A Thanksgiving tradition -- watch "blockbuster" adventure movies with my nephew.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -- OK, but more of the same as the first
Captain America: The Winter Soldier -- Was looking forward to this the least, and I probably liked it best of the three.
X-Men: Days of Future Past -- Fell asleep and what I did see was boring.
Finished Amadeus
Airplane!
Airplane!
Nightcrawler. Meh.
quote:Originally posted by Red guy in a blue state:
Nightcrawler. Meh.
Meh? I thought it was very strong.
Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever. On Lifetime channel... If you like Aubry Plaza (her sense of humor -- she voices Grumpy Cat) it is worth watching. Otherwise, skip. Better than Sharknado, though.
The Human Condition, Part 1, No Greater Love 1959, 95pts.
After having just watched Kurosawa's Kagemusha I discovered that its star, Tatsuya Nakadai, was on the next film in my DVD queue. Starting with a bit part in The Seventh Samurai Nakadai, after Toshiro Mufune, had become the second most famous actor in Japan (he is still alive.) As Mufune had Kurosawa, Nakadai had Masaki Kobayashi as a frequent director.
Working from a six volume novel written early in the fifties Kobayashi adapted it into this monumental trilogy. The entire series runs over 9 1/2 hours with the first part running the longest at around 3 hours 40 minutes. The basic story is a good man who is pulled down by the degradation and horrors around him.
Nakadai plays Kaji, a simple cog in a large corporation in a company that mines ore for the Japanese war effort during WWII. He had written a paper on how to improve mining output by giving workers better conditions. His boss gives a chance to put his ideas into action, and get out of being drafted into service at the same time, by going directly to the mines to oversee the operation. Kaji is often referred to as a "humanist" throughout the film which appears to also refer to his pacifistic ideas.
With his new wife he travels to a large mining operation in Manchuria where the Chinese have been enslaved as forced laborers. He is constantly struggling to improve their conditions, the task of which is made much harder when the military dumps, in a horrific scene, 650 Chinese prisoners of war to aid the mining effort. The entire trilogy is about Kaji's attempts to keep his humanity as he goes from one place to another.
Kobayashi's film is so intelligently shot with images that remain branded on the brain--a couple on a hillside of tailings as an accuser shadows them, a humming electrified barb wire fence filled with the potential for destruction, people in fog, wind and steam, humans struggling to remain human. For those that want to be totally immersed in a different world with recognizable emotions, and have the patience, prepare for a shattering experience.
After having just watched Kurosawa's Kagemusha I discovered that its star, Tatsuya Nakadai, was on the next film in my DVD queue. Starting with a bit part in The Seventh Samurai Nakadai, after Toshiro Mufune, had become the second most famous actor in Japan (he is still alive.) As Mufune had Kurosawa, Nakadai had Masaki Kobayashi as a frequent director.
Working from a six volume novel written early in the fifties Kobayashi adapted it into this monumental trilogy. The entire series runs over 9 1/2 hours with the first part running the longest at around 3 hours 40 minutes. The basic story is a good man who is pulled down by the degradation and horrors around him.
Nakadai plays Kaji, a simple cog in a large corporation in a company that mines ore for the Japanese war effort during WWII. He had written a paper on how to improve mining output by giving workers better conditions. His boss gives a chance to put his ideas into action, and get out of being drafted into service at the same time, by going directly to the mines to oversee the operation. Kaji is often referred to as a "humanist" throughout the film which appears to also refer to his pacifistic ideas.
With his new wife he travels to a large mining operation in Manchuria where the Chinese have been enslaved as forced laborers. He is constantly struggling to improve their conditions, the task of which is made much harder when the military dumps, in a horrific scene, 650 Chinese prisoners of war to aid the mining effort. The entire trilogy is about Kaji's attempts to keep his humanity as he goes from one place to another.
Kobayashi's film is so intelligently shot with images that remain branded on the brain--a couple on a hillside of tailings as an accuser shadows them, a humming electrified barb wire fence filled with the potential for destruction, people in fog, wind and steam, humans struggling to remain human. For those that want to be totally immersed in a different world with recognizable emotions, and have the patience, prepare for a shattering experience.
On planes recently
Lucy
Her
Wish I Was Here
Magic in the Moonlight
Does Woody ever take a day off? Prolific doesn't begin to describe him and even more so these days. Unfortunately, he should exercise a little more quality control.
Her was pretty good.
Lucy
Her
Wish I Was Here
Magic in the Moonlight
Does Woody ever take a day off? Prolific doesn't begin to describe him and even more so these days. Unfortunately, he should exercise a little more quality control.
Her was pretty good.
They just announced the name of the next Bond movie: "Spectre"
Looking forward to it.
Looking forward to it.
quote:Originally posted by Rothko:
They just announced the name of the next Bond movie: "Spectre"
Looking forward to it.
Awesome!
Bonds ultimate villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
quote:Originally posted by Rothko:
They just announced the name of the next Bond movie: "Spectre"
Looking forward to it.
Bringing back Thunderball it sounds like.
L'Appartement
quote:Originally posted by wine+art:
L'Appartement
My favorite Vincent Cassel movie is the brutally tough La Haine 91pts.
Cassel is one of the best at playing evil bastards.
quote:Originally posted by wine+art:quote:Originally posted by Rothko:
They just announced the name of the next Bond movie: "Spectre"
Looking forward to it.
Bringing back Thunderball it sounds like.
I hope not. They've already filmed it twice.
Neighbors
quote:Originally posted by The Old Man:quote:Originally posted by wine+art:
L'Appartement
My favorite Vincent Cassel movie is the brutally tough La Haine 91pts.
I was thinking you might mention Monica Bellucci.
Cloud Atlas
My feelings are the same as for the book <meh>
My feelings are the same as for the book <meh>
I saw the latest Hunger Games movie at the theater yesterday and enjoyed it as someone who had previously read the books.
The Human Condition, Part 2, Road to Eternity 1959, 93pts.
I've knocked down this three hour film two points from Part 1 due to its fairly typical display of army basic training in the first hour. As often portrayed, in films and books, the training of recruits is full of unfair brutality. However when it comes to real horribleness you can't beat the Japanese WWII higher ranking officers and soldiers. (And one doesn't really want to be a part of the straightforwardly named Anti-tank Suicide Squad.)
As in the first film Kobayahsi's technique elevates the film above some cliches and it moves along. However, when we get to the second part Kobayshi simply tears your head off. Again the images flow of men fighting against other men, then nature and finally men again in the mostly obscured faces of the enemy.
The film ends with an image of a single man that's as powerful, and horrifying, as the man alone at the end of Bergman's The Passion of Anna 92pts.
I've knocked down this three hour film two points from Part 1 due to its fairly typical display of army basic training in the first hour. As often portrayed, in films and books, the training of recruits is full of unfair brutality. However when it comes to real horribleness you can't beat the Japanese WWII higher ranking officers and soldiers. (And one doesn't really want to be a part of the straightforwardly named Anti-tank Suicide Squad.)
As in the first film Kobayahsi's technique elevates the film above some cliches and it moves along. However, when we get to the second part Kobayshi simply tears your head off. Again the images flow of men fighting against other men, then nature and finally men again in the mostly obscured faces of the enemy.
The film ends with an image of a single man that's as powerful, and horrifying, as the man alone at the end of Bergman's The Passion of Anna 92pts.
Film lovers tip of the day:
I do not use Hulu, I don't like to watch commercials. I don't use HuluPlus, because I don't like to pay money and watch "reduced" commercials. However HuluPlus, for $7.95 a month gives unlimited access to over 550 Criterion titles. All stream in HD if available and all are commercial free. Many of the Criterion are true masterpieces of film. And many others are well worth the time. I estimate about 1/2 are foreign titles with subtitles and the rest in English.
Also, FWIW, there's a 7 day free trial.
I do not use Hulu, I don't like to watch commercials. I don't use HuluPlus, because I don't like to pay money and watch "reduced" commercials. However HuluPlus, for $7.95 a month gives unlimited access to over 550 Criterion titles. All stream in HD if available and all are commercial free. Many of the Criterion are true masterpieces of film. And many others are well worth the time. I estimate about 1/2 are foreign titles with subtitles and the rest in English.
Also, FWIW, there's a 7 day free trial.
Edge of Tomorrow
quote:Originally posted by The Old Man:
HuluPlus
Another with only U.S. access
quote:Originally posted by KSC02:quote:Originally posted by The Old Man:
HuluPlus
Another with only U.S. access
Birdman
(just awful, in my opinion)
(just awful, in my opinion)
quote:Originally posted by irwin:
Birdman
(just awful, in my opinion)
I'm sure some of the local cinematic experts will be along shortly to correct your opinion.
The Seventh Seal 99pts.
Three Days of The Condor 92pts. There were a number of these 1970s movies I used to call--What he's going to do next?--films. This is one of the best.
Three Days of The Condor 92pts. There were a number of these 1970s movies I used to call--What he's going to do next?--films. This is one of the best.
quote:Originally posted by irwin:
Birdman
(just awful, in my opinion)
Irwin, have you enjoyed Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu movies in the past?
The first ever post in this thread was an Inarritu movie.
quote:Originally posted by The Old Man:
Film lovers tip of the day:
I do not use Hulu, I don't like to watch commercials. I don't use HuluPlus, because I don't like to pay money and watch "reduced" commercials. However HuluPlus, for $7.95 a month gives unlimited access to over 550 Criterion titles. All stream in HD if available and all are commercial free. Many of the Criterion are true masterpieces of film. And many others are well worth the time. I estimate about 1/2 are foreign titles with subtitles and the rest in English.
Here is the list of currently available films. All 550 can be displayed on a single page and sorted by title or director.
Criterion titles on HuluPlus
Also, FWIW, there's a 7 day free trial.
AWESOME!
quote:Originally posted by The Old Man:
The Seventh Seal 99pts.
Three Days of The Condor 92pts. There were a number of these 1970s movies I used to call--What he's going to do next?--films. This is one of the best.
OM, you should have given both movies one more point.
quote:Originally posted by wine+art:quote:Originally posted by irwin:
Birdman
(just awful, in my opinion)
Irwin, have you enjoyed Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu movies in the past?
The first ever post in this thread was an Inarritu movie.
Yeah? Who posted that?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
quote:Originally posted by wine+art:quote:Originally posted by The Old Man:
Film lovers tip of the day:
I do not use Hulu, I don't like to watch commercials. I don't use HuluPlus, because I don't like to pay money and watch "reduced" commercials. However HuluPlus, for $7.95 a month gives unlimited access to over 550 Criterion titles. All stream in HD if available and all are commercial free. Many of the Criterion are true masterpieces of film. And many others are well worth the time. I estimate about 1/2 are foreign titles with subtitles and the rest in English.
Here is the list of currently available films. All 550 can be displayed on a single page and sorted by title or director.
Criterion titles on HuluPlus
Also, FWIW, there's a 7 day free trial.
AWESOME!
And you never know what you'll find. How about this:
quote:[An] eight-volume Jascha Heifetz Master Class from 1962. In these shorts, approximately half an hour each, the legendary Lithuania-born violinist (“perhaps the greatest violinist of all time,” according to the New York Times), instructs an array of students at USC in form and technique. It’s a fascinating peek into the world of a genius, and of course it’s filled with great music.
Sabotage - it was pretty good.
Elephant White - not bad
Elephant White - not bad
quote:Originally posted by irwin:
Birdman
(just awful, in my opinion)
While I didn't consider it "awful", it wasn't as good as I hoped.
The Human Condition, Part 3, A Solder's Prayer 1962, 95pts.
Released almost three years after part 2, the final installment of this epic film leaves one just speechless. One scene after another of head-shaking unbelievable horror, sorrow and humanity. Perhaps the whole thing is too much and it will never find a place in my top 25. But it is a monumental achievement and never boring.
Released almost three years after part 2, the final installment of this epic film leaves one just speechless. One scene after another of head-shaking unbelievable horror, sorrow and humanity. Perhaps the whole thing is too much and it will never find a place in my top 25. But it is a monumental achievement and never boring.
quote:Originally posted by spo:
Sabotage - it was pretty good.
Which? I hoping not the one with that lowlife scum, or former governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger (an no I'm not talking about his sex life), but perhaps the great, often overlooked, Hitchcock film of 1936.
Point Break is up after the game.
An irreplaceable masterpiece, second only to Heat. (95+)
BTW Old Man, The Seventh Seal is corroded crap.
An irreplaceable masterpiece, second only to Heat. (95+)
BTW Old Man, The Seventh Seal is corroded crap.
quote:Originally posted by Shane T.:
Point Break is up after the game.
An irreplaceable masterpiece, second only to Heat. (95+)
BTW Old Man, The Seventh Seal is corroded crap.
Well if it's a choice between Patrick Swayze or Max Von Sydow you've got to go with the Swayzer every time.
quote:Originally posted by gigabit:quote:Originally posted by irwin:
Birdman
(just awful, in my opinion)
While I didn't consider it "awful", it wasn't as good as I hoped.
Birdman was the big winner at the Washington, DC film awards event earlier this week. I guess I am just clueless.
Corrected
Film lovers tip of the day:
HuluPlus, for $7.95 a month, gives unlimited access to over550
900 Criterion titles.
Film lovers tip of the day:
HuluPlus, for $7.95 a month, gives unlimited access to over
900 Criterion titles.
Took my son to the new Hunger Games Movie. Pretty good.