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Movies you have seen recently?
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I saw Mr. Hulot's Holiday when I was 14 or 15 and didn't get it at all. This was during my nascent Charlie Chaplin obsession and I found Hulot madly unfunny in comparison. After seeing Play Time I know I'll have to revisit Holiday as I think I was just too young and dumb to catch the marvelous subtlety of Tati's humour at the time. Play Time is just such a feast. Tati isn't as uproariously funny as the Hollywood slapstick masters, but he employs a very unique and very cinematic type of comedy. There are some movies that just beg to be seen on a large screen - well, some more than others - and this one really takes the cake. There is just so much going on during every second and the mise-en-scene is second to none. I caught so many gags that left me wondering just how many I'd missed. I loved it when a poster is shown that says "Travel to London!", and on it there's the Big Ben shoved to the side by a huge gray flat. The camera turns a corner and the same flat is standing right there, only in Paris. In so many ways Tati lays bare the absurdity of modernity. The sets are lavish and wonderful in their homogenised ugliness. There's no real story to speak of; it's all about observing all that goes on on the screen. It's very clear that Robert Altman considered Tati an inspiration.
Following 24 Hour Party People this is the second film of Winterbottom's I've seen. It's clear that he goes to great lengths to be as post-modern as possible, and he's adamant about letting the audience know it. Like Party People there's tons of self-reflexivity and stepping outside of the movie, and like Party People it is tons and tons of fun. It's one of the funniest and most unpredictable films I've seen for ages and I kinda wish there was more of it. I liked the repeated use of the 8 1/2 theme which was a nice reference and way of outlining the two films' shared preoccupation with the difficulty of juggling art and real life. Also I am madly in love with Kelly Macdonald.
afternoon delight said:
Samurai Rebellion (1967) - Stark black and white tale with a series of relationships that evolve and twist inside an inhumane system. Stunning and a must watch if you like stories in the vein of the old tragedies.
Crazy, I literally started watching that today. I'm at the part where
the Sasahara family turns down the lord's request to retake the wife
afternoon delight
Member
Wow, movies have been on all day at the house in between a few walks outside. Sundays well spent.
It's intense every time you watch it.
Just finished:
Will start during studying:
It's intense every time you watch it.
Just finished:
Will start during studying:
DesertEater
Member
^ hey, whats the second film?
the picture doesnt show.
the picture doesnt show.
CajoleJuice
Member
Judging by the image properties...Children of Men.DesertEater said:
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I just watched Last Tango in Paris for the first time. It was a really interesting film (and Brando was incredible), but I don't think that it's something I will want to watch again. I also think that it drags a little. Overall, I gave it an 8/10.
Iron_Scimitar
Banned
Fritz said:
Just saw a German movie called Soul Kitchen. Set in Hamburg, it centers around Zinos who is trying to run a shabby restaurant. When he hands the kitchen over to an ingenious chef the business starts blooming and the restaurants becomes an in spot for the typical hamburg crowd of establishment, artists and underworld alike. But Zinos himself spirals into crisis, with his girlfriend leaving for Shanghai, his brother in prison, dubious investors and a slipped disc to top things off.
A great, warm urban comedy with a sweat soundtrack. I dont know whether an English version does exist. If so, its certainly worth checking it out. Here, have a trailer
Thanks for the recommendation.
Saw Avatar
Exceeded my (low) expectations. Very good movie, incredible visuals with a mediocre story, but that I enjoyed loads. Good pacing, didn't get bored once during the 3 hours. I can't say anything else; it's a good movie and I enjoyed it
Sherlock Holmes
Average. I got bored with it half way until the finale interested me again a bit. It was too generic of a steampunk movie while it got made out to be the second coming of Sherlock Holmes. And although it was a fresh take on Sherlock Holmes, with a good Watson and Sherlock IMO, I won't be that interested in the sequel(s).
Paranormal Activity
Good, and unsettling. I got to see both endings.
It didn't affect me in the way I couldn't sleep (What the hell GAF) but it was a creepy and unsettling movie. Beginning half was far too boring with the daytime parts though. I kept wanting to see more nighttime. But I suppose it's needed to have them in there.
Exceeded my (low) expectations. Very good movie, incredible visuals with a mediocre story, but that I enjoyed loads. Good pacing, didn't get bored once during the 3 hours. I can't say anything else; it's a good movie and I enjoyed it
Sherlock Holmes
Average. I got bored with it half way until the finale interested me again a bit. It was too generic of a steampunk movie while it got made out to be the second coming of Sherlock Holmes. And although it was a fresh take on Sherlock Holmes, with a good Watson and Sherlock IMO, I won't be that interested in the sequel(s).
Paranormal Activity
Good, and unsettling. I got to see both endings.
I didn't like the cops shooting her, and I didn't like her lunging at the camera and smiling. I liked the screamer through, and I liked the rocking back and forth. The supposedly third ending with her slitting her throat seems a good alternative as well.
GullyJuice
Banned
Chungking Express. Talk about a movie with no plot. I think Kar Wai Kong's only good movie was "In the Mood for Love".
Plot synopsis:GullyJuice said:
Chungking Express. Talk about a movie with no plot. I think Kar Wai Kong's only good movie was "In the Mood for Love".
All the leaves are brown
(All the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray.
(And the sky is gray).
I've been for a walk
(I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day.
(On a winter's day).
I'd be safe and warm
(I'd be safe and warm)
if I was in L.A.
(If I was in L.A.)
California dreamin'
(California dreamin') on such a winter's day.
x100
But for reals, I personally loved this movie. The "slice of life" style really worked for me. Have you seen 2046 ? If not check it out, loose sequel for In the mood for love.
DoubleAced
Neo Member
>Planet Terror
>Holy shit this movie was lame.
Stopped right there. Your tastes are fucking terrible, dickwad.
>Holy shit this movie was lame.
Stopped right there. Your tastes are fucking terrible, dickwad.
Fuzz Rez said:
You are thinking about Fallen Angels which was supposed to be the third story arc in Chungking...2046 is more of a sequel to In The Mood For Love. Your "slice of life" description is apt though...the music, style, depiction of neon Hong Kong was exactly why I loved the movie. I actually went through those markets in Hong Kong last summer to soak in the experience.
brianjones
Member
GullyJuice said:
hes pretty gimmicky. I find him to be all style no substance.
Houston3000
Member
I watched this a few days ago on Netflix instant streaming; really, really enjoyed the film. It was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film and they're making it a 3-part series. Unless something's changed I think the sequel, "The Great Khan" comes out this year.
It's extraordinarily well shot and has a really interesting, at least semi-historically accurate, story with great characters. The battles kind of gave off a 300 vibe but were less over-the-top and a bit more realistic. While the movie is from Russia it was shot in China/Mongolia and is completely in Mongolian with Asian actors so it actually represents the real language which just makes it all the more realistic (not a bunch of dubbed Russian speakers).
Everyone should check this out if they haven't seen it and be in anticipation of the sequel
junesongprovider
Neo Member
fantastic movie, definitely one of the best of 2009
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I just watched Anatomy of a Murder (1959).
I loved the hell out of it. It's a bit slow, but James Stewart could read the phone book to me. George C. Scott is also very good. What I really liked is that ultimately (in my opinion), the viewer is left to decide whether or not he thinks the man is guilty.
9/10.
I loved the hell out of it. It's a bit slow, but James Stewart could read the phone book to me. George C. Scott is also very good. What I really liked is that ultimately (in my opinion), the viewer is left to decide whether or not he thinks the man is guilty.
9/10.
Maklershed
Member
Just watched Moon. Great movie. I really enjoyed it.
The Beat My Heart Skipped. Very good indeed. Romain Duris has an exceptional line in moody edginess. I did not know until a few moments ago that the director, Jacques Audiard, is responsible for the much-hyped 'A Prophet' - a film I'd already planned to go and see and am now very keen indeed to see.
Over the weekend I went with my girlfriend to the movies and watched "The Lovely Bones" (which was pretty decent) and "The Book of Eli" (Awesome!)
Yesterday I finally got around to watching
which I wanted to see since it was released.
It was good, kind of dragged out in parts, and the ending was anti-climatic to say the least.
But Kevin Bacon does play a good bad-ass.
Yesterday I finally got around to watching
It was good, kind of dragged out in parts, and the ending was anti-climatic to say the least.
But Kevin Bacon does play a good bad-ass.
Cosmic Bus
pristine morning snow
Salazar said:
The movie Beat was based on, Fingers, has a distinctly different feel, but is absolutely worth watching as well. One of Harvey Keitel's better performances.
And since you liked Beat That My Heart Skipped so much, make a point of seeing Audiard's previous film, Read My Lips. A great modern noir, delightfully twisty and with a slick plot "hook," and you'll find yourself wanting to see more of Emmanuelle Devos' roles (she was in Beat, too) -- and rightfully so. She's been consistently wonderful from what I've seen. A Self-Made Hero, one of Audiard's mid-90s films, is harder to track down since it's not been released in the US, but I really, really like it. More playful than his newer work, and you can reminisce about Mathieu Kassovitz before his career went to shit.
Stellar movie and it's just about worth a 10/10 in my book if only for the scene where Jimmy Stewart plays the piano together with Duke Ellington. I had to pause the movie at that shot to take in the sheer coolness of it.Snowman Prophet of Doom said:
I have never been to the upper peninsula of Michigan (or to America for that matter) but I don't think it's often associated with jazz. So I don't know where they got the idea for the soundtrack, but it works so, so well. That movie has such an incredible sense of place.
Another thing that's great about it and that's garnered it lots of praise is how realistic its courtroom sequences are compared to 99% of other Hollywood courtroom films. While it does do the thing where there's a sudden twist near the end
(the woman finding the panties in the laundry chute)
I really need to see it again.
But isn't it true that with Wong Kar-wai, the style is part of the substance? In the Mood for Love, for example, would lose most of its magic if it were obfuscated by too much plot or dialogue. It's so sensuous mostly because of what it doesn't show. There's no real need for exposition, or the character's spouses being more prevalent plot points, or having them touch each other other more often, kissing or having sex, etc. It's probably the most tacit romance ever filmed, and that's what makes it so exceptionally romantic.brianjones said:
The only other films of his that I've seen are Chunking Express and Days of Being Wild and what I've said about Mood for Love applies to them as well. The feelings of his characters aren't entirely unknown to the viewer, but the greatness of his movies comes in part from not stuffing them with too much plot and allowing the viewer to fill in a few blanks. It's a distinctive style, and it might not be your cup of tea, but if that's a gimmick then every filmmaker with a distinctive style might as well be deemed gimmicky.
So my attempt at finishing up the "they shoot pictures, don't they? top 1000 films" has started.
watched so far:
Tabu (1931) **
drab silent about forbidden love.
The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936) ****
brilliant movie by renoir, the obvious social commentary doesn't distract from the wonderful romance story and clever plot.
Accattone (1961) *
i don't think i'll ever like anything by pasolini, drab, ugly and boring.
Listen to Britain (1942) ***
i think i had actually seen this before. beautiful words, fine imagery.
Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978) ***
it took me awhile to get the pace of the film down, but it's really rewarding once you get in the groove. great characterizations and captivating plot. i really dislike the realist movement, but this might be the best film i've seen in that genre.
watched so far:
Tabu (1931) **
drab silent about forbidden love.
The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936) ****
brilliant movie by renoir, the obvious social commentary doesn't distract from the wonderful romance story and clever plot.
Accattone (1961) *
i don't think i'll ever like anything by pasolini, drab, ugly and boring.
Listen to Britain (1942) ***
i think i had actually seen this before. beautiful words, fine imagery.
Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978) ***
it took me awhile to get the pace of the film down, but it's really rewarding once you get in the groove. great characterizations and captivating plot. i really dislike the realist movement, but this might be the best film i've seen in that genre.
friskykillface
Banned
I was just watching Eddie earlier, lol Vlade Divac has only one line in the movie 
:lol
i also saw Lars and the Real Girl the other day, quite a random movie but nothing comes close to i think it's called "the station agent" or "the station man" i forget but that movie was awful
:lol i also saw Lars and the Real Girl the other day, quite a random movie but nothing comes close to i think it's called "the station agent" or "the station man" i forget but that movie was awful
DoubleAced
Neo Member
Just watched The Bicycle Thief and was blown away... Amazing movie.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
Timber said:
Yeah, I'm actually thinking about bumping it up to a 10. The jazz score for it is worth the price of admission alone, and as you said, seeing James Stewart (one of my top five actors of all time) playing the piano with Duke Ellington is one of those magic movie moments. I think I'll settle at a 9.5 because, as I say, the movie drags a bit, and I'm less than convinced by the subplot about the assistant's alcoholism, though that might grow on me with time. I love the subtle defeat that comes into George C. Scott's face when the girl says that the victim was her father; he knows that he's fucked at that point, and the slow, creeping crawl of that knowledge moves across his face and body so perfectly.
I just got Grizzly Man, Last Days, and A History of Violence from the library; I will be watching them over the next few days.
Edit: Also, Swoon, you crazy. I usually feel like I'm a pretty big movie guy, but I feel so emasculated next to your awesome powers.
AlternativeUlster
Absolutely pathetic part deux
GullyJuice said:
Chungking Express. Talk about a movie with no plot. I think Kar Wai Kong's only good movie was "In the Mood for Love".
Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Chungking Express is pure happiness put on cinema.
Also swoon, assuming you have seen Salo, I would recommend Arabian Nights, Mamma Rosa, and Teorema.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
Chungking Express is great, but I can't give it more than an 8/10 because it did not resonate with me as much as I wish it had. I will give it a rewatch someday, though, as I think I could be blown away by it if I watched it again.
Foreign Jackass
Member
It probably flew right over your head, right?y2dvd said:
The only movie so far in which I already own the dvd but still got a bluray copy. Still a great movie. *Wishes I can look as cool as Tyler Durden
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
Well, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, Tyler Durden is an awesome LOOKING character. Removed from the context of the movie, I wish that I could look like him, as well, minus the borderline-unhealthy diet and exercise routine that Brad Pitt probably had to adopt for the film.
I've seen a couple recently.
Race to Witch Mountain Ewww. Horrible visual storytelling too. There were parts where I couldn't see anything.
Doubt Quite good. Moves fast and everybody is good in it. They are sometimes a bit too vague. Parents/teacher/people really shouldn't be so vague about stuff like this.
Humpday It didn't really grab me. It was just so boring. I thought it was a comedy, but I was wrong. The wife bugs me.
Synecdoche, New York I also thought this was going to be a comedy. Don't ask me why. It was sometimes a bit slow, but looking back, I have to say I really liked it. I was engrossed during the whole thing.
The Proposition Wow this movie was just beautiful to look at. Winstone and Pearce were fine and dandy, but I was still a little disappointed. I feel like nothing happens for long stretches of time. It's like a movie about waiting. I didn't see any connection between the brothers. The ending confused me a bit as well.
Yeah, that's it.
Race to Witch Mountain Ewww. Horrible visual storytelling too. There were parts where I couldn't see anything.
Doubt Quite good. Moves fast and everybody is good in it. They are sometimes a bit too vague. Parents/teacher/people really shouldn't be so vague about stuff like this.
Humpday It didn't really grab me. It was just so boring. I thought it was a comedy, but I was wrong. The wife bugs me.
Synecdoche, New York I also thought this was going to be a comedy. Don't ask me why. It was sometimes a bit slow, but looking back, I have to say I really liked it. I was engrossed during the whole thing.
The Proposition Wow this movie was just beautiful to look at. Winstone and Pearce were fine and dandy, but I was still a little disappointed. I feel like nothing happens for long stretches of time. It's like a movie about waiting. I didn't see any connection between the brothers. The ending confused me a bit as well.
Yeah, that's it.
I rented PlayTime on Blu-ray and watched it twice over the span of two days. I never do that, but there was something about the movie that was incredibly intoxicating and invigorating. So then I watched Holiday, and thought it was merely okay. The jokes just seemed too broad and the leisurely pacing was a bit too leisurely. Fast forward to a couple months ago and my friend goes to see Holiday at a revival house. I decide to give it another shot. And I don't know if it was just being able to actually see the sight gags on the big screen (as you know, there are many of them) or being surrounded by a bunch of like-minded film geeks, but this time the movie totally worked for me. So I guess the moral is: see it on the big screen if possible.Timber said:
Check out more Winterbottom movies. He's one of the most versatile filmmakers working today. I highly recommend Welcome to Sarajevo or Wonderland (not to be confused with the Val Kilmer movie). Even in his comedies, which despite their love of chaos never devolve into shrill hysteria, he never loses sight of the human beings who populate them. A great underrated talent.
Recently saw Lars and the Real Girl. I liked the blonde girl in the movie, that's just my type 
But anyways, thought it was an OK movie, very quirky of course. Makes you wonder why Lars went through all that trouble to get a realdoll or what have you.
But anyways, thought it was an OK movie, very quirky of course. Makes you wonder why Lars went through all that trouble to get a realdoll or what have you.Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I just watched A History of Violence. It was pretty damn sweet; Viggo is always a treat of an actor, and William Hurt was fantastic. In general, I like the way that you slowly become desensitized to the violence; when the first really brutal attack happens you are shocked, but as the movie goes forward, you start to get more used to all of these really violent and gory things happy, taking the viewer on an arc that is similar to the one that Tom Stall takes.
8.5/10 (though the lack of half-stars on IMDb forced me to rate it a 9).
8.5/10 (though the lack of half-stars on IMDb forced me to rate it a 9).
AlternativeUlster
Absolutely pathetic part deux
So I have been mapping out a possible schedule for this month since I need to not blow cash before SXSW and I think I might be able to watch a 100 full length movies for the rest of this month. Does anyone want to try and watch as many movies as possible for no good reason?
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
AlternativeUlster said:
You crazy. I have been watching a lot of movies recently, but I can only watch several movies in a day on a weekend (unless I'm watching two 90 minute movies).
Dr. Strangelove
I'M COOCOO FOR COCO CRISP!
I wish I could join you, but my schedule sucks so much ass these days I'm lucky to see 2-3 films a week.AlternativeUlster said:
My most recent viewing:
Still Walking
Hirokazu Kore-eda often gets referred to as the modern day Yasujiro Ozu, but I feel that Kore-eda's work lacks the subtlety that made Ozu's films so sublime. Despite some clunky moments, Still Walking is a pretty, enjoyable familial drama. - 7.5/10
jecclr2003
Banned
Got around to watching these all lately:
Up in the Air:
Great movie and Clooney just kills it. Plays a totally antisocial asshole that has reasons for being alone... and gets his point backed up.
The Blind Side:
Damn good story. Stops just short of being a tear jerker.
Brothers:
Not bad... but definitly not a "warm and fuzzy" movie. Very depressing end to this.
Up in the Air:
Great movie and Clooney just kills it. Plays a totally antisocial asshole that has reasons for being alone... and gets his point backed up.
The Blind Side:
Damn good story. Stops just short of being a tear jerker.
Brothers:
Not bad... but definitly not a "warm and fuzzy" movie. Very depressing end to this.
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