28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Ivan Drago]

In a theater about to see My Neighbor Totoro and Whisper of the Heart for the first time. Can't wait!

[Spinal]

In a theater about to see My Neighbor Totoro and Whisper of the Heart for the first time. Can't wait!

Great double feature.

[Spinal]

Been watching a lot of Bill Murray movies with my son. We watched the two Ghostbusters movies, as well as Little Shop of Horrors.

Last night, we watched Groundhog Day and I was reminded how one particular sequence elevates the movie in my mind.

It's this ...

[youtube]7NjNOAncIlI[/youtube]

... particularly those last few moments.

It gives the movie just the right amount of poignancy to balance out some of the comic flippancy elsewhere. Not sure if it's an all-time great film, but it's fun to break out every once in a while.

[Pop Trash]

My appreciation for Groundhog Day has only gone up over the years. Its temporal trickiness predates Pulp Fiction, Memento, and Eternal Sunshine. It also does it all in a relaxed, romantic comedy atmosphere that's never flashy and totally sticks its landing by never over explaining (or even really explaining at all) the "why?" of the concept. So great.

[transmogrifier]

Groundhog Day is superb, and proof that even the least talented of directors can still produce a beauty if all other circumstances line up perfectly.

[Ivan Drago]

Great double feature.

It sure was. Studio Ghibli has to be ran by a God.

Then again God already works there, and his name is Hayao Miyazaki.

[Ezee E]

Groundhog Day is one of my favorites. I can watch it at any time, in any mood.

And cow version of Alien 3? Wha?

[Idioteque Stalker]

Seeing Sunrise tomorrow on the big screen with live organ accompaniment. I expect the pig to be epic.

[MadMan]

Last year when Encore aired 24 Hours of Groundhog's Day I recognized just how great that movie really is. Its probably up there when it comes to 90s comedies imo, and it also features one of Murray's best performances.

My favorite part is when he goes joyriding with the two drunks, followed by what happens when he realizes that he can't die, and that whatever he does won't matter since when he wakes up the day just starts all over ago. Well that entire scene and when he kidnaps the groundhog, which is just utterly hilarious. "Don't drive angry."

[EyesWideOpen]

I'm slowly watching through my blu-ray collection in order since I keep getting movies and then never watching them (or rewatching them if the case may be). I'm going through all the one's I haven't watched ever or that I haven't watched since buying on blu-ray.

[MadMan]

When I finally make the switch to blu-ray I'll probably only buy favorite movies/movies that crack my best movies of all time list. Although there are just some films that the blu ray transfer doesn't improve at all in terms of visuals, like many comedies or some dramas. A film like Apocalypse Now should be seen in blu ray (and I have viewed it in that format) where as say, Blazing Saddles, doesn't really benefit as much.

[Spinal]

Another thing about Groundhog Day is that it's really not all that funny. And yet it works anyway.

[Rowland]

In addition to watching Gareth Evans' amazing The Raid: Redemption last night, I preceded it with something of a palate cleanser with a Steven Seagal direct-to-video release I was inspired to watch thanks to a hilarious review in Vern's compulsively readable trash cinema opus, Seagology. The film was predictably terrible, and yet exceedingly watchable for its almost surreal gonzo ineptitude. Just watch this, and keep in mind that Seagal is playing a Yale University archeology professor, out looking for clues to solve some stupid, incomprehensible mystery to avenge his murdered wife, naturally:

[youtube]QTU9avrxGmI[/youtube]

[Irish]

Another thing about Groundhog Day is that it's really not all that funny.

Are you sure about that?*

[youtube]xkW_ZkMtmlQ[/youtube]

What distinguishes it from most other adult comedies is that it's got multiple subplots & actually something to say. It's also particularly well formed (the third act is as strong as the first).

The only thing that mars it is the unfortunate presence of Andie McDowell in a leading role.

* Still can't believe that Tobolowsky is in this movie for under 5 minutes.

[Pop Trash]

The only thing that mars it is the unfortunate presence of Andie McDowell in a leading role.

Ouch. I knew someone would bring this up, but I disagree. Then again my opinion is completely biased since I have a giant crush on early 90s McDowell.

[Spinal]

Yeah, McDowell's a pretty bad actress. She's worse in Short Cuts though.

[Chac Mool]

A few recent viewings. Comments welcome.

GEORGE WASHINGTON (DAVID GORDON GREEN, 2000)
Ode to rust: the coming of age movie as poetry. The melancholy pace, sensual photography, near-constant music combine with the decaying southern town setting to create a remarkable mood and a distinct feeling of a place not so much in time but forgotten by it. The writing behind this mood is rather more hit and miss: the elusive, drifting nature of the plot actually works rather well, but the recurring voice-overs and a few of the plot twists feel a little too willfully obtuse. Still, the film is given a genuine emotional undercurrent by a cadre of largely non-professional actors, and grows in retrospect. [***]

NETWORK (SIDNEY LUMET, 1976)
Surprising in many ways: in how scathingly it attacks the patina of network television (and, to a large extend, its devoted audiences) to expose the hollowness beneath; in how modern the film feels, with its self-referential, almost meta- dialogue, which would seem at home in a Charlie Kaufman or Aaron Sorkin screenplay; and in how well its scenes, characters and themes translate to some of today’s societal issues (it’s not too much of a leap to replace newsmen with bankers). The actors all standout -- although Dunaway is particularly delicious as the ultimate career woman -- and the work behind the camera is unobtrusive but outstanding. [***½]

EDIT: the "I'm mad as hell..." line is naturally the most famous, but a couple of other turns of phrase stayed with me; in particular, Max's last monologue to Diana, culminating in "You're television incarnate." is particularly awesome.

PIRANHA 3DD (JOHN GULARGER, 2012)
They managed to make a movie about tits, piranhas and waterslides boring. [½, for the tits]

PROMETHEUS (RIDLEY SCOTT, 2012)
A film whose subjective worth will likely depend on one’s willingness to overlook a script whose details are, at best, clunky (and whose holes are occasionally massive) in favor of an ambitious thematic and storytelling scope, a truly spectacular production led by one of the best visual directors in the world and a few potentially iconic moments. Poor writing elevated by great filmmaking, or a great film brought down by poor writing? I’m not sure, but movies of this magnitude don’t come by too often, and that counts for something. [***]

[Bosco B Thug]

Flight of the Red Balloon: Now I don't know what I want. Halfway through 'Flight' I began to long for Millennium Mambo's grim narrative direction. Less consequential, but more engaging.

The Weeping Meadow & La belle noiseuse: Eh. Long.

Les Bonnes Femmes: I shall get along with Chabrol.

[transmogrifier]

.....(RIDLEY SCOTT, 2012)
......one of the best visual directors in the world....

I will never understand why so many otherwise rational people believe this.

[NickGlass]

Been watching a lot of Bill Murray movies with my son. We watched the two Ghostbusters movies, as well as Little Shop of Horrors.

His cameo in Horrors is fun. A 35mm print of LSOH just screened in Brooklyn, with Frank Oz in attendance, and I was so charmed. It has such impressive puppetry and irresistibly dorky moxie--it also helps that I have never seen a stage version to compare it to.

[Spinal]

Last night's Bill Murray entry was Scrooged. I can only assume that people who like this have not seen it since they were 14.

[Pop Trash]

I will never understand why so many otherwise rational people believe this.

He is probably in the higher echelon of bigger budget directors visually speaking. Somewhere below Spielberg and Jackson, mostly below Cameron, definitely above Star Wars prequel era Lucas and all Michael Bay.

[Izzy Black]

Flight of the Red Balloon: Now I don't know what I want. Halfway through 'Flight' I began to long for Millennium Mambo's grim narrative direction. Less consequential, but more engaging.

Well Mambo is the better film. Flight is very elliptical.

The Weeping Meadow & La belle noiseuse: Eh. Long.

Ugh, that's it?! Nothing else to say?

[Izzy Black]

He is probably in the higher echelon of bigger budget directors visually speaking. Somewhere below Spielberg and Jackson, mostly above Cameron, definitely above Star Wars prequel era Lucas and all Michael Bay.

Well that's a pretty significant qualification from "one of the best visual directors in the world." Personally I'd put him above Bay and that's just about it.

[Pop Trash]

Well that's a pretty significant qualification from "one of the best visual directors in the world." Personally I'd put him above Bay and that's just about it.

I meant to say "mostly below Cameron." Edited. From a visual standpoint I think I like Prometheus better than Avatar. Maybe.