28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Qrazy]

Just watched Homicide. Mamet is an absolutely garbage director. How is this criterion?

[dreamdead]

Rewatched Fincher's The Game for the first time since its release. While absolutely ludicrous on a narrative level (the newscaster's direct address, Douglas's response in the coda), the film remains surprisingly watchable. A lot of that is due to the ease in which Douglas's character navigates from one scenario to the next, and the degree to which the film is willing to allow some reveals early on so that it can continue surprises later. It's the sort of film that works on a revelatory level for beginning film buffs, and is a pleasant diversion amidst more challenging works by Fincher later on.

Interested in the Criterion essay on it, at least.

[Gittes]

Does anyone still believe in this man? I want to believe. Unbreakable, Signs, The Village: Shyamalan used to be reliably great. Long before my cinephilia took off in earnest, I remember him being, along with Spielberg, one of the first filmmakers that really garnered my attention and got me to think more about the idea of an ongoing, directorial body of work.

[Gittes]

Speaking of Spielberg and Shyamalan, I recently came across this:



The comparison was always dubious, even in Shyamalan's heyday, but it's obviously even more preposterous now, given his recent creative and commercial misfires (well, if you consider international revenue, I actually don't think many of his recent films could be considered commercial failures). Still, I find this cover kind of endearing, in a nostalgic way. It reminds me of the time when he fascinated me as a skilled purveyor of exciting, thoughtfully mounted, and supremely compelling thrillers. I remember absorbedly watching the trailer to Signs, and also, the feeling of exhilaration that followed my theatrical viewing. In those days, I would stay up late, raptly listening to Coast to Coast, so Signs definitely appealed to already well entrenched, youthful obsessions. More than that, though, the presentation of the aliens, carefully doled out in creepy and oblique doses, felt hauntingly authentic. It was so long ago, but I can still remember how attuned the audience was to the whole experience. It felt like everyone in the theatre screamed at that remarkable birthday party scene (this was also one of the early indications, for me, of Joaquin Phoenix's tremendous talent).

[Winston*]

Based on that poster and the wiki synopsis, is it supposed to be a comedy?

[Gittes]

The genres listed on its IMDb page are "comedy" and "horror." The trailer is currently attached to Unfriended and will be available online sometime this week, I think. He adopted a found footage aesthetic with this one.

[transmogrifier]

He adopted a found footage aesthetic with this one.

Yippee.

[DavidSeven]

He adopted a found footage aesthetic with this one.

Gross.

[Ezee E]

Does anyone still believe in this man? I want to believe. Unbreakable, Signs, The Village: Shyamalan used to be reliably great. Long before my cinephilia took off in earnest, I remember him being, along with Spielberg, one of the first filmmakers that really garnered my attention and got me to think more about the idea of an ongoing, directorial body of work.

My final pick in the draft!

[Ivan Drago]

The movie will probably suck, but that is an awesome poster.

[baby doll]

Just watched Homicide. Mamet is an absolutely garbage director. How is this criterion?

Obviously the Elders of Zion pulled some strings.

[Spinal]

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is currently sitting at an impressive 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Has Armond White not seen it yet?

[Spun Lepton]

He adopted a found footage aesthetic with this one.

"What a twi --AACK!"

[[ETM]]

Dear God, Cinderella must be the most unnecessary film in recent memory.

[Raiders]

Dear God, Cinderella must be the most unnecessary film in recent memory.

I don't see how it is less necessary than just about every other film. My daughter adored it. Good enough for me.

[dreamdead]

Gina Prince-Bythewood's Beyond the Lights is the kind of midlevel romance that would have been swallowed up by audiences two decades ago, but it seems like this film is more celebrated by critics only. And that's unfortunate. Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker are both attractive and compelling leads; at times the script goes beat-by-beat through overt themes, but the quality of the leads overwhelms any of the predictability. It's more than competent as it's able to articulate a level of character intelligence that these films often neglect.

Surprisingly good, and the kind of film that will make visit Love and Basketball after ignoring it for so many years.

[[ETM]]

I don't see how it is less necessary than just about every other film. My daughter adored it. Good enough for me.

Doesn't add anything to the animated picture, except kitchy excess, some ethnic diversity, and a more often and more bluntly stated moral of the story. I was hoping for something, but found it... empty.

[transmogrifier]

Dear God, Cinderella must be the most unnecessary film in recent memory.

You'll be happy to know there are six Robin Hood movies currently in various stages of pre-production.

[[ETM]]

You'll be happy to know there are six Robin Hood movies currently in various stages of pre-production.

Not to mention the series of Transformers flicks... yeah...

[Pop Trash]

Following my recent and first viewing of Anatomy of a Murder (to put it tersely: wow), I'm in the mood to check out more of Ben Gazzara's work.

Road House, baby.

[Gittes]

The top 10 Canadian films of all time (curated by a selection of "Canadian filmmakers, industry, critics, academics & programmers")

1. Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
Zacharias Kunuk, 2001

2. Mon oncle Antoine
Claude Jutra, 1971

3. The Sweet Hereafter
Atom Egoyan, 1997

4. Léolo
Jean-Claude Lauzon, 1992

5. Jésus de Montréal
Denys Arcand, 1989

6. Goin’ Down the Road
Don Shebib, 1970

7. Dead Ringers
David Cronenberg, 1988

8. C.R.A.Z.Y.
Jean-Marc Vallée, 2005

9. My Winnipeg
Guy Maddin, 2007

10. Stories We Tell
Sarah Polley, 2012

10b. Les Ordres
Michel Brault, 1974

I've seen six of these (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9). This list is missing the Canadian film that I think about most often: Springtime in Greenland (John Paizs, 1981). It's awesome. EDIT: It turns out it is noted in some of the individual lists provided by the academics, critics, etc.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Went to the LACMA yesterday, and by coincidence they were having their 50th anniversary and giving everyone free admission, and by coincidence they had a multi-room exhibition devoted to, are you ready, are you ready, German Expressionism.

Took some pictures, will post when I get home from work.

The attendants were sort of following me, probably because I was the only visitor there that looked giddy instead of stern and thoughtful.

[Dead & Messed Up]

The infamous chair from Caligari.



Concept for buildings from Metropolis.



Can't remember 100%, but I think this is concept for setting in Waxworks.



Mechanics behind the dragon in Nibelungen.



Another setting concept from Metropolis.



Another Caligari.



Character design from Dr. Mabuse.

[Stay Puft]

Wow that stuff is great, damu. I'm mad jelly.

[Ezee E]

Watched an oldie for the first time in a while.

Gene Hackman in The Hunting Party. Some bloody, mean Western movie that could only have gotten made in the 70s. It's horrible, but the sweet thing about the movie is that the main weapon is a long range rifle. The final scene is just two guys taking each other out with them to an overly bloody degree. Everyone dies.

Oh, and Candice Bergman is in it.