Well, most of our pertinent news re: the '06s is in, and it's fidget time for at least a month and a half for a lot of us. What better place to fidget than PC (while we're solving the world's Prius problems, of course)? Just see a new release? Rent a DVD that seems under-the-radar surprisingly good? See an acclaimed flick that left you cold? How about your Top 5 all-time? Worst of the wurst? If you're into ratings shorthand, why don't we use the 1-4 star (*) framework prevalent in newspaper capsules? I'm an avid movie guy. Indies, foreign, even the occasional Hollywood gem---bring it on! I get IFC on my satellite package. Saw "Sidewalks of New York" again Sat. (Edward Burns). Only rated **1/2, but I like it. I'm partial to "second-tier" actors, and Stanley Tucci was gratifyingly slimy in this one. Burns is cool.
...and I thought I was bored... :lol: ok, ok... Overall Top 5 movies for me: The Black Hole The Ninth Gate Titanic Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade The Wickerman Worst 5: Whoopi Goldberg's The Telephone Out of Africa Halloween 6 (I think, released back in '95, I actually walked out of the theater on that one) Ishtar Tootsie Top 5 for flat out f'd up: Baise Moi (actually saw it in a theater in NYC (chicks go on a sex and killing spree)) Murderous Maids (two sisters with lesbian overtones who kill their employers) Requiem for a Dream Ilsa: SS She-Wolf Pi
Out of Africa = Top 20 slow, but wrenching Sleeper: Memento (Guy Pearce, 2002) Underrated visual dazzler: What Dreams May Come (Robin Williams) I'd watch him read the phone book: John Turturro, William Daniels Golden Oldies: A Thousand Clowns (Jason Robards, Jr.), The Pawnbroker (Rod Steiger), The Ruling Class (Peter O'Toole), Straw Dogs (Dustin Hoffman), Guys and Dolls (just to watch marlon Brando sing!), 2001, Manon of the Spring (Swedish), Spartacus, A Clockwork Orange, Midnight Cowboy, Repulsion (Julie Christie), Dr. Zhivago "middle-aged": Terms of Endearment, The Piano, Jaws, Schindler's List, The English Patient, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Fly (J. Goldblum), The Exorcist, Indiana Jones, The Hunt For Red October, Ground Hog Day, Mars Attacks! ("we come in peace..."), The Silence of the Lambs
"The Station Agent"- Real sleeper as is "Breaker Morant" Light-hearted fun if you have kids (or are a kid at heart)- Bugsy Malone Joe's Apartment- Stunk- I stopped watching it Greatest "series" ever??? World at War
Favorite 'newish' movies: Office Space Napoleon Dynamite Pirates of the Caribbean Lord of the Rings series Dazed & Confused Favorite 'oldies': The Women Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Mr. and Mrs. Smith It's A Gift/The Bank Dick The Graduate Awful movies: Duets Daredevil Jeepers Creepers Howard the Duck Spanglish
Just saw Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in the theaters -- completely surprised with how good it was. Very, very funny -- I laughed almost continously for the first 1/2 hour -- but also sad and touching (often adjacent to the humor, which is hard to do), and a good mystery. Every 10-15 years, someone does a decent job of turning out a Raymond Chandler-type mystery -- sassy, funny but with some hard edges. I think Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is this decade's entry, and it's a treat.
And a few other creme-de-la-creme: Golden Oldies: The Philadelphia Story, Ruggles of Red Gap, The Big Sleep Great series: Firefly
My wife and I recently finished watching all 100 of the American Film Institute's Top 100 Movies of All Time. A couple of years ago, we resolved to watch every movie on the list. Now that we're done, we can actually talk about movies with a sense of knowledge. Classics that I love: Casablanca - and not just because it's Casablanca. It's actually really good! Dial M for Murder - Saw this for the first time over the weekend. Wow I loved it! It's a Wonderful Life - I cry at the end every time. Amadeus - I've watched this movie a dozen times. And I have the soundtrack! The Third Man - Nice twist Patton - I just love the character The Heat of the Night - Mr. Tibbs for President! Lonesome Dove - "Because I gave him my word." All Quiet on the Western Front - Many good lessons in that movie. Bridge Over the River Kwai - Great scenery; multiple plots; excellent characters; all around great film. I don't understand why people like these: Stagecoach - The coach moved faster than the plot, that's for sure The French Connection - can you say, 'gratuitious car chase scene'? Dr. Strangelove - I just can't find it funny. Midnight Cowboy and Raging Bull - I've been told it's a generational thing. High Noon - Leave or stay. Just get on with it. The Wizard of Oz - Seen it. Done. Please don't make me watch it again. And then there's the granddaddy of them all: Citizen Kane If you have not watched Citizen Kane, I highly reccomend that you do so. You will quickly come to realize that when you strip away the over-budget production, the grander-than-life lifestyle of Kane, the shroud of mystery enveloping the man and his life you will find a film almost as overly bloated as the hype that surrounds it. And after you have shaken the dust off all these antiques, you need to go rent The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. This movie will set you straight again. After all, it's a movie about science and a man of science working on the one thing that makes him happy: science.
Barton Fink A few of other all around weird films: The Last Days of Frankie the Fly The Center of the World Ghost World
Rented Charlie & Chocolate Factory yesterday. Better than I expected. Tim Burtonis consistently, delightfully different. He always gets the perfect FACES for his movies, with lots of close-ups. Danny Elfman's songs struck me as loud, unnecessary interruptions, rather than part of the flow, though. The quality of the music was good, but they felt forced. Anyone see Wallace & Gromit yet?
I saw it. I'm a big W&G fan. It was ok but a bit formulaic and predictable. Worth seeing but not their best effort.
Best for me: Brian's Song Ferris Beullers Day Off "Beuller......... .Beuller...........Beuller" My Cousin Vinny "Did you say youts?" There's Something About Mary "Have you seen my baseball?" Remember The Titans
Yes, ITA here. The film was EXCELLENT. Joaquin Phoenix did a spectacular job in getting into character and portraying Johnny so incredibly well. I sense an Oscar in his future.
