O.K. no taking shots at Jennifer Connolly. Gorgeous creature that she is...:)
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O.K. no taking shots at Jennifer Connolly. Gorgeous creature that she is...:)
Thanks for the "cattiness warning" otherwise that would've been a bit much to take. You seem to be putting the blame on her shoulders for A Beautiful Mind which is unwarranted. Just looking at the names above, I can't think of too many other American actresses who've accomplished as much in the recent past, especially considering, as Steve said, "Gorgeous creature that she is" which could often work against you in the business.
Going back to arsaib4's review of the original, for once I actually went to see a remake in the cinema and it makes the original (which when I saw it the first time left me more than a little underwelmed) look like a classic modern Japanese ghost story (rather than horror film), I've just watched it again on DVD and can't believe how inferior the remake is, the audience is spoonfed and things which had great meaning in the original are left with little or no meaning, the red bag for one example!
I have written comments for the remake but unfortunately cannot post them yet due to serious PC problems but as soon as I can, I will.
Cheers Trev.
If the remake makes the original look like "a classic modern Japanese ghost story," then perhaps it's a good idea to avoid it. Looking forward to your take on both versions.
Re: Jennifer Connolly.
I agree with Chris completely on this one. I've seen Hulk (I posted a DVD review today) over 20 times now, and she is the worst thing about the movie.
She is "gorgeous", she can act, she's got a damn good resume, but there is something about her that makes me hate her. And it began after seeing Hulk several times. She seems like a robotic actress, one who emotes on command (and that is precisely what makes her a great actress), but her "aura" or "persona" or "vibe" or whatever it is just says "so what". There is no passion in her eyes. There is no "fire" burning behind those peepers.
It's just "a job". But she does that "job' very wel...
"Closer" (2004)
I finally got around to watching this. I've had the disc for ages but never watched the movie. I thought it was a nice change for a relationship movie to be so blunt and straightforward. It dissects the effect of people who cheat in a relationship and the "domino effect" throughout the rest of the small world they inhabit.
Julia Roberts was surprisingly good, Clive Owen was better in this film than I have seen him elsewhere . I felt Jude Law was subdued and underplayed his role.
Natalie Portman had some amazing scenes but I'm not sure this was the best casting decision. She almost seems to innocent and pure to play a stripper/waif who could do what she did here. It was like she was willing herself to be "sleazy" but not really revelling.
I liked the abundant use of British terms and slang.
Wedding Crashers Contrary to reports this stays funny all the way through. Vince Vaughan is always worth watching and to say he and Owen Wilson work well together is an understatement.
Hustle and Flow A touching, heartfelt piece with some corniness but also great acting by everybody, especiallyTerence Howard, and good Memphis summer atmosphere.
Last Days Van Sant's minimalist style won't be to everybody's taste, but this showcases a career-making performance for Michael Pitt and has a haunting, dreamlike mood.
Reviews coming of the above, at least the last two.
On DVD, inspired by arasaib's review: Constantine. Something about the Devil and chain smoking, with Keanu Reeves looking very lean and sensitive and lots of nifty special effects. That's all I can say since for the fun of it and for the practice I watched it with the French sound track (dubbed in Quebec) so I may have missed some details.
I did not like Closer at all, but I agree with steveseitz on the relative merits of the actors.
I enjoyed Closer quite a bit, and I generally like Jennifer Connelly. My question to Johann is why have you seen Hulk 20 times.
Anyways my last film was Gate of Flesh (1964) - Seijun Suzuki
This might be my favorite Suzuki film, with Tokyo Drifter coming close. It is exploitative, and was made as a soft core porn movie basically, so sprurpising to see so much nudity in a Japanese film from 1964, when America was still trying to let one breast in The Pawnbroker. There is also plenty of violence, and Suzuki's use of color is astonishing. He's in many ways a Japanse Samuel Fuller, and for that I love him. I was a little disappointed when I first heard this film was coming out, believing that Criterion didn't need 6 Suzuki films, but this has rekindled my admiration of his work, and I now anxiously look forward to watching Story of a Prostitute.
There are a few films from 2004 that I'm not ready to write-off just yet; Closer along with, say, The Life Aquatic, would be a couple of examples. I agree with Steve regarding its slightly different approach to relationship drama. Ultimately, though, the characters seemed trapped within its overall structure, not being able to grow in any way.
I know why Johann has seen Hulk 20 times: Jennifer Connolly.
I do agree Jennifer Connolly is radiantly beautiful, by the way. She's just as pretty as Jared Leto or even more so. That doesn't make them good actors and could be a liability for both. I just don't like her, I don't like the choices she's made of roles, and I'm glad at least one person sees that there's something wrong with her performances, something that is off. I guess you're joking about Johann, since he says he hates Jennifer, or was that ironic on his part? As for Closer, I think it masquerades as hip but is really an out-of-date theatrical piece, but the A-list cast pumped new life into it as a movie that it didn't deserve. Julia and Clive do good work but that's only half the principals and the screenplay is brittle and snide. I'm glad anybody is wiling to give The Life Aquatic another chance. I think it's been seriously underrated and I can't understand why that should be so when The Royal Tennenbaums which to me is not better was praised to the skies. But that's the way reputations go. People shoot their wad on one work, and when another good one comes along they say it's not up to the last one that they liked, when it's merely different.
Funny you should mention the Life Aquatic, because that was the last film I watched. I enjoyed it, but sorry to say didn't find it up to Anderson's previous efforts. It did have it's moments, but I didn't see much different in the Bill Murray here of the one in Tenenbaums or Rushmore, basically playing the same role. Figured it'd have good music, and classic Bowie in Portugeuse worked for me. Still good, but well his last two films were amazing.
Funny you should say all that, but that's the opinion trend on this site and in the world at large, according to our online criticism summaries, RT 50%, MC 62%. I don't happen to agree. I think it's timing, the public reaction arc determined by what's been praised before. If you're right and Murray is just reprising the same role all the time, I wonder why Jarmusch chose him for his latest release and what hoops people are going to go through on that one.
Okay. I think it's time to move on from Jennifer Connoly.
Also, I think the two Anderson films are more than just Bill Murray. So, perhaps some of their other aspects also need to analyzed.
MC?
anyways, what I mean is the Murray of Rushmore, RT, and the Life Aquatic is the same Murray. I love the man, but I see no difference in what he did for those three films. As far as he and Jarmusch go, his sequence in Coffee and Cigarettes was the highlight of that film, but I'm also a Wu Tang fan.
I still think "Bottle Rocket" is my favorite Wes Anderson film. I felt he was trying a little too hard to be clever in some of his later efforts. Owen Wilson's debut in "Bottle Rocket" was the best debut for a comedy actor/writer since Woody Allen in "What's New, Pussycat?"
Bill Murray is great in Anderson's movies because he clearly "gets it". But Murray is also good in other types of films.
Story of a Prostitute (1965) - Seijun Suzuki
Interesting, but not quite as up to Gate of Flesh. Suzuki was great with color, so for that lone his films in black and white seem to suffer a little bit. Still an interesting film, and had many similarities to Mizoguchi at least in terms of it's melodramatic plot, but shot with a hell of a lot more flash than Mizoguchi ever showed.
The Accidental Tourist (1988) - Lawrence Kasdan
Well seven years after Body Heat William Hurt and Kathleen Turner are reunited by director Lawrence Kasdan. The result is a film nothing like Body Heat, and not as good either. Sure marital problems are at the heart of this film, as they were to some degree in that earlier picture, but whereas that was modern noir, this is more interpersonal drama. It continued Hurt's impressive streak of Oscar nominated performances in Oscar nominated films, and would be the last of his golden 80's films.
So if you're asking why I watched it, you guessed it, it was nominated for a best picture Oscar in 1988. This film gets me to cross off that year on my list, because I've now seen all the nominees. Sadly enough Rain Man is by far the best of the nominated films from that year. By no means the best film of the year, but compared to this, Dangerous Liaisons, Mississippi Burning, and Working Girl, well it's the best. In a perfect world Last Temptation of Christ and Who Framed Roger Rabit would have been nominated, but we're talking about the Academy here.
Geena Davis won a best supporting actress Oscar for her somewhat annoying role here. Now I've never been a fan of her's so I cna't tell if I'm just prejudiced to her performance, but well it's not that good. A film to see only to cross it off your list.
Re: Suzuki's Gates of Flesh.
Definitely amongst his best work, some great subtext too concerning the US occupation of Japan after WWII. Unfortunately my review was lost with a lot of foreignfilm.com's data after the recent attack on ezboard.
Cheers Trev.
I know what you mean, both about the subtext and the lost data. I can one up you by having lost all my reviews on my computer, including my 8 page analysis of Vertigo, damn that one makes me cry.
Gates of Heaven (1978) - Errol Morris
Today is dedicated to Errol Morris, because I have four DVD's to watch, and they're all from him. Decided to start with his first film, and I'm not quite sure what the attraction is to it. Roger Ebert has some strange favorites, and I'm yet to read his review of the film, which he voted one of his all time top ten favorites. Morris' ability lies in his subject choices, and maybe I thought that the process of pet burial wasn't quite as interesting as Fred Leuchter. I'll keep you posted as to the rest of his films that I watch today.
Vernon, Florida (1982) - Errol Morris
Still working on First Person, but in between episodes I'm watching his films.
This was his follow up I believe to Gates of Heaven, and it is very similar in style to it. The film is comprised of all interviews, and much of it doesn't seem to have too much purpose. This approach was later simplified to focus on just one key speaker, as he did in Mr. Death and Fog of War. Perhaps I like that later style more, but I didn't get too much out of this film. Basically just a bunch of old rednecks talking about life. It doesn't help that I hate rednecks, so who knows. I still have The Thin Blue Line to watch, but I'm a little apprehensive, because my expecations for that film are enormously high.
Thanks for the info on Steamboy arsaib.
The DVD is out here on tues. and I plan on buying it sight unseen. Akira is arguably the greatest animated film ever and my expectations are very high.
Will post about it when I've got the DVD in my hot little mitts.
I just purchased "Open Range" on DVD. I enjoyed this western in the theater and feel that Costner and Duvall make a good team. Watching it again, I feel the story is a bit cliched but acting and production values are top notch
I have an affinity for Costner westerns.
1994's "Wyatt Earp" (especially the extended director's cut) was a minor masterpiece and in my opinion, far better than "Tombstone" (1993).
No problem, J. I think you're gonna like it for many reasons. Akira is certainly one of the best; it brought respect to Japanimation.
Open Range is as good as westerns get nowadays. I agree with you regarding Costner and Duvall.
Akira seems like the high point of anime. Open Range was worth taking seriously despite cliched elements.
My last films have been Hustle and Flow (good), Last Days (excellent),
Wedding Crashers (very funny), and Ma Mère (bad).
The Thin Blue Line (1988) - Errol Morris
Well I actually finished this last night, but for various reasons couldn't give it a write up. I now feel I have a pretty fair understanding of Morris' work. I do wish that at least one of the six DVD's I have of his contained some audio commentary, but the films themselves are enough for now. Lord knows I've waited for years for this particular film to come out. To me Thin Blue Line is a dramatic turning point in Morris' work, where he began to shift from observational quirky people (as in Gates of Heaven and Vernon, Florida) to more serious social critique, including his first use of re-enactments and image enhancing visuals (like Fog of War and Mr. Death). I enjoy the later Morris more, and this film is the hybrid between the two phases, most likely why it is considered such a masterpiece from him. It is also a landmark film in the changing face of documentaries, so no surprise why the Academy ignored it, like they did all Morris films prior to The Fog of War. I was a little bored to read "From Oscar Winning Director Errol Morris" on every single DVD cover, I mean big whoop. I plan on giving a more thorough write up of Morris as a retrospective, but there are still one or two films of his I haven't seen.
Despite the complete absence of special features on his DVD's, this one is still worth watching, and I'd recommend picking up the Morris collection from MGM.
Damn haven't updated this in a while.
1. Ulysses Gaze (1995) - Theo Angelopoulus
A masterpiece as I've come to expect from this director. One of his more complex films, simply because it changes times all the time and of course Mr. Kietel doesn't change ages. Shots are great, and very similar in many respects to his previous Travelling Players.
2. The Pillow Book (1996) - Peter Greenaway
Well only my third film from this highly structured filmmaker. This one was as exciting and inventive as I would have expected, and a film that will probably only fully make sense if I watch it 15 more times.
3. Do You Remember Dolly Bell? (1981) - Emir Kusturica
The weakest of the three, I saw this well for the same reason most people did, because Kusturica directed it. More of that coming of age nonsense, which as I'm sure I've already explained, I can't stand. Done slightly differently of course, but well modified garbage is still essentially garbage. Don't mean to bash the film, but I'm bashing the subject matter.
Man of the West (1958) - Anthony Mann
Interesting flick, about all I can say, got more to read about it, before I start making any interpretations.
A Thousand Clowns (1965) - Fred Coe
Enjoyable film nominated for a best picture Oscar (hence the reason I watched it). Lots of fast talking and confusion, very obviously made for the stage. The directing however does have a Richard Lester feel towards it, perhaps showing an early influence.
A Thousand Clowns -- I saw the original production with Sandy Dennis and Jason Robards at the Eugene O'Neill Theater on Broadway in 1962. It was very effective but rather sentimental. Mind you it was great stuff and both author Herb Gardner and Robards where in their early primes. Gardner was then famous for his comic strip The Nebbishes.
Just saw Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse at the Japan Society last night. Kurosawa was on hand for a Q&A. The film was introduced by Jim O'Rourke. Pulse affected me deeply. Kurosawa grapples with questions of our mortality and a human impulse to understand our lives relative to certain demise. We're all dead in the end...chillingly beautiful. I would describe this as a cinematic environment rather than simply a film. The particular environment lingers long after the film is over...
Suicide and Japan are interesting topics. I wonder what it is culturally that compels people to take their own lives. Somehow, Americans (Western cultures?) find enough reasons to keep on living...Japanese youth seem to find enough reasons to cease living. I don't think its simply a question of a defeated culture either...
pmw I'm extremly jealous, I saw "Pulse" aka "Kairo" quite recently, unfortunately only on a pretty low quality VCD. I would love to have been able to talk to the director about the film which unfortunately is always pushed purely as a horror, personally I took it as a statement of the loneliness, the lack of human communication and unhappiness of urban life which affects a lot of the world but South East Asia and youth in particular. It is a very sad film which uses some conventions generic to horror films to give the story momentum.
I'll have to try and write a full review although I'd rather see it again either like you on the big screen or at least on DVD.
Cheers Trev.
Thanks for the word on Pulse, P and Trev; will have to check it out. I wasn't used to be a K. Kurosawa fan but he's matured in the last couple of years, certainly more than his fellow cult filmmaker, Takashi Miike. I liked Doppelgänger and last year's Bright Future, which also dealt with some pertinent topics.
Kore-eda's Distance is still the best Japanese film I've seen on the issues you brought up, P, including group suicide. Iwai's All About Lily Chou-Chou is also a worthy effort.
I still see Miike as a jobbing director, he hasn't done anything that is truly his own, Kitano's "Kids Return" also shows another side of youth in Japan.
Cheers Trev.
Well Trev, it looks like Magnolia Pictures will do a theatrical release of the Japanese version of Pulse sometime in the near future. They bought the rights from Miramax who will do a re-make of Kurosawa's film (not too excited about that).
Pulse must be seen on the big screen - the textures, the sound, the scale are all so important...Agreed, there is not much "Horror" to this film. Kurosawa himself said that he was surprised that the genre would accomodate a film as strangely undefineable as Pulse. In other words, thank god there is some marketable angle to what would otherwise have to be pushed as a very sad film about death and loneliness...
A statement of lonliness- no doubt...its soul-wrenchingly honest. He pulls no punches...
P
Couple of links indicate that Pulse was to be released in August but it was recently pushed back to November. Here's the American site.
Ice Cube was in the house tonight.
He's the new triple X, and he's got more one-liners than Clint Eastwood.
Fine, fine action flick.
I hesitated to see it but it's XXX without Vin Diesel, an actor who annoys me.
Samuel L. Jackson is Gibbons, Ice cube is Darius. They need to work together to thwart some terrible bad guys in the Nation's Capital, and they just happen to have toys that would put Bond to shame.
The President is willing to "turn enemies into allies", and Willem Dafoe wants to assassinate him.
This film is pure testosterone, all-black, all-street, all PIMP MY RIDE. Xzibit is in it, and he hotwires a tank.
(You heard right- LOAD. FIRE.)
Cube busts out of prison like fuckin' Steve McQueen on Methodone. He leaps from the roof onto a stolen helicopter.
The stunts and action sequences are very over-the-top yet oddly eye-grabbing. I didn't look away from the screen much. You got lots o' booty, a bass-thumping soundtrack (I love the track "I only play games that I never lose at" and the updated Fight the Power. They even managed to squeeze in a mug shot of Easy-E.
Great action movie.
Forget Vin Diesel.
He Dead, boy.
I will forget Vin Diesel. I've been wanting to. It won't be hard.
This made me laugh but then I thought maybe you really meant on crystal meth. Wouldn't that be better?Quote:
Cube busts out of prison like fuckin' Steve McQueen on Methodone.
I've had a soft spot for Ice Cube ever since David O. Russell's Three Kings, one of the best movies about the Gulf War. Are there any others? Samuel L. Jackson and Willem Dafoe make a good group.
Johann, you haven't lost your touch.Quote:
This film is pure testosterone, all-black, all-street, all PIMP MY RIDE. Xzibit is in it, and he hotwires a tank.
Methodone, Crystal Meth- doesn't matter homie.
This film is outrageous. It was a good time-killer.
Great supporting cast, with Dafoe stealing the show.
The ending is excellent.
You could do much worse for action movies. Ice Cube is great, considering how he's not really an A-list star. He does his job well, a la Three Kings, but I like xXx way better.
He seemed a little fat to pull off a special agent role, say what you will about Vin Diesel, but he actually looks like he could kick some ass.
Before passing judgement on Vin Diesel I would recommend seeing Multifacial. It was a short film that he starred in and *gasp* wrote and directed as well. Didn't think he had it in him, but damn good work from the man, and it let me know that he actually is capable of some acting, granted perhaps he's the only person who can write a good role for himself.
The last film I had seen was The World (2004).
A damn good movie, and one that I was afraid I was gonna miss. Recommended for all, but who knows to what capacity it is playing. Led me to check out more films from it's director, and I'm always interested in discovering new talent. Jia Zhang-Ke is only 35 so there should be a hell of a lot more from him in the future.
Fellini...XXX...it's all good baby!
The World should not be missed. Glad you saw it on the big screen. Li Yuk Wai's camera-work is phenomenal. My review, the thread was just archived.
As you already know, Platform is releasing soon on DVD from New Yorker. I see that you've already bought Unknown Pleasures. The only other feature he's made is Xiao Wu (1997), his debut film which is only available with subs in the U.K. as part of a 2 DVD-set with Unknown Pleasures (Artificial-Eye).
Luna (1979) - Bernardo Bertolucci
Another muddled mess. Sometimes films from key directors go unreleased in this country, and when you finally get to see them, you no longer wonder why. This film is Bertolucci after the chaotic 1900. Although this film in no way attempts to reach the grand scope of 1900, it does however serve to continue Bertolucci's exploration of rather silly subject matter.
There is an underlying pretext of incest throughout the film, and as it progresses, well it is no longer pretext. The acting isn't exactly stellar, although Jill Clayburgh does well enough under the circumstances. The film has an irritating male lead, in the child actor Mathew Barry, and his whole role seems misguided. Bertolucci clearly needed to be roped in, and by this point who knew if he ever would be again. The Dreamers returned to similar themes of incest and inappropriate subject matter, but at least did it with better acting, and a slightly more enjoyable cast. Bash that film as much as you want, but I'd take it over Luna any day.
I might just watch the Conformist again today to be reminded of what a good Bertolucci film is like.