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I see Dogtooth and Dancer in the Dark that way.
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Dogtooth is a comedy which works fine for that look and Dancer in the Dark has that like 50 cameras or whatever gimmick that makes it not completely boring.
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Safety Last (1923)
I don't know about this one Allaby, I'm actually doing Buster Keaton for my star on the film challenge. So looking at Harold Lloyd I know for certain I couldn't watch 9 more of these films. Lloyd has some talent but man this one was rough.
So the 30 year old Lloyd is trying to trick his girlfriend that he has a great job and can support him. In reality he's just a shophand who cuts fabric but she doesn't know that. And boy do we get shenanigans...many shenanigans. For every five jokes I think I laughed at half a one...not a great score for a comedy. I was more shocked and displeased by the cat scene and racist scenes.
Lloyd's physical acts where impressive...but his comedic skills weren't on Chaplin's level. I don't know if he's as good as Keaton I plan on watching four of his films in the coming weeks.
My biggest issue with the film was the pacing, it's 70 minutes long and it feels like the last half hour is just one big overlong stunt. Lloyd is good but it could have been half as long and I wouldn't have been bored. I know this is a classic but it really didn't do anything for me.
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I see Dogtooth and Dancer in the Dark that way.
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"A film has to be a dialogue, not a monologue — a dialogue to provoke in the viewer his own thoughts, his own feelings. And if a film is a dialogue, then it’s a good film; if it’s not a dialogue, it’s a bad film."
"A film has to be a dialogue, not a monologue — a dialogue to provoke in the viewer his own thoughts, his own feelings. And if a film is a dialogue, then it’s a good film; if it’s not a dialogue, it’s a bad film."
- Michael "Gloomy Old Fart" Haneke
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I don't think Dancer in the Dark, or rather any Von Trier film, matches that description whatsoever.
As far as ueno saying she sees Dogtooth as a comedy, ok, but I also see Magical Girl that way.
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Festival circuit Euro drama? Dark edge? Shot cold and clinically? You don't see any similarities like that?
As far as ueno saying she sees Dogtooth as a comedy, ok, but I also see Magical Girl that way.
As far as ueno saying she sees Dogtooth as a comedy, ok, but I also see Magical Girl that way.
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Dancer in the Dark predates this particular "wave" of films i was referring to and it being shot on a potato (and mostly handheld) means it doesn't fall into the textural monotony of 2010s filmmaking. Dogtooth may have kicked off this visual style (if not it was something around this time, at least this is when I started to notice it) but i think the deadpan camera adds to the absurdity of what's happening considerably. i just found Magical Girl too plain to get away with that.
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That's fair. I just think these are movies that appeal to a similar audience in a general way.
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Thunder Road (2018)
Directed By: Jim Cummings
Starring: Jim Cummings, Nican Robinson, Kendal Farr
I have never been so unsure of how I feel about a film before. It definitely warrants a revisit later on, but I'm going to try and work through my thoughts now anyway. There are small moments of Thunder Road that are incredibly well done. Occasional lines of dialogue or actions surprised me with how clever they were, but the problem is that they are lost and drowning in a sea of nearly non-stop rambling. I shouldn't be thrown off guard when I'm amused by something in a comedy, but that was often the case here.
Jim Cummings starts talking at the beginning of the film and practically never closes his mouth after. I'm not sure how much of what he says was scripted, but it often feels ad-libbed, and is very hit-or-miss. Your enjoyment of the film will likely hinge on how compelling you find Cummings' performance. I'm very much on the fence, because there are times when his character is very sympathetic, but I practically never found his awkward humour funny.
However the film is very successful at showing how big an impact stress and grief can have on someone's mental health. I didn't notice whether or not anyone mentioned Jim having any pre-existing conditions, but since he was a decorated officer I assume his behavioural issues are recent developments. He clearly has a good heart, but is struggling with impulse control. He always immediately apologizes whenever he does something wrong, so he obviously knows better; he just can't stop himself from doing it. Life is beating him down every chance it gets, and he's clearly hitting his limit.
On the other hand, the incident outside the police department makes it seem like Jim feels that he's the only person who is struggling. He expects to get exactly what we wants if he does everything he's supposed to, and for me that sense of entitlement derailed a lot of the sympathy that had slowly been building for his character. But for some reason once his partner Nate visits him at home, I was on his side again and continued to feel for his plight for the rest of the film. I guess my opinion of Jim rising and falling, then rising again is rather suitable in the end, as it matches the character's own unstable mental state.
Jim Cummings starts talking at the beginning of the film and practically never closes his mouth after. I'm not sure how much of what he says was scripted, but it often feels ad-libbed, and is very hit-or-miss. Your enjoyment of the film will likely hinge on how compelling you find Cummings' performance. I'm very much on the fence, because there are times when his character is very sympathetic, but I practically never found his awkward humour funny.
However the film is very successful at showing how big an impact stress and grief can have on someone's mental health. I didn't notice whether or not anyone mentioned Jim having any pre-existing conditions, but since he was a decorated officer I assume his behavioural issues are recent developments. He clearly has a good heart, but is struggling with impulse control. He always immediately apologizes whenever he does something wrong, so he obviously knows better; he just can't stop himself from doing it. Life is beating him down every chance it gets, and he's clearly hitting his limit.
On the other hand, the incident outside the police department makes it seem like Jim feels that he's the only person who is struggling. He expects to get exactly what we wants if he does everything he's supposed to, and for me that sense of entitlement derailed a lot of the sympathy that had slowly been building for his character. But for some reason once his partner Nate visits him at home, I was on his side again and continued to feel for his plight for the rest of the film. I guess my opinion of Jim rising and falling, then rising again is rather suitable in the end, as it matches the character's own unstable mental state.
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One Cut of the Dead (Shin'ichirô Ueda, 2017)
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Date Watched: 01/23/22
Rewatch: No.
I really enjoyed the opening 40-whatever minutes where this played out like some of the more familiar horror comedies I've seen - with cartoonish levels of blood and gore. It even managed to get some laughs out of me which is more than can be said about most American comedies, nevermind foreign ones. The movie-about-crazy-people-making-a-movie concept of it also gave me Tropic Thunder vibes and I liked that a lot... when I still thought that was the direction One Cut of the Dead was going. But, that wasn't the direction it was headed and the remainder of the movie was just kind of bland and okay. Watchable, but not particularly memorable. Unfortunately, that bland part accounts for more than half the film and it dragged down my overall enjoyment quite a bit.
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Cure (1997) -
I was meaning to watch this film a couple years ago, but I never got around to it and eventually forgot about it for whatever reason. I'm glad I was finally able to watch it though as, even though it didn't blow me away or anything, I'm cool with rewatching it down the road.
This is the kind of film I think I'd appreciate more with another viewing. While I enjoyed the first half or so well enough, I wasn't entirely on board with the film until the second half when Mamiya began talking to Takabe. The various conversations between the two of them and the effect they had on Takabe's mental health were all top notch and make for some of the scariest moments in the film. The first half, by comparison, didn't interest me quite as much.
That portion of the film isn't without its strengths though. For one, this film hit one of my sweet spots for crime films as, though it appears to solve the central mystery fairly early (there isn't a big reveal as you gradually figure out who's causing the killings as you watch the film), other vital questions are left open which require further probing. Even if you're able to figure out who the killer is, you aren't told why the killings are happening. For example, where does Mamiya's hypnotist powers come from? Is he reenacting the murders of a hypnotist in the 1800s? Also, is Mamiya's supposed ignorance of what he's doing genuine? Or is his memory loss just an act, meaning he's fully aware of what he's doing? These questions linger throughout the film (the ending complicates these questions even more) and provide an unrelenting feeling of unease to it. While its ambiguity may frustrate some viewers, I found that the questions which were left open resonated with me quite a bit.
I also loved the look of the film. That the film maintains such a dull and cold color pallet throughout (greys, browns, and greens, mainly) gives it a unique look, as if all life has been sucked out of the film, resulting in a thoroughly bleak environment. The few scenes where some vibrant colors, like red, appear onscreen seem to indicate danger. I also enjoyed some of the settings (mental hospitals and abandoned buildings) as they added to the film's slow, uneasy atmosphere and served as great horror set pieces.
The film is a lot slower and meandering than I expected it would be and that might have played a part in why I didn't like the film as much as I could've, but I feel that it would fare better with another viewing now that I know what to expect from it. Overall, I thought the film was quite interesting and I'm glad I finally got around to it.
Next Up: Dolores Claiborne
I was meaning to watch this film a couple years ago, but I never got around to it and eventually forgot about it for whatever reason. I'm glad I was finally able to watch it though as, even though it didn't blow me away or anything, I'm cool with rewatching it down the road.
This is the kind of film I think I'd appreciate more with another viewing. While I enjoyed the first half or so well enough, I wasn't entirely on board with the film until the second half when Mamiya began talking to Takabe. The various conversations between the two of them and the effect they had on Takabe's mental health were all top notch and make for some of the scariest moments in the film. The first half, by comparison, didn't interest me quite as much.
That portion of the film isn't without its strengths though. For one, this film hit one of my sweet spots for crime films as, though it appears to solve the central mystery fairly early (there isn't a big reveal as you gradually figure out who's causing the killings as you watch the film), other vital questions are left open which require further probing. Even if you're able to figure out who the killer is, you aren't told why the killings are happening. For example, where does Mamiya's hypnotist powers come from? Is he reenacting the murders of a hypnotist in the 1800s? Also, is Mamiya's supposed ignorance of what he's doing genuine? Or is his memory loss just an act, meaning he's fully aware of what he's doing? These questions linger throughout the film (the ending complicates these questions even more) and provide an unrelenting feeling of unease to it. While its ambiguity may frustrate some viewers, I found that the questions which were left open resonated with me quite a bit.
I also loved the look of the film. That the film maintains such a dull and cold color pallet throughout (greys, browns, and greens, mainly) gives it a unique look, as if all life has been sucked out of the film, resulting in a thoroughly bleak environment. The few scenes where some vibrant colors, like red, appear onscreen seem to indicate danger. I also enjoyed some of the settings (mental hospitals and abandoned buildings) as they added to the film's slow, uneasy atmosphere and served as great horror set pieces.
The film is a lot slower and meandering than I expected it would be and that might have played a part in why I didn't like the film as much as I could've, but I feel that it would fare better with another viewing now that I know what to expect from it. Overall, I thought the film was quite interesting and I'm glad I finally got around to it.
Next Up: Dolores Claiborne
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Safety Last! -
To quote Courage the Cowardly Dog, "the things I do for love." Harold Lloyd's "The Boy" might as well have said this at some point in this classic silent comedy I'm glad I finally watched. There's another quote worth bringing up while discussing this movie: "work sucks." I laughed hardest whenever Harold tried to evade the store's dictatorial management and while he dealt with its overly demanding customers. If you've worked in customer service and haven't had someone not only keep you an hour after closing, but also not buy anything, you're lucky. Harold Lloyd is an immensely charismatic actor and his face and mannerisms are ideal for silent film acting, and as misguided as his plans may be, that he does everything to impress his bride-to-be makes him all the more adorable. The highlight of his scheme has to be when he risks starvation to buy her a silver chain, the heartache of which gets stronger as each item disappears from what would have been his lunch. The main highlight, however, is the iconic climb. It's still hard to believe that Harold and the stunt team were climbing a façade instead of an actual building. Oh, and just how did they get all of those pigeons to swarm on his head? While I wouldn't rank this among the very best silent comedies I've seen, I still found it very funny and charming, not to mention a nice way to start the week. Now, if only we could all get away with clocking in at an earlier time in this digital, cloud-based era.
To quote Courage the Cowardly Dog, "the things I do for love." Harold Lloyd's "The Boy" might as well have said this at some point in this classic silent comedy I'm glad I finally watched. There's another quote worth bringing up while discussing this movie: "work sucks." I laughed hardest whenever Harold tried to evade the store's dictatorial management and while he dealt with its overly demanding customers. If you've worked in customer service and haven't had someone not only keep you an hour after closing, but also not buy anything, you're lucky. Harold Lloyd is an immensely charismatic actor and his face and mannerisms are ideal for silent film acting, and as misguided as his plans may be, that he does everything to impress his bride-to-be makes him all the more adorable. The highlight of his scheme has to be when he risks starvation to buy her a silver chain, the heartache of which gets stronger as each item disappears from what would have been his lunch. The main highlight, however, is the iconic climb. It's still hard to believe that Harold and the stunt team were climbing a façade instead of an actual building. Oh, and just how did they get all of those pigeons to swarm on his head? While I wouldn't rank this among the very best silent comedies I've seen, I still found it very funny and charming, not to mention a nice way to start the week. Now, if only we could all get away with clocking in at an earlier time in this digital, cloud-based era.
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nauuur what is this reputation i have 
I think I've only disliked two movies in the few Hall of Fames I've done, so I'm more of a Paula Abdul, FWIW.
Last edited by Torgo; 01-23-22 at 07:44 PM.
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Like it or not, I think of you as our Simon(e) Cowell.
I think I've only dislike two movies in the few Hall of Fames I've done, so I'm more of a Paula Abdul, FWIW.
I think I've only dislike two movies in the few Hall of Fames I've done, so I'm more of a Paula Abdul, FWIW.
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eww. guess its time to start lying in reviews
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Jaws, 1975
Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) finds his small-town, beachside turf threatened when a large shark begins viciously dispatching the locals. After some initial, tragic politics that see more deaths than necessary, Brody teams up with local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) and shark expert Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) to catch and kill the beast.
This is one of those movies I've seen a ton of times. As I have mentioned before, my little sister and her best friend had a Friday night tradition of ordering a medium cheese pizza and watching Jaws. Like, almost every Friday. For several years.
Weirdly, that means that it's a movie I feel kind of "talked out" on, having discussed it many times.
The film operates in two parts. The first part is sort of a drama/horror as Brody must battle against the pressure of the local officials, particularly the mayor, who do not want to admit that there's a shark out there. Then they will admit it, but don't want to close the beaches. It's a compelling first half because we all know what is going to happen, and Brody himself knows what is going to happen. The film wonderfully captures the slow-motion horror of watching someone else make a mistake that you know will end up hurting someone, but not being able to do much about it. The encounter between the grieving Mrs. Kitner and Brody after the death of her son Alex hammers this home via a resounding slap. (Which hurts all the more since it should have been aimed at the mayor or the waffling medical examiner).
There's a patience to Jaws that you see throughout the whole film, but especially in this first half. Between the screaming and geysers of bloody ocean water, we get quiet domestic moments, like Brody and his wife hosting Hooper for dinner. These calm moments acknowledge something that is sometimes missed in horror films: it's not all death all the time. And it can be easy to be in denial or minimize something when you have the moment to let your guard down. Even once the three men are aboard Quint's boat and floating on the water at night, there is time for conversation and banter so that the magnitude and fear are able to sit just under the surface.
The second half of the film morphs into more of an adventure mode. After a relatively crowded first half, now it's just these three dudes and one persistent shark. This half of the film is also paced very well, and is chock full of memorable moments, including the infamous "You're gonna need a bigger boat" and Quint's monologue about his experience on the Indianapolis. At regular intervals, the film lets us (and the characters) know that they have underestimated this creature---its strength and its cunning. "He won't be able to dive, not with three barrels" Quint asserts . . . right before the shark dives under the water taking all three barrels with it.
Great flick, and I really have very few complaints about it.
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I just finished watching Magical Girl (2014) for the first time. Sorry to say, this didn't really work for me. I felt the film dragged on and on and on and it was quite boring for large parts of it. I wasn't impressed with the performances, as most of them fall flat. Lucía Pollán as Alicia was the best performance, in my opinion, and she was not in the film enough for my liking. The story started off reasonably well, but by the end of it I was not satisfied. There were a couple interesting moments along the way, but it felt like they were too few and far between to make it a worthwhile or rewarding experience. A lot of people seem to like this film though, but for me Magical Girl is not a sufficiently compelling or entertaining film.
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Weird coincidence that The Secret of Roan Inish heavily features seals, because it was just last week (or the week before?) where I saw an news article about how the Tories are urging the government to help promote and develop new markets for the seal industry. They want the seal hunt back in full swing because they eat too much fish.
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