28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Qrazy]

D'oh, I mean The Hill. Get those titles confused. Wanna see 'em both equally.

Do so.

[Qrazy]

I've never heard that one before. I did hear the one about the televised moon landing being a fake shoot directed by Kubrick for the U.S. government as a way to win the Cold War.

Qrazy, watch The Hill inmediately. The Fugitive Kind is good too, but it's mostly Brando's show.

So yeah... 3 years later. Good rec. Haha.

[Qrazy]

# Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) - Solid work.
# New York Stories (1989) (segment "Oedipus Wrecks") - Poor work.
# Another Woman (1988) - Mediocre work.
# The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) - Solid work.
# The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) - Average work.
# Black Moon (1975) (director of photography) - Solid work.

He did good work on Conrad Rooks adaptation of Siddhartha also.

[B-side]

Nicely shot in crisp black and white, The Priest and the Girl concerns the arrival of a priest in a very conservative town to bless another priest on his death bed. The dying priest's constituent hustles the blessing along in fear of what happens moments after the new priest's arrival: the confession that sets the narrative in motion, information that shocks the film into focus not 10 minutes in. It turns out both of them have been having sex with an orphaned girl left with one of them during harder times. During the burial procedure, a drunk and erratic man espouses the all too conservative nature of the village, declaring that they've simply resigned themselves to God's will and refuse to be proactive. As it happens, this man, who holds the town's supply of medication, also slept with the girl, who after her father figure insists they marry to cover up the scandal, confesses to the new priest that she doesn't see herself belonging to any of them, but that she's rather infatuated with him. The grip of love on the new priest drives his existential crisis and continued denial of his feelings for her, especially being that she "belongs" to another. She's tainted herself with premarital intercourse, and her sexual identity confounds his spiritual ideal. Torn between being the town's much needed mediator and pursuing his love interest, the priest breaks down and finally gives into the throes of passion, much to the scorn of the witch-hunting villagers. Bergman-esque in its exploration of faith and conviction, though it does lack the introspective resonance of a Bergman, it retains its own quiet power. A good, if not great, film.

[MadMan]

Had Freedom Writers foisted upon me. Not a good movie. I mean, just read the IMDB synopsis:



Yup. It appears I'm the only person that watched it on this site. Nobody's missing out on anything.

I was forced to watch it in some class I took back in college. Your ** rating is correct.

[B-side]

Wyler's Dead End is a wholly solid crime drama. Shot by the masterful Gregg Toland, beautiful crane shots bookend the film, the opening few lowering you into a world in which the rich hover over the poor below, celebrating their wealth while the impoverished fight and envy those above. Wyler affords neither side the benefit of all of his sympathy. The wealthy refuse to be poor at all costs and the poor will do whatever necessary to cease being poor. "Baby Face" Martin wanders about, watching over the gang activity of the young ones, offering advice and smiling when they commit crimes. The kids play gangster games, trying hard to grow up into the world "Baby Face" already exists in. He's rich, and he's murdered people. The kids talk tough, fight and commit petty theft. The dead end street stage is terrific, and as the populous pours in and out of the street, the set feels very lived in and animated. The film's highlights are generally its more intimate moments; watching "Baby Face" face one disappointment after another after returning to his childhood home are the best moments in the film. They're tender and highly effective dramatic pieces.

[StanleyK]

I was forced to watch it in some class I took back in college. Your ** rating is correct.

Hah, same deal with me. I guess it's one of those movies that gives teachers a hard-on, like Dead Poets Society.

[MadMan]

Hah, same deal with me. I guess it's one of those movies that gives teachers a hard-on, like Dead Poets Society.

I've never seen Dead Poet's Society. I'm guessing that I would not like it at all, but since Peter Weir directed it I figured I might as well give it a chance.

[Morris Schæffer]

Well, I love Dead Poets Society. A wonderful cast of young talent, but Robin Williams is amazing too.

[Qrazy]

Joshua Logan's Picnic was sort of interesting but also sort of crap. It vacillates between emotional honesty in relation to the relationships at the film's core (between two sisters, between two old friends and between an older man and woman) and total dramatic contrivance. A lot of scenes are painfully melodramatic and simply don't play well. I fault weak dialogue for some of this but the acting and direction is also part of the problem.

The oddly creepy Neewalloh ceremony in the middle of the film was by far the best part. James Wong Howe (cinematographer) finally had a chance to shine there. I watched this one mostly for him although tangentially for Logan after thoroughly enjoying Paint Your Wagon. I have Body and Soul up next from Howe.

[B-side]

LeRoy's Two Seconds is fire-breathing drama. A conflagration of the 1930s working man's fears. It's clear that Edward G. Robinson was one of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen. Riveting, intense stuff.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Well, I love Dead Poets Society. A wonderful cast of young talent, but Robin Williams is amazing too.

I think it's contrived melodramatic hogwash with an embarrassing central performance and no actual ideas beyond a vague notion of day-siezery that never manifests into anything meaningful. But Robin Williams does those impressions he does, so it's all good.

[Grouchy]

The greatest satisfaction Ramona Reyes (my movie club) has given me so far - the crowd after the end of Sunset Boulevard, speechless and dumbfounded, unable to talk about anything other than the film they'd just seen.

[Morris Schæffer]

I think it's contrived melodramatic hogwash with an embarrassing central performance and no actual ideas beyond a vague notion of day-siezery that never manifests into anything meaningful. But Robin Williams does those impressions he does, so it's all good.

I think it makes its idea very clear, nothing vague about it. And it's one well worth taking into consideration as it is one that is easily forgotten.

[Russ]

Nuit Noire (Olivier Smolders, 2005) PRO

Has anyone else seen this? It's an instant favorite for me, tho I can see how it's obliqueness might be a turnoff to some.

If you truly want to see the future David Lynch, it's Olivier Smolders. Never, ever has a film about African colonial guilt and insects been so captivating. It's Eraserhead meets Microcosmos by way of Heart of Darkness. Absolutely stunning. Hyperbole aside, it's this decade's surreal masterpiece.

[MadMan]

Well I just watched Funny Games (1997). I think this is the first movie in a long time that inspired numerous reactions. Really I'm not even sure if I liked the movie or not, and I'm attempting to gather some thoughts. I will say that I am probably not in either extreme camp (loved it, hated it) but I fall somewhere in the middle, probably.

There are some issues, though.

[

Show Spoiler

The family was bland, and the two creeps were really dull. Maybe that was the point, but if Haneke is looking for extreme reactions he should have really made his characters far more interesting.

Furthermore, having the villains break the third wall wasn't clever, it was really annoying. I didn't care what they had to say-in fact every time they spoke to the audience my response was "I'd give a damn about your opinion if you were not so annoying." Maybe that was the point, too, but I really think it hurt the film.

BTW, this film could have been far more disturbing. Haneke can say that he didn't have go further due to it being a commentary on media violence and the like, but then why have the kid being killed? Or the dad being tortured?

Really though this movie is largely a slasher/bad things happen to people in a cabin on the lake or the woods type movie. The part where Paul chases after the kid was rather masterfully done-quite suspense, really-and the ending was rather chilling. The heavy metal music just made me laugh.

Oh and the remote control scene....look, I get what Haneke was trying to do. That doesn't mean I approve or find it to be anything other than a limp deus ex machina. Someone on IMDB.com's message board for Funny Games made a good point that the remote control scene is really all in Anna's head, that she just imagines that she kills one of them. Still I don't care-it was a terrible scene, and it really hurts the film.

Perhaps I'm more disturbed by the fact that I didn't care if the family lived or not. From the moment that Peter aka Fatty showed up, I guessed that the family was going to die. Sure having the two creeps "win" sends Haneke's point home, yet I would have been fine with Anna killing one of them, thus achieving an empty victory when Paul dumps her in the lake after shooting her husband.

]

Something tells me I'll prefer the remake more. After all, it features American actors, even though it is apparently a [

Show Spoiler

shot for shot remake.

] I imagine that Haneke made it so that some hack director wouldn't go and make a crappy remake that would piss all over his ideas. Fair enough. That said, I'm actually interested in watching his other movies. He clearly has style, interesting things to say, and hey most of Match-cut likes his movies so he must be doing something right.

However people I must admit that Scream (1996) really did this whole horror movie commentary on violence in the media meta thing a little better. It may be not as smart as Funny Games, sure, yet I feel it has just as much to say about the subject.

[Ivan Drago]

Just got back from seeing Battle Royale. That's gonna stick with me for a while.

[Grouchy]

What the fuck is this?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230552/

[B-side]

What the fuck is this?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230552/

A supplement on the Inland Empire DVD. Says it follows it. Maybe deleted scenes or something?

[Yxklyx]

A supplement on the Inland Empire DVD. Says it follows it. Maybe deleted scenes or something?

I have it. Will try to watch it this weekend and report back.

[Russ]

Nuit Noire (Olivier Smolders, 2005) PRO

Has anyone else seen this? It's an instant favorite for me, tho I can see how it's obliqueness might be a turnoff to some.

If you truly want to see the future David Lynch, it's Olivier Smolders. Never, ever has a film about African colonial guilt and insects been so captivating. It's Eraserhead meets Microcosmos by way of Heart of Darkness. Absolutely stunning. Hyperbole aside, it's this decade's surreal masterpiece.

Before this falls into the annals of FDT's back pages, I want to re-emphasize my giddy enthusiasm of this discovery. Rather than try to clumsily put into words my feelings, I want to encourage interested parties (and there are definitely certain people on this site -- and you know who you are -- who really need to see this film) to check out the following review, which nails everything I felt about Black Night and conveys the film's essence brilliantly. I agree with every word of it.

http://www.cinelogue.com/reviews/nuit-noire

Anyone who appreciates amazing surreal imagery and impeccable sound design (again, think Lynch) should make this film a priority.

If you're still not convinced, here's the NSFW trailer:

[youtube]zRgfUnFnndQ[/youtube]

[soitgoes...]

Started to watch it last night, and I had a difficult time with the obvious digital look of the movie. I really wish I could go back to a time when everything was shot on magnificent film stock. I'll try and give it another go today maybe.

[Russ]

I'll try and give it another go today maybe.

I hope you do. Seriously, I don't think you'll regret it.

[MadMan]

Just got back from seeing Battle Royale. That's gonna stick with me for a while.

Your rating for it is the same as mine. I think I watched it last year, or two years ago thanks to Netflix, and I dug the film. Although I'm not a really big fan of how Battle Royale ended, the rest of the movie is engaging and interesting.

[B-side]

Osaka Elegy (Mizoguchi, 1936) ***½

Nice. The other 3 in the box set are even better, so enjoy.