The Movie Club Selection Poll

Let's try to jumpstart this! pick a flick and we'll go with the most popular. You guys might have to get started without me though as I'll be gone for a week soon.

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"Like all dreamers, Steven mistook disenchantment for truth."

Ok, I'm in....I am interested in all the films.... and I own a couple of them

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I don't know any of these films really, so I'll post my research here and pretend I'm not the only one in the dark.

Roshomon~ Along with Yojimbo, Rashomon ranks among Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's masterpieces. Kurosawa perennial Toshiro Mifune is arrested for the murder of a man found dead in a forest. But during his trial, several different accounts of the story are given. Rashomon won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film of 1951 and has influenced American films up to and including Courage Under Fire.

Around the Bend~ Four generations of men are suddenly brought together by the chance to uncover the truth about their family's past. When their eldest member passes away, the remaining trio embarks on a journey that takes them out on the road and into a world full of surprises -- some comic, some dramatic, and all of them personal. Stars Michael Caine, Christopher Walken, Josh Lucas, Glenne Headly and Jonah Bobo.

Heaven Can Wait (1943)~ In this restored digital transfer of Ernst Lubitsch's witty classic, newly deceased playboy Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) tries to convince Satan he's got what it takes to be a citizen of hell. Unsatisfied that Van Cleve's sins are hell-worthy, the devil listens as the dead man recounts his womanizing ways and the many heartbreaks he's caused his loving wife (Gene Tierney). Extras include a biography of screenplay writer Samson Raphaelson.

The Conversation~ Gene Hackman set the standard for 1970s film acting with his portrayal of Harry Caul, a surveillance expert obsessed with his privacy. A past mistake -- and the fear that he may repeat it -- haunts Caul. The Conversation benefits from tremendous supporting performances (especially that of the late, great John Cazale), excellent use of San Francisco locales and Walter Murch's sound editing.

Maria Full of Grace~ Maria Full of Grace is the harrowing story of an atypical drug-running "mule." Maria Alvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno, whose portrayal earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead) is a smart, independent 17-year-old girl from Colombia who agrees to smuggle a half-kilo of heroin into the United States for a shot at a normal existence in the magical land of "El Norte" -- where she imagines the city streets must be paved with gold.

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Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

How long have we got til the poll closes and then how long have we got to find/watch the movie?

I own one of those, but it's not necessarily the one I'd pick to watch again - sticking one on my online rental list could take a while to arrive as I'm pretty sure that they're not in my local rental store (though I'm off there in half an hour anyway so might just check).

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Suggestion: we could take 3-4 days to pick a film and then give people another 10 days or so to see it... ???

I seem to remember this was part of the problem the last time: movies being picked that were tough to find at a rental store nearby. That happened repeatedly, as I recall. I'll check one place for a rental, but I won't be able to go all over town to three or four places looking for a single movie.

Just a thought and a concern, based on what happened before...

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I chose Rashômon because it is so infinitely discussable, and there's probably quite a few members who haven't seen it and should.

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"Today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

I may have to sit this one out, due to time constraints, but that sounds fair.

How about this... we have the selected movie, and then an easier to find new release. Say Rashomon is chosen and you can't find it...rent Around the Bend instead and I'm sure some other Mofos will either be in the same boat, or rent it so they can discuss it with you. I personally would try to watch both if that was the case.

As for me, I can have pretty much any film at my house within a few days, thanks to NetFlix, so it won't be trouble for me....Strummer's idea seems cool, though...

What if we take turns choosing films? The vote thing is very diplomatic, and a great jump start (good job, Strummer!) but it puts a lot of pressure on the person making the poll to try and guess what others have seen, might want to see, will be able to get their hands on. It would keep the success/failure of the whole thing from riding on one brave soul. We could go in order of how people signed up here...

Any thoughts?

Sure, sounds good. I am for anything as long as I get to watch movies.

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

Your idea is good Sam but let's let the poll at least decide the first flick since it's already underway...fair enough?

BTW: How does everybody feel about the selections I tried for a mix of new lesser known but good looking releases and some old but seemingly underappreciated classics.

I think it's a good mix, provided people can get ahold of them, and yeah, I meant after this poll serves it's purpose.

Around The Bend isn't available on R2 but I've popped a couple of the others into my rental queue in case the one I own doesn't win. Unfortunately my rental site seems to operate on a different system to Netflix - it's pot luck if they arrive on time.

I'm all for continuing with the polls though - As to the 'suggestion'...erm...suggestion: the pressure is even more on the chooser's shoulders to come up with The One. In the words of Joe Cabot, "Tried it once. It didn't work."

I voted for The Conversation, because I want to buy the DVD.

Which rental site are you with, Tacitus? I used to be with Blockbuster, but they never sent me DVDs from the top of my list. So now I'm with Screen Select, which I love and would reccomend to everyone.

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TOP 100 | "Don't let the bastards grind you down!"

uh-oh...it's a tie now. If it stays that way we'll go with The Conversation so you have an excuse to buy it Sinny

Poor Maria Full of Grace no votes! Somebody should at least give it a sympathy vote...

i think it's easy to get heaven can wait...i've seen it very often on cable and it's not a bad film at all...

Let's get one more vote for Around the Bend and see if Strummer's hair all falls out.

I dunno if that'll happen Sam I got a pretty good amount of hair.

Besides, since I started the poll, I suppose it would be fair If I picked the movie in the event of a tie right? actually I think I'll be gone by the end of the poll, I may not even be able to watch the movie in time. So if there's a tie I guess Sedai can pick, since he was the second one to post. That won't cheat him out of his own pick, he would still get that for the next movie since I chose all the films in the poll.

I'm in. I voted for Around the Bend but according to Taccy it's not available on R2 so may be hard to get rid of. In that case i'll be happy with what ever is most popular. SO is it Rashomon or Heaven Can Wait?
I'm with www.lovefilm.com and i really think they are the best on the net for us in the UK Sinny. I tried ScreenSelect for about two months and didn't rate them much. The time period from the release date of a dvd to them actually getting it available on the site was far too long, plus it took ages between each return. LoveFilm is a site truly for film lovers. The weekly email-newsleter alone is testament to that with some wonderful writing from the editor of the site. They have a HUUUUUGE collection, and the turnaround time between deliveries is so quick i get the dvd before the email telling me iv'e got a new dvd coming. Plus theyre pretty cheap. Give it a go if you havn't already.

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Pumpkins scream in the DEAD of night!