The 13TH Hall of Fame

Please Quote/Tag Or I'll Miss Your Responses

05-22-17

Originally Posted by Citizen Rules

Both films are about people who don't fit into 'society's norm' and so they take a quest to find themselves. Their life's journey or quest starts after finding themselves in dire situations.

Harry finds himself with no place to live and so that sets him on a journey that I guess you can say heals him...or at least he discovers more to life than what was in his apartment.

Billy in Buffalo 66 is also cast adrift from his time in prison and wants to be right with his family and yet his family don't give a rats ass about him, just like Harry's family didn't really care about him. Billy in the end does get some closure and a better life too.

I'd say both films have the same style of film making, to me they feel similar. Both have a style that seems to me honest and personal, but not grandiose or overly cinematic. Both avoid being just entertainment or going for the super dramatic moments. Yeah, I really liked Buffalo 66 a lot and I would rate it a

I think Harry's kids loved him, especially his oldest son, who did everything for his father, and was in a tough position with his wife, fighting sons, work, etc.. Same with Ellen Burstyn and Larry Hagman -- he just wishes they were married with children.

I agree with everything else, you expressed it so well I wouldn't have to add. Very glad you liked it, and it's exciting to know that each day, more and more of us see more and more movies, so we have more and more to discuss

Citizen Rules

Trouble with a capitial 'T'

05-22-17

Originally Posted by matt72582

Oh that's right, I do remember that now. I've only seen Harry and Tonto once and like 6 months ago? so I had forgotten about that, but yeah you're right.

CosmicRunaway

Winner by Default

05-23-17

Originally Posted by Citizen Rules

The one thing that I didn't say in my review was: I found the film truly funny at times. And the humor isn't the obvious kind, but realistic humor that comes from real life.

I actually watched Buffalo '66 last night, and didn't get that at all. I saw a few reviews stating that it was funny, and that seriously surprised me.

I did smile and actually laugh once, and it was:

WARNING: "Buffalo '66" spoilers below

During the fake out ending when the parents are at Billy's funeral.

I didn't quite finish what I had written last night, and I have to go to work soon so I can't finish it now. I'm only working half a shift today though, so I'll have plenty of time to finish it afterwards. I don't have much to say about it anyway.

Camo, I know how much you like this movie so prepare to be disappointed.

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A Strange Variety of Film Reviews | The New Flesh: A David Cronenberg Club
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Camo

BANNED

05-23-17

Citizen sent his list. As i told him i'll update the second post in the next few days, don't really have the time right now. Also have to read the reviews in the last few pages.

Added Citizens list. Won't give too much away but every film has at least 10 points and three films have already took a pretty substantial lead, that can and i suspect will drastically change as more lists come in of course. It looks nothing like i'd expect it to so far but we've not even had a quarter of the lists so far.

CosmicRunaway

Winner by Default

05-23-17

Buffalo '66 (1998)
Dir. Vincent Gallo
Starring: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Kevin Corrigan

This was a very difficult film for me to watch, and one where time just dragged and it became increasingly difficult not to look at my phone. It's not that I hated anything about the film, I just didn't find it interesting or the least bit engaging. While Vincent Gallo certainly gave a believable performance, by the halfway point of the movie I really wanted him to stop talking. Inconsequential and petty things started to catch my attention, like how the guy at the hotel said that check out time was 11am, when a clearly visible sign behind him said that checkout time was at noon.

While watching the dinner scene with Billy's parents, I couldn't tell if I liked the editing or not. The camera kept breaking the 180-degree rule, so at first I actually thought it was cutting between conversations that occurred at different times over the course of the evening, which to me was rather clever because at a certain point in life conversations with one's parents tend to follow the same script every time, especially if nothing has changed since you last talked. When I realized the camera was just jumping around the table, it was quite the disappointment. I did, however, appreciate how it added a layer of discomfort to the scene that obviously paralleled Billy's own feelings, and the tension between him and his parents.

The performances in the film were good for the most part, but I just didn't care for any of the characters. Billy acted in such a despicable manner that whenever he tried playing the sympathy card (usually shortly after yelling at or threatening someone), I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Layla had so many chances to just drive away early in the film, that her refusal to do so made me stop caring about what could happen to her as well. As such, I vastly preferred Billy's imagined ending because I didn't believe the characters deserved anything better than that. This film clearly just wasn't for me. I didn't even realize until I was reading reviews afterwards that it was supposed to have elements of comedy. Maybe if I was invested in the characters at all I would've seen some of it, but that wasn't the case. I liked some of the cinematography, but unfortunately that was about all.

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CosmicRunaway

Winner by Default

05-23-17

Originally Posted by Camo

As i told him i'll update the second post in the next few days, don't really have the time right now.

I've been keeping links to my own reviews in my (honestly not abandoned) review thread. So if you like you can just copy mine from there instead of having to get the direct links yourself.

Originally Posted by CosmicRunaway

13th Hall of Fame:
The Hunt (2012), The Great Dictator (1940), Manchester by the Sea (2016),
Captain Fantastic (2016), Wings of Desire (1987), The Three Musketeers (1973),
The Quiet Earth (1985), Nightmare Alley (1947), Flesh and Blood (1985),
The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979), Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (2003),
The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012), Buffalo '66 (1998)

It's cheap day at the local theatre, so I might go see Alien: Covenant. If not, I'll probably watch Dead Poet's Society. Then I'll only have two films left.

rauldc14

2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ

05-26-17

Buffalo '66 today for sure! About time I get to another of these! Maybe another one as well.

rauldc14

2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ

05-26-17

Buffalo '66

I don't know a lot about Vincent Gallo, but I will echo nearly everyone in calling him a sleezeball. Like Cricket I don't know if this is real acting or if his real life character plays the role with ease. The whole time through I was engaged with what was going on, expecting some sort of escalation or surprise with where the story was going. We didn't necessarily get that, but it still held my attention the whole time. Without a girl like Christina Ricci, this film could have fallen on it's face. With her, it was pretty enjoyable, although certainly it was hard at times to believe she would want anything to do with Billy. But I've seen pairings like this in real life before, often leading to me shaking my head.

I wouldn't say the film especially excels at anything, but it was a decent watch. I thought there would be more to the Buffalo story than what there actually was, so in that case it was a disappointment. I was almost caught off guard with the ending, but I originally thought something like that was bound to happen anyways.

I thought it was great when Ricci got that strike too BTW. Thought that was funny as hell.

Camo

BANNED

05-27-17

Originally Posted by SilentVamp

How long was the version that you watched? I saw some stuff that I was very upset over, but I didn't see anything where he was cramming anything into their mouths. Thank God I didn't! The tying of the rocks onto their bodies was more than enough for me.

OK. Yeah, I don't remember that at all in there.

I 100% agree with you. I think it was because she was disappointed with Lucas and how he treated her. Her feelings were hurt and she said something bad about him. I think children know what they are saying is wrong when they say something like that (when they are falsely accusing someone) - or else they wouldn't say it - but there is no way they ever know the full extent of the effect that can happen when something like that is said.

And my theories?

WARNING: spoilers below

You knew something had to have happened to her because of what she knew and how she described a man to be in that situation.

So I figured it was possible that it was her brother. I know he was crying when they were doing whatever it was with the Christmas stuff. Part of me thought that maybe he felt guilty about something - I was really trying to come up with somebody. But then again, I figured that maybe, and most likely, he was just upset over his baby sister being treated that way.

And then I thought that maybe it was the godfather of Lucas' son. For one thing, he was the only one who stood by him. Now, I am not saying that made him guilty, but he seemed to be the one person who is certain about Lucas. Why? Unless he knows Lucas definitely didn't do anything, and that is because he was the guilty party. Second, the kids were all repeating the same thing about a basement and a tapestry, I guess. In the godfather's basement, I believe that was a tapestry hanging there when Lucas' son was looking over the photos.

That was why I thought those things. But when you bring up the picture situation, that kind of cancels my theories out, I guess.

WARNING: "hunt" spoilers below

I don't think the film was enough about the criminal act for it to have actually happened if that makes sense. I mean, i don't think she was abused at all, i think they would have shown it. The film was about the witch hunt not the abuse. And yeah i think the pictures explains that, wasn't aware that was only on certain versions.

Camo

BANNED

05-27-17

Updated the second post. Don't think i missed anything but if i did let me know.

So glad with Citizens reaction to Buffalo '66

. I think oddly this has been the HOF where we liked each others noms the most. I'll try to comment on your review and the discussion later. And completely understand your reaction Cosmic, i was expecting much more of that than Citizens reaction. Glad you didn't despise it at least. Good to see you got something out of it Raul even though it wasn't that good for you. Also happy to see Spring, Summer getting a bit more of a positive reception with ScarlettLions review.

As well as the three that have finished, six have watched at least half: seven if you count Vamp i was only talking about people who've posted about at least half. Great work

Nestorio_Miklos

Please, have a seat.

05-27-17

The Broken Circle Breakdown
- plenty of spoilers below -

So I watched this psychological drama this morning and was quite impressed. First I thought to myself: Oh crap, yet another cancer cliche movie, well let's get some tissue ready, but a big surprise, it was not just about that. This film is much deeper. We see the most important and deepest questions of life and death. We see this deep down hidden desire after something transcendent in our lives, whether we want it or not.

We watch this couple how they're developing a nice relationship and falling in love. Elise, tattoo studio owner with artistic soul and christian based upbringing and Didier, bluegrass banjo player with his band and his bohemian life. Not able to take his commitment seriously he is taken by surprise Elise announcing him she's 3 month pregnant. First pissed, then decided and happy Didier starts to reconstruct the house to bring the baby to a nice home. Then the happy period of life comes having the baby Maybelle, Elise joining the band going for gigs both trying hard to be a family. All that goes awry when they learn Maybelle has got cancer and subsequently dies. There are moments of hope, tears, anger, sorrow.

I like the Mother's Day scene as they mute the dialogues because nobody was listening to anybody and was nicely supplemented by quiet and sad score. Then we see them both, each in front of their own shrine facing the truth, Didier in front of the TV with booze and smokes, Elise with cross, candles and pictures of Maybelle nicely showing the differences. They pick the fights and both search who to blame. Very important moment. They needed to yell it out and not just keep quiet in front of their shrines. So they move forward refurbishing Maybelle's room to a study, making love but the sadness and anger is still there. And religion issue comes up with the hawk stickers and Bush's speech. I mean, it was always there but both, Didier and Elise, were suppressing it avoiding the topic. Didier was only pretending to respect her beliefs and devotions. Now that tragedy and death of daughter is experienced, they face the differences. Also, Elise was suppressing her inner disagreement with a ridiculed bluegrass-ish Marriage vows. She would rather have a proper marriage in a church with a priest considering her Christian roots. All these huge differences and how their personalities and principles were constituted by their families, religion, morals, philosophy are coming out on light.

Then they looking for a new identities trying to overcome the sadness and anger becoming Monroe and Alabama and God-hates-you-plea arrived to stage, utterly awkward and out of the place addressing a bunch of people who just came to enjoy the music. But Monroe/Didier was not addressing the crowd, he was asking very important questions to himself. Also very important moment of the film.

Out of the body experience and Didier wanting to say hi to Maybelle slowly believing in hereafter dropping his purely materialistic beliefs all that supplemented with the final concert was amazing. I was crying. Great acting, great soundtrack, good picture, arts, story etc. And actually a friend of mine, blue grass player himself, told me that the blue grass scene in Belgium was very scarce and bands were going to neighboring countries for gigs but this movie actually got it moving there. Great nom @ScarlettLion!

__________________
You can call it the art of fighting without fighting.

CosmicRunaway

Winner by Default

05-27-17

Dead Poets Society (1989)
Dir. Peter Weir
Starring: Robert Sean Leonard, Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke

This is probably a very unpopular opinion, but I have never been a fan of the late Robin Williams. He always did a great job committing to his performances, but there's just something about his acting or characters that prevents me from being drawn in, particularly with his comedy, and I've never been able to pinpoint what that is. That said, this is one film where I can actually see why other people love him and find him so influential. There was still some unseen thing I found slightly off-putting, but Keating was very charming with an obvious passion that I believe actually would inspire students to follow their hearts. Keating has a comparatively small amount of screen time, which I think works to the film's benefit because he is really just a catalyst, and not the main focus of the story.

I thought it was interesting to follow each of the boys to see how they were motivated to overcome obstacles or to discover their own passions. Many of the performances were good, with Robert Sean Leonard in particular standing out, however I didn't like Ethan Hawke's performance or his character, so for me he really brought down any scene he was part of. A few of the boys were unfortunately rather underdeveloped as well, and I had a hard time remembering who each one of them were. Someone here previously used the word �interchangeable� to describe them, and I think that is very fitting.

While I enjoyed Dead Poets Society a lot more this time than when I had previously seen it, I still thought it was a little contrived, and found the themes to be quite uneven. On one hand it's preaching about individuality and following your dreams, while simultaneously warning audiences about the dangers of nonconformity. These two ideas could be blended together to show that it's worth your time and the risk to be creative, but the film completely fails to do so. Instead it seems to harshly tell viewers to stay in line or face the consequences, which I don't think was actually the filmmaker's intention. Despite the mixed message, the film is still fairly enjoyable, and I'm glad I got the chance to see it again and change my opinion.

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SilentVamp

Save the Texas Prairie Chicken

05-27-17

Originally Posted by Camo

WARNING: "hunt" spoilers below

WARNING: spoilers below

I knew the film was more about the accusation and not the abuse, but when I was watching it, all I did was question why this kid would know so much detail about a man unless something had happened to her. A kid can say someone did something wrong and nobody did anything at all. But it was the detail that made me question it all (as in, who could've done something to her). Then, when I heard that others have seen a photo that was shown to her, that completely changed my thoughts about who did anything to her because that tells you why she ever had any details to be able to describe what supposedly happened with Lucas. That one little bit really changed the movie for me. I don't see why it would've been cut. It is ridiculous and if it couldn't be shown in theaters, fine. But I am watching it at home. What would the big deal have been if it had been left in?
When I think about it, I vaguely remember her being shown the phone by her brother, but I honestly don't remember it being anything that made me think "Oh, I bet that's where she got the idea from". Unless I really wasn't paying attention at the one moment, I think it was a scene that was in and out of my head as soon as I saw it because I didn't think it was anything in particular.
Say something did happen to her, I don't think they ever would've shown it. If nothing else, it would've left people with questions like I had, I think.

__________________
I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe

Camo

BANNED

05-27-17

Originally Posted by SilentVamp

WARNING: spoilers below

WARNING: "hunt" spoilers below

I kind of misworded that. I didn't mean they would have openly came out and said this is the person who actually abused her. What i mean is that they wouldn't have given you the answer with the brother showing the pictures and also that they would have probably have shown you some signs of abuse in her and left it ambiguous who actually did but made it clear she was abused at some point.

Can totally see how that being left out would've made you do that, i would've thought that too without the pictures which is why i mentioned that in the post you initially quoted. You probably had quite a different experience than those of us who did see that scene while watching it. And as Cosmic pointed out it happens really quickly so without seeing what was on the phone you wouldn't have thought anything of it. Weird that they took it out, guess it's just the idea of such a young girl looking at porn but i seriously doubt she was actually shown porn, i think they would have just shown the brother giving it to her then they would have filmed someone else holding the phone with porn on it.

SilentVamp

Save the Texas Prairie Chicken

05-27-17

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter�and Spring

I am one who really likes long movies, but what I am not fond of are slow movies. There is a big difference between the two. Very rarely do I comment on the length of a film, but I most certainly will comment on its pace.

I thought this movie was very slow, and much slower than it should�ve been. From what I understand there are a lot of references to Buddhism, and maybe that has something to do with the pace, too. Does the supposed �calming� pace of the film have something to do with it? Because I don�t know why it was that slow. It made an average length movie feel like an epic one.

I made it known before that I didn�t care for the scenes with the animals. I appreciated the fact that he made the boy wear the rock as punishment, but I didn�t care to see that done to the animals. Maybe if we saw him attach the rocks and you saw the struggle for a couple of seconds, but no more than that. I don�t want to see such long shots of these creatures suffering.

I wasn�t happy with �Spring� for that reason. The kid was a brat. �Summer� was OK until I had to see him have sex with her twice. Why? We knew they did it already, and that was most likely what they were going off to do again, but I don�t want to sit through it again. Who cares?!

Now, I, for one, liked the �Fall� segment the best. I enjoyed the detectives (or were they just plain clothes policemen?) in it. I liked watching that segment play out the most. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that it took such a different turn in the story (but that may have something to do with the change in his life�s story). It was just an overall different tone. As for the character being played by a new actor, I didn�t understand that either. My only explanation for that (and this was the only way that I could accept the fact that it was a different actor) is that because he had changed so much inside, that it also helped to change his appearance outside. When he left there, he became a different man (and then that is why a different man was literally playing the character).

With �Winter�, he returns. Then he looks as if he were the same person he was before �Fall�, which is another reason why I say that is why a different actor portrayed him in that segment then. I am probably stretching it, but that is my theory. And while I am on �Winter�, that dragged on. How long did I have to see him climb and hike?

And I can see that we all go in circles, I suppose, and that is why we ended with the beginning, "Spring", but the film didn't really need that added on.

I just really need to know why filmmakers think a slow pace is necessary. I have no problem with it when it is used in, for example, a suspense film. But when it is used in what is just supposed to be a story, I don�t see its purpose. And I completely understand a longer film to give more detail to a story. But why is a slow pace necessary? All it makes me want to do is rip my hair out of my head. This was an average length film that really didn�t need to be that long at all.

SilentVamp

Save the Texas Prairie Chicken

05-27-17

Nightmare Alley

I knew I saw this movie.

I thought I did, but as I watched it, I wasn�t sure. And then I saw Tyrone Power as �The Great Stanton�, and then I knew that I definitely saw it. Maybe not all the way through, but definitely starting at that point in the film (and I definitely remembered the ending and the way he looks at the end).

I wasn�t as into the first part of it � with the carnival � as I was later on. At first it seemed like it wasn�t sure what kind of story it wanted to tell, but when the carnival was over (and I now get why there was all of that in the story), I liked it a lot better.

There were questions that I had, though:

WARNING: spoilers below

-How did she make that electric current happen between her hands? Or am I not supposed to ask that?

I just don�t remember if that was explained.
-I am a little confused about The Code. How could he get it all correct? I know it had something to do with the way she would ask the questions that he would know how to answer them. But some of those answers were SO specific that I didn�t understand how anyone could possibly remember every possible way that a question should be asked to know every possible way that the question should be answered.
-Why would he have ever trusted the therapist? That baffled me most of all!! You�d think he�d be smarter than to do something as stupid as that! But I suppose every person, such as he was, has a downfall at some point.
-Why is this called �Nightmare Alley�? Am I missing something here? With that sort of title I thought I was getting something like a gun-shooting noir. Not one that has characters using false supernatural powers.

And is it just me, or has Coleen Gray been nominated a few times lately? I, of course, am one of the guilty people for having nominated a film with her in the Noir HoF.

Anyway, it was an interesting little picture with some good performances. So, thanks to Citizen Rules for giving me entertaining way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

SilentVamp

Save the Texas Prairie Chicken

05-27-17

The Three Musketeers

I didn�t know if I saw this or not. I knew everyone that appeared in this film, which is why I thought I�d seen it, but none of it looked familiar to me.

Anyway, I have never read any of the Musketeer stories, but I knew the basic storyline and the characters. In fact, I have seen one filmed version, and that was a 1960�s miniseries starring Jeremy Brett (that was why I watched it

) as D'Artagnan, which I thought was a fairly decent watch. Basically, I didn�t go into this film completely ignorant to the story.

I didn�t expect this to be as much of a comedy as it was. I knew there would be some humor in it, but I didn�t think there would be that much comedy � if that makes sense at all. And the comedy I liked. I thought quite a bit of it was funny. The action moments were entertaining, too, but even though I know this is a swashbuckler film, at times I wished there would�ve been more dialogue and less action.

The sets were really nice, but I absolutely loved the costumes.

As for the cast, well, if you were a member of the last Noir HoF, you know that I am not a big fan of Charlton Heston.

I won�t even begin to tell you what my opinion is of that man, except to say that I never saw anything too spectacular in his performances. I am also not the biggest fan of Michael York, but he was good in this movie, and he fit the role a lot better than I thought he would. And, of course the rest of the cast was fine, too.

The DVD that I watched had The Four Musketeers with it. I suppose I should�ve watched that one, too, when I had it (just to see how it compared to this one), but this was the second of the films that I watched for the HoF, and the first that weekend when I had my HoF movie-watching marathon going on. So I wasn�t going to spend any extra time watching other movies. Maybe in the future I will give it a try, though. I am kind of curious to see it.

This was an entertaining picture. I find nothing wrong with light-hearted films (and I love period pieces). So it was something different to watch in this HoF, which was nice to do.

SilentVamp

Save the Texas Prairie Chicken

05-27-17

The Hunt

Having already talked briefly about my opinion/theory on the main part of this story, I don�t know what to write as I have already said what I wanted to in regards to that part of it. I will say again, though, that since I found out that the film � US version � seemed to eliminate a major thing that happened in the movie, I don�t have the same feeling towards it as I did. What I mean is, I do think I liked the idea of guessing what could have made her actually come up with the story, but at the same time, I wish it would�ve been very clear from the beginning because I wouldn�t have spent time afterwards actually wondering why a kid would say what she said (I know why she did it � but it was the fact of her knowing what to say that I speculated on).

I thought this movie was a very frustrating film, and I just can�t imagine what it would be like for someone who didn�t do anything wrong to be accused of something like that. I just really can�t even begin to think about how horrible it would be to have that happen and to, essentially, have your life taken away from you.

When it got to the end, though, I did think

WARNING: spoilers below

that someone would take a shot at him. I figured that would happen when they all were there for that event. I thought, perhaps, he would get shot, but I like it better that this person literally gave him a warning shot. If we are to be honest, there will always be someone who thinks that he did it. I thought that was a good way to end the film, but that was even quite frustrating for me to watch, too.
And it was very frustrating to see him get beat like that. I don�t see how � even in a small town � and even with what he was accused of � he could be treated like that and they could get away with it. I just don�t understand how things like that happen.

The cast was very good, but it really isn�t a surprise that Mads Mikkelsen would be the standout. It is his picture, it is his story, and he portrays a guy that you can do nothing else but feel for him.

I thought this was a very, very good movie, and I can�t say it was the kind of film that can be enjoyed, but it is still good storytelling.

cricket

Registered User

05-27-17

Am I the only one that wasn't 100% convinced of the guy's innocence in The Hunt? I was left with the feeling that he could have done it, even though it was obviously never shown.

Camo