Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 11, 2006 21:23:06 GMT
I suspect you're not a fan of football, Wet Dog. But catch the film if you can. I'm not a fan of skiing, but I think Herzog's Woodcarver Steiner is spellbinding.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Dec 11, 2006 21:41:47 GMT
L'Atalante Jean Vigo 1934; France 1st time; 2 sittingsStarts off slow but picks up considerably towards the middle. As is my opinion with almost every conventional fiction film, its strongest moments are when it delves into the surreal and subconcious, exemplified here when Vigo puts together a suprisingly risque sexual fantasy sequence near the end. The film is a poetic romance at heart, but the supporting character, Papa Jules, and his comedic demeanor really shine.
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Boz
Published writer
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Post by Boz on Dec 12, 2006 19:09:25 GMT
City Lights Charlie Chaplin 1931 US 1st time; 2 sittingsVery good. Keaton still edges out Chaplin in my mind, but I'm definitely interested in seeing some more Chaplin, especially some of his later work with sound.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 12, 2006 21:48:57 GMT
Yes Sally Potter 2004 UK/US 1st time; big screen A Belfast-born American living in London has an affair with a chef from Beirut. Striking similarities to Fassbinder's Fear Eats the Soul, in its bringing together of different cultures and showing the impracticality of such relationships in a seemingly ignorant society - and so happiness is found at the end in Communist Cuba. It has a consistent visual method of trapping its characters in the far left or right of frame, captured behind various barriers and visual obstructions. The rhyming verse in which every character speaks works more often than not, and the film as a whole is interesting by virtue of being different, but at times it is flat and simply uninteresting...the final sequence seems to last forever, and a stretch for emotion seems undeserved.I feel like I'm writing Proviews in vain. Why is there so little time for others to see all the films recommended to them? I want to explore Potter's other films. I think I'm going to join an online rental service.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 13, 2006 23:51:56 GMT
Witness(1985/Peter Weir) [First Viewing] After witnessing a murder, a young Amish boy and his mother are protected in their community by a big city cop.Engaging and entertaining thriller. It also works well as a film about culture clash and the 'fish out of water' concept. Weir closely observes the way of life of the Amish in comparison with that of the 'English', and Harrison Ford, although not really branching out into any new territory, turns in a good, solid performance.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 14, 2006 4:10:05 GMT
Edward ScissorhandsTim Burton 1990 US Nth time, 1st in years; DVD A boy with artificial hands upsets his new community. Catch this in the right mood at the right time and it might just hit all the right notes too. Because Burton likes to present his worlds as if they were cartoons, his films often lack any kind of plausibility; this seems an inane criticism of a work clearly grounded in fantasy, but the problem here is Burton doesn't quite know what he wishes to do - he seems to be caught between going all out on the contemporary 'Phantom of the Opera' route, and being a loveable favourite for the kids. It looks lovely, and Elfman's score is as helpful as ever, and the ending is sour enough to be fresh, but the modern-day coda is misjudged, both in terms of delivery and the fact that it lends a distinct period to the elongated flashback narrative.Starsky & Hutch Todd Phillips 2004 US 1st time; DVD Two cops, both clumsy for different reasons, are teamed together and take on a drugs bust. A pleasant surprise indeed: it not only looks good, but it has a wonderful rhythm, which stems from good timing in a lot (not all) of the gags and a great chemistry between Stiller and Wilson, who shine at the centre of a close-knit supporting cast. The soundtrack's cool, the humour isn't too overbearing, and there seems a genuine sense of control to the whole thing. Many of the things don't work, however, and it probably won't repay a rewatch; the nod to the original actors at the end is clever, but then run into the ground with obvious, obvious winks to the viewer.^ See, this is where I wish I had a star between one and none, for both of these films. Hmm...
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 14, 2006 4:48:33 GMT
Starsky & Hutch Todd Phillips 2004 US 1st time; DVD Two cops, both clumsy for different reasons, are teamed together and take on a drugs bust. A pleasant surprise indeed: it not only looks good, but it has a wonderful rhythm, which stems from good timing in a lot (not all) of the gags and a great chemistry between Stiller and Wilson, who shine at the centre of a close-knit supporting cast. The soundtrack's cool, the humour isn't too overbearing, and there seems a genuine sense of control to the whole thing. Many of the things don't work, however, and it probably won't repay a rewatch; the nod to the original actors at the end is clever, but then run into the ground with obvious, obvious winks to the viewer. I loved this when I saw it during it's theatrical run. At the time, it was my favorite of the films made by 'The Frat Pack'. I haven't seen it since.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 16, 2006 23:50:49 GMT
Fearless(1993/Peter Weir) [First Viewing] After surviving a plane crash, an architect has an identity crisis.An amazing look at themes of life and guilt. Weir takes the unusual moods of his earlier films and mixes them in with this modern story. The film is darkly lit, but it's themes are beautiful, as it's philosophical screenplay, and every performance in the film, especially Jeff Bridges, as the main character who is suddenly alienated by the world around him. The final moments of the film might be the most powerful of any to come from that decade.
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Post by Vercetti on Dec 18, 2006 2:37:48 GMT
Nixon - (Oliver Stone;1995;USA) The life and downfall of President Richard Nixon.Stone's best film mainly because it succeeds in depicting a generally disliked president as a generally good person who was deeply flawed and at times close-minded. Nixon appears to be a man rather then an evil caricature while not making him seem like a great person like a recent 9/11 docu-drama about the Bush administration. It doesn't hide the dirty side of politics while at the same time not being a politcally biased film. Stone's direction is great while not too intense like U-Turn. Hopkins' performance is very good, while at times comes close to being too much. The best however, is an unrecognizable Paul Sorvino as Henry Kissinger. The Departed - (Martin Scorsese;2005;USA) Two moles on opposite sides of the law are pitted against each other.Scorsese's best film since Casino. The story, backed by great performances and directing manages to be very engaging and effective even on the second viewing. As always Scorsese provides great direction, cinematography, and music as well. "Shipping off the Boston" by Dropkicking Murphys, "Comfortably Numb" by Roger Waters and Van Morison, and of course "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones. It may also be Dicaprio's best performance. Jack Nicholson shines the most however with his great adlibbing and of course Ray Whinstone is wonderful. The second best of 2006.
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jrod
Ghost writer
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Post by jrod on Dec 19, 2006 5:09:36 GMT
Clerks II The best thing you can say about this film is that it was not a disappointment. I was throughly impressed. The ending is oddly touching too, as gay as that may sound. Kevin Smith has a blast with making his films, and it really shows. His best since the original. An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder Funny, but not as good as the first To Catch a Theif A lot of star power, but this proabably isnt in my top 10 Hitchcocks. Grace Kelly is perhaps the most beautiful woman in film history. The Maltese Falcon (1931) Satan Met a Lady (1936) The two original adaptations of the story that a Humprey Bogart movie later made immortal. Frankly, Im amazed that they kept remaking the film, since both originals are very decent. Glad they made one more though, its one of the best noirs out there. Young Bette Davis is the female lead in the later of the two.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 19, 2006 23:50:48 GMT
El laberinto del Fauno Pan's Labyrinth Guillermo del Toro 2006 Mexico / USA / Spain 1st time; big screen Spain, 1944: a young girl arrives at a mountainside camp with her pregnant mother, newly married to a captain in Franco's regime, and finds both comfort and anxiety in her fantastical imaginations. Del Toro is doing all kinds of interesting things here: his shots are crafted with transitions already in mind - he'll often zoom in to black and then re-emerge in a different world, or show different angles within the same scene via effortless pans, so that cuts are often sweeping and invisible, and keep the momentum going between the different narrative threads. Speaking of which, the narrative is much more dependent on the 'real' world than the trailers made out, and all the better for it. Visually excessive, it is highly original, very inventive and altogether weird.London to BrightonPaul Andrew Williams 2006 UK 1st time; big screen A prostitute and a young homeless girl flee from a gangster whose pimp father they killed. The kind of gritty 'realist' thriller that knocks a few critics to the floor and is hailed - for not very long - as the best British film in years. It is shot not only in Scope but almost entirely in close-up, so there is an in-your-face brutality to it throughout. The acting is effective and real at times, particularly in newcomer Lorraine Stanley, who begins and ends the film with a ferocious black eye, and in between shows various faces as a well-worn girl who accepts the dangers of prostitution.Last Days Gus Van Sant 2005 USA 3rd time; DVD The final hours of a rock musician who is surrounded by hangers-on. A film which ranges from intense (Michael Pitt making his way through a succession of instruments) to flat (Van Sant's non-linear editing by now seems to have lost novelty and purpose). It gains much from Pitt's mumbling performance, and a lot of images, most of them of the actor in white T-shirt and red pants, surrounded by greenery, are likely to leave a haunting impression, of loneliness more than anything. The 4:3 ratio isn't quite as powerful here when seen on the small screen, and it isn't as visually innovative as Gerry or narratively ambitious as Elephant.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 20, 2006 0:57:12 GMT
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold(1965/Martin Ritt) [First Viewing] A washed up secret agent poses as a defector.When I first became a serious film viewer, I dismissed the criticism 'boring' as invalid, but I can't think of another word to describe this film. Not that it's a bad thing. In fact, it's remarkable how screenwriter Paul Dehn (who wrote the Bond classic "Goldfinger") went so far out of his way to make the spy genre as cold and mundane as possible. Richard Burton brings his great talent to the complicated existential title role, and the crisp black and white cinematography makes the film visually attractive. No doubt a major influence on all those brilliant character studies of the 1970's.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 20, 2006 17:44:24 GMT
The Brotherhood(1968/Martin Ritt) [First Viewing] Two Mobster brothers move farther apart when their business ideologies conflict with one another.Extremely well photographed, and making great use of New York and Sicilian locations, but Ritt's film is still too plot oriented. Plus, Kirk Douglas (who also produced) is miscast in the lead role. Still, it's interesting to watch this and realize that it was made before "The Godfather", and is not some cheap rip off.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 20, 2006 21:28:07 GMT
Have you read any of John Le Carré's novels? He was once my favourite writer.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Dec 20, 2006 22:38:28 GMT
No, I can't say I have. Did you read "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" in particular?
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 20, 2006 22:42:29 GMT
No, I never got round to that. But if you like convoluted spy thrillers, a world removed from the Bond stories, check out Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It used to be my favourite novel ever. And I highly recommend the BBC adaptation of it with Alec Guinness. Excellent stuff.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 21, 2006 21:34:43 GMT
La pianiste The Piano Teacher Michael Haneke 2001 France / Austria 1st time; DVD A piano teacher who lives with her possessive mother seeks solace in a pupil who has fallen for her, but her tendency towards what society looks at as depraved drives them apart. Haneke is a fantastic director: not only is he daring and confident, but also fiercely controlled. His films are rich in all kinds of thematic intricacies, are almost always of visual interest, and uphold an intense and unsettling ambiguity in their exploration of psychologically elusive characters. Not only is this film fascinating to watch as a character study, but is interesting in how its narrative unfolds as a series of matter-of-fact events which never really lead into one another; what might be considered as emotional detachment is made intimate by a powerful performance from Isabelle Huppert. Original stuff, and throughout the entire duration of the film, which seems far longer than it is in some rhythmical resounding way, you can never predict what is going to happen next.Trop belle pour toi! Too Beautiful for You Bertrand Blier 1989 France 1st time; DVD A car salesman cheats on his beautiful wife with his seemingly ordinary secretary. The promotional synopses and critical responses to this film seem to have missed the point: even positive reactions tend to focus on terms such as 'amusing romantic comedy'. It is certainly not without a good dose of wit, but to say it is funny or even romantic seems to be overlooking: a) its seductive cinematography, b) its elusive editing technique, and c) the melancholic unfolding of the narrative. What begins as a film told in flashes and snippets of reflection moves into something far more weighty and 'active', using Schubert's music as a means of both diegetic and non-diegetic emotional core. Impressive and underseen. [Thanks, MistaMista!]Sauve qui peut (la vie) Slow MotionJean-Luc Godard 1979 France / Switzerland 1st time; DVD The lives of a filmmaker, his lover and a prostitute cross. Difficult to sit through without fidgeting, so few are this film's interesting ideas; it begs for revisits, but doesn't do anything to deserve such attention. Visually dull, it is caught in the creatively inert void between Godard's moving camera of the sixties and his static compositions of the eighties. Tedious.
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jake
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Post by jake on Dec 21, 2006 22:22:46 GMT
Could you explain how La pianiste is "of visual interest" whilst Sauve qui peut (la vie) is "visually dull"?
I really don't see that all. To me, La pianiste is as bland and unimaginative visually as it gets.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Dec 21, 2006 22:46:26 GMT
Haneke knows, I think, how long to keep a shot for; when to cut, what to cut to, and he knows when cutting is unncessary - he mostly only cuts when he needs to, when the scene calls for it. He's fast becoming one of my favourite directors: not only is he self-indulgent as an artist, but is actually very controlled.
The scene in which Huppert vomits up her pupil's sperm in the cupboard at the ice rink, for instance, is filmed entirely in one take, and, while the two are actually doing the sexual act, the camera stays and watches, but does so half-behind, half-obscured by, a shelf of sports equipment. If this heightens the voyeuristic implications of the scene, it is also important to note the choice to keep the camera at head-height, even though its subjects have lowered themselves to the floor, so an otherwise ordinary angle is actually a high-angled shot...does that evoke moral implications, too? It is certainly in contrast to a scene earlier in the film, wherein Huppert urinates by the side of a car in which two teens are fucking; Haneke chooses this time round to have the camera at his protagonist's eye-level; it is technically an over-the-shoulder shot, but it might as well be a POV - this time we're sharing her voyeurism.
Of the other two Haneke films I've seen: Caché is visually interesting because almost every scene explores camera placement itself, so that as its narrative unfolds you become much more consciously aware of a presence behind the image you're viewing. And Funny Games, what I remember, is brutally violent without ever showing anything - it is interesting visually because most of its tension, its sense of terror, comes from Haneke's claustrophobic long-takes and 'stubborn eye' - watching people's reactions to action taking place offsceen, for instance.
All three of the above films have the same 'look', the same feel. They strike me not as austere but actually very artificial, with careful attention paid to shot-composition and -length.
Slow Motion did nothing for me. I've explained in my Proview that the camera is caught halway between Godard's always-moving (tracking and panning, but mostly crabbing along the same pane) camera of the sixties, and his stubbornly static shots of the eighties. The opening shot of Slow Motion is beautifully composed, a frame-within-a-frame, which I always like, but also conflicting walls; it is at once two-dimensional and yet shows a great sense of depth. I like that kind of stuff, but thereafter his frames are of little interest. They're neither free nor claustrophobic; I wouldn't go so far as to say he's taken up a point-and-shoot method, but no images stand out. The only thing which might linger over time is the shot of Nathalie Baye riding a bicycle through the country, but even then it's more to do with the fact he's showing it through a succession of stills ("slow motion"), which isn't strictly so much a visual technique as one induced by rate of projection.
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Post by Michael on Dec 22, 2006 1:33:44 GMT
Above all, I think Godard's use of music is what sets him apart from most other directors. I can't really explain the brilliance of it; when music is played in one of his films, it always feels like it doesn't belong with what's happening on the screen, it's never in synch. Very detatched from the film.
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