Nilade
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Post by Nilade on Dec 10, 2014 16:39:43 GMT -5
I'll do Summer Wars. I'm at work right now, so I'll post your list tonight. |
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PG Cooper
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Post by PG Cooper on Dec 10, 2014 21:59:10 GMT -5
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Nilade
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Post by Nilade on Dec 10, 2014 22:36:20 GMT -5
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Post by Hollywood on Dec 13, 2014 12:55:53 GMT -5
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Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Dec 13, 2014 13:01:52 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 14:14:11 GMT -5
Before I make a new one, have you seen Cropsey? It's currently on Netflix. Same as Il Sorpasso. |
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Post by Hollywood on Dec 13, 2014 14:26:12 GMT -5
Before I make a new one, have you seen Cropsey? It's currently on Netflix. Same as Il Sorpasso. I havent, i dont have netflix streaming anymore. I did check out the trailers to all of them. The devils backbone looked most interesting out of the others and cropsey looked 2nd most interesting. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 14:32:24 GMT -5
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Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Dec 13, 2014 22:12:24 GMT -5
I think I'll go with The Skin I live In.
I'm curious about Nymphomaniac, but this is my second week in a row with two parts and I keep getting handed long movies.
I'll go with Remains of the Day. |
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Dracula
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Post by Dracula on Dec 14, 2014 0:59:13 GMT -5
I think I'll go with The Skin I live In.
I'm curious about Nymphomaniac, but this is my second week in a row with two parts and I keep getting handed long movies.
Understandable. The Skin I Live In is kind of nutty, just keep in mind that it's sort of supposed to be a wild melodramatic genre film and don't get too hung up on plausibility. If you're familiar with Almadovar's previous work you probably know the thematic ground it's going to cover, but he does it in a slightly more sensationalistic way than usual. Not quite sure which of your's I'm going to watch (the only one I've seen is Alphaville). I'll tentatively declare Timecrimes as the one I'm going with but I'm going to do some research into which one I can obtain the most easily. |
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Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Dec 14, 2014 2:30:35 GMT -5
That one might be your best bet. Taste wise.
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Knerys
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Live long and prosper.
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Post by Knerys on Dec 14, 2014 14:25:28 GMT -5
I'll stick with our Hosoda theme and watch The Girl Who Lept Through Time. |
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Post by Hollywood on Dec 17, 2014 0:59:43 GMT -5
I will go with Mysterious Skin |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2014 14:53:02 GMT -5
That one gets me every time.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2014 23:13:50 GMT -5
Closer (2004)
Mike Nichols is not a director I am overly familiar with. I've unfortunately only seen a handful of his filmography. But Closer, nonetheless, is a good example of a drama completely motivated by the characters. It also happens to be my favorite type of storytelling, in the sense that it tends to veer off any kind of well-trodden path (avoiding the cloying archetypes I'm all too familiar with). I'm not going to say it caught me completely off guard, though, since some of the hints dropped in certain scenes are more than telling (though subtly done, thankfully). Each character is compelling in their own fascinating way. Natalie Portman, however, for me, steals the show with her sadness, self-inflicted cruelty, and deceptive behavior. There are some moments that are so raw and authentic, it's difficult to not identify with it in some capacity. There is, on the other hand, a few select choices that feel a little too forced. Regardless, this is a great film that I'd venture to recommend to anyone looking for an emotionally alive film.
Rating: A-
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Knerys
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Post by Knerys on Dec 29, 2014 13:07:59 GMT -5
Film watched this weekend. Review by tonight.
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Dec 29, 2014 13:45:18 GMT -5
Starting my film in a few minutes. |
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Post by Hollywood on Dec 29, 2014 16:02:39 GMT -5
Im glad you liked it justin, Im watching mine tonight and will have review up right after i watch it or at some point tomorrow.
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Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Dec 29, 2014 19:18:15 GMT -5
The Skin I Live In (2011)
Oh boy. I was warned this was nutty, and nutty it is. Not only is the subject matter way out there, but the narration is unconventional and doesn't do you any favors if you're only comfortable with a proper three act movie. We're introduced to a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) who has recently lost his wife, and for some reason he has a woman sort of locked up in his basement. Eventually we learn the batshit crazy twist that (you've been warned) this woman began as a man who raped his daughter and Banderas has been slowly turning him into a woman as an odd form of torture. But he's also in a sexual relationship with this "woman," soooooo yeah.
I give this movie credit for being creative, but I don't think it was very good. It was clearly trying to bank on this twist and being controversial, and not so much on being compelling or really having anything to say about its characters. There's just no rhyme or reason to this movie that I could see and it never found its footing.
**/**** |
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Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Dec 29, 2014 19:18:31 GMT -5
I'm going to be a bit late on my second movie.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2014 20:33:40 GMT -5
I wasn't a big fan of The Skin I Live In either. Just seemed a little pointless and really contrived.
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PG Cooper
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Post by PG Cooper on Dec 29, 2014 22:53:43 GMT -5
Mars Attacks!
Mars Attacks! was pretty poorly received back in its day, but it's building a cult audience and it seemed like my cup of tea. The film is a spoof of 50s alien invasion movies and follows various individuals from all walks of life and how they deal with alien attackers. I really wanted to like this film, but this really is kind of a mess. The pacing is really bad. The first half is really slow and plodding, where as the second half is an almost endless stream of action and destruction which is fun at first, but grows tiresome. Additionally, the film has a huge cast, which can be a mixed bag; some additions work really well, others don't. Jack Nicholson is fun as the president, as is Pierce Brosnan as his scientific aid, and Annette Benning as a sort of spiritual hippie. I was a lot less fond of Nicholson's second role as a casino developer, Pam Grier as a single mom (who just feels out of place in the wacky comedy), and Danny DeVito, who may be funny, but is totally wasted in such a disposable role. The rest of the cast is just sort of there. Anyway, a lot of the jokes fall flat and there are moments where the film just felt like random highlights without any script to support it. Still, some of the satire elements do come through. There are generally two sides to 50s sci-fi, ultimate destruction and the more thoughtful and philosophical. Both are represented by people who work for the president, Brosnan's scientist who ignores much of the aggression from the aliens as a misunderstanding, and Rod Steiger's general who just wants to kill. There are also some solid nuggets of comedy gold. I particularly liked Nicholson's line regarding 1/3rd of the Government being wiped out, "I want the people to know that they still have 2 out of 3 branches of the government working for them, and that ain't bad." Nicholson's delivery is especially great. Anyway, the film has some amusing moments, and Danny Elfman's score is great, but I just thought this was kind of stupid.
D+
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Dracula
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Post by Dracula on Dec 29, 2014 23:10:52 GMT -5
The Skin I Live In (2011)
Oh boy. I was warned this was nutty, and nutty it is. Not only is the subject matter way out there, but the narration is unconventional and doesn't do you any favors if you're only comfortable with a proper three act movie. We're introduced to a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) who has recently lost his wife, and for some reason he has a woman sort of locked up in his basement. Eventually we learn the batshit crazy twist that (you've been warned) this woman began as a man who raped his daughter and Banderas has been slowly turning him into a woman as an odd form of torture. But he's also in a sexual relationship with this "woman," soooooo yeah.
I give this movie credit for being creative, but I don't think it was very good. It was clearly trying to bank on this twist and being controversial, and not so much on being compelling or really having anything to say about its characters. There's just no rhyme or reason to this movie that I could see and it never found its footing.
**/**** Yeah, you know, in retrospect that might not have been the best choice of something to spring on someone in the club. I mostly appreciate it as a sort of auteur work and it probably does just come off as kind of weird to someone who hasn't seen a whole lot of Almadovar's work. |
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Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Dec 29, 2014 23:37:57 GMT -5
Mars Attacks!Mars Attacks! was pretty poorly received back in its day, but it's building a cult audience and it seemed like my cup of tea. The film is a spoof of 50s alien invasion movies and follows various individuals from all walks of life and how they deal with alien attackers. I really wanted to like this film, but this really is kind of a mess. The pacing is really bad. The first half is really slow and plodding, where as the second half is an almost endless stream of action and destruction which is fun at first, but grows tiresome. Additionally, the film has a huge cast, which can be a mixed bag; some additions work really well, others don't. Jack Nicholson is fun as the president, as is Pierce Brosnan as his scientific aid, and Annette Benning as a sort of spiritual hippie. I was a lot less fond of Nicholson's second role as a casino developer, Pam Grier as a single mom (who just feels out of place in the wacky comedy), and Danny DeVito, who may be funny, but is totally wasted in such a disposable role. The rest of the cast is just sort of there. Anyway, a lot of the jokes fall flat and there are moments where the film just felt like random highlights without any script to support it. Still, some of the satire elements do come through. There are generally two sides to 50s sci-fi, ultimate destruction and the more thoughtful and philosophical. Both are represented by people who work for the president, Brosnan's scientist who ignores much of the aggression from the aliens as a misunderstanding, and Rod Steiger's general who just wants to kill. There are also some solid nuggets of comedy gold. I particularly liked Nicholson's line regarding 1/3rd of the Government being wiped out, "I want the people to know that they still have 2 out of 3 branches of the government working for them, and that ain't bad." Nicholson's delivery is especially great. Anyway, the film has some amusing moments, and Danny Elfman's score is great, but I just thought this was kind of stupid. D+ Boo.  The Skin I Live In (2011)
Oh boy. I was warned this was nutty, and nutty it is. Not only is the subject matter way out there, but the narration is unconventional and doesn't do you any favors if you're only comfortable with a proper three act movie. We're introduced to a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) who has recently lost his wife, and for some reason he has a woman sort of locked up in his basement. Eventually we learn the batshit crazy twist that (you've been warned) this woman began as a man who raped his daughter and Banderas has been slowly turning him into a woman as an odd form of torture. But he's also in a sexual relationship with this "woman," soooooo yeah.
I give this movie credit for being creative, but I don't think it was very good. It was clearly trying to bank on this twist and being controversial, and not so much on being compelling or really having anything to say about its characters. There's just no rhyme or reason to this movie that I could see and it never found its footing.
**/**** Yeah, you know, in retrospect that might not have been the best choice of something to spring on someone in the club. I mostly appreciate it as a sort of auteur work and it probably does just come off as kind of weird to someone who hasn't seen a whole lot of Almadovar's work. No worries. |
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Dracula
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Post by Dracula on Dec 29, 2014 23:40:36 GMT -5
Timecrimes (2007)
I’m not going to spend any time trying to summarize this because it’s really the kind of movie you’re best off watching without any knowledge about what you’re about to see. I’d seen the trailer for the film back around the time the film was being released and it spoiled a little more than it probably should have and I do think that affected this viewing, but I still enjoyed a decent amount of this movie. The film is a low-budget and relatively minimalist take on the time travel film and couldn’t be any more different from the other most famous low budget time travel film, Primer. Where that movie was cold and heavily interested in the science and psychology of time travel, this one is more of a Back to the Future style romp through time paradoxes and whatnot. The weakest part is probably the second act, in part because we already know what happens and it essentially becomes an exercise in inevitability. It does recover for the most part the third act, but I was disappointed in the ultimate ending, which just didn’t really come together in the super-satisfying way that these time travel yarns are usually supposed to. I guess that was the point, but it still didn’t quite resonate and it felt at odds with the relatively playful film that preceded it.
*** out of Four
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