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TrixRabbi posted:The Seventh Seal is actually surprisingly accessible and has a good chunk of humor in it as well. It's also just over 90 minutes long so it's not like it's going to be a three hour long undertaking. I still haven't watched Birth of a Nation so I can't choose it for you, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm sure I'd love it. A friend of mine, whose taste I share in pretty much all things film related, spent a week watching it once a day. EDIT: Just gonna post this again, in case people looked over my last post. 1. Seventh Seal - Ok, for whatever reason every single time I rent this movie I never end up watching it. I guess because I feel like it's going to be a huge undertaking and I'm a lazy rear end in a top hat. I love Autumn Sonata and The Silence Trilogy. Wild Strawberries and Sawdust and Tinsel I think I was too young to appreciate when I saw them. 2. M.A.S.H - Another film that I never end up watching, despite having rented it a few times. I've seen 3 Women and Nashville, both of which I think are amazing. 3. La Strada - I've seen a few of the big Fellini films, but not this one. Another film I've rented a few times and didn't end up watching. 4. Band Of Outsiders - I've only seen one Godard film in its entirety, Breathless. I really enjoyed it, but I could not stomach Pierot Le Fou or Sympathy For The Devil. Godard seems like kind of a schmuck to me. 5. M- I have seen two Fritz Lang films: Metropolis (which I admired but didn't really enjoy) and The Big Heat(which I thought was a fun movie) 6. All The President's Men - I don't really know anything about this movie, but I know it's one of those movie's you're "supposed" to watch. 7. French Connection - I've seen clips, and it seems like a really good time. Don't know why I've put this one off for so long. 8. The Sting - Another film I know pretty much nothing about, other than that I probably should have seen it by now. 9. Dogville - I've only seen one LVT film, Anti-Christ. I hated it, but I've been told it's not very characteristic of his other works. (One going as far as to call it "too commercial", which I sort of understand in light of the popularity of torture porn horror films) 10. Traffic - The Girlfriend Experience is Soderbergh's only film that I've seen, didn't care for it. But I've heard good things about this one. Unshamed: The Thin Red Line Doctor Tupac fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Oct 25, 2012 |
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Oct 25, 2012 20:43
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Doctor Tupac posted:7. French Connection - I've seen clips, and it seems like a really good time. Don't know why I've put this one off for so long. Raising Arizona definitely feels it's age at times, it's attempts at slapstick (especially the scene with the 5 babies) come off rather forced and unfunny. At it's heart though it has the beating consciousness of a Cohen brothers film, the characters (especially John Goodman and his brother) and the small moments of true insight flicker in and out between completely ungrounded attempts at humor. That's not to say that the film isn't genuinely funny at times, Nicholas Cage is almost constantly hilarious on his own or with Goodman and Hunter, but when forced into some lame comedy involving a visit from his boss or a somewhat poorly concocted car chase even his scenes fall flat. It's almost like the Cohens were nervous about their film's reception and occasionally felt the need to put up a giant obnoxious sign that says "THIS IS COMEDY!" when not directing actions among the films more solid actors. You can feel them come into their own later with more subtle comedic works like The Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading and arguably Fargo. The film closes with perhaps it's most brilliant moment, Nicholas Cage's flawed character expositing on his possible future, and it made me want to forgive the film of all it's flaws, but ultimately it's a sign of all the great things to come for the Cohens as well. LIST OF SHAME: 1.Elevator to the Gallows: More Malle plus Miles Davis soundtrack! 2.Melancholia: Interested in Lars von Trier's latest 3.Faraway, So Close! Wing's of Desire really left it's mark on me, time to see it's sequel. 4.*NEW*A Man Escaped: I think I've got a thing for French film. 5.Mother: Continuing with South Korean films. 6.Burmese Harp More classic Japanese cinema! 7.Three Outlaw Samurai: 60s Samurai films...just something about them. 8.*OLDEST*The Goddess: More Satyajit Ray. 9.Les Cousins: Claude Chabrol's next film after Le Beau Serge. 10.The Cranes are Flying: I haven't seen enough Kalatozov. 39 Watched: Masculin Feminin, Les Diaboliques, The World of Apu, Stalag 17, Wings of Desire, Island of Lost Souls, Dogville, Wages of Fear, The Phantom Carriage, I am Cuba, Twilight Samurai, Andrei Rublev, Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Orpheus, Blue, Mean Streets, Fanny and Alexander, White, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Conversation, Le Beau Serge, Memories of a Murder, Tokyo Twilight, Red, 3 Women, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Gone with the Wind, Schindler's List, Cul-de-Sac, All About Eve, Once upon a Time in the West, The Virgin Spring, A Streetcar Named Desire, Army of Shadows, Le Cercle Rouge, Letter Never Sent, Ugetsu, Au Revoir Les Enfants, Raising Arizona Desiato fucked around with this message at 12:41 on Oct 26, 2012 |
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Oct 25, 2012 23:42
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Desiato posted:Burmese Harp More classic Japanese cinema! Haven't seen any of your ten. Castle in the Sky - I liked this one pretty much. As I was watching it I kept thinking that it could be turned into a live action film. I think with some small tweaks it would fit into the Indiana Jones franchise. The mystery of Laputa was always looming in the background so it was a good buildup to that point of arrival on the floating island. I think the character of Dola stuck out the most. She had a relationship with her family in the same way that Mama Fratelli did in The Goonies. Her character arc was a little more nuanced though. also watched: Thor - This was pretty good. When it first started I was a little concerned because it looked like it was going to be a cliched brother vs. brother, archetypical good vs. evil film. Yes, it was brother vs. brother but that aspect wasn't overplayed. Asgard was an interesting visual setting besides appearing a little fake at times. A lot of the characters have deep base voices that seem altered and Thor's group of friends looked like a Diablo II war party. Thor's a little cocky for my taste but in the end I didn't find him too annoying. I couldn't figure out why S.H.I.E.L.D released Thor after unsuccessfully interrogating him. When the credits started rolling I laughed because I hadn't recognized Anthony Hopkins or Rene Russo. I believe my favorite character was Heimdall. Heimdall open the bifrost! Heimdall, where did you go? IMDb list: #226 In the Name of the Father - Something about a trial gone awry? Has a film poster that looks similar to "The Doors" film poster. I'm getting close to finishing the IMDb top 250. Seems like I'll never do it. 9/14/12 #246 Elite Squad: The Enemy Within - The first one was very violent and aimless. Almost nihilistic but still with a veneer of perverted justice that may appeal to an authoritarian. I just hope this one doesn't have more broom rapings. 6/16/12 #248 Edward Scissorhands - I remember seeing some of this when I was younger but I don't think I saw the whole thing. 10/19/12 Academy Award for Best Picture: 1956 Around the World in 80 Days - Always got this confused with "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" in my head. 8/31/12 1952 The Greatest Show on Earth - Seems to have star power. 9/27/12 Procrastination list: #17 Barren Lives AKA Vidas Secas - I recommended this for someone at some point. 7/17/12 #23 Godzilla - I keep putting off watching the original. I saw the US dubbed/edited version many years ago, the version with Raymond Burr nonchalantly narrating (like he's at a golf tournament) as Godzilla destroys Tokyo. 10/16/12 #24 Any Elvis Presley film - Multiple people from the baby boom generation have told me that these were all stupid (and that Elvis became depressed after being in 30+ of them) but I feel like I should see at least one. 10/16/12 new #25 Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages - Old scary movie? 10/25/12 new #26 The Burmese Harp - I've heard of this before. 10/25/12 Desiato posted:It's almost like the Cohens were nervous about their films reception and occasionally felt the need to put up a giant obnoxious sign that says "THIS IS COMEDY!" I remember having the same reaction when I saw it. TrixRabbi posted:The AV Club just did a Q&A on these kinds of experiences. I remember an art teacher I had recounting a story about how he took his 80+ year old neighbor to see Basic Instinct.
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Oct 26, 2012 03:22
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Zogo posted:#248 Edward Scissorhands - I remember seeing some of this when I was younger but I don't think I saw the whole thing. 10/19/12 Do it up, I saw this for the first time recently as well. I wasn't sure what to expect since I'm generally fatigued by Tim Burton's style. For my taste, I felt like this movie still feels like his freshest entry with the dark/fun motif he'd later beat to death. I liked it quite a bit. Last night I watched North by Northwest. Let me start by saying that this movie is loving cool. I'd never seen Cary Grant in anything before. I was a little put off by his style at the beginning, but he sold me pretty quickly. I loved the directing in this movie. I don't know very much about film theory, but I noticed a lot of the shots were mixed with what looked like hand drawn pictures. The biggest example of this, I thought, was outside the UN. There's a shot from the top of the UN building looking down on cars, and you see Thornhill running to a car. I feel like I sound like an idiot describing it but I thought it was cool as poo poo. Same with the Rushmore scene. What's this technique called? I think my favorite scene in the movie was the crop duster attack. I knew that scene from the countless times it's been referenced, but it still had me on edge. When Thornhill is dropped off at that crossroads, Hitchock really lets that stress build for a long time with almost no sound happening. Ultimately the crop duster ends up being a really terrifying device. Thornhill is totally defenseless, he's in the middle of nowhere, and you can't even see who's flying this plane. What a cool scene. I also really appreciated the opening credits with the moving credits being matched up with the lines of the building in the background. After reading on wiki, I found out this is called kinetic typography, and this movie was the first or one of the first to use it. Seemed ahead of its time to me, and combined with the awesome main theme to this movie, made me feel excited and uneasy before the movie really even started. If anything really threw me off about this movie it was its ability to not really take itself seriously. It was jarring at first but eventually became endearing. Thornhill is an ad man who's being chased by crazy murderers but he's still cool to make quips, hit on women, and get drunk. Like a clumsy, accidental James Bond. Was this more common for action/thrillers of the time, were audiences less likely to enjoy pure action/thriller without Bondish fun? Admittedly it's been a while since I've seen a new action movie, but it seems like today any comedy in an action/thriller is carefully measured as to not sacrifice the coolness of the movie. Updated list: 1.) The Color Purple. Keeping Spielberg on the list. 2.) Rocky I've seen Rocky IV and Rocky V (blech) all the way through, but no other Rocky movie. 3.) Full Metal Jacket. My next Kubrick film. I've seen Dr. Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining so I figure Full Metal Jacket is good to be next. I know it's a war movie, I'm 90% sure that it's about Vietnam. I often get this movie confused with Apocalypse Now. 4.) Gone With the Wind. For some reason I had equated this movie to Casablanca, but the wife and I watched that a couple weeks ago. For some reason I thought the dude with the big ears was in Casablanca. He is not. 5.) New!Psycho(1960). Keeping Hitchcock on the list. Saw the shower scene when I was a kid and scared the pants off me. Time to face that childhood fear. 6.) Monsters Inc. I don't know why I thought The Incredibles was the only non-Cars Pixar movie I hadn't seen. I also haven't seen Brave yet. 7.) The Godfather Part III. Now, I don't expect this movie to be great, just because of all the poo poo people have talked about it. That being said, I put it on the list anyway, because I've been meaning to watch it for so long. The first two Godfather movies are two of my favorite movies of all time, so I figure I need to bite the bullet and go through with this. 8.) Braveheart. TrixRabbi reminds me with his/her list that I haven't ever seen this. I have a good friend who loves this movie with an insane passion, and I've been meaning to see it for a long time. 9.) To Kill a Mockingbird. I read the book in middle school, and we might have even watched the movie but I don't remember it so I'm putting it on the list. I'm familiar with the story, and AFI lists this as their #1 courtroom drama. 10.) Magnolia. The only PTA movie I've seen is Punch Drunk Love, and that was a long time ago. (Update: I've seen Boogie Nights now). This movie comes highly recommended. List of shameless: Seven Samurai, Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Yojimbo, Lawrence of Arabia, A Clockwork Orange, Raging Bull, Schindler's List, Citizen Kane, The Incredibles, The Sixth Sense, North by Northwest Seaniqua fucked around with this message at 16:43 on Oct 26, 2012 |
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Oct 26, 2012 16:33
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Seaniqua posted:I loved the directing in this movie. I don't know very much about film theory, but I noticed a lot of the shots were mixed with what looked like hand drawn pictures. The biggest example of this, I thought, was outside the UN. There's a shot from the top of the UN building looking down on cars, and you see Thornhill running to a car. I feel like I sound like an idiot describing it but I thought it was cool as poo poo. Same with the Rushmore scene. What's this technique called? You mean Matte paintings. Funnily enough, the Wikipedia article on it mentions those two shots specifically.
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Oct 26, 2012 16:45
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Seaniqua, watch Monsters Inc. The Exorcist - Only recently I've gotten into horror films. Brokeback Mountain - I've never heard bad things about this. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - This seems to be a favourite amongst my classmates. The Deer Hunter - I've seen quite a few war movies in my time and got a bit bored of them. No Country for Old Men - One of those films I've tried watching but always get distracted by something. The Shining - Heard this got a bad critical reception. One of my mum's favourite films though. Lord of the Rings - I've heard that it's long and boring, and that it's an amazing adaption, but I found the book boring too. Schindler’s List - Watched a bit of it in History at high school for my holocaust coursework but that's it. The Silence of the Lambs - I've got no excuse. Dr Strangelove - Something I've been meaning to get round to for a while now but always had other films that appealed to me more. Gladiator - I loved learning about the Romans, and when I was a kid I had an obsession with gladiators. Plus I've only heard praise for this film. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Heard it's a classic but it sounds kind of heartbreaking. Mental illness evokes such sympathy in me.
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Oct 26, 2012 17:35
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Seaniqua posted:Reservoir Dogs Just to throw this out there for everyone: Tuesday December 4, Reservoir Dogs is in theaters http://www.fathomevents.com/classics/event/reservoirdogs.aspx?d=12/4/2012 Also Pulp Fiction is being shown on December 6 http://www.fathomevents.com/classics/event/pulpfiction.aspx?d=12/6/2012 DKWildz fucked around with this message at 21:58 on Oct 26, 2012 |
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Oct 26, 2012 21:55
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Gushing Granny, random number generator says The Deer Hunter. Princess Mononoke. This seemed as a standard humans vs. nature movie, but the story went places I didn't think it would and the animation and music was breathtaking. My List: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Hey, I hear there is an election coming up. James Stewart for President!! The King's Speech - Trying to see more recent movies. The Kid - More Chaplin please. The Adventures of Robin Hood - Never seen an Errol Flynn movie. Caddyshack - This movie is referenced all the time, but I've never seen it. My Neighbor Totoro - Looking forward to my next Miyazaki film. Throne of Blood - My next Kurosawa film. West Side Story - I'm going to stick with musicals in this spot. The Phantom of the Opera - Next in my monster movie queue. This is the 1925 silent movie. Little Caesar - Sticking with Pre-Code gangster films. Movies Seen: Seven Samurai, Dune, Singin' in the Rain, Animal Crackers, Once Upon a Time in the West, Amadeus, Double Indemnity, The Day the Earth Stood Still, 12 Angry Men, Ed Wood, Sunset Boulevard, The Dark Knight, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Brazil, Rashomon, Yojimbo, No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood, M, Duck Soup, The Princess and the Frog, Sanjuro, The Hidden Fortress, Dracula, It's a Wonderful Life, Lawrence of Arabia, Ikiru, High and Low, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Kagemusha, Best In Show, Modern Times, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Red Beard, Monty Python's The Life of Brian, Cars, Cool Hand Luke, The Public Enemy, Time Bandits, Adaptation, The Producers, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gone With The Wind, My Fair Lady, City Lights, A Christmas Carol(1951), Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke
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Oct 27, 2012 21:58
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At times I felt like I wanted to like Atlantic City more than I actually liked it - too often it's too remote from the characters and their stories so you get this frustrating level of reservedness that's somewhere along the tracks to The Conformist, though with less entertaining visual trickery. But, fortunately, that's only at times, and when Atlantic City really gets the nostalgia pump going it's an almost violently intoxicating film that's constantly revealing news sides to its characters, particularly in the last act, and though it's frustratingly shy with its cards towards the beginning eventually the gamble pays off. It's hard to identify the sort of weird feelings I got from this film. Part of that has to do, I'm sure, with the on-location shooting. I was born in 1989 and I've never been east of Ohio but, just like I know the weathered pink art-deco suburban homes that litter David Lynch's world, I know Atlantic City's crusty old apartments and banged-up stairwells and sad, desolate streets. Maybe anyone who's been present to watch something old pass away while the new is still over the horizon can identify, but Malle captures these places in a very physical way. It's sort of extraordinary. My favorite aspect of the film, though, is the shifting nature of Sarandon and Lancaster's characters' relationship because it's so consistently reflective of their inner lives. Lancaster's arc in particular is really fascinating and the eventual revelation of his actual personhood is sort of devastating ("That's me, I did that."). The way life moves forward is so strange. 9/10 this list is as shameful as michael fassbender's penis 1) 2 Or 3 Things I Know About Her - The perpetual joys of Godard. 2) To Be Or Not To Be - Let's get some Lubitsch up in here. 3) Pather Panchali - Generally speaking I enjoy Indian culture but the closest I've come to a Satyajit Ray film is the Darjeeling Ltd soundtrack. 4) I Know Where I'm Going! - gently caress me, I've rented this like four times and for some reason I never watch it, which is retarded because I love Powell and Pressburger. 5) Cléo from 5 to 7 - I rented this once, but I've never seen it. 6) Au hasard Balthazar - Something about a donkey? 7) The Phantom Carriage - Apparently a huge influence on Bergman. 8) Any Jim Jarmusch Film - I've never seen any, where should I start? 9) La Jetée - I actually made a short film emulating the style of this film without ever having seen it. 10) The Magic Flute - This has been in my Netflix queue since I was like 13. I love this opera and I love Ingmar Bergman. Why haven't I seen it? 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 (total: 77) Dmitri Russkie gets West Side Story. Gushing Granny posted:The Shining - Heard this got a bad critical reception. One of my mum's favourite films though. Haha, this rules. Do you know anything about it besides the critical reception? Magic Hate Ball fucked around with this message at 03:19 on Oct 28, 2012 |
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Oct 28, 2012 00:52
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Magic Hate Ball, go with The Magic Flute. I don't know anything about it, but it's been on your list for a while. Wall*E might be my favorite Pixar film yet. It's really a toss-up between it and Toy Story 3. The animation was absolutely incredible, and incredibly lifelike in the early scenes on earth. My cable's VOD only had the standard version, but I would love to see this in HD sometime. It did slip into the standard Pixar animation style once the humans were introduced, and I think this was intentional, to emphasize that Wall*E and Eve were more human than the humans. The emotion that the robots displayed was excellent as well. They managed to convey laughter and pathos, without really saying a word. Wall*E reminded me of Chaplin in that regard. I also enjoyed the various homages to classic sci-fi movies that appeared throughout. The List of Shame 1. A Bridge too Far: I hear it's really good. I might be thinking of The Bridge on the River Kwai though 2. The Town: I've heard it's a good crime movie. 3. The Towering Inferno: OJ completionism. 4. True Grit (1969): I have seen the re-make, but I haven't watched the original yet. 5. The Godfather part 3: I've heard mixed reviews of this one, with some people hating it, and others saying that it's good, but the bar was set too high with it's predecessors. I'd like to make my own judgement. 6. Rashomon: This has been sitting on my DVR for a while. 7. The Third Man: More noir 8. The Sting: This sounds like a pretty good heist movie, and has great acclaim. 9. Network: I've enjoyed what I've seen from Lumet so far. 10. Dial M for Murder: Hitchock's awesome. I should watch more. ON HOLD: Citizen Kane De-shamed: A Clockwork Orange, Munich, The Godfather part 2, 12 Angry Men, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Pulp Fiction, Schindler's List, Casablanca, Seven Samurai, Rear Window, 3:10 to Yuma, City of God, Sunset Boulevard, It's a Wonderful Life, LOTR: Return of the King, Saving Private Ryan, Memento, For a Few Dollars More, North by Northwest, Double Indemnity, M, Paths of Glory, To Kill a Mockingbird, Blade Runner, The Departed, Leon: The Professional, Wall*E
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Oct 28, 2012 02:21
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Copyright, go with The Sting because it is entertaining as hell Wow. Paris, Texas floored me. What a beautiful, moving film. Harry Dean Stanton really made me ache as you could just see the loneliness in his eyes. There was not a single wasted moment in the entire movie. Just a powerful story of humans who had made mistakes and were still trying to figure out how to put the pieces back together. It's up there with the best films I've seen. 1) Island of Lost Souls- this has to be better than the Island of Dr Moreau right? 2) Carlos- everyone I know who has seen this raves about it 3) Ran- finishing up my Kurosawa 4) Nashville- need more Altman in my life 5) Dr Strangelove- no excuse 6) To Live and in in L.A.- this seems right up my alley 7) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford- I like movies like this and I wanted something newer on my list 8) The Wolf Man- more Universal monsters 9) Manhattan- love all the Woody Allen I've seen 10) Stripes- wanted a slot for something not as serious New List of Unshamed: The Invisible Man; Paris, Texas
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Oct 28, 2012 10:26
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Mistletoe Donkey posted:5) Dr Strangelove- no excuse None whatsoever. Leon: The Professional was a cynical, depressing movie. That's not a bad thing, just the way it is. The fact that the most sane and rational character was the cold-blooded hitman says it all. I like that he was the most sensible about revenge, while Mathilda's vengeful streak was directly responsible for Leon's death. What really pushed it over the edge, though, was when you find out the psychotic murderer Stan actually is a DEA agent. There was no real sense of triumph at the end, just mild satisfaction that evil was beaten by slightly less evil. Oldman is hilariously over-the-top, while Jean Reno's Leon was a desperately sad character. As for his relationship with Mathilda, I didn't see it as pedophilic. She was in love with him in a weird way, but he never acted on it- he said because he was afraid, but I think that, screwed up as he was, he instictively knew that was wrong. This is a thrilling, well-acted movie, but don't watch it if you're in a bad mood. 66. Dr. Zhivago- For the historical epic slot, we move from sand to snow. Also, more WWI, this time from the Russian perspective, which I like even more. ON HOLD: 72. The Rapture- 1991 movie about the dark side of an already pretty dark heresy. This sounds right up my aisle. 73. Safety Last- Silent comedy by a guy who's not Chaplin- Lloyd? Keaton? Pretty sure it's one of them. 74. Something by Fellini- Never seen a Fellini film. People on this thread argue about what order to watch them in, so whoever posts below me gets to pick. 75. Tokyo Story- What is this? I have no idea what this is, but I keep seeing it on best of lists. 77. Leaving Las Vegas- Like I said, I've always liked Nick Cage, so let's see his Oscar performance. 79. Dogville- Never seen a Lars von Trier film. I think I heard this described as very dark and minimalist. 80. 12 Angry Men- What do Monk, Veronica Mars, Happy Days, The Dead Zone, and Family Matters all have in common? They've all used this movie as the template for an episode. I started this once, but stopped after maybe five minutes. 81. Irreversible- This is supposed to be really disturbing. I probably want to watch it this month as a Halloween kind of thing. 82. Mulholland Drive- David Lynch is weird. I've seen some of Twin Peaks, but aside from a few clips of Eraserhead I don't think I've seen any of his movies. 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 Jurgan fucked around with this message at 02:07 on Oct 29, 2012 |
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Oct 29, 2012 02:02
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Jurgan posted:
And King of the Hill! If I finish Amelie tonight I'll pick one for you, but someone might sneak in here and select one sooner for you. I haven't been in this thread because I've been watching a lot of horror movies (and Bergman). Well, seeing the best horror movie is like dating the best looking waitress at Denny's, so I'm ready to get back into this thread and see more classics.
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Oct 29, 2012 03:29
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escape artist posted:I haven't been in this thread because I've been watching a lot of horror movies (and Bergman). Well, seeing the best horror movie is like dating the best looking waitress at Denny's, so I'm ready to get back into this thread and see more classics.  Watching The Thing is liking dating Scarlet Johansson.
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Oct 29, 2012 04:14
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TrixRabbi posted:
That's a disturbing implication. 
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Oct 29, 2012 04:21
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TrixRabbi posted:
It was a joke, by the way I like horror movies too: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3512910
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Oct 29, 2012 05:16
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Jurgan posted:74. Something by Fellini- Never seen a Fellini film. People on this thread argue about what order to watch them in, so whoever posts below me gets to pick. The Burmese Harp is easily one of the greatest films about war that exists. A retreating Japanese soldier plays a Burmese harp for his unit, adding gentle accompaniment to their singing as they walk through a worn torn land. The harp player, Mizushima, eventually become separated from this unit and is greatly changed by his experiences. Communicating without language is very important in this film, how do we reach across boundaries of culture and understanding without words? How does one man communicate the things he's seen and changes he has felt that go beyond words? Although melodramatic at times, it comes from that golden age of film where it feels completely honest, where characters feel things on a greater level than us so we may have a greater understanding ourselves. The narrative style is especially pleasing, presenting it's story ultimately from 3 perspectives. Along with Ichikawa's other great film "Fire on the Plains" this is highly recommended. LIST OF SHAME: 1.Elevator to the Gallows: More Malle plus Miles Davis soundtrack! 2.Melancholia: Interested in Lars von Trier's latest 3.Faraway, So Close! Wing's of Desire really left it's mark on me, time to see it's sequel. 4.A Man Escaped: I think I've got a thing for French film. 5.Mother: Continuing with South Korean films. 6.*NEW*Ace in the Hole Billy Wilder, need I say more? 7.Three Outlaw Samurai: 60s Samurai films...just something about them. 8.*OLDEST*The Goddess: More Satyajit Ray. 9.Les Cousins: Claude Chabrol's next film after Le Beau Serge. 10.The Cranes are Flying: I haven't seen enough Kalatozov. 40 Watched: Masculin Feminin, Les Diaboliques, The World of Apu, Stalag 17, Wings of Desire, Island of Lost Souls, Dogville, Wages of Fear, The Phantom Carriage, I am Cuba, Twilight Samurai, Andrei Rublev, Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Orpheus, Blue, Mean Streets, Fanny and Alexander, White, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Conversation, Le Beau Serge, Memories of a Murder, Tokyo Twilight, Red, 3 Women, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Gone with the Wind, Schindler's List, Cul-de-Sac, All About Eve, Once upon a Time in the West, The Virgin Spring, A Streetcar Named Desire, Army of Shadows, Le Cercle Rouge, Letter Never Sent, Ugetsu, Au Revoir Les Enfants, Raising Arizona, Burmese Harp Desiato fucked around with this message at 01:58 on Oct 30, 2012 |
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Oct 29, 2012 20:06
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Desiato posted:
I don't remember a whole helluva lot about this movie, but I remember having a fun time with it. I choose this one. The French Connection There are some impressive things here on a technical basis, especially the whole subway chase scene. But the whole thing is sort of unsatisfying. Most of the characters feel undeveloped, the whole film seems to focus more on general tone than plot or anything else. It creates a nice gritty picture of NYC before it was a place to bring your kids. But after watching it, it didn't really leave any impression on me. 1. Seventh Seal - Ok, for whatever reason every single time I rent this movie I never end up watching it. I guess because I feel like it's going to be a huge undertaking and I'm a lazy rear end in a top hat. I love Autumn Sonata and The Silence Trilogy. Wild Strawberries and Sawdust and Tinsel I think I was too young to appreciate when I saw them. 2. M.A.S.H - Another film that I never end up watching, despite having rented it a few times. I've seen 3 Women and Nashville, both of which I think are amazing. 3. La Strada - I've seen a few of the big Fellini films, but not this one. Another film I've rented a few times and didn't end up watching. 4. Band Of Outsiders - I've only seen one Godard film in its entirety, Breathless. I really enjoyed it, but I could not stomach Pierot Le Fou or Sympathy For The Devil. Godard seems like kind of a schmuck to me. 5. M- I have seen two Fritz Lang films: Metropolis (which I admired but didn't really enjoy) and The Big Heat(which I thought was a fun movie) 6. All The President's Men - I don't really know anything about this movie, but I know it's one of those movie's you're "supposed" to watch. 7. The Rules Of The Game - I have seen two Renoir films, Boudou Saved From Drowning and A Day In The Country. I enjoyed them both. 8. The Sting - Another film I know pretty much nothing about, other than that I probably should have seen it by now. 9. Dogville - I've only seen one LVT film, Anti-Christ. I hated it, but I've been told it's not very characteristic of his other works. (One going as far as to call it "too commercial", which I sort of understand in light of the popularity of torture porn horror films) 10. Traffic - The Girlfriend Experience is Soderbergh's only film that I've seen, didn't care for it. But I've heard good things about this one. UNSHAMED: The Thin Red Line, The French Connection
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Oct 29, 2012 22:21
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Doctor Tupac posted:6. All The President's Men - I don't really know anything about this movie, but I know it's one of those movie's you're "supposed" to watch. I found this to be an extremely enjoyable film to watch, but I'm a bit of a Watergate junkie and had already read the book prior to watching it, which in some ways lessened my overall enjoyment of it. I'm guessing you haven't read the book, so you're probably going to deeply enjoy watching this. The actual reality of Woodward and Bernstein's Watergate investigation is probably a thousand times more ridiculous and insane and absurd than it's even made it out to be. Also, the chemistry between young Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman is utterly amazing and it's worth it just to watch the two of them in their prime playing off one another. As for myself, I'm new to this thread, and while I consider myself a movie buff and have seen a great deal of films, I also have some very, very, very shameful gaps to the extent that a lot of you will probably refuse to consider me any sort of 'movie buff' at all.  I'm going to begin my list by scanning over the top 250 IMDb list and picking the films I haven't seen that I think I probably should have seen. This is just a starting point though, I'm not going to stick with it and just go down the list and systematically watch everything on the top 250 that I haven't seen. Not that there's anything wrong with doing that. So uh, here goes. 1. The Godfather - I know, cardinal sin number 1, right? The funny thing is, I've seen Goodfellas about 6 times. I've seen all six and a half seasons of The Sopranos. Twice. Not to mention a handful of other mob-oriented films. I've also seen and loved The Conversation and Apocalypse Now so I'm not like, anti-Coppola or anything. I've actually seen parts of this movie, for sure, but never the whole thing properly. And I've seen nothing of part 2 or 3. So uh, yeah. 2. 12 Angry Men - A bit surprised at how high this is on the list. Probably means it's better than I think it is and a huge cultural touchstone worth watching. 3. Once Upon a Time in the West - I've seen the Eastwood/Leone trilogy which is loving amazing and gorgeous and awe-inspiring, but somehow never got around to this one. Pretty shameful. 4. Casablanca - Yep. No excuse. 5. Sunset Blvd. - I have seen like no Billy Wilder and know extremely little about him or his films which is probably downright criminal on my part. If this is a bad starting point and a Billy Wilder buff thinks I should watch something else, then I am totally open to that. 6. Taxi Driver - Weirdly, this is the one 'major' Scorsese film that I don't think I've properly seen. I've seen bits and pieces, like the famous ending sequence, and I think I caught part on VHS once like 12 years ago or something stupid like that. Definitely something I should watch with the right amount of attention. 7. Paths of Glory - Rare Kubrick that I haven't seen. This and The Killing are the only ones I haven't seen, in fact. And I've seen all his other movies probably no less than 6 times each, I think, heh. 8. WALL-E - Hey! It's the first recent-ish film on the top 250 that I haven't seen! Cool! I have avoided this in part because I know it will make me weep uncontrollably at some point. 9. Lawrence of Arabia - I am really embarrassed about this. Part of it is that I don't want to watch it on my loving laptop, and I'd been waiting for it to play on a local screen somewhere so I could properly watch it the way it was intended. Seems important with a film like this. But I missed it when it had another go-round this past year and feel awful about it, so gently caress it - I'll finally just watch it. 10. Das Boot - I have always always wanted to see this and meant to see this, and somehow just never got around to it. This seems like exactly the sort of film I would love, too - I really love films that are filmed on one set or take place in one very isolated location, something about it just really appeals to me. Well, that was fun! I've actually seen more films on the IMBb list so far than I thought I would. I think I've got a ways to go though, nevertheless. kaworu fucked around with this message at 01:47 on Oct 30, 2012 |
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Oct 30, 2012 01:44
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kaworu posted:6. Taxi Driver - Weirdly, this is the one 'major' Scorsese film that I don't think I've properly seen. I've seen bits and pieces, like the famous ending sequence, and I think I caught part on VHS once like 12 years ago or something stupid like that. Definitely something I should watch with the right amount of attention. This might be my all time favorite film. Enjoy. So, I'm very conflicted on The Birth of a Nation. It does hold up as an extremely well made film. The cinematography is excellent and those final few minutes are amazingly shot. He also has a way with music, and the score here was phenomenal (plus, I appreciate that Ride of the Valkyries scene in Apocalypse Now a whole lot more now). I will say that it can be a marathon though. The second hour becomes a real slog (with the exception of the phenomenal Lincoln assassination scene). It could have used a lot of trimming and it would be much better and easier to get through. Now, when it meets it's reputation, it certainly meets it's reputation. The racism is despicable. It makes the film immensely hard to sit through, and it's a shame that some of the best shot sequences (such as the chase with Gus) are so morally putrid. A lot of people try to play up the film's merits while sort of sweeping the racism under the rug. I've seen a lot of arguments for understanding the context of Griffith's beliefs and all this other stuff - but the racism is a core staple of this film. And if I disagree with what is largely the backbone of the second half of this film, then that makes it bad. Understanding the context of the time doesn't excuse the racism. Appreciating the technical innovations and masterful filmmaking doesn't excuse the racism. The film's main goal is to paint the KKK as valiant heroes, and that isn't okay. It wasn't in 1915 and it certainly isn't today. It's something I'm glad I've seen, but I'll be okay never seeing it again. My List: Marat/Sade - I've never heard of this until just recently, but it sounds really good and Criticker thinks I'll like it. (Added 5/3/2012) Rio Bravo - John Wayne's not my favorite but I've heard only good things so I'll give it a shot. (Added 7/7/2012) A Woman Under The Influence - Is this a good place to start with Cassavetes? I've never seen any of his films. (Added 7/23/2012) His Girl Friday - Is Cary Grant going to Cary Grant it up in this? (Added 8/7/2012) Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - Jarmusch directs a film about a Taoist hitman. I'm on board. (Added 8/21/2012) Braveheart - I got yelled at the other day for never having seen this. My pre-judgments are that it's a bloated Oscar Bait epic made by an anti-semite/racist/misogynist. On the other hand - FREEEEEEDOOOOOOOM!!! (Added 10/5/2012) Jules et Jim - Started to watch this about a year ago but I was really tired so I took a nap instead. Never got back to it. (Added 10/5/2012) Sex, Lies, and Videotape - The only Soderbergh films I've seen are The Informant and Erin Brockovich. He's probably a more diverse director than those films let on. (Added 10/11/2012) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Haven't seen Stewart in a Western before. (Added 10/12/2012) Malcolm X - I think I need this to offset the bad taste in my mouth from Birth of a Nation. Plus, his autobiography is fantastic and I need to see more Spike Lee films. (Added 10/29/2012) Watched: Harold and Maude; The Third Man; Inland Empire; Godzilla; Big Trouble In Little China; Y Tu Mamá También; Marathon Man; Hunger; A Woman Is A Woman; Black Narcissus; A Hard Day's Night; Scarface; Le Doulos; On The Waterfront; Rocky; 3 Women; Airplane!; Duck Soup; Clash of the Titans; Singin' In The Rain; The Cow; Straw Dogs; Stop Making Sense; Bad Timing; Once Upon A Time In America; Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade; Robocop; Shane; WALL·E; The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin; The Man Who Fell To Earth; Mr. Smith Goes To Washington; Divorce Italian Style; Some Like It Hot; To Kill A Mockingbird; An American Werewolf In London; Buffalo '66; Lawrence Of Arabia; Manhattan; Cul-De-Sac; The Birth of a Nation
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Oct 30, 2012 02:35
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Wow, busy thread today! TrixRabbi, you get Braveheart It took me a while to get into The Sting. The opening scene with the grift was great, but the first act was very plot heavy and somewhat slow. Then I got to the poker game. That scene was awesome, and Paul Newman did a great job there. The film had me hooked in from there. Robert Shaw did a great job as well. The man was born to play a villain. I really liked the aesthetics of this movie as well. The clothing and settings really stood out in this. The ragtime score and the title cards were nice touches as well. The List of Shame 1. A Bridge too Far: I hear it's really good. I might be thinking of The Bridge on the River Kwai though 2. The Town: I've heard it's a good crime movie. 3. The Towering Inferno: OJ completionism. 4. True Grit (1969): I have seen the re-make, but I haven't watched the original yet. 5. The Godfather part 3: I've heard mixed reviews of this one, with some people hating it, and others saying that it's good, but the bar was set too high with it's predecessors. I'd like to make my own judgement. 6. Rashomon: This has been sitting on my DVR for a while. 7. The Third Man: More noir 8. Network: I've enjoyed what I've seen from Lumet so far. 9. Dial M for Murder: Hitchock's awesome. I should watch more. 10. Groundhog Day: An early 90s comedy with Bill Murray seems like something I should have seen ages ago. ON HOLD: Citizen Kane De-shamed: A Clockwork Orange, Munich, The Godfather part 2, 12 Angry Men, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Pulp Fiction, Schindler's List, Casablanca, Seven Samurai, Rear Window, 3:10 to Yuma, City of God, Sunset Boulevard, It's a Wonderful Life, LOTR: Return of the King, Saving Private Ryan, Memento, For a Few Dollars More, North by Northwest, Double Indemnity, M, Paths of Glory, To Kill a Mockingbird, Blade Runner, The Departed, Leon: The Professional, Wall*E, The Sting
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Oct 30, 2012 03:23
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Wow, two 3-hour long war epics directed by bigots in a row? Weird. Despite my reservations about Gibson I'm going in with an open mind. I'm hoping Braveheart lives up to the hype though. Otherwise my roommates might kill me.
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Oct 30, 2012 04:48
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TrixRabbi posted:A lot of people try to play up the film's merits while sort of sweeping the racism under the rug. Can you point to any in particular? I feel like the racism is such an integral part of the film, and the filmmaking lesson OF the film, that I can't imagine any serious critique of it which ignores that.
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Oct 30, 2012 04:52
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penismightier posted:Can you point to any in particular? I feel like the racism is such an integral part of the film, and the filmmaking lesson OF the film, that I can't imagine any serious critique of it which ignores that. Well, it wasn't a serious critique. Rather, a large number of people discussing it on imdb (I know, I know) and one particular comment on I Check Movies (although a very well written one). Here's the link and it's written by TheMajor. I guess what I feel is that some people argue that we should look past the racism and appreciate it as a technical marvel and an overall well-made film. "Sweeping it under the rug" was a bad choice of words, because it will always be discussed when talking about the movie. I just think that I sit on the opposite end, where the racism is such an integral part of the film that it ultimately harms any appreciation of the other aspects. I agree that it's an excellently made film, but it's racism is so overt that I can't ignore that in order to praise it otherwise. I can't enjoy the chase scene with Gus or the way Griffith frames the Klan riders because those horrible images are so entwined with what's going on behind the camera that it destroys my ability to praise the film as a whole. I think it's something any film buff should see, and it's certainly important, but it's not particularly enjoyable. I just think that calling it great, as a whole, even if you denounce the racism, is still praising a detestable movie.
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Oct 30, 2012 05:14
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TrixRabbi posted:Well, it wasn't a serious critique. Rather, a large number of people discussing it on imdb (I know, I know) and one particular comment on I Check Movies (although a very well written one). Here's the link and it's written by TheMajor. Oh I see what you mean, I thought you meant sort of the critical appraisal of it. Well the thing is it IS great, like Triumph of the Will is great, or like Top Gun is great. Propaganda is often terribly cinematic, and it's perhaps the most important lesson in film to understand that, and to learn how to recognize the way a film manipulates you. So I think it's important to approach BoaN with the understanding that it is absolutely world-class filmmaking, as artistic and powerfully done as just about anything, because only within that rubric can you reach holistic and meaningful conclusions about it and what it means for film and the era and the audience and the art and all that. It is the original sin of filmmaking.
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Oct 30, 2012 05:28
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TrixRabbi posted:Well, it wasn't a serious critique. Rather, a large number of people discussing it on imdb (I know, I know) and one particular comment on I Check Movies (although a very well written one). Here's the link and it's written by TheMajor. Are we talking about 1915 Birth of a Nation? Because the racism would be a sign of the times, something you would understandably have to look past. 50 years before the civil rights movement, and all. I'm an rear end. Read the rest of you post, obviously talking about 1915 version, if there even is any other version.
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Oct 30, 2012 05:58
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CopywrightMMXI posted:Wow, busy thread today! Yes, it is busy today. Try 1969 True Grit. Edward Scissorhands - I liked it but felt I'd seen too much of it already to impact me greatly. I think I must've seen at least 3/4 of the film at some point before. It's an odd one but it still feels "mainstream" to me for some reason. I was reminded of Frankenstein at some points. Edward just can't fit in with society. There's many beautiful scenes. I think my favorite character was the overtly religious woman. Anthony Michael Hall was hilariously bad in this. Maybe that's how Burton wanted him to be in the film? also watched: Godzilla - It's hard to be objective on this one. Well, all film reviews are subjective but what I mean is that it's hard to separate this singular film from the dozens of Godzilla films I've seen. If this was a stand-alone film I don't think I would've been as impressed with it. Just knowing what happens after these films gives his appearance more stature and significance. In the world of movie monsters Godzilla's Q Score is off the charts. Does anyone not know of the character? I feel like I could go up to 100 people in the US and every last person would know of the creature. The opening credits start off with Godzilla roaring loudly in a variety of ways. It's really iconic and startling. The story seems to support both Godzilla as an old legendary beast that comes out when hungry and needs to eat human sacrifices and also the belief that he's spawned more from nuclear testing. The aftermath of when Godzilla attacks makes it feel like a horror film for short periods. However, the aspect of the oxygen destroyer seems a little hokey. The one aspect that really sets Godzilla apart from many of the silly monsters I've seen before is the cool effect when he blasts his thermonuclear breath. His whole spine lights up for a few seconds and then comes the destruction. That's why I've always preferred Godzilla to King Kong. Kong's always been more of an emo ape to me. Would Godzilla fall in love with a human and cry? And I'm not a big fan of that story itself either. I haven't seen the 1970's Disco Kong version yet so I'll have to give him a third chance. I identified most with Takashi Shimura's character who seems forlorn and disgusted with everyone elses desire to blast Godzilla with whatever weapon is handy rather than trying to appease Godzilla, study him and possibly feed him food. The DVD quality was very bad. I remember hearing that it was bad and it was basically one of the worst I've seen. It looks like they found the footage and immediately transferred it to digital. Subtitles were scrunched too. Now I just wish they'd release all the films in original languages with English subtitles uncut. PS Not surprisingly Godzilla hates toy cars, shining lights, electrified fences and people shooting tiny caliber guns at him. IMDb list: #226 In the Name of the Father - Something about a trial gone awry? Has a film poster that looks similar to "The Doors" film poster. I'm getting close to finishing the IMDb top 250. Seems like I'll never do it. 9/14/12 #246 Elite Squad: The Enemy Within - The first one was very violent and aimless. Almost nihilistic but still with a veneer of perverted justice that may appeal to an authoritarian. I just hope this one doesn't have more broom rapings. 6/16/12 new #252 Three Colors: Red - Blue was remarkable and White was a clever sequel. And many say this is the best of the trilogy? Should be interesting. 10/30/12 Academy Award for Best Picture: 1956 Around the World in 80 Days - Always got this confused with "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" in my head. 8/31/12 1952 The Greatest Show on Earth - Seems to have star power. 9/27/12 Procrastination list: #17 Barren Lives AKA Vidas Secas - I recommended this for someone at some point. 7/17/12 #24 Any Elvis Presley film - Multiple people from the baby boom generation have told me that these were all stupid (and that Elvis became depressed after being in 30+ of them) but I feel like I should see at least one. 10/16/12 #25 Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages - Old scary movie? 10/25/12 #26 The Burmese Harp - I've heard of this before. 10/25/12 new #27 House (1977) - SA's premier cult classic (if not what is)? I've heard only good things. Better watch it before I'm the last person here to see it. 10/30/12 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:29 on Oct 30, 2012 |
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Oct 30, 2012 06:18
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escape artist posted:Are we talking about 1915 Birth of a Nation? Because the racism would be a sign of the times, something you would understandably have to look past. 50 years before the civil rights movement, and all. Well, normally I'd agree. There's plenty of movies with racism where I do overlook it. But the racism is A) Such an integral part of the story and B) Despicable and clearly meant to skew facts. I guess I should spoiler this. You literally have Griffith insinuating that blacks (all white men in blackface) would prevent white people from voting, shackled the white slave owners and paraded them around town for their former slaves to laugh at, invaded white people's homes, constantly tried to rape white women, took control of the South Carolina congress and acted like lazy slobs while passing legislation that legalized interracial marriage so they could force white girls to marry them, and it was up to the glorious Ku Klux Klan to stop them and restore proper order. It's not just some institutional racism here or there, it is straight up propaganda. And penismightier, I think I see what you're saying. And in a way, I can definitely appreciate Birth of a Nation for how well it spews its bullshit. It's fascinating in it's own right for the way the film works to make its point, even if it's a horrible one.
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Oct 30, 2012 06:40
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Zogo posted:The DVD quality was very bad. I remember hearing that it was bad and it was basically one of the worst I've seen. It looks like they found the footage and immediately transferred it to digital. Subtitles were scrunched too. Now I just wish they'd release all the films in original languages with English subtitles uncut. I don't know if you know (or if you're in a Region A area) but Criterion has a Blu-ray of this out, so if you want to see it in a non-lovely release that'd be right up your alley.
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Oct 30, 2012 07:26
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Magic Hate Ball posted:I don't know if you know (or if you're in a Region A area) but Criterion has a Blu-ray of this out, so if you want to see it in a non-lovely release that'd be right up your alley. Yea, I'd heard about Criterion redoing blu-ray/DVD recently. I guess I forgot about it and then remembered as I witnessed how bad this 2006 DVD was. I made the same mistake with The Last Emperor a while back (another bad one which has gotten proper Criterion treatment). I can't say it ruined the whole experience however. I only hate it when a good film is missing scenes or looks like a chunk of film was chopped out. My Darling Clementine and Detour would fall under that category. Zogo fucked around with this message at 21:31 on Oct 30, 2012 |
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Oct 30, 2012 21:28
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TrixRabbi posted:It's not just some institutional racism here or there, it is straight up propaganda. And penismightier, I think I see what you're saying. And in a way, I can definitely appreciate Birth of a Nation for how well it spews its bullshit. It's fascinating in it's own right for the way the film works to make its point, even if it's a horrible one. There's a fantastic piece of film art called Rebirth of a Nation that you should check out if you get a chance. DJ Spooky made it as a "digital exorcism," contextualizing, remixing, and re-evaluating the hate in the film.
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Oct 31, 2012 03:48
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Zogo, watch Around the World in 80 Days. I had to get Monsters, Inc from Netflix through the mail, so I went ahead and watched Braveheart on Netflix Instant while I waited. I'm still sort of thinking about Braveheart. I think it was a really well made movie. I thought the battle scenes were all exceptional. I thought Gibson really effectively told an epic, compelling story. Of course it's infamous for being historically, well, false, but I was really trying to watch it for its merits as a fun film to watch. In that regard, I really felt like it hit much more than it missed. The only real criticism I might have is that a huge amount of the story is told in the first 45 minutes or so. I felt like maybe Wallace could have used some more character development toward the beginning of the movie other than a dude heroically responding to the horrible poo poo happening to his country. It feels like from the beginning of the movie to the rebellion being in full swing goes really quickly. I think I expected more history. I finished watching Monsters, Inc about ten minutes ago. Pixar knows how to make a movie. Toward the beginning I was worried that it would be a little too family-oriented for me to enjoy but I was quickly invested in everything that was happening. I laughed through the majority of the movie. I'm glad that whenever we start having kids I know I'll be able to watch movies like this with my kids. Movies that don't treat their audience like idiots. I really appreciated the attention to detail in this movie, like every other Pixar movie I've seen. I don't have any criticism of this movie, honestly. Updated list: 1.) The Color Purple. Keeping Spielberg on the list. 2.) Rocky I've seen Rocky IV and Rocky V (blech) all the way through, but no other Rocky movie. 3.) Full Metal Jacket. My next Kubrick film. I've seen Dr. Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining so I figure Full Metal Jacket is good to be next. I know it's a war movie, I'm 90% sure that it's about Vietnam. I often get this movie confused with Apocalypse Now. 4.) Gone With the Wind. For some reason I had equated this movie to Casablanca, but the wife and I watched that a couple weeks ago. For some reason I thought the dude with the big ears was in Casablanca. He is not. 5.) Psycho(1960). Keeping Hitchcock on the list. Saw the shower scene when I was a kid and scared the pants off me. Time to face that childhood fear. 6.) New!The Wizard of Oz. Going through AFI's top 100, Oz sits at 6. I'm 100% positive that I've seen every part of this movie, but I've never sat down and watched it all the way through. No better time than now. 7.) The Godfather Part III. Now, I don't expect this movie to be great, just because of all the poo poo people have talked about it. That being said, I put it on the list anyway, because I've been meaning to watch it for so long. The first two Godfather movies are two of my favorite movies of all time, so I figure I need to bite the bullet and go through with this. 8.) New!Sunset Blvd. Another from AFI's top 100. I know nothing about this movie - I know it's old. Maybe it has a blonde in it? 9.) To Kill a Mockingbird. I read the book in middle school, and we might have even watched the movie but I don't remember it so I'm putting it on the list. I'm familiar with the story, and AFI lists this as their #1 courtroom drama. 10.) Magnolia. The only PTA movie I've seen is Punch Drunk Love, and that was a long time ago. (Update: I've seen Boogie Nights now). This movie comes highly recommended. List of shameless: Seven Samurai, Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Yojimbo, Lawrence of Arabia, A Clockwork Orange, Raging Bull, Schindler's List, Citizen Kane, The Incredibles, The Sixth Sense, North by Northwest, Braveheart, Monsters, Inc Seaniqua fucked around with this message at 15:48 on Oct 31, 2012 |
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Oct 31, 2012 04:12
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Seaniqua: Watch Full Metal Jacket. My favourite war movie and you can definitely tell it's Kubrick. The Deer Hunter was a long film to sit through, but it did nail its point across. The first hour was spent showing how close this small town of people were, which I can imagine some people complaining about, but it helped hammer home the message of the movie. Brokeback Mountain - I've never heard bad things about this. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - This seems to be a favourite amongst my classmates. No Country for Old Men - One of those films I've tried watching but always get distracted by something. The Shining - Heard this got a bad critical reception. One of my mum's favourite films though. Lord of the Rings - I've heard that it's long and boring, and that it's an amazing adaption, but I found the book boring too. Schindler’s List - Watched a bit of it in History at high school for my holocaust coursework but that's it. The Silence of the Lambs - I've got no excuse. Dr Strangelove - Something I've been meaning to get round to for a while now but always had other films that appealed to me more. Gladiator - I loved learning about the Romans, and when I was a kid I had an obsession with gladiators. Plus I've only heard praise for this film. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Heard it's a classic but it sounds kind of heartbreaking. Mental illness evokes such sympathy in me. Deshamed:The Deer Hunter, The Exorcist
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Oct 31, 2012 19:09
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TrixRabbi posted:Well, normally I'd agree. There's plenty of movies with racism where I do overlook it. But the racism is A) Such an integral part of the story and B) Despicable and clearly meant to skew facts. Yikes, I haven't actually seen it... but that is indefensible.
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Oct 31, 2012 23:17
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I haven't seen it myself, but a Latino Studies professor I've had mentioned Martyrs of the Alamo as being on the same level of disgusting on that front toward Mexicans. Also, the SAME GUY who plays Gus in Birth of A Nation plays Santa Anna in it. Also the horror movie a day thread's been taking up my time lately, I'm totally watching M this weekend and getting back in the swing of things here.
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Nov 1, 2012 06:11
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For the most part, I enjoyed Ingmar Bergman's The Magic Flute. Part of this is due to the glorious score, which rotates between merry music-hall numbers, gorgeous love duets, and pompous Masonic whatevers (not to mention the Queen Of The Night showstopper*) but Bergman brings his own flavor and I'm filled with regret that his numerous stage productions weren't saved for posterity because his theatrical touch here is wonderful. The "film" takes place on a reproduction of the Drottningholm Palace Theatre stage, where the original production took place, and it never quite leaves it in the sense that Bergman neither films in natural locations or on realistic sets. When Tamino and Pamina tour the underworld, for example, they move through a fiery construct that is far too large and elaborate to be part of the show, but is visually tied to the rest of the scenery. It's sort of weird in some places and I've never seen anything else quite like it (in several moments the characters sing at the camera while ornate little subtitle-cards are flown in or flipped up or otherwise presented in front of them, which is absurdly charming) but it's not a disaster because of how well it integrates Bergman's theatre side and his film side. Many scenes are framed as intimately as any from Scenes From A Marriage, often utilizing his favorite two-face technique, which makes everything more intimate on the whole. I've seen some complaints lodged against the quality of singing and I can't really dispute them on a technical level but it's not a pristine film elsewhere because it's all about capturing the magic of the theatre, the clumsy fakery (every time the onstage sets change you hear fabric rustling) and the raw closeness, and I find it hard to criticize the singers for not sounding pitch-perfect. This is a weird thing to say, I know, a recording of a production should be pristine but seeing a show live comes with those warts, those flat notes and stumbled blockings, and Bergman captures it in a really loving way. It looks sort of cheap and old but there's this great physicality to it. It drags in some places, as every Flute does, but Bergman himself makes a couple mistakes. The overture is impressively silly: a group of about four dozen people are shown sitting in a black void staring, presumably, at the drop curtain, and Bergman cuts between close-ups of their faces for seven minutes, which starts out kinda cute but gets old quick. There's also this really terrifying scene with a bunch of animals drawn out of the forest by Tamino's music, particularly this moment, images of which have been circling the internet for ages but it's so much creepier in motion. But overall it's a really, really charming adaptation of an opera I've seen three versions of now, and I think it might be my favorite, which means that it's beating two Metropolitan Opera versions, one designed by Julie Taymor. The amount of heart, love, and care put into it speak miles of Bergman's respect for the opera itself (and theater in general - see also, like, half of Fanny & Alexander), which he describes in one of his autobiographies as "following me through life since childhood". I can't think of a better opera to be accompanied by. 9/10 *weirdly enough while reading the Criterion Contraption entry on this film I realized that this was, indirectly, my entry to Ingmar Bergman. I'd seen and fallen in love with Amadeus, which features the Queen of the Night number, and in looking up The Magic Flute I came across the blog entry, which refers to his entry on Autumn Sonata, which intrigued me enough to rent, and I've been obsessed ever since. Funny that I'm only just now seeing Flute. this list is as shameful as michael fassbender's penis 1) 2 Or 3 Things I Know About Her - The perpetual joys of Godard. 2) To Be Or Not To Be - Let's get some Lubitsch up in here. 3) Pather Panchali - Generally speaking I enjoy Indian culture but the closest I've come to a Satyajit Ray film is the Darjeeling Ltd soundtrack. 4) I Know Where I'm Going! - gently caress me, I've rented this like four times and for some reason I never watch it, which is retarded because I love Powell and Pressburger. 5) Cléo from 5 to 7 - I rented this once, but I've never seen it. 6) Au hasard Balthazar - Something about a donkey? 7) The Phantom Carriage - Apparently a huge influence on Bergman. 8) Any Jim Jarmusch Film - I've never seen any, where should I start? 9) La Jetée - I actually made a short film emulating the style of this film without ever having seen it. 10) The Deer Hunter - weh. 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 (total: 78) Gushing Granny gets one of my favorite films: The Shining.
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Nov 2, 2012 09:43
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Magic Hate Ball posted:
I just read the premise of this on imdb, and it sounds interesting enough. My apologies in advance if this turns out to be super depressing. Henry Hathaway's True Grit turned out to be a fairly pleasant surprise, although it's not without it's flaws. The first act of the film did a good job of using close-up shots and framed sets with Mattie, to really emphasize how personal her story was. As the party grows and the plot leaves the town, we finally get some of the breathtaking landscape shots that we expect to see in Westerns. The storyline was good, but I think the remake's ending was a bit better. I wasn't crazy about the score in this one. The main theme was good, but a lot of the other works sounded a little cartoon-like, and I think that detracted from the film as a whole. The opening song was pretty cheesy, in my opinion. The acting was all over the place. I know this was John Wayne's big performance, but I thought he bordered on self-parody at time. I just didn't buy him as a grizzled bounty hunter, and thought he just came off as an old fat guy trying to hard. Kim Darby did a great job as Mattie though. The List of Shame 1. A Bridge too Far: I hear it's really good. I might be thinking of The Bridge on the River Kwai though 2. The Town: I've heard it's a good crime movie. 3. The Towering Inferno: OJ completionism. 4. The Godfather part 3: I've heard mixed reviews of this one, with some people hating it, and others saying that it's good, but the bar was set too high with it's predecessors. I'd like to make my own judgement. 5. Rashomon: This has been sitting on my DVR for a while. 6. The Third Man: More noir 7. Network: I've enjoyed what I've seen from Lumet so far. 8. Dial M for Murder: Hitchock's awesome. I should watch more. 9. Groundhog Day: An early 90s comedy with Bill Murray seems like something I should have seen ages ago. 10. The Hustler: Paul Newman plays pool. Sounds good. ON HOLD: Citizen Kane De-shamed: A Clockwork Orange, Munich, The Godfather part 2, 12 Angry Men, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Pulp Fiction, Schindler's List, Casablanca, Seven Samurai, Rear Window, 3:10 to Yuma, City of God, Sunset Boulevard, It's a Wonderful Life, LOTR: Return of the King, Saving Private Ryan, Memento, For a Few Dollars More, North by Northwest, Double Indemnity, M, Paths of Glory, To Kill a Mockingbird, Blade Runner, The Departed, Leon: The Professional, Wall*E, The Sting, True Grit (1969)
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Nov 2, 2012 21:00
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Cleo From 5 To 7 This is another film that I know mostly from the Criterion Contraption blog post, which I haven't read in long enough to have essentially forgotten it (which is good because if I read it I'll just vomit it back up here), though in finding it to link here I scanned the first couple paragraphs, which contain a reference to Sartre's Bad Faith concept. I looked it up and it explained the concept that I was trying to realize while I was watching the film. The article mostly confused me (I think I'm too dumb to be a philosopher, the sentences are too reflexive, and I'm probably going to get this all wrong) but the seed of the concept seems to be that, in order to simplify things for ourselves, we play roles rather than be ourselves in the function of the role given because it lessens responsibility. A waiter may "play" a waiter, for example, or, here, Cleo "plays" a pop star, and finds these self-deceptive games falling apart around her as she is forced to come face-to-face with the possible termination of her own being. The film is divided into roughly two halves, split by one tiny event in which Cleo tears off her fake hair. Before this the film is a series of scenes in which Cleo successfully avoids living via play and she's obnoxiously cute about it, so much so that even her loyal, superstitious, Sicilian-looking handmaid criticizes her in her thoughts, that she could be happy but requires being looked-after like a child. This first half is also littered with mirrors. In one scene they go to a crowded cafe where Cleo weeps childishly about her possible condition, but they are seated in front of a large mirror that reflects an uncrowded corner of the cafe, which divides them from the rest of the diners. Calling back to the Bad Faith concept there's a moment where Cleo listens to two lovers on the other side of the mirror who break up because she won't let him sleep over; a decision is made in a clean, straightforward way. In another scene they go to a hat shop where Cleo tries on a dozen hats and in the process is consumed by as many mirrors as the camera sweeps around the store. It's visually dazzling, reminiscent of some of the more hallucinatory sequences from World On A Wire, but also pleasantly meaningful. That's the film's greatest technical aspect, I think, its depth and meaning. Every scene, however mundane, is ripe with themes and possibilities that function along those lines. As a film of emotion, however, the best thing it has going for it is how it traces Cleo's dissolving of her many protective layers and it's fascinating to watch her slowly unpeeling (which is directly referenced in one scene where Cleo visits a nude model friend and disdains the idea of nudity and nude modeling). All of this leads to a rambling, pleasant, and earthinly human encounter with a soldier fighting in Algeria in which she is a completely different person from the preening baby-doll we saw at the beginning of the film (I mention the moment with the removal of the fake hair not because the scene is a great moment of revelation for Cleo, but simply because it's the first time we see her without it on, and she goes from luxuriantly dopey to ruffled and edgy in just that movement). It's such an unsupposing transformation and it happens with very little fanfare, which is where a lot of the film's beauty comes from (speaking of which, I wish this was on Blu-ray, the Hulu SD stream was pretty fugly). It's quietly exceptional. I like that. 9/10 this list is as shameful as michael fassbender's penis 1) 2 Or 3 Things I Know About Her - The perpetual joys of Godard. 2) To Be Or Not To Be - Let's get some Lubitsch up in here. 3) Pather Panchali - Generally speaking I enjoy Indian culture but the closest I've come to a Satyajit Ray film is the Darjeeling Ltd soundtrack. 4) I Know Where I'm Going! - gently caress me, I've rented this like four times and for some reason I never watch it, which is retarded because I love Powell and Pressburger. 5) Hoop Dreams - I have no excuse for this one. 6) Au hasard Balthazar - Something about a donkey? 7) The Phantom Carriage - Apparently a huge influence on Bergman. 8) Any Jim Jarmusch Film - I've never seen any, where should I start? 9) La Jetée - I actually made a short film emulating the style of this film without ever having seen it. 10) The Deer Hunter - weh. 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 (total: 79) Thanks, CopywrightMMXI! After Cleo, how could I give you anything but The Third Man? I hope you like it as much as I do.
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Nov 3, 2012 00:07
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Holy poo poo! You haven't seen the Deer Hunter?!
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Nov 3, 2012 00:56
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Weh. We had a copy of it but I never watched it because it was the horrible lovely original DVD. The library's got the new one but I never got around to renting it.
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Nov 3, 2012 01:06
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