The 27th General Hall of Fame

28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds

01-31-22

Apocalypse Now

re-watch

It is still a long movie.

My first viewing was the Redux version which takes an already long movie and decides it needs to drag it out even longer. That version put me off the film for the longest time. So I was nervous to revisit this film, but determined to also view the theatrical cut instead of Redux.

We've all heard the horror stories of the film and the fact that not only is it good, but good enough to be considered one of the greatest films of all-time is astonishing. Apocalypse Now showcases the horrors of war, you can be sunbathing on a boat one second and under constant fire the next. With every war film, every single one of them, I sit back and thank God that I never had to go through such events.

Coppola is a talented director, just look at the man's filmography. Yet, he is a filmmaker that I appreciate from afar. The Godfather films are indeed "masterpieces" that I don't feel the need to revisit. The Conversation is a good movie that had hints of being something great. Apocalypse Now is somewhere in the middle. I see the greatness, I feel the greatness, but I can't get on the damn boat. I do feel that I like the film a little bit more with each viewing, this being my third

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Suspect's Reviews

TheUsualSuspect

28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds

01-31-22

Originally Posted by Torgo

Cure -

This is a superb psychological thriller in the same vein - and that may be even scarier than - Se7en. K�ji Yakusho is very good as Takabe for how he lets you get inside his head. The detective's increasingly strained efforts to avoid Mamiya's influence became my own almost immediately. The way the movie shows his struggle's impact to his sanity such as his dream with the bus in the clouds have a lot to do with this. Masato Hagiwara's performance as the villain, however, may be the movie's secret weapon. I like how Mamiya's tendency to never stay in one place as well as his bad posture make him seem more like a spirit than a human being. Also, even though the influence of what comes out of the Edison cylinder may explain it, I approve of the movie not 100% defining what motivates Mamiya to spread his influence. Does he get pleasure from it? Is it a survival skill? Is it an addiction? I also have to give credit to Tokusha Kikomura's unique camerawork for how its wide angles highlight the architecture as much as the people, which put me into an oddly satisfying and contemplative state. It made me think about what is happening as much as it made me feel (and be unsettled) about it, if that makes sense.

With all of that said, why is this movie so scary? How it raises the possibility of randomly encountering someone who throws your life into disarray is one reason. In this regard, it reminds me of Fallen and the first season of Fargo, which it undoubtedly influenced. However, what really got me is how it not only made me wonder if just a little self-examination would make me throw my morality out the window, but also what thoughts would make me do it. It ends up being one of the best psychological thrillers I've ever seen, not to mention a great Hall of Fame pick. It's also more proof that maybe, just maybe, Japan does it better.

I can't remember, have you seen this film before?

Torgo

Mu-Tant

01-31-22

Originally Posted by TheUsualSuspect

I can't remember, have you seen this film before?

No, this is a first-time watch. It's the first Kiyoshi Kurosawa movie I've seen as well.
It looks like Pulse is a good place to continue, but do you recommend any other ones?

TheUsualSuspect

28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds

01-31-22

Originally Posted by Torgo

No, this is a first-time watch. It's the first Kiyoshi Kurosawa movie I've seen as well.
It looks like Pulse is a good place to continue, but do you recommend any other ones?

Tokyo Sonata and Pulse are the only other two movies I've seen. Liked them both.

pahaK

Anti-Woke

01-31-22

Originally Posted by Torgo

No, this is a first-time watch. It's the first Kiyoshi Kurosawa movie I've seen as well.
It looks like Pulse is a good place to continue, but do you recommend any other ones?

Pulse is the best I've seen from him. Cure is my #2 before a rewatch for this. I've also seen Charisma and Retribution, and while worse than the previous two, I still rated them both as good (3.5/5). So, I'd recommend all of those.

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Torgo

Mu-Tant

01-31-22

Originally Posted by pahaK

Cool, thanks. Looks like those and Sonata are all on VOD.

@Thief, you're a Se7en lover, right? You gotta see Cure next!

Last edited by Torgo; 01-31-22 at 02:25 PM.

Chypmunk

Registered User

01-31-22

I'd put Cure and Pulse pretty much on a par. Serpent's Path and Eyes Of The Spider were an interesting experiment but neither are great (3/5 and 2.5/5 respectively for me) with the budget and rushed writing clearly evident imo.

Stay well away from the US remake of Pulse.

pahaK

Anti-Woke

01-31-22

Originally Posted by Chypmunk

Stay well away from the US remake of Pulse.

Unless you really, really have to see Kristen Bell (even then, I'd probably go with something like Veronica Mars). But yeah, I'd remember that being one of the worse US remakes of J-horror.

Allaby

Guy who likes movies

01-31-22

I just finished rewatching Dolores Claiborne (1995) on dvd. Directed by Taylor Hackford, this crime drama is about a woman who returns to her small hometown after her mother is arrested for murdering the elderly woman she had been working for. The always wonderful Kathy Bates is fantastic here, in a believable, layered performance. She is sympathetic and shows great range, having some powerful moments. Jennifer Jason Leigh is also great here. The supporting cast, including Christopher Plummer, Judy Parfitt, David Strathairn, and Ellen Muth, are all good too. I thought the film was well directed in an effective and compelling way. I've seen five of Taylor Hackford's films and this is by far his best. The screenplay, written by Tony Gilroy and based on the novel by Stephen King, is sharply written and tells the story in an engaging and entertaining way. I read the novel years ago before I had seen the movie and really enjoyed it. I've seen over 30 films based on King's writings and this is definitely one of the top 3 films based on his books. Dolores Claiborne works as a crime thriller, a murder mystery, and as a drama about family secrets and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child. Excellent film.

Thief

Master of None

01-31-22

Originally Posted by Torgo

Cool, thanks. Looks like those and Sonata are all on VOD.

@Thief, you're a Se7en lover, right? You gotta see Cure next!

Yeah, it looks interesting. I don't know when I'll get to it, but I *will* get to it

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edarsenal

Women will be your undoing, P�p�

01-31-22

Originally Posted by jiraffejustin

Baby Face

I'm told this is a feminist movie... or something. Well, I'm not a feminist and I don't really see this is a feminist movie. I'm all for people taking advantage of their opportunities and resources to make their living and to fend for themselves, including using their body to do so. I don't really see it as being any different than using your money or position to achieve your goals or get what you want though. I think by doing this, it might make you a sh*tty person, but that's not my position to cast that judgment on you. Do what you gotta do, but I don't really have to enjoy watching it. Plus it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, because there seemed to be a bunch times where the real life equivalent would have just been the guy saying the girl made a move on him and the girl getting fired on the spot, because it's not like these guys wouldn't have been having affairs with other women at the time. It's not like Stanwyck's character is the only slut on the block, ya know? This movie treats these guys as though they didn't really know p*ssy existed outside of this one woman. These dudes are dudes with power and money, that banker dude would have been yachting out to the 1930s equivalent of Epstein's Island. It's hard to buy in to this one woman bringing all of these men to their knees, maybe a couple low-level simps, sure. And no doubt, there have been some gold-diggers who managed to snag some dumbass old rich guy into marriage, but I'm not buying this story of the woman rising through the ranks unimpeded while all of these dudes are out here killing themselves over her. Or I just don't like this story because I am a masculinist. (Googled to see if masculinist is a thing, kinda lame to see that it is actually a thing.) I don't really think Stanwyck could pull this performance off, I think it needed someone that could pull off trashy-slutty a little better.

Solid review, JJ. Not everything works for everyone as we all know, but still, sorry it didn't work for you.

For me, it's that they didn't go the "trashy-slutty" route which would have been too easy and a tad preachy that really scored points for me.
It is true there was no one that challenged or used their power against her but to see a film from the 30's that DIDN'T simply uses a woman's role for the benefit of every other man's personal use and was not the usually docile and demure part aka the whole Madonna/Whore standard. Instead, going with the Independent, self-reliant individual was a nice turnaround for me. And having such a lioness as Stanwyck playing the part won me over completely.

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Allaby

Guy who likes movies

01-31-22

I rewatched Apocalypse Now (1979) on blu-ray. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film stars Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Sam Bottoms, Frederic Forrest, Laurence Fishburne and Dennis Hopper, amongst others. During the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is tasked with locating and eliminating a renegade Colonel. For me, Apocalypse Now is one of the greatest films of all times. It is a classic and a masterpiece. Francis Ford Coppola's direction is masterful and brilliant. He should have won an Oscar for this film. The cinematography, which deservedly did win an Oscar, is some of the best in any film. This is visually stunning and beautiful work. The cast is great and all are excellent in their roles. The screenplay is top notch. The film is exceptionally well crafted from top to bottom, sound, art direction,editing, all of it. Apocalypse Now was nominated for best picture but lost the Oscar to Kramer vs Kramer. As much as I enjoy Kramer vs Kramer, Apocalypse Now should have won. I've seen 9 Coppola films and I think this is his best.

edarsenal

Women will be your undoing, P�p�

01-31-22

@Allaby @Citizen Rules @CosmicRunaway @cricket @jiraffejustin @Miss Vicky @pahaK @PHOENIX74 @Siddon @SpelingError @Takoma11 @Thief @TheUsualSuspect @Torgo @ueno_station54

Just wanted to remark on something I noticed and since I'm normally a slacker in these was pretty impressed by the numbers.
At only two weeks in, we are already at the halfway mark of movie reviews which means out of 256 reviews for a group of 16 people, we already have 123 on the board.

FRICKIN WOW!!

Thief

Master of None

01-31-22

Originally Posted by edarsenal

Woohoo! one of those is mine!!

Citizen Rules

Noir Time

01-31-22

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

I thought highly of this film and the funny thing is I'd seen it some years ago and didn't even remember much of it...Kathy Bates deserved the Oscar for her portrayal of the titular character, damn she's good! Then again she's always good.

I wasn't so sure about Jennifer Jason Leigh. I've never been a big fan of hers and at times I felt she was reaching to portray her character. But then again Leigh's was the hardest role to nail. The hardest part for actors is realistically playing someone who's deeply troubled with emotional/physiological problems while under the influence of booze and pills. Lots of pills! OMG she had a pharmacy in her luggage.

Gosh I loved the lighting choices or was it all done in post production? It doesn't matter to me because the blue-washed present looked so cold and so hopeless that it set the tone of the film and made the emotions of the story palatable. When we flash back, the color changes to normal hue and that was very effective. In fact when we first see the family the film stock has a strong red tint which looks oh so warm and inviting....that is until we get to the log smack on the back! Damn that was one powerful scene, right there we know the husband is a first class bastard...well more like last class, because the guy was a creep!...Back to the lighting which became a gloriously over saturated gold tone during the eclipse scenes. Gosh that looked beautiful and so crisp, like the old three strip technicolor.

Loved the look and the acting and the story. I'd rate this a

But one fault the last scene at the judge's hearing...OMG the dialogue sounded like some overly dramatic soap opera court drama. I could go with the daughter sounding soapy melo dramatic because it would fit her characters personality. But the cop went there too and that's not good writing when the cops' dialogue sounded like it could be coming out of the daughter's mouth.

Still this will place higher on my ballot, though I've loved or liked a lot of the films, so all I can say for sure is this is a fine nomination!

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Last edited by Citizen Rules; 01-31-22 at 10:57 PM.

Takoma11

Registered User

01-31-22

Originally Posted by Citizen Rules

I wasn't so sure about Jennifer Jason Leigh. I've never been a big fan of hers and at times I felt she was reaching to portray her character. But then again Leigh's was the hardest role to nail.

I think that her character had relatively weak writing, especially compared to Dolores. The whole function of her character, to me, was to really hammer home that the efforts Dolores made to save her daughter have actually ended up isolating her and backfiring in some ways.

But the way she's written is a bit messy, as over and over she just has to be frustrated with Dolores, sometimes in ways that didn't entirely feel realistic.

And as I mentioned earlier in this thread, I didn't totally buy that

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WARNING: spoilers below

her character would have suppressed the degree of sexual and emotional abuse that she endured. Between the age of the character at the time of the abuse, the duration of the abuse, the confrontation with her mother on the ferry, and the fact that her father died around that time, it felt way too far-fetched to me that she'd have blocked it all out.

Her character is really the audience surrogate in many ways, we come to understand Dolores as she comes to understand her mother. It's just that because she's this more "observer" character, overall she's a bit weakly written on her own.

Allaby

Guy who likes movies

02-01-22

I just rewatched my 29th favourite film, the classic silent comedy, Safety Last (1923). Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, the film stars Harold LLoyd as the boy who is in love with the girl and goes to the big city to get a job so his sweetheart can marry him. Wacky shenanigans and madcap adventures ensue. I really enjoyed LLoyd's performance here. He is the relatable, likeable everyman and I found him charming and funny. The gags and stunts are pretty good here and for the most part worked for me. The climatic building climbing sequence is a highlight and has become iconic and memorable. I've seen 7 of Harold Lloyd's feature films (plus 8 of his short films) and I would rank this as his best film. Other Lloyd films I would recommend are The Freshman (1925), Girl Shy (1924), and Speedy (1928). My rating is

.

With that, I have successfully completed this Hall. It has been a blast. We have laughed together, we have cried together, we have fallen in love and become best friends forever. See you in the next hall, friends.

Allaby