Superb Scenes With Seanc

Lone Wolf

10-03-13

The visuals and sound are impressive. If you have a pretty good blu-ray setup I think that will be good enough for this film. It has that grainy film thing going on too, which I loved for this movie.

Thanks for the reco. Ill look it up.

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seanc

Lone Wolf

10-07-13

2013 Director: Alfonso Cuaron

"Gravity is an experiment in minimalist blockbuster film making."-Sound On Sight podcast

I heard this quote just a few minutes after leaving the theater, and I love it. First off I love it because it is true and secondly I love it because Gravity succeeds in a big way. Gravity proves that you can make a big budget film,with movie stars, that relies more on aesthetics than narrative, and that movie can be original, entertaining, and bottom line awesome. Gravity is the exception to the rule when it comes to blockbuster film making.

Immediately after seeing this film it is making me say two things that I have never said. I have never called a film a masterpiece upon a first viewing. I am doing so with Gravity. This film is the single best experience I have had watching a film in the theater. That does not mean it is my favorite movie of all time. That does not even mean that this is a film that I will revisit that often at home. It does mean that as a visual experience it did something for me that no other movie has. Now that I have experienced Gravity I can honestly say I don't think I had ever felt truly transported until now. I also have never told anyone to watch a film in 3D to truly experience it. In fact I am the guy that hopes that I will be able to see a movie in 2D, I have even waited a couple of weeks to go see a film just to avoid 3D. Go see Gravity in IMAX 3D. From the opening sequence I knew that this was going to be a different experience, and it was, every second of it.

The visuals are the most important aspect of Gravity but they are not the only thing the film has going for it. The narrative is simple, but it is engaging and tension filled. Bullock is as good as advertised. Clooney is perfectly cast as the perfect astronaut. There is even a voice performance easter egg that I caught right away and enjoyed. Cuaron out did himself. Gravity is genius, and a theater experience that all film fans must treat themselves to.

Last edited by seanc; 06-09-14 at 11:10 PM.

Frightened Inmate No. 2

ding-dong daddy from dumas

10-08-13

this movie looks so good. i really hope i'm gonna be able to see it in theaters soon. good review.

seanc

Lone Wolf

10-15-13

Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Cast: Rin Takanashi, Tadashi Okuno

Directing:
Kiarosatmi always delivers top flight pacing and sets great atmosphere.

Plot:
Very unique story line centers around a call girl with unorthodox relationships. Has the usual Kiarostami ambiguity.

Visuals:
Nothing to write home about, but Kiarostami does frame his shots very nicely. The scenes in cars are my favorites.

Script:
This is where Kiarostami excels and why I have grown to love him in the five films I have seen. His dialogue is so ambiguous it would surely drive me crazy in lesser hands. Kiarostami's writing is perfect however and what sets him apart.

Acting:
Like the visuals, nothing to gush over but also nothing to distract.

What I dislike: Kiarostami reminds me of Haneke in that his films are great but his writing and story telling style is such that I never fall in love with the characters.

What I like: Flawless dialogue centered around a great story line. Kiarostami's patented ambiguous ending will keep you thinking about the film for days. Almost certain to be in my 2013 top ten. I am anxious to see it again already.

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Last edited by seanc; 06-09-14 at 11:40 PM.

Sane

Registered User

10-16-13

Kiarostami has become a real director of the world. I'd like to see more directors do it - make films in different cultures. I think the results could be great. Scorsese doing a Korean revenge movie, Tarantino doing a movie with Iranian children going to buy fruit ...

I'm kind of serious, it would be interesting. Having said that I thought Certified Copy was one of Kiarostami's weaker films but I'm looking forward to seeing Like Someone in Love.

honeykid

MoFo Whisperer

10-16-13

Originally Posted by Sane

Kiarostami has become a real director of the world. I'd like to see more directors do it - make films in different cultures. I think the results could be great. Scorsese doing a Korean revenge movie, Tarantino doing a movie with Iranian children going to buy fruit ...

Firstly, Scorsese has kind of done that already with The Departed. Secondly, considering how difficult to was for Scorsese to raise the money to make Shutter Island, can you imagine how difficult it would be for something like that? Unless he did it for a million or something like that.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

seanc

Lone Wolf

10-20-13

Director: Paul Greengrass
Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi

Directing:
Greengrass tells the story straight and is excellent with action. One of those directors that makes me say,"a little less shaky cam please."

Script:
Nothing that stands out but nothing to hinder either. Sometimes less is more and it works in this film.

Plot:
Extraordinary true story. As tense as advertised.

Visuals:
I would have liked more of the large static shots. A lot of this film does take place in tight space though so Greengrass does what he can. Shaky cam knocks it down a half grade for me though.

Acting:
Hanks nails it especially in final third. Abdi holds his own and then some along side him.

What I disliked: Not much besides shaky cam. This is not going to be a film that comes up much in ten years probably. It is a solid film with some above average moments.

What I like: Hanks and Abdi playing off each other. The action sequences are tense and well done.

Last edited by seanc; 06-09-14 at 11:42 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

10-23-13

"We keep secrets from lots of people, including our self - and that we call forgetting."

Director: Danny Boyle
Cast: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel

Directing:
Twisty thriller but Boyle never lets us lose our sense of where the characters and story are. I hate that in a thriller so I appreciate this.

Plot:
Extremely far fetched but somehow still feels grounded. Once again I appreciate that.

Visual:
Boyle is doing a lot with yellows and reds, some may get more out of that then it looks cool. In this film I did not.

Script:
Engaging, but nothing spectacular.

Acting:
The top three billed are all above average.

What I dislike: I was engaged but somehow that never led to me having any investment in the outcome of story or characters.

What I like: As I mentioned very far fetched plot but somehow everything still felt grounded in reality. Even when the hypnotist is talking as if it was science I never once shook my head as I tend to do when things are cooky. There are twists but they just feel as if they unfold as they should, as opposed to feeling as if your being tricked. Trance is what I refer to as a lazy Saturday afternoon movie.

Last edited by seanc; 06-09-14 at 11:45 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

10-26-13

Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

"Sometimes I feel like your breathing helium and I'm breathing oxygen."

Directing:
It is just walking and talking, but kudos to Linklater for continuing to just let it be that, so nice to be with a film that breathes.

Plot:
While I don't think the middle film got it right. The first and third film are perfect pictures of the beginning, and in this case, the trials of a committed relationship.

Visual:
The set pieces are great. They set the tone extremely well. Greece was beautiful to look at.

Script:
Could not be more perfect. We feel the frustration and love equally. Sunrise probably felt more fresh but Midnight is the greater writing achievement in my opinion.

Acting:
Delpy is better than Hawke I think, but they play off each other perfectly.

What I dislike: Hawke's half tucked shirt and crooked belt. Nothing else to complain about.

What I love: The perfect dialogue. The feeling that I could be watching my own relationship. No matter your personality, where or how you live, we all go through the same things in a relationship. We hurt each other, we love each other. As upsetting as it may be this film feels as authentic as any film I have seen. I also love how they delved into Hawke's relationship with his son so much while at the same time keeping it about this couple. I would love to see another in ten years.

Last edited by seanc; 06-10-14 at 11:11 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

10-29-13

Director: Tobias Lindholm
Cast: Pilou Asbaek, Soren Malling

Directing:
Stripped down thriller works perfectly for this material. Lindholm's approach created one of the most affecting thrillers of the last couple years.

Plot:
Very straight forward. A Hijacking excels because of the nuance brought to the story.

Visuals:
Most of the film is in confined space, but there are a few money shots.

Script:
The subtle approach fills nearly every scene with edge of your seat tension.

Acting:
No bad performances, none really stood out.

What I dislike: It will be interesting to see if this film holds up on re-watches, but there is nothing to complain about first time around.

What I like: I love the stripped down approach to the story telling. I hope other thriller directors take note at how well this can work for this type of film. Much of the conflict takes place off camera as well. You would think this would lessen the emotional punch but it has the opposite effect. One of my favorites of the year.

Last edited by seanc; 06-10-14 at 11:13 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

10-31-13

Director: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Cast: Liam James, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell

Directing:
This film has no nuance. Blame it on the writing, blame it on the directing. I site both.

Plot:
Very simple coming of age story. Does nothing to set itself apart.

Visuals:
Sets the summer home atmosphere, not much else going on.

Script:
Really poorly conceived for a major production. All cookie cutter characters and story arcs.

Acting:
Pretty poor in spots, especially the child actors. Extra half point because Rockwell entertained me and Carell played a great a**hole.

What I dislike: Trite from start to finish. You understand each character and where they are going from the first line they utter. Really disappointing after some of the reviews that I have read.

What I like: Rockwell's relationship with our protagonist, though very predictable, saved this film from being grating and the worst of the year.

Last edited by seanc; 06-10-14 at 11:15 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

11-07-13

Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz

Directing:
I love the tone, the way the story unfolds, and the look.

Plot:
Dour but engaging. Very McCarthy-esque

Visuals:
Scott is doing what he does. Creating a world that feels very grounded and lived in.

Script:
Superb dialogue drives the film, maybe a bit on the nose at times.

Acting:
Great cast and everyone is spot on. Bardem stood out for me while Diaz was solid but a bit out classed.

What I disliked: There are lots of characters and I could have spent more time with every single one to get more of their story.

What I liked: For me the best crime films care more about their characters than they do the crime. The Counselor sure does this well. The characters and dialouge are great. I also love films where the story unfolds slowly and we are not privy to all the information up front. This film also does this without being twisty or relying on trickery. This is a well above average film in my opinion. I am glad I did not listen to all the hate it has been getting and skip it.

Last edited by seanc; 06-10-14 at 11:18 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

11-07-13

Three Colors
Krzysztof Kieslowski

I enjoyed watching these films but I really wanted to love them after hearing so much about them over the last couple of years. I certainly appreciate and respect Kieslowski's approach. The subtle character development and ambiguous dialogue are rare and a breath of fresh air. There are small things to latch on to in each of the films but ultimately they just didn't give me enough to connect with.

1993

My favorite of the three I think because 1) the theme is so easy to sympathize with and grab hold of 2) Binoche's performance is phenomenal. I loved the closing montage. My favorite moment in all three films.

1994

My least favorite of the three films. Seems like maybe it is trying to be a comedy but really falters more often than not. I did enjoy a few of the moments between Karol and Mikolaj which kept the film from being a total bust for me. The suitcase caper and suicide attempt are what stand out.

1994

I know I am doing a good job branching out in my film watching because I am starting to recognize foreign film actors. Hey it's the guy from Amour. Red had some great scenes, particularly those between Jacob and Trintignant. I like the theme of truth and and how we perceive it. I have just seen those themes explored in more interesting ways. Red was good for me but I wanted it to be great. It is kind of a picture of the whole trilogy for me. I also could care less about the end of this film. The montage did not feel organic at all but rather something that was just thrown in to show that all these films are connected.

honeykid

MoFo Whisperer

11-08-13

I like the trilogy more than you, I think, but I think of them in similar ways and rate them in the same order. I adore Blue, though, as my top 100 will testify.

I'd like to sit and watch them again, but your point about the end of Red makes me want to do so even more because, when I first saw Red in the mid 90's, it felt organic. In fact, organic is a good choice of word for the feeling, but I wonder if that was the case because it was pretty unusual. In the first decade of the C21st we saw a lot more of this kind of thing and often they served no purpose other than to give the impression of quality or simply to create buzz.

I felt a similar thing happened in comedy. The ability to go back and pick up things from earlier in your act and include it towards the end became seen as a mark of quality. A well crafted, intelligent comedian. So every other comedian, it seemed at the time, started to write stuff that did it.

seanc

Lone Wolf

11-09-13

Director: Alan Taylor
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston

Directing:
Certainly feels like the Marvel universe has a blueprint that is being followed by now to me. These films look good and are entertaining but if they rotated directors would anyone notice?

Plot:
See above.

Visuals:
I love the look of the Thor universe. Very few moments that feel fake in these films which is an accomplishment.

Script:
Nothing fresh and some of the comedic beats border on grating in this one.

Acting:
Everyone knows what they are doing by now and Hiddleston stands out again.

What I like: The Marvel universe that has been built on film is fun. There is a ton of continuity and they are doing a better and better job of drawing from past films. All the characters appeal to me in some way.

What I dislike: I will continue to watch these films till I no longer enjoy them on any level but it is time for something fresh. What I am writing probably feels like a review of all Marvel movies instead of Thor 2 and that is because with the exception of the first Iron Man and The Avengers all of these movies feel the exact same. They look good, they have fun moments, and good action sequences. There is nothing else to glean from them because the stakes never change which is to say it doesn't feel like their are any stakes. Evil force wants to destroy the world, our hero stops him. There is no chance that our hero will not stop him so the conflict means nothing.

Would the average movie goer enjoy a movie that simply explores Thor and Jane's relationship without a super villain? I think they would. How about an Iron Man movie that takes a serious look at alcohol abuse. Captain America in a war film. An Avenger movie where The Hulk is the major conflict, which presents the others with some real dilemma. I don't actually think the cookie cutter scripts are gonna stop but it is nice to dream.

Last edited by seanc; 06-10-14 at 11:23 PM.

seanc

Lone Wolf

11-10-13

So after watching Three Colors I have made it through my watchlist for the year, except for the movies that have not been released in the theater yet. So I get to start my plan for 2014 a little early and get a head start. I will pick a director that I have watched a couple of films from, and enjoyed, and watch 10-12 movies by them before moving on to the next. I will probably end up spending 2 or 3 months with each director because I watch my share of new films and television as well. Since you MoFos are so much more knowledgeable than me I want to throw my list out each time and get some feedback as I will not be married to any of my film choices and can add and subtract as seems logical.

First up is Hitchcock. Why Hitchcock? Because when I talk about old films I always site Hitchcock as a director I am a fan of. However when I look at his filmography I realize that I have only actually watched three or four films of his. Plenty of Hitchcock Presents on Nick At Nite when I was teenager but that really does not count. Here is the ten I have settled on for now but would love to get some input:

1) Rebecca
2) Shadow Of A Doubt
3) Dial M For Murder
4) North By Northwest
5) Suspicion
6) Strangers On A Train
7) To Catch A Thief
8) Notorious

Two re-watches:

9) The Birds
10) Psycho

I have seen Rear Window and Vertigo recently enough that I don't feel like I need to revisit them. Whether I do or not will probably depend a lot on now much I enjoy the next couple of months of viewing. Rear Window is my favorite by Hitchcock and in my 100 fave list.

thracian dawg

Frau Bl�cher

11-10-13

Red was good for me but I wanted it to be great. It is kind of a picture of the whole trilogy for me. I also could care less about the end of this film. The montage did not feel organic at all but rather something that was just thrown in to show that all these films are connected.

I had a little problem with that also, Karol is seem earlier in the Red film, so the timeline is a little screwy and doesn't quite make sense.

One prime for the trilogy are the titles; which comes from the colors of the French flag: libert�, �galit�, fraternit�. Which Kieslowski boldly announces the theme for each film. Blue = freedom. Julie's quest to be free. White = equality. Karol's quest to be equal with his wife. And Red = brotherhood or community.

I recently rewatched these and I was a little surprised at the complexity of Red and White. Also, the funny thing is (if you add one star to each film) we had almost exactly the same impressions to the films.

seanc

Lone Wolf

11-10-13

Ratings are is arbitrary as films are subjective. I often look at my ratings and think I would take away a star here, add a star there. It is a lot of fun for some reason though.

honeykid

MoFo Whisperer

11-12-13

I'd recommend Frenzy and The Trouble With Harry, as they're a little different for Hitch and because, along with Psycho and Shadow Of A Doubt, they're my favourite Hitchcock films. But, as I've said many times, I'm not a fan.

JayDee