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I'm now thinking that if Miss Vicky doesn't hate my nomination then, in a way, I'll have won. I'm not holding my breath though. 
The Personal Recommendation Hall of Fame II
I thought that was a good try for Miss Vicky but at least she won't have Blue Velvet last
One thing I'll say is that Helen Mirren is a goddess
One thing I'll say is that Helen Mirren is a goddess
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I've wanted to see this for awhile, and for some reason, I was thinking it was a Bergman film. Of course it isn't, but I would say in some ways it is like a Bergman film.
I don't think I related to these characters at all besides just having empathy for other human beings. I felt strongly for every single one of them and each performance was wonderful. For a story that I wouldn't normally be drawn to, I was drawn in from the start. I felt emotion the whole way through and there were parts that were unbearable to watch. It was a little different for me than other emotionally powerful movies in that I found it more rewarding than devastating. I even found some of it humorous. Perfect musical score. I'm not even sure I'm rating it high enough because I thought it was brilliant. I'm loving everything picked for me so much that I'm becoming confused as to how to rate them. Another home run.
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I've wanted to see this for awhile, and for some reason, I was thinking it was a Bergman film. Of course it isn't, but I would say in some ways it is like a Bergman film.
I don't think I related to these characters at all besides just having empathy for other human beings. I felt strongly for every single one of them and each performance was wonderful. For a story that I wouldn't normally be drawn to, I was drawn in from the start. I felt emotion the whole way through and there were parts that were unbearable to watch. It was a little different for me than other emotionally powerful movies in that I found it more rewarding than devastating. I even found some of it humorous. Perfect musical score. I'm not even sure I'm rating it high enough because I thought it was brilliant. I'm loving everything picked for me so much that I'm becoming confused as to how to rate them. Another home run.
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I'm now thinking that if Miss Vicky doesn't hate my nomination then, in a way, I'll have won. I'm not holding my breath though.
I've been saving the ones that I think have the best shot for last, so you might be okay. I would have watched The Thief, the Cook... much sooner but I had issues understanding people in the streaming copy I found and it didn't have subtitles (I suck at understanding accents and my hearing's not great), so I had to wait awhile for my library's copy to become available.
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Do the Right Thing (1989)
Now that's some great urban cinematography! Spike really shot his film well. I liked those three older guys and their commentary on stuff going on in the community. The three older men worked like a Greek chorus in classic Greek theater. By that I mean, they cue us in on the happenings and do so in a semi-omnipresent way. Which worked brilliantly as they anchor the film for the viewer.
I have to say Spike Lee was brilliant in his film making casting choices too. Right at the start we get Rosie Perez dancing to Fight the Power...At first I'm thinking, 'hey, she can really move', but then after my 10 second attention span waned she kept dancing....and dancing and dancing! Her moves and the music was frantic! Just when I thought she was finally done, the scene changes to nighttime and now she's dancing/boxing at the camera and looking quite hostile too! Which set me on edge...AND THAT'S BRILLIANT, because Spike Lee had that planned out.
And he continues that pressure cooker effect with the ever present heat wave and craziness. He makes us feel the craziness by introducing one character after another and they're all yelling or ranting about something. So by the time we get to the pizza parlor I'm as worked up as the denizens of the street block were. I think Spike Lee did something special here!
You know what the difference between Tarantino and Spike Lee is? Spike can actually act and Tarantino sucks when he's a character in his own films. Spike as the actor was as good as Spike the director, he made for a very interesting character, kind of like a black Woody Allen. There were a lot of colorful characters in Do the Right Thing, Rosie Perez with her nasal jaw poppin whine and her profanity spewing, drove me bonkers through out the film and so did the stuttering guy...BUT that's exactly what Spike intendeds these characters to do to the audience.
I could wrote a book about the movies examination of racial and social problems in this poor inner city neighborhood. I'm sure the film can be interpreted a 100 different ways. For me I'll sum it up, I think Spike Lee wanted to show how it is, and in my book he succeed.
I have to say Spike Lee was brilliant in his film making casting choices too. Right at the start we get Rosie Perez dancing to Fight the Power...At first I'm thinking, 'hey, she can really move', but then after my 10 second attention span waned she kept dancing....and dancing and dancing! Her moves and the music was frantic! Just when I thought she was finally done, the scene changes to nighttime and now she's dancing/boxing at the camera and looking quite hostile too! Which set me on edge...AND THAT'S BRILLIANT, because Spike Lee had that planned out.
And he continues that pressure cooker effect with the ever present heat wave and craziness. He makes us feel the craziness by introducing one character after another and they're all yelling or ranting about something. So by the time we get to the pizza parlor I'm as worked up as the denizens of the street block were. I think Spike Lee did something special here!
You know what the difference between Tarantino and Spike Lee is? Spike can actually act and Tarantino sucks when he's a character in his own films. Spike as the actor was as good as Spike the director, he made for a very interesting character, kind of like a black Woody Allen. There were a lot of colorful characters in Do the Right Thing, Rosie Perez with her nasal jaw poppin whine and her profanity spewing, drove me bonkers through out the film and so did the stuttering guy...BUT that's exactly what Spike intendeds these characters to do to the audience.
I could wrote a book about the movies examination of racial and social problems in this poor inner city neighborhood. I'm sure the film can be interpreted a 100 different ways. For me I'll sum it up, I think Spike Lee wanted to show how it is, and in my book he succeed.
Last edited by Citizen Rules; 12-15-20 at 12:32 AM.
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I honestly had no idea how you'd respond to Do the Right Thing. Far better than I did when I watched it previously, I must say.
You were able to bypass the "triggers" that Spike installed to bring the audience to the same level of anger as the people in the film and appreciate the film as well as the prowess of the man directing it.
I didn't.
Unlike another film we discussed at the time, The Hunt, which angered the hell out of me but I thoroughly appreciated.
It's interesting how I was able to move past the anger with one, and could not with this film.
You were able to bypass the "triggers" that Spike installed to bring the audience to the same level of anger as the people in the film and appreciate the film as well as the prowess of the man directing it.
I didn't.
Unlike another film we discussed at the time, The Hunt, which angered the hell out of me but I thoroughly appreciated.
It's interesting how I was able to move past the anger with one, and could not with this film.
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- This is one of those films where I liked it on first viewing but I feel like watching it again might actually make me dislike it, but that's pretentious existentialism for you.
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Do the Right Thing (1989)
Now that's some great urban cinematography! Spike really shot his film well. I liked those three older guys and their commentary on stuff going on in the community. The three older men worked like a Greek chorus in classic Greek theater. By that I mean, they cue us in on the happenings and do so in a semi-omnipresent way. Which worked brilliantly as they anchor the film for the viewer.
I have to say Spike Lee was brilliant in his film making casting choices too. Right at the start we get Rosie Perez dancing to Fight the Power...At first I'm thinking, 'hey, she can really move', but then after my 10 second attention span waned she kept dancing....and dancing and dancing! Her moves and the music was frantic! Just when I thought she was finally done, the scene changes to nighttime and now she's dancing/boxing at the camera and looking quite hostile too! Which set me on edge...AND THAT'S BRILLIANT, because Spike Lee had that planned out.
And he continues that pressure cooker effect with the ever present heat wave and craziness. He makes us feel the craziness by introducing one character after another and they're all yelling or ranting about something. So by the time we get to the pizza parlor I'm as worked up as the denizens of the street block were. I think Spike Lee did something special here!
You know what the difference between Tarantino and Spike Lee is? Spike can actually act and Tarantino sucks when he's a character in his own films. Spike as the actor was as good as Spike the director, he made for a very interesting character, kind of like a black Woody Allen. There were a lot of colorful characters in Do the Right Thing, Rosie Perez with her nasal jaw poppin whine and her profanity spewing, drove me bonkers through out the film and so did the stuttering guy...BUT that's exactly what Spike intendeds these characters to do to the audience.
I could wrote a book about the movies examination of racial and social problems in this poor inner city neighborhood. I'm sure the film can be interpreted a 100 different ways. For me I'll sum it up, I think Spike Lee wanted to show how it is, and in my book he succeed.
I have to say Spike Lee was brilliant in his film making casting choices too. Right at the start we get Rosie Perez dancing to Fight the Power...At first I'm thinking, 'hey, she can really move', but then after my 10 second attention span waned she kept dancing....and dancing and dancing! Her moves and the music was frantic! Just when I thought she was finally done, the scene changes to nighttime and now she's dancing/boxing at the camera and looking quite hostile too! Which set me on edge...AND THAT'S BRILLIANT, because Spike Lee had that planned out.
And he continues that pressure cooker effect with the ever present heat wave and craziness. He makes us feel the craziness by introducing one character after another and they're all yelling or ranting about something. So by the time we get to the pizza parlor I'm as worked up as the denizens of the street block were. I think Spike Lee did something special here!
You know what the difference between Tarantino and Spike Lee is? Spike can actually act and Tarantino sucks when he's a character in his own films. Spike as the actor was as good as Spike the director, he made for a very interesting character, kind of like a black Woody Allen. There were a lot of colorful characters in Do the Right Thing, Rosie Perez with her nasal jaw poppin whine and her profanity spewing, drove me bonkers through out the film and so did the stuttering guy...BUT that's exactly what Spike intendeds these characters to do to the audience.
I could wrote a book about the movies examination of racial and social problems in this poor inner city neighborhood. I'm sure the film can be interpreted a 100 different ways. For me I'll sum it up, I think Spike Lee wanted to show how it is, and in my book he succeed.
This is a good movie that I hope to revisit someday and maybe see if it gets better on repeat viewings.
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Secrets & Lies
I've wanted to see this for awhile, and for some reason, I was thinking it was a Bergman film. Of course it isn't, but I would say in some ways it is like a Bergman film.
I don't think I related to these characters at all besides just having empathy for other human beings. I felt strongly for every single one of them and each performance was wonderful. For a story that I wouldn't normally be drawn to, I was drawn in from the start. I felt emotion the whole way through and there were parts that were unbearable to watch. It was a little different for me than other emotionally powerful movies in that I found it more rewarding than devastating. I even found some of it humorous. Perfect musical score. I'm not even sure I'm rating it high enough because I thought it was brilliant. I'm loving everything picked for me so much that I'm becoming confused as to how to rate them. Another home run.
+
I've wanted to see this for awhile, and for some reason, I was thinking it was a Bergman film. Of course it isn't, but I would say in some ways it is like a Bergman film.
I don't think I related to these characters at all besides just having empathy for other human beings. I felt strongly for every single one of them and each performance was wonderful. For a story that I wouldn't normally be drawn to, I was drawn in from the start. I felt emotion the whole way through and there were parts that were unbearable to watch. It was a little different for me than other emotionally powerful movies in that I found it more rewarding than devastating. I even found some of it humorous. Perfect musical score. I'm not even sure I'm rating it high enough because I thought it was brilliant. I'm loving everything picked for me so much that I'm becoming confused as to how to rate them. Another home run.
+
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I honestly had no idea how you'd respond to Do the Right Thing. Far better than I did when I watched it previously, I must say.
You were able to bypass the "triggers" that Spike installed to bring the audience to the same level of anger as the people in the film and appreciate the film as well as the prowess of the man directing it.
I didn't.
You were able to bypass the "triggers" that Spike installed to bring the audience to the same level of anger as the people in the film and appreciate the film as well as the prowess of the man directing it.
I didn't.
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Nice review Citizen! My top two films of 1989 were both recommendations this time around. Do the Right Thing is one of them and I think it's one of the best movies of the 80's.
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I didn’t care at all for Do the Right Thing but I don’t remember the specifics of why I disliked it.
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Almost picked this for you! Mike Leigh is becoming my soul mate director. Glad you liked it.
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I'm a little up and down with Spike Lee but Do the Right Thing is one of his three movies I love, to go along with 25th Hour and Summer of Sam.
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My favourite Mike Leigh film is Topsy Turvy. It's a little different from a lot of his other films, but perhaps that's why I like it better!
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My favourite Mike Leigh film is Topsy Turvy. It's a little different from a lot of his other films, but perhaps that's why I like it better!
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I hated Do the Right Thing, but the more I think about it, the more I think you are right, Ed, that it is deliberately designed to make the audience as angry as the characters. Which is clever, in its way, but still not the sort of thing I enjoy in a movie!
Far too much so to appreciate the ability and talent that Spike put into it.
I won't give it another go at any time though. Pretty sure it'll be the exact same reaction.
I didn’t care at all for Do the Right Thing but I don’t remember the specifics of why I disliked it.
That's what did it for me.
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Nice review Citizen! My top two films of 1989 were both recommendations this time around. Do the Right Thing is one of them and I think it's one of the best movies of the 80's.
So now I have four films that could be tied for 1st place
in alphabetical order:
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974))
Black Orpheus (1959)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Midnight Cowboy (1969
And...I have one more film left a film noir by one of the great directors Nicolas Ray, On Dangerous Ground (1951). I have real high hopes for this one, which could work against, we'll see.
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I didn’t care at all for Do the Right Thing but I don’t remember the specifics of why I disliked it.
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See if you can get through this 4 minute opening title sequences with Rosie Perez.
It just made me think of an overly long version of what the "fly girls" from In Living Color used to do, except this has one dancer instead of several.
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