You're kinda dull tbh.
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Movies You've Seen Recently |OT| April 2015
- Thread starter Charles Foster Kane
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You're kinda dull tbh.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
I'm sure it's the print quality. I had the same issue. The Criterion version is a lot clearer. Beautiful.
Femmeworth
Banned
A Most Violent Year
I liked it decently enough. Maybe it was the mix of digital cinematography, period setting, and the use of tension that gave me Fincher vibes.
I liked it decently enough. Maybe it was the mix of digital cinematography, period setting, and the use of tension that gave me Fincher vibes.
Ah, alright then! I was watching through Prime so I guess that's why.
Past week.
As I said, thought Furious 7 was a step down but still good fun. 8 needs to be less frantic, have pockets of planning. That's what makes heist/adventure great.
I have four aunts and a lot of Margot at the Wedding felt bonafide. Like that Black wasn't a comic actor going all serious in an indie dramedy, he was just clowny and funny. Made his character work better. Nearly as quotable as Baumbach's great early features.
Another great Ulmer in Bluebeard, which perhaps isn't an enveloping inescapable whirlpool of fantastic darkness like Detour but Ulmer's certainly making some fine machinery from spare parts, and multiplying Faust and Bluebeard to synthesize some new legend pays off. score is awful.
Doubled The Battle of San Pietro and Let There Be Light, two John Huston WW2 docs. (the latter a huge inspiration for The Master.) seemed to make sense given it's about 90 minutes total, with one covering one battle and one the PTSD wracking returning soldiers just after the war. As depressing as that sounds, San Pietro is just as bleak. plenty of the footage is recreation yet it shocks regardless, and the general message is that what the Allied forces are doing is painful, costly, doesn't even benefit those who actually live in these towns, and will never end. Let There Be Light is more genuine, and the spots where it's clearly staged undermine the sunnier disposition those scenes attempt to whip up. After an hour of men physically and mentally broken, 5 minutes of orchestrated happiness during a baseball game can't eradicate the feeling that these men will never be whole again, and that their fragility will trickle out into the rest of the nation.
(btw both of those Huston docs and Bluebeard are on youtube, for the curious.)
And tonight I went to a double of A Fuller Life, a documentary on Sam Fuller from daughter Samantha Fuller, along with the second ever showing of the restored director's cut of Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street. A Fuller Life isn't a conventional great man doc. directors and actorsincluding an inappropriate James Francoreading selections from Fuller's autobiography over clips from his films, archival photos and personal film, and miscellaneous media. this path is better at bringing the man back to life for 80 minutes than hagiography would be. A lot of the footage is cool, and everything's filmed in the Fuller garage stuffed with books and maps and script binders and film canisters and pins and newspapersWes Anderson level of object fetishization. Dead Pigeon I went pretty long on in that link. The bullets: made for W. German TV, nonsensical and (purposefully?) dull, not funny, wife Christa is a terrible actress, cheap as hell which means Fuller gets creative when it comes to the camera and gets shit when it comes to sound, the score by Can is basically reworked elements of "Vitamin C"/Ege Bamyasi in general.
planned to triple with a midnight of Four Flies on Grey Velvet, which would've been my first Argento and was in a 35mm print, but I was starving and tired after spending four and a half hours in the theater for that Fuller thing and the large crowd for the midnight had far too much energy.
As I said, thought Furious 7 was a step down but still good fun. 8 needs to be less frantic, have pockets of planning. That's what makes heist/adventure great.
I have four aunts and a lot of Margot at the Wedding felt bonafide. Like that Black wasn't a comic actor going all serious in an indie dramedy, he was just clowny and funny. Made his character work better. Nearly as quotable as Baumbach's great early features.
Another great Ulmer in Bluebeard, which perhaps isn't an enveloping inescapable whirlpool of fantastic darkness like Detour but Ulmer's certainly making some fine machinery from spare parts, and multiplying Faust and Bluebeard to synthesize some new legend pays off. score is awful.
Doubled The Battle of San Pietro and Let There Be Light, two John Huston WW2 docs. (the latter a huge inspiration for The Master.) seemed to make sense given it's about 90 minutes total, with one covering one battle and one the PTSD wracking returning soldiers just after the war. As depressing as that sounds, San Pietro is just as bleak. plenty of the footage is recreation yet it shocks regardless, and the general message is that what the Allied forces are doing is painful, costly, doesn't even benefit those who actually live in these towns, and will never end. Let There Be Light is more genuine, and the spots where it's clearly staged undermine the sunnier disposition those scenes attempt to whip up. After an hour of men physically and mentally broken, 5 minutes of orchestrated happiness during a baseball game can't eradicate the feeling that these men will never be whole again, and that their fragility will trickle out into the rest of the nation.
(btw both of those Huston docs and Bluebeard are on youtube, for the curious.)
And tonight I went to a double of A Fuller Life, a documentary on Sam Fuller from daughter Samantha Fuller, along with the second ever showing of the restored director's cut of Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street. A Fuller Life isn't a conventional great man doc. directors and actorsincluding an inappropriate James Francoreading selections from Fuller's autobiography over clips from his films, archival photos and personal film, and miscellaneous media. this path is better at bringing the man back to life for 80 minutes than hagiography would be. A lot of the footage is cool, and everything's filmed in the Fuller garage stuffed with books and maps and script binders and film canisters and pins and newspapersWes Anderson level of object fetishization. Dead Pigeon I went pretty long on in that link. The bullets: made for W. German TV, nonsensical and (purposefully?) dull, not funny, wife Christa is a terrible actress, cheap as hell which means Fuller gets creative when it comes to the camera and gets shit when it comes to sound, the score by Can is basically reworked elements of "Vitamin C"/Ege Bamyasi in general.
planned to triple with a midnight of Four Flies on Grey Velvet, which would've been my first Argento and was in a 35mm print, but I was starving and tired after spending four and a half hours in the theater for that Fuller thing and the large crowd for the midnight had far too much energy.
Fast and Furious 4
Decent but ultimately boring attempt to bring back the franchise. The final sequence through the tunnels was great though.
Fast and Furious 5
Wow. Dumb but has alot of heart packed with absolutely fun action. It really is all just about family. I love the Oceans Eleven heist dynamic and the cast is perfect. The Rock is awesome and the bank safe heist was amazing. Best in the series.
Fast and Furious 6
Another amazing entry. The doppelgänger crew and the elevated action makes it another fun ride. The tank and the plane climax are a joy to behold for action lovers. Felt bad for Han and Gisele though, I really enjoyed their relationship.
Fast and Furious 7
It was fun but felt a bit too much on the cgi side. All notions of grounded reality are gone and it becomes a full on live action Wacky races esq cartoon. Slightly disappointing as some of the main crew from previous films are missing (including the Rock for most of the time). I felt their whole dynamic that made the two previous films enjoyable for me was missing here. The ending was slightly over cooked as well. James Wan makes a good attempt to mimic Justin Li style but doesn't reach the same heights.
5 > 6 > 1 > 7 > 2 > 4 > 3
Decent but ultimately boring attempt to bring back the franchise. The final sequence through the tunnels was great though.
Fast and Furious 5
Wow. Dumb but has alot of heart packed with absolutely fun action. It really is all just about family. I love the Oceans Eleven heist dynamic and the cast is perfect. The Rock is awesome and the bank safe heist was amazing. Best in the series.
Fast and Furious 6
Another amazing entry. The doppelgänger crew and the elevated action makes it another fun ride. The tank and the plane climax are a joy to behold for action lovers. Felt bad for Han and Gisele though, I really enjoyed their relationship.
Fast and Furious 7
It was fun but felt a bit too much on the cgi side. All notions of grounded reality are gone and it becomes a full on live action Wacky races esq cartoon. Slightly disappointing as some of the main crew from previous films are missing (including the Rock for most of the time). I felt their whole dynamic that made the two previous films enjoyable for me was missing here. The ending was slightly over cooked as well. James Wan makes a good attempt to mimic Justin Li style but doesn't reach the same heights.
5 > 6 > 1 > 7 > 2 > 4 > 3
bought myself The rules of the game, I am so glad they're finally releasing Renoir's filmography in hi-def. couldn't resist and watched it once i got home, what a masterpiece. Such levity, elegance, humour, but not a single ounce of cynicism. Renoir seems to take us in front of a mirror, make us realize we're all defective, and instead of belittling us, he smiles with us. Superb, smooth camera work with impressive use of depth of field that enhances the theatrical setting, as if life was nothing but a play, and corroborates the feeling of inevitable doom in a particular world, thus mirroring our own. but there's no arrogance in his vision, nor pedantic lectures, it's "only" a perfectly made movie that works on multiple levels, even with no messages underneath if you decide to ignore them, and this is what a classic should be
I just watched Repulsion because of this post; wasn't aware of the movie until then. I'll just spoiler the whole thing because I don't want to give away what the theme of the movie is.
Damn. Polanski's Repulsion has got me all shook up. It might be my favorite of his films that I've seen, and easily one of the most unsettling horror films I've ever seen.
It reminded me a bit of The Haunting, another fantastically scary (and stunningly shot) psychological horror film from the 60's. Also, it's clear Darren Arronofsky is really, considering its influence can be felt all over a bunch of his movies.
The gradual descent into madness is realized so, so, well. There are all sorts of visual ques, from the mundane (strangely unsettling close ups on ordinary objects) to the macabre like the disgusting rotting rabbit that decays as the film goes on. It just makes you feel all itchy and uncomfortable as you are immersed into the perspective of the fractured protagonist.
The sound design is also notable in that in any given scene it feels like there are only a few distinct sound sources. Typically the sound of breathing or walking, and then a repetitive noise in the background, such as the barking of dogs, a bell ringing, or a slowly dripping faucet. The quiet punctuated by those sharp sounds, like the incredible visuals, help immerse you into the horrifying reality Carol lives in.
While there are a number of jump scares in the film, they are exceptionally effective. The reason they work so well is both that the film its maddeningly patient in building up to them, and the payoffs are genuinely terrifying. But, as a cruelly effective psychological horror film, the jump scares are not where the true fear lies. It's in the deathly stillness, the cracks in the walls and family photographs, in the shadows and behind closed doors.
I thought it was a very effective psychological-thriller character study. I'm still digesting it but there was obviously something that happened around the beginning of the movie that triggered a trauma associated with a childhood rape. She becomes more and more repulsed by and terrified of men and sexuality as the movie progresses to the point where she murders two men who, to say the least, were coming on too strong to her. And then she has the traumatic nightmares/hallucinations of being violently raped by an older man. At the very end you get a close up shot of the family picture which shows her as a child looking, almost fearfully, at who is presumably her father. This girl was raped by her dad as a kid and the movie shows her PTSD bubbling to the surface. But man she really went bonkers.
The camerawork, cinematography and sound design were great and really created an unsettling atmosphere.
By the way, this movie, Rosemary's baby.....what is it with Roman Polanski and his fixation on rape? Weird....
The camerawork, cinematography and sound design were great and really created an unsettling atmosphere.
By the way, this movie, Rosemary's baby.....what is it with Roman Polanski and his fixation on rape? Weird....
Fallout-NL
Member
I think it comes very close. Fucking loved it. Awesome premise executed beautifully. Both in form and in terms of content. Kick-ass soundtrack too.
Fancy Clown
Member
Yeah, that's what I gathered to be the trigger of her psychosis as well. Also, Polanski's fixation with rape (which also features in Chinatown) extended beyond his movies as I'm sure you've heard...
Boulotaur2024
Member
Thank you gonna watch this tonight. Really fascinated by Polanski's work.
Damn. Polanski's Repulsion has got me all shook up. It might be my favorite of his films that I've seen, and easily one of the most unsettling horror films I've ever seen.
It reminded me a bit of The Haunting, another fantastically scary (and stunningly shot) psychological horror film from the 60's. Also, it's clear Darren Arronofsky is really, considering its influence can be felt all over a bunch of his movies.
The gradual descent into madness is realized so, so, well. There are all sorts of visual ques, from the mundane (strangely unsettling close ups on ordinary objects) to the macabre like the disgusting rotting rabbit that decays as the film goes on. It just makes you feel all itchy and uncomfortable as you are immersed into the perspective of the fractured protagonist.
The sound design is also notable in that in any given scene it feels like there are only a few distinct sound sources. Typically the sound of breathing or walking, and then a repetitive noise in the background, such as the barking of dogs, a bell ringing, or a slowly dripping faucet. The quiet punctuated by those sharp sounds, like the incredible visuals, help immerse you into the horrifying reality Carol lives in.
While there are a number of jump scares in the film, they are exceptionally effective. The reason they work so well is both that the film its maddeningly patient in building up to them, and the payoffs are genuinely terrifying. But, as a cruelly effective psychological horror film, the jump scares are not where the true fear lies. It's in the deathly stillness, the cracks in the walls and family photographs, in the shadows and behind closed doors.
EDIT : just realized I paid attention to this post probably because of Deneuve's eyes. We are so predictable aren't we : )
Infernostew
Member
Wanted to catch Ex Machina last night but it was sold out for 2 showings that I. Old go to before heading to a bar for my friend's birthday. Instead I saw Kumiko Treausre Hunter which just felt like a huge waste of time. When I saw the trailer a few months ago, I figure it would be similar to Ida where the journey actually meant something but instead I was left cold. 5/10
interesting, what are these moments you're referring to?
the you must remember this episode on huston during the war, is great listening. talks about huston's impressions about these two "documentaries" and him being an asshole.
i've never made it through dead bird without taking a break. i can't imagine trying to watch it in a theater.
The Freshman **** Lloyd is a great everyman and the story not having an expiration date pays off, people will always be trying to reinvent themselves at college (well, as long as colleges exist I guess). Segmented sections with discrete gags that build and build is similar to Chaplin but within the scenes Lloyd is definitely distinct, a bit more grounded and not about fighting and conflict as Chaplin so often ends up having with cops and suits. Harold 'Speedy' Lamb just wants to maintain appearances
next in the Hartley retro was Surviving Desire (which on rewatch I now think is a ***** masterpiece) preceded by shorts Ambition and Theory of Achievement, both good. Ambition is the better of the two, a go at Bunuel style surrealism with a ton of fantastic gags. Achievement is a more familiar 90s indie drama, but a good one. One character is a Jean-Luc Godard impersonator who never speaks, only whispers philosophy and theory into a mediator's ear in between cigar puffs. it's great.
Actress has gotten a lot of praise for being "cinematic nonfiction", the claim being that its lampshading of its structure and stagedness is in itself compelling. But reality TV does that too, and if you're playing with ideas of what's "real" versus what's "true" you should have more to say than pat notions of how we're all playing roles in life, man. That makes it sound like I disliked it, I did enjoy the intimate discomfort and it's a pretty nice somber drama about this woman dealing with ennui. But it's no form-breaker.
and the Fuller really was exhausting. one of those where halfway or 2/3rds of the way through my head began to nod, and I wondered if the confusing monotony was because I was tired for a while before realizing it was the other way around.
next in the Hartley retro was Surviving Desire (which on rewatch I now think is a ***** masterpiece) preceded by shorts Ambition and Theory of Achievement, both good. Ambition is the better of the two, a go at Bunuel style surrealism with a ton of fantastic gags. Achievement is a more familiar 90s indie drama, but a good one. One character is a Jean-Luc Godard impersonator who never speaks, only whispers philosophy and theory into a mediator's ear in between cigar puffs. it's great.
Actress has gotten a lot of praise for being "cinematic nonfiction", the claim being that its lampshading of its structure and stagedness is in itself compelling. But reality TV does that too, and if you're playing with ideas of what's "real" versus what's "true" you should have more to say than pat notions of how we're all playing roles in life, man. That makes it sound like I disliked it, I did enjoy the intimate discomfort and it's a pretty nice somber drama about this woman dealing with ennui. But it's no form-breaker.
Ah cool I've been meaning to listen to more of that show.
and the Fuller really was exhausting. one of those where halfway or 2/3rds of the way through my head began to nod, and I wondered if the confusing monotony was because I was tired for a while before realizing it was the other way around.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Question for those who have seen It Follows...
So Paul or whatever DIDN'T nail the hooker? I realize the ending is supposed to be ambiguous and up in the air, but I'm curious what you guys think
Fallout-NL
Member
I think he did, but since the prostitute probably didn't believe Paul when he explained to her the consequences, it would only have to kill one John (she probably slept with), the hooker and then it would be back to Paul. That's what's so brilliant about the premise, there's no way out, just ways to buy more time.
DeathoftheEndless
Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
Yojimbo is another great Kurosawa samurai film. There are several exciting twists and turns in the story, as Sanjuro messes with both gangs. Mifune is a badass as always. I'll watch Sanjuro sometime later this week.
After watching this on Saturday morning, I decided to watch two of the Punisher movies that night for some reason lol.
The Punisher(1989) is an entertaining movie. It doesn't really try anything special, but it has some good action scenes. I like Dolph, but dark hair and facial hair can't hide that he's the most European-looking guy ever.
The Punisher: War Zone is true to the character and gory as hell, but its so mean-spirited and gross that its tough to enjoy.
After watching this on Saturday morning, I decided to watch two of the Punisher movies that night for some reason lol.
The Punisher(1989) is an entertaining movie. It doesn't really try anything special, but it has some good action scenes. I like Dolph, but dark hair and facial hair can't hide that he's the most European-looking guy ever.
The Punisher: War Zone is true to the character and gory as hell, but its so mean-spirited and gross that its tough to enjoy.
Fancy Clown
Member
The Third Man: Can't believe it's taken me so long to watch this one. Orson Welles and that Zither score are charming as fuck. That ferris wheel set-piece was crazy tense (how good is Welle's speech??), and the ending is just so great; none of that cheesy Hollywood romance bullshit here.
Infernostew
Member
Great, great film. Haven't seen it in years. I really should pop the dvd in sometime soon.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
How is everyone? Have you all been sleeping okay? Any babies or debilitating injuries?
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
We're seeing Dreyer's Joan of Arc in film class tomorrow, so I guess things are going well. I'm putting my movie-watching schedule on hiatus until summer, got enough stuff to do now that might not be possible later (I tell myself as the Film Noir series w/Argentian Woolrich adaptations happened in Austin without me!).
Haloid1177
Banned
A Most Violent Year
What's the GAF opinion on this one? Just finished and it left me cold. Isaac and Chastain were fantastic but it was almost too slow of a burn and the ending didn't really feel like an ending.
What's the GAF opinion on this one? Just finished and it left me cold. Isaac and Chastain were fantastic but it was almost too slow of a burn and the ending didn't really feel like an ending.
Serpentine
Banned
uh oh, i'm actually about to watch it. i feel like i won't like it, but i guess i'll find out
Violence Jack
Member
The Babadook- Not a bad flick, but I really didn't think it was worth the hype. Great performances throughout as well.
The Shining- Watching this before my vacation to Denver since we're going on a tour of The Stanley hotel. I always found it interesting that I end up noticing more and more little things about this film, and it adds to my enjoyment each time.
The Shining- Watching this before my vacation to Denver since we're going on a tour of The Stanley hotel. I always found it interesting that I end up noticing more and more little things about this film, and it adds to my enjoyment each time.
The second best movie of last year starting with the words "A Most," as well second best overall, behind only A Most Wanted Man, the first best movie starting with the words "A Most," as well as first overall.
Fancy Clown
Member
Sanjuro was pretty fantastic. It wasn't as good as Yojimbo, but that speaks more to just how good Yojimbo was. I liked how this one delved a little deeper into Sanjuro character, and the ending duel with the
was a sight to behold. Tightly paced, entertaining, and beautifully shot (the cinematography here is perhaps even better than in Yojimbo), but it's certainly not the best of the Kurosawa I've seen.
Definitely do, I can see myself rewatching this film a bunch.
gushing fountain of blood
Definitely do, I can see myself rewatching this film a bunch.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
I would like to apologize for my past paranoia. I don't think it was totally unfounded, given what I wanted to do, but I went overboard and, I'm sure, came across as a bit of a narcissistic asshole in thinking anyone would ever care what I wrote on a video game forum. My bad.
fwiw, I'm no longer pursuing any kind of career where I fear the stuff I write on here has the potential to impact my future, so I no longer give a shit.
fwiw, I'm no longer pursuing any kind of career where I fear the stuff I write on here has the potential to impact my future, so I no longer give a shit.
quite good, great even. I loved the slow burning, it added to the atmosphere, which is already very convincing
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
That's been Hot Daddy and me, dawg.
I'm actually looking at nursing. Decent work-life balance, decent pay, not likely to be technologically outmoded in my lifetime.
Infernostew
Member
Pretty great slow burn with amazing performances by both leads.
Fancy Clown
Member
And now I know where this gif is from! Brilliant moment.
Serpentine
Banned
I was actually way wrong, because I really liked A Most Violent Year, it's atmospheric and "slow" but it's really engaging (not boring as hell) and the performances are great
kurisu1974
Banned
Inherent Vice was awesome, probably my favorite PTA movie! Just oozing coolness and atmosphere, like a film noir version of Big Lebowski almost. And not as hard to follow as I was lead to believe, I'm more confused by the plot and action scenes in a Bourne movie than by this.
Bob le flambeur was also great, such a stylish French noir, great finale. Le samuraï is still my favorite Melville though.
I also watched and hated Du levande, just like I hated Songs from the Second Floor. I guess there's a public for this stuff, to me it looked like absurd TV sketches and I got nothing out of this.
Bob le flambeur was also great, such a stylish French noir, great finale. Le samuraï is still my favorite Melville though.
I also watched and hated Du levande, just like I hated Songs from the Second Floor. I guess there's a public for this stuff, to me it looked like absurd TV sketches and I got nothing out of this.
Beginners
I can see this one being almost too twee/00's indie flick for some, but I thought it was very genuine. Felt like modern emotions realized very well. Good performances and Plummer was particularly great. Loved the little drawings and random pictures throughout.
Side note: Melanie Laurent is to die for.
I can see this one being almost too twee/00's indie flick for some, but I thought it was very genuine. Felt like modern emotions realized very well. Good performances and Plummer was particularly great. Loved the little drawings and random pictures throughout.
Side note: Melanie Laurent is to die for.
Discotheque
Banned
lmao yeah that movie veered towards being a bit too "twee" for me but overall i enjoyed it. especially christopher plummer.
MidnightCowboy
Member
Sunset Boulevard if you haven't seen it.
Discotheque
Banned
kind of been in the mood for old movies so I'd recommend on the waterfront brah. it's on hulu
TWIN PEAKS FIRE WALK WITH ME
decided to revisit this over all that twin peaks news in the last week. if you ignore that Bob and the supernatural elements actually exist in this universe this can actually be seen as a really disturbing take on mental illness and household abuse. laura palmer's story is so depressing. lynch a master at atmosphere too. manages to make a simple staircase or painting shot seem unsettling. sometimes the goofy shit gets annoying though lol
TWIN PEAKS FIRE WALK WITH ME
decided to revisit this over all that twin peaks news in the last week. if you ignore that Bob and the supernatural elements actually exist in this universe this can actually be seen as a really disturbing take on mental illness and household abuse. laura palmer's story is so depressing. lynch a master at atmosphere too. manages to make a simple staircase or painting shot seem unsettling. sometimes the goofy shit gets annoying though lol
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