Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 455

Cadaverous Pallor · 08-03-2009, 07:52 AM

Yay, Hangover!

I can't believe we saw Slumdog before L&C! And yes, Burn After Reading was disappointing.

What did we see this weekend? Step Brothers with commentary.

Can't say I recommend the commentary. About 1/3 of it was hilarious...but the movie is still one of the funniest Will Ferrell projects ever.

innerSpaceman · 08-03-2009, 08:02 AM

It's hard to like pieces with uniformly unlikeable characters. That's why I could never get into Seinfeld.

But I kinda liked Burn After Reading. Not that I'd ever watch it again, or that it was great. But it had more of a Coen Brothers feel than their previous Oscar winning mainstreamer (which I liked), so I was glad to see a return to that. Not nearly one of their best or anything, but I appreciated it for what it was.

The more I think about Slumdog, the more I think was an overpraised, overhyped, undeserving Best Picture winner.

Gemini Cricket has his Crash, and I have Slumdog. Pfft.

Not Afraid · 08-03-2009, 08:37 AM

We were just talking about Burn After Reading yesterday. I liked it. It's not among my favorite Cohen films, but still better than your average film.

Alex · 08-03-2009, 08:44 AM

Slumdog was extremely disappointing and way overhyped. Extremely patronizing. Poverty, it's so photogenic. And we're all equal in love so it isn't so bad as it seems.

I liked Burn After Reading quite a bit. Not a surprise that there are few likable characters in it. You could probably count the likable characters in the Coen Brothers oeuvre on one hand. To me, their genius is in being able to make audiences enjoy people they shouldn't like. A tightrope walk for sure but it succeeded for me. Also, I consider Intolerable Cruelty one of their classics and don't like Raising Arizona or The Hudsucker Proxy so obviously I'm out of the mainstream of Coen appreciation.

Ghoulish Delight · 08-03-2009, 08:57 AM

Slumdog was and enjoyable popcorn flick but nothing special imo.

My issue with Burn After Reading wasn't so much about unlikeability as the lack of depth to the characters. As GC said, nothing was surprising in the whole movie, you pretty much figured out who these characters were and what they were going to do from moment one. I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed by it.

Hudsucker's a weird one. I like it, but I hardly even think of it as a Coen Bro's movie, it just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest somehow.

Morrigoon · 08-05-2009, 03:18 AM

If you want to engross yourself in some damn fine drama, I've got one for you. "Our Mutual Friend" is a 6-part made-for-TV BBC production of a Dickens work. One I'd never heard of before now, but having seen it, it's 100% Dickens, and fabulous.

In addition to the great underlying story, the performances were terrific. David Morrissey's portrayal of Mr. Headstone, as a nerdy schoolmaster type who can't handle being in love with a woman and it rips him apart, was particularly moving.

And some familiar faces for the Harry Potter crowd

Dark as a whore's heart, but with some nice surprises at the end.

It's available for "instant viewing" on Netflix

innerSpaceman · 08-05-2009, 09:37 AM

ooooh, sounds interesting. I'll check it out. Heheh, if i put it in my queue today, it should hit my mailbox in about 3 months.

So just now, I'm hitting a few titles from last year:

Schenecdody New York - No NO WTF. Take it Away. OMG, NO, don't let me watch another minute. Christ. WTF?!

on the other hand,
Vicki Christina Barcelona - utterly charming.

LSPoorEeyorick · 08-05-2009, 11:23 AM

iSm, iSm, when will you learn to read my reviews??

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSPE

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

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

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

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

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

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

MouseWife · 08-05-2009, 11:35 AM

'Hangover'. OMG It was so damn funny {didn't I see a 'El Cortez' sign in the beginning? Anyone confirm that? And, is that the one that was on top of our El Cortez here in San Diego? I haven't been getting out much....}.

Hubster and I went alone and laughed our asses off.

The end credits were hillarious except......

I had promised to take my niece and nephew {12 & 7} to finally see 'Up' {while they still could}. I didn't want to see it again so Rick and I went to 'Hangover'. Our movie went 20 minutes longer than theirs so I told her, just bring the kids over and watch the end of our movie................

DAH!! If I had known.....

We saw 'Orphan'. It was very interesting but I know, not a fantastic movie. BUT it was the end that had me thinking more. So, while the Hubster said it sucked, it still made me go Hmmmm.

Saw Harry Potter with my son. Did not fall asleep {a plus!}. It was really good. Can anyone tell me what was so great about the very beginning? We missed it up until Harry was at the train station/stop.

innerSpaceman · 08-05-2009, 11:32 AM

I read it. Decided to watch it anyway. Must have been drunk when I made that decision. I was really, really, really not up for it. Ycch.

(Your review was spot on, btw. But I guess I had to see for myself. And I'm sorry I did.)

08-03-2009, 07:52 AM	#1
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Yay, Hangover! I can't believe we saw Slumdog before L&C! And yes, Burn After Reading was disappointing. What did we see this weekend? Step Brothers with commentary. Can't say I recommend the commentary. About 1/3 of it was hilarious...but the movie is still one of the funniest Will Ferrell projects ever. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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08-03-2009, 08:02 AM	#2
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	It's hard to like pieces with uniformly unlikeable characters. That's why I could never get into Seinfeld. But I kinda liked Burn After Reading. Not that I'd ever watch it again, or that it was great. But it had more of a Coen Brothers feel than their previous Oscar winning mainstreamer (which I liked), so I was glad to see a return to that. Not nearly one of their best or anything, but I appreciated it for what it was. The more I think about Slumdog, the more I think was an overpraised, overhyped, undeserving Best Picture winner. Gemini Cricket has his Crash, and I have Slumdog. Pfft.
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08-03-2009, 08:37 AM	#3
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	We were just talking about Burn After Reading yesterday. I liked it. It's not among my favorite Cohen films, but still better than your average film.
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08-03-2009, 08:44 AM	#4
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Slumdog was extremely disappointing and way overhyped. Extremely patronizing. Poverty, it's so photogenic. And we're all equal in love so it isn't so bad as it seems. I liked Burn After Reading quite a bit. Not a surprise that there are few likable characters in it. You could probably count the likable characters in the Coen Brothers oeuvre on one hand. To me, their genius is in being able to make audiences enjoy people they shouldn't like. A tightrope walk for sure but it succeeded for me. Also, I consider Intolerable Cruelty one of their classics and don't like Raising Arizona or The Hudsucker Proxy so obviously I'm out of the mainstream of Coen appreciation.
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08-03-2009, 08:57 AM	#5
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Slumdog was and enjoyable popcorn flick but nothing special imo. My issue with Burn After Reading wasn't so much about unlikeability as the lack of depth to the characters. As GC said, nothing was surprising in the whole movie, you pretty much figured out who these characters were and what they were going to do from moment one. I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed by it. Hudsucker's a weird one. I like it, but I hardly even think of it as a Coen Bro's movie, it just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest somehow. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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08-05-2009, 03:18 AM	#6
Morrigoon I throw stones at houses Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Location: Location Posts: 9,534	If you want to engross yourself in some damn fine drama, I've got one for you. "Our Mutual Friend" is a 6-part made-for-TV BBC production of a Dickens work. One I'd never heard of before now, but having seen it, it's 100% Dickens, and fabulous. In addition to the great underlying story, the performances were terrific. David Morrissey's portrayal of Mr. Headstone, as a nerdy schoolmaster type who can't handle being in love with a woman and it rips him apart, was particularly moving. And some familiar faces for the Harry Potter crowd Dark as a whore's heart, but with some nice surprises at the end. It's available for "instant viewing" on Netflix __________________ http://bash.org/?top "It is useless for sheep to pass a resolution in favor of vegetarianism while wolves remain of a different opinion." -- William Randolph Inge
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08-05-2009, 09:37 AM	#7
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	ooooh, sounds interesting. I'll check it out. Heheh, if i put it in my queue today, it should hit my mailbox in about 3 months. So just now, I'm hitting a few titles from last year: Schenecdody New York - No NO WTF. Take it Away. OMG, NO, don't let me watch another minute. Christ. WTF?! on the other hand, Vicki Christina Barcelona - utterly charming.
	Submit to Quotes

08-05-2009, 11:35 AM	#9
MouseWife Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Da' Beach Posts: 2,957	'Hangover'. OMG It was so damn funny {didn't I see a 'El Cortez' sign in the beginning? Anyone confirm that? And, is that the one that was on top of our El Cortez here in San Diego? I haven't been getting out much....}. Hubster and I went alone and laughed our asses off. The end credits were hillarious except...... I had promised to take my niece and nephew {12 & 7} to finally see 'Up' {while they still could}. I didn't want to see it again so Rick and I went to 'Hangover'. Our movie went 20 minutes longer than theirs so I told her, just bring the kids over and watch the end of our movie................ DAH!! If I had known..... We saw 'Orphan'. It was very interesting but I know, not a fantastic movie. BUT it was the end that had me thinking more. So, while the Hubster said it sucked, it still made me go Hmmmm. Saw Harry Potter with my son. Did not fall asleep {a plus!}. It was really good. Can anyone tell me what was so great about the very beginning? We missed it up until Harry was at the train station/stop. __________________ Summa' time....when the livins' easy.........
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08-05-2009, 11:32 AM	#10
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I read it. Decided to watch it anyway. Must have been drunk when I made that decision. I was really, really, really not up for it. Ycch. (Your review was spot on, btw. But I guess I had to see for myself. And I'm sorry I did.)
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