28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Ivan Drago]

I have no excuse as to why I haven't seen Saving Private Ryan for the first time until now. That is one of the best directed films, and one of the best films, in general, that I've ever seen.

[B-side]

In the tradition of Buñuel's The Exterminating Angel, The Idlers of the Fertile Valley is a leisurely paced social satire of wealth-induced inaction. After his brother dies and leaves the family a big country mansion, a man takes his three sons there for a holiday. Sloth soon takes over and they all begin sleeping more and more and eating less. The virtue of the family's wealth gives them license to do pretty much nothing but molest the maid and sleep and resent those who'd dare do more. "What is there to do outside?" is spoken several times in response to the notion of leaving the comfort of their new home. After what I can only assume is several months, or perhaps even a few years, and after the father had begun being catered to in his bed despite there being nothing wrong with him, his penis literally turns into a giant tumor, which gives way to a rather amusing scene in which the maid grabs the prop and deflates it like a bean bag as two of his sons look on in forced concern masking near anhedonia-level indifference. The maid becomes almost like a domesticated animal, sticking around to care for the men despite them calling her a slut and whore and generally treating her poorly. She assists them around the house, cleans up the house, fixes dinner and occasionally has sex with a few of them, but she's in love with the youngest one who is the only one interested in getting a job. The father and other two sons insult and criticize him, claiming he's needlessly worrying and disgracing the family. The end offers some relief from the constant suffocation of the musty interior of the mansion. It's not as inventive or interesting as Buñuel's satires of a similar nature, but it is good.

[Bosco B Thug]

Ophuls’ film is based on a play of the same name, that was about class and the spreading of syphilis through a series of rencontres sexuelles. Sounds like an absolute riot. Ophuls drops the disease, and most of the class issues in his interpretation of the work.

AW!

La Ronde is formally exquisite, though I'm sure many feel similarly with me about the film's conceit, which, while finely observed, is just barely interesting. It's kind of like a (500) Days of Summer of the day - too many clever answers, not enough open-ended questions.

[Pop Trash]

I have no excuse as to why I haven't seen Saving Private Ryan for the first time until now. That is one of the best directed films, and one of the best films, in general, that I've ever seen.

As a first time viewer, what really blew you away about it? I'm genuinely curious.

[B-side]

Consider me pleasantly surprised to have loved this as much as I did. Elliptical and with an emphasis on sound akin to that of Bresson, Kairat is a minimalist tale of a young man attempting to become a bus conductor in the city and his relationship with his first love. The film begins with a small act of defiance from a rural boy; he throws a rock at a window in a passing train, and the shattering of that window introduces us to Kairat, the titular student. Trains are frequent throughout the film. They are, after all, one of the first major additions to a developing nation. They represent the urbanization of the land and are the catalyst for the mass emigration to the big cities. Kairat is full of subdued emotion and simple sublimity. It's quietly political and moves between dream and reality absolutely seamlessly in terms of tone, imbuing the film with a certain elusive ambiguity with touches of the bizarre. This is just terrific cinema.

[Spun Lepton]

I've watched the first two parts of the Carlos miniseries off the Sundance channel, currently streaming on Netflix Instant. Each episode is an entire movie, with the third and final one clocking in at almost 2.5 hours.

So far it's fucking excellent. The 2nd one was riveting.

I appreciate the intellectual honesty they display, too. There's a message at the beginning of each episode stating that it's the result of research and that they have fictionalized many of Carlos the Jackal's personal relationships.

[Dukefrukem]

So I guess there are defective Blu-rays of Sunshine. "Sunshine" has been unplayable on Blu-ray because its picture-in-picture viewing mode cannot be disabled. Therefor during certain parts of the movie, the behind the scenes PiP mode will start playing over the main scene. Bummer. Really wanted to watch this over the weekend. I guess FOX replaces these Blu-rays on their customer support line.

[Henry Gale]

So I guess there are defective Blu-rays of Sunshine. "Sunshine" has been unplayable on Blu-ray because its picture-in-picture viewing mode cannot be disabled. Therefor during certain parts of the movie, the behind the scenes PiP mode will start playing over the main scene. Bummer. Really wanted to watch this over the weekend. I guess FOX replaces these Blu-rays on their customer support line.

Well, I think this was a problem back when it came out with Blu-ray players that didn't have internet capabilities to properly update the necessary firmware (since at the time, it was still working out kinks that HD-DVD didn't have to). Not sure why it wouldn't work now, especially if you have a newer, or at least up-to-date player.

[Dukefrukem]

Well, I think this was a problem back when it came out with Blu-ray players that didn't have internet capabilities to properly update the necessary firmware (since at the time, it was still working out kinks that HD-DVD didn't have to). Not sure why it wouldn't work now, especially if you have a newer, or at least up-to-date player.

It's a defect with the disc. You can't update firmware on the disc.

[B-side]

So, I kinda loved Crank: High Voltage. Extended thoughts here.

[Ivan Drago]

Now, I love watching stupid movies as much as the next guy, but when you're a film like Rubber, and take yourself seriously on your absurdity, and even tell your audience your film is absurd, it just takes all the fun out of watching something completely stupid. It's very well shot, and what there is of a score from Mr. Oizo is awesome, though.

So, I kinda loved Crank: High Voltage. Extended thoughts here.

There's a perfect example of doing absurdity in film correctly.

[Sven]

So, I kinda loved Crank: High Voltage. Extended thoughts here.

No American flag?

[B-side]

No American flag?

Heh. Those are re-posted from another thread for a different forum. Tried to spice up the presentation a bit for it.:P

I knew it would please you that I enjoyed it so much. I live to please you.

[StanleyK]

I don't know, I really enjoyed the first Crank, but High Voltage seemed mostly ugly and depressing to me. As crazy as the first one was, it was still executed with some manner of restraint, which is much more engaging than the second film's completely random insanity; it certainly doesn't have any gags as clever as the one when Chelios' girlfriend refuses to bring him to climax, so he walks out of the car and caps some bad guys.

[StanleyK]

Cantet's Time Out was pretty damn good. The man sure knows how to frame and edit a conversation to get the most out of his actors; he slips into some more conventional patterns some times, but they're forgivable because of wonderful moments like Vincent's monologue with his wife slightly out of focus in the background, or when during a trek in the snow he turns around and briefly thinks he's lost her. The ending was a bit underwhelming, though. I'm still kind of ambivalent, but I'm pretty sure ending with the penultimate scene would have been more appropriate and impactful. Still, a really damn good movie overall.

[Sven]

I knew it would please you that I enjoyed it so much.

It does. But your assessment of the first as fluff is no good. Also, the first one introduces the video game angle, not sure how you missed it.

[B-side]

It does. But your assessment of the first as fluff is no good. Also, the first one introduces the video game angle, not sure how you missed it.

You're probably right. I haven't watched it since I saw it in theaters.

[Dukefrukem]

Now, I love watching stupid movies as much as the next guy, but when you're a film like Rubber, and take yourself seriously on your absurdity, and even tell your audience your film is absurd, it just takes all the fun out of watching something completely stupid. It's very well shot, and what there is of a score from Mr. Oizo is awesome, though.



There's a perfect example of doing absurdity in film correctly.

Oh come on. The film was made for no reason. a 4???

[B-side]

it certainly doesn't have any gags as clever as the one when Chelios' girlfriend refuses to bring him to climax, so he walks out of the car and caps some bad guys.

I think it does. The draining implant deflating the masculinity of the shootout. The insert of the Greek statue when Chelios says Doc is speaking Greek because he doesn't understand it. The sex on the horse track, and the blurring during. Chelios rubbing against Chester Bennington. It's funny.

[Spun Lepton]

Quick ratings breakdown for the Carlos miniseries ...

Part 1 -- 7/10
Part 2 -- 8/10
Part 3 -- 6/10

Part 3 felt overlong, and there were one or two exposition-y scenes in the last 45 minutes. Overall total miniseries, though, is worth a look.

[Dead & Messed Up]

So, I kinda loved Crank: High Voltage. Extended thoughts here.

Cool review. You talk about how it's a video game movie, and I'm wondering if you can elaborate on that a bit. Obviously there's the life-meter restoration parallel in both films, which adrenaline in the first and electricity in the second. The eight-bit titles also. Do you see more parallels? I agree that the connection exists, but the films seem more like a deconstruction of modern action in general - one step beyond cheeky half-kidders like Shoot 'em Up and Torque.

[Ivan Drago]

Oh come on. The film was made for no reason. a 4???

Yep. As I said in my earlier post, to literally state "This is absurd for the sake of being absurd" takes the fun out of watching it.

[Rowland]

And it clearly isn't just absurd for the sake of absurd when it makes such a literalized point of itself as such, and ends with as blatant a pointed mission statement of sorts as the final image featuring a certain famous sign; it's very much a self-reflexive film about the audience and the cinema made for them. Too bad then that its sledgehammer philosophizing plays as both overly simplified and muddled in its approach and perspective. The best material is ironically the stuff that is played the straightest.

[Dukefrukem]

Yep. As I said in my earlier post, to literally state "This is absurd for the sake of being absurd" takes the fun out of watching it.

He was playing with the real audience. It's not for a few seconds do you realize there's a fake audience in the movie. It's borderline breaking through the 4th wall and gets viewers to contemplate the movie's theme and how not to rationalize certain elements of the movie.

I thought that was a neat idea.

[Rowland]

I prefer the first Crank, though I've admittedly seen that close to half a dozen times whereas I've only seen High Voltage once, so I may feel differently with repeat viewings of the latter. Both are wonderful, and I dug Gamer as well, though that one struck me as incompetently edited.