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 TheSnowLeopard
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Mar 18, 2006
Member#: 13799
Posts: 347
Location: Sydney, Australia
   
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 Posted:
Sun Aug 13, 2006 4:45 am Post subject: |
 
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Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst (2004)
Normally I don't review movies I watch on TV because I can't stand the commercial breaks. But in Australia we have two non-commercial channels that, fortunately, show independent and foreign movies as well as documentaries I may not get to see anywhere else. I have just seen this documentary and I had to say something. I have always been interested in American history and I found this exploration of the Symbionese Liberation Army, their kidnapping of Patty Hearst in 1974 and the aftermath utterly compelling. There are fascinating parallels between this time and the present: the effectivness of the police in dealing with this unprecedented event, the role of the media, the division between race and class, the relationship between political extremism and terrorism. The events are recreated with amazing archival footage and it plays out as much like a thriller as a historical document. This is one of the most engrossing documentaries I have seen and is thoroughly recommended. 9/10
_________________
"After dark all cats are leopards." - Native American Proverb |
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 LadyInque
Captain
Joined: May 20, 2005
Member#: 10281
Posts: 2224
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
 
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Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:26 am Post subject: |
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I saw the Da Vinci Code yesterday. (I tend to wait for the second-run theater, so I'm always a bit behind. To my surprise, I found that what was just a little offensive in the book was way more so on the screen. Not that I want to ban it, it just ticked me off.
The best scenes, the most realistic, were those at Sir Leigh's house, where he and Robert are fighting over the facts of the grail history. I know that Robert's character was made more skeptical in the movie (he just nods and goes "wow!" whenever Leigh speaks in the book) but it made the scene in the film more real. Academics with different opinions really do start b!+ching at each other that way, even in social settings. |
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TheSnowLeopard
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Mar 18, 2006
Member#: 13799
Posts: 347
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:56 am Post subject: |
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Wedding Crashers (2005)
Comedy is my least favourite film genre, mainly because their strike rate is so low. Of the countless comedies I have seen, I could count on one hand those which were memorable, let alone bare repeat viewing. Within this genre, romantic comedies are at the bottom. They are such predictable fantasies. Wedding Crashers doesn't start out to be a rom com, but it is one by the end. In fact it is the start of the movie which is the real highlight, particularly the first 20 minutes: that wedding montage sequence is brilliantly directed and edited and deserves an award in itself. It builds to a fantastic whirligig of hedonism and high-living. From here the film goes slightly downhill toward its conventional ending, but I chuckled throughout the movie, mainly because of the cast. Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson make a great team (though I will need to watch it again to catch all the jokes - VV talks so fast!) and are supported by the lovely Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Jane Seymour and the incomparable Christopher Walken (one of my favourite actors who should get an award each year just for being Christopher Walken). Also any movie that includes Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" deserves success. I had a good time watching Wedding Crashers. 7/10
_________________
"After dark all cats are leopards." - Native American Proverb |
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Asriana
Commander
Joined: Aug 10, 2005
Member#: 11184
Posts: 945
Location: Michigan, USA
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Sun Aug 20, 2006 7:36 am Post subject: |
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Thanks to my loving father and his love for B-rated films we went and saw Snakes on a Plane  This movie that is supposed to be an action/thriller ended up being more of a action/comedy. There are so many scenes that are SOOOOOOO cheesy that it makes you laugh out loud. Nothing in the film was really that realistic. The only good thing in my opinion was the score. Rabin did a fantastic job as always. So, if you're wanting to waste $9 of your money go see it! If not, wait until it's on TV 
_________________
"Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it." ~ Marshall McLuhan |
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LadyInque
Captain
Joined: May 20, 2005
Member#: 10281
Posts: 2224
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
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Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:23 am Post subject: |
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Speaking of B-movies, I saw Son of Dracula last night. Part of that Dracula set that came out before Van Helsing. It wasn't great, but it didn't stink, either. The romantic lead was surprisingly good. The only weak link was Lon Chaney Jr. as Dracula (or Alucard). He had this inexplicable midwest-US accent, and no menace or sexiness at all. But the rest of the film was interesting. I think I liked it. |
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TheSnowLeopard
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Mar 18, 2006
Member#: 13799
Posts: 347
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Posted:
Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:46 am Post subject: |
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The Weather Underground (2002)
Another riveting, thought-provoking documentary that would be a suitable companion piece to Guerrilla (see earlier post), as they both cover events that took place in arguably the most tumultuous period in modern American history.
Howard Schumann at IMDb gives an excellent synopsis:
| Howard Schumann wrote: |
| The Weathermen (later The Weather Underground), a radical faction of the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society), waged a small-scale war against the US government during the 1970s that included bombing of the Pentagon and the Capitol buildings, breaking Timothy Leary out of prison, and evading a nationwide FBI manhunt. Nominated for an Academy Award, directors Sam Green and Bill Siegel's compelling documentary, The Weather Underground, candidly explores the rise and fall of the protest group over a six year period as former members speak about what that drove them to "bring the war home" and landed them on the FBIs ten most wanted list. Though tough questions were not asked, it is nonetheless a balanced and engrossing documentary that puts the last serious student movement in this country into historical perspective without either romanticizing or trivializing it. |
Recommended. 9/10
_________________
"After dark all cats are leopards." - Native American Proverb |
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Asriana
Commander
Joined: Aug 10, 2005
Member#: 11184
Posts: 945
Location: Michigan, USA
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Posted:
Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:01 am Post subject: |
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Accepted - This is the movie where a boy gets rejected by numerous colleges and decides to form his own college to get his parents off his back. While it first starts off as a prank, it ends up being very real. There's actually a great underlying storyline and it makes some very valid points. While it's still a bit of a teenager/college age movie, it would be a fun movie to watch if you're looking for something to rent or watch on TV.
_________________
"Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it." ~ Marshall McLuhan |
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 the_lake_effect
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Nov 21, 2005
Member#: 12520
Posts: 485
Location: Kidnapped by Un-Americans
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Sun Aug 27, 2006 8:09 am Post subject: |
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Gangster No. 1 (2000)
I saw this one: On cable TV, very late in the AM
It's a British gangster flick. You know, the kind where they drive around in fancy European cars and wear suits even when they do their "business." And they swear in ENGLISH English. Stylish, yet brutally elegant. Malcolm McDowell and Paul Bettany play the older and younger versions of the same character who remains unnamed throughout the movie. Personally I kind of wanted the older McDowell to fly off the handle and just embrace the psychopath that became the mainstay of his earlier films, but I suppose the point is that he is the older of two versions, and he has to reflect a certain degree of age. Paul Bettany is one scary guy as always, and David Thewlis plays the gangster boss whom he admires and at the same time attempts to overthrow.
There was a warning of "nudity, sexuality, violence, and coarse language," but I was left wondering "where are the former two?" Someone must have made an editing mistake in broadcast - I may have to view the DVD version. There is graphic violence but like all guy flick aficianados, I sort of wanted more. It might come off as a little preachy to those that have an inkling of being as sociopathic as the unnamed gangster, and the open ending leaves one needing a sense of certain closure, but one can see where they were going with said message.
It's easy to point out certain visible differences between McDowell and Bettany playing the same person, but what really sells it are 1. the same psychotic stare and 2. the same psychotic raving. I would recommend this film for people who like British gangster films, who like Malcolm McDowell and Paul Bettany (who appears to have the makings of an heir to the former's streak of memorable villainous portrayals). It might be a fun little rental.
_________________
When all else fails, consider time travel.
Stories are for children, skyscrapers, and anyone wishing to reach for the stars.
The truthiness shall set you free. |
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 bpewien
Captain
Joined: Feb 01, 2006
Member#: 13275
Posts: 1334
Location: Vienna, Austria
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Posted:
Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Hey lake, like the new avatar! 
Isn't that the hypnotoad from Futurama?
All glory to the hypnotoad...! |
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LadyInque
Captain
Joined: May 20, 2005
Member#: 10281
Posts: 2224
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
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Posted:
Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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"Everybody loves Hypnotoad" was good at first, but really fell off after the third season. |
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LadyInque
Captain
Joined: May 20, 2005
Member#: 10281
Posts: 2224
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
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Mon Aug 28, 2006 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Last night I saw An Inconvenient Truth. Zirael was right about it. It was scary and hopeful at the same time, and I cannot recommend it enough. In fact, I plan to write to my pastor and urge him to see it and tell the congregation, instead of just griping about liberal judges all the time. |
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zirael
Commander
Joined: Feb 05, 2004
Member#: 4924
Posts: 795
Location: North Carolina
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Posted:
Mon Aug 28, 2006 9:47 am Post subject: |
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LadyInque, so glad that you liked it. At least you felt hopeful - I was just really scared by the melting ice shelves tumbling into the sea! |
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the_lake_effect
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Nov 21, 2005
Member#: 12520
Posts: 485
Location: Kidnapped by Un-Americans
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Posted:
Mon Aug 28, 2006 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| bpewien wrote: |
Hey lake, like the new avatar!
Isn't that the hypnotoad from Futurama?
All glory to the hypnotoad...! |
| LadyInque wrote: |
| "Everybody loves Hypnotoad" was good at first, but really fell off after the third season. |
Thankfully the hypnotoad was powerful enough to persuade Comedy Central to buy a new season of Futurama with his "usual charm."
btw... there will be a Futurama straight-to-DVD movie next year.
_________________
When all else fails, consider time travel.
Stories are for children, skyscrapers, and anyone wishing to reach for the stars.
The truthiness shall set you free. |
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the_lake_effect
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Nov 21, 2005
Member#: 12520
Posts: 485
Location: Kidnapped by Un-Americans
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Posted:
Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:55 am Post subject: |
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Sex is Zero (2002)
I saw this: On VCD format
I know, I didn't get the title at first, but according to one source, "it's a Chinese idiom." It's been a while since I've seen a Korean film, and this actually seemed stranger than any Korean sci-fi or martial art flick. One is tempted to call it "American Pie with Korean university students," but as the movie progresses the raunchiness gives way to a more serious tone. Ironically, it's this development that makes an otherwise nasty scene more disturbing in the latter half of the film.
It's many things to many people, as the Pie comparison doesn't do it justice. I'd probably recommend it for American Pie fans wishing to learn a little about Korean culture, and their girlfriends that want to pose awkwardly serious questions to them at movie's end. I haven't seen anything this simultaneously disgusting and heartwarming since Larry King was interviewing a barefoot Marlon Brando. Do you remember that? Good times.
_________________
When all else fails, consider time travel.
Stories are for children, skyscrapers, and anyone wishing to reach for the stars.
The truthiness shall set you free. |
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TheSnowLeopard
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: Mar 18, 2006
Member#: 13799
Posts: 347
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Posted:
Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)
A good example of how you can turn utter silliness into art. While it may not be as consistently funny as A Close Shave or The Wrong Trousers, this latest incarnation from the claymation specialists is still top entertainment and wisely, being only 84 minutes, does not outstay its welcome. While Wallace and Gromit embark on their nutty adventure, the movie is jam-packed with visual gags, chock-full of movie references and bad puns, and of course, lots and lots of cheese. It all ends in a typical bravura finale at the local fair which is as hilarious as it is inventive. Gouda fun! 7/10.
_________________
"After dark all cats are leopards." - Native American Proverb |
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