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Zogo posted:I thought it was easy to get through for its era. It was particularly violent for its time (not so now) and banned in many countries for a long time. A lot films from that time are going to come across as even more insipid and that's what it was being measured up against. It's firmly entrenched as one of the greatest of all-time so it'd take a long time to lose that reputation. Not too long ago some people started rating Vertigo higher than Citizen Kane and that was a big moment. I can dig that, makes sense. The academic historical aspect for me is info I enjoy, but I enjoy that separate from the movie. Not to say nobody can get into a 20s war propaganda movie, just surprised nobody else disliked it out of the sample pool. Unless there was a polite 7/10 that didn't really dig it, I have seen negative reviews on 7's at times. Fair enough though. I just love roasting movies I learned about in school apparently. Rebelling it up. Agreed Bride of Frankenstein rules, I love both of those. And Dracula, Wolfman too. Still meaning to see that Abbott & Costello movie too.
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Jul 27, 2022 10:09
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Dmitri Russkie posted:Jabberwocky - Following up one Terry Gilliam movie with another. I'm gonna go with this one because I haven't seen it either and I did just watch The Fisher King recently so maybe I'll end up adding it to my own list at some point. I watched The Big Sleep. Very cool to see a Chandler/Marlowe story in such a pure form, because I've already seen and loved so many of the more modern interpretations/homages(The Long Goodbye, The Big Lebowski, Inherent Vice, etc.). One of the things that I feel can sometimes hold back films from the 30s and 40s is acting style, which can be kinda stodgy and lacking in nuance. As I get more and more into Bogart's filmography though, I understand how much he actually did bring to the table in terms of a totally unique film presence and the ability to inject meaning into almost any line of dialogue using his facial expressions and delivery. It's a quality that allowed him to completely lift a film and totally carry it on his shoulders, so in that way he definitely was one of the first legit movie stars. Par for the course with Chandler, but I definitely lost a bit of the plot here and there as things became more and more complex, but that's to be expected and it's even enjoyable. You get swept up in the plot much the way Marlowe is, and you have to just go from one development to the next doing your best to hold on for dear life. The film also has not just one, but several femme fatale type characters and they're all compelling in their own right. I think my favorite Bogart is still The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, but this probably slots in right behind it at #2, even above Casablanca. Current List with some new entries: 1. Key Largo: Let's keep going with Bogart, why the hell not 2. Five Easy Pieces: By all accounts this is a key Nicholson performance, which I have not seen 3. Watership Down: I've often heard this one come up in discussions of some of the greatest animated films of all time 4. A Streetcar Named Desire: This is a big iconic Brando performance that I haven't seen. 5. Oliver Twist: David Lean is one of my favorite directors so I'd like to fill in the gaps I have left with his filmography. 6. Rebel Without a Cause: To be honest, James Dean is really just a name to me. I've never seen any of his work. 7. For All Mankind: I want to check this out because there's a Criterion UHD release so if I like it I may want the UHD 8. The River: I love India as a setting for film and I've read a lot of good things about this one. 9. Mon Oncle I loved Playtime but for whatever reason it's the only Tati I ever saw, not sure why I haven't followed up on that 10. Castle in the Sky: More Miyazaki
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Jul 28, 2022 18:15
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Basebf555 posted:
I gave you an animated one last time I drew your number, and it just so happens I rewatched this myself some months back. Watched Schindler's List (1993): Steven Spielberg's celebrated film tells the story of the real-life German industrialist Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson). At the onset of World War II, Schindler bribes his way into occupied Poland in order to buy a factory, hire up Jewish workers at meager wages, and profit off his lucrative business contracts with the Nazis. At first a callous businessman with a swastika pin on the label of his silk suit, Schindler--without ever really seeming to admit it out loud to anyone, even himself--slowly decides to use his factory as a haven to get his Jewish employees labeled as essential workers to keep them alive. In one early scene, an elderly, one-armed worker insists on seeing Schindler personally to thank him for the job (read: his reason to live in the eyes of the Nazi party). Schindler reacts with barely-contained annoyance, and later chews out his Jewish business partner for hiring a useless one-armed man. Even when the man is gunned down by guards and Schindler confronts Nazi officials, he frames it as a matter of lost profit that must be spent hiring and training a new worker. By the end of the movie, as the war ends and a now broke Schindler has to flee because he will be pursued as a war profiteer, he instead weeps at the sacrifices he didn't make that could have saved more lives: selling his Nazi pin alone could have financed one or two more workers. I've seen this scene blasted by the film's detractors (themselves outliers, admittedly), but I thought it was a plausible and powerful response to the enormity of the Holocaust. And it's not as though the film is some Spielberg schmaltz fest up until then. The film gives a plain look at the brutality of war, occupation, and genocide, particularly through the character of Amon Göth (Ralph Fiennes), the Nazi concentration camp commander. The moment feels earned. The film also excels as Spielberg, who's never had a problem with a crowd-pleasing blockbuster, also infuses some real elegance into the filmmaking. The movie is almost entirely in black and white, with only sparse uses of color--including a few individually tinted objects. Just superbly crafted and vital in every aspect. LIST OF SHAME: 1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) (added 06-03-22): I need a civics lesson. I like Jimmy Stewart, but I primarily know him through his work with Alfred Hitchcock. I've actually never seen It's a Wonderful Life, either, but I'm saving that for a Christmastime viewing. 3. The Searchers (1956) (added 06-03-22): Although I like westerns, I do not think I have ever seen a John Wayne movie. 4. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) (added 06-03-22): I like war films, but when we get back to the fifties and earlier we are getting to the point where I have seen a handful of classics and things by directors I like but otherwise have a lot of blind spots. 5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (added 06-03-22): I am not often going to sit down to watch a three-and-a-half-hour historical epic. 9. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) (added 06-03-22): I like martial arts films, but I don't think I've ever seen one you would classify as wuxia. 10. Brokeback Mountain (2005) (added 06-03-22): I would have to consider myself a Jake Gyllenhaal fan, and of course we lost Heath too soon. I vaguely remember finding Ang Lee pretentious and annoying in the press cycle/Oscar buzz period for the movie, which may have contributed to missing out on it at the time. 11. Tootsie (1982) (added 06-06-22): Shame might be a strong word, but it IS on my 100-movie scratch-off poster. And it does have an appearance by my favorite actor, Bill Murray, smack dab inbetween Stripes and Ghostbusters. 13. Heat (1995) (added 07-01-22): I've never seen a Michael Mann film, and this sounds like a doozy. 14. Come and See (1985) (added 07-13-22): I hear this could be the rare anti-war film that effectively communicates its message without glamorizing war. (and introducing...) 15. Tokyo Story (1953) (added 07-29-22): I've never seen an Ozu film, and this is considered a masterpiece. SHAME OVERCOME: Midnight Cowboy (1969); E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); The Prestige (2006); Singin' in the Rain (1952); Schindler's List (1993) Crescent Wrench fucked around with this message at 05:01 on Jul 30, 2022 |
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Jul 30, 2022 04:59
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Crescent Wrench posted:13. Heat (1995) (added 07-01-22): I've never seen a Michael Mann film, and this sounds like a doozy. "We want to hurt no one! We're here for the bank's money, not your money. Your money is insured by the federal government, you're not gonna lose a dime! Think of your families, don't risk your life. Don't try and be a hero!" Godzilla vs. Destroyer - Godzilla is angry from the start. He's glowing red as he's suffering from a nuclear meltdown. He's become a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment. So the scientific debates begin once again on what should be done. The short-term solution is to freeze Godzilla using the new Super X III. A new nemesis appears and at first the film veers toward something like Aliens (1986). But this monster soon grows in size. It has a few flashbacks to the original 1954 film so it's kind of an homage to that one. It also shares an anti-nuclear sentiment. Ultimately, Destroyer is a menacing monster and the final fight is brutal. But the film is structured in an extremely predictable way (outside of the ending) for those familiar with the series. Considering this is the 22nd film it has to be hard to keep crafting fresh film plots nearly every year. Also watched: Bug - An earthquake opens up a fissure and soon deadly bugs emerge. At many points it reminded of Arachnophobia (1990) but this one ends on a much darker note. After the loss of his wife the lead character descends into grief and turns into a mad scientist of sorts. Breeding and torturing these annoying and chittering bugs. For most viewers it'll come across as more comedic than frightening. However, it'll definitely have an effect on anyone suffering from entomophobia. James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): Hesitation (110 completed): #93 The Naked City - Another Jules Dassin film I haven't watched. 1/23/22 #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #112 Pickup on South Street - An early Samuel Fuller film I need to see. 5/26/22 #114 Dreamscape - Dennis Quaid and dreams. 6/11/22 #116 New York, New York - Perhaps the most well-regarded Scorsese film I haven't seen. 7/19/22 #117 Electra Glide in Blue - Some say it's Robert Blake's best role. 7/24/22 new #118 Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - Roger Ebert once called this a bizarre masterpiece. 7/30/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (92/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 Sleepless in Seattle - Tom Hanks talks on a phone. 7/7/22
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Jul 30, 2022 21:26
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Zogo posted:new #118 Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - Roger Ebert once called this a bizarre masterpiece. 7/30/22 I'd like to see someone's thoughts on this because it gets brought up as one of Peckinpah's best films but I've never had the convenient opportunity to check it out. I've never seen it pop up on any of my streaming services so I'd have to buy a blu ray. I watched Watership Down. Now, I'd read the book growing up so I knew what I was getting into here in terms of how dark it would get and how disturbing it could potentially be. And yea, it definitely delivered on that. It's certainly one of those films that a lot of kids probably ended up seeing and being traumatized by in the early 80s. It was actually the 6th highest grossing film in the UK the year of it's release so it was more popular in it's time than I realized. The whole package is an interesting combination because of how traditional the animation is. Like, when you see individual frames you wouldn't be able to distinguish it from a cutesy Disney movie but then those same cute rabbit models end up being torn apart and bloodied pretty graphically. Apparently Roger Ebert noted that contrast in his review, but in a negative way. He didn't like the Disneyesque animation combined with the graphic violence but for me it's the key thing that makes the movie work so well. The voice acting was a bit hit or miss for me, there was some really strong voice work alongside some stuff that was lacking a bit of energy, but the main characters were all very good. All in all I can see why the film is considered a historically important work of animation.    Current List: 1. Key Largo: Let's keep going with Bogart, why the hell not 2. Five Easy Pieces: By all accounts this is a key Nicholson performance, which I have not seen 4. A Streetcar Named Desire: This is a big iconic Brando performance that I haven't seen. 5. Oliver Twist: David Lean is one of my favorite directors so I'd like to fill in the gaps I have left with his filmography. 6. Rebel Without a Cause: To be honest, James Dean is really just a name to me. I've never seen any of his work. 7. For All Mankind: I want to check this out because there's a Criterion UHD release so if I like it I may want the UHD 8. The River: I love India as a setting for film and I've read a lot of good things about this one. 9. Mon Oncle I loved Playtime but for whatever reason it's the only Tati I ever saw, not sure why I haven't followed up on that 10. Castle in the Sky: More Miyazaki
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Aug 8, 2022 15:46
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Basebf555 posted:
OK, you get a break from the animation, simply because I need to watch this as well. I'll put it on my own list while I wait for you to report back. Watched Heat (1995): Michael Mann's sprawling crime thriller pits homicide detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) against a crew of thieves led by Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro). At the start of the movie, McCauley and his crew pull off a daring daylight heist of an armored truck. They escape, but Hanna is on their trail and determined to apprehend them before they complete their next score. McCauley finds out they're being tailed, and from there it's moves and counter-moves as the two sides try to out-flank each other. This film reunites De Niro and Pacino for the first time since The Godfather: Part II, but here they actually get to share the screen. Not at first, though--for awhile the film shows a lot of restraint with a Wrath of Khan style approach where the two don't meet face-to-face, which is then unexpectedly subverted in a great scene where Hanna breaks his cover during a surveillance operation to pull McCauley over and... offer to buy him a cup of coffee. Heat stands on its own as a compelling crime flick, but this scene also shows how it's further elevated with the great character work and underlying themes about the codependent nature of these cops and crooks, both workaholics in their own way. De Niro and Pacino do great work in general. I really liked how Pacino's performance walked a fine line, allowing the more chaotic and scenery-chewing aspects of his personality in for controlled bursts. Leads aside, the cast is ridiculous. There are big names like Val Kilmer, Jon Voight and Ashley Judd in big supporting roles, but this is also a movie where Al Pacino gets to kick Henry Rollins's rear end. (Never thought I'd type that one.) The film pushes three hours, so there's plenty of time for the character moments to breathe alongside the superb action set pieces. Thoroughly entertaining. LIST OF SHAME: 1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) (added 06-03-22): I need a civics lesson. I like Jimmy Stewart, but I primarily know him through his work with Alfred Hitchcock. I've actually never seen It's a Wonderful Life, either, but I'm saving that for a Christmastime viewing. 3. The Searchers (1956) (added 06-03-22): Although I like westerns, I do not think I have ever seen a John Wayne movie. 4. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) (added 06-03-22): I like war films, but when we get back to the fifties and earlier we are getting to the point where I have seen a handful of classics and things by directors I like but otherwise have a lot of blind spots. 5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (added 06-03-22): I am not often going to sit down to watch a three-and-a-half-hour historical epic. 9. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) (added 06-03-22): I like martial arts films, but I don't think I've ever seen one you would classify as wuxia. 10. Brokeback Mountain (2005) (added 06-03-22): I would have to consider myself a Jake Gyllenhaal fan, and of course we lost Heath too soon. I vaguely remember finding Ang Lee pretentious and annoying in the press cycle/Oscar buzz period for the movie, which may have contributed to missing out on it at the time. 11. Tootsie (1982) (added 06-06-22): Shame might be a strong word, but it IS on my 100-movie scratch-off poster. And it does have an appearance by my favorite actor, Bill Murray, smack dab inbetween Stripes and Ghostbusters. 14. Come and See (1985) (added 07-13-22): I hear this could be the rare anti-war film that effectively communicates its message without glamorizing war. 15. Tokyo Story (1953) (added 07-29-22): I've never seen an Ozu film, and this is considered a masterpiece. (and introducing...) 16. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) (added 08-08-22): Kazan and Brando's first collaboration, not to mention Brando's first Oscar nod. SHAME OVERCOME (6 and counting): Midnight Cowboy (1969); E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); The Prestige (2006); Singin' in the Rain (1952); Schindler's List (1993); Heat (1995)
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Aug 9, 2022 02:05
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Crescent Wrench posted:9. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) (added 06-03-22): I like martial arts films, but I don't think I've ever seen one you would classify as wuxia. "The Green Destiny is mine." Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - A teenaged girl is found to be pregnant but this girl is the daughter of a powerful Mexican criminal. So bounty hunters are dispatched to search far and wide for the man responsible. And anyone who returns his head will be rewarded with one million dollars. Warren Oates plays Bennie who's a piano man in an odd getup. So he and his girlfriend travel dusty Mexican roads in a junky car in search of Alfredo. They have inside information that Alfredo is already dead. So it's just a matter of doing some late-night gravedigging. They also have to avoid bandits and rapists along the way. It's a proto-Lynch film with a strangeness that feels similar to the Blue Velvet world at times. Basically a dark story with a few darker twists and odd characters thrown into the mix. In some respects the story falls into Bennie's lap like it does for Locke (Jack Nicholson) in The Passenger (1975). I won't detail the surprising twists but the journey takes a heavy toll on Bennie. The numerous and stylish gunfights stick out. Also watched: Pickup on South Street - Police are chasing a funny/arrogant pickpocket who's caught up in something big. He's inadvertently stolen a chemical formula that communists are going after. But he has no time for politics and laughs at the cold war dynamics. Lots of underworld intrigue, mistaken identities, assassination and violence ensues. And surprisingly a decent amount of romance. He's far from a household name these days but Richard Widmark continues to impress me. Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfmW_MzreUo James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): Hesitation (112 completed): #93 The Naked City - Another Jules Dassin film I haven't watched. 1/23/22 #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #114 Dreamscape - Dennis Quaid and dreams. 6/11/22 #116 New York, New York - Perhaps the most well-regarded Scorsese film I haven't seen. 7/19/22 #117 Electra Glide in Blue - Some say it's Robert Blake's best role. 7/24/22 new #119 Eyes of Laura Mars - It sounds like an interesting mystery. 8/12/22 new #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (92/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 Sleepless in Seattle - Tom Hanks talks on a phone. 7/7/22 Zogo fucked around with this message at 05:29 on Aug 13, 2022 |
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Aug 13, 2022 05:26
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Zogo posted:
Let's do something light, there's not a lot of rom coms percolating on the lists in here. Watched Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000): Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is my first foray into wuxia, or martial arts stories set in ancient China. I am probably not alone here, as it set a new records for both Oscar nominations and U.S. box office hauls for a foreign-language film. The martial arts are highly stylized, as the actors use elaborate wire work to help them jump and glide, running up walls and skipping along rooftops. This gives the fight scenes a dreamy quality, bordering on magical realism. I was smiling and laughing as this was introduced, particularly any time someone would try to float away and their opponent would grab them by the ankle and haul them back to earth. That must be a go-to move in this universe. It's a relatively bloodless affair--not that there are no stakes, just to say that they are personal and emotional in nature, rather than just a body count. Plotwise, the film balances a more standard martial arts revenge angle with a pair of forbidden romances, and I think this blend of action and drama must have done wonders for the mass appeal. All the leads turn in strong, often understated performances. I particularly enjoyed seeing Michelle Yeoh as one of the leads here. I have largely overlooked her movies in the past, and she rebounded nicely from my introduction to her in the turgid Star Trek Discovery with this and Everything Everywhere All At Once. And, of course, I should also tip my hat to director Ang Lee here. As you can see on my list below, I threw some shade his way in my entry for Brokeback Mountain, totally overlooking the fact that he had TWO films on my initial list of ten. Well played, Ang. LIST OF SHAME: 1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) (added 06-03-22): I need a civics lesson. I like Jimmy Stewart, but I primarily know him through his work with Alfred Hitchcock. I've actually never seen It's a Wonderful Life, either, but I'm saving that for a Christmastime viewing. 3. The Searchers (1956) (added 06-03-22): Although I like westerns, I do not think I have ever seen a John Wayne movie. 4. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) (added 06-03-22): I like war films, but when we get back to the fifties and earlier we are getting to the point where I have seen a handful of classics and things by directors I like but otherwise have a lot of blind spots. 5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (added 06-03-22): I am not often going to sit down to watch a three-and-a-half-hour historical epic. 10. Brokeback Mountain (2005) (added 06-03-22): I would have to consider myself a Jake Gyllenhaal fan, and of course we lost Heath too soon. I vaguely remember finding Ang Lee pretentious and annoying in the press cycle/Oscar buzz period for the movie, which may have contributed to missing out on it at the time. 11. Tootsie (1982) (added 06-06-22): Shame might be a strong word, but it IS on my 100-movie scratch-off poster. And it does have an appearance by my favorite actor, Bill Murray, smack dab inbetween Stripes and Ghostbusters. 14. Come and See (1985) (added 07-13-22): I hear this could be the rare anti-war film that effectively communicates its message without glamorizing war. 15. Tokyo Story (1953) (added 07-29-22): I've never seen an Ozu film, and this is considered a masterpiece. 16. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) (added 08-08-22): Kazan and Brando's first collaboration, not to mention Brando's first Oscar nod. (and introducing...) 17. Purple Rain (1984) (added 08-19-22): Prince's eighties run of albums was godlike, but I've never seen the purple one on the silver screen. SHAME OVERCOME (7 and counting): Midnight Cowboy (1969); E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); The Prestige (2006); Singin' in the Rain (1952); Schindler's List (1993); Heat (1995); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
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Aug 19, 2022 09:38
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Crescent Wrench posted:11. Tootsie (1982) (added 06-06-22): Shame might be a strong word, but it IS on my 100-movie scratch-off poster. And it does have an appearance by my favorite actor, Bill Murray, smack dab inbetween Stripes and Ghostbusters. Speaking of light, here's a short comedy after the last three you've watched. Short Cuts (1993) | dir. Robert Altman Criterion blu-ray  So far the most assured and coherent narrative I've experienced from Altman's character tapestry films. Off the top, this is a feat of editing and structure. There seems to be, roughly, a dozen stories here. I was never once confused. I did not question timelines, I didn't lose track of what is happening with any of the characters. Whenever stories bled into each other (just thinking about the scheduling for this--shot in 10 weeks--is baffling) it was always a nice surprise, and not distracting. It helps that every character is played by a recognizeable, wonderful actor. They all feel real, lived in, natural. These all feel like definitive performances that will go on a obituary reel at an award ceremony some day. I like the Raymond Carver I've read, and this feels like the most successful adaptation we'll get. Altman always feels kind of deadpan to me, like the old guy you meet who's voice is dry, but everything he says is funny, but dark and goofy. This doesn't make me laugh, but it left me charmed like a comedy. This somewhat comedic tone is juxtaposed with the stories of every character either having the worst day of their life, reaching a breaking point, giving up on life, backsliding into destructive habits, ignoring morality for pleasure, or abandoning their ambitions. There's also a strange warmth, or understanding, that doesn't condone or forgive it's characters, but it doesn't punish them for being hosed up fools, because they are hosed up in a way that reflects everyday humanity.  This feels like the most obvious influence on the first half of P.T. Anderson's career. I'm an absolute sucker for sprawling narratives that aren't literally connected, but are tied together with unconscious threads, themes, ideas and emotions. This is a definitive entry into that canon. Loved it. I'm already excited to revisit it. I just like living in this world; where everything is warm and colorful, where it's either golden hour or neon-soaked nights, and where people are lonely and broken, pretending to be dead in a swimming pool, and having cancerous chemicals rained down on them. It feels like there are so many pockets of details and story ready to be revealed on rewatches. My List: Being There (1979) - I love Hal Ashby, and I just keep putting this one off. Bob le Flambeur (1956) - Jean-Pierre Melville . I've seen Le Cercle Rouge and thought it ruled. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) - I hear it's funny and surreal. Wild Strawberries (1957) - Love the Bergman I've seen, just too lazy to get that heavy box off the top shelf. The Holy Mountain (1973) - Big fan of Jodorowsky Shadows (1959) - Still haven't seen a Cassavetes-directed film. Who's That Knocking On My Door? (1967) - An early Scorsese I haven't seen. I have this one on DVD. The Wild Bunch (1969) - Grumpy ol' Peckinpah is cool, but it's also long. I Vitelloni (1953) - Next up in the Fellini box Solaris (1972) - I've procrastinated on this because Stalker rocked my poo poo and left me rattled for a few days. COMPLETED: Aguirre: The Wrath of God | Casablanca | After Hours | Schindler's List | Ikiru | F for Fake | Raging Bull | The Seventh Seal | Treasure of the Sierra Madre | Lawrence of Arabia | The French Connection | In The Mood For Love | Stalker | Tootsie | M. | The Thin Red Line | Network | The Godfather Part 2 | Monsier Hulot's Holiday | Nashville | Akira | Y Tu Mamá También | Bicycle Thieves | RAN | Short Cuts Letterboxd
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Aug 22, 2022 16:53
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Short Cuts is so loving great and your post really nailed what I love about it. Good call on the PT Anderson comparison too. Like you said, the cast is absolutely stellar across the board and the way the stories all intertwine is genius in a way that got me thinking about how often an individual person really does have that butterfly effect happen but will never ever learn about it. For the film's length, it really only drags in one or two spots that I can think of and those were musical numbers IIRC. Been a while since I've seen it. loving Seriously, look at this loving roster: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108122/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm Interesting as well that I have a different Altman film on my To Watch List (Nashville) so now I kinda wanna go watch that now but I also maybe want to watch this again. One thing I like about Altman's films is how he uses overlap and cross talk a lot whenever groups of people are speaking (MASH, The Player) in ways that make the reality he's building feel more natural and organic. He's able to totally capture and translate on screen the way people really converse in groups
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Aug 22, 2022 18:51
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Nashville is the other Altman that I think would really be considered the pinnacle of his kind of film, whatever it is we're calling the Altman subgenre that he more or less invented. There's no end to the amount of stuff you can notice in Nashville, but part of the genius of Altman is that you aren't really required to notice any of it. You can sit back and just let the whole thing wash over you and it's a masterpiece on that level as well. It's crazy that 18 years went by between Nashville and Short Cuts, Altman's career was really something else. I love Westerns though so I think my second favorite Altman behind Nashville will always be McCabe & Ms. Miller.
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Aug 22, 2022 19:01
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I dont like Westerns much but thats also my top two for Altman. MacCabe is such an excellent movie I really need to watch Ikiru 
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Aug 22, 2022 19:13
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Franchescanado posted:The Holy Mountain (1973) - Big fan of Jodorowsky "Zoom back camera." Sleepless in Seattle - A widower (Tom Hanks) and his son move from Chicago to Seattle. This proves to be a futile attempt to avoid grief. So his son calls a radio station run by an intrusive host who broadcasts their problems across the entire US. Meanwhile, a woman from Baltimore (Meg Ryan) becomes infatuated with him while losing interest in her current boyfriend. She's looking for a magical relationship. She comes across like a nosy stalker at first. It's somewhat unique in that the two leads barely share any screen time with each other. The film captures the feelings of loneliness and holiday sadness pretty well in spite of its fairy-tale ending. So it serves as an excellent template for all of those seasonal Hallmark movies that have since been released. James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): Hesitation (112 completed): #93 The Naked City - Another Jules Dassin film I haven't watched. 1/23/22 #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #114 Dreamscape - Dennis Quaid and dreams. 6/11/22 #116 New York, New York - Perhaps the most well-regarded Scorsese film I haven't seen. 7/19/22 #117 Electra Glide in Blue - Some say it's Robert Blake's best role. 7/24/22 #119 Eyes of Laura Mars - It sounds like an interesting mystery. 8/12/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 new #121 King Boxer AKA Five Fingers of Death - An influential martial arts film. 8/22/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22
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Aug 23, 2022 05:42
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It's kind of awesome how insane and creepy Meg Ryan's character comes off in that movie, but it still works because it's Meg Ryan. It's only a few degrees shy of being a weird thriller. I'm surprised there was never one of those fan-cut trailers that changed the music to make it look like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle or something.
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Aug 23, 2022 12:59
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Franchescanado posted:It's kind of awesome how insane and creepy Meg Ryan's character comes off in that movie, but it still works because it's Meg Ryan. It's only a few degrees shy of being a weird thriller. I'm surprised there was never one of those fan-cut trailers that changed the music to make it look like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle or something. Yeah, I think the musical selections throughout go a long way in changing the mood so it stays light and airy. It reminded me of My Best Friend's Wedding in that regard. Another film with a scheming character doing nasty stuff while romantic music plays. Now if they had gone with a darker score I would've been getting vibes from stuff like To Die For or Nurse Betty at times.
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Aug 23, 2022 22:40
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Zogo posted:#114 Dreamscape - Dennis Quaid and dreams. 6/11/22 Maybe it's just because there's starting to be some seasonal talk about Nightmare On Elm Street, but dreams have been on my mind, so you get this one! Raging Bull - I finally watched this. Ive seen Taxi Driver and have seen Goodfellas many times, but I think DeNiros performance as Jake is probably the most nuanced Ive seen from him - not as completely broken a person as Travis was in Taxi Driver, and not as simply cool and confident as Jimmy in Goodfellas. The use of black and white was interesting - the only color portions were in home film footage of Jake presumably when he was emotionally the happiest and most stable, as his kids were born before the divorce. Excellently shot, and great performances all around. My Shameful List: Stalker (1979) (classic scifi) - Keeping the Tarkovsky train rolling - another classic that I havent seen The Iron Giant (best of animation) - Continuing with animated movies that passed me by all these years Rio Bravo (1959) (classic westerns) - I have more classic Westerns that I have never seen, adding this to the list! Paths Of Glory (classic war movies) - I dont tend to watch war movies but this shows up all the time in lists The Bad Sleep Well (neonoir) - Crime, Thriller, Drama - close enough, and late enough maybe to get the neo- prefix. Ive seen Kurosawa before, but not many that arent period pieces. Breathless - It always seemed like I would find it boring so I avoided it forever. That should change! 12 Years A Slave - a well-regarded somewhat recent best picture I never did get around to seeing Crimes And Misdemeanors - Im just not a fan of Woody Allen, though I know his movies are important so Id like to become at least a little more familiar with them - and I changed this from Manhattan based on this threads discussion Persona (TSPDT1000) - Another They Shoot Pictures selection Wild Strawberries - Need to see more bergman Deshamed: Stagecoach, My Neighbor Totoro, Scarface, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse, Paris Texas, Solaris (1972), Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009), Raging Bull
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Aug 31, 2022 16:26
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smitster posted:
You have a lot of tempting choices on your list, but I suspect this one in partiuclar might not be what you were imagining in terms of tone and entertainment value. Watched Tootsie (1982): A struggling actor named Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) secretly dresses up as a woman to rebrand himself as the fictional actress "Dorothy Michaels" and lands a juicy, star-making role on a popular soap opera. It got an eye-popping ten Oscar nods--practically unthinkable for a comedy these days--although it took home just one trophy (Jessica Lange for Best Supporting Actress). And it was second place at the U.S. box office in 1982, behind only the unstoppable juggernaut that was E.T. It's the most acclaimed man-in-drag flick this side of Some Like It Hot, and I'm not sure I get it. The movie hits the typical beats the viewer has come to expect from the premise. Will Dorothy struggle to adopt convincing feminine habits? Will there be a gag where she shows off her hidden masculine strength? Will the romantic interest be confused about her chemistry with her new female friend? What do you think? A lot of the logistics don't make sense. Part of the fun in this kind of movie is the way the hare-brained scheme is hatched and the way the male character gets dolled up. Here, without a single line of foreshadowing, Michael is told his difficult reputation has made him unhirable and there's a smash cut to him walking down the street in full Dorothy gear, including professional quality hair, make-up, and wardrobe. The nods to social commentary about gender roles don't amount to much, either. Unsatisfied with her meek, stereotyped role on the hospital soap, Dorothy starts improvising her scenes to make her an assertive, powerful, independent woman. We get montages of piles of fan mail rolling in while Dorothy poses for the cover of every magazine in publication. They pay lip service to the shockwave Dorothy's unmasking would have on the legions of women who would find out their new barrier-breaking role model is a man, but we never see the after effects. None of this would matter as much if the movie was knee-slappingly funny, but it's merely pleasant, almost aggressively so, in fact (particularly the score, full with a literal theme song, that would have been rejected from a period sitcom as too schmaltzy). To be fair, my criticisms have more to do with the disproportionate acclaim, as I had this on my list to help me complete a 100 essential movies scratch-off poster. It's slick and entertaining, and the performances are strong throughout. Hoffman, Lange, and Teri Garr all got Oscar nominations, Bill Murray brings some trademark smarm, and even the debuting Geena Davis sparkles in her small part. I leave you with the theme song as a bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9AVoIROBt0. LIST OF SHAME: 1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) (added 06-03-22): I need a civics lesson. I like Jimmy Stewart, but I primarily know him through his work with Alfred Hitchcock. I've actually never seen It's a Wonderful Life, either, but I'm saving that for a Christmastime viewing. 3. The Searchers (1956) (added 06-03-22): Although I like westerns, I do not think I have ever seen a John Wayne movie. 4. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) (added 06-03-22): I like war films, but when we get back to the fifties and earlier we are getting to the point where I have seen a handful of classics and things by directors I like but otherwise have a lot of blind spots. 5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (added 06-03-22): I am not often going to sit down to watch a three-and-a-half-hour historical epic. 10. Brokeback Mountain (2005) (added 06-03-22): I would have to consider myself a Jake Gyllenhaal fan, and of course we lost Heath too soon. I vaguely remember finding Ang Lee pretentious and annoying in the press cycle/Oscar buzz period for the movie, which may have contributed to missing out on it at the time. 14. Come and See (1985) (added 07-13-22): I hear this could be the rare anti-war film that effectively communicates its message without glamorizing war. 15. Tokyo Story (1953) (added 07-29-22): I've never seen an Ozu film, and this is considered a masterpiece. 16. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) (added 08-08-22): Kazan and Brando's first collaboration, not to mention Brando's first Oscar nod. 17. Purple Rain (1984) (added 08-19-22): Prince's eighties run of albums was godlike, but I've never seen the purple one on the silver screen. (and introducing...) 18. A Woman Under the Influence (1974) (added 08-31-22): The most iconic film directed by John Cassavetes, who I've thus far only seen on the other side of the camera. SHAME OVERCOME (8 and counting): Midnight Cowboy (1969); E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); The Prestige (2006); Singin' in the Rain (1952); Schindler's List (1993); Heat (1995); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); Tootsie (1982)
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Aug 31, 2022 18:46
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Crescent Wrench posted:You have a lot of tempting choices on your list, but I suspect this one in partiuclar might not be what you were imagining in terms of tone and entertainment value. I really liked The Searchers, and it seems as good a place as any to start with John Wayne. Breathless - You were right, Richard Gere definitely brings an energy to this that I didnt expect! j/k, I watched the Godard movie. A car thief shoots a police officer, beginning a police hunt while he tries to convince a woman he reconnects with to flee to Italy with him. The movie comes out in the dialogue and it seems to have its own relationship to movies. I need to read some more about it to really place it (and the entire French New Wave) in its context so I understand a bit more about what the movie is doing, because there are definite places where it feels really amateurish. Both main characters worked in the movies, the man, Michel, clearly identifies with cool cucumbers like Humphrey Bogart but the events hes involved in are never allowed to be that cool - weirdly edited, almost like mistakes rather than intentional edits. Shots are kept uncomfortably long or confusingly short. Cuts rob us of seeing the action (kinda reminded me of how You Were Never Really Here keeps the violence off-screen). I suspect that letting this sit with me, maybe rewatching in a month or two and Ill see more relationships with later movies. Afterward I did watch the nerdwriter1 video about this, that helped with some of that context for sure. This has definitely piqued my interest in seeing more French New Wave. My Shameful List: Stalker (1979) (classic scifi) - Keeping the Tarkovsky train rolling - another classic that I havent seen The Iron Giant (best of animation) - Continuing with animated movies that passed me by all these years Rio Bravo (1959) (classic westerns) - I have more classic Westerns that I have never seen, adding this to the list! Paths Of Glory (classic war movies) - I dont tend to watch war movies but this shows up all the time in lists The Bad Sleep Well (neonoir) - Crime, Thriller, Drama - close enough, and late enough maybe to get the neo- prefix. Ive seen Kurosawa before, but not many that arent period pieces. The 400 Blows (French New Wave) - Whelp, Breathless piqued my interest, so lets go! 12 Years A Slave (Best Picture winners) - a well-regarded somewhat recent best picture I never did get around to seeing Crimes And Misdemeanors - Im just not a fan of Woody Allen, though I know his movies are important so Id like to become at least a little more familiar with them - and I changed this from Manhattan based on this threads discussion Persona (TSPDT1000) - Another They Shoot Pictures selection Wild Strawberries - Need to see more bergman Deshamed: Stagecoach, My Neighbor Totoro, Scarface, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse, Paris Texas, Solaris (1972), Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009), Raging Bull, Breathless (1960)
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Sep 2, 2022 18:14
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smitster posted:12 Years A Slave (Best Picture winners) - a well-regarded somewhat recent best picture I never did get around to seeing "As is your right. As it will be my pleasure to bankrupt you in the courts. Your decision." Dreamscape - Dennis Quaid plays a telepathic prodigy who's recruited to help people suffering from debilitating nightmares. He goes into their dreams and fends off monsters and other neurotic fears. I was reminded of numerous sci-fi films but primarily The Cell (2000) and The Dead Zone (1983). It fits in comfortably with the long string of anti-government films that were made during the Reagan years. The main thrust of the story is that the US President is having nightmares over nuclear war. Eventually a psychic battle takes place between a couple of guys to resolve the issue. It's timely intrigue considering the current political news and angst surrounding three-letter government agencies. Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYlvnZOqqlE Also watched: The Naked City - A man and woman are both murdered within a few hours. This sets the police into action and a forensic investigation begins. They're primarily searching for stolen jewelry and a guy who's a comically chronic liar. It shows the ins and outs of detective work pretty well. It also showcases late 1940s NYC well. It's always striking to see how the US was absolutely bustling and booming in the postwar years while many parts of the world were decimated and blown to bits. Free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-W4MZI3T38 James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): Hesitation (114 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #116 New York, New York - Perhaps the most well-regarded Scorsese film I haven't seen. 7/19/22 #117 Electra Glide in Blue - Some say it's Robert Blake's best role. 7/24/22 #119 Eyes of Laura Mars - It sounds like an interesting mystery. 8/12/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 #121 King Boxer AKA Five Fingers of Death - An influential martial arts film. 8/22/22 new #122 The King of Marvin Gardens - Atlantic City before Atlantic City (1980). 9/2/22 new #123 The Brides of Dracula - Frankenstein's monster was monogamous. Apparently Dracula was not. 9/2/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22
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Sep 3, 2022 05:24
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Zogo posted:
I've been curious about that one too. And I just bumped Dreamscape up my list, a friend recommended that like 100 years ago. So I just watched In a Lonely Place - it rules! Bogart, holy moly. Gloria Grahame, Great Scott. So this is from 1950, but it feels more like it's from 2050. This movie is ahead of its time I think, and just one of the best movies I've seen. If pressed to pick one fav movie I go with Blue Velvet, and I am a noir fan, but sometimes I see a movie like this which just has that unique quality, pulls you in, nothing artifice or cliche about it. Reminds me that there are still just insanely good movies out there in every corner, and it's always a treat to find one so up my alley. This makes my previous top noir movies look like a kid's party clown. This movie says hey film noir, fun stuff, now watch how it's really done. Just having fun with trying to get across how impressed I am with this movie, but hot drat is it fresh. And not to say that this is the most dark or hard-hitting movie by comparison, I just mean the way it makes me care and also delighted to be in this world. And it still has that larger than life fun to its balance at the same time, with all that awesome dialogue. Paired with just insane suspense and investment. First it had the most insanely cool first 15 mins I've seen in a while. By 40 mins in I was thinking, this is the most insanely good beginning of a movie, but it can't keep this up. It'll take some turns, maybe some genre style stuff that I won't love, but just enjoy the journey. Well they showed me, good lord this movie is pure class. Love this movie. Thank you movie gods for bestowing this powerhouse upon us. The list: Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 - Keeping the Lemmon and/or Matthau thing going, everybody says it rules. Hard Times - Looks like a better Bronson movie, and is said to be must see by Tarantino. Harold and Maude - Keeping some vibes and motifs going, a movie I've meant to see for years. Wonder Boys - It has Michael Douglas and a memorable poster, it's gotta be worth a watch. La Haine - I hear it's cool. Trouble in Mind - keeping the 80s picks rolling. Gridlock'd - looks like a 90s gem. Duck Soup - keeping the comedy history thing going. Plus Nic Cage referenced Harpo recently, and he knows his stuff. Koyaanisqatsi - I am curious about this. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - More HK, because it's cool. Heavy Metal fucked around with this message at 23:54 on Sep 3, 2022 |
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Sep 3, 2022 23:47
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Heavy Metal posted:Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 - Keeping the Lemmon and/or Matthau thing going, everybody says it rules. Matthau is great but this is also one of the best Robert Shaw movies. I should look into picking this up on blu ray one of these days. I watched A Streetcar Named Desire. As an aside, yes I procrastinated on this one but I have to partially blame HBOMax here. I went to search for it a few weeks ago and the stupid search engine was not showing it for some reason, and I got annoyed and put it on the back burner for a while. When I searched for it again this weekend the movie didn't come up until I'd completely spelled the words "A Streetcar" so I guess that's what happened, I didn't spell the name fully enough for the search to hit on the movie. So I'm dumb but also the HBO search engine isn't as good as most other streaming services. Oh yea so about the movie that I watched. I actually came away from this one appreciating the aesthetic and the cinematography a lot more than I thought I would. The setting is very well realized, the heat and the living conditions of the characters is palpable. But the reputation of the film is more about the performances, with this being the big breakout role for Brando and also award winning roles for....pretty much everyone except for Brando. I thought that was funny when I saw the wiki listing, the two main actresses both won Academy Awards(lead and supporting), and then Karl Malden also won for Best Supporting Actor. Yet somehow Brando was left out in the cold with only the nomination, not the win. That year Bogart won for The African Queen, so I can kinda understand, but ehhhh I still think Brando probably deserved it. Brando goes on a run here where he's nominated for Best Actor four years in a row, getting the win in 54 for On The Waterfront, so I suppose this is one of the real iconic periods of a true acting legend. Overall I can't say that I really clicked with Streetcar in a way that would make it an instant favorite but I definitely appreciated it and I'm glad to have finally filled this particular hole in my film watching resume. Current List with some new entries: 1. Key Largo: Let's keep going with Bogart, why the hell not 2. Five Easy Pieces: By all accounts this is a key Nicholson performance, which I have not seen 5. Oliver Twist: David Lean is one of my favorite directors so I'd like to fill in the gaps I have left with his filmography. 6. Rebel Without a Cause: To be honest, James Dean is really just a name to me. I've never seen any of his work. 7. For All Mankind: I want to check this out because there's a Criterion UHD release so if I like it I may want the UHD 8. The River: I love India as a setting for film and I've read a lot of good things about this one. 9. Mon Oncle I loved Playtime but for whatever reason it's the only Tati I ever saw, not sure why I haven't followed up on that 10. Castle in the Sky: More Miyazaki
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Sep 6, 2022 19:05
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Basebf555 posted:Rebel Without a Cause: To be honest, James Dean is really just a name to me. I've never seen any of his work. Classic! Alrighty, I watched The Taking of Pelham One Two Three , good flick. I notice the influence it has on event crime movies like Die Hard 1 & 3, lots of movies with that kind of setup. And the humor is a nice touch, that kind of apathy and city pessimism with grim wit vibe, I dig it. Some of the humor fell a little flat for me occasionally, and I kinda thought some of the later bits of the story could've had a little gravitas or something to compliment that more. Really like the characters, Robert Shaw is great for sure too. And breaking the mold for the time a bit by having such cool kinda likable villains. Good movie, a smooth watch. That theme tune is sweet. Taking of Pelham One Two Three: it gets ya where you're going. The list: Hard Times - Looks like a better Bronson movie, and is said to be must see by Tarantino. Harold and Maude - Keeping some vibes and motifs going, a movie I've meant to see for years. Wonder Boys - It has Michael Douglas and a memorable poster, it's gotta be worth a watch. La Haine - I hear it's cool. Trouble in Mind - keeping the 80s picks rolling. Gridlock'd - looks like a 90s gem. Duck Soup - keeping the comedy history thing going. Plus Nic Cage referenced Harpo recently, and he knows his stuff. Koyaanisqatsi - I am curious about this. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - More HK, because it's cool. Watch Out, We’re Mad - Italy corner. This stars those Trinity comedy duo guys. They have a beat em up game. My thought is I'd like Italy, France, HK, and Japan on the list. So maybe I'll pop on a Kurosawa next time or something.
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Sep 8, 2022 03:33
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Heavy Metal posted:Koyaanisqatsi - I am curious about this. "A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans." New York, New York - Jubilation breaks out as WWII has ended. A man (Robert De Niro) is at a party and tries recycled pickup lines on girls to no avail. He starts a relationship with Francine Evans (Liza Minnelli) and they begin making music. Eventually he turns into an overbearing band leader and then a jealous brute. The film then follows that familiar career vs. family life dilemma and shows how it's hard to excel in both areas. This film isn't afraid to take its time and I think modern audiences will find it to be protracted. Its strength is found in its unique lighting, sets and dashes of comedy. It's no Cabaret or Grease however. It's mired by too many unhappy and jealous characters. Mainly its unappealingly berserk leading couple. The thesis of the film feels a lot more like this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZy3iF3z6Qs (rather than more well-known New York, New York). PS Liza is remarkably similar to her mother in A Star Is Born (1954) at times. Also watched: Electra Glide in Blue - Robert Blake plays a motorcycle cop who aspires to be a detective. So when a suspicious suicide is discovered he sees it as a ticket to move up the ladder. The policemen continually face the choice of being honest or dishonest. Planting drugs, getting out of tickets, beating down hippies and pocketing money are some of the bad choices being made. In the end it comes across as a more nihilistic version of the Dirty Harry series, Serpico, Training Day and CHiPs (1977-1983). It's also kind of the obverse of Easy Rider in some respects although its thesis isn't as articulated. PS The Arizona landscapes featuring buttes are memorable. James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): Hesitation (116 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #119 Eyes of Laura Mars - It sounds like an interesting mystery. 8/12/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 #121 King Boxer AKA Five Fingers of Death - An influential martial arts film. 8/22/22 #122 The King of Marvin Gardens - Atlantic City before Atlantic City (1980). 9/2/22 #123 The Brides of Dracula - Frankenstein's monster was monogamous. Apparently Dracula was not. 9/2/22 new #124 Supercop - I've heard this is a premier action movie. 9/8/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 new The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22
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Sep 9, 2022 05:28
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The Long Good Friday I don't recognize any of the plays that the screenwriter Barrie Keeffe wrote before writing this movie, but I wasn't surprised to find out he had been a prolific playwright. The Long Good Friday is full of the kind of thing that good plays make hay out of, namely, tasking the audience with the job of not just perceiving, but tracking the inner lives of the characters it's watching. This is in no small part aided by the superb performances at its centre (Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren), and also by its genre, which is a typically wary and pessimistic take on the mobster genre that was so popular in the 70s. We know that these characters are, at all times, doubting each other, so we're extra watchful of how they cast themselves in their interactions. This also plays into the basic language of film, which I found delightful. A movie protagonist, even one as crude and cruel as Hoskins plays here, garners audience sympathy simply by being in focus. Hoskins's portrayal of the cockney mobster Shand has its volcanological elements (muscle reigned in, fiery glares) but also a tremendous amount of pure pathos. In one of his early scenes, while hosting a party for an American mobster on a boat, he stands in front of the Tower Bridge and delivers what's meant to be a rousing speech about the waterfront-restoration project they're meant to be starting on together in (questionable) anticipation of the 1988 London Olympics. But he doesn't have the voice for it, or the coolness, so he barks it out like a high school football coach struggling through a pep talk. It's a little funny, and a little sad. In this way, we're kept blind to the fact that he really is going to lose it all. The signs are all there from the beginning, but the movie plays tricks on us to keep us rooting for him, that he's going to pull it all together. But by the time Mirren finds herself struggling to explain away the bomb that just detonated in front of his American mob guests as a gas leak, a whiff of tragic farce has entered. There isn't going to be a hat trick - well, there is, but by the time it happens we're well aware that it's misguided buffoonery. So when Hoskins gets into the car in the end, and a scene plays out that I recognized as iconic even without knowing that it's known as iconic, we're fully primed for the full emotional impact, and it lands with nuclear force. If there was anything I wished for more of from this movie, it's directorial panache. There are many stand-out moments, but these are balanced by a lot of oddly pedestrian filmmaking, and it's a shame it's not able to fully maintain the electrifying visual crackle to match pace with the breathless, tangled script. Nonetheless. 9/10 shamezone 1) Beyond the Valley of the Dolls - doll 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) Amour - elderly movie 6) The Times of Harvey Milk - milk movie 7) The Amityville Horror - home movie 8) Nomadland - recent 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, Cries and Whispers 10/10, Salesman 10/10. The Tree of Wooden Clogs 11/10, The Sixth Sense 8/10, The Long Good Friday 9/10 (total: 189) Zogo gets The King of Marvin Gardens
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Sep 10, 2022 19:40
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Magic Hate Ball posted:8) Nomadland - recent movie "I'll see you down the road." The King of Marvin Gardens - Jack Nicholson plays a radio personality who's kind of aimless. Bruce Dern plays a funny guy who reminded me of a down on his luck Ben Loman from Death of a Salesman. He has grandiose plans to build a casino on a Hawaiian island. They're brothers at odds for most of the film. For the first thirty minutes viewers just soak in the atmosphere like a fly on the wall. Eventually some half-baked ideas get tossed around and it's a reminder of how so many fail in all of their business endeavors. These misfit entrepreneurs are kind of delusional. In the end it's a gloomy but realistic film with a shocking ending. Also watched: Supercop - Jackie Chan's character is back for the third film in the Police Story series and this time he teams up with with another inspector (Michelle Yeoh) in Mainland China. They're trying to infiltrate a group of wild drug dealers led by Panther and his older brother (a quasi-Bond villain). Espionage proves to be a dangerous job. It goes in a different direction than the first two films but still has a gaggle of dangerous stunts. More comedic than I expected and it's a more familiar war/action movie than the first two films in the series. James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): new Godzilla (1998) - Godzilla vs. Matthew Broderick. 9/16/22 Hesitation (118 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #119 Eyes of Laura Mars - It sounds like an interesting mystery. 8/12/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 #121 King Boxer AKA Five Fingers of Death - An influential martial arts film. 8/22/22 #123 The Brides of Dracula - Frankenstein's monster was monogamous. Apparently Dracula was not. 9/2/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 new The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22
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Sep 17, 2022 05:46
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Zogo posted:James Bond versus Godzilla (46/64 completed): I've always gotta support that venture. Been meaning to see Supercop again too, love Police Story. I saw Koyaanisqatsi, something different, enjoyed it. Though it was a bit tougher for me to sit down and watch than usual narrative stuff, or say docs with narration etc. Long story short, I got into it more in the second half. It really started going ham. And some cool perspective. In general, to further broaden my watching horizons, I've been interested in popping on more stuff that isn't as immediately enticing. Almost as a mindfulness thing, just like hey, why not watch some thingy for a couple hours, other stuff will keep. For example I've thought it'd be cool to get into that Cosmos series or something, but not sure if that'd grab me. But I'll try it sometime. And for cinema, some silent movies and stuff like that. The list: Hard Times - Looks like a better Bronson movie, and is said to be must see by Tarantino. Harold and Maude - Keeping some vibes and motifs going, a movie I've meant to see for years. Wonder Boys - It has Michael Douglas and a memorable poster, it's gotta be worth a watch. La Haine - I hear it's cool. Trouble in Mind - keeping the 80s picks rolling. Gridlock'd - looks like a 90s gem. Duck Soup - keeping the comedy history thing going. Plus Nic Cage referenced Harpo recently, and he knows his stuff. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - More HK, because it's cool. Watch Out, We're Mad - Italy corner. This stars those Trinity comedy duo guys. They have a beat em up game. The Hidden Fortress - I'd like to check out more of Kurosawa's stuff.
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Sep 17, 2022 09:24
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I saw Koyaanisqatsi on acid in a theater. Would recommend
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Sep 17, 2022 13:08
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Heavy Metal posted:Wonder Boys - It has Michael Douglas and a memorable poster, it's gotta be worth a watch. "I take it back. Shoot him." Godzilla - This one is certainly a change of pace for the series. It's like Casino Royale (1967) in that it doesn't fit well with most of the others. A satirical Spielbergian smörgĺsbord of Jaws, Jurassic Park and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. One could also throw Contact (1997) into the mix. The US military does a lot of self-inflicted damage with their attack helicopters. And it takes a ridiculously long time for fighter jets to be dispatched. Soldiers bothering to fire M16s at Godzilla is simply preposterous. A lot of the main characters are in the tabloid/news business. Since it's set in NYC I couldn't help but feel the plot strikes an odd and incredulous tone at times when viewed with post-9/11 eyes. Whole buildings have been destroyed but people are throwing parties etc. James Bond versus Godzilla (47/64 completed): Hesitation (118 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #119 Eyes of Laura Mars - It sounds like an interesting mystery. 8/12/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 #121 King Boxer AKA Five Fingers of Death - An influential martial arts film. 8/22/22 #123 The Brides of Dracula - Frankenstein's monster was monogamous. Apparently Dracula was not. 9/2/22 new #125 Frenzy - It's been called Hitchcock's last great film and it's rated R.  9/19/22AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22
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Sep 19, 2022 06:02
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Zogo posted:
John Carpenter script directed by Irvin Kershner? Definitely interested to get a review on this one. Watched The Searchers (1956): This Western is the most celebrated feature by the director/actor duo of John Ford and John Wayne--indeed, it is one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time. It's also my personal introduction to the pairing. In this film, set a few years after the Civil War, Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a Confederate Army vet returning home to his family after a long absence. A local band of marauding Comanches is able to distract Ethan and most other able-bodied men in the community into chasing a decoy operation, during which they raid Ethan's brother's home, killing most of the family and abducting his two young daughters. Ethan, along with his adopted nephew, Martin, go on a years-long mission to track the missing girls down. On a filmmaking level, this is quite accomplished, although there was a little more sloppiness in some areas than I expected from a master like John Ford. Visually, the landscape shots are wonderful, which makes it stand out a lot more when Ford relies on sound stages. The main plot is handled with the appropriate gravity. A lot of violence against Ethan's family is left to the imagination. This may be as much a product of the era's standards and censorship as it is any artistic decision, but it works in the film's favor. For example, when Ethan finds his eldest niece's corpse, it's kept off-camera. He hides this information from her boyfriend until they're far away, and when asked for details, he snaps at him: "What do you want me to do? Draw you a picture? Spell it out? Don't ever ask me! Long as you live, don't ever ask me more." Leaving the violence (and implied rape) to the imagination is much more powerful. But this does contrast with the lousy B-plot, which mostly consists of asking the audience to accept foreign accents as comic relief. These parts drag, and make the film feel all of it's two hours. And, as to the accents, on the film's Wiki page, the first subsection under "Critical interpretations" is "Race relations," and I definitely agree it's hard to talk about this film without addressing that aspect. Ethan is a virulent racist. He constantly berates Martin as a "half-breed" (he's one-eighth Cherokee), and when he first finds his surviving niece, he's so horrified that she's been assimilated into the Comanche culture that his first instinct is to shoot her to put her out of her misery. This latter viewpoint is echoed by at least one other, less hot-headed character. In his review, Roger Ebert wrote "I think Ford was trying, imperfectly, even nervously, to depict racism that justified genocide." I'm honestly not sure where it all fits on the spectrum between outright prejudice and a more critical evaluation of those attitudes. It's definitely messy, and plays strangely for a modern viewer. Still, John Wayne's old-school movie-star charisma is an interesting match for such a flawed protagonist. I'd be curious to know how the Searchers compares to their numerous other collaborations in this regard.  SPOOKY DISCLAIMER: I'll be watching horror movies for the October challenge, so to whoever picks my next film--I won't forget about you, but you won't see feedback until November hits! LIST OF SHAME: 1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) (added 06-03-22): I need a civics lesson. I like Jimmy Stewart, but I primarily know him through his work with Alfred Hitchcock. I've actually never seen It's a Wonderful Life, either, but I'm saving that for a Christmastime viewing. 4. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) (added 06-03-22): I like war films, but when we get back to the fifties and earlier we are getting to the point where I have seen a handful of classics and things by directors I like but otherwise have a lot of blind spots. 5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (added 06-03-22): I am not often going to sit down to watch a three-and-a-half-hour historical epic. 10. Brokeback Mountain (2005) (added 06-03-22): I would have to consider myself a Jake Gyllenhaal fan, and of course we lost Heath too soon. I vaguely remember finding Ang Lee pretentious and annoying in the press cycle/Oscar buzz period for the movie, which may have contributed to missing out on it at the time. 14. Come and See (1985) (added 07-13-22): I hear this could be the rare anti-war film that effectively communicates its message without glamorizing war. 15. Tokyo Story (1953) (added 07-29-22): I've never seen an Ozu film, and this is considered a masterpiece. 16. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) (added 08-08-22): Kazan and Brando's first collaboration, not to mention Brando's first Oscar nod. 17. Purple Rain (1984) (added 08-19-22): Prince's eighties run of albums was godlike, but I've never seen the purple one on the silver screen. 18. A Woman Under the Influence (1974) (added 08-31-22): The most iconic film directed by John Cassavetes, who I've thus far only seen on the other side of the camera. (and introducing...) 19. True Stories (1986) (added 09-30-22): I've been a diehard Talking Heads fan for almost as long as I've followed pop music, but I've never seen this musical comedy, David Byrne's sole directorial credit for a feature film. SHAME OVERCOME (9 and counting): Midnight Cowboy (1969); E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); The Prestige (2006); Singin' in the Rain (1952); Schindler's List (1993); Heat (1995); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); Tootsie (1982); The Searchers (1956)
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Sep 30, 2022 22:19
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Crescent Wrench posted:It's definitely messy, and plays strangely for a modern viewer. Still, John Wayne's old-school movie-star charisma is an interesting match for such a flawed protagonist. I'd be curious to know how the Searchers compares to their numerous other collaborations in this regard. Yes, despite being ranked highly in the canon I don't think it has as much popular appeal these days. If I had to pick I'd say Stagecoach is the favorite I've seen so far. I'm not a big fan but I prefer the Howard Hawks and John Wayne collaborations like Red River, Rio Bravo and El Dorado. Crescent Wrench posted:
Whenever a horror challenge thread comes around this thread slows down.
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Oct 1, 2022 05:38
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For sure, gonna get spooky. I'll say for me The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is my fav Wayne/Ford, a very smooth watch.
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Oct 1, 2022 06:11
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Crescent Wrench posted:5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) (added 06-03-22): I am not often going to sit down to watch a three-and-a-half-hour historical epic. "No prisoners." Eyes of Laura Mars - This one starts with an ominous intro while a Barbra Streisand track plays. It feels like a ballad from a Bond film. Faye Dunaway plays a chic photographer who's become afflicted with a curse. She starts seeing the murders of her close friends through the eyes of a serial killer. In short, clairvoyance and premonition. Soon a detective (Tommy Lee Jones) is on the case. This is one of those films that would've hit harder had I seen it earlier. Elements from it have been copied numerous times so I saw the twists coming. It fits in well with later Hitchcockian films like Dressed to Kill (1980) and Body Double (1984). So it's kind of a transitional fossil between Hitchcock and a more Americanized giallo. Another good track from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-opQYaM5gk PS There are a few lighter moments that reminded me of Duran Duran's Girls on Film and Flashdance (1983). James Bond versus Godzilla (47/64 completed): Hesitation (119 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 #121 King Boxer AKA Five Fingers of Death - An influential martial arts film. 8/22/22 #123 The Brides of Dracula - Frankenstein's monster was monogamous. Apparently Dracula was not. 9/2/22 #125 Frenzy - It's been called Hitchcock's last great film and it's rated R. 9/19/22new #126 April Fool's Day - It's that time of year again. 10/3/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:22 on Oct 3, 2022 |
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Oct 3, 2022 06:17
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Zogo, Halloween is coming. See The Brides of Dracula. Just saw Jabberwocky. Very imaginative. Took a while to get to the final showdown between Dennis and the Jabberwock. Did like the slice of medieval life in the film. Seemed like a minor version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but not quite as funny. My List: Fort Apache - This will be my John Wayne spot for now. The Greatest Showman - My daughter recommended this one. In the Heat of the Night - No, haven't seen this yet. NEWEST The Cocoanuts - Working my way through the Marx Brothers movies. This is their first movie.OLDEST Battleship Potempkin - Don't know much about this one. Pelle the Conquerer - Big fan of Max Von Sydow. Need to see more of his work. The Road to El Dorado - Heard a lot about this movie, Looking forward to seeing it. White Christmas - Just saw Holiday Inn. Looking forward to seeing this film Star Trek: Nemesis - This is the only Star Trek movie I haven't seen. I haven't heard good things about it, but I'll give it a shot. Inland Empire - Keeping the David Lynch fest going. Ocean's 11 - A slot here for Elvis, Sinatra, Beatles movies. This is the original with Frank Sinatra.
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Oct 6, 2022 21:18
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Dmitri Russkie posted:Fort Apache - This will be my John Wayne spot for now. "He must have been a great man. And a great soldier." The Brides of Dracula - Everything is eerie and foreboding in this one. Things only get creepier when entering the castle. It turns out that there's a recluse son living there. He's a vampire who's been chained down. He's able to escape and uses mind control on a bunch of women to convert them all. So vampires start rising from the grave before Dr. Van Helsing arrives. His remedy is to start splashing holy water and throwing crucifixes at them. The story is pretty predictable but the visuals are great throughout. All in all, better than the 1958 film IMO. Also watched: King Boxer - It isn't hard to see why this opened the floodgates for a new genre in the US. It's innovative and excessively violent while not being too foreign. It's also an easy to follow story told at a brisk pace. It's comparable to Westerns except it's swords and fists in place of guns. There are a lot of nasty and traitorous villains trying to eliminate rival martial arts schools. Alliances shift at times and the line between bullies and cowards is often blurred. James Bond versus Godzilla (47/64 completed): Hesitation (121 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 #125 Frenzy - It's been called Hitchcock's last great film and it's rated R. 9/19/22#126 April Fool's Day - It's that time of year again. 10/3/22 new #127 Phenomena - I haven't seen an Argento film lately. 10/10/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (93/100 completed): new Bull Durham - A baseball movie I keep putting off. I have this one linked with The Natural in my mind but I'm sure it's different. 10/10/22 Evil Angels AKA A Cry in the Dark - A movie with two titles. Let's see which one fits better. 7/14/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22 Zogo fucked around with this message at 05:40 on Oct 11, 2022 |
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Oct 11, 2022 05:37
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Zogo posted:#120 Dragon Inn - A Touch of Zen was great and I've heard this is another essential one. 8/12/22 I think in some ways Dragon Inn is better. For one thing, it's only about 100 minutes. I don't mind long films but I do think A Touch of Zen could've been a bit shorter. Anyway, back in the saddle after some time off for spooky season. I watched Rebel Without a Cause. The big thing here is of course the performance of James Dean, and yea the movie and Dean deliver on that reputation. It's a much more layered and complex character than you'd expect to see in 1955, and Dean's performance sort of unfolds as the movie goes on. His character also effects everyone else, in that they bounce off him and react to what he does and so those characters feel very genuine as a result. Because he's the core of the film, his uniqueness spreads to everything else and you get something that must've felt very very different at the time. On the technical side it's very good, no complaints there. Directed by Nicolas Ray and shot by the cinematographer who did Gone With the Wind and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, so it's a really nice mix of the classic 50's Hollywood feel but with a lead character that feels more modern.    Current List: 1. Key Largo: Let's keep going with Bogart, why the hell not 2. Five Easy Pieces: By all accounts this is a key Nicholson performance, which I have not seen 5. Oliver Twist: David Lean is one of my favorite directors so I'd like to fill in the gaps I have left with his filmography. 7. For All Mankind: I want to check this out because there's a Criterion UHD release so if I like it I may want the UHD 8. The River: I love India as a setting for film and I've read a lot of good things about this one. 9. Mon Oncle I loved Playtime but for whatever reason it's the only Tati I ever saw, not sure why I haven't followed up on that 10. Castle in the Sky: More Miyazaki
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Nov 7, 2022 15:09
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Basebf555 posted:1. Key Largo: Let's keep going with Bogart, why the hell not "It's better to be a live coward than a dead hero." Dragon Inn - The one is filled with conniving characters who are at odds with each other. I was reminded of The Hateful Eight during many of the scenes that take place at the inn. The year is 1457 and the politics of the time are very ruthless. Treacherous soldiers are using a variety of weapons to kill their political enemies (and anyone else who stands in their way). All the swordplay and archery highlight the damage weapons can do. One thing that stood out is how a lot of the characters fight in superhuman and supernatural ways. A harbinger of good things to come in later films of this genre. Also watched: A Cry in the Dark - This is based on a true story from the early 1980s. An Australian couple take a vacation but tragedy strikes when their baby disappears. It's suspected that a dingo took it. The film focuses a lot on the media circus, tabloid journalism and millions of gossipers. Things like The Sweet Hereafter (1997) and Gone Girl (2014) came to mind. It also reminded me of the O. J. Simpson trial and the other endless murder mysteries. It was a well-crafted case study in the failures of a court system and society at large. April Fool's Day - This one is full of gags, high jinks, artifice and odd comedic tones for a horror/mystery. A group of friends takes a barge to an island. It's like an Agatha Christie novel with 1980s sensibilities. It has a unique and memorable ending. But knowing there's a twist kind of ruined the experience for the most part. It's kind of like Soylent Green (1973) in that regard. James Bond versus Godzilla (47/64 completed): Hesitation (123 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #125 Frenzy - It's been called Hitchcock's last great film and it's rated R. 9/19/22#127 Phenomena - I haven't seen an Argento film lately. 10/10/22 new #128 Cemetery of Splendor - A more recent one that's gotten a lot of praise. 11/9/22 new #129 Time of the Gypsies - It's been on my radar for a long time but it's been hard to track down. 11/9/22 new #130 Fallen Angels - Maybe the most acclaimed Wong Kar-Wai film I haven't seen. 11/9/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (94/100 completed): Bull Durham - A baseball movie I keep putting off. I have this one linked with The Natural in my mind but I'm sure it's different. 10/10/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22
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Nov 10, 2022 06:25
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Zogo, See Phenomena Saw Fort Apache. It was a pretty good movie. Took a while to get going. As with all John Ford westerns, very good scenery. You really get to dislike Col. Thursday. One thing I was very surprised by was the relative sympathy for t Native American issues in the movie. I didn't expect that in such an old movie. Very good job by Henry Fonda and John Wayne. My List: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - This will be my John Wayne spot for now. NEWEST The Greatest Showman - My daughter recommended this one. In the Heat of the Night - No, haven't seen this yet. The Cocoanuts - Working my way through the Marx Brothers movies. This is their first movie.OLDEST Battleship Potempkin - Don't know much about this one. Pelle the Conquerer - Big fan of Max Von Sydow. Need to see more of his work. The Road to El Dorado - Heard a lot about this movie, Looking forward to seeing it. White Christmas - Just saw Holiday Inn. Looking forward to seeing this film Star Trek: Nemesis - This is the only Star Trek movie I haven't seen. I haven't heard good things about it, but I'll give it a shot. Inland Empire - Keeping the David Lynch fest going. Ocean's 11 - A slot here for Elvis, Sinatra, Beatles movies. This is the original with Frank Sinatra.
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Nov 15, 2022 23:41
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Dmitri Russkie posted:Inland Empire - Keeping the David Lynch fest going. "I do not think it will be much longer now." Phenomena - A serial killer is on the loose in Switzerland. An entomologist (and his chimp sidekick) team up with a young girl who holds power over bugs. Her abilities prove to be useful in tracking down the murderer. I won't detail all the crazy twists and events in the film but I was reminded of moments from Don't Look Now, The People Under the Stairs and Hellbound: Hellraiser II. Which are all good things of course. Argento is simply a master of putting out interesting visuals and unique story elements. I've seen six of his films now and they all have a familiar and likeable pastiche. PS All the heavy metal tracks were another surprise that worked well. James Bond versus Godzilla (47/64 completed): Hesitation (124 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #125 Frenzy - It's been called Hitchcock's last great film and it's rated R. 9/19/22#128 Cemetery of Splendor - A more recent one that's gotten a lot of praise. 11/9/22 #129 Time of the Gypsies - It's been on my radar for a long time but it's been hard to track down. 11/9/22 #130 Fallen Angels - Maybe the most acclaimed Wong Kar-Wai film I haven't seen. 11/9/22 new #131 Targets -  Peter Bogdanovich. 11/19/22AFI's 10 Top 10 (94/100 completed): Bull Durham - A baseball movie I keep putting off. I have this one linked with The Natural in my mind but I'm sure it's different. 10/10/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:42 on Nov 20, 2022 |
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Nov 20, 2022 06:39
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Zogo posted:The Thief of Bagdad (1924) - I haven't seen any films from the 1920s lately. 9/16/22 This one is both interesting in terms of film history and also just a good time. Really cool special effects for the 1920s. I watched Key Largo. At this point in my Bogart journey I've seen enough of him to expect that he can carry a movie on his own. That's only partially true here, because in this case he doesn't really have to. The cast is excellent even aside from Bogart, with Bacall and Edward G. Robinson doing a lot themselves to keep every scene intense and interesting. Plotwise, this seems like a prototypical "regular people have the bad luck of being trapped with some criminals on the run" situation. This is 1948 so it's possible that Key Largo is the original that so many others have played off of over the years? Most recently Tarantino's The Hateful Eight comes to mind right away. But like I said, this one is effortlessly effective because of the cast. The good guys are so easy to root for, and Robinson's crew is so slimy and hateable, so the simple scenario works perfectly to ratchet up the tension and then deliver the fist pump moments at the end when Bogart finally does pull the rabbit(or gun in this case) out of the hat. In going through these Bogart films, I've really gained an appreciation for John Huston as a director as well. The Treasure of Sierra Madre and Key Largo are both extremely tight, consistently entertaining films from start to finish. To make them both in the same year is a hell of an accomplishment. Current List with new entries to replace the old: 1. The Bad News Bears: Not sure how I avoided this growing up, but I enjoy Walter Matthau as much as the next guy so I'm sure I'd enjoy it. 2. Five Easy Pieces: By all accounts this is a key Nicholson performance, which I have not seen 3. Chicago: Not sure if this is really considered shameful but it's still a big Oscar winning movie that I've never seen so may as well fix that, and I've become more accepting of musicals in recent years. 4. Dodes'Da-Den: This and Dersu Uzala are the big holes in my Kurosawa viewing. Made in that period after the difficulty of Red Beard's production but before Kagemusha and Ran(two of my favorite films). 5. Oliver Twist: David Lean is one of my favorite directors so I'd like to fill in the gaps I have left with his filmography. 6. Babette's Feast: Another Oscar winner that I haven't seen, I've read that it's one of the great food movies. Tough to go wrong with a movie about food. 7. For All Mankind: I want to check this out because there's a Criterion UHD release so if I like it I may want the UHD 8. The River: I love India as a setting for film and I've read a lot of good things about this one. 9. Mon Oncle I loved Playtime but for whatever reason it's the only Tati I ever saw, not sure why I haven't followed up on that 10. Castle in the Sky: More Miyazaki
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Nov 21, 2022 16:34
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Basebf555 posted:4. Dodes'Da-Den: This and Dersu Uzala are the big holes in my Kurosawa viewing. Made in that period after the difficulty of Red Beard's production but before Kagemusha and Ran(two of my favorite films). "We forgot about the swimming pool. Let's make one." The Thief of Bagdad - Douglas Fairbanks plays a brash thief who steals food and purses amongst other things. He spends a lot of time agilely jumping around opulent sets to evade guards. Eventually he sneaks into an exotic palace using a magic rope and falls in love with a Princess. It's like Aladdin (1992) at times. The second half of the film becomes a treasure hunt as other suitors are looking for treasures to give to the Princess. Whoever finds the best prize will win. So the Princes find a bunch of magical items to try and impress her. It's a special effects galore for 1924. Also watched: Cemetery of Splendor - A bunch of sick soldiers are comatose and stuck in beds at a rural hospital. A psychic attempts to convey to family members what they're dreaming about. This hospital sits upon an old cemetery where dead kings are fighting with each other. It felt like the characters were playing make-believe most of the time. James Bond versus Godzilla (47/64 completed): Hesitation (125 completed): #103 Joyless Street - One of the few films I've recommended ITT that I haven't seen (as it's been hard to track down). 3/28/22 #108 Cabiria - This old epic was supposed to get a restored Blu-ray release many years ago but it never happened. I guess I'll just watch the available version. 4/23/22 #125 Frenzy - It's been called Hitchcock's last great film and it's rated R. 9/19/22#129 Time of the Gypsies - It's been on my radar for a long time but it's been hard to track down. 11/9/22 #130 Fallen Angels - Maybe the most acclaimed Wong Kar-Wai film I haven't seen. 11/9/22 #131 Targets - Peter Bogdanovich. 11/19/22new #132 Black Cat AKA Kuroneko - Another horror film from Kaneto Shindo. 12/2/22 new #133 The Lady from Shanghai - Another big Orson Welles direction. 12/2/22 AFI's 10 Top 10 (95/100 completed): Bull Durham - A baseball movie I keep putting off. I have this one linked with The Natural in my mind but I'm sure it's different. 10/10/22 The Pride of the Yankees - This one has always looked really shmaltzy but you can't judge a film from only a few snippets. 9/8/22 Zogo fucked around with this message at 06:58 on Dec 3, 2022 |
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Dec 3, 2022 06:53
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