Official Film Discussion and Last Movie You Watched

[FuManChu]

Dont know if its been posted, if it has it deserves to be posted again.
Hitman the movie!

 

[Line]

Hitman the movie!

Made an awful choice for it's lead actor and is going to suck!


I got around to watching another Tarkovsky today, this time his lesser acclaimed Ivan's Childhood. The film itself is visually gorgeous, as are all my encounters with Tarkovsky thus far, but less meditative and insightful than Solyaris and Stalker. Out of the three works by this master that I've seen, the subject matter here is by far the most accessible and would serve as a good jump off point for those curious of his work.

***1/2 (out of ****)

 

[FuManChu]

If everyone ends up saying "Just went and seen Hitman...it rocked!".
Im just going to snap.

Watched Munich for the first time last night. I was blown away!
A very great thriller/drama. Eric Bana and Dainel Craig were amazing.

The scene where they killed the ___ ___ with the Welrod's...
I didnt know weather to laugh, cry or stare in aww.
(I blocked it out, as to keep from being a spoiler ).

 

[Line]

Munich was alright but Spielberg made some horrible stylistic choices and some of the fine touches are silly. It also has the worst closing shot in a long time. Still, not an awful film.

 

[Line]

Some quick ratings...


The Lady Vanishes (Hitchcock, 1938 ) ****

Ikiru (Kurosawa, 1952) ****

 

[Rocky]

I can't remember if you've seen or reviewed it or not yet Line.

Have you seen 'Ran' by Kurosawa?

 

[Line]

I can't remember if you've seen or reviewed it or not yet Line.

Have you seen 'Ran' by Kurosawa?

Not yet but I do have a copy. Actually Ikiru and Rashomon are the only two Kurosawa films I've seen thus far. I'll probably watch both Ran and Yohjimbo once I get back to school. I'm trying to become better versed in Kurosawa's canon, as well as a few other directors (Godard, Tarkovsky, Melville, Truffaut, Bergman, and Antonioni).

 

[Rocky]

To be honest I'm yet to watch Ran myself but I understand it to be his masterpiece and arguably one of the Top 5 films of all time.

 

[Line]

To be honest I'm yet to watch Ran myself but I understand it to be his masterpiece and arguably one of the Top 5 films of all time.

That's what my understanding is as well, though Ikiru was fantastic. This is why I'm saving Ran until I watch a few more Kurosawas.

 

[Rocky]

UNEXPECTED CASTING DECISION OF THE YEAR: Apparently Christian Bale is going to play John Connor in Terminator 4!?!

 

[FuManChu]

UNEXPECTED CASTING DECISION OF THE YEAR: Apparently Christian Bale is going to play John Connor in Terminator 4!?!

LMAO!
That is so emo

 

[Line]

I wonder if the reviews, particularly the ones saying Bale got his ass handed to him from an acting standpoint in films like Rescue Dawn have got to him. There he had the chance of slowly moving into films that breach the border between entertainment and higher art but I think we're slowly discovering that he either isn't capable of, or doesn't want to be a defining actor of our times. In a way it reminds me of how directors like Christopher Nolan and Bryan Singer went the way of popcorn flicks after doing well with the more insightful pictures of their early careers. It's almost as if they're squandering their talents or hiding their shortcomings.

 

[Rocky]

^You can't make that sort of assumption off the back of a couple of films though (unless you are simply arguing future potential), considering the likes of De Niro and Pacino have made their share of duffers, and Coppola (The Cotton Club?!) too. EVeryone has a mi-step sooner or later.

 

[Line]

^You can't make that sort of assumption off the back of a couple of films though (unless you are simply arguing future potential), considering the likes of De Niro and Pacino have made their share of duffers, and Coppola (The Cotton Club?!) too. EVeryone has a mi-step sooner or later.

I haven't seen I'm Not There yet but as it stands now, Bale's best movie of the past ten years is American Psycho and that came out in 2000. The only real risks he's taken since have been Rescue Dawn and The New World but sprinkled throughout his filmography is a bunch of safe, money-assured picks. As for the directors: I'll restore some faith in Singer when he does a good movie; something we've been waiting on since The Usual Suspects from 1995. It seems he has a niche for story-telling but is too straight-forward visually and his films offer no difficult or interesting characters and little -to-no post-viewing meditation of themes. Meanwhile, Nolan seems to get worse with each successive picture starting at Memento > Insomnia > Batman Begins > The Prestige. While we enjoy what he's created out of the Batman mythology it seems he locked himself into entertaining flicks as opposed to trying to follow up with something closer to Memento or Insomnia. I'm not faulting him because that's where the money is, I'm just one who believes that if one possesses talents in the arts they should strive to do just that, make art.

Anyway, No Country for Old Men was very good and probably lands in my top 5 Coen films of all time. Not sure of the exact score I'd give it as of now but it's in my top 3-4 of the year...possibly even #1 at the moment.

 

[Rocky]

I see your points, however if you look at the market in which Nolan for example has gone into, whilst it may not be the finest of his own work the films he produced in that arena are far and away better than his counterparts if not necessarily his own best work.
I was really disappointed with Superman Returns though I have to admit.

I couldn't help but notice you didn;t mention Bale in the Machinst which I would have said was a pretty big risk that was a pretty damn good film too.

 

[FuManChu]

Picked up Waterworld on DVD last night.
I still think its a great movie, even to this day.

Superman Returns was fair, but in the sequel i hope they bring in a "decent" villian.
You know, one who can actually fight.

 

[Flex]

Wolf Creek: 5.5/10 ("Based on a true story" is misleading for this film)
Deja Vu: 7.5/10 (Had a fun time watching this flick, car chase scene dragged)
Karate Kid Part II: 3/10 (A disgrace to the first film, beyond terrible)
Welcome to Mooseport: 5/10 (Corny and not very funny)

I'd recommend Deja Vu to anyone, and Wolf Creek ONLY if you love horror movies.

 

[thedon]

just watched the incredibles in HD on t.v.....not a bad movie, had some funny parts.....the computer animation is fucking awesome

 

[FuManChu]

just watched the incredibles in HD on t.v.....not a bad movie, had some funny parts.....the computer animation is fucking awesome

Incredibles was about 6/10(it would be five if it wasnt for the hot mom ).
Meet The Robinsons was friggin awesome!
easily a 8/10 in my books.

 

[Line]

I see your points, however if you look at the market in which Nolan for example has gone into, whilst it may not be the finest of his own work the films he produced in that arena are far and away better than his counterparts if not necessarily his own best work.

Agreed but wouldn't you rather see a talented director make, you know, good films?

All other above films mentioned sucked btw, with the exception of The Incredibles which I'd rate around an 7.5 out of 10. Scott continued to prove he's an overly-stylistic hack in Deja Vu and I'm still waiting to see a good-to-great film from either Scott that validates the amount of praise they get.