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What Non-New Films Have You Seen? (2018 Edition)

Started by zomgmouse, January 07, 2018, 12:20:15 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Large Noise

Casino- Hmm, a bit too long and flabby. Felt almost like Scorsese plagiarising himself. Gimme Shelter, again, really?

Z

Quote from: greenman on October 21, 2018, 07:22:05 PMI wasn't paying the closest attention at the time and didn't actually see it until the home release but looking back there seems to be really a bit of confusion about what was being objected to with Blue, seems like people were fishing for the nudity to have been somehow abusive on set and mixing that up with his general ruthlessness across the production deliberately. Maybe a bit of a fued with the Palme d'Or being awarded to the stars as well? I mean I can partly see the motive behind that but it could be viewed as a bit of a slap in the face as well by him.
There was a lot of confusion, the two leads said on release that shooting it was a horrible experience and they wouldn't want to work with him again. Almost immediately they added that experience was worth it for the quality of the end product.

The author of the original graphic novel hated the film, from what I can gather the source material was a much more typical piece of lesbian fiction whereas he obviously skewed it into being about class first and foremost.

The extremely awkward graphic scene in the middle absolutely served a purpose, but a lot of people were put off by it being shot like a straight man's idea of what lesbian sex is like. Probably could've done better there than he did.


Don't see how the Palme D'Or being awarded to the actors as well wasn't a slap in the face to him. I'm sure there's films before where the actors were far more key that didn't get that.

Quote from: zomgmouse on November 10, 2018, 01:37:21 AM
They're playing that in two weeks so I'll let you know then!

Could have swore you posted Yi Yi on here last week!

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Large Noise on November 10, 2018, 11:54:28 AM
Casino- Hmm, a bit too long and flabby. Felt almost like Scorsese plagiarising himself. Gimme Shelter, again, really?

I still think it's brilliant and would sooner watch it again than almost anything else Scorsese has done since, perhaps save for Bringing Out the Dead (although I did thoroughly enjoy The Wolf of Wall Street).

If nothing else, Casino is an absolute tour de force by Sharon Stone.

New Jack

Oh speaking of Scorsese I watched Mean Streets for the first time

Took me about 20 minutes to settle into it but I really liked it, felt at home with the characters. Didn't feel like a mob film really, though I semi-expected that, as his crime films are never just one theme, but the mob element was very low key, it's lads arsing about, fitting their status. It's a bit rickety in ways - it's the least slick Scorsese film I've seen - but it actually made it quite charming, I was pulled along by the characters and plot, as it were, just fine. Even here he just observed characters in such a special way. And the New York of that era - absolutely fascinating and a character unto itself.

Shit Good Nose

Well, Mean Streets' lack of slick is down to it still being a bit of an independent guerilla film, even though it was his first "proper" film with a major distributor.  It's budget was even less than the previous Boxcar Bertha, which was a Corman AIP production, which probably says a lot.

Mean Streets is the one Scorsese classic I've never really clicked with, despite trying very hard to - I've probably seen it twenty times now, and it still doesn't gel for or with me.

I love the raw, street-level feel of Mean Streets. It's definitely his most Cassavetes-esque film (except perhaps Alice)

greenman

#1506
Quote from: Z on November 10, 2018, 12:59:15 PM
There was a lot of confusion, the two leads said on release that shooting it was a horrible experience and they wouldn't want to work with him again. Almost immediately they added that experience was worth it for the quality of the end product.

The author of the original graphic novel hated the film, from what I can gather the source material was a much more typical piece of lesbian fiction whereas he obviously skewed it into being about class first and foremost.

The extremely awkward graphic scene in the middle absolutely served a purpose, but a lot of people were put off by it being shot like a straight man's idea of what lesbian sex is like. Probably could've done better there than he did.

Don't see how the Palme D'Or being awarded to the actors as well wasn't a slap in the face to him. I'm sure there's films before where the actors were far more key that didn't get that.

Looking back it interviews actually the scenes were worked out by the actresses so if anything its a straight womans view of lesbian sex although honestly that seems a bit of a shallow criticism anyway better suited to porn or some sex education video rather than a film with this degree of ambition. Really the whole first half of the film I think obviously plays strongly on sexual desire to the degree it did need to back it up with something that was actually erotic which again I'm guessing was perhaps a lot of the issue with reaction? it does seem to me that the media is more comfortable with showing graphic sex provided its de eroticised ala say Shame and shown as a marker for some kind of dysfunction. Here you could argue the reverse is true and the sex is what works in the relationships and its the intelligentsia liberal culture that's dysfunctional.

Spielberg was actually the Cann jury chair that year wasn't he? that does rather live up to what I might expect in having the status/guts to go with a contentious film but also looking to defuse it rather with the award to the actors as well. I can see a bit of justication beyond that perhaps in the nature of the performance, I mean if I felt a little guilty watching it at first it wasn't the sex so much as Exarchopoulos performance being so painful to watch to the degree it did feel like she'd gone further than is typically expected.

QuoteCould have swore you posted Yi Yi on here last week!

That was me and again actually I found the differences between it and the above quite interesting, Blue like a lot of recent arthouse drama is I'd say really more focused on the individuals with a lot of closeups were as Yang seems notable that its much more the individuals in their environment, often you don't even see characters faces and its more body language, reminded me rather of Tarkovsky with characters slowly ranging around atmospheric locations(similar to Uzak that makes the link more overt). I'm definitely going to have to get more of his output and maybe Taiwanese new wave films generally, any recommendations beyond A Brighter Summers Day?

Speaking of Tarkovsky as well I'm followed the advice from a few months ago when talking about Andrei Rublev and given Marketa Lazerova a couple of viewings in the last couple of weeks. Felt like it really needed a second one to get the best of it as the rather obtuse style made the plot more than a little confusing first time around but I'd agree it feels of a similar kind of quality if arguably the reverse in style. Where as Tarkovsky is all prolonged wide views and a very relatable lead character its much more confined in its shots and less obviously relatable in character. It does I think end up being a very effective view into a quite alien time though not to mention very good looking when it wants to be.

Sebastian Cobb


Small Man Big Horse

Morons From Outer Space - It starts off well and the first 45 minutes are fairly fun, but then the last half of the film is a bit bland and not that funny. The characterisation is incredibly thin, and somewhat oddly Griff doesn't get that many funny lines at all, whilst Mel spends most of the film fucking about in America away from everyone else which has the odd highlight but the movie forgets about him for long periods. It's a shame as it showed a lot of potential initially but doesn't deliver on it. 5.4/10

sevendaughters

Computer Chess - gently funny and oddly philosophical film set at a 1984 conference for programmers into computer chess. Shot on b&w video save for one sequence, full of anti-cinematic technique and experimental sensibility, but also just enjoyable as a 90 minute chamber piece about some amusing people in a particular situation. Feels like it merited another watch at some point. 7/10

Sin Agog

Quote from: greenman on November 11, 2018, 06:50:16 PM
Looking back it interviews actually the scenes were worked out by the actresses so if anything its a straight womans view of lesbian sex although honestly that seems a bit of a shallow criticism anyway better suited to porn or some sex education video rather than a film with this degree of ambition. Really the whole first half of the film I think obviously plays strongly on sexual desire to the degree it did need to back it up with something that was actually erotic which again I'm guessing was perhaps a lot of the issue with reaction? it does seem to me that the media is more comfortable with showing graphic sex provided its de eroticised ala say Shame and shown as a marker for some kind of dysfunction. Here you could argue the reverse is true and the sex is what works in the relationships and its the intelligentsia liberal culture that's dysfunctional.

Spielberg was actually the Cann jury chair that year wasn't he? that does rather live up to what I might expect in having the status/guts to go with a contentious film but also looking to defuse it rather with the award to the actors as well. I can see a bit of justication beyond that perhaps in the nature of the performance, I mean if I felt a little guilty watching it at first it wasn't the sex so much as Exarchopoulos performance being so painful to watch to the degree it did feel like she'd gone further than is typically expected.

That was me and again actually I found the differences between it and the above quite interesting, Blue like a lot of recent arthouse drama is I'd say really more focused on the individuals with a lot of closeups were as Yang seems notable that its much more the individuals in their environment, often you don't even see characters faces and its more body language, reminded me rather of Tarkovsky with characters slowly ranging around atmospheric locations(similar to Uzak that makes the link more overt). I'm definitely going to have to get more of his output and maybe Taiwanese new wave films generally, any recommendations beyond A Brighter Summers Day?

Speaking of Tarkovsky as well I'm followed the advice from a few months ago when talking about Andrei Rublev and given Marketa Lazerova a couple of viewings in the last couple of weeks. Felt like it really needed a second one to get the best of it as the rather obtuse style made the plot more than a little confusing first time around but I'd agree it feels of a similar kind of quality if arguably the reverse in style. Where as Tarkovsky is all prolonged wide views and a very relatable lead character its much more confined in its shots and less obviously relatable in character. It does I think end up being a very effective view into a quite alien time though not to mention very good looking when it wants to be.

Really recommend you Czech out (see what I did there? Answer: I changed the word check into Czech, on account of we're talking about a Czech director) Vlacil's next film, Valley of the Bees, where it seems he's exorcised all the oblique demons out of his system, but retained the beautiful, unique medieval aesthetic.  I also wonder if his sweet and pure bit of juvenilia, The White Dove, influenced Tarkovsky in a similar stage of his career a year or two later when he was making Ivan's Childhood? 

greenman

Quote from: Sin Agog on November 12, 2018, 11:19:07 AM
Really recommend you Czech out (see what I did there? Answer: I changed the word check into Czech, on account of we're talking about a Czech director) Vlacil's next film, Valley of the Bees, where it seems he's exorcised all the oblique demons out of his system, but retained the beautiful, unique medieval aesthetic.  I also wonder if his sweet and pure bit of juvenilia, The White Dove, influenced Tarkovsky in a similar stage of his career a year or two later when he was making Ivan's Childhood?

I actually got Marketa in a boxset with Valley of the Bees and Adelheid so I'll be getting around to it fairly soon. I'v got Hard to Be A God to watch as well that looks like it has more than a little influence from Marketa to it visually.

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on November 12, 2018, 09:43:13 AM
Morons From Outer Space - It starts off well and the first 45 minutes are fairly fun, but then the last half of the film is a bit bland and not that funny. The characterisation is incredibly thin, and somewhat oddly Griff doesn't get that many funny lines at all, whilst Mel spends most of the film fucking about in America away from everyone else which has the odd highlight but the movie forgets about him for long periods. It's a shame as it showed a lot of potential initially but doesn't deliver on it. 5.4/10

I'v only actually seen the first half or so of it as it ended up following something else I was recording on VHS and I suspect this perhaps colours my view of it as not being as bad as its reputation although admittedly not good enough to ever bother seeking out the rest.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: greenman on November 12, 2018, 11:24:52 AM
I'v only actually seen the first half or so of it as it ended up following something else I was recording on VHS and I suspect this perhaps colours my view of it as not being as bad as its reputation although admittedly not good enough to ever bother seeking out the rest.

I really wouldn't bother, I've never seen a film run out of steam like this one does, it becomes incredibly broad and bland and all of the humour disappoints in the second half. Even the ending feels tacked on, like they didn't really know what to do.

Sin Agog

Watched The Running Man for the first time in aeons yesterday.  Really like how insouciant it is.  Like, let's cast Mick Fleetwood as a hippie resistance leader and call him Mick, and let's just repeat the I'll Be Back line because no one's stopping us.  That self-knowingness maybe tipped into queazy territory in The Last Action Hero, but worked well here, though it is such a breezy romp I'm already forgetting it a few hours later.

Loved the anecdote from one of the writers about what a hilariously alpha nob Arnie was during filming.  At one point he cornered a nerdy guy on set and said, "Do you have a Harley?" "A Harley?" "Yas, if you don't have a Harley, you must be a girlie low forehead man." "Ah." A few days later the poor man turned up on set in a cast with multiple fractures, and Arnie exclaimed, "See, now he is a real man, not a girlie low forehead."

Quote from: greenman on November 12, 2018, 11:24:52 AM
I actually got Marketa in a boxset with Valley of the Bees and Adelheid so I'll be getting around to it fairly soon. I'v got Hard to Be A God to watch as well that looks like it has more than a little influence from Marketa to it visually.

Got that same set.  Adelheid's a bit more standard and formal love story, but I dug it.  I do recommend seeking out The White Dove 'n' all if you end up liking that set, as it's the kind of simple story beautifully told that I think could school a lot of filmmakers who overwhelm us with a shit ton of plot that's impossible to recount back afterwards.

greenman

As light as it is in some regards its interesting looking at some subversive some of Running Man is compared to blockbusters of the following decades, Arnie fighting the neoliberial oppressors with a Che clone.

Watched Hard To be A God first and honestly somewhat mixed feelings, actually feels more akin to Bela Tarr that the previously mentioned historical epics and is certainly good looking when it wants to me but it just felt a bit excessive. Did we really need 3 hours of grinning peasants cavorting in shite? could have cut our at least 30-45 mins and still gotten the message across IMHO.

Sin Agog

I was actually wondering if Stephen King, when he burped the book out under the name Richard Bachman, had seen Mr. Freedom at any point.  Partially because of the Cap/Mr. Freedom connection, but also 'cause the anti-authoritarian satire is turned up to 11 in both.  Lawdie, rewatching TRM yesterday really made me to want to throw on a ROM of the evergreen Smash TV.

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on November 12, 2018, 09:43:13 AM
Morons From Outer Space - It starts off well and the first 45 minutes are fairly fun, but then the last half of the film is a bit bland and not that funny. The characterisation is incredibly thin, and somewhat oddly Griff doesn't get that many funny lines at all, whilst Mel spends most of the film fucking about in America away from everyone else which has the odd highlight but the movie forgets about him for long periods. It's a shame as it showed a lot of potential initially but doesn't deliver on it. 5.4/10

As I've mentioned in several threads fairly recently, I LOVED Morons as a kid, but I've not seen it for donkeys.  I've got it downloaded but am sort of afraid to dip back in.


I do, however, still genuinely love The Running Man.  For me it's one of Arnie's most consistently entertaining films, and Richard Dawson and Jesse Ventura both excellent.  Don't forget the other random bizarro casting of Dweezil Zappa as Mick's subordinate.

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: magval on July 15, 2018, 02:00:17 AM

Highlander 2: The Quickening. I don't care about Highlander and haven't seen it probably in 15 years or so, but watched this for free and loved nearly every minute of it. An often badly-made, totally derivative film that nonetheless charms thanks to a bunch of outrageous and gleeful performances and the absence of obvious logic for most of its creative decisions.

Crikey! I know this is from ages ago, but I apparently haven't read this thread since July. While it's true that movies this stupid don't get made any more, and that ought to be celebrated, some of the choices are so bizarre and convoluted that I'm going to have to side with the first-movie-loving teenage me, who saw it and absolutely fucking hated it.

Luckily, IMDB has my favourite bit of dialogue, from Virginia Madsen:

QuoteOkay, now let me just see if I can get this straight. You come from another planet, and you're mortal there, but you're immortal here until you kill all the guys from there who have come here... and then you're mortal here... unless you go back there, or some more guys from there came here, in which case you become immortal here... again.

The balls of making up a crazy new backstory for their main characters and not bothering to think about the consequences for more than a few seconds is more to be admired than experienced, perhaps. As one of the few people on this forum to have seen all the movies, the entire TV series and even the first episode of the spin-off (which was so bad my brain wouldn't let me watch any more of it) I clearly have a high tolerance for garbage, but I'm rather surprised anyone could actually like it.

I've tried to leave out the problems with individual scenes, like how did Sean Connery get on a trans-atlantic flight with no passport? Did he just Quickening his way past every single layer of security, or was it a piece of piss, pre 9/11? Why did the Zeistians send all the guys back to different times and different locations? And did they arrange their "deaths" or were they just keeping their fingers crossed they'd all die while they were young-ish and fit? Or was all that written out for the sequel? I will go to my grave remembering far too much about the Highlander franchise - I even have the book comprised partly of short stories written by the cast of the TV show, somewhere.

greenman

The original shadowclan script makes for a decent read if you can find it on the net, much simpler premise without the gather/prize.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on November 12, 2018, 05:36:01 PM
As I've mentioned in several threads fairly recently, I LOVED Morons as a kid, but I've not seen it for donkeys.  I've got it downloaded but am sort of afraid to dip back in.

Don't do it! Or watch the first 45 minutes and make up your own ending, it's got to be better than the one they went with.

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on November 12, 2018, 10:02:27 PM
Don't do it! Or watch the first 45 minutes and make up your own ending, it's got to be better than the one they went with.

I remember almost nothing about it.  Don't even remember Mel in America.

SteveDave

"3:10 To Yuma" I thought a bandmate had recommended it to me but, upon discussing it with both of them today, neither takes the blame. It was OK.

zomgmouse

Quote from: SteveDave on November 13, 2018, 12:59:05 PM
"3:10 To Yuma" I thought a bandmate had recommended it to me but, upon discussing it with both of them today, neither takes the blame. It was OK.

Did you watch the original or the remake?

Bence Fekete

Cast Away (2000) - alright.  Would've felt more authentic if they'd included a scene with him having sex with the ball. 

SteveDave



zomgmouse

Quote from: SteveDave on November 14, 2018, 12:18:57 PM
The remake with Gladiator and Batman.

Ah I haven't seen that version but the original is pretty banging.

Sebastian Cobb

Just seen Microhabitat as part of the London/Korean film festival, it was rather good I thought.

Sin Agog

Been binging a bunch of Shunji Iwai films lately.  I do think he might be my favourite post-1990 Japanese filmmaker.  Most of his stuff is rheumy, introspective, but never for a second boring character dramas, and they're all lovely as can be, with so many microscopic character details you'd never think to put in the script, but then he'll go full-on id monster and put out a movie about a woman who obsessively ties knots in things until she turns her gaff into a giant, fetishistic spider web, or Swallowtail Butterfly, a bravura mildly sci-fi take on Japan's dyed-in-the-wool xenophobia.  He seems to have lost his way a bit since going to Hollywood and making a shitty (but still in no way run of the mill) horror movie with the kind of queasy performances directors who can't communicate with their actors usually elicit, but that run up until about Rainbow Song was pretty incredible.

MuteBanana

Quote from: Shameless Custard on October 25, 2018, 10:15:25 AM
A couple 70's Mike Leigh TV plays I'd not seen yet. Available on Amazon Video for 1.89 each. Niiice

Grown Ups - A feature length story about a young couple moving into their first house together. Solid cast, and pretty funny at points. Phil Davis steals the show as the dopey husband, who gets sick of his annoying sister in law constantly coming round. "Whaaat's sheeeee doing eeeeere?"

The Kiss Of Death - Not as exciting as the title may suggest. David Thelfall plays a young rash-faced undertaker who meets a cute shoe shop assistant. The film then meanders about for an hour, with them sitting in boring empty pubs, and him standing her up. Found this one a bit disappointing, especially after Grown Ups was so good

Neither are Abigail's Party or Nuts In May, but glad I can finally tick them off

The Kiss of Death sounds like it could've been inspired by Leigh's Short and Curlies. Also starring Threlfall. Only a short film, think you can find it on Youtube.

Well there you go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyvWXM6IOmQ