Movies you've just watched

[Shocky]

Bunraku - The plot blows, but the visuals are mind-blowing! It's like Kill Bill meets Seijun Suzuki meets Dr. Caligari. Weird how they managed to talk Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore, Josh Hartnett, Gackt, Kevin McKidd, Ron Perlman and other stars to the project, since it started out as a kind of no-name indie production. Oh yeah and Mike Patton is the narrator. Anyway, I was pleased with this and wishing it success (want sequel)

Art of Fighting - No, not based on the games. Korean movie from 2006, like Karate Kid, but instead of a kind & wise Mr. Miyagi, the guy is taught street fighting by this mean old bastard. Great and very brutal movie, like Blue Spring but more realistic. Going to school in Korea seems to be as traumatic as in Japan.

Spartacus - I give this five outta five. Jesus.. can anything be more epic? Yes. Ben-Hur is slightly better. To all the snot-nose newbie punks who think these old movies suck: Fuck no. The action scenes are way better than nowadays - gladiators, people burning, getting trampled by horses, spears flying... for real, no cgi shit!

Bangkok Adrenaline - Cheap to the max, but actually quite funny in the Guy Richie school of funny. The action is great, of course, since they didn't have money for proper actors, they just cast all the tricksters and martial artists in the neighborhood. There's a fuckton of fighting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkdamlzTUtU

Rolling Thunder - Total bad-assery to the point where this 'nam veteran gets ready for revenge, sharpens his hook hand and grabs a shotgun.. but the rest is not that good really, he goes to a brothel with Tommy Lee Jones and they shoot people. Way above average but was expecting even more.

[CMoon]

Personally I prefer Goodfellas - I think it's a better film.

For myself, I think I just don't like the genre. I watched a trailer for Goodfellas and found myself shaking my head and wondering why I'd ever want to watch it. I'm sure it's a good movie, but being a mafia goon is nothing I romanticize. At least Godfather ultimately had this edge where you realized these were fucking bad people. Vito himself might have been the most kind hearted of all of them. Yojimbo like, one can't help but wonder if they'd all be better off dead.

[CMoon]

[quote="ShockySpartacus - I give this five outta five. Jesus.. can anything be more epic? Yes. Ben-Hur is slightly better. To all the snot-nose newbie punks who think these old movies suck: Fuck no. The action scenes are way better than nowadays - gladiators, people burning, getting trampled by horses, spears flying... for real, no cgi shit![/quote]

I'd give Ten Commandments the edge over Ben Hur, but never thought to compare it to Sparticus. I have friends who can't get into older movies. Their loss.

[Skykid]

I'm sure it's a good movie, but being a mafia goon is nothing I romanticize.

I can totally sympathise with this. I'm not sure which I despise the notion of more, romanticising organised crime or organised crime itself.

I never found organised crime anything but repulsive subject matter, but there's no denying Goodfella's is an excellent movie from an excellent director. At least there's less glorification in that film, if anything he paints them as absolute gutter trash.

[RGC]

.

[Skykid]

Equilibrium again, just now on TV.

Film is badass. No idea how the director went on to do Ultraviolet, it's one of the worst movies I've ever seen. What a waste of potential.

[CMoon]

Just finished watching Into the Wild (2007). I have a friend who loves this film but I guess I was expecting something else. Despite the opportunity to work some huge themes, the film came back again and again to the people 'Alex Supertramp' met along the way, and while there were touching moments, at 2.5 hrs, it ultimately turned into a hard sell, and what at first felt sincere began feeling manipulative. I was hoping for more Alaska and more solitude, but instead the film wanted to go somewhere else so that we can all hug each other when the end credits roll.

Not a bad film, but I was hoping for Grizzly Man and got Halmark.

[xris]

Equilibrium again, just now on TV.

Film is badass. No idea how the director went on to do Ultraviolet, it's one of the worst movies I've ever seen. What a waste of potential.

Equilibrium is pretty good, it's grown on me every time I watch it. I'll agree that the director shows promise, but he is a bit of a hack as a writer. He could benefit allot from the help of a co-writer.
I like Ultraviolet, mostly 'cause she's in a different outfit every couple of minutes. And, I like the sci-fi elements of it. The story is a mess. The wiki for this implies that he admits to ripping of the first Resident Evil movie. Really? This is the movie you rip off... And, that he was not allowed to edit his own movie, essentially changing the overall feel of it.

[CMoon]

Watched Escape from New York again for the millionth time. "You gonna kill me now snake?" "I'm too tired, maybe later."

[Skykid]

Watched Escape from New York again for the millionth time. "You gonna kill me now snake?" "I'm too tired, maybe later."

Awesome movie. Kurt Russell is the man.

Watched In The Heat of the Night with Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier. Incredible leading performances, wow.

[CMoon]

Watched In The Heat of the Night with Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier. Incredible leading performances, wow.

That's one I haven't seen in years. Should revisit it sometime.

[Skykid]

Watched In The Heat of the Night with Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier. Incredible leading performances, wow.

That's one I haven't seen in years. Should revisit it sometime.

It's a gem, do it.

[CMoon]

Continuing on with my Carpenter, I just watched In The Mouth of Madness, which I had not seen before. Not a great movie (and not as lovable as Escape from NY), but a Carpenter movie through and through. Although Lovecraft is referenced continuously, I am not sure if the story is necessarily lovecraftian, or if it is trying to be. Surely, elder ones returning through the portal of the mind's weakened grasp on reality feels relatively lovecraftian, but it's no direct adaptation, that's for sure. I think the first half of the film took a while to come together, but once things get going, it's a pretty enjoyable movie. They Live may be more memorable for it's one-shot take on the police-state called freedom, but Mouth of Madness is definitely worth seeing by any Carpenter fan, perhaps even more than once.

[neorichieb1971]

Legends of the guardians - Best animation ever. Not too great a movie though.. the Blu ray is superb (2D)

[CMoon]

Legends of the guardians - Best animation ever. Not too great a movie though.. the Blu ray is superb (2D)

I've seen the film twice, and think it has its great moments but it also has its terrible moments. The real problem is that every other stinkin' animated film is some dumb song and dance number with horrible comedy bits. The remarkable thing about Guardians (GDOM around here) is the US really hasn't had a film like this since things like The Secret of NIMH. Honestly, NIMH isn't really that great a film either, but it stands (mostly) alone, and has great fucking animation. Back to the owls though, I liked some of the design quite a bit--and of course, it was best when it was being dark.

Thanks for giving me another excuse to post about this film. I think this will be my fifth or so. Seriously, I've given significantly less attention to significantly better films, which I think it a real indicator how much I'd like these guys to make a serious animated fantasy film of some sorts that's actually good. No, fucking Delgo doesn't count.

[Dale]

Legends of the guardians - Best animation ever. Not too great a movie though.. the Blu ray is superb (2D)

Anything with Sam Neil I'll watch. I just watched Lost Highway for the third time, it's one of those movies where you just feel cool while watching it. Love Pullman, love lynch great soundtrack.

[drauch]

I tried to get a lady I am involved with to watch the GDOM but she denied. Disappointing. The year is young, though.

[borislaw]

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. Saw this the other day...outstanding movie. Easily one of the best new movies on Nextflix on Instant/Streaming. Anyone else seen this? Its a documentary that tells the story of a really crazy insane dude. Be certain: it is a cut above your standard "issue-examined" documentary. Technically, it documents the street art/graffiti art and a key players in particular. But its one of those great pieces of cinema that works on so many levels. RAises interesting/deep questions about art, commercialism, culture. Best of all though, its fucking hilarious!!...or, at least it had me cracking up.

[Skykid]

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. Saw this the other day...outstanding movie. Easily one of the best new movies on Nextflix on Instant/Streaming. Anyone else seen this? Its a documentary that tells the story of a really crazy insane dude. Be certain: it is a cut above your standard "issue-examined" documentary. Technically, it documents the street art/graffiti art and a key players in particular. But its one of those great pieces of cinema that works on so many levels. RAises interesting/deep questions about art, commercialism, culture. Best of all though, its fucking hilarious!!...or, at least it had me cracking up.

That's the Banksy movie isn't it? I meant to watch this, I'll check it out.

[borislaw]

Yes, you've got it---the banksy movie. If you like his art, the movie should hold as well. Title is completely odd, but makes perfect sense at movie's end.

[neorichieb1971]

I got a few steelbooks and metalpacks today

Princess and the frog
Departed
I am legend
The Town

And I got the double play of Bambi and Bambi 2 (I am a Disney collector).

[Obiwanshinobi]

Seriously, I've given significantly less attention to significantly better films, which I think it a real indicator how much I'd like these guys to make a serious animated fantasy film of some sorts that's actually good.

Check out "The Animals of Farthing Wood" - not a feature film, but a rare example of western TV cartoon that is neither artsy for the heck of it nor cringeworthy (don't even get me started about Disney). In that Animals show, at least early on, the animation doesn't suck and the voice acting, albeit British, isn't tacky à la Fable.
I for one just watched The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Really enjoyed it, especially Asakura Ryoko reintroductory scene. She entered like some freaking Gary Oldman - femme fatale is fatale. Have no fear, though; it's not as bonkers as... you know (if you've watched the second TV season, that is), although quite menacing all the same.
Caught myself not wincing at the off-screen narration in anime adaptations of books (namely Seikai no... and Suzumiya Haruhi); a feature I can barely stand in live action films. Might have something to do with this kind of complementary narration being standard in comic books, whereas in films it's been a counter-cinematic, foreign body since early talkies.
Or maybe in anime sheer quality of voice acting does it for me. They just do what they are good at - acting with their voices - leaving the rest to artists, as usual. Perhaps that's why Kyon talking to himself in his head doesn't break my suspension of disbelief.

[Daigohji]

Continuing on with my Carpenter, I just watched In The Mouth of Madness, which I had not seen before. Not a great movie (and not as lovable as Escape from NY), but a Carpenter movie through and through. Although Lovecraft is referenced continuously, I am not sure if the story is necessarily lovecraftian, or if it is trying to be. Surely, elder ones returning through the portal of the mind's weakened grasp on reality feels relatively lovecraftian, but it's no direct adaptation, that's for sure. I think the first half of the film took a while to come together, but once things get going, it's a pretty enjoyable movie. They Live may be more memorable for it's one-shot take on the police-state called freedom, but Mouth of Madness is definitely worth seeing by any Carpenter fan, perhaps even more than once.

In the Mouth of Madness is an odd one. Compared to some of Carpenter's other movies that I can watch endlessly, I've only felt like watching this a few times, but it makes an impression. It nails that key Carpenter atmosphere of being trapped in a nightmare where the world is falling apart around you, and anything you try to do to stop it just makes it happen. Prince of Darkness placed the same idea in a more solid movie, but In the Mouth of Madness is certainly worth a look for any fan of the genre.

[CMoon]

And I got the double play of Bambi and Bambi 2 (I am a Disney collector).

But...but...but...the blu-ray of Bambi is coming out in a few weeks!?

[neorichieb1971]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bambi-Double-Pa ... 203&sr=1-2

Perhaps in the states. UK has had Dumbo for a while and Bambi came out on Tuesday. I got the above, which is a double pack of B1 and B2. I even got double the Disney points.

[Skykid]

My girlfriend rented Kamikaze Girls. Being Japanese live action about a Lolita gal, I figured it would be off in 10 minutes - but it was really good.
It didn't take either of us long to figure out it was the same director who did Memories of Matsuko, which I also was surprised by. Even though both of these movies are very similar in style, the director (who works his actors like dogs to get a decent performance - and it shows) is very good indeed.

The subject matter is a bit quirky, but he makes funny and pretty charming movies. The western title is really misleading too.

Oh, and this Anna Tsuchiya punk chick (never heard of her until now) was really good in her role.

[CMoon]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bambi-Double-Pa ... 203&sr=1-2

Perhaps in the states. UK has had Dumbo for a while and Bambi came out on Tuesday. I got the above, which is a double pack of B1 and B2. I even got double the Disney points.

Yeah, well you fuckers have Nausicaa already as well. Why is the US getting everything late these days?

And no, we don't have Dumbo on blu ray (I don't think its even been announced.) Is Bambi 2 actually any good?

[neorichieb1971]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bambi-Double-Pa ... 203&sr=1-2

Perhaps in the states. UK has had Dumbo for a while and Bambi came out on Tuesday. I got the above, which is a double pack of B1 and B2. I even got double the Disney points.

Yeah, well you fuckers have Nausicaa already as well. Why is the US getting everything late these days?

And no, we don't have Dumbo on blu ray (I don't think its even been announced.) Is Bambi 2 actually any good?

Nausicaa in the UK is optimum entertainment, in the US its Disney. I guess Disney has a more busy schedule to deal with.

I don't know why Dumbo didn't get released. Its released in UK and Mexico though. Bambi 2 I have no idea. I've worked nightshifts all this week so not had a chance to watch it. I am guessing its not as good as the original, but the animation is newer and pristine.

[Skykid]

Bambi 2 I have no idea. I've worked nightshifts all this week so not had a chance to watch it. I am guessing its not as good as the original

Surely that's a given?

but the animation is newer and pristine.

Exactly what I hate about it.

[jonny5]

Grown men discussing the quality of Bambi? I'm not saying....I'm just saying.