SF Film/Cinema Thread

[dkzzzz]

Originally Posted by denimdestroyedmylife

I really like Stalker a lot, but Mirror and Solaris are my favorites, so far. I got through two hours of Rublev before the disc started skipping, so I sent it back to Greencine. Going to purchase it this week so I can watch the final one and a half hours.

I guess your disc stopped right before the best part of the movie (the story about a Bell-maker).
I hardly remember Solaris; I should try to watch it again. BTW I was pleasantly surprised by Hollywood remake of Solaris with G. Clooney. I liked it quite a bit.
Another RUS movie that I like quite a bit is "Unfinished Piece For Mechanical Piano" by Nikita Mikhalkov ("Burnt by the Sun")
It is a wonderful script based on collection of A.Chekhov's prose, acerbic, poignant with beautiful acting. A must see.

 

[denimdestroyedmylife]

Yeah, Rublev stopped right at "The Raid". I saw "Solaris" is playing on IFC or something and I was hoping that it was the Clooney one, since I have the Tarkovsky one on DVD, but alas, it was the Russian version.

Anyone read Solaris, the Stanislaw Lem book upon which the films are based? I am curious. Apparently, Lem hated the Tarkovsky film because of its religious overtones.

 

[Thracozaag]

Originally Posted by denimdestroyedmylife

Yeah, Rublev stopped right at "The Raid". I saw "Solaris" is playing on IFC or something and I was hoping that it was the Clooney one, since I have the Tarkovsky one on DVD, but alas, it was the Russian version.

Anyone read Solaris, the Stanislaw Lem book upon which the films are based? I am curious. Apparently, Lem hated the Tarkovsky film because of its religious overtones.

Solaris isn't my favorite Lem novel, but it's definitely well worth reading. I enjoyed Tarkovsky's interpretation, and the new one as well.

 

[Thracozaag]

Originally Posted by dkzzzz

I guess your disc stopped right before the best part of the movie (the story about a Bell-maker).
I hardly remember Solaris; I should try to watch it again. BTW I was pleasantly surprised by Hollywood remake of Solaris with G. Clooney. I liked it quite a bit.
Another RUS movie that I like quite a bit is "Unfinished Piece For Mechanical Piano" by Nikita Mikhalkov ("Burnt by the Sun")
It is a wonderful script based on collection of A.Chekhov's prose, acerbic, poignant with beautiful acting. A must see.

I absolutely LOVED "Burnt by the Sun", will definitely check out that other Mikhalkov movie you mentioned above, thanks! A depressing, but enthralling Russian movie I recently re-watched is "Come and See".

 

[dkzzzz]

Originally Posted by Thracozaag

I absolutely LOVED "Burnt by the Sun", will definitely check out that other Mikhalkov movie you mentioned above, thanks! A depressing, but enthralling Russian movie I recently re-watched is "Come and See".

If you liked "Burnt" I think you might like very entertaining movie by Mikhalkov "Friend Among Strangers, Stranger Among Friends" with young Mikhalkov in one of the leads. That movie is full of great actors and twists.

His older brother, who worked in France and Holywood; Andrei Konchalovsky has made a few remarkable movies : "The Inner Circle", "Maria's Lovers".
BTW, Andrei Konchalovsky was a writer on "Andrey Rublev".

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

Punch Drunk Love is one of my favorites. I don't find it particularly pretentious, but then I don't find it particularly artistic either, just a neat (if convoluted) method of storytelling. From a photography standpoint, there are some truly great shots in that movie, as well.
I finally saw Punch-Drunk Love over the weekend (as one can tell, I'm in no hurry to catch up on unseen PTA films...) and all I can say is "what a tremendous waste of talent" - not Anderson's or Sandler's of course, who are both still major losers in my book, but P.S. Hoffman and E. Watson's...

I really truly do not get how some people fall for PTA's pretentious vacuity

I felt just a little bit dumber after these 90 minutes...

 

[limping_decorum]

Originally Posted by Fuuma

I saw "There will be blood" yesterday, it was ok I guess. Anyone care to explain what they see in this movie?
Apart from Daniel Day Lewis, nothing. Disappointed with the ending. I tried giving The Goodbye Look another shot...I just can't stand Elliot Gould for the most part.

 

[Brian SD]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I finally saw Punch-Drunk Love over the weekend (as one can tell, I'm in no hurry to catch up on unseen PTA films...) and all I can say is "what a tremendous waste of talent" - not Anderson's or Sandler's of course, who are both still major losers in my book, but P.S. Hoffman and E. Watson's...

I really truly do not get how some people fall for PTA's pretentious vacuity

I felt just a little bit dumber after these 90 minutes...

That just seems like an intellectually dishonest way to criticize the film. I have friends who despise his method of film making for various semi-justifiable reasons, but when someone outright dismisses it as pretentious, I can't help but think that they went in with a narrow mind and left with a narrow mind. I don't find anything about Punch Drunk Love to be pretentious. I think it's probably the least so of any of Paul Anderson's work, and what is construed as "pretentious vacuity" is refusal to accept styles that differ from the accepted norms of film. I'm not saying Paul Anderson was the originator, but his films certainly are unique.

Surely someone with an eye for quality could find more positives in Punch Drunk Love, which at the very least has value, than something which is fun at best, pulp garbage at worst"”the show represented in your avatar and signature.

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

That just seems like an intellectually dishonest way to criticize the film. I have friends who despise his method of film making for various semi-justifiable reasons, but when someone outright dismisses it as pretentious, I can't help but think that they went in with a narrow mind and left with a narrow mind. I don't find anything about Punch Drunk Love to be pretentious. I think it's probably the least so of any of Paul Anderson's work, and what is construed as "pretentious vacuity" is refusal to accept styles that differ from the accepted norms of film. I'm not saying Paul Anderson was the originator, but his films certainly are unique.

Surely someone with an eye for quality could find more positives in Punch Drunk Love, which at the very least has value, than something which is fun at best, pulp garbage at worst"”the show represented in your avatar and signature.

Brian - if you go through this thread, you'll realize that I don't have anything against "styles that differ from the accepted norms of film". To the contrary, I applaud an authentic and original approach to cinema.

I don't think I need to defend myself for liking the character of Ari (which I think is brilliantly written and acted) in order to voice my opinion on Punch-Drunk Love, thank you (were you the one talking about intellectual dishonesty?...).

I don't think there's any doubt I had some pre-conceived views when I put the DVD in the tray (who doesn't after seeing a number of works from the same director?) and it probably had an effect on my appreciation of the film, but that's not the whole story either. I do not see the positives you see in this film, nor do I really see any redeeming qualities. Even the performances of talented actors are wasted here - rarely do I see PS Hoffman produce such low quality acting (although he clearly didn't have much material to work with).

But you don't need me to like it in order for you to enjoy it, so please continue to like the film, you're clearly not the only one who likes PTA's cinema... Let's just say that I don't get it, right?

Dishonestly yours
---G

PS: what exactly is so novel and unique about PTA's film-making BTW? Or simply about PDL's narrative or style? I didn't see anything ground-breaking here... I mean, this is not Chris Marker, J-L Godard or D. Aronofsky or... ?

PPS: despite the above, I will watch There Will Be Blood. Probably with some pre-conceived ideas, of course. But I want to see if PTA will transform his mostly pointless audacity and "courage" into something more than just that

 

[JBZ]

I was finally able to see Michael Clayton this weekend. I really enjoyed it. A fairly straight forward drama/suspense film, but very well written and acted. I thought it captured the workings of a large law firm about as well as any movie I've seen centering on the subject. Of course, I've never heard of a large law firm employing a "fixer," but that was part of the suspension of disbelief necessary for the viewing of most movies.

I still need to see No Country for Old Men (really, really want to see it) and There Will be Blood (sort of want to see it).

 

[Fade to Black]

no country for old men is perfect.

saw 'Once Upon a Time in the West' for the first time ever last week, don't think much needs to be said except i thought the whole movie was beautiful, it's a shame i don't see many movies like this coming out of hollywood any more.

 

[limping_decorum]

Originally Posted by Fade to Black

saw 'Once Upon a Time in the West' for the first time ever last week, don't think much needs to be said except i thought the whole movie was beautiful,
The perfect movie.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by JBZ

Of course, I've never heard of a large law firm employing a "fixer,".
Eh, they hide us away in the branch offices.

 

[Homme]

I saw Atonement, a few nights on a mate's tv. Loved it, loved it, will watch it again on the big screen to really appreciate the beautiful filming

 

[JBZ]

Originally Posted by RJman

Eh, they hide us away in the branch offices.

Do you need to check your car daily for explosives (or, as you probably say it, "zee boom-boom")?