Movie Tab II

What I couldn't figure out was why they focused so heavily on the young doctor and, to some extent, the boy. I felt like those were supposed to be parallel narratives, but they really weren't at all. The only reason I can see for the recurring segments was to highlight the ridiculous allegiance so many still had for Hitler (and to get us out of that stuffy bunker, too!). Regardless, those scenes ate up time.

I really like the somber, if not fleeting, appearance of Albert Speer. Speer was a guy who worried less about politics and power than most other Nazis, and claimed that he never knew about the Holocaust. Probably hogwash, but he nevertheless always accepted responsibility as a ranking member of the government and whatever fate might befall him. This is probably why he was spared from execution. That kind of accountability, real or otherwise, was practically alien to the Nazis, and that sets Speer apart. I would like to have seen that communicated a little more strongly.

And to reiterate the case of Goebbels, the man was flat out drunk with power. Like Hitler, he was the perfect example of the dangers of overinflating one's ego to the extreme. I'd say his propagandist lies were ironic, since the Third Reich was largely built on lies and misinterpretation in the first place. But I think Goebbels saw the irony, too, and chose to exploit it. That's what made him so dangerous.

I do agree, though. I rather think a more minimalist, documentary-style approach was the right one. It's just hard to capture such a brutal, broken end to the most notoriously vast empires in recent history. It's almost too big to capture, or at least too important to say anything about it while it's happening. The pictures should be enough.

She's Having a Baby (1988)



District 9 (2009)



Following (1998)

i really liked this, but found the ending to be surprisingly weak.

Glad you liked District 9, Ash.

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Here's the some that I can remember. Not enough time for descriptions really, but here's what I've seen/a little of what I thought.

Big Jim McClain:
Pretty entertaining, but a tad too dated. Good acting, not bad dialouge. Felt a little like a documentary at first.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes:
Fun, splashy musical with a great script and top-notch cast. Monroe and Russell were terrific

Tears of the Sun:
Underrated, IMO. Intense, exciting, and some excellent performances.

The Outlaw Josey Wales
Clint Eastwood is amazing, and some really terrific characters here. Although, I felt that a little more editing on the time aspect could've been a benefit. Loved Josey's little Indian friend

Robin & Marian:
Expected a lot more, but it sort of just kept going farther and farther downhill for me. Not exactly one I regret watching however (if that makes any sense)

Shooter:
Sharp and exciting story with an impressive storyline. Good dialouge and performances as well.

The Client:
This was probably my favorite since I posted although it probably falls some where in between my popcorn rating. Superb acting and storyline with deep and interesting characters. Plenty of tension and suspense.

Ghost:
Terrific genre blend with a super cast. Touching moments and a good thriller too with more than enough romance.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels:
Fun, kinda feel-good comedy. Martin and Caine were some great bits of casting. Some pretty wild laughs, but a little suttle wit too. Really the storyline with the funniest part.

Somebody Up There Likes Me:
Another kinda feel-good movie, and a drama that isn't dark. It gets suspenseful and a good love story too. Of course, Paul Newman was good, even in an early role and the supporting cast is too. Just a pleasure to watch for me.

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man:
Anyone else just have fun spotting all the Butch Cassidy references? I did. Other than that, a humorous actiony flick just for the heck of it. Not missing anything if you pass it up.

That's about it. Feel free to ask any questions on what I thought. I'll get back to ya--eventually.

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this week i saw a few:

shutter island
liked this quite a bit. i'm not quite sure i grasp all of scorcese's intended ambiguities, it doesn't seem to be any more complicated than the ninth configuration or jacob's ladder both of which seem similar but this lack's the religious/supernatural themes. most of the movie seemed and decaprio's reasoning seemed a bit suspect to me throughout and i suppose my biggest question was whether the end explains or extends the mysteries in the rest. first impression is the former. the ending left me a little bit cold emotionally. i wonder if that's an inevitable effect of confronting such a radically different view of a character than what you've previously been lead into thinking. if so that's a shame because i found it very moving up until that point.

it's a very different, moodier movie than the departed which i would give the same rating, though i think i like it less than the aviator. all in all it's well worth seeing. the island is a fantastically creepy setting and has some unexpected lyrical psychological passages.

saving silverman
toyed with giving this a 3 out of 5 score but erred on the side of recent 2.5's Polanski's Pirates and Cop Out. i like how cartoony it is -- not so much the slap stick but the behavior of the characters which seems to make sense while at the same time i don't think any real people (or more importantly "typical" movie characters) would behave like these guys. the ridiculously beautiful woman falling for silverman (and the reason why). no mention made of the career disparities, which are otherwise thrown in your face. these are aspects that i liked, by the way.

if t'weren't saddled with a completely by the numbers and not particularly appropriate happy ending (affirming the claim that there is one person perfect for everyone etc. and taking that notion to a ridiculous extreme) i might raise it a little. don't mean to come down too hard on it though i laughed plenty.

just married
whenever my sister is visiting i end up watching a bunch of romantic comedies. sometimes they're good, sometimes they're stupid but entertaining, and sometimes they're just total duds, like this. not only is there no chemistry or charm in this movie, between these utterly repulsive characters , but the screenplay is not even competent at getting the basics of the modern form right. at one point someone says "love isn't enough" but there's really no reason to believe that either of the main characters has ever really been in love with each other or anyone else -- in fact they seem pretty awful throughout.

gentlemen broncos
toyed with giving this a 2.5 out of 5. it's structure is pretty straightforward and the performances (which are really goofs on performance) i found less funny than in this guy's two previous movies (napolean dynamite and nacho libre), but it's funny enough and i think the competing pulp stories-within-theme raises it just enough to be worth recommending. it had the same kind of ending as hamlet 2 and bothered me for similar reasons as with that movie -- just because the rest of the movie seemed to be thumbing its nose at various conventions it was a little disappointing to see it fall prey to the same at the last minute. oh well. still pretty good.

Mars Attacks! (Tim Burton, 1996)



The only film I know of based on collectible trading cards, Mars Attacks! seems to have aged quite well for being a big-budget sci-fi/horror spoof. Most people see the spoof part and also think that the First Family is overplayed and not terribly amusing. However, the parts which I initially thought were weak seem better nowadays because it really isn't the story of any of the individual characters but rather a full ensemble piece, and the kicker is that the Martians are actually very important characters although we never truly understand any of their dialogue beyond "Ack Ack!" I would go so far as to say most of my fave scenes directly involve all the Martian mayhem in the film, especially their "official" arrival on earth. Some of the subplots are outright weird and disturbing, such as what happens to Pierce Brosnan and Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as the scenes with the Martian "spy" (Lisa Marie) loose in the White House. Those scenes make the finale involving an Egyptian Jim Brown, Tom Jones and Slim Whitman teaming up to try to save the world seem almost quaint in comparison.

All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950)



Oscar-winning classic retains most of its mordant humor and backstabbing plot turns as it tells the story of a mousy young thing (Anne Baxter) named Eve who idolizes the First Lady of the Theatre, Margo Channing (Bette Davis). Before long, Eve goes to work for Margo, but Eve seems to be studying Margo in an attempt to "take over" for the older actress and get in the good graces of Margo's director/lover (Gary Merrill) and her plawright (Hugh Marlowe). Other important characters include the playwright's wife (Celeste Holm) and an acid-tongued columnist (George Sanders) who knows more about Eve than the other characters and plans to try to control her life, both personally and career-wise. The way the film builds from everybody loving Eve to everybody hating her is masterfully done, as is the fact that the film is told in flashback and has multiple narrators. Mankiewicz is known for his dialogue, and this is undoubtedly the most famous of his films, although many others (A Letter to Three Wives, People Will Talk, Guys and Dolls, Sleuth) are well worth watching. This one will end up here ASAP.

Being There (Hal Ashby, 1979) +



This tale of a simple man, Chance the Gardener (Peter Sellers) who's forced to leave the only home he's ever known when his employer dies, is really a slight film in many ways, although it involves people at the highest level of the American government, including an aging businessman (Melvyn Douglas), his younger wife (Shirley MacLaine) and the President of the U.S. (Jack Warden). Besides gardening, the other thing which Chance likes is to watch T.V. Soon, his simple homilies about gardening are mistaken for profound treatises on the ups and downs of the U.S. economy and Chance becomes Chauncey Gardener, mystery man of the moment. The wife also takes Chance's words at face value when he says that he likes to watch and attempts to seduce him in an unorthodox manner. The film provides plenty of humor and satire although I'd say that it's overlong at 130 minutes. Then there's the visual punchline at the end of the film which takes it to a completely different level and makes you wonder if it makes it more serious or turns it into a shaggy dog story. Either way, I think it's worth-watching and paints an accurate portrait of politics at the end of the 1970s.

The House of the Devil (Ti West, 2009) + Cult Rating:



For anybody who likes old school horror films along the lines of the original Black Christmas, this film should really be seen by you. It tells the story of a pretty college student (Jocelin Donohue) who agrees to take a job babysitting out in the middle of nowhere although things certainly do not turn out the way she hoped when she agreed to take the job for some big bucks. The first 75 minutes are a slow buildup of tension with plenty of quiet scenes designed to keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to find out just why exactly this place is "the house of the devil". During these 75 minutes, she hears strange noises, makes phone calls which lead nowhere and attempts to explore the huge house she's in although the overall creepiness makes it difficult for her to fully investigate. Now, the final 15 minutes presents the actual reason why she's been "brought" to the house, and although they're well-done, they almost seem anti-climactic compared to the pitch-perfect set-up. Whatever you think of the climax, I still think you'll enjoy the movie, especially when you witness the film's actual coda which once again takes it to another level entirely. This ultra-low-budget flick uses all its limitations to its advantage, and for me at least, it's one of those horror films where running upstairs actually isn't an idiotic action by a character in jeopardy. The film pretty much defies modern horror film conventions and is just so much better for it.

The Keyhole (Michael Curtiz, 1933)



Charming Pre-Code romance mostly set in Havana where private investigator Neil (George Brent) keeps tabs on Anne (Kay Francis), the wife of suspicious millionaire Schuyler (Henry Kolker). Anne is being blackmailed by her former husband and dance partner Maurice (Monroe Owsley), who claimed to get a divorce in exchange for a payoff from Anne of $10,000. Well, he didn't go through with it and now he wants $50,000. This whole trip is just a scam to try to get Maurice out of the U.S. so that his visa can be revoked and he will be kicked out of the U.S. permanently, but Schuyler doesn't know about that and thinks that Anne's cheating. The film is a lovely reminder of the simple pleasures of romance amidst an exotic locale. In this case, Neil and Anne gradually fall in love, neither knowing what the other one is actually doing there. The creative spirit of early '30s films is also on hand as director Curtiz uses F/X and specially-designed sets to highlight the slightly naughty activities going on; for example, the camera goes through a huge keyhole in one scene to see things which it shouldn't really be allowed to show. Although it's set during the Depression, this is one of those glamourous flicks where reality is never really on display; thus, it was undoubtedly a nice escape for all the lower-income viewers who still crowded into theatres to escape from their drab lives in the early '30s.

Last Days (Gus Van Sant, 2005) Cult Rating:



I know that there are many people who are big fans of Gus Van Sant's more avant-garde films, but I certainly am not one of them. I would certainly include this one in that group, as well as Gerry (), Elephant () and Paranoid Park (). Last Days does begin outdoors and the beautiful green forests and swimming hole are the best things in the film, aesthetically-speaking. This is a fictionalized tale of the last days of Kurt Cobain who's called Blake (Michael Pitt) here. Blake mostly spends the movie mumbling incomprehensibly to himself while trying to hide out from anybody who might be looking for him. He basically says nothing of significance and very little is revealed about him and his behavior. The other characters in the film, who appear to be members of his band and perhaps his wife, do have some audible dialogue but it's nothing which anybody would care to hear. I just don't understand the necessity for this film to exist except that Van Sant likes to experiment with making films which basically tell no story, so he's got a perfect example of one right here. And yes, I was a big fan of Nirvana and Hole at the time of Kurt Cobain's death and I've watched Kurt and Courtney and I still listen to their music to this day, but I cannot find any reason why I would ever watch Last Days again unless it was to show somebody how not to make an engaging film.

American Gun (Aric Avelino, 2006)



This is a serious film about a complex subject and I think it covers most all the angles quite fairly although I'm sure that some will believe that it's just a liberal, anti-gun ownership flick. I believe that the film's heart is in the right place in that it honestly cares about the characters and their lives and what one has to deal with in the aftermath of a Columbine-like shooting. No matter what someone believes about guns and their use in American society, violence does happen and it's fair game to address the subject, especially in a film which for the most part doesn't go off the deep end. The film tells various stories, all intercut, and presents a collection of characters who all have to live with the use of guns and how that affects them on an individual level. The main characters are a high school principal (Forest Whitaker) who has a collection of guns from students who bring them to school. The students don't plan on shooting up the school; they just want to feel safe getting to and from school in a violent neighborhood. In Oregon, a mother (Marcia Gay Harden) is forced to relive what happened three years earlier when she agrees to be interviewed about her dead son's participation as the killer in a Columbine-like school shooting. Based on the community's reaction to the interview, her younger son (Chris Marquete) is forced out of his private school and has to transfer to the same school which his brother shot up. In Virginia, the college student granddaughter (Lisa Long) of a gun store owner (Donald Sutherland) decides that maybe she should buy and learn how to use a gun. It's left to the viewer how to react to these and other stories and subplots which fill out the film. It's mostly about loss and how most of the characters feel they cannot control their own circumstances and lives in a good way, whether they own guns or not. I have to applaud the film for taking on a tough subject and dealing with it maturely.

My Wild Irish Rose (David Butler, 1947)



This is a fictionalized bio of Irish tenor Chauncey Olcott (Dennis Morgan) and covers his rise to fame in New York City in the early 20th century and his romances with his sweetheart Rose Donovan (Arlene Dahl) and famous musical comedy star Lillian Russell (Andrea King) who wants to "develop" him as her protege. Although it's not really one of the major musicals of the '40s, it's really quite entertaining in its use of splashy colors and large production numbers. The soundtrack has something along the lines of 25 songs, including "Mother Machree", "My Wild Irish Rose", By the Light of the Silvery Moon", "Hush-a Bye, Wee Rose of Killarney", "Wait Till the Sun Shines Nellie", "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", "Oh Little, Sweet Little Girl", and "Tiddely-I-De-Um". Dennis Morgan sings well and seems extremely comfortable and confident here, so if you're a fan and have missed this, good luck in trying to find it. (I saw it on Turner Classic Movies on St. Paddy's Day.)

The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights (Emmett Malloy, 2009) ; White Stripes' fans rating:+



This just-recently-released DVD shows the Detroit duo, the White Stripes, on their 10th anniversary tour in 2007 promoting their album Icky Thump while traveling throughout every single province and territory in Canada, including some of the most-remote areas. Most of the film is shot in black-and-white on the fly as guitarist/keyboardist Jack White and his ex-wife (no, not sister) drummer Meg White perform many impromptu shows in addition to all the scheduled venues. Some of these include performing in a park in Whitehorse, at a cafe in Yellowknife, at a bowling alley in Saskatoon, on a bus in Winnipeg, at an Iqaluit Elder Center, and a pool hall in Halifax. The proper concert performances are also highlighted, as well as many interviews with the duo, although the band and filmmakers even poke fun at Meg's quietness by giving all her "dialogue" subtitles in English. The film starts out in overdrive with the first concert offering, "Let's Shake Hands" and follows up with such goodies as the mandolin-fueled "Little Ghost", a cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and the evocative "We are Going to Be Friends". Other songs performed live include Meg's slowburner "Cold Cold Night", "Seven Nation Army", "Icky Thump", "Black Math" and "Fell in Love with a Girl". I love the White Stripes and this is a solid film and concert showcase but my rating takes into consideration that some people won't allow themselves to enjoy this kind of film, even if it's full of interesting sights and info about some of the remotest areas of Canada. Hell, I haven't even mentioned the White Stripes marching in kilts yet.

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

i can always count on you, mark, to give me some great "new" recommendations.

I am a huge fan of Gus Van Sant. I like how he leaves so much of the interpretation to the viewer, and how in watching a Van Sant film, I feel like I’ve completely entered the atmosphere and mind of the characters. I personally love the dream-like quality of his films and I've been meaning to look into 'Last Days', so, thanks for the reminder Mark.




Angela's Ashes ( Alan Parker, 1999 ) - The trouble with making a movie out of a Pulitzer Prize winning book is that no matter how good and true to the book it is, it will usually be a disappointment. This has a lot to do with the difference between reading a story and seeing one. The portrayals are well defined and no matter how creative the director, it is very difficult to create scenes that equal those of readers who have previously conjured fantastic images in their heads. This is a brilliant production. Though many who read the book were disappointed, I must point out that Frank McCourt, who wrote the book, was unabashed in praising it for its realism in capturing his impressions and feelings of the times.

`Angela's Ashes' is rather, from beginning to end, a moving story about goodhearted, ordinary people learning to cope with the immense hardships life throws their way. In the long run, it certainly makes one happier with one's own lot in life. `Angela's Ashes,' for those who can take its uncompromising view of reality, is a richly rewarding experience.

Time Out 2002

Aurelien Recoing plays center stage here as man recently let go from his long term employer. The film nor Recoing let up, to tell you what exactly is going inside of his character. Time Out barely lets you in before it closes the door, yet still it's not time spent wasted for a brilliant lead performance.





I Love You Man 2009

"I will see you there or I will see you at another time"





Capote 2005

Hoffman gives a great performance (as always), the screenplay is a minor character study - like one piece of a true bio-pic. There's simply not enough to truely judge Capote as a person. It is at least, effective in it's distribution of guilt and will have you wondering who really deserved what they got.





The Squid and the Whale 2005

An always akward, always funny movie about losing faith.

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Another long tab...



The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Robert Wiene, 1920) -

I'm actually somewhat hesitant to give this a rating, because while part of me knows that this is probably - nay, definitely - one of the most important and influential films ever made, another part wasn't too impressed. It's kind of tough for me to feel strongly about this movie despite its significance - there was a decent plot and some interesting art direction (how can you not like those distorted backdrops?), but it's not exactly something I feel like going back to again and again. Or maybe I'm just annoyed because I missed the start of it, which kind of ruins the experience a bit for me.



In the Loop (Armando Iannucci, 2009) -

A pretty decent political comedy filled with the kind of idiosyncratic black-comedy dialogue that is always a treat to watch, especially when coupled with a hopelessly twisted plot about a handful of mid-level politicians bumbling about in the face of an impending war. The acting's all pretty decent, but you've got to love Peter Capaldi's turn as a one-man swearing machine.



The Wicker Man (Neil LaBute, 2006) -

I think I've hit a new level of disappointment here. What initially appeared to be a "decent" example of so-bad-it's-good cinema turned out to be, quite simply, plain bad. This is going to sound like a very ridiculous complaint against a bad movie when there are plenty of more credible arguments (such as the bad acting or the poor attempts at suspense and thrills) but it's just very poorly done.



The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946) -

I've noticed a trend I have when it comes to watching anything that could be classified as "film noir" - I almost always seem to rank it as a . While this is a fairly decent rating, I do find that I apply it to virtually any noir film I've watched for the first time, regardless of its objective quality. Still, The Big Sleep is a pretty decent example of the genre, featuring some strong acting centred around a very twisty-turny plot that was kind of tough to unravel completely in one viewing, but was still no less fun to watch.



Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944) -

Despite being more overtly straightforward than the last film, this is still just about as entertaining as I expect any noir film to be. Great casting, a plot that's not overly complicated but still utterly engaging - hmm, why is it that whenever I watch a good movie I struggle to describe exactly what's so good about it? Whatever. If you haven't seen it, do. Also, it's actually pretty damned funny.



Thelma and Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991) -

Even though there's a part of me that reckons I might not be so impressed by this a second time around, I enjoyed it. Simple but effective, occasionally amusing, well-photographed and hell, there's nothing quite like watching a movie you're kind of skeptical about and being pleasantly surprised.



Kalifornia (Dominic Sena, 1993) -

Another early-90s road movie featuring Brad Pitt? Okay. It offers an interesting plot - two arrogant intellectuals investigating serial killers end up on a cross-country trip with a murderous sociopath and his girlfriend - that plays out its limited potential rather well. Credit has to go towards Pitt's performance, which feels effective despite being a very obvious retread of the "psycho trailer trash" archetype. The rest of the acting isn't too special and gets the job done. Apart from a couple of decent thriller moments where it does get kind of unpredictable, this is pretty mediocre fare.



Plan 9 From Outer Space (Edward D. Wood Jr., 1959) -

My reaction to watching this is somewhat similar to that of people who watch Citizen Kane and wonder what all the fuss is about. The thing is, what happens when you watch the "worst movie ever made" and it actually turns out to be a fairly accurate assessment? Plan 9 has just about everything that makes a good bad movie - poor acting, writing, nonexistent production value, painfully obvious goofs - yet it's just not that "entertaining". Maybe I'm a bit spoiled for choice because I've watched some pretty enjoyable crap in the past, but this was a mostly dull affair, with a couple of the hyped-up scenes ("Stupid! Stupid!") kind of providing respite from what seems indistiguishable from any mediocre 1950s sci-fi. Maybe with an audience it could be kind of tolerable, but hell, I doubt I'll be going back to this when I want some "guilty pleasure" action.



The Street Fighter (Shigehiro Ozawa, 1974) -

Brutal Japanese martial arts film about Sonny Chiba's titular mercenary becoming involved in the Yakuza's plan to kidnap a rich heiress. It's brilliant, with some surprising characterisation (think this may mark the first martial arts movie where the "hero" was just as vicious as the villains he fought, yet still sympathetic enough to root for) and as for the fights - well, I'll say they're entertaining. They don't feature skill on the same level as anything with Bruce Lee or Gordon Liu or the like, but the movement is solid enough. The thing is, the fluidity of the fighting takes a backseat to the very grindhouse feel of the fight scenes - bright red blood everywhere, insanely violent moves, random trickery such as X-ray photography. It's definitely not the sort of heavily polished classic as something like Enter the Dragon, but damn is it plain fun.



The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (Chia-Liang Liu, 1978) -

I think I already tabbed this a few months ago, but I decided to re-rent this to see if it was worth adding to my collection. It's a pretty basic plot - Gordon Liu's a young man who, wishing to get revenge on the oppressive regime that's ruined life in his village, seeks guidance in a Shaolin temple famed for its legendary kung-fu. The stunts are still great to watch a second time around, the photography and sound work are strong, even the acting's fairly decent. I think this might end up being one of my favourite martial arts films ever - definitely makes me want to explore more Shaw Brothers work.

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

Alice in Wonderland (2010)



my first 3D movie, and probably my last.

Art School Confidential (Zwigoff, 2006)

Wow. Pretty awful. Confused writing and direction, terrible acting. Nearly every character was uninteresting, flat, and pointless. I don't usually bite on black comedies anyway, but this one is hardly even a film. It's like Judd Apatow tried to make a Coen Brothers film... while under the influence of toxic inhalants.

I've been on a binge too ...

---



Red Trousers: The Life of the Hong Kong Stuntmen

There are some eye-popping stunts and recollections buried in this fairly self indulgent offering from Robin 'Mortal Kombat' Shou. What robs it of most of its impact is the heavy reliance on footage from his execrable film, aptly titled Lost Time. It is interesting to see the transition from behind the scenes stunt-prep to final (polished-turd) product, but the amount of the latter you have to fast-forward through is inexcusable. Worth seeing for the dedication of the stuntmen (viewing the playback after a rib-crushing stunt, only to agree it's not good enough and try it again. And again). Sammo Hung & Lau Kar Leung add character & fizz, if not perhaps a lot more than aficionados will have heard before. A trip to a modern Chinese theatrical school to hear the kids' aspirations and deprivations rounds it all off.

(+)




Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

A unique take on the POW genre, with the 'true events' novel of a British serviceman being further reworked by Japanese director Oshima. Bowie & fellow musician Sakamoto are juxtaposed to good effect as leaders of men confronting different forms of conflict. From a slightly rustic visual opening the film later develops intriguing textures and disturbing lingering habits which help to draw you in (and puzzle). Slightly garbled, it still contains some strong performances (with Takeshi Kitano & a convincingly 'multilingual' Tom Conti enjoying their partnership as lesser officers trying to shepherd unpredictable bosses). The themes of culture clash, sexual and spiritual repression, and violence, are ethereally evoked, but carry some iron thanks to this being a replication of 'facts'.

+(+)




Ashes of Time Redux

Wong Kar Wai takes on the sword-fu genre, and tries to bring out some of its inner poetry. Doyle's cinematography shines in this polished rework, but reservations attached to the pic seem to remain. The storyline is promising, centring on a 'fixer' who helps bring killers & those who would pay for murder together. Through him we meet many tragic and beleaguered souls, whose trials will often end in giant impressionistic fight scenes, or picturesque lonely laments.

The flurry of characters are a bit of a pain to keep track of, although the film does coalesce in the main. All the women seem to be unhinged, or at least banging around in cruel winds, leaving men to a more introspective, masochistic bent. And don't expect archetypal action when they do spring to violence, even with Sammo in the choreographers chair. It's a stylised affair. Our fixer in particular does lend it a central heart by the end tho.

(-)




OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

This felt a bit one-note to me, although the note is struck well. The stylings and lead characters are all perfect, and it pertly sends up a lot of the Connery-era Bondisms. The first half relied too much on our 'Bond' being dumb and unfunny though, which to me is a lazy form of humour.

(+)




A Serious Man

More moribund humour from the Cohens, with tonal quality and consummate skill displayed throughout. On a superficial level I loved the vignettes that pepper it the most, from the opening 'cartoon' to the folded-in dreams and parables in teeth. In retrospect I'm realising that the abrupt-seeming ending leaves us with dual possible takes ~ it could still be a God-guided or Godless world that's been painted. I think I still take issue with some of the personal-seeming aspects (the specific 60s period is gloriously realised, but did we really need the Rabbi-Magi spouting Jefferson Airplane at a key juncture? Seemed a bit too idiosyncratic for many to get). Still definitely a skillful and thoughtful affair.

++




Zombieland

I'm going to compound my rogue rating sins by not ing this either, although it is one giant bubblegum explosion of fun. Everyone knows its strengths, so I guess I'll just say the ring scam's familiarity, a slight lag in Murray-land, and the girls struggling slightly to hold the screen alongside the boys, keep it out of complete classic land for me. Still damn good.

++




Road to Perdition

In a further act of perfidy, I'm going to quibble with some of this too. Again strengths are known - some glorious framing and visual panache, an emotive take on Depression-era violence, strong leads etc. I found Hanks good enough to shoulder his close up duties and, even fitting as the family-man who could kill, but some form of phrenology bias on my part just couldn't read 'hard bitten' in his face. Felt Mendes was being over-loyal to the comic framing at points too, with Law in particular seeming to skip continuity while pouring sugar in the caff, for example, and lurching awkwardly to fill the frame in one of the final scenes (which I felt was fairly telegraphed all told). Again, consummate handling in many respects, but maybe travelled too familiar a track at times for finickity ole me

+ {EDITED}

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Virtual Reality chatter on a movie site? Got endless amounts of it here. Reviews over here

A Perfect World (Eastwood, 1993)




I sat equivocating for a bit on exactly how I should rate this flick. I tend to dislike Costner for the most part, but he was really pretty damn good in this film, and I am having trouble finding much flaw with either him or the movie. I wonder why this flick isn't mentioned more when people are discussing Eastwood's directing, because this is definitely one of his better efforts, IMO. I think some might not dig the disparity in screen time between Costner and Eastwood, and it did cross my mind once or twice, but Costner and the boy end up working their way into your heart as you watch the film, so it all works out well.

I loved Dern - who is one of my favorites - and I found myself wishing they elaborated a bit more on what made her tick, but that was for another story, I assume.

Give this one a shot if you haven't - it's quite absorbing.


Star Trek - The Motion Picture (1978, Wise)




This flick gets a bad rap, but I find I still enjoy it, especially after it got trimmed in 2002 by the director. The themes are solid, even if some of the execution is not.

Downfall (Oliver Hirschbiegel,2004)



Incredibly well-acted, thoughtful, and disturbing. Superb film.

Adding to queue...

Which one(s), Sed? If it's just Downfall, I heartily recommend you do so and quickly too.

Agreed. It's a definite must-see.

Anyone think it's time to lock this thread and begin Movie Tab III? We locked the first one at 8000 posts and this one has gone well over that...

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I'm cool with that.