The 'Identify A Movie For Me' Thread 2 - Identify Harder

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Cinema Discusso > The 'Identify A Movie For Me' Thread 2 - Identify Harder

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fenix down: Jan 12, 2005

teknetik posted:

This is gonna be vague as hell, but this film was about invaders from out of space who disguise themselves as humans (not 'V'). It revolves around a teenager-type who finds out. I know one scene involves him letting go of a frog while he was in class.

Yea, it's a lovely description but that frog scene was all I remember. I think it was from '80-90's.

This one comes up a lot, but the name escapes me at the moment.

# ? Jan 11, 2011 21:12

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# ? May 31, 2024 04:39

Action Andy: Feb 5, 2007; Out From Animals

teknetik posted:

This is gonna be vague as hell, but this film was about invaders from out of space who disguise themselves as humans (not 'V'). It revolves around a teenager-type who finds out. I know one scene involves him letting go of a frog while he was in class.

Yea, it's a lovely description but that frog scene was all I remember. I think it was from '80-90's.

Are you sure this isn't ET?

# ? Jan 11, 2011 21:34

Slasherfan: Dec 2, 2003; IS IT WRONG THAT I ONCE WROTE A HORROR STORY ABOUT THE BUDDIES? YOU KNOW, THE TALKING PUPPIES?

teknetik posted:

This is gonna be vague as hell, but this film was about invaders from out of space who disguise themselves as humans (not 'V'). It revolves around a teenager-type who finds out. I know one scene involves him letting go of a frog while he was in class.

Yea, it's a lovely description but that frog scene was all I remember. I think it was from '80-90's.

This isn't Invaders From Mars again is it?

# ? Jan 11, 2011 21:39

Abugadu: Jul 12, 2004; 1st Sgt. Matthews and the men have Procured for me a cummerbund from a traveling gypsy, who screeched Victory shall come at a Terrible price. i am Honored.

Action Andy posted:

Are you sure this isn't ET?

That'd be my guess too. Alternatively, a bit of a longer shot, The Faculty?

# ? Jan 12, 2011 05:03

That70sHeidi: Aug 16, 2009

This is a ridiculous long shot, but if I know goons, I know you guys like this type of thing.

Mainly I'm looking for an actor who looks a bit like Ron Livingston from Office Space, but actually attractive. He's not headliner famous or anything, but he's one of Those Actors that pops up and you go "Oh yeeeeah!" I had his name the other day and was going to look up the movie but forgot to write the name down and bam, gone.

The scene I remember seeing in a commercial possibly recently is the generic airport love scene, where he is coming off the plane (or getting on, unrequited?) and the woman is standing there all emotionally turmoiled or some such. I would swear it was a Katherine Heigl movie, but in looking at both her and Sandra Bullocks IMDB pages, nothing clicked.

It was a romcom, I'm pretty sure, but I don't think it really starred anyone terribly famous or was a very good/popular movie. It's completely frustrating me.

# ? Jan 15, 2011 03:02

teknetik: Jan 13, 2010; SO
JEWISH

Slasherfan posted:

This isn't Invaders From Mars again is it?

This was it, thanks. I didn't realize it's been asked for numerous times already, I forgot how excruciating the opening credits were.

# ? Jan 15, 2011 05:20

Pweller: Jan 25, 2006; Whatever whateva.

That70sHeidi posted:

This is a ridiculous long shot, but if I know goons, I know you guys like this type of thing.

Mainly I'm looking for an actor who looks a bit like Ron Livingston from Office Space, but actually attractive. He's not headliner famous or anything, but he's one of Those Actors that pops up and you go "Oh yeeeeah!" I had his name the other day and was going to look up the movie but forgot to write the name down and bam, gone.

The scene I remember seeing in a commercial possibly recently is the generic airport love scene, where he is coming off the plane (or getting on, unrequited?) and the woman is standing there all emotionally turmoiled or some such. I would swear it was a Katherine Heigl movie, but in looking at both her and Sandra Bullocks IMDB pages, nothing clicked.

It was a romcom, I'm pretty sure, but I don't think it really starred anyone terribly famous or was a very good/popular movie. It's completely frustrating me.

Paul Rudd, Jason Lee?

# ? Jan 15, 2011 08:26

Captain Magic: Apr 4, 2005; Yes, we have feathers--but the muscles of men.

Okay, I got a hard one. It's a cartoon. I watched it probably twenty years ago on television, but I'm fairly sure it was a movie (though I could be mistaken). The only real elements of it I remember are that it has an older brother and a younger sister traveling in some odd world. The older brother gets his hands on a gun that can turn people into sort of puppetized versions of themselves (they may have called them dolls, or dummies, or puppets, I don't recall but I'm fairly sure it's one of those three).

I had to stop watching after the older brother went a little power crazy, and ended up having the gun turned on himself. All hope looked lost for the young girl, lost in a dangerous place...and then I didn't see anymore. I think there was like a big, evil wizard/sorcerer type they were running from, but that is really foggy. Anybody have any clue?

Captain Magic fucked around with this message at 11:26 on Jan 15, 2011

# ? Jan 15, 2011 11:23

Arturo Ui: Apr 14, 2005; Forums Bosch Expert

Captain Magic posted:

Okay, I got a hard one. It's a cartoon. I watched it probably twenty years ago on television, but I'm fairly sure it was a movie (though I could be mistaken). The only real elements of it I remember are that it has an older brother and a younger sister traveling in some odd world. The older brother gets his hands on a gun that can turn people into sort of puppetized versions of themselves (they may have called them dolls, or dummies, or puppets, I don't recall but I'm fairly sure it's one of those three).

I had to stop watching after the older brother went a little power crazy, and ended up having the gun turned on himself. All hope looked lost for the young girl, lost in a dangerous place...and then I didn't see anymore. I think there was like a big, evil wizard/sorcerer type they were running from, but that is really foggy. Anybody have any clue?

It sounds like Unico in the Island of Magic.

# ? Jan 15, 2011 16:38

That70sHeidi: Aug 16, 2009

Pweller posted:

Paul Rudd, Jason Lee?

Definitely not those two. It's one of those people that you have to snap your fingers and go "Oh what's his name..." Less famous.

# ? Jan 15, 2011 19:50

kapalama: Aug 15, 2007; EVERYTHING I SAY ABOUT JAPAN OR LIVING IN JAPAN IS COMPLETELY WRONG, BUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'LL ABOUT IT.

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There was a movie in English (2000s) about some event told from a bunch of viewpoints including a Japanese couple that seemed to not subtitle the different languages

It was released in general release in the US

# ? Jan 15, 2011 19:55

Glass Joe: Mar 9, 2007

kapalama posted:

There was a movie in English (2000s) about some event told from a bunch of viewpoints including a Japanese couple that seemed to not subtitle the different languages

It was released in general release in the US

Babel?

# ? Jan 15, 2011 20:27

The Lucas: Dec 28, 2006

kapalama posted:

There was a movie in English (2000s) about some event told from a bunch of viewpoints including a Japanese couple that seemed to not subtitle the different languages

It was released in general release in the US

This sounds sort of like Mystery Train, but it wasn't released in the 2000s (did recently come out on Blu Ray though)

# ? Jan 15, 2011 20:30

kapalama: Aug 15, 2007; EVERYTHING I SAY ABOUT JAPAN OR LIVING IN JAPAN IS COMPLETELY WRONG, BUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'LL ABOUT IT.

PLEASE ADD ME TO YOUR IGNORE LIST.

IF YOU SEE ME POST IN A JAPAN THREAD, PLEASE PM A MODERATOR SO THAT I CAN BE BANNED.

Glass Joe posted:

Babel?

Yes that's the one. Thanks. Search was getting me nowhere because I could not get any further than Japanese perspective movie.

# ? Jan 15, 2011 21:23

Captain Magic: Apr 4, 2005; Yes, we have feathers--but the muscles of men.

Arturo Ui posted:

It sounds like Unico in the Island of Magic.

That's the one. Thank you.

# ? Jan 16, 2011 01:35

Discospawn: Mar 3, 2007

I'm trying to find a movie I saw on Comedy Central probably 10+ years ago. The plot was a young man going on a date, and he ends up getting involved in some kind of Chinese conspiracy about something. The 3 scenes I remember are:

1) The man finding a Chinese character on the wall written in blood, and putting his jacket up to the symbol so he could record it and have it deciphered later.
2) An Asian man explaining that the character means, "look in pot," and explains a parable about a poor man who inherited a pot without realizing there was money inside of it.
3) The climax involves the man and his brother at the villains house, and the villain collects antique vases but shoots one of them to demonstrate that the vases aren't part of the conspiracy.

I thought the lead actor was Will Friedle, but IMDB tells me it must not have been him. Help is appreciated.

# ? Jan 16, 2011 02:29

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

Discospawn posted:

I'm trying to find a movie I saw on Comedy Central probably 10+ years ago. The plot was a young man going on a date, and he ends up getting involved in some kind of Chinese conspiracy about something. The 3 scenes I remember are:

1) The man finding a Chinese character on the wall written in blood, and putting his jacket up to the symbol so he could record it and have it deciphered later.
2) An Asian man explaining that the character means, "look in pot," and explains a parable about a poor man who inherited a pot without realizing there was money inside of it.
3) The climax involves the man and his brother at the villains house, and the villain collects antique vases but shoots one of them to demonstrate that the vases aren't part of the conspiracy.

I thought the lead actor was Will Friedle, but IMDB tells me it must not have been him. Help is appreciated.

Mystery Date.

# ? Jan 16, 2011 03:45

Discospawn: Mar 3, 2007

Action Jacktion posted:

Mystery Date.

Perfect! Thank you.

# ? Jan 16, 2011 05:32

Roomy: Nov 7, 2006; "I got a 50-year-old lust in a 3-year-old's dinky"

Hello, I've been trying to find the name of this movie for an hour now, and it's driving me insane. I've only seen the trailer, so no matter how many different ways I put in what the trailer merely "seemed" like in Google, I don't get any closer. I can only really explain from the trailer, but I bet someone here would know.

I'm trying to find the name of a somewhat new movie, maybe it's 2009 or 2010, where the plot is that the entire world, all the people and every one of their actions, are controlled by one group. Every tiny detail and even their movements follow a plan, and the protagonist somehow discovers this, and fights it for a love interest. From the trailer it seemed as if the goal of the protagonist was to get a woman, not to "fight the ultimate evil" so to speak, but of course all of this is just what I remember, and it's all only from the trailer, so it could be totally different.

I saw the previews for it in theaters, but don't remember seeing commercials on TV about it. I'm not sure how long ago I saw them, though, so I'm not sure what year the movie is. Does any of this ring any bells with anyone? Thanks a bunch if anyone knows the name of this one.

# ? Jan 16, 2011 12:00

LesterGroans: Jun 9, 2009; It's funny...

You were so scary at night.

Roomy posted:

Hello, I've been trying to find the name of this movie for an hour now, and it's driving me insane. I've only seen the trailer, so no matter how many different ways I put in what the trailer merely "seemed" like in Google, I don't get any closer. I can only really explain from the trailer, but I bet someone here would know.

I'm trying to find the name of a somewhat new movie, maybe it's 2009 or 2010, where the plot is that the entire world, all the people and every one of their actions, are controlled by one group. Every tiny detail and even their movements follow a plan, and the protagonist somehow discovers this, and fights it for a love interest. From the trailer it seemed as if the goal of the protagonist was to get a woman, not to "fight the ultimate evil" so to speak, but of course all of this is just what I remember, and it's all only from the trailer, so it could be totally different.

I saw the previews for it in theaters, but don't remember seeing commercials on TV about it. I'm not sure how long ago I saw them, though, so I'm not sure what year the movie is. Does any of this ring any bells with anyone? Thanks a bunch if anyone knows the name of this one.

The Adjustment Bureau I believe. Matt Damon stars.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZJ0TP4nTaE

# ? Jan 16, 2011 12:05

ynohtna: Feb 16, 2007; backwoods compatible; Illegal Hen

I've been trying (and failing) to identify a movie that I bought it cheap on VHS about 10 years back, watched late at night, and then lost during a house move. Googling, keyword searches, IMDB trawling, etc have all failed me.

It involves a criminal in a futuristic world being brainwashed to be a co-operative member of society. The brain-washing fails, I think - my memory is fuzzy - and a small rampage ensues. Themes of self-determination, social responsibility and freedom are touched upon.

It's a 70s movie (if I remember correctly), with the attendant down-beat pacing and usage of 50/60s radical architecture to represent the future. I also believe it's probably a pretty bad movie but my curiosity cares not.

Now, I should definitively state that this is not A Clockwork Orange, even though the high-level similarities are obviously abundant. The VHS sleeve even boasted that this was the underground/cult/undiscovered A Clockwork Orange that no one had seen so it's possibly a blatant cash-in.

Lists of films related to Clockwork Orange haven't got me anywhere. Any ideas?

# ? Jan 16, 2011 16:55

cloudchamber: Aug 6, 2010; You know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's time to put the hurt on the Ukraine

ynohtna posted:

I've been trying (and failing) to identify a movie that I bought it cheap on VHS about 10 years back, watched late at night, and then lost during a house move. Googling, keyword searches, IMDB trawling, etc have all failed me.

It involves a criminal in a futuristic world being brainwashed to be a co-operative member of society. The brain-washing fails, I think - my memory is fuzzy - and a small rampage ensues. Themes of self-determination, social responsibility and freedom are touched upon.

It's a 70s movie (if I remember correctly), with the attendant down-beat pacing and usage of 50/60s radical architecture to represent the future. I also believe it's probably a pretty bad movie but my curiosity cares not.

Now, I should definitively state that this is not A Clockwork Orange, even though the high-level similarities are obviously abundant. The VHS sleeve even boasted that this was the underground/cult/undiscovered A Clockwork Orange that no one had seen so it's possibly a blatant cash-in.

Lists of films related to Clockwork Orange haven't got me anywhere. Any ideas?

Could be Overdrawn at the Memory Bank.

# ? Jan 16, 2011 17:09

ynohtna: Feb 16, 2007; backwoods compatible; Illegal Hen

I'm pretty sure it's not Overdrawn at the Memory Bank from the online summaries. The movie I'm thinking of does not involve time travel or body swapping with animals or Humphrey Bogart.

However, I do now have a new movie on my to-watch-someday list so thanks!

# ? Jan 16, 2011 17:25

MachineryNoise: Jan 13, 2008; So I shout "Set your life on fire!"

Sounds like Una gota de sangre para morir amando, a.k.a. Murder In a Blue World and Clockwork Terror.

# ? Jan 17, 2011 00:10

ynohtna: Feb 16, 2007; backwoods compatible; Illegal Hen

Yup, it sure is - thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdHyLbda96k

By all accounts it is a poor movie and the alternate title of Clockwork Terror and the direct name check it gives Kubrick's work is quite shameless as to it's cheap rip-off status.

However, I still dig the 70s retro-futuristic styling and the dialog contains a multitude of good bits to be sampled. Thanks again!

# ? Jan 17, 2011 03:13

Dancing Potato: May 21, 2007

That70sHeidi posted:

This is a ridiculous long shot, but if I know goons, I know you guys like this type of thing.

Mainly I'm looking for an actor who looks a bit like Ron Livingston from Office Space, but actually attractive. He's not headliner famous or anything, but he's one of Those Actors that pops up and you go "Oh yeeeeah!" I had his name the other day and was going to look up the movie but forgot to write the name down and bam, gone.

The scene I remember seeing in a commercial possibly recently is the generic airport love scene, where he is coming off the plane (or getting on, unrequited?) and the woman is standing there all emotionally turmoiled or some such. I would swear it was a Katherine Heigl movie, but in looking at both her and Sandra Bullocks IMDB pages, nothing clicked.

It was a romcom, I'm pretty sure, but I don't think it really starred anyone terribly famous or was a very good/popular movie. It's completely frustrating me.

Leap Year? The dude would be Adam Scott or Matthew Goode.

# ? Jan 17, 2011 14:14

That70sHeidi: Aug 16, 2009

Dancing Potato posted:

Leap Year? The dude would be Adam Scott or Matthew Goode.

Those guys are very nice, thank you, but not the right one. Definitely on the right track with the dark hair and hotness, but more... thick? More Dermot Mulroney-ish.

I wish there was a thing like Pandora for movie stars.

# ? Jan 17, 2011 22:57

Dancing Potato: May 21, 2007

That70sHeidi posted:

Those guys are very nice, thank you, but not the right one. Definitely on the right track with the dark hair and hotness, but more... thick? More Dermot Mulroney-ish.

I wish there was a thing like Pandora for movie stars.

Could also be PS I Love You, the dude you describe sounds a bit like Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

# ? Jan 18, 2011 02:12

elbow: Jun 7, 2006

Dancing Potato posted:

Could also be PS I Love You, the dude you describe sounds a bit like Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

.. who was in Grey's Anatomy with Heigl!

# ? Jan 18, 2011 08:18

Pweller: Jan 25, 2006; Whatever whateva.

Another identify an actor:

Older gentleman, heavy (german?) accent, but soft spoken. Cast in many hollywood movies in the past few decades. Slightly effeminate, striking blue eyes. Usually plays roles that are somewhat evil or at least doesn't really give a poo poo about the protagonist.

Think german guy playing a fashion designer and this will be him.

# ? Jan 20, 2011 05:32

Mouser..: Apr 1, 2010

Pweller posted:

Another identify an actor:

Older gentleman, heavy (german?) accent, but soft spoken. Cast in many hollywood movies in the past few decades. Slightly effeminate, striking blue eyes. Usually plays roles that are somewhat evil or at least doesn't really give a poo poo about the protagonist.

Think german guy playing a fashion designer and this will be him.

Udo Kier?

# ? Jan 20, 2011 05:43

LesterGroans: Jun 9, 2009; It's funny...

You were so scary at night.

Pweller posted:

Another identify an actor:

Older gentleman, heavy (german?) accent, but soft spoken. Cast in many hollywood movies in the past few decades. Slightly effeminate, striking blue eyes. Usually plays roles that are somewhat evil or at least doesn't really give a poo poo about the protagonist.

Think german guy playing a fashion designer and this will be him.

Probably either Armin Mueller-Stahl or Udo Kier.

# ? Jan 20, 2011 05:45

Pweller: Jan 25, 2006; Whatever whateva.

Yep Udo Kier it is, thanks

# ? Jan 20, 2011 05:47

Patrovsky: May 8, 2007; whatever is fine

This one is for my niece, who asked me about a movie that she watched once that I can't identify.

-It is a live action superhero movie
-In the beginning, the characters fly in, land, and then talk to each other
-One of said heroes is dressed similar to Wonder Woman
-There is a scene with a train, in which the superheroes are on the train, and then the train is attacked.
-Recalls that the superheroes may have powers of ice or fire, and that most (or all) of them can fly.

She was apparently only around 4 at the time, so we're probably talking G or PG movies.

# ? Jan 21, 2011 10:20

Superrodan: Nov 27, 2007

How old is she? What is the latest the movie could have come out if she watched it when she was about four?

# ? Jan 21, 2011 10:37

Patrovsky: May 8, 2007; whatever is fine

She's seven, so 2007ish.

# ? Jan 21, 2011 10:40

Glass Joe: Mar 9, 2007

Patrovsky posted:

This one is for my niece, who asked me about a movie that she watched once that I can't identify.

-It is a live action superhero movie
-In the beginning, the characters fly in, land, and then talk to each other
-One of said heroes is dressed similar to Wonder Woman
-There is a scene with a train, in which the superheroes are on the train, and then the train is attacked.
-Recalls that the superheroes may have powers of ice or fire, and that most (or all) of them can fly.

She was apparently only around 4 at the time, so we're probably talking G or PG movies.

That would be Robert Rodriguez's The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl (sometimes in 3-D). Starring Jacob from Twilight so it's getting shown every 3 months or so on the Disney Channel.

# ? Jan 21, 2011 19:08

That70sHeidi: Aug 16, 2009

IT WAS MARK RUFFALO!

I was reading something on Gawker and when I saw his name I knew that was it. But the younger version.

He's kinda squinty and has floofy hair like Ron Livingston... sort of.

I'm so happy this is out of my head now

# ? Jan 22, 2011 00:04

Gnatmano: Feb 8, 2006; ugh

I saw a film years ago on VHS at a friend's place, and the lead 'actor' was a bust with a rotating head; it seemed to be attached to the shoulders with a peg. The head would rotate around slowly, because there was a leaking canister of air strapped to it during the live sequences. When the bust was in a shot alone it was stop motion animated. At one point the bust was on fire.

It was nearly identical to a soap opera in plot, except a major character was a sculpture with a spinning head.

# ? Jan 22, 2011 03:11

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# ? May 31, 2024 04:39

Umph: Apr 26, 2008

Ok, so I was very young when I saw this, but it's stuck in my mind for 30 years.

In this movie, there was some sort of sorting machine. A baby/toddler would go down a slide, if it went one way it would turn into an angel, the other way it would fall into a vat of mud/slime and turn into a monster.

It would have been in the mid-late 80s. No one has ever been able to answer this.

# ? Jan 23, 2011 06:32

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Cinema Discusso > The 'Identify A Movie For Me' Thread 2 - Identify Harder

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