Schoolio's Movie Corner

[wmgaretjax]

Ignore critics and reviews of all kind and your life will be better because of it.

Yes, because the practical thing to do is not accept guidance at all in the sea of media out there. Because clearly you should go experience every single thing yourself without any indication from anyone else who has formed a valuable opinion of it. Sounds like a good way to waste a lot of time. Not saying critics and reviews are the end all, but they can be a good way to skip out on a lot of crap.

In my book, find a couple critics whom you feel do a good job of forming their own unique perspective. Learn how you feel about their opinions in regards to different kinds of films.... And you'll be pretty safe in knowing when to listen and when to ignore them.

[LooseAtTheZoo]

Yes, because the practical thing to do is not accept guidance at all in the sea of media out there. Because clearly you should go experience every single thing yourself without any indication from anyone else who has formed a valuable opinion of it. Sounds like a good way to waste a lot of time. Not saying critics and reviews are the end all, but they can be a good way to skip out on a lot of crap.

In my book, find a couple critics whom you feel do a good job of forming their own unique perspective. Learn how you feel about their opinions in regards to different kinds of films.... And you'll be pretty safe in knowing when to listen and when to ignore them.

The idea of crap comes from what perspective? Some people might think (just for a recent example) that the Saw movies are the scariest horror films of all time, whereas I think they are crap, or the majority of critics on sites such as rottentomatoes.com think they are crap. I agree that you can find critics you agree with, but that doesn't mean their reviews should necessarily convince you to see or avoid a particular movie. Create your own "opinions in regards to different kinds of films."

I'm not saying to see every new movie that comes out. I'm saying decisions of worth or enjoyment should come from yourself when it comes to art. Don't assume every person in America is so culturally bewildered and unable to discern good from bad that critics can be the only barometer of taste.

[wmgaretjax]

I'm saying decisions of worth or enjoyment should come from yourself when it comes to art.

I never said otherwise, in fact I completely agree.

I don't see critics as a barometer of taste, but the right one can be a good way to do a first round of sifting through the immense amount of film out there (especially in regards to foreign film).

[mountmccabe]

In my book, find a couple critics whom you feel do a good job of forming their own unique perspective. Learn how you feel about their opinions in regards to different kinds of films.... And you'll be pretty safe in knowing when to listen and when to ignore them.

Extremely well said.

I love reading a negative review of something and realizing that I will love it.

That really shows they're doing their job well. Don't look to critics for a yes or no, look for information to make your own decision. It mostly only works with critics you know and respect, though.

[wmgaretjax]

That's exactly how I feel. I have developed some really great "relationships" with a few critics over the years. One I almost always disagree with about films I like, but I always look forward to reading his reviews...

[LooseAtTheZoo]

I never said otherwise, in fact I completely agree.

I don't see critics as a barometer of taste, but the right one can be a good way to do a first round of sifting through the immense amount of film out there (especially in regards to foreign film).

In that case, I completely agree as well. So who are your critics. I'm partial to Joe Morgenstern

[wmgaretjax]

J. Hoberman from the Village Voice is my favorite critic. I split down the middle on how often I agree with him, but he makes really convincing arguments for films I hate.

[garrett222]

You are the single most intolerable person on this board. Go get stabbed.

there we go again. random angry statements with zero intellect to back them up.

[Down Rodeo]

I'd definitely say watch it again. It's probably my favorite Tarkovsky. There's a real emotional depth to this one that he didn't have in any of his other films, and he really takes the craft of surreal dream logic to a new height. There are a few essential scenes that tie the whole movie together in my mind, but it's also a fantastic journey through this odd world.



So much of the film was woven through the fabric of Tarkovsky's own life. The home is a reconstructed version of his own childhood home, on the very same plot that he grew up on. The reason it seems impenetrable is because you want to try and weave together some complex fabric for the film to rest upon, but it's super fucking simple, and that's the beauty of it.

Yes, thank you guys for these comments. This will really help when I approach the film for a second time. I think I tried to overanalyze the film as I was watching, when I should have focused on the shifting moods and emotions of each scene or "memory". As you said, I was looking for more than there really was in the movie.



Most notably for The Mirror, the act of splicing narrative into fragments is in itself a contemplation upon the isolating process of human perception by which each individual's world is inherently unique. To me, time and perception are at the heart of The Mirror's "theme."


This is just beautifully written, and it makes sense of the recurrence of mirrors in scenes throughout the film. Much appreciated.

[sbessiso]

Holy
Crap


High School Musical 3-42 million dollars!

FOURTY-TWO MILLION!

We all knew it would be a big hit, but this is pretty massive. I mean, wow!

[whynotsmile99]

i'm not shocked. kids movies are where the fucking money is at.

[rage patton]

No way. $42 Million? Seriously?

[sbessiso]

I'm shocked at that number. Thats a fucking shit ton of dough. I am very proud to say that nine of those dollars did NOT come from me

[iv3rdawG]

Well, it was projected to do around $48 million. So it underperformed.

[SoulDischarge]

I haven't watched a move all the way through in about 2 months. I broke my abstinence today with a re-watching of Belle De Jour. I always enjoy Bunuel movies and this is one of the most enjoyable, in a large part because of Catherine Deneuve's performance. I like how it's really simple and really complex simultaneously. I also really like how all of his films are really playful in the context of Serious Art. He's always really insightful about human nature, but his movies rarely feel like a chore to get through, like a lot of art house stuff.

[bmack86]

I'm thinking about watching There Will Be Blood or McCabe and Mrs. Miller or Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance tonight. Any advice from the the peanut gallery? I've seen TWBB, but not the other two.

[whynotsmile99]

Mr. Vengeance isn't a very great movie, especially compared with Oldboy, but it's worth seeing. Not many movies have an ass kicking mute retarded Korean protagonist. I heard McCabe and Mrs Miller is excellent, haven't seen it yet myself

[iv3rdawG]

New Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer:

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/harry-potter-and-half-blood-prince/feature-trailer

[indietron]

Holy crap that looks good

[C DUB YA]

it does.

I'm very excited for BOND and THE ROAD.

[rage patton]

I think the next movie I plan on seeing in the theatres is Madagascar 2. It doesn't look that great. But I love the first Madagascar, so I will give the second a chance.

[KungFuJoe]

Mr. Vengeance isn't a very great movie, especially compared with Oldboy, but it's worth seeing. Not many movies have an ass kicking mute retarded Korean protagonist. I heard McCabe and Mrs Miller is excellent, haven't seen it yet myself

Blasphemy! Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance is an amazing film! In my opinion, better than Oldboy. Though they both are two of the best films to come out in the past decade.

Got back from Let The Right One In. I can see why you didn't like it iv3rdawG. It was a bit of a frustrating film. Not really a truly likable character in it or one you truly wish harm to come to. At least not until the climax. And that's where the film won me over, at the payoff. There were moments I loved in the film and other moments I did not. However, the end & overall mood of the pic pulled it together. It was a refreshing take on the vampire genre & left a lot to be reflected upon. I think I really liked it. One of the better horror films in recent memory.

[C DUB YA]

I think the next movie I plan on seeing in the theatres is Madagascar 2. It doesn't look that great. But I love the first Madagascar, so I will give the second a chance.

I'm going to do Zack and Miri.

[rage patton]

Oh right, totally forgot about that. I do wanna see it... that one might wait till video though.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I'm thinking about watching There Will Be Blood or McCabe and Mrs. Miller or Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance tonight. Any advice from the the peanut gallery? I've seen TWBB, but not the other two.

You have to see McCabe and Mrs. Miller.

[stinkbutt]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned JCVD on here but it looks great

TAMobwJwFYY
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[allyjoy]

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I can't decide if I want to be outraged or excited... but it's happening either way

[iv3rdawG]

I saw Che tonight. Out of the "two" films I found The Argentine a lot easier to digest. I found it to flow a lot better than Guerilla. Che isn't that difficult a movie to take in but it has its moments. Over the "two" films there is so much story and so many characters to take in it gets a bit overwhelming. The second half of the film is where this is really displayed as Che takes over a new force in Bolivia and we are introduced to new characters. Del Toro gives a great performance and as a whole, Che makes for a good biopic. I couldn't imagine seeing the film in two parts though.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I was also at the Che premiere tonight.

A noble effort, but ultimately disappointing.

Soderbergh's original intent was for this to be released as two films, and having seen it tonight, that's the way to take it. I can't really rate Che, so I'll talk about each film separately.

The Argentine starts slow but once it found its groove, it became totally engrossing. The film depicts the build-up to the revolution in Cuba, ending just before Che's forces reach Havana. This is intercut with scenes from Guevara's visit to the UN (shot in gorgeous B&W 16 mm) in the early 60s, where he spoke and was interviewed about his politics and philosophy. The scenes of Che building up his army and journeying through the jungle are fascinating. By focusing so intently on a specific event in the man's life, Soderbergh creates a pervasive, endlessly interesting atmosphere. However, it's the UN scenes that hold the film together; they give a context to the events in the jungle, which helps to compensate for the lack of insight into Che's passion and politics.

However, Guerilla was a big disappointment to me. It picks up in 1967(?), when Che has disappeared from Cuba and secretly leads another army in another revolution, this time in Bolivia. However, 10 years have passed since the last revolution, and things have changed, and it doesn't go so well. I got the sense that Soderbergh intended to draw parallels with American interventionism, since the idea of Che as a foreigner trying to overthrow a government he isn't a part of is brought up repeatedly. But that's a pretty simple idea. Since there isn't any particular insight into Che's motivation or psychology, watching him lead another army through another jungle for over 300 days (!) gets tedious. It's kind of interesting to think about how the two films are these opposing mirror images of each other, but that kind of thing doesn't do much to make the film itself compelling. We aren't given much historical context for the campaign in Bolivia, nor is it made clear why the current government needs to be overthrown. Things start to get interesting again when Che is finally captured (there's a kind of beautiful scene between him and a curious guard that hints at things the whole film should have explored more thoughtfully, and a pretty extraordinary death scene), but all of that happens within the last 10-20 minutes of the film. This motion picture is 2 hours, and a strong 20 minutes isn't enough to redeem 1 hour and 40 minutes of tedium.

I really wanted to love Che, but Guerilla and The Argentine are only cohesive on a conceptual level; they don't enrich or enhance each other. Che Guevara is never more than an enigma, so there isn't anything to become emotionally invested in. Soderbergh's incredibly talented and the film is beautiful to look at and always interesting, but as an exercise in narrative filmmaking it comes up short.

PS: The film was mainly shot on a RED Camera, which is a high-end digital camcorder. For whatever reason, during the first 30-60 minutes of the film a lot of the stuff shot on this camera looked really subpar to me; maybe it was just where I was seated.

[PotVsKtl]

http://www.rcjohnso.com/REDFACTS.html

[Hannahrain]

I'm not clicking your e-propaganda, you fucking communist.

[whynotsmile99]

I saw Synechdoche, New York the other night. My friend and I were both blown away. Certainly the most attention grabbing film I've seen since The Fall. It was both incredibly depressing and darkly funny at the same time. THe movie becomes impossible to follow in the final act but is no less enticing and I just got fully sucked into it. The progression into madness feels well earned, they don't just throw it at you.
It must have been a mind boggling thing to actually make something so ambitious. I want to meet the script supervisor on this.
If you liked Kaufman's other work, there's no reason you shouldn't be excited about this. Hoffman is of course brilliant but what's even more noticeable is the fine performances from all the women in the film, especially Samanta Morton. Michelle Williams is terrific too, Diane Weist, Emily Watson...
Samantha Morton steals the movie though and should be given an oscar nod. I've never seen her perform "sexy" before but she is perfect for it. She was as perfect for it as Marisa Tomei was for "Before The Devil Knows Your Dead".

SO yea, very challenging film and felt epic. I thought it was over 2 1/2 hours when I walked out the theater, but it was barely 2. Not boring, just something you really have to be in the mood to wrap your brain around.

I loved it.

I also watched "Elevator to the Gallows" which was fantastic as well. Beautifully shot and that Miles Davis work was probably the best film score I've ever heard.

[wmgaretjax]

I've worked with RED footage and done some OPing on one. I can't complain. Couldn't tell you if it's worth the money compared to the other ridiculously expensive cutting edge digital cameras... It's unbelievably gorgeous though. Definitely a serious step up over simple HD cameras.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I wouldn't disagree with that, but it didn't always look the best on the gigantic screen at Grauman's. But like I said, the seats I bought on craigslist were in the third row on the left most section, so maybe my shitty position had an effect on the way it looked, I don't know.

[wmgaretjax]

I wouldn't disagree with that, but it didn't always look the best on the gigantic screen at Grauman's. But like I said, the seats I bought on craigslist were in the third row on the left most section, so maybe my shitty position had an effect on the way it looked, I don't know.

Or maybe it was shot that way intentionally. Soderbergh has consistently made ugly films... And given that he's proven he can make pretty ones, it's certainly intentional.

[Cdubby]

Went and saw Zack and Miri with a group of friends. I didn't know I was walking into a Kevin Smith film and was pleasantly surprised, seeing as Clerks is one of my all-time favorites. You know what you're going to get with a View Askew film and this one doesn't disappoint with the gags. Not worth theater admission though, I could have waited for a DVD release.

BTW, saw Kevin Smith on a late night show the other night and it seems he has put on like 100 pounds, looks like he is entering heart attack city if he doesn't watch it.

[KungFuJoe]

I saw The Good The Bad The Weird last night at the AFI Fest. It's the kick ass Korean homage to the American western film. I thought the movie was a lot of fun, but it felt a bit bloated. When it ended I had expected it to be at least a half an hour later than it actually was. It felt long & was definately longer than it needed to be. The actions scenes were good although I didn't approve of some of the frenetic camerawork. It was also a disappointment that the best action sequence happens in the middle of the movie. Despite it's flaws I still thoroughly enjoyed the pic. The 3 leads were all great in their roles, but as always Kang-ho Song steals the show. He plays "The Weird" & provides a great amount of comedy to help out during the moments that bog the film down. If you have the chance I'd recomend checking this film out. I didn't like it as much as Ji-woon Kim's previous film A Bittersweet Life, but it's still an entertaining piece of cinema.

[Courtney]

KungFuJoe, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it was bloated. I enjoyed it enough, but to be fair, westerns have never been my favorite genre. Did Kang-ho Song get a lot of laughs at your screening? I was surprised at the lack of audience response during mine.

[wmgaretjax]

Courtney, did you ever see The Assasination of Jesse James? Or The Proposition? Both good westerns, and I'm not a fan of the genre either.

[KungFuJoe]

Kang-ho Song definately got a lot of laughs at my screening. I wouldn't say the whole audience was in stitches, but there was definately a crowd around me that was hysterical during some of his scenes. There was one scene in which I missed a subtitle & had no clue why everyone was laughing, so I can imagine this happening to a lot of people.

I've always been a fan of westerns & I appreciated the homage they made with this film, but some of it was a little too drawn out.

[iv3rdawG]

I went and caught a screening of the 2008 Palme d'Or winner, The Class. The plot is a bit formulaic, as it shows a teacher and his class where there are students that don't behave as well as others. The difference is the school isn't located in a bad area and all of the teachers care deeply about each student. The movie starts as a new school year begins and ends when the school year finishes. Most of the story is seen through François Bégaudeau's eyes, who wrote the book, the script and starred in the film.

The Class has an extremely strong two acts but towards the end of the film it gets held up, mostly in the last fifteen minutes. This doesn't take away from it that much seeing how strong the entire cast of teenagers and adults are. We are able to learn about each one in detail through assignments they complete in the class and share. It has that special quality where it can be show around the world and be understood everywhere.

[rage patton]

I went and saw RockNRolla last night and I loved it. I had free movie passes, and my fiancee and I thought it sounded like a fun movie, so went to see it. I didnt really know much about it before hand and all my expectations were, were that it would half as good as Lockstock or Snatch. It really surprised me. A clever story line with great character, and great actors all around. I never really paid much attention to Gerard Butler, but he impressed me. The actor who played "Johnny Quid" was also really great. The first robbery scene, where Gerard (One Two) plays a Secuiryt guard was hilarious. I dont know what else I can say about the movie, except go see it. If you liked Lockstock and Snatch, I am sure you enjoy this one. And even if you didn't enjoy the former, try out RockNRolla, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Oh, I am already looking forward to the sequal.

[LooseAtTheZoo]

I went and saw RockNRolla last night and I loved it. I had free movie passes, and my fiancee and I thought it sounded like a fun movie, so went to see it. I didnt really know much about it before hand and all my expectations were, were that it would half as good as Lockstock or Snatch. It really surprised me. A clever story line with great character, and great actors all around. I never really paid much attention to Gerard Butler, but he impressed me. The actor who played "Johnny Quid" was also really great. The first robbery scene, where Gerard (One Two) plays a Secuiryt guard was hilarious. I dont know what else I can say about the movie, except go see it. If you liked Lockstock and Snatch, I am sure you enjoy this one. And even if you didn't enjoy the former, try out RockNRolla, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Oh, I am already looking forward to the sequal.

Gerard Butler is a way underrated actor. I've yet to be disappointed by his performances, even if the movies he's in aren't that great sometimes

[wmgaretjax]

I just watched "Boy A." It was a good film. The story and characters weren't anything special, but the performance by the lead was devastating. Particularly earlier on, before the movie got bogged down in it's own morality.

[Courtney]

Courtney, did you ever see The Assasination of Jesse James? Or The Proposition? Both good westerns, and I'm not a fan of the genre either.

No, I haven't seen either. Honestly, I tend to see the genre and run in the opposite direction. I realize that's unfair. Maybe I will be the bigger person and netflix both of these after I get back from my trip. Thank you for the recommendations.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I saw Hunger and A Christmas Tale today.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hunger ends up being the best film I see at AFI Fest. It's about the Irish hunger strikes of 1981, focusing specifically on the slow death by starvation of Bobby Sands (Michael Fessbender). I was reminded of Roger Ebert's theory that film can be a form of prayer. The movie is simple, spare, elemental and pure. Steve McQueen (I know), the film's director, directs with a patience and grace that you don't see that much in film these days, and I found a lot of room for contemplation. I can't really explain why, but this is one of the most spiritual experiences I've had with a film in a long time.

Disclaimer: This movie definitely isn't for everyone, if you're interested in the film keep in mind that it's extremely intense and graphic; the audience isn't spared the disgusting details of prison life, or the horrifying deterioration of Bobby Sands. There's also quite a bit of male nudity.

As for A Christmas Tale, I loved the first half, but the second hour becomes a little unfocused. It's a film about a dysfunctional family coming together during the Christmas season, as the matriarch dies of cancer. The main source of tension in the family stems from the animosity between a banished brother and the rest of the family. The reasons behind the banishment are hinted at and brought up a lot, but we never find out what actually happened. I have no problem with filmmakers withholding information from the viewers, but the reason behind the estrangement is brought up so much that I felt like an important element to understanding the characters was missing. Still, it's well worth seeing.

[humanoid]

No, I haven't seen either. Honestly, I tend to see the genre and run in the opposite direction. I realize that's unfair. Maybe I will be the bigger person and netflix both of these after I get back from my trip. Thank you for the recommendations.

I enjoy Westerns myself, but I would put The Assassination of Jesse James in a completely different category. It is nowhere near what you may think of when you hear "Western" . Personally, I found it to be a beautiful, very artistically imagined character study of the man who killed Jesse James, with only subtle western elements.

[roberto73]

I enjoy Westerns myself, but I would put The Assassination of Jesse James in a completely different category. It is nowhere near what you may think of when you hear "Western" . Personally, I found it to be a beautiful, very artistically imagined character study of the man who killed Jesse James, with only subtle western elements.

I'll echo this, Courtney. It's a Western only in the sense that Jesse James is in it, and there are some horses. Moreover, it's a beautifully, beautifully photographed film. Some of the shots are really startling. And the score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is pretty terrific, too. It's well worth seeing.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

This, btw, is my schedule for the rest of the festival, for those who are interested:

Monday, November 3rd:
12:30 PM: Visioneers (94 minutes)

Tuesday, November 4th:
7:00 PM: Two-Legged Horse (101 Minutes)

Wednesday, November 5th:
7:10 PM: Three Blind Mice (94 minutes)
9:40 PM: Finally, Lillian and Dan (97 minutes)
ALTERNATE: 9:40 PM: Idiots and Angels

Thursday, November 6th:
7:00 PM: Sugar (118 minutes)

Friday, November 7th:
7:00 PM: Waltz with Bashir (87 minutes)
ALTERNATE: 7:15 PM: The Chaser

Saturday, November 8th:
3:15 PM: The Brothers Bloom (109 minutes)
7:45 PM: Wendy & Lucy (80 minutes)
9:50 PM: Kisses (72 minutes)

Sunday, November 9th:
12:00 PM: Adam, Resurrected (106 minutes)

[roberto73]

I went and saw RockNRolla last night and I loved it. I had free movie passes, and my fiancee and I thought it sounded like a fun movie, so went to see it. I didnt really know much about it before hand and all my expectations were, were that it would half as good as Lockstock or Snatch. It really surprised me. A clever story line with great character, and great actors all around. I never really paid much attention to Gerard Butler, but he impressed me. The actor who played "Johnny Quid" was also really great. The first robbery scene, where Gerard (One Two) plays a Secuiryt guard was hilarious. I dont know what else I can say about the movie, except go see it. If you liked Lockstock and Snatch, I am sure you enjoy this one. And even if you didn't enjoy the former, try out RockNRolla, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Oh, I am already looking forward to the sequal.

Guy Ritchie will never be accused of making great art, but I'll agree that Rocknrolla was good, trashy fun. It's hard to go wrong when you've got Tom Wilkinson and Thandie Newton in your cast. There's also a goofy chase scene that's maybe my favorite since Raising Arizona. Not a movie to change your life, but not a bad way to spend a couple hours.

[amyzzz]

I saw a couple chick movies over the weekend: The Duchess with Kiera Knightley at the movie theatre and The Holiday on cable. The Duchess is a standard, man-hating period chick flick in which Knightley plays the Duchess of Devonshire, a much-loved and famous British aristocrat of the 18th century whose husband (Ralph Fiennes) does not love her and sleeps around like a mofo. The film does not fail to accomplish that man-hating theme as we watch the duchess discover the duke sleeping with maids, the duke foisting his illegitimate daughter upon the duchess (who virtuously raises her as her own daughter), and the duke finally cheating on the duchess with her best friend. Unfortunately, this is a PG-13 movie, and although the movie hints at lesbianism between the duchess and her girlfriend and very vaguely suggests the slight possibility of a threesome between the duke, the duchess, and her friend, we don't get to see any of that (Damnit!). Entertaining if you're in the mood for this sort of thing, which I was.

I enjoyed The Holiday solely because Kate Winslet and Jude Law were in it--great actors, great-looking, although the story was kind of silly. Cameron Diaz is starting to annoy me in every movie I've seen her in lately, but Jack Black was really funny although not really in the movie enough. The movie's premise is there are two women, one in England and one in California, whose boyfriends just dumped them, and they are going to switch houses over Christmas. Decent holiday chick flick, except for the annoying Cameron Diaz factor.

[bug on your lip]

I went and saw RockNRolla last night and I loved it.If you liked Lockstock and Snatch, I am sure you enjoy this one. And even if you didn't enjoy the former, try out RockNRolla, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Oh, I am already looking forward to the sequal.

dayyymmmmm... love both of those

then Roberto namedrops "Raising Arizona"

now this is a MUST SEE for me

hearts
.......:::::bug

[Courtney]

I enjoy Westerns myself, but I would put The Assassination of Jesse James in a completely different category. It is nowhere near what you may think of when you hear "Western" . Personally, I found it to be a beautiful, very artistically imagined character study of the man who killed Jesse James, with only subtle western elements.


I'll echo this, Courtney. It's a Western only in the sense that Jesse James is in it, and there are some horses. Moreover, it's a beautifully, beautifully photographed film. Some of the shots are really startling. And the score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is pretty terrific, too. It's well worth seeing.

Ok, I'm sold! I will rent The Assassination of Jesse James and report back. But it will likely be in December. Thank Jared, Rob and humanoid for you encouragement. Especially Rob because he knows that there's no way I could resist the combination of Nick Cave and gorgeous cinematography.

[amyzzz]

The Assassination... was a beautiful movie, but I found it long and boring. I don't like Westerns though.

[bug on your lip]

long and boring?

wtf

i was riveted, and i knew what was going to happen...
that equals a great fukkin movie

[amyzzz]

Well, Mr zzz agreed with me, and he is more inclined to enjoy Westerns.

[bug on your lip]

i'm not talking about genres

i'm talking about good film-makings

[Down Rodeo]

It's boring for people without the patience for it. I agree with everyone else, though: Jesse James is one great fucking movie. I still need to watch that again.

[amyzzz]

I have patience for Stanley Kubrick. I don't have patience for that Assassination movie. Sorry.

[Down Rodeo]

You should watch Tarkovsky.

[rage patton]

Guy Ritchie will never be accused of making great art, but I'll agree that Rocknrolla was good, trashy fun. It's hard to go wrong when you've got Tom Wilkinson and Thandie Newton in your cast. There's also a goofy chase scene that's maybe my favorite since Raising Arizona. Not a movie to change your life, but not a bad way to spend a couple hours.

Exactly. The chase scene you are talking about... you mean the one where two Russians just won't quit? I couldn't stop laughing. It was great.

[roberto73]

Exactly. The chase scene you are talking about... you mean the one where two Russians just won't quit? I couldn't stop laughing. It was great.

Yup, that's the one. That whole sequence was priceless.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

You should watch Tarkovsky.

Hahahaha.

[bmack86]

Favorite Tarkovsky movie.
Ready? Go!

Mine is The Mirror.

[wmgaretjax]

I think that while The Assasination of Jesse James isn't really a western, there are some thematic and structural components that harken back to westerns... But it's hardly a genre film. I have yet to meet anyone who did not love this movie. Even my mom, who hates slow films, absolutely loved it. Wait, I take that back, my grandfather didn't like it because it wasn't historically accurate. ha. The Proposition is definitely a western though (albeit one set in Australia)... And Courtney, it is written by Nick Cave... It's pretty brutal as you might imagine.

Tarkovsky... The Mirror. But that changes depending on the day of the week and my mood (Solyaris and Stalker are always possibilities).

[bmack86]

Stalker, Solyaris and Rublev all hang out right up there with The Mirror, Stalker being a very very very close second.

[rage patton]

I watched Control over the weekend too. It was very depressing, very slow and extremely good. I almost want to hate Ian Curtis, but I can't bring myself to. Its almost as if his rationality was on par with that of an 8 year olds. In the end, it was an extremely shitty situation and a tragic ending. I really enjoyed the movie.
Also, I loved the manager. My band now wants to hire a manager EXACTLY like him.

[indietron]

Ive been really into Charlie Kaufman films lately, ever since i saw Synecdoche, New York. So last night i finally saw Adaptation, and it was really really good. I really wanna discuss it with someone, but im afraid ill give away ALOT of the movie if i do so hahaha.

[ghettojournalist]

saw "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" this weekend. it was pretty funny. I'm glad to see Smith is still on a positive career arc, digging himself out from the "Jersey Girl" hole. also, can Craig Robinson be in more films? I feel good everytime I see him.

going to catch Elisabeth Banks in "W." tomorrow.
probably going to see her again in "Role Models".

[Down Rodeo]

Favorite Tarkovsky movie.
Ready? Go!


Andrei Rublev, but I feel I should hold out final judgment until I see the rest of his films. I still have Ivan's Childhood, Nostalghia and The Sacrifice to go. (I'm going to watch Mirror again very soon, too).


So last night i finally saw Adaptation, and it was really really good. I really wanna discuss it with someone, but im afraid ill give away ALOT of the movie if i do so hahaha.

Please feel free to discuss Adaptation here. It's always been my favorite Kaufman film, which I debate endlessly with my roommate, who gets a boner from Eternal Sunshine. I think Adaptation is very funny, has exceptional acting, and has very clever, satirical things to say about screenwriting and the creative process in general.

[indietron]

Adaptation[/I] here. It's always been my favorite Kaufman film, which I debate endlessly with my roommate, who gets a boner from Eternal Sunshine. I think Adaptation is very funny, has exceptional acting, and has very clever, satirical things to say about screenwriting and the creative process in general.

IMO eternal sunshine was better than adaptation. I think it was because i liked the whole love story kinda thing going on more than the screenwriting story.

I love how his character continually tells his brother (donald) that he needs to stray away from stereotipical things like car chases or drugs, when really the movie itself ends with stereotipical events like the car chase, a girl having sex for drugs, etc...



****************** SPOILER******************










Do you think his brother really existed?? Charlie Kaufman did not really have a twin brother in real life, even though the end of the movie said that it was devoted to donald kaufman. I am still very unsure. I cant stop thinking about it though.

[wmgaretjax]

Both Eternal Sunshine and Adaptation were bogged down by the directors' inability to capture his vision. I enjoyed both films, but for all intents and purposes Gondry and Jonze failed. I hate Gondry. Hate. hate. hate. hate.

This is why I am so excited for Kaufman to be executing his own vision.

[RedThom]

Saw "Religulous" this weekend. Definitely worth a peak

[Down Rodeo]

Both Eternal Sunshine and Adaptation were bogged down by the directors' inability to capture his vision. I enjoyed both films, but for all intents and purposes Gondry and Jonze failed.


Can you elaborate?

Regarding Adaptation, I know Donald Kaufman doesn't exist in real life but I think he is supposed to be real in the movie.

[indietron]

Both Eternal Sunshine and Adaptation were bogged down by the directors' inability to capture his vision. I enjoyed both films, but for all intents and purposes Gondry and Jonze failed. I hate Gondry. Hate. hate. hate. hate.

This is why I am so excited for Kaufman to be executing his own vision.

This may be true in some senses, but i still think that they both did an excelent job with what they were given. Kaufman even said he really liked working with both of them.

But him doing synecdoche, NY was intense. It was really cool seeing him do his own work, but it made it that much more eleborate haha. I dont know, i like all of his stuff that ive seen.

Have any of you seen that one movie he did about some ape-man?? Or something like that...

[LooseAtTheZoo]

I'm seeing Religulous this afternoon, then coming back to watch the election. I'll write a review later

[indietron]

Im still unsure if i want to see religulous. Ive seen clips and the people he interviews seem to be extremely stupid people who do not represent Christianity very well. I am a Christian but I still want to see it, unlike most Christians who would probably disregard this movie completely as some crazy man trying to bash Christianity.

Someone who has seen it... Is it ridiculous? Are the people he interviews really just morons? Does he only focus on Christianity? Thank you

[samiksha]

Religulous was awesome. Preaching to the choir no doubt, but wildly hilarious. I was happy to see how full the theater was, which got a HUGE response. Few people left early on, most everyone seemed to love it. Got a huge round of applause at the end.
I seriously haven't been in a theather with so many people laughing so hard since...Borat? Maybe Knocked up? it felt a bit uneven to not mention Buddist/Hindi religions but hard to fill it in when theres so many other (mostly Jesus based) religions to make fun of.

The anti Zionist rabbi interview was nuts. What the hell was with that guy

I loved Maher making everyone feel uncomfortable.

Great movie, loved it.


Thoughts on Religulous:

Full disclosure: I am a Christian. But I'm going to try to look at this movie on a more unbiased level. I had actually intended to see Rachel Getting Married, but ended up in the wrong theater. I decided to stay because I thought it'd be interesting to watch a documentary whose point of view was at odds with my own; with the election coming up I've been trying to seek out point of views that differ from mine, instead of just coddling myself with people who agree with me. I'd be more than happy to watch a thoughtful documentary from an atheist point of view. Unfortunately, Religulous is not that movie.

Maher claims at the outset that his goal is to find out more about the nature of religion and why people believe in it, but none of the interviews accomplish this. Does Maher have discussions with religious scholars? Does he talk to figures like Desmond Tutu? No. Instead, he grills the guy who plays Jesus at a theme park in Florida, and the congregants of a truck stop chapel. I fail to understand how these tactics are enlightening. Anyone can make religion look bad if their subjects include the leader of a marijuana Church in Amsterdam, especially if the interviewees' comments are mocked by on-screen captions and vintage film clips, few of which are relevant to what's actually being said on screen. A lot of people dislike Michael Moore, but at least his films give the subjects the rope to hang themselves; Religulous is more like Bill Maher ambushing people and strangling them with his bare hands. Watching him make fun of his subjects in the safety of his van, where they can't possibly defend themselves, left a sour taste in my mouth.

Another one of the film's problems is that, for someone who cares this much about religion, Bill Maher is remarkably uninformed. His reading of the Bible is as selective as that of the most unintelligent member of a Baptist church in Alabama. Many contemporary religious scholars reached some of Maher's conclusions long ago, but he ignores this fact; to suggest that theologians are aware of some of the inconsistencies of the Bible but value their faith anyway is to make complex an idea that Maher is dedicated to simplifying. I was baffled to see Maher claiming that the Bible is illegitimate because the gospels were written decades after the events; is this not true of all history books?

I think Maher's trying to make a comment about the dangerous intersection of politics and faith (a worthy subject that will hopefully be explored in better documentaries in the future), but he ignores this idea until the last five minutes of the film. I was gonna give the movie a pass, as much as I could, but then Maher started to rant. Over footage of nuclear explosions and war, Maher declares that for society to progress, all religion must end. He stereotypes all devout believers as deluded, and moderate believers as irresponsible. Yes, in a film about how religion is arrogant and close-minded, Bill Maher's final statement is, you guessed it, arrogant and close-minded. Maher claims that he's promoting doubt, but what can I say? That's bullshit. There's no doubt in this film. There's not a single moment suggesting that a spiritual life is anything other than a waste. Maher is as confident in his beliefs as his subjects, and in this sense he is one of them, a mad preacher for the non-believers. His refusal to acknowledge this irony robs the film of any lingering credibility it may have had. This is an ugly, despicable motion picture.


NMH, I couldn't agree with you more on Religulous. As a Christian myself, I was also expecting to be offended at times but was willing to see what Maher had to say. While I found most of the movie funny, it wasn't enlightening or intelligent at all. In fact, it comes off as a propaganda film, plain and simple. The ending was ridiculously stupid and unnecessary, and some of the points Maher made in the movie were horrible. For instance, he compares non-religious people (apparently 16% of the population) to other minority groups such as Jews, blacks and gays, which are all smaller by comparison. He basically says that these other groups get what they want (through legislation or activism or whatever), but atheists get nothing. Not only is that offensive to compare atheists (who believe in this by choice) to blacks or gays (who have no control over who they are), but it's a terrible point in general, since obviously atheists are the only marginalized and discriminated group in American society.

So, yeah, it's a funny movie but that's about it. Maher is preaching humility and doubt, but all he provides is arrogance and condescension. This movie will sway very few people in their beliefs.


I'm an atheist and I saw it the day it came out for my religion major and blah blah blah. I totally agree with you.

Bill Maher just tries to further assert his imaginary greatness over an audience who is used to Christian values. He interviews absolutely no one of credibility when it comes to religion. There may be points that he brings up that are thought-worthy (yet not foreign to anyone who has questioned a higher being) but soon after those points are presented he utilizes his ignorance and lack of intelligence to make him like a protagonist.

I pity those who see this movie and try to base their beliefs off of the bullshit that Maher dug up in this movie.

EDIT- Not to mention the ending was so fucking retarded. The entire film is basically a watered down version of the Zeitgiest movie.

etc etc etc

utilize the "search this thread" tool!

[indietron]

Theres a search this thread tool?! Since when???

Thank you though.

[samiksha]

it's at the top of the thread. next to the ratings. under the page numbers. yeah.

[indietron]

Okay after reading all that, i am definitely not gonna see that movie.

I didnt know NMH or down rodeo were christians either, thats awesome.

Also, moomoo, we need to meet up at fullerton some day.

[PotVsKtl]

http://thesuperficial.com//bfm_gallery/2008/11/1105%20Robert%20Pattinson/gallery_main/gallery_main-1105_robert_pattinson_planethywd_06.jpg

[RotationSlimWang]

Can you elaborate?

Regarding Adaptation, I know Donald Kaufman doesn't exist in real life but I think he is supposed to be real in the movie.

He's not. The movie itself isn't supposed to be real. It's all just a self-referential comment on the compromises necessary to adapt a story to film.

[Down Rodeo]

Yeah, he's real only in the sense of the plot, but obviously he's also a metaphor for artistic compromise and he helps with the irony of the film.

[Backwater]

I just saw Zach and Miri Make A Porno. It wasn't bad, not one of Smith's best but not one of his worst either. It reminded me most of Chasing Amy.

[RotationSlimWang]

Ally, Ivy and I tried to watch Zack and Miri this weekend. Thankfully, the projector broke about halfway through it and we were able to get refunds instead of having to actually watch the rest of it.

My once hero is strictly jerking off at this point. It was a pretty pathetic offering.

[ivankay]

i just wanted to go to the movies and Rocknrolla was what was starting at the time i walked up to the box office. Lame. The cast had me excited, but too many clunker scenes with weak dialogue and poser characters killed the movie. Pretty arrogant to bust out the sequel announcement at the end. Mr. Ritchie is seriously over hyped and i see no reason at this point to even check out another of his films as a curiosity.

Speaking of which, then i snuck into Zack and Miri and sat through the first half hour. my parking validation was coming up and the movie was doing nothing to make me want to pay for extra time. If nothing funny happened in the first half hour, i figured it would never materialize. i have seen more bad movies by Kevin Smith than good ones. If i see another, i am going to have to hear from trusted people i know that he made a good one.

[Somewhat Damaged]

Ally, Ivy and I tried to watch Zack and Miri this weekend. Thankfully, the projector broke about halfway through it and we were able to get refunds instead of having to actually watch the rest of it.

My once hero is strictly jerking off at this point. It was a pretty pathetic offering.

Kevin Smith used to be your hero? Really?! Why?

I remember you razzing me in the past for admitting that I paid to see Wanted. What happened to that profound logic you're so proud of that you claimed I lacked for having paid to go see such a shitty film? Did you not know anything about Zack and Miri besides the fact that it's a Kevin Smith movie? 'Cause checking out the trailer and knowing that Seth Rogen's in it should've told you to stay far, far away.

[sbessiso]

Zack and Miri was pretty bad. More disappointing than anything else. This is Kevin Smith's laziest script by far. The "story" is a stretch to begin with and I usually dont let that get to me. There was a blinding lack of chemistry between the two leads. The jokes fell flat and the last third of the movie completely fizzled. My friend and I laughed a few times sure, but I think the movie just had a decent supporting cast. I also didnt like that Zack worked at a starbucks type place, that gave me chills. But thats my own personal problem

[RotationSlimWang]

Kevin Smith used to be your hero? Really?! Why?

I remember you razzing me in the past for admitting that I paid to see Wanted. What happened to that profound logic you're so proud of that you claimed I lacked for having paid to go see such a shitty film? Did you not know anything about Zack and Miri besides the fact that it's a Kevin Smith movie? 'Cause checking out the trailer and knowing that Seth Rogen's in it should've told you to stay far, far away.

This is Seth Rogen's first bad movie. No one involved with Wanted had ever made a good movie. Just be quiet and go back to writing your 18th script about some douchebag with mental problems.

[chairmenmeow47]

I just saw Zach and Miri Make A Porno. It wasn't bad, not one of Smith's best but not one of his worst either. It reminded me most of Chasing Amy.

chasing amy is the only kevin smith movie i actually like and would watch again. zach and miri on the other hand looked like it was written while someone was doing something more important. i was glad when the projector broke, lol.

[Stefinitely Maybe]

No one involved with Wanted had ever made a good movie.

http://movies.infinitecoolness.com/03/seven11.jpg

[RotationSlimWang]

Jesus Christ, Freeman was in that?

Well in that case I'm glad he's dead.

[amyzzz]

When did Morgan Freeman die? He's not dead.

[Blinken]

Zack and Miri was pretty bad. More disappointing than anything else. This is Kevin Smith's laziest script by far. The "story" is a stretch to begin with and I usually dont let that get to me. There was a blinding lack of chemistry between the two leads. The jokes fell flat and the last third of the movie completely fizzled. My friend and I laughed a few times sure, but I think the movie just had a decent supporting cast. I also didnt like that Zack worked at a starbucks type place, that gave me chills. But thats my own personal problem

Mark and Salah Make a Porno, coming soon to a theater near you.

[Cdubby]

Ive been really into Charlie Kaufman films lately, ever since i saw Synecdoche, New York. So last night i finally saw Adaptation, and it was really really good. I really wanna discuss it with someone, but im afraid ill give away ALOT of the movie if i do so hahaha.


Adaptation is such a great film, I love the character Donald. I need to watch it again soon.

[McAwesome]

Im still unsure if i want to see religulous. Ive seen clips and the people he interviews seem to be extremely stupid people who do not represent Christianity very well. I am a Christian but I still want to see it, unlike most Christians who would probably disregard this movie completely as some crazy man trying to bash Christianity.

Someone who has seen it... Is it ridiculous? Are the people he interviews really just morons? Does he only focus on Christianity? Thank you

I was on the same boat as you, and just as long as you go in with an open mind, it can be pretty funny.

[LooseAtTheZoo]

Jesus Christ, Freeman was in that?

Well in that case I'm glad he's dead.

Dont forget James McAvoy (spelling?) in Last King of Scotland. Not a bad movie at all.

[LooseAtTheZoo]

I was on the same boat as you, and just as long as you go in with an open mind, it can be pretty funny.

The best parts of Religulous are Maher's off the cuff comments. They are funnier than what is obviously his written material.

[Somewhat Damaged]

This is Seth Rogen's first bad movie. No one involved with Wanted had ever made a good movie. Just be quiet and go back to writing your 18th script about some douchebag with mental problems.

Shit, I wish I were that prolific.

[unitedwestand]

Wow. I didn't even know they were making the Prequel.
Director:Ron Howard
Cast:Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino
ANGELS & DEMONS
Memorial Day. 2009
Trailer:http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/

[iv3rdawG]

Just got back from The Wrestler. It was fantastic.

[stinkbutt]

Wow. I didn't even know they were making the Prequel.
Director:Ron Howard
Cast:Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino
ANGELS & DEMONS
Memorial Day. 2009
Trailer:http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/

This was much better than the Davinci Code if you ask me so hopefully it goes well

[Down Rodeo]

Recent movies I've seen:

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu: This was a fantastic neorealist dark comedy that's completely unsentimental and honest about humanity. I'm gonna check out more of these Romanian films.

Russian Ark: This film was phenomenal from a technical and visual standpoint, with some important insights into Russian history and culture. I really enjoyed this one.

Ace in the Hole: Awesome Billy Wilder film with Kirk Douglas in the lead that is a scathing critique of sensationalist media and the tendency for the public to eat it up. Way ahead of its time.

The Mirror: After second viewing I'm now prepared to say this movie is an unquestionable masterpiece. Now that I wasn't worried about following the "plot", I picked up on much of the emotional tone of the film and was extremely moved as a result. There are so many layers to this film regarding human nature and Russian history that you could pick apart the movie for a long time and still be satisfied. Why, oh why, did Tarkovsky have to die young?

[amyzzz]

Wow. I didn't even know they were making the Prequel.
Director:Ron Howard
Cast:Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino
ANGELS & DEMONS
Memorial Day. 2009
Trailer:http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/
I know I read that, but I absolutely don't remember any of it.

[sbessiso]

I'll never forget my Da Vinci Code theater experience. I went with 4 other people and maybe halfway through the movie I wake up look over and all of my friends are dead asleep. One of them even left!

[amyzzz]

I read the Da Vinci Code, but I didn't bother going to the movie, even with Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou in it, I didn't bother.

[sbessiso]

The book reads like a summer blockbuster film but everything gets lost in translation. Even with Tatou who I just adore. Theres a point where Tom Hanks goes "To the library!", completely serious of course. Massive giggles followed


Mark and Salah Make a Porno, coming soon to a theater near you.

Yes! We could send his kid to college this way!

[indietron]

Ive been on a Charlie Kaufman craze lately, so tonight I watched Being John Malkovitch. SUCH a good movie. One of his best IMO. It was clever, funny, and unique. Kaufman is such an excellent writer, and Jonze did a great job directing.

[ghettojournalist]

Chasing Amy- damn good.
Dogma-good.
Clerks-good.
end.

Wanted- Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy, Terrence Stamp, and Common are in the film and have also been in at least one other good/great film.

"Role Models" is a fun ride. Chris Mintz-Plasse shows some physical dexterity in the flick. Paul Rudd is awesome. great end battle scene.

[SoulDischarge]

The movie "Parents," directed by Bob Balaban and starring Randy Quaid, is on Hulu. I've been looking for it for awhile, and I don't think it's been released on DVD yet. Everyone in the US should watch it: http://www.hulu.com/watch/13289/parents

[sbessiso]

That movies fucked me up as a kid!

[wmgaretjax]

Synecdoche, NY is the best move of the year... Probably of the last few years. It is also easily the strangest movie I have ever seen at the multiplex. I don't want to spoil anything. But I'll throw a few things out there until more people have seen it.

I haven't cried like that at a movie in a very long time, so to the folks that have said they were unable to connect with the characters or sympathize with them, bah!

I realized watching it that this is probably the closest this generation of filmmaking will ever get to a film like Tarkovsky's "Mirror."

To people that say this movie is confusing, you just need to ease up and stop looking for an explicit plot. This movie couldn't be any more straightforward. It ebbs and flows with perfect consistency, you can predict it's shifts like the lull of an ocean... and it still surprises you.

Do not walk into it expecting a twist or climactic shift like in some of his other films. It's not there.

[whynotsmile99]

Synecdoche, NY is the best move of the year... Probably of the last few years. It is also easily the strangest movie I have ever seen at the multiplex. I don't want to spoil anything. But I'll throw a few things out there until more people have seen it.

I haven't cried like that at a movie in a very long time, so to the folks that have said they were unable to connect with the characters or sympathize with them, bah!

I realized watching it that this is probably the closest this generation of filmmaking will ever get to a film like Tarkovsky's "Mirror."

To people that say this movie is confusing, you just need to ease up and stop looking for an explicit plot. This movie couldn't be any more straightforward. It ebbs and flows with perfect consistency, you can predict it's shifts like the lull of an ocean... and it still surprises you.

Do not walk into it expecting a twist or climactic shift like in some of his other films. It's not there.

I'm glad you liked it. I loved it too. I agree with you about the plot, though it gets confusing, it's not the point. I never felt like I was taken out of the film, or couldn't connect with the characters. It made perfect sense and kept pulling me more and more into it, the deeper down the abyss it went.

I'm not sure I can see all those women falling for Hoffman's schlub, but if Woody Allen can pull it off this is no different. Would you agree that it had one of the greatest ensemble casts in some time? The actresses, particularly Samantha Morton, were all fantastic.

[LooseAtTheZoo]

I just finished watching Meeting People Is Easy, the documentary following Radiohead right after the release of OK Computer. It was pretty good, but I can see how non-Radiohead fans would be bored to tears by it. You can definitely get the sense of a band falling apart, though.

I also didn't know they were playing versions of Nude as early as 1999. Pretty cool.

[KungFuJoe]

Caught two films at AFI Fest this weekend.

ACHILLES & THE TORTOISE - the new Takeshi Kitano film that supposedly is the end of his self reflective trilogy. I've still yet to see the middle film in this trilogy Glory to the Filmmaker, but I absolutely loved his first one Takeshis'. And with Achilles Takeshi proved again to me that he is one of, if not the, greatest working film director today. The story follows Machisu, a young boy who is brought up in a wealthy family & is encouraged to persue his dreams of being a painter, as his father is an avid collector. After his fathers business falls under, tragedy strikes within the family & Machisu is orphaned off to his Uncle. Machisu never gives up his dreams of becoming a successful painter as the film follows him thru 3 stages of his life. His childhood, young adulthood in & as an older married man with a daughter. The constant persuit of this dream is where the film gets it's title. While I thought I would be in for a more light hearted fare from Kitano, the film is a very dark comedy that builds off the notion that no matter how hard you chase there are certain things you can never catch. It also serves as a satire on the absurdity of what is acceptable in commercial art. The film features all paintings created by Kitano himself, has some hysterical moments & ultimately is a film any fan of Kitano would probably enjoy. While I probably wouldn't hold it in as high regard as some of his previous films, such as Hana-Bi or Zatoichi, it certainly is a film that fits nicely into his catalog of wonderful films. Though I haven't seen all of his movies, there is not one that I have seen that I would truly consider bad.

For those of you who like Synecdoche, NY I reccomend giving some of Takeshis' recent work a chance.

TOKYO! - this was a fun film, designed much like the films Three & Three Extremes. Essentially, it's three short films (approx 30min each), all centered around life in Tokyo, by three different directors, all non Japanese. One of the directors being Michel Gondry, another being Bong Joon Ho (the man responsible for one of my favorite korean films The Host) & Leos Carax (who i know nothing about). They all made some wonderful little films. Though I will admit I found them to be a little bit too gimmicky. The first segment was Michel Gondry's short "Interior Design". It was a cute, simple & surreal pleasure. Perhaps a little too cute, but still a nice film. I'd explain the concept, but it would sound boring unless I told you what the appeal is (which I'd hate to spoil)The second segment was Leos Carax's "Merde" which was absolutely hysterical. For the most part anyway. It started off with a bang, but fizzled off a bit at the end. In Merde, a man who resembles a tall lanky leprauchan w/ white eyes, crawls in & out of sewer holes & wreaks havoc on Tokyo. Striking fear into the citizens "the creature from the sewers" is eventually captured & sent to trial. The trial scene bogs this segment down & the language the creature speaks gets annoying. Overall it was still the most entertaining segment of the bunch. "Shaking Tokyo" was the third & final segment of the film, directed by Bong Joon Ho. This was by far the most interesting segment of the film & my personal favorite. It follows a story of a man that calls himself a "hikikomori", which is explained to mean someone that has withdrawn from all contact with the outside world. He lives his quiet life in his perfectly neat apartment until he falls in love with a pizza dilivery girl he decides to make eye contact with that turns out to have some pretty unique character traits. This is definately the segment I think many people that post on message boards will relate too.

Overall TOKYO! was a fun little experimental film in which all of it's segments can and probably will be used as valuable lessons in film schools around the world.

[whynotsmile99]

i totally dropped the ball on the AFI fest this year. I love going, but haven't been to a single screening this time around. Glad to hear Achillies and the Tortoise and tokyo are good

[iv3rdawG]

This year I saw Che, The Wrestler and The Class at the festival. The Wrestler was easily my favorite. Aronofsky's simplest film but I just found it to be brilliant. Rourke has an Oscar coming his way. I had a couple of other tickets to some films but I was just too busy and worn out.

[whynotsmile99]

can't wait to see the Wrestler. Slumdog Millionaire starts Wednesday at Arclight which I can't wait for either. Love Danny Boyle

did anyone catch Waltz with Bashir? the trailer to that looked incredible.

[bmack86]

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance or Blow-Up? I have 10 minutes before my food is done, so I need quick opinions.

[cansei de ser sexme]

i saw P.J. which was pretty lame but Bill Nye the science guy was in the audience and i talked to him

[LooseAtTheZoo]

I'm afraid that Rourke in The Wrestler simply won't live up to the massive hype.

[iv3rdawG]

He did. Well, I thought he did...

[wmgaretjax]

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance or Blow-Up? I have 10 minutes before my food is done, so I need quick opinions.

I would have said Blow Up... Such a great film.

[MeowMixer]

i saw P.J. which was pretty lame but Bill Nye the science guy was in the audience and i talked to him

WjpVQbNpGKo

[bmack86]

I would have said Blow Up... Such a great film.

I went the other direction and watched Sympathy. It was really good, but not as captivating as Oldboy. I didn't expect it to be, either, so that was alright.

[KungFuJoe]

I just watched TAKEN which is the new film by the team that brought us District B13, Pierre Morel & Luc Besson. It was a bit hokey, but I loved it. It's worth watching if only to see how unbelievably bad ass Liam Neeson is in it.
I don't think it comes out until January though...

CvUxdQ4q-Lg

[cansei de ser sexme]

:22 seconds you know some shits goin down.

[ivankay]

The other day i went ot go see Synecdoche, NY, but walked up to a sold out show. The next thing starting was a movie called "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". It was a'ight and did cause some people in the theater to tear up. Why not me? i dunno except the feeling i was being manipulated. The story was interesting enough, but it was a German story that was done in English. That can work, but a power the story possessed was muted by the fantasy world that comes about when this choice is made. Combine that with another "unrealistic" choice in the lighting of certain shots, and i felt like i was watching an interesting TV movie. One scene at a dinner bordered on ridiculous with it's unplausibility. The main roles are held by kids. The actors weren't bad, but they didn't come off as genuine kids, but more like kids through the filter of an adult perspective. i would be curious to see a different approach to this material.

[whynotsmile99]

taken looks good, I love Liam neeson.

I just finished Benny's Video. Eh

My least favorite Michael Haneke film I've seen so far, but only saw 5 I think. Interesting premise, but went no where. Very frustrating film that felt like a short film stretched to feature length. It was well made, but in the end really didn't have much to say. Stupid, rather pointless ending to boot.

I saw Zack ANd Miri Make a porno yesterday. First Kevin Smith movie I can say I didn't like. Felt very amateurish, even by Smith standards. Parts were funny, but rather few and far between. Gross in parts (that shit scene was really, really horrible) and vulgar on a very immature level. I will say that Elizabeth Banks was fantastic. I really think she will have a very strong career as an actress. She was the best part of the film

[LooseAtTheZoo]

The other day i went ot go see Synecdoche, NY, but walked up to a sold out show. The next thing starting was a movie called "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". It was a'ight and did cause some people in the theater to tear up. Why not me? i dunno except the feeling i was being manipulated. The story was interesting enough, but it was a German story that was done in English. That can work, but a power the story possessed was muted by the fantasy world that comes about when this choice is made. Combine that with another "unrealistic" choice in the lighting of certain shots, and i felt like i was watching an interesting TV movie. One scene at a dinner bordered on ridiculous with it's unplausibility. The main roles are held by kids. The actors weren't bad, but they didn't come off as genuine kids, but more like kids through the filter of an adult perspective. i would be curious to see a different approach to this material.

I've heard some bad things about this movie, one in that it minimizes the Holocaust. But if you have that big of a problem with the English, definitely don't go see Valkyrie. If you were planning on it.

[ivankay]

I've heard some bad things about this movie, one in that it minimizes the Holocaust. But if you have that big of a problem with the English, definitely don't go see Valkyrie. If you were planning on it.


Something like Valkyrie could probably get away with it the same way Hunt for Red October does. It appears to be a film that is in the action/suspense genre, so it could work. Using English in Striped Pajamas was one of the things that contributed to the "sunnier" approach (don't get me wrong, no laughs and giggles here) and that sucked away some of the horror of the story. Maybe they thought they were making a movie for kids to introduce them to the Holocaust. Anyway, it didn't work for me. i kept getting kicked out of what was in front of me by thinking of the potential for a darker twist on the story of the friendship between these two boys.

[wmgaretjax]

I just finished Benny's Video. Eh

This is my least favorite Haneke film... But I think it's an interesting lead in to Cache...

[iv3rdawG]

(that shit scene was really, really horrible)

:lool

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Those who have seen Man Bites Dog...this is disturbing on a number of levels.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/CitizenKane/lolmovie.jpg

[thestripe]

I bought Ghostbusters 1 & 2 for $10 last night. I will not use them for evil.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Anyone who wants to cry like a baby, see Dear Zachary. Seriously, I was in tears for most of the movie. It's heartbreaking.

[Down Rodeo]

I watched Bunuel's That Obscure Object of Desire tonight and it was fantastic. Had some sexy naked women too.

[paulb]

Anyone who wants to cry like a baby, see Dear Zachary. Seriously, I was in tears for most of the movie. It's heartbreaking.

Adam Yauch is distributing that movie with Oscilloscope.... I dont know what exactly that means.... but i cant wait to see it.

[SoulDischarge]

I just finished watching Fassbinder's Lola and enjoyed it pretty thoroughly. It feels like a bit of a missing link between Douglas Sirk and Pedro Almadovar, but with a strong socio-political bent. The lighting, color design, sets, costumes, characters, and acting are all really captivating. Somehow, it's very theatrical and over the top while still feeling naturalistic underneath all the gaudiness.

[LunaVC]

they're doing an american version of Oldboy

discuss

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

Adam Yauch is distributing that movie with Oscilloscope.... I dont know what exactly that means.... but i cant wait to see it.

It's his film studio thing. Those of you who are cheap or live in shit cities, the film is showing on December 7th on MSNBC at 9 PM. It's not an easy film to watch, but it's certainly a rewarding one.

[C DUB YA]

they're doing an american version of Oldboy

discuss

I refuse to discuss such a crime.

I will discuss the awesomeness of the new WATCHMEN trailer (soundtracked by Muse by the way)

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/watchmen.html?showVideo=1

[wmgaretjax]

That trailer looks awful. I'm getting more upset about this films as it gets closer.

[C DUB YA]

I read the Da Vinci Code, but I didn't bother going to the movie, even with Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou in it, I didn't bother.

I honestly think the movie gets a bad rep. It's not as bad as most make it out to be imo.

[C DUB YA]

That trailer looks awful. I'm getting more upset about this films as it gets closer.

How exactly does that look awful? It's shot exactly like the book. Which is exactly what it needs to be. Most nerds (myself included) are pretty much in agreement this kicks serious ass.

[kreutz2112]

I saw Zach and Miri Make A Porno last night. I thought it was fucking hilarious. One of Rogens best. We stayed for the closing credits too and we walked out of the theater the hallway was completely void of employees so we snuck into the midnight showing of James Bond. I thought it was good, but not THAT good. I liked Casino Royale more. Zach and Miri was way more entertaining than Bond.

[amyzzz]

How exactly does that look awful? It's shot exactly like the book. Which is exactly what it needs to be. Most nerds (myself included) are pretty much in agreement this kicks serious ass.
Jared doesn't like comic book movies, period.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

It's alright, I just wish they wouldn't use so much slo-mo, it's not at all in the spirit of the book. Better than the teaser trailer at least.

[C DUB YA]

Hey check out the new Pixar short called BURN-E (from the Wall-E Bluray next week)

http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2008/11/pixars_burne_short_makes_me_wa.php

[wmgaretjax]

How exactly does that look awful? It's shot exactly like the book. Which is exactly what it needs to be. Most nerds (myself included) are pretty much in agreement this kicks serious ass.

The acting look terrible. The dialogue feels hollowed out. The slow motion is fucking retarded.

Just because the color palette is the same and they match the camera angles to the frames doesn't mean it will capture the feeling of the graphic novel.

And I don't know what aficionados you've been talking to that are so excited about the adaptation, because everyone I've talked to has been against this from the minute that Snyder was announced as the director. My brother (a much bigger comic book fan than I), groaned out loud twice during the trailer when I showed it to him last night.

[wmgaretjax]

It's alright, I just wish they wouldn't use so much slo-mo, it's not at all in the spirit of the book.

That is probably my biggest complaint (besides the ending change, and the pirate segment being left out).

[iv3rdawG]

I saw Zach and Miri Make A Porno last night. I thought it was fucking hilarious. One of Rogens best.

Seems you and I are the only ones to think so in this thread.

[C DUB YA]

The acting look terrible. The dialogue feels hollowed out. The slow motion is fucking retarded.

Just because the color palette is the same and they match the camera angles to the frames doesn't mean it will capture the feeling of the graphic novel.

And I don't know what aficionados you've been talking to that are so excited about the adaptation, because everyone I've talked to has been against this from the minute that Snyder was announced as the director. My brother (a much bigger comic book fan than I), groaned out loud twice during the trailer when I showed it to him last night.

Well there are fans that don't mind books that turn into movies then there are those who do. No matter what book it is.

Everyone who has read the book here at my work is VERY excited. basically if it is going to get made - which it is/has, then this is the best example of it we as fans could have possibly hoped for. Zack is a decent director.

[PotVsKtl]

Snyder is a hack. The trailer looks better than I expected but I'm fairly confident the movie's going to turn out sub-par. People did see 300 right?

[real talk]

Schenecady left me hopeless with despair. I felt hypnotized when I walked out. I cried real tears in there. It's hard to think about it.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

That is probably my biggest complaint (besides the ending change, and the pirate segment being left out).

I don't know, I can't blame them for cutting Black Freighter, considering the amount of ground they have to cover just telling the main story in a 2-3 hour film.


SPOILERZ



But yeah, why change the ending? As my friend Philip pointed out, if Dr. Manhattan is what caused all of those deaths as opposed to a space monster, the world would probably turn on the United States, seeing as Manhattan was used a US military tool. The whole point of Adrian's scheme doesn't really make sense with this change.


END SPOILERZ

[bmack86]

So, Synecdoche, New York. It was an amazing representation of what seemed to me like something that would be traditionally viewed as unfilmable. The scope of the film is amazing, and it was so hauntingly depressing, made even moreso by the fact that it is frequently wickedly funny. It may have been a bit slow at the end, but damn if the final scene wasn't completely worth it. Lots of people had built it up for me so far, but it far exceeded my expectations.

[sbessiso]

STAR TREK

quality is aight but you get the picture. I think it looks really neato, I'm excited

EradGWJNsl4

[ivankay]

Ahhhhh, yeah! Star Trek is looking D.O.P.E.!

[sbessiso]

It really does, and I'm a TNG boy through and through

[ivankay]

i have love for old and new generations. If the movie lives up to the trailer, it will be the best Star Trek movie...or will "Wrath of Kahn" maintain it's place on the mantle? We shall see. i will definitely be there for an opening night, Imax screening.

[sbessiso]

....don't hate me but I've never seen any of those start trek movies :(. Only from Star Trek: Generations on....

[wmgaretjax]

Wrath of Kahn is the only one worth watching imo. I'm not a star trek fan though.

[ivankay]

http://www.acc.umu.se/~zqad/cats/1166660967-1166611403136799.jpg

[garrett222]

Is the show Big Love on HBO any good? I saw a preview for the 3rd season adn they are making me wonder.

[ghettojournalist]

EW has a poll that asks if you had to choose only one to see, which would it be: Star Trek or Watchmen?

As of right now, I would say Star Trek. I am not really a Star Trek fan and I love Watchmen, but the more I see of it, the less it appeals to me.

To get a bit nerdy, Watchmen: The Film is following in the foot-steps of "Sin City" and "The Dark Knight"; two comic films that nail the hyper-stylized noir and grim and gritty psychological actioner.

Snyder is like all the copycat story-tellers that followed Frank Miller when he hit with "The Dark Knight Returns".

Hell, Frank Miller is also following the comic trend where he becomes a parody of himself (The Dark Knight Strikes Again) by making "The Spirit".

So I guess the point is keep expectations low for "Watchmen" and hope that it at least matches "300" in quality.

I will be hoping that "The Spirit" ends up at least 75% as good as "Sin City".

[sbessiso]

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/48/l_9bcb86293b204d60baa316abba8fe5aa.jpg

Depp=Mad Hatter


*edit*

The image is not confirmed so It COULD be fan made. Still pretty neato though

[amyzzz]

STAR TREK

quality is aight but you get the picture. I think it looks really neato, I'm excited

EradGWJNsl4
Fuckin A.

[RotationSlimWang]

So the other day I got back a piece of unofficial coverage from Paul Haggis's script reader (unofficial because it was done as a favor at the request of my friend as opposed to done at the request of the production company). Some of you have read the script in question, most of that "some of you" probably only read half or less. But even if you haven't read it you're already familiar with the main character of "Rich," since he is quite literally me. It's an autobiographical (dramatized biography but nonetheless) story.

Anyway, the reader was largely complimentary and gave it decent marks--coverage cover pages usually include a set of check boxes rating the script as either Poor, Fair, Good, or Excellent in each of six categories: premise, storyline, characterizations, plot structure, and production values. Premise and storyline got Excellents and all the rest just Goods, which I can't complain about but naturally feel I got gypped at least twice.

What's funny but not remotely surprising is how the ultimate conclusion of this summary/critique--after the four-fifths of consistent praise--turned out to be the same condemnation I've received from almost everyone whose given me notes in the past who didn't really know me. I'm gonna post the first couple paragraphs of the conclusion, the last one being the one I find funny and imagine some of you might too.

To explain the character names: Rich, main character, me; Sprak, Rich's best friend/drug partner; Pistolette, Rich's love interest [yes, her name is Pistolette. Suck it.


Comments:

Although the high school drug use is a subject matter that has been covered before, PARTNERS IN EDUCATION brings a fresh tone and a unique story to set against that backdrop. The first thing that comes to mind is Pulp Fiction, Basketball Diaries, and Traffic having a love child.

For the most part, each character in PARTNERS is sharply drawn and the audience is allowed to connect to each of them at one point or another throughout the script, making the ensemble work efficiently.

The duo of Rich and Sprak works well except for when the separation between their traits blends two much. Most of the problem can be fixed with minor adjustments to dialogue. Each of them has their own personality, Rich the troubled genius and Sprak the dim muscle. The dymamic between the two is lost when they become too much alike.
This happens most notably when out of nowhere Rich uses the word “*****” when talking to Pistolette on the way home from school. Up until that point Rich is painted as the less crass of the two and when he uses phrases associated with Sprak part of the connection is lost. He is an unlikable hero for the most part but it is essential that what makes him unlikable does not alienate him from the audience. Part of his charm as a character is his sarcastic wit but that is cheapened when coupled with words like “*****”. He comes off sounding more like the “Wigger” character in the script than the person the audience has become attached to. Each characters voice, especially Rich since we are asked to root for an unlikable hero, needs to be made more consistent.

[JSam67]

Spot on.

If you've received this criticism before, why not revise some of those lines and paint yourself as less unlikeable? Cuz it's not the real, black you?

[RotationSlimWang]

Excuse some of us for actually having a personality, Josh.

[shakermaker113]

nice. good work.

[wmgaretjax]

that's pretty fucking hysterical... and I think those "inconsistencies" wouldn't exist if you played you...

[Hannahrain]

The duo of Rich and Sprak works well except for when the separation between their traits blends two much.

I'd be hesitant to accept literary criticism from someone who doesn't proofread enough to catch this in their own writing.

[RotationSlimWang]

that's pretty fucking hysterical... and I think those "inconsistencies" wouldn't exist if you played you...

That's what I'm saying, even though you haven't met me in person yet I guess you get that my point is that, much like this board, in written form it's a little harder to imagine how an asshole like myself (or "unlikable" as this cunt claims which I actually think is kinda inaccurate--the character is likable, just objectionable) can prove to be quite endearing. Which is kinda the whole point of how I act and more to the point how the character is: getting people to identify with and enjoy someone who's rather a dick.


I'd be hesitant to accept literary criticism from someone who doesn't proofread enough to catch this in their own writing.

Yeah, that too. It wasn't particularly well written at all, which is to be expected.

The thing I just find really silly about it is that there are TONS of criticisms you can make about me/Rich and how the audience would have trouble connecting to him. But why did the dumb fuck pick this single instance of one white suburban teenager dropping "*****" (for humorous effect) into conversation with another white suburban 16-year-old girl as the glaring misstep? One "*****" out of an absurdly verbose and constantly foul-mouthed protagonist and he's slipping character?

I just wanna be like, "Motherfucker, do you not realize white suburban teens have been throwing that word around at each other ever since The Chronic came out?" C'mon.

[tessalasset]

I've seen Twilight twice now (with another three more viewings this week) and I can just tell you now, 99% of you will not like it. I am in that 1% but I expect everyone to hate it who hasn't read the book/is not obsessed with Edward Cullen.

That is my review.

[tessalasset]

Oh I also don't expect any of you to actually see it.

[downingthief]

Tessa, you are right...at least about me. I have no desire to see it. But, I am glad you enjoyed it. Even though Edward Cullen is still staring at me. Creepy bastard.

[amyzzz]

Isn't he Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter 4? kinda hot.

[downingthief]

Isn't he Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter 4? kinda hot.

Yup, that be him.

[tessalasset]

The man is fucking gorgeous. I wasn't going to post this but oh well.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v653/227/57/81500275/n81500275_31055568_4691.jpg

[downingthief]

Nice! Where was that taken?

[tessalasset]

the twilight premiere after party :)

[downingthief]

the twilight premiere after party :)

Very cool!

[PotVsKtl]

Gorgeous like a bedazzled douchepump.

[chairmenmeow47]

big love. january. holla.

[faxman75]

big love. january. holla.


ooh FINALLY! I love that show as I am obsessed with the FLDS to begin with. Fascinating. I also think Chloe Sevigny is super sexy.

[thestripe]

It's a guilty pleasure.

[ivankay]

Shouldn't feel guilty about your pleasures, just the things you do that make you feel ashamed.

[ghettojournalist]

Twilight will bring in the bucks, but Bolt could put up a good fight. people love their dog movies.

[bmack86]

Seriously, more people talk about Synecdoche, NY. Now.

[Down Rodeo]

Randy, I want your damn script to be made into a movie. When's that happening?

[LooseAtTheZoo]

Seriously, more people talk about Synecdoche, NY. Now.

I'll talk after I see it this weekend

[amyzzz]

I will probably see Bolt.

[Down Rodeo]

Seriously, more people talk about Synecdoche, NY. Now.

I saw this last Saturday and it was pretty much everything I expected: bewildering, morbidly funny, depressing, basically awesome. However, as with most "difficult" films, I feel the need to see this a second time before I can fully develop and express my opinion about it. I agree with Ebert in that the first time I saw it, I felt I had seen a great film but that I hadn't mastered it yet.

[RotationSlimWang]

Randy, I want your damn script to be made into a movie. When's that happening?

In theory there will be about twenty five minutes of it available by summer. But I'm getting more and more pessimistic about the actual feasibility of pulling this off.

[bmack86]

I saw this last Saturday and it was pretty much everything I expected: bewildering, morbidly funny, depressing, basically awesome. However, as with most "difficult" films, I feel the need to see this a second time before I can fully develop and express my opinion about it. I agree with Ebert in that the first time I saw it, I felt I had seen a great film but that I hadn't mastered it yet.

I would agree with that. To be honest, despite the fact that I want to hear opinions and discuss it, I'm not completely sure that I want to talk about the film. For me it succeeded so fully because it captured on film feelings that I hadn't seen articulated so close to the way I view them, specifically the convoluted, distorted and confusing place that each of us plays in our own lives and the lives of others.

[bmack86]

and Randy, I'd like to see your film, and specifically the part where you(r character) say(s) ***** to a 16 year old white girl.

[RotationSlimWang]

To tell the truth I'm not even sure he's right about that, although I might have to go check now. I thought I only had the character say it one time for one very specific moment in a tense conversation with Sprak. Can't imagine I would have added a second one in there as it would detract from the humor of the original instance.

[bmack86]

Well, based on the little bit you posted from what he wrote, he doesn't sound overly competent. So it's probably not even in there.

[wmgaretjax]

I don't think Synecdoche, NY is a "difficult" film, I mean... It is in terms of Hollywood, but for anyone that's ventured into art-house cinema at all it should be comfortable enough.

This film wasn't perfect by any measure, there were plenty of moments that with a little less direct personal attachment, or more experience, Kauffman could have done better. But in the end it didn't matter, the movie hit the sentiment and the emotional complexity of his experience so perfectly that the flaws in the film felt so human... Everything about that movie is so authentically human... I just hope to god he keeps making films rather than just writing, because he could easily be the greatest filmmaker of our generation.

[Down Rodeo]

See, I don't what my problem is then, because I've seen plenty of art-house films and Synecdoche, NY was still a little baffling to me. I mean, I didn't even fully understand what was going on in Mirror until the second time I saw it, and I just watched Persona for the second time and I still have questions. Kaufman just has an odd, quirky streak that takes a little getting accustomed to.

[patsfan5454]

I don't think Synecdoche, NY is a "difficult" film, I mean... It is in terms of Hollywood, but for anyone that's ventured into art-house cinema at all it should be comfortable enough.

This film wasn't perfect by any measure, there were plenty of moments that with a little less direct personal attachment, or more experience, Kauffman could have done better. But in the end it didn't matter, the movie hit the sentiment and the emotional complexity of his experience so perfectly that the flaws in the film felt so human... Everything about that movie is so authentically human... I just hope to god he keeps making films rather than just writing, because he could easily be the greatest filmmaker of our generation.

This is good to hear because i'm a huge Charlie Kaufman & haven't gotten around to seeing it yet, I always feel soo goood after seeing his flicks! You walk away saying damb! that was a really good movie!!

[amyzzz]

It's playing at one theatre that's about 25 miles away from me, but I really want to see it since I enjoyed Eternal Sunshine and Being John Malkovich soooo much.

[iv3rdawG]

I watched Sleeping Beauty today for the first time since I was about really young. It was fantastic. Watched it in Blu-Ray and it was perfect.

[wmgaretjax]

See, I don't what my problem is then, because I've seen plenty of art-house films and Synecdoche, NY was still a little baffling to me. I mean, I didn't even fully understand what was going on in Mirror until the second time I saw it, and I just watched Persona for the second time and I still have questions. Kaufman just has an odd, quirky streak that takes a little getting accustomed to.

See, I think you are having the same problem with this film as you did Mirror. It's not about making sense of the film as much as it is letting it wash over you. The film is about coming to terms with death, and it actually has an uncanny resemblance to Mirror in that way... Only Mirror seems to be more about coming to terms with the past, whereas Synecdoche, NY seems to be about taking that moment of departure and unraveling it completely.

[wmgaretjax]

OH, and if anyone goes into this hoping for Eternal Sunshine etc... You are going to be surprised. It's nothing like those films in many ways, it shares some similarities that are expected, but the execution is entirely different.

I've mentioned some qualms I have with his past efforts, and so I believe this departure to be a great thing.

[bballarl]

Again, I am no expert about film and thus don't feel comfortable being critical, but I watched Blow-Up in class and I thought it was amazing.

[real talk]

OH, and if anyone goes into this hoping for Eternal Sunshine etc... You are going to be surprised. It's nothing like those films in many ways, it shares some similarities that are expected, but the execution is entirely different.

I've mentioned some qualms I have with his past efforts, and so I believe this departure to be a great thing.

Here's how I put it to my companion as we walked home from the movie: at first I was trying so hard to find a linear meaning in each thing that would at first appear absurd - like trying to figure it out as I went and when I was doing that I was finding each new absurdity hilarious and fun and then it got to a certain point where my mind was just unable to comprehend one thing before the next thing happened and then I started to feel frustrated and annoyed at it for a while. Then as the end drew near I was just feeling it so hard - like Bryan said, it was a completely accurate way to depict these things that left me with the absolutely exact feeling in my gut and in my heart about inevitability and hopelessness and isolation. Without saying it completely outright. Or maybe I was over/underthinking it but either way it gave me an incredibly vivid emotional response. I felt like during the course of the film I'd been hypnotized or something. It took me days to process. I might even want to see it again and that never happens.

[chairmenmeow47]

I watched Sleeping Beauty today for the first time since I was about really young. It was fantastic. Watched it in Blu-Ray and it was perfect.

best animated disney movie. the animation is beautiful and maleficent is the best disney villain.

[garrett222]

if Bolt comes out the same weekend as Twilight..then bolt will own. I mean lets realize who controls the market...young teenage girls and boys who love Miley Cyrus. Bolt will gross 55 million and twilight will gross 38 million.

[wmgaretjax]

Here's how I put it to my companion as we walked home from the movie: at first I was trying so hard to find a linear meaning in each thing that would at first appear absurd - like trying to figure it out as I went and when I was doing that I was finding each new absurdity hilarious and fun and then it got to a certain point where my mind was just unable to comprehend one thing before the next thing happened and then I started to feel frustrated and annoyed at it for a while. Then as the end drew near I was just feeling it so hard - like Bryan said, it was a completely accurate way to depict these things that left me with the absolutely exact feeling in my gut and in my heart about inevitability and hopelessness and isolation. Without saying it completely outright. Or maybe I was over/underthinking it but either way it gave me an incredibly vivid emotional response. I felt like during the course of the film I'd been hypnotized or something. It took me days to process. I might even want to see it again and that never happens.

I think you've pretty much nailed it, I had the same progression of sensations. I was exhausted when it was all over as well, emotionally and physically.

[wmgaretjax]

Again, I am no expert about film and thus don't feel comfortable being critical, but I watched Blow-Up in class and I thought it was amazing.

What class did you watch it in? I think it's fairly accurate to describe that movie as amazing.

[bmack86]

I completely agree with both of you. Jared, I do agree that it's a flawed film, but I think the flaws almost worked in its favor for me, because they were indicative of the flaws that none of us want to see in ourselves but ultimately have to come to terms with. And i also thought that the slow pace at the end was so completely well done.

[PotVsKtl]

I don't even know how to talk about Synechdoche. Maybe when I see it again. All I can say is I felt like it painted emotions onto my brain while I wasn't looking.

[PotVsKtl]

Or collaged rather.

[wmgaretjax]

I completely agree with both of you. Jared, I do agree that it's a flawed film, but I think the flaws almost worked in its favor for me, because they were indicative of the flaws that none of us want to see in ourselves but ultimately have to come to terms with. And i also thought that the slow pace at the end was so completely well done.

yes. yes. yes...

and I think the last 20 minutes are the best of the film.

and yes to pot too...

[bballarl]

What class did you watch it in? I think it's fairly accurate to describe that movie as amazing.

Victorians to Moderns.

[wmgaretjax]

Victorians to Moderns.

huh.... Kind of hard to know what's going on there without some kind of summary or such.

[bballarl]

huh.... Kind of hard to know what's going on there without some kind of summary or such.

We looked at Britain in the Victorian era, the 1930s and the 1960s. Our lens' for looking at these periods was literature and film. Really enjoyable class.

[indietron]

The film is about coming to terms with death

You cannot say this. Synecdoche was made for each person to interpret the movie their own way. So, that is your opinion of what the movie is about, while someone else can see it a whole different way.


Here's how I put it to my companion as we walked home from the movie: at first I was trying so hard to find a linear meaning in each thing that would at first appear absurd - like trying to figure it out as I went and when I was doing that I was finding each new absurdity hilarious and fun and then it got to a certain point where my mind was just unable to comprehend one thing before the next thing happened and then I started to feel frustrated and annoyed at it for a while. Then as the end drew near I was just feeling it so hard - like Bryan said, it was a completely accurate way to depict these things that left me with the absolutely exact feeling in my gut and in my heart about inevitability and hopelessness and isolation. Without saying it completely outright. Or maybe I was over/underthinking it but either way it gave me an incredibly vivid emotional response. I felt like during the course of the film I'd been hypnotized or something. It took me days to process. I might even want to see it again and that never happens.


I think you've pretty much nailed it, I had the same progression of sensations. I was exhausted when it was all over as well, emotionally and physically.

I agree 100% with these posts. My brain was full after watching it.

Can we just start a Synecdoche, NY thread??

[wmgaretjax]

You cannot say this. Synecdoche was made for each person to interpret the movie their own way. So, that is your opinion of what the movie is about, while someone else can see it a whole different way.


Are you serious? It's about dying. The main character is dying. It's about death and sickness. How in the fucking world can you deny that?

SPOILERISH

He's dying in the first 30 minutes right? He has a terminal illness and every conversation he has points towards death. His wife asks him to stay when she travels because he's pretty much dead and she feels it's an opportunity for her to begin to move on, and give her daughter the same opportunity.

He dies. He has the seizure/whatever and then the entire movie shifts. That's because he's dead, or in a coma or whatever... That's up to interpretation, but the schism is essentially the point at which he is forced to come to terms with death. It's then that the state of his life at that point in time, and the status of all these relationships is then filtered and untangled and re-tangled in an attempt to gain perspective, to ascribe meaning... Her has varying degrees of success, but it all points back towards death as the catalyst for this attempt.

EDIT: the died/coma thing is the most literal possible reading of this moment, and it's not necessarily what I think is directly written into the piece. But that moment is a marker, and the shift that takes place at that point is dramatic, and for all intents and purposes he is alone (the very end points at connections that exist despite all this, but in terms of the plot...)


I went to this film with 4 different people and while we had varying subjective points of view about elements of the film, everyone unanimously agreed that the film's core is death (or how you make sense of life when it's so present), and I can't possibly see how someone could deny that.


Your attempt at defining how one should experience the film is a hell of a lot more of a stretch than me reading directly from it's surface.

[wmgaretjax]

We looked at Britain in the Victorian era, the 1930s and the 1960s. Our lens' for looking at these periods was literature and film. Really enjoyable class.

Makes sense. Sounds like a good class. I always loved the classes I took that balanced literary and filmic perspectives.

[indietron]

Are you serious? It's about dying. The main character is dying. It's about death and sickness. How in the fucking world can you deny that?

SPOILERISH

He's dying in the first 30 minutes right? He has a terminal illness and every conversation he has points towards death. His wife asks him to stay when she travels because he's pretty much dead and she feels it's an opportunity for her to begin to move on, and give her daughter the same opportunity.

He dies. He has the seizure/whatever and then the entire movie shifts. That's because he's dead, or in a coma or whatever... That's up to interpretation, but the schism is essentially the point at which he is forced to come to terms with death. It's then that the state of his life at that point in time, and the status of all these relationships is then filtered and untangled and re-tangled in an attempt to gain perspective, to ascribe meaning... Her has varying degrees of success, but it all points back towards death as the catalyst for this attempt.

EDIT: the died/coma thing is the most literal possible reading of this moment, and it's not necessarily what I think is directly written into the piece. But that moment is a marker, and the shift that takes place at that point is dramatic, and for all intents and purposes he is alone (the very end points at connections that exist despite all this, but in terms of the plot...)


I went to this film with 4 different people and while we had varying subjective points of view about elements of the film, everyone unanimously agreed that the film's core is death (or how you make sense of life when it's so present), and I can't possibly see how someone could deny that.


Your attempt at defining how one should experience the film is a hell of a lot more of a stretch than me reading directly from it's surface.

I am not attempting to tell you how you should experience the film, all i am saying is that this film is about each person taking whatever they want from it. Your entire posts backs this up.

I interpreted the movie much different than you. I did not see it ALL about death, although i do agree that it is a huge theme, if not the biggest. I thought alot of it was about love, and looking back into one's past. I dont think he had a sickness, i think he was just a hypochondriac (which i guess could be defined as a sickness in itself). I dont think he had a seizure or whatever at the end, i think he died because of how encapsulated he was in his own production and that he followed the orders of the director exactly as others did to him.

There are many other things too. At the end, i dont think there was really a war, i think it was put on/meant to symbolize something else. On a similar note, how did you (and everyone else too) interpret the burning house?? I still dont know what to think of that.

I hope im getting my point across. You see, i viewed the movie much different than you, and thats the beauty of this film. Heck, i was at a Q&A with Kaufman himself and he said that the movie is up for each person to decide, there is no one meaning to it. Someone even asked him what the burning house was, and he refused to answer because that would make people only think one way about it. He wants everyone to have their own view on it. Im totally down with the way you view Synecdoche, and that seems to be the most understandable theme, but there is also so many other ways that it can be taken.

[PotVsKtl]

A lot of artists reject requests to explain their own interpretations of what they create. When you release something into the public forum, it's gone. It belongs to the public and will be interpeted as they see fit. That doesn't mean Kaufman doesn't know the ultimate meaning.

[PotVsKtl]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qlv1iwPZL._SS500_.jpg

[indietron]

A lot of artists reject requests to explain their own interpretations of what they create. When you release something into the public forum, it's gone. It belongs to the public and will be interpeted as they see fit. That doesn't mean Kaufman doesn't know the ultimate meaning.

I understand what you are saying. However, he said that he is just another person with another opinion, and that he doesn't have an ultimate meaning for the movie. When asked about the burning house, he said that he would not give his opinion on it, because the public would turn that into the "ultimate meaning" and thats not what he wanted. He doesnt want there to be an ultimate meaning.

[indietron]

I have never heard of david lynch btw. What is his stuff like? Pretty artsy im assuming??

[Backwater]

You've never heard of David Lynch? When did you first start watching movies? Yesterday?

[thefunkylama]

i am such a movie lightweight, but at least i've heard of david mother fucking lynch.

[indietron]

You've never heard of David Lynch? When did you first start watching movies? Yesterday?


i am such a movie lightweight, but at least i've heard of david mother fucking lynch.

Well pardon me

[sbessiso]

Eraserhead, The elephant man, DUNE, blue velvet, Mulholland Dr.

indie, I KNOW you've seen at least one of these movies

[indietron]

Sadly not a single one. I have heard of a few though. Does that need to change??? Is it that good??

[sbessiso]

He's very weird and maybe an acquired taste but yeah, you need to see them. Go and watch Blue Velvet. That was my first Lynch experience.

[indietron]

Consider it done. I will rent it or buy it or find it somewhere. What is his stuff like?

[sbessiso]

Others will jump in with better a analysis, the only thing I can say is Fucking weird, man.

Don't buy it! Just give it a rental whirl

[indietron]

Others will jump in with better a analysis, the only thing I can say is Fucking weird, man.

Don't buy it! Just give it a rental whirl

Will do. Thank you for enlightening me good sir. Im looking forward to watching it and giving my review.

[JSam67]

Blue Velvet is great.

[Down Rodeo]

Elephant Man might be a bit more your speed to start out with. We don't want this guy to hate David Lynch.

[amyzzz]

I have never heard of david lynch btw. What is his stuff like? Pretty artsy im assuming??
I've been skipping over the spoiler stuff for the other movie--why is someone name-dropping David Lynch? I am very intrigued here since I adore Lynch.

Lost Highway FTW

[wmgaretjax]

The first thing you learn about art-house film is not to listen to most directors that talk about it. When approached about their art, most filmmakers have no desire to sit down and explain what they were trying to achieve. The easiest way out of this is to say that it's up to you. And it is, but that doesn't mean you can't be wrong.

And of course there are other themes, but death is the core of this film (and like I said before, it's relationship to life). You can't deny that, and if you did I would probably never listen to you ever again. I'm not concerned with analyzing the plot, like I said before, I'm not sure there is a strict linear plot or a finite explanation for every event in the film (although I could probably sit down and argue why I feel he is definitely not a hypochondriac within the context of of the themes in the film, and how I think that specific plot interpretation is actually detrimental to some elements of the film). I think you are taking Kauffman's Q/A too seriously, one reason being what I said about. I've seen a lot of filmmakers talk about their work, and one of the biggest things I've learned is that most have no fucking desire to be there. They hope that their work speaks for itself and the promotional gamut requires that they speak on it, the last thing they want to do is bog down the experience of their work... The "it's up to you" line is the best way to avoid that, unfortunately it convinces every joe and sally that the work is some kind of embedded interactive experience...

Oh and as a side note, David Lynch is a brilliant moron. He is by far the worst filmmaker I have ever seen speak. Absolute fucking retard. I love his movies, but goddamn I wanted to punch him in the face but just walked out instead (his talk ended up being one long commercial/solicitation for his meditation/religious puppet organization).

[amyzzz]

So I take it you wouldn't recommend I get Lynch's book about where he gets his ideas.... teehee. (I forget what it's called)

[PotVsKtl]

Sadly not a single one. I have heard of a few though. Does that need to change??? Is it that good??

I heard you can catch the gay from watching Lynch. Go fuck yourself.

[real talk]

POSSIBLE Synecdoche SPOILERS









Wmgaret, I can't believe you picked all that up from one viewing of the movie. I mean to be able to pinpoint the shift. I was in way too great a fog to be that perceptive. Also, while I agree that the theme was death, I think it wasn't just about physical death it was also about death of love, death of hope, death of identity; all these things that died while the physical body kept living. I, too, got the impression that he was a hypochondriac and that the physical symptoms of disease in him were metaphors for emotional damage...that's at least what I was trying to go with before I gave up trying to figure it out as it went along (see my first, no my second, comment). I also want to know what anybody's idea was of the burning house. It's such a huge and seemingly obvious symbol of something but I'm totally lost as to what the thing is. I mean, fire - hell, imminent danger - how does this apply to the character who moved in? ps how funny was when she was discussing buying it with the real estate agent and she was like "Well, it's such a risky thing to be buying this house by myself, and what with the fire..." or something like that. That was funny.

[thestripe]

Here's how I put it to my companion as we walked home from the movie: at first I was trying so hard to find a linear meaning in each thing that would at first appear absurd - like trying to figure it out as I went and when I was doing that I was finding each new absurdity hilarious and fun and then it got to a certain point where my mind was just unable to comprehend one thing before the next thing happened and then I started to feel frustrated and annoyed at it for a while. Then as the end drew near I was just feeling it so hard - like Bryan said, it was a completely accurate way to depict these things that left me with the absolutely exact feeling in my gut and in my heart about inevitability and hopelessness and isolation. Without saying it completely outright. Or maybe I was over/underthinking it but either way it gave me an incredibly vivid emotional response. I felt like during the course of the film I'd been hypnotized or something. It took me days to process. I might even want to see it again and that never happens.

Wow, this sounds incredibly interesting. I'm trying not to read the spoilers.

[bmack86]

SPOILERS MAYBE?












I honestly didn't pick up on that shift that Jared pointed out, although it seems fairly obvious in retrospect once he mentioned it. The fire I'm taking to represent the danger and uncertainty she gets from her relationship with Cayden (is that his name? PSH). Could be totally off base, but she gets the house right before they start their fling, and it remains through the whole movie.

And I love that a guy in the basement is included with the burning house.

[real talk]

SPOILERS MAYBE?












I honestly didn't pick up on that shift that Jared pointed out, although it seems fairly obvious in retrospect once he mentioned it. The fire I'm taking to represent the danger and uncertainty she gets from her relationship with Cayden (is that his name? PSH). Could be totally off base, but she gets the house right before they start their fling, and it remains through the whole movie.

And I love that a guy in the basement is included with the burning house.

Totally makes sense - but I was looking at everything from his perspective, like what does her house being on fire mean to HIS circumstances, like everything in the movie I was viewing through his perception...I didn't even think to apply it to her own circumstances. The guy in the basement in the burning house is just perfect.

[wmgaretjax]

POSSIBLE Synecdoche SPOILERS



SPOILERS MAYBE CONTINUED



RT, I'm totally ok with moving the focus away entirely from physical death into discussion of other less tangible kinds of death (relationship, love, memories, hopes)... But to identify Hoffman as a hypochondriac seems to imply that the death he is experiencing isn't real (or at best, re-appropriated)... Where, regardless of whether or not he was dying in the physical sense of things, the death he was experiencing was very real in my mind, regardless of how it might have manifested in his mind. It might seem like semantics, I just don't like the word and how it seems to place the blame on him in some way. As a psychological condition that he is suffering from and in some way has control over (as opposed to the human condition that we all suffer from).

And I agree with both of your impressions of the fire, but I think it can also extend into this notion of death (physical or otherwise). The purchase of a house is such a permanent thing, and in the traditional respect, the idea is that you will spend your whole life in this place. And inevitably die there as well. This experience seems embedded with danger in her mind (already being alone and getting "old"), and I think that the sense of danger simply comes from fear of dying alone. The whole movie takes these simple notions of experience (like dying alone) and attempts to translate them into sensations and impressions that transcend the basic themes that are initially presented (like dying of cancer, or being left by a spouse, or losing contact with a child etc... ) I also think as the movie goes on the metaphor of the burning house pulls their relationship into it as well, it evolves into something that is representative of her uncertainty over their relationship like Bryan said.

Remember the real estate agent's son is there when she first moves in? And that seems to scare her more because he (as an adult still living with his parents) seems to embody the exact same thing she's afraid of (being alone, or at least without a lover/spouse).

[wmgaretjax]

Totally makes sense - but I was looking at everything from his perspective, like what does her house being on fire mean to HIS circumstances, like everything in the movie I was viewing through his perception...I didn't even think to apply it to her own circumstances. The guy in the basement in the burning house is just perfect.

SPOILERS... agh I don't know...

This is one of the flaws that I struggled with that may not actually be a flaw. I wasn't able to, on first viewing, directly tie that surreal element to him... There are associations, but it doesn't seem as directly connected as the other elements of the film. In hindsight I'm starting to get the sense that it was a really explicit choice on Kauffman's part... At the end of the film we are essentially provided (in a dumb simple summary) with the realization that despite the death and loneliness, that there are connections between the nature of our experiences... The fire seems to foreshadow this... While Hoffman's character isn't confronted with the same exact fears as her, the sensations and the feeling of the place (fear and suffocation) seem parallel to his.


edit: reading over what I just wrote, I'm actually fairly confident in this reading of the film... But I would like to see it again in order to watch it with that in mind.