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CriminyCraffft posted:1. Harakiri (1962) I need to expand my period Japanese viewing beyond Kurosawa and Mifune. "The suspicious mind conjures its own demons." Frankenstein Conquers the World - The year is 1945 and German scientists are doing experiments on the heart of Frankestein's monster. They're basically trying to create immortal soldiers but are interrupted by Allied Forces. So the heart ends up in Japan just before the big bomb is dropped on Hiroshima. We then go fifteen years into the future and a waif/transient is causing trouble by eating animals etc. And he keeps growing in size. He comes across like a more evolved King Kong at times. Anyway he gets loose and the scientists spend time looking for him and investigating another mysterious monster. There's good use of non-diegetic music throughout. As per usual the ending fights are the main attraction. The two monsters cross paths and square off. The monster known as Baragon has a glowing horn and can breathe fire like Godzilla. But those abilities are no match for Frankenstein's monster as he has the dexterity to uproot and throw trees. And he can also do some jujutsu. It's a struggle but the title of the film is a spoiler. The ending is humorous as a giant octopus appears out of nowhere to fight the victor as well. The outcome is ambiguous and seems like a reference to the ending of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Also watched: Dogville - A woman (Nicole Kidman) is on the run and is sucked into a strange town. At first Dogville comes across like a parochial, quaint town but it slowly transforms into a perverse place full of selfish and sadistic people. She's kind of a fly in the ointment but then becomes someone who's used and abused. It is a lingering mystery as to why she puts up with all of the garbage. Dogville is a sociological mess. A microcosm of society, community and civics: the punitive junk, the coy crap, the deceptions, the dumb lecturing and specious rationalizations. It covers so much. How much confusion and miscommunication exists. The whole thing is very dense and leaves a lot to ruminate on. Much like Breaking the Waves (1996) did. The entire first half of the three hour film could be rated G. But the second half includes rape, smashing of Hummels, prostitution, strange corporal punishment and in a grand finale: the execution of the entire town! A flourish of retributive and perverse justice. Kind of an inappropriate catharsis to the whole affair. The insidious townsfolk get their comeuppance but turn the former victim into the new monster. PS I should mention that it's like the viewer is a ghost watching a stageplay. Many unique vantage points and the lack of walls is another novelty. It has rich narration that feels like one is listening to an audiobook. An impressive cast with earnest dialogue at times. Tom Edison (Paul Bettany) as the passive white knight is just one of many. Much more could be said... James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (49 completed): #44 Europe '51 - There are still many Roberto Rossellini films I haven't seen. 11/28/20 #48 Heroes of the East - Japanese martial arts vs. Chinese martial arts. 1/12/21 #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #53 The Limey - Been on my watch list for far too long. 3/2/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 new #55 Mosquito - I saw some of this on TV many years ago and it caught my attention but I need to see it uncut. 3/16/21 new #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (95/100 completed): Mouchette - I've heard this is similar to Rosetta. 3/2/21 Too Late for Tears - An interesting title. 5/27/20 Woman on the Run - Apparently an underwatched film noir. 6/16/20
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Mar 16, 2021 06:05
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Zogo posted:Mouchette - I've heard this is similar to Rosetta. 3/2/21 I added this to my list after seeing you post it here. Harakiri For a movie with such a seemlngly slow pace, Harakari is remarkably tense. It’s like being on a train that you are sure is going to crash, but you don’t know when, how disastrous it will be, or what will come after. Tying it all together is Tatsuya Nakadai’s fantastic performance as Hanshiro Tsugomo, an aging ronin trying to stave off poverty and starvation while maintaining his honor and dignity. The thing that impressed me the most is how much Nakadai does with just his eyes. My list of shame: 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) This is at the top of the Letterboxd Official Top 100 Narrative Feature Films by Women Directors. There are many others on this list that I need to see but this is probably where I should start. 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 3. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) I've seen this in bits and pieces, but never from start to finish. 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 6. Safety Last! (1923) That’s Lobstertainment! 7. M (1931) This is supposed be noir, but before noir was noir. 8. City of God (2002) The favela segment in Baraka reminded me that I've never seen this. 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 10. 8 1/2 (1963) I've never seen anything by Fellini and this is his most popular one. Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5
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Mar 17, 2021 15:10
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CriminyCraffft enjoy Dr. Strangelove. Dekalog Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1989  Dekalog (aka The Decalogue) is a ten-part series of films that aired on Polish TV in 1989. Each episode corresponds to one of the Ten Commandments. I've reviewed each entry separately: Dekalog I - It's interesting how becoming a parent has drastically altered my emotional response to movies like this. Six years ago I would have merely deemed this a technically masterful work with great philosophical themes. Now that I have two young boys, I still say those things, but it also loving wrecked me. If the next nine episodes are even half this good, this'll be one of the greatest series I've ever watched. 5/5 Dekalog II - It lacks the emotional punch of part 1, but it's nonetheless an impressive effort to demonstrate the minutia of a complex moral decision in such a short runtime. 3.5/5 Dekalog III - It's an intriguing story with great acting some unpredictable moments (car chase, playing chicken with a train, etc.), but it's not as impactful as the previous entries. 3/5 Dekalog IV - This is the most complex episode so far, emotionally and thematically. There's a LOT to unpack here, especially after the events of the final five minutes. Really gripping, intriguing stuff. 4/5 Dekalog V - We're getting deep into the morality woods here. This is excellent stuff. The moral complexities of the death penalty make for not only great philosophical quandaries, but also great cinema. Decades before Herzog asked the same questions with Into the Abyss, Kieslowski gave us this incredible work. 4.5/5 Dekalog VI - My favorite episode so far. This one borders on luridness more than any of the others. It's amazing this aired on television in the '80s. The sexuality and voyeurism would have never flown in the US. Tomek and Magdna are both deep, interesting characters, and their interactions are some of the most gripping scenes this show has offered so far. 5/5 Dekalog VII - Deals with the complexities of teen motherhood when flawed, selfish people are involved. It conjures feelings of hopelessness and frustration, and the end punches hard. It's a great demonstration of how poor decisions can set us up for no-win situations. 4/5 Dekalog VIII - Gripping despite being the least "dramatic" episode so far. As always Kieslowski doesn't offer resolutions for his characters' search for purpose and finality. Nor does he offer us "satisfying" narrative closure in the traditional sense. What he offers instead is a deep dive into the way our demons form the undercurrent of our lives. 3.5/5 Dekalog IX - Another gripping episode. Roman is probably the most sympathetic character so far. I felt REALLY bad for that guy. 4/5 Dekalog X - Here in the finale we receive some much needed levity. But while it lacks the austerity of the previous entries, it's just as enveloping and provides just as much insight into humanity. This is a great way to go out. 4/5 Overall - Watching these ten episodes over the course of a few weeks will probably end up being one of my most memorable viewing experiences. The entries range from very good to brilliant. Each one glued me in and, in most cases, left me in a state of shaken contemplation. Kieslowski has an uncanny ability to accurately demonstrate our flaws, desires, regrets and personal demons, all with a minimal amount of exposition and stylization. The fact that something this nuanced and mature aired on TV over 30 years ago astounds me. It's without a doubt one of the greatest things to ever be shown on television. 5/5 ----- They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? Progress: 508/1000 ----- 118. Yi Yi (2000) - Always on many best of the 21st century lists - 10/27/20 131. Rome, Open City (1945) - Rossellini's Journey to Italy was good - 10/27/20 144. The Gospel According to Matthew (1964) - The only over Pasolini I've seen is Salo - 11/6/20 153. Histoire(s) du cinéma (1988) - A 4.5 hour documentary from Godard? I'm not super excited... 12/26/20 157. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - I've seen The Young Girls of Rochefort and enjoyed it - 1/1/21 162. The Red Shoes (1948) - Another Powell/Pressburger film that gets loads of praise - 12/26/20 168. Rocco and His Brothers (1960) - Ah, the director who made The Leopard. Cool. - 1/8/21 178. Mouchette (1967) - A Robert Bresson film I haven't seen. Hell yeah. - 1/15/21 182. Imitation of Life (1959) - My first Douglas Sirk movie - 1/21/21 189. Death in Venice (1971) - Another Visconti I need to see - 3/19/21
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Mar 19, 2021 20:16
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Spatulater bro! posted:118. Yi Yi (2000) - Always on many best of the 21st century lists - 10/27/20 I've also seen this on many lists and it's a complete mystery to me. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb I did really enjoy this! "I think the auto destruct mechanism got hit and blew itself up." Dr. Strangelove is a great dark comedy, maybe the best dark comedy of all time. You can feel its influence in more recent movies, like A Serious Man or The Death of Stalin, or even TV shows like The Office. It's also very ahead of its time, with elements that resonate with contemporary audiences: * Ordinary people are at the mercy of the automation and algorithms that reduce us to 0s and 1s. * Conspiracy theories related to precious bodily fluids can make insecure men act irrationally. * Despite being in positions of power or influence, Nazis rarely have our best interests in mind. Having seen bits and pieces of this film, along with the endless times it's been referenced, there were also some surprises: * I always thought that Major Kong ride was the very last scene and was 100% on purpose. * I expected Dr. Strangelove himself to appear more than he did. * It was shorter than I expected and moved along briskly. Anyway, I've never really thought of myself as a "Kubrick fan" but maybe I am? My list of shame: 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) This is at the top of the Letterboxd Official Top 100 Narrative Feature Films by Women Directors. There are many others on this list that I need to see but this is probably where I should start. 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 3. Get Out (2017) I like Key and Peele. I like scary movies. Why haven't I seen this? 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 6. Safety Last! (1923) That’s Lobstertainment! 7. M (1931) This is supposed be noir, but before noir was noir. 8. City of God (2002) The favela segment in Baraka reminded me that I've never seen this. 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 10. 8 1/2 (1963) I've never seen anything by Fellini and this is his most popular one. Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5 twernt fucked around with this message at 02:14 on Mar 21, 2021 |
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Mar 20, 2021 16:02
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CriminyCraffft posted:3. Get Out (2017) I like Key and Peele. I like scary movies. Why haven't I seen this? "Now you're in the sunken place." Mouchette - It's a proto-Rosetta (1999) with some of the story modified slightly. This time the protagonist is younger. Another downtrodden outcast who's badmouthed and mistreated by both her peers and the adults she encounters. The adults all behave strangely for mostly unclear reasons. I was reminded of The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) in this respect. Also watched: Mosquito - Aliens crash and when the mosquitoes start feasting they turn into giant bugs. A ragtag group must try to survive this mosquito massacre. Employing a variety of guns, axes and even a chainsaw the mosquitoes start exploding and splattering everywhere with regularity. This group then commandeers an RV to escape the infestation and hunkers down in what's thought to be a safe house. The twist is that the basement is filled with mosquito eggs so they end up blowing the house to smithereens. It's a great B movie that stars some semi-famous people and at its best could be compared to both Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Tremors (1990). Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7YSkRv3U_c James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (50 completed): #44 Europe '51 - There are still many Roberto Rossellini films I haven't seen. 11/28/20 #48 Heroes of the East - Japanese martial arts vs. Chinese martial arts. 1/12/21 #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #53 The Limey - Been on my watch list for far too long. 3/2/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 new #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): new #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (96/100 completed): Too Late for Tears - An interesting title. 5/27/20 Woman on the Run - Apparently an underwatched film noir. 6/16/20 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:00 on Mar 22, 2021 |
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Mar 22, 2021 05:48
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Spatulater bro! posted:Overall - Watching these ten episodes over the course of a few weeks will probably end up being one of my most memorable viewing experiences. The entries range from very good to brilliant. Each one glued me in and, in most cases, left me in a state of shaken contemplation. Kieslowski has an uncanny ability to accurately demonstrate our flaws, desires, regrets and personal demons, all with a minimal amount of exposition and stylization. The fact that something this nuanced and mature aired on TV over 30 years ago astounds me. It's without a doubt one of the greatest things to ever be shown on television. Yes, the stories are straightforward but leave the viewer with so much to think about. The entire thing was supposedly made on a budget of $100,000. Looking back I think 4, 8 and 10 are the ones I find most memorable.
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Mar 22, 2021 05:57
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Zogo posted:Too Late for Tears - An interesting title. 5/27/20 If this one has been on your list the longest, I think it's time to give it a watch. Get Out I loved this! It was hard to avoid reading or hearing anything about this movie, so I sort of knew the premise. Even so, there were details that totally caught me by surprise and I felt genuinely anxious for most of the last 40 minutes. Otherwise, everything just felt right. The humor was pointed, but restrained. The way tension built up was slow, but relentless. To me it felt like a movie created with so much care and attention that all of the pieces just clicked. I wish I had a best friend like Rod. I was waiting for the Night of the Living Dead ending, and the fakeout was amazing! I also watched 8 1/2 At first I didn't think I was going to be into this one at all. The sequence at the spa at the beginning felt so disorienting, like a series of seemingly unrelated images that my brain kept struggling to form into a pattern because that’s what brains do. Eventually I honestly stopped trying to analyze it so much and just let myself enjoy the story. Marcello Mastroianni is Guido, a director who is also Fellini. He's caught in a crisis of creativity and passion. He fears he has nothing left to say and he is surrounded by people who want him to do the one thing he definitely does not want to do -- finish a movie. Rather than confront this reality, he repeatedly attempts to look inward and escape to his own memories and dreams. Unfortunately, his dreams and reality begin to bleed into each other. I thought that ending when Guido appears to finally regain control of his own life was fantastic. My list of shame: 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) This is at the top of the Letterboxd Official Top 100 Narrative Feature Films by Women Directors. There are many others on this list that I need to see but this is probably where I should start. 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 3. The Evil Dead (1981) I've seen the sequel and Army of Darkness multiple times, but never the original. 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 6. Safety Last! (1923) That’s Lobstertainment! 7. M (1931) This is supposed be noir, but before noir was noir. 8. City of God (2002) The favela segment in Baraka reminded me that I've never seen this. 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen *and* is available to rent or stream online. Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5
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Mar 23, 2021 03:59
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CriminyCraffft, see M. Just saw Arsenic and Old Lace. Fun movie with Cary Grant. Reminded me of Rope and Rear Window, in that it was pretty much shot in a single room, but with much more comedy. Grant was great as the befuddled nephew, and his two aunts were precious. I loved there deadpan comments on their bizarre behavior, as if it was perfectly normal. Peter Lorre was also really good in this. My List: Fort Apache - This will be my John Wayne spot for now. The Departed - Don't know much about this movie. Jabberwocky - Following up one Terry Gilliam movie with another. The Cocoanuts - Working my way through the Marx Brothers movies. This is their first movie. Sunrise - A friend of mine who likes silent movies recommended this one. Looking forward to seeing it. Pelle the Conquerer - Big fan of Max Von Sydow. Need to see more of his work. Transformers: The Movie - Taking a break from Studio Ghibli. Not the Michael Bay movies. The animated movie from the 80's. Holiday Inn - Die Nibelungen - Interested in seeing another Fritz Lang picture. OLDEST Mulholland Drive - Just recently saw Twin Peaks: The Return and that got me in the mood for more David Lynch. NEWEST Ocean's 11 - A slot here for Elvis, Sinatra, Beatles movies. This is the original with Frank Sinatra.
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Mar 25, 2021 01:19
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Dmitri Russkie posted:Die Nibelungen - Interested in seeing another Fritz Lang picture. OLDEST I just watched a Fritz Lang and this is the oldest one on your list, so I think it's time. M In M, Berlin is terrorized by Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children. Peter Lorre is fantastic as Beckert, who is probably probably based on the Vampire of Hanover, Fritz Haarman. It's definitely ahead of its time and it’s easy to see how M influenced every crime procedural or thriller that came after it. The story moves slowly in parts and the big trial at the end seems overly long, but it does give Peter Lorre a chance to deliver a wonderfully manic monologue. Otherwise, the fact that we know what kind of person Hans Beckert is and what’s at stake if he isn’t caught fills every scene with a sense of dread. My list of shame: 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) This is at the top of the Letterboxd Official Top 100 Narrative Feature Films by Women Directors. There are many others on this list that I need to see but this is probably where I should start. 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 3. The Evil Dead (1981) I've seen the sequel and Army of Darkness multiple times, but never the original. 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 6. Safety Last! (1923) That’s Lobstertainment! 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 8. City of God (2002) The favela segment in Baraka reminded me that I've never seen this. 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen *and* is available to rent or stream online. Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5
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Mar 26, 2021 02:52
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CriminyCraffft posted:3. The Evil Dead (1981) I've seen the sequel and Army of Darkness multiple times, but never the original. "I believe I have made a significant find in the Kandarian ruins, a volume of ancient Sumerian burial practices and funerary incantations." Too Late for Tears - A couple is driving along when a bag filled with $60,000 falls into their laps. Jane (Lizabeth Scott) sees this as hitting the jackpot while Alan (Arthur Kennedy) sees danger ahead. Jane becomes obsessed with the money and chooses it over her husband. She chooses greed over peace of mind at all turns. Her performance is ruthless and cunning. Think of Gene Tierney's performance in Leave Her to Heaven (1945) or Rosamund Pike's in Gone Girl (2014). There's also some mystery as a few characters are not actually who they say they are. Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGppNeZkpa0 Also watched: The Limey - I won't detail the story (of revenge) too much but it's told with unique flashbacks, sporadic editing and conversations that carry across multiple scenes. Film conventions are being tampered with here. Imagine if Godard directed the Kill Bill series. Kill Bill without the frills with a touch of Memento (2000). Peter Fonda plays the villainous playboy who's exasperated throughout. He exudes anxiety and unease as a vengeful father (Terence Stamp) is on his trail. In short, things take a circuitous path. There's a decent car chase and an atypical gunfight full of cross fire. The ending was humorous as there was a lot of collateral damage especially considering everything could've been dealt with a long distance phone call. James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (51 completed): #44 Europe '51 - There are still many Roberto Rossellini films I haven't seen. 11/28/20 #48 Heroes of the East - Japanese martial arts vs. Chinese martial arts. 1/12/21 #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 new #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 new #59 Southern Comfort - Sounds like an interesting military film. 3/27/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (97/100 completed): Woman on the Run - Apparently an underwatched film noir. 6/16/20
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Mar 27, 2021 21:03
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Zogo posted:#48 Heroes of the East - Japanese martial arts vs. Chinese martial arts. 1/12/21 I just recently watched The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter and Heroes of the East is on my list so I'd love to hear what you think about it. The Evil Dead The edges are incredibly rough but, considering it was made 40 years ago for approximately a nickel, it's surprisingly entertaining and inventive. Aside from the obviously problematic part with the trees that even Sam Raimi apparently regrets, there's a lot of good stuff here. The camerawork really stands out. I enjoyed that the camera spent so much time either showing us a single character's point of view, or acting as a character itself. Bruce Campbell is great of course. He really seems to loosen up as the movie progresses, which doesn't really make sense because I'm sure they didn't shoot the scenes in order. I think I would rate it higher if I didn't see it as an initial draft of Evil Dead 2. I also watched Safety Last! A few really unfortunate stereotypes detract from the brilliant sight gags that fill Safety Last! You probably know this movie from the famous scene where Harold Lloyd hangs from a clock on an office building. Seeing the whole climbing sequence is pretty amazing. There is some Hollywood trickery involved, but Harold Lloyd was known for doing his own stunts. So, it's not really a question of whether he’s actually in danger or not. It's more of question of how much danger he’s in. My list of shame: 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) This is at the top of the Letterboxd Official Top 100 Narrative Feature Films by Women Directors. There are many others on this list that I need to see but this is probably where I should start. 03-17-2021 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 02-23-2021 3. Wild Strawberries (1957) Bergman is another director I still haven't seen yet. 03-29-2021 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 03-03-2021 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 02-21-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. City of God (2002) The favela segment in Baraka reminded me that I've never seen this. 02-23-2021 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 03-10-2021 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen *and* is available to rent or stream online. 03-22-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4
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Mar 29, 2021 22:14
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Crimini, go watch City of God. Been a bit. Knocked out a few: Rififi - It doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. On the one hand you have all of the trappings of a fun heist movie, and on the other it goes for dramatic haymakers. I didn't find much of a reason to care about any of the characters and never felt invested in seeing them succeed in the caper. The heist scene, obviously, is the standout here. It was entirely ingenious in its execution and if the whole move was just more of that, I would be much happier. Everything around it, though, left much to be desired. 6.5 Murder on the Orient Express, 1974 Suffers quite a bit from pacing problems. Essentially, the whole movie feels like a parlor scene where everything is being revealed, over time. The setting and shooting around such rigid environment did present with some clear unique challenges and the film itself does look good, through and through. Hercule is certainly an interesting choice fora protag and when I realized that, oh, this is the guy we're going to be following around for a whole movie, and not just some one-note throwaway caricature I did find myself chuckling. 7 The Nice Guys Watched this some time ago so it'll be a little tricky to specifically cite much. I loved this movie. I was laughing the whole way through and, as an amateur (very amateur) actor, Crowe's character in this film is 100% my dream role. The story was compelling, the dialogue tight, and the physicality of the gags was fresh in the way Shane Black films uniquely are. 9 My new ten: 1. The Florida Project - Go ahead, break my heart. 2. You Were Never Really Here - Kevin was a loving knock out that has stuck with me. Very interested in this. 3. *NEW* Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind *NEW* - Know nothing about it apart from Miyazaki, so I'll probably like it. 4. Starship Troopers - One of those that just never found its way to me. Looks fun. 5. Mother Bong joon ho's that is. I've seen everything else of his (apart from barking dogs, and that's just never gonna happen) , and have enjoyed everything. 6. Moonlight Missed it in theaters, but I hear it's worth watching. 7. *NEW* The Taking of Pelham One Two Three *NEW* - Love Matthau, and I understand this is a bit of a change of pace for him. 8. Anatomy of a Murder Another classic that I've missed. 9. *NEW* Paprika *NEW* - New to Kon. 10. Uncut Gems - OK, I'm just really curious about this. 148 Total De-Shamed! Yojimbo 7.5/10, Aliens 6.5/10, Brazil 8/10, Cool Hand Luke 9.5/10, 28 Days Later 6/10, Predator 8.5/10, Blade Runner 7.5/10,Crimes and Misdemeanors 9/10, Vertigo 7/10, Being There 7.5/10, Psycho 10/10, Apocalypse Now 7.5/10, Citizen Kane 8.5/10, Dr. Strangelove 7/10, Close Encounters of the Third Kind 8.5/10, The Bicycle Thief 7/10, Raging Bull 8/10, Ikiru 10/10, Terminator 2: Judgement Day 7/10, The Night of the Hunter 8.5/10 How to Train Your Dragon 6.5/10, There Will Be Blood 8/10, Manhattan 7/10, Rashomon 8.5/10, Unforgiven 8.5/10 The Third Man 9.5/10, Requiem For A Dream 4/10, Charade 5.5/10, Sunset Blvd. 8/10 , Badlands 6.5/10, Dead Man 8.5/10, On The Waterfront 9/10, Mad Max 6/10, Singin' In The Rain 9.5/10, Sleeper 7.5/10, Enter The Dragon 6.5/10, The Hustler 8/10 , The Town 9/10, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 5.5/10, Boogie Nights 7.5/10, Hanna 8.5/10, The Conversation 7.5/10, Serpico 8/10, Hoop Dreams 9/10, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind 8/10, Blood Simple 7.5/10, Roman Holiday 8.5/10, Miller's Crossing 8/10, M 7.5/10, Moonrise Kingdom 6.5/10, Rope 7/10, Tiny Furniture 1/10, On The Town 5.5/10, Gosford Park 5.5/10, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, 8.5/10, City Lights 8.5/10, The Exorcist 6.5/10, California Split 7/10, Aguirre, The Wrath Of God 8/10, Following 8/10, The General 10/10, Barton Fink 8.5/10, Tombstone 8/10, The Hudsucker Proxy 9/10, Love Actually 6.5, La Dolce Vita 7/10, Chop Shop 9.5/10, Duck Soup 6/10, When Harry Met Sally 8/10, Tokyo Story 7/10, Kelly's Heroes 8/10, The Thing 8.5/10, Lost In Translation 9.5/10, Anchorman 6.5/10, Mulholland Dr. 8.5/10, Rebecca9/10, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans 7/10, Steamboat Bill Jr. 9/10, Double Indemnity 9/10, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum 6.5/10, The Man Who Wasn't There 8.10, Synecdoche, NY 10/10 , Leaving Las Vegas 9/10, The Hidden Fortress 8.5/10, Magnificent Seven 8/10, Dear Zachary -/10, The Fly 9/10, Time Bandits 6/10, Before Sunrise 6.5, The Buddy Holly Story 7/10, Pleasantville 7/10, The Rules of the Game 6/10, Senna 7.5/10, Kiki's Delivery Service 8/10, Gojira 9/10, The Blues Brothers 5/10, Notorious 7/10, Little Shop of Horrors 9/10 , The Last Starfighter 7/10, Rebel Without A Cause 8.5/10, Sherlock Jr. 7.5/10, Intolerable Cruelty, 9/10, The Ladykillers 9/10, Spring Breakers 7.5/10, Touch of Evil 8/10, The Purple Rose of Cairo, 9/10, My Cousin Vinny 7/10, Galaxy Quest 8/10, First Blood, 9/10, Arsenic and Old Lace, 7/10, Mad Max 2, 9/10, The Raid: Redemption, 8/10, Kramer vs. Kramer 9.5/10, Nightcrawler 10/10, Frank 9/10, Strangers On A Train 8/10 , Wild Strawberries 7.5/10, They Came Together 5.5/10, The Squid and the Whale, 10/10, Poolhall Junkies 1/10, Citizenfour 10/10, The 400 Blows 9.5/10, Event Horizon 2/10, Ashes and Diamonds, 8/10 Defending Your Life 9/10, The Informant! 8.5/10 The Lady and the Tramp 8.5/10, Memories of Murder 8.5/10, Ordinary People 8.5/10, Blue Ruin 7/10, F For Fake 9/10, The Best Years of Our Lives 6.5/10, Saturday Night Fever 7/10, We Need to Talk About Kevin, 10/10, Beasts of the Southern Wild, 10/10, 2011: A Space Odyssey ???/10, The Master, 9/10 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 7/10 Certified Copy, 8/10, Ace in the Hole, 9/10, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy 6.5/10, The Grand Budapest Hotel 7/10, Train to Busan 4/10, Her 10/10, In the Mood for Love 6.5/10, Rififi 6.5/10, Murder on the Orient Express 7/10, The Nice Guys 9/10
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Mar 30, 2021 13:33
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Chili posted:4. Starship Troopers - One of those that just never found its way to me. Looks fun. I'm really excited to hear from someone who has never seen this. City of God This was not the movie I was expecting. It was better than I expected on every level. The way City of God rewinds to lead you back to where you started, with vignettes that flow into one another, is probably the best way this story could have been told. This is because it's a story about a place as much as it is about the people who live there. I also watched Portrait of a Lady on Fire Portrait of a Lady on Fire is just over an hour of slowly building tension, glances, and longing. Then KABOOM it's all beauty and sadness that made me think I'm just not emotionally intelligent enough to process everything that is happening. I also also watched Wild Strawberries This is such a sweet and melancholy movie. The whole thing feels like a dream, making the actual dream sequences feel even stranger and more disorienting. Also, it was surprising to Max von Sydow in a bit part. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 02-23-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 03-03-2021 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 02-21-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 03-10-2021 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen and is available to rent or stream online. 03-22-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4 twernt fucked around with this message at 01:51 on Apr 2, 2021 |
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Mar 31, 2021 02:44
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twernt posted:2. Some Like It Hot (1959) I've never actually seen anything with Marilyn Monroe. 02-23-2021 "Well, nobody's perfect." Heroes of the East - A Chinese man and a Japanese woman find themselves thrust into an arranged marriage. It's a clash of cultures to say the least. They get into numerous kung fu vs. karate arguments with kung fu always prevailing. It's a funny romantic comedy at first but halfway in it takes a serious turn when she flees to Japan. Followed by a misunderstood challenge letter. When seven Japanese masters of various styles arrive to answer the challenge things get serious. It's kind of make-believe since it's implausible one kung fu artist could defeat all of them. No doubt this will rankle some practitioners of Japanese martial arts. It's couched in a lot of ethnocentricity. China being the source of martial arts and everything else being inferior. But it's a veritable martial arts lexicon for those curious about different styles. James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (52 completed): #44 Europe '51 - There are still many Roberto Rossellini films I haven't seen. 11/28/20 #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #59 Southern Comfort - Sounds like an interesting military film. 3/27/21 new #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (97/100 completed): Woman on the Run - Apparently an underwatched film noir. 6/16/20
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Apr 6, 2021 06:06
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Zogo posted:Woman on the Run - Apparently an underwatched film noir. 6/16/20 Last time I picked something from your list it was a tossup between this and Heroes of the East, so I think you should watch this one now. Some Like It Hot This was funnier and sweeter than I expected. It was also much less socially backward that I expected. Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe are great. Jack Lemmon is even better. I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but I'm starting to think this Billy Wilder may be the real deal. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. Amadeus (1984) This was just a little bit before my time, but not old enough for me to go back and watch it because I consider it to be a classic I missed. 04-09-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 03-03-2021 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 02-21-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 03-10-2021 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen and is available to rent or stream online. 03-22-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4, Some Like It Hot 4.5
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Apr 9, 2021 17:11
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twernt posted:2. Amadeus (1984) This was just a little bit before my time, but not old enough for me to go back and watch it because I consider it to be a classic I missed. 04-09-2021 "There, on the stage, stood the figure of a dead commander. And I knew, only I understood that the horrifying apparition was Leopold, raised from the dead. Wolfgang had actually summoned up his own father to accuse his son before all the world. It was terrifying and wonderful to watch." Woman on the Run - Stolen money, guns blasting and unethical detectives etc. Familiar hallmarks and pretty standard fare for this genre. For most of the film a wife, police and reporters are searching for a man who witnessed a murder. Not all of the questions are answered. But sometimes the amateurs are better sleuths than the professionals. In many respects it's a gender reversed Inherent Vice (2014). Also watched: Southern Comfort - Some National Guard troops are sent on a weekend trip to get some practice in. Armed with only blanks it's more like a relaxing bayou excursion at first. But then two bad decisions are made (stealing canoes and shooting blank rounds at the locals). The Cajuns do not take kindly to these intrusions. These troops make a series of blunders and employ many, many layers of illogic. It's a Choose Your Own Adventure book where every wrong choice is made. They're way too numerous to list off. It's a memorable amalgamation of films like Deliverance (1972), Predator (1987) and Eden Lake (2008). PS The film has lots of familiar faces and Sonny Landham (Billy from Predator) has a small role. James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (53 completed): #44 Europe '51 - There are still many Roberto Rossellini films I haven't seen. 11/28/20 #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 new #61 The Phantom Carriage - Released just over 100 years ago. 4/10/21 new #62 Queen of Blood - Supposedly underrated 1960s science fiction. 4/10/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (98/100 completed):
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Apr 10, 2021 22:40
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Zogo posted:#44 Europe '51 - There are still many Roberto Rossellini films I haven't seen. 11/28/20 I think you should watch this one, if only because it's your final straggler from 2020. Amadeus The fact that Salieri's confession frames the story should be your first and most important clue that Amadeus is as much about him as it is about Mozart. In Amadeus, Antonio Salieri is a bitter and jealous man who believes that his ambition, determination, and willingness not to rock the boat should be rewarded. He is continually surprised and dismayed by Mozart's talent, believing that he did not earn the gifts he has. Eventually, Salieri and Mozart become entangled in a mutually self destructive relationship that neither recognizes for what it is. Each of them meets their end in a tragically appropriate way -- Mozart dying young without the respect of most of his peers and Salieri living long enough to see himself fade into irrelevance. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. Platoon (1986) This is another important 80s movie I should have seen at some point, but never did. 04-12-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 03-03-2021 5. Tokyo Story (1953) I don't think I had even heard of this movie before this year. 02-21-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 03-10-2021 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen and is available to rent or stream online. 03-22-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4, Some Like It Hot 4.5, Amadeus 5
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Apr 13, 2021 01:49
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twernt posted:2. Platoon (1986) This is another important 80s movie I should have seen at some point, but never did. 04-12-2021 "I am reality. There's the way it ought to be. And there's the way it is." Europe '51 - Aloof and wealthy parents prioritize dinner parties and their socialite friends rather than their son who's become depressed and forlorn. After the suicide of her son, the mother, Irene (Ingrid Bergman) is motivated to do charity work and other acts of altruism to atone in a way. Trying to fix things and make the wrongs into rights. Kind of like Bill Murray's character in Groundhog Day (1993). A lot of films from this era that try to be hard-hitting end up being melodramatic. But not this one. It's like staring into an abyss. Showing the many ways people can exhibit signs of grief. It isn't always appealing subject matter. Another interesting aspect is when some of the characters have debates over war and economics and later on religion. People are anticipating more wars breaking out. Postwar US vs. postwar Europe is a contrast to say the least. It feels like the logical aftermath of Rome, Open City (1945). The war is over but the memories are not going to fade away. It brings out some psychological aspects found in I Live in Fear (1955) as well. In another dark turn Irene is institutionalized by her family because she'd rather help the poor than go back to her old lifestyle. At one point she lectures a more traditionally-minded priest with her own brand of religious humanism. They can't decide if she's gone insane or has aspirations to become a missionary. Despite all the misery it's still a very human film. James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (54 completed): #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 #61 The Phantom Carriage - Released just over 100 years ago. 4/10/21 #62 Queen of Blood - Supposedly underrated 1960s science fiction. 4/10/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (98/100 completed): new Fail Safe - We're on the brink of World War III. 4/16/21
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Apr 16, 2021 06:03
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The ever-obscure Zogo again has ten movies I know nothing about. Random.org says The Phantom Carriage. Finally got around to Bride of Frankenstein. This was a lot weirder than I expected. I was disappointed that the titular Bride was on screen less than five minutes. I was also surprised by the framing device of the Shelleys and Byron, but I get that was needed to recap the first movie (before home video you couldn’t count on audiences remembering). But most of all: The homunculi in jars were weird as gently caress. Classic “big-lipped alligator moment,” that should have been cut. Apparently creating small humans is a very different technology than creating full-sized humans? That said, there’s a lot to like here. The acting is very hammy, especially “Dr. Pretorius,” but it works for the tone. And the sequence with the blind man is both sweet and sad. Karloff gets to develop the character more, having him gradually learn to speak and distinguish good from bad. It’s a good movie, but it could have used another pass over the script. Rating: 3/4 Also, in honor of Pi Day, last month we watched Pi. Excellent film, very tense and confusing, kind of like Eraserhead. And the math was mostly solid, save for the claim that Pythagoras was “mainly known” for the golden ratio. But the math wasn’t the point, it was just a vehicle for exploring the lead’s paranoia and growing psychosis. Aronofsky loves allegory, and ultimately the movie is about a Jewish man trying to find meaning in his life, unsatisfied by both material wealth on one hand and religious dogma on the other. The film is bookended by a little girl playing number games with him and his losing the ability by the end after gouging something out of his brain. I feel it’s about letting go of obsession and learning to be happy with your life. Or maybe he died and was in heaven at the end, who knows. But as I say, the movie was very tense and fast-paced, and I was riveted. Rating: 4/4 124. The Rules of the Game- I opened the They Shoot Pictures list, and this is number five. I've never even heard of it. 132. Five Easy Pieces- Continuing the Ebert list, I somehow skipped over this one. 135. Man with a Movie Camera- Fourth wall? Never heard of it. 139. Birth of a Nation: Oh, boy, this is the big one. This is not a movie you watch for fun, but it's a movie that needs to be seen by anyone who cares about film history. 148. Notorious: More Hitchcock, one of his most... well-known? Infamous? What's the word I'm looking for? 149. The Goonies: So it's like Stand by Me, but with a treasure instead of a corpse? This doesn't sound great, but I'm constantly hearing it referenced. 150. Requiem for a Dream: A light-hearted romp that's fun for the whole family. 152. Mean Girls: This thing is referenced all the time. I think I avoided it because I assumed it was glorifying the things that it critiques. 153. Sling Blade: Something about a low-IQ Billy Bob Thornton witnessing a murder? Or committing one? 154. Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Never seen any of the John Hughes teenager movies. I doubt I'll bother to see them all (consensus is they have a lot of poorly aged gender stuff), but this one and Breakfast Club come up a lot. Okay, tell me what I'm watching! Shame relieved: The Godfather: 3.5/4, The Godfather Part II: 4/4, Taxi Driver: 4/4, Casablanca: 4/4, Duck Soup: 2/4, Pulp Fiction: 4/4, Barton Fink: 3.5/4, Annie Hall:3/4, Rashomon: 4/4, Blade Runner: 3.5/4, Chinatown: 4/4, Nashville: 3.5/4, Goodfellas: 4/4, The Seven Samurai: 4/4, Superman: 2/4, The Exorcist: 3/4, A Face in the Crowd: 3.5/4, The Seventh Seal: 2.5/4, Treasure of the Sierra Madre: 3.5/4, Apocalypse Now: 4/4, 2001: A Space Odyssey: 2.5/4, The Deer Hunter: 3/4, Schindler's List: 4/4, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: 3/4, Young Frankenstein: 3.5/4, Yojimbo: 3.5/4, Brazil: 3.5/4, Hamlet: 4/4, The Aviator: 4/4, Rocky: 3.5/4, Gandhi: 3.5/4, City Lights: 4/4, Battleship Potemkin: 3.5/4, Predator: 3/4, Easy Rider: 1.5/4, Platoon: 3.5/4, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: 4/4, Get Carter: 3.5/4, Full Metal Jacket: 4/4, My Dinner with Andre: 4/4, Lethal Weapon: 3/4, 3 Women: 4/4, Ikiru: 4/4, The Maltese Falcon: 2.5/4, Midnight Cowboy: 3/4, Gattaca: 4/4, Gone with the Wind: 3/4, Jaws: 4/4, The Bicycle Thief: 3/4, Sophie's Choice: 2/4, On the Waterfront: 4/4, North by Northwest: 3.5/4, Stagecoach: 3.5/4, E.T.: 2/4, Nosferatu: 4/4, Lawrence of Arabia: 4/4, Dirty Harry: 1/4, Vertigo: 3.5/4, Rebecca: 4/4, The Pink Panther: 3/4, Children of Men: 4/4, Wings of Desire: 3/4, Metropolis: 3.5/4, Born on the Fourth of July: 4/4, The Bridge on the River Kwai: 3.5/4, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 4/4, Being John Malkovich: 3/4, Adaptation: 4/4, Bonnie and Clyde: 4/4, Goldfinger: 3/4, A Streetcar Named Desire: 4/4, Dog Day Afternoon: 3.5/4, Leon: The Professional: 4/4, 8 1/2: 3/4, Mulholland Drive: 4/4, 12 Angry Men: 4/4, Safety Last: 3.5/4, Dogville: 4/4, The Rapture: 2/4, Blue Velvet: 3/4, Irreversible: 4/4, Airplane!: 3.5/4, Tokyo Story: 2.5/4, Big Trouble in Little China: 3.5/4, American Psycho: 3.5/4, Dr. Zhivago: 3/4, Leaving Las Vegas:4/4, The Bourne Identity: 4/4, Out of Africa: 3/4, The Usual Suspects: 3/4, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: 4/4, Rain Man: 3.5/4, The Lost Weekend: 3.5/4, Ratatouille: 3/4, City of God: 4/4, Ed Wood: 4/4, Top Gun: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Bleu: 3.5/4, The Hidden Fortess: 3/4, First Blood: 4/4, The Ten Commandments:3.5/4, Patton: 3.5/4, The Bourne Supremacy:3.5/4, King Lear (1983): 2.5/4, Repo Man: 2.5/4, King Kong: 3.5/4, Wall Street: 3/4, The Blues Brothers: 2/4, Trois Couleurs: Blanc: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Rouge: 3.5/4, Animal House: 1.5/4, Ben-Hur: 3.5/4, Gojira: 4/4, Sunset Boulevard: 3.5/4, Falling Down: 4/4, The Night of the Hunter: 3.5/4, Ran: 4/4, The Battle of Algiers: 4/4, Z: 3/4, The Great Escape: 2.5/4, Cries and Whispers: 4/4, Enchanted: 3.5/4, Judgment at Nuremberg: 4/4, Cool Hand Luke:3/4, Scenes from a Marriage: 4/4, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): 4/4, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978): 3.5/4, The Bourne Ultimatum: 3.5/4, F for Fake: 4/4, Spartacus: 4/4, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang: 4/4, Sunrise: 3.5/4, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer: 1.5/4, Cloud Atlas: 4/4, Throne of Blood: 2.5/4, Forbidden Planet: 3/4, The Day the Earth Stood Still: 2/4, Frankenstein (1931): 2/4, The Straight Story: 4/4, Boogie Nights: 3/4, Dracula: 4/4, The Stepford Wives: 3.5/4, The Birds: 2/4, Drag Me to Hell: 3/4, Inland Empire: 3/4, Stalker: 3.5/4, Eraserhead: 2.5/4, Bride of Frankenstein: 3/4, Pi: 4/4
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Apr 18, 2021 21:24
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Jurgan posted:154. Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Never seen any of the John Hughes teenager movies. I doubt I'll bother to see them all (consensus is they have a lot of poorly aged gender stuff), but this one and Breakfast Club come up a lot. I'm really curious to see what you say about this since I loved this movie when I was younger but haven't seen it in a very long time. Tokyo Story Tokyo Story is a poignant film about some terrible children. It's full of resentment and sadness simmering just under the surface of a very straightforward story about an older retired couple visiting their adult children in Tokyo. When it finally, just barely, boils over, it’s hardly a relief. This is the first Yasujirō Ozu that I've ever seen and he really took his time with the story here. It all makes you get to the last ten minutes or so. That’s when the emotional weight of every little interaction finally hits you right in the gut. I also watched Platoon Platoon is a great and effective anti-war movie with an incredibly talented cast — Keith David, John C. McGinley, Richard Edson, Tony Todd. Charlie Sheen is also in this. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) I was very into Sergio Leone earlier this year and I'm not sure why I didn't watch this. 04-20-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I haven't see any Carl Theodor Dreyer. 03-03-2021 5. The Deer Hunter (1978) A 70s classic I should have seen by now, but never have. 04-20-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 03-10-2021 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen and is available to rent or stream online. 03-22-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4, Some Like It Hot 4.5, Amadeus 5, Tokyo Story 5, Platoon 4
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Apr 20, 2021 20:51
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twernt posted:9. Friday the 13th (1980) Another 80s slasher that I should have seen by now, but haven't. 03-10-2021 "Look what you did to him." The Phantom Carriage - It's New Year's Eve in Sweden and the Grim Reaper is again on the prowl. David Holm is the protagonist. A sickly boor of a man who hangs around with drunkards doing stupid stuff. After another night of boozing a friend gets angry and smashes a bottle of booze over his head and he dies. We then see a series of flashbacks showing his life as a raging agnostic. And someone who exhibited high levels of callousness and was usually up to no good. He talks with his old friend who is actually the current Grim Reaper about the afterlife and his regrets in life. Now merely a remorseful apparition waiting for an absolution that may never come. At this point I was reminded of two films released in 1990: Ghost and Nightbreed. It has good use of superimposition to show the dead from the living. And it feels inspired by the temperance movement at times. The film nearly ends on a really dark note but gets a happy ending that feels like a cop-out in some respects. PS It shares a moment with another famous horror film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_MKC5tLB9Q Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzOk7hkDUew Also watched: Queen of Blood - The year is 1990 and Earth is contacted by newfound aliens. So with the anticipation of a first contact with these mysterious humanoids a trip to Mars is undertaken. It has some science nonsense and shares some commonalities with Lost in Space (1965-1968). The crew picks up a mesmerizing green alien who has an insatiable thirst for blood. Even though the alien is highly dangerous the astronauts go through some of those familiar ethics debates and make decisions at their own peril. It's not as sleek as its contemporary Planet of the Vampires (1965) but its influence can be felt in films like Alien (1979), Contamination (1980) and Life Force (1985). Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGR_d3nnkDg James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (56 completed): #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 new #63 The Accidental Tourist - One of those forgotten classics. 4/22/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (98/100 completed): Fail Safe - We're on the brink of World War III. 4/16/21 new A Matter of Life and Death - The title makes it sound serious but this is a comedy IIRC. 4/22/21 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:21 on Apr 22, 2021 |
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Apr 22, 2021 06:15
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Which soundtrack did you listen to on The Phantom Carriage? The KTL track on the Criterion Blu-ray is really atmospheric and kinda modern sounding. I think it fits the film better than the more traditional track(s).
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Apr 22, 2021 15:35
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Spatulater bro! posted:Which soundtrack did you listen to on The Phantom Carriage? The KTL track on the Criterion Blu-ray is really atmospheric and kinda modern sounding. I think it fits the film better than the more traditional track(s). Yeah, there are a lot to choose from apparently. I listened to whatever one is in that YouTube link. I'm pretty sure it's one that's available on the blu-ray.
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Apr 22, 2021 23:03
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Zogo posted:#56 The Hudsucker Proxy - Never got around to seeing this one. 3/16/21 I'm not sure if you like the Coen brothers, but this is a very Coen brothers movie. Friday the 13th Friday the 13th gets the job done. It moves briskly and doesn’t waste a lot of time with unnecessary exposition or side plots. Six young adults show up at a camp. The local crazy warns them that they’re doomed. His prediction comes true. There were a handful of surprises though. Some of the kills happen off-screen, which could have been a budget issue. Also, only Alice really ever knows that she’s in danger. Before she discovers Bill’s body, none of the counselors have any idea there is a murderer on the loose. I also watched The Passion of Joan of Arc If I didn’t already know it was from 1928 and you told me this was a recent movie, I would probably believe you. The Passion of Joan of Arc feels so modern in so many ways. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that the mechanics of filmmaking have not changed, that Dreyer was so ahead of his time, or both. Regardless, this is an amazing, riveting achievement, both technically and artistically. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) I was very into Sergio Leone earlier this year and I'm not sure why I didn't watch this. 04-20-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Human Condition (1959) I suppose I like Japanese films that break my heart. 04-26-2021 5. The Deer Hunter (1978) A 70s classic I should have seen by now, but never have. 04-20-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) This is the highest entry on the TSZDT list that I haven't seen yet. 04-26-2021 10. Stop Making Sense (1984) I think this is the best documentary that I haven't seen and is available to rent or stream online. 03-22-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4, Some Like It Hot 4.5, Amadeus 5, Tokyo Story 5, Platoon 4, Friday the 13th 3.5, The Passion of Joan of Arc 5
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Apr 26, 2021 13:44
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Magic Hate Ball posted:One Sings, The Other Doesn't. If you didn’t watch it, The Pleasure of Love in Iran is a short that I think was a cut segment from One Sings that is also on the criterion channel/in the box set. It’s like 6 minutes and interesting in its own right.
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Apr 26, 2021 20:22
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twernt posted:There were a handful of surprises though. Were you surprised that Jason wasn't the killer?
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Apr 27, 2021 04:05
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Jurgan posted:Were you surprised that Jason wasn't the killer? I wish that hadn't been spoiled for me years ago because I don't think I would have seen it coming.
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Apr 27, 2021 13:59
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The Last House on the Left I'm extremely keen on the collision of music and subject matter that seem to be at cross-purposes. Arguably, the most common use of music in a film is when it's sympathetic to the subject, effectively guiding and amplifying the viewer's response. But I'm almost more excited when it's used jolt us away from what we're seeing, to force us to dissect the intent of the creators and our own reactions. Last House uses this to such an extreme effect that it becomes nearly bewildering, but Craven keeps his use of it consistent enough to retain a satirical edge. What exactly is being satired? It's hard to say, and maybe I'm just being charitable (I've read nothing about it except for its difficulties being distributed) but the film feels, in part, like a send-up of hippie exploitation films. This is something that I've seen touched on in various other movies (Fritz the Cat, for example, which came out the same year), but the juxtaposition of the subject (murder, rape, etc) with the familiar stylistic elements of the late 60s and early 70s (lilting guitar music, jangling banjos, zany bluegrass) is done in such an intense way that it's overwhelming. This also means that the film is essentially a jolly, upbeat comedy about a gang of rascally murder-rapists, and it keeps that conceit up all the way to the final act. It's not told entirely from their perspective, but their perception of the situation is what dominates. Jaunty music plays while they're carrying the passed-out body of one of the girls they've abducted, and while one of the girls is being raped in the woods, a soft, borderline maudlin song plays, her whimpers and cries burbling under it. The two cops who are hot on their trail are constantly beset by comical stupidity and the interference of the distrustful locals, and when it comes time for the parents of their victims to take revenge, it's like Freddy vs Jason. Also, per the John Waters gif above, it uses unknown actors who are all fantastic in how they bring themselves and their mannerisms to the screen. You get a great sense of the time and place from all of them. Sandra Peabody, who plays the lead girl, looks and sounds so much like my mom did back then that it was kind of a trip for me, particularly in the opening scene where she squabbles with her parents about going to a concert. It's a bizarrely lively movie in all aspects, right down to the unexpected inclusion of a reference to Millais' Ophelia painting. I was prepared for almost none of what this movie served me, but I loved all of it. 10/10 shamezone 1) Cries and Whispers - red movie 2) The Blue Angel - Dietrich movie 3) Daughters of the Dust - movie i want to see movie 4) The Deer Hunter - wedding movie 5) The Tree of Wooden Clogs - mike leigh's favorite movie 6) The Times of Harvey Milk - milk movie 7) Salesman - real movie 8) Don't Look Now - venetian movie 9) Alexander Nevsky - ice movie 10) A League Of Their Own - baseball movie [full list] Floating Weeds 9/10, Daisies 8/10, Stray Dog 8/10, Victim 6/10, Man Bites Dog 9/10, Night and Fog 10/10, Weekend 8/10, Jubilee 10/10, Sans Soleil 10/10, Candidate 8/10, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders 10/10, The Freshman 5/10, Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers 10/10, Branded to Kill 8/10, In Heaven There Is No Beer? 10/10, Blood Simple 10/10, The Marriage of Maria Braun 7/10, A Day In The Country 7/10, A Brief History of Time 10/10, Gates of Heaven 10/10, The Thin Blue Line 10/10, The Fog of War 10/10, My Beautiful Laundrette 10/10, Blind Chance 8/10, My Winnipeg 10/10, The River 7/10, Odd Man Out 8/10, The Passion of Anna 9/10, Brute Force 10/10, The Rite 5/10, The Piano Teacher 10/10, Ashes and Diamonds 7/10, Meantime 9/10, Carnival of Souls 8/10, La Notte 10/10, Frances Ha 10/10, L'avventura, Again 10/10, A Room With a View 9/10, Laura 8/10, Marjorie Prime 10/10, Ex Machina 8/10, Tampopo 10/10, Pickpocket 4/10, Harlan County USA 10/10, The Spirit of the Beehive 10/10, Heaven's Gate 4/10, A Short Film About Killing 9/10, The Pillow Book 6/10, Desert Hearts 9/10, Alice in the Cities 10/10, Yi Yi 10/10, Rififi 9/10, Children of Paradise 10/10, A Poem is a Naked Person 8/10, Late Autumn 8/10, Chimes at Midnight 10/10 Watership Down 9/10, Ugetsu 9/10, Veronika Voss 9/10, The Hidden Fortress 7/10, Close-Up 10/10, Journey to Italy 10/10, L'Eclisse 7/10, Andrei Rublev 11/10, Vagabond 9/10, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari 9/10, Shoplifters 10/10, Escape From New York 10/10, Die Hard 10/10, The Last Picture Show 9/10, Mr Smith Goes To Washington 8/10, Saturday Night Fever 9/10, First Blood 7/10, Mad Max 7/10, Come and See 10/10, Friday the 13th 7/10, Predator 5/10, Sicario 10/10, Grizzly Man 9/10, Cache 10/10, The Evil Dead 9/10, Tetsuo: The Iron Man 10/10, One Sings, The Other Doesn't 8/10, The Last House on the Left 10/10 (total: 184) twernt gets Stop Making Sense
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Apr 27, 2021 20:58
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Magic Hate Ball posted:1) Cries and Whispers - red movie "Now, for a few minutes, I can experience perfection. And I feel profoundly grateful to my life, which gives me so much." twernt posted:I'm not sure if you like the Coen brothers, but this is a very Coen brothers movie. The Big Lebowski, Fargo and Blood Simple are basically perfect films. The Hudsucker Proxy - The year is 1958 and we're in New York City. Nefarious board members attempt to run a basic stock scam and take advantage of a naive underling. But the underling proves to have some design talent and throws them for a loop. I found this to have a very familiar story arc. The acting is very affected, exaggerated and cartoonish. Thus, mimicking a style from a bygone era. At times I was reminded of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and His Girl Friday (1940). PS The film set design was meticulous. Also watched: A Matter of Life and Death - This one starts with an intimate and jokey conversation under atypical circumstances. It's WWII and a man must jump out of a plane without a parachute. Mysteriously, he survives the big fall and starts having hallucinations. He must face a huge court room and beg for his life. One doctor thinks he has brain damage and recommends surgery. The viewer can at least entertain the idea that this is a psychosis of some sort. It's imaginative and has impressive sets. I find most of these comedic films about the afterlife to be one-sided. Characters are usually heavenbound and if the obverse is mentioned it's usually watered-down. So it brings to mind some adjacent films like Heaven Can Wait (1978), Defending Your Life (1991) and The Frighteners (1996). James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (57 completed): #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 #63 The Accidental Tourist - One of those forgotten classics. 4/22/21 new #64 2010: The Year We Make Contact - Maybe it's time to watch this sequel. 4/30/21 new #65 Sunshine - I've heard this one was good. 4/30/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 DVD Beaver's Top 100 Desert Island Films (99/100 completed): Fail Safe - We're on the brink of World War III. 4/16/21 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Apr 30, 2021 |
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Apr 30, 2021 06:13
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Zogo posted:Fail Safe - We're on the brink of World War III. 4/16/21 I know I've heard of this before but I had forgotten it existed until it appeared on your list. Stop Making Sense It’s a Talking Heads concert film, so if you don’t like concert films or Talking Heads, there’s a chance you won’t like it. Otherwise, seeing and hearing them at the height of their power is a terrifying and wonderful thing. Live, Talking Heads were much more energetic than I expected and some of the songs gave me legit goosebumps, especially the surprise performance of Genius of Love by Tom Tom Club. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) I was very into Sergio Leone earlier this year and I'm not sure why I didn't watch this. 04-20-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Human Condition (1959) I suppose I like Japanese films that break my heart. 04-26-2021 5. The Deer Hunter (1978) A 70s classic I should have seen by now, but never have. 04-20-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) This is the highest entry on the TSZDT list that I haven't seen yet. 04-26-2021 10. Twenty Years Later (1984) If I can track this down I would really like to see it. 04-30-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4, Some Like It Hot 4.5, Amadeus 5, Tokyo Story 5, Platoon 4, Friday the 13th 3.5, The Passion of Joan of Arc 5, Stop Making Sense 4.5
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Apr 30, 2021 17:56
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twernt posted:2. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) I was very into Sergio Leone earlier this year and I'm not sure why I didn't watch this. 04-20-2021 "Get three coffins ready." Fail Safe - Nuclear anxieties explode as a glitch pushes the USA and the USSR to the brink of WWIII. The simple comparison would be that this is the serious companion piece to Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). It's procedural at first but never stuffy. It highlights some of the bizarre psychological and sociological incongruities found in war and military planning in this nuclear age. Similar notions are brought out in Monsieur Verdoux (1947), Catch-22 (1970) and later in WarGames (1983). In other words, just more of that mass delusion. Henry Fonda plays the US President and is convincing during many tense conference calls. Perhaps one of his best performances. Other characters display many layers of paranoia while others turn into raging ideologues ready to annihilate millions of people. It's a peculiar situation when military leaders want their own equipment and technology to fail. The ending is bleak as one of the US bombers makes it through and drops two twenty megaton bombs on Moscow. To atone the US drops two twenty megaton bombs onto New York City. A self-inflicted eye for an eye. James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (57 completed): #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 #63 The Accidental Tourist - One of those forgotten classics. 4/22/21 #64 2010: The Year We Make Contact - Maybe it's time to watch this sequel. 4/30/21 #65 Sunshine - I've heard this one was good. 4/30/21 new #66 Easy Money - A Rodney Dangerfield comedy I meant to watch at one point. 5/3/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:36 on May 3, 2021 |
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May 3, 2021 06:33
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Zogo, watch The Accidental Tourist. We watched it in high school, I didn't like it at the time but it's been a while. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was better than I expected. I think I assumed Ferris would be such an annoying prick that I wouldn’t be able to stand it. And he kind of is, the kid gets away with everything, but the story’s not really about him. It’s more about how he affects his friends, particularly Cameron and his sister. I had a lot of sympathy for Cameron and was happy to see him get more assertive (though I did not buy someone that anxious sitting up high in a speeding convertible with no seatbelt). And the sister learning to accept herself more through a chance meeting with Charlie Sheen was also kind of nice. There are some problems still- the principal is a standard “Walter Peck” type 80’s villain who’s right on the merit but demonized for being obnoxious. I didn’t find Ben Stein’s memetic “bad teacher” routine funny at all. I laughed at the convenience of repeatedly running into Cameron’s father in the tiny hamlet of Chicago. And the whole city being obsessed with Ferris was ridiculous, though I get that it’s more symbolic of how Cameron and Jean are jealous of his easy life. Still, his schemes weren’t very impressive and relied on everyone around him being really stupid and gullible. I’m stuck between wanting to say “this kid is dumb and obnoxious, he should have been caught several times” and realizing that, thematically, his seeming to succeed effortlessly is the whole point of the movie. Well, I’ll give it a mild thumbs up. Rating: 3/4 124. The Rules of the Game- I opened the They Shoot Pictures list, and this is number five. I've never even heard of it. 132. Five Easy Pieces- Continuing the Ebert list, I somehow skipped over this one. 135. Man with a Movie Camera- Fourth wall? Never heard of it. 139. Birth of a Nation: Oh, boy, this is the big one. This is not a movie you watch for fun, but it's a movie that needs to be seen by anyone who cares about film history. 148. Notorious: More Hitchcock, one of his most... well-known? Infamous? What's the word I'm looking for? 149. The Goonies: So it's like Stand by Me, but with a treasure instead of a corpse? This doesn't sound great, but I'm constantly hearing it referenced. 150. Requiem for a Dream: A light-hearted romp that's fun for the whole family. 152. Mean Girls: This thing is referenced all the time. I think I avoided it because I assumed it was glorifying the things that it critiques. 153. Sling Blade: Something about a low-IQ Billy Bob Thornton witnessing a murder? Or committing one? 154. The Breakfast Club: The other noteworthy John Hughes teenager movie. I saw the Bob’s Burgers ep. Okay, tell me what I'm watching! Shame relieved: The Godfather: 3.5/4, The Godfather Part II: 4/4, Taxi Driver: 4/4, Casablanca: 4/4, Duck Soup: 2/4, Pulp Fiction: 4/4, Barton Fink: 3.5/4, Annie Hall:3/4, Rashomon: 4/4, Blade Runner: 3.5/4, Chinatown: 4/4, Nashville: 3.5/4, Goodfellas: 4/4, The Seven Samurai: 4/4, Superman: 2/4, The Exorcist: 3/4, A Face in the Crowd: 3.5/4, The Seventh Seal: 2.5/4, Treasure of the Sierra Madre: 3.5/4, Apocalypse Now: 4/4, 2001: A Space Odyssey: 2.5/4, The Deer Hunter: 3/4, Schindler's List: 4/4, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: 3/4, Young Frankenstein: 3.5/4, Yojimbo: 3.5/4, Brazil: 3.5/4, Hamlet: 4/4, The Aviator: 4/4, Rocky: 3.5/4, Gandhi: 3.5/4, City Lights: 4/4, Battleship Potemkin: 3.5/4, Predator: 3/4, Easy Rider: 1.5/4, Platoon: 3.5/4, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: 4/4, Get Carter: 3.5/4, Full Metal Jacket: 4/4, My Dinner with Andre: 4/4, Lethal Weapon: 3/4, 3 Women: 4/4, Ikiru: 4/4, The Maltese Falcon: 2.5/4, Midnight Cowboy: 3/4, Gattaca: 4/4, Gone with the Wind: 3/4, Jaws: 4/4, The Bicycle Thief: 3/4, Sophie's Choice: 2/4, On the Waterfront: 4/4, North by Northwest: 3.5/4, Stagecoach: 3.5/4, E.T.: 2/4, Nosferatu: 4/4, Lawrence of Arabia: 4/4, Dirty Harry: 1/4, Vertigo: 3.5/4, Rebecca: 4/4, The Pink Panther: 3/4, Children of Men: 4/4, Wings of Desire: 3/4, Metropolis: 3.5/4, Born on the Fourth of July: 4/4, The Bridge on the River Kwai: 3.5/4, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 4/4, Being John Malkovich: 3/4, Adaptation: 4/4, Bonnie and Clyde: 4/4, Goldfinger: 3/4, A Streetcar Named Desire: 4/4, Dog Day Afternoon: 3.5/4, Leon: The Professional: 4/4, 8 1/2: 3/4, Mulholland Drive: 4/4, 12 Angry Men: 4/4, Safety Last: 3.5/4, Dogville: 4/4, The Rapture: 2/4, Blue Velvet: 3/4, Irreversible: 4/4, Airplane!: 3.5/4, Tokyo Story: 2.5/4, Big Trouble in Little China: 3.5/4, American Psycho: 3.5/4, Dr. Zhivago: 3/4, Leaving Las Vegas:4/4, The Bourne Identity: 4/4, Out of Africa: 3/4, The Usual Suspects: 3/4, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: 4/4, Rain Man: 3.5/4, The Lost Weekend: 3.5/4, Ratatouille: 3/4, City of God: 4/4, Ed Wood: 4/4, Top Gun: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Bleu: 3.5/4, The Hidden Fortess: 3/4, First Blood: 4/4, The Ten Commandments:3.5/4, Patton: 3.5/4, The Bourne Supremacy:3.5/4, King Lear (1983): 2.5/4, Repo Man: 2.5/4, King Kong: 3.5/4, Wall Street: 3/4, The Blues Brothers: 2/4, Trois Couleurs: Blanc: 2.5/4, Trois Couleurs: Rouge: 3.5/4, Animal House: 1.5/4, Ben-Hur: 3.5/4, Gojira: 4/4, Sunset Boulevard: 3.5/4, Falling Down: 4/4, The Night of the Hunter: 3.5/4, Ran: 4/4, The Battle of Algiers: 4/4, Z: 3/4, The Great Escape: 2.5/4, Cries and Whispers: 4/4, Enchanted: 3.5/4, Judgment at Nuremberg: 4/4, Cool Hand Luke:3/4, Scenes from a Marriage: 4/4, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): 4/4, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978): 3.5/4, The Bourne Ultimatum: 3.5/4, F for Fake: 4/4, Spartacus: 4/4, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang: 4/4, Sunrise: 3.5/4, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer: 1.5/4, Cloud Atlas: 4/4, Throne of Blood: 2.5/4, Forbidden Planet: 3/4, The Day the Earth Stood Still: 2/4, Frankenstein (1931): 2/4, The Straight Story: 4/4, Boogie Nights: 3/4, Dracula: 4/4, The Stepford Wives: 3.5/4, The Birds: 2/4, Drag Me to Hell: 3/4, Inland Empire: 3/4, Stalker: 3.5/4, Eraserhead: 2.5/4, Bride of Frankenstein: 3/4, Pi: 4/4, Ferris Bueller's Day Off: 3/4 Jurgan fucked around with this message at 00:37 on May 4, 2021 |
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May 4, 2021 00:24
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Jurgan posted:124. The Rules of the Game- I opened the They Shoot Pictures list, and this is number five. I've never even heard of it. "The awful thing about life is this: everyone has their reasons." The Accidental Tourist - This is a film filled with domestic troubles, personality conflicts and various complications. But it has a whimsical story and plot so it's not as dreary as something like The Squid and the Whale (2005) or The Fisher King (1991) or Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). Macon (William Hurt) is a grieving father who's lost his son. Many films touch on this subject matter: Face/Off (1997), Stargate (1994) and Ordinary People (1980) to name a few. But this thing is its own animal. Its atypical characters are interesting and organically deranged so to speak. From the garish Muriel (Geena Davis) to the extended family straight out of You Can't Take It with You (1938). Each new relationship brings its own set of new problems. And with Macon oscillating between the two women in his life it's a source of many dilemmas. It's ending is somewhat Hollywoodized but it's not a big detraction. The film goes off on so many tangents that much more could be said. PS This simple scene captures grief well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKdERILssn8 James Bond versus Godzilla (42/64 completed): Hesitation (58 completed): #52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 #54 I Confess - This is a Hitchcock film with critical praise but I never hear it mentioned much these days. 3/9/21 #57 Millenium Mambo - Sounds enticing. 3/21/21 #58 Toni Erdmann - It's gotten some high praise recently. 3/27/21 #60 Autumn Sonata - Two Bergman's for the price of one. 4/6/21 #64 2010: The Year We Make Contact - Maybe it's time to watch this sequel. 4/30/21 #65 Sunshine - I've heard this one was good. 4/30/21 #66 Easy Money - A Rodney Dangerfield comedy I meant to watch at one point. 5/3/21 new #67 Secrets & Lies - Recently released by Criterion. 5/8/21 BBC Culture: The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films (96/100 completed): #95 Floating Clouds - Not to be confused with Floating Weeds. 3/21/21 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:26 on May 8, 2021 |
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May 8, 2021 06:16
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Zogo posted:
I see what you did there. I love the Coens but this one is one of my least favorites for some reason.
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May 8, 2021 13:22
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Zogo posted:#52 The Turin Horse - A highly ranked recent film. 2/15/21 I've been curious about this one for a little while. A Fistful of Dollars (1964) Directed by Sergio Leone A Fistful of Dollars will feel very familiar to anyone who’s seen Yojimbo. Toho thought it was so familiar that they successfully sued Leone. Clint Eastwood plays Mifune’s wandering ronin character and plays the town’s two gangs (the Baxters and the Rojos) against each other. It’s an important film and a very good one, though not necessarily a great one. A Fistful of Dollars was Eastwood’s first starring role. He became pretty famous. It was also so successful that it set many de facto style conventions that later spaghetti westerns followed, even if it’s not universally accepted as the first spaghetti western. If you’re a western fan, or a Clint Eastwood completionist, it’s definitely worth seeing. It’s not nearly as good as either The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly or Once Upon a Time in the West. I would definitely recommend either of those to pretty much anyone. My list of shame: 1. The Searchers (1956) I will either love this or hate this but I have been assured it is a very important Western. 03-30-2021 2. Minari (2020) One of the Oscar nominees I didn’t get to see and really wanted to. 05-28-2021 3. Metropolis (1927) This is another great one I've only seen bits and pieces of. 04-01-2021 4. The Human Condition (1959) I suppose I like Japanese films that break my heart. 04-26-2021 5. The Deer Hunter (1978) A 70s classic I should have seen by now, but never have. 04-20-2021 6. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) The saddest anime. 03-29-2021 7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 8. Barry Lyndon (1975) This is probably the best Kubrick movie that I haven't seen. 03-30-2021 9. The Innocents (1961) The highest movie on the TSZDT list that I haven’t seen. 05-28-2021 10. Twenty Years Later (1984) If I can track this down I would really like to see it. 04-30-2021 Watched: The Godfather 5, The Godfather: Part II 4.5, Alien 4.5, The Hills Have Eyes 3, The Rules of the Game 4, Battleship Potemkin 4, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 4.5, Schindler’s List 5, Halloween 4, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, A Woman Under the Influence 4.5, Harakiri 4.5, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 4.5, 8 1/2 4.5, Get Out 4.5, M 4.5, The Evil Dead 3.5, Safety Last! 4, City of God 5, Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4.5, Wild Strawberries 4, Some Like It Hot 4.5, Amadeus 5, Tokyo Story 5, Platoon 4, Friday the 13th 3.5, The Passion of Joan of Arc 5, Stop Making Sense 4.5, The Bride of Frankenstein 4, A Fistful of Dollars 4
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May 28, 2021 23:53
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Howdy folks, it's your old pal Basebf here to give this thread another try. For whatever reason I wasn't able to stick with it long-term the last time, but I've noticed that HBOMax has a ton of great classic movies and I find myself rewatching stuff I've seen before a little too often these days. So here we go. twernt posted:7. Ran (1985) This is probably the best Kurosawa movie that I haven't seen. 03-25-2021 I was tempted to give you The Searchers but you just watched a Western so watch Ran instead. It has some of the craziest battle scenes ever filmed and the use of color is stunning. My list: 1. Bicycle Thieves: This is a pretty big one. It often ranks very high on Greatest of All-Time lists and lots of great directors mention it as one of their influences. 2. Bonnie and Clyde: One of those movies where I've seen the iconic ending but never actually sat down to watch the whole thing. It won a bunch of awards though so I guess I should. 3. Casablanca: The most shameful of all. This is one where I've actually lied and told people I've seen it before, just because I know a lot of the famous lines and seen it in bits and pieces. 4. A Christmas Story: I grew up in a Jewish household and it's not like I wasn't allowed to watch Christmas movies but I guess I just never had the desire to. 5. F for Fake: I've heard people praising this and I really just don't even know what it is exactly. Is it a documentary? The answer is never quite clear to me so I should just watch it myself and find out. 6. Labyrinth: Not sure why I never saw this but I definitely want to, it seems like something I'd like. 7. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance: I'm just going to put the first film in this series on the list and then if I like it I'll continue on. But I've heard great things about it. 8. Missing in Action: This may seem like an odd choice but it's actually a pretty important film in the pantheon of schlocky Cannon action flicks, and it's one of Chuck Norris biggest hits. And I'm an action fan so I definitely need to see it. 9. The Omega Man: Saw the Vincent Price version, saw the Will Smith version, saw the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode, now I need to see this one. 10. Princess Mononoke: I've been wanting to delve into Miyazaki a little bit more and I've heard this is a good one.
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Jun 3, 2021 18:40
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Basebf555 posted:3. Casablanca 
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Jun 3, 2021 18:44
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Yea I mean you can understand why sometimes at like a bar or whatever it's easier just to claim I've seen it. It's embarrassing.
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Jun 3, 2021 18:46
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There is a lot of great stuff on your list that I'm excited for you to see! I'm looking forward to Ran even more now that I realize Tatsuya Nakadai is in it. He was so good in Harakiri.
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Jun 3, 2021 19:01
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 18:58 |
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Basebf555 posted:Yea I mean you can understand why sometimes at like a bar or whatever it's easier just to claim I've seen it. It's embarrassing. I totally get it. On more than a few occasions I've told people I've seen Top Gun simply because I feel like I have, and being "the movie guy" I don't want to get laughed at.
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Jun 3, 2021 19:04
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