Moonlight
It was great, really, but just didn't hit the heights I was somehow expecting. I don't know if it was due to the subject matter but it was hyped up quite a lot. I get that its unique in its positioning, but the last third of the movie just kind of fell flat for me. Would recommend though, people should make their own conclusions.
Caught a second screening of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. I loved it again, but I admit I have no fucking idea what is going on with the retcon of Red Queen's origin. I suppose I'll have to watch them all again in the next week or so just to make sure that it makes no sense at all.
Even though the editing is ridiculous, I had no problem at all seeing what was going on this second time through. I think maybe I have absorbed the t-virus.
For real, if you have any love for this pulpy franchise, you owe it to yourself and to Raccoon City to go see this on the big screen.
I never watched any of them beyond the first one! I've always meant to, and planned to every time a new one came out, but never got around to it, haha. I may make that my journey later in the month, watching them all and then capping it off with Final Chapter in the theatre. But I need to finish up 2016 first.
Speaking of...
Hunt For The Wilderpeople
Damn it all, another great. This will be eating a movie off my top 10 and resting around #7-8, I think. The movie has a ton of heart, a ton of humor, a ton of great moments, and some fantastic characters. I didn't recognize the director's name until he appears as a priest, and then realized it's the What We Do In The Shadows dude! And he's making Thor: Ragnarok next? Now that's cool. But yeah, the movie really took hold of me, and has some clever stylistic choices that are a lot of fun. One of 2016's very best!
I never watched any of them beyond the first one! I've always meant to, and planned to every time a new one came out, but never got around to it, haha. I may make that my journey later in the month, watching them all and then capping it off with Final Chapter in the theatre. But I need to finish up 2016 first.
Speaking of...
Hunt For The Wilderpeople
Damn it all, another great. This will be eating a movie off my top 10 and resting around #7-8, I think. The movie has a ton of heart, a ton of humor, a ton of great moments, and some fantastic characters. I didn't recognize the director's name until he appears as a priest, and then realized it's the What We Do In The Shadows dude! And he's making Thor: Ragnarok next? Now that's cool. But yeah, the movie really took hold of me, and has some clever stylistic choices that are a lot of fun. One of 2016's very best!
Caught a second screening of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. I loved it again, but I admit I have no fucking idea what is going on with the retcon of Red Queen's origin. I suppose I'll have to watch them all again in the next week or so just to make sure that it makes no sense at all.
Even though the editing is ridiculous, I had no problem at all seeing what was going on this second time through. I think maybe I have absorbed the t-virus.
For real, if you have any love for this pulpy franchise, you owe it to yourself and to Raccoon City to go see this on the big screen.
I was very disappointed in the whole Red Queen thing. Felt needless to change it all so stupidly and no, watching the rest just makes it more confusing. I mean the series hasn't exactly been consistent in story but that's a huge change for no reason. I should watch it again now that I know the RQ is all different because I kept focusing on that the whole time...
13th 2016
★★★★
Should be a required watch in grade school. One of the most important movies of 2016, and will still be relevant years from now.
I was very disappointed in the whole Red Queen thing. Felt needless to change it all so stupidly and no, watching the rest just makes it more confusing. I mean the series hasn't exactly been consistent in story but that's a huge change for no reason. I should watch it again now that I know the RQ is all different because I kept focusing on that the whole time...
That's kind of how I'm looking at it. I've seen this series more times than most, but maybe there is some wiggle room in some detail I've missed. On that note, Alice's intro does make note that history is written by the winners., so maybe it is all subjective.
Regardless, even if the change makes no sense at all, I still enjoyed the flick.
Any advice in what order to watch these Hitchcock movies? I have the highest expectations for Rear Window and Vertigo so I was thinking of saving those for last so I am more familiar with his style by then.
The 5 are:
North by Northwest
The Birds
Psycho
Vertigo
Rear Window
The premise of Birds sounds pretty weird and I'm expecting the least from that one. Not sure if that means I should watch it first, last, or in the middle though.
Of course it could just not matter, and they can be watched in any order.
That's kind of how I'm looking at it. I've seen this series more times than most, but maybe there is some wiggle room in some detail I've missed. On that note, Alice's intro does make note that history is written by the winners., so maybe it is all subjective.
Regardless, even if the change makes no sense at all, I still enjoyed the flick.
My hangup is that they showed her being the child of a scientist in Raccoon City during the second movie. That was the entire premise of them navigating Raccoon City ffs lol. Now it's like a whole new universe...
Any advice in what order to watch these Hitchcock movies? I have the highest expectations for Rear Window and Vertigo so I was thinking of saving those for last so I am more familiar with his style by then.
The 5 are:
North by Northwest
The Birds
Psycho
Vertigo
Rear Window
The premise of Birds sounds pretty weird and I'm expecting the least from that one. Not sure if that means I should watch it first, last, or in the middle though.
Of course it could just not matter, and they can be watched in any order.
I would say watch The Birds in the middle, since if you watch it first and it's not for you, it may taint what comes after. The order I would go in is:
Psycho
North by Northwest (my personal favorite of his)
The Birds
Rear Window
Vertigo
That's by no means an order of quality, as I think they're all amazing, amazing films, but in terms of pure enjoyment levels and capping it off with the more psychological/thriller classics, that's the order I think would be best!
I would say watch The Birds in the middle, since if you watch it first and it's not for you, it may taint what comes after. The order I would go in is:
Psycho
North by Northwest (my personal favorite of his)
The Birds
Rear Window
Vertigo
That's by no means an order of quality, as I think they're all amazing, amazing films, but in terms of pure enjoyment levels and capping it off with the more psychological/thriller classics, that's the order I think would be best!
First week of Feb: Elle 4/5 "I have better things to do than plot diabolical Christmas dinners." So says Michèle, but does she mean it? The best part about this gleefully depraved stomach-knotting blackly comic thriller is that Verhoeven and Huppert never give a clear answer. From her
murky, haunted past as a witness (or possible accessory?) to mass murder
and her cunning business sense, one could hazard she's plotted every move. Yet she could be simply impulsive and defensively wary, could be unconscious of how she's manipulating her friends and family and how she's lost sight of where simulation ends and reality begins. Whether her efforts are calculated or not, Michèle is not to be fucked with. She firmly believes everyone is searching for a way to betray her, and as a result is compelled to take control and shape the world around hershe must dominate. Verhoeven's direction makes for perfect pacing and locks you into Michèle's point-of-view, so you feel every bit as distrustful and defiant and turned-on as she does.
Groundhog Day 5/5 Rewatched this on the day. Truly a magnificent work, at once a universally lovable Hollywood romantic comedy-fantasy and a philosophical probe of how those classical narratives (of storytelling and life) lie about the difficulty level of genuine personal change. Murray is impeccable, MacDowell is wonderful, the laughs are endless, and its perspective on the quest for self-realization is radical. Longer entry on lb: https://letterboxd.com/ander/film/groundhog-day/1/
True Romance 3.5/5 There's not a ton to Clarence's (Christian Slater) blind devotion to following in the footsteps of romanticized American icons, and Alabama (Patricia Arquette) is a criminally underserved character buoyed by a stellar actress. Their romance is frankly not all that enveloping after it's established early on, either. No botherthe dialogue, build-up to utter chaos, and bevy of winning bit roles (my favorite: Brad Pitt as a couchbound stoner roommate who just wants someone to sit and watch TV with, even if they are a mobster) make for enough of a rollicking time.
Ghost in the Shell 3/5 Breathtaking artistic vision partially wasted on an ungainly and listless story about the nature of consciousness and independence. Interesting ideas are posed in fits and starts in the dialogue, rather than sharply explored through the narrative, and the world of the film never reaches coherencethe ending feels like the midpoint of a much better movie. 4 of 25 on the movie since birth project.
Broadcast News [rewatch] 4/5 Brazenly its own thing, a spin on the romantic comedy that's both laid-back and startlingly real. I don't think Broadcast News is all that savvy when it comes to the pull between entertainment and quality news, but it doesn't need to be because that issue is mainly there to work as the point at which Jane (Holly Hunter), Aaron (Albert Brooks) and Tom (William Hurt)'s perspectives diverge. Each is trying to determine whether they can maintain integrity while selling themselves and judgmental of where others are willing to compromise. And it's not as simple as Aaron being smart but not camera-ready while Tom is empty-headed and handsome and full of himself: Tom puts in a genuine effort to become a quality anchor, and Aaron's aspiration to sit behind the desk stems from arrogance. Jane is perceptive enough to see this, which complicates her attraction to Tom and desire to keep her relationship with Aaron platonic. Ultimately, you can't fit people into types. The wildly unconventional ending is in line with this. After working together for a brief yet important time, these three simply...drifted apart and lived their own lives, found new lovers and different jobs. Their rainy-day reunion is bittersweet and bravely in defiance of the conventions of the romantic comedy. That all makes it sound depressing thoughthe magic of this film is that it's so very light and hysterical and warm, and most of that magic comes from Hunter's note-perfect performance. Humanity is undeserving of acting this stupendous.
Cemetery of Splendor 3.5/5 You know when a long-running band puts out an album that, instead of taking any identifiable step forward, recombines two or three earlier albums to make something not quite new but mostly enjoyable regardless? Cemetery of Splendor is calming and blissful, and I'm glad I saw it in a half-asleep state. Not a moment in it knocked me on my ass the way Weerasethakul's best work hasbut the film never endeavors to fashion those moments. The film is pure contemplation, thinking about thinking. "Meditative" isn't the right word, as there's a scene of meditation where an instructor asks all to purge their minds of thought. And Joe's work is constantly thinking and dreaming. Here he's focusedas much as you can say Joe is ever "focused"on how humans try in vain to move the Earth, shoveling dirt around as if we can use it to blanket the past.
Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told 4/5 Trash-strewn masterpiece. Befittingly released at the midpoint between Psycho and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, as it combines the seeds of the slasher with gothic gore and bad taste and rural panic. Kicks off with a killer opening credits sequence, impishly drawn by one pseudonymous E.I.P. whose real identity has been lost to time. Over it Lon Chaney Jr. sings a title song composed by Ronald Stein; the novelty song lyrics are exaggerated and sound improvised, like one of Jad Fair's Half Japanese monster songs, and if you upped the tempo and traded the horns for feedback and distortion you'd have a no wave/early synthpunk song. (Fantômas covered it and went in a different, more industrial/nu metal direction.) Jack Hill smartly steers into the inherent hilarity of the premise, and as a result the film is even more seriously scary and unhinged. The girlsor, women who think they're girlsoffer up appreciably unnatural performances. Sig Haig as the brother who's regressed into a primitive state is goofy fun, but the sisters' unpredictability and taboo sexuality is exuberantly terrifying. And to anchor it all Lon Chaney Jr. turns in a peerless performance as their devoted family caretaker, a sort of small-scale Adolf Eichmann: he seems far too simple-minded to be morally corrupted himself, but he cannot see why his staunch commitment to following the orders of deceased patriarchs might be harmful. Chaney Jr. holding a close-up for minutes, with every inch of his face at work and eyes sparkling wet, is a stunning sight.
La La Land: This movie amazed me. You want your '50s style musical? Here you go. Like jazz? There's something for you here too. Love the use of long takes (even more impressive during the musical numbers). Great songs, lighting, and cinematography. The last scene confused me at first though. Hope it wins Best Picture, granted I haven't seen Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight, or Fences yet.
I feel like I remember tons of people recommending The Neon Demon but I really didn't like it. It was certainly visually impressive, but I found it slow and boring as fuck, with pretty thin and uninteresting characters (Keanu was the only performance I really liked). Luckily it was on Amazon Prime so I didn't pay for it.
I feel like I remember tons of people recommending The Neon Demon but I really didn't like it. It was certainly visually impressive, but I found it slow and boring as fuck, with pretty thin and uninteresting characters (Keanu was the only performance I really liked). Luckily it was on Amazon Prime so I didn't pay for it.
My fiance and I watched Black Mass on Sunday. The movie has been out for a while, but we just happened to come across it while looking for something to stream. She had read about Whitey Bulgar before, but I was not familiar with him. It's insane to me that there are people like that in the world. Also, Johnny Depp is a phenomenal actor; amazing job on his part. Depp was extremely creepy in this movie, and his eyes were unnerving. My fiance described him as a vampire, and I found that to be pretty apt.
Hey Film-GAF (Movie-GAF?). Never posted in one of these threads before but I figure I'd like to start! Been making a goal to watch more movies lately.
1. What's your favorite Movie?
This is a pretty difficult question. A couple years ago I would have said Lost in Translation but now I'm not so sure. I really like The Thing, The Evil Dead Trilogy, Spider-Man 2, and Mulholland Drive. The last few I watched/re-watched after a long time in the past year. Honestly I can't really answer this with a single movie.
2. Who's your favorite director?
I can't say definitely, but I'm a big fan of Sam Raimi and John Carpenter. Verhoeven probably as well.
3. Who are your favorite actors/actresses?
Don't really have any. I'd be lying if I didn't have a soft spot for Keanu Reeves. Kurt Russell maybe?
4. Favorite Genre(s)?
No genre fascinates me more than horror movies. I feel like good horror movies demand a level of creativity few other genres require.
5. What's your favorite performance in film?
Can't really think of one right now.
I just watched It Follows and it is easily my favorite movie that I have seen in years. Beyond the masterful development of tension and fear, this film's handling of sex and sexuality could create goddamn essays worth of material to write about. The film frequently only implies that actions or events occurred rather than explicitly telling the audience, leaving the viewer to come up with his or her own interpretation of what occurred. Even when something seems obvious, the movie never tells you that just happened so you merely have to assume. It's honestly shocking how much depth there is to the movie in analyzing everything that happens. If i went into detail I'd probably be writing an essay that would be covered with a giant spoiler box. (sorry if that doesn't make much sense, I'm gushing and am having some trouble putting my thoughts into words).
The movie is also a love letter to the slashers of the 80s. It feels like Halloween was a major influence on the film, and the soundtrack feels very 80s. Also this poster is amazing.
I thought Edgerton and Negga were fantastic in this, especially the latter. Extremely powerful performances that were beautifully shot. Sadly, and this is almost unfair to say, but I found it a bit boring otherwise, at least for its 2h runtime. I was somewhat familiar with the events and I think Nichols made a very authentic film but it was almost too slow and quiet for me. People described this as an apolitical movie and I think I just wanted the opposite of that, something that shows the larger implications of the case. Especially in today's political climate, it probably would have resonated more with me. Instead I got a very restrained and personal love story and I respect that. It's easy to drift into the exploitative when you adapt real events. I liked it.
Groundhog Day 5/5 Rewatched this on the day. Truly a magnificent work, at once a universally lovable Hollywood romantic comedy-fantasy and a philosophical probe of how those classical narratives (of storytelling and life) lie about the difficulty level of genuine personal change. Murray is impeccable, MacDowell is wonderful, the laughs are endless, and its perspective on the quest for self-realization is radical. Longer entry on lb: https://letterboxd.com/ander/film/groundhog-day/1/
FECES: 6/10 God damn Denzel STFU. Still too stagey but whatever. Performances are fine, it almost kind of bothered me that these seem like the roles these actors were born to play. Like if it was 10 years ago and they were like hey we're making Fences you'd be all hey you know who would be perfect as the wife? The Light Between Oceans: 6/10. A fine melodrama. Do you think if I murdered my entire family and moved to Sweden Alicia Vikander would marry me and love me? Asking for a friend. Silence: 7/10. Disappointing. I mean as much as a 7/10 can be disappointing. Heavy religious themes, Scorsese, all my jams. I was pretty into it while I was watching but the next day there was just nothing there. Really didn't feel so much like an exploration of faith as much as just arguing. And Hacksaw guy wasn't helping, felt like he was way over his head. He's like this decade's Paul Dano (fuck you I liked Paul Dano in TWBB). Miss Sloane: 5/10. Diet Sorkin. Like not even diet but watered down diet, kind of embarrassing actually. Pretty terrible performance from Chastain but I'm not sure what else she could have done with it. God she's so hot. I want the plump chocolate love of Janelle Monae but also the thin pale iciness of Chastain, don't make me choose! I want it all. There's a part in this movie where she
hires a male prostitute,
it turned me on way more than I was expecting. Oh yeah movie is about guns or something.
Rewatched UHF, aka the greatest American film of the last 500 years. I remember years ago I took a Dragona ban for a quote from this. Worth it. Also Force Awakens again, man does that shit drag in the middle and all the one liners are terrible. But fuck man that Jakku escape is like a masterclass in edge of your seat filmmaking. Like I was literally edging off my seat. So she's Luke's daughter right? I didn't read that 300 page gaf speculation thread.
FECES: 6/10 God damn Denzel STFU. Still too stagey but whatever. Performances are fine, it almost kind of bothered me that these seem like the roles these actors were born to play. Like if it was 10 years ago and they were like hey we're making Fences you'd be all hey you know who would be perfect as the wife? The Light Between Oceans: 6/10. A fine melodrama. Do you think if I murdered my entire family and moved to Sweden Alicia Vikander would marry me and love me? Asking for a friend. Silence: 7/10. Disappointing. I mean as much as a 7/10 can be disappointing. Heavy religious themes, Scorsese, all my jams. I was pretty into it while I was watching but the next day there was just nothing there. Really didn't feel so much like an exploration of faith as much as just arguing. And Hacksaw guy wasn't helping, felt like he was way over his head. He's like this decade's Paul Dano (fuck you I liked Paul Dano in TWBB). Miss Sloane: 5/10. Diet Sorkin. Like not even diet but watered down diet, kind of embarrassing actually. Pretty terrible performance from Chastain but I'm not sure what else she could have done with it. God she's so hot. I want the plump chocolate love of Janelle Monae but also the thin pale iciness of Chastain, don't make me choose! I want it all. There's a part in this movie where she
hires a male prostitute,
it turned me on way more than I was expecting. Oh yeah movie is about guns or something.
Rewatched UHF, aka the greatest American film of the last 500 years. I remember years ago I took a Dragona ban for a quote from this. Worth it. Also Force Awakens again, man does that shit drag in the middle and all the one liners are terrible. But fuck man that Jakku escape is like a masterclass in edge of your seat filmmaking. Like I was literally edging off my seat. So she's Luke's daughter right? I didn't read that 300 page gaf speculation thread.
Run of the Arrow Caught a couple Sam Fuller films of which this is one. First off, the indian chick the main guy marries has some nice size wigwams...second, this looked pretty damn good in color for a 50's western. There was some color weirdness like they had some bum footage but it wasn't horrible. The story was pretty cool. Confederate guy goes west after the Civil War to become a Sioux. Ends up marrying this hot chick with a deaf kid and having adventure with his new peace pipe buds. Forgot...there's some blood in this. Like way more than I thought something from 1957 would have.
I Shot Jesse James Fullers first film was this B&W about Robert Ford who shot Jesse James in the back and lives to regret it. Pretty decent overall. Definitely going to hit up more Fuller because I've enjoyed all three that I've watched so far.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 I hated the original Blair Witch. Cannot see why so many people like it. By comparison I love this entry. The annoying snot bubbler chick is gone and we now have a story that might be completely unrelated to the witch at all. And you have the guy from Burn Notice. It's not a great film but I think it gets a lot of needless hate.
Bound for Glory (1976): A rambling biopic of singer Woody Guthrie (though it's over an hour before he starts singing) focusing as much on his burgeoning leftist social consciousness and his refusal to compromise. Longer than it needs to be, but it's got some strong points. The weakest film in the stellar 1976 Best Picture lineup, though.
Manchester by the Sea (2016): Finally got to see this; after waiting months for it to arrive here, the first showing last night was sold out, and this time around I ended up getting the final available ticket only because the four people ahead of me in line at that point were a party. Anyway, a terrific film with great acting and writing.
Though on the point of law, I'm kind of dubious that getting drunk and high and then accidentally burning the house down, killing three kids, would not result in any sort of criminal trouble.
Days of Wine and Roses (1962): Despite a few scenes where Jack Lemmon kind of overacts, this is a mostly stellar depiction of a couple both dealing with a downward spiral of alcoholism (given a more nuanced depiction than The Lost Weekend from two decades earlier). Lee Remick is really superb.
Rebel Without A Cause: Decided to finally watch this, since it's featured in La La Land. Tommy Wiseau was also inspired by this movie when writing and acting in The Room. You know the "You are tearing me apart, Lisa!" line? Yeah, it was inspired by one of James Dean's early lines.
A movie that shows a side from the '50s that doesn't have to do with the Cold War or the economic prosperity under Eisenhower. Apparently juvenile delinquency was a huge issue back in that day, despite baby boomers telling us how well behaved they were back in the day. However, the three main characters here are dealing with family problems, not just trying to oppose The Man, and Jim is really roped into all the problems in the movie (save the Marty McFly-esque "nobody calls me chicken" attitude). It teaches what happens when both parents don't help raise their children properly. Overall, it's a fine movie with good character motivations and use of locations.
Rewatching Blue Jasmine I think it really might just be Allen's best of the century. But then I remember Match Point and Midnight in Paris...and they all work in different ways. Not quite sure where I'd rank them yet, though Whatever Works probably wins because of Larry alone. (Half-kidding.)
Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (5/10) - Low on laughs, this Tsui Hark helmed follow up to the Stephen Chow directed original is basically treated as a blank canvas for Tsui to continue honing his modern cartoon, blockbuster aesthetic. It's random spectacle, from start to finish, and even drops the pretense of bothering with a story, because that kind of stuff just gets in the way. It's jarring at first, but also doesn't matter one whiff, that the entire cast has been recast, with not a single actor reprising their role from the original (with one exception, which might, unintentionally or not, be one of the film's only worthwhile jokes). It barely moves the needle, ignoring the journey to find the sutras almost entirely, and basically ends with the dysfunctional group now being slightly less dysfunctional thanks to random, disconnected plot machinations (many of which simply regurgitate elements of the first film regardless). The storytelling here sucks, even by modern Tsui Hark standards.
Which is a shame, because I've long been a fan and champion of Tsui's modern aesthetics, particularly the Saturday morning cartoon vibe of stuff like Young Detective Dee, as well as Tsui's playful use of modern 3D technology (honestly, he's one of the best in the bizz). The Demons Strike Back is no exception, and the second act climax is almost worth the price of admission, full of dazzling special effects and fight choreography and relentless, entertaining 3D gimmicks. Tsui is still a maestro behind the camera, and he translates years of experience to blockbuster filmmaking better than any of his peers. The Demons Strike Back is the most Hollywood thing China has ever produced, as far as actually looking like it could have been produced in Hollywood, with Hollywood resources. The quality of the CGI maybe still isn't quite there, but China is certainly within striking distance at this point. The production is quite impressive overall, from the pop-up storybook look of the forest (achieved with 3D effects) to the hilarious and bizarre costumes and makeup of the opening circus scenes (complete with Tsui's roving, probing camera); the atmosphere is often rich (there's a few random shots, here and there, with either a particular music cue, or exemplary example of cinematography, that almost took my breath away) and the action often clever (Tsui still knows how to craft a movie).
Unfortunately, what works only works in short bursts, and in spite of the overall picture, i.e. because, as I said, there really isn't one. Which is to say, this is at once one of the most impressive productions China has produced, and one of the most lousy, a nonsensical kaleidoscope of empty spectacle that randomly spits out something of value for your dollar, but mostly just spins and spins and hey does anybody remember when Tsui Hark used to make good movies?
Lighthouse (Maria Saakyan, 2006) - Beautiful images and music to accompany a pretty horrific event (war in Armenia).
It's somewhat rough around the edges, but that adds to the humanity of these characters, i feel like.
Some scenes could've use a bit more room to breathe though, the film is only 1 hour and 15 minutes after all, so it's not like they were wasting any time.
It feels like it's missing a bit on that pensive Russian quality, because it goes by so rapidly.
The director's commentary for The Martian is hilarious. They recorded Ridley Scott watching the movie and talking to himself, and then they recorded an interview between Drew Goddard and Andy Weir, and then spliced the two recordings together.
Since you can't see anybody it just sounds like they both hate Ridley Scott. He'll prattle on about the challenges of shooting in the desert, and when he runs out of steam the other two will resume talking among themselves, neither ever acknowledging a single word that Scott has said. It makes it sound like Hollywood went to Andy Weir's head so fast that he is already too good to talk to Ridley Scott.
They also make a few totally pleasant remarks about Ridley Scott and changes he made to the writing that sound awesomely passive aggressive of you are still picturing him sitting in the room with them.
Ghost in the Shell 3/5 Breathtaking artistic vision partially wasted on an ungainly and listless story about the nature of consciousness and independence. Interesting ideas are posed in fits and starts in the dialogue, rather than sharply explored through the narrative, and the world of the film never reaches coherence—the ending feels like the midpoint of a much better movie. 4 of 25 on the movie since birth project.
Could you elaborate on this? Cause the sentience of life is, not only explored through the narrative (Motoko dualism, Togusa's humanity characterization counterpoint, the garbageman fake memories, Motoko's sense of confinement, Puppet Master awakening and his existence limitation), it is the narrative itself (The diplomat incident, the minister interpreter hacking, the garbageman, Kusanagi being hacked, the megatech assembled body, the infiltration on section 9 and its rescue. I don't think I forgot anything about the movie). Everything is explored both through the narrative and as the narrative itself, ending in the culmination of both the protagonist and antagonist longings.
Psycho was awesome. I unfortunately had seen it as a kid and remember almost nothing except for the twist (and the shower scene of course, but I would've known about that either way.) It was a bit of a bummer just because watching without knowing would have had me on the edge of my seat.
Still a great movie though. Bates was a great performance. And it didn't feel like an old movie, the way some tend to do. I actually had no idea it was made in just 1960, I thought it was older. I guess the black and white was just a stylistic choice. Well, it worked. Oh and one of the best scores ever in a movie.
Sorcerer was a very pleasant surprise. Going in, I only knew the basic premise of "truck carrying unstable dynamite through dangerous terrain." What I didn't expect was the globe-spanning crime thriller prologue, that set the tone and introduced the characters in such a lean fashion that the first hour flew by.
And then the second hour was just an taut roller coaster of suspense, that builds and builds in intensity and tension. The famous bridge scene is a white-knuckle classic
Sorcerer was a very pleasant surprise. Going in, I only knew the basic premise of "truck carrying unstable dynamite through dangerous terrain." What I didn't expect was the globe-spanning crime thriller prologue, that set the tone and introduced the characters in such a lean fashion that the first hour flew by.
And then the second hour was just an taut roller coaster of suspense, that builds and builds in intensity and tension. The famous bridge scene is a white-knuckle classic
Hey Film-GAF (Movie-GAF?). Never posted in one of these threads before but I figure I'd like to start! Been making a goal to watch more movies lately.
1. What's your favorite Movie?
This is a pretty difficult question. A couple years ago I would have said Lost in Translation but now I'm not so sure. I really like The Thing, The Evil Dead Trilogy, Spider-Man 2, and Mulholland Drive. The last few I watched/re-watched after a long time in the past year. Honestly I can't really answer this with a single movie.
2. Who's your favorite director?
I can't say definitely, but I'm a big fan of Sam Raimi and John Carpenter. Verhoeven probably as well.
3. Who are your favorite actors/actresses?
Don't really have any. I'd be lying if I didn't have a soft spot for Keanu Reeves. Kurt Russell maybe?
4. Favorite Genre(s)?
No genre fascinates me more than horror movies. I feel like good horror movies demand a level of creativity few other genres require.
5. What's your favorite performance in film?
Can't really think of one right now.
I just watched It Follows and it is easily my favorite movie that I have seen in years. Beyond the masterful development of tension and fear, this film's handling of sex and sexuality could create goddamn essays worth of material to write about. The film frequently only implies that actions or events occurred rather than explicitly telling the audience, leaving the viewer to come up with his or her own interpretation of what occurred. Even when something seems obvious, the movie never tells you that just happened so you merely have to assume. It's honestly shocking how much depth there is to the movie in analyzing everything that happens. If i went into detail I'd probably be writing an essay that would be covered with a giant spoiler box. (sorry if that doesn't make much sense, I'm gushing and am having some trouble putting my thoughts into words).
The movie is also a love letter to the slashers of the 80s. It feels like Halloween was a major influence on the film, and the soundtrack feels very 80s. Also this poster is amazing.
Hello! Always fun to have more impressions and movie watchers! I need to watch more horror, it's my blind spot for movies. I'm going to fix that this year!
Psycho was awesome. I unfortunately had seen it as a kid and remember almost nothing except for the twist (and the shower scene of course, but I would've known about that either way.) It was a bit of a bummer just because watching without knowing would have had me on the edge of my seat.
Still a great movie though. Bates was a great performance. And it didn't feel like an old movie, the way some tend to do. I actually had no idea it was made in just 1960, I thought it was older. I guess the black and white was just a stylistic choice. Well, it worked. Oh and one of the best scores ever in a movie.
I remember watching Psycho and North by Northwest back to back when I was a kid. They used to play classic movies on TVO here in Canada, Saturday Night at the Movies, and it was hosted by Elwy Yost, Graham Yost's dad (the writer of Speed, and the creator of Justified). Those two back to back was an incredible night.
One Wonderful Sunday 1947
★★★
I was actually taken back by how dark it got toward the end. At least they still had love to pull them through. Interesting watch due to it being a post WWII movie but ultimately I didn't care much for it.
I remember watching Psycho and North by Northwest back to back when I was a kid. They used to play classic movies on TVO here in Canada, Saturday Night at the Movies, and it was hosted by Elwy Yost, Graham Yost's dad (the writer of Speed, and the creator of Justified). Those two back to back was an incredible night.
This was a giant outdoor movie festival in my neighborhood as a kid so I was fortunate enough that my parents took me to see stuff like North by North West and Vertigo on the big screen (it's also how I saw the Indiana Jones movies for the first time).
This was a giant outdoor movie festival in my neighborhood as a kid so I was fortunate enough that my parents took me to see stuff like North by North West and Vertigo on the big screen (it's also how I saw the Indiana Jones movies for the first time).
Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman
A fun look at Paul Newman's other major career as a professional racer, who was apparently way better at driving than I ever realized. The flow is a bit messy, but there's some cool candid footage in here, and overall it's just a nice, lovely tribute who was, by all accounts, a lovely man.
7/10
I Am Not Your Negro
Powerful, sobering, and all-too-resonant overview of race relations in America through the prism of James Baldwin's thoughts and words. There is a lot of stirring archival footage in here, but you could swap it with footage from the last 10-15 years and the effect would be the same (and there is a healthy amount of contemporary protests, arrests, etc. included here already). It's admittedly a lot to process and I think I'd need a second viewing to appreciate the film; Baldwin's language is so poetic that parsing his words, while absorbing what you're seeing on screen, is a lot to take in all at once. One of the best docs of the year.
8/10
One Wonderful Sunday 1947
★★★
I was actually taken back by how dark it got toward the end. At least they still had love to pull them through. Interesting watch due to it being a post WWII movie but ultimately I didn't care much for it.
I really dug the idea of doing a cheap date and not in the being a cheap ass but in the sense that you try and spend a day for low dough and maybe try new things. That was my biggest take away. A sort of adventure that you can repeat easily cuz it didn't break the bank.
Train to Busan - A really good and stylish zombie flick. I thought it was a tad too long, and it really packed on the drama in the last few minutes. And
Sang Hwa didn't deserve to die. He made the movie for me.
