Maglorfin 196 Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Superman: The Movie, yesterday with my girlfriend, who hasn't seen it for years, a decade perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Saw Yankee Doodle Dandey. Not for me. Cagney is magnetic here. But I never believed that this is a story that I had any interest. Also, the fact it's a musical in which there is not a single song or routine I liked......not for me. The rest of my recent viewings have been revisitng favorites: Moulin Rouge (still a wonderful musical), Master & Commander (still awe-inspiringly good), and The Battle of Algiers (possibly the best political film I've ever seen). ****/**** for the latter two, ***1/2/**** for the former. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,191 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I haven't watched Moulin Rouge in ages. I finally picked it up on DVD a year ago and it's still shrinkwrapped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I passionately dislike that movie - that sugary concatenation of over-stylized videoclips patched together with a joke of a story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Yet you love the works of A.L. Webber? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Long have those days since passed. When I was young and naive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry B 50 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I passionately dislike that movie - that sugary concatenation of over-stylized videoclips patched together with a joke of a story.The music is what kills it for me. So dull and labored sounding. The existing music selections are uninteresting and the new music is just... bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maglorfin 196 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was on TNT tonight, and then I hear the news ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I passionately dislike that movie - that sugary concatenation of over-stylized videoclips patched together with a joke of a story. Certainly understandable. I realized when watching it last night that if one did not like music or performances...it would be quite a painful experience. But I do like a great deal of the music, the concept of a great deal of the music, the re-arrangements (well, the re-arrangements of fragments in many cases), and the performances. I think that the movie tries to justify the utter simplicity and boring-ness of the story, by communicating something visceral in the story to the audience. It did work for me. The shadow that looms over the story, the acknowledged predictability of it, paying more attention to the individual sections than to the story as a whole....it made it work for me. However, this is not a film I'll defend to the death or defend on a special artistic platform (like the other two mentioned with it)...it works for me. Seeing as I'm in a musical mood (also saw Sweeney Todd again, loved it again), and seeing as I've been reading Leonard Bernstein's Findings (as well as watching whatever Bernstein-related online clips I've been able to find), AND seeing as I was recently at a concert that featured a suite of it.....I suspect I'll be watching West Side Story again some time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trent Hoyt 13 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. The movie is a solid product of the 80s that captures a fear that is no longer as large as it used to be. This movie reminded me of Star Trek V. The idea for a great movie is in there, however poorly executed it may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgaFlippinMan 7 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 The Exorcist, for the first time...and in the middle of the night.Bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 You should watch it while you're high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,331 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Was it the inferior Director's Cut (the version you've never seen!) that you've watched? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I was happy I bought the original on DVD before it went out of print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurgaFlippinMan 7 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Was it the inferior Director's Cut (the version you've never seen!) that you've watched?Yes it was. I still think its a great film though. How do the additions detract from the original (which I've never watched)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,331 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I don't remember much specific. It's one of those occasions where "less is more". I felt the movie was stronger without the additions, especially in regard to the narrative and pacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 The new ending ruins it for me. Partly because I know the original so well... the ending of the original was absolutely perfect.Roger Ebert's review of the re-cut from 2000 summarises a lot of the differences. It's full of spoilers, in case you haven't seen the movie yet.The original cut (or rather, the original cut with one tiny CG-altered shot that was done for the 25th anniversary re-issue in 1998) is available on this out of print (but not too hard to find) SE DVD, which also has a really good documentary, and the same disc is available in this (in-print) box set which also has all the other movies from the series.The only difference between the original-original version and the 1998 re-issue (on the SE) is that just before Karras jumps out of the window, an awkward jump-cut between him in demon make-up and his normal face was smoothed over with a (very subtle) morph effect. If you really want the original-original version, then that's what's on the 1997 original DVD, but that has a rubbish non-anamorphic transfer, inferior sound and no extras. And it's quite hard to find for a reasonable price. I'd go for the 1998 SE or the box set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I haven't seen "The Only Version Most People Have Probably Seen Now", but I'd also say it's an example where the filmmakers' should be kept well away from their older films with clubs and tasers because their current judgements cloud the fact that their original editorial choices were sufficient enough anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I watched A Man for All Seasons last night, and then this morning read the news that Paul Scofield had died (link). It's a sensational performance, for which he won a well-deserved Oscar, and a really excellent film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Damn, Damn, Damn......this is a seriously depressing week. Man for All Seasons is one of my favorite films. And I recently saw Quiz Show again, in which he is wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 The Exorcist was banned on home video for many years in the UK (just like Reservoir Dogs and A Clockwork Orange!). It makes me angry now to think how those puritans managed to prevent such wonderful movies from being seen by a wide audience for so long. (Well, I believe it was Kubrick himself who refused to let Clockwork Orange be seen in the UK). Anyway, the positive side to this was that the films were only banned on video, so cinemas used to screen them quite regularly late at night. Therefore the first time I ever saw The Exorcist was back in the early-mid nineties at a midnight screening. I'll never forget walking out of that cinema into the chilly night air at almost 3am, and feeling an overwhelming sense of dread and horror. If I'd seen this film for the first time on TV I'd probably never have experienced such powerful emotions. Now every time I see the film (on DVD) I get that same sense of dread I felt the first time. Great film, great acting, great film-making. Great use of Mike Oldfield too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Live Free or Die Hard.Not bad. Didn't really feel like an old DH movie, but I can't have everything. Pretty good action packed adventure that I enjoyed quite a lot. Mary Elizabeth Winstead's pretty damn hot, shame her screentime was minimal.Nothing here to be taken seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthehand 3 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 The Exorcist was banned on home video for many years in the UK (just like Reservoir Dogs and A Clockwork Orange!). It makes me angry now to think how those puritans managed to prevent such wonderful movies from being seen by a wide audience for so long. (Well, I believe it was Kubrick himself who refused to let Clockwork Orange be seen in the UK). Anyway, the positive side to this was that the films were only banned on video, so cinemas used to screen them quite regularly late at night.Just FYI A Clockwork Orange was also banned from UK cinemas (by Kubrick). He actually had one cinema shut down for having an unauthorised screening of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Talk about over-reaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 What a nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Just watched No Country for Old Men. Brilliant film. To be honest I hadn't paid any attention to the Oscars this year so I had no idea it had won best picture until I checked IMDB after seeing it. It was definitely worthy of the title. It's restored my faith in the abilities of the Coen Brothers after their last couple of misfires (Intollerable Cruelty, and the fun but completely unnecessary remake of The Ladykillers).We also rented Amateurs (with Ted Danson and Jeff Bridges). Very entertaining. An excellent ensemble cast. The style of the humour reminded me of the early Christopher Guest films (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show), except without that "improvised" aspect. Ultimately this film was hardly an earth-shattering, unmissable event, but it was a lot of fun, and well worth the price of a rental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,191 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Damn, Damn, Damn......this is a seriously depressing week. Man for All Seasons is one of my favorite films. And I recently saw Quiz Show again, in which he is wonderful.'Tis certain he hath pass'd the river Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QMM 4 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hey, I enjoyed Intolerable Cruelty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I enjoyed it too, as I enjoyed The Ladykillers. The thing is, we've been incredibly spoiled by the Coens. Every film they have made has been quite visionary (including their first film "Blood Simple", which is so good it feels like Hitchcock was spiritually involved somehow...). Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers just seemed a little mainstream (the former) and unnecessary (the latter) to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maglorfin 196 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Batman. Brings back many fond memories, and of course a terrific Elfman score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I enjoyed it too, as I enjoyed The Ladykillers. The thing is, we've been incredibly spoiled by the Coens. Every film they have made has been quite visionary (including their first film "Blood Simple", which is so good it feels like Hitchcock was spiritually involved somehow...). Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers just seemed a little mainstream (the former) and unnecessary (the latter) to me. I wish most mainstream films were as qualified as Intolerable Cruelty. And I personally liked their Ladykillers more than the original. Plot is better, old lady is better, cinematography is a gazillion times better. If not for the surprisingly weak supporting parts, it could be seen as a good movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QMM 4 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 In case any of you need a movie to see this week, I reccomend checking out the Bank Job. I didn't have any real interest in it until watching the trailer and I was pleasantly surprised. Statham was solid, as was the rest of the cast and apart from one of the side stories, I enjoyed the whole thing. Based on a true story too, which surprised me a lot.I'm anticipating seeing In Bruges tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 75 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Batman. Brings back many fond memories, and of course a terrific Elfman score. It's a great popcorn flick, but I find it somewhat overrated. Batman Returns and especially Batman Begins both beat it IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delorean90 42 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 As far as the characterization of Batman goes, Batman Begins is easily the best of the live action films, and then faces stout competition from TAS. Really, that is my biggest problem with the Burton Batman films, is the complete rejection of Batman's moral code against killing. Regardless of where Batman started out or what the real-life origins of said code are, it has become an essential part of the character--really, a defining element of him: the man hanging over the abyss in a crusade for good, able at anytime to fall in and become the evil he fights, with those around him helping him to stay up. Now, an element of that may still remain, but a good deal of it is sucked out when you eliminate that part of him. Oh, and I guess Prince doesn't help anything either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy4 155 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Batman. Brings back many fond memories, and of course a terrific Elfman score. It's a great popcorn flick, but I find it somewhat overrated. Batman Returns and especially Batman Begins both beat it IMO.I agree. Though I didn't really like Returns that much either. But as always, Burton's vision is fanastic in both those films.I've always thought that Elfman's Batman score was a bit overated as well. I consider Returns to have a vastly superior score, though none of those two scores would be in my top five Elfman soundtracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 And I personally liked their Ladykillers more than the original. Plot is better, old lady is better, cinematography is a gazillion times better. If not for the surprisingly weak supporting parts, it could be seen as a good movie.Them's fightin' words! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Oh, I'll happily take the bait. I was quite dissapointed when I found out that the original Ladykillers is not a great movie. Quite far from it, in fact. And I should like to warn people to lower their expectations before renting said film. Cinematography is just awful! Ugly, ugly film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Watched an excellent movie last night starring Dame Helen Mirren and Albert Finney"The King's Arse Splits in Two"....unfortunately I wasn't there to see the whole of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 I've always thought that Elfman's Batman score was a bit overated as well. I consider Returns to have a vastly superior score, though none of those two scores would be in my top five Elfman soundtracks.Come onnnnn... if you were to choose which is better, Elfman's Batman or Zimmer and Newton Howard's Batman Begins, which would you pick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Goldenthal's BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN & ROBIN as both outstrip all previous Bat themes with the exception of Neal Hefti's and Nelson Riddle's Bat music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-NA, BATMAN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Thank God for the red Batphone. Commissioner Gordon would be f**ked without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Who would you trust with the red phone at 3am? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 57 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Divine Brown, Eliot Spitzer's whores, the list is endless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,191 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-NA, BATMAN!In Goldenthal's score, that would be:Bat ---------- MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Watched Bullit on blu-ray. Decent movie, but it wasn't anything special for me. Rather boring actually with the lack of music and entertainment. The legendary car chase wasn't so exciting either. I'd rather watch a Bond than this anyday. The ending was pretty good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QMM 4 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Just picked up Criterion's The Last Emperor which I'm pretty psyched to watch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Saw Ernst Lubitch's Trouble in Paradise (1932). It is concidered to be one of the first great romantic comedies, and it fully lives up to the name. It's shocking how sexually suggestive it is...apparantly it was made just before the Hays Code went into effect. It is very elegant, very witty, and very funny. And, surprisingly enough, it becomes very touching in the end, but through sublime subtlety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 48 Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 A Fistful of Dollars.Great fun! I can't believe it's taken me this long to see these films, but Wal*Mart has the trilogy on sale for $5.00 each! Tonight I will watch For A Few Dollars More. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 The Curse of King Tut's Tomb.This was so freakin' bad, I loved it! The Goldsmith rip-offs in the score were fun to spot too. A complete plagiarism of Raiders and The Mummy, but either way, I was hooked because it was so terrible. Leonor Varela kept my eyes on the screen too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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