Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[flippyshark]

Though unfortunately you only get to see the best ones once. I want to see TT again just to watch the Downey Jr. fake trailer!

I know what you mean. I'm not even gay, and yet, I so want to see The Devil's Alley!

[Ghoulish Delight]

I had an amusing concession stand experience. Amongst the gaggle of pimple faced teens was one awkwardly wearing a spiffy white button down shirt instead of the uniform everyone else was, clearly the shift manager. As I walked past one employee who was wiping down a counter, he turns to the manager and says, with forced nonchalance, "So, I was wondering, do you think I could 'adjust my availability' now that school's starting." The manager, clearly ambushed having been asked in public, stammered our a noncommital replay. But the best part of the whole exchange was my cashier, who was utterly distracted by the whole exchange. Clearly she had some vested interest in whether mr. counter wiper would be allowed to 'adjust his availability' as she hardly looked down during my entire transaction, and practically gave herself whiplash, craning her neck as the manager walked back behind the scenes.

It was like a scene from some Disney Channel high school show.

[Tom]

I'm gonna watch one of my favorite movies in a bit - Midnight Run (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/)
I don't remember this movie doing well, or much at all at the box office...

Actually, I think Midnight Run was a considerable hit back in the day.

I did quick research: Midnight Run made $38 million domestic in 1988, which was a solid but not spectacular take. It was the 29th highest grossing film of that year. By comparison, the 29th highest grossing films of each of the past three years were Meet the Robinsons, Nacho Libre and Constantine.

[flippyshark]

38 mil - not bad. It deserved better, though. Charles Grodin's finest hour.

[Strangler Lewis]

Finally saw Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. Surprisingly entertaining and touching. However, I have a feeling that the caper at the end was tacked on and does not appear in the book. The other American Girl movies that were not released for the big screen--Molly, Samantha, Felicity--have the heroines affecting their surroundings in far less dramatic ways.

[JWBear]

We just watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. What a delightful movie! Frances McDormand so rocks!

[katiesue]

We just watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. What a delightful movie! Frances McDormand so rocks!

I just watched this yesterday and I agree. It's a really wonderful film.

[€uroMeinke]

We saw Om Shanti Om last night - sort of a Singing in the Rain meets Dead Again. It was charming in a sort of 1930's musical sort of way, and thenit was just a blast to see what Anglo/American idiosyncrasies get adopted and transformed in Bollywood culture.

[Sohrshah]

wow, Tom, A for effort! This is why I love reading what all you intelligent folks have to say- you actually educate my ig'nant arse.

Thanks!


I did quick research: Midnight Run made $38 million domestic in 1988, which was a solid but not spectacular take. It was the 29th highest grossing film of that year. By comparison, the 29th highest grossing films of each of the past three years were Meet the Robinsons, Nacho Libre and Constantine.

[Stan4dSteph]

I finally saw Dark Knight in digital projection. It was good.

[Stan4dSteph]

Has anyone seen Tell No One? I'm thinking of seeing it this weekend. It has a good rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

[Alex]

Nope, never even heard of it. But momentarily I thought you were talking about Nobody Knows, an uber depressing Japanese movie from a couple years ago.

Don't see that one unless you want to test your anti-depressants.

[Gemini Cricket]

Has anyone seen Tell No One?
Can't say if I did. Can't say if I didn't. Them's the rules!


:D

[Ghoulish Delight]

Has anyone seen Tell No One? I'm thinking of seeing it this weekend. It has a good rating on Rotten Tomatoes.My parents did and really enjoyed it.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

We saw it. It was pretty good. Not, you know, the most brilliant movie ever. But a solid one.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Finally, finally saw Oliver Stone's JFK. Wow.

Whether you've seen it before or not, now's a good time to visit it. The film hasn't aged at all and makes points that are just as important today, if not more so. I wonder how I would have reacted to it in 1991, or 1996, or 2000, or 2003...but today I see it as an especially timely, dire warning about militarization.

[CoasterMatt]

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is still such an awesome film.

[Alex]

Weekend movie watching:

Vicky Cristina Barcelona - One of the worst movie titles ever (especially now that I know just how mundane it is). Woody Allen has been somewhat resurgent since moving to Europe and this one is more good than bad. Good: Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, and Rebecca Hall. Bad: Scarlett Johanssen and arch narration. The narration is not done by Allen, but it just felt like him overtly imposing himself on things since he isn't in the movie. Johanssen wan't bad bad, she just suffered in comparison and I think I would have preferred she and Hall switch roles.

Babylon A.D. - Finally went to check out the new-ish drive-in out in Concord, which is much closer than our regular trip to Sacramento. We kind of have a Vin Diesel thing going with drive-ins. We saw both The Fast and the Furious and XXX at the drive-in. This movie sucked, so a perfect drive-in experience. I don't know if this is based on a comic book or graphic novel or something but the movie seemed to assume, like the worst of the Harry Potter movies, that the audience would be coming in intimately aware of the story so it isn't necessary to make sense and everybody just fills in the blanks with their pre-knowledge.

Being Ron Jeremy - I have no idea how this ended up on my Netflix queue but I had an hour to kill yesterday so this 40-minute short killed (quite literally) that time. A Cinemax-after-dark level hard-R spoof of Being John Malkovich. Exactly the level of humor you'd expect to get if you had a bunch 13-year-olds make a porn-themed spoof. I was hoping it would be the stupid-immature fun of something like Orgazmo but it is not. Just stupid.

[€uroMeinke]

I had a mini-Bardot fest;

Love on a Pillow - dark tale of Bardot, a rich heiress befriending an alcoholic who takes her down a path of debauchery. Fun scenes of 1960's Paris and Florence, Decadent parties with artists, jazz musicians, and wonton sexuality. This would be a great pairing with Vadim's Dangerous Liaisons 1962.

Two Weeks in September - Bardot as a model married to an older man, has an affair while working in London, great London mod scenes, full of new wave (French cinema Nouvelle Vague) photoshoots.

Both great films to sip a cognac to - and made me see again the persistance of architecture. Loved seeing the big city scenes and recognizing the places despite the 60's styles and automobiles that overlay them.

[flippyshark]

Finally, finally saw Oliver Stone's JFK. Wow.

Whether you've seen it before or not, now's a good time to visit it. The film hasn't aged at all and makes points that are just as important today, if not more so. I wonder how I would have reacted to it in 1991, or 1996, or 2000, or 2003...but today I see it as an especially timely, dire warning about militarization.

I was mightily impressed with JFK on first viewing, but I regard it with a leery eye these days. For a movie that shakes such a big moral finger about truth, it sure is chock full of bullsh!t, albeit brilliantly directed and edited.

I'm not about to launch a defense of the Warren Report here. Like Bull Durham (another memorable Costner role), I do think Oswald acted alone, but that isn't the main reason I find JFK galling. Instead, I think it makes its biggest mistake in turning Jim Garrison into a hero, and I believe it wrongly vilifies Clay Shaw. (As did Garrison.)

I'm no expert. I read, and found convincing, a book called False Witness (http://www.amazon.com/False-Witness-Garrisons-Investigation-Oliver/dp/0871319209/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220325214&sr=8-3) by Patricia Lambert. She tells a fascinating story (one that would make a great movie!) about a very different Garrison, an out-of-control maverick who would stop at nothing to get a conviction on Shaw, even after it should have been clear that Shaw was innocent, and Garrison was chasing shadows. This book portrays Shaw as a respected New Orleans shop owner who was participating (as were most other shop owners) in government security programs, but he was no agent or CIA operative, or anything like it. (He was also a fairly successful and well regarded playwright, and of course, a closeted homosexual, which fact is presented as something Garrison knew about and hated Shaw for.) The main idea is that the jury in Shaw's trial was quite correct in quickly finding him not guilty, but his life was ruined by the suspicion just the same. Garrison was widely regarded as something of a paranoid loony at the time, and his investigations (and subsequent books about them) were a terrible place for Oliver Stone to turn to as a basis for his film.

As I said, I found this book quite convincing. Even if the assasination was part of a conspiracy, it doesn't seem as if Garrison was anywhere near the right answer. Garrison did not present the Zapruder film in court, (most of his talking points about it were actually first published in LOOK magazine) and his very weak case hinged on testimony from some absurdly unreliable witnesses.

One of the most dramatic head-slappers in the book, for me, was the revelation of a photo that, in Stone's film, shows Clay Shaw cavorting in drag alongside his gay pals. The actual photo that inspired this bit in the movie is, first of all, nothing like that, (no one is in drag) and secondly, Shaw isn't even in the picture. It's somebody else. It miffs me a bit that Stone engages in unsubtle homophobia to make Shaw look worse. (And Tommy lee Jones performance is pretty insulting, in light of what I learned from Lambert's book.) The historical Shaw was reportedly a staunch democrat, and an ardent fan of John F. Kennedy. He also rubbed elbows with Tenessee Williams and other notables. To the extent that this is true, I really detest what Stone has done to him.

It is certainly possible that my faith in Lambert's reporting is misplaced, but as I said, I found it compelling and recommend it to anyone who holds Garrison in high regard only on the basis of the Kevin Costner character in Stone's movie. I have read a couple of articles defending Garrison and poo-pooing Lambert's book, but I did not find them persuasive. I am sure mileage will vary for others, and of course, I am just as susceptible to persuasion as anyone else.

But, anyway, conspiracy or no (and I am willing to entertain evidence about it), False Witness has made it impossible for me to watch JFK without getting really angry.

On the whole, I generally like Oliver Stone as a filmmaker, fwiw.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Thanks for the counterpoint. I figured there'd be more to it, though the Zapruder film (and its suppression) is all I need to know something was fishy...anyway, not going to derail the movie thread with a JFK conspiracy conversation. :)

[flippyshark]

Indeed - that would be an awful derail - and we have other threads better suited for that sort of thing already. (plus, the nets are just chock full of resources pro and con, more than enough to occupy the rest of ones life if one were so inclined.) I will include here a single link, which details 100 things (http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100menu.html) that Stone got wrong (according to this source), which is unlikely to change anyone's mind about the actual assassination, but will give one pause before buying anything Stone puts forward as factual. It's interesting reading, but I end my own participation here. I don't know nothin' bout it.

[flippyshark]

Speaking of Oliver Stone, I have to admit that I am looking forward to W (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg7vwicPx98), which probably won't do the cause of righteousness any good, but it does look damn entertaining. I always keep a salt shaker nearby for this kind of thing though.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Yeah, historical "reality" political movies are often entertaining, but not something to take as the Ultimate Truth.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Yeah, historical "reality" political movies are often entertaining, but not something to take as the Ultimate Truth. Hear, hear. I'm also looking forward to W, though it may be the most cringe-worthy film I'd see all year.

[Alex]

Just finally watched Thunderbolt, a 1995 auto racing Jackie Chan movie. This one was a big buzz back then even though it never released here because it was the first movie where he used a stunt double for parts of fight scenes.

He was still recovering from the foot he broke filming Rumble in the Bronx, but that was no consolation to us hangers on. The reputation had been marred and it was a sign the man was getting old.

Somehow I never actually saw the movie. Only two real fight set pieces and while the stunt double was never obvious to me, the real indication he was hobbled is the fight editing. A lot of cuts, a lot of close shots that don't really show the whole thing. Slow motion where it really serves no purpose.

Culminates in what may be the most ludicrous car race ever filmed.

But overall standard early to mid-90s Jackie Chan fare.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, on CP's suggestion, I watched JFK again last night. It's one of my favorite films, and well deserving of that status.

Firstly, we don't have to agree with its politics for it to be a great film, but that helps. But it's a virtuoso piece of filmmaking. Of course, I happen to agree with its politics, and I don't find anything in it not backed up by fact and truth.


Sure, I suppose there are other verions of Garrision's story that differ. But this is Garrison's story as told by him. Maybe he's lying. But it's HIS story, and I think he's entitled to tell it the way he wants. Stone's film is based, in large part, on his autobiographical accounts.

As I've also alluded to, but will NEVER delve into on the internet again, my completely non-exhaustive research has led me to less than a handful of contradictions with any of the assassination-related material in the film. In fact, I was amazed at how much veracity was in this picture. Tons of little throw-away details could have been dramatized, but they were presented as actually happened.

(As for whether it's accurate vis-a-vis Clay Shaw, I have no idea ... and will have to defer to flippyshark's verdict of decidedly not.)




In any event, whether you believe in the conspiracy of the assassination or not, whether you believe in the justice of Garrison's quest to prosecute some of those allegedly involved ... it's still a fantastic bit of filmmaking that stands out stylistically and editorially. And it's a moving piece of work.

[Ghoulish Delight]

What I came away from JFK with was that the details aren't even important. Shaw, O'Keefe, Ferrie, note that none of them are even mentioned in Garrison's final courtroom rundown of the day.

The important thing is that once you see the Zapruder film and conclude that no rational human being could watch that and conclude that Kennedy was hit from behind, then you HAVE to believe that there was at least a 2nd shooter, and you HAVE to believe that the Warren Commission willfully covered that detail. That's the lynch pin.

Garrison's details are circumstantial. He knew as much. Those details may be right, may be wrong. In all likelihood, there's a good deal that is right and a good deal that is wrong. And, considering the nature of the conspiracy, in all likelihood every individual up and down the line has been fed a different truth, just enough to get them to play their part. So contraditctions are bound to appear, purpopsefully designed by whomever was really running the show.

As Garrison said in the film, Clay was nothing more than a toe hold. Maybe his version was inacurate, but Clay and all the others had SOMETHING to do with it, that is pretty clear, and worth taking the risk of being wrong just to shine a light on it.

That said, I found the film's attempts to be sympathetic towards Garrison to be a bit heavy handed. It was obvious that they were trying very hard to vindicate him and say, "Is he really crazy, or the sanest man in the country at the time?" The fact is, he was a paranoid consipracy theorist. He had to be to think like he did.

But then, I forgive it becuase while this movie perhaps went too far in being sympathetic to him, it's a fair bet that the portrayals in the media that have lead people like JWBear to vilify him are equally exagerated. So maybe he deserves a measure of vindication.

[Alex]

The important thing is that once you see the Zapruder film and conclude that no rational human being could watch that and conclude that Kennedy was hit from behind, then you HAVE to believe that there was at least a 2nd shooter, and you HAVE to believe that the Warren Commission willfully covered that detail. That's the lynch pin.

That's true, but watching the Zapruder film doesn't lead me to that conclusion and nothing in JFK changed that. An entertaining movie, though.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

But then, I forgive it becuase while this movie perhaps went too far in being sympathetic to him, it's a fair bet that the portrayals in the media that have lead people like JWBear to vilify him are equally exagerated. Correction - Mr. Delight says he meant Flippyshark, not JW.

[innerSpaceman]

Let me be clear ... it was the film's JFK facts that I found 99% accurate (according to my limited research which may not have even included the book Alex says is vital) ... not the Clay Shaw facts. I have zero idea if those are true, and I have zero problem if the movie is presented entirely from Garrison's point of view.

I also have no problem with Garrison's story being dramatized. Yeah, he didn't present the Zabruder film in court. But, as the District Attorney, neither did he even present the case. That would have made for a rather boring conclusion to the film, eh? So, yeah, his story dramatized per movie bio conventions. The JFK stuff presented, to my satisfaction, with remarkable accuracy.


And, frankly, if Alex doesn't see a conspiracy with his own eyes by watching the Zabruder film, I see no reason to read a book he claims as vital on the subject. I don't mean to get personal, Alex. But we are clearly living in two different worlds. There's nothing wrong with yours.

[Moonliner]

Having not seen the film I'm curious, I always thought of it as a drama rather than a documentary. Meaning it's goal to entertain would trump any dispassionate search for truth.

On the other hand, the Nova episode that dealt with the JFK assassination was, I thought, well done and explained in detail how the single shooter explanation was plausible.

Have the Mythbusters tackled this one yet?

[Alex]

And, frankly, if Alex doesn't see a conspiracy with his own eyes by watching the Zabruder film, I see no reason to read a book he claims as vital on the subject. I don't mean to get personal, Alex. But we are clearly living in two different worlds. There's nothing wrong with yours.

You seem to be confusing me and flippyshark in this post, I have not recently offered any book as vital. However, I did a couple weeks ago ask if among the couple dozen books (I believe) you said you've read on the Kennedy assassination any were defending the case of Oswald as a lone shooter? I also then suggested Vincent Bugliosi's recent Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Not because it is vital (I've only read small parts of it) but because it is an extremely detailed anti-conspiracy case that lays it out in a single source.

That said, no I don't see any proof of a conspiracy when watching the Zapruder film. I feel I've seen adequate explanation of everything shown in that film without relying on complex (and frequently simply irrational) conspiracies.

And I feel bad for flippyshark. Apparently he can simultaneously be confused with JWBear and me.

[flippyshark]

Have the Mythbusters tackled this one yet?

No, but Penn and Teller have on BULL****. They constructed a tasteless but nevertheless interesting experiment to show that, if shot by a Mannlicher-Carcano rifle, a melon (or head) will actually move TOWARD the rifle as matter is expelled from the other side. Every time, the melon falls toward the rifle. (The same experiment is pictured in their book How To Play With Your Food) Not really all that scientific, and likely to irritate more than enlighten, but that's Penn and Teller sometimes.

This thread seems in danger of derailing, and I've found that absolutely no one will ever change their minds on this issue. I've seen friendships break up over it. I'm totally cool with those who are convinced, though I am not.

[flippyshark]

And I feel bad for flippyshark. Apparently he can simultaneously be confused with JWBear and me.

I've been confused with worse.

And I have Bugliosi's book, but I haven't jumped into it yet.

I've sat down with people and watched the Zapruder film over and over, and marveled at how we all saw what our predispositions led us to see. We all pointed fingers at specific spots on the screen shouting "Look! How can you not see that?!" and we all went away mad.

Which I now find really interesting.

[innerSpaceman]

yeah, which is why I'll discuss politics, religion, abortion, homosexual sex, anyone's mother, and Hitler on the internet, but will NOT discuss the Kennedy assassination.


Alex, i'm sorry if I thought you were recommending the Bugliosi book as vital instead of merely illuminating. I didn't read it, and I neglected to get back to you in that thread because I didn't want to perpetuate a Kennedy assassination discussion. That's a tough call, here, where I'd love to discuss the film JFK.

[MouseWife]

Let's see....movies....

I didn't go far back so I don't know...

Anyone see 'Mirrors'? Comments?

I know from my last visit that people did go see 'Tropic Thunder'. I didn't care for the gore parts but it was funny and I loved Tom Cruise in it. I don't know why some people don't like him, I don't see what they do, I guess. I had heard from here that he was in it but I didn't tell my family and they were blown away by it.

:snap: :snap: to the LoT gang. :cool:

[innerSpaceman]

I really enjoyed Tropic Thunder. Not a laugh-a-minute, but I was entertained throughout. Tom Cruise was hysterical. Robert Downey, Jr. great as always. I'm sure I missed half of the references, since I also caught so many of them everywhere.

I like it when satirists turn the scalpel on themselves, or their own field at least.

[MouseWife]

Yes, that did add to the fun of the movie.

I just could have done without the blood. LOL I know, dwelling here. And, I dont' want to spoil it for anyone so I'll just leave it at that.

I loved RDJs character. And the end scene with Lance....oh, Hubster just doesn't know who anyone is and he didn't get that one.

[innerSpaceman]

Who were the other actors nominated for the Academy Award with Ben Stiller's character? I couldn't catch them all. John Voight, hahaha. And then Tobey Maguire for the gay monk film from the preview that had me in stitches. Oh, there was one more I recognized, and now forgot. But I missed one or two, it went by so quickly.



Also, the gore in the first scene was excrutiating, but thankfully not so much in the rest of the film.

[MouseWife]

In case anyone hasn't seen it....














I couldn't handle the scene from where they landed and someone, er, well.....the Greyhound bus incident was fresh in my head and I couldn't look at all. The first part, I just kept saying that was of course not real but still yuck...

[mousepod]

Last night, in my ongoing attempt to watch the "1,000 Greatest Films," I watched Army of Shadows. What a great movie... really. It's a gritty, 1969 film that deals with the French Resistance during World War II. It doesn't get into the politics, or even the details of the missions - it mostly focuses on the tension of life as a secret operative, and how one group was able to maintain focus in the face of imminent capture. It would make a great double feature with Munich, if I had the nerve to watch both of them back to back. Lino Ventura, as Gerbier, one of the leaders, puts in a cooler-than-DeNiro performance. Just brilliant.

... and as long as I'm posting in this thread, my .02 on Stone's JFK: it's a fun movie - which is as fun to watch as many late '60s-early '70s political thrillers. The fact that I don't believe a bit of the conspiracy doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the film. In fact, time has been kind to the movie - when it was released, I was annoyed that Stone promoted it by sending "educational" information to schools studying the assassination. With that disgusting promotional blitz a thing of the past - the movie can now comfortably stand on its own - as a solid, well-crafted piece of entertainment.

[Ghoulish Delight]

On an entirely different note:

Hedwig and the Angry Inch. See it.

[Alex]

Seen it. Blegh. Though I was the only one in a room of 20 who thought so. It was all the rage among one circle of friends several years.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Just found the old mini discussion in here re: Hedwig. Funny, I didn't realize it had been a stage show. When it was over I said, "That'd make a great stage musical."

[Alex]

Since we're now done with blockbuster summer season I was looking at the box office leaders and saw a surprising placement.

Worldwide box office. Spots 1 and 2 aren't a suprirse: The Dark Knight and Indiana Jones and the Decrepitude.

But number three surprised me: Kung Fu Panda. I remember many of you being shocked at the Kings Canyon camping trip when I said it was good, but I saw it, forgot about it and hadn't realized just how well it had done. Almost $600 million wordwide.

[innerSpaceman]

Wow. How did Wall-E do?

I decided I only had time for one animated feature in theaters this summer, and that's the one I chose. But I remember your recommendation about Kung-Fu Panda and expect to flix it when available.


I think I saw but four or five movies in theaters this summer. Not including the stupid second time I saw the second Batman, and the shockingly retarded second and even third time I saw fourth Indiana Jones.

[Alex]

Almost exactly 1/2 the box office and it is 11th on the list. However, Disney is apparently doing an extremely slow roll around the globe (but I don't expect it'll get anywhere near $600 million from its current $280 million).

It just opened in Australia (which did $23MM for Panda), hasn't yet opened in China/Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, or Russia (each of which did $20MM plus for Panda).

But in terms of money, Wall-E is generally losing to Kung Fu Panda in countries where they've both played. In the United States, Wall-E is only about $5 million up on Kung Fu Panda.

But foreign numbers are generally fuzzy. So it isn't particularly exact. I was just surprised to see it so high. Another surprise is the second Narnia movie which is #7 on the list.

And if you wonder why we very well may see a Hancock sequel, it is because it did 60% of its business in other countries and ended up making almost exactly as much money as smash hit Iron Man (which did 55% of its bank in the U.S.).

[MouseWife]

I didn't see Kung Fu Panda but I felt Wall-E was kind of a heavy movie. Not really a kids movie. A wonderful story but not really geared towards little kids.

Parents love to take their kids over and over to movies like KFP.

[CoasterMatt]

I was planning on going to bed, but I just can't resist -

REFORM SCHOOLS GIRLS - currently airing on MojoHD

:D

[Chernabog]

An article/interview in the SF gate about the remake of "The Women". (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/05/PK5T12HM4N.DTL)

The woman who wrote and directed it is obviously a complete idiot who doesn't understand what made the original fun and enjoyable. She wants to focus on the "friendship and betrayal" of Mary Haines by Sylvia Fowler, rather than anything to do with Mary's husband. She thinks that nobody in the original movie is especially fascinating either. Um, what?

This just pisses me off!!! :mad: :mad:

[innerSpaceman]

WTF???

[Chernabog]

Seriously. And it's getting horrible reviews so far:

Slant Magazine (http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/film_review.asp?ID=3852)

Films in Review (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009516-women/articles/1753074/i_want_to_visit_diane_englishs_world_how_much_does _a_spaceflight_to_the_planet_hd_209458b_cost)

[Gemini Cricket]

An article/interview in the SF gate about the remake of "The Women". (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/05/PK5T12HM4N.DTL)

The woman who wrote and directed it is obviously a complete idiot who doesn't understand what made the original fun and enjoyable. She wants to focus on the "friendship and betrayal" of Mary Haines by Sylvia Fowler, rather than anything to do with Mary's husband. She thinks that nobody in the original movie is especially fascinating either. Um, what?

This just pisses me off!!! :mad: :mad:
I guess I'm not too worried. I smell a bomb.
Besides, there will always be the original.
:)

[€uroMeinke]

Saw the Jewel Thief last night, part of our Bollywood collection - it's amazing how plot twisty and convoluted you can make a movie when 3 hours is a common running time. This one had it all - love interests and femme fetales, mistaken identities, swanky apartments and private jets, car chases, dance numbers, a secret hideout with secret panels behind more secret panals - honestly I'm having a ball exploring this genre.

[flippyshark]

It seems to me that three hours is an increasingly common running time here these days, but our blockbuster style doesn't tend to fill that bloated time with intriguing twists or colorful dance numbers. I wish H'wood would emulate B'wood more closely.

[alphabassettgrrl]

So what do we get for our three hours? Other than tedium.

Does the run-time encourage the twisted plots, or do the twisted plots require the extra run-time? If you're going to take the extra time, then do something with it.

[Not Afraid]

Oh, the film is jam packed with plot twists as well as song and dance numbers. I'm sure it could be edited down to a more concise film, but I'm not sure that would make for a better film. Most Bollywood films seem to run at the 3+ hour mark. I'm not sure when cinema-going audience members take bathroom breaks!

But, if you have an attention span that is greater than the majority of the American audience, like Bond and Hitchcock and can appreciate Bollywood-style musicals then you will enjoy this fim - even with its faults.

[JWBear]

Bill and I just watched Brokeback Mountain again... <SIGH.....>

[Alex]

This weekend:

Drunken Master - The movie that essentially made Jackie Chan a star and went a long way towards establishing a more comedic form of Hong Kong martial arts movie. It isn't a great movie but has the seeds of everything that would eventually become great. On the plus side, it spends almost no time on story and is pretty much wall to wall fight scene. More like a porn model of storytelling than most. The choreography is too staged but it isn't horrible.

Bangkok Dangerous - Awful. Simply dreadfully awful. Since it is set in Bangkok and uses a mostly Thai cast I kind of hoped there'd be some Tony Jaa in it even though I hadn't heard such (but I hadn't been looking). Nope. I'm really sick of the conflicted hitman story. I'm really sick of the Nicolas Cage drawl. I'm really, really, really sick of the conflicted hitman story told in a Nicolas Cage drawl.

The Omega Man - I hadn't seen it since high school. Forgotten how bad it was (though I'm sure the Rosalind Cash nudity helped back then). Though I do wonder just how spitting mad the director must have been when they got the dailies back from the opening scenes showing a dead Los Angeles and in the far background of one cut there is a car driving and in another a pedestrian crossing a street.

[Gemini Cricket]

An article/interview in the SF gate about the remake of "The Women". (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/05/PK5T12HM4N.DTL)

The woman who wrote and directed it is obviously a complete idiot who doesn't understand what made the original fun and enjoyable. She wants to focus on the "friendship and betrayal" of Mary Haines by Sylvia Fowler, rather than anything to do with Mary's husband. She thinks that nobody in the original movie is especially fascinating either. Um, what?

This just pisses me off!!! :mad: :mad:
I think we should have a protest viewing of the original this weekend sometime.
:)

0% on rottentomatoes. lol!
Okay, that's not really fair, because there's only 6 reviews, but still it's funny to say. "Haw haw, 0%!!!"
:D

[innerSpaceman]

I can't believe my sister is excited to see this movie. Yes, protest viewing of original by all means!!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Allegro Non Troppo - funny, crazy, beautiful animation, loved the spoof aspect as well as doing Disney one better in some ways. All Fantasia fans need to see it. :snap:

[Gemini Cricket]

26 reviews in. The Women remake is still at 0%!
:D

[Snowflake]

26 reviews in. The Women remake is still at 0%!
:D

Life is good!

[Alex]

0% must be over (I didn't look). Ebert gave it three stars.

[Gemini Cricket]

0% must be over (I didn't look). Ebert gave it three stars.
Yep. It's 10% now.

[Gemini Cricket]

This is a section of Richard Schickel's review of The Women remake:
Mary has a daughter named Molly (India Ennenga), who is a standard-issue adolescent Wise Child, victim-commentator on the adult follies proceeding around her. At one point she is discovered burning her tampons, symbolizing her desire not to become a woman. That's an understandable feeling, given the adult company she's been obliged to keep. But it's a stupid sequence, neither funny nor touching nor well prepared for. It is merely awkward and desperate, like everything else in this film, which is, in fact — and I'm choosing my words carefully here — one of the worst movies I've ever seen.Source (http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1840522,00.html)

Pretty strong language. The bolding is mine.

[Andrew]

We finally saw Dark Knight last night. Amazing spectacle.

[€uroMeinke]

So in furthering our education ion Bollywood, we saw Partners last night. This film came highly recommended by the diminutive Islamic woman in a Sari Shop, who insisted that we had to have both the DVD and CD when we asked for some recommendations. Needless to say, we took her advice.

Now, part of the fun of Bollywood films is the element of kitsch shared by home-grown musicals in simply fitting music and ance numbers into the storyline. This one of course, delivered that - and more. I would have never expected a Latin Dance number, spiced up with Spanish phrases, bolero hats, and mariachi fringe - but there it was.

Still this film about a "love guru" helping men marry the girls of their dreams caught me completely off guard with odd sub plots that resulted in Mob bosses being pissed on by little boys, or the guided missle jet ski chase. I have to say, this film had me say "wow" on several occasion as I gazed in wonder how they worked this all into the plot.

Of course the other fun, is seeing the cultural differences played out. There is a certain innocent that harken back to the old school Hollywood musicals, as well as clcihéd stereotypes also not seen since that era, mocking Chinamen, British Colonials, and of course, the over the top effeminate and presumed gay wedding planner. All the more amusing when compared to the ripped leading man, whose house is filled with poster sized images of himself, usually bare chested - manly, but certianly not gay - uh huh, just like those Hollywood hunks of days gone by. In any event it seems every bollywood film at some point has it's leading man emerge from a body of water, ripping off his shirt to reveal his dripping built torso.

The language is alos fun, the mix of English and whatever Indian language the films are produced in where we learn that Sh*t Man means "Oh No" in the land of subtitles.

Anyway, Partners deleivered and now I have a new set of private ear worms to enjoy.

[innerSpaceman]

I think my head would explode.




* * * * * * *

On another front, I'm really disappointed with the "director's cut" of Dark City. The much ballyhooed restored opening is a bit better for the lack of spoiler voiceover the studio insisted on ... but it's more than countermanded by the loss of the terrific hook of Everything Stops at Midnight that punches you into the title card. Bleh.

It's not even the "restored" opening anyway, since they keep the cool footage of outerspace and Keifer Sutherland intro ... which was filmed in re-shoots specifically for the voiceover and was not part of the original director's cut at all. (Proyas' cut opened with the zoom into the hotel room where Murdoch is revealed in the bathtub.)

As for the rest of the film, there are about a dozen slightly extended scenes. Most of these are good, a few are kinda awful. So once again, a director's cut that not only isn't as good as the theatrical release, but contains just enough cool differences that I'll be missing them whenever I watch the generally superior theatrical release from now on.

And now both versions have sucky openings.




Thanks Alex Proyas and your ego project.


Fail.

[wendybeth]

I just ran across some pics from the movie version of Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'. It looks like it's going to be really, really good- I can pick out exactly where in the story these shots occur, so I'm guessing they're not messing with the storyline overmuch.

The Road (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1357353984/tt0898367)

[Alex]

Trying to watch a very early Tony Jaa movie. But it is just absolutely awful in every respect.

But I'm too lazy to go take it out of the DVD player and put something else in there (I guess this is finally an argument for why I should use the other slots in my multi-disc player) so I'm slowly working through it in 10-15 minute bursts.

It is like the worst of 1960s Hong Kong martial arts movies. But it was made in 1998 so there really isn't any excuse.

[Stan4dSteph]

I just ran across some pics from the movie version of Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'. It looks like it's going to be really, really good- I can pick out exactly where in the story these shots occur, so I'm guessing they're not messing with the storyline overmuch.

The Road (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1357353984/tt0898367)How did you like the book? How does it compare to other post-apocalyptic fiction? I'm intrigued.

[wendybeth]

How did you like the book? How does it compare to other post-apocalyptic fiction? I'm intrigued.


I loved it. At the same time, I hated it. The 'Hollywood Ending' side of me despaired at the utter hopelessness of the scenario these characters are in, but I thought it was well written and very realistic. I'm not sure it really compares with much of any other books within the genre, as they always seem to have some glimmer of hope in the storylines, but it's really a pretty fascinating read and as a parent it makes me wonder which 'road' I would take if faced with the same circumstances.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I saw "Burn Before Reading (eating)" last night. Wow! A bit on the choppy side, well acted and in keeping with "Old Men" its got a great twist.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

New W. trailer (http://www.movietrailertalk.com/2008/09/oliver-stone-w/)

[innerSpaceman]

I can't wait. Trailers are a bad judge, but it looks like Oliver Stone might be back in form.


World Trade Center was a wet noodle.

[mousepod]

I'm just worried that he made the movie too soon. I would have appreciated Nixon so much more had he waited until the tapes were released... a year or so after the movie.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

The Namesake is highly underrated. It got very little buzz, but it was a subtle, lovely film about Indian immigrants and their second-generation kids. I found it fascinating, and very moving.

[Alex]

I enjoyed The Namesake as well. It proved that Kal Penn is capable of not coming across as a perpetually stoned and he just generally chooses not to (he seems stoned on House even).

As far as W, I think it will be a movie that I wait a half decade to watch. Honestly, at this point I just don't feel the need to sit through a dramatization of such recent history.

[Strangler Lewis]

I enjoyed The Namesake as well. It proved that Kal Penn is capable of not coming across as a perpetually stoned and he just generally chooses not to (he seems stoned on House even).


Thirded.

[cirquelover]

It looks like we're going to Igor this afternoon. Regal cinema is having their Can Film Festival and of course Igor is the only kids movie playing. The boy is excited though becuase he can stop school early and see a movie that won't cost Mom a dime. Well ok, a buck for soda but that's not bad. I told the boy I was going to see The Women instead, he did not find that funny!

[katiesue]

I fourth the Namesake. Picked it as a totally random netflix choice and I really liked it.

[Stan4dSteph]

I saw part of The Namesake the other night on cable. I should rent it so I can see the whole thing.

I had a free rental coupon so picked up Across the Universe. I plan to watch it this weekend.

[flippyshark]

Across The Universe - I think that one has had a couple of flurries of reaction in this thread, but I'm happy to reiterate that I really liked it - I loved some of it, cringed at one or two scenes, but overall, I was surprised at how much I got out of it. But it's no Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. (I bet you can find that one cheap, too. I dare ya!)

[Gemini Cricket]

George Clooney apparently is going to be the Lone Ranger. Depp as Tonto.
Rumor has it...

[Alex]

I like George Clooney. I will watch him in almost anything.

I will not watch him as the Lone Ranger.

[Gemini Cricket]

I like George Clooney. I will watch him in almost anything.

I will not watch him as the Lone Ranger.
Aren't you going to review it for MP?

[Alex]

Oh, damn. Did you have to remind me of that? Isn't it bad enough I have to go watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua tomorrow?

[Gemini Cricket]

Oh, damn. Did you have to remind me of that? Isn't it bad enough I have to go watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua tomorrow?
I apologize. I just had a laughing fit. I just tried picturing you watching it in some theatre surrounded by big-eyed children. lol.
Ahem.
Okay, serious face now...
I look forward to reading your review.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Look at it this way - at least you didn't have to work on it for 10 months.

(Though, I kind of enjoyed the process.)

[Alex]

I make fun but I always go in hoping to be surprised. Sadly the most recent was the wrong kind of surprised. I fully expected Miracle at St. Anna to at least be thought provoking if not necessarily entertaining and Spike Lee didn't even deliver that.

[Stan4dSteph]

I liked Across the Universe. The extras on the DVD were very interesting too.

[3894]

I'm giving dvds of "Man of the Century" for the holidays. Clever little gem of a movie.

[CoasterMatt]

I hope Beverly Hills Chihuahua bombs horribly...

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Saw Appaloosa today. Wow. Really enjoyed that. So far one of the best films of the year so far.

[Gemini Cricket]

Saw Appaloosa today. Wow. Really enjoyed that. So far one of the best films of the year so far.
Oooh. Cowboys...
:)

[Gemini Cricket]

Oh, damn. Did you have to remind me of that? Isn't it bad enough I have to go watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua tomorrow?
Alex's Review (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=sr081003as)

I agree about the talking babies thing. Somehow I'm not too creeped out by talking animals at all.
:)

[JWBear]

We just watched Third Man Out (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446051/). It was much better than we anticipated. Check it out.

[bewitched]

Alex's Review (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=sr081003as)

I agree about the talking babies thing. Somehow I'm not too creeped out by talking animals at all.
:)

As an aside, kudos to Disney for finally putting a disclaimer at the beginning of an animal movie about the responsibilities of pet ownership and that some breeds are not good choices for everyone-- I'm guessing in response to the backlash they received when shelters and rescue groups were inundated with Dalmatians after the release of the live action 101 Dalmations.

I have an 8yo therefore I had to go see it. The talking animals didn't bother me . It was fine, not great. Fine. (I didn't feel like I wanted to shove hot pokers in my eyes like I did with Shark Boy and Lava Girl) I distracted myself by watching Manolo Cardona (who played the hot "landscaper"):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/wbewitched/1256976600_l.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/wbewitched/3113.jpg

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Alex, regarding the one-female-dog-voice term paper... I happen to know that a fairly prominent Mexican actress had a sizeable cameo and then all of a sudden, all references of her were wiped from the marketing. I suspect that they had originally written so many male characters to sort of counterpoint the big-name actress (or put focus on her.) And in the end, they replaced that character with a male. Or that's how I understand it. I'll have to see it to be certain.

[flippyshark]

Wow, between Alex's review and LSPE's comment, I am hastily adding Beverly Hills Chihuahua to my must-avoid list. (Not that there was much chance of my going to see it anyway.) I totally agree about the animated animal-mouth thing (though it is infinitely creepier when applied to babies, a fact that made me turn off Baby Geniuses just a few minutes in. And that, I only started to watch because the late Bob Clark had made some terrific movies before, but oy - okay this parenthetical thought is getting too long.)

Anyway, the whole jettisoning of another actress-voice talent to buttress the star power of Ms. Barrymore? My eyes roll as I click "post quick reply."

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Oh! No, I'm sorry, I meant that in the original drafting of the script, it seems they may have jettisoned writing other latina characters to put the focus on the latina actress. And once she dropped out and they couldn't replace her, they went with a more-notable male. This is only speculation on my part.

[JWBear]

...I distracted myself by watching Manolo Cardona (who played the hot "landscaper"):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/wbewitched/1256976600_l.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/wbewitched/3113.jpg

HELLO! :D

[blueerica]

Saw Eagle Eye. Expected eye candy garbage. Got eye candy. So, not disappointed, though my expectations were pretty low. It was exactly what I needed.

[innerSpaceman]

HELLO! :D
Yeah, I was going to avoid BHC like the plague, but now I'm thinking of treating myself. ;)


Or maybe I'll wait to Netflix it and just watch the landscaping parts ... while I do my manscaping.

[JWBear]

And while we’re at it… When did Brian Austin Green become so hot?

http://thetvaddict.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/brianaustingreen1.jpg

(I know this isn't technically the correct place for this – but deal.)

[Alex]

Or maybe I'll wait to Netflix it and just watch the landscaping parts ... while I do my manscaping.

Better be quick, I'd guess he has no more than 5 minutes total screen time.

[innerSpaceman]

And while we’re at it… When did Brian Austin Green become so hot?

http://thetvaddict.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/brianaustingreen1.jpg

(I know this isn't technically the correct place for this – but deal.)

What do you mean, not the correct place? I'm dealing just fine.



Better be quick, I'd guess he has no more than 5 minutes total screen time.

Eh, I keep up with these things, so a quick trim is all that's ever needed. I'll just cue up his 5 minutes and attend to business.


Yeah, I know this isn't technically the correct place for too much information ... but deal. :p

[Strangler Lewis]

I was surprisingly entertained by "What Happens In Vegas."

I was charmed by "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," though the ending, while realistic, left me a little cold. I don't need to go to the movies to see people who can't change the patterns of their lives.

"Trouble the Water" looks like it will be awesome.

[bewitched]

(I know this isn't technically the correct place for this – but deal.)


I'm happy. Screw everyone else. :p ;)

[Gemini Cricket]

I think this is a perfect place to play Poker. So deal.

:D

[JWBear]

We should have a LoT poker night. That would be a blast.

[innerSpaceman]

swanking!

[MouseWife]

I don't know that this has been discussed but I just saw a commercial....

did anyone buy 'Sleeping Beauty' on blu-ray? I don't have a blu-ray player but I figured I eventually will, and, this price was pretty good, and I received both the dvd and blu-ray disc.

I think that is a great marketing ploy. I would never buy just the blu-ray. I have upgraded from vhs to dvd as many movies as I have wanted to {and have been able to, not all are available currently...}.

Comments?

[CoasterMatt]

I watched Appaloosa today - what an awesome movie.

Right up there with some of my favorites, including Tombstone.

:D

[innerSpaceman]

I'm anxious to see Appaloosa. By the time I get the chance, it will be out of theaters. I hope the DVD window is short.


I, too, will be buying Sleeping Beauty on DVD and BluRay even though I have no BluRay player yet (and even though I already have it on DVD ... and laserdisc ... and VHS ... it's one of those movies I will continue to own in every format ... and multiply in the same format if they upgrade the image again.)

[LashStoat]

Manolo Cardona sports a nice straw hat: Name that movie... :cool:

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Hat? What hat?

[JWBear]

Ok... I'm awake now!

[LashStoat]

Hat? What hat?

Ok... I'm awake now!


No, the movie isn't called either of those names. ;)

[Stan4dSteph]

Saw Man On Wire about Phillipe Petit's highwire walk between the WTC towers. He's quite a character.

[MouseWife]

I, too, will be buying Sleeping Beauty on DVD and BluRay even though I have no BluRay player yet (and even though I already have it on DVD ... and laserdisc ... and VHS ... it's one of those movies I will continue to own in every format ... and multiply in the same format if they upgrade the image again.)


I don't know when I'll buy a blu-ray player but I think this is great. I hope they do it from here on. It isn't that much more to buy it when they come out, well, not too much more and you get both types.

I want to see Appaloosa, too.

[Gemini Cricket]

I just saw Ashes of Time Redux with our mousepod. What an excellent film! I can see why he loves this film. If you get a chance and can find it near you, I recommend seeing it. It's wonderful.
:)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b268/braddoc310/ashesoftimeredux.jpg

[bewitched]

Manolo Cardona sports a nice straw hat: Name that movie... :cool:

Hotttttt Man in Superfluous Clothing Items? :D

[bewitched]

I think that is a great marketing ploy. I would never buy just the blu-ray. I have upgraded from vhs to dvd as many movies as I have wanted to {and have been able to, not all are available currently...}.

Comments?

I need another gaming system in my house like I need a hole in my head but I'm thinking about getting the Playstation 3 since (for about the same price as a stand alone player) it is also a blu ray disc player (as well as CD and DVD).

I like the fact that when you upgrade to a blu ray player, your DVDs remain compatible. That makes the price tag somewhat easier to swallow IMO.

[Ghoulish Delight]

We saw Zack and Miri Make a Porno over the weekend.

Solid Kevin Smith movie. Funny funny stuff. It's overall not as graphic as their battle to stave off an NC-17 rating would have you believe. Though there's one scene...

There was one sour note, the fault of the audience, not the film. It won't give too much away to say there is a scene with a male-on-male gay kiss. It was an entirely non-graphic kiss, a simple peck between a gay couple in the story. And yet the homophobe audience groaned with disgust. Made me ill.


Making this one particularly fun to watch is the fact that I've become a regular listener of Smith's podcast. I know a frightening amount about Smith, his likes, dislikes, and insecurities and recognized a lot of it on screen.

[innerSpaceman]

Oh, I wish I'd known that before the Silverlake March flowed past the Vista Theater showing that film.


I don't know why, but I do.

[Prudence]

We saw Changeling recently. It's not the world's best film, but the story was fascinating. Horror movies don't generally frighten me, but things that can - and do - actually happen can terrify me. One element of the story in particularly gave me chills.

[Alex]

Ooh, a reminder that sometimes I did talk about things not directly involving gay people.

Recently (last two weeks) I've watched:
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) - Maybe it was just trying to be arty with the subject but the prancing around the homosexuality (DAMN IT! GAY PEOPLE!) of the central but not present character felt really old fashioned. Good monologues and some witty writing but didn't do much for me. For some reason I just can't buy Montgomery Clift in any role indicating great intelligence.

Madagascar (2005) - Had to watch it so I could review the sequel. Way too much emphasis on movie spoofs but some good laughs mixed in with the crap.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) - Actually a bit better than the first. Less moving spoofing, more time with the funny penguins and lemur. My MousePlanet review here (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=sr081107as).

Mad Max (1979) - I was sure I'd seen this before but it turns out I hadn't. All of my memories of it must be from Road Warrior. Anyway, it is a crap movie.

Cactus Flower (1969) - I wish someone had told me sooner that there exists a romantic comedy coupling Walter Matthau with Ingrid Berman (and at one point she does the bugaloo) so I wouldn't have waited 34 years to see it. It is not a great film and I don't know how Goldie Hawn got her Oscar out of it, but there are some great lines and I always love Matthau.

30 Days of Night (2007) - For a cheesy vampire horror movie it wasn't bad. The timeline involved made no sense (or the vampires were much more incompetent than they were made to appear for reasons not explained). There should be a creepy Ben Foster in every movie. Yes, every movie.

Fahrenheit 451 (1966) - The best of the spate of bad science fiction cult classics from the '70s I've watched recently. Maintained the essence of the book without needing to be a slave to it (someone is working on a new version and I am not looking forward to a visualization of the Mechanical Hound). Plus it all looks super goofy.

Lord of War (2005) - Nicolas Cage in the least annoying performance in quite a while. "Based on true events" story of a gun runner. Nothing worth remembering, nothing worth deriding.

[Ghoulish Delight]

This (http://weblogs.redeyechicago.com/showpatrol/2008/11/arrested-develo.html) just made my day!

[Alex]

I'm simultaneously happy and full of dread.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yes, always the chance they'll mangle it after the time away from it and in expanding it to feature format. The thing it has going in favor of it is that it was in many ways produced like a film anyway (a bit of a fatal flaw making it an expensive tv show to make), so it won't be a huge leap to the big screen.

[Deebs]

OK, so I watched Hairspray with my daughter last night. Not the good one, the new one. Well, new to me, as I am years behind watching films on DVD that I meant to see in the theater but never did.

Was John Travolta channeling Cher, or what? I'd assume someone has made this observation before, it is just such an obvious comparison.

My girl loved it, but I told her she needs to see the John Waters version. It's been years since I've seen it, but yeah. I really wanted to like the new one. It wasn't bad, I guess. But Divine > John Travolta.

[innerSpaceman]

The old Hairspray hasn't aged all that well, but I still think it's awesome ... and the pair is one of the rare movies and remakes where both are good.


Alex is dead wrong about Mad Max. It's terrific. Not nearly as good as its sequel, also quite the rare switcheroo.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Alex is dead wrong about Mad Max. It's terrific. Not nearly as good as its sequel, also quite the rare switcheroo.

Ditto.

[Alex]

I fail to see what was potentially terrific about it. Here's the plot:

Boring
Boring
Some action
Boring
Some action
Action ends, fortunately considering the aforementioned action was boringly paced
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring and brooding
Some action
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
The entire movie wraps up with 4 minutes of action which is refreshing in its understatedness compared to today's flash and overblown sequences but still doesn't reward the preceding plot of boring.

[Morrigoon]

I wanna see The Duchess. I finished reading the book (a very academic biography, but the subject was a fascinating character). Is it even still playing?

[Not Afraid]

I really like Mad Max. i saw both films back to back and they were a revelation at the time.

I will not take a dismissal of Suddenly last Summer from ANYONE. I adore that film. (And, one of my alter ego names comes from the film).

[Alex]

Dammit people, I already told you whether the movies are any good or not. Why are you wasting everybody's time pretending I'm wrong?

[Not Afraid]

In make-believe land, Alex is ALWAYS wrong.

[Gemini Cricket]

Mel Gibson... grumble grumble... anti-Semitic, homophobic mutha fukka.... grumble...

[innerSpaceman]

It's a movie, it's a movie, he's an actor, it's a movie.

[Alex]

In make-believe land, Alex is ALWAYS wrong.

Get it right. In make-believe land Alex is maybe wrong. It is in Exact-Opposite-of-Reality Land that Xela is ALWAYS wrong.

[Not Afraid]

I'm going to call you X-Lax from now on. You'll get only Visible X-Lax Mojo from me.

[Alex]

I'm going to do my best to not try to picture visible X-Lax mojo. Why do you always go straight to the filth? I'm really disappointed in you. Try to be restrained and show some decorum.

Be like Kevy every once in a while.

[Not Afraid]

What is the meaning of this word "decorum"?

And, poop is not filty, it's natural (even with encouragement from Ex-Lax). It's SEX that is filthy. Filthy, Filthy SEX!

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm going to do my best to not try to picture visible X-Lax mojo. Why do you always go straight to the filth? I'm really disappointed in you. Try to be restrained and show some decorum.

Be like Kevy every once in a while.Still in exact opposite land?

[JWBear]

Mel Gibson... grumble grumble... anti-Semitic, homophobic mutha fukka.... grumble...

Yeah... But he was hot back then.

[Gemini Cricket]

Hate trumps hot.

[Strangler Lewis]

I like Mad Max. Who says a good film can't be a bore? Look at Citizen Kane and The Pillow Book. Great big, brilliant beautiful bores.

I agree that Madagascar 2 is better than the original. However, the penguins simply are not funny. Not in either movie. Not in the Christmas short. Not ever.

[alphabassettgrrl]

It's SEX that is filthy. Filthy, Filthy SEX!

Only if it's good. :)

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I'm going to do my best to not try to picture visible X-Lax mojo. Why do you always go straight to the filth? I'm really disappointed in you. Try to be restrained and show some decorum.

Be like Kevy every once in a while.Where did I put the paper towels and monitor cleaning fluid...?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Hate trumps hot.

And art trumps all. Chopin had no love for the Jews but he's still my favorite composer. I don't have to like or respect the artist whose work I love. There are plenty of artists I would not want to sit across at the dinner table. Unless, of course, we were dining together in Hell!

Now, I understand that Chopin isn't alive and cannot donate the money he earns off of my purchases to anti-Semitic campaigns. And, Mel Gibson might use his money for evil, so there's that. I suppose that's a good enough excuse for illegally downloading his movies. Heh.

[JWBear]

We just watched The Fall (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791/)... Wow... Stunning movie.

[flippyshark]

We just watched The Fall (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791/)... Wow... Stunning movie.

Had never heard of it, but I just saw the imdb entry, and it looks very intriguing. Adding it to my queue.

[€uroMeinke]

I'm hoping to talk Lisa into seeing Love Story 2050 tonight

[JWBear]

I'm hoping to talk Lisa into seeing Love Story 2050 tonight

Hmmmm... Something about this movie makes me want to see it. What could it be?

http://i.indiafm.com/img/feature/08/may/harman1.jpg

Oh.... Yes.... Got it. ;)

[Not Afraid]

Well, we haven't started watching yet......

[Stan4dSteph]

I saw the new Bond film. It was pretty cool. I loved the action sequences. There needed to be more scenes with Bond without his shirt though.

[Alex]

Well, I confirmed that it was indeed The Road Warrior that I was mostly remembering. I also confirmed that The Road Warrior is mostly suck as well. 12-year-old me was mightily easy to please apparently.

Watched another car related movie by the name of The Driver. From 1978 starring Ryan O'Neal and Bruce Dern. Very sparse and I liked it a fair bit.

Started to watch What's Up Pussycat but am strongly disinclined to continue after the first five minutes of Peter Sellers (when he's funny he's very funny, but when he stinks he makes Steve Martin of the last decade look like genius). Peter O'Toole's eyes, though, compel me to to continue. I'm at work now, though, so will have to finish tomorrow.

[Prudence]

We also saw the new Bond today. We thought most of the action scenes were a little overdone although I liked the fight in the Haitian hotel, as it looked very much like a street brawl and not a choreographed movie fight.

I like the new, gritty Bond, but I still kind of miss the more tongue-in-cheek Connery Bond. Also, the final action sequence was completely ridiculous.

I do love Judi Dench as M, though. No one delivers a dry, biting line like she does.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Tonight was the night for flix at the $3 theatre that just opened nearby.

-- W
I was surpised how sympathetic the filmed made Bush seem and at the same time almost surealist. There was a thin line between mockery and homage and I thought it an interesting film. Not the greatest Oliver Stone film, but Brolin does a fantastic job.

-- Sex Drive
In the spirit of American Pie - a real funny teenage R-rated film that is both hysterical and gross but had a bit of a cheesy ending.

-- Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Great quotable dialogue by Kevin Smith and alot of laughs. It was both hysterical and gross but had a cheesy ending.

OK - so "Porno" and "Sex Drive" pretty much had the exact same plot and has the same female in it,* so that was a bit odd seeing both in the same night. Boy and Girl are "best friends" and thru 1. making a porno and another driving to meet a girl for sex, they come to learn they actually "love" each other. Pretty much the same plot for both but I thought them funny.

Edit to add: It was actually "W" and "Porno" that had the same female lead. Elizabeth Banks played Laura Bush and Miri.

[flippyshark]

For those who have seen sex Drive, I work with an actress who appears in the film as "Drunk Amish Girl." I haven't seen the movie yet, but Michelle (that's her name) said she got to work with Seth Green, and she said he was as cool as she had hoped. She was also moved into the hotel room Green had been staying in after his couple of days on set were done. He had left behind massive amounts of junk food, so she now gets to boast that she ate Seth Green's snacks.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Edit to add: It was actually "W" and "Porno" that had the same female lead. Elizabeth Banks played Laura Bush and Miri.
Oh man, now I really don't want to see W. I don't want to walk out of a theater wanting to do Laura Bush.

[flippyshark]

For those interested in seeing it, BOLT is adorable, has lots of heart, and if you catch it in a Digital 3D venue, the 3D is very good. Word on the street is that John Lasseter helped rework this into a better movie than it would otherwise have been. It's nice to see a really good movie bear the Disney Animation banner. Whee!

[LSPoorEeyorick]

We've seen a lot of movies in the last month, so I wanted to post about them, because they were all movies that left varied impressions on me. In some cases, I want to send you to see them. In others, I'd like to send you away from them.

The Changeling
I very much wanted to like The Changeling. It is set in a fascinating period of time in a city that fascinated me so much that six years ago, I moved there. It focuses on a woman, which is rare these days. Its winding narrative held my interest. But I was surprised that, despite all signs pointing to "hey, swell movie," I was left rather cold.

It's possible that its starting point – just before the main character's child is kidnapped – isn't a strong enough connecting point to make us grieve the loss as the she does. It's also possible that a character spending 60% of her time waiting anxiously (and passively) for anything to be resolved may not be as resonant – or, dare I say, active – as one would hope, no matter how strong that anxious-passive performance might be.

In general, the whole film seemed… distanced… from me, somehow. The very oh-so-composed shots (like a close-up of a shocked man's cigarette ash hanging by a thread, that so fluidly crashes to the ground as he receives the final blow to his ignorance) were more distracting than elegant. "Oh, look. We're watching a movie. Why don't you give me some Brechtian titles while you're at it."

Even though I felt held at arm's length throughout, I'd still recommend checking this out at some point. It is elegant. Its story will hold your interest. And Tom liked it more than I did, so chances are, you might too.

Synecdoche, NY
I'm a big fan of Charlie Kaufman, so I was excited to hear he was going to try his hand at directing. We'd get The Full Kaufman Experience!

As it turns out, we may not actually want the Full Kaufman Experience.

Synecdoche is the unfurling of a dream state. Or a descent into madness. Or an abstract metaphor of the devolution of the human body. Possibly all three. Possibly none.

Like a Derren film, or a Lynch one, I think you're meant to sit back and let it absorb into your pores, into your brain, into your consciousness. And so I didn't spend too much time trying to discern exactly what was happening. (I really don't think it's the point, and moreso, I don't even think it's possible.) I just let it float over me, and into me. And that experience was the bleakest, most uncomfortable one I've ever had in a movie theater. It bores into all of the least-appealing parts of humanity. And so many of them are universal. That, or Kaufman and I have the same insecurities and nightmares.

It is a horrible film. Not that the performances were bad, or anything in particular. In fact, I can't be certain, but I think it really was quite remarkable. What I mean is that it is marked by the arousal of horror. And not in an "eek, the killer is right behind you!" kind of way. In a way that says slowly, clearly, and unequivocally: everything in this life is ****, and you're never going to make of yourself what you want to. And quite honestly, it may be the truth, but I really don't need to hear it if I'm going to live a life of anything aside from self-centered regret.

Should you see it? That's an excellent question, and I don't have the answer for you. Is it brilliant? Quite possibly. Are you up for it? You might be. And then again, you really, really, really might not be.

Side note: Samantha Morton is a bright spot, and she looks incredible with a curvy body.

Zac and Miri Make a Porno
We watched these three films in sequence, and thank Christ we saw this last. It was totally delightful, surprisingly romantic, and only occasionally Kevin-Smith-heavy. It washed the brain-ick of Synecdoche right out with a constant stream of very raunchy but pretty tender humor. And that was a tall order. I highly recommend it, particularly to fans of the Apatow ilk (as it seemed much more geared towards them than towards fans of Smith's earlier films.)

Slumdog Millionaire
It's a lovely concept. A young man from the streets of India wins a huge amount of money on a game show. Before his final question, he's arrested, accused of cheating. Question by question, we see (in flashbacks) exactly why he knew what he knew. It's structurally creative, socio-politically absorbing, and emotionally compelling. And musically, it's genius; the mix of Bollywood and hip-hop is gorgeous. Danny Boyle never makes the same film twice, and I admire his willingness to branch out.

It, unfortunately, was over-hyped to me by a number of people, and it didn't quite live up to that for me. So I won't overhype it to you. Slumdog Millionaire is not a perfect film, but it's a modern fairy tale that is definitely worth watching.

Twilight
I should probably post this in the Twilight thread, but I don't really want to rain on Twilight's parade. I found it to be rather wooden, and a little bit rushed. It did have some surprisingly cheeky humor now and then (outside of the unintentional laughs.) And Bella's father's performance was quite strong. Really, my favorite part of the film was witnessing the cultural tween meme. Their little hormones didn't even know what to do with Edward, so all they could muster were squeals of various pitches and lengths. I was duly amused.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Oh man, now I really don't want to see W. I don't want to walk out of a theater wanting to do Laura Bush.

Non-spoiler but as Laura Bush she takes off her shirt. YEs there is a bra but lead to the thought "MILF."

[Ghoulish Delight]

Non-spoiler but as Laura Bush she takes off her shirt. YEs there is a bra but lead to the thought "MILF."
A I applaud her for that pattern, as she does the same in Zack and Miri.

However that just reinforces my desire to not see W, because I'll end up considering Laura Bush more attractive than is healthy, or consider Elizabeth Banks less attractive than is healthy.

[Strangler Lewis]

Non-spoiler but as Laura Bush she takes off her shirt. YEs there is a bra but lead to the thought "MILF."

Or FLILF.

[Betty]

Twilight
Really, my favorite part of the film was witnessing the cultural tween meme. Their little hormones didn't even know what to do with Edward, so all they could muster were squeals of various pitches and lengths. I was duly amused.


I enjoyed that myself. Although they were shushed and hushed pretty quickly once the movie got underway. If no, I'm afraid they would have been noisy everytime Edward appeared on screen. I wish the movie were better - but honestly it's about as good as I exepected it to be.

[Snowflake]

Anyone going to see Milk this Thanksgiving weekend?

The trailer made me weepy, I have to say.

[innerSpaceman]

I'm gonna see it, but wait until next week until it's in wide release. There's a push in the gay community to have it be a top grosser that weekend, so I'll put my money and eyeballs where they will count most to help the cause he cherished.

[Snowflake]

I'm gonna see it, but wait until next week until it's in wide release. There's a push in the gay community to have it be a top grosser that weekend, so I'll put my money and eyeballs where they will count most to help the cause he cherished.

Well then, I can wait, too!

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I didn't realize there was a push - we were going to see it this weekend too, should we wait?

It would be great to see it with a group, also.

It's getting really terrific reviews.

[innerSpaceman]

oh, please wait. I'll go see it with a group, even if you and Tom and me are that entire group.

Of course, more, merrier and all that.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

For those who have seen sex Drive, I work with an actress who appears in the film as "Drunk Amish Girl." I haven't seen the movie yet, but Michelle (that's her name) said she got to work with Seth Green, and she said he was as cool as she had hoped. She was also moved into the hotel room Green had been staying in after his couple of days on set were done. He had left behind massive amounts of junk food, so she now gets to boast that she ate Seth Green's snacks.

"RUMSPRINGA!"

I managed the rich media campaign for that film, saw it twice, and LOVED it. James Marsden and Seth Green were stellar, and honestly, if your friend Michelle was the girl screaming, "RUMSPRINGA!" etc., she was one of the funniest bits in the movie.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I like George Clooney. I will watch him in almost anything.

I will not watch him as the Lone Ranger.

I have a feeling this casting will break Boss Radio's hear.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

NM and I both watched The Great Escape for the first time.

John Sturges, you had me at The Magnificent Seven. And thank you, thank you again for a young, shirtless Charles Bronson.

In all seriousness, it was a terrific film. And, having no familiarity whatsoever with the story on which it was based, far more depressing than I was expecting. I don't CARE how up-beat and "you can't keep a good man down!" the music was at the end.

Speaking of the music, Elmer Bernstein, you were AWESOME.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

oh, please wait. I'll go see it with a group, even if you and Tom and me are that entire group.

Of course, more, merrier and all that.

Actually, the limited release box office is extremely important, too. (Often, expansions depend upon those numbers to know how wide they should release.)

How about this... we will be going this weekend... AND we will go with you on the 5th.

[Gemini Cricket]

Milk
Five stars.
I started this thread (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showthread.php?t=8873) about it.

[CoasterMatt]

So, should I go to the free screening of Milk on Saturday?

[flippyshark]

"RUMSPRINGA!"

I managed the rich media campaign for that film, saw it twice, and LOVED it. James Marsden and Seth Green were stellar, and honestly, if your friend Michelle was the girl screaming, "RUMSPRINGA!" etc., she was one of the funniest bits in the movie.

Yep, that was her. She's crazy fun to work with.

[Gemini Cricket]

So, should I go to the free screening of Milk on Saturday?
Absolutely.
Get as many people as you can get in to go with you. Word of mouth will do wonders for this film.

[CoasterMatt]

Unfortunately, I can only get 1 other person in with me.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Yep, that was her. She's crazy fun to work with.

OMG. She was hilarious!

[innerSpaceman]

"Australia" = Beautiful Meh



Entertaining and enjoyable, but completely cornball. First 10 minutes full of Luhrmanisms, next 3 hours full of sap.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

And the first 10 minutes were the 10 minutes I liked the least. More, longer thoughts on that, Milk, and Rachel Getting Married coming soon.

[Alex]

Lust, Caution - Ang Lee's story of espionage in Japan-occupied China during World War II, mostly famous for its acrobatic sex scenes. First, I was very much intrigued by the overall story. We don't get to see many portrayals of the portions of WWII that played out away from Western eyes as the Japanese invasion and occupation of mainland Asia mostly did, and when we do it is through the filter of the rare western observer (such as Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun or John Wayne's mercenary fighter pilot in Flying Tigers).

Unfortunately, while the surroundings are attractive (visually and intellectually) the central story of the connection between resistance spy Wong Chia Chi and traitor/collaborator Mr. Yee just doesn't make sense to me. Well, it makes sense if Wong Chia Chi is simply a sexual masochist and submissive, but that is also boring. Ultimately I felt like Ang Lee was using the cheat so common in movies of using sex (quite explicitly presented in this case) as an easy stand-in for emotion and it results in me just not believing her final action. Or I missed something, which is certainly possible.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke commit a crime of desparation and it all goes wrong. First, if Sidney Lumet is making movies like this in his 80s, I can't wait to see what he's doing in 20 years (is there another director who has made quality films 50 years apart?). Also, Marisa Tomei is looking pretty hot at 44 (not a surprise except by Hollywood standards) and puts it on display repeatedly.

The one thing I loved about the movie at first blush is that it deceived me without cheating.


The first scene (I assume this was intentional but maybe it is just me) mocks the overused trick of showing the end first and then explaining how everybody got there. But it didn't lie to me, the first scene is really the first scene, I just jumped to a conclusion because of the way it went to the second scene.

So I was completely thrown off from teh real ending of the movie and it was successfully experienced in the moment rather than being approached with foreknowledge.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

The great Oscar-Watch is on.

Australia won't be part of it. That is, we saw it, but it's not going to be in the race. Baz Luhrmanm has such a distinctive style... a style I've enjoyed very much in the past, particularly in Moulin Rouge. For the first fifteen or twenty minutes of the film, he clings to it that style and forces it into a story that he later tries to spread out as epic. High camp and epic? They don't go together well.

On top of that, his narrator is an aboriginal boy with an accent and lexicon that appropriates Jar Jar Binks. It was off-putting, the combination of the pushed-too-hard stylistic choices and the pushed-way-too-hard Aunt Jemima "native" - so it made it difficult to swallow the film that it eventually became, an attempt at an epic-style western with heavy anti-racism themes. I would have thought that would have been up my alley, but that crudely-made introduction distracted from the stretch I most enjoyed (the cattle drive.)

Less-than-sizzling chemistry between the leads hampered it, as did arriving at the overlong, overwrought third act wishing it had already ended. It was even oddly bad from a technical standpoint, with badly-lit and badly-focused shots. (And not in a useful, "Visions of Light" Coppola-typeway.) But, so many people like Luhrmann more than I do, and so many people are not hard, cynical, moviegoers. So although I've completely panned it here, your mileage may vary.


Milk, on the other hand, was terrific. It was elegantly shot, respectfully and movingly performed, and very effective overall. I was impressed by how much unabashed homosexual affection they showed. (I mean, I see a lot of unabashed homosexual affection in real life, but they so rarely show it honestly in film. It was refreshing to see it.) Great performances across the board... beautifully developed characters... pitch-perfect period design... and very moving, at a time when so many people need to be moved by his fight. Certainly, the modern crisis is echoed and can be informed by Milk's struggle and success. Everyone should see it.


We saw this awhile ago, but I also want to mention Rachel Getting Married, which is notably written by Jenny Lumet - daughter of Sidney Lumet. I say notably not because she's celebrity offspring, but because I think she is going to have quite a screenwriting future ahead of her. What an exquisite piece of work. It's capable of delivering a huge array of emotions, but primarily, it's the most I've ever felt like I was actually at a wedding, watching people I both care about and who frustrate me. It felt, by the end of the film, like the characters were my family... that is how effective the storytelling and performances were.

The story follows a woman just out of rehab, as she returns to her family on the eve of her sister's wedding. It's a remarkable family - full of exceptional people with complex relationships and rarely-discussed secrets. I wonder how much is informed by the Lumet family. Tom discovered, in fact, that one particular scene is highly informed by the Lumet family. There's a brilliant interaction between two people comically arguing over who can better load the dishwasher. It is apparently based on a similar interaction between Sidney Lumet and Bob Fosse. And it's brilliant... but even more brilliant is how quickly a scene of levity like that can turn on a dime. A hell of a dime. I love beat changes (I'm really into them right now, actually) and this was the best beat change I'd seen in... well, right now I can't think of a better one.

Performances were wonderful - I didn't know Anne Hathaway had it in her. This is definitely one worth watching.


We had the pleasure of seeing the Los Angeles production of Doubt, starring Cherry Jones. So I was already familiar with the play when we saw an advance screening last night. I was very curious to see how it would translate, and I was very pleased to see that it made for a wonderful film. With such powerhouse performances. I mean, Meryl Streep? Philip Seymour Hoffman? Amy Adams? How can you possibly go wrong there?

Doubt is about one nun's suspicions about a priest and his possibly untoward relationship with the first African-American boy at their private Catholic school in the 1960s. At first blush. But it's a lot more than that - it's about the push for modernization and familiarization and warmth within the historically stark Catholic church. It's about the struggle for women to be heard, to be believed, to have any semblance of power in a very phallocentric age (and church.) It's about how much you're willing to step into a gray area to address wrongdoing. It is a brilliant study on all of these things combined, and - most wonderful, to me - it requires you to make your own conclusions. Oh, delicious ambiguity.

In the translation from stage to screen, not much is lost, but a world of detail and setting is introduced, and I think that helps it immensely. (Not that the play needed help, but it works very well.)

With the exception of a few shot composition choices (I can count them on my two hands, I'm sure) that distracted me from the storytelling, it was terrific. Performances are excellent. And the play was well-served. And I look forward to hearing others' thoughts on the ambiguity, because Tom and I have different opinions about it, and both our opinions were further supported (in our opinion) by the film adaptation.


Excited by one play adaptation, we decided to catch a late showing of its main competitor, Frost/Nixon. We had not seen the play before seeing the movie, but we were familiar with the writer (who was also responsible for some of my recent favorite films, The Queen and The Last King of Scotland.) Peter Morgan has a real knack for revealing unexpected humanity and humor in tyrants and queens. And presidents, as it turns out.

Centered on David Frost - lightweight, playboy, and... the horror... talk-show host - and his quest to interview Nixon after his pardon, this is about a meeting of the minds that is not well-matched. But catching someone offguard can always change the tables, and the series of interviews catch the two men - and the audience, at times - quite off-guard. It's a fascinating look into the biggest governmental error in judgment (pre-Bush. Which is interesting - it made me realize that Nixon's struggle for respect in his life is what Bush got to avoid. So many people like Bush. And it seems to me that no Frost interview awaits him, despite his trevails in office. I doubt he would meet such an interview with the intelligence with which Nixon met Frost, though.)

Frank Langella's Nixon was positively Shakespearean. And Michael Sheen's Frost is underrated - he's terrific. Another definitely worth seeing, no matter what you think of Nixon right now.

[flippyshark]

Your critique of Australia makes it sound irresistible to me, just because it sounds like a really interesting misfire, and I often find those fascinating.

I am really excited about Doubt.

And I wish I had time to see all of these. I love "Oscar-bait" season!

[Tom]

Actually, Australia was a really boring misfire.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I dunno, I was kind of fascinated by its badness...

[Tom]

I didn't think it was quite bad enough to be interesting in that way and did not have enough points of interest outside of that on which to engage. I just thought it was dull. And long.

[Gemini Cricket]

Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
I liked it. Funny stuff. It strayed from humor in the 3rd act but it was a good flick. Apatow movies rock. I was amused with them shooting on location at the Turtle Bay. It is a cool hotel... if you can afford it. There is no Laie hiking trail though. It's just a look out point. AND it's quite hard to get out of the water there after you jump.
"Nothing Compares 2 U" in Hawaiian during the credits was brilliant.
:)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Caught Forgetting Sarah Marshall on our return flight from Edniburgh/London and enjoyed it more than expected.

I don't remember if I mentioned this earlier. When the movie was being marketed, I didn't pay very much attention to it and the ads. I thought the billboard campaign and the viral blog it linked to were lame, so I didn't really want to see the movie. But of course I couldn't completely avoid it, so I knew that Mila Kunis was in it. And I thought that Judge Reinhold was in it.

I know. I'm not very smart. But, I really only caught a glimpse of a commercial here and there, and never gave it much thought beyond those snippets I'd see. And damnit, dude looks like Judge Reinhold!! So, you know, I didn't really put it through the critical thinking that might have lead me to conclude, "Hey, retard, Judge Reinhold would be about 75 or something, there's no way that's him."

And being on an airplane doesn't improve my critical thinking skills.

So I watched that whole movie convinced that I was watching Judge Reinhold.

Yeah. I know.

[Gemini Cricket]

GD ~ Heh heh

For some reason, I found Judge Reinhold's doppelganger to be quite attractive.

[Alex]

I went to see it out of boredom and ended up mostly liking it.

By the way, I watched Cashback this morning and saw you (or her or both of you) hated it per your Netflix rating. I didn't love it but wouldn't rate it as worse than mediocre. Just curious what you hated about it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I went to see it out of boredom and ended up mostly liking it.

By the way, I watched Cashback this morning and saw you (or her or both of you) hated it per your Netflix rating. I didn't love it but wouldn't rate it as worse than mediocre. Just curious what you hated about it.
Oh god, we both hated it. So much that we turned it off half way through, which we NEVER do.

In summary, we hated it because it thought it was way more clever than it actually was, and what little cleverness was in it was ruined by the f*cking narration that just. wouldn't. shut. up. "Hey, you know what's really clever about this next scene? Well let me tell you before you watch it, because, omg, it's sooo gonna blow your mind." Geebus, stop describing your movie and just let me watch it, man!

Here's (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showthread.php?p=221695&highlight=cashback#post221695) what I originally posted about it.

[Alex]

Interesting. I watched it because Netflix has had it as something "beign watched in my area" so after months of seeing the DVD cover I caved in. I wonder if they are being compensated for placement. The reviews on Netflix (and elsewhere, though it is just shy, 59%, of a fresh rating from cream of the crop at rottentomatoes) are hardly glowing.

Anyway, it is definitely pretentious and thinks it is smarter than than it is, just not so much that I hated it. It kind of felt like a demo reel for a film school student looking to show he can put together various types of scenes.

Though it is an odd coincidence that after last week commenting to Lani about how little nudity there is in movies any more, the last four movies I've watched have all had plenty.

[JWBear]

Just saw Milk... Wow. Just... wow.

[Gemini Cricket]

Just saw Milk... Wow. Just... wow.
Yeah. I agree.
:)

[Gn2Dlnd]

Saw Milk tonight, as well. I have to remember, whenever GC says a movie is the best movie he's ever seen, I'll be crying for the next three days after seeing it.

I followed it up by coming home and watching the documentary, "The Life and Times of Harvey Milk."

[Gemini Cricket]

Role Models - I really liked this one. It was totally predictable but I liked it because it was damned funny. Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott are hot. and McLovin and the other kid were great. Total fluff, but a pretty good script by Rudd and 2 other writers.

You Don't Mess with the Zohan - You know, my dad ordered this on his cable dealie and liked it. He said I had to watch it. I watched it. I liked it okay. Slapstick humor makes me laugh. But I realized why he wanted me to watch it when Dave Matthews showed up 3/4 of the way into the movie. Dave played a racist, homophobic redneck. Funny shtuff. The message was pretty good too. Some of it reminded me of the Oscar winning short West Bank Story. And I actually liked Rob Schneider's performance in this. And I really can't stand him in all of his other movies...

[Ghoulish Delight]

We just watched The Fall (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791/)... Wow... Stunning movie.
We just watched this ourselves.

Meh. Visually beautiful, but the story never engaged me. CP liked it better.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Oh god, we both hated it. So much that we turned it off half way through, which we NEVER do.

In summary, we hated it because it thought it was way more clever than it actually was, and what little cleverness was in it was ruined by the f*cking narration that just. wouldn't. shut. up. "Hey, you know what's really clever about this next scene? Well let me tell you before you watch it, because, omg, it's sooo gonna blow your mind." Geebus, stop describing your movie and just let me watch it, man!

Here's (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showthread.php?p=221695&highlight=cashback#post221695) what I originally posted about it.

I'm with you guys on this one. I watched the entire movie. I turned it on and was determined to see it through. And when it ended 3 days later (it was a 3 day long movie, yes?), I regretted that I had. On the other hand: BOOBIES!

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Caught Forgetting Sarah Marshall on our return flight from Edniburgh/London and enjoyed it more than expected.

I don't remember if I mentioned this earlier. When the movie was being marketed, I didn't pay very much attention to it and the ads. I thought the billboard campaign and the viral blog it linked to were lame, so I didn't really want to see the movie. But of course I couldn't completely avoid it, so I knew that Mila Kunis was in it. And I thought that Judge Reinhold was in it.

I know. I'm not very smart. But, I really only caught a glimpse of a commercial here and there, and never gave it much thought beyond those snippets I'd see. And damnit, dude looks like Judge Reinhold!! So, you know, I didn't really put it through the critical thinking that might have lead me to conclude, "Hey, retard, Judge Reinhold would be about 75 or something, there's no way that's him."

And being on an airplane doesn't improve my critical thinking skills.

So I watched that whole movie convinced that I was watching Judge Reinhold.

Yeah. I know.

It was an ok movie, but I loved the print campaign for it, and I loved the site we built for it. A better ad campaign than a movie, perhaps, though there were some stellar moments. And Mila Kunis was surprisingly delightful and gave a well rounded performance.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Lust, Caution - Ang Lee's story of espionage in Japan-occupied China during World War II, mostly famous for its acrobatic sex scenes. First, I was very much intrigued by the overall story. We don't get to see many portrayals of the portions of WWII that played out away from Western eyes as the Japanese invasion and occupation of mainland Asia mostly did, and when we do it is through the filter of the rare western observer (such as Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun or John Wayne's mercenary fighter pilot in Flying Tigers).

It was a disappointing film, but I maintain that I learned a very important lesson. If you have really good sex, all of your friends are going to get shot.

[Alex]

My problem is that it wasn't good sex, it was simply acrobatic. I'll admit it would have been good if it were consensual and freely entered into. Maybe I'm flawed that I can't separate the motivation for the sex from the acts itself to find the latter at all erotic.

The first two weren't meant to be good. The third was essentially rape, and the other two were somewhat ambiguous in light of the third.

Unless the point was that she is simply a sexual submissive who enjoyed the rape and wanted more, in which case that wasn't sufficiently clear to remove my psychic issues with it being forced and/or manipulated.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

My problem is that it wasn't good sex, it was simply acrobatic. I'll admit it would have been good if it were consensual and freely entered into. Maybe I'm flawed that I can't separate the motivation for the sex from the acts itself to find the latter at all erotic.

The first two weren't meant to be good. The third was essentially rape, and the other two were somewhat ambiguous in light of the third.

Unless the point was that she is simply a sexual submissive who enjoyed the rape and wanted more, in which case that wasn't sufficiently clear to remove my psychic issues with it being forced and/or manipulated.

I can separate my feelings about the sex they were having from what they were supposedly feeling. I would agree that he sexually assaulted her that first time, and she evidently did not enjoy that. But whatever her motivation (or their motivation), their acrobatics were certainly orgasmic for both later on. In the characters eyes, the sex was highly pleasurable. It was an intimacy forged by pleasure in the fiery pits of Mordor, and it clearly clouded her judgment.

I did find some of their scenes erotic. But I felt similarly about The Night Porter, which I think is a superior film.

I also found some of the sex scenes difficult to watch in Lust, Caution because I was convinced they were actually having sex. Even if they weren't, the director went to great lengths to make it appear so, and instead of bringing me further into the story, I found myself distracted. Are they or aren't they? Is he commenting on art versus pornography or is that what I'm bringing to the table? Yup, totally ripped me out of the film.

[Alex]

I also didn't find anything in The Night Porter particularly erotic (or believable for that matter). But I'd say that generally the more explicit filmed sex is the less erotic I find it.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I also didn't find anything in The Night Porter particularly erotic (or believable for that matter). But I'd say that generally the more explicit filmed sex is the less erotic I find it.

I tend to agree with your latter statement.

[Snowflake]

That's no big deal, because Klaatu looks on everything dispassionately. Maybe he has no passions. He becomes the first co-star in movie history to elude falling in love with Jennifer Connelly. Keanu Reeves is often low-key in his roles, but in this movie, his piano has no keys at all. He is so solemn, detached and uninvolved he makes Mr. Spock look like Hunter S. Thompson at closing time. When he arrives at a momentous decision, he announces it as if he has been rehearsing to say: "Yes, one plus one equals two. Always has, always will."

Ouch!

I love Roger Ebert sometimes. Complete review here (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081210/REVIEWS/812109993).

I can not only not believe they remade this, but I did not know it was even in production. Hopefully it slides out of the theaters as quietly and people rent the original. Yes, Michael Rennie is also a tad wooden, but I had Gort nightmares for years.......and it had the awesome Bernard Hermann score.

[Alex]

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead - I suppose I should be pleased that I sat through this movie saying "is this some kind of Get Carter rip-off?" only to see at the end that this one is from Mike Hodges who also did Get Carter. Clive Owen is the closest I come to having a man crush, and even with scruffy beard and too big clothes he looks good. But the movie is one long slog, seemingly taking three times too long in every scene and very minimal payoff.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Ouch!

I love Roger Ebert sometimes. Complete review here (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081210/REVIEWS/812109993).

I can not only not believe they remade this, but I did not know it was even in production. Hopefully it slides out of the theaters as quietly and people rent the original. Yes, Michael Rennie is also a tad wooden, but I had Gort nightmares for years.......and it had the awesome Bernard Hermann score.

I have no desire to see the remake. I'm not against remakes, but I am horrified (by what I've read and seen) at the idea of this one. The first movie is so understated and quietly beautiful. I'm just...I don't want to see it.

And then I realized Jon Hamm also stars. So, I probably will see it. Someday. Just not in theaters.

[Alex]

I liked the underlying lack of altruism in the first one ("we don't care if you blow yourself up, but we aren't going to let you advance far enough to threaten us") so am not pleased, in concept, to what is apparently pure altruism in this one ("oh what are you doing to your poor planet?").

[Gemini Cricket]

Watched Dark Knight on DVD last night. Ledger's performance is still awesome to me. It's... dark.

[Andrew]

Inspired by this SFGate blog post (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=3&entry_id=33341), I found Without a Clue (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096454/) on TPB, downloaded and burned it, and we watched it Thursday night. I don't remember ever having seen it though I vaguely remember hearing about it. Clever and fun reworking of the Holmes/Watson story.

[flippyshark]

I never saw Without A Clue, but I remember that the newspaper ads had a 1-800 number you could call to hear a special message from Watson. I called, and found the message tedious, so, I decided not to see the movie. Memorably bad marketing, that.

[Alex]

If it's good enough for Twitter...

My review of Rachel Getting Married:

1/3 suck. 1/3 really good. 1/3 eh. Hathaway good throughout.

[flippyshark]

I'm willing to give it a go based on 1/3 good and solid Hathaway. She's really interesting to me.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Oh, do. I found it far more than 1/3 really good - you may find yourself somewhere in between us, but no matter what, definitely worth viewing.

[wendybeth]

Watched Dark Knight on DVD last night. Ledger's performance is still awesome to me. It's... dark.

I loved the scene when he's hanging his head out of the moving car- it's a very short shot that speaks volumes about where this character's head is at, far more so than the blood and gore.

[Alex]

Yes, the 1/3 suck is concentrated in the first part and nearly redeemed by the second part.

Worth watching, but if I had been watching on DVD at home I'd probably have given up on it before it became worthwhile.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Clint Eastwood to America: Stop thinking, start punching (http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/12/13/2008-12-13_why_clint_eastwood_thinks_america_is_ful.html).

[Alex]

Clint Eastwood will always have my admiration for the year he called all the PGA golfers at Pebble Beach (he was involved in some way with running the event that year) a bunch of candy asses for whining about the weather.

[Alex]

There was some discussion earlier this year about whether The Dark Knight would be able to overtake the box office record set by Titanic.

Well, that feat was finally accomplished. Titanic is now the second highest grossing movie of all time.

In the United Kingdom.

Having just been passed by Mamma Mia! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7785345.stm)

[Alex]

Well, I'm definitely out of lockstep with the critics so far this season. So far I haven't been particularly overwhelmed (or even simply whelmed) by any of the consensus critical hits this season.

But I was just bowled over by Seven Pounds, the new Will Smith/Rosario Dawson drama. Which has a 30% rating at RottenTomatoes. Pure emotional manipulation, but I saw the entire conclusion coming from about 20 minutes in and it still got to me.

Yes, it is a grotesquerie, but I think it knows that. It isn't selling you on the idea that what is portrayed is right -- it most certainly is not -- but simply that it is powerful. Reading reviews the thinking seems to be that the movie is holding up Will Smith's character as an example and I disagree. Yes, it is implausable, but one-tenth the implausibility we are asked to swallow to even pretend the standard action movie makes any sense and no worse than frogs falling from the sky.

Anyway, Will Smith is good. Rosario Dawson continues to mature into something amazing.

I recommend it strongly, but lately I'm on the wrong side of these things so you probably don't want to rely on me.

[€uroMeinke]

The other night we saw Hare Krishna Hare Rama, which I thought would be a tale about the last incarnation of Vishnu- instead it was a 1970's Bollywood hit about hippies in Kathmandu. Who knew the hit filmi tune was about smoking dope. Anyway, it was another fun viewing of westerners from the eyes of Indians.

[Morrigoon]

So, leading into this year's nye party, I've been watching a few more Indian films. Just finished one called Kalyug, which is also a kind of expose on porn and the exploitation of women.

I don't know if it was the streaming or really bad editing, but the sound was a little delayed. Other than that, I really enjoyed it. Guy meets a woman, falls in love (insert mandatory love song videos here), they marry, and then on their honeymoon, someone at the hotel secretly films their wedding night and posts it on the internet. Short while later, the couple gets arrested for making a "blue film". The guy gets beaten up by the cops, the girl gets pushed into signing a statement, then kills herself. So her husband ends up going on this quest to avenge her death and ends up rescuing people instead.

[sleepyjeff]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/mo...wond.html?_r=1




“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a terrifying, asphyxiating story about growing up and relinquishing your dreams, of seeing your father driven to the grave before his time, of living among bitter, small-minded people. It is a story of being trapped, of compromising, of watching others move ahead and away, of becoming so filled with rage that you verbally abuse your children, their teacher and your oppressively perfect wife. It is also a nightmare account of an endless home renovation.


The movie starts sappily enough, with three angels in outer space discussing George’s fate.
Soon enough, though, the darkness sets in. George’s brother, Harry, almost drowns in a childhood accident; Mr. Gower, a pharmacist, nearly poisons a sick child; and then George, a head taller than everyone else, becomes the pathetic older sibling creepily hanging around Harry’s high school graduation party. That night George humiliates his future wife, Mary, by forcing her to hide behind a bush naked, and the evening ends with his father’s sudden death.



Disappointments pile up. George can’t go to college because of his obligation to run the Bailey Building and Loan, and instead sends Harry. But Harry returns a slick, self-obsessed jerk, cannily getting out of his responsibility to help with the family business, by marrying a woman whose dad gives him a job. George again treats Mary cruelly, this time by chewing her out and bringing her to tears before kissing her. It is hard to understand precisely what she sees in him.

George is further emasculated when his bad hearing keeps him out of World War II, and then it’s Christmas Eve 1945. All the decades of anger boil to the surface.
After Potter takes the deposit, George flies into a rage and finally lets Uncle Billy know what he thinks of him, calling him a “silly, stupid old fool.” Then he explodes at his family.
If you watch the film this year, keep a close eye on Stewart during this sequence. First he smashes a model bridge he has built. Then, like any parent who loses his temper with his children, he seems genuinely embarrassed. He’s ashamed. He apologizes. And then ... slowly ... he starts getting angry all over again.

Now as for that famous alternate-reality sequence: This is supposedly what the town would turn out to be if not for George. (But what it really is, is the) true characters of these individuals, their venal internal selves stripped bare. (Gower is a drunk; Nick, uncaring and mean); The flirty Violet, a dime dancer and maybe a prostitute; Ernie the cabbie’s blank face speaks true misery as George enters his taxi; Bert the cop is a trigger-happy madman, violating every rule in the patrol guide when he opens fire on the fleeing, yet unarmed, George, forcing revelers to cower on the pavement.

Read the whole thing at the link above.

[Alex]

How timely. I was just telling people that It's a Wonderful Life is not a good movie yesterday. I'd kindly as the New York Times to stop ripping off my LJ, even if it is pre-emptive.

[Strangler Lewis]

I'm sorry. It's A Wonderful Life is a great, poignant movie. What it is not, is realism.

I do wonder, however, if the George and Peter Baileys of the world aren't responsible for the current financial crisis.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Interesting article. I have always felt weird about the part where he treats her like crap. A lot of awful things happen in that movie but it somehow makes it uplifting. That's some amazing movie-making.

[Alex]

I'm of the opinion that the only reason it is considered a great classic is the accident of it existing in copyright limbo for decades meaning that independent TV stations around the country were able to use it as holiday filler for very low cost.

Over time, it just became part of the holiday and overly sentimentalized like most holiday associated things are. But there is a reason it was generally considered a flop until well after that holiday TV ubiquity began. That reason is the movie sucks.

[flippyshark]

I've tried so hard to like 'It's a Wonderful Life," but I haven't really managed to. (On the whole, Capra movies are a challenge for me - not because I'm cynical or anything, I'm a total sap - just something about htem has never quite worked for me.)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Funny, I always chalked up my issues with the film next to "from another era". Guess I may be wrong.

[Betty]

I've never managed to watch the entire movie at once - but I think I've seen it all by watching it over the years, 10 minutes at a time before switching the station.

But hey - I'm not the only one and that's nice to know.

[Snowflake]

I'm not a huge fan of It's a Wonderful Life, either. I've never found the George Bailey character appealing (even with the almost always appealing Jimmy Stewart). I never understood why the Donna Reed character ever married him.

Of course, I have a real problem with the entire Capra body of work. A few stand out films, It Happened One Night is charming, almost a happy accident. There are things I love about Bitter Tea of General Yen (no matter how totally ridiculous it may be and how awful Barbara Stanwyck is). Capra seems to be viewed as a director/storyteller with heart. I rarely find any real heart in any of his films. If I am looking for that, George Stevens does the trick every time. Lost Horizon has great sets and I give Capra chops for casting H.B. Warner in so many films. :-)

[Ghoulish Delight]

One of these days I'm going to learn to trust Bob Odenkirk.

I still think he's a terrible actor, but as a producer, having his name attached to something continues to be a good indicator that I'm going to like it.

A while ago we stuck The Brothers Solomon (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0784972/) on our Netflix queue for that very reason. Well, that and Will Arnett and Will Forte.

Then we watched a trailer and were less than excited about the movie's prospects. But we forgot to check our queue and it got sent.

Last night we finally felt in a stupid enough mood to put it on. Keeping in mind that we are already fans of Odenkirk's sense of humor, and are fully aware that it's stupid, I gotta say, this movie was damned funny. "Better than it had a right to be," as CP put it.

If you like Will Arnett, if you like Forte on SNL, you'll like this movie.

[Alex]

Watched the Russian "creatures of the night" action thriller Night Watch last night. This is the movie that got the director a shot at big-budge American movies resulting in last summer's abomination Wanted.

Wanted was a movie with a lot of style and an evil moral center. I hated it.

But Night Watch does not suffer that problem and I recommend it heartily. It also wins for best use of subtitles. It is available on Netflix via Watch it Now. As is the sequel Day Watch which I haven't watched yet so may suck.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Wanted was a movie with a lot of style and an evil moral center. I hated it.

CP's brother called it the worst movie of all time. And from his summary, I'm inclined to believe him. Makes me want to see it.

[Alex]

As mindless action movie it was ok, certainly not worst of all time. As a movie that seems to present a moral argument that is essentially evil (two of them in fact: "better to do horrible things and have an impact than to be a nobody" and "better to commit horrible atrocities in the name of faith than to seek evidence and justification") it is way down on the list.

Though I'd have to also nominate Four Brothers in the morally awful category as well.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

As mindless action movie it was ok, certainly not worst of all time. As a movie that seems to present a moral argument that is essentially evil (two of them in fact: "better to do horrible things and have an impact than to be a nobody" and "better to commit horrible atrocities in the name of faith than to seek evidence and justification") it is way down on the list.

Though I'd have to also nominate Four Brothers in the morally awful category as well.

I really enjoyed watching Wanted, though it was ridiculous. And the morality was rather repugnant, though that's coming from a moral relativist. Anyway, I was visually entertained but my intelligence felt insulted. Heh. I did enjoy hearing a new pop song by Danny Elfman.

I remember seeing the preview for Night Watch, which contained no dialogue, but something visual prompted me to say, "Is this Russian?! Is this a Russian horror film?!" The movie did not disappoint and was both visually arresting and complex, and the subtitles were both functional and gorgeously integrated into the film. I also haven't seen the 2nd or 3rd films, nor have I read the trilogy on which they are based.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Oh yeah, we also watched Kung Fu Panda. Not a bad flick. The story itself is kinda thin, but it wasn't hatefully bad, and it had some very good humorous moments (despite Jack Black) and a couple fantastic martial arts scenes. Pretty good stuff. And, having forgotten it was him, I was pretty surprised when it finally dawned on me that it was Dustin Hoffman's voice I was hearing. Great voice performance.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Trailer fo 9 (http://www.filmroster.com/video/9_trailer)

Hadn't heard of this, looks intriguing. And that opening bit of music in the trailer is from one of my favorite artists, The Knife.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Trailer fo 9 (http://www.filmroster.com/video/9_trailer)I thought that was gonna be Nine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_(film)), but that (9) looks quite intriguing.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Saw Punisher War ZOne today. I actually liked it. Its not Oscar material, nor was the acting anything beyond cheesy but there was alot of great action, explosions and ultra violence. It had one of the best kill-shots I've seen in a long while. Lots of laughs, alot unintensional -- but really had fun watching it.

I also saw Role Models which was funny in many spots but it was extreamly predictable. I'd recommend renting it if there's nothing else to watch.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

In saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It begins with a tale about a clock maker, that is perhaps my favorite part of the entire film. I wouldn't say it goes downhill from there, it was just a very poignant moment in the film that happened to be at the very beginning and touched me the most personally.

It was beautifully filmed and contains subtle performances from every member of the cast. The film is a fairy tale, which I quite liked. It convincingly carried a mixture of realism and surrealism. I'm a fan of the director's (Panic Room, aside), and he doesn't disappoint. The movie is everything the trailers promised; it just fills in knowable gaps. Its predictability is perhaps the one thing it doesn't have in its favor. And there is some fat in the first half of the movie that could have been cut out, were it not for the filmmakers' apparent fascination with the success of the CGI used to make Brad Pitt look like a tiny old person.