8186 replies to this topic

[Ogawa]

Watching it now because Neflix has it available to stream. Really good stuff, so far. The craft is impeccable (though the upsidedown-rightsideup business with the titles is a little silly).

[brobee]

Watching it now because Neflix has it available to stream. Really good stuff, so far. The craft is impeccable (though the upsidedown-rightsideup business with the titles is a little silly).

alot of the movie is silly and art film pretentious. none of that lessens the impact. it's a hard movie to engage intellectually, because it is so effective at shaking you. it's almost as if the subject was merely a vessel for the emotion.

i should probably add that these comments are coming from a very stoned person.

[caley]

I've been a pig for 19 months.

Training Day: I'd never gotten around to seeing this until last night. It was pretty good, some moments of really high drama and tension. Denzel Washington is really good here. I won't say he did/didn't deserve Best Actor, as I haven't seen three of the other four nominated performances. The ending was little ham-handed

Spoiler

So, all the people in the innercity are just proud homeowners who respect the police?

but it didn't detract too much from being a solid, little movie.

[Agrimorfee]

I don't know which film I'd pick as "Best Picture" between this one, Rain Man, Mississippi Burning, and The Accidental Tourist. ...

It aint Mississippi Burning, I can say that for sure.

[Bob Loblaw]

I've been a pig for 19 months.

Training Day: I'd never gotten around to seeing this until last night. It was pretty good, some moments of really high drama and tension. Denzel Washington is really good here. I won't say he did/didn't deserve Best Actor, as I haven't seen three of the other four nominated performances. The ending was little ham-handed

Spoiler

So, all the people in the innercity are just proud homeowners who respect the police?

but it didn't detract too much from being a solid, little movie.

Not sure I'd agree with what you had under spoiler tags.

Spoiler

I think the point was that the people were fed up with Denzel terrorizing them and using his badge to get whatever he wanted. It was old "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" axiom.

[Ogawa]

I saw this last night and thought it was quite good. Really nice photography. Enjoyable performances. A nicely understated bit of filmmaking. This is, of course, saying quite a bit considering the filmmaker is Catherine Breillat. I've despised her previous films (Romance, Fat Girl, Anatomy of Hell), but here she seems much less interested in human biological functions and it's for the better.

I haven't really thought of Asia Argento as a good actress in other films I've seen her in, but she was pretty great here and makes the film worth seeing.

[WesterMats]

When I was a high school Spanish teacher, I showed Missing annually, along with Salvador, El Norte, and Milagro Beanfield War. Regardless of whether or not you like the movie, the reality behind what it depicts in Chile in the 1970's is horrible, even more so considering that the torture and death squads were sponsorded by the U.S. Thank God we're the "good guys" now and would never do anything like that any more.

[caley]

I've been a pig for 19 months.

Training Day: I'd never gotten around to seeing this until last night. It was pretty good, some moments of really high drama and tension. Denzel Washington is really good here. I won't say he did/didn't deserve Best Actor, as I haven't seen three of the other four nominated performances. The ending was little ham-handed

Spoiler

So, all the people in the innercity are just proud homeowners who respect the police?

but it didn't detract too much from being a solid, little movie.

Not sure I'd agree with what you had under spoiler tags.

Spoiler

I think the point was that the people were fed up with Denzel terrorizing them and using his badge to get whatever he wanted. It was old "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" axiom.

Yeah, you're right, I was being a little facetious but it didn't come across very well.

[Slackmo]

Sorry about the enormous image, but i wanted to be sure you could see the small type that reads "The Director's Cut." I couldn't fathom how this could have more to it than the original solid B-movie, and in many ways the "director's cut" is the lesser offering. But holy hell--this is a radically different movie than the original version. For instance, Kris Kristofferson is not in it. At all. A worthwhile object lesson in stubborn pride and vanity masquerading as "artistic vision," it's definitely worth a look, but only if you're familiar with the first one.

[held]

'payback-directors cut' this is a radically different movie than the original version. For instance, Kris Kristofferson is not in it. At all. A worthwhile object lesson in stubborn pride and vanity masquerading as "artistic vision," it's definitely worth a look, but only if you're familiar with the first one.

OK you got my attention. this sounds inviting.. must. go. find.

[theremin]

Just go read the book instead. Between Point Blank and two different versions of Payback, they are never going to do it again (read: do it right).

[M_Rots]

Just go read the book instead. Between Point Blank and two different versions of Payback, they are never going to do it again (read: do it right).

If you go to read the book, however, you'll be looking for The Hunter, by Richard Stark. It is great.

[Magnus Malcolm]

I've actually never seen Payback, it's one of those movies that's been on my "to see" list for years, but somehow keeps falling to the back.

Watched Platoon this morning. I love Berenger and Dafoe in it so much. Sure, (I figure everyone's seen this, but still)

Spoiler

the former's character is one of the biggest douche's around

, but both actors performances were about perfect. As much as I like the movie, Charlie Sheen doesn't really work that well in the role, IMO. I like Whitaker in his little part too. Stone's direction doesn't hurt either. Thinking about it,

Spoiler

I think the scene where Dafoe is running after being shot by Berenger is one of the more affecting

scenes in any war movie, if not cinema in general.

[brobee]

watched the ruins. not as good as i was hoping. nasty enough, but the

Spoiler

killer vines

thing was a little too much to get past. started strong, but approached tedium by the end. what/when was the last good horror movie? when is trick r treat coming out? i want something scary, not just gross (but gross is okay too).

[Magnus Malcolm]

I've been hearing some good things about this movie called The Last Winter here and there. Has anyone seen it? Is it just me being a hopeful Ron Perlman fan, or is it actually good?

[Ogawa]

I was watching Werner Herzog's Stroszek tonight and gathering captures for a post. One of the greatest films I've ever seen. To those who haven't seen it and have a serious interest in film, I recommend you rent it ASAP.

Here's my favorite scene.

[fabulous muscles]

The dancing chicken made me bawl like mad. SO FUCKING SAD!

[Agrimorfee]

watched the ruins. not as good as i was hoping. nasty enough, but the

Spoiler

killer vines

thing was a little too much to get past.

All things considered, I'm sure you had a better time with that then you would with

Spoiler

The Happening

.

You want scary but not gross? Try an old-fashioned one like The Haunting (1963, not the 90s remake).

[Magnus Malcolm]

The Haunting (again, the original) is an excellent scary film. Hmm, some others that get me are Peter Weir's earlier films- The Last Wave, and more so, Picnic at Hanging Rock. The latter is one of the more inexplicably disturbing films I have ever seen. There are others, but I was trying to pick some that may be a little less known.

[Tony]

The Haunting (again, the original) is an excellent scary film. Hmm, some others that get me are Peter Weir's earlier films- The Last Wave, and more so, Picnic at Hanging Rock. The latter is one of the more inexplicably disturbing films I have ever seen. There are others, but I was trying to pick some that may be a little less known.

The first third of PAHR is perfect. Weir then loses interest as he usually does after a great setup.