Movie Tab II

Peter Falk is the best part.

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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
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Noticed you've watched quite a bit of Kurosawa of late Mark (I'm guessing a channel has been having a season of his films). Just curious what your favourite films of his are. I know from your top 100 list you love Seven Samurai but what do you think are his other best efforts?

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I'm watching them on Hulu Plus. Besides Seven Samurai, I'd start with (or choose first from) Rashomon, Ikiru, Throne of Blood, The Hidden Fortress, The Bad Sleep Well, Yojimbo, High and Low, Red Beard and Ran. All of them (plus others) except Ran are on Hulu Plus which you can try free for 30 days, at least in the U.S.

I can't remember the rating exactly, but you have the original TCM rated lower than TCM2 right, mark? While I like those movies more than you, I think I prefer the second to the first as well.

Yes, I'm one of the heathens who finds the original almost worthless, aside from at most five minutes of primal terror. The rest is amateurish boredom. The sequel has plenty of problems, but at least it has a semblance of professionalism and Dennis Hopper. OK, I'm ready for all the Leatherface gifs to kill me now.

You leave me no choice.

+ rep for The Craft, mark. I've not seen that in forever and I used to really like it. I think I saw TCM2 when I was in my teens (is it the one with a boy in the wheelchair is hacked up?) but I can't stand the original, so I'm sure the sequel has to be better. Just not having that girl screaming for an hour would be a huge improvement.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

The wheelchair freak got offed (way too late) in the first one.

The very annoying wheelchair guy....yes, way too late. Still love the flick, though...

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I don't know why you think I was baiting you specifically. Clearly I have a scorched earth agenda against everyone who loves A Matter of Life and Death.

re: TCM, maybe I'll re-watch it some day, though just saying those words seems to act as an irrational de-motivator. It was a favorite of mine in high school and made its way onto my top 100 due partly to nostalgia, but I haven't seen it since. I mainly remember the first kill and Grandpa C.M.

Oh, that was the first one was it? Well, maybe I haven't seen the sequel then.

^^ Dear fisherman, you weren't the only one who commented about it before I posted that. I'm over what you think about it.

Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania (1972) -



This is my second Mekas film and although it's not such a masterpiece as As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (yes, I did copy it, not that I don't know it by heart, just too lazy to type it myself) is, it still works well with me. It's basically a movie journal of director's return to his motherland. He recalls his past and at the same time shows present. As simple as it could be, but it's thanks to this simplicity the movie is so powerful.

The Innocents (1961) -



Finally, mark f recommended a truly good film. Plot-wise it's just OK, but it's the atmosphere that's the most important. Didn't know children can be so creepy yet so.. normal. Like Miles' declamation suggests he is adolescent devil worshipper yet he never really changes into some creature or demonstrate paranormal abilities, which adds to film's mood. Miss "We have to SAVE THE CHILDREN" Giddens is pretty good, but it's the children, who are the best here.

Człowiek na torze [Man on the Tracks] (1956) -



My discovering of films of Polish director Andrzej Munk continues with this outstanding railwayman story, which brings to mind films like 12 Angry Men, Rashomon and Sunset Blvd and at the same time is a movie of its own great quality. Just like in Citizen Kane, the protagonist dies at the beginning, and later on people try to solve mysteries concerning his person and therefore there's a psychological portrait of him being presented. A truly amazing gem I'd love to rewatch in the future and increase the rating to 4.5.

They Live (1988) -



Hilarious. Stupid. Entertaining. Features one of the greatest catchphrases ever, which surprisingly does not actually originate from Duke Nukem 3D computer game. Features an overlong fight sequence induced by a guy reluctant to wear shades and other guy who wants him to wear these sunglasses. From simple punches to hilarious wrestling moves it becomes one of the finest fight scenes of the 80's. Would love to rewatch the movie in the future and increase the rating.

Emile Hirsch looks like a skinny Jack Black there.

用心棒 [Yojimbo] (1961) -


Not a single f*ck was given this day!

I have heard about Sergio Leone being sued for plagiarism, but it's been until now I entirely understand why. For a Fistfull of Dollars is basically a rip-off of this film. I had a lot of fun remembering and pointing out the similarities. Since I'm a big fan of Dollar Trilogy I wasn't sure if I will like Yojimbo, but I did! Toshiro Mifune is disturbingly calm in here and does not resemble a madman from Throne of Blood. He is such a badass, though! Comparable to Eastwood! There's also my favourite Japanese actor Tatsuya Nakadai playing a bad character this time! I expected an epic duel in the end between my two favourite Japanese actors and was kind of disappointed. Yes, I know there's more Kurosawa with this duo. I have to see more Kurosawa films! Seen 8 so far.

Adams ębler [Adam's Apples] (2005) -



That's just plain rude!

A crazy mix of a serious drama and black comedy. This time I knew it's a dark comedy before watching it, so I knew I'm supposed to laugh. Seriously, I laughed a bit, but some themes in this film are really heavy. Not sure if it's just the style, or funny moments are to kind of balance this heaviness, but it works! Not sure why I didn't rate it higher, maybe because of the ending, which is too idyllic.

I love Yojimbo. Glad you seem to as well!

Blissfully Yours (2002) - Apichatpong Weerasethakul
The third film of his I've seen and I'm starting to get what he is going for - although this was probably simpler than Uncle Boonmee or Syndromes. Good thoughtful movie.

Patient X (2009) - Yam Laranas
Laranas is a pretty good horror director. His strength is creepiness which is a good thing - but unfortunately this really sucked.

The Skin I Live In (2011) - Pedro Almodovar
Almodovar does it again This time it is a completely crazy story about a plastic surgeon who creates a form of synthetic skin. I have to say, Spanish films are filled with ridiculously attractive people who can usually act really well ... gives their movies something extra to enjoy

Thor: The Dark World (2013) - Alan Taylor
Apparently I enjoyed this more than most people. I really liked the first one and this continued the formula - lots of action with a bit of a heart.

Enemy Mine (1985) - Wolfgang Petersen
This first half hour of this was awful - Dennis Quaid has never been so bad. So, I turned it off and read a bit about it - I thought maybe it was a comedy and I had missed the point. It's not. Anyway, it had some good reviews so I gave it a second chance - and wasted an hour of my life that I'll never get back. It did improve a bit but it's a poor movie overall.

The Page Turner (2006) - Denis Dercourt
Solid little French thriller - not a wasted scene in its 80 minutes. Only negative is it doesn't really go anywhere and the ending is completely expected but it's definitely an enjoyable movie. -

Earth and Ashes (2004) - Atiq Rahimi
Rahimi is an author and director originally from Afghanistan - he seems to move between there and France now. This is about an old man and his grandson trying to get to a mine where his son works after the rest of their family is killed during the war. Quite touching and very nicely shot.

The Passion of Joan of Arc

This is one of the great cinema performances, easily one of the finest we'll ever see. Maria Falconetti's acting is universally lauded, and for good season. Her face literally says it all. You can see the anguish,the fear, and the torment she must have felt during her final hours on Earth before being put to a fiery death. A bleak,unflinching film. A monument of the silent era, and a testament of the strength of faith . +



The Conversation

The Godfather Part 1 & 2. Apocalypse Now. The Conversation. 4 of the greatest films of the 70's, and they were all done by one man:Francis Ford Coppola. The Conversation is every bit as good as the other three films listed...let that sink in for a bit. Gene Hackman is a marvelous actor,he truly is. His performance in this film as the loner Harry Caul is one of the best acting performances ever. He brings this character to life, a flawed,tragic character who you can't help but feel pity for. From the very first frame of this film you know that this film is made by a master filmmaker. Harry Caul is a surveillance expert, he is a master of his trade. Yet he fears that because of his latest recording an innocent couple will be murdered. Coppola weaves Hitchcockian suspense, brilliant cinematography and intimate storytelling and helps make the film soar.

They don't make thrillers like The Conversation anymore. Occasionally we might get a film like Prisoners, but for the most part Hollywood doesn't dare attempt such films. I highly recommend The Conversation to every Mofo. Sit down on your couch one night and lay back. You're in good hands.




Some Like it Hot
This is a fantastic comedy film. The premise of guys dressing up as females has been done to death, and that does slightly decrease the film's freshness I admit. But that doesn't matter because this film excels because of the great performances of the two leads, the clever dialogue and that bodacious Marilyn Monroe. This is a great romantic-comedy. I never thought I'd be calling a romantic comedy great, but this really is.Plus I have to give major props to the final scene, I haven't laughed this hard at a film in a very,very long time.Thats gotta count for something.