28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Qrazy]

Perfect! Ugly Swans it is!

[soitgoes...]

I just watched a wonderful Czech kid's film called Kooky (2010).

Stealing this right now.

[Qrazy]

Stealing this right now.

Cool, very curious to hear what you think. The narrative isn't flawless but the style and atmosphere more than make up for it. There's a wonderful cross cutting sequence about 2/3 of the way through the film also. And the film features the best use of the wilhelm scream in recent memory. :lol:

[Qrazy]

Stealing this right now.

I see you're bingeing on early 20's cinema. How's that going for ya?

[soitgoes...]

I see you're bingeing on early 20's cinema. How's that going for ya?

Some of it is surprisingly good. I wouldn't say I've ignored early twenties cinema, but I definitely have given the last half of the decade more love. I want to slowly move forward to see the changes in the technical innovations as the decade progressed. From Morn to Midnight is the definite winner thus far.

[Dukefrukem]

Someone break this tie please. and this one.

[baby doll]

I just watched a wonderful Czech kid's film called Kooky (2010). Step aside Toy Story, here's a grown up story about lost toys. Kooky is a teddy bear thrown out before his time who is searching for a route home.

[youtube]MBQbkbnj780[/youtube]

So only the trailer is in English, the dialogue in the film itself is Czech. It's a beautifully shot wonderfully fantastic tale filtered transparently (in it's favor) through the mind of a child. The film combines puppeteering, stop motion animation and live action to create it's world. This is a world which incorporates living toys, forest Gods and real animals to create a unique universe inside a magical forest locale. There are many quiet character moments along with plenty of chase and action set pieces. Kooky ranks up there with the best of Jim Henson, Terry Gilliam and other early 80s fantasy adventure makers.

My only major criticism is the end of the film is a little too neat and immediate, but this film is primarily about it's brilliant environment and it delivers that in spades.

The film is available on karagarga.

Cool. I bought this a while back but haven't gotten around to see it.

[Qrazy]

Cool. I bought this a while back but haven't gotten around to see it.

Have you seen any of his other work? I think I will check out Kolya next.

[B-side]

Rewatched Manhattan in HD and what a fantastic film. Can't believe I wasn't as hot on it previously.

[Dukefrukem]

Just one more to decicde on. This closes tomorrow. Need 1 vote.

[Qrazy]

Yep, Manhattan is fantastic, Woody's best. Top five Gordon Willis also.

[Ivan Drago]

Rewatched Manhattan in HD and what a fantastic film. Can't believe I wasn't as hot on it previously.

Holy fucking shit.

I gotta get this on blu-ray.

[Russ]

Surviving Life (Theory and Practice) (Jan Svankmajer, 2010) PRO -

I'm not the biggest Svankmajer fan around and the reason for that is because I find much of his material to skew towards the grotesque and ugly. Aesthetically, you have to take the not-so-appealing stuff with the often wondrous material, and it frequently leaves me cold, if not underwhelmed. Perhaps that's why I've only just now decided to try one of his feature film releases. What I've read leads me to believe that this film breaks away, somewhat, from its predecessors. There's, whimsy, true comedic moments, and a generally light-hearted touch, plus the movie is actually quite accessible. Without having seen Alice, Little Otik, Faust, et al., I'd have to believe this one would probably come closest to the daunting title of "crowning achievement" (may I someday be proven wrong).



It tells the story of a man who is captivated by a woman who appears in his dreams. His obsession leads to his many attempts to induce the same dreamstate, as he deals with his suspicious wife and his arrogant psychoanalyst. As a tale that debates and mocks the merits of Freudian and Jungian theories, it surprisingly brings a great deal of insight to the table in relaying the real purposes of the dreams. Plus, the pictorial bickering of the two titans (don't ask) is a real hoot. I don't think this one is readily available yet, but when it is don't hesitate to give it a look. Oh, it still has its fair share of grotesqueries, mind you. They're just minimized, and featured in a much more appealing package this time around.

[Qrazy]

Russ and his smut. :P

I'd say I like Alice the most closely followed by Little Otik and then Faust a bit further along. His features are interesting but hit or miss. I tend to prefer his shorts overall.

[Watashi]

I cannot unsee that.

[MadMan]

The Asphalt Jungle (1950) is a rather well crafted and entertaining film noir, with a really good cast. Huston properly captures classic desperation onscreen, and its the fact that people turn to crime since they have no choice that truly drives film noir in the first place. Jungle is also fairly well written, too, and expertly directed by Huston.

Any Given Sunday (1999) reflects why I love the game of football so much, and it has not only a fantastic cast but is also an excellent mediation upon what the game means to all involved in it as well. The fact that movie has a 50% RT just means that sometimes disregarding the critics is a good idea.

[baby doll]

Any Given Sunday (1999) reflects why I love the game of football so much, and it has not only a fantastic cast but is also an excellent mediation upon what the game means to all involved in it as well. The fact that movie has a 50% RT just means that sometimes disregarding the critics is a good idea.

I haven't seen this, but Mike D'Angelo's review is probably the best thing he's ever written.

[Dukefrukem]

How long till someone says that above image should be spoiler tagged?

[Pop Trash]

Has anyone seen the Iranian movie Circumstance? Just curious if it was worth watching at all? Beyond the obvious selling point of hot oppressed lesbian action.

[MadMan]

I haven't seen this, but Mike D'Angelo's review is probably the best thing he's ever written.

I found it, and even if I hated the movie I would have thought his review as being cloy, unfunny, and more over the top than the actual movie itself. Since I liked the movie, I'm starting to think he is not a football fan.

[Russ]

How long till someone says that above image should be spoiler tagged?

Ha ha. Which one? Chicken tits or Lady cow tongue?

[dreamdead]

Mohsen Makhmalbaf's Gabbeh is an undeniably beautiful film, and the magic realist moment are aweome, but I found it dispiritingly slight in its thematic focus. Certainly its focus on the torment of women toward any foreigner has symbolic weight, but its treatment of the fable plays so typical in its suffering that I wanted a narrative reversal or added dimension; something to up the ante. It's a good film, but I still see Kiarostami as doing more interesting narrative and political work.

Equally depressing is that I've still only seen Jafar Panahi's Offside.

[Qrazy]

Mohsen Makhmalbaf's Gabbeh is an undeniably beautiful film, and the magic realist moment are aweome, but I found it dispiritingly slight in its thematic focus. Certainly its focus on the torment of women toward any foreigner has symbolic weight, but its treatment of the fable plays so typical in its suffering that I wanted a narrative reversal or added dimension; something to up the ante. It's a good film, but I still see Kiarostami as doing more interesting narrative and political work.

Equally depressing is that I've still only seen Jafar Panahi's Offside.

The White Balloon asap.

I preferred Kandahar to Gabbeh but didn't love either. I think that A Moment of Innocence and The Cyclist are most likely Makhmalbaf's best.

[Derek]

The White Balloon asap.

Agreed, though given dd's fascination for the treatment of women in film, I'd recommend The Circle first.

[B-side]

*cough* My review of A Geisha *cough*