For shame with the mention of the Dardennes and De Palma! I can accept that some people feel negatively about ‘Dressed to Kill’ or ‘Femme Fatale’, and most people should feel that way about ‘The Black Dahlia,’ but I can’t quite grasp anyone thinking that about ‘Carrie,’ which is just wonderful in almost every regard. Disliking the Dardennes is a matter of differing taste (not lack thereof).
I am, however, going to second the mention of Harmony Korine, who’s a shameless imitator unable to craft anything remotely cohesive or even especially interesting. ‘Julien Donkey-Boy’ wasn’t as horrendous per se, as ‘Gummo,’ but I constantly forget that I’ve even seen ‘Mister Lonely’.
Naturally I agree with some of the more expected choices (Shyamalan, Boll, Schumacher, etc), but whoever mentioned Paul Haggis is trying to win their way into my heart!
Sigur Rós – með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Cat Power – Jukebox
Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree
Fleet Foxes – Self-Titled
Sébastien Tellier – Sexuality
Lykke Li – Youth Novels
Grace Jones – Hurricane
TV on the Radio – Dear Science
M83 – Saturdays = Youth
There are a number of widely available films that aren’t on Netflix for whatever reason, and I don’t think they listen to people when they “request a title.” Other than that, I’d be so behind or so broke if not for them.
Shotzi – Yes, Grace Jones did release an album (her first in nearly 20 years), and yes, it is good.
Cutler – I know A LOT of people hated Cat Power’s last album, but it brought me back to her, after I lost interest with “The Greatest” (the title track is amazing, the rest isn’t). “Ramblin (Wo)man” and her cover of her own “Metal Heart” are incredible, but I can totally understand those who didn’t care of it.
I thought La Ronde was extraordinarily disappointing, so much so that my interest in the other Ophuls films has almost disappeared.
Jubilee is one of my least favorite Jarman films… I think The Garden, which is his only feature that’s still unavailable in the US, would have been better suited.
The Night Porter
Life Aquatic
Coup de torchon
Night on Earth
Les Enfants terribles (don’t shoot me Melville-lovers)
I Am Curious: Yellow and Blue
The Ice Storm
If…
Sawdust and Tinsel (this isn’t a bad film, but I was pretty disappointed to hear Criterion was releasing this when there are a number of Bergman films still MIA)
Traffic
Walker
Are you guys serious about Debbie Harry? She’s horrible in every film she’s ever been in, even the good ones. I do second all the mentions of Björk and Will Oldham (who’ve also worked together musically). And Tom Waits, of course. As I just rewatched ‘My Blueberry Nights,’ I feel inclined to comment that the scene with Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) is the only redeeming moment of the film.
I thought Kim Gordon was “effective” in “Last Days,” but she’s just dreadful in “Boarding Gate.”
Off the top of my head:
Marianne Faithfull – “Irina Palm”
Chris Isaak – “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me”
Patrick Bruel
Glen Hansard – “Once”
If we’re going by US release date, I could list several.
Entre les murs
The Edge of Heaven
Reprise
Flight of the Red Balloon
The Last Mistress
Boarding Gate (I KNOW many of you hate it)
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Paranoid Park
Dear Zachary
Wendy and Lucy
Un conte de noel
Let the Right One In
Married Life
Boy A
I won’t work on my “official list” until later this month.
I know I’m in the minority, but I loathed ‘Synecdoche, New York,’ and had I not walked out of it (I know, bad move, but there were extraneous circumstances at work), I might be able to argue.
I forgot XXY, Happy-Go-Lucky, Otto; or Up with Dead People, Love Songs (the only Christophe Honoré film I’ve ever liked), The Duchess of Langeais and Billy the Kid.
I have too many issues with WALL·E for it to make my best of.
It always disappoints me that so few film critics release Worst of the Year lists, which are often more interesting than their “Best.” It’s also a difficult task in that you want to highlight more controversial choices but feel obliged to mention the obvious ones (like all of those “[blank] Movie” pieces of shit). In no particular order, here are mine (I’m not including ‘Synecdoche New York, which I hated, because I didn’t finish it, and that wouldn’t be totally fair):
The Unknown Woman
Garden Party
Nights and Weekends
Filth and Wisdom
Eight Miles High
Indiana Jones… (of course)
The Happening
Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild (putrid)
What We Do Is Secret
Cloverfield
City of Men
Drillbit Taylor
Funny Games (for reasons of necessity)
My pick for the most overrated film of 08: I’ve Loved You So Long
The issue with “Funny Games” is something a lot of other critics touched upon. It’s Michael Haneke’s blind trust in his original that he felt no desire to change a single thing about the remake. It wasn’t just lazy filmmaking, but a shameless example of blowing your own horn. I didn’t have a single issue with the original, but when you see it, in English, remade almost 10 years later, Haneke didn’t even feel the need to perhaps update the “Beavis and Butthead” references? Were any of the people he’s wagging his finger at old enough to remember that show?
It was a disaster of ego and of marketing (the only way I could have applauded the decision was if the distributor decided to throw it onto 2000 screens across the US instead of leaving it for art house theatres, in which the majority of those patrons would have already seen the original and the people who perhaps “should” be seeing it wouldn’t drive out of their way). I expect more from Haneke.
I think WALL·E loses all of its magic once the “humans” are introduced. I can appreciate Disney’s cynical view of the future of man, but it turns the film into something I didn’t expect from its brilliant opening moments: a children’s flick. I also think Pixar is at their visual worst when attempting to animate human beings. I find myself no longer in awe. Someone also suggested to me that they felt the ending was forced… I can’t say I don’t disagree.
This may have been a bad decision to post my thoughts here, but I don’t really feel like going up against everyone else who just adored it.
Also, I don’t hate Wong without Doyle. I hate Wong playing it safe. I also thing there was a strong language issue that made the film seem awkward.
I remember quite liking The Hanging Garden when I saw it a long time ago (my opinion might have changed), but other than that, I’m not a fan of Thom Fitzgerald’s work.
I don’t think ‘The Doom Generation’ is anywhere near a load of garbage. I think it has a lot to say, it’s visually daring, and worthy of intellectual dissection.
I see the point you’re making – why waste time on films that most would regard as a waste of such? There are a number of negative threads going around (many of them repeats of other threads), and most of those I don’t pay attention toward. However, some of the finest arguments can stem from one person’s hatred of a film and another’s love for it. Certainly, it’s probably best to just shrug and move on when it comes to the new Dane Cook movie, but in the case of something like ‘The Brown Bunny’ or more recently ‘Synecdoche New York,’ arguing either case can express a person’s love for film in general (even if they hated the film of which they speak). And in addition to that, though tastes always differ, I’m always appreciative of someone whose taste I respect warning me off something truly dreadful. As for ‘The Happening,’ I received the warnings and proceeded anyway, needing to see that disaster with my own eyes.
But unlike the ‘Kill Bill’ or ‘Grindhouse’, Soderbergh conceived this as two complimentary films, not a studio decision to chop it up for running time issues. I guess we should be glad it isn’t the Weinsteins who are handling ‘Che’, even though IFC is distributed by the same company that does the Weinstein Company.
I wasn’t really thinking when I mentioned ‘Grindhouse,’ because, yes, they are two “complimentary” films. ‘Che’, both parts, only works – whether you like it or not – as a whole. IFC is only releasing both parts together in NY and LA, starting today I believe and only for a week. Then, they’re separating the two. Check this link: http://www.independentfilm.com/resources/IFC-che-movie~print.shtml
‘Private Property’ is wonderful. In John Waters’ Best Films of 2008 list, he joked that Julianne Moore was in “the best Isabelle Huppert role of the year” in ‘Savage Grace.’ I loved that comment, but I sometimes question her choice of roles. I applaud that she takes on challenging films, but ‘Ma mere’ and ‘La Vie promise’ are pretty awful (though for no fault of Huppert’s).
That aside, I think she’s easily the most gifted actress working today.
Directors that consistently make terrible films over 3 years ago
For shame with the mention of the Dardennes and De Palma! I can accept that some people feel negatively about ‘Dressed to Kill’ or ‘Femme Fatale’, and most people should feel that way about ‘The Black Dahlia,’ but I can’t quite grasp anyone thinking that about ‘Carrie,’ which is just wonderful in almost every regard. Disliking the Dardennes is a matter of differing taste (not lack thereof).
I am, however, going to second the mention of Harmony Korine, who’s a shameless imitator unable to craft anything remotely cohesive or even especially interesting. ‘Julien Donkey-Boy’ wasn’t as horrendous per se, as ‘Gummo,’ but I constantly forget that I’ve even seen ‘Mister Lonely’.
Naturally I agree with some of the more expected choices (Shyamalan, Boll, Schumacher, etc), but whoever mentioned Paul Haggis is trying to win their way into my heart!
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Top Albums of the Year (aka What rocks your ipod) 2008 over 3 years ago
Sigur Rós – með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Cat Power – Jukebox
Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree
Fleet Foxes – Self-Titled
Sébastien Tellier – Sexuality
Lykke Li – Youth Novels
Grace Jones – Hurricane
TV on the Radio – Dear Science
M83 – Saturdays = Youth
…off the top of my head.
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Directors that consistently make terrible films over 3 years ago
I can roll with the Spike Lee, Soderbergh, Smith, and Rodriguez… but certainly not Van Sant or Linklater.
And… on the subject of Schumacher, if I remember correctly, Tigerland wasn’t that bad, but maybe that was just comparatively.
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Netflix; frustrations with over 3 years ago
There are a number of widely available films that aren’t on Netflix for whatever reason, and I don’t think they listen to people when they “request a title.” Other than that, I’d be so behind or so broke if not for them.
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Top Albums of the Year (aka What rocks your ipod) 2008 over 3 years ago
Shotzi – Yes, Grace Jones did release an album (her first in nearly 20 years), and yes, it is good.
Cutler – I know A LOT of people hated Cat Power’s last album, but it brought me back to her, after I lost interest with “The Greatest” (the title track is amazing, the rest isn’t). “Ramblin (Wo)man” and her cover of her own “Metal Heart” are incredible, but I can totally understand those who didn’t care of it.
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Directors that consistently make terrible films over 3 years ago
I still enjoy ‘Beetlejuice,’ but that’s about it when it comes to Burton.
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Favorite auteurs missing from the profile selection box. over 3 years ago
Yes for Frank Perry!
Lynne Ramsay
Gregg Araki
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Worst Criterion DVDs over 3 years ago
I thought La Ronde was extraordinarily disappointing, so much so that my interest in the other Ophuls films has almost disappeared.
Jubilee is one of my least favorite Jarman films… I think The Garden, which is his only feature that’s still unavailable in the US, would have been better suited.
The Night Porter
Life Aquatic
Coup de torchon
Night on Earth
Les Enfants terribles (don’t shoot me Melville-lovers)
I Am Curious: Yellow and Blue
The Ice Storm
If…
Sawdust and Tinsel (this isn’t a bad film, but I was pretty disappointed to hear Criterion was releasing this when there are a number of Bergman films still MIA)
Traffic
Walker
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Best Musicians Turned "Actors" over 3 years ago
Are you guys serious about Debbie Harry? She’s horrible in every film she’s ever been in, even the good ones. I do second all the mentions of Björk and Will Oldham (who’ve also worked together musically). And Tom Waits, of course. As I just rewatched ‘My Blueberry Nights,’ I feel inclined to comment that the scene with Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) is the only redeeming moment of the film.
I thought Kim Gordon was “effective” in “Last Days,” but she’s just dreadful in “Boarding Gate.”
Off the top of my head:
Marianne Faithfull – “Irina Palm”
Chris Isaak – “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me”
Patrick Bruel
Glen Hansard – “Once”
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The Best Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
If we’re going by US release date, I could list several.
Entre les murs
The Edge of Heaven
Reprise
Flight of the Red Balloon
The Last Mistress
Boarding Gate (I KNOW many of you hate it)
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Paranoid Park
Dear Zachary
Wendy and Lucy
Un conte de noel
Let the Right One In
Married Life
Boy A
I won’t work on my “official list” until later this month.
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The Best Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
I know I’m in the minority, but I loathed ‘Synecdoche, New York,’ and had I not walked out of it (I know, bad move, but there were extraneous circumstances at work), I might be able to argue.
I forgot XXY, Happy-Go-Lucky, Otto; or Up with Dead People, Love Songs (the only Christophe Honoré film I’ve ever liked), The Duchess of Langeais and Billy the Kid.
I have too many issues with WALL·E for it to make my best of.
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Films you love but most people hate. over 3 years ago
Boarding Gate
Demonlover
Femme Fatale
Body Double
The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
There seems to be a lot of hate thrown around both Olivier Assayas and Brian De Palma; I love them both (and Asia Argento).
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The Worst Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
It always disappoints me that so few film critics release Worst of the Year lists, which are often more interesting than their “Best.” It’s also a difficult task in that you want to highlight more controversial choices but feel obliged to mention the obvious ones (like all of those “[blank] Movie” pieces of shit). In no particular order, here are mine (I’m not including ‘Synecdoche New York, which I hated, because I didn’t finish it, and that wouldn’t be totally fair):
The Unknown Woman
Garden Party
Nights and Weekends
Filth and Wisdom
Eight Miles High
Indiana Jones… (of course)
The Happening
Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild (putrid)
What We Do Is Secret
Cloverfield
City of Men
Drillbit Taylor
Funny Games (for reasons of necessity)
My pick for the most overrated film of 08: I’ve Loved You So Long
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The Worst Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
The issue with “Funny Games” is something a lot of other critics touched upon. It’s Michael Haneke’s blind trust in his original that he felt no desire to change a single thing about the remake. It wasn’t just lazy filmmaking, but a shameless example of blowing your own horn. I didn’t have a single issue with the original, but when you see it, in English, remade almost 10 years later, Haneke didn’t even feel the need to perhaps update the “Beavis and Butthead” references? Were any of the people he’s wagging his finger at old enough to remember that show?
It was a disaster of ego and of marketing (the only way I could have applauded the decision was if the distributor decided to throw it onto 2000 screens across the US instead of leaving it for art house theatres, in which the majority of those patrons would have already seen the original and the people who perhaps “should” be seeing it wouldn’t drive out of their way). I expect more from Haneke.
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Top Albums of the Year (aka What rocks your ipod) 2008 over 3 years ago
Dusty – The Microphones had a new album this year? How did I miss that?
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The Best Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
I think WALL·E loses all of its magic once the “humans” are introduced. I can appreciate Disney’s cynical view of the future of man, but it turns the film into something I didn’t expect from its brilliant opening moments: a children’s flick. I also think Pixar is at their visual worst when attempting to animate human beings. I find myself no longer in awe. Someone also suggested to me that they felt the ending was forced… I can’t say I don’t disagree.
This may have been a bad decision to post my thoughts here, but I don’t really feel like going up against everyone else who just adored it.
Also, I don’t hate Wong without Doyle. I hate Wong playing it safe. I also thing there was a strong language issue that made the film seem awkward.
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The Worst Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
Lev, I’m rather pleased to see I wasn’t the only one who didn’t like ’I’ve Loved You So Long.’
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The Worst Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
I thought ‘Eight Miles High’ was a horrible “biopic.” I forgot how much I hated ‘The Wackness,’ Maria!
Also, ‘Juno’ is 2007.
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The Best Canadian Films of all time? over 3 years ago
Exotica
Jesus of Montreal [Jésus de Montréal]
Egoyan and Arcand are your solid choices for the best Canada has to offer.
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The Best Canadian Films of all time? over 3 years ago
Nate, blah! I totally forgot. Of course, Cronenberg. Bruce La Bruce is another excellent Canadian.
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The Best Canadian Films of all time? over 3 years ago
I remember quite liking The Hanging Garden when I saw it a long time ago (my opinion might have changed), but other than that, I’m not a fan of Thom Fitzgerald’s work.
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Favorite auteurs missing from the profile selection box. over 3 years ago
I second Reygadas!
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Films you love but most people hate. over 3 years ago
I don’t know a lot of people that dislike ‘Eraserhead.’
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The Best Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
Bad news Brandon, ‘Dear Zachary’ didn’t make the short-list for Documentaries for next year’s Oscars. It’s a criminal snub, that film blew me away.
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Films you love but most people hate. over 3 years ago
I don’t think ‘The Doom Generation’ is anywhere near a load of garbage. I think it has a lot to say, it’s visually daring, and worthy of intellectual dissection.
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The Worst Films of 2008 over 3 years ago
Adam-
I see the point you’re making – why waste time on films that most would regard as a waste of such? There are a number of negative threads going around (many of them repeats of other threads), and most of those I don’t pay attention toward. However, some of the finest arguments can stem from one person’s hatred of a film and another’s love for it. Certainly, it’s probably best to just shrug and move on when it comes to the new Dane Cook movie, but in the case of something like ‘The Brown Bunny’ or more recently ‘Synecdoche New York,’ arguing either case can express a person’s love for film in general (even if they hated the film of which they speak). And in addition to that, though tastes always differ, I’m always appreciative of someone whose taste I respect warning me off something truly dreadful. As for ‘The Happening,’ I received the warnings and proceeded anyway, needing to see that disaster with my own eyes.
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Famous Caucasian Men -- How Many Can You Name? over 3 years ago
Rick Astley.
Thanks for making me laugh Shotzi. That “female directors” post is useless (when it could have been insightful).
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CHE over 3 years ago
But unlike the ‘Kill Bill’ or ‘Grindhouse’, Soderbergh conceived this as two complimentary films, not a studio decision to chop it up for running time issues. I guess we should be glad it isn’t the Weinsteins who are handling ‘Che’, even though IFC is distributed by the same company that does the Weinstein Company.
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CHE over 3 years ago
I wasn’t really thinking when I mentioned ‘Grindhouse,’ because, yes, they are two “complimentary” films. ‘Che’, both parts, only works – whether you like it or not – as a whole. IFC is only releasing both parts together in NY and LA, starting today I believe and only for a week. Then, they’re separating the two. Check this link: http://www.independentfilm.com/resources/IFC-che-movie~print.shtml
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Isabelle Huppert over 3 years ago
‘Private Property’ is wonderful. In John Waters’ Best Films of 2008 list, he joked that Julianne Moore was in “the best Isabelle Huppert role of the year” in ‘Savage Grace.’ I loved that comment, but I sometimes question her choice of roles. I applaud that she takes on challenging films, but ‘Ma mere’ and ‘La Vie promise’ are pretty awful (though for no fault of Huppert’s).
That aside, I think she’s easily the most gifted actress working today.
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