What is the last film you watched?

[A24 4,330]

I have yet to see Schindler's List.

I'm sure someone walks around with a hat, not sure about the whip though.

[Jamesyboy 3]

I wonder if Spike Lee ever approached John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith about scoring one of his films?

I'd doubt it. His relationship with Blanchard started early, and Lee seems to be exceptionally loyal to Blanchard. Lee goes on in the doc to talk about his love for melody. He really came off quite impressivly.

Lee only uses Blanchard because he's black. Blanchard isn't even a composer, he's a jazz musician I believe. The scenario is much like Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu using Santaolalla.

What kind of quote is that? So was Williams (he wouldn't write the way he writes without his jazz background). Elfman was a rock musician. James Newton Howard was involved in many rock groups in the 70's, Elton John being one of them. Mark Isham was/is a jazz musician. Come on now...

Blanchard does a great job. His scores for Inside Man and 25th Hour are very accomplished (just to name a couple).

Jamesyboy

[Bryant Burnette 654]

It's great that Spike Lee is proud of his heritage and everything, but he doesn't have to showcase it. He's that kind of director, why else would he make a World War II epic only starring black actors?

Why shouldn't he?

[Luke Skywalker 1,794]

The Mummy 3.

Man what a bad movie. It makes Crystal Skull look like the best movie ever created

Basically it has most of the flaws people complained about indy IV, but multiplied.

Maria Bello as Evy, doesnt work, its just so different from Weisz character and likeness...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

At least we got an exciting Edelman score.

[Ollie 1,059]

It's great that Spike Lee is proud of his heritage and everything, but he doesn't have to showcase it. He's that kind of director, why else would he make a World War II epic only starring black actors?

Why shouldn't he?

Well before this discussion gets out of hand with unfounded accusations, Lee was apparently upset with Clint Eastwood because no African Americans were portrayed in Flags Of Our Fathers so I wonder if this is his answer.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Re: Spielberg's take on making Crystal Skull:

He already said he was doing it for fans, not for himself. Ironic.

Karol

Yes, my heart sank when he said that. It's no way to promote a film is it? "Here's something I didn't really want to make, but it should keep you idiots happy..."

I'm working slowly through my Hitchcock sets:

Suspicion

Brilliant! It would have been interesting to see the originally-planned ending, but I think the one they ended up with works very well, and makes much more sense of the film's title.

Strangers on a Train

Brilliant. The villain is as creepy as they come. Wonderful pacing, great film score, superb set pieces.

North By Northwest

Brilliant. It's been said many times before by film scholars totally way more cleverer than what I am, but without North By Northwest I seriously doubt the Bond films would have had half the look and feel that they had in those wonderful early days.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's great that Spike Lee is proud of his heritage and everything, but he doesn't have to showcase it. He's that kind of director, why else would he make a World War II epic only starring black actors?

Why shouldn't he?

It's an insult to all the white soldiers who fought and died in WWII, not to mention the Jews of Europe who were brought to the brink of extenction!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I think there was a thread for TV's shows you recently watched, but I don't want to look for it.

Over the summer I watched the first 3 seasons of LOST. I also watched all 4 seasons of Home Movies. Now I'm going through The Office. Right now I'm currently halfway through Season 2.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

Suspicion

Brilliant! It would have been interesting to see the originally-planned ending, but I think the one they ended up with works very well, and makes much more sense of the film's title.

Just what I thought when I saw it. I remember from reading the Truffaut Hitchcock book (some 10 years ago, and I didn't get very far) that Hitchcock put a light bulb in the milk glass for the stair sequence.

For some reason, I keep mixing this one up with Notorious. That was brilliant, too. Damn, I need to get both of them on DVD. (And just out of curiosity, I'd like to see the German version of Notorious again - apparently, because of the whole Nazi issue, they didn't dare to dub the original plot, and changed all the dialogue to turn it into a story about drugs instead).

North By Northwest

Brilliant. It's been said many times before by film scholars totally way more cleverer than what I am, but without North By Northwest I seriously doubt the Bond films would have had half the look and feel that they had in those wonderful early days.

My favourite Hitchcock, probably. Endlessly quotable. The train sequence in Casino Royale (the recent one) reminded me a lot of this.

[Hitch 57]

"Red wine with fish. That should have told me something."

[Delorean90 42]

I wonder if Spike Lee ever approached John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith about scoring one of his films?

I'd doubt it. His relationship with Blanchard started early, and Lee seems to be exceptionally loyal to Blanchard. Lee goes on in the doc to talk about his love for melody. He really came off quite impressivly.

Lee only uses Blanchard because he's black. Blanchard isn't even a composer, he's a jazz musician I believe. The scenario is much like Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu using Santaolalla.

What kind of quote is that? So was Williams (he wouldn't write the way he writes without his jazz background). Elfman was a rock musician. James Newton Howard was involved in many rock groups in the 70's, Elton John being one of them. Mark Isham was/is a jazz musician. Come on now...

Blanchard does a great job. His scores for Inside Man and 25th Hour are very accomplished (just to name a couple).

Jamesyboy

Yeah, I'm listening to 25th Hour on the Yahoo Jukebox and it's some pretty good stuff thus far.

[QMM 4]

Running down to the end of the Wellington Film Festival

The Escapist

I was sold on the movie hearing it was a prison break movie with Brian Cox. They got a great cast, Joseph Fiennes, Seu Jorge, Damian Lewis(who is fantastic as a villain) who are great but I felt were under-utilized. I would've enjoyed a lot more time with these characters. Cox is solid as well, although not really doing anything new. As for the film itself, it's good. It had a structure that I wondered whether it was really necessary, but it worked in the end I think. I can't talk more about it otherwise I'd be spoiling it. Good score as well from somebody I'd never heard of.

Also walked past Peter Jackson today and he looked at me

[indy4 155]

Mythbusters Jaws Special:

A great episode from a great series. I was actually surprised, I assumed all of the myths would be busted.

War of the Worlds:

I still think it's one of Spielberg's many near masterpieces, it's a fabulous film. And although I always voice my displeasure at the score, it works marvelously withing the film.

[Henry B 50]

I watched War of the Worlds recently and liked it less than ever. What a ridiculous script. I hate Dakota Fanning's character. It's amazing how quickly she goes from a sage young woman to a completely helpess, screeching baby who willingly throws herself into danger. Robby wanting to run off to join the army during the big hill battle? It was just moronic. It seemed like Robby was trying to kill himself. A lot of smaller moments really rubbed me the wrong way. Tom Cruise just sitting doing nothing, then washing ashes from his face, then telling his kids that they have to leave. Tom Cruise and Miranda Otto flirting. Why? The beginning of the movie was supposed to establish what a loser Cruise is and that his marriage failed because of it. The CGI aliens were awful. There was nothing interesting about them at all, and they were really stupid not to find the protagonists in the basement.

The score is by far the best part of the film. I love how Williams weaves the Dies Irae motif throughout everything.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Stupid David Koepp.

[A24 4,330]

It's great that Spike Lee is proud of his heritage and everything, but he doesn't have to showcase it. He's that kind of director, why else would he make a World War II epic only starring black actors?

Why shouldn't he?

It's an insult to all the white soldiers who fought and died in WWII, not to mention the Jews of Europe who were brought to the brink of extenction!

So it's okay for a white man to insult a black man but not the other way around?

I watched War of the Worlds recently and liked it less than ever. What a ridiculous script. I hate Dakota Fanning's character. It's amazing how quickly she goes from a sage young woman to a completely helpess, screeching baby who willingly throws herself into danger. Robby wanting to run off to join the army during the big hill battle? It was just moronic. It seemed like Robby was trying to kill himself. A lot of smaller moments really rubbed me the wrong way. Tom Cruise just sitting doing nothing, then washing ashes from his face, then telling his kids that they have to leave. Tom Cruise and Miranda Otto flirting. Why? The beginning of the movie was supposed to establish what a loser Cruise is and that his marriage failed because of it. The CGI aliens were awful. There was nothing interesting about them at all, and they were really stupid not to find the protagonists in the basement.

And that's just a small percentage of what's wrong with this movie. Spielberg's worst after Jurassic Park 2! I'm glad that people slowly but surely start to see this.

Alex

[QMM 4]

Stupid David Koepp.

Hey now

[Bryant Burnette 654]

I watched War of the Worlds recently and liked it less than ever. What a ridiculous script. I hate Dakota Fanning's character. It's amazing how quickly she goes from a sage young woman to a completely helpess, screeching baby who willingly throws herself into danger. Robby wanting to run off to join the army during the big hill battle? It was just moronic. It seemed like Robby was trying to kill himself. A lot of smaller moments really rubbed me the wrong way. Tom Cruise just sitting doing nothing, then washing ashes from his face, then telling his kids that they have to leave. Tom Cruise and Miranda Otto flirting. Why? The beginning of the movie was supposed to establish what a loser Cruise is and that his marriage failed because of it. The CGI aliens were awful. There was nothing interesting about them at all, and they were really stupid not to find the protagonists in the basement.

The score is by far the best part of the film. I love how Williams weaves the Dies Irae motif throughout everything.

I'll field this one.

(1) Rachel, prior to the invasion, isn't a "sage young woman" -- she's a scared little girl whose family has broken into pieces, who is trying to cope with the situation by turning herself into a little grownup. Naturally, this falls to pieces the moment buildings start getting levelled by enormous alien war machines that have appeared out of the earth; it was just a facade to begin with.

(2) Robby running off to join the army is a function of the same thing that is affecting Rachel: he's a messed-up kid thanks to his parents' divorce. He's at odds with Ray the entire movie. Robby wants to confront the problem, Ray wants to run away from it. Robby running off during that scene is the only logical thing that can happen with his character. My biggest problem with the movie is that he doesn't die as a result.

(3) I can't imagine why anyone would be bothered by what Tom Cruise does during the scene in which he removes the ashes from his face. The guy just narrowly avoided getting zapped into dust himself . . . and then he discovers that ashy bits of dead people are covering his face. The guy is trying to keep from going insane, I would imagine. The fact that he doesn't is a testament to how much he really does love his children, and the reason it takes him that long to tell them they're leaving is that that's how long it takes him to pull his s--t together. Seems perfectly understandable to me.

(4) Ray flirting with his ex-wife...? First of all, I don't see that as flirting. That's a guy marking his territory. That's him saying to his ex-wife that he sets the terms, not her. And I imagine that it's probably very close to the ways in which he did flirt with her in the past, just turned on its head so that instead of tenderness it expresses disdain. To me, that does make Ray seem like a loser: a petty, irresponsible loser.

(5) Can't argue with the aliens, though. They do suck. They should be either terrifying, or they should never be seen until their dead arms are flopping out of their dead ships. I don't think that kills the movie, by any means, but it does hurt it at precisely the wrong time.

Overall, I like the movie a lot. I think it's absolutely awesome up until they enter the basement with Tim Robbins; then, a lot of that section doesn't work, although a lot of it still does. Where the movie falls down for me is after Ray rescues Rachel from the tripod. As I mentioned earlier, I don't like the resolution; it isn't horrible, since it does follow the novel somewhat, but it just doesn't satisfy. I don't know if Robby needed to die for it to work, but it needed something more than what it has.

I also think the aliens-succumbing-to-illness element was bungled. I hate that we come upon the tripod already ill. I know it would be awfully cliched for the tripod to suddenly start toppling right before it blasted Ray and Rachel into dust, or something like that. I'm not sure what could have been done to make the scene better; I just know that it doesn't satisfy me as is.

Still, this is a movie that works like crazy for the first two thirds or so, and that's good enough for me to overlook the problems, none of which are crippling in my opinion.

I finally finished the second season of Carnivale.

Shame on HBO for cancelling this series. And shame on me for not having HBO and watching it while it was on.

I don't remember very much about the first season, which I watched early last year. The best thing I can say about season two is that it makes me want to dive right back in to season one and see what I've forgotten.

[A24 4,330]

Straight Time (1978). I haven't seen it since it was released, I think. Dustin Hoffman plays a criminal, just out of jail, trying to life an honest life. Even though some aspects are a little bit dated, the film was praised for its realism. It was written by a real criminal who also plays a small but very believable role in the film. Dustin is at his prime here. Theresa Russell's looks are to die for. The picture quality of the DVD is stunning! If all DVDs look this great, there wouldn't be any need for HD formats. Recommended!

Alex

[publicist 4,643]

The whole concept was risible. Giant bulldozers from beneath the earth awake and trying to wipe out mankind? Well, maybe 1890 but 2005, nobody should turn such naive concept into a 'serious' movie.

Spielberg's usual misgivings about box-office appeal and how it's achieved by perplexing dramaturgical developments (the boy returns! thanks, Steven!!) are the final nail in the coffin. I really felt let down in the cinema then. Some well-made scenes of panic and destruction for the sake of telling this ruckus...

[A24 4,330]

Let's all pee on the original negative! Are you ready? Go!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Oh, no! We've only made it stronger! RUN!

[Jamesyboy 3]

Ah, watched 2 films today. The Mummy 3 and just finished watching Casino Royal (the new one)...what a great movie. Really looking forward to Quantum of Solace. A actual continuation of the story...very cool!

Jamesyboy

[publicist 4,643]

On a more positive note, i saw the italian original of 'Scent of a Woman' (1975) and it was great. Vittoria Gassman is the blind veteran (the Pacino-role) and he is gorgeously rotten and still a very complex character study. Of course, the sexual innuendo is amped up and the film is far less PC than the american version (why do the most catholic countries always produce the most liberal pictures? 'Malena' is another one of those...go figure) and more raunchy. Great - 4 stars out of five.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I watched War of the Worlds recently and liked it less than ever. What a ridiculous script. I hate Dakota Fanning's character. It's amazing how quickly she goes from a sage young woman to a completely helpess, screeching baby who willingly throws herself into danger. Robby wanting to run off to join the army during the big hill battle? It was just moronic. It seemed like Robby was trying to kill himself. A lot of smaller moments really rubbed me the wrong way. Tom Cruise just sitting doing nothing, then washing ashes from his face, then telling his kids that they have to leave. Tom Cruise and Miranda Otto flirting. Why? The beginning of the movie was supposed to establish what a loser Cruise is and that his marriage failed because of it. The CGI aliens were awful. There was nothing interesting about them at all, and they were really stupid not to find the protagonists in the basement.

The score is by far the best part of the film. I love how Williams weaves the Dies Irae motif throughout everything.

I'll field this one.

(1) Rachel, prior to the invasion, isn't a "sage young woman" -- she's a scared little girl whose family has broken into pieces, who is trying to cope with the situation by turning herself into a little grownup. Naturally, this falls to pieces the moment buildings start getting levelled by enormous alien war machines that have appeared out of the earth; it was just a facade to begin with.

(2) Robby running off to join the army is a function of the same thing that is affecting Rachel: he's a messed-up kid thanks to his parents' divorce. He's at odds with Ray the entire movie. Robby wants to confront the problem, Ray wants to run away from it. Robby running off during that scene is the only logical thing that can happen with his character. My biggest problem with the movie is that he doesn't die as a result.

(3) I can't imagine why anyone would be bothered by what Tom Cruise does during the scene in which he removes the ashes from his face. The guy just narrowly avoided getting zapped into dust himself . . . and then he discovers that ashy bits of dead people are covering his face. The guy is trying to keep from going insane, I would imagine. The fact that he doesn't is a testament to how much he really does love his children, and the reason it takes him that long to tell them they're leaving is that that's how long it takes him to pull his s--t together. Seems perfectly understandable to me.

(4) Ray flirting with his ex-wife...? First of all, I don't see that as flirting. That's a guy marking his territory. That's him saying to his ex-wife that he sets the terms, not her. And I imagine that it's probably very close to the ways in which he did flirt with her in the past, just turned on its head so that instead of tenderness it expresses disdain. To me, that does make Ray seem like a loser: a petty, irresponsible loser.

(5) Can't argue with the aliens, though. They do suck. They should be either terrifying, or they should never be seen until their dead arms are flopping out of their dead ships. I don't think that kills the movie, by any means, but it does hurt it at precisely the wrong time.

Overall, I like the movie a lot. I think it's absolutely awesome up until they enter the basement with Tim Robbins; then, a lot of that section doesn't work, although a lot of it still does. Where the movie falls down for me is after Ray rescues Rachel from the tripod. As I mentioned earlier, I don't like the resolution; it isn't horrible, since it does follow the novel somewhat, but it just doesn't satisfy. I don't know if Robby needed to die for it to work, but it needed something more than what it has.

I also think the aliens-succumbing-to-illness element was bungled. I hate that we come upon the tripod already ill. I know it would be awfully cliched for the tripod to suddenly start toppling right before it blasted Ray and Rachel into dust, or something like that. I'm not sure what could have been done to make the scene better; I just know that it doesn't satisfy me as is.

Still, this is a movie that works like crazy for the first two thirds or so, and that's good enough for me to overlook the problems, none of which are crippling in my opinion.

I like the film. It does have it's certain problems, but the acting is pretty spot on, which is the best part of the film. It's probably one of Cruise's best roles.

[A24 4,330]

Pee ... Peeeee ... The acting is not good ... Pee ... Peee ... Peeeeeeee. Look, Drax, it starts to melt!

A good Tom Cruise would be Magnolia and Vanilla Sky.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Vanilla Sky is a pretty bad movie, from what I remember. But you liked Open Water 2: Adrift, so don't take it personally if I never trust your movie judgement.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tom was never better then in Risky Business!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Rain Man is probably his best performance. It's too bad really, he's one of my favorite actors, yet it's probably 99% certain he will never win an Oscar.

[A24 4,330]

Vanilla Sky is a pretty bad movie, from what I remember.

It's far from great but it has a lot of good and interesting things to it, and that don't involve big bad robots smashing everything up. It would be virtually impossible to even remotely like Vanilla Sky for someone who dwells with War Of The Worlds.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Your logic is once again flawed, my friend.

[A24 4,330]

Your logic is once again flawed, my friend.

Prove it! Show me the money!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Why would I attempt to prove something to someone who refused to be proven wrong.

I'm not your buddy Morlock.

[A24 4,330]

I'll happily admit that I'm wrong but only if you have reasonable and intelligent arguments.

With other words, don't pull me a Joey or a Darth JoJo (or what's his name).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Why would I tell and and rob you of the fun of discovering it by yourself?

The evidence is on these pages!

[A24 4,330]

I ask you not to pull a Joey and you can't even do that one simple thing. Sigh.

I guess you two are buddies for a reason.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes, Joe and I are buddies.

You have some kind of issue with that?

You surprise me Alex, you put such high standards on quality and originality of the movies you watch and music you listen too, yet your own posts are rarely more then dismissive, pessimistic and frankly rather pedestrian and ordinary fair.

You are the cliche grouch.

Were is the joy in your life, Alex, I cannot find it in your posts?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yes, quite, shallow and pedantic.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Koray, don't undermine my post by agreeing with it.

Now you've ruined it.

[Ollie 1,059]

I came home from work and found my kids watching Epic Movie so I severely beat them both with a belt.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Good!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Good... Good...

Now if you ever catch them watching Disaster Movie, you must kill them.

[John Crichton 4]

Could've been worse, the could have been watching....er...

Well, it could have been....

Sorry, I can't think of anything.

[Ollie 1,059]

It could have been worse, they could have found my box of discarded CDs.....

I might have come home and found them listening to Hans Zimmer!!!!!

[John Crichton 4]

You have Zimmer in a house with kids? I'm calling Child Protective Services.

[Ollie 1,059]

Don't forget you've done Zimmer as well, must I remind you of Houston?

[A24 4,330]

Yes, Joe and I are buddies. You have some kind of issue with that?

Me? Au contraire, I think you deserve each other. Don't feel so attacked. Didn't you just call me and Morlock buddies?

You surprise me Alex, you put such high standards on quality and originality of the movies you watch and music you listen too, yet your own posts are rarely more then dismissive, pessimistic and frankly rather pedestrian and ordinary fair.

Like seeing the parallels between The Wizard Of Oz and E.T.? I'm sorry if I don't get all warm and fuzzy about the things that interests you, Steef. That's why you made that comment about "me not liking film music" in the new Planet Of The Apes thread.

You are the cliche grouch.

Compared to Joey, your buddy, I'm a like a happiness personified. The difference is that you agree with him more often.

Were is the joy in your life, Alex, I cannot find it in your posts?

That's probably because you feel personally attacked by what I say. This post demonstrates it again. You focus on the things we disagree about and you tend to overlook the times that I'm positive about something.

Alex

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Puntos positivos.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

I still think it's one of Spielberg's many near masterpieces, it's a fabulous film. And although I always voice my displeasure at the score, it works marvelously withing the film.

It's a decidedly better score than KOTCS. Although in WOTW, there are long stretches that don't hold my interest, it all seems like Williams put work into it, it works well in the movie, and the highlights are clear standouts. I agree with most of what Bryant said about the movie. It's not the plot that matters so much (it's ok, nothing more), but the depiction of human reactions, particularly of the Cruise character, his daughter and the mass scenes, is quite brilliant.

Vanilla Sky's biggest flaw is that it was a serious hollywoodisation of the fabulous original version.