Been on a Spike Lee marathon, from He Got Game 3/4 stars, Malcolm X 4/4 stars, Bamboozled 3 1/2/4 stars, and She Hate Me 3/4 stars. Spike is one bad mofo!
Gonzo : The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson – 3 / 4
The Third Man. I’m enjoying classic Film Noir at the moment. 10/10
The Fall (on dvd) by Tarsem – 6/10. Great to look at in the so-called fantasy sequence but I think someone got it right when they said it was an act of self-indulgence for the director. 18 countires and 4 years in production and it still looks like a long drawn-out rock video – but that’s what Tarsem is known for, hmmm? The actual story just didn’t work that well for me, but others might like it more.
Not to quibble with another’s opinion (it’s all relative, I know), but I would give Accident 9.5/10 because it is a favourite, Mr. King. But wait, I see there is a new film by this title by Aravind – probably the one you are referring to here. Oh my gosh, I see there is also a Chinese film with this title just coming out, too. Now I am really confused. My Accident is a 1967 film by Losey. Sorry for the confusion, I haven’t seen the more recent one(s), so ignore my rating, except for the 1967 version. It is too confusing when films come out with the same title. This was an accident just waiting to happen – hahaha! See this 1967 film, anyone who hasn’t. Other scores for films I have seen seem about right.
Yes, we are all repeating ourselves endlessly on these threads, so we need to get these organized asap, or none of us are going to look past the first page of postings – who has the time???
Footloose – 1/10
Zabriskie Point, there aren’t enough thumbs to put up.
Sanjuro – 8.7/10 (better than Yojimbo)
Rebel Without a Cause – 8.2/10
Big rental weekend for me:
Eagle Eye: 2/10 (I’m not exactly sure how they got so many stars to agree to do this movie…)
The Duchess: 5/10 (story and pacing were weak, but acting and technicals were fantastic)
Hamlet 2: 6/10 (not nearly as funny as I was hoping, but the movie was a nice diversion from the chaos of the holidays)
Testament of Orpheus-far better than I’d heard, but you’d better like Cocteau and you have to see Orpheus first.
Orpheus was excellent!
Bob, the 1967 Accident is indeed what I was referring to.
Walter S. – you ARE pulling my leg. I give it 0/10 (Zabriskie Point) because it was a great disappointment to me when it came out – and I am a big Antonioni fan. The only part I liked about this movie was the blowup (no pun intended) at the end. Just wish it had included all prints of the film. Mark Frechette should have been given the worst actor in film history award (but in real life, he had a tragic end). But I guess tastes change with time. Please illuminate for me.
Mr. King – Thanks, and I will still stick with my original assessment, too.
Different strokes for different cinephile folks, I guess.
Bob, for me that rating is a fairly solid thumbs up and I’d also recommend that anyone who hasn’t seen it check it out. A favorite for you, a first impression for me, and a rating on such is relatively pliable when given as a post-credits translation of impression into numerical value.
I have to agree with Zabriskie Point.. by far my least favorite Antonioni.
Benjamin Button 5.1234566787/10
I’ll take Benjamin Button: 9/10.
My Uncle Antoine—8.5
“Pulse” (remake) – 49
“The Eye” (remake) – 78
Che… 9/10
Nice triple whammy:
The Wrestler: 8.5/10
Slumdog Millionaire: 8/10
Let the Right One In: 7.8/10
Doubt 7/10
Slumdog Millionaire 9/10
Benjamin Button 6.5/10
Mongol: 8.5/10
japón 9
Slumdog Millionaire- 5/5
Okay, I’ll go against the grain—Benjamin Button: 6/10. It pains me to say this as I love Fincher—even Panic Room. For me this movie is just escapism for Baby Boomers—the idea that one ages in reverse and not only becomes youthful but as dazzling as Pitt is. Not only that, but he becomes independently wealthy and in a way that means he doesn’t actually have to work. He gets to just hang out watching the Beatles and fooling around with Cate Blanchet. Then when fatherhood comes on, he gets to split and have a cool life slacking around the globe. But he is actually more responsible by doing this then if he’d stayed. I’m just surprised that there was no scene of him joining a high school rock band.
And finally, he gets to go back home where he’s always been taken care of. Sure, we begin and end in diapers—not exactly a new insight. But the sentimentality comes at the end by way of the confession of this life brings together Cate and her alienated daughter. And the humming birds…ah yes, the signifier of “miracle.”
Visually really stunning, for sure—Fincher is brilliant, no doubt. The opening bit with the clockmaker was fantastic but from there on…it’s a bit like nostalgia porn. Sadly, the pain comes from knowing Fincher can do much better—I watched Seven last night to remind myself. And although Kaufman’s recent Synecdoche, New York has a lot of problems, it has a far more complex vision of aging and mortality.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 5.7/10
Army of Shadows: 8/10
Stayed in this weekend and did not see Benjamin Button, which by everyone’s comments isn’t such a bad decision:
Mishima – 10/10
House Bunny – 3/10
You Don’t Mess With The Zohan – 4/10
The Dark Knight – 9/10
The Anderson Tapes – 7.5/10
The Ninth Configuration – 8/10
Dial M for Murder – 4/5
A great film to see with a loved one you suspect is cheating, and then really murder her. hahaha.
Steve Oerkfitz
Just watched the blu ray of Chungking Express:8/10