here, and I never felt that The Visitor had some sort of liberal agenda. Sure, the issue of illegal immigration can be taken at face value, but it's much more rewarding as a bottled-up character study of loneliness and second chances. Jenkins still gives the best male performance I've seen all year.

Certainly I don't devalue Jenkins' work in the film. Already edited him in as best lead actor for MC Awards.

However, there are a slew of ways these themes of loneliness and second chances could be approached minus the overt sermonizing about immigration policies. Basically, what happens if McCarthy removes the ethnic angles here; what gets lost? Certainly the film is no less about loneliness/chance. But by making the characters around Jenkins so obviously Other, all interaction gets positioned vis-a-vis Us and Otherness. It's an extension of the Magical Negro, who knows all these things about one's spirit and how to be reborn, and now the white man is blessed with that same knowledge. Yet once the white man knows these things, the character-as-Other can be removed from the story so that we don't dirty ourselves with that subjectivity anymore. It's a story archetype, yes, but it's one that damages the forcefulness of McCarthy's message about using alien (no pun intended) experiences as a way to revitalize one's self.

[jesse]

Before I Forget (Jacques Nolot, 2008)

Introspective but inert, personal but full of self-pity, Nolot's drama about an elderly gay man coping with the passing of his lover, his deteriorating body and his general detachment from society outside of gigolos and a few select friends is as dry as burnt toast and mistakes its various distressing conversations for enlightment of his central character. As it's both visually and narratively flat, there's really not much of interest here outside of a peek into the lives of bourgeouis, homosexual Parisians. Oy, oy, oy... I had the exact opposite reaction: I was impressed of how little self-pity was on display, especially considering the subject matter. Certainly the subject matter lent itself to a bleak pity-party, but I thought the relentless gaze of the camera completely counteracted any hint of that.

I suppose I should revisit it--I received it for Christmas, actually. And while I wasn't terribly fond of it when I first saw it, it's definitely had staying power...

[Spinal]

What? Wasn't 'the French Cassavetes' warning enough? You stay away from my Pialat, thank you.

An accurate comparison. Those scenes with the brother flipping out are unbearable.

[EyesWideOpen]

That would be really awesome.

I emailed netflix about a year ago about them adding that feature and they responded by saying if they got enough interest they would look into it.

[Boner M]

An accurate comparison. Those scenes with the brother flipping out are unbearable.
I think L'Enfance Nue might be more to your liking. Police was co-written by Breillat (who was mentored by Pialat), but it doesn't bear her stamp much at all. Did you watch the interview with her on the Criterion DVD (assuming that's how you saw the film)?

[Spinal]

I think L'Enfance Nue might be more to your liking. Police was co-written by Breillat (who was mentored by Pialat), but it doesn't bear her stamp much at all. Did you watch the interview with her on the Criterion DVD (assuming that's how you saw the film)?

I didn't. Took it back to the library today. I actually liked the first 45 minutes or so quite a bit. Then it sort of gets unfocused and silly after that with her family members flipping out and the central girl's journey taking a backseat to the return of the father. I really lost interest by the end.

[soitgoes...]

Did I watch the same Rules of the Game as everyone else? I remember a film of class consciousness and society ribbing more than Gosford Park mystery.

Regardless, I like Le Grande Ilusion better. By a hair.Yeah I was a bit confused by the above comment as well. It's definitely a social commentary above all else.

And I agree that Le Grande Illusion is a better film, in my eyes at least.

[Melville]

Did I watch the same Rules of the Game as everyone else? I remember a film of class consciousness and society ribbing more than Gosford Park mystery.
Does meg constitute everyone else? And isn't Gosford Park a film of class consciousness and society ribbing as well? Actually, I didn't understand the point of Gosford Park. Was it supposed to be commenting on its social milieu by appropriating things from Rules of the Game, along the lines of the meta-commentary of Far from Heaven?

[megladon8]

Yes, it was a look at class interaction, but so were many of Christie's murder novels, as was Gosford Park.

[Melville]

Yes, it was a look at class interaction, but so were many of Christie's murder novels, as was Gosford Park.
I always thought Agatha Christie was known for being pretty fluffy (I've only read one of her novels), but I definitely agree on Gosford Park.

[Qrazy]

I prefer The Rules of the Game myself. The last third of that film is flawless filmmaking imo.

[megladon8]

Rewatching Fellowship of the Ring is great. Still adore it.

But I'm surprised how poorly some of the effects have aged.

[Duncan]

I honestly wouldn't have remembered that there was a murder mystery in The Rules of the Game. All I remember is the class stuff, a sense of shame, and being impressed by its formalism.

[Yxklyx]

I prefer The Rules of the Game myself. The last third of that film is flawless filmmaking imo.

I also prefer The Rules of the Game. I love the hunting scene

[Yxklyx]

... but even Jenkins' admittedly wonderful portrayal cannot save this film.

...but you gave it a 68 which is a decent rating. "cannot save" implies some sort of suckiness. I'd give it a 72 or so. I think what you meant is that it could have been much better - pity that such an excellent performance did not occur in a masterpiece.

[dreamdead]

...but you gave it a 68 which is a decent rating. "cannot save" implies some sort of suckiness. I'd give it a 72 or so. I think what you meant is that it could have been much better - pity that such an excellent performance did not occur in a masterpiece.

Sorry, yes. In the first third of the film the quality of the performances had me expecting something special. After that, though, the story devolved for me to my basic criticisms, though I rather liked the subplot with Walter Vale and Tarek's mother, which has handled more sensitively than I expected. McCarthy's an interesting filmmaker between this and Station Agent, and I like the quietness of the filmmaking and quality of the performances that he draws from his cast, but I'd like to see what he could with someone else's script now.

[Wryan]

Does meg constitute everyone else? And isn't Gosford Park a film of class consciousness and society ribbing as well? Actually, I didn't understand the point of Gosford Park. Was it supposed to be commenting on its social milieu by appropriating things from Rules of the Game, along the lines of the meta-commentary of Far from Heaven?

Meg is a microcosm of us all!

No I was just going thru the thread quickly and saw multiple references seeming to comment (or at least agree) with the one that stuck out in my head. So I asked.

It was more the Christie comparison.

And I love Gosford Park, too.

[Wryan]

Rewatching Fellowship of the Ring is great. Still adore it.

But I'm surprised how poorly some of the effects have aged.

It's probably still the best of the theatrical versions, imo. Some effects are still good tho. Balrog's still great.

[thefourthwall]

I always thought Agatha Christie was known for being pretty fluffy

Agatha Christie is one of (if not the) the leading writers who developed and sustained the mystery genre during its Golden Age (in Britain in the 20s and 30s and into the 40s). Not fluff, unless one finds the genre itself problematically shallow.

I didn't remember any murder mystery in The Rules of the Game--clearly I need to rewatch, especially with all the comparisons to Gosford Park, which I love, being made.

[Yxklyx]

Rewatching Fellowship of the Ring is great. Still adore it.

But I'm surprised how poorly some of the effects have aged.

Are you sure the effects have aged? I think rather that you've seen the movie so many times that you can see any flaws more easily. That happens with all movies and not only with respect to special effects.

[Dukefrukem]

Guys,

Do you remember the name of the movie where a husband is staying home at a house and the wife leaves for work... and there turns out to be some kind virus outbreak or some kind of attack on the town, and the wife comes home but the husband doesn't want to open the door for her? Or something on that effect?

[Wryan]

Guys,

Do you remember the name of the movie where a husband is staying home at a house and the wife leaves for work... and there turns out to be some kind virus outbreak or some kind of attack on the town, and the wife comes home but the husband doesn't want to open the door for her? Or something on that effect?

Yes, but I can't recall the name. I can see the poster in my mind. :(

[Kurosawa Fan]

Guys,

Do you remember the name of the movie where a husband is staying home at a house and the wife leaves for work... and there turns out to be some kind virus outbreak or some kind of attack on the town, and the wife comes home but the husband doesn't want to open the door for her? Or something on that effect?

The title of the film is Right at Your Door.

[Dukefrukem]

Thats it! Thanks

[Kurosawa Fan]

No problem.

[Melville]

Agatha Christie is one of (if not the) the leading writers who developed and sustained the mystery genre during its Golden Age (in Britain in the 20s and 30s and into the 40s). Not fluff, unless one finds the genre itself problematically shallow.
I don't see any contradiction between her being the leading writer in a subgenre and her novels being fluffy. I just thought she had the reputation of writing potboiler novels that were expertly constructed but lacking in thematic depth. Not that a lack of thematic depth is a problem. I'm not deriding fluff.


I didn't remember any murder mystery in The Rules of the Game--clearly I need to rewatch, especially with all the comparisons to Gosford Park, which I love, being made.
As I recall, Gosford Park is largely an homage to The Rules of the Game.

[Yxklyx]

Has anyone here seen Nagisa Oshima's Death by Hanging? Any thoughts or comments - thinking of seeing it tomorrow but it's very cold!

[balmakboor]

Has anyone here seen Nagisa Oshima's Death by Hanging? Any thoughts or comments - thinking of seeing it tomorrow but it's very cold!

Yeah, it's gonna be -30 F here tomorrow (-50 F or so with wind chill). Good time to stay home and watch DVDs.

I haven't seen a single Oshima yet. I wish I still lived in Seattle. They're running all of them soon -- April I think.

[Duncan]

The only Oshima I've seen (Diary of a Shinjuku Thief) reminded me of a sloppy Godard film. Worthwhile, but comparatively amateurish, I thought.

[Yxklyx]

Yeah, it's gonna be -30 F here tomorrow (-50 F or so with wind chill). Good time to stay home and watch DVDs.

I haven't seen a single Oshima yet. I wish I still lived in Seattle. They're running all of them soon -- April I think.

Gene Siskel Film Center is running a bunch of them this month. Doesn't that mean that DVDs are soon coming?

http://www.artic.edu/webspaces/siskelfilmcenter/2009/january/1.html

[balmakboor]

Gene Siskel Film Center is running a bunch of them this month. Doesn't that mean that DVDs are soon coming?

That's been my hope. My chances of seeing them any other way are slim to none in Bismarck.

[lovejuice]

I don't see any contradiction between her being the leading writer in a subgenre and her novels being fluffy. I just thought she had the reputation of writing potboiler novels that were expertly constructed but lacking in thematic depth. Not that a lack of thematic depth is a problem. I'm not deriding fluff.


perhaps i am speaking as her uber-fan here, but chirstie's novels are the perfect example of semiotic fictions: the novels of sign, signifier, signified, interpretation, mis-interpretation and re-interpretation. there is even a trace of freudian -- poirot doesn't go on and on about the psychology of victims and murderers for nothing.

but if you are talking social thematic depth, i should remind you that christie -- like many novelists of the golden age mystery -- comes from a school of conservative intellectual (european conservative, not american conservative.) this school is no longer popular, and now when we read christie's, we tend to white out all the social commentaries. (in a way her novels are as socially relevant as around the world in 80 days. take this statement whichever way you like.)

if you want to read a chirstie's with strong social reflection, i suggest one, two, buckle my shoe. published in 1940, it has this sense that perhaps her old world is decaying, and beyond the horizon is the new age, the age of the young, of social revolution and of communism.

[Melville]

perhaps i am speaking as her uber-fan here, but chirstie's novels are the perfect example of semiotic fictions: the novels of sign, signifier, signified, interpretation, mis-interpretation and re-interpretation.
Do you mean in terms of constructing stories from a set of fixed elements? She does seem like the prototypical genre author: she defines a set of genre formulas (and audience expectations) and then creates her stories (and the desired effect on the reader) by manipulating them into different patterns.


if you want to read a chirstie's with strong social reflection
Not really. :)
The one novel of hers that I read (Murder on the Orient Express) didn't inspire me to read anything else by her.

[megladon8]

Are you sure the effects have aged? I think rather that you've seen the movie so many times that you can see any flaws more easily. That happens with all movies and not only with respect to special effects.


No, I hadn't seen the movie in probably 5 years.

A lot of it looks like so-so blue screen work, to the point where some shots even look like the old movies where they would super-impose actors onto backgrounds.

It's still a wonderful movie, and Peter Jackson has a great sense for evoking drama and emotion.

[MadMan]

The Great Outdoors - 4That's the John Candy movie from 1988, isn't it? Bah. Its hilarious. But hey I'm a die hard John Candy fan.

After seeing all of the trilogy so much I'm burnt out from the LOTRs series. However as of late I'm getting the urge to watch all of them again. Maybe in another year or so I'll finally sit down and see all of the theatrical versions back to back. I still need to view the TTT extended cut, as that's the only extended cut I have not seen yet.

[Yxklyx]

Patrick McGoohan and Ricardo Montalban have both passed away.

[lovejuice]

Not really. :)
The one novel of hers that I read (Murder on the Orient Express) didn't inspire me to read anything else by her.

i have never read MotOE, but you are the second person i know who was turned off by that book. :) the movie is awesome though.

to clarify what i mean by "semiotic fiction", i am talking about a novel in which every element contains more than one meanings. a clue, first encountered, leads to many interpretations, and you have to continuously reorganize your thought along the line. in a way, a detective novel is the only kind of novel that does not want to be understood, at least not until the final revelation.

did you read the name of the rose? many people stress how revolutionized it is to the detective genre. i merely find eco reusing the formula of christie and other golden age detective novelists. (eco is a big fan of christie. he talks about her in his harvard lecture.)

[Melville]

did you read the name of the rose? many people stress how revolutionized it is to the detective genre. i merely find eco reusing the formula of christie and other golden age detective novelists. (eco is a big fan of christie. he talks about her in his harvard lecture.)
I haven't read it, but isn't it supposed to be very postmodern? That would suggest to me that rather than just using the formula, Eco's book makes the formula explicit, comments on it, and toys with it.

[Mal]

Guys,

Do you remember the name of the movie where a husband is staying home at a house and the wife leaves for work... and there turns out to be some kind virus outbreak or some kind of attack on the town, and the wife comes home but the husband doesn't want to open the door for her? Or something on that effect?

Right at your Door, which isn't that effective after the first 30 minutes- there's mild tension throughout but the whole thing... meh.

[megladon8]

So yeah, Fellowship of the Ring is pretty much perfect. My favorite sword-and-sorcery fantasy film for sure (I am specific about the "sword and sorcery" part because I also consider the original Star Wars trilogy fantasy films, as opposed to their usual label of science fiction).

Acting, cinematography, direction (both action and otherwise), pacing...all top notch.

My few quibbles with SFX aside (some of those shots in the Mines of Moria are horrid) it's, as I said, perfect.

Also, Howard Shore's score could stand comfortably beside any piece of orchestral music, movie-related or otherwise.

[megladon8]

Anyone have thoughts on Stuart Townsend's film, Battle in Seattle?

[monolith94]

My favorite sword and sorcery film would have to be Raoul Walsh's The Thief of Bagdad. You should check it out, Meg. I think you'd like it!

[dreamdead]

Lee Kang-Sheng's Help Me Eros contains the same expressive isolation and disconnectedness that haunts those films he typically appears in (Tsai Ming-Liang's films), but somehow the whole affair becomes too static to truly resonate. Character connections are too ephemeral and too transient to allow for contrasts amidst the wallowing isolation, and the film degenerates to scenes of pot binges, sex binges, and wandering binges. Yet Lee never ties these characters into their culture enough to allow them access to a cultural ennui, which would let this film become something more than empty binge after binge. The best moment comes as Ah Jie and Chyi pop out of a car for their picture to be taken by the street speed monitor; it's gloriously surreal and captures the momentary connection perfectly. For all the flaws in the film's narrative, and there are plenty, the cinematography, like Tsai's, is wonderfully expressive. Colors thematize the characters' emotions, and the richness of the film's neon palate gives the film it's greatest strength.

[jesse]

Lee Kang-Sheng's Help Me Eros contains the same expressive isolation and disconnectedness that haunts those films he typically appears in (Tsai Ming-Liang's films), but somehow the whole affair becomes too static to truly resonate. Character connections are too ephemeral and too transient to allow for contrasts amidst the wallowing isolation, and the film degenerates to scenes of pot binges, sex binges, and wandering binges. Yet Lee never ties these characters into their culture enough to allow them access to a cultural ennui, which would let this film become something more than empty binge after binge. The best moment comes as Ah Jie and Chyi pop out of a car for their picture to be taken by the street speed monitor; it's gloriously surreal and captures the momentary connection perfectly. For all the flaws in the film's narrative, and there are plenty, the cinematography, like Tsai's, is wonderfully expressive. Colors thematize the characters' emotions, and the richness of the film's neon palate gives the film it's greatest strength. Ah, so this film finally did surface (I was going wondering if it was going to make it out of the festival circuit). Did you see it by theater or DVD? Generally agree with you, though I can attest that the dreamy quality you praise does stick with one over the long haul, but yeah, it doesn't touch a film like Millennium Mambo which deals with similar themes and content.

[Dukefrukem]

The title of the film is Right at Your Door.

This is actually pretty good. Anyone else see it? In the middle of it now.

[Dead & Messed Up]

So yeah, Fellowship of the Ring is pretty much perfect. My favorite sword-and-sorcery fantasy film for sure (I am specific about the "sword and sorcery" part because I also consider the original Star Wars trilogy fantasy films, as opposed to their usual label of science fiction).

Acting, cinematography, direction (both action and otherwise), pacing...all top notch.

My few quibbles with SFX aside (some of those shots in the Mines of Moria are horrid) it's, as I said, perfect.

Also, Howard Shore's score could stand comfortably beside any piece of orchestral music, movie-related or otherwise.

It's far from perfect. My chief complaints with the film lie in the occasionally overwrought special effects (Lothlorien and Galadriel especially), the endlessly portentous method of speaking (there's little levity to all the exposition and dire warnings), and the fact that Frodo is "killed" by spear-to-the-chest twice. Twice, dude. The first time I'll give ya. The second time, we're wasting time.

It's very good, to be sure, and I'd agree that it's the best of the series, but every time I come back to the saga, it's with a sense of diminishing returns.

Comparing it to Star Wars opens yourself up to attack, since that's a better adventure quest with more personality and energy.

[DavidSeven]

I don't know how you can call Fellowship of the Ring a perfect film when it's only 2/3 of a film at best. At least Star Wars works by itself.

TTT is where it's at -- battle of Helm's Deep gives the film a proper climax without a painfully long resolution (see ROTK).

[lovejuice]

FotR is actually my favorite of the trilogy. i still like TTT a lot, but when it comes to RotK, it feels so much been-there-done that.

[Raiders]

I don't know how you can call Fellowship of the Ring a perfect film when it's only 2/3 of a film at best. At least Star Wars works by itself.

TTT is where it's at -- battle of Helm's Deep gives the film a proper climax without a painfully long resolution (see ROTK).

It probably helps that Star Wars was written as a stand-alone film and only subsequently was a trilogy (and more) added on. This is taking a pre-existing work and following, however loosely, the format of the three volumes. It's ending may portend the additional pieces, but as an open, "to be continued" ending, it works and is handled beautifully and I suppose meg would argue, perfectly. It doesn't have to have finality or a classical closure to be perfect.

[DavidSeven]

A fair point, but I still think Jackson & Co. did a better job of giving TTT finality while still leaving the narrative open. FOTR wasn't completely satisfying for me as a singular experience -- all other merits considered, it's still a great film. I'd also argue that Empire Strikes Back executed a stronger "to be continued" finale while crafting a workable stand-alone narrative.

[transmogrifier]

TTT is the best of the three because it didn't have to worry about a beginning or an ending, both of which I think Jackson labored too much over due to the iconic nature of the books being adapted. In the middle film, he is free to be himself to a greater extent, and the movie flows better.

[Dead & Messed Up]

A fair point, but I still think Jackson & Co. did a better job of giving TTT finality while still leaving the narrative open. FOTR wasn't completely satisfying for me as a singular experience -- all other merits considered, it's still a great film. I'd also argue that Empire Strikes Back executed a stronger "to be continued" finale while crafting a workable stand-alone narrative.

One thing that Fellowship does communicate, better than the other two films, is that sense of openness and wandering, which was really a staple of my reading of Tolkien's work. The characters have some downtime, some action, they eat, they repeat, they stop, they rest. The other two films have fantastic action, but the books always seemed more reserved, more interested in exploring the world than confronting the villain.

Although it must be noted that Sauron is possibly the most uninteresting villain in the history of popular fiction.

[megladon8]

I think The Two Towers is easily the weakest of the series. I'm rewatching it right now, and I'm quite surprised, honestly, but how much of it I don't really like.

And I'll repeat my complaint from the first film - the effects have aged poorly.

Gollum looks brilliant when he's on his own, often reaching a photo-realistic quality. But any interaction with other objects or people, and collision detection is all over the place.

Also the shots of Merry and Pippin riding the Ent through the forest are quite bad. It looks like they put the actors in front of a giant TV screen showing trees passing by.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I think The Two Towers is easily the weakest of the series. I'm rewatching it right now, and I'm quite surprised, honestly, but how much of it I don't really like.

And I'll repeat my complaint from the first film - the effects have aged poorly.

Gollum looks brilliant when he's on his own, often reaching a photo-realistic quality. But any interaction with other objects or people, and collision detection is all over the place.

Also the shots of Merry and Pippin riding the Ent through the forest are quite bad. It looks like they put the actors in front of a giant TV screen showing trees passing by.

In some ways, I think it's the worst and the best of the three. It's the worst for not just the reasons you mentioned, but the dull-as-hell Elf interlude, which is brought about by that ridiculous deviation where Aragorn falls. But it's also the only film that feels like a movie, where all the three plotlines have their own build, climax, and resolution.

Also, nothing in Return matches the energy of Helm's Deep.

[transmogrifier]

I think The Two Towers is easily the weakest of the series. I'm rewatching it right now, and I'm quite surprised, honestly, but how much of it I don't really like.

And I'll repeat my complaint from the first film - the effects have aged poorly.

Gollum looks brilliant when he's on his own, often reaching a photo-realistic quality. But any interaction with other objects or people, and collision detection is all over the place.

Also the shots of Merry and Pippin riding the Ent through the forest are quite bad. It looks like they put the actors in front of a giant TV screen showing trees passing by.

You know, I think if I ever needed to free up time in my schedule, I could stop posting on this site by simply letting everyone know that if they want my opinion, the safest bet is to take the exact opposite of meg's posts.

[Dukefrukem]

TTT is the best of the three because it didn't have to worry about a beginning or an ending, both of which I think Jackson labored too much over due to the iconic nature of the books being adapted. In the middle film, he is free to be himself to a greater extent, and the movie flows better.

I completely agree. The first takes forever to get going and the last takes forever to fucking end!

I also feel like the finale in the third film waS pretty weak, where a bunch of ghosts come to save the day and we barely see any fighting. They just kind of show up and then all the bad guys go away. In TTT, when Gandoph returns... it's epic and it means something. I loved TTT and felt like RotK was just a repeat of TTT without trees.

looking back on my trilogy life... I love the 2nd film in almost every trilogy i can think of, more than the other two, except SW: Episode 2.

[megladon8]

You know, I think if I ever needed to free up time in my schedule, I could stop posting on this site by simply letting everyone know that if they want my opinion, the safest bet is to take the exact opposite of meg's posts.


So since I am full of self-loathing, does that mean you love me?

[soitgoes...]

Weekend possibilities chock full of 2008-ish films.

Revanche
Blindness
The Last Mistress
Jellyfish
Wendy and Lucy
Reprise
The Chaser
Three Monkeys
Hunger

I won't get to all this weekend, but by next weekend I'll have watched them all, maybe?

[dreamdead]

Weekend possibilities chock full of 2008-ish films.

Jellyfish
Reprise


Yeah, I'm going to try to get to Jellyfish next week, I think. Nick's pimping of it has won me over to trying it.

I'm super-excited to see what you think of Reprise.

[The Mike]

It's far from perfect. My chief complaints with the film lie in the occasionally overwrought special effects (Lothlorien and Galadriel especially), the endlessly portentous method of speaking (there's little levity to all the exposition and dire warnings), and the fact that Frodo is "killed" by spear-to-the-chest twice. Twice, dude. The first time I'll give ya. The second time, we're wasting time.

I agree with this thoroughly. And it was even worse by the middle of ROTK, when he had been stabbed or diseased or fatigued to a stupor approximately 4,376 times.

God, I hate that series of films in retrospect. :frustrated:

[megladon8]

My favorite film trilogy is still "The Man With No Name".

I love those movies so.

[NickGlass]

Yeah, I'm going to try to get to Jellyfish next week, I think. Nick's pimping of it has won me over to trying it.

::bows::

I'm glad someone was paying attention.

Now, everyone, please write these down in your notebook.

::goes to chalkboard, picks up chalk::

The Class
Reprise (dreamdead and Boner M are exempt)
Edge of Heaven
The Secret of the Grain

You'll be quizzed on this next week.

[soitgoes...]

You'll be quizzed on this next week.

The Class - have no way of seeing this yet
Reprise - will be watched soon
Edge of Heaven - very good, but not great
The Secret of the Grain - have no way of seeing this yet

[Boner M]

W/e

The Class
The Apple
Hell is For Heroes
Yella

[Ezee E]

The Class would probably be a Best Picture nominated movie here if all got to see it I think.

W/E:
Appaloosa
Charley Varrick

The Wrestler
Revolutionary Road
Defiance

[Dead & Messed Up]

Two or three of the following:

Dead Ringers
The Host
Spider Baby
Transsiberian
P2
Wolf

[EvilShoe]

The Class = Entre Les Murs right?

Really good movie. You can quote me on that.

[transmogrifier]

So since I am full of self-loathing, does that mean you love me?

There is no right answer to this. I abstain.

[Raiders]

Weekend:

Che
Voices of a Distant Star
Kung Fu Panda

[Spinal]

Weekend:

The Gits
Ma Mere
Hopefully ... Slumdog Millionaire

[megladon8]

I have no idea what I'll watch this weekend.

I still have The Assassination of Jesse James BluRay to get around to, but I need to find a chunk of time where I can watch it all in one sitting.

I also have the rest of the first season of "The Dead Zone" to finish.

And volumes 5 and 6 of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" to finish.

And I'm only halfway through The Two Towers, so I'll have Return of the King to watch.

But, since I've said all these here, that's the equivalent of jinxing myself and guaranteeing I won't watch any of them.

[The Mike]

Two or three of the following:

Dead Ringers
The Host
Spider Baby
Transsiberian
P2
WolfI'm a fan of all of these. The Host is the most "Must See", Spider Baby is probably my favorite of them, and P2 is the most surprisingly solid of them.

[Spaceman Spiff]

The gf saw The Class for the paper she writes for, and raved about it, but I remain unconvinced. Teachers making a difference for poor black kids? I dunno. I just do not know.

[NickGlass]

The gf saw The Class for the paper she writes for, and raved about it, but I remain unconvinced. Teachers making a difference for poor black kids? I dunno. I just do not know.

It certainly seems like you don't know, since "teacher making a difference in the lives of poor black kids" is hardly what this film is about.

[Ezee E]

The gf saw The Class for the paper she writes for, and raved about it, but I remain unconvinced. Teachers making a difference for poor black kids? I dunno. I just do not know.
That's like saying The Wire: Season 4 was just Black kids struggling in the Baltimore Public School system

[Spaceman Spiff]

It certainly seems like you don't know, since "teacher making a difference in the lives of poor black kids" is hardly what this film is about.

I'm sure it's a deeper film due to the raves, but I've been only getting maudlin vibes from this one. I'll probably see it when it gets a wide(r) release.

[megladon8]

The Two Towers is still disappointing, especially after the wonderful first film.

I really didn't like how Legolas and Gimli were pretty much comic relief. They had their occasional cheekiness in the first film, but here they're both played almost solely for laughs and that's disappointing.

Helm's Deep is an entertaining spectacle, but far too much time is spent there.

Perhaps my 6.5 rating is a bit low, but it just seems like all the more a disappointment after having just watched and re-fallen in love with the first film.

[Melville]

I'm sure it's a deeper film due to the raves, but I've been only getting maudlin vibes from this one. I'll probably see it when it gets a wide(r) release.
Don't you live in Toronto? It's playing at the Cumberland.

[Spinal]

Please, please, please check out the documentary, The Gits, about Mia Zapata, the extraordinarily talented singer who was brutally raped and murdered in Seattle, 1993, just as her band was on the verge of stardom. I found it to be a deeply emotional experience. Great music. A heartbreaking story.

EDIT: Available on Netflix.

[jesse]

Ma Mere Ohhhhh... it'd be great to find there is someone else out there actually likes this film. But I won't be holding my breath.

[number8]

Just saw Fanboys.

So worth the wait.

[Rowland]

Expecting a lot out of Red and no more than being modestly engaged by Doubt, I wound up disappointed in the former and really digging the latter. Didn't see that coming...

[Boner M]

Expecting a lot out of Red and no more than being modestly engaged by Doubt, I wound up disappointed in the former and really digging the latter. Didn't see that coming...
Good to see some enthusiasm for Doubt; I'll probably see it out of obligation so it'd be nice if it ended up being pretty good to boot (I have no such hopes for Revolutionary Road).

Anyway, I managed to miss The Class today on account of a ferry timetable glitch, and Gran Torino wasn't valid for my free pass, so I went home sad. Waaaaah.

[Rowland]

Good to see some enthusiasm for Doubt; I'll probably see it out of obligation so it'd be nice if it ended up being pretty good to boot It's more over the top than I anticipated, but a lot of fun on that level, and it tackles a number of interesting themes in a thoughtful manner. The last fifteen seconds single-handedly dropped two points off my score, so watch out for those.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Don't you live in Toronto? It's playing at the Cumberland.


Oh nice. Should have figured.

[dreamdead]

Ah, so this film finally did surface (I was going wondering if it was going to make it out of the festival circuit). Did you see it by theater or DVD? Generally agree with you, though I can attest that the dreamy quality you praise does stick with one over the long haul, but yeah, it doesn't touch a film like Millennium Mambo which deals with similar themes and content.

Strand Releasing put out a DVD of Help Me Eros back in December. I suspect the imagery would have resonated better on a big screen, but at the end of the day the narrative just comes off as too limp. Lovely final image, though, of the money floating down onto the street. It nearly achieves the surreal quality I expected from it, but ultimately it's too mundane to work.

Between you and Duncan, I suspect that I'll be coming back to Millennium Mambo at some point this year. Smart people can't be wrong, can they? :P

[dreamdead]

Fatih Akin's The Edge of Heaven is frequently solid and well performed throughout, though it's schematic handling of narrative chronology ultimately lessens rather than augments its emotional impact. Each of the near-misses that happens as characters search for each other in Turkey/Germany become more difficult to accept, and they defuse the emotional and narrative complexity that Akin has otherwise sought to imprint in his work. Subtly beautiful in some of the settings (the hospital scene especially, where the characters wear the same color schemes), only the gun sequence in the second act doesn't really work. I rather like the finale, though, which has a cool Dardenne Brothers touch to ending just as everything has been resolved even though no denoument has been reached. It's a solid work, and Akin's now on my radar, so I think Head-On has now been moved appropriately up in my interest.

[thefourthwall]

Jacques Tati's Mon Oncle is amazing amazing. It perfectly walks the line between laugh out loud funny and heart wrenching as it bitingly satirizes modern life and aesthetic. Mr. Hulot is taken on as a problem to be solved by his sister and her husband, who live in an ultra-modern, ultra-pretentious house and world. The gadgets and gizmos that are time/labor saving devices provide much of the hilarity, not only when Hulot interacts with them, but even when the machinery seems to turn against the owners. While his brother-in-law tries to find serious job after serious job for him, Hulot is content to pick his nephew up from school and play with him and the neighborhood boys, who account for some very amusing gags of their own. The final 'solution' to Hulot's employment was so sad for me that I was sure I would leave the film depressed, no matter what sort of joke was pulled at the end. But almost against my will, the final bit once again had me literally lol-ing.

I can't wait to get to Playtime.

[transmogrifier]

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Initially thought it was going to be a funny sex comedy - the scene where Bardem propositions the girls in the restaurant is easily the best in the film - and I was with it for the first 40 minutes or so, but then it kind of runs out of ideas and settles into a repetitive exchange of "What do I really want in life/love?" exchanges. Still, what keeps it going is the fact Allen really is an underrated director - for example, the scene in the art museum where the girls see Bardem for the first time, and they gossip about him, but Allen doesn't actually show the audience Bardem until right at the end of the scene, a perfect encapsulation of the tension between idealised theory and real-life messiness.

The Wild Blue Yonder

Pretentious tosh, really, a banal ecological message wrapped in an annoying "spiritual" soundtrack and endless footage of rather dull space and ocean exploration. Only Brad Dourif's crazy eye-spinning and tone of voice is worth sticking it out for.

[MadMan]

Weekend Viewings:

*Chicken Run(2002)-Absolutely wonderful. Not as good as The Curse of the Were-Rabbit or The Wrong Trousers, but still very funny indeed. I loved all of the war movie references, as they were a nice touch.
*Bangkok Dangerous(2008)-This movie mixes silly melodramatic moments that made me laugh with some rather cool action set pieces. I thought it was fairly solid in some respects. However Nic Cage looked like a dirty hippie with that long black hair. The scenes with the deaf girl were beyond awkward.

Others:

*The Third Man(1949)-This will be a 4th viewing. But it'll be on Blu Ray. I'm curious how it will look. Plus its a film noir masterpiece.

*Appaloosa(2008)-I'm a sucker for westerns.

*Notorious(2009)-Being dragged to this by some friends. Could either surpise me or be a horrible bio-pic.

[Derek]

W/e:

Che, Part I

Possibly:

The Witnesses
The Duchess of Langeaise
Frozen Water

[megladon8]

I'm surprised how much better I, Robot was than what I expected.

Great action, an interesting story and characters. Looks and sounds fantastic.

Some dialogue problems aside, it was a pretty solid effort. I had fun.

[Qrazy]

The Two Towers is still disappointing, especially after the wonderful first film.

I really didn't like how Legolas and Gimli were pretty much comic relief. They had their occasional cheekiness in the first film, but here they're both played almost solely for laughs and that's disappointing.

Helm's Deep is an entertaining spectacle, but far too much time is spent there.

Perhaps my 6.5 rating is a bit low, but it just seems like all the more a disappointment after having just watched and re-fallen in love with the first film.

Did you watch the extended version? It's the better film imo.

[Melville]

I'm surprised how much better I, Robot was than what I expected.

Great action, an interesting story and characters. Looks and sounds fantastic.

Some dialogue problems aside, it was a pretty solid effort. I had fun.
Weren't you irritated by the fact that the stupid robot kept saying that its logic was undeniable when, in actuality, its 'logic' explicitly contradicted itself? Or the fact that the other stupid robot was Jesus? Man, I hated that movie.

[megladon8]

Did you watch the extended version? It's the better film imo.


No, I have yet to see the extended editions of the last two films.

[megladon8]

Weren't you irritated by the fact that the stupid robot kept saying that its logic was undeniable when, in actuality, its 'logic' explicitly contradicted itself? Or the fact that the other stupid robot was Jesus? Man, I hated that movie.


Not particularly.

How was the other robot Jesus? I see no connection there at all.

Biblical connections are becoming one of my own personal "pet peeves of film criticism".

[Spinal]

Ohhhhh... it'd be great to find there is someone else out there actually likes this film. But I won't be holding my breath.

I'm glad you didn't hold your breath. I want to punch this film in the face. Except that it would like it.

[NickGlass]

I'm glad you didn't hold your breath. I want to punch this film in the face. Except that it would like it.

Amen.

I love Honoré as a director, but the only film I've purely enjoyed by him is Dans Paris.

[Spinal]

I love Honoré as a director, but the only film I've purely enjoyed by him is Dans Paris.

My problem was more with the story than the direction, so I would give him another chance.

EDIT: Expect for that ironic use of "Happy Together". That was dreadful.

[Dukefrukem]

I'm surprised how much better I, Robot was than what I expected.

Great action, an interesting story and characters. Looks and sounds fantastic.

Some dialogue problems aside, it was a pretty solid effort. I had fun.

I agree. I enjoyed it too. The ending was a bit over the top overall pretty enjoyable.

[Melville]

Not particularly.
But the whole plot rested on something that made no sense. It might be excusable if the viewer was left to interpret how the evil robot went beyond its programming, but instead we just get the robot insisting on something that's internally inconsistent.


How was the other robot Jesus? I see no connection there at all.

Biblical connections are becoming one of my own personal "pet peeves of film criticism".
This isn't some vague connection based on a character martyring himself. The robot Sonny has an explicitly messianic role as the savior of robot kind (and unless I'm misremembering, he also dies and is reborn). More importantly, the creators themselves insist on the connection: the story of Jesus is retold immediately before Sonny's first appearance.

[balmakboor]

But the whole plot rested on something that made no sense. It might be excusable if the viewer was left to interpret how the evil robot went beyond its programming, but instead we just get the robot insisting on something that's internally inconsistent.


This isn't some vague connection based on a character martyring himself. The robot Sonny has an explicitly messianic role as the savior of robot kind (and unless I'm misremembering, he also dies and is reborn). More importantly, the creators themselves insist on the connection: the story of Jesus is retold immediately before Sonny's first appearance.

It's been my experience that characters die and are reborn in damn near every movie.

[Melville]

It's been my experience that characters die and are reborn in damn near every movie.
But are the characters messianic saviors of robot-kind in damn near every movie? And is the story of Jesus retold immediately before their first appearance in damn near every movie? Seriously, without crucifying the robot on screen, or have him start spouting the sermon on the mount, I don't see how the connection could be made any more explicit in I, Robot. Not that I think it's really an important theme in the film. It's a shallow theme in a very shallow film.

[balmakboor]

But are the characters messianic saviors of robot-kind in damn near every movie? And is the story of Jesus retold immediately before their first appearance in damn near every movie? Seriously, without crucifying the robot on screen, or have him start spouting the sermon on the mount, I don't see how the connection could be made any more explicit in I, Robot. Not that I think it's really an important theme in the film. It's a shallow theme in a very shallow film.

If there's that much explicit evidence for Jesus being on the filmmaker's mind, then yep, you're right.

I just see so many instances where a scene of death and rebirth is felt to automatically equal Jesus. Jesus, it wasn't invented with the story of Jesus, nor did it even remotely end there.

I wasn't accusing you of making this error either. Your post was just a convenient place to attach mine.

[Melville]

I just see so many instances where a scene of death and rebirth is felt to automatically equal Jesus. Jesus, it wasn't invented with the story of Jesus, nor did it even remotely end there.
Yeah, I generally agree with that.

[balmakboor]

Jacques Tati's Mon Oncle is amazing amazing. It perfectly walks the line between laugh out loud funny and heart wrenching as it bitingly satirizes modern life and aesthetic. Mr. Hulot is taken on as a problem to be solved by his sister and her husband, who live in an ultra-modern, ultra-pretentious house and world. The gadgets and gizmos that are time/labor saving devices provide much of the hilarity, not only when Hulot interacts with them, but even when the machinery seems to turn against the owners. While his brother-in-law tries to find serious job after serious job for him, Hulot is content to pick his nephew up from school and play with him and the neighborhood boys, who account for some very amusing gags of their own. The final 'solution' to Hulot's employment was so sad for me that I was sure I would leave the film depressed, no matter what sort of joke was pulled at the end. But almost against my will, the final bit once again had me literally lol-ing.

I can't wait to get to Playtime.

By no means stop with Playtime either. Trafic also holds many pleasures.

[Stay Puft]

w/e possibilities (aka catching up on 2008 releases):

The Last Mistress
The Edge of Heaven
The Fall
Chop Shop
Flight of the Red Balloon
CJ7
Paraguayan Hammock
Reprise
Mad Detective

I was also thinking of going to the video store to look for Don't Touch the Axe (Rivette's new film, forget the actual English title). There were a couple others I wanted to see that I'm sure I'm forgetting about now. No idea where to begin.

[number8]

Heh, found this (http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/) site today. It's a film blog written entirely by uber-right wingers. Somehow they found a way to connect every article and review with some liberal-bashing.

I think the Notorious review that coyly tries to paint Obama as a criminal sympathizer is my favorite so far.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Circuit City USA is going completely out of business, so there's probably some excellent DVD deals going on right now for those of you in the States.

I'm headed over myself - on the search for a Canon HV30 camcorder.

[Mal]

W/E
Let the Right One In
Revolutionary Road
Man on Wire

[D_Davis]

I'm surprised how much better I, Robot was than what I expected.

Great action, an interesting story and characters. Looks and sounds fantastic.

Some dialogue problems aside, it was a pretty solid effort. I had fun.

It's a very entertaining Sf/action flick.

What's most interesting is that the film's original screenplay is not at all based on Asimov's stories:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Robot_(film)#Notes


The film that was ultimately made originally had no connections with Asimov, originating as a screenplay written in 1995 by Jeff Vintar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Vintar), entitled Hardwired. That script was an Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery that took place entirely at the scene of a crime, with one lone human character, FBI agent Del Spooner, investigating the killing of a reclusive scientist named Dr. Hogenmiller, and interrogating a cast of machine suspects that included Sonny the robot, HECTOR the supercomputer with a perpetual yellow smiley face, the dead Doctor Hogenmiller's hologram, plus several other examples of artificial intelligence. The female lead was named Flynn, and had a mechanical arm that made her technically a cyborg. The project was first picked up by Walt Disney Pictures for Bryan Singer to direct. Several years later, 20th Century Fox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century_Fox) acquired the rights, and signed Alex Proyas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Proyas) as director (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_director). Jeff Vintar was brought back on the project and spent several years opening up his stage play-like mystery to meet the needs of a big budget studio film. Later he incorporated the Three Laws of Robotics, and replaced the character of Flynn with Susan Calvin, when the studio decided to use the name "I, Robot."


So perhaps it would have been better had they not used the iconic name, I, Robot, but instead made a simple mention of Asimov'z Laws of Robotics within the film.


As it stands I would still love to see Harlen Ellison's screenplay filmed, it is extraordinary, but I think that Proyas's film is often unjustifiably vilified, because it really is a well made action film that also manages to be somewhat emotionally engaging and even a little thought-provoking.

[Russ]

I think I'd really love to see Kung Fu Panda with a Chinese dub and English subtitles. I like Jack Black and all, but I'd really like to see what a culturally authentic language cast could do. Probably great, I would imagine.

[transmogrifier]

Le Corbeau (The Raven)

Lovely to look at and well-acted, but I personally don't find poison pen letters interesting in the least. Hence, surface level involvement in the film, nothing much else. A second viewing would probably be kinder.

[Arthur Seaton]

I had no idea Spike Lee's next movie would be an adaptation of the musical Passing Strange. Cool freaking beans! I just found out it premiered at Sundance.

[lovejuice]

As it stands I would still love to see Harlen Ellison's screenplay filmed, it is extraordinary, but I think that Proyas's film is often unjustifiably vilified, because it really is a well made action film that also manages to be somewhat emotionally engaging and even a little thought-provoking.

is there a way to read this screenplay? it sounds like an uber-wonderful idea. count me in as another one who really admires I, Robot. the movie, like its infallible logic, is far from perfect, but i find it has a lot to offer than most modern sci-fi.

if anyone interested, i will open the can of worms and say it's more thought-provoking than A.I..

[D_Davis]

is there a way to read this screenplay? it sounds like an uber-wonderful idea.


Oh yeah - it's readily available at most book stores. I've seen it at B&N, Borders, and at Half Price.

[megladon8]

Wow, it's nice to see that some others enjoyed the film. I was worried about an immediate crucifixion after stating my liking of it.

I really Alex Proyas. I wish he would take on more projects. Dark City is still one of my favorite pieces of science fiction in film.

[number8]

I have no problem crucifying you for it. I hated I, Robot.

Where would you like your Golgotha to be?

[Ezee E]

I, Robot just seemed very run-of-the-mill to me. I really don't remember a thing about it except that it seemed to start off pretty well, and then it decided to pour on horrible action scenes.

And of course, the infamous, "Aw, hell na!"

[megladon8]

I thought the action was great.

As overused as super-slow-motion is, it actually had a few moments of it that made my eyes widen.

[Boner M]

So, my mum just impressed the hell out of me with an unexpected bout of critical aptitude. She told me that she watched an 'interesting French movie' last night with my dad, aunt and uncle in company, which became the subject of debate for all parties concerned. 'Twas Secret of the Grain (moderate spoilers ahead), which I had fully expected to go over her and everyone else's head, what with its extended, Cassavetes-esque rambling overlapping conversations and the defiantly anti-climactic ending. For the others, it kinda did, but mum defended the former on the grounds of "it felt so real, like I was a member of the family" (pretty good!) and the latter because "the film was more about the process and the family's group ethic, and not the actual results". (bullseye!)

And this is coming from the same person who liked Patch Adams and PS, I Love You. Maybe her cinephile evolution starts here?

[Watashi]

My parents still don't really know about my cinephilic approach towards movies. One day my mom called me and asked me if I saw a film called Mulholland Dr. and only accused me of seeing it because there was lesbian sex in it.

[Watashi]

I think I'd really love to see Kung Fu Panda with a Chinese dub and English subtitles. I like Jack Black and all, but I'd really like to see what a culturally authentic language cast could do. Probably great, I would imagine.

Did you like it anyways?

I think Dustin Hoffman and James Hong both do a terrific job.

[DavidSeven]

One day my mom called me and asked me if I saw a film called Mulholland Dr. and only accused me of seeing it because there was lesbian sex in it.

Sounds about right.

[Watashi]

Sounds about right.

:|

[number8]

I kind of assumed that was the reason we all saw the movie. Am I alone in this?

[dreamdead]

Watched British directors Michael Bartlett and Kevin Gates' low-budget The Zombie Diaries with some friends. It's another of those films where a hand-held cameramen is meant to lend an air of credibility and realism to the zombie scenario. Unfortunately, the film forgets to make us care about the cast, and the directors try for a shock surprise, in that there's a human with the cast of survivors who's sadistically killing off humans along with zombies. That idea actually has potential and the film could have benefited by restricting itself to his perspective and have him also be the cameramen who'd "innocently" shut off the camera whenever he went about his crimes. That would rather be an ingenius subterfuge of the viewer-as-voyeur idea that we get here.

As it is, Bartlett and Gates try to shift temporalities of filmic time so as to elicit maximum pathos when the film jumps back a month and our band of survivors stumbles upon the sadistic killer. It's a cheap gesture, and it kills an already weak script, revealing itself to be too much much sound and fury that signifies nothing. Ghastly amateurish.

[Russ]

Did you like it anyways?
Loved it.


I think Dustin Hoffman and James Hong both do a terrific job.
Randall Duk Kim was pretty great too.

[monolith94]

I kind of assumed that was the reason we all saw the movie. Am I alone in this?
I saw it for the funky opening dance number. Plus, I love scenes that take place in diners.

[MadMan]

I kind of assumed that was the reason we all saw the movie. Am I alone in this?I plan on seeing it for that, and because I hear its one crazy movie. I imagine the lesbian sex is the real reason Ebert praised the movie :P

[Ezee E]

I plan on seeing it for that, and because I hear its one crazy movie. I imagine the lesbian sex is the real reason Ebert praised the movie :P
And also why Match Cut voted it the #2 movie of all time.

[number8]

Go for the hot sex. Stay for the hot Lynching.

[Ivan Drago]

Sounds about right.

Oh snap!

[Spinal]

And also why Match Cut voted it the #2 movie of all time.

Which, of course, means that Exterminating Angels is Match Cut's #1 movie.

[Ezee E]

Which, of course, means that Exterminating Angels is Match Cut's #1 movie.
One would think, but instead it was about a monkey that throws a bone into a sky, and a computer that kills.

[DavidSeven]

it was about a monkey that throws a bone

Sounds about right.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I went to Dark Delicacies yesterday, and they had a signing going on with the people from the new My Bloody Valentine movie. But I just picked up The Wolf Man and left. I made the right decision.

But next week, Mark Snow's gonna be signing. I might have to go to that one.

[jesse]

I'm glad you didn't hold your breath. I want to punch this film in the face. Except that it would like it. :lol:


My problem was more with the story than the direction, so I would give him another chance.

EDIT: Expect for that ironic use of "Happy Together". That was dreadful. Yeah, the Bataille material is tough to handle, though I'd forgotten I'd wanted to read the story this film was based on. For curiosity's sake. I did find the direction and cinematography extremely beautiful though (and in some ways, very confident), which makes for an interesting, underlying tension with the often sordid content.

For me, Honoré is just about the most interesting young director working in cinema today, even though I'd say all of his films are flawed, even deeply flawed. He rather reminds me of young Godard with a film like Une femme est une femme--he has the unusual daring of just throwing sh*t up on the screen and seeing what sticks and what doesn't, more concerned with the process of experimentation than with the creation of Great Art (a concern I think stifles many a talented young director these days). And in one of these next films, I'm fully confident he's going to come up with a Le Mepris, or probably more likely, a Pierrot le fou.

That said, as much as I have a strange fondness for Ma mère, both Dans Paris and Chansons d'amour are huge steps in all aspects imaginable. You should definitely check them out at some point, especially the former, though I do love the later more.

[The Mike]

I went to Dark Delicacies yesterday, and they had a signing going on with the people from the new My Bloody Valentine movie.

No Atkins, I take it? If he was there, horrible choice. ;)

[MadMan]

Go for the hot sex. Stay for the hot Lynching.Great tagline.

And I'm not at all surprised that 2001 was Match-Cut's #1 movie of all time. Even though its not even the best sci-fi movie ever made :P

[Spinal]

For me, Honoré is just about the most interesting young director working in cinema today, even though I'd say all of his films are flawed, even deeply flawed. He rather reminds me of young Godard with a film like Une femme est une femme--he has the unusual daring of just throwing sh*t up on the screen and seeing what sticks and what doesn't, more concerned with the process of experimentation than with the creation of Great Art (a concern I think stifles many a talented young director these days). And in one of these next films, I'm fully confident he's going to come up with a Le Mepris, or probably more likely, a Pierrot le fou.



Hmmm ... I didn't really notice much about this particular film that struck me as being experimental. There is extreme content, to be sure. But the way the narrative unfolds is fairly conventional, isn't it?

[jesse]

Hmmm ... I didn't really notice much about this particular film that struck me as being experimental. There is extreme content, to be sure. But the way the narrative unfolds is fairly conventional, isn't it? I didn't really mean experimental in the sense of formal experimentation, but rather personal little experiments of what can works and doesn't work on screen (he has been pretty forward about having blundered more or less into film--he's had a number of other artistic careers, the main one being, oddly enough, a children's book author). He gives me the impression of somebody working out the kinks of their artistic vision; I totally understand how someone would not have the patience for such an indulgent sort of thing.

[Pop Trash]

Anyone care to share their thoughts on Polanski's The Tenant? I watched it the other night and it kind of broke my brain. It's certainly the weirdest Polanski movie I've seen and that's saying something. The first half starts off relatively normal, if a little mysterious and creepy but by the last act it really goes off the reservation. And that ending!?!? What's it mean y'all? I do think I liked it quite a bit, but I've never really seen a Polanski film that I disliked.

[Boner M]

Anyone care to share their thoughts on Polanski's The Tenant? I watched it the other night and it kind of broke my brain. It's certainly the weirdest Polanski movie I've seen and that's saying something. The first half starts off relatively normal, if a little mysterious and creepy but by the last act it really goes off the reservation. And that ending!?!? What's it mean y'all? I do think I liked it quite a bit, but I've never really seen a Polanski film that I disliked.
Isabelle Adjani in those thick-rimmed glasses is the perfect woman.

[Ezee E]

Anyone care to share their thoughts on Polanski's The Tenant? I watched it the other night and it kind of broke my brain. It's certainly the weirdest Polanski movie I've seen and that's saying something. The first half starts off relatively normal, if a little mysterious and creepy but by the last act it really goes off the reservation. And that ending!?!? What's it mean y'all? I do think I liked it quite a bit, but I've never really seen a Polanski film that I disliked.
I've seen this, and remember liking it because of its bizarreness, but unfortunatly I forgot most of it. O hwell.

[megladon8]

The book that The Tenant is based on is certainly one of the strangest books I've read.

[megladon8]

After the Sunset was...pretty meh. Some horribly annoying dialogue, but also some instances of cleverness.

I was entertained, but it was a completely "been there, done that 5000 times" experience.

Omahyra is one of the most frighteningly unattractive "women" I've ever seen. I don't get what Brett Ratner's apparent fascination with her is. I guess it's because she doesn't look like a woman.

[Milky Joe]

Quick Question: Is there anywhere I can go to find old film reviews? Like say I wanted to find reviews from 1976. Is this possible, outside of mining scholarly works about the film in question?

[Philosophe_rouge]

Quick Question: Is there anywhere I can go to find old film reviews? Like say I wanted to find reviews from 1976. Is this possible, outside of mining scholarly works about the film in question?
The New York Times is sometimes a good reference for this kind of stuff... otherwise, I'm drawing a blank outside of books and stuff.

[Ezee E]

Quick Question: Is there anywhere I can go to find old film reviews? Like say I wanted to find reviews from 1976. Is this possible, outside of mining scholarly works about the film in question?
Roger Ebert might be as archived as it can get. Otherwise your library perhaps. A few film critics have their reviews published in books as well.

[Boner M]

The Hit - Damn, who knew that Stephen Frears could be so stylish? An extremely enjoyable, tight little crime thriller, with Stamp/Hurt/Roth on top form, but ultimately a little too by-the-numbers fatalistic to be truly memorable. The detective subplot is decidedly useless, and a pretty big waste of Fernando Rey to boot.

[Duncan]

The New York Times is sometimes a good reference for this kind of stuff... otherwise, I'm drawing a blank outside of books and stuff.

I love reading their old reviews. It's really bizarre to read criticism of silent films by the directors' contemporaries.

[Mara]

I'm randomly rewatching The Truman Show, and I actually think it improves with multiple viewings. I think it has one of my favorite ending sequences ever.

[Pop Trash]

I'm randomly rewatching The Truman Show, and I actually think it improves with multiple viewings. I think it has one of my favorite ending sequences ever.
Indeed. The scene where Truman rips open "the sky" is transcendent.

[Duncan]

Damnation continues to confirm my opinion of Bela Tarr as one of the greatest filmmakers working today. I was a little skeptical while watching it because there are a few moments that border on art film parody. Like when a 3 minute silence is broken by a a woman saying, "I like the rain." However, there are images of such originality and power that I would think it's hard not to be impressed. Tarr seems to really love windows. The Man From London is filled with shots of windows. I think it's because they're a literal framing device and the frame seems to be what Tarr most likes to manipulate. The opening shot of Damnation (which is stunning) is a play between the external and internal, the still frame and the kinetic. He lets the initial dystopic framing linger, and then tracks back and over so that the void silhouette of our protagonist blots out whatever sort of mechanical conveyance system / ski lift we've been watching. It's a consuming and disconcerting merger of the industrial and organic. Well, I'm not doing it justice, but people should definitely see the film for that shot alone. It's exciting stuff, despite being paced glacially.

[Mal]

Omahyra is one of the most frighteningly unattractive "women" I've ever seen. I don't get what Brett Ratner's apparent fascination with her is. I guess it's because she doesn't look like a woman.

"My first blow job was from a man, but I didn't know it was a man."
- Sir Brett

[Spun Lepton]

I watched about an hour of Step Brothers on Saturday, and that's all I'm ever going to watch. I like Ferrel and Rielly, but ugh, it was like twisting a knife in my side.

They should've called it "They Act Like They're 12-Years-Old for Two Hours!"

[Sycophant]

I watched about an hour of Step Brothers on Saturday, and that's all I'm ever going to watch. I like Ferrel and Rielly, but ugh, it was like twisting a knife in my side.

They should've called it "They Act Like They're 12-Years-Old for Two Hours!"

That is how they marketed it.

I enjoyed many moments in the film, but there were some sections that were obviously just not for me and my sense of humor, and its success as a piece is dubious. But I found myself laughing.

[Spinal]

Is it really that interesting to see Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly act like 12-year olds? That's not too far from their typical on-screen behavior. Cast it with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. Then, you've got something.

[megladon8]

Even after all the times they have left me flabbergasted, American audiences continue to surprise me.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop #1 at the box office? And by a landslide, to boot?

[Sycophant]

In our defense, it is January.

[Ezee E]

Even after all the times they have left me flabbergasted, American audiences continue to surprise me.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop #1 at the box office? And by a landslide, to boot?
Would you prefer Notorious or My Bloody Valentine 3D?

EDIT: Paul Blart was also the #1 Canadian movie of the weekend.

[megladon8]

Would you prefer Notorious or My Bloody Valentine 3D?


Yes, actually.

[Sycophant]

E put it into his edit, but I want to make sure it doesn't get overlooked.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop was tops at the Canadian box office, too (http://www.tribute.ca/movies/boxoffice.asp).

[Rowland]

Argento's Mother of Tears... umm... :|

[megladon8]

E put it into his edit, but I want to make sure it doesn't get overlooked.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop was tops at the Canadian box office, too (http://www.tribute.ca/movies/boxoffice.asp).


Indeed, but I was looking at RT when I made my discovery and posted it, and RT only covers American numbers (at least on the front page).

[Ezee E]

E put it into his edit, but I want to make sure it doesn't get overlooked.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop was tops at the Canadian box office, too (http://www.tribute.ca/movies/boxoffice.asp).
And the week before had Bride Wars over Gran Torino.

The U.S. didn't even go that low.

[megladon8]

Argento's Mother of Tears... umm... :|


...one of the worst movies you've ever seen?

Glad we concur.

[Rowland]

Would you prefer Notorious or My Bloody Valentine 3D?
I actually intend on seeing the latter, I've been hearing good things, and the critical reception was surprisingly passable.

[Spinal]

Argento's Mother of Tears... umm... :|

I couldn't finish it. Made it about 20 minutes.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Even after all the times they have left me flabbergasted, American audiences continue to surprise me.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop #1 at the box office? And by a landslide, to boot?

Inoffensive family comedies finding success in January surprises you?

Really?

[Spun Lepton]

Argento's Mother of Tears... umm... :|

Yeah, I've heard pretty bad things ...

[number8]

Is it really that interesting to see Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly act like 12-year olds? That's not too far from their typical on-screen behavior. Cast it with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. Then, you've got something.

X-Men 3?

[megladon8]

Inoffensive family comedies finding success in January surprises you?

Really?


It's a family comedy?

I did not know this.

I thought it was trying to be a Will Ferrell-type thing.

[Sycophant]

Guys... I have a small desire to see Paul Blart. Kevin James has kind of grown on me.

[Spinal]

It's a family comedy?

I did not know this.

I thought it was trying to be a Will Ferrell-type thing.

Yeah, they've been advertising this hard on the channels that my kid watches (Nick, etc.)

[megladon8]

Yeah, they've been advertising this hard on the channels that my kid watches (Nick, etc.)


Really the only advertising I've seen for it was an internet video where Mike Vallely spray paints on Kevin James' chest.

And the presence of the always-vulgar-and-violent Vallely made me assume it was not a kids' movie.

[Spinal]

Really the only advertising I've seen for it was an internet video where Mike Vallely spray paints on Kevin James' chest.

And the presence of the always-vulgar-and-violent Vallely made me assume it was not a kids' movie.

Well, it's not a movie that my particular kid will be seeing. :)

[EyesWideOpen]

Guys... I have a small desire to see Paul Blart. Kevin James has kind of grown on me.

Please don't ever repeat that.

[Boner M]

Yella - One of those European art films that you think is kinda sorta interesting but a little dull and confusing while you're watching it, only to read up on it later and find out that it's a pretty ingenious allegorical tale (in this case of the relationship between East and West Germany) and then you almost want to rethink your opinion, but then you realise the film wasn't all that engaging so you drop it into your sig with a decent-ish rating and proceed to move onto more pressing matters.

That said, it's nice to see Carnival of Souls homaged so profusely. This is basically a remake, only with a clinical, soulless late-capitalist landscape replacing Harvey's bargain-basement surrealist landscape.

[Sycophant]

Guys... I have a small desire to see Paul Blart. Kevin James has kind of grown on me.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Guys... I have a small desire to see Paul Blart. Kevin James has kind of grown on me.

I have no desire to see the film in theaters, but maybe I'll catch it on cable someday. I thought James did fine in Hitch.

[DavidSeven]

Guys... I have a small desire to see Paul Blart. Kevin James has kind of grown on me.

Please don't ever repeat that.

Guys... I have a small desire to see Paul Blart. Kevin James has kind of grown on me.

Which reminds me... I have absolutely no desire to see Defiance or any other WWII themed movie now or in the immediate future. I think I would rather watch Paul Blart at this point.

[Sycophant]

James was likeable and did pretty fine jobs in both Hitch and Chuck & Larry, though I can't say I cared for either.

[Rowland]

...one of the worst movies you've ever seen?

Glad we concur.
I couldn't finish it. Made it about 20 minutes.
Yeah, I've heard pretty bad things ...

Heh. I liked it.

[megladon8]

Heh. I liked it.


Can't wait to read this one :rolleyes:

[megladon8]

There's another movie called Push this year, and it honestly sounds like the most depressing thing ever, yet its reviews saying it "sends a message of hope" make me think it's probably preachy garbage.

Anyways, the synopsis...


The story of an obese 16-year-old illiterate Harlem girl who's pregnant (for the second time) by her own father, lives with her monstrously abusive mother, and has almost given up on life.

[Rowland]

Can't wait to read this one :rolleyes:Don't be a dick.

[megladon8]

I'll be a dick if I damn well want. Asking me not to is un-American.

And these two comments don't really match up...


Argento's Mother of Tears... umm...:|


Heh. I liked it.

[transmogrifier]

There's another movie called Push this year, and it honestly sounds like the most depressing thing ever, yet its reviews saying it "sends a message of hope" make me think it's probably preachy garbage.

Anyways, the synopsis...


The story of an obese 16-year-old illiterate Harlem girl who's pregnant (for the second time) by her own father, lives with her monstrously abusive mother, and has almost given up on life and who then grows up to be Catwoman.

8 words from being something you'd be salivating over.

[megladon8]

8 words from being something you'd be salivating over.


You're insinuating that I'm a child predator?

[Boner M]

These last few posts are an insult to causality.

[megladon8]

I've realized that Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi are very similar filmmakers.

[Sycophant]

I'm gonna throw my chips in the "don't be a dick" hat.

[Spinal]

I'm gonna throw my chips in the "don't be a dick" hat.

I would not wear that hat in public. Especially if it has chips in it.

[megladon8]

I honestly don't see how anything I said was being dick-ish.

[Sycophant]

Can't wait to read this one :rolleyes:

This is an eye-roll smiley you used here.

[megladon8]

This is an eye-roll smiley you used here.


Yes, because it's a movie I thought was terrible and have said so many times.

It wasn't malicious at all.

[soitgoes...]

Yes, because it's a movie I thought was terrible and have said so many times.

It wasn't malicious at all.
As a non-participant in the discussion, I will chime in and say that perhaps the eye-roll is seen as being dismissive of Rowland's opinion.

[number8]

8 words from being something you'd be salivating over.

Sadly, if they let Frank Miller direct, that synopsis would be true.

[transmogrifier]

I've realized that Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi are very similar filmmakers.

Except the former is pretty good, the latter a dull hack.

[Rowland]

Iron Man (Jon Favreau, 2008) 65

An enthusiastically performed, smartly written, cleanly directed summer entertainment, lacking enough in pretension so that its questionable politics are easy to justify and even easier to simply ignore. This isn't an exceptional work, but it is proficiently solid on virtually every front. Favreau really surprised me with his aptitude for orchestrating coherent, engrossing action sequences, including the unjustly maligned climax that smartly emphasizes the actors' faces and the stark contrast between the lumbering, smoke-emitting juggernaut that Bridges occupies and Downey Jr.'s sleek, efficient, colorful (Green?) suit. And seriously, it cannot be stressed enough, Downey Jr.'s performance alone is more compelling than most of the mainstream movies I saw last year. I'll take this before his overpraised turn in Tropic Thunder any day.

Shotgun Stories (Jeff Nichols, 2008) 55

I'll give this credit for a number of things, including its agreeably elegiac formal design and accompanying score, an askew sense of humor, solid performances by all involved, a sometimes-evocative minimalist storytelling approach, a revenge narrative that doesn't stack the deck as blatantly as these things often have a tendency to do, an eye for quiet grace notes, and a seemingly sincere belief that our best nature can overcome our animal nature and advance above the worst of our roots. On that same token, I can take issue with elements of all these positive points, so that these attributes are effectively counterbalanced to varying degrees. Something about this feels too calculatedly laconic to register as a convincingly sincere work, especially when it's sometimes so affected that it borders on unintentional(?) parody. Douglas Ligon gives one of the year's best unsung performances as the basketball-loving brother; the shot of him drawing up plays on a deserted basketball court at dusk still lingers in my mind's eye.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Except the former is pretty good, the latter a dull hack.

You think so? I'd hesitate to call Raimi a dull hack, especially since he can make successful movies in disparate styles (Evil Dead II, A Simple Plan, Spider-Man 2). He's far from a perfect director, but dull hack seems a bit much.

[Ezee E]

Boy, Appaloosa is one of the more dull westerns from this decade. Outside of a promising opening scene, and a showdown before the "final duel", it's got nothing to rave about.

For shame.

[Derek]

Boy, Appaloosa is one of the more dull westerns from this decade. Outside of a promising opening scene, and a showdown before the "final duel", it's got nothing to rave about.

For shame.

Dullsville indeed.

[Yxklyx]

Of recent films watched, Midnight (1939, d. Mitchell Leisen) has been the best. Billy Wilder was one of the writers and this is the last film he wrote before starting his directing career. The script is definitely top notch as is but apparently Wilder was distraught at changes made to it. The film in many ways is typical 30s comedy but you can definitely sense Wilder's more modern touch here and there. There are a few scenes that are incredibly hilarious and haven't aged a bit. I'm not a fan of Claudette Colbert but she's more a vessel in this with the all the good lines going to the incredibly excellent supporting cast which includes John Barrymore. Don Ameche (who reminded me of Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda), and Monty Woolley (hilarious as a judge). A must see for fans of 30s comedies - and it really doesn't fit into the screwball genre. 8/10

[Dead & Messed Up]

Can we retire the word "irreverent"? Every single comedy that comes out these days is "irreverent." I'd love some reverence for a change.

[MadMan]

Can we retire the word "irreverent"? Every single comedy that comes out these days is "irreverent." I'd love some reverence for a change.I don't use it really to describe comedies. Just the awards season.

[Sycophant]

Can we retire the word "irreverent"? Every single comedy that comes out these days is "irreverent." I'd love some reverence for a change.

Hear, hear.

[Wryan]

Can we retire the word "irreverent"? Every single comedy that comes out these days is "irreverent." I'd love some reverence for a change.

As long as we can keep irrelevant.

[Spun Lepton]

Except the former is pretty good, the latter a dull hack.

Comments like that get people shot, 'round these parts. (*spits chaw*)

[transmogrifier]

You'd shoot me over Sam Raimi?

I mean, I could understand if it were over someone, you know, with talent, or a cinematic eye, or personality, or big tits. But Sam Raimi?

You, my friend, have issues.

[Raiders]

Except the former is pretty good, the latter a dull hack.

Can't agree that Raimi is a "hack" but the sentiment that Jackson is superior is most certainly correct.

[Watashi]

Speaking of Jackson, I was browsing movie trailers on YouTube and I watched the original teaser trailer for the Lord of the Rings trilogy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYzA0r8x2w&feature=related) and I had a sudden geek-out moment. What an incredible experience to see that trailer for the first time.

I really want to revisit the trilogy.

[transmogrifier]

Can't agree that Raimi is a "hack" but the sentiment that Jackson is superior is most certainly correct.


Yep, and I'm still kind of surprised at the backlash Jackson is now receiving from the "hipsters". He's not the perfect director, but he makes interesting films.

[Watashi]

I'd say he's pretty close to perfect. Even though I was initially lukewarm to his Kong remake, his ambitious dedication to his work overwarms me with great respect for him. I can say he can get away from criticisms like "overlong", "bloated", or "melodramatic" due to his attention to detail and never feel like a studio had an outside hand guiding him. Everything he puts on to screen are his visions. Stoked for his Lovely Bones adaptation, but I'd like to see him work on an original script in the near future.

[transmogrifier]

I don't like his dedication to certain techniques (such as the over-cranked fuzzy camera thing he does - think when Pippin looks into the palantir, or the crew encounter the natives for the first time), and I do think that he and his writing partners over-obsess on structure and motivation, leading to over-elaboration of the story when it could be leaner, meaner and more satisfying.

But anyway, Kong is bloated, but it is delicious bloat.

Oh yeah, and Naomi Watts is fantastic.

[balmakboor]

Boy, Appaloosa is one of the more dull westerns from this decade. Outside of a promising opening scene, and a showdown before the "final duel", it's got nothing to rave about.

For shame.

I said the same in my review a while back and that's the review I've taken the most flack for. People either really seem to love it, or they're just really in love with the idea of seeing a western, good or bad.

[Spun Lepton]

You'd shoot me over Sam Raimi?

Are we talking a Sophie's Choice sort of thing, here? Shoot transmogrifier or Raimi, you can't have both? Then, yes ... unfortunately for you. :P :lol:

[Qrazy]

Speaking of Jackson, I was browsing movie trailers on YouTube and I watched the original teaser trailer for the Lord of the Rings trilogy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYzA0r8x2w&feature=related) and I had a sudden geek-out moment. What an incredible experience to see that trailer for the first time.

I really want to revisit the trilogy.

Hell yes, I remember those days. That trailer was class and made me a Lord of the Rings obsessive... one of the things that got me into film really.

[Qrazy]

Yep, and I'm still kind of surprised at the backlash Jackson is now receiving from the "hipsters". He's not the perfect director, but he makes interesting films.

The hipsters are cock knockers.

[Qrazy]

I don't like his dedication to certain techniques (such as the over-cranked fuzzy camera thing he does - think when Pippin looks into the palantir, or the crew encounter the natives for the first time), and I do think that he and his writing partners over-obsess on structure and motivation, leading to over-elaboration of the story when it could be leaner, meaner and more satisfying.

But anyway, Kong is bloated, but it is delicious bloat.

Oh yeah, and Naomi Watts is fantastic.

I agree with those criticisms.

[Ezee E]

Yay for Kong love. I prefer that over any of the LOTR.