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Herc, that's quite similar. Amadeus and a Wes Anderson movie (Tenenbaums in my case) seems to be some recurring recipe... 
I now remember I watched the prison film "Papillon" in school aswell. I should become an elementary school teacher and show the kids "2001" to take it to the logical conclusion...
..."Mulholland Dr." in a post-natal ward. That is surely endgame.
+1 
I'm deducing that this getting-shown-arthouse-films-in-school is maybe more of a European phenomenon? I was educated here in the States, and the films we were shown weren't what I'd call "artsy." Not at all. They were those awful, easily lampooned educational films and maybe a Disney film every blue moon. Were you guys getting shown Truffaut and shit?
(Or maybe it's that over here we often automatically call any film not made in the U.S. an "arthouse" movie. Whereas, if you're in Europe, European films are probably just called "films.")
+1
For High School Spanish, we went to see a Menudo movie
Actually, films we were shown as actual part of the class movies, as opposed to "don't feel like teaching" stuff, were rather rare. I remember watching "Bless the Beasts and the Children" after reading the book in English. Rather shocking language to my tender ears
I loved Behind the Mask and am quite upset that I don't know where my DVD ended up.
The Linklater, Delpy, and Hawke "BEFORE" series.
I feel like I just ran a philosophical triathlon. The thinking man's chick flick. Wait, these aren't chick flicks, are they? Wait, what the heck is a chick flick anyway? Wait, what is life anyway? I need a nap. It's 2AM. I need to go to sleep.
Can't wait to see Boyhood.
Last edited by Sam F (2014-07-18 06:31:58)
Same, sort of....
Which strangely enough reminds me...
I saw Sabotage (AKA that one with Arnie as a DEA agent).
Twas ok. I'm not really sure what the point of it all was, as the themes got sort of loss amongst the big action sequences. What I mean is that there rarely appeared a moment where the film stopped and reflected upon what had just happened. Maybe that was the point.
Squiggly, your sufferance was not entirely in vain, as I got a few laughs out of your write-up, cheers.
Jodorowsky's Dune
I won't speak to the technical side of this documentary, as it is your simple follow the story of the history of something with talking heads. However, that story is fascinating. It focuses on this rather crazy director who wanted to do a movie based on Dune without bothering to read the book. In fact, while someone obviously did indeed read it, Jodorowsky himself seems to have missed the actual message of the book, substituting his own. My sister commented that it seems the unmade movies tend to be more brilliant than the ones which make it onto film, and that seems to be the case here. I can't see the thing working, although it would have been a fascinating train wreck. If I have a criticism of the documentary, it is that there are no dissenting opinions. All interviewed love the director, although his son basically said he was abused a bit while "trained" to play Paul.
I will mention this quote, which takes something said on WAYDM in a slightly different direction:
"When you make a picture, you must not respect the novel. It's like you get married, no? You go with the wife, white, the woman is white... you take the woman, if you respect the woman, you will never have a child. You need to [makes a ripping sound] open the costume and to... To rape the bride. And then you will have your picture. I was raping Frank Herbert, raping, like this! But with love, with love."- Jodorowsky
Jodorowsky's Dune
I won't speak to the technical side of this documentary, as it is your simple follow the story of the history of something with talking heads. However, that story is fascinating. It focuses on this rather crazy director who wanted to do a movie based on Dune without bothering to read the book. In fact, while someone obviously did indeed read it, Jodorowsky himself seems to have missed the actual message of the book, substituting his own. My sister commented that it seems the unmade movies tend to be more brilliant than the ones which make it onto film, and that seems to be the case here. I can't see the thing working, although it would have been a fascinating train wreck. If I have a criticism of the documentary, it is that there are no dissenting opinions. All interviewed love the director, although his son basically said he was abused a bit while "trained" to play Paul.
I will mention this quote, which takes something said on WAYDM in a slightly different direction:
"When you make a picture, you must not respect the novel. It's like you get married, no? You go with the wife, white, the woman is white... you take the woman, if you respect the woman, you will never have a child. You need to [makes a ripping sound] open the costume and to... To rape the bride. And then you will have your picture. I was raping Frank Herbert, raping, like this! But with love, with love."- Jodorowsky
Wow. It sounds really interesting and now I want to watch it. However, I think I can add in my own dissenting opinion, because I have a great deal of respect for Frank Herbert, and have read his biography as well as many of his quotes.
I find Jodorowsky's opinion fascinating, but kind of odd at the same time. Not sure how to explain that and hopefully watching the doc will help...
Directed by Michael Crichton in 1973.
Intriguing premise - holiday role-playing in your favourite adult theme park. How would you spend your days?
Now it'd be done with VR or memory implant rather than having to build an actual fake physical world. We all crave the "authentic" today.
The much more interesting first half had themes that overlapped with Total Recall and Truman Show. And like Jurassic Park, the scientists lose control of the theme park and the artificial creations run riot.
The second half just regressed into a cheap proto-Terminator stalking set-up, with no explanation. Lots of missed opportunities for tension.
It's very dated now in terms of effects, score, slow dialogue, action beats, and showing off "new" technology that is now comical. And it's prudish, even for the 70s. I suppose it might have impressed in its day.
All in all, an interesting historical curiosity. 6/10.
Due for a remake... http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio … ood-remake
Last edited by avatar (2014-07-27 14:20:34)
Wow. It sounds really interesting and now I want to watch it. However, I think I can add in my own dissenting opinion, because I have a great deal of respect for Frank Herbert, and have read his biography as well as many of his quotes.
I find Jodorowsky's opinion fascinating, but kind of odd at the same time. Not sure how to explain that and hopefully watching the doc will help...
I saw him in person in the British Library earlier this month (and combined with the info on his WIKI page) it's clear he's living on another planet. He's into some crazy shit like carrying tarot cards around all his life and consulting them. I think he makes David Lynch look normal.
Here's the full British Library event...
Last edited by avatar (2014-07-26 12:45:01)
I like tarot cards. They're no good for telling you anything about the future or other people, but ARE a way to figure out what you yourself are thinking. A meditation tool, in other words. As a teen, I had a theory that I was unconsciously stacking the deck as I shuffled, but that was just silly
(my "occult" phase didn't last long, as I found it was as silly as the religion I was leaving, but there are interesting things to be found)
It's OK for a generic late 90s fantasy action flick. It doesn't do anything too stupid
Wow,... that almost makes me wan to see it... compared to movies that come out now, I miss the 90s. 
Anyway, Hercules is about the 'actual' story of Hercules, like the legends are loosely based on an actual guy or something.
Uh, yes.
And then, for some reason, they start in on trying to convince him to agree to protect the city, even though he already did. He didn't refuse the call to action, but they still went through the motions you'd have to go through if he had refused. It's fucking weird. The scene where he finally decides to accept the call isn't in there either, because he already had.
Okay, that was the fault of my new personal assistant. They thought it was a refusal of the call, but when they called to confirm, really I just didn't get the call because my PA gave them the wrong area-code, so it was this whole thing where they thought I wasn't on board and I thought they were being weird and pushy. We laughed about it later though.
Anyway, I told the filmmakers to leave that kerfuffle out of the adaptation, or to add a scene showing my refusal of the call, but they said that wouldn't be accurate and they wouldn't want to disrespect my story.
I saw Lucy yesterday.
It's...fantastic? Never expected to use that word to describe it but it totally is. There's this kind of madcap brilliance in the way it devolves into complete incoherency, and it works pretty well as a commentary on the lack of respect for human life in recent superhero movies.
One of the most popular conspiracy theories presented in movie form. Despite the considerable length (the Director's Cut is almost 3.5 hours long), the film managed to hold my attention for the whole time. A good story, even though most of it is probably bullshit.
A great movie for the "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" game, almost everyone is in it.
+1
Atonement (2007) - 8/10 (7.8)
Moving, sad story of unfulfilled love based on a novel. Great cinematography, including an incredible steadicam oner.
The ending is extremely effective in fleshing out characters and rounding out the previous material.
Through the bulk of it I had a slight nagging feeling that some scenes could have been slightly better directed or edited or staged for a better "punch", but I might be spoiled by for example Terrence Malick and his seemingly flawless emotional stirring in for example "The Thin Red Line", which Atonement reminded me a great deal of in overall themes and some aspects of the execution.
Very recommended though, acting overall is excellent, McAvoy, Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, and others.
Dario Marianellis score is also pretty great, incorporating rhythmic clacking of typewriters and some other worldly sounds. The music during the steadicam scene (you'll know it when you get there) is almost worth seeing the movie on its own, there's some interaction with on-screen singers and the score that was blissfully beautiful.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - 7/10 (8.0)
Positively surprised by this. At the end we do get a bit of the expected CGI stuff, but this movie is filled with actual scenes, where people tend to actually have conversations that deepens the characters.
It's surprisingly laid back alot of the time, and the tempo not being constantly breakneck allows for the audience to process the themes and situations better.
Also contains some, frankly, very well shot action. There's a car chase that feels like it might aswell be out of Fast 5, feels very practical, and understated in a way where the movies does its best to allow you to understand what is happening, and thus actually feel tension, not just confusion or claustrophobia from shakycam or quick-cutting. The movie being mainly about The Captain and Black Widow, there is also a sense of peril since they are basically human, and not completely overpowered in some sense.
The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009) - 7/10 (6.8)
Crime thriller, girl is kidnapped by two men to allow for ransom, but a seemingly very straightforward situation becomes far from it. Actually a very solid story and screenplay, understated and very solid digital cinematography with muted colors, and great acting by all involved. At some points the movie did things I just couldn't agree with logically, but then explained them a short while later. So overall very solid.
Locke (2013) - 8/10 (7.2)
Tom Hardy in a car, having phone conversations. And I found it more riveting than many other films. Not much can be said since the film is basically the screenplay (apparently the film was shot over a few nights with Hardy each night performing the film in its entirety like a play).
If you like movies where the screenplay and performances are allowed front stage, see it. Understated, human, natural, realistic.
Charlie Wilson's War (2007) - 7/10 (7.1)
Drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
Nice little flick overall. Not that big in scope at all, feels very intimate, and very charming and "breezy" to watch. Hanks, Seymour-Hoffman, Amy Adams among others do a great job.
Sabotage (2014) - 5/10 (5.8)
I don't know... This screenplay just wasn't very interesting. Arnold leads weird taskforce entirely filled with macho people with stupid "cool" nicknames. They start dying one by one, Arnold investigates with a cop. Meh. Seems juvenile in ways, and any ideas in it have been done better before.
Even if you like the genre this can probably be skipped.
Deja Vu (2006) - 7/10 (7.0)
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A positive surprise, finally saw this and I was thoroughly entertained. Law Enforcement through time travel, only instead of Van Damme we now follow Denzel Washington. I was expecting a flashy, dumb movie but it was actually weighted more towards drama than action. Well-shot, well-acted. Kilmer is great in this.
I sense this could have been better with more polish, but quite satisfying as is.
Last edited by TechNoir (2014-08-08 20:37:59)
Just watched Apocalypse Now for the first time...what is there to say? A complete masterpiece. My only issue is a total nitpick—the synthesized score works well in some places, but in others it's just a bit too dated (this is less an actual flaw and more just me, I think; the only time synths have truly worked for me are in The Who's early 70s albums and Vangelis' score for Blade Runner).
A WAYDM on it would be interesting, if for no other reason than discussion of the absolutely hellish conditions under which it was filmed.
Which one did you watch? The theatrical version, or the extended? There's lots of differences.
I saw the theatrical; luckily for me it's freely available on Netflix, since the DVD is harder to track down.
You've seen 'Hearts of Darkness' right? Well worth looking up if you haven't.
You've seen 'Hearts of Darkness' right? Well worth looking up if you haven't.
I have not as of yet, but now that I've seen the film I certainly intend to; heard nothing but praise for it.
Recently re-watched it on the big screen, and I'm convinced Apocalypse Now is the best film ever made. Don't think anything before or since will ever reach that combination of artistry and incredible big-budget scale. The lighting alone makes me want to cry its so gorgeous.
The movie is SO good, it makes you depressed at how unambitious and ugly 99% of movies, especially in the last 15 years, are by comparison.
Also, Hearts of Darkness is a must-see, to really show you what it takes to create a film like that.
Blame Nancy Reagan's "Just say No" campaign. Not enough young filmmakers are on coke.
+1
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