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Wilhelm Scream, enjoy the hell out of Wings of Desire. You're in for a special treat if you love Peter Falk. (But who doesn't?) I'm finally getting in on this, as I'm trying to knock out the last twenty-five or so of TSPDT's top 100 that I haven't seen. Here are the ones that leap out at me: 1. The Battle of Algiers - I love films dealing with social conflicts, and gritty black and white photography, so the images I've seen from it are enticing. 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. 4.Double Indemnity - Wilder, Chandler, I have no idea how I missed it. It's the only one of the "big name" noirs I haven't seen. 5.The Godfather: Part II - Saw it ages ago, but I don't remember enough to claim it. I hold Part I to be near perfect. 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 7. Modern Times - Ditto re: Chaplin. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 9. Some Like it Hot - I'm steadily working my way through Wilder, but man, the guy was prolific. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too.
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Mar 14, 2011 09:04
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| # ¿ May 20, 2024 02:52 |
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penismightier, when Dreyer is an option, Dreyer should be watched. Gertrud it is. I'm having a hard time separating The Godfather Part II from Part I in my mind, what with the way it complements, challenges, and expands on the themes of the latter. It's kind of remarkable. I've never been a massive fan of Pacino, and he's so understated here that I have a hard time calling it a "Great Performance", but it works for the film, and De Niro does so much with so little. That last shot killed me though, it would have been perfect to just end with him alone at the table. 9/10 Updated: 1. The Battle of Algiers - I love films dealing with social conflicts, and gritty black and white photography, so the images I've seen from it are enticing. 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. 4.Double Indemnity - Wilder, Chandler, I have no idea how I missed it. It's the only one of the "big name" noirs I haven't seen. 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 7. Modern Times - Ditto re: Chaplin. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 9. Some Like it Hot - I'm steadily working my way through Wilder, but man, the guy was prolific. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10
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Mar 17, 2011 03:25
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Electronico6 posted:I disagree, for me it's the last shot that really brings both films to a perfect circle, and without it wouldn't have the same effect. Showing how much Michael changed through the years, he gained so much but ended up the same or even worst. Still in his father shadow, completely alone and miserable. I guess money and power don't buy you love. See, for me, everything you mention was in the shot of him at the table. And the shock of it, to suddenly find yourself in the midway between the two timelines, the space you've been visiting mentally the whole time, seeing the fruit and the seeds of both...the final shot just felt redundant.
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Mar 17, 2011 04:17
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Bodnoirbabe: This may be a stretch, but I have a feeling that if you like PTA's mise en scene, you're gonna love the three-ring circus that is 8 1/2. On some days it's my favorite movie. Some Like it Hot: Holy moley, the innuendo. I laughed so hard. Lemmon is fantastic as always, Curtis somehow manages to be a little less sleazy than usual (this was the last movie I'd expected to see that in), and Monroe is...well, Monroe. Who's complaining? It's sort of snuck up on me, but I think Wilder might be one of my favorite directors now. Like, top five. He's just too good. 9/10 Updated: 1. The Battle of Algiers - I love films dealing with social conflicts, and gritty black and white photography, so the images I've seen from it are enticing. 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. 4.Double Indemnity - Wilder, Chandler, I have no idea how I missed it. It's the only one of the "big name" noirs I haven't seen. 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 7. Modern Times - Ditto re: Chaplin. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10
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Mar 21, 2011 08:09
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FitFortDanga, have a go at The Hunchback of Notre Dame. There's a lot of gorgeous lighting in that one. The Battle of Algiers - "We all think it would be best if we stay." But for who? A lot of eerily familiar stuff here, but as tempting as it is to conflate colonialism with our current form of imperialism, there are some pretty major differences. The film is stronger now because of that, as it avoids painting a "big picture" and focuses on the smaller events, tactics, and motivations, which do translate. I wish news networks would play Lieutenant-Colonel Matheiu's speech to the press on torture and guerrilla warfare at the end of every segment on our foreign policy, it cuts right through all the bullshit: in such morally ambiguous situations, moral arguments are largely posturing. Then and now, we're "over there" because we think it would be best for us if we stayed. 9.5/10 Updated: 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. 4.Double Indemnity - Wilder, Chandler, I have no idea how I missed it. It's the only one of the "big name" noirs I haven't seen. 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 7. Modern Times - Ditto re: Chaplin. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. 13. Lawrence of Arabia - I've avoided this, even though I like The Bridge Over the River Kwai. Who knows. Some details and readings people on here have mentioned recently have piqued my curiosity. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10, The Battle of Algiers - 9.5/10
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Mar 22, 2011 07:12
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TenSpadesBeTrump, prepare to be blown away by The Passion of Joan of Arc. Be careful, you might lose track of space and time. gently caress YOU SCHOOL. Took me three weeks to find the time to watch Lawrence of Arabia - As I can now compare a few of David Lean's films, I feel more confident in saying that despite their frequent brilliance, they struggle with tonal shifts, at times jumping from subtle, beautiful scenes to generic, utilitarian ones that are visually uninteresting and only advance the plot, with little cohesion between. It's understandable for these grand epics, but disappointing when surrounded by scenes so much more artfully handled. That being said, this film was pretty impressive. It's marvelously crafted, often jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and surprisingly ambiguous. I went in expecting a traditional character study, thinking the "WHO ARE YOU?" moment at the Suez Canal indicated that this was indeed the case, and was then shocked at how ambiguous and atmospheric it is. Lawrence is such an opaque character that the smallest details leap out in significance, like the indeterminate specks that appear on the horizon in the desert. I don't know that I'll watch it again anytime soon, but it's a hell of a film. 9/10 While waiting on an opening for Lawrence of Arabia, I also watched Double Indemnity - Pretty much perfect. Wilder nails that Expressionistic minimalist look that lower budgeted films stumble onto, and really makes it sing. This film doesnt just look grimy, it feels grimy. Sunset Boulevard is the Wilder film David Lynch usually acknowledges, but I see just as much of Double Indemnity in his work. That's a very good thing. 9.5/10 Updated: 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 7. Modern Times - Ditto re: Chaplin. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. 14. Jaws Save for Close Encounters, Ive never been a huge Spielberg fan, but it is a bit of a cultural touchstone. 15. Nashville I loved McCabe & Mrs. Miller (we will not speak of Quintet), and this seems to be Altmans most popular work. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10, The Battle of Algiers - 9.5/10, Double Indemnity 9.5/10, Lawrence of Arabia 9/10
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Apr 24, 2011 21:13
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penismightier, The Tarnished Angels. It's been forever since I saw this, but I remember it being gorgeous. There isn't a sigh big enough for how long it took me to get around to Modern Times - So much fun. I watched it with the family, and they loved it, as well. I enjoyed how deftly it handled the political subtext; I've always felt that comedy has a unique opportunity to point to injustice without falling into exploitation or sensationalism, and Modern Times is a great example. All of the scenes with the factory machinery are staggering, I can't imagine the engineering that went into them. Most impressively, I think, is that an eighty-year-old film was still able to make me bust out laughing. Well done, Chaplin and crew. Almost as funny: watching my parents listen to the Dardenne brothers' socialist rant in the extras. 9/10 In the meantime, I also watched Jaws - This is an odd one, in that I really liked it, but still found it kind of lackluster. I realize that technically it's wonderful, and it hits all the right beats, but it still felt lacking. I don't want to harp on it too much for being "too neat", because it played a big part in defining that "neatness," but nothing in it really surprised or resonated with me. I realize that it's a genre movie, and characterization is not supposed to be the primary focus, but the town and boat scenes were great, and I found myself wishing the drat shark would just go away and stop disrupting these great scenes. It wound up being more annoying than scary. I appreciate that it doesn't show the monster more than it does, but I could have done with a little less, really. 8/10. Updated: 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. *Have now seen Modern Times, as well 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. 15. Nashville I loved McCabe & Mrs. Miller (we will not speak of Quintet), and this seems to be Altmans most popular work. 16. Greed - I've never seen a von Stroheim film, and the story behind its production is fascinating, but I've never really been compelled to give it a go. 17. Amarcord And I call myself a fan of Fellini. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10, The Battle of Algiers - 9.5/10, Double Indemnity 9.5/10, Lawrence of Arabia 9/10, Jaws - 8/10, Modern Times - 9/10
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Jun 29, 2011 04:47
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Zogo, to the The Wild Bunch, posthaste. Nashville - Geeze. I used to live in Tennessee, and this does feel eerily familiar. In the bigger cities, they still maintain this weird, half-hearted dichotomy of cold metropolis and "come on in and sit a spell." As seems to be the case for most 70s films these days, the political dimension is pretty relevant. (I should have seen the Parthenon coming.) The film is so strong, I think, because while its humor is sharp and direct and Goldblumian, the more serious notes are implied. It indirectly builds up an overwhelming atmosphere, a sense of a city in flux. People were talking in the general chat thread about Do the Right Thing having that encompassing atmosphere, that sense of the film being alive, and it immediately came to mind watching this. It hereby ties McCabe & Mrs. Miller for my favorite Altman. 9/10 Updated: 2. Bringing Up Baby - I have no idea why I haven't seen this, I'm a fan of everyone involved. 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. *Have now seen Modern Times, as well 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. 16. Greed - I've never seen a von Stroheim film, and the story behind its production is fascinating, but I've never really been compelled to give it a go. 17. Amarcord And I call myself a fan of Fellini. 18. Pather Panchali Big fan of the Satyajit Ray I've seen, so, yeah, I should probably begin at the beginning. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10, The Battle of Algiers - 9.5/10, Double Indemnity 9.5/10, Lawrence of Arabia 9/10, Jaws - 8/10, Modern Times - 9/10, Nashville - 9/10
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Jul 10, 2011 08:45
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jonnykungfu, you're watching Nostalghia. It ties Stalker for my favorite Tarkovsky for reasons I can't explain, but as you love The Mirror, I think you'll like it as well. It has that same sense of being imperfect and overwhelming all at once. Bringing Up Baby - The screwball comedy rhythm: character gag, confusion/repetition gag, character gag, confusion/repetition gag, repeat ad infinitum. The former are funny and end on a high, the latter are funny and continue to the point of annoyance. The good screwballs (as here) draw enough forward momentum from their casts' energy that you can charge on through the telegraphed punchlines to ride the highs. I really wish Cary Grant would've shown more of the energy in the "I just went gay all of a sudden!" moment during his career. For a split second there, it was like he'd lept forward in time by 30 years. And if Hepburn's character is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, it's the most bearable for being composed primarily of "Manic," rather than "Dream." 8/10 Updated: 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. *Have now seen Modern Times, as well 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. 16. Greed - I've never seen a von Stroheim film, and the story behind its production is fascinating, but I've never really been compelled to give it a go. 17. Amarcord And I call myself a fan of Fellini. 18. Pather Panchali Big fan of the Satyajit Ray I've seen, so, yeah, I should probably begin at the beginning. 19. Children of Paradise - I've avoided this based on the comparisons to Gone with the Wind, which I was less than enthused by, but on the list it goes. I'm finishing the TSPDT Top 100 if it kills me. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10, The Battle of Algiers - 9.5/10, Double Indemnity 9.5/10, Lawrence of Arabia 9/10, Jaws - 8/10, Modern Times - 9/10, Nashville - 9/10, Bringing Up Baby - 8/10
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Jul 27, 2011 06:43
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| # ¿ May 20, 2024 02:52 |
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Atheistdeals.com, having just finished Pather Panchali, I can't in good faith recommend anything else before it. Watch it. Pather Panchali - A sort of internal documentary of childhood and familial relationships, flowing on in tones both passionate and meditative. Ray speaks with faces, hands, beams of light, and gusts of wind, in a vision of the world that sees the images and sounds of the forest, house, and body passing into each other until they can hardly be told apart. Deeply affecting. I lost all sense of time. 10/10 Updated: 3. City Lights - I've only ever seen The Great Dictator, but it was years ago. Bad, I know. I do love Buster Keaton. *Have now seen Modern Times, as well 6. L'atalante - I love visually creative silent films, and the couple of scenes I saw in a documentary once were gorgeous. 8. Sansho the Bailiff - Ugetsu blew me away; I've been meaning to explore some more Mizoguchi. 10. Sunrise - Note for #6 applies here, too. 11. My Darling Clementine - The ever-promising 3 F's: Ford, Fonda, and...Walter Brennan, I guess. 12. Stagecoach - Another, more obvious Ford. I've held off on this because the images I've seen make it look less visually striking than his later work, but that's not really fair, I guess. 16. Greed - I've never seen a von Stroheim film, and the story behind its production is fascinating, but I've never really been compelled to give it a go. 17. Amarcord And I call myself a fan of Fellini. 19. Children of Paradise - I've avoided this based on the comparisons to Gone with the Wind, which I was less than enthused by, but on the list it goes. I'm finishing the TSPDT Top 100 if it kills me. 20. The Leopard Ditto for #19. Mission accomplished: The Godfather Part II - 9/10, Some Like it Hot - 9/10, The Battle of Algiers - 9.5/10, Double Indemnity 9.5/10, Lawrence of Arabia 9/10, Jaws - 8/10, Modern Times - 9/10, Nashville - 9/10, Bringing Up Baby - 8/10, Pather Panchali - 10/10 Also, man, you weren't kidding about The Ninth Configuration, penismightier. That was rough.
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Aug 6, 2011 04:41
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