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#147
THE ORGANIZER



01-21-17
Thanks Nemanja! The beginning was so inspiring. It's great to get my blood boiling in the right direction. But then it went down a bit with the dragged and romance, as well as some slapstick. I would have rather had Marcello Mastroianni not be a pathetic figure at first, a trampish figure.



#146
PATHER PANCHALI






Definitely influenced by Italian neo-realism.
I need to rewatch that one. Aparajito is currently my favorite film of the trilogy.
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#145
THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES




My favorite Eastwood.. One of the best Westerns. I loved the writing.



After some "trouble", the younger man asks "What do we do about him" (dead body), Clint replies:
"Worms gotta eat, too" realizing they don't have time to stick around to bury him, but the sentiment is there, having the moral aptitude to treat an enemy with some humanity, even in death.



#145
THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES




My favorite Eastwood.. One of the best Westerns. I loved the writing.



After some "trouble", the younger man asks "What do we do about him" (dead body), Clint replies:
"Worms gotta eat, too" realizing they don't have time to stick around to bury him, but the sentiment is there, having the moral aptitude to treat an enemy with some humanity, even in death.
Not my favorite Eastwood Western, but still a pretty good one.



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#143
BARRY LYNDON




I think Redmond started as a good lad, but after being screwed over by his cousin, his entire family actually (besides his mother), he runs away and gets screwed over again.. I think not getting over his first love cause him to be cynical, and making sure he takes advantage of someone else before they take advantage of him.. But then he remembers his hometown, and has a wonderful moment where he can't betray his fellow countryman and is forgiven, but it doesn't change when he ascends the ladder, except for his boy, and even he was taken away. I love how he lets his step-son off the hook, maybe remembering the fake swindle (how the family chose an annual amount of guineas over his life, but luckily, Redmond gets back at the homosexual who stole his love) but possibly being surprised when the step-son didn't have satisfaction... But his life ends with the only ally he ever had from the beginning - his mother.


Great music!



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#142
STRAW DOGS





Cool poster - and I don't say that often.



05-28-16
First saw this at 17, I didn't like it. I think because it's so dark, so I saw it again about 10 years and had the same feeling until I saw it today - amazing film.

Very Freudian. It also seemed like a US-England thing which I found interesting, a stranger in a new land, manhood, as well as the past, and how the local town tries to have their own justice. I think it's a reflection on Sam's independent spirit, even if what happens is ugly. I think he definitely used this movie to release some frustration.

EDIT: I also think it had another comparative - intellectual vs. carnivore. I wish I had written a few things down, as there seemed to be little messages to the audience. Notice the two who were left in the end and their almost similar kinds of lust. And during the big conflict, he's finally forced to abandon any idealism and forced to act upon instinct, even though this was the first time they weren't after him.

Just found out they had a re-make.. If it causes some to watch the original, then maybe something came out of nothing, but I find it frustrating that there are only 2,000 likes on Facebook for the original, but 150,000 for the remake.



Great film, and certainly the best ever neo-noir! I also liked The Two Jakes, and am glad it included a narrator! I wish they'd have made the 3rd film in the trilogy.



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Great film, and certainly the best ever neo-noir! I also liked The Two Jakes, and am glad it included a narrator! I wish they'd have made the 3rd film in the trilogy.

I was always "warned" not to see "The Two Jakes"... "It'll ruin 'Chinatown' for you, maaan!"


I'll try to check this out soon. Thanks!



I was always "warned" not to see "The Two Jakes"... "It'll ruin 'Chinatown' for you, maaan!"

I'll try to check this out soon. Thanks!
I think you'll like The Two Jakes. It's a confusing plot, but the narration really helped. I loved seeing Richard Farnsworth in a non-western role. The opening scenes introducing an older J.J. Gittes (Nicholson) were pretty crispy as well. And of course Harvey Keitel was first rate.



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I think you'll like The Two Jakes. It's a confusing plot, but the narration really helped. I loved seeing Richard Farnsworth in a non-western role. The opening scenes introducing an older J.J. Gittes (Nicholson) were pretty crispy as well. And of course Harvey Keitel was first rate.

I like Nicholson a lot, even if he plays himself all the time. Well, except the time he and Bruce Dern played each other, which didn't seem to work too well. Keitel is solid, and while I haven't seen too many movies with Richard Farnsworth, I really enjoyed "The Straight Story", which kinda reminded me of "Harry and Tonto" (which kinda reminded me of "Umberto D", which Mazursky admitted to).



I like Nicholson a lot, even if he plays himself all the time. Well, except the time he and Bruce Dern played each other, which didn't seem to work too well. Keitel is solid, and while I haven't seen too many movies with Richard Farnsworth, I really enjoyed "The Straight Story", which kinda reminded me of "Harry and Tonto" (which kinda reminded me of "Umberto D", which Mazursky admitted to).
Yes, he was great in The Straight Story. But my far and away favorite of his is The Grey Fox (1982). The movie is phenomenal: the subject matter, the settings, the time period, the production design, and especially the music by The Chieftans. This is the film that really put him on the map, after a career full of minor roles. He's absolutely perfect in it. He did get an Oscar nomination for 1978's Comes a Horseman, but to me The Grey Fox is his ultimate film.



The Two Jakes is quite good, it just suffers inevitably and eternally in comparison to Chinatown, which is a masterpiece. The worst thing that happened with The Two Jakes was not its lack of box office or being in the shadow of the Polanski film, both of which could be overcome, but that Robert Towne and Nicholson had a falling out over the production, assuring that the third installment of J.J. Gittes in Los Angeles would never be made.
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The Two Jakes is a tough one because I felt maybe it could have used a better, bigger climax to build up to, but also, is it me or does it have the most unintentionally weird and awkward seduction scene, ever put on film?



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#139

DEATH IN VENICE


02-18-19

Probably the first time I enjoyed the cinematography, and didn't care there was hardly any dialogue.. Meditative, reflective, and delicate. I'd love to find more movies like this when I'm in that mood. I only have 1-2 Visconti left before I complete his filmography.





#139

DEATH IN VENICE


02-18-19

Probably the first time I enjoyed the cinematography, and didn't care there was hardly any dialogue.. Meditative, reflective, and delicate. I'd love to find more movies like this when I'm in that mood. I only have 1-2 Visconti left before I complete his filmography.


I struggled with that one somewhat, but I'm down to rewatch it at some point.