28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Dead & Messed Up]

I just watched an excellent film on Instant called Klute. It stars Donald Sutherland as a small-town private investigator. He's checking up on a lead regarding a dead man, and it leads him to Jane Fonda, who plays a prostitute. Some of the story beats are familiar (an attraction challenges Fonda's worldview), but it's shot with a deliberate pace and eye for composition that's more than welcome. At times, it reminded me of Powell's Peeping Tom, although Klute is more of a low-key drama/romance with thriller elements. I suspect more time was spent on Fonda's life as a call girl than on Sutherland's investigation. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'd give it a B+ or A-, somewhere around there. Confident, involving stuff.

[MadMan]

I keep noting that Netflix recommends Klute to me, but I just haven't been in the mood to watch it. Eventually I'll get around to it, along with the 50 some other movies/TV shows in my Instant Viewing queue, which is far larger than my rental queue.

[Qrazy]

I found Klute to be interestingly made in places but ultimately kind of bland. I do love me some Jane Fonda though.

[kuehnepips]

I just watched an excellent film on Instant called Klute.

Hell, I watched this when it came out and loved it madly. I'll watch it again, just to check my feelings now. Thanks for reminding DaMU!

[Kurosawa Fan]

I found Klute to be interestingly made in places but ultimately kind of bland. I do love me some Jane Fonda though.

Exactly how I felt. I watched in on Netflix recently too.

[Grouchy]

Well I'm on a roll, lately. In The Loop is not only funny and features bitting political satire, its also contains the best screenplay and writting out of all the 2009 movies I've seen so far. This is Wag the Dog, only funnier, better characters, and its actually a great movie that has political relevence as well. Also along with A Serious Man it has the distinction of being the only other 2009 movie to receive a 100, although I'm sure there's a 3rd one out there somewhere.

Appreciation seconded. It's a great, funny film.

Watched both first parts of Karate Kid back to back yesterday. The idea of a remake seems now even more ridiculous. Not that they're masterpieces, but it's just that there's nothing to add and Smith's kid is an annoying punk next to Macchio. Of course, the first one is way cooler. The second one was actually better than I remembered, except for a couple of details, like the unnecessary (and long) prologue and the cheesy fact that Japanese characters in Japan speak English amongst themselves. I was never too taken with that Hollywood convention.

[MadMan]

Appreciation seconded. It's a great, funny film.

Lines such as "You're now my Kute Kinte" resulted in myself thinking "This douchebag is a hilarious but evil bastard." The exchange between Malcolm and the General is also classic, along with Malcolm constantly and endlessly giving Simon verbal beatings. Some of the film's moments were painful and awkward to watch, which made them all the more funnier.

[dreamdead]

A rewatch of Laughton's Night of the Hunter helped turn my ambivalence around on the film. Although the child actors for John and Ruby frequently grate and cannot adopt what we would call naturalistic acting, nor, for that matter, does Mitchum but his is a successfully stylized portrait of evil, the film nonetheless is anchored by a childlike simplicity of good and vice, one which Laughton builds out in the orchestrated stylistics of the filmmaking. One danger I noticed this time is that all of the women, save for Mrs. Hooper, are preternaturally weak-minded and given to falling for evil's designs. That kind of Biblical imagery might actually fit here, but it's still problematic and unable to suggest any positive sexual feminine energy.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Tokyo Sonata is perhaps not the ribald critique of Tokyo materialistic excess (as Kairo manages to be), but it maintains a grace and artistry whereby it transcends its formulaic beginnings of chronicling each family member's descent into darkness. There is an odd beat or two when the mother goes on her lark with Koji Yakusho, but those moments are countered by the chilling unease that Kurosawa generates when the father investigates the scene of his laid-off friend's murder/suicide and observes the wreckage fostered by such deceit. The music and distance of the camera provide a telling glimpse into what waits for this family, if they don't step back from the darkness. Overall, it's quite a quality feature, and suggests new avenues that Kurosawa will hopefully continue to explore...

[Skitch]

After rewatching the Aeon Flux series, and now watching the film, I'm finding the film more acceptable than I previously thought.

[balmakboor]

Just watched Tony Manero. Holy cow! That's got to be something like the ultimate anti-hero movie, essentially about a guy who will stop at nothing in pursuit of his dream. I liked it though. The main actor was like an aging Al Pacino from hell.

[Sven]

The wife watched What's Eating Gilbert Grape and gave it only one star on Netflix. I love her.

[balmakboor]

This is great news.

Eclipse Series 24: The Actuality Dramas of Allan King

I've been wanting to see his stuff, especially Warrendale and A Married Couple for ages.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence and The Thin Red Line weren't exactly surprises.

[Glass Co.]

I'm seeing The Room on the big screen this Friday. I'm far more excited about this than I should be.

[Stay Puft]

I'm going to be in Toronto for the rest of the week. I was looking up movie listings to see if there was anything worth checking out while I was there. I wasn't seeing much, other than Exit Through the Gift Shop, which I'll probably see once I get there as I might be waiting around for a friend. But then...

Winter's Bone opens in Toronto this weekend.

Hell yes. This has made my week.

[baby doll]

I'm going to be in Toronto for the rest of the week. I was looking up movie listings to see if there was anything worth checking out while I was there. I wasn't seeing much, other than Exit Through the Gift Shop, which I'll probably see once I get there as I might be waiting around for a friend. But then...

Winter's Bone opens in Toronto this weekend.

Hell yes. This has made my week.

Bloor Cinema, tomorrow: Les Quatre cents coups at seven, and La Nuit americaine at nine. You can thank me later.

[Spun Lepton]

I'm seeing The Room on the big screen this Friday. I'm far more excited about this than I should be.

Does the concept of a lava enema also excite you?

[Derek]

Does the concept of a lava enema also excite you?

Clearly spoken by someone who knows nothing of The Room-theatrical experiences or who enjoys hot liquid shot up his backside.

[Spun Lepton]

Clearly spoken by someone who knows nothing of The Room-theatrical experiences or who enjoys hot liquid shot up his backside.

I've seen large chunks of The Room when they aired it on Adult Swim. I 've seen enough to know that it's bad. And not good-bad, but bad-bad. :P

[Qrazy]

So I was thinking of going to see Toy Story 3 when it came out... but then I realized that the theater that used to have half-day tuesdays which I was going to go to no longer does that. So, cost to see Toy Story 3 in a regular sized theater in 3D? 17.50

You've got to be kidding me.

[BuffaloWilder]

I'm gonna take a girl to The Room - just to see what happens.

[MadMan]

So I was thinking of going to see Toy Story 3 when it came out... but then I realized that the theater that used to have half-day tuesdays which I was going to go to no longer does that. So, cost to see Toy Story 3 in a regular sized theater in 3D? 17.50

You've got to be kidding me.

There are a limited number of movies out there I would consider paying 17.50 to see in the theater. All of my Top 10, and maybe a dozen others, but that's probably about it. Toy Story 3, as much as I love the series, wouldn't be one of those. Yikes.

Someday I'll post my Night of the Hunter review in my blog. I figure since I don't work Saturday and Sunday, I'll spend that time drinking, watching movies and working on the massive review backlog. I've got to start putting new reviews I write on a computer....

[Watashi]

You don't have to see it in 3D.

[Philosophe_rouge]

So I was thinking of going to see Toy Story 3 when it came out... but then I realized that the theater that used to have half-day tuesdays which I was going to go to no longer does that. So, cost to see Toy Story 3 in a regular sized theater in 3D? 17.50

You've got to be kidding me.

Go before noon on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and you'll get a reduced price

[Yxklyx]

I thought I had seen all of Hitchcock's good films - I missed out on Stage Fright. Very enjoyable little film - lots of interesting nuances here and there.

[Qrazy]

Go before noon on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and you'll get a reduced price

Yeah but I found that it was incredibly rare to find films with showtimes before noon. Do they do it for the big new releases?