Schoolio's Movie Corner

[TomAz]

I liked the movie, but it could have lost that rafting scene and I wouldn't have minded. Not that gratuitous nudity is a bummer, but that exchange felt superfluous.


Best Kubricks in my opinion:


Clockwork Orange
2001 (there's no way in hell this one isn't in his top 3)
Dr. Strangelove
Full Metal Jacket
Paths of Glory
The Shining
Eyes Wide Shut
Barry Lyndon
The Killing
Lolita
Killer's Kiss


Haven't seen Spartacus or Fear and Desire.


of those I've seen:

1. Dr Strangelove (this is like one of my top 5 movies of all time)
2. Full Metal Jacket
3. 2001
4. The Shining
5. A Clockwork Orange
6. Barry Lyndon
7. Lolita

and while I like them all, all the way down to #7, IMO there's a real break between #4 and #5. but, I've not seen Clockwork in years and years, maybe I need to revisit it. all those others I've seen multiple times and at least once in the last 3 years.

[schoolofruckus]

Just saw The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Looks like I might have to change my top 10.

Yeah....you do have a good list, but you should definitely keep it in pencil until after you see Jesse James and I'm Not There and spend enough time chewing on Diving Bell. ;)

Looking over my list now, I'm kind of impressed that I caught so much of what I felt was essential over the course of the year. Usually I leave a decent amount of promising films on the table, for one reason or another. I still need to see Sweeney Todd, Persepolis, Youth Without Youth, and Ratatouille before I can feel like I've done my due dilligence. And - though I expect it to be more of a fun diversion than a list-crasher - Walk Hard. I also rented Angel-A for tonight because Kung Fu loved it so much.

[iv3rdawG]

Yeah....you do have a good list, but you should definitely keep it in pencil until after you see Jesse James and I'm Not There and spend enough time chewing on Diving Bell. ;)

Yeah I'm going to do that. I'll probably see I'm Not There in the next couple of days along with The Savages and The Kite Runner. I really don't know how I'd see Jesse James before February 5th though :/

[schoolofruckus]

If I find a way, I'll let you know. I searched eBay and craigs list for Academy screeners that are up for sale, but it doesn't look like anyone else is that stupid.

[iv3rdawG]

If I find a way, I'll let you know. I searched eBay and craigs list for Academy screeners that are up for sale, but it doesn't look like anyone else is that stupid.

Alright cool. Thanks.

[wmgaretjax]

I'll probably catch Youth Without Youth in the next couple days. Sounds interesting, despite the bad reviews.

[kreutz2112]

Gabe, wmgaretjax, iv3rdawG, and all people who seem to be knowledgeable about good movies. Which movies in your top tens are out on video? I just went to Blockbuster and their selection was shit. I am thinking of joining netflix. Anyway, the only movies that I saw there that were even worth my time were Borne Ultimatum, and The Kingdom. Borne Ultimatum was good, The Kingdom sucked. My girlfriend wanted to rent Reign Over Me, and it wasnt bad. In fact I liked it more than I thought I would. I think I have seen Zodiac for rent, but other than that I have not seen any movies on your guys' top ten.

[thelastgreatman]

Superbad.

[ThomThom]

Kreutz,

Eastern Promises

[kreutz2112]

yeah, I have seen that there as well. I have not kept up on this thread at all. i s that supposed to be good?

[iv3rdawG]

Gabe, wmgaretjax, iv3rdawG, and all people who seem to be knowledgeable about good movies. Which movies in your top tens are out on video? I just went to Blockbuster and their selection was shit. I am thinking of joining netflix. Anyway, the only movies that I saw there that were even worth my time were Borne Ultimatum, and The Kingdom. Borne Ultimatum was good, The Kingdom sucked. My girlfriend wanted to rent Reign Over Me, and it wasnt bad. In fact I liked it more than I thought I would. I think I have seen Zodiac for rent, but other than that I have not seen any movies on your guys' top ten.

Some really enjoyable films that I liked from 2007 that are out on DVD right now. These are the ones from my top 10 that are out now. There aren't many of them out now but these two are complete opposites:

Heima
Hot Fuzz

And some films not on my top 10:

Knocked Up
Waitress
Ratatouille
Paris, je t'aime
28 Weeks Later
Dnevnoy Dozor (Day Watch) - I wouldn't rent this unless you've seen Night Watch, though.
Sicko

And yeah, Eastern Promises is good. Also, as Randy mentioned, Superbad. It's a lot of fun.

[kreutz2112]

Thanks! I have seen Heima and Hot Fuzz. I have also seen Knocked Up, but I have not seen any of the other movies you mentioned. I will check them out.

[amyzzz]

So Day Watch is good? Night Watch was so confusing, but the cinematography looked good, and the idea was cool in theory.

[iv3rdawG]

So Day Watch is good? Night Watch was so confusing, but the cinematography looked good, and the idea was cool in theory.

I liked it but I think both are really love or hate films. It's certainly not one of my favorites of the year but it's still fun.

Thanks! I have seen Heima and Hot Fuzz. I have also seen Knocked Up, but I have not seen any of the other movies you mentioned. I will check them out.

:thu

[schoolofruckus]

The best movie of 2007 to be on DVD right now is definitely Zodiac. You may as well wait until the director's cut comes out on Tuesday (it's only like 7 minutes longer).

I liked Once a lot. I would recommend.

For entertainment purposes, I would throw in Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later. Eastern Promises is tight; it's basically a good thriller with a fucking amazing knife fight - not as substantial as History of Violence.

[schoolofruckus]

I also liked Night Watch and will make an effort to watch Day Watch when Jennie gets back from Florida.

[thelastgreatman]

Superbad.

[ThomThom]

Kreutz,

RENT Eastern Promises and BUY Zodiac

[amyzzz]

I think Sunshine is coming out on video next Tuesday 1-8. I'm really looking forward to seeing it--I haven't seen it yet because it was only here in theatres for 2 weeks last summer.

[kreutz2112]

Kreutz,

RENT Eastern Promises and BUY Zodiac

I dont buy movies, but I will rent them both.

[ThomThom]

Illegally download Zodiac?

[kreutz2112]

no, I just dont buy movies period. I usually only end up watching movies once, maybe twice, due to time constraints, so I cant see spending more than 3 or 4 dollars for them so I just rent them from like blockbuster and netflix

[wmgaretjax]

Assasination of Jesse James comes out early next month. I believe several of my honorable mentions are on video. You should check out Killer of Sheep if it sounds interesting to you, it's a pretty incredible film.

[iv3rdawG]

The NBC broadcast of the awards show itself may be in jeopardy, with actors not wanting to cross the picket lines of striking writers, but the five Golden Globe nominees for Best Foreign Language Film will screen at the Aero and Egyptian Theatres next week, before the directors of all the nominated films convene for a special seminar at the Egyptian on Saturday, January 12. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Persepolis, The Kite Runner, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Lust, Caution will screen January 9 through 12 at the Aero Theatre, and on Saturday, January 12 at 1 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, all five filmmakers will sit for a free-admission panel moderated by Screen International's Mike Goodridge.

The Aero Theatre is located at 1328 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica; the historic Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, between Highland and Las Palmas, in Hollywood. Tickets for both venues are available through Fandango, but for 24-hour recorded information on tickets, directions and each site's upcoming schedule, phone (323) 466-FILM, or visit the Cinematheque's eponymous Web site by clicking here.

http://shareddarkness.com/2007/12/29/globes-nominees.aspx

!!!!!!!

Gabe seeing that you haven't been to either Persepolis and 4 Months and they are showing both for only $10 I think you should jump on this.

http://www.fandango.com/americancinemathequeattheaerotheatre_aacpd/theaterpage?date=1/12/2008

[schoolofruckus]

I actually have seen 4 Months - at the AFI fest in November - but I would definitely like to see it again. And that does seem like a particularly good chance to catch Persepolis.

[iv3rdawG]

I actually have seen 4 Months - at the AFI fest in November - but I would definitely like to see it again. And that does seem like a particularly good chance to catch Persepolis.

Cool. I haven't heard your thoughts on 4 Months and I would be interested to know how you liked it. Also, forgot to mention that Persepolis will be introduced by Satrapi.

[schoolofruckus]

Ask and ye shall receive:


Not to be outshined by the slate of its host theatre, the AFI fest (off to a blazing start) offered up what will surely be the crowning achievement of the festival: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Taking place over the course of one day, this harrowing and unforgettable film - set in 1987 Romania - follows Otilia, a young college student who endeavors to help her roommate Gabita get an illegal abortion. Gabita is far too young to understand either the procedure or the logistical difficulties in undertaking it, and thus Otilia is forced to be the one to both take care of her and (in most cases) to bear the consequences of her friend's helplessness. It's a stark and defiantly neorealist drama that never once takes a shortcut to drive its themes home. The handheld camera follows Otilia through nearly every painstaking detail of this poorly-conceived plan, and the girl who plays her (Anamaria Marinca) carries the film like platinum from a quarry. I'd praise her performance, but no compliment can really enhance the scope of her achievement. She (and really, every actor in this cast) don't have even the slightest semblence of artifice - this is their world, and we're just dropping by.

I really don't know what else to say. If you like heavy real-time dramas and have a truly strong stomach (I have to stop and re-emphasize this - you need serious intestinal fortitude for this one), then this film will rock your fucking world. If not, pay to go see it anyway so that it at least makes money off of you being wrong.

[iv3rdawG]

Nice, spot on. Especially with the strong stomach sentence and the comments about Anamaria Marinca. I really should keep my eye out for more films at the festivals. Sadly I only saw Heima at the AFI Fest.

[wmgaretjax]

comes out February 8th here. finally found a date...

[idrive1life]

My Ranking & Ratings of All Stanley Kubrick Films (including his short & documentary films)
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey, A+
2. Barry Lyndon, A+
3. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, A+
4. Clockwork Orange, A+
5. Eyes Wide Shut, A+
6. The Killing, A
7. Lolita, A
8. The Shining, A
9. Paths of Glory, A
10. Killer's Kiss, A-
11. Spartacus, A-
12. Fear and Desire, A-
-JLkxzzKF5I
13. Day of the Fight, A-
xTXWk0s0cJI
14. Flying Padre, A-
lqWEd9w6qKQ
15. The Seafarers, A-
uaLHLt4VYSU

[bmack86]

I watched Eastern Promises. Loved it. I'm not going to write much on it, but I thought that Viggo Mortensen did a fantastic job. And, that fight scene is fantastic.

[idrive1life]

I really want to see Persepolis now. It sounds like that I will love it even much more than Ratatouille.

My Greatest or Top 10 Animation Films of All-Time:
1. Hotaru no haka (Grave of the Fireflies), A+
2. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away), A+
3. The Iron Giant, A+
4. Les Triplettes de Belleville (The Triplets of Belleville), A+
5. Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro), A+
6. Ratatouille, A
7. Mononoke-hime (Princess Mononoke), A
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, A
9. Metoroporisu (Metropolis), A-
10. Incredibles , A-

[schoolofruckus]

I got around to watching Sweeney Todd. I thought it was pretty dope. The gushing blood got a little out of hand near the end, but I'm glad it ended in tragedy rather than redemption. Still probably my favorite Johnny Depp performance since....I don't know....maybe Fear and Loathing.

[iv3rdawG]

Looks like I'll be seeing I'm Not There tomorrow.

[idrive1life]

^ Ahhhhhh, I'm jealous (maybe next or in 2 weeks here) ... I can't make a Top 10 of 2007 until I've seen There Will Be Blood, The Diving Bell and the Butterly, Persepolis, The Savages, I'm Not There, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Bridge to Terabithia ...

[Down Rodeo]

I finally saw Amores Perros tonight. It was awesome, maybe the best of Inarritu's trilogy (I would have to watch Babel again to decide).

I then followed that up with Citizen Kane, which no one in my family had seen. Only my mom stayed awake through the whole thing, but she loved it. I had seen it a few years ago, but it was definitely better this time. After 60 years, it's still visually and intellectually stimulating - an undeniable masterpiece.

[iv3rdawG]

I finally saw Amores Perros tonight. It was awesome, maybe the best of Inarritu's trilogy (I would have to watch Babel again to decide).

Yeah, it's my favorite too.

[rage patton]

I got around to watching Sweeney Todd. I thought it was pretty dope. The gushing blood got a little out of hand near the end, but I'm glad it ended in tragedy rather than redemption. Still probably my favorite Johnny Depp performance since....I don't know....maybe Fear and Loathing.

I watched Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas the other night. First time I have watched it in probably 4 years. Damn that is a great movie.

[kreutz2112]

I got around to watching Sweeney Todd. I thought it was pretty dope. The gushing blood got a little out of hand near the end, but I'm glad it ended in tragedy rather than redemption. Still probably my favorite Johnny Depp performance since....I don't know....maybe Fear and Loathing.

Blow?

[Somewhat Damaged]

My friend had passes to see Juno last night. I was expecting not to like it, and the first 20 minutes or so, I was right. The dialogue was just aching too badly to be clever/quirky -- "Your eggo is preggo," "That's a little doodle that can't be undid," "Silencio, old man," etc. -- but around the time that Ellen Page met with Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, things started turning around. Scenes I especially liked: Allison Janney telling off the sonogram technician; Michael Cera defending his decision to invite another girl to prom; the interactions between Ellen Page & Jason Bateman, although that was mostly in spite of some of the cruddier dialogue (the treatises on how everything after "the raw power of Iggy and the Stooges just seems mild" or if Dario Argento or that other guy are better horror film directors). So yeah, considering it was free, I was pleasantly surprised, although I would have been just as much if I'd paid regular admission.

[KungFuJoe]

Yeah....you do have a good list, but you should definitely keep it in pencil until after you see Jesse James and I'm Not There and spend enough time chewing on Diving Bell. ;)

Looking over my list now, I'm kind of impressed that I caught so much of what I felt was essential over the course of the year. Usually I leave a decent amount of promising films on the table, for one reason or another. I still need to see Sweeney Todd, Persepolis, Youth Without Youth, and Ratatouille before I can feel like I've done my due dilligence. And - though I expect it to be more of a fun diversion than a list-crasher - Walk Hard. I also rented Angel-A for tonight because Kung Fu loved it so much.


yes, I did enjoy Angel-A, but am probably one of the few. I'm interested in hearing your opinion. It's certainly not a wholly original film, but I thought it was an extremely beautiful film and had a couple of stand out scenes. And I loved the dynamic between the two lead actors. Not a film that will make my top ten of the year, but it would certainly get an honarable mention.

[downingthief]

Just got this (http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Runner-Five-Disc-Ultimate-Collectors/dp/B000K15VSA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1199384811&sr=8-1) yesterday. Opened it, but not viewed yet. Packaging is pretty cool. Can't decide on which version of Blade Runner to start with!

[amyzzz]

We bought and viewed Bladerunner: Final Cut. I don't think we had ever watched the regular movie all the way through. Still not sure if I like it anyway. Anyone know the difference between the different versions?

[wmgaretjax]

I really want to see Persepolis now. It sounds like that I will love it even much more than Ratatouille.

My Greatest or Top 10 Animation Films of All-Time:
1. Hotaru no haka (Grave of the Fireflies), A+
2. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away), A+
3. The Iron Giant, A+
4. Les Triplettes de Belleville (The Triplets of Belleville), A+
5. Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro), A+
6. Ratatouille, A
7. Mononoke-hime (Princess Mononoke), A
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, A
9. Metoroporisu (Metropolis), A-
10. Incredibles , A-

whoa whoa whoa whoa. buddy! have you not seen any Svankmeyer or Brothers Quay? Get on that man! Your list will change for sure. "Conspirators of Pleasure" is a must for Svankmeyer!

[downingthief]

We bought and viewed Bladerunner: Final Cut. I don't think we had ever watched the regular movie all the way through. Still not sure if I like it anyway. Anyone know the difference between the different versions?

Amy,

Mainly the endings are different, as well as the Deckard voice overs. The Director's cut from 1992 did not have any voice overs, where as the original version in the 80's did have it. Haven't seen the Final Cut yet, but I also understand it has additional footage. Sorry you did not like it...Blade Runner is one of my all time faves.

[PotVsKtl]

whoa whoa whoa whoa. buddy! have you not seen any Svankmeyer or Brothers Quay? Get on that man! Your list will change for sure. "Conspirators of Pleasure" is a must for Svankmeyer!

Considering the entire list is Pixar and Miyazaki I'd venture a guess that the only other animation he's seen is Inspector Gadget and food preparation training videos.

[TomAz]

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/1/11/Roadrunner.jpg

[schoolofruckus]

I think this movie heard us talking about worst movie trailers a couple days ago, and then decided to throw it's hat in the ring:

8pduO42k62o

Just a warning - I will kill any of you who pay to see it.

[kreutz2112]

Unfortunately, my fiance will want to see that. Dont worry we wont though.

[kingsblend420]

I think this movie heard us talking about worst movie trailers a couple days ago, and then decided to throw it's hat in the ring:

8pduO42k62o

Just a warning - I will kill any of you who pay to see it.

But if its on HBO thats OK right?

[wmgaretjax]

I opened that trailer... for some reason even after I closed it (after about 10 seconds) the audio kept playing, and I had to listen to the whole thing... ugh.

[downingthief]

I think this movie heard us talking about worst movie trailers a couple days ago, and then decided to throw it's hat in the ring:

8pduO42k62o

Just a warning - I will kill any of you who pay to see it.

I had to sit through it before Sweeney. It was painful.

[iv3rdawG]

Man that looks really horrible.

I went to Aaron Brothers today cause I just bought a movie poster a couple days ago and I needed a frame. It was $41 for the frame :( but they have a pretty cool sale going on where if you buy a frame you can get another one for 1 cent so I just got another 27x40. So it was pretty much $20 each which is nice. Now I just need to find another poster to buy. Thought I'd let you all know if you have any posters laying around.

[amyzzz]

http://www.homevideos.com/movies-covers/OVERBOARD.jpg

[schoolofruckus]

Man that looks really horrible.

I went to Aarons Brothers today cause I just bought a movie poster a couple days ago and I needed a frame. It was $41 for the frame :( but they have a pretty cool sale going on where if you buy a frame you can get another one for 1 cent so I just got another 27x40. So it was pretty much $20 each which is nice. Now I just need to find another poster to buy. Thought I'd let you all know if you have any posters laying around.

Actually, I do have that problem - needing frames for one-sheets to decorate my office. Any idea how long this sale is lasting?

[iv3rdawG]

Actually, I do have that problem - needing frames for one-sheets to decorate my office. Any idea how long this sale is lasting?

The site says January 27th:

Prices effective Tuesday, Dec 25th - Sunday, Jan 27th (except as noted)

http://akimages.crossmediaservices.com/dyn_rppi/400.0.88.0/aaronbrothers/large/071226_1_7gch5.jpg

http://aaronbrothers.shoplocal.com/aaronbrothers/Default.aspx?action=entry&pretailerid=-98466&siteid=798&storeid=2541107

[idrive1life]

whoa whoa whoa whoa. buddy! have you not seen any Svankmeyer or Brothers Quay? Get on that man! Your list will change for sure. "Conspirators of Pleasure" is a must for Svankmeyer!

Nope (not sure when I can). I canceled my netflix last week (am being overwhelmed) so I'll check if our local public library or Bbuster have those.

Would you post your Top 10?

I'm still doing catch-up with "best of 2007" so I'm busy compiling/re-ranking/updating my old lists (all-time, by decade, year, director etc.).

Let's do Sir Alfred Hitchcock's this time. I'll start ...

1. Psycho, A+
2. Vertigo (this is really tough, #1 & #2 are interchanging every year), A+
3. Strangers on a Train, A+
4. Rear Window, A+
5. North by Northwest, A+
6. The Birds, A+
7. The 39 Steps, A+
8. Shadow of a Doubt, A+/A
9. Rope, A+/A
10. Rebecca, A+/A
11. Spellbound, A+/A
12. Foreign Correspondent, A+/A
13. Notorious, A
14. Dial M for Murder, A
15. To Catch a Thief, A-
16. The Lady Vanishes, A-
17. Marnie, A-
18. Frenzy, A-
19. Saboteur, A-
20. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), A-
21. Topaz, A-/B+
22. Torn Curtain, A-/B+
23. The Trouble With Harry, A-
24. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), B+
25. The Paradine Case, B
26. Jamaica Inn, B

I will try to watch all the ones I have not seen (let me check 'em in youtube) in 2008.

[thelastgreatman]

Hitchcock doesn't have a single movie that's an A. When he was good he was pretty good, but he wasn't the genius everyone makes him out to be by modern standards.

[TomAz]

Hitchcock doesn't have a single movie that's an A. When he was good he was pretty good, but he wasn't the genius everyone makes him out to be by modern standards.

Right. Psycho was good, but it was no Superbad.

[iv3rdawG]

AFI ARCHLIGHT HOLLYWOOD
SWEENEY TODD
Friday, January 4, 8:00 PM
2007 117 MIN 35 MM Rated R
Q&A with director Tim Burton will immediately follow the screening.

Still some seats but it seems to be almost sold out.

[thelastgreatman]

Right. Psycho was good, but it was no Superbad.

Scales for comedy is a little different. Psycho was pretty good. It was no Shining.

[iv3rdawG]

RT Editors' Best Movie Picks of 2007. Seems good except I don't know why The Lives of Others is in there. Same with 300.

http://beta.rottentomatoes.com/m/no_country_for_old_men/news/1700054/

No Country For Old Men (95%)
Atonement (85%)
There Will Be Blood (89%)
Lars and the Real Girl (78%)
Zodiac (89%)
Hallam Foe (84%)
Juno (94%)
300 (60%)
Control (89%)
Superbad (87%)
The Lives of Others (93%)
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (94%)
Ratatouille (97%)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (93%)
Once (98%)
Michael Clayton (90%)
Paprika (81%)
The Orphanage (77%)
3:10 to Yuma (88%)
Knocked Up (90%)

[keriann]

I think this movie heard us talking about worst movie trailers a couple days ago, and then decided to throw it's hat in the ring:

8pduO42k62o

Just a warning - I will kill any of you who pay to see it.

I thought it was weird that they showed trailers for two fluffy romantic comedies before Sweeney Todd.

And that movie looked HORRIBLE.

[mountmccabe]

Actually, I do have that problem - needing frames for one-sheets to decorate my office. Any idea how long this sale is lasting?

The site says January 27th:

Prices effective Tuesday, Dec 25th - Sunday, Jan 27th (except as noted)

http://aaronbrothers.shoplocal.com/aaronbrothers/Default.aspx?action=entry&pretailerid=-98466&siteid=798&storeid=2541107

They'll have the same sale in July, fyi. And then next January. Etc.

[wmgaretjax]

Would you post your Top 10?


1. Conspirators of Pleasure
2. Piano Tuner of Earthquakes
3. Street of Crocodiles
4. Cat Soup
5. Spirited Away
6. South Park
7. Watership Down
8. Secret of Nimh
9. Dimensions of Dialogue
10. Instituta Benjamenta

[bmack86]

Hitchcock has many fantastic movies because he was a great storyteller. He definitely has some As.

[whynotsmile99]

I saw BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR DEAD last night. It was excellent, though a bit confusing in one of the most important scenes. That bugged me.

Very well told/directed story and great acting. Finney and Hawke should get award nominations. Hawke especially. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was great as well and Marisa Tomei has never been hotter

[iv3rdawG]

I saw BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR DEAD last night. It was excellent, though a bit confusing in one of the most important scenes. That bugged me.

Very well told/directed story and great acting. Finney and Hawke should get award nominations. Hawke especially. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was great as well and Marisa Tomei has never been hotter

I didn't like it as much as most people seem to. If Hoffman gets nominated for anything I think/hope it'll be for Charlie Wilson's War. And I agree about Tomei. I just watched the Seinfeld episode with her in it too. Mmmm.

[schoolofruckus]

For the record, I strongly disliked it for the most part. Hoffman was great, Tomei was bangin' (in the pun sense and otherwise), but I - unlike whynotsmile - did not feel that there was a sufficient amount of lucid or engaging storytelling in most of the film. The editing was atrocious, and overall, I didn't see the "resurgent" direction from Lumet that everyone else claims is there.

I believe Jared felt the same way.

[iv3rdawG]

Whew, glad to hear some others on here didn't enjoy it either.

So, Gabe are you going to the Persepolis/4 Months showing?

[schoolofruckus]

I'm pretty sure I am. But I haven't bought tickets yet because I'm not positive. I'm hoping (though not optimistic) there will still be tickets left when I decide yes or no.

[iv3rdawG]

Sounds good.

[wmgaretjax]

Yeah, Gabe is right, I didn't like it either.

I've taken a break from films for a few days. My roomate ripped all of the X-Files episodes, so I'm watching the ones he has directed me too (basically any that pertain to the common, long running alien thread.). I'm enjoying it so far.

[schoolofruckus]

No break for me yet - I've got Ratatouille and Offside (an Iranian film that got a lot of love on the 2007 Village Voice poll) at home from Netflix. And I also scored some great overseas DVD's right before Christmas - The Red Desert (which I've been looking for for about 6 months), Damnation, and The Idiots.

[full on idle]

Watership Down is so so so so sad.

I'm having a hard time getting through Live Free or Die. I'm going to try harder. I've been watching like 10 minutes of it a night for a week.

[schoolofruckus]

I've never heard of Watership Down. Tell us more.

[bmack86]

The book is great.

I'm going to see There Will Be Blood tomorrow. I'm so goddamn excited.

[full on idle]

It was on W. Garet X's list for his favorite animation movies.

It's about these rabbits trying to get away from these evil humans and they face all this tribulation and violence and I remember watching it on tv when I was a little kid and basically being scarred for life. I haven't seen it since then but just reading the name makes me think of being scared of the dark and nightmares.

In other words, you'd love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[full on idle]

http://www.sirlistalot.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/watershipdown_violence.jpg

[iv3rdawG]

I'm going to see There Will Be Blood tomorrow. I'm so goddamn excited.

Nice.

[bmack86]

I didn't know they made a Watership Down movie, but the book has these rabbits who are trying to escape and form their own colony. It's a really well-developed story, and there was a followup book that was entertaining as well.

And, I liked the Animal Farm animated film. it wasn't great, but it was certainly good.

[roberto73]

If Hoffman gets nominated for anything I think/hope it'll be for Charlie Wilson's War.

Or better yet, The Savages.

I've got There Will Be Blood and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly on my agenda for the weekend. That pretty much wraps up the 2007 releases for me, as I have zero inclination to see The Great Debaters or The Bucket List.

[B∞Rdom§]

after years of anticipation i finally picked up akira
and for people who like anime or not (im not that huge of a fan but flcl and cowboy bebop are amazing) it's worth watching.
that, and tekkonkinkreet have to be my two favorite animations as of now
real movies
-audition
-happiness of the katakuris
-dolls
-little miss sunshine (cliche')


sorry im having a brain fart :(

[PotVsKtl]

Hitchcock doesn't have a single movie that's an A. When he was good he was pretty good, but he wasn't the genius everyone makes him out to be by modern standards.

This is fucking ridiculous. What Hitchcock have you seen?

[PotVsKtl]

Wait I'm boring myself.

[thelastgreatman]

Thank you.

[wmgaretjax]

-audition
-happiness of the katakuris
-dolls


YES

NO

and meh.

Audition is one of my favorite movies.

[schoolofruckus]

I liked Offside quite a bit. It's a film about a half-dozen Iranian girls who are brought together as captives after each of them are apprehended trying to enter a soccer game. A helpful title card at the beginning states that "Women are banned from attending sporting events in Iran", and an even more helpful title card informs us that the film was shot mostly at a real-life World Cup qualifying match in 2005. Then the film begins, with (for me, and I would imagine for anyone familiar with the logistics of filmmaking) a dual-layered sense of intrigue. The story of the girls is engaging in itself - they're a spirited bunch, far more knowledgeable about soccer than the men who detain them (in the name of "protecting" them from the obscenity of the mob), and adverse to the gender patronization they receive at every turn. But equally fascinating was trying to imagine how this hand-held, fleet-footed movie was filmed in these conditions. If the Iranian government won't permit women to attend sporting events, then I would imagine the rules wouldn't be bent to allow a film production to depict those rules as particularly foolish. So, I'd have to assume that the conditions of the shoot were nearly as risky as the situation depicted. The tension is definitely captured on-screen - for a game that occurs almost completely out of sight (much to the frustration of the captive women), this is one of the more electrifying sporting atmospheres in recent memory.

The film's ending is a little unbelievable, but it makes sense thematically (though it's a bit starry-eyed) and is satisfying in its own way. But it's still very good and I recommend that you all give it a shot.

[schoolofruckus]

I just watched Ratatouille. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about it. I liked everything in principle - the look was gorgeous, the story was entertaining, the culinary aspects stimulating. I can't think of any flaws that really bothered me - sure, it's unrealistic and kind of easy to see coming, but you know that going in because it's a kid's film. Bottom line is, it left me a little cold, which Pixar films don't usually tend to do. I'm sure this isn't a good thing.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

That's too bad, it's my favorite Pixar film. I love Ratatouille.

[HowToDisappear]

We drove up to LA last weekend with the girls to see Persepolis.

We all really enjoyed it. The animation is very much in keeping with the graphic novel.

I'm intrigued with the Landmark up there. Not like ours at all. A lot more swanky. Better concession food. (Except we ate at the abysmal food court in the mall.) When you order tickets online, you choose assigned seats, just like the airlines! Pretty trippy.

[schoolofruckus]

The smartest - best - theatres are all going in the direction of assigned seating. It just makes the most sense - drives up online sales, rewards people for committing to the movie in advance and not penalizing them if they don't make it to the screening before the jackals who try to save entire rows for their "family who's out in the lobby", etc.

I'm glad to hear that Persepolis was good. I'll definitely be catching it sometime in the next week.

[wmgaretjax]

everywhere that I know of outside of this country uses assigned seating and it's great.

[HowToDisappear]

Since it's only in limited release in LA and Chicago, we had to make a special trip to see it before the girls went back to school. We definitely thought it was worth it.

You Los Angelenos are lucky. There's always something wonderful to see and do in LA. If only the traffic, smog, etc., wasn't so bad...

[iv3rdawG]

Still love Persepolis. Can't wait to see it again next week.

And yes, the assigned seating is really great. I don't mind coughing up a few more bucks to see a film at the Archlight for that + all the other sweet stuff they have there.

[schoolofruckus]

The technical supervision at places like Arclight and the Landmark is the key. I was reminded of that when I saw I'm Not There in Denver over the holidays. We saw it at one of the Landmark arthouse theatres out there (it seems to me that most Landmark theatres, aside from a growing number of multiplexes like the one in West L.A., are arthouses), and the frame was a good 8 inches off the screen on the right side. Having seen the film before, I didn't mind missing a few minutes to go tell the manager that something was off. But the problem was never corrected, and I had that in the back of my mind for the entire screening. After the show, I asked him why it never got fixed, and he said the projectionist checked but didn't see a problem.

That kind of shit never has never happened to me at the Arclight.

[keriann]

It was on W. Garet X's list for his favorite animation movies.

It's about these rabbits trying to get away from these evil humans and they face all this tribulation and violence and I remember watching it on tv when I was a little kid and basically being scarred for life. I haven't seen it since then but just reading the name makes me think of being scared of the dark and nightmares.

In other words, you'd love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.sirlistalot.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/watershipdown_violence.jpg

Team was traumatized by Watership Down as a Child

Full On Idle
keriann

Also I watched Reign Over Me last night and agree with whoever said they thought the film should have ended at the chinese restaurant. That would have been much more powerful. Great acting and an interesting, affecting story, though. It still amazes me that silly-ass Adam Sandler can really pull off serious roles.

[wmgaretjax]

i laughed at the part where he was crying and singing that springsteen song.

[keriann]

There were definitely a few parts that were slightly retarded.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Also I watched Reign Over Me last night and agree with whoever said they thought the film should have ended at the chinese restaurant. That would have been much more powerful. Great acting and an interesting, affecting story, though. It still amazes me that silly-ass Adam Sandler can really pull off serious roles.

What was the Chinese restaurant scene? I saw this movie in theaters way back in March and have forgotten most of it. Sandler was very good, though.

[iv3rdawG]

The technical supervision at places like Arclight and the Landmark is the key. I was reminded of that when I saw I'm Not There in Denver over the holidays. We saw it at one of the Landmark arthouse theatres out there (it seems to me that most Landmark theatres, aside from a growing number of multiplexes like the one in West L.A., are arthouses), and the frame was a good 8 inches off the screen on the right side. Having seen the film before, I didn't mind missing a few minutes to go tell the manager that something was off. But the problem was never corrected, and I had that in the back of my mind for the entire screening. After the show, I asked him why it never got fixed, and he said the projectionist checked but didn't see a problem.

That kind of shit never has never happened to me at the Arclight.

Bingo.

[keriann]

What was the Chinese restaurant scene? I saw this movie in theaters way back in March and have forgotten most of it. Sandler was very good, though.

I am trying to think of how to explain without being spoliery. It was after Charlie's incident with the police. He wanted to go have Chinese with Johnson. At the restaurant, Johnson talked a little bit about his problems. At the end of the scene he said something along the lines of "are you going to be okay?" to Charlie. To which Charlie said something like "I'm more worried about you." Could have ended right there.

[schoolofruckus]

Chuckle-worthy.

wKiIroiCvZ0

[iv3rdawG]

Hmm. Thinking about going to see Lust, Caution on Friday. Not sure though.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Damn it just see I'm Not There and be done with it.

[iv3rdawG]

Damn it just see I'm Not There and be done with it.

:blah

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

You're gonna miss out on the Pipettes cover of "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll." ;)

[schoolofruckus]

:blah

No, he's right. You really do need to see I'm Not There before any of the stuff out right now that you have not seen (to my knowledge).

[iv3rdawG]

No, he's right. You really do need to see I'm Not There before any of the stuff out right now that you have not seen (to my knowledge).

Yes I know. He's been bugging me about it ever since he saw it ;)

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

It's my second favorite film of this year, though There Will Be Blood could change that.

[idrive1life]

Just signed up again with BBuster online and have these 18 Movies in my Queue.

*
Black Book
2006

* "long wait"
After the Wedding
2006

*
The Boss of It All
2006

*
Four Sheets to the Wind
2007

* 01/08/2008
Sunshine
2007

*
Manderlay
2005

*
Offside
2006

*
Bridge to Terabithia
2007

*
Everything's Gone Green
2006

*
Breach
2007

*
Air Guitar Nation
2006

*
Fido
2006

*
Interview
2007

*
The Lookout
2007

*
Manufactured Landscapes
2006

* Coming Soon
Flanders
2006

* 01/08/2008
Joshua
2007

* Coming Soon
Death at a Funeral
2007

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Good stuff.

[full on idle]

Yay Bridge to Terabithia!

[bmack86]

I have a ticket to see There Will Be Blood at 10:20. I wanted the 7:20 screening, but it was sold out. Excited much?

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I envy you.

[bmack86]

All these best of the year lists are weak and lacking. Go see There Will Be Blood. You won't need anything else on the list, I swear. Daniel Day-Lewis is an absolute wizard in the film. He comes on the screen, never leaves, and is a pure marvel to behold. His character can be likable, but more than anything it's a joy to watch him develop. The cinematography's great, the script is superb, and the ending was killer. I've never had nearly 3 hours go by so quickly. As my roommate said when we left, "I don't think I've ever seen a better made movie." I'm still speechless.

[corbo]

there will be blood was awesome. just got back from seeing it.

[bmack86]

where'd you see it at?

[corbo]

@ the arclight. youre right daniel's performance was top notch. that last scene was hilarious..

[bmack86]

I almost went to the Arclight, but the AMC Century City is closer.

[tessalasset]

god you idiots are making me want to see it so badly, but i don't think i'm gonna like it. my friend alex made me see his favorite movie ever, a clockwork orange, and i absolutely despised it. he said if he brought me to there will be blood it would be the same thing. amazing movie that i would totally hate. i might have to just wait to netflix it.

gabe i saw juno again tonight at landmark with my mom. she loved it. ok and i have a confession that's kind of sick - i really wish juno and jason bateman's character would have ended up together. i mean i loved her with michael cera, and i know it would have been sick with statutory rape charges had it gone the other way, but i really really liked them together. and i was kind of excited to see it again tonight just to see their characters together again. yes she was in high school but she was mature goddammit. and he was kind of immature. it worked. but yeah she and paulie were adorable together so it's all good.

[corbo]

i dont see how anyone could NOT like this movie tess. go watch it.

also today i saw "talk to me" with don cheadle...i thought it was really good.
i also netflixed eastern promises...it was good...i was expecting something better but wasnt let down.

[bmack86]

I definitely don't see it in the same vein as A Clockwork Orange. Clockwork is much more brutal. Although both do have main characters that are, at times, very hard to like or tolerate. I'd say see it.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

aaah anticipation killing me

[amyzzz]

thanks for the spoiler, tessa. I shouldn't even come in here.

[schoolofruckus]

That's okay, you shouldn't see Juno anyway.

[Stefinitely Maybe]

Chuckle-worthy.

wKiIroiCvZ0

This is the best thing I have ever seen.

[TomAz]

gabe i saw juno again tonight at landmark with my mom. she loved it. ok and i have a confession that's kind of sick - i really wish juno and jason bateman's character would have ended up together. i mean i loved her with michael cera, and i know it would have been sick with statutory rape charges had it gone the other way, but i really really liked them together. and i was kind of excited to see it again tonight just to see their characters together again. yes she was in high school but she was mature goddammit. and he was kind of immature. it worked. but yeah she and paulie were adorable together so it's all good.

I have not seen this movie but my daughter & her friends all claim I remind them of the adoptive dad character. something about an old guy being obsessed with music. i don't see it myself.

[schoolofruckus]

Also, I shared - collaborated on, really - Alex's belief that Tessa should not see There Will Be Blood. I really feel like she would stab me if I made her go see it.

[Courtney]

I watched Jesus Camp on DVD the other day. For a supposedly unbiased documentary, it sure did have a lot of editorializing.

[wmgaretjax]

Have you fellas seen "Songs From the Second Floor" by Roy Andersson? Don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I recently re-watched an amazing short film by him that's on one of the cinema16 euro sets. Figured I'd throw that out here. I love both the film and the short. I'd even go as far to say it's my favorite short film of all time. That is all.

I thought Jesus Camp was funny as fuck, but I grew up with those people...

I'm seeing 2001 on 70mm at our local Cinerama this month. Cineramas can be a mixed bag, but the one in Seattle is fucking fantastic, so I'm excited.

[idrive1life]

Have you fellas seen "Songs From the Second Floor" by Roy Andersson? Don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I recently re-watched an amazing short film by him that's on one of the cinema16 euro sets. Figured I'd throw that out here. I love both the film and the short. I'd even go as far to say it's my favorite short film of all time. That is all.

I thought Jesus Camp was funny as fuck, but I grew up with those people...

I'm seeing 2001 on 70mm at our local Cinerama this month. Cineramas can be a mixed bag, but the one in Seattle is fucking fantastic, so I'm excited.

Yes, I've seen Songs from the Second Floor, a brilliantly written very funny and at the same time heartbreaking film.

Holy fuck (sorry but I have to), 2001 on 70mm! Arrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Edit:

Googled it ...

Did you see it when they also did that in 2001?

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2001_Oct_2/ai_78823841

2001: A Space Odyssey**: 1/27, 1/29, 2/3, 2/5
Lawrence of Arabia: 3/16, 3/18, 3/23, 3/25

**Original print in "B" condition


http://exploitseattle.com/3746/Classic_70MM_Film_Series_at_Cinerama.html

Wow! I also want to see LoA in the big screen again.

[wmgaretjax]

Yeah, I watched LoA last year (happens every year), but I'll probably do it again. I'm pretty pumped on 2001 though, that'll be new for me.

[schoolofruckus]

This morning, I watched Antonioni's Il Deserto Rosso. The film is fucking mind-blowing - too early to say, but it may end up being my favorite of his films. It was the first film he shot in color, and he used a lot of artificial coloring on the set (both in the architecture of the built sets and on the landscape itself) to craft this visually immaculate look at neurosis and insecurity - in both man and environment. Antonioni's longtime muse, Monica Vitti, gives the best performance out of all the films they made together as Giulianna, a wife and mother who still copes with the mental anguish from a recent car accident. Unable to take solace in her family, she plays like a more introverted version of Mabel from A Woman Under the Influence - without even that character's ability to channel her selflessness to others. Richard Harris, in a fine performance that was apparently dubbed because he didn't speak Italian, plays a friend and business associate of her husband, who is immediately transfixed by her. The themes here are classic Antonioni, with an added ecological dimension to the alienation felt by the characters. Like all of his films, it keeps working its way into your brain long after it's finished. I would demand that you all see it, but unless you have a region-free DVD player and are willing to drop $40 or so on eBay, it's not going to happen. :( Come on, Criterion. Do the right thing.

[bmack86]

Don't worry Gabe, they'll get it. It always surprises me how long it takes Criterion to get certain movies. Like Breathless or Ran.

[idrive1life]

Yay for Criterion of that and Blow up! (though at least they did Blow-up on laserdisc). If I'm not mistaken Criterion DVD only did Antonioni's L'Avventura and L'Eclisse so far.

* Edit:
http://www.criterion.com/asp/browse_director_list.asp <- what's up with this link, I also have Truffauts' Jules et Jim and Shoot The Piano Player in Criterion but they are not listed there yet? *

Monica Vitti:lips

[wmgaretjax]

they have to acquire the rights, and for a lot of these films it's a long process.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Have you fellas seen "Songs From the Second Floor" by Roy Andersson? Don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I recently re-watched an amazing short film by him that's on one of the cinema16 euro sets. Figured I'd throw that out here. I love both the film and the short. I'd even go as far to say it's my favorite short film of all time. That is all.

I've wanted to see Songs from the Second Floor for years, but I still don't have Netflix and it's therefore hard to find. Sooner or later I'll just buy it.

[schoolofruckus]

Yay for Criterion of that and Blow up! (though at least they did Blow-up on laserdisc). If I'm not mistaken Criterion DVD only did Antonioni's L'Avventura and L'Eclisse so far.

* Edit:
http://www.criterion.com/asp/browse_director_list.asp <- what's up with this link, I also have Truffauts' Jules et Jim and Shoot The Piano Player in Criterion but they are not listed there yet? *

Monica Vitti:lips

Blow-Up on Criterion isn't going to happen. Warners owns the rights, and they're stingier than just about any other studio when it comes to selling their titles to Criterion or anyone else. Which is a shame because that means they're sitting on Zabriskie Point as well and not doing anything with it. Red Desert, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be owned by anyone substantial (American-rights, I mean), so Criterion should snap that one up in a hurry.

Jules et Jim and Shoot the Piano Player are both listed on Criterion's site.

[idrive1life]

Oh wait, they are in that link, I must be sleepy earlier that I did'nt see/scroll them down (here http://www.criterion.com/asp/browse_directors.asp?id=12).

Criterion Laserdiscs:
http://www.criterion.com/asp/laserdisc_browse.asp and oh,

"If God created laserdisc machines for the sake of viewing one film in particular, that film would have to be Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 masterpiece Blowup." -Elaine Bailey, Movieline

[KungFuJoe]

I almost went to the Arclight, but the AMC Century City is closer.

possibly my favorite theater in l.a. I used to love going to AMC Century City when I lived by it. For the price, Arclight is not that much better.

[ghettojournalist]

just saw "Juno" and it's made it's mark. at first, i thought it was going to be the young hipster version of the adult youngster "Knocked Up". they both are great films, but, maybe due to the age difference and/or the personal connection to the characters, "Juno" just hit me harder. A

this year's been good to me. being a Kevin Smith fan, it's great to see a writing style that he and Linklater, and to some extent QT, revitalized in the 90s resurrected in the present.

i also just saw "Bubble" by Steven Soderbergh on dvd, mostly by accident due to my Netlfix return sneaking up on me. the small, factory town minutae almost killed the film for me, in the beginning. eventually, the simplicity of the characters and the forwardness of the theme became endearing for me. B+

[schoolofruckus]

Ugh....I hadn't thought of Juno in terms of the Kevin Smith influence. Now I'm even more angry at him. He needs to chase Amy again or something, because that's the only thing he's done that has survived high school graduation. For me, at least.

I don't see how Linklater - who's always been more interested in both Cassavetes-descended naturalism and Soderbergh-like shape-shifting - fits in with Smith, Tarantino, or Juno.

Bubble was awesome.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Linklater has nothing to do with Juno.

And Bubble is a great, fascinating film, sadly overlooked.

[tessalasset]

This morning, I watched Antonioni's Il Deserto Rosso.
It worries me that you posted this at 10:18 AM. Unless by "this morning" you meant 1 am or something. Otherwise you are fucking psycho. Just sayin'.

[schoolofruckus]

No, I really did pass out at 9:30 pm last night, and then wake up at 6:30 today and watched the movie. Old man schedule like whoa.

[tessalasset]

Jesus Christ son.

[dorkfish]

I'm going to do awesome reviews for every movie I watch in 2008

1. National Treasure Book of Secrets or whatever - It made me paid attention, at least. It wasn't boring, if that's a positive.

2. Zoo - Pretty boring. One laugh out loud moment involving a small horse. The interview with Cop #1 made me wish I could summon fire to cause his death.

3. I Am Legend - Apparently everyone gets a disease from a cancer vaccine and turns into cartoon-y vampires. Pretty awful.

[psychic friend]

I'm going to do awesome reviews for every movie I watch in 2008

National Treasure Book of Secrets or whatever - It made me paid attention, at least. It wasn't boring, if that's a positive.

Zoo - Pretty boring. One laugh out loud moment involving a small horse. The interview with Cop #1 made me wish I could summon fire to cause his death.

I Am Legend - Apparently everyone gets a disease from a cancer vaccine and turns into cartoon-y vampires. Pretty awful.

best reviews ever!

[schoolofruckus]

Jesus Christ son.

I like to start my day off with despairing Italian women.

I'm going to do awesome reviews for every movie I watch in 2008

National Treasure Book of Secrets or whatever - It made me paid attention, at least. It wasn't boring, if that's a positive.

Zoo - Pretty boring. One laugh out loud moment involving a small horse. The interview with Cop #1 made me wish I could summon fire to cause his death.

I Am Legend - Apparently everyone gets a disease from a cancer vaccine and turns into cartoon-y vampires. Pretty awful.



I like this resolution. Please continue.

[dorkfish]

I forgot one:

4. Day Watch - I loved Night Watch. I thought this was supposed to be a trilogy? It's pretty good! I hate Kostya, though. He's such a douchey vampire.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

The third one is being made in America or something. I think it's going to be in English too.

[gratytrainridesagain]

They are doing it in english and possibly getting American actors in it as well

[dorkfish]

I haven't gotten that far in the book series, so I'm not fully sure where they can even go in the story after Day Watch. It's not like they had any open ended things left over.

[Down Rodeo]

I finally saw Assassination of Jesse James tonight. Excellent movie with great acting, especially by Casey Affleck and, to a lesser extent, Brad Pitt. As you guys noted earlier, the cinematography was gorgeous and despite the slow pace, the movie played out like a contemplative elegy. Thanks for hyping this movie for a while - that's the reason I wanted to see it so badly, and I'm glad I was able to while it's still in theaters.

[ghettojournalist]

Ugh....I hadn't thought of Juno in terms of the Kevin Smith influence. Now I'm even more angry at him. He needs to chase Amy again or something, because that's the only thing he's done that has survived high school graduation. For me, at least.

I don't see how Linklater - who's always been more interested in both Cassavetes-descended naturalism and Soderbergh-like shape-shifting - fits in with Smith, Tarantino, or Juno.

Bubble was awesome.

maybe i'm lumping memory, but Linklater always seemed to somehow incorporate hype-literate and pop culture-minded characters into his "indie" films, along with a penchant for lengthy dialogue. it might have tapered off in his recent works...again, i may be lumping.

[ghettojournalist]

Linklater has nothing to do with Juno.

And Bubble is a great, fascinating film, sadly overlooked.

Reitman has cited Smith, Linklater and Anderson as an influence on his work.

while he didn't write the screenplay, i don't think i'm grasping at straws.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

He can cite anyone he wants. He could cite Ingmar Bergman, but that wouldn't make Juno Bergmanesque. I wouldn't call it grasping at straws, I just don't personally see it. All I really see in Juno is, like, Wes Anderson maybe in some of the directorial choices and, I don't even know. It just felt like a kind of amalgam of what has been trendy in independent film in recent years.

[J~$$$]

There Will Be Blood. Now thats a fucking film. <3.

[schoolofruckus]

maybe i'm lumping memory, but Linklater always seemed to somehow incorporate hype-literate and pop culture-minded characters into his "indie" films, along with a penchant for lengthy dialogue. it might have tapered off in his recent works...again, i may be lumping.

He does use a lot of lengthy dialogue, but it doesn't have the masturbatory screenwriter-y qualities that the dialogue of Smith/Tarantino/Cody does. At least, I don't think it does. I'm not an expert on his films, but he seems to me to usually shoot for conversation that feels somewhat improvised and realistic (aside from stuff like School of Rock and A Scanner Darkly).

[schoolofruckus]

I finally saw Assassination of Jesse James tonight. Excellent movie with great acting, especially by Casey Affleck and, to a lesser extent, Brad Pitt. As you guys noted earlier, the cinematography was gorgeous and despite the slow pace, the movie played out like a contemplative elegy. Thanks for hyping this movie for a while - that's the reason I wanted to see it so badly, and I'm glad I was able to while it's still in theaters.

There Will Be Blood. Now thats a fucking film. <3.

Preach, preachas.

[wmgaretjax]

Reitman has cited Smith, Linklater and Anderson as an influence on his work.

while he didn't write the screenplay, i don't think i'm grasping at straws.

No you aren't grasping at straws, you are taking the word of a director who is trying to exalt his mediocre work by referencing established directors.

Linklater may be long winded and exaggerated, but there is potency in the reality of his characters and what they experience. Juno is hip, trite and sentimental garbage.

[mountmccabe]

He can cite anyone he wants. He could cite Ingmar Bergman, but that wouldn't make Juno Bergmanesque. I wouldn't call it grasping at straws, I just don't personally see it. All I really see in Juno is, like, Wes Anderson maybe in some of the directorial choices and, I don't even know. It just felt like a kind of amalgam of what has been trendy in independent film in recent years.

The difference being that Juno is mocking those trendy independent films and the characters in them.

[PotVsKtl]

To what end?

[mountmccabe]

Pointing out that they are shallow dead ends.

How much did that need pointing out?

Some, apparently.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I think you're giving Juno too much credit.

[mountmccabe]

Blocked for spoilers on the movie Juno


You think a movie where Michael Cera dressed in running shorts gets the girl is trying to be hip?

Where the one character that is a bad guy was in a band that opened for the Melvins and is into indie and underground music and slasher flicks and now is going to go live downtown in a loft? And his wife that seems shrill and rather Stepford at first is such a warm, loving, mature woman?

Where Juno's stepmother - a high strung manicurist that's obsessive about dogs - and her bald, boring HVAC father are such strong, supportive figures in her life? They're not mocked for being what they are.

Rainn Wilson and his ridiculous lines were meant to be ridiculous. Juno started out talking like that but her tone changed as her pregnancy progressed.


I am not saying it was entirely successful but I am convinced that this is more what it was after than being something hip and cool.

[schoolofruckus]

I didn't take Juno as mocking anything but its own characters and all their "stupid emotional tribulations" that kept getting in the way of all the hilarious lol-speak. Sorry, I know you all know where I stand on this one already (and that where I stand is deeply in the minority), but I'm going to keep providing the voice of dissension.

And even if the point was to mock the likes of Napoleon Dynamite and Little Miss Sunshine and Thumbsucker and all the rest of the loathesomely titled "Quirky New Wave", it's still no good because A) it has too many problems in common with the films it's supposedly sending up, and B) like von Trier's failed attempt at lampooning American workplace comedy with The Boss of It All, it's a conceit that offers very limited rewards.

[whynotsmile99]

Has anyone seen Tarnation? I just remembered it when a friend brought it up. It's a stunning documentary, a collection of home movies edited together on a Mac. Made for $200 That movie totally floored me. I want to watch it again, but I dunno if I could sit through it again. It's disturbing like non other. David Lynch but real

it's amazing. netflix it

[schoolofruckus]

With great pains made to avoid spoilers (though I'd love to pull a Randy and de-pants this movie right now)...

Blocked for spoilers on the movie Juno


You think a movie where Michael Cera dressed in running shorts gets the girl is trying to be hip?

Absolutely. That's some person's shallow version of irony, and it doesn't help that it comes off as mockery of him (Cera).

Blocked for spoilers on the movie Juno

Where the one character that is a bad guy was in a band that opened for the Melvins and is into indie and underground music and slasher flicks and now is going to go live downtown in a loft? And his wife that seems shrill and rather Stepford at first is such a warm, loving, mature woman?

Maybe the film's every act wasn't in the service of trying to be too kewl for skewl. But the characterizations were too superficial and insincere (and, in the case of the woman, poorly acted) for me to take the attempted messages seriously.

Blocked for spoilers on the movie Juno

Where Juno's stepmother - a high strung manicurist that's obsessive about dogs - and her bald, boring HVAC father are such strong, supportive figures in her life? They're not mocked for being what they are.

They have a daughter named Liberty Bell! Come on, God! Granted, they made a wise decision in making the parents as supportive and level-headed as they were, but there was too much idiosyncracy-for-its-own-sake. Mom's chewing out the gynecologist - ooooh, look at how mad she's getting! And that whole "You have to find someone who loves you for exactly who YOU are" bit was the single worst earnestly-delivered poignant speech I've seen in EONS.

Blocked for spoilers on the movie Juno

Rainn Wilson and his ridiculous lines were meant to be ridiculous. Juno started out talking like that but her tone changed as her pregnancy progressed.


Point taken, but that's really the first observation I've heard that makes it seem like anything other than a phony, cloying, compulsively annoying - though intermittently funny - attempt at fusing flip wordsmanship with "affecting" melodrama.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Blocked for spoilers on the movie Juno

THERE WERE ONCE VISIBLE SPOILERS HERE BECAUSE ITS QUOTED BUT I SAVED YOU

I am not saying it was entirely successful but I am convinced that this is more what it was after than being something hip and cool.

I don't know, to me that's a limited idea of what makes something cool. I could easily see Diablo Cody thinking that by making uncool characters cool and cool characters uncool, she was therefore being subversively cool.

[schoolofruckus]

Has anyone seen Tarnation? I just remembered it when a friend brought it up. It's a stunning documentary, a collection of home movies edited together on a Mac. Made for $200 That movie totally floored me. I want to watch it again, but I dunno if I could sit through it again. It's disturbing like non other. David Lynch but real

it's amazing. netflix it

I loved the holy FUCK out of this movie. One of the most heart-shattering, exquisitely shaped films of recent times.

[thelastgreatman]

I love that Ivan Reitman's kid listed three directors who are all less talented than his father as his influences.

Without having seen Juno, if the man idolizes Linklater that movie undoubtedly sucks cock.

[Down Rodeo]

I remember seeing Tarnation when it came out. I thought it was extremely powerful and heartbreaking, and it was made all the more impressive by the fact that the guy made it on his Mac.

[schoolofruckus]

I love that Ivan Reitman's kid listed three directors who are all less talented than his father as his influences.

Without having seen Juno, if the man idolizes Linklater that movie undoubtedly sucks cock.

Wes Anderson is less talented than Ivan Reitman? News to me.

[thelastgreatman]

Wes Anderson is less talented than Ivan Reitman? News to me.

How is Ghostbusters possibly news to you?

[wmgaretjax]

Tarnation was a fantastic little film.

[schoolofruckus]

It's not. How it overrides his work over the last 14 years is:

# My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)
# Cooking Lessons (2004) (TV) (pilot)
# Evolution (2001)

# Six Days Seven Nights (1998)
... aka 6 Days 7 Nights
# Fathers' Day (1997)
# Junior (1994)
# Dave (1993)

I'd disown my dad over that murderer's row, too.

[Bud Luster]

There will be blood isnt playing in my area. Havent even seen an ad/trailer for it. Is it going to be released nationally? Same for assasination of JJ.

[schoolofruckus]

Blood is still rolling out slowly. It just got its semi-wide release this last Friday. Based on the critics' awards thus far, I'm starting to get hopeful that it'll have some Oscar heat. After No Country For Old Men and Juno, I have no reliable guesses as to what will be in the Picture/Director races.

Jesse James is done in theaters, for all intents and purposes. Get the DVD on February 5th and watch it on the biggest TV you have at your disposal.

[Jenniehoo]

Evolution was actually pretty funny.

[ivankay]

Evolution was actually pretty funny.

i'm going to give the "better than average" nod for Dave and Junior. 6 Days, 7 Nights was not a bad film either.

[ghettojournalist]

How is Ghostbusters possibly news to you?

are you for real?

"Ghostbusters" is great, but that does not equate to better than the work by Anderson or even Linklater.

[wmgaretjax]

Posts 4943-4 made me nauseous.

[idrive1life]

Blood is still rolling out slowly. It just got its semi-wide release this last Friday. Based on the critics' awards thus far, I'm starting to get hopeful that it'll have some Oscar heat. After No Country For Old Men and Juno, I have no reliable guesses as to what will be in the Picture/Director races.

Jesse James is done in theaters, for all intents and purposes. Get the DVD on February 5th and watch it on the biggest TV you have at your disposal.

My Prediction (not my Best/Top 5)

1. No Country For Old Men
2. Atonement
3. Michael Clayton
4. Juno
5. There Will Be Blood*

Oh well, basically, I agree with The Gurus o' Gold @ moviecitynews.

http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2008/gurus_080104.html

If I can add a dark horse, I might change it later to with #1 #2 and #3 as my lock cities then maybe There Will Blood as #4 ... and #5 will be a toss-up between Juno and Into The Wild (< as the dark horse).

*I still need to see There Will Be Blood*

[iv3rdawG]

Critic's Choice Winners:

http://www.mercurynews.com/movies/ci_7904022

And they just played Feist while they introduced Katie Holmes..

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Well, Feist is very popular.

[idrive1life]

(almost) All Critics Award Winners

http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2008/critics_awards.html

[ghettojournalist]

Feist presented the Best Score award with Snoop Dogg.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Just watched I'm Not There for the third time. Tomorrow I think I'll post this analysis thing I wrote in my free time about the significance of the Richard Gere segment, since a lot of people seem to have misunderstood/dismissed it. I love this film.

[KungFuJoe]

Just watched I'm Not There for the third time. Tomorrow I think I'll post this analysis thing I wrote in my free time about the significance of the Richard Gere segment, since a lot of people seem to have misunderstood/dismissed it. I love this film.

I thought it was a great segment. One of the very few roles I didn't dislike Richard Gere in. I think I'm Not There will end up as my second favorite of the year.

[TomAz]

Just watched I'm Not There for the third time. Tomorrow I think I'll post this analysis thing I wrote in my free time about the significance of the Richard Gere segment, since a lot of people seem to have misunderstood/dismissed it. I love this film.

I look forward to reading this. I know it would help me a lot, if you can address it, if you would explain why Gere had this look on his face like a clueless moron. total vapid stare.

[KungFuJoe]

I look forward to reading this. I know it would help me a lot, if you can address it, if you would explain why Gere had this look on his face like a clueless moron. total vapid stare.

This could be the reason why I didn't dislike Gere in the film. I don't recall him speaking much.

[kreutz2112]

I watched Zodiac last night. I am no movie critic so I am not going to analyze anything about it. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, the acting was outstanding and it kept me interested the entire time.

[schoolofruckus]

Zodiac is awesome. I've seen it twice and it was gorgeous and riveting both times.

[kreutz2112]

yeah, I actually watched it because of yours and others positive remarks.

[downingthief]

Haven't watched another installment of my Kubrick set...

But, I did pull out the Blade Runner:Final Cut DVD. Unlike Amy, I loved it. Then again, BR has always been one of my faves. The Final Cut does have a few added scenes, but mostly it has been enhanced in the audio and visual department. This film has never looked or sounded better. For fans of the movie, it is a must see. For people who saw the Director's Cut and weren't all that crazy about it , don't bother with the Final Cut version. It's not that different from a story standpoint.

2001 and Blade Runner are the two best Sci-Fi movies ever made, in my opinion. Both transcend the genre, making these "futures" believable and real. Both movies were unlike anything seen before when the came out.

I'll be diving into the other versions and disks soon. Got plenty to watch now with the BR set and the Kubrick set. I'm a kid in a candy store...

[mountmccabe]

2001 and Blade Runner are the two best Sci-Fi movies ever made, in my opinion. Both transcend the genre, making these "futures" believable and real. Both movies were unlike anything seen before when the came out.

QFT

[PotVsKtl]

http://asymptotia.com/wp-images/2007/08/alien_from_movie.png

[schoolofruckus]

I'm with you on this.

AvP-R > 2001

[downingthief]

I only saw Alien and Aliens in the series. I know I am probably in the minority, but I liked Alien better.

Still don't think either of those films can touch Blade Runner or 2001.

[wmgaretjax]

Solaris, Stalker, and Alphaville should be mentioned in the top 5.

[TomAz]

http://www.gorila.sk/i/imgs_orig/004/41004.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008438V.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://www.impawards.com/1989/posters/earth_girls_are_easy.jpg

[downingthief]

http://www.gorila.sk/i/imgs_orig/004/41004.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008438V.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://www.impawards.com/1989/posters/earth_girls_are_easy.jpg

Love Buckaroo. Great cult classic.
Weird Science...eh, not so much.

[TomAz]

i was making a little joke.

[amyzzz]

I loved Weird Science--it came out when I was 13 or so.



but I still kinda love it.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I only saw Zodiac once, but there were all sorts of distractions, so I didn't get as much out of it as I should have.

Still, I'm going to buy the Director's Cut today.

[downingthief]

I only saw Zodiac once, but there were all sorts of distractions, so I didn't get as much out of it as I should have.

Still, I'm going to buy the Director's Cut today.

Same for me...need to see it again.

[whynotsmile99]

I really want to see this. Can't wait to see all those Jesus Freaks picketing.

http://www.thegodmovie.com/clips/Trailer.mov


www.thegodmovie.com

[amyzzz]

I remember my old church getting all upset when NYPD Blue had nudity in it.

[whynotsmile99]

Just finished I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART

I loved it. What a beautiful looking doc. and ending with the willy wonka song was perfect

[Stefinitely Maybe]

My sister is studying French and Spanish at university and she is taking a film course this semester and I just borrowed a bunch of her DVDs.

I just watched Irreversible and Sex & Lucia over the past few days.

http://filmup.leonardo.it/posters/loc/500/irreversible.jpg

http://www.notesfromspain.com/wp-content/uploads/sex_lucia.jpg

Irreversible was stylish and gripping and cleverly told, but I also felt that it was highly affected, and that it tugged too obviously at the audience's heartstrings with such a controversial subject matter. Nonetheless, I thought it was a good film, and very cleverly done.

Sex & Lucia was slow and amateurish at times, but again a clever way of telling a story by playing with the timeframe of the events. Also the sex scenes were great.

I also borrowed E Tu Mama Tambien and will watch that this week. Next after that is Bombon El Perro. Any other recommendations/ thoughts?

[PotVsKtl]

I recommend not bothering with Y tu Mama Tambien.

[schoolofruckus]

Are you going all Travis Bickle on us, Stef?

I would also recommend skipping Y Tu Mama Tambien unless you want your eros interspersed with thudding voice-over narration.

Are you looking for French/Spanish recommendations, or sexytime recommendations?

[wmgaretjax]

whoa. Irreversible pulling heart strings? Noe has no heart, I'm not sure how you pulled that out of the film. It was sensationalist, sure, but not sentimental.

[schoolofruckus]

Yeah, I didn't see anything heartstrings about Irreversible. I see what you mean in that it was overwhelmingly provocative, as films about rape are by default.

[Stefinitely Maybe]

whoa. Irreversible pulling heart strings? Noe has no heart, I'm not sure how you pulled that out of the film. It was sensationalist, sure, but not sentimental.

I'm really talking about the final scene here...

WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!!

...when we get to see her take a pregnancy test, and we find out she's pregnant, and then she seems blissfully happily just for that moment. It seemed like such a cheap and obvious attempt to pull on our heartstrings; just tacked on to the rest of the film.

[wmgaretjax]

I'm really talking about the final scene here...

WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!!

...when we get to see her take a pregnancy test, and we find out she's pregnant, and then she seems blissfully happily just for that moment. It seemed like such a cheap and obvious attempt to pull on our heartstrings; just tacked on to the rest of the film.

SPOILERS CONTINUED:

on the contrary, I think it's doing the opposite. It's showing us how fucking fickle and empty humans can be. It's a cheap moment because they are cheap people, and it takes moments (at the party?) for them to turn back into selfish, trivial human beings from that momentary bliss. In this since Noe is very obviously fucking with people, he wants you to walk away forgetting about the real trajectory the movie took. He loves (his words, I saw him speak on the film) how naive it makes people look. The guy is a fucker, but the movie is pretty masterful. It takes a second viewing (even for simple shock and over stimulation) to really pull out all the pieces (that first and final scenes in particular, they are bookends that most people can't pick apart on a first viewing).

[schoolofruckus]

.....SPOILERS NOT DONE YET.....




Jared, I can't say I agree with that assessment, either. I've always felt that Irreversible does a great job of using extreme pathos - on both ends of the spectrum - to argue a point that can be taken either pessimistically or optimistically. The minutea of the characters' actions and behavior - more than in other films - is given a weight and importance because it's all shown to have consequence. I personally find the idea that no action is meaningless to be hugely uplifting in an objective sense, but it also carriers a burden that can be pretty terrifying. But either way, I disagree that the characters are supposed to be presented as cheap people - they're sympathized with as normal people who are capable of shallow or sometimes awful behavior.

[thinnerair]

While on vacation, I saw Gone Baby Gone.
There weren't many movies released that I was interested in, so we went to go see it. I thought it was pretty good. The end.

[wmgaretjax]

I think Noe would respond that normal people are cheap. Look at how the film begins (ends?). That first scene with the recently released convict (what seems to be a chorus, or a universal picture outside of the specific scenario that follows) sums it all up. The two men seem to be the normal, cheap person without the slew of denial. Men who have walked enough to realize the truth about themselves.

I don't necessarily believe this, and I'm not sure Noe does either, but it's pretty clear to me through my viewing and what he had to say about the film that this is what he was working towards. Not that there isn't ANY optimism or hope, but most of it falls into a pretty black pit.

[schoolofruckus]

I basically just need to watch it again, either way. I bought it right after it was released on DVD and never actually watched it (I did see it twice in the cinemas, though).

Also, I'm not trying to say that the film is intended to be uplifting - just that the idea of actions having weight is more humanist than the film's content and tone.

[amyzzz]

(thanks for the spoiler alerts, guys--I might want to check these ones out)

[wmgaretjax]

SPOILERS KIND OF STILL:

I think I agree. I was probably just jumping to the other end because of the way Stef referred to heartstrings. Something I had never considered in my experience with the film. There is weight to the humanity there for sure, but it's pretty bleak and not a whole lot of light shines through (and what does, gets squashed pretty quickly).

END.

So I've been watching the alien/conspiracy episodes of the X-Files, and I'm caught up to the film. I'm excited to watch it because I loved it when it first came out (I was in junior high). "Sexy Beast," "I Stand Alone" (also Noe), "Into Great Silence," and "Sunshine" are on my shelf/netflix queue.

[schoolofruckus]

You've already seen I Stand Alone, haven't you?

[schoolofruckus]

I suppose the DGA Nominees (http://cinemascopian.com/the-dga-anounce-their-nominees/) are relevant, eh?

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/images/column/11508/DGAnoms.jpg

My revised Oscar predictions are as follows:

Picture:
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood (somehow, some way, this brutally amazing film looks like it's going to be recognized in its own time)
Juno
Michael Clayton (oooookay then, I guess I need to make sure I see it while it's still out)
Into the Wild

Director:
All the same except Julian Schnabel for Diving Bell and the Butterflyinstead of Egon's kid for Juno


If all that is true, and assuming Juno doesn't somehow win the top prize, this will have to be one of the best Oscar years in decades.

[wmgaretjax]

I have seen it once, but felt like checking it out again.

I don't think Juno will get a best picture nod. I do think it will get an original screenplay nomination though.

[whynotsmile99]

I fucking loved Irreversible. I'll never forget seeing that in theaters with a bunch of old folks thinking they were seeing a nice little Italian movie. about 3 quarters of the audience left.

I also really enjoyed Sex and Lucia. It's certainly a slow burner and took a few watches to figure out what was going on, but it was worth it. It also has my favorite movie sex scenes ever, when that chick is masturbating to her mom porno scene.

That giant mud dick scared me though.

Yu Tu Mama Tambien is probably my favorite of these, but i haven't seen it since high school. It left its mark in me for sure. I loved it, very honest and sexy movie. Great performances.

If you are into stranger, kinky shit, check out LIES. Its this crazy Korean film I own. About an older guy who finds this 18 year old to be his sex slave more or less. Lots of S&M asian action. It's a narrative film, but there are segments in the movie where it becomes a documentary. The actors will sit in front of the camera, talking about how strange it is to have real sex on film but how its "good for the characters".

[iv3rdawG]

I don't think Juno will get a best picture nod. I do think it will get an original screenplay nomination though.

Really? Not that I like it that much but I think it's one of the front runners to grab a nomination this year.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I suppose the DGA Nominees (http://cinemascopian.com/the-dga-anounce-their-nominees/) are relevant, eh?

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/images/column/11508/DGAnoms.jpg

My revised Oscar predictions are as follows:

Picture:
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood (somehow, some way, this brutally amazing film looks like it's going to be recognized in its own time)
Juno
Michael Clayton (oooookay then, I guess I need to make sure I see it while it's still out)
Into the Wild

Director:
All the same except Julian Schnabel for Diving Bell and the Butterflyinstead of Egon's kid for Juno


If all that is true, and assuming Juno doesn't somehow win the top prize, this will have to be one of the best Oscar years in decades.

I would put Atonement in there in place of Into the Wild, otherwise that sounds pretty good.

[schoolofruckus]

I have seen it once, but felt like checking it out again.

I don't think Juno will get a best picture nod. I do think it will get an original screenplay nomination though.

I think I Stand Alone is more of a sick puppy than Irreversible. Still pretty great, but not as singularly astonishing.

In a year dominated by intense, male-driven films, I figure something comedic and/or female-driven has to come along as an alternative choice, and Juno seems to be the only film that fits either description (and conveniently, both) that is making any kind of headway. I'd love it if, say, Knocked Up were to come in and steal its thunder, but it doesn't have that same awards-y aura (even though it's a far better movie). Atonement isn't gaining enough of an audience, and it's also pretty morose in its own right. I'm planning to see The Savages tomorrow night, so maybe that would be a candidate, but it doesn't have the heat that Juno has.

My biggest fear is that No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood split votes, and I have to watch Diablo Cody take the stage with the whole cast/above-the-liners as they rally around a Best Picture win.

[schoolofruckus]

I would put Atonement in there in face of Into the Wild, otherwise that sounds pretty good.

I hope so, but don't underestimate all the Sean Penn-worshiping actors in the Academy who will want to coronate his acting legacy by rewarding his directorial work.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Maybe. I haven't seen Atonement, but I'd love to see Into the Wild grab a nomination.

[schoolofruckus]

I liked them both a lot - Atonement a little bit more, but I'm fine with either of them getting awards heat.

[schoolofruckus]

I watched A Mighty Heart tonight. It was definitely decent, but nothing extraordinary. The film's chief strength is its integrity - not necessarily in terms of historical-accuracy (because how the fuck would I be able to tell that?), but in the storytelling perspective. Michael Winterbottom's chameleonic aesthetic adapts nicely to this kind of story, as the unrequited search for the missing Daniel Pearl is presented in crisp, documentary-like form with virtually no narrative fat: no presumptuous cuts to Daniel in prison, valiantly defying his terrorist captors, and no over-cooked sentimentality. If anything, Angelina Jolie's portrayal of Mariane Pearl is a little too cold; mostly, I think I just hate Jolie so much by default that I had a hard time getting into her character. But I didn't mind it that much because at least it was a different approach to this kind of material.

[wmgaretjax]

I felt the same way, it felt like a very authentic film in narrati