Movie Tab II

Been over a month since I've posted in here. Catching up:

The Guns of Navarone (1961, Thompson):
Liberté (2009, Gatlif): +
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009, Campanella):
Hundstage (2001, Seidl):
The Heat (2013, Feig):
Iron Man 3 (2013, Black): +
The Omega Man (1971, Sagal): +
Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008, Spielberg):
World War Z (2013, Forster):
A Prophet (2009, Audiard):
Mundane History (2009, Suwichakornpong): +
The Clock (1945, Minnelli):

The Station Agent -



A really warm and honest film, which succeeds in delivering its message without being overly melodramatic. The trio of actors who played main roles all did a great job, which adds up to a film. Peter Dinklage talking about how people treat him was one of better confessions I've seen in cinema lately, mainly because it probably wasn't acted. Really strong performance.

Rust and Bone -



I haven't seen Jacques Audiard's previous effort A Prophet, so I didn't know what to expect from this 2012 French drama film. The story is quite usual, but the way it has been shown on the screen was impressive. Schoenaerts and Cotillard complete each other perfectly portraying completely different personas and their weird relationship built on desire, sympathy and eventually guilt is one of the reasons why you should watch it. If it isn't enough for you, the film has a sweet delicate score made by Desplat juxtaposed to popular songs of various artists, which helps to enrich the above average cinematography. The plot is 'only' a nice addition to this already cream filled piece of cake. There's nothing left to do, but to eat!

A New Life -



Philippe Grandrieux shows the world like it is - brutal and sinister. This arthouse flick tells a very simplistic story, but the way it does it is unparalleled. Chaotic camera movement, blurred images emerging from the darkness, fuzzy lights, use of negative (?) and long zooms all combined fulfill the disturbance seen and heard on the screen. Its minimalistic way of showing violence and quirky affection is so unseen it deserves a watch. But beware, it's not an easy film to watch.

Samsara -



Pan Nalin mixes etnographic movie and buddhism ideas adding melodrama aesthetics. The end result is at least intriguing. His film feels divinely, but is also very human with all the pros and cons of this. "How can one prevent a drop of water from ever drying up?". Watch the movie to find out.

Only God Forgives -



Stylized to the point of absurdity, Only God Forgives is one of better neo-noir films made during the last decade. The well-lit interiors, neon exteriors, mysterious corridors and Lynchian red room create a very dense atmosphere. Sometimes the viewer isn't sure whether the scene he sees is real or a reverie. Sweet and precise scenography helps to make every shot unforgettable while Gosling's and Thomas' acting only chill up every take. I really liked the femme fatale character, which behind the mask of glamorous lady hid a monster. The scene in restaurant is the best example of her ways. Two or three times the movie even felt kinda campy, but I don't regard it as a disadvantage. The final Jodorovsky tribute was unexpected and sadly I haven't seen the movie OGF is paying homage to according to some Internet comments I read. By the way I can't understand why the movie is rated so low. Probably people thought it's gonna be Thai box version of Rocky. Honestly, I thought the same, but it wasn't. Thank God it wasn't.

The Duellists -



As long as cinematography was pretty nice and the final shot was nothing short of a genius I was completely indifferent to the story itself. Barry Lyndon, a movie The Duellists is being compared to almost everytime, is much better in every aspect, but Ridley Scott's debut wasn't a bad film at all! It's just I watched it after Only God Forgives.

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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.

this movie own it

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

REWATCH The Clerks


"I'm not even supposed to be here, today."


REWATCH Choke based on the story by the same author of Fight Club (Chuck Palahniuk) and starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston.
The central character is a sex addict that purposely chokes on food so people will save him while dealing with an amensic (sp?) mother with a secret about who, really, his father is, and all kinds of mixed up, messed up sh*t in between.
Poignant, funny and visceral

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Finished Season 4 (2006) of The Wire yesterday. +

The King of Comedy - 91/100

3 Women - 80/100

Secret Honor - 73/100

Jeff, Who Lives at Home - 68/100

Spellbound (Hitchcock, 1945) +
Masculin Feminin (Godard, 1966) *
The Collector (Rohmer, 1967)
Dressed to Kill (De Palma, 1980)
Kiss Me Deadly (Aldrich, 1955)
Public Enemies (Mann, 2009) *
Broadcast News (L. Brooks, 1987)
Eyes Wide Shut (Kubrick, 1999)
Inside Man (Lee, 2006) *
Die Hard with a Vengeance (McTiernan, 1995) *
The Face of Another (Teshigagara, 1967)

[short] The Heart of the World (Maddin, 2000)

Vormittagsspuk -


This dude. You ain't got sh*t on him.

I never really was into dadaism, neither cinema nor any other form of art. Mona Lisa with moustache was rather a funny gimmick than art to me. I didn't even try to watch Entr'acte as I thought I wouldn't like it.. I started watching Ghosts Before Breakfast not even knowing it's dada and all of sudden I enjoyed it. Obviously, it's all about visuals and tricks, which are quite impressive given the year it was made (1928), but there's nothing more to it as it's a mix of surrealism and experimental.

Outer Space -


It really felt like from outer space.

Another interesting short. The director tortures the tape, cuts it into pieces and recomposes it creating a collage of images. Does it work? Well, partially. Really atmospheric and cool for the most of time, nerve-wrackingly eye-burning in the middle, it surely is an quaint little movie. Worth checking out, but don't even try to if you suffer from epilepsy!

Blockade -


Don't really know what to say here. Just watch it!

This documentary film of Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa known for his gruesome full-length debut My Joy shows the blockade of Leningrad and the actrocities of war better than most feature films I've seen. Using only archive footage and minimal but effective editing Loznitsa managed to move me without even saying a word. There's no commentary in the movie. Only real footages of people, who lived, died and survived. The fireworks at the end are truly beautiful, but the last scene that comes after them is extremely horrific, especially with an ironic inscription coming right after it ends. It's almost like an essay film, but silent, because there's no need for pompous speeches to make people understand war is hell. Truly an unknown gem.

Three Days -


Another slow, boring film. I love it!

Šarūnas Bartas is a truly talented director, who manages to create a great mood and make his movies interesting while seemingly not showing anything at all. Vestigal dialogs (quite surprised me, because his other films I've seen had no dialogs at all) and dingy yet beautiful camera shots show the relationship between the protagonists, as mystical as possible, given we don't know anything about them. The film had a strange emotional impact on me, something I rarely ever feel when I watch a movie. Probably my favourite Bartas film up to date.

3 Women -


Nice paintings. Kinky paintings. And it's a perfect combination.

My first meeting with Mr. Altman was quite unusual. At first I thought I know everything about him, his intentions and ideas he has been showing me. The story he told me was really appealing, but I didn't know what's to come. When he finished it, it was nothing like I ever imagined it to be, but I can't say I didn't like his story. I heartily thanked him for his time and promised I'll come by again for more. He smiled suspiciously and said I'm welcome at any time. ~~~ Thank you, Hitchfan.

Videodrome -


Just a second, I have to put my hand into my giant ventral vagina.

Oh wow! What should I say? At first I thought it's gonna be a nice erotic thriller, but then it turned into some sci-fi disgusting TV critique. It was an OK film, but Cronenberg still has to impress me with a movie. Oh, and give me a link to that Japanese sex tape with a doll-dildo. It was a nice touch! LOL

Grizzly Man -


Whatta zealot! Cute fox, tho.

Herzog shows us a man and stays quite objective on the matter. He says when he agrees and when he doesn't, but he doesn't judge. He's an observator and transmitter. An artist admiring another artist, but it's not blind adoration. No matter what you think about the guy, you have to say it's a great documentary.

Sound City





An amazing story of Sound City, a dumpy Van Nuys studio that produced some of the greatest music in pop history, from Neil Young to Nirvanna.

Well that the beginning of the film, more about the end later.

The star of the show is the Neve analogue mixing console. The centerpiece of the studio. The musicians loved this machine. It gave them a live quality that seemed to be lacking in other equipment.

The shape of the dumpy little building was also an integral part of the sound. Drummers like the director Dave Grohl, love the realness of the sound.

Then the digital age of recording comes in. Why record over and over when you can fix it with a computer? The artists in this film will argue that something is lost in the process and "digital sucks!" But digital is the future and the companies refusal to update leads to their demise.

Or does it? Dave Grohl purchases the Neve and invites proponents of Sound City for a jam session album making thing.

Yawn, the rest of the film is sleep-inducing jam session blended with interviews about how digital sucks!!! digital sucks!!! digital sucks!!!

Now to my comments about the artists. You are worth billions! Go record wherever, whenever on any equipment you want! Nothing is preventing you from making good music! Stop bitching about the industry holding you down.

Don't you elitists realize it's expensive record in such a manner? Not everybody can invite Paul McCartney to show up and burn through hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in analog tape.

According to IMDB it was filmed using a Red Epic Camera. What? A digital camera?

Glad you enjoyed it so much! I figured you would, it's surreal AND kinky.

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"Puns are the highest form of literature." -Alfred Hitchcock

And boring. Don't forget he loves films where nothing happens. Apparently he likes annoying characters too. Oh wait a sec; this is on your list too.

None characters were annoying to me and believe me, compared to other movies I watch this film was almost an action flick!

Wow, well I actually kinda liked some aspects of 3 Women but Duvall and Spacek were as annoying as they could get, and that's saying something for the particular actresses.

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I knew this would be your kind of film. I also liked it a lot. It has a very magnetic atmosphere, in my opinion (like many of Altman's films) and I actually thought it had something interesting to say about the different aspects and phases of womanhood. Very delicious film, but not one of my very favorites of Robert Altman, though.

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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019

My parents said that there's an old feature film about the siege of Leningrad but I can't find it anywhere.This doc may be not bad but it's a documentary so it lacks story for me.