The General on Film

[Yo Mama]

I'm a big fan of film, as many of you already know. At the moment, I am partial to foreign film, especially films that depict the lives of women in other parts of the world.

I'm starting this thread to review movies as I watch them. Feel free to add commentary; it's not just "my" thread. (Like I could stop anyone anyway :lol: ).

To begin, I will talk about the movie I watched last night:

The Day I Became A Woman (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0260332/)

This movie was very simple on the surface, with no special effects, no lavish sets, no Western-style action, but it was very beautiful, perhaps because of this simplicity, and extremely poignant.

It tells three stories of women in Iran, a girl just becoming a woman, a married woman, and an elderly grandmother. The stories aren't interrelated, though they are pulled together at the end to make a statement about the similarities between all women as second class citizens in Iran.

Of the three stories, the middle one, about the mature woman and her struggle to retain her dignity in the face of opposition by her husband, father, and entire tribe, spoke to me the most. The woman just wanted to ride in a bicycle race and ended up divorced, disowned and finally, stripped of her bicycle and left standing in the middle of the road. It was such a strong allegory for what happens to women in islamic culture: loss of choice, loss of dignity, loss of dreams.

The first story, of the 9 year old girl on her birthday -- the day she becomes a woman -- was sad in that it shows how young girls are segregated and forced into subservience before they even hit puberty. Hava, the girl, didn't understand why she had to stop playing with her friend Hassan suddenly and permanently.

The last story went out into the land of surrealism, with an old woman buying everything she ever wanted and never got when she was married, and all these worldly goods being first set up on a hot, bright beach, then set on small, homemade rafts built by local boys, to be ferried out to a ship in the sea.

The simplicity of the film seemed to relate the emptiness of these women's lives, the waste of their potential, the waste of their humanity.

this was, all in all, an excellent film, and I give it four out of five stars.

[Boondock]

GN, have you ever gotten into japanese 'horror' or shock films?

if you can search through netflix, try to find some films by a guy named takeshi miike..

ichi the killer
audition
battle royale
visitor q

you mentioned that hostel sucked...these films blow films like hostel out of the water

[Yo Mama]

I do like Miike's work. I've got Battle Royale, and several others by him -- Japanese horror (and Korean) is one of my favorite genres. Have you seen Uzumaki? That one is really twisted -- pun intended.

I've also got a Japanese "nunsploitation" film called School of the Holy Beast, but I haven't got round to watching it yet.

[Boondock]

i have not seen the ones you mentioned....

have you seen oldboy?

it is a bad ass korean film....

this dude gets locked up in an apartment for like 10 years and then when he gets out, he wants some revenge....craziness in that flick.

i do reccomend ichi the killer from takeshi miike though.....khakihara is a bad mofo

[Yo Mama]

I'll add Ichi to the queue. I've seen most of Old Boy -- slept through the end. The big bug on the subway was freaky shit.

[Boondock]

http://www.facets.org/images/ICHI.jpg

craziness GN...total craziness

[Yo Mama]

Life and Debt (http://www.lifeanddebt.org/)

A person can't be good at knowing EVERYTHING. Sometimes you learn stuff as you go along.

This documentary, about the IMF, World Bank and other predatory lender policies and the negative effects on Jamaican economy was a real learning experience for me. I know vaguely that the IMF et al. were "evil" but knowing something vaguely, and seeing a film describing the damages caused by their policies in detail and from the Jamaican point of view, are two entirely different animals.

If you're an NWO "fan" (I say that facetiously) or if you don't know much about it, but want to know more, Life and Debt is a film you really must see.

It made me ashamed to be American. Our policies are destroying a once-proud nation of people who used to be independent and now are falling deeper and deeper into the hell of poverty and violence.

The IMF, WTO, etc. should be dismantled and the smug white bastards in charge should be tarred and feathered and sent out of orbit on a railgun.

[JiveTurkey]

The Japanese certainly know how to make an engaging film.


Films like Oldboy (the end is so fucking disturbing it's not even funny) and Ichi the Killer blow away ANYTHING (except "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will be Blood") made in Hollywood in the last 5 to 10 years.



Battle Royale is the SHIT. Supposedly, an Amerikan "remake" is in the works.

COME ON NOW!!! Will an Amerikan audience really go for a bunch of 14 year olds getting medieval on each other in a "last man standing" death match?

I bet every actor in it is at least 30 and that will COMPLETELY kill he movie.




Jasn

[Boondock]

no way they can do a remake that pwns like battle royale does...they might as well not even try.

i can't wait to see there will be blood. gonna be the shizz

[Yo Mama]

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414055/)

Naturally this movie wasn't as suspenseful as it would have been had it not been a historical movie -- after all, we all know what happened to the Spanish Armada. But it was so well crafted that, even though I knew the outcome of the historical element, I still had to remind myself a couple of times that it would have a happy ending.

The costumes were lavish and stunning. I love a film with so much attention to detail in the costuming. My only beef there was that the people were entirely too clean. As they say in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "how do you know he is a king?" "He hasn't got shit all over him."

The acting was superb. I found myself feeling very sorry for Good Queen Bess, not being able to have her own life or family. People profess to wish they could be a king or queen, but the reality of the position is closer to that of a prisoner -- a prisoner of law, custom, and expectation, more so than any of the subjects of that ruler.

Phenomenal picture, and a great companion to the first movie. Highly recommended to any history buff. See it today.

[Yo Mama]

Mother of Mine (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343221/)

Finnish, 2005

WARNING: This is a chick flick and any woman with kids is going to cry her eyes out. I know I did.

I'm jaded and cynical. It takes a lot to get me to cry at a movie. I hardly ever do anymore. Last night I watched Mother of Mine, and for the first time in years, I wept at a movie. Maybe it's because of my fear for what might happen to my own children, but maybe not.

This is the story of a boy, Eero, who is evacuated to Sweden and housed with a Swedish family during WWII, when Finland was under attack by the Russians. This child went through so much, the death of his father, separation from his mother against his wishes, and when he ends up with his Swedish foster family, he goes through yet another version of hell.

In the end he becomes close with his Swedish foster mother, only to be returned to his own mother, and things are never the same.

Without giving away too much of the plot, because the movie was so powerful it ought to be experienced without much of a spoiler, I can't stress enough what a great film this was. It was the first time I've seen a Finnish film, and I may have to look for more.

It's a definite must-see for any mother, and for any student of human nature and human suffering and redemption.

[nudespook]

Cheers, gen. I'll see if I can hunt those down.

If you like foreign films, then I've seen a few gooduns recently. I won't review them, heh. You've probably seen some, most, or even all. And they probably don't fit your profile, but I'll throw them out there anyway:

Diving bell and the butterfly (sad/funny)
Science of sleep (quirky)
Babel (interesting)
The lives of others (fantastic)
The kite runner (interesting)

and I have city of men to watch this week. City of god was great.

[Yo Mama]

I've heard of those, but only seen a couple.

I hated Science of Sleep. I had to turn it off, which I don't do too often. It was just too ... contrived. Tried too hard, something. Never could put my finger on it, just didn't like it.

I've read The Kite Runner, but haven't seen it. So I'll add a few to my Netflix queue, since it's starting to look a little sparse over there.

I had to go to my queue to see that I actually had seen Babel and given it 5 stars. So many films, so little resident memory left. :lol:

[Bitchkoma]

City of God is awesome. Must watch. My pirated DVD was looted. Nya ma hai, tiu nyar seng....

[Yo Mama]

The Dead Girl (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0783238/)

I caught this on Sundance last night. I was flicking around looking for Family Guy at ten when I read the description of the film and decided to check it out just to see if it was worth watching. It was. I ended up staying up until almost midnight to see the end of it. Considering my son gets up around 5:30 every day, this should tell you something.

I have always liked vignette movies, such as Night on Earth, or Twenty Bucks. This takes that genre of film and gives it a very macabre twist, tying together the lives of five women by way of the murder of a young woman.

Toni Collette of Muriel's Wedding gives a particularly disturbing performance in the first segment of the five.

I don't really want to say too much about it. It wasn't a GREAT film, but it was pretty good, interesting and fresh in the way of Crash and some of the other recent decent films to come out of American studios.

[nudespook]

I hated Science of Sleep. I had to turn it off, which I don't do too often. It was just too ... contrived. Tried too hard, something. Never could put my finger on it, just didn't like it.

Yeah, it was a marmite film. My partner hated it, I kinda liked the painful neurotic relationship between the guy and the gal.

Lives of others is about east germany. A fantastic film. Diving bell about some guy with 'locked in' syndrome - again, great - sad and funny at times.

And, as BK pointed out, city of god is a great film. Hopefully city of men will be of a similar standard.

[Yo Mama]

Fido (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457572/)

The description of this film had me anticipating it quite a bit -- boy next door has a pet zombie named Fido, who eats a neighbor, and the ensuing furore as he tries to convince his parents to let him keep it.

Billy Connelly plays Fido. Frankly, I was expecting more from his performance. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't Connelly either.

It had some humorous bits, and was worth watching once if nothing else is on, but I didn't like it enough to add it to my collection. It wasn't in the same league as the two greatest comedy/zombie films: Shaun of the Dead and the Kiwi classic Dead/Alive.

I guess my anticipation of how good the film COULD be ruined the reality of how it really was.

Not a bad flick, but not that great, either. Save Fido for when you have nothing better to do.

[Yo Mama]

The World According to Sesame Street (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434440/)

Sesame Street premiered when I was four and a half, and for me it was love at first sight. it's been going strong since 1969. My children love Sesame Street, especially that little red monster, Elmo. (Did you know, the voice and puppeteer of Elmo is a black guy? I never would have, but by accident. I stumbled across a white supremacist blog that was completely aghast at the idea that the red muppet was really a black guy. I can't find the blog again, or I'd link it because it was over the top. But I digress).

Sesame Street now shows in 120 countries around the world. I was interested in this particular documentary because I was interested in seeing how it changed from culture to culture, and what characters carried over from the US version, and which didn't.

At first this film was mildly interesting, but not that exciting. After a short time, however, it started exploring the productions of three different countries: South Africa -- which has a muppet that is HIV positive, Kosovo -- with its completely divided society of Albanians and Serbs, and Bangladesh -- poor and rife with criminal street children.

The documentary showed the production in each of the countries, how they took the Sesame Street framework and made it unique to each country. It turned out to be an extremely fascinating and riveting documentary.

As well as an inspirational one. The people involved in Children's Television Workshop, who are involved in the global projects are extremely bright and dedicated. One woman was in tears as she described her work and how deeply it touched her.

I woke up this morning still in awe about what a little educational show that has been around for most of my life has done for children all over the world.

4 in 5 stars, see it if you are interested in children's education, global children's issues, or Muppets.

[Yo Mama]

And from the "can't get that part of my life back" file:

The Blue Lagoon (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080453/)

When this came out, I was a sophomore in high school. I still remember the controvery, and the buzz about this movie, but I wasn't interested at the time, being more into zombie flicks.

I should have trusted my teenage instincts.

Last night at about 11 I wasn't really ready to go to bed, but there was fuck all on TV at all, except for this one stupid movie, on WE.

So I tuned in. Big mistake.

Because I was tired, and had taken a marinol to settle my stomach, I couldn't be bothered turning it off once it was on. And then I got caught up in seeing if it would really end up as stupid as I thought it would.

Since it was on a channel with commercials, I lost three hours of my life I will never get back, that could have better been spent sleeping, or perhaps sawing off a limb.

The acting was atrocious, the plot was full of more holes than a piece of mesh, the whole premise was stupid, it was unrealistic and if I ever see another film this ridiculous, I may gouge my eyes out with a dull spork.

The only time I felt any emotion other than a vague sense of "WTF am I doing this for?" was when I thought the toddler was going to fall overboard and be eaten by a shark near the end of the picture.

I really have to stick to actual film, and not box office blockbuster drek.

[Boondock]

gn, you have to see juno....too funny

[Boondock]

oh yeah....city of god is teh hotness. you should get that one fo sho

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/

[Yo Mama]

I intend to see Juno when I get the opportunity. I have a lot of stuff in queue but there's always room for one more in the backlog of "yet to be seen."

I have several "City of ..." movies, including God, Lost Children and Hope.

[dk3000]

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414055/)

Naturally this movie wasn't as suspenseful as it would have been had it not been a historical movie -- after all, we all know what happened to the Spanish Armada. But it was so well crafted that, even though I knew the outcome of the historical element, I still had to remind myself a couple of times that it would have a happy ending.

The costumes were lavish and stunning. I love a film with so much attention to detail in the costuming. My only beef there was that the people were entirely too clean. As they say in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "how do you know he is a king?" "He hasn't got shit all over him."

The acting was superb. I found myself feeling very sorry for Good Queen Bess, not being able to have her own life or family. People profess to wish they could be a king or queen, but the reality of the position is closer to that of a prisoner -- a prisoner of law, custom, and expectation, more so than any of the subjects of that ruler.

Phenomenal picture, and a great companion to the first movie. Highly recommended to any history buff. See it today.

This is where I disagree with you, GN. It was a well done movie- but the actors were "indicating" like crazy which they did not do in the first film Elizabeth. I did not really understand that- then I realized that The Golden years was a propaganda flick.

Queen Elizabeth sold out. History re-wrote and left this ditty out of the books.

This video is hilarious- and also quite accurate:

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jyN1O-GwALI&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jyN1O-GwALI&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="525" height="555"></embed></object>

[1972]

Well, I have tried to get at least 5 of my friends to watch City of Lost Children and they all hate it. They don't get it and get freaked out. Well, I love it. And always will, fuck them.

[Yo Mama]

This is where I disagree with you, GN. It was a well done movie- but the actors were "indicating" like crazy which they did not do in the first film Elizabeth.

I'm not in da biz, dk, so I have no idea what "indicating" is.

All I am is an uneducated movie snob. I likes what I likes. :D

***

And for the record, about my Blue Lagoon post, I'd like to add that I realized a little while ago it was only TWO hours even with the commercials, so it was such a stinker I THOUGHT I'd lost three hours.

Time dilation during abysmal film experience? Proof. Perhaps that's the secret to beaming hot dogs through microwaves. I'll have to send it off to the Mad Scientist Department and see what they come up with.

[dk3000]

This is where I disagree with you, GN. It was a well done movie- but the actors were "indicating" like crazy which they did not do in the first film Elizabeth.

I'm not in da biz, dk, so I have no idea what "indicating" is.

All I am is an uneducated movie snob. I likes what I likes. :D

***

And for the record, about my Blue Lagoon post, I'd like to add that I realized a little while ago it was only TWO hours even with the commercials, so it was such a stinker I THOUGHT I'd lost three hours.

Time dilation during abysmal film experience? Proof. Perhaps that's the secret to beaming hot dogs through microwaves. I'll have to send it off to the Mad Scientist Department and see what they come up with.

"indicating is when an actor makes either broad gestures- facial expressions or over annunciates dialog- they are subtly hamming via technique they learned in class.

Technique is really only to be used in emergency when either your cast members are terrible or if you suddenly even subtly fall out of "character" it is a device that is used to help ease you back into character without having to re-shoot the scene ($$$$$).

Actors who indicate:

George Clooney (when he does comedy)
Kenneth Brannagh
Jennifer Anniston
Bruce Willis
Nick Cage
Thomas Janes
Bette Midler
Kate Hudson
Ben Affleck
Nicole Kidman
Kevin Costner
Diane Keaton
Tom Cruise (He really doesn't know what he's doing- but he tries really hard when he indicates).

To name a few. Any acting legend will tell you the same- I mean the folks who really know the craft.

There were many things I like about Elizabeth- The Golden Years. However- movies are ruined for me forever in a sense because I can spot the patterns and it pisses me off because the indicators are used to sell products and ideas/beliefs.

Take the movie THE MIST for example. I was having a discussion the other day about this film with a friend who was in it. When I pointed out the propaganda- my friend was shocked and held fast that I was acrimonious, jaded and overly cynical in criticizing the art of film making.

Here is how I drew my conclusion that the MIST is nothing more than a military/government propaganda flick:

First- Mrs. Carmody (played flawlessly moment-to-moment by Marcia Gay Harden) her character in the original story was not all about the end of days- her character was more about getting people to repent and convert to Christianity as only God could save them. The film version was far more insane with her character description and it appeared to me me to be more satanic. In the book the character was a bible thumping boob- but she made sense in a culty Christian way- which is why it was scarier- In the movie she comes off as simply insane (Message: Kill devout Christians).

Second, Toby the store manager/clerk who was the geeky gun toting hero gets killed in the most monstrous way (MESSAGE: Be a civilian hero and die horribly).

Third, Thomas our leading man (Testosterone hero) saves the day only to kill everybody just as the real heros THE MILITARY show up to save the day...MESSAGE: We'll clean it up- stay where you are we'll be there in a minute with rocket nukes).

This is how they got the military sign-off on production.

Jeff Demunn, Tobey Jones, Frances Sternhagen, Marcia Gay Harden and Melissa McBride were the only "real" actors in the movie- everyone else phoned in an over-the-top-indicating performance.

The question is: Frank Darabont knows how to direct and he knows how to cast. Why would he choose to work with such lame actors? And why would he take a huge shit on Stephen's Kings favorite novella?

It doesn't add up- so I piece together what happened by the performances and the editing, direction and writing. The answer is always spot on when using this formula: Propaganda- every time!

[Yo Mama]

Makes sense, that's pretty much what I was thinking about when I saw how they'd screwed up "I Am Legend" this time around.

But still, I try not to think about serious shit when I'm watching a film, because I watch the films to escape the serious shit. :lol:

I personally don't fall for propaganda, even laid out like that, because when stuff like that happens in a movie -- especially one from a book I've read several times and loved -- I start picking it apart and making wise ass observations. never really connected the dots to see it as outright propaganda; I usually assume it's just sheer stupidity or ignorance on the part of the film makers -- unless a scientologist or three is in it; then I am more suspicious.

[dk3000]

Makes sense, that's pretty much what I was thinking about when I saw how they'd screwed up "I Am Legend" this time around.

But still, I try not to think about serious shit when I'm watching a film, because I watch the films to escape the serious shit. :lol:

I personally don't fall for propaganda, even laid out like that, because when stuff like that happens in a movie -- especially one from a book I've read several times and loved -- I start picking it apart and making wise ass observations. never really connected the dots to see it as outright propaganda; I usually assume it's just sheer stupidity or ignorance on the part of the film makers -- unless a scientologist or three is in it; then I am more suspicious. Hehehehehe Thats funny!

Hollywood propaganda films are designed to be subtle. The propaganda films/content are not for people like you GN- the messages are for these kinds of people:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm54/onlydk/Walmart.jpg

[Yo Mama]

Yeah, well, the lemmings are too far gone anyway for the most part.

BTW, due to circumstance, I shop at Wal-Mart. :P

[Foxtrot Oscar]

All art is political.

End of.

Fox

[Yo Mama]

Umrao Jaan (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485522/)

A Bollywood production about a famous courtesan of 19th century Lucknow, this film is beautiful to look at from costumes to the skillful dancing. The story is a familiar one to me, as I regularly read stories of women in India, China and Japan, and their bad luck in life.

The plot wasn't great, and it was further handicapped by abysmally translated subtitles. Usually I can make sense of most subtitles in an Asian film, but this one was perhaps the worst I've ever seen. Fractured tenses and some passages that I just couldn't figure out what the hell they were trying to say. It bogged down the film which detracted from its overall impact.

This is most definitely not a film intended for the male of the species; it is a chick flick through and through. It is also over 3 hours, so I don't recommend this one for anyone but hard core film buffs, or people who enjoy costuming and period ethnic dance.

Not bad, but not all that great either. A solid meh.

[Yo Mama]

Yeah, that's right, I stickied my own thread. Deal with it beyotches. LMAO

[Martian Exile]

How did I miss this thread?

GN, I too like the foreign flicks, and have no use for the special effects nonsense put out by Hollywood.

I like anything Akira Kurosawa.

I watched Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire” 1987, over and over in total awe.

And a cute little chick flick was “For Roseanna” 1997.

[Yo Mama]

Just about the only intelligent film these days comes from places other than here, with a few notable exceptions. And even the better films here are more about entertainment than message for the most part.

I watched a lot of Kurasawa's stuff a while ago. The one he did about Hiroshima or Nagasaki was quite heartwrenching.

[1972]

Just about the only intelligent film these days comes from places other than here, with a few notable exceptions. And even the better films here are more about entertainment than message for the most part.

I watched a lot of Kurasawa's stuff a while ago. The one he did about Hiroshima or Nagasaki was quite heartwrenching.

So there is no need for good old escapism?
And there are many notable exceptions.
I will make a list of say, the last 5 years for your approval.
(yeah okay)

(that was for the approval part. I will compile a list though)

[Yo Mama]

I prefer my escapism to involve some intelligence, and not "just because." My standards are high.

But show me your list. I await it eagerly. And I won't be mean unless it's totally stupid. :P

[1972]

I prefer my escapism to involve some intelligence, and not "just because." My standards are high.

But show me your list. I await it eagerly. And I won't be mean unless it's totally stupid. :P


I am many things lady.
Vanity isn't one of those things.
But I am far from stupid.

[1972]

Here is a partial list:

Worthy films from within the last 5 years:

1. Southland tales - unless the point it lost; then it may be pure crap. But it isn't

2. Hooligans aka Green Street Hooligans.

3. the Nines.

4. Shaun of the Dead.

5. The Air I Breathe

6. Pan's Labyrinth

7. First Snow

8. The Proposition

~~
Yeah, the last 2 are Guy Pearce movies. So?
The Proposition drew me in at first simply because I wanted a glimpse in to Nick Cave's brain. But fuck it turned out to be an excellent film.

Of course there is more but I can't think right not.

[Yo Mama]

The films on that list that I recognize aren't American films.

I'm talking about Hollywood mainstream when I say such things.

Like the crap that Tom Cruise churns out. And I think Shyamalan is a hack. That sort of crap. Blockbuster summer movies and the Xmas rush movies and all the garbage that big studios are turning out in America.

On the same page now?

[1972]

We are rarely on the same page GN.
But that is ok.
It's why we click.

But I disagree with you on one point:
M. Night isn't a hack.
But it's ok.
Though I haven't seen his latest.

In some ways, he is exactly what we need.

But then again.
You are from over there.
I, well, I am right here.

[Yex]

GN, have you ever gotten into japanese 'horror' or shock films?

if you can search through netflix, try to find some films by a guy named takeshi miike..

ichi the killer
audition
battle royale
visitor q

you mentioned that hostel sucked...these films blow films like hostel out of the water

OK Film geek hat on...

Battle Royale isn`t Miike, its a dude called Kinji Fukasaku

Miike is actually in Hostel, he is the Jap businessman at the torture facility

other cool Jap films-

Virtually anything by Takeshi Kitano (Violent cop, Sonatine, Hana-bi) or Shinya Tsukomoto (Tokyo Fist, Tetsuo 1 & 2)

Miike also has a cameo as a Yakuza boss in the excellent Thai film "Last life in the universe" (Slow paced but beautiful) starring the slit-cheeked guy from Ichi in a very different role

Yex

[GhostOfCaptSpaulding]

Sonatine,

Yeah, Sonatine, saw that one...http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/21b45o13x25c54o34d45e/icons%20pngs/okej.png

Moving on to S. Korean cinema: The Host (http://www.hostmovie.com/)

Kick ass!

The scenes with the little kids in the sewer...OMG!

[attachment=0:1jahdcwh]the host.jpg[/attachment:1jahdcwh]

The sequel/prequel is due out this year...

[Yex]

Freakiest film this year?

Grotesque (Gurotesku)

Just banned in UK, Jap torture horror movie influenced by Saw/Hostel

searching for screenshots and found the whole thing online- enjoy!

http://milledrive.com/videos/28398/Grotesque_2009_.html

Cheers, Yex