Schoolio's Movie Corner

[jerpar24]

Anyone Seen Hannabal Rising yet I watched it tonight. I would say its the 2nd best of all the Hannabal movies.

[schoolofruckus]

Yeah, I hated "Idiocracy". It looked more than a little suffocated - as if the studio had pretty much not shown it any support beyond the initial green light - but even what was there was just an awful execution of an idea that could have been great.

Last night, I watched "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu", one of the film elite's favorite films from last year. It's a black comedy (one that makes "Very Bad Things" look like "Dumb & Dumber") from Romania about an alcoholic, retired engineer named Lazarescu, who after a day of vomiting blood and feeling nauseous, finally calls an ambulance. The perimedic can immediately see that there are a list of things wrong with him, and takes him to one hospital after another as each successive doctor chastises him for drinking too much and sends him away.

This film is a stark, almost Dogme-level trip through the cynical side of the Romanian health care system, and it raises a number of pointed questions. Namely - does a man who willfully sabotages himself (as the ulcer-having Lazarescu does in drinking to excess) deserve a doctor's full attention and care? It's a question that hit me pretty hard, as someone with seasonal respiratory problems who was until recently a smoker. I know I've gone to the doctor's office before when I needed an inhaler refill, and once I was hospitalized when I started having a full blown asthma attack; each and every time I had to answer "yes, I'm a smoker" to incredulous nurses and doctors. Having gotten a case of bronchitis every winter since I was 7, I rationalized the smoking as being a contributor to the problem, but not the cause of it, and thus, wasn't something I needed to jetison immediately.

Of course it was stupid, and thank Christ the doctors I dealt with were much more humane than the ones in this movie, because it did a BRILLIANT job of showing the cynicism and the workmanlike detachment of people in the medical profession. I don't know if it's just that way in Romania (the only Romanian person I've known was a former roommate, and she was definitely a fucking bitch and a half), but this film's portrayal of the morale in hospitals is beyond bleak. The specialists in this movie are tired, frustrated, and jaded beyond belief, and they have no time for anything but chastisement for this man who has the nerve to drink himself to death and expect their help - in the wake of a major traffic accident, no less. The nurse feels genuine empathy for him, and tries to reason with the doctors, but she succeeds only in making them feel undermined and insulted.

This film is maybe a little longer than it should have been (I don't think it needed a "Boogie Nights" running time), and it's certainly not any fun whatsoever to watch. But it's an excellent, challenging low-budget piece that any adventurous cineaste who's in the mood for something unique and biting would do well to seek out. Although that may be difficult, as it's not at Blockbuster or even some independent video stores around LA. I pretty much had to buy it before I saw it.

[TomAz]

the only Romanian person I've known was a former roommate, and she was definitely a fucking bitch and a half

My college roommate and one of my best friends did his doctorate on Romanian history. He spent a couple years over there and met a Romanian girl and they got married. Then they moved back to the states. Then she divorced him.

[bmack86]

gabe doesn't care about romanian people

I heard that was a really good movie. I'll have to check it out.

[schoolofruckus]

I think you would really like it, Bryan. I'm sure that a place like Vidiots has it. Maybe Netflix....I cancelled my subscription, so I don't know.

[chairmenmeow47]

one of my co-worker's is romanian. he and his friends got into an altercation with gypsies back in romania, lol. i love when he tells that story!! i got to hear him talk romanian for the first time today too.

and i liked platoon, yeah, it's cheesy, but i tried to keep in mind it was cheesy for the time.

i watched taxi driver for the first time in YEARS yesterday. it's been on my dvr for awhile now. i forgot how good deniro was in that movie, i miss that deniro, what happened to him?!

also watched "a bill of divorcement". it was hepburn's first movie. she was good, but man, she just annoys me for some reason. i liked the movie though, i'd probably see the play if i ever got the chance.

good german tomorrow, WOO-HOO!

[TomAz]

GRAMMAR POLICE GRAMMAR POLICE

PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD AND STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD

[mob roulette]

"the fabulous baker boys" is on cable right now. i am happy.

[chairmenmeow47]

the good german, tonight!!! finally

[downingthief]

"the fabulous baker boys" is on cable right now. i am happy.

I fell in love with Michelle Phieffer in that movie. Simply amazing...

[thinnerair]

Anyone Seen Hannabal Rising yet I watched it tonight. I would say its the 2nd best of all the Hannabal movies.

I caught it this weekend.
It was an interesting flick and I think if it hadn't been a "hannibal" movie, it could have been a really good World War II flick.
It really dragged a bit and tended to get a bit boring after about the halfway point. The cinematography was excellent and the score was great. Gaspard Ulliel as a young Hannibal worked quite well as he did show some of the charm of the older Hannibal Lecther.

Overall, it was a decent movie, and while it was WAY better than Red Dragon, it wasn't as good as Hannibal.

[CiderMouseRules]

Idiocracy was choice. Ya'lls is cray-zee.

[mob roulette]

I fell in love with Michelle Phieffer in that movie. Simply amazing...

agreed. super hot here. also jeff bridges remains criminally underrated in my book as an actor. i mean people show him love and all, but i can't think of too many BAD jeff bridges movies. "starman" i guess would be one.

i'm probably going to get flamed now. imdb start your engines.

[jackstraw94086]

Gabe,
I saw science of sleep last night and I have to say I'm starting to seriously question your tastes. I'm fairly certain at this point that you are a machine. The film was acted well, especially by Bernal. It told a very coherent and compelling story amidst the crazy dream imagery.

Do you simply not like gondry flicks?

[full on idle]

Dave Chappelle>going to the movies.

[Yablonowitz]

What makes you think Jacktimstraw "went" to the movies instead of have the movies come to him?

[thinnerair]

are you saying that its better to be Dave Chappelle than go to the movies?
Or that Dave Chappelle HIMSELF is better than the act of going to the movies?

[full on idle]

I'm saying that going to see Dave Chappelle live at the Punchline is greater than watching a movie.

[jackstraw94086]

I was originally planning to work on music and got engrossed in the movie while cooking and eating dinner...... at the theater.

[thinnerair]

I'm saying that going to see Dave Chappelle live at the Punchline is greater than watching a movie.

thats true. he is one entertaining negro. thats for damn sure.

[KungFuJoe]

Gabe,
I saw science of sleep last night and I have to say I'm starting to seriously question your tastes. I'm fairly certain at this point that you are a machine. The film was acted well, especially by Bernal. It told a very coherent and compelling story amidst the crazy dream imagery.

Do you simply not like gondry flicks?

Wait ... Gabe, you didn't like "The Science of Sleep"?? I must've missed this review. I thought this a wonderfull and very touching film, although it kind of annoyed me at the end.

Bernal was fantastic though. Very funny, imo, and extremely creative. Overall, I prefer "Eternal Sunshine", but this was a sweet film. Perfect for those Valentine's Day suckers out there.

I really love the way Gondry uses his camera. He is easily one of my favorite film makers. This makes me question what your thoughts are on films by Guy Madden and Olivier Assayas? Two of my other favorite film makers working today.

I haven't watched to much recently, but finely got around to peeping "Grizzly Man" last night. I'm glad I waited because I lost any expectations I might've had for the film and was pleasently suprised. I really felt for the man and thought he captured some brilliant footage. Werner Herzog pieced it together beautifully too. I loved it.

Glad to hear you enjoyed "Wild at Heart". I wouldn't have expected anything less.

For those of you in the Valentine's day spirit looking to rent some good films with love stories, I suggest Jean Renoir's classic "Rules of the Game" and Luc Besson's "The Big Blue".

[schoolofruckus]

Jack,

On the contrary, I love Michel Gondry movies. Not just "Eternal Sunshine", but also "Human Nature" (a severely underrated movie). The problem I had with "The Science of Sleep" was that I didn't buy any of the relationships in the movie, especially the love story. I felt like there was absolutely no reason why Charlotte Gainsbourg would have thought Bernal's character was anything but a kroq ken type. I admit that the film gave a good insight into the potential, hidden good nature that can come with an awkward guy who comes off as a deranged stalker; I just didn't see how she would have thought of him otherwise. I also felt like his co-workers were portrayed too over-the-top when they should have been more grounded in reality.

I felt like it was both too similar to Gondry's earlier shit (in the fact that it was about the inner workings of the human brain and the effect on romantic pursuits) and not similar enough (the character work being severely undercooked). I loved the look of the film (a lower-budget, but more inventive dreamscape than Gondry's other films have attempted), and I liked Charlotte's performance individually; but overall, the film's failure (in my mind) to present a strong contrast to his dreamy escapades left me feeling like it was a missed opportunity.

Joe, I've never seen any of Maddin's or Assayas's stuff. Suggestions on where to start?

I was going to watch Cassavetes' first film "Shadows" last night, but I've been so engrossed in "Rebels on the Backlot" that I felt like just reading about movies instead of watching them. I'm going to have a whole lot to write about this book when I finish with it.

[jackstraw94086]

I have some exact opposite opinions on this movie and I think they are based on a very different interpretation of it.

Jack,

On the contrary, I love Michel Gondry movies. Not just "Eternal Sunshine", but also "Human Nature" (a severely underrated movie). The problem I had with "The Science of Sleep" was that I didn't buy any of the relationships in the movie, especially the love story. I felt like there was absolutely no reason why Charlotte Gainsbourg would have thought Bernal's character was anything but a kroq ken type. I admit that the film gave a good insight into the potential, hidden good nature that can come with an awkward guy who comes off as a deranged stalker; I just didn't see how she would have thought of him otherwise. I also felt like his co-workers were portrayed too over-the-top when they should have been more grounded in reality.

I felt like it was both too similar to Gondry's earlier shit (in the fact that it was about the inner workings of the human brain and the effect on romantic pursuits) and not similar enough (the character work being severely undercooked). I loved the look of the film (a lower-budget, but more inventive dreamscape than Gondry's other films have attempted), and I liked Charlotte's performance individually; but overall, the film's failure (in my mind) to present a strong contrast to his dreamy escapades left me feeling like it was a missed opportunity.

should have been more grounded in reality? My dear schoolio, they were intensely grounded in reality and the lack of contrast was intentional. I'll explain later. Gondry initially paints Stephane as his usual painfully shy protagonist, but there is something very different about him. The boy isn't just sensitive, as the movie progresses we come to learn he's truly not well in the head. This is what makes it a different Gondry film. The lack of contrast between dream and reality was the point. His latent schizophrenia becomes more expressed as he falls deeper into unrequited love. This is why the lines between crazy dream shit and reality become blurred as the film progresses. The "reality" scenes start getting stranger and stranger (i.e. him and his coworker tossing the TV into the river) until he can't tell the difference anymore. She suspects he's not quite right in the head and eventually knows it. This creates massive conflict for her. She loves, pities, and fears him (as in her feelings for him) all at once, and he misinterprets it until the end. The part I can't decide is whether he knows it himself in the end. I like that open-endedness aspect. Part of me also thinks that at least sub-consciously knew it from the beginning, which is why he was sabotaging the relationship before it could develop(the note, lying about where he lived, staying at the bar with the random skank while she left, etc.), but he loses control. Eventually he's stuck in a waking dream. His delusions chase him away from her as she waits in the coffee shop. It's just as tragic for her as it is for him.

Calling him crazy isn't a cop out, I don't believe he's completely dysfunctional, and I don't believe all the artistic imagery was all just delusional. The fact that he can't cope with reality is just part of the plot. Gondry's art remains for its own sake, poetry open for interpretation, not just dismissed as halucination. Most of it is separate from his excentricities and eventual craziness.

Eternal Sunshine was far more whimsical, less grounded in reality. The movies were opposite concepts. Carey was a sane character in an insane situation. He was was always completely sane and rational, just sad. He just accepted the craziness of the world around him, believing it to be out of his control. Bernal was the source of the madness and whimsy and projected it on the rest of the world.

[bmack86]

Gabe, you really need to watch Shadows. It's great. Whether or not it's improvised (the essays on it lead me to believe it wasn't truly an act of improvisation) it has a really exploratory and loose feel to it. The acting isn't always superb, but the characters do always feel real and emotionally grounded.

[KungFuJoe]

Joe, I've never seen any of Maddin's or Assayas's stuff. Suggestions on where to start?

I've only seen 3 of Olivier Assayas' films. I highly reccomend "Irma Vep" as this is one of my all time fav's. I really like his style. His films have a very natural / documentary feel. He also usually implents a great soundtrack.

"Clean" is also worth a watch. Though I didn't love it, it's still an interesting pic.

As for Guy Maddin. I still need to catch up on a lot of his work myself. I enoyed "The Saddest Music in the World" and think that'd be a great place to start. "Twighlight of the Ice Nymphs", "Archangel" and "The Heart of the World" are also worth a peep.

[schoolofruckus]

I have some exact opposite opinions on this movie and I think they are based on a very different interpretation of it.


should have been more grounded in reality? My dear schoolio, they were intensely grounded in reality and the lack of contrast was intentional. I'll explain later. Gondry initially paints Stephane as his usual painfully shy protagonist, but there is something very different about him. The boy isn't just sensitive, as the movie progresses we come to learn he's truly not well in the head. This is what makes it a different Gondry film. The lack of contrast between dream and reality was the point. His latent schizophrenia becomes more expressed as he falls deeper into unrequited love. This is why the lines between crazy dream shit and reality become blurred as the film progresses. The "reality" scenes start getting stranger and stranger (i.e. him and his coworker tossing the TV into the river) until he can't tell the difference anymore. She suspects he's not quite right in the head and eventually knows it. This creates massive conflict for her. She loves, pities, and fears him (as in her feelings for him) all at once, and he misinterprets it until the end. The part I can't decide is whether he knows it himself in the end. I like that open-endedness aspect. Part of me also thinks that at least sub-consciously knew it from the beginning, which is why he was sabotaging the relationship before it could develop(the note, lying about where he lived, staying at the bar with the random skank while she left, etc.), but he loses control. Eventually he's stuck in a waking dream. His delusions chase him away from her as she waits in the coffee shop. It's just as tragic for her as it is for him.

Calling him crazy isn't a cop out, I don't believe he's completely dysfunctional, and I don't believe all the artistic imagery was all just delusional. The fact that he can't cope with reality is just part of the plot. Gondry's art remains for its own sake, poetry open for interpretation, not just dismissed as halucination. Most of it is separate from his excentricities and eventual craziness.

Eternal Sunshine was far more whimsical, less grounded in reality. The movies were opposite concepts. Carey was a sane character in an insane situation. He was was always completely sane and rational, just sad. He just accepted the craziness of the world around him, believing it to be out of his control. Bernal was the source of the madness and whimsy and projected it on the rest of the world.

Well, Jack, you clearly got way more out of it than I did. I only saw it a while ago, and I don't remember it as well, but I definitely had no comprehension of how she felt love for him. I thought he was far more deserved to be insulting potential conquests on "Blind Date" than to be receiving infinite chances to win over this girl's heart. You bring up an excellent point in the difference between "Eternal Sunshine" and "Science of Sleep", though.

But really, here were my biggest problems with "The Science of Sleep":

1. There were no White Stripes made out of legos.

2. "Eternal Sunshine" - Kirsten Dunst dancing around in her underwear; "Science of Sleep" - what's with everyone wearing sweaters?

3. A whole movie set in France without a single unprovoked armchair indictment of America is not a whole movie set in France, in my book.

4. Is it really too much to ask for Jim Carrey to talk out of his ass at least once?

Gabe, you really need to watch Shadows. It's great. Whether or not it's improvised (the essays on it lead me to believe it wasn't truly an act of improvisation) it has a really exploratory and loose feel to it. The acting isn't always superb, but the characters do always feel real and emotionally grounded.

Oh, I certainly will. I actually own it as part of that box set that I got for my birthday, so I can watch it whenever I feel like. I'm led to believe that John Cassavetes' films are always more scripted and orchestrated than they seem. "Shadows" apparently started off as an improvisational film, but when the end result didn't work, he went back and wrote it out (possibly with a hired gun screenwriter) and re-shot it. The original version of "Shadows" - which screened for some audience in 1957 - is the subject of a huge showdown between Gena Rowlands (his widow) and Ray Carney (the self-appointed expert on all things Cassavetes). I wish it were available for comparison.

I've only seen 3 of Olivier Assayas' films. I highly reccomend "Irma Vep" as this is one of my all time fav's. I really like his style. His films have a very natural / documentary feel. He also usually implents a great soundtrack.

"Clean" is also worth a watch. Though I didn't love it, it's still an interesting pic.

As for Guy Maddin. I still need to catch up on a lot of his work myself. I enoyed "The Saddest Music in the World" and think that'd be a great place to start. "Twighlight of the Ice Nymphs", "Archangel" and "The Heart of the World" are also worth a peep.

I have been told that "The Saddest Music in the World" is outstanding; I'll have to seek it out pretty soon. I thought "Clean" looked interesting, but I'm a little hesitant to jump into watching anything that has Nick Nolte in it because I can never understand what he's saying. I literally watched all of "Northfork" - which was a really good movie, by the way - with subtitles on because his speech is so garbled.

[mountmccabe]

So Sean and Ivy and I saw The Good German last night. This is one of maybe 2 screens in AZ where it is showing and there wer maybe 12 people there.

I thought it was OK; it never really clicked with me, never got into much of a groove. Tobey MacGwire (sp) played so over the top (even taking into account the fact that he was playing in the movie) that I kinda hated him. Beau Bridges is a terrible actor. George Clooney did fine but he was never fully comfortable... which is odd for his characters. Cate Blanchett was OK, she had the most understated part, I think.

I was questioning the real footage of Germany circa August 1945 under the credits as I expected that that would just point out how fake/new everything else looked but then they ended up doing the whole film looking like that.

The story was very much an homage to Casablanca... at times I tried to figure out how much. I'm not sure but I don't think it goes as far as a full commentary or deconstruction. At times it was overblown and at times it stretched way too far in attempts to be deep and important... but neither of these are inconsistant with what Soderbergh was doing. I just didn't particularly like it.

Soderbergh is an odd one; I think he's really good at what he does. And he doesn't return to the same old tropes and archetypes and obsessions and styles. But I still haven't figured out why he chooses what he does and how i'm gonna react to his movies.

But yeah, it was good to meet Ivy and see Sean again. If shaking hands ina dark club counts as a previous time; after that I wouldn't even've been able to pick you out of a lineup. And, again, sorry I couldn't stick around. Next time, though.


EDIT: At some point I need to go back and see what if any previous comments on this movie there've been. And also learn grammar.

[schoolofruckus]

One thing I really like about Soderbergh is that he tends to approach his career as if he's the most well-paid film school student in the world. He takes on films as projects, trying to take on a new idea with each successive film (well, except for Ocean's 12) so he can add new skills to his repertoire. It makes him wildly uneven, but I enjoy seeing what he does.

"Bubble", his ultra minimalist, low-budget entry from last January (the one that came out on DVD and in theaters on the same day), was terrific. You guys should check it out.

[chairmenmeow47]

it was nice to meet you both! sorry i couldn't stick around either, hopefully my bathroom will be finished in a few days, woo-hoo!

the movie was "eh". i love cate blanchett, she was a great femme fatale. everyone else was "eh". i agree with john that clooney never seemed comfortable. he just doesn't have the bogart charm either. toby maguire was trying way too hard, i agree with that as well.

the casablanca comparisons were weird, but at least it was a little darker. i think this movie could have been much better if there had been stronger actors in the main roles.

very pretty though, i like the way it was filmed and the sets.

[downingthief]

it was nice to meet you both! sorry i couldn't stick around either, hopefully my bathroom will be finished in a few days, woo-hoo!

the movie was "eh". i love cate blanchett, she was a great femme fatale. everyone else was "eh". i agree with john that clooney never seemed comfortable. he just doesn't have the bogart charm either. toby maguire was trying way too hard, i agree with that as well.

the casablanca comparisons were weird, but at least it was a little darker. i think this movie could have been much better if there had been stronger actors in the main roles.

very pretty though, i like the way it was filmed and the sets.

I'll have to echo similar sentiments, although of the three of us, I think I liked it the most. Being the huge Casablanca fan that I am, I didn't mind the similarities much.

Tobey was mis-cast, plain and simple. Not that he's a bad actor, just should not have been in this movie. Clooney's part I imagine was tough to play. A guy that wants to be there, but doesn't want to be there sort of thing. I think he was the right guy to play the part, but there could have been more depth to his character. Plus, I wasn't sold on the chemistry between he and Blanchett.

Blanchett I thought was amazing in it. Too bad the overall movie did not match her performance.

I think the main issue with the movie is that it was trying too hard to be "noir". That led it to have the feel of the old "B" movie noir films at times, the ones that were a bit over the top. What made Casablanca, and others, so good is that it didn't have to try and be anything. Just the way movies were back then.

So, it's worth checking out in the DVD sections, but I would recommend to hold off in the theaters.