2010 New Release Database

[Kurosawa Fan]

A Prophet - Yay

[EyesWideOpen]

I'm Still Here - yay

[Kurosawa Fan]

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work - Yay

[Adam]

Exit Through the Gift Shop - yay
Inception - yay
Machete - yay
The Social Network - yay
Wild Grass - nay

These are all pretty mild yays/nays, except for Social Network

[dmk]

never let me go - yayforsadness
black swan - yayforhilarity

[Kurosawa Fan]

The Ghost Writer - yay

[NickGlass]

So, I have a tentative "to see" list, and I'm hoping those of you who know my taste could help me out a bit:

Another Year
Bluebeard
Mother
Wild Grass
Sweetgrass
The Fighter
The Oath
Restrepo
Somewhere
The King's Speech
True Grit
Enter the Void
Waste Land
Marwencol
The Illusionist
Inside Job

Which ones should I prioritize, in case I don't get to all of them over the next month (quite likely). Also, am I missing anything? Are there any listed that I shouldn't bother with? I'm just curious what you think. Thanks.

[baby doll]

So, I have a tentative "to see" list, and I'm hoping those of you who know my taste could help me out a bit:

Another Year
Bluebeard
Mother
Wild Grass
Sweetgrass
The Fighter
The Oath
Restrepo
Somewhere
The King's Speech
True Grit
Enter the Void
Waste Land
Marwencol
The Illusionist
Inside Job

Which ones should I prioritize, in case I don't get to all of them over the next month (quite likely). Also, am I missing anything? Are there any listed that I shouldn't bother with? I'm just curious what you think. Thanks.Much of Another Year is masterful, but I don't think it's one of Mike Leigh's better films. Still, it's Leigh, so you should see it.

Similarly, The Illusionist is pretty disappointing, but worth a look.

Barbe bleue is charming and playful, but not a high priority.

I liked Mother and The Oath when I saw them, but can barely recall them now. Inside Job is entertaining and informative, but formally pretty bland.

Les Herbes folles is pure awesome. Anyone who says otherwise is out of their damn mind.

[Rowland]

Ranked in order of importance:

Must See
Wild Grass
The Oath
Strongly Recommended
Sweetgrass
True Grit
Recommended
Mother
Bluebeard
Worth Seeing If You're Interested, But Meh
Restrepo
The King's Speech

[eternity]

True Grit - yay, though I don't feel so good for saying it
The Town - nay, even though I like and dislike both films in this post for the same reasons

[elixir]

So, I have a tentative "to see" list, and I'm hoping those of you who know my taste could help me out a bit:

Another Year
Bluebeard
Mother
Wild Grass
Sweetgrass
The Fighter
The Oath
Restrepo
Somewhere
The King's Speech
True Grit
Enter the Void
Waste Land
Marwencol
The Illusionist
Inside Job

Which ones should I prioritize, in case I don't get to all of them over the next month (quite likely). Also, am I missing anything? Are there any listed that I shouldn't bother with? I'm just curious what you think. Thanks.

Do you mind if I answer even if I don't know you (I'm new!)? Well, even if you do, I feel like discussing them, and maybe I can be helpful anyways. :)

Bluebeard--Just finished it, literally 5 minutes ago. It's enjoyable and fun, and pretty short....I wouldn't make it a priority, but it's worth checking out.

Mother--SEE THIS! Maybe my favorite movie this year, a plot description doesn't do this justice because it never goes where one expects it might. The film builds tension very well, and it's one of the movies I've reflected upon the most since seeing it.

Wild Grass--I didn't care for it personally, but it was at least interesting and different and I do understand why people love it. So, yeah, worth checking out.

Sweetgrass--Once again, this really did nothing for me (apart from one scene, which once you have seen it you will probably know), but some people seem to have been memorized by it. It is pretty, I'll give it that.

The Fighter--Really didn't care for it. Unless you are interested in the Oscars (as I am) or particularly interested in the story, then you can pass.

Restrepo--I'm not one for war films usually, but this documentary touched upon many different subjects in a thoughtful manner. It's concise and well-paced. Worth checking out.

Somewhere--Are you a Sofia Coppola fan? This film is definitely VERY slow-paced (this is NOT a knock) and I like this feel more for its ambiance and contemplative nature than its actual story (if that makes sense). Hm...I think it's worth seeing, but I see why people would outright hate it or find it a retreat of LiT.

The King's Speech--Exactly what you would expect. Somewhat pleasing and passable fare that doesn't really do much. Well-acted and nice costumes and all, but what you see is what you get. Unless you are interested in the story/Oscars, you can pass.

True Grit--Features the usual wit of Coens' dialogue and is well-acted throughout. Don't prioritize this, but worth seeing.

Enter The Void--This movie is really bad, from its wearisome style to its psuedo-Freudian ponderings and "what happens after death?" questions. Gah, just a pain to sit through. Pass.

[Henry Gale]

The Kids Are All Right - nah.

Am I supposed to find Ruffalo's character to be the only truly sympathetic and well-drawn person in the story? Bening's character just comes off like a total bitch from the very beginning, and then the film later has her say and do things that are either just insane or unrealistically rude that I just couldn't be bothered to feel anything from her. I don't even know if I disagree with the praise for her performance because I can't get over what an annoying and awful character she was playing.

It has a lot of good comedic moments, very quietly planted throughout (and again, mostly from Ruffalo), but overall it just doesn't feel like it has anything to surmise from any of the characters or their actions in the end. It comes off like: "Man! Unconventional families can do unconventional things, too!" without seemingly allowing any of them to grow or learn from anything that happens in the movie when it seems so necessary that they do.

It's kind of enjoyable as it goes along, until it comes to end and it doesn't really lead itself to much of a conclusion. And I don't want to make a terrible pun out of it, but the kids weren't too bad either. The performances aren't the problem, it's quite possible that they're the strong point of it all, I just have a problem with the material they're given to play out.

[Watashi]

Waking Sleeping Beauty - HUGE yay

One of the best docs of the year.

[Henry Gale]

Waking Sleeping Beauty - HUGE yay

One of the best docs of the year.

Yup, just watched this too, and it's a definitely yay for me as well. It's amazing how completely frank it is (even unflatteringly so to some of the big players) when going through so many of the honest details in the history here. Especially when it comes to the bad blood between Katzenberg, Eisner and Roy Disney and how you can hear so much of that was still prominent in the more recent interviews done especially for the film.

The only thing is I wasn't quite clear as to why they decided to end the story of the film in 1994 since Disney arguably didn't stop making quality animated films with The Lion King, and Katzenberg's departure at that time was clearly seen as a good thing in the eyes of many involved.

[soitgoes...]

The only thing is I wasn't quite clear as to why they decided to end the story of the film in 1994 since Disney arguably didn't stop making quality animated films with The Lion King, and Katzenberg's departure at that time was clearly seen as a good thing in the eyes of many involved.
The film is about the revival of Disney animation. I think most people would agree that The Lion King was the peak, or at the very least the last great film, before the quality started slipping. Pocahontas, Hercules. Hunchback, Mulan and Tarzan did well at the box office, but none rated as high with both critics and the public as the 4 films that preceded them. I would go as far as to say that the reason they did as well at the box office was because of how good those early 4 films were.

[Watashi]

There's a reason why they call that period from 1989-1994 the "Disney Renaissance". If The Little Mermaid was a bomb, we would have likely seen the end of Disney Animation.

[Melville]

True Grit - very mild nay

[Lazlo]

The Crazies - Yay.

[Henry Gale]

The film is about the revival of Disney animation. I think most people would agree that The Lion King was the peak, or at the very least the last great film, before the quality started slipping. Pocahontas, Hercules. Hunchback, Mulan and Tarzan did well at the box office, but none rated as high with both critics and the public as the 4 films that preceded them. I would go as far as to say that the reason they did as well at the box office was because of how good those early 4 films were.


There's a reason why they call that period from 1989-1994 the "Disney Renaissance". If The Little Mermaid was a bomb, we would have likely seen the end of Disney Animation.

I hear you guys. I think it may be more that I was really young (if born at all for some of the early history) to have really lived through the ups and downs they went through. I know Lion King was easily their biggest ever, so I guess it's easier for me to look at the singling out of that ten year period as less to be about the outright revival but just the period that allowed it to happen.

Either way, the documentary is great stuff. The Howard Ashman segment being especially moving since I knew so little of him and his involvement with Disney beyond his name, but obviously knowing every song he contributed to these films by heart. So as someone who used to watch mainly Beauty & The Beast but also Aladdin and The Little Mermaid pretty much all day, every day as a toddler, it kind of opened up a whole new dimension to them while simply being fascinating on its own.

[Boner M]

Unstoppable - mild yay

Rousing and spirited in its working class heroics, nice locations, but not terribly interesting otherwise. Gimme Deja vu anyday.

[B-side]

Hahaha - yay

[NickGlass]

Do you mind if I answer even if I don't know you (I'm new!)? Well, even if you do, I feel like discussing them, and maybe I can be helpful anyways. :)

Thanks, elixir (as well as the rest of you who responded). Nice to meet you. For future reference, I essentially favor beauty, theme over plot, form matching content, documentaries that play with form as much as supply information, and plausible character studies that keenly observe the dynamics of relationships; oh, and I hate overexplicit dialogue, pandering, brute masculinity, lack of self-awareness, overbearing musical montages, and Hilary Swank.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Black Swan - yay

[NickGlass]

Somewhere: Yay
Another Year: Nay

I feel odd defending Somewhere against those for whom it didn't "work." For me, it clicked. I was placed in its visual and aural reverie, and compelled by the way the characters interact, or what's necessary in order for them to attempt connection (nice move on Coppola's part incorporating Wii, strippers, ping-pong, pools, even Twilight). It's true I'm a fan of her filmmaking, and this is breezy yet slight--but that doesn't bother me; most of the imagery, which could be seen as burdensome, works due to Coppola's light touch. It's still a film that impeccably captures L.A. Perhaps my favorite moment is when Johnny and Cleo are laying on the patio chairs, looking pleasantly isolated and static, and as the camera pulls out someone walks by the frame and you realize that--even though you're essentially getting an inside view of a celebrity's life--there's a total bubble around these characters. I don't care how obvious it is--there are too many delicate details despite its overall weightlessness.

There's nothing lightweight about Another Year, though. A chatty, heavy-handed, insufferable, chamber drama-ish bore. I felt more sympathy for the actors than the rigid caricatures Leigh forces them to accentuate as if they aren't written as broad constructs in the first place. I didn't see Leigh's humanism within the film, just a torturous game of forced-compassion flip-flop. Beyond my shock that Leigh would recycle such an amateurish template as "the four seasons" (winter, of course, denoted with death and blue gel lens cap), all the personal dynamics are problematic. I have not seen a film since Gunner Palace that so rigorously creates villains--such pathetic, unsavory characters completely lacking self-awareness (you know, single people, very unlike boring and condescending married folks)--only to milk empathy from all their hungover depression and unfortunate situations. How obnoxious.

[Boner M]

Ehh, I don't see the season chapters of AY as any less obvious than the ghastly ending of Somewhere, the latter of which is the perfect argument against Coppola's 'light touch' (or the opening shot, or the naked masseuse, or Johnny's teary phone call, and so forth). As for AY, I left a rather nasty comment on Karina Longworth's semi-infamous review of it (under my initials), which leaves me feeling guilty that you seem to share her criticisms. The characters and their behaviour/attitudes is heightened, sure, and I can understand the criticisms of caricature, but I only see observation rather than chastisement of it. Especially regarding his characterisation of singles vs. married life, which is why the film opens with a glimpse of a marriage quite the opposite of Tom and Gerri's. I think it's a film, like much of Leigh's work, that has a great deal of human mystery and no schematic presentation of its characters.

[NickGlass]

Ehh, I don't see the season chapters of AY as any less obvious than the ghastly ending of Somewhere, the latter of which is the perfect argument against Coppola's 'light touch' (or the opening shot, or the naked masseuse, or Johnny's teary phone call, and so forth). As for AY, I left a rather nasty comment on Karina Longworth's semi-infamous review of it (under my initials), which leaves me feeling guilty that you seem to share her criticisms. The characters and their behaviour/attitudes is heightened, sure, and I can understand the criticisms of caricature, but I only see observation rather than chastisement of it. Especially regarding his characterisation of singles vs. married life, which is why the film opens with a glimpse of a marriage quite the opposite of Tom and Gerri's. I think it's a film, like much of Leigh's work, that has a great deal of human mystery and no schematic presentation of its characters.

Well, it is interesting that I happened to see them back-to-back, and Somewhere's thoughtful reticence (I know, it's phrases like these that sound so stupid when trying to defend a Coppola film sometimes, but I'm not lying about what I felt during the film, you know?) really tapped me into the human condition and alienation, while Leigh's blustery, bombastic PEOPLE WITH PROBLEMS drama seemed completely off the mark, over-the-top and cruel. As I said, Somewhere's imagery and catalysts could be seen as overbearing or unsurprising, but even when I quickly thought, "Ok, Sofia, I get it," I enjoyed absorbing the moments.

Observation, and not judgement in AY? That would demand a bit of distance from the material, which Leigh doesn't seem to have. There's no real perspective. All the caricatures are aggressive from the moment they're captured onscreen to the moment we're thankfully rid of them. There is no way that, within 5 minutes of being onscreen, you're not supposed to find Manville's character a total messy, rude lush who has no idea how absurd and pathetic she is. The same goes for the Ken character--back to back scenes of their individual dinner parties yielded obvious, loathsome character "details."

The Imelda Staunton opening may balance his depiction a bit, and I moderately appreciate it in all its affected glory, but it's a cheap shortcut; I know there are horribly depressed married people, too, but a 5-minute segment isn't exactly going to justify his thesis when a majority of the film is spent showing how different--psychologically and physically--it is to be late-in-life and single vs. married.

[NickGlass]

Oh, and I just read Karina's review and, umm, of course I find it on point.


The first sentence shows you can't count. The rest of this abortion of a review shows you can't distinguish between Leigh's attitude to his characters and your own.

Oh, that doesn't sound fair, Ian! Karina's description of each character (and, yay, she used the word "caricature") pretty accurately sums up how Leigh introduces--and parades around--each character. In Mary's case, she doesn't flaunt her own perception of herself--while trying to keep her flaws hidden in an attempt to impress (no, that would have been realistic and challenging)--she just flaunts her flaws. It's lazy screenwriting/acting.

[eternity]

The Fighter - nay

I'm getting tired of saying "yay" for all of these movies that I don't particularly care for but they have a few notably good aspects and I have nothing particularly bad to say about them.

[baby doll]

The Fighter - yay

I'm getting tired of saying "yay" for all of these movies that I don't particularly care for but they have a few notably good aspects and nothing particularly bad to say about.Sounds like a nay to me, on grounds of mediocrity.

[eternity]

Yeah, I changed it to a nay almost immediately. And I fixed that awfully incoherent sentence.

EDIT: Fuck it, make True Grit a nay for me as well.

[Pop Trash]

The Fighter - nay

I'm getting tired of saying "yay" for all of these movies that I don't particularly care for but they have a few notably good aspects and I have nothing particularly bad to say about them.

So if I'm a pretty big David O Russell fan (esp. of Huckabees) is this worth it? Is there anything interesting or subversive going on in this flick? Or is it just a standard boxing drama with good performances?

[endingcredits]

Enter The Void - nay

[Melville]

Enter the Void - yay, despite colossal failings.

[soitgoes...]

Hahaha - yay

This should be in the 2011 thread, or in the as of yet unstarted 2012 thread possibly.

[Ezee E]

The most polarizing movies on Match Cut for 2010:

Catfish
The Crazies
Easy-A
Enter the Void
http://www.rowthree.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/EnterTheVoid.jpg
Hot Tub Time Machine
Kick-Ass
http://www.pinayads.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/01_300dpi_t614.jpg
The Other Guys
Shutter Island
Somewhere
Trash Humpers
http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/trashhumpers_05-550x294.jpg

[NickGlass]

Wild Grass: Yay

...I think. Well, yes, it's a yay. It really had me for most of its duration, with its hilarious, nonsensical tone--and I especially enjoyed the delirious, and delicious, manic voiceovers. When it starts to go off the rails on a narrative level, it falters into half-assed commentary, although the charming (if also rather fleeting) odes to cinema and writing as extensions of the human condition were very much appreciated. There's also a whimsical sense of dread pervading certain scenes that is so peculiar, and so appealing, and so confounding--like the film as a whole. Maybe this sounds unfair, but it's still more of an amusement than an accomplishment.

[B-side]

127 Hours - yay

[Adam]

Never Let Me Go - yay

I have serious problems with the central concept, but this is one of the more emotionally affecting films I've seen in a while. A profoundly sad critique of humanity with an ultimately moving and positive message

[Lazlo]

Waking Sleeping Beauty - Yay

[Pop Trash]

Mother -yay

Well that was strange and interesting.

[eternity]

The Trotsky - yay

[eternity]

So if I'm a pretty big David O Russell fan (esp. of Huckabees) is this worth it? Is there anything interesting or subversive going on in this flick? Or is it just a standard boxing drama with good performances?
It's not really a boxing drama. It's more of a "hey, look at how scummy these people are!" piece with good performances. I really like the rest of David O. Russell's work, and while in many ways he has another good movie here, and clearly his most universally acclaimed, none of it worked for me.

[MacGuffin]

Dogtooth - major yay

[MadMan]

Tron: Legacy=YAY (inspired by Daft Punk, of course)

[transmogrifier]

Buried - nay

See thread for spoilerific reasons

[Ezee E]

It's not really a boxing drama. It's more of a "hey, look at how scummy these people are!" piece with good performances. I really like the rest of David O. Russell's work, and while in many ways he has another good movie here, and clearly his most universally acclaimed, none of it worked for me.
Possibly his most awarded movie, but I'd like to think Three Kings was more universally praised on what was otherwise a very packed year for great movies.

Verifying, I was right.

82 - Three Kings
81 - Flirting with Disaster
79 - The Fighter
55 - I Heart Huckabees

[Raiders]

Dogtooth - holyfuckingshityay

[B-side]

Dogtooth - holyfuckingshityay

http://i39.tinypic.com/2qaq06t.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/1zwi3vb.jpg

Yeah, I liked it quite a bit myself.:D

[Watashi]

My only problem with Dogtooth is that the brother clearly chose the least attractive sister to perform incest with. I mean, c'mon.

[Ezee E]

Yeah, that top banner might be NSFW.

[B-side]

Yeah, that top banner might be NSFW.

I was worried about that. I'll spoiler it.

[endingcredits]

The Ghost Writer - nay
Hot Tub Time Machine - nay

[baby doll]

True Grit - nay

[Lazlo]

Winnebago Man - Yay

[Ezee E]

The Last Exorcism is an example of how the final scene could kill an otherwise good movie. The documentary approach of a conman "exorcising" people to calm families is actually intriguing, and the hicktown was something I could get into. The "is she possessed or not" was even better, even if it was better explored in Emily Rose.

Yet, that final scene just betrays the entire movie, and is downright stupid. I rolled my eyes at it. Bummer.

[Rowland]

I Love You Phillip Morris - yay

[B-side]

The Fighter - yay

[EyesWideOpen]

The Crazies - mild yay

[Lazlo]

Valhalla Rising - Yay

[Stay Puft]

Carlos - yay

[Rowland]

Winnebago Man - mild nay

The director of this is a University of Texas film professor? His callow handling of some fascinating material is the primary reason this doesn't ultimately persuade, not unlike Catfish.

[NickGlass]

True Grit: Nay
The Fighter: Nay
Enter the Void: Nay (but oh so close to a Yay...argh)

Three nay's for very different reasons. One is suffocated--and rendered dull and unconvincing--by its uber-calculated, handsome production values. Another has some panache, but is too trapped in conventions of its own, the writing is unbalanced, and has an incongruous denouement. And the third is an experience rich in its conceit and concepts, and shockingly lame in its attempts at depth and symbolic imagery. Oh, and these go in order of appreciation, from least to most--because energy in cinema is significant.

[Dukefrukem]

are we keeping this open for the entire 2011? I'd imagine we'd prob want to close it sometime soon right?

[B-side]

are we keeping this open for the entire 2011? I'd imagine we'd prob want to close it sometime soon right?

Yeah. (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=314057&postcount=1733)

[Bosco B Thug]

Sorry E, I see you got me down for The Crazies already, but I'd like to slap that one with a Nay.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I - Yay
Tangled - Yay

[DavidSeven]

Blue Valentine - yay

[Lazlo]

I Am Love - Mild Yay

[EyesWideOpen]

Solitary Man - yay

[Mysterious Dude]

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - yay
Wild Grass - nay (colorful, though)
Red Riding: 1974 - yay (but I wish I could turn on subtitles through the Roku)

[Philosophe_rouge]

the fighter - yay

[NickGlass]

The King's Speech: Nay

Oddly embraces its facile, faux-sophisticated aesthetic, exemplified by "freewheeling"--yet wholly conservative--HBO TV-films about British royalty. Includes my favorite sign of cheap sentiment, previous seen in, among others, Finding Neverland: the cold, old woman (sidelined for almost all the movie) who tears up in the music-heavy finale.

Neat wallpaper, though (and I'm not just talking about Helena Bonham-Carter's performance/character).

[Dukefrukem]

Yeah. (http://www.match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=314057&postcount=1733)

Ah, thanks.

[Rowland]

The King's Speech: Nay

Oddly embraces its facile, faux-sophisticated aesthetic, exemplified by "freewheeling"--yet wholly conservative--HBO TV-films about British royalty. Includes my favorite sign of cheap sentiment, previous seen in, among others, Finding Neverland: the cold, old woman (sidelined for almost all the movie) who tears up in the music-heavy finale.

Neat wallpaper, though (and I'm not just talking about Helena Bonham-Carter's performance/character).A surprisingly unpleasant looking movie as well, even by the standards of these things, Nick Davis (http://www.nicksflickpicks.com/) rightly noting the "mannered frames (heads in corners, etc), bulbous lenses, bleachy light, inability to fill stagy spaces ... plus the odd Crooklyn lens."

[NickGlass]

A surprisingly unpleasant looking movie as well, even by the standards of these things, Nick Davis (http://www.nicksflickpicks.com/) rightly noting the "mannered frames (heads in corners, etc), bulbous lenses, bleachy light, inability to fill stagy spaces ... plus the odd Crooklyn lens."

Yeah, I was describing the film to a friend and audibly pondered why it was even deemed "cinematic" as opposed to its bland brethren stuck on HBO, and then I wondered, "Did they think it had more visual merit because each scene looks like it took place inside some elementary schooler's diorama, or that the characters were placed off-center from the lens? How inspired!"

[EyesWideOpen]

Centurion - yay

[eternity]

Enter the Void - a potentially great film that deserves a filmmaker who isn't Gaspar Noe.

Nay.

[Adam]

Carlos - yay
Clash of the Titans - nay
Four Lions - nay
Somewhere - yay
Tangled - yay
True Grit - yay

[Rowland]

127 Hours - nay

[Watashi]

The Fighter - yay

Mostly for Christian Bale's performance. Easily his best.

[Ezee E]

The Fighter - yay

Mostly for Christian Bale's performance. Easily his best.
Trying to decide between that and American Psycho still.

Heck, he's pretty awesome in Shaft. He should play the villain more often. His three best performances all have him as the antagonist.

[B-side]

American Psycho is still his best performance, but this one's definitely a runner-up.

[NickGlass]

Twelve: holy hell, what a glorious Nay.

[eternity]

Solitary Man - yay

[Dukefrukem]

A-team and Resident Evil; Afterlife... both nays

[soitgoes...]

Enter the Void - yay I suppose

[Lazlo]

The Fighter - Yay

[Stay Puft]

The Social Network - nay

[Lazlo]

Cyrus - Yay

[DavidSeven]

Scott Pilgrim: yay with reservations.

[Watashi]

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work - Nay

Came off as a more glamorized E! special than a real indepth look at fame and being appreciated.

[Rowland]

Lourdes - Yay

Wow, I'm the first?

[kopello]

Dogtooth - YAY
The Social Network -yay

[MadMan]

Piranha 3D (I believe that's the title, although I didn't see it in 3D): Yay
The Fighter-Yay

[Adam]

Lourdes - Yay

Wow, I'm the first?

I've seen it and I'll Yay it as well

I liked it throughout, but wasn't sold until the last shot. Sylvie Testud is aces

[Stay Puft]

Greenberg - yay
Valhalla Rising - nay

[Lazlo]

The Secret in Their Eyes - Nay

[Lazlo]

The Other Guys - Yay

[eternity]

Blue Valentine - yay

[Pop Trash]

I'm Still Here - mild nay

Spinal's review in the main thread pretty much nailed it. The only thing I can add is that I wish there were more blurring of Phoenix and "J.P." It would have been interesting if it ended with a conversation with his dad and some thoughts on his brother's death.

Instead it ended with his "dad" (really Affleck's father) and nothing autobiographical or relavatory. The whole thing seemed too much like a half-baked idea Affleck and Phoenix got after watching Borat one too many times (including male nudity and poop jokes).

Ultimately, I think there is a lot more truth to be gleaned from the fiction of Two Lovers than the "documentary" presented here.

[Rowland]

The Fighter works when it's meant to be funny. Unfortunately, it's funny most of the time that it's not meant to be as well, and the rest of the time it's dull, including the boxing scenes that Russell obviously doesn't know what to do with.

I didn't hate it like I was worried I would, but nay.

[baby doll]

Black Swan - mild nay, though it's so silly that at least I wasn't bored.

[EyesWideOpen]

The Town - big yay

[Mysterious Dude]

Blue Valnetine - yay
Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl - nay

After Eccentricities and Wild Grass, I'm beginning to wonder if incredibly old directors should never attempt to make movies set in the present day. Eccentricities probably would have been fine if it had been set in the 1880's, when the story was written, or even the 1920's or thereabouts, but when you set it in 2009, so many things about the story become ridiculous. A man says to his nephew, "You can work for me, but only if you never get married!" What? Who makes this kind of demand? So the guy quits his job, but now he is poor, so he still can't get married. ... Why not? The guy has incredibly archaic values.

[baby doll]

After Eccentricities and Wild Grass, I'm beginning to wonder if incredibly old directors should never attempt to make movies set in the present day. Eccentricities probably would have been fine if it had been set in the 1880's, when the story was written, or even the 1920's or thereabouts, but when you set it in 2009, so many things about the story become ridiculous. A man says to his nephew, "You can work for me, but only if you never get married!" What? Who makes this kind of demand? So the guy quits his job, but now he is poor, so he still can't get married. ... Why not? The guy has incredibly archaic values.You have to begin with the assumption that De Oliveira and Resnais are still pretty with it, despite their advanced age. Now with this in mind, De Oliveira obviously knows that the guy has incredibly archaic values, just as Resnais obviously knows that women don't fall in love with their stalkers. The fact that the story isn't timeless is the whole freakin' point. I mean, come on, dude, make a little effort, will ya? I mean, this isn't even meeting the work half way. It's like meeting it five percent of the way, max. Sure, not every film is gonna be for every viewer, but really, this is getting pathetic. I'm beginning to think it's not De Oliveira and Resnais who are senile, but the folks around here who don't like their work. Think that's harsh? Well, fuck you.

[Mysterious Dude]

The fact that the story isn't timeless is the whole freakin' point.I guess I just don't get it, Mike. What is the point of moving an archaic story to the present day? It's not unusual, even now, for a person to have strange values that make little sense and get in the way of his achieving what he wants, but usually, those values come from somewhere (i.e. parents, society, etc.). If the movie was set in 1880, I would know where those values come from, but as the movie is set in 2009, they seem to come from nowhere, and I have a lot more trouble sympathizing with him. His uncle is against his marriage, but I know that society is not. Does the guy not own a TV? Has he never seen that poor people can be married, too? I can't escape these nagging thoughts as I watch the movie. The characters seem to live in 2009, but their actions suggest that they live in a void, totally unaware of the outside world. Maybe I should sympathize with them because they live in purgatory.

[baby doll]

I guess I just don't get it, Mike. What is the point of moving an archaic story to the present day? It's not unusual, even now, for a person to have strange values that make little sense and get in the way of his achieving what he wants, but usually, those values come from somewhere (i.e. parents, society, etc.). If the movie was set in 1880, I would know where those values come from, but as the movie is set in 2009, they seem to come from nowhere, and I have a lot more trouble sympathizing with him. His uncle is against his marriage, but I know that society is not. Does the guy not own a TV? Has he never seen that poor people can be married, too? I can't escape these nagging thoughts as I watch the movie. The characters seem to live in 2009, but their actions suggest that they live in a void, totally unaware of the outside world. Maybe I should sympathize with them because they live in purgatory.I don't think we're supposed to believe too much in these characters, or sympathize with them too deeply. De Oliveira is clearly a disciple of Buñuel (one of his earlier films was a kind of sequel to Belle de jour, and this one is a meta-narrative that opens on a train like Cet obscur objet du désir), so the obvious incongruousness of the characters' values (not to mention the allusions to Portuguese colonialism) and the contemporary setting seem to me in keeping with the film's general air of cool playfulness.

[TripZone]

Anachronism is a big part of Oliveira's work, it's not merely the man being musty. In many cases, his films are about 19th/early 20th century generations (if even just in spirit, ideology, tradition) living amongst modernity, being taken over by it.

Wild Grass was an incredibly youthful film about older people. A blast.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Blue Valentine - yay
Amer - yay
Lourdes - yay

[Rowland]

Amer - yay
Lourdes - yayOhh, two of my favorites of the year. Thoughts?

[Ezee E]

Looks like I'll be able to see everything I want except for Carlos and Another Year by the time our nominations are due. Nice.

[Boner M]

Wild Grass was an incredibly youthful film about older people. A blast.
:pritch::pritch::pritch:

[Derek]

The Fighter - yay
Blue Valentine - yay
Four Lions - mild nay

[transmogrifier]

127 Hours - mild yay.

Style perfectly suits the story up until the time he finally decides to do what needs to be done, and after that the whole thing just loses all the power it could have had. The song that played over the entirety of the final scenes was an atrociously bad decision. The movie needed to step back a bit, but instead lept off its highwire into the valley of ADHD crassness.

Still, I liked the conflict between all the technology he had and how it was useless when faced by a massive fucking rock, and how the main character used the video to judge what he was like, rather than having any internal self-reflection - an interesting comment on self-image through media age we live in.

[Lazlo]

Easy A - Yay

[endingcredits]

Carlos - yay

[Weeping_Guitar]

Cyrus - yay

[transmogrifier]

True Grit - nay

[B-side]

The King's Speech - yay

[Philosophe_rouge]

everyone else - yay

[Ivan Drago]

The King's Speech - mild yay

[Stay Puft]

I Am Love - yay

The last five minutes or so are amazingly over the top. I thought my face was going to explode. So awesome.

[Boner M]

I Am Love - yay

The last five minutes or so are amazingly over the top. I thought my face was going to explode. So awesome.
I wish I felt the same. I just sorta stared quizzically at the screen and then shrugged as the credits rolled. Really liked the rest, though.

[baby doll]

I wish I felt the same. I just sorta stared quizzically at the screen and then shrugged as the credits rolled. Really liked the rest, though.For me, that was when the film finally started to get interesting.

[Rowland]

I'm Still Here - yay

[Rowland]

White Material - mild nay

Compelling during its first half, when it functions primarily and quite effectively as an elliptical reverie, but once it becomes apparent how the pieces fit together and where the fatalistic narrative will inevitably conclude, the psychology of its characters and their functions within Denis' clunky allegorical framework feel increasingly contrived, which drains the film of its suspense and emotional potency, even as it remains aesthetically evocative.

[B-side]

Blue Valentine - holy shit, what a rollercoaster AKA yay

[Lazlo]

The King's Speech - Yay

[endingcredits]

True Grit - nay

[Dukefrukem]

FROZEN yay

[Boner M]

FROZEN yay
Just came here to yay this too. Neat.

[kopello]

Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl - nay

[Stay Puft]

White Material - yay

Wonderful cinematic storytelling, though of course I haven't seen anything from Claire Denis before so part of my response is the excitement of a new discovery. I can't decide if I'm going to watch this again tonight or jump straight into 35 rhums which is available on Netflix.

[dmk]

Tangled - mild nay
127 Hours - yay

With 127 Hours, you kind of spend the whole film waiting for him to hack off his arm, but it’s a compelling waiting room because it’s funny and sad and interesting to experience with its retarded juxtapositions and superb sound design, and then when he does hack it off the film just turns out right mediocre and uplifting and into some kind of water ad, so you’re then pretty much being penalised for your sadistic occupation as cinemagoer. I liked it.

[Lazlo]

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - Yay

[baby doll]

It looks like my nay for Wall Street 2 wasn't counted.

[Raiders]

Alamar - yay

[Pop Trash]

Blue Valentine - yaysville

[Rowland]

Monsters - yay

It's a precarious balancing act throughout, but Edwards's instincts as a filmmaker ultimately prevail over his lack thereof as a writer.

[Adam]

Black Swan - nay
Blue Valentine - yay
Lourdes - yay

[Stay Puft]

The Fighter - nay

[Pop Trash]

Exit Through the Gift Shop - yay

[Boner M]

The Fighter - mild nay

Watchable on a moment-to-moment basis, distinct enough texture to raise it above the standard-issue underdog narrative, but I struggled to care about any of the family dynamics.

[TripZone]

Is Another Year 2010???

Anyway: yayayay

[NickGlass]

Piranha 3D: Nay

I'm all for gleeful camp, but when it's so particular to one genre it loses most of its cheap fun. It does all your meta-thinking and joking for you.

[Rowland]

Piranha 3D: Nay

I'm all for gleeful camp, but when it's so particular to one genre it loses most of its cheap fun. It does all your meta-thinking and joking for you.I would have forgotten otherwise, but this reminds me that I had a dream last night in which Derek gave Piranha 3D one of his **** ratings. Weird.

[B-side]

I would have forgotten otherwise, but this reminds me that I had a dream last night in which Derek gave Piranha 3D one of his **** ratings. Weird.

Do I ever invade your dreams, Rowland? Are we ever naked together?

[Rowland]

Do I ever invade your dreams, Rowland? Are we ever naked together?Hmm, maybe. Are you circumcised?

[Weeping_Guitar]

Animal Kingdom - yay

[B-side]

Hmm, maybe. Are you circumcised?

Like you have to ask.;)

[Watashi]

Dreaming about Derek's rating system sounds more like a nightmare.

[dmk]

Is Another Year 2010???

Anyway: yayayay
No kidding, that's his best since Secrets. Yay here too.

Also:
My Soul to Take - nay, but it's so spectacularly bad that it's hard not to be caught up in its absurdity. I have to watch it again.

The King's Speech - mild nay, but greatest unorthodox lens work since The Cremator. Cinematography of the year! maybe

[transmogrifier]

The Fighter - yay

Nothing game-changing, just a standard biopic with messier edges and a pleasingly squalid, lived in feel.

[Stay Puft]

A Prophet - yay

[Adam]

Everyone Else - yay
Inside Job - yay

[B-side]

Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl - yay

[Ivan Drago]

The Fighter - Yay

[Rowland]

Enter the Void - nay

[Raiders]

Blue Valentine - very yay

[eternity]

Bluebeard - yay

[Rowland]

Buried - yay

[Boner M]

Black Swan - mild yay

[baby doll]

Black Swan - mild yayRemember when you sort of liked Casino Royale but later had to admit that it wasn't very good? I think this is one of those situations where the more time and thought you give to the film, the more you realize how much it sucks.

[soitgoes...]

Letters to Father Jacob - yay
Let Me In - yay
Unstoppable - nay

[B-side]

Unstoppable - nay

/ignore list

[soitgoes...]

/ignore listDo we have one of those?

It was almost a yay, but in the end it wasn't.

[B-side]

Do we have one of those?

It was almost a yay, but in the end it wasn't.

If we don't, I'll petition for one. If anyone's worthy of such a list, it's you.

:pritch:

[baby doll]

Unstoppable - nayGood call. And remember, I'm the guy who likes Domino.

[B-side]

There should be a Holocaust for people who don't like Domino. I'm not saying the world would be better off without these "people," but it's certainly an interesting notion.

[soitgoes...]

I still haven't seen Domino. I'm scared because most hate it, whilst a few love it.

Baby doll - I just started Fantomas. I'm thinking of you. I'll let you know what I think in a few days when I finish it.

[TripZone]

I rewatched Domino the other day. Still rad.

Fantomas? Not as fun as Les Vampires. But Part 3 is strong.

[soitgoes...]

I rewatched Domino the other day. Still rad.

Fantomas? Not as fun as Les Vampires. But Part 3 is strong.
Les Vampires is pretty great. I'm looking forward to it.

[Boner M]

Remember when you sort of liked Casino Royale but later had to admit that it wasn't very good? I think this is one of those situations where the more time and thought you give to the film, the more you realize how much it sucks.
Nah, I think I've reached my peak of negativity on Swan. There's a lot of things it does right, even though I think it's disappointingly non-committal as a whole.

[Dukefrukem]

Valhalla Rising yay

[Henry Gale]

Dinner For Schmucks - nay
The King's Speech - yay

[Lazlo]

Despicable Me - Yay

[Boner M]

How Do You Know - mild yay

D'Angelo's right (http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2010/dec/15/how-do-you-know-rough-lively/); this is unweidly and shapeless and overlong, but bracingly un-generic. Paul Rudd kills it.

[Rowland]

The Last Exorcism - yay

Very engaging, and surprisingly intriguing in its thematic/ideological approach, which the much-maligned climax both muddles and deepens, depending on how you process it. Perhaps not as scary as I'd hoped, but I also commend it for not playing to the cheap seats even remotely like I anticipated it might, and it integrates a mega-creepy score without being overly intrusive.

[NickGlass]

Mother: Yay

I like Bong's thorny narratives, but I'm still not totally won over by his goofball sensationalism.

Easy A: Nay

I'm surprised how much I disliked this; it's odd that a film would be loaded with subpar references to 80s teen films when the sexual politics, caricatures, and atmosphere of this film feel so retrograde. This could have easily been a 70s period piece, but it still would have been as wildly inconsistent even if it took place in that decade. Seriously, what the hell did I just watch?

[eternity]

I'm surprised at how much I disliked this; it's odd that a film would be loaded with subpar references to 80s teen films when the sexual politics, caricatures, and atmosphere of this film feel so retrograde. This could have easily been a 70s period piece, but it still would have been as wildly inconsistent even if it took place in that decade. Seriously, what the hell did I just watch?
Some aspects of the film are so damn stupid that they transcend time.

[Mysterious Dude]

White Material - yay

[Lazlo]

MacGruber - Yay

[lovejuice]

Burlesque: What a lame and shitty little movie. And how i LOVE every minute of it!

[Henry Gale]

Burlesque: What a lame and shitty little movie. And how i LOVE every minute of it!

Paul Scheer's new podcast, "How Did This Get Made?", chose to spotlight this for its first episode, and with every description and quote from it I needed to see it more and more.

[EyesWideOpen]

Dogtooth - big yay

[Ezee E]

I didn't love it like you guys, but Dogtooth may be the most bizarre movie this year that works. I get a big Haneke feel from it.

[Ezee E]

I also have to change my nay for Blue Valentine to a yay.

I don't like the characters, but I respect the movie too much, despite it being so hard to watch. I'll never watch it again, but I'll speak respectfully of its brutal emotions and strong performances.

[EyesWideOpen]

Devil - big yay

If this wouldn't have had Shyamalan's name attached to it no way would have gotten as much hate as it did.

[MacGuffin]

The Ghost Writer - yay

[transmogrifier]

Devil - big yay

If this wouldn't have had Shyamalan's name attached to it no way would have gotten as much hate as it did.

If Sean Penn wasn't so left wing, everyone would have loved Into the Wild more

If Katie Holmes had stayed on for The Dark Knight, everyone would realize that the movie is kinda dumb.

If Johnny Depp was a baby chimpanzee, Pirates of the Caribbean would have been given the rotten tomatoes it deserved.

This is a fun game.

[Raiders]

Buried - nay

Reynolds is aces as usual, and the film does a damn fine job making 90 minutes in a coffin dynamic, but by god that ending sure knows how to kill a lot of good will.

[Weeping_Guitar]

Nowhere Boy - yay
Lebanon - nay
Dogtooth - yay

[MacGuffin]

DOGTOOTH - 18 out of 18
yay - Boner M, NickGlass, dmk, eleven, Brightside, Adam, Pop Trash, soitgoes, StanleyK, derek, philosophe_rouge, Rowland, watashi, Macguffin, Raiders, kopello, eyeswideopen, Ezee E

Good job, Match Cut.

[soitgoes...]

Monsters - nay

[transmogrifier]

Buried - nay

Reynolds is aces as usual, and the film does a damn fine job making 90 minutes in a coffin dynamic, but by god that ending sure knows how to kill a lot of good will.

Almost exactly my thoughts.

[Lazlo]

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole - Mild Nay.

I'm a sucker for epic archetypal hero's journey stuff and the imagery is impressive but the script is so goofy and sloppy. *shrug*

[Ivan Drago]

Enter The Void - Fucking YAY

[Spinal]

Good job, Match Cut.

Watching it tonight!

[MacGuffin]

Watching it tonight!

I have no reason to believe you will break the trend.

[Spinal]

I have no reason to believe you will break the trend.

Errr ... maybe my expectations were too high. It's definitely ... something. Not sure quite what to think of it right now. I'm going to have to think this one over. Certainly wasn't the home run I was hoping for.

[soitgoes...]

Errr ... maybe my expectations were too high. It's definitely ... something. Not sure quite what to think of it right now. I'm going to have to think this one over. Certainly wasn't the home run I was hoping for.
The question is Everyone Else or Dogtooth?

[Rowland]

You've had people insisting you were guaranteed to love it for awhile now, so I'm not surprised.

[Watashi]

Errr ... maybe my expectations were too high. It's definitely ... something. Not sure quite what to think of it right now. I'm going to have to think this one over. Certainly wasn't the home run I was hoping for.
Lick my keyboard.

[Boner M]

Errr ... maybe my expectations were too high. It's definitely ... something. Not sure quite what to think of it right now. I'm going to have to think this one over. Certainly wasn't the home run I was hoping for.
You're talking Dogtooth language, right? Glad you loved it!

[Rowland]

Animal Kingdom - yay

One of the scores of the year.

[Adam]

The Eclipse - nay
The King's Speech - nay

[eternity]

Dogtooth - yay

[Spinal]

The question is Everyone Else or Dogtooth?

Well, right now, I would definitely say Everyone Else. I think I'm going to try watching Dogtooth again though. Hopefully soon. I don't even really feel comfortable rating it at this point.

[Lazlo]

Blue Valentine - Yay

[Bosco B Thug]

I'll come here with threes, the next two weeks.

The Oath - yay
Mother - yay
Dogtooth - yay

Was Dogtooth a victim of hype? Maybe. Did I get a mental all-clear from Spinal's reaction to not-love-it? Naw. Am I going to be one in the current rash of Dogtooth three-starring? Yes.

It was smartly written and I loved how incrementally it built its portrait, with some really expert pay-offs hitting you by the climax, but overall I thought it was a bit limited in range and I echo the emotional distance of Ebert's 3 star response.

[elixir]

I would give it 3 stars myself, but that puts it as one of my favorites of the year still. I don't really like the 4 star system though...I actually prefer Mother to Dogtooth.

[Bosco B Thug]

I would give it 3 stars myself, but that puts it as one of my favorites of the year still. Yeah, same sad circumstances here probably. I haven't rated a film above the usually-with-reservations score of 8 this year, that's probably why The Social Network remains my 2010 cuddly bear.

[Rowland]

Yeah, same sad circumstances here probably. I haven't rated a film above the usually-with-reservations score of 8 this yearAhh, quit being so hard to please. :P

Seriously though, glad you dug The Oath.

[Boner M]

It was smartly written and I loved how incrementally it built its portrait, with some really expert pay-offs hitting you by the climax, but overall I thought it was a bit limited in range and I echo the emotional distance of Ebert's 3 star response.I saw the film roughly a year and a half ago, so I can't remember as many specifics as I'd like, but I found there to a surprising tenderness to the film, for all its shocks and sadism.
The late image of brother and sister in a loving embrace - as the indirect result of their parents' system falls apart - is rather poignant, and I think a testament to the film's humanist underpinnings.

[soitgoes...]

It's Kind of a Funny Story - mild yay

[NickGlass]

The Illusionist: Yay

I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind, and didn't pay it the most attention, but it charmed me when necessary more than annoyed me.

[Stay Puft]

The Town - yay

[Lazlo]

Rabbit Hole - Yay

[Stay Puft]

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - nay

[Mysterious Dude]

Dogtooth - yay
Enter the Void - yay

[Ezee E]

The opening scenes of Cyrus might've been the funniest scenes I've seen in a movie this year.

Too bad it basically goes downhill after Jonah's first techno scene.

[Weeping_Guitar]

Enter the Void - Nay
Red Hill - Nay
Inspector Bellamy - nay

[Rowland]

The American - minor yay

[Raiders]

Winter's Bone - nay

Uh-oh... I'm going to be charged with starting a backlash, aren't I?

[Spinal]

Winter's Bone - nay

Uh-oh... I'm going to be charged with starting a backlash, aren't I?

Not from me. I liked the performances well enough to be positive about it, but it's far from a great film.

[Derek]

Winter's Bone - nay

Uh-oh... I'm going to be charged with starting a backlash, aren't I?

I'm with ya too Raiders.

[TripZone]

Winter's Bone gave me nothing.

[Rowland]

Winter's Bone - nay

Uh-oh... I'm going to be charged with starting a backlash, aren't I?Go back earlier in the thread to the nay-ish thoughts Derek and I were sharing about the movie. I gave it a mild yay months ago when it was receiving almost unanimous praise, but I've been noticing a mild backlash beginning to brew with its increased exposure.

[Ezee E]

I don't think there was ever an incredible joy for the movie either, just that it was pretty good. Nothing more.

Besides Hawkes and a few Lawrence raves, I'm not seeing many top tens or nominations for it either.

[Rowland]

I'm not seeing many top tens or nominations for it either.Really? (http://www.laweekly.com/filmpoll/view/film/Winter%27s+Bone/2010/) It was a big hit amidst certain online critical circles as well, which was what stirred my initial interest back in the summer.

[Ezee E]

Really? (http://www.laweekly.com/filmpoll/view/film/Winter%27s+Bone/2010/) It was a big hit amidst certain online critical circles as well, which was what stirred my initial interest back in the summer.
I mean among us.

[Lazlo]

Vincere - Nay

[baby doll]

Vincere - NayBoo!

[Pop Trash]

The King's Speech - nay

Firth is great as always, but this is paint-by-numbers cinema. And, yes, the wide angle lenses and off kilter framing is more annoying than inspired. It's like the director watched one too many Gilliam flicks in his youth.

[endingcredits]

Dogtooth - yay

[Spinal]

Dogtooth - despite my reservations, it probably still lands on the side of Yay

[kopello]

The American
Piranha
Catfish

All yays

[MacGuffin]

Dogtooth - despite my reservations, it probably still lands on the side of Yay

Hip hip, hurray!

[Spinal]

Hip hip, hurray!

I don't remember ever struggling more to evaluate a film.

[Lucky]

After.Life - Nay
Black Swan - Yay
Clash of the Titans - Nay
Greenberg- Nay
Iron Man 2 - Nay
The Social Network - Yay
Splice - Nay
Toy Story 3 - Yay

[Weeping_Guitar]

Black Swan - Yay

[EyesWideOpen]

Animal Kingdom - yay

[B-side]

Fair Game - nay

[Sycophant]

The Black Swan - yay
The Fighter - ...nay, I'm afraid

[B-side]

The Strange Case of Angelica - yay

[Winston*]

Black Swan - Yay

[Lazlo]

Red - Yay

[Watashi]

Enter the Void: Nay

[Spinal]

The Illusionist - yes sir

[B-side]

Client 9 - yay

[Boner M]

True Grit - mild yay