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I saw Men With Brooms last night. It is one of those quirky, offbeat Canadian comedies

It had some great lines in it though; my favourite one was from a character who describes himself as having a single digit sperm count Following an attempt to impregnate his wife, he exclaims:
"It's not the size of the army, but the fury of its onslaught"

Needless to say, I was ROFLMAO !

Originally posted by dragon wench
I saw Men With Brooms last night. It is one of those quirky, offbeat Canadian comedies

That's the one with Paul Gross isn't it? I really want to see it because I've loved some of the other things he's done (Due South has to be the foremost), but it only got release in Canada, I think, and I can't find it anywhere. Glad you enjoyed it though

Anyone here see The Hours? I was blown away by it.

That's the one with Paul Gross isn't it?

Yes, it is It is, in general, an enjoyable movie. If you were wanting to see it you can order it online at the following :

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 28-6791127

http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/ ... 2236133186

Though probably an expensive way to see just one movie....

Originally posted by fable
If you like fantasy/sci fi films, check out Dreyer's Der Vampyr, though I'm not sure if a restored DVD version is ready yet. I know that this spring a newly restored version of Cocteau's Belle et la Bete (Beauty and the Beast) is planned for release, which remains my favorite fantasy film of all time. The extraordinary atmosphere he achieved is remarkable, particularly when you consider the limitations he was working under; yet he accomplished far more than many modern multi-million dollar budget that rely upon expensive computerized effects.

Now why on earth does Der Vampyr sound familiar, I think I may of seen that one fable. I'll keep an eye out for Belle et la Bete. Sounds quite impressive.

Originally posted by KidD01
"Shaolin Soccer" is another film starred by Stephen Chow. The guy known for numerous comedy and spin off films. In most of his films there is at least one scene which take from anime which literally gonna make you laugh so hard that you hurt your stomach in the process. Try check his other films on http://www.imdb.com if you want a real laughing storm on your way

I thought it was a great movie....

Anyway watched another movie last night...."12 monkeys" (Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt)...
I swear it was even harder then Matrix to understand first time through....

Originally posted by Karembeu
Anyway watched another movie last night...."12 monkeys" (Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt)...
I swear it was even harder then Matrix to understand first time through....

I remember reading the book, long before the movie came out. Its quite complex, especially the ending which seems practically impossible to describe accurately in a film. Never went to see the film as a result. It wouldn't do the book justice IMO.

Originally posted by fable
Have you tried Lang's M? It's frequently called the first film noir. It was also the first film role of Peter Lorre, who looks incredibly young. Fine work with a great deal of tension.

It's one of the great movies. Fritz Lang is one of the most inspired film-makers ever. It is my favorite none US made film although I'm not a huge fan, and have not seen many, not even the classic Battleship Potemkin (which I'm dying to see) or Amelie (which to me would be a surrender to hype- not unlike you and Star Wars ), which I know you loved and now own (I remember everything mentioned in any of my threads).
I was sold just by Lorre's whisteling, not to mention his chilling perfomance.

I was just recently catching up and re-viewing several classics (12 Angry Men, Chinatown, The man who shot Liberty Valance, Serpico, The Lion in winter and many more) and in them there were Lorre's wonderfull performances in Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. I still crack up everytime he says 'You, you bloated idiot!', or when he pulls the gun on Bogart, who just handed the gun to him, and Bogart cracks up (Both in Falcon).

Originally posted by VoodooDali
Anyone here see The Hours? I was blown away by it.

I posted my review in another thread- so I'll copy it to here.

<SNIP>
I'm not sure yet to what degree I like it, but it was very well made, and had quite a few good performances.

I think I've kept it spoiler free, but if you don't want any details, read no further.

It's about 3 women- in 1941, 1951, 2001, who are in some way affected by the book 'Mrs. Dolloway' By virginia Woolf, who is the first character. The movie is about one day in each's life. The three are played very well by Nicole Kidman (Woolf), Julliane Moore (1951) and Merryl streep (2001). Although the stories don't exactly parallel each other, their days all start with breakfast, all involve planning for a party, and all end in saddness.

I think it was hard to connect with the main 3 characters, as they have only 30-35 minutes screen time each, but at least when each one is on screen, I really felt for them. I think Moore's performance struck me most, although Streep's day was most meaningful to me, probably because it was more subdued. I felt that Kidman was too much the setting of the story, and not as much part of it.

The movie has great suppoting characters, actors, and performances.

In Kidman's there is Stephen Dillane's very subdued performance as Mr. Woolf and Miranda Richrdson's performance as her sister, or sister in law (I'm not clear as to which, although I think it's the former).

In Moore's there's Toni Collet, who, although she's only in one scene laft a acharacter with real presence, plus her accent in perfect, far better than it was in Changing Lanes.
There's John C. Reilly, in only three scenes, but I felt he brought to the movie his characters from 'Magnolia' and 'The Good Girl' (Which I just saw on Wednsday). He really is a great actor. This is the fourth movie I've seen him in (As I said, I paln to see the fifth- Chicago, either this coming week or next week), and although he was very similar in three of them, 'Gangs of New York' shows what he could do with a different kind of role.
Jack Rovello, as Moore's son, is also great, especialy for a child actor. He's one of the most adorable kids I've ever seen.

In Streep there are a few- Alisson Janney as her lover, Claire Danes is great as her daughter, Jeff Daniels gives a great one scene performance, and most importantly- Ed Harris gives another wonderful performance as her former lover- he really is one of the greatest actors ever.

The appearence in the end of another character had a real effect on me. That person really gives another element to the story.

It was a good movie, but not great. I think the fact that there was almost no continuity between the elements in the different stories took away from it for me. A movie built primarily by performances, and significantly less by the material, and it should be the other way around.

Although there extremely different movies, and cannot be compared in any of there details, Gangs of New York was IMO far superior and had a much more positive and lasting effects. Definatly should've gotten the globe and should get the oscar. Although I think I'd root for The hours for best ensamble in the SAG awards, which traditionaly does a pretty good job in that category- last year it went to Gosford Park, probably the best ensamble movie I've seen. <SNIP>

I have to see it again to form a concrete opinion, but I still think it was a movie primarily based in performances, less in the story.
Although I was blown away by a certain someone's appearence in the end, and Harris' final scene in the movie. (I'm being very vague for the spoiler free ones among us)

I know this is old, but does anyone have an opinion of my Kubrick post near the top of this page, or last page (depending on how many posts you view per page). It must be about 12-15 post back.

Hey Morlock.

Neat stuff.

Funnily enough, the ones you watched and commented on, I haven't seen myself!

I heard Lyndon was pretty straight, Lolita doesn't float my boat and nor Eyes Wide shut. One day maybe.

Full Metal Jacket and Clockwork Orange are what I think of as "Kubrick" movies. Both shocking but not by today's standards. True masterpieces and pioneering. Beautifully filmed. And I couldn't disagree more with anyone who cries about the rape scene. There are far more disrturbing scenes, like the young Alex's manipulation by the state and his own fascination with violence.

The Shining is just awesome, despite any criticism of departing from the book.

Strangelove, well, I think we are agreeing here, so , I agree with your views on Kubrik movies!

Except 2001... I can understand why you have problems understanding it. But I just adore it. The summation of 1000's of years of human history in the blink of an eye, the monkeys, the monoliths, the Tapiers, the space based whodunnit and the trippy bits. Just great.

"Gentlemen, this is the war room, you can't fight in here!"

"Mandrake - come over here and help me feed this gun!"
"I can't Jack, I've got a gammy leg."

I had to dig out this old thread because I recently saw two movies I found very good.

The first is Chen Kaige's Farewell my concubine, a film that I've wanted to see for many years but never got the opportunity since I refuse to watch films I believe are good at video or DVD. Farewell my concubine is a great epic about China's 20th century history, through the eyes of two boys who are trained to become stars in the famous Peking Opera. Like in Hamlet, there is a theatre within the theatre where they play (in this case the opera) is intervowen in the "real life" story, and one of the best relationship dramas I have ever seen (I am normally bored to death by relationship dramas) unfolds with the Cultural revolution changing the lives of the actors as well as the whole society...Leslie Chough who plays the man who plays the concubine, makes an absolutely brilliant performance. This is one of the best films I have ever seen, 10 out of 10 (if Morlocks grading was 1-10 )

The second is Russian Ark by Alexander Sokurov. It's a film about the last 300 years of Russia's history, about art and about time. It is shot in one singe 95 minute shot with digital camera technique, and the scenes flow into each other as does time and history...we follow two people from other times, one from an older time and one from a more recent time, as they walk through the Hermitage in S:t Petersburg and have this dialogue about what they see and what is happening to them. It's a panorama of music, art and history and it ends with a ball where the Marinsky theatre Orchestra and their director (my favorite director ) Valery Gergiev plays live in the hall. All masterfully done. It may be demanding and it is an unusual film, but see it. 8 out of 10.

Originally posted by C Elegans
The first is Chen Kaige's Farewell my concubine,

I watched this film when I was quite young and I found it slightly boring, I suppose I looked for different films. It seemed an important film and one I should be watching but at the same time I kind of lost interest. Perhaps I should watch it again.

I'm on an entirely different level of film quality at the moment. Yesterday I saw the Bollywood production of Grease and the day before that I saw a very strange Indonesian film where two childhood friends become separated by a woman and fortune (both go to one of the guys), the misfortunate one kidnapping the rich guys daughter and threatening to saw her up at the sawmill, a lot of martial arts fighting, and everyone ends up hugging each other in the end. I cant tell you much of the dialogue, Im afraid.

They show these things on busses and boats here, so I'm a bit of a captive audience. Besides, beats the h... out of the Karaoke stuff they run the rest of the time.

Originally posted by Mr Sleep
I watched this film when I was quite young and I found it slightly boring, I suppose I looked for different films. It seemed an important film and one I should be watching but at the same time I kind of lost interest. Perhaps I should watch it again.

IMO it is an important film, by far the best I've seen from the famous Kaige/Zhang couple. Their films are often so similar in style so you have problems differing one from the other, and this is probably due to Kaige often being behind the camera in Zhang's films. (Zhang has made, among other good films, To Live and Raise the Red Lantern).

It would really be a pity to discredit such a great and multifaceted film as Farewall my concubine because one finds it slightly boring. Certainly it does not have a zillion special effects and fast cuts like Hollywood action films, but it has so many other things I demand from a movie, that those Hollywood movies lack: like a good story and great acting. It also provides a good history lession about modern China And it is amazingly beautiful too. See it.

EDIT: I might be and arty-farty intellectual, but Silur is not, and he loved it as much as I did

My wife and I saw I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) last night. This is one of a continuing series of digital re-transfers being released by Criterion. Not only does it include a great print, but it uses the proper letterbox aspect ratio, and contains several related features (including a 30 minute documentary) on the work.

IKWIG (as its creative team of Powell and Pressburger dubbed it) was made on a black-and-white stock right after WWII, when technicolor film and cameras were temporarily unavailable. It was the tale of a London-based woman who has always known what she's wanted all her life, and has decided to marry a wealthy, nice, but elderly business tycoon. ("You can't marry Consolidated Chemical Industries!" sputters her father. "Can't I?" is her reply.) He has rented a sprawling castle on a distant isle of the remote, nature-claimed Hebrides Islands, off the coast of Scotland, and she's traveling to meet him for the wedding, there. (At first, she things he owns it. Later, she discovers herself pursued by the impoverished young laird of the castle, who says he can rent it for three years on what it takes for him to spend in the castle for six.)

Unfortunately, the weather doesn't cooperate, and she's stuck for days one island short of her goal, where she encounters endless local traditions, people, and scenery, along with the young Laird of Killoran. Her desperation to achieve her goal nearly causes the death of several people, and has a profound effect on her understanding of the culture she's dropped into from London.

I would probably venture to call IKWIG the uber-chick film. It has many of the qualities that succeed so well in romance novels/film making: a self-reliant, intelligent heroine; a rugged hero who is at first the antagonist; a growth in understanding about the world around her, that allows ultimately for a complete change of POV in the heroine. It is that rare creature, a romance film that isn't a romantic comedy. It has some brilliantly comic moments--like the heroine's dream sequence as she sleeps aboard a train, climaxing in a distant shot from above that has the hills covered in tartan as the train passes into Scotland--but that isn't the focus.

There are many things about IKWIG that lift it out of the chick film genre presented by such horrific stuff as Scriptless in Seattle. Powell was in love with the Hebrides, and, unusually for a fictional film of this period, IKWIG is filled with the native flavor of its culture. There's no sense of embarassing "types" as in Hollywood-on-location movies, but rather more than a dozen subsidiary characters, none of them models, who fit naturally into their assigned roles, with or without dialog, and contribute to the film's sense of otherness. The writing is unsentimental and never cloys, but brings out many of the local traditions, superstitions, and myths surrounding the Hebrides in a very natural, apparently impromptu fashion; so that when we attend a party given in honor of the sixtieth wedding anniversary of the Laird of the Campbells, we actually see three bagpipers playing as the floor shakes under the heels of dancers; and we observe an extremely good amateur a capella group sing a glee. IGWIG takes its time to give us the full value of these things, and we're left grateful for the sense of connection. How different it feels than Pretty Lady, with a cliched plot hitched to endless shopping sprees and "let's do lunch" dates.

The extraordinary beauty of the film was captured without false studio effect--in fact, Powell said they never used a smoke machine; all their fog, brilliant sunshine, gales, and and scenery was natural. Powell himself loved Scotland, and spent all the time he could there when not working on films. Everything save the interiors (and shots with the Laird) were made on location, near a village of several hundred inhabitants which was largest settlement on the isle. (Powell had initially cast the prominent actor James Mason as the Laird, but Mason backed out when he was told he'd off to "rough it" on the accomodations.) Erwin Hillier, the editor on the film, was a student of Fritz Lang, and much preferred the heavily contrasted depth photography he'd been trained in to the soft-edged, romantic tone of Hollywood, or the stolid b&w of London.

The script is subtle, rich, and impeccably characterized, with a lot going on beneath the surface. (For example, the wealthy tycoon beau, and Kiloran itself--the island where the heroine wants to desperately go for her marriage--are never shown. They are intangible, unreal; something that the reality of environment and culture where the heroine is tries to point out to her. And on another level, there's an unstated three-way contrast among the heroine, an ambitious, educated, lower-class girl, the tycoon and his new money, waiting out the war safely in his island castle, and the traditional upper-middle class landowners and gentry of the Hebrides, impoverished by war deprivations but quietly, heroically making do.) The acting is flawless, without any of the "beautiful people" syndrome in evidence which has so dogged cinema over the years. A comparative failure upon its release (critics and audience weren't in the mood for mystical landscapes and romance after WWII), it's racked up numerous awards and a very large following, since. Martin Scorsese says it's among his top three favorite films. Others have followed suit. Although a few stylistic points creak with age (notably the use of music in the background behind dialog in some sections), this is a powerful, lyrical, intimate film with enormous replay value. If you're looking for the perfect film to see with a date, or a loved one, consider this. Even if you're not, consider it, anyway. In its warm celebration of human values, you won't regret it.

Went to see I,Robot this morning (as AC is an obsessive science fiction type person), and thought that it was descent, but I've seen better in both the genre and from Will Smith.

What it really reminded me of was one of the branch stories of the Animatrix, The Renaissance. The premise was a bit cliched: humans create robots, think they are harmless, and robots turn on humans. What sets the story apart is the fact that the robots aren't, in fact, willingly turning on their creators.

It's the 2030's, and robots have become the new work force. One robot for every five humans, they serve in business, janitorial, household, and military work. Of course, this is a problem for the working class man as robots are more efficient and do not have to be paid, so many people lose their jobs in this revolution.

All robots are programmed with what becomes known as the three "core" laws. One, robots can not harm people, intentionally or inadvertanly; two, a robot must protect a person if they are in danger; and three, a robot must protect itself so long as it doesn't break the first or second laws. Robots must follow all of these rules, and without willpower they must obey all commands.

Will Smith plays police detective Spooner, over-zealous in his quest to prove that robots are, in fact, a major threat to society. Of course, he is always laughed off as no robot has ever, or is even capable, of commiting any sort of crime. But days before the newest model of robot with the most powerful AI to date, the NS 5, is released to the public Dr. Miles Hogenmiller, the "creator of robots", commits suicide for no apparent reason. As Spooner tries to figure out why Hogenmiller had him paged upon death the detective is attacked by an ominous NS 5 robot at the murder scene who doesn't respond to any commands given.

This robot, who calls itself "Sonny", claims to feel, think, and dream just as humans do. Spooner believes Sonny is not only a murderer, but is also malfunctioning drone with nothing driving him but a flawed system. Sonny is to be decommisioned for being a "potential threat", but Spooner's suspicions of all robots all come into play as all the NS 5s released internationally suddenly turn, literally taking the world hostage. It would seem Sonny's dreams are the key to understanding what Dr. Hogenmiller already knew would happen and, hopefully, how to stop it.

I, Robot is just one of those films you go out and see for fun, but don't already have a high expectation for it. As far as sci-fi goes I'd say that it is a neat look into what may become earth's future, but the plot's been done. Acting was mediocre considering the stars, and there were a few slow points in the movie that seemed to lag on. But hey, it all starts out with a twenty second scene of Will Smith in the shower, so I can't argue.

Just felt like resurrecting this thread. Not sure why. But I've come a long way since the chats with Georgie and Sleepy. I'm really a serious soon-to-be filmmaker now. I'm almost ashamed by how naive and novice-like I sounded then.
And my film score collection has come a VERY long way. (BTW Fable, I know actually have two versions of The Big Country, and you're right- withou a doubt one of the finest scores ever. Moross was very underrated)

Just saw Last Orders. It has some real beautiful moments. It stars Michael Caine, David Hemmings, Tom Courtenay and Bob Hoskins as four old friends, drinking buddies. Caine dies, and the otehr three, together with Caine's son, played by Roy Winstone, go on a trip to scatter his ashes.
The actors are all so superb, it's amazing to behold.
I am constantly struck by Tom Courtenay. There is an element of youth to him, of really a young man stuck in an old man's body.
You really get the feeling like you know these people, like you've been following them their whole lives. I grew up on the Man Who Would Be King, Dr. Zhivago, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. And it's all the more poignant that Hemmings is now gone. Such a great generation of actors, those British guys from the 60's and 70's. And we're losing them, one by one- Hemmings, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Alan Bates.
It's kinda funny that Reed, Harris, Hemmings and Derek Jacobi all had a late surge with Gladiator.
Can't really go into much more detail- but all the actors do such a beautiful job in this. I was really carried along by the emotions. Anyone who grew up on movies in the 60's and 70's (before my time, but I still grew up on them ) should see this movie.

Saw Hidalgo and Troy recently (amongst other things)

I was impressed by Troy and the way Hollywood managed to boil down a 12 year (if I remember right) war down to a weekend with a 14 days vacation in between
But the movie was nicely made and the combat (especially Achilleus and Hektors fight) was well coreographed, I just hated that Brad Pitt got to play Achilleus, so he wouln'd die soon in the movie. Would also have loved to see the Gods actually having some influence. It was way to watered down for what I had hoped compared to Homer's story. Oh well - wonder if we will see an Odyssys spin soon? But guess he can sail home on a weekend as well

Hildago was boring in my oppinion, and didn't speak towards me at all, so I'll just leave it at that.

I liked Troy, too. Especially the spear-throwing and the spear fights.

I've seen both Spider-Man and King Arthur last week. I was really impressed by S-Man. Part two was soooo much better then part one. Normally, I'm a big fan of fighting scenes and I live from fighting scene to scene, hoping for the rest to be over quick. However, this time the movie managed to keep my interest the whole time. I was impressed.
I also LMAO when *spoiler* spidey had to take the elevator to get off a building.

King Arthur disappointed me IMHO. The battles didn't impress me in the least, the dialogs were crappy and the acting, well, lets not go into that...

Ya, I liked sm2, Elevator scene was funny, "Ya, it kinda itches in the crotch" , and I also saw the Bourne Supremacy... VERY awesome movie. Awesome action scenes, awesome plot, and you find out what "jason bourne's" real name is.