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you watched them all? that's a lot of movies in a row!Quote:
Originally Posted by bree
Yesterday I saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I thought it was alright, but I didn't enjoy it as much as most of the other movies. (i've read all the books, but that's for another thread)
mono, I loved Valkyrie. I thought it was all your pointed out and more. I hope to buy the DVD soon, since I buy all Kenneth Branagh films, even though he did have a small, but significant role. I thought the film was very well done and kept my attention throughout, even though I knew the outcome ahead of time. The choice of cast was extraordinary - very fine actors and performances. It felt very real. Someone bashed the film a few pages back and I went into defense mode; but I refrained from answering them. I had written my own review, saying it was better than I imagined it would be. Glad you enjoyed it, too. Bryan Singer did a fine job directing. I would go with a 9.5/10, as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by mono
Chocolat.
Rather good, maybe 8/10. My favourite character was the Count. I'd give the 8 because Johnny Depp's character was - although nicely played - dispensable. I didn't see why he had to be there.
I love this film, Themis. My family owns it, so I can watch it anytime. I love the Count, too. I love the one scene of him in the window....terrific and so funny! I don't agree about Depp. His quiet demeanor and performance is just right and he has perfect chemistry with Juliette Binoche, who is always stunning. Judy Dench is always great, too. Ever see Binoche in The Widow of Saint-Pierre? I love that film, too. That is much more serious a movie than Chocolat. I would give it a higher rating considering it's a romantic/comedy. I find the film just perfect as it is. Hummm...think I need a piece of dark chocolate now...Quote:
Originally Posted by Themis
Race to Witch Mountain ---> garbage. full stop.
The Baader-Meinhof Complex ---> great movie about the terrorist group The Red Army Faction (RAF) in 1960-1970's West Germany.
"Serpico" by Sidney Lumet. Great film :)
Janine and Mono Interesting about Valkyrie. I automatically assumed that it would not be a good movie. I hear that everyone has accents in the movie except for Cruise. I also hear that it was a bit cliche and melodramatic...
However, since I highly regard both of your opnions, I think I should give this movie a shot now
I just bought Amadeus. Love it love it love it. Beautiful and fun and sad. 10/10
Some may not like it, but I love this movie.
yeah that movie is pretty fantastic, not gonna lie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
Star I would give it a try. I think you will like it. It's very entertaining and informative, too. Let me know if you liked it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
I can't understand why people are saying it's melodramatic. I didn't pick up on that at all. Of course, I am used to a lot of old classic films that are pretty 'melodramatic'; so maybe, I am not perceiving that quality in this film. I thought this film was very well done. I applaud the cast; they all were very fine. Bill Nighy impressed me and normally he is not my favorite actor. As far as the accents are concerned, what's the big beef about that? I personally don't get it. I have seen many a fine film, where accents were not authentic or very mixed and I think the director in this film made the right decision in letting the accents alone, in not to having anyone speak in a 'fake' German accent..that is sometimes truly distracting and annoying. Most of the crew is British, so their accents are just as ingenuine as Cruise's American accent in playing Germans; but I find it odd everyone is picking on Cruise. No one complained about Schindler's List and the accents. I know that Kenneth Branagh feels strongly about this same topic, about the non-importance of the accent thing, that a lot of people get hung up on. I really don't think that brings this movie or any other movie, down a notch. I just watched Tess by Roman Polanski and it's a very fine film; a truly beautifully filmed adaptation of the Hardy book. If one wants to be technical about accents, then take Nastaskja Kinski, for an example. She had to go to Britian to learn to speak Bristish. Personally, I still perceive she has something of a German note to her voice; she very much reminds me of a young Ingrid Bergman that way. I didn't find her difference in accent at all disturbing. I was too emersed in the intensity of the story to notice who had an authentic Wessex accent.
If you read the reviews on Amazon, concerning Valkyrie, you will see most people are applauding the film. Many were pleasantly surprised it was so good and said the director did a fine job. I like stories based on true stories, so I did enjoy this one; even though one knows the outcome, it is interesting to see how they contrived the plot and how it all took place. It prompted me to do some further reading on the subject and it's a fascinating part of history.
Saw it many years ago and liked it very much. It won a lot of awards, if I recall correctly. Good film and very unique! :thumbs_upQuote:
I just bought Amadeus. Love it love it love it. Beautiful and fun and sad. 10/10
Some may not like it, but I love this movie.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
I was just about to write about Valkyrie. It was terrible. Melodramatic? no. Just boring.
Very flattering, thanks! :blush:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer86
Plot? Yes, great! Screenwriting and directing? Superb! Acting? Fantastic! As to accents, Hollywood seems the worst place to look for them, but it seems a difficult thing to achieve acting out an accent; some actors and actresses go that extra mile, others, like Kate Winslet, whose native English accent seemed to disappear throughout the filming of Titanic, do not even try. Amid few, Ewan McGregor has mastered the talent of mimicking accents.
When I studied literature and creative writing, I took a film studies course, and the instructor explained that, in American films, only 3 foreign accents exist, not including the native American: English, Italian, and Russian, hence every allegedly Polish individual speaks in a English accent in The Pianist, for one example, a film directed by one of the most prominent directors today, Roman Polanski. I try to put a low expectation and emphasis on acting out accents for this reason. Regardless, I would highly recommend Valkyrie - excellent, excellent film.
I thought it a bit melodramatic here and there, but it does not necessarily have to seem a vice; I will endure all of the branding in saying that even The Godfather has its melodramatic parts, yet those scenes do nothing except contribute to its subtlety and unspoken talent in directing and acting. Valkyrie had its action parts, balanced well with its melodramatic parts, which built up to its climax; a film with too much action ends up like Gone in 60 Seconds, and a film with too many melodramatic scenes ends up like a B-movie.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
I just saw My Life in Ruins and it is great for the type of movie it is. There are some laugh out loud moments in it.
Dan in Real Life (2007)
All around a pretty mediocre film. Most of the characters were one dimensional and the dialogue was pretty atrocious. Aside from that it was a decently entertaining film but not spectacular by any means.
-7/10
mono, I totally agree with everything you wrote. It's a wonderful film; think I will rewatch it this week (library owns it). Yes, it's very balanced. I agree completely to your assessment of the importance of accents. I think people were just looking for some little quirp to hang Tom Cruise with; totally silly, if you ask me, petty.Quote:
Originally Posted by mono
Quote:
Originally Posted by mono
The Pianist was a beautiful movie. I'm not sure who that actor was, but even his facial expressions and his body language were so convincing and moving. You could feel his pain even when he wasn't speaking.
Excellent point by your teacher, though once in awhile one does discover different accents (eg Irish or Hispanic accents)
Ewen MacGregor is a fantastic actor and does a wonderful job with his voice inflections and accents. Christain Bale is also quite good at this. At least with an American accent. I was so surprised to find out he was actually Welsh and not American.
Speaking of Christain Bale, another movie I re watched recently was Empire of the Sun. Excellent.
Once, in my drama class, we were doing a one act play of MacBeth. I was Lady MacBeth. The guy who was playing MacBeth and I were the only ones able to do Scottish accents. So our teacher said either everyone had to learn and use the Scottish accent, or no one used accents. I've always held that with movies as well. Accents should be consistant with one another.
As for the Godfather, that is one of my favorite movie series of all time. I agree, melodramatic in parts. But it works quite well. Except Sophia Coppola in the third one. He should have casted someone else. She is a good director, but a terrible actress.