Cobpyth's Film Reviews

[Cobpyth]

I decided it was time for me to start my own review thread, so here it is! Most of my reviews will be about movies I watch for the FIRST time. I still have many important and acclaimed films to watch, so hopefully there will be a lot of 'sweet candies' for me down the road to talk enthusiastically about!

- I won't always be able to rate movies with points, but I will try to include a certain 'first impression rating'. This rating may evolve over time and is certainly not definitive.

- I will also try to make my reviews as spoiler-free as possible, but if someone who has already seen a certain film wants to start a discussion about it (with spoilers), I will certainly not shy away from that! My reviews also won't be that long as those of some of the other members here, but if there are any questions about my opinion, I will be very glad to answer them extensively!

- I am not a native english speaker, so I would appreciate it if you would correct some big mistakes I make. Those corrections will help me to write better reviews in the future.

Some of my earlier (small) reviews can be found in this topic (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=10846).


Reviews of the day:


Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

This movie was good!
It tells the story of an alcoholic (Nicolas Cage), who exchanges everything he has in cash, after he got fired, and wants to end his miserable life in Las Vegas by drinking himself to death. Once he got there, he meets a hooker (Elisabeth Shue) and they start to develop a strange relationship with eachother. She has to deal with the fact that he's an incorrigible drunk and he has to deal with her 'working' at some nights as a prostitute...

Cage and Shue deliver some very strong acting performances and also the director, Mike Figgis, does a great job! Together they create a dark character based tale with some outstanding and intense scenes.

My rating: 4-

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Oldboy (2003)

This movie was absolutely STUNNING!
First of all, the visuals are great! It had some very nice camera work and the beauty of some scenes are unforgetable. Besides the magnificent cinematography, there is also a very interesting script.

It's mainly a revenge film. It tells the story of a drunk who suddenly is extracted from society and is imprisoned in a chamber, while he has no idea why. He is forced to stay there for 15 years, untill he is finally released. Then he begins to search the one responsible for ruining 15 years of his life. He commences a quest for the truth and for revenge.
There is however more on the basis of this all than our protagonist could ever imagine. In the end it all unfolds into a greek tragedy-like conclusion with many layers attached and a dubious final scene.

The wonderful story, the great visuals, the outstanding acting and the many, many memorable moments/scenes make this film one hell of a ride! I would recommend it to anyone with an open mind.

4.5+ (may become 5/5 in the future)

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Well, what can I say? This is an original, twisted, crazy and funny picture. It's also the best Kaufman movie I've seen so far (I've also seen Adaptation. and ESotSM, which were both already very good). This Comedy/Horror/Sci-fi movie really made a lasting impression.

The movie tells the story of a puppeteer (played by John Cusack), who can not find succes with his rather odd passion, despite having great skills. He lives in an appartment with his wife (played by Cameron Diaz, who exceeds herself in this film) and the many animals she keeps, including a chimpanzee.
When he gets a punch in the face while performing on the streets, because the puppet play he was doing, wasn't really appropiate for children, he searches for a job.
His new workplace seems to be on a small floor, the 7 1/2th floor, where everyone has to bend themeselves so they can walk. There he meets a very seductive woman, named Maxine (played by Catherine Keener, who looks STUNNING), and he instantly falls in love with her, but dreadfully for him, she is not interested in him at all.

Untill here, the movie seems quite normal, but then something very strange happens.

Craig, the puppeteer, finds a very small door in his office. When he opens it, he sees a long tunnel and while he's crawling through it, he gets sucked in. Suddenly he sees the world through the eyes of actor John Malkovich!

I'm not going to tell you much more about the plot, you'll have to see the film for that, but I can tell you that what comes next is worth it! From that moment on, the movie starts to explore other (dark) sides of the characters and topics like free will, the human soul, death, love, obsession and control are brought into the story!

Above all it stays a very inventive dark comedy with some of the most loony scenes you'll (probably) ever see. This film deserves to be watched by all of you, but I'm sure many already did.

4.5-

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[Proximity]

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This .gif kills me. Excellent reviews, Cob.

[Cobpyth]

Thanks, Proximity!

Normally I was going to watch Pan's Labyrinth next, but I wasn't really in the mood for another heavy movie, so I consulted one of my favorite 'relax' directors, Tim Burton! (Pan's will probably be for tomorrow night, then)


Frankenweenie (2012)

This is yet another sweet, imaginative stop motion horror film from Burton!
It is completely in black and white and next to the main story it contains some very clever references to classic horror films of the past. There were references to Frankenstein, Godzilla, Dracula, Vincent Price, Frankenstein's bride, Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, etc. It was a lot of fun trying to recognize all of them!

The story is based on Burton's short film Frankenweenie from 1984.

An introvert boy, called Victor, who is very smart and likes to make his own movies in the attic with cardboard sets, spends most of his time alone with his dog, Sparky. They are very close to eachother.
When the new science teacher, with the looks of Vincent Price, tells the class about a science contest, everyone is very enthusiastic and also Victor wants to participate. First, however, he needs the autograph of his dad. When he asks, his father only wants to sign on the condition that Victor will also give sport a chance, in this case Baseball.
When Victor swings a home run, Sparky runs after the ball, which lands on the street, and fate strikes. Sparky gets run over by a car and dies.
Victor doesn't like life without Sparky. He can't accept the death of his only friend and when he sees in a science experience from his new, odd teacher that the muscles of an animal still react when put under electricity, he believes that he can resurrect his dog!

After that the movie really starts to become a horror movie. With some creepy characters like the hunchback kid, the big eyed staring girl with her cat, the frankenstein-like boy, the japanese boy, ... Burton creates the required suspense and their stupid actions provide some demonic chaos.

Of course this film also has a great sense of humor. The funniest moment was when the big eyed girl offered Victor a V-formed turd of her cat as a proof that her cat had dreamed about him and that it would be a special day for him.

While the story may not be that sophisticated, I still recommend it to lovers of classic horror movies and of course to all Tim Burton fans!

3.5

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[mark f]

I thought the science teacher looked like J. Carrol Naish who played the hunchback Daniel in House of Frankenstein. Martin Landau also sounded like he was doing an impression of Naish.
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[Daniel M]

Nice to see you started a review thread :) I've seen Oldboy and Frankenweenie, I'd give Oldboy a 4.5 too and I'd give Frankenweenie a 4, was pretty surprised by how much I enjoyed it, probably my favourite Burton film actually. Been wanting to see Being John Malkovich for a while now and your review only further increases this want :p

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Synecdoche, New York (2008)

This film certainly proves that Kaufman is a genius. The first thing that went through my mind when the credits rolled was: "I will never be able to make something with such originality and depth EVER in my life." This is certainly one of the most ambitious movies I've watched in my entire life.

The platform Kaufman uses to project his philosophies and ideas about life, is the main character Caden Cotard (superbly played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). He is a neurotic theater director who has one big fear, "death" and more specifically wasting his life and regretting it at the end of his life. He wants to create something that will be remembered, he wants to be different.
After receiving a funding from the MacArthur Fellows Program, he decides to use a big theater building full of sets to create his masterpiece on. He wants to make it 'real', so he hires actors to play real life persons and situations and after some years of continuous striving for realism, the set is almost as real as the actual locations and even the actors start to behave like their (real existing) characters (but not in a completely precise way).

Of course his work is not the only thing in Cotard's life. In the beginning of the movie he is married to Adele (Catherine Keener) and they have a daughter, named Olive. Adele leaves him and goes to Germany and he starts a strange relationship with the girl at the box office, Hazel (Samantha Morton). It doesn't really work out, initially, because of sexual problems, so they go seperate ways. She marries a guy, named Derek, and he marries his main actress, Claire (Michelle Williams).

It starts to become really complex when the play is unfolding into an exact copy of what happens in real life. Claire has to play herself and because she needs a job, Hazel is hired again and becomes Cotard's assistant. After some time the whole situation blows up and some people are not able anymore to play their particular roles, both in the play and in real life...

As you can read, the story is very complex, but it is merely a vehicle for Kaufman to explore philosophical questions as: "What is our fate?", "What's the meaning of life?", "What's the point of existence?", "Why do we do what we do?", etc. He also explores the human psyche and more specifically how we always (have to) play roles and how it can be extremely liberating to just be someone else for a moment (the director becomes a maid) and escape from our own limitations. After all we're all going to die, so it doesn't really matter what we actually do. We can clean, have sex, write a book or make paintings, but we all have the same fate, which is that we'll never know what the point of it all is, untill (hopefully, but we're not even sure) after our inevitable death...
The movie contains much more ideas, so discover them yourself by watching it!

Besides the dramatic sides of the story, the film also had a great sense of humor, which is of course one of Kaufman's trademarks. Some parts of the dialogue were hilarious and there were also some absurd, comical situations, but the main tone of the movie always stayed dramatic.

I'd recommend this to people who'd like to be challenged by a movie and want to ask questions about life and the way we, people, are thinking. If you are looking for a cohesive, entertaining story, though, this is absolutely not the film for you!

It's very hard to give the film a rating after this first viewing. It only shows my first impression of the movie and how much I enjoyed it, this first (ignorant) viewing.
I think I enjoyed Being John Malkovich a tiny bit more, so, for the time being, I rate it:

4

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[cricket]

Leaving Las Vegas is a favorite of mine but I was disappointed with Oldboy.

[seanc]

Watched Oldboy for the first time last night. Really interesting movie. Park is a director I will seek out. I haven't heard good things about Stoker, but probably worth a watch once it hits DVD. Agree that the visuals were amazing. I also thought the score stood out. 4.5 from me as well.

[Guaporense]

Excellent reviews. I gave up on my animations review thread because I wasn't able to write a decent review.

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

I knew that I was going to enjoy this movie as it is a stop-motion movie (I like that animation style a lot when done in a good way) and it is directed by Wes Anderson, but I never thought that I was going to love it this much! This film was just AWESOME!!!

First of all there are the stunning visuals, which are of course a trademark of Wes Anderson. The color palette was very warm and some scenes were magnificently animated. It was a real "feast" for the eyes!
Then there also were the hilarious dialogue and the wonderful characters. The use of dry humor is absolutely glorious, certainly when they were spoken by memorable figures like Mr. Fox, Rat, Badger, Franklin Bean, etc.
The other thing I liked about this movie was the stylizing of some scenes and together with that often the use of some very good music! This truly made this film an instant favorite of mine amongst animation pictures.

The story itself is also quite entertaining. It is based on the book by Roald Dahl, but there are plenty of differences (even the ending is different), so you still will be able to fully enjoy this film, even when you've read the book, when you were young.
The movie tells the story of Mr. Fox (George Clooney), who is forced to be a family man, as he promised his wife (Meryl Streep) that he would never hunt or steal again when she tells him she's pregnant. When he buys a new house close to three infamous farms, however, his instincts begin to emerge again. After some succesful hunting trips, the owners of the three nearby establishments meet and decide to kill Mr. Fox. His wild manners now seem to have become a very big danger towards his family and his friends. Together they try to avert the attacks of the farmers.
There are also some subplots with for example a rivalry between Mr. Fox's son and his cousin, but of course you will see all that when you watch the movie!

This movie really was my style and went beyond my expectations. It did not have one dull moment and I was entertained through-out the whole experience. On top of that it's also done in the wonderful art of stop motion animation and I can already say after this first viewing that it is up there with Burton's The Night Before Christmas for me. I rate it:

4.5


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"Cuss" YEAH!
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[Daniel M]

I love Fantastic Mr. Fox, probably my favourite from Anderson, one of the strangest book adaptations I have seen but it really is brilliant in it's unique style. Recently got a cheap copy of it on blu-ray too which means I'll watch it again soon as I've been meaning to :) Great reviews :up:

[Cobpyth]

Thanks, Daniel!

Reviews of the day:

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Let's begin with the most important factor that made this movie worthwhile: "cinematography!" The camera work is so well controlled and the visuals are so perfectly orchestrated, that I can't believe how this film didn't get more credit for its cinematography at the more important award contests (it got some more recognition at smaller film festivals and award ceremonies, though). But we shouldn't really worry about that anymore, because I tell you know that this movie has some of the best technique of movie photography of last year!

Besides the fact that the movie is great eye candy, it also has a very original script with some very funny scenes and of course an all star cast to portray some of the quirky characters, with big names like Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel and Jason Schwartzman. The two main roles, however, are played by first-timers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. In my opinion they did a pretty good job.

The film shows us the story of two lonely 12 year old children. One of them is a boy, who lost his parents and lived in an orphanage for quite some time and the other one is a girl, who lives on an island with her parents and her three younger brothers, but feels disconnected with her family.
After a wonderfully shot introduction to the girl character and her family, with some classical music on the background, we see a scout camp, where the scout leader notices that a boy is missing. Once the aid of the local policeman is consulted, they start a search party to find him.
The boy did not escape without a reason, though. He actually already met the girl character a year earlier and since then, they started to write to eachother and fell in love. They planned to meet and run away with eachother to a better place for both of them.
To see how this adventure/love story works out, you'll have to see the movie, of course.

It was a fun ride and the film had a lot of elements from a typical Wes Anderson movie. It was poetic, quirky, comical, visually stunning and a lot of his trademarks were used. After this first viewing, I rate this movie:

4-

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[seanc]

Loved Moonrise and I am not a Wes Anderson fan. In fact liked it so much I want to revisit some of his older stuff to see if my tastes have changed.

[Cobpyth]

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

You know you're getting something special when watching a Lars Von Trier film and Dancer in the Dark was no exception! It's always a big advantage for a director, in my opinion, when he can deliver something totally different than others in the business. Lars Von Trier is certainly one of those directors for me. This was the third film of his that I watched. Previously I've already seen Melancholia and Antichrist and I liked them both a lot.

Dancer in the Dark is certainly no ordinary musical. In the beginning of the film, the story gets built and the characters are being developed. The first real song only comes in after a substantial amount of time. The film and in particular the main character, the east European Selma (magnificently played by Bjork), uses music as an escape from the real world and the real tragedy that's going on in her life. She lives in a trailer with her son on the property of an american, seemingly rich couple and she also suffers from a genetic disorder that's making her more and more blind, which she tries to hide from the world, because she would lose her job at the factory and she wouldn't be able to do the things that she likes. The disorder runs in her family and because she doesn't want her son to become blind, she saves money for an operation. This is also the reason why she moved to America in the first place.
To escape from her hard life, she fantasizes about life being as a musical. In her spare time, she's also rehearsing for the part of Maria in a stage version of the Sound of Music.
When one evening, her landlord stops by at her trailer and tells her that he actually lost all of his money and that he has financial problems, but that he's to proud to tell his wife, because he's afraid she might leave him, Selma wants to comfort him by sharing her own problems and secrets and telling him about her approaching blindness and the operation for her son.
She underestimated the greed of humanity, though, and soon her naivety starts to have consequences...

The movie had a very clever script with a very original concept. Lars Von Trier knows perfectly how to mislead his own characters in a believable way, while the audience can only stand and watch at the tragedy that's developing on the screen. The music was also very beautiful and the fantastical musical scenes were absolutely gorgeous. The general atmosphere of the story, however, was very dark and intense. I rate this movie:

4.5+

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

This film is pretty acclaimed on this forum, so I decided to give it a watch yesterday.

First of all it has quite an original premise. It's about an introvert man, Lars (played by Ryan Gosling, who delivers a very decent performance), who lives in the garage trailer from the house where his brother and his sister in law are living. It was the former house of their parents. Lars likes to be alone and to do his own things, but his pregnant sister in law often tries to push him into having breakfast or dinner in the house with the family.
When someone at work tells him about a certain kind of sex dolls, he firstly seems not interested, because he didn't need such thing, but the film makes a time jump of six weeks and we then see that he purchased one, called Bianca. The strange thing is that he treats the doll like a real person (he doesn't have sex with her throughout the whole movie, by the way) when he's alone as well when he's in public. At first the people react a little strange to it, but after some time they start to play along and Bianca really gets integrated into the society, although she's only a figment of Lars' mind. While everyone is pretending, a female psychologist tries to analyze why Lars is having this "delusion" and what it precisely means.

The film worked to some degree for me in the sense that it was sweet, sometimes funny and had some great acting in it. I didn't always really feel the drama they were trying to add to the film, though. There were some moments, like the hand scene, where it worked, but some things were that absurd that the character of Lars and his 'depth' suffered from it, in my opinion. The love story with the colleague was another part of the plot which I couldn't always identify with. I have to say, though, that when I turn off my personal tastes, the film seems very balanced in almost every single aspect. I rate this movie:

3(+)

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[Cobpyth]

Small Time Crooks (2000)

This is the seventeenth Woody Allen film I watched. It is an enjoyable film with a very nice script, as usual, but it's not one of his 'greats'.

It tells the original story about a failed crook, Ray, (Woody Allen) and his wife, Frenchy. Ray has a couple of friends and together they want to rob a bank by renting a former pizza place so they can dig a tunnel from there to the bank's strongroom. They let Frenchy open a cookie store as a cover business, but soon her store begins to have a lot of succes. When the gang gets caught, while they wrongly surfaced from their tunnel into a clothing store, they assure the agent that they will only focus on the cookie store and that he can have a share in the profit. They start a cookie franchise and one year later all people involved are filthy rich!
Wealth doesn't seem to please Ray much, though, because his wife wants to become a real socialite and 'hires' an art salesman, David, (Hugh Grant) as her teacher for 'high culture'. David is actually very happy that he can spend time with Frenchy, because he sees in her a way to get very rich...

This story is told in a very comical manner with a mix of slapstick moments and some more dialogue based scenes. I actually really enjoyed it, although it didn't have the depth or greatness of some of Allen's other work. I rate this movie:

3.5

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Sweet Smell of Succes (1957)

This movie is stunningly good! It's a very dark film noir with some of the best dialogue I've ever seen on film and a filthy, juicy story about a monstrous man, who is obsessed with power over everything that is within his range and the man who helps him like a dog, while despising him at the same time.

Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is a press agent, who earns money by taking accounts and let them appear in columns for publicity reasons. The most famous and respected, yet also the most notorious column writer is J. J. Hunsecker (magnificently played by Burt Lancaster). When Hunsecker asks Falco to do him a favor and to break up the relationship between his sister, Susan Hunsecker, and a jazz guitar player, Steve Dallas, and Falco seems to fail, J. J. freezes Falco out of his column. Because of this, Falco starts losing the trust of his clients and he understands that he has to fulfill Hunsecker's will, if he wants to accomplish his ambition to become a real big shot himself one day.
To reach his goal, Falco has to lay aside all of his moralities and use prostitution, blackmailing, bribery and many other scams. Meanwhile he is held on a leash by Hunsecker, who is obsessed with control and power and absolutely wants to keep his sister, "the only one he has in this world", for himself at all costs...

One of the most remarkable things about this movie is that it keeps its dirty, dark tone during the whole movie and never shies away from it. The story even has some underlying themes like incestuous feelings that make the film even more black and unclean.
Another thing I really liked about the movie, were the various stylish locations. The way the film shows the city, the night clubs and the rooms, contributes to the obscure atmosphere and gave it all a wonderful visual dimension. Also an important factor in terms of atmosphere, was the ominous jazzy score.

The movie is mostly known for its extremely sharp dialogue. It's absolutely brilliant! Here are some examples:

Susan Hunsecker: "Who could love a man who makes you jump through burning hoops like a trained poodle?"

J.J. Hunsecker: "You're dead, son. Get yourself buried."

Sidney Falco: "If I'm gonna go out on a limb for you, you gotta know what's involved!"
J.J. Hunsecker: "My right hand hasn't seen my left hand in thirty years."

J.J. Hunsecker: "I'd hate to take a bite outta you. You're a cookie full of arsenic."

Otis Elwell: "I can't think of a good reason why I should print anything you give me. I can't even think of a *bad* reason."
Sidney Falco: [eyeing a pin-up] "Suppose I introduce you to a... a lovely reason... who's both good *and* bad... and available?"
Otis Elwell: [pauses] "I'm not an unreasonable man."

J.J. Hunsecker: "Sidney, this syrup you're giving out with... you pour over waffles, not J.J. Hunsecker."

I rate this movie:

5

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

The Searchers (1956)

This is a great western movie.
The story has some very subtle touches and famously contains many layers. Especially the background of John Wayne's character, Ethan, and the hidden love affair with his sister in law have been the cause of many speculations, during the years.
It's not only the script and the subtle storylines that make this film so good, though. The locations and some of the scenes are visually fantastic! My favorite visual aspects of the movie are the doors at the beginning and the ending that show us Ethan's lack of a real home, the talk behind the snowy tree and of course Debbie running down the hill behind Martin's back. Seriously classic stuff!

This western starts with the return of Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) to his brother's family house after a long trip. What he exactly did when he was away isn't completely clear. He fought in the civil war and after that he roamed around for another three years, but he never goes into detail about that time.
During his stay, we see a certain 'thing' going on between Ethan and his brother's wife. They glance at eachother, he kisses her tenderly on the forehead and she gently caresses his clothes. It's all in the background, but it's very clear that there is a history of forbidden love there.
Then Captain Clayton visits the ranch to ask for some help to find some cows back, who are probably stolen by Indians. When they find a dead cow in the middle of a valley, they know they've been deceived by the Indians.
While most of the men are gone, the indians burn down Aaron Edwards' farm and house, kill him, his wife and his son and kidnap his daughters. When the men come back and Ethan sees Martha (his broter's wife)'s burned body, he decides to search his nieces and to avenge his loved ones.
After some disappointments, the discovery of Lucy (Ethan's oldest niece)'s death and the murder of Lucy's boyfriend, only Ethan and Martin (a kind of adoption son of Aaron and Martha, who was found as a baby by Ethan) remain.
When they finally find Debbie, the youngest niece, after 5 years of traveling, she seems to be integrated in a deadly Indian tribe, under the leadership of a certain Scar. When Ethan sees this, he goes mad and wants to kill her. His intentions seem to change...
There are also several subplots for comic relief, like the romance between Martin and a neigbor girl. This compensates some of the darker themes of the movie.

This film has already been hailed as one of the best films of all time and although that may be a little bit too much praise, in my opinion, it certainly is a 'must see'! Even if the movie has a very deeply rooted story, it's also just a very fun watch and it offers a great load of escapism. I rate this movie:

4.5

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[seanc]

Searchers is one I definitely need to catch up with. I love westerns but have never been a big John Wayne fan. I know this is one of those must see for movie lovers though.

[Skepsis93]

Great to see another fan of Sweet Smell of Success. :up:

[Cobpyth]

Great to see another fan of Sweet Smell of Success. :up:

It was already on my watchlist for a very long time, but seeing it on your list was the final push I needed to actually give it a shot, so thank you for that.

[honeykid]

I don't care for The Searchers. I don't like Westerns and I don't like John Wayne. That said, it looks beautiful, which is strange for a Western.

[Cobpyth]

I don't care for The Searchers. I don't like Westerns and I don't like John Wayne. That said, it looks beautiful, which is strange for a Western.

What about spaghetti westerns?

[Daniel M]

The Searchers is a brilliant film that I don't see get much praise around here, I absolutely love it. One of my favourite Westerns, but also one of my favourites overall, I think some people don't truelly understand the full beauty of the film upon a first viewing and think it needs to be viewed a couple of times to fully understand the layers and themes displayed. John Wayne's character is one of the best troubled individuals displayed on screen, filled with racism that drives the main plot, the last scenes in particularly are fantastic and a great reflection of his character and the journey he has undergone throughout the film.

The only bit I don't like is the stupid 'comic relief' scenes, as you describe them. Although like you also mentioned I understood they were included to give a finer balance to viewers who may have found some of the other scenes more disturbing, so I don't let these scenes bother me too much.

:up:

[honeykid]

What about spaghetti westerns?
Do you mean do I like them or do I think they look beautiful? Doesn't really matter because the answer is "no" to both. :D

[jiraffejustin]

Do you mean do I like them or do I think they look beautiful? Doesn't really matter because the answer is "no" to both. :D

You should see The Great Silence. It really is beautiful. The snowy scenery is a thing to behold.

[Guaporense]

What about spaghetti westerns?

Now, those are the real deal.

I generally find the John Ford style westerns boring, it was Akira Kurosawa who developed the western into a satisfactory style of film, with his samurai movies. Later on Sergio Leone remade these movies into proper westerns and there came the good stuff:

Classic westerns:

The Searchers 3
Rio Bravo 2_5

Spaghetti westerns:

Once Upon a Time in the West 4_5
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly 5 +

[Guaporense]

The Searchers is a brilliant film that I don't see get much praise around here, I absolutely love it. One of my favourite Westerns, but also one of my favourites overall, I think some people don't truelly understand the full beauty of the film upon a first viewing and think it needs to be viewed a couple of times to fully understand the layers and themes displayed.

That applies to many films. To give a definitive judgment of many films one needs to watch it several times. That's one of the reasons why it is impossible for a film buff to have a satisfactory level of knowledge of the vast world of film.

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Mean Streets (1973)

Martin Scorsese is one of my favorite directors, but there are still some of his films that I didn't watch. His first real classic, Mean Streets, is the eleventh movie I saw from this cinematic mastermind.

The film is mainly a rough tale about low life Italian gangsters and the new York neighborhood they live in. It centers around the character Charlie (played by Harvey Keitel) and his issues with guilt and the choice between his friends and his rich uncle.
In the first scene we see him praying in church, asking for redemption, but he can't find it there. You only find it on the streets... From then on we see Charlie often looking for punishment in the form of fire, which symbolizes hell.
Charlie's best friend, Johnny Boy (awesomely portrayed by De Niro) is a self destructive troublemaker with a lot of debts who doesn't seem to care about anything. His life becomes more complicated when his amount of creditors rise and when one of them becomes very impatient.
Meanwhile Charlie is asked by his uncle to not get involved with Johnny and his niece, Teresa (his epileptic secret girlfriend), because he is bad influence and because "honorable men go with honorable men".
Although he initially tries to follow the advice of his uncle, he ends up helping Johnny and undergo the consequences.

This gangster story is told in a "typically Scorsese" stylish and rock'n roll way with a great soundtrack and some very cool scenes. My favorite one was the famous pool fight scene. That was a scene full of adrenalin and testosteron, filmed in a continuous 'hand camera' way. AWESOME stuff!
I rate this movie a very well deserved:

4

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

The Hustler (1961)

This movie was on my watchlist for a very long time and I finally saw it yesterday night. It didn't disappoint! Paul Newman was fantastic as Fast Eddie Felson and the side characters were also unbelievably interesting. There is George C. Scott as the frightening top gambler Bert Gordon, Jackie Gleason as the cool pool player Minnesota Fats and Piper Laurie as the alcoholic and self-destructive love interest. Together they create firework on the screen!

Fat Eddie is a very talented pool player and a hustler. Together with his partner, Findley, they go to pool bars and try to win a lot of money by tricking people into betting high against Eddie.
When he hears about Minnesota Fats, the best pool player in the country, he wants to beat him and challenges him in his own bar. After some time he has a profit of 18000 dollars, but his pride and his "lack of character" makes him lose everything at the end of the 30 hours game. After this experience he flees away from his partner and meets a girl, named Sarah. She's clearly an alcoholic, but he doesn't mind and moves in with her. When his old partner finds him, he rejects his offer to go back on the road, but he starts to become obsessed with the thought of beating Minnesota Fats.
After he meets Bert Gordon, who tells Eddie he's a born loser, and rejects his offer to work for him, he gets into trouble in another obscure pool bar, after hustling a guy, and he ends up with broken thumbs.
He starts to grow much closer to Sarah during his rehabilitation and when he's cured, he accepts Gordon's offer to go on the road with him and win money. From that moment on, the darkest themes of the film begin to surface...

This dark story about the underworld of pool and street gambling is shown with some beautiful black and white cinematography and is accompanied by an alarming jazz tune.
This movie is more than just a story about pool. It's a character study of a neurotic man and the dark mess he's getting himself into. It also takes the time to develop the most important side characters, so we can also see everything from their point of view. I rate this movie:

4.5+

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[Daniel M]

Mean Streets is great and I would give it a similar rating, and then The Hustler is a film that I want to see and think I would really like, Paul Newman is a great actor and I enjoy most of his films.

[The Rodent]

The Hustler is a fantastic film, and yes, Newman is great, especially when up against Jackie Gleason. Near made my Top 100.

Not keen on the follow up The Colour Of Money though.

[Cobpyth]

Daniel, If you like Paul Newman, you really should give it a try. It's one of his best performances!

The Color of Money (1986)

25 years after The Hustler, Paul Newman entrusted Martin Scorsese with the assignment of directing a kind of 'sequel' to The Hustler. Although, it's not really a sequel, because it doesn't really build further on the storyline of the original film. It only uses the character of Fat Eddie and a very minor black character again. It is, however, a MUST, in my opinion, to watch The Hustler first, because it gives the character of Fat Eddie way more depth and makes you understand his actions much better.

The film was not as intense and deep as The Hustler, but it certainly had its own qualities. For instance, the cinematography and the directing were AWESOME (what else did you expect from Scorsese?) and some of the scenes really were sweeter than sweets. The film also had a cool rock'n roll vibe!

The film features Paul Newman again as Fast Eddie and Tom Cruise as Vincent Lauria, a very talented and young pool player, that Eddie discovers in one of the bars where he's selling booze.
He takes Vincent and his girlfriend on the road to hustle people and Eddie recognizes himself in Vincent sometimes and tries to avoid that Vincent makes the same mistakes as he did.
Because of his love for the game and because he never had the chance to really become someone very important (you have to see the Hustler to understand that dimension) in the world of pool, although he had the talent, his hunger for succes starts to take over and after he's beaten by another hustler, he decides to get back in the game!
He leaves Vincent and his girlfriend alone, telling them he can't learn them anything else, and he starts hustling himself again. When he goes to a big pool tournament in Atlantic City, after he perfected his skills again, he once again meets his former pupil, who is now a full-blown hustler himself.

I enjoyed this movie a lot and it had some really interesting scenes both visually and dialogue wise.
My favorite visual scene was probably the mirror ball scene in the end and my favorite dialogue scene was when Paul Newman told Vincent's girlfriend to stop flirting with him, because they are partners. While thinking about the movie, I keep raking up great moments. I enjoyed it a lot! My rating for this movie:

4 (-)

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[Cobpyth]

Not keen on the follow up The Colour Of Money though.

It's a much lighter movie than The Hustler and the story is indeed not as good and intense, but I couldn't hold myself from enjoying its exuberance and its coolness.

[seanc]

Hustler and Color Of Money are both great films. I actually find myself enjoying Color Of Money a bit more and I think it is because of Newman and Cruise's banter. There interaction is great and there really isn't a relationship that compares to that in the Hustler in my opinion. I also love the scene with Newman and Whitaker, one of my favorite and most memorable scenes in any film

[Cobpyth]

That's indeed a great scene!

Reviews of the day:

Porco Rosso (1992)

It's my fourth Miyazaki movie and I was once again pleased very much!
The main characters, Porco, is one of the most interesting I've ever seen in an animated picture and the young female character, Fio, is certainly one of the most likable!

It's an original story that takes place in the 20s/30s about an extremely cool, chain smoking, (literally) pig-headed fighter pilot, who lives on a deserted island and earns his money as a bounty hunter by hunting air pirats. He seems to be a former human pilot in the Italian army, but he became a pig when he left his army friends alone in a deadly air battle, with Porco as the only survivor. His traumatizing past and his feelings of guilt made him a pure cynic (his style makes me think of Rick Blain in Casablanca). His piggish appearance is in my opinion a metaphor for his self image.
Despite the fact that the Italian army wants to arrest him for desertion, he goes to Milan when his plane seems broken and when it's shot to pieces by an American rival pilot during the trip.
There he meets a young girl, named Fio, who is a plane engineer. At first he doesn't want her to repair his plane because she's just a girl, but later he starts to acknowledge her qualities.
When he returns from Italy with Fio, he gets into trouble when the air pirats decide to take revenge for every time he defeated them...

Besides the characters, I was also a big fan of the visuals and the imaginative locations. For example the Hotel Adriano in the middle of the sea and the deserted home island from Porco were truly fantastic.
The film was great and I enjoyed it a lot. The only remark I have, is that it's a little too short. The characters and the story have so much potential that the film could go on for another half hour without getting boring.
I rate this movie:

4+

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[fuze931]

This actually sounds like a good movie for me to check out to get into this genre. Great write-up! Love the medley of pictures you use in your posts.

[Cobpyth]

Thanks for the nice words, fuze!

Eraserhead (1977)

Lynch's infamous surrealistic film about a strange man with a strange haircut in a dark, industrialized world is most certainly one of the oddest movies ever made.

The extremely simplified plot:

When Henry visits his girlfriend, Mary, and his parents-in-law, they tell him that Mary was pregnant and had a premature baby and that they have to marry.
After they married, Mary has a breakdown because of the (deformed) baby and leaves Henry alone with "it"...

There are a lot of interpretations of this film. Nobody really knows for sure what David Lynch actually meant with characters like "the man in the planet" or the "lady in the radiator". Lynch himself describes the movie as a "dream of dark and troubling things".
I personally see it as a nightmarish tale with a lot of atmosphere and some unbelievably beautiful scenes! When placing myself inside Lynch's dark dreamworld, I experienced the man inside the planet as a kind of higher force who's pulling the strings and the lady in the radiator as the bright spot in this darkness.
Although I can't explain everything that happens in it, I got carried away by the film's wonderful black and white cinematography and its odd world and characters. I liked it and I will watch this again for sure!
I don't really like to give a rating to this one, but I'll try anyway. At this very moment, I rate this film:

4

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

True Romance (1993)

This film is FUN! The dialogue was sometimes just plain awesome and because of that some scenes were pure cinematic firework. I'm talking about three scenes in particular. The fight between Drexl and Clarence, the scene between Hopper's character and Walker's and ofcourse the fight between Gandolfini's character and Alabama.
The cast of this movie is also amazing. It has big stars like Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Samuel L. Jackson (very shortly), Christopher Walken, James Gandolfini, Dennis Hopper and Chris Penn in supporting roles. Every actor did a great performance and the film stayed very good popcorn cinema untill the very ending!

It tells the story about Clarence, a guy who works in a comic store and is a big admirer of Elvis! Sometimes when he's alone, he hears him talking to him and giving him advice. On his birthday, he goes watching three kung fu movies in a row and bumps into Alabama, a call girl who's hired by his boss as a present for Clarence, but he isn't aware of that in the beginning. They have a great night untill she tells him the truth after they made love. She starts to cry and confesses her love for him. Clarence loves the girl too, because of the many similarities between them and they decide to marry eachother.
Clarence can't live with the thought of Alabama still being the possesion of a pimp, named Drexl and he decides to kill him. After a big fight he finally succeeds and runs away with the suitcase that should contain Alabama's clothes. When he arrives at home, they discover that the suitcase is actually filled with a lot of coke. They decide to go on a trip to L.A. to sell it, so they can fly away to a happy life together without any financial worries.
While being hunted by the Sicilian mob, they start their dangerous journey to happiness...

I think Tony Scott did a really good job with turning the script into a movie and although his directing style is not as refined as Tarantino's, it fitted the story very well! It may not be the smartest movie I've ever seen, but it certainly was an entertaining piece of filmmaking, so I rate this movie:

4(-)

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[honeykid]

I think Tony Scott did a really good job with turning the script into a movie and although his directing style is not as refined as Tarantino's, it fitted the story very well!
It's not as refined? Do you mean "stylized"? Because I'd agree with that, but if you mean refined, then I don't understand what you're getting at. :)

Also, the majority of those actors weren't big stars (hell, most weren't even stars) when this was made.

[Cobpyth]

It's not as refined? Do you mean "stylized"? Because I'd agree with that, but if you mean refined, then I don't understand what you're getting at. :)

Also, the majority of those actors weren't big stars (hell, most weren't even stars) when this was made.

Yes, I probably mean "stylized". I'm not a native English speaker, so I don't really get the nuances in these sort of things, but I think you got it right here.

And I know that most of them weren't (big) stars back then, although Christopher Walken already won an oscar and Dennis Hopper was already pretty famous, but that's irrelevant in the present, isn't it? What counts is that right now, some of them are amongst the most respected stars of the business and it's great fun to see them perform some small roles in this movie with their already existing talent.

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

I am a huge Woody Allen fan and this is again a classic Allen movie with a lot of heart. Next to the brilliant comic lines and the inventive plot, there are some deeper emotions which the main characters have to struggle through, during the run of the story. It's this great mix between drama and comedy that makes Allen one of the very best filmmakers ever, in my opinion.

In this frame story, we have a bunch of comedians sitting at a table, telling eachother stories about a legendary talent manager named Danny Rose (played by Woody Allen himself). After some short, extremely funny stories, one of the comedians claims to know the most striking story about him and he starts telling the main story.
Danny Rose is working with a has-been crooner, Lou, who's having an affair with a blonde Italian girl, named Tina Vitale (played by Mia Farrow). When at a certain moment, Danny has settled a very important night at the Waldorf's for Nick, the singer wants his girlfriend to be there, so he can meet with her after his wife has left. He asks Danny to be his "beard" during the presence of his wife.
After some discussion, Danny agrees to do it and drives to the girl's house to pick her up, but he's way too early as usual. When he arrives, Tina is having a mental break down and she doesn't want to go with him, because a friend of her saw Nick with another "stupid blonde". Instead she flees away to an Italian family house. Danny follows her and when he arrives, a romantic admirer of Tina thinks Danny is Tina's boyfriend and he asks his two violent brothers to avenge him.
Together, Danny and Tina try to escape from the two brothers and get in a wild adventure together.

The hilarious dialogue gives the film a lighter mood, but during some more serious, yet still funny, conversations between Tina and Danny, the two main characters really start to open up to eachother (and to the viewer) and talk about their visions of life, the feeling of guilt and the fact that all of Danny's succesful former clients have left him for the faster and bigger money. What Danny doesn't know is that Tina told Lou, the singer, that he should get a better manager and that they actually spoke with a more influential manager a few days earlier (before Tina knew Danny). This gives the movie another very interesting dimension.

At the end, we see Tina finally getting to know the feeling of guilt and Danny having a Thanksgiving party with his other outcast clients and friends, who stayed loyal to him. You have to see the movie to see it all come together and of course for the many spectacularly comical, yet moving scenes.
I rate this movie:

4+

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Rango (2011)

I saw Daniel M recommending this animated feature in a lot of his posts, so I decided to watch it this afternoon.

I was EXTREMELY entertained during the whole movie. This film is a gorgeous animated tribute (and spoof) to the Spaghetti Western genre and more specifically to Leone's western movies.
The other thing I really liked about it was the fact that it followed a plot line from one of my favorite movies of all time, Chinatown.

The film tells the story of a lonely chameleon who is 'accidentally' dropped on a road in the middle of the desert. He meets Roadkill, who tells him to follow his own shadow to find water.
After a long walk with some obstacles along the way, he meets a girl lizard, named Beans, who brings him to a typical western town. In a saloon, he tries to impress the residents of the town, by stating that he is Rango, a fearless cowboy, and making up stories about his supposed heroics. The town believes him and when he kills a hawk with luck, they worship him even more and the evil mayor of the town, who is modelled after Chinatown's Noah Cross, makes him the town sherrif, to give the inhabitants a false feeling of security.
The town has one big problem. Their water resources are shrinking and nobody knows why. When the bank is actually robbed and the town becomes officially waterless, Rango teams up with some of the bravest villagers and starts a search for water. During this quest, he comes across an army of underground animals, corrupt politics, one of the coolest villains in recent animation fillm memory, named Rattlesnake Jake, the spirit of the West and... Himself.

The story is great, the animation is stunning, the characters are colorful, the music is perfectly fitting and sometimes pleasantly unexpected, the humor is good and there are plenty of fun references for movie lovers! What's not to like? This movie is one of the best American animated films I've seen in a long time. I rate this film:

4+

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[Daniel M]

Great to see you watched Rango and even more that you enjoyed it so much! You know I share similar film taste to you so I loved the Chinatown plot line combined with tons of references/homage paid to Westerns, in particular Leone. Every viewing I notice more and more references, like recently Easy Rider (the helmet) and Mad Max 2 with the tank of water, if you're interested check out my review (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=861364)here where I decided to write loads about just why I love it.

In terms of visuals, I honestly think that this is the most perfect animation I have seen. The quality is superb, every last detail is included - especially with the animals, the pictures you've included show this, and it perfectly captures the gritty Spaghetti Western feel.

[Cobpyth]

Nice review! I read a whole list of all the references just after I watched it and although I noticed most of them, there were some real deep ones.

I agree about the visual quality of the 3D animations. It's amazingly well done.

[Cobpyth]

Moonstruck (1987)

I was in the mood for something rather comical and romantic and this was,(apparently) exactly the movie I needed! The film was charming, had great (comic) characters, driven by some very good performances, and also had a lovely script which held a perfect balance between drama and comedy.

The main character of this film is Loretta Castorini (perfectly played by Cher, who won the oscar with this performance), a 37 year old widow. At the beginning of the movie, she agrees to marry a rather boring, but friendly bachelor, named Johnny. She doesn't love him, but she doesn't believe that's necessary for a healthy marriage, just like her mother (played by the very memorable, oscar winning Olympia Dukakis).
Johnny's mother is dying and just before he gets on the plane to Sicily, he asks Loretta to contact his brother and ask him to come to the wedding, because he wants to end the 5 year long 'feud' they are having.
She goes to visit the brother, named Ronny (Nicolas Cage), and he seems to have lost a big part of his hand while slicing bread, because Johnny was distracting him. Because of that, the girl he loved left him for another man and he never forgave his brother (although it wasn't actually his fault).
Loretta is attracted by Ronny's traumatized and neurotic personality and she ends up making love to him and falling in love with him.
While Loretta is doing all these 'wrong' things, the other characters also have their own things going on. Loretta's father, for instance, is having an affair and her mother has a strong suspicion. She tries to find out why her husband is cheating on her by asking a womanizing college professor, who she randomly meets at a restaurant, "why men are chasing woman?"
All these exciting events come together in a climactic kitchen scene where all characters end up in the same room.

Everything in this movie feeled authentical and real. There was plenty of comedy, but it was so perfectly weaved into the story, that it never seemed jumped-up. That golden combination of comedy and drama is something that's very rarely found in today's romantic comedies, but a beautiful modern example of this magical duo is of course last year's Silver Linings Playbook.
I rate Moonstruck:

4

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[Cobpyth]

Gangs of New York (2002)

First of all This film deserves a lot of credit for its wonderful sets, costumes and cinematography. It was really a joy for the eye. Besides that, we have some good performances, with most notably Daniel Day-Lewis in the role of Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting.

The story itself begins as a classic revenge tale. The father of Amsterdam Vallon (performed by a good DiCaprio), 'Priest' Vallon (Liam Neeson), is killed by Bill 'The Butcher' during a battle between the Irish gangs and the "native" americans. 15 years later, we see Amsterdam leaving the reformatory as an adult, out for revenge. This all takes place during the time of the Civil War.
Amsterdam integrates himself into the gangs and starts to win Bill's trust by serving him well and he slowly becomes his intimate. Bill is at this time one of the mightiest gang leaders in New York. He owns practically the whole neighborhood of the Five Points and the whole mob shares loot with him.
Meanwhile Amsterdam starts to fall in love with one of Bill's former girls, Jenny (Cameron Diaz). The problem is that Amsterdam's associate, Johnny, who knows Amsterdam's secret, is also in love with her. Out of pure jealousy Johnny snitches on Amsterdam and tells Bill that "his name is Vallon".

Up to that point, the film was extremely captivating to me and I was very interested in what would happen to the characters. But after Bill punished Amsterdam, the film starts to drag a little, in my opinion, and becomes less stronger. The quality of the visuals stay and it's still worth watching, but it seemed to me that the heart of the story was gone. We still get some nice riot scenes and the so called message of the movie, but the faith of the characters suddenly becomes of less importance, which is a shame!

It was still a very enjoyable movie and I certainly didn't regret watching it! Some scenes and sets in this movie were actually some of the best I've ever seen of this milennium! So there's plenty of eye candy to make up for the sometimes weaker plot. It's also a very good period piece and Martin Scorsese once again showed me, that he's worthy of being called the best director alive by many movie buffs. I rate this movie:

4

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

This is a GREAT film adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize winning play. Obviously the movie is script- and character focused, but I actually also liked the atmosphere they were creating with the visuals, especially during the rainy night scenes. They gave this movie a kind of neo-noir feeling, which I absolutely adored!

It's a story about salesmen who are under pressure to close their leads. For some of them it means they won't be fired if they do and for the winner, Ricky Roma (exceptionally well played by Al Pacino), it means that he will get a bonus in the form of a Cadillac. Each in their own way, they try to deal with this pressure.
One of the guys, Dave Moss (Ed Harris), has enough of being humiliated by his bosses and plans to rob the best leads of his own company to sell him to another starting company (from a friend he knows) for some money and a new, more independent job. He knows he will be suspect, so he asks one of his co-workers, George Aaronow (Alan Arkin), to do it for him for 2500 dollars.
That same night, one of the older salesmen, Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), who is very close to being fired and really needs money for his sick daughter at the hospital, is having a lot of trouble with his two old leads, who are almost impossible to close.
The next morning the office is indeed robbed and the police is trying to find the perpetrator, while every other person in the office is dealing with their own particular problems...

Next to the actors I mentioned in the brief summary, there are also very good performances by Kevin Spacey as the office leader and Alec Baldwin as Blake, the young succesful boss who gives a tremendously harsh speech at the beginning of the movie.
The dialogue was razor sharp, the atmosphere was fantastically dark and the performances were awesome. I also liked the sometimes sudden turning movements of the camera towards faces during conversations. That's just a piece of awesome direction.
I rate this movie:

4+

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[CelluloidChild]

David Mamet is one of the masters of hard-nosed dialogue.

[Cobpyth]

Wild at Heart (1990)

This is another odd, yet gorgeous, stylized 'wild' movie by David Lynch, which won the Palm D'Or at the Cannes festival in 1990.

I was entertained during the wole mesmerizing, weird looking story about two lovers who are trying to flee away from the girl's evil mother. I'll let you discover the whole plotline by yourself, because it's pretty hard to describe all of it in words. It's really something you have to see. This film certainly is above all a visual experience, with lots of beautiful colors and picturesque images.

The film can be seen as a kind of dark, freaky tribute to The Wizar of Oz and Elvis. Both phenomenons are continuously referenced and used in the dialogue. It's really wonderfully done!

Another big advantage of this movie were the great performances of the actors! Nicolas Cage was very solid as the wild, but romantic Sailor Ripley; Laura Dern was FANTASTIC as the sexy, daring and yet very sweet Lula Fortune; Diane Ladd was really good as the creepy Marietta Fortune; and Willem Dafoe completely nailed his role as the freaky Bobby Peru.

I recommend this film to all movie fans, who're not afraid of unusual pictures and who'd like to witness an obscure, dreamlike love story with colorful, odd and sometimes shocking scenes and characters. I really adored the atmosphere of this movie, so I rate it:

4.5(-)

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[Daniel M]

Glad you liked Wild at Heart, it's great fun. The Wizard of Oz is one of David Lynch's favourite films and it's great to see how he manages to fit so many links to the story with constant references from that characters :D

[Cobpyth]

Indeed!

One of my favorite parts of the movie was when Lula tapped the heels of her red shoes against eachother, trying to get away from all the mess. That moment really gave me goosebumbs.

It's remarkable how much Lynch is able to move me sometimes with these little, odd things.

[mark f]

It's funny if you're in the right mood (or wasted), but it's more bizarre than anything. But I'm resigned to the fact that Cannes and some others will lap up anything by Lynch, turds and all. Sorry. :)

[Cobpyth]

It's funny if you're in the right mood (or wasted), but it's more bizarre than anything. But I'm resigned to the fact that Cannes and some others will lap up anything by Lynch, turds and all. Sorry. :)

I personally think his films are very fresh and orginal and although they might be a little controversial and bizarre sometimes (I can't deny that), I enjoy them a lot. I've only seen four of his movies yet and I rate them as followed:

Eraserhead: 4
Blue Velvet: 4.5
Wild at Heart: 4.5(-)
Mulholland Drive: 4 (but it's been a long time since I've seen it, so it will probably be higher after a rewatch)

It is of course all a matter of taste. :)

[Daniel M]

It's funny if you're in the right mood (or wasted), but it's more bizarre than anything. But I'm resigned to the fact that Cannes and some others will lap up anything by Lynch, turds and all. Sorry. :)

Whilst you have a point, when Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was aired at Cannes it was absolutely hated and booed by audiences and critics, I think giving the award to Wild At Heart was more of a response to his two kind of cult classic instant films Eraserhead and Blue Velvet.

[Cobpyth]

Whilst you have a point, when Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was aired at Cannes it was absolutely hated and booed by audiences and critics, I think giving the award to Wild At Heart was more of a response to his two kind of cult classic instant films Eraserhead and Blue Velvet.

The public at Cannes is just plain rude. They boo way too much and really show no respect.

David Lynch was booed when Wild at Heart won the Palm D'Or, just like Tarantino for Pulp Fiction and many others.

[mark f]

I don't care if they're controversial or bizarre; I just like them better if they're not boring and juvenile, and thankfully, they all aren't. I'll shut up now since I've spoken my piece enough elsewhere.

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Batman Returns (1992)

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first Batman movie (mainly because of a lack of Jack Nicholson), but it still has its good moments and some very iconic characters and scenes.

In this Batman movie, there are 3 main villains. First of all, there is the mighty power plant owning Max Schreck (Christopher Walken), who plans to build a new factory so he can suck the energy of Gotham and become rich by selling it. The problem for him is, that the current mayor doesn't want to give him permission.
The second villain is Penguin (Danny DeVito), who is essentially a freak who was thrown away after his birth by his parents, because he looks very odd (especially his hands) and who grew up in the sewers of Gotham close to the penguins. By blackmailing Max Schreck, he is able to rise up from the sewers to the 'real world' where he wants to avenge his own unfortunate past.
The third and most interesting villain is the fabulous and iconic Catwoman (very well played by Michelle Pfeiffer). At the beginning of the movie, she is the brand new secretary of Schreck and while going through documents, she discovers his evil plans. When she confronts him, he pushes her out of the window and because of her fall, her shy personality turns into her new, dark, bold and sexy identity of Catwoman!
Batman/Bruce Wayne is again played by Michael Keaton and while fighting crime, he is pulled towards the mysterious and dual figure of Selina Kyle/Catwoman...

The direction by Tim Burton is again tiptop. Good examples are the opening scene and the introduction scene to the zoo, in which the viewer literally flies through the location.
Gotham city is again depicted as a dark, gothic and obscure city, just like the first one. The sets are again of great quality!
But after all, it stays a very simple popcorn flick, where too much brain usage is harmful for the enjoyment of the movie, because there are a lot of plot holes and because the characters are extremely flat. This is of course always the fact with comic book adaptations, so we can't blame this film in particular.

I still enjoyed the movie, so I rate this film:

3(+)

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[Cobpyth]

A Single Man (2009)

This is a very well crafted and extremely stylized movie about a homosexual British professor, named George, who has the feeling that his life is worthless after he lost his long term boyfriend in a car accident. The story takes place in the early 60s.
This film shows his supposed last day alive, because he's planning to commit suicide in the evening. We see him saying goodbye to life, while he's still struggling with his painful grief in the form of flashbacks.
As the day proceeds, we meet some other characters, such as one of George's gay students, who tries to connect with his English professor, because he feels that he's the only one that truly understands him.
Another character is Charley (played by the always magnificent Julianne Moore). She is George's seemingly depressed childhood girlfriend, who is divorced, and he decides to have dinner at her house as his 'last meal'.

My favorite things were first of all the acting (by Colin Firth and Julianne Moore) and second of all the visual perfection of some shots. The film is directed by (first time director) fashion designer Tom Ford, who really has an eye for detail and style and really shows it off here. I hope he will ever direct another film, because this one was a real pleasure to look at!

Sometimes, however, for me personally, it was a little bit difficult to connect with some particular scenes, because I personally never felt so much affection and love for someone, that I wouldn't want to live anymore if I lost him or her. I still was able to behold it from a certain distance and enjoy it, though.
I rate this movie:

4(-)

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Happy Gilmore (1996)

I'm having a hangover day again and I'm not really in the good mood for something of high quality (as I wouldn't be able to catch all of it), so I decided to watch a Sandler comedy.

It was nothing special and besides maybe a few small laughs, some minor good moments and a fairly good soundtrack, it's a film just like every other lame comedy.

The film is about an agressive guy, named Happy Gilmore, who wants to be a professional hockey player but lacks the skating skills. He has a very good shot, though, and when he accepts a random golf challenge, he finds out he has a lot of talent for the sport.
When his beloved grandmother is kicked out of her house, because she didn't pay taxes for ten years, and needs 275000 dollars before a certain deadline, Happy decides to earn the money by playing golf tournaments. In the world of golf he meets a hot reporter, a black former golf player who lost his hand to an alligator and the big golf champion, named Shooter McGavin (well played by Christopher McDonald), who is a bit of a cock...

If you're in the mood for something stupid or if you're a fan of Adam Sandler or maybe Ben Stiller (he has a small, but funny role), this is the movie for you! Otherwise, not so much. It is still enjoyable enough to not be complete ****, in my opinion.
My rating:

2.5

[mark f]

I'd give it the same rating, but it's funnier if you know who Bob Barker is.
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[The Gunslinger45]

Happy Gilmore is one of a few Sandler films I liked. I say 3 in my humble opinion. But lets face it he has made a s**t ton of crap.

[Cobpyth]

Happy Gilmore is one of a few Sandler films I liked. I say 3 in my humble opinion. But lets face it he has made a s**t ton of crap.

I have nothing against the guy, honestly. He makes innocent funny movies and I actually like some of them. He still didn't bore me in Happy Gilmore or something, but the film just has way too many flaws to be considered something more than a lame comedy for me.

@Mark: I knew he was a television presenter, but I guess it must indeed be pretty funny to see one of your country's famous quiz masters fight with Adam Sandler on the golf court.

[The Gunslinger45]

I have nothing against the guy, honestly. He makes innocent funny movies and I actually like some of them. He still didn't bore me in Happy Gilmore or something, but the film just has way too many flaws to be considered something more than a lame comedy for me.

@Mark: I knew he was a television presenter, but I guess it must indeed be pretty funny to see one of your country's famous quiz masters fight with Adam Sandler on the golf court.

Neither do I. In fact I am probably one of the few people who will say he enjoys a few of his movies. But some of his movies are indeed s**t. Then again even s**t I can enjoy.

The Waterboy was funny and IMO not s**t.

[Daniel M]

I can tolerate some of Sandler's comedies, they know what they are and never intend to be intelligent comedies.

The Waterboy however I thought was absolutely dreadful and annoying.

[The Gunslinger45]

I have not seen That's My Boy, but I avoided it solely because it looked horrible.

[honeykid]

The Waterboy however I thought was absolutely dreadful and annoying.
Yes, but there was one redeeming feature.

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Princess Mononoke (1997)

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This was my fifth Miyazaki film and it certainly is his most serious and violent picture so far. I liked it a lot! The greatest thing about it is obviously the created world full of tree spirits, gods, demons and visually stunning locations. Miyazaki's imagination truly knows no limits.

The movie starts with the introduction of the character of Ashitaka. He's the prince of a decaying village, which is attacked by a giant boar with a demonic curse on him. Ashitaka kills the boar and becomes infected with the curse.
Because of that, he has to leave the village and on his quest to find the tree spirit, who can cure him, he gets mixed up in a war between nature (the spirits and the gods) and humanity. In that war, there is a kind of wolf girl involved, named Princess Mononoke.
Both sides have evilness and both sides have goodness and Miyazaki creates a main character that doesn't really judge, but rather helps to solve the conflict, although he's constantly repressed by his curse.

The main question is of course: Is this Miyazaki's best movie so far for me?
The answer is "no". I personally thought Spirited Away's story and characters were more involving and I also was a bigger fan of its style. I also thought the climax in this movie was a little overexposed. Everything was growing towards it and when it finally came, I wasn't completely satisfied with the way it went. I may have to rewatch this movie again, though, to fully get what Miyazaki tried to do there.
I still liked it very much and it was a magical experience from a very high quality, so I rate this movie a well deserved:

4.5(-)

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day

RoboCop (1987)

This was a pretty enjoyable flick with some classic bloody action scenes and a quite dark atmosphere in a sci-fi version of Detroit. This film also deserves a thumbs up for its great special effects and more particularly for the convincingly real looking main character (certainly in the ending scenes where we can see his whole face).

The story starts with the introduction of a guy, named Alex Murphy. He has just been replaced to a new police division in Detroit where crime seems to rule. When he's on a mission with his partner, he gets killed by some mob guys, while his partner is able to escape.
Meanwhile in the higher offices of the city, there is a meeting of a sort of private security firm (who bought out the police of the city), named OCP. There is a demonstration of the ED-209, a machine who has to serve as a cop or a military weapon. The machine doesn't really seem to be working well, though, and one of the less important guys of the meeting takes his chance and asks the big boss to listen to one of his ideas, the RoboCop plan.
He basically uses a human body, in this case the body of Alex Murphy, revives it with the use of a computer program (with some basic rules the robot has to follow) and protects it with a nice armour, so he can function as a 'very hard to beat' cop.
The system isn't completely faultless, though, as it slowly seems that RoboCop still has some human aspects that define his behaviour strongly. He also starts to remember some small fragments of his former life and he tries to look for his own identity.

The film also is very satiric. It uses some fictional news reports and commercials to show the viewers the atmosphere of the future world and what precisely is going on.

Besides all these good things, the story still is pretty cliché and predictable, with the exception of one or two surprising moments and a few more graphical violent scenes that weren't completely ordinary and expected.

Luckily, there were some small things that made the story a little more interesting, such as some symbolic scenes where we can fantasize about the resemblance between some events in RoboCop and those in the bible (his hands also get pierced in a certain way, we see a shot of him walking on water and he literally turns water into red with his bloodshed). They aren't necessarily important, but these kind of small references are always fun!

I had a good time watching this flick, so I rate this movie:

3.5+

[Cobpyth]

Notorious (1946)

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Alfred Hitchcock entertains me yet again with an extremely good movie full of suspense and sophisticated directing skills. This film surely belongs in my top 10 best Hitchcock movies.
Besides Hitchcock's wonderful directing, we also have Ingrid Bergman, my favorite actrice of all time, Cary Grant and Claude Rains, playing some of the best characters out of their entire filmography.

The film starts in Miami, where Alicia's father has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, because of conspiracy with the nazi regime.
When she gives a home party, a drunk Alicia notices a party crasher, named Devlin. He seems to be a secret agent, who tries to convince her to work for the government as a double agent and a spy in Brazil, because the nazis would probably trust Alicia because of her father.
At first she doesn't want to, but she changes her mind and together with Devlin she flies to Rio, where they wait together untill they get their assignment. During that stay, they fall in love and start an erotic affair.
After spending some lovely time together, Alicia finally gets her assignment. She has to infiltrate into the family of a certain Alexander Sebastian. They chose Alicia, because Alexander used to have a big crush on her and they hope that she can get some inside information by seducing him.
She asks Devlin for advice, but he wants her to make her own choices and when she doesn't feel enough support from Devlin, she decides to do it.
Things really get complicated when Mr. Sebastian asks Alicia to marry him. When she also agrees with that (because of Devlin's cynicism), she slowly comes to know some very interesting information.
During a party at Alexander's house, Alicia and Devlin finally hit the jackpot when they discover uranium in the wine cellar, but they make some small and possibly fatal mistakes...

This film was of a very high quality and I was nailed to my seat during its whole running time. It's certainly a film I will revisit in the future and I immediately put it on the list of brilliant Hitchcock 'gems'!
I rate this movie:

5-

[CelluloidChild]

I fully agree. Notorious kicks butt in every respect.

[Cobpyth]

It certainly does. The more I think about it, the better it gets. It's a marvelous piece of filmmaking.

Reviews of the day:

The Producers (1968)

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This movie is outrageously funny! It has a hilarious script and the acting was superb! Gene Wilder stole the show with his odd excesses of hysteria and Zero Mostel was very convincing. I also liked the extremely sexy appearance of Lee Meredith.

The movie starts with the introduction of a theater producer, named Max Bialystock. He has no money, so he tries to earn it by 'prostituting' himself to older women.
When an accountant visits him, they get the idea to collect way too much money for a cheap play that will certainly flop, so they can run away with the rest of the money that they didn't invest.
Problems arise when their play, Springtime for Hitler, seems to become the biggest hit on Broadway and when they have to pay back all the so called owners of the play.
Another notable character was Franz Liebkind, the writer of the play, who is still a nazi at heart and wants to kill the two producers when he sees his original Hitler praising script is ruined by funny sketches.

I enjoyed the film a lot, but I don't really know if it is the big masterpiece some people say it is. The dialogue is undeniably well written, of course, but I don't know if this film offers enough to be called 'one of the best ever'. So for now, I'll give it:

4

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Carrie (1976)

This was a great thriller! Brian De Palma's way of directing is really fresh looking here with his regular use of nice camera movements and it completely fits this wonderful horror story by Stephen King.

The main character of this film is Carrie (perfectly played by Sissy Spacek). She's a timid 17-year-old schoolgirl who lives with her extremely religious and crazy mother. We get introduced to the character in a stunning scene where she has her first periods while showering in the girls changing room after gym class. Her mother never told her about periods, so she completely flips out and because of that all the girls start laughing and throw tampons and pads at her.
After that we get introduced to some other characters.
Sue is one of the girls that bullied Carrie and because she feels sorry for her, she asks her boyfriend to go with Carrie to the prom in stead of her, so she can also have some fun in her life.
Another one is the main bully girl, Chris, who hates Carrie, because she can't go to the prom because of her (indirectly). She decides to pull an extremely mean prank (together with her boyfriend, played by John Travolta) to pay Carrie back at prom night, but what she doesn't know is that Carrie has telekinesis and is not afraid to use it...

I loved the whole movie. There wasn't a single dull moment and De Palma really knows how to move his audience. I think the story is extremely well told, in the sense that it really plays with the emotions of the viewer. At one point you're extremely happy for Carrie, but at the same time we know everything that's being built up during the movie will become ruined later. It's one of the most brutal films I've ever seen because of that.
I had a great experience, so I rate this film:

4+

[The Gunslinger45]

As long as you enjoyed my nomination that is all that matters.

[Cobpyth]

Brazil (1985)

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MASTERPIECE ALERT!
This is an extremely well made movie full of imagination, breathtaking music, great directing, sometimes hilarious situations and some very sharp dialogue! I'm still shaking from the brilliance of this movie. It was astonishingly awesome!

Terry Gilliam takes us to a retro-future world lead by a very repressive government.
In the beginning of the film, we see how a man tries to kill a fly and how this fly ends up between his typewriter and because of that incident one of the automatically typed names becomes barely readable.
This little incident causes an administrative error and an innocent man gets arrested by the ministry and is later executed.
Meanwhile we meet a daydreaming bureaucrat, named Sam, who is part of an important family, but doesn't really seem to have much ambition. He has to solve the problem by handing over a refund check to the innocent man's widow to 'cover' the government's mistake. When he arrives at the apartment, he sees the 'angel girl' of his dreams (literally), who happens to live in the same building and from that moment on his sole purpose in life is to find and be with her. Because she witnessed the arrest, she forms a potential danger to the state, however, so he also has to save the girl from the bureaucratic regime.
This adventurous quest develops both in the real world as well as in his own metaphorical daydreaming world.
Will he ever find peace with the woman of his dreams in this dangerously controlled world or will his increasing problems lead to his downfall? There's only one way to find out...

If you want to go on a spectacular trip through one of the most interesting sci-fi worlds ever and meet a bunch of great characters who also happen to be funny, you shouldn't wait much longer and see this masterpiece.

I rate this movie:

5

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Blow Out (1981)

Brian De Palma does it again! This is a great stylish thriller with a fantastic performance by John Travolta, great music usage and one of the most intense and captivating endings I've ever seen.

The story has a similar plot to the 1966 movie Blowup (which is also an excellent film), but changes the concept a tiny bit. In stead of discovering a murder on images, the main character in this film, a movie sound recordist called Jack Terry, accidentally records the sound of a so called car accident he witnessed. He also saves one of the two passengers, a girl named Sally (played by the beautiful Nancy Allen), from drowning.
In the hospital, they ask Jack to shut his mouth and never talk about the incident again and certainly not about the girl he saved, as the male victim was in fact the main contestant for the upcoming presidential elections and they don't want to hurt his image right after his dead, because that would be ungraceful.
When he rewinds the recorded sound tape and listens to it again at home, he notices a gun shot right before the car starts to slip. From then on, Jack starts an investigation on his own and becomes obsessed with the case. Piece by piece, he unravels the puzzle, while he starts to fall in love with Sally.
But just like my second favorite film of all time, Chinatown, Jack (the same name) makes a capital mistake that he (more or less) already made before...

I was glued to the screen during the whole movie and the ending was so wonderful and yet so horrifying that I sat through the whole credits, thinking about the shockingly beautiful final scenes. You just know a film was great when that happens.
Despite some minor plot difficulties I had with the movie (some small inconsistencies in the storyline), I liked it so much that I rate it:

4.5-

[BlueLion]

Blow Out is a very good thriller, I just wish De Palma didn't pick Nancy Allen for that role. I probably would've cared more about her character or felt sorry about her character's death had another actress played the part. I just found her very annoying at times. Travolta's performance was pretty good though.

[Cobpyth]

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I think I liked her so much because she was so dumb and flawed. Sally is just a simple girl, who is used by everyone all her life and now there is Jack, who wants to help her and actually cares about her. At the end she starts to realize that and after that sweet lovely kiss in the car, it was so heartbreaking to see all their future plans fall apart.

You probably didn't care about her because of her supidity and you probably wanted a stronger performance by a stronger actress, but I have a weak spot for weak women and that's why I think Nancy Allen was just right for this role.

[BlueLion]

Don't forget your spoiler alert!

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Done, sorry.

You probably didn't care about her because of her supidity and you probably wanted a stronger performance by a stronger actress, but I have a weak spot for weak women and that's why I think Nancy Allen was just right for this role.

There are three reasons why I didn't care about her.

1) Her stupidity
2) I wanted a stronger performance
3) I wanted somebody more beautiful. I didn't find her attractive at all.

Imo, the movie's biggest flaw is Nancy Allen.

[Cobpyth]

There are three reasons why I didn't care about her.

1) Her stupidity
2) I wanted a stronger performance
3) I wanted somebody more beautiful. I didn't find her attractive at all.

Imo, the movie's biggest flaw is Nancy Allen.

Well, that's exactly why I disagree.
I personally think Sally's character wouldn't have worked without the stupidity or with a stronger performance. She's supposed to be weak and stupid and that's why I sympathize with her.

She may not be the most beautiful girl ever, but I sure think she's handsome enough. I guess it's a matter of taste.

[honeykid]

Blow Out is a remake or, as it's De Palma, an "homage" to Blow Up. I didn't like either of them.

[Daniel M]

I absolutely love both Brazil and Blow Out. Allen gets a lot of stick for her performance and even though I don't think it's particularly great, Travolta and Lithgow are stronger for me, I still didn't mind it and like you said I think it works well because of the innocence of her character.

[Cobpyth]

Blow Out is a remake or, as it's De Palma, an "homage" to Blow Up. I didn't like either of them.

I have to disagree. It's nowhere near a remake. The only similarity between both movies was the fact that both the main characters discover a murder because of their creative job (in Blowup a photographer and in Blow Out a sound recordist).

Besides that the story is COMPLETELY different. In Blowup we get a nihilistic, arty erotic tale and in Blow Out we get a dramatic conspiracy thriller. So it's nowhere near a remake, in my opinion.

[honeykid]

OK, according to IMDB, it's a reinterpretation of Blow Up. However, when that gimmick is the film, I don't see a great deal of difference. One is a dull, tedious film, so defined by its time that it probably looked dated 2 or 3 years later, let alone 20 or 30 and more. While the other is De Palma. So, it tries to be more than it is and, in this case, fails, IMO.

Don't worry, I'm more than aware that I'm in the minority on this one. :)

[CelluloidChild]

OK, according to IMDB, it's a reinterpretation of Blow Up. However, when that gimmick is the film, I don't see a great deal of difference. One is a dull, tedious film, so defined by its time that it probably looked dated 2 or 3 years later, let alone 20 or 30 and more. While the other is De Palma. So, it tries to be more than it is and, in this case, fails, IMO.

Don't worry, I'm more than aware that I'm in the minority on this one. :)

But not alone....I like Antonioni and appreciate much of Blow Up, but it does get wearisome.

The last time I tried to watch Blow Out I stopped because I found it to be awful - acting, plot, just about everything.

I've liked a few of De Palma's movies, but I feel he is overrated as a director.

[mark f]

Blow-Up - 3.5
Blow Out - 3

Not that anyone cares. :)

[Mr Minio]

Blow-Up is great. 4
Haven't seen Blow Out.

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Anything Else (2003)

I don't think I'll ever find a movie made by Woody Allen that I completely dislike. This is the nineteenth Allen picture I watched and once again it was a funny film with some good dialogue and some hilarious moments. It is, however, nowhere near his best work.

The plot revolves around a guy, named Jerry Falk (played by Jason Biggs), who is a comedy writer. He is extremely in love with a girl, Amanda (Christina Ricci) and he tells us a little about his life by regularly breaking the fourth wall.
While his relationship with Amanda is getting worse, he tells us a little about the history of the relationship in flashbacks and also about the other problems in his life.
David Dobel (Woody Allen), also a comedy writer, becomes a kind of crazy mentor for Jerry during the course of the movie and together they talk about life while walking through Central Park. Dobel gives Jerry advice and helps him to do some necessities so Jerry can turn around his degrading (love and career) life.

Because the film is filled with clever comedy and a 'full' storyline, the film holds your attention the whole time. In my opinion, however, it lacked some real and serious drama to support the comic scenes. Allen tried to put some elements of drama in it, but he refuses to actually deal with them. I like Allen's work better when he's a little more cynical or darker.
In this film he couldn't strike me because I didn't really care about the characters' faith. This was mainly due to the fact that the characters don't really care about themselves either (or so it seems).

I still was able to like the movie because of the dialogue. Allen's character, for example, constantly nails conversations with funny jokes. It's actually the only character that really appealed to me in this whole movie, mainly because he's the only one that delivers some insightful, Allen-like one liners (although he's absurdly crazy at some other points).
It was all in all a pretty enjoyable watch, but without the real magic that Allen is capable of creating.
I rate this movie:

3+

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Swingers (1996)

I liked this stylish cult film. It's a pretty realistic comedy/drama with some good laughs and a few deeper moments. It's a story about lifestyle, friendship, broken relationships and picking up girls.

The main character is Mike (Jon Favreau). He broke up with his longterm girlfriend (they were together for 6 years) and after 6 months, he's still not over her. His friends, Trent (Vince Vaughn), Rob and Sue, try to help him and take him out to some parties, so he can get 'back in the game'.
First he goes on a trip to Las Vegas with Trent. There he's still too depressed about his former girlfriend, so he can't 'close' the girl he was about to sleep with.
After that we get to see several nights out with them. They visit some stylish, neo-lounge nightclubs and bars and they have a good time (and a little bit drama). Only Mike seems not to fit in completely. He tries to find his own personality and style back during the period of the movie, so he can start his life over again...

My favorite character was Trent. I like Vince Vaughn very much. I think he has a certain charisma and it doesn't seem like he tries to be funny when doing comedy. Here he also has one of the most awkwardly funny scenes I've ever seen (the final scene).
Jon Favreau also did a good job, but I couldn't really connect that much with his character. I thought he was being a total softy and a weeper unti the moment he finally discovered his normal personality again. He was still a friendly guy, though.
I also liked two scenes in particular in this movie. We see the friends often talk to eachother about movies and the filmmakers of this movie actually copied two very famous scenes they talk about! First they did the Reservoir Dogs walking scene and a little bit later they copied the famous steadicam shot in Goodfellas, while entering a nightclub through the kitchen. I like that kind of stuff! The movie had was full of these little film jokes. Another funny thing was that the Jaws theme song plays whenever someone wants to approach a girl. Hilarious stuff!
It was an enjoyable flick overall and it had its good moments, so I rate it:

3.5+

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[Cobpyth]

City Lights (1931)

WONDERFUL! This is the third Chaplin movie I've seen (I already saw The Circus and The Great Dictator) and this may be his best yet. It's a brilliant mix between slapstick humor and romantic drama with one of the most famous movie characters of all time, Charlie Chaplin's 'The Tramp'.

The Tramp is walking around in the city and suddenly he sees a blind girl selling flowers. He gives her his last money, because she's so beautiful and so sweet and he immediately falls in love with her.
After this meeting, in the evening, he sees a drunk man trying to commit suicide by throwing himself in the water with a rope connected to a rock. He saves the man and he gets invited to the man's home. He seems to be an eccentric millionaire and when The Tramp convinces the millionaire that life is worth living for, they go to a night club and get drunk.
When they arrive back at the house, early in the morning, The Tramp sees the blind girl again and he decides to buy all her flowers with some cash he gets from the extremely drunk millionaire.
During the story, the girl also falls in love with him and The Tramp decides to help her, so she can pay an operation for her eyes. There are some complexities, though. The millionaire only seems to know The Tramp when he's drunk and the flower girl thinks The Tramp is actually a very rich man. She also has to pay the rent for her apartment very quickly or she and her grandmother will land on the street...

This wonderful tale is brought to us in a funny, yet very charming way with some wonderful (sometimes touching) acting by everyone who's involved in the movie and of course the famous, pefectly fitting music, composed by Charlie Chaplin himself.
This film is the result of great filmmaking and it shows us how much of a genius Chaplin was directing-, writing- and acting-wise. This film is a silent masterpiece.
I rate it:

5-

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[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Mission: Impossible (1996)

This was a pretty enjoyable popcorn flick. It's well directed by De Palma and Cruise gives a solid performance as Ethan Hunt. It's mainly an action movie with a lot of twists.

Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) and his secret agent team are planning an operation to uncover a criminal organisation who wants to steal the NOC list with all the identities of the secret agents.
During the operation, something goes wrong and everyone seems to get killed, except for Ethan. After that, he meets the CIA officer, Eugene Kittridge, and he tells Ethan the whole operation was actually a test to find a mole inside the secret agent service. Because Ethan is the only one who survived, he suddenly becomes the main suspect. Ethan escapes from being arrested and from that moment on, he has to find the real mole to clear his own name...

The film was a little confusing at times and the characters don't always act in the smartest way, but there is plenty of entertainment to make up for that. My favorite scene was when Ethan tries to break into the CIA vault to get the real list with the help of two other disavowed agents. It's a scene with a lot of suspense and I was literally nail biting during that whole moment.
Besides some good action moments and some enjoyable twists in the story, there wasn't too much substance in this movie, though. The characters are extremely flat and so is the story, to be honest.
It was still a pretty entertaining flick, so I rate it:

3+

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[Cobpyth]

Duck Soup (1933)

This is a classic, acclaimed comedy featuring the Marx Brothers.
If you're looking for some good laughs in the form of slapstick comedy and a script full of hilarious puns, this is THE movie for you. This film is literally one big compilation of jokes and sketches with a supordinate main story to hold everything together.

The story is pretty simple.
Mrs. Teasdale (played by Margaret Dumont, known as the ultimate straight lady) is a rich and powerful woman, who is called to finance the bankrupt state of Freedonia. She dethrones the current government and she appoints the rude Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) as the new leader of the nation, because she seems to have a big crush on him.
The ambassador of the neigbouring Sylvania tries to win the heart of Mrs. Teasdale so he can rule over both countries and he hires two (extremely stupid and funny) 'spies' to infiltrate in Freedonia's powerful circles.
When Firefly offends the ambassador at a party, the two states declare war to eachother.

The story is obviously not the most important thing in this movie. It's just a vehicle for the comedy and it doesn't really contribute that much substance to the film. Nevertheless, Duck Soup got banned in Italy under Mussolini, because of the supposed satiric comments this movie has to offer.
The movie is also very fast paced. The brothers really throw their lines at the audience and perform their slaptick jokes in a very fluent way.

This was my second Marx Brothers movie and I have to say that I'm a bigger fan of A Night at the Opera. This movie may be funnier in a certain way, but for me it didn't have the charm of my first Marx Brothers experience. I know some people may not like cheesy, romantic scenes or songs between the hilarious jokes, but I feel like I need some small intermissions between the load of sketches, because otherwise it gets a little too much.
Luckily there were a few musical moments (for instance the wonderful courtroom music scene) in Duck Soup to make everything a little lighter, but I wanted two or three more of these moments to make this movie ideal for my preferences. These small intermezzi are the reason why I liked A Night at the Opera a tiny bit more.
This classic comedy still was a great and memorable experience and I think I will even like it better after a second watch. For the present, I rate this movie:

3.5+

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[honeykid]

I think Duck Soup is my favourite Marx Brothers movie, but I often speed through the musical bits.

I'd recommend Horse Feathers or A Day At The Races for your next Marx Brothers experience. That said, you should check out Everyone Says I Love You, as I saw you had that up next.

[Cobpyth]

I'd recommend Horse Feathers or A Day At The Races for your next Marx Brothers experience. That said, you should check out Everyone Says I Love You, as I saw you had that up next.

I'm watching it tonight. Thanks for the recommendations! ;)

[Cobpyth]

Reviews of the day:

Modern Times (1936)

Chaplin once again pleased me with an incredibly charming comedy! This film has some of the most entertaining comedy scenes I've ever witnessed and just like his other movies, it has a large portion of pathos.
Chaplin is the big star, but his leading girl, Paulette Goddard (who became his wife), also gives an exciting performance as the poor orphan girl. She certainly has one of the sweetest smiles in the history of cinema.

The movie starts with two stories. First of all there is the story of The Tramp character. He works in a factory, but he's affected by a mental breakdown, because of all the hard work and the pressure of his job. He goes completely nuts and they bring him to the madhouse.
When he's out, the police mistakes him for a communist leader, because he's accidentally running in front of a rebellion with a red flag and he ends up in jail.
In prison, he saves the guards from an assault, while he's accidentally on coke and after that, his stay in jail becomes rather pleasant. When he has to leave, he's unhappy, and he decides to get back into prison.
Meanwhile there is a young girl, who has to steal to survive. When her father is killed during a strike, her younger sisters are brought to an institution, but she escapes from the law.
A little bit later in the movie, the two stories come together and both the characters try to face the modern world together as a team...

This film has some of the best slapstick humor I've ever seen and some remarkable stunts. One of the best scenes is when The Tramp is rollerskating in the department store. It's amazing how much control Chaplin has over his own moving. This man was unbelievably talented! There where plenty of other great comedy scenes to enjoy in this film (The Tramp even sings at the end)!
The story of two outlaws trying to fit in the modern world, also grabs me. The film shows every person as a part of the machine that is society (sheeps). The two main characters are the only two looking for something more and are obviously not made for this emotionless and mechanical life. Their creativity and real talents surface at the end, but the law prevents them from living the life they want.
I loved every single bit of this movie and after much consideration I decided that it's equal to City Lights. I can't decide what's my absolute favorite Chaplin movie so far. I also rate this film:

5-

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[mark f]

That wasn't coke. It was "nose-powder". ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ykdb8Zen-o

[Cobpyth]

I've watched a few movies since my last review, but I didn't have the time to write about them yet, because of some family celebrations and because I have to study for my finals. So my reviews will be a lot shorter and without all the images for the next two months. I'll just give my short opinion and rating for each new movie I watch.

These are the short reviews of the new movies I've seen since my last post:

It Happened One Night (1934)

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I liked this classic comedy! It's funny and charming and the performances of the two main characters are great. The story has its flaws, but the sweetness of the movie makes up for it. It's in no ways a masterpiece in my book, but it's easy to see why it has remained such a classic. I rate this movie:

4(-)

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Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

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This is a classic Woody Allen movie, but in a musical form. I liked it! It's hilarious and sweet with some slightly dark edges and that's the way it should be. Some parts of the story may seem a little absurd or out of place, but they add to the humoristic effectiveness of the whole, so I didn't mind. The movie also contains a few memorable songs. I rate this movie:

4-

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The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

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This is one of the Coen Brothers' least acclaimed films, but I liked it! It's a stylish comedy full of twists and turns. It has an ingenious script and some great characters. Paul Newman steals the show with an awesome performance as the cigar smoking villain. Tim Robbins is also pretty good, but I can see why some people would think that his character is sometimes a little annoying and stupid. Jennifer Jason Leigh also does a wonderful job as the fast talking female lead. "Sure, sure", this is a great movie!

4(-)

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Ponyo (2008)

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This is yet again a sweet, magical and abstract movie by Miyazaki. The visuals are also incredible. Sometimes it wasn't completely clear what actually was going on, though. Especially the motives of the character Fujimoto were a little ambiguous, in my opinion. In the end, however, there is enough closure for me to grab the complete picture. It's by no means Miyazaki's best film, but it's still a very interesting trip!

3.5+

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Kick-Ass (2010)

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Well, this movie was just plain badass. The Hit-Girl character, for instance, is one of the coolest I've seen in quite a while. It's mainly a pseudo-realistic comic crime movie. The action sequences are top notch and I loved the mix between more comical subplots and the more dramatic ones. I enjoyed the overall concept of the film and I think it was all very well executed. I was entertained throughout the whole picture and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

4(-)

[honeykid]

+ rep for liking an HK 100 film. :cool:

I can't say I'm much of a fan of The Hudsucker Proxy, though it's an ok film. However, while I've not seen it for a long time, I'm not a fan of the screwball comedy.

[Cobpyth]

Ghostbusters (1984)

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I finally saw this comedy classic and it was indeed a funny movie. Some scenes in this movie are absolutely hilarious. Especially Bill Murray's character steals the show, but also the transformed Sigourney Weaver character was a screamer. The story is original and the script is really brave. They even dared to put a giant marshmallow man in the movie (which became a very famous scene). Ghostbusters is great popcorn fun, without any real substance (and it doesn't need it).

3.5+

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Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)

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This is a very well made sci-fi picture by Steven Spielberg. I love the created futuristic world and I like some small ideas in it, like for example the robotic Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) playing romantic old songs while seducing a female client.
The film itself is pretty melodramatic, but it is sweet and kind and (for me) certainly not over the top. It works because it's quite logical that a robotic child, created only to love his mother, can only have one purpose in his existence, so his quest for love feels real and is perfectly fitting.
You get an original new world, some interesting characters (even if they're only robots) and a touching story about a 'child' looking for love and acceptance. I think it's a wonderful film, so I rate it:

4.5(-)

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American History X (1998)

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I liked this movie. There were a few first class scenes in it (the opening scene for example) and the story was interesting enough to keep my attention. Edward Norton's performance was also brilliant and in particular his black and white scenes were absolutely top notch. The hate of his character could practically be read in his eyes.
The themes of the movie were, however, brought out a little bit too excessive sometimes, in my opinion. There were nazi tattoos, a very large group of extreme racists, etc. that made the message of 'hate/racism is bad' a little bit too obvious. In particular the scene where Derek's former fat best friend is ready to shoot him and his former girlfriend screams for his death, after Derek wants to leave his old life behind, was a little bit over the top and perhaps unrealistic (certainly because he was seen as a 'legend' several minutes prior to that scene). I was looking for a little bit more nuance there. That would have been more interesting and real to me.
It was still a very good film with a lot of great scenes, though! I'm giving it a well deserved:

4(-)

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Iron Man (2008)

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I never saw a Marvel superhero film before this one (if you don't count the Spiderman Trilogy), because I always found the characters less appealing (again, besides Spiderman) than the DC characters. I decided to give it a try and I have mixed feelings.
I liked the main characters and the performances in this film. Tony Stark (played by the charismatic Robert Downey Jr.) is very likable; Pepper Potts (played by the extremely cute Gwyneth Paltrow) is gorgeous; and Jeff Bridges' character is also pretty cool.
I didn't think it was always entertaining, though. We had Tony Stark building himself a suit for the first act of the film in a cave in Afghanistan. This part was kinda dragging and not really interesting to me. After that it became bit better. The best moments of the film were the 'electric' scenes between Downey Jr. and Paltrow, who have great chemistry together! Iron Manalso has some interesting action scenes and some good laughs. It's a brainless movie, but because of the likable characters, we still care for what happens next, so my rating is:

3

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Gangster Squad (2013)

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Besides the great scenery and some entertaining moments, this movie doesn't really have that much to offer. The story was pretty weak, the dialogue was cheesy most of the time, the acting of the all star cast was pretty empty, apart maybe from Penn, who tried to create a threatening villain, but fell flat and seemed over the topbecause of the weak script. I can't really say I was bored, though, because there were plenty of stylish things to look at, but it all lacked substance. I rate it:

3(-)

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Miller's Crossing (1990)

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This was my fourteenth Coen film (I only have to see The Ladykillers now) and it's one of their most serious films. I liked it a lot. The film is mainly a mix between film noir and the gangster genre. It puts a film noir kind of character, Tom Reagan (very well played by Gabriel Byrne), in the middle of an (approaching) gang war.
It worked perfectly! There were a lot of interesting twists and the script and dialogue are first rate (what else did you expect from the Coen Brothers?). Hell, I even got a few dark laughs during this predominantly dramatic story.
Besides the story itself, there are of course the fantastic visuals which contribute to the lugubrious atmosphere of the film. A great piece of directing.
I rate this film:

4.5

[honeykid]

The Coen's best film, IMO. Also, it's good to see that Ghostbusters is as entertaining as ever. :)

[Daniel M]

I have watched Miller's Crossing (bought it on Blu Ray) since making my top 100 list and I really feel that it would have been a contender for some of the top spots had a I watched it before. An absolute wonderful film that is a joy to watch for many reasons.

[Cobpyth]

I have watched Miller's Crossing (bought it on Blu Ray) since making my top 100 list and I really feel that it would have been a contender for some of the top spots had a I watched it before. An absolute wonderful film that is a joy to watch for many reasons.

I actually watched it because of your avatar. ;)
It was the last push I needed.

[Daniel M]

I actually watched it because of your avatar. ;)
It was the last push I needed.

Awesome man :D What I like about the film I think, is that it's such an easy watch, it feels quite light and even short, and is very stylish too, but it's much more, it has a highly intelligent script (no surprise from the Coens) packed with great and hugely important lines and hugely developed and fascinating characters.

I watched it a couple of times in quick succession quite recently, I knew a few members around here really liked it (Honeykid especially) and one of my favourite critics loves it to, if you want give this article a read - http://www.cinepad.com/reviews/millersx.htm it's a great analysis of the film.

Out of interest how do you rate The Big Lebowski? I feel like you have probably posted this before, but I'm not too sure. That's probably my favourite Coen brother film along with this one.

[BlueLion]

Miller's Crossing was pretty good. What I didn't like about the film though, was that it kinda confused me at the beginning, basically I had to figure out who was who and what happened and when it happened while watching the movie. Ebert summed this up perfectly in his review:
The plot is as simple as an old gangster movie, but it takes us a long time to figure that out, because the first half hour of the film involves the characters in complicated dialogue where they talk about a lot of people we haven't met, and refer to a lot of possibilities we don't understand. It's the kind of movie you have to figure out in hindsight.


By the way Cobpyth, you use way too many pictures (and very big ones at that), and as a result, it takes ages for the page to load (for me at least).

[Cobpyth]

Miller's Crossing was pretty good. What I didn't like about the film though, was that it kinda confused me at the beginning, basically I had to figure out who was who and what happened and when it happened while watching the movie. Ebert summed this up perfectly in his review

I didn't have that problem, actually. I'm a big fan of Ebert, but I didn't really get what he was trying to say here.

I understood everything from the beginning. The first couple of scenes couldn't be much clearer to me. They immediately showed that the film was mainly going to be about a gang war with the main character in the middle of it all and in a twisted position (because he's going with his own boss' girlfriend, who's the sister of the guy where the whole fight is all about).

After that, the brilliant, twisted script does all the work...

By the way Cobpyth, you use way too many pictures (and very big ones at that), and as a result, it takes ages for the page to load (for me at least).

It loads perfectly for me (and they automatically reduce to a perfect size), so I thought it wouldn't be a problem for anyone else too.
I like pictures in reviews, that's why I post so many of them. I try to give a little sketch of the film with them (in my longer reviews). But as we've come to this new page, I'll try to keep the amount of images down in my shorter reviews and will look for some with the right size. ;)

@Daniel M: I love The Big Lebowski. It's wonderfully absurd at times and it's all in favor of the real message of this movie. It delineates a certain lifestyle. It's a comedy that actually tries to say something, which is very rare these days.
I also loved the visuals and the directing of the movie. It's one of the Coen Brothers' classic movies.
I'll have to see it again to give it a final rating, though. It might be really high, as I think I'll even enjoy it more after a second viewing.

[donniedarko]

Ya Millers Crossing is awesome, it's my second favorite Coen. but it's one of those films that take you back to a time and place. My favorite Brothers film is True Grit though, which similarly had the same effect. I loved American History X, it sent chills down my spine, and not only the ending. Ghostbusters in entertaining, I haven't seen it in about 5 years though, so I'll have to watch it again.

[Cobpyth]

I've watched six films since my last post:

Saw (2004)

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I quite enjoyed this horror classic. It had some nice suspense scenes (they even borrowed some scenes from the master, Alfred Hitchcock) and the story was quite fascinating. Some twists were a little bit foolish and the reactions of the characters didn't always seem usual or believable, but I guess that's the case with most horror movies. The most important thing is that for most of the time, the script stayed intelligent enough.
Overall, this was a good and entertaining film, so I rate it:

3.5-

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Léon (1994) Extended version

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Wonderful film! It has charm, great characters, humor and violence. What else do you need? It's also well directed in a very fitting stylistic way.
The most interesting part in this film is the great chemistry between the quiet hitman, Léon (played by the memorable Jean Reno) and the young, eccentric and traumatised Mathilda (a very convincing Natalie Portman in her first role).
Let's also not forget the awesome villain of this film, the corrupt, addicted and Beethoven loving Stansfield (performed by the great Gary Oldman).
I liked practically every single bit of this movie, so I rate it:

4.5(+)

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Children of Men (2006)

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This is a brilliantly crafted movie with a very convincing futuristic image (apart from the main principle, obviously, which is more of a metaphor). The film imagines a world where every woman has become infertile. The human race is in great danger and the hope in mankind disappears together with the children. It's like Pandora's box finally released it. A world full of chaos and rebellions arise, but there may still be hope after all, as Theo Faron (Clive Owen) goes on a quest to save the first newborn child in 18 years and the mother.
The film may have some long-winded moments and may not always be entertaining, but it's really worth the watch. I rate it:

4(+)

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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

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Wonderful film! It has many themes that are used in other Miyazaki films, such as environment pollution and war, but I think he shows it in a very refreshing and believable way here. His view of the future world is enchanting and he uses it as the perfect vehicle to express his frustrations with the modern society. Apart from all the heavy stuff, there are also some wonderful more visual driven moments to show how beautiful life can truely be. The film has substance, but also offers some escapism and that is very rare! My tenth favorite movie of all time, Brazil, is also an example of a film that perfectly combines these two strengths.
I rate this:

4.5

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The Killers (1946)

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This is a classic film noir. All the elements of the genre are perfectly poured into a great screenplay full of intrigue, mystery and twists. The acting performances are also great and Edmond O'Brien even almost succeeds to equal the great Humphrey Bogart in this role. He plays the calm and cold detective role brilliantly!
If you're a fan of film noir, this is an absolute must see. I rate it:

4+

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Gosford Park (2001)

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This was my first Altman movie and I adored it! This story about a gathering of an aristocratic family and relatives in a country house sketches the tensions and the lives of 'the upstairs' (the rich people) and 'the downstairs' (the servants) in a brilliant way. It's filled with dark humor, unresolved mysteries, intrigues and great dialogue. In short, it's a nearly perfect screenplay (it also won the academy award). The acting is also top notch as it features some of the best British actors of our time.
I enjoyed every minute of this film and I'm looking forward to discover Robert Altman's other classics. I rate this movie a very solid:

4.5+

[honeykid]

I love Gosford Park. It was on my 100, until I remember two films that simply had to be there and it was bumped.

[Cobpyth]

Mary and Max (2009)

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This is a very charming stop motion animation film full of dark humor. I particularly liked the music in this film. My favorite scene is when they show Mary as an alochol addicted woman on an instrumental version of the song 'That's Life'. That scene really worked. Some other moments in the movie may be a little weird or shown in a quirky way, but overall it's a pretty good film. I rate it:

3.5+

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Top Hat (1935)

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This is a fascinating Musical Comedy. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are perfect together and apart from the romantic scenes, there are some very good laughs! I particulary liked the Bates character. He was funny as hell!
The story may be a little flat and there may not be a lot of depth, but this film is perfect to escape from the real world for a little while. It really lifts you up to higher atmospheres in its best scenes. I rate it:

4

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Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

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This is a wonderful picture with a lot of heart and full of emotions. It's an anti-war film that follow the struggles of a young Japanese boy and his younger sister during the second World War after they lost their mother. It's a very negative movie, but the fireflies beautifully present the little sparkles of hope that are left. This film was a breathtaking experience and it almost made me cry at one scene in particular. That says a lot about its emotional effectiveness.

4.5

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The Great Gatsby (2013)

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It gets very mixed reviews, but I quite liked it. The visuals are bombastic and do take away a little bit of the substance of the story, but what's left is still pretty enjoyable. DiCaprio gives a very charismatic performance as Jay Gatsby and the other performances are also quite allright.
The movie perhaps didn't fully utilised its potential, but it's certainly not bad. It just needed some more quiet moments, just like the first meeting between Gatsby and Daisy, which was a great scene! I rate it:

3.5+

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The Ladykillers (2004)

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This is widely seen as the Coen Brothers' worst movie and although I personally think it is indeed nowhere near their best work, it's still pretty funny and enjoyable! Tom Hanks gives a terrific performance as a sophisticated and charming criminal 'mastermind' and Irma P. Hall is also great! All the characters are funny in their own way and together they guide you through a rather amusing journey. Don't look for any real substance, though. It's just plain fun. I'm glad to say that I've now seen every available Coen film yet and that I didn't really dislike any of them. I rate this one a solid:

3.5

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MASH (1970)

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This is my second Altman film and it was (again) a great experience! It had the feeling of a cult film, but actually it was a massive box office hit in its time. It's not very hard to see why this film was such a succes. It's EXTREMELY likable!
The film funnily revolts against the stiffness of certain personalities and it portrays life in a very cynical way. Its message perfectly fits in the context of war.
This film also had some unforgettable moments, such as 'the last supper parody', the 'microfonic orgasm', the 'shower scene with Hot Lips' and many others! The dialogue scenes were often extremely hilarious and I also liked all of the performances, in particular Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould. They were both brilliant. I rate this movie:

4.5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gO7uemm6Yo

[Cobpyth]

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

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This movie had great visuals and is very fantastical in nature. The story about a girl who is cursed by a witch and then moves in with a vain wizard as the cleaning lady of his magical moving house is very original, but the ultimate execution and message did not quite satisfy me completely. I felt that the abstract structure of the film wasn't as well done as in Spirited Away, for instance and that some events didn't really make much sense, even in the context of this surreal film.
It's still a very beautiful movie to look at and there are a lot of interesting parts and characters, but it's not one of Miyazaki's best or most powerful movies. It's still worth a very decent:

3.5+

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Chocolat (2000)

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The movie tries to grab the reversal in morality of a small, french town, caused by a new lady who moves in there with her daughter and opens a chocolatier. She tries to open the inhabitants' minds by showing them the virtues of life. She gets critisized by the more conservative people of the town and in particular the mayor. They also throw in a romance featuring Johnny Depp, who plays a kind of gipsy, who lives on a boat and travels from place to place with his river people.
The morals of this movie are very idealistic and extremely two-sided. The film actually condemns a sober and conservative lifestyle, in my opinion, by depicting it in a very extreme way. Because of that lack of nuance, the film couldn't really grab my attention and emotions.
The best thing about the film is probably the warm and sweet atmosphere it creates by using the colors red, brown and yellow a lot. It also perfectly fits the theme of chocolate. I couldn't say I really enjoyed this film a lot, but some of you might, as it's certainly not poorly made or anything like that. I rate it:

2.5+

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Zodiac (2007)

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David Fincher is a very good director and he shows it again in this movie. He creates a perfectly threatening neo-noir atmosphere and all the scenes are very well crafted. One particular scene where we see the construction of the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco as time passes is a great example of Fincher's finesse and skill. He also perfectly executed the suspense and murder scenes and gave it all a wonderfully dark and mysterious look.
Despite all the qualities of this film, I did not quite like it as much as Fincher's Fight Club or Se7en, because, to me, the story wasn't as interesting and most importantly FRESH as any of those two. It was cool to see how the three main characters dealt with the case and how it influenced their lives, but because of the fact that I already knew about the whole (unsolved) case, the movie did lack a certain kind of novelty.
I felt that the ending in particular wasn't very satisfying. They conclude with a couple of written facts about the characters now and are too informative. It would have been stronger if they ended it with the death of the main suspect or something, to fully grab the frustrating fact that the COMPLETE TRUTH will always be unknown. I didn't need the closure they try to offer at the end.
I still think it's a very good flick, though, and I was really entertained and glued to the screen, because of the wonderful style and the good performances, right up until the ending, which was a little bit of an anticlimax. The film is still worth a very solid:

4(-)

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The Player (1992)

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Robert Altman did it again. He really striked me with this OUTSTANDING film about the glamorous rottenness of Hollywood. He starts with an eight minute lasting long shot to introduce all the 'players' and the environment of the film and then immediately launches the entertaining plot without ever looking back. The whole film is absolutely stunning! It's filled with dark humor and paranoid emotions while exploring the intriguing edges of the life of a studio executive, played by Tim Robbins.
The film is also filled with cameos of big stars, such as Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Burt Reynolds, Cher and many many more to really create the feeling of being among the 'high society' of showbizz. This is one of the best films about Hollywood and about the film business I've ever seen and I loved every bit of it. Robert Altman is on the way to become one of my absolute favorites. Tonight I'll be watching Mccabe & Mrs. Miller, which will be my fourth Altman movie.
The Player's rating:

5

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Rosemary's Baby (1968)

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I loved this film! It's mainly a paranoid thriller with a horror-like backbone. The film also has a very fresh 60s look, which beautifully contrasts with the dark secrets it treasures. Polanski directed it in a brilliant way.
I also liked Mia Farrow, who I normally don't really care for that much. She did a really good job here, transforming from the innocent, young girl into a freaked out, traumatized and paranoid woman. Her performance was very layered and strong. The whole supporting cast was also very good, by the way.
The film ends in a very powerful gothic way and forces the audience to use the dark side of their imagination. It could not have been much better than it is now. I rate this film:

4.5

[Daniel M]

I've only seen Zodiac and Rosemary's Baby out of those.

I think I liked the first slightly more than you, I felt the frustration was kind of part of the whole film, how someone can become so obsessed and consumed by something they chase.

The latter I give them same rating as you, a masterpiece in direction from Polanski who does a fantastic job in creating a claustrophobic film full of suspense in order for us to feel horror.

Also: from previous sets, I'd give Mary and Max and Saw similar ratings, Saw gets a lot of stick for the film series it spawned, but as a stand alone film I find it a respectable piece of work that I enjoyed the only time I ever watched it.

[Cobpyth]

I think I liked the first slightly more than you, I felt the frustration was kind of part of the whole film, how someone can become so obsessed and consumed by something they chase.

Yes, the frustration was a great part of it and that's why I disliked the ending. They tried to peel away a piece of that frustration with explaining some things and I felt that was absolutely unnecessary. Without that ending I would've probably given it 4 or 4(+), but it slightly diminished the whole experience for me a little bit. It's okay to have an anticlimactic ending, but it could've been done better. Certainly after such a long movie. Just a shot of San Francisco or something more powerful would have satisfied me more.

It's like Fincher would have told what happened after Brad Pitt is sent away in Se7en. It isn't necessary.

The latter I give them same rating as you, a masterpiece in direction from Polanski who does a fantastic job in creating a claustrophobic film full of suspense in order for us to feel horror.

I completely agree.

Also: from previous sets, I'd give Mary and Max and Saw similar ratings, Saw gets a lot of stick for the film series it spawned, but as a stand alone film I find it a respectable piece of work that I enjoyed the only time I ever watched it.

I agree. Saw on itself is pretty enjoyable. They should rate it as a stand-alone piece. I don't intend to watch any of the sequels ever, actually (I already know the complete ending, which is pretty ridiculous).

[Cobpyth]

I had a great couple of days!


McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

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It seems that Altman can only make awesome films for my tastes. This anti-western is a wonderful piece of poetry about the dark reality of the West and probably the whole system.
The character of McCabe is crucial here. He's a mystery and yet he's the most open character of them all (especially when being drunk). Warren Beatty really gave a very strong performance. I also loved Julie Christie. Her balance between the hard business woman and the broken, opium addicted prostitute she actually is, is amazingly well played.
This film also had some great dialogue scenes and other awesome moments. The music and the locations also played a big role in this movie, as they contributed to the dreary atmosphere. I enjoyed this film a lot and I think it may even improve after several rewatches. For now, I rate it:

4.5(+)

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A History of Violence (2005)

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This is a solid small comic adaptation movie with a noirish story. The plot isn't particularly intelligent or original, but it's the characters and their motivations/thoughts that make this movie so appealing. It's just a little bit regretful that they only showed this kind of depth with the three family main characters, namely Viggo's character Tom Stall, his wife and the son (who is dreadfully not very well played by Ashton Holmes, in my opinion). The villains were purely motivated by flat revenge or business and did not fit into the emotional rollercoaster the family was in. It became even worse when Viggo's brother also showed no depth at all (although the performance of that character was pretty awesome).
The most interesting parts of the movie were the scenes between Viggo and his wife. The other parts with the villains lacked depth, but there was a lot of entertainment there, so that partially made up for the flatness. The ending was also great!
I had mainly a good time watching the movie and the direction is still of a very high level, so it's certainly worth:

3.5(+)

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American Graffiti (1973)

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Great nihilistic teenage movie with a swinging soundtrack and some very memorable moments. It's literally and figuratively a pretty dark movie actually and I loved it! It showcasts the limitations of life and the sometimes pointlessness of human existence very well with some hilarious moments down the way. The characters doubt their own motives and goals during the whole film and even when they make their choices they aren't quite sure yet.
A great metaphor for the unreachable ultime pleasure of life is the girl in the white car. The disappointment of her identity and the fact that she stays out of reach is absolutely perfect.
Many people didn't like the fact that the future of the characters was explained at the ending, but although I'm not a fan of text at the end of movies, here it worked perfectly to show the hard reality of the late 60s and later vs the carefree life of the early 60s. Great movie and very entertaining!

4(+)

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Charlie Wilson's War (2007)

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I didn't expect this movie to be so political as it actually is. Usually I'm not really into political movies or biography films, unless they are really brought in an entertaining way. This film had some good points. It counts some good performances from Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and a great one from Philip Seymour Hoffman. It also sends a clear political message with good arguments. There also were some good humoristic moments in it. Especially the scenes with PSH are often hilarious.
I didn't fully connect to the topic of this film, though, and sometimes it seemed like a pure glorification of one person or even a country. It still gave me some extra insights about what actually happened during that time and what consequences it had.
I rate this film:

3.5-

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Side Effects (2013)

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This is a great film from director Steven Soderbergh. I strongly recommend this one. You shouldn't read any reviews about this movie before seeing it, as one of the major strengths of this movie is the effect of surprise. It actually has a pretty noirish plot structure and I completely fell for it. It was great. Some of you may find there is a little bit too much focus on the 'twists', but I think the balance was perfectly allright.
I also liked the music score and all the performances very much. Especially Rooney Mara was an absolute revelation for me. What a lovely actress! Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones were also very solid as usual and also Channing Tatum did an ok job.
I had a huge smile after seeing this film, as its coolness and its twisted story kept me interesting during the whole ride. I hope there will be some other films as good as this one in 2013. This is the best film of the year so far, in my opinion (then again I've only seen a few). I rate this:

4.5(-)

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Eastern Promises (2007)

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This Cronenberg film was better than A History of Violence in my opinion, as it stayed more loyal to its characters. Sometimes it felt a little cheesy because of all the Russian accents, but there was suspense throughout the whole story. Viggo Mortensen gives a really good performance as Nikolai and Naomi Watts is adorable as usual. The best scene in the film is a fighting scene in a bathhouse that is perfectly executed. There were also some interesting underlying themes in this film such as identity, sexuality, family and a certain kind of love.
I liked it.

4(-)

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The Long Goodbye (1973)

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It's getting repetitive, but my fifth Altman experience was again a great succes! The pacing in his movies I've seen so far is perfect and he is one of the best character directors I've seen. In this film he creates a chain smoking, dry, cynical and yet very loyal private detective character, who is BRILLIANTLY played by Elliott Gould. The fact that his name is Philip Marlowe is of a lesser importance here.
Trapped in a noirish web, Marlowe finds his way through the misty plot in a funny, yet very dangerous way. The amount of dark humor in this film is therefore very high, which "is ok with me". ;)
I loved this film and its atmosphere (helped by a wonderful repetitive theme song by John Williams that is featured in many different ways throughout the film) and just like some of the other Altman films I think it will be even more rewarding after a second rewatch. I rate this film:

4.5(+)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5R8hLSQ1RM

[jiraffejustin]

I've only seen two of the last group there.

It's been a few years, but when I saw A History of Violence, I just didn't feel anything for it. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it either. It was stuck in limbo. I am going to try to watch through the Cronenberg filmography whenever I get the chance, so I'll try it again.

I saw Charlie Wilson's War around the same time as A History of Violence, but the difference is I really enjoyed Charlie Wilson's War. It's not the kind of movie that does anything new, but it's a whole lot of fun.


Also, keep up the good work, Cobpyth.

[JoeHorrorFanatic]

Of the movies you reviewed on this page, here are my thoughts on the ones I've seen.
Saw is a big favorite of mine, and it's one of the best in its respective franchise. It did a great job of mixing some riveting elements of a detective movie into the horror story.
Leon the Professional is one that I just recently saw, and I completely agree with you on this one. The two main characters were very likeable, and Gary Oldman as the villain was truly menacing, and quite creepy at times.
It's been a few years since I've watched Children of Men, but I do remember liking it. It was possibly Clive Owen's best performance, and it was amazing how the creators of this movie were able to pull off those long shots where so much was happening.
The Great Gatsby was aesthetically pleasing with top notch acting, but it wasn't particularly memorable.
Rosemary's Baby is a film which deserves its position as a classic. I knew how it ended when I went into it, but everything that lead up to the conclusion was still engrossing and effective, and the ending itself gave me some serious goosebumps.

I've never heard of Mary and Max, but it looks like my kind of film. Thank you for mentioning it.

[Daniel M]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller I loved too as you know, and would give it the same rating (maybe even 5 on repeat viewings, I don't see why not). I saw and gave A History of Violence a similar rating too, very stylish and a good watch, but pretty straightforward and forgettable.

I really need to see The Long Goodbye now, you and Donnie both loved it, I love noir films, and it sounds like Inherent Vice will be kind of similar.

[Cobpyth]

I really need to see The Long Goodbye now, you and Donnie both loved it, I love noir films, and it sounds like Inherent Vice will be kind of similar.

Well, they also said that There Will Be Blood would be a PTA version of McCabe & Mrs. Miller. ;p

I think it will be less dry and a little more burlesque, knowing PTA.
Altman went with a very cynical atmosphere in this film. The character is more like The Dude in The Big Lebowski in a certain way. It's all okay with him, as long as he doesn't get f**cked (just like with the carpet in TBL). It's a little more seriously approached in The Long Goodbye, though and the main character has way more style and intelligence. ;p

I think you'll absolutely love this film.

Thanks by the way, Joe and Jiraf, for your reactions!

@Jiraf: Yes, Charlie Wilson's War has some moments of fun, but they are a little overshadowed by the main topic in my opinion. I wanted more fun and less politics. It's of course a matter of taste.

[Cobpyth]

Films that I've watched since my last review:


From Up On Poppy Hill (2011)

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I went into this movie without any high expectations, as it is rated significantly lower than most of Hayao Miyazaki's films, who of course is the legendary father of Goro, who directed this film. I must say I really like this film A LOT! I like it even more than some of Miyazaki's work, frankly. It has a whole different style, as it is way more realistic, but my god, this film had a great deal of depth! It's really a brilliant piece of film.
The story works on three interconnected levels, in my opinion. First of all there is the Japanese community of 1964, right before the olympics, the event that kind of 'allowed' Japan to be part of the world again after its deeds in World War II. The country struggles between tradition and modernisation.
The film shows how it is not always good to completely ignore the past using a student house (the second level of the story) as an example of how a gritty building (past) still can hold some wonderful things.
Then there are the main characters, the third layer of the story. A girl falls in love with a boy, but because of something that happened in the past, this love seems impossible and wrong.
All three levels try to find a certain balance in a very similar way. The story is very ingeniously constructed if you ask me!
I'm not going into detail, as I don't want to give anything away.
I'm also a big fan of the music it features (Sukiyaki's Kyu Sakamoto is a very fitting musical symbol for the Westernization of Japan, as it is the only Japanese song that ever topped the Billboard top 100).
Great film! I absolutely adored it and I very much recommend it!

4.5

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Battle Royale (2000)

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http://hailtothequiff.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Battle-Royale-Scoop-01.jpg

This certainly is a very entertaining flick. It perfectly knows how to attract the audience into the story right from the beginning. One issue of the film is maybe that I didn't care for most of the characters, as they only have very little screentime. This takes away a little bit of the 'shock effect'. It's still very fun to watch and it also has some really beautiful scenes and music.
I rate it:

4-

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Short Cuts (1993)

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Huh? What's that? Oh, it's just another great movie from Robert Altman!
This remarkable ensemble piece takes place in LA and introduces us to some intriguing and most of the time funny characters (in their own way), although they all have a very dramatic touch that is even more interesting than their comic side.
Everyone's acting is really solid and despite the great amount of characters and the long running time, there isn't a single boring part in the whole film!
My rating after this first viewing is:

4.5

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Signs (2002)

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http://deeltwee.be/files/imagecache/fullreview/images/reviews/200504-signs-01.jpg

This film is very hard to review for me as I have strongly mixed feelings about it. Some scenes are EXTREMELY powerful. I'm talking about some of the suspense scenes, such as the first appearance of a mysterious creature on a roof, a leg disappearing in the corn field and of course the awesome cellar scene! That is some really good stuff that totally got me. You can actually feel the claustrophobia and fear the characters go through in those scenes.
I didn't like the performance of the young boy. He also has some unfitting annoying scenes that make me feel very unsympathetic towards him.
I also didn't really buy the religious theme of the whole film. I'm certainly not a pure atheïst, as I truly WANT to believe there is something more than only this world (I'm in a searching phase of finding my true beliefs), but this film didn't let me see "the light". I felt the ending was way too much "right in the face". It really needed some subtlety. It felt like Shyamalan just wanted to throw in a mindblowing ending. It didn't fit with the whole atmosphere of the movie at all, in my opinion. In a certain way it's cool that some small things come together at one time, but I think it was WAY overdone here. I know it's practically the whole theme of the movie I'm dissing here, as the title is 'Signs', but I expected something deeper and more meaningful to demonstrate 'true belief'.
I still enjoyed a very big part of the movie and the rest of the cast (especially the little girl) was also very good.
I would rate it:

3.5

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Snatch (2000)

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http://i2.listal.com/image/4563522/400full.jpg

Yes, the storyline has its flaws and no, there isn't any real depth in this film, but my god it's entertaining as HELL! I'm a big fan of stylized violence and when the song Golden Brown by the Stranglers started to play while a big guy was knocked out by Brad Pitt's character Mickey, my heart started bouncing. I LOVE that kind of stuff.
The film has its weaker parts, but I would certainly recommend it! I rated it:

4-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG_Nwp0wZc0

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In the Company of Men (1997)

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This film is pure dark humor. It's funny and yet EXTREMELY mean. I love that kind of stuff. The acting is also pretty much flawless. The only think I disliked a little bit, was the static way of camera shooting. It worked with some scenes, but I felt that some moments could use a little bit more camera 'movement'.
It's a very minor issue, though, as this film is mostly enjoyable because of its script and performances. I rate it:

4-

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Do the Right Thing (1989)

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Spike Lee's famous picture about the true nature of racism and its consequences is first of all an EXTREMELY well directed movie. Lee really has talent. The whole picture is put together amazingly well.
Second of all it has a very daring plot full of tension. The film doesn't make any real statements an sich. It pretty much observes and doesn't make anyone really likable (besides maybe Jackson's radioman character and the old drunk man).
The film shows us a seemingly average day in an average multicultural neighborhood on the hottest day of the year. The neighborhood clearly mirrors the (American) multicultural society and exposes the problems of it very well.
I admire this film a lot and it certainly was a memorable experience. My rating would be:

4.5(-)

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[Masterman]

Snatch it a brilliant movie, I'd give it it a 5/5.

[HitchFan97]

So glad to see you're enjoying Altman so much! He truly is one of the all-time best directors in my opinion. Make sure you check out Nashville and 3 Women.

[JoeHorrorFanatic]

+ rep for Snatch and Battle Royale.
Snatch is indeed entertaining as hell. I love Guy Richie, I love the cast, and I love the twisty zaniness of the story it tells.
I initially thought that Battle Royale was too long, but upon thinking about it I can't think of any scenes that should have been cut. It was entertaining and engrossing throughout. I'd still like to see the sequel, Requiem.

[Cobpyth]

Movies I've watched since my last review:

The Skin I Live In (2011)

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http://iphoto.ipeen.com.tw/photo/comment/5/0/4/cgmfcf633cf135d19bef30847e20343730e230.jpg

This is a very good Spanish arthouse-horror movie, directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Antonio Banderas. It's very artistic to look at, but don't be misguided! The story is pure horror, based on a very disturbing obsession of the main character. The plot depends on some major twists that you slowly come aware of during the picture. I liked it and I certainly recommend it. It was a disturbing experience that I really enjoyed.

4(+)

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The Breakfast Club (1985)

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Great film! I love the atmosphere, I love the characters and I love the dialogue! The chemistry between the different characters is perfect and the film stays entertaining and a lot of fun during the whole 97 minutes. I also loved the fresh 80s soundtrack and the few more 'surrealistic moments'. I was surprised I liked this so much. I rate it:

4(+)

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Your Friends & Neighbors (1998)

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This movie has a very Woody Allen-like plot, but it lacks great dialogue and goes for purely dark humor instead. Some scenes are very good and intensely funny in a dark way (such as the scene in the steam sauna), but other moments don't work that well. Aaron Eckhart surprised me in this film, though, showing that he has a great range as an actor, as he pretty much plays the opposite role here of his character in In the Company of Men.
I wasn't bored by the film, but it didn't hold my full attention the whole time. It was nowhere near great, in my opinion. Still it deserves a:

3.5-

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A Beautiful Mind (2001)

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I wanted to see this oscar winning film for a very long time already, but my expectations were tempered when a lot of people with similar movie tastes didn't like it that much.
It's nowhere near a bad picture, but besides some nice shots, some good acting and several good moments (especially in the beginning), it wasn't my kind of picture. The psychology in this film is way too much 'out there' in my opinion and therefore it really lacks the subtlety this kind of story actually needs.
It still has some good parts and I laughed a couple of times, but the intentions of the film did not completely work out for me. It's still worth:

3.5

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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

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Light, entertaining western film with some great dramatic touches. The two main characters, played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford, hold a 'bigger than life'-atitude during the whole film, despite getting in trouble badly.
The Sting is still better (in my opinion), but this classic was also certainly worth the watch. I feel it could've used a little bit more intrigue, but it works fine as an entertaining western full of cool and hilarious scenes. I rate it:

4

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Apocalypse Now (1979)

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MASTERPIECE! This was one of the best films I've ever seen in my life. Francis Ford Coppola certainly knows how to make epic films.
The movie is brilliantly directed and contains some extremely memorable moments. One of the most perfect scenes I've ever seen is the helicopter attack with Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries on the background. Truly great stuff. This picture is entertaining, philosophical, cruel, twisted and beautiful! This immediately ranks among my favorite war films of all time.
I can't really think of anything bad about this film. It's a very special experience and really deserves its high status among cinephiles. I would rate this film:

5

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Monsieur Verdoux (1947)

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Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux is a whole different kind of anti-war film, criticizing the 'violence as business' in the modern world by using a character (as an allegory) who marries rich widows or women and then kills them to get their money, so he can feed his family at home. It's a pretty dark movie with some nice touches of Chaplin's usual humor and pathos. I also like how Chaplin uses slapstick humor in a very cynical way here.
The ending is not perfect and I personally would have gone in a different direction, but it didn't ruin the film for me. I rate it:

4+

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Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

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This is a GREAT piece of film. Clooney really hit a homerun with this picture.
It portrays the famous battle between television- and radio personality Edward Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy, regarding the latter's methods of prosecuting communists in the 50s.
First of all the film has great dialogue and visuals and it very cleverly makes use of archive footage of McCarthy.
This film is a tribute to freedom and the political engagement to preserve it.
The story portrays several layers of freedom, in the form of a short interview with Liberace (the freedom of sexual orientation), jazz music (freedom of race), a couple that has to hide that they're married to keep their job, political freedom and the right to be judged in a fair way and more.
Clooney warns us in this film (using a late 50s acceptance speech from Edward Murrow) to not get distracted by empty entertaining all the time and to sustain attention to what's really going on in this world. Some day, it may be necessary to intervene...
"Good night, and good luck."

5(-)

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[JoeHorrorFanatic]

The Skin I Live In is a film I've been wanting to see.

[Cobpyth]

I had a pretty busy couple of weeks with the final exams and with partying afterwards, but now I'm back at home for a month, so I'll have time to watch a whole bunch of movies! These are the films I've watched since my last review:

Face/Off (1997)

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A very good and stylized action film directed by John Woo, with two great acting performances from John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. They were both at the top of their game in this picture!
The premise may not sound that interesting, but it actually opens many opportunities for some very dark scenes and some very funny moments. John Woo somehow made everything work.
Some action scenes maybe were a little too long and stretched for my taste, but they were so entertaining that I couldn't really complain. My favorite scenes were the darker ones with John Travolta as the villain at home with the cop's family. Some really great stuff there. I rate this film:

4

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The Gold Rush (1925)

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Well, you can't go wrong with Chaplin. This was yet again a film full of great comedy and touching pathos. The setting of the film is also quite impressive (with the house falling from the cliff). I think every Chaplin fan will love this film. It's not on the same level as City Lights or Modern Times for me, but it certainly comes close. I rate it:

4.5-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x3VQ_yL_6w

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Nashville (1975)

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This is a very special movie from Robert Altman. The whole movie builds up to one of the most haunting climaxes I've ever seen. The film tells about the showbizz industry in Nashville and how the town prepares itself for a political convention. On the road we get to know the competition in showbizz, the dirtiness of politics, some struggling wannabe artists, struggling stars and a couple of other obscure characters. This is a brilliant piece of work, which could only be created by one of the greatest film makers of all time. I rate this film:

4.5

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Farewell, My Concubine (1993)

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This is a very dark film about the modern history of China and the Chinese opera and how it affected two persons of the business from their childhood to their adulthood. One of them has to portray female characters (most notably the Concubine) and gets totally confused about his sexuality. The other one has to portray the king. Their relationship gets more complicated with the communist occupation and the interference of a beautiful, but cunning prostitute.
It's a very good film, with some very touching scenes (especially the ending is incredible) and I really enjoyed it. I rate it:

4+

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Dazed and Confused (1993)

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It is an enjoyable highschool film and it is praised by many people, but I personally thought it lacked the depth of (for example) The Breakfast Club or American Graffiti. It still has a very good soundtrack and there certainly are some funny scenes. I rate it:

3.5

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Tootsie (1982)

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This 80s comedy classic certainly was an enjoyable watch and had its funny moments! It becomes even more than that when they add some really interesting drama to it. Dustin Hoffman does a wonderful job and if it wasn't for Ben Kingsley, he would have deserved that Oscar for sure! I also love Pollack's directing style in this film. The camera movement is very smooth and he delivers a very firm capture of the story. Great stuff. Overall I rank this pop culture classic:

4(-)

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The Pink Panther (1963)

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Awesome detective comedy with of course the great Peter Sellers, featuring a wonderful cast with the likes of David Niven, Claudia Cardinale, Robert Wagner, Capucine, etc. I enjoyed every minute of it. Sometimes it was screamingly hilarious and the main plot was entertaining enough to keep my attention. I also loved the colorful 60s background of the picture (which is also a part of Blake Edwards' Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Party, which I also both liked). I rate this film:

4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S65VEV4v_U

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[Cobpyth]

Here are the movies I've seen since my last review. The reviews are going to be a little shorter as usual, as there are so many. It's more going to be a short opinion of every film. I also lowered my ratings a little bit, so a 3.5 is much better than it used to be, for instance.

I will put all the films into three posts. This is the first one.


Movie 43 (2012)

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Its humor is not of a very high level, but I couldn't help laughing a few times. Some sketches are funnier than the others. It's not as bad as they say, in my opinion.

2.5-

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A Shot in the Dark (1964)

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It focuses more on humor than the first Pink Panther movie and therefore much more on the Inspector Clouseau character. This (kind of) sequel is very well directed and is about as good as the first one, although it's quite different and a little more over the top when it comes to the slapstick. It's still modest and intimate enough to remain charming, though, and sometimes it is just outrageously hilarious.
It also has a BRILLIANT opening scene!

3.5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0DWmSrGYMA

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Doctor Zhivago (1965)

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Wonderful epic film from director David Lean. It has a touching story and it's told in a visually beautiful way. It may sometimes not be completely coherent, but then again, which epic is?

4

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The Kid (1921)

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Classic Chaplin. Funny slapstick with a heart. The little kid is about as good as Chaplin himself. He does a brilliant job! This is really worth the watch if you're a Chaplin fan like me.

4

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The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)

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I skipped the third entry for some reason, so I still have to see that one. This fourth film of the series is not as good as the first two as it lost a lot of the series' original intimacy. However, it still has enough laughs and good moments to remain enjoyable.

3

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Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

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It's over the top and completely ridiculous, but somehow it works. It also has a lot of funny references to the Bond series, the Pink Panther series and other famous (spy) movies. It's no great cinema, but it's entertaining and funny! Elizabeth Hurley is STUNNING!

3+

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Paths of Glory (1957)

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A very nice anti-war film from Kubrick. The generals may be a little too exaggerated in their badness and inhumanity and therefore are not completely believable as real life villains, but then again, I guess there really are such people...
It's very well directed (it's Kubrick, what did you expect?) and the final scene is absolutely stunning.

4

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[Cobpyth]

Second post:


Only Yesterday (1991)

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Takahata is a more personal director than Miyazaki (although he also has some personal films) and I really appreciate his realistic style with a few creative, surrealistic touches. It's a wonderful film and if you're a fan of mature animation, this certainly is a movie for you!

4

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Millennium Actress (2001)

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God, I loved this film. Director Satoshi Kon takes us on a surrealistic trip throughout the life and career of a retired actress, who lived reclused for 30 years.
We get to know her struggles and her quest to find 'the unreachable', which is symbolized by a key to something we can't exactly apprehend. I saw it as a key to something higher, something more, 'eternal happiness'.
I also love that Kon still made some room for comedy in this dramatic piece, using the two interviewers. One is a huge fan of the actress and the other one is a younger guy who constantly ridicules his colleague's obsession.
The last scene is pure poetry. It's perfect!
I will certainly watch this film again and it may even get a maximum score after a second view.

4.5(+)

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Hotel Transylvania (2012)

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A very average animation picture with a few laughs and a pretty basic story about an overprotective father that isn't executed in a satisfying way.
The only things that make it worth seeing, are probably the supporting characters and Dracula's rap at the end.

2.5+

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Midnight Cowboy (1969)

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Great film with very good acting performances and a sometimes funny, but mainly dramatic story that resolves in a haunting ending.
SPOILERS! The last scene instantly made me think of the biblical story about Moses, who also never completely reached his paradise.
Apart from a wonderful dramatic story, it also has some very artistic scenes, just like the 'Andy Warhol party' scene. I also love the returning song, that provides some space for thoughts, for the characters and for the audience!

4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mAMHZ4gLcQ

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3 Women (1977)

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This dreamlike (or should I say nightmarish?) picture completely grabbed me during its whole running time.
I interpret it as a characterization of the different possible stages in women's lives. The masterful trick is that Altman uses some kind of dream logic and lets his characters dissolve into various phases throughout the film. There's much more in this film of course, but I thought that was the mainspring of the whole film.

4

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Castle in the Sky (1986)

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It's quite entertaining and has some cool characters, but it's nowhere near Miyazaki's very best (it's not his worst either). The animation is still outstanding, though, and it's a picture you can't impossibly look away from. The thing I liked the most besides all the exuberant moments, is probably the relationship of the two main characters. It worked very well.

3.5

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Harvey (1950)

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James Stewart is great in this very charming old classic about a seemingly insane man, who actually tends to know more about the virtues of life, be it in a very odd way and in the form of a giant invisible rabbit. It's a feel good film that is still aware of the wickedness of society. I enjoyed it!

3.5+

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[Cobpyth]

Third post:

Swing Time (1936)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hULTFy1-olU/Tl70UK-T4kI/AAAAAAAAAOM/vsQcNxMaqY0/s400/cap224.bmp
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cwkM0jdVSWc/S1nWPQ-H6cI/AAAAAAAAA6k/kLBEaSJ1ESA/s400/swing-time-bojangles.png

This was my second Astaire and Rogers picture and I liked this one about as much as I liked Top Hat. It has some great music/dance sequences and the story and dialogue is funny and sometimes even romantic. Ginger Rogers is absolutely gorgeous as usual and Fred Astaire shows his skills in some of the best musical dance moments I've seen. Great film!

3.5+

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Paprika (2006)

http://thisdistractedglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Paprika-2006-Megumi-Hayashibara-Akio-%C3%94tsuka-pic-2.jpg
http://neetbomber.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/paprika-7.jpg?w=510&h=283

Satoshi Kon once again delivers a very good picture with some astonishing animation. The movie is about dreams and uses it as a device to sketch the inner struggles of its characters. My favorite character (also the one that I related to the most) was the private detective who brings comedy and yet some very real emotions to the film. I really liked this film!

4

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Speed (1994)

http://blog.jinni.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/speed.jpg

A very entertaining action film with many flaws that sometimes can't be overlooked (for me personally). It's still worth seeing if you want some brainless fun!

3

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Analyze This (1999)

http://www.hbosouthasia.com/uploads/jun12/poster/analyze_this.png

It certainly has its funny moments, but the obvious attempts of the filmmakers to reach for something deeper, don't work for me.

3

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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

http://www.chud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/tumblr_lgs85p5kfc1qhoze3o1_500.jpg

You know you're in for a visual treat when you watch a Terry Gilliam film and it wasn't different with this one. Some scenes are absolutely unbelievable. The message of the story has its flaws, but the events in the film were entertaining enough to keep me captivated. This is also the merit of the two main actors. Depp en Del Toro are really good!

3.5

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Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

http://www.buzztoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/13cab__mike-myers-in-austin-powers-the-spy-who-shagged-me_500x328.jpg

It's not as good as the first one, in my opinion. The comedy didn't work as well as in the first film and I didn't like some of the added characters. Heather Graham really saved this film for me with her great looks. You can't look away when she's on screen. She's absolutely gorgeous in this one.
Some scenes still were a little funny and the film still features the two memorable main characters and Mindy Sterling's hilarious Frau Farbissina from the first picture, so it wasn't complete trash.

2.5+

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The Two Jakes (1990)

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I had high expectations for this film, as it is the sequel to my second favorite film of all time, Chinatown.
It was gorgeous! Jack Nicholson really did a good job directing this film and he's brilliant as always as an actor.
The story went deeper than the ordinary detective story, just like its predecessor, as it still focuses on characters and the changes of their surroundings.
Nicholson gave the film a very warm and dark atmosphere and the locations/sets are very well picked/constructed to assist that mood.
I loved it and I'm very glad this movie exists. Obviously Chinatown didn't need a sequel (although it was intended from the beginning) and is perfect as a stand alone movie, but this second film certainly doesn't ruin anything. Its story may not be as good as the classic 1974 film, but it offers a very interesting look at the come and go of the older J. J. Gittes, one of the greatest and most tortured characters in cinema history, played by one of the greatest actors of all time.

4+

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[The Gunslinger45]

I personally enjoy Austin Powers: The Spy Who shagged Me to the original. Speed is awesome, Analyze This is funny as hell, Fear and Loathing is an acid trip of a good time. Also I did not really care for Swing Time, but musicals are very hit or miss for me. And now I feel I need to see Paprika. Excellent reviews!

[Guaporense]

Castle in the Sky and Only Yesterday are certainly superior works of art than Paprika. Paprika is excellent though even better than Inception, it's westernized copy. However, Paprika is more suited to the tastes of males between the ages of 16 and 30 than Castle in the Sky (movie made for 12 year olds) and Only Yesterday (made for women). Out of the 5 animations reviewed above, Castle in the Sky is the only one widely considered to be a masterpiece of cinema.

I wouldn't call the Skin I Live In an arthouse movie though. It's appears to be very conventional to me. A simple linear plot and everything. Though I have seem worse, like people call Kurosawa an arthouse director.

[cricket]

Excellent, quick reviews of a nice variety of films. Chinatown is also a favorite of mine, and your review of The Two Jakes is a reminder for me to order it ASAP.

[Cobpyth]

Castle in the Sky and Only Yesterday are certainly superior works of art than Paprika. Paprika is excellent though even better than Inception, it's westernized copy. However, Paprika is more suited to the tastes of males between the ages of 16 and 30 than Castle in the Sky (movie made for 12 year olds) and Only Yesterday (made for women). Out of the 5 animations reviewed above, Castle in the Sky is the only one widely considered to be a masterpiece of cinema.

If I placed the 5 recently reviewed animations in order, it would be like this:

1. Millennium Actress
2. Only Yesterday
3. Paprika
4. Castle in the Sky
5. Hotel Transylvania

The reason why Castle in the Sky is quite low in comparison to the other films, is because I'm more a fan of Miyazaki's more personal films, such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Porco Rosso.
Paprika is indeed a little westernized, but certainly not completely. Actually, some scenes made me think of Miyazaki's style (such as the final battle, etc.).

I wouldn't call the Skin I Live In an arthouse movie though. It's appears to be very conventional to me. A simple linear plot and everything. Though I have seem worse, like people call Kurosawa an arthouse director.

Well, it's pretty much described as an arthouse film. Movies like The Master are also considered arthouse for example. It doesn't always have to be obscure.
I don't really know what the exact definition is, but I think it means there's a bigger focus on the artistic side and the amount of money the film makes, is secondary.


Thanks for the reactions, Cricket and Gunslinger!

[Daniel M]

I'm glad you liked Fear and Loathing, although I can understand why some people will dislike its extreme visceral and sometimes grotesque style, I thought it was two hours of pure enjoyment and it reminded me of why I love watching movies at times: great performances, awesome visuals - the psychedelic interpretations are magnificent, such as the people/creature scene at the beginning, a great soundtrack, and a hilarious script.

[Cobpyth]

Films I've seen since my last review:

Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/GQa1PDRG4eSrAEzdC24ovQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0yNjY7cT04NTt3PTQwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/Movies/Hotzilla/beyonce-knowles-foxy-cleopatra-new-lines-austin-powers-436136.jpg

The third film of the Austin Powers trilogy is better than the second one, as it is funnier, but it doesn't reach the level of the first one either. It also features the worst female lead of the trilogy with Beyoncé, as she doesn't reach the same level of sexappeal (despite the fact that she's a very attractive woman) and chemistry with the Austin Powers character as the previous two.
What I especially liked in this film, are the movie-within-movie scenes, featuring Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow (she would have been PERFECT for the real female leading role), Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Steven Spielberg! I thought they were very well made.
It also has some other pretty good scenes, such as the 'hard knock life' rap sequence, and Michael Caine also gives this film a little more color. All in all, it's an acceptable final entry of this spy spoof trilogy, but it's certainly nothing more than that.

3-

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Wonder Boys (2000)

http://www.soundonsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wonder_boys_003.jpg

This is an interesting film. It features some great performances from Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire and Robert Downey Jr. They all are funny in the film, while still being very serious.
It's a film about people that are all at a difficult point in their lives and they all try to deal with it on a college campus.
The main plot of the film is that the Douglas' character isn't making any choices in his life, so he can finally go forward, instead of wandering around and doing practically nothing but smoking weed and thinking about everything, without actually doing something. This also reflects in the book he's working on for already 7 years and his love life. His wife left him and meanwhile he's having an affair with the chancellor.
When his editor comes to town and when the married chancellor (Frances McDormand) tells him she's carrying his baby, he finally gets confronted with this 'stagnation' of his life and is forced to make decisions.
He tries to escape from that responsibility and meets Tobey Maguire's character, one of his students. Together with him, his editor (Downey Jr.) and some other characters along the way, we gradually see him considering the options he has. Fortunately for us, we also get a few laughs during this.
I'm not sure if the ending completely satisfied me, but I liked the idea of this film and I certainly recommend seeing it!

3.5(-)

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Terms of Endearment (1983)

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http://atp2.yokacdn.com/20130503/a4/a47a2f59ffe353fedde9acf21ea8a710.jpg

I LOVED this film. It's charming, funny and touching at the same time and it features some AWESOME performances!
The most important thing is that everything feels real in this film. With these storylines, one could easily get overly dramatic, but this film stays true to life during the whole ride and I really admire that in a movie.
The other thing I liked about this film, is that every character is interesting, from Jack Nicholson's retired astronaut Garret to the young Tommy. They are all human and all have their flaws, but still we can't help but sympathize and relate with all (or at least most) of them.

4

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The Dictator (2012)

http://kinogallery.com/img/news/The_Dictator_Trailer_new.jpg

I laughed a few times, but this film wasn't as entertaining, shocking or hilarious as Cohen's Borat or Brüno.
He's still a great performer and he still manages to keep every scene interesting, just because he knows how to be funny, but this is by far his weakest film yet.

3(-)

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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

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Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell steal the show in this gorgeous film from Howard Hawks. The film is almost as beautifully shot as its two female stars and a few scenes are very memorable.
The best scene of this film pretty much says it all: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". This is exactly where this film is about.
Marilyn Monroe's character seems extremely stupid, but her views on relationships are actually very down to earth and, while still extremely cynical, in some ways understandable and even defendable!
What do you do if you can't find true love or if you don't believe it actually exists (for you)? You marry someone who at least can offer you some other things. Her character is that kind of empty, hollow person that doesn't really seem to be made for something as deep as love. She doesn't know the meaning of it and it is very hard to believe that she ever will. Somehow she is smart and honest enough to realize that. Therefore, she chooses perpetual wealth over short romances.
Jane Russell's character is different. She's a 'believer' and although her so called true love in this film isn't completely convincing to me, her character is still a very interesting addition to Monroe's character and also the reason why this film works so well.
Beside the ideas this film generates, it's still mainly an entertaining piece of Musical/Comedy with a lot of jokes and glamorous music numbers.
The negative point of this film for me is that the plot isn't always that interesting on the surface, but it's never boring!

3.5(+)

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The Seven Year Itch (1955)

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This is another lovely film by Billy Wilder, starring Marilyn Monroe. She's certainly one of the most charismatic stars in the history of film.
This film, however, focuses more on the male lead, played by Tom Ewell. His character is a married man, who has to stay home in the city all alone during the summer weeks, because of his work, while his wife and son are on a trip to the countryside.
This film is particulary interesting to me, because it isn't completely clear if what's happening is all real or just a part of the man's very rich imagination. His faithfulness to his wife is tested by a gorgeous woman who lives upstairs for the summer in the form of Marilyn Monroe. The fantasy theory makes much sense as he literally mentions Monroe's name at the end and because she's "coincidentally" also in an image of one of the books on his shelf.
Anyway, beside all that, this film is funny, good looking, entertaining and charming. I liked it a lot.

3.5(+)

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Days of Being Wild (1990)

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Wong Kar Wai is a very talented director and he shows it in his second feature film. Every single shot is worth seeing and his constantly moving camera works very well here. This film is no In the Mood For Love yet in terms of visuals, but the great artistic vision is already there.
Next to that, this film has an interesting story, that criticizes the 'uncaring' and 'wild' lifestyle of the emotionally tortured main character, played by Leslie Cheung, while still being solely observing. He gets involved with two girls in this film and it's interesting how these two girls are so different in personality, while still having the same faith, regarding their relationship with him. They both deal differently (yet not completely) with the ultimate rejection.
The ending of this film is a wink at In the Mood For Love, but is certainly not meaningless in this film, as it shows that one of the two girls still has to meet her 'true love' or at least will have a chance at something/someone different. A feeling of hope AND despair overtook me, already knowing what Wong Kar Wai had in store for her...
I'm looking forward to seeing 2046, the last film of this 'loose trilogy' about the different aspects of love and life.

4(+)

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[cricket]

I agree with Terms of Endearment, I also love that film.

I don't know one Austin Powers film from another, but I always enjoy them.

I just taped The Wonder Boys after hearing good things on this site and will watch this week.

I didn't like The Dictator, I thought the best parts were in the trailer.

[Tyler1]

Wong Kar Wai's films all have a killer soundtrack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgM5mqBgh18

[Cobpyth]

Wong Kar Wai's films all have a killer soundtrack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgM5mqBgh18

I agree. It's part of his masterful skill to create certain atmospheres in his films. They are not only a pleasure to look at, but also a pleasure to listen to.

[Cobpyth]

Films I've seen since my last review (a lot of Woody Allen):


Marty (1955)

http://cdn5.movieclips.com/mgm/m/marty-1955/0321852_814_MC_Tx304.jpg

This film about two hopeless romantics is touching, funny, sometimes awkward and features some very good performances! It's also smart and very realistic.
The only problems I had with it were the unnatural sudden change of the mother character (and her exaggerated Italian accent), although it serves the story very well, and the ending. It's not so much the outcome that bothers me, but it's the way they executed it.
SPOILERS:
One of the most brilliant and touching scenes of the film was the moment where he gives up on the promise he made the other night (because of his environment) and the sad reaction of the two main characters to it. I like the fact that he decides to give his environment the finger, but somehow the ending felt more like an act of frustration and guilt from Marty. I didn't feel any love or purity. Especially the ugly remark he makes at his friend turned me off. I'm not sure if the filmmakers were trying to catch that feeling of frustration. I guess not...
Anyway, it's a very engaging film and despite the problems I have with it, it's REALLY worth seeing. It's deeper than most movies about relationships and the characters are all very relatable. From the guy who tries to dump his 'dog' date in a subtle way to Marty himself.

3.5

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All About My Mother (1999)

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I already talked a little about it in the '90s list topic, so I'm just going to be short. It's a story about acceptance of the more eccentric people and self-acceptance. It's also a tribute to theater and the feelings it can untie, if executed in a truthful way. The film is also beautifully shot and the performances are great.

3.5(+)

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Stardust Memories (1980)

http://thelooksee.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/stardust_memories_2.jpg
http://www.moviefancentral.com/images/pictures/58842/image_942fd8bd0.gif
(Sharon Stone's first appearance in a feature film)

MASTERPIECE!
While being a tribute to Fellini's 8 1/2, this is still very much a Woody Allen film. This film is extremely self aware of itself as a film and about life in general. I love that kind of movies (another example of this structure is The Player).
Stardust Memories asks the right questions, gives the right criticisms and in its quest to find 'meaning' it utilizes pure art. The difference between Woody Allen films and most other films is that, while being extremely interesting and serious, he still knows how to make fun of it all.
This film is daring, deep, interesting and hilarious. It's one of the best films I've seen in a very long time.

P.S. Don't watch the youtube clip if you haven't seen the film yet. I just put it here, because I think it was that kind of magical moment in a film that makes you decide it's officially a new favorite!

5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xZEdX5HIEo
Goosebumps!

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Risky Business (1983)

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http://25.media.tumblr.com/7d33612b61cceca54d4dadfd5ea92d06/tumblr_mna4xsAre81qzj2s3o1_500.jpg

This is basically a wild teenage film that dares to go a little darker. It's very '80s in style and it's great fun!
The message of the film is kind of ambiguous and it makes fun of its own plot the whole time, while still being very serious and realistic. Great stuff!
I also really liked the acting in this film. Tom Cruise was great and Rebecca De Mornay was MARVELOUS. Watch this film and be entertained!

3.5

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The Cooler (2003)

http://funkyimg.com/u2/156/325/2003_-_The_Cooler.jpg

This is a very stylish and stylized film about luck, love, happiness and Vegas. It is in no way realistic, but I don't really think that was the intention anyway. It's an entertaining story and the characters are three-dimensional, especially Baldwin's casino boss character was very interesting.
The problem with this film is that it's sometimes a little too unsubtle in terms of emotions (except Baldwin's character) and certain events.
It's still a great watch and I was very entertained.

3.5(-)

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Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

http://www.loucosesantos.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/poderosa-afrodite-mighty-aphrodite.jpg

This is a very sweet film by Woody Allen. The story isn't as deep as some of his other work, but it's clever, funny and very ironic. I really liked the construction of this film. Allen used a thousands of years old storytelling method, using a Greek chorus to comment on the events of the film, in a VERY original way.
The script is also daring and the film manages to stay entertaining until the end.
I also have to bring up the brilliant acting from Mira Sorvino, who is gorgeous, funny and really good in this picture. She really deserved that Oscar.
It’s a feel good film and a must watch for Allen fans!

3.5+

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Take the Money and Run (1969)

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/filmosophy/3689464215_8eda9e2d47.jpg

This is an example of a purely funny movie without (practically) anything else in it.
The humor is still very tasteful and inventive. Allen mainly uses absurdity as the key element for his jokes and it mostly works. I laughed really hard several times and that's also thanks to Allen's acting. He's nothing like himself here. I've never seen him this dry before in any of his films. Extremely funny stuff.

3.5(-)

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Sleeper (1973)

http://www.lookmymovies.com/images4/images/sleeper.png
http://i500.listal.com/image/3047422/500full.jpg

Brilliant comedy!
It's stylish, inventive, in some sort of odd way nostalgic, entertaining and extremely hilarious. I've never seen Allen so purely funny as in this film. Diane Keaton is also a great partner in this film and complements Woody very well.

The plot is actually pretty clever, while still being absurd, and he uses the futuristic environment and the plot very well in his hundreds of funny jokes in this picture.
Besides all the fun, this film is also satiric in its content. While there aren't really any statements regarding politics (except maybe in the end), it observes the topic cleverly and in a very satisfying way (at least to me). His look on the future is really cool!
Everything works in this film!

4

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[cricket]

Glad you enjoyed The Cooler and Risky Business; they are favorites of mine.

[seanc]

Over the past month I have watched a few Allen films that I have never seen before but none of these. I will def check out Mighty Aphrodite soon. Just watched The Purple Rose Of Cairo last night and really enjoyed it.

[mark f]

You should see Love and Death if you haven't (or even if you have). :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jj2udbW_MM

[Cobpyth]

You should see Love and Death if you haven't (or even if you have). :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jj2udbW_MM

I haven't! I was planning on watching it soon, together with Manhattan Murder Mystery. Very likely this week.

[honeykid]

I really like MMM. :up:

[Cobpyth]

Movies I've watched since my last post:

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

http://critical-gaming.com/storage/Whisper_of_the_Heart_1.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1278963890792
http://cdn1.cdnme.se/cdn/6-1/2478571/images/2011/whisper-004_131228931_164625851.jpg

This is a wonderfully animated picture from Japan's Studio Ghibli. Its plot is layered and contains a girl who's looking for a purpose in her life and the sketch of a sweet and innocent love story she gets involved in.
It is all executed in a realistic way, with a few surreal touches and it works very well throughout the whole film.
Some scenes/moments are more interesting than others, but the film never gets dull or boring and stays true to its tone. I enjoyed it.

3.5(+)

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Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

http://www.filmotv.fr/elts/programmes/1735/gallerie/1735_MEURTRE_MYSTERIEUX_A_MANHATTAN_PHOTO_w_450.jpg
http://www.labutaca.net/lasmejorespeliculas/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/woody-allen-repor-misterioso-asesinato-en-manhattan.jpg

Woody Allen's tensive, twisted and above all FUNNY hommage to crime/mystery films is extremely entertaining and engaging. The whole cast, containing Diane Keaton, Jerry Adler, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston and of course Woody himself, are really good in this and they perfectly balance seriousness with comedy.
Actually, this applies to the whole film. The excellent balance between suspense and comedy is what makes this film work. You don't take it too serious, but you still care enough to be captured by the mystery story.
It's a very accessible Woody Allen film and if you're a fan, you will like it for sure!

3.5(+)

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Young Frankenstein (1974)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLPPTpWyveo/T-XpGChpaLI/AAAAAAAAwJo/VCD0nB3PzOM/s400/YOUNG%2BFRANKENSTEIN23.png^
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7W_e_oK7CY/UKRM4gILtXI/AAAAAAAAN9o/9vVCq68OajA/s1600/tumblr_m0wu7ckKTa1qd6h8q.gif

I haven't laughed this much in a very long time. This film is pure comedy gold. Gene Wilder's performance in this film is screamingly funny and perfectly fitting in the classic genre this film is parodying.
The movie offers constant laughs (possibly more than any comedy I've ever seen) and besides that, we also get the nostalgic and charming atmosphere of an old '30s horror picture. This is a movie I will revisit many more times and I'm quite sure it will last.
I can't imagine Mel Brooks has made a better film than this one, but I will have to discover his other work to be sure.

4.5

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Trading Places (1983)

http://anh.24h.com.vn/upload/2-2011/images/2011-06-18/1308367163-Trading-Places-4.jpg

This film is good entertainment and has a few good laughs. It never really surprises, but then again it never disappoints either. It's certainly worth a watch if you're in the mood for something wild and entertaining with a nice dose of comedy.
This movie is enjoyable and very likable, but don't expect to be blown away by it.

3+

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Blazing Saddles (1974)

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc0uw5cGQH1rj90kfo1_500.jpg
https://d27fcql9yjk2c0.cloudfront.net/assets/2427574/view_large/blazing-saddles.jpg?1288576229

I was enjoying myself during this Mel Brooks film, but I couldn't figure out why it was so widely praised as one of the best comedies of all time. Then, suddenly, out of NOTHING, came one of the most exhilarating and fresh comedy endings I've ever witnessed! I really didn't see that one coming. Very good stuff!
I didn't like this film as much as I liked Young Frankenstein, though, because it was a little more off balance and because not every joke was working for me, but it's still a great film. I'm dying to see more of Mel Brooks' other movies! I have now seen The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.
I also want to note that I (again) immensily enjoyed Madeline Kahn's performance. She's really a wonderful comical actress. I can't wait to see more of her work.

3.5

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Cool Hand Luke (1967)

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http://assets.coolhunting.com/coolhunting/mt_asset_cache/culture/assets/images/cool-hand-luke.jpg

This film contains some wonderful cinematography and a great story about a man, Luke (Paul Newman), who refuses to conform to the authorities in his life and in prison. He points out the fact that man is never free and is continuously held back to live a happy life because of it. During the course of the movie, he only gets more and more frustrated...
In prison, he makes a lot of friends, and for them, Luke becomes a symbol.
The movie touched me, entertained me with a lot of memorable scenes (car wash scene, egg eating scene, box scene) and somehow frustrated me, but in a good and empathic way.
The main criticism towards this film is the distracting direction by Stuart Rosenberg. I agree that he sometimes loses focus of the essence of certain scenes and some parts would have been better with a lighter and softer treatment. It still doesn't distract enough to make it genuinly irritating and therefore this stays a great film nevertheless.

4(-)

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Love and Death (1975)

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http://i500.listal.com/image/5312498/500full.jpg

Allen's take on Russia in the 19th century isn't particularly a joy for the eye (although it has some visually well constructed scenes), but it's the great script and the funny slapstick that make this film so well loved and enjoyable!
While this film has a pretty short running time, it has an epic feeling to it, because there happens quite a lot! Between all these numerous funny events, Allen takes the time to put in a few philosophical conversations and observations, be it in a rather amusing and light way.
This film is regarded as one of Allen's most accomplished films, but I personally can't rank it as one of my favorites, because it is still very much in his more hyperventilating and extremely fast paced period. While I enjoy this period, his true masterpieces, in my opinion, are those with more room for 'space' and atmosphere.
Anyway, if you're an Allen fan, you will like (and maybe even love) this!

3.5

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[The Gunslinger45]

I am glad you are really enjoying Mel Brooks! He is one of my all time favorite directors. Now I am one of those who is in the camp of Blazing Saddles being the funniest comedy of all time. It is just like a live action Looney Tune cartoon and filled with so much racial humor it appeals to my "bad taste" sense of humor. And yes I love the ending as well.

But in all honesty, everyone has their favorite Mel Brooks comedy which they believe is the funniest. And just like people can say just about any of Kubrick's movies is his greatest, it is the same with regards to which movie is Mel's funniest. The man was a comedic genius, giving us so many great movies.

If you have not seen them already, I highly suggest Spaceballs, History of the World Part One, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and while he did not direct it, the remake of To Be or Not To Be.

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

I felt the exact same way about Trading Places. I've seen parts of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, and I really liked them.

[JayDee]

Glad to see you loved Young Frankenstein so much. :up: That's one of my real favourites and one of the funniest films I've ever seen.

[cricket]

I completely agree with your assessments of Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Cool Hand Luke. I disagree with your assessment of Trading Places. I'm glad you liked it but I love it. I loved it when it first came out at the cinema, and I love it just as much today. That's when Eddie Murphy was a God.

[Cobpyth]

Barbarella (1968)

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc4hfdYaHy1r8zesio1_500.jpg

This cult film with Jane Fonda in the leading role may not be a great film, but it has certain charming and hilarious moments, such as the opening sequence, Jane Fonda having sex with David Hemmings using some strange pills, an attempt to murder the main character by giving her an overdose of sexual stimulation using some kind of odd machine, etc.
It also has a few more disturbing parts, including a scene with murderous biting puppets and a scene with a lot of colorful birds.
I also liked the visuals of the landscape, despite the fact that they are pretty kitschy.
I enjoyed this film for what it was.

3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBsE9s7IWzw

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Spaceballs (1987)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/051b8390361aa144a6135c859d34f459/tumblr_mk9qgwz0iQ1rxvqfko1_500.png

The great thing about Mel Brooks is that he can spoof genres and films, while still capturing the charm of the source material. He perfected it in Young Frankenstein and he did a great job again in Spaceballs!
There were some clever jokes, like the running gag about merchandising and the spaceship actually being a giant cleaning lady, and some plain funny ones, like the fight between Dark Helmet and Lone Starr or using "The Schwartz" as the equivalent of Star Wars' "The Force". The point is: I laughed a lot.
My favorite scene from the movie is probably the parody on Alien, when the parasite starts imitating Michigan J. Frog. Comedy doesn't get much better than that.
Mel Brooks is a very smart and original comedy director and I'm looking forward to see the rest of his repertoire.

3.5(+)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np5Bl9mwl-Y

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Paris, Texas (1984)

http://operachic.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451c83e69e20148c78d8813970c-500wi
http://cfile6.uf.tistory.com/R480x0/137BAA3E4D880D541E3188

This film is beautifully shot and it tells the touching story about a man who decides to fix what he broke in the past. It's melancholic, it's artistic, it's charming and it's very atmospheric.
There are some unforgettable moments in this film that feel genuinely pure. Be sure that you're very awake watching this film, though, as it's very slow paced and the effect may be diminished if you're in a state of tiredness.
Lovely movie!

4(-)

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The Seventh Seal (1957)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mae0e19l9e1r9entgo1_500.jpg

This is only my first Bergman film yet, so I was very nervous to see it. I really wanted to like it.
I love original films about existentialism and the deeper meanings of life and this was certainly that kind of movie.
The Seventh Seal works brilliantly as an intellectual film with many layers to it. The image of the knight playing chess with Death, is probably one of the most immortal pictures in cinema history, but the meaning behind it is what makes it so brilliant and in some way concerning (or at least to me). We are all going to die at one point and we don't know what's behind that. We have no assurance whatsoever that there is something that will save our individual existence, our awareness of being. There may very well be nothing after this. What's the point of it all then?
It's a question that is also dealt with in many of Woody Allen's films (for example). The Seventh Seal may very well be the epitome of all these films, as it is so extremely direct in handling the subject.
Bergman showed a short, sweet moment of 'meaning' and 'happiness' in this film featuring a bowl of strawberries and a soft guitar tune. It's the message that a lot of existentialists use as some kind of answer to their quest to find meaning: live in the moment a little more and enjoy the nice and pure things in life, even in the darkest times.
There is much more to this film of course, as it also asks questions concerning morality and other heavy themes. This film feels pretty light for its subject, though. It also features some touches of comedy to make it all a little less sorrowful.
I was really glad that I liked this so much and I'm ready to explore Ingmar Bergman's other films.

4.5

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Dick Tracy (1990)

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This comic book adaptation, directed by Warren Beatty, is great to look at, entertaining to follow and a whole lut of fun!
The colors in the film are fierce and they really contribute to the feeling of being in an imaginative, alternate comic book universe.
That's exactly why this film works. It feels like an enjoyable animated story that you want to visit, so you can relax a little bit and escape to somewhere completely different than this world.

3.5(+)

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Bugsy (1991)

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luhd1uzg031r6qzkfo1_500.jpg
http://i500.listal.com/image/4558399/500full.jpg

I liked this! Bugsy is a classic gangster film with all the elements of the genre. It's based on true events, as it is about the famous Ben Siegel, but it can not be seen as a biography! It should be seen as a loose adaptation that is severely dramatized and made into an entertaining and solid Hollywood picture.
The storyline in this film has its flaws, but I barely noticed them because I was so deeply involved in the story. I don't know if it's the persona of Warren Beatty, the talent of Annette Bening, the beautiful score by Ennio Morricone or the great cinematography, but something moved me and that is after all what I'm looking for when watching this kind of film.
The final scene was truly haunting. I stared at the screen for several minutes during the end credits. It had a great impact on me.

4(+)

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Chungking Express (1994)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5f7cgKVa61qf7r5lo1_500.jpg
http://photo1.bababian.com/upload14/20081220/77411A3F31EEE6E36BABBAC8E3AD24FE_500.jpg

Wong Kar Wai is a master of atmosphere. His mixtures of great imagery and music causes a very nice hypnotic effect.
Apart from his several experimental moments with moving images, this film that consists of two independent stories about relationships and maybe even love, feels extremely light and easy to swallow, while still being delicious. I also love the fact that Wong Kar Wai is such an emotional filmmaker. He does it extremely well.
I liked each part equally much as they both have their own qualities. The first one has a few more purely entertaining scenes together with some very tasteful dark comic moments and the second one is more romantic and sweet, be it with a rather crazy side to it.
I had a blast! Wong Kar Wai is awesome.

4+

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[The Gunslinger45]

Glad you liked Spaceballs! And yes the end scene is brilliant! And getting John Hurt to do that bit again was excellent!

[Daniel M]

Glad you liked The Seventh Seal, I give it the same rating, it's one of my favourites and one of the best I have seen recently. Even though I am not religious, like you I enjoyed the meaning and questions posed by the films, I liked the comedic/direct elements which lead to some incredible images, the chess game and the final scene is brilliant.

[Cobpyth]

Glad you liked Spaceballs! And yes the end scene is brilliant! And getting John Hurt to do that bit again was excellent!

Yeah, that makes it even more brilliant. The most awesome thing is that I really didn't know about this scene. I was completely took by surprise.
"One Froggy Evening (http://vimeo.com/46018110)" is also one of my favorite short cartoons and that made it even more memorable, of course.

Glad you liked The Seventh Seal, I give it the same rating, it's one of my favourites and one of the best I have seen recently. Even though I am not religious, like you I enjoyed the meaning and questions posed by the films, I liked the comedic/direct elements which lead to some incredible images, the chess game and the final scene is brilliant.

The final scene with the dance of death is indeed almost equally brilliant as the chess game. It's actually spoofed by Woody Allen in Love and Death (be it a little different than the original), which I'd seen a week before I saw this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeA-IJ2jY-o

[mark f]

If you want to see Woody do a Bergmanesque chamber drama, try Interiors.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZE9nptJykQ

[Cobpyth]

Crash (1996)

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2009/4/21/1240309688511/James-Spader-in-David-Cro-001.jpg

Well, this certainly is something different, but I'm not sure if I really liked it. This film has something to say about the empty human condition and the strange obsessions that humans develop to fill that gigantic gap, but the story wasn't focused enough (in my opinion) to fully explore that theme.
I admire the direction and the courage of the film maker, but I somehow couldn't connect with the story. It has certain relatable elements and it has some very convincing acting, but the freakyness somehow made everything a bit too robotic for my tastes. I was looking for more depth, I guess.
It's still an unforgettable and disturbingly atmospheric film, so I can see why some people would be severely touched by it and might even love it if they're into this kind of stuff.
This was my third Cronenberg film and while I think he's a very interesting and daring director, he hasn't delivered anything I truly connect with YET. I still have to see some of his best work of course.

3

Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)

http://www.dvdinfo.be/images/reviews/6/6322/6322-2.jpg
http://www.jjmurphyfilm.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/18812862_w434_h_q801.jpg

Yes! This was a gorgeous film. The suburban atmosphere of the late '80s is very well portrayed and is a great background for this story. Soderbergh really did an awesome job. The stars were also convincing in their roles and gave everything a truly 'realistic' dimension.
In this story Soderbergh explores boredom, the aimlessness of some people and how they deal with it. It also portrays the difference in limitations between certain personalities. Each character has their own principles.
These themes are all present in a very satisfying dramatic plotline, including a sexually repressed housewife, her cheating husband, her more expressive sister and an old friend who has to come to terms with the problems of his past and his present.
Great film!

4

Interiors (1978)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SPYL8UC1UCY/TJTApq4V4JI/AAAAAAAADgs/OPRHpGkd7_8/s400/Interiors+(1978).jpg

Woody Allen at his most depressing. The characters in this film are practically all extremely negative towards life, as they are all completely disconnected from society (except a few minor characters). Yet they don't seem to help eachother with their problems. They can't stand together, because they are all very self-absorbed.
Woody Allen explores in a very Bergmanesque way how these troubled personalities deal with a dramatic family drama, including a mentally unstable mother and a father who wants to leave her and remarry with a more outgoing woman. It's an interesting film that is perhaps most useful in showing its audience how they definitely shouldn't look at the world and life in general.

3.5

Professione: Reporter a.k.a. The Passenger (1975)

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http://brokendisk.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/fly-here.jpg

This is a slow movie about a reporter (Jack Nicholson) who wants to liberate himself from the worries of his own existence and society by changing identities with a man who gets a heart attack in a motel in the middle of the desert and who seems more 'free'.
His freedom doesn't last long as he now gets confronted with the troubles of being someone else. While trying to run away from everything and deal with his problems, he meets a young girl.
This film has some great moments (the last scene for example is very impressively directed, using an almost 10 minutes long take) and interesting layers, but it has a pacing problem, in my opinion. Especially in the beginning. Some moments get more attention than they deserve, while other interesting parts are way too short. Luckily there was the acting persona of Jack Nicholson to keep every single frame worth watching. The rating may improve after another watch, by the way.

3.5+

Shadows and Fog (1991)

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http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me3vtbcdOZ1qfsm5w.png

Woody Allen's atmospheric, Kafkaesque tribute to the pre-noir murder films of directors like Fritz Lang is great! Siskel and Ebert bashed this film, but I really can't see why.
The cinematography totally takes you in and it contains an interesting bunch of characters, played by many (seriously MANY) great and famous actors and actresses. This film also has the classic underlying Allen theme of a man who is lost and tries to pick up his life again.
In this film everything is seemingly focused on the manhunt for a serial killer ('the strangler'), while the killer is actually only used (in this film) as a metaphor for everyone's imminent, unfair death. Allen even takes the time to make everything into a very clever satire.
The often criticized final scene makes perfect sense in the context of this film. I'm not going to spoil anything, but let's just say that the complete lack of closure is actually what this film is all about. Stop looking for the unsolvable and do what you want to do.

4

The Wedding Singer (1998)

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http://media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/561/649/649561.jpg

This is a (sometimes) very funny comedy that degrades a little bit towards the end and also a loveletter to the '80s. It's smarter than most of Adam Sandler's films, because some of the humor is actually quite clever. The many jokes about '80s pop culture figures that become funny with what we know today, was pretty good for instance.
The romance is as always with Adam Sandler a little bit awkward, but then there is Drew Barrymore who adds a certain sweetness to it all. I couldn't help but smile at the end.
This film actually has all the cliché elements of an Adam Sandler romantic comedy, but its '80s jacket and funnier gags make everything a little more interesting. One of Sandler's better films for sure!

3+

Fallen Angels (1995)

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http://s4.afisha.net/Afisha7files/Image/kino/1995/08/g_fallenangels_big_005.jpg

Wong Kar Wai's 'sort of sequel' (more a connection piece) to Chungking Express (you don't have to see Chungking Express first to understand this, though, except for maybe one funny dark inside joke about expired pineapples) deals with some of the same themes, but is also very different in tone.
Wong Kar Wai gave this film a more obscure and cooler atmosphere than its predecessor and it works really well. This film is, like most Wong Kar Wai films, full of great visual scenes, accompanied with fitting music (that naturally often recurs).
The emotions and the poetry sparkled from the screen and once again I was hypnotised by Wong Kar Wai's original and stunning way of filmmaking.

4+

[Gideon58]

Loved LARS AND THE REAL GIRL...I think Gosling's performance alone makes it worth the watch.

[Cobpyth]

Loved LARS AND THE REAL GIRL...I think Gosling's performance alone makes it worth the watch.

Is this a reaction to one of my very early reviews? I wasn't that big a fan of it, if I remember correctly.

[cricket]

Sex, Lies and Videotape really is an excellent movie; glad to hear a mention of it.

Wedding Singer is good harmless fun.

[honeykid]

I was sure you'd like Shadows & Fog and, as I said to you, you can' help but like Drew in The Wedding Singer.

[Cobpyth]

I'm going to give my ratings and my short opinions of what I've seen since my last post. It will take a couple of messages, so I'll continue tomorrow with the rest. This is the first of probably four posts.

The Pledge (2001)

http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/film/the-pledge/w448/the-pledge.jpg?1289441402

This is an interesting character study with a chilling ending. It's really well made and I might have liked it even more if themes like obsession and persisting in 'holy promises' were dominant parts of my interest field. I know that this film contains more, but those two themes are the basis of the unfolding of this story. I don't really relate to these themes, so sometimes it was a little difficult to identify myself with the main character and to understand his actions.
Nicholson is great in it, though, and I think some people might actually love this. I know Ebert did. For me personally it's a very decent movie, but not really something more.

3.5

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Roger Dodger (2002)

http://filmmakermagazine.com/archives/issues/fall2002/features/images/player.jpg

This film is a darkly comic journey of sexual awakening and frustration through an obscure city night and the even more obscure minds of a man, named Roger Swanson (played remarkably well by Campbell Scott), and his young nephew Nick (Jesse Eisenberg).
If it wasn't for the rather 'distracting' directing and (in my opinion) quite shallow last scene, it would have gotten a much higher score from me. The writing is brilliant, the acting is of a very high level and the themes of this film are simultaneously interesting, refreshing, entertaining and dark. Great, but unfortunately flawed movie!

3.5(+)

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Only God Forgives (2013)

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Only God Forgives is quite interesting visually, but very shallow and superficial story-wise. Refn tries to put in some deeper themes in very obvious ways, but never touches a real core of meaning.
The reason why I did enjoy this film is because it's kind of 'campy' in some sort of way. It's so over the top (visually AND story-wise) that it actually becomes fun to watch. I wouldn't say it's really 'entertaining', because the film feels really slow, but still there are certain elements in every scene that make it worth watching.
It's not a good film, but I can't say that you shouldn't see this. It offers a strange kind of enjoyment.

3

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Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

http://dailygrindhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world-10241.jpg

This is pure fun! The film is full of awesome stuff that kept me interesting during the whole ride. The story may not be anything special or new or deep, but because of the fresh directing and the detailed comedy, this film is much better than average. I really enjoyed every bit of it while watching.

3.5+

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V For Vendetta (2005)

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/8/85070/1700225-v_for_vendetta10.jpg

Not an uninteresting film, but I'm not sure what its message was trying to be. The almost unrealistic and overly extreme portayal of a peremptory gouvernment makes the audience sympathize with the anarchism of its main character V, but I'm not sure why that would be meaningful in any way...
The extreme lack of nuance brings this movie down, despite it having a lot of awesome and very well constructed moments.
This film certainly delivers in so far as a film with an undifferentiated cry for freedom can do that. It's very entertaining.

3.5

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West Side Story (1961)

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This is an absolute classic.
The acting of the male side of the central romance may not be of great quality, but because it's a musical, I was willing to let it pass. It's the only valid criticism towards this otherwise very clean, sweet, dramatic and entertaining piece of classic cinema.
Its wonderful imagery, the famous and very well composed musical numbers and choreographies and the generally solid cast (especially the GORGEOUS Natalie Wood) made this film the classic it is today. Great stuff!

4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye7PIyIcCro

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MUCH MORE TO COME!

[honeykid]

As I've said before, The Pledge is a film I'm interested in seeing and, one day, I might get around to it. I'm hoping to like it.

Rodger Dodger made a bit of a splash when it was released. Here, at least. I have a copy that I bought back then, but have still to watch it.

V For Vendetta is just fun.

[Cobpyth]

SECOND POST:

Working Girl (1988)

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Melanie Griffith is great in this Mike Nichols picture. As usual, it's tastefully directed, and the script alternates funny, romantic and more dramatic moments in an equally convincing way.
The performances are all solid and the story kept me interested up until the end. The film is also very '80s, which gives it an additional interesting aspect.
I enjoyed it. Good film.

3.5(+)

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Zelig (1983)

http://www.letoilemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Willis-7-e1400522862853.jpg

This mockumentary from Woody Allen is original, hilarious, very convincingly made and contains an interesting (pseudo-) psychological story based on the fictional historical figure 'Zelig' (played by Woody Allen). He is the ultimate conformist. His body and mannerisms transform (like a chameleon) to the likes of the people he is around.
Allen tries to grave deeper into the mind of his main character, while still being permanently funny and entertaining and he succeeds (seemingly) effortlessly.
This is certainly one of Woody Allen's best films.

4+

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V65DpeCdq4

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A Trip To the Moon (1902)

http://anitacalero.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sin-tc3adtulo148.png?w=480&h=362

Normally I am not reviewing shorts, but this was considered a feature film in its time, so I am including it here anyway.
It's a magical film full of original and fantastical elements and it constantly tries to push the boundaries of filmmaking. Even today, it's still an impressive piece of work and I can't even imagine what kind of sorcery this must have been to the people who lived in 1902.

4

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The Great Train Robbery (1903)

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lg9do60LEf1qaphz7o1_500.gif

Again a short film that was considered a feature film in its time.
It's not as impressive as A Trip To the Moon, but it is praised because it's considered the very first western film ever made (with a full story).
My favorite parts are the ending (which was also an inspiration to a scene in Goodfellas) and the scene where the robbers kill the man who tries to escape. Besides that, there's not really that much special to this film today.

3+

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The Battle at Elderbush Gulch (1913)

http://www.silentera.com/video/img/frames/battleElderbushGulch-image.jpg

D.W. Griffith shows us with this film that he is deservedly considered as one of the great pioneers of feature film making, but the story itself isn't anything special. It's basically an indians vs civilised people story with some sentimentality added to it in the form of children, a baby and puppies.
As a historical object it's interesting to look at, but it is in no ways a great story or film.

3

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Silent Movie (1976)

http://splitsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/brooks-deluise-feldman.jpg

Mel Brooks delivered yet another funny and entertaining picture with Silent Movie. With his characteristic sense of humor, he tells the story of a Hollywood director (played by himself) who tries to make the first big budget silent movie in forty years. The running gag is of course that this film is silent itself except for one word and naturally the score and the sound effects.
The film is basically the journey of three filmmaking compagnons, trying to find huge stars (Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman, James Caan, Anne Bancroft, Liza Minnelli) to play in their new silent film, so the studio will finance the project. Meanwhile the studio urgently needs a big hit, so they can save the studio from being sold to an evil company.
The film is light-hearted, sweet, charming and contains some cool cameos and funny sketches. I really enjoyed it.

3.5(+)

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[Cobpyth]

THIRD POST:

Carnal Knowledge (1971)

http://static.rogerebert.com/redactor_assets/pictures/far-flung-correspondents/the-art-of-sexual-belt-notching/carnal_knowledge_bimbo.jpg

I already expressed my very positive feelings towards this film (directed by Mike Nichols) in another thread. It's BRILLIANT!
The issues of the main characters are all very realistic and very much fitting in the context of the sexual revolution of the late sixties and the early seventies. I felt connected to each one of them.
The script is stunningly written, the directing is top notch and the acting is very strong. The result is a film full of pitch black comedy, satisfying character studies and profound relationship observations.
I really loved this.

4.5(+)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vys2K_18uk

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Husbands (1970)

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyv1nmgWST1r56c5n.jpg

This film has an interesting premise and a few good moments, but the sometimes weird dialogue and roughness of it all, made this film too unfocused for my tastes. I wanted more concreteness.
It's a very uneven film, alternating interesting scenes (like the bar scene or the casino sequence) with plain drunk crap (like the overlong bedroom scene).
I'm still very much looking forward to Cassavetes' other films though, as there still was a lot of enjoyable stuff in this too (and also a lot of interesting ideas) and because I heard that the director became more 'to the point' in his later work.

3.5-

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An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/film/an-officer-and-a-gentleman/w448/an-officer-and-a-gentleman.jpg?1289465392

This is a gorgeous classic Hollywood romance.
The film is built around Richard Gere's character Zack Mayo. By analyzing his behavior, his past and his personality, the film constructs a very truthful character evolution in all kind of fields.
The love interest is played by the lovely Debra Winger and the film also offers a deeper look inside her inner world.
Using some romantic and more dramatic moments their relationship softly becomes more interesting, while everything remains believable.
At the end, I couldn't help letting escape a few tears and that's a very good sign. It means that this film is extremely relatable, which is often not the case with romantic films.
I loved this! It's one of the best films about romance that I've seen in quite a while. Also watch this if you're interested in military training!

4+

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Sideways (2004)

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Alexander Payne really is one of the best and most interesting American directors working today.
This film is, just like the other two films I've seen from him, The Descendants and All About Schmidt, a very subtle 'dramedy' with a lot of entertaining stuff happening.
Payne tells the story in a fluent and engaging way, while letting you enjoy every bit of the ride. I hope he'll make a lot more films like this in the future. I love what he's doing!

4

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Thelma & Louise (1991)

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This movie is a lot of fun, but the thing that bothered me is how insanely stupid the two main characters were. In some way it brings a lot of comic moments on the table (like when Thelma suddenly robs a shop), but on the other side it makes it a little hard to relate to them, because they could've easily avoided the mess they got themselves into.
There's still a lot of cool stuff happening and Ridley Scott directed this really well, so this exciting ride is most certainly worth a watch!

3.5(+)

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Hook (1991)

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I already stated it in another topic. This film is a huge mess. Many things are happening simultaneously and the film preaches its superficial and tiresome message again and again and again.
Despite all that, there's still some stuff that makes this film enjoyable. Dustin Hoffman is awesome as Hook for instance and there are also some pretty cool decors.
The film never completely gets everything in focus though and the sentimentality is often way too overdone.
I can see, however, why children would love this and maybe that is what Spielberg was really trying to achieve (although he already stated that he wasn't really happy with the end result of this film).

3

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[mark f]

Husbands is worth 1, if that. :)

[Cobpyth]

FOURTH AND LAST POST:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)

http://images.kino.de/flbilder/max04/auto04/auto46/04460600/m500.jpg

This film counts seven comic segments about sex. I'm just going to rank them from best to worst and give my very short opinion.

1. Ejaculation sequence - Extremely original and HILARIOUS.
2. Sheep sequence - Gene Wilder is brilliant.
3. Italian sequence - Great style that contributes very well to the comedy of this sequence.
4. Giant Tit sequence - Absurdly funny and a cool hommage.
5. Fool sequence - Funny.
6. Game Show sequence - Still kind of funny, but nothing really special. Absurd.
7. Transvestite sequence - The worst part of the film for me.

All in all I laughed a lot and the last sequence (ranked first) is one of the best comic sketches I've seen about sex EVER.

3.5

-----------------------------------------------
Con Air (1997)

http://supermarcey.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/con-air-1b.jpg?w=551&h=309

Maybe it was because I was hungover, but I didn't really enjoy myself watching this film. There's no tension like in Speed, there's no coolness like in Face/Off and well, the only two characters that were at least a little interesting were those played by Malkovich (because Malkovich is awesome) and Buscemi (he was actually great).
The rest of the film felt kind of laughable to me. There were a few good popcorn moments, like the landing in Las Vegas and some fight scenes, but that's it.
I know some of you really like (even love) this film, but I wasn't overwhelmed.

2.5

-----------------------------------------------
The Birdcage (1996)

http://www.starsandpopcorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-Birdcage-2.jpg

From the opening shot we already know that this film is in good hands. Mike Nichols is slowly becoming one of the most solid directors I know. He really knows how to use the medium of film.
Besides that, this film is a pure comedy and I have to say that I really enjoyed myself. Some of the performances were a little over the top, but it worked and they made me laugh, so that's what counts, I guess.
This movie is an entertaining ride and you can't possibly stop watching once it's started, because it's beautiful visually, hilarious performance-wise and because you will see one of the most respected actors in Hollywood IN DRAG near the end.

3.5+

-----------------------------------------------
Bananas (1971)

http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=451382.0;attach=496011;image
(Sylvester Stallone on the left)

Bananas is an incoherent Woody Allen comedy with a lot of original moments and a high caliber of hilariousness. There's also a hint of satire in this film, but it always stays light-weight and never really gets serious, which is quite typical for Woody Allen's 'early funny ones'.

3.5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIOVWntFJd4

-----------------------------------------------
The Last Detail (1973)

http://bradnehring.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/lastdetail1.jpg

Jack Nicholson really made some great choices early in his career. The films he was in really had something to say. I admire that a lot.
This film is not different. It tells the story of two navy guys bringing a convicted to his prison. They decide to let him enjoy his last days as a free man and they get drunk, eat some good hamburgers and try to get him laid.
This is a good hearted (and yet profane) anti-establishment film that constantly entertains and asks some interesting and more profound questions along the way, without necessarily resolving any.
Jack is also in top form. Great film!

4

-----------------------------------------------

[Gideon58]

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH is a zany and uncompromisingly brilliant black comedy that boasts something very few American films can claim...originality. Charlie Kaufman's imaginative, Oscar-worthy screenplay centers around an unemployed puppeteer named Craig (John Cusack, in a delightfully unhinged turn), who gets a job as a file clerk at a company called Lestercorp, which is lodged between the 7th and 8th floors of an office building. Craig discovers a hole in the wall of his office which turns out to be a portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich, which allows those who enter to view the world from Malkovich's mind for 15 minutes, at which time they are then deposited at the side of the road on the New Jersey Turnpike. To reveal anymore of the story would be wrong for the uninitiated, but suffice it to say that director Spike Jonz has mounted a quirky and unpredictable roller coaster ride which keeps the viewer constantly guessing and consistently entertained. Cusack receives solid support from Catherine Keener, smart and vivacious in her Oscar-nominated turn as Maxine, Craig's partner-in-crime with whom he falls in love, Cameron Diaz as Craig's dizzy wife, Lottie, and, of course,Malkovich himself, who deserves major kudos for allowing us to laugh along with him, at himself and his image. A once in a lifetime cinematic experience.

[Gideon58]

Though it's hard to argue with anything you say about LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, I think the film is worth watching for Ryan Gosling's performance alone. He is an absolute revelation in this film IMO.

[Cobpyth]

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH is a zany and uncompromisingly brilliant black comedy that boasts something very few American films can claim...originality. Charlie Kaufman's imaginative, Oscar-worthy screenplay centers around an unemployed puppeteer named Craig (John Cusack, in a delightfully unhinged turn), who gets a job as a file clerk at a company called Lestercorp, which is lodged between the 7th and 8th floors of an office building. Craig discovers a hole in the wall of his office which turns out to be a portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich, which allows those who enter to view the world from Malkovich's mind for 15 minutes, at which time they are then deposited at the side of the road on the New Jersey Turnpike. To reveal anymore of the story would be wrong for the uninitiated, but suffice it to say that director Spike Jonz has mounted a quirky and unpredictable roller coaster ride which keeps the viewer constantly guessing and consistently entertained. Cusack receives solid support from Catherine Keener, smart and vivacious in her Oscar-nominated turn as Maxine, Craig's partner-in-crime with whom he falls in love, Cameron Diaz as Craig's dizzy wife, Lottie, and, of course,Malkovich himself, who deserves major kudos for allowing us to laugh along with him, at himself and his image. A once in a lifetime cinematic experience.

Don't you have your own review thread? ;)

[Lucas]

Cobpyth you have an outstanding Top 10 Favorite films list. True classics.

[Daniel M]

That rating for Con Air is too low Cobpyth, it's better than Speed (which is also a great film for what it is) and much better than Face/Off in my opinion. You should read mine, Weeman's and Miss Vicky's commentary off it, if you want to see why we love it so much :p

[Cobpyth]

As I've said before, The Pledge is a film I'm interested in seeing and, one day, I might get around to it. I'm hoping to like it.

Rodger Dodger made a bit of a splash when it was released. Here, at least. I have a copy that I bought back then, but have still to watch it.

I'm pretty curious to read your opinions about those two films, actually. Be sure to tell me when you ever watch one of them.


Husbands is worth 1, if that. :)

I can see your point. I had some laughs and enjoyed a big part of the film, but some moments were just awkward and tedious. Hence my rating.

Cobpyth you have an outstanding Top 10 Favorite films list. True classics.

Thanks!

That rating for Con Air is too low Cobpyth, it's better than Speed (which is also a great film for what it is) and much better than Face/Off in my opinion. You should read mine, Weeman's and Miss Vicky's commentary off it, if you want to see why we love it so much :p

I'll read it, but I bet it's just you guys laughing with every stupid cheesy line in it. :p

"Make a move and the bunny gets it."

[mark f]

Well, I think Con Air is the least of the three action flicks, but it's WAY better than Husbands which is unintentionally laughable and at about 138 minutes (the version I've seen twice), two hours too long. :)

[honeykid]

I can see, however, why children would love this and maybe that is what Spielberg was really trying to achieve (although he already stated that he wasn't really happy with the end result of this film)
It's the film he's made which he like to watch one day and see something he likes about it.

That rating for Con Air is too low Cobpyth
No, it isn't.

it's better than Speed
No, it isn't.

(which is also a great film for what it is)
Which is a better film than Con-Air.

and much better than Face/Off in my opinion
Meh, maybe. And considering my dislike of Cage, that's not exactly glowing either.


I'm pretty curious to read your opinions about those two films, actually. Be sure to tell me when you ever watch one of them.
I'll try to remember that. :)

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

I just watched Husbands the other day, and I thought it was pretty mediocre. I actually liked the first hour or so, but some scenes went on way, way too long, and I just completely lost interest. I didn't even notice that much poor dialogue because at some points I had a hard time paying attention at all. I enjoyed Faces and A Woman Under the Influence more.

54/100

[cricket]

Working Girl, Thelma and Louise, Sideways, An Officer and A Gentleman, Carnal Knowledge, and The Last Detail are all great movies.

[Cobpyth]

My reviews are going to be a little more random in the future. I'll just write a little bit about some films if I feel like it or if the movie is worth it. The length will also vary. Some posts will contain a bunch of short reviews and others will be longer reviews about one or two films. I decided to write a medium-sized one about this film:

Le Mépris (1963)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O6wJ12GiLV4/UY9c-pwYLlI/AAAAAAAAhcI/T4iv145fHg8/s550/contempt-le-mepris-fritz-lang-palance-piccoli-screening-room.jpg

http://cfs11.blog.daum.net/image/17/blog/2008/06/04/00/49/484568004608c&filename=C0993-12.jpg

http://sp9.fotolog.com/photo/57/27/80/cacahermeto/1187291901_f.jpg

This was my first Godard film and I must say I really enjoyed it. I'm glad that I'm not disappointed with my first 'exploration' of one of the most famous and praised French directors of all time.

Visually, this film is absolutely amazing. The fresh camera work, the wonderful use of colors, the stylishness of the clothing and the environments, the charming locations and of course the incredible beauty of Brigitte Bardot make this film a real treat for the eyes.

Story-wise, I especially liked the structure and the many different layers of what's happening. There is the film-within-the-film that is based on Homer's Odyssey, the modernly twisted similarities of that story with the relationship that is presented to us and the theme of the filmmaking progress.

Purely as an intimate story about the wrecking of a marriage, I found it to be quite frustrating sometimes, because the two main characters wouldn't truly communicate with eachother. They were constantly playing games and therefore they never reached the core of their problem.
Personally, I liked the hotel sequence in Before Midnight (for example) better content- or dialogue-wise than the apartment sequence in this film (although it is artistically much more complicated and fascinating in Le Mépris), because in that film the characters were actually graving deeper and deeper into their problems, while in this movie they merely scratched the surface at the end. The relationship between the two main characters came over to me as extremely fragile.

As a defence for this movie's relationship aspect, though, I want to go back to what I praised earlier, which is the whole structure of this film. Godard uses several 'in the face' jump cut sequences and lets us see everything dissolve slowly at the same time to show us the deeper meanings of the problems that are occurring. It was the cruelness of fate (Neptune?), the agressive womanizing style of the producer and the carelessness of Paul that made the whole situation blow up. We don't particularly get intimacy, but what we do get is deeper explanations. He brought all the different interesting elements of the tragedy together in a very sagacious manner and, in the end, he created a dramatic and poetic piece of art.

A wonderful introduction to Jean-Luc Godard.

4+

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me2jnePHY61r7qx8a.png

[Upton]

Out of curiosity why'd you pick Contempt as your first Godard to watch?

[Cobpyth]

Out of curiosity why'd you pick Contempt as your first Godard to watch?

http://www.avro.nl/Images/Brigitte_Bardot_tcm8-178251.jpg

... and because the story seemed interesting, of course. I like movies about filmmaking and the creative process.

[wintertriangles]

Adding An Officer and a Gentlemen to my list, never heard of it, but I can go for a good romance.

[Lucas]

Awesome reviews! One of the best review pages on this forum.

[Cobpyth]

Alright, I'm going to do a lot of mini-reviews right now in several posts. Just for the sake of 'completeness', I'm quoting an earlier post of mine from the movie tab topic, so all the films I've watched are included in this topic.

I'm also posting all my non-reviewed films in a long tab!

Step Brothers (2003) 3
Has a few funny moments.

Dressed To Kill (1980) 3.5+
Very enjoyable 'Hitchcock parody' from Brian De Palma.

The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) 3.5(-)
Charming Woody Allen film with an absurd but intriguing plot.

Body Double (1984) 4.5 WATCH THIS ONE!!!
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/protectedimage.php?image=MikeSutton/bd2.jpg
This tongue in cheek 'Hitchcock parody' by Brian De Palma must be one of the most insanely entertaining films I've ever watched. I absolutely loved it!

The Hangover Part III (2013) 2.5
Nothing special and not funny, except for the very last scene, which is hilarious.

Fantasia (1940) 3.5
Uneven, but very admirable and highly experimental animated film.

Cabaret (1972) 4
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-phfiIcaLuDg/TY5cOHLQhWI/AAAAAAAAEa0/r_MFXg1XFRw/s1600/New+Picture.bmp
A haunting piece of film that balances comedy, drama and musical sequences in a very satisfying manner.

This Is the End (2013) 3(+)
Its comedy wasn't always laugh-out-loud, but it's still a pretty enjoyable movie with a few unexpected turns.

Before Midnight (2013) 4(-)
Pure drama at its best!

Persona (1966) 4
http://palomitasconchoco.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/vlcsnap-2012-08-07-20h50m37s148.png
Hypnotic film that's full of deeper layers and wonderful cinematic images.

Fatal Attraction (1987) 3.5(+)
A very effective thriller with a memorable performance from Glenn Close.

Rush (2013) 3.5
A very well made sports drama.

High Fidelity 3.5+
An engaging and charming romantic comedy that tries to grave deeper into romantic relationships and succeeds.

Grosse Pointe Blank 3.5+
http://i39.tinypic.com/6yfywo.jpg
Entertaining, melancholic dark comedy!

Monsters University 3-
It has its moments, but ultimately it's a rather disappointing Pixar entry.

Sixteen Candles 3.5
Charming and funny! Molly Ringwald is wonderful!

The Croods 3.5(-)
It contains a lovely message and gets better towards the end.

Say Anything... (1989) 3.5
http://media.tumblr.com/293494c11c06c393cd6f0b7ffe57f427/tumblr_inline_mi2t1hE3og1qz4rgp.jpg
The mix between the dramatic father story and the charming love story works pretty well.

The Grifters (1990) 3.5+
Cool film with three awesome acting performances and some great neo-noir vibes!

Hollywood Ending (2002) 3
The concept is very good, but this time Woody doesn't get the full potential out of it.

The Way Way Back (2013) 3.5
This is a drama with some comic sequences and it's a pretty effective one!

The Darjeeling Limited (2007) 3.5(-)
http://media1.onsugar.com/files/2013/06/14/989/n/7179364/3acd4556f7e22da6_image.xxlarge.jpg
A very typical Wes Anderson film, but it seems a little bit uneven sometimes (particularly towards the end).

Despicable Me 2 (2013) 3+
It works because the comedy is great!

Bottle Rocket (1996) 3.5(+)
Funny, whitty, cool and still pleasing in a dramatic manner.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) 4(-)
It's an odd film, but it's extremely entertaining and amazing to look at!

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) 4(+)
http://img2.mtime.com/mg/2009/27/2d8f567f-2d26-47c7-b953-e0b98eb355ad.jpg
An erotic drama in the context of a historical event full of interesting psychological, political and historical material, based on the famous novel.

I Heart Huckabees (2004) 3(+)
It has a few interesting scenes and aspects, but ultimately it doesn't offer the deeper existential experience I expected from its premise.

The Witches of Eastwick (1987) 3.5
Funny, horrifying and memorable!

The Swimmer (1968) 4.5(+)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/6017865992_50cfe9d623.jpg
Amazing psychological drama about a man and his life.

Sullivan's Travels (1941) 4
A classic comedy adventure with a great message that is put to screen wonderfully!

Atlantic City (1980) 3.5+
A sweet and yet thrilling film about lost people in a lost place.

Gravity (2013) 4.5
An incredible cinematic experience! See this on the big screen in 3D!

Ikiru (1952) 5
http://www.slantmagazine.com/assets/house/film/ikiru_2.jpg
A masterpiece about a man who is confronted with his own mortality and who tries to seek meaning in his empty life.

The Pink Panther (2006) 2.5
This renewed version of the classic series inherits the slapstick humor, but forgets the stylish charm.

Broken Flowers (2005) 3.5+
A stylish, episodic film about a bachelor whose life gets dismantled because of a strange letter.

The Fly (1986) 4
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lbay05wpUr1qa06e2o1_500.jpg
One of the most effective horror films I've ever seen. It's genuinly frightening and yet tragic in an engaging way.

The Sure Thing (1985) 3.5
There's a lot of chemistry between the two main protagonists and their 'It Happened One Night'-like roadtrip is a joy to follow!

Better Off Dead... (1985) 3.5
This film is full of weird stuff, but the end result is a very enjoyable comedy.

Mystery Train (1989) 4(+)
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii298/je_veux_manger_un_garcon/mty2.png
A very stylish and cool film that connects three storylines in time and space, using a decayed hotel in a decayed Memphis, the city of The King, Elvis Presley.

In the next few posts, I'll give my opinion about the films I've watched over the last month or so.

[Daniel M]

Quick question, is there a difference between a +/- and a (+)/(-), I just notice sometimes you wrap them in brackets and other times you don't :p

[Cobpyth]

Quick question, is there a difference between a +/- and a (+)/(-), I just notice sometimes you wrap them in brackets and other times you don't :p

From good to bad:

+ > (+) > (nothing) > (-) > -

[Daniel M]

I thought those in brackets might be to indicate less of an effect than those without, make sense, cheers :up:

Of the films in that last post I have seen:

Step Brothers - Also a 3m stick a - on the end though, used to like it more than I do now.

The Hangover Part III - Also a 2.5, I liked it more than Part II and don't think it was as bad as people made out.

Fantasia - Also a 3.5 although that's largely off memory, I loved it as a kid but have yet to see it in ages.

Persona - Also a 4, a great film, I gave it higher when I first saw it but I have just tightened up my ratings since then a little bit.

Gravity - A 4+ which is almost what you give it, might go up in the future too.

So yeh, I agree with pretty much everything :D

[seanc]

I have watched Darjeeling 4 Huckabees 4 and Broken Flowers 3 all for the first time in the past month.

[Cobpyth]

FIRST POST

Old School (2003)

http://images.teamsugar.com/files/users/1/13839/13_2007/CT-2006.jpg

This film starts out great and has a few very funny moments (mostly featuring Will Ferell), but it kind of drags towards the end as it all unfolds into a plot that I've seen many times before.
I still think it's worth watching, though, as it has a fair amounts of laughs and good parts.

3

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The Crying Game (1992)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly933mGFhs1r6gzsmo1_500.jpg

This stylish and twisty crime drama has a very odd atmosphere. It's clearly divided into three acts and it relies on three major climaxes and an omnipresent feeling of mystery to hold the viewer's attention.
I personally was expecting the 'surprise' at the center of this film (although it was very well done), because of the many hints throughout the film, but I can imagine that it must have been a shock when it first came out in the '90s.
The ending was a little too weird and dramatic for my tastes, but I still think it's a very solid film and it's definitely worth watching (especially if you don't know the 'big twist' yet).

3.5

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Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

http://mandarinposter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bigtroublelittlechina-480x204.jpg

This is just a very entertaining adventure film full of awesome sets and funny one liners. Kurt Russell is very convincing in the leading role.
Watch this if you're in the mood for something light.

3.5(-)

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About Time (2013)

http://www.xgn.nl/images/articles/original/2013/49293-bezig-win-3x-set-bioscoopkaartjes-voor-about-time-dvd-love-actually.jpg

It's a film with very good intentions and with a lovely message, but when you give its concept of time traveling too much thought, it falls flat a few too many times, which lessens the overall experience, in my opinion. It's also a little too long.
It does have a few very funny and romantic moments, though!

3(+)

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Pillow Talk (1959)

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfq7rsCt3r1qcyhj9o1_500.jpg

This colorful romantic comedy is a joy to watch! Rock Hudson and Doris Day are both very convincing and have a wonderful chemistry together.
I especially liked how this film managed to be mean and adorable at the same time. A very powerful combination!

3.5(+)

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The World's End (2013)

http://www.judexfanzine.net/v1/foto_arxiu/the-worlds-end.jpg

This film was just awesome. It's satisfying dramatically, comically and entertainment-wise! It's a rollercoaster of good stuff.
The only big minus for me was the epilogue at the end. The film should have ended a few minutes earlier and should have left a few things in the open, in my opinion. It would have been way more effective.
Unfortunately, I had to lower my rating a little bit because of that, but it's still very good.

3.5+

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[honeykid]

This film starts out great and has a few very funny moments (mostly featuring Will Ferell),

That's got to be a first. :p

[Cobpyth]

SECOND POST

Solaris (2002)

http://www.frenchtoastsunday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/solaris_2002.jpg

This is a wonderful film! Clooney gives a terrific dramatic performance and carries this complex psychological Sci-Fi film brilliantly. Natascha McElhone's performance is also noteworthy.
The film develops kindly and slowly, which makes it a very comfortable watch, despite the heavy drama it portrays. I'm looking forward to see Tarkovsky's original film adaptation of this story, as this Soderbergh version was a delight!

4

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Mars Attacks! (1996)

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1k9z3NNZ51r7gljio1_500.gif
http://img.scoop.it/IxgIVMVqK1ZKpSA8PX2OdIXXXL4j3HpexhjNOf_P3YmryPKwJ94QGRtDb3Sbc6KY

This is a funny, campy tribute to the sci-fi classics of the '50s with the typical oddity of Tim Burton. I enjoyed it and I thought there were some very memorable scenes, like the 'martian girl' scene, the strange experiments on the spaceship, etc.
It features a wonderful cast with Jack Nicholson in a double role, Pierce Brosnan as a pipe smoking intellectual professor, Sarah Jessica Parker as a TV host, Tom Jones, Annette Bening, Glenn Close, Danny DeVito, Michael J. Fox, Natalie Portman and many others. It's a real star fest!
Mars Attacks! is over the top, funny, great to look at and "they blow up congress!"

3.5

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The Ghost Writer (2010)

http://static2.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.195652.1314070705!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_485/alg-movie-ghost-writer-jpg.jpg

This is a solid political thriller by Polanski with a nice build up to a pretty satisfying ending and although it isn't one of Polanski's better films (in my opinion), it's still worth at least one watch, as it is quite an engaging first viewing.

3.5

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Stranger Than Paradise (1984)

http://hilobrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/stranger-than-paradise3-e1363627131491.jpg

Jim Jarmusch obviously made this film on a very low budget and that certainly might annoy some people (rightfully) while watching it.
The film does capture a wonderful atmosphere, though, and while there is a certain disconnection, there is also a sort of odd chemistry between the three main characters.
After watching some of Jarmusch's films, it is clear that he is a very episodic director. This film is not as good as his later films like Mystery Train or Broken Flowers in my opinion, but it has style, melancholy and quirkiness nevertheless.
Interesting film, but slightly overrated, in my opinion.

3.5-

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The Counselor (2013)

http://cs413823.vk.me/v413823614/4682/p1Z9PPfuls8.jpg

This film got trashed by the critics, but I thought it had some interesting things going on. It's mainly a pitch black crime film about a drugs deal gone wrong. I like that this film is without compromise. Its villains have embraced the immorality of life and use it as an argument to do the most cruel things, so they can rise about the people who still care.
The reason why this film failed with the critics, is probably because it is presented in quite a messy way, but I think a second viewing may offer a better understanding of the film as a whole story about pure evil in its most stylishly realistic form. Interesting film.

3.5

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Scrooged (1988)

http://i429.photobucket.com/albums/qq12/zenassassins/bloggin/scrooged-murray_400.jpg

I don't really know what to think of this one. The ending left me very confused. I wasn't sure if they were still ridiculing the forced happiness in christmas films or if they were embracing it in an over the top way.
Anyway, you all know the classic christmas story. This film doesn't really add anything new or refreshing to it, except giving it a more modern look.
Murray is good in his role and it is mainly him that makes the cynicism sometimes work throughout the film, but in the ending, he also left me confused.
It's a watchable, pretty good looking, but aimless film, in my opinion.

3(-)

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[Cobpyth]

THIRD POST

Bad Santa (2003)

http://assets.flicks.co.nz/images/movies/landscape/c2/c2f32522a84d5e6357e6abac087f1b0b_567x210.jpg

How great is Billy Bob Thornton? He's perfect in this deadpan dark comic role of a low life criminal who robs a shopping mall every year around christmas with his dwarf buddy, after inspecting it first while taking a job there as Santa.
The comedy is absolutely outrageous and Thornton's brilliant portrayal makes everything even ten times more funny.
This is a great film, although again, ending it a few minutes earlier without the epilogue, would have made it even better. It's still a christmas movie, though, so I understand the final decision they made.

3.5+

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The War of the Roses (1989)

http://application.denofgeek.com/images/m/sexwar/006_War_Of_The_Roses.jpg

This must be one of the darkest films about relationships I've ever seen. This film is nothing less than a comic tragedy.
DeVito directed this film very well and it has a lot of memorable moments. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are also very strong as the two main characters.

3.5(+)

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Heathers (1988)

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/sections/46814/heathers_46814.jpg

Winona Ryder is lovely as always in this fast paced black comedy/satire about social politics in high school.
The problem for me was that I couldn't stand the character of J.D from the beginning (played by Christian Slater). How the hell was he able to manipulate Ryder's character so easily? I guess she was intrigued by the idea of him as some kind of rebel or something like that...
This film isn't very subtle in its portrayal of high school society. The popular kids are incorrigible douchebags and the actions of the rebellion against them by J.D. and Veronica (Ryder's character) are also way too heavy.
I guess the ultimate message of the film is that it's not good to fight extremes with other extremes and that we should be liberated like Veronica in the end, not caring anymore about the social hierarchy of her school, but the fact that I'm socially more experienced than a high school girl/boy, makes this message probably too evident for me to care for it.
I still enjoyed this film, though, as it had a few outrageously funny and memorable scenes and because the story was presented in an original and audacious way, which I really appreciated.
If I didn't dislike J.D.'s character so much, this would have gotten a higher score (I really enjoyed myself during several scenes), but as he's such a big part of the film, I must give it a:

3+

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Far from Heaven (2002)

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A classic, well made film about minorities in times of suppression. I'm a fan of stories set in the '50s and the '60s because I love the fashion, music and style of the era. This film shows us that glamour, using a wonderful soft color palette to make everything look even more nostalgic, but it also shows us the social difficulties of the period in typical tales about the taboo surrounding interracial relationships and about the psychological view on homosexuality.
It's a nice film to look at and if you're a fan of period dramas, you will definitely like this!
Julianne Moore is fabulous in her role, by the way!

3.5

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eXistenZ (1999)

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This is an interesting film that asks questions about the different dimensions of reality in a fascinating, Cronenberg-like way. It's full of twists and turns and the viewer is never really sure in what dimension the characters really are.
It's also a very entertaining watch, so I certainly recommend it!

3.5(+)

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Office Space (1999)

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This is a very quotable comedy that has many loyal cult followers.
I laughed and I had a good time, but ultimately I think it's slightly overrated. The story about a man who is sick of his daily work routine and his bosses, is interesting, but ultimately it never goes to unfamiliar or extremely inventive territory. It's the comedy and the few funny characters that really make this movie watchable.

3(+)
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[Daniel M]

I like Soderbergh's Solaris (it's meant to be a lot different to Tarkovsky's in terms of how it deals with human relationships) and I think that Bad Santa is a very funny little Christmas film.

[seanc]

Office Space is over rated? No, no man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked for sayin something like that, man.

[honeykid]

If he does, I'll back him up. :D Like Cobpyth, I liked Office Space, but it's never been something I've fawned over. I put it down to never having worked in a large office. That, and I don't really do movie comedy.

[Cobpyth]

FOURTH POST

Dead Ringers (1988)

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This acclaimed psycho-sexual horror film by David Cronenberg features an identical twin role that is brilliantly played by Jeremy Irons.
The twins are both gynecologists and they have a very physical relationship with women. One of them is a little bit shy, though, so his brother always paves the way by seducing a woman and sleeping with her first, claiming to be his brother, so that he can get physical with her too.
Things fall apart when the shy brother falls in love. Jealousy and paranoia enter the picture and the bond between the two brothers is put to proof.
The film is disturbing in many ways and that makes it a little bit harder to personally invest in the tragic story that is presented, but even then, it's still a film that can be admired for its artistic elements.
This will probably never become one of my favorite films, but it sure is a fascinating and moving watch.

3.5

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Escape From Tomorrow (2013)

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This dark comedy that reflects the fairy tale message of happiness of Disney against the corruption and impurity of reality is AWESOME!
The mostly unkown cast is very convincing and the wicked tale that takes place in Disney World (and was filmed there without permission of the Walt Disney Company) is engaging, magical, obscure and, in my opinion, very satisfying!
The film is full of memorable weird moments and if you're a fan of surrealistic films that still have a traceable narrative, you should definitely check this out!

4(+)

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Scoop (2006)

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This is a minor Woody Allen flick featuring a classic mystery story, mixed together with Woody's typical wit. Elements that often occur in his work, like the portrayal of death and the cruelty of love are also present in this film.
All together it's an enjoyable movie with several laughs and thrills, but still with an overarching ironic tone.
Not one of Woody's best, but still very watchable and amusing.

3.5-

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Ghost World (2001)

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I really liked this one! Thora Birch is flawless as the main character and Steve Buscemi is great as always in the main supporting role.
This film is sweet, funny, melancholic (using some great tunes) and fresh! I've been watching a lot of these films about teen angst lately and I must say that this is definitely one of the best!

3.5+

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Alice (1990)

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This is such an adorable and magical film! It's visually stimulating, the music is great as always and Woody isn't afraid to think outside the box in this story. Mia Farrow is good in the role of Alice, a rich but bored housewife, who gets exposed to the real values and virtues of her life by the mysterious Chinatown healer, Dr. Yang.
The final message of the film is not very Allen-like and may seem a little preachy to some (including me), but it is a defendable conclusion to this wonderful tale about rediscovering yourself and finding a purpose in life.

3.5+

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AtRzpWk79A

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We're the Millers (2013)

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I laughed a few times during this R-rated comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis, but at the end this film shows just a way too obvious, uninspired and predictable story to earn any real respect.
It has a few moments of excess that hint at something more outrageous or refreshing, but unfortunately they never fully push the gas pedal.
Because I had a relatively good time, I still give it a:

2.5+

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[Gideon58]

Nice to see some love for SMALL TIME CROOKS, one of Woody's most underrated gems.

[Nostromo87]

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

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This is just a very entertaining adventure film full of awesome sets and funny one liners. Kurt Russell is very convincing in the leading role.
Watch this if you're in the mood for something light.

3.5(-)

we really shook the pillars of heaven, didn't we wang

[Mmmm Donuts]

FOURTH POST

Dead Ringers

http://danieldokter.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/wtm3.jpg


-----------------------------------------------

Is this the main reason for you watching it? ;)

[Cobpyth]

^ Yes, it was.

FIFTH POST

Whatever Works (2009)

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While not one of Woody's best films, this film had enough funny moments and a good enough story arc to keep me engaged during its 90 minutes running time.
Larry David gave an extra grumpy characteristic to the typical Woody persona and it worked pretty well in this film.
The final message of the film is light, but poignant, which is fitting in the whole context of the story that is being told. Ultimately this is one of Woody's minor works, but it's still an enjoyable watch.

3.5-

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Celebrity (1998)

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I absolutely love it when Woody goes down a more artistic path than usual, as I think he mostly succeeds. My reaction to this gorgeous and audacious black and white film isn't any different. I adored it!
Allen tells a 'La Dolce Vita' kind of story, focusing on two main characters that used to be married. The male part is played by Kenneth Branagh, who basically plays the Woody Allen persona, but in a more physically attractive way, driving around town in his Aston Martin and getting physical with gorgeous women, while the main female part is played by Judy Davis, who is more insecure and tries to pull herself together throughout the whole film. Both are in some kind of midlife crisis, but in a totally different way.
Next to these two interesting figures, we are treated to a bunch of star appearances. Among them are Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays a young and famous 'live hard, die young' actor, Melanie Griffith as a famous shallow actrice, Charlize Theron, who is gorgeous as a catwalk model, and Winona Ryder who plays a mysterious and free-spirited young struggling actrice.
This film follows the two main characters during several episodes of their post-divorce life and shows how they both are dealing with it in very different ways. Everything is shown in a witty and very stylish manner and because of the constant exposition to new interesting developments and characters, the film never gets boring.
This film got very mixed reviews and honestly, I really can't see why. Woody Allen's look at showbusiness is wildly entertaining and interesting and his two main characters in this film go through some very comical and unusual stuff.
Don't be put off by some of the mixed reviews and watch this great film! It's one of Allen's better efforts.

4(+)

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Don Jon (2013)

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This is a decent debut film for director-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but nothing more than that. The main theme of this film about how visual media, like romantic comedies and internet porn, induce unrealistic expectations in the field of real life love and sex relationships, is interesting, but Gordon-Levitt deals with it in a way too heavy handed manner, in my opinion.
Despite that, the film has a lot of funny moments, although the humor feels kind of repetitive after a while.
It's a courageous effort from our first time writer-director, but he needs to learn to be more subtle and differentiating in his storytelling.

3

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Fritz the Cat (1972)

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This film is a product of a time when political correctness wasn't quite in fashion yet. Fritz the Cat wanders around having sex, doing drugs and asking questions about the spirit of the end of the '60s and the beginning of the '70s, a time of sexual revolution and social experimentalizing.
The animation is a little rough, but it fits the atmosphere of the film quite well. I had fun watching this cult favorite and if you're in the mood for something more 'underground' than the usual Disney cartoon, this may be something for you.

3.5

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Melinda and Melinda (2004)

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In this picture, Woody Allen looks at life from a dramatic and a comical point of view, telling two parallel stories about a girl named Melinda, terrifically played by Radha Mitchell.
The two tales don't really have anything to do with eachother, although they have many similar aspects, but they are intertwining nicely throughout the film in a structural way.
The two stories separately aren't really anything new or refreshing, but Allen combines them in such a way that the whole of them together equals more than the sum of both elements.
I'm afraid you'll have to see this film to understand what I mean. It's a charming and interesting Woody Allen flick, although it's not part of his best work.

3.5(-)

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A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

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This classic adaptation of the famous Tennessee Williams play is especially notable for its brilliant performances by Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. They are both absolutely magnificent and their scenes together are pure gold.
The story itself is also interesting of course and although the film slightly censored some of the more cruel parts of the play, it still manages to subtly allude to them.
See this if you're interested in a psychological tragedy with some very meaty performances!

4

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[Cobpyth]

Muriel's Wedding (1994)

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This cult comedy is weird, dark and unusual, but what really made it memorable is the ABBA music. Without that, this film would never have gotten the following it has today.
Muriel is a relatable character in the sense that she's an outlaw and that she wants to fit in, but on the other hand she is often so weird and unlikable (at least to me) that I found myself grossed out by her a little bit. It does make her a more believable victim, but therefore she doesn't necessarily arouse any sympathy.
The film has lots of comical moments and you might be attracted by the oddity of the film, so it's certainly not a film that you should avoid in all cases. If you think it's something that you might enjoy, you should definitely give it a go.

3(-)

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The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

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This gorgeous drama contains brilliant dialogues, very solid performances from screen superstars Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner, lovely settings and a twisty tale about the rise and fall of a talented and beautiful girl who gets pulled into stardom, but ends up in a tragedy.
I love how this film never intrinsically glamorizes excessive wealth. Yes, they use wonderful looking villas and interiors, but the peculiar thing is that it doesn't seem to affect the characters anymore. They are still messed up and are still looking for something deeper than just that. Some of them want more power, others prefer friendship and Ava Gardner's character looks for the purity in life, wandering around on her bare feet, while trying to hide her naivety by playing it hard. In the end her true self gets exposed in a cruel turn of fate.
Great film!

4

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Frances Ha (2012)

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After her best friend told her she's going to move out of their rental apartment, Frances Ha feels lost and alone in the Big Apple. She doesn't have a decent job, she doesn't really have someone who she can turn to with her problems now her best friend is gone and she basically doesn't know what to do with herself, which leads to some very awkward, but funny behavior!
Greta Gerwig's sympathetic performance helps identifying ourselves with her character and I never felt bored hanging out with Frances while she's wandering around feeling totally empty and alienated.
The wonderful black and white cinematography gives this film a sort of timeless quality, which I personally very much appreciated.
Watch this if you're in the mood for a melancholically funny character study of a young woman looking for something that could take away her dissatisfaction with her environment.

3.5+

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Garden State (2004)

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This film starts off as an original and very amusing deadpan comedy, but little by little glides into other territories.
I liked most of those other explorations. They gave the movie a certain weight and they resulted in some very strong scenes (such as the well known scene near the 'abyss') and they made us see the true colors of some of the main characters. On the other hand, there were also a couple of scenes that felt too preachy and/or sappy to me. I have nothing against self-important moments in films, but when the substantive message of those moments is so obvious, simple and even cliche, there's no need to aggravate it with an overly dramatic tone. Those kind of messages are better implanted in a more subtle way, in my opinion.
It's an enjoyable and very well made film, but sometimes (especially near the end) it aims to manipulate the emotions of the viewer so obviously, that it doesn't work anymore for me. There's still plenty of reason to see this, though, and maybe you'll feel different about the heavier scenes and LOVE it.

3.5

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Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

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Jon Heden is PRICELESS as Napoleon Dynamite. His performance completely carries this absurdly comical film.
I don't think this film was anything truly special, though. For me it was more like a very enjoyable one man show with a few clever artistic moments in between.
It's certainly worth a watch if you just want to laugh for a while without using too much of your brain.

3+

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Submarine (2010)

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Lovely film! It felt like a British version of a Wes Anderson film, with perhaps even a little more quirkiness than usual. It's delightfully directed in a very peculiar and yet very adorable fashion.
While beholding the beautiful montages and the visionary of the film's director, we are also presented an interesting character study from our protagonist, the 15 year old Oliver Tate, who is getting confronted with certain parts of life that he never had to worry about before. He gets confused, he falls apart in a outrageously comical, but engaging manner and finally he takes his experiences with him and draws certain conclusions.
Submarine is a wildly entertaining and wonderfully original watch from start to finish!

4

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[Daniel M]

I thought you'd like Submarine, like you say it is very Anderson esque with its quirky style, and I find the uncomfortable lead character is probably easily related to with his life issues, I also love the soundtrack from Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys. Ayoade seems like an intelligent and very promising director, I want to see his film from this year, The Double which has also been well received, I think he's actually a Woody Allen fan too which will please you :p

[The Rodent]

When I first saw Napoleon Dynamite I actually looked it up on the web. I genuinely thought it had been based on an old school friend of mine.

His name was Michael, we called him Veador... and apart from the look of the character in terms of glasses and curly hair, everything else, and I mean everything about the character is exactly the same as Veador was.
The attitude, emphasis on certain words and the way he phrased things, the drawings he does in his school books, his gait, dress sense and being an excellent dancer.

Whenever I watch, it's like I'm back at school hanging around with him again.

Love Napoleon Dynamite. Great film.

[seanc]

You peaked my interest in Submarine. I have noticed it on netflix. I will probably check it out this week.

[Cobpyth]

I thought you'd like Submarine, like you say it is very Anderson esque with its quirky style, and I find the uncomfortable lead character is probably easily related to with his life issues, I also love the soundtrack from Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys. Ayoade seems like an intelligent and very promising director, I want to see his film from this year, The Double which has also been well received, I think he's actually a Woody Allen fan too which will please you :p

Yes, I already added The Double to my watchlist solely based on seeing Submarine. He was so playful with his shots and seemed so 'in control' with everything, that I can't imagine him doing anything bad after such a wonderful debut. As long as he doesn't lose the energy that he was able to capture in this film, his future in cinema should be very interesting. I'll definitely follow his career.
I read that he's also a big fan of Tarantino. Seems like a great guy! :p

@Seanc: Be sure to let us know your opinion about it!

[Daniel M]

Yes, I already added The Double to my watchlist solely based on seeing Submarine. He was so playful with his shots and seemed so 'in control' with everything, that I can't imagine him doing anything bad after such a wonderful debut. As long as he doesn't lose the energy that he was able to capture in this film, his future in cinema should be very interesting. I'll definitely follow his career.
I read that he's also a big fan of Tarantino. Seems like a great guy! :p

Yeh check out his S&S list, seems to have good cinematic knowledge/taste which seems to be reflected in his confident/controlled style - http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sightandsoundpolls/2012/voter/1142

[honeykid]

Re: Muriel's Wedding. ABBA was extremely kitch/camp back in the early 90's. This is before/on the cusp of 70's nostalgia.

Re Napoleon Dynamite. I managed 45 minutes and I wouldn't have even bothered had I not been round a friend's who'd been told it was "hysterical". I'd have happily beheaded any and all of the characters at any time of the 45 minutes I saw.

Have you ever watched Girls, Cobpyth? I think you'd like it.

[Cobpyth]

Have you ever watched Girls, Cobpyth? I think you'd like it.

You mean the TV series? No I haven't.

[The Rodent]

He watches girls all the time.

From the bushes.

With binoculars.

And a camera.

[honeykid]

You mean the TV series? No I haven't.
Yes, that's the one.
He watches girls all the time.

From the bushes.

With binoculars.

And a camera.
I knew someone would do this. Merry Christmas, Rodent. :)

[JayDee]

I love Submarine and Garden State. :up: Got to say though that I'm in the HK camp in regards to Napoelon Dynamite. Have rarely been more disappointed with a film after such a massive build-up. I have however been considering giving it another shot in recent years as I no longer remember a single thing about it.


I think he's actually a Woody Allen fan too which will please you :p

Well that's the first thing I've heard about Ayoade that I don't like! :p

[Cobpyth]

Carnage (2011)

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Polanski's darkly comic Carnage succeeds due to four brilliant performances - especially Christoph Waltz is quite hilarious - and an interesting 'character dehulling' script. As the film proceeds, all the masks fall off and no character is left unexposed. This film is great fun and interesting to analyze afterwards.

3.5

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Cruel Intentions (1999)

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This film starts off pretty promising and above all, very sexy (Sarah Michelle Gellar is HOT)! It's a shame the film oddly falls apart completely towards the end, when it tries to make a certain moral statement in an uncomfortably emotional and ultimately unfittingly overexposing way.
I still very much enjoyed the first part of the film, but together with its characters, the film totally crashes at the end, in my opinion. I can see why some people may like it, but story-wise, that last part was definitely not my cup of tea.
I appreciated the edgy style of the film, though. My problems with it are strictly story-wise.

3

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Paper Moon (1973)

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This is a very charming comedy with a lovely classic feeling to it. The chemistry between Ryan and Tatum O'Neal is perfect and the latter gives one of the very best child performances I've ever seen on a screen (possibly even THE best). She rightfully is the youngest Oscar winner in history.
Wonderful, relaxing and touching film. See it!

4

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Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

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This pitch black comedy portrays the ultimate highschool nightmare. With a practically unseen pessimistic and mean tone, this film follows Dawn Wiener, a bullied and unloved girl who tries to find a way to fight her destiny of being a bullied outlaw for the rest of her highschool years, but only ends up in a much bigger mess. On her journey towards more appreciation from the people around her, she only seems to make things worse...
I liked the idea of this film and I thought it was pretty well executed. I enjoyed this funny film that demonstrates the cruelty of life, especially if you're not lucky.

3.5(+)

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The Rescuers (1977)

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This Disney Classic has a nice vintage look, a deliciously dark atmosphere, a cool villain, a decent enough storyline and some good comedy.
It's a lot of fun and the story was engaging enough to make me care about what was happening. This film deserves its place amongst the other praised Disney Classics, without being one of the very best.

3.5

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The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

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This sequel obviously had a higher production quality than the first film, but although it is in no way a bad film, it lacked some of the charm of the first movie, both story-wise and atmospherically. This is definitely a personal feeling, though. If you like action-oriented films better than more intimate films, you might like this one better than its predecessor.
It's still a solid film, but story-wise it is very 'by the book' without adding anything truly refreshing or being particularly clever (the story takes a few questionable turns), except perhaps a few nicely executed flying sequences.

3(+)

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[JayDee]

Oh wow The Rescuers! I've not seen those films since I was a wee young nipper. Would love to see them again actually. Only seen Paper Moon and Cruel Intentions once but really enjoying both of them, especially Paper Moon.

[Cobpyth]

Blithe Spirit (1945)

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This British comedy, directed by the great David Lean, is very amusing. The film handles 'the supernatural' in a daring, yet very funny way, without ever becoming overly dramatic about the topic. This film stays loyal to its lightweight tone during the whole ride, even when the story gets darker in content.
I also loved the performances of both Kay Hammond, who plays the first (dead) wife, and Rex Harrison.
It's a very enjoyable film with a few unexpected turns. This film doesn't really aim to challenge the audience intellectually with its seemingly heavy topic and concept, but it rather wants to entertain us with some very funny and original situations and its witty dialogue.
Definitely worth watching if you're in the mood for some vintage fun!

3.5

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Dark City (1998)

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This Sci-Fi film satisfied me both thematically and visually! I was completely taken by this film.
The film starts out as some sort of weird, psychological mystery, while it slowly becomes clear that everything is actually a part of a greater concept.
For me, this film worked BRILLIANTLY as a metaphor for the philosophical searching mind. The obsession of finding the true meaning behind 'life' and 'humanity' is depicted in a very original and efficient manner and it offers the audience, next to the mind challenging philosophical concept, also a very entertaining and thrilling noir-like story.
Intellectually, this is a much more interesting film than The Matrix if you ask me. It may not have the cool fight sequences, but it still has a lot of action for people who are just looking for adrenalin.
The ending of this film is also a defendable one. The message seems to be to step out of the 'dark city' full of thoughts and constructions that try to analyze the incomprihensible and start living in a more liberated way, enjoying 'futilities' like love and the sight of the sea and the sun, without having to clash every time with the frustrating boarders of our limited mind.
I also quite liked the use of cuts in this film. Normally I'm not a big fan of films with many cuts and short shot lengths, as it makes the film less fluently, but it fits the whole concept pretty well here.
Great film! A must watch for Sci-Fi fans!

4+

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Romeo + Juliet (1996)

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This modern interpretation of the classic Shakespeare play by Baz Luhrmann is visually over the top and starts off quite strange if you aren't prepared for it, but once you're used to the concept, it is actually an enjoyable and even engaging film! DiCaprio and Claire Danes are very good and have great chemistry together, in my opinion.
The end result is a romantic, energetic, visually original and entertaining film!

3.5(+)

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Night On Earth (1991)

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Jarmusch' tribute to the night is a lovely one. The film consists of five short stories in five major cities (L.A., New York, Paris, Rome and Helsinki), that are all focused on the experiences of a cab driver and his/her client(s). All the stories are set on the same 'night on earth'.
The tales have in common that they all tackle some kind of social or personal issue and that they all have a certain comical undertone. The stories mix these elements in very different ways though, which provides every part of the film with its own atmosphere and tone.

Los Angeles - A young female, chain smoking, gum chewing taxi driver (played by Winona Ryder) picks up an older casting woman (Gena Rowlands). While talking a little bit about life, the woman starts noticing a certain rare spontaneous quality in the girl. Intuitively, she offers the young cab driver a chance at a totally different life than the girl actually had in mind for herself.

New York - A black man has troubles finding a cab who wants to drive him to Brooklyn. Suddenly a foreign taxi driver stops for him, but it is soon clear that he doesn't know how to handle his car.

Paris - A black taxi driver throws out two drunk high society black men who are making jokes about him. Then he picks up a strange female passenger that lets him see certain things from different perspectives, despite the fact that she's blind.

Rome - A joking cab driver (Roberto Benigni) is driving madly through the narrow alleys of Rome. He picks up a Priest that doesn't seem completely alright.

Helsinki - A visibly sad man drives around Helsinki in his cab and picks up three very drunk men. One of them is even unconscious. After hearing what happened to the drunkenly sleeping man that day, the driver tells his own sad, heart breaking story.

Great film that I recommend watching alone at night, when you're not able to fall asleep or something like that.

4(-)

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The Band Wagon (1953)

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This highly praised musical is one of the best in its genre for sure! It explores the fine line between 'true art' and entertainment and ends up as a brilliant mix of the two. While the story is already very strong, it is the exceptional quality of the musical sequences that make this film so special. First of all there is of course the famous 'Dancing in the Dark' scene. BRILLIANT! There's only music during that scene, but the sexual and romantic attraction between Fred Astaire and Cys Charisse is presented in such an artistically beautiful and engaging way that words aren't needed.
Besides that scene, there are lots of other great musical scenes, such as the beginning scene and the portraying of the songs 'That's Entertainment', 'New Sun in the Sky', 'Triplets', Louisiana Hayride, etc.
My favorite moment of the film was near the ending, though. It is a sequence called: "Girl Hunt" A Murder Mystery in Jazz. It became instantly one of my top 5 musical moments of all time. WHAT A SCENE! It's a wonderful ode to film noir and a wonderful piece of art on itself. I absolutely adored it. After I finished the film, I rewatched it like three times. SENSATIONAL!
This film is truly one of the greatest musicals ever made.

4+

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The Gay Divorcee (1934)

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This is another delightful escapist musical featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Just like their other pictures, this film leans upon a plotline that features a certain misunderstanding.
It is again the charm and the charism of the two performers and the wonderfully inventive musical set pieces that make this film so much fun to watch. Adorable and classic!

3.5

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[honeykid]

I love R+J and Blithe Spirit. R+J, especially, as it's near the top of my 100. Well, top 30, anyway, and used to be #2.

I really like Cruel Intentions, too, and think it's a lot better than many give it credit for. I'd recommend Dangerous Liaisons, if you've not seen it. It's an 80's film, too. :D

Looking forward to your thoughts on The Killer.

[Cobpyth]

I love R+J and Blithe Spirit. R+J, especially, as it's near the top of my 100. Well, top 30, anyway, and used to be #2.

Yes, your placement of R+J is mainly why I watched it. It was on TV and I remembered that you spoke so highly of it, so I recorded it and watched it a day later.

I'd recommend Dangerous Liaisons, if you've not seen it. It's an 80's film, too. :D

I already have it watchlisted, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to watch it before the deadline. I have exams coming up and all that.

Looking forward to your thoughts on The Killer.

Just watched it and well, what did you expect? AWESOME film with a very strong and engaging plot (in my opinion) and some of the coolest scenes I've ever witnessed. John Woo really knows how to direct shoot outs. I already enjoyed his work in Face/Off, but this was of a different level.
I'll be more detailed in my review of the film, but I really liked it. It's definitely a contender to make my '80s list.

[honeykid]

Yes, your placement of R+J is mainly why I watched it. It was on TV and I remembered that you spoke so highly of it, so I recorded it and watched it a day later.
Cool. Glad that you enjoyed it.

I already have it watchlisted, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to watch it before the deadline. I have exams coming up and all that.
I doubt that it'd make your list, but I hope you like it when you see it.

Just watched it and well, what did you expect? AWESOME film with a very strong and engaging plot (in my opinion) and some of the coolest scenes I've ever witnessed. John Woo really knows how to direct shoot outs. I already enjoyed his work in Face/Off, but this was of a different level.
I'll be more detailed in my review of the film, but I really liked it. It's definitely a contender to make my '80s list.
Yep, that's pretty much what I expected. Do see Hard Boiled, if you've not. If you want to see Woo 'unleashed', as it were, then you have to watch his HK output. I'd recommend A Better Tomorrow and A Better Tomorrow II.

[Gideon58]

I absolutely love NOTORIOUS...the film contains my absolute favorite Ingrid Bergman performance. Also nice to see some love for BLOW-OUT...one of Brian De Palma's best film and easily, Nancy Allen's finest work.

[Cobpyth]

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

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Just saw this in the theater with a few friends of mine.
DiCaprio and Scorsese are freaking CLASS ACTS!

First of all, this film was absolutely HILARIOUS. It's been a very long time since I laughed so much with a movie. That lemmon scene between DiCaprio and Jonah Hill must be one of the funniest things ever put on screen, while still being oddly tragic at the same time. Brilliant stuff!

Second of all, the story the film is telling is extremely daring and haunting. This film explores if it's really more fun to dance with the devil than to kneel for the lord. It doesn't feed the audience with an obvious, preachy message, but instead of that, it offers a 'dilemma' between doing the right thing, but living an ordinary life or immersing yourself in immoral excess and ultimately (if it ever comes to that) getting confronted with the consequences of your actions.
The film also is a great comment on the greed of humanity and the materialistic focus of our society and (sometimes) our personalities.

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Third of all, HOW EPIC IS JONAH HILL in this film? DiCaprio was absolutely stellar, but Jonah Hill's performance is also one for the ages. He's completely over the top, but he does it very, VERY well! An absolute pleasure to watch. The rest of the cast was also really good, of course.

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The only (very) small criticism I have, is that the story is told in a rather shattered way. This film is three hours long and it's very eventful and full of great moments, but sometimes it doesn't feel as 'wholesome' as, for example, Goodfellas. It doesn't have that ingenious, unique and seemingly effortless 'flow' that Scorsese's best film so perfectly possesed.

Nevertheless this is one of the greatest movies of this decade so far and it's by far the best collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio. I like their other four films together, but this one is of another level, in my opinion.

I strongly recommend seeing this risky and hugely satisfying piece of film! You won't be disappointed!

4.5(+)

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[The Gunslinger45]

I knew you would love this movie dude! It may not be AS good as Goodfellas, but dammit all to Hell it is pretty bloody close! And funny to boot! Glad you liked it!

And you are spot on with Marty and Leo working together and Jonah Hill is HILARIOUS! Someone better get an Oscar nod for best supporting actor, either him or McConaughey!

[Daniel M]

McConaughey would be my choice for supporting actor, awesome in the limited time he has on screen.

[Cobpyth]

All That Jazz (1979)

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Incredible film! I really need to watch this one again sometime in the future to really grab it to the fullest, but what a great piece of cinema this is!

It has great music, entertaining choreographies and wonderful decors. It's full with great performances (ESPECIALLY Roy Scheider in the leading role is absolutely magnificent), it has a wonderfully witty script and while it exhibits a lot of dramatic stuff, the film never ceases to ridicule every single situation in a cynical and audacious way. The dramatic sting still pierces through though, and inbetween all the crazy stuff, there's a satisfying existential core that kept me focused on the 'story' that's being told, until the very last second.

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This film is without a doubt the wildest musical film I've ever witnessed. The bold editing provides an omnifarious pace and constantly makes the viewer switch gears. Some people may think that the film gets kind of messy because of that in some parts, but I thought it worked very well, especially after getting used to it within the first 20 or so minutes.

Watch this very acclaimed '70s musical film as soon as you're in the mood for something wacky and energetic! You won't regret it.

4.5(+)

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[Cobpyth]

American Hustle (2013)

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I was extremely excited to see this film for months, but some people's reactions to it were downgrading my expectations a little bit, so I went in hoping it would be good and still expecting it to be good, but I didn't truly count on something truly exceptional anymore.

After seeing it on the silver screen a few hours ago, I can now say this: American Hustle is a PHENOMENAL film and it should have no problems becoming an American crime classic in the future.
The plot is probably the weakest thing about the film, although I still very much enjoyed it, but all the other aspects were brilliant! The fluent camera work, the AMAZING soundtrack, the characters, the script, the atmosphere, the performances, the sets, etc. It's all done in such a tasteful and skillful way, that I found myself constantly admiring everything that David O. Russell and his cast were showcasting me. Truly impressive work!

While the plot has a few flaws superficially and gets a little bit confusing sometimes, I found myself enjoying all the small elements in this film that show how people are getting conned by eachother all the time, even on the most basic levels. We all do it, because we want to survive in this modern society and sometimes telling a lie for your own good is just a necessity. The two main characters of American Hustle are taking this philosophy a little too far, though, and they get into trouble because of it. It seems like a very basic premise, but the film handles it in quite an interesting and intelligent way, in my opinion.

For a plot-driven film, American Hustle also contains a vast amount of very richly sketched characters, which is very rare these days. At the end of this film, I felt like I knew all the important characters quite well, while most of them still kept a certain intriguing mystery around them, which I appreciated immensely.

American Hustle is a wonderful '70s ride with a solid enough plot that is elevated to something truly remarkable, because it is portrayed in an exciting, beautiful and intriguing way. Some people say it looks very much like a Scorsese film and I definitely get the comparison. This film also has that same fluency and stylishness to it.

It's not my favorite film of the year (at this point), but it's definitely top 5 material. I had a blast!

4+

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[JayDee]

What the hell are you doing up here Cobby? :mad: Man they really will let anyone into the Member Reviews area these days! Standards are definitely dropping! :p

But seriously welcome my brother in reviewing arms. :D While I obviously didn't agree entirely about American Hustle I'm glad you enjoyed it and nice job on the review. :up:

[Cobpyth]

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

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I've seen all of Wes Anderson's other films and while he's not amongst my ABSOLUTE favorite directors, I still very much appreciate his unique cinematic voice. Therefore, I was very excited to see his most recent picture at the theater today. They didn't play it in the big cinema, so I went to a more vintage theater, situated in the outskirts of the city I live nearby. I'm very glad I watched it there, as it fits this film's atmosphere perfectly!

The film's story is told in many layers. We start seeing a girl read a book called "The Grand Budapest Hotel" on a cemetery, then we see the writer of that book tell us about how it is based on a story that he picked up somewhere and then we see the writer in his younger years (played by Jude Law) visiting a 'decayed' hotel. There he meets the owner of the hotel, Zero, who wants to tell him about the early, glorious days of the hotel, when he was still a simple lobby boy.

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Then we finally get to our main story, which stars Ralph Fiennes in one of his most eccentric roles to date, as the charming, but unorthodox concierge of the hotel, Monsieur Gustave. It's soon clear that Zero is very fond of him and considers him his mentor.
M. Gustave has a few questionable hobbies (he sleeps with most of his older female clients) and while he has a very clean exterior facade, it's still clear that he's a human being with many flaws.

When one of his mistresses dies, he visits her, but he soon gets accused of murder by her greedy family when it seems that his exremely rich older mistress left him one of her dearest possessions, a very famous and expensive painting. In a wild ride, full of absurd comedy and brilliantly composed scenes, we see how the adventurous plot resolves...

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Next to the superficial plot, there is also the overarching, melancholic theme of 'decay' that can be found throughout the whole story. This film's sophisticated, nostalgic style makes that theme come through in a very effective way. I won't give away too much, but I think the very ending is one of the film's stronger parts. It gives the grotesque, wild and hilarious adventure we just witnessed some kind of gravitas and poignancy that I very much appreciated.

Overall, I think this is one of Anderson's better efforts. Expect some good laughs, an entertaining and engaging story, a few minor 'shocking' moments and a whole bunch of awesome performances from a killer cast!
Needless to say, this film is also REMARKABLY well made. More than any Wes Anderson film (except perhaps Moonrise Kingdom), every frame is constructed with such skill and such artistic passion, that it's simply a delight for the eyes. I couldn't turn my eyes away from it for a second.

Be sure to watch this new, ambitious Wes Anderson picture. This is without a doubt the work of a director in his prime! I'm looking forward to his next picture already...

4+

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[The Gunslinger45]

I am looking forward to seeing this movie! I have to wait until next week to see it however. Either way great review!

[seanc]

So jealous. Not open anywhere near me yet. Good review Cobpyth. One of my most anticipated movies this year.

[Cobpyth]

The Double (2013)

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Richard Ayoade's second film definitely confirms the promise and talent he showed with his debut film, Submarine. In his first film, he showed us that he wasn't afraid to do some pretty ambitious visual stuff. Submarine was a wonderfully playful dramedy and Ayoade just knew how to present a story like that in a visually interesting and refreshing way. If some people thought he'd do another Wes Anderson-like melancholic love story like Submarine though, they were VERY wrong.

In The Double he sure keeps his visual playfulness, but this time he uses it at the service of a much darker and surreal tale about a lonely young man (played by Jesse Eisenberg), who feels like he doesn't really exist and who lives in a gloomy, dystopian world. He has no real connection whatsoever with other people (not even his own elderly mother can offer him any real love), everyone behaves unfriendly towards him and at work he gets no recognition at all for what he's doing. The worst thing is that his personality isn't strong enough to do anything about it and he kind of lets everything and everyone walk over him. In a speech he compares himself to Pinocchio in the sense that he feels like a wooden boy, pulled around by strings, not like a "real boy". Suddenly his exact physical double (but also his mental opposite) starts working at the same company and he finally needs to confront his attitude of living.
Some situations and dialogues are funny (a few even hilarious), which makes this dark and surreal story about the search for identity and the struggle to avoid complete repression oddly comical and therefore easier to digest.

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The film is based on the novel by Dostoyevsky, but towards the end it goes in a complete different direction. I'm not going to spoil anything, but the third act might also be the most "slippery" part of the film for me. The surrealism escalates, the pace gets more volatile and everything flows into really ambiguous territory. I was personally fine with it (although not completely satisfied yet), but I can see why some people wouldn't like the conclusion. Some other people will absolutely love it, though. I'm still thinking about it for the moment and I'd love to discuss it with other people who've seen the film.

This film's "universe" and visual atmosphere reminded me of Gilliam's Brazil (which is one of my favorite films of all time), Lynch's Eraserhead and also a little bit of Hitchcock's Rear Window. I recommend this film ESPECIALLY to Gilliam and Lynch fans! It's an ambitious little flick that really works as an hommage to those two directors.

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All in all, I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't quite put this on par with masterpieces like Brazil or Eraserhead just yet, but Richard Ayoade definitely established himself as one of the most intriguing upcoming directors of our time (in my opinion). I don't care if his next film is a vintage-looking, stylized melancholic romantic teenage dramedy, like Submarine, a Lynchian/Gilliamesque Russian novel adaptation full with retro Japanese music, like The Double or something completely different, but I'm already looking forward to it! He's a refreshing new director and I hope he'll get the recognition (and the film budgets) he deserves.

4(-)

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[Lucas]

Excellent review Copbyth. I'll be viewing the film today, so I'll be writing my thoughts on it some time tomorrow. Looks like a film worthy of much discussion.

[Captain Spaulding]

The Double (2013)
http://www.sentieriselvaggi.it/public/articoli/53018/Images/the-double-richard-ayoade-da-il-sosia-di-dostoevskij-eisenberg-wasikowska.jpg


So Tongo's the third wheel?

Great write-up. The Double sounds interesting. I really enjoyed Submarine, so I'll have to check this out when I get the chance.

[Cobpyth]

Just a short impression of the last four films I've seen:

The Gambler (1974)

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This is a great character study about a college professor, called Alex Freed, who is severely addicted to gambling. The film gives us interesting insights about our main character's motives. We learn why he does what he does and we get to observe why he doesn't learn from his past experiences. The problem with this man simply is that he doesn't want rest. He's afraid of balance and he's unable to settle down. He wants to feel alive and therefore he needs risk and he welcomes danger. Self-destructive behavior is the only option for Alex to get some sort of short-lived satisfaction. Intrinsically he doesn't want to win (even though he superficially seems to). He wants to lose, in the hope of being confronted with something that makes him realize a certain truth about life. He's a romantic that can only find some sort of peace of mind through uncertainty, threat and the redemptive and strangely liberating sensation of losing it all.
James Caan is phenomenal in the main role and the ending is wonderfully poignant and telling. DEFINITELY see this if you're interested in the subject of gambling addiction!

3.5+

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Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

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This is pretty much how a film noir should be like. It contains a complex, twisty and engaging plot, a heavy voice-over, a charismatic and hard-boiled main performance (in this case by the legendary Robert Mitchum, who plays the equally legendary detective character, Philip Marlowe) and a strange emotional resonance that floats to the surface at the end of the picture.
The main reason why I wanted to see this film and why I ended up liking it so much, though, is because of its FANTASTIC visual atmosphere. The cinematography is close to perfection, the film has a wonderfully soft and colorful look to it. This quality makes the classy sets seem even more glamorous and it upgrades every shot with an additional touch of sheer stylishness.
If you're a fan of the film noir genre, this is an absolute must see! It's also a great film to just hang out with. The audience follows a story that leads them to a rich amount of very interesting looking places, characters and situations. There's always happening something on the screen that keeps the attention!

4

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The Driver (1978)

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This is a fun, little crime film and an interesting exercise in "cool". It kind of reminded me of a Melville picture in terms of atmosphere and plot, although this movie does lack the perfect execution of Melville's visuals and untouchable style.
Beside that, it is pretty similar in tone, though. The film is based around two characters, a cop (played by Bruce Dern, who's always entertaining to look at) who is extremely determined to wipe out crime, and a "driver" (played by Ryan O'Neal), who isn't particularly the talkative type and who is determined to not be caught by the cop, while still taking a few interesting risks, purely for the enjoyment of winning.
The film evolves into a classic cat and mouse game, with a few interesting subplots in between, featuring a gangster who is out for revenge and a gorgeously looking woman (played by the stunning looking Isabelle Adjani) who doesn't care about morals because she's in desperate need for money.
Over the course of the movie, we get a few clever microscopic insights on how a life in crime works and we are treated to a few thrillingly exciting action scenes (mainly featuring well executed car sequences).
The ending is painfully, but also fittingly ironic and forms a great conclusion to a solid 90 minutes of entertainment!

3.5

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Get Carter (1971)

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This film shows what every modern gritty crime film should actually aim for! Get Carter truly has it all. There's a simple but effective premise, a cool but morally disjointed main character (in this case Jack Carter, played by Michael Caine), a whole bunch of outstanding and memorable supporting characters, cool locations, thrilling action scenes, a bunch of shocking twists, some psychopathic violence and a couple of non-emotional, but highly erotic sex scenes featuring a broad variety of naked women. :p
I LOVE eventful films like this! The film isn't afraid to shock and it's also not afraid to show every single story development. It's a typical early '70s films, in the sense that it's so excitingly free-spirited! It just feels so delightfully fresh, both story-wise and visually (the director isn't afraid to make some unorthodox cuts or transitions). Everything is possible and that can sometimes lead to surprising and very dark twists.
Get Carter is yet another movie that makes me realize why I appreciate this decade of cinema so very very much...

4(+)

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[honeykid]

Glad you liked Get Carter so much. I love that film.

[Captain Spaulding]

Out of those four, the only one I've seen is Get Carter, which I didn't particularly care for. Your write-ups for the other three definitely make me interested in watching them, especially the one for Farewell, My Lovely. How would you compare it to The Long Goodbye?

[Cobpyth]

Out of those four, the only one I've seen is Get Carter, which I didn't particularly care for. Your write-ups for the other three definitely make me interested in watching them, especially the one for Farewell, My Lovely. How would you compare it to The Long Goodbye?

Farewell, My Lovely is much more traditional. It's more plot-oriented, although Mitchum's Philip Marlowe is still very interesting to follow around everywhere and has that vintage noirish detective aura around him.
It does have the same "errant" feeling to it as The Long Goodbye, though, but that's because it's a Raymond Chandler story. There's a lot of stuff happening and Marlowe is right in the middle of it all, without knowing fully well what to make of it all. Despite that, he's still being the coolest guy in the room.

I personally like The Long Goodbye a bit more, because it has all those typical Altman characteristics, it has more personality. I still enjoyed Farewell, My Lovely thoroughly, though, and like I said, it's a real visual threat!

[Daniel M]

As you know Cobpyth, those are all films that I am very interested in seeing for the 70s list, glad to see you enjoyed them so much :up:

[mark f]

Farewell, My Lovely was made to try to duplicate the success of Chinatown, and it came out quite well yet fell far short of its predecessor. I like it better than the second film version of the Chandler story (the first being The Falcon Takes Over), the B&W Murder, My Sweet, which changed Dick Powell's career from a crooner to a tough guy. They're all legit noirs, unlike the Altman jokey thing. :)

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[Cobpyth]

Farewell, My Lovely was made to try to duplicate the success of Chinatown, and it came out quite well yet fell far short of its predecessor. I like it better than the second film version of the Chandler story (the first being The Falcon Takes Over), the B&W Murder, My Sweet, which changed Dick Powell's career from a crooner to a tough guy. They're all legit noirs, unlike the Altman jokey thing. :)

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Were there any other neo-noir pictures like those two made in the seventies that are of a similar quality of Farewell, My Lovely in your opinion?

[mark f]

Mitchum made a bad version of The Big Sleep after Farewell, My Lovely, Have you seen Night Moves, The Late Show, Last Embrace, The Long Good Friday or The Drowning Pool yet? Holden likes them better than me, but they're certainly better than The Big Sleep. There are dozens more with major elements of noir.

[honeykid]

The Long Good Friday is neo noir? Brilliant, yes, but noir?

[mark f]

I never use the phrase neo noir. It's obviously a gangster film AND from the '80s, so I decided to namedrop it, but I'll delete it and never mention it again. Its title is definitely noir. :p

[Mr Minio]

Why never use neo-noir? There's even something like neo-western. Pretty handy to describe films. ^^

[mark f]

I use modern western, not neo western. HA!

[Mr Minio]

Westerno Nuovo is more hipster!

[mark f]

I don't live in the parallel universe.

[cricket]

I saw all of those except Farewell, My Lovely, and rated them all just about the same. I still am not sure how I feel about the ending to The Gambler. I was thinking over the course of the movie that he lacked desperation for the situation he was in, and the ending validated that feeling. On the other hand, why call it The Gambler if that's not even his real problem. In a way, I felt a little tricked, like there was a sudden turn that was made up just as an excuse for his gambling. I'm just not sure about it.

[Cobpyth]

Quiz Show (1994)

https://waterfrontcinema.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/1994-quiz-show.jpg?w=584&h=395

This is a classy, intelligent and hugely entertaining drama about a seemingly forgotten part of television history. It's one of the smartest and most sophisticated films I've ever seen about the meaning of "truth" in a socially practical sense.

Redford tells the (true) story about a fixed quiz show very thoughtfully. He passionately sympathizes with the side of truth, but he's also smart enough to not get out of his role as an observer either. He trusts the viewers to meditate about the subject themselves and to each individually draw conclusions about how meaningful and valuable "truth" really is in our current system.

I've always been interested and fascinated about the "illusion of truth" and the practical side of lying.
Everyone knows that being truthful and honest is the right thing to do as a human being, but paradoxically it also seems that, in our practical society, "making your own truths" can make you much more succesful. It goes even further. When you're able to keep up a specific strong illusion of truth, you can even fabricate a situation where everyone involved seems to get an advantage out of it! It's only when the bubble actually bursts that most people start to realize that they prefer the truth over fabrications, even though it's sometimes hard to rationally explain why.

I guess people are so angry when they are confronted with other people's lies, because lies can also produce very terrible consequences. It's impossible to truly draw a fine line between when it is acceptable and when it is not. A society would implode if there wasn't any "certainty of truth" anymore, because there would be no trust. A whole society can lose its credibility just as much as one individual can.

You, yourself, can choose what kind of person you want to be.

1) You can be one of the many people who tries to make a profit from that inevitable, immoral loophole in our society. The immorality of lying can be compensated by the generally good (personal) consequences those lies might carry with them.

2) You can be a person who believes in the values of honesty and trust and who believes that those values are an inherent part of the moral foundations of a free society. Bending the truth to gain profits can have horrible, sometimes unforeseeable side effects, even if it's only in the long term.

The most valuable thing this film may actually show, is that it is especially important to be aware of what both sides of the argument imply and ultimately may have in store.

It's a very interesting film overall. It's well acted (the cast is fantastic), it's very solidly directed (I wonder if Redford got any tips from Scorsese, who played a small role in the film) and it has a very strong script about themes that will always be endlessly fascinating to me. Quiz Show managed to keep me entertained both dramatically and intellectually. I'm very much impressed and I strongly recommend seeing this film!

4+

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[honeykid]

Pleased to see you enjoyed this so much. I remember going to the cinema to see this and I really liked it back then. I think I've seen it once since then, but that was probably only a year or so after it was made.

[seanc]

Great movie. Good review Cob. Love Turturro.

[cricket]

I'm another fan of the movie; nice review and glad you liked it.

[Citizen Rules]

Great movie, and like you said very intelligent film. Great review too!

[Captain Spaulding]

Never seen Quiz Show, but I'll go with option 1. :D

[Cobpyth]

Forbidden Planet (1956)

http://www.fantascienza.com/magazine/imgbank/ZOOM/NEWS/stevens_forbidden.jpg

This is a really engaging and brilliantly smart classic sci-fi film that inventively exposes what could possibly be human's greatest ultimate intrinsic tragedy.

Our animalistic, irrational subconscious side. "Id".

The film's Freudian theme is very cleverly metaphorized through thoughtful, seemingly unimportant details (the cook's lust for drinking, the men's lust for the daughter, etc.) and more obvious representations (the tiger jumping at the commander and the daughter, the robot being the most likable and flawless character in the whole movie, the invisible monster, etc.) during the whole film. It's really amazing how well thought out this film is. Every single aspect of it can be given meaning in the context of the film's main theme.

Even though the story very much (almost exclusively) focuses on the specific observation that's being made about human nature, the film still feels very rich, because of the high ambition that was obviously at the basis of the film's sci-fi context.
- First of all, the technical aspect of the film perfectly works, the locations look really good (especially by the standards of that time) and it's just a joy to watch it.
- Secondly, the ideas in this story are BIG and the film cleverly takes its time to explicate the film's story and environment. We really get to know and explore this film's sci-fi universe. I love that!

http://i.imgur.com/mJiG0.jpg

The film kind of made me think of Stalker in a certain (far-fetched) way. Stylistically, the films couldn't be further apart, but both movies touch on very similar topical issues, in my opinion. So, don't expect this picture to be a high level philosophical film or anything like that. It just tells an exciting sci-fi adventure that happens to have very interesting substantial aspects to it when studied more intensively. It's said to be loosely inspired by Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.

Back to the small comparison I wanted to make between both films.
In Forbidden Planet, we witness why extremely developed technology in the hands of mankind can be dangerous (it's told in a very symbolic manner, but the argument the film's making is very clear) and in Stalker, we basically get a meditation on why the existence of the "supernatural" (a sort of "wishing room" in this case) could be more dangerous than positive, when it can be manipulated by men.
In other words, two of mankind's biggest wishes are fulfilled, but ultimately seem to have unforeseen negative side effects, because there seems to be something wrong with us!

Both films basically talk about the tragic unreliability of humanity. We can't trust other people and we can't even trust ourselves, because we never fully have control over neither of the two. There's a potential monster in all of us, even if there aren't any bad intentions... The point is not to be scared, but to be aware of the 'Id'-aspect of your nature. Don't deny its existence and don't be blind for its possible consequences.

"It will remind us that we are, after all, not God."

4+

---------------------------------------

[mark f]

I'm happy to see you watching some classic, older sci-fi. I know you don't think this, but Forbidden Planet is better than Stalker every which way, even for those who may find it childish. In fact, that's one of the reasons. :)

[Cobpyth]

I'm happy to see you watching some classic, older sci-fi. I know you don't think this, but Forbidden Planet is better than Stalker every which way, even for those who may find it childish. In fact, that's one of the reasons. :)

I enjoyed it a lot more than Stalker and would rank it higher. ;)

Stalker is a truly impressive cinematic achievement and I admire it, but Forbidden Planet (besides its intelligent content) also has the quality of making me sit on the edge of my seat during its whole running time. In the end, that's what films are made for.