That's absolutely correct 24.

Its like the original Kurosawa DVDs of YOJIMBO and SEVEN SAMURAI, among others. They were based on not-so-great prints issued by Toho over in Japan, but apparently their new DVD re-issues have much better transfers...at least from what I hear.

Just watched Man on Fire, Denzel Washington. The man does not make a bad film. However, the little girl steals the show, she is brilliant. Plenty of action and a twist at the end.

Definately ****.


Ciao

I Spit On Your Grave ** 1/2
(First Viewing)

The film follows Jennifer, a writer who is working on a new novel and needs to get out of the city to finish it. She hires a riverside apartment in upstate New York to finish her novel, attracting the attention of a number of rowdy male locals. They catch Jenifer one day and strip her naked for the village idiot (Matthew) and rape her. Jennifer is later attacked and raped a further two times by the four degenerates, and her novel is also destroyed. But Jennifer slowly recovers and in her now-twisted, psychotic mind, she then begins to seek revenge on the four men who raped her.

The second Grind House film I've seen (with Coffy being the first). Obviously a lot of money wasn't spent on costumes seeing as how nobody seemed to hardly wear any. There's about a 20-30 minute rape scene and I've never seen this much nudity in a film unless it was a porno. An enjoyable movie about revenge for those who have never seen it. And for those who have, any thoughts?

Glad you enjoyed it. It's my second favorite Denzel Washington movie behind Malcolm X and it's my second favorite Tony Scott movie behind True Romance.

Brazil
(First Viewing)

Sam Lowry is a harried technocrat in a futuristic society that is needlessly convoluted and inefficient. He dreams of a life where he can fly away from technology and overpowering bureaucracy, and spend eternity with the woman of his dreams. While trying to rectify the wrongful arrest of one Harry Buttle, Lowry meets the woman he is always chasing in his dreams, Jill Layton. Meanwhile, the bureaucracy has fingered him responsible for a rash of terrorist bombings, and both Sam and Jill's lives are put in danger.

What an incredibly dull and boring movie. I was into this for about the first 15-20 minutes and then it just kept going on and on. Terry Gilliam officially makes weird movies (this being more weird than Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas). I really don't know why Robert De Niro was apart of this movie (he's barely in it by the way).

Oh boy, do LLC, me, and Turi have to lecture your ass again for you to reverse your score again?

Besides, I bet in Texas you never were forced to read 1984, right? A pity, for you would have so got the movie more(or least maybe more if you expected more than simply DeNiro's cameo acne-scared face. "Renegade Engineer!" You gotta love Gilliam)

Well, since you haven't read it, the whole movie is Gilliam's Monty Python-esque pisser on bureaucracies, and really his own version of the dystopia of 1984. Very creative film, and its ending, a conclusion of a whole heroic daydreaming subplot, is feel-good in spite of what would appear initially to be a downer.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Terry Gilliam 1998 USA Nth time
An outlaw journalist and his fiendish attorney find themselves on assignment in Las Vegas, covering a motorcycle race while being feuled by a briefcase full of illegal drugs, and find themselves on a search for the American Dream.


In 1971, Hunter S. Thompson and Oscar Z. Acosta, criminal attorney, went on a weekend-long voyage to Las Vegas to get away from Los Angeles, where they were both lending their skills to a murder case. The results became monumental, as Hunter documented them in a series ran by Rolling Stone Magazine that would be entitled "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and later, in 1972, be published in one piece as a novel. For nearly thirty years, movie producers fought to obtain rights while simultaneously spreading the belief that the book was impossible to adapt for the big screen. And this seemed logical; Hunter's writing and long passages of inner-dialogue were not made with a film in mind. But somehow, Terry Gilliam managed to make the perfect adaptation. He captured Hunter's unusual tone and bizarre use of imagery in his visuals; the extras look like they just wandered out of a rave, the cinematography will make you feel drunk and dizzy, and the sound effects sound like they came from some kind of Asian animal-pornography stockpile.

Gilliam, who claims to have never have done hallucinogenic drugs of any sort, seems to capture the experience just as Hunter wrote it, who is nothing short of an LSD veteran. So, it's safe to say Gilliam couldn't have done a better job directing. In fact, I will contest that this is his masterpiece. Beyond that, the acting is spectacular. Col. Depp spent three months living in Hunter's basement, mimicking his every move, and as a result, portrayed him almost exactly when it came time to film. His mannerisms, facial expressions, speech patterns... Everything about him is absolutely Hunter. Benicio Del Toro, who is also at the top of his game, had nothing but stock footage and grim memories to work with, as Acosta has been listed as a missing person since the early/mid 1970s. And based upon what he was given to work with, he did a flawless job. And it's safe to say that the writing and narrative are all spectacular... This is by far, my favorite movie of all time.

I'm not going to get into it in detail now, but let me lay down some basic facts:

1.) Gilliam kicks ass.
2.) Brazil kicks ass.
3.) "1984" kicks ass. One of the greatest books of all time.

Irish, you think Gilliam is weird? Gilliam is eccentric but tame in my mind. Go check out some Lynch, and you'll need new pants.

But honestly, I thought Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was much weirder than Brazil Fear and loathing had one of the strangest men in the film world, Gilliam, teaming up with one of the strangest men in the literary world, Thompson. Everything about Fear and Loathing is bizarre... Even the costume design and the facial structures of the extras.

You know what LLC? You might just be right about FEAR & LOATHING being more audacious than BRAZIL...and yet, I think BRAZIL is more, how I say, accomplished as a film.

Its like Ridley Scott. His best shot film is still ALIEN, but BLADE RUNNER is his artistic legacy.

Anyway Irish, Gilliam aint weird. Do we have to explain that sometimes wacky people aren't weird? Frank Zappa wasn't weird, just outside the Norm.

You want a real bloody weirdo? Lynch. If word is right, INLAND EMPIRE is his self-indulgent weird-pretentious fest yet.

Which is good and bad news.

In my opinion, if something is credited "weird", especially in art, it's a compliment.

Why fit normalities when you can do something so out there and original that you leave people going, "Wh... The hell? Did I just get fucked?"

No thanks. I've already seen Mulholland Dr. and Blue Velvet and don't wish to see anything more from the man. The same could possibly go for Gilliam. Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas was good. Brazil and The Brothers Grimm both sucked! Just neither of these men are my cup of tea.

You kidding me? I thrive upon that sort of uniqueness.

At least check out Gilliam's 12 Monkeys before completely ignoring the fact that he is a genius.

You're weird LLC.

Irish, just quit. Just quit posting, watch Gilliam's 12 MONKEYS, THE FISHER KING, MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL, even TIME BANDITS, then you can talk Gilliam with me and LLC on the adult dinner table.

Boys... boys...

Bah... at least I changed his mind about Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas... IE, best movie ever, lawlz (two-way tie with Fight Club, coincidentally).

Speaking of which, I need to rewatch Fight Club. It's been too long. And, I obviously cannot choose between the two, and choose to live a life of cinematic polygamy with the two films... We're quite happy.

A friend of mine told me to. I might down the road but not right now

I've seen Monty Python & the Holy Grail a couple of times. You guys go ahead at the "adult dinner table." I'll stick with the kids meals, thanks. They're usually cheaper

Monkey lover!

Well, the solution here is clear.

We shall fight to the death.

Poor Junior....

GREEN MILE is on.

Michael Duncan Clarke should have won best supporting actor.

I should have said he was deserving, because he did, in fact win.

No he didn't. Sir Michael Fucking Caine won it. No really, "Fucking" is his legal middle name. I looked it up.

24fps, what will I do without you for decoding all these cryptic movies Thanks.

The judge was an interesting character and I could sort of understand his story. The model's story was not clear to me. As I see from your reply, the director is dealing with many many themes here, so the movie is not about one specific thing, namely 'fraternity'.
In retrospect I too like 'blue' the most, followed by white and red, in that order. I am just beginning to venture into non-english movies. It is interesting to see the work of different directors outside of hollywood.

BTW 24fps, are you also a member of capo's film board? Atleast I don't see this username there.

SVSG,

Personally, I think Valentin's story is easier to understand than the Old Judge's. Although, I can understand where you are coming from.

No, I'm not a registered member at FCM, but I do lurk there because my good friend posts there.

There are lots of great non-English language stuff!!!

I'd recommend registering, it's a nice group of people.

Yeah it is, besides the occasional groping, its a great site of film buffs geeking out over movies.

In a way, its Anti-IMDB...geek out, without the retarded jerks polluting the place.

Raising Arizona *
(First Viewing)

Recidivist hold-up man H.I. McDonnough and police woman Edwina marry, only to discover they are unable to conceive a child. Desperate for a baby, the pair decide to kidnap one of the quintuplets of furniture tycoon Nathan Arizona. The McDonnoughs try to keep their crime secret, while friends, co-workers and a feral bounty hunter look to use Nathan Jr. for their own purposes.

Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter did a fine job, as did John Goodman but not the Coen's brother's best work (see The Big Lebowski followed by Fargo for that.

OMGROTFLMFAOLOLSUICIDEISTHEONLYJUSTANSWERTOSUCHMINDNUMBINGNONSENSE!