Dr Handsome
Full Member
...but you can call me Eric.
Posts: 240
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Post by Dr Handsome on Nov 22, 2010 15:48:50 GMT -5
Film Society’s series on Stanley Donen offered me the chance to see Funny Face in a theater last week and I kind of loved it. The internet, well, they don’t seem to agree. There are some fair complaints but in my mind the good far outweighed the bad. Even the glaring age disparity between Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn can’t take away the amount of charm and joy they bring to the film.
A lot of people seem to get caught up in the specifics of the plot (we can get more into those if you want) but I want to say these details are largely inconsequential to the type of musical comedy this is. I might get a few raised eyebrows here but apart from broad context how important are the story details in Singin' in the Rain?
And while we’re making potentially controversial statements: I can’t say I love Moses Supposes.
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Post by maarow on Dec 2, 2010 19:08:17 GMT -5
I think the topic may have been broached on BP before, but I was watching G.I. Joe with my dad (the Venn Diagram of our movie tastes has a very small overlap) and I was struck by the increasing willingness of brainless action movies to leave an enormous civilian body count in their wake. Innocent bystanders are tossed around like dough at a pizza restaurant (sorry, couldn't think of a better analogy) but I guess so long as we can't attach a name and face to the driver of that gray sedan that was thrown thirty feet by a giant robot and then crushed, we're not supposed to care about him or her. Personally I find this trend in movies aimed at children much more disturbing than those torture porn flicks, where human lives are assigned at least some base level of value if only because we see the victims.
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vulpix
Junior Member
Posts: 79
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Post by vulpix on Dec 5, 2010 23:40:17 GMT -5
Innocent bystanders are tossed around like dough at a pizza restaurant (sorry, couldn't think of a better analogy) but I guess so long as we can't attach a name and face to the driver of that gray sedan that was thrown thirty feet by a giant robot and then crushed, we're not supposed to care about him or her. Personally I find this trend in movies aimed at children much more disturbing than those torture porn flicks, where human lives are assigned at least some base level of value if only because we see the victims. I agree; a lot of the children's shows I grew up on as a kid featured buildings, presumably full of people, nonchalantly being blown up without regard for the people inside. The last movie I saw was Bonnie and Clyde, which surprised me with its peculiar juxtaposition of comedy, human drama, and brutality. I had a few small issues with the movie, including the plausibility of some scenes and an odd, abrupt ending, but overall it was very enjoyable and I would recommend it to just about anyone looking for a unique crime film.
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Post by justinkemp on Dec 10, 2010 0:52:15 GMT -5
Easy A 7/10 i loved the whole connection to The Scarlet Letter book..but it didnt fully keep all of my attention.I make Easy A download also . last movie i watched at home... The Blind Side 100000/10 im definitely not a football girl..but watching Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Touhy with her bold charisma was very entertaining as well as heart warming...i never thought id have so much interest in a movie based off of real events. Amazing movie with heart thats why i gave it a 100000/10
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lennart
New Member
I don?t see race. On that subject I am very enlightened, and equally endarkened.
Posts: 23
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Post by lennart on Dec 10, 2010 12:39:24 GMT -5
I just saw The Others, directly because you guys mentioned it on the podcast. I'm glad you didn't spoil it for me because I really found it kept my interest very well and I quite honestly did not see the twist coming, perhaps because I'm not that clever. While I'm not sure if there was much of a theme or message to the film ultimately the film was good enough for me to be very entertained and captivated. So, I guess thanks goes to BP for the good recommendation.
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Dr Handsome
Full Member
...but you can call me Eric.
Posts: 240
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Post by Dr Handsome on Dec 13, 2010 23:28:35 GMT -5
Can't tell whether or not that's one of those spam-type posts or just a fan who's comfortable with illegally downloading movies. I'm pretty sure it's the first. If it is legit I'd probably shy away from posting that sort of thing on a public forum like this.
Between 127 Hours and Black Swan it looks like the theme tonights double feature was self mutilation, fun! I'm going to go ahead and make a post for each movie but if you're interested in an opinion I loved both!
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Post by maarow on Dec 25, 2010 1:39:12 GMT -5
I Am Comic - Documentary about stand-up comics. It's entertaining, but too broad and superficial to offer anything new to the "mythos" of the comedian. I think if the focus had been narrowed it would have been much more successful.
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Dr Handsome
Full Member
...but you can call me Eric.
Posts: 240
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Post by Dr Handsome on Feb 20, 2011 23:25:53 GMT -5
This post has sat untouched since Christmas Eve!?
I saw these two obscure movies at the Film Forum today called The Godfather Part 1 & 2. Pretty good movies, you should def check them out.
In all seriousness, they're both incredible movies (like I have to tell you) and seeing them both in a theater was a really fantastic experience. And the girl next to me had apparently never seen either movie (you could tell by her reaction that the horse head had legitimately shocked her) so it was fun having a fresh reaction to balance out the usual knowing laughter you get at theaters like this.
Next month I'm hoping I can see Truffaut's The Soft Skin and Taxi Driver. The trailer for Taxi Driver (which they showed before The Godfather) is good stuff!
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cody
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by cody on Feb 22, 2011 22:34:00 GMT -5
Just watched Joe Dante's The Howling last night. Decent little horror/comedy about a woman who encounters a serial killer and is sent to a secluded retreat called "The Colony" to rehabilitate. Almost all the films comedic elements come in the form of sight gags (sometimes clever, sometimes a little lame). The effects are pretty impressive (having been done by the artist behind The Thing). Also, there's werewolf sex sooo...
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Post by ikderk on Feb 27, 2011 13:16:06 GMT -5
I just saw Stevie on Friday at my local library's film night. Stevie is a pretty crushing film and excellent documentary where the filmmaker (also named Steve) is a character.
It's worth not going into too much detail because the movie is hard to explain but Steve worked in a Big Brother program and mentored Stevie, a very troubled boy with a horrendous background. Steve left the program and Stevie after a short time. The film depicts Steve investigating Stevie's life as an adult (not too positive) and what Stevie's future will be (no spoilers here).
The film attempts to avoid making anyone look like too terrible of a person, but it's tough when none of your subjects seem to be capable of reflection on anything. It's a sad story because it shows the gaps in the state's ability to care for people. Religion is featured in parts but I don't think anyone in the movie has really thought through the religion part beyond "being saved," which is the worst form of Christianity, IMO. It's also worth seeing because it does raise the question of a documentary filmmaker exploiting his subject. At times, Steve does put Stevie in some rough spots and Steve also drags up old arguments to fill in gaps in the narrative.
It's a long film but a good one. Also, encourage your library to have a film night because you'll get a different crowd from the typical movie theater people.
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Post by johnnyunusual on Feb 28, 2011 23:24:52 GMT -5
My Dad got netflix recently and we watched Night of the Hunter. Wow, what a great movie. It kind of feels odd in the last act (not bad, just odd) but the movie is incredibly engrossing and unsettling, with Robert Mitchum as "Reverend" Powell as arguable the best villain in cinema. At times he's kind of funny and even a bit goofy but even these scenes give the impression of pure menace that this guy exudes. If you have never seen this classic, check it out. Also, there's something fun about watching a thriller with someone who jumps at the scary parts: my mom was sitting next to me and was really into the movie.
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vulpix
Junior Member
Posts: 79
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Post by vulpix on Mar 5, 2011 13:54:55 GMT -5
I recently caught up with some movies I've been meaning to see for a long time, including 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Irreversible, and Fireproof. I'm not sure which of those three was the most disturbing.
Seriously, though, I have to admit that Fireproof provided me with a healthy dose of comedy after watching those previous two films. One of the first lines of the movie had me cracking up: "This ain't no game! You playin' wit' people live [sic]!" The acting is completely atrocious across the board.
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vulpix
Junior Member
Posts: 79
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Post by vulpix on Mar 13, 2011 1:03:56 GMT -5
I just watched Killer's Kiss yesterday. I have now seen every Stanley Kubrick-directed film ever made, including shorts. (The shorts are available on Google video, as is Kubrick's first feature film, Fear and Desire.) It's interesting exploring his earlier work to see how far--and how quickly--he progresses as a director.
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Dr Handsome
Full Member
...but you can call me Eric.
Posts: 240
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Post by Dr Handsome on Mar 13, 2011 12:34:31 GMT -5
Oh, congratulations!
It's super satisfying to trace the career of a filmmaker by doing just that, watching every single movie they've ever committed to film. That sort of context makes even some of their, well, lesser works worth sitting down and watching.
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Post by johnnyunusual on Mar 17, 2011 14:01:20 GMT -5
Tron Legacy
Me and my friends saw this shortly after the PAX East convention, so a video game themed movie was appropriate. The movie has a lot of problems, but I must say that I was really into it for the most part as I was watching it. There was a hint of the theme that life (or at least life on the grid) can be analogous to a game, but I wish they hit that note a bit harder. Overall, not great, but it is good and is close to being a better movie if they cut out some of the chaff (particularly stuff they hint at that might be for the sequel but has no bearing on this film) and altered a few cliches. Daft Punk's soundtrack suits the movie very well.
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Post by zbetonte on Apr 14, 2011 22:26:26 GMT -5
Just had a chance to check out Hobo with a Shotgun You can check out my review here: filmjive.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/zach-reviews-hobo-with-a-shotgun-2011/But I was pleasantly surprised by it. However, not being a big fan of senseless violence, the movie really isn't for me. But it really does recapture that Grindhouse Cinema atmosphere better then any of the films that have tried in the past few years.
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Post by killerwhalen on Apr 16, 2011 15:34:06 GMT -5
I was watching G.I. Joe with my dad (the Venn Diagram of our movie tastes has a very small overlap). I've got the same problem. The last movie my dad and I both enjoyed watching together was "The Hurt Locker". zbetonte: Personally I was dissapointed with Hobo With a Shotgun. I wasn't sure what side of the emulate/satirize line it was on for the genre. Back when Grindhouse came out Planet Terror was firmly on "satirize" and Death Proof was a smidge towards "emulate". Hobo couldn't really find its center and filled the void with the squishy gore shots that made up most of the movie. It never manged to reach "so good it's good" or "so bad it's good" no matter how much skate-rape they threw in, and so I found it boring.
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Post by johnnyunusual on Apr 18, 2011 19:22:24 GMT -5
Source Code
A very solid sci-fi movie. It makes me really excited for the career of Duncan Jones, who directed this and Moon. There's a lot of auteurs for genres like horror and western, but I can't think of many Sci-Fi auteurs (I guess James Cameron Cronenberg, though the latter is more sci-fi/horror) like I can other genres, so if he sticks with the sci-fi genre, I'm all in.
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Dr Handsome
Full Member
...but you can call me Eric.
Posts: 240
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Post by Dr Handsome on Apr 30, 2011 23:13:50 GMT -5
I haven't seen anything in theaters recently but I've watched my way through half of the Film Forum's list of essential film noir and it's been an absolute blast. I want to specifically recommend Pickup on South Street which is thrilling partly because of how far it's willing to take its violence. Not that I'm saying anything new here but Richard Widmark: an absolutely fantastic actor. The rest...
Double Indemnity and Mildred Pierce are both great movies-- loved watching these ones again.
Detour didn't live up to the hype. I'd describe it as... interesting. Same can be said of Force of Evil.
Criss Cross is good, not great. It's a fun noir but I'd say an okay movie.
Gun Crazy is one of my favorite movies of all time-- so much so that I had to rewatch it twice.
They Live By Night is also terrific with two great leads. I usually don't like Nicholas Ray-- maybe because this is his first film its got less of what I usually don't like about him?
The Lost Weekend is, I'll admit, a little blunt but Billy Wilder really does make it better than it could have been. Much better actually-- it's a great movie!
Second viewing of The Naked City and my review changed for the better. I remember being restless the first time around and I can now confirm it was my fault, not the movie's. It's really great.
The Killing and The Asphalt Jungle don't need writeups. If I had to choose one though I'd go with The Asphalt Jungle. You guys?
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Post by nixmith on May 1, 2011 4:32:53 GMT -5
I received Wong Kar Wai's 'In the Mood For Love' for Christmas and finally watched it the other night. Wonderful film; why did I wait so long? Netflix sent me 'Kurasawa's 'High and Low' so that'll probably be next.
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