The 11th Hall of Fame

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Bringing Up Baby


I don't normally care for screwball comedies, so my expectations were not high. For about the first 25 minutes, this movie was a hilarious surprise. For the rest if it's runtime, I was merely amused. I would have much preferred if this movie had gone in the typical direction of a rom-com. I was not crazy about the leopard storyline; it almost made me feel like the movie was partially aimed at children. I'm also not a Katharine Hepburn fan. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about her that I find unappealing. One thing that keeps me from liking The African Queen more is that I can't buy Bogart's character falling for her, and I think if anything, it's supposed to be the other way around. Despite that, I think she generally does a pretty good job. She works well with Cary Grant, but I think he's great in everything. I can understand fans of classic screwball comedy loving this movie. I liked it.




Nothing good comes from staying with normal people
Ronin



I had already watched this when i was 11. The only reason i remember what age i was is because it was randomly when i was in the US in 2004, it was on TV there and it is one of my brother in-laws favourite films but i didn't remember anything about it not even if i liked it or not. So this mostly felt like a first time watch, a few bits and pieces felt familiar but i was basically going in blind. There's not much i can say about it really, i'm not good at writing about these types of films. It was OK, pretty entertaining i don't regret watching it. Pretty standard thriller-heist movie with some good things going for it. It had some really good car chases and some solid action. Not sure what to say about the story it was a fairly standard chase the macguffin story with twists and turns, not terribly exciting for me i'm afraid but one thing i did really like was Sam and Vincents friendship; i felt that was pulled off really well. Robert DeNiro may be my favourite actor but honestly i would have preferred someone i like less who at least brought some enthusiasm, Deniro seemed like he didn't care he came across bored as if he had just read the script once and thought meh may aswell. Also his accent irked me it sounded like someone from the UK trying to do an American accent; it was like he had forgotten how to speak.

Anyway it was fine. Sorry i don't have more to say Clazor it just isn't really my type of film. I'm sure some here will appreciate it more.

Bashu next for me either tomorrow or Wednesday.
No worries, I understand that it's not for everyone. As a matter of fact, I thought that this would be the general consesus of the HoF. Right now it's been about a year since I saw it last, so I can't say on the spot what made me think of it when I had to find a substitute. I just know I greatly enjoyed it and I think I'll be more eloquent in my review (at least as eloquent as I ever am here).

As for my abcense yesterday, I pulled a double shift at work and more or less fell into bed when I got home. No movie then, but I'll get to Samurai Rebellion/Ida tonight (just came in to ITunes Cricket, total luck). I also tracked down Good bye lenin and Bringing up baby to the main city library, so I'll get going into town to see if I can get them. In that case, I might just polish off those too during the week to come.
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Why not just kill them? I'll do it! I'll run up to Paris - bam, bam, bam, bam. I'm back before week's end. We spend the treasure. How is this a bad plan?



Nothing good comes from staying with normal people
Also, I'd like to second Camo's comment about the Andersson/Kaufman discussion. Really interesting even for a guy who's not well versed in either of the directors.

I don't think that I've seen anything of this Kaufman guy, but as far as Andersson and his characters are concerned, my two cent is as follows: Are the characters naturally written? No,not really, but isn't that part of the charm with him? I refer again to Fiennes portrayal of Gustav in grand budapest. Written naturally, that movie/character wouldn't have been half as funny. Then the movie would have to be more of a personal drama, following a manager who's directing a massive staff from an elevated point of control, rather than running around doing all the things he's doing on his own. I'm not saying that he doesn't order people around, but it's more in the line of meeting the guests himself. In a more real setting, wouldn't the guests ask bellhops to relay their wishes to Gustav, rather than talk to Gustav directly? Idk, maybe I'm talking nonsense. Feel free to say so in that case and discuss.



Charlie Kaufman is probably more known as a screenwriter than as a director. His best known work is probably Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which he wrote but did not direct. Other films he wrote include Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Synecdoche New York, and Anomalisa. Those last two he also directed.



Let me help you guys out

Spotless Mind
Adaptation
Synecdoche
Malkovich
Anomalia

That's the proper order
Well you got the first one right, anyway. The rest is way off.



About to watch White Heat then depending if i'm still in the mood to watch movies i'll see Bashu. If not then tomorrow. So looks like i'll be the first to write it up.




Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)

Interesting movie, its strengths were the visuals... both in the color palette used by the art direction, and the stunning on-location sets, they filmed at. I especially liked the curved, elevated city walkway, as shown in the photo above. I thought Joaquin Phoenix did a fantastic job of being an indecisive, emotional exuberate man, who had a hard time commenting to anyone. He was really good and so was Amy Adams, who's my favorite, modern day actress.

I didn't like a lot of the directorial decisions that Spike Jonez made. I didn't connect to the story, as the disembodied voice of Samantha (done by Scarlett Johansson) just wasn't believable to me as an artificial intelligence operating system. Part of the reason why is in the sound mixing. Samantha's voice was dubbed post production and is mixed at a different tonal quality than the spoken words of Joaquin. To me it didn't sound like they were in the same space.

I would have liked to hear the computer voice have a slightly mechanical sound to it, like it was coming out of a speaker. I also think Spike should have went with a visual reference for Samantha so that we had something to look at on the mobile screen when she talked.

Ultimately I just didn't buy someone falling in love with his computer. And I certainly didn't buy that people in the future thought bringing your computer on a picnic date was normal. But I did LMAO at the picnic scene. I don't think Spike intended it to be ironic?

Like I said, interesting movie and I liked the look and the actors, but not what Spike Jonez did as a director.



Nothing good comes from staying with normal people
Charlie Kaufman is probably more known as a screenwriter than as a director. His best known work is probably Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which he wrote but did not direct. Other films he wrote include Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Synecdoche New York, and Anomalisa. Those last two he also directed.
You see, don't know what I'm talking about. Can't even keep screenwriter and director separated. Ignore me on the issue



Nothing good comes from staying with normal people
About to watch White Heat then depending if i'm still in the mood to watch movies i'll see Bashu. If not then tomorrow. So looks like i'll be the first to write it up.
Mind PMing the link? Haven't found one that works for me at all.