Movie Forums Top 100 of the 2010s - Group Watch

[SpelingError]

Watching it right now :up:

[WrinkledMind]

I just watched The Burden , and beyond the peppy moments, or the creepy animation at times (the scenes of the roads reminded me of Lynch's work), I was taken in by the sadness behind the lives of those creatures.

Maybe that's how I interpreted it, and others could have a different take, but to me it felt like how we are stuck in our unsatisfying lives with our wishes, and in the grander scheme of things it doesn't matter, as the earth (their flat hanging world) keeping going on.

Very interesting recommendation Takoma11

[SpelingError]

Just finished The Burden, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the animation style, the attention to detail, and some of the songs (the last one, in particular). At 13 minutes, I think it neither overstayed its welcome, nor felt too brief. In regards to the themes, I enjoyed how the characters all appeared to be in the same boat of being stuck in their dull jobs/lives and wanting to escape from it, yet none of them seemed to have any means of doing so, nor did they seem to know how to communicate with each other. The shot of the animals drifting through space on a rock was a great way to end the film since it showed that there was likely no way for them to escape from their situations. Overall, it's a moving short, though it likely won't make my ballot (I often have difficulty with comparing short films to feature length films). Still though, good nomination.

[The Rodent]

I just fired up Discord again to see if the MoFo Server still works... it does :D

Might be worth a pop/inclusion if peeps are interested.
Lemme know and I can post a fresh link to the server :)

[SpelingError]

I just fired up Discord again to see if the MoFo Server still works... it does :D

Might be worth a pop/inclusion if peeps are interested.
Lemme know and I can post a fresh link to the server :)

I'd be interested in joining.

[The Rodent]

I'd be interested in joining.

Link to MoFo Discord:
https://discord.gg/2ZwSSDX9

If said links shuts off, lemme know and I can do a new one... I think there's a 7 day timer on links.

[SpelingError]

Link to MoFo Discord:
https://discord.gg/2ZwSSDX9

If said links shuts off, lemme know and I can do a new one... I think there's a 7 day timer on links.

Just joined. I didn't realize we had a Discord till now.

[cricket]

Going to watch The Burden in a little bit

[cricket]

I watched The Burden, and if feeling melancholy was the aim, then great job. I was thinking that to fully appreciate this it's better once you reach a certain age or if you at least have had the misfortune to experience some things. I say that because I was thinking I wouldn't have appreciated it 10 years ago. Every little segment worked for me and the end result was that I felt really small and insignificant. Not really sure how to rate something so short as it's not my norm.

[mattiasflgrtll6]

So it wasn't a burden?

[Takoma11]

So it wasn't a burden?

Aw, take your thumbs up. But also: boo!

[crumbsroom]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.traileraddict.com%2Fcontent%2Fscreencap%2F120432.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=af44f2254ada4fdf5a4c2bf3f214836d376abc681391a5b940849bc75784a602&ipo=images

The Burden, 2017

In a strange, dark metropolis, various animals sing out their inner emotions.

This movie is only 14 minutes long, yet I find it foreboding, funny, sad, touching, and I like the music.

I first watched this film when it was added to the Criterion Collection. It made me laugh in the first minute when a fish in a hotel sings the lines "Nobody wants to be with me/ I don't know why./ Or actually I do know why./ I have bad skin." Then moments later, "It wasn't anything anyone said, I just read between the lines and then I made up my mind."

I love everything about this film. I LOVE the craft of it. The tiny maps in the hotel, the newspaper the fish is holding. The little logos on the clothing. It is so meticulous and if you zoom your attention in on any corner of the screen, you are rewarded with some little detail.

I love that the film repeatedly takes us to the kind of places that just make you feel alone, especially after the sun has gone down: a hotel hallway, an empty cafeteria, a cubicle-laden workplace, a supermarket at night.

I do find it funny when you get musical numbers about mundane things, so the monkeys doing a big song and dance number about their telemarketing scam ("Interest free!") complete with spinning cubicles makes me laugh, especially as they chant their number one rule, "Say you're sorry, but never cancel the agreement."

At the heart of the silliness, though, is something kind of dark and sad. The camera pans between empty large parking lots, takes in the empty hotel hallway or grocery aisles. The sense of menace amps up in the grocery store sequence, as products fly off of the shelves and an ominous hole opens up in the floor.

The final song kind of gets me. "No sorrows, no troubles, when the burden is lifted from my shoulders." The song is given a gospel-like rhythm and upbeat pace, but it seems as if these depressed, isolated characters are just talking about dying, and the burden is just their everyday lives. Maybe that's a lot to read into some singing fish with synthesizer voices, but I find something very moving about a large group singing about their dreams and hopes yet not connecting with each other. As we pan out to see that they are in a bizarre, self-contained floating rock and those eerie horns take over the score, I kind of get shivers.

I think that short films are often overlooked when thinking about the best of a decade. (I nearly nominated It's Such a Beautiful Day which, at 62 minutes, just seems to fall onto the radar as a "feature film"). I always admire the economy of a good short film--what's that? I can watch it during the intermission of the hockey game?!-- and how well just a few minutes can be used to take me on an emotional journey.

I checked out several of Niki Lindroth von Bahr's shorts after watching this one. (I have yet to watch her segment of The House on Netflix because it keeps glitching out on me, but soon!). I quite like all of her stuff, with Bath House coming a close second to this one (and it has more of a straight-ahead narrative).

I have yet to even start to make my list, but The Burden will certainly be in consideration for me.

4.5


The House is great. I liked it even more than The Burden

[Takoma11]

The House is great. I liked it even more than The Burden

I am sooooooo looking forward to it. I got to watch maybe the first 10 minutes before the internet and Netflix cruelly conspired to rob me of the rest of it.

[SpelingError]

Current candidates to host the next round...

Allaby
mistique

You guys have about 24 more hours to watch the film.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FM-9c5sB3zDw%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=8273874077d3ff7da04183c6945bf260b3e0c66850ca998e3f6ff2252ea258c5&ipo=images

Capernaum, 2018

Zain (Zain Al Rafeea) lives in a Lebanese slum with his many siblings--including beloved sistar Sahar (Cedra Izzam)--and his indifferent, cruel parents Selim (Fadi Yousef) and Souad (Kawsar Al Haddad). After a particularly nasty fight over his parents' intent to sell Sahar to their landlord, Zain strikes out on his own where he meets Ethiopian immigrant Rahil (Yordanos Shiferaw), who agrees to take Zain in in exchange for Zain babysitting her child Yonas (Boluwatife Treasure Bankole) while she works. But some unexpected circumstances leave Zain with far more responsibility than he expected.

It's hard to know where to start with this film, an emotional rollercoaster that stays anchored in Al Rafeea's striking and stirring performance as Zain. The film could easily be a misery slog, but his spirit and ambition keeps the film on the right side of not simply drowning in pessimism and pain.

Big kudos to whoever found Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, because she is an absolute treasure just as her name suggests, and her chemistry with Al Rafeea gives a pure heart and soul to a story we know is going to break our hearts. Their scenes together provide a perfectly aimed double-edged sword, as Zain hauling Yonas around in a repurposed skateboard/washtub combination is both adorable and tragic. Having to care for Yonas showcases Zain's ingenuity and perseverance, but it's much more than should ever be asked of a child. It's remarkable to learn that Al Rafeea was not only a non-professional actor (as were most of the cast), but that he himself was a refugee.

I read a glowing review of the film that praised it for "finally" having the courage to make a film that asks whether or not it's moral to have children if you live in poverty. And to that, like, LOL WHAT?! The real issue with Zain's family is not their poverty---though obviously that exacerbates many of their problems--but rather the attitude that the parents take toward their children. Their children are an inconvenience and, at times, a commodity to be sold. Rahil, who also lives in poverty, shows us the reverse side of this dynamic. She is incredibly loving toward Yonas and even toward Zain. She is nurturing and does her best to provide, setting aside her pride. I had a student a few years back who arrived to my summer school classroom very rattled. On the way to school her mother had been pulled over by a police officer for a minor traffic violation, but she had some other issue that involved her having to go down to the police station. At this point she had to tell the officer that she'd left her baby unattended in the house. What I think the film highlights mainly is the Matthew effect and its impact on the people in the most desperate situation. Rahil has no resources she can call on: no family, and no social structures in place to help her without risking the loss of her child. Zain's parents aren't bad people because they're having children while impoverished---they are people who are impoverished and they are bad people.

What I think the film gets absolutely right is the heavy cost of social indifference. Yes, there are some overtly villainous characters, like the man who exploits Rahil's need for new papers and wants to sell her baby, Zain's parents, and the man who marries and has sex with Zain's eleven year old sister. But there are so many people who don't even look twice at Zain as he carts around an infant, and when a character needs medical care but doesn't have papers, the hospital refuses to admit her. There will always be immoral people out there, but when so many in a society are willing to turn a blind eye, that's when serious, long-lasting damage happens. The film does show that people are willing to help at times--such as the woman at the food bank who clearly doesn't buy Zain's story but gives him supplies anyway---but with so many people needing help and attention, even they are stretched thin.

Very moving film that gets its message across without ever leaning so hard into despair that you disconnect.

4.5

[Takoma11]

I realize this review is a few weeks late, lol, but I am trying to get around to all of the nominations, even if I missed them the first time.

[SpelingError]

The next host is...

Allaby
mistique

[SpelingError]

Nomination #26

90086

Summer 1993 (2017, Carla Simón)

Deadline to Watch It: December 3

Nominated By: Allaby

[Allaby]

Summer 1993 is a wonderful film that I never hear anyone talk about. My original review of the film from when I first saw it in 2019:

Summer 1993 (2017) is a beautiful Spanish film, written and directed by Carla Simón. The film stars the adorable Laia Artigas as six-year-old Frida, who is taken in by her uncle's family after the death of her mother. In addition to being super cute, she gives a wonderful, heartbreaking, compelling performance. The film tells its story in a believable and engaging way and features lovely cinematography and an effective screenplay. Recommended for anyone who appreciates a good film. I rate Summer 1993 an 8/10.

[SpelingError]

I'll watch it tomorrow.

[Takoma11]

I won't get to it in time, but it's the next DVD I'll get from Netflix and I'll review it when it arrives. Never heard of it, but it looks really interesting.

[SpelingError]

Just finished Summer 1993, but it didn't do a whole lot for me. It's shot well and it has some decent scenes throughout. I just felt too disconnected from Frida to get into her character, nor was I able to get on her wavelength throughout most of the film. It did pick up a bit as it moved to the final act, but overall, it left a lot to be desired.

[SpelingError]

Current candidates to host the next round...

Uh, nobody so far. Participate, guys! Otherwise, we'll have to watch another Speling movie :eek:

[ScarletLion]

Summer 1993 is good. Her new film Alcarras is even better. They are both semi autobiographical.

[WrinkledMind]

Watched Summer 1993
It's a lovely, sensitive take on childhood and complex aspects of it, or if you want to understand why children, especially those under stress, behave in a certain way, and how through patience each of them could be helped.


While the setting is beautiful and the pace is good (I prefer them slow), the biggest thing to admire is the director getting those wonderful performances from a six and a three year old. And it was quite a stunning performance from the young Laia Artigas.


It's lovely at times, but more often than not a bit shattering story.


Thanks for the recommendation Allaby

[SpelingError]

The next host is...

ScarletLion

[ScarletLion]

The next host is...

ScarletLion

Sneaky. What do I do, just nominate a film from the 2010s that is worthy of consideration?

[SpelingError]

Sneaky. What do I do, just nominate a film from the 2010s that is worthy of consideration?
Yeah, pretty much. Also, check out the second post on the first page of this thread to make sure you don't nominate something which has already been nominated.

[ScarletLion]

Nomination #27

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8sv9qgOPF_I/maxresdefault.jpg



'Tangerines' (2013) - Directed by Zaza Urushadze

Deadline to Watch It: December 6

Nominated By: ScarletLion

[Chypmunk]

Might try and squeeze that one in if it's available to me (doubtful but you never know) as the mornings are now free and clear of the auld bladder-kicking.

[mrblond]

Nomination #27

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8sv9qgOPF_I/maxresdefault.jpg



'Tangerines' (2013) - Directed by Zaza Urushadze

Deadline to Watch It: December 6

Nominated By: ScarletLion

Wow, this was in my list for nominations in this thread.
Seen it couple of times during the last years. Will be in my ballot for sure.
A proof how with a zero budged, a powerful cinema art can be made.
4.5

[ScarletLion]

Wow, this was in my list for nominations in this thread.
Seen it couple of times during the last years. Will be in my ballot for sure.
A proof how with a zero budged, a powerful cinema art can be made.
4.5

Exactly, glad someone else likes it. Absolutely superb film. with a bit of everything, including a beautiful last 10 minutes.

[SpelingError]

Btw, I'll be at work for several hours, so I asked ScarletLion to post the film in this thread.

[SpelingError]

Also, I'll get to it tomorrow.

[ScarletLion]

I believe this film is on apple and amazon, and also free on youtube, although finding subtitles may be tricky.

[Sedai]

Tangerines is free (with ads) in my region, so I will try to get it in asap.

[Sedai]

Tangerines 4_5

Beautiful, moving stuff. I also figured out some of the excellent music on my guitar. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Takoma11]

Ooh! Great nom! I watched it last year and here is what I wrote about it then:
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.rogerebert.com%2Fuploads%2Freview%2Fprimary_image%2Freviews%2Ftangerines-2013%2Fhero_Tangerines-2015-1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Tangerines, 2013

Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) lives and works in a small village that is all but abandoned as an armed conflict gains momentum nearby. Along with his friend Margus (Elmo Nuganen), Ivo hopes to harvest an orchard full of tangerines before being forced to move away. When two soldiers on opposite sides of the conflict, Nika (Misha Meskhi) and Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), end up wounded and staying in Ivo's home, Ivo must walk a delicate line between the two sides.

This film is a great example of a simple but powerful story.

As with some international films, I am not very familiar with the conflict portrayed in this movie. And yet I do not feel that understanding that conflict is a requirement for picking up on the film's very clear themes about violence and decency. At one point a character literally says of the soldiers on both sides, "What if they just picked tangerines?".

So many elements of this movie fall into the category of simple-but-effective. And nothing anchors the film more than Lembit Ulfsak's performance as Ivo, a man in whom decency is so ingrained that it compels similar decency in others just out of pure expectation. In his treatment of Nika and Ahmed, Ivo becomes a mix of a father figure and a friend. He sees people, all people, as being human above all else: above nationality, above occupation, above age.

In my review of God's Own Country I talked about the gentle power of kindness and the way it can effect change on others. This is another film that shows that dynamic very well. Ivo cares about other people. He asks them questions and really listens to the answers. For both Nika and Ahmed, you can see the way that Ivo's simple expectation of reciprocal respect impact their behavior and, eventually, their attitudes.

Zooming out, the film as a whole walks a lovely line between optimism and realism. The tangerine grove looks like a little slice of heaven, and the firing of guns and explosions feels borderline sacrilegious in a place of such peace and beauty. But many of those who fight do not see such beauty, or have had to shut themselves off from caring about it in order to survive. At its heart, there is tragedy in this film. For all that characters change and grow and mature, kindness alone cannot stop the beating of war drums. What we do see of the fighting between the two groups is messy, disjoint, and wasteful.

Something I have not fully thought through yet is the way that this film explores the idea of violence and war as erasing identity. There are no women in the film, at all (save a sometimes-discussed photo of Ivo's granddaughter). And with Ivo's family all gone, his own identity has become more abstract. The relationships that define who these men are (fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, etc) are conspicuously absent until the different characters tease it out of each other.

I had no complaints about this film. It is a simple story told with a strong eye for characterization. The performances are good and the scenery is gorgeous.

4.5

[cricket]

I have a busy day tomorrow but I will try to sneak it in. I'd like to see it.

[SpelingError]

Just finished Tangerines, and I really loved it. It has a simple, straightforward story, but it's told very well and gave me quite a bit to ponder over. Ivo is effective as a father figure who tries his best to keep the peace between Ahmed and Nika, believing that all people are equal and hoping for his kindness to rub off on the two of them before it's too late. It also has some great anti-war themes which show that not only can the men from the opposing sides potentially get along with each other in the right setting, but given the serenity of Ivo's home and the tangerine groves, the violence in the film seems tragic with the knowledge of what the soldiers are either ignoring or missing out on. Really, this is a rare case where the violence feels senseless rather than exciting. This will certainly be in contention for my ballot.

[gbgoodies]

I really wanted to try to watch as many movies from this thread as I could, but for the last couple of weeks until the deadline I've been trying to focus on movies that have the best chance to make my list, and there have been too many foreign language films for me in this thread, so I'll have to just focus on my own watchlist until the deadline.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this thread. :)

[Citizen Rules]

I really wanted to try to watch as many movies from this thread as I could, but for the last couple of weeks until the deadline I've been trying to focus on movies that have the best chance to make my list, and there have been too many foreign language films for me in this thread, so I'll have to just focus on my own watchlist until the deadline.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this thread. :)You watched way more movies here than I did. I only watched two and one of those was yours:D

[Torgo]

I really like Tangerines as well. Below is a review I wrote a month before joining this forum.

[Torgo]

Tangerines - 4

Despite having a small cast, being set in one location and clocking in at under ninety minutes, Tangerines is just as affecting a war movie as many of its epic, big budget counterparts. Set during the Georgian region of Abkhazia during the '90s war of the same name, the location is a small tangerine farm and the home of Estonian immigrant and carpenter Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak). Nearly all the region's Estonian population has gone back home, including Ivo's family, but he refuses to leave. The peace of the farm and the neutrality of Ivo and his neighbor and farmer Margus (Elmo Nuganen) are challenged when Ivo's house becomes a refuge for two injured soldiers on the war's opposing sides.

While much of the movie is Ivo and Margus tending to their businesses, spending much-earned downtime together as well as reasoning with and getting to know their new guests, those who like tension and action in their war movies will find it here. In addition to Ivo doing everything he can to stop Chechen and Muslim survivor Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze) from murdering Georgian and Christian survivor Nika (Mikheil Meskhi), he and Margus have to contend with the war raging closer and closer to their doorsteps, with each attack expertly occurring at the least expected times. Having little knowledge about the region or this conflict, I was just as confused about the necessity of the war as Ivo is and as confused about Ahmed and Niko's willingness to die for it. Even so, the movie is bound to make you ask the same questions even if you identify with one of the soldiers. It helps that Ulfsak, Nuganen, Nakashidze and Meskhi strengthen the argument that the best acting occurs in confined spaces, my favorite being Nakashidze's performance as Ahmed, especially since the actor is Georgian. I also appreciate that the movie makes Ivo seem like a human being and not just a gruff loner and spouter of wise quotations that most old men in movies like this one tend to be. It ends up being a powerful anti-war statement that manages to question the value of cultural identity and ideologies for how much conflict they engender without dismissing the good things about them. Also, while I like a good epic-scale war movie as much as the next war movie lover, seeing one that does these things with so few players and at a bucolic setting is a nice surprise.

[WrinkledMind]

Just finished watching Tangerines. Simple, short but an effective, antiwar movie. I loved how it didn't lean on any side of the conflict, as in was devoid of bias. The music was another highlight.


Nice recommendations ScarletLion

[SpelingError]

Current candidates to host the next round...

Sedai
Torgo

You guys have about 24 more hours to watch the film.

[cricket]

Tangerines

https://cineuropa.org/Galleries/245/297/photo3.jpg?1457039754759

As someone who thinks about all of the unnecessary hate in the world, I'm a big fan of films which show that sworn enemies can actually find common ground once they get to know each other as human beings. That's one of the reasons I love Clash, which I nominated in this thread, and it's one of the main reasons I loved Tangerines. Beyond that this was a tight film that didn't waste any time and was a breeze to sit through. Loved the look as it has the perfect combination of polish and authenticity. It probably won't make my 2010's ballot but I like it's chances whenever we get to a war films countdown.

4

[ApexPredator]

Saw Tangerines last year for Cinema International.

While in Georgia to help a friend's tangerine crop, Ivo finds a Chechen mercenary wounded and brings him in the house to nurse him back to health. While burying the dead, they find a Georgian soldier who is wounded but alive and bring him in as well. Ivo finds his hands full trying to keep the two soldiers from killing each other while leading both to recovery and trying to help his friend harvest the tangerines.

Although it occasionally strays into familiar territory, the decision made by director Zaza Urushadze to focus on the more human aspects of the story leads to a gripping, involving film with some good acting. The film finds a good balance between releasing some of the tension with some humor one minute and making the tension pay off to good dramatic effect later on.

I don't think it'd make my final list, but it was a solid film.

[SpelingError]

The next host is...

Sedai
Torgo
Apex Predator

[Sedai]

My nomination:

The Endless
2017

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjA5OTI1MjgwMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDU2NzY2NDM@._V1_.jpg

[SpelingError]

My nomination:

The Endless
2017

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjA5OTI1MjgwMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDU2NzY2NDM@._V1_.jpg

Actually, Torgo will be nominating the film for this round, which was why I highlighted his name in my post.

[Chypmunk]

Move along, nothing to see here :shifty:
Watched this one early last year (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2172057#post2172057), wasn't much of a fan tbh so I won't be rewatching it. Sorry.

[SpelingError]

Watched this one early last year (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2172057#post2172057), wasn't much of a fan tbh so I won't be rewatching it. Sorry.

see above post

:D

[Chypmunk]

see above post

:D
Yeah, saw it immediately after replying :D

[SpelingError]

Nomination #28

90153

On-Gaku: Our Sound (2019, Kenji Iwaisawa)

Deadline to Watch It: December 9

Nominated By: Torgo

[Torgo]

Here's the trailer. You can rent it at the usual places (Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Microsoft, YouTube, etc.) I hope you enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFbD6T4kbIM

[Sedai]

Whoops!

OK, I wanted to change my nom anyway, so this works out!

[SpelingError]

We'll have time for one more nomination after this one. If you happen to be selected next though, make sure to get your nomination in as soon as you can. Since the deadline to submit your ballots is December 12th, I won't be able to extend the deadline past that day.

[WrinkledMind]

We'll have time for one more nomination after this one. If you happen to be selected next though, make sure to get your nomination in as soon as you can. Since the deadline to submit your ballots is December 12th, I won't be able to extend the deadline past that day.


But you can. :p
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwavKFB_N2YYf0RrQhgY0i5WoYvD-9xkGNyA&usqp=CAU

[Torgo]

On-Gaku: Our Sound - 4 CONTAINS SPOILERS

I was inspired to see this odd little movie after watching the hilarious "recorder fight" (or non-fight) scene on Twitter. Thankfully, that's not all it has to offer. I like how it sort of plays out like an S.E. Hinton book if the greasers discovered something that gave their lives meaning. Kenji, for instance, reminds me of the Motorcycle Boy in Rumble Fish, a young man who has no more worlds to conquer and who cares so little about his next rumble that he stops looking for its location when he gets lost. I also appreciate how his idea of starting a band is borne from believing it will give him instant respect, but he ends up with much more and it only took playing one note with his friends to discover this. While it celebrates the power of music, I believe it can be about anything that makes one transition from adrift and purposeless to having an all-consuming passion, and as their lack of skills indicates, it's not necessary to be a Mozart or a Rembrandt for this transition to happen. Oh, and the movie is of course pretty darn funny and there's nothing else quite like it visually - especially during Morita's flights of fancy - which is even more impressive when you consider that it's all hand-drawn. It's rough around the edges, especially when those long, Napoleon Dynamite-like pauses go from deadpan comedy to wondering if your TV is frozen, but since the whole thing is so adorable, weird, silly and personal, it didn’t bother me that much.

[SpelingError]

But you can. :p
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwavKFB_N2YYf0RrQhgY0i5WoYvD-9xkGNyA&usqp=CAU

But then I might have to face the wrath of rauldc14.

[SpelingError]

Also, I'll watch the film either today or tomorrow.

[Torgo]

Have you seen this movie, ueno_station54? If not, you'd probably like it.

[SpelingError]

Current candidates to host the final round...

Nobody so far.

You guys have about 24 more hours to watch the film.

[mojofilter]

My Top 25 has been submitted

[SpelingError]

Just finished On-Gaku: Our Sound, and I thought it was good. The film is at its best when it explores the boredom and general disinterest of the main characters and showing the ways they attempt to find value in their dull lives, such as making empty threats about fighting people, or being amateur musicians. One gets the impression they choose to start the band on a whim, rather than having any strong passion for music. It's just something to pass the time and fill up their days for a bit. Also, a few scenes, such as Morita hearing Kenji's music for the first time, look rather visually impressive (even though I was baffled that Morita loved their music as much as she did). For the most part though, you can definitely feel the low budget since most of the visuals look rather dull and lifeless. Part of this can be explained since one could argue the dull visuals are at the heart of the characters' dull lives, but another part of me found a couple of the visuals (the awkward pauses, for instance) unpolished and ham-handed in their attempts to represent Kenji's emotional state. Still though, I thought this was pretty good and, roughness aside, it remains an interesting film. It won't make my ballot though.

[SpelingError]

Since I'm the only one who posted my thoughts in this thread (aside from Torgo, ofc), should I just pick the last film, or should we make On-Gaku: Our Sound the last film we watch for this thread? It looks like some of the main contributors of this thread have already submitted their ballots. If anyone else posts their thoughts in here, I'll allow them to close out this thread for us with a final nomination (as stated above though, the deadline for that film won't be able to go past December 12th). If not, then that will be it for this thread.

Either way, this was a fun thread to host and I'm glad it remained popular throughout the preliminary thread. I hope it catches on for future countdowns. Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread :up:

[Allaby]

Since I'm the only one who posted my thoughts in this thread (aside from Torgo, ofc), should I just pick the last film, or should we make On-Gaku: Our Sound the last film we watch for this thread? It looks like some of the main contributors of this thread have already submitted their ballots. If anyone else posts their thoughts in here, I'll allow them to close out this thread for us with a final nomination (as stated above though, the deadline for that film won't be able to go past December 12th). If not, then that will be it for this thread.

Either way, this was a fun thread to host and I'm glad it remained popular throughout the preliminary thread. I hope it catches on for future countdowns. Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread :up:

You should pick one more film, just for fun.

[Citizen Rules]

@SpelingError (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=91134)

Your idea for this Group Watch is definitely a highlight event. The format you chose is perfect for getting people involved with no need for commitments. The method that you used to chose the next presenter for the next movie...and the 3 day time frame to watch, was all perfect.

Nicely Done!

[SpelingError]

I suppose I'll finish this thread off. Since some of you might be busy with watching films/finishing up your ballots, I'll pick a short film:

Nomination #29

90201

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (2015, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy)

Deadline to Watch It: December 12

Nominated By: SpelingError

[SpelingError]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7a-nOOXdtA

It's slightly under 40 minutes.

[Chypmunk]

I'll hopefully give it a spin once the first bladder kicking session is finished.

edit: ok, bladderball is into overtime so it'll have to be tomorrow at the earliest now :(

[Chypmunk]

Well, that was a happy, Christmassy watch to end with.

Being a short it wouldn't have made my ballot as I choose not to include them (maybe one day we'll do a countdown specifically for shorts?), but it was certainly a decent watch on a subject that imo could do with more exposure. It's a society that's somewhat alien to me but I can fully appreciate why the pressures it applies lead to the outcome we see - the most telling line for me was when the father said "I am her husband. She is just my wife." as the inclusion of that single word I think speaks volumes. What bewildered/angered me most though, for a society supposedly so bound by the Quran, is that the swearing on said Holy book and then not upholding that vow is seemingly brushed aside as if it were nothing :(

Perhaps not the easiest nom to pass comment on as discourse could easily derail from the actual documentary and this is not really the ideal place for such conversations, very good nom though and I'm glad I watched it.

[SpelingError]

Yeah, probably should've posted a reminder for us to keep our thoughts focused on the film and not go on a political tangent. I'm sure you'll all be fine though.

[SpelingError]

Anyways, I really enjoyed the film. When I first heard about it, I thought it was just going to be a simple retelling of the crime/trial, which likely would've provided a cap for how much I'd enjoy the film (if that's all a film is doing, I'd rather just read an article about the case), but it turned out to be so much more. I think it did a great job at examining Pakistan's society and its laws and exploring the contradictions/unfair bits of their culture. It's hard to watch and, though you'll likely be able to predict the outcome of the trial, I'd argue it's more of an inevitability given everything we learn about Pakistan in the short. The most telling scene for me was how the father actually became more popular amongst his neighbors after being let out of jail. That you could potentially become a minor celebrity for doing what he did said a whole lot.

Overall, it's not going to make my ballot (my ballot is pretty much decided at this point), but it's a very good film nonetheless.

[SpelingError]

I don't know how many people will be able to participate at this point in the countdown, but if you got a spare 40 minutes, you're more than welcome to join in. Deadline for the film will be the countdown deadline.

[SpelingError]

I don't think this thread will get any further replies, so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated in this thread. It was fun hosting it and I really appreciated the participation this thread got throughout the preliminary thread. I wasn't sure how popular it would be, but I was happy to see the positive reception it got and it looks like many of us hope for it to catch on for future countdowns, so here's hoping it will become standard for now on.

[WrinkledMind]

Sorry for being late to finish this. I had laptop issues. But I had promised to watch all the noms, so watched these two on my mobile.

I finished watching On Gaku Our Sound. Not a great deal of story and it's raw, but it has heart and quite a few times the humour works, though the pauses at times didn't. Above all it's about loving the music, and as a beginner guitarist I related to the idea of taking joy out of music, even if your aren't great at it.

Also I just finished watching A girl in the river. I am shocked, but not surprised. This is an unfortunate norm in this part of the world. Glad we have stricter laws here in India against these, and such incidents are pretty few here, but Pakistan, like most Islamic nations, has the terrible concept of blood money or forgiveness. And it's absolutely F'ed up.


I take solace in the fact that Saba's husband and Mother in law stood by her. I can understand why her brother in law urged her to compromise, even though I don't agree with it.


And if you think this was bad, I would urge everyone to read about forced conversions and a certain scum named Mian Mithu, and what is happening in Sindh, Pakistan.

Thanks for the recommendations Torgo and SpelingError

And kudos to SpelingError for running this. I enjoyed being part of this club.

[Takoma11]

I don't think this thread will get any further replies, so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated in this thread. It was fun hosting it and I really appreciated the participation this thread got throughout the preliminary thread. I wasn't sure how popular it would be, but I was happy to see the positive reception it got and it looks like many of us hope for it to catch on for future countdowns, so here's hoping it will become standard for now on.

This has been a great thread. With one exception (and absolutely nothing against the person who made the nomination), I will be trying to all of the movies that I haven't watched yet and I'll post those reviews here.

[John W Constantine]

Edit.

Wrong thread