What is the last movie you saw? and rate it.

[Snowqueen]

Given the absolute rubbish that's foisted onto dumbed-down audiences these days, I'm not sure whether you are joking or not.

I love the book but didn’t like the movie and the actor who played Georges Duroy. I hope you are not including me in the category of ‘dumbed-down’ audience.

[MorpheusSandman]

My Week With Marilyn

7/10

[Emil Miller]

I love the book but didn’t like the movie and the actor who played Georges Duroy. I hope you are not including me in the category of ‘dumbed-down’ audience.

Do you watch vampire films?

[Snowqueen]

Usually I don’t watch such movies, but I confess I’ve seen a couple of vampire films with my friends. They love these movies specially Twilight films.

[MorpheusSandman]

La Signora di Tutti (1934; Max Ophuls)

9/10

Wonderful film. More raw than Ophuls later work, but more daringly experimental and nakedly emotional too.

[Emil Miller]

'Interlude' with Oskar Werner and Babara Ferris (1968) This British film concerns the extra-marital affair between a famous conductor and a young female reporter who is sent to interview him. Adulterous affairs are legion among conductors so the basic premise is acceptable but, as the title suggests, they tend not to last and usually end in painful break-up.
The theme is rather hackneyed and the performances not particularly good, although it does capture some of the desolate undertone's that such affairs are prone to. Given their messy and inevitably doomed conclusion, one would think that they are best avoided but it only goes to show that men can seldom resist a pretty face.
5/10

[YesNo]

Brave.

This was a nice mother-daughter story without a single vampire in the entire movie. I liked her red hair.

Score: 10/10

[miyako73]

Leolo-- the best movie ever for me.

[MorpheusSandman]

Apart from You (1933; Mikio Naruse) - 8/10
Every-Night Dreams (1933; Mikio Naruse) - 7/10
Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948; Max Ophuls) - 8.5/10


Leolo-- the best movie ever for me.Great film, that.

[Emil Miller]

Today I watched Slander, a film made in 1957, based on the problem of scandal magazines that plagued America during the 1950s.
These magazines relied on the prurience of readers, whose mundane lives could only be enlivened by gossip about well-known people: much the same as so-called celebrity magazines do today; the difference being that, where literally anything goes in reporting the activities of 'celebrities' nowadays, back then public perception was more adult and civilised, and unacceptable behaviour was punished accordingly. In this case, a successful performer is blackmailed by the proprietor of a scandal magazine into giving information about a famous actress he grew up with.
As a morality tale it is quite good in style and Steve Cochran, who plays the villain of the piece, is worth watching if only for the exceedingly well-cut clothes he wears: I wish I had a dressing gown like that.

[LaMaga]

Glengary Glenross.

Watching the broadway show with Al Pacino in a few weeks in nyc.

[Hawg Horse]

Cannery Row, baed on two short Steinbeck novels, with Nick Nolte and Debra Winger (some of the plot is taken from Sweet Thursday) an older movie but still a delight. I'd give it 3 of 4 stars as a light-hearted comedy with poignant themes.

[qimissung]

I'm so glad you liked it. It's one of my favorite movies. It's actually "Cannery Row," and the author is Steinbeck, but the movie does star Nolte and Winger in two of their best roles, I think.

[Hawg Horse]

Gawd ... how far off ... how far. Thanx for the corrections.

[MorpheusSandman]

A Separation (2011; Asghar Farhadi) -- 8/10

A well-deserved Best Foreign Film Oscar. It's refreshing to see a film where there's serious conflict but no clear protagonist/antagonist and the morality is so ambiguous.

[qimissung]

lol, you're welcome.

[Varenne Rodin]

I just watched Bronson/Fonda Once upon a time in the west. I thought it was a verygood one of the oldies.

That's my favorite movie.

[Snowqueen]

I saw Midnight in Paris; it’s a film by Woody Allen. Though it wasn’t as good as Match Point, but I enjoyed watching it.

[Svidrigailov]

There's nothing wrong with a little melancholy in a Christmas film, and 'Comfort and Joy'(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsw1I15Fj9I) has a sleigh's worth of plaintiveness in amongst a continually surprising story of a recently-dumped radio DJ who becomes a go-between in the middle of estranged gelato producers. I'm nothing less than circumspect around movies that purport to be exemplary products of British humour, but this one is so bitingly sardonic yet strangely festive that I was won over in no time. On a twelve-days-of-Christmas scale, it rates a 10/12. The only trouble is that this isn't exactly a family-friendly Xmas flick, due to the romantic woe and the depiction of the ice cream wars(in which six people died).

[Calidore]

...the depiction of the ice cream wars(in which six people died).

?! What's the scoop there?

[islandclimber]

Davide Manuli's "La Leggenda Di Kaspar Hauser." Amazing film, a little strange. I've always had a thing for Vincent Gallo. The man is rather unlikable but he does have talent and a certain irresistible charm. This film though, surreal, amusing, strange. Long takes alongside electronic music. An odd combination, yet it works to some degree. This film is surely not for all, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kaspar Hauser, an evil Grand Duchess, a pusher, a DJ sheriff, the mediterranean, long takes, surreal sequences, an amazing electronica soundtrack of sorts. 7.5/10

Has anyone seen Manuli's earlier film Beket? It looks absurd and fascinating. A strange retelling of various works of Samuel Beckett with a predisposition towards Waiting for Godot. Hideous, fragmented, disjointed, repetitive, absurd, filled with trance music dreams. Or so the trailer seems to suggest. Now if only I could find a copy.

[MorpheusSandman]

The Iron Lady (2011; Phyllida Lloyd) - 7/10

Meryl Streep was predictably awesome, but everything else was fairly meh.

The Grey (2011: Joe Carnahan) - 5/10

Mediocre plane crash survival film with some hilariously bad CGI wolves.

[YesNo]

Bride & Prejudice: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361411/

A musical based on Pride and Prejudice with the action centered in Amritsar, Punjab.

Score: 7/10

[Snowqueen]

I've seen a couple of movies with my nieces.

Ice Age: Continental Drift 5/10

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas 7/10

[LaMaga]

A Christmas movie with Henry Winkler and Aubrey Hepburn. It sucked.

[Buh4Bee]

Manhattan by Woody Allen 8/10!

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

We entertained my 9 year old niece and nephew this weekend.
The entertainment included the thrilling Forbidden Planet pulled from the Gurgle vaults.
Forbidden Planet stars Leslie Nielson, Walter Pigeon, the smoking hot Anne Francis and the robot "Robby"

Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y4crGU7dkg


The kids were enthralled with Robby and the special effects, while I was stealing glances at Anne.

The usual 7/10 (the 'Killer Shrews" being a perfect 10)

[YesNo]

The kids were enthralled with Robby and the special effects, while I was stealing glances at Anne.


I remember seeing that when I was a child. Something about the "monsters of the id" was all I remember being too young to appreciate Anne Francis.

[MorpheusSandman]

Husbands (1970; John Cassavetes) - 8/10

Depending on your opinion of Cassavetes' style of actor-centric improvisation, the film is either exhilarating or exasperating. I lean towards both. It's an experience I won't forget, but one I likely won't feel the urge to revisit soon.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011; David Fincher) - 7/10

Better than the Swedish version thanks to Fincher's laser sharp direction, but it still feels rather underwhelming despite the fine performances.

Mysteries of Lisbon (2010; Raul Ruiz) - 9.5/10

Its narrative is labyrinthine with its wealth of intricately related vignettes woven together over a 4.5 hour runtime. One can tell that its source is a 19th century novel with the proliferation of characters and stories-within-stories. However novel-esque its plot, it's the extraordinary visuals that make it entirely cinematic. It looks like Mizoguchi directing a Visconti film, with the opulent, operatic production design and melodrama of the latter paired with the cinematographic, graceful, long-takes and distance of the former. A truly unforgettable experience.

[Emil Miller]

Ma nuit chez Maud (1969) Directed by Eric Rohmer.

This film in black and white, as most of the so-called 'New Wave' French films of the period are, is a stylish but also slightly stylised and wordy story of a man's struggle to live according to his religious principles in a world where religion has been undermined by science. As an engineer for the Michelin company his Catholicism and the requirements of his work are the cause of a conflict that becomes even more sharply focused when he meets an old schoolfriend who introduces him to a smart divorcee who tries to seduce him. Although he is tempted, he rejects her for a woman he has seen attending church services and whom he eventually marries.
There is some outstanding camera work showing the town of Clermont-Ferand and the Auvergne countryside in winter and good, though slightly muted, performances from the cast.

7/10

[YesNo]

Quartet (1981): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082964/

The library put up a display of their Merchant-Ivory films and so I tried this one. It is based on Jean Rhys' novel. I enjoyed Isabelle Adiani's portrayal of Marya.

8/10

[MorpheusSandman]

Ma nuit chez Maud (1969) Directed by Eric Rohmer.That's my favorite Rohmer film of those I've seen thus far, but I think it's better when seen in the context of his other "Six Moral Tales." As is typical with Rohmer, complex and ambiguous moral situations are worked out with a great deal of detail, with plenty of interplay between the copious dialogue and camera.

[Snowqueen]

I watched Adventures of Tintin with my young cousins who are spending their weekend with us. This movie is directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson and we all enjoyed it. 8/10

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Best In Show via Christmas dvd from my brother in law.
A comical spoof on the dog show culture. 6/10

[YesNo]

Bombay Talkie (1970) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065484/

This is another Merchant Ivory movie that got me looking at recent Bollywood songs.

9/10

Included on the DVD was a documentary, Helen, Queen of the Nautch Girls, 1973. Helen was the dancer in over 500 Bollywood movies. Although the commentary was confusing, it was a good portrayal of a remarkable dancer.

8/10

[qimissung]

Les Miserables. It. was. awesome. If you like the play, you will probably like the movie. I need to read the book again. I read an abridged version when I was in high school and loved it. Someday I'd like to read the whole thing. 10/10

A Beautiful Life. This has been tagged as a romance, but it is also a young woman's voyage of discovery about herself. 9/10

We Bought a Zoo. Adorable. A lovely movie. Is there anything Matt Damon can't do? He is quite good as a grief-sricken father who will do anything to see his children happy. 9/10

The Bourne Legacy. Meh. I liked it, but it's just an excuse to make another action movie. By which I mean the plot seemed rather recycled. 8/10

[MorpheusSandman]

Sabrina (1954; Billy Wilder) - 9/10

Effortless grace and charm with some biting wit, sarcasm, and cynicism as only Billy Wilder could do. It doesn't hurt that he had Audrey Hepburn and Bogart as leads.

The White Sheik (1952; Federico Fellini) - 6/10

Fellini's first film contains only glimpses of the greatness to come.

[Emil Miller]

Orphée written and directed by Jean Cocteau (1950)

This retelling of the story of Orpheus is very French in style and dress. It's an interesting view of the Greek myth and uses surrealism to great effect, although the happy earthly ending might be somewhat disconcerting for those who like their mythology undiluted.
Once again b/w photography triumphs where colour would have been a puerile distraction to a story that deals with the interplay of art, life and death. Definitely not for those who prefer watching the screen with the brain switched off.

8/10

[Emil Miller]

Umberto D. directed by Vitorrio De Sica (1952).

This early example of Italian neo-realism was said to be De Sica's favourite and although it's a rather sentimental
Chaplinesque story about an old man whose only companions are his dog and a young girl who works as a maid
in the apartment house where he lives, it holds the attention by the amazing acting that De Sica coaxes out of
complete amateurs.

7/10

[YesNo]

Hope Springs (2012) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535438/

Steve Carell is the shrink. Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones play the couple who need marriage counseling after 30 years of marriage of which the last five years are celibate.

This is a feel-good chick flick that could save you thousands of dollars in therapy if you see it with your partner since the solutions Carell offers are just plain obvious, but not to those caught as that couple was.

For the savings in therapy costs alone, I'd have to give this a 10/10.

[MorpheusSandman]

Delicatessen (1991; Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro) - 8.5/10

Quirky in that inimitable Jeunet/Caro way, which looks like what would happen if you tossed surrealism, the circus, cartoons, comics, pop art, Carne, Leone, and many other influences into the mix. The two bed squeaking scenes set to music are worth the runtime.


Orphée written and directed by Jean Cocteau (1950)I always feel like I should like Cocteau more than I do given my love for surrealism, but his Beauty and the Beast is the only film of his I truly love. Orpheus was quite interesting, though.


Umberto D. directed by Vitorrio De Sica (1952).

This early example of Italian neo-realism...

7/10Awww, that's probably my favorite neo-realist film after Rome: Open City. I gave it a 9/10. I usually don't like sentimental schmaltz; that one still got to me. FWIW, that was late, rather than early, neo-realism, which had already been around for almost a decade.

[Emil Miller]

FWIW, that was late, rather than early, neo-realism, which had already been around for almost a decade.

You are right, I was thinking of De Sica's long post-war career rather than concentrating on the movement as I should have done. Rome, Open City is one of the greatest films ever made and Anna Magnani's performance one of the greatest also.

[Emil Miller]

This is one of those multi-national productions that is predominately French and is part of the repetitive spy story films that dogged the 1970s. In saying that, it is quite good of its type with a cast of top liners, including Henry Fonda, Yul Brynner, Dirk Bogarde and Philippe Noiret. The story concerns the defection of a Soviet Colonel to France and, under pressure from the USA, to America where he tells of a network of spies working at the highest level of German, French and English governmental activity. The spies start to mysteriously end up dead and the convoluted plot explains why.
Needless to say, the viper in the nest is the ultra-British intelligence agent whose upper-class pedigree masks a hooray Henry defection. 7/10

[MorpheusSandman]

The American Soldier (1970; Rainer Werner Fassbinder) - 5.0/10

Fassbinder's art continues to elude me. I've yet to see anything of his that's appealing. This one has some nice noir stylings, but is so dry and dull that the atmosphere is about the only thing even remotely worthwhile.

[Alexander III]

Il marchese dell Grillo

In my opinion thisis alberto sordis finest work, pure comdic genius of theoldschool. A must watch for anyone who values plautuses and terences comedy.

9/10

[qimissung]

Anna Karenina 10/10 This is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. It is a ballet, it is an opera, it is a play. The settings are luscious and gorgeous. And believe it or not it is well-acted. I thought Kiera Knightly did a very good job; Jude Law was outstanding as the wronged husband. The actor who played Vronsky, Aaron Taylor Johnson (who also played the lead in 2010's "Kick ***"), was good, but he was six years younger than Ms. Knightly, and it shows. It was just noticeable.

I thought Knightly did a very good job of showing Anna as a complex character.The only other flaw for me was that Knightly played Anna as a trifle histrionic when her world was falling apart; I'm reading the book now, and I think her character's grief, while still profound, would be of a quieter and more intense nature. I think she really got it right in the scene just after she gave birth, and the scenes where she is falling in love she is quite transcendent.

Interestingly, I found this interview with her on her role on NPR, and she had this to say about playing anger:


"My dad gave me my probably one and only acting lesson before I did Pride and Prejudice, where he sat me down — I was 18, I think — and he sat me down and he went, 'Right. You've been doing really well on getting by on instinct alone but I think you actually need a couple of tools here.' So he basically talked me through a bit of Stanislavsky and gave me a very, very good note actually, which I've always said. He said, 'Beware of playing anger.' He said, 'Anger isn't very interesting. If you think you're going to go there, really think about it because maybe there's a more interesting route.' And I've actually always held to that because I think he's quite right."

The rest of the interview is here:

http://www.npr.org/2012/12/08/166066537/knightleys-anna-karenina-loses-the-innocence


I have to admit I like Joe Wright. His movies are so painterly, and in this instance all the elements came together spectacularly. Tom Stoppard's screenplay is also well done.

[MorpheusSandman]

It Rains On Our Love (1946; Ingmar Bergman) - 5/10

Bergman's second film with very little of the great, idiosyncratic genius to come.

Le Amiche (1955; Michaelangelo Antonioni) - 7/10

Early Antonioni is still quite interesting. One can definitely see how he's already experimenting with space and mise-en-scene populated with angst-ridden bourgeoisie. Unlike in his later masterpieces, though, he's not yet entirely reliant on visual metaphors and expressionism with a minimal of dialogue and downplaying of character-driven plot. There's a lot of characters here and the film is awash in dialogue. It does, however, have that characteristic detached, observational distance going on, so despite the wealth of characters we still get to play the role of objective observer.

[Emil Miller]

Sudden Fear (1952)

Joan Crawford is the successful and rich playwrite who marries Jack Palance not knowing he is a confidence trickster after her money. Gloria Grahame is his girlfriend who joins him in a plan to kill the playwrite. Somewhat stagey and not very convincing thriller of the type that rolled off the Hollywood production line during the 40s and 50s. Looking at them now, mediocrity seems to be the hallmark of many of them but there were some very good ones although this isn't one of them. It's alright in patches so it gets 5/10.

http://youtu.be/xAYfP4D-BMI

[YesNo]

Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080945/

Apparently not everything Jane Austen wrote is worth spending over $50,000 for including the play that forms the basis for this Merchant Ivory movie. Not knowing much about theater companies I found it difficult to see anyone behaving the way they did around Pierre, but amusing to watch.

Score 5/10

[MorpheusSandman]

Do the Right Thing (1989; Spike Lee) - 9/10

Don't know why it took me so long to see this; it's an extraordinary film that avoids all of the pitfalls that most "racial commentary" films fall into (see: Crash). A great cast of characters and actors, colorful writing and direction, and a wonderful build-up to a devastating climax.

[Irishcrusader95]

The Life of Pi (2013)
i had a lot pf expectations for this move based on what i had heard, yet ultimately it let me down. while there were some great scenes and a bit of a twist ending i still found it a bit boring and while the artistic style of it was good it failed to really hold my attention so i would not watch it a second time.

[Snowqueen]

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by David Fincher - 7/10


Anna Karenina 10/10 This is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. It is a ballet, it is an opera, it is a play. The settings are luscious and gorgeous. And believe it or not it is well-acted. I thought Kiera Knightly did a very good job; Jude Law was outstanding as the wronged husband. The actor who played Vronsky, Aaron Taylor Johnson (who also played the lead in 2010's "Kick ***"), was good, but he was six years younger than Ms. Knightly, and it shows. It was just noticeable.
.

Qimi, I had watched the trailer of Anna Karenina when it came out and didn’t really like it, to be honest, but after reading your post I’m planning to see this film. I’ve seen Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice and it was good.

[MorpheusSandman]

The Fugitive Kind (1959; Sidney Lumet) - 8/10

I'm rather puzzled at the lukewarm reputation this film has; what's not to like? You have the greatest American actor ever in Marlon Brando paired with the greatest Italian actress ever in Anna Magnani together playing two lonely characters with the utmost subtlety and understatement; you have superb supporting performances by Joanne Woodward and Victor Jory, a superbly written screenplay by Tennessee Williams (based on Orpheus Descending), all concatenated by the intelligent, slow-burning, atmospheric direction of Lumet. Perhaps it's a trifle too theatrical, especially in terms of the unnatural, florid dialogue, but Lumet was always at home with such theatrical material, and that doesn't make it any less cinematic.

[sadparadise]

Les Miserables, very well done! 10/10.

[Emil Miller]

The Full Treatment (1961)

A British thriller set on the Riviera in 1960, three years before the laughingly called entertainment **** hit the fan, was not to be missed even though my references gave it the thumbs down. Starring the tragic Ronald Lewis, who died penniless in a seedy London hotel, and a cast of well known contemporary French and British actors, it concerns a racing driver who suffers brain damage during a motor accident in England on his way to France with his newly married bride. Undergoing psychiatry after discovering that he wants to strangle his wife, he discovers that the psychiatrist is setting him up for an insane asylum in order to marry his wife. Run of the mill performances in a run of the mill film but, as a personal nostalgia trip, 7/10.

[YesNo]

Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall

This is a concert. The best part was "Someone Like You" followed by the closing "Rolling in the Deep". I realized she is one of the greatest poets of the English language when thousands in the audience sang her lyrics for her. Some might not consider that even a criteria for being a poet, but so be it.

It was a little difficult following her accent when she spoke, but not her songs. I did learn how English females say "a$$hole" from her which is more delicate, like "ahshole", than the cruder way I would pronounce it.

Score 10/10

[qimissung]

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by David Fincher - 7/10



Qimi, I had watched the trailer of Anna Karenina when it came out and didn’t really like it, to be honest, but after reading your post I’m planning to see this film. I’ve seen Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice and it was good.


Eeek, I really hope you like it, Snowqueen! Let me know when you see it.

[islandclimber]

Patrice Leconte's Girl On a Bridge.

Filmed in an almost sulphurous black and white, with a haunting score, Girl On a Bridge is unapologetically romantic, it is erotic without nudity, its humour is droll, its voice alternates between uplifting and bleak. Daniel Auteil is incredible as the knife-thrower Gabor, there's a subtle brutality to him that is caged deep inside, and his mysterious world-weary eyes speak volumes. Vanessa Paradis brilliantly portrays the delicately sensual, naive, tragic Adele, his target, who falls in love with any man who is nice to her, even though she seems to understand the joke is on her... They belong to the caste of those discarded by society, from their near suicidal meeting on the bridge, through their erotic (in an uncomfortably delightful way) knife-throwing act, their parting, and to their near suicidal reunion. But together they overcome this alienation. 9/10

[Pierre Menard]

Autumn Sonata by Bergman: Beautiful film. Liv Ullman and Ingrid Bergman play off each other so magnificently, in their estranged mother-daughter relationship. The years of resentment and guilt and pain build to a heart-wrenching climax and re-established why Bergman is my favourite of all filmmakers. 9/10


King of Comedy by Scorcese: Real quality flick. De Niro is absolutely at the top of his game (as is Scorcese's directing) and Jerry Lewis is excellent as well. The Don Quixote-esque nature of his character with his desire for fantasy over reality is ultimately somewhat tragic and moving. Good stuff. 8/10

[MorpheusSandman]

Dancer in the Dark (2000; Lars Von Trier) - 9.5/10

I'm one of Trier's biggest critics, but this was a brilliant, emotionally gut-wrenching film--easily his best since Breaking the Waves. Say what you want about Trier's troll-like tendencies, but he is undeniably a ballsy filmmaker, and one of the very few that can so originally and audaciously experiment with form and genre. Who but him could think of combining a plot straight out of a 20s, silent melodrama (a poor girl is going blind and working in a factory to save money for her son's operation so he won't go blind--eat your heart out, Charlie Chaplin and Lilian Gish!), a musical, and the "style" of Dogme 95? It could've been disastrous--and many critics have claimed such (Peter Bradshaw humorously said: "one of the worst films, one of the worst artworks and perhaps one of the worst things in the history of the world.")--but it's held together by Bjork's stunning, unbearably poignant performance, and the utterly original and haunting musical numbers. I know that this is a film I'll be thinking about for months and probably years to come.

Jackie Brown (1997; Quentin Tarantino) - 7/10

This was rewatch on blu-ray, and I thought perhaps this film would've grown on me over the years, but it still feels bizarrely subdued for a Tarantino film. Where's the sense of fun and cinematic adventurism? There are some fine moments, and nobody an orchestrate more original and surprising murders than Tarantino, but it runs way too long and is far too dull for too much of that runtime to be considered great.


Autumn Sonata by Bergman: Beautiful film. Liv Ullman and Ingrid Bergman play off each other so magnificently, in their estranged mother-daughter relationship. The years of resentment and guilt and pain build to a heart-wrenching climax and re-established why Bergman is my favourite of all filmmakers. 9/10

King of Comedy by Scorcese: Real quality flick. De Niro is absolutely at the top of his game (as is Scorcese's directing) and Jerry Lewis is excellent as well. The Don Quixote-esque nature of his character with his desire for fantasy over reality is ultimately somewhat tragic and moving. Good stuff. 8/10Both great films. Bergman is part of my "holy trinity" of filmmakers along with Hitchcock and Kurosawa.

[qimissung]

Patrice Leconte's Girl On a Bridge.

Filmed in an almost sulphurous black and white, with a haunting score, Girl On a Bridge is unapologetically romantic, it is erotic without nudity, its humour is droll, its voice alternates between uplifting and bleak. Daniel Auteil is incredible as the knife-thrower Gabor, there's a subtle brutality to him that is caged deep inside, and his mysterious world-weary eyes speak volumes. Vanessa Paradis brilliantly portrays the delicately sensual, naive, tragic Adele, his target, who falls in love with any man who is nice to her, even though she seems to understand the joke is on her... They belong to the caste of those discarded by society, from their near suicidal meeting on the bridge, through their erotic (in an uncomfortably delightful way) knife-throwing act, their parting, and to their near suicidal reunion. But together they overcome this alienation. 9/10

That looks really good. Thank you, islandclimber.


Dancer in the Dark (2000; Lars Von Trier) - 9.5/10

I'm one of Trier's biggest critics, but this was a brilliant, emotionally gut-wrenching film--easily his best since Breaking the Waves. Say what you want about Trier's troll-like tendencies, but he is undeniably a ballsy filmmaker, and one of the very few that can so originally and audaciously experiment with form and genre. Who but him could think of combining a plot straight out of a 20s, silent melodrama (a poor girl is going blind and working in a factory to save money for her son's operation so he won't go blind--eat your heart out, Charlie Chaplin and Lilian Gish!), a musical, and the "style" of Dogme 95? It could've been disastrous--and many critics have claimed such (Peter Bradshaw humorously said: "one of the worst films, one of the worst artworks and perhaps one of the worst things in the history of the world.")--but it's held together by Bjork's stunning, unbearably poignant performance, and the utterly original and haunting musical numbers. I know that this is a film I'll be thinking about for months and probably years to come.

Jackie Brown (1997; Quentin Tarantino) - 7/10

This was rewatch on blu-ray, and I thought perhaps this film would've grown on me over the years, but it still feels bizarrely subdued for a Tarantino film. Where's the sense of fun and cinematic adventurism? There are some fine moments, and nobody an orchestrate more original and surprising murders than Tarantino, but it runs way too long and is far too dull for too much of that runtime to be considered great.

Both great films. Bergman is part of my "holy trinity" of filmmakers along with Hitchcock and Kurosawa.

Great reviews, Morpheus. I've wanted to see Breaking the Waves for awhile.


Rust and Bone 10/10 Oh, the French. Are they capable of making a bad movie? This is beautifully done, and the lead actors give unflinching and practically flawless performances.

[islandclimber]

That looks really good. Thank you, islandclimber.



Great reviews, Morpheus. I've wanted to see Breaking the Waves for awhile.


Rust and Bone 10/10 Oh, the French. Are they capable of making a bad movie? This is beautifully done, and the lead actors give unflinching and practically flawless performances.

Breaking the Waves is such a fantastic film. I've always positively adored Emily Watson and this was likely her most stirring performance. Simply beautiful in that tragic way.

Rust and Bone was quite brilliant. Cotillard and Schoenaerts have a wonderful on-screen chemistry.

Here's a link to a scene from Girl On the Bridge. Accompanied, and heightened by the stunning Marianne Faithfull song Who Will Take my Dreams Away (a song that has that savagely eloquent taste of smoke and leather one finds subtly in amazing bottles of red wine alongside seductive fruits), this scene is quite possibly the most dangerously romantic scene in all of film. When Auteil closes those desperate eyes to throw the last few knives, and Paradis positively writhes, gasping for some kind of air that cannot be grasped, that is beyond love. Ahhhh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaamZLKRul0

[MorpheusSandman]

Great reviews, Morpheus. I've wanted to see Breaking the Waves for awhile.Thanks. Do let me know what you think about Breaking the Waves if/when you see it. Von Trier has a habit of getting great performances out of his (often amateur) actresses, and Emily Watson is as superb in Waves as Bjork is in Dancer.

[Calidore]

Von Trier has a habit of getting great performances out of his (often amateur) actresses

Although his methods can drive them away from ever acting again, as with Bjork.

[MorpheusSandman]

True, and that's a real shame. I listened to the commentary today and it did sound like they clashed a lot and it was a tough shoot. It reminds me of the old days of Hollywood when many of the directors were dickish taskmasters, but, whatever he did, it sure worked.

[Calidore]

True, and that's a real shame. I listened to the commentary today and it did sound like they clashed a lot and it was a tough shoot. It reminds me of the old days of Hollywood when many of the directors were dickish taskmasters, but, whatever he did, it sure worked.

Some directors see their movies as theirs rather than team efforts, and feel that whatever is necessary to get the "correct" response from the actor is therefore justified. Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and David Fincher are all notorious for their treatment of their actors.

[MorpheusSandman]

Don't forget John Ford. Hitchcock may have said actors should be treated like cattle, but I've never heard any real complaints about how he treated those he worked with.

Angels With Dirty Faces (1938; Michael Curtiz) - 8.5/10

One of infamous 30s gangster films with Cagney and a young Bogart. Cagney is top-form throughout in what maybe his best performance and best role as perhaps the most charismatic and personable gangster ever in Rocky Sullivan. In fact, he's so good he makes everyone else, including Bogart, Pat O'Brien, and Ann Sheridan pale in comparison, which makes all of the scenes without him come off as rather listless. One wonders if the Sheridan love-interest plotline didn't get heavily hacked, because it seems really incomplete and directionless. Pat O'Brien's priest character (Rocky's best friend since childhood) is so shallow and dull in comparison, though I wonder if that wasn't part of the point being made about the attractiveness of the gangster lifestyle. Luckily, it's held together with some fine, tasteful direction by Michael Curtiz, perhaps the most underrated of the old Hollywood masters. Direction at that time was supposed to be muted, utilitarian, and unostentatious, and while Curtiz can do that, he also finds spots for stylistic flairs in terms of framing, angles, lighting, and editing. The final execution scene may be the best of its kind to come out of classic Hollywood.

[Pierre Menard]

Both great films. Bergman is part of my "holy trinity" of filmmakers along with Hitchcock and Kurosawa.


I'm a little ashamed to say I've only seen Ikiru and Rashomon of Kurosawa's. Both excellent films but I've been lazy getting around to the rest of his work. I have Ran and Throne of Blood sitting here, really need to get around to watching them.

Hitchcock is of course brilliant.

Bergman and Kubrick are my dynamic duo, though.

[Emil Miller]

The Keys to the Kingdom (1944)

This adaptation of A. J.Cronin's best selling novel about an English missionary's life in China is very well acted by Gregory Peck in the lead role and has solid support from Vincent Price and Edmund Gwenn among others. The American accents are too obvious in a film that concerns people from the Tyneside region of England where there is a very strong localised accent. The film is over two hours long but the story, which follows the book reasonably well, holds the interest and covers the internal politics of the Catholic religion that is a feature of the novel. There are some genuinely touching scenes which the director, John M. Stahl, handles well and if Alfred Newman's music score is over the top, the intelligent script by Joseph L Mankiewicz and Nunally Johnson holds the film together. 7/10

[MorpheusSandman]

Barton Fink (1991; Coen Brothers) - 9.0/10

Probably my second favorite Coen film now behind only No Country for Old Men. It's impeccably directed with their typically detached cynical humor combined with a morbid curiosity. John Turturo is outstanding as the playwright suffering writer's block after coming to Hollywood, and John Goodman is his usual, amiable self, but with subtle, darker underpinnings. The film's nosedive into surreality was a real surprise; the Coen's have flirted with that kind of thing in many of their films (the dream that ends No Country, or the whirlwind in A Simple Man), but none of them have gone for it this fully. The ending on the beach is quite provocative, almost Blade Runner-esque in how mysterious and hypnotic it is. The unopened box seems like an allusion to a similar device in Bunuel's Belle de jour. Altogether a superb film.


I'm a little ashamed to say I've only seen Ikiru and Rashomon of Kurosawa's... Bergman and Kubrick are my dynamic duo, though.If that's all you've seen from Kurosawa then you've got a lot of masterpieces waiting for you: Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Ran, Kagemusha, Dersu Uzala, Yojimbo, Red Beard... When I was in my teens I definitely would've included Kubrick, but over the years my enthusiasm has waned a bit. I still consider 2001, Dr. Strangelove, and Barry Lyndon transcendental masterpieces, but I'm more ambivalent about the rest of his work.

[YesNo]

My daughter and I were reciting lines from Scary Movie 3 last night. Since we had some discrepancy about what the lines were exactly we decided to watch it again.

Score 10/10

[Emil Miller]

Brandy for the Parson (1951).

The title comes from a poem by Rudyard Kipling about smuggling as this very English comedy details how a diverse group of people try smuggling barrels of French brandy across country by using ponies when their van breaks down. Although in B/W the English country side is shown to great advantage and the whimsicality of the story underlines the eccentricity of some of the characters that make their appearance along the way. Not a film that could be appreciated outside of the UK as its gentility would be unknown elsewhere but it's a pleasant enough tale and quite satisfying in its own way. 7/10

[Calidore]

If that's all you've seen from Kurosawa then you've got a lot of masterpieces waiting for you: Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Ran, Kagemusha, Dersu Uzala, Yojimbo, Red Beard...

I just started watching The Hidden Fortress last night, but was too tired to get more than about 20 minutes in.

I think the only other Kurosawa I've seen are Yojimbo and Seven Samurai. I watched Yojimbo a few years back as a prologue to a Sergio Leone marathon, since Fistful of Dollars was a remake. I enjoy doing original/remake double features (if they're both good), so what I want to do sometime is watch Seven Samurai again along with Magnificent Seven, which I've still never seen, Ran with King Lear, and Throne of Blood with Macbeth.

[qimissung]

The Keys to the Kingdom (1944)

This adaptation of A. J.Cronin's best selling novel about an English missionary's life in China is very well acted by Gregory Peck in the lead role and has solid support from Vincent Price and Edmund Gwenn among others. The American accents are too obvious in a film that concerns people from the Tyneside region of England where there is a very strong localised accent. The film is over two hours long but the story, which follows the book reasonably well, holds the interest and covers the internal politics of the Catholic religion that is a feature of the novel. There are some genuinely touching scenes which the director, John M. Stahl, handles well and if Alfred Newman's music score is over the top, the intelligent script by Joseph L Mankiewicz and Nunally Johnson holds the film together. 7/10

That sounds kind of interesting, Emil, and I see it's from a book by A. J. Cronin.

You know, Morpheus, I've only seen "The Seven Samurai," myself, by Kurosawa. I see why it's a classic. I would like to see "Ran," too, but first, "Breaking the Waves" :)

I went to see "Flight" last night. Excellent movie, with another good performance by Denzel Washington. I had to venture out in the dark and the cold late at night no less, but it was worth it. 9/10

[MorpheusSandman]

Dogtooth (2009; Yorgos Lanthimos) - 5/10

Perhaps the most radical, original film ever nominated for an Oscar, but I'm afraid I must disagree with vast majority of critics who have almost universally praised it. This is one of those films that feels provocative only for the sake of provocation. It's drawn a lot of comparisons to Lars von Trier and Michael Haneke, both of which I can see, however, Trier's and Haneke's provocations always have something else more to anchor them. In Trier it may be the poignant characterizations and performances, or in Haneke it may be the philosophical inquiries into violence in cinema. I don't see any such thing here. The film seems set in an almost alternate universe where families (at least, this one) are so insulated from the rest of reality they regress to a primitive state where they have to reshape the language (hence the aphoria), create their own mythology (the evilness of cats), invent their own games (a bizarre variation on Marco Polo), and naively discover sexuality.

Really, more than Trier or Haneke, the film reminds me of the cinema of Tsai Ming-liang. Like Tsai, Lanthimos primarily utilizes static frames and wide lenses with a one-scene, one-take rule (though Lanthimos does break this pattern more than Tsai). He then pairs these frames with an eerie minimalism that can then be used to shock, or even for surprising humor (I admit, I did laugh at the oldest sister performing the dance from Flashdance). However, the palpable loneliness and poignancy that pervades Tsai is nowhere to be found here, nor are the painterly, painstakingly composed frames. Lanthimos's approach is more like a ten year old boy who has stumbled onto his sister's Barbie dolls and is only interested in how much perverse fun he can have with them by pulling their heads off, stripping them, and making them have sex with each other.

I can't help but think this film's praise has been predicated more on the fact that it's one of those that's quite fun to discuss, because whether it provokes praise or disgust, there's something to chat with one's fellow critics/cinephiles with. That's fine and all, but I do wish the film itself was good enough to warrant it.

Swing Time! (1936; George Stevens) - 7/10

One of the middle and more middling films to come out of the Astaire/Rogers pairing. It's still quite effervescent and charming, but not at the level of Top Hat.


I just started watching The Hidden Fortress last night, but was too tired to get more than about 20 minutes in.

I think the only other Kurosawa I've seen are Yojimbo and Seven Samurai. I watched Yojimbo a few years back as a prologue to a Sergio Leone marathon, since Fistful of Dollars was a remake. I enjoy doing original/remake double features (if they're both good), so what I want to do sometime is watch Seven Samurai again along with Magnificent Seven, which I've still never seen, Ran with King Lear, and Throne of Blood with Macbeth.I also like doing the whole original/remake double feature. I actually did that with Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven. Both fine films, but the latter certainly isn't a masterpiece on the level as the former.


You know, Morpheus, I've only seen "The Seven Samurai," myself, by Kurosawa. I see why it's a classic. I would like to see "Ran," too, but first, "Breaking the Waves" :)Sure thing. :)

[Snowqueen]

I saw Lawless; it’s a good movie. I like the performances of Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce. 7/10

[MorpheusSandman]

The Nameless (1999; Jaume Balagueró) - 4/10

A decent exercise in atmospheric horror, but that's about it. It's somewhat reminiscent of Fincher's vastly superior Se7en.

[Alexander III]

On a small side note has anyone seen Django? I saw it and loved it, but I would like to hear diverse opinions on it.

[kelby_lake]

Les Miserables- Good take on the musical, but the musical's the thing here (8/10)

[MorpheusSandman]

All the King's Men (1949; Robert Rossen) - 8.5/10

Probably the best film on politics ever that feels as relevant today as ever. The writing is razor sharp, with characters that distinctively evolve over the course of the film. As they evolve, so do our allegiances, eventually ending in something approaching chaos where we don't know what to think. A powerful depiction about how political ambition can ruin even the most decent and honest souls. Rossen's gritty direction is also a great boon for the film, as he brings the same kind of hard-nosed edge he did on the best of all the classic boxing films, Body and Soul.


On a small side note has anyone seen Django? I saw it and loved it, but I would like to hear diverse opinions on it.I almost never go to the theaters to watch films. Their prices are outrageous when I can rent movies for about $1 on Netflix. Saving up for a good home theater is a much better investment.

[Emil Miller]

All the King's Men (1949; Robert Rossen) - 8.5/10

Probably the best film on politics ever that feels as relevant today as ever. The writing is razor sharp, with characters that distinctively evolve over the course of the film. As they evolve, so do our allegiances, eventually ending in something approaching chaos where we don't know what to think. A powerful depiction about how political ambition can ruin even the most decent and honest souls. Rossen's gritty direction is also a great boon for the film, as he brings the same kind of hard-nosed edge he did on the best of all the classic boxing films, Body and Soul.



Broderick Crawford turns in a great performance as Willie Stark and the film makes for gripping viewing. It's far better than the book, which I reviewed on the forum a short while ago. The John Ireland and Mercedes McCambridge characters are completely different to those in the novel where the central character is the narrator rather than Stark, who is obviously based on the real life Huey Long .

[MorpheusSandman]

Yeah, I forgot to mention the performances, and Crawford is superb.

Dov'è la libertà...? (1954; Roberto Rossellini) - 7.5/10

A charming surprise of a virtually unknown Rossellini film. Most everyone that knew him spoke of his light-hearted humor, but that side rarely came through in his films, which evolved from the dark neo-realism of his early days to the more restrained, subtle, and formal films of his later historical films. This, however, is a comic social satire of a Swiftian nature about a man who's released from prison after 20 years whom gains his freedom only to find that the outside world has degenerated beyond all recognition to the point he breaks back into prison! It has a wonderful lead performance by Toto, Italy's answer to Chaplin and Keaton, with a very light touch by Rossellini in the direction.

Amore e Rabbia (1969; Bellochio, Bertolucci, Pasolini, Godard, Lizzani)

An anthology of 5 short films by the above directors, only one of which is worthwhile: Godard's L'Amore (8/10 rating), which is a perfect condensation of everything that makes Godard great--a bit of poetry, politics, philosophy, film, humor, and Brecht combined with an utterly singular, distinctive, gorgeous visual eye for composition and "ear" for editing rhythms. Lizzani's L'indifferenza (4/10) is a dull, badly shot, on-the-nose depiction of people's indifference to the tragedies around them; Bellochio's Discutiamo, discutiamo (3/10) is a bunch of intellectual talking heads discussing society and politics with nothing cinematic about it; Pasolini's La sequenza del fiore di carta (5/10) is a pseudo-poetic depiction of innocent ignorance, depicted by an oblivious character walking happily down the street, juxatposed with the "knowledge" of the horrors of society around them with voiceovers discussing how anyone can remain innocent in such a society. Bertolucci's Agonia (6/10) is a rarely filmed example of Living Theater, an avant-garde theater movement that's either challenging and exhilarating in its abstract, expressive rawness, or hopelessly silly and pretentious. I actually found it rather interesting, but too overlong, and a bit too obviously symbolic of the Catholic Church's indifference to the suffering of the Italian people (I guessed from the beginning the old man was going to be a Papal figure). Ultimately, this collection is worth it for Godard completists, but that's about it.

[qimissung]

All the King's Men (1949; Robert Rossen) - 8.5/10

Probably the best film on politics ever that feels as relevant today as ever. The writing is razor sharp, with characters that distinctively evolve over the course of the film. As they evolve, so do our allegiances, eventually ending in something approaching chaos where we don't know what to think. A powerful depiction about how political ambition can ruin even the most decent and honest souls. Rossen's gritty direction is also a great boon for the film, as he brings the same kind of hard-nosed edge he did on the best of all the classic boxing films, Body and Soul.

I almost never go to the theaters to watch films. Their prices are outrageous when I can rent movies for about $1 on Netflix. Saving up for a good home theater is a much better investment.

Yes, it is expensive; and home theaters are also nice-I've attended a few showings at one. But I do like the movie going experience, the theater, the dark, all the people. It's manageable if you don't get too much at the concession stand. That's the real money pit.

Zero Dark Thirty. 10/10 I loved it. I found it compelling and I thought Jessica Chastain did an outstanding job.

[MorpheusSandman]

Empire of Passion (1978; Nagisa Oshima) - 8/10

Frequently cited as a companion film to Oshima's controversial, revolutionary In The Realm of the Senses, Empire is a much more conventional film that blends elements of noir, romance, horror, and Japanese folktales. The basic story will be familiar to anyone who's seen any of the Postman Always Rings Twice adaptations (a woman and her lover plot to kill her husband), but Oshima takes this basic premise farther by depicting the downward spiral of guilt and obsession that manifest in ghostly visions and other nightmares. The film lacks the explicit sex of Senses, but is just as sensual, especially thanks to the ravishingly gorgeous natural cinematography. Perhaps it's not as provocative as Senses, but it certainly makes up for it in a palpable, atmospheric aesthetic.

[Snowqueen]

I saw The Dark Night Rises. It wasn’t as good as I expected it to be. 6/10

[sadparadise]

Lincoln 10/10, my wife thought it was the best work Daniel Day Lewis has done to date. However, I thought the movie to be fantastic but I liked Daniel Day Lewis better in There Will BE Blood.

[MorpheusSandman]

The Lady and the Beard (1931; Yasujiro Ozu) - 5/10 & Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth? (1933; Yasujiro Ozu) - 7/10

Two early films from the master. TLATB is a a conventional student comedy, little different than Ozu's other early films in this genre. Dreams of Youth, however, shows the beginnings of his mature style. While it's not a masterpiece on the level of I Was Born But... made the same year, it still has Ozu's trademark blend of levity and wistful poignancy.

Hobson's Choice (1954; David Lean) - 9/10

Superb comedy by David Lean with Charles Laughton chewing the scenery as a blustering, alcoholic owner of a shoe store in Victorian England that he runs with his three daughters, and a meek, soft-spoken master craftsman played by John Mills. Brenda De Banzie is the eldest daughter that finally has the nerve to stand up to him by getting married to Mills and opening her own store. Everything is top-notch here, including the proto-feminist themes and Lean's superior direction. Highlights include a drunk Laughton trying to step on the moon reflected in the city street puddles, and the protracted wedding night of the confident Banzie and petrified Mills.

Sleep Tight (2011; Juame Belaguero) - 7.5/10

Excellent modern thriller about a miserable hotel concierge who makes it his life's mission to make others unhappy, including a bubbly female tenant whose room he starts sneaking into every night and drugging her with chloroform. Much like Psycho, it's a thriller that intelligently manipulates our sympathies until we're actually rooting for the creepy protagonist to get away with it. The scene that finds him trapped in the room after the woman's boyfriend stays the night is a highlight.

Boy Meets Girl (1984; Leos Carax) - 6.5/10

As in Carax's Lovers on the Bridge, an abundance of cinematic stylization takes precedence over story and characters, but here it too often borders on being labored and dull.

Or (My Treasure) (2005; Karen Yedaya) - 7/10

A simultaneously sweet and brutally sad film about a teenager girl that does everything possible to earn money to prevent her mother from keeping on as a prostitute. The film is shot in static frames that reminds one of Ozu, and like his films there is a kind of voyeuristic level of observation here. The two actors, mother and daughter, are excellent, and their jovial interactions are a highlight, though the film drags a bit when things start taking the inevitable turn for the worse.

[Alexander III]

[b]

I almost never go to the theaters to watch films. Their prices are outrageous when I can rent movies for about $1 on Netflix. Saving up for a good home theater is a much better investment.

http://www.1channel.ch/watch-2736970-Django-Unchained

Use the putlocker link, it is dvd quality. No need to thank me.

[MorpheusSandman]

No blu-ray, no extras, no thanks. I can wait.

[Corona]

The Servant - Joseph Losey 8.5

[YesNo]

Gone With the Wind

Score 10/10

[Emil Miller]

Yesterday's Enemy (1959). This black and white British film, directed by Val Guest, concerns a unit of British troops, cut off from their regiment in the Burmese jungle, who take over a Japanese occupied village after a firefight. One of the dead enemy officers has a coded map that seems of importance, so the English captain sends it with some of his men into the jungle in the hope that they will make it back to the regiment while he and the others remain behind to cover the rear in case the enemy come looking for the map. They do and, after a battle, the British are taken prisoner and subjected to psychological interrogation by the senior Japanese commander.
Good location scenes and some excellent photography save this story about the moral imperatives of war between the English captain and the Japanese intelligence officer, from becoming routine. 7/10

[Helga]

'To Rome with love' by Woody Allen, it was good, not great. Better than his worst but not as good as it's best

[MorpheusSandman]

Ichi The Killer (2001; Takashi Miike) - 8/10

Typical over-the-top blood-bath from the master of Japanese schlock shock, the uber-prolific Takashi Miiki. Ichi is a particularly bizarre and creative effort, though. Here, we have an icy-calm Yakuza (Japanese mafia) leader, killer, and sadomasochist with a slit in his cheeks held together by piercings (so when he takes them out he can open his mouth as wide as a snake) going up against a crybaby super killer, Ichi, that slices people apart with blades that come out of his shoes. Seriously, who else can come up with this stuff? One thing you can count on with Miike are scenes that are so violent they border on hilarious parody, and there are many of them here, including the Yakuza killer catching a punch in his snake-like mouth and chewing a guy's arm off, and Ichi slicing a guy completely in half from his head to his crotch. Bloody fun.

[YesNo]

The City of Your Final Destination: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_of_Your_Final_Destination

Score: 10/10

[MorpheusSandman]

The Insect Woman (1963; Shohei Imamura) - 8.5/10

On the surface, it's a Japanese New Wave rendition of the well-worn prostitute/geisha genre of Japanese cinema. Under the surface, though, it seems less like a New Wave rendering, and more like a complete summation of the various approaches to the genre. Imamura has Mizoguchi's sympathy for the plight of women during hard times, Ozu's static, unflinching camera, and Kurosawa's dynamic compositions, lighting, and in-camera movement. Perhaps the most pervasive influence, though, is Mikio Naruse, who took a much more hard-edged, realist approach to the genre, by not depicting his female characters as tragic, saintly figures ala Mizoguchi. Imamura's Tome is a complex, resourceful, ambitious, sympathetic, opportunistic, occasionally ruthless character whom is both a product of her socio-cultural context (pre-war and post-war Japan), but also a reactionary to it.

Sachiko Hidari plays Tome wonderfully over the course of the film's 3 decades, which takes us from just before the war, on through the economic boom after it, and into the early 60s. She breaks out every nuanced facet of the character, and in doing so consistently manipulates our perspective and sympathies towards her. Imamura takes a very impressionistic, fragmented perspective, which slowly reveals the whole through pieces and glimpses of scenes, with a healthful dose of Ozu-like elisions that tend to focus on the small, individualistic moments as opposed to the big, life-defining events (and even those are so subtly played they don't come off as being as monumental as they are). All in all one of the best films ever made in the "geisha/prostitute" genre that seems to get everything right by refusing to omit any perspective of the situation.

[faithosaurus]

Gangster Squad 9/10

I thought it was a great movie; a good amount of humor and action/drama. Plus, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are great actors.

[MorpheusSandman]

Plus, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are great actors.Don't know about great actors, but Emma Stone is adorable. I loved her in Easy A.

[faithosaurus]

Don't know about great actors, but Emma Stone is adorable. I loved her in Easy A.

That movie was awesome in so many ways.

Sooo, just went to see Silver Linings Playbook. 10/10. Seriously, Jennifer Lawrence...she just makes every movie she's in. So great.

[islandclimber]

That movie was awesome in so many ways.

Sooo, just went to see Silver Linings Playbook. 10/10. Seriously, Jennifer Lawrence...she just makes every movie she's in. So great.

It was that good then... I was thinking about checking it out, yet I've never been able to like Bradley Cooper. Such a mediocre actor. And De Niro has been going downhill since Taxi Driver. That's like 35 years of getting worse! Jennifer Lawrence was great in Winter's Bone. Haven't seen her in anything else.

I quite like Ryan Gosling of late. Drive was such a good film. Loved it's stark, minimalist nature. And it didn't hurt that the soundtrack was pretty epic, and the few moments of cathartic violence were so damn perfect. He played his role to perfection, with a subtlety so lacking in most films of late.

I saw Oslo, August 31st for the second time last night. I also saw it at TIFF last year. What a film. Anders Danielsen Lie's portrayal of a recovering drug addict is sublime. I'd rate his performance as best of 2011 alongside André Wilms in Kaurismaki's latest Le Havre. The film is loosely based upon Pierre Drieu La Rochelle's 1931 novel Le Feu Follet, which was made into a brilliant movie by Louis Malle many years ago (though much more along the lines of the novel). An incredible exploration into loss, shame, vulnerability and regret, alongside the dim light of hope. Anders finds himself in the midst of this vague existential crisis of wanting to live and to feel, but being unable to do so without the assistance of that which will slowly drive him to the grave. He is clean, yet in so being he remains numb. It's not so much about the struggle to remain clean, but the halfhearted existence of the afterwards and the question of "why bother living?" that arises when one is so hopelessly disconnected from all one thought meaningful. Danielsen Lie's performance is masterful in its complex version of simplicity. And Trier's film is much more sombre and subtle than his first feature Reprise, which was quite a film itself. I give this 9.5/10... Alongside Bela Tarr's latest (and apparently last) masterpiece The Turin Horse, this was the best film of 2011. Two just brilliant films.

[MorpheusSandman]

I've started watching Lars von Trier's The Kingdom. First two eps. were awesome--very Twin Peaksian. I'm including this in the movie thread since Trier is mostly known as a film director and this "tv series" really isn't all that different from his other films, stylistically speaking.

[Calidore]

I've started watching Lars von Trier's The Kingdom. First two eps. were awesome--very Twin Peaksian. I'm including this in the movie thread since Trier is mostly known as a film director and this "tv series" really isn't all that different from his other films, stylistically speaking.

I'd think TV series watched could fall under the movies thread anyway.

I've seen the first Kingdom DVD (episodes 1-4) and it's very enjoyable. I haven't seen part 2 (eps 5-8) yet. Be advised that while the cliffhanger ending of the first set will be resolved in the second (and the main story arc running through those episodes does end in ep 4), the second set cliffhanger never will be, as the intended conclusion to the series was never shot and several of the main cast have since died. I'd still like to watch the whole thing regardless, so if you do go on to the second part, be sure to post your opinion.

If you do watch the second set anyway, be sure to post how it is.

[qimissung]

Amour 10/10. If I could vote for and Academy Award, I know which movie would get my vote, for Best Movie, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director. Yes, in my world, it is a sweep. Both the leads did such a delicate, superb job. This is a heart-wrenching movie, yet one filled up and brimming over with love.

[MorpheusSandman]

Lola Montes (1955; Max Ophuls) - 9.5/10

I have a new candidate for the most beautiful film ever made. The cinematography and mise-en-scene in Lola Montes is so intoxicating I walked away from the film with a buzz. It's hard to imagine that this masterpiece was a flop on its release that was butchered by the studio and was only restored and rereleased within the past decade. For those familiar with Ophuls's cinema, Montes isn't really different in terms of themes (oppressed women in a patriarchal society) or style (complex, omnikinetic camera movements, dense mise-en-scene), but it was his last film and his only film in color. Ophuls reportedly didn't like either being forced into color or stereo sound, but he damn sure made amazing usage of both. About the only negative is Martine Carol's rather blank performance in the title role, which quickly becomes like a second fiddle to Ophuls' direction. It gives the film a kind of chilly distance, which probably explains why the film is mostly only admired by critics and other filmmakers. On the other hand, Carol's eschewing of emotional involvement makes Lola one of the most inscrutable of Max's heroines, giving the whole film a great sense of mystery. The star of the show remains the extraordinary visuals, however, and I can perfectly understand why Andrew Sarris staked his reputation on this film proclaiming it the best film ever made. I won't go that far, but it is utterly extraordinary from a directorial, cinematographic perspective.


If you do watch the second set anyway, be sure to post how it is.I am going to watch it. I know the series ends without a conclusion, but Twin Peaks did too and it's still one of my favorite things ever.

[Snowqueen]

I watched Winter’s Bone last night; it’s a great film. Jenifer Lawrence’s performance was brilliant throughout the movie. 8/10

[MorpheusSandman]

The World (2004; Zhangke Jia) - 9/10

A wonderful "slice-of-life" film about a young couple working at an amusement park in Beijing whose theme is the great landmarks of the world. Superficially, not much happens in terms of plot or drama. Jia, like many Asian filmmakers, prefers distant observation to up-close dramatization, objective long-takes to dynamic editing. Most scenes are shot in single takes that can run well over 1 minute with the camera far enough back so that we not only observe the characters but their environment. This creates a sense of detachment, and it's the source of why many claim these types of films are boring. However, it also creates a rhythm that can be utterly hypnotic. The sense of time and space a viewer gets with this approach allows them to view the characters symbolically within the environment, and time enough to contemplate what's being shown. This has rarely been more important than in a film like this that juxtaposes the superficial, idealized wonderment of "the world" at the theme park, with the sociological destitution of China's suffering people around the edge of the frames. The ending is remarkable; Jonathan Rosenbaum told Ebert that he's seen the film 5 times and still doesn't get the ending. I like what Ebert said about it, that it's a film whose story is about a story that never has a chance to get started.


I watched Winter’s Bone last night; it’s a great film. Jenifer Lawrence’s performance was brilliant throughout the movie. 8/10I reviewed this film a while back for Cinelogue: http://www.cinelogue.com/reviews/winter-s-bone2 I agree about Jennifer Lawrence, but there was still a certain something missing from that film that kept it from being a favorite of mine that year.

[Snowqueen]

I reviewed this film a while back for Cinelogue: http://www.cinelogue.com/reviews/winter-s-bone2 I agree about Jennifer Lawrence, but there was still a certain something missing from that film that kept it from being a favorite of mine that year.

I’ve read your detailed review of Winter’s Bone and really liked it. I also love that scene, where Tearsdrop encounters the sheriff. Thanks for sharing.

[farnoosh]

The lucky one. 5/10

[MorpheusSandman]

The Kingdom (1994-1997; Lars Von Trier) 9.0/10

This is such a tough one to rate... For its scanty 8 episodes The Kingdom is as brilliant as anything that's ever been on TV, a strange mix of ER, The X-Files, and Twin Peaks, but much like Twin Peaks, The Kingdom ends on a cliffhanger without a third and final season. There really are no words to express just how frustrating this is, because with a proper ending, this could've very well been Trier's masterpiece and one of the ten best TV dramas ever. As is, it's still utterly compelling and brilliant, but ultimately disappointing to an almost devastating degree. One can praise the series on every conceivable level, from the well-written, original characters to the bold choices made in the shooting and editing to the utter originality of many of its twists and turns, including a gigantic half-demon, half-human, ultimately benevolent baby that looks like a love-child of David Cronenberg and the baby from Lynch's Eraserhead. The image of that head being born is permanently seared into my memory. Oh, and did I mention the series is funny as hell? Damn, such a shame it couldn't be finished.

[islandclimber]

Morpheus, what do you think is the best TV drama? I've always considered Krzysztof Kielowski's Dekalog to be at another level from anything else made for that medium. Vladimir Bortko's adaptations of The Idiot and Master and Margarita for tv were fantastic as well.

[MorpheusSandman]

If we count Dekalog, then I agree wholeheartedly. Kieslowski is one of my 10 favorite directors ever, and that's likely his masterpiece. I consider it a great film series as much as a great TV series. When I think of TV I tend to think of serial dramas more so than mini-series like Dekalog, though. As far as those goes, I'd probably have to go with Twin Peaks, followed by The Sopranos and The Wire. The Kingdom is right there, though it's another one I consider as cinematic as, err, televisiony. Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz deserves a mention, as well.

[islandclimber]

I suppose Dekalog could be compared to overly long films like Bela Tarr's Satantango and then would not really qualify for the TV series category. The same thing with Bortko's adaptations. Berlin Alexanderplaetz completely slipped my mind, another brilliant work. So, I suppose in eliminating all those. Twin Peaks would probably lead for me.

[MorpheusSandman]

Really, the only thing that differentiates TV and film is the format, and both have a great deal of variation. Satantango is classified as a film, even though it's longer than many single seasons of a TV show. Dekalog can be considered TV, since it aired on TV, or film if taken as a collection of 10 short films with a related subject. I don't put too much stock in such classifications, but my general rule of thumb is that TV is episodic and serial, film is non-episodic, and mini-series (and works like Dekalog, Berlin Alexanderplatz, etc.) are hybrids.

[Emil Miller]

I reviewed this film some time ago and watched it again yesterday. It's among my top ten films on account of its stupendous acting and characterization.
Arthur Kennedy gives the performance of a lifetime and Kirk Douglas is also at his best. Much criticism has been levied at Gertrude Lawrence's performance but, as the anguished single mother of crippled Jane Wyman and her brother Arthur Kennedy, trapped in a run-down St Louis apartment, she is both irritating (as the script requires) and at the same time pitiful. Wyman is superb as the crippled Laura Wingfield and heartbreakingly shy and withdrawn on account of her disability. When her brother invites a workmate home, it seems as though all the longed for hopes of the mother for a 'gentleman caller' who might take up with Laura, have been realised. The workmate ( Kirk Douglas), who believes in self-improvement, takes pity on the girl and teaches her to be more self-confident and in that one evening changes her perception of herself so that she becomes less reclusive and more outward looking. Then he reveals that he is engaged to be married to someone called Betty but Laura, although disappointed, knows that he has changed her forever.
If I had been Kirk Douglas, I would have dropped Betty and married Laura like a shot.

[MorpheusSandman]

It Happened One Night (1934; Frank Capra) - 9.5/10

What can be said about this masterpiece except that it's perhaps the paradigmatic, archetypal romantic comedy, and certainly one of the best films to come out of Classic Hollywood? Claudette Colbert was reportedly paid double her salary ($50,000 out of the film's $325,000 budget) and remarked after filming that it was the worst film she's ever made... this was before the film swept the Oscars, with her winning best actress, Gable winning best actor, Capra winning best director, and the film winning best film. It's just one of those films where everything works: the comedy, the characters, the writing, the acting, the motivic gags. It's essentially perfect.

The Southerner (1946; Jean Renoir) - 8.5/10

Renoir considered this his best American film, and it's not difficult to understand why. It features his typically understated visual poetry that he reserved for the hardworking lower classes. While it lacks the satire of his masterpieces like The Grand Illusion and The Rules of the Game, it makes up for it in its warm, meditative, elegiac tonality and delicate, almost ethereal camera. Perhaps the only negative are the unknown actors, that can't quite summon up the poignancy that Renoir tries to generate. Besides that, it's a fine film, and one of the best films made on its subject matter outside The Grapes of Wrath.

A Dry White Season (1989; Euzhan Palcy) – 4/10

A film whose heart is in the right place in its depiction of the horrors of apartheid in Africa and the ignorance of the privileged, bourgeoisie white classes, but whose execution boils down to amateurish propaganda.

Europa (1991; Lars Von Trier) – 9/10

Before Trier’s Dogme days, he was an unabashed stylist, almost to the point of baroque mannerism. Europa is his masterpiece of that style, which features more archaic classic film techniques—including the superb usage of back and front projection—than you can shake a stick at. This is one of those films whose cinematic, visual, aesthetic atmosphere trumps all other considerations. It’s a beautiful, haunting film, and really shows off Trier’s diversity given that he would make Breaking The Waves—a masterpiece in a completely different vein—just a few years later.

Cowards Bend the Knee (2003; Guy Maddin) – 7/10

Not Maddin’s best film, though it’s a fascinating exercise in silent film archaisms like his others, but earlier efforts like Arkangel and Careful are much better, not to mention the mini-masterpiece, The Heart of the World.

[Joreads]

I watched Winter’s Bone last night; it’s a great film. Jenifer Lawrence’s performance was brilliant throughout the movie. 8/10

It is an amazing movie and the novel is also great

[kaethe]

On a small side note has anyone seen Django? I saw it and loved it, but I would like to hear diverse opinions on it.

Sorry, I can´t give you a diverse opinion. Christoph Waltz at its best! So funny and clever, that movie. I so loved the opening scene with Dr. Schultz. "Guten Morgen, ihr armen Teufel!"
The bag scene has Monty Python niveau!

[YesNo]

Nobody walks: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1907731/

Score 1/10

Many of the scenes didn't make sense. The portrayal of sound effects didn't make sense. The scenes with the son didn't make sense. The "angry poem" the daughter wrote about the Italian tutor didn't make sense nor did his anger in response. She was basically a wretched student. I can see how the visitor's affairs with the husband and assistant might have the potential to make sense, but they ultimately didn't.

[MorpheusSandman]

All About My Mother (1999; Pedro Almodovar) - 8/10

As with all Almodovar, the film has visual flair to spare, but here it's set in a slightly more subdued and somber mood, and is all the more stronger for it. The characters are less caricatured than in his earlier work; they have a real humanity to them, which makes the films more melodramatic moments (and they are still rather too frequent) work better than in the past. I like how Almodovar acknowledges his influences, mainly A Streetcar Named Desire and All About Eve, which gives the films several more layers to work with. About the only negative is that the pacing is awkward in parts, especially the abruptness of many of the tragic moments, and the humor occasionally comes off as a bit forced. Ultimately, it's still a very moving film with some of the best characters conceived in cinema in the last 10+ years.

[Emil Miller]

Weird casting of top Hollywood actress Gene Tierney with Shakespearean actor Leo Genn in
this B/W British film with one of the worst scripts imaginable for a screenplay that is meant
to taken seriously. The story concerns a young girl student (Glynnis Johns) who has a crush on her
classics master and who disappears after a row with the teacher's wife, leading to small town
gossip that she may have committed suicide or that he might have murdered her.
All too obviously adapted from a play, there are a series of fraught scenes between the girl's parents
and the hapless teacher and similar scenes with the police and the school head before the girl
turns up, having run away to stay with a friend in London; thereby resuscitating the failed marriage
of the tutor and his American wife.

My film guide sums it up nicely: 'Preposterous domestic drama making much ado about nothing.'

[MorpheusSandman]

Keane (2004; Lodge Kerrigan) - 8.5/10

An utterly fascinating character study of a man suffering from mental illness (perhaps schizophrenia), drug addiction, and who may or may not have lost his daughter. With its constant, claustrophobic close-ups, Keane reminds me of Dreyer's Passion of Joan of Arc. Much like that film, the close-ups disorient us spatially from everything around Keane, so we're totally focused on his subjective experiences. However, Keane also has his moments of sanity where he meets a down-on-her-luck neighbor and that neighbor's young daughter. Much of the film concerns Keane's growing relationship with the daughter, and one of the superb features of the film is that we, as an audience, are completely unaware of how that relationship will unfold. This is because Kerrigan has written the character with such a complex volatility that we're never sure if and when we're going to encounter the mentally unstable Keane versus the loving, caring, kind Keane. Obviously, none of this would've been possible without the riveting, Oscar-worthy performance of Damian Lewis, who was unjustly snubbed by The Academy. Altogether an extraordinary effort, and one of the most unique, rewarding films to come out of the last 10 years of independent cinema.

L' Enfant Sauvage (1970; Francois Truffaut) - 7/10

A bit of a departure for Truffaut, this film has an austerity to its granitic cinematography that reminds one of the films of Bresson, or even Straub, while still retaining Truffaut's warmth, humor, and humanity. The film is based on the true story of a feral child found in the forests of late 18th century France, and the teacher--played by Truffaut himself--who attempts to civilize and educate him. Most of the film deals with that education, its successes and failures. Perhaps the film's strongest trait is Truffaut's progressive humanizing of the child they come to call Victor. However, there is a strange lack of resolution at the film's end, which could perhaps be called a trademark of Truffaut's cinema, but which doesn't work as well here as opposed to in, say, The 400 Blows.

Pauline at the Beach (1983; Eric Rohmer) - 9/10

This was my 9th Rohmer film, yet every time I watch him I'm surprised by how utterly strange and unique his rhythms are, and how he can make substantial visual cinema while drowning his films in overtly expositional dialogue. Yet I'm equally struck by how quickly I sink into those rhythms, and how quickly I'm aware of the counterpoint between the (often luscious) visuals and the complex, contradictory, even hypocritical lives of his characters. This film concerns a young girl of 15, Pauline, who is being watched by her older cousin, Marion (a stunningly gorgeous Arielle Dombasl) on vacation where they meet two men vying for Marion's affections, the younger Pierre whom loves Marion, and the older playboy Henri. The film begins as if the vacation will be about Pauline learning about love from Marion, yet all she learns is how stupid and hypocritical adults can be when it comes to love. In typical Rohmer fashion, plot is nearly non-existent, as he's not concerned about what people do but why they do it. This film is one of his best reflections on the irrationality of human behavior with its extremely well-written, subtle, very-human characters and gorgeous cinematography courtesy of the great Nestor Almendros (who also shot L'Enfant Savauge, funnily enough).

[byquist]

Netflix's new "House of Cards" with Kevin Spacey. Sorry, the old British H of C with Ian Richardson is way superior -- far more whit which only the Brits can do so well.

[MorpheusSandman]

Killer Joe (2011; William Friedkin) - 8/10

Basically, neo-noir done as a Southern Gothic dark comedy; the plot, like the best noirs, is familiar and archetypal, yet with enough original twists to make it feel fresh and new. A young drug dealer (Emil Hirsch) who's in debt to the mob convinces his father (Thomas Hayden Church) and step-mother (Gina Gershon) to hire a professional killer (Matthew McConaughey) to kill his mother (Church's ex-wife) for the life insurance that's in his sister's name. Lacking the up-front money needed, "killer Joe" agrees to take the virginal sister as a "retainer fee." The film, like many neo-noirs, takes advantage modern film's freedom to show sex and violence, which always had to be suggested in their 40s/50s predecessors.

What's original here is just how far director William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) is willing to go with it, and how originally it's introduced. The opening, eg, has Gershon answering the door of her trailer without any pants on in one of the film's many laugh-out-loud scenes. Elsewhere the film mixes eroticism and awkwardness, as in the lengthy sex scene between Joe and the sister, or the soon-to-be cult classic "drumstick" scene. The ending, however, is damn-near Shakespearean, with its eruption of revelations and violence. The performances are uniformly great, and every character feels wonderfully realistic in their respectively sleazy roles, though I have to give a special nod to Church for delivering some of the funniest lines in any film of the last 10 years with aplomb. Friedkin's direction is typically in-your-face, with editing and angles getting the most visceral punch out of every scene and shot. The irresolute ending will leave many in fits, but it's quite a trip getting there.

[qimissung]

The Impossible. 9/10 This was good. A trifle sentimental at the end, but the scenes of the tsunami were very well executed. It was hard to see how anyone managed to survive.

The Shipping New 9/10 I read the book a few years ago. I thought the movie adaptation was very well done.

[Snowqueen]

Skyfall. 7/10

Tonight I'll be watching Megamind with my nieces.

[MorpheusSandman]

Key Largo (1948; John Huston) 9/10

Bogey and Bacall, Edward G. Robinson, Lionel Barrymore, and Claire Trevor--do casts get any better than this? To top off the uber-star power you have the great John Huston directing. Key Largo is awash (no pun intended) in Huston's trademarks, including psychologically fragile masculine characters, and the vulnerable women that suffer them. The great Karl Freund lenses the film, bringing his unmatched control of noir chiaroscuro, though the film is atypical for a noir in several ways, including the single, claustrophobic setting that finds its characters taking shelter from a hurricane. Each of its characters get a multi-faceted arc. Bogart is more understated here than in, say, Sierra Madre, displaying another facet of his art. It's a good thing Bogart has that capacity for subtlety as he leaves it to Robinson to chew the scenery, and chew he does, as his Rocco is even more blustery than the storm, though infinitely less effectual. The ending on the boat is a masterpiece of pychologically piercing cinema, with Robinson's Rocco going through an array of emotions upon realizing he's suddenly become the trapped prey. The women get less to do in the film, but Bacall is even more subtly poignant than Bogart. Trevor gets to play it up a bit more as the lush, though her song number is one of the most emotionally affecting in the film. The film is nearly perfect, though some occasionally awkward pacing problems plague it at times, most won't even notice.

[Snowqueen]

I enjoyed watching Megamind and so did my nieces. 7/10

[Emil Miller]

Oscar Homolka gives a bravura performance as Descius Heiss, an escapee from Devil's Island, living in London as a successful antiques dealer who also happens to deal in stolen goods. When his shop assistant discovers his secret and begins to blackmail him, the dealer kills him and disposes of the body, but a wily police chief who is a friend of the dealer uncovers his friend's complicity. The film is spoiled by the overacting of Kenneth Griffiths as the creepy blackmailer and the usual plot loopholes that tend to undermine most crime stories, but it's entertaining viewing nevertheless and if it's somewhat dated, that's not surprising after 66 years.

[YesNo]

Zero Dark Thirty
Score 10/10

It amazed me how capturing Bin Laden hinged on perhaps one person who persisted with the right intuition.


Margaret
Score 9/10

The main character's name is Lisa, but the Margaret refers to Hopkin's poem that starts "Margaret, are you grieving over golden groves unleaving?" I don't think the poem fits the contents of the movie, but the portrayal of the teenager Lisa who carelessly caused a traffic accident resulting in a death, and careless did a lot of other self-destructive things was very good. The self-righteousness way she went about punishing others and the responses of the adults around her may make me want to watch this one again.

[Hawg Horse]

Haven't seen the movie, but wondered, does Zero Dark Thirty make reference to torture of prisoners at Guantanamo ... or elswhere?

[Emil Miller]

Directed by Lewis Gilbert, this vehicle for Dirk Bogarde concerns a fortune hunter who marries an older woman and murders her for her money but then discovers that she has left it to her wealthy sister. He gets away with the murder, scouts around for a replacement and lands up with Margaret Leighton's well-off widow of a publican. Leighton's a really common woman who gets very nasty when another elderly woman takes a shine to Dirk, but what neither of them know is that she is really the sister of the murdered wife, suspicious of how her sister died. Needless to say, the villain is uncovered and justice is done when, in attempting to escape, he drives over a cliff in the sister's car in which he has doctored the brakes. Atmospheric lighting and clever camerawork save the film from being tiresome and Margaret Leighton gives a performance of exactly the kind of woman who would embarrass a sailor on shore leave.

[Hawg Horse]

Saw Dancer Upstairs last night on Sundance channel. Did not see that it was previously reviewed here. Directed by John Malkovich and starring Javier Bardem. Almost 'nough said. I liked it a lot. 8.5, out of possible 10, for me. The theme song Who Knows Where Time Goes is mesmerizing. A movie about different passions in life, and which, if any, are worthy of forsaking all others. A note, sums it up, written to Bardem from his lover held in prison for treason "I am dead; I live only for the revolution."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hyHE9O60cQE

[YesNo]

Haven't seen the movie, but wondered, does Zero Dark Thirty make reference to torture of prisoners at Guantanamo ... or elswhere?

They called them "black sites". Maya gained some initial insight about Bin Laden's messenger from them, but it appeared from the movie, the information could have been obtained without such practices. Once the information was obtained, the hard part was making sense out of it. Maya was the only one who was 100% sure Bin Laden was at the location prior to the final operation.

[prendrelemick]

Was dragged by wife to see Les Miserables last night. I absolutely loved it. Didn't know any of the songs, but was totally drawn in. Anne Hathaway was unbelievably good. I had read that Russel Crowe couldn't sing - that turned out to be the usual journalistic bollocks- everyone carried a tune and better. Hugh Jackmann made mrs P cry at the end (in a good way).

[Emil Miller]

A young English woman and her brother visit the Paris exhibition of 1896 and book into separate rooms
at a hotel within sight of the Eiffel tower. The following morning, the hotel staff deny all knowledge of the
brother, and the room that he occupied doesn't exist. Refusing to go back to England, the girl enlists
the help of an English artist who met with her brother immediately before his disappearance, and
between them they discover that the missing room has been concealed behind a false wall, The reason
for this and the strange behaviour of the hotel staff is revealed in an ending that I don't think anyone
could possibly have guessed. Dirk Bogarde and Jean Simmons give charming performances in this Victorian thriller
that captures the Parisian atmosphere as well as the sinister undertones of the mystery.

[YesNo]

Pitch Perfect
Score 8/10

Delightfully stupid, but nonetheless stupid. I enjoyed it.

[Lykren]

Django Unchained! Loved it. 9/10 if I must rate it.

[MorpheusSandman]

Nashville (1975; Robert Altman) - 8/10

Often described as Altman's "sprawling masterpiece," Nashville is a rather ingenious mix of political satire and country music with an orgy of characters and plotlines. The film is full of dead-ends and red herrings; every time you think it's finally going to settle down and focus on something, it turns its attention elsewhere, and with Altman's constantly overlapping dialogue, the overall impression is of a never-ending symphony of images and sounds. A fascinating film, undoubtedly, but, for my money, it doesn't better Altman's elegiac McCabe and Mrs. Miller.

Naked (1993; Mike Leigh) - 9/10

Imagine the intellectual, dialogue-driven films of Eric Rohmer combined with noir visuals, a driving cello score, and a cast of hapless, disillusioned, Manchester youths and you may have a rough idea of what this film is like. It's utterly proactive throughout its runtime with its mix of laugh-out-loud humor, intellectual substance, and relentless bleakness (even brutality). Like Rohmer, there's no reason that the film should be as engaging and stimulating as it is, yet even in distended, talky scenes, like Johnny with the security guard that has them discussing everything from Nostradamus to The Book of Revelation, evolution to the apocalypse, it's utterly riveting. It probably helps the cast is pitch-perfect, especially David Thewlis' messianic masochist, Johnny, and Katrin Cartlidge's dynamic Sophie.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938; Michael Curtiz) - 8/10

Just as charming as I remember it, and may I say that blu-ray was made for these technicolor films.

[jajdude]

Straight Time -- 1978, Dustin Hoffman. Very good.

Charlie Bartlett -- 2007, dunno the kid's name, had Robert Downey Jr. Also good.

[MorpheusSandman]

Dredd (2012; Pete Travis) - 6/10

Well, it's better than the Stallone film, though that's not saying much since a polished turd would be better than that film. It still misses the humor and satirical edge of the comics, and mostly just turns the character into a violent superhero throughout the length of the film. It's clear the film was shot with 3D in mind, and like most films that have done such, it probably loses something in 2D. The super slow-mo effects were quite striking, though. Shame they have so little do with the character.

Il Bidone (1955; Federico Fellini) - 7.5/10

A really solid, early film of Fellini that's strangely underrated. It certainly lacks his later surrealistic visual imagination, instead trading it for a more traditional, neo-realism story about con men and their growing sense of morality and disillusionment with their profession. Broderick Crawford is wonderful in the lead role, and he really rings some real emotion out of his character, even if Fellini seems straining towards melodrama at certain points. The film is still strangely touching, with some wonderful sequences like the party, with its symphony of sounds, movement, characters, and mini-plotlines. It's strangely reminiscent of the party scene in Renoir's The Rules of the Game, but if it was combined with Fellini's sense of bursting-at-the-seams fun.

[cafolini]

Runaway Bride. Roberts and Gere in one of their best.

[qimissung]

A young English woman and her brother visit the Paris exhibition of 1896 and book into separate rooms
at a hotel within sight of the Eiffel tower. The following morning, the hotel staff deny all knowledge of the
brother, and the room that he occupied doesn't exist. Refusing to go back to England, the girl enlists
the help of an English artist who met with her brother immediately before his disappearance, and
between them they discover that the missing room has been concealed behind a false wall, The reason
for this and the strange behaviour of the hotel staff is revealed in an ending that I don't think anyone
could possibly have guessed. Dirk Bogarde and Jean Simmons give charming performances in this Victorian thriller
that captures the Parisian atmosphere as well as the sinister undertones of the mystery.

I do love a good mystery. Sounds good, Emil, I'll check it out. Jean Simmons is a pretty good actress, I think, isn't she? I don't really know much about Dirk Bogarde.

"A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III", directed by Roman Coppola, starring Charlie Sheen. This movie is a send-up of Charlie Sheen's life. At least that's what it appears to be. All I can say is that it is delightfully goof;, it revels in it, in fact. I think my favorite scene (after one near the beginning, anyway) is one where Sheen and his best friend, played by Jason Schwartzman, appear to be riding horses. You can just see the horses necks and rumps as it is a close up of the two men; and the necks and rumps of the horses are bobbing up and down, but on second look, the scenery is not moving by. I think this must be a tip of the hat to those old cowboy shows in the 50's and 60' like the lone ranger. At the end I just happened to see a credit for horse puppets. :lol: Let me just say they are not the only puppets in the movie. 7/10

[Emil Miller]

I do love a good mystery. Sounds good, Emil, I'll check it out. Jean Simmons is a pretty good actress, I think, isn't she? I don't really know much about Dirk Bogarde.




Bogarde was one of the most famous British actors, noted for his matinee idol looks, who made a host of films during the 1950's and '60s.
He was born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde, so I imagine he changed his name to Dirk for convenience. Jean Simmons was certainly his female match in the film but, unlike Dirk Bogarde, I never saw her in a bad film and So Long at the Fair is one of her best.
Anyhow, here's the theme music from the film: http://youtu.be/mUEzU8G-FCU


If you do decide to watch it, I would bet that you won't be able to guess the ending without looking it up beforehand.

[Snowqueen]

Wreck it Ralph - 6/10. I saw it with my nieces and they didn’t seem to enjoy it.

[Helga]

'Say anything' I sometimes just really want to watch a movie about teenagers from the 80' and maybe early 90' until Clueless ruined them. They show a totally different image of girls than movies do today

it's no Hughes but pretty good

[Desolation]

I had a Paul Thomas Anderson marathon this week, for some reason.

Boogie Nights - 8/10
Magnolia - 9/10
Punch-Drunk-Love - 8/10
The Master - 10/10 (Probably my favorite movie of 2012)

Brilliant, brilliant film-maker. Can't believe I'd only seen one of his movies (There Will Be Blood) up until a few days ago.

[YesNo]

Taken 2

Score 7/10

The action seemed pretty good and the bad guys lose. The only problem with the movie is the way the wife and daughter get hysterical and then for some odd reason cooperate.

The first Taken was OK as well. Again, the bad guys can't shoot straight and get what's coming to them.

[qimissung]

Somewhere directed by Sofia Coppola. 9/10 I loved it. Such a spare little movie, yet it says so much.

[Snowqueen]

War Horse by Steven Spielberg. 7/10

[Grit]

Perfect Pitch

7/10

I hate musicals, and glee and glee. This was musical done right. Funny and ridiculous, but with something serious and positive to say as well.

I watch a ton of movies, (work at a video store) and for horror fans I want to recommend Sinister. Best horror film in years, sadly.

[Helga]

'All the little animals' I saw it in class, nice idea but I'm not a big fan of drama. 6/10

[Grit]

'All the little animals' I saw it in class, nice idea but I'm not a big fan of drama. 6/10

Not to pick on you but this is a pet peeve of mine.

Drama is the basis of every story ever told. Saying you don't like drama is like saying you don't like movies.

Watched The Evil Dead for the first time last night. Outstanding independent film.

I'm not sure whether its more inspiring or depressing that a low budget movie from the early eighties was scarier than most horror today.

8/10

[cafolini]

I watched the documentary The Forgotten Bomb. It had some value in reporting measurements of radioactivity. But it was most stupid in grasping the beginning and continuity of the Atomic Age.

[Snowqueen]

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I watched it with my friends and enjoyed. 8/10

[Grit]

We Need To Talk About Kevin - 8/10

A movie I've known about for a long time but never wanted to see because how dark it is. Well, I saw it and it's dark as expected but it's also very well done. An excellent psychological thriller.

[cafolini]

I watched the documentary on Herbert Hoover, Landslide. Very accurate overall. FDR took the progressive ideas of Hoover in the 1920's and acted upon them. Hoover, who was expecting the people to freely put a stop to recession, got annoyed by FDR claims to his package and never talked to FDR again. As the great depression took place, FDR won by landslide with Hoover's ideas and bills of the 20's.
Escellent, very historical piece.
When FDR died, Hoover was eventually recognized for who he was by Truman, but it had been too late to appease the bitterness he felt against FDR's so-called New Deal even when it was his own.

[YesNo]

It was 2 for 1 day at the library.

Alex Cross
Score: 2/10

However, the bad guy did shoot straight except at the end.

At the end, the good guy rammed into the bad guy's car and then the good guy chased the bad guy. Then came the final hand-to-hand fighting and the good guy gets kicked around a bit and then he kicks the bad guy around until it's all over for the bad guy. I hope I didn't spoil it for anyone.


Dinner for Schmucks
Score 7/10

Enjoyably funny.

[SleepyWitch]

Side Effects 10/10

[YesNo]

Side Effects 10/10

I agree. I saw it last night. Definitely 10/10.

[Snowqueen]

I watched The Impossible last night it was good. Naomi Watts acted well and so did Ewan McGregor. 8/10

[YesNo]

The Sessions: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1866249/
Score: 3/10

The article Mark O'Brien wrote, "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate", is better than the movie: http://thesunmagazine.org/issues/174/on_seeing_a_sex_surrogate?page=1

The movie tried to shift attention to potential jealousy in the boyfriend of one caretaker and then the husband of the sex surrogate to make the story interesting. That only made it sentimental in my view. I can't imagine that such jealousy actually occurred which made me look for O'Brien's original article. The original article was more realistic and interesting.

Searching for Sugar Man
Score: 10/10

This is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.

Here's Sixto Rodriguez' I wonder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj-0pX5SEHE

[Snowqueen]

I watched Bol again, it’s a desi movie. 9/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1891757/

[qimissung]

Side Effects 9/10 It was really good! Scary, and somewhat plausible. Jude Law was really good in it, as was Rooney Mara.

I saw Sessions a few weeks ago. A good, small movie. I'd give it a 8/10. I didn't care for the trumped up drama, either, YesNo. I also looked up the article after seeing the movies, but just because I was intrigued at that point. It was quite interesting.

[Sancho]

Jeff, who lives at home.

Not bad. Not bad at all. Kind of a sleeper. I streamed it on Netflix. Didn't know anything about it. It was just a shot in the dark and I was pleasantly surprised. In the opening scene I said to myself, "New Orleans". It just had that feel about it. Turns out it was Baton Rouge - I was close.

[Lykren]

The first two Godfather films, again.

But in a theater, Amour, which I LOVED, and which everyone else HATED. :(

[qimissung]

The first two Godfather films, again.

But in a theater, Amour, which I LOVED, and which everyone else HATED. :(

I loved Amour, but even movie people I talk to have reservations about it. I feel that he was fearlessly accurate in describing the end.

[Lykren]

Yay! I'm not alone!

Yes, his accuracy was amazing, but one other aspect that impressed me was the mystical element to to the ending. Know what I mean?

[hazelk]

"Heartbreaker" French movie, oh what a hoot!!

[YesNo]

I remember liking "Jeff, who lives at home" as well Sancho.

Something totally different from that is "Guns, Girls and Gambling" which I thought was pretty stupid until the ending sort of clarified things. Probably the best part was watching how those two pistols fit perfectly in their holsters against Helena Mattson's butt while she walked in her black outfit.

Score 5/10.

[Lykren]

I saw The Tree of Life today. Absolutely stunning, but I need to see it again (and again) to really grasp it. Which is a good thing.

[qimissung]

Yay! I'm not alone!

Yes, his accuracy was amazing, but one other aspect that impressed me was the mystical element to to the ending. Know what I mean?

You are not alone, Lykren! And, yes, I do, and that, I think, is what made it beautiful.:)


Jeff, who lives at home.

Not bad. Not bad at all. Kind of a sleeper. I streamed it on Netflix. Didn't know anything about it. It was just a shot in the dark and I was pleasantly surprised. In the opening scene I said to myself, "New Orleans". It just had that feel about it. Turns out it was Baton Rouge - I was close.

I caught this on an indie movie channel we get. I'd read a review which was positive. I liked it. It's hard not to like Jason Segal, but even so, this was good material. Kind of similar to my life, too.


I saw The Tree of Life today. Absolutely stunning, but I need to see it again (and again) to really grasp it. Which is a good thing.

It's awesome, isn't it? "Day's of Heaven," which he directed is one of my favorite movies.

[Snowqueen]

I watched Shaun Of The Dead with my cousins, though it's not a great movie, but we enjoyed it. 6/10

[Shaman_Raman]

I watched Shaun Of The Dead with my cousins, though it's not a great movie, but we enjoyed it. 6/10

It's much better than Dawn of the Dead, in my opinion lol.

The Dark Knight, again. Besides batmans voice, I absolutely love that movie.

[qimissung]

I saw Shaun of the Dead a few years ago, Snowqueen. It's a fun little zombie movie. Actually, I watched one last week called Juan of the Dead. Hmmm, It was a kind of Latin remake of Shaun of the Dead. Not bad, really. 7/10

Saw Spring Breakers tonight. 6/10 It was alright. Parts of this movie were quite good. Other parts seemed a bit lazy and self-indulgent. Harmony Korine's use of repetition in parts was ineffective and dragged down the narrative, but when he actually devoted time to the narrative watching the slow degradation of the 'spring breaker's' moral choices was and their transformation into something other than the all American girls they initially seemed to represent was an exercise in something close to existential horror. I thought James Franco did an excellent job. Parts of it also seemed unintentionally funny.

[papayahed]

Wayne's World. Exellent! 9/10

[Adolescent09]

The Dark Knight. I still don't get what people see in that heap of rubbish. 3/10 is a generous rating.

On the other hand, I saw Apocalypse Now for the fifth time in a row last week and if any movie completely blows its book adaptation out of the water, it is this one. I have never seen such a fantastic movie based on a book that is so mind numbingly boring. 10/10

L.A. Confidential is also terrific. 9.8/10

[YesNo]

I remember liking Wayne's World and I can't remember much about the Dark Knight anymore. Shaun of the Dead was gruesomely funny.

My wife and I saw the Good Doctor (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1582271/) last night and we could not understand why the doctor was doing the things he was doing. The story did not hold together unlike Side Effects which seemed to be more satisfying although perhaps more unlikely. They were both well-made movies, but one had a good story and the other did not.

Score: 3/10

[Snowqueen]

It's much better than Dawn of the Dead, in my opinion lol.

The Dark Knight, again. Besides batmans voice, I absolutely love that movie.



Hi Shaman Raman, welcome to Litnet. I haven’t seen Dawn of the Dead just a few scenes on TV and didn’t like it. Shaun of the Dead was a lot better no doubt.


I saw Shaun of the Dead a few years ago, Snowqueen. It's a fun little zombie movie. Actually, I watched one last week called Juan of the Dead. Hmmm, It was a kind of Latin remake of Shaun of the Dead. Not bad, really. 7/10
.

I’ve passed this suggestion to my cousins, it seems they liked it. Hopefully they will give me a call whenever they saw Jaun of the Dead. lol

[Grit]

I saw The Tree of Life today. Absolutely stunning, but I need to see it again (and again) to really grasp it. Which is a good thing.

Tree of Life is perhaps the worst movie I saw in all of 2012. Obviously our experiences of the film were subjective and our own but did you actually enjoy that pool of scum?

Artistic and self-indulgent at the expense of plot, emotion or character. Non-linear for no apparent reason. What is the reason for the dinosaurs? The several minute long shots of moving magma? Perhaps Mallick simply only had thirty pages of 60s coming-of-age exploration script and decided to make a full length film based on it by filling all the empty minutes with nonsensical over-the-top artistic garbage. Scenes of a boy roaming in a 60s neighbourhood are juxtaposed with long-running magma, planets, or a dinosaur. Brilliant work, Mallick, why don't you try adding some actual narrative content next time? That way people won't leave the theatre in droves, and those are the ones who didn't fall asleep.

I'll save you the torture of a second watch. There's nothing to really grasp. It's a terrible movie that tries so desperately hard to represent a universal idea but ends up just kicking plot in the face. The result is dull beyond toleration and makes little sense.

Just one man's opinion but I thought that movie was absolutely the worst I'd seen in years. 1/10

[Lykren]

Tree of Life is perhaps the worst movie I saw in all of 2012. Obviously our experiences of the film were subjective and our own but did you actually enjoy that pool of scum?

Artistic and self-indulgent at the expense of plot, emotion or character. Non-linear for no apparent reason. What is the reason for the dinosaurs? The several minute long shots of moving magma? Perhaps Mallick simply only had thirty pages of 60s coming-of-age exploration script and decided to make a full length film based on it by filling all the empty minutes with nonsensical over-the-top artistic garbage. Scenes of a boy roaming in a 60s neighbourhood are juxtaposed with long-running magma, planets, or a dinosaur. Brilliant work, Mallick, why don't you try adding some actual narrative content next time? That way people won't leave the theatre in droves, and those are the ones who didn't fall asleep.

I'll save you the torture of a second watch. There's nothing to really grasp. It's a terrible movie that tries so desperately hard to represent a universal idea but ends up just kicking plot in the face. The result is dull beyond toleration and makes little sense.

Just one man's opinion but I thought that movie was absolutely the worst I'd seen in years. 1/10

Sorry, I already watched it again. Liked it that time too.

I'm always confused by the use of the phrase 'self-indulgent' to describe art. How is taking time and energy to make something self-indulgent, particularly something that obviously took years of intense labor?

I'm also baffled by your use of the word 'artistic' in a pejorative sense. What?

[Grit]

Sorry, I already watched it again. Liked it that time too.

I'm always confused by the use of the phrase 'self-indulgent' to describe art. How is taking time and energy to make something self-indulgent, particularly something that obviously took years of intense labor?

I'm also baffled by your use of the word 'artistic' in a pejorative sense. What?

Self-indulgent as in it's not made for any audience other than the creator. Every whim, idea and obscure symbol is thrown into the movie with total disregard of the audience.

Abstract artistic displays in a film are definitely 'pejorative' when it's at the expense of character development and story. Most people don't watch movies to immerse themselves into someone's subjective abstract mindscape. Most people watch movies to see a great story in a audio-visual medium that collaborates with many other different types of art. That's what Tree of Life did not have. A story.

When you choose being 'artistic' and 'self-indulgent' with your film over any kind of story, it doesn't make for a very interesting experience.

As a writer I have very particular tastes in movies. I love a movie with an original, well-paced story that's full of rich and fresh characters. I want goosebumps on my arms from a surge of emotion when I watch a movie. I care more about the story than any other aspect (director, subject matter, actors, special effects, what year it was made) so obviously for me Tree of Life was a complete disappointment. There is really no story.

Is Tree of Life original? Of course. Is it well-paced? The farthest thing from it. Is it full of rich and fresh characters? Not at all. Did I feel emotion? Only boredom and frustration.

Like I said this is just my opinion but I couldn't have disliked this movie any more than I did. Saw it in theatres and it was hard not to fall asleep. Of course that doesn't mean it's in any universal or objective way a 'bad' movie, or that you shouldn't or can't like it. Just one man's thoughts.

[Varenne Rodin]

I liked Tree of Life. I'm a totally cynical atheist, and I still liked it a lot. It was beautiful.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. 8.5/10.

I knocked a point off for Jordana Brewster's "acting," and half a point off for this being an abusive experience. Haha. I think the movie was really well made. I fully expected everything that happened, yet that expectation in no way hindered the suspense. The gore was top-notch. Everything was thoroughly saturated in blood and filth. When characters were wounded, blood didn't spatter out in cute little cherry red droplets. Big wounds gush horror. That's real. Blood gets everywhere. Movie makers take note.

I love R. Lee Ermey. He seems to be the exact same age in everything, he reminds me of my favorite grandpa, and he didn't disappoint. He played an earnestly despicable character with zeal. The rest of the cast does a fair job. Some of them look like models. Some of them look like genuine blobs who are not long for this earth.

I am new to this whole franchise. I was so frightened to even try watching these movies until just this year. Visceral. If you can't stomach horror, don't attempt Texas chainsaw anything. I can't say I loved it, because I really think it's intended to psychologically abuse the viewer, and it did just that. Great film making, insofar as it was not a snuff film, but it damned sure seemed like a snuff film. I can laugh about it, since it was fake. I don't know if it's grosser than House of a Thousand Corpses or Devil's Rejects, but it's a close thing.

[Desolation]

Self-indulgent as in it's not made for any audience other than the creator. Every whim, idea and obscure symbol is thrown into the movie with total disregard of the audience.

Abstract artistic displays in a film are definitely 'pejorative' when it's at the expense of character development and story. Most people don't watch movies to immerse themselves into someone's subjective abstract mindscape. Most people watch movies to see a great story in a audio-visual medium that collaborates with many other different types of art. That's what Tree of Life did not have. A story.

When you choose being 'artistic' and 'self-indulgent' with your film over any kind of story, it doesn't make for a very interesting experience.
It's funny, I disagree with literally everything you said here (as it relates to my personal viewing habits, and what makes a movie enjoyable for me; I'm not disagreeing with your subjective criteria for good film, of course)...I like abstract artistic expressions of someone's subjective mindscape, I don't care about story all that much, and I even tend to like sprawling self-indulgent works...And yet, I still hated The Tree of Life.

[qimissung]

Here's a review of The Tree of Life that might help you understand what he was going for.

http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/movies/the-tree-of-life-from-terrence-malick-review.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

There's another one in The New Yorker that's not as admiring. This is not to say that after you read it you will be expected to like it.

[YesNo]

I didn't particularly like The Tree of Life and almost completely forgot about it until I read the comments, but I'm no film critic. It was too artsy for my taste although I tend to like that sort of topic.

I did see Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) which disappointed me especially after recently reading Anita Loos (1925) book. (Score 4/10)

The main song, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend, was very nice, but the movie missed most of the brilliant humor in the original work. I can't believe I never heard of Loos before running into a selection of her writing in a collection of American humor.

[phoenixtears]

The last one I watched was Schindler's List, one of the classics. Absolutely loved it. It was beautifully portrayed and excruciatingly painful. Ben Kingsley's acting and the red coat were, for me, the best features but overall the movie was superb, no doubt it is regarded as one of the best ever.

[Adolescent09]

Baraka

Simply one of the greatest 'picture movies' ever made. 'Nuff said.

Check it out: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103767/

10/10

[liza]

Argo .. with Ben Affleck .. my boy .. :)

[Desolation]

I just watched -
8 1/2
Breathless
The Seventh Seal

All amazing, perhaps even perfect, movies. Damn.

[Lykren]

I just watched -
8 1/2
Breathless
The Seventh Seal

All amazing, perhaps even perfect, movies. Damn.

I love those, except Breathless, which I haven't seen yet, but will soon. 8 1/2 especially, it's one of my favorites.

[Snowqueen]

I watched Reindeer Games, it was OK. 5/10

[YesNo]

It was two for $1 at the library again.

I picked the Defendor (6/10) and Seven Psychopaths (7/10).

They had a similar, overworked theme of a nut trying to help someone else get a writing career started, but if one removed that they would be both entertaining in their nutty way.

[islandclimber]

I just watched -
8 1/2
Breathless
The Seventh Seal

All amazing, perhaps even perfect, movies. Damn.

I've never liked the last all that much. The first two however, brilliance.

The Saragossa Manuscript ~ Wojciech Jerzy Has

A film that will leave you feeling drugged, deranged, disturbed. A dense labyrinthine structure that threatens to drop you off the abyss over and over, but always brings you back from the edge. Krzystof Penderecki's beautiful score and the stunning cinematography just add to the sensory overload. Zbigniew Cybulski is absolutely brilliant as the protagonist Alphonse and I shall have to seek out other films he appears in. The film as a whole is a story within a story, yet at times this seems to drop into deeper layers, as though story within story repeats until the viewer has forgotten the original story entirely, when conveniently it reappears as a reminder. Layer upon layer of complex enchantments, sadomasochisms, fetishistic devices, ironic apotheosis, black magic, phantasmagoria... 9.5/10

[cafolini]

I just watched the documentary Nightmare in Jamestown. Excellent source of history about the English landing in North America and how the first colony was established. Don't miss it. It might bury a lot of the legends that are floating around.

[Lokasenna]

Watched Kind Hearts and Coronets with my housemates last night - one of the greatest Ealing comedies. Very, very funny - and so clever.

[Snowqueen]

I watched a couple of short films with my nieces last night. They both were quite enjoyable.

Paperman - 8/10

Tangled Ever After - 8/10

[YesNo]

My daughter told me Wreck-It Ralph was pretty good. We watched it last night. Score: 8/10

[Varenne Rodin]

Oohh. I liked Wreck-it Ralph! Comparing it to other kid movies, I give it 9/10. I loved the colors so much, and I'm a silly hearted gamer. It's not perfect, but I freaking love stinky old Sarah Silverman, and John C. Reilly, and Jane Lynch and the other voice talents. I loved the tribute to Ed Wynn (the Mad Hatter in 1951 Disney Alice) with the King Candy character. I'm finding more and more that Alan Tudyk is a multi-talented actor. The movie isn't hyper serious. It was a nice relief.

This has been a great year for kid movies (there were 4 that I liked and I usually like 0). Paranorman: 8.5/10 for music and emotion and clay. The main characters are pretty endearing. Frankenweenie: 8.5/10 for art. I think everyone can find things to like about Wreck-it and Paranorman, but Frankenweenie is black and white and about bringing dead pets back to life. It will only be enjoyed by people who enjoy this sort of thing. Luckily, I enjoy this sort of thing.

The other kid movie I liked was The Hobbit. Obviously, it's not JUST a kid's movie, but that's traditionally what it has been and I felt like a kid watching it. I'm not going to rate it. I give the whole Tolkien world a rating far above 10. I don't even care about any of its shortcomings.

I liked the Paperman short mainly for the way the city and characters were drawn. The story was just ok for me because, as someone who likes to draw on paper, I kept thinking how awful it was that he was wasting paper! Heh. Still beautiful. 9/10 for watchability.

[YesNo]

Yes, the Hobbit was very good. I was expecting to be disappointed because the Lord of the Rings was hard to equal, but they did a good job. Score 10/10

I looked up Paperman and Tangled Ever After on youtube after Snowqueen mentioned them. Paperman seemed the best.

I just saw The First Time which I think deserves a 10, but I'm no film critic.

[Lykren]

I'm showing my little brother, who's twelve, The Godfather, in an attempt to give him some culture. I think I'm going to try showing him some Vittoria de Sica next. He seems to be liking The Godfather.

[Snowqueen]

We watched The Iron Giant last night. It is based on Ted Hugh’s novel The Iron Man and directed by Brad Pitt. My nieces loved it, I enjoyed it too. 8/10



I looked up Paperman and Tangled Ever After on youtube after Snowqueen mentioned them. Paperman seemed the best. .

Glad you enjoyed them, YesNo. I buy cartoon movies for my nieces and then we watch them together.
I've seen Hobbit, it is a good movie.


I'm showing my little brother, who's twelve, The Godfather, in an attempt to give him some culture. I think I'm going to try showing him some Vittoria de Sica next. He seems to be liking The Godfather.

I and my sister decided to watch Godfather movies a couple of years ago, so we sneaked into my father’s collection of old films and enjoyed watching them. He later joined us too. lol
I suggested those movies to my friends but I guess they were not interested.

[Emil Miller]

I'm showing my little brother, who's twelve, The Godfather, in an attempt to give him some culture. I think I'm going to try showing him some Vittoria de Sica next. He seems to be liking The Godfather.

I think he will enjoy De Sica's 'Miracle in Milan' but perhaps he's a bit young for 'La Riffa' one of three stories from the film 'Bocaccio 70' based on tales from The Decamaron.
Here's a scene from 'La Riffa' in which Sophia Loren plays the wife of a shooting range owner at a fairground. The film is very, very funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV8AZKwVNSE&feature=share&list=UUev8rZKBMwYOD-0HXxiOy-Q

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

....Here's a scene from 'La Riffa' in which Sophia Loren plays the wife of a shooting range owner at a fairground. The film is very, very funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV8AZKwVNSE&feature=share&list=UUev8rZKBMwYOD-0HXxiOy-Q

Checking in briefly before work and spotted this^.
My day will be a good one.

[Emil Miller]

Checking in briefly before work and spotted this^.
My day will be a good one.

Just to make sure.

http://youtu.be/-zaSTehWRZ0

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Okay...now I'm going to be late for work !
Rome, Piazza Navona, Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers and The Moor, Sophia...Sophia and music on vinyl.
I must leave now.

[Emil Miller]

Okay...now I'm going to be late for work !
Rome, Piazza Navona, Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers and The Moor, Sophia...Sophia and music on vinyl.
I must leave now.

I recognised the Piazza Navona and took a photo of the fountain years ago.
A check on the screenplay reveals that Marcello Mastroiani plays a rich industrialist's son who has been trying to bed high class prostitute
Sophia Loren for some time but is always interupted by, among other things, the elderly neighbours who finally go away on holiday.
When he eventually gets everything going for him, Lauren recalls she has made a vow of chastity for `just two weeks'.
Hence the :banghead:

[Snowqueen]

I watched Argo, just to see how Ben Affleck directed it. 7/10

[Lykren]

The Piano Teacher, by Michael Haneke, since I liked Amour so much. This one was not quite as good, but still pretty good. And, um, really, really painful to watch.

[qimissung]

And what did you think, Snowqueen?

Painful, eh, Lykren? I've always thought I would give this a look, but life is difficult enough without adding to the pain.

[hannah_arendt]

I watched Argo, just to see how Ben Affleck directed it. 7/10

I saw about a ,month ago but I didn`t like it.

The last film I saw was "Oblivion" and I really enjoyed it.

[Bleeding Pawn]

Haven`t seen Oblivion but after going through its synopsis, it seems it is very similar to the anime Conan, the boy in future.

[hannah_arendt]

Haven`t seen Oblivion but after going through its synopsis, it seems it is very similar to the anime Conan, the boy in future.

I haven`t seen it. I managed to see only Conan films with Schwarzeneger. I like very much "Solomon Kane" with J. Purefoy directed by M. Basset.

[cafolini]

I watched a very good documentary called Where the Yellowstone [river] goes.

[Snowqueen]

And what did you think, Snowqueen?.

I liked the movie, but I think it could have been better.

[YesNo]

I enjoyed Argo. It seemed realistic and I hope the portrayal was the way the events happened even though the narrow escapes were almost too much to believe. I would give it a 10/10.

[Lykren]

Fanny and Alexander, which is undoubtedly one of the best movies I have ever seen.

[YesNo]

Price Check: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1845849/

This is almost too realistic to be a comedy. I think I want to see Horrible Bosses again just to get it out of my system.

Score 5/10

[Snowqueen]

I watched Hugo with my cousin who brought it for me. We both liked it. 7/10

[YesNo]

I saw a couple of entertaining relationship movies. I'd call these "chick flicks", but the males were treated better than I'd expect them to be in a chick flick.

Save the Date: score 8/10

This is about a woman planning her wedding. At the same time her sister breaks up with a friend of the groom and finds another lover. There is also a mother and father who are separating. I think the males were well portrayed. Were I in situations like those presented in the movie, I could see myself doing stuff like that.

Take This Waltz: score 8/10

The movie starts out with a scene at an historical site where actors pretend they are taking a male adulterer out for public humiliation. The audience is allowed to participate by whipping the actor. During the movie the female actors are portrayed fully nude in a shower scene. Toward the end there are two explicit sex scenes which made me suspect two of the main actors were actually having sex. I think Sarah Polley's point was to make the audience wonder about the actors as real people. Did their participation in creating the movie involve adultery in their real lives and was that acceptable?

[Galvin500]

A haunted house. It's a spoof of Paranormal activity and it was hilarious. 9/10 :D

[Snowqueen]

Me and my nieces watched The Road to El Dorado last night. It was good and we enjoyed it. Most of the songs were performed by Elton John. 7/10

[Darcy88]

I enjoyed Argo. It seemed realistic and I hope the portrayal was the way the events happened even though the narrow escapes were almost too much to believe. I would give it a 10/10.

The film took a lot of liberties. There was no narrow escape. The Iranians at the airport didn't even scrutinize them. They never went to that busy market either. A lot of Canadians boycotted the film because it downplays our role in the whole affair. I'm not one of them. They were just trying to make an entertaining film, and they definitely succeeded. I think the quality of the film warrants the praise it has received.

I recently watched Life of Pi. One of the most entertaining and visually stunning films I've seen in a very long time. It seemed to pose as more philosophically profound than it actually was, but that may be due to them trying to incorporate some of the book's themes.

8.5/10

[YesNo]

I didn't know that about the actual events that Argo was based on, Darcy88. Their escape did seem unrealistic, but entertaining. The Canadians were taking the biggest risks while hiding them in Iran.

We say Jack Reacher last night. Score: 4/10. I couldn't figure out why they needed to kill so many people to get that company or do it in that elaborate way except to push the plot along. Tom Cruise is better in comedies like Knight and Day. Then it doesn't matter if the plot doesn't make sense so long as it's funny.

[Darcy88]

I also just watched Promised Land. Easily the worst Matt Damon movie I've ever seen. Utterly insipid and lacklustre. It also had Francis Mcdormand and Hal Holbrooke, so I was expecting a good film. It just wasn't. It is very disappointing to me that the only mainstream Hollywood movie to take on the issue of natural gas and fracking is one so lacking in entertainment and provocativeness.

2.5/10

[Calidore]

We say Jack Reacher last night. Score: 4/10. I couldn't figure out why they needed to kill so many people to get that company or do it in that elaborate way except to push the plot along. Tom Cruise is better in comedies like Knight and Day. Then it doesn't matter if the plot doesn't make sense so long as it's funny.

One could argue that the same could apply to action movies as long as they're exciting. Normally I'd make mystery movies an exception, as the plot is the whole point, but then giallo mysteries don't always make sense, but it was (is?) a successful genre anyway. I guess it's just a matter of how far the viewer is willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of enjoyment.

[Helga]

I saw 'Star Trek Into Darkness' a few days ago, and it's better than the first movie I think. It was more trek than wars so that's good. The comments related to the original series were cool and the twist in character relationships and fate. They touched on subjects like the dominant white male who wants war and wants to conquer (made me think of a few presidents) but it could have been deeper. I guess it's hard cause subjects that were taboo when TOS was made aren't anymore.

Cumberbatch (no idea how to spell it) was a great villain! and when he and Spock were fighting, well it lifted my spirit...

Chekov didn't get much room unfortunately but Kirk got less so that's good.

From a very girly point of view, in TOS in all but 2 or 3 episodes Kirk's shirt got torn off showing his manly chest.... This movie focused more on the female body than the male. In TOS even Sulu was shirtless at times (well once). The scene with Marcus changing her clothes was very unnecessary but clearly written by men, since the focus of the scene (other than her lack of clothes) was to talk about Kirk's love affair with a girl he doesn't remember, but every Star Trek fan does.

Anyways, I could write a 1000 words on the movie but this is enough it does get 8/10 because it's good and it's keeping the franchise alive. Let's just hope my favorite Bryan Fuller gets a tv show now with a new crew on a new ship!

[YesNo]

One could argue that the same could apply to action movies as long as they're exciting. Normally I'd make mystery movies an exception, as the plot is the whole point, but then giallo mysteries don't always make sense, but it was (is?) a successful genre anyway. I guess it's just a matter of how far the viewer is willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of enjoyment.

I see your point. Jack Reacher was exciting. Some action movies I've seen really aren't. I think the Expendables or Clash of the Titans, if I remember the titles correctly, made me wonder why I was watching them. Jack Reacher did keep my interest although I was confused. So I suppose it deserved better than a 4 from me. I'll up it to 7.

[Grit]

I saw 'Star Trek Into Darkness' a few days ago

I saw it last night. I thought it was great. A lightning pace, some good jokes and great special effects. All the makings of a good sci fi blockbuster.

I agree though Helga, even as a guy, Marcus changing scene was stupid. Only there to show her changing. I thought her entire character was stupid and only there to look pretty. At first I thought she'd be part of the twist and turn out a villain but no, just eye candy. Boring.

J.J. has earned my trust for star wars, you're our only hope. Into Darkness strangley felt more like a TV show than a movie.

8/10

On another note, saw book of eli. Had a gross amount of product placement. Everyone always has really slick shades, in the apocalypse. One scene has denzel listening to an ipod with beats head phones. In the apocalypse. It totally destroyed any setting they'd established. How would he charge an iPod in a supposed apocalypse.

[Darcy88]

On another note, saw book of eli. Had a gross amount of product placement. Everyone always has really slick shades, in the apocalypse. One scene has denzel listening to an ipod with beats head phones. In the apocalypse. It totally destroyed any setting they'd established. How would he charge an iPod in a supposed apocalypse.

I found the twist at the end impossible to believe. I don't want to ruin it for anyone else so I'll leave it at that.

I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic films though, so overall I quite enjoyed that movie. But the thinking part of my brain would only give it a 5/10.

[Grit]

I found the twist at the end impossible to believe. I don't want to ruin it for anyone else so I'll leave it at that.

I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic films though, so overall I quite enjoyed that movie. But the thinking part of my brain would only give it a 5/10.

I thought the twist was dumb as well. It was also just a poor ending.

I love the post-apocalyptic as well, but I haven't seen the Road yet.

[Snowqueen]

I watched Borune Legacy yesterday. It was good and Jeremy Renner did a nice job too, but I think it was not as compelling as the earlier trilogy. I missed Matt Damon. 7/10

[*Classic*Charm*]

The Great Gatsby. Twice- 3D and old regular type. Loved it! Love Baz Luhrmann's style.

[qimissung]

I miss Matt Damon, too, Snowqueen. Absolutely agree with you on that one.

I also like post-apocalyptic movies, guys. I enjoyed "Book of Eli" but "The Road" is much, much better, imho.

Saw "Jack Reacher" last week, and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I think 7/10 is about right.

"Frances Ha" 8/10 "I like things that appear to be a mistake." Frances. I really like Greta Gerwig. This is a pleasant coming of age story, and the story of two friends co-written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. I liked it.

"Parker." What can I say? I watched it last Monday afternoon. It was a pleasant enough diversion. Not bad work for Jason Statham, but I don't think Jennifer Lopez should be feeling too proud. I doubt she even realizes she's reached the outer limits of her talent.

[Lykren]

Let's see. Recently I've seen

The White Ribbon. The cinematography was truly spectacular.

The Great Gatsby. Not as bad as it could have been, but still pretty boring.

Now I want to see Blue Is The Warmest Color, when it comes out.

[YesNo]

I saw The Great Gatsby. It was pretty good. Somehow I got through high school without having to read the book. Now I just might read it. I'm interested in Gatsby's lover. Score: 8/10

There were a couple of weird comedies that were in the library that I also sat through:

John Dies at the End: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1783732/ This is about as close as I want to get to alternate universes, but I was able to sit through it with amused interest. Score 7/10

Team America: World Police: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372588/?ref_=sr_1 This one I almost stopped watching. It was rude, crude and two of the actors, who were just puppets, even got nude for a puppet sex scene. Overall, it is more appropriate for a teenage audience, but my daughters didn't want to waste their time on it, so, maybe a male teenage audience. Team America, of course, does more damage than the terrorists they are trying to fight except at the end when they do save the world with one second to spare. The bad guys were Kim Jong Il and the members of the Film Actor's Guild. Many of the scenes, however, were predicable. Score: 4/10

[Emil Miller]

Flicking through YouTube's manifold collection of films, I alighted on Where the Sidewalk Ends. With a cast including Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, Karl Malden, Gary Merill and directed by Otto Preminger, it seemed to be a cinch for a smackeroo ( sorry about that, watching American films noir does that sort of thing) but unfortunately it suffered from the lack of plausibility inherent in a majority of, if not all, crime dramas. The script by the legendary Ben Hecht was risible, which is par for the course in this type of film, but the acting, given the constraints of the genre, was good and, despite the aforementioned drawbacks, provided an entertaining 95 mins.

[Snowqueen]

I miss Matt Damon, too, Snowqueen. Absolutely agree with you on that one.


What do you think of Jeremy Renner, Qimi?

[hannah_arendt]

Recently I have seen "Ironman". It was quite good and very funny as usual:) 7/10

[Emil Miller]

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937). 7/10

A major success in its day, this film now seems overly sentimental and contrived. The story centres on an elderly couple losing their home due to mortgage foreclosure and their enforced separation as each goes to stay in a different location with younger family members. The problems of trying to fit the old people in with their offspring leads to tensions and much unhappiness for all concerned. The direction was competent and the acting, especially from the old couple, was good but the script was mawkish and doesn't pass muster today.

[YesNo]

Make Way For Tomorrow does seem to deal with a contemporary issue although I haven't seen it.

I recently saw The Sorcerer and the White Snake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sorcerer_and_the_White_Snake Score 9/10

This is a variation of an ancient Chinese legend. When my wife examined the description of the movie on the cover she immediately recognized it as the "White Snake story". I never heard of it before. It is probably like not hearing about Beauty and the Beast. The story is about good and evil and romantic love.

[YesNo]

If I Were You: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1587309/

Score: 10/10

A woman by accident finds her husband with his lover at a restaurant. She follows the lover to her apartment and establishs a relationship which leads her to a whole new world. Very unusual, funny and something I wouldn't mind seeing again.

[Snowqueen]

I've watched People Like Us recently and really liked it. Chris Pine performed quite well in the film. I’ll look forward to see his more films. 8/10

[Helga]

Watched 'Warm Bodies' I like zombies and Shakespeare. A bit of both one more than the other. I enjoyed it, I love John Malcovitch.

[Snowqueen]

I saw another movie of Chris Pine last night, This Means War. It was not as good as People Like Us, but I enjoyed it anyway. 7/10

[Emil Miller]

I have just watched The Clue of the Silver Key, one of a series of B pictures based on crime stories by Edgar Wallace and which were a major feature of early 1960s British cinema, The actors were all stock performers whose names will mean nothing to US film goers but are instantly recognisable to aficionados of British B movies. Many of these films have achieved a perverse cult status because of their low production values. This film is a prime example because, and I am not joking, the butler did it.

[Calidore]

I have just watched The Clue of the Silver Key, one of a series of B pictures based on crime stories by Edgar Wallace and which were a major feature of early 1960s British cinema, The actors were all stock performers whose names will mean nothing to US film goers but are instantly recognisable to aficionados of British B movies. Many of these films have achieved a perverse cult status because of their low production values. This film is a prime example because, and I am not joking, the butler did it.

You know, that probably counts as a spoiler, because nobody would actually expect that.

[Emil Miller]

You know, that probably counts as a spoiler, because nobody would actually expect that.

Ah, but it's not difficult to spot the culprit because, while all the other suspects are tense and edgy, the butler is remarkably relaxed and jovial until unmasked. The interest, insofar as there is any, lies in how he was able to do it.

[Silas Thorne]

I watched a Michael winterbottom film called 'The Trip'. It advertised that I would be laughing all of the way through.
I thought a few moments of it were amusing, but it did show lovely footage of the British countryside, and some lovely food. I have since realised that a lot of it was improvised, which changed my impressions of it entirely.
7/10 for me now, before maybe a 6.

[tonywalt]

I watched a Michael winterbottom film called 'The Trip'. It advertised that I would be laughing all of the way through.
I thought a few moments of it were amusing, but it did show lovely footage of the British countryside, and some lovely food. I have since realised that a lot of it was improvised, which changed my impressions of it entirely.
7/10 for me now, before maybe a 6.

I liked this film, it takes quite a bit of talent to improvise and it was cool to 'travel' through England on a poetry/writer tour.

[Helga]

Iron Man 3, I liked it, he's not my favorite superhero but good. Pepper Potts was good in it and Ben Kingsley's character kinda surprised me, maybe because I am not a genius when it comes to the comic books. Way better than 2. My son loved it so I give it 8/10...