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It's because I watch war films much more skeptically and critically.For example,I can forgive a drama if it's sentimental but I find it absurd when a war movie is sentimental.Maybe it's because I've seen few really harsh foreign war films,so American take on the war seems way too dramatical or even naive.
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There's only one, ok, possibly, two reasons to watch Liar, Liar.
Das Boot is great. There's a mini-series if you're interested. However, as you had trouble with the length of the film (I don't know if it was the directors cut or not), then the 5 hour version might be too much.
Check out The Cruel Sea.
Das Boot is great. There's a mini-series if you're interested. However, as you had trouble with the length of the film (I don't know if it was the directors cut or not), then the 5 hour version might be too much.
Check out The Cruel Sea.
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I have watched a lot, but haven't had time to post til just now:
Lincoln - Daniel Day Lewis knocks this one out of the park, turning what I was thinking would be a boring film about history and making it a personal story about a man fighting for what he believes in. Tommy Lee Jones almost upstages him as a sarcastic abolitionist.
Fiddler on the Roof - Man, I loved this movie. Funny, sad, and full of memorable songs, with a fantastic and funny performance by Topol as a poor milkman named Tevye who struggles to keep his family together in the face of antisemitism in 1905 Russia, while being constantly at odds with his headstrong daughters and demanding wife.
My Favorite Martian - Silly, slight 1990's Disney film starring Christopher Lloyd as the titular space traveler, who crashes on earth and makes life difficult for Jeff Daniels' luckless TV reporter. I enjoyed it for what it was, not every movie needs to be a masterpiece of film making. Lots of fun.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Loved it again on dvd. Doesn't really lose much not being in 3D, still a fun, rambling beginning to the 3 film series.
Lincoln - Daniel Day Lewis knocks this one out of the park, turning what I was thinking would be a boring film about history and making it a personal story about a man fighting for what he believes in. Tommy Lee Jones almost upstages him as a sarcastic abolitionist.
Fiddler on the Roof - Man, I loved this movie. Funny, sad, and full of memorable songs, with a fantastic and funny performance by Topol as a poor milkman named Tevye who struggles to keep his family together in the face of antisemitism in 1905 Russia, while being constantly at odds with his headstrong daughters and demanding wife.
My Favorite Martian - Silly, slight 1990's Disney film starring Christopher Lloyd as the titular space traveler, who crashes on earth and makes life difficult for Jeff Daniels' luckless TV reporter. I enjoyed it for what it was, not every movie needs to be a masterpiece of film making. Lots of fun.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Loved it again on dvd. Doesn't really lose much not being in 3D, still a fun, rambling beginning to the 3 film series.
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"You, me, everyone...we are all made of star stuff." - Neil Degrasse Tyson
https://shawnsmovienight.blogspot.com/
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Das Boot is great. There's a mini-series if you're interested. However, as you had trouble with the length of the film (I don't know if it was the directors cut or not), then the 5 hour version might be too much.
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The Killing (1956):
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968):
Room 237 (2013):
Movie 43 (2013):
Spring Breakers (2013):
La Strada (1954):
Risky Business (1983):
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988):
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968):
Room 237 (2013):
Movie 43 (2013):
Spring Breakers (2013):
La Strada (1954):
Risky Business (1983):
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988):
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User Lists
Bender's Game - +
Into the Wild Green Yonder -
The Lives of Others -
Pickpocket-
Man With A Movie Camera -
The Rules of the Game - (need to re-watch)
Bicycle Thieves - ++
Notorious -
The Troll Hunter -
Into the Wild Green Yonder -
The Lives of Others -
Pickpocket-
Man With A Movie Camera -
The Rules of the Game - (need to re-watch)
Bicycle Thieves - ++
Notorious -
The Troll Hunter -
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From Beyond (1986) by Stuart Gordon +
Lessons of Darkness (1992) by Werner Herzog
Ten (2002) by Abbas Kiarostami
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) by Hayao Miyazaki
An Angel at My Table (1990) by Jan Campion
The Match Factory Girl (1990) by Aki Kaurismäki
White Hunter Black Heart (1990) by Clint Eastwood
Unforgiven (1992) by Clint Eastwood +
Un Chien Andalou (1929) by Luis Buñuel
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) by Carl Theodor Dreyer
The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) by Jean Epstein
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Lincoln (Steven Spielberg, 2012) +
Angels in the Outfield (Clarence Brown, 1951) +
The Kid From Left Field (Harmon Jones, 1953) -
Take Me Out ro the Ball Game (Busby Berkeley, 1949) -
Red State (Kevin Smith, 2011)
Krull (Peter Yates, 1983)
The Thing Called Love (Peter Bogdanovich, 1993)
The City of Your Final Destination (James Ivory, 2007) +
Neighbors (Edward Cline & Buster Keaton, 1920)
Born to Kill (Robert Wise, 1947)
The Company Men (John Wells, 2010)
My Girl 2 (Howard Zieff, 1994)
Mother (Joon-ho Bong, 2009)
You, The Living (Roy Andersson, 2007)
Cape Fear (J. Lee Thompson, 1962)
Richard III (Laurence Olivier, 1955)
Timecode (Mike Figgis, 2000)
The United States of Leland (Matthew Ryan Hoge, 2003)
Fire Over England (William K. Howard, 1937)
Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
Angels in the Outfield (Clarence Brown, 1951) +
The Kid From Left Field (Harmon Jones, 1953) -
Take Me Out ro the Ball Game (Busby Berkeley, 1949) -
Red State (Kevin Smith, 2011)
Krull (Peter Yates, 1983)
The Thing Called Love (Peter Bogdanovich, 1993)
The City of Your Final Destination (James Ivory, 2007) +
Neighbors (Edward Cline & Buster Keaton, 1920)
Born to Kill (Robert Wise, 1947)
The Company Men (John Wells, 2010)
My Girl 2 (Howard Zieff, 1994)
Mother (Joon-ho Bong, 2009)
You, The Living (Roy Andersson, 2007)
Cape Fear (J. Lee Thompson, 1962)
Richard III (Laurence Olivier, 1955)
Timecode (Mike Figgis, 2000)
The United States of Leland (Matthew Ryan Hoge, 2003)
Fire Over England (William K. Howard, 1937)
Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
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Meow!
Budet laskovyy dozhd (Short) -
The Avengers -
Life of Pi -
At Dawn It's Quiet Here -
The Yellow Sea -
A Film Unfinished -
Django Unchained -
Django -
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari -
Tokyo Drifter -
La Jetée -
Sans Soleil -
The Legend of the Suram Fortress -
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This week in movies:
Traffic
J. Edgar
A Man Apart
Absolute Zero
Marine 3
Marine 2
G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra
G.I. Joe: Retalliation
Tower Block
Flight
Donnie Brasco
Dark Skies
Mulholland Drive
Let The Right One In
Dead Poets Society
Bath Salt Zombies
Traffic
J. Edgar
A Man Apart
Absolute Zero
Marine 3
Marine 2
G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra
G.I. Joe: Retalliation
Tower Block
Flight
Donnie Brasco
Dark Skies
Mulholland Drive
Let The Right One In
Dead Poets Society
Bath Salt Zombies
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You are no Vader. You are just a child in a mask.
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Total Recall (Wiseman, 2012)
I am definitely going to be in the minority here, and yes, I have seen (and own) the original Verhoeven flick, but I liked this version of Total Recall. It's odd, because I usually dislike anything Colin Farrell. In fact, I can't bring a single film to mind that has starred this guy that I haven't discarded as crap.
The thing is, is that that this flick at least attempts to be more Phil Dickian than the camp original. The original was great fun, and pretty much went into over-the-top satire in act three, and it did so with style. So, this more Earthbound remake tried to stay a bit more serious, and it also goes over the edge in the third act, this time into gratuitous action instead of satire.
That's really the problem here - Wiseman just cannot restrain himself when it comes to action. I think they could have trimmed two complete action scenes from this remake, and it would have been a much tighter, interesting film.
Dang - one issue with the original is that it sort of discards the mind games as the film goes on, and sort of blows it off at the end; dammit if this flick doesn't do the same thing! Wiseman had a chance to correct a couple of flaws in regards to the first film, but instead he just inserts his own (now well-known) issues instead.
Still, I really liked the sort of Totalitarian/resistance angle that made a lot more sense here, and played into more Earthly concerns. Also, this is sort of a cyberpunk film, and we just do NOT have enough good cyberpunk flicks, or even half-assed cyberpunk flicks like this. The tech in this film is super fun, it's all over the place, and it's handled well, for the most part. I am a sucker for both Dystopic science fiction and cyberpunk (genres that bleed into one another constantly), and I found myself reveling in the techy proceedings with glee.
Anyway, not a stellar achievement, and it's got problems, but personally, it hit some of my favorite buttons, and I was glad I took the time to watch.
"But Mike, it totally rips of Blade Runner in so many ways, and that is your favorite flick of all time!"
Yep - which is why I like it, really. Lots of films rip off BR, and I mean LOTS, but I like that kind of thing (tech-noir), so I don't hate at it.
I am definitely going to be in the minority here, and yes, I have seen (and own) the original Verhoeven flick, but I liked this version of Total Recall. It's odd, because I usually dislike anything Colin Farrell. In fact, I can't bring a single film to mind that has starred this guy that I haven't discarded as crap.
The thing is, is that that this flick at least attempts to be more Phil Dickian than the camp original. The original was great fun, and pretty much went into over-the-top satire in act three, and it did so with style. So, this more Earthbound remake tried to stay a bit more serious, and it also goes over the edge in the third act, this time into gratuitous action instead of satire.
That's really the problem here - Wiseman just cannot restrain himself when it comes to action. I think they could have trimmed two complete action scenes from this remake, and it would have been a much tighter, interesting film.
Dang - one issue with the original is that it sort of discards the mind games as the film goes on, and sort of blows it off at the end; dammit if this flick doesn't do the same thing! Wiseman had a chance to correct a couple of flaws in regards to the first film, but instead he just inserts his own (now well-known) issues instead.
Still, I really liked the sort of Totalitarian/resistance angle that made a lot more sense here, and played into more Earthly concerns. Also, this is sort of a cyberpunk film, and we just do NOT have enough good cyberpunk flicks, or even half-assed cyberpunk flicks like this. The tech in this film is super fun, it's all over the place, and it's handled well, for the most part. I am a sucker for both Dystopic science fiction and cyberpunk (genres that bleed into one another constantly), and I found myself reveling in the techy proceedings with glee.
Anyway, not a stellar achievement, and it's got problems, but personally, it hit some of my favorite buttons, and I was glad I took the time to watch.
"But Mike, it totally rips of Blade Runner in so many ways, and that is your favorite flick of all time!"
Yep - which is why I like it, really. Lots of films rip off BR, and I mean LOTS, but I like that kind of thing (tech-noir), so I don't hate at it.
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Duelle (Rivette, 1976)
*Heat (Mann, 1995)
[short] 21-87 (Lipsett, 1964)
*Paris, Texas (Wenders, 1984)
Trash Humpers (Korine, 2009)
* = rewatch
*Heat (Mann, 1995)
[short] 21-87 (Lipsett, 1964)
*Paris, Texas (Wenders, 1984)
Trash Humpers (Korine, 2009)
* = rewatch
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Harvey (Henry Koster, 1950) -
The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)
The Visitor (Thomas McCarthy, 2007)
Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper, 1969)
The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006) - Review here.
The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez, 1999)
Fascinating because even at only 14 years old this film has reached a point at which you have to look at it in its historical context. It was revolutionary for its time as one of the first "found footage" pictures and one of the first to be marketed on the internet. Unfortunately, I can only imagine how the narrative surrounding the film lent itself to a terrifying experience in a theater in 1999. Now that's it's been demystified and having seen countless rehashes of the concept, it's lost a lot of its power. It's still a creepy and occasionally pulse-quickening film, but for the most part it's not as terrifying as it once might have been.
The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)
The Visitor (Thomas McCarthy, 2007)
Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper, 1969)
The Prestige (Christopher Nolan, 2006) - Review here.
The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez, 1999)
Fascinating because even at only 14 years old this film has reached a point at which you have to look at it in its historical context. It was revolutionary for its time as one of the first "found footage" pictures and one of the first to be marketed on the internet. Unfortunately, I can only imagine how the narrative surrounding the film lent itself to a terrifying experience in a theater in 1999. Now that's it's been demystified and having seen countless rehashes of the concept, it's lost a lot of its power. It's still a creepy and occasionally pulse-quickening film, but for the most part it's not as terrifying as it once might have been.
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The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez, 1999)
Fascinating because even at only 14 years old this film has reached a point at which you have to look at it in its historical context. It was revolutionary for its time as one of the first "found footage" pictures and one of the first to be marketed on the internet. Unfortunately, I can only imagine how the narrative surrounding the film lent itself to a terrifying experience in a theater in 1999. Now that's it's been demystified and having seen countless rehashes of the concept, it's lost a lot of its power. It's still a creepy and occasionally pulse-quickening film, but for the most part it's not as terrifying as it once might have been.
Fascinating because even at only 14 years old this film has reached a point at which you have to look at it in its historical context. It was revolutionary for its time as one of the first "found footage" pictures and one of the first to be marketed on the internet. Unfortunately, I can only imagine how the narrative surrounding the film lent itself to a terrifying experience in a theater in 1999. Now that's it's been demystified and having seen countless rehashes of the concept, it's lost a lot of its power. It's still a creepy and occasionally pulse-quickening film, but for the most part it's not as terrifying as it once might have been.
It was a dissapointing experience for me, because I expected a lot. Then again, horror films are very often dissapointments to me.
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It's always been a for me as a film. The marketing was worth since a huge amount of gullible teenagers thought it was real.
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All The President's Men (1976) - quite an interesting story and film,everything was decent and I enjoyed it but not something I would watch multiple times.
Billy Madison (1995) - Used to watch it on TV when I was little but only now,when I rewatched it in the original language, I noticed how annoying Adam Sandler was in it.
Happy Gilmore (1996) - Another film from my childhood but this one was quite enjoyable,let's just say it's my secret film.
Clerks. (1994) - This is a great movie about two clerks who just live trough their day.Loved the dialogue,the characters and the whole story.Maybe sometimes I felt like the acting is a bit phoney but it's forgivable.I used to have quite the same job so maybe that's why I liked it even more,of course it's a bit over the top but it's quite realistic as well.
Funny thing that it is made in 1994,that makes 4 just perfect films for me made in during that year.
Frost/Nixon (2008) - It was an interesting film only because of the facts.I liked the history lesson(actually I haven't checked how true is it yet).But I didn't get why to make it documentary type and despite Nixon's character,I felt that others are undeveloped.The "talk fight" didn't impress me at all.
Clerks II (2006) - still funny and entertaining but way over the top and just too stupid for me.I preferred B&W in the first film as well.
Rocky (1976) - I wouldn't say that it's one of the best films ever made but it is very good.Just a well-told inspiring story.Good performances,interesting plot,catchy music and even if you know how it will end,you still can't just turn it off.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - I had big expectations for this but I was severely disappointed.Yes,acting is wonderful in this film - very very natural,Black & White made it more depressing and dark,I don't think it was filmed very specially but I found some great shots and the dialogue is quite clever.But the whole content...What's with the plot?After 30 minutes of the film,I already realized that this will be just a story of a married couple fighting when they're drunk.I did some reading and people are saying that there were some "mind games" or a clever story how,despite everything,they love each other but I saw just a film when two people who are in love pour their hearts and yell on each other while their drunk and the next day they forget everything.
Billy Madison (1995) - Used to watch it on TV when I was little but only now,when I rewatched it in the original language, I noticed how annoying Adam Sandler was in it.
Happy Gilmore (1996) - Another film from my childhood but this one was quite enjoyable,let's just say it's my secret film.
Clerks. (1994) - This is a great movie about two clerks who just live trough their day.Loved the dialogue,the characters and the whole story.Maybe sometimes I felt like the acting is a bit phoney but it's forgivable.I used to have quite the same job so maybe that's why I liked it even more,of course it's a bit over the top but it's quite realistic as well.
Funny thing that it is made in 1994,that makes 4 just perfect films for me made in during that year. Frost/Nixon (2008) - It was an interesting film only because of the facts.I liked the history lesson(actually I haven't checked how true is it yet).But I didn't get why to make it documentary type and despite Nixon's character,I felt that others are undeveloped.The "talk fight" didn't impress me at all.
Clerks II (2006) - still funny and entertaining but way over the top and just too stupid for me.I preferred B&W in the first film as well.
Rocky (1976) - I wouldn't say that it's one of the best films ever made but it is very good.Just a well-told inspiring story.Good performances,interesting plot,catchy music and even if you know how it will end,you still can't just turn it off.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - I had big expectations for this but I was severely disappointed.Yes,acting is wonderful in this film - very very natural,Black & White made it more depressing and dark,I don't think it was filmed very specially but I found some great shots and the dialogue is quite clever.But the whole content...What's with the plot?After 30 minutes of the film,I already realized that this will be just a story of a married couple fighting when they're drunk.I did some reading and people are saying that there were some "mind games" or a clever story how,despite everything,they love each other but I saw just a film when two people who are in love pour their hearts and yell on each other while their drunk and the next day they forget everything.
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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) - I had big expectations for this but I was severely disappointed.Yes,acting is wonderful in this film - very very natural,Black & White made it more depressing and dark,I don't think it was filmed very specially but I found some great shots and the dialogue is quite clever.But the whole content...What's with the plot?After 30 minutes of the film,I already realized that this will be just a story of a married couple fighting when they're drunk.I did some reading and people are saying that there were some "mind games" or a clever story how,despite everything,they love each other but I saw just a film when two people who are in love pour their hearts and yell on each other while their drunk and the next day they forget everything.
It's an intense story about two people who are destroying eachother with guilt feelings and jealousy, because they started to hate (and yet still love) eachother after a tragic happening they can't leave behind them.
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Ludicrous review of Virginia Woolf. You have the right to your opinion but it should be at least informed. Oh well, sorry, every movie can't be Clerks.
Last edited by mark f; 04-06-13 at 05:51 PM.
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Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a fantastic movie! The acting performances are the only thing that can carry a movie like this and everyone acting in this movie hit it out of the park!
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