I haven’t seen Seven Pounds yet but I enjoy a lot of his work. He’s a movie star and always has been but he’s growing as an actor. ‘I Am Legend’ was maybe his best performance to date (although the movie as a whole was disappointing). .He seems to me to be the same brash, likable and extremely driven guy he was back in the ‘fresh prince’ days and he is the only real bankable actor working right now. I just think people want to see movie stars be movie stars, be it: Clark Gable, Steve Mcqeen, Cruise or Smith. We’ve got a lot of great artists out there right now but there seems to be a dearth of good reliable popcorn stars, people we could watch even in a bad movie just for the sheer force of their personality. Smith is the best Movie Star of the new millenium and he always offers a pleasant escape with the movies he chooses. He may need to play against type and stretch more at some point but for now he’s on a roll and I think choosing his roles really well. I like for Daniel Day Lewis to astonish me. I just want Will Smith to keep saving the world.
I’ve seen ‘Crash’ knocked several times in this forum but it’s definitely one of my favorite films. Was it manipulative? Clearly. Facile? Well… yeah. Visceral and moving, with great performances and memorable dialogue? Absolutely! I guess I’ll have to respectfully disagree on ‘Zodiac’, ‘Juno’, ‘The Departed’ and ‘Lost in Transalation’ as well, all of which I think are great films. Interesting argument though and I would also agree that ‘Into the Wild’ is a great film although I have some qualms with it, I think the overall effect was quite powerful. If a movie moves me, wether it’s obvious manipulation or not, I think that’s a great experience. For me, all of the above were… well, I’m gonna say it, “Classics”
I’d like to watch ‘Million Dollar Baby’ again but I’ve had it for several years and haven’t even attempted to. I thought it was a great film but I don’t know when I’d ever be in the mood to watch it again knowing how it ends. It would be sacrilege from an artistic standpoint but I kind of wish there was an alternate happy ending on the dvd. ‘Requiem’ is also depressing (and excellent) but I’ve seen it a few times and don’t find it nearly as despairing as MDB, perhaps because it’s such an energetic film or because the characters (for the most part) brought their plight on themselves.
I often buy them off Amazon which has weird fluctuations in price sometimes but is generally pretty reasonable. If a movie is a little too high, I save it in my ‘shopping cart’ then whenever you go back to your amazon ‘cart’ it tells you what prices have increased or decreased therein. When a movie drops to a good price (which may be only for a few days, strangely enough) I’ll go ahead and order it. For instance, I think I recall Criterion’s ‘Jules and Jim’ suddenly dropping by at least 12 dollars to a reasonable $22 range and then going back up shortly after I bought it. I do agree they’re a bit high but they’re so well put together it just feels like you’re buying something more collectible and lasting when you get a Criterion dvd.
‘Scrooged’ comes to mind quickly, Home Alone because I saw it so many times as a kid, and It’s a Wonderful Life because there’s a kind of magic in it: sappy and joyous but a little edgy and real at the same time
I agree with ‘watchmoresuzuki’. Ikiru was one of those movies that just gave me a big wide grin. When watching a great film, I just feel uplifted and hopeful, confident even and optimistic that maybe I could create something that beautiful some day. I just watched ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ a few hours ago and I still have a buzz from it. I called several people to rave about it and I think I’ll feel good well into tomorrow. It was just an amazing experience. Great movies work on the endorphins just like a drug. Ahhhhh :)
I thought it was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen! I’m still on a high from it. I guess it just depends on what you want from your movies. I love inspiring, feel good, shamelessly entertaining movies that happen to be made with great craft. I loved E.T. and Crash too, both of which I’ve seen criticized on this forum as being too manipulative or facile. If you feel a movie has to challenge you or achieve a high level of verisimilitude than I can see why you wouldn’t like this but for me and I imagine a lot of the people in my theater who applauded not just as the credits came up but after the musical credit sequence (I’ve never experienced that before), I imagine it’s the kind of film that made them fall in love with movies in the first place. I couldn’t disagree more but that’s the fun of forums I think.
I work retail in Tulsa, love Kurosawa and Fellini but also ‘Crash’ and ‘White Men Can’t Jump’. I think ‘The Rules of the Game’ and ‘Showgirls’ are both classics in their own (completely different) ways
Orson Welles ‘Chimes at Midnight’. It’s Wiki entry suggests their are ownership issues which have kept it off dvd in the states but I’ve never seen it and don’t really want to watch an import if there’s a chance Criterion will put it out. That’s precisely the kind of film I want the pristine transfer and bonus features that Criterion would provide. Also ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/16/patrick-wilson-says-watchmen-ending-remains-the-same/
http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/10/19/watchmen-ending-changed
It seems likely that the ending was at least tweaked from the comic but not enough to change the tone or the essential feel of Moore’s conclusion. In any event, I’m extremely excited about this movie and confident Snyder will be as faithful as possible within the confines of a big studio picture. I think any qualms I had with ‘300’ were inherent in the original source material and I personally much prefer Moore to Miller as a writer.
If you’re a fan of Adrian Brody then ‘Restaurant’ is great and I think underseen and underappreciated. It deals with interracial relationships and aspiring artists of different stripes in New York City. Well written, well acted and the movie that convinced me that Brody was one of our finest young actors.
Vellaem, interesting argument. I was going to mention that I didn’t think Spike had anywhere near 50 films but I looked it up and was quite surprised that he has at least 30, many of which I wasn’t even aware of. On principle, I don’t think quantity should lessen an artist’s standing but for fun I’m inclined to look at a director’s filmography almost like the back of a baseball card. It’s exciting to look at a director like Milos Foreman who in my mind has one of the highest ‘batting averages’ (13 movies and by my count at least 4 or 5 classics) and it’s a little disappointing to see Spike Lee has had so many ‘off years’ to go with his ‘all star’ appearances. Overall, I think a director with say 12 excellent films out of 50 is more impressive than someone with 3 winners out 6 but statwise it just isn’t nearly as sexy.
I think this may have been the first Criterion dvd that I bought. I really love the film. It has great cinematography, memorable music, beautiful women and a simple and moving story. I read in Obama’s (1st) memoir that he watched it with his mother and found the film stereotypical, embarrasing even and was ready to walk out on it when he noticed her reaction and imagined that the sense of wonder she got from it, might have been the same thing that inspired her to leave home for distant locales and embrace different cultures. I admire Obama very much and I was surprised that it offended him. Personally, I have trouble watching something like ‘Gone with the Wind’ for the racist caricature therein but saw this as nothing more than an elegant fairy tale from a lovely place I’d love to visit, much like his mother I imagine. Did anyone else find it stereotypical? Anyone else think it was a great film?
I’m glad to see ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ gets a lot of love in this forum. I thought it was a chilling film that stands with some of his better work. I think ‘Dr. Strangelove’ is probably my favorite. The contemporary director that seems closest to him in terms of range and outright nerve is definitely Danny Boyle: ‘Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine’ all great films and all very different. I think ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is his best work yet.
Good artists borrow, great artists steal. I don’t know if I really believe that but apparently Picasso did (so did John Lennon incidentally). I haven’t seen enough of the films Tarantino is allegedly stealing from to know if he’s really lacking in original ideas but most moviegoers haven’t either and I guess that’s why he’s such a powerful filmaker to the masses. I love his work, including ‘Death Proof’ and the only guy I’d put above him on the preceding list is Danny Boyle.
I’d just like to go on the record for ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ ‘Showgirls’ Garden State’ Crash’ and ‘Unbreakable’. I don’t know if any of these are really hated but they were all listed as such above and I have love for them all. ‘Showgirls’ is the only one I have trouble defending because it really was a terrible movie but terrible in a way that was almost magic. Just find another ‘Showgirls’ fan and start quoting bad dialogue with them. It doesn’t get much better than that. As for the other four, I think they’re all genuine classics and ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ in particular doesn’t get near enough respecct. Ron Shelton is one of our great underrated screenwriters. His dialogue is exceptional.
I’m a little late with this but Happy New Year to you too, Wendy! I’m glad to see you appreciated the film as well. The only thing I’m curious about is that the dvd I have is in color and you mention you’ve seen it in black and white. It’s possible it was colorized but I really can’t say for certain if it has or hasn’t been.
I’d add Gina Prince-Bythewood who did a great job helming ‘Love & Basketaball’ and ‘Disappearing Acts’ as well as Sanaa Hamri who directed ‘Something New’. I’d argue that all of these are great movies but I’m biased here. They all star Sanaa Lathan and I could watch her drink coffee for 90 minutes.
I’ve noticed that even films with seemingly universal appeal among critics and the masses (Pulp Fiction comes to mind) have their detractors among hard-core cinephiles like those on this site. And movies that please the toughest critics (for the purpose of this post I’d like to call them ‘Criterions’ as opposed to an unfair term like ‘film snobs’) often don’t have legs with the general public who find them pretentious or too challenging when all they want is a good ride. One film that I’ve never heard criticism of is ‘Shawshank Redemption’ for instance and it certainly ranks high with the saturday night crowd as well as critics but I suspect it might be regarded as too facile by Criterions. Kubrick comes to mind but the people I meet who love him are generally deeply into film and not passive viewers. The one of his that I think might qualify is ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’. I’ve yet to meet anyone from low brow to high that didn’t enjoy that film. Any other thoughts on films with universal appeal?
‘Bicycle Thieves’ is one of my favorite films but I’m sure I couldn’t get most of my friends to sit through it. I’d argue that the crowd that made ‘Wild Hogs’ a blockbuster (I shudder as I type those words) is definitely not an audience patient enough for ‘Bicycle Thieves’.
Whoa, Milos Foreman. Sorry, Rob. I had a moment there. I guess because I regard them as two of our best directors and guys who weren’t particularly prolific, I sometimes equate them… or maybe ‘The Shining’ got stuck in my head. Damn, thinking of Foreman, I think ‘Amadeus’ is pretty universal as well
Oh, and Bonfire of the Vanities. I didn’t understand why it was so hated until I read the book, which is fantastic and set a bar for the film which couldn’t possible be cleared. It’s by no means a great film but very entertaining and better than it’s rep. Also ‘’The Devil’s Candy’ which details the movie’s production history is a really good read if you’re interested in a behind the scenes look at the makings of a high profile picture.
There Will Be Blood
Requiem for a Dream
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Last Temptation of Christ
Such a great flow to those. I’d add:
Run Lola Run
Searching for Bobby Fischer
The Natural
White Men Can’t Jump
Big Fish
Do the Right Thing
La Dolce Vita
and definitely…
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (I confess, I didn’t catch this the first time I saw it and apparently neither did the ratings board)
I was curious what sports films make the grade for the Criterion crowd. Personally, I’m a big Ron Shelton fan (Bull Durham, Tin Cup, White Men Can’t Jump) and I’m sure classics like Raging Bull, Chariots of Fire and the first Rocky have some fans even amongst a more discerning filmgoing crowd. What else is popular here? Are there any Criterion releases that could be described as sports films?
After seeing Slumdog Millionaire bashed here almost as often as Crash (both favorite films of mine), I have to ask: what’s so bad about a film that pushes our emotional buttons with great skill? Directors like Spielberg, Scorcese and Hitchcock are the reason many of us fell in love with movies in the first place and the main reason is they evoke strong, visceral reactions and give us a great ride. I’m not arguing for something like Seven Pounds (which I actually enjoyed) that pulls our levers so blatantly that it begins to hurt the teeth but…. calling
Slumdog Millionaire terrible!? C’mon! He was paying homage to Bollywood with a happy ending. Does that make it unsophisticated or dumb? Where does the line exist between the manipulation of Ikiru and Bicycle Thieves which I don’t think anyone here would protest and the manipulation of Danny Boyle which some find ananthema?
Will Smith over 3 years ago
I haven’t seen Seven Pounds yet but I enjoy a lot of his work. He’s a movie star and always has been but he’s growing as an actor. ‘I Am Legend’ was maybe his best performance to date (although the movie as a whole was disappointing). .He seems to me to be the same brash, likable and extremely driven guy he was back in the ‘fresh prince’ days and he is the only real bankable actor working right now. I just think people want to see movie stars be movie stars, be it: Clark Gable, Steve Mcqeen, Cruise or Smith. We’ve got a lot of great artists out there right now but there seems to be a dearth of good reliable popcorn stars, people we could watch even in a bad movie just for the sheer force of their personality. Smith is the best Movie Star of the new millenium and he always offers a pleasant escape with the movies he chooses. He may need to play against type and stretch more at some point but for now he’s on a roll and I think choosing his roles really well. I like for Daniel Day Lewis to astonish me. I just want Will Smith to keep saving the world.
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Underrated / overrated over 3 years ago
I’ve seen ‘Crash’ knocked several times in this forum but it’s definitely one of my favorite films. Was it manipulative? Clearly. Facile? Well… yeah. Visceral and moving, with great performances and memorable dialogue? Absolutely! I guess I’ll have to respectfully disagree on ‘Zodiac’, ‘Juno’, ‘The Departed’ and ‘Lost in Transalation’ as well, all of which I think are great films. Interesting argument though and I would also agree that ‘Into the Wild’ is a great film although I have some qualms with it, I think the overall effect was quite powerful. If a movie moves me, wether it’s obvious manipulation or not, I think that’s a great experience. For me, all of the above were… well, I’m gonna say it, “Classics”
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Great movies that you never want to see again over 3 years ago
I’d like to watch ‘Million Dollar Baby’ again but I’ve had it for several years and haven’t even attempted to. I thought it was a great film but I don’t know when I’d ever be in the mood to watch it again knowing how it ends. It would be sacrilege from an artistic standpoint but I kind of wish there was an alternate happy ending on the dvd. ‘Requiem’ is also depressing (and excellent) but I’ve seen it a few times and don’t find it nearly as despairing as MDB, perhaps because it’s such an energetic film or because the characters (for the most part) brought their plight on themselves.
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Criterion too pricey for you? over 3 years ago
I often buy them off Amazon which has weird fluctuations in price sometimes but is generally pretty reasonable. If a movie is a little too high, I save it in my ‘shopping cart’ then whenever you go back to your amazon ‘cart’ it tells you what prices have increased or decreased therein. When a movie drops to a good price (which may be only for a few days, strangely enough) I’ll go ahead and order it. For instance, I think I recall Criterion’s ‘Jules and Jim’ suddenly dropping by at least 12 dollars to a reasonable $22 range and then going back up shortly after I bought it. I do agree they’re a bit high but they’re so well put together it just feels like you’re buying something more collectible and lasting when you get a Criterion dvd.
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"FAVOURITE" CHRISTMAS MOVIE over 3 years ago
‘Scrooged’ comes to mind quickly, Home Alone because I saw it so many times as a kid, and It’s a Wonderful Life because there’s a kind of magic in it: sappy and joyous but a little edgy and real at the same time
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Favorite Kurosawa lead actor? over 3 years ago
Shimura for me. ‘Ikiru’ is definitely my top Kurosawa movie and he was amazing in it as well as my favorite in ‘Samurai’
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What do you feel when you watch a great film? over 3 years ago
I agree with ‘watchmoresuzuki’. Ikiru was one of those movies that just gave me a big wide grin. When watching a great film, I just feel uplifted and hopeful, confident even and optimistic that maybe I could create something that beautiful some day. I just watched ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ a few hours ago and I still have a buzz from it. I called several people to rave about it and I think I’ll feel good well into tomorrow. It was just an amazing experience. Great movies work on the endorphins just like a drug. Ahhhhh :)
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Slumdog Millionaire Overrated Film of the Year over 3 years ago
I thought it was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen! I’m still on a high from it. I guess it just depends on what you want from your movies. I love inspiring, feel good, shamelessly entertaining movies that happen to be made with great craft. I loved E.T. and Crash too, both of which I’ve seen criticized on this forum as being too manipulative or facile. If you feel a movie has to challenge you or achieve a high level of verisimilitude than I can see why you wouldn’t like this but for me and I imagine a lot of the people in my theater who applauded not just as the credits came up but after the musical credit sequence (I’ve never experienced that before), I imagine it’s the kind of film that made them fall in love with movies in the first place. I couldn’t disagree more but that’s the fun of forums I think.
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New to The Auteurs? You Belong Here over 3 years ago
I work retail in Tulsa, love Kurosawa and Fellini but also ‘Crash’ and ‘White Men Can’t Jump’. I think ‘The Rules of the Game’ and ‘Showgirls’ are both classics in their own (completely different) ways
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 3 years ago
Orson Welles ‘Chimes at Midnight’. It’s Wiki entry suggests their are ownership issues which have kept it off dvd in the states but I’ve never seen it and don’t really want to watch an import if there’s a chance Criterion will put it out. That’s precisely the kind of film I want the pristine transfer and bonus features that Criterion would provide. Also ‘The Magnificent Ambersons’
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Watchmen over 3 years ago
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/16/patrick-wilson-says-watchmen-ending-remains-the-same/
http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/10/19/watchmen-ending-changed
It seems likely that the ending was at least tweaked from the comic but not enough to change the tone or the essential feel of Moore’s conclusion. In any event, I’m extremely excited about this movie and confident Snyder will be as faithful as possible within the confines of a big studio picture. I think any qualms I had with ‘300’ were inherent in the original source material and I personally much prefer Moore to Miller as a writer.
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Obscure recommendations over 3 years ago
If you’re a fan of Adrian Brody then ‘Restaurant’ is great and I think underseen and underappreciated. It deals with interracial relationships and aspiring artists of different stripes in New York City. Well written, well acted and the movie that convinced me that Brody was one of our finest young actors.
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Is being a prolific Director an impediment to critical acclaim? over 3 years ago
Vellaem, interesting argument. I was going to mention that I didn’t think Spike had anywhere near 50 films but I looked it up and was quite surprised that he has at least 30, many of which I wasn’t even aware of. On principle, I don’t think quantity should lessen an artist’s standing but for fun I’m inclined to look at a director’s filmography almost like the back of a baseball card. It’s exciting to look at a director like Milos Foreman who in my mind has one of the highest ‘batting averages’ (13 movies and by my count at least 4 or 5 classics) and it’s a little disappointing to see Spike Lee has had so many ‘off years’ to go with his ‘all star’ appearances. Overall, I think a director with say 12 excellent films out of 50 is more impressive than someone with 3 winners out 6 but statwise it just isn’t nearly as sexy.
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Thoughts on 'Black Orpheus'? over 3 years ago
I think this may have been the first Criterion dvd that I bought. I really love the film. It has great cinematography, memorable music, beautiful women and a simple and moving story. I read in Obama’s (1st) memoir that he watched it with his mother and found the film stereotypical, embarrasing even and was ready to walk out on it when he noticed her reaction and imagined that the sense of wonder she got from it, might have been the same thing that inspired her to leave home for distant locales and embrace different cultures. I admire Obama very much and I was surprised that it offended him. Personally, I have trouble watching something like ‘Gone with the Wind’ for the racist caricature therein but saw this as nothing more than an elegant fairy tale from a lovely place I’d love to visit, much like his mother I imagine. Did anyone else find it stereotypical? Anyone else think it was a great film?
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K.U.B.R.I.C.K. over 3 years ago
I’m glad to see ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ gets a lot of love in this forum. I thought it was a chilling film that stands with some of his better work. I think ‘Dr. Strangelove’ is probably my favorite. The contemporary director that seems closest to him in terms of range and outright nerve is definitely Danny Boyle: ‘Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine’ all great films and all very different. I think ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is his best work yet.
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directors better than tarantino over 3 years ago
Good artists borrow, great artists steal. I don’t know if I really believe that but apparently Picasso did (so did John Lennon incidentally). I haven’t seen enough of the films Tarantino is allegedly stealing from to know if he’s really lacking in original ideas but most moviegoers haven’t either and I guess that’s why he’s such a powerful filmaker to the masses. I love his work, including ‘Death Proof’ and the only guy I’d put above him on the preceding list is Danny Boyle.
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Movies you love, but everyone else hates. over 3 years ago
I’d just like to go on the record for ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ ‘Showgirls’ Garden State’ Crash’ and ‘Unbreakable’. I don’t know if any of these are really hated but they were all listed as such above and I have love for them all. ‘Showgirls’ is the only one I have trouble defending because it really was a terrible movie but terrible in a way that was almost magic. Just find another ‘Showgirls’ fan and start quoting bad dialogue with them. It doesn’t get much better than that. As for the other four, I think they’re all genuine classics and ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ in particular doesn’t get near enough respecct. Ron Shelton is one of our great underrated screenwriters. His dialogue is exceptional.
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Thoughts on 'Black Orpheus'? over 3 years ago
I’m a little late with this but Happy New Year to you too, Wendy! I’m glad to see you appreciated the film as well. The only thing I’m curious about is that the dvd I have is in color and you mention you’ve seen it in black and white. It’s possible it was colorized but I really can’t say for certain if it has or hasn’t been.
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Female Directors — How many can you name? over 3 years ago
I’d add Gina Prince-Bythewood who did a great job helming ‘Love & Basketaball’ and ‘Disappearing Acts’ as well as Sanaa Hamri who directed ‘Something New’. I’d argue that all of these are great movies but I’m biased here. They all star Sanaa Lathan and I could watch her drink coffee for 90 minutes.
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Which films have the most across the board appeal? over 3 years ago
I’ve noticed that even films with seemingly universal appeal among critics and the masses (Pulp Fiction comes to mind) have their detractors among hard-core cinephiles like those on this site. And movies that please the toughest critics (for the purpose of this post I’d like to call them ‘Criterions’ as opposed to an unfair term like ‘film snobs’) often don’t have legs with the general public who find them pretentious or too challenging when all they want is a good ride. One film that I’ve never heard criticism of is ‘Shawshank Redemption’ for instance and it certainly ranks high with the saturday night crowd as well as critics but I suspect it might be regarded as too facile by Criterions. Kubrick comes to mind but the people I meet who love him are generally deeply into film and not passive viewers. The one of his that I think might qualify is ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’. I’ve yet to meet anyone from low brow to high that didn’t enjoy that film. Any other thoughts on films with universal appeal?
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Which films have the most across the board appeal? over 3 years ago
‘Bicycle Thieves’ is one of my favorite films but I’m sure I couldn’t get most of my friends to sit through it. I’d argue that the crowd that made ‘Wild Hogs’ a blockbuster (I shudder as I type those words) is definitely not an audience patient enough for ‘Bicycle Thieves’.
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Which films have the most across the board appeal? over 3 years ago
Whoa, Milos Foreman. Sorry, Rob. I had a moment there. I guess because I regard them as two of our best directors and guys who weren’t particularly prolific, I sometimes equate them… or maybe ‘The Shining’ got stuck in my head. Damn, thinking of Foreman, I think ‘Amadeus’ is pretty universal as well
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Movies you love, but everyone else hates. over 3 years ago
Oh, and Bonfire of the Vanities. I didn’t understand why it was so hated until I read the book, which is fantastic and set a bar for the film which couldn’t possible be cleared. It’s by no means a great film but very entertaining and better than it’s rep. Also ‘’The Devil’s Candy’ which details the movie’s production history is a really good read if you’re interested in a behind the scenes look at the makings of a high profile picture.
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Favorite auteurs missing from the profile selection box. over 3 years ago
Franco Zeffirelli
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Best title over 3 years ago
Already posted but favorites:
There Will Be Blood
Requiem for a Dream
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Last Temptation of Christ
Such a great flow to those. I’d add:
Run Lola Run
Searching for Bobby Fischer
The Natural
White Men Can’t Jump
Big Fish
Do the Right Thing
La Dolce Vita
and definitely…
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (I confess, I didn’t catch this the first time I saw it and apparently neither did the ratings board)
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SEX & LOVE IN CELLULOID: WHO FIRST, AND WHO LATELY, TURNED YOU ON? over 3 years ago
Rosario Dawson, Sanaa Lathan, Kerry Washington, Angelina Jolie, Naomie Harris, Sandra Bullock. Who doesn’t love smart beautiful women?
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Great Sports Films over 3 years ago
I was curious what sports films make the grade for the Criterion crowd. Personally, I’m a big Ron Shelton fan (Bull Durham, Tin Cup, White Men Can’t Jump) and I’m sure classics like Raging Bull, Chariots of Fire and the first Rocky have some fans even amongst a more discerning filmgoing crowd. What else is popular here? Are there any Criterion releases that could be described as sports films?
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What's so wrong with well done manipulation? over 3 years ago
After seeing Slumdog Millionaire bashed here almost as often as Crash (both favorite films of mine), I have to ask: what’s so bad about a film that pushes our emotional buttons with great skill? Directors like Spielberg, Scorcese and Hitchcock are the reason many of us fell in love with movies in the first place and the main reason is they evoke strong, visceral reactions and give us a great ride. I’m not arguing for something like Seven Pounds (which I actually enjoyed) that pulls our levers so blatantly that it begins to hurt the teeth but…. calling
Slumdog Millionaire terrible!? C’mon! He was paying homage to Bollywood with a happy ending. Does that make it unsophisticated or dumb? Where does the line exist between the manipulation of Ikiru and Bicycle Thieves which I don’t think anyone here would protest and the manipulation of Danny Boyle which some find ananthema?
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GREAT MOVIES WHERE THE ENDING (ALMOST) RUINS EVERYTHING over 3 years ago
Mystic River seemed like a complete cop out to me at the end. I thought 3/4 of it was great and then… (sigh)
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Favourite year for films over 3 years ago
Definitely 1994: Quiz Show, Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Ed Wood, Hoop DreamsGo to Comment