[Maquisard]

Originally Posted by [toj.cc]Phantom

Woops, I forgot. I saw Nacho Libre on Friday.

"They don't think I know a buttload of crap about the Gospel, but I do!"

[Ninth]

Seen C.R.A.Z.Y. Good movie; a bit depressing.

[Spiwak]

First Daughter (the one with Katie Holmes)

What was Forest Whitaker thinking?

[Kolzig]

I've been trying to watch Capote for the last 3 weeks, but it's just too boring.

Holy crap...

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

First Daughter (the one with Katie Holmes)

What was Forest Whitaker thinking?

Maybe he thought it couldn't be worse than Battlefield Earth and Species?

[Spiwak]

Well yea, but that's only assumed. Battlefield Earth isn't even being used for comparison anymore because there's no such thing as a movie that bad.

Also, Incident at Loch Ness. It was rather clever for a while but it got too preposterous in the second half and it lost the enigma of how much of it was being faked. For the first half it was interestign because it looked like Herzog was genuinely filming a dockumentary and Zak Penn and John Bailey were simply pulling a joke on him, which I thought was a funny idea for a mockumentary.

[Lucien21]

Mirrormask.........Finally

Excellently surreal trip through a dreamworld.

Not Gaiman's best but still enjoyed it.

[Tobbe]

Das Boot

I finally saw it, a long movie, but suited the movies atmosphere good, the waiting, the tension in the boat. Wolfgang Petersen masterpiece!

[pinkgothic]

Bowling for Columbine

Hm. It makes an interesting observation I've theorised about before - and is rather amusing. Contradicts itself in parts, which is a pity. To be specific about what I mean: why petition for the banning of bullet sales in Walmart if you clearly don't believe guns are the cause for the problems you're highlighting? Overall, disappointing, despite a fun tone and some provocative thoughts. I have to agree with many reviews that say that it does nothing to convince those not already convinced.

Edit: What I did like is seeing Marilyn Manson talk in a somewhat sensible fashion. I'd have to see it again to see just how sensible exactly - but my first impression was that he knows a helluva lot more about talking than Moore.

Damnit, I sound like I hated this movie. I didn't, I enjoyed it. I just think it doesn't achieve it's goals in the slightest, or is very convincing - it's just fun and somewhat thought provoking to the open mind.

(My take: I know the movie is focussing on America - but I felt it was making a general statement about how people act if they don't know to trust each other by presenting what it did.)

[Intrepid Homoludens]

The Replacement Killers. Formulaic, mildly entertaining Hong Kong style action. Bang bang!

[Huz]

Originally Posted by t_manelius

Das Boot

I finally saw it, a long movie, but suited the movies atmosphere good, the waiting, the tension in the boat. Wolfgang Petersen masterpiece!

Have you seen the TV version? It's Das Boot in its original form, with about twice as much material split into episodes. It's well worth seeing in its own right - much more brooding, and the action bits (when they come) are all the better for it.

I'm not sure if it's out on DVD, but it must have been remastered in widescreen recently, because BBC2 showed it in that form a few years ago and it looked fantastic.

[Once A Villain]

Originally Posted by Huz

Have you seen the TV version? It's Das Boot in its original form, with about twice as much material split into episodes. It's well worth seeing in its own right - much more brooding, and the action bits (when they come) are all the better for it.

I'm not sure if it's out on DVD, but it must have been remastered in widescreen recently, because BBC2 showed it in that form a few years ago and it looked fantastic.

My favorite version is the Director's Cut. Here's a review I did for Das Boot in a list of "The Best Miniseries Ever Made", heh...


DAS BOOT (1981) - Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

It only requires six words to describe Das Boot: The greatest submarine film ever made. But allow me to continue. It's also the best film Wolfgang Petersen (The Neverending Story, In the Line of Fire, Outbreak, Air Force One, Troy, Poseidon) has made, period. It's an incredibly intense, suspenseful story about the crew of a German U-boat during World War II. The grimy sets and sound effects work together to create a phenomenally atmospheric experience. One can practically smell the repulsive odors of the boat, feel the sticky humidity, and experience the horror of depth charges exploding all around in the watery depths. Unfortunately, there are three cuts of this film to choose from. The U.S. theatrical release runs 149 minutes and basically transforms Das Boot into a solid, fast paced action film. The "Director's Cut" runs 216 minutes and spends more time with the characters, better capturing what day to day life must have been like on a U-boat. The full, uncut German miniseries is 293 minutes long, featuring some odd musical cues, and too much focus on these particular characters (reducing some of them to obvious war movie cliches). I believe the Director's Cut is the definitive version of this film. No matter how one chooses to see it though, it's an exciting, frightening story with plenty to say about war and its effects. Runs 216 minutes (Director's Cut), 1.85:1 aspect ratio (wide), in color, in German w/ subtitles.

[Huz]

I've seen the Director's Cut and the TV series, but not the US theatrical release. I can't really imagine how the Director's Cut could lose a whole hour without being utterly transformed.

Out of interest, which of the three versions did you see first? I saw it first on TV, which is probably why it's the definitive version for me.

[Once A Villain]

Originally Posted by Huz

I've seen the Director's Cut and the TV series, but not the US theatrical release. I can't really imagine how the Director's Cut could lose a whole hour without being utterly transformed.

Out of interest, which of the three versions did you see first? I saw it first on TV, which is probably why it's the definitive version for me.

I did see the Director's Cut first, then I rented the U.S. theatrical cut called "The Boat"...certainly the weakest of the three versions. Next, I bought the DVD set of the full, unedited miniseries.

I personally liked how the Director's Cut ditched a significant amount of the subplot with the German kid and the French girl. Their little romance scenes early on were too cheesy for my tastes, and the music sounded like friggin' Top Gun. It was more subtle in the Director's Cut, he just reminisces about her and I believed him. I thought the scenes were more moving WITHOUT seeing him with her in a few scenes before they leave Germany.

Also, I thought the Director's Cut left in the perfect amount of perversity in the way the Germans interacted onboard. You don't expect these guys to be well mannered, and it was nicely portrayed that they are all horny, sweaty dudes with foul mouths. Unfortunately, the unedited TV version actually has too much of this in my opinion. After a certain amount of time passes, the viewer gets the point I think, and doesn't need to see all the disgusting discussions.

Additionally, as I said, I feel the characters are stronger in the Director's Cut. They get more development than in the U.S. cut, but too much in the full series. They feel less like stock war movie cliches in the Director's Cut.

Lastly, the Director's Cut is the one with the best sound and picture quality. Heh.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Just saw this one now. Mmph, damn you, Mr. Allen, and your nihilistic precision. No wonder you're one of my favourite directors.

Unlike a Bergman film, "Match Point" is not about emotions, not really; rather, it's the conveyor of an ultimately simple philosophical proposition about the all-important role of random luck in life and thus the implicit absence, according to Allen, of any overarching moral order. Despite that, the strange, fierce detachment of its gaze calls to mind Bergman.

The film contains references to Dreiser, Strindberg and Dostoyevsky, and these references are more than just clever. They're all there for a reason, though trying to figure the specific reasons will keep viewers busy until the finish. Allen never reveals more than necessary. Even the genre can't be identified until the finish: Is it a noir? A class study? A romance? A tragedy? Even once it's over, it's not easy to categorize.

[Scarlett] Johansson....is a powerhouse from the word go. The role calls for sexiness but also demands a lack of vanity, and Johansson hits every note. She has a (slightly) drunken scene with Meyers in which she so perfectly conveys the thought processes of her character, both muddled and sharp, that she borders on astonishing.

The San Francisco Chronicle

[Intrepid Homoludens]

These just in from Netflix: King Kong and Deconstructing Harry.

I can only watch one tonight, so which should it be, good people?

[Jatsie]

The former.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Have you seen the latter?

[Jatsie]

I haven't seen either, but I know the latter contains Woody Allen, and he annoys me, so I could never suggest you watch a film starring him.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I adore Woody Allen. But Match Point didn't have him (or his cinematic avatar) in it at all so that was refreshing, but it didn't leave me with a desire with f*** Jonathan Rhys Meyers, either.