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Basebf555 posted:I'm on a Hitchcock kick as well, although I barely remember The Man Who Knew Too Much. If you really like it maybe It'll inspire me to rewatch it. Looking forward to some more Hitchcock! Also, when I read that you 'broke the rules and watched Sudden Impact' - my first thought was the Jean-Claude Van Damme & Powers Boothe 90s classic SUDDEN DEATH .... only to be disappointed when you meant the Eastwood film.
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Jul 21, 2016 19:46
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I haven't seen Sudden Death in many years but from what I remember its at least more consistently entertaining than Sudden Impact. I was pretty disappointed by Eastwood here, he had made The Eiger Sanction 8 years before this and he seems to have regressed as a director in that time. Maybe it was just sequelitis.
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Jul 21, 2016 19:55
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Basebf555 posted:I guess I kinda broke the rules and watched Sudden Impact Nah, it's not against the rules. The point is to get you to watch the movies. If you want to speed it up, that's fine, just let the thread know what you thought of them.
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Jul 21, 2016 22:34
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Basebf555 posted:Cronos - I love Del Toro and I love horror but for some reason I've never seen this. I recommend Cronos, I dig that one. Just watched Midnight Run, cool flick. It was surpisingly touching, maybe a bit John Hughesian at times even, I dug it. Well done buddy adventure antics, and the unorthodox camaraderie, plus a soundtrack of groovin' guitar. It has some grit and atmosphere to it, despite on paper being a pretty silly action comedy adventure. Gotta love DeNiro. Here's my list: Adventures in Babysitting - I've heard this mentioned a lot for some reason, it's probably great. Excalibur - Just have never gotten around to seeing it, I hear it's kind of just people yelling, but I may dig it. Rounders - Heard good things, big Norton fan, also has Matt Damon. Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home - I think I've seen some of it on TV in my youth. I love Wrath of Khan naturally. Titan A.E. - Maybe what's shameful is the quantity of Matt Damon on this list. Phantom Lady - It's a noir film, I like a lot of those. This just doesn't rise to the top of the to watch list it seems. Dressed to Kill - 80s DePalma, that could be good. Cat People - Has a helluva theme song by David Bowie as we know. Moulin Rouge - It gets brought up and recommended to me from time to time. River's Edge - Features Dennis Hopper, nuff said.
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Jul 22, 2016 06:18
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Heavy Metal posted:Excalibur - Just have never gotten around to seeing it, I hear it's kind of just people yelling, but I may dig it. Try this one next. Gates of Heaven - Pet funerals and cemeteries make for a unique topic to focus in on. The first half covers a feud between those who support pet burial and those on the side of rendering (breaking down animal parts to use in other products). The renderers find the idea of animal burial a little impractical and conversely the other side (with gritted teeth) speak as if the renderers are participating in some kind of Soylent Green Animal Holocaust. I'm reminded that most people eat animal corpses everyday. One gets the idea that if both factions were in the same room fireworks would begin to fly. The second half focuses in on the business ideas and philosophies of one cemetery owner and his family. Also, some pet owners speaking candidly about their gripes. I've seen businesses do this kind of thing and people talk about animals in heaven and also people burying animals all over the place. If I saw this many years back I probably would've been transfixed. But I've seen so many odd things over the years that this didn't have the novelty. I wouldn't mind seeing a documentary on animals and the health insurance their owners buy for them. Procrastination (223 completed): #208 Queen - IMDb CCL. 1/14/16 #209 The Hour of the Furnaces AKA La hora de los hornos - There are around a dozen films I've recommended ITT to someone that I haven't seen. This is one of them. 2/4/16 #221 The Message - The story of Islam is now on the IMDb 250. 5/31/16 #225 What Have I Done to Deserve This? - On some film lists. 6/15/16 #228 Marketa Lazarova - I keep hearing this name. 6/29/16 #229 Greed - I was futilely waiting for some hero to find the full original version somewhere but I'll throw in the towel at this juncture. 7/12/16 new #230 The Man Who Fell to Earth - David Bowie is an alien. 7/23/16 James Bond versus Godzilla: Moonraker - Bond in space. The last of the 1970s. 7/12/16 Son of Godzilla - Many years ago I saw the dubbed 4:3 English version on VHS and remember it being funny. The original Japanese version in 2:35:1 will have new stuff. 7/4/16 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (30/39 completed): 1992 Shining Through - Something about WWII. 11/30/15
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Jul 24, 2016 05:51
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Zogo, a random number generator is telling you to go Rake some Moons. I went into Enchanted expecting a funny parody of Disney animated films, and I mostly got it. The couple in the beginning fall in love and decide to get married after singing a song together, but then the girl gets sent to New York and has to deal with the more cynical modern world. This leads to a lot of expected but still enjoyable gags about being a fish out of water. The main interaction is between the cynical divorce lawyer Robert and the naïve optimist Giselle. I like this, and for a while the dynamic was she would teach him to be more romantic with his girlfriend of five years Nancy, while she would learn that there was more depth to the emotions of people in the real world. We also have a pretty good child actor as Robert’s daughter and Timothy Spall as a funny bumbling villain trying to kill Giselle. All good, until the last ten minutes or so. First off, fighting a CGI dragon on top of the Empire State Building was goofy, though I get that they were riffing on Sleeping Beauty with the genders reversed. I didn’t much like it, but it wasn’t the big problem. Robert and Giselle fall in love. Why? Where did this come from? I mean, I’m okay with two people falling in love quickly, but within a couple of days he’s willing to abandon his girlfriend for this relative stranger. Why? It seemed like he and Nancy were in a mature, loving relationship, and having him jump into the arms of someone else so arbitrarily seemed to be embracing the same stereotypes it had earlier parodied. And then she and the lunk-head Prince Edward decide they will get married because of a Cinderella reference. Huh? Doesn’t this woman have a life in New York, a job, a family, something? It turns out she was only there as a foil for Giselle with no independent personality of her own, and when Robert left her, they saw there were two loose ends and tied them off ASAP. It’s almost insulting how lazily they use the worst tropes of rom-coms to tie everything together into a neat little package. Still, this means there are two Disney movies where Idina Menzel plays a queen, and as my wife pointed out, at least when Robert left her she was mature enough to let it go.  Rating: 3.5/4 101. Spartacus- In the end, aren't we all Spartacus? Yeah, I know how this one ends, but that's basically it. Also, I think it's popular among labor organizers. 103. Judgment at Nuremberg- I had never heard about this until Slacktivist mentioned it. Sounds interesting. 112. The Bourne Ultimatum- I like this series- ready to finish it off (I doubt "Legacy" is worth my time). 116. Boogie Nights- Uh, porn is bad. You shouldn't watch porn, m'kay? 120. The Straight Story- Doug Walker described this as "a movie that seems really slow and tedious until you get to the end, and then you realize everything that happened was for a reason." So that interested me. Also, it's by David Lynch, who ranges from excellent (Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks Season One) to pretty good (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks Season Two). No, I've never seen Dune, why do you ask? 122. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang- Somewhere, someone made a list of best pre-Hays Code movies, and this was at the top. That's all I know about it. Oh, and I think there's a twist ending of some sort, but I've deliberately avoided reading anything about it. 124. The Rules of the Game- I opened the They Shoot Pictures list, and this is number five. I've never even heard of it. 127. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer- One of Shakespeare's lesser known history plays. 128. Cool Hand Luke-: "What we've got here is... failure to communicate." There, that's everything I know about this movie. Well, I think Paul Newman's in it, too. 129. Scenes from a Marriage- Continuing with Ebert's annual bests, this was the best of 1974. I've never heard of it, but- wait... (scrolls through previous comments in this thread). Oh, this is Ingmar Bergman's even more depressing and much longer follow-up to Cries and Whispers? Oh, dear, better prepare myself... Okay, tell me what I'm watching! Shame relieved: The Godfather: 3.5/4, The Godfather Part II: 4/4, Taxi Driver: 4/4, Casablanca: 4/4, Duck Soup: 2/4, Pulp Fiction: 4/4, Barton Fink: 3.5/4, Annie Hall:3/4, Rashomon: 4/4, Blade Runner: 3.5/4, Chinatown: 4/4, Nashville: 3.5/4, Goodfellas: 4/4, The Seven Samurai: 4/4, Superman: 2/4, The Exorcist: 3/4, A Face in the Crowd: 3.5/4, The Seventh Seal: 2.5/4, Treasure of the Sierra Madre: 3.5/4, Apocalypse Now: 4/4, 2001: A Space Odyssey: 2.5/4, The Deer Hunter: 3/4, Schindler's List: 4/4, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: 3/4, Young Frankenstein: 3.5/4, Yojimbo: 3.5/4, Brazil: 3.5/4, Hamlet: 4/4, The Aviator: 4/4, Rocky: 3.5/4, Gandhi: 3.5/4, City Lights: 4/4, Battleship Potemkin: 3.5/4, Predator: 3/4, Easy Rider: 1.5/4, Platoon: 3.5/4, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: 4/4, Get Carter: 3.5/4, Full Metal Jacket: 4/4, My Dinner with Andre: 4/4, Lethal Weapon: 3/4, 3 Women: 4/4, Ikiru: 4/4, The Maltese Falcon: 2.5/4, Midnight Cowboy: 3/4, Gattaca: 4/4, Gone with the Wind: 3/4, Jaws: 4/4, The Bicycle Thief: 3/4, Sophie's Choice: 2/4, On the Waterfront: 4/4, North by Northwest: 3.5/4, Stagecoach: 3.5/4, E.T.: 2/4, Nosferatu: 4/4, Lawrence of Arabia: 4/4, Dirty Harry: 1/4, Vertigo: 3.5/4, Rebecca: 4/4, The Pink Panther: 3/4, Children of Men: 4/4, Wings of Desire: 3/4, Metropolis: 3.5/4, Born on the Fourth of July: 4/4, The Bridge on the River Kwai: 3.5/4, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 4/4, Being John Malkovich: 3/4, Adaptation: 4/4, Bonnie and Clyde: 4/4, Goldfinger: 3/4, A Streetcar Named Desire: 4/4, Dog Day Afternoon: 3.5/4, Leon: The Professional: 4/4, 8 1/2: 3/4, Mulholland Drive: 4/4, 12 Angry Men: 4/4, Safety Last: 3.5/4, Dogville: 4/4, The Rapture: 2/4, Blue Velvet: 3/4, Irreversible: 4/4, Airplane!: 3.5/4, Tokyo Story: 2.5/4, Big Trouble in Little China: 3.5/4, American Psycho: 3.5/4, Dr. Zhivago: 3/4, Leaving Las Vegas:4/4, The Bourne Identity: 4/4, Out of Africa: 3/4, The Usual Suspects: 3/4, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: 4/4, Rain Man: 3.5/4, The Lost Weekend: 3.5/4, Ratatouille: 3/4, City of God: 4/4, Ed Wood: 4/4, Top Gun: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Bleu: 3.5/4, The Hidden Fortess: 3/4, First Blood: 4/4, The Ten Commandments:3.5/4, Patton: 3.5/4, The Bourne Supremacy:3.5/4, King Lear (1983): 2.5/4, Repo Man: 2.5/4, King Kong: 3.5/4, Wall Street: 3/4, The Blues Brothers: 2/4, Trois Couleurs: Blanc: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Rouge: 3.5/4, Animal House: 1.5/4, Ben-Hur: 3.5/4, Gojira: 4/4, Sunset Boulevard: 3.5/4, Falling Down: 4/4, The Night of the Hunter: 3.5/4, Ran: 4/4, The Battle of Algiers: 4/4, Z: 3/4, The Great Escape: 2.5/4, Cries and Whispers: 4/4, Enchanted: 3.5/4 Jurgan fucked around with this message at 05:15 on Sep 18, 2016 |
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Jul 24, 2016 21:36
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I guess I'm in an especially anti-Nazi mood because of the classic film I just watched, but I'm choosing Judgment at Nuremberg for you, Jurgan. It took me a while to get the Blu-Ray, then it took me a while to get around to watching it, but I finally saw Casablanca. It's been a while since I've seen a film from that era, so I had to get past some of - what appears to my jaded, modern eyes - the artifice and staginess of that style. It's one of those films that permeates our culture, too, so I knew where some of it was headed just based on parodies alone. That said, it's photographed beautifully and the script is drum tight. I'll have to rewatch it some time just because I missed a lot of little details - other than a voiceover at the beginning, the film doesn't spare the viewer who doesn't want to blast the film at 10:00 pm when a 3-year-old is sleeping (some of the jumps in volume are pretty extreme). The film has just the right touch of humor in the midst of a pretty awful setting, and I realize Rick's cynicism and declared neutrality must have been initially shocking to an American audience when we were in the middle of the war, no matter how decent his character is at heart, or how legit his bona fides as an anti-fascist turn out to be. It's hard to judge this film objectively 70+ years later on its own terms, but I enjoyed it and am glad I saw it. My List: Classic and/or "important" films: 1. Lawrence of Arabia - Another must-see that I've never gotten around to. It's supposed to embody "epic." 2. Breathless - The 400 Blows, Alphaville, Hiroshima Mon Amour, and La Jetee were the New Wave films we covered in my class long ago, but we skipped what is probably the most famous New Wave film of all. I have the Criterion Collection Blu-Ray...: 3. Kwaidan - I've wanted to watch this since I saw a captioned picture (the priest covered with writing) in an issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland when I was a boy. 4. The Ballad of Narayama - My parents are in their eighties - maybe I'm shying away from a film that deals with the issues of parents, aging, and death? 5. Gate of Hell - It's supposed to be visually sumptuous. 6. Thief - I love Manhunter, and I'm sure I'll love Mann's Thief. 7. Kuroneko - By all accounts it's a good horror movie and I've never seen a Kaneto Shindo film. 1970's Science Fiction: 8. Solyent Green - I've seen Heston in Planet of the Apes and Omega Man already. Maybe I've put it off because the world already knows Solyent Green is people? 9. Westworld - I saw the critical turning point on TV when I was standing in Sears as a kid, when the Yul Brenner gunslinger robot kills James Brolin's character. But that's it. 10. Silent Running - Another 70's science fiction movie where as a kid I saw 10 minutes of the critical turning point: Bruce Dern's character kills his fellow crew members and absconds with The Valley Forge - but I missed the rest of the film. Unshamed: Casablanca, The Hidden Fortress Wizchine fucked around with this message at 07:42 on Jul 25, 2016 |
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Jul 25, 2016 07:39
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Wizchine posted:1. Lawrence of Arabia - Another must-see that I've never gotten around to. It's supposed to embody "epic." I'm happy to be able to be the cause of someone watching Lawrence of Arabia. Its one of the first blu rays I bought and it sparked a renewed interest in movies for me that continues several years later. I've heard people say that they don't like Lawrence of Arabia, but those people are jerks. No pressure. I watched Cronos, which I enjoyed quite a bit. You can tell its Del Toro before he became a fully-formed director, but maybe that's a good thing. It has plenty of the hallmarks of his visual style, but not its not overloaded with it the way Hellboy 2(which I love) was. For someone who's seen just about every different type of vampire story, Cronos manages to be unique and interesting. I didn't find it scary, but I don't think it was supposed to be scary as much as sad to watch the nice old man deteriorate. The horror that is there is more of the body horror variety, which I appreciate because its tough to find outside of Cronenberg. The movie is also about twice as entertaining because of the presence of Ron Perlman, which is true basically of everything he's ever been in. It was a fun role for Perlman, he didn't have to be complex, just a slimy rear end in a top hat. Remaining list with 2 new entries: The Insider: The subject matter of this movie never interested me, but by all accounts it has two powerhouse performances and its Michael Mann so I'm sure its good. The Brood: I like everything I've seen from Cronenberg but I haven't seen anything from this earlier period of his career. Cape Fear: Its Scorsese and Deniro, I'm not sure what I've been waiting for with this one. Lincoln: As a film lover every DDL performance is a must see, its as simple as that. Jamaica Inn - This is the Hitchcock slot for now, Jamaica Inn was made a year before my last pick, Foreign Correspondent. Sansho the Bailiff: Mizoguchi is one of the two or three greatest Japanese directors of all-time, but I've only seen Ugetsu. I've heard several famous American directors speak very highly about Sansho the Bailiff in particular. *NEW* La Strada: I don't often find myself in the mood for Fellini, but when I do watch him I'm usually glad I did.
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Jul 25, 2016 14:55
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Basebf555 posted:Lincoln: As a film lover every DDL performance is a must see, its as simple as that. I watched SJW and it was an absolute delight. I wish more cool directors would get a chance to take the piss out of high budget genre-fare. I'm really getting back into Verhoeven in a big way. Elle was a much better film than I ever thought he'd make again and if you haven't gone to see it yet, you should. I also got a nice book of Verhoeven essays about various films from the library, that I'm really enjoying. Interesting stuff about the ones I've seen and the ones I haven't will probably end up in this thread.  I'll watch sjw2 as well like my man suggested, but in the meantime you can give me a new one. Went to see Jaws and E.T. as well last week. They weren't on my list, but they were probably gonna end up on there at some point. So I'm putting them at the bottom in the unshamed list. Man with a Movie Camera - Often shows up on lists of great films and everything about how it was made and how that's incorporated into the film sounds really interesting. Thief - Other Mann movies I've seen were good, need to watch this one. Nightcrawler - Didn't manage to see this in the cinema last year, but everything about it seems extremely my poo poo. Chungking Express - I've only seen ''in the mood for love'' from Wong and I should change that. Strange Days - Picked this up at a thrift store a year or so back and I've been close to watching it about a dozen times. Spider - Went to a big Cronenberg exhibition last year and I've slowly been going through all his films. This one is next. Elephant - I wonder what the chances are that this will be tragically relevant due to current events when it gets picked. Tangerine - There was a lot of buzz about this last year and I've been meaning to watch it. Pretty pissed that I missed the first and only theatrical showing of this in Amsterdam last week. The Passion of Joan of Arc - Looks intense. Copie Conforme - Been meaning to watch this for a while. R.I.P. Abbas Kiarostami. New: Suspiria - They're doing a double feature review of this with the Neon Demon on The Next Picture Show podcast and I want to see this one as well before I listen to it. It Follows - Was a bit divisive, but most of the people I usually agree with seemed to really love it. Bad Lieutenants - Both of them! I have them lying around. Make me watch them! Watched /100 : The Night of the Hunter - 81, F for Fake - 78, Throne of Blood - 82, American Psycho - 58 , A Separation -89, Sjw - 80, Jaws - 73, E.T. - 81
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Jul 30, 2016 23:15
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Of all the instances where you don't want S J W to auto-filter to robocop, the most notable is probably the one where you're talking about and recommending actual movie titles. 
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Jul 31, 2016 02:14
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GMEEOORH posted:Suspiria - They're doing a double feature review of this with the Neon Demon on The Next Picture Show podcast and I want to see this one as well before I listen to it. I spend a lot of time in the horror thread, I think they would want me to take the opportunity to recommend Suspiria. If you enjoy movies that are saturated in vivid colors, Suspria is an all-timer. Its great for a bunch of other reasons too, but the way Argento used color in this movie is unlike anything I'd ever seen. I watched Lincoln, and was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it was. Daniel Day-Lewis was the main draw here, but in the end I enjoyed the performances of a few others just as much, especially Tommy Lee Jones. Its also one of Spielberg's best looking films, the set design and lighting were fantastic in every single scene, there was always something interesting to look at. The process of collecting enough votes to pass the 13th amendment ended up being very interesting and at 2hrs 30mins I expected the movie to drag at least a little bit but it never really did. My only minor complaint would be that JGL was pretty much wasted here, he doesn't get enough screen time to make much of an impact, so wasted opportunity there. This probably isn't in the top-3 of Daniel Day-Lewis performances, but of course he's still extremely compelling to watch and sells the role completely. Remaining List: The Insider: The subject matter of this movie never interested me, but by all accounts it has two powerhouse performances and its Michael Mann so I'm sure its good. The Brood: I like everything I've seen from Cronenberg but I haven't seen anything from this earlier period of his career. Cape Fear: Its Scorsese and Deniro, I'm not sure what I've been waiting for with this one. Jamaica Inn - This is the Hitchcock slot for now, Jamaica Inn was made a year before my last pick, Foreign Correspondent. Sansho the Bailiff: Mizoguchi is one of the two or three greatest Japanese directors of all-time, but I've only seen Ugetsu. I've heard several famous American directors speak very highly about Sansho the Bailiff in particular. La Strada: I don't often find myself in the mood for Fellini, but when I do watch him I'm usually glad I did. *NEW*Sunset Boulevard: I only within the past 2 or 3 years gained a real appreciation for black and white cinematography, and this is regarded as a classic in that regard. Its on Netflix too, its been on my queue for months.
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Aug 1, 2016 15:18
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Basebf555 posted:Cape Fear: Its Scorsese and Deniro, I'm not sure what I've been waiting for with this one. Both of these are great so I flipped a coin and you get Cape Fear. Moonraker - Each time I sit down to watch one of these I entertain the notion that maybe Bond will finally meet his demise. Then I come to my senses and remember there are still plenty of films to go. Then I ponder the crazy idea that countries could just live in peace and harmony and stop the spying so Bond could retire somewhere. One thing the series has going for it is that it's a reliable experience (moreso than the Godzilla series thus far). It's an institution and you know what you're going to get. Drax is the BAD guy who steals shuttles and forms his own kind of astronaut cult. Familiar motivations with a different execution. Of course Drax lets Bond escape in a variety of goofy circumstances (as usual). One of the more humorous predicaments involves Bond's brain nearly turning to mush after being sabotaged in a NASA centrifuge. Bond's woozy for a moment after experiencing extreme G-force but being the sex maniac that he is, he's back on the prowl within a few hours. Unless Bond fights aliens and some intergalactic war in a future film this has to be the pinnacle film in some respects. Bond literally goes into space and flies a weaponized shuttle around saving the entire planet. I can't recall a premise more grandiose or fantastical in the series. People are shooting lasers all over the place and it's some kind of cross between Alien and Star Wars for a few brief moments (the film also shares a lot of sound effects with the 1979 Alien film). I guess it makes sense as the two were released within a week of each other. Side notes: -Now I see where they got the plane jump idea in Point Break (1991). -The iconic five notes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind also make an appearance. -For a change they brought a villain back (Jaws) and even gave him a change of heart. He seems nearly as invincible as Bond. Also watched: Marketa Lazarova - Set during the middle ages we follow two clans as they argue and fight each other using swords, spears and arrows. The characters constantly have an echo/reverb quality to their voices especially when the two faction leaders constantly scream their heads off at each other. Marketa has some parallels with Karin in The Virgin Spring. I was also reminded of Andrei Rublev. Procrastination (224 completed): #208 Queen - IMDb CCL. 1/14/16 #209 The Hour of the Furnaces AKA La hora de los hornos - There are around a dozen films I've recommended ITT to someone that I haven't seen. This is one of them. 2/4/16 #221 The Message - The story of Islam is now on the IMDb 250. 5/31/16 #225 What Have I Done to Deserve This? - On some film lists. 6/15/16 #229 Greed - I was futilely waiting for some hero to find the full original version somewhere but I'll throw in the towel at this juncture. 7/12/16 #230 The Man Who Fell to Earth - David Bowie is an alien. 7/23/16 James Bond versus Godzilla: Son of Godzilla - Many years ago I saw the dubbed 4:3 English version on VHS and remember it being funny. The original Japanese version in 2:35:1 will have new stuff. 7/4/16 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (30/39 completed): 1992 Shining Through - Something about WWII. 11/30/15 new 1987 Leonard Part 6 - Bill Cosby disowned his own movie. 8/1/16 new 1986 Under the Cherry Moon - Prince's directorial debut. 8/1/16
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Aug 2, 2016 01:22
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Zogo, you get The Man Who Fell to Earth. Bowie is always the correct choice. I used to post in this thread! And then I went to grad school. But I still like movies so here we go. I actually saw Galaxy Quest a while back, and it was fun. Not just a pastiche of the original Star Trek, but a kind of loving tribute to every cheesy sci-fi show out there. Alan Rickman as the bizarrely common "classically trained actor stuck in a lovely show" was a special treat. I also tracked down Stalker at some point. I absolutely loved this. The whole abandoned atmosphere of the Zone, its fairy-tale-like rules, the Wizard of Oz color transition needed to cross over, just great. And I love Tarkovsky's lingering shots, especially the very last shot of the film. Just a great slow movie all around. _________________________ My Shame List: 1) Rio Grande: Another Ford/Wayne western for the western slot. (added 12/7/13) 2) La Dolce Vita: 8 1/2 was good. How about another Fellini? (added 1/4/14) 3) Birth of a Nation: Continuing the "know thy enemy" series. (added 3/11/14) 4) Night of the Hunter: Don't know much about this beyond the knuckle tattoos. (added 5/5/14) 5) Eyes Wide Shut: Kubrick is a pretty cool guy. (added 7/7/14) 6) First Blood: Not what you'd expect from a Rambo movie, apparently. (added 7/20/14) 7) Scarface: The inspirational story of a small businessman who prospers in spite of Big Government regulations. Or something. (added 7/20/14) 8) Evil Dead 2: I've only seen Army of Darkness from this trilogy. I hear I'm missing out. (added 9/20/2014) 9) Superman: The original. I can't explain how I never saw this. (added 8/2/2016) 10) House (1977): Has a cool poster and a reputation. I have intentionally avoided knowing anything about it, since it seems like the kind of movie to watch completely blind. (added 8/2/2016) De-Shamed (53) [Top picks in bold]: The Thing, Casino Royale, Blue Velvet, Metropolis, Unforgiven, The Rock, Jurassic Park, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Shining, Videodrome, Inglourious Basterds, Battleship Potemkin, Con Air, Mulholland Drive, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Taxi Driver, Prometheus, Pan's Labyrinth, 8 1/2, Casino, Starship Troopers, The Big Lebowski, Nosferatu, Oldboy, 12 Angry Men, Drive, No Country for Old Men, The Exorcist, Ed Wood, Face/Off, Koyaanisqatsi, Kung Fu Hustle, Jacob's Ladder, Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, Unbreakable, Lost Highway, Man with a Movie Camera, The General, Dog Day Afternoon, Forbidden Planet, Solaris, Triumph of the Will, Total Recall, The Graduate, Chinatown, Children of Men, Days of Heaven, Rocky, The Long Good Friday, The Fly, Galaxy Quest, Stalker
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Aug 2, 2016 19:23
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Goon Danton posted:8) Evil Dead 2: I've only seen Army of Darkness from this trilogy. I hear I'm missing out. (added 9/20/2014) Its one of the best horror/comedies of all-time, so if you're into that kind of thing its a must watch. Enjoy. I watched Cape Fear. I'd seen the Simpson's homage to this movie about a hundred times, so I knew the basic plot. DeNiro's accent was a little off-putting at first, but once I got past that he really was carrying the whole movie on his shoulders. His task is to sell to the audience that this character is basically Evil Batman, and he mostly succeeds. By the end when he's hanging off the bottom of their car and coming back from the dead like a horror villain, I bought it because of the confidence DeNiro exudes in every scene. He's like a charismatic Terminator. The other standout for me was Jessica Lange, I thought she did a great job with some pretty intense scenes, especially considering she's playing a fairly one-dimensional character. All in all very entertaining, I've yet to see a Scorsese film that didn't entertain. Remaining List, with one new entry: The Insider: The subject matter of this movie never interested me, but by all accounts it has two powerhouse performances and its Michael Mann so I'm sure its good. The Brood: I like everything I've seen from Cronenberg but I haven't seen anything from this earlier period of his career. *NEW*Cobra Verde: The reason I'm ashamed not to have seen this is because I'm a HUGE Herzog fan, Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo are two of my favorite films. Seems wrong that there are Herzog/Kinski collaborations I haven't seen yet. Jamaica Inn - This is the Hitchcock slot for now, Jamaica Inn was made a year before my last pick, Foreign Correspondent. Sansho the Bailiff: Mizoguchi is one of the two or three greatest Japanese directors of all-time, but I've only seen Ugetsu. I've heard several famous American directors speak very highly about Sansho the Bailiff in particular. La Strada: I don't often find myself in the mood for Fellini, but when I do watch him I'm usually glad I did. Sunset Boulevard: I only within the past 2 or 3 years gained a real appreciation for black and white cinematography, and this is regarded as a classic in that regard. Its on Netflix too, its been on my queue for months. Basebf555 fucked around with this message at 22:59 on Aug 4, 2016 |
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Aug 4, 2016 20:58
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Basebf555 posted:I watched Primal Fear. I'd seen the Simpson's homage to this movie about a hundred times, so I knew the basic plot. DeNiro's accent was a little off-putting at first, but once I got past that he really was carrying the whole movie on his shoulders. His task is to sell to the audience that this character is basically Evil Batman, and he mostly succeeds. By the end when he's hanging off the bottom of their car and coming back from the dead like a horror villain, I bought it because of the confidence DeNiro exudes in every scene. He's like a charismatic Terminator. Are you describing Cape Fear?
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Aug 4, 2016 22:53
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Jurgan posted:Are you describing Cape Fear? Yes definitely. Sorry I always get the two titles mixed up in my head unless I'm really paying attention.
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Aug 4, 2016 22:59
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Zogo posted:Next one for you. You should check out "Payback", Mel Gibon's remake of that.
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Aug 5, 2016 01:13
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Man Bites Dog was brutal. Brutal in the way it was shot, with grainy handheld 16mm that assaults the viewer (ever so beautifully, though), brutal in the way it depicts rampant criminality, brutal in how it regards the audience. The slightly surreal edge gives it a sickly nightmare tone, and the moments of bright, awful humor stab out of the darkness unexpectedly, not funny funny but so shocking you can't simply sit in silence and regard the proceedings. Your shock comes out of you in the form of a laugh, because otherwise it would be a scream, and screaming isn't socially appropriate. It's entrancing, too, in a sick way. Benoit, the main character, constantly spews forth a rambling diarrhea of thoughts, faux philosophy, bad poetry, and clumsy, heart-felt xenophobia. This incessant chatter fills and invigorates the film in the same way Michael Gambon's does in Cook Thief Wife Lover, not smart dialogue but rough and full of life and at constant, horrible odds with the action that unfolds. The dissection of his crimes is compelling, as well, in the same way that watching a master craftsman sculpt a table leg is compelling - it's great fun watching someone do something they're good at. What gives the film its edge is the interplay between Benoit and his film crew. We must ask, at some point, why the film crew sticks on, even after the deaths of multiple members (which contributes to the grimiest laugh in the movie, when it cuts to the main filmmaker eulogizing for the second time for a lost compatriot), and I'm still not sure what the answer is. Are they afraid? The life of the drama comes from the fact that the film allows there to be doubt - everyone's afraid of Benoit. If he were merely a magical loose cannon the film wouldn't bite at all, but the characters are visibly tense around him. He surprises a girlfriend in her apartment, complaining that she moved without telling him, and she lurks around him like a once-bit child around a new, scary dog, apologizing and playing nice. In another hilarious scene, the camera crew try to back out of a road trip with Benoit, who is visibly refreshed after murdering an old lady (in an ingenious way). They shuffle awkwardly, trying to come up with excuses, and Benoit almost literally deflates - again, he can perceive that he is on the outside, pushing people away. That's part of the awkward, pointed charm of Benoit, and of the film, and of its accusations. We are, of course, greedy for enchantment from the Benoits of the world. There's something scintillatingly gratifying about watching, say, Bill Cosby suffer his downfall, or of seeing Donald Trump fracture his own party, but for us to enjoy that, the Trumps and the Cosbys and the Benoits of the world have to do their awful thing, and inflict their pains. The pleasure comes from the pain. What are we enjoying? It's great fun watching Benoit strangle a woman on the train. Why? 9/10 shame dome 1) Weekend - traffic jam 2) The River - Inspired Satyajit Ray? Something about India? i have no idea 3) Blind Chance - I need to fill up on my Kieslowski 4) Jubilee - gruel britannia 5) The Freshman - llarold hoyd 6) Valerie and her Week of Wonders - magical realism 7) A Brief History of Time - billions and billions 8) The Marriage of Maria Braun - more fassbinder 9) Frances Ha - recent rave 10) Night And Fog - uh oh Jules et Jim 6/10, Saving Private Ryan 9.5/10, Fitzcarraldo 9/10, The 39 Steps 7/10, Notorious 7/10, Run Lola Run 8/10, Downfall 7.5/10, The Searchers 7.5/10, Tokyo Story 7/10, Gone With The Wind 10/10, Touch Of Evil 9.5/10, Ikiru 7.5/10, The Apartment 7/10, Bicycle Thieves 7/10, Moon 7/10, The Color Purple 7.5/10. The French Connection 9.5/10, The Leopard 8/10, Yojimbo 8.5/10, Sanjuro 8/10, Das Boot 8.5/10, The Conformist 8/10, Breathless 9/10, Where The Wild Things Are 7.5/10, Vertigo 9/10, Raging Bull 10/10, Ordet 7/10, City Of God 9/10, The Wages Of Fear 9/10, Aguirre, The Wrath Of God 9/10, The Mirror 9.5/10, Through A Glass Darkly 10/10, On The Waterfront 6/10, The Straight Story 9/10, Lawrence Of Arabia 8.5/10, Dial M For Murder, 8/10 Winter Light 10/10, The Silence 9/10, Badlands 8/10, The Wrong Man 7/10, In The Mood For Love 9.5/10, Secret Honor 10/10, Gosford Park 10/10, Viridiana 7.5/10, The Exterminating Angel 9/10, Seven Samurai 10/10, Rashomon 9/10, The Godfather: Part II 10/10, La Dolce Vita 10/10, The Princess Bride 9/10, Bringing Up Baby 7/10, City Lights 9/10, Baraka 7/10, Au revior les enfants 8/10, Bonnie And Clyde 6.5, Hiroshima mon amour 8/10, Lost In Translation 10/10, The Piano 8/10, La Strada 7/10, Safety Last! 10/10 Vivre sa vie 9/10, Band Of Outsiders 8/10, Diary Of A Country Priest 7/10, Mommie Dearest 8/10, Once Upon A Time In The West 10/10, L'Atalante 7/10, All About My Mother 7/10, Shoot The Piano Player 8/10, Faces 10/10, The Passion Of Joan Of Arc 10/10, The Wild Bunch 6/10, Harold And Maude see my review, Pink Flamingos 8/10, Heat 10/10, Raising Arizona 7/10, L'Avventura 2/10, Atlantic City 9/10, The Magic Flute 9/10, Cleo From 5 To 7 9/10, Down By Law 10/10, Hoop Dreams 10/10, 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her ¿8/10?, La jetée 9/10, Night Of The Living Dead 9/10, Cool Hand Luke 6/10, Pather Panchali 10/10, The Terminator 6/10, The Trial 10/10, Exit Through The Gift Shop 10/10, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 7/10, The Phantom Carriage 10/10, Au Hasard Balthazar 3/10, The African Queen 10/10, My Night At Maud's 10/10, The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse 10/10, La Haine 10/10, The Pianist 7/10, Four Lions A-, Scream A+, Ali: Fear Eats The Soul B-, The Naked City 7/10, Floating Weeds 9/10, Daisies 8/10, Stray Dog 8/10, Victim 6/10, Man Bites Dog 9/10 (total: 106) Basebf555 gets Sunset Boulevard
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Aug 9, 2016 07:57
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Magic Hate Ball posted:10) Night And Fog - uh oh It's a short one. The Man Who Fell to Earth - I've seen a decent amount of films featuring aliens visiting Earth and this one reminded me of the following: The Day the Earth Stood Still K-PAX Mac and Me Starman Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Under the Skin David Bowie plays the humanoid alien who's traveled from his dry, barren planet in search of water. He needs a lot of $$$ to get back to his planet so he hires a lawyer (and others) to patent a lot of his advanced inventions. The segments showing the alien family and some flashbacks on earth were interesting. I haven't see any other Roeg films but it felt like a Wes Anderson or John Cassavetes film at times. Especially as things wind down and our alien protagonist is abducted by the Earth people and forced to live out his years as a science experiment but also gets to play table tennis. Also watched: The Message - For being a three hour historical film on the origins of Islam this went by quickly. The locals don't take kindly to the new religious movement. First they laugh but then eventually the Muslims are tortured with crushing rocks, the rack and stonings. The theological debates are kind of watered down. Like a lot of religious films it's idealistic and pure. This one is also syncretistic and all the feuds and disagreements within the Abrahamic religions are glossed over. Monotheism vs. pantheism is covered. People went to Mecca and could worship and pay tribute to over 300 deities in stone idol form. As Islam grew each few years bigger escalating battles of revenge took place. Muhammad is chased all over the place by warlords persecuting him. Muslims are portrayed as good guys/heroes for a change so it feels very foreign despite characters speaking in English. Also, Muhammad is forbidden from being shown on screen so he gets first person view treatment and I believe only Ali's sword* is shown. So we get a lot of surrogate characters that speak for them. *It's really odd that this thing is only available in 16x9 format in year 2016. Even on Blu-ray you can't see it in its proper 2.35:1  Side notes: -It has an iconoclastic ending as Muhammad goes to the center of Mecca and smashes a ton of idols. -Irene Papas as the vengeful Hind stuck out in her role. -Another unique aspect is that this one was shot concurrently in both Arabic and English. Procrastination (226 completed): #208 Queen - IMDb CCL. 1/14/16 #209 The Hour of the Furnaces AKA La hora de los hornos - There are around a dozen films I've recommended ITT to someone that I haven't seen. This is one of them. 2/4/16 #225 What Have I Done to Deserve This? - On some film lists. 6/15/16 #229 Greed - I was futilely waiting for some hero to find the full original version somewhere but I'll throw in the towel at this juncture. 7/12/16 James Bond versus Godzilla: Son of Godzilla - Many years ago I saw the dubbed 4:3 English version on VHS and remember it being funny. The original Japanese version in 2:35:1 will have new stuff. 7/4/16 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (30/39 completed): 1992 Shining Through - Something about WWII. 11/30/15 1987 Leonard Part 6 - Bill Cosby disowned his own movie. 8/1/16 1986 Under the Cherry Moon - Prince's directorial debut. 8/1/16 new 1984 Bolero - Bo Derek is back. 8/9/16 new 1983 The Lonely Lady - Not to be confused with The Lonely Guy (1984). 8/9/16 effectual posted:You should check out "Payback", Mel Gibon's remake of that. I just added it to my burgeoning Netflix queue. Zogo fucked around with this message at 00:19 on Aug 10, 2016 |
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Aug 10, 2016 00:14
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Zogo posted:David Bowie plays the humanoid alien who's traveled from his dry, barren planet in search of water. He needs a lot of $$$ to get back to his planet so he hires a lawyer (and others) to patent a lot of his advanced inventions. I take it you didn't like the movie? I'm guessing it's your preference to not touch on whether you liked a movie or not in your reviews, and that's cool, just curious if you happened to like that one. I haven't watched my assigned Excalibur yet so I can't give a pick, but I did end up seeing another one on my list. River's Edge, really awesome movie. An offbeat masterpiece I'd say, I really liked it. Dennis Hopper always delivers, and this is probably my favorite Crispin Glover role. And Keanu is solid too. It feels like it's in the David Lynch wheelhouse, dealing with tragedy in a kind of darkly funny way, while also hitting hard at times too. Highly recommended. Heavy Metal fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Aug 10, 2016 |
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Aug 10, 2016 00:27
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Heavy Metal posted:I take it you didn't like the movie? I'm guessing it's your preference to not touch on whether you liked a movie or not in your reviews, and that's cool, just curious if you happened to like that one. Get to watching Excalibur, sir. It's my favorite film version of the Arthurian legends by far. I hope you like it as much as I do.
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Aug 10, 2016 01:39
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Heavy Metal posted:I take it you didn't like the movie? I'm guessing it's your preference to not touch on whether you liked a movie or not in your reviews, and that's cool, just curious if you happened to like that one. I liked more than I disliked. I usually don't think about saying I loved or hated something unless I had a really strong initial reaction. And a lot of times thoughts on a film grow or diminish somewhat after a few weeks/months so I'm always cognizant of that. Only time can tell if certain characters, quotations, scenes will stick inside ones brain. I like the vast majority of films I watch as each film is its own new experience in some way. If I thoroughly and completely disliked 50% of what I watched I'd watch a lot less.
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Aug 10, 2016 06:54
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Zogo posted:I liked more than I disliked. I usually don't think about saying I loved or hated something unless I had a really strong initial reaction. And a lot of times thoughts on a film grow or diminish somewhat after a few weeks/months so I'm always cognizant of that. Only time can tell if certain characters, quotations, scenes will stick inside ones brain. Right on. I like more than 50% of what I watch I'd say, my most common imdb rating is 8 it says, I guess a lot of movies are up my alley. There are still plenty I don't like though, or would give just a 5 or 6 to etc. I'd say I generally only look to watch movies I think I'd potentially enjoy at this point, but that does include a wide variety. Wizchine posted:Get to watching Excalibur, sir. It's my favorite film version of the Arthurian legends by far. I hope you like it as much as I do. Will do!
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Aug 10, 2016 12:26
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Zogo posted:
Here ya go! Finally watched Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast and I was quite impressed. The visual flair to this movie is incredible. It's theatrical and over-the-top, but feels so much more alive than CGI-a-thons of today. This level of practical effects in 1946 blows my mind. Narratively, it's fine. It's a straightforward, familiar fairy tale. One thing I really appreciated was the ending where Avenant (this version's Gaston, I suppose) breaks into the secret chamber only to be shot with an arrow and turns into the new beast while the old, dying beast turns into a human who looks just like him, only minus the mullet. This gets extra creepy when the newly human Beast tells Belle that all it took was a look of love from her to cure him of his monstrous form. I like to think he's lying here, which adds another layer of discomfort and intrigue. But the entire design of the Beast's castle is worth watching the movie. It's incredible from the disembodied arms holding the candelabras to the living statues and self-opening doors. It's surreal and beautiful and operatic. It fully embraces its fairy tale origins and is well worth the watch. Also saw Love Streams, which is the first Cassavetes film I've seen in a while. Still haven't seen many -- Faces and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie being the only others, I believe -- and this is probably my favourite so far. Cassavetes just looks like poo poo from the opening frame. As a man whose hard partying years have finally caught up with him, though he refuses to buy into that notion, it works in his favour (that Cassavetes would die of cirrhosis a few years later...means this may have been fairly authentic). Gena Rowlands as Sarah is the heart of the film, though. I don't know if I've seen a performance that handles depression with such depth and care. Sarah is not defined by her depression, though it is a big part of her character. Often the illness is portrayed as more prevalent than the person, which can be referencing the all-encompassing nature of it, but she gives nuance and depth to Sarah. Her story of losing her family, in many ways because her husband is exhausted by her "crazy" spells is tragic. What's impressive is that the husband doesn't come off as a completely callous rear end in a top hat. It's as if he reaches his breaking point and simply can't continue with her. I'm not saying it's right, but it's handled in a way that is very subtle and not so black and white. Robert (Cassavetes) is Sarah's brother. The first hour is their stories, separate from one another, and then she goes to stay with him. Their chemistry is obvious and the story they tell is beautiful and sad. Well worth it. It's a movie that snuck up on me...as I was certain I was liking it but thought I'd need a second viewing. The last hour seals it. This is great, mature drama (that feels pretentious to type...but I stand by it). LIST O SHAME 1)Walkabout - Another from the outback. I know next to nothing about it, but cover art intrigued me. 2) Code Unknown - More Haneke. I love Juliette Binoche, too. Know nothing about it, but bought it blind when Criterion released it. 3) Paprika - Anime from the creator of Perfect Blue, which I was a fan of. Figured I should see another. 4) Cobra Verde - This Herzog/Kinski box set won't watch itself! 5) The Skin I Live In - I've liked-to-loved every Almodovar movie I've seen (two) and this comes highly recommended. 6) Shallow Grave - I know I started watching this like 10 years ago. I vaguely remember falling asleep and missing it. 7) Song of the Sea - Irish animation I've wanted to see since it was released. Just got added to Netflix! 8) Tangerine - Been on a number of best of 2015 lists. 9) Breaking the Waves - Will it be another entry in Lars von Trier's ongoing series of soul crushers? 10) La Silence de La Mer - Jean Pierre Melville is excellent. I've liked everything I've seen. SHAME BE GONE:Wild Strawberries, Sunset Blvd., The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Our Man in Havana, Breathless, Phenomena, Withnail & I, 12 Angry Men, The Cranes Are Flying, Fitzcarraldo, Amadeus, Paths of Glory, Blow Out, Cronos, Hausu, City Lights, Easy Rider, The Lives of Others, Salo, In the Bedroom, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Cars, Brand Upon the Brain!, The Great Dictator, Double Indemnity, Point Blank, Cool Hand Luke, 127 Hours, Black Narcissus, Lawrence of Arabia, The Sting, A Woman is a Woman, Life of Brian, Last Picture Show, The Company of Wolves, Tree of Life, Life is Beautiful, Young Frankenstein, Cinema Paradiso, Some Like it Hot, Shotgun Stories, Singin' in the Rain, Precious, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Rules of the Game, Frost/Nixon, All About Eve, Bronson, The Searchers, Bicycle Thieves, American Graffiti, A Christmas Story, The Phantom Carriage, The Changeling, Repulsion, Kagemusha, Irreversible, The Virgin Spring, The Red Shoes, Deconstructing Harry, Metropolis, Che, The Island of Lost Souls, Revanche, Black Moon, Stalker, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Badlands, The Long Goodbye, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Apartment, All About My Mother, Tokyo Story, Chungking Express, This is Spinal Tap, On the Waterfront, Grave of the Fireflies, Rebecca, The Sweet Hereafter, Peeping Tom, Drunken Angel, Duck Soup, Key Largo, Witness for the Prosecution, The Lady From Shanghai, Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, Safety Last!, King Kong, Anatomy of a Murder, In a Lonely Place, Safe, Bad Day at Black Rock, The General, The Magnificent Ambersons, Five Easy Pieces, Porco Rosso, Mystery Train, Rififi, The King of Comedy, The Straight Story, The Kid, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Carlos, Onibaba, It Happened One Night, Sherlock Jr., Lone Star, Foreign Correspondent, The Last Detail, Young Mr. Lincoln, Rope, Mr. Hulot's Holiday, The Man Who Laughs, Husbands and Wives, Reds, Sweet Smell of Success, Shadow of a Doubt, The Purple Rose of Cairo, The African Queen, The Lower Depths, Frankenstein, Broadcast News, La Strada, The Last Laugh, Stagecoach, Alexander Nevsky, Don't Look Now, Fish Tank, Steamboat Bill, Jr., Days of Heaven, The Killer, Nosferatu, The Naked Kiss, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Jules et Jim, Mon Oncle, Howl's Moving Castle, Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Night at the Opera, Berberian Sound Studio, The Natural, Kwaidan, The Color of Money, Fanny and Alexander, Repo Man, The Breakfast Club, The Passenger, The King of Marvin Gardens, The Goonies, Z, Ashes and Diamonds, L'Atalante, All Quiet on the Western Front, L'Age D'Or, The Earrings of Madame De..., La Notte, Europa, World on a Wire, Andrei Rublev, Dersu Uzala, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Brewster McCloud, Blast of Silence, Ordet, Bringing Up Baby, Pather Panchali, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, A Streetcar Named Desire, Bride of Frankenstein, Three Colors: White, Three Colors: Red, Kuroneko, A Hard Day's Night, Marketa Lazarova, Tootsie, George Washington, Marnie, Amour, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Duke of Burgundy, Volver, Day for Night, The Verdict, State of Siege, Dressed to Kill, Children of Paradise, Beauty and the Beast, Love Streams(TOTAL: 189)
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Aug 11, 2016 05:41
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Ratedargh posted:5) The Skin I Live In - I've liked-to-loved every Almodovar movie I've seen (two) and this comes highly recommended. Check this one out, I just watched this last week and its really good, although I'm not sure how representative it is of Almodovar's work. I've only seen on other film of his. I watched Sunset Boulevard. I was obviously very impressed by Swanson and Holden's performances, and the cinematography is excellent. Its a story that definitely seems like it was ahead of its time, a tragic study of a very damaged woman, where we know the outcome from the beginning but watch it all unfold anyway. You can see the characters going down that road and, especially for Holden's character, I wanted him to wake up and realize poo poo was going to go really bad but he never does. Not that I was really rooting for him, he's a major rear end in a top hat, but the tragedy is in how obvious the outcome seems even though the characters don't see it. I think my favorite scene may have been when they are watching some of Norma's old silent films, the lighting in that scene is perfect and her facial expressions are amazing(as they are the whole movie). Remaining List, with one new entry: The Insider: The subject matter of this movie never interested me, but by all accounts it has two powerhouse performances and its Michael Mann so I'm sure its good. The Brood: I like everything I've seen from Cronenberg but I haven't seen anything from this earlier period of his career. Cobra Verde: The reason I'm ashamed not to have seen this is because I'm a HUGE Herzog fan, Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo are two of my favorite films. Seems wrong that there are Herzog/Kinski collaborations I haven't seen yet. Jamaica Inn - This is the Hitchcock slot for now, Jamaica Inn was made a year before my last pick, Foreign Correspondent. Sansho the Bailiff: Mizoguchi is one of the two or three greatest Japanese directors of all-time, but I've only seen Ugetsu. I've heard several famous American directors speak very highly about Sansho the Bailiff in particular. La Strada: I don't often find myself in the mood for Fellini, but when I do watch him I'm usually glad I did. Red Desert: I've never seen any Antonioni films in color. This seems like a good start, and then I'll eventually need to track down Blow Up.
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Aug 11, 2016 14:30
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What I find intriguing about Sunset Boulevard is how many actors either play themselves or characters very close to themselves. I wonder how DeMille felt about his portrayal in the film.
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Aug 11, 2016 15:13
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Samuel Clemens posted:What I find intriguing about Sunset Boulevard is how many actors either play themselves or characters very close to themselves. I wonder how DeMille felt about his portrayal in the film. I thought he was portrayed fairly positively. When he tries to get Norma to rent her car to him, he didn't seem to be aware of how messed up she was. As soon as he meets her he understands, and he tells his people to stop calling her about the car. I mean, he does lie to her about giving her another starring role, but I got the feeling that was only out of desperation because he had no clue how to handle this mentally ill woman.
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Aug 11, 2016 15:27
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Basebf555, I'm giving you La Strada, and I don't know why. Just a whim, I guess. Judgment at Nuremberg was an intense movie, and I liked it a lot. The story centers around the “Judges’ Trial,” which I had never heard of. I assumed it focused on the Eichmanns and Hesses who were at the center of Germany’s crimes, but it was instead about a handful of judges who helped legitimize the Nazi party. This actually makes it more dramatic, as it's about regular people who condone crimes and not pure monsters who commit them. According to Wikipedia, the movie is a fictionalization of the real event and the characters are composites of a larger group of people (there were a dozen judges in reality, not just four). The movie relies on a lot of dialogue and speeches in the crowded courtroom, and the camera often swoops and zooms in a way that makes it feel like news footage. On the other hand, it will sometimes pan completely around a speaker or put a witness in the corner facing out, similar to the Citizen Kane aesthetic. Most of the monologues are very powerful, including a show-stopper from Burt Lancaster as the main defendant. They try to get at the heart of how the Nazis arose and how similar things can happen in other countries. I’m tempted to make snarky comments about Trump supporters, but the truth is that every political party has some dangerous policies, and it’s hard to know when you stand against them and when you support a politician because they promise to make things better. The movie warns us against those sorts of compromises, and it’s too easy to pretend like we’d all have done better if we were there. There are a lot of good performances in this movie. Spencer Tracy is good in courtrooms, and portrays his conflict over standing up for justice despite political pressure over the Cold War- the obvious message was that anyone can be tempted to overlook what’s right in the name of safety. The defense lawyer, Herr Rolfe (Maximilian Schell) won a well-deserved Oscar. He gives impassioned speeches and truly believes in what he’s doing, and doesn’t seem to realize how his defense is recreating some of the sins of the Nazis. He is imposing and frightening at times, like a bat in his dark cloak, and kind of reminds me of Christoph Waltz. If I had to complain about anything, it’s that some of the out-of-court scenes drag a bit. Haywood’s relationship with the German noblewoman helps humanize both characters, though, so it was probably for the best. Also, they got a little funny with the languages. In the beginning, they carefully show how the interpreters work, but then almost everyone speaks English. It was especially odd when one of the witnesses was mentally handicapped yet still seemed to speak English as a second language with no difficulty, until given a language test. That performance was a bit weak. Still, these are minor complaints about an excellent film. Rating: 4/4 101. Spartacus- In the end, aren't we all Spartacus? Yeah, I know how this one ends, but that's basically it. Also, I think it's popular among labor organizers. 112. The Bourne Ultimatum- I like this series- ready to finish it off (I doubt "Legacy" is worth my time). 116. Boogie Nights- Uh, porn is bad. You shouldn't watch porn, m'kay? 120. The Straight Story- Doug Walker described this as "a movie that seems really slow and tedious until you get to the end, and then you realize everything that happened was for a reason." So that interested me. Also, it's by David Lynch, who ranges from excellent (Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks Season One) to pretty good (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks Season Two). No, I've never seen Dune, why do you ask? 122. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang- Somewhere, someone made a list of best pre-Hays Code movies, and this was at the top. That's all I know about it. Oh, and I think there's a twist ending of some sort, but I've deliberately avoided reading anything about it. 124. The Rules of the Game- I opened the They Shoot Pictures list, and this is number five. I've never even heard of it. 127. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer- One of Shakespeare's lesser known history plays. 128. Cool Hand Luke-: "What we've got here is... failure to communicate." There, that's everything I know about this movie. Well, I think Paul Newman's in it, too. 129. Scenes from a Marriage- Continuing with Ebert's annual bests, this was the best of 1974. I've never heard of it, but- wait... (scrolls through previous comments in this thread). Oh, this is Ingmar Bergman's even more depressing and much longer follow-up to Cries and Whispers? Oh, dear, better prepare myself... 130. Invasion of the Body Snatchers- The original? Which one is the best version? Okay, tell me what I'm watching! Shame relieved: The Godfather: 3.5/4, The Godfather Part II: 4/4, Taxi Driver: 4/4, Casablanca: 4/4, Duck Soup: 2/4, Pulp Fiction: 4/4, Barton Fink: 3.5/4, Annie Hall:3/4, Rashomon: 4/4, Blade Runner: 3.5/4, Chinatown: 4/4, Nashville: 3.5/4, Goodfellas: 4/4, The Seven Samurai: 4/4, Superman: 2/4, The Exorcist: 3/4, A Face in the Crowd: 3.5/4, The Seventh Seal: 2.5/4, Treasure of the Sierra Madre: 3.5/4, Apocalypse Now: 4/4, 2001: A Space Odyssey: 2.5/4, The Deer Hunter: 3/4, Schindler's List: 4/4, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: 3/4, Young Frankenstein: 3.5/4, Yojimbo: 3.5/4, Brazil: 3.5/4, Hamlet: 4/4, The Aviator: 4/4, Rocky: 3.5/4, Gandhi: 3.5/4, City Lights: 4/4, Battleship Potemkin: 3.5/4, Predator: 3/4, Easy Rider: 1.5/4, Platoon: 3.5/4, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: 4/4, Get Carter: 3.5/4, Full Metal Jacket: 4/4, My Dinner with Andre: 4/4, Lethal Weapon: 3/4, 3 Women: 4/4, Ikiru: 4/4, The Maltese Falcon: 2.5/4, Midnight Cowboy: 3/4, Gattaca: 4/4, Gone with the Wind: 3/4, Jaws: 4/4, The Bicycle Thief: 3/4, Sophie's Choice: 2/4, On the Waterfront: 4/4, North by Northwest: 3.5/4, Stagecoach: 3.5/4, E.T.: 2/4, Nosferatu: 4/4, Lawrence of Arabia: 4/4, Dirty Harry: 1/4, Vertigo: 3.5/4, Rebecca: 4/4, The Pink Panther: 3/4, Children of Men: 4/4, Wings of Desire: 3/4, Metropolis: 3.5/4, Born on the Fourth of July: 4/4, The Bridge on the River Kwai: 3.5/4, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 4/4, Being John Malkovich: 3/4, Adaptation: 4/4, Bonnie and Clyde: 4/4, Goldfinger: 3/4, A Streetcar Named Desire: 4/4, Dog Day Afternoon: 3.5/4, Leon: The Professional: 4/4, 8 1/2: 3/4, Mulholland Drive: 4/4, 12 Angry Men: 4/4, Safety Last: 3.5/4, Dogville: 4/4, The Rapture: 2/4, Blue Velvet: 3/4, Irreversible: 4/4, Airplane!: 3.5/4, Tokyo Story: 2.5/4, Big Trouble in Little China: 3.5/4, American Psycho: 3.5/4, Dr. Zhivago: 3/4, Leaving Las Vegas:4/4, The Bourne Identity: 4/4, Out of Africa: 3/4, The Usual Suspects: 3/4, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: 4/4, Rain Man: 3.5/4, The Lost Weekend: 3.5/4, Ratatouille: 3/4, City of God: 4/4, Ed Wood: 4/4, Top Gun: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Bleu: 3.5/4, The Hidden Fortess: 3/4, First Blood: 4/4, The Ten Commandments:3.5/4, Patton: 3.5/4, The Bourne Supremacy:3.5/4, King Lear (1983): 2.5/4, Repo Man: 2.5/4, King Kong: 3.5/4, Wall Street: 3/4, The Blues Brothers: 2/4, Trois Couleurs: Blanc: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Rouge: 3.5/4, Animal House: 1.5/4, Ben-Hur: 3.5/4, Gojira: 4/4, Sunset Boulevard: 3.5/4, Falling Down: 4/4, The Night of the Hunter: 3.5/4, Ran: 4/4, The Battle of Algiers: 4/4, Z: 3/4, The Great Escape: 2.5/4, Cries and Whispers: 4/4, Enchanted: 3.5/4, Judgment at Nuremberg: 4/4 Jurgan fucked around with this message at 05:16 on Sep 18, 2016 |
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Aug 12, 2016 06:53
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Basebf555 posted:I thought he was portrayed fairly positively. When he tries to get Norma to rent her car to him, he didn't seem to be aware of how messed up she was. As soon as he meets her he understands, and he tells his people to stop calling her about the car. I mean, he does lie to her about giving her another starring role, but I got the feeling that was only out of desperation because he had no clue how to handle this mentally ill woman. He definitely comes across as an amicable fellow, but at the same time, he appears to regard Norma's current state as a personal tragedy, rather than the result of a studio system which chews up young actors and spits them out once they're past their prime. I think it's interesting to compare him to Van Stroheim's character, who also bears some responsibility for Norma's mental breakdown, but actually felt guilty enough about it to end his lucrative career and devote his life to helping her. Compared to him, DeMille seems remarkably callous towards the woman he once considered a close friend.
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Aug 12, 2016 10:27
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Go with Cool Hand Luke, you'll know pretty quickly if it's going to be up your alley, it's one of my favorites personally, here's hoping! OK, so it's been a bit! I've taken down two however, first F For Fake which was my assigned pick. Good poo poo. I'll be honest, about halfway through I just stopped paying attention to the words almost entirely and just sat there, glazed over, staring at the images. This film is just gorgeous, and people speak with such conviction that the words just don't matter all that much. It's not terribly clear, and can be tricky to follow, but there's so much to love here. This'll be one I revisit after I do a little reading on the film because I'd like to go back and try and understand it. But, for the watching experience I had, it was sublime. 9/10 I also knocked off The Best Years of Our Lives. This was a mom pick for me, and I watched it with her, which was nice, but she was anxious the whole time about me not liking it. That certainly didn't help my experience, but this thing just didn't stand a chance with me anyhow. Slow slow slow. I get that this is from a different time, and all but it's just impossible to give a poo poo from beat to beat; the scenes don't matter and don't impact each other and Christ do they take their time. Overall, this didn't do much of anything for me, there were some decent shots, and some of the acting was nice, but I'm not feeling the love. 6.5/10 1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington - A standard "YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SEEN_____" that I deal with from time to time. 2. Garden of Words - Heard it's very pretty. 3. Certified Copy - Heard about this director for the first time from this thread a few pages back. Let's see how it goes! 4. We Need To Talk About Kevin- Chili needs to see a film about Kevin? 5. *NEW*Three Colors: Blue *NEW* - A thread favorite, I'd like to check it out. 6. Metropolis – Hitler pick. 7. *NEW* Saturday Night Fever *NEW* - I'm keeping number 7 open for movies that my mom picks for me. Can't imagine liking this, but I'd be really happy to call her and tell her that my gut feeling was wrong. 8. Deconstructing Harry - More Woody please! 9. Beasts Of The Southern Wild - All I know is that the kid is supposed to be great. 10. Good Morning, Vietnam- My understanding is that this is somewhat overrated but it's never boring watching Robin Williams. 129 Total De-Shamed! Yojimbo 7.5/10, Aliens 6.5/10, Brazil 8/10, Cool Hand Luke 9.5/10, 28 Days Later 6/10, Predator 8.5/10, Blade Runner 7.5/10,Crimes and Misdemeanors 9/10, Vertigo 7/10, Being There 7.5/10, Psycho 10/10, Apocalypse Now 7.5/10, Citizen Kane 8.5/10, Dr. Strangelove 7/10, Close Encounters of the Third Kind 8.5/10, The Bicycle Thief 7/10, Raging Bull 8/10, Ikiru 10/10, Terminator 2: Judgement Day 7/10, The Night of the Hunter 8.5/10 How to Train Your Dragon 6.5/10, There Will Be Blood 8/10, Manhattan 7/10, Rashomon 8.5/10, Unforgiven 8.5/10 The Third Man 9.5/10, Requiem For A Dream 4/10, Charade 5.5/10, Sunset Blvd. 8/10 , Badlands 6.5/10, Dead Man 8.5/10, On The Waterfront 9/10, Mad Max 6/10, Singin' In The Rain 9.5/10, Sleeper 7.5/10, Enter The Dragon 6.5/10, The Hustler 8/10 , The Town 9/10, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 5.5/10, Boogie Nights 7.5/10, Hanna 8.5/10, The Conversation 7.5/10, Serpico 8/10, Hoop Dreams 9/10, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind 8/10, Blood Simple 7.5/10, Roman Holiday 8.5/10, Miller's Crossing 8/10, M 7.5/10, Moonrise Kingdom 6.5/10, Rope 7/10, Tiny Furniture 1/10, On The Town 5.5/10, Gosford Park 5.5/10, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, 8.5/10, City Lights 8.5/10, The Exorcist 6.5/10, California Split 7/10, Aguirre, The Wrath Of God 8/10, Following 8/10, The General 10/10, Barton Fink 8.5/10, Tombstone 8/10, The Hudsucker Proxy 9/10, Love Actually 6.5, La Dolce Vita 7/10, Chop Shop 9.5/10, Duck Soup 6/10, When Harry Met Sally 8/10, Tokyo Story 7/10, Kelly's Heroes 8/10, The Thing 8.5/10, Lost In Translation 9.5/10, Anchorman 6.5/10, Mulholland Dr. 8.5/10, Rebecca9/10, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans 7/10, Steamboat Bill Jr. 9/10, Double Indemnity 9/10, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum 6.5/10, The Man Who Wasn't There 8.10, Synecdoche, NY 10/10 , Leaving Las Vegas 9/10, The Hidden Fortress 8.5/10, Magnificent Seven 8/10, Dear Zachary -/10, The Fly 9/10, Time Bandits 6/10, Before Sunrise 6.5, The Buddy Holly Story 7/10, Pleasantville 7/10, The Rules of the Game 6/10, Senna 7.5/10, Kiki's Delivery Service 8/10, Gojira 9/10, The Blues Brothers 5/10, Notorious 7/10, Little Shop of Horrors 9/10 , The Last Starfighter 7/10, Rebel Without A Cause 8.5/10, Sherlock Jr. 7.5/10, Intolerable Cruelty, 9/10, The Ladykillers 9/10, Spring Breakers 7.5/10, Touch of Evil 8/10, The Purple Rose of Cairo, 9/10, My Cousin Vinny 7/10, Galaxy Quest 8/10, First Blood, 9/10, Arsenic and Old Lace, 7/10, Mad Max 2, 9/10, The Raid: Redemption, 8/10, Kramer vs. Kramer 9.5/10, Nightcrawler 10/10, Frank 9/10, Strangers On A Train 8/10 , Wild Strawberries 7.5/10, They Came Together 5.5/10, The Squid and the Whale, 10/10, Poolhall Junkies 1/10, Citizenfour 10/10, The 400 Blows 9.5/10, Event Horizon 2/10, Ashes and Diamonds, 8/10 Defending Your Life 9/10, The Informant! 8.5/10 The Lady and the Tramp 8.5/10, Memories of Murder 8.5/10, Ordinary People 8.5/10, Blue Ruin 7/10, F For Fake 9/10, The Best Years of Our Lives 6.5/10 Chili fucked around with this message at 09:17 on Aug 14, 2016 |
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Aug 14, 2016 09:03
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Chili posted:7. *NEW* Saturday Night Fever *NEW* - I'm keeping number 7 open for movies that my mom picks for me. Can't imagine liking this, but I'd be really happy to call her and tell her that my gut feeling was wrong. Check out Saturday Night Fever, I'm a fan of that fine film. And the soundtrack is insane. (Everybody needs to hear Night on Disco Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P-5yiAUbg4) Speaking of badass movies with insanely good music, I just watched Excalibur! Hell of a movie, really epic stuff. Epic is putting it mildly, I've seen few movies that have quite this kind of epic feel. Another one is Arcadia of my Youth, an anime film from the year after Excalibur about a noble space pirate, which also had great classical/operatic music. Highly recommend that to everybody by the way! Back to Excalibur, wow. I love how it has this breezy pace to it, and with the great visuals and surreal feel it's pretty easy to get into it. And the use of O Fortuna is very cool, looking at this wikipedia page looks like this is the first movie that made use of it. The song is so epic it's almost always used comedically, and apparently was even used in Old Spice commercials in the 70s. It definitely works for this movie though, as a heavy metal fan I greatly enjoy that kind of grandiose unabashed epicness. So anyways, I really dig Arthur and Merlin's characterization in this. And while I did dig Zardoz from '74 so I know Boorman was already making crazy sci-fi/fantasy, I'm pretty sure Obi-Wan Kenobi had a huge influence on this portrayal of Merlin. Which is good by me, this Merlin is very cool. I love the sort of episodic first half of the movie, lots of quick time lapses of decades here and there, and it works. In general I dig a lot of the tackling of stuff like lust, ego, and stuff. And the way it handles the surreal elements in a dreamlike way really connected with me, as say a David Lynch fan (though Boorman was doing this kinda thing before that). All the lady in the lake stuff is just perfect. Now I'll say personally, the second half of the movie has some bits that I don't love quite as much, when we settle in for the dark main conflict. I'm still into it, it's just tough to top how magical I found the first half of the story. It works though, and is very effective, some of it hits really hard like when Merlin out of the blue says he won't ever see his old friend again. And the ending is well done. Epic movie, glad I finally saw it, highly recommended. Here's my list: Adventures in Babysitting - I've heard this mentioned a lot for some reason, it's probably great. Rounders - Heard good things, big Norton fan, also has Matt Damon. Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home - I think I've seen some of it on TV in my youth. I love Wrath of Khan naturally. Titan A.E. - Maybe what's shameful is the quantity of Matt Damon on this list. Phantom Lady - It's a noir film, I like a lot of those. This just doesn't rise to the top of the to watch list it seems. Dressed to Kill - 80s DePalma, that could be good. Cat People - Has a helluva theme song by David Bowie as we know. Moulin Rouge - It's been brought up and recommended to me before. High Noon - Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper, super duper. Honored in the hit Puttin' on the Ritz. Better Off Dead - An 80s Cusack comedy that I've seen lots of people dig, not sure if I'd dig it, but maybe! Heavy Metal fucked around with this message at 14:47 on Aug 14, 2016 |
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Aug 14, 2016 14:33
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This sounds fun and I think I'm going to try and jump in here. There are so many great and/or popular movies I have never seen, and my only excuse is that I've struggled with depression for many years—and one unfortunate symptom of this was a reluctance to watch anything at all, because it just seemed like a waste of time. Watching "A Story of Film: An Odyssey" last year really rekindled my love for film, and since then I've been trying to make up for lost time. All of the films in my list are ones I could watch right now. 1. Rosemary's Baby - Would be my first Polanski film. I've owned the DVD for a decade or more. 2. The Thin Red Line - Would be my first Malick film. 3. Pulp Fiction - Would be my first Tarantino film. This is not a joke. 4. Laura - After watching The Third Man for a class back in... 2006, I decided I should really check out some more film noir. Since then, I've seen maybe 2-3 films that you could call that. 5. Sunset Boulevard - See #4. 6. Deliverance - Yes, yes, dueling banjos, squeal like a pig, etc. Have still never seen it. 7. Freaks - Pre-Code Hollywood has been one of my areas of interest in recent months, but I've owned this since before I even knew what the Hays Code was and haven't made my way around to it yet. 8. Pan's Labyrinth - Yet another from the "I have owned this for years" pile. Looks like a great dark fantasy movie that I would totally love! 9. The Ladykillers - The original, not the Coen Brothers remake (which I also haven't seen). 10. Exorcist III - Have been interested in seeing this since I read that "100 Scariest Movie Moments" article on Retrocrush, whenever the gently caress that was a thing. Heavy Metal posted:Dressed to Kill - 80s DePalma, that could be good. I actually haven't seen any of the movies on your list, but this one sounds the most interesting to me. So go with that.
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Aug 14, 2016 18:12
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Heavy Metal posted:
Glad you really enjoyed it. There's a danger with its stentorian tone that the movie could have crossed the line into something hammy, but Boorman holds the line, and the result is both epic and stirring. I think Boorman is the first modern artist to really highlight the pagan notes in the source material, too, which adds some interesting layers.
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Aug 15, 2016 06:28
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Rollersnake posted:10. Exorcist III - Have been interested in seeing this since I read that "100 Scariest Movie Moments" article on Retrocrush, whenever the gently caress that was a thing. Check this one out, it is a seriously underrated near-masterpiece. Sure, its not as scary as the original, but its got several great performances and a few all-time great horror moments. These days its kind of a cult favorite so hopefully most horror fans know about it. I watched La Strada. I first saw Giulietta Masina in Juliet of the Spirits, where she made a very strong impression on me. Her performance in La Strada is maybe not quite as deep, but definitely just as interesting. After watching it I saw an interview with Martin Scorsese where he described Gelsomina as a stock character, an archetype who serves almost as a backdrop for Zampano's story. Quinn plays Zampano with a humanity that makes it impossible to completely disown him, throughout the film we see him perform the same feat of strength repeatedly and I couldn't help but think it was tougher and tougher as time went on. He's in a downward spiral and he knows it, and his personal demons cause him to lose the one thing that maybe could have pulled him out of it. The tragedy is how aware of it all he is at the end, if he continued on blissfully ignorant I guess I could say "gently caress this guy", but Quinn really makes you feel his pain in the final scene. Remaining List: The Insider: The subject matter of this movie never interested me, but by all accounts it has two powerhouse performances and its Michael Mann so I'm sure its good. The Brood: I like everything I've seen from Cronenberg but I haven't seen anything from this earlier period of his career. Cobra Verde: The reason I'm ashamed not to have seen this is because I'm a HUGE Herzog fan, Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo are two of my favorite films. Seems wrong that there are Herzog/Kinski collaborations I haven't seen yet. Jamaica Inn - This is the Hitchcock slot for now, Jamaica Inn was made a year before my last pick, Foreign Correspondent. Sansho the Bailiff: Mizoguchi is one of the two or three greatest Japanese directors of all-time, but I've only seen Ugetsu. I've heard several famous American directors speak very highly about Sansho the Bailiff in particular. *NEW*The Long Voyage Home: Its John Ford, and its been on my Hulu queue for months. That is shameful. Red Desert: I've never seen any Antonioni films in color. This seems like a good start, and then I'll eventually need to track down Blow Up.
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Aug 15, 2016 15:32
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Basebf555 posted:Check this one out, it is a seriously underrated near-masterpiece. Sure, its not as scary as the original, but its got several great performances and a few all-time great horror moments. These days its kind of a cult favorite so hopefully most horror fans know about it. Maybe if I'd watched The Exorcist III with low expectations I might have ended up enjoying it a bit more? It just seemed to get worse the longer it went on, and part of the problem was the inconsistent tone—there was a surprising amount of humor that felt badly out of place. Also the Gemini Killer's monologuing grew extremely tedious, and I'm not sure whether to fault the actor or Blatty as writer/director for that. The nurses' station scene was well-executed but didn't hit as hard as I'd hoped it would, and one good jump scare ultimately doesn't do much to elevate a movie as deeply flawed as this. In any case, I actually thought the best/creepiest part was the dream sequence leading up to Father Dyer's death.
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Aug 17, 2016 05:17
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Rollersnake posted:Maybe if I'd watched The Exorcist III with low expectations I might have ended up enjoying it a bit more? It just seemed to get worse the longer it went on, and part of the problem was the inconsistent tone—there was a surprising amount of humor that felt badly out of place. Also the Gemini Killer's monologuing grew extremely tedious, and I'm not sure whether to fault the actor or Blatty as writer/director for that. The nurses' station scene was well-executed but didn't hit as hard as I'd hoped it would, and one good jump scare ultimately doesn't do much to elevate a movie as deeply flawed as this. In any case, I actually thought the best/creepiest part was the dream sequence leading up to Father Dyer's death. How dare you speak ill of Brad Dourif! Seriously though, Exorcist III is not generally regarded as a good movie. I just love everything about it so I couldn't resist a chance to force someone else to watch it. Most people in the horror thread like it but we have odd taste in there.
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Aug 17, 2016 14:23
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Basebf555 posted:Sansho the Bailiff: Mizoguchi is one of the two or three greatest Japanese directors of all-time, but I've only seen Ugetsu. I've heard several famous American directors speak very highly about Sansho the Bailiff in particular. Next one for you. Son of Godzilla - The Godzilla series once again proves its versatility. Eight films in and we get to see the domestic and fatherly side of the giant gorilla-whale as he helps his new son learn the ways of the world. The Godzilla family is featured in lighthearted scenes with upbeat music and the two monsters have never been more humanized. This takes place entirely on an island where scientists are doing experiments to combat food scarcity. There are a few other lightweight monsters like giant praying mantises and a giant spider. No real threats to the Godzilla family. As Baby Godzilla emerges from his egg he's very funny. Some kind of slimy slug/frog/lizard chimera that alternately screams like a monkey or brays like a donkey at its confusing new surroundings. Would the Bond filmmakers take a leap of faith and make a Son of Bond? I think not. Also watched: What Have I Done to Deserve This? - A lot of this reminded me of an R-rated, more downbeat version of Napoleon Dynamite. We follow a family living in an apartment and their interactions with their network of friends and family. They all have their quirks and crazy ideas. Just as one humorous example a struggling writer concocts an idea to fabricate and forge documents to try and sell them as if he's found Hitler's memoirs. It's a little like the very overlooked You Can't Take It with You as well. However, it contains a lot more unethicality compared to Napoleon Dynamite as characters are heavy involved with drugs, infidelity, pedophilia, murder, domestic violence (to name a few). We also have a tinge of the supernatural as there's a girl who's similar to Matilda or Carrie (the main characters in their eponymous films). Procrastination (227 completed): #208 Queen - IMDb CCL. 1/14/16 #209 The Hour of the Furnaces AKA La hora de los hornos - There are around a dozen films I've recommended ITT to someone that I haven't seen. This is one of them. 2/4/16 #229 Greed - I was futilely waiting for some hero to find the full original version somewhere but I'll throw in the towel at this juncture. 7/12/16 new #231 Red Desert - Haven't heard much about this. 8/17/16 new #232 The Beach - Been meaning to watch this. 8/17/16 James Bond versus Godzilla (21/58 completed): Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (30/39 completed): 1992 Shining Through - Something about WWII. 11/30/15 1987 Leonard Part 6 - Bill Cosby disowned his own movie. 8/1/16 1986 Under the Cherry Moon - Prince's directorial debut. 8/1/16 1984 Bolero - Bo Derek is back. 8/9/16 1983 The Lonely Lady - Not to be confused with The Lonely Guy (1984). 8/9/16
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Aug 17, 2016 21:38
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Zogo posted:
Godspeed Wasn't fully feeling The Skin I Live In for the first half or so. When every angle of motivation is clarified, all the scenes that felt extraneous in the beginning suddenly bore greater depth. It has one of those narrative moments, Oldboy has one, that just made me stop for a second with my jaw dropping. While I wonder how it would all hold together in a second viewing, I thought the shock and fallout worked very well. I would likely rank it below the other Almodovar films I've seen, but not by a lot. It's dark and stylized effectively, as his films are, but without that extra piece of whimsy that is so often present in his work. This is fine, as it shows his versatility and ability to play with convention, even the ones he has crafted within his own filmography. All that said, I think the less you know about the actual plot/story the better the initial reaction will be. Go in blind. It's worth it. In that spirit, thematically, the film is all about the various violent dangers men pose to women. Even though Zeca is presented as more overtly animalistic compared to Vicente and Robert, none are anywhere close to heroic or noble. All of the male actions in the film almost immediately lead to suffering or violations of women. It's uncomfortable with purpose and I never felt any of the drama was cheaply obtained or inappropriately exploitative. The score is really something, too. It alternates between strings and synth and it really makes several wordless sequences pop. LIST O SHAME 1)Walkabout - One from the outback. I know next to nothing about it, but cover art intrigued me. 2) Code Unknown - More Haneke. I love Juliette Binoche, too. Know nothing about it, but bought it blind when Criterion released it. 3) Paprika - Anime from the creator of Perfect Blue, which I was a fan of. Figured I should see another. 4) Cobra Verde - This Herzog/Kinski box set won't watch itself! 5) A Touch of Zen - It's so long, but apparently an absolute must-watch according to a friend of mine. 6) Shallow Grave - I know I started watching this like 10 years ago. I vaguely remember falling asleep and missing it. 7) Song of the Sea - Irish animation I've wanted to see since it was released. Just got added to Netflix! 8) Tangerine - Been on a number of best of 2015 lists. 9) Breaking the Waves - Will it be another entry in Lars von Trier's ongoing series of soul crushers? 10) La Silence de La Mer - Jean Pierre Melville is excellent. I've liked everything I've seen. SHAME BE GONE:Wild Strawberries, Sunset Blvd., The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Our Man in Havana, Breathless, Phenomena, Withnail & I, 12 Angry Men, The Cranes Are Flying, Fitzcarraldo, Amadeus, Paths of Glory, Blow Out, Cronos, Hausu, City Lights, Easy Rider, The Lives of Others, Salo, In the Bedroom, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Cars, Brand Upon the Brain!, The Great Dictator, Double Indemnity, Point Blank, Cool Hand Luke, 127 Hours, Black Narcissus, Lawrence of Arabia, The Sting, A Woman is a Woman, Life of Brian, Last Picture Show, The Company of Wolves, Tree of Life, Life is Beautiful, Young Frankenstein, Cinema Paradiso, Some Like it Hot, Shotgun Stories, Singin' in the Rain, Precious, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Rules of the Game, Frost/Nixon, All About Eve, Bronson, The Searchers, Bicycle Thieves, American Graffiti, A Christmas Story, The Phantom Carriage, The Changeling, Repulsion, Kagemusha, Irreversible, The Virgin Spring, The Red Shoes, Deconstructing Harry, Metropolis, Che, The Island of Lost Souls, Revanche, Black Moon, Stalker, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Badlands, The Long Goodbye, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Apartment, All About My Mother, Tokyo Story, Chungking Express, This is Spinal Tap, On the Waterfront, Grave of the Fireflies, Rebecca, The Sweet Hereafter, Peeping Tom, Drunken Angel, Duck Soup, Key Largo, Witness for the Prosecution, The Lady From Shanghai, Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, Safety Last!, King Kong, Anatomy of a Murder, In a Lonely Place, Safe, Bad Day at Black Rock, The General, The Magnificent Ambersons, Five Easy Pieces, Porco Rosso, Mystery Train, Rififi, The King of Comedy, The Straight Story, The Kid, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Carlos, Onibaba, It Happened One Night, Sherlock Jr., Lone Star, Foreign Correspondent, The Last Detail, Young Mr. Lincoln, Rope, Mr. Hulot's Holiday, The Man Who Laughs, Husbands and Wives, Reds, Sweet Smell of Success, Shadow of a Doubt, The Purple Rose of Cairo, The African Queen, The Lower Depths, Frankenstein, Broadcast News, La Strada, The Last Laugh, Stagecoach, Alexander Nevsky, Don't Look Now, Fish Tank, Steamboat Bill, Jr., Days of Heaven, The Killer, Nosferatu, The Naked Kiss, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Jules et Jim, Mon Oncle, Howl's Moving Castle, Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Night at the Opera, Berberian Sound Studio, The Natural, Kwaidan, The Color of Money, Fanny and Alexander, Repo Man, The Breakfast Club, The Passenger, The King of Marvin Gardens, The Goonies, Z, Ashes and Diamonds, L'Atalante, All Quiet on the Western Front, L'Age D'Or, The Earrings of Madame De..., La Notte, Europa, World on a Wire, Andrei Rublev, Dersu Uzala, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Brewster McCloud, Blast of Silence, Ordet, Bringing Up Baby, Pather Panchali, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, A Streetcar Named Desire, Bride of Frankenstein, Three Colors: White, Three Colors: Red, Kuroneko, A Hard Day's Night, Marketa Lazarova, Tootsie, George Washington, Marnie, Amour, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Duke of Burgundy, Volver, Day for Night, The Verdict, State of Siege, Dressed to Kill, Children of Paradise, Beauty and the Beast, Love Streams, The Skin I Live In(TOTAL: 190)
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Aug 18, 2016 03:42
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Ratedargh posted:Wasn't fully feeling The Skin I Live In for the first half or so. When every angle of motivation is clarified, all the scenes that felt extraneous in the beginning suddenly bore greater depth. It has one of those narrative moments, Oldboy has one, that just made me stop for a second with my jaw dropping. While I wonder how it would all hold together in a second viewing, I thought the shock and fallout worked very well. I would likely rank it below the other Almodovar films I've seen, but not by a lot. It's dark and stylized effectively, as his films are, but without that extra piece of whimsy that is so often present in his work. This is fine, as it shows his versatility and ability to play with convention, even the ones he has crafted within his own filmography. All that said, I think the less you know about the actual plot/story the better the initial reaction will be. Go in blind. It's worth it. I'm finding that the most satisfying thing about this thread is that I get to give people a movie to watch and they have to watch it and report back! That almost never happens in my real life, especially with a film like The Skin I Live In. I went in almost completely blind as well and that's definitely the way to see it.
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Aug 18, 2016 14:48
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Ratedargh, random number generator says you're watching Tangerine. Cool Hand Luke was an enjoyable movie, but I’m not sure it has much to say. The acting was good, and the setting felt real, but the story was somewhat by-the-book. I found myself trying to compare it to other prison movies to get a handle on it, but the closest analogy is probably One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Both Luke and McMurphy are criminals who are punished out-of-proportion to their crimes, they stir up a sense of rebellion and independence in the other prisoners, and they are both ultimately killed (or lobotomized) to preserve the status quo. It’s a nice story and fits the attitude of the New Wave of American cinema (and I enjoyed it far more than the similarly themed Easy Rider), but I could never quite figure out Luke’s deal. At first, I thought he got arrested on purpose because he wanted to get away. Maybe not, but he seemed to deal with prison well, becoming popular and doing his own thing. But then he started trying to escape. His main ethos was to do what he felt like at the moment and never back down from anything. The strangest beat was when he takes a bet to eat fifty hard-boiled eggs in an hour, which seems to inspire everyone in the gang, and after he’s done he collapses on the table. Everyone leaves him there laid out in the pose of Jesus on the cross. There’s no way that was an accident, but the symbolism doesn’t make any sense. I guess he did sacrifice his body, temporarily, but how exactly did he save anyone? I guess he gave them hope for the future, but what did he want out of all of it? There’s also some stuff about his relationship with God and his mother, who have basically the same role. His mom isn’t really disappointed in him like you might expect, and the actress gives a great performance. Ultimately, this is a fun movie but one that doesn’t have much depth to it, just a simplistic message that you should be yourself and not let The Man beat you down. Rating: 3/4 101. Spartacus- In the end, aren't we all Spartacus? Yeah, I know how this one ends, but that's basically it. Also, I think it's popular among labor organizers. 112. The Bourne Ultimatum- I like this series- ready to finish it off (I doubt "Legacy" is worth my time). 116. Boogie Nights- Uh, porn is bad. You shouldn't watch porn, m'kay? 120. The Straight Story- Doug Walker described this as "a movie that seems really slow and tedious until you get to the end, and then you realize everything that happened was for a reason." So that interested me. Also, it's by David Lynch, who ranges from excellent (Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks Season One) to pretty good (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks Season Two). No, I've never seen Dune, why do you ask? 122. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang- Somewhere, someone made a list of best pre-Hays Code movies, and this was at the top. That's all I know about it. Oh, and I think there's a twist ending of some sort, but I've deliberately avoided reading anything about it. 124. The Rules of the Game- I opened the They Shoot Pictures list, and this is number five. I've never even heard of it. 127. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer- One of Shakespeare's lesser known history plays. 129. Scenes from a Marriage- Continuing with Ebert's annual bests, this was the best of 1974. I've never heard of it, but- wait... (scrolls through previous comments in this thread). Oh, this is Ingmar Bergman's even more depressing and much longer follow-up to Cries and Whispers? Oh, dear, better prepare myself... 130. Invasion of the Body Snatchers- The original? Which one is the best version? 131. F is for Fake- I think this is an odd experimental film from Orson Welles. I heard I should watch it without knowing too much about it. Okay, tell me what I'm watching! Shame relieved: The Godfather: 3.5/4, The Godfather Part II: 4/4, Taxi Driver: 4/4, Casablanca: 4/4, Duck Soup: 2/4, Pulp Fiction: 4/4, Barton Fink: 3.5/4, Annie Hall:3/4, Rashomon: 4/4, Blade Runner: 3.5/4, Chinatown: 4/4, Nashville: 3.5/4, Goodfellas: 4/4, The Seven Samurai: 4/4, Superman: 2/4, The Exorcist: 3/4, A Face in the Crowd: 3.5/4, The Seventh Seal: 2.5/4, Treasure of the Sierra Madre: 3.5/4, Apocalypse Now: 4/4, 2001: A Space Odyssey: 2.5/4, The Deer Hunter: 3/4, Schindler's List: 4/4, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: 3/4, Young Frankenstein: 3.5/4, Yojimbo: 3.5/4, Brazil: 3.5/4, Hamlet: 4/4, The Aviator: 4/4, Rocky: 3.5/4, Gandhi: 3.5/4, City Lights: 4/4, Battleship Potemkin: 3.5/4, Predator: 3/4, Easy Rider: 1.5/4, Platoon: 3.5/4, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: 4/4, Get Carter: 3.5/4, Full Metal Jacket: 4/4, My Dinner with Andre: 4/4, Lethal Weapon: 3/4, 3 Women: 4/4, Ikiru: 4/4, The Maltese Falcon: 2.5/4, Midnight Cowboy: 3/4, Gattaca: 4/4, Gone with the Wind: 3/4, Jaws: 4/4, The Bicycle Thief: 3/4, Sophie's Choice: 2/4, On the Waterfront: 4/4, North by Northwest: 3.5/4, Stagecoach: 3.5/4, E.T.: 2/4, Nosferatu: 4/4, Lawrence of Arabia: 4/4, Dirty Harry: 1/4, Vertigo: 3.5/4, Rebecca: 4/4, The Pink Panther: 3/4, Children of Men: 4/4, Wings of Desire: 3/4, Metropolis: 3.5/4, Born on the Fourth of July: 4/4, The Bridge on the River Kwai: 3.5/4, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 4/4, Being John Malkovich: 3/4, Adaptation: 4/4, Bonnie and Clyde: 4/4, Goldfinger: 3/4, A Streetcar Named Desire: 4/4, Dog Day Afternoon: 3.5/4, Leon: The Professional: 4/4, 8 1/2: 3/4, Mulholland Drive: 4/4, 12 Angry Men: 4/4, Safety Last: 3.5/4, Dogville: 4/4, The Rapture: 2/4, Blue Velvet: 3/4, Irreversible: 4/4, Airplane!: 3.5/4, Tokyo Story: 2.5/4, Big Trouble in Little China: 3.5/4, American Psycho: 3.5/4, Dr. Zhivago: 3/4, Leaving Las Vegas:4/4, The Bourne Identity: 4/4, Out of Africa: 3/4, The Usual Suspects: 3/4, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: 4/4, Rain Man: 3.5/4, The Lost Weekend: 3.5/4, Ratatouille: 3/4, City of God: 4/4, Ed Wood: 4/4, Top Gun: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Bleu: 3.5/4, The Hidden Fortess: 3/4, First Blood: 4/4, The Ten Commandments:3.5/4, Patton: 3.5/4, The Bourne Supremacy:3.5/4, King Lear (1983): 2.5/4, Repo Man: 2.5/4, King Kong: 3.5/4, Wall Street: 3/4, The Blues Brothers: 2/4, Trois Couleurs: Blanc: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Rouge: 3.5/4, Animal House: 1.5/4, Ben-Hur: 3.5/4, Gojira: 4/4, Sunset Boulevard: 3.5/4, Falling Down: 4/4, The Night of the Hunter: 3.5/4, Ran: 4/4, The Battle of Algiers: 4/4, Z: 3/4, The Great Escape: 2.5/4, Cries and Whispers: 4/4, Enchanted: 3.5/4, Judgment at Nuremberg: 4/4, Cool Hand Luke:3/4 Jurgan fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Sep 18, 2016 |
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Aug 20, 2016 00:22
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