2 registered members (2 invisible),
456
guests, and 48
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums21
Topics43,355
Posts1,086,410
Members10,381
|
Most Online1,254 Mar 13th, 2025
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93099
03/05/06 02:05 PM
03/05/06 02:05 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,512 Right here, but I'd rather be ...
long_lost_corleone
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,512
Right here, but I'd rather be ...
|
Originally posted by Irishman12: A History of Violence ***
I enjoyed it more with a 2nd viewing. The performances in this were great all around from Viggo to Maria. My 2 favorite performances though (in order) were Stephen McHattie who played Leland Jones and Ed Harris who played Carl Fogarty. I was kinda surprised that William Hurt got the Oscar nom over Ed Harris. Don't get me wrong he did a fine job but I think the man was only in like 1 or 2 scenes Ah, another one I've been awaiting desperately to see. I hear nothing but goodies. Can't wait to see it (which, hopefully, will be soon).
"Somebody told me when the bomb hits, everybody in a two mile radius will be instantly sublimated, but if you lay face down on the ground for some time, avoiding the residual ripples of heat, you might survive, permanently fucked up and twisted like you're always underwater refracted. But if you do go gas, there's nothing you can do if the air that was once you is mingled and mashed with the kicked up molecules of the enemy's former body. Big-kid-tested, motherf--ker approved."
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93100
03/05/06 03:32 PM
03/05/06 03:32 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,155 Some anonymous motel room.
Don Vercetti
|

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,155
Some anonymous motel room.
|
Great sig LLC. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - (Jim Jarmusch;1999;USA) An African American mafia hitman who follows the samurai code finds himself targeted by the mafia.A different film from Jarmusch. It's obviously inspired by Le Samourai and some other films, but it works in it's own creativity to become a great film. Forest Whitaker has a wonderful presence as Ghost Dog, and the rest of the cast supports the film well. Jarmusch's humor also adds to the film. The music is also a highlight, especially the excellent opening score by the Wu Tang Clan. The action scenes are very good, containing the type of charm Michael Mann offers.
Proud Member of the Gangster BB Bratpack - Fighting Elitism and Ignorance Since 2006
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93103
03/05/06 06:10 PM
03/05/06 06:10 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,543 Gateshead, UK
Capo de La Cosa Nostra
|

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,543
Gateshead, UK
|
The low-down of my star system:
Four stars: A life-changing film actively influencing me. I love it. Three stars: An excellent film, for whatever reason. Two stars: A good film, for whatever reason. One star: Worth watching, for whatever reason. Zero stars: Routine production or worse.
Basically, it's the opposite to Ebert's system, which allows for all films, where half marks means an average. My system, taken from Halliwell's Film Guide, concentrates more on good films.
...dot com bold typeface rhetoric. You go clickety click and get your head split. 'The hell you look like on a message board Discussing whether or not the Brother is hardcore?
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93104
03/05/06 06:24 PM
03/05/06 06:24 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,098 Existential Well
svsg
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,098
Existential Well
|
Originally posted by Capo de La Cosa Nostra: The low-down of my star system:
Four stars: A life-changing film actively influencing me. I love it. Three stars: An excellent film, for whatever reason. Two stars: A good film, for whatever reason. One star: Worth watching, for whatever reason. Zero stars: Routine production or worse.
Basically, it's the opposite to Ebert's system, which allows for all films, where half marks means an average. My system, taken from Halliwell's Film Guide, concentrates more on good films. Sorry, I remembered reading that your zero stars was for "no redeeming quality" or something like that. I was wrong, my apologies. But even according to this rating system, I wouldn't categorize it as routine, leave alone worse. The screenplay involves looking at the middle east oil situation from the perspective of both american and world interest. I would also say that a lot of research was done for the script to make it look authentic. It is not easy for a person sitting in hollywood and make believable story about pakistan, lebanon, iraq and other countries. So far from routine. Nothing special in terms of acting, though nothing to complain either. Clooney's extra weight could have been redundant, but that didn't spoil it either. That is like Coppola chilling the champagne to 50 degrees in the french plantation scene of Apocalypse now, or like De Niro wearing silk underwear like capone used to. They don't matter, but it just goes on to make things as authentic as possible. So effort wise, not routine.
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93105
03/05/06 06:43 PM
03/05/06 06:43 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,543 Gateshead, UK
Capo de La Cosa Nostra
|

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,543
Gateshead, UK
|
The problem with Syriana was that it tries to present a picture of our current times without going into any detail; characters are expendable, and we don't know anything about any of them, even after its two hours running length. I think it would have been better had we spent an extra hour in the film, to actually get something out of these characters. We'll hear some music at one point, and the film builds momentum to something which doesn't happen, and it withers away into more surface detail.
A week after seeing Spielberg's (much worse) Munich, I said you know something's wrong when the only part you remember of a film in any detail is something as little as a knife going into somebody's head. With Syriana, there's a scene where Clooney gets his nails ripped out in a torture scene. It serves little purpose other than to give its audience some digestable sensationalism after an onslaught of complicated political rhetoric. It's a point proven, I think, by the resulting conversation I had with the two men I saw it with (one being my dad, the other his friend), how that scene in particular was awful. Without that scene, the film would have still worked and delivered its message, but we wouldn't have had anything to talk about. So it didn't need to be there.
It gives a sense of its characters being caught up in this harsh, political world, and being as expendable as the money they dish out to get power. Fair point; it succeeds in creating that kind of environment, but would have worked far better had there been some kind of emotional attachment to such expendable characters. Like the characters themselves, each storyline in the film is expendable. To the point where the death of a child is used as a plot device, just to make for some more political banter.
Clooney's part was the most interesting; tellingly, the film opens and closes with his storyline. That it is under-explored pays testament to the kind of width Gaghan tries to cover. Alas, the result is that we hover over a map, and never land to explore the jungles on it. Traffic handled this balance between a wider world while also working on an individual level brilliantly; as a further example, the final segment of The Lord of the Rings works even better.
...dot com bold typeface rhetoric. You go clickety click and get your head split. 'The hell you look like on a message board Discussing whether or not the Brother is hardcore?
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93112
03/05/06 08:01 PM
03/05/06 08:01 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,543 Gateshead, UK
Capo de La Cosa Nostra
|

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,543
Gateshead, UK
|
Originally posted by MistaMista Tom Hagen: What motivated that decision?
A film considered to be one of the top 100 of all time by many
vs.
A George Clooney political drama which got mixed reviews I actually forgot about it. And it was cheaper to see Syriana. Oh, and George Clooney political drama wouldn't put me off. Good Night, and Good Luck. was one of last year's top five.
...dot com bold typeface rhetoric. You go clickety click and get your head split. 'The hell you look like on a message board Discussing whether or not the Brother is hardcore?
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93123
03/05/06 08:31 PM
03/05/06 08:31 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 72,793 The Villa Quatro
Irishman12
OP
UNDERBOSS
|
OP
UNDERBOSS

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 72,793
The Villa Quatro
|
Originally posted by long_lost_corleone: [quote]Originally posted by Irishman12: [b] A History of Violence ***
I enjoyed it more with a 2nd viewing. The performances in this were great all around from Viggo to Maria. My 2 favorite performances though (in order) were Stephen McHattie who played Leland Jones and Ed Harris who played Carl Fogarty. I was kinda surprised that William Hurt got the Oscar nom over Ed Harris. Don't get me wrong he did a fine job but I think the man was only in like 1 or 2 scenes Ah, another one I've been awaiting desperately to see. I hear nothing but goodies. Can't wait to see it (which, hopefully, will be soon). [/b][/quote]Hopefully you'll enjoy it too. I remember you enjoyed The Weather Man so I think you should dig this too. I'll be buying this DVD on the 14th. Remember to keep an eye out for Stephen McHattie.
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93125
03/05/06 08:39 PM
03/05/06 08:39 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,246
MistaMista Tom Hagen
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,246
|
How do you hear about them? Sometimes, I'll see a film based on director/actor connections, and I'll usually find these through imdb, but even them, when I come upon a film I have interest in, the rating is right there. If I were to see the film had a shitty rating, I probably wouldn't see it.
Sometimes, even a film is directed by one of my favorite directors, and stars some really good actors, it still turns out like crap. Ex. Gangs of New York, for this reason, I rely on critics feelings, just a 2nd opinion. Like I said, I will definitely sometimes see and enjoy films that were critically panned, and sometimes really hate films that were widely praised.
I'm not arguing that critics are right, I'm just saying I feel like its inevitable for their opinions to be taken into consideration, at least to a certain degree.
I dream in widescreen.
|
|
|
Re: Movies You Just Watched Discussion
#93126
03/05/06 08:43 PM
03/05/06 08:43 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,155 Some anonymous motel room.
Don Vercetti
|

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,155
Some anonymous motel room.
|
I read about film, genres, directors, etc. Otherwise I either get recomended from other members at the Film board, or I use this site, which is much more reliable then the stupid AFI list. In fact they have a Top 100 and 1000 list. http://www.theyshootpictures.com/ The only time I ever read a review is usually Ebert's site, just to see if he pisses me off or adds something interesting to his Great Movies list. He usually pisses me off.
Proud Member of the Gangster BB Bratpack - Fighting Elitism and Ignorance Since 2006
|
|
|
|