I was at a party where Andy Warhol’s “Empire” was playing. I was of course only really half watching, but I stayed till the end. Jia Zhangke’s Platform felt like the longest, because I thought it was only 2 hrs long when I walked into the theater. Sat through Fanny&Alexender the TV version in one sitting… probably the longest one I actually paid attention to.
What’s wrong with you people? Russian Ark is among my favorite movies.
There was a lot going on besides the technical virtuosity. The movie was about the interplay between lived life, and encroaching history. About death, and how the beautiful things in the world are always slipping away, and can only exist again in partial fragments, caught on strips of celluloid.
I mean he’s riffing off Tarkovsky and Kieslowski, but he does a very good riff. He’s a lot more direct about it too.
I’ve always advocated further delving into the Czech New Wave, as Facets (the main publisher of Czech New Wave films in the US) really makes kind of shitty DVDs.
I also just want to see a release of any kind of Macunaima (Brazilian Cinema Novo era surrealist political commentary). That’s of course just because I really really really enjoy that type of film, but I definitely don’t think Cinema Novo is accessible enough (meaning I haven’t watched very many but enjoyed all the ones I’ve watched).
Oh, and “Eros + Massacre” (Japanese New Wave) doesn’t have a US release (or UK I think), which is highly unfortunate.
The Vanishing was a bit much for me to handle… which is probably a good thing. I mean, I liked it, but its not a movie I’d wish on other people.
I watched Andrei Rublev under less then optimal circumstances, but I gave it to a friend and she said she couldn’t watch the whole thing front to back because it was too intense.
I found Kids offensively preachy, and ridiculously dull.
He was given an award at some mediocre film festival I was attending. I didn’t go to the showing where he got the award, and supposedly had a fairly long interview, but I went to a showing of one of his movies the day after which he showed up at. His speech was something along the lines of (imagine thick Italian accent). “Well I would like to tell you something more about me, but yesterday I think I said everything there is to know. I think you have seen everything of me, except maybe one thing… (drops pants)… now you have seen everything!”
My sister recently began to doubt my film taste because I quite liked Quantum of Solace… but what can I say I have a thing for clean efficient brutal violence… that and dark skinned Ukrainian girls.
Christopher Doyle (Cinematographer to Wong Kar-Wai and on Infernal Affairs), pointed to the film as a sign of Hollywood’s decline, as at the time he had something like 4 films being remade by Hollywood.
I was personally blown away by Infernal Affairs. I mean it had its bit of HK cheese, but the ending was stunning (if you saw the buddhist ending, and not the abrupt second ending that doesn’t make much sense). I thought the impotence theme in The Departed was idiotic, and actually somewhat offensive. The ending of the Departed was likewise idiotic (get it, he’s a rat, and there’s a rat on the balcony!)… Other than those two major problems it was an OK movie. I like violence and that had tons of it, all well done, and Leo’s a fairly good actor… But it completely lost any of the nuance of the original.
Christopher Doyle (Cinematographer to Wong Kar-Wai and on Infernal Affairs), pointed to the film as a sign of Hollywood’s decline, as at the time he had something like 4 films being remade by Hollywood.
I was personally blown away by Infernal Affairs. I mean it had its bit of HK cheese, but the ending was stunning (if you saw the buddhist ending, and not the abrupt second ending that doesn’t make much sense). I thought the impotence theme in The Departed was idiotic, and actually somewhat offensive. The ending of the Departed was likewise idiotic (get it, he’s a rat, and there’s a rat on the balcony!)… Other than those two major problems it was an OK movie. I like violence and that had tons of it, all well done, and Leo’s a fairly good actor… But it completely lost any of the nuance of the original.
Christopher Doyle (Cinematographer to Wong Kar-Wai and on Infernal Affairs), pointed to the film as a sign of Hollywood’s decline, as at the time he had something like 4 films being remade by Hollywood.
I was personally blown away by Infernal Affairs. I mean it had its bit of HK cheese, but the ending was stunning (if you saw the buddhist ending, and not the abrupt second ending that doesn’t make much sense). I thought the impotence theme in The Departed was idiotic, and actually somewhat offensive. The ending of the Departed was likewise idiotic (get it, he’s a rat, and there’s a rat on the balcony!)… Other than those two major problems it was an OK movie. I like violence and that had tons of it, all well done, and Leo’s a fairly good actor… But it completely lost any of the nuance of the original.
I generally tell people this is my favorite movie… Recently re-watched it with my girlfriend, and I have to say that the Criterion print is amazing. Having grown up in a post-CGI world, I’m always stunned when I see a fully restored B&W movie, and how textured everything looks.
L’avventura is also lovely, but most people – I think rightly – find the man bashing plot somewhat obnoxious (plot isn’t Antonioni’s strong point). Still one of my favorite scenes from any movie is when she is in her hotel room making faces in the mirror.
Other than their religion that is. Bresson and Tarkovsky are two of my favorite directors, and I always enjoy the religious slant of their movies, but the argument is made over and over again that “stylistically” they are religious, and I’ve never been able to quite make the argument why.
Tangentally speaking, I recently got a copy of the 1928 French film “l’argent” with Bridgette Helm, she acts exactly the same way when she’s pretending to be a robot (as in metropolis), and when she’s not (as in this movie)…. which is BRILLIANT!
The longest movie you've ever sat through over 3 years ago
I was at a party where Andy Warhol’s “Empire” was playing. I was of course only really half watching, but I stayed till the end. Jia Zhangke’s Platform felt like the longest, because I thought it was only 2 hrs long when I walked into the theater. Sat through Fanny&Alexender the TV version in one sitting… probably the longest one I actually paid attention to.
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Russian Ark, is it cinema or just a long, dull home movie? over 3 years ago
What’s wrong with you people? Russian Ark is among my favorite movies.
There was a lot going on besides the technical virtuosity. The movie was about the interplay between lived life, and encroaching history. About death, and how the beautiful things in the world are always slipping away, and can only exist again in partial fragments, caught on strips of celluloid.
I mean he’s riffing off Tarkovsky and Kieslowski, but he does a very good riff. He’s a lot more direct about it too.
Go to Comment
Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 3 years ago
I’ve always advocated further delving into the Czech New Wave, as Facets (the main publisher of Czech New Wave films in the US) really makes kind of shitty DVDs.
I also just want to see a release of any kind of Macunaima (Brazilian Cinema Novo era surrealist political commentary). That’s of course just because I really really really enjoy that type of film, but I definitely don’t think Cinema Novo is accessible enough (meaning I haven’t watched very many but enjoyed all the ones I’ve watched).
Oh, and “Eros + Massacre” (Japanese New Wave) doesn’t have a US release (or UK I think), which is highly unfortunate.
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What films do you always catch shit for for not liking? over 3 years ago
Most things by Ozu… I faked liking it when I lived in Japan… but now I can’t be bothered.
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movies that shake you to the core over 3 years ago
The Vanishing was a bit much for me to handle… which is probably a good thing. I mean, I liked it, but its not a movie I’d wish on other people.
I watched Andrei Rublev under less then optimal circumstances, but I gave it to a friend and she said she couldn’t watch the whole thing front to back because it was too intense.
I found Kids offensively preachy, and ridiculously dull.
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Argento over 3 years ago
Dario Argento dropped his pants in front of me once (I’m not kidding).
On the Asia side, I tried to watch Boarding Gate today, found it completely unwatchable.
I quite liked Inferno, though supposedly no one else does.
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Argento over 3 years ago
He was given an award at some mediocre film festival I was attending. I didn’t go to the showing where he got the award, and supposedly had a fairly long interview, but I went to a showing of one of his movies the day after which he showed up at. His speech was something along the lines of (imagine thick Italian accent). “Well I would like to tell you something more about me, but yesterday I think I said everything there is to know. I think you have seen everything of me, except maybe one thing… (drops pants)… now you have seen everything!”
He of course had boxers on…
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Movies you love, but everyone else hates. over 3 years ago
My sister recently began to doubt my film taste because I quite liked Quantum of Solace… but what can I say I have a thing for clean efficient brutal violence… that and dark skinned Ukrainian girls.
Go to Comment
The Departed over 3 years ago
Christopher Doyle (Cinematographer to Wong Kar-Wai and on Infernal Affairs), pointed to the film as a sign of Hollywood’s decline, as at the time he had something like 4 films being remade by Hollywood.
I was personally blown away by Infernal Affairs. I mean it had its bit of HK cheese, but the ending was stunning (if you saw the buddhist ending, and not the abrupt second ending that doesn’t make much sense). I thought the impotence theme in The Departed was idiotic, and actually somewhat offensive. The ending of the Departed was likewise idiotic (get it, he’s a rat, and there’s a rat on the balcony!)… Other than those two major problems it was an OK movie. I like violence and that had tons of it, all well done, and Leo’s a fairly good actor… But it completely lost any of the nuance of the original.
Go to Comment
The Departed over 3 years ago
Christopher Doyle (Cinematographer to Wong Kar-Wai and on Infernal Affairs), pointed to the film as a sign of Hollywood’s decline, as at the time he had something like 4 films being remade by Hollywood.
I was personally blown away by Infernal Affairs. I mean it had its bit of HK cheese, but the ending was stunning (if you saw the buddhist ending, and not the abrupt second ending that doesn’t make much sense). I thought the impotence theme in The Departed was idiotic, and actually somewhat offensive. The ending of the Departed was likewise idiotic (get it, he’s a rat, and there’s a rat on the balcony!)… Other than those two major problems it was an OK movie. I like violence and that had tons of it, all well done, and Leo’s a fairly good actor… But it completely lost any of the nuance of the original.
Go to Comment
The Departed over 3 years ago
Christopher Doyle (Cinematographer to Wong Kar-Wai and on Infernal Affairs), pointed to the film as a sign of Hollywood’s decline, as at the time he had something like 4 films being remade by Hollywood.
I was personally blown away by Infernal Affairs. I mean it had its bit of HK cheese, but the ending was stunning (if you saw the buddhist ending, and not the abrupt second ending that doesn’t make much sense). I thought the impotence theme in The Departed was idiotic, and actually somewhat offensive. The ending of the Departed was likewise idiotic (get it, he’s a rat, and there’s a rat on the balcony!)… Other than those two major problems it was an OK movie. I like violence and that had tons of it, all well done, and Leo’s a fairly good actor… But it completely lost any of the nuance of the original.
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The Departed over 3 years ago
Sorry, on a shitty internet connection right now
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Greatest Director/Actor Collaborations over 3 years ago
Whoa! no one got Wai-Leung
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Antonioni (and DiVenanzo) L'eclisse over 3 years ago
I generally tell people this is my favorite movie… Recently re-watched it with my girlfriend, and I have to say that the Criterion print is amazing. Having grown up in a post-CGI world, I’m always stunned when I see a fully restored B&W movie, and how textured everything looks.
L’avventura is also lovely, but most people – I think rightly – find the man bashing plot somewhat obnoxious (plot isn’t Antonioni’s strong point). Still one of my favorite scenes from any movie is when she is in her hotel room making faces in the mirror.
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What Makes Tarkovsky and Bresson "religious"? over 3 years ago
Other than their religion that is. Bresson and Tarkovsky are two of my favorite directors, and I always enjoy the religious slant of their movies, but the argument is made over and over again that “stylistically” they are religious, and I’ve never been able to quite make the argument why.
Any thoughts?
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Antonioni (and DiVenanzo) L'eclisse over 3 years ago
Tangentally speaking, I recently got a copy of the 1928 French film “l’argent” with Bridgette Helm, she acts exactly the same way when she’s pretending to be a robot (as in metropolis), and when she’s not (as in this movie)…. which is BRILLIANT!
Go to Comment