28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Sycophant]

That recording shouldn't have been made public. What happens on the set really should stay on the set unless it's in a hilarious blooper reel.

While it's not that I don't find anything prickish about it (Bale went too far, agreed), but Wats isn't entirely wrong here. These kind of blowups do happen, especially when emotions are running high. And emotions are constantly running high on a film set.

An actor's only good for so many takes, too, and if this is a recurring thing and no one's doing anything about it, a lead actor very well could feel compelled to take matters into his own hands. This is stripped of its context and I don't feel entirely comfortable handing down judgment on it.

I'm not saying he didn't go too far. I'm just not sure it's worth condemnation. Again, this shit should not have left the set.

[Dukefrukem]

What I don't get is why Warner Bros leaked it. That's what they're reporting on Drudge.

[number8]

What I don't get is why Warner Bros leaked it. That's what they're reporting on Drudge.

Viral marketing. Duh.

[Sycophant]

That's the answer to everything these days.

[Morris Schæffer]

It's a person? What kind of name is that?

Joseph McGinty

[number8]

The name McG is a viral marketing.

[Duncan]

That's the answer to everything these days.

Someone should let the cancer cure researchers know that they should start recording themselves screaming at each other and post the results on a website only accessible if the user decodes a 1,745 letter long anagram. Presto Stemcello, goodbye Leukemia.

[Spinal]

Christian Bale tirade dance remix! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTihsJQHt48)

[Qrazy]

The Slim Pickens death scene to the tune of Knockin' on Heaven's Door in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid is amazing.

Indeed, by far the highlight of the film.

[Yxklyx]

Indeed, by far the highlight of the film.

I was disappointed in the rest. It felt all muddled in many ways. For one, I had a hard time understanding the dialogue. Second, I couldn't figure out what the characters were up to, what their motivations were. I really couldn't understand them most of the time, why they were doing what they were doing, etc... What they were saying. I just didn't like the writing I guess. This writer also did Two Lane Blacktop - which I can definitely now see the relation to but that one had a simpler story that moved from point A to point B, while in this one there were no points - it was all fuzzy.

[Qrazy]

I was disappointed in the rest. It felt all muddled in many ways. For one, I had a hard time understanding the dialogue. Second, I couldn't figure out what the characters were up to, what their motivations were. I really couldn't understand them most of the time, why they were doing what they were doing, etc... What they were saying. I just didn't like the writing I guess. This writer also did Two Lane Blacktop - which I can definitely now see the relation to but that one had a simpler story that moved from point A to point B, while in this one there were no points - it was all fuzzy.

That's a good observation, there wasn't much weight to anything (except the scene we mentioned and a handful of others).

[Melville]

Moderately amusing:

http://balevsoreilly.ytmnd.com/

[jesse]

I don't know--I can see how one can dismiss Bale's actions, but to try and justify them seems downright absurd to me. I empathize with whoever that guy is: working at the front desk of a hotel I've found myself several times on the receiving end of similar types of ridiculous, profanity-laced tirades, and I have the same automatic reaction to both: there is no reason to ever treat a person like that.

[megladon8]

I've always thought of Bale as being kind of a down-to-earth guy who just isn't into the whole Hollywood scene and acts for the sake of the craft, not the fame.

I hope that if he acknowledges this leak at all, he is able to treat it with class and dignity.

Perhaps even apologize and retract his statements and threats against that man. "We're done, professionally" seems a bit much.

[Sycophant]

I'm not trying to justify his actions. But the "whoever" he yelled at is a major Hollywood DP. It's not like he was tearing into a cabbie or a cashier.

[Scar]

There's no way I could justify his actions, but I've already 'forgotten' about it, so to speak.

[jesse]

I'm not trying to justify his actions. But the "whoever" he yelled at is a major Hollywood DP. It's not like he was tearing into a cabbie or a cashier. Sure, but when I say anyone, that also includes major Hollywood DPs. I don't particularly care who the two individuals were that were involved (Bale doesn't make movies that interest me in the first place, so I don't have the emotional involvement that would make this a dramatic fall from grace or anything). I just don't find it excusable under any circumstances.

[Sycophant]

Well, I don't want to become the guy associated with defending Bale on this, but my position is this, and it's probably gonna be my final word on it:
1) I think the whole reaction to it Internetwide is exaggerated and no one should be forced to make apologies or whatever.
2) It's not funny or awesome.
3) It's hella uncomfortable to listen to.
4) This should have remained on the set.

EDIT: Forgot #4.

[number8]

NEVER FORGET.

http://site.despair.com/images/banners/balebanner.jpg

[Mysterious Dude]

It does seem like it's a private dispute between two adults, and should have stayed that way.

[Arthur Seaton]

Bale should make a movie with David O. Russell. It sounds like they deserve each other.

[Boner M]

http://site.despair.com/images/banners/balebanner.jpg
Ryan Gosling is too good for Bale, anyway.

[Winston*]

Ryan Gosling is too good for Bale, anyway.
That dude looks more like Christian Bale than he does Ryan Gosling.

[Sycophant]

Christian Bale's red beard and Christian Bale are done professionally. :sad:

[DavidSeven]

An uninterrupted environment allows actors to make crucial discoveries. What if some newb on Batman Begins adjusted a light right before Bale decided to growl his lines at the top of his lungs? Where would we be then?

[Philosophe_rouge]

I don't think the Uninvited deserves it's own thread, so I won't bother. I haven't seen A Tale of Two Sisters, and though I imagine it's quite a bit better than this rather bland horror film, most of my problems stem from the story itself rather than the execution. I found the twist to be predictable, and while I'm actually usually forgiving of this, it also worked to counteract potentially interesting ideas and themes about mental illness and relationships. I saw the film because I was craving horror, and love Banks/Strathairn, but neither of them is particular good here. Banks especially, it feels as if she took the role in the wrong direction, it felt too strange and too sinister. She lacked any kind of naturalism, it seemed like a very weak way to drive the plot. There are some decent scares, and I wasn't really bored... but it wasn't very good.

[number8]

Quite a bit better? A Tale of Two Sisters is a masterpiece.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Quite a bit better? A Tale of Two Sisters is a masterpiece.
I'm only assuming :p As I said, I'm a little worrisome since I figure that though clearly different films, most of my huge problems were with the basic storyline. I'll definetely give it a go though, I need to wash the bland horror out of my mouth.

[Yxklyx]

I'm only assuming :p As I said, I'm a little worrisome since I figure that though clearly different films, most of my huge problems were with the basic storyline. I'll definetely give it a go though, I need to wash the bland horror out of my mouth.

As I recall, the story in A Tale of Two Sisters wasn't really that important - it was more the general mood of the film.

[NickGlass]

I have a story to share with all of you. A family is out to dinner--and they get mediocre service throughout the meal. The patriarch is keeping his cool, but he's obviously annoyed inside, and he's been treating the server like shit during every silly mishap. At the end of the meal, when the check arrives, he tells the waiter that he's been a terrible server, yet he'll give him $100 dollars if he announces to the whole (swanky, L.A.) restaurant that he's an awful server. If not, he's not getting a tip.

The bill-payer is Mark Rydell, director of illustrious films as On Golden Pond and Even Money. I (unfortunately) know his son, who told me and my friends this story with much admiration for his father.

[Ezee E]

I have a story to share with all of you. A family is out to dinner--and they get mediocre service throughout the meal. The patriarch is keeping his cool, but he's obviously annoyed inside, and he's been treating the server like shit during every silly mishap. At the end of the meal, when the check arrives, he tells the waiter that he's been a terrible server, yet he'll give him $100 dollars if he announces to the whole (swanky, L.A.) restaurant that he's an awful server. If not, he's not getting a tip.

The bill-payer is Mark Rydell, director of illustrious films as On Golden Pond and Even Money. I (unfortunately) know his son, who told me and my friends this story with much admiration for his father.
Seems like it could only benefit the waiter. "Hey guys, I'm trying to get a tip, and I was just told that I have to tell you all that I'm an awful server, so I'm doing just that. I am an awful server. Now sir, can I have my tip, or would you rather leave me nothing at all? I mean, c'mon, this is a top-notch swanky L.A. Restaurant."

Swanky, "important" L.A. people watch to see the result.

[Sycophant]

I do everything I can to insulate myself from stories about celebrities'/artists' power-fueled, asshole extravagances. Because I find it would be a shame to let an amazing piece of work be tainted by the artist's character flaws.

[Ezee E]

American Teen doesn't really have anything to say, as it simply observes a few students throughout their senior year of high school. Predictably, it falls through nearly every cliche we can think of, but it never takes sides, which is the best part about it all. It just observes it all happening.

Seems like something that should be on MTV, but nonetheless, it was enjoyable for its 90 minutes.

[Bosco B Thug]

I know, I shouldn't, but:

As embarrassing and excessive and douche-ish Bale's tirade is, at least it's not personal, he does calm down towards the end, and, despite his foul boorishness, he retains some degree of rationale and communicative purpose behind his tantrum. He's no longer a "good guy," and he is probably most definitely a big-headed and bully-ish prick, but it's definitely not as villainizing as the David O. Russell mess.

[number8]

American Teen doesn't really have anything to say, as it simply observes a few students throughout their senior year of high school. Predictably, it falls through nearly every cliche we can think of, but it never takes sides, which is the best part about it all. It just observes it all happening.

Seems like something that should be on MTV, but nonetheless, it was enjoyable for its 90 minutes.

I fucking hated this movie. I stopped it 40 minutes in.

[Winston*]

Enchanted was pretty hilarious. Amy Adams gives an incredible comic performance in this.

Lars and the Real Girl was alright, had a hard time buying it.

[megladon8]

Marebito remains one of the best horror films of the decade, and one of the best Lovecraft-inspired films of all time.

Its deliberate pace makes the horror of its images that much more potent, and it handles the psychological aspects of Lovecraft mythos better than any other I can think of.

A great film, that one.

[Boner M]

Doubt - Haven't seen the play and can't imagine that the film adds much to the material; Shanley's grasp of cinematic language involves pointing a camera at his actors as they do their thing and occasionally tilting it when some serious shit's about to go down. Some of the metaphors are indeed unbelieveably clunky - the scene in which Adams tells Streep of her suspicions for the first time and a sister walks past holding a cat to catch mice in the building may just be the most unintentionally hilarious moment of this Oscar season. Basically the film succeeds insofar as movie tickets are cheaper than theatre tickets, and I enjoyed all the performances (and found that Hoffman pulled off his incredibly tricky role a lot better than many here give him credit for), even though only Viola Davis took my emotions beyond "oh snap" territory. May have enjoyed it more had I not been sitting next to an old woman who CACKLED at nearly every one of Streep's line readings.

Judex - Franju pays homage to Louis Feuillade, with mixed yet almost always intriguing results. The central attraction is the middleground between the melodramatic action-packed hijinks typical of Feuillade's serials (with moments like the Irma Vep character checking herself out in a pocket mirror for ruffles in her appearance after a bout of ass-kicking), and Franju's own unabashed lyricism, where the tropes of the former take on an abstract quality and the entire film starts to feel less like a matinee special than a weird, ritualistic narrative-inspired dance captured on film. Maybe a bit uneven, but there's too much fascination and sheer artistry on display (including an astonishingly creepy masked ball sequence) for it to be dismissed as a mere curio (like the Cinematheque programmer did in his intro).

The Apple - Astonishing for a debut feature by a 17 year old, but only decent on its own terms. Like the rest of her family, Makhmalbaf displays a sure hand with the metaphysical aspects, but there's just not much in the way of rhythm or emotional heft to the story, and the amateurishness of the filmmaking and acting lends a certain naive charm but never translate into the kind of conviction that's typically associated with the best Iranian cinema. There's enough unpolished talent to make me wanna see her more mature efforts, but otherwise I'm a little nonplussed by the raves for this one.

[megladon8]

number8's NEVER FORGET post isn't working for me.

What's in the spoilers?

[Boner M]

number8's NEVER FORGET post isn't working for me.

What's in the spoilers?
Ryan Gosling doppelganger wearing a shirt that reads CHRISTIAN BALE AND I ARE DONE PROFESSIONALLY.

[Duncan]

Watched Dark City last night. It's definitely got a drive to it. Ever present score humming in the background. Dug the premise, liked its "do memories define us?" explorations. Also enjoyed the noir/sci-fi mix. The climax was a little giggle worthy. Pretty good though, overall.

[megladon8]

Watched Dark City last night. It's definitely got a drive to it. Ever present score humming in the background. Dug the premise, liked its "do memories define us?" explorations. Also enjoyed the noir/sci-fi mix. The climax was a little giggle worthy. Pretty good though, overall.


I agree with everything you've said here, though I get the feeling I probably liked it a bit more than you did.

I think it's one of the best pieces of science fiction on film.

But yes, the climactic psychic battle was pretty silly.

[Qrazy]

Watched Dark City last night. It's definitely got a drive to it. Ever present score humming in the background. Dug the premise, liked its "do memories define us?" explorations. Also enjoyed the noir/sci-fi mix. The climax was a little giggle worthy. Pretty good though, overall.

This killed the film for me.

[lovejuice]

I agree with everything you've said here, though I get the feeling I probably liked it a bit more than you did.

I think it's one of the best pieces of science fiction on film.

But yes, the climactic psychic battle was pretty silly.

and i think i even like it more than you. ;) the psychic battle works for me in a shoestring budget kinda deal. i like that they make sewell into this semi-god, and the battle is between two omnipotent creatures.

[Raiders]

I was actually surprised by how much I really loved Dark City. I had an awesome write-up on it at the old site, now lost forever.

:sad:

[Ezee E]

I was actually surprised by how much I really loved Dark City. I had an awesome write-up on it at the old site, now lost forever.

:sad:
I give the ending a little leeway because of how much I like the rest.

[Duncan]

This killed the film for me.

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. I think it fits with the film's structure in that the plot is constantly moving from one place to another. You're never meant to get your footing, and the score is a large part of what's always carrying you along. That said, the film has almost no breathing space. The sets are oppressive, the camera is constantly tracking in on people, the score is always there. I think Proyas pulled off exactly what he tried to do and lessening the presence of the score would detract from the overall effect. Nevertheless, I agree that it's overbearing at times. That scene when they're on the river in the rowboat is like the only time we can relax for a second, and it stands out like a sore thumb.

[megladon8]

I give the ending a little leeway because of how much I like the rest.


Me too.

Just sayin', though, that on its own it's a little goofy.

[megladon8]

A friend sent me a MegaUpload link to the latest (and awesome) "Ultraman" movie, titled The Super 8 Ultra Brothers.

If anyone's interested, I can PM them the link.

[Wryan]

I do everything I can to insulate myself from stories about celebrities'/artists' power-fueled, asshole extravagances. Because I find it would be a shame to let an amazing piece of work be tainted by the artist's character flaws.

Oh shit, not this argument again. I personally agree, but this is essentially going back to the "separate the art from the artist" debate, which has been beaten to shreds.

Echoes of Victor Salva and Richard Wagner...

[Sycophant]

Wryan, everybody (rightly) ignored my post and I think the topic is dead if we leave it here, okay?

[Wryan]

Wryan, everybody (rightly) ignored my post and I think the topic is dead if we leave it here, okay?

I was supporting you. I said I agreed, and do so profoundly.

[Raiders]

Syco, how dare you support Christian Bale? Do you also hit babies and kick puppies?

[Sycophant]

I was supporting you. I said I agreed, and do so profoundly.Oh, yes, I know. But you also expressed extreme distaste for even heading down this avenue. But everything's okay! :pritch:


Syco, how dare you support Christian Bale? Do you also hit babies and kick puppies?
No. I kick babies and hit puppies. Because I think outside the box.

[megladon8]

Has anyone else here seen or loved Takashi Shimizu's Marebito?

In my opinion, it is much better than any of his Ju-On or Grudge films.

[number8]

Has anyone else here seen or loved Takashi Shimizu's Marebito?

In my opinion, it is much better than any of his Ju-On or Grudge films.

Yes.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Has anyone else here seen or loved Takashi Shimizu's Marebito?

In my opinion, it is much better than any of his Ju-On or Grudge films.

I watched it but hated it. Perhaps a re-view is in order.

[Amnesiac]

Vanity Fair has released a new series of photographs from Annie Leibovitz, entitled "Something Just Clicked":


Danny Boyle and Dev Patel:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp01.jpg

Darren Aronofsky and Mickey Rourke:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp02.jpg

Sam Mendes and Kate Winslet:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp03.jpg

Gus Van Sant and Sean Penn:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp04.jpg

Woody Allen and Penelope Cruz:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp05.jpg

Ron Howard and Tom Hanks:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp06.jpg

Baz Luhrman and Nicole Kidman:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp07.jpg

John Patrick Shanley and Meryl Streep:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp08.jpg

Christopher Nolan and Heath Ledger:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp09.jpg

Clint Eastwood:

http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2009/03/actors-directors-0903-pp10.jpg

Pretty great.

Source (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/03/actors-directors-portfolio200903?slide=1#global Nav).

[number8]

Those are terrific, but lol at Eastwood by his lonesome.

[[ETM]]

Those are terrific, but lol at Eastwood by his lonesome.

Clint is two people's worth of awesomeness, easily.

[Mysterious Dude]

Darren Aronofsky looks ridiculous. For a second I thought he was dressed up like a character from The Prestige.

[Qrazy]

I don't really like those photographs in the slightest.

[dreamdead]

For as much sexuality and critique of the forgotten soldiers of World War I as the musical numbers within Gold Diggers of 1933 contain, I am left despondent over how little of those same sentiments are held within the narrative itself. While the film understands the tragedy that Broadway dancers also suffered through during the Depression, it's too easy narrative arc that secures husbands for all our female principle characters circumvents any sense of a larger indictment over how masculinity is supposed to function in such bereaved times. Cool choreography and hummable tunes throughout, but a bit too simplistic narratively.

[jesse]

I don't really like those photographs in the slightest. Yeah, I don't either. Why does everybody look so old? For some of the subjects they're really unflattering (and not in the profound, revealing way I think they're meant to be).

[Spinal]

Big fan of Leibovitz. Woody and Penelope is probably my favorite.

[megladon8]

Big fan of Leibovitz. Woody and Penelope is probably my favorite.


That's mine, too. I don't even like either of them much, but it's a great photograph.

I also think the Sam Mendes/Kate Winslet one is really nice.

[Spinal]

I also think the Sam Mendes/Kate Winslet one is really nice.

Not as fond of that one because it reminds me that Winslet is married.

Of course, I am too, but that's beside the point.

[megladon8]

Not as fond of that one because it reminds me that Winslet is married.

Of course, I am too, but that's beside the point.


:lol:

I at least find it reassuring that she's married to a man who isn't stunning (lookwise, I mean).

She isn't a vapid starlette...that's a big plus, in my book.

[Amnesiac]

That's mine, too.

Ditto.

[Sycophant]

Guys, how many points of articulation do you think that Darren Aronofsky has?

[Dead & Messed Up]

Also, I watched some horror movies recently:

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Could be considered the third part of a loose trilogy, along with Anchorman and Talledega Nights. All are Apatow-produced bio-pic parodies that gain plenty of laughs without ever being too mean. Most of what succeeds comes from the dead-on songs that satirize (with love) everything from Chuck Berry to modern rap. The constant barrage of star cameos keeps things interesting, but their caricatures of icons like Elvis and Buddy Holly are too broad to really be funny.

Also, I'm down for a Beatles film with Rudd, Long, and Schwartzman. Just find someone else for McCartney. Bill Hader, maybe?

Joshua
Little Joshua (Jacob Kogan) is so obviously evil, so clearly malicious from the opening scene that one must accept the film as a story about a bad seed, and decide whether or not the music is worth replaying. For most of its runtime, Joshua plays a familiar song very well, and great work from Kogan and Sam Rockwell as his father keep the story grounded and disturbing. But the last act reveal feels unworthy of what preceded.

Rabid Grannies
In its wildest dreams, this film would be a spiritual successor to The Evil Dead, but it lacks Raimi's confidence and stylistic excess. The film's packed full of characters waiting to die, and two demon-grannies covered in mucus, but the result is inert and kind of lifeless, because there's no sense of building momentum and no real avatar for the audience. Dead/Alive does the same thing, but with so much more creativity and gusto.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The first sound adaptation of Stevenson's nightmare classic. What makes the film remarkable is how bold it is. This film was pre-Hollywood Code, which results in a surprising amount of skin and kissing and violence. Fredric March's dual performance is remarkable (it won an Oscar), but what's more remarkable is how he convinces as Hyde in spite of the awful jaw prosthetic. It looks like a cheap Halloween toy. Overall, though, the film's a confident, edgy, still-involving tragedy.

[MadMan]

I love Walk Hard, even if its last act succumbs to the same cliche that often befalls many biopics.

Most of those pictures look awesome to me. The Clint one is clearly something out of Gran Torino. I like the Hedger/Nolan and Allen/Cruz ones the best, though.

[Sycophant]

I love Walk Hard, even if its last act succumbs to the same cliche that often befalls many biopics.

Wasn't that... the point?

EDIT: Dewey Cox wasn't a real dude, BTW.

[MadMan]

Wasn't that... the point?

EDIT: Dewey Cox wasn't a real dude, BTW.What do you mean? It has the problem of getting all serious near the end, what with that "Beautiful Ride" song and all. If it was meant to be parody, then it wasn't funny.

And um yeah, I know he's not real. :| You misunderstood my post, which was all about how the film that made fun of biopics ended up using one of its cliches, and not in a funny way or to mock it.

[Sycophant]

It wasn't strikingly obvious what your point was, Madman. My interpretation was conceivably valid (the Cox-warn't-real thing was an added, lame zinger).

I can't remember precisely how the film came to an end, but I seem to remember thinking it ended fairly well, precisely by calling on the cliches of its genre. Almost every laugh I got out of the movie came from a formal aping of convetions, and I think it mostly succeeded (the jokes in the dialogue usually weren't tiptop).

[MadMan]

It wasn't strikingly obvious what your point was, Madman. My interpretation was conceivably valid (the Cox-warn't-real thing was an added, lame zinger).Okay, fair enough.


I can't remember precisely how the film came to an end, but I seem to remember thinking it ended fairly well, precisely by calling on the cliches of its genre. Almost every laugh I got out of the movie came from a formal aping of convetions, and I think it mostly succeeded (the jokes in the dialogue usually weren't tiptop).Well granted there was a really funny moment at the very very end, but most of the last act was spent over that lame "Beautiful Ride" song. The last bit where it says that he died shortly after finishing the song onstage, followed by "Did you hear the news? Dewey Cox died" was actually humorous.

Overall its a really good movie, and I don't understand why it didn't do better at the box office or critically.

[Yxklyx]

Also, I watched some horror movies recently:

...

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The first sound adaptation of Stevenson's nightmare classic. What makes the film remarkable is how bold it is. This film was pre-Hollywood Code, which results in a surprising amount of skin and kissing and violence. Fredric March's dual performance is remarkable (it won an Oscar), but what's more remarkable is how he convinces as Hyde in spite of the awful jaw prosthetic. It looks like a cheap Halloween toy. Overall, though, the film's a confident, edgy, still-involving tragedy.

The transformation effects are brilliant as well.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The transformation effects are brilliant as well.

Indeed, especially the use of coloured makeup and filters to do real time effects without sometimes-bumpy fades. Innovative and effective.

That awkward jaw stuff keeps me from hailing the flick as a masterpiece. If they would've kept the face effects low-key, and let the personality come through March's performance even more, then I'd adore the picture outright.

[The Mike]

;136244']Clint is two people's worth of awesomeness, easily.

Truth. :cool:

I'd wager 34, actually.

[The Mike]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The first sound adaptation of Stevenson's nightmare classic. What makes the film remarkable is how bold it is. This film was pre-Hollywood Code, which results in a surprising amount of skin and kissing and violence. Fredric March's dual performance is remarkable (it won an Oscar), but what's more remarkable is how he convinces as Hyde in spite of the awful jaw prosthetic. It looks like a cheap Halloween toy. Overall, though, the film's a confident, edgy, still-involving tragedy.I love this one too.

Surprisingly, I'm as much of a fan as the more Hollywoodized remake, with Spencer Tracy/Ingrid Bergman/Lana Turner. It too bucks the Hollywood traditions of the day, which is more surprising considering the code was in effect.

[Ivan Drago]

Walk Hard is one of my favorite comedies of the decade. Good to see it getting recognized here.

"The Siamese cat is a symbol of nobility in ancient Egypt!"
"Man, fuck nobility!"
"Fuck ancient Egypt!"
"Fuck...cats."

[Dead & Messed Up]

I love this one too.

Surprisingly, I'm as much of a fan as the more Hollywoodized remake, with Spencer Tracy/Ingrid Bergman/Lana Turner. It too bucks the Hollywood traditions of the day, which is more surprising considering the code was in effect.

Funny you should mention this, since I'm about to watch it right now.

:eek:

[D_Davis]

The doves are back baby!

And with them, John Woo returns - no, surpasses - to form. Red Cliff Part One is a bona fide masterpiece. Despite a handful of dodgy CGI shots, mainly use to convey a sense of scale, the film succeeds on every level. The action is fast and furious, grounded in relative-reality with just enough fantasy to add a sense of awe; the drama is very real, and the emotions ring true; the acting is top notch; and the film possesses Woo's most heartfelt, humorous, and romantic moments.

Even at almost 2.5 hours the film simply flies by, and when those dreaded words, "To Be Continued..." appeared on screen I was left feeling both immensely satisfied by the first part and totally longing for part two. The last time I felt this way was at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring.

DAMMIT it's good to see that Woo can still make a killer film. Let's hope he stays in Hong Kong. We need him there now more than ever. Red Cliff is brimming with that wonderful sense of fluid energy and movement the new school era of HK cinema was known for. There is a palpable energy oozing from the screen throughout the film; it has a spark and an electrifying current of creativity.

DAMMIT, it just feels freaking great to say that Woo has made another awesome film. And we haven't even seen the titular conflict yet! Holy crap!

Part Two cannot come soon enough...from what the clerk told my at my local HK DVD store, it should be here in a week or two.

[Derek]

Walk Hard was absolute shit aside from a few of the songs and Tim Meadows.

[The Mike]

The doves are back baby!

This sentence was all I needed to go SQUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! !!!! :pritch:

[Winston*]

Ivansxtc. (Rose, 2000) 54

How about that Huston?

[Boner M]

Weekend

Rachel Getting Married
Changeling
Border Incident
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

I'll also be watching the first half of Warhol's Chelsea Girls at the Cinematheque, but I can't make the second half next week on account of I'll be attending a preview of Assayas's Summer Hours with a Juliette Binoche Q&A following! Any questions for Ms. Binoche here?

[Yxklyx]

Indeed, especially the use of coloured makeup and filters to do real time effects without sometimes-bumpy fades. Innovative and effective.

That awkward jaw stuff keeps me from hailing the flick as a masterpiece. If they would've kept the face effects low-key, and let the personality come through March's performance even more, then I'd adore the picture outright.

Well I had no issue with the jaw. The movie gets away with a lot because a lot is implied - this makes it age well because the implications are fulfilled by our own imaginations, which are usually in the present.


Weekend:

Tender Mercies
Castle in the Sky

[origami_mustache]

Weekend:
The Yakuza Papers 1 & 2
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 1

[megladon8]

Weekend:
The Yakuza Papers 1 & 2


I want to see this so bad.

You should also check out the movie Yakuza Graveyard.

[Ezee E]

Weekend:
High Anxiety
Grave of the Fireflies
The Bad and the Beautiful
and finishing the first season of Homicide

[dreamdead]

Having been rather impressed by Katz's Quiet City last year, does anyone have thoughts on the rest of Benten Films' current catalogue: LOL (Swanberg), The Guatemalan Handshake (Rohal), or The Free Will (Glasner)? I know the last two listed aren't m********* films, but any thoughts on overall quality of those three?

[Raiders]

Weekend:

Coraline
The Miracle at St. Anna
Couple of Wenders films (probably The States of Things and Land of Plenty)

[Boner M]

Oh yeah, Wenders week. Still gotta see Wrong Move from my "Wenders Road Movies" set. Will watch that this weekend too.

And Raiders, The State of Things is excellent. You'll dig it, I'm sure.

[number8]

Speaking of Wenders, anyone else seen Palermo Shooting?

[MadMan]

Weekend:

White Heat
Jules and Jim-Too lazy to look up the French spelling. I will get to both of these finally. Hopefully.

And whatever I get from the video store tonight.

[Robby P]

Jules and Jim-Too lazy to look up the French spelling.

:lol:

[lovejuice]

The doves are back baby!


i have the absolute opposite reaction to the movie, but i'm just glad that you return (temporarily) to post on this forum. :)

i'm also glad there's someone i can discuss this movie with. (you can read some of my thought on the upcoming red cliff thread.) what do you think of the climatic battle? don't you think the army as a "war machine" is stretching historical fact a bit too much? i quite like it but more on a so-preposterous-that-it's-funny kinda way.

[Sycophant]

Weekend:
The Wrestler
Revolutionary Road

Maybe:
Nixon
Executive Koala
A Tale of Two Sisters

[Raiders]

A Tale of Two Sisters

Why bother? You can now watch the new and totally awesome American make-over!

[Ivan Drago]

Weekend:

Fanboys (if it's released here)
The Wrestler (2nd)

[Sycophant]

Why bother? You can now watch the new and totally awesome American make-over!Oh, Raiders.

Actually, until Rouge posted about it, I thought The Uninvited was a remake of the Korean horror film... The Uninvited. But that reminded me that I've had a copy of A Tale of Two Sisters for about 3 years now and should probably watch it.

So why bother? Because I can watch the original for kinda free now!

[Derek]

How about that Huston?

He was pretty great and the highlight of the film. The Huston can do excess.

[Watashi]

I rewatched The General today in one of my classes. It's pretty much the epitome of cinema perfectness.

Though... it's still not my favorite Keaton.

[megladon8]

I've still not seen any of Buster Keaton's films.

Stupid Kino making their DVDs so daned expensive, and stupid library for never having them. *shakes fist at both*

[B-side]

Watching my 2nd Teshigahara, Woman in the Dunes, tonight. I watched Pitfall a few days ago. Really good movie. After Dunes, I go for The Face of Another.

[Stay Puft]

I'll be attending a preview of Assayas's Summer Hours with a Juliette Binoche Q&A following!

When? Where? How?

[Winston*]

I've still not seen any of Buster Keaton's films.

Stupid Kino making their DVDs so daned expensive, and stupid library for never having them. *shakes fist at both*
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=87992469670581 16351
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22 Buster%20Keaton%22

[megladon8]

Some Star Wars nerd has calculated (http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2009/02/03/one-death-star-for-15-septillion/) that to build the Death Star today would cost "$15,602,022,489,829,821,422,84 0,226 and 94 cents."

That's 15 septillion dollars. 1.11 trillion times the amount of money that actually exists.

I'd like to know exactly how one calculates this, and how they get such a precise number. I mean, do they know the exact size and cost of every beam, lightbulb and electrical wire required to pull of such a task?

Oh, wait, they're Star Wars geeks, so yeah, they probably do.

[Sycophant]

Don't the Rebels steal the blueprints for the Death Star or something? The nerds probably just freeze-framed to get the specs and then figured out what those things cost in the modern day in this galaxy.

[Watashi]

I wonder if Star Trek nerds will counterattack this and figure out how much the Enterprise costs and then see who can raise the money faster and build it.

[soitgoes...]

For as much sexuality and critique of the forgotten soldiers of World War I as the musical numbers within Gold Diggers of 1933 contain, I am left despondent over how little of those same sentiments are held within the narrative itself. While the film understands the tragedy that Broadway dancers also suffered through during the Depression, it's too easy narrative arc that secures husbands for all our female principle characters circumvents any sense of a larger indictment over how masculinity is supposed to function in such bereaved times. Cool choreography and hummable tunes throughout, but a bit too simplistic narratively.I watched this yesterday as well, and I tend to agree. After researching I found that the musical numbers were tacked on after the success of 42nd Street. The musical numbers were of course great. They complimented each other well, and with the exception of the last number, the music interludes tend to mirror the non-musical narrative. The WWI to Depression-era song, while the perfect finisher to the "We're in the Money" opener, doesn't really have a place with the narrative of the film. It was surely a great political statement that undoubtedly rang true to contemporary viewers.

This could've been great if they did away with the comedic tone, and went with something more in touch with the transition from "We're in the Money" to "Remember My Forgotten Man."

[Wryan]

Hopefully I'll get a chance to see Coraline this weekend, in 3D.

[Boner M]

When? Where? How?
Just a preview screening, since it opens in Australia in April. Nothing too glamorous, really. Surprised Binoche would bother.

I hope Assayas comes along too!

[Russ]

I rewatched The General today in one of my classes. It's pretty much the epitome of cinema perfectness.

Though... it's still not my favorite Keaton.
...which is?

[NickGlass]

Having been rather impressed by Katz's Quiet City last year, does anyone have thoughts on the rest of Benten Films' current catalogue: LOL (Swanberg), The Guatemalan Handshake (Rohal), or The Free Will (Glasner)?

Good, bad, no idea, respectively. Keep in mind, I may be the biggest defender of m********* filmmaking around these parts.

[MadMan]

I rewatched The General today in one of my classes. It's pretty much the epitome of cinema perfectness.

Though... it's still not my favorite Keaton.Its the only film of his I have seen so far. And its a masterful film, yes. I'd have to say that all of the crazy gags/stunts during the train chase is my favorite aspect of the whole thing.

[Derek]

...which is?

I'm seriously considering implementing a stringent policy of neg-repping people for throwing hints out like that or asking non-rhetorical questions and not providing an answer soon after. There is only one internet message board pet peeve I have bigger than this.

[Sycophant]

I'm seriously considering implementing a stringent policy of neg-repping people for throwing hints out like that or asking non-rhetorical questions and not providing an answer soon after. There is only one internet message board pet peeve I have bigger than this.Nearly negrepped you for the lulz.

EDIT: Holy shit! We have word filters?

[Watashi]

Sorry, it's Seven Chances.

[B-side]

I'm seriously considering implementing a stringent policy of neg-repping people for throwing hints out like that or asking non-rhetorical questions and not providing an answer soon after. There is only one internet message board pet peeve I have bigger than this.

I'd seriously consider fully backing you. I don't hate that nearly as much as someone responding to something you're discussing seriously with a 1-line disagreement or remark and not elaborating. Like, if I wrote a few paragraphs on... oh, I don't know, Greenaway, and someone responded with "lol" and then left.

[Derek]

Sorry, it's Seven Chances.

Good choice, though I like it mostly for the madcap final act. And sorry if that came off like I was picking on you (again ;)) as that's the only time I can remember you doing that. It occurs all too regularly around here.


I'd seriously consider fully backing you. I don't hate that nearly as much as someone responding to something you're discussing seriously with a 1-line disagreement or remark and not elaborating. Like, if I wrote a few paragraphs on... oh, I don't know, Greenaway, and someone responded with "lol" and then left.

I feel your pain, but at least those posts give you closure. Better than leaving me hanging, especially when it's often something I don't really care about.

[The Mike]

At least he didn't retort that his favorite was Michael. Or, for fans of Stephen King's Needful Things - Danforth. :|

[origami_mustache]

Good, bad, no idea, respectively. Keep in mind, I may be the biggest defender of m********* filmmaking around these parts.

I often feel compelled to go on a mumblecore binge just so I can more thoroughly hate the genre, but then I think about how painful it's going to be.

[Mysterious Dude]

Watashi is a master of suspense.

I with I knew the word (or words) that is so detrimental to Spinal's sanity, though.

[Boner M]

Just a preview screening, since it opens in Australia in April. Nothing too glamorous, really. Surprised Binoche would bother.
...turns out the Q&A screening sold out before I could get a ticket. Shoulda known better, I guess.

Then I saw Rachel Getting Married, which I was prepared to love but found phony and irritating to the extreme. More thoughts later, maybe.

[Sxottlan]

Had a chance to see Raiders of the Lost Ark on the big screen and had a blast. First time I've seen it on the big screen.

[Barty]

I wonder if Star Trek nerds will counterattack this and figure out how much the Enterprise costs and then see who can raise the money faster and build it.

The Enterprise wouldn't have a cost because the Federation doesn't use money. As Picard said, "We work to better ourselves"

[megladon8]

Watched the Japanese action/monster movie Zeiram last night. It was all right - I found it quite enjoyable, but it's also very deeply flawed.

One thing that really bothers me in films (and it just happens to happen a lot in Japanese sci-fi) is when characters talk in made-up "techno lingo" without any explanation of what they're actually talking about. Here's an example from this film...

"BOB: You will need a lot of weaponry to defeat Zeiram!

IRIA: It'll be no problem. I can beat him.

BOB: But he has a power level of 87!"

...87 what??? How the hell is this measured? 87 out of what? 100? 1000? 90 maybe? We're never told anything more...not what the measurement is, what the number 87 is out of, what this is compared to our hero Iria's power. Why should we find this announcement of his "power level of 87" threatening at all?

It has many other problems...poor writing, terrible music, some painful cheese. But I really enjoyed it as a Kaiju-esque monster romp (even though they're not giant monsters, it has a similar feel during confrontations).

Zeiram itself was a neat monster, and towards the end there's some fantastic stop-motion animation used for different incarnations of Zeiram.

It was okay.

[Duncan]

Watched The Last Laugh. Damn fine film.

[Yxklyx]

I watched this yesterday as well, and I tend to agree. After researching I found that the musical numbers were tacked on after the success of 42nd Street. The musical numbers were of course great. They complimented each other well, and with the exception of the last number, the music interludes tend to mirror the non-musical narrative. The WWI to Depression-era song, while the perfect finisher to the "We're in the Money" opener, doesn't really have a place with the narrative of the film. It was surely a great political statement that undoubtedly rang true to contemporary viewers.

This could've been great if they did away with the comedic tone, and went with something more in touch with the transition from "We're in the Money" to "Remember My Forgotten Man."

Nope, I wouldn't change a thing. I love the dramatic tone shift. It's perfect as is.

[balmakboor]

I just wandered into the drugstore to get some drugs and saw a table of used books. My eye instantly caught a like-new condition, hardcover copy of Michel Ciment's book on John Boorman. 33 cents. Sometimes, there is a god.

[Yxklyx]

Does anyone else here have a book from the 80s called "Incredibly Strange Films"?

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

I was thinking of starting a thread listing the movies it lists - with photos and all.

[Russ]

Does anyone else here have a book from the 80s called "Incredibly Strange Films"?

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

I was thinking of starting a thread listing the movies it lists - with photos and all.
I do. A very interesting read, and I guess, a seminal reference for that kind of stuff.

I recently got a copy of the film featured on the cover, Julian Roffman's 1961 horror cheapie, The Mask. The highlights (including the image on the cover) are the impressive 3-D sequences courtesy of Slavko Vorkapić, reknowned montage artist of the 30's and 40's (montage credits include Meet John Doe, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Good Earth, etc; he was also the co-director and cinematograhper of one of my favorite avant-garde shorts, The Life and Death of 9413, a Hollywood Extra). Please do start a thread, I think it'd be fascinating.

[D_Davis]

I have it as well.

I also have the television series on DVD - I think there is a connection.

"The Incredibly Strange Film Show"

It's awesome.

[MadMan]

Does anyone else here have a book from the 80s called "Incredibly Strange Films"?

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

I was thinking of starting a thread listing the movies it lists - with photos and all.Considering that over the past two years I've gotten more so into B-movie and cult films that book pipes my interest. I'll be on the lookout for it.

[Melville]

I was thinking of starting a thread listing the movies it lists - with photos and all.
Go for it. Sounds interesting.

[Wryan]

Watashi is a master of suspense.

I with I knew the word (or words) that is so detrimental to Spinal's sanity, though.

L-O-L-Z, plus variants.

[Qrazy]

I have it as well.

I also have the television series on DVD - I think there is a connection.

"The Incredibly Strange Film Show"

It's awesome.

Have you seen the anime series Now and Then, Here and There? For whatever reason it struck me as up your alley.

[megladon8]

Watched The Super 8 Ultra Brothers (and the title screen has the subtitle "Decisive Confrontation!!").

It was pretty good. I know this makes me sound like a heathen - the type who goes to movies like Transformers and declares them "OMGZZZ so awesome!" - but I pretty much turned my brain off during the "plot". There's a reason, though, don't worry! I actually had no idea that this was a kids' movie, and all the dialogue, characters, pretty much everything except the monster battles has that weekday afternoon feeling of sentimental safeness.

Mind you, there's nothing particularly offensive in its kiddy-safeness. It's actually a pretty great little kids' movie, that occasionally borders on feeling like a live-action Miyazaki film.

But really, the monster fights here...were amazing. Every 10 minutes or less there's a fantastic monster battle, and every time it's a NEW monster. This just blew my mind. The fights were fun and exciting, and visually stunning.

As a matter of fact, the whole film is visually arresting. Given its obviously minimal budget (you can tell by some of its very poor CGI work) this movie is filmed beautifully. There are some gorgeous images to be had here, and I found myself feeling like I wanted to re-watch the movie with a ScreenCap button - I'd probably end up with 100 captures by the end of the film.

I could see myself watching this one again and again. I had a great time with it.

It's really unfortunate that it'll probably never make the light of day on the American market, so this digital file that I burned to a DVD-R is probably the best I'll ever get. But I'm happy I have it.

[number8]

"I agreed to come to Antarctica, even though I made it clear to them that I would not come up with another film about penguins."

Why is Herzog so fucking awesome?

[megladon8]

Magnum Force was great. Morals were a bit confused, but this has never really been something to detract from a film's entertainment value for me, unless it's offensively inept.

Had quite a good cast, as well.

Its moral dilemma is tad on the simplistic side, and as I said its ultimate conclusion is a little eyebrow-raising, but its all done with such flashy style it almost feels more like an exploitation film than a serious cop drama.

I enjoyed it. Not as much as the first one, but it was really good.

[B-side]

Someone please find some way to convince me to see more Ozu. As pathetic as it may seem, I really, really wanna love him. Don't ask me why. It defies explanation. I've only seen Tokyo Story, which I thought was good enough, but pretty unremarkable. People speak of his films and say they achieve sheer genius in their simplicity. That they have a simple structure, but are rather profound. I'm odd, though. I actually feel bad if I don't enjoy certain directors or films.

[Qrazy]

Someone please find some way to convince me to see more Ozu. As pathetic as it may seem, I really, really wanna love him. Don't ask me why. It defies explanation. I've only seen Tokyo Story, which I thought was good enough, but pretty unremarkable. People speak of his films and say they achieve sheer genius in their simplicity. That they have a simple structure, but are rather profound. I'm odd, though. I actually feel bad if I don't enjoy certain directors or films.

Commit Harakiri.

Alternatively watch Floating Weeds or Good Morning.

People here will tell you to watch Late Spring. Those people are wrong. I mean watch it eventually but prioritize the other two.

[Raiders]

Someone please find some way to convince me to see more Ozu. As pathetic as it may seem, I really, really wanna love him. Don't ask me why. It defies explanation. I've only seen Tokyo Story, which I thought was good enough, but pretty unremarkable. People speak of his films and say they achieve sheer genius in their simplicity. That they have a simple structure, but are rather profound. I'm odd, though. I actually feel bad if I don't enjoy certain directors or films.

Well...


watch Late Spring

Other than that, I agree with you. Not a huge Ozu fan myself.

[B-side]

Commit Harakiri.

Alternatively watch Floating Weeds or Good Morning.

People here will tell you to watch Late Spring. Those people are wrong. I mean watch it eventually but prioritize the other two.

Floating Weeds doesn't have a DVD release that I know of, but Netflix does have Good Morning, even if it sounds kinda... dumb.:P

[Derek]

Floating Weeds doesn't have a DVD release that I know of, but Netflix does have Good Morning, even if it sounds kinda... dumb.:P

Floating Weeds has a Criterion DVD. It's unavailable on Netflix for some reason, but don't worry, Late Spring is much better. Go with that one.

[soitgoes...]

Someone please find some way to convince me to see more Ozu. As pathetic as it may seem, I really, really wanna love him. Don't ask me why. It defies explanation. I've only seen Tokyo Story, which I thought was good enough, but pretty unremarkable. People speak of his films and say they achieve sheer genius in their simplicity. That they have a simple structure, but are rather profound. I'm odd, though. I actually feel bad if I don't enjoy certain directors or films.
Well, he's a top 3 director for me. Late Spring, Early Summer and Late Autumn are all great films that I've seen that are available in the US. Chances are though, if you thought Tokyo Story to be unremarkable, then you'll probably not be impressed with those choices, as most of his films have the same feel.

[B-side]

Floating Weeds has a Criterion DVD. It's unavailable on Netflix for some reason, but don't worry, Late Spring is much better. Go with that one.

Ahh. Lately I've been more or less assuming a film doesn't have a DVD release in the US if Netflix doesn't have it.:P

Late Spring sounds decent enough. Seems Ozu covers this exact territory a few times, though.

[soitgoes...]

Late Spring sounds decent enough. Seems Ozu covers this exact territory a few times, though.
Every single Ozu film covers the exact same territory more or less. A Japanese family and its life-changing, to them at least, events. Some are lighter in tone than others, but they all follow this same basic theme.

[Weeping_Guitar]

I love Ozu but wasn't bowled over the first time I saw Tokyo Story either. I connected on my second film which was Late Spring, which still remains my favorite. The other film that makes up the Noriko trilogy, Early Summer is masterful as well. It's no secret that all the films sound like they have the same basic and on paper it is absolutely true. The magic of Ozu is to watch each of these films and at the end realize how such a wave of emotion has built up between all these characters and yourself without you knowing it. His films do require something of a patience for the payoff in the end. It is unfortunate that Floating Weeds isn't on Netflix because I too think that is a good starting point.

[Mysterious Dude]

I've seen six Ozu films, and I still don't get the appeal. People may say that the acting in other Japanese films (such as those by Kurosawa) is over-the-top and unrealistic, but I think the acting in Ozu's films is unrealistic at the other end of the spectrum. It is so wooden and dead that I don't feel any wave of emotion come over me.

[megladon8]

So I've been thinking a lot more about Magnum Force and just how...well...hypocritical it is. So blatantly so that I'm sure this has been talked to death, but I'll still give my two cents.

So we have this cop Harry Callahan - "Dirty" Harry - who is known for his itchy trigger finger. He has no qualms with killing a suspect. He does, at one point, say that he "never shoots someone if they weren't trying to shoot him first", but this is the only time he shows any real moral compass with regards to his killings.

Then we have someone who is either a cop or dressed up as a cop, going around killing the biggest criminals in the city. Murderers, rapists, pimps...they are all being shot at point blank range by some kind of vigilante cop.

Callahan is put on the case, and to make a long story short, he kills the viglante. I really don't think it's much of a spoiler to say "the bad guy dies" in a "Dirty Harry" movie, so I won't bother with spoilers.

But really...what kind of message is this sending?

The movie condemns this vigilante, portraying them as a villain whose motives are unethical albeit possibly "just" in some twisted way. Then Callahan comes and kills this guy, and is portrayed as a hero for doing so.

I thought a much more poignant ending would have been one of these two situations:

1.) Callahan kills the culprit, but we are not given a "Dirty Harry saves the day, god bless America!" type ending

2.) Callahan makes a point of capturing this vigilante and having them tried and jailed, instead of his usual tendency to just blow them away

Couple that with how the film strangely made Dirty Harry some kind of ladies' man sex symbol in this movie, and I would say that this is a very highly flawed sequel.

However, it's filmed beautifully, has a great car chase in there (and this is coming from someone who is rarely wow'd by car chases) and was a very taut, enjoyable police film.

I almost excuse this moral lapse because, as I said in my brief earlier write-up, this film feels less like a serious-and-gritty police drama (which the first one is) and more like a '70s exploitation film. From the super-stylized introduction and filming styles, to the "wah-wah" guitar music and free-loving characters, it felt more like a product of the time than the first film.

I suppose one also has to take into account how much dirtier and more dangerous large American cities were at this time. Back in the '70s cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Franciso (where this film is set) were know for being cesspools of violence, corruption and prositution, so I can almost understand where this very extreme look at "justice vs. vigilantism" may have come from.

It's still pretty mixed up, though. To condemn one and idolize the other when they are basically doing the same thing is confusing at best.

[dreamdead]

Judge's Idiocracy is fascinating as a film that lampoons all of the present dumbing-down of entertainment mainstream culture. That said, despite it's frequently ribald sense of humor, it feels strangely inert and devoid of laughter. This might be because the film, though it attempts to replicate Ron Livingston's Everyman appeal, somehow self-destructs in its design for Luke Wilson. Whereas Office Space took the archetypes of the Everyman and tested them, here Wilson is so invisible that the entire critique somehow lacks an edge, despite its obvious, if rather broad, truth.

[thefourthwall]

For all the controversy surrounding Brick Lane, I expected something a bit more engaging. All in all it was pretty enough and aptly, if somewhat boringly, adapted the book.

[B-side]

I love Ozu but wasn't bowled over the first time I saw Tokyo Story either. I connected on my second film which was Late Spring, which still remains my favorite. The other film that makes up the Noriko trilogy, Early Summer is masterful as well. It's no secret that all the films sound like they have the same basic and on paper it is absolutely true. The magic of Ozu is to watch each of these films and at the end realize how such a wave of emotion has built up between all these characters and yourself without you knowing it. His films do require something of a patience for the payoff in the end. It is unfortunate that Floating Weeds isn't on Netflix because I too think that is a good starting point.

Well, you've certainly helped me feel better about this. I always say to people that I have no desire to dislike a director. No desire to be indifferent to them. I want to like every film I see. I refuse to give up on a director and their work. I'll always be seeking a new outlook, a fresh mind to watch a film with. Ozu's highly praised and he has a lot of passionate fans. I guess I just wanna experience what these people experience.:|

Heh. I've already started revealing my "weak" side to the folks of match-cut.:P

[Boner M]

For all the controversy surrounding Brick Lane, I expected something a bit more engaging. All in all it was pretty enough and aptly, if somewhat boringly, adapted the book.
And yet, an 80?!

[transmogrifier]

And yet, an 80?!

Yes, I think it is high time we discussed ratings and how we choose to apply them.

[Ezee E]

Yes, I think it is high time we discussed ratings and how we choose to apply them.
It's been a few weeks.

[Winston*]

I bet students like thefourthwall more than they like dreamdead.

[Qrazy]

Well, you've certainly helped me feel better about this. I always say to people that I have no desire to dislike a director. No desire to be indifferent to them. I want to like every film I see. I refuse to give up on a director and their work. I'll always be seeking a new outlook, a fresh mind to watch a film with. Ozu's highly praised and he has a lot of passionate fans. I guess I just wanna experience what these people experience.:|

Heh. I've already started revealing my "weak" side to the folks of match-cut.:P


Woman in the Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964) > Samurai Rebellion (Kobayashi, 1967) > Brute Force (Dassin, 1947) > Hard Eight (P.T. Anderson, 1996)

[soitgoes...]

Woman in the Dunes (Teshigahara, 1964) > Samurai Rebellion (Kobayashi, 1967) > Brute Force (Dassin, 1947) > Hard Eight (P.T. Anderson, 1996)
This is correct.

[Qrazy]

This is correct.

I watched Aleksei German's Checkpoint. Anatoli Solonitsyn (i.e. Andrei Rublev/The Ascent) is great as always in a secondary role but the other leads are also wonderful. The film revolves primarily around Lazarev, a POW who briefly enlisted with the Nazis but since regrets his actions. Lazarev is given a chance to prove himself to the partisans but winning back their trust is no easy task.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/serdar002/Proverka%20na%20dorogakh%20197 1/proverka002.jpg

Overall it was very good but I have a few minor complaints. First the bad, one problem was that here and there the acting becomes a bit histrionic, particularly with certain death scenes. This is fine in theory but it contrasted sharply with the more naturalistic acting throughout. Secondly the film stumbles structurally because although it is not ultimately an episodic film a few of the scenes book ending the main story are episodic and removed from the primary narrative. The scenes themselves are often good but this almost complete separation from the narrative only half works.

Now the good, it's a very solid, politically valuable, beautifully shot, terrifically acted and uniquely executed war film. It would make a great companion piece to The Ascent, another Russian World War II film focused on the plight of POWs amidst the backdrop of the bitter cold and snowy wasteland of the war. It also reminded me a little of Closely Watched Trains but that probably has more to do with the fact that a train-related mission plays a central role in the narrative than with stylistic similarities.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/serdar002/Proverka%20na%20dorogakh%20197 1/proverka003.jpg

Checkpoint is also known as The Road Test and was banned for 15 years in the Soviet Union for ideological reasons. The film presents the basic humanitarian notion that not all Nazi collaborators are bad people and that whether it's the Nazis or the Partisans at any given moment it's the peasants who suffer most in the presence of war.

The film is not as formally fluid as My Friend Ivan Lapshin. However the rawer nature of certain cuts suits the material well enough. I recently procured the subtitles for Khrustalyov, My Car! so I'm psyched to give that a viewing as soon as possible. Then hopefully someone will make subs for Twenty Days without War and put German's The Seventh Companion online. His most recent film Hard to be a God (working title) has finally entered post-production as well.

[number8]

I saw this headline (http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/02/07/madagascar.protest.deaths/index.html?eref=rss_topstories ) and thought it was about the movie. Seemed believable.

[lovejuice]

I saw this headline (http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/02/07/madagascar.protest.deaths/index.html?eref=rss_topstories ) and thought it was about the movie. Seemed believable.

8, do you realize that the link to your reviews doesn't work?

[number8]

8, do you realize that the link to your reviews doesn't work?

Yes, we switched to a new server last night and they fucked up the transfer. Trying to resolve it.

[soitgoes...]

I watched Aleksei German's Checkpoint. Anatoli Solonitsyn (i.e. Andrei Rublev/The Ascent) is great as always in a secondary role but the other leads are also wonderful. The film revolves primarily around Lazarev, a POW who briefly enlisted with the Nazis but since regrets his actions. Lazarev is given a chance to prove himself to the partisans but winning back their trust is no easy task.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/serdar002/Proverka%20na%20dorogakh%20197 1/proverka002.jpg

Overall it was very good but I have a few minor complaints. First the bad, one problem was that here and there the acting becomes a bit histrionic, particularly with certain death scenes. This is fine in theory but it contrasted sharply with the more naturalistic acting throughout. Secondly the film stumbles structurally because although it is not ultimately an episodic film a few of the scenes book ending the main story are episodic and removed from the primary narrative. The scenes themselves are often good but this almost complete separation from the narrative only half works.

Now the good, it's a very solid, politically valuable, beautifully shot, terrifically acted and uniquely executed war film. It would make a great companion piece to The Ascent, another Russian World War II film focused on the plight of POWs amidst the backdrop of the bitter cold and snowy wasteland of the war. It also reminded me a little of Closely Watched Trains but that probably has more to do with the fact that a train-related mission plays a central role in the narrative than with stylistic similarities.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll106/serdar002/Proverka%20na%20dorogakh%20197 1/proverka003.jpg

Checkpoint is also known as The Road Test and was banned for 15 years in the Soviet Union for ideological reasons. The film presents the basic humanitarian notion that not all Nazi collaborators are bad people and that whether it's the Nazis or the Partisans at any given moment it's the peasants who suffer most in the presence of war.

The film is not as formally fluid as My Friend Ivan Lapshin. However the rawer nature of certain cuts suits the material well enough. I recently procured the subtitles for Khrustalyov, My Car! so I'm psyched to give that a viewing as soon as possible. Then hopefully someone will make subs for Twenty Days without War and put German's The Seventh Companion online. His most recent film Hard to be a God (working title) has finally entered post-production as well.
Those are some great looking screenshots. I'm glad after a long wait you were able to find another German film to enjoy, albeit not as much as My Friend Ivan Lapshin. Eventually I'll have to give it a go.

There's a fellow on KG by the name tiberio, I think, who has been doing custom subs to Russian films. He did Kalatozov's The Letter That Was Never Sent, and also the last portion of Checkpoint I believe. This is the guy you would want to get friendly with in order to get more translations to Russian films.

[Qrazy]

Those are some great looking screenshots. I'm glad after a long wait you were able to find another German film to enjoy, albeit not as much as My Friend Ivan Lapshin. Eventually I'll have to give it a go.

There's a fellow on KG by the name tiberio, I think, who has been doing custom subs to Russian films. He did Kalatozov's The Letter That Was Never Sent, and also the last portion of Checkpoint I believe. This is the guy you would want to get friendly with in order to get more translations to Russian films.

Yeah some guy whose name starts with an L I believe offered to sub 20 Days Without War. Not sure where I'll be able to find The Seventh Companion because it hasn't even been uploaded to Kargaraga. I think I maybe saw it there two years ago but it's since been taken down.

Also I'm going to just take this opportunity to restate how much I love Anatoli Solonitsyn. I think he's one of my top ten favorite actors of all time. Highlights for me... His expression during part of the interrogation in The Ascent as well as during the hanging. His sudden outburst of rage and frustration in Checkpoint. His monologue in the sand dunes in Stalker. Finding inspiration in Rublev. His monologue in his room in Solaris. Speaking to the woman in Mirror. I might start exploring his less well reputed films just because I can't get enough of the guy. I think he made one with Mikhalkov.

[soitgoes...]

I need/want to see more Soviet/Russian films period. With the exception of Eisenstein, I've only seen a smattering of films from there. I can probably count all the non-Eisenstein Russian films I've seen on both hands.

Edit: I need to use one toe. Bauer's film in my sig recently put me over the top.

[Qrazy]

I need/want to see more Soviet/Russian films period. With the exception of Eisenstein, I've only seen a smattering of films from there. I can probably count all the non-Eisenstein Russian films I've seen on both hands.

Edit: I need to use one toe. Bauer's film in my sig recently put me over the top.

Well if you haven't seen all of Tarkovsky's films I'd recommend those most definitely. Also...

The Cranes are Flying - Kalatozov
Soy Cuba - Kalatozov
King Lear - Kozintsev
Kin Dza Dza - Daneliya
Days of Eclipse - Sokurov
The Second Circle - Sokurov
Russian Ark - Sokurov
Shadows of our Forgotten Ancestors - Parajanov
Earth - Dovzhenko
Man with a Movie Camera - Vertov

Also worthwhile but less so to varying degrees...

Chetyre - Khrjanovsky
Burnt by the Sun - Mikhalkov
Color of Pomegranates - Parajanov
Ballad of a Soldier - Chukhrai
Mimino - Daneliya
Don Quixote - Kozintsev
Mother and Son - Sokurov
Father and Son - Sokurov
The Return - Zvyagintsev
Autumn Marathon - Daneliya

Directors I need to explore more... Konchalovsky, Ryazanov, Muratova, Mikhalkov, Pudovkin, Kuleshov.

[soitgoes...]

The Cranes are Flying - Kalatozov
The Second Circle - Sokurov
Earth - Dovzhenko
Man with a Movie Camera - Vertov
Burnt by the Sun - Mikhalkov
Ballad of a Soldier - Chukhrai
The Return - Zvyagintsev

I've seen the above plus:
Solaris
Salt for Svanetia
Come and See
Twilight of a Woman's Soul
My Friend Ivan Lapshin (I guess that actually makes 12 films)

All I would consider good. I just never really delved deeper than one or two films from any particular director besides Eisenstein, from whom I've seen 5 films.

[Qrazy]

I've seen the above plus:
Solaris
Salt for Svanetia
Come and See
Twilight of a Woman's Soul
My Friend Ivan Lapshin (I guess that actually makes 12 films)

All I would consider good. I just never really delved deeper than one or two films from any particular director besides Eisenstein, from whom I've seen 5 films.

Ah yeah I forgot Come and See and The Ascent. And left out Checkpoint because I figured it went without saying that I recommend it as well. :) Oh Rou's Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors is an interesting Alice in Wonderland adaptation.

I still need to see Shepitko's Wings as well.

How's Salt for Svanetia and Twilight of a Woman's Soul?

[Qrazy]

I've seen the above plus:
Solaris
Salt for Svanetia
Come and See
Twilight of a Woman's Soul
My Friend Ivan Lapshin (I guess that actually makes 12 films)

All I would consider good. I just never really delved deeper than one or two films from any particular director besides Eisenstein, from whom I've seen 5 films.

I think you'd probably love Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors as well as the other Tarkovsky you haven't seen yet (I'd prioritize Stalker, Andrei Rublev, Ivan's Childhood and The Sacrifice... Nostalghia and The Mirror while very good I feel are best left until his other films have been viewed... in order to get the most out of them).

[soitgoes...]

How's Salt for Svanetia and Twilight of a Woman's Soul?
My thoughts on Salt for Svanetia are here (http://www.match-cut.org/showthread.php?p=32885&highlight=svanetia#post32885). Twilight of a Woman's Soul is a well-made film for something made in the early teens, especially when considering it was Bauer's first real directorial effort. There are some flaws, but those can be overlooked. I'm interested in seeing more of his work to see how he progressed. Apparently he was the shit in his day.

[soitgoes...]

I think you'd probably love Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors as well as the other Tarkovsky you haven't seen yet (I'd prioritize Stalker, Andrei Rublev, Ivan's Childhood and The Sacrifice... Nostalghia and The Mirror while very good I feel are best left until his other films have been viewed... in order to get the most out of them).
Thanks for all the recommendations. All of this discussion has me thinking of watching something Russian tonight.

[megladon8]

Frequency is a great movie.

[thefourthwall]

And yet, an 80?!

I'll admit that afterward as I was lying in bed, that I should probably lower it to a 78, I guess the higher-ish rating was because I kept seeing ways that it would work with my dissertation more than its contribution to cinema in general.


I bet students like thefourthwall more than they like dreamdead.

Maybe. I think I'm less marshmellow-y (some might say compassionate) when it comes to looking at final grades and then determining the actual letter grade. I don't like grade inflation, but I fear that I may sometimes contribute to it. :sad:

[Boner M]

I'll admit that afterward as I was lying in bed, that I should probably lower it to a 78, I guess the higher-ish rating was because I kept seeing ways that it would work with my dissertation more than its contribution to cinema in general.
Thinking about sig ratings as you lie in bed is unhealthy and highly suspect behaviour. I know from experience. I suggest therapy.

[thefourthwall]

Thinking about sig ratings as you lie in bed is unhealthy and highly suspect behaviour. I know from experience. I suggest therapy.

:lol:

Potentially not as unhealthy as when dreamdead came over this morning, asked if I'd noticed your comment (which he threatened to give you rep for since he also complains about my high ratings), and a pang of guilt went through me that no, in fact I hadn't checked when I got up to see what was happening on the board.;)

[Boner M]

:lol:

Potentially not as unhealthy as when dreamdead came over this morning, asked if I'd noticed your comment (which he threatened to give you rep for since he also complains about my high ratings), and a pang of guilt went through me that no, in fact I hadn't checked when I got up to see what was happening on the board.;)
I am honored.

[dreamdead]

:lol:

Potentially not as unhealthy as when dreamdead came over this morning, asked if I'd noticed your comment (which he threatened to give you rep for since he also complains about my high ratings)

Hey, thanks for reminding me. :pritch:


And yet, an 80?!

Indeed. If she ever scores Punch-Drunk Love as an 80, we're through. :|

King Vidor's The Crowd comes across as just a bit too simplistic in its treatment of the husband's callous abusiveness toward his wife, as well as her reconciliation of that treatment. I thought that the wife, Mary, ends up as more of a cipher for John, rather than possessing any real agency of her own. That said, it's abrasive attitude toward modernist culture make it quite informative, especially since it avoids the science-fiction tropes of something like Metropolis, which is the only other real silent film I've seen that has such ribald anger that is directed at the conformist in society. I see where Chaplin, Tati, and Wilder took some of their material from, methinks.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Beerfest continues the trend of Broken Lizard films that have plenty of merit, but not much ambition or energy. I laughed a few times, but that was mostly due to side-players like Will Forte and Eric Christian Olsen, who attack their German accents with great zest and inaccuracy. The rest of the comedy was lazy, its jokes dependent mostly on Broken Lizard's good cheer.

A Scanner Darkly was an effective little picture. I appreciated actors like Harrelson and Downey Jr. digging into their manic characters, but the real treat was seeing a suicidal Rory Cochrane being read his sins by an interdimensional being with a really long list. Ultimately, it's a worthwhile viewing for sci-fiers tired of explosions that supplant involvement.

[D_Davis]

Took the day off from work today.

Going to watch Tokyo Gore Police and Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.

[number8]

Took the day off from work today.

Going to watch Tokyo Gore Police and Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.

Two of the grossest movies in recent memory, methinks. Have a nice day.

[D_Davis]

Two of the grossest movies in recent memory, methinks. Have a nice day.

That's what I'm hoping for.

:)

The trailer for Poultrygeist was among the grossest things I've ever seen, and it was only like 2 minutes long.

[megladon8]

If Tokyo Gore Police is anything like the studio's 2008 effort, Machine Girl, then you're in for a treat.

[D_Davis]

Tokyo Gore Police

Much better than I expected. While Machine Girl was a fun little gory romp, TGP is far more subversive and satirical. It reminds me a lot of the film Stacy in the way that it lampoons Japanese pop-culture in a surprisingly scathing manner. The fake commercials during the film are fantastic, especially the one for "Wrist Cutter G," a designer series of cute-themed knives for girls to cut themselves with. TGP is surprisingly dark, and I couldn't help but help but to think of a mix between Clive Barker and Takashi Miike. It's also really well made, with fantastic practical effects and a handful of beautiful shots throughout. This really is the ultimate in body horror, and it might have even surpassed Cronenberg in this department. It definitely takes that sub-genre to the next level.

Painted Skin

Based on the classic Chinese novel, this film tells a supernatural and tragic love story. King Hu also made a film based on this classic starring the go-to-girl of the time, Joey Wong. This new version stars Donny Yen, in a great performance, and the new girl-of-the-moment Vicky Zhou Wei. Zhou Wei's performance belongs in a much better movie. She's proven herself a great comedic actress (Shaolin Soccer), a fine dramatic actress (Red Cliff), and here she continues to impress.

Unfortunately, the film is not so great. The best parts of the story, the murder mystery, are conveyed through a montage flashback lasting only a few scant minutes in length. The rest of the film is the same scenario repeated over and over again until the final confrontation between Yen, an exorcist, and a lizard demon. While I can't really recommend this film, I cannot easily dismiss it either. There were more than enough moments that held my interest, and some of the action is entertaining. It contains a nice mix of classical and modern aesthetics, and some gorgeous cinematography. The worst part of the film is the score which couldn't be more overbearing and sappy. The constant piano noodling did its best to destroy any amount of subtlety and nuance given in the dramatic performances.

[Rowland]

Paranoid Park has its moments, but it struck me as a significant downgrade from Van Sant's achievements in the Death Trilogy. Disappointing...

[Boner M]

Paranoid Park has its moments, but it struck me as a significant downgrade from Van Sant's achievements in the Death Trilogy. Disappointing...
Agreed. The murder/aftermath portion is as good as the peaks of any film last year, but the rest of it just kinda sat there.

[Sycophant]

Guys, I'm supremeley deficient in European cinema, American cinema of the 60s and 70s, the silent era, classic Kung Fu films, pre- and post-war Japanese films, and independent animation. These days, I don't catch a lot of movies and am only watching about 2 to 5 a month.

I am organizing a School of Rock rewatch & pistachios party for myself and a lot of my friends this weekend. God help me.

[Dukefrukem]

Real or fake? (http://www.inquisitr.com/17546/michael-cera-flips-out-on-youth-in-revolt-set/)

[D_Davis]

Yep...Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead is truly disgusting. It actually made me gag a couple of times. I've never seen so much diarrhea in one movie.

[MadMan]

A Scanner Darkly was an effective little picture. I appreciated actors like Harrelson and Downey Jr. digging into their manic characters, but the real treat was seeing a suicidal Rory Cochrane being read his sins by an interdimensional being with a really long list. Ultimately, it's a worthwhile viewing for sci-fiers tired of explosions that supplant involvement.Amazing movie, and one of the best of the 2000s. Its currently my #3 of 2006, and since I own it I've watched "Darkly" at least 5 times (I may have lost count). On each viewing my appreciation for how the film is a nightmarish indictment of the failed drug war, coupled with elements of a 1984 type authoritarian world. I still want to read the book, and I also think the film sports Keanu's best performance, although granted that may not be saying much. And hah yeah the scene you noted with Rory is pretty funny and a trip and a half. Interestingly enough I had some trouble watching the film for the first time thanks to the creepy, drug trip fueled opener with those green bugs. That just grossed me out. Luckily I got past that.

And I'm now reminded of how I lost my Top 10 of the 2000s list, with commentary, because my laptop's hard drive crashed last year and I didn't back up those files. That really sucked.

[Sycophant]

Real or fake? (http://www.inquisitr.com/17546/michael-cera-flips-out-on-youth-in-revolt-set/)

It's so real my head is throbbing from all the reality of that real thing.

[D_Davis]

I watched three movies today...first time I've done that in almost a year.

[megladon8]

I watched three movies today...first time I've done that in almost a year.


Did you ever see The Dark Knight?

[lovejuice]

Painted Skin
if a girl i semi-date online tells me she really likes this movie, that means
a) she's hot.
b) she's smart.
c) she wants to jump on me.
d) none of the above.
e) all of the above including (d).

[D_Davis]

if a girl i semi-date online tells me she really likes this movie, that means
a) she's hot.
b) she's smart.
c) she wants to jump on me.
d) none of the above.
e) all of the above including (d).

The original King Hu film...b)

The remake....a) - especially if she is also into reading manga while sitting cross-legged on the floor at Borders.

[D_Davis]

Did you ever see The Dark Knight?

Never heard of it.

[megladon8]

Never heard of it.


Good one.

[Sycophant]

In all fairness, I think Davis, like a lot of us, pretty much knows he's going to not like the movie.

[megladon8]

In all fairness, I think Davis, like a lot of us, pretty much knows he's going to not like the movie.


Yeah but he always has something thoughtful to say about movies, so I was looking forward to reading his thoughts regardless of how he felt about it.

[Sycophant]

Admittedly, I'd like to hear what he has to say about it, too, but when he's down to like 1 movie every two months, I'd say he should be spening it watching Tokyo Gore Police.

[Sycophant]

Fun with Dick and Jane (Parisot, 2005): 2.5 [2nd]
I'm sorry.

[D_Davis]

Yeah but he always has something thoughtful to say about movies, so I was looking forward to reading his thoughts regardless of how he felt about it.

Truth be told, I am looking forward to The Dark Knight, and I should get around to watching it soon. The only thing keeping me away is that I know exactly what to expect - or at least I am almost certain that I do. Does that make sense? I mean, I'm sure it's a well made film containing some exciting elements and good acting - shoot, it might be an incredible film. But, to me, it's still just a Batman movie, still another superhero film.

You know, imagine someone not really into kung fu finally watching The Boxer From Shantung, or The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Yes - they may appreciate the films on a certain level, but I doubt they would embrace them like I do.

Does that make sense?

I definitely do not want to watch The Dark Knight just because I know I won't like it and because I want to mock it. I have a feeling that I will be somewhat satisfied with the time spent with it.

In some ways, it feels as though I've already seen it.

I'll check it out soon.

[BirdsAteMyFace]

I'm sorry.I felt bad for my patients, as well. Convincing psychotic people to sit through such a snoozefest is not an easy task to undertake.

[MadMan]

Spinal was right about Repo! The Genetic Opera being good. I'm no fan of musicals but I enjoyed most of the songs, and I simply sat back and enjoyed the film's high level of weirdness. I'm already behind in writing reviews for this year-I think I'm suffering from some kind of writer's block.

[Sycophant]

I feel bad for my mother and my sister. They not only have sat through that movie multiple times, they seem to have enjoyed it all those times.

[/intra-family condescension]

[D_Davis]

Spinal was right about Repo! The Genetic Opera being good. I'm no fan of musicals but I enjoyed most of the songs, and I simply sat back and enjoyed the film's high level of weirdness. I'm already behind in writing reviews for this year-I think I'm suffering from some kind of writer's block.

You may enjoy Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead. It, too, is a subversive musical, only it probably contains more diarrhea.

[BirdsAteMyFace]

I feel bad for my mother and my sister. They not only have sat through that movie multiple times, they seem to have enjoyed it all those times.

[/intra-family condescension]My patients did not enjoy the film. Does that make them...sane!?

The plot thickens!

[number8]

Yep...Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead is truly disgusting. It actually made me gag a couple of times. I've never seen so much diarrhea in one movie.

Told ya. When a movie starts with a zombie anal fisting, you kinda have to prepare yourself.

[Qrazy]

Truth be told, I am looking forward to The Dark Knight, and I should get around to watching it soon. The only thing keeping me away is that I know exactly what to expect - or at least I am almost certain that I do. Does that make sense? I mean, I'm sure it's a well made film containing some exciting elements and good acting - shoot, it might be an incredible film. But, to me, it's still just a Batman movie, still another superhero film.

You know, imagine someone not really into kung fu finally watching The Boxer From Shantung, or The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Yes - they may appreciate the films on a certain level, but I doubt they would embrace them like I do.

Does that make sense?

I definitely do not want to watch The Dark Knight just because I know I won't like it and because I want to mock it. I have a feeling that I will be somewhat satisfied with the time spent with it.

In some ways, it feels as though I've already seen it.

I'll check it out soon.

Please don't watch it.

[D_Davis]

Please don't watch it.

What is this, reverse archeology?

[D_Davis]

Told ya. When a movie starts with a zombie anal fisting, you kinda have to prepare yourself.

And when he sniffed the zombie finger butt-plug...

oh man.

[Qrazy]

What is this, reverse archeology?

Nah, I just genuinely don't want you to watch it.

Watch Kin Dza Dza instead.

[megladon8]

Just so everyone knows, Divorce, Italian Style can now be viewed for free on Criterion's "The Auteurs" website.

It's a very funny movie.

[Rowland]

Paranoid Park (Gus Van Sant, 2008) 55

Van Sant's idiosyncratically impressionist approach to this material is laudable, but as often as it is a successfully expressive mood piece, there is too much here that fails to convince, so that an air of contrivance begins to stifle the moments that work. Too much of the material here exudes a flat, airless quality that imbues the whole with a tonally fragmented quality, which doesn't evoke the disorientated mindscape of a conflicted teenager as often as it does an unassured grasp of the materal from Van Sant. For every beautifully executed moment, like the post-murder shower by Alex that applies slow-motion, oppressive sound design, and amorphous lighting to astonishing effect, there is a thoroughly ill-conceived artistic choice, like the application of abstract electronic ambience (complete with looping voices speaking French) to skating footage that feels bafflingly out-of-touch and at odds with the milieu at hand. Nevertheless, it's a curious work that remains watchable even at its most unconvincing. Furthermore, I watched it twice and found it more palatable the second time around, so maybe it would continue to improve with repeat viewings. Kudos as well to the portrayal of Alex as being coerced into bored sex by his shrewish girlfriend, a spin on teenage deflowering you don't see very often. Speaking of which, can this movie be interpreted as a young man coming to terms with the budding awareness of his homosexuality? Food for thought.

[megladon8]

I must see this...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510BFkURNoL._SS500_.jpg


One review describes it as "a dramatic prison movie slasher flick musical love story kung-fu movie".

[Raiders]

Paranoid Park (Gus Van Sant, 2008) 55


I rarely understand where you're coming from anymore, Rowland. But, it's always enjoyable to read.

For a (somewhat) rebuttal: http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=103512&postcount=37

[Sycophant]

I have a copy of that sitting on my counter at home. Lost a lot of my drive to see it when I was really disappointed by Kawasaki's The Rug Cop and discovered that Executive Koala apparently had horror elements (I thought before that it was a kind of whimsical, slice-of-life story about an office worker who happened to be a koala). But I'll get around to seeing it sooner or later.

Beginning to wonder if Kawasaki's wonderful Calamari Wrestler was a fluke.

[Rowland]

Taxi to the Dark Side (Alex Gibney, 2008) 51

I don't have much to say about this one. It effectively covers the topic of Guantanamo torture, while charting how it wasn't just a couple of bad apples but rather indicative of systemic abuses commanded from the top down, all in a tasteful, intelligent manner. So yeah... it's informative, but it fails to incite much of a reaction for reasons I can't easily elucidate. Too much detail in too short a length? Not enough emphasis on the titular Afgan taxi driver who the film gets all self-righteous about while hypocritically forgetting him for 90% of the running time? Some of the material covered here really provokes indignation, particularly when you witness how the grunts were set-up to take the fall when they were only following orders from their superiors, but it isn't delineated as smoothly as it could have been. This is a fine documentary that I don't feel too strongly about either way.

[Izzy Black]

Paranoid Park has its moments, but it struck me as a significant downgrade from Van Sant's achievements in the Death Trilogy. Disappointing...

Not that he achieved much with the "Death Trilogy."

[Qrazy]

Not that he achieved much with the "Death Trilogy."

Zing!

(I agree)

[dreamdead]

Paranoid Park (Gus Van Sant, 2008) 55

...Kudos as well to the portrayal of Alex as being coerced into bored sex by his shrewish girlfriend, a spin on teenage deflowering you don't see very often. Speaking of which, can this movie be interpreted as a young man coming to terms with the budding awareness of his homosexuality? Food for thought.

Great thoughts here, despite our differences of appreciation. I found the music working frequently as a nice aesthetic counterpoint. And while some of the choices could easily be seen as cliched counterpoints, I am reminded of the music choices during the shower scene, where the whole film hums with life. And while it's perhaps simple to suggest that counterpoint justifies the music selection, I found most of the choices interesting.

Likewise, I agree that when van Sant focused on the minute details of high school suburbia (Alex playing his parents off each other, dating and masculine rituals), the film was stronger. Most of those sequences were actually where I thought the film was the strongest, rather than the skating business which felt more archetypal (skating-as-escape). I like the ideas with Alex's homosexuality, even though I also kind of wondered about whether or not Macy was being positioned as a counterpoint for Alex to his girlfriend. Obviously she exists as a contrast, but is it enough to suggest a differing sexuality that's available to him or, as you suggest, is there a liminal (homo)sexuality that's afforded him through the vagabond skater?

[number8]

Just saw Tokyo Sonata. Was excellent, I thought.

The San Francisco Asian-American Festival is doing a retrospective on Kiyoshi Kurosawa. He'll be attending and presenting this, Pulse and Eyes of the Spider. Can't wait!

[Sycophant]

8, I would fucking kill to be there.

Has there been any word on an American release for Tokyo Sonata?

[Raiders]

Why is it that Of Time and the City, Hunger and Gomorrah are not coming, or did not come, to the DC area? I can't remember the last time I was so snubbed on indie releases.

In other news, there is a really interesting-sounding film called Tehran Has No More Pomegranates which I can't even find on imdb. There's also the Max Ophuls retrospective at the Silver, and on Thursday night I'm venturing down there to see The Reckless Moment.

[number8]

8, I would fucking kill to be there.

Has there been any word on an American release for Tokyo Sonata?

Yeah, march 13.

http://www.tokyosonatamovie.com/

[Sycophant]

Yeah, march 13.

http://www.tokyosonatamovie.com/

Thanks. I probably should've just looked it up myself. My bad.

I'm really excited about this. Is this the first major theatrical release he's had here in the US (I'm not sure what happend with Pulse)? I'm glad he's getting some recognition over here, seeing as I'm pretty sure he's one of my favorite active filmmakers.

[Rowland]

Eyes of the Spider. This movie is the shit. I wish Serpent's Path and this were openly available in the US, because I know the KK fans around here would dig them.

[Rowland]

Not that he achieved much with the "Death Trilogy."
Well, I'm not so sure about Elephant, which I haven't seen since it was first released on DVD years ago, so I'd need to revisit it before going out on a limb in its defense, but Last Days and especially Gerry are both pretty great in my estimation.

[Raiders]

Yeah, I'm quite the fan of Elephant and Gerry (not so much of Last Days), but I think I prefer Paranoid Park to all of them.

[Winston*]

Paranoid Park is teh suck. Which makes me think that I may have been wrong about Elephant and that may also be teh suck but I will likely never watch it again so whatever.

[megladon8]

I really want to see Gerry.

Elephant may be among my top 10 most hated films of all time.

Last Days I don't have much interest in. Never liked Nirvana, don't like Michael Pitt, and more often than not music-centric films aren't my bag.

I've just not been too taken with anything Gus Van Sant has done. I quite like Good Will Hunting, but for reasons other than his direction.

I would also very much like to see Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho.

[number8]

Just saw Tokyo Sonata. Was excellent, I thought.

The San Francisco Asian-American Festival is doing a retrospective on Kiyoshi Kurosawa. He'll be attending and presenting this, Pulse and Eyes of the Spider. Can't wait!

I spoke too soon! I read the program guide and those 3 aren't the only ones playing. They're also doing Serpent's Path, License to Live, and the two The Revenge movies.

I'm excited. I haven't seen any of those.

[Sycophant]

8, I am oozing with jealousy.

Watching Serpent's Path and Eyes of the Spider back to back is one of the finest movie experiences I've ever done had.

[number8]

8, I am oozing with jealousy.

Watching Serpent's Path and Eyes of the Spider back to back is one of the finest movie experiences I've ever done had.

Wouldn't you know it, they're doing those two as a double feature for the price of one. 'Course, I get to see them all for free anyway, but, y'know, in case anyone here would like to plan a trip to San Francisco.

[Sycophant]

Oh my god, I thought this was scheduled for like this week. Now that I know it's scheduled for a month from now, I am really kind of tempted to go out there for this.

[Qrazy]

I really want to see Gerry.

Elephant may be among my top 10 most hated films of all time.

Last Days I don't have much interest in. Never liked Nirvana, don't like Michael Pitt, and more often than not music-centric films aren't my bag.

I've just not been too taken with anything Gus Van Sant has done. I quite like Good Will Hunting, but for reasons other than his direction.

I would also very much like to see Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho.

I have mixed feelings about his arthouse ventures, they possess much of value but ultimately I find they're ineffectual. Overall I prefer his more conservative forays i.e. Milk and Drugstore Cowboy. Finding Forrester and Good Will Hunting are of very passing interest but deeply disposable. My Own Private Idaho is an OK film, not particularly great imo. I will never see his Psycho adaptation.

Anyone have any thoughts on To Die For or Even Cowgirls get the Blues?

[number8]

Oh my god, I thought this was scheduled for like this week. Now that I know it's scheduled for a month from now, I am really kind of tempted to go out there for this.

It's a really cool line-up this year. I just got a screener for Tokyo!, the Michel Gondry Bong Joon-ho anthology thing.

[megladon8]

How does one even see Serpent's Path or Eyes of the Spider outside an opportunity like this?

It seems they're completely unavailable in R1 DVD.

[soitgoes...]

Anyone have any thoughts on To Die For?
I remember enjoying it, especially Kidman. It's a film of his that I would like to revisit since I haven't seen it since it was released in the theaters. Jesus, it's been 13 years.

[lovejuice]

I have mixed feelings about his arthouse ventures, they possess much of value but ultimately I find they're ineffectual. Overall I prefer his more conservative forays i.e. Milk and Drugstore Cowboy. Finding Forrester and Good Will Hunting are of very passing interest but deeply disposable. My Own Private Idaho is an OK film, not particularly great imo. I will never see his Psycho adaptation.

Anyone have any thoughts on To Die For or Even Cowgirls get the Blues?

i have a friend who studies movies and is aspired to be a film-maker. he has a similar reaction to van sant as you do. in fact he developes this love/hate relationship. there are days when he fears he'll end up like the guy, doing faux art for the rest of his life, and there are days he praises the guy as the second coming.

and i agree that van sant is best when he's conventional.

[Sycophant]

How does one even see Serpent's Path or Eyes of the Spider outside an opportunity like this?

It seems they're completely unavailable in R1 DVD.

Illicit means.

[number8]

Illicit means.

Which means kidnap the head of a local distributor and pluck their toenails one by one until they agree to license those films.

[Rowland]

How does one even see Serpent's Path or Eyes of the Spider outside an opportunity like this?

It seems they're completely unavailable in R1 DVD.
R0 DVDs. I bought them cheap through eBay. Same goes for License to Live, another excellent film. I also downloaded Barren Illusions, a worthwhile venture for fans.

[Ezee E]

It's a really cool line-up this year. I just got a screener for Tokyo!, the Michel Gondry Bong Joon-ho anthology thing.
Let me know what you think. Saw it, and Gondry's one was alright, and worse as I think about it. Don't remember the middle one. And I initially was unsure about the one by the guy that did The Host. Now I think that it's easily the best.

[MadMan]

I must see this...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510BFkURNoL._SS500_.jpg


One review describes it as "a dramatic prison movie slasher flick musical love story kung-fu movie".I believe I read about that flick in an issue of Fangoria at a friend's house. Looks pretty awesome to me :lol:

I've only seen Psycho(1998), which is just a pointless and wretched film, and Finding Forrester, which I rather liked, in terms of Van Saint's films watched.

[Izzy Black]

Well, I'm not so sure about Elephant, which I haven't seen since it was first released on DVD years ago, so I'd need to revisit it before going out on a limb in its defense, but Last Days and especially Gerry are both pretty great in my estimation.


Elephant is the best of them, which is not saying much. Last Days is paint drying and psychologically shallow - or rather - empty. Gerry apes Tarr and Beckett and is not exactly interesting on its own merits. His ability to linger with the camera is not interesting ispo facto that the camera lingers.

[Izzy Black]

His early indie work in the late 80s and early 90s was obviously daring and original. Can't say the same for any of his new "arthouse" works. He pretty much admits he went out and watched some Tarr and Tarkovsky films, saw some Beckett plays, and then pretty much decided to film them verbatim.