Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I thought it would be an interesting idea to keep track of movies I've watched. So this thread is going to consist of reviews and tidbits about each movie I watch as I watch them from now on. I might just mention the movie and give it a rating, or I might give full reviews. It's just going to be a mixture of whatever I feel like.



Only Yesterday (1991)(Animation/Drama)
Directed by Isao Takahata

At first glance I thought this had Miyazaki written all over it. Guaporense recommended it to me. So that's why I watched it. At first glance of the cover I thought it looked kind of boring, but when I saw other pictures my interest got peaked because the artwork was so interesting. I noticed a lot of gestures and facial expressions that I haven't seen in any other animated movie before. Like when characters were eating food they didn't like, their mouths would make interesting shapes and their features would reveal their discomfort. There was a lot of layered movement where you would see the focal point moving in one way and things in the background and foreground moving in other ways. There were quite a few beautiful landscape shots. The composition especially stood out as being really well done. This made the movie so easy on the eyes it was just beautiful to behold. The quality of the animation was so good it felt like a 2011 movie.

The story is about a young woman who goes on vacation while fostering memories of her childhood when she was 10 years old and went on a similar vacation. It goes back and forth between the present and past telling various short stories throughout the overarching plot. I liked the parts that revolved around her 10 year old self more. One thing I noticed that was almost a drawback was that characters chuckled a lot at silly things that really weren't funny at all. I get that they were just a bit giddy, but still it was almost annoying. And the wrinkle line that would appear on each cheek as they chuckled made them look chubby until it went away. To go back to the positive side though, the ending was one of the most interesting endings I've ever seen in a movie. I mean for style alone I have never seen anyone do that before. I don't want to spoil it, but if you watch it make sure you watch through the credits. By the time the credits finished I had to wipe away a tear from each eye.

Overall it was a terrific movie that I would recommend to anyone interested in animation (not just anime).

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

The Illusionist (2010)
Directed by Sylvain Chomet

I went into this blind aside from looking at a few screenshots. I'm still not really sure how I feel about it exactly. I did enjoy the movie, it's a very good movie, but it was a bit of a weird experience. The style reminded me of Cat Soup and Angel's Egg because there was very little dialogue and most of the dialogue was mumbled, possibly gibberish, or in another language. The dialogue I did understand was either in French or in English. I enjoyed that aspect of the movie, and I liked having to deduce what was going on. I enjoy movies that make you think. The Illusionist was for the most part a visual experience with beautiful artwork and lively motion. One thing in particular I noticed was how well the drawn and moving characters on the screen blended with the painted backgrounds. There was a comical flair throughout the movie that was sometimes very lighthearted and other times very satirical. The dynamics between the two main characters were very creative in how the relationship was shown to be such an unusual thing.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I love both of those movies, in fact I voted for both of them for our animation countdown, Only Yesterday at #9 and The Illusionist at #11. I'm glad to see you like them too. :up:

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

good thread. Another source for me.
thanks.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

It was a bit boring, but some parts were really emotional and it was very well drawn. It looked like it was made in the 2000's that's how good the animation was.

Wow, I'm surprised you didn't like that more.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I bought it because I thought I would. My brother was on the verge of making me turn it off half way through because he was bored.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

The Flower of Evil (2013)

I've spent a considerable amount of time browsing the top anime by year. I didn't come across this when browsing the top anime of 2013. I think it was actually a random new forum member here who mentioned it. But this is certainly one of the best series 2013 has to offer. Well the first thing I noticed was the drawing style. It's done with rotoscoping so the characters and movement all look very realistic. I didn't have to watch for long before I knew I was going to like it. I especially like the way characters talk and act in a very realistic way. I'm only on episode 4 now, but the story seems to be revolving around the corruption of innocence.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Drama
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Not what I was expecting at all. Actually it reminded me a lot of Only Yesterday. There is a lot of everyday living going on and just normality, but then there's also these forest spirits around. I thought it would be more surreal like Spirited Away. The quality of the animation was super like all of Miyazaki's films, especially considering it was made in 1988. I focused on the artwork and just enjoying the simplicity and pleasantness of it all. There were still times where I found myself a bit bored. I don't recall ever seeing a scene containing the picture above of the girls fishing with the forest spirits.

My Neighbor Totoro was one of my least favorites from that director. I just couldn't get into it.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

gotdammit, wrong thread.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I did set my expectations a bit high. I might have enjoyed it more if I had gone into it blind.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

January 2nd

I watched A Woman Under the Influence for my I Will Watch at Least One Recommendation From Each MoFo thread.
Here is the review: Linky

You liked it more than me, but I think it's a very good film. There's some good back and forth about it in the 5th Hall of Fame thread, but there's a lot of posts to sort through.

January 4th

I watched The Killer with a friend on Sunday. We both enjoyed it.
Review: Link


January 5th


I re-watched Returner (2002) for probably the fourth time. A sci-fi/action movie about time travel and aliens. The acting wasn't great, but it's an interesting movie. Anne Suzuki makes the movie for me, otherwise I wouldn't even bother with it at all to be perfectly honest. Her character has so much charm it should be illegal. The main character of the film is played by the more famous Takeshi Kaneshiro, who was also in Fallen Angels (1995) and House of Flying Daggers (2004). The director, Takashi Yamazaki, is little known.

I missed the 3rd and 6th due to being too busy. I'll try to make them up. In total I've watched 4 movies this year.

As far as The Killer goes, I haven't seen it, but I don't think I'm much of a fan of John Woo.

I might check this out. I like rotoscoping. Very underrated animation style.

Neither am I, and I had to suspend disbelief quite a bit for it too, which I really don't like doing. Still, it wasn't difficult to enjoy. At least the unrealistic action was done deliberately for style. I can appreciate that a lot more than action that's just unrealistic because the people making it are too lazy to put work into making it realistic.

Apparently it was controversial at the time, but I'm not sure why. I like rotoscoping too.

January 8th

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I watched May (2002), here is the review: Linkage


January 9th

http://www.horrorphile.net/images/ro...e-poster12.jpg

I watched Rosemary's Baby (1967). Review

Now my total this year is up to 6, but I also lost another day that I have to make up. Fortunately I have the next four days off work so hopefully I can get all caught up.

I went to the theaters with a friend. It was his idea, but we decided to pay for one movie and watch three. It's the first time I've movie hopped like that, and it was great. We saw Big Eyes, The Imitation Game, and Foxcatcher. I enjoyed them all.



Big Eyes (2014)
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Amy Adams and Christopher Waltz
With notable supporting roles by Krysten Ritter, Jason Schwartzman, Danny Huston, Terence Stamp, and John Polito

I enjoyed this one a lot. There was virtually constant sadness in Amy Adams' character and I think she did a very good job portraying the gradually increasing strain and anxiety that built up over the course of the film. Christopher Waltz's role was more comedic, but he also worked hard getting red in the face when his character exploded boisterously and laying on thick charm to sugar coat lies and coax favorable responses. I saw a lot of Waltz that I had already seen in Inglorious Bastards and other recent films, but he still had a bit of uniqueness in this role. The movie was based on a true story, and the plot ran over 10 years of its characters' lives. At first I felt impartial to the paintings, but they grew on me, and I thought the different styles were interesting. Aside from the paintings, the relationship between Margaret (Adams) and Walter (Waltz) Keane was the focal point of the narrative. Overall I had fun watching this one. I could relate to Margaret Keane's struggle, and I liked the portrayal of the art world. I'm not terribly fond of everything Tim Burton has done, but I think this is my favorite of his work to date.


Excellent



The Imitation Game (2014)
Directed by Morten Tyldum
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Keira Knightley
With notable supporting roles by Matthew Goode, and Charles Dance

Tyldum wasn't a director I was familiar with, but I liked this film so much that I'm going to have to check out his other work. It's been a while since I've enjoyed Keira Knightley in a role too. She's a scrawny girl and I thought she was perfect for the nerdy character type as apposed to the sexier roles she has often played. Cumberbatch did a spectacular job. It was my friend who pointed out that he played Sherlock in the recent British series. I didn't even recognize him. I liked this role for him much better than Sherlock. First of all the "Genius" was way more believable here. Once again this movie was based on a true story, this time it was about British code breakers during WWII. Cumberbatch portrayed such a full spectrum of emotion through the portrayal of a man who most likely had some form of Aspergers. The movie had a very triumphant tone as social barriers and scientific barriers were overcome. I was surprised by how strong Alex Lawther's performance was, an unknown child actor who played Alan Turing's younger self.


Excellent



Foxcatcher (2014)
Directed by Bennett Miller
Starring Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, and Mark Ruffalo
Notable supporting role by Vanessa Redgrave

The first thing I noticed was how realistic the movie was. I believe this is what they call "Hyper realism" in movies, and I love it. So much attention was paid to detail in everything from the set and props to the cinematography and acting. I thought Greig Frasher did an outstanding job as the cinematographer. There were too many interesting shots to keep track of. I did notice one weird thing though. In one shot where Tatum's character, Mark Shultz, was arriving at the Foxcatcher ranch the camera had this sort of heat vision glaze and the sound went mute. I liked it, but then later in the movie in a similar shot with a moving truck leaving they used the same camera effect but didn't mute the music. I felt they should have muted it again for the same effect, but it's an extremely minute issue. Now about the acting, it was amazing! I loved how everyone performed. I was impressed with how much Mark Ruffalo bulked up for his role, and I almost didn't recognize Steve Carell. I think Tatum and Carell stepped way out of their comfort zones for their roles. I never would have expected Tatum to perform so well, I mean ever. It's like Jean-Claude Van Damme suddenly winning an academy award for best actor. He played a typical jock with inner wisdom but a cat constantly catching his tongue. That inner frustration was always there of someone who didn't have the vocabulary to express how he was hurting inside. He often pushes out his lower jaw, and it's interesting because I've noticed how some bulky jock types will do that, and I haven't seen him do it before in a role. Even the way Tatum was built physically was actually very accurate of how wrestler's body build. They have flabby stomachs but jacked arms and legs because they just do power training. They don't worry about their abs. There were a number of differences between the movie and actual events, but generally it was fairly accurate. In one scene my friend had a hard time believing that Mark Shultz lost 12lbs in 90 minutes. We looked it up afterwards and it turned out to be true. Mark Shultz, the real person, wrote that it was the most weight he had ever lost in such a short amount of time. Steve Carell's performance was probably the best in terms of acting. I just loved how he would talk at this almost retarded slothful speed, and at times act like a total wacko. The best line in the entire movie: "Come on, it's just cocaine. It's not like it's going to kill you." He did an excellent job portraying the strange John Du Pont, but the movie makes no mention of his schizophrenia. It's blatantly obvious that Carell's character has some sort of mental illness, but the movie doesn't come right out and say it. Foxcatcher contended at Cannes for the Palme d'Or, which it didn't win, but did win Best Director, and the film was nominated for three Golden Globes including Best Picture.


Personal Favorite!



Mean Guns (1997)
Directed by Albert Pyun
Starring Michael Halsey, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, and Kimberly Warren
With notable supporting roles by Christopher Lambert and Ice-T

Okay, so it had Ice-T and Christopher Lambert in it. I knew they were terrible actors, but I gave it a chance on my friend's recommendation. Fortunately Ice-T had a tiny role, and Lambert did a surprisingly half decent job. Lambert was more along for the ride than actually focused on. So that was good. Albert Pyun is a weird director. He did Journey to the Center of the Earth (1988), Cyborg (1989), and The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982). I've seen clips from Cyborg and The Sword and the Sorcerer, and they look like typical B movies, but Mean Guns leaves those in the dust. In the style of John Woo this was a guns blazing roller coaster ride of non-stop action. Mean Guns also had a sense of humor with plenty of things you would never expect, like one random vampire with no explanation. The film didn't take itself too seriously either. I got the feeling these guys had a blast of fun making this film. I burst out laughing when Ice-T's character blew another guy away for cheating at chess. Anyway, so the plot revolved around Halsey, Valkenburgh, and Warren, with Lambert tagging along sort of, as they found themselves forced to participate in some sort of blood sport for the amusement of the syndicate. The three of them teamed up for survival, and Lambert convinced them to let him accompany them part way through. They were pros gunning their way through a sea of amateurs for the prize of $10,000,000 in cash and their freedom of course. They left their guns at the door, crowded into a lobby, and got guns and ammo poured down on them like rain. The shooting started and didn't stop until the end. It was a blast.


Very Good

Movies watched in 2015: 10

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I had never heard of Big Eyes until recently, but I generally like Tim Burton, and this appears to be a more personal project, something more akin to Ed Wood and Big Fish than Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so I'm intrigued.

My interest in The Imitation Game would be non-existent if not for all the award nominations. I'm sure it's well made, but it looks like something I'll watch once, appreciate on a technical level, but have no interest in ever re-visiting.

Foxcatcher was one of my most anticipated movies of last year even before all the critical acclaim. I haven't seen it yet, but I have very high expectations. I'm especially curious to see Steve Carrell's performance.

Never heard of Mean Guns, but it sounds like a lot of fun, so I've added it to my Netflix queue.

I'm guessing that's how it'd play out.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I think The Imitation Game is a good nomination for Best Actor, but I don't know if it deserves to win over Foxcatcher. Cumberbatch's performance is the only thing that stood out in the movie to me in a technical aspect. I felt the movie was very entertaining though.

Semper Fi: Marines in the Pacific: WWII (2013) Documentary

There's no record of this on IMDB, but it consists of 2 parts, Counter Strike and Beginning of the End. It's over 3 hours and covers the entire course of the war in the Pacific. It was interesting to learn that an American crashed into the last gun on a Japanese battleship and inspired the Japanese as a kamikaze. I'm not sure if that was implying that he was the first kamikaze in the war and that was the motivation for the Japanese to start doing it (it was at Wake Island, so very early in the war), but they didn't go into a lot of detail on anything specific. It was more like a crash course on the marines' side of the pacific war. At the end they said the Japanese suffered something like 13 casualties to each marine casualty. I enjoyed it a lot. The narrator spoke in a way that was very easy on the ears. I do wish there was more substance in terms of information, but I think this is more of a visual experience than anything else. I felt like I learned a lot, but at the same time nothing that I could confidently tell anyone else and back up with facts without doing my own further research.


Very Good



Rewatch
The Quiet (2005) Drama
Directed by Jamie Babbit
Starring Camilla Belle and Elisha Cuthbert
With notable supporting roles by Edie Falco, Martin Donovan, and Shawn Ashmore

Apparently David Gallagher was in this too, but I've seen it like 15 times and I have never noticed him. Anyway, this is one of my favorite movies and has been since I first saw it years ago. I can't remember if it spawned my Camilla Bell crush, or if it was a result, but either way this movie made me obsess over her. In the period of one week I watched this film at least seven times. I think I watched it four days in a row, twice I watched it twice in the same day back to back, and I think I took a break for a day or two and then watched it one or two more times. It was so many years ago that I can't remember exactly. Camilla is the focal point of the film. She is focused on as much by the cameras as by the plot. You can gather pretty early on, and it's even hinted at on the back of the cover, that her character isn't really deaf. It's not a twist for the viewer, just for the other characters. Camilla really does an excellent job acting, and everyone else does very well too. She isn't really an actress that has a large range, but she does the whole emo thing very well. The cinematography and lighting are also very well done, and I can tell that Jamie Babbit pays a lot of attention to detail, but this movie still isn't really a masterpiece. A very large amount of my personal enjoyment of this film comes from it's content. When I watch this movie I feel like moving to a new city, starting from scratch, and pretending to be deaf. Except I know I could never pull it off. It may not seem believable that Camilla's character could pull it off either, until you learn that she's been pretending to be deaf since she was 7 years old.


Personal Favorite

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

January 19th

I rewatched Shinobi no Mono , and I watched Shadow Dancer .

Rewatch
Winter's Bone (2010) Drama
Directed by Debra Granik
Starring Jennifer Lawrence
With notable supporting roles by John Hawkes, and Dale Dickey

This is a favorite of mine. I was bored the other day and my internet wasn't working so I just picked something from my small collection at home. I first saw this back in 2011 and had never heard of Jennifer Lawrence before. I was instantly a fan. I'm still a fan of hers, but her newer movies have not been impressing me as much as The Poker House, The Burning Plain, and Winter's Bone.

Winter's Bone was nominated for 4 academy awards and a golden globe. It didn't win, but it did win AFI Movie of the Year, the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, 72 other awards, and 91 other nominations according to IMDB. Jennifer Lawrence and Debra Granik won most of the awards, but John Hawkes and Dale Dickey won awards for their supporting roles, and I also noticed the cinematography and screenwriting getting some wins in.

The movie itself rests very strongly on Jennifer's acting. John Hawkes gets a decent amount of screen time during the second half of the movie, but none whatsoever for the first third or so, and Dale Dickey makes several appearances. I can see why they won awards for best supporting actor/actress. Both of them deliver potent emotions on at least three instances each. I didn't even realise how much they frame Jennifer and complete the movie until reflecting on it now. Hawkes' character, Teardrop, plays the tough uncle to Jennifer's character, Ree. There's such an interesting assortment of exchanges between their two characters. At first Ree is frightened by Teardrop, but later they bond until she is even comforted by him. I think my favorite part for Hawkes' acting as well as his character is when he rescues Ree. The way he says that he's going to take her on out of there to home is touching in a way that brings a smile to your face. Dickey's character has some gentle moments and some spiteful moments too. In one scene where they're in a boat Dickey's voice goes high and cracks slightly as she urges Ree, and in another scene she warns and threaten's Ree with menace, even violence. I still enjoy Jennifer's acting the most. She has a lot of powerful scenes, and even watching her do something as simple as chop wood is still enjoyable somehow. She's charming, but I also think that she just has a lot of character.

The plot revolves around Ree, living normal life until she gets saddled with the burden of tracking down her dad. The movie feels true to it's song of hardship in it's story and atmosphere. You can see how strong Ree is, and how her circumstances have caused her to live very intentionally. The filmmakers, namely Debra Granik, were also very good at portraying intelligence and bringing it out in their actors. Ree doesn't just figure things out because it's in the script. You can see her deep in thought, making wise decisions, and carefully analyzing information with discernment. It's all very well directed, realistic, and detailed. The two children playing Ree's younger siblings are actually local kid's and siblings in real life. A lot of the extras were really just locals. Granik is a little known director who really hasn't done much sadly. Originally when Jennifer applied for the part they said she was too attractive for the role and they wondered about her ability to act, but Jennifer said that she "just showed them that it didn't matter." I admire her passion for acting, and I hope that in the future she can produce something to rival Winter's Bone.


Personal Favorite

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

In the past few days I also...

...rewatched Harakiri (1962), a classic black and white samurai movie which in my opinion rivals Akira Kurasawa and is one of the greatest samurai movies ever made.

...rewatched Dragon Princess (1976), a karate B-movie that has surprisingly decent acting from it's young lead, Etsuko Shihomi.

...watched Moneyball (2011), directed by Bennett Miller who also directed Foxcatcher and Capote. I didn't care much for Capote, but it's a well made film. My admiration of Foxcatcher is what lead me to check out Moneyball. Brad Pitt did a decent job, and fortunately the film focused more on things behind the scenes than the actual playing of baseball. It was really interesting to see things from the perspective of the team scouts, and I really enjoyed Jonah Hill in this. It's probably the first time I have actually thought of Jonah Hill as a respectable actor.

...watched Fritz Lang's Metropolis. I was actually a bit disappointed with it. It was good, but my expectations were pretty high. I liked Siegfried a lot more. I did enjoy the melodrama of it all. The way the characters would throw their arms around was interesting.

Movies watched in 2015: 19

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I remember Winter's Bone coming out (if you'll pardon the pun) and the amount of praise both she and the film got were enormous. I'd like to see it, preferabley at a time when I'd have a chance of enjoying it.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Harakiri is one of my favourite films too, and Winters Bone is excellent

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I payed $2 for my copy of Harakiri. Gotta love Chinatown.

Oh, and like $10 for Winter's Bone at a convenience store with a little rental section in the back.

I liked Winter's Bone plenty, but it was missing that extra oomph I needed for me to really love it.

Agree with you on Harakari and Moneyball.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

John Dies at the End (2012)

Some chuckles and a few solid laughs, a good performance from Paul Giamatti, and a ridiculous plot that makes no attempt to make any sense. That's about all there is to say about this movie. Chase Williamson was the lead, and his acting was pretty poor.


Average

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Audition (1999) Horror/Drama
Directed by Takashi Miike
Starring Ryo Ishibashi, and Eihi Shiima
With a notable supporting role by Jun Kunimura

The last time I watched this was probably 2010. At the time I didn't notice any flaws, but this time around I did notice that some of the acting wasn't quite up to par, especially in the first half of the film. The weakest scene was probably the very first scene in the hospital. I think the strongest acting came from Eihi Shiima. Jun Kunimura did well also, and I've always liked him as an actor. But honestly if Takashi Miike was better at paying attention to detail this actually could have been a true masterpiece of a film. In Visitor Q I saw the mic pop into the shot in 3 different scenes. There wasn't anything like that in Audition, but Miike also did six other projects (movies, video, TV) in the same year.

Audition is an interesting horror film. It's not scary per-say, but it's certainly gruesome. The first 70 minutes feel like a proper drama with a good story albeit slightly boring content, but for the first watch at least it shouldn't feel boring. There just isn't enough impressive acting or subtlety to keep delving much deeper into the film after it's been watched two or three times. My first experience was also compounded at the time by my lack of familiarity with this style of film. So it was a very new experience for me back then. It expanded my perception of what kind of movies were out there in the world that I wasn't previously aware of, especially in the horror genre, and also in terms of realistic movies. Today, some years later, I am a little more aware, and as a result, less impressed. It's still a very solid film overall, but it's certainly not Miike's best.

The most interesting facets of Audition's story and plot come into full bloom around the 70 minute mark. At that point the backstory for Shiima's character, Asami Yamazaki, develops into the worst case scenario and then some. The movie's climax is the perfect delayed gratification for fans of the genre. At several points in the film there are interesting ambiguous scenes like dreams and flashes of insight. They serve to fill in some gaps at crucial moments and I think it works perfectly. The timing takes you out of what's happening, increasing the tension, and then brings you back for the clincher you were waiting for. It's like when your life flashes before you during a near death experience. You're taken out of it, time seems to slow, you gain insights, and then you get hurled back into it right before you're head hits the pavement so to speak. It's by far the strongest point in the plot structure of the film.

During the actual auditions, before the half-way point of the film, Kunimura's character asks the woman he's interviewing who her favorite actor is and what her favorite Tarkovsky film is. She replies with the name of some lame TV actor and both Kunimura and Ishibashi burst out laughing. I really loved that bit.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I watched Life Is Beautiful. I laughed, I cried, I loved it.

I'd have given it more if it wasn't such an obvious Fellini rip off.

Movies watched in 2015: 22

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

My browser crashed while I was writing this, so here's the even faster version:

The Bicycle Thief
Chinatown
Mulan (live-action)
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (rewatch)
The Dark Myth
The International (rewatch)
Fort Bliss
Army of One
Demon City Shinjuku (rewatch)
Patlabor 1 (rewatch)
The East (rewatch)
Watchmen (rewatch)
Jupiter Ascending / (So bad it was good)
Overlord
The Hound of the Baskervilles

In a Ring of Mountains (1962) Drama
Directed by Ikehiro Kazuo
Starring Ichikawa Raizo and Nakamura Tamao

A charming tale of romance, tragedy, and heroism set in feudal Japan. Masakichi, played by Ichikawa Raizo, works in a lumber yard and enjoys gambling and drinking in his spare time. Tragedy strikes when a conspiracy broils between a corrupt deputy with a strong disliking for Masakichi and Masakichi's boss who lusts for the gambler's woman, Oshima, played by Nakamura Tamao. Taking to the road Masakichi encounters a woman in trouble who resembles Oshima identically.

I had never heard of this movie before, and it seems pretty obscure on the net. It even says on the back of the case that it's "a rare gem." I could tell just by looking at it that it had a lot of potential, so I bought it. It was only $5. I must say it turned out to be quite an extraordinary film. The story and characters are delightfully charming. I quickly fell in love with them. It had great acting with plenty of emotion and subtleties. All of the characters hard strong personalities. There was no filler content, everything was very intentional, and I take that as a sign of good directing. The cinematography was surprisingly good. The ending was a great climax. When I picked this film up I had high hopes, and it actually surpassed them.

Avalon (2001) Sci-fi, Action, Drama
Directed by Mamoru Oshii
Starring Malgorzata Foremniak

My general impression of the film was very good. This was my second time watching it, and I found my appreciation for the film to have grown. It’s cool, stylish, and artistic with meaningful content besides action and an attractive female lead. My first impression was that the special effects looked low budget. I still get that impression a bit, but if they are then I think Oshii did very well with what he had to work with. Once I gave the movie a real chance I quickly learned to appreciate it, and after my second watch I liked it even more.


One of Avalon‘s strongest points was it’s visuals. “…state-of-the-art visual effects in the stunning style of The Matrix,” and “with awe-inspiring visuals,” claimed the back of the case. I didn’t agree with “state-of-the-art,” but the visuals were quite good in other ways. Most of the film was shot in this sort of desaturated state of yellow and brown. It almost seemed black and white, but I could still see the redness in a piece of raw meat, orange in an explosion, flesh tone in skin, and other colors. Combined with the pace and atmosphere, the coloring gave an almost film-noir kind of feel like an old detective movie. When characters died in the game they turned 2D and sliced apart, shattered, or dissolved in rings. It was interesting, but far from “state-of-the-art.”

I’m not sure how I feelt about the cinematography. I didn’t pay particular attention to it while watching, but I did recall some shots standing out to me. I particularly liked the shot of her in the chair the first time she logged out of the game. At the same time though, that scene was way too obviously borrowed from Ghost in the Shell and The Matrix. I kind of forgive that because Oshii did direct the Ghost in the Shell movie, and Ghost in the Shell was one of the more prominent influences for The Matrix, but I’m not sure how much to forgive since Ghost in the Shell wasn’t his original work to begin with, but an adaptation of the manga. The point is that Avalon was a bit lacking in originality, but that shot of her in the chair was still an excellent shot. I just didn’t get the impression throughout the film of the cinematography being exceptional. Beyond certain shots I think the cinematography was adequate, but not special. I would have to watch it again and look at the cinematography more intentionally to get a more reliable understanding.

The last set of visual aspects I want to focus on are the costumes, props, and sets. The costumes were great. Ash, the Bishop, the cyphers, and some other characters had really cool aesthetics. I loved Ash’s mask, goggles, and cape when she was in the game. If she wasn’t the greatest player to ever play the game, she was certainly the most stylish. Outside of the game I thought the way they contrasted her look with a trench coat and glasses was a really good choice. I didn’t get a strong impression from all of the costumes though. Pretty much the same principle could apply to the props and sets. As far as the props were concerned they just didn’t seem consistent in their setting. Only certain things were futuristic like the computer screens, datacards, goggles, and equipment used for logging into the game. Other props were just straight from modern time like the furniture, or old-fashioned like the street cars from the 50’s. I don’t know how much of it was intentional, but I got the impression it was partly out of necessity due to budget constraints. The sets in-game were mostly ruins and battle scarred terrain, and outside of the game it was like East Berlin when the wall was up, or something equally depressing. I never really understood the poverty that plagued the world. It seemed to me like just a little bit more needed to be said about it. I barely felt any futuristic vibes from the sets. The closest were the rooms for logging in. The city infrastructure wasn’t even the slightest bit futuristic.

The plot was one of the stronger elements. It moved at a measured pace, as often by what was not said as by what was said. Ash, played by Foremniak, was the complete focal point and driving force. The story revolved around a mysterious higher level within the game that at first existed only in rumor. Eventually even the nature of reality came into question. I was really captivated by the story, and it helped me overlook the minor setbacks I already mentioned.

The acting was good, but not reaching for any awards. The thief character was considerably weaker than the rest of the cast. In terms of directing I did notice some minor details that made me arc a brow. In one scene Ash has bare feet, and then in the next scene with no explanation she suddenly has shoes on. There is a significant cut, but I still would have liked some explanation. She didn’t exactly have enough room in her tiny purse for the pair of shoes. Attention to those kind of details are one thing I look for from a director.

A little more consistent acting and attention to detail are really in the director’s hands, and if they had been done this truly could have been a great film. As it stands it’s still a very good film with an excellent story and a considerable amount of charm and visual appeal. This review was quite critical, but I actually loved the movie. Ash was a fascinating character, and the pace and atmosphere were enthralling. I would recommend this movie to anyone. I think just about everybody would actually enjoy it no matter what their taste. Avalon will probably make my top 100 favorite films.


Acting
Directing
Cinematography
Story and Plot
Character Design and Development
Visuals
Special Effects
Style and Charm
Dialogue
Sci-fi Elements

Overall

I originally wrote this on my blog idioticmechanicalpidgeon.wordpress.com.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17dk...g/original.jpg

The Time Bandits

A fun film about dwarfs travelling through time seeking wealth through thievery, it certainly had it's charm and humor. Evil, portrayed satirically, was the most appealing character to me.


http://www.sensesofcinema.com/wp-con...2/image031.png

La Chinoise

This was my first Godard film, and I loved it. It had so much depth that I felt like I didn't grasp it at all. Visually it was stimulating. The use of color and the cinematography particularly stood out to me. There were a lot of interesting shots that were just beautiful. The technical proficiency combined with the poetic philosophy in the dialogue was something to behold.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Tokyo Story (1953)
Directed by Yasujiro Ozu

My first exposure to Ozu. I heard about him when I was looking at a recent hall of fame thread. The way he was talked about really peaked my interest. I loved Tokyo Story and I intend to watch much more of Ozu now. I've never seen a movie like it. At first I was almost bored. It just seemed like nothing interesting was going to happen. I was still captivated by the cinematography and little subtle things did interest me, but gradually the subtleties got more and more interesting as the movie went on. Noriko, played by Setsuko Hara, was by far my favorite character. Two of her scenes nearly made me cry, and one scene at the end made me shed a few tears. I found that the movie had a lot of charm, was expertly well made, and had a wonderful story. It was amazing how such simple things could be so interesting. Things that normally wouldn't appear in a movie because they're considered boring, like packing a suitcase, were practically mesmerising. I suspect Ozu will quickly become one of my new favorite directors.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

+rep for Time Bandits.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Just caught up with your thread! Some good reviews and points, and some great films in between - though so many of them is ones I haven't seen but really want to!

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I can't believe you hadn't heard of Ozu before. I know that we can't know everyone/everything, but it really does surprise me that you hadn't. I'd have thought he was right up your street, which it appears he is. :)

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Yeah, I'm surprised no one told me about Ozu sooner. Although, I think it was actually just the right timing for me to find him now. A year or two ago and I might have been more bored by Tokyo Story and not appreciated it enough. I definitely feel a shift in recent months towards more serious art films.

I thought Tokyo Story was great but I liked Late Spring more. It's top 5 for Sane and Bluedeed.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...psveqhy19m.png

I rewatched Tokyo Story and I liked it even more. There was so much more to glean, and I felt like I understood at lot more of what was going on. I still couldn't help shedding a few tears at the end. It's a very emotional movie. Every single detail is so precise. It's really flawlessly made. My appreciation has grown. I can't wait to watch more Ozu.

"Isn't life dissapointing?"

"Yes, it is."

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/147881/6...rmia-cover.jpg

Taxidermia (2006)
Directed by György Pálfi

A really weird movie spanning three generations, each characterised by a different kind of obscene obsession. Decent in terms of quality, but not particularly enjoyable in terms of content. My friend chose it, otherwise I probably never would have bothered to watch it.

Rating:

It's my Ozu placeholder in my top 10. I fluctuate between Late Spring, Early Summer and Late Autumn as my favorite Ozu film. Choosing between Ozu films is like choosing a favorite family member or friend for me, it feels unfair and inaccurate always

I would guess that about 95% of the Japanese under the age of 50 (born a couple of years after Ozu died) never watched an Ozu film. Though I might be wrong considering Miyazaki said he watched Tarkovsky's Stalker on the Japanese open TV, so I guess they might show about anything there (especially at late night). Of course, never hearing about Ozu is very different from never watching Ozu.

First time I heard of Hitchcock was when I was 6 years old while the first time I watched a Hitchcock movie I was 20 years old. First time I heard of Miyazaki I was about 11 years old, first time I watched a Miyazaki film I was 23 years old. When I was 11 I read about Totoro and Princess Mononoke in a Brazilian animation magazine but I though "neh, this thing looks like some silly childish thing like Disney".

Just found out about this thread right now, glad you enjoyed Only Yesterday. It was one of the very few times when I cried watching a movie was watching Only Yesterday.

Anybody interested in animation should watch all Takahata films.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I like Takahata more than Miyazaki. I plan to watch many more of his films. I have my sights set on The Tale of Princess Kaguya for the not too distant future.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

He only made 9 animated films and 1 live action documentary. I watched all of Takahata's films by early 2013, besides Kaguya which I watched this year.

It's used several times though in animation where you might not expect it.

For instance, in these fight scenes in The End of Evangelion (1998), the kaijus are rotoscoped:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH32Chen5Vo

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

The Face of an Angel (2014) Drama
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Starring Daniel Brühl, Kate Beckinsale, and Cara Delevingne

I just saw this in theaters, and I was very glad I decided to go see it. It was refreshingly technically excellent with solid acting, cinematography, dialogue, and plot structure. The film itself was very realistic with characters that felt like real people in all their flaws, quirks, and intricacies. The plot followed the events of a director looking for material to write a script for a movie that he would then direct. The content of his quest for film material is a murder trial in Italy. A young college girl was brutally murdered, and two of her friends were on trial. The content of the film deals with the personal life and affairs of Daniel Brühl's character, Thomas.

I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say it was a flaw, but there were a lot of very short shots with frequent cuts. Sometimes the cutting felt a bit awkward, and leaps in time could happen at the drop of a hat. Sometimes the courses of events were extremely fast paced with cuts all over the place. I didn't really mind it, but it did feel a bit weird. I couldn't always tell when a dream scene had started and what was real versus what was in the dream. Maybe that was intentional, but I couldn't really tell. For the most part the acting was great except for a few brief moments where extras sounded like they were reading their lines. I liked Kate Beckinsale in this. It's been a while since I've enjoyed her in a film. Daniel Brühl was excellent as the focus point of the film, and Cara Delevingne was a vibrant personality.

Overall I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, and I would definitely recommend it. There really aren't very many interesting movies in theaters right now, so I would say it's definitely one of the more interesting ones.

Rating:

Since that one was removed another good example of rotoscoping in animation only for a part of the body:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=xOf3MVMPGOc

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I haven't really been keeping tabs on all the movies I've been watching lately. Here's a few.

Nightcrawler (2014)

This is the most I've enjoyed Jake Gyllenhaal since Donnie Darko. I loved how creepy and intelligent his character was. The ending was superb.


Hard Candy (2005)

Ellen Page's first big break. I believe she was 16 when she shot this. She does look young enough to play a 14-year-old though. I remember someone, I think it was Godoggo, saying that they felt really aware of the fact that they were acting. And it had been a long time since I'd seen it, and I'd only seen it once, but I never remembered feeling that way. Anyway, this time around I did feel that at the beginning and again in a scene where a neighbour comes to the door and Ellen's character has to lie. The acting in most of the movie was really good though, with some pretty intense moments. Then it occurred to me why the acting felt that way in those two parts of the movie. The characters were acting, faking their behaviour to fool each other. The girl was pretending to be innocent and the guy was pretending to be charming. I watched it again after realising that and it felt right. This movie also appeals to my niche interests spot on. I love Ellen Page in this. I'd almost call it a celebrity crush. I've become kind of fascinated with her and looking up her other movies. I've seen quite a few, and even in the bad movies (like X-Men) her characters are still interesting. She was terrific a couple of years ago in The East. But anyway, about this niche of mine. Well I'm not really sure how to describe it. I love movies about teenage girls that have some coming of age elements and really strong emotional tension. I guess it's their vulnerability or something like that. Anyway, I get goosebumps thinking about this movie. I actually watched it twice back to back in the same day.


New Rose Hotel (1998)

It's Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, and Asia Argento, and based on a William Gibson cyberpunk novel. I had high hopes for this film, but they fell flat. The cyberpunk elements were very minimal. The movie felt more like an excuse for sex than anything else. They reused footage multiple times in flashbacks. I was quite disappointed.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Re: about Hard Candy. That explains your love for Poker House.

As much of a fan as I am of Walken and Dafoe, the reason I almost watched New Rose Hotel a couple times was because of Asia Argento. I really dig that girl. Ultimately I passed because I figured it sucked.

I should watch Hard Candy again. I was very disappointed the first time as it's my kind of movie. I wish I could be more specific but I don't remember it very well.

I'm also a fan of Nightcrawler.

Blue Valentine (2010)

Directed by Derek Cianfrance
Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

I think Blue Valentine is a terrible name for this movie. It makes it sound like a really lame chick flick. I guess it kind of is a chick flick, but it's anything but lame. Blue Valentine is a very realistic look at the beauty of love, and the difficulty of marriage and life in general. At times it's so beautiful in it's happiness and passion, and at other times it's really heart breaking in it's ugliness and dissapointment. Michelle Williams is an actress I'm starting to become aware of, and who I think is very talented. Ryan Gosling is a good actor who I haven't loved in some roles, but he was great in this. The director was able to get good acting out of everyone, and the story was woven between past and present. I felt the transitions were very good in the way they weaved the story of Gosling and Williams' characters' relationship. The movie was really great at bringing out a lot of emotions in me as an observer. I would highly recommend this movie. It's potent and real. Even if you don't care for romance I think the story and characters are very interesting and appealing on their own.


I give this movie a special award for the best pick-up line from a man to a woman on an all but empty bus.

"Excuse me, can I sit here? All the other seats are taken."

Mouth to Mouth (2005)

Directed by Alison Murray
Starring Ellen Page

An extremely potent movie about life and a group of somewhat misfits, a mixture of street people, drug addicts, prostitutes, runaways, and other people of that nature. In the pursuit of a meaningful life they find help within their group to live free from addiction and the restraints of so called normal society. The story focuses on one girl, Sherry, who is a runaway and somewhat delinquent. She meets this group and falls in with them, enchanted by their profound speeches and free-spirited lifestyle. I won't talk about the plot more than that for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but that's basically how it starts out. The acting was great from everyone, not just Page. There is a lot of powerful emotion inspiring excitement and joy as well as pain and sorrow. It deals with some really interesting issues, like the bond between mother and daughter, trying to understand, trying to love, and trying to find meaning in life. I watched it because I wanted to see more of Ellen Page's work, and the trailer was enough to convince me it would be a pretty solid movie. I was overjoyed with how good it turned out. It's an amazing movie, very moving and excellently made. I rented it, but I wish that I could have bought it.

I already wanted to see Blue Valentine and Mouth to Mouth sounds good too. Great work Zotis!

The Tracey Fragments (2007)
Directed by Bruce McDonald
Starring Ellen Page and Maxwell McCabe-Lokos

I'm on an Ellen Page kick. I never thought I'd get a crush on her. I never really used to find her particularly attractive, but she's growing on me. I just think she has a really interesting personality, and makes a lot of great film/career choices unlike many other talented actors and actresses. There are still a few of her movies I don't have any interest in watching, like Touchy Feely because it just looks boring. And I've never been able to sit through Juno. I tried twice, but just ended up turning it off after a while. Well she has captivated me again with her performance in The Tracey Fragments. The movie itself is a bit weird. It revolves around 15-year-old Tracey and explores her life as it swirls around the theme of her having lost her 9 year-old brother. She is a self-destructive, but relatively cool chick, yet is actually bullied at school and treated like a looser by, ironically, a bunch of loosers. It's kind of a sad movie that makes you feel the depression she must be going through. The cinematography is interesting. Often times there is a sort of collage of shots filling the screen which capture a scene from several angles and different points in time that weave together. In Tarantino fashion the various scenes are out of order gradually piecing together what's going on for the viewers. I like the poetic voice-over that internalises everything. I also love her retro ski-do jacket. It reminds me of one I used to have that got lost or stolen when I was living in an apartment with 10 room-mates. That also reminds me... I need to get another one.

I don't think I've watched anything else by McDonald. He seems to have done a good job with The Tracey Fragments, but nothing else on his resume looks even remotely interesting to me.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Juno (2007)
Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, J. K. Simmons, and Allison Janney

It took me a few tries to get through this movie, but once I learned to appreciate it's awkwardness it was quite an enjoyable experience. I felt that Ellen's character dealt a little too well with the difficulties of being a pregnant teen for it to be believable, but despite that I think they did an excellent job of making their story interesting.





Vivre Sa Vie (1962)
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
Starring Anna Karina

An artistic masterpiece. I've never been so interested in the backs of people's heads. The cinematography was captivating. This was the first time I've seen Anna Karina. I think she is possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. That's probably not true, but if someone asked me that's the only name that would instantly come to mind as contending for the spot. I heard murmurs of this "famous" Anna Karina. I thought the Russian movie Anna Karenina (1967) was what all the fuss was about. And then I think I heard of another movie with the same or similar title... or was it a book... or a person... I also heard rumors, more specifically about "Anna Karina" the actress. Now I see what all the fuss was about. About five movies already on my to-watch list just got bumped up. Anyway, back to Vivra Sa Vie... Well, actually I don't think words would do it any justice.

I liked Vivra Sa Vie, but I totally agree with you on Anna Karina-she's smoking!

Le Petit Soldat (1963)
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
Starring Anna Karina and Michel Subor

An interesting movie, but not as impressive as Vivre Sa Vie. A younger Anna Karina was cute, pretty, and a bit ditsy. Michel Subor was the pivotal character. The camera work was a bit unrefined, and the plot was a bit rough around the edges. The dialogue was quite philosophical and poetic.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

You should see a Godard movie without Anna Karina and see how you feel. How many of his works have you seen?

Good write up of Vivre Sa Vie. I give it the same rating.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I've seen three Godard films. The third is La Chinoise.

I strongly recommend Week End. It's my favorite Godard and I can easily see you liking it.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Long shots swept through scenes displaying brilliant set design and long periods of acting without cuts. This cinematography and acting combined with "Cinema Verite" style storytelling of actors playing actors enthralled me. The emotional tension kept me on the edge of my seat with excitement. I was thoroughly engrossed and absolutely loved it. I don't know if Keaton deserved the Academy Award over Carell, but his performance was pretty spectacular.





I like J. K. Simmons, and he was very strong in the lead supporting role as Terrence Fletcher, the university professor who pushed his students to perform beyond expectations with extreme methods. There was a lot of intense emotion from his character and he did it extremely well. I think it's the most impressive performance I've seen him in. The story was about striving to achieve a loft ambitious dream of becoming one of the greatest musicians of all time. Not many people have the courage to set their sights so high, and even fewer have the strength and determination to reach that height. It was a very inspiring film. Miles Teller is not an actor I'm at all familiar with, though he has done a number of movies already.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

A beautiful emotionally gripping film with a very simple plot. A young woman's car breaks down while she's passing through a small town on her way to Alaska. Troubles compile and to make matters worse her dog Lucy goes missing. It's a fairly short movie running only an hour and twenty minutes. I felt very sympathetic for Wendy, played by Michelle Williams, as she bottled her emotions up inside while the problems kept piling up. I'm becoming quite fond of Michelle Williams. She's a very talented actress and beautiful woman.





This was my second time watching Lady Vengeance. It had been quite a few years, and I wasn't sure how my initial impression would hold up. Well, I think I like it even more than I did before. I actually shed a few tears. It's a really well constructed film with strong acting and cinematography. The story unfolds through different time frames and complex series of events. There's really quite a lot going on. It's not as strong as Oldboy, but it's a very interesting movie in it's own right. At times it's shocking in it's sexual and violent content, and at other times it's very sympathetic and emotional the way it puts it's characters through tragedy and shows you their pain and sorrow.





Okay so the only reason I decided to watch this again was because I wanted to see how Ellen Page really did in this aweful, horrible, piece of garbage of a movie. It had been years since I last watched it. About 9 years in fact. I saw it in theatres and hated it instantly. Watching it again though I'm amazed at how many talented actors did such a poor job. I'm also amazed at how good Ellen Page is in it. I think it's truly a testament to her talent as an actress. Even in the scene after Xavier dies where Iceman, Shawn Ashmore, is trying to comfort her, his acting was terrible and hers was fantastic. It was so obvious that he was just acting, but she was actually inspiring emotion and feeling. I think Haley Ramm, who played the young Jean, also did a pretty good job. Literally everyone else was utter garbage. I actually lost track of the number of times I burst out laughing at how bad the acting was, and how terrible the plot was. It was so bad that I enjoyed it. It's officially in my "so bad it's good" book.

I really enjoyed Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff but haven't seen anything else by her - have been meaning to so I will try to watch Wendy & Lucy soon. Lady Vengeance is very good. Apparently I have watched The Last Stand but have absolutely no recollection of it - my rating does seem to indicate that it sucked though :)

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Meek's Cutoff is on my to-watch list, but I didn't really realise it was by the same director. I just put pretty much all of Michelle Williams' movies on my to-watch list. :p

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Didn't love Birdman like I was supposed to, but Emma Stone was friggin hot. :D

Whiplash is my favorite movie of last year, because I'm a drummer and Fletcher reminds me of a strict, almost hairless old dude who made me practice a single drum beat for an hour.

i give Sympathy for Lady Vengeance the same rating as you did. Easy solid , my 2nd fav Park behind you-know-what.

I enjoyed your thoughts on X-Men: The Last Stand while giving back and forth messages, glad to see it here. I didn't enjoy the unintentionally hilarious factor as much as you did, so I rest with a

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Thanks Gatsby, I appreciate your comments, and yours too Sane (and everyone who's posted in this thread for that matter :p). I like it when people actually make a comment at least, as apposed to just repping. I don't just want to post brief reviews and have a few people read them. I actually want to talk a bit about them too.

There was a scene where Logan and Storm were arguing, and the way that Jackman turned his back dramatically, scrunched his face in "anger/frustration/resentment", and then threw his posture to the side. I just couldn't help but laugh at how poor a portrayal it was of an argument and those emotions. I noticed whenever Jackman would portray emotion the camera would cut very quickly away from the closeup to a distant shot on his body so you couldn't see his face. Obvious editing to get around the bad acting, and just laziness on the director's part too instead of pushing the actors for a better performance. I figure Page was probably trying a lot harder because she was surrounded by so many stars at such a young age and early point in her career.

The thing about Birdman that really captured me was how long the shots were. It actually says a lot about the acting. The fact that all those emotional parts were done between so many actors without cuts.

Wendy and Lucy added to watchlist.

Thanks for the reviews!

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Sorry for not commenting back when I repped you, I had to leave out the door so never got around to it.

Anyways, good short direct reviews, Zotis, they might actually be just about the perfect length for your opinion and thoughts to come across and without it ever feeling too long or too short. Respect for that, I enjoyed them.

Whiplash was one of my absolute favorites from last year, and the movie gave me an experience like never before. I was so pumped up and excited and on the edge of my seat during the last scene, that when it ended I was still breathless and bathing in sweat. Talk about the intensity coming out of the screen. Damn. But such a great film, expertly put together and the acting is phenomenal, which it has to be when it's only two forces that really drives this film and their individual ambitions.

Birdman was a hard movie for me to judge, but I will say I really like it, and it's very unique and fun to watch. I think I will have to watch it a couple of times to be totally certain of how I feel about it...

I will definitely try to check in here again, good work, Zotis! :up:

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

you always have such a prolific, enjoyable array of movies. I need to come back and peruse.

I fully agree with Birdman, quite an excellent movie and I keep seeing Whiplash and keep getting more and more curious about this one. I love Lady Vengeance as well - the entire trilogy actually.

Great reviews, Zotis

I bought Whiplash quite a while ago, maybe two months ago. It took me a while to get around to watching it. I kept thinking to myself, Jazz drummer doesn't really feel like the most interesting theme. But it really impressed me in the quality of the acting and story, and it's emotional delivery.

I still need to watch Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance to finish the trilogy.

Thanks for the comments everyone, and MM, there's really no need to apologize. ;)

Thanks guys, that's very nice of you to say.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Bergman has been for some time now, in my mind, one of the greatest directors of all time based on his reputation and the way people have talked about his films. Without ever seeing a film of his I just knew he was great. Now it's been a long time coming, and I should have been watching his films ages ago. I'm glad that I've finally seen one of his films, and it was everything I had hoped it would be. The Seventh Seal is an extraordinary film. The story is told through brilliant contrasts from the most casual common everyday events to the most remarkably profound aspects of human existence. The characters are very real portrayals of an exceptionally broad scope. There's everything from brilliant minds to fools, from the saintly pure to the most violent scum of the earth. I can't wait to see more of Bergman, and I will very soon.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

Glad you enjoyed it. The Seventh Seal is one of those films that helped me transform into a hardocre film-addict from just a guy who occasionally watches movies.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

It's like a textbook example of how a film should be made.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I need to get back to The Seventh Seal. Wasn't in the right mood the first time, but it's definitely a movie I want to watch and finish, obviously. :p I've liked most of what I've seen so far from Bergman, so now when more experienced with his films it may be about the right time to get back to it.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I really liked The Seventh Seal, though I've only seen it once. I've tried a few other Bergman films, but I've just not been able to replicate that feeling. I think I've only made it to the end of a couple of those, too.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

I rented Fanny and Alexander. I've heard great things about it so my expectations are really high.

Re: Zotis' Film Watching Diary
 

This is a re-watch for me. It's the third or fourth time I've watched it. After watching it again I love it even more. I think my fascination with Ellen Page is becoming infatuation. She is so good in this. Her character is a total sociopath. This movie is great for many reasons. While the acting, for the most part, isn't masterful, it is consistently good, and I think Ellen's awkward, crazy, and emotional moments are the best. But what this movie really excels at is its balance between drama and comedy, its awkward realism, and the delivery of its subject matter. In some ways it carries on in the vein of Kick Ass, but it's quite a different flavor. There is an interesting accuracy in the portrayal of boredom, morality, and real danger in this movie. At one point the hero sits behind a garbage dumpster for two nights waiting for crime to happen, and nothing happens. At another point the hero simply gets his butt kicked. There's times where the "heroes" do things that are clearly wrong, like assaulting someone for cutting in line at a movie theater. It's an artsy movie, though I wouldn't call it a masterpiece by any stretch. Many of the villains are generic henchmen types that come off as a bit cliche. But the story, about an awkward man dawning a costume and mask to fight crime and rescue his wife from the clutches of a drug dealer, is charming.

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:highfive: One of my favorites.

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I'm glad you like it too Swan. I am actually hesitating about giving it 4 or 4.5 out of 5. I think the acting from some of the extras is a bit weak though, and that kind of knocks it down a peg for me, but it has so many great moments, shock factors, and big laughs that I just can't decide if it deserves to get bumped up to 4.5 anyway. It doesn't quite make my top 100, but it was a contender that I considered for quite a while.

Super isn't perfect by any means, certainly, but I have stopped caring about "perfection" a long time ago. When it comes to personal connection and enjoyment, there's not a lot like it for me.

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Well, when I watch movies like Vivre Sa Vie, and The Seventh Seal, it kind of makes me start caring about perfection a lot. But I'm not incapable of enjoying flawed movies. The kind of movies I can't stand are the ones that over emphasise the most superficial elements, and completely neglect the most important elements. That's what I think movies like Transformers and Avengers do, not that there's anything wrong with a person finding enjoyment in those kind of movies. I just don't like them myself. But if a movie has terrible cinematography and mediocre acting I can still fall in love with it if certain things are charming and appealing. Martial arts movies are a perfect example.

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So glad you enjoyed A Woman Under the Influence and I agree with just about everything you said about it. It is definitely Casavettes and Rowland's masterpiece.

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I haven't seen too many of Casavettes' films, but that level of realism blows me away.

I also enjoyed Super, funny and unique.

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I'm glad you like it too Cricket. It gives me such fond memories.

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I watched this because I saw it on the shelf when I was browsing the video store, and I've heard a lot of good things about it. Also I had just recently heard people talking about it in the 60's list thread. It was quite an impressive artistic film with excellent cinematography, good acting, and strong themes. I enjoyed the pacing and the way the characters were developed through their relationship. It's definitely a great film. In terms of my personal enjoyment of the film, it mostly came from appreciating the technical aspects. I enjoy watching films like that. The feelings the film gave me were like an art study more than anything else.

Well, let me start by saying that this is a brilliant masterpiece. Well, as far as I can tell without understanding the original language. That certainly creates at least some barrier against understanding the quality of the acting/dialogue. But in terms of emotional portrayals there were so many outstanding scenes and the whole cast performed unanimously well, which is definitely a tribute to the quality of the directing. The sets and costumes must have costed a fortune for the extravagant wealthy lifestyles that were portrayed. The story was brilliantly told. I mean the length and manner by which they established the setting and plot was just mind blowing. I've never seen anything like it in that regard. They showed the whole family, and with such depth to all the characters. Oh, and what a portrayal of life itself! From the surface pretenses to the underlying turmoils it was all very realistic and examining some of the most interesting aspects of life.

If more of the content had been to my personal interests this would easily have become a personal favorite, but as it is I still consider this some truly great work. I should also mention that I watched the full 300+ minutes TV version.

Good review, glad you liked it Zotis!

First Bergman I watched, still the best to me. I heard that it was just a compilation of themes and previous characters and set-ups according to hardcore Bergman fans, but since I'm not that I enjoyed it just fine. I also watched the TV version. I also loved how you just disappeared into the lives of this big family, everything felt so complicated and yet so elegantly executed. A family epic you could call it.

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Yeah, I totally agree. I love how subtle a character Fanny was. I think the title was so strategic in the way it made you notice them more before the story even really started revolving around them. And it felt way more refined in virtually every way than The Seventh Seal. I definitely want to see more Bergman.

I keep pushing Fanny and Alexander to the back of the list due to it's runtime. One of these days....

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It's broken up into episodes. I watched one episode a day, and the last two together because I really wanted to see what happened next.

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I found Bae Doona, playing the terrorist girlfriend, particularly interesting in this. She's cute, but also a charming spunky sociopath with a cool attitude. The plot revolves around Ryu, a deaf and mute man who works at a factory to pay his sister's hospital bills. He's trying to get his sister the kidney transplant she needs. A series of events all go horribly wrong leading him to a desperate attempt at kidnapping in order to get the money he needs, but it doesn't stop there. Everything you could imagine goes wrong and then some. The movie is an interesting twist of events that leads not only Ryu, but also a business man named Park to go on the bloodthirsty hunt for revenge. The film was very well made in all the fundamental aspects of cinematography, acting, dialogue, character development, plot structure, etc... I loved the assortment of characters and the screwed up story, and the way that everything spun together to create a really messed up set of circumstances that drew sympathy for it's whole cast. I finally finished the "Vengeance Trilogy" and I love how each movie is so different from the others.