[Crunchy in milk]

Originally Posted by kuze

Definitely watch Ghost in the Shell, the first movie. Every other GitS is between mediocre and horrible (on my rating scale, at least), so don't bother.

I watched both tv series in succession on dvd and they're excellent like that. Otherwise following the shows can be rather disjointed. Like the first movie, season two explores motoko's psyche more, and the effects of full cyberisation. I have not seen either of the 2 new sac telemovies. I didn't think a lot of Innocence.

Cowboy Bebop. Simply the best soundtrack, like, ever. Jazz and cool bounty hunters? Hell yeah.

I watched this in succession also and it really never took. Episode after episode is thin on plot, Spike's past is just as thinly explored and then the show ends. I found it an aimless experience held together entirely by 'young boys fantasy' elements.

Battle angel Alita is worth a look. I can't recommend Gankutsuo, it has fabulous visual style but terrible writing and the worst themesong....ever.
Last Exile is another style filled anime but the plot /= sense and yet still the series is loaded with filler episodes. I'm sticking with movies from now on.

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Zhou Yu's Train. What a wonderfully shot film.

[SnorkleCat]

Originally Posted by Once A Villain

When it comes to anime, there is one film that has to get recommended before anything else, and that's Grave of the Fireflies. Nothing else touches it.

We've been looking all over for this...can't seem to find it here.


As for films seen recently...Rocky Balboa and Apocalypto. The former was a real crowd pleaser...sentimental and feel-good. I enjoyed it. I've always respected Stallone for Rocky, regardless of how low he sank in his later career....

Apocalypto...hmm...I'm just not convinced that Mel Gibson is all that as a director. Like with Passion of the Christ, he ratchets up the tension and action early and just doesn't stop. I suppose I enjoyed the film as a Saturday diversion, but it was exhausting! Also, I had to raise eyebrows at the very one-sided portrayal of the Mayans, enough to where I did some research afterward...there are a lot of inaccuracies in the film. I think it would have been a better film, had they attempted to make the story a bit more realistic (less apocalyptic)...and more blood and guts doesn't necessarily make something "more realistic"...

Still interested in seeing Dream Girls and Blood Diamond...although here in Africa, Blood Diamond is getting panned a bit by people for its stereotypical portrayal of the continent and the people on it...shall have to see for myself...

[Davies]

There's not much worth watching on TV right now, and I need something in the background while I work, so I'll probably slap a DVD in the player as soon as I manage to tear myself away from the computer.

I have been watching Max Maven's "Nothing" over and over and OVER, ever since it was delivered. Time to give it a rest. If only because Colin will probably scream if he comes down from his nap and sees "that bearded guy" on screen yet again.

[Dasilva]

Pan's Labyrinth - Best Fantasy/Thriller/Drama I've seen in a long time. IT deserves all the hype.

This character in particular made me creeped out:

[LeisureSuitedLooney]

Wasn't there another film called Nothing, from the guy who created Cube?

Anyway, I saw this movie the other night on one of the cable movie-channels called Ripper 2. It was both craptacular and craptastic. About a girl in a dream-state in a mental hospital, who, along with the other patients is battling her inner demons in the dream-world. Sort of a cross between NOES 3 and The Cell. Except made from crap, into crap.

[[toj.cc]Phantom]

My Fellow Americans - Great movie, thought it was hilarious.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Another great movie, my favorite Robin Hood besides Men in Tights.

[aries323]

I only get to watch movies on DVD these days ---

However, I think --- this is great .

I just saw Friends with Money --- very nice little film.

I then saw a film which sounded good, but really wasn't:

The Da Vinci Code

It started out great, but then somehow the action scenes didn't quite cut it, the plot twist was kind of stupid, imo.... and the ending was --- so so ---

[aries323]

If you're up to it you really should see Love - Love not starring the same actress who also starred in Amelie ---- and the plot twist in this movie
is astounding and will shock you deeply as well...

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Originally Posted by aries323

you really should see Love - Love not starring the same actress who also starred in Amelie

Do you mean He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not staring Audrey Tautou?

[Kolzig]

That was good movie, it was interesting to see Audrey Tautou in a totally different role for a change.

[Ninth]

Inland Empire.

What can I say? I loved it, as I loved Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway, and Twin Peaks, and Blue Velvet and (yes) Dune.

It manages to look nothing like his previous movies, while still remaining lynchian as hell. It's an incredibly complex labyrinth of madness, ugliness, beauty, schizophrenia, and false appreances, a labyrinth in which I lost myself completely, to my delight. I couldn't make heads of tails of it, but hey, you don't go see a Lynch movie expecting to understand it.

As usual, the image is gorgeous (but weird), the actors are all excellent (and there's a surprise for us adventure gamers! See spoiler below if you're curious.)., and the story... wait, I didn't understand it, so I can't say anything about it.

Spoiler:

There's Von Glower in it, and he has a big role.

I also saw Little Children, which I liked a lot, not for its story but for the way it's presented.

[kuze]

Originally Posted by Ninth

Inland Empire.

This is sooo unfair, we have to wait for another few months until the German premiere. I SO want to watch this movie now.

[aries323]

Originally Posted by Not A Speck Of Cereal

Do you mean He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not staring Audrey Tautou?

Yes, I do --- sorry

Didn't know the English title --- could just remember the French title.

But it this movie, I mean.

[Ninth]

Originally Posted by kuze

This is sooo unfair, we have to wait for another few months until the German premiere. I SO want to watch this movie now.

Well, it's only a car/train trip away.

[kuze]

Originally Posted by Ninth

Well, it's only a car/train trip away.

Sadly, I don't speak French, I would have considered it otherwise.

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by kuze

This is sooo unfair, we have to wait for another few months until the German premiere. I SO want to watch this movie now.

No kidding. Not coming to my part of America for who the hell knows how long.

I saw Pan's Labyrinth the other day and I thought it was in fact quite good. Not at all what I was expecting. I also saw Volver and thought it too was great. Not in the mood to write long shpiels at the moment.

[Ninth]

Originally Posted by kuze

Sadly, I don't speak French, I would have considered it otherwise.

Well, you don't need to speak french. Read it, yes, and even then I would say that most of the movie isn't too hard to understand without subtitles, providing your english level is good enough (which I assume it is, since you're posting here).
Unless... you want to see it in its dubbed version?


Anyways, no one is reacting about the surprise in the cast? I would have thought that millions of devoted fans would have started raving about this...


Oh, and I saw Pan's Labyrinth too, some time ago. I could have used more fantasy and less real life, but still, I liked it a lot.

And Hard Candy, which made a strong impression on me. I really loved the visuals in this one.

[lumi]

Scenes from a Marriage - I found it boring. I didn't have any connection to it.

[Once A Villain]

Originally Posted by Spider Crusoe

Scenes from a Marriage - I found it boring. I didn't have any connection to it.

One can't simply say they saw Scenes From a Marriage! That leaves too much info unknown... Did you see the 5 hour miniseries? Or the 3 hour theatrical cut?