Movie/TV recommendations

[brkl]

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was :tup:

Tom Waits was perfect.

[DanJW]

I saw Alice in Wonderland.

It was fine, I guess. Lovely visuals and character design, obviously. But even for what is essentially a sequel to an adaptation, it felt... derivative. There are no surprises here. The couple of half hearted 'twists' don't really deserve the term.

The characters are all one-dimensional too. Alice's journey of self-belief is played as close to cliché as you have ever seen. I did however like the Mad Hatter's mean, Scottish personality and the violently deranged March Hare. They injected a dash of much needed astringency into proceedings. On the whole though, the plot is just an excuse to cameo all the well known Lewis Carol entities one by one.

Probably one for the kids, shame it couldn't manage a bit more.

[ThunderPeel2001]

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was :tup:

Tom Waits was perfect.

Really? I didn't enjoy it that much at all (although I really wanted to). Some nice moments, but it just didn't hang together as a whole for me. (Was my experience marred by Tom Waits's speech at the end being ruined by the sound cutting out, I wonder? I remember feeling pretty annoyed that I couldn't hear what he was saying.)

[Kolzig]

We had a kind of mega movie weekend.

We watched during last weekend Moon, Princess & the Frog and The Fountain (which I wrote about here already)

Moon was awesome, makes me want to watch movies like 2001: The Space Odyssey again very soon. Clearly a homage to that movie in some ways. Sam Rockwell was really good.

Kevin Spacey was not that good as the voice in my opinion, something about his voice didn't feel like it suited completely the role. Or maybe that was the idea behind it, I seriously don't know. Though GERTY itself was really interesting and well developed in my opinion. The emotional aspect of the robot was nicely done with the smilies. GERTY had feelings and emotions and even though it was programmed to do the work of the corporation, it cared more for Sam.

Princess & the Frog was a quite mediocre animated film, but I loved the fact that Disney is back to where it should be. Making traditionally animated 2D movies for the big screen instead of outsourced to Asia for cheap production and straight to dvd release.

[syntheticgerbil]

Really? I didn't enjoy it that much at all (although I really wanted to). Some nice moments, but it just didn't hang together as a whole for me. (Was my experience marred by Tom Waits's speech at the end being ruined by the sound cutting out, I wonder? I remember feeling pretty annoyed that I couldn't hear what he was saying.)

I don't remember what he said, but I don't think so. It was probably something pretty smart ass and nothing poignant or tying up loose ends. I was similarly disappointed with the way the plot went near the end of the movie.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I don't remember what he said, but I don't think so. It was probably something pretty smart ass and nothing poignant or tying up loose ends. I was similarly disappointed with the way the plot went near the end of the movie.

Yeah, I think that was probably the biggest problem for me, the story didn't really come together at the end. I didn't really understand who had won or why, and it just didn't hang together well. I guess the tube-thing prevented him from being hung, but it was all a little weird. I just didn't feel it.

[brkl]

I guess the tube-thing prevented him from being hung, but it was all a little weird. I just didn't feel it.

Who, Tony? No, Parnassus gave him a fake one. This was pretty clear.

All Terry Gilliam films have some some problems, but the richness of his worlds always carries me away. The film suffered a bit from Heath Ledger's death and how they had to work around that. I think the beginning especially dragged because of that.

They both won, kind of. It wasn't about winning, it was about the competition and a kind of camaraderie through the ages. Winning would mean it ends.

Gilliam's films are all like this, though. You might get it or not -- the whole either entrances you or the film doesn't work for you at all. They usually improve with additional viewings.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Who, Tony? No, Parnassus gave him a fake one. This was pretty clear.

All Terry Gilliam films have some some problems, but the richness of his worlds always carries me away. The film suffered a bit from Heath Ledger's death and how they had to work around that. I think the beginning especially dragged because of that.

They both won, kind of. It wasn't about winning, it was about the competition and a kind of camaraderie through the ages. Winning would mean it ends.

Gilliam's films are all like this, though. You might get it or not -- the whole either entrances you or the film doesn't work for you at all. They usually improve with additional viewings.

I'm a massive Gilliam fan and have seen just about all his movies... this was a different problem. The beginning did drag, too, now that you mention it. I do feel that Waits's speech at the end probably held something important emotional info... but the ending felt unearned.

[Yasawas]

Come on people, list your favourite film!

Once Upon a Time in the West.

That opening ten minutes is the greatest I've ever seen, absolutely masterful, Bronson is too cool for words ("You brought two too many."), Cardinale is timelessly hot and Fonda makes a great villain. Leone at the peak of his powers and a fantastic Morricone score too, even by his standards. Love it.

Currently working my way though what I've not seen of IMDb's Top 250 via this handy site, so watching plenty of films at the moment. There were so many considered as classics on that list that I'd never seen I felt compelled to try and watch them all just so I could have an opinion. Watched The Third Man earlier which was astonishingly good and exactly the kind of film I like, never even heard of it before I looked at that list and there are probably loads more like it that I'm equally ignorant of. I just wish Lovefilm were a bit less ponderous when it comes to posting stuff out.

Hello btw

[brkl]

Ooh, I should watch that again. It's the culmination of Leone's westerns and probably his best movie. I wonder if it's out on Bluray.

BTW, there's at least one Bluray of Ran available that is an upscaled DVD... Avoid that.

[Yasawas]

There's a real dearth of Leone BluRay, I don't think any are available in Europe yet. Those films look great as it is, but I'd love to see them in high-def.

I missed the chance to see Ran at the cinema last month

[20ozMonkey]

I saw Alice in Wonderland.

On the whole though, the plot is just an excuse to cameo all the well known Lewis Carol entities one by one.

It's pretty much Tim Burton's fanfiction.

[Thyroid]

Red Riding looks good. It's a trilogy presented as one movie or somethng, with three different directors. I've been craving good crime fiction ever since I finished Charles Willeford's Miami Blues; this looks like it could be the remedy.

Ebert liked it.

(Youtube).

[Scrobbs]

Red Riding - it's supposed to be really really good, although very dark. Thanks for reminding me about it!

[Murdoc]

The Fountain - a movie that works on so many levels. I think I was a bit too tired to watch this with my wife last night. This felt like a movie that you have to watch with a clear mind and not so sleepy.

Darren Aronofsky has made only a few movies, but all of them are great. Of course latest The Wrestler is not same category as The Fountain or Requiem for a Dream, but in my opinion is maybe even a better movie, mainly because of Mickey Rourke. Pi I have not seen.

I love Aronofsky, but I dunno I think the wrestler was a little tame/low level on the ideas for him; it really felt like Oscar fodder. Though I still like it and has a lot of great themes and cinematography, it just didn't pop on the idea level that his other movies have. I really loved the visual style, narrative, and score of the Fountain, it made it much less a standard film for me and more of a visual and sonic experience... bad description, but rare all those things come together at the same high level the fountain did.

*Hugh Jackman almost showed promise that year with that and the prestige... then he started doing xmen and other shitty things again, sorry dude, but eric bana is now my ausy hopeful.

Aftre Black Swan Im really hoping he can go through with Robocop; I know, I know, but if he's going to dumb down a bit he can at least swim in Nolan territory and give us something kick ass from my childhood.

[Nappi]

While I already know winning the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director doesn't mean the movie will actually be any good, The Hurt Locker still managed to be incredibly disappointing. The plot wasn't particularly strong and the central theme didn't really do it for me. I was constantly waiting for the movie to "go somewhere" to justify me actually sitting down and watching it, but that never happened.

I hate to sound like a typical brick (which I by all means am) but my main complaint with the movie is how incredibly stupid some of the stuff that was going on was. I'm sure the Internet has already made a list of all those things, but here are some of my favourites:

• Why did the soldier continue pointing his sniper rifle on the exact same spot where the previous soldier got killed 10 seconds ago?
• Why did he remain visible for something like 10 minutes it took the others to clean the bullets from blood? Moreover, why didn't the baddies try to shoot him then?
• Why did they even remain there until evening?
• Who the fuck would try to put out the flames in a car that has a ton of explosives in the back with a puny fire extinguisher? Why is it so important to find the detonator (or whatever) when the wires have already been cut and the place is full of suspicious people?
• and so on.
  

I usually don't give a fuck if a character limps with a wrong leg or if there is a Toyota in the Middle Earth, but this movie was full of these WTF moments and they made the story and the characters feel very un-real for me. Many of the things can't even be explained by the characters being unexperienced, scared or dumb since one would still expect them to have some basic survival instincts.

I'm not trying to piss on the Oscar winner just for the sake of it. I honestly didn't get this movie.

I did like the super slow motion of the rust on the cars roof, however.

[Roderick]

I love Aronofsky, but I dunno I think the wrestler was a little tame/low level on the ideas for him; it really felt like Oscar fodder. Though I still like it and has a lot of great themes and cinematography, it just didn't pop on the idea level that his other movies have. I really loved the visual style, narrative, and score of the Fountain, it made it much less a standard film for me and more of a visual and sonic experience... bad description, but rare all those things come together at the same high level the fountain did.

*Hugh Jackman almost showed promise that year with that and the prestige... then he started doing xmen and other shitty things again, sorry dude, but eric bana is now my ausy hopeful.

The Fountain was very strange. Beautiful, weird, disturbing and boring all at the same time. I loved the conquistadores bits and in space, not so much the present.

As for Aussies, don't forget that hotheaded actor named Russel Crowe. He loves to act but he loves one thing more: Fight Around The World.

[Wesley Thomas]

I'm looking forward to checking out Justified, the new FX show. It starts this week I believe. It's based on an Elmore Leonard short story about a US Marshall from KY sent back home as punishment for blowing away a perp. Upon his arrival, he gets entangled in a fight with a redneck Neo-Nazi dude. Timothy Olyphant plays the lawman.

Just saw Green Zone yesterday. Wasn't as Bourne-like as I expected, but it was a-okay.

Also recently saw the new Jared Hess movie Gentlemen Broncos. It, sadly, did NOT live up to its trailer. It did have a few funny parts, though. Most of the really good bits involved Jemaine Clement, who portrays a washed-up Science Fiction writer. It's mercifully short, so if you're a fan of Clement you might dig it a bit.

I came THIS close to buying the North by Northwest Bluray re-release. Has anyone checked this out yet? I love Hitchcock and hear this version of the film is quite lovely.

[brkl]

I've seen a 1080p version of North by Northwest at a friend's place, and I suppose that must've been a Blu-ray rip. It looked lovely, every bit as sharp as any new film at 1080p.

[Kolzig]

I saw Alice in Wonderland yesterday. I seriously have a problem with 3D glasses. Those just don't fit on my nose. Movie itself was quite mediocre in most ways, but I still enjoyed it. Stephen Fry is always a nice bonus even as a voice actor.

[pabosher]

Stephen Fry is always a nice bonus even as a voice actor.

I think the words you're looking for are "an absolute God"?

[Nachimir]

I saw Alice in Wonderland yesterday. I seriously have a problem with 3D glasses. Those just don't fit on my nose. Movie itself was quite mediocre in most ways, but I still enjoyed it. Stephen Fry is always a nice bonus even as a voice actor.

I wore contacts for the first time in the cinema, and the bloom effects played havoc with them. A lot of people have problems with 3D, and for many, the effect just isn't very pronounced.

I thought the film was ok, but the magical methods there were to solve every problem destroyed any sense of drama it had for me; it was more like a series of cameos for well known characters and voices. The bit where it really broke was

the Mad Hatter's execution. Why could the Cheshire Cat look like him? How did they get him out of his cell? How did he sneak up behind the Queen? It was a poorly orchestrated bit of cinema that seemed to be trying for both pathos and suspense.

On the side, none of the distorted human characters creeped me out like I thought they would after seeing the trailer.

[Scrobbs]

Attention everybody!

Four Lions will premier in UK next week @ Bradford Film Festival. It is sold out, predictably, but be ready for when it goes on general release. I don't think there is a film I have looked forward to more, ever.

http://warp.net/films/four-lions

[Thyroid]

I saw Shutter Island the other day. It was good.

I didn't think much of the book, but the story works better in movie form - partially, I think, due to Scorsese's masterful direction. It's not camerawork or anything like that; he just knows how to keep you riveted.

All in all, it's worth checking out if you want a decent-to-good thriller, but you'll lose nothing by waiting to rent it.

[Chris]

Steve and I saw Shutter Island a couple weeks ago. I was pretty disappointed, and I'm a massive Scorsese fan. A lot of the editing was fantastic, and it was a very confidently made film; Scorsese was just confidently filming something I found to be fairly hokey. Also, while I basically like DiCaprio, he really seems to be settling into a particular set of on-screen mannerisms that are making his characters too similar, and it's ruining some of his films for me.

Last night I watched WarGames. It was fine, but hard for me to take seriously as an adult. Still, I can imagine why it resonated with people of a certain age and disposition when it was a current film; maybe it would have for me too if I had seen it when all the people I know did! The one scene that really worked for me was the war room scene that Defcon pretty much blew out into a whole game. That shit was terrifying.

Tonight I watched Fail-Safe, after mentioning WarGames to Steve and him reminding me this movie exists. It's based on a book that was allegedly based on the book that Dr. Strangelove was based on, and so the two movies are wildly different treatments of the exact same premise, where Fail-Safe plays straight man to Strangelove's satire.

It's not as important or incredible a film as Strangelove, but absolutely worth watching and incredibly gripping to see a more sincere take on that material. As a piece of film history, it's also fascinating as it was the subject of a brutal behind-the-scenes battle that had Stanley Kubrick essentially being a dick and scheming to block the release of Fail-Safe until after Strangelove came out.

The style of the film is rather ballsy for a mainstream movie with known actors, and the ending is fucking extreme, and both of those things really remind me why Sidney Lumet is such a badass director. (Those things, as well as the inevitable Strangelove shadow, probably also explain why it apparently didn't do well at the box office despite strong critical reception.) Peter Fonda and Walter Mathau are both in this movie, and they are fantastic in their roles.

Of the three most recent movies I have seen, it is probably fairly clear which one I would recommend for this recommendations thread!