Ugh, I hate Romeo+Juliet. The opening gun fight is laughable, as well as the rest of the movie. It was an interesting idea gone wrong, and so far the worst of the trilogy.

As for Heat, Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors. His visual style is great, and he brings more to crime movies. He added most of the good things to the screenplay of Collateral and made it the best action/thriller of the year (no, I'm not forgetting Man on Fire :p ). Rarely does an epic have a plot on cops and robbers. Michael Mann accomplished this very well. He added character depth, personal lives as well as professional, cinematography, and great dialogue. A masterpiece. The Insider is also a very great film, and often overlooked. I hope an SE of it comes out soon.

8½ - (Fellini;1963;Italy) - ****
A director with a loss of creativity zones out in fantasies and flashbacks while trying to complete his next film.
The best film about filmmaking and one of the best ever. Fellini's second best and a very personal film. An excellent move, Fellini couldn't finish a movie, so he made this about the very experience, at least in part. Mastroianni is great in his title role, almost beating his previous Fellini role in La Dolce Vita. The visuals are top notch along with virtually everything else. There are some pacing problems later in the film but it is all pulled together in the final scene. Although it wasn't taken from this, the twist scene reminded me of Pulp Fiction.
#15

I dind't see what was so wrong with it. I liked the camera movement, pretty decent cast and music and again I thought the cars and guns were pimp. But different strokes move the world my friend.

But different strokes move the world my friend. [/b][/quote]If I hear that ONE more time!

I don't usually judge a scene based on how the guns or whatever looked. The costume design and all was creative but the direction was horrible. Overdone to the max. The gun fight seemed cartoonish. Especially in parts like when Tybalt throws his jacket and rises, which ended up looking for corny then a Vin D. movie.

I looove this movie. Leo was so H-O-T!! They were so cute together It always makes me cry at the end.

Don Vercetti, I just read that the Man On Fire special edition will have a new cut of the film with 20 additional minutes. That's news to me.

It better not be the deleted scenes. I nodded when I saw the sex scene between Pita's parents was deleted, as it's only purpose was to take the story OFF it's tracks and spice it up with sex. If it's in there along with the others my rating just may drop.

Baz Luhrmann's directing on William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet is deliberately camp, exaggerated to the max, and, as you said Don Vercetti, almost like a cartoon. Moulin Rouge! (2002) is even worse. Worse is an ambiguous word here, however, because you didn't like it, and I do. In fact, Luhrmann seems to be one of the few guys making films right now who knows exactly what he's doing. Even his name is outrageous.

Mick

Ive seen like 30 mins of the film and i thought it was ok.But that was like 7 years ago

Although I admit, I have to be in the mood to get into Shakespeare, I liked the Zeferelli (I think) version of Romeo & Juliet. I thought it was really very good. I know DV prefers that one too!! :p

I did see the one with Leo DiCaprio also. It was ok, but can't compare to the other.


TIS

TIS, I think that's because the Zefirelli version is a much purer (and safer) adaptation. That's why I prefer Luhrmann's, since that differed from the conventions of theatre (while also owing much to it, since the director's origins are on stage not celluloid). The 1996 feature had all the confrontational, risky ambition that the 1968 version lacked. Both are stylish for their times, but I think, at least on a visual level if not an audially poetic one, the 1996 film will last longer.

Mick

TIS, Zefirelli's version is THE Romeo and Juliet. It's does justice to the play and was bold enough to cast a teen in the role instead of a woman in her 30's like in George Cukor's version (which stars Leslie Howard as Romeo). I hope to see Cukor's version next time it's on Turner Classic Movies.

I watched Donnie Brasco last night and thought it was ace!! It is definatly an under-rated movie. I though Johnny Depp was brilliant and fitted the role really well, Al was brilliant as always...

Is that the first time you have seen it.Ace film yes it is

Dog Day Afternoon

I had an early dismissal from school (snow) and was pleasantly surprised to see this on AMC at noon. I wouldn't have gotten to watch it had it not been for the early dismissal.

I really couldn't tell you if it included the delete scenes or not. If I had to guess I'd say yes. As for what scenes they'd be, I have no idea. I guess we'll just have to play the waiting game

As for Donnie Brasco, I've seen it twice and haven't liked it. I know a lot of members here hold it in high regard, but it just didn't do anything for me and it's sad b/c I like both Al & Johnny.

Angel Heart is on Uk television tonight,a strange but good film with De Niro in it

Standing ovation!!! Zeffirelli may be criticized for a lot of things (many of them have nothing to do with cinema, though), but when it comes to make a movie out of a shakespearean play or a religious issue, well, he is the man! "Romeo and Juliet" is definitely a great film, along with "Fratello sole, sorella luna" (aka "Brother Sun, Sister Moon", about Saint Francis of Assisi, his real masterpiece, IMO. By the way, I strongly suggest to watch this film!), "Jesus of Nazareth", "The Taming of the Shrew". I was a bit disappointed by his "Hamlet", though. And "Callas for ever" was awful.

I just watched "Born On The Fourth Of July" this afternoon. although, I really thought it was a good movie nad I totally suport Oliver Stone's cause, I can't help feeling that this movie would be much better if it runned a half hour shorter. I was just waiting it to end since the Mexico sequence. anyway, a very good movie.

Audition *** (1st Time)
1999, Miike, Japan
Seven years after losing his wife, a TV producer finds the woman of his dreams at a staged casting audition.
A plodding, neatly paced slight drama turns into a chilling social commentary on the question of today's question of what masculinity actually is; the climax, whether hallucinatory or not, is disturbingly violent and horrifyingly effective.

Irréversible **** (2nd time)
2002, Noé, Fr
When his girlfriend is raped at a party, a teacher and his friend hunt down the rapist at a gay bar.
Unrelenting, uncompromising, and utterly brutal depiction of humanity and the evil hole from which it cannot escape; verging at least twice on the unwatchable, this is also one of the very few films this decade which knows exactly what it wants to do throughout.
> #47 in Top 100: On a second viewing, I found no faults in this film. One of the best of the decade, and a must-see.

Fear Eats the Soul * (1st Time)
1974, Fassbinder, WGer
In Germany, a Moroccan immigrant marries a sixty-year-old citizen, and both are subjected to racial prejudice.
The director's interesting visual technique is here wasted on a tale with little lasting significance--at least in terms of the way in which it puts its point across.

NB: Add Irréversible to your Netflix and to-buy lists, people.

Mick

Originally posted by DE NIRO:
Yeah it's the first time...just started watching these kinds of movies after i enjoyed the Godfather trilogy so much...also just starting to watch the 1st series of the Sopranos Its all good..

Field of Dreams - (Robinson;1989;USA) - ***
A voice instructs a farmer to build a baseball field where the men from the Black Sox Scandal come to play.
A very different and interesting script which at several times becomes too melodramatic, but at most times proves to be a very moving picture. Costner made a lot of flops but here he is in one of his few good roles, along with a great cast that includes James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and more.

With much resistance, I opened myself to a thoroughly enjoyable rewatch:
Million Dollar Baby ** (2nd Time)
2004, Eastwood, US
When his best chance at a championship belt signs for another manager, an aging boxing coach takes on a girl for a year and a half.
A solidly made and ultimately dull boxing drama, probably with too many clichés for its own good, despite an unconventional twist which makes for a sentimental, anti-climactic finale; Eastwood directs and stars with assurance, while Swank adds bravura to an otherwise ordinary role.

Mick

I also watched "Field of Dreams" this afternoon. It's one of my favorites.

The Fellowship of the Ring was the movie I made time to watch last night (while studying for a test on Monday, not to metion the other 2 tests that I have). I REALLY enjoyed it a lot more than I did a week or 2 ago. I paid more attention to it and just seemed to enjoy it more which was great. Now I'm popping in The Two Towers

Just finished watching "Ray." It was a really excellent movie, I now understand what all the hype is about Jamie Foxx

Kill Bill: V1 - (Tarantino;2003;USA) - ***1/2
The Bride goes on a quest of revenge against old partners and her Boss, Bill.
Tarantino's reason for the film is an enjoyable homage to many films he loved, mostly Asian Kung Fu films, and some Spaghetti westerns. This proves to be a very entertaining film, made great with the average Tarantino style, a creative story with many well used homages. The music is also used well as in all his films. Another great part is the limited use of Carradine as Bill, who's face isn't shown in V1, creating a mystic feel to the character.
Among Top 100

Well I was able to stay awake last night and watch The Two Towers. It was a good movie but into the 2nd disc I felt it was running a little long and getting a little boring. It's my least favorite of the trilogy but still a good movie

Man on Fire
2004, Scott, US
A washed out ex-assassin bursts into action when the girl he has been hired to bodyguard is taken hostage.
As tough as it is empty, with Washington firing guns all over the place and not giving a damn, filmed and edited with such video-game flair that it creates a sense of unreality, perhaps to disguise the fact that this is nothing we've not seen before.

Mick

I'm surprised you have it zero stars Capo, but I can't help from agreeing with you. Looking back at the original ending, I realize how Hollywood-ized it was. Originally

SPOILER
Pita was dead, but the movie version can't let that ever happen. I'll watch it again soon, and as of now I keep my *** rating, although I'm tempted to take off half a star for the end.