Schoolio's Movie Corner

[wmgaretjax]

I liked certain elements of it, but the silly over the top violence and gratuitous foul language aren't my kinda thing..


Wait... But you liked his earlier films? What?

[real talk]

I would probably be able to watch 25% of that movie and spend the rest of it with my head in my shirt. Ultraviolence is not great.

I really loved In Her Shoes though! Toni Collette is wonderful!

[schoolofruckus]

In Her Shoes is a great movie.

Inglourious Basterds is the best film of 2009 already. I feel bad for ever putting Tarantino in the doghouse. I think this is going to be the film that goes on his tombstone.

[chairmenmeow47]

I liked certain elements of it, but the silly over the top violence and gratuitous foul language aren't my kinda thing..

don't get me wrong, I'm not offended by foul language whatsoever, it just felt slightly forced in those movies to me

same thing with violence, if it's in a more realistic context, then I'm fine with it, it just felt silly and cartoonish...and I realize that is kinda the point, it's just not really what I enjoy

i totally agree with this in reference to kill bill. i generally hate when everyone is aware of how campy they're being.

[anti-square]

In Her Shoes is a great movie.

Inglourious Basterds is the best film of 2009 already. I feel bad for ever putting Tarantino in the doghouse. I think this is going to be the film that goes on his tombstone.

Having read the script, I agree wholeheartdly. Also, disregard my avatar as you read this.

[wmgaretjax]

i generally hate when everyone is aware of how campy they're being.

wait... what?

[chairmenmeow47]

wait... what?

i don't know how to describe this well so i apologize in advance, but to me, kill bill came off as tarantino's version of an asian action movie, only it seemed more like a spoof in a way and i felt like the characters were caricatures instead of characters, if that makes sense. i understand he might have meant it to be that way, but it didn't work for me. the actors all seemed aware that they were caricatures which makes me not want to give a shit about what they're doing. i also tend to feel like a lot of tarantino's characters sound like the same person. plus, when you have insane action sequences & swearing like that, none of it is impactful after a certain point and ESPECIALLY not impactful in a fucking unnecessary sequel. i'm sure that didn't make sense, but that's what i meant.

[MissingPerson]

The five wanky hours of Kill Bill were entirely worth it for this, IMHO:

eDscluTJ540

One of my very favourite movie fights ever.

[SoulDischarge]

I agree with the general sentiment about Kill Bill, especially Vol. 1, but I think somewhere in Vol. 2 it turned around and starting taking itself and its characters a little more seriously and ended up being a way better movie because of it. It's really just a tone issue, which requires a certain indefinable delicate balance, and a lot of that movie lacked that balance but seemed to find it later on.

[MissingPerson]

I've suddenly remembered how very urgently I need to go and listen to the KB2 soundtrack again.

[Monklish]

Okay, I kinda get what Ivy is saying--there were definitely points in Bill (particularly Vol. 2) where the characters lose realism in favor of paying homage to Tarantino's 70s-shlock love.

At the same time, Vol. 1 is one of the most perfect movies ever made. I've very rarely ever left a theatre feeling that energized and pleased. Vol. 2 had some serious pacing issues, but grew on me over time. The themes the man works with and the situations he puts his characters in are just fucking masterful. There are few moments in all of cinema as lovely as when they step out into the snow at House Of Blue Leaves and Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood kicks in.

/sucking Tarantino off

[MissingPerson]

KB2 in particular needed a far meaner editor.

I was The Bride for Halloween once. In all her horrifying yellow lycra glory. Awesome.

[anti-square]

Kill Bill was shot to be one continous movie. The studios then decided to release it as two films. I'm sure this affected the way it was edited.

[Monklish]

That's no excuse for it being half an hour too long in either instance. A 2 hour 15 minute movie is perfectly acceptable--it doesn't need to be 2:45.

[anti-square]

I could be wrong, but I believe the final version would have been a little over three hours long. I do agree the second half of vol 2 was long winded.

[Monklish]

Right, what I was saying was they took a 3.5 hour movie and turned it into one 2.5 hour movie and one 2.75 hour movie. The second one could have been a half hour shorter, easily.

[anti-square]

Yeah, and now 3 hour films are becoming more acceptable. I remember not buying the Dvd's waiting for the supposed directors cut that would have been QT's original vision. Oh well. They could have gone the other route and forced the movie to be a 90 minute meth heads dream.

[Monklish]

Oh, there will be a director's cut. At least two of them. Tarantino fucking loooooooooooooooooves the whole collector's edition bullshit.

[humanoid]

Wait... But you liked his earlier films? What?

honestly, I've never been a tremendously dedicated fan of his, but I did enjoy some of his earlier films because they were different than a lot of other things I had seen at the time...

by the time the Kill Bills rolled around, his style wasn't fresh to me anymore, so it lost a lot of the appeal

the other obvious factor being that at when Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Natural Born Killers, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown(yes I know he only wrote the screenplay for 2 of those) I was 15-20, more easily entertained and I had yet to venture into many great films that I have seen since then. By the time Kill Bill came out, I was 27 and my view toward his style had changed. That factor alone seems reasonable enough.

there are elements of all his films that are interesting in their own way, but I think a lot of my problem is that he tries to stuff too much dialogue into many scenes and it grows tiresome

PS....the Grindhouse project was one of the more ridiculous things I've ever witnessed. Yes I know that is part of the appeal, just not for me

[anti-square]

Yeah, fuck that. There is way too much media accessable now to consider spending money on any sort of plastic disc again. There's hundreds of flicks and thousands of albums to catch up on, that my money would be much better off in the hands of artists through different channels.

[schoolofruckus]

Right, what I was saying was they took a 3.5 hour movie and turned it into one 2.5 hour movie and one 2.75 hour movie. The second one could have been a half hour shorter, easily.

No. They took a (however long it was before the split was approved) movie and made it into one 111 minute movie and one 136 minute movie. That's just a shade over four hours. Not too much to ask in separate increments.

Volume 2 is what makes the whole thing sing for me, for the record.

[Monklish]

Stop trying to shoot down my arguments with facts, asshole.

[ivankay]

i love Kill Bill 1 and put it in that "A" category and give 2 a "C" for being too in love with it's dialog to cut it out. Tarantino has written and filmed some really excellent and horrible scenes of characters exchanging words with one another. Maybe because he has millions of aspiring male film makers out there to slide his dick in their throats, he fails to recognize when the dialog is just bullshit filling the air. Kill Bill 2, the final sequence in Four Rooms and Death Proof have long, boring speeches by characters who might as well be QT on the couch of the Tonight Show trying to force how cool he is into the viewers' brains. i'm sure that speech was fun when it was being spouted off to wasted friends or a mirror, but it sure isn't working in the film for many people. The diner dialog about Vanishing Point in DP may foreshadow what's coming up (omg! how smart....nuts to that), but it's boring and there's no way of getting around his inability or desire to change his words to sound as if they were coming from a different character other than a girl version of him. Same thing with Bill's words in the end of KB2, more liquid juice from the butt coming out of a character that is unnecessary and fast forward material. i think he's fucking brilliant more than he blows, but he needs to stop stroking himself on screen.

[slipmode]

Agreed on QT ivankay. That doesn't stop me from liking his movies, but it does get on my nerves a bit when you hear a character from one of his films spit the same catch phrase another character used in a different film of his.

[wmgaretjax]

No. They took a (however long it was before the split was approved) movie and made it into one 111 minute movie and one 136 minute movie. That's just a shade over four hours. Not too much to ask in separate increments.

Volume 2 is what makes the whole thing sing for me, for the record.

I agree with gabe 100%. Volume 2 is what made it for me... 1 was fun, but 2 was brilliant.

[Monklish]

God, the two of you are really the exact opposite of right (read as: what I think).

[garrett222]

the new QT movie will be amazing. I may actually be one of the fanboys sitting out there on Friday night at 12:01 for the first showing. It'll be an event. It looks Coen-esque

He needs to make more than one movie a decade though.

[chairmenmeow47]

Director:

* In Production
* 2000s
* 1990s
* 1980s

1. Inglourious Basterds (2009) (post-production)

2. Death Proof (2007)
... aka Grindhouse Presents: Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (USA: DVD title)
... aka Grindhouse: Death Proof (International: English title)
... aka Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (USA: complete title)
... aka Quentin Tarantino's Thunder Bolt (USA: informal alternative title)
3. Grindhouse (2007) (segment "Death Proof")
4. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2 episodes, 2005)
... aka CSI: Las Vegas (South Africa: English title: informal alternative title) (USA: syndication title)
... aka C.S.I. (USA: short title)
... aka CSI: Weekends (USA: promotional title)
... aka Experts, Les (Canada: French title)
- Grave Danger: Volume 1 (2005) TV episode
- Grave Danger: Volume 2 (2005) TV episode
5. Sin City (2005) (special guest director)
... aka Frank Miller's Sin City (USA: complete title)
6. "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (1 episode, 2004)
- Episode dated 20 April 2004 (2004) TV episode
7. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
... aka Kill Bill (USA: closing credits title)
... aka Kill Bill 2 (USA: informal title)
... aka Vol. 2 (USA)
8. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
... aka Kill Bill (USA: informal short title)
... aka Kill Bill 1 (USA: informal title)
... aka Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume One (USA: promotional title)

9. Jackie Brown (1997)
10. Four Rooms (1995) (segment "The Man from Hollywood")
11. "ER" (1 episode, 1995)
- Motherhood (1995) TV episode
12. Pulp Fiction (1994)
13. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

14. My Best Friend's Birthday (1987)

[schoolofruckus]

While home sick yesterday, I watched Bela Tarr's Damnation. It was really damn good. Not as masterful as Werckmeister Harmonies - there were a few pieces of this one that felt somewhat draggy, even though it wasn't too overlong - but still awesomely noirish in aesthetic, worldview, and even plot. The hard-boiled, narcissistic, fuck-the-world views that Karrer espoused over and over again to his lover, his bartender, the sympathetic old woman who saw him as better than he saw himself.....I ate up every nihilist inch of it.

[wmgaretjax]

I've had trouble with Damnation, and I would love to sit down and watch it again. Especially since his other 3 film from the last 20 years are all some of my favorites.

[schoolofruckus]

I'm going to have to watch Satantango one of these days, I suppose. It would be a hell of a lot easier if it played a theater that gave intermissions. I'm afraid that trying to watch it at home will not be possible in one day.

[wmgaretjax]

It's really incredible, and well worth the effort. I'm be surprised if it made the rounds again any time soon, but who knows...

[schoolofruckus]

Do you know what the hell is up with Man From London? I was rooting for Swinton to win the Oscar last year because I figured that would fast-track its release over here, but I haven't heard a goddamn thing since then.

[wmgaretjax]

It still hasn't gotten distribution. It played at NY MOMA and as far as I know, that's it in the states... I imagine we can hope on it getting an Artificial Eye DVD release and that's about it at this point. Real bummer...

[schoolofruckus]

I kept reading some shit about IFC picking it up and putting it either in theaters, or OnDemand through their Festival Direct programming. Either way, I'm not seeing any info on ifcfilms.com.

I mean, I'll wait until Artificial Eye puts it out in the UK and then buy it on amazon or something. But that probably won't be until summer, since it just opened in the UK in December.

[garrett222]

Director:

* In Production
* 2000s
* 1990s
* 1980s

1. Inglourious Basterds (2009) (post-production)

2. Death Proof (2007)
... aka Grindhouse Presents: Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (USA: DVD title)
... aka Grindhouse: Death Proof (International: English title)
... aka Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (USA: complete title)
... aka Quentin Tarantino's Thunder Bolt (USA: informal alternative title)
3. Grindhouse (2007) (segment "Death Proof")
4. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2 episodes, 2005)
... aka CSI: Las Vegas (South Africa: English title: informal alternative title) (USA: syndication title)
... aka C.S.I. (USA: short title)
... aka CSI: Weekends (USA: promotional title)
... aka Experts, Les (Canada: French title)
- Grave Danger: Volume 1 (2005) TV episode
- Grave Danger: Volume 2 (2005) TV episode
5. Sin City (2005) (special guest director)
... aka Frank Miller's Sin City (USA: complete title)
6. "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (1 episode, 2004)
- Episode dated 20 April 2004 (2004) TV episode
7. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
... aka Kill Bill (USA: closing credits title)
... aka Kill Bill 2 (USA: informal title)
... aka Vol. 2 (USA)
8. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
... aka Kill Bill (USA: informal short title)
... aka Kill Bill 1 (USA: informal title)
... aka Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume One (USA: promotional title)

9. Jackie Brown (1997)
10. Four Rooms (1995) (segment "The Man from Hollywood")
11. "ER" (1 episode, 1995)
- Motherhood (1995) TV episode
12. Pulp Fiction (1994)
13. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

14. My Best Friend's Birthday (1987)

Is this supposed to point out that the 'decade' remark was false? I'm aware. I was just referring to the 6 years between Jackie Brown/Kill bill and 4 years between Kill bill and Death Proof (which only marginally counts as a movie).

[Down Rodeo]

It still hasn't gotten distribution. It played at NY MOMA and as far as I know, that's it in the states.

The Pacific Film Archive here showed it a few months back....dammit, I should have gone to see it when I had the chance.

[Down Rodeo]

By the way, I watched Flight of the Red Balloon last night and I have to say it was pretty damn excellent. I knew I had to be patient while watching it, so I stuck with it when I was confused about the point of all these scenes of just a red balloon floating around and scenes from the characters' daily lives that seemed pointless at the time. But...by the time the final scene came around, it all wonderfully tied together and everything in the film that came before was put into perspective. It's really quite an accomplishment when you think about what the director was working with. Jared, thanks for recommending it.

[Aurgasm]

Don't know if this was mentioned.

but the Korean film Old Boy, will fuck your mind.

[wmgaretjax]

Glad you liked it. He really is an incredibly underrated director. There are a few critics that constantly applaud him, but other than that, a lot of people completely miss out on his stuff. It's unfortunate.

[schoolofruckus]

Oh FUCK yes. Possible Cannes contender:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b126/schoolofruckus/void.jpg

[schoolofruckus]

Check this shit out. (http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/efm-2009-enter-the-void/)


It was a big day today for fans of Irreversible director Gaspar Noe. Why? Because after keeping the wraps tightly on his latest project, Enter The Void, for as long as he could Noe arrived at te European Film Market today to personally introduce an eight minute promo reel of footage from the picture. The screening came with a number of caveats - unfinished color correction, unfinished sound design, temporary effects, etc - and while I can certainly understand why Noe would want to declare those thing up front there was really no need. This thing looks absolutely stunning as it is. Considering that very little has been said about the film publicly so far I’ll refrain from commenting on plot points and keep myself to just this. First, Noe will show you Tokyo as you’ve never seen it before. Second, while this is very clearly the work of the same man who made Irreversible and no less difficult and troubling it seems as though much of the anger of that film has been stripped away and replaced with a sort of sad, wistful nostalgia - instead of railing at life gone wrong as he did previously, Noe seems here to be moving to a sort of quiet acceptance and resignation. This is truly potent, stunningly visual stuff from one of the world’s most talented and unique directors. Here’s how he describes it:

The visions described in the script are inspired partly by the accounts of people who have had near-death experiences, who describe a tunnel of light, seeing their lives flashing past them and ‘astral’ visions, and partly by similar hallucinatory experiences obtained by consuming DMT, the molecule which the brain sometimes secretes at the moment of death and which, in small doses, enables us to dream at night.

The film should sometimes scare the audience, make it cry and, as much as possible, hypnotise it.

[wmgaretjax]

I am incredibly excited.

[ivankay]

Yes.

Oh, and if you are in the lower part of California, don't forget to make a trip to the Nuart this week and check out Amarcord. (http://landmarktheaters.com/Films/films_frameset.asp?id=11671) If you're there tomorrow for the 4PM screening, take a big whiff, i might be in that theater with you.

[Down Rodeo]

Hopefully this film won't be as nauseating as Irreversible was (that's not a knock on the movie, I just found Irreversible VERY hard to watch). Still, though, I'm excited about this one - it looks promising.

[schoolofruckus]

I plan on seeing Amarcord this week. I have never seen it, and this is the perfect venue for it.

[Down Rodeo]

I loved Amarcord. You guys are damn lucky to see it on the big screen.

[ivankay]

I plan on seeing Amarcord this week. I have never seen it, and this is the perfect venue for it.

Fellini is my number one favorite film maker. This movie for me is Top 5 of his films (others are 8 1/2, La Dolce Vita, Roma and I Vitelloni). The Rota score will be with you forever. i once told an ex "If you don't love this movie, no way could i marry you." We never got hitched, but it had nothing to do with the movie. She owns the Criterion dvd.

[schoolofruckus]

I've only seen La Strada and Juliet of the Spirits. The latter is one of the most mind-blowing movies I've ever seen. It was like what I imagine seeing The Wizard of Oz was like in 1939, where it's like you're seeing color for the first time.

[ivankay]

You are so going to LOVE 8 1/2. Any person who tries to make art and deals with the frustration can turn to it. i'm not sure who said it (Scorcese i think), Fellini is like church for movie people (along those lines); and i absolutely agree.

[wmgaretjax]

whoa whoa whoa whoa... Gabe you haven't seen 8 1/2? You're gonna flip.

[schoolofruckus]

I'll definitely see it, as I dive more into Fellini's catalogue. But I have to confess to not being terribly excited about watching movies that are specifically about making movies. I've had a hard time with some of the others that I've tried, like Day For Night and Contempt. It's not a roadblock on the level of, say, trying to stomach a movie with Chris O'Donnell in it. But I scan Fellini's filmography and see films like Amarcord and Juliet and I'm just naturally inclined to want to see them first.

[wmgaretjax]

8 1/2 is nothing like those movies... Don't worry about it, just see it. And Satyricon too...

[ivankay]

Satyricon is soooo great and strange. It's like the poems and stories it was based on brought to life. Decadent.

8 1/2 is about everything, not just trying to make a movie.

[Down Rodeo]

You guys are forgetting La dolce vita. That one is absolutely essential viewing.

[Mr.Nipples]

schoolio still hasnt seen 8 1/2?

[ivankay]

You guys are forgetting La dolce vita. That one is absolutely essential viewing.

Last week i just put it on so i could listen and look up occasionally at brilliance. The walk leading up to the fountain has incredible lighting. Big props to Otello Martelli. The set up for the sunset shot with the media and faithful at the miracle spot blows my mind. Gorgeous.

[BlueDevil50]

i know there's not much mainstream movies here but i saw "he's just not that into you" with the gf last night. it was actually a pretty good movie, and had a decent cast. great date movie and not too much of a chick flick.

[PotVsKtl]

Are you fucking kidding me? Cannes:

Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodovar)
Antichrist (Lars Von Trier)
The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke)
Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)
Bright Star (Jane Campion)
Taking Woodstock (Ang Lee)
The Limits of Control (Jim Jarmusch)
Forgiveness (Todd Solondz)
A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen)
The Girlfriend Experience (Steven Soderbergh)
The Informant (Steven Soderbergh)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam)
Ondine (Neil Jordan)
Agora (Alejandro Amenabar)
Looking For Eric (Ken Loach)
White Material (Claire Denis)
Enter the Void (Gaspar Noe)
Thirst (Park Chan-wook)
Face (Tsai Ming-liang)
Vengeance (Johnny To)
Nymph (Pen-ek Ratanaruang)
Mother (Bong Joon Ho)

EDIT: Or I guess this is just the list of films that could be there. Regardless, 2009 is shaping up like a thing that's got a nice shape to it.

[ivankay]

Hoaky Smoke! That's some impressive talent there.

[schoolofruckus]

Is that all confirmed? I read a speculative piece today that many of those films would probably be included, but I didn't think they announced it for sure for another couple weeks.


EDIT: Delete.

[schoolofruckus]

I feel like Transformers 2 has the potential to be one of the all-time best HUGE summer action movies.

The shitty sound quality of this bootleg trailer makes it sound like Belong did the score. Which would have RULED.

<object width="450" height="388"><param name="movie" value="http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/8820"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/8820" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="450" height="388" allowFullScreen="true"></embed></object>

[bleep]

i humbly submit Nights of Cabiria to the list of Fellini films to watch

[Down Rodeo]

Good choice, along with La Strada.

[buddy]

Nights of Cabiria is highly underrated and my favorite fellini movie

[indietron]

I watched A Very Long Engagement tonight. I really loved it. The guy who directed it (dont know his name) also did Amelie. It had Audrey Tautou as the lead role too, whom I love :) Everything seemed very real, yet still magical. Theres something about French film and even the French language that I just love.

EDIT: I also watched Coraline today. I really liked it, but sadly it wasn't playing in 3D in my theater. It seemed like it would be a bit scary for children , but maybe im wrong...

[rage patton]

I feel like Transformers 2 has the potential to be one of the all-time best HUGE summer action movies.

The shitty sound quality of this bootleg trailer makes it sound like Belong did the score. Which would have RULED.

<object width="450" height="388"><param name="movie" value="http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/8820"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.traileraddict.com/emd/8820" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="450" height="388" allowFullScreen="true"></embed></object>

Wait....seriously? One of the all time best summer action movies? Are you being sarcastic here? Did you see the first Transformers? As a kid, I grew up on Transformers. I was in denial for a long time time, but seriously... I was disapointed. Big time. I have zero expectations for this movie.

[sbessiso]

Transformers gave me a really bad headache, especially the last half hour or so. I had to close my eyes every now and then

[slipmode]

TRANSFORMERS was fucking horrible. I'm sure that "Revenge of The Fallen" will be better, but my expectations are still not too high. I'm more excited for Wolverine & even G.I. Joe. Joseph Gordon Levit > Shia Labeouf.

Actually, the movie I'm really anticipating the most this summer is Michael Mann's "Public Enemies".

[schoolofruckus]

I thought the first Transformers was great. At least, the parts where the robots were fucking each other up. The military plot stuff was boring. But what's not to love about robots fighting?

And I said HUGE action movies for a reason. Something like Public Enemies will almost certainly be much better.

[schoolofruckus]

Also, obviously Joseph Gordon-Levitt beats Shia LeBeouf. Gordon-Levitt is possibly the best actor of his generation. But Michael Bay >>>>> Stephen Sommers.

[rage patton]

I thought the first Transformers was great. At least, the parts where the robots were fucking each other up. The military plot stuff was boring. But what's not to love about robots fighting?

The last half hour of the movie was great. That is what I was expecting. But seriously, there were too little Transformers in Transformers. Way too much of the story line focused on developing Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox. Boring. I wanted character development of the robots. The only one you really got to know was Bumble-Bee. You didn't even get to know Optimus Prime very well and Megatron disappeared as quickly as he was introduced. Retarded.

[Coachellian]

i just saw a 2006 movie titled "once", i loved it, after it was done, i felt like a best friend moving away...i didn't want it to end.

[roberto73]

I thought the first Transformers was great. At least, the parts where the robots were fucking each other up. The military plot stuff was boring. But what's not to love about robots fighting?

This is precisely why Transformers worked for me. Michael Bay has spent his career looking for a story that justifies dropping cars and trucks from the sky. Once he found it, he couldn't go wrong.

[PotVsKtl]

Coraline bored the shit out of me. I was seriously considering leaving the theater. In 3-D.

[Down Rodeo]

I just finished Once Upon a Time in America today. Seriously long, but very excellent.

[C DUB YA]

Coraline bored the shit out of me. I was seriously considering leaving the theater. In 3-D.

Yeah I just got back from it this evening - thought is was kinda blah as well. never wanted to leave, but thought about other movies I coulda seen instead.

The 3D thing wasn't worth it at all, nothing really 3D about it. There were only a couple of times were people in the audience noticed the 3D thing - such a waste of good technology... very much an after thought.

The plot is good and I like Gaiman's writing for the most part - but it went on far toooooo long. Plus I wanted it to be more sinister and evil/bloody (anything). I think they really went for kid dollars even though a lot of younger kids wouldn't like it at all or even have the attention span for it.

Coraline is a rental at best. A Nightmare Before Christmas it ain't.

[KungFuJoe]

No one here has seen Taken yet? I'm suprised how well it's holding up at the box office, but think it's awesome. The movie goes for broke & doesn't apologize for any of it. Great entertainment.

[C DUB YA]

My brother has been raving about it for almost a year now - guess I should go see it.

[Mr.Nipples]

has anyone seen Madea Goes To Jail and can offer a review?

[C DUB YA]

oh good lord nipples.

[ivankay]

No one here has seen Taken yet? I'm suprised how well it's holding up at the box office, but think it's awesome. The movie goes for broke & doesn't apologize for any of it. Great entertainment.

i was visiting a friend today with other comrades. One of them brought over some bootleg copies and the friend we were visiting wanted to watch Taken. i thought the movie was an excuse to sting together a bunch of violent events that elicit a bunch of "Oh!'s and "Damn!"'s. Not saying that's a bad thing because it was fun, but this movie does not go beyond that. Liam Neeson is in one note, bad ass mode. It plays fast. i'm having a hard time recommending it because it is a pretty dumb movie. i'm kind of glad i saw it the way i did because it gave the room the permission to make comments, be louder than you would in a theater and the booze helped. i won't use the word "awesome", but mindless fun, sure.

[indietron]

The last half hour of the movie was great. That is what I was expecting. But seriously, there were too little Transformers in Transformers. Way too much of the story line focused on developing Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox. Boring. I wanted character development of the robots. The only one you really got to know was Bumble-Bee. You didn't even get to know Optimus Prime very well and Megatron disappeared as quickly as he was introduced. Retarded.

Then Revenge is gonna blow you away. Theres (supposedly) a scene with like 20+ transformers all duking it out at the pyramids in Egypt. Which im pretty sure is one of the only movies to be filmed there. They protect those pyramids like no other.

Im gonna bump the transformers thread :)

[garrett222]

Then Revenge is gonna blow you away. Theres (supposedly) a scene with like 20+ transformers all duking it out at the pyramids in Egypt. Which im pretty sure is one of the only movies to be filmed there. They protect those pyramids like no other.

Im gonna bump the transformers thread :)

i like megan fox more than the robots.

[KungFuJoe]

i was visiting a friend today with other comrades. One of them brought over some bootleg copies and the friend we were visiting wanted to watch Taken. i thought the movie was an excuse to sting together a bunch of violent events that elicit a bunch of "Oh!'s and "Damn!"'s. Not saying that's a bad thing because it was fun, but this movie does not go beyond that. Liam Neeson is in one note, bad ass mode. It plays fast. i'm having a hard time recommending it because it is a pretty dumb movie. i'm kind of glad i saw it the way i did because it gave the room the permission to make comments, be louder than you would in a theater and the booze helped. i won't use the word "awesome", but mindless fun, sure.

Sorry. I meant that I thought it was awesome that people are going to see it & it's making a killing at the box office. I too, have not ventured out to the theater to see it. It is a pretty dumb movie, but a shit load of fun. I'd almost rank it inside the exploitation/grindhouse genre. SPOILER: You got to love a film where your hero shoots another man's innocent wife for no other reason than to intimidate the fuck & barks out "It's a flesh wound!"

[ivankay]

That was pretty surprising. There were a lot of good punches, chops, kicks and kills.

[TheGuvna]

Trilogy Meter, courtesy of Dan Meth:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.cinematical.com/media/2009/02/triolgymeter.jpg

[Young blood]

Im really excited for the new star trek.

[MissingPerson]

I strongly disagree with both the X Men and Matrix ones. Revolutions was better than Reloaded, although that's not saying much, and the first X Men film was the best by far.

[Young blood]

I had some crazy old black lady screaming walking around looking for her grandkid while I was viewing the first xmen movie in theaters.

old lady "JAROME!? JAROME YOU IN HERE!?"

audience "shhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"

old lady "IS THIS THE XMENS MOVIE! JAROME! BOY YOU IN HUR!?"

audience "shhhhh!!! GRANDMA IM UP HERE!!! "

old lady "JAROME!? THAT DONT SOUND LIKE YOU!"

audience "SHUT UP BITCH!!!"


The end.

[Down Rodeo]

I know it's late, but here's my 2008 list:

1. Synecdoche, New York
2. The Fall
3. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
4. Che
5. Happy-Go-Lucky
6. Rachel Getting Married
7. Slumdog Millionaire
8. Chop Shop
9. Flight of the Red Balloon
10. The Wrestler
11. Doubt
12. Gran Torino
13. WALL-E
14. The Visitor
T15. Mongol
T15. The Dark Knight

Still need to see: Silent Light, The Man from London, Still Life, Milk, Paranoid Park, Ballast, Revolutionary Road, Man on Wire

[schoolofruckus]

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2009/iibp-lil.jpg

[schoolofruckus]

The awesome thing about this one is that it's supposed to be Tarantino's handwriting from the title page of the script, written on the butt of the gun.

http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/article/955/955662/inglourious-basterds-20090220000844483.jpg

[C DUB YA]

The awesome thing about this one is that it's supposed to be Tarantino's handwriting from the title page of the script, written on the butt of the gun.

http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/article/955/955662/inglourious-basterds-20090220000844483.jpg

It is.

[C DUB YA]

Trilogy Meter, courtesy of Dan Meth:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.cinematical.com/media/2009/02/triolgymeter.jpg

I strongly disagree with both the X Men and Matrix ones. Revolutions was better than Reloaded, although that's not saying much, and the first X Men film was the best by far.

imo those are spot on. BOTH matrix sequels are crap compared to the first one, that's just common knowledge. The second film was so draining, the third seemed even more tedious and heavy handed. X Men 2 is my fave of the serious. But the first 2 are both good compared to the Brett Ratner crapfest that is X3.

Here are my edits to the charts:

There's no way in hell Jaws 3(D) is better than Jaws 2 - I repeat, no way in hell.

Die hard 3 is better than 2.

Back to the Future 3 is a lot worse than BTTF 2, not almost equal as the chart makes it out to be.

Superman 3 is far worse than say, X Men 3, Alien 3, Jurassic Park 3, Godfather 3, Blade 3, or Batman 3.

According to these charts - The Matrix is better than the Godfather and Star Wars - something that is simply impossible.

[iv3rdawG]

Funny People trailer: http://www.davestrailerpage.co.uk/ (At the top of the page).

[PotVsKtl]

Both Matrix sequels are outstanding.

[Monklish]

Both Matrix sequels are outstanding.

You're out of your cotton-picking Moving Pictures Degree mind.

[sbessiso]

Friday the 13th was fucking dreadful. Absolutely awful. There was nothing interesting or creative about it and even for a horror movie it was dumb.

It's a good thing I snuck into it after "Coraline" in 3D (which was AWWWWESOME!!!)

[PotVsKtl]

You're out of your cotton-picking Moving Pictures Degree mind.

You just hate big words.

[PotVsKtl]

Friday the 13th was fucking dreadful. Absolutely awful. There was nothing interesting or creative about it and even for a horror movie it was dumb.

It's a good thing I snuck into it after "Coraline" in 3D (which was AWWWWESOME!!!)

Worst taste on board. By an exploded bicep shotput push.

[PotVsKtl]

Oh you mean the new one. Then your post is only half-retarded.

[Monklish]

You just hate big words.

No, I just dislike the trilogy with the absolute worst fucking premise in the history of film.

[blakely]

Both Matrix sequels are outstanding.

Keanu Reeves should be shot for those atrocious movies

[PotVsKtl]

What's the premise?

[MissingPerson]

Fuck every one of you if you don't think The Matrix was the best action film of the 90's.

[Monklish]

What's the premise?

The premise that this incredible system of machinery couldn't find a more efficient source of power than growing humans (their only adversary in their global domination) and keeping them alive to use their body heat as power. And not only that, but that they had to create a fictional world to pump into the brains of these comatose humans they'd grown even though it provides no usefulness whatsoever to their goal of farming their heat. It is fucking absurd, it goes against any possible interpretation of energy efficiency, and it's just the dumbest goddamn excuse for their silly little cyber-stoner twist imaginable.

[Monklish]

Fuck every one of you if you don't think The Matrix was the best action film of the 90's.

Terminator 2. You lose. Massively.

[PotVsKtl]

The premise that this incredible system of machinery couldn't find a more efficient source of power than growing humans (their only adversary in their global domination) and keeping them alive to use their body heat as power. And not only that, but that they had to create a fictional world to pump into the brains of these comatose humans they'd grown even though it provides no usefulness whatsoever to their goal of farming their heat. It is fucking absurd, it goes against any possible interpretation of energy efficiency, and it's just the dumbest goddamn excuse for their silly little cyber-stoner twist imaginable.

Agreed, I thought you were harping on some of the internal stuff. The big picture premise is clown shoes.

[Monklish]

There are other parts of the internal stuff that are just frustratingly obtuse, but yeah we've had this discussion before in this thread and while I'll admit that Reloaded had some interesting developments to the concepts they'd laid out I still maintain that Revolutions (in particular the whole ending with the Architect) is equally ridiculous. Sorry, but that babble about Neo being the remainder is a dumb excuse for the bullshit they'd laid out.

[MissingPerson]

I can't argue with that. Architect was shit.

Also, T2 was the 1990's? Good God, I've never felt so old.

[blakely]

There are other parts of the internal stuff that are just frustratingly obtuse, but yeah we've had this discussion before in this thread and while I'll admit that Reloaded had some interesting developments to the concepts they'd laid out I still maintain that Revolutions (in particular the whole ending with the Architect) is equally ridiculous. Sorry, but that babble about Neo being the remainder is a dumb excuse for the bullshit they'd laid out.

Agreed. The Wachowski Bros were grasping at straws with that ending.

[Monklish]

Yup, 92 I do believe. The last good action movie.

[Monklish]

It was just so dumb from the beginning. I remember flipping the fuck out in the theatre during the first Matrix when it got to the point where Morpheus was explaining what had happened with the war between man and machines, and he says that because the sky turned black from all the bombs machines had to find an alternative to solar power, so they started growing humans for bioheat. I was literally yelling in the theatre--"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? MACHINES CAN'T BUILD A GODDAMN WINDMILL?!"

[PotVsKtl]

There's no wind without the sun hobo.

[MissingPerson]

I don't think the phrase "MACHINES CAN'T BUILD A GODDAMN WINDMILL?" would ever sound quite right unless it was yelled from a shopping cart by a homeless war veteran.

[Monklish]

There's no wind without the sun hobo.

Hmm... alright, "hobo" accepted. Scientific face. Allow me to amend my statement:

MACHINES CAN'T BUILD A GODDAMN TURBINE AND PUT IT IN THE FUCKING OCEAN?!

[sbessiso]

Surely there's been at least one "good action movie" since 92...

[Monklish]

... nope. Not really.

[MissingPerson]

No, I can't remember any action films with windmills this whole time.

[blakely]

Surely there's been at least one "good action movie" since 92...

Yup...


http://www.filmaware.fr/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/last_action_hero.jpg

[sbessiso]

Ha! I used to love that movie as a kid. So magical!

[blakely]

I had a birthday party with it as the theme. We even had magical tickets as invitations. Yeah, i was bad ass.

[Monklish]

We get it...

[sbessiso]

Oh c'mooon

[blakely]

Im sure you do.

[schoolofruckus]

Yup, 92 I do believe. The last good action movie.

I agree that Terminator 2 is the apex of action filmmaking - from the 90's on, if not ever.

But in addition to Kill Bill - NOTHING if not an action film - and leaving out many films I can remember you wrongfully hating, I would still submit Collateral, 28 Weeks Later (which, unlike Days, I would say is a straight-up big action film), Bad Boys II (that's right, I said it), Run Lola Run, and Face/Off as worthy of the action film pantheon.

[Yablonowitz]

I agree that Terminator 2 is the apex of action filmmaking - from the 90's on, if not ever.

But in addition to Kill Bill - NOTHING if not an action film - and leaving out many films I can remember you wrongfully hating, I would still submit Collateral, 28 Weeks Later (which, unlike Days, I would say is a straight-up big action film), Bad Boys II (that's right, I said it), Run Lola Run, and Face/Off as worthy of the action film pantheon.

Put a lid on it.

[schoolofruckus]

I waited until you are far enough away (where you can only inflict emotional harm) to tell you this, but I disliked Alien quite a bit, and thus have never given Aliens a proper viewing (i.e., seeing it in full when it's not on television).

[schoolofruckus]

Put a lid on it.

Oh, my bad. None of those movies have played Missoula yet.

[Yablonowitz]

Oh, my bad. None of those movies have played Missoula yet.

I'm going to one-star this bitch if you don't shut the fuck up.

[PotVsKtl]

I waited until you are far enough away (where you can only inflict emotional harm) to tell you this, but I disliked Alien quite a bit, and thus have never given Aliens a proper viewing (i.e., seeing it in full when it's not on television).

You don't deserve to live.

[Yablonowitz]

I disliked Alien quite a bit

Hate you and your fucking movie tastes.

[PotVsKtl]

ALIENS IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE LOOK AT HOW ANGRY I AM.

[PotVsKtl]

IF YOU COULD SEE MY FACE RIGHT NOW YOUR ASSHOLE WOULD BE A SIZE ZERO.

[Yablonowitz]

ALIENS IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE LOOK AT HOW ANGRY I AM.

Alien>>>>>>>>>>>>Aliens

[PotVsKtl]

Alien is a better suspense movie than Aliens. Luckily, Aliens is not a suspense movie and is instead the best action movie ever made and all around pinnacle of filmmaking.

[PotVsKtl]

X_gJCO7mlDk

[Yablonowitz]

I'm sorry, but that video is no longer available.

[schoolofruckus]

Hate you and your fucking movie tastes.

Considering that a movie with one set, in which a sock-puppet with vomit on it counts as a scary movie villain, is several notches above the quality of your average Missoula community theatre production, I am decidedly un-shocked at your affinity for that film.

[MissingPerson]

Also, the Pulse rifle falls just short of the Light Sabre as the coolest fictional weapon ever.

[schoolofruckus]

X_gJCO7mlDk

I stopped watching that halfway through. It looks awesome, and I feel like it was giving away too many money shots.

[PotVsKtl]

I'm sorry, but that video is no longer available.

It's available to me. Probably some sort of cybernetic interference device for people who are bad at rating Alien movies.

[Monklish]

I agree that Terminator 2 is the apex of action filmmaking - from the 90's on, if not ever.

But in addition to Kill Bill - NOTHING if not an action film - and leaving out many films I can remember you wrongfully hating, I would still submit Collateral, 28 Weeks Later (which, unlike Days, I would say is a straight-up big action film), Bad Boys II (that's right, I said it), Run Lola Run, and Face/Off as worthy of the action film pantheon.

Kill Bill is not an action movie. It's action-filled, but not an action movie. And Collateral, 28 Weeks, Bad Boys, and Face Off all suck. You're fucked.

I waited until you are far enough away (where you can only inflict emotional harm) to tell you this, but I disliked Alien quite a bit, and thus have never given Aliens a proper viewing (i.e., seeing it in full when it's not on television).

That's so wrong.

Alien>>>>>>>>>>>>Aliens

Agreed. Only some dumbass with a degree in Crafting Flipbook Art would disagree.

It's available to me. Probably some sort of cybernetic interference device for people who are bad at rating Alien movies.

Oh hai.

[Yablonowitz]

Considering that a movie with one set, in which a sock-puppet with vomit on it counts as a scary movie villain, is several notches above the quality of your average Missoula community theatre production, I am decidedly un-shocked at your affinity for that film.

You do realize the movie was made before you were born and, thus, had technological limits that your baby face can't fully fathom, right?

[schoolofruckus]

Kill Bill is not an action movie. It's action-filled, but not an action movie. And Collateral, 28 Weeks, Bad Boys, and Face Off all suck. You're fucked.


Yet another reminder that the Pantheon of Great Movies Randy Fails to Appreciate is the largest facility on planet Earth.



You do realize the movie was made before you were born and, thus, had technological limits that your baby face can't fully fathom, right?

You counter a "Yablo Lives In the Death Valley of All Culture" joke with a "Yablo is Old" joke?

[PotVsKtl]

32nd Annual International Wildlife Film Festival
Missoula, Montana

May 9-16, 2009

[Down Rodeo]

Dark City >>>> The Matrix

Alien > Aliens (slightly)

On a side note, I watched Alien 3 again the other night, and it was actually pretty good.

[whynotsmile99]

Alien 3 is highly underrated. I've only seen the alternative cut and loved it. I wonder if the original cut is as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I loved how dark and dreary the entire thing is.

The Alien DVD set is fantastic, easily the best i own. 9 dvds of pure awesome, even with that shitty Alien Resurrection. Too bad that movie sucked. Having Jeunet direct an Alien movie was well inspired and should have been great.

[TomAz]

For some viewers the idea of another Jane Austen-inspired period drama is sufficiently monstrous, but a coming film project seeks to update the formula with actual monsters, Variety reported. The movie “Pride and Predator,” directed by Will Clark and written by Mr. Clark with Andrew Kemble and John Pape, will juxtapose brooding aristocrats with a brutal alien that lands in 1800s-era Britain, attacking residents and leaving them with neither sense nor sensibility. The film, to be produced by Elton John’s Rocket Pictures, is the latest work to mix the hoary costume genre with elements of horror. A book called “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” credited to Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith and published by Quirk Books, will combine the Austen novel with “all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action.” And a coming novel by Michael Thomas Ford called “Jane Bites Back” depicts Austen as a frustrated vampire, taking revenge on those who have made money from her work.

wtf.

[schoolofruckus]

wtf.

I will be there for opening night of Pride and Predator.

STATED.

[bmack86]

That might be the best idea for a film ever.

[ivankay]

These were on the EW.com 25 greatest action movies of all time (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20042607,00.html) list (i'm only going to put the ones that came out after T2):

25) The Incredibles
23) Drunken Master 2
22) Spider-Man 2
20) Kill Bill Vol. 1
17) The Bourne Supremacy
16) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
11) Speed
10) Terminator 2
9) Hard Boiled
8) Saving Private Ryan (hmmm, does this WW2 movie count?)
7) Gladiator
5) The Matrix

Those are some great action movies. Since that list came out, ones that could be considered The Bourne Ultimatum, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Sin City, 300, The Two Towers and Return of the King.

Is T2 the best of the bunch? Maybe. i still have a problem with a sappy thumbs up at the end.

[TheGuvna]

Interesting...

The Rock is the best pure action film since the original Die Hard (http://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/15/scenes-we-love-the-rock/)

[ivankay]

i would throw The Rock in the post T2 action movie greats. i'm tempted to include it's ugly younger brother, Con-Air.

[KungFuJoe]

As much as I love Drunken Master 2 I tend to seperate martial arts & action films. Hard Boiled ranks up there with Terminator 2. No doubt about that. Also, although not exactly in the same league, Leon: The Professional.

I watched The Hurt Locker recently. Good film.

[shakermaker113]

lol. pride and predator.

[PotVsKtl]

I didn't realize Drunken Master 2 was made in the 90s. That's clearly the best action film of the decade.

[buddy]

Inglourios Basterds Trailer (New Tarantino Movie)
http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/inglouriousbasterds/

[buddy]

X_gJCO7mlDk

fuckin hate metallica, but that was cool. by the way, although i love Alien Aliens is the better movie, action or otherwise. and the only action movie that i think was best since T2 is the first 20 minutes of Private Ryan, and no way a piece of shit like the Rock should be compared with Die Hard in any way.

[schoolofruckus]

As much as I love Drunken Master 2 I tend to seperate martial arts & action films. Hard Boiled ranks up there with Terminator 2. No doubt about that. Also, although not exactly in the same league, Leon: The Professional.

I watched The Hurt Locker recently. Good film.

How did you see The Hurt Locker? I've heard nothing but raves about that shit for the past few months.

[Monklish]

But... but... The Rock wasn't even a good movie. That statement is clearly insane.

[SoulDischarge]

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/153/919532~Escape-from-L-A-Posters.jpg

(Dissenters: Fuck you in advance.)

[Down Rodeo]

If Heat could be considered an action movie, then that would win.

[Monklish]

It can't and it still wouldn't, actually. 45 minutes too long. Terminator 2 was 99 percent perfect, the biggest offense being the thumbs up as Ivan pointed out.

Still a little tear-jerking when Arnold goes in the lava though. ::sniffle::

[TheGuvna]

It can't and it still wouldn't, actually. 45 minutes too long. Terminator 2 was 99 percent perfect, the biggest offense being the thumbs up as Ivan pointed out.

Still a little tear-jerking when Arnold goes in the lava though. ::sniffle::

"I know now why you cry"

[anti-square]

I take back what I previously said about buying media on disk. I bought Terminator 2, A Clockwork Orange, and Reservoir Dogs on Blu-Ray for 10 a pop. Fuckin Walmart and its awesome values and savings.

[Gonshman]

These were on the EW.com 25 greatest action movies of all time (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20042607,00.html) list (i'm only going to put the ones that came out after T2):

25) The Incredibles
23) Drunken Master 2
22) Spider-Man 2
20) Kill Bill Vol. 1
17) The Bourne Supremacy
16) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
11) Speed
10) Terminator 2
9) Hard Boiled
8) Saving Private Ryan (hmmm, does this WW2 movie count?)
7) Gladiator
5) The Matrix

Those are some great action movies. Since that list came out, ones that could be considered The Bourne Ultimatum, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Sin City, 300, The Two Towers and Return of the King.

Is T2 the best of the bunch? Maybe. i still have a problem with a sappy thumbs up at the end.

Calling some of these movies "action movies" is kind of stretching it. Crouching Tiger, Two Towers, Return of the King, Gladiator? Is there a widely-accepted definition for what an "action" movie constitutes?

[ivankay]

Calling some of these movies "action movies" is kind of stretching it. Crouching Tiger, Two Towers, Return of the King, Gladiator? Is there a widely-accepted definition for what an "action" movie constitutes?

i was on the edge there with Crouching Tiger and the last 2 LOTR movies, but then thought "Why not? They are jam packed with action. Movies can be classified into more than one genre. Just because Crouching is primarily a martial arts film does not mean it isn't an action film as well (or a romance). Star Wars is a sci-fi and an action movie (as are the Terminator films). What is the accepted definition btw?

[indietron]

Taken was actually good. I was not expecting that much from it, so it was a very nice surprise. It was of course predictable, but it was a nice length (1.5 hrs) and was full of "im gonna beat the crap out of you with no mercy." Really loved that essence of it. Tha main character kind of reminded me of how Jack Bauer/Jason Bourne would act.

[Gonshman]

i was on the edge there with Crouching Tiger and the last 2 LOTR movies, but then thought "Why not? They are jam packed with action. Movies can be classified into more than one genre. Just because Crouching is primarily a martial arts film does not mean it isn't an action film as well (or a romance). Star Wars is a sci-fi and an action movie (as are the Terminator films). What is the accepted definition btw?

That's the question I was asking: what constitutes something being called a pure action film?

[ivankay]

Randy's the one who said T2 was the last great one, so i'd like to hear his parameters.

Saw The Reader tonight. Good movie, not best picture nominee worthy in my opinion. As the credits were rolling and i saw the producers names (Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack and Weinsteins), the how of the nomination was answered. Of course actors a great. Of course naked Kate Winslet is nice. i thought the story was interesting as were the morality, compassion and punishment questions it brings up.

[KungFuJoe]

How did you see The Hurt Locker? I've heard nothing but raves about that shit for the past few months.

I found a European copy of it. It wasn't the greatist quality, so I'd like to watch it again. I enjoyed it though.

Watched Red Cliff 2 last night. Still better than all of Woo's American films, but kind of disppointing. There was a lot I liked about it, but a lot that made me cringe. The U.S. realease is going to be one film. This should really benefit the film if they cut out the scenes that really dragged it down.

Bought Duel to the Death on dvd for $3.50 at Circut City. score.

[chairmenmeow47]

did IQs drop sharply while i was away?!?! aliens is fucking awesome.

[Monklish]

Not quite as awesome as Alien though.

[bug on your lip]

Alien is holding hands and shrieking in delight

Aliens is blowing the whole wad in dizzying heights of ecstasy

[Young blood]

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c193/mmmmdoughnuts/1233921912424.jpg

[Gonshman]

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c193/mmmmdoughnuts/1233921912424.jpg

Hahahaha. Look at how happy E.T. is.

[chairmenmeow47]

it's amazing how much i hated ET, even as a kid. i hope MJ fucks his alien skull.

[chairmenmeow47]

Not quite as awesome as Alien though.

alien may be a better written movie due to it's suspense and all that, but if alien and aliens were on tv, i'd watch aliens hands down because it's more entertaining.

i mean, COME ON!!!

http://ivy.aholic.us/gallery/d/767481-1/aliens1.JPG

[locachica73]

"Get Away From Her You BITCH!!!" I had a bit of a girl crush on Sigourney Weaver in that movie.

[PotVsKtl]

Michel Gondry is directing Green Hornet.
http://twitter.com/prodweek

[rage patton]

Seth Rogen is writing and producing it too, right?

[PotVsKtl]

Seth Rogen is the titular character. Stephen Chow is Bruce Lee.

[whynotsmile99]

ign gives watchmen a 10 out of 10

i'm half way through the graphic novel and not totally feeling it yet

http://movies.ign.com/articles/956/956111p2.html

[Cherita Chen]

Michel Gondry is directing Green Hornet.
http://twitter.com/prodweek

oh my god this can be absolutely amazing. Or just kinda interesting like "Be Kind Rewind" was

[schoolofruckus]

Or a total drag like The Science of Sleep was.

[wmgaretjax]

or like everything he's done that didn't have Kaufman attached to it...

[indietron]

I liked Science of Sleep

[blakely]

it was decent, but ultimately lost me. i had zero investment in any of the characters. Gael bernal is a phenomenal actor, but his character just pissed me off.

[Cherita Chen]

I'm somewhere in the middle with "Science of Sleep", I can't say I hated it but it didn't leave me jumping for joy either. I fell asleep in that movie too :-/

[Calamity Jane]

I'm somewhere in the middle with "Science of Sleep", I can't say I hated it but it didn't leave me jumping for joy either. I fell asleep in that movie too :-/
SBessio what makes this topic worthy of your racist alias?

[Cherita Chen]

I don't know what you're talking about

[chairmenmeow47]

it was decent, but ultimately lost me. i had zero investment in any of the characters. Gael bernal is a phenomenal actor, but his character just pissed me off.

i did like the girl, she was good. but in general it was hard to care about the characters. i mainly just wanted to know how they made a lot of the crafts they made.

[fatbastard]

Scott Walker, musical mystery man
The documentary 'Scott Walker: 30 Century Man' profiles the influential but obscure musician.

By Scott Timberg

February 26, 2009

The early scenes of the documentary look like some lost reel from "This Is Spinal Tap," spanning what seems like half of rock history -- complete with hem lengths and haircuts.

But the protagonist is not a metalhead but a Zelig-like figure: Here he is as a squeaky-clean pop idol in the Frankie Avalon mode, gazing bashfully. He shows up on L.A.'s Sunset Strip at its wildest. Next he's part of a mop-topped boy band in swinging London. Then he's an artsy songwriter brooding behind scarves and cool shades. Finally, he's a baritone singer who combines depression with extravagant theatricality -- a sort of Leonard Cohen gone Vegas.

Just who is this guy? For the uninitiated, he's Scott Walker -- born Noel Scott Engel in small-town Ohio. And now, at 66, he continues to be the reclusive hero to Brit rockers, hipster intellectuals, Mojo magazine readers and swooning sexagenarian German women. But he remains a mystery to nearly all.

Even David Bowie, a longtime fan, feigns bafflement during his on-screen appearance in "Scott Walker: 30 Century Man," a documentary opening Friday at the Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles. "Why, I don't know anything," he offers with a sly smile. "Who knows anything about Scott Walker?"

Many acolytes

Bowie, the film's executive producer, is not the only well-known musician deeply influenced by this icon of obscurity. (Bowie's so-called Berlin Trilogy of albums from the late '70s clearly bears Walker's stamp.) Johnny Marr of the Smiths, Sting, polymath Brian Eno, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, trip-hop singer Dot Allison and Radiohead's Jonny and Colin Greenwood all show up on camera; Bono and X's John Doe also are reportedly fans. (Melancholy rocker Nick Cave, who doesn't appear in the film, also seems to be especially influenced by Walker's work.)

Experimental musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson, who works in the place where rock, classical and experimental music come together, calls herself "inspired by his sense of danger."

She still remembers the first time she heard Walker's music. "My immediate reaction was complete attention -- which pretty much describes listening to him since then." His signature, she said, is "a roaring big voice with ragged edges full of sharp things."

Most of Walker's influence came in after he left British sensations the Walker Brothers -- a trio who were not actually British, not really brothers and not named Walker -- and launched a solo career.

The film tries to make the point that he was "at once out of step with current trends and light years ahead of them," as the film's notes have it.

"Their success as a band was up there on a Beatles level for a couple of years, and then it drifted away," said Chris Walter, a photographer who shot the trio and then the solo artist in his native England in the '60s and '70s. "Scott was always the private one; you never 'hung out' with Scott. He was this enigmatic figure."

Walker's solo years are about as far from the hugely, if temporarily, popular trio as could be: Walker was inspired at that point not by the bright melodies of '60s pop or the swirl of psychedelia but rather by Samuel Beckett, Belgian crooner Jacques Brel and the films of Ingmar Bergman.

His song about Bergman's "The Seventh Seal," from the 1969 record "Scott 4," failed to chart anywhere in the known universe. But that poor-selling solo album -- Walker's first commercial flop -- became a major touchstone for many contemporary musicians.

Jarvis Cocker, the Brit-popper who once led Pulp, remembers how hard the solo records were to find in the 1980s. "It took me four or five years to track them all down," he recalls. As for "Scott 4": "It just completely blew me away. He had massive orchestral arrangements, but with lyrics about people stuck in front of the telly, with their kids getting on their nerves. I'd always liked things that mythologized everyday life, but this was the first time I'd heard it in pop music."

Reclusive artist

Walker, of course, never sold much in the United States, and he's spent much of the last 40 years as a recluse in England studying things like Gregorian chant. He rarely grants interviews and did not break that rule to publicize this film.

"Each wave of his career scoops up new fans," said Stephen Kijak, the film's director and producer, describing Norwegian death metal bands who love Walker's sepulchral recent work and Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner, whose side band is inspired by Walker.

David Sefton, an associate producer of the film, spent seven years chasing the singer to curate the music festival he ran in London. "It became almost like a running gag," recalls Sefton, now director of UCLA Live, who sees Walker as the ultimate musician's musician.

Many of the years since the late '70s -- the last time Walker performed live -- have been marked by alcoholism and depression. The film skirts this, mostly, leaving those years an enigmatic silence. "I wanted people to get to know him through the work," said Kijak, who added that he did not want to alienate his subject.

The film presents him instead as Orpheus, the mythical Greek poet who descended into the underworld and returned to tell the tale. Walker becomes a kind of symbol of artistic discipline, of ignoring the marketplace. He even manages to seem otherworldly while speaking on camera in a black T-shirt in recent interviews.

Beastie bowled over

Adam Yauch says he and his fellow Beastie Boys somehow missed Walker in their earlier years: "It just slipped past my radar somehow." But when he saw the film -- which his boutique company, Oscilloscope Pictures, is now distributing -- he was overpowered by the music's strangeness, and by Walker's fierce integrity.

"It's a trip. The dude is an extremist," Yauch said. "The part that killed me was when he signed a deal and goes off, lives in an old cabin without electricity, for like seven years. Then he calls his A&R man and says, 'OK, I'm ready to record.'

"He symbolizes the extremes of sticking by your guns," Yauch says.

calendar@latimes.com

[wmgaretjax]

That was a pretty good documentary. Certainly a good intro to one of the greatest songwriters ever.

[schoolofruckus]

JARED


Did you see Ballast this week? I just saw that it's playing Seattle and today's the last day.

[wmgaretjax]

today is the last day and it doesn't look like I can make it... I just saw that last night. seriously bummed. but from what I hear it got DVD distribution.

[schoolofruckus]

Goddammit.

Who's putting out the disc? I couldn't find any info when I looked today.

[schoolofruckus]

I guess the company that was supposed to distribute Three Monkeys - New Yorker Films - went belly up. However, I emailed the Nuart and they said it will still play here on 3/27, so that's great news.

[schoolofruckus]

SAN FRANCISCO PEOPLE


Carlos Reygadas' Silent Light - quite possibly the best film I saw in 2008 - is playing at the Sundance Kabuki theatre beginning this weekend. Make a fucking point to be there! I'm looking at you, Ryan.

[Down Rodeo]

Damn, I might have to check that out. You guys heaped some mighty praise on that film.

[schoolofruckus]

Get thee to the Kabuki this week. I don't care what it takes. I've watched it three times on DVD and I'm still dying for a big screen date.

[wmgaretjax]

Seconded. I've only seen it twice, but would love to see it on the big screen.

[KungFuJoe]

P4b9-Ng5OpU

[chairmenmeow47]

the wiz is worth every second of over-priced bizarreness for everybody rejoice/a brand new day.

[ivankay]

i saw Scott Walker: 30 Century Man and had to put this is another thread:

You ever come across one of those great things that for some reason or another you didn't and then when you did, felt deprived for not knowing it before? i just saw Scott Walker: 30 Century Man and have a lot of greatness to catch up on. This song is killing me how great it is:

YJ8XLglx8HQ

The Walker Brothers "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Any More"

Here's a cleaner version that doesn't clip and the end. The B side "After the Light Go Out" is also on this:

VMMPVPweoa0

i thought this was a great movie to see in a theater. The songs are so fantastic, hearing them in a theater with good sound is an experience i am grateful for. These documentaries are meant for dummies like me who need to be schooled in great things. i suspect those of you familiar with Mr. Walker are going to love it. Film making wise it's pretty much a straight forward doc, but the sounds and the subject matter are brilliant. i saw it at the Nuart today.

Trailer:

dBMJ79ly3B4

[schoolofruckus]

Quite possibly the most exciting film rumor (http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4534&start=100) I've heard about in years:

Excerpt from an interview with visual effects artist Mike Flint in the latest issue of Empire Magazine:

Quote:
“We’re just starting work on a project for Terrence Malick, animating dinosaurs, the film is Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. It’ll be showing in IMAX – so the dinosaurs will actually be life size – and the shots of the creatures will be long and lingering.”

[Mr.Nipples]

terrence 'give me more time' malick and dinosaurs? imax? brad pitt? spicoli?


im there...

[bmack86]

I hope they just provide voices and the movie is like a more adult Land Before Time. You know, adult, but still with talking dinosaurs, like that show Dinosaurs.

[bballarl]

i saw Scott Walker: 30 Century Man and had to put this is another thread:



i thought this was a great movie to see in a theater. The songs are so fantastic, hearing them in a theater with good sound is an experience i am grateful for. These documentaries are meant for dummies like me who need to be schooled in great things. i suspect those of you familiar with Mr. Walker are going to love it. Film making wise it's pretty much a straight forward doc, but the sounds and the subject matter are brilliant. i saw it at the Nuart today.

Trailer:

dBMJ79ly3B4

I need to see this. Where is it playing?

[ivankay]

I need to see this. Where is it playing?

The Nuart. i was thinking of checking it out again half way through it. i've been exploring Mr. Walker since i left the theater yesterday.

[rage patton]

I just bought tickets to the midnight screening of Watchmen in IMAX. I am excited. Dear Lord I do hope they don't fuck it up.

[bballarl]

The Nuart. i was thinking of checking it out again half way through it. i've been exploring Mr. Walker since i left the theater yesterday.

Make sure to listen to his two most terrifying albums, Tilt and The Drift. While the movement from his earlier stuff to those records isn't totally shocking, those albums sound like nothing else that exists.

[ivankay]

You're gonna dig this movie.

Buying The Drift right now.

[bballarl]

I think I am going to the 10:00 showing tonight. Should I buy tickets in advance or will I be okay?

[thestripe]

I want to see it. I wonder if it's playing anywhere near me? Hmmm, I'm going to go check.

[bballarl]

It was playing in SF/Berkeley in January, but it was a limited engagement. This engagement in LA is only a week. But I think I read that it is going to be released on DVD soon.

[ivankay]

I think I am going to the 10:00 showing tonight. Should I buy tickets in advance or will I be okay?

i would think you would be ok. i can't be a fair judge of that though because i went to a 2:30PM screening. i got up there right at the start time. The guy selling me the ticket said "Sorry. Sold out. That guy got the last ticket."

"What?"

He was kidding of course. The screening i was at was a typical, art house early afternoon show...not crowded in the slightest. Wouldn't hurt to call the Nuart or get there a little early just in case.

[thestripe]

But I think I read that it is going to be released on DVD soon.

Good to know.

[shakermaker113]

I hope they just provide voices and the movie is like a more adult Land Before Time. You know, adult, but still with talking dinosaurs, like that show Dinosaurs.

ah fuck. they're going to be TALKING dinosaurs? that blows.

[Gonshman]

I watched three good movies this weekend

Into The Wild was a well-done film, but I thought the voiceover was intrusive and McCandless basically spoke in platitudes the entire last quarter of the film

Jesus Camp was terrifying and enlightening. My favorite part was when she started speaking in tonuges while blessing the Powerpoint and electrical systems at her camp, saying how she knows how the Devil tries to interfere with that kind of stuff.

Waltz with Bashir was emotionally powerful and had some beautiful scenes of animation. The switch to live action stock footage at the end was very well done.

[bmack86]

I re-watched Brazil this weekend. I reiterate my feelings that this is a fantastic film for the modern consumer; the final payoff of the film is truly terrifying, and the fact that throughout the film it's hard to distinguish the film from a drama and a comedy is a good indication of the serious material that backs up this moral tale makes it that much more affecting; this is a story that anyone and everyone can relate to.

[Down Rodeo]

I finally watched Hoop Dreams today, and I loved it. An amazing, affecting film, similar to Killer of Sheep but not quite as poetic.

[bballarl]

30th Century Man was fantastic. Scott Walker is clearly a genius, but also seems very normal, unlike the nightmare visions he puts on tape. What a phenomenal artist.

[Cherita Chen]

So what do you guys think of the "Terminator: Salvation" trailer? It's incredibly badass in my opinion. I'm pretty excited and I have faith in The Bale

[chairmenmeow47]

i think i am going to stab the yahoo! news writer for including a character spoiler in their 10 facts about terminator salvation article. stab. through the carton of milk. that's all i have to say about terminator salvation right now.

[Cherita Chen]

Wow, I didnt even see that. I'll make sure to avoid it. Thanks!

[amyzzz]

i think i am going to stab the yahoo! news writer for including a character spoiler in their 10 facts about terminator salvation article. stab. through the carton of milk. that's all i have to say about terminator salvation right now.
Nice allusion. :)

[downingthief]

I re-watched Brazil this weekend. I reiterate my feelings that this is a fantastic film for the modern consumer; the final payoff of the film is truly terrifying, and the fact that throughout the film it's hard to distinguish the film from a drama and a comedy is a good indication of the serious material that backs up this moral tale makes it that much more affecting; this is a story that anyone and everyone can relate to.

Yes.


That's all I got.

[amyzzz]

We watched part of Brazil but couldn't get through it all. You say it's worth it to watch the whole thing to the end? :)

[M Sparks]

I went to Sedona Film Festival this weekend. Saw 5 movies, which I mainly picked based on the limited time I had and what was available.

First was "Play The Game", which was cute and that's about it. It's a romantic comedy with a young guy trying to give pick-up advice to his widower grandfather. Mainly notable for a scene where Jerry Seinfeld's "Mom" gives Andy Griffith a BJ...I swear. Decent date movie. This trailer is awful, but the movie is totally watchable on a saturday afternoon, especially if it's on TV for free.

hSaBKNkoY6U

Then I saw "The Great Buck Howard, with John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, & Emily Blunt. This is essentially an Amazing Kreskin biopic, but the actual events and story are fictional...only his awful character traits are true. It's definitely a good movie, but not one you need to hunt down. I believe HDNet Movies will be premiering it next month before it hits theatres, so if you get that channel, watch for it. Tons of great cameos...

CrgMfoeSjF0

Next was "Idiots & Angels", the new Bill Plympton feature. An interesting redemption tale...basically about an asshole arms dealer who grows wings that force him to do good deeds. Plympton was at the screening and gave everyone that stayed afterward a sketch. I liked it, but it could have been done in about 45 minutes, not 80.

8baLlP_xLVM

Next morning, I saw "Shall We Kiss". Nice little french film, not much to say, even though it was easily the best of the five. It's a tragic love story, though the tragic parts are kind of skated around...it wants to be a comedy. Sorry, the trailer doesn't have subtitles

wKeRPn6cTq8

Finally, I saw "Nothing Really Matters". This is complete horseshit disguised as something really serious and deep. I kind of liked it for a while, but the ending...maybe one of the worst endings I've ever seen...made me start thinking about the rest of it, and now I hate the whole thing. The main character- a suicidal agoraphobic- is pretty good. One scene- where he answers the door and meets his "first emo" is hilarious. But he's trapped in a shit film with a completely non-shocking traumatic secret (that's shot in a way that just made me laugh.) And the end...let's just say that for 90 minutes, we keep seeing him in the bathtub with a table lamp next to it.

You know, like you do in a bathroom. Furnish it with a table lamp.

Next to the bathtub.

Jesus.

3umBpWgfOOQ

Anyway, a fun weekend, but I wish I would have seen at least ONE thing I could really rave about.

[iv3rdawG]

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8676/8d53aa74cc3a49ce9f6d0d6.jpg

[Gonshman]

Can someone explain the ending of Donnie Darko to me? I finished it today and am lost.

[M Sparks]

i think i am going to stab the yahoo! news writer for including a character spoiler in their 10 facts about terminator salvation article.

You didn't know he was a robot?

[BlueDevil50]

just bought my advance tix to see the watchmen on friday! should be great...

[MissingPerson]

Can someone explain the ending of Donnie Darko to me? I finished it today and am lost.

It's been a while, but...

The second the engine crashes through Donnie's house at the start, there's a paradox, because the engine hasn't actually fallen off the plane yet. The paradox creates a tangent universe in which weird things happen, but it's an unstable one that's only going to last for 28 days or so.

Long story short, it's Donnie himself who sends the engine through the wormhole at the end, which corrects the instability and saves the universe. But he's been manipulated into doing this by all the people around him - his teacher, his family, Frank, Gretchen - who were in turn all manipulated by something else. For all of this to work, there has to be some external power setting all the pieces in motion to save the universe. So when he dies, he's not quite alone after all.

http://ruinedeye.com/cd/time1.htm

They're making a sequel about Donnie's sister which looks absolutely ridiculous, but nothing to do with Richard Kelly. If Southland Tales is anything to go by, Richard Kelly's a one-hit wonder anyway though. Doesn't bode well for The Box, which also looks pretty shitty, but it's got Arcade Fire involvement so I'm doomed to see it anyway. Sigh.

I anxiously await the flurry of "Donnie Darko was an overrated piece of shit" posts.

[wmgaretjax]

Southland Tales was a better film than Donnie Darko.

[BKsaysAction!]

Yeah Southland Tales was kind of all over the place, I liked Donnie Darko but didn't worship it. I'm currious about The Box it sounds pretty intersting even if it is a remake of a Twilight Zone(or Outer Limit i forget which one) episode. I watched Brick over the weekend which i haven't seen since it was released on dvd. I still think it's a great movie even though a lot of people that i suggested it to didn't fully understand it or thought it was boring. I'm looking forward to that guy's new movie as well mostly because i'm a sucker for throwback retro movies.
8HPXfmqIy-4

[whynotsmile99]

Southland Tales was a better film than Donnie Darko.

http://rlv.zcache.com/ridiculous_t_shirt-p235688095370901792uye8_400.jpg

[MissingPerson]

Yeah Southland Tales was kind of all over the place, I liked Donnie Darko but didn't worship it. I'm currious about The Box it sounds pretty intersting even if it is a remake of a Twilight Zone

It's a Twilight Zone episode yeah. The old episode's on Youtube somewhere too, or was when I last looked, and the central idea is really interesting...but I've read an early draft of Kelly's script and it's lumpy as fuck. The core dilemma, which is a strong one, only makes up a tiny part of it and the rest of it is some very incoherent sci fi. I can't help feeling like the whole idea has already been done rather well in about three minutes at the end of The Ring.

After Being John Malkovich and Vanilla Sky, I'm willing to give Cameron Diaz a chance, but Marsden.... I just don't think he's got the acting muscle. Diaz, love her or hate her, at least has presence. Marsden is just sort of... there.

The 70's setting also has too much potential for all sorts of unintended retro hilarity, although, like I say, I really want to hear what Arcade Fire think the seventies should have sounded like.

The release date has flown all over the place in a decidedly alarming fashion, too.

[SoulDischarge]

An Onion A.V. Club article about novices approaching avant garde cinema:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/on-the-avantgarde,24569/

[BKsaysAction!]

I have a love hate with avant garde.

[downingthief]

We watched part of Brazil but couldn't get through it all. You say it's worth it to watch the whole thing to the end? :)

IMO, absolutely.

[SoulDischarge]

Brazil is probably one of my all time favorite movies. Just make sure you see the full uncut version. The other version makes no fucking sense.

[bleep]

adore Brazil, you need to give it a second chance and watch to the end.

clive owen followed me home today. his face was plastered on the side of a bus that was en route to my neighborhood. so The International or Duplicity - is either worth the price of a matinee ticket? from the looks of the trailers, i don't think so.

[whynotsmile99]

i'll rent The International when it comes out. I've really enjoyed Tom Tykwer's other work

[BKsaysAction!]

I know! i'm mad because the man can act and has done some great movies (children of men, Inside man, closer, I'll sleep when i'm dead) but lately he's been doing the bland ones The International seemed like it would be awesome and has Naomi Watts who is the female version of Clive Owen basicly, does great movies and then some bland ones. I have yet to see the International but have heard bad things.

[indietron]

Brazil is fantastic. I like to think of it as 1984 in movie form :)

I hated Donnie Darko though. Hated hated hated.

[whynotsmile99]

i watched Revolutionary Road last night. Liked it a lot, though it was quite the fucking bummer. I really want to read the book. Ending left me a bit...cold, but other than that thought it was great. Leo was incredible and should have been nominated for an oscar