Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[Strangler Lewis]

For me, like all Charlie Kauffman films, "Being John Malkovich" wore out its welcome in the ending.

As for Jim Carrey playing Curly, he's got a tough road to hoe to make me forget Michael Chiklis. I admired his Curly immensely.

[Not Afraid]

I loved BJM. I tend to enjoy Kaufman's style.

[innerSpaceman]

I like the set-ups. Like BJM, but not all the way thru. The orchid one was good, too ... but again, not thru to the end.

I haven't seen his latest. Heard it was grueling, tho interesting. It's something I would Netflix, but am too lazy too look up. Title, anyone?

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I haven't seen his latest. Heard it was grueling, tho interesting. It's something I would Netflix, but am too lazy too look up. Title, anyone?

Kaufman's latest was also his directorial debut, Synecdoche NY. It... yeah. It was possibly the most horrific thing I've ever seen. I don't mean it was a bad movie. Though it may have been that. But it was the most brutal absurdist depiction of mortality and failure I've ever seen. There were flashes of brilliance, but I don't think I could watch it again soon. Maybe ever.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Kaufman's latest was also his directorial debut, Synecdoche NY. It... yeah. It was possibly the most horrific thing I've ever seen. I don't mean it was a bad movie. Though it may have been that. But it was the most brutal absurdist depiction of mortality and failure I've ever seen. There were flashes of brilliance, but I don't think I could watch it again soon. Maybe ever.

Somehow this description really makes me want to see it

[Deebs]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

iSm, I found my review for you.

I remember reading that when you posted it and thinking I was definitely not up to it. I'm not so much afraid of heavy subject matter, but not-in-the-spooky-way horrifying is too depressing right now.

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Somehow this description really makes me want to see it

Originally Posted by LSPE

Like a Derren film, or a Lynch one, I think you're meant to sit back and let it absorb into your pores, into your brain, into your consciousness.

And this is the part that tempts me to see it, in spite of knowing how difficult it would be to watch.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Somehow this description really makes me want to see it

Yes, that's exactly why I tried to express that it may definitely be worth your while, or it may definitely overwhelm you, or possibly both. Or possibly neither. It's very abstract and, I would say, worth a viewing if you keep your mind open. I just can't tell you what you're going to think about it. There's a good chance you'll think it's absurdly amazing, and a good chance it'll make you hurt. Or possibly both. Or neither, if surrealism isn't your thing and you've never met with failure.

[Deebs]

I saw Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D yesterday. I had a collision with fully sugared soda and freshly buttered popcorn before the movie started, so I really don't know how objective I am about the beginning when I say that I hated it. I just thought it was slow and not amusing, but then, my hair and clothes were wet and the Pepsi had gone down my shirt, both front and back.

Is Reese Witherspoon ever not charming? I like her. I think she should voice many more animated characters. I am so tired of the popular feminine voice: lazy and throaty. I'm done with that. Everyone should enunciate like Reese!

Stephen Colbert usually amuses me greatly, but I hated the character of the president. We all know it is possible to have an idiot elected to the presidency. Did we need to see another moronic characterization? The way he looked reminded me of Greg Proops or Buddy Holly with a Jay Leno chin; mildly creepy.

The beautification of Modesto was funny. Rolling green hills, really? Huh. Nick O' Time, where art thou? Oh, yes. Modesto. And I am in Stockton. There are no hills, green or otherwise.

I liked the music. As much as I hated hearing Reminiscing by The Little River Band and Journey's Who's Crying Now? on the radio at the time those songs were popular, I must admit that when I heard them in the movie yesterday, I smiled.

After seeing the trailer for UP, I am excited about it. I laughed more during the UP preview than I did in the first half of Monsters vs. Aliens. On the whole, by the time I turned in my 3D glasses, I was glad I went.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Somehow this description really makes me want to see it

Me too. One of the quickest ways to get me to a movie is to indicate that it might hurt. Similar advisories have put me in front of Salo: The 120 Days of Sodom, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, Kids, Thriller: a Cruel Picture, Irreversible, Elephant and any number of other sad, nihilistic, disturbing, transgressive or shocking pictures. Mileage varies widely for those films just named, of course. But I sometimes ask myself, really dude, what the hell?!

[Strangler Lewis]

On a related note, the trailer for Spike Jonze's version of "Where the Wild Things Are" came out. The island stuff looks cool, but the added back story looks totally wrong.