Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[Gemini Cricket]

I cried 3 times in Brokeback. It stayed with me for days. Then again, Proulx's short story made me cry and things I read never, ever do that to me. (Except maybe for 'Harry Potter IV'.)

Billy Elliot made me cry twice as did Iwo Jima. I'm a weeper. :D

[Gemini Cricket]

The Notebook was touchingly predictable, but I wouldn't use it as any litmus test.
The Notebook was a stinkfest. Bleh.
Terms of Endearment, Beaches, Life is Beautiful, Ghost, Fried Green Tomatoes... these are fine weepy films. :)

[Strangler Lewis]

I can't say I got weepy over Billy Elliot, but the father's shocked gasp at the end when he watches his son's leap stands out for me as the best movie moment about the transformative power of art.

[€uroMeinke]

I wept for Peter O'Toole in Venus

[Not Afraid]

Life is Beautiful was a good cry - but it hit mostly afterwards in the car.

[Stan4dSteph]

I sobbed during Braveheart when he is about to be beheaded and sees his dead wife walking in the crowd. I'm sure I'll be mocked for that one.

My other huge cry was Sean Connery's death scene in The Untouchables.

At the moment those are the two that come to mind.

[Strangler Lewis]

. . . Sean Connery's death scene in The Untouchables.

At the moment those are the two that come to mind.

An Oscar-winning performance that was voted worst movie accent of all time, edging out Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.

[Gemini Cricket]

I cried when Braveheart won Best Picture. I thought it was a homophobic POS.
;)

[Mousey Girl]

I do ok during most movies. If I know ahead of time I can avoid it. The things that really, really get to me are the deaths of children. For the last 10 years I can't handle seeing anything that involves the death of a child.

[CoasterMatt]

I laughed out loud when Jon Bon Jovi's character was shot in the movie "Cry Wolf", I got a really dirty look from Rose :D

[Gemini Cricket]

Speaking of dirty looks... I kept giving Ryan Gosling dirty looks all throughout Half Nelson. He's hot to trot. I wasn't a Gosling fan until I saw this one. He's really good in it. He deserved the nod. (But given the choice between him and Watanabe, I'd vote for the latter.)

[innerSpaceman]

I haven't seen the movie yet ... but he was a hottie at the Oscars last night ... and I'm more anxious than ever to see Half Nelson.






And everything else he's ever done.







Hmmm, turns out I recently saw the trippy ending of a movie he's in ... called "Stay" - and I already wanted to see the rest of it. Double wanna now.

[Alex]

If you want to see a great Gosling performance check out The Believer.

[Stan4dSteph]

I cried when Braveheart won Best Picture. I thought it was a homophobic POS.
;)http://home.comcast.net/~daschor/clipart/bush_middle_finger.png

And everything else he's ever done.I've got this DVD (http://www.amazon.com/Mickey-Mouse-Club-Britney-Christina/dp/B0007Z9QX0/sr=8-2/qid=1172550989/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-3739388-8861461?ie=UTF8&s=dvd). Better include that too.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, I added The Believer and Stay to my queue, but I'm not going near that thing Steph linked to. Arrgh!


Anyways, Half Nelson is still listed as a "long wait," so my Gosling film fest may not work out after all.

[Alex]

He's even decent in the otherwise completely forgettable Murder by Numbers. This will not be Gosling's last nomination.

[Snowflake]

On the Netflix plate for tomorrow, Little Miss Sunshine will be arriving, can hardly wait! Sorry I missed it in the theater, but there you have it.

Also The Prestige and an old favorite, Mrs. Brown with Dame Judi Dench.

[Gemini Cricket]

One film I'm looking forward to is 300. I really liked Sin City and I'm hoping this one does Miller justice as well.
:)

[mousepod]

It looks interesting. When Heather and I saw the trailer, the first thing I said was "This is going to be very popular among gay movie fans."

[innerSpaceman]

Yep, so don't think I'm buying that the Cricket is looking forward to its Millerosity.


He might as well admit, as I will right now, that it's the armies of bare-chested, amazingly-built Spartan warriors that's the big draw.

[mousepod]

iSm,

Thank you for not leaving me and my potentially offensive observation hanging out in the wind...

[Gemini Cricket]

Naked muscular Spartans?! I had no idea.








:D

[mousepod]

I'm really looking forward to Sakuran (http://www.apple.com/jp/quicktime/trailers/asmik-ace/sakuran/), which is based on an adult manga. The soundtrack is by Shiina Ringo, which, if you look at the current music thread, is making my evening right now....

[Ghoulish Delight]

Just watched Princess Mononoke. Stunning from start to finish.

[€uroMeinke]

Oh, nice one - one of these days we'll watch Grave of Fireflies - though I'm still afraid to

[Gemini Cricket]

Just watched Princess Mononoke. Stunning from start to finish.
I liked Princess Mononoke as well. I liked the clicky ghosts in the forest.
:)

[mousepod]

Fireflies = depressing. A beautiful non-Miyazaki Ghibli, but depressing.

[Gemini Cricket]

Fireflies = depressing. A beautiful non-Miyazaki Ghibli, but depressing.
I've heard the same thing and have been avoiding it. But I'll see it someday.

Same thing with:

Before Night Falls
Johnny Got His Gun (I saw parts of this but not all...)
House of Sand and Fog

[Not Afraid]

One day I will brave Fireflies. I will get a big can if teflon, spray it all over me and park myself on the couch with lots of chocolate. Then I will watch it.

[Gemini Cricket]

I thought of another sad animated pic: When the Wind Blows.
Mega-depressing but well made.

[wendybeth]

I read 'House of Sand and Fog' and I loved the book but just can't bear to watch the movie. Not that there is anything (that I am aware of) that is wrong with it, but the book was sooo sad.

Princess Mononoke is great, but I still prefer Spirited Away.

[NickO'Time]

Just watched the Prestige, it was very hard to follow, not as good as some of the hype I expected.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I thought Mononoke was extremely tight and well made. But, for some reason, it didn't wow me the way Spirited or Howl's did. I loved everything about it though.

[Alex]

I loved Princess Mononoke muchly at the time but it hasn't aged as well in my memory as others. Probably because Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle were so much better while things like Porco Rosso and The Cat Returns are more purely entertaining.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I loved Princess Mononoke muchly at the time but it hasn't aged as well in my memory as others. Probably because Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle were so much better while things like Porco Rosso and The Cat Returns are more purely entertaining.Howl's had problems. It was overly long and suffered from multiple endings, many of which didn't make much sense. I remember having trouble liking Howl's character.

But still, it was breathtaking in scope, visuals, and concepts, which was enough to make it very memorable. Mononoke seemed somewhat the opposite to me, in that it was well put together but lacked wow, even though the concepts were great. I dug it a lot.

[innerSpaceman]

Fireflies was sad, but mostly because it was not really all that good.

And oooh, I'd forgotten about When the Wind Blows, thanks GC. Maybe my quest for a sad but good anime won't be fruitless after all.



And don't resist House of Sand and Fog for sadness avoidance ... it's a great film.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I thought Mononoke stands up to Howl's and Spirited. I found the animation gorgeous and the story the best of the 3. I think I'd still put Spirited Away ahead of it, but only very slightly.

[innerSpaceman]

Watch Spirited Away for the backgrounds, the general art design, and the increased fluidity of the (stylistically limited) anime animation ... and I think it becomes clear it's the Pinocchio of the Miyazaki canon.







But I'd sure like to watch Princess Mononoke on acid.

[mousepod]

For me, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service and Porco Rosso have stood the test of repeated viewings more than any other of the the Ghiblis. Beauty aside, it's the storytelling that gets me every time.

(one cartoon I never ever ever want to see again: The Plague Dogs)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Watch Spirited Away for the backgrounds, the general art design, and the increased fluidity of the (stylistically limited) anime animation ... and I think it becomes clear it's the Pinocchio of the Miyazaki canon.
Like I said, Spirited Away remains tops. But Mononoke's style just resonated with me. From the moment the first hint of the demon boar appeared on screen I was transfixed. Plus I prefer the tighter story telling. That puts it right on Spirited Away's tail.

Honestly, attempting to rank any of them is becoming a meaningless exercise for me as they all offer something to love.

[Ghoulish Delight]

For me, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service and Porco Rosso have stood the test of repeated viewings more than any other of the the Ghiblis. Beauty aside, it's the storytelling that gets me every time.
Have you seen Princess Mononoke? Because of those (well, Kiki's and Spirited, haven't seen Porco), Mononoke is a far better example of story telling.

[blueerica]

I agree with iSm's House of Sand and Fog sentiments. It was a really wonderful film.

I am too lazy to see if anyone else saw The Number 23. Me like.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I agree with iSm's House of Sand and Fog sentiments. It was a really wonderful film.

I am too lazy to see if anyone else saw The Number 23. Me like.
I refuse to see it. Not because I think numerology's a load of crap. I can still enjoy a good story based on numerology despite that. But the trailers keep showing "2/3=.666". It most certainly does not. It's .667 if you're going to 3 decimal places. Picky? Yes, but the whole point of numerology is being picky and if they're using something as blatantly wrong with that, there's no way I can enjoy it.

[Alex]

My desire to see The Number 23 is a perverse one. I don't really have any interest in it natively but the fact that a movie where the intent was to make a good one (as opposed to something like Norbit where the intent is to make a successful bad one) but ends up with a 9% RottenTomatoes rating has me curious. Curious about just what went wrong with it (assuming I won't like it either) or what the critics are missing (assuming I would like it).

I'm guessing the former, though, since one of its rare positive reviews is from the San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle. We disagree a lot.

Yes, but the whole point of numerology is being picky

The whole point of numerology is to be selectively picky.

[Gemini Cricket]

I liked Howl for the most part. The animation was neat. The castle itself was super. But in the end, I just don't think I get it. It was kind of dull to me. And the creepy scarecrow dude reminded me of a character on the Animaniacs.

Spirited Away was great. Lots of neat animation, too.

[Ghoulish Delight]

The whole point of numerology is to be selectively picky.Well, yes. But they could have at least made it a challenge to pick it apart.

[Not Afraid]

I don't think I could rank the Ghibli films. There are those I love more than others but they all have their redeming qualities. Some have a tighter story, some a more entertaining, some a incredibly beautiful some are just damn charming. I'm not sure I could ever pic a favorite.

I DO, however, have favorite characters.

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, ranking the Ghiblis is pointless. Most are great, for different reasons. I adore Mononoke ... but also love the fun of Porco Rosso. I'm a big, big fan of Howl's ... especially after reading the book at ElizaHodgkin's suggestion. With another Pinocchio anology, Howl too (imo) took a mess of a written story and masterfully adapted it to film (with a few kinks that I found far easier to forgive after reading the story).


I'm ultra curious about Number 23 and will likely see it today or tomorrow (I took a week off work, 'cause I'm supposed to stay off my feet .... movie theater ass-sitting is perfect!)





ETA: Hahaha - the byline above my current avatar is perfect for my present situation!

[mousepod]

Have you seen Princess Mononoke? Because of those (well, Kiki's and Spirited, haven't seen Porco), Mononoke is a far better example of story telling.

Of course I've seen Mononoke. I loved it. It might even be Heather's favorite. I was talking about repeat viewings. For me, the story of Mononoke, however engaging it is, was just a sliver below the three I mentioned the last time I watched them all.

Like NA, it's hard for me to rank Ghiblis, so expect my order to change next time this conversation comes up.

...and GD, I think you'd really like Porco Rosso.

[mousepod]

Why I won't pay to see Number 23 in the theater: two words: Joel. Schumacher.

[innerSpaceman]

I also really like Castle in the Sky and, once I got used to it's early style oddness, became rather fond of The Castle of Cagliostro.


The one Ghibli I couldn't stand, despite it's Mononoke-like mythos genre, was Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Bleh. Oh, and yeah, Grave of the Fireflies was meh.



Hmmm, "Bleh" and "Meh" ... maybe I ought to give "Nine Borneo's Out of Ten" a run for its money in the film critiique biz.

[innerSpaceman]

Slight momentary movie derail:

I watched Miami Vice last night on DVD. I'd never seen the TV show, so I've no idea if they were linked in any way other than the characters' names. It was an OK cop actioner, but that's not what I'm here to say about it.

Ultra-fast speed boats played an important role in the story ... and one such prominently-featured boat was called Mojo.





That is all.

[Snowflake]

Why I won't pay to see Number 23 in the theater: two words: Joel. Schumacher.

or Jim Carrey.

Although, I did love Batman Forever, which had both of them, and Val Kilmer (hubba hubba), to boot.

[Not Afraid]

Why I won't pay to see Number 23 in the theater: two words: Joel. Schumacher.
My 2 words are Jim. And. Carrey.

[innerSpaceman]

In light of Oscar-reminded comics who've been MUCH better at serious roles (i.e. Will Farrell in Stranger Than Fiction and Jack Black in King Kong), I'm willing to give Jim Carrey a shot at this. In fact, he's already proved himself to be a fine seriouser actor in Eternal Sunshine ..., so I will avoid his comedies like the plague, but give anything halfway serious he's in half a chance.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Why I won't pay to see Number 23 in the theater: two words: Joel. Schumacher.

My 2 words are Jim. And. Carrey.

Is it OK if I use all four words? I hear this one is a particular stinker.

[Strangler Lewis]

Will Ferrell is one of the few people I've changed my mind on in the whole funny/not funny debate. Though I can't say he did a bad job in them, I absolutely hated every single one of his recurring skit roles at SNL. They were all from the era when SNL writers would pick out some weird grotesque they'd run into somewhere and beat them to death week after week without doing anything funny. Ferrell started to win me over when he played a politician who kept running negative campaign ads about his opponent long after he'd won the election. He's now become one of those actors who, when I see him, I want to laugh.

So whos do you stiffs thinks is funny, anyways?

[Alex]

Saw a press screening of Wild Hogs last night. I have to review it for MousePlanet so can't share my thoughts on it yet.

But I did discover something, when you're sitting their waiting for the movie to start and things have pretty much filled up, the last thing you want to hear from the person sitting in front of you is an exclamation to another person that "we're going to be all Jerry Spring in this section."

The audience ended up being mostly invited guests from local Harley-Davidson motorcycle clubs. It maybe goes without saying that such an invitation in Oakland does not really produce the yuppie weekend rider class of people that maybe resulted in other towns.

Strangler Lewis: I find Jim Carey to be funny when he's reined in. Balls to the wall slapstick and he's awful though. Steve Carrell has proven himself though his style could get old after another 10 movies. Sandra Oh amuses me (though it is more often a dramedy type thing). I liked Jerry Lewis in many of his movies.

Outright comedic acting frequently doesn't appeal to me, though. I prefer something more subtle and generally more ironic and unlike dramatic actors I find that a consistently comedic actor is much more likely to be inconsistent.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Will Ferrell is about 50/50 for me now. Like SL, I loathed him on SNL save for one or two shining moments. Stuff he's done since then has softened me on him, but even when I like him, he still can't resist going for the screaming/crying moment that he thinks is hilarious and that just makes me want to hurt him.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Ferrell rocks my socks in his new pic, and that isn't even colored by the fact that we worked on the site. [work plug] bladesofglorymovie.com [/work plug] But I enjoyed him far more in Stranger than Fiction than ever I had before; it was a subtler brand of comedy, which I generally prefer.

Steve Carrell also amuses me pretty constantly. His Daily Show work, The Office, 40-Year-Old Virgin... all I enjoyed immensely.

Colbert is forever good for a laugh. I watched a lot in a row, though, and I'm a little burned out for the time being.

Charlie Chaplin. Buster Keaton. Harold Lloyd. These are a few of my favorite things.

[innerSpaceman]

I think the last comic/actor I found habitually funny was Steve Martin.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I laugh easily

[Not Afraid]

Ummm, I find Woody Allen funny. David Sedaris is funny (but he's not really an actor). At the moment, no one is funny. Which is funny in and of itself because I laugh constantly.

[flippyshark]

Comedy these days really makes me feel like a dinosaur. "Borat", Sarah Silverman, Dane Cook - all intermittently funny for me, but overall, they leave me feeling depressed and old. Mean-spiritedness and open mockery have trumped wit and satire. Many of my fellow actors (at the Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theater) idolize the above-named and seem to believe that unless it hurts someone, it isn't real comedy.

That said, I did like Talladega Nights (lord help me), parts of The 40 Year Old Virgin, and, umm, wow, I haven't gone to many other comedies...

[flippyshark]

Oh, and I watch The Office every week, but not because it makes me laugh. (It does, but not often or loud) I watch it because it feels so uncannily like places and people I've known, and the supporting cast are very interesting and fun to watch. (I don't know if it can last, though. The whole "Jim and Pam" thing really seems to be the engine that keeps this one ticking, and if that ever truly resolves, the whole enterprise is likely to jump shark.)

[innerSpaceman]

Just got back from seeing Zodiac. Don't rush out.

I don't know what all the fuss is about. First of all, though he's top-billed, there simply is not enough Jake Gyllenhaal in the film. Alas, that's a fault common to all too many movies. (le sigh)


It's the story of four men trying to crack the Zodiac killer case of the late 70's/early 80's ... two San Francisco cops and two San Francisco reporters - - or, more precisely, one reporter and one unlikely cartoonist (swooon, Jake) - who stays with the case longer than anyone, eventually writes a book about it, and seems to have been the one to solve the identity of the killer.

The thing is, though the movie focuses on Jake's decades-long obsession with the case, it never becomes clear why he's that fixated on it. The other top obsessory, Mark Ruffolo's cop character, at least has the motive of a cop. Anthony Edward's cop retires from homocide investigations at some point before letting the case dominate his psyche. And Robert Downey Jr.'s crime reporter seems to fall off the scene simply because he's an alcoholic.

Of the two staying with the case through the long-haul, Ruffolo's character is semi-interesting ... but, with a throwaway reference to him being the inspiration for Steve McQueen's "Bullit," you get the impression the movie's not quite doing justice to this particular character.

Which leaves Gyllenhaal as the most interesting fella in the film. Just not quite interesting enough. Though he does have some lovely close-ups. Yum.


A bit more mainstream and toned-down for a David Fincher effort, but I found it unFincherly weaksauce.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Flippy - did you watch Arrested Development? If not, you must rent it. I think you'd enjoy that. Scrubs is surprisingly well written. I recommend the reruns to get you into the characters.

Truly good comedy can be elusive.

[Babette]

Just got back from seeing Zodiac. Don't rush out.

I don't know what all the fuss is about. First of all, though he's top-billed, there simply is not enough Jake Gyllenhaal in the film. Alas, that's a fault common to all too many movies. (le sigh)So true, so true. But if it has James McAvoy, you're not gonna notice it's missing Jakey.

My friend and I were torn between Zodiac and Starter for 10. We chose Sf10 since I am home alone in a big house this weekend. :creepy: I recommend Sf10. It stars the hottie James McAvoy (Last King of Scotland/Mr. Tumnus) fumbling through his first year at university. It is set in 1985 UK so it has great music from The Cure, Morrissey, Echo & the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears, and more. A lovely story with a little Cameron Crowe/John Hughes feel to it. I do not seem to see many movies anymore, and I am very glad I saw this one. Cheers!

Oh - we also saw previews for a few films that I am looking forward to. Namesake with Harold & Kumar's Kumar, In the Land of Women with The O.C.'s Seth and Across the Universe which looks like a psychadelic 60s wartime musical and has Evan Rachel Wood. I don't like chicks but damn she is HOT!

[Alex]

but, with a throwaway reference to him being the inspiration for Steve McQueen's "Bullit," you get the impression the movie's not quite doing justice to this particular character.

In the San Francisco Chronicle review (a solid meh) there is an offhanded remark that Rufallo seems to have done a lot of work to match the mannerisms of a man known the the reviewer.

I'm stoked for a Fincher movie but I doubt I'll get around to this one before DVD.

[Alex]

I can't go to any, but if anybody down that way is interested in such, Quentin Tarantino has programmed a couple months of '70s exploitation films (http://www.newbevcinema.com/calendar.cfm) at the New Beverly (apparently it is a bit of promotion for Grindhouse later this summer).

Of course, most of them suck (and only Tarantino's brand of ironic revisionism would believe otherwise) but there are some interesting things in the mix (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0067610/) and most of them are the kind of movies that are fun for group outings.

Just thought I'd point it out.

[flippyshark]

Hey, I really dug The Blood Spattered Bride, a trashy take on LeFanu's Camilla. Also, I have fond memories of being scared silly by The Town That Dreaded Sundown, and have longed to revisit it, but its been a long time no show.

[innerSpaceman]

Speaking of Grindhouse Pics ... I just got back from seeing Black Snake Moan ... it was quite a hoot. A good mix of comedy and music and sex and religion. Samuel Jackson good as always, Christina Ricci perfect as the town loadie/slut, and Justin Timberlake surprisingly good as her messed-up boyfriend.


Yes, she's chained half-naked to Sam Jackson's radiator for a good part of the movie. Yes, Ricci got herself to look the part via a steady diet of junk food. And Samuel L. learned a couple of cool songs on the guitar. All in all, a fun night at the movies.

[wendybeth]

I finally got around to seeing Little Miss Sunshine, and while I liked it fine I can't say that I loved it. Steve Carrell was great- I felt he deserved the nom for BSA more than Arkin did. I loved Arkin but his performance was very abbreviated, unless you count the time his cadaver was onscreen. Carrell was funny, sad and very believable, even as a Proust scholar. I'm going to watch it again, just to make sure I wasn't in the wrong viewing mood and giving it less kudos than it might deserve, not that the producers or anyone else gives a rats ass what I think of it.....

[BarTopDancer]

We had a movie marathon yesterday.

I finally saw all three Saw movies - really good storyline beyond the gore. I liked the first one the best. The third was really good and ties a lot of things together and the second was OK. The first wasn't super gory and the gore was 'necessary' or implied. In the second and third the directors admitted using gore for the sake of gore. We watched the extra features and the making of. Great stuff.

Little Miss Sunshine - Bought it. I love that movie. Second time for me, first time for the rest. They loved it too.

Brokeback - Bought it. Love that movie. Watched it with my friend who hasn't seen it. He loved it and is now walking around saying "I wish I knew how to quit you" with a fake drawl. Roommate and crowd didn't want to watch a movie about gay cowboys. Uh cowboys = yum. Duh.

[Alex]

Poor friend. Finally gets the joke and it was old 18 months ago.

[Snowflake]

I finally got around to seeing Little Miss Sunshine, and while I liked it fine I can't say that I loved it. Steve Carrell was great- I felt he deserved the nom for BSA more than Arkin did. I loved Arkin but his performance was very abbreviated, unless you count the time his cadaver was onscreen. Carrell was funny, sad and very believable, even as a Proust scholar. I'm going to watch it again, just to make sure I wasn't in the wrong viewing mood and giving it less kudos than it might deserve, not that the producers or anyone else gives a rats ass what I think of it.....

I saw it this last weekend as well and I agree. I was scratching my head, I love Alan Arkin, but I thought Steve Carrell deserved a nod much more than Arkin.

I thought the movie was good, fun, sad, quirky. Did it deserve a best pic nomination, to my thinking, no.

[Snowflake]

I watched The Prestige over the weekend. It was over long, a little dull, predicatable, but it had a nice look to it. Am I the only person finding the Scarlett Johanson nymphette pout to be tiresome. Enjoyed her in Lost in Translation, everything else is just more of the same. Hugh Jackman, where's the fire? David Bowie, a fun cameo as Tesla. I heard the book may better, so I will add that to the growing pile of books.

[Ghoulish Delight]

We watched Stranger Than Fiction over the weekend. I really enjoyed it, definitely Ferrel's least annoying performance ever.

It suffered some in my mind simply because it kept bringing to mind other films/stories that are much better. With the whole watch thing, I couldn't help but think of Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it was a very Adams-esque device, but not executed with quite the cleverness (close, but not quite). Hoffman's character and performance couldn't help but be compared to his role in I [heart] Huckabees. And, being of the "wacky actor turned serious" genre, Eternal Sunshine was in my head the whole time.

I like all three of those better than I liked Stranger than Fiction. But I still quite enjoyed it and it continually surprised me in its cleverness, even if some of the elements came up a bit short.

At least it was leaps and bounds better than the other work that my brain decided to compare it to, Adaptation.

[BarTopDancer]

Poor friend. Finally gets the joke and it was old 18 months ago.

He got it then too.

[Strangler Lewis]

For years I had it in my head that the line "Could be worse. Could be raining" was from the crucifixion scene in "Life of Brian." This weekend I re-watched "Young Frankenstein," and found that I was wrong. I felt, well, "Life of Brian" must have copied the line, but the script I looked over online says no. Nonetheless, I still have a very strong visual in my head about this scene having occurred in "Life of Brian." Strange.

[katiesue]

We watched three movies this weekend.

The Illusionist which I really enjoyed even though I figured it out really early on. It was still really well done. I liked the score and they way they did the lighting. It made such a great atmosphere.

Zoom-Academy for Superheros - This one was actully much less sucky than I thought it would be. I wouldn't run out and rent it but it was a kind of fun movie for what it was.

Man of the People - This was the worst movie I've seen in forever. I kept trying to turn it off but Madz kept saying she liked it, even though she had no idea what was going on. It's definately not a comedy. It's actually an interesting premise but it just went no where. It was just plot that went no where interspersed with Robin Williams rants. Lucikly I had to take Madz to her Dad's before it was over so I didn't have to sit through any more of it.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

Saw Ghost Rider. Wouldn't waist any time saying that it sucked big time. Nothing worth talking about. It'd be more worth your time sitting in your bathroom and cleaning the scum off the base of your toilet than to sit thru this movie.

2 Bornieo's out of 10 (2 because the female lead was in a hot outfit)

[mousepod]

During a break in MousePod production this weekend, I watched I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang. What a great flick.

I was talking with LSPE this weekend and it struck me that I'm really less and less excited with mainstream cinema lately as a vehicle for good storytelling. Short films (less than 30 minutes) tend to be worthwhile, because the time constraints force a certain amount of directness to the storytelling, and long-form drama like HBO's The Wire are great because they allow for real character development along with a more complex and ultimately satisfying plot.

Somehow, the films made in my two favorite eras (the '40s and the early '70s) seemed to be able to work. The "dumbing down" to the lowest common denominator for the world market has hurt mainstream films as much as studio bloat did in the '50s.

Thank god for DVDs and TCM.

[Snowflake]

Thank god for DVDs and TCM.

Amen!

[€uroMeinke]

I was talking with LSPE this weekend and it struck me that I'm really less and less excited with mainstream cinema lately as a vehicle for good storytelling. Short films (less than 30 minutes) tend to be worthwhile, because the time constraints force a certain amount of directness to the storytelling, and long-form drama like HBO's The Wire are great because they allow for real character development along with a more complex and ultimately satisfying plot.

The recent Wired magazine has an article about this. On the one hand You Tube is shaking up traditional media by making certain things "snack-sized" - why watch all of SNL, or Letterman when it's just one sketch, band, or monologue you really want to see? Of course on the other side, HBO style mini-series, Tivo, and Net Flicks makes it easier to tell a really elaborate story without the normal constraints of traditional broadcast media.

[innerSpaceman]

Last night, zapppop's gayification continued with his introduction to Victor/Victoria and Mommie Dearest.

I'd forgotten how funny the Faye Dunaway/Joan Crawford pic was. A veritable laugh riot. Heheh, after the movie we found a $9 DVD of the film that was apparently issued later than mine, as it had a running commentary by John Waters! That might have been worth the ten bucks for a movie I already own!


And Mary Poppins fans ... please leave the room.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Victor/Victoria is Julie Andrews' best film. Period.

[mousepod]

Victor/Victoria is Julie Andrews' best film. Period.

What? Not S.O.B.?

Heather and I saw V/V on Broadway when it first opened. It was odd seeing a 60-year-old woman playing a 20-something singer, but somehow it worked. God bless Julie.

[Snowflake]

Tonight's Bill of Fare the restored Peter Pan. I'm excited, it arrived last night and looks good. :cool:

[innerSpaceman]

Heheheh, zapppop and I watched the live-action Peter Pan yesterday.


I saw the restored Disney version at the El Cap a few weeks ago, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It's a very comedic version of the story, really tight and concise. Alas, it's far from the best movie version -- though perhaps it is the funniest.

[BarTopDancer]

Has anyone seen 23?

[wendybeth]

I thought S.O.B. was good, but I love Victor/Victoria. I need to find a copy and watch it again- it's been years.

[Gemini Cricket]

I love V/V. I was in the stage production in Honolulu. It was fun.

I love the movie. I don't think I've ever seen SOB.

[Prudence]

I have Victor/Victoria and have yet to watch it.

[innerSpaceman]

OMG, pop it in immediately! It's awesomely great.


SOB is meh.






And I decided against seeing Number 23 till it's on DVD.

[flippyshark]

Is SOB available? I don't particularly love it, but I did enjoy the Disney-esque opening number, the hysterical "adult" version of it later on, and, of course, the much publicized glimpse of Julie Andrews' rack.

[mousepod]

Is SOB available? I don't particularly love it, but I did enjoy the Disney-esque opening number, the hysterical "adult" version of it later on, and, of course, the much publicized glimpse of Julie Andrews' rack.

Yes, indeed. It is available on DVD. Maybe it's because I was 15 years old when I saw it, but made a heck of an impression on me. I always associate that movie with Serial, another skewering of SoCal culture which is sadly unavailable.

[Alex]

I've only ever seen three Julie Andrews performances:

The Sound of Music
10
Princess Diaries 2 (stupid airplanes)

So I'm still waiting to see whatever it is that makes people love her so.

[innerSpaceman]

Well ... um, try Victor/Victoria or Mary Poppins - her only two good movies.


Please don't tell me, Alex, as professionally Disney-oriented as you are, you've never seen Mary Poppins???!?!

[Alex]

I've admitted it many times (both on this board and the other). In fact, while subjected to practically perfect tea I've been mocked by it from an incarnation of Mary Poppins herself.

I own the DVD but the one time I put it in to watch I fell asleep within 15 minutes (I was exhausted when I put it in, I don't blame the movie).

[innerSpaceman]

ok, well then my advice stands. It won't necessarily make you a Julie Andrews fan ... but there's certainly no way to tell if you don't watch the only two good movies she's ever made.

[Strangler Lewis]

And don't forget that old Oscar drama. Julie Andrews, the original Eliza Doolittle, was passed over for the film in favor of Audrey Hepburn/Marnie Nixon. While My Fair Lady beat out Mary Poppins for best picture of 1964, Julie Andrews won best actress. Audrey wasn't nominated.

[mousepod]

Well ... um, try Victor/Victoria or Mary Poppins - her only two good movies.

ummmmmm.... Star!, The Sound of Music, The Americanization of Emily....

Blasphemer.

[Snowflake]

ummmmmm.... Star!, The Sound of Music, The Americanization of Emily....

Blasphemer.

Thoroughly Modern Millie, thank you.

[innerSpaceman]

Those all suck.


















ETA: disclaimer - I've never seen The Americanization of Emily. The other movies suck, and that's why I'm not recommending them to anyone whom I'd urge to appreciate Julie Andrews' work.

[mousepod]

OK, maybe The Sound of Music was such a part of my childhood that I can't tell if it's great or not, and perhaps I only enjoyed Star! because my first exposure to it was the restored roadshow version on LD, but The Americanization of Emily kicks serious butt. It's a movie that I avoided seeing for years, but finally got around to it when it was released as part of Warner Bros. "Controversial Classics" DVD set (see my comment about I Am A Fugitive From a Chain Gang above). It's a fantastic movie that uses a WWII backdrop to make some interesting points about war and pacifism - certainly a film that no big studio would make today.

So go ahead and slam all the Robert Wise movies you want (he'll always be tainted to me after he butchered Ambersons), but leave The Americanization of Emily be ...

[innerSpaceman]

Which is why I added my disclaimer about never having seen it.


Hmmm, is it netflixable?

[katiesue]

My friend and I were torn between Zodiac and Starter for 10. We chose Sf10 since I am home alone in a big house this weekend. :creepy: I recommend Sf10. It stars the hottie James McAvoy (Last King of Scotland/Mr. Tumnus) fumbling through his first year at university. It is set in 1985 UK so it has great music from The Cure, Morrissey, Echo & the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears, and more. A lovely story with a little Cameron Crowe/John Hughes feel to it. I do not seem to see many movies anymore, and I am very glad I saw this one.

I just got back from Starter for 10. I really enjoyed it. James McAvoy is yummy and I think I must run out and purchase the soundtrack. And didn't Rebecca look EXACTLY like Molly Ringwald circa 1985??

[Alex]

According to Kim Masters (http://www.slate.com/id/2161136/) Shia LaBoeuf is a leading candidate to play the son of Indiana Jones in the fourth Indy movie (sadly it seems to be coming ever closer to reality). Casting rumors frequently don't pan out but it is an interesting choice if true.

What I think of it really depends on whether the character is a "cut from Dad's jib" type or not. I like LeBoeuf. He was pretty good in both Holes and The Greatest Game Ever Played. He did a decent job with complete crap in Constantine. But it is hard to imagine him in an action mode (should they be giving even slight thought to continuing the franchise through his son).

[mousepod]

It wasn't until you mentioned Holes that the name Shia LaBoeuf even registered. Does he have big kid appeal? I don't get it.

[katiesue]

I've sat throught a gazillion episodes of Even Stevens - huge kid appeal.

[innerSpaceman]

So, is it seriously going to take place during the 60's? Or are they going to pretend it's only six years later, and use that face-morphing technique on Ford that they employed for Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan in X-Men 3?

[Stan4dSteph]

Shia is actually looking kind of hunky these days. I saw him present an award at the Spirit Awards last month.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

His film career is going pretty well, actually. He's very popular among the industry mucketies.

[innerSpaceman]

Saw 300 last night at the Chinese.


In a nutshell: Meh.

Oh it was fun enough, with plenty of eye-candy (of both the cinematic and homoerotic variety)

I never read the 'graphic novel,' so I am judging it just as a film. Entertaining, but nothing more. It was hokey ... but not quite hokey enough if it was going to go in that direction. The battle scenes were cool, the buff men were gorgeous ... but the most interesting part to me was the prologue about Spartan ritual upbringing ... and there didn't seem to be any fascinating revelations about Spartan way-of-life for the rest of the film.

(There were plenty of over-the-top revelations about Persian ways-of-life ... but these were only good for a laugh and much rolling of eyes.) :rolleyes:


:birdy: The "graphic" look of the film was ok ... but nothing nearly as beautiful and bitchin' cool looking, imo, as the similar comic-book visual treatment in Sin City.


:D As for the gayboy thrills ... I was a bit disappointed. There were a lot of hot bods on those near-naked Spartans ... but with barely 3 of 300 good faces to match, the worked-out battle bodies weren't all that arousing to me.


:eek: But, whew, there was one really gorgeous Spartan soldier ... the young son of the Captain, barely old enough for battle, full of warrior prowess and budding studliness. I hope it's not a terrible spoiler to say that he meets an untimely end. The point of the movie is that all 300 die.



The film will likewise die pretty quickly from my memory ... but it was a fun night at the movies.

[Babette]

I just got back from Starter for 10. I really enjoyed it. James McAvoy is yummy and I think I must run out and purchase the soundtrack. And didn't Rebecca look EXACTLY like Molly Ringwald circa 1985??Totally, we were saying that too!

[Babette]

According to Kim Masters (http://www.slate.com/id/2161136/) Shia LaBoeuf is a leading candidate to play the son of Indiana Jones in the fourth Indy movie (sadly it seems to be coming ever closer to reality). Casting rumors frequently don't pan out but it is an interesting choice if true.

What I think of it really depends on whether the character is a "cut from Dad's jib" type or not. I like LeBoeuf. He was pretty good in both Holes and The Greatest Game Ever Played. He did a decent job with complete crap in Constantine. But it is hard to imagine him in an action mode (should they be giving even slight thought to continuing the franchise through his son).He's also in the upcoming Transformers action film, so we will soon see.

[Stan4dSteph]

Just watched Stranger Than Fiction on DVD. What a great film. It made me smile. I needed a nice happy little film today. :)

I want to invite Will Ferrel over to my house for dinner.

[Prudence]

Tonight we watched The Great Race because my friend hadn't seen it before, and I considered that a serious flaw in need of immediate correction. I know it drags in spots, but I love it. I love every silly bit of it, from the pie fight to the twinkle in the Great Leslie's eyes to the silly lines ("Leslie escaped with a chicken?") to the emancipated women...

And then we decided to make it an impromptu Blake Edwards mini film festival and I finally saw Victor/Victoria. And more emancipated women! And more silly lines. It was most enjoyable. I'm too tired to describe it better now. It's a fun vocal role, that's for sure.

[innerSpaceman]

I hope you win, you Great Leslie, you. More Brandy!

[JWBear]

Thoroughly Modern Millie, Victor/Victoria, and The Great Race are three of my favorite comedies.

[CoasterMatt]

I'm doing the Yiddishe Charleston today - My Forbidden Zone dvd arrived :D

[Snowflake]

Was catching up last night and via neflix saw Infamous (the other Capote movie). Now, I was blown away by PSH's performance in the 2005 Capote, the movie was grim but gripping. So I was unsure how I would react to this film, made (I think) virtually at the same time, but released later, for obvious reasons.

I thought Toby Jones made a nice showing as Truman, but he was much more over the top than PSH was. Not that this is a bad thing, I always do think of Truman Capote being over the top (my exposure to him before reading his work was on talk show TV of the 1960s and 1970s) and let's face it, he was vastly entertaining character. I enjoyed Sandra Bullock as Harper Lee, much more memorable than Catherine Keener to my mind, and she was not nominated and Keener was, go figure?

Daniel Craig was mesmerizing as Perry Smith. Because I am the only person on LoT who has not yet seen Casino Royale, I kept thinking as I was watching the film, this guy is going to play Bond? Now on a good night's sleep, I, of course, can totally see it, he was amazing in this film, though.

So, I think comparing the two films, while they covered the same ground, literally, Infamous was much more bright and full color, while Capote was bleak and grave. Both fine films in their own right, but I was left with the feeling of being annoyed that Infamous did not explain the "Answered Prayers" that opened and closed the film. I guess they were assuming people knew the end of Truman's story, sure I did. But with all the cameos of Truman's society friends, you'd think they might have explained in the end, what happened, it would have wrapped things up a little more neatly.

[Alex]

Saw 300 last night. It has some good fight choreography and a certain flair. But overall it is crap.

Yes, there is some good beefcake but save the $10 and go pull one off at the Safeway checkstand looking at a Muscle & Fitness cover.

While I believe the filmaker's contention that they were not trying to make a politically relevant film I can also understand why those who buy into the idea that everything is political would see significant problem in the portrayal of the persians.

[BarTopDancer]

Watching An Inconvenient Truth - liked it just fine until they talked about the polar bears drowning. Why didn't someone warn me? :(

[€uroMeinke]

But you are being warned - with each tank of gas, you drown another Polar Bear

[BarTopDancer]

But you are being warned - with each tank of gas, you drown another Polar Bear

/sob!

[Babette]

Goonies where are they now: Chunk (http://www.globaltalentassoc.com/site/clients/goonie.htm#)!

[blueerica]

Goonies where are they now: Chunk (http://www.globaltalentassoc.com/site/clients/goonie.htm#)!

Haha! Just read about them in my Entertainment Weekly...

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I enjoyed Sandra Bullock as Harper Lee, much more memorable than Catherine Keener to my mind, and she was not nominated and Keener was, go figure?

Daniel Craig was mesmerizing as Perry Smith. Because I am the only person on LoT who has not yet seen Casino Royale, I kept thinking as I was watching the film, this guy is going to play Bond? Now on a good night's sleep, I, of course, can totally see it, he was amazing in this film, though.

I happened to watch Infamous first and haven't rented Capote yet because I enjoyed the other so much. Sandra Bullock delivered her best performance (which to some may not be saying much, but whatever she's made of her career I always *believe* her - she's an honest performer). Twas a magnificent Harper Lee.

And Daniel Craig was AMAZING. I knew of his work before Casino Royale. Have never seen Layer Cake, which gave him quite a lot of notice, but he was wonderful as Ted Hughes in the (IMO) underrated Syliva. I really do think, as cheesy as it sounds, he's a force on screen.

[innerSpaceman]

I didn't realize Daniel Craig was also in Munich till I watched it recently post-Bond. (Mmmmm, picked up Casino Royale on DVD today).

I agree the supporting cast was much better in Infamous and found the lead much better in Capote. If only there were a way to combine the two!

[Ghoulish Delight]

We watched What the [bleep] Do We Know? the other night.

How can I say this...

What the bleep?

I knew nothing about this movie going in other than vaguely thinking that a handful of acquaintances have recommend that I see it, though I don't recall who. Once watching it, the whole Marley Matlin thing was familiar to me (not that I'd seen it, but I suddenly recalled people discussing the weird Marley Matlin scenes). But I had no idea what the content of this movie was.

Now I know. Drivel. Complete drivel. Pseudoscience, misinformation, poor analogies, misrepresentation of actual science, unsubstantiated conjecture presented as fact, and a completely incoherent message. Somewhere in there were some mildly interesting philosophical questions, but they were completely subjugated by the overall hokum and cult/infomercial-like qualities.

I'd love to pick the film apart point by point, but I don't want to devote that much thought to it. I tried to pick one portion as an example, but it just lead me on a diatribe on the mess as a whole, so forget it. I'll just say this: If I were to buy in to the concept that we can unlock the power to consciously manipulate our existence and really see all quantum possibilities at once, would controlling my emotions so I could get a date really be my top priority? That's what got me the most, and made it feel SO cult/infomercial-like to me. They go off on the grandiose ideas, but in the end it's selling a self-help book.

I give it .5 Girthies out of 10. It only gets the .5 because the crazy Zsa-Zsa Gabor lady in the Sgt. Pepper's jacket made me laugh.

[mousepod]

What the Bleep was brought to you by the Ramtha people. That's enough for me.

Meanwhile, last night I watched the 1936 Fritz Lang flick Fury, starring Spencer Tracy. I loved the movie, but I had one very weird moment watching it. The plot revolves around the lynching of a man who is arrested for a crime he didn't commit. In an early scene in the movie, one of the sheriff's deputies is hanging out at the town barber shop, talking about the arrest. One of the barbers (who will later become a part of the lynch mob) is talking about how he immigrated to America. Though I couldn't place the face, the voice was unmistakable. It was very odd to think of Gepetto as a member of a lynch mob...

[Ghoulish Delight]

OMG, they made a sequel to What the bleep. Yikes.

[flippyshark]

It was very odd to think of Gepetto as a member of a lynch mob...

Actually, I recall reading (it may have beenan interview with one of the nine old men) that Christian Rub (voice of Gepetto) was actually a pretty unpleasant guy who thought the world of Adolf and was not at all the cuddly toymaker he played. I can't even begin to tell you where I read this, or how distorted my memory of it is, but there you are.

[innerSpaceman]

It will come as no surprise. I assume, that I loved What the Bleep.

[Alex]

We've discussed it here previously I believe. Needless to say, I wasn't one of the people who may have recommended it to you.

On the flight home the woman next to me was reading The Secret and keeping a journal as she read. Glimpses of what she was writing left me distraught for the human race. I so wanted to lean over to her and say to her that she was obviously doing it wrong since she almost certainly didn't mean to attract a coach seat on a completely full flight with a fat man in the seat next her and a crying baby three rows back.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I've skimmed some comments about What the Bleep on imdb. The people who either gloss over, or simply don't grasp, the glaring fallacies of the "physics" presented by the movie are one thing. But this comment...just...what movie did this person see?

Others complain about the parallel story line involving the photographer lady. I find that story line at times to be emotionally resonant, and the polish wedding scene is a complete blast. There's fine acting throughout, and the editing is consistently vibrant and humorous.

I'll be manipulating quantum potentials with my conscious mind before you ever convince me that there was anything close to resembling good acting and "consistently vibrant and humorous" editing...unless by "humorous" he means laughingly bad. I've seen corporate ethics training videos with better production value than the Marley Matlin story line.

[Alex]

Maybe he was thinking of the Polish wedding scene from The Deer Hunter?

[Ghoulish Delight]

*snicker* Excerpt from JZ Knight's (crazy Zsa-Zsa Gabor lady who claims to channel the spirit of Ramtha) wikipedia entry.

The Enlightened One, appeared to her and her husband in the kitchen of her Tacoma, Washington trailer.

Why is it that supernatural beings have such a fascination with people living in trailer parks?

[Alex]

Because they are the ones who can most benefit from the financial rewards such visitation includes.

I forget her name but when I was about 13 a protege of JZ Knight took up residence across the street from us. They had a giant teepee in their backyard and hosted many (reportedly expensive) retreats back there. Lots of cymbals and humming so the neighborhood started calling them the "humdingers."

Crazy, crazy people but they have been good for that neighborhood in some ways. They buy up neighboring properties as they become available and are good about maintenance. The neighborhood suspects that they were the ones who burned down the drug dealers on the corner. When I was up there I saw that they were running a kettle corn concession at the 4th of July festivities called Humdinger Kettle Korn so they have a sense of humor about the name. Of course, I can't help but think about the Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh and what his group eventually did to Antelope, Oregon.

[cirquelover]

I don't think I'd eat the kettle korn then!!

[CoasterMatt]

Anybody wanna see 'Dead Silence' with me? (for FREE!)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Anybody wanna see 'Dead Silence' with me? (for FREE!)
If Rose doesn't find the hamster by the time you get home, you'll have some Dead Silence of your own (if you're lucky).

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I finally saw Flushed Away and really, really enjoyed it. Especially enjoyed the screenplay and all the fun soccer humor. If I'm right in saying that this, Happy Feet, Monster House and Over the Hedge came out in the same year, than this is my favorite animated picture from 2006. Loved it, really.

[Gemini Cricket]

I enjoyed 300. Visually stunning, solid acting, nice bodies and lots of action.

There were a few wtf moments like why Xerxes was a 12 foot tall dubbed queen... but all in all I liked it.

There really wasn't a big climax in this film, which bothered me a little but it didn't make me despise it for not giving us that. It's kind of like having sex without orgasming but hey it's still sex...
:)

[Alex]

Let's see, the last few days:

Mississippi Burning. I would have sworn I've seen this movie before but it turns out I haven't. Some powerful moments and it raises some interesting questions. I have no idea how accurate the techniques used by the FBI to eventually get a confession are, but assuming they are, what do we think of this? Torture and intimidation. But I want to overlook it since it achieved a just end (since it seems certain that those convicted were involved). But can it be overlooked?

The Last Mimzy. Probably reviewing for MP (it isn't Disney so I haven't decided for sure) so I won't go into detail. Seems a reasonable interpretation of the acclaimed short story considering it is modernized. Very much targeted towards the young audience so, I think, not particularly fulfilling for the adult but a fair family outing.

The Namesake. Mira Nair's latest presentation of Indian culture to the American audience. A much better story than Monsoon Wedding and manages to give off some visual style without going for the cliched lushness Kama Sutra. I liked it a fair amount, Lani liked it a lot (the immigrant story is one that certainly resonates with her more than me).

Running on Empty. I never saw whatever it is other people saw in River Phoenix. After finally seeing his Oscar nominated performance I still don't see it.

[MouseWife]

Finally saw 'Rocky Balboa'.

We {Hubster, Boy and myself} all enjoyed it. We loved the 'Rocky' and characters in the previous movies {not boxing fans} and this was also heartwarming in that sense.

The extras were quite worth watching. Real boxer for his opponent and he {SS} actually took the punches thrown!

I have to add, though, after watching it, my husband said he needed to put in an old movie to see Rocky young.

But, SS looked great in the extras {being himself}.

[Snowflake]

Flyboys=stinker
Yes, eye candy, but fast and loose with history, totally formulaic plot devices, bad acting and posing and just plain dumb. Gimme Wings or the Blue Max any day.

[innerSpaceman]

Mississippi Burning... I have no idea how accurate the techniques used by the FBI to eventually get a confession are, but assuming they are, what do we think of this? Torture and intimidation. But I want to overlook it since it achieved a just end.
To bastardize a quote by I-Don't-Know-Who: "If the ends doesn't justify the means ... what does?"

[Alex]

But haven't certain recent events supposedly informed us not only that the ends to not justify the means but that those particularly means don't actually work?

[wendybeth]

Just watched 'Casino Royale'- I like the new Bond, as well as the not-so-cartoonish style. (Nice butt, too). The movie was a lot better than I thought it would be.

[CoasterMatt]

We saw '300' last night... Not a great movie, but a ton of fun in IMAX.
The credits were even fun - I don't recall the last movie that had listings for "Transsexual 1", "Transsexual 2", and "Transsexual 3"

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I enjoyed 300 last night. IMAX was a great venue for the film. Larger than life. The film had some weak points but overall it was enjoyable.

I'd recomend it just for the Oracle dance alone. :evil: wholy cow!!!

[Capt Jack]

damn. no IMAX verions nearby, but I too saw it last night. except for the FX, I dont forsee any awards, but it was the testosterone flick of the week for sure.


I'd recomend it just for the Oracle dance alone. :evil: wholy cow!!!

yeah, that was pretty hot wasnt it? :D

[MouseWife]

{anyone who rents/buys Casino Royale...be sure and watch the Chris Cornell video....just because you can....:D}

[MouseWife]

Finally watched Casino Royale {not just the video} and I thought it was pretty good.

It was different to see a real side of a 'Bond'.

[Alex]

The Mighty Quinn (1989). Horrible, horrible, horrible.

[innerSpaceman]

Ryan Gosling Film Fest Report:

Um, he's great. Finally finished watching Stay, The Believer and Half Nelson. He's not given enough to do in the first one, but it's likely his sexiest role (heheh, as the suicidally depressed weirdo).

He's also great as the Jewish NeoNazi in The Believer, but ... though it's based on a true story ... the role is still quite fantastical. I found his best work to be as the drug-addicted elementary-school teacher in Half Nelson, and his Oscar nomination for that role well deserved.

He sported wildly different looks in each of these films, but his roles are united by Gosling's vast charisma, deadly gorgeousness and quirky acting style.



Oh, he's got a damn sexy voice. I think I'm in love.

[Not Afraid]

I watched 4 films on the plane to and from London. I saw Casoni Royal for the third time on the way "to" and was surprised by how much they cut from the film. But, it was still a good chunk of candy for a tiny bit of a long flight.

On the way back I saw Dreamgirls, Stranger than Fiction (in 2 parts) and most of Marie Antoinette.

I was surprised that i actually liked Dreamgirls and concur that Jennifer Hudson deserved her Supporting Oscar. I'm not sure I would see it again nor recommend it to Chris, but it was better than I expected.

Stranger than Fiction was entertaining (although I kept falling asleep and sort of watched it sideways). It reminded me, stylistically, of Adaptation or Being John Malcovich, only both of those films were better films. I was actually expecting to like this one more than I did. But, given the issues (sleep and tiny tiny screen) it was ok.

I really need to see Marie Antoinette on a larger screen. I wasn't going to watch it at all, but I got bored and Chris always gets the window seat. ;) The music selections made me giddy, but I'm an aging punk rocker and recognized 90% of the songs within the first 3 notes. I had heard so many bad things about it that i had absolutely no expectations - only hope. I certainly didn't find it up to par with Sophia Copola's other feature-length films, but it was an interesting take on the story. i have read the book it was based on and, while the factual information and focus came from the book the feel was completely different. There was a lot left out - as would be necessary in a 2 hour film but it was a LOT more entertaining. Kristen Dunst's facial expressions ended up bothering me after a while. She seemed to portray MA as pretty shallow and, according to Antonia Fraiser's book, she was not shallow at all but very much in control. Jason Schwartzman, however, did a good job or portraying the milch toast Louis. it is worth another, real, viewing.

[flippyshark]

I'll be happy to give Marie Antoinette an audition soon, as i've liked Sophia Coppolla's work so far, a lot.

Stranger Than Fiction really was BJM and Adaptation Lite, wasn't it? I had a fine time with it just the same.

Dreamgirls was a knockout punch for me, but I saw it in a crowded theater packed with people who were primed for the experience and clearly relished it, cheering long and loud after many of the numbers. It was an electric experience, and one that won't be duplicated by home viewing, though I certainly plan to buy this particular musical.

Were these movies on your own personal video screen, or were they of the "crane your neck to see a tiny monitor at the end of the cabin" type?

[Alex]

Saw Shooter today just to get out of the house for a while. Felt like it was 1986 with Stallone and Arnie at their crappy action movie peaks. Except you get to fantasize it is Dick Cheney being dealt with in the end.

Complete crap. Save your money.

Tomorrow is the first day since I started the new job where it would probably be best for me to stay a few extra hours at the end of the day but my Meet the Robinsons screening is tomorrow night so I'll be doing that instead.

[Not Afraid]

Were these movies on your own personal video screen, or were they of the "crane your neck to see a tiny monitor at the end of the cabin" type?

They were on my own, personal, crappy, back of the seat, square video screen.

[innerSpaceman]

Shortbus is the absolutely sweetest movie with wall-to-wall hardcore sex, like ever!

[JWBear]

Shortbus is the absolutely sweetest movie with wall-to-wall hardcore sex, like ever!

I've been wanting to see that.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, you probably won't find it at Wal*Mart, but Netflix stocks it.

[innerSpaceman]

Children of Men is out on DVD now.


If you missed it in theaters, you've no excuse anymore.

[Snowflake]

Continuing with my, "I did not see it in the theater, so I'm catching up on Netflix" rentals of 2006 films, I just rented and saw Casino Royale. This was my first bond film in years. I missed Timothy Dalton, I missed Pierce Brosnan, alas, I think my last Bond film was a Roger Moore. And I love Sean Connery's Bond. I knew this was going to be a different James Bond film, it was. This Bond was dark, this Bond was a killer, this Bond was absolutely riveting. Of course, I'm talking Daniel Craig. I thought as I was watching, I can see this man grow and evolve into Bond, I actually welcomed the franchise going back to the original Fleming novels, all of them, and remaking them with Craig.

Of course, did I have any caveats? Yeah, I never expect a Bond film to be 100% realistic and allow me to suspend my disbelief, but I did think the opening action sequence, while exciting, it was over the top and over long. And the defibrilator in the glove box, then going back into the Casino and having a drink (after very nearly being believably dead), this was a bit much. And then there was the thing in Venice. Okay, these are minor points and only my little complaints, Bond films do need a lot of splash and action and this one had it, in spades (pun intended). I found the film to be well worth waiting for and am now sorry I did not see it on the big screen. the final moments were, for me, note perfect.

Yes, Daniel Craig is hot, hot HOT. I know I'm last in line in this queue, but just had to say it.

Now, does anyone know what is next in the franchise?

[innerSpaceman]

Nope, but it won't be Fleming novel. Casino Royale was the last of 'em not adapted by EON Productions ... so I think it's back to the made-up stuff, with titles garnered from Fleming's names for his houses or cars or canaries.

[Snowflake]

Nope, but it won't be Fleming novel. Casino Royale was the last of 'em not adapted by EON Productions ... so I think it's back to the made-up stuff, with titles garnered from Fleming's names for his houses or cars or canaries.

Too bad, I think they deserve to be revisted.

Anyway, count me a convert to the Daniel Craig camp. I will look forward to the next installment.

And, I have to say, I thought he was also riveting in Infamous and in Munich, but for different reasons. he has certainly made some interesting choices.

[katiesue]

I've been catching up as well.

Loved Casino Royale. Like Snowflake I haven't seen many of the more recent ones but this one was great. I may even have to buy it. Daniel Craig is hot.

Children of Men. I liked this one very much as well. I read the book years ago, I'm a huge PD James fan but I can't remember much of what happened in the book, although I'm thinking there are some major differences. I got it out last night so now I can re-read.

Tonight I've got Stranger than Fiction to watch. Maddy watched it last week and liked it.

[innerSpaceman]

Ooooh, let me know what you think of the book after you re-read it; I loved the movie so much, I have a hankering to check out the novel.


Oh, and Daniel Craig was also good in Infamous ... and I would have never noticed him as the same actor in Munich if I hadn't been so hung up on him as Bond. Interesting choices, indeed. But those days may now be over, and he may be stuck with James Bond typecasting for the rest of his career.

I hope not.

[thecorndogwalker]

Shortbus is the absolutely sweetest movie with wall-to-wall hardcore sex, like ever!


OMG! i saw it in the movie theatre, I knew it was going to be explicit, but what made me cringe was two old ladies who sat in front of me, they were gasping through the whole movie...

It is so funny too... rent it

[MouseWife]

OMG! i saw it in the movie theatre, I knew it was going to be explicit, but what made me cringe was two old ladies who sat in front of me, they were gasping through the whole movie...

It is so funny too... rent it

Umm...were they gasping {like in shock} or catching their breath{as in delight}?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Attended the world premiere of Grindhouse and cannot remember the last time I had that much fun watching a movie with a large audience. Most people were at times laughing, screaming, covering their eyes, delighted or horrified; it was a wonderful experience. I wasn't planning on seeing it again after it's released, because the one time can't be topped, but I think I'm changing my mind.

Also, saw The Lookout. Solid performances and an interesting/sad story. Now I really must see Brick.

And, Blades of Glory. Saw a screener when working on the website and the final cut was pretty similar. Tummy ache after all the laughter.

[Alex]

Everybody I know who has seen it has pretty strongly agreed that the Tarantino half is light years better than the Rodriguez half.

What are your thoughts on the two halves?

I believe they're being released independently in Europe. It'll be interesting to see how they perform.

[thecorndogwalker]

Umm...were they gasping {like in shock} or catching their breath{as in delight}?

i think it was in shock most of the time.. but they never left....so i assumed they liked it...

[MouseWife]

LOL

Yep, well, they probably learned a thing or two. Ya know women, always wanting to learn something new. Figure out, 'How'd they do that?' :blush:

[flippyshark]

Everybody I know who has seen it has pretty strongly agreed that the Tarantino half is light years better than the Rodriguez half.

Christy Lemire, an AP critic filling in for Roger Ebert on Ebert and Roeper, definitely felt otherwise. she thought the Tarantino half almost killed the joy of the whole outing. Roeper disagreed. You can see their reviews here. (http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/ebertandroeper/)

This opens on my birthday (Friday the 6th) and I hope to be there for it.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'm actually thinking we need to cancel Netflix for at least 3 months. What with the Wii and the TiVo, we have way too many things lined up when we get home from work.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Everybody I know who has seen it has pretty strongly agreed that the Tarantino half is light years better than the Rodriguez half.

What are your thoughts on the two halves?

I believe they're being released independently in Europe. It'll be interesting to see how they perform.

I think the three people I saw it with felt that Rodriguez's was the better and more fun. For me, it was about the entire experience: the fake trailers and the two movies all seen together in one sitting. Separately, they might not work at all. All together, movie-going gold.

[mousepod]

How does it compare to Movie, Movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077952/)? ;)

(I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to plug a largely ignored gem from Stanley Donen)

[Alex]

I've seen the Eli Roth trailer online (Thanksgiving) and if that is the tone of the actual movies at all this probably isn't for me (but because I always see Rodriguez movies even though most of them suck and Tarantino I'll probably go anyway).

[Snowflake]

How does it compare to Movie, Movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077952/)? ;)

(I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to plug a largely ignored gem from Stanley Donen)

I saw it, and on first run, too.
I heart Stanley Donen and wish he'd dust off his megaphone and make one more movie.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I've seen the Eli Roth trailer online (Thanksgiving) and if that is the tone of the actual movies at all this probably isn't for me (but because I always see Rodriguez movies even though most of them suck and Tarantino I'll probably go anyway).

Seriously, if you didn't like the tone, and you don't tend to like Rodriguez's movies, or Tarantino's, there's really no reason to put yourself through Grindhouse.

[Alex]

I like about half if Rodriguez's movies a lot. The other half are truly horrible.

I like pretty much all of Tarantino's movies.

That said, Grindhouse slasher pics are a genre that generally doesn't do much for me though there are prominent exceptions.

Whether I see these in the theater or not probably depends on Lani's interest.

Another question, do they do an intermission or anything between the halves or does one flow into the other?

[flippyshark]

I begged my folks to take me to see Movie Movie, to no avail. If it ever had a video release, it eluded me, and this remains high on my wanna see list. I have a feeling Stanley Donen didn't include many severed heads or bullet hits.

[Snowflake]

I begged my folks to take me to see Movie Movie, to no avail. If it ever had a video release, it eluded me, and this remains high on my wanna see list. I have a feeling Stanley Donen didn't include many severed heads or bullet hits.

Nope, but George C. Scott, twice!

Anyway, you can keep an eye out for upcomingTV showings here (http://www.tvguide.com/movies/movie-movie/106789)

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Another question, do they do an intermission or anything between the halves or does one flow into the other?

Nope. Tarantino was pretty funny about that. And I quote (badly): It's a long movie and some of you are probably going to have to go to the bathroom. That's fine! Just go. Don't be embarrassed. And when you come back you'll have to figure **** out. We LOVE that."

[Alex]

Lani and I saw Grindhouse last night. I'd recommend it with caveats.

I loved that all nudity was in the fake trailers with none in the movies (the reverse of reality).

If the goal was to accurately make a bad movie then Robert Rodriguez wins the prize. If the goal was to make a good movie using the forms of bad ones then Tarantino wins the prize.

Planet Terror is a decent enough faux-zombie movie but much of its interest comes from its meta value. If it weren't in on the joke it would go completely unremarked. It doesn't help that I really don't see the appeal of Rose McGowan.

I understand that the scratches and jumps and missing reals were to create the feeling of not just seeing a grindhouse movie but seeing a grindhouse movie in a grindhouse theater. But I mostly just found screen artifacts annoying. A winking joke that juts stopped being amusing. I'm glad that Tarantino minimized it in his.

Death Proof benefits for being a two-act movie which you don't really see and being to acts allows a pretty sharp split between them. You see Tarantino for the dialog and he doesn't disappoint (and partakes maybe a bit too much) but what is really amazing is that I think he has filmed one of the all time great car chases. Yes, it is a contrived set up but it works and for the first time in a very long time such a chase got my heart going and had suspense.

One reviewer I read jokingly said that Tarantino cheated by making a good movie while Rodriguez followed the rules of the exercise. I'd have to agree with that to some degree. I'm not feeling burned by Planet Terror but I don't ever need to see it again (just like Toxic Avenger). I do imagine I'll be seeing Death Proof again at some point.

[Snowflake]

Interesting weekend for movies, I was invited over to the Mousepod's to watch Song of the South and saw a few good minutes of The Thief and the Cobbler for good measure.

Now, I was a SotS virgin, never having seen it, except for the bits that showed up on The Wonderful World of Disney while I was growing up. So, with all the talk on various board (and a thread I contributed to LoT) about the film coming or not coming out on DVD, a date was planned for a screening.

Now, the mousepods have a humongous television, so seeing the detail would be no problem. We had some previews before starting the feature, a short from the current Disney Channel offering The House of Mouse which was amazing to me. Nothing like I've ever seen in a Disney cartoon, potty humor! Violence, as violent as a Warner's cartoon. Jesse showed it to me, in view of his recent episode of the mousepod discussing Make Mine Music and the subsequent release without the Martins & Coys short. Boy, let's talk a world of difference! PC? There was nothing PC in that, it would have been enough to rile West Virginians, the implication of hicks with outhouses and home stilled liquor!

Anyway, Jesse also showed me some incredible hand drawn animation from the lost masterpiece The Thief and the Cobbler. I loved what I saw of the restoration and am anxious to sit and enjoy the whole thing.

So, on to Song of the South. As Alex (I think) had mentioned, it's not a great film. I'd never seen it, but from what I had heard, I could not imagine that any of the portayals of the former slaves and share croppers would be any more offensive than GWTW. SotS is not a great film, not in the pantheon of Disney classics. As Jesse explained, it was the first real live action film produced by Disney (feature I am assuming, since Reluctant Dragon precedes it). In any case, I found it to be very static and choppy in the live action. Not a particularly great script, not particularly good performances (even with a good cast of regulars like Lucille Watson, Hattie McDaniell and Ruth Warrick) Bobby Driscoll was annoying, but James Baskett was a star in the S-T-A-R category. The screen lit up when he was present. The animation was good, the characters were great and I enjoyed the stories. We were watching what I thought would have been a 3rd generation print, so it was a little dark and Gregg Toland's camerawork was hard to detect.

I'm glad to have finally seen it, and am now on the fence about Disney releasing it. There is a lot more I'd rather see in advance of this, but if they do it, I hope they do a full restoration with a good featurette about the film.

[Snowflake]

Okay, so Netflix brought this to me to continue with the catching up on films I'd missed in 2006.

Well, I think I could easily have missed this entirely. Meh and grim and the plotlines and interconnecting was pretty obvious after the first 20 minutes. I was surprised my roomie did not get it, but I squirmed on the couch for nearly the entire film.

I need to watch something really good in the next few days.

[Alex]

Watched two movies over the weekend on DVD that I remember being critical darlings in my mid-teens but were a bit too adult (read: boring) for me at that point in time.

The Grifters. Other than the first The Addams Family movie I've never cared for Anjelica Huston. Still true. Didn't help that the whole movie is bland neo-noir wankery of the worst sort.

Reversal of Fortune. Took a bit for me to buy into Ron Silver as Alan Dershowitz but eventually I did. Jeremy Irons seemed a little too stilted but for all I know Claus von Bulow really was like that. The Claus von Bulow cas is before my time but it is one of those names that seeped into my childhood consciousness without me knowing the context. I remember hearing a Denis Leary CD in college and he made some joke about comas and von Bulow and suddenly realizing that I had no idea what the connection was.

So it was an interesting movie in that regard, to learn the details of an incident that captivated the nation but was then quickly forgotten by the same nation. But it wasn't such a great movie; the legal philosophical questions were telegraphed and then acted out. I liked one bit of dialog though for its precognition of another case Dershowitz would be involved with just a couple years after the movie. One theory being pursued is that because Sunny von Bulow's kids believe Claus tried to kill her they manufactured evidence. A person on Dershowitz's team says "they may have framed a guilty man." That is a sentence that was heard a lot during the OJ trial talking about possible police misconduct.

Anyway, if these two movies are examples of the best of the late '80s then it really was a crappy time for movies.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I watched The Night Porter for the first time last night. But I'm gonna keep my thoughts to myself, I think. [wink]

[Alex]

I'm amused that the IMDb page for The Night Porter says that if you like it they also recommend Life is Beautiful.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I'm amused that the IMDb page for The Night Porter says that if you like it they also recommend Life is Beautiful.

Yeah, that makes NO sense. LOL. Swept Away would make more sense, though The Night Porter by far and away the superior film.

[mousepod]

I'd think more Death and the Maiden (http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/film_review.asp?ID=698) than Life is Beautiful...

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I'd think more Death and the Maiden (http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/film_review.asp?ID=698) than Life is Beautiful...

Yes. Except Death and the Maiden wasn't what I'd consider to be an erotic play/film. And say what you will about the subject matter, The Night Porter was definitely erotic.

[flippyshark]

Please allow me to briefly vent:

AAAAUGH! I hated DEATH PROOF! WOW did I hate it!

Okay, calming down now. Just got back from Grindhouse. I guess I'm just too old for this **** anymore. It isn't that I didn't "get it." I understood the in-jokes, the format, all of that. I even chuckled here and there. But my main thought as I left the theater was, wow, I guess I don't need to bother with Tarantino ever again. (Maybe not Rodriguez either.) Eliminate a few more points from my Guy's Guy scorecard, but this was nihilistic, boring and depressing to me. I suppose I ought to give specific reasons why, but I really don't want to waste more of my life thinking about it.

Maybe I should go watch The Night Porter instead.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Maybe I should go watch The Night Porter instead.

Except that's pretty nihilistic as well. Heh.

[flippyshark]

Yeah, I know. I have it. Hey, if Charlotte Rampling had been in Grindhouse, I might not have had such a negative response.

[CoasterMatt]

I loved what I was able to see so far of Grindhouse - maybe when the theater gets it's new fire alarm system sorted out, we can go back and finish seeing the movie(s).

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

My favorite part of Grindhouse was when the film shut off, fire alarm sounded and "Margaretaville" played over and over every 10 minutes as we all sat there in the dark.

It was nice of AMC theatres to keep the place open during construction. Especially when they keep messing with the buildings power. You'd think they would've figured that maybe it wasn't such a wise idea the FIRST time it happend.

TO top this off, a guy standing around was telling one of the "managers" that he deserved double pay for running around restarting the films. How about he go back to "projection" school and learn how to frame the film correctly on the screen and attempt to keep the previews and commercials from being scratched to hell. When the AMC logo comes on and there are dozens of black scratches on screen, screams of competance.

Ugh! Why did I have to be a projectionist for 18 years and have to put up with this?

:p

[Morrigoon]

Color me unimpressed with The Producers. And I'm talking about the original Mel Brooks film, not the newer film-of-a-musical-of-a-film version.

There were some good moments, and Gene Wilder's performance was bloody brilliant, like he was channeling Woody Allen or something, but overall a somewhat "meh" comedy. I laughed much harder at the two Deanna Durbin films I had last week (which were, incidentally, It started with Eve and Can't help singing)

[Alex]

Movies watched so far this weekend:

Born on the Fourth of July - Not really what I expected but still excruciatingly boring.

Mountains of the Moon - A period piece detailing the early attempts to find the source of the Nile by Burton and Speke. Made Born on the Fourth of July seem like a balls-to-the-wall action movie in comparison.

I watched both of those movies while making about 600 MouseAdventure buttons so it was a morning of drudgery all around.

Then we hit the beer-and-pizza theater last night to see The Host, a Korean monster movie that is currently making the arthouse rounds to good reviews. Lani liked it, I was so so on it. As good monster movies are, it was more social commentary than monster scare fest. The external view of Americans was interesting (simultaneously the buffoonish causer of their problem and frighteningly efficient solver of the problem).

It has strong comedic elements that frequently weren't working for me. But the woman behind me was laughing so hard and in such odd moments that I started to wonder if she just found the sound of the Korean language humorous.

In Korean and subtitled.

So on five points scales I'd say, in order: 2, 1, 3.

[Snowflake]

Saw Notes on a Scandal last night. Still catching up on Oscar nodded or nominated films. Judi Dench was, as always, mezmerizing. I loved Helen Mirren, it was clearly her year, but Dench was just sppoky, creepy and I could not take my eyes off her. It was a grand performance, subtle, funny, sad and pure evil. So I revise my vote, she really deserved to win, even over Mirren. It was a tour de force and not to be missed.

[Alex]

By coincidence watched my second Korean movie within a week last night. This time 2001's Bad Guy from well respected director Kim Ki-Duk.

This is the touching story of a woman forced into prostitution by silent (he only speaks once in the movie) titular bad guy and the relationship they form.

I'm sure there are all kinds of layers and submeanings that I'm missing but damn if I can only watch scenes of abuse and rape so many times before I decide that I just can't be touched by the characters involved.

This is a well reviewed movie but it is the kind of well reviewed movie that gives critics a bad name. It is different from mainstream schlock but I wouldn't say it is good.

[katiesue]

Ooooh, let me know what you think of the book after you re-read it; I loved the movie so much, I have a hankering to check out the novel.

Ok I've finished the book. It's very different from the movie. The basic premise that no children are being born and Theo comes in conctact with a pregnant woman is about all they have in common.

And besides the characters being named Theo, Julian etc that's about it there as well.

That said I very much enjoyed it. Especially as it was so radically different it was easy to not compare it to the movie. Without giving too much away the book is much less 1984ish than the movie. With no younger generation and the population decreasing things are just kind of decaying. Hope is gone. PD James is one of my favorite writers anyway and the book has a bit of her usual mystery.

I'm happy to pass the book along to anyone who wants to read it.

[innerSpaceman]

ooooh [raises hand], pick me, pick me!

[katiesue]

PM me where you'd like it sent and I'll pop it in the mail tomorrow.

[Alex]

In looking up some information about Zoe Bell (the real life stuntwoman playing a stuntwoman in the the Death Proof half of Grindhouse) I found she was prominently featured in a stuntwoman documentary called Double Dare.

Watched it last night. Pretty boring, other than touching on some interesting sociological issues it doesn't really have any purpose.

[Prudence]

Last night I saw a movie on opening night (here, anyhow) for the first time in I don't know how long. I generally see maybe two movie a year in the theater, and never the first night. And never late at night! It was a 10pm showing!

Anyhow, aside from the excitement of just getting out, I saw Hot Fuzz. Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, I don't think, but still pretty entertaining. I'd see it again. It unfolded perhaps a bit too slowly, but it was pretty damn silly - in a good way. I get so tired of American-style comedies. And Timothy Dalton looked like he was having a good time.

[Alex]

I found it mostly enjoyable too. The first part does go a bit slowly but afterward I realized it is not structured as a story but as a joke.

One of those jokes where there is a lot of setup, you're going along, and them bam! the punchline. The final 20 minutes of the movie is the punchline, the rest is just setup. That's not to say it isn't entertaining, it just isn't the point.

[Not Afraid]

We finally saw Running with Scissors las night.


Read the book. The book is good.


However, I can see why Anette Benning was nominated.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Last night I saw a movie on opening night (here, anyhow) for the first time in I don't know how long. I generally see maybe two movie a year in the theater, and never the first night. And never late at night! It was a 10pm showing!Okay, weird. Exact same boat for us. 2 or 3 time per year in the theater, never opening night. We saw Hot Fuzz tonight also (okay, not opening night, but opening weekend).


Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, I don't think, but still pretty entertaining. I'd see it again. It unfolded perhaps a bit too slowly, but it was pretty damn silly - in a good way. I get so tired of American-style comedies. And Timothy Dalton looked like he was having a good time.I agree fully. It's got all the laughs and wonderful homages to the respective film genre that Shaun had, but at a slightly slower pace. But still had me laughing the whole way through. Good stuff.

[Prudence]

Okay, weird. Exact same boat for us. 2 or 3 time per year in the theater, never opening night. We saw Hot Fuzz tonight also (okay, not opening night, but opening weekend).


do-do-do-do! It's eerie!

I'm just happy to be able to comment on a current movie. I don't want to talk about it too much because some of the gags are a lot funnier if you don't see them coming. But I did not see that ending coming. Yarp!

[Alex]

However, I can see why Anette Benning was nominated.

I still can't. Unless it was essentially an MTV Award for Shrillest Performance by a Shrilly Person.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

do-do-do-do! It's eerie!

I'm just happy to be able to comment on a current movie. Exact same sentiment here. "We saw a new movie!" :D

I just loved Hot Fuzz. These guys are awesome. I love the editing style and the way they bring absolutely everything back around later. All the references to action films were spot-on. The relationship between Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in both this movie and Shaun of the Dead is adorable. And could you believe Broadbent and Dalton? I kept thinking "that couldn't be Timothy Dalton, he's way too tall."

[blueerica]

Damn it, I want to see Hot Fuzz, though I really won't have a good chance to go without a guilty conscience until next weekend! GAH!

[innerSpaceman]

Well I finally saw Borat.

Admittedly, I saw it alone, without the merriment of an audience.




I think there were 3 times I so much as cracked a smile.


Never laughed once.




Sorry, not funny.






And yes, 4 million people can be wrong.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Well I finally saw Borat.

Admittedly, I saw it alone, without the merriment of an audience.:rolleyes: Puh-leeze don't tell me 4 million people are wrong about something that 90% of them saw in a theater filled with people, the rest saw with friends or at parties, and that you saw, alone, at home, in your jammies, bitter that you missed out.

[Not Afraid]

I haven't seen Borat - and i really don't want to - but I would be surprised if I didn't have the same reaction (or lack thereof) as ISM, theater or no theater.

[innerSpaceman]

The show referenced in your sig line, CP ... now that's comedy.


Borat was just not my type of laugh.






Putting it in very exclusive comedy territory, by the way.










the kind that's not funny.

[Strangler Lewis]

The show referenced in your sig line, CP ...


Fawlty.

[innerSpaceman]

yes, perhaps I should have specified, "the show not quite correctly referenced in your sig line, CP."

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Fixed.

[CoasterMatt]

I saw Grindhouse last night (after an aborted attempt last week) - I really enjoyed the first film (Planet Terror), and the fake trailers (especially 'Thanksgiving').
The second film had too much damned Tarantino sitting around talking about nothing that drives the story. Kurt Russell was a lot of fun as Stuntman Mike,
but I think overall, 'Death Proof' was a bit of a letdown.

[blueerica]

It's extremely rare that a comedy would make me laugh the first time around - and Malibu's Most Wanted was no different. In fact, I probably considered it the least funny movie I'd seen in years.

The strange thing is, I've caught it a couple of times on Comedy Central over the last couple of days (this morning, for example), and I have been giggling my ass off.

I still think it's a stupid movie.

[Alex]

After it's recent mention I watched The Night Porter yesterday. I must have been more easily titillated when I saw it years ago. This time I just found it slow and boring (not a great thing when you've been up for 30-something hours.

I fell asleep for about five minutes in the middle of the dancing topless Nazi scene.

[Not Afraid]

I caught most of Ferris Beuler's Day Off today. I feel like I wasted good time watching a dull movie. I hate that.

[Strangler Lewis]

I caught most of Ferris Beuler's Day Off today. I feel like I wasted good time watching a dull movie. I hate that.

Absolutely. Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.

[Alex]

Ferris Beuller and The Breakfast Club struck a teenager genetic chord that I apprently lack.

If forced to pick one I'd go with Ferris Beuller but it wouldn't be a happy choice. Actually if I had to pick one of the trio of movies that were taken as proof that god loves us and bestows gifts upon us during my junior high/high school years and yet I despided (because Satan loves me) I'd pick Heathers as the most watchable.


That last sentence is the most beautifully constructed of all time. I must forward it on to Edmund Burke so he'll be overwrought with jealousy.

[mousepod]

I caught most of Ferris Beuler's Day Off today. I feel like I wasted good time watching a dull movie. I hate that.

Life is a carousel, NA. A great big crazy ball of pure living, breathing joy and delight.

... You gotta get one. ;)

[Not Afraid]

UGH!

I think I'm going to go listen to the first Circle Jerks album and try to make up for lost time - and sentiment.

[Strangler Lewis]

Life is a carousel, NA. A great big crazy ball of pure living, breathing joy and delight.

... You gotta get one. ;)

Great line. However, I don't think it made it into the movie.

[mousepod]

You are correct. It would have made such a better ending.

[Strangler Lewis]

Well, I'm not sure. I think the ending as shot has Ferris sounding cocky but also somewhat bitterly aware that his run is coming to an end. I think that's a better ending than an unadorned "life is crazy wonderful."

[mousepod]

Fair enough. I haven't seen the flick in years. In some sick way, NA's complaints have made me want to revisit it.

[innerSpaceman]

Except for Borat ... when N.A. says she didn't find a film humorous ... I run to watch it as if it were guaranteed comedy gold.

[CoasterMatt]

I watched most of 'Forbidden Zone' on the way home from work today - a fellow rider on the Orange Line asked "Do you have to be on drugs to watch a movie like that?"

I just smiled and said "No, but some people do"

[Not Afraid]

Except for Borat ... when N.A. says she didn't find a film humorous ... I run to watch it as if it were guaranteed comedy gold.

I'm sure there are films out there that I find funny that other people do as well.





I just can't think of any at the moment.

[Babette]

I haven't seen Borat - and i really don't want to - but I would be surprised if I didn't have the same reaction (or lack thereof) as ISM, theater or no theater.Ditto - I have absolutely no desire to see it. Da Ali G Show drove me crazy, it was stupid, not funny. The fact that everyone believes the guy is really that naive, stupid! I have to turn the radio station when KROQ has their Armenian Comedian or Doto. Same type of characters. Just STUPID!

Ferris Beuller and The Breakfast Club struck a teenager genetic chord that I apprently lack.

If forced to pick one I'd go with Ferris Beuller but it wouldn't be a happy choice. Actually if I had to pick one of the trio of movies that were taken as proof that god loves us and bestows gifts upon us during my junior high/high school years and yet I despided (because Satan loves me) I'd pick Heathers as the most watchable.. "Greetings and salutations." That is my favorite 80s movie. I am a full blooded teen angst Hughes fan (Bueller, Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Some Kind of Wonderful, etc.) but Heathers was the ultimate. I quote Heathers and Bueller quite often. "Bulimia is so 87" "F*ck me gently with a chainsaw, do I look like Mother Teresa!"

[Not Afraid]

I think I'd see Heathers again. I don't seem to mind that Tom Cruise with the sex on a train film (which I seem to lump in with those other ones).

[Alex]

I didn't see Risky Business (Tom Cruise, sex, train) for the first time until a few months ago. It was ok. Not what I expected. I was nine so it was a little bit early for me.

[Babette]

Only nine? Am I older than you? We used to rent Risky Business, and a VCR (before they were a household appliance) every weekend at our sleepovers. NM had never seen it so we rented a few months ago (DVD on our own player). Some classic quotes and still entertaining, but not quite the same as I remembered from when I was 13.

"I have a trig midterm tomorrow and I'm being chased by Guido the killer pimp!"

[Alex]

If you were older than 9 in 1983 then yes, you are older than me. (Just checked its release date and I was still 8 when it come out, but only for a month or so).

[blueerica]

You are correct. It would have made such a better ending.

I keep adding "sir" and hearing Ed McMahon...

I must be tired... it's too early to be tired.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I saw Hot Fuzz. Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, I don't think, but still pretty entertaining. I'd see it again. It unfolded perhaps a bit too slowly, but it was pretty damn silly - in a good way. I get so tired of American-style comedies. And Timothy Dalton looked like he was having a good time.

My love affair with the trio (Pegg, Frost and the director, Wright) began with their TV show, Spaced, which is television at its best. Waited with bated breath for Shaun of the Dead, which was a PERFECT Rom Com Zombie movie. Comedy/horror gold. Was so excited to hear about Hot Fuzz when it went into production. And I liked it. A lot. But I can't say I loved it. Could have been 15-20 minutes shorter. There were parts where I was actually bored. Overall, not disappointed, and I hope they keep making movies together 4-eva!

Dalton WAS a joy and he did seem to be having a blast. Great role for him. But the mystery was predictable and until Pegg's character began to relax and the friendship between the two developed, something felt amiss. I think a lot of their on-screen magic is a result of their longstanding and easy friendship, which translates very well to the screen.

Wright's direction, which was pitch perfect in Shuan, felt a bit overdone in Hot Fuzz. His fast cuts, which were balanced out by a couple of brilliantly done pan shots in Shaun, were a bit too much here. Almost never let up.

Golly, I almost feel like I'm betraying them by not loving the film more. Heh. But I DID like it. Laughed out loud pretty continuously and was not disappointed by the myriad pop-culture references. Delighted with the He-Man nod (twice!), etc. Love these guys, even if I wasn't as wowed as I expected to be.

[innerSpaceman]

Not being familiar with the films being parodied in Hot Fuzz, I doubt I will be able to fully appreciate it.


Oh, I'm sure I would find it amusing, but could you really enjoy Young Frankenstein knowing nothing of old skool Universal horror films, or High Anxiety absent a familiarty with Hitchcock??

[Prudence]

I have next to no familiarity with the films referenced in Hot Fuzz, but I still enjoyed it.

(And Young Frankenstein (the musical) is making its stage debut in Seattle. Yeehaw.)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Not being familiar with the films being parodied in Hot Fuzz, I doubt I will be able to fully appreciate it.


Oh, I'm sure I would find it amusing, but could you really enjoy Young Frankenstein knowing nothing of old skool Universal horror films, or High Anxiety absent a familiarty with Hitchcock??
As Pru mentioned, no need to have knowledge of anything other than the basic cliches of the genre to enjoy the movie. Don't know if you saw Sean of the Dead, but that's definitely something they got right in both films. Plenty of very funny and very well placed nods/references/homages to the classics, none of which were integral to the story, character or humor. Just added bonuses for knowledgeable fans.*

And for the record, I had the same misgivings through most of the movie as EH. Definitely leaned heavily on the snap edits, and the twist was obvious to me (though it's more noteworthy when a movie's twist isn't obvious as I seem to naturally pick up on those things). But the non stop comedy and payoff in the end made up for it and left me feeling very satisfied. I'll still rate SotD higher, but considering that Sean of the Dead was a near perfect film in my eyes, that's hardly a knock on Hot Fuzz.

* For the record, when I first saw both Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety, I was barely aware of their respective genres. Having never seen one of the classic horror films and having maybe seen Psycho once, I knew nothing more about them than what one sees in the likes of Bugs Bunny spoofs and the clips they showed for lifetime achievement awards. And yet I thoroughly enjoyed both.