Author Topic: Resurrecting the Movies thread...  (Read 1025355 times)

Offline oilgun

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1340 on: February 02, 2009, 12:24:41 pm »
[...]

(I will say, though, that I could not follow the French--especially the students' very 'street' French--at all. I was completely dependent upon the subtitles. I wonder if anyone who saw it with English subtitles and knows French might comment--I'd appreciate it!)

I had some difficuylty understanding some of the students because of their strong accents.  Also, some of the slang expressions were unfamiliar to this French-Canadian  so at times I too had to rely on the subtitles.

Offline oilgun

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1341 on: February 06, 2009, 05:33:35 pm »
SILK (2007) - Dir: François Girard (THE RED VIOLIN) with: Michael Pitt, Keira Knightley.  The reviews were not kind but there was enough here to keep me interested.  Well, most of the time.  I think Michael Pitt is an interesting actor, I've followed his work since his turn as the lovesick Henry in Dawson's Creek but I think he is horribly miscast here. 

I just checked the NYT review and Stephen Holden agrees: "The film’s problems begin with Mr. Pitt. As he mumbles Hervé’s story, sometimes inaudibly, his character sounds either supremely detached or heavily medicated. With his swollen, chiseled lips and empty blue eyes that sometimes tear up, Mr. Pitt is a reasonably photogenic specimen. But this actor, whose typical screen character is a broken, androgynous man-child, is disastrously miscast."

Pitt is not the only reason that the film fails, the director bears much of the blame with choppy editing and the pace is very, very slow and not in a good way, although there is some good cinematography along the way.

If nothing else, the film made me want to read Alessandro Baricco's novel on which it is based.
2/5

MAN ON WIRE - Wow!  Fantastic documentary about Phillippe Petit's guerilla high-wire act on top of the WTC in 1974.  I was amazed at how much it affected the people who helped him prepare.  Even today, some tear up while recounting this daring event.  A strangely afffecting film, fascinating, suspensful,  passionate &  melancholic. 4.5/5

This weekend I'm planning on seeing WENDY & LUCY which finally opened here to rave reviews (4/4 stars -Globe & Mail)
 
 

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1342 on: February 06, 2009, 06:02:39 pm »
I saw The Wrestler yesterday. It was quite good, and Mickey Rourke was really fantastic. If I were in the Academy, at this point I think he'd get my vote over Sean Penn or Frank Langella, though they were both very very good, too.

(As for other nominees, I didn't see Richard Jenkins in The Visitor, and Brad Pitt, though visually breathtaking, was not in the same league acting-wise IMO.)


Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1343 on: February 06, 2009, 06:15:23 pm »
MAN ON WIRE - Wow!  Fantastic documentary about Phillippe Petit's guerilla high-wire act on top of the WTC in 1974.  I was amazed at how much it affected the people who helped him prepare.  Even today, some tear up while recounting this daring event.  A strangely afffecting film, fascinating, suspensful,  passionate &  melancholic. 4.5/5

This weekend I'm planning on seeing WENDY & LUCY which finally opened here to rave reviews (4/4 stars -Globe & Mail)
 
 
An interesting juxtaposition of movies, friend! It will be interesting because Wendy in her own way, is just as daring as Phillippe Petit!

I saw Wendy & Lucy last weekend and I will see Man on Wire this weekend for the second time! I hear it's up for an Oscar for Best Documentary!
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1344 on: February 07, 2009, 07:25:52 pm »
I saw "Revolutionary Road" tonight and thought it was very, very good.  Sam Mendes has a way with suburban angst.  Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio were great, and even though the story dealt with problems many couples face and many movies have addressed, I never lost interest.  The inner lives of the characters were so intense, I was never quite sure what they'd do.

David Harbour (BBM's Randall) had a supporting role as a neighbor.  This resulted in a scene that was pure Brokeback.  Any Brokie who sees the movie will instantly recognize it.  ;D
I wonder if you liked the score to RR. It was done by Thomas Newman, a favorite composer of mine recently, and I'm thinking about getting the CD.
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Offline serious crayons

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1345 on: February 07, 2009, 09:30:17 pm »
Saw Coraline today, with my 13-year-old son. We both liked it. It was visually spectacular, and a pretty good story, too!


Offline Meryl

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1346 on: February 07, 2009, 10:34:38 pm »
I wonder if you liked the score to RR. It was done by Thomas Newman, a favorite composer of mine recently, and I'm thinking about getting the CD.

I'm sorry to say I'm having trouble recalling the music now.  But I know I didn't not like it.

Here's a link to the msn Oscar site.  Lots of interesting features, like "Worst Best Picture Oscar" ever ("Crash" gets Dishonorable Mention, but "Dances with Wolves" edges it out) and montages of the big nominees:  http://movies.msn.com/oscars/.
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Offline ednbarby

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1347 on: February 09, 2009, 12:43:03 pm »
I saw The Wrestler yesterday. It was quite good, and Mickey Rourke was really fantastic. If I were in the Academy, at this point I think he'd get my vote over Sean Penn or Frank Langella, though they were both very very good, too.

(As for other nominees, I didn't see Richard Jenkins in The Visitor, and Brad Pitt, though visually breathtaking, was not in the same league acting-wise IMO.)

I agree, largely, on all counts.  I only disagree on Sean Penn.  I could see him acting in "Milk," and it irritated me.

I love Richard Jenkins and am sorry I missed him in "The Visitor."  I'm sure he was tremendous.

But for my money, Mickey Rourke deserves it, for what it's worth, hands down.

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Offline oilgun

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1348 on: February 09, 2009, 05:14:35 pm »
MY WINNIPEG - A "docu-fantasy" by Guy Maddin.   I enjoyed it much more than his previous THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD.  Anne Savage, who has since died I think, plays his mother. She's famous for her unforgetable role in the Noir cult classic DETOUR. MY WINNIPEG is a bizarre, humourous and touching tribute to his hometown.
Watch the trailer!:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY9BtROpNQ4[/youtube]

Offline Kd5000

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Re: Resurrecting the Movies thread...
« Reply #1349 on: February 10, 2009, 11:36:02 am »

I love Richard Jenkins and am sorry I missed him in "The Visitor."  I'm sure he was tremendous.


I rented THE VISITOR at Blockbuster several weeks back, before the Academy Award nominations were announced. The movie was mentioned on NPR in their listing of small movies from 2008 that were worth a looksee. And yes, Jenkins was very good in that role.