Movies You've Seen Recently: Return of the Revenge of the Curse of the...
- Thread starter Cosmic Bus
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Buckethead
Banned
take a shot every time we post scorsese lists
Frustrated_Grunt
Member
Rewatched, Hotel Rwanda today. Such a great movie.
I'd like to echo that; I haven't watched The Town yet but having seen Argo I feel like it was well-crafted but it was by and large just action-driven. Not bad in of itself, but I think I was hoping for more thriller and more drama. this movie was light on that...almost just a straight retelling (with some liberties), ultimately making the story feel underutilized. I think I was also hoping for something that might've evaluated the politics and public sentiment in the Iran Hostage crisis. I realize that this requires subtlety because we have to follow Ben Affleck being tense for his mission, but I don't like that every time they showed someone who was Iranian in the movie I was just like "eh." My other issue was the none of the characters were really engaging; Bryan Cranston's character rated the highest for me there.
I'd probably fail a lot of tests.
I've yet to see Age of Innocence, The Aviator, The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, The Colour of Money and Hugo (and Shine a Light which I'm not really up for despite loving the Stones). I'll probably watch Last Temptation of Christ this week. Once I see those then that's it for Scorsese for me until Wolf of Wall Street.
The raw energy it has is indeed amazing, I sometimes call it my favourite. But in the end I probably have to say that Taxi Driver is his best. Mean Streets is the film I've seen most though and Johnny Boy might be my favourite character / performance of all time.
I feel the need to list...I'm going to list. I'll just do 5.
1. Taxi Driver
2. Mean Streets
3. King of Comedy
4. Goodfellas
5. After Hours
If I put Raging Bull instead of After Hours it'd just be the Bobby D show. I also really like Who's that Knocking at my Door, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Bringing Out the Dead. My Voyage to Italy and The Last Waltz are immensely enjoyable too.
The raw energy it has is indeed amazing, I sometimes call it my favourite. But in the end I probably have to say that Taxi Driver is his best. Mean Streets is the film I've seen most though and Johnny Boy might be my favourite character / performance of all time.
I feel the need to list...I'm going to list. I'll just do 5.
1. Taxi Driver
2. Mean Streets
3. King of Comedy
4. Goodfellas
5. After Hours
If I put Raging Bull instead of After Hours it'd just be the Bobby D show. I also really like Who's that Knocking at my Door, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Bringing Out the Dead. My Voyage to Italy and The Last Waltz are immensely enjoyable too.
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
Eraserhead (Lynch)
Whoa. It's 2 in the morning where I live, and I just watched this for the first time. No nightmares, thankfully, but that's one hell of a film I just watched.
"Counter, Paul!" Such a line provides relief from the continual sensory bombardment this film provides. Yet, even when jaw-dropping ambient soundscapes reign supreme, a whole lot doesn't happen. I definitely understand everything behind the character of Henry Spencer—his lack of ambition, his conformity to a blasted society, his inability to recognize himself in his malformed offspring—but a little more plot could't have hurt, could it?
Otherwise, this film is nut-so crazy and a hell of a lot of fun. It's like nothing I've ever seen before; not even Twin Peaks' scarier episodes are as audacious and subliminal. And it's easily Jack Nance's greatest performance of record. He carries the whole film like a modern Buster Keaton! This film also features the most anti-climactic credits roll I know of, which is interesting. How odd that the credits come at the end and not in the middle!
Joe Bob sez check it out!
****
Whoa. It's 2 in the morning where I live, and I just watched this for the first time. No nightmares, thankfully, but that's one hell of a film I just watched.
"Counter, Paul!" Such a line provides relief from the continual sensory bombardment this film provides. Yet, even when jaw-dropping ambient soundscapes reign supreme, a whole lot doesn't happen. I definitely understand everything behind the character of Henry Spencer—his lack of ambition, his conformity to a blasted society, his inability to recognize himself in his malformed offspring—but a little more plot could't have hurt, could it?
Otherwise, this film is nut-so crazy and a hell of a lot of fun. It's like nothing I've ever seen before; not even Twin Peaks' scarier episodes are as audacious and subliminal. And it's easily Jack Nance's greatest performance of record. He carries the whole film like a modern Buster Keaton! This film also features the most anti-climactic credits roll I know of, which is interesting. How odd that the credits come at the end and not in the middle!
Joe Bob sez check it out!
****
Seriously? :lol Just in case there's been a mixup here, I'm talking about the "Season of the Witch", a movie not at all about Mike Myers, is not part of the regular Halloween continuity, is generally poorly received according to wikipedia, is even considered a bad movie by the actor who played the main villain and is the lowest grossing movie in the entire franchise iirc. Am I missing something here? It has apparently gotten a cult following since its release but after the first viewing, Eberts quote "a low-rent thriller from the first frame. This is one of those Identikit movies, assembled out of familiar parts from other, better movies." seems fitting.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you. It's complete crap. I asked myself the same question you did.
ViewtifulJC
Banned
I found myself talking like that for months after my first viewing
Oh you betcha yaaaah we're not a bank Jerry
djplaeskool
Member
Just watched Coriolanus for the first time.
I have to say, I was honestly blown away by the presentation and effectiveness of classical language in a modern context. For me, it worked, and made some of the more intense scenes hit with meteor impact.
This is one of my favorite scenes in all Shakespeare, and I almost burst out in applause in my living room watching it:
(Act III, Scene iii, Coriolanus's banishment at the forum)
"You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate
As reek a' th' rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air -- I banish you!"
Everything was convincingly acted and the scenes of war were extremely believable, like watching something from the Balkan conflict in the late 90s. Save for a couple of drawn out stretches in the final acts, I was glued to it from start to finish. Excellent film and highly recommended.
I have to say, I was honestly blown away by the presentation and effectiveness of classical language in a modern context. For me, it worked, and made some of the more intense scenes hit with meteor impact.
This is one of my favorite scenes in all Shakespeare, and I almost burst out in applause in my living room watching it:
(Act III, Scene iii, Coriolanus's banishment at the forum)
"You common cry of curs, whose breath I hate
As reek a' th' rotten fens, whose loves I prize
As the dead carcasses of unburied men
That do corrupt my air -- I banish you!"
Everything was convincingly acted and the scenes of war were extremely believable, like watching something from the Balkan conflict in the late 90s. Save for a couple of drawn out stretches in the final acts, I was glued to it from start to finish. Excellent film and highly recommended.
your criticisms are: that it doesn't feature Myers, that the main villain didn't like the film, that it grossed the least, and that Ebert didn't like it.
the first three of those aren't actual opinions on the quality of the film, the last is just a quote man. why did you think it was "a low-rent thriller"? gotta offer explanation beyond tidbits from a wiki page.
the people who like it like it because it's different and it's darkly comical. it's this weird carnival of wacky ideas
stonehenge, androids, mass child sacrifice
Criterion put up a bunch of free dub dub 2 movies on Hulu for vet's day, so I watched a lot of those.
Rome, Open City: 7/10. Got more hardcore than I was expecting.
Lacombe, Lucien: Portrait of a Douche: 7/10. Seriously wtf man. Hey look it's that French lady that's in everything.
Overlord: 6/10. Enjoyable but forgettable.
The Tin Drum: 9/10. Bizarre and beautiful.
The Burmese Harp: 8/10. Oh look another musical instrument as a symbol of peace. Fine with me!
To Be Or Not To Be: 8/10. LOL HITLER.
Tokyo Drifter: 4/10. So I've seen a few Yakuza films, is it a genre convention that I'm not supposed to know what the hell is going on? Who's this guy, who's that guy, what'd that guy say when I said who's that guy? And of course they all look the same (you know cause they all wear suits). It was pretty swinging but this isn't for me.
Moonrise Kingdom: 9/10. I was right, it's now in the top 5 of 2012 with three open slots. Really though this was wonderful, I can see why some call it his best (even though it's not cause Tenenbaums is).
Dodeskaden: 7/10. Apparently Kurosawa tried to kill himself after making this? I share his sentiment after watching it. Similar to but better than The Lower Depths in that it's a bunch of people wallowing in misery, but they kvetched a lot more in that one. Some of the stories were great, like the tainted fish house guy. Others were not, like the color coordinated drunk guys.
Dersu Uzala: 8/10. What a nice man, like the original Mr. Myagi. A great story of friendship, I'm glad they reveal he's dead right at the beginning otherwise I wouldn't have been able to handle it.
Bernie: 7/10. Also a very nice man. At first I thought Mathew McConaughey was way out of place and overdoing it but I got used to him. This was pretty cute though and I laughed a few times at the Texans.
Rome, Open City: 7/10. Got more hardcore than I was expecting.
Lacombe, Lucien: Portrait of a Douche: 7/10. Seriously wtf man. Hey look it's that French lady that's in everything.
Overlord: 6/10. Enjoyable but forgettable.
The Tin Drum: 9/10. Bizarre and beautiful.
The Burmese Harp: 8/10. Oh look another musical instrument as a symbol of peace. Fine with me!
To Be Or Not To Be: 8/10. LOL HITLER.
Tokyo Drifter: 4/10. So I've seen a few Yakuza films, is it a genre convention that I'm not supposed to know what the hell is going on? Who's this guy, who's that guy, what'd that guy say when I said who's that guy? And of course they all look the same (you know cause they all wear suits). It was pretty swinging but this isn't for me.
Moonrise Kingdom: 9/10. I was right, it's now in the top 5 of 2012 with three open slots. Really though this was wonderful, I can see why some call it his best (even though it's not cause Tenenbaums is).
Dodeskaden: 7/10. Apparently Kurosawa tried to kill himself after making this? I share his sentiment after watching it. Similar to but better than The Lower Depths in that it's a bunch of people wallowing in misery, but they kvetched a lot more in that one. Some of the stories were great, like the tainted fish house guy. Others were not, like the color coordinated drunk guys.
Dersu Uzala: 8/10. What a nice man, like the original Mr. Myagi. A great story of friendship, I'm glad they reveal he's dead right at the beginning otherwise I wouldn't have been able to handle it.
Bernie: 7/10. Also a very nice man. At first I thought Mathew McConaughey was way out of place and overdoing it but I got used to him. This was pretty cute though and I laughed a few times at the Texans.
Kilgore Trout
Member
But look! It's color-coded to make it easier for viewers to follow!
I have this weird thing with Suzuki movies where I think they're incredibly boring but I'm interested in seeing what he does technically try to make something out of ok b-move scripts.
I saw Ordet last night and I'm still trying to process it. The ending took me completely by surprise. Really great film.
Count Dookkake
Member
Well put.
nah. in fact suzuki was fired for making tokyo drifter and branded to kill so abstract. nikkatsu told him to rein it in and he chose to exaggerate the illogic even more because he didn't like the japanese studio system.
also rome, open city's so good.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
Makes sense. It's fair to say he was basing his opinion on others, and the fact it doesn't feature Myers is irrelevant, but you can't really blame him for hating it. I see how it could entertain some for being unintentionally funny, but to me it's just trash. I didn't find any of its ideas that entertaining to be honest. Also, I didn't think it was subtle about the anti-corporate message either.
Struggling through it. I think I'm about 6 hours in.
Any further thoughts? Struggling?
I love soaking in the history, the stories of cinema and the themes discussed. I really like it and it's very informative but to me it's quite a difficult documentary to watch, not sure why (maybe because of the amount of info).
edit: there's also quite some movies being discussed that I haven't seen (yet) so I keep skipping bits in order not to get spoiled
I love soaking in the history, the stories of cinema and the themes discussed. I really like it and it's very informative but to me it's quite a difficult documentary to watch, not sure why (maybe because of the amount of info).
edit: there's also quite some movies being discussed that I haven't seen (yet) so I keep skipping bits in order not to get spoiled
I have heard of people struggling or simply not liking it, although for other reasons.
Regarding your edit: yeah, that's what I feared. I guess it's inevitable considering the scope of the doc. You'd have to have seen *so much* for it not to affect you. And I suspect none of the participants are wary of it or care, for that matter.
I'm really not sure if I should watch it or not.
I have. I like it, but at first his voice can be a little off putting. I actually turned it off once thinking I would hate it but then someone forced me to give it another go. I watched it in instalments (well, you have to obviously) but I waited quite a while in between chapters, and I focused in on parts I knew a bit about, so I didn't necessarily watch it in order. I think I started with the New Hollywood one. I recommend doing that if you're not sure, pick a specific chapter.
It is good and very impressive, and it's always nice when he talks about a film you love. And his choices of interviewees, subjects and how he structures each chapter is always interesting. Plus you come away with wanting to see a good deal of stuff you hadn't heard of / considered watching.
This is definitely true. My backlist grows with every episode I watch.
At the time people didn't like it because it wasn't like the first two.
The logic was that the Myers stuff was too thin to keep spinning into sequels. Which in retrospect was correct. Had Season of the Witch done well the next Halloween would probably also have been a different story.
The movie itself is good if you can get past the fact that it's nothing like the other entries.
Hehe, thanks
I don't have to offer any explanations when I get attacked but alright. My criticims are not necessarily the same as the list I posted. That just shows that I'm not alone in my opinion. I went in expecting to see more about Myers, that's why I'm watching these to begin with. I haven't seen part 4 and forward yet so I don't know if more Myers was a bad thing as someone suggested above. I was disappointed by the lack of continuity from part 2 and the characters were mostly boring. I tolerated them while waiting for them to be killed off, basically. The drunken doctor, while the actor did a good job, was pretty cliché as a trope, at least by today's standards. The villain was just weird to me. I wanted a horror movie and got silly androids. It doesn't really matter much to me that they managed to pull that off with a straight face, it was still boring. I can agree that killing children was pretty original in itself, but why? Most of it just felt a bit lame, especially when I realized and got it confirmed that Myers wouldn't show. I mean, I went to wikipedia on my phone in the middle of the movie, so clearly I lost interest. That's not a good score in my book. It sticks out more in a bad way than even Friday the 13th part 5 did in that series. It just doesn't belong. But that's just me, now let's move on.
Hehe, thanks
I don't have to offer any explanations when I get attacked but alright. My criticims are not necessarily the same as the list I posted. That just shows that I'm not alone in my opinion. I went in expecting to see more about Myers, that's why I'm watching these to begin with. I haven't seen part 4 and forward yet so I don't know if more Myers was a bad thing as someone suggested above. I was disappointed by the lack of continuity from part 2 and the characters were mostly boring. I tolerated them while waiting for them to be killed off, basically. The drunken doctor, while the actor did a good job, was pretty cliché as a trope, at least by today's standards. The villain was just weird to me. I wanted a horror movie and got silly androids. It doesn't really matter much to me that they managed to pull that off with a straight face, it was still boring. I can agree that killing children was pretty original in itself, but why? Most of it just felt a bit lame, especially when I realized and got it confirmed that Myers wouldn't show. I mean, I went to wikipedia on my phone in the middle of the movie, so clearly I lost interest. That's not a good score in my book. It sticks out more in a bad way than even Friday the 13th part 5 did in that series. It just doesn't belong. But that's just me, now let's move on.
you don't have to offer explanations for any opinions ever. but not explaining anything makes it a lot easier to dismiss an opinion. now that you've explained yourself I still disagree a ton, but at least it's an actual standing and not just a "this is shit."
I know you won't do it but I'd recommend watching SOTW knowing myers won't show up. normally I don't think a movie should require any foreknowledge, but this is one case where you do need to know that you're not going to get something. knowing you're not going to see a slasher helps.
Just watched Taxi Driver. This one's gonna have me thinking for a while. Shit was deep. I loved the music and atmosphere of the film. De Niro's performance was great, and it was cool seeing small roles for Albert Brooks and Peter Boyle. Jodie Foster as a teenager was pretty shocking. That ending tho...
ViewtifulJC
Banned
I still never know if I...hate that Taxi Driver ending or kinda love it. It keeps it from being #1 Scorsese.
But besides that, the rest of the movie is pretty decent, I think.
But besides that, the rest of the movie is pretty decent, I think.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
Taxi Driver is really amazing I have to rewatch it too.
FreshCakes
Banned
Saw "The Help", I thought it was a pretty good movie.
Kilgore Trout
Member
I'm still not quite sure why the film reverses for a split second
when Travis is adjusting the mirror at the end. The first time I watched the movie I thought it was a suggestion that what was taking place was a fantasy and he actually died. But in one of the commentaries someone said that it was because he couldn't look at his reflection as he was disturbed by what he saw, relating to a line Iris said to him, "Did you ever try looking at your own eyeballs in the mirror?"
lilbaby Jesus
Member
Lol decent? ......Some people can call it boring, I wouldn't personally. What it is, is a brilliant character study with genuine gritty dialogue. That's probably my fav parts of the movie, the music (and its use)(for example-when he almost runs Jodie Foster's character over;Dat musical transition!), and the dialogue.
Cool. Thanks for the input.
You have people in this very thread, just a few posts up, talking about watching the movie for the first time. Show some respect and use spoiler tags when discussing the ENDING of a movie.
Jables Swan
Member
Yep. Even with a TD avatar.
Kilgore Trout
Member
Fair enough. I thought that without context my post would be harmless, but I'll err on the side of caution.
Months back I watched Mad Max with the intention of doing a double feature with its sequel but due to severe disappointment I postponed watching the sequel. I finally watched Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and it was loads better than the first. Everything is bigger; the characters, the action, chases and explosions. The post-apocalyptic setting was cool and the baddies were fun. Very entertaining. 7/10
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - 6/10
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - 6/10
RIP, Boris Strugatsky. Will watch Stalker once more.
So I've been thinking a lot about the epilogue to Taxi Driver. How do you guys interpret it?
Do you think it was meant to be taken literally or it was a look at his fantasy world following his death? I'm almost positive it was the latter. I mean come on, him a hero? It seemed too surreal.
DJ_Lae
Member
I've had a copy of The King's Speech lying around for what feels like forever - finally watched it.
I have a tendency to put off movies like that as I'm always expecting to be disappointed. Anything critically acclaimed, or (moreso) award winning. Crash really burned me the other year.
But I quite enjoyed King's Speech. It was the right blend of awkward, touching, and amusing, with the swearing bit being the highlight of the movie.
I have a tendency to put off movies like that as I'm always expecting to be disappointed. Anything critically acclaimed, or (moreso) award winning. Crash really burned me the other year.
But I quite enjoyed King's Speech. It was the right blend of awkward, touching, and amusing, with the swearing bit being the highlight of the movie.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
I've always seen it as a fantasy too. I honestly think he lost it. A justification for his actions and some kind of personal relief. I never saw him as a hero either, regardless of whether he was wrong or right, nothing gave him the right to make choices for other people. I have to be honest, the first time I saw it, it left me very confused.
Kilgore Trout
Member
That's what I was talking about a few posts earlier,
and I've taken the position that all that transpired at the end actually happened. I think the theme at that point is that reality is subjective and the irony lies in how people perceive Travis as a hero versus how we know him as an audience.
For example, despite the gracious letter from Iris' parents, there's no indication that that's what she wanted or that she's happy back home. The way it was written seemed to glaze over any prior issues with her that would have driven to her running away from home to become a prostitute. This parallels the way the he wrote letters to his own parents, removing any hint of his inner turmoil or unhappiness.
In addition, the way the movie is shot serves as sort of an echo chamber for Travis' paranoia where we see only the lowlifes and the events that he picks out as being indicative of his worldview. The emphasis on the mirror readjustment seems to be some sort of acknowledgment of his sick mind and his lack of desire to address it. I also think there's no indication that his mental state has improved, so even if he's the local hero there's no reason to believe he won't have an urge again later to commit an act of violence.
For example, despite the gracious letter from Iris' parents, there's no indication that that's what she wanted or that she's happy back home. The way it was written seemed to glaze over any prior issues with her that would have driven to her running away from home to become a prostitute. This parallels the way the he wrote letters to his own parents, removing any hint of his inner turmoil or unhappiness.
In addition, the way the movie is shot serves as sort of an echo chamber for Travis' paranoia where we see only the lowlifes and the events that he picks out as being indicative of his worldview. The emphasis on the mirror readjustment seems to be some sort of acknowledgment of his sick mind and his lack of desire to address it. I also think there's no indication that his mental state has improved, so even if he's the local hero there's no reason to believe he won't have an urge again later to commit an act of violence.
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