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[Discotheque]

I never knew she was so ridiculously awkward until I saw her acceptance speech at the MTV Movie Awards. But then again, maybe she's just high all the time.

This is probably me just over-reaching a bit. But I think she just watches interviews from people like Johnny Depp and Heath Ledger and takes notes.

 

[samus i am]

I just saw Grown Ups.....


wait for video

 

[LFG]

i watched the descent 2 the other night. pure garbage.

 

[Relix]

Red Cliff: 9/10
Good luck Chuck: 4/10
MY best friend's girl: 5/10
Toy Story 3: 9/10
Fast and Furious: 7/10
Ice Age 3: 6/10
The Reaping: 6/10
Year One: 4/10
Land of the Lost: 2/10
The Princess and the Frog: 7/10
The Lovely Bones: 8/10
Get him to the Greek: 7/10
Ninja Assassin: 1/10

 

[afternoon delight]

Apocalypse Now (1979) - I watched the Redux version since I was unsure which version to watch. It felt really long. Would it have been better to watch the normal version first? Still, I thought it was good.

Best movie ever made... in the Theatrical version. Cuts out that French Plantation scene entirely, along with the Playboy Bunnies in the Rain scene. Two scenes that were cut for a very good reason.

 

[Speevy]

The Lovely Bones: 8/10

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Sunshine Cleaning (Christine Jeffs, 2008)

My mom has been wanting to watch this one for a while now, so I finally gave in and watched it with her. It's kind of a mess, but it has its moments, mostly due to the phenomenal talent of Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Alan Arkin. There are a couple of laughs to be had, but the movie does a much better job when it is not bluntly stating what it is trying to do. There is this annoying tendency in modern cinema for movies to spout philosophy diegetically, as though they are interpreting themselves while they are happening, rather than letting the plots and characters do the work for them; my general sense is that indy cinema really wants to be like Paul Thomas Anderson (who peppers philosophy into his movies quite heavily) without the intelligence and taste. I got that sense from this movie, as in the scene where the son waxes philosophically on a CB radio (a plot device that comes from nowhere, by the way). There is a good movie in here, but I feel like this movie just never quite gets off the ground. It is too scattered, both in plot and tone, and there is no real 'arc' to the proceedings. I can't recommend it, aside from the acting, which is expectedly quite good (in the sense that the good actors do well in spite of the weak material).

 

[Net_Wrecker]

So many quality movies, so little time.

Fargo
L.A. Confidential
Ip Man
Undisputed III
The Maltese Falcon
The Proposition
Amelie
Sunset Boulevard
The Book Of Eli

Pretty sure I'm missing a couple, but long story short, I loved all of these. Good movies make me happy.

 

[Salazar]

Have you seen Delicatessen ?

It is macabre rather than sweet, but the touches, anticipatory traces of the style, of Amelie are there.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Have you seen Delicatessen ?

It is macabre rather than sweet, but the touches, anticipatory traces of the style, of Amelie are there.

I'll be sure to try to squeeze that into the avalanche of stuff I have lined up.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Black Dynamite, pretty awesome

I think that quality TV shows have given me A.D.D though cause i get real fidgety sitting through anything over 80 minutes.

Good to see Charlotte Stokely in the bed fuckin at the start as well <3

 

[Erebus]

Just saw "She's out of my league". It was pretty decent, with great cast all around and some hilarious lines.

 

[Blader]

My opinion of this is the same of Akira: nice to look at, and I can recognize how influential and ahead of its time it was, but the story was pretty unsatisfying and needlessly convoluted at times.

I liked the tv series more; I think it was more exciting than this.

 

[harSon]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337573/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4-E4JpXpps

Antibodies (Antikörper)

Directed by German filmmaker Christian Alvart, who's most recent film is Pandorum, and boy was it close to becoming one of the best films I'd seen in recent years, oh so darn close. Have you ever seen a film that's 95% perfect, but the remaining 5% that isn't, is so mind numbingly stupid that it detracts from you overall enjoyment by a FUCKTON? Well, that was certainly the case for this film. Those that have seen it know exactly what I'm talking about.

The film is about a long wanted serial killer, who is finally caught after raping and murdering around a dozen boys, and a small town cop who approaches him prison thinking he was responsible for the death of a young girl within his town. It borrows heavily from Silence of the Lambs, the "relationship" between the small town cop and the serial killer is extremely similar to that of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice, so much so that the serial killer references the film by saying "What were you expecting, Hannibal Lecter?" to the cop when he first meets him :lol Despite the obvious inspiration, the film succeeds in carving out its own space in the film world.

The film obviously had high production values, with excellent cinematography and solid acting, especially from the actor behind the serial killer, who was absolutely brilliant in bringing to life a sadistic, albeit highly entertaining, sick fuck. There's also Norman Reedus, who's most known for his role as one of the two brothers in The Boondock Saints. The script is well constructed, allowing for some tense build up through out the film. My only complaint is the underlying religious tone through out the film, but I suppose it's necessary considering a substantial theme through out the film is the contrast and overlap between "good and evil". The film takes place within a devoutly Catholic town, and as a result, the small town cop is extremely religious himself which plays a huge role through out the film.

Having said that, that remaining 5% that I found to be simply awful completely ruins what would have been one of the best Serial Killer or Murder-Mystery films in recent memory.

Don't read the rest if you plan on watching the film, it probably won't make much sense if you haven't seen the film:

Spoiler

The film was brilliant up until the last five minutes of the film. Had the film ended with the cop killing his son due to thinking that he was the murderer, the film would have almost been flawless. But no, right when he's about to do the deed, CG deer come prancing out of the forest and he takes it as a message from God, which forces him to abandon his transgressions. Really? You abandon the best and most logical conclusion for some religious Deus Ex Machina bullshit? Fuck you Christian Alvart, how could you fuck up this badly?

Anyways, I'd give it an 8 out of 10, simply for the reason detailed within the spoiler. Had that not existed, or it happened differently, I would have easily given the film a 9.5.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Red (Krysztof Kieslowski, 1994)

Wonderful, simply wonderful. This is the sort of movie that almost feels like the culmination of what film is 'meant' for, if that makes any sense; it combines excellent cinematography, great acting, great writing, great directing, and an amazing overall vision into something that is amazing as a standalone piece of filmmaking and quite possibly transcendent when placed into the context of the whole trilogy. It's almost hard to talk about this film because it's hard to separate all of the elements from one another without destroying the film's overall balance.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

Red (Krysztof Kieslowski, 1994)

Wonderful, simply wonderful. This is the sort of movie that almost feels like the culmination of what film is 'meant' for, if that makes any sense; it combines excellent cinematography, great acting, great writing, great directing, and an amazing overall vision into something that is amazing as a standalone piece of filmmaking and quite possibly transcendent when placed into the context of the whole trilogy. It's almost hard to talk about this film because it's hard to separate all of the elements from one another without destroying the film's overall balance.

Have you seen Double Life of Veronique yet Snowman?

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Have you seen Double Life of Veronique yet Snowman?

Nope. It's on the list, though.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

Nope. It's on the list, though.

I have Blue and Double Life tied as my favorite Kieslowski films and one of the few films I would give a perfect 5 star rating to. Double Life's cinematography is astonishing and easily one of the most beautiful looking films I have seen.

 

[cashman]

Just saw hardboiled. pretty badass, I love gun porn.

 

[daxter01]

Red (Krysztof Kieslowski, 1994)

Wonderful, simply wonderful. This is the sort of movie that almost feels like the culmination of what film is 'meant' for, if that makes any sense; it combines excellent cinematography, great acting, great writing, great directing, and an amazing overall vision into something that is amazing as a standalone piece of filmmaking and quite possibly transcendent when placed into the context of the whole trilogy. It's almost hard to talk about this film because it's hard to separate all of the elements from one another without destroying the film's overall balance.

for some reason red never clicked with me like blue or white I dont know why

 

[ilikeme]

All Around Us (Gururi no Koto)

directed by Hashiguchi Ryusuke

Best film in the world

(slight hyperbole, but I love the movie so so much. very very good!)

 

[harSon]

Black Book (Zwartboek)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389557/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7m84An96UQ&feature=fvw

First of all, Carice van Houten is beautiful and her numerous nude scenes do not disappoint. I've seen her in plenty of other films, especially as of late, and while I simply found her to be pretty but nothing special in the past, there's something about her in this film that was simply attractive as hell.

I'm a huge fan of Paul Verhoeven and have been meaning to watch this film since receiving the DVD last Christmas. Despite the fact that he spent the last two decades of his film career within the system, I was surprised to see that the film was so "Hollywood". While the film had the big budget Hollywood look and a rather predictable/by the books Hollywood plot, which I'm usually turned off by, I couldn't help but totally engross myself within the film and enjoy it immensely. To be perfectly honest, I'm not quite sure why I enjoyed it so much, as previously stated, it was generic in its approach and while the story was certainly unique to the subject, it was implausible and predictable. I'm honestly not sure how I'd go about recommending this film to someone, I suppose it was simply well done despite embodying much of what I find to wrong with Hollywood films.

I've yet to see to the film, and I own it as well, but judging from the plot description, it seems parallels between this film and Lust, Caution can be made. As a matter of fact, that will probably be the next film I watch.

As a preliminary, heat of the moment rating, I would give Black Book a 9.5 out of 10.

 

[Timber]

Red (Krysztof Kieslowski, 1994)
quite possibly transcendent when placed into the context of the whole trilogy.

hell yeah. i think everyone who's seen the trilogy has their preferences when it comes to the individual films, but they cohere so brilliantly and it becomes impossible not to think of it as one amazing experience. the ending of Red with the

Spoiler

sinking ship

left me so astonished.

i seem to be in the minority, but i actually had a hard time connecting to Blue as much as i did to the others. there's a remoteness and coldness to it that, while effective because it reflects the main character's emotional state, distanced me from the movie a bit.

i'll also fight to the death anyone who says that White is not as artistically accomplished as the other two parts. yes, that means you

edit: i have a dvd of The Double Life of Veronique lying on my shelf, but i haven't gotten around to watching it yet. im expecting it to be really good, what with all the praise i've seen round these parts.

 

[Steppenwolf]

Blue is my favourite from Kieslowski's trilogy. It's just so beautiful. Red is probably my least favourite in the trilogy but that doesn't mean i didn't like it. Just in comparison to the other two. White has the best story.

Have you ever seen a film that's 95% perfect, but the remaining 5% that isn't, is so mind numbingly stupid that it detracts from you overall enjoyment by a FUCKTON?

Yes. Rosemary's Baby. I was so euphoric about how good it was when i watched it and then the last 5 minutes were a huge disappointment that ruined my overall view of the movie from a 10/10 to a 8/10.

 

[British Monsoon]

Mad Detective by Johnnie To & Wai Ka-Fei (2007);

Johnnie To & Wai Ka-Fai's Mad Detective is a film that turns the Hong Kong crime genre upon it's head. Based around the simple concept of a man that can see everyone's hidden personas, Mad Detective is anything but formulaic and right from the very start disuades any notion that this is just another flashy HK crime flick. Lau Ching-Wan stars as the eponymous Mad Detective, Inspector Chan Kwai-Bun, a brilliant detective forced into retirement when his methods and actions become a little too bizarre. Alongside him Andy On plays young Inspector Ho who tries to enlist the aid of retired Inspector Bun to solve a complex murder case involving a missing police officer and a suspect with multiple personalities.

What follows is a highly ingenious, highly inventive and above all, highly entertaining piece of cinema. Paced perfectly, this viewer sat on the edge of his seat, intrigued and enthralled in equal measure and delighting and the simple, unrestrained freshness of this film and it's premise. Lau Ching-Wan plays his part exceptionally well as the oddball Inspector Bun, throwing all semblence of logic out of the window as he investigates the case, but it's a straight faced performance; there's no comedy here as the plot and it's characters take themselves very seriousley. However, despite this it's hard not to find humour in some of the scenes involving multiple personalities, and whether this was the directors intent or not, it does provide a handful of light hearted moments that help to break up this complex and down-right weird film into more palatable pieces.

Overall, if you're looking for a crime film that's as inventive and intriguing as it is enjoyable, you can't go wrong with Mad Detective. See it now before Hollywood does a shitty remake with Leonardo Di Caprio.

 

[Trent Strong]

Bad Lieutenant: POCNO......I don't know what to think.

 

[Tashi]

Just saw Funny People for the first time. I really loved it. I don't know why I waited so long to see it. It might be my favorite Apatow movie. <3

 

[Timber]

The Man from Laramie (1955)
A great Anthony Mann western that's as traditional as it is unorthodox-- a classic story that owes as much to Hollywood melodrama as it does to Shakespeare. James Stewart plays the interloper seeking to avenge the death of his brother. He finds himself in a village where, surprise!, power struggles between two rivals are the order of the day. But the movie is aware of the tropes of the genre and actually examines and criticises them. Mann's westerns are hailed for their psychological complexities, and The Man from Laramie is no different. The relationships between the characters play out with a timeless sense of tragedy. The acting is a bit spotty, but when push comes to shove in the most important scenes, even the most uneven actors manage to deliver the goods.

Germany Year Zero (1948)
More than any other neorealist film I've seen, this is a great historical document. The ravaged city of Berlin is the film's strongest character. It has some human characters that are a bit too unambiguously evil (much like the landlady in Umberto D), but it's mostly quite leveled and when it does point fingers it does so only vaguely, and points them at a mindset instead of at people.

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)
Amaaaaaaaaazing. Something like this will never be made again. So much better than the other Griffith movie I've seen (Birth of a Nation), and not just for the obvious reasons. Four different stories set in four different time periods play out over the course of three hours. It doesn't get more epic than this. More time is allotted to the Babylonian and 'modern-day' stories than to the other two, but it doesn't impede the movie because it frames and reinforces the idea that intolerance is eternal, and also because these stories and characters are simply the most interesting of the bunch. The Mountain Girl in particular is one of the coolest characters I've ever seen in a movie. Set design is jaw-dropping. Climax is amazing and tense and sublimely edited. Hell of a movie.

Two Women (1960)
Neorealism with a larger budget, and therefore not as realistic, which means that it never really achieves the heights of de Sica's earlier movies. Nevertheless, it's quite solid and Sophia Loren is very good. But the all-important rape scene near the end, as well as its aftermath, is a bit too sensationalistic to my liking and, while historically accurate, it's a bit racist.

Cat People (1942)
An impeccably shot, economical and taut, subtexually rich 'cheap' horror flick. Reading the film's promotional material is amusing. "She was marked with the curse of those who slink and court and kill by night!" Seems that the things that frightened people the most back then were alien invasions and female sexuality. IMDb's tagline for Two Women, a solemn WWII drama: "Suddenly...Love Becomes Lust...Innocence becomes shame...As two women are trapped by violent passion and unforgettable terror!" Posters would lure in the public with "Lust, lust, lust!" regardless of what the movies they advertised were actually about. Unlike Two Women, however, female sexuality actually is a major theme in Cat People, though not in the way the posters would lead one to believe. It looks at the effects of suppressing it and treating it as some kind of foreign menace, and in that way it kinda lampoons the era's mores. Anyway, there's a lot more going on in this movie that I haven't mentioned, but the relationship between the movie's content and its advertisement struck me as noteworthy.

The Man Who Loved Women (1977)
Kinda fortuitous that this came out the same year as Annie Hall, because as different as they are, both movies offer an unorthodox view of romance sequenced in an unorthodox way, and both are funny and occasionally touching. There's some stuff in here, such as the Oedipal relationship, that makes me wonder if Truffaut was having fun with Freudian theorists or if he was earnestly sketching the character's psychological profile.

The Saddest Music in the World (2003)
Exuberant and droll and many other adjectives. What a pleasure to watch. I don't know how Guy Maddin even begins to think of making movies the way he does, but if it results in movies about battle of the bands-type contests to see which country produces the world's saddest tune, with tubs and glass legs filled with beer, shot in 8mm black and white with strange expressionist sets, then I'm the last one to complain. Astoundingly funny the way it pokes fun at American showmanship and the commodification of grief, and at times very poignant.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

hell yeah. i think everyone who's seen the trilogy has their preferences when it comes to the individual films, but they cohere so brilliantly and it becomes impossible not to think of it as one amazing experience. the ending of Red with the

Spoiler

sinking ship

left me so astonished.

i seem to be in the minority, but i actually had a hard time connecting to Blue as much as i did to the others. there's a remoteness and coldness to it that, while effective because it reflects the main character's emotional state, distanced me from the movie a bit.

i'll also fight to the death anyone who says that White is not as artistically accomplished as the other two parts. yes, that means you

edit: i have a dvd of The Double Life of Veronique lying on my shelf, but i haven't gotten around to watching it yet. im expecting it to be really good, what with all the praise i've seen round these parts.

I actually agree with you about Blue. For me, it goes Red > White > Blue, though White might be above Red in the sphere of pure entertainment. I didn't mean to imply that White was LESS accomplished than the other two; they are all ridiculously accomplished in the sphere of artistry. Perhaps a better way of saying it is to say that White is the least 'artsy' of the three; there is less in the way of showy cinematography and more straightforwardness to the story than in the other two installments.

 

[harSon]

Bad Lieutenant: POCNO......I don't know what to think.

His soul is still dancing!

 

[creativity]

i seem to be in the minority, but i actually had a hard time connecting to Blue as much as i did to the others. there's a remoteness and coldness to it that, while effective because it reflects the main character's emotional state, distanced me from the movie a bit.

I think this is a problem with all of his films. They're superficially attractive but emotionally alienating. Not just in style but in content, for example, with the end of Red, the interconnections in The Decalogue, the halves of Veronique, he seems to be going for oohs and ahhs rather than saying anything coherent and affecting.

To be clear, I do think he's a great filmmaker in spite of that, and I redouble the recommendations for The Double Life of Veronique, if only for the incredible music.

edit: and terrific reviews as always, Timber

 

[beelzebozo]

what the hell

. . . WHAT THE HELL

 

[Hot Coldman]

So last night I watched Master and Commander and Escape from New York each for the first time.

Best film night EVER.

Oh yeah I went and saw Get Him to the Greek on Friday as well. Funny shit.

 

[Count Dookkake]

what the hell

. . . WHAT THE HELL

HOLY SHIT.

Someone on GAF finally wathced this. I've mentioned many times, but no one has ever bothered watching it, or at least hasn't said so.

Pretty much a lost classic. Feels very "TV movie" for most of the running time, but I think that adds to the pay-off.

Spoiler

"You're right son. I am a butt head."

WATCH IT WITHOUT ANY SPOILERS FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT.

 

[beelzebozo]

i am going to have nightmares dude. NIGHTMARES. holy fuck.

 

[Count Dookkake]

Did you have any idea what it was about before watching it?

How did you come across it?

 

[beelzebozo]

Did you have any idea what it was about before watching it?

How did you come across it?

i was reading chud, and they mentioned this movie GALAXY OF TERROR with an infamous maggot rape scene or something. it got me thinking that i remembered a lot of weird sexual horror in the late eighties early nineties, so i went digging for lists. and holy hell, that one turned up. after watching it, i need a break from the "genre" for a while.

 

[Count Dookkake]

I think SOCIETY deserves comparison to the work of Bunuel.

Not many gross-out movies fit that bill. Maybe TOKYO GORE POLICE.

 

[dvdjamm]

That movie is on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72d13A2Puvg

 

[beelzebozo]

I think SOCIETY deserves comparison to the work of Bunuel.

Not many gross-out movies fit that bill. Maybe TOKYO GORE POLICE.

i was seriously disturbed. yuzna is a fucking psychopath genius. have you seen THE DENTIST? that movie scared the hell out of me as a kid.

i realize now what kind of horror still scares me: brian yuzna horror

 

[Count Dookkake]

That movie is on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72d13A2Puvg

Youtube is not the way to go. Rent it or buy it. It's not expensive. Support transgressive art.




beelzebozo, Dentist was decent, but it is no Society. That will most likely remain Yuzna's best.

 

[Meesh]

so........is [REC]2 coming out soon? Loved the first.

 

[harSon]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445620/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyz15qG22Ec

Paradise Now

Absolutely brilliant. I'm definitely no supporter of terrorism, but it's nice to see a filmmaker whose willing to tackle the subject from a purely objective and human standpoint. It's easy to label these individuals as monsters, and that's certainly a label I'd agree with, but far too often we lose sight of the fact that those we consider to be purely evil, are little more than people led astray.

The film was wonderfully paced, brilliantly acted and simply gorgeous to look at, while the filmmakers endangered their lives by doing so, filming the movie on location in Nablus added a certain rawness and authenticity that would have been lacking otherwise. There was a nice balance between the characters, Said, who was radical but had reasons for being so, and even then, he still questioned the morality and usefulness of terrorism. Khaled, who was radical but was mislead into being so, and was in it for little more than a chance at glory. And Suha, who was the product of many cultures, both Muslim and Western, and believed that alternatives to terrorism would ultimately yield better results for her people.

With such a controversial subject, the filmmakers had to walk a very fine line to preserve the innocence of the film and while there's obviously going to be those who disagree with its existence regardless, I felt they did an excellent job in simply presenting the current climate between Israel and Palestine without taking sides. I have to say, the most powerful part of the film was the

Spoiler

car ride through Tel Aviv. Seeing the deplorable conditions of Palestine for the entirety of the film, and then being given a short glimpse into the conditions of those living on the other side of the border, completely set the tone for me.

If you're capable of watching a character centric film void of any action what so ever, and don't mind a slow paced narrative, then I recommend this film whole heartedly. There's been plenty of films tackling the issue of terrorism, but this is easily the best and most honest interpretation I've seen to date.

9.5 out of 10

 

[Lumpy Onion]

HOLY SHIT.

Someone on GAF finally wathced this. I've mentioned many times, but no one has ever bothered watching it, or at least hasn't said so.

Pretty much a lost classic. Feels very "TV movie" for most of the running time, but I think that adds to the pay-off.

I posted having seen Society in this thread a few pages back b/c of your recommendation and loved it. If you hadn't I doubt I would have even heard of it. Great movie. At first it felt really shitty and cheesy. Kinda like a Saved By The Bell horror movie or something, but then the ending happened. Wow. I doubt I will ever forget the last 20 mins or so. Anyway, a hidden gem from 80's horror if there ever was one.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

I'd kind of like to get a film quote for a tattoo, but I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

 

[Cooter]

Just saw Book of Eli. It was pretty good. I liked it

 

[Count Dookkake]

I'd kind of like to get a film quote for a tattoo, but I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

Bitches, leave.

I posted having seen Society in this thread a few pages back b/c of your recommendation and loved it. If you hadn't I doubt I would have even heard of it. Great movie. At first it felt really shitty and cheesy. Kinda like a Saved By The Bell horror movie or something, but then the ending happened. Wow. I doubt I will ever forget the last 20 mins or so. Anyway, a hidden gem from 80's horror if there ever was one.

Sorry I missed that (or forgot).

Glad you liked it.

If anyone is interested in finding out what you have been missing your whole life, please watch the whole thing. Do not skip to the end. It would be like a punchline without the set-up.

 

[Trent Strong]

I'd kind of like to get a film quote for a tattoo, but I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

"Yippee-Ki-Yay motherfucker."

 

[creativity]

I'd kind of like to get a film quote for a tattoo, but I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

Rosebud, you know where

 

[beelzebozo]

I'd kind of like to get a film quote for a tattoo, but I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

i confuse the two, and i don't care
these things happen
sometimes people need to be forgiven