MetaChat - Wanna talk about movies?

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09 February 2007

Wanna talk about movies? →[More:]
Got any good movie reccomendations? Especially to rent?

I will give a few:

1. I just finished watching "Bread and Tulips", an Italian romantic comedy. Some may say "chick flick", although I don't like that phrase. It's a sweet movie about an Italian housewife that decides to stay in Venice after her family leaves her by mistake while on vacation.

2. "Look Both Ways" Great Australian movie about a woman with fears. I rented this a month or so ago, and would see it again.

3. "A Merry War" This isn't a new movie by any means, but I wanted to throw it in there for the people who haven't seen it. I can watch this movie a hundred times over. It's based on George Orwell's novel, "Keep the Aspidistra Flying".

Wednesday night I saw "Catch and Release" with a friend. I tried to gently suggest "Volver", "Notes on a Scandal", or "The Painted Veil", but she wasn't going for it. I can say a couple good things about "Catch and Release": the scenes of Boulder, CO and the soundtrack.

post by: LoriFLA at: 21:08 | 23 comments

Bruno Ganz was really really really cool, but Pane E Tulipani eventually left me kinda, I don't know... indifferent? it was sweet though. and Marina Massironi really touched me -- I thought she'd be able to build a great career on that role, she hasn't done that yet, and the movie is what, 7 years old? She's great though.

Look Both Ways = missed it on purpose, it sounded formulaic to me, guess I made a mistake!

A Merry War = I excuse myself. I can't judge this because Richard E. Grant... well I just wish he'd go away (yes, Withnail, yes, OK, love it too, right, OK, ciao). I didn't like it, possibly because of him.

Volver = masterpiece. Pedro, oh Pedro.

Notes on a Scandal = meh. I had high expectations, too high I guess.

Can I give you a suggestion? Regular Lovers.
Maybe I'll post about Garrel, he is one of the greats

posted by matteo 09 February | 21:19

Little Miss Sunshine is my favorite movie of the moment, and I don't really get into comedies. There is just so much sweetness in that movie.

A Merry War sounds intriguing... I'll check it out.

I just recently saw Traffic and really liked it. Before that I saw A Prairie Home Companion which I adored, but I'm a lifelong fan of Robert Altman AND of the radio show. I don't think it would appeal if you aren't already a fan of one or the other.

My favorite movie that I won't show anybody is Requiem For A Dream. I love it, but it's so harsh that I never feel right recommending anybody else watch it. I've only watched it twice, myself.

If I had to pick one favorite movie of all time, it would probably be Night of the Hunter.

posted by BoringPostcards 09 February | 21:23

Thanks matteo!

I think you'll either love or hate Look Both Ways. I read the IMDB comments and a word that kept popping up over and over was, "depressing". It wasn't depressing for me.

I rented The Death of Mr. Lazarescu after you mentioned it. It was a difficult movie to watch, but I liked it. It was very matter-of-fact, almost documentary like.

posted by LoriFLA 09 February | 21:29

I would recommend the amazing Children of Men. It's not out on DVD yet but I expect it will be soon considering the poor job the US distributors did of promoting it. Clive Owen is an empathetic man so beaten down he has become a hub for everyone's hopes good and bad. Amazing photography and directing in a movie that is both bleak and hopeful.

Blood & Donuts from 1995 is not available on DVD yet but I just watched it again the other night. A vampire crawls into a bag to escape death. When he crawls out 25 years latter he falls in love with a girl at a donut shop. Sweet and funny.

Third or more for Volver. Also, lots of mechas have recomended Pan's Labyrinth. I do too.

posted by arse_hat 09 February | 21:33

Second favorite would probably be Mon Oncle (My Uncle).

posted by BoringPostcards 09 February | 21:33

I rented The Death of Mr. Lazarescu after you mentioned it

Viva Lori!
If you didn't like it enough, I'll be happy to refund the rental fee (so that you can invest part of the refund in a ticket for Regular Lovers!)

I don't think it would appeal if you aren't already
a fan of one or the other.

funny I recently made the argument with a friend that you have to be a fan of both. me, I love Altman but I hate Keillor even more than I hate Richard E Grant.

Requeim for a Dream: I think Selby is the greatest American writer, literally, ever, together with Poe and Pound. I liked the film a lot. I loved Pi. But I don't understand how you managed to rewatch Requeim. it's almost unwatchable the first time around

Pan's Labyrinth disappointed me, too -- I thought it was a mess. I really want to watch Children of Men but Clive Owen's brand new chompers are quite disturbing. why o why.

and now I totally want to watch Blood and Donuts!

PS Tati is like Voltaire, indispensable

posted by matteo 09 February | 21:42

Little Miss Sunshine - Loved it.

Prairie Home Companion - Liked it. I'll see anything with Streep or Tomlin. I've listened to the radio show for eons, but I don't like what Keillor is doing with his breathing lately. It sounds like he is sucking air through his teeth.

Children of Men - glad I saw it. Fabulous.

Pan's Labyrinth - ah Matteo, you didn't like it? Tell us why. I thought it was near perfection. But, I'm no critic.

Requiem For a Dream - saw this in bits and pieces a hundred times. I need to sit down and watch it properly.

Thanks for the other recommendations. Keep them coming. There are lots of spaces left in my Blockbuster queue.

posted by LoriFLA 09 February | 21:49

I've also watched Requiem For A Dream twice. The second time was just to see if I could do it without flinching. I have to say that the second time was somewhat easier and I think it helped me appreciate the film more.

I watched the movie Frida, produced by and starring Salma Hayek, a few months back. As I'm now reading a bio of Frida, I intend to watch it again when I'm done with the book.

Also, one of my favorite movies is Thursday. Darkly humorous after a bad day. At least my day wasn't as bad as Casey's.

posted by lilywing13 09 February | 21:51

Ah, yes. Movies. I kinda like movies.

Here is one that I have loved for ever: "Rosencratz and Gilderstern are dead". Okay, it is really a play-turned-movie. But the dialogs are amazing and the acting superb and the entire idea, well, for its time quite unusual. This movie made me a Stoppard die-hard fan, before I'd seen any of his plays.

Another: The girl on the bridge by Patrice Leconte. See it LoriFLA. Really, see it.

posted by carmina 09 February | 21:52

"I love Altman but I hate Keillor even more than I hate Richard E Grant." AMEN!

"but Clive Owen's brand new chompers are quite disturbing." heh

It's odd but while he is on the screen almost every moment he fades (for me) into the needs of those around him. Also, the long handheld scenes and long trucks and the faded colours of a dying world made it compelling for me.

posted by arse_hat 09 February | 21:52

The girl on the bridge by Patrice Leconte. See it LoriFLA. Really, see it.

In my queue along with a few others from this thread. Thanks Carmina.

I've seen Rosencrantz and Gildrestern are Dead. The play, but taped -- for a drama appreciation class I took long ago. I remember enjoying it thoroughly. I should see the movie.

posted by LoriFLA 09 February | 22:02

I must be in a 70's kinda mood lately because within the past few weeks I've seen...

Harold and Maude Charming and hilarious love story.

Network. All I can say is, WOW. It's the most stinging look at the media I've ever seen on film. Peter Finch is the best. "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" No way that movie would be made today.

Five Easy Pieces Jack Nicholson is a gifted, emotionally distant jerk. I really hated seeing bits of myself in his character. Great film.

posted by hojoki 09 February | 22:02

LoriFLA, might I suggest Marty as well. You will love it if you like chick flicks, although it doesn't technically fall in that category--it is a gem of a movie.:)

posted by hadjiboy 09 February | 22:47

Is this something I'd need to leave the house to know about?

posted by wendell 09 February | 23:18

"Is this something I'd need to leave the house to know about?"
Not at all! Sign-up for one of those DVD by mail services and you don't even need to wear pants (unless your mailbox is like down in the building lobby or what have you then you should wear pants unless your neighbors are really cool or in denial or such).

posted by arse_hat 09 February | 23:35

I watched part of a Godzilla movie the other night. It was awful. Um. That's it!

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 09 February | 23:59

Bertolucci's The Conformist (1970), with Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli and Dominique Sanda, has finally been released on DVD. This is a magnificent movie -- fascinating, beautiful and heartbreaking -- grab it!

posted by rob511 10 February | 02:10

I loved Little Miss Sunshine too. The whole ensemble cast gels perfectly.

Worst film I saw recently was The Upside of Anger. Absolutely dire.

Favourite films: depends on the mood. I love The Vanishing (the original Dutch version, not the remake). One of the darkest films I've ever seen.

Singin' in the Rain is the best musical ever.

Sideways is wonderful. I could watch it just for that 30-second scene at the end where he finds out his ex-wife's pregnant.

But sometimes it's just the mood - you see a film on a particular day and love it, see it again months or years later and it bores you or it sucks or something. And vice versa.

posted by essexjan 10 February | 04:33

BP, I also love Mon Oncle. I love it particularly where the couple in the ultra-modern house are looking out the windows and it's as if they're the pupils of the eyes. That makes me LOL each time I see it. And where the sister thinks he's a salesman when he first turns up and tries to get rid of him.

posted by essexjan 10 February | 04:36

*Arrives late to thread.* I would also recommend Look Both Ways - I loved that film. Requiem For A Dream is also very good, but dark. The last film I saw at the cinema was The Pursuit Of Happyness (I didn't see it through choice) and it was exactly what you'd expect. Much more of a "nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon, I'll stick a DVD on" thing than anything else. I'm seeing Pan's Labyrinth at a local arts centre next month and am watching Caché tonight.

posted by TheDonF 10 February | 07:31

I'm another one all for Little Miss Sunshine, it's just delightful. My daughter adores it too. She's seen it countless times. I've seen it 4 times, and it still makes me laugh heartily.
We also really enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth, nothing bad to say about it, but we went in with no expectations. I thought the acting was superb & it looked gorgeous.

Children of Men also was a favourite, but I'm a sucker for Clive Owen. *SWOON* The same day we saw Children of Men, we saw Wordplay, the doco about the NY Times crosswords, which was great fun. I'm mid 30's and love crosswords, but minigosh really enjoyed it too, and she is a 12yo creative, non-academic verging on bimbo type, so even if you aren't into crosswords, it's still an engaging and fun doco.

posted by goshling 10 February | 09:13

Last weekend my friend and I watched Lifeboat (neglected Hitchcock) and The Big Sleep back to back. Good times; good times.

The film I've been most obsessed with recently is Jesus Camp, not just because of the subject matter, but because as a piece of art the film is so formally complex for something that isn't scripted. All those repeated images and sounds and themes--the radio transmissions; the images of people watching television; the visual representations of George W. Bush; the mentions of Harry Potter. Beautiful stuff. I want to the the other documentary by those filmmakers, The Boys from Baraka, but haven't gotten my hands on it yet.

posted by Prospero 10 February | 09:18

Boys from Baraka is excellent.

posted by slackshot 10 February | 17:21

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