Movie/TV recommendations

[Thrik]

I went into the cinema knowing that opinions are mixed. While I'd obviously seen the negative regard for the film in various circles, I'd also clocked that its IMDB score — which is usually quite a good metric of whether or not something is overrated/underrated — is actually pretty reasonable. And I've spoken to a fair number of people who enjoyed it, although just like me they're not going to go around saying it's amazing.

I suppose it's easy to get the impression that everyone thinks the film sucks, though. Detractors are always the most vocal part of the audience.

I did go in thoroughly expecting it to be inferior to Terminator 2, though. I was right.

[miffy495]

I went in expecting shit, came out happy that this was only true of the last 10 minutes or so.

Up was incredible. Everyone go see it. NOW. It was a little tough at the beginning though, when the old guy's motive for the trip is being explained. He's doing it in memory of his dead wife, and it shows their life together and her death in a hospital room. As the girl's grandmother had died in a room just like that one less than a month ago with her present, it was a very difficult moment for her to watch. We had to leave for a bit. After we came back though, the rest of the movie was unbelievably excellent, and we still came out with big grins on both our faces. Considering that it was not only good, but good enough to pick us up after that moment, I can do nothing but recommend it.

[zomboid]

Since I'm apparently rocking some kind of blog-linking theme today, here's a film blog that I really really like a lot. They focus on genre films from all over the world, and I constantly find out about interesting movies there:

TWITCH

[n0wak]

Since I'm apparently rocking some kind of blog-linking theme today, here's a film blog that I really really like a lot. They focus on genre films from all over the world, and I constantly find out about interesting movies there:

TWITCH

And they're mostly Toronto based. And nice people too!

[zomboid]

I am also looking forward to District 9.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I've just discovered The Venture Bros. Unlike other Adult Swim cartoons (which I do enjoy) this one seems to be made by people who actually care about what they're doing. No easy or cheap laughs and some fantastic vintage-style artwork.

It is most definitely worth your time!

[Shakesbeard]

I've just discovered The Venture Bros. Unlike other Adult Swim cartoons (which I do enjoy) this one seems to be made by people who actually care about what they're doing. No easy or cheap laughs and some fantastic vintage-style artwork.

It is most definitely worth your time!

If you like the Venture Brothers you should definitely check out Jackson Publick's blog, it's got a lot of interesting production details and behind the scenes stories and such. (His real name is Cristopher McCulloch and he's the voice of Hank, the Monarch, and several others on top of being the creator, director and co-writer of the show)

[OssK]

Soooo.... I just saw the three robbers, narrated by a certain Tomi Ungerer himself in french, and I'm really torn between loving it and not being certain that I do...

In short, it suffers from being a kid's book, although the still drawings are magnificent to a fucking huge extent, the animated characters are very classic thus not interesting in my opinion.

The other thing is, a kid's book is short, a full length movie is long, so it exposes long scenes where not much happens and couples our beloved story with some "side quests" that really diminish the strengh of the main story introducing secondary characters that are not really interesting themselves... So yeah, it's kind of awesome, and some songs are sweet, but the rest is kind of lame... It's a so-so movie about an awesome book.

[Roderick]

Sad to hear. I may check it out nonetheless, if only to practice my French

[OssK]

To illustrate what I said, I'm posting right here and now a few stills I took from the DVD, don't really know if I had the right to take them / if I have the right to distribute them but anyway... It should not spoil much but you can not click if you want.

Watch out, you might fall in fucking love because I did not take the stills for this thread, I just captured the most beautiful moments for myself and you'll see that I'm not lying when I say it's brillant ;

(if fucking imageshack is willing to upload them of course...)

ok here's the galery link, there are 6 of 'em

http://img223.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=image1dea.png

Enjoy

[syntheticgerbil]

Well let me know if you ever hear of an international release or maybe a new release with other language options. I know that's a very unfrench thing to do, since every DVD I have imported from France so far requires me to have French subtitles on if something is in English and never has any other language option.

But your country's cartoons are so good. I bought a large Minuscule DVD set as well as the Oggy and the Cockroaches Season One while in Paris last year since I knew is that they were "silent" for the most part. I was not disappointed at all. I also picked up a DVD that has La Vieille Dame Et Les Pigeons which is amazing and only has spoken English as the little dialogue available. Hooray!

[OssK]

have you seen les Triplettes de Belleville ?

[James]

I've got Belleville Rendez-vous on DVD. Apparently that's the UK title.

Pretty good, I thought. I don't even remember what the translation situation is. To be honest, most of it's non-verbal.

I think Tartan put it out.

(I know you weren't talking to me, but I thought I'd chip in.)

[OssK]

I appreciate you shipping in

On another movie, I saw the legend of Chun-Li....

I was in fucking shock (and I'm not joking here) that the evil guy who's a multi zillionaire is eating caviar and... DRINKING FUCKING RED WINE HOW IGNORANT A PRICK AND THE LAST OF THE DUMBASSES ON THE PLANET DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO HAVE SUCH POOR TASTE !!!

They are also all dressed in black at a chinese funeral... how fucked up is that ?

I liked how the ultimate master and his army cannot do what a single girl can... "I'm giving you a chance to be part of the web" was a fun remark ^.^

Oh, and what does the super mean zillionaire wants ? To buy the slums of bangkok and sell them for money and you can find his adress on the internets... And cops have gigantic appartments.. And the authors really still think you can make eye contact from one side of a night club to the other

and if you are against a few dozen guys that you don't hesitate to kill by breaking their necks, it'd be too easy to pick a gun, especially for a ranged battle.

"We have never seen this woman and we don't have a clear shot of her... Boss ! the front door camera had a shoot at her face !" 10 minutes later they're in the street, randomly showing the full front picture of a smilling girl with a different haircut...

You should watch it and try to point out all the idiocies of this movie, it's pretty entertaining !

[syntheticgerbil]

have you seen les Triplettes de Belleville ?

Yes, I also own the Tartan DVD because it has more extra making of crap.

[ThunderPeel2001]

If you like the Venture Brothers you should definitely check out Jackson Publick's blog, it's got a lot of interesting production details and behind the scenes stories and such. (His real name is Cristopher McCulloch and he's the voice of Hank, the Monarch, and several others on top of being the creator, director and co-writer of the show)

Wicked, thanks for the heads up!

[Scrobbs]

Soooo.... I just saw the three robbers, narrated by a certain Tomi Ungerer himself in french, and I'm really torn between loving it and not being certain that I do...

In short, it suffers from being a kid's book, although the still drawings are magnificent to a fucking huge extent, the animated characters are very classic thus not interesting in my opinion.

The other thing is, a kid's book is short, a full length movie is long, so it exposes long scenes where not much happens and couples our beloved story with some "side quests" that really diminish the strengh of the main story introducing secondary characters that are not really interesting themselves... So yeah, it's kind of awesome, and some songs are sweet, but the rest is kind of lame... It's a so-so movie about an awesome book.

Is that kind of like Les Pieds Nickeles?

[OssK]

Is that kind of like Les Pieds Nickeles?

Was there a movie about that ?

[Scrobbs]

No idea, that's why I was asking

[OssK]

No I don't think so, les pieds Nicklés are great but they're really heavy in term of content, they're always doing something and preparing and all the stories are important and get together in the end, there there are just additional character that are not used at all, you see them like 15% of the film but they never impact the main storyline in any way...

[Horticulture Tycoon]

Seeing as it was mentioned on the podcast as a minor obsession of Chris's, I should probably report on Moon, which I just got back from seeing. Since the movie's (meager) advertising goes out of its way not to reveal even the premise of the movie, it's hard to give an opinion without spoiling anything. Suffice it to say, an enthusiastic .

It has its problems, if anything it's too cerebral for its own good -- at times the movie seems to be deliberately choosing to go the most intellectually interesting direction, at the expense of what is most narratively interesting. Still, it's nice to see a sci-fi movie about ideas for a change, and not about a series of explosions. If it comes to your town, definitely go see it. Unfortunately, I don't think it'll have much of a theatical run (if any, overseas) since on opening night in Chicago, second showing of the day, there were a grand total of five people in the audience.

[Thrik]

Yes please.

QLTdkCB14iY

[Wrestlevania]

Watched Valkyrie at the weekend with Mrs V. Steady, sombre affair. Couldn't quite decide whether it wanted to be a muted Hollywood blockbuster or one of those highly polished and insightful TV films.

I suspect it started as the latter, then swung towards the former as interest grew and Cruise signed on--which I'm not saying is a bad thing at all. Cruise's trademark "Shouting is Acting!" - which twunts like Ben Affleck have since copied to much worse effect - is also kept in check, except for two passable occaisions.

Everyone acts well, including Cruise, and it's a solid, insightful film about a failed assassination attempt on Hitler and a rapidly deflated military coup.

In all honesty, I was expecting a thoroughly grim and torturous (literally) climax. But it was all quite swift and civilised, especially considering the subject matter.

If you're idly browsing for a film to rent, see it.

[Thyroid]

I'm no fan of anime, but my brother made me watch Death Note and I really liked it. The concept is a bit stupid and the first episode is so serious I cracked a rib laughing (that was just me, most other people were like "OMG"), but the show picks up at the second episode and doesn't let up. I think it still needed some ironing, and they could have done more with raising moral questions in the second half of the show, but it's an addictive affair that twists and turns at a breathless pace.

What I really liked about it (apart from the fact that its artstyle was not retarded and humans actually looked like humans, instead of whatever the fuck this is) was that it gave you some different viewpoints on its moral questions.The show never takes sides, and has you rooting for one character or another. My brother and I have been discussing its themes for a month now and we can't seem to agree on who is right, why, etc. Moreover, I loved that it explained its world in the first episode. Most other anime my brother has subjected me to had me watch six or seven episodes to understand the universe. No, thanks. I guess I also really liked the fact it wasn't chock-full of cliches. There isn't that super powerful warrior who slices up a demon and then stares into space until it disappears in light, or whatever. I also really love the fact that it doesn't explain everything, but implies a lot. It never explicitly says a certain character cheats, but if you think about it, of course he has.

On the other hand there's a couple of weak but pivotal characters in there. One character in particular sacrifices their life for another, but the relationship isn't believably strong enough for me to say, "Yeah, this was inevitable."

Check it out. The first two episodes give a good idea on the rest of the show, but it's just a sampling. For those of you who have seen it:

I really liked Mello and Near. I don't get all the hate

.

[Thrik]

I watched Hancock the other day, and I really liked it. I did notice it had a bit of a bad rap so wasn't expecting much, but I really can't see why it was criticised so much.