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Ugetsu (1953)
Really is a stunningly beautiful film with real haunting and depressing themes. I was completely gripped from start to finish. Just realised too, I think this is my first Mizoguchi.
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Ugetsu (1953)
Really is a stunningly beautiful film with real haunting and depressing themes. I was completely gripped from start to finish. Just realised too, I think this is my first Mizoguchi.
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I suggest Sansho the Baliff next. EXCELLENT film!
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Knife in the Water (1962)
Great directorial debut by Polanski. I enjoyed this film, not only because I like films with an enclosed environment and limited movement, but that with a lot of effort and passion for filmmaking, anyone can create something has good as Knife in the Water. Renting a boat might be a problem though.
Great directorial debut by Polanski. I enjoyed this film, not only because I like films with an enclosed environment and limited movement, but that with a lot of effort and passion for filmmaking, anyone can create something has good as Knife in the Water. Renting a boat might be a problem though.
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (USA, 2009, Phil Lord/Chris Miller) - +
The humor is great but the movie overall is far too crazy.
The humor is great but the movie overall is far too crazy.
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"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room."
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the war room."
First time seeing it, and I've got to say, as someone who's been suffering from depression for 11 years, it hits the nail on the head as far as how it feels.
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Look, Dr. Lesh, we don't care about the disturbances, the pounding and the flashing, the screaming, the music. We just want you to find our little girl.
Look, Dr. Lesh, we don't care about the disturbances, the pounding and the flashing, the screaming, the music. We just want you to find our little girl.
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Goodfellas (Martin Scorcese, 1990)
Though it never bored me for real, it lost pace after some time... It's still one of the greatest gangster movies of all time but I wouldn't dare to compare it to Godfather trilogy or Once Upon a Time in America. Those two are light years ahead of anything ever done!
Though it never bored me for real, it lost pace after some time... It's still one of the greatest gangster movies of all time but I wouldn't dare to compare it to Godfather trilogy or Once Upon a Time in America. Those two are light years ahead of anything ever done!
The first time I watched the film (I realize this is not your first time), I LOVED it, but (like you) I also thought the first part was superior to the second part of the film. However, oddly enough, on rewatches, the second part became just as satisfying for me as the first. There are few sequence in cinematic history that have a better visual rhythm than the paranoid helicopter sequence. It's sheer brilliance.
I also don't get your issues with the narration (unless you have something radical against narrations in general, of course). It's one of the best and most effective uses of narration in any film. The insight it offers into the main character's mind is absolutely vital to our perception of the film's content.
Anyway, I realize that you like the film, but you should like it even more.
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Harsh Times
Wasn't sure what to think coming in, but I did enjoy it. The main problems though was the beginning and end. I felt like it ended so abruptly, I wish it could have played out more. The first part seemed a bit weird to me, really the film started off bad but got so so so much better.
The major high points was the character development and just the characters themselves. I could connect so easily to Bale's character, and felt terrible when everything bad happened to him. I don't know anyone with PTSD so I can't tell you how accurate it was but it seemed believable, even if it was over the top at times.
WARNING: "Harsh Times ending" spoilers below
One part I didn't understand was how the bullets went through the back light, through the truck, through the backseat, and through his seat into his back. That seemed a bit unrealistic to me, but it had to happen for the movie to end well.
Overall, i'd give it a + or -
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It's in the same league of those two gangster films, in my opinion (I even prefer it to The Godfather Trilogy, which I also love). It's less operatic and more rock'n roll in style and therefore a bit different than the other two films you mentioned, but quality-wise I think Goodfellas is definitely up there with OUATIA and The Godfather.
The first time I watched the film (I realize this is not your first time), I LOVED it, but (like you) I also thought the first part was superior to the second part of the film. However, oddly enough, on rewatches, the second part became just as satisfying for me as the first. There are few sequence in cinematic history that have a better visual rhythm than the paranoid helicopter sequence. It's sheer brilliance.
I also don't get your issues with the narration (unless you have something radical against narrations in general, of course). It's one of the best and most effective uses of narration in any film. The insight it offers into the main character's mind is absolutely vital to our perception of the film's content.
Anyway, I realize that you like the film, but you should like it even more.
The first time I watched the film (I realize this is not your first time), I LOVED it, but (like you) I also thought the first part was superior to the second part of the film. However, oddly enough, on rewatches, the second part became just as satisfying for me as the first. There are few sequence in cinematic history that have a better visual rhythm than the paranoid helicopter sequence. It's sheer brilliance.
I also don't get your issues with the narration (unless you have something radical against narrations in general, of course). It's one of the best and most effective uses of narration in any film. The insight it offers into the main character's mind is absolutely vital to our perception of the film's content.
Anyway, I realize that you like the film, but you should like it even more.
The helicopter scene is brilliant, I agree with that and it's one of the few moments I belive the narration actually worlks! There and in the beggining. Scorcese amazing visual details already tells almost everything we need to know about the main character. The narration here it's useful in some points but it's overdone in my opinion. It's not as bad as in Casino, but it still bores me a bit!
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Demolition Man (USA, 1993, Marco Brambilla) -
The first hour is highly entertaining. Unfortunately, the movie takes a step down in the second half. I really like Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock here.
The first hour is highly entertaining. Unfortunately, the movie takes a step down in the second half. I really like Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock here.
Demolition Man is great 90's fun. 
Quoted for truth
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Dolla Morte
(2006, USA)
Directed by Bill Zebub
5.5/10
This was a ridiculously funny over the top movie with dolls. All kinds of characters from Aliens to Jesus. It was very degrading and something that is definitely not for everyone. You think Matt Stone and Trey Parker had fun with the sex scene in "Team America", you haven't seen this movie yet. This movie makes fun of religion and politics and everything in between. I really wish I could post some more obscure pictures from the movie here but I know I can't.
(2006, USA)
Directed by Bill Zebub
5.5/10
This was a ridiculously funny over the top movie with dolls. All kinds of characters from Aliens to Jesus. It was very degrading and something that is definitely not for everyone. You think Matt Stone and Trey Parker had fun with the sex scene in "Team America", you haven't seen this movie yet. This movie makes fun of religion and politics and everything in between. I really wish I could post some more obscure pictures from the movie here but I know I can't.
I'd say it's my 4th favourite gangter film, behind OUATIA, Godfather and Godffather II. The first time I watched it, I thought it was better than The Godfather and I rewatched it thinking it would confirm that status.
The helicopter scene is brilliant, I agree with that and it's one of the few moments I belive the narration actually worlks! There and in the beggining. Scorcese amazing visual details already tells almost everything we need to know about the main character. The narration here it's useful in some points but it's overdone in my opinion. It's not as bad as in Casino, but it still bores me a bit!
The helicopter scene is brilliant, I agree with that and it's one of the few moments I belive the narration actually worlks! There and in the beggining. Scorcese amazing visual details already tells almost everything we need to know about the main character. The narration here it's useful in some points but it's overdone in my opinion. It's not as bad as in Casino, but it still bores me a bit!
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Con Air (1997)
Finishing off the 90s "trilogy" in grand style with this crazy-cool con-concoction of a movie, Con Air. I must admit my rating has gone down by half a popcorn, but this is still solid action entertainment with everything you could ask for, and unfortunately a little too much in the third act, which is where it mainly looses it for me. It's still great fun though, awesome cast, crazy and cheesy one-liners, great concept to fly this hell ride to the grounds and somehow (almost) pulls it home in the end... Vegas style! There is no doubt that I rate both The Rock and Face/Off above this, but it lands on a rock solid third place despite of losing face towards the end.
Finishing off the 90s "trilogy" in grand style with this crazy-cool con-concoction of a movie, Con Air. I must admit my rating has gone down by half a popcorn, but this is still solid action entertainment with everything you could ask for, and unfortunately a little too much in the third act, which is where it mainly looses it for me. It's still great fun though, awesome cast, crazy and cheesy one-liners, great concept to fly this hell ride to the grounds and somehow (almost) pulls it home in the end... Vegas style! There is no doubt that I rate both The Rock and Face/Off above this, but it lands on a rock solid third place despite of losing face towards the end.
Last edited by MovieMeditation; 07-17-15 at 09:17 PM.
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Mary and Max (2009) -
Unfunny, but heartbreakingly sad.
Unfunny, but heartbreakingly sad.
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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
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@Mr. Minio.
+rep for the rating, but...
Heartbreakingly sad? Absolutely.
Unfunny?
+rep for the rating, but...
Heartbreakingly sad? Absolutely.
Unfunny?
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Texas, Adios
(Ferdinando Baldi, 1966)
With two shootouts in the first few minutes, one in a ghost town, the other on the side of a rocky cliff, Texas, Adios gets off to an exciting start. Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. The revenge-fueled plot feels poorly stitched together from familiar elements of other more successful spaghetti westerns, only it lacks the cool style of its contemporaries. The dubbing is horrible. There's no Morricone score to accentuate the tension. The villain is supposed to be sadistic and fearsome, but I thought he was a pansy. There's a twist that invokes a bit of family melodrama which feels odd and out of place. I like Django -- er, Franco Nero, I mean. He has a face made for spaghetti westerns, along with the right amount of gravitas for this kind of role. Any scenes that involve him firing off his six-shooter are pretty decent. Everything else is blah. Only a couple of days have passed since I watched this film and I'm already struggling to recall large chunks of it. That's either a sign of early onset Alzheimer's or proof of how forgettable Texas, Adios really is.
The Cowboys
(Mark Rydell, 1972)
Always considered a great movie star but not necessarily a great actor, I've been very impressed with some of Wayne's later performances. Unlike modern aging icons like DeNiro and Pacino, who did their best work early in their careers but are now stuck in autopilot mode, The Duke seemed to discover a new reservoir of talent during the twilight of his career. He never ceased to be a tough son of a bitch, but there's a vulnerability in some of these later performances, most likely birthed from the knowledge of his own mortality, that makes these later roles feel more human than the invincible heroes he traditionally played. The Shootist was a perfect swan song, but The Cowboys would've been equally fitting. It's easy to view this film, where Wayne reluctantly takes a group of schoolboys on a grueling cattle drive, as Wayne passing on his legacy to a younger generation. The Cowboys is an antithesis to the revisionist westerns that were popular at the time. It celebrates the western myth and the old way of life. The script is full of the tough, terse, straight-shooting dialogue that I enjoy so much in westerns. The story is compelling. The film is full of excitement and adventure with a little humor sprinkled in along the way. The stunning cinematography captures the exquisite beauty of the wide-open landscapes. I remember reading an interview with Bruce Dern a couple of years where he said that his villainous turn in The Cowboys nearly ruined his career. Even though that interview spoiled a key moment in the film, that scene remained just as shocking to me when I watched it unfold. There are some things you just don't do The Duke, and this is one of them. For the brief remainder of the film things are subdued and a bit too rushed. Dern is excellent, though. He's not a villain who intimidates you with his strength or prowess, but through the blackness of his soul -- the type of man who will stoop to any depths to achieve what he wants. Roscoe Lee Brown also gives a very good performance in a supporting role as the mirthful cook. The Cowboys is a terrific film. Even people who aren't typically fans of the genre should be able to enjoy this one.
(Ferdinando Baldi, 1966)
With two shootouts in the first few minutes, one in a ghost town, the other on the side of a rocky cliff, Texas, Adios gets off to an exciting start. Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. The revenge-fueled plot feels poorly stitched together from familiar elements of other more successful spaghetti westerns, only it lacks the cool style of its contemporaries. The dubbing is horrible. There's no Morricone score to accentuate the tension. The villain is supposed to be sadistic and fearsome, but I thought he was a pansy. There's a twist that invokes a bit of family melodrama which feels odd and out of place. I like Django -- er, Franco Nero, I mean. He has a face made for spaghetti westerns, along with the right amount of gravitas for this kind of role. Any scenes that involve him firing off his six-shooter are pretty decent. Everything else is blah. Only a couple of days have passed since I watched this film and I'm already struggling to recall large chunks of it. That's either a sign of early onset Alzheimer's or proof of how forgettable Texas, Adios really is.
The Cowboys
(Mark Rydell, 1972)
Always considered a great movie star but not necessarily a great actor, I've been very impressed with some of Wayne's later performances. Unlike modern aging icons like DeNiro and Pacino, who did their best work early in their careers but are now stuck in autopilot mode, The Duke seemed to discover a new reservoir of talent during the twilight of his career. He never ceased to be a tough son of a bitch, but there's a vulnerability in some of these later performances, most likely birthed from the knowledge of his own mortality, that makes these later roles feel more human than the invincible heroes he traditionally played. The Shootist was a perfect swan song, but The Cowboys would've been equally fitting. It's easy to view this film, where Wayne reluctantly takes a group of schoolboys on a grueling cattle drive, as Wayne passing on his legacy to a younger generation. The Cowboys is an antithesis to the revisionist westerns that were popular at the time. It celebrates the western myth and the old way of life. The script is full of the tough, terse, straight-shooting dialogue that I enjoy so much in westerns. The story is compelling. The film is full of excitement and adventure with a little humor sprinkled in along the way. The stunning cinematography captures the exquisite beauty of the wide-open landscapes. I remember reading an interview with Bruce Dern a couple of years where he said that his villainous turn in The Cowboys nearly ruined his career. Even though that interview spoiled a key moment in the film, that scene remained just as shocking to me when I watched it unfold. There are some things you just don't do The Duke, and this is one of them. For the brief remainder of the film things are subdued and a bit too rushed. Dern is excellent, though. He's not a villain who intimidates you with his strength or prowess, but through the blackness of his soul -- the type of man who will stoop to any depths to achieve what he wants. Roscoe Lee Brown also gives a very good performance in a supporting role as the mirthful cook. The Cowboys is a terrific film. Even people who aren't typically fans of the genre should be able to enjoy this one.
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