Movies You Have Seen Lately

[Oerwinde]

We Were Soldiers - It's basically a tribute to the Air Cavalry by Mel Gibson. Well produced and directed, but not very deep. Barry Pepper takes forever to show up, but he was impressive. Everyone else kinda was one dimensional, but again, it was a tribute.

 

Pretty graphic too. I felt queasy when they tried to pull the napalmed guy out by his legs and just ended up stripping the flesh from his bones.

 

I just saw "This Film is Not Yet Rated" and holy crap, the rating and appeals system is stupid. When appealing a rating, its in the appeals rules that you are not allowed to cite precedent. They also have clergy present at all the appeals. Of all of the members of the ratings board, only 2 of them have children under 20.

[metadigital]

I thought We Were Soldiers was a good film, actually. (Mel Gibson pushing his Catholic barrow, aside.)

 

The scene where Madeleine Stowe had to deliver the telegrams is one of the most powerful there is ... a very effective way to make those incidental bullet-ridden, blood-washed background deaths suddenly have some very tangible existence, the effects of which are recorded in the emotions of the loved ones.

 

Also Sam Elliott is the duck's nuts.

[Gfted1]

I just saw a preview the other night of a movie staring Nicholas Cage where he seems to have "at will" precognition which allows him to sidestep the bullets/bad guys, but I didnt catch the name. Comes out on 27 Apr, anyone know the name of the movie?

[GreasyDogMeat]

The name of the movie is 'Next' I believe. Looks kind of interesting.

[Gfted1]

Ah, thank you.

[Pidesco]

I saw Children Of Man a couple of days ago. It was incredible. I cried.

 

 

And today I went to see Inland Empire. I think it's about being an actor, and what pretending to be someone else entails, or at least should entail for a person. I'm not really sure about this, though. There were a bunch of things throughout the film that I didn't really get, including the dancing, the talk about the horse and the well, and the bunny sitcom. Do the locomotion!

 

I really liked it, but I think I'll have to see it again before deciding whether it's brilliant or flawed.

[Baley]

Scarecrow: um, yeah, just about perfect; the whole humor-is-a-flimsy-buffer subtext, and the artless direction... pretty great; Pacino kills me. Elf: kinda average, and rarely funny, uh, Bob Newhart shines as bright as, uh, rhodium. Sex, Lies, and Videotape: so, San Giacomo was pretty hot; the movie's great too. Night at the Museum: how much do you reckon they paid Coogan and Wilson to dress up and beat on each other? Pretty entertaining. Edmond: way too stilted - and needlessly theatric - for it's own good... that peck near the end between Macy and his cellmate - I liked that, the resignation of it all. Punch-Drunk Love: okay, it's great. The Bourne Supremacy: I was kinda suspicious of Greengrass' free-cam excesses, but it works pretty well. The Wendell Baker Story: Wilson should abstain himself from writing, yeah; I still kinda like Eddie Griffin. Divorzio all'italiana: again, just about perfect - one of the finest satires I've ever seen; trenchant and constantly funny; Marcello Mastroianni was the man.

 

Okay, now,

 

I've been browsing the Grand Prix|Palme d'Or winners, so now I'm looking for recommendations (- anyone?)

 

Here's what I have (watched or not - I've bolded the ones I've yet to see, for whatever reason):

 

* Apocalypse Now (I know.)

* Barton Fink

* Black Orpheus

* Blowup (Once, when I was 10 or 11; I don't count it.)

* The Conversation

* La Dolce Vita (Again - I know.)

* Elephant

* Fahrenheit 9/11 (Parts of it.)

* If...

* Kagemusha

* The Leopard

* MASH

* Man of Iron

* Marty

* Nazar

[Pidesco]

Umm..., I recommend all of them?

 

 

Edit: What the hell, go with Elephant. While a bit too simple in its message, it still makes a good point.

 

Anyway, out of that list my favourites are the ones you have already seen.

Edited April 13, 2007 by Pidesco

[Baley]

How often do pretty boys kiss, again? Oh yeah: is The Wrath Khan hilarious?

[Darth Drabek]

Also Sam Elliott is the duck's nuts.

 

Sam Elliott is the duck's nuts, the bee's knees and the cat's ass all put together.

 

Don't try to visualize, just roll with it.

 

 

I saw Beautiful Girls this afternoon, and I loved it. Great dialogue, great cast, great movie.

 

I highly recommend it.

[Pidesco]

How often do pretty boys kiss, again? Oh yeah: is The Wrath Khan hilarious?

 

 

Once, I think. It's part of the film's message.

 

 

You mean Star Trek II? The last time I saw it, I must've been 12, so I don't remember whether it was hilariously bad.

[LadyCrimson]

Wrath of Khan is a fun movie, both if you're an original ST fan and if you're a fan of overacted, hammy performances (Khan/Kirk).

[Baley]

Once, I think. It's part of the film's message.

Yeah, misguidedly, I though the emo-looking bloke on all the posters did - some of - the kissing; the Eminem-aping douche was sort of disappointing, given my expectations (considerably enlarged); I'm still not sold on Van Sant, but this was certainly a grave improvement on his last flick I saw (Finding Forrester)... yeah, dude got balls, I might as well watch Gerry next.

 

You mean Star Trek II? The last time I saw it, I must've been 12, so I don't remember whether it was hilariously bad.

Wrath of Khan is a fun movie, both if you're an original ST fan and if you're a fan of overacted, hammy performances (Khan/Kirk).

Yeah, I remember the - 6th? - one dealing with Kirk's racism - speciesism? - being inadvertently hilarious. "They're Animals!" Really: I don't think I've ever seen a single episode of the original series, but I'm kinda fond of Shatner. :plays Has Been:

[metadigital]

I'm not sure I can sit through any Star Trek films any more ... and I own a few of them, still (Wrath being one). That being said, I saw the original episode with Ricardo Montalban the other week (they are re-running all the original episodes on BBC2), and it was surprisingly good. (When the original episodes are good they are okay ... when they are bad they're even better. If you're in the mood.)

• Apocalypse Now (I know.)
  
• La Dolce Vita (Again - I know.)
  
• Fahrenheit 9/11 (Parts of it.)
  
• Secrets & Lies
  
• The Wind That Shakes the Barley
  

• Apocalypse Now, I'd watch the Redux version (although I haven't seen it, only the original). Brando was so self-conscious about his weight he wouldn't permit any proper shots of him, just silhouettes and close-ups of his face. Also the Redux version has a lot more stuff added, including a risque scene with the Playboy models and the price they have to pay to escape the riot ...
  
• La Dolce Vita you'll love this, it's right up your arty-alley. Not that Fellini isn't excellent, just that you'll get more excited than perhaps you should.
  
• Fahrenheit 9/11 (Parts of it.) I can't recall if I've seen all of this; regardless, only see it when you need some dark humour about the standards of US critical thinking.
  
• Secrets & Lies absolutely fantastic (if very bleak) film; you won't want any popcorn, but you'll certainly know you've experienced a little bit more of life when it's finished. Mike Leigh is fantastic.
  
• The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a(nother) sensational film; I tried watching it on the plane last year and gave up (no noise-cancelling earphones and a dialogue-intensive film don't mix); I've seen a piece with Ken Loach where the interviewer (either deliberately or not) challenged the brutality of the British soldiers depicted in the film; he responded with chapter and verse from the military advisors he had to remove all doubt about the accuracy of the appalling tactics that were (and in some instances still are) used.
  

[Dark_Raven]

Wrath of Khan is a fun movie, both if you're an original ST fan and if you're a fan of overacted, hammy performances (Khan/Kirk).

One of the best ToS movies next to The Undiscovered Country.

[Kelverin]

Grindhouse - This was a badass movie.

[Oerwinde]

* Sex, lies, and videotape

 

One of the worst movies I've ever seen.

[astr0creep]

Pathfinder

 

I expect Finland and Norway, at least, to ban this film.

 

It's like 300 except Norsemen = Persians and Spartans = Native North Americans.

 

 

Jokes aside, decent action and great visuals but acting and dialog was just horrid.

Except for Russell Means

[Diogo Ribeiro]

They Frank Miller could have gone into detail about....

 

I agree with everything you've said and I find the biggest flaw of 300 is also the reason why I enjoyed it so much: it faithfully recreates the graphic novel. I certainly would have appreciated a lot more detail concerning the historical and political realities of the time, but 300 was more of a stylistic interpretation of history than an actual depiction. It works well for what it tries to be. I also didn't like some of the events because of special effects:

the "human tree"

for instance, gains good foreshadowing but is then ruined by a poor use of camera and lighting effects; by comparison, the rather bare bones (no pun intended) display of the wall being built with

bodies of Persian soldiers

was more effective. The battles were also a bit hit or miss, with the use of slowdown being a bit convoluted for my tastes (though I prefered that to the chaotic and epileptic camera juggling of, say, Braveheart).

 

However, it was still a somewhat enjoyable movie - there were some very good scenes in it - but it's not something I'd bother watching a second time.

 

 

Now, if only someone would have the balls to make a good adaptation of Miller's Daredevil: Born Again and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, I'd be a happy camper. A very happy camper.

[Lord Elden]

[*]Apocalypse Now, I'd watch the Redux version (although I haven't seen it, only the original). Brando was so self-conscious about his weight he wouldn't permit any proper shots of him, just silhouettes and close-ups of his face. Also the Redux version has a lot more stuff added, including a risque scene with the Playboy models and the price they have to pay to escape the riot ...

Redux is interesting to watch if you've already seen the film, but I prefer the shorter version, makes the trip darker and kind of more claustrophobic, if that makes any sense. The Redux version throws in stuff between the river journey which alters the flow quite much.

 

Saw Casino Royale (2006) today.

[astr0creep]

The Last King of Scotland.

 

Africa used to be one of my most desired places to visit. Beautiful countries, plenty of wildlife and thriving nature.

 

After watching this film and Blood Diamond in less than a month, not to mention Hotel Rwanda, I changed my mind.

 

 

All great, intense films with powerful messages.

 

 

Forest Whitaker definitely derserves his oscar and James Tomnas Guy should've had at least a nomination. Really, really great performances and really great movie overall as well. 9/10

[metadigital]

They Frank Miller could have gone into detail about....

 

I agree with everything you've said and I find the biggest flaw of 300 is also the reason why I enjoyed it so much: it faithfully recreates the graphic novel. I certainly would have appreciated a lot more detail concerning the historical and political realities of the time, but 300 was more of a stylistic interpretation of history than an actual depiction. It works well for what it tries to be. I also didn't like some of the events because of special effects:

the "human tree"

for instance, gains good foreshadowing but is then ruined by a poor use of camera and lighting effects; by comparison, the rather bare bones (no pun intended) display of the wall being built with

bodies of Persian soldiers

was more effective. The battles were also a bit hit or miss, with the use of slowdown being a bit convoluted for my tastes (though I prefered that to the chaotic and epileptic camera juggling of, say, Braveheart).

 

However, it was still a somewhat enjoyable movie - there were some very good scenes in it - but it's not something I'd bother watching a second time.

Yep yep, totally agree.

 

It was a shame that the fighting scenes were not based more on the actual fight, or indeed just Spartan tactics in general. From what we know of the battle, especially the second day

when the Immortals (who were called this because whenever one of them was killed another would join their ranks) attacked

, the Spartans fought all day and demonstrated their professionalism by employing (at the end of a very long day) a series of fake retreats to induce the Persians out of their tactical formations; an insanely difficult manœuvre that demonstrates beyond doubt the superior fighting abilities of the Spartans.

 

Instead we got some mediochre fight scenes that could have been created by some amateur nineteenth-century choreographer.

 

Even with the demonstrably poorer special effects, the original film that gave Miller his idea, The 300 Spartans, is more historically accurate and narratively inspiring (though the influence of the modern Greek state and Royal family is also obvious, when the Spartans state they are "fighting for a united Greece"; the only way Sparta wanted to unite Greece was under their hegemony).

[Hurlshort]

Hey, is that "The 300 Spartans" movie appropriate for 12 year olds? I'm thinking it might be a decent flick to show at the end of the school year, but it's not rated.

[kalimeeri]

I just saw a preview the other night of a movie staring Nicholas Cage where he seems to have "at will" precognition which allows him to sidestep the bullets/bad guys, but I didnt catch the name. Comes out on 27 Apr, anyone know the name of the movie?

 

Whenever I hear the name 'Nicolas Cage' anymore, I get the same feeling as when I hear Kevin Costner is directing/producing another movie--that something awful is about to happen.

[Lord Elden]

Hey, is that "The 300 Spartans" movie appropriate for 12 year olds? I'm thinking it might be a decent flick to show at the end of the school year, but it's not rated.

Are decapitations and dismemberments appropriate entertainment for 12 year old kiddies? (There was some minor nudity too but "strangely" enough I find it more appropriate for minors than gore and violence...)