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Harry Lime's Avatar
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04-13-09
It's a comment on the end of the wild west, Lennon. Or at least that's what I got from it; wayward and violent, drunk and desperate, clinging to a code of honour that is out of date. And the visuals, the editing, the style, all this makes it one of the best films ever. In 1969 this was way ahead of its time, a ground breaking film that has influenced many of the greats for the last 40 years.

Oh, and you say you have 98 to go? You must have seen at least a few on my 100 list?
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04-13-09
I love the fact that whenever someone criticises The Wild Bunch, there's the assumption (either by the reviewer or the people reading it) that Holden Pike will rip into them over it.

It's never happened, though.

Regardless, The Wild Bunch is a damned excellent film. Hopefully you'll come to agree with that conclusion.
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04-13-09
Originally Posted by Harry Lime
Oh, and you say you have 98 to go? You must have seen at least a few on my 100 list?
Yes. But I plan on re-watching the ones I've watched.
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04-13-09
Great review, Lennon. I absolutely loved The Wild Bunch though, but then again, you said you don't like westerns while I do.

Originally Posted by rice1245
That actually sounds fun, somebody should make a thread where people are assigned to other people's lists and have to choose ten to watch and review and this has gotten complicated...but it sounds fun
Great idea. I think that we should do this.



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04-14-09


FARGO (1996)

Well, I reviewed this movie before (please don't look back there, it's embarrassing) and I may have hyperboled, a lot, but this movie is f*king awesome.

Now, when I usually write a review, I begin with the best thing about that movie, then work my way down. This review is nothing different, the best thing? Definitely acting. William H. Macy (or, live action Ned Flanders as I call him) is pretty much a scoundrel, but you he plays it so well you can't help but feel sorry for him. Steve Buscemi is made for being pretty much a criminal. Peter Stormare can be intimidating without saying much. I'm not even Frances McDormand who perfectly nailed that Minnesota accent.

This is helped by the screenplay by both the Coen Bros. First, you add the crime element of Jerry Lundegaard hiring Carl and Gaer to kidnap his wife, to get some money he desperately needs, mishaps occur. Second, you add the very dark comedy element, seen in many Coen Bros movies. Third, make it lifelike. I know this detail may seem minuscule, but the fact that sealed the deal on how great this was, was that the characters actually watch a boatload of TV. Watch it again, and look at how many times the characters are watching TV when they probably should be paying attention, it happens a lot to me. They make the obvious in front of you (The Mike Yanagita scene) and after re-watching, you finally get it.

Even though only Joel Coen directed this, it was still good. He really didn't make this much of a mystery, but released just as much as we needed to know. I mean yes we can make guesses but the truth is we'll never know, and we don't need to know. Like why Jerry needs the money, never revealed, doesn't matter, all we need to know is that he needs money and he'll pretty much do anything to get it.

The cinematography was even good on this one. Roger Deakins can make beautiful looking scenes, even when our heart is supposed to be breaking. Look at the scene where Jerry has to scrape off of his windows, that shot is set up so perfectly it's awesome.

I could go on and on, but I think I'd get boring, so instead I think I can sum up my review in two words: ****ing awesome.



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04-16-09
Another one of those movies where I don't have much to say:


INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
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I'll admit it. I never saw ROTLA until Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came out two summers ago. I think when I mentioned that I never saw any Jones movie, Yoda practically made me buy the set or be banned. When I first saw it, I can only say that I saw this with "beer goggles." That basically means that no matter what, I'll love it. I re-watched it a good number of times and it did hold up pretty well. But when I watched it this time, it wasn't as great but still pretty good.

The movie was cast well. Harrison Ford (or the one guy's career Star Wars didn't ruin) is Indy. He's pretty much like William Holden, he could be a badass archaeologist, but can still look like a teach you'd have in college. Karen Allen is a damsel in distress, but can just as easily turn it around and become a heroine. The creepy nazi guy that I never caught the name of (Paul Freeman) is a creepy nazi guy I never caught the name of. The acting was pretty good (a few problems in the beginning) but nothing to awesome or to crappy.

The script was pretty fun though. I think for a summer movie that's the most important thing. I mean if it's the summer, I don't have any responsibilities, no one yelling at me to get work done, it's nice outside. I want to be entertained, not think. There were a few problems, mainly how sometimes it doesn't all stay in the realm of possibility but that doesn't really matter for a movie like this.

The one thing that told me this movie was good was the special effects. It's Steven f'in Spielberg at play here, with George f'ing Lucas, they're both pretty much CGI masters. I felt that this gave the film a timeless quality.

While it's not as good as many people have told me, it's still a dang good movie and well worth a watch.



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Let's try to be broad-minded about this
04-16-09
Originally Posted by MovieMan8877445
Great review, Lennon. I absolutely loved The Wild Bunch though, but then again, you said you don't like westerns while I do.



Great idea. I think that we should do this.
I absolutely loved the wild bunch too.

But yeah i might make a thread. Should it be like...a movie trade off? like you watch a movie i tell you to and i watch one you tell me to and we talk about it type thing?



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04-16-09
Originally Posted by rice1245
I absolutely loved the wild bunch too.

But yeah i might make a thread. Should it be like...a movie trade off? like you watch a movie i tell you to and i watch one you tell me to and we talk about it type thing?
Great idea, I say go for it. We should see how many people we can get into it. I've already seen more of your top 10 though, except for Snatch.



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Let's try to be broad-minded about this
04-16-09
Yeah it probably wouldn't even need to be part of the top ten just something good that you think that person should see. Like you watch Apocalypto and i watch It's a Wonderful Life or something. How should we partner people off?

And yeah Snatch probably doesn't deserve to be on my top ten list but man i just think its such a funny and entertaining movie haha

i'm counting you in then swan



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04-16-09
Originally Posted by rice1245
Yeah it probably wouldn't even need to be part of the top ten just something good that you think that person should see. Like you watch Apocalypto and i watch It's a Wonderful Life or something. How should we partner people off?

And yeah Snatch probably doesn't deserve to be on my top ten list but man i just think its such a funny and entertaining movie haha

i'm counting you in then swan
Cool, we should create a thread for this and get it more organized.



rice1245's Avatar
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Let's try to be broad-minded about this
04-16-09
haha instead of commandeering lennon's thread? how the hell do you spell commandeering?

and yeah i just did



Harry Lime's Avatar
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04-17-09
Originally Posted by Lennon
While in my opinion it's not as good as many people have told me, it's still a dang good movie and well worth a watch.
I changed the last line of your review a little.



Lennon's Avatar
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Will your system be alright, when you dream of home tonight?
04-17-09
Well I figured since it was review, everyone already knew this was my opinion.



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You want to post like me?
04-17-09
Yeah if you have to point out that it's your own opinion every time you state something in your personal reviews, it would be a damn annoying read.
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04-22-09

AGUIREE, THE WRATH OF GOD (1972)
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This was the movie from Lime’s list that I was least looking forward to seeing. First, I had never heard of it, had seen it on no other lists, nor seen it mentioned elsewhere on Movie Forums as good. Second, it’s a foreign film: That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m not ever going to see it; it just means that my odds of watching it were a lot lower. And third, I’m not at all interested in the Spanish conquistadors exploring America. After viewing it, though, I’m glad I saw it, because it is a good movie—dare I say great with a few re-watches. Just not a movie I’d show to friends on a Saturday night.

Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht) plays Don Lope de Aguirre, a conquistador who had helped take down the Incans and is now looking for the mythical city of El Dorado, the City of Gold. However, one person—Brother Gaspar de Carvajal, played by Del Negro—wants to bring religion to the savages of the land. He’s our narrator, as we read from his diary.

I liked Carvajal narrating. It helped me understand a bit more what the crew were feeling and what exactly was going on. Even if it starts it a bit late in the action (I would have loved to see them take over the Incans), the script takes us in interesting directions. Everything is taken into account—the crew’s mishaps, random Indian attacks, a mutiny, and a leader who really doesn’t want to be a leader—and most are used to their full potential. Some elements fall flat and sometimes I became uninterested in the direction it was taking, but that was only in the beginning.

That part, however beautiful looking, I felt ran on too long. Luckily Herzog used long shots very sparingly. This was my first movie in his filmography, but definitely not my last. He’s got a talent, especially since making this movie was such a challenge. From the stories I’ve heard, murder was threatened, film was lost, guns were pulled on people, and he only had 8 crew members. Peru must’ve been a very hard place to navigate (explored in the movie), and this deserves an “up” point just for effort . . .

. . . which I thought most of the cast showed. They had very deafening silences sometimes, which made me a bit uneasy. My heart began racing, wondering if an Indian attack was about to happen. Luckily the story showed us that Aguirre was smart enough to know how to survive, and to save people when he can. Del Negro is likeable enough, but the rest of the cast really didn’t matter: It was just a one-man show of Aguirre slowly going insane.

All in all, this movie was a pleasant surprise, and I think a true film buff should see it at least once.

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