Help me choose what to show in film series [Archive]

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 02:39 PM

Please rate and rank and talk up or down the following movies:

Ballast
Sugar
The Class
A Christmas Tale
Gomorrah
Tokyo Sonata
Treeless Mountain
Goodbye Solo
Still Walking
Tony Manero
Silent Light
Tyson
Dear Zachary
Hunger
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Revanche
Tetro
Food, Inc.
Moon
O'Horten
Munyurangabo
Zombie Girl: The Movie

They are what I'm looking at including in our upcoming Winter/Spring film series. We can only choose 11 films. So, listing the 11 you would choose would be helpful.

Thanks.

Kurosawa Fan

09-14-2009, 02:44 PM

Goodbye Solo
Moon
A Christmas Tale
Sugar
Dear Zachary

Those are the films I've seen from that list, ranked by preference. Though I should say you can't go wrong with any of them.

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 02:44 PM

Btw, this series screens in Bismarck, ND, but the audience is about 400 pretty open-minded people ranging in age from teens to 80s. They have come to expect us to bring things quite unlike anything they've seen before.

I also considered including RR on the list, but nobody seems to be singing its praises very loudly on the Internet. So I kind of tossed into the category of "I want to see it, but will just see it on my own sometime."

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 02:47 PM

Goodbye Solo
Moon
A Christmas Tale
Sugar
Dear Zachary

Those are the films I've seen from that list, ranked by preference. Though I should say you can't go wrong with any of them.

Thanks. Four of those are high on my wish list. But please tell me more about A Christmas Tale. Is it a good selection to connect with some of our older patrons?

Boner M

09-14-2009, 02:50 PM

I've seen these, and they're all varying degrees of good:

Ballast - 8
The Class - 7
A Christmas Tale - 7
Gomorrah - 7.5
Tokyo Sonata - 9
Still Walking - 7.5
Tony Manero - 7
Silent Light - 7.5
Tyson - 7.5
Hunger - 8.5
Revanche - 8.5

Raiders

09-14-2009, 02:59 PM

Seen these five:

Ballast - 5.0
The Class - 6.5
Gomorrah - 7.5
Dear Zachary - 7.5
Hunger - 8.0

All are worth showing, though I don't think many people who aren't interested in no-budget formalism would appreciate Ballast.

Kurosawa Fan

09-14-2009, 03:02 PM

Thanks. Four of those are high on my wish list. But please tell me more about A Christmas Tale. Is it a good selection to connect with some of our older patrons?

If they're open-minded, I should think they'd take to it. It's a fairly dysfunctional family all getting together for the first time in a long while, and their's a fairly bizarre mother/son dynamic, but I thought it was pretty excellent. One minor misstep along the way, but nothing too damaging. I would think the younger crowd would have an easier time with it than the older patrons.

Grouchy

09-14-2009, 03:04 PM

The Class - Good movie. Can't avoid being a little preachy as it builds its ending, but I don't think that was too far from the director's intentions.

Gomorrah - Awe-inspiring stuff. Best Mafia movie in quite some time, and uniquely written and put together.

Silent Light - Unwatchable piece of shit.

Hunger - A great film about politics that focuses exclusively on the human side of its story. The 20-minute unbroken dialogue scene is fucking fantastic, and Fassbender gives a memorable performance.

Boner M

09-14-2009, 03:10 PM

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 03:15 PM

You haven't heard of A Christmas Tale, balmakboor? Wow, it seems like your kinda flick. Didn't entirely work for me, but as always, I admire Desplechin's chutzpah (check out Kings and Queen and Esther Khan too).

Oh I heard about it and read some about it, but haven't had a chance to see it. Catherine Deneuve has been kind of hit or miss with me.

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 03:17 PM

Silent Light - Unwatchable piece of shit.

Really? I've heard a few comments like that, but then Ebert made it sound like a brilliant reworking of Ordet. He made me want to give it a shot.

Boner M

09-14-2009, 03:19 PM

Catherine Deneuve has been kind of hit or miss with me.
Me too (acting-wise, of course), but she's excellent here, plus it's an ensemble piece (with Mathieu Amalric's character getting slightly more precedence over everyone else), and it's Desplechin's handling of the material that takes centre stage.

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 03:21 PM

I should say I have seen a few of these films. I thought Treeless Mountain, Dear Zachary, and Munyurangabo were all quite masterful in their own ways.

Boner M

09-14-2009, 03:21 PM

Really? I've heard a few comments like that, but then Ebert made it sound like a brilliant reworking of Ordet. He made me want to give it a shot.
I'm not entirely convinced that Reygadas has anything to add to Dreyer's film, but the film's far from 'unwatchable'; if nothing else, it's one the most awe-inspiringly beautiful films I've seen on the big screen and should be seen for that reason alone.

Grouchy

09-14-2009, 05:03 PM

Really? I've heard a few comments like that, but then Ebert made it sound like a brilliant reworking of Ordet. He made me want to give it a shot.
Well, to be fair, I haven't seen Ordet, but the snail pace of this one and the forced, artsy choice of images made it very hard to watch for me. I've also hated the other Reygadas film I've seen, Japón. This one does have very impressive (and similar) opening and closing shots that I bet are the pride of the DP.

I also attended a Q&A with Reygadas at the end and I pretty much hated the pompous asshole. Random and not related to the film, true, but it reflected my impressions of his work.

Ezee E

09-14-2009, 05:25 PM

Sugar
The Class
Gomorrah
Goodbye Solo
Tyson
Dear Zachary
Moon
O'Horten

These are the only ones I've seen, and all worth showing.

I'm sure Tyson will probably bring in the most, and maybe Moon.

balmakboor

09-14-2009, 08:31 PM

Any other thoughts? We meet in about 2 hours. Just for shits and giggles, below are some other movies I was considering, but discarded for various reasons, mostly mediocre reviews or their sounding like too much of a patience test for the audience:

Flight of the Red Balloon
RR
JCVD
Summer Hours
The Headless Woman
24 City
Every Little Step
The Limits of Control

Kurosawa Fan

09-14-2009, 08:40 PM

I don't think Summer Hours should be discarded for either of those reasons. I was a tad disappointed, but still liked it quite a bit, and everyone else on here has loved it.

megladon8

09-14-2009, 08:47 PM

I've only seen one film on that list.

Sorry I can't really help you.

Sycophant

09-14-2009, 08:49 PM

I haven't seen Tokyo Sonata yet because theaters in Salt Lake don't like Japanese films. But I think you should probably have that and the incredible (hi, baby doll!) Still Walking.

~ASIAN CULT~

Eleven

09-14-2009, 08:52 PM

Coincidentally, I've seen exactly eleven of these choices.

Sugar - warmly observational. Lead guy is quite good.

The Class - a bit didactic, but much to chew over.

Gomorrah - impressed by its scope, but I honestly couldn't remember much about it a week later.

Tokyo Sonata - Kiyoshi's scariest movie after Pulse and Cure, the more so for lacking any supernaturalism, but a superb portrait of a family dissolving under pressure in any case.

Goodbye Solo - just finished it. Loved the lead guy from Senegal. Neat riff on A Taste of Cherry.

Tony Manero - creepy and vicious.

Silent Light - enveloping cinematography.

Tyson - a chance to see the perspective of one of modern pop culture's most divisive personalities, but I'd question everything that comes out of his mouth. Review here (http://www.playtime-magazine.com/2009/04/punch-drunk-life/).

Hunger - probably my favorite out of this bunch. Clear-eyed, minutely detailed, politically trenchant. The pivot point of the film is an epic conversation that's both gimmicky and essential.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil - funny, sad, inspiring in turn. Good portrait of friendship in an unlikely arena. Review here (http://www.playtime-magazine.com/2009/05/anvil-a-review-of-anvil-the-story-of-anvil/).

Revanche - plot's pretty standard, but it boasts a terrifically muscular, physical central performance.

As for your second bunch, I've seen JCVD, The Headless Woman, Summer Hours, and Flight of the Red Balloon, and under the circumstances you cite I'd probably recommend the latter two. Binoche double feature!

Ezee E

09-14-2009, 10:56 PM

JCVD is pretty fun.

Boner M

09-15-2009, 12:21 AM

The Class - a bit didactic, but much to chew over.
Really? I'm not the film's biggest fan, but I thought it's lack of didacticism was one of its strengths.

Spinal

09-15-2009, 12:57 AM

I've only seen Tokyo Sonata, but I loved it.

Winston*

09-15-2009, 01:01 AM

Still Walking ***
Gomorrah ***1/2
Hunger ****

balmakboor

09-15-2009, 12:56 PM

Thanks all. We met last night and ended up with a preliminary list of 26 films. We're all going to think about them, read about them, maybe watch them over the next two weeks and then meet to hammer out the final list.

We come up with a list of 11 films in the order that we want to show them. Then, for each slot, we come up with an alternate just in case the theater can't get something. We usually get all of our first choices.

Things from my list that look like definite inclusions are:

Sugar
Treeless Mountain
Goodbye Solo
Dear Zachary
Anvil!
Munyurangabo

We always like to have about two classics in the series and it looks almost assured that they will be two related to Charles Laughton: Hobson's Choice and Night of the Hunter. I'm pleased about that. I love both.

I'll post the entire list of 26 when I get it.

balmakboor

09-15-2009, 01:07 PM

Oh, one other classic that I tossed out there in this year of Inglourious Basterds and that found surprising support was The Great Dictator.

Sadly though, I've still been an utter failure at getting Playtime included.

NickGlass

09-15-2009, 01:40 PM

Things from my list that look like definite inclusions are:

Treeless Mountain

You think Summer Hours will be taxing on people's patience, yet Treeless Mountain passes as a "guarantee"? Insanity.

Oh, and I know it may be a bit too late, but voila:

Ballast: Very good.
Sugar: Very good.
The Class: Great.
A Christmas Tale: Very good.
Gomorrah: Not so good.
Tokyo Sonata: Very good.
Goodbye Solo: Good.
Silent Light: Good.
Tyson: Good.
Hunger: Very Good.
Revanche: Good.
Moon: Not so good.

balmakboor

09-15-2009, 02:02 PM

You think Summer Hours will be taxing on people's patience, yet Treeless Mountain passes as a "guarantee"? Insanity.

Moon: Not so good.

Actually, I had scratched Summer Hours off the list because the few reviews I read were a bit low. Now, this may seem silly, but I've found that Roger Ebert is a good barometer of how well a movie will play in our series. So I set a standard of his having to give a movie at least ***1/2 stars. He gave Summer Hours ***. I did make a few exceptions though for movies he hasn't reviewed. He also gave Anvil only ***, but I don't care. I really think the audience will have fun with it.

Treeless Mountain carried a lot of weight because yours truly has seen and loved it.

Several of us are also pushing for Moon. What was "not so good" about it? Is it boring?

Sycophant

09-15-2009, 02:23 PM

Good thinking with The Great Dictator.

NickGlass

09-15-2009, 02:25 PM

Actually, I had scratched Summer Hours off the list because the few reviews I read were a bit low. Now, this may seem silly, but I've found that Roger Ebert is a good barometer of how well a movie will play in our series. So I set a standard of his having to give a movie at least ***1/2 stars. He gave Summer Hours ***. I did make a few exceptions though for movies he hasn't reviewed. He also gave Anvil only ***, but I don't care. I really think the audience will have fun with it.

May seem silly? It most certainly seems silly, because it's ridiculous. Listen, I know many view Ebert as a critic who pleases "populists" and "cinephiles," but surely you can't begin to program a festival based solely upon one man's reviews.

I know my opinion, and the opinions of the collective critic population (http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/summerhours?q=summer%20hours), are apparently inconsequential since our names don't begin with "E" and end with "bert," but I've recommended Summer Hours to a variety of moviegoers and all have responded warmly, since it's a very, very warm, thoughtful film that is neither forced nor boring.

Several of us are also pushing for Moon. What was "not so good" about it? Is it boring?

I found it a bit tiresome (http://match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=182207&postcount=51), but, aside from E, I seem to be rather alone in this opinion.

balmakboor

09-15-2009, 02:51 PM

May seem silly? It most certainly seems silly, because it's ridiculous. Listen, I know many view Ebert as a critic who pleases "populists" and "cinephiles," but surely you can't begin to program a festival based solely upon one man's reviews.

I know my opinion, and the opinions of the collective critic population (http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/summerhours?q=summer%20hours), are apparently inconsequential since our names don't begin with "E" and end with "bert," but I've recommended Summer Hours to a variety of moviegoers and all have responded warmly, since it's a very, very warm, thoughtful film that is neither forced nor boring.

Okay, it is ridiculous. But, I had a preliminary list of 30 films and knew that I had only nine slots to fill. I've used the Ebert-o-meter approach for a few years as a ruthless way of whittling things down. I haven't really based my decisions solely on Ebert though. I've read many reviews as well as Film Comment articles and such on all 30 films and the general acclaim is why they made the list in the first place. I had a chance to see Summer Hours while in Seattle over the summer, but didn't because the reviews in various publications there were lukewarm and because I had a chance to see Munyurangabo which may be the only genuine masterpiece by an American filmmaker so far in this decade. (I'm honestly not all that interested in Summer Hours in terms of content either which makes it tough for me to fight for. Then again, I'm very interested in Tony Manero in terms of content and I didn't succeed in spreading that enthusiasm last night either.)

Ezee E

09-15-2009, 03:44 PM

balmakboor

09-15-2009, 03:51 PM

I also found Moon a bit boring, but two of us didn't like it, as opposed to the 8-12 who seem to REALLY like it. Plus, sci-fi would be a nice genre change for those that may not be interested in the other films. Business wise, I'd probably pick that as one of them.

Yeh, I've been thinking it could be a good business move. I'm also starting to think I should override my general lack of interest in Summer Hours and push for its inclusion.

It's very easy to make a list of films that I think I will like. It is more difficult to make a list of films that I think "our audience" will like.

Raiders

09-15-2009, 03:56 PM

Sadly though, I've still been an utter failure at getting Playtime included.

Are you just digitally projecting DVDs, or would this be a 70mm print? If so, that should really sell itself and I weep for those who don't want its inclusion.

balmakboor

09-15-2009, 04:04 PM

Are you just digitally projecting DVDs, or would this be a 70mm print? If so, that should really sell itself and I weep for those who don't want its inclusion.

The theater doesn't have 70mm capabilities, unfortunately. We get a mixture of 35mm prints and DVDs.

I still hold out hope that I can find myself in a big city someday when Playtime is screening. Until then, my DVD and 47" television at home is what I have to work with.

balmakboor

09-17-2009, 03:10 PM

Btw, here is a list of movies still in the running:

Anvil: the Story of Anvil (USA) - 2008 - Documentary
Ballast (USA) - 2008 - Drama
Buick Riviera (Croatia) - 2008 - Drama [may not be available yet]
A Christmas Tale (France) - 2008 - Comedy/Drama
The Class (France) - 2008 - Drama
Cleanflix (USA) - 2009 - Documentary
The Cove (USA) - 2009 - Documentary
Dear Zachary: a Letter to a Son about His Father (USA) - 2008 - Doc.
Encounters at the End of the World (USA) - 2007 - Documentary
The Fuel (USA) - 2008 - Documentary
Goodbye Solo (USA) - 2008 - Drama
The Great Dictator (USA) - 1940 - Comedy/Drama/Classic
Hobson's Choice (UK) - 1954 - Comedy/Classic
In the Loop (UK) - 2009 - Comedy
Let the Right One In (Sweden) - 2008 - Drama
Life of Brian (UK) - 1979 - Comedy/Classic
Moon (USA) - 2009 - Drama
Munyurangabo (Rwanda) - 2008 - Drama
Night of the Hunter (USA) - 1955 - Drama/Classic
Nobody Knows about the Persian Cats (Iran) - 2009 - Faux-documentary [may not be available]
Silent Light (Mexico) - 2007 - Drama
Sugar (USA) - 2008 - Drama
This Film Is Not Yet Rated (UK/USA) - 2006 - Documentary
Touching the Void (UK) - 2003 - Documentary
Treeless Mountain (USA/South Korea) - 2008 - Drama
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Ireland) - 2006 - Drama

thefourthwall

09-17-2009, 04:15 PM

I loved The Wind that Shakes the Barley and think it has some pretty wide appeal.

balmakboor

09-29-2009, 12:28 AM

Well our series changed from 11 movies for $22.00 to 12 movies for $25.00. How did that happen? I said, "Why don't we make it 12 movies for $25.00?" And everyone else said, "Okay."

Lot's of give and take as everyone tries to shoehorn in their pet favorites and stuff. The series now looks like:

Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Treeless Mountain
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Munyurangabo
Encounters at the End of the World
Hobson's Choice
Night of the Hunter
Moon
The Life of Brian
Dear Zachary
The Class

Plus a film that will be selected and presented by a local group of teenage girl poets/performance artists. I should know what that will be by Thursday.