Rate the last film you watched.

[sacrilegend]

Wild at Heart (David Lynch; 1990)

10/10

Inland Empire (David Lynch; 2006)

9/10

[Clark Nova]

Jan 9, 2009 8:29:28 GMT -5 sacrilegend said:

Inland Empire (David Lynch; 2006)

9/10

[sacrilegend]

Kinda, but not quite. So fuck you, how come we don't talk anymore?!

[Clark Nova]

Jan 9, 2009 14:52:13 GMT -5 sacrilegend said:

Kinda, but not quite. So fuck you, how come we don't talk anymore?!

because I have no means of talking to you You got rid of AIM, and there's only so far you can take facebook's in-engine chat dealio.

[captainofbeef]

Gran Torino
9/10
Clint carries this movie, plain and simple. The story is very basic but Clint's acting and his supporting cast and life and realism to it. Definitely one of my favorite Clint roles and I will be pleased if this is his last acting role.

[wkw]

Life is a Bed of Roses (Alain Resnais) - 4

So I thought I Want to Go Home was just an aberration for Resnais, but unfortunately I was wrong. This is every bit as over the top, but at least here the cartoon-like characterizations fit better into the children's fairytale-musical context. The humor works pretty well at first but it eventually gets tiresome and plain silly. The three parallel narratives are well juxtaposed together and thematically consistent. In the end the whole farcical arguing and fighting and seducing bullshit didn't do anything for me.

[Clark Nova]

Cries and Whispers (Ingmar Bergman, 1972)

rantsandmusings.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/cries-and-whispers/

[wkw]

Peppermint Frappe (Carlos Saura, 1967) - 8

Made as a tribute to Luis Bunuel, this owes as much to Vertigo in its portrayal of romantic obsession and fetish as to Bunuel's surrealism. Saura's editing and framing is kind of bland but there's some pretty cool devices like using Chaplin (who displays great range) to play three roles and motifs that highlight the fetishist quality of the film. The ending was creepy as hell.

Three Days (Sharunas Bartas, 1991) - 7

Which obscure shithole of hell was this shot in? There's a level of desolation and abject hopelessness found not even in Tarr or Korine. Also there might be some cryptic narrative here but all I can see is three people walking though these dreary landscapes. To his credit Bartas makes some gorgeous compositions and lyrical moments. I can see some hints of Tarkovsky and Antonioni (maybe even a bit of Erice), but there's no sense of ennui or spirituality.

[captainofbeef]

Appaloosa
8/10
I love a Western and I was very excited to see another modern one coming off the heels of 3:10 to Yuma. And I was not entirely disappointed. Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, and Jeremy Irons all deliver excellent performances in the main roles and the film looks and sounds wonderful. However, it has definite pacing problems and Zellweger's character feels completely unnecessary. The ending makes up for the problems though and overall, I enjoyed the film.

[captainofbeef]

Kes
9/10
A very interesting and unique film. Set in rural England, it takes about fifteen minutes to get used to the film's dialogue as the accents are so strong. Still once you do, this film has much to offer. The cast of locals do excellent jobs in portraying people who are so like themselves, middle class with no escape path. It is rare to see a film about this subject matter that is unsentimental but this certainly is one. Definitely a film to track down and see.

[Clark Nova]

Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica, 1952)

rantsandmusings.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/umberto-d/

[drone]

Jan 19, 2009 23:17:11 GMT -5 Clark Nova said:

Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica, 1952)

rantsandmusings.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/umberto-d/

Great review

Verj: 9.75/10
McCabe & Mrs. Miller: 5/10
The Decalogue: Three: 9/10
The Decalogue: Four: 8/10
Snow Angels: 9.25/10
Last Year At Marienbad: 10/10
Trzy kolory: Bialy: 9.25/10
Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer: 9.25/10

[mixed]

I have last year at marienbad to watch, I've heard great things

[drone]

Jan 20, 2009 21:29:22 GMT -5 mixed said:

I have last year at marienbad to watch, I've heard great things

Everything you've heard is true, and then some. Watch it!

Verj: 9.75/10
Run Lola Run: 7.5/10
Kyanq: 6.75/10
wkw/tk/1996@7'55''hk.net: 8/10
Goodbye Place: 7/10

[Clark Nova]

Forbidden Games (René Clément, 1952)



Kids can be a real pain in the ass.

8/10

[mixed]

Black sheep

It was a fun premise and I was expecting a dark and campy little horror film. Thing is, black sheep isn't fun enough, I mean come on, it's about psychotic killer sheep, it could have poked far more fun at itself than it did. It was mostly played straight and was worse off for it. The characters were annoying and lifeless, even in horror movie terms, and the pacing was horrible. I actually drifted towards sleep during the last 20 minutes, it really was hard to stay awake. And this was only 80 odd minutes long. Its saving grace was the excellent OTT gore, and there were a few dark and humorous moments, but not enough to make it especially enjoyable.

Disappointment. 3/10

[captainofbeef]

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
1/10
Had to watch this in Theology class. Terrible storyline, terrible acting, terrible film.

[Clark Nova]

Limelight (Charlie Chaplin, 1952)

rantsandmusings.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/limelight/

[captainofbeef]

Slumdog Millionaire
10/10
I was blown away by this film. Boyle takes the soul of India and translates it to the big screen. I know that there has been much criticism from actual Indians about various aspects of the movie, such as its handling by a Westerner and its portrayal of the slums of Mumbai. But I took the movie at its word and I will not hold it accountable for any errors as it never attempts to be a documentary. The film's style is riveting as well as its plot and characters. Even the ending, which I typically would not have cared for, felt right for this particular movie.

[captainofbeef]

The Visitor
8/10
A film that immigration and the US's current policy that doesn't forget the characters when trying to make a point. Richard Jenkins' performance as Walter is quiet yet incredibly powerful. By the end of the film, you completely forget that he is acting, he inhabits the character that much. His supporting cast is very good as well. Sometimes that political message is too overt and the film does slow down a bit in its third section. But overall, its worth a look if just for Jenkins performance.

[captainofbeef]

Man on Wire
8/10
An incredibly interesting film about a perplexing man who completed an extraordinarily beautiful act. Philippe's high wire acts are absolutely astonishing and it is wonderful that someone took the time to document them in a feature film. However, the film has some pacing problems and the interview style is a bit tired. But overall, a worthwhile documentary.

[Clark Nova]

Sans soleil (Chris Marker, 1983)



5.5/10

[drone]

Jan 26, 2009 11:17:10 GMT -5 Clark Nova said:

Sans soleil (Chris Marker, 1983)



5.5/10

[Clark Nova]

get over it.

[Clark Nova]

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (Mervyn LeRoy, 1932)



Decent prison movie. The scenes in the prison, especially with the off-screen whipping and the relative brutality of the hard labor in the sweltering heat, are like the spiritual predecessor to Cool Hand Luke, and Paul Muni's escape is thrilling and exciting. Muni's got his moments too, even though he's much more memorable in Scarface from the same year. It's outside the prison, when Muni's James Allen tries to make a life for himself and all the actors around Paul Muni ham it up to no end and we get lectured on the brutality of the chain gang system just like so many other movies from the early 30s tried to lecture its audience on serious issues, where things fall apart and the movie REALLY shows its age. Still, I enjoyed it. Great ending, too.

7/10


and also

The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)

rantsandmusings.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/the-wrestler/

[captainofbeef]

A Short Film About Killing
9/10
An incredibly powerful little movie about the taking of life. The movie starts out very slowly, which is its only flaw. However, it picks up and proceeds to display some of the most brutal footage ever committed to film. I am opposed to the death penalty and I don't know how anyone could not be after seeing this film. It is that powerful. If not for the slow start, this film would be perfectly executed. Just makes me want to see the Decalogue more and more.

[drone]

Jan 28, 2009 20:07:30 GMT -5 captainofbeef said:

A Short Film About Killing
9/10
An incredibly powerful little movie about the taking of life. The movie starts out very slowly, which is its only flaw. However, it picks up and proceeds to display some of the most brutal footage ever committed to film. I am opposed to the death penalty and I don't know how anyone could not be after seeing this film. It is that powerful. If not for the slow start, this film would be perfectly executed. Just makes me want to see the Decalogue more and more.

So far I've watched the first five films of the Decalogue, and it's definitely worth a purchase.

[captainofbeef]

Bangkok Dangerous (2001)
4/10
If the original is this bad, I can only imagine how awful the Nicolas Cage remake is. This is the classic case of all style, no substance. The movie flies by at a dizzying action pace but it never leaves any memorable impression on the viewer. Its like watching a John Woo film with less impressive action scenes and b-movie actors. Overall, not really worth a look.

[Clark Nova]

Modern Romance (Albert Brooks, 1981)

rantsandmusings.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/modern-romance/

[captainofbeef]

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
8.5/10
Woody Allen's Spanish odyssey captures the viewer and takes them to a world where reality seemingly disappears. This film really feels like a fantasy vacation with complex human relationship involved. Johansson and Rebecca Hall are the film's namesakes but it almost feels as if they drop back into the scenery, blending in with the setting around them. Bardem and Cruz are the real stars here and they steal the movie away from its main characters. When they aren't on the screen together, the film loses some of its magic. Though it isn't one of Allen's strongest films, it is certainly one that makes you think and draws you in.