Movies you've just watched

[Skykid]

Two from Richard Linklater:

Before Sunrise

Before Sunset

Two superb movies that belong with each other as much as their central characters. Seemingly all you need is dialogue, love, and a European city, and the next thing you know you have some kind of enduring commentary on youth and the winding paths of adult life. Pretty remarkable, and not what I was expecting. I'll be sure to catch next year's threequel in theatres.

[CMoon]

OK, finished watching Felidae. I'll have to watch it subtitled, but is the last line suppose do be a sexual reference? Either way, pretty goddamn good film.

Edit: I'm realizing, Felidae is something like if the director of Watership Down and Plague Dogs, along with Don Bluth, made their own animated, animal version of 'To Live and Die in LA'. Obviously this isn't for everyone, but wow.

[njiska]

Edit: I'm realizing, Felidae is something like if the director of Watership Down and Plague Dogs, along with Don Bluth, made their own animated, animal version of 'To Live and Die in LA'. Obviously this isn't for everyone, but wow.

That's one hell of a pitch.

[xbl0x180]

Two from Richard Linklater:

Before Sunrise

Before Sunset

Two superb movies that belong with each other as much as their central characters. Seemingly all you need is dialogue, love, and a European city, and the next thing you know you have some kind of enduring commentary on youth and the winding paths of adult life. Pretty remarkable, and not what I was expecting. I'll be sure to catch next year's threequel in theatres.

I'm surprised you hadn't seen at least Before Sunrise. I fell in love with this movie back in the mid-90s. It's one of the few I have seen at least a dozen times. Slacker was my first Linklater film, though, and it is still most excellent 20 years later

[GaijinPunch]

Didn't dig on slacker. As I went to school in Austin, Dazed and Confused has always been the quintessential Linklater film.

[xbl0x180]

Dazed And Confused was a modern version of American Graffiti, which isn't a bad comparison at all since I loved that film as well. There is very little Richard Linklater has directed that I have not immediately enjoyed seeing and hearing

[drauch]

Yeah, Before Sunrise/Sunset are really good movies to watch and realize how lonely you are.

Watched Latitude Zero tonight - Decent Sci-fi Toho film. Interesting cast of primarily white folks; shot in English, even. Giant rats falling into a pool of acid was the highlight. A griffin appears but doesn't get enough screen time. Patricia Medina's boobies kinda save it, though.

[Skykid]

I'm surprised you hadn't seen at least Before Sunrise.

To be honest, after looking at the DVD cover it took my brother five minutes of hard negotiation to convince me to watch it.

D&C was my first Linklater film. Clearly a director of genuine class.

[xbl0x180]

Yeah, Before Sunrise/Sunset are really good movies to watch and realize how lonely you are.

I thought Marty, Taxi Driver, or Solaris would be more fitting. I used to watch Before Sunrise for inspiration to go out there and meet people. Never met my own Celine, though

[drauch]

Yeah, that's fair enough. Mainly depresses me because I've never met Celine either. Marty is pretty inspiring, yet kinda discouraging with the whole "ugly people can only love ugly people" vibe that society gives off.

[xbl0x180]

Marty was a sad movie. This scene really hit a nerve...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGPWgCWaN3M

[drauch]

Yeah... I need to watch it again sometime. That reminds me of talking to my mom. /

[Raytrace]

Dazed And Confused was a modern version of American Graffiti, which isn't a bad comparison at all since I loved that film as well. There is very little Richard Linklater has directed that I have not immediately enjoyed seeing and hearing

Dazed and Confused is amaze - call me an old man, but 'Sweet Emotion' fading in over footage of muscle cars is some cool shit...

what a soundtrack - man that's some good drivin music (now I really sound old ahhaaha)

[GaijinPunch]

Dazed and Confused

I was born just about the time the year in the movie was rolling around... or was at best a toddler. So, I have very little affection for the era. However, what I do remember as a child was not much after that, so it's not too far off. However, there are so many classic moments in the movie: The hazing of the junior high students, and in a moment of semi self-parody where Anthony mentions how the community basically supports it by selling concessions. Oh, the good old days. CPS would be all over the fucking place now.

The cast as well. Love Parker Posey. Such a cunt in this movie. Not the biggest role by a stretch, but the whole initiation sequence when she goes off on a tirade was excellent. Also, Slater's tangent about Washington growing weed, and cults, and aliens and shit. Hahaha... gotta watch that again.

</PCEFX>

Back on topic...

Since I got the Alien Anthology box set, I figured I'd watch Ressurection for the first time since seeing it in the theater back when I was a university student. Wow, what a turd. I can appreciate ambience now more than I could when I saw this way back when. This movie has none of what the first three had. They definitely should not have made this one.

[Nana]

A Tale of Two Sisters.

Nice art direction half the time, and the plot was at least interesting? But damn, that was a boring horror movie. The grudge segments were totally pointless and added nothing to the atmosphere of the movie. It started out seeming like it was going to be one of those meandering mood pieces, and the whole movie was practically shot like it was supposed to be one, but this is pretty much ruined by being interspersed with stupid shit every ten minutes, and the actual 'walk around and look at stuff' parts never really evolved throughout the film anyway.

I hear a lot of people like this movie, but I don't really get why. Yes, I understand the plot, but I think I'm missing something else here. Or maybe I just got spoiled by Gozu and Crash.

[Raytrace]

Dazed and Confused

I was born just about the time the year in the movie was rolling around... or was at best a toddler. So, I have very little affection for the era. However, what I do remember as a child was not much after that, so it's not too far off. However, there are so many classic moments in the movie: The hazing of the junior high students, and in a moment of semi self-parody where Anthony mentions how the community basically supports it by selling concessions. Oh, the good old days. CPS would be all over the fucking place now.

Well as I was born in 1977 I was definitely a toddler during the era too - and to be honest that era would have looked a WHOLE lot different over here in late 1970's Ireland. But sill, I do love some classic rock and due to a lot of the TV programs I would have watched growing up, I suppose I feel an affinity for that era. I also realised as I get older that more and more of the 'classic radio rock' type stuff I would have winced at when I was young (when I was into DK, ST type music etc.), now it comes on the radio and I'm just 'yeah thats some good drivin sh1t' hahaha the older I get the greater my tolerance for that type of music increases .

[Skykid]

A Tale of Two Sisters.
I hear a lot of people like this movie, but I don't really get why. Yes, I understand the plot, but I think I'm missing something else here.

You're not missing anything, it's vastly overrated drivel.

(A.Resurrection)This movie has none of what the first three had. They definitely should not have made this one...Dazed and Confused/Awesome

There you go, total film taste synergy.

[EmperorIng]

While I'll be the first to admit Alien3 has problems (a lot of them in fact), I think it's at least buoyed by a superb sense of atmosphere (highly enhanced by Elliot Goldenthaal's emotive, incredible score), and at its best, its heart is definitely in the right place. Yes, it was plagued by lazy writing, multiple hands being changed, and questionable set and script choices, but the sets ooze life (or rather, lifelessness), the actors are a step up from Cameron's [lovable] cartoon characters*, delivering great performances (Charles Dutton in particular), and it was a conclusive, if bleak, end to Ripley's arc.

Alien: Resurrection should have been subtitled The Wacky Ron Perlman and Winona Ryder Hijinks Hour because that's basically what the movie is and the only way to enjoy it is to immerse yourself in the implied homosexual relationship budding between Ron Perlman's character and that hideous wheelchair guy. Oh, or have fun with lines like "Johner you INBRED MOTHERFUCKER!" painfully emoted by Winona Ryder, who looks and sounds like a 6-year-old trying to swear, or "Earth man, what a shithole!" masterfully delivered by Ron Perlman.

The movie gets bonus points for using its lame-brain humor to try and sabotage the series' mythos. You don't know how much I cringed when that one nameless character (because every character in the movie was not memorable... hell, even Alien3 had Dillon and Clemens!) said that Weyland-Yutani was "bought out by WalMart." Goddammit Jeunet leave your fucking shitty French humor out of my Alien movie.

Though it funny to keep count of just how many people and/or aliens jam their fingers into Winona Ryder's body. She may look like a 12-year old trap, but I guess in the future everyone wants a piece of that.

*James Cameron can't write for shit. He wasn't able to, even when he made good movies. The only Cameron movie with decent writing was probably Terminator, and I'm unsure if he was the sole author there.

[GaijinPunch]

While I'll be the first to admit Alien3 has problems (a lot of them in fact), I think it's at least buoyed by a superb sense of atmosphere (highly enhanced by Elliot Goldenthaal's emotive, incredible score), and at its best, its heart is definitely in the right place. Yes, it was plagued by lazy writing, multiple hands being changed, and questionable set and script choices, but the sets ooze life (or rather, lifelessness), the actors are a step up from Cameron's [lovable] cartoon characters*, delivering great performances (Charles Dutton in particular), and it was a conclusive, if bleak, end to Ripley's arc.

Couldn't agree more. It has it's issues, but it's greatly underrated. Most people couldn't get over the fact that they killed Newt & Hicks. Yeah, it sucks, but them's the breaks. Couldn't agree more about Dutton -- he was awesome, and I think if someone else was cast and didn't pull it off, it might have killed it for me. A handful of the other prisoners, though nameless [mainly], were memorable, including Pete Postlethwaite.

Not dissing the first two. They rock in their own right, but I think Alien 3 gets shit on a lot, maybe b/c it came after the high-action rendition of Aliens. It also has perhaps the worst line in non-B movie cinematic history. A free Pepsi to whomever can recite it. It is truly gut-wrenching, and I'm thinking Fincher put it in as a little fuck-you.

[Skykid]

While I'll be the first to admit Alien3 has problems (a lot of them in fact), I think it's at least buoyed by a superb sense of atmosphere (highly enhanced by Elliot Goldenthaal's emotive, incredible score), and at its best, its heart is definitely in the right place. Yes, it was plagued by lazy writing, multiple hands being changed, and questionable set and script choices, but the sets ooze life (or rather, lifelessness), the actors are a step up from Cameron's [lovable] cartoon characters*, delivering great performances (Charles Dutton in particular), and it was a conclusive, if bleak, end to Ripley's arc.

Couldn't agree more. It has it's issues, but it's greatly underrated. Most people couldn't get over the fact that they killed Newt & Hicks. Yeah, it sucks, but them's the breaks. Couldn't agree more about Dutton -- he was awesome, and I think if someone else was cast and didn't pull it off, it might have killed it for me. A handful of the other prisoners, though nameless [mainly], were memorable, including Pete Postlethwaite.

Not dissing the first two. They rock in their own right, but I think Alien 3 gets shit on a lot, maybe b/c it came after the high-action rendition of Aliens. It also has perhaps the worst line in non-B movie cinematic history. A free Pepsi to whomever can recite it. It is truly gut-wrenching, and I'm thinking Fincher put it in as a little fuck-you.

I could never understand the hate for Alien 3, I just considered it to be its own beast. I assume people were high on Aliens (can't blame them for that) and expected a continuation of gung-ho merc action: Fincher obviously had a different tune in mind. It's a shame the religious sub-plot was axed so considerably (originally the planet was meant to house a convent rather than a prison), but a decent portion of Paul McGann's biblical madness is retained in the non-official director's cut.

Speaking of good actors, that's one of 3's most prominent features: Dutton, McGann, Postlethwaite, Charles Dance and Brian Glover were all on fine form.

It is bleak, but in spite of its sterility it's got a lot more going for it as an atmospheric horror film than Resurrection and Prometheus because it plugged into the Alien mythos without overcomplicating or undoing it.

[jonny5]

While I'll be the first to admit Alien3 has problems (a lot of them in fact), I think it's at least buoyed by a superb sense of atmosphere (highly enhanced by Elliot Goldenthaal's emotive, incredible score), and at its best, its heart is definitely in the right place. Yes, it was plagued by lazy writing, multiple hands being changed, and questionable set and script choices, but the sets ooze life (or rather, lifelessness), the actors are a step up from Cameron's [lovable] cartoon characters*, delivering great performances (Charles Dutton in particular), and it was a conclusive, if bleak, end to Ripley's arc.

Couldn't agree more. It has it's issues, but it's greatly underrated. Most people couldn't get over the fact that they killed Newt & Hicks. Yeah, it sucks, but them's the breaks. Couldn't agree more about Dutton -- he was awesome, and I think if someone else was cast and didn't pull it off, it might have killed it for me. A handful of the other prisoners, though nameless [mainly], were memorable, including Pete Postlethwaite.

Not dissing the first two. They rock in their own right, but I think Alien 3 gets shit on a lot, maybe b/c it came after the high-action rendition of Aliens. It also has perhaps the worst line in non-B movie cinematic history. A free Pepsi to whomever can recite it. It is truly gut-wrenching, and I'm thinking Fincher put it in as a little fuck-you.

I could never understand the hate for Alien 3, I just considered it to be its own beast. I assume people were high on Aliens (can't blame them for that) and expected a continuation of gung-ho merc action: Fincher obviously had a different tune in mind. It's a shame the religious sub-plot was axed so considerably (originally the planet was meant to house a convent rather than a prison), but a decent portion of Paul McGann's biblical madness is retained in the non-official director's cut.

Speaking of good actors, that's one of 3's most prominent features: Dutton, McGann, Postlethwaite, Charles Dance and Brian Glover were all on fine form.

It is bleak, but in spite of its sterility it's got a lot more going for it as an atmospheric horror film than Resurrection and Prometheus because it plugged into the Alien mythos without overcomplicating or undoing it.

Agreed. Re-watched it recently(HD release) and it wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered, CGI aside.

[EmperorIng]

Resurrection is fun as a shitty, terrible B-movie. The amount of absurdity that they try to make you take seriously takes the mockery to new levels of fun (like the retarded ricocheting bullet guy). Plus as soon as you know Ron Perlman is in it, with classic lines like "I can't believe I almost FUCKED A ROBOT!" you just have to give up and go with the flow.

Oh wait, let's not forget the best line uttered by Perlman:

"Listen, you hang out with us missy and you'll find that I am NOT a man with WHOM TO FUCK!"

Of course this is wrenching as an Alien fan, but as a lover of total-shit movies (and I am, a lover of total-shit movies), Resurrection redeems itself somewhat in my book. But lol, not much.).

[Skykid]

Resurrection is fun as a shitty, terrible B-movie. The amount of absurdity that they try to make you take seriously takes the mockery to new levels of fun (like the retarded ricocheting bullet guy). Plus as soon as you know Ron Perlman is in it, with classic lines like "I can't believe I almost FUCKED A ROBOT!" you just have to give up and go with the flow.

Oh wait, let's not forget the best line uttered by Perlman:

"Listen, you hang out with us missy and you'll find that I am NOT a man with WHOM TO FUCK!"

Of course this is wrenching as an Alien fan, but as a lover of total-shit movies (and I am, a lover of total-shit movies), Resurrection redeems itself somewhat in my book. But lol, not much.).

You're far too kind to it. I can't make that separation, since its part of the Alien franchise, has aliens in it, and Ripley. So it's not just shitty B-movie to me, just a shitty Alien movie. It's worse than Prometheus IMO, which makes it the worst Alien movie ever, as long as we're not including AVP in the runnings.

[EmperorIng]

No, I'm not. Even with my generous allowances, the movie is still a rock-solid 3/10.
As an Alien movie, 1/10. It gets a point because there are some aliens in there.

[mesh control]

Hmmm...Am I the only person who thinks every Alien movie, besides the first, is a turd?

[njiska]

Agreed. Re-watched it recently(HD release) and it wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered, CGI aside.

It still has a lot of problems though. Some are forgivable, but if the option is there I'll take the Assembly cut.

[lilmanjs]

A Taxing Woman
This is my first Japanese film from the 80s that I've ever seen and what a great way to start it off. Sure at times its a little slow, but you do get the sense of all the trouble Gondo goes though to do tax evasion. Great movie, good soundtrack as well even if it has only a few tunes. Well shot, and there really aren't any wasted scenes in this movie. For sure I can see how this won awards. Must find more stuff from the 80s in Japan! So all in all, the acting was superb, The music fit well and I can say this is a thriller I'd love to watch again. 9/10

[Mischief Maker]

Three Colors: Red

The last chapter of Krzysztof Kieslowski's 3-colors trilogy, signifying the three values of France, but not quite in the way you would imagine. Blue is Liberty, White is Equality, and Red is Fraternity. Red is quite possibly the most subtle film in the *MASSVIE SPOILER REDACTED* genre I've ever seen. You don't need to watch blue or white to enjoy it, because it's a trilogy only in that the three stories take place in the same universe, but don't interact directly.

A pity I can't talk more about Red without ruining it, but it's not what you initially think it is, and it has a wowza ending.

[GaijinPunch]

Agreed. Re-watched it recently(HD release) and it wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered, CGI aside.

It still has a lot of problems though. Some are forgivable, but if the option is there I'll take the Assembly cut.

I thought they were both good but I think the sub-plot of Golic releasing "the dragon" should have been kept in. After knowing what was filmed, and seeing the original cut, it looks... well, cut.

I actually saw an early work print on about 10th generation VHS WAY back before the movie even came out on video. It was a hybrid of the theatrical and special versions. The alien still came from a dog, but the religious sub-plot was left in tact. A few other pieces that were snipped from the end were in tact as well. It had no music though, which IMHO, Alien 3 does WAY better than the other two. The CGI was the hardest for me to swallow.

Backing up a bit, the guy I got the work print from knew I was into anime and watched shit tons of it on video. He was into non-theatrical release versions of film. Had tons.... plenty of connections to get this shit from. I figured in the internet day and age that stuff would be all over the internet. But, I've seen almost none.

[Skykid]

It had no music though, which IMHO, Alien 3 does WAY better than the other two. The CGI was the hardest for me to swallow.

It's all about that montage at the end when they shut down the facility and sun disappears behind the planet's crest. Orgasmic sci-fi moment.

I also love the opening credits to Alien 3, despite Newt and Hicks' offing. Fincher doesn't seem to have the same artistry these days.