The Movie Thread

Sorry, I just never gave film critics too much respect, well, mostly because I reserve it for the filmmakers. I've read and had to "critique" enough film criticism to know how much is imagined bs, but then hey that's their privelege and their livelihood. A film critic for me is not much more than a restaurant critic, sure some of them can wax lyrical and express their opinions with more grace than others, but in the end they will never receive more respect from me than even the lowliest b-movie director for simply expressing one's taste on the subject.

Hey I can enjoy Masculin/Feminin as well as Wrath of Kahn, it's not such a great stretch to be able to enjoy a film just for what it is or tries to be. But unlike her I prefer to try and understand where the director is coming from and love it or leave it at that, rather than twist his or her agenda to fit my own conclusions just because it makes for better or more interesting writing -- not unlike your typical high school book report.
 
Oh, I can't stand most critics, believe me. As I said, Kael is one of the few I respect. Most of them are pretentious clowns, especially the ones on tv. I cringe everytime one them says something like "Blah blah blah, therefore I can't recommend that you see this movie." WTF qualifies them to critique movies, what credentials do they bring to the profession? Aren't most of them, like, former weathermen?

H
 
Anybody else see the Japanese film "Battle Royale?"
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Never heard of it. Looks interesting, unique to say the least. I'm putting it in my Netflix queue.

Have you seen "City of God"? One of my favorites of all time, also about violence among children.

H
 
No, haven't seen that one. I'll have to check it out.

Yeah, NetFlix is where we got Royale too. I doubt it will be on TV anytime soon!

It was my first exposure to Japanese cinema. I guess there is usually lots "symbolism" in their films. Seems to be true with BR, also. Note that it, of course, has subtitles.

For other film buffs who like to stretch their boundaries a little...picture this, middle school kids, complete with uniforms and cute pleated skirts, are thrust on an island and forced to kill each other with randomly supplied weapons - guns, knives, axes...

Bizarre.
 
I always get the subtitled versions of foreign films. The dubbed versions suck suck suck.

City of God is Brazilian, I believe. A masterpiece.

A great Japanese film is "Old Boy". But if you're going to see it don't read any reviews because they might give away the plot. It has one of the most amazing, shocking plot twists that I've ever seen.

H
 
Quote from hcour:

I always get the subtitled versions of foreign films. The dubbed versions suck suck suck.

City of God is Brazilian, I believe. A masterpiece.
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Yep, for a truly, seriously appalling dubbed film, you cant go past "black mask", with jet li.
Im not sure, if it was the dubbing that made it so bad, or if it would have stunk equally in chinese /cantonese, at a guess, yeah, it would.

Late friday night foreign film fare at best, the kind your sitting in a stupor on the couch from insomnia, desperately trying to keep a scotch on the rocks from spilling, and wondering , "wasnt i going to bed two hours ago? What happened there?
And why am i still watching this??Oh, im sO drunk. "


Im sure ive mentioned this before, in fact in the genre of late night foreign film, where your watching something because its on, rather than what you may have heard about it, that i stumbled upon City of God.

It was truly amazing, im not sure why.......i suspect the "pace" of the plot was just right, the sheer grittiness, and realism of this movie should be dumbfounding to the average hollywood raised cinema buff.
A masterpeice, no question.

Illiquid, while i get what you mean, by simply listening to the director's motif, and absorbing a film on that basis, i have to say, WATERWORLD.

No amount of directors intention's could convince me that movie, even on a completely existential, artistic basis, didnt totally suck.
 
Syriana.

I liked this film, very much.
Perhaps, its just a partial mental backlash to "lord of war", which stank, but this was a good movie, it manage's to carry, and in fact move, a serious amount of baggage , without ridiculous fantacism.

Clooney was outstanding, really, given he started his career in "Attack of the killer tomatoes", maybe it's just a real change from playing suave, debonair types who always win, i dont know, but he did well in this role, an almost realistic mix of sincerity and pragmatism, with a dash of altruism.

Perhaps, not seen since harrison fords "mosquito coast", i think a great film in its own right, and better than most of the rubbish he ended up in.

Not saying, he wasnt very good in witness, or bladerunner, but this is a rare occasion where i could , legitimately compare dramatic performances, within the context of the respective films.

Without giving away any respective plot, etc.
 
Quote from acronym:

Illiquid, while i get what you mean, by simply listening to the director's motif, and absorbing a film on that basis, i have to say, WATERWORLD.

No amount of directors intention's could convince me that movie, even on a completely existential, artistic basis, didnt totally suck.
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The point I was trying to make was, say if some critic praised waterworld as a satirical critique of global warming, it's totally besides the point, which is that it sucked.

I might be wrong, but I think the words Kevin, Costner, artistic, and existential are banned from sharing the same sentence.

Oldboy is Korean.
 
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