The 12th Hall of Fame

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Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
Withnail & I

I think I have complained about this petty thing before, but oh, Criterion and their lack of providing subtitles!! I definitely need them when I am watching quieter films.

Anyway, this is one of those movies that I have heard about for years but have never actually watched. My reason for never having watched it is probably because I never really had any interest to do so. And it is always kind of funny to me how joining in on these HoF’s, I am “forced” to finally getting around to having to view so many films out there.

There was nothing in particular that really stood out for me with this film. The humor was there, the acting was good and I enjoyed it, but there was nothing in this film that was particularly memorable. Withnail got a bit annoying at times. I still didn’t mind watching him, but I kind of liked the character of “I” much better. Withnail was the bigger deal character, but maybe the more subtle the character, the better it was for me in this film, and that is why I preferred the other guy.

I got a kick out of them getting a little bit of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in a film produced by George Harrison.

I watched a couple of movies in this HoF during a time when I was pretty sick with the flu. And I would hate to think that my judgement of them was affected by how I felt. Yet, I can’t really ignore the fact that I wasn’t feeling my best. I think I would like to give this one another try at some point because, quite honestly, this is the kind of movie that I really like. So I would like to see how I feel about it on a second viewing when I am feeling better.

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I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe



Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
Y Tu Mama Tambien

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex.

I saw this movie years ago. I forgot that it is (and really isn’t) based around that. Otherwise, I remembered quite a bit about this, actually. Silly things. The main thing being that I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to get sexually involved with either Diego Luna or Gael García Bernal. The two of them in this film make me as sick now as they did when I first watched it. Just the thought of being touched by either one of them…..

But with my nonsensical comments done with, I will say that they are good in the film. I think they fit their roles well. The standout is Maribel Verdu. I think she does an excellent job of portraying someone who has a lot going on in her life – things that will affect her tremendously – but manages to cover it all so well that nobody will know there is anything wrong.

I found myself watching this, though, and thinking “Oh, I know what happens”. And I did indeed know what happened. I remembered quite a bit about it. It was just a case of anticipating when these situations would occur in the film. The only thing I didn’t remember was the ending. Amazingly, the part that you would think might stay with a person the most was the part that I remembered the least. Maybe I chose not to remember it. It is a bit of depressing storytelling. Maybe at the time that I watched this film before I was going through something that helped me to just block it from my mind. Who knows? The ending brought me down a little, though.

I am very indifferent towards the narration. Part of me doesn’t mind it but the other part didn’t really feel it added anything to the film. Put it this way, if I would watch this film again but with the narration magically cut from the film, I wouldn’t miss it. When I look at it that way, I wonder why it is even in there.

Anyway, this is a very good nomination and it was good to watch it again.




Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
Romper Stomper

I don’t know what I really think about this film. On one hand it is this brutal portrayal of a deplorable part of society. But on the other hand, I wish the characters had been given a little more depth. Truth be told, I do like to know about the person inside a “bad” character, too. I would’ve liked more of a “fuller” story, for lack of another way to describe it. It isn’t, of course, a “light” film in any way. I just wish we would’ve been given the chance to see more into the characters to know what made them (or at least what made Hando and Davey) want to be this way.

I say that and then I also think that maybe I like the idea that there isn’t too much detail to these characters. Maybe that would also have taken away from the film because sometimes I think if you get too detailed about the character’s character it takes away from the straightforward attempt of trying to tell a story. And sometimes I do likes characters just being what they are and leaving us to guessing as to why they became that way.

So, mentioning that, I thought it was interesting how Hando and Davey were, in their way, opposite to each other. Russell Crowe did a very good job, I thought, of portraying an unapologetic neo-Nazi. And Daniel Pollock was good as the quieter half of the duo. It was interesting seeing how his character actually had a touch of being human in him. There were moments (particularly with the girl – her name is gone from my mind right now) where he didn’t seem so bad.

It was a good movie. Not one that I knew about, and not necessarily one that I would’ve watched on my own. So I appreciate its nomination.



I was telling my mother about this film and I knew it would lead to her saying the words “Do you remember when there was that truck full of them outside the store when you were little?”. The “them” being a bunch of neo-Nazis. For some reason there was exactly what my mother said when we came out of the store. I asked her if she ever found out why they were there and she didn’t. It was just a neighborhood grocery store. Why was it singled out? Unless these guys made the rounds to all of the neighborhoods. I don’t know! I just remember there was a lot of screaming going on between the wannabe Nazis and the people in the neighborhood who were coming out of the store. I can remember my mother trying to ignore it until one of them said something to her. So naturally she had to say something back. But I was little enough to where I don’t really remember what was said and when I asked her how much she remembered all she said was “I don’t even remember anymore. I just remember how disgusting they were”.



Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
Barbara

This, unfortunately, was another one that I watched when I wasn’t feeling well. I maybe should’ve held off on watching them until I was better, but that would’ve meant that I would’ve had to have waited again for them to arrive at the library (only this time the wait would’ve been longer because I would’ve had to have waited for them to go back to the library that they came from only to be brought back a second time to the one where I wanted to pick them up).

Anyway, I don’t really have anything bad to say about the film. It is nicely shot. The acting is good. The story is fine. But I think it was kind of slow. Even a little draggy at times. I know that is the point of it. Especially if it is to add a touch of realism to the film (after all, nobody’s life is an action film all the time – if ever!). There was just something about it that I would’ve appreciated it moving along a little faster. I wanted a tiny bit more “noise” in the film, too. It was a little too quiet for my taste. At times the quietness did work, but at other times it just seemed to make the film a little dull for me.

While she was good in the role, I wasn’t fond of the character of Barbara. I didn’t have all that much interest in her and I didn’t care what happened to her. I liked Andre, though. I wish we would’ve gotten a little bit more in the story from him.

It is a decent film. It just isn’t one that I liked the most in this HoF.




Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
The Grand Budapest Hotel

I saw this once before. So one of the few re-watches in this particular HoF for me.

Wes Anderson is really hit-or-miss for me. For example, I didn’t care for “Moonrise Kingdom” at all, but I enjoyed “The Darjeeling Limited”. But as I had seen this film before, I knew how I felt about it. And I liked it. Just how much, I couldn’t really remember and I didn’t really know if I would like it at all a second time.

But I did like it. While not necessarily laugh-out-loud comedy for me, I appreciated, and quite often smiled, at the humor. I love Ralph Fiennes in the film. In a way, he almost seems like an odd choice to play such a quirky character but I am quite impressed with how well he does it. And I really like Tony Revolori as Zero (there is no way he was F. Murray Abraham as a younger man, though – I think I remembered thinking that the first time that I saw it). I love his somewhat monotone way that he delivers his lines. And I love the character’s loyalty to Fiennes’ M. Gustave.

I do wish Edward Norton would've been taken advantage of in here. I kind of feel like we were a little cheated with his character and his acting. I wish we would’ve had more from him.

The film is beautifully filmed. I love the sets. The colors are very nice and vibrant.

I forgot that I found the ending to be a bit sad and depressing. I wish it would’ve been a little different for such a “silly” film. No matter what, though, I do like this movie and I was happy to see it nominated as it gave me another excuse to watch the film.




Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
Hiroshima Mon Amour

I've known about this film and heard good things about it for years. This was the opportunity to finally see it.

I didn’t like it.

For one thing, while I understand why a filmmaker would want to show the effects of what happened in Hiroshima, I don’t think it was necessary to show that much of it. I don’t want to come across cold-hearted, but I don’t want to see that kind of stuff. And seeing just a little bit of it goes a long way. It didn’t have to go on and on. I feel like this with anything where there is footage of something so terrible that happened to people (i.e. concentration camps). I’ve seen footage. I know what it looks like. I never have to see it again, nor do I want to. And it isn’t because I am trying to “ignore” what happened. It is because I know very well what did, I know what the aftermath looks like, and it is stored into my brain. I just don’t care to see it ever again. It isn’t a pleasant thing to see and I don’t want to see it again. And especially not that much of it.

The beginning dragged on until they got to the characters and I was happy that they finally did. And then I wasn’t. I had NO interest in either one. I just found her to be crazy and I found him to be weird for being so into this crazy woman that he just wouldn’t leave alone. The semi-stalking was ridiculous. She wasn’t that intriguing to keep following her. And then when she went on and on about the German soldier, it felt a little like torture. I kind of wanted to scream at the TV “Just SHUT UP!!!”.

I will give them credit and say that the actors were good. It was just the film itself. No, maybe I shouldn’t say the film itself. It was the story, which plays a big part in whether a movie itself is good or not, but I did like the look of the film. So I won’t say that the entire film wasn’t for me.

I just thought it was a boring movie. I appreciate the fact that it is a film that others will love. I respect that. Everyone likes what they like and they have their reasons for liking them. Just the same, though, everyone dislikes what they dislike and they have their reasons for it. Unfortunately, this was one that I disliked.




Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
Sorry Vamp, but this just really wasn't for me.
That's fine. I didn't think this was going to be a movie for everyone, anyway.

Ok folks great job so far, and we are less than 3 weeks away from the set deadline of March 10th. However, I set that deadline before 1 or 2 members joined, so if anyone needs a little more time, it can be done
I will be done. I just need to watch "Joe". And I will get it watched somehow!

I have other reviews that I can post but I will save the rest for another day.



Wow, Vamp knocks them out of the ballpark! I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of your reviews. Well written, well said and very interesting too!

Withnail & I

I think I have complained about this petty thing before, but oh, Criterion and their lack of providing subtitles!! I definitely need them when I am watching quieter films....
I had subtitles on my DVD and I needed them. The British accents are so strong that I could only pick up half of what was being said, so I needed to go to subtitles. Still I didn't care for this movie, it reminded me of a more annoying and less funny version of Absolutely Fabulous.

Y Tu Mama Tambien

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex.

I saw this movie years ago. I forgot that it is (and really isn’t) based around that.... The main thing being that I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to get sexually involved with either Diego Luna or Gael García Bernal. The two of them in this film make me as sick now as they did when I first watched it. Just the thought of being touched by either one of them…..
Ha, that made me laugh! If I was giving out awards for Best Review of a Hof movie, you'd win for that one! Hey Cricket, that's an idea for you....

Romper Stomper
I was telling my mother about this film and I knew it would lead to her saying the words “Do you remember when there was that truck full of them outside the store when you were little?”. The “them” being a bunch of neo-Nazis. For some reason there was exactly what my mother said when we came out of the store. I asked her if she ever found out why they were there and she didn’t. It was just a neighborhood grocery store. Why was it singled out? Unless these guys made the rounds to all of the neighborhoods. I don’t know! I just remember there was a lot of screaming going on between the wannabe Nazis and the people in the neighborhood who were coming out of the store. I can remember my mother trying to ignore it until one of them said something to her. So naturally she had to say something back. But I was little enough to where I don’t really remember what was said and when I asked her how much she remembered all she said was “I don’t even remember anymore. I just remember how disgusting they were”.
That's what I like about your reviews, you make them personal. Damn, that's a potentially dangerous situation you were in. I've never encountered anything like that. The only neo Nazis Ive seen were on TV, luckily.


Hiroshima Mon Amour
Agreed with everything you said about it! I bet if the opening atomic horrors weren't in the film, it would be so highly rated. I think it was very ineffective.



Save the Texas Prairie Chicken
That's what I like about your reviews, you make them personal. Damn, that's a potentially dangerous situation you were in. I've never encountered anything like that. The only neo Nazis Ive seen were on TV, luckily.
That was my one and only time, thank God! I really don't know what that was all about. I don't know if they had a reason for being there, or they were just starting trouble (which is most likely - but you'd think there was still a reason that they wanted to start the trouble). But to this day, I don't know why they would've chosen that store to hang out in front of. Unless, like I said, they were making the rounds to every neighborhood.



Nothing good comes from staying with normal people
Ok folks great job so far, and we are less than 3 weeks away from the set deadline of March 10th. However, I set that deadline before 1 or 2 members joined, so if anyone needs a little more time, it can be done
Think I got 5 movies left (Joe, Midnight Run, U-turn, Sugata Sanshiro and Man from nowhere) and I think I'll leave Man from nowhere for last, just because it looks cool and it'd be nice to end on something a bit more action-y. Will have no problems finishing and I think I'm the one with the most movies left.
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Why not just kill them? I'll do it! I'll run up to Paris - bam, bam, bam, bam. I'm back before week's end. We spend the treasure. How is this a bad plan?



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
Damn impressive reviews, Silent!!
Unable to get more elaborate presently, but will be--

And thanks for extra time. Don't think I'll need it - hopefully! lol

Oh, and if Royale doesn't finish, will you be hiding out during any investigation regarding his disappearance?


And Raul, you hosting the next BV HOF sounds grand!!
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What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
~Mr Minio



Thursday Next's Avatar
I never could get the hang of Thursdays.
I missed this Hall of Fame but I've just read through the entire thread and thought I'd chime in with a few of my thoughts on the ones I've seen...

Withnail & I

This is an old favourite of mine. I remember being disappointed that it didn't make the 80s list but it apparently isn't either as well known or well-liked as I'd always thought. Perhaps there's a certain amount of British humour that doesn't always translate well. I also think it's a film that improves on repeated viewings, it's the cult quotability (and potential for drinking along) that make it a favourite of some people. The main characters are awful people, of course they are, but that's all part of the charm as it is for many sitcoms - I think of the similarity with the guys in Peep Show, more sober but no less idiotic. I just wanted to address Miss Vicky's dislike of the character of Uncle Monty - I've seen that said before (iirc adidasss had the same problem with the film), and while I respect your view, I don't agree that there shouldn't ever be gay characters who are unpleasant/villainous/predatory. It's the lecherousness not the homosexuality that's the repulsive thing. Or that's how I saw it anyway. Anyway, I find this film amusing. That's the thing about comedies, though, you either find them funny or you don't.

Y Tu Mama Tambien

I have seen this but quite a long time ago so I can't remember the finer details of the plot, but I do remember the general themes of sex and death and coming of age and the scenery and symbolism. Two guys embark on a road trip with an older woman which isn't quite the erotic odyssey they hoped for, until it is, and then that isn't quite what they expected. I remember liking it quite a bit.

Casablanca

This is the one film which I really owe a rewatch. I saw it once, years ago, fell asleep, woke up and watched the end. It really wasn't that the film was boring, I was just tired. I remember it being a perfectly good film, but it didn't engage me emotionally as much as I'd hoped and I left with the feeling that it was just OK, and that the bit when they all sing the French national anthem was cheesy. However this was back in the early days of me watching films seriously and there's probably stuff in it I would appreciate more now.


The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson: you love him, or hate him, or find him wildly hit and miss. I'm in the third camp. Royal Tenenbaums I adored, but I could barely make it through Moonrise Kingdom. The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the hits though. It looks great. Really great. And there's a story you can follow. And it's not about kids, which helps. But I do agree with somebody (sorry I forget who!) who said it would be good to see Anderson direct a film that somebody else had written (although that will never happen) as the screenplay is possibly the weakest link.

U Turn

I remember having high hopes of this but not enjoying it all that much. There were a lot of unpleasant things heaped on top of each other filmed in a fairly frenetic way and while that doesn't sound dissimilar to films I have enjoyed, I just found it all fairly exhausting and unpleasant.


Hiroshima Mon Amour

This was on my 50s list. I don't feel like I completely understood it on a first watch, but I thought it was fascinating, an almost dreamlike film at times, but at others eye-opening realism. It really did have an effect of lulling me into an almost dream-like state as I watched it. It's beguiling and mysterious. I liked the section of backstory about the woman's experiences back home in France.


Never Let Me Go

I read the book before seeing the film. I think if I had watched the film first, it would have had more of an emotional impact. The book I loved, it had a real impact on me. The film was good, but it was hard to view it in the same way, I found myself watching it critically as more as an adaptation of the book rather than experiencing it in its own right. I think the brilliant thing about the story is that it works as a metaphor for existence. It's not about
WARNING: "Never Let Me Go" spoilers below
clones
, it's about humanity. We can fall in love, we can produce art, we can do everything we're supposed to do, but none of it will prolong our lives in the end. Life is shorter than you think. There are things others have that you will never have. It's depressing, but in a beautifully filmed, reflective sort of way.





I don't agree that there shouldn't ever be gay characters who are unpleasant/villainous/predatory.
I never said that there shouldn't ever be bad gay characters. Obviously gay people can be just as messed up and cruel as anyone else. But it does seem to me that gay characters are too often written as caricatures rather than as believable people - they're depicted as either perverts or mere comic relief. Give me a gay bad guy that I actually believe and I won't have a problem, but that's not what happened here.



Thursday Next's Avatar
I never could get the hang of Thursdays.
I can totally see why you feel that way, I've thought that about other films, I just didn't see this one that way. I think all the characters are such crazy caricatures that he doesn't stand out particularly.