Adrien Brody. He's such a great actor, and that's such a beautiful movie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
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Adrien Brody. He's such a great actor, and that's such a beautiful movie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
What else is he in?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathor
the Black Dahlia... pretty good I think, I like the actors in it. Aron Eckhart is very good, the case was rather disgusting but it's interesting that it was never solved.
Good question; he was hot for awhile but I don't know of any recent films that he has really excelled in. I should look up his filmography online. He was amazing in "The Pianist". I too, loved that movie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
He was one of the brothers in Darjeeling Limited.
I really like that film. The lighting and camera work is great.Quote:
Originally Posted by Helga
He was great in
The Thin Red Line
The last time I Committed Suicide
Restaurant
Bread and Roses
some of his new movies are alright...
Cadillac Records
Manolete
The Brothers Bloom
Darjeeling Limited
they're all decent but nothing too special...
Last night I watched Jiri Menzel's Closely Watched Trains... just amazing... 10/10
I also find it notable he played a street punk in Spike Lee's Summer of Sam, I thought he was excellent in that, great murder mystery.Quote:
Originally Posted by islandclimber
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Beautifully shot, acted and directed. Very deep plot, one of those films you'd have to watch a few times to catch everything.
-9.5/10
I've never seen that, I'll have to check it out :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathor
Good to see another Gus Van Sant fan on the forum - one of Portland's most prized possessions. ;) Have you seen any of his other films - Finding Forrester, Milk, Good Will Hunting, Psycho, Paris, je t'aime, Drugstore Cowboy?Quote:
Originally Posted by Bojangles
I just finished watching Taken; when seeing previews about it, weeks ago, I had a good feeling about it, especially that it starred Liam Neeson, and my inuition only led to good. Neeson has never disappointed me, but nearly every part of this film impressed me, balancing well an amazing plot, the never-failing most important part of a movie, action-packed and careful directing, and meditative and goal-oriented writing. This film featured the sensitive topic of parenthood to a teenager, particularly of fatherhood and abandonment, intelligence, and still encorporated a theme of heroism, while maintaining an incredible storyline, somewhat reminiscent of 8 mm in Paris, France. In terms of more directing than writing (one of Luc Besson's few triumphs), a few parts of the movie felt rushed and hurried; at just over 90 minutes, specific, seemingly unimportant, parts of the film could have received more emphasis - backgrounds, relationships, perhaps some flashbacks - otherwise, I felt impressed! Watch it, watch it!
Rating: 9/10.
I've seen most of his other films and I'm eager to explore his filmography fully. From what I've seen My Own Private Idaho is his best work (In my opinion)Quote:
Originally Posted by mono
Gus Van Sant is one of my favorite directors of all time. Gotta say I kind of hated Psycho though, it was sort of just EXACTLY like the original. Which is okay I guess, But I was hoping he'd take Hitchcock to a new level, moreso. But Good Will Hunting is my favorite movie of all time. It's the one movie I can watch on mute and recite all of the lines :blush::blush: I think it's kind of underrated, although it won an Oscar, a lot of people don't recognize or remember the film or see it as worth serious consideration. (mainly Matt Damon/Ben Affleck haters)Quote:
Originally Posted by mono
Mathor, Good Will Hunting is one of my favorites, too. I have loved that film for a long time. I think the acting was top-notch and really intense. Good taste in films, M!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathor
islandclimber, I like the films you mentioned with Adrien Brody; especially The Thin Red Line and Bread and Roses. I also liked him in Harrison's Flowers....now some of his older movies are coming back to me. I think his best film was The Pianist; he truly excelled in that fine film. Love the movie...and his performance.
I watched The Boys in the Band tonight, and I must say, it was an interesting film...the acting was quite good, and Leonard Frey in particular was just splendid... and although the movie seems to make somewhat of a powerful statement, it seems to drag a little at times and become monotonous, although this is hardly the case on the whole, just at certain points in the film... also there seems to be something unpleasant, even perverse about the way it seems to exploit the stereotypes it portrays but maybe I am just over-analysing... it is moving though I will say.. 8/10
UP - It had it's funny moments but the beginning was quite odd to be in a kids movie, they could have dispensed with a good deal at the beginning and still would have made perfect sense. 7/10
High School Musical 3 - Campy Disney teen movie, my cousin loved it, me not so much. Hokey plot. 6/10
Hotel for Dogs - Cute, cute, cute. A couple of orphans try to keep their dog secret from their 80's throwback parents. In the mean time they find an abandoned hotel and some friends to help them take care of stray dogs they find along the way. 8/10
Bruno - I still don't know what to make out of this one. It had a few funny moments but it seemed like it was just a string of scenes meant to shock for no real reason. Most of the movies I was like "Really?" 6.5/10
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
I dont care what half the folk here think, but i really really enjoyed it! the best one since Prisoner of Azkaban. It was dark, serious and funny. And i cried at the end. :(
8/10
It was my day off yesterday so I like putting on movies sometimes while I do housework. Yesterday I watched
Some Like It Hot which is quite funny and always enjoyable to watch. Marilyn's adorable, of course, but it seems like she's typecast in all of her movies. Kinda like Sharon Stone.
The Watchman- I really wish I'd gotten an opportunity to have seen this in the theatres. First of all, it's a fantastic story. The cinemetography and effects are astounding. There were a couple of parts that seemed a little cliched and corny, but I think it may have just been because of movie time constraints. Watching this made me want to read the graphic novel. I'm sure it goes into more detail.
There were lots of surprises...it is a well developed story with interesting characters. What I also found striking was the fine line that was drawn between good and evil. The "good guys" did appalling things and were shockingly human, and yet not, at the same time (if that makes sense) It was a scary mirror of human nature and the ironically destructive path that progress often leads on us.
This movie is well worth buying and I am intrigued to read the story now 10/10
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
10/10
When all is said and done, and Harry Potter is but a vision of the past, film reviewers will look back and see that this movie was so good that it pretty much overshadowed all that is Harry Potter. Another genius picture from Alfonso Cuaron: The director of Children of Men, Pan's Labyrinth, Y Tu Mama Tambien
Bruno
6/10
Not quite as funny as it really was a great social commentary. It did what it set out to do, quite brilliantly. The fact that one viewing is all any viewer would ever want to see of this movie, is partly where it fails. Decent documentary (with some fairly original pranks, I particularly found the scene in the CBS drawing room to be most amazing.).
The Hurt Locker
10/10
I won't be surprised when this picture takes the cake at the Oscars this year, simply the best war film I've ever seen. Brilliant. The fact that it is also the best-reviewed movie of the year is quite fitting.
I think I missed the social commentary part.:alien:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathor
the entire thing was an attempt at exposing the homophobia of the average American, in a slightly comical way. He puts average people, like Ron Paul, in situations so bizarre that they react in the first way they know how: to shout "that ****ing queer!", in rage. It was a bit tasteless, I completely agree, and I can understand why it outrages and offends a lot of people, but there was certainly a message behind it all. In the same way he did with Borat (which was a million times better), Sasha Baron Cohen does a great job at getting the real "human" to come out of people. The fact that he throws himself into situations where he may get only one take, or he may get no take at all (or even get arrested), shows a lot of courage as an actor.Quote:
Originally Posted by papayahed
See, and I think he just makes things worse. Some people will understand that he is portraying a completely over the top stereotype while the flip side is that the people he is trying to reach are just turned off by his antics and use that as just another reason to hate.
And really, I felt sorry for Ron Paul. He went in to do an interview and he has a jack *** trying to seduce him in a hotel room? What exactly was he suppossed to say? I mean he was playing a queer, no? Was he not suppossed to be upset?
Quite honestly, at least in Bruno, I think Sasha Baron Cohen is more concerned about shock value rather then any social commentary.
A load of Jacques Tati's films ; Jour de fête, Les Vacances de monsieur Hulot and Traffic. So far Les Vacances de monsieur Hulot is by far my favorite, the gags and characters are much better, but I still need to see Playtime.
the Impostors, written/directed/produced/leading role...... no other than Stanley Tucci. I love that movie, have seen it about a hundred times.
great actors, Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, Isabella Rossellini, Steve Buscemi, Tony Shaloub and many more
always funny.
The Muppets go to Manhatten, Woody Allenesque.
Public Enemies
Was really disappointed with it - don't know what it was trying to be - a biography....a gansgter movie....there were even some elements of the documentary handheld type shots.
Christian Bale was terrible, and (I HATE to say it) but Depp wasn't much better. Only Marion Cotillard shone.
5/10
After reading the Foer novel, the lovely Chava recommended that I watch the film adaption, too, titled the same, Everything is Illuminated; I watched it last night. As what seems common among all book-adapted screenplays, I felt a little disappointed in Liev Schreiber's leaving many, what I considered, important parts to the plot and literally re-routing certain parts of the story; on the contrary, the same individual did a fantastic job at directing it, capturing the mood of many situations, the right landscapes, camera shots, and unfolding of the mystery of the story - it really impressed me. The actors and actresses definitely made an impression upon me that I did not expect; I suppose I envisioned a few things differently, particularly in their interactions, especially of the elderly woman at the end (the maybe-Augustine), but Elijah Wood as the main character and Eugene Hutz as Alex strongly captured their portrayed fictional characters, especially among their awkward scenes. The only thing that seems to have negatively impacted the score seems in the screenwriting; otherwise, an amazing film.
Rating: 8/10.
"Before the devil knows you're dead" by Sidney Lumet - 10/10
"Slumdog Millionaire" by Danny Boyle - 8/10 (i didn't like the ending much although i can't think of an alternative :D)
"Wall-E" - 8/10
"Coraline" by Henry Selick - 10/10
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (the remake) - ....no comments...
I just watched this last night, manolia - great film! I could definitely see Selick's brilliant elements and Burton-esque imagination from The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. To me, it started out a bit slow, and the plot seemed somewhat fragmented with loose connections, particularly with the well, Wybie's grandmother, and I wish it featured more about the ghost children, too, but this would have resulted in a long film even Phil Knight could not have funded (he did, anyway). I loved the character Coraline, Mr. Bobinsky cracked me up, and Miriam and April fascinated me; the imagery - beautiful; the plot - brilliant; the flow of the film - great, but a bit fragmented.Quote:
Originally Posted by manolia
Rating: 9.5/10.
Good to hear you enjoyed this one, manolia - to me, one of the most neglected beauties in contemporary films. I own it, and watch it almost every few weeks for its delicately-constructed plot, carefully-selected cast (though the film itself almost lacks a main character), and amazing direction. Agreed 10/10, over and over again. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by manolia
You heard what happened to the children who acted in that film right? That upon leaving the oscars they were kindly sent back to their slums and that it took the boy's town to be tore down and the girl's father to try to sell her for (cuss) Danny Boyle to pay attention to them and give them a few bucks to finance their education... Seriously, I thought the film was very well shot but that the story was extremely convoluted.Quote:
Originally Posted by manolia
If.... - Lindsay Anderson
The film that revealed Malcolm McDowell as an actor. Great use of an english college boarding house as an allegory for the whole of society with its hierarchy and its outcasts. The way the film shifts from colour to black and white is used in an innovative manner for once.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
Rubbish. 2/10
The 2 points are for the the grunting zombies' unintentional humour.
MarkF, agree on the slumdog.
amarna, zombies are always guaranteed fun. I remember that post-apocalyptic Will Smith film (which actually started really well) degenerating into a painfully-obviously-CGI zombie fest.
The Taking of Pelham 123: 4/10
You might want to see this movie if you need proof that Denzel can do more than the tough cop routine. It can be very entertaining, and I reluctantly found myself gripped to the seat in one or two moments. As for the bad parts: Travolta overacts (but that's the script's fault, not his), the dialogue is very much below par, the plot has more holes than a fisherman's net, and Tony Scott's directing will induce epilepsy.
Ponyo - 10/10 - Another masterpiece picture from Hayao Miyazaki, the only thing that might possibly top "Up" for an Oscar this year for Best Animated Picture. (I predict this, Up, and Coraline for the nomination)
Funny People - 9/10 - Directed by Jude Apatow, the director of 40 Year Old Virgin, with his best picture yet. Also the greatest acting performance of Adam Sandler's life, playing a comedian who has to face the fact that he is dying. Funny, but not your typical comedy. The characters change, they develop, they have feelings. Not at all what I expected it to be. (and what the trailer leads you to believe, that it will be another terrible Adam Sandler comedy.)
Not to mention the shove-it-down-your-throat Christian subtext.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Endon
Man, I had totally forgotten about that! Haha. What a shame. They should have done a short film of it, comprising only its first 20 odd minutes.Quote:
Originally Posted by JuniperWoolf
Stalker(Tarkovsky) - 5/5
Brilliant movie, and visually stunning. One of those films you immediately want to see again.
I just re-watched Infernal Affairs, and I agree with everything you said.Quote:
Originally Posted by TEND
Last night I watched an old movie, classic...
Took this from Netflix's description:
All About Eve (1950)
Writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's sharp script anchors this story about New York City theater life, with Bette Davis playing an aging Broadway diva who employs a starstruck fan (Anne Baxter) as her assistant, only to learn the woman is a conniving upstart. The now-classic All About Eve won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Mankiewicz), Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (George Sanders).
Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
I really liked this film; I could pretty much guess the direction it was taking, but still it was engaging and I loved the performances - all top-notch. They don't make films like this anymore. Betty Davis had the special star quality one doesn't forget easily. She was amazing. The extra features on the DVD were really interesting as well. They showed how this paralleled what she was going through personally at the time; she had just turned 40. Back then, that was old for a film diva. Nowdays, woman are luckier, in that they continue to act well into their golden years. Look at Dame Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, and others. Sad to think back, in the early days of cinema and Holywood, they would put you out to pasture at the tender age of 40. I would definitely rate this movie with a 10/10. Very enjoyable; the humor and script were right on target and the drama was well acted. It's a timeless film.
I have been watching a lot of films this week and last. I will post more on those later on. I have fallen behind some...
I watched Jim sheridan's In america this morning it was WONDERFUL, and it made me almost cry, not quite a green mile sobathon but a very good film.
9 kitkats!
Firelight - 10/10
Loved it. Wonderful characterization. Even the minor characters like that sarcastic maid were shaped amazingly for a movie. Loved the brief dialogues saying too much as well. Witty and emotional. I will have to recommend it to anybody who is looking for an excellent movie!