RNL
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Post by RNL on Jul 11, 2006 20:18:20 GMT
I didn't much care for the "Fuck You" speech, and it seemed like an isolated idea jammed in there for the sake of it.
The ending, however, I loved.
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Post by The Ghost of LLC on Jul 11, 2006 21:35:20 GMT
Well... whatever your stroke... Norton, among others, give out great performances. I think I might give this another viewing in the near future.
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jrod
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Post by jrod on Jul 12, 2006 0:44:17 GMT
I didn't much care for the "Fuck You" speech, and it seemed like an isolated idea jammed in there for the sake of it. This part of the movie seemed like it belonged in Fight Club. Maybe Norton got confused what movie he was in. The ending was kind of weird. It reminded me a lot of The Last Temptation of Christ, where the protagonist sees his future should he decide not to take the more difficult road. I really didnt see the point of the scene in the movie, where as in Scorseses movie, it was extremely powerful.
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Post by Michael on Jul 12, 2006 1:13:33 GMT
Dead ManWords will never be enough to describe this film. It moves like a dream, floating and spinning around you. Neil Young's electric score churns like a ghost train and pushes the film farther. There isn't one performance that is wrong, nor is there ever a false moment. From start to finish this film pulls you into its dream land, and carries you along on clouds until the finish. It's the unconsious trip of one man to death, slowly descending to another level, deeper into nature. Unbelievable. This may be the greatest film of all time.
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Post by Michael on Jul 12, 2006 6:16:30 GMT
40 Year Old VirginThis is seriously one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Jul 14, 2006 4:29:24 GMT
Boudu sauvé des eaux ( Boudo Saved from Drowning) (1932/Jean Renoir) [First Viewing] After a failed attempt at suicide, a homeless man is brought in by a wealthy couple.A non-stop assault at the snobbery of the French upper-class. In fact, it's politics sometimes feel overbearing, but this whimsical little fantasy is very enjoyable. And the ending is priceless.
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Post by The Ghost of LLC on Jul 14, 2006 5:02:50 GMT
Transamerica (2005) Director: Duncan Tucker When she learns she fathers a son, a pre-operative transexual heads across the country on an adventure.What you have here is your basic American story. Shemale knocks chick up. Shemale learns of illegitimate son. Shemale heads to Manhattan. Shemale brings illegitimate son to California to star in gay porno. Classic American tale. 12 Monkeys (1995) Director: Terry Gilliam A man travels back in time, to the 1990s, to save the human race from a biological act of terrorism that will kill half the population.This could be my second favorite Gilliam film, behind Fear and Loathing. It's really giving Brazil (the film many people consider to be his masterpiece) a run for its money, on my standards. Brad Pitt's charater and performance make this movie for me. Great writing, great perfomances... Great overall insanity. Annie Hall (1977) Director: Woody Allen A neurotic comedian falls in love with a ditsy tomboy.This is quite possibly the funniest movie I've ever seen. Never have I ever related with a films humour more than I did this one. Why the hell have I pushed off Allen's work for so long? I've only seen two of his films at this point in my life, and I see him being a director I could really get into and adore. Good god. More Woody Allen films to come.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Jul 16, 2006 1:40:19 GMT
A Scanner Darkly(2006/Richard Linklater) [First Viewing] In the near future, an undercover cop becomes addicted to a mind altering drug.This is more of a Linklater film than an adaptation of Philip Dick, but I still found it lacking. The visuals, while astonishing, were not quite as free spirited and experimental as in Linklater's earlier masterpiece, "Waking Life". Though the films accomplishments out-weighted it's flaws. Robert Downey Jr. is the perfect actor to deliver the insane ramblings of Linklater's screenplays, and their collaboration is something I hope to see more of in the future.
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Post by The Ghost of LLC on Jul 16, 2006 3:59:18 GMT
I'm going to go see this on Thursday, and I am pumped and excited. And the credits play to Black Swan by Thom Yorke! (isn't that sad, that was my original reasoning in going.)
On that note, I have to say, the promotion for The Eraser is getting a bit out of hand. The label has gone absolutely mad.
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Post by Vercetti on Jul 16, 2006 17:16:18 GMT
40 Year Old VirginThis is seriously one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. You should watch the deleted scenes. The "You know how I know you're gay?" scene is even better on the deleted version. Cal: There's a woman for everyone out there. Woody Allen is married for Christsakes. David: Yeah, to his daughter. Cal: Well if you married your daughter I would be very happy for you.
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jrod
Ghost writer
Posts: 970
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Post by jrod on Jul 17, 2006 1:42:45 GMT
A few recent TV viewings Curb Your Enthusiasm, 4th Season A good season, but not the best, that title goes to Season 3. 3 is above the other seasons Ive seen to this point, which are all about even. Mel Brooks is a great supporting character throughout Season 4 South Park, Season 6 The show at its peak in my estimation. Extremely funny stuff in my opinion. "Asspen" is the best of the season Greys ANatomy Hospital drama I watched with my girlfriend. Better then expected And....some movies La Dolce Vita should probably watch it again. was a little difficult to follow. Technically superb, but I didnt enjoy it much Victim Excellent movie. A homosexual being blackmailed trys to run down the people after him at risk of his career and family.
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Post by Vercetti on Jul 17, 2006 2:25:44 GMT
If you want a proview, just ask. The 40 Year Old Virgin Le Samourai Heat The New World
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jrod
Ghost writer
Posts: 970
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Post by jrod on Jul 19, 2006 4:18:56 GMT
Vertigo (one of my ten favorites) The Trouble with Harry
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Post by Michael on Jul 19, 2006 7:11:17 GMT
ChinatownA view of life at its darkest and most painful. The script is probably the best ever written, and the performances are flawless. The beauty of this film is in how the complex story keeps building upon itself, letting the viewer know only what Jake knows, to the point where the viewer becomes Jake, and ends up tangled in the web of confusion, lies, deceit, and corruption, all building up to the final scene, which is in my opinion, the darkest, most poignant ending in all of cinema. A 5-star elite. ;D
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Post by Michael on Jul 21, 2006 3:47:00 GMT
I watched this last night: Paris, Texas A brilliant, plot-driven film. Wim Wenders takes a relatively simple plot and turns it into something absolutely astonishing. The cinematography is some of the best I've ever seen, the score is absolutely bone-chilling (especially in the final scene), and the story is developed perfectly, the mystery building up with little details, until it all comes out in an extremely emotional scene towards the end with Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski. The final half hour of this film is simply beyond words, and our first full look at Nastassja Kinski's character is one of the greatest images in all of cinema. Almost brings me to tears...
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Jul 21, 2006 12:03:54 GMT
I've been listening to Cooder's score for Paris, Texas for the past week or so. There's one track that's simply the dialogue from the scene where Harry Dean Stanton talks to her on the phone. "I knew these two people..." It's heartbreaking, and I am definitely due a rewatch. Last night: Last Days Gus Van Sant 2004 US 2nd time; DVD The final hours of a rock musician who is surrounded by hangers-on. As deep or as empty, as sprawling or as inert as you like; the 4:3 ratio isn't quite as powerful when seen on the small screen, and it isn't as visually innovative as Gerry or narratively ambitious as Elephant. Indeed, it seems a step back, or at least implies a contentment to stay on familiar turf, for Van Sant.
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Boz
Published writer
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Post by Boz on Jul 22, 2006 18:10:14 GMT
A short summary. Very little sleep. Perhaps a longer version later. Recommended if it's still in any theatres near you. A Scanner Darkly2006/Linklater A strangely satisfying expierience. Linklater's choice of the painted-over method wasn't distracting and added some interesting depth altering effects at times, which helped the drugged out feel of the whole film. Good thought-provoking story, an interesting film with a lot to say. I'm interested in seeing more of Linklater's work.
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Boz
Published writer
Posts: 1,451
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Post by Boz on Jul 23, 2006 1:39:07 GMT
What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? 1963/Scorsese Scorsese's first short film as a student at NYU. Encouraged by his professor, Haig P. Manoogian, Scorsese wrote and directed this in his sophmore year at the university using basic film producton techniques he had learned the previous year. His distinctive sense of dry humor is already clearly present, as well as his flair for editing and direction. Even at this young age, his skills were already daunting. Notice the font used for the title sequence, nearly identical to the one in Fellini's 8 1/2, which Scorsese had first seen only 2 weeks prior. Notice also the many similarities to Taxi Driver, made 13 years later, including the extreme close-up on Harry's eyes and his running narration, a lifelong Scorsese trademark. I also saw an interesting note in a Scorsese biography. See the shot where Harry's apartment is filled up with furniture piece by piece? Remind you of anything? It looks suspiciously like a similar sequence in David Fincher's Fight Club. Martin Scorsese, 21 years old, and already a true innovator. The Big Shave 1967/Scorsese Scorsese's first work in color, his final NYU submission. Here, we first see Scorsese's use of music to portray irony, later used in such scenes as Billy Batts' death in Goodfellas, and also Scorsese's first use of gratuitous violence, a constant criticism of him throughout his career. Kudos to whoever did the effects work here as the seemingly senseless bloodletting looks quite realistic especially considering the student's budget at the time. This serves partly as a metaphor for Scorsese's feelings on the Vietnam war, and one important thing to notice that I missed was the mention of Herman Melville in the closing credits, author of Moby Dick. This is supposedly a comparison between Captain Ahab's futile struggle to attain victory over Moby Dick and America's efforts in Vietnam. An impressive early chapter in the master filmmaker's career, and an especially important one as well. The screening of this film at NYU led directly to Scorsese's being contracted to do his first feature film later that same year. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWs1SM0xYiIwww.youtube.com/watch?v=83i8G6o0quc
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Jul 24, 2006 1:20:51 GMT
What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? Martin Scorsese 1963 US 1st time; YouTube A writer moves into a new apartment and becomes enthralled by a painting on the wall. Scorsese's early passion for film is evident much in the same way it is in Godard's early shorts; a fine visual storyteller even then, and very witty.It's Not Just You, Murray! Martin Scorsese 1964 US 1st time; YouTube A hoodlum remembers his rise and fall as a bootlegger. Early Scorsese tricks: voice-over narration, frantic information overload, and rapid, succinct editing; which film student doesn't go through an "I love La nouvelle vague" phase?The Big Shave Martin Scorsese 1967 US 1st time; YouTube A man shaves himself in the mirror, slowly cutting himself more and more. An ultimately harrowing short film, quite ambiguous as it moves into some kind of surreal horror to an upbeat tune; filmed like a Gilette commercial, is it the mirror image of masculinity, a theme Scorsese would later tackle in his Mob films?
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Post by The Ghost of LLC on Jul 24, 2006 5:05:08 GMT
Network (1976) Director: Sidney Lumet When a news anchor announces he's going to committ public suicide on a live broadcast, the network decides to use him as bait for ratingsI really need to fit another viewing in so I can further evaluate. There are times in which I felt profuse joy, and others when I was a tad confused... mainly at points of high drama. Whenever it reached any dramatic points it seemed to get a bit over-dramatic, which lead to soap opera-esque cheesiness. But then again, I feel almost as if that was intended. This film is all about the sickening measures a network will go at for ratings, and the long list of ridiculous premises and television shows, so it's almost as if its drama is a stab at television directly. Aside from that, this is a well constructed film with very well executed performances. I'm kind of floating around the border of three and four stars... I'll need another viewing before I can be certain. Winter Passing (2005) Director: Adam Rapp A struggling actress is offered a small fortune by a book editor to retrieve a series of letters between her writer-parents.Interesting take on the play. Very funny, and well done. The characters are put together rather closely and carefully, and they are all very original. The cast itself is also very well constructed. Breakfast on Pluto (2005) Director: Neil Jordan Foster child turned transvestite, Patrick Braden, travels from his hometown in Ireland to Londan to find his mother, in the height of Irish-English tensions in the 1970s.This was great... highly reccomendable. Performances and story were sharp. I really can't write anymore at this hour. I'm about to pass out. I apologize.
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