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morestuff posted:Paths of Glory - Kubrick's typical eye for detail and flair shows up here in spades. Not that he didn't do a fantastic job in color, as well, but his black and white cinematography blew me away in both this and The Killing. Are any of his movies prior to this one worth tracking down? Killer's Kiss is decent, but you're not missing much. I've never seen the earlier films, but I've never heard anything good about them.
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Jul 13, 2010 16:36
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Dolemite - Okay, it's better than Petey Wheatstraw, at least. It would be difficult to enumerate all the ways this movie is bad, but it does tend more towards the "so bad it's good" variety. Which can be entertaining, and there is a sort of gloriousness to the amateur writing, acting, and production. However, I don't find Rudy Ray Moore's schtick very funny, and there are a number of dull patches. And "so bad it's good" is still... well, bad. Kind of fun, not as fun as I'd hoped for. Rating: 5 And I'm bowing out the rotation for now. I've got like 15 movies to watch at the moment, plus season 2 of "Breaking Bad". I might hop back in later, if it's still going.
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Jul 14, 2010 04:55
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tokillthesunflower posted:Your entire list depresses me, because I haven't heard of a single one of those movies. So you get to be depressed too. Surely you've heard of Woodstock, no? Shoah isn't so much a "cry your eyes out" movie as is it a "crawl into a corner and want to die" movie.
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Jul 15, 2010 19:34
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Someone needs to give him Berlin Alexanderplatz already, just to slow him down. Then Shoah.
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Jul 15, 2010 23:38
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The only post-70's Godard feature I've seen is Hail Mary (from 1985) and based on that I would agree with PA's assessment. That movie is didactic as hell and no fun at all. All the Godard I like is from 1960 to 1964, and even some of that is a lot of claptrap (Le Petit Soldat, Les Carabiniers). Right around 1965 it starts going downhill for me. However, his 1986 short Meetin' WA, a kind of riff on Woody Allen, is pretty light-hearted and funny.
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Jul 16, 2010 15:42
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morestuff posted:Did you enjoy Contempt? It came out in 1963, but "didactic as hell and no fun at all" is exactly how I'd describe it. The parts in the screening room are fun. I seem to recall some playful cinematography. It was one of my first Godards so I don't remember too much about it. If I liked him more, I'd revisit it.
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Jul 16, 2010 16:22
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penismightier posted:I'm afraid nobody else will assign Die Nibelungen Hitler would have!
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Jul 17, 2010 03:42
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Peaceful Anarchy posted:I liked it even though nothing in it really stands out as exceptional. Get used to this feeling if you're planning on watching any more Hou. One day I'm going to figure out why some people are so nuts over him.
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Jul 23, 2010 03:37
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zandert33 posted:For a first time viewer, do you recommend the longer or shorter cut? I prefer the shorter cut of SfaM.
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Jul 23, 2010 14:37
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Zogo posted:It looks like the time has come my friends. It's a long haul, but it's not boring or anything. It's a very good movie. I'm pretty sure PA will like it, not sure about thegloaming. I actually wouldn't mind watching it again. I'd like to revisit Heimat at some point, too (although I guess if I had the time, I'd rather check out Heimat 2 & 3).
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Jul 24, 2010 06:53
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dotCommunism posted:This disappoints me. I wanted to pick Berlin Alexanderplatz Fear Eats the Soul is better.
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Jul 24, 2010 10:33
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Peaceful Anarchy posted:That's funny, your review on criticker says you wouldn't watch [Berlin Alexanderplatz] again. I guess time changes one's perspective on these things. I just realized I totally forgot to respond to this. Yeah, I'd give it another go. I watched the bulk of it over two days, so by the time I got to the epilogue, I was pretty fatigued with it. If I were to do it again, I'd stretch it out more.
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Jul 28, 2010 06:09
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mikewozere posted:I really struggled with the character of Kikuchiyo...I mean, he's just a bit of a dick really and I don't know why they all tolerated him. Kikuchiyo is the bridge between the samurai and the farmers. The samurai (actually ronin -- samurai who no longer have a master) are high-class dudes. Although they've fallen on hard times, they don't know anything about poverty and helplessness. Meanwhile the farmers are suspicious of the samurai, they think they're going to gently caress them over and rape all their women. Kikuchiyo is the only one who understands both sides, and both sides understand him. He has his desire to ascend to this higher caste, but also knows how the farmers suffer and stands up for them. He's really the linchpin of the whole movie.
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Jul 29, 2010 21:13
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Peaceful Anarchy posted:Sawdust and Tinsel, Autumn Sonata, Smiles of a Summer Night and Summer With Monika, of the ones I've seen I think you might like. I'm sure FFD will come in at some point with a bigger list. I'm not quite sure what you (thegloaming) mean by "pastoral Bergman"... do you just mean in a rural setting? I'd add The Magician, Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and Shame to PA's list. Persona is a tough nut to crack, Bergman at his most experimental (The Rite is pretty out there too). I have a hard time with it, although I find it fascinating. You have to be willing to accept that there is no "correct" interpretation. I'm glad you didn't let it put you off Bergman entirely. You might also try Hour of the Wolf and The Passion of Anna, both of which are "pastoral" in a sense, but they're also more on the experimental side. Peaceful Anarchy posted:Then there's the epilogue, which I just don't know what to make of. Certainly it makes sense and it does conclude the story, but the style is so different from the relatively straight forward that I couldn't help but be jarred by it. Anyway, one thing I can say is that this is much more accessible than I expected and would have no qualms recommending it to anyone. When you're watching BA, you're thinking, "huh this is good but it really doesn't feel like a Fassbinder film" and then the epilogue comes and you're like, "ohhhhhhhhh okay". FitFortDanga fucked around with this message at 03:33 on Jul 30, 2010 |
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Jul 30, 2010 03:29
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Let me just say that if you don't like The Trouble With Harry please don't let it discourage you from checking out more Hitchcock. It's not very representative of his work.
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Aug 1, 2010 06:39
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Bodnoirbabe posted:Okay, so I just finished watching Citizen Kane and wow is that film ever deserving of it's fame. I found it a completely engrossing study of a man and needless to say, Marlon Brando was superb. My initial idea of the movie was it was some sort of political movie. I was so glad it wasn't and at the end I came to realize that one of my favorite movies (Velvet Goldmine) was crafted after it. What the gently caress crazy version of Citizen Kane did you watch? edit: Sheldrake 
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Aug 2, 2010 05:29
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mikewozere posted:I hope I'm not the only one that thinks Ilsa is a bit of a prick, though. She just seems to follow her whims and flit between the two, neglecting the consequences. Seriously, I hate her. I hope the plane she left on had engine trouble, there was only one parachute and Victor wrestled it off her. Bitch. VAPID oval office
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Aug 4, 2010 02:23
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I think I am literally the only person who likes the plantation scene in AN Redux.
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Aug 4, 2010 05:23
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mikewozere posted:Well she 'thinks' her husband is dead, jumps straight into another relationship, then it turns out her husband isn't dead, so she leaves with a lovely note that doesn't explain anything and goes back to her husband. Then she comes to Casablanca with her husband, points a gun at Rick, tells him she still loves him but ends up flying off with her husband. I didn't say Rick was perfect I just think Ilsa is a massive prick who wants to have her cake and eat it. Sorry my opinion upset you. Fortunately for the movie, Ilsa is a complex character. She loves both men, in different ways. She loves Rick more passionately, but her duty is to Victor, both as a wife and as a soldier in the fight for freedom. The movie is all about making sacrifices for duty. Rick posted:I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
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Aug 4, 2010 14:27
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Nroo posted:Wait, what's going on MHB threw off the rhythm with his Bicycle Thieves dilemma. No Wave: pick one for Magic Hate Ball, not Nroo.
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Aug 4, 2010 19:52
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Jumping back in this because I can't pass up a chance to make someone watch The Scent of Green Papaya. Posting my updated list. Except for the first three, I'm going to make it all films from Criterion that I've been avoiding, in spine number order. 1. The Haunting - This is supposed to be good, right? Robert Wise is hit or miss with me, but at least I've liked all his film noir. 2. Plan 9 from Outer Space - Maybe my greatest shame of all, I've never actually seen an Ed Wood movie. The same way some people say about Rear Window and Casablanca, I feel like I've gleaned all of this movie from pop culture, but I should still see it once. 3. Two English Girls - The only Truffaut movie I haven't seen. I would have gotten to it eventually, now you can force me to! 4. Samurai II - I've forgotten most of Samurai I, so don't recommend this if it's a prerequisite. 5. Insomnia - Well, I saw the remake and wasn't too thrilled with it, although I know that has no bearing on whether or not I'd like the original. 6. And God Created Woman - I dunno. 7. W.C Fields: 6 Short Films - I really hate W.C. Fields. 8. The Element of Crime - Von Trier is interesting... I think I started watching this once, but I've forgotten why I turned it off. 9. Mona Lisa - Not a big Bob Hoskins fan. 10. Withnail and I - I watched the first 15-20 minutes and it annoyed the gently caress out of me. But if I'm going to watch the entire Criterion Collection, I guess I have to finish it someday. FitFortDanga fucked around with this message at 18:10 on Aug 10, 2010 |
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Aug 10, 2010 18:08
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Voodoofly posted:Bastard Netflix doesn't have it available (or his other films either). FFD, want to give me another suggestion? If you don't want to go off the list I posted, I can say that I was debating between Tran and Tsai, so if you want to pick a Tsai film instead, I checked Netflix and each of the following is available and has been on my to see list for a while: Go with What Time is it There.
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Aug 11, 2010 01:08
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tokillthesunflower posted:Peaceful Anarchy, watch The Traveling Players, because, I dunno, because it's Greek. This movie feels longer than Berlin Alexanderplatz.
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Aug 11, 2010 12:35
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Peaceful Anarchy posted:Werckmeister Harmonies I hear lots of good things. This is my favorite out of the stuff on your list. And since you liked Satantango, it seems like a safe bet. Plan 9 from Outer Space - This is not "the worst movie ever made" (a stupid appellation invented by The Biggest Dipshit Ever Born, Michael Medved). Yes, its amateurish inadequacies are well-documented: the cheap sets, the laughable dialogue, the outrageous disregard for the most basic continuity, the absurd science, the hilarious attempt to conceal Lugosi's posthumous double, the subpar performances and baffling characterizations. But gently caress it, it's a minor miracle to get any movie made, especially with just a few friends and a miniscule budget. I'll reserve my "worst movie ever made" title for something that has some big studio money behind it and still manages to be awful. Something like Empire Records. And this movie is also not "so bad it's good". Well... it is, but that's not all it is. It's rather entertaining in its own right, and maybe this is just me projecting based on Burton's biopic, but you can feel that there is a certain passion for the material. It's mostly a lot of fun, both because of and despite all its ineptitudes. And besides... Wood actually pulls off a few interesting shots, some of the performances aren't that bad, and the score is really quite good. It doesn't merit the "worst ever" title, nor does it merit a fanatical cult following. I'd watch it again... and to me that's the most important indicator of quality. Rating: 7 I'm still going with the "Criterions I've been avoiding" theme (except the first two), although I'll probably swap some titles out next time. After trying to get through the Costa set recently, I've given up on trying to see every Criterion. 1. The Haunting - This is supposed to be good, right? Robert Wise is hit or miss with me, but at least I've liked all his film noir. 2. Two English Girls - The only Truffaut movie I haven't seen. I would have gotten to it eventually, now you can force me to! 3. Samurai II - I've forgotten most of Samurai I, so don't recommend this if it's a prerequisite. 4. Insomnia - Well, I saw the remake and wasn't too thrilled with it, although I know that has no bearing on whether or not I'd like the original. 5. And God Created Woman - I dunno. 6. W.C Fields: 6 Short Films - I really hate W.C. Fields. 7. The Element of Crime - Von Trier is interesting... I think I started watching this once, but I've forgotten why I turned it off. 8. Mona Lisa - Not a big Bob Hoskins fan. 9. Withnail and I - I watched the first 15-20 minutes and it annoyed the gently caress out of me. But if I'm going to watch the entire Criterion Collection, I guess I have to finish it someday. 10. Carl Th. Dreyer: My Metier - Does this even count? It does if I want to get OCD about the checklist at ListsOfBests.com
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Aug 16, 2010 04:30
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Red, you need to pick something for tokillthesunflower to watch.
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Aug 17, 2010 06:08
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Because I get excited by spreadsheets, I compiled a list of uncompleted assignments. LOST CAUSES (assigned in June) pre:Assignee Film Date Assigned Fayez Butts Schindler's List 06/01/10 Jay Dub Blue Velvet 06/01/10 Kieselguhr Kid Chinatown 06/01/10 Knoddus Chungking Express 06/01/10 OneThousandMonkeys Chinatown 06/01/10 Sporadic The Seventh Seal 06/01/10 sursumdeorsum The Godfather 06/01/10 the Bunt Lawrence of Arabia 06/01/10 TheBigBudgetSequel Night of the Hunter 06/01/10 Yoshifan823 Crimes and Misdemeanors 06/01/10 A Futbol Injustice It Happened One Night 06/02/10 Beef Jerky Robot Pulp Fiction 06/02/10 Original Name Badlands 06/02/10 Psmith North By Northwest 06/02/10 Hockles 2001: A Space Odyssey 06/03/10 InfiniteZero Solaris 06/03/10 JohnnyDavidson Rosemary's Baby 06/03/10 OregonDonor Dog Day Afternoon 06/03/10 Robert_Deadford Pan's Labyrinth 06/03/10 TonTon It's a Wonderful Life 06/03/10 uncle jimbo Eternal Sunshine of... 06/03/10 Aces High Alien 06/04/10 halokiller Memento 06/04/10 Jeff Wiiver The Godfather: Part II 06/04/10 Skeesix The Matrix 06/04/10 Kyle Hyde Network 06/05/10 TequilaJesus Metropolis 06/06/10 iastudent Hoosiers 06/07/10 Awcko The Godfather 06/09/10 ThePineapple Spirited Away 06/09/10 Bedevere E.T. 06/10/10 cool kids inc. Close Encounters of... 06/10/10 mid 2001: A Space Odyssey 06/11/10 Soundtrack To Mary The Usual Suspects 06/13/10 Fiction D Casablanca 06/14/10 elendilmir Grosse Pointe Blank 06/15/10 Wilhelm Scream Barry Lyndon 06/15/10 Delvaris Blade Runner 06/16/10 LesterGroans City of God 06/16/10 Demented Guy Monty Python and the... 06/17/10 Jim Barris Nosferatu 06/17/10 Mrens Dr. Strangelove 06/17/10 Admiral Goodenough An American Werewolf... 06/20/10 blakout Vertigo 06/21/10 Clogproof Orifice It's a Wonderful Life 06/21/10 SneakySneaks Solaris 06/21/10 Doug Alien 06/24/10 Eggnogium Butch Cassidy and... 06/26/10 Twin Cinema Wall-E 06/26/10 Cantskate43 Cool Hand Luke 06/27/10 Wolfgang Pauli Jules and Jim 06/27/10 Arturo Ui The Grapes of Wrath 06/28/10 Popelmon Fanny and Alexander 06/28/10 pre:Assignee Film Date Assigned FreudianSlippers Let the Right One In 07/02/10 Criminal Minded Streetcar Named Desire 07/04/10 Tewratomeh Rosemary's Baby 07/04/10 Circusmacabre Eraserhead 07/05/10 Neilpeartnoy Network 07/09/10 SKEET SKEET Mean Streets 07/09/10 codyclarke The Godfather 07/10/10 Admin Understudy The Seventh Seal 07/12/10 morestuff The Bridge on the River 07/12/10 Mr. George Kaplan To Kill a Mockingbird 07/12/10 Papercannon Dog Day Afternoon 07/12/10 Fag Boy Jim Bicycle Thieves 07/14/10 Mollsmolyneux The Godfather 07/14/10 RussianGuyovich Aliens 07/14/10 Waterhaul Blade Runner 07/14/10 Skwirl High and Low 07/15/10 ProfessorClumsy Gone With the Wind 07/16/10 toro913 Written on the Wind 07/21/10 thegloaming Berlin Alexanderplatz 07/23/10 (special assignment) axleblaze Sex, Lies and Videotape 07/26/10 JVO The Squid and the Whale 07/26/10 meanmikhail Time Bandits 07/26/10 Jolo Jaws 07/27/10 Miles O'Brian The Prestige 07/27/10 thegloaming Stalker 07/28/10 Adhesion Vertigo 07/29/10 rangi Annie Hall 07/29/10 Tropicana Cool Hand Luke 07/29/10 feedmyleg Lawrence of Arabia 07/30/10 Diabolik900 The Trouble With Harry 07/31/10 Sheldrake Woman in the Dunes 07/31/10 pre:Assignee Film Date Assigned TipsyMc The Professional 08/01/10 York_M_Chan Tombstone 08/02/10 dotCommunism Apocalypse Now 08/03/10 caiman The Bridge on the River 08/04/10 No Wave It's a Wonderful Life 08/04/10 Zogo Some Like It Hot 08/05/10 Kull the Conqueror The Bridge on the River 08/07/10 Hell Diver McCabe & Mrs. Miller 08/08/10 Hellbunny Lock, Stock and Two... 08/08/10 KCChiefsDude From Russia With Love 08/09/10 zandert33 The Searchers 08/09/10 Skutter Rocky 08/10/10 Voodoofly What Time Is It There? 08/10/10 VorpalBunny City of God 08/10/10 Magic Hate Ball The Color Purple 08/12/10 penismighter M. Hulot's Holiday 08/12/10 Swartz The Good, the Bad and.. 08/12/10 FancyMike Raging Bull 08/12/10 Bodnoirbabe Rocky 08/13/10 CloseFriend Apocalypse Now 08/13/10 krupa Seven Samurai 08/13/10 Noxville Barry Lyndon 08/13/10 The Machine Sunset Blvd 08/13/10 Arkane Elizabeth 08/15/10 bananasinpajamas Seven Samurai 08/15/10 TannhauserGate Eternal Sunshine of... 08/15/10 FitFortDanga Insomnia 08/16/10 modestduty Fear and Loathing in... 08/16/10 Nroo Vertigo 08/16/10 von Braun Yojimbo 08/16/10 Baktus The Bridge on the River 08/17/10 mikewozere Jackie Brown 08/17/10 Peaceful Anarchy Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler 08/17/10 Red A Clockwork Orange 08/17/10 sexual rickshaw Young Frankenstein 08/17/10 tokillthesunflower A Fistful of Dollars 08/17/10 Vertigo Ambrosia Chinatown 08/17/10 marioinblack Schindler's List 08/18/10 Most assignments completed: Peaceful Anarchy - 51 !!! tokillthesunflower - 21 dotCommunism - 17 marioinblack - 15 Arkane - 15 Twin Cinema - 12 penismightier - 12 Magic Hate Ball - 12 Hellbunny - 11 CloseFriend - 11 mikewozere - 11 Most commonly assigned films: Casablanca (10) City of God (7) 12 Angry Men (7) The Godfather, Part II (7) The Godfather (6) Dr. Strangelove (6) It's a Wonderful Life (6) Seven Samurai (6) Lawrence of Arabia (6) Number of the 6 Lawrence of Arabia assignments made by Peaceful Anarchy: 5
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Aug 18, 2010 18:28
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Dmitri Russkie posted:ProfessorClumsy posted:uh-oh
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Aug 20, 2010 01:18
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tokillthesunflower posted:Oh, and a question I've never really thought to ask: It's called 'The Man With No Name' trilogy, but is it all the same character? Or are they three different guys that just happen to be bad-rear end, taciturn and no-named? Probably a stupid question, but eh. They're different guys. Joe, Manco, Blondie. tokillthesunflower posted:Persona IhaveneverseenanIngmarBergmanfilm. That is a bad one to start with.
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Aug 24, 2010 16:25
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tokillthesunflower posted:And also good to know. I've been following TSPDT's top 1000 thus far, but maybe I'll hold that one back til I've got more Bergman under my belt. What would you recommend to start with? Seventh Seal
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Aug 24, 2010 16:45
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Skwirl posted:The Rules of the Game: I've never seen any Jean Renoir. I'm not crazy about anything on your list, but this is probably my favorite of them. Okay, so... my library only has one copy of Insomnia and I'm not jazzed enough about it to keep waiting for it. So for the third (fourth?) time I'm redoing my list, but this time I think I'm going to stick with the concept. I've got a number of checklists on ListsOfBests that I'm almost done with. These are all films I need to complete my obsessive checklisting: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. The Reckless Moment ("Time Out's Centenary of Cinema") - This is actually on a bunch of lists I'm doing. I like Ophuls, I like noir... should be a winner. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - Another one that appears on several lists. 4. Moonfleet ("John Kobal's Top 100 Movies") - Fritz Lang's Hollywood films are pretty spotty. 5. Yankee Doodle Dandy ("AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies") - Not a big Cagney fan, although I liked Footlight Parade. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. Wuthering Heights ("Filmsite.org's 100 Greatest Films Pt. 1") - I expect it to be watchable at least. 9. The Naked Island ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - The only Shindo I've seen is Onibaba, but I liked it a lot. 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good.
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Aug 25, 2010 23:53
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von Braun posted:FitForDanga: Moonfleet. I just finished Metropolis so you will get to watch this. That actually works out nicely because I have two other Lang movies on deck.
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Aug 26, 2010 03:16
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Arkane posted:Nights of Cabiria - Would like to continue with the Fellini filmography (feel free to recommend an alternate Fellini work!). No alternate required, this is my favorite Fellini. Moonfleet - A decent adventure tale, dragged down by the lack of a compelling central character. Jon Whiteley as the Dickensian child is pretty much empty as a character, and Stewart Granger just doesn't have seem to have any leading man chops. I wish there'd been more of George Sanders, who's always a delight. The color widescreen photography provides a few striking moments, but more often it's awash in dreary shades of brown. I also found the movie slightly confusing at times, as the relationships between some of the main characters were murky. Overall, it's passable as "brain off" entertainment, but not much more than that. Another disappointment from Lang's later career. Rating: 6 updated list: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. The Reckless Moment ("Time Out's Centenary of Cinema") - This is actually on a bunch of lists I'm doing. I like Ophuls, I like noir... should be a winner. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - Another one that appears on several lists. 4. Icon of Cool ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - I have no idea. Something Korean. 5. Yankee Doodle Dandy ("AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies") - Not a big Cagney fan, although I liked Footlight Parade. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. Wuthering Heights ("Filmsite.org's 100 Greatest Films Pt. 1") - I expect it to be watchable at least. 9. The Naked Island ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - The only Shindo I've seen is Onibaba, but I liked it a lot. 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good.
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Aug 27, 2010 05:23
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Sinfjotli, you've got so much great stuff on your list that it's hard to choose. Give Eraserhead a go. Naked Island - This dialogue-free tale of a family's struggle for survival on a remote island (mental comparisons to Man of Aran are inevitable, although the films are quite different) is simple in construction, but loaded with allegorical possibilities. As I watched the events unfold I pondered the significance of what I was seeing and found my mind going down several different paths. Shindo never makes a big deal about the wordlessness of the narrative... it doesn't ever feel like a novelty, but rather just that no words are necessary. Gorgeous cinematography and a lyrical score (reminded me an awful lot of M. Hulot's Holiday) seal the deal. A sometimes difficult film (unless you really enjoy watching people schlep water around) but one that is rewarding both as food for thought and food for the soul. Rating: 9 updated list: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. The Reckless Moment ("Time Out's Centenary of Cinema") - This is actually on a bunch of lists I'm doing. I like Ophuls, I like noir... should be a winner. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - Another one that appears on several lists. 4. Icon of Cool ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - I have no idea. Something Korean. 5. Yankee Doodle Dandy ("AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies") - Not a big Cagney fan, although I liked Footlight Parade. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. Wuthering Heights ("Filmsite.org's 100 Greatest Films Pt. 1") - I expect it to be watchable at least. 9. Hold Me While I'm Naked ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Don't really know anything about this one either. 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good.
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Aug 28, 2010 03:29
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Sheldrake posted:it kept coming to mind as an unpolished version of The Third Man, though not quite as good. This is exactly how I felt (and like you, I also found it confusing at times). I gave it the same score you did. I'll put YDD on hold at the library, it'll probably be at least a few days before I get it.
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Aug 28, 2010 05:44
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drat, I keep missing my chance to pick for PA, I'd love to know what he has to say about Still Life. Oh well... Noxville, you get 400 Blows. Yankee Doodle Dandy - This is going to be a review of "but"s. I don't like Cagney that much. I don't like the way he acts, I don't like the way he sings, and I especially don't like the way he dances (it always looks like his asscheeks are trying to go in two different directions).... BUT I like the idea of Cagney, I like his persona. As far as Curtiz goes, Casablanca is probably in my all-time top 10... BUT I haven't been wowed by his other work. Gung-ho patriotism is a huge turn-off for me... BUT the patriotism here is presented in such a vague, apolitical manner that it didn't bother me. And I don't care much for biopics, especially ones structured this way, where no problem can't be solved in under 5 minutes... BUT it does have a breezy sense of fun to it that's somewhat infectious. Shall I keep going? Cohan's songs don't ring my bells... BUT they're not terrible either, and there's some nice staging of the numbers. There's nothing brilliant about this movie... BUT scattered here and there are some terrific little moments. In summary: I didn't love this film and wouldn't ever bother to watch it again... BUT it was fairly entertaining. Rating: 6 I also watched Reckless Moment last week, comments posted in the "Rate the Latest" thread. updated list: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. Fox and His Friends ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Fassbinder is more miss than hit with me. Got a bad vibe about this one, but I could be surprised. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - Another one that appears on several lists. 4. Icon of Cool ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - I have no idea. Something Korean. 5. Landscape in the Mist ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Something by Angelopoulos is an iffy proposition: Eternity and a Day was okay, but Travelling Players was a massive bore. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. Wuthering Heights ("Filmsite.org's 100 Greatest Films Pt. 1") - I expect it to be watchable at least. 9. Hold Me While I'm Naked ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Don't really know anything about this one either. 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good.
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Sep 3, 2010 05:06
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Chauntecleer, I hope you enjoy Duck Soup. Wuthering Heights - This version made me appreciate Bunuel's much more. Wyler has none of Bunuel's sense of humor about how over-the-top and awful these characters are, and instead treats them as romantic/tragic heroes. The true culprit may very well be Alfred Newman, whose horrible, horrible score is drenched all over the place, ruining almost every scene with absurd amounts of syrupy strings. As for the rest of it, it's okay-to-good. Olivier is a massively overrated actor, in my opinion, but he does a decent job here, as does Merle Oberon. Toland's photography is, as to be expected, quite grand. The film moves along smoothly and usually holds your interest. I still prefer Bunuel's take on the story, however... a far more fiery (and slyly satirical) rendition. Rating: 6 updated list: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. Fox and His Friends ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Fassbinder is more miss than hit with me. Got a bad vibe about this one, but I could be surprised. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - I need to watch this one for several other lists as well. 4. Icon of Cool ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - I have no idea. Something Korean. 5. Landscape in the Mist ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Something by Angelopoulos is an iffy proposition: Eternity and a Day was okay, but Travelling Players was a massive bore. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. The White Balloon ("mizoguchi's Introduction to Foreign Films") - No, it's not that Mizoguchi. This mizoguchi is just a guy on ListsOfBests.com whose tastes I generally agree with. This is the only movie on this particular list of his that I haven't seen. Looks good, plus it was written by Kiarostami. 9. Hold Me While I'm Naked ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Don't really know anything about this one either. 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good.
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Sep 5, 2010 09:16
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Dirty Frank, I'm going to give you Marius, Fanny and Cesar because it's the only thing on your list I haven't seen, and I've been curious about them myself. Hold Me While I'm Naked - The story of this short is a bit obfuscated, but it seemed to be about a lonely director guy who is sexually obsessed with his actress. Kind of feels like a student film by someone who watched a whole lot of Kenneth Anger and little bit of Godard. It's somewhat amusing but it isn't too clear what Kuchar is driving at, if anything. Maybe it's meant to be self-referential, or maybe it's just a spoof. I didn't hate it, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me either. Rating: 6 updated list: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. Fox and His Friends ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Fassbinder is more miss than hit with me. Got a bad vibe about this one, but I could be surprised. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - I need to watch this one for several other lists as well. 4. Icon of Cool ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - I have no idea. Something Korean. 5. Landscape in the Mist ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Something by Angelopoulos is an iffy proposition: Eternity and a Day was okay, but Travelling Players was a massive bore. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. The White Balloon ("mizoguchi's Introduction to Foreign Films") - No, it's not that Mizoguchi. This mizoguchi is just a guy on ListsOfBests.com whose tastes I generally agree with. This is the only movie on this particular list of his that I haven't seen. Looks good, plus it was written by Kiarostami. 9. Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades ("Diskuterfilm.com's top 30 of the 1970s") - I've wanted to see one of these for a long time. Is this a good one to start with, or is there some established continuity from previous films I need to be aware of? 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good.
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Sep 5, 2010 19:48
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Obidy, I'm staying true to my avatar and assigning Wild Strawberries to you. The White Balloon - This is my first film directed by Jafar Panahi, but I would say the more important credit is that it was written by Abbas Kiarostami. The film plays out much like Where Is My Friend's Home?, using a child with a very simple problem to illustrate the interactions of a community. You can't think of a much more stripped-down premise than "little girl wants to buy a goldfish", but Panahi & Kiarostami mine it for plenty of tension, insight and subtle social commentary. The fleeting hints at something sinister going on with the father (the son appears with unexplained bruises, the mysterious "second job") are intriguing. I must confess that the significance of the balloon vendor's ethnicity entirely escaped me until I started reading the IMDb message board, but I think you would have to be from the area to pick up on it. This is a terrific movie that does an awful lot with so little, and features some excellent, understated performances. Rating: 8 updated list: 1. The Crying Game ("Jim Emerson's 102 Movies You Must See") - The Dean of Students at my college actually spoiled the big reveal for me soon after it came out. Thanks, whatever your name was. I'm not too interested in the movie, but it's the only one left on this list. 2. Fox and His Friends ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Fassbinder is more miss than hit with me. Got a bad vibe about this one, but I could be surprised. 3. The Big Parade ("100films.net's Greatest 100 Films Ever Made") - I need to watch this one for several other lists as well. 4. Icon of Cool ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - I have no idea. Something Korean. 5. Landscape in the Mist ("The Village Voice's 100 Best Films of the 20th Century") - Something by Angelopoulos is an iffy proposition: Eternity and a Day was okay, but Travelling Players was a massive bore. 6. Pour la suite du monde ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I don't know anything about this list (the description is in French) or this movie. 7. Mon Oncle d'Amerique ("Chefs-d'oeuvre de Mediafilm") - I like most Resnais. 8. High School ("Gerald Peary's 100 Films For Film Literacy") - I liked Titicut Follies, so I'm certainly open to more Wiseman. 9. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance/Baby Cart at the River Styx/Baby Cart to Hades ("Diskuterfilm.com's top 30 of the 1970s") - I've wanted to see one of these for a long time. "Baby Cart to Hades" is the one on the list, but I'll watch the first two as well. 10. The Savage Innocents ("DVDBeaver's Desert Island DVDs") - Nicholas Ray is usually good. FitFortDanga fucked around with this message at 20:32 on Sep 6, 2010 |
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Sep 6, 2010 20:02
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zandert33 posted:FitFort, for the Lone Wolf movies there is an overarching storyline, so I do recommend checking them out in order. The first three are solid, but after that they kinda got weak. Thanks. The library has a DVD set with the first 6, so I guess I can watch the preceding movies.
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Sep 6, 2010 20:31
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| # ¿ May 9, 2024 08:49 |
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And if you want to see a really good movie about deaf culture, check out Sound and Fury.
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Sep 7, 2010 04:39
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