View Full Version : Movie Tab II
Crooklyn (1994 - Spike Lee)
It was the first time I've seen it. It's quite good, I especially like the efforts put in by the actors, both the leading adult characters but the kids as well. I can understand bell hooks' criticism of the way Lee portraits women in his films though. Sure, the female characters have central positions in the film, Alfre Woodard as the mom and Zelda Harris as Troy in particular, and are depicted as the ones who make the machinery work, but what it all comes down to in the end is that the woman's place is at home, taking care of the male family members. Instead of offering an alternative to that, probably very true, scenario Lee settles with "telling us how it is" but also seems to argue for that that's how it should be.
I wasn't a big fan of the weird skewing he put on the photography during some of the scenes...I liked it otherwise. I think he just sort of overused it.
Nacho Libre(Jared Hess2006)-not the best comedy of the year but it has it's funny moments 3.5/5
Piddzilla
10-10-06, 06:04 PM
I wasn't a big fan of the weird skewing he put on the photography during some of the scenes...I liked it otherwise. I think he just sort of overused it.
Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot. It was during the scenes when Troy went to live with her aunt or something? I thought for a second that it might be something wrong with my DVD player. He probably did it to symbolize how Troy had to fit into a tight frame or something like that. Kind of cool in a way, but yeah, it was a bit annoying after a while.
Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot. It was during the scenes when Troy went to live with her aunt or something? I thought for a second that it might be something wrong with my DVD player. He probably did it to symbolize how Troy had to fit into a tight frame or something like that. Kind of cool in a way, but yeah, it was a bit annoying after a while.
Yeah... I thought that maybe he was trying to express how foreign the whole environment was to her. The vast opposition of Brooklyn to..where did she go again? lol... been a while since I saw it... I should watch it again.. Just watched Clockers recently, actually...
dog.gon.gun
10-10-06, 06:17 PM
Just watched Clockers recently, actually...
I was surprised at how good that movie was. Great script and I love that dolly shot of the kid riding his bike with his hand in a paper bag with the "you know what". Harvey Keitel demonstrated some mad skills with that little monologue he does at the end of the picture. Yeah, good movie. That Spike Lee Joint Collection was worth every penny.
Crooklyn was good too. I loved all those kids. Shame none of them really went anywhere after that. At least I don't think they did.
Piddzilla
10-10-06, 06:39 PM
Yeah... I thought that maybe he was trying to express how foreign the whole environment was to her. The vast opposition of Brooklyn to..where did she go again? lol... been a while since I saw it... I should watch it again.. Just watched Clockers recently, actually...
I think she went to Virginia.
I was surprised at how good that movie was. Great script and I love that dolly shot of the kid riding his bike with his hand in a paper bag with the "you know what". Harvey Keitel demonstrated some mad skills with that little monologue he does at the end of the picture. Yeah, good movie. That Spike Lee Joint Collection was worth every penny.
Crooklyn was good too. I loved all those kids. Shame none of them really went anywhere after that. At least I don't think they did.
It was a while ago since I saw Clockers but I remember that I liked it a lot.
Monkeypunch
10-11-06, 02:02 PM
Art School Confidential - Painfully funny look at what it really is like to go to art school. I knew pretty much all of these people when I went. When I have more time, I want to write a real review of this. It's really good. Cynical and almost unlikeable, like almost everything Daniel Clowes has ever done, but also the best film about the creative impulse (and best comic book movie) since American Splendor.
dog.gon.gun
10-11-06, 06:32 PM
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1931)
I'm sure you all know the story but just in case you don't. There's this man named Jekyll who "plays God" and creates a potion that turns himself into a crazed man-ape who goes by the name of Mr. Hyde. I've seen bits of other cinematic renditions of the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde story and this one is the best by far. Mainly due to Frederic March's performance as the genius scientist turned animalistic hooligan. Miriam Hopkins also plays a very interesting character named Ivy. I call her interesting because she takes off her clothes in an attempt to get Jekyll to spend a little more time with her. Even more interesting considering when this movie was made. None of the other characters are nearly as developed or fun to watch as those two. Or is it three? Whatever. The director, Robert Mamoulian, showed off some of his skills during the opening scene of the film which was shot from the first person point of view of Jekyll. This trick is used again later in the film to augment the dramatics of Jekyll's physically draining transformation to Hyde. A decent film overall, though I doubt I'll ever watch it again.
The Triplets of Belleville (Chomet, 2003) 4
I don't know what I just watched, but it was great.
dog.gon.gun
10-12-06, 10:10 PM
That Obscure Object of Desire
Not quite sure what to make of this movie. The same goes for all the other Luis Bunuel movies I've seen. That Obscure Object of Desire is told through a series of flashbacks as the main character reflects upon the experiences he went through while trying to win the love (and lust) of a Spanish woman named Conchita. Bunuel made a very interesting casting choice with the female lead, he chose two actresses to play the part. My guess is Bunuel was thinking, "Two different sides to Conchita. Two different actresses". He's definitely an interesting filmmaker and if you haven't seen any of his films this would be a good place to start.
linespalsy
10-12-06, 10:35 PM
Arizona Dream. 9/10
I needed to see this after hearing the opening theme (by Iggy Pop & Goran Bregovic). Pretty excellent movie.
Freedomland (Roth, 2006) 1_5
Eh. Confused film trying to be grand. Problems in just about every area. A decent performance by Julianne Moore, but not a very three-dimensional one.
Zathura (Favreau, 2005) 4
Great, classic fun. The kids had phenomenal chemistry between them. Never a dull moment. Better than Jumanji. :)
A Prairie Home Companion (Altman, 2006) 4_5
Beautiful.
Piddzilla
10-14-06, 09:03 AM
The Last Samurai (2003 - Edward Zwick)
Can someone explain to me why this film has got a 7.8/10 rating at IMDb? I mean, it's got some pretty magnificent scenes but it was so filled with clichés and stereotypes and generally lacked substance. A Dances with Wolves set in Japan with a twist of Braveheart during the battle scenes.
Piddzilla
10-14-06, 06:13 PM
Ripley's Game (2002 - Liliana Cavani)
The Big Sleep (Hawks, 1946)
Rounders (Dahl, 1998) 4
Fun little story. Nice pacing, solid acting. I love the voice-over narration.
Kingdom of Heaven (Scott, 2005) 2_5
Really expensive-yet-mediocre film. The plot is slower than Christmas, but since it's history, I can't really fault it. Picked up the pace toward the end, and I got to watch a really nice extended battle sequence. I'd have rated this film lower, but I'm a sucker for epic medieval war flicks.
Snakes on a plane(David R. Elis 2006)-Incredibly stupid,pointles and cheap 1/5
Melvin Goes To Dinner (Odenkirk, 2003) 4
This rating may go higher the more I think about it. Excellent sense of character and dialogue, fantastic performances. The pacing was a little disorienting, but I can't say it wasn't interesting. Great cameos. Yep. Great little flick with more depth than I expected to find.
Tacitus
10-15-06, 06:24 PM
The Last Samurai (2003 - Edward Zwick)
Can someone explain to me why this film has got a 7.8/10 rating at IMDb? I mean, it's got some pretty magnificent scenes but it was so filled with clichés and stereotypes and generally lacked substance. A Dances with Wolves set in Japan with a twist of Braveheart during the battle scenes.
The reasons you gave are probably why that patronising load of bollocks got 7.8 on IMDb...
Anyway -
Withnail & I (1987, Bruce Robinson)
5/5
My 7th favourite film needs nothing more in the way of obsequious fawnery save to say that this is the all-new 20th anniversary edition with a sparklingly clear remastered print (and somewhat less sparklingly clear DTS soundtrack) which lends a whole new life to everyone's favourite holiday by mistake.
The extras are patchy - the commentary by McGann and Ralph Brown and retrospective doc are already on the previous R2 edition (deleted and rising in price as we speak...Hooray!). There's a new track by writer/director Robinson which I've not sampled yet, a passable interview with the asthmatic(?) Dorian Gray-like auteur and some awful filler - the drinking game explained by a 3rd rate thesp and a postcards from Penrith-type trip down memory lane which lasted 2 minutes in my player.
The 3rd, bonus, disc contains the original music soundtrack (though sadly no Hendrix) and they still haven't managed to find the original cinematic dialogue track but no matter...
...Withnail & I is a film quite unlike any other and holds a very special place in my heart. ;)
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/both04.jpg
*Insert memorable dialogue snippet here*
Piddzilla
10-15-06, 06:47 PM
The reasons you gave are probably why that patronising load of bollocks got 7.8 on IMDb...
He he... Yeah, probably. But I'm clearly not the only one who think it sucks so ... 7.8??
Anyway -
Withnail & I (1987, Bruce Robinson)
5/5
I'm sorry but I still haven't seen this film. I'm almost afraid to see it now when you've said so much good things about it. I might get disappointed.
The Truman Show (Weir, 1998)
The Bourne Identity (Liman, 2002)
The Bourne Supremecy (Greengrass, 2004)
The Last Samurai (2003 - Edward Zwick)
Can someone explain to me why this film has got a 7.8/10 rating at IMDb? I mean, it's got some pretty magnificent scenes but it was so filled with clichés and stereotypes and generally lacked substance. A Dances with Wolves set in Japan with a twist of Braveheart during the battle scenes.
sorry for the late reply but don't look at IMDB's user ratings.Check Snakes on a plane how much did it get-7.0/10 and the movie is absolutely stupid
anyway:
Dr.Strangelove Or:How I learned to Stop worring and love the bomb(Stanley Kubrick 1963)-3.5/5
undercoverlover
10-17-06, 06:25 PM
honey - - loves it
Piddzilla
10-18-06, 01:42 PM
sorry for the late reply but don't look at IMDB's user ratings.Check Snakes on a plane how much did it get-7.0/10 and the movie is absolutely stupid
I don't mean that IMDb's rating tells the truth about the quality of a film. Sometimes I rate movies higher than them, sometimes lower. But a film rarely gets rated as high as 7.8 unless most people actually think it's pretty good, and judging by reviews and what other friends have told me about it I'm really surprised The Last Samurai's got a 7.8. I personally think it sucked but I was guessing something like 6.8-6.9, maybe even 7.0. I always amuse myself with guessing the IMDb rating of a film once I've seen it and mostly I pretty much nail it, give or take 0.2 up or down. :D Geeky....? I would think so yeah.
Piddzilla
10-19-06, 08:44 AM
Der Siebente Kontinent (1989 - Michael Haneke)
I bought this Haneke DVD box a while back but haven't had time to watch it yet. Today I saw the first film and I liked it very much. I've now seen three films in all by Haneke and they've all been very original and interesting. I am really looking forward to the rest of the box.
I just saw on IMDb that Haneke is making a remake of his own film, the excellent Funny Games. That will be interesting. Funny Games is one of the most evil films I've ever seen. I was actually pissed off right after having seen it but then I realized what a great filmmaker Haneke is. He's both taking a stab at middle class bourgeoisie as well as challenging traditional conventions and audience expectations.
blibblobblib
10-19-06, 07:28 PM
Here is what i have watched over the last few weeks between the turbulent tiredness of my existence.
A Very Long Engagement
Nicholas Nickleby
World Trade Centre
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen
Brick
Children of Men
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Alladin
Mysterious Skin
Districted Collection
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Volver
I enjoyed them all very much. I know i have seen more, so perhaps i enjoyed these less as i cannot remember them.
dog.gon.gun
10-19-06, 08:10 PM
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928 - Carl Theodor Dreyer)
The Kid (1921 - Charles Chaplin)
Fitzcarraldo (1982 - Werner Herzog)
Piddzilla
10-20-06, 08:05 AM
Benny's Video (1992 - Michael Haneke)
My second Haneke film in two days. I'm definitely beginning to see a red thread going through all of Haneke's works. All the films I've seen by him have had some kind of middle class theme or backdrop against which he unfolds his pretty evil stories. This one wasn't quite as good as Der Siebente Kontinent, which I watched yesterday, but it was still good and really interesting. I like how Heneke is commenting on society and media. Another thing I think is cool and which I noticed even more in "Kontinent" was how Haneke often focuses on the activities of the characters instead of the characters per se.
Interesting stuff....
The Serpent and the rainbow(Wes Craven 1988)3/5
Piddzilla
10-21-06, 06:27 PM
Ying xiong / Hero (2002 - Yimou Zhang)
My second time. I really love the beauty and the poetry of it. I have an essay about it in an old film magazine arguing for that it's a pro-totalitarian film. I'm gonna hop into bed and sink my teeth in it now, I think. Yup. It's saturday night and I officially haven't got a life.
Monkeypunch
10-22-06, 04:30 AM
The Omen (remake version) - Maybe it's because I have been anxious all week since the police shot someone on my street, but this movie kinda creeped me out.
dog.gon.gun
10-22-06, 02:52 PM
The Virgin Spring (1960 - Ingmar Bergman)
5
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Ahh, it was alright. Bit of a mess, but fun concept. Probably helps that i haven't read the 'novels' tho ;)
This is my first time in this thread.
Do The Right Thing- Maybe it was innovative at the time, but this movie didn't do anything for me. Very boring. I much prefer American History X's delivery of the evils of racism.
Old School- HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa! This is another one of those recent comedies geared more to adults that had me rolling on the floor.
Hustle & Flow- I liked it a lot, but I couldn't get over the fact that it was an MTV production. It didn't change my viewing experience, but the fact that MTV's name was attatched, made my opinion of it go down a little. I know that's stupid.
Holden Pike
10-22-06, 10:09 PM
I know that's stupid.
We'll just add it to the list.
Hustle & Flow- I liked it a lot, but I couldn't get over the fact that it was an MTV production. It didn't change my viewing experience, but the fact that MTV's name was attatched, made my opinion of it go down a little. I know that's stupid.
Because MTV is so laughably bad these days, I can see how someone might avert themselves from an MTV Films production. And anyway, the studio's track record is far from illustrious. They're responsible for quite a few mediocre titles (The Longest Yard, Coach Carter, Orange County, Jackass: The Movie...) and even more floaters (Aeon Flux, Crossroads, Pootie Tang, Get Rich or Die Tryin'...). Hustle and Flow, Murderball, and Tupac:Resurrection are -- in my opinion, anyway -- the only real engaging pieces MTV Films has released.
That said, I do think it's dumb to condemn a film you "liked...alot" just because it came from MTV Films. If you enjoyed it, that's all that really matters.
dog.gon.gun
10-22-06, 10:44 PM
The Great Dictator (1940 - Charles Chaplin)
4_5
We'll just add it to the list.
Yes, I left myself open.
And Sleezy, I don't "condemn" it, I'm saying it's harder for me to like knowing that MTV put it out.
Holden Pike
10-22-06, 11:36 PM
Hustle and Flow, Murderball, and Tupac:Resurrection are -- in my opinion, anyway -- the only real engaging pieces MTV Films has released.
http://i.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/020917/155343__reese10_l.jpg (http://i.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/020917/155343__reese10_l.jpg)
You've forgotten Election (1999). Pick Flick.
Yes, I left myself open.
And Sleezy, I don't "condemn" it, I'm saying it's harder for me to like knowing that MTV put it out.
Perhaps 'fault' would have been a better word, then.
You've forgotten Election (1999). Pick Flick.
Ah yes, I have. Thanks. :)
undercoverlover
10-23-06, 03:39 PM
mary poppins - like wizard of oz, never as good as the first time
The Rules of Attraction(Roger Avary 2002)-Pure F*****n' Brilliant 5/5
dog.gon.gun
10-23-06, 05:20 PM
Bride of Frankenstein (1935 - James Whale)
4
Son of Frankenstein (1939 - Rowland V. Lee)
3_5
Peeping Tom (1960 - Michael Powell)
5
undercoverlover
10-23-06, 08:59 PM
erin brockovich --- loves it
dog.gon.gun
10-24-06, 05:19 PM
The Cameraman (1928 - Edward Sedgwick)
5
Piddzilla
10-24-06, 07:21 PM
71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls / 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994 - Michael Haneke)
The third excellent film from my (first) Haneke box. Some of the scenes in this one is incredible. Bold and unconventional. Haneke is a true master, for sure.
Today I received my second Haneke DVD box. Four more films. Joy, joy. Happy, happy. :D
Piddzilla
10-26-06, 05:45 AM
Funny Games (1997 - Michael Haneke)
My second time... In an interview on the DVD Haneke says that, contrary to what many people think, this was the first time he had the intention to be provoking. The three previous films have dealt with seemingly meaningless violence, but this time it's downright evil. You get mad. But the way Haneke is challenging conventions and expectations of the audience is great. It's something as pretentious as an "important film". I know that Haneke doesn't think much of Hollywood and mainstream cinema, so I'm kind of surprised that he is making an American remake of Funny Games. Perhaps he sees his chance to spread his "philosophy" to a wider audience, I don't know. Still think it's a bit strange that he's agreed to do it.
Piddzilla
10-26-06, 05:45 AM
Funny Games (1997 - Michael Haneke)
My second time... In an interview on the DVD Haneke says that, contrary to what many people think, this was the first time he had the intention to be provoking. The three previous films have dealt with seemingly meaningless violence, but this time it's downright evil. You get mad. But the way Haneke is challenging conventions and expectations of the audience is great. It's something as pretentious as an "important film". I know that Haneke doesn't think much of Hollywood and mainstream cinema, so I'm kind of surprised that he is making an American remake of Funny Games. Perhaps he sees his chance to spread his "philosophy" to a wider audience, I don't know. Still think it's a bit strange that he's agreed to do it.
dog.gon.gun
10-26-06, 08:08 PM
California Split (1972 - Robert Altman)
4
Superman Returns(Brayan Singer 2006)-not bad for a 300 mill $ production its good.The CGI was amazing 3.5/5
P.S.:I Hope the sequel will be better
Monkeypunch
10-27-06, 10:04 PM
Nacho Libre - Meh.
American Dreamz - Pretty funny, really
Rent - Loved it.
Feast(John Gulager 2005)-Funny,Rediculous and extremely well made.3/5
Habla con Ella - My first Almodovar. Wasn't disappointed. Bizarre but grounded plot, high camp, strong female characters (even tho the main two spent most of their time in a coma). The 'hermitic' natures of the two male leads, and some curious motivations, might have made the plot a bit too disconnected, but there was a consistancy throughout somehow. Endearing despite the creepier aspects of the central plot.
Strummer521
10-28-06, 11:27 PM
The Prestige (Nolan, 2006)
Excellent until the last 5 minutes. Still highly recommended.
Piddzilla
10-30-06, 06:17 AM
Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages / Code Unknown: Incomplete Tales of Several Journeys (2000 - Michael Haneke)
The weakest film yet by my new favourite auteur. I read a comment about it on IMDb (btw, I nailed the rating: 6.9 :D ) saying "Stronger film-making, weaker substance" and I agree to a certain point. The filmmaking does seem to be the most important aspect for Haneke in this film and is, needless to say, great. But I think he might have been desperate to make an anti-film aiming against mainstream cinema more than to tell us something about ourselves this time. I lack the underlying tension threatening to pop up and make the safe middle class baloon burst any minute, a tension you can almost touch with your own hand in his earlier films. It's still a good film though, interesting and with very fine acting on all parts. Some scenes are even excellent, my favourite being the one with Juliette Binoche and the aggressive arab kid in the subway.
Night of the Living Dead (Romero, 1968)
The Covenant(Reny Harlin 2006)-I had to watch something tonight and this wasn't the best choice.Crapy story with crapy effects 2.5/5
dog.gon.gun
10-31-06, 05:37 PM
The Player (1992 - Robert Altman)
4
The Others (2001 - Alejandro Amenabar)
2_5
Catch a Fire 2006, Phillip Noyce
Horribble...absolutley horribble. It seemed to lack both narrative and thematic focus. If it thought it could float on it's sensitive subject matter alone, then it was wrong. There was a lot of potential with cinematography and music but Noyce fails to utilize them properly. Much of the acting was flat, even with Tim Robbins. I want my 8 bucks back.
undercoverlover
11-02-06, 04:02 PM
hook - i love this film to death. the costumes, the sets and i still get a tingle in my spine when i watch it from when i was a child
dog.gon.gun
11-03-06, 07:36 PM
Short Cuts (1993 - Robert Altman)
4
Top Hat (1935 - Mark Sandrich)
4_5
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Charles, 2006) 4
Pretty much a collection of Borat segments sprinkled over a kooky plot. It all works, though, because the plot operates under the same spontaneous magic of those segments, and because Sacha Baron Cohen is a comedic genius. There were, I think, some definite lines crossed here, but the 'lines' are continuing to blur more and more these days anyway.
Hilarious flick you should definitely see at the cinema with your friends.
Alien Resurrection - Revisited this a few times over the last few years, and haven't been disappointed. Not sure whether it's Weaver's alien-love-affair insistences, or some of the other devilish little twists in it, but i love nigh-on all the conceits. And it's good to see Jeunet applying his heartfelt brand of warm-dark-stylishness to this kind of realm.
Couple of chinks in the armour, and the occasional clanking sticking point, but it's still a pretty streamlined beast of a sci-fi flick overall.
(And dammit i got drawn into the first hour of Infernal Affairs after that. They're evil, these revisitable films ;))
dog.gon.gun
11-06-06, 09:29 PM
Way Out West (1937 - James W. Horne)
4
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971 - Robert Altman)
4_5
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Charles, 2006) 4
Pretty much a collection of Borat segments sprinkled over a kooky plot. It all works, though, because the plot operates under the same spontaneous magic of those segments, and because Sacha Baron Cohen is a comedic genius. There were, I think, some definite lines crossed here, but the 'lines' are continuing to blur more and more these days anyway.
Hilarious flick you should definitely see at the cinema with your friends.
You know that Borat and Ali G are the same person? :D
You know that Borat and Ali G are the same person? :D
Uh, yeah.
Why?
Uh, yeah.
Why?
I just found out ...thats all
I just watched all of the Rocky movies in a row for the first time, they werent as good as I thought they would be, not bad but not good.
The Departed
A.P.: Goldmember
Wishmaster 3 :down::down:
I just found out ...thats all
Oh yeah, Borat hails from Da Ali G Show, where Cohen plays both parts, as well as a third - Bruno - an Australian journalist who backs his interviewees into corners with questions regarding homosexuality.
In other news...
Spider-Man (Raimi, 2002) 5
Excellent superhero adaptation with little or no flaws; a much more unified piece of film than the sequel.
undercoverlover
11-08-06, 09:17 AM
the royal tenenbaums - i adore this movie and its quirky characters, my favourite being Margot. Everything about it, the costumes, the sets, the fantastic script.
dog.gon.gun
11-12-06, 01:49 PM
3 Women (1977 - Robert Altman)
4_5
Seven Samurai (1954 - Akira Kurosawa)
5
Borat: The funniest movie ever!!!
Wicker Park (McGuigan, 2004) 4
That might be an overly generous score, but I really liked what McGuigan and crew have done with this one. The story doesn't spiral into campy weirdness, which is what I was expecting. Instead, I got a pretty engrossing experience, a few emotionally demanding-yet-rewarding performances by some Hollywood youngsters, and a good bit of psychological thrills and spills. The plot isn't particularly believable (and there were some minor holes), but the film made up for it in other areas - like the handling of flashbacks, which is always tricky. And I like to think this film is 'picturesque' anyway: that it sorta reflects the emotional kinds of twists and turns we sometimes have to endure for the sake of love.
Blade Runner (Scott, 1982) - Had to view the new transfer on the 60" LCD....
Equilibrium(Kurt Wimmer 2002)-For some educational reason somehow we watched the movie in school(in Literature class) I've seen it before and I like it but to watch it in school Priceless.And in History we were going to watch A man apart but there was not enough time so we skipped history :D
And in History we were going to watch [font=Arial Black]A man apart
:confused:
I remember watching films like Schindler's List and Apollo 13 in my History classes.
:confused:
I remember watching films like Schindler's List and Apollo 13 in my History classes.
No actually we found that the DVD palyer was in the history room and the teacher let us watch a movie and since we watched Equilibrium that was the other movie that we had so.And last year we watched Pearl Harbor when we were studying about WWII
Stranger Than Fiction - 4_5
Piddzilla
11-16-06, 09:56 AM
A Woman Under the Influence (1974 - John Cassavetes)
Great stuff. Fantastic acting, especially by Rowlands and Falk, of course. And I love Cassavetes' style, both dramatically and aesthetically. There must be some neat DVD box with his stuff that I can get.
Insomnia (1997 - Erik Skjoldbjærg)
I haven't seen Christopher Nolan's remake with Pacino and Williams in a while but I get a feeling that the Skarsgård/Pacino character was less likeable in this one, the original. The ending was less conclusive as well. In short, less commercial (without saying that Nolan's version is bad).
Casino Royale (Campbell, 2006) 4_5
Wow. A very slick, very dynamic return to the screen for the character. Daniel Craig infuses so much life into a younger Bond -- perpetually brazen though not at all immune to screwing up. And the reduced emphasis on Bond gadgets versus real-world spy networking is a brilliant (and long overdue) move. My only complaint is that the pacing of the film began to unwravel some point after the game at the Royale, but it wasn't enough to spoil such an intense, stylish experience.
Now, off to Colonel Quick to buy a tuxedo... ;)
DOA: Dead or Alive(Corey Yuen 2006)-Nice chicks,stupid plot 2/5
Grudge 2(Takashi Shimizu 2006)-Freakin' scary 5/5
Clerks 2(Kevin Smith 2006)-Freakin' Hilarious 5/5
blibblobblib
11-20-06, 06:20 PM
And last year we watched Pearl Harbor when we were studying about WWII
Wow. You and your class mates must have a truly warped sense of accurate history. And your teacher should be shot.
Casino Royale 4_5 - The best James Bond film yet. Daniel Craig knocks all of them out of th park with his stylish performance and grace.
Pulse(Jim Sonzero 2006)-The trailer looked promising at first and I thought that it was going to be like those Japanese horror movies that usually freak me out(Ju-On,Ringo)but this one was different it was more like a Romero movie and that kind of Disappointed me,but still it was a good movie great Cinematography 3.5/5
undercoverlover
11-23-06, 05:40 PM
pleasantville
primary colours
undercoverlover
11-23-06, 05:40 PM
pleasantville
primary colours
Flyboys(Tony Bill 2006)-4/5
Casino Royale(Martin Campbell 2006)-this Bond was better than the last 4 and well made I liked it.Still a little Fictional but it's Bond,James Bond 4.5/5
Night Watch - ultimately a daft horror/fantasy outing, but lovingly executed, and on a 'sub-Hollywood' budget too. Has enough little kinks and twists in the mix to keep it mainly intriguing-enough throughout. The playstation bits and the afterburn bus were firmly in the 'daft' category tho ;). Might go somewhere interesting in the trilogy as a whole, but more likely to be a Matrix burn-out all told.
Pyro Tramp
11-26-06, 08:42 PM
Golg, i thought Day Watch was a pretty good follow up with some even nicer touches and interesting-ish plot though hadn't seen Night Watch for ages so some of it was a little hazy. I'm intrigued about Dusk Watch so atm thinking it's gonna be a better trilogy than Matrix. Btw, think OG hates it.
Ezikiel
11-27-06, 12:51 AM
Babel (d. Alejandro González Iñárritu - 2006), B+
The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky - 2006), B+
Fox and his Friends (d. Rainer Werner Fassbinder - 1975), B+
Piddzilla
11-27-06, 10:40 AM
The Road to Guantanamo (2006 - Michael Winterbottom)
Everyone should se this one.
undercoverlover
11-27-06, 11:53 AM
polar express, i always end up crying inn this movie
Btw, think OG hates it.
Heh, i don't think he does 'daft horror' ;)
Everyone should se this one.
I've read about it - does that count? ;):)
The Terminator (Cameron, 1984)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (Wise, 1951)
Heh, i don't think he does 'daft horror' ;)
I love daft horror, Dead & Breakfast being one of my favorite horror films in years. The Night Watch series is geektastic in its visuals, but man is the story so off the charts inconsistent that I just entirely lost interest throughout Day Watch.
adidasss
11-27-06, 04:47 PM
Golg, i thought Day Watch was a pretty good follow up with some even nicer touches and interesting-ish plot though hadn't seen Night Watch for ages so some of it was a little hazy. I'm intrigued about Dusk Watch so atm thinking it's gonna be a better trilogy than Matrix. Btw, think OG hates it.
sorry, better than the matrix thrilogy? just the first part of matrix blows anything night watch could ever hope to be...it had potential, but like OG said, the story is full of holes....
Pyro Tramp
11-27-06, 08:17 PM
Trilogy as a whole, as in not let down by Revolutions- Watch hitting 8/10 on both over Matrix with 10/10 + 7/10 + 4/10. Plus I just really dug the whole style of the Watch films, didn't notice any gaping holes yet.
I love daft horror, Dead & Breakfast being one of my favorite horror films in years.
Heh, whoops, yep. Shoulda remembered. (Still gotta watch that Italian undertaker-jobworths-his-way-through-zombies one you reco'd a while back btw. Sounded silly-serious, in a good way :)).
The Night Watch series is geektastic in its visuals, but man is the story so off the charts inconsistent that I just entirely lost interest throughout Day Watch.
I did wonder if it was gonna unravel. Thought the lead guy helped gel the daftness with his flawed-striver character in Night tho.
Watch hitting 8/10 on both over Matrix with 10/10 + 7/10 + 4/10.
Oh lord - the computers have taken Pyro!
(So you liked Matrix 2 too then? Me too ;))
dog.gon.gun
11-28-06, 07:07 PM
Love Crazy (1941)
4_5
Test Pilot (1938)
4_5
Kagemusha (1980)
3_5
Superman Returns (Singer, 2006)
undercoverlover
11-30-06, 12:25 PM
harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
Accepted(Steve Pink 2006)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan 3_5
undercoverlover
12-05-06, 01:07 PM
L.A. Confidential
Ong Bak (Pinkaew, 2003)
I liked the fights and the music, anyway.
undercoverlover
12-06-06, 10:47 AM
the punisher
i, robot
honey
The Fountain (Arnofsky, 2006)
4
The Conformist (Bertolucci, 1970)
5
Storaro's cinematography was incredible. A true master.
Monkeypunch
12-07-06, 01:05 PM
Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest. - so much fun! I can see why it made so much money this summer!
Strummer521
12-07-06, 11:40 PM
Clerks II
Injects some post 9-11 style heart into the 90s fatalism of the first film. I have to see I think the people that are big into Clerks (and this sequel) might love it more for what it could be than what it is. There is a lot of potential there but because of all the possibilities left open by the minimal plotting, the movies feel unfocused, almost like a clip-show or lengthy montage. It's a concept that would have worked better for an HBO series than an 80 minute film. I know there's an animated show, but I have to admit ignorance there...is it any good? I also noticed the soundtrack was slicker and more mainstream this go-round. In short, very slight but very fun. Rosario Dawson makes a nice addition to the cast too. She's definitely one of the sexiest women on the screen today. In short, very slight but very fun.
Piddzilla
12-09-06, 12:12 PM
28 Days Later... (2002 - Danny Boyle)
Me and a friend who loves this film saw it yesterday. It's quite interesting. It's not very good or very frightening but it raises som interesting questions about good and evil. I really liked the scenes with Jim wandering around in a deserted London.
The Big Tease (1999 - Kevin Allen)
Amusing here and there.
Deep Rising(Steven Sommers 1998)
Borat:Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan(Larry Charles 2006)
The Battle Of Algiers - 8/10
Blood Diamond 5 - The best picture of 2006. Simply outstanding.
Dancer in the Dark (Von Trier, 1999) - Brutal. Personal. Von Trier kicks Selma's ass all over the place... I had forgotten the power of this film....
Cop land - Still the well-delivered slow-punch to the guts that i remembered. Bit cheesy in places but pretty unflinching in others. Shame Liotta goes into an over-acting spasm tho.
Ezikiel
12-11-06, 08:28 PM
Barcelona (d. Whit Stillman - 1994), B
The Wild Blue Yonder (d. Werner Herzog - 2005), B-
The Loves of a Blonde (d. Milos Forman - 1965), B
Gregory's Girl (d. Bill Forsyth - 1981), A-
The Grifters - Low-key slinky number that smoulders plenty but never completely hits the spot. The leads are all pretty classy tho, and there's some decent suspended sentences, and pithy paybacks, along the way.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004)
Hadn't had the balls to watch this since the big separation... Love this film, and it really hit home for me this time through...
Unknown White Male - Meandering amateurish doc, but suitably so. It follows a 30-something ex-stock-broker who's mysteriously suffered complete 'retrograde' amnesia - and has become something of a 'man-child' hippy instead.
Made by a friend, the film's best moments touch on the confusion and emotional wrenches suffered by the subject, during his initial adjustment, and by his loved ones during their tougher journey towards accepting this new individual. It's slow, and not exactly the Sartre-on-cinefilm it sometimes wants to be, but intriguing none-the-less. (Some say the film's a fake, but i'm not so sure. At the end of the day tho, the phenomenon exists, and i dare say it probably pans out this way a lot. Except without the ex-stock-broker's bankroll to finance a new lifestyle :indifferent: )
undercoverlover
12-12-06, 09:32 PM
cactus flower - goldie hawn, ingrid bergman and walter mathau. Strange, could have sworn i was watching isabella rossilini, she looked so like her mother. funny film, pretty cute movie.
star wars v- my personal favouite, my brother got it for me for my birthday. Fookin love it.
Rent - didnt think the songs were that memorable and i wanted to strangle adam pascal, nothing personal, just did.
Phantom of the opera - wasnt impressed. while i love you patrick wilson for angels in America, i found you wooden in this. And i didnt like the dude who played the phantom.
Piddzilla
12-13-06, 07:47 PM
Chinjeolhan geumjassi / Lady Vengeance (2005 - Chan-wook Park)
Good. But I liked Oldboy better.
Piddzilla
12-14-06, 08:08 PM
This Divided State (2005 - Steven Greenstreet)
Pretty fascinating insight into a Utah college and how scared some of these people are of the outside world.
The Proposition (2005 - John Hillcoat)
I liked it very much. The fact that Nick Cave wrote the script of course played a big part in why I wanted to see it in the first place but it's a success on all parts, directing, script, cinematography and acting. It's got this biblical feel over it and I guess Cave is the one "to blame" for that, or maybe I'm just reading that into it since I knew that he was the scriptwriter. Anyway, really good film....
undercoverlover
12-14-06, 09:22 PM
secretary - thought it was pretty good, Spader was perfect as the sadomasicistic lawyer presiding over young maggie g.
Piddzilla
12-15-06, 07:26 AM
La Moustache (2005 - Emmanuel Carrère)
Absurd and extraordinary film. I think it's a must see, it's based on such an original idea. It's also quite interesting that the director also wrote the novel the film is based on.
Piddzilla
12-16-06, 07:23 PM
Miami Vice (2006 - Michael Mann)
"Miami Vice" is one of my all time favourite TV series, so naturally I've been looking forward to seeing this new film version directed by the creator of the series and one of my favourite American film directors. I can't say I was disappointed because my expectations weren't that high. I liked the action sequences and the tempo and the melancholy mood that is Mann's trademark. And it looks just great, as all his films. But I think the love story between Crockett and Isabella took up way too much room in the film. It worked as a motive for everything else which reveals a pretty thin story, unfortunately. Why would a top class undercover police officer act like such an amateur in the first place? I also think Mann could have done a lot more interesting stuff of the relationship between Crockett and Tubbs. Jamie Foxx doesn't really work as Colin Farrell's sidekick either since Foxx is a lot more charismatic than Farrell.
A just came back from seeing Death of a President
http://www.chortler.com/images/doap1011.JPG
It was alright, I almost fell asleep during it, but I was tired before I went to see it.
Just saw Eragon on DVD on my HD-TV thanks to Fox 2000....unfortunately the film sucked!! :(
Just saw Eragon on DVD on my HD-TV thanks to Fox 2000....unfortunately the film sucked!! :(
Eragon(2006)-well just came from the cinema and it was pretty good though the writer of the book grabbed with full hands from a lot of RPG's and The Lord of the Rings and plus it's a trilogy.All in all 4/5
Eragon(2006)-well just came from the cinema and it was pretty good though the writer of the book grabbed with full hands from a lot of RPG's and The Lord of the Rings and plus it's a trilogy.All in all 4/5
It wasn't true to the book at all...not even close. The film itself was just simply a load of crap - no, ifs and or buts.
Piddzilla
12-18-06, 06:50 PM
United 93 (2006 - Paul Greengrass)
I'm really starting to admire Greengrass' skills as a director, especially when it comes to the docu-drama genre. Not that it should come as a surprise since Bloody Sunday was excellent as well. His sense for realism and ability to get that feeling through to the audience is remarkable. Very, very fine piece of work.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room 4.5/5
Dead Dog 3/5
The Straight Story (Lynch, 1999)
Loved it.
Last Action Hero(John McTiernan 1993)
Yesterday(Ivan Andonov 1988)-Magnificent!
Ðèstîñy
12-20-06, 07:26 PM
Barefoot in the Park
Loved it.
Monkeypunch
12-21-06, 12:43 AM
Gangs of New York - Intense, and one of my favourite films.
The Departed - Crazy good! Probably my favourite film of this year.
Talladega nights:the balad of Ricky Bobby(Adam McKay 2006)-so so funny 5/5
Mad Hatter
12-22-06, 01:52 AM
Little Miss Sunshine - 4/5
Full Metal Jacket (Kubrick, 1987)
Flushed Away(David Bowers Sam Fell 2006)
Pyro Tramp
12-24-06, 02:42 PM
A Bittersweet Life. Very impressive and beautifully shot though does seem like a bit of an Oldboy wannabe.
Saw (Wan, 2004) 2
Forced by a co-worker to watch this rubbish. I liked the isolation predicament, but what began as a revolving plot deteriorated into a mess. I'm impressed that, for all the potential this film had for mindless gore, it kept itself in check. But it was still a pretty pointless whodunnit.
The Wizard of Oz (Fleming, 1939)
Die Hard (McTiernan, 1988)
Lady in the Water (Shyamalan, 2006)
linespalsy
12-26-06, 06:41 PM
A Zed & Two Noughts (1985) ****/4
The Italian Job (1969) */4 gets one star because there's a very pretty girl who shows up in one scene.
Little Miss Sunshine (Dayton/Faris, 2006) 5
Brilliant.
"You do what you love, and f--- the rest."
UltraViolet (Some Idiot, 2006) - One of the worst films, ever. I laughed, a lot.
It's not a comedy.
Тhank you for smoking(Jason Reitman 2006)-5/5
The Island(Michael Bay 2005)-4/5
Open Season(Allers/Culton 2006)-4/5
undercoverlover
12-30-06, 04:52 PM
oliver - i fookin love this movie, too good.
The Pursuit of Happyness(Gabriele Muccino 2006)-Truly a great film and Will Smith deserves an Oscar for his performance 5/5
linespalsy
12-31-06, 02:45 PM
COP - 1/4: a weird, manic, impotent cop flick with James Woods.
My Uber X Girlfriend - 1/4: showed some promise early on then wasted all its energy trotting out a lame mismatched couples plot.
The Devil Wears Prada - 2/4: not really my thing but not bad at all.
Date Movie - 1/4: didn't make it through fifteen minutes of this.
Pride and Prejudice - 3/4: not great acting, unflatteringly directed lead (the pirates of the carribean girl), but an untypically beautiful film to look at, especially the interior scenes. Glad I saw this. The only one of this recent batch I can say that about.
Finished watching "A Brick" today. Not a bad film. Their street talk got king of confusing at times. I had to go back and re listen a few time during some parts and try and piece together just exactly what there were saying heheh.
Mad Hatter
12-31-06, 10:36 PM
Stalag 17 A great Billy Wilder film. It's about POW'S & it had a lot of comedy, great film.
The Man Who Knew Too Much - Not my faorate Hitch film, but still a great movie.
The Good Shepherd Oscar Screener
Bambi - 8/10
Five Easy Pieces - 8/10
Mad Hatter
01-02-07, 11:55 AM
Dial M For Murder - 9/10
Body Double (DePalma, 1984)
Drugstore Cowboy (Van Sant, 1989)
Monkeypunch
01-02-07, 03:03 PM
Little Miss Sunshine - Absolutely the best movie I've seen in YEARS. Hilarious. Go watch it NOW.
Rocky Balboa(Silvester Stallone 2006)
undercoverlover
01-02-07, 04:06 PM
^ any gd?
dog.gon.gun
01-03-07, 06:41 AM
Thank God for Christmas breaks.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)
3_5
The Good Shepherd (Robert De Niro)
2
Apocalypto (Mel Gibson)
4_5
Blood Diamond (Edward Zwick)
4
Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro)
4_5
The Good Shepherd (Robert De Niro)
2
What did you not like about The Good Shepherd? Just curious.
The Decent (5.5/10)
Would have given it more if not for the crappy ending. What a joke. :rolleyes:
Almost Famous- 9/10.
Great Movie.
undercoverlover
01-04-07, 08:57 AM
citizen kane - had to watch it for film studies, not too bad but the constant deep focus messed with my eyes a bit
The Decent (5.5/10)
Would have given it more if not for the crappy ending. What a joke. :rolleyes:
Huh? Loved the film. What was wrong with the ending? Rumor has it it is actually a different ending than we saw in theaters... I remember the ending being fantastic, with a bloody battle, and a small homage to Carrie....
This is one of the best thrillers I have seen in a long time, IMHO.
dog.gon.gun
01-04-07, 03:28 PM
What did you not like about The Good Shepherd? Just curious.
Eh. I just wasn't digging the story. While I found all the CIA, Bay of the Pigs stuff interesting, for a while, the movie was almost three hours long. There was just too much information being thrown at me. One more major component of the film that put me off was the lack of development as far as the supporting characters went. There were so so many people to keep track of and none of them clicked with me and evaporated from my mind before the end credits even started rolling. Matt Damon was good though. I like how they made him look older by simply giving him a thicker pair of lenses in his frames.
Idiocracy(Mike Judge 2006)-Idiotic
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:The Beginning(Jonathan Liebesman 2006)-it was good
dog.gon.gun
01-04-07, 08:44 PM
Shoot the Piano Player (Francois Truffaut)
4
Saw III 4_5
Hannibal Rising 4_5
dog.gon.gun
01-05-07, 06:59 AM
Sleepy Hollow (Tim Burton)
3
Wow. I didn't think Hannibal Rising would be worthy of licking my shoes after a long stroll through the mud.
Tacitus
01-05-07, 02:11 PM
This is one of the best thrillers I have seen in a long time, IMHO.
Bingo. And all done on a shoestring, too.
I dunno about alternate endings as it seemed the same to me on DVD as the one I saw in the cinema but, alas, it seems North America had a different view on how Neil Marshall should present his film...
From Wikipedia:
The Descent was released in North America with approximately a minute cut from the end. Sarah escapes the cave and sees Juno, but the film does not cut back to the cave.
In the 4 August 2006 issue of Entertainment Weekly, it was stated that the ending was trimmed because viewers didn't like its "überhopeless finale". Lionsgate marketing chief Tim Palen said, "It's a visceral ride, and by the time you get to the ending you're drained. [Director Neil] Marshall had a number of endings in mind when he shot the film, so he was open [to making a switch]." Marshall compared the change to the ending of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, saying "Just because she gets away, does that make it a happy ending?"
The original ending is present in the North American Unrated DVD release.
Yeah, I read that yesterday. Now I want to see the ending you folks across the pond got to enjoy... Maybe I can track it down somewhere...
Tacitus
01-05-07, 02:25 PM
You'll probably need the R2 DVD, which is darned good actually - 2 discs, 2 commentaries, tons of extras and a fantastic DTS track. :)
Perfume: Story of a Murderer 4
Monkeypunch
01-05-07, 05:25 PM
The Good Shepherd - I dug this a lot. Reminded me a lot of films from the 1970's. Very deliberate pace, very un-flashy but confident direction by Robert DeNiro. I liked that Matt Damon's character is almost a total blank. You never get a sense of who he is or what he's feeling cause he's internalized pretty much everything about himself. It's a change of pace performance from a normally charismatic actor. Only Angelina Jolie seems wasted here.
Mad Hatter
01-06-07, 09:00 AM
Desk Set - A great Spencer Tracy & Kathrine Hepburn flick!
To Have and Have Not - Reminded me of Casablanca.
diamondgeeza
01-06-07, 09:32 AM
Nacho Libre - *Yawn* Not one of Jack Blacks best efforts
undercoverlover
01-06-07, 12:36 PM
Love Field - Micelle Pheiffer in story of a white woman travelling with a black man trying to protect his little girl as they travel across 1950s america
undercoverlover
01-08-07, 12:40 PM
chronicles of narnia - love this film mucho mucho, lots of 'hair on the back of your neck' moments
Wishmaster
damn I wanna watch it again but I can't find it anywhere
Happy Feet(George Miller 2006)-absolutely fantastic 5/5
Night at the Museum(Shawn Levy 2006)-it was enjoyable good idea and definitely funny 4/5
Gone in 60 seconds(Dominic Sena 2000)-this one I like,good cars ,good actors and Angelina Jolie and the soundtrack was great 5/5
Monkeypunch
01-10-07, 11:08 PM
Idiocracy - a dystopian future comedy from Mike Judge, and a painfully funny one at that. An average man is put into hibernation as an Army experiment and wakes up 500 years into a future where society has collapsed under the weight of it's own stupidity. Imagine an entire world of Beavis and Butt-heads, and thats only the beginning...
“Evolution does not necessarily reward that which is good or beautiful, it simply rewards those who reproduce the most,”
It's one of those films where you don't know whether to laugh or cry, and frequently want to do both. Highly recommended, especially to fans of Mike Judge's previous work.
undercoverlover
01-11-07, 12:58 PM
gangs of new york
Apocalypto(Mel Gibson 2006)-hmm something similar is The Predator(with Arnold) and Rambo 2 2/5
Wishmaster(Robert Kurtzman 1997)-I found it at last 4/5
allthatglitters
01-13-07, 06:21 AM
Clueless
diamondgeeza
01-13-07, 03:41 PM
Rocky Balboa - 2_5
Blood Diamond(Edward Zwick 2006)-5/5
Strummer521
01-13-07, 11:12 PM
Reality Bites
Mad Hatter
01-14-07, 04:15 AM
Double Indemnity 5/5
diamondgeeza
01-14-07, 09:07 AM
Love, Honour & Obey (Dominic Anciano, Ray Burdis - 2000) 5/5
I can watch this over and over again!
John McClane
01-14-07, 02:11 PM
Casino Royale- A return to the good stuff. A bit long though. B-
Apocalypto- I was surprised at the amount of violence. Lot less then I expected. C+
The Pursuit of Happyness- Talk about a depressing movie. Good, but depressing. B+
The Good Shepherd- OMG! Who do I sue to get those 3 hours of my life back? D-
Children of Men- Holy crap! It was amazing. Saw it twice in one week. A+
undercoverlover
01-15-07, 10:21 AM
200 cigarettes - quite a cast in this comedy set on one new years eve night in the 80's. Christina Ricci, janeane Garofolo, Courtney Love, Paul Rudd, Casey and Ben Affleck, Dave Chapelle and Kate Hudson.
Moonlight Mile - Jake Gyllenhaal plays a young man dealing with the loss of his fiance and trying to comfort her parents Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman
The Marine(John Bonito 2006)-I'm ashamed of myself such a waste of time the script was awful as if it was written by Lorenzo Lamas.In those 90 min I could have done so many things like watching Scrubs or any other movie but i have to waste my time with ***** :mad: -1/5
Tacitus
01-15-07, 03:36 PM
The Wicker Man (2006, Neil LaBute)
1/5
I don't know why I bother sometimes. Maybe it's a perverse, masochistic desire to see one of my favourite films butchered by a crew of Hollywood hacks?
Robin Hardy's 1973 original was in turns unsettling and camp, dripping with Pagan iconography and a wry humour. LaBute's version is obvious and boorish, dripping in primary school rhetoric. Even if you're not familiar with Hardy's film, this one is completely lacking in suspense, guile and verve. Heck, it's not even slick.
Nicholas Cage drags his massive, almond-shaped head through yet another sleepwalk of a performance though is almost equalled by Kate Beahan (the most uncharismatic female lead I've seen in many a year) and, though I hate saying it, the once divine Ellen Burstyn.
Only Molly Parker seems remotely convinced by what she's doing but, as is often in turkeys such as this, she's very much underused.
Frankly, they all look embarrassed to appear in such codswallop.
2007 is only 15 days old and if I see a worse film than The Wicker Man in the coming 11 1/2 months I'll die a little inside.
Shameful.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/nicolas_cage4.jpg
"The guy writing this fancies you, Molly! Him, there!"
"If I get a good review out of it, I'm not complaining..."
dog.gon.gun
01-16-07, 10:54 PM
Jules and Jim (Francois Truffaut)
5
The People vs Larry Flint - The details are involving, the characters are large, the direction is suitably pulpy for the most part, and hey, Courtney Love plays a good junkie to round it all off ;)
The Long Goodbye - Almost dreamlike mystery somehow composed of violence and realism. Liked it. Might get round to seeing some of Altman's later stuff eventually. (But hey, i've seen Popeye, so i'm kinda 'replete' on that score ;))
Man on the Moon - Carrey wasn't quite as good as i remembered him in this, but that's just coz Andy Kaufman seems to be such an inimitable loon. Great tale of another big personality tho - and i've been bingeing on YouTube clips of the real deal ever since :)
Iroquois
01-18-07, 01:47 AM
Glengarry Glen Ross - 9.5/10
Road to Perdition (Mendes, 2002)
4
Mad Hatter
01-19-07, 10:06 PM
Bird 7/10
Iroquois
01-20-07, 01:42 AM
The Big Lebowski - 9/10
Mad Hatter
01-20-07, 08:12 AM
The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers - 8/10
undercoverlover
01-21-07, 08:14 AM
Smokin' Aces - i didnt get my hopes up for this one but i was surprised. I walked out thoroughly entertained. Black humour and gun fights, it was awesome. Things I didn't lke was the overall purpose of the assassination and the plot twist that was predictable after some intercutting in the middle of the film. On the whole though it was pretty good, alicia keyes didnt give the typical singer turned actress perforance, she was subtle and didnt come off as arrogant in the role
The Last Kiss(Tony Goldwyn 2006)-5/5
Braveheart(Mel Gibson 1995)6/5
Mad Hatter
01-21-07, 09:56 PM
Everyone Says I Love You 7.5/10
Master and Commander (Weir, 2003)
The Third Man (Reed, 1949)
adidasss
01-22-07, 07:50 PM
Chat gim (Seven Swords) (2005) - Tsui Hark
http://www.homecinedvd.com/Images_Film/D23705.jpg
This man has been producing trashy B movies for the past 30 years, it seriously needs to stop. And damn me for being fooled by the trailer! I should have known better! A word to the wise, AVOID TSUI HARK LIKE THE PLAGUE!!
1/5 (and it gets the one just for the semi-cool fight scenes)
Ye yan (The Banquet) (2006) - Xiaogang Feng
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000KCZAF8/ref=dp_image_0/105-1145453-9260466?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd
Enough with the flying people,emo love stories and cheesy Chinese philosophy already! "Is there anything deadlier than this?(the fair maiden asks the poison selling medicine man)"Yes,(says he) the human heart" .....Puuuh-leeeasssee....
As usual, Ziyi Zhang excels, but even she must be tired of being cast in the same old roles of the tragic lover.
To sum it up, been there, done that, give me something original for Christ sake!
3/5 (it's lavishly produced, what can I tell you, I'm a sucker for visuals)
Guisi (Silk)(2006) - Chao-Bin Su
LOOOL. This movie is so senseless, it's actually quite funny. Why do ghosts attack people?? No one knows, but somehow, a strand of silk comes into play, connecting these vile, schizophrenic, supernatural beings with their future, unsuspecting victim.
2/5 (the effects are alright)
Ok, I'm in serious need of some good Asian films, I'm beginning to lose faith in the Asian cinematography.
dog.gon.gun
01-22-07, 08:44 PM
Small Change (Francois Truffaut)
4_5
Run Silent, Run Deep (Robert Wise)
3_5
Wild at Heart (David Lynch)
2
Eraserhead (David Lynch)
4_5
Strummer521
01-22-07, 08:59 PM
Ok, I'm in serious need of some good Asian films,
Seen Chungking Express?
adidasss
01-23-07, 04:57 AM
I have it, just haven't gotten around to seeing it yet. It seems to be there are very few truly original and talented Asian film directors.
Strummer521
01-23-07, 03:17 PM
I have it, just haven't gotten around to seeing it yet. It seems to be there are very few truly original and talented Asian film directors.
I think you should be happy with that one. It's very sweet and there's a little tapestry of engaging characters with interwoven lives. Like a romantic comedy (though kind of light on the comedy), focusing on the small details instead of the sweeping, dull, melodramatic cliches. I wish I could be more specific in describing it, but I saw it a while ago and remember my general impression of the film better than the narrative or particular scenes. the way it should be done I'd also recommend 3-Iron. It's quiet, and patient about pursuing its subjects, but has an undertone of the lyrical and otherworldly...and as far as being original...I've never seen anything like it...
Granted, I'm no expert on Aisian film, and we rarely seem to agree...but those are two films I've really enjoyed.
Saw III(Daren Lynn Bousman 2006)-Well it was better than II at least and it had its disgusting moments that made me laugh(otherwise I'd have been vomiting)
adidasss
01-23-07, 05:52 PM
I think you should be happy with that one. It's very sweet and there's a little tapestry of engaging characters with interwoven lives. Like a romantic comedy (though kind of light on the comedy), focusing on the small details instead of the sweeping, dull, melodramatic cliches. I wish I could be more specific in describing it, but I saw it a while ago and remember my general impression of the film better than the narrative or particular scenes. the way it should be done I'd also recommend 3-Iron. It's quiet, and patient about pursuing its subjects, but has an undertone of the lyrical and otherworldly...and as far as being original...I've never seen anything like it...
Granted, I'm no expert on Aisian film, and we rarely seem to agree...but those are two films I've really enjoyed.
I actually did a half-assed review on 3-Iron. Wonderful flick...there was no need to describe Chunking Express, I was very impressed with Happy Together, the man is a genius in my eye already. See, we do agree on something!;)
Mad Hatter
01-23-07, 06:04 PM
Harold & Maude - I just watched this movie for the first time. It's Disturbing, dark and funny. It may very well be in my top 10.
Strummer521
01-23-07, 11:39 PM
See, we do agree on something!;)
I love Led Zeppelin! :p
Iroquois
01-26-07, 04:56 AM
Hard-Boiled - 10/10
Assault on Precinct 13 (70s version) - 7/10
The Mack - 6/10
They Live - 8/10
PimpDaShizzle V2.0
01-27-07, 12:33 AM
Wet Hot American Summer :)
http://www.wherehouse.com/amgcover/dvd/large/t2/26/t22647ufq4f.jpg
Children of Men
http://emol.org/film/archives/childrenofmen/86338916,146CC09FEE264E264F1.jpg
Second time through...
5
Iroquois
01-27-07, 05:32 AM
Rio Bravo - 8/10
Mad Hatter
01-27-07, 07:34 AM
House Of Flying Daggers 7.5/10
Pan's Labyrinth (del Toro, 2006) 4_5
Beautiful commentary on how childhood imagination can co-exist with (and often mirror) the brutality and grace of the real world, and vice versa. Like many other reviewers have said, this film operates as a kind of elegy for the loss of innocence, and the disappearance of our penchant for fantasy as children... a bittersweet realization, and the end of the film is so very good.
I'm knocking a half point off only because a few elements seemed a little flat - Captain Vidal, for example, was an effective villain... but when it came to communicating the complexity of the real world, he was no deeper than a fairy tale villain (something which I felt weakened the dichotomy of the two worlds).
Still, I can't recommend seeing this one enough. I never thought two distinct genres of film could be blended so well... and not just on a surface level... but on a deeper, more internal sort of way.
Death Becomes Her was on tv last night and I actually sat through the most awful movie ever with two great actors, Bruce Willis and Meryl Streep. I watched it all hoping that Bruce's character will become hotter like in the Die Hard movies. But he didn't :( disappointment....disappointment...
undercoverlover
01-27-07, 03:52 PM
Gummo, first time viewing?
Death Becomes Her was on tv last night and I actually sat through the most awful movie ever with two great actors, Bruce Willis and Meryl Streep. I watched it all hoping that Bruce's character will become hotter like in the Die Hard movies. But he didn't :( disappointment....disappointment...
Really? I love this movie. Pretty damn good black comedy, IMO.
Really? I love this movie. Pretty damn good black comedy, IMO.
Agreed.
dog.gon.gun
01-28-07, 03:08 AM
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (Kim Ki-Duk)
4_5
Smokin Aces 5 - Awesome film. Action galore and superb cast all around. I suggest this picture to everyone. This is 10x better than Die Hard. Even better!!!!
Watched Smokin' Aces also today. I can't give it a 5/5 though. Maybe 2.5-3/5 at the most.
*minor spoilers for Smokin' Aces*
The best actor of the film to me definitely goes to Jeremy Piven who played "Buddy 'Aces' Israel". This guy was awesome. He was involved in my favorite scene out of the entire movie as well. The part where he (while baked out of his mind) was trying to tell his loyal friend how he wasnt betraying him while explaing how it was an elaborate illusion as he demonstrated with his deck of cards just how well he was a pulling them off. He played his part well for sure though.
http://show.imagehosting.us/show/1916111/0/nouser_1916/T0_-1_1916111.jpg
Oh and Jason Bateman did an outstanding job with the tiny part he had. Didnt' know he had it in him.
Elevator scene that eventually went dark with Ray Liota and other dude in it was a fav of mine as well. If you saw the movie you know what I mean.
The Prestige(Christopher Nolan 2006)-5/5
Piddzilla
01-29-07, 06:39 AM
Thank You for Smoking (2005 - Jason Reitman)
Loved it. This is the way a satire is supposed to be like. On the one hand, it puts the finger on how cynical and totally without scruples the tobacco industry is. On the other hand, it also shows how hypocritical just about everything else is as well! I have one wish though, and that is that it would have been made as a serious drama instead. That's what differs the masterpiece and one of my favourite films ever, Network (1976 - Sidney Lumet), from, and sets it above, excellent films like Thank You for Smoking and Wag the Dog (1997- Barry Levinson). I think satire is a very effective form of commenting on society, but it kind of lacks the effect of the punch in the stomache that a more serious, yet satirical, drama can produce. It's really small potatoes though... "Thank You" is a brilliant film.
Gasolin' (2006 - Anders Østergaard)
Danish documentary about the band Gasolin'. Pretty decent, but nothing spectacular.
Gummo, first time viewing?
Really? I love this movie. Pretty damn good black comedy, IMO.
I watched it when I was about 12 or 13 and remember liking it, but now...nope. I don't know what I was thinking back then. I just think it was a bad movie, nothing I would recommend to anyone; but then again, I have strange taste in movies.
I watched Little Miss Sunshine last night and I loved it. My favorite part was when the mute emo kid was freaking out when he found out he is colorblind. hahaha
Thursday Next
01-29-07, 10:28 AM
Equilibrium 2/5 Lame, derivative, repetitive action sequences, doesn't make sense.
Equilibrium 2/5 Lame, derivative, repetitive action sequences, doesn't make sense.
I enjoyed that one. Only thing I didnt feel comfortable at times watching was the way certain individuals did express emotions through smiles or immediate loud outburst of anger. Especially the guys who were supposed to police this. Listening to the commentary track of the film, they said they wanted that in there to show at least some human traits as watching a bunch of robots 'ALL' the time would have been boring. Still though, tough to not notice this as Christian Bale noticed early on in the movie Sean Bean's tiny bit of emotion coming out of his voice yet the others go on unnoticed.
dog.gon.gun
01-29-07, 07:29 PM
3-Iron (Kim Ki-Duk)
5
Thursday Next
01-30-07, 01:16 PM
L.A. Confidential 4/5, good film.
Piddzilla
02-02-07, 05:34 AM
The Departed (2006 - Martin Scorsese)
I liked it a lot, which wasn't a very big surprise. I thought about the part when Costigan is following Sullivan in Chinatown. It's very stylized and different from the rest of the film and it struck me that it was some kind of way for Scorsese to pay homage to the original Hong Kong version. They showed Mou gaan dou (Wai Keung Lau - 2002) on TV the other day, and of course I missed it. Blast! The cast was terrific, the small parts in particular. Except for the obvious stand-outs - Nicholson, Di Caprio and Damon - I thought that Baldwin was very good. I think, because of the Academy nomination, that I expected something really special from Wahlberg but I can't really decide what exactly lies behind the nomination. He was good, but didn't shine in any way.
Rocky Balboa (2006 - Sylvester Stallone)
I've seen Rocky (1976) lots of time, the sequels not that many times. This one was okay. What I liked the most with it was the way it looked and the settings. I was immediately drawn into the ragged feel of the movie which suited the story perfectly. Then I think Stallone was excellent. This character he knows inside out. I like how the film was more of a drama than a beat-em-up flick. Except for the end of the film of course. The Fight was totally uninteresting, unexciting and completely unrealistic and almost more computer game-like than the computer simulation in the movie. The conflict between Rocky and "the other boxer" was never there. Rocky wasn't pissed off at Mason Dixon (who was a pretty decent but not very charismatic character), not even during the fight it seemed. I can think of a million other ways the story could have taken that would have been more interesting and suitable for the plot. To me it would have been really cool if they'd just skipped the whole "end fight concept" and focused on the drama between Rocky and his friends and family, but that is too much to ask for, I know. But why not have Rocky begin fighting in small local clubs against young fighters who lack in respect of the old Champ and then Rocky has to struggle to come back and then beat the crap out of them? No. Rocky, storming towards his 60's, goes to Vegas and gives the undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world the match of his life. Moderation, Stallone. Moderation...
Tacitus
02-02-07, 06:35 AM
Tideland (2005, Terry Gilliam)
3/5
This is such a shame, for I wanted to love Tideland. I wanted to love the idea of TG getting back to something like his best. I wanted to love a film with a child as the central character, even if it were to be only half as good as Time Bandits.
Sadly, on first viewing anyway, Tideland is only half as good as Time Bandits.
For all its slanty-camera'd, extreme-closeup'd Gilliamry, Tideland just doesn't hold together as well as I'd hoped. Young Jodelle Ferland does a great job with a meandering and often dull script (all the more remarkable considering she was 10 when the film was shot) and Nicola Pecorini's camera work is fittingly flamboyant.
But...
The framework on which Terry hangs this movie is so slight that nearly 2 hours is an awful long time to say what it has to say.
Going back to his Python days, Gilliam does great grotesques and, as in Time Bandits, the adventures of a child among such characters can be a rewarding experience. I think the differences here are twofold - when Time Bandits was pushing the envelope it had David Rappaport and his chums doing a bit of Music Hall and pulling the movie back into focus, Tideland only has a collection of finger puppets.
In Kevin and Jeliza-Rose we have 2 children, both superficially lonely and given to flights of fancy. Time Bandits' Kevin has a grounding quality that both informs and reassures the audience while, for all her stirling work in interpreting what TG has given Miss Ferland to read, Jeliza-Rose has such an inherently warped and (however naive) view of the world around her that she gladly gets swamped and swept away by the bizzare events unfolding around her. Fine when the screenplay is strong enough, but maddening here.
In short, when the film needs a handbrake, Jeliza-Rose is an accelerator pedal. Pushed to the carpet.
Tideland shows signs that Gilliam (a director who I love) is shaking off a decade's worth of bad luck and, if I'm being kind, increasingly patchy films. I think it's easily his best since Twelve Monkeys but far too inconsistent to be called a true 'return to form'.
The corpse is twitching but there's work yet to be done...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/greenspagbol/tideland-4.jpg
Iroquois
02-02-07, 10:05 AM
Scream - 7/10
Scream - 7/10
Scream eh. Good boy Iroquois. Very good boy. :yup:
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