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MOVIES: What are you watching?

The Old ManThe Old ManMember
@steve8 posted:

Since films are visual experiences I'd say the cinematography is an important part. I didn't say Hidden Life was a great film anyway.

And I didn't say cinematography isn't an important part. However I am a solid auteurist who believes it's up to the directors to pick the correct cinematographer and look of the film. Terrence Malick has always been known for his imagery but his stories don't match their power.

Last edited by The Old Man
sunnylea57sunnylea57Member
@robsutherland posted:

I"ll go all TOM on you, the director of Excalibur, John Boorman, also has one of his sons in the movie (Charlie Boorman, plays the young Mordred, he's also in Deliverance). Charlie Boorman's best friend is Ewan McGregor (obviously an exceptionally accomplished actor). Charlie and Ewan in 2004 drove all the way around the world on BMW enduro bikes (Long Way Round), then in 2007 they drove from Scotland to Cape Town (Long Way Down) and now just coming out they drive electric Harley Davidson's  from Patagonia to Panama (Long Way Up). 

Anyone who loves true adventure should watch the series. Long Way Round was an epic look at the world and brilliantly done.

We loved both those series, Rob. Thanks for the tip on the new one. Charley turned it into a career and did roughly half a dozen other series in the same vein without Ewan. We enjoyed By Any Means and his USA Adventure.

Last edited by sunnylea57
The Old ManThe Old ManMember

Speaking of aspect ratio...there's the new Charlie Kaufman film produced by Netflix, i'm thinking of ending things. (itoet from now on, note the no capital letters is his choice.) What thing I've tried to get across when talking about aspect ratio (AR) is that it is among the first choices a director makes. The different aspect ratios are the only way a director can influence his canvas. Obviously in painting the canvas can be any shape or dimensions you'd like, even round, triangular or amorphous. With film you only really have about three choices. 1.85:1 (close to your TV's AR), 2.20:1 (films shot in 70mm which almost doesn't happen anymore, but there were dozens made in the past you will also see it nowadays as a director's choice in many TV series when shot digitally) and 2.35:1 to 2.4:1 (shooting using an anamorphic lens, used in almost all "big screen" action movies and summer blockbusters but will occasionally be used by a director for a different reason.)

There are various reasons a filmmaker would choose one over the other however the primary one is visual. Obvious examples are shooting a western in the widest screen to enhance the feel of the wilderness. So what happens when Netflix makes a deal with that most eclectic of filmmakers, Charlie Kaufman? He wants to make his in 1.33:1, the original aspect ratio of almost all movies until the late 1950s and the shape of your old picture tube TV. Well he's got the clout to do it without worrying about potential fallout from people watching a newly released movie with pillar sidebars. It's interesting to think if Kaufman could have gotten this AR during a normal time of movies going into theatres before streaming. Modern theatres don't even have the side curtains anymore that were used during the transitional days of the 1960s.

This is a movie with very few people and almost an hour of just two people talking in a car. The narrow screen AR helps to enhance the pushing together of these two characters. So it's justified but it also adds to the disturbing quality of this deliberately slow moving story. Both the leads are great. To see Jessie Plemons go from playing that most horrible of creeps on Breaking Bad to this totally opposite person is to see his range. Also you can't help be impressed with Irish actress Jessie Buckley. I first became aware of her from Chernobyl as the pregnant wife of the lead scientist. She is also in this year's Fargo. Also of note is Toni Collette and particularly David Thewis who I still shudder in horror thinking about him in Naked. 

So the plot? It's a guy taking his girlfriend to meet his parents for the first time, but of course it's Charlie Kaufman so it's really about memory. This is his first film written or directed in 5 years. This is only his third film that he's directed. I found this one more accessible than Synecdoche, New York and I have not see Anomalisa. I would put this at the top of two I've seen that he's directed. And of his screenplays I there is not one I haven't liked and I love: Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (ESOTSM from now on.)  Right after watching itoet I immediately rewatched ESOTSM and found more I liked about it. This too is a movie that needs rewatching. So this is highly recommended but judging by its Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB from now on) rating it will not be liked by many.

steve8steve8Member
@The Old Man posted:
<snipped the aspect ratio lesson>

This is a movie with very few people and almost an hour of just two people talking in a car. The narrow screen AR helps to enhance the pushing together of these two characters. So it's justified but it also adds to the disturbing quality of this deliberately slow moving story. Both the leads are great. To see Jessie Plemons go from playing that most horrible of creeps on Breaking Bad to this totally opposite person is to see his range. Also you can't help be impressed with Irish actress Jessie Buckley. I first became aware of her from Chernobyl as the pregnant wife of the lead scientist. She is also in this year's Fargo. Also of note is Toni Collette and particularly David Thewis who I still shudder in horror thinking about him in Naked. 

So the plot? It's a guy taking his girlfriend to meet his parents for the first time, but of course it's Charlie Kaufman so it's really about memory. This is his first film written or directed in 5 years. This is only his third film that he's directed. I found this one more accessible than Synecdoche, New York and I have not see Anomalisa. I would put this at the top of two I've seen that he's directed. And of his screenplays I there is not one I haven't liked and I love: Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (ESOTSM from now on.)  Right after watching itoet I immediately rewatched ESOTSM and found more I liked about it. This too is a movie that needs rewatching. So this is highly recommended but judging by its Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB from now on) rating it will not be liked by many.

Wasn't Jessie Buckley the pregnant wife of one of the firemen in Chernobyl?

I also saw I'm Thinking of Ending Things recently. Very strange film and I honestly didn't remember it from the book I read a couple of years ago. So I'm thinking of reading the book again. I agree that all of the actors were very good.

J jcocktostenMember
@The Old Man posted:

Sefarad on Amazon. Decent 90 minute film telling the amazing story of Captain Basto and the crypto-Jews of Portugal. A story I knew nothing about.

If you have further interest in this and are in Portugal, I recommend going to Belmonte where the last remaining community of the descendants of crypto-Jews still exists.  There is a Synagogue, small museum and we had a very interesting tour there with the founder of the museum.  Small town but we were travelling with a Rabbi who needed a quiet place for Shabbat anyway so we rented a car and drove here and stayed at the Pousada  Convento in Belmonte - with hiking and lovely grounds.  Was great stop between the business of Porto and Lisbon (although not  geographically between the 2)

steve8steve8Member
@bman posted:

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

This film has taken much crap as one of the worst.  Lazenby is certainly without charisma, especially following Connery, the ski scenes are too many and not well done, and Telly Savalas is hardly menacing at all.  But the story is good.  And Diana Rigg.....

I seem to recall you once posting that you never watched movies twice. Why on earth would you choose to watch that piece of junk over again?

The Old ManThe Old ManMember
@jcocktosten posted:

If you have further interest in this and are in Portugal, I recommend going to Belmonte where the last remaining community of the descendants of crypto-Jews still exists.  There is a Synagogue, small museum and we had a very interesting tour there with the founder of the museum.  Small town but we were travelling with a Rabbi who needed a quiet place for Shabbat anyway so we rented a car and drove here and stayed at the Pousada  Convento in Belmonte - with hiking and lovely grounds.  Was great stop between the business of Porto and Lisbon (although not  geographically between the 2)

My sister went to Portugal for the first time last year. She is interested in contemporary art and really enjoyed their art scene. I would love to visit Kadoorie Synagogue. (Though at this point I would love to visit anywhere that isn't my house, but don't expect to be able to do that for perhaps another year. )

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