ummmm….im pretty sure the mumblecore movement of film via the Duplass Bros. and even some Wes Anderson films seem to be more pointed at hipsters than (500)Days of Summer.
(500) Days of Summer is a movie that has it’s heart on it’s sleeve and it’s itunes playlist wide open for everyone to see and enjoy—besides, when the hell did Hall&Oates become hipster-esque?
i thought about this for awhile and came to the conclusion that i WILL in clude HARD-BOILED into this kung fu list because there is some great scenes where martial arts mixes beautifully with some of the best action shots ever captured on film.
It’s that spooky time of year-guess this is appropriate.
Some really terrifying performances:
-Jack Nicholson “The Shining”
-Benicio Del Toro “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
-Gena Rowlands “A Woman Under The Influence”
-Dennis Hopper “Blue Velvet”
Jackie in State of Grace-he plays the drunken, irresponsible yet sympathetic Hells Kitchen mob crony to perfection. Especially the scene where he violently beats up on a patron at the bar who never saw it coming-thats Oldman in a nutshell.
I will certainly be thinking about getting:
-John Cassavetes: Five Films
-Dillinger is Dead
-The Darjeeling Limited
-White Dog
-2 or 3 Things I Know About Her
probably end up definitely getting the Cassavetes collection and deny myself the rest of the films I want.
I spent about $22 and somewhere around a good 4 hours of my life at a movie theater once. I saw two movies back to back-No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood. I spent about $10 on tickets for each movie but at the end of the night, I did not regret the money and time I spent. Furthermore, I bought both of those films on DVD because I thought they both had a lot more to offer on multiple viewings.
Although both of the movies are lengthy, substance trumps everything when it comes to films that have an enduring quality that resonates with you. Some of the films that I can watch over and over again are over 2 hours long but I seem to take something new away from them all the time.
On another note, I went and paid $10 and over 2 hours of my life watching Funny People at the same theater. Let’s just say I was less than happy with that decision.
Forest Gump
Spanglish
Saving Private Ryan
Die Hard
Live Free or Die Hard
…and for some reason-
GoodFellas (probably because the words they use to substitute for the amount of F-bombs is pretty comical at times)
i think being noticed for your films, by means of accolades and acclaim, is irrelevant. It’s just my opinion but with the technology we have at our hands, anyone is able to make a film or art or whatever and have it be seen. The point is to appreciate that fact because a Sayles or a Cassavetes didn’t have that kind of accessible median.
I feel like the comparisons to Kubrick are just people’s yearning for another master of cinema like the great Stan. I love PTA and I can see some nuances of Kubrick’s style in some of his films, but he always seemed more in line with Scorsese and Altman to me. Boogie Nights is very Scorsesean and Magnolia is a blatant homage to the great Altman(especially Short Cuts). Kubrick would have definitely been a fan of PTA, no doubt, but i think the comparisons, especially the ones for TWBB, are thin at best.
Boogie Nights(Alfred Molina singing “Jesse’s Girl”)
Magnolia(Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” sequence)
Anchorman(Afternoon Delight)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas(Benicio Del Toro’s drugged out rendition of “One Toke Over The Line”)
Gus Van Sant’s Last Days(The Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs”)
Husbands(the singing contest)
I live in Delaware and a lot of the mom and pop video stores have been closing up shop but recently, I found two local Blockbusters are closing and selling “everything”. Since movie streaming via Netflix or even the online Blockbuster alternative have made video stores “obsolete”, I was wondering if anyone has taken advantage of the downfall of the chain video store.
Just yesterday, I went to the local Blockbuster that was closing to check out the deals wich weren’t that great but still some gems to be found. The foreign section was pretty terrible and I think all the Kubrickian fanatics came in before me and scooped up his filmography. Either way, I was able to find some great deals, especially from the sections of DVD’s without cases.
So…for $3.99 each, I picked up:
-BRONSON
-BAGHEAD
-SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
Anyone else find any other good deals out of Blockbuster’s store closings?
I thought Bronson was a good movie with style but it’s all about Tom Hardy’s performance. Also, Baghead was a well paced take on film, friendship and the effect the two have on us and the choices we make but it sagged in the middle a bit. Overall, it was a good night of film watching.
I don’t necessarily understand the question but I guess I see where you are taking it. For me, a film is NOT a film when the director decides it is NOT a film. It’s a matter of opinion as well but it’s a slippery slope.
So, in the realm of movies that were made directly for TV syndication, I would have to say that HBO has produced some quality films in recent years. Last year , I saw two really great films made by HBO which were YOU DON’T KNOW JACK and TEMPLE GRANDIN.
I know, like most of you, that Capra was Cassavetes favorite filmmaker because of the depth of humanity in Capra’s work. Cassavetes always loved an underdog and that’s what Capra was concerned with. I also read that Cassavete’s really enjoyed ORDINARY PEOPLE by Robert Redford. He even went as far as to say that “Redford got it right” in reference to why people didn’t respond to Cassavetes work in terms of his take on humanity and human emotion.
I really would like to know more about the films and filmmakers that Cassavetes loved and was influenced by if anyone knows or has some information.
In a way, I would have to say that THE SHINING is my favorite Kubrick film, especially because Stephen King disliked it so much. I love Stephen King but I also love a director who can take a work and adapt it in a way that makes it entirely their own.
I also love THE KILLING. It’s an underrated noir that set the standards for non linear story telling without making it a “trick” to keep a boring story interesting. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is brilliant and the first half of FULL METAL JACKET is a brutal, cathartic experience in itself.
1930-Capra
1940-Hitchcock(especially because of ROPE)
1950-?
1960-Godard/Kubrick
1970-Cassavetes(just my own personal preference)/Kubrick
1980-Herzog/Lynch
1990-Tarantino/PTA/Coen Brothers
2000-Still up for debate…
Have you ever read King’s Entertainment Weekly articles? He really has poor taste in pop culture, especially music. As a writer, King is a master of suspense and literary horror but I would hate to be the producer who backs his first directorial effort(if that were to ever happen…)
I almost forgot about KILLER’S KISS, another early effort from Kubrick. 2001 is also, possibly, the greatest sci-fi film of all time and yields so many multiple views.
@MARIA
They actually had a made for tv series of Welcome To The Monkeyhouse, but like most Vonnegut adaptations, it was lacking severely. I personally started writing a short film adaptation from the short story “Euphonia” from “Welcome To The Monkeyhouse” because the idea of filling my house up with people all listening to the sound of God would be a sight to see.
As far as everything else goes:
-“Cat’s Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut ( I heard DiCaprio’s company bought the rights)
-“Hocus Pocus” by Kurt Vonnegut ( Imagine the prison break scene…awesome!)
-“Haunted” by Chuck Palahniuk ( Think what PTA could do with this…)
-“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka ( Shot with a real cockroache and V.O.)
-“Tarantula” by Bob Dylan ( what a mind fuck that would be)
^
A Woman Under The Influence, Minnie and Moskowitz both take place in LA. It’s pretty obvious, especially in the strips and the housing structures (total CA suburb look)
@ BRIAN EVANS
Is MISSING worth a view? I see it on Criterion DVD at my local library all the time and I never get it even though I really like Sissy Spacek
four slacker friends come to a startling revelation when their ten year high school reunion comes around: they have accomplished nothing in the way of their dreams or ambitions. so, in an attempt to impress their classmates, they show up as a rock band that has already hit it big overseas and is poised to blow up stateside. real problems arise when an old classmate who is now a record executive decides to help out his old friends by helping them with their campaign to rock the USA. the real problem is that none of them can play instruments let alone create a fake discography.
think of it as Romy and Michelle’s HS Reunion meets CB4 and The Hoax—a cliche overdose
Musicians in films is nothing new but sometimes the results can be brilliant. Some musicians have even found more success in film than they have in their musical careers. So…what do you guys think are some of the best films with musicians in leading roles?
In my opinion…
-SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (GODARD): The Rolling Stones and their song “Sympathy For The Devil” are the stars of Godard’s semi-experimental work of political genius by using the construction of the Stone’s hit as a call for revolution.
-TWO-LANE BLACKTOP: I’ll just say…DUH!
-DOWN BY LAW: Tom Waits and John Lurie have done their fair share of acting in Jim Jarmusch films and, surprisingly, they are really good in them.
I think the public library system, at least in my state (Delaware), are great for any cinephile to sink their teeth into. For example, this week I rented:
-The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (CRITERION)
-Two Lane Blacktop (CRITERION)
-Inland Empire
-Network
Everytime I go, I always seem to find a film that I either can’t find in stores or are overpriced in the store and I get to watch them for FREE….for an entire WEEK. I’ve browsed NETFLIX and I do think they have a varied selection across all genres but nothing beats actually going to the library and searching the racks from A to Z and walking away satisfied. Plus, my local library always has copies of THE YOUNG ONES, probably because no one else in my area knows anything about that show (pure comedic genius)
^
hahaha…i actually watched Spice World a couple of months ago with this girl who still loves it to this day. it’s definitely good for a laugh.
I was going to list Altman’s SHORT CUTS but when I thought about it, I really didn’t think that the musicians in that film ( LOVETT, LEWIS, WAITS) were necessarily leading roles but then again, no one in that film is technically a lead role (with the exception of Tim Robbins)
so he’s an action buff but he wants to get into foreign/art cinema…hmmmm?
-HARDBOILED: John Woo gives us the best of both worlds as bullets fly in some of the most innovative and replicated action sequences ever shot. It’s like a beautiful, bloody ballet that will leave you both a lot to talk about.
-INFERNAL AFFAIRS: This film is the reason THE DEPARTED exists.
-STREETFIGHTER: Not the jcvd/video game mobile but the unforgettable kung fu masterpiece starring Sonny Chiba.
To my understanding, John Hughes left behind a multitude of unfinished scripts and completed treatments which will more or less be mined for mainstream gold (i.e. DRILLBIT TAYLOR). Kubrick had more than his fair share of unfinished projects.
I heard Tarantino cut out a whole section from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS which involved an all black platoon lost behind enemy lines ( i.e. MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA) which might be turned into a film in the future. John Cassavetes died with something like 40 finished, unproduced scripts which I’m pretty sure will never come to be (especially since his son is too preoccupied with plucking heart strings anymore).
I have to say that the only project I still look forward to seeing be made is an adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle”. If only DiCaprio could find someone to write it and direct it.
Hipsters take over the cinema almost 3 years ago
ummmm….im pretty sure the mumblecore movement of film via the Duplass Bros. and even some Wes Anderson films seem to be more pointed at hipsters than (500)Days of Summer.
(500) Days of Summer is a movie that has it’s heart on it’s sleeve and it’s itunes playlist wide open for everyone to see and enjoy—besides, when the hell did Hall&Oates become hipster-esque?
Go to Comment
Great Martial Arts/Kung Fu Films? almost 3 years ago
i thought about this for awhile and came to the conclusion that i WILL in clude HARD-BOILED into this kung fu list because there is some great scenes where martial arts mixes beautifully with some of the best action shots ever captured on film.
Go to Comment
Great Martial Arts/Kung Fu Films? almost 3 years ago
^^ this is how David Carradine is being remembered in the modern age.
eh….better than the way they remember Heath Ledger
(10 Things I Hate About You—The TV series)
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Truly Terrifying Performances over 2 years ago
It’s that spooky time of year-guess this is appropriate.
Some really terrifying performances:
-Jack Nicholson “The Shining”
-Benicio Del Toro “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
-Gena Rowlands “A Woman Under The Influence”
-Dennis Hopper “Blue Velvet”
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Favorite Gary Oldman Role!! over 2 years ago
Jackie in State of Grace-he plays the drunken, irresponsible yet sympathetic Hells Kitchen mob crony to perfection. Especially the scene where he violently beats up on a patron at the bar who never saw it coming-thats Oldman in a nutshell.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
I will certainly be thinking about getting:
-John Cassavetes: Five Films
-Dillinger is Dead
-The Darjeeling Limited
-White Dog
-2 or 3 Things I Know About Her
probably end up definitely getting the Cassavetes collection and deny myself the rest of the films I want.
Go to Comment
LONGER FILMS=MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK? over 2 years ago
I spent about $22 and somewhere around a good 4 hours of my life at a movie theater once. I saw two movies back to back-No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood. I spent about $10 on tickets for each movie but at the end of the night, I did not regret the money and time I spent. Furthermore, I bought both of those films on DVD because I thought they both had a lot more to offer on multiple viewings.
Although both of the movies are lengthy, substance trumps everything when it comes to films that have an enduring quality that resonates with you. Some of the films that I can watch over and over again are over 2 hours long but I seem to take something new away from them all the time.
On another note, I went and paid $10 and over 2 hours of my life watching Funny People at the same theater. Let’s just say I was less than happy with that decision.
Go to Comment
What movie comes on TV and you can't change the channel - no matter how many times you've seen it? over 2 years ago
Forest Gump
Spanglish
Saving Private Ryan
Die Hard
Live Free or Die Hard
…and for some reason-
GoodFellas (probably because the words they use to substitute for the amount of F-bombs is pretty comical at times)
Go to Comment
Struggling to make a debut feature over 2 years ago
i think being noticed for your films, by means of accolades and acclaim, is irrelevant. It’s just my opinion but with the technology we have at our hands, anyone is able to make a film or art or whatever and have it be seen. The point is to appreciate that fact because a Sayles or a Cassavetes didn’t have that kind of accessible median.
Go to Comment
KUBRICK'S INFLUENCE ON "THERE WILL BE BLOOD" about 2 years ago
I feel like the comparisons to Kubrick are just people’s yearning for another master of cinema like the great Stan. I love PTA and I can see some nuances of Kubrick’s style in some of his films, but he always seemed more in line with Scorsese and Altman to me. Boogie Nights is very Scorsesean and Magnolia is a blatant homage to the great Altman(especially Short Cuts). Kubrick would have definitely been a fan of PTA, no doubt, but i think the comparisons, especially the ones for TWBB, are thin at best.
Go to Comment
Scenes of Singing in Non-Musical Films about 2 years ago
Boogie Nights(Alfred Molina singing “Jesse’s Girl”)
Magnolia(Aimee Mann’s “Wise Up” sequence)
Anchorman(Afternoon Delight)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas(Benicio Del Toro’s drugged out rendition of “One Toke Over The Line”)
Gus Van Sant’s Last Days(The Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs”)
Husbands(the singing contest)
Go to Comment
Recent Purchases From Video Store Liquidation Sales about 2 years ago
I live in Delaware and a lot of the mom and pop video stores have been closing up shop but recently, I found two local Blockbusters are closing and selling “everything”. Since movie streaming via Netflix or even the online Blockbuster alternative have made video stores “obsolete”, I was wondering if anyone has taken advantage of the downfall of the chain video store.
Just yesterday, I went to the local Blockbuster that was closing to check out the deals wich weren’t that great but still some gems to be found. The foreign section was pretty terrible and I think all the Kubrickian fanatics came in before me and scooped up his filmography. Either way, I was able to find some great deals, especially from the sections of DVD’s without cases.
So…for $3.99 each, I picked up:
-BRONSON
-BAGHEAD
-SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
Anyone else find any other good deals out of Blockbuster’s store closings?
Go to Comment
Last movie you saw and rate it about 2 years ago
Bronson 8/10
and…
Baghead 6/10
I thought Bronson was a good movie with style but it’s all about Tom Hardy’s performance. Also, Baghead was a well paced take on film, friendship and the effect the two have on us and the choices we make but it sagged in the middle a bit. Overall, it was a good night of film watching.
Go to Comment
when is a film not a film? about 2 years ago
I don’t necessarily understand the question but I guess I see where you are taking it. For me, a film is NOT a film when the director decides it is NOT a film. It’s a matter of opinion as well but it’s a slippery slope.
So, in the realm of movies that were made directly for TV syndication, I would have to say that HBO has produced some quality films in recent years. Last year , I saw two really great films made by HBO which were YOU DON’T KNOW JACK and TEMPLE GRANDIN.
Go to Comment
Cassavetes' Favorite Films about 2 years ago
I know, like most of you, that Capra was Cassavetes favorite filmmaker because of the depth of humanity in Capra’s work. Cassavetes always loved an underdog and that’s what Capra was concerned with. I also read that Cassavete’s really enjoyed ORDINARY PEOPLE by Robert Redford. He even went as far as to say that “Redford got it right” in reference to why people didn’t respond to Cassavetes work in terms of his take on humanity and human emotion.
I really would like to know more about the films and filmmakers that Cassavetes loved and was influenced by if anyone knows or has some information.
Go to Comment
Kubrick's Best Film... about 2 years ago
In a way, I would have to say that THE SHINING is my favorite Kubrick film, especially because Stephen King disliked it so much. I love Stephen King but I also love a director who can take a work and adapt it in a way that makes it entirely their own.
I also love THE KILLING. It’s an underrated noir that set the standards for non linear story telling without making it a “trick” to keep a boring story interesting. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is brilliant and the first half of FULL METAL JACKET is a brutal, cathartic experience in itself.
Go to Comment
Greatest Director of Each Decade about 2 years ago
1930-Capra
1940-Hitchcock(especially because of ROPE)
1950-?
1960-Godard/Kubrick
1970-Cassavetes(just my own personal preference)/Kubrick
1980-Herzog/Lynch
1990-Tarantino/PTA/Coen Brothers
2000-Still up for debate…
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when is a film not a film? about 2 years ago
^^^
I totally forgot about how great CARLOS is . I’m definitely looking forward to MILDRED PIERCE as well.
I also forgot about all those great Stephen King miniseries like THE STAND and Mick Garris’s THE SHINING.
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Kubrick's Best Film... about 2 years ago
@KATE
Have you ever read King’s Entertainment Weekly articles? He really has poor taste in pop culture, especially music. As a writer, King is a master of suspense and literary horror but I would hate to be the producer who backs his first directorial effort(if that were to ever happen…)
I almost forgot about KILLER’S KISS, another early effort from Kubrick. 2001 is also, possibly, the greatest sci-fi film of all time and yields so many multiple views.
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MOVIES ABOUT FATHERHOOD about 2 years ago
-HUSBANDS
-PARENTHOOD
-MAGNOLIA (especially Cruise and Robards story)
-GRACE IS GONE
-THE ROAD
-TETRO
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book or novels you wanted to adopt for a film ? about 2 years ago
@MARIA
They actually had a made for tv series of Welcome To The Monkeyhouse, but like most Vonnegut adaptations, it was lacking severely. I personally started writing a short film adaptation from the short story “Euphonia” from “Welcome To The Monkeyhouse” because the idea of filling my house up with people all listening to the sound of God would be a sight to see.
As far as everything else goes:
-“Cat’s Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut ( I heard DiCaprio’s company bought the rights)
-“Hocus Pocus” by Kurt Vonnegut ( Imagine the prison break scene…awesome!)
-“Haunted” by Chuck Palahniuk ( Think what PTA could do with this…)
-“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka ( Shot with a real cockroache and V.O.)
-“Tarantula” by Bob Dylan ( what a mind fuck that would be)
Go to Comment
Cassavetes' Favorite Films about 2 years ago
^
A Woman Under The Influence, Minnie and Moskowitz both take place in LA. It’s pretty obvious, especially in the strips and the housing structures (total CA suburb look)
Go to Comment
Last movie you saw and rate it about 2 years ago
@ BRIAN EVANS
Is MISSING worth a view? I see it on Criterion DVD at my local library all the time and I never get it even though I really like Sissy Spacek
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pitch me the most cliche movie you can think of! about 2 years ago
four slacker friends come to a startling revelation when their ten year high school reunion comes around: they have accomplished nothing in the way of their dreams or ambitions. so, in an attempt to impress their classmates, they show up as a rock band that has already hit it big overseas and is poised to blow up stateside. real problems arise when an old classmate who is now a record executive decides to help out his old friends by helping them with their campaign to rock the USA. the real problem is that none of them can play instruments let alone create a fake discography.
think of it as Romy and Michelle’s HS Reunion meets CB4 and The Hoax—a cliche overdose
Go to Comment
Best Films With Musicians in the Lead Role(s) about 2 years ago
Musicians in films is nothing new but sometimes the results can be brilliant. Some musicians have even found more success in film than they have in their musical careers. So…what do you guys think are some of the best films with musicians in leading roles?
In my opinion…
-SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (GODARD): The Rolling Stones and their song “Sympathy For The Devil” are the stars of Godard’s semi-experimental work of political genius by using the construction of the Stone’s hit as a call for revolution.
-TWO-LANE BLACKTOP: I’ll just say…DUH!
-DOWN BY LAW: Tom Waits and John Lurie have done their fair share of acting in Jim Jarmusch films and, surprisingly, they are really good in them.
Go to Comment
Library vs. Netflix about 2 years ago
I think the public library system, at least in my state (Delaware), are great for any cinephile to sink their teeth into. For example, this week I rented:
-The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (CRITERION)
-Two Lane Blacktop (CRITERION)
-Inland Empire
-Network
Everytime I go, I always seem to find a film that I either can’t find in stores or are overpriced in the store and I get to watch them for FREE….for an entire WEEK. I’ve browsed NETFLIX and I do think they have a varied selection across all genres but nothing beats actually going to the library and searching the racks from A to Z and walking away satisfied. Plus, my local library always has copies of THE YOUNG ONES, probably because no one else in my area knows anything about that show (pure comedic genius)
Go to Comment
Best Films With Musicians in the Lead Role(s) about 2 years ago
^
hahaha…i actually watched Spice World a couple of months ago with this girl who still loves it to this day. it’s definitely good for a laugh.
I was going to list Altman’s SHORT CUTS but when I thought about it, I really didn’t think that the musicians in that film ( LOVETT, LEWIS, WAITS) were necessarily leading roles but then again, no one in that film is technically a lead role (with the exception of Tim Robbins)
Go to Comment
pitch me the most cliche movie you can think of! about 2 years ago
^^
Yea, I like to hope so but then again, anything is possible in Hollyweird—cliche is their number one seller.
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"Date" Movies about 2 years ago
so he’s an action buff but he wants to get into foreign/art cinema…hmmmm?
-HARDBOILED: John Woo gives us the best of both worlds as bullets fly in some of the most innovative and replicated action sequences ever shot. It’s like a beautiful, bloody ballet that will leave you both a lot to talk about.
-INFERNAL AFFAIRS: This film is the reason THE DEPARTED exists.
-STREETFIGHTER: Not the jcvd/video game mobile but the unforgettable kung fu masterpiece starring Sonny Chiba.
Go to Comment
Projects that never materialized about 2 years ago
To my understanding, John Hughes left behind a multitude of unfinished scripts and completed treatments which will more or less be mined for mainstream gold (i.e. DRILLBIT TAYLOR). Kubrick had more than his fair share of unfinished projects.
I heard Tarantino cut out a whole section from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS which involved an all black platoon lost behind enemy lines ( i.e. MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA) which might be turned into a film in the future. John Cassavetes died with something like 40 finished, unproduced scripts which I’m pretty sure will never come to be (especially since his son is too preoccupied with plucking heart strings anymore).
I have to say that the only project I still look forward to seeing be made is an adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle”. If only DiCaprio could find someone to write it and direct it.
Go to Comment