A
adidasss
Guest
I might get your homophobic cooties...
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Y
Yoda
Guest
Aye, I'll echo that: love Frailty. Saw it in the theaters (with Aus/Mom, actually), and really enjoyed it. Got a little goofy around the end, but not too goofy, and the first two-thirds are really fantastic. Great mood, good cast, and a really singular kind of focus -- which is something I value very highly in most films. It paints a genuinely conflicted picture (most of the time, at least) and it rings true in those little ways that help a movie resonate.
So, yeah, I'd highly recommend Frailty. [rating]4.5[/rating]
So, yeah, I'd highly recommend Frailty. [rating]4.5[/rating]
T
The Prestige
Guest
Well given the period the film is set in, I am sure that Ang Lee felt obliged to show a little bit of the general southern attitude back then. It is an honest film after all. But I really didn't get the feeling that it was a prevalent part of the film, unless you include it in the context of
SPOILERS
Jack Twist's death. But even then, that's to be expected because of the setting. But decent thoughts regardless, Powered. Nice to see we can have different opinions without inappropriately being labelled 'homophobic'. That, my friend, makes us look more adult in the process.
SPOILERS
Jack Twist's death. But even then, that's to be expected because of the setting. But decent thoughts regardless, Powered. Nice to see we can have different opinions without inappropriately being labelled 'homophobic'. That, my friend, makes us look more adult in the process.
S
Sedai
Guest
Oh, I like the dark tinged stuff. BIG fan of Brick, for one. I mentioned Frailty, which I like a lot. Casino Royale is a great Bond film; dark and gritty, which hit the spot after some really goofy Bond films.
T
The Prestige
Guest
So now we are onto lucky number 13. Hope you all are still with me on this MoFo because it'll be at least 3 years before I conduct another list.
"we've all got it coming, kid"
13. Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992)
Anybody who has watched a Clint Eastwood film will almost certainly have seen Unforgiven. It's a pivotal moment in Eastwood's filmography and is widely seen as his 'love letter' to the westerns of the old.
The film deconstructs the western and it's mythos and, when you really think about it, was a very brave and risky project for Eastwood to take back then. After all this is an actor/director who became an icon by starring in such films, so to completely strip away the glamour and convey raw, uncomfortable truths is admirable in itself. And if those who are of an older generation and were a big fan of Clint Eastwood (like my grandfather was), chances are you guys didn't like Unforgiven the first time round. But the idea is to forget everything you know about the west and watch as Eastwood strips everything away, robbing us of our innocence.
Another brilliant thing that works really well in Unforgiven is Eastwood's faith in his spectator's intelligence. Y'see, William Munny was a bad gunslinger who did horrific crimes. At one point, he was considered to be the most feared outlaw in the west. Eastwood doesn't oblige in showing us unecessary flashbacks to emphases how evil Munny was - it's all in his face and dialogue. Say what you will about Eastwood as an actor, but I loved that he was able to convey a man who seems to only just come to terms with how violent he was in the past.
We know that Munny is reluctant to take the assassination job, but you just can't help but think that if he really wanted to honour his late wife he would find some other way of making money. You just know that there is still a monster laying dormant inside Munny in his pursuit of the killers, despite his excuses for 'justice' and 'money'. And that's the thing, you never truly believe there is a legit motive for Munny to 'get back in the game'. He still has a dark pas.t It's that exploration between his past and present that make him such an interesting protagonist. Only other western protagonist as interesting as him in recent memory is Tom Stall/Joey Cusack.
I can't stop without mentioning the supporting cast. Gene Hackman (please come back to acting ) is, in a word, phenomenal as the quietly snarling and strangely compelling Little Bill. Little Bill's lust for authority and ruthless aggression mentality is uncomfortably believable. I got the feeling that Little Bill had started out as a man who had a genuine intent to improve society and help the helpless. But somewhere along the way, much like Munny, he lost himself and turned into his opposite. Can't blame him really. We all turn into our opposites. It's about which side dominates, just like in Ryan Fleck and Anna Bodem suggested in Half Nelson.
Obviously the film is rich with many themes such as perception vs reality, redemption vs revenge, and my personal favourite, heroes vs man. This is Eastwood basically stated that there is no such thing as a 'hero'. Bold stuff for a man who will forever be perceived as one.
"we've all got it coming, kid"
13. Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992)
Anybody who has watched a Clint Eastwood film will almost certainly have seen Unforgiven. It's a pivotal moment in Eastwood's filmography and is widely seen as his 'love letter' to the westerns of the old.
The film deconstructs the western and it's mythos and, when you really think about it, was a very brave and risky project for Eastwood to take back then. After all this is an actor/director who became an icon by starring in such films, so to completely strip away the glamour and convey raw, uncomfortable truths is admirable in itself. And if those who are of an older generation and were a big fan of Clint Eastwood (like my grandfather was), chances are you guys didn't like Unforgiven the first time round. But the idea is to forget everything you know about the west and watch as Eastwood strips everything away, robbing us of our innocence.
Another brilliant thing that works really well in Unforgiven is Eastwood's faith in his spectator's intelligence. Y'see, William Munny was a bad gunslinger who did horrific crimes. At one point, he was considered to be the most feared outlaw in the west. Eastwood doesn't oblige in showing us unecessary flashbacks to emphases how evil Munny was - it's all in his face and dialogue. Say what you will about Eastwood as an actor, but I loved that he was able to convey a man who seems to only just come to terms with how violent he was in the past.
We know that Munny is reluctant to take the assassination job, but you just can't help but think that if he really wanted to honour his late wife he would find some other way of making money. You just know that there is still a monster laying dormant inside Munny in his pursuit of the killers, despite his excuses for 'justice' and 'money'. And that's the thing, you never truly believe there is a legit motive for Munny to 'get back in the game'. He still has a dark pas.t It's that exploration between his past and present that make him such an interesting protagonist. Only other western protagonist as interesting as him in recent memory is Tom Stall/Joey Cusack.
I can't stop without mentioning the supporting cast. Gene Hackman (please come back to acting ) is, in a word, phenomenal as the quietly snarling and strangely compelling Little Bill. Little Bill's lust for authority and ruthless aggression mentality is uncomfortably believable. I got the feeling that Little Bill had started out as a man who had a genuine intent to improve society and help the helpless. But somewhere along the way, much like Munny, he lost himself and turned into his opposite. Can't blame him really. We all turn into our opposites. It's about which side dominates, just like in Ryan Fleck and Anna Bodem suggested in Half Nelson.
Obviously the film is rich with many themes such as perception vs reality, redemption vs revenge, and my personal favourite, heroes vs man. This is Eastwood basically stated that there is no such thing as a 'hero'. Bold stuff for a man who will forever be perceived as one.
N
nebbit
Guest
Always been a favourite of mine, I have it in my collection
T
The Prestige
Guest
You're right, the puberty for horror metaphor isn't new, BUT the way in which Fawcett goes about using the metaphor is what really makes it unique.
And yes, Nolan is coming, but it might not be as much as you think...or maybe it will.
And yes, Nolan is coming, but it might not be as much as you think...or maybe it will.
T
The Prestige
Guest
15. The Marriage Of Maria Braun (Rainer Warner Fassbinder, 1979)
Hanna Schygulla won best prize in Fassbinder's most commercial film, and it'
s not too hard to see as you are absorbed by a performance that conveys confused disappointment, sexiness and sorrow. It's probably one of my favourite performances of all time by an actress.
The film charts the rise of a young German woman who, after the disappearance of her husband following the end of the Second World War, builds herself up to become a high ranking business woman. That's as much as I can summarise Maria Braun without giving too much away, as I am sure it's a film that not everybody has seen.
I'm not sure why I love this film so much and why rank it so highly, to be honest. I'm not sure if it's because of Fassbinder's skillfully applied Brechtian techniques. I'm not sure if it's the brutal honesty of how the auteur feels about his homeland. But what I am sure of...is that Rainer Fassbinder grabbed me almost immediately with this film. Opening and ending with an explosion, Fassbinder was clearly out to make statement - and that he did.
The choices that Maria makes following the disappearance of her husband adequately reflect those made by her nation's in the aftermath of WW2. The notion of fiercely trying but not being able to move on is probably the clearest metaphor that Fassbinder could have made. It's not secret that a lot of Germans, old and new generations, feel a massive sense of guilt and embarrassment regarding Hitler's reign. And from the many that I have spoken to, it's fair to say that some are habouring a sense of self-hatred, and Fassbinder's ably and honestly shows that with his creation of the Maria Braun protagonist. That said, this is somewhat typical of Fassbinder. In virtually 70% of his films he narrates German history through the lives of German women.
Even though this is one of Fassbinder's more accessible films, it's still a complex and ambiguous melodrama. VERY few films have the distinction of being accessibly commercial yet complex at the same time. And if you guys know any, please let me know Take the final scene for example: How do we know that the gas was left on on purpose or not? Given the character's bizarre nature, it's very hard to determine if such and such was an accident or not.
As you guys can probably guessfrom Hanna's skimpy outfits in the pictures, the film is surprisingly erotic and despite his sexual preference, Fassbinder makes no apologies for drawing on the fact that Maria's most powerful weapon and biggest strength in her rise to power was her sexuality. It's a realistic contrast from the path title character in Mildred Pierce took. Back in those days, sexuality was the main thing women could use to gain leaverage. Sad but true.
Let it be said that this is an astonishing film in the sense that it was one of the few Fassbinder (and German film of the New Wave era) not to intimidate or alienate spectators. It broke down those international barriers by scoopin' a Gloden Globes and the like. It may not be the best international film ever made nor the best German film ever made, but it's still audacious piece of cinema that grabbed an initially cold audience. And for that, I say hail Fassbinder. Oh, and Schygulla's sexual appeal
Hanna Schygulla won best prize in Fassbinder's most commercial film, and it'
s not too hard to see as you are absorbed by a performance that conveys confused disappointment, sexiness and sorrow. It's probably one of my favourite performances of all time by an actress.
The film charts the rise of a young German woman who, after the disappearance of her husband following the end of the Second World War, builds herself up to become a high ranking business woman. That's as much as I can summarise Maria Braun without giving too much away, as I am sure it's a film that not everybody has seen.
I'm not sure why I love this film so much and why rank it so highly, to be honest. I'm not sure if it's because of Fassbinder's skillfully applied Brechtian techniques. I'm not sure if it's the brutal honesty of how the auteur feels about his homeland. But what I am sure of...is that Rainer Fassbinder grabbed me almost immediately with this film. Opening and ending with an explosion, Fassbinder was clearly out to make statement - and that he did.
The choices that Maria makes following the disappearance of her husband adequately reflect those made by her nation's in the aftermath of WW2. The notion of fiercely trying but not being able to move on is probably the clearest metaphor that Fassbinder could have made. It's not secret that a lot of Germans, old and new generations, feel a massive sense of guilt and embarrassment regarding Hitler's reign. And from the many that I have spoken to, it's fair to say that some are habouring a sense of self-hatred, and Fassbinder's ably and honestly shows that with his creation of the Maria Braun protagonist. That said, this is somewhat typical of Fassbinder. In virtually 70% of his films he narrates German history through the lives of German women.
Even though this is one of Fassbinder's more accessible films, it's still a complex and ambiguous melodrama. VERY few films have the distinction of being accessibly commercial yet complex at the same time. And if you guys know any, please let me know Take the final scene for example: How do we know that the gas was left on on purpose or not? Given the character's bizarre nature, it's very hard to determine if such and such was an accident or not.
As you guys can probably guessfrom Hanna's skimpy outfits in the pictures, the film is surprisingly erotic and despite his sexual preference, Fassbinder makes no apologies for drawing on the fact that Maria's most powerful weapon and biggest strength in her rise to power was her sexuality. It's a realistic contrast from the path title character in Mildred Pierce took. Back in those days, sexuality was the main thing women could use to gain leaverage. Sad but true.
Let it be said that this is an astonishing film in the sense that it was one of the few Fassbinder (and German film of the New Wave era) not to intimidate or alienate spectators. It broke down those international barriers by scoopin' a Gloden Globes and the like. It may not be the best international film ever made nor the best German film ever made, but it's still audacious piece of cinema that grabbed an initially cold audience. And for that, I say hail Fassbinder. Oh, and Schygulla's sexual appeal
M
mark f
Guest
I'm certainly not going to flame you because L.A. Confidential and Chinatown are both on my list and very close to each other, at that. I will say that I cannot understand why Chinatown's cinematography ever gets criticized though because that, along with the music, was the most-distinctive part of setting up the film and drawing you in. Of course, Chinatown is set in the '40s and is a much-darker journey down a rabbit hole. L.A. Confidential is more of a rock 'em, sock 'em Saturday matinee serial all squeezed together with plenty of action melodrama. As I said, I love both of fhem, but they're really apples and oranges.
N
nebbit
Guest
Great list so far
I love Nil By Mouth it is sad, and violent, isn't a movie I want to watch over and over
I love Nil By Mouth it is sad, and violent, isn't a movie I want to watch over and over
P
Pyro Tramp
Guest
Hey dude, been up and down the country last few weeks staying with mates, thought this would have been in the bag by time got back. What happened!?
T
The Prestige
Guest
I get what you mean about Scheider's death being overshadowed. I do think it's wrong for one death to gain more publicity over another, but it was always inevitable because Heath was still very young when he died and he was associated with The Dark Knight playing a role thats as iconic as Batman. Whereas Scheider was quite old and hadn't done anything significant lately. Either way, I wish his death was given more respect but what can you do.
Oh and yeah and I completely forgot about Mysterious Skin. You're right that was a very strong performance. Thanks for reminding me.
Oh and yeah and I completely forgot about Mysterious Skin. You're right that was a very strong performance. Thanks for reminding me.
H
honeykid
Guest
A very unusual choice Pres and not one I've seen either. Well, I saw the first 10-15 minutes many moons ago, but I didn't get into it and hadn't thought of it again until I saw this. Good post, I'll keep an eye out for it.
J
Justin
Guest
Some pretty nice choices so far: Jaws, Sin City, Scum, The Godfather, Deer Hunter, Casino Royale and Brokeback Mountain.
N
nebbit
Guest
[No message]
T
The Prestige
Guest
Lol, nice try mate, but I was one step ahead of you that time . I saw the Nolan jokes coming a mile off.
T
The Prestige
Guest
I need me a dictionary
T
The Prestige
Guest
Listed by whom?
Oh, and you'll be waiting a very long time because I ain't in the mood to have to give somebody like you redundant definition of something you clearly have a definition of already. Now that you've failed here, why don't you go and pester somebody else. I'm sure that there are plenty of other peeps you can beat into an argument, if that's what gets you off.
Oh, and you'll be waiting a very long time because I ain't in the mood to have to give somebody like you redundant definition of something you clearly have a definition of already. Now that you've failed here, why don't you go and pester somebody else. I'm sure that there are plenty of other peeps you can beat into an argument, if that's what gets you off.
D
Daffodil
Guest
Really great reviews. Props.
I agree with you about The Terminator rivalling with Blade Runner as one of the best sci-fi movies of the 80s.
I agree with you about The Terminator rivalling with Blade Runner as one of the best sci-fi movies of the 80s.
I
Iroquois
Guest
Scarface is still a cautionary tale - it tells kids what *not* to do when they become gangsters.
"Lesson number one: Don't underestimate the other guy's greed!"
"Lesson number two: Don't get high on your own supply."
Words to live by (which Tony Montana doesn't).
On a random tangent, this makes me wonder if there were people who felt the same way about the original when it first came out (maybe other such young, impressionable males that make up most of the new version's fanbase). Even Al Capone himself (who is essentially the real Scarface, but I'm assuming you already know that) liked the film so much he owned a copy of it, which even I can gather was a pretty big feat in the 1930s.
Maybe it's just the people, not the film.
"Lesson number one: Don't underestimate the other guy's greed!"
"Lesson number two: Don't get high on your own supply."
Words to live by (which Tony Montana doesn't).
On a random tangent, this makes me wonder if there were people who felt the same way about the original when it first came out (maybe other such young, impressionable males that make up most of the new version's fanbase). Even Al Capone himself (who is essentially the real Scarface, but I'm assuming you already know that) liked the film so much he owned a copy of it, which even I can gather was a pretty big feat in the 1930s.
Maybe it's just the people, not the film.