8186 replies to this topic

[cerebralcaustic]

The Man from Earth
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/

"An impromptu goodbye party for Professor John Oldman becomes a mysterious interrogation after the retiring scholar reveals to his colleagues he is an immortal who has walked the earth for 14,000 years."

Really enjoyed this movie

Just saw this last week too. Neat idea, OK screenplay, terrible acting and movie-making.

[caley]

Ran--- Movie looks amazing. Very cool story, very well executed. I don't know, not really much to say that hasn't been said about Kurosawa. The man is a legend. Kinda cool when you can tell how much hard work went into something by watching it. Time to visit/revisit more of his movies.

My Kurosawa suggestions (I have no idea what you have/haven't seen)

-Kagemusha: I actualy preferred this to Ran. A warlord for a clan dies. Rather than admit this and allow the enemy army the advantage, the upper crust enlist a thief who looks the deceased noble. There's a post-fighting battlefield scene in this that is one of the most affecting landscapes I've ever seen.
-Ikiru: Dying bureaucrat realizes he's wasted his life in the public sector and decides to accomplish one meaningful thing before he dies. So moving.
-The Bad Sleep Well: Toshiro Mifune plays a businessman with a secret. The whole thing is about coporate greed, and very interesting and very unnerving.

[Ogawa]

Ran--- Movie looks amazing. Very cool story, very well executed. I don't know, not really much to say that hasn't been said about Kurosawa. The man is a legend. Kinda cool when you can tell how much hard work went into something by watching it. Time to visit/revisit more of his movies.

My Kurosawa suggestions (I have no idea what you have/haven't seen)

-Kagemusha: I actualy preferred this to Ran. A warlord for a clan dies. Rather than admit this and allow the enemy army the advantage, the upper crust enlist a thief who looks the deceased noble. There's a post-fighting battlefield scene in this that is one of the most affecting landscapes I've ever seen.
-Ikiru: Dying bureaucrat realizes he's wasted his life in the public sector and decides to accomplish one meaningful thing before he dies. So moving.
-The Bad Sleep Well: Toshiro Mifune plays a businessman with a secret. The whole thing is about coporate greed, and very interesting and very unnerving.

Also, you can't go wrong with a Yojimbo/Sanjuro double feature.

[Bleep Blop]

Ran--- Movie looks amazing. Very cool story, very well executed. I don't know, not really much to say that hasn't been said about Kurosawa. The man is a legend. Kinda cool when you can tell how much hard work went into something by watching it. Time to visit/revisit more of his movies.

My Kurosawa suggestions (I have no idea what you have/haven't seen)

-Kagemusha: I actualy preferred this to Ran. A warlord for a clan dies. Rather than admit this and allow the enemy army the advantage, the upper crust enlist a thief who looks the deceased noble. There's a post-fighting battlefield scene in this that is one of the most affecting landscapes I've ever seen.
-Ikiru: Dying bureaucrat realizes he's wasted his life in the public sector and decides to accomplish one meaningful thing before he dies. So moving.
-The Bad Sleep Well: Toshiro Mifune plays a businessman with a secret. The whole thing is about coporate greed, and very interesting and very unnerving.

Yeah, when I run Ran back to the library, I was thinking about picking up either Red Beard or Ikiru. The Bad Sleep Well sounds pretty great though, I'll have to grab that one of these days. I was just thinking how I hadn't seen too many of the Kurosawa movies set in more modern times- that will be fixed.

[caley]

Ran--- Movie looks amazing. Very cool story, very well executed. I don't know, not really much to say that hasn't been said about Kurosawa. The man is a legend. Kinda cool when you can tell how much hard work went into something by watching it. Time to visit/revisit more of his movies.

My Kurosawa suggestions (I have no idea what you have/haven't seen)

-Kagemusha: I actualy preferred this to Ran. A warlord for a clan dies. Rather than admit this and allow the enemy army the advantage, the upper crust enlist a thief who looks the deceased noble. There's a post-fighting battlefield scene in this that is one of the most affecting landscapes I've ever seen.
-Ikiru: Dying bureaucrat realizes he's wasted his life in the public sector and decides to accomplish one meaningful thing before he dies. So moving.
-The Bad Sleep Well: Toshiro Mifune plays a businessman with a secret. The whole thing is about coporate greed, and very interesting and very unnerving.

Yeah, when I run Ran back to the library, I was thinking about picking up either Red Beard or Ikiru.

You should really have put when

When I Ran back to the library

[vamos]

Speed Racer completely changes the way I look at films. It takes a story and turns it into a visual poem. Cars flying across the screen, pink smoke flying into the air, thousands of tiny streams of light flying across the screen and then suddenly you're in a memory of Mom and Pops and it all comes together so beautifully and suddenly WHAM again you're on the track and the heads are moving across the screen. I thought it was a mindblowing experience, not a headache. I think you can either bitch that all the colors and incredibly fast camera movements bother your eyes or you can take it for what it is and realize that it's a seriously masterful work of art.

Also, I saw Choke today and it was decent.

[Ogawa]

Speed Racer completely changes the way I look at films. It takes a story and turns it into a visual poem. Cars flying across the screen, pink smoke flying into the air, thousands of tiny streams of light flying across the screen and then suddenly you're in a memory of Mom and Pops and it all comes together so beautifully and suddenly WHAM again you're on the track and the heads are moving across the screen. I thought it was a mindblowing experience, not a headache. I think you can either bitch that all the colors and incredibly fast camera movements bother your eyes or you can take it for what it is and realize that it's a seriously masterful work of art.

Well, aside from being visually irritating (I was joking about having a headache, by the way), I mainly thought it was exceedingly boring and utterly conventional in almost every way, though primarily in its dramatic construction. I don't know how making what essentially amounts to a really long music video with lots of moving heads, pink smoke, and tiny streams of light flying across the screen is in anyway revolutionary, mindblowing, or masterful. Kubrick did mind-tripping color streams 40 years ago in 2001 and it was brilliant. This, not so much. It's a work of art, sure. But I see no mastery.

Speed Racer reminds me of the end of that one episode of the Clerks animated series where the Korean animators were in charge of finishing the episode and so they turned it into a bizarre, hyper-active disco spectacular. "Who is driving car? Bear is driving car! Everybody disco dancing. Robot dancing!?" You tell me to take it for what it is, and I did. It's a run-of-the-mill Hollywood Sports picture that's overlong and just so happens to exist almost purely on green screen like so many other CG wastelands of recent years (Sin City, Sky Captain, 300, the Star Wars Prequels).

I've seen plenty of films that have "taken a story and turned it into a visual poem." I don't know what kind of poem this is supposed to be, other than one punctuated here and there by BLAM! and WHAMMO! and ZOOOOOOOM! I'd imagine it looks like something written by E. E. Cummings.

[vamos]

This isn't just another CG wasteland, this is a detail packed beautiful wonderland that you can look at over and over again and still find new details. And you cannot for one second discount the directing. Some fantastic shots that can't be forgotten. Such as when it cuts to the memory of his brother dying and we see the glass dropping on the ground. And the way the film will go from standard shit to zooming through kid land on a drawn car? That stuff is amazing to me, and I haven't seen anything like it before. The way the film handled the story was fantastic to me, and I suppose I was just particularly emotionally touched by the conquering of good over evil. I loved the characters, I loved their genuine nature, I loved that it was cookie cutter, because it was cookie cutter in an intensely genuine and heartfelt way and I fucking loved it. When he won the final race I nearly broke down in tears of joy. When he bursts through the light tunnel it felt like all the evil in the world had been fucked by the love of Speed and his family. I hope this isn't another example of something that I love and everyone hates (Maladroit..), because I actually do believe that this movie was unjustly criticized and is a masterpiece. Best film of 08 hands down What's revolutionary is the extreme amount of things happening at all times on the screen. The camerawork is so intricate, so amazing - it's hard to believe how they figured out some of those scenes. The way the camera will fly out of the car into the crowd suddenly burst of light and now we go to this racer and now we're in a memory which relates to the race and then we're back in the race and shit is flying everywhere and suddenly there are faces flying across the screen CONSTANTLY advancing the plot and your heart is (my heart was) racing because the way they set up the relationship in the family is wonderful and you (should) give a shit about what's going to happen because they make the villain so very real and easily hatable.

[caley]

I don't know what kind of poem this is supposed to be, other than one punctuated here and there by BLAM! and WHAMMO! and ZOOOOOOOM! I'd imagine it looks like something written by E. E. Cummings.

Awesome. That sounds like a quote straight out of a Roger Ebert review.

This isn't just another CG wasteland, this is a detail packed beautiful wonderland that you can look at over and over again and still find new details. And you cannot for one second discount the directing. Some fantastic shots that can't be forgotten. Such as when it cuts to the memory of his brother dying and we see the glass dropping on the ground. And the way the film will go from standard shit to zooming through kid land on a drawn car? That stuff is amazing to me, and I haven't seen anything like it before. The way the film handled the story was fantastic to me, and I suppose I was just particularly emotionally touched by the conquering of good over evil. I loved the characters, I loved their genuine nature, I loved that it was cookie cutter, because it was cookie cutter in an intensely genuine and heartfelt way and I fucking loved it. When he won the final race I nearly broke down in tears of joy. When he bursts through the light tunnel it felt like all the evil in the world had been fucked by the love of Speed and his family. I hope this isn't another example of something that I love and everyone hates (Maladroit..), because I actually do believe that this movie was unjustly criticized and is a masterpiece. Best film of 08 hands down


What's revolutionary is the extreme amount of things happening at all times on the screen. The camerawork is so intricate, so amazing - it's hard to believe how they figured out some of those scenes. The way the camera will fly out of the car into the crowd suddenly burst of light and now we go to this racer and now we're in a memory which relates to the race and then we're back in the race and shit is flying everywhere and suddenly there are faces flying across the screen CONSTANTLY advancing the plot and your heart is (my heart was) racing because the way they set up the relationship in the family is wonderful and you (should) give a shit about what's going to happen because they make the villain so very real and easily hatable.

Also awesome.

Can I just say I'm totally looking forward to the EOY Film poll because of the wide divergence of opinions this year? For everyone who thinks 'Speed Racer' is terrible, there's Closet thinking it's #1. For everyone who loves Wall-E, there's Slackmo who is clearly unimpressed. For everyone who loves The Dark Knight, there's Tony saying it's pedestrian. And I'm all about 'Snow Angels', and Ogawa and (I think it was) Closet were both less than blown away. I mean, I'm pretty sure Batman will still be #1 come year-end, but at least the discussion should be fun.

[Bob Loblaw]

I don't know what kind of poem this is supposed to be, other than one punctuated here and there by BLAM! and WHAMMO! and ZOOOOOOOM! I'd imagine it looks like something written by E. E. Cummings.

Awesome. That sounds like a quote straight out of a Roger Ebert review.

This isn't just another CG wasteland, this is a detail packed beautiful wonderland that you can look at over and over again and still find new details. And you cannot for one second discount the directing. Some fantastic shots that can't be forgotten. Such as when it cuts to the memory of his brother dying and we see the glass dropping on the ground. And the way the film will go from standard shit to zooming through kid land on a drawn car? That stuff is amazing to me, and I haven't seen anything like it before. The way the film handled the story was fantastic to me, and I suppose I was just particularly emotionally touched by the conquering of good over evil. I loved the characters, I loved their genuine nature, I loved that it was cookie cutter, because it was cookie cutter in an intensely genuine and heartfelt way and I fucking loved it. When he won the final race I nearly broke down in tears of joy. When he bursts through the light tunnel it felt like all the evil in the world had been fucked by the love of Speed and his family. I hope this isn't another example of something that I love and everyone hates (Maladroit..), because I actually do believe that this movie was unjustly criticized and is a masterpiece. Best film of 08 hands down


What's revolutionary is the extreme amount of things happening at all times on the screen. The camerawork is so intricate, so amazing - it's hard to believe how they figured out some of those scenes. The way the camera will fly out of the car into the crowd suddenly burst of light and now we go to this racer and now we're in a memory which relates to the race and then we're back in the race and shit is flying everywhere and suddenly there are faces flying across the screen CONSTANTLY advancing the plot and your heart is (my heart was) racing because the way they set up the relationship in the family is wonderful and you (should) give a shit about what's going to happen because they make the villain so very real and easily hatable.

Also awesome.

Can I just say I'm totally looking forward to the EOY Film poll because of the wide divergence of opinions this year? For everyone who thinks 'Speed Racer' is terrible, there's Closet thinking it's #1. For everyone who loves Wall-E, there's Slackmo who is clearly unimpressed. For everyone who loves The Dark Knight, there's Tony saying it's pedestrian. And I'm all about 'Snow Angels', and Ogawa and (I think it was) Closet were both less than blown away. I mean, I'm pretty sure Batman will still be #1 come year-end, but at least the discussion should be fun.

The Fall is the only thing so far that has much of a chance to beat Batman. It'll be in my top ten I'm sure, but it seems like it's going to be top 3 for several people. But we still have a Charlie Kaufmann film on the slate for 08, which is money 'round these parts.

[M_Rots]

e e cummings didn't use punctuation or caps in his name. his poetry made way more sense than Speed Racer.

Good line, though.

[petras]

The visuals in speed racer were impressive, some of the camera moves were astounding. To compare it to something like episode 1 is to do it a disservice. The pod race scene doesn't hold a candle to any of the race scenes in speed racer. That said I don't find it revolutionary. Rather it's evolutionary it's pushing the art of visual effects forward but it's not rewriting the book. Like I said in my other post at the end of the day it's a fun movie, sticks pretty close to the sports movie playbook and gives you a nice warm fuzzy feeling at the end. Sometimes ya need movies like that. In other news finally got a chance to watch In Bruges....great movie, deserves more attention then it gets.

[Bleep Blop]

Watched The Devil and Daniel Jonhston just now.. and wow. I've never listened to much of his music before, only knew very little about him-- but some of the tape and video they had from over the years, the way it was put together was just so great. A really loving documentary without being too overbearing. They really painted him as a nice but fragile character- that end part where he was meeting Matt Groening before his show and just let out an excited yell afterward was amazing, as was the part where Lee Renaldo and Thurston Moore were looking for him in NY and he was screaming about Satan. It just progressed so well- there was never a point where you(as a casual observer) felt like anything was skipped or left out. Loved it.

Made me want to watch You're Gonna Miss Me(another one I haven't seen) really badly. I'm extremely close to dialing my Netflix back up.

The way people are talking about The Fall really makes me want to see it-- Is the distribution good enough on it where they would carry it at Blockbuster?

[petras]

The way people are talking about The Fall really makes me want to see it-- Is the distribution good enough on it where they would carry it at Blockbuster?

My blockbuster has it, my blockbuster is surprisingly good at getting smaller and foreign films though. My old blockbuster before I moved was horrible in that department....i think it all depends on how much shelf space your store has.

[Asher Ford]

Made me want to watch You're Gonna Miss Me(another one I haven't seen) really badly. I'm extremely close to dialing my Netflix back up.

The way people are talking about The Fall really makes me want to see it-- Is the distribution good enough on it where they would carry it at Blockbuster?

Similarly I knew little about Johnson or Roky. Devil and Daniel was my number 1 film of 2006, and you're gonna miss me didn't make my top 70 the next year. Just saying, there is a big difference in their effectiveness.

Also, see The Fall. No idea whether Blockbuster would have it, but you need to see it.

[Slackmo]

For everyone who loves Wall-E, there's Slackmo who is clearly unimpressed.

I liked Wall-E a lot. I just felt like it was two movies and that the first one was vastly superior to the second one. I was phenomenally impressed with the first half.

[Agrimorfee]

What happened to the men who showed such promise with Bound? Who displayed a modicum of invention with The Matrix?

They are a man and a woman, now, apparently.

[Bob Loblaw]

For everyone who loves Wall-E, there's Slackmo who is clearly unimpressed.

I liked Wall-E a lot. I just felt like it was two movies and that the first one was vastly superior to the second one. I was phenomenally impressed with the first half.

Humans ruin everything.

[Slackmo]

Watched The Devil and Daniel Jonhston just now.. and wow. I've never listened to much of his music before, only knew very little about him--

I never knew he was played by Mr. Bean.

[M_Rots]

The way people are talking about The Fall really makes me want to see it-- Is the distribution good enough on it where they would carry it at Blockbuster?

My blockbuster has it, my blockbuster is surprisingly good at getting smaller and foreign films though. My old blockbuster before I moved was horrible in that department....i think it all depends on how much shelf space your store has.

Also driven by your market and by the individual store's manager. I live in a college ton, where there is a market for foreign, indie and otherwise obscure films. We had a store that specialized in all that and it went out of business b/c rents in its location went up to over a million a year. The local Blockbuster hasn't picked up the slack, but when the manager recommends the newest Dane Cook DVD, you kinda understand why.