Track the Films You Watch (2007) (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

I am amused that George is aware I was kicked off the forum, back in 2003, for a few weeks, when I am guessing not a single other person here, other than Ron, some mods and maybe SteveGon are aware of it. A lot of interest for someone who is so "ignorant" he's not worth listening to. Of course, George is not aware I was dealing with a particularly stressful point in my life as well as an (at that time) undiagnosed neurological disorder (a form of epilepsy) which was seriously affecting my behavior and in fact had become a significant threat to my life. Fortunately, a mild daily dose of anti-convulsant has pretty much cured that though I am still coping with the consequences of a lifetime of that situation.

Welcome to the Club Martin. Your astute observations have gained you admission. Should we have a secret handshake?

OK, as fun as this is, I think it is past time to return to thhe topic at hand. I'm currently rewatching Ordinary People, one of my all-time faves.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Mario, I'm somewhat shocked that you enjoyed those Aztec Mummy movies so much. The first one was decent but I thought the last two were horrid especially since they mostly feature footage from the first movie.

Louisville's "Summer Classic Movie" series is starting next weekend with another seven weeks of Hitchcock so I'm hoping to pick up the viewing a little. The girlfriend has never seen any of the Hitchcock films being shown so it'll be fun introducing her to some of them (especially PSYCHO).

 

[george kaplan]

The Man in the Iron Mask (1939)

Decent swashbuckler, but it suffers from the inevitable comparison to others of the time such as The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk or the Mark of Zorro. Louis Hayward is no Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power, and Joseph Schildkraut is no Basil Rathbone or Claude Rains.

 

[PatW]

You Me and Depree (2006) :star: 1/2

I mostly resisted watching this trainwreck and now I know why. Even though I like Matt Dillon, Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson, surely there was a much better vehicle for them to star in. This was downright unfunny and mostly boring.

 

[Greg Layton]

You Kill Me (2007) :star::star::star: 1/2

Stars Ben Kingsley as a drunken assassin. A great cast and lively script made this one of my favorites of the year.

 

[Malcolm R]

Breach

One of the best films I've seen in a long time, and by far the best of my weekend (see below). Incredible performance from Chris Cooper with able support from Ryan Phillipe and Laura Linney (who I usually HATE, but didn't here).

Other films in my weekend mini-marathon:

Norbit
Pan's Labyrinth
Children of Men
The Messengers

 

[PatW]

Agree with you on Breach. Chris Cooper has given the best performance of his career, so far and of the one's I've seen. Wonderful movie. I'm surprised it didn't do better when it was released.

I have to disagree with you on Pan's Labyrinth and Children of Men. Both of those movies are in my top 10 for 2006. But I guess different tastes, right.

 

[PatW]

The Black Dahlia (2006) :star: 1/2

Pretty bad crime drama very loosely based on the famous 1940's murder of Elizabeth Short. Adapted from the James Ellroy novel, it is nothing like his previous work L.A. Confidential. This film adaptation is mostly long, confusing and just plain boring. The actors were adequate enough except for Josh Hartnett who was woefully miscast. I haven't read Ellroy's novel but I sure hope it's better than this movie.

 

[Sandro]

I have not seen the movie but if you like Ellroy's stuff then you have to read the book - it's absolutely brilliant.

Also I agree with you - Pan's Labyrinth and Children of Men were the best movies of last year I've seen.

 

[SteveGon]

Uuuugh! The Movie (2005)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

Humorous short finds a group of partygoers defending themselves
against flesh-eating zombies. They notice that one of the ghouls
doesn't seem to crave human flesh but run him down anyway, only
to get the surprise of their lives.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Wasted West (2006)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

A lone gunman in the Old West dukes it out with a zombified family
only to discover that humans aren't the only species that can return
from the dead. Smartly-done short.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Rigor Mortis (2006)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

A serial killer's victims return from the dead looking for revenge and
a bite to eat in this neat little short.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Doomed to Consume (2006)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

Three guys and a female tough make a cross country drive through hordes
of flesh-eating zombies in this typical and moderately entertaining living dead opus.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Rise of the Undead (2005)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

Explosions rock a city and a band of survivors hole up in a building.
Unfortunately something seems to be stalking them... Split personality
film is half zombie movie, half monster movie (literally) and both are
just passable.

:star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Zombie Campout (2002)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

Four friends go camping and witness a meteor shower that unleashes the
living dead. Cheap, self-referential zombie comedy features busty
babes, cheesy gore and at least one classic kill scene. The pacing
lags in places but overall it's a hoot.

:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Viewed 6/18/2007 (first viewing)

Ol' Chrome Dome finally makes his big screen debut in this winning
sequel. Slight perhaps, but it's a nice change of pace from the
recent glut of doom and gloom superhero flicks. Excelsior!

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Screwfly Solution (2007)

Viewed 6/19/2007 (first viewing)

Bleak sci-fi/horror tale about a worldwide plague that induces men to
kill women. One of the better entries in the Masters of Horror series.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Able Edwards (2004)

Viewed 6/19/2007 (first viewing)

Science fiction retread of Citizen Kane. In the future a clone
of a Walt Disney-esque media mogul is created and given control of his
namesake's flagging company. Years later, after the clone's death,
his acquaintances recall his life. Filmed entirely in front of a green
screen which makes it look cheap, but the story is interesting enough
to overcome that.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Le Petit Lieutenant (2005)

Viewed 6/20/2007 (first viewing)

A freshman cop from Normandy is assigned to a Parisian detective unit
and is shown the ropes by an older female inspector. As much a film
about loss as a police procedural and it succeeds on both levels. Superb.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Sleep, My Love (1948)

Viewed 6/20/2007 (first viewing)

Douglas Sirk-helmed melodrama about a wealthy woman who is being
driven mad by her scheming husband.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Bridge (2006)

Viewed 6/21/2007 (first viewing)

Documentary chronicling a number of suicides where people have jumped
off the Golden Gate Bridge. Sad, disturbing and fascinating, if a bit overlong.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Romanov Stones (1993)

Viewed 6/21/2007 (first viewing)

Two bickering mercenaries plot revenge against the crooked financier
who betrayed them. Modestly engaging crime movie isn't particularly
memorable, but at least it doesn't take itself too seriously. Finnish
attempt at recreating a Hollywood action flick is no better or worse
than its American cousins.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Elusive Corporal (1962)

Viewed 6/22/2007 (first viewing)

Late film from Jean Renoir about French prisoners who try repeatedly
to escape their Nazi captors.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Hands Over the City (1963)

Viewed 6/22/2007 (first viewing)

Francesco Rosi's scathing indictment of political corruption in
Naples. This one will raise your blood pressure.

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)

Viewed 6/23/2007 (first viewing)

Technicolor redux of the classic novel is solid entertainment
though it doesn't reach the heights of the 1937 version.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Cinema Paradiso: Director's Cut (1988)

Viewed 6/24/2007 (first viewing)

First time seeing the original version of this modern Italian classic.
The "new" footage is interesting to see, but frankly the short version
works better. Toto's reunion with Elena is laughably An Affair to
Remember-ish, the revelation about Alfredo doesn't quite come off
and other scenes are just totally dispensable. Still a moving and
engrossing film, but more isn't always better.

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:


Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

Viewed 6/24/2007

Revisited Zhang Yimou's magnificent film. Gong Li stars as the fourth wife of a powerful clan head who quickly realizes the lengths his other wives will go to in order to gain his favor. A stunning and tragic epic.

:star: :star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Martin Teller]

You are grossly exaggerating "personal attacks" a ploy to gain sympathy. I didn't say you were ugly or that your mother's a whore or something. So knock off the act, quit playing the poor little victim.

 

[PatW]

Exterminating Angel (1962) :star: :star: :star: :star:

What a strange little film. I found it quite intriquing but also difficult to follow in that I had a hard time keeping up with the subtitles. I'll have to watch this one again to make sure I caught everything.

 

[george kaplan]

It's a real shame this one isn't on dvd yet.

 

[JohnRice]

Ordinary People - :star::star::star::star::star: / :star::star::star::star::star:

A great film, in my opinion. One of the best of all time. I know this is not to everyone's taste, but it blows me away every time. Casting Mary Tyler Moore is one of the more brilliant moves in film.


Jesus Camp - :star::star::star: / :star::star::star::star::star:

I think this is a good example of what is being lost in "documentary" filmmaking. The filmmakers never appear, never narrate anything or add any type of editorializing. The subjects either hang or redeem themselves on their own. I suspect most viewers will leave with the same predispositions they started with.


American History X - :star::star::star::star::star: / :star::star::star::star::star:

Another film I consider one of the best of all time and also one I think suffers from negative opinions about the director. After all, it is almost inconceivable to imagine any person could be too arrogant for Hollywood, but Tony Kaye is definitely that, and he is nowhere as good as this film turned out. AHX is a rare example of a film which excells in spite of the director. It is the writing and Edward Norton which bring it through.

 

[george kaplan]

Monkey Business

Watched this classic Howard Hawks comedy, followed by

So I Married an Axe Murderer

this not so classic Michael Myers comedy. Not bad, but not even as good as the Austin Powers films, much less a classic like Monkey Business.

 

[Tarkin The Ewok]

6/24: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) :star::star::star::star::star: out of :star::star::star::star::star:

This was the first James Bond movie I ever saw, so it will always stand apart from the rest in my book. Still, I tried to look at it objectively last night. The only complaint I have is that the underwater and Vietnam chase scenes drag a little bit. Of course, part of that is because I've seen this movie so many times, so some of the tension is gone.

What the movie does right far outweighs what it does wrong. Every ingredient for a great action movie is present, especially the music and stunt scene editing. One of its greatest strengths is letting the audience know the stakes early on without revealing all of the villain's plans, something that has eluded some of the other Bond films and many other spy films throughout the years. Also, the Bond girl combo of Michelle Yeoh and Teri Hatcher has yet to be beat.

 

[PatW]

Till Lies Do Us Part (2007) :star:

Pretty bad and forgettable Lifetime movie. Really nothing more to say about it.

 

[george kaplan]

Ju Dou

This is one of those films that had me going for a while. I thought I was going to be coming in here with positive things to say about a Chinese melodrama. After all, the story was pretty interesting, almost Postman Rings Twiceish. But apparently the director was afflicted by that bug that hits a number of them, and had to veer into weirdness, and we get The Omen or some such nonsense for the last half of the film. Disappointing.

 

[PatW]

Lake Placid (1999) :star: :star: :star:

On a different day I probably would rate this one alot lower, but I was in the mood for it today. A pretty campy, bad B-movie that is surprising entertaining about a killer crocodile in a lake up in Maine. A surprisingly fine cast for this type of material. I think I saw parts of this a few years ago but not enough to warrant a watch, so I count it as a new movie.

 

[Mario Gauci]

It's so appropriately surreal to hear George bemoaning the absence of a Bunuel film on DVD!

Anyway...I'm glad that, in spite of its unavailability on R1 DVD, and thanks to (I presume) TCM, this absolute gem of a film is being seen by more and more people.

By the way, Pat, since you are the one who has seen THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (1962) most recently from the HTF crowd, can you please confirm whether the repeated passage very early on in the film of the servants trying to sneak out of the mansion is included in the version of the film you've seen? Actually, I've always watched the film with this particular scene included since my 3 viewings of it so far have been via the PAL VHS I own (and treasure) but, unfortunately, both the R2 and R4 DVD editions available do not feature this scene...:frowning:.