The 7th MoFo Hall of Fame

[Thursday Next]

I hadn't thought before that perhaps the other siblings had also been abused, but it's certainly possible. Perhaps that's why Michael reacts so violently to Christian's revelation, because he doesn't want to admit or have it known what happened to them. But on the other hand, there is a certain irony in that he has lived his whole life angry at being sent away from his family, when in fact that is what saved him from the abuse his brother and sister suffered.

[seanc]

Boy, I thought the siblings reaction and personalitys made it pretty obvious that they knew about or had experienced some sort of abuse from their father. Apparently the cheese stands alone

[Thursday Next]

I think I need to see it again.

[neiba]

Take Shelter (Jeff Nichols, 2011)


If art has any value is that makes people become closer. I knew this movie meant a lot to Swan, one of the nicest persons around here and someone I care about, but I wasn't sure how much would I be able to relate to it.
Well, I can say that it made me feel like I know Swan better in some way, and that means a lot if we're talking about an artwork. Somehow, I related with the characters of this movie so much that it become really hard for me to watch it without taking a break to take a deep breath.
The pacing is really good, even being a slow burning movie it never bores you. It just keeps adding and adding pressure and anxiety. The ending is beautiful... It leaves you with that feeling that it's not over, it will never be...
The perfomances are amazing from the main cast especially Michael Shannon. I went to see who won the Best Acting Oscars that year. Jean Dujardin winning while Shannon was not even nominated is an insult.
A masterpiece. Thanks Swan for making me watch this! :)

rating_4_5

[neiba]

Festen is booming here, I'll get to it as soon as I can so I can take part of the discussion! Maybe tomorrow!

[rauldc14]

You're on a roll Neiba!! Keep it up! :up:

[Swan]

Take Shelter (Jeff Nichols, 2011)


If art has any value is that makes people become closer. I knew this movie meant a lot to Swan, one of the nicest persons around here and someone I care about, but I wasn't sure how much would I be able to relate to it.
Well, I can say that it made me feel like I know Swan better in some way, and that means a lot if we're talking about an artwork. Somehow, I related with the characters of this movie so much that it become really hard for me to watch it without taking a break to take a deep breath.
The pacing is really good, even being a slow burning movie it never bores you. It just keeps adding and adding pressure and anxiety. The ending is beautiful... It leaves you with that feeling that it's not over, it will never be...
The perfomances are amazing from the main cast especially Michael Shannon. I went to see who won the Best Acting Oscars that year. Jean Dujardin winning while Shannon was not even nominated is an insult.
A masterpiece. Thanks Swan for making me watch this! :)

rating_4_5

Wow dude, beautiful write-up! I love that you were able to relate to the characters so well - that's one of my favorite things about the film. While I like A Beautiful Mind, I feel like it puts Nash on a bit of a pedestal that makes it slightly more difficult to relate to him. Whereas in Take Shelter, Michael Shannon is playing an everyman, someone you can relate to. And that's really one of my favorite things about it.

Really glad you liked it man!

[neiba]

You're on a roll Neiba!! Keep it up! :up:

See how it's done MovieMeditation? :p I'm well behaved!!!

[Guaporense]

I guess we have a winner. I also liked Take Shelter very much. Nice psychological movie, of the types that are rare among Hollywood movies (at least among those I watched, reminded me a little about "we need to talk about kevin" in some ways being also a good indie recent american movie).

[MovieMeditation]

See how it's done MovieMeditation? :p I'm well behaved!!!
I just do it my way, okay! Don't judge! :(

[rauldc14]

Take Shelter may be a contender, if Swan gets watching some films :p

[Guaporense]

it was high on my list as well

[cricket]

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

http://i0.wp.com/www.gkidsfilms.com/wp-content/img/kaguya/hires/hires_kaguya_1.jpg

I mostly liked the way this movie started out and how it ended, and I thought there were some nice moments in between. Nice is a good word for this movie to me; I thought everything was nice, the characters, the story, etc. I didn't think there was anything special, and I won't particularly remember it, but I don't have any complaints either. If I'm nitpicking, I say the animation didn't impress me and it's a little long, but it was all fine. It was cute and I enjoyed it.

3

[Zotis]

I'm really looking forward to Festen and Take Shelter.

[Guaporense]

Meh, everybody is giving Kaguyahime Monogatari 3/5, at this rate it will finish among the last places like PMMM did (also which everybody gave 3/5 to it). :mad: I guess sensibility to live action movies might indeed do not translate to sensibility to animation. :(

[Miss Vicky]

Not everybody gave it 3/5. I gave it a 3.5 which is quite a positive rating from me.

[cricket]

For me the problem is not animation, it's fantasy. There are exceptions, but if a movie involves a mythical princess or something of that nature, I'm usually not going to care for it. I liked Kaguya quite a bit for what it's about, more than most live action fantasies, like Lord of the Rings.

[neiba]

Festen ( - ,1998)


A really great movie with some really deep character study. The cinematography distracted me after some time. I know it's Dogma 95 and it's supposed to be like that, but I think it made me tired.
I read all the opinions on this thread about this movie and I have to say I agree with MV.
I believe Michael didn't know about it, I believed he always felt the less important of the 4 children, because he was the youngest. In fact, Christian tells him: "you know nothing, you were in the boarding school" at some point, which I think it proves he was out.
As to Helen, the more I think about it, the more I'm sure she knew. However, I'm not sure if she was a victim or not.
The last scene makes me hate the mother even more. Seeing how hypocritical she was by knowing everything, ignoring and in the end just leaving the father alone like she despised him or something.
The fact that so many people have so many different opinions tells a lot about how good the script is!

3.5+

[MovieMeditation]

Great write-up, neiba! Glad you liked it.

The script is indeed great, now since I'm danish I get to hear and interpret it all in the intended language and I personally would say it has one of the best scripts ever in danish cinema. Not only story or character-wise, but the way that it is written.

The Dogme style understandably throws some people off, but once you accept it or begin to understand why it is there, it really lifts the movie and only makes it better and that more terrifying to witness. I remember disliking the style a lot the first time I saw it, but now I can't see how the movie would be without it.

Thumbs up for the review and rating, neiba! :up:

[Daniel M]

Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze, 1999) 2.5

Not sure what to rate this. I know a lot of people on here recently have been loving it but I don't think I was the biggest fan. The biggest surprise for me was John Cusack who I thought did pretty well in his role, as I don't normally think he is the most convincing actor. But from what I remember this wasn't too far from the bad parts of Adaptation, those being that the film was to self-serious, dull (the cinematography didn't help) and long. A lot of scenes felt like they weren't necessarily needed, and I thought there was something too self-aware about this film that prevented me from falling in love with it. It gave me a sort of uneasy feeling. The way it tried to present some parts, like the transgender bits, came across as unsure to me, and some of the scenes I hated, like the monkey flashback. All that aside, it didn't turn out that bad. There was enough in it to keep me interested, especially when Malkovich became aware around the half way mark. There were some good moments in it though, a few funny ones, but overall I just felt the film was far from being fun overall. I felt like it could have been so much better, a really powerful film, but instead it left a weird feeling with me.

The Blues Brothers (John Landis, 1980) 3.5

Didn't think I was going to like this one either when it started, as it took a while to get going. But after about the hour mark it started to get really good. As Captain Spaulding points out earlier on in the thread this is more of an amusing comedy than a laugh out loud one, at least I found. And I also agree that the country house was the best scene, I was laughing when they sang the "Rawhide" theme tune. Once the band gets together, the film becomes a lot more likable to me, I enjoyed the musical numbers and as time went on grew more relaxed with the films style of comedy, I stopped looking at the clock and enjoyed it. Very good.

[Miss Vicky]

:(

[rauldc14]

I'll for sure be getting to Malkovich tomorrow. Platform could happen as well.

[Miss Vicky]

http://i.imgur.com/Es1E9.gif

You Can't Take It With You

This was my fourth Capra and I think it's safe to say that his brand of feel-good film making just isn't for me. To me, his characters lack dimension and believability and his stories are just plain corny. This movie was no exception. I really didn't care much for any of these people. Grandpa and the various members of Alice's family were certainly odd, but didn't strike me as being particularly likable, while Tony's parents were certainly uptight but didn't strike me as being particularly unlikable or even that misguided in wanting what they thought was best for their son.

One person I did find quite unlikable however was Alice herself as she seemed to be the least genuine and most superficial character of them all - trying to put on a facade and hide her family's quirks rather than be honest and present herself and them for who they are. Quite frankly, the Kirbys were right to think that Alice wasn't good enough for Tony, it was merely the reason for it that they got wrong.

2.5

[rauldc14]

That's too bad Miss Vicky, but I can certainly see why someone wouldn't like his films. But for me, I'm a big Capra guy, although this isn't one of my favorites of his. I'll still be researching it to see if my opinion has changed.

[MovieMeditation]

I've been busy, but still I have been watching nominations, of course.

I will try my best to get around posting my thoughts on Killer Joe, Blues Brothers and The Poker House some time later today! :up:

[rauldc14]

Being John Malkovich

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. I had seen two movies before that Kaufman wrote, and I wasn't too keen on them (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synedoche, New York). As for Spike Jonze, I quite liked Her, so really it was a toss up. The first thing is that I thought everyone was perfectly cast for the movie and everyone did a great job acting in it. In particular, I thought Catherine Keener stole the show. John Malkovich, Cameron Diaz, and John Cusack were also all great. I thought that the story was a really original idea. I liked that the movie was out there and I liked the fantasy element that it gave to the film. The story itself was rather engaging and I kept wondering what would happen next with the characters. It was interesting because we got to see each of the four main characters go through their own struggles which I thought was a really bold move that in the end paid off. I thought the ending was very fitting if not a little bit comedic as well. Overall, definitely a film that exceeded my expectations and I have a feeling will do pretty well in this HOF.

4

http://31.media.tumblr.com/d6cec4633ef09d956a08ad269a31afd3/tumblr_n2qwo9SRel1tslj7zo4_500.gif

[seanc]

One person I did find quite unlikable however was Alice herself as she seemed to be the least genuine and most superficial character of them all - trying to put on a facade and hide her family's quirks rather than be honest and present herself and them for who they are. Quite frankly, the Kirbys were right to think that Alice wasn't good enough for Tony, it was merely the reason for it that they got wrong.

The movie is super quirky, so I can't blame someone for not liking it. However, your paragraph here is practically the entire point of the film. You really think Alice doesn't deserve Tony because she has insecurities? Especially when he sees them and wants nothing more than to work through them with her. Man, you have some super high standards for people.

[MovieMeditation]

Killer Joe (2011)

I was looking forward to finally finding out what all the offensive amusements, which has been radiating from cricket's avatar, was all about. I didn't really know what to expect, but I did have an idea of a hillbilly side-centered community flick. And that was definitely what I got, but with a weirder and more concealed coverage of it. The film certainly tries its best to be a bona-fide view of the backside of cinema. And with such films you either connect with the crooked universe or don’t. I unfortunately didn’t become the welcomed inbred individual that I hoped to be, but it was rather fun to witness at times…

Most of the fun though, has to be because of the one and only, Matthew McConaughey. Without him I would have hated most of this film, simply because I wasn’t enjoying any of the other characters. Emile Hirsch annoyed the hell out of me, which was a shame since I have seen good acting from this guy. The role just seemed so out of place for him and he tried so hard throughout. Thomas Haden Church was pretty good though, especially later in the film, but the rest of the cast I didn’t care for at all. The story wasn’t that good either, but obviously it aimed more for the atmosphere, which it did a whole lot better. It had some fun moments and though I liked some of the dark humor, I wasn’t too fan of the overlong and overly cruel stuff, which was dragged out until it became boring. The last 30 minutes or so was what made the movie worth it, but I looking at the film overall, I wasn’t a fan, unfortunately…

2.5-

[Miss Vicky]

The movie is super quirky, so I can't blame someone for not liking it. However, your paragraph here is practically the entire point of the film. You really think Alice doesn't deserve Tony because she has insecurities? Especially when he sees them and wants nothing more than to work through them with her. Man, you have some super high standards for people.

She doesn't deserve him not because of her insecurities but because of the actions those insecurities caused her to take: namely breaking up with him and essentially abandoning him and her own family.

[Daniel M]

When I first watched Killer Joe I was a little unsure about the dysfunctional family stuff and mixed tones, especially towards the end. but I watched it again and enjoyed it much more. I think it's a very good film.

[Miss Vicky]

Being John Malkovich
4

http://31.media.tumblr.com/d6cec4633ef09d956a08ad269a31afd3/tumblr_n2qwo9SRel1tslj7zo4_500.gif

Thrilled that you enjoyed it so much, raul!

I never know what to expect when you watch something I love. It's not that often that we see eye to eye on films.

Shawshank is the only film I have left to watch for this HOF (though I may still rewatch BJM before I turn in my ballot). I've always liked it, but it's been awhile since I last watched it. I'll probably get to it this weekend.

[seanc]

She doesn't deserve him not because of her insecurities but because of the actions those insecurities caused her to take: namely breaking up with him and essentially abandoning him and her own family.

How about after she has realized her errors, does she "deserve" him then?

[neiba]

Killer Joe (William Friedkin, 2011)


WTF did I just see?
There are some days when you need something different and today was one of those days... I was too tired to watch something deep so I got lucky with this movie because I didn't know nothing about it, except it was on cricket's avatar.
It has some incredibly creative stuff, I loved the script with all that gory violence and dark humor and the ending is glorious! The camera work has some really nice details too!
The acting is by most of the cast is only decent. However, Juno Temple and especially McConaughey are great on this!
I am loving this HoF!

rating_4+

[Miss Vicky]

How about after she has realized her errors, does she "deserve" him then?

Not in my opinion. :shrug:

[Sane]

To me it's odd that you are judging characters on the way they are at the start of the film rather than the end - the journey of each of the characters is one of the things that makes the film great. Anyway, each to their own as they say :)

[Miss Vicky]

To me it's odd that you are judging characters on the way they are at the start of the film rather than the end - the journey of each of the characters is one of the things that makes the film great. Anyway, each to their own as they say :)

Her reaction to the situation was much too extreme for me to change my mind about her at the end.

I guess I'm just not a very forgiving person. :shrug:

[seanc]

Yeah, I want to see an arc in my characters.This is not exactly a grounded movie either. It's all good. This is a movie I would not expect a lot of modern audiences to connect to. It is pretty silly, just in a charming way for me.

[mark f]

It's not really silly unless you're working your dream job and living your dream life, and all of us MoFos are, of course, doing that. :) Capra made it the American Dream though by making the Jean Arthur character have social independence as her family's birthright but acquiring wealth through marriage too.

[seanc]

I don't mean that the themes are silly. The characters and the situations certainly are though.

[cricket]

Letter from an Unknown Woman

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tnOAEH3qJB8/TDhEU5OJAJI/AAAAAAAADIY/D5bB3dAeSCE/s1600/letter04.jpg

I don't think I need to say a lot about this movie. This was one of the most heartbreaking stories of unfulfilled love I have ever seen. It was so well done; I was feeling the girl's longing and pain after only about ten minutes. Two brilliant performances, expertly directed, beautiful musically, and it looks great. I felt like I watched an epic love story condensed into under ninety minutes. There's was no time at all wasted. I loved it!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tnOAEH3qJB8/TDhEUa_gTAI/AAAAAAAADIQ/95RXzkGJDAw/s1600/letter05.jpg

4.5

[rauldc14]

I've seen 12 of the 18. I have four more first time watches and then 2 rewatches (Shawshank and You Can't Take It With You). I will finally get to Platform on Monday, and then I'll be shipping it off to Swan.

How about the rest of you?

[Sane]

Really glad you enjoyed it so much Cricket. I find Ophuls to be an amazing director visually - the lighting, sets and costumes are always fantastic - and he mixes it well with compelling characters and well told stories. Hopefully others get as much out of it as you did :)

[cricket]

I didn't read any of the discussion on it and knew nothing about it going in, so it was a very nice surprise. As I mentioned in my little Before Sunrise write-up, I can be a sucker for the right kind of love story. This one certainly played out to my taste.

[Miss Vicky]

How about the rest of you?

Still just need to rewatch Shawshank. I might also rewatch Being John Malkovich, but I last watched it right before nominations so I don't really need to watch it again.

[MovieMeditation]

How about the rest of you?
I'm also at 12/18 like you raul! :)


Only, that's the unwatched count for me. :p 6 watched and 6 rewatches left wuhuu

[neiba]

I have 7 new watches and 2 rewatches left!

[Guaporense]

I already sent in my list over a month and a half ago.

[rauldc14]

Platform

Well, I really don't know where to begin, because this was a train wreck for me. The story isn't one that engaged me at all. I felt that there were many unnecessary scenes that didn't need to be in the films. The biggest disappointment for me was the camerawork. It's pans lagged and I didn't see any sense in it as it wasn't grabbing any type of emotion by doing it that way. It also wasn't that candid of scenery to look at, so I'm surprised the director went that route numerous times. It was often pointless to here nothing but the wind and a see shot with nothing going on for about 15 seconds. The acting didn't strike me as anything that came close to a professional level so again I'll use the comparison of a home video. The lack of close ups really makes me feel as if none of this was supposed to be about connecting with the characters. I'm sure I hit another cultural barrier wall but this wasn't a wall I wanted to get over anyways.

The best thing for me? The DVD title song and the Fargo-esque score.

I'm sorry Bluedeed, but I'm glad you and Cricket have gotten something out of it. Hopefully a few others do.

0.5

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mSR16K0wP8w/maxresdefault.jpg

[Gatsby]

Your scathing review made me break my over 1 week streak of not watching any movies due to lack of interest and a bit of mild depression kicking in again. Thanks Raul!

Watching Platform tomorrow - I've already acquired it. :cool:

[Miss Vicky]

Watching Platform tomorrow - I've already acquired it. :cool:

I don't think that's going to help your depression.

[Gatsby]

I don't think that's going to help your depression.
:lol:

The thing is, I never get more depressed by watching a bad film. I just mock at how horrible it is and express my anger and hatred for piece of crap through inner thoughts and sometimes writing. It never effects my mental health in any single way. If I don't like it, oh well, if I do, then yay.

[bluedeed]

Platform

Well, I really don't know where to begin, because this was a train wreck for me. The story isn't one that engaged me at all. I felt that there were many unnecessary scenes that didn't need to be in the films. The biggest disappointment for me was the camerawork. It's pans lagged and I didn't see any sense in it as it wasn't grabbing any type of emotion by doing it that way. It also wasn't that candid of scenery to look at, so I'm surprised the director went that route numerous times. It was often pointless to here nothing but the wind and a see shot with nothing going on for about 15 seconds. The acting didn't strike me as anything that came close to a professional level so again I'll use the comparison of a home video. The lack of close ups really makes me feel as if none of this was supposed to be about connecting with the characters. I'm sure I hit another cultural barrier wall but this wasn't a wall I wanted to get over anyways.

The best thing for me? The DVD title song and the Fargo-esque score.

I'm sorry Bluedeed, but I'm glad you and Cricket have gotten something out of it. Hopefully a few others do.

0.5

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mSR16K0wP8w/maxresdefault.jpg

It's only pointless if you make it pointless, and I think the home video comparison should be considered a compliment more than a criticism, in the way you'd call a Michael Snow movie a home video. The actors are not really non-professionals either, but Jia's regularly recurring crew, I'm curious what you think makes the acting "not professional." I think the movie is Brechtian, Sane thinks the movie uses space to represent emotions and we both love it.

[rauldc14]

I felt they didn't really exude with confidence and weren't very convincing in their roles or entertaining. Just my thoughts.

[neiba]

Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)


I'm not usually into romantic movies but this one is exceptional!
The circle narrative works wonderfully, Joan Fontaine is awesome and the directing is superb from every point of view! I loved they way Vienna was portrayed in 1900 and the figure of the pianist that throws away a promising career just because he loved women a bit too much - that is probably the most realistic reality of this time in the musical background of Vienna. The difference between different social classes is also really well portrayed!
The soundtrack is glorious, filled with constant references to operatic repertoire (even Wagner is there, played by a concert band). The only detail I'm unsure about is the opera they were listening to in the theater,near the end of the film - it was the Magic Flute but sang in Italian, which is odd because Mozart wrote it in German to be premiered in... Vienna! But maybe there was a obsession with italian culture in Europe around this time, I'll have to check!
It was my first movie by Max Ophüls but I will definitely be paying more attention to his work. I'm loving this HoF!!!

rating_4 +

[Gatsby]

Platform (Zhang Ke Jia, 2000)

http://i.imgur.com/pT9CzCu.jpg

My short review and rating might cause a bit of controversy, but here it goes anyways.

Overall, Platform is one of the most realistic and down-to-earth film I've recently seen. It is honest because the acting is not theatrically superb, nor is there too much drama for the sake is drama, the pace is slow, but our everyday lives are, let's face it, even slower than this film.

This film takes place in 1980s China where changes are starting to take place, society moving from communism to a free market system, and more open views at various things. It is shown using a group of musicians, who are usually at the center of youthful change. Because of this, a setting of a small town far from the bustling cities doesn't feel like a stereotypical Asian country, more like a perfect combination of eastern Europe and orientalist atmosphere.

I've seen some MoFos complain about the lack of close-ups and how the movement and emotions of the main characters are brought to screen. Personally, I love lack of close-ups. It makes the film like many pictures stringed together, with characters and objects placed artistically. It also has a laid-back effect, a great example would be the 1959 Rio Bravo. In a way, Platform is a drama version of it, without any guns and cowboys, those are replaced by faded, old, but subtly beautiful imagery and a score I really loved.

Is this the director trying to conceal the bad acting? Not at all in my opinion, because the actors are not acting flamboyant, distinctive characters meant to be stuck in your head and generate catchphrases and words of wisdom. Over the course of 3 hours, the first reaction we have to these people is unfamiliarity and bit of cultural barrier created from behaviors or customs, however soon we are sucked into their unique world, at least for me.

Of course, I'm a person who does indeed need to be blown away by some aspect of a film, similarly to many Mofos, for a film to become a favorite on a personal level, so while I found Platform to be a near-masterpiece, I won't be revisiting it too often. Thanks bluedeed for introducing me to this film, or else I would never encountered it.

http://i.imgur.com/AFxlx6v.jpg

4+

[rauldc14]

Well, I'm glad another enjoyed it actually. I could see Swan liking it (its on its way to him)

[Sane]

When I saw that Bluedeed nominated Platform I thought it would be a bit of a hard sell so some of the reactions aren't surprising but it's good to see some people are enjoying it. In some ways it feels like Jia has taken ideas from other directors, particularly the Taiwanese directors Hou and Yang, and used them to develop his own style. Since re watching Platform for this I've also watched Unknown Pleasures and Still Life - the latter would now be my favourite film of his.

The close-up vs wide shot thing is interesting because to me it feels a bit like needing films to be made the same way as other films rather than accepting what the director is doing and looking for why it helps him tell his story. In Jia's films it's hard to have close ups of the main character - because the main character is the society and the culture in which people live. By using wide shots the main character is always on screen, interacting with the other characters.

I need to rewatch The World now because I didn't overly enjoy that when I first saw it.

[Miss Vicky]

Well, I'm glad another enjoyed it actually. I could see Swan liking it (its on its way to him)

On the subject of the DVD chain for Platform, whoever's last in line should ask Cricket for instructions on where to send it/what to do with it. It's his now. I don't want it back. :)

[cricket]

On the subject of the DVD chain for Platform, whoever's last in line should ask Cricket for instructions on where to send it/what to do with it. It's his now. I don't want it back. :)

I don't collect DVDs anymore so I don't want it.

[Miss Vicky]

I don't collect DVDs anymore so I don't want it.

Okay, I guess whoever is last in line can do whatever they want with it. :laugh:

[rauldc14]

Okay, I guess whoever is last in line can do whatever they want with it. :laugh:

Throw it in the dumpster?

[Guaporense]

PlatformI'm sure I hit another cultural barrier wall but this wasn't a wall I wanted to get over anyways.

It certainly looks like the type of movie you wouldn't like. I also found it rather boring but these days I find almost everything in terms of movies boring (which is why I stopped watching (feature length) movies a month and a half ago, even supposedly highly entertaining movies like Blues Brothers had me not paying full attention for some time). If I watched this like 7 years ago I would probably enjoy much more than I did now.

[seanc]

Killer Joe: I am glad that I still have a ways to go before I make my list. That will give Killer Joe a little time to settle in my mind. I always claim to care about character above all in storytelling, and this movie has character to spare. This movie is pretty nuts, the last twenty minutes especially. I have to admit I was expecting it to be a bit crazier from everything I heard though. I can't believe I hadn't heard about Haden Curch being in this, I think he was probably my favorite character and definitely the one I found the most humor in. This is certainly a good movie but I don't know quite yet where it will land. Glad Cricket finally forced my hand in watching it.

[gbgoodies]

For anyone who hasn't seen them yet, several of these movies are scheduled to air (in the U.S.) in the next couple of weeks:

NOTE: The times listed are EASTERN TIME. Check your local listings for the correct time in your time zone.

The Shawshank Redemption
Sat, Aug 08 at 1:30 PM on AMC
Thu, Aug 13 at 7:00 PM on SUNDANCE
Fri, Aug 14 at 1:00 PM on SUNDANCE


Being John Malkovich
Tue. Aug. 11 at 11:45 AM on SUNDANCE
Wed. Aug. 12 at 5:30 AM on SUNDANCE


The Blues Brothers
Mon. Aug. 17 at 2:15 AM on IFC

[rauldc14]

Shawshank Redemption

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/shawshank/images/8/85/Andy_Dufresene's_escape.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110717231239

**I apologize if I end up be-bopping around a lot with this post as I am basically stating my ideas of why I love this film as I see them. And of course I'm not very good at reviews either.**

This was probably close to my 100th time watching it (literally), but every time it is an emotional experience. It's hard for me to find any fault in the movie personally. The score is superb, Roger Deakins photography shines, and the acting is great from all pieces of the puzzle, with a brilliant story and brilliant directing. And it holds a lot of personal value: it was a film that my Dad and I had watched countless times before together and we could always use it as a bonding experience.

A good chunk of the movie is narrated through Ellis Redding, a Shawshank veteran played by Morgan Freeman who eventually becomes very close with Andy Dufresne. I'm a huge fan of Freeman's narration as it adds a lot to the film for me. The movie to me show the realism of just how brutal being behind walls is, especially telling in the brutal beating of the "fat man" who is the first to break down.

I like how some scenes are so memorable. Like for instance when Brooks asks for the maggot I always believed he was going to eat it when it was actually the bird he was taking care of, Jake. I also was really choked up by the other Brooks scene, "Brooks was here". It is rather speculation how well a scene with a minor character can choke one up a bit. And while generally a lot of credit is given to Robbins and Freeman, the supporting cast was splendid as well. Brooks (as previously stated), Warden, Hadley, Boggs are four great ones, but they really all are.

So what other scenes struck me as fantastic? Well certainly the
Escape scene and the reuniting of Andy and Red are two of my favorite scenes of all time. I know the escape scene is one that many saw coming from a mile away, but for me, it was perfect. Is something like that possible? Well it isn't likely but who is to say. It's plausibility doesn't hurt it for me. It is the final destination of Andy's journey of hope being achieved.

If we are looking for an underrated scene, I tend to go with the scene where Tommy talks about how he met Andy's wife's killer. It is a bit haunting and captivating at the same time. Andy's character seems to be shaken after going to Norton and it adds quite a bit of goosebumps to the story, seeing Norton turn into a bigger monster than he already is. Norton sees that Andy has a light at the end of the tunnel and is the type of person who doesn't want him to see anything but darkness, in which the ensuing hole represents. The whole "obtuse" scene is a very chilling one that brings Andy to the realization of where he is at in his life and the unfortunate circumstances that have bestowed him.

Friendship and Hope are two of the greatest human qualities of life, and they are both presented as the key topics to this film. We see the progress of both friendship and hope happen in the two places that you would be least likely to see it, which for me adds a unique touch to the film. Laughter is another and though it isn't a key piece to the film, under the surface there really is plenty of it in this film, which I think is intentionally intended to be that way now that I think of it. Through the friendship of Red, Andy is instilling his hope in his future particularly through smuggling into the prison a rock hammer and the Rita Hayworth poster. But hope always runs its tests, and Andy had plenty of them. Boggs and the Warden often acting as devil figures standing in his way of the ocean. Andy at times gets near the bottom of the pit, but he never truly gives up on his hope. I like to think that Andy's love for chess and Rita Hayworth is a symbol of how one can fall back on things they like to take some of the pressure off. We also see how one can lose hope, through the view of Brooks. It would ha been very easy for Andy to go down the same route as Brooks, and that scene of Brooks is very powerful in showing exactly how hope can be lost.

Some of my favorite camera shots are when we first see the prison and when we see Hadley nearly push Andy over the building as they are working on the rooftop. Of course my favorite is the iconic prison break scene, with Andy running in the rain. It's a highly underrated film from a cinematography point as well. It's visuals are quite beautiful and often have great chemistry with the score to make scenes more impactful and memorable to me.

The dialogue is iconic. When Norton gives Andy a bible and says "Salvation lies within
" it is the perfect Segway to what acting ends up happening. These little tidbits that foreshadow throughout the movie truly makes it powerful and more impactful on each and every rewatch. There's other highly quotable scenes such as "These walls are funny. First you hate Em. Then you get used to Em.", "Get busy livin, or get busy dyin'.", "Hope is a dangerous thing". I could go on and on and on but they are all very impactful scene for me.

I like how Darabont keeps his main characters at the forefront of the film with Red and Andy. It is like we are going on a journey through their years of both struggle and growing together. Sometimes their struggles essentially keep them closer, as it makes them be able to relate to each other and their fellow inmates. But these two seem to be the brightest of the bunch. Red with his ability to smuggle through the walls, and Andy with his tax knowledge, book keeping abilities, and his ability to teach Tommy, and it is what keeps them together.

In getting back to iconic scenes, that prison break scene is my favorite scene of all time. It puts the entire journey of Andy's life into perspective, all in his escape. It is a very powerful and moving scene that I will never forget. It's score is stunning, it's cinematography breathtaking, and it's acting surreal.

I would also like to say that the last thirty minutes of this film are my favorite 30 minutes in all of cinema. The prison break, the arrest of Hadley and Norton (well, kind of), and the poetic reconnection of Andy and Red, the latter one of the more heartwarming scenes as well.

I know that it's impractical for a film not to have any faults but the truth in the matter is that this is a perfect film for me. Whatever faults the film has I use my blinders and do not see them. It has always been a top 3 film for me, has been in the top spot for awhile, and will probably stay up there until 2080.

5+

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0185/4636/products/JustinReed_Shawshank_1024x1024.jpg?v=1395452382

To me, a culmination of what the HOF is all about. Sharing your personal favorites with others, and hoping that they like them well enough.

[seanc]

Nice write up Rauldc. I really need to see that movie.

[Gatsby]

Shawshank Redemption
**I apologize if I end up be-bopping around a lot with this post as I am basically stating my ideas of why I love this film as I see them. And of course I'm not very good at reviews either.**

Nah, it was a great review, and really showed your passion for one film. I think the best reviews are ones that feel natural and filled with personal love, instead of trying to be structural and formal, using a lot of adjectives instead of describing why you actually loved it from the heart (I despise Letterboxd for this reason :p). :up:

[cricket]

I'm looking forward to Shawshank; it's been a few years.

[cricket]

The Shawshank Redemption

https://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/1761.jpg?w=740&h=

I've seen this movie a few times, and while it's not very high up on my favorite's list, I do love it and have a hard time finding fault with it. I think many of us believe that IMDb ratings can be deceiving, and I believe this movie gets a little bit of backlash for it's number one spot. This is an example in which I trust the rating, because there's a huge sample size, and people of all different tastes have seen this movie. I would have a hard time understanding why someone wouldn't *enjoy this movie to at least some extent.

https://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/1961.jpg?w=740&h=

The main thing for me is the story, simple, yet moving and perfectly executed. More important than the plot, this movie shows the triumph of the human spirit. Not many movies, if any, show it better. Trying to nitpick, I guess I would say I'm not completely overwhelmed by the performances or characters as a whole. I don't think Robbins or Freeman are upper echelon actors, but I do think they're very good, and they're at the top of their game here. I think the other performances are solid, yet unspectacular. I wouldn't consider them anywhere near a weakness, but I don't think any of the other performances or characters stand out as unforgettable.

As I said, I've seen this movie a few times, but it had been a few years so I'm glad it was nominated. It should be a threat in this Hall of Fame.

4.5+



That leaves 6 left for me-
Bob Le Flambeur
Festen
Killer Joe
The Poker House
Take Shelter
You Can't Take it With You

[seanc]

Good rating Cricket. Glad you enjoyed it so much. Obviously I love characters like Brooks, Hayward, Hadley, Tommy, and the warden. Maybe because I have seen it so many times. The writing in Shawshank is top notch. That usually leads to good performances when you have capable actors.

[cricket]

Yes, no doubt, and I can't find fault with any of the actors. Basically, it's a superb movie, and I'm just reaching for something to criticize.

[seanc]

Freaks: I liked this quite a bit, not sure what kept me from loving it. Maybe I needed a bit more narrative to engage fully, but I did like the narrative that was there. I enjoyed the scenes where we are just observing as well. The tone set was great, I really likes the circus score when they used it. Everything was good, just never elevated for me. Should probably land in the middle of my list somewhere.

Honesty time: I had a hard time telling the blondes apart and usually had to wait to see the context of what they were talking about to know which one it was. :shrug:

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Freaks: I liked this quite a bit, not sure what kept me from loving it. Maybe I needed a bit more narrative to engage fully, but I did like the narrative that was there. I enjoyed the scenes where we are just observing as well. The tone set was great, I really likes the circus score when they used it. Everything was good, just never elevated for me. Should probably land in the middle of my list somewhere.

Honesty time: I had a hard time telling the blondes apart and usually had to wait to see the context of what they were talking about to know which one it was. :shrug:

Same :p

[Guaporense]

The Shawshank Redemption


That's a great movie indeed. A great example of a masterpiece of the genre "classic hollywood tearjerker". :D I had it very high on my list, obviously.

[MovieMeditation]

As it is right now I probably won't find time to do huge write-ups, so I'll just repost the normal length ones I have done lately...

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

A movie that so flawlessly takes the long walk ends up imprisonating itself into perfectionism. I can't really throw anything at this film because of how smooth it follows every rule and regulation, but in the end its strength is also what makes it come out on the other side looking weak. This film doesn't think too much outside its four walls but you just cannot hate this film no matter how hard you try. I don't want to hate it either. It's a solid film, it hits all its marks and is pretty much perfect in every way. That's also why my rating cannot be.

3.5+
____________________

The Hustler (1961)

A movie about a loser who is great at winning but is still a loser by the end of it all. That's it. Pretty interesting character and Newman does okay, but personally I really enjoyed Jackie Gleason a whole lot more. Many of the characters are missing dept though, and they keep introducing new ones along the way, who aren't fleshed out at all by the end of the movie. I know it's about Newman and his character's journey, but still I didn't even think his character or performance was enough to carry the film. It is a very uneven film in my opinion, though it does look good in terms of cinematography and general technical achievements. As you may know my ratings have become more harsh lately, but don't take it too serious. You can give it an extra popcorn if you want. I just don't think there was much about this film at all, though I know many people love it.

2.5+


I still haven't posted my thought on The Poker House or The Blues Brothers though I have seen them both. I will try to get around that very soon. I'm now at 8/18 watched, but don't know if I will bother rewatching those I know really well. But if so, it's 5 new watches and 5 rewatches left for me.

[rauldc14]

Glad you at least somewhat enjoy Shawshank. I'll be looking forward to your Poker House thoughts. For me, Poker House is Lawrence's version of McAdams Married Life in that I enjoy it but really only for their presences.

[MovieMeditation]

Well, Shawshank is essentially a 5/5 movie, but I just think it steps too lightly and aims towards that perfect award winning movie type of style; a life affirming story, a sentimental voice over and all that.

Sometimes I like those type of films more than others, but this one seemed too sterile and too "contructed" to me. A great film though even for that... I mean, my rating of 3.5 means "really good" in my book and that + makes it lean towards "truly great". So yes, I like the film. :)

[rauldc14]

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

The film was technically a much better film than I enjoyed it. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, but I did feel some lull to the film. The beginning and the ending were very strong to me. The animation was very creative and artistically beautiful. The story is simple but it was certainly enough to keep me interested. I do prefer Grave of the Fireflies from Takahata, but this certainly strengthens his resume with me. It was a good nomination by Guap.

3+

[MovieMeditation]

Poker House (2008)

http://www.youngactressreviews.org/reviews/the_poker_house/shot12.jpg

Definitely agree with raul that this movie had my interest because of Lawrence - both before, during and after. This film is one of those that exists in its own little enclosed world, which consists of certain characters and certain social and enviromental standards. Kind of like Killer Joe in the sense of portraying something small and out of the norm.

It was definitely interesting to see these people struggle to get by, especially Lawrence's character had a hard time with the drug-infused mother and therefore she had to take care of her sisters as well, who were both a little to young to understand it all and this made J-Law's character work even harder to make their life better. She even has a lot of talent in different areas, she is both smart, creative and good at sports, which only a handful of people knew of and appreciated.

Basically, it is a very bleak and slow movie, which is interesting but it fails to really grab your attention or change or develop in any cinematic area; whether story, characters, visuals or whatever. It could easily have been a short film, the story is a little too thin to be a feature film and when the film does try to grab our attention it comes too late in the film and it feels forced and cheap. The scene is intense though (you know which I'm talking about) and Lawrence is absolutely amazing here.

A decent little film but it is missing too much to be memorable or to really grab my attention. Without Jennifer Lawrence I doubt I would have been interested and it would have lowered my rating as well. I didn't know anything about this film though, so the final text that popped up on screen was really emotional for me. I really didn't know. A cheap trick, but it worked. It worked a little less though when I read that the story wasn't really that much of a true story according to several people, but whatever. An okay film with a great J-Law.

3-

[MovieMeditation]

The Blues Brothers (1980)

http://www.funku.fr/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bluesbros.jpg

Yes, this is a first watch for me, but I have wanted to see it for a long time...

I have seen many say that they weren't feeling the start of the film, but that it got better as it went on. For me it was kind of opposite. It looked to be hilarious during the beginning, the way the characters were introduced were great and I liked how they did the credits and title sequence. It had a subtle kind of humor during the beginning, which I loved, and though the church scene was insane I got carried away as it went on. Can't say the same thing about the movie. I can definitely see this is an expanded SNL skit, because it is very uneven, very silly and over the top and tries too hard at times. It became a little tiring to watch all these things happen, which sometimes felt totally unconnected and unbelievable. Intentionally yes, but that doesn't make it great for me.

I wasn't too keen on all the musical numbers but some of them were good, I liked some of the "skits" in the film (yeah it's basically skits) like the Nazi one and the country club one and also the fine dining one. I thought the ending was way too much but I did like how all the guns and stuff pointed at them in the end. That was funny. But to me The Blues Brothers is a less even and milder version of The Naked Gun films. TBB is sometimes a little too serious and sometimes a little too far fetched, it is missing some balance. The soundtrack is great though and the actors are great as well.

Not my type of film through and through but it had its moments. I would have preferred the subtle and yet at times explicit humor from the beginning. Subtle in the way that he leaned forward to write his signature during the exiting of jail, the small talk in the car and the stuck-in-table etc scene .... Explicit in the way that the nun levitated from the ground and back through the door, the light shining on them making them chosen by God and overall the shorter gags that you could easily miss if you blinked, instead of those thrown at your face for extensive lengths. So I'll be honest with my first rating of this, but I won't deny it may grow...

2.5+
for now

[seanc]

Ok, thought Letter From An Unknown Woman was one that I could get through Netflix DVD, but apparently not. How has everyone been seeing it?

[MovieMeditation]

I'll go for another watch of a HoF nomination today on top of the two write-ups of The Poker House and The Blues Brothers that I just did...

ARE YOU SATISFIED, RAUL?! :p:D

[Miss Vicky]

Ok, thought Letter From An Unknown Woman was one that I could get through Netflix DVD, but apparently not. How has everyone been seeing it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0R2STZUUNQ

[Friendly Mushroom!]

I have Bob le Flambeur, Harakiri, Being John Malkovich, Platform, and Killer Joe left, and that's probably the order I'll watch them.

[rauldc14]

I'll go for another watch of a HoF nomination today on top of the two write-ups of The Poker House and The Blues Brothers that I just did...

ARE YOU SATISFIED, RAUL?! :p:D

http://media0.giphy.com/media/WoYwgrfZP4yw8/giphy.gif

By the way, great write ups. We have pretty much the same thoughts on the two films. I think Lawrence really carried The Poker House. I agree without her it would have been fairly marginal. That being said, I enjoyed the movie, because, well, I enjoy Lawrence.

What one are you thinking of watching next, Meds?



Three more for me, with vacation on the horizon and EVEN with me moving next weekend, I'll certainly find time to wrap this up by September 1st.

Remember folks, deadline is September 20th. I suggest a pretty rampant pace if you are behind.

I'm at 15/18.

[MovieMeditation]

http://media0.giphy.com/media/WoYwgrfZP4yw8/giphy.gif

By the way, great write ups. We have pretty much the same thoughts on the two films. I think Lawrence really carried The Poker House. I agree without her it would have been fairly marginal. That being said, I enjoyed the movie, because, well, I enjoy Lawrence.

What one are you thinking of watching next, Meds?
Glad you liked the write-ups even though they were done on the go and without much thoughts of structure or lively language. It was basically thoughts put straight to the paper! :p But when I catch up to them in my diary thread you will get a proper review! :up:

I enjoyed The Poker House too mostly, I mean, my rating of 3/5 means "fairly good" so yeah. But it was J-Law's movie indeed...

Hmm, it's getting late so maybe Freaks? It's only about an hour so that would be perfect I think.

[Miss Vicky]

My usual Thursday evening plans got cancelled. So hopefully I'll finally get Shawshank rewatched and send in my ballot. If not, I have the next three days off so I should get it done then.

[seanc]

Letters From An Unknown Woman: I was looking forward to my first Ophuls. I have heard a lot about him since joining the site and listening to podcasts. This film is certainly competently made and there were a couple times when the dialogue was starting to draw me in and I thought the film was going get great. It was never able to grab me like I like a film to though. The emotion is so stripped down. I am not saying I need my characters to explode but I need to somehow feel what they are feeling. It all just feels so level headed, not at all like real life. :D I will keep trying Ophuls but this film was just too refined for me as a whole.

[cricket]

Too bad you didn't like it more, Sean. I was feeling it for the characters in about the first 10 minutes, and it never went away.

[seanc]

BTW, thanks MV for posting that link. The first three videos I tried on you tube were all links to sign-up sites. I hate searching for free movies, in case you haven't noticed. I would much rather pay the $5 to rent something through Vudu or Amazon.

[MovieMeditation]

I'll see if I can get another nomination watched today! :up:

Don't know which one though... Maybe Bob Le Flambeur or perhaps Take Shelter... One of those I think.

[Guaporense]

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

The film was technically a much better film than I enjoyed it. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, but I did feel some lull to the film. The beginning and the ending were very strong to me. The animation was very creative and artistically beautiful. The story is simple but it was certainly enough to keep me interested. I do prefer Grave of the Fireflies from Takahata, but this certainly strengthens his resume with me. It was a good nomination by Guap.

3+

I am glad you think it was a good nomination. :D

[cricket]

I'll see if I can get another nomination watched today! :up:

Don't know which one though... Maybe Bob Le Flambeur or perhaps Take Shelter... One of those I think.

Isn't Take Shelter out?

[Gatsby]

Isn't Take Shelter out?
Even if it's out, he should watch it. :yup:

[rauldc14]

It's not out. All noms will stay in.

[MovieMeditation]

It would be a rewatch for me, Gats. :)

And I just thought we kept the dropouts in? I will rewatch it anyways... Great film.

edit: like raul said, it's staying. :up:

[cricket]

Ok, that means I have 6 left. I'll be done in 7-8 days.

[Derek Vinyard]

Killer Joe (William Friedkin, 2011)


WTF did I just see?
There are some days when you need something different and today was one of those days... I was too tired to watch something deep so I got lucky with this movie because I didn't know nothing about it, except it was on cricket's avatar.
It has some incredibly creative stuff, I loved the script with all that gory violence and dark humor and the ending is glorious! The camera work has some really nice details too!
The acting is by most of the cast is only decent. However, Juno Temple and especially McConaughey are great on this!
I am loving this HoF!

rating_4+

Hell yeah the last 20min of this movie is pure gold! Love it

[cricket]

The Poker House

I had joked in the movie you're watching thread that the title sounded like a brothel. I had no idea that it actually was. First off, I give Lori Petty a ton of credit for overcoming her awful childhood and making something of herself. It is inspiring and courageous for her to bring her story to the screen.

http://cdn.moviestillsdb.com/sm/5fe91da7544b1fd6450cfbcfca8318a2/the-poker-house.jpg

I didn't think the movie was especially well made. It kind of reminds me of the last HoF's Blue Car, in that it has the look and feel of a made for TV movie. That's not necessarily a terrible thing, but I think it puts a certain limitation on it's potential. I didn't especially think the acting was that great either; I thought it was ok. What I very much appreciate is the story. It's an honest, real life story that has some power, and that means a lot to me. I'm glad that I watched it.

3

[seanc]

Poker House:I didn't know this was a true story until the end of the film. That it was based on the person who wrote and directed it was even more shocking. I feel horrible that Lori Petty had a childhood like this. Her movie comes off like someone who has never seen a bad day in their life unfortunately. I think it shows the importance of good writing. The script here is my biggest problem in a movie that has lots. Petty tries her hand at visual flourishes that just seem out of place instead of touching or entertaining. She also tries to give us some small character moments and humor. They fall very flat as well. All that and the worst part of the film is still the basketball sequence. Like Cricket, I thought of Blue Car while watching. I liked that movie a bit more though. This film didn't work for me at all.

[MovieMeditation]

It's funny how,

http://i60.tinypic.com/33lp27q.jpg

OH GOD shut up, Pesci!

No, I didn't mean it like that, please don't hit me!

http://www.gifbin.com/bin/042009/1239883735_goodfellas_-_joe_pesci.gif


Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, that it's funny how certain films completely split people in here and others seem to be almost the same.

Movies like The Poker House and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya seems to have people thinking and feeling and rating it about the same. Pretty fun thought.

Anyways, didn't get around a nomination yesterday, hopefully will today!

[neiba]

I'll try to watch something today, not sure yet! I'll probably go with You Can't Take it with you!

And why would Take Shelter be out? Is Swan quitting this HoF?

[MovieMeditation]

Swan has quit the HoFs, yes.

[rauldc14]

Yeah he didn't but I'm keeping it in. I'm sure Mistique isn't finishing either as he hasn't been on in about two months.

Everyone else should be good I assume, though I haven't heard much from Bluedeed and haven't heard from Zotis in awhile.

[Gatsby]

Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze, 1999)

http://i.imgur.com/uqNUFM6.jpg

When I first checked this film and got to where floor 7 1/2 is introduced, I knew I was going to love this film. For some reason I had no knowledge of the basic plot so little did I know I was in for an even bigger treat. Ended up watching a film I exactly wanted since kiddo ages, a film that shatters the... 6th wall and has people thrown out and land on the side of a turnpike.

This is my third time watching this masterpiece. I remember Daniel M saying that he didn't like it because the film was "self-aware", but to me it's part of the charm. Sometimes a bit of tongue-in-cheek reaction, dialogue, and absurdity instead of a vague mystery.

The person chose as a sacrifice is perfect. That person is the one and only John Malkovich. Honestly, I can't imagine any other person taking on such a unique and never seen before role, but that's mostly because Malkovich pulls off such a great performance. He's one of the people you want to get inside and figure out what's going inside his/her head, and after a perfectly paced 2 hours go by, you get a satisfying answer, even if it's a fictional answer.

Being John Malkovich remains as a Top 50 film for me and I'm glad Miss Vicky nominated it.

5

[Miss Vicky]

http://media.giphy.com/media/a9WYvQYmuQAow/giphy.gif

The Shawshank Redemption

I've seen this movie more times than I can count, but it's been quite some time since I last watched it and I'd kind of forgotten just how great it is. The story is moving and the performances are all exceptionally strong. It's also got a good amount of humor to help balance out the gravity of the story and the injustice suffered by its characters (the story of Tommy is exceptionally heartbreaking). It also has a very satisfying conclusion.

I'm not sure why I've ignored this movie for so long, it's really good and an excellent nomonation. :up:

4.5-

[cricket]

The Celebration

I only had an idea of what this might be about, but it was the movie that I hadn't previously seen, that I was most looking forward to.

http://i.imgur.com/6P6610G.jpg

I loved the acting and how the movie was filmed, a very raw and natural style that I thought was extremely effective. It's got the kind of hard hitting story that I love, and sure enough, I was completely involved throughout it's duration. I did feel disappointed after the first reveal came. It seemed a bit anticlimactic at the time, but the movie recovered nicely. I also wanted a little more at the very end. It still had plenty of dramatic, emotional moments from start to finish, enough for me to love it. This was a terrific nomination.

4+

[MovieMeditation]

I just knew you would love it cricket! I'm glad it didn't disappoint!

I'm so happy to see such an acclaimed yet unique and obscure danish film receive all that love in this HoF! It took me a long time to decide, but I ended up with this pick because I thought it was different and daring enough to stand out, yet still a great film for all cinema freaks to enjoy. In the end though I could only hope that it would be a hit, cause it might as well have been a miss... Glad it wasn't! :cool:

[cricket]

I had heard something good about it in the past from somewhere, which is why I was looking forward to it more than the other nominations I hadn't seen that I knew nothing about.

[cricket]

Bob Le Flambeur

I felt similar about this as I did Melville's Le Samourai and The Red Circle, except I didn't think it was quite as good. I thought those other two movies were terrific, but for whatever reason, I stopped thinking about them within minutes of their completion. I think I'm looking at the same result with Bob Le Flambeur.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpHlHBHYyFc/UPyVsFIa3dI/AAAAAAAAAio/g9IsZnoYwQY/s1600/bob.jpg

I don't know what it is about these Melville films, because I love the style, but they just don't excite me. This movie was very cool to watch, and to listen to. I thought the acting was fine, I liked the story, and it had a satisfying ending. I'm trying to reflect how well made I thought it was in my rating. There was just nothing I loved about it.

3+

[seanc]

What do you have left Cricket?

[cricket]

What do you have left Cricket?

Take Shelter
You Can't Take it With You
Killer Joe

Done in a few days

[rauldc14]

Looks like Cricket, Sean, and I will be done in a week. I have three lists so far.

[Gatsby]

Damn, realized I have quite a lot left.

Good news is: I'll be watching the two animated films tomorrow, giving me 3 films left after that, which I can probably get through within 2 weeks.

[rauldc14]

What's left for you Gats?

[Gatsby]

Wolf Children
Tale of Princess Kayuga (is that spelled right?)
Freaks
Letter From a Unknown Woman
The Poker House

[Gatsby]

Wolf Children (Hosoda, 2012)

http://i.imgur.com/qIVEMY8.jpg

I did not expect to love this film at all. From a distance it look liked a run-of-the-mill animated film. I was thankfully wrong. First I want to start by pointing out that I absolutely love the animation style used in Wolf Children. On an honest note I prefer a more gritty and old-school look used in Berserk or Cowboy Bebop (confession: Gatsby enjoys a bit of anime), but sometimes clear, softcore lines are needed to truly strike a man's heart. Also enjoyed the use of cinematic techniques that would be never used in average animated films, and character development, and most of all, strong motherly wisdom.

4.5-

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Takahata, 2014)

http://i.imgur.com/V6JABLW.jpg

You may have noticed that this film has a 100 percent perfect rating on RT, but look closely and you'll see that the average rating is not particularly high. That's exactly how I feel about The Tale of Princess Kaguya. I have warm and enthusiastic feelings towards it, however it doesn't always to me loving a film. The way the film shatters cultural barriers with simple themes and interesting characters and situations is top notch, on the other hand, the pace is often slow and some plot points drag for too long. Probably because it wants to tell so much in one film. They must have forgotten why Spirited Away was such a hit.

3

[Friendly Mushroom!]

I might be the only one other than Guap to give Kaguya a score other than a 3 :p

[MovieMeditation]

I might be the only one other than Guap to give Kaguya a score other than a 3 :p
Was just about to say that haha

Apart from the fact that I also gave it a 3. I meant that it's funny to see another 3/5 rating of that film! lol

[Gatsby]

Well, people are giving it 3 a lot, including me, because it's pretty much just a 3/5 film. Nothing too special or great.

[Miss Vicky]

I gave Kaguya 3.5.

[rauldc14]

You Can't Take It With You

This was my second time seeing this film, and I definitely enjoyed it more this time around. I think it helped that I have become more accustomed to Capra's style of filmmaking, especially here when he definitely mixes screwball with drama. I really like the performances of just about every actor and actress involved. I wouldn't consider it a huge marker in terms of Stewart's best performances, but he has a certain kind of charm when teamed up with Jean Arthur. It certainly doesn't hurt Capra's filmography for me, but I definitely prefer some of his other works. Still, it's a charming film.

3.5-

https://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lri2ajS2RB1qa69y9o1_500.gif

[seanc]

I have Kaguya a 2/5. Because I am an ignorant westerner who can't understand the subtleties of anime. Either that or it was boring and could have been about 30 minutes long. Whichever.

[Pussy Galore]

I liked Kaguya a lot, it was visually breath taking and the story was pretty good

[Guaporense]

They must have forgotten why Spirited Away was such a hit.

1) They are not "commercial", their movies don't try to just make money. If Ghibli were like a hollywood studios they would obviously make Spirited Away 2,3,4-5 before making a non-commercial poetic film like Kaguya. They don't try to make "hits". Specially Takahata.

2) Miyazaki directed Spirited Away, Takahata directed Kaguya. Two completely directors (similar only in their artistic genius but different in all aspects in style), obviously their movies will tend to be different. Takahata's movies are a bit more delicate, subtle and realistic than Miyazaki's highly octane emotional fantasy films. Spirited Away is super dynamic highly imaginative fantasy, even dark and very brutal in some ways and very rich. Kaguyahime is a completely different creature: simple, poetic, subtle piece of artistic animation.

I liked Kaguya a lot, it was visually breath taking and the story was pretty good

I guess more experienced anime fans will like it more. Some western critics I read said they found it "impenetrable". Well, opinions of western film critics regarding anime are irrelevant since it's outside their field of knowledge. The only thing I learned from reading a movie critic reviews of Ghibli films is how little they know about animation. I liked this review of Kaguyahime from http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/MyAnime/?user=errinundra:

(The) Tale of the Princess Kaguya (movie)

While the Tale of Princess Kaguya is quintessentially Japanese, this film looks like few anime you may have ever seen. The artwork is all pastel, watercolour and white space, which may have been an illusion as the parallax effects from time to time betrayed the use of CGI. In any case, the combination of tenth century magical tale and the traditional art style evoke a peculiarly Japanese mythology and sensibility that is paradoxically both artificial and timeless. While there are characteristic Isao Takahata stretches of stillness, there are frequent moments of thrilling movement: such as the appearance of a shimmering lake in a travelling camera shot; or when two lovers falling from the sky make the most startling change of direction. It's a flashiness quite unexpected from Takahata but adds to the enchantment he casts over us. Even simple body movements are animated with flair.

That magic in the animation is reflected in the way Kaguya seems to bring everything and everyone to life, like a caress of spring air. She is a wonder who astonishes everyone she meets. Happily, the film is so convincing that the viewer need never doubt that the reactions are genuine and appropriate. Her mettle is tested with her first five suitors. How she handles them is clever and seemingly imbued with a modern appreciation of her rights as a person. This is a young woman learning the power of her wits and how to make independent decisions and yet, the film is essentially faithful to the 10th century story it is based upon. That supposed modern sensibility is, in truth, much older than we imagine.

Even if Kaguya’s sudden understanding of her true nature late in the film isn’t altogether satisfactorily explained and even if the appearance of the Buddha comes across as cheesy, this is Takahata’s best ever film. A masterpiece need not be perfect. Not since Paprika have I experience so much joy and wonder in anime.

[Guaporense]

Either that or it was boring and could have been about 30 minutes long. Whichever.

The thing is that Kaguya is not a movie about the plot. It's about appreciating the artform of animation. Its like a Bela Tarr movie, where you appreciate the film itself and not the film as a medium for literature. Same here, this is animation for animation's sake. Of course, if you don't really care about animation as an artform you will not care about this movie as well.

[Guaporense]

On an honest note I prefer a more gritty and old-school look used in Berserk or Cowboy Bebop (confession: Gatsby enjoys a bit of anime),

I also miss the more "organic" aspect of late 1990's and early 2000's animation compared to the super clean style of today. Berserk and Cowboy Bebop might appear to be just the type of animation for you, though the manga of Berserk is vastly superior to the TV series (I am reading this manga right now, really great stuff) and Cowboy Bebop is the animation that Hollywood fans like the most of all: its a love letter to American pop culture done in Japanese style.

I might be the only one other than Guap to give Kaguya a score other than a 3 :p

Zotis and Pussy Galore also liked a lot. They are also animation fans like us.

[cricket]

You Can't Take It With You

I don't have too much to say about this movie, because I didn't find any fault with it. I liked everything about it including the story and the performances. It's touching and has good humor, and I liked seeing the father's change of heart. I just didn't get totally engaged with it, and that's a problem I've had with a lot of movies from that decade for whatever reason. It's a good movie but I really wish I liked it more. It just didn't stand out for me.

http://www.classicmoviehub.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/you-cant-take-it-with-you-prayer.jpg

3

[cricket]

Take Shelter

This was my second viewing of this movie. I thought it was very good the first time, and I liked it a little more the second time. I believe the reason for that is Michael Shannon. Although I thought he was very good before, I had him typecast in my mind, through no fault of his own, as a goon. I remember not being able to get out of my head the thought that perhaps he wasn't right for the role. That never entered my mind this time, and I thought he was absolutely fantastic. Jessica Chastain is an actress I like quite a bit, and I thought she matched Shannon perfectly. The rest of the cast is good in smaller roles.

https://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/6135.jpg?w=740&h=

These movies are very tricky, and I hate to compare mental illness to substance abuse, but there are some parallels as far as how the people are treated by others, and also how they are portrayed in film. People with substance abuse issues are even often prescribed medication originally intended to treat mental illness. In both cases, and I'm going to stick to the topic of mental illness, these people are victims who are suffering, and they need to be treated as such. There's a whole lot of misunderstanding out there, and also negative connotations associated with different labels that are given. This movie does a great job at painting the main character as a victim deserving of our sympathy. He is clearly in distress, not wanting to be experiencing the trauma that he is. He is a good man, yet he suffers at work, at home, and in the community. Fortunately, his wife goes from concerned and frustrated, to concerned and understanding. *This is shown very realistically, and the result is an emotionally powerful film. I'm not quite sure what to make of the ending, but this is a very well made film, and more importantly, it is about something that matters. The biggest problem I have with ranking this movie in this Hall of Fame, is that it is full of movies that I really love, but this was another great nomination.

4+

[Swan]

That's interesting to me that you compare mental illness to substance abuse, cricket, because I was going to do the same when we were conversing about the war on drugs stuff. I didn't because I wasn't sure it would be appropriate, but I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. There are a lot of interesting parallels. The main fact is, both are people suffering and both are people who need help. Both take a great deal of willpower to overcome, and yet both need other people to help them. I think the strength of the film, as I've said so many times before, is in showing that. How his family - especially Chastain - empowers him and pulls him through the tough time.

[cricket]

Yes, I think that's all true, and I'm far from an expert on these matters, but the least that anyone can do is to treat all of these people humanely.

[cricket]

Killer Joe

On the surface, this is an unoriginal murder for hire story. As it turns out, the actual murder is secondary as to what the focus of the movie really is, which is a group of despicable characters. The story does have a couple of nice small twists with the retainer idea and the double-cross.

https://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/1930.jpg?w=740&h=

William Friedkin is a legendary director who shocked audiences over 40 years ago with The Exorcist. In Killer Joe, he does it again with very original and brutal content. The last 25 minutes of this movie is perhaps my favorite 25 minutes of any movie. Besides the brutality, what sets this movie apart for me is the humor. In my mind, this is a dark comedy, and I find it to be hilarious.

https://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/5928.jpg?w=740&h=

The cast does an exceptional job. McConaughey is of course the standout in the title role, but he has plenty of help. Thomas Haden Church is an actor I like a lot, and his portrayal of the dimwitted father is responsible for much of the humor. The movie is usually at it's best when he is on screen. Gina Gershon is not especially an actress that I had much respect for, but I think she does her best work in this. Juno Temple seems to be a unique talent, and she's an actress that I look forward to seeing more from in the future. I'm not familiar with Emile Hirsch, but he also does a very fine job.

https://filmgrab.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/5629.jpg?w=740&h=

Obviously this is a movie that suits my taste very well. It's sleazy, shocking, funny, well acted, and has good dialogue. It's not for everyone, but everyone should remember it. I love it!

5

[cricket]

I'm done and my votes are in. It's unbelievable how many favorites of mine there were with movies I loved in the bottom half of my list.

[rauldc14]

Cricket is the fourth list I have. I'll be done this week as well.

[seanc]

I am finishing either tonight or tomorrow and you will get mine.

[rauldc14]

Bob Le Flambeur

This was my first Melville, and based off first watch he seems like a guy who chooses to put a lot of weight on the style of his films. I loved the style and the atmosphere that this film had to offer. The story itself was good, but not great. The subject matter of a heist and the gambling aspect are two factors that really appealed to me. I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development, but perhaps that is just a Melville trait. I enjoyed it well enough, particularly the ending. Not a great film, but a good one.

3

http://images.greencine.com/images/article/fnw9.jpg

[rauldc14]

I wouldn't say this is the most top heavy HOF, but it certainly may be the most well rounded one.

[MovieMeditation]

You are really rolling 'em out lately, cricket! :eek:

I feel lazy again. :(

[seanc]

Sent in my list. Really good HOF. My top 12 are very strong films. I honestly didn't think I was enjoying it as much as I did. Maybe because my top five were already favorites or maybe because I stretched it out more this time. No matter, very solid list.

[Zotis]

I watched Bob Le Flambeur recently. I liked it. Melville is great. I think it's my fourth Melville film. I didn't like it as much as any of his other films though. I set my expectations really high, so it didn't quite meet them. It's still a very good movie. I think I'd give it 3.

I also rented Take Shelter. I'll probably watch it tonight.

I still have to watch You Can't Take it With You, Letter from an Unknown Woman, Festen, and Wolf Children. So actually I should be able to finish in a week or two.

[Zotis]

I just finished Take Shelter. It was really good. The acting was very strong, and I felt like it realistically portrayed it's subject matter and characters' personalities. The characters had a lot of depth in many subtle ways, and a lot of attention was paid to detail. The film had really excellent plot structure as well. I definitely related to the way the main character was afraid of facing the truth, and how angry his friends and family were for lying to them and not telling them what was going on. Facing your fears is no easy task. I was engaged by the film, and my emotions were peaked several times.

3

[rauldc14]

Inglorious Basterds- Potential Spoilers

My last viewing for this Hall of Fame. I saved it for last because it seems to be the film that has divided the most opinion on this Hall of Fame. I must say the film start out with a bang. Chapter 1 had me very intrigued and it felt like a film where you could actually care about a character like Shoshanna. Waltz was brilliant, mainly in the first chapter but I also thought he was good throughout, but then I agree with Spauldings earlier comments about how it starts off very well and then takes a bit of a dip. It never falls to low to the point of hatred (though there were a couple scenes that dragged it close). I agree that it should have stuck to more of the story of Shoshanna, after all, that's what the brilliant beginning led the movie up to. I think my least favorite part was the shoutout in the projection room where we see as Shosannas demise. It just didn't work for me. I say this a lot with Tarantino, but I think he forcibly tried to make his movie too cool in a way that it ultimately hurt his story. I thought it was really well shot, particularly that first chapter but it was still candid throughout, but I feel like his script often wandered off the beaten path. For now, I am being a complete Tarantino opposite fan by saying that IB and Pulp are my least favorites of his out of the six that I've seen. So sue me.

3
http://25.media.tumblr.com/930c5d5876a9c77ab75cd94aa397eac5/tumblr_mj7i7bTHNY1qzqfm9o1_500.gif

[seanc]

I won't sue you but I did smirk when you said the script went off the beaten path. Of course it did, Tarantino lives off the beaten path. That's what makes him so freaking great. His characters meander and I love meandering with them. Glad you liked the opening Rauldc. Might be my favorite scene in a movie ever.

[Zotis]

For movies that I have already seen that I won't be watching again because I know how I feel about them and I don't think I have time before the deadline anyway:


Shawshank Redemption 3.5
Inglorious Bastards 4.5
The Tale of Princess Kaguya 4.5
Harakiri 4.5
The Poker House 4.5

[seanc]

For movies that I have already seen that I won't be watching again because I know how I feel about them and I don't think I have time before the deadline anyway:


Shawshank Redemption 3.5
Inglorious Bastards 4.5
The Tale of Princess Kaguya 4.5
Harakiri 4.5
The Poker House 4.5

Dude, you have to watch everything. ..wait, you gave Basterds a 4.5. I'm cool. ;)

[Gatsby]

I only need to watch Shawshank then I'm finished. Gonna post my thoughts on Letter From an Unknown Woman and Killer Joe as soon as possible.

[rauldc14]

3 weeks left all y'all

[Friendly Mushroom!]

I have Killer Joe and Platform left. I'll do a quick write up of all the films after I watch those two.

[MovieMeditation]

3 weeks left all y'all

raul:
http://media.giphy.com/media/qRhkPuV1PZoC4/giphy.gif

me:
https://theflixer.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sloth.gif

[seanc]

raul:
http://media.giphy.com/media/qRhkPuV1PZoC4/giphy.gif

me:
https://theflixer.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/sloth.gif

That was good MM. How long you had that in your back pocket?

[rauldc14]

LMAO. No I could care less who does and doesn't finish. I'm just saying.

[MovieMeditation]

That was good MM. How long you had that in your back pocket?
I haven't really had it in my back pocket at all.

It was in my front pocket all this time, ready to be whipped out when the people weren't ready for it! :cage:

No seriously, I made that in 2 mins.

[Guaporense]

3 weeks left all y'all

And then we will get to know that Shawshank redemption won? :D

[seanc]

And then we will get to know that Shawshank redemption won? :D

From your mouth...you know what I'm saying. :up::up:

[Guaporense]

I love Shawshank Redemption, it's one of my favorite American live actions. :p

[Gatsby]

raul:
http://media.giphy.com/media/qRhkPuV1PZoC4/giphy.gif

All Judge Judy related pics, gifs, or works of art posted on www.movieforums.com have been copyrighted by Mr. Gatsby. According to the Copyright Act of 1976 in order to use that gif on this particular site you must have received approval.

I approve, but next time I'm getting some money. :D

[Gatsby]

Letter From an Unknown Woman (Ophuls, 1948)

http://i.imgur.com/tRoRB2R.gif

What a powerful 90 minutes. In just about the perfect length, director Max Ophuls and the amazing performances by the two leads create a near-perfect film. Normally I would say something on the lines of wishing it was longer, but not here, because the pacing, the drama, the tragedy, all perfectly hit their marks at a remarkable speed and unfolding of various emotions. I will not spoil the ending in case of people who haven't seen it, but man it almost brought me to tears. One of the things the film does differently from other films is making the psychological stability of the man and woman similar, but simply having the difference of amount of interest in each other. The violin score was incredible, and most romance movies don't possess a rich musical flow to match each scene.

4.5


Killer Joe (Friedkin, 2010)

http://i.imgur.com/51E9CHH.gif

Before I start, I want to point out that the director's next name has the word "fried" in it. Hmm...

Okay, that was sort of pointless, but I also intended to start off by pointing one of the things looked over in this film, and that's the amount of sinister, sick creativity it has. During my first viewing (this viewing for the Hall of Fame was my second), I never expected a chicken penis, or various other turns of tables throughout. The dialogue is an aspect that a lot of people don't mention, it is filled with sheer coldness and brutality, but some of it is clever, funny, and is appropriate to the situation. I found myself laughing one too many times. Maybe it's because I've spent to much time here and turned from a good Christian boy into a perverted Asian.

Alright, so I pointed out a lot of pros, but overall this film is not an experience I can embrace with all my heart, or watch with a can of beer and a hot pocket. And while it has good moments it surely isn't a pleasant ride.

3.5+

[Zotis]

All Judge Judy related pics, gifs, or works of art posted on www.movieforums.com have been copyrighted by Mr. Gatsby. According to the Copyright Act of 1976 in order to use that gif on this particular site you must have received approval.

I approve, but next time I'm getting some money. :D

There is no way you copywrited it before you even registered on the site. ;)

[neiba]

You Can't Take it With You (Frank Capra, 1938)


So, I'm back to this HoF after a short absence.

This movie has some incredible scenes and James Stewart is brilliant in every scene he enters, impressive how good he was so soon!
However, overall this didn't make much for me, cause it's a bit too light hearted for my taste but I can definitely see why it was nominated! I just found the all "do what you wanna do" moral lesson a little too overdone!

rating_3 +

[neiba]

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Isao Takahata, 2013)

3 words I never though I'd write: THANK YOU GUAP!!!

What a freaking incredible movie!!! The soundtrack, the voicing, the animation, the story... I fuc*ing cried watching this!
It's really hard to try to analyse this as I do with other movies, I kind of think that it would be a crime to rationalize such an inocent masterpiece like this one!
I am starting to seriously love Takahata!

Now that I think of it... I was one of the few that enjoyed K-On... Oh my god... Do I like anime??? :eek:

rating_4_5+

[Gatsby]

The Shawshank Redemption (Darabont, 1994)

http://i.imgur.com/t4vz3M3.gif

When I first saw this film I think it was about 10 years ago from now. Of course, like everyone else I was totally blown away by it. I still feel like it rightfully has a place as #1 on IMDb. All aspects, from major to minor, are combined so well that this is easily a perfect film. There's nothing really wrong with it, sure, you can nitpick a little hole in the plot or two but other than that you can't help but appreciate the damn masterpiece this film is.

As I'm older, having watched a various amount of films, I do have a few problems with the film, however it is not related to the quality of the film itself. It's more like getting used to a form of a drama film, with good dialogue, good acting, and characters you almost believe are real. I've seen hundreds of films who have those qualities, and even though Shawshank is the cream of the crop, it doesn't amount for an all-time favorite.

But you can count on it being in my 100 next time too, just not in the same high position.

4.5+

[Gatsby]

A rewatch of The Shawshank Redemption has completed my Hall of Fame journey. Thanks to Raul for hosting and everyone else for simply participating and creating lively discussions. This was a lot of fun. Will send in my list later today. :)

[Guaporense]

Now that I think of it... I was one of the few that enjoyed K-On... Oh my god... Do I like anime??? :eek:

Would you think these two films have anything in common? :rolleyes:

[Swan]

Well, they were both nominated by Guap. They have that in common. :D

[neiba]

Would you think these two films have anything in common? :rolleyes:

That's exactly my point! I like two very different anime movies, which means it's not a specific type I like!

[rauldc14]

How much left for you Neiba?

I'm with you, I never thought I'd be a fan of anime, but I am really starting to like a bunch. Which is good, because my wife likes some of the Miyazaki's as well.

[neiba]

4 and a rewatch! I'll have it done before the deadline! :)

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Just so everyone knows, I plan on starting the 8th HoF when I finish the 7th HoF or US Labor Day, whatever comes first. My prediction is that I will open the thread Friday night or Saturday morning my time.

[Guaporense]

That's exactly my point! I like two very different anime movies, which means it's not a specific type I like!

That's because you like GOOD movies. :) There is no such thing as "anime" because it's not a genre, it's just a label Americans invented to distinguish Japanese animation from children's cartoons due to the bad reputation cartoons have in the US, and like every medium, animation can be used to make stuff to appeal for any type of personality. That's why I don't like when people say they dislike or like a whole medium.

Though being perfectly honest, I don't regard K-On! The Movie to be among upper class animation material* but I regarded it as something everybody has cultural benefit to watch to know about the existence of the "moe" subculture. Though now I see that a HoF type of competition wouldn't be the correct event for that. :D

*It's well executed but it pales compared to masterpieces I already nominated such as Gunbuster, Utena: The Movie, Nausicaa, PMMM or Kaguyahime, also the K-On!! 2010 TV series is vastly superior as well as the K-On! 2009 TV series, but they are not movies. So the only way to teach movie fans about the existence of the moe subculture was K-On! The Movie. However I didn't consider the possibility that movie fans might not be interested in weird subcultures as I am.

[Gatsby]

Sent in my list. Surprisingly found some new favorites out of the batch. Despite that, my #1 and 2 picks were obvious.

[rauldc14]

I got Gatsbys list. As for some of the rest of you:

https://d12edgf4lwbh8j.cloudfront.net/photo/image/wicked-witch--wizard-of-oz--hourglass.gif

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Killer Joe will either be tonight or tomorrow and Platform will be watched the following day.

[neiba]

Bob Le Flambeur (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1956)

https://billsmovieemporium.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/bob-le-flambeur.png?w=500&h=374


Of the 3 movies by Melville I watched, this one is my favourite by far! Superbly shot, with an impressive eye to detail and a soundtrack that complements every step of the story. It was a mix of Kubrick's The Killing with Ocean's 11 but technically much better executed than any of those. Every shot is filled with Melville's style!
The noir feeling surrounding it is really interesting and though the general perfomances are not great, Roger Duchesne is incredible, one of the most classy guys I've ever seen on film. The first act has some issues but the second one is magnificent, and the ending is great!
3 left on this HoF and I can say there's not one I didn't like! :)

rating_4+

[MovieMeditation]

You seem to love almost every nomination in this HoF, neiba. Either you have a hard time throwing critique at movies or maybe we all just picked so damn good nominations that just happened to fall in neiba's taste. :p;)

[Friendly Mushroom!]

This HoF has about five movies I'll give a 10/10 to and about three that are 9.5/10.

[MovieMeditation]

For sure, it is a damn good HoF. The best I've been in so far. There are like 4 movies in here I would award 9-10 ratings.

[neiba]

On any other HoF I'd say Hara-kiri was a sure win... Now I don't even know if it will be my 1st place and it was me who nominated it! :p That's good! It means everyone brought the best they had! I'm discovering all-time favourites at every new watch!

[Gatsby]

You seem to love almost every nomination in this HoF, neiba. Either you have a hard time throwing critique at movies or maybe we all just picked so damn good nominations that just happened to fall in neiba's taste. :p;)
Nah it means neiba just has overall good taste. And yeah we did pick some good nominations. Anyways, really glad you're enjoying this Hall of Fame neibster. Hope you join the upcoming Euro horror one me and Swan are going to host. :up:

[Pussy Galore]

I have Freaks, Letter From an Unknown Women, Platform and The Phantom of Liberty to watch, I have rented Freaks and Phantom, but can't find the other 2!

[neiba]

Nah it means neiba just has overall good taste. And yeah we did pick some good nominations. Anyways, really glad you're enjoying this Hall of Fame neibster. Hope you join the upcoming Euro horror one me and Swan are going to host. :up:

Thanks Gats... I probably will, but I don't think I saw anything to nominate! ehehe!

[Miss Vicky]

I have Freaks, Letter From an Unknown Women, Platform and The Phantom of Liberty to watch, I have rented Freaks and Phantom, but can't find the other 2!

The Phantom of Liberty is not part of this HOF. It's in the Comedy HOF.

[rauldc14]

Letters is on YouTube.

[Zotis]

I watched part of Letter from an Unknown Woman. It was a bit boring. I'll finish it later. In the meantime I'm still looking for Festen.

[rauldc14]

That's on daily motion I believe

[MovieMeditation]

As I said way back when, I wasn't at all satisfied with my lazy write-up of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, so here's a proper one. I'm sitting here and doing this instead of actually finishing up my viewings and sending in my list. Dammit.

But anyways, here it is...

MovieMeditation presents...
HIS FILM DIARY 2015
total movie count ........... current day count
228 .......................... 248
__________________________


July 20th

—— 2013 ——
THE TALE OF
THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
—— anime ——

http://i59.tinypic.com/13z664h.jpg


I have always been interested in experiencing this acclaimed anime, almost ever since I learned it could very well be Studio Ghibli’s last film. If that was to happen, I hoped this would at least be a beautiful swan song to the studio and their success. Back when I looked the movie up online, I was blown backwards by the beautiful traditional use of watercolors, meshing perfectly with a traditional folk tale approach, told in respectful manner, about a princess born in a bamboo out in the bushes of Japan. I love myths, legends and old tales from old times, and I have always been very fond of Japanese culture and art. This seemed to be a film that could hit the spot for me and I very much looked forward to it...

Unfortunately, the story was mostly a major bore and the beautiful backgrounds and impressive animation couldn’t keep me in good enough company throughout the entire runtime. Maybe this is a harsh way of starting out here, but though the magic was present the pace kept me from getting truly captured by it. I thought the ideas and tone was quite good, but everything was dragged beyond the barriers of an average individual's attention span. First off, it takes forever to get going and it actually took me two times to get through the first thirty minutes of this movie. I can clearly see the point in portraying the princess' character and the environment she grows up in; how she learns about life and nature's many wonders and how and why the movie needs to properly present her eternal love for this place – both in time and space. Many of these things become important later on and is referenced throughout the film, but the pace is painfully slow and I don't even think the time is spent properly. Things could definitely have been cut shorter, made tighter and appeared all the more impactful for it.

http://i60.tinypic.com/21e1ehg.jpg

Thankfully the film picks up once the story does, which is when the tale is finally about the princess Kaguya, and not the peculiar child named Kaguya. The film gave me something to care for and think about at last, which was what I was missing earlier on. Finally, the story about a princess born in a bamboo began to bring fruition and the faded appearance of the film suddenly appeared colorful with concepts and discussions. There was plenty of pondering talk about Japanese culture and the ways of being a proper princess, which all worked really well for the movie and awarded the 2D-animated characters with some three-dimensional personalities. There was one character I enjoyed in particular and that was the father, or rather finder, of Kaguya. I really enjoyed to follow the father and the changes to his character; how greedy he became over time, when awarded with fame and fortune and how he didn't do much for his daughter, but more for his princess, and most for himself. It was interesting to see him evolve and lose track of time and place, which made him regret certain things and carry out traditions he didn't even understand much. The mother was obviously the counterpart, who understood Kaguya a whole lot better and wanted what was best for her.

I also really loved the scene where all the potential future husbands came along, where we would be watching each and every one of them trying to win her heart by comparing her beauty to all sorts of supernatural and non-existing stuff. This made the princess suggest that they should all travel out into the open world, and bring home these particular items, which they had never even seen, to a girl they had never even met. Of course, nobody was able to fetch the actual things for her, though they all tried to be creative in various ways. In the end though, she had no intention of marrying after the traditions anyways, since they contradicted with her personality and perception of life. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't follow through with this part of the story, and well, it hardly even began with it after all, so obviously this results in a confused kind of film. It isn't exactly muddled, but it feels like the movie wants to go down three different roads and ends up trying them all throughout, while never walking either of them to the end. Instead it ends up feeling unconnected and unfocused, first walking from a very spiritual and innocent opening, then to a cultural and personal middle, all the way to a magical and mystical fairytale finale.

http://i62.tinypic.com/o52qa1.jpg

A fairytale ending might sound like the perfect ending to a magical folk tale, but it felt so rushed, unfinished and out of place. It may be part of the traditional tale, I wouldn't know, but to those experiencing it for the first time, it felt jammed in there and appearing out of nowhere. Suddenly it was all about these moon people coming to take the princess away and every aspect of their origin story felt clipped loosely together like a last minute addition. That might be the only thing feeling rushed about this film though, since the rest dragged much further than the story could handle. Basically, this could have been a very interesting short film, if they hadn't set out to make a feature length film out of what feels like three separate short stories.

With all the above said about the story aspects of the film, it generally presented it all in a tone that felt very true to the traditions of telling a classic legend. There are a lot of themes being repeated throughout – like they should in these kind of stories – and the magical elements are largely shown in just the right way as well. It felt like the director respected the source material and tried to tell it all in a poetic way, which went hand in hand with the mesmerizing images, and this did save it from becoming a total tedious tale of boredom. It may sound like the negativity is very strong compared to the positive notes, but fact is that I’m mostly mad that this film wasn’t as good as it clearly could have been. It had so much potential, but everything seemed to be left in the animation and not the animated film itself. This is a beautiful living painting without much message or meaning, it brushes most of its themes off way too quickly; ultimately appearing as a confused work of art by a talented artist.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2pzibl0.jpg

3

__________________________

[Guaporense]

I watched part of Letter from an Unknown Woman. It was a bit boring. I'll finish it later. In the meantime I'm still looking for Festen.

I also though it was quite boring. Not a bad movie but certainly not my type of movie.

[Beatle]

I would've nominated Blues Brithers, but I'm too late. Mostly bc of John Belushi. I loved that guy. Carrie Fisher with the machine gun was great too.

[Friendly Mushroom!]

I also though it was quite boring. Not a bad movie but certainly not my type of movie.

It was my type. :p

[Friendly Mushroom!]

I would've nominated Blues Brithers, but I'm too late. Mostly bc of John Belushi. I loved that guy. Carrie Fisher with the machine gun was great too.

You can nominate something here (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=42907) if you want to.

Welcome to the site! :)

[Beatle]

You can nominate something here (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=42907) if you want to.

Welcome to the site! :)

Thanks! :)

I will.

[neiba]

The Poker House (Lori Petty, 2008)

https://sorryneverheardofit.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/shot35.jpg?w=614&h=345


This kind of reminds me of Blue Car from the previous HoF, but much much better! It's really well written and J. Law shows that she's a terrific actress when she's not doing crappy teen movies. A perfect cast for the innocent girl made to grow up too soon!
The cinematography has some really interesting stuff and the characters are well explored, though I'd like to know what happened to her sisters at the end.
The fact that this is a true story, written and directed by the main character herself makes it a really sincere and close to heart film, something rare to find in Hollywood these days.
This is among the movies I liked the least on this HoF, which is not the same to say that is a bad movie. On the contrary, it's a really good one, this HoF is just awesome!

rating_3_5

[Pussy Galore]

I watched Letter From an Unknown Woman on youtube, it was quite enjoyable, a very good movie the only thing that bothered me was the poor image quality and I can't base my judgment of the film on that.

It reminds me of the vibe of certain film noir, particularly Double Indemnity and Out of the Past, Joan Fontaine is fantastic, the tone is serious, while funny the black and white cinematography (as good as it can be on youtube) was impressive. IT was my first Ophuls and I will be watching some of his french stuff without a doubt!

[bluedeed]

If anyone is interested in a further analysis of Letter from an Unknown Woman, shoot me a PM and I have a really outstanding video essay I'll send your way on it.

In other news I have a lot more time for movies now, so I'm finishing off my the movies for the tournament. I watched You Can't Take It With you yesterday which I was not very fond of, and The Hustler today which I liked because it's in some luscious black and white 'Scope though its mythmaking and macho bravura irked me (though the film certainly criticizes that). If you want further opinions or elaborations, just ask me and I'll explain myself.

[Friendly Mushroom!]

K I'm done. I'll work on the list tomorrow.

[Daniel M]

I'm going to try and binge watch what I have left soon too.

I've actually just finished watching Inglourious Basterds, it was not a planned rewatch, but it was on TV and my brother switched it on with a decent amount left. I have probably seen it three or full times in full and I think every time it impresses me more. I know people call it a mess and such, but I think it is Tarantino at his most imaginative, every frame, every cut, every image, every movement feels like him expressing his love to the cinema. It is so cinematic and Tarantino, I think it might even be his greatest achievement, fantastically photographed, great performances, humour, music. I thought that as my film tastes developed I might grow less fond of this film, but its the opposite, it is an artist at the peak of his talent. I would have love to have seen it when it came out in the cinema, not knowing anything, that would have been awesome.

[MovieMeditation]

When was the deadline again?

[Daniel M]

I think it is September 20th, which I think leaves me on about a film a day, it could be worse :p

[rauldc14]

I'm going to be a nice guy and extend it to September 27th. One extra week for everyone.

[MovieMeditation]

Plenty of time then!

I'll just watch the bunch I got left on the 26th then and turn in my list the next day. :D:p

Nah really, I got this. :up:

[Friendly Mushroom!]

I'm going to be a nice guy and extend it to September 27th. One extra week for everyone.

Well this will give me more time to decide how to order my list. :)

Thanks Raul!

[Daniel M]

I'm going to be a nice guy and extend it to September 27th. One extra week for everyone.

Thinking about it, that could help me a lot. I go back to Uni around the 20th where I'll have a much faster internet connection to help me out with watching films. It's dreadful here back home.

[luf]

I'm IN.

[seanc]

I'm IN.

Did you join the 8th luf? This one is wrapping up.

[luf]

Did you join the 8th luf? This one is wrapping up.
Yes. Ok.,then.

[neiba]

Thinking about it, that could help me a lot. I go back to Uni around the 20th where I'll have a much faster internet connection to help me out with watching films. It's dreadful here back home.

I'll watch Platform today and hopefully Wolf Children tomorrow. Then I just have Shawshank Redemption rewatch left.

[neiba]

Zhantai a.k.a. Platform (Zhangke Jia, 2000)


This had everything to be a masterpiece. But somehow I can't connect with it. I understand all the complains about the lack of close ups. Some shots are really beautiful but I didn't feel any conection with any of the characters and I needed that to overcome the natural cultural barrier.
The theme is a fascinating one. The transformation of a society like the one China suffered is really interesting and really well portrayed here. The development of the characters relationship was also interesting to watch.
It's not because it's slow paced, I don't usually have problems with that but I needed more fromthe characters to really like this.

rating_2_5

[MovieMeditation]

That's the last movie I have left of the unwatched ones... Platform

Not many seem to like it, but I really hope to do so. I will definitely go in with an open mind and hopefully it will stick as something memorable. It looks interesting but weird...

After that I have only 3 rewatches left, though all are movies I have watched more than just once and know them front to back, more or less... especially my own nomination, Festen, since I was first introduced to the film in high school where we analyzed it and therefore our teacher thought it was a good idea to watch the movie 3 days in a row. I have also rewatched it since then on top of that.

As for the other two, Inglorious Basterds was the first Tarantino movie I fell in love with and have watched it many times since then. Being John Malkovich might be the only one I may give a rewatch, since I think I have only seen it twice, though the rewatch was fairly recent...

So yeah, with today's watch of Letter from an Unknown Woman I'm currently at 14/18 watched. :up:

[Zotis]

Zhantai a.k.a. Platform (Zhangke Jia, 2000)


This had everything to be a masterpiece. But somehow I can't connect with it. I understand all the complains about the lack of close ups. Some shots are really beautiful but I didn't feel any conection with any of the characters and I needed that to overcome the natural cultural barrier.
The theme is a fascinating one. The transformation of a society like the one China suffered is really interesting and really well portrayed here. The development of the characters relationship was also interesting to watch.
It's not because it's slow paced, I don't usually have problems with that but I needed more fromthe characters to really like this.

rating_2_5

I found it pretty easy to connect with the characters. They had some pretty intense struggles and there were a lot of emotional scenes. I think the only thing that gave me some hindrance in identifying with the characters was that sometimes I couldn't tell which characters were which because I couldn't actually make out their faces.

[neiba]

Ookami kodomo no Ame to Yuki a.k.a. Wolf Children (Mamoru Hosada, 2012)



I really really wished to have loved this more than I did. The animations is very good, the score is beautiful and the story is quite interesting. However I just felt bored almost the entire film.The last 20 minutes or so are worth it, but I found myself looking at the time each 5 minutes during the first hour.
The character of the old man helping Hana with the planting reminded me of my late granddad, always helping everyone and never smiling. That was probably the only time I related to someone on this movie. Even the most emotional scenes didn't do much for me,which is a pitty because I really understand why someone would love it.


rating_2_5+

[MovieMeditation]

All the love for these nominations and you have one of the lowest scores for one of the best nominations in here... dammit neiba! :p

Anyways, I felt like the first hour was maybe the best, actually. The visuals, score, animation, emotion - all amazing. So sad you didn't like it more.

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Oh yeah I still have to send in my list. :laugh:

I thought I did it already

[neiba]

The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994)

http://moonwolves.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/shawshank-music.jpg


The best film of all time? No. A freaking masterpiece? Hell yeah!
The worst enemy of this movie is its place on IMDB Top 250. 99,9% of movies ever made would be rightly called overrated if they were on the 1st place of one of the most well known movie rankings in all the Internet, and that's unfair because this deserves being looked at as the brilliant piece of cinema it is and not with the "best film ever" stamp on it.
The writing is amazing, the acting is great,especially by Robbins and Freeman (who does a great voice over, as usual). The way the prison life is presented is perhaps unique in all the history of film, the difficulties prisoners have to surpass to adapt to the prison and how hard it is for them to come back to a world that didn't wait for them are superbly presented, and that final scene... It gets me every time!
One could point some small fails but why should one want to do that? No matter how many times I rewatch this, it will always be a inspiring film!

rating_5

[seanc]

Neiba you need to fill out your top ten. That way I would have known you are one of the coolest guys on the forum. :DI had already kind of figured that out.

[neiba]

Neiba you need to fill out your top ten. That way I would have known you are one of the coolest guys on the forum. :DI had already kind of figured that out.

I haven't fill it out cause I didn't decided it yet :p I'm thinking of doing a personal Top 100, probably a month or two from now, I'll have it by then I think! And thanks for the kind words! :) You're a cool dude too!


Aaaaand, sent my list in.

[rauldc14]

Eight days folks. I have nine lists right now.

[MovieMeditation]

Eight days folks. I have nine lists right now.
http://i.imgur.com/ivvOcgk.gif

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Finally sent my list. :)

[Pussy Galore]

Someone knows where I can find Platform?

[gbgoodies]

Someone knows where I can find Platform?


I think this is it, and if you click on the settings wheel, there's an option for subtitles. It even has a "translate" option for different languages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uK9jzak1Ck

[rauldc14]

Someone knows where I can find Platform?

At Swans house.

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Do you have ten lists?

[rauldc14]

Yes FM. I'm planning an unveil for Sunday night around 9PM central.

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Thanks Raul. How many films as of now are eliminated and how many do you think will become eliminated?

[rauldc14]

None.

[Gatsby]

Waiting for MM's review of Platform. He better give a positive review or else.

[MovieMeditation]

Watching Platform... second half... couldn't finish it all yesterday.

What is this Japanese trash torture anyways? I'm currently at two people just screaming the same stuff over and over now.... I don't even know where I am in the "story" anymore... Definitely not for me this one.

[Miss Vicky]

What is this Japanese trash torture anyways?

Chinese trash torture, not Japanese.

[MovieMeditation]

Chinese trash torture, not Japanese.
I know, but Japanese sounded better in sentence :p

But I couldn't care less about this film or where it was made hah

[Miss Vicky]

I don't see how the wrong culture "sounds better" in the sentence, but okay...

[Friendly Mushroom!]

Have I said Miss Vicky's avatar of a Greek Emperor looks great. :D

[MovieMeditation]

I don't see how the wrong culture "sounds better" in the sentence, but okay...
It made as much sense as the movie did.

[Sane]

No need for multiple posts denigrating nominations. If you didn't like it that's cool but keep it friendly.

[MovieMeditation]

C'mon it's just jokes!

People can nominate what they want this was just not for me. I still respect the person but I can talk bad about the movie as much as I want. I think "Chinese trash torture" was a perfect description for my viewing experience and that's without any curse words or name dropping. :)

[Sane]

So say why you didn't like it. One liners just trashing a film that someone else cares about may be fun for you but not for the person on the other side.

[MovieMeditation]

I did say why. Want the expanded version? I felt like this was a trashy made film, coming from China, which felt like torture watching. That's it.

I didn't say my first post was "trashing for fun", but the post above you, which was the one I thought you referenced, was merely a continuation from me and Vicky's conversation, where I was just playing around... But my first post about Platform is just my opinion. Directly put perhaps, but that's as clear as I can put it and a good visualization of my experience.

[Swan]

Go watch Quarantine, you pleb. :D

[MovieMeditation]

Go watch Quarantine, you pleb. :D
Maybe I will! :willem:

[Sane]

Ok, you are getting defensive now so I'll move on :)

[MovieMeditation]

Ok, you are getting defensive now so I'll move on :)
Defensive? Where?

You said I was denigrating the movie, I stated my opinion of the movie. It's not more complicated than that. Though you seem to want to keep a simple case going, but whatever.

[Gatsby]

Watching Platform... second half... couldn't finish it all yesterday.

What is this Japanese trash torture anyways? I'm currently at two people just screaming the same stuff over and over now.... I don't even know where I am in the "story" anymore... Definitely not for me this one.
http://i.imgur.com/ejyVPRH.jpg

So me, cricket, and bluedeed (who nominated Platform) are the only ones who actually liked Platform? That's a shame. You all have horrible taste. :cool:

[Swan]

http://i.imgur.com/ejyVPRH.jpg

So me, cricket, and bluedeed (who nominated Platform) are the only ones who actually liked Platform? That's a shame. You all have horrible taste. :cool:

I haven't watched it, but it was passed through to my house, and it looks good...

I WANT TO BE IN THE LIKEY CAMP!!!!!!!! :(

[Sane]

http://i.imgur.com/ejyVPRH.jpg

So me, cricket, and bluedeed (who nominated Platform) are the only ones who actually liked Platform? That's a shame. You all have horrible taste. :cool:

It's a great film. I don't think I've ever seen a film do such a great job of making a society or a culture the main character. Zhang is one of my favourite modern directors.

[MovieMeditation]

http://i.imgur.com/ejyVPRH.jpg

So me, cricket, and bluedeed (who nominated Platform) are the only ones who actually liked Platform? That's a shame. You all have horrible taste. :cool:
Haha. My mood my have had something to say with this, who knows... Can't remember if I had a headache before or after the film had started. :D

I may very well need to read between the lines, but during the film, I could barely read the lines themselves. :p

[Gatsby]

MM is becoming the next honeykid. Do you take lessons from him each week? :p

[neiba]

I Remember giving it a positive rating, though I'm not sure, it was probably 2,5.
There are some good things and the way the Chinese society takes the place of the main character is definitely well made, but I wouldn't say I'd watch it again!

[MovieMeditation]

MM is becoming the next honeykid. Do you take lessons from him each week? :p
No, I sleep in his shed. Walk out during the evenings to study his behavior through windows and doors. I have an unofficial degree in honeykidism.

[rauldc14]

The deadline for ballots is Sunday 9 PM my time.

[neiba]

Almoost, can't wait for the results!

[Zotis]

I liked Platform.

[seanc]

Raul, you standing us up?