The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Holmes]

I loved Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road. He left such a strong, lasting impression with his few scenes, à la Hal Holbrook in Into the Wild.

Shannon's character's purpose (a Greek chorus to taunt the Wheeler's dissatisfaction and inaction) may have been a bit on-the-nose, but he was just so convincing, from the tics to the voice. I was just completely "there" with him in this deranged, tragic role. Kathy Bates also shined as the put-upon mother who clearly disguises her own depression and regret with cloying neighborhood-busybody theatrics.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Did you see my post right below that guys? Kinda on topic today...

yeah i did and i remember your reply. you scared him away. its his first and only post!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Holmes

I love this movie (it's in my Blu-ray collection). It's such a beautiful, haunting, stylish production. A unique treat for the senses.

If you are interesting in its "depths," this is a good, simple read: http://faculty.frostburg.edu/phil/forum/Marienbad.htm

My favorite band made a video in the style of Last Year at Marienbad. To be honest, this is how I came to be aware of the film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0YvOncfBJU

I rate that music video higher than the movie. Very cool.

[JLant19]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I gave it 3 1/2 stars. Winslet won for The Reader, not this, although she won a Golden Globe for this role. Imo if she won at all (which she shouldn't have--Jolie should've), it should've been for this film.

Yea thats what I meant, my bad man. Yea Jolie did amazing in Changeling!

[JLant19]

Originally Posted by ajvdbg

Great review...I completely concur, in particular about the story grabbing your attention throughout. Great, and I think under-rated, flick.

Yea man for sure. I just think it was over looked by many.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

yeah i did and i remember your reply. you scared him away. its his first and only post!

I sacrifice the weak for the good of the group.

Edit: Wait....he watches Lynch, he likes Lynch... and he understands Lynch. He aint weak. Where did he go?

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

[Show spoiler]
there is nothing to "understand." its intentionally ambigious.

you have 3 characters: (1) the guy who thinks he saw her last year, (2) the girl and (3) another guy, either a husband/boyfriend.

the film flops back and forth between this year and last year, with (1) narrating. was he with her last year? (1) insists that he was with (2) at teh hotel last year. (2) denies it. (1) spends the film trying to persuade (2) that they were there last year. hence, you see scenes flip flopping between this year (him taking to her now) and last year (him talking to her now, describing what he thinks they did last year, and then him/her envisioning what they did last year)

so what's the answer? there is none. even the guy who wrote and directed it isn't sure.

did that help?

That helps a ton, thanks! I'll definitely give it another viewing someday, now that I have a handle on it.

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Last Year at Marienbad is an absolutely beautiful film. It usually requires multiple viewings to truly appreciate it. I'd say you should probably discuss and think about it, rewatch it, then come back and discuss again. I can't say enough about this movie, don't even get me started.

Yeah I had the feeling that I might like it if I understood what was going on. I'll post back whenever I watch it again

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by Q!

I find it hard to see why it should be bad, I mean it's supposed to be a fun b-movie and it delivered for me anyways.

Should be bad? I'm no sure what you mean

I didn't like it because Nimrod copied a lot of sequences from the original and they were terribly done. There were some cool homages to the original that I liked a lot, but for the most part they were poorly done and extremely forced. The original had awesome dialogue (even a few cheezy 80's lines ), the humor was funny, it had awesome suspense, the cast was great and the movie just flowed really well. The new one had a lot of bad dialogue and cheezy humor, miscast actors, pointless characters (a stupid serial killer character twist in a Predator movie, really?), and a lot more. It just wasn't wasn't a very well done movie imo

[iam1bearcat]

The Bicycle Thief (1948)

FIRST VIEWING

1. the film is in black and white (didn't know that)
2. this is a foreign film, so it has subtitles (also didn't know that)

a simple story of a poor man who finally gets a job, but needs a bicycle for the job. so he and his wife sell their bed sheets so he can buy a bicycle for the job. and on the first day of work, he has his bicycle stolen. this all happens within 20 minutes, and for the remaining 60+ minutes he goes on the search for the thief.

regarded as a classic? i personally don't see it. personally, the last 5-8 minutes were by far the most interesting. i almost had trouble finishing it simply because not a lot happens. and the main character is pretty much a dick. sure, on some level he's all about family - and he needs the bicycle back so he can make money for his family - but really, he's just obsessed to the point that all else gets ignored. maybe that was the point. but he didn't even seem to care about his kid! while traveling around the city his kid almost gets hit by a car about 5 times, separated, talked to by a creepy old guy and falls flat on his face and the father doesn't care or doesn't even noticed. and then cuts in front of everyone at the "psychic's" hourse because he has a problem... it's as if he thinks he is the only one with a problem in the world! drove me nuts. almost glad his bike was stolen! haha

and then there is the ending that leaves you with the philosophical question: what would you do to support your family? the film's major dilemma comes from the decision Ricci must make:

[Show spoiler]steal a bicycle so he can continue his job? but then he becomes the very thing he was against. he becomes a thief himself. but at times is this okay? ever? sometimes?

so i like that there is a question to be discussed, but little else. just not my cup of tea i guess.

but i have to say i'm proud of myself for finishing the film, and even bothering to put it in my netflix queue to begin with. years ago i was obsessed with films like Road Trip, American Pie and Armageddon and never really cared for "classics" or anything that wasn't dumb funny / action. i never would've thought of looking at such a film. but alas, wisdom supposedly comes with age, so hopefully i'm getting better at that.

not a bad film by any means, but just was hard to hold my attention, very little happens and the subtitles seemed to be missing from time to time. someone would be talking for about 30 seconds and i wouldn't see any subtitles! so how the hell am i supposed to know what's being said? but like i said, something that wasn't for me, and probably won't watch again for a very long time.

2.5 because i usually put 3/5's for films that are entertaining. and because The Bicycle Thief wasn't always interesting for me, i had to drop it down.

2.5/5

[Q?]

Last week I saw Goodfellas again after some years now, with my gf. We both agreed the first part of the movie is the best Martin has made in his career, but it lost steam after the Lufthansa heist, where they gather at the bar and people walking in with fur coats and a new pink car even though they shouldn't attract attention, or does it loose a bit of steam earlier?

Can somebody please clarify for me what exactly went "wrong"? If you agree that is.

[ajvdbg]

Se7en 5/5
Great story with perfect balance leading up to the ultimate in climaxes.
Morgan Freeman is simply amazing in this film (as usual)...if you get a chance, check out the bar scene with Pitt; you think he can't be acting because it's as if you are right there with him in the conversation. And Pitt is pretty good in this one as well...highly recommended!

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by Q!

Last week I saw Goodfellas again after some years now, with my gf. We both agreed the first part of the movie is the best Martin has made in his career, but it lost steam after the Lufthansa heist, where they gather at the bar and people walking in with fur coats and a new pink car even though they shouldn't attract attention, or does it loose a bit of steam earlier?

Can somebody please clarify for me what exactly went "wrong"? If you agree that is.

lol.You mean what went wrong with the movie at the end,or what went wrong in the story?Personally think it is Scorseses finest movie,so don't agree with you that the movie looses steam after the heist.It's a solid 10/10 movie in my book. If you ask what went wrong in the story:

[Show spoiler] It is at that point where we see the schizophrenic side of Conway's caracter comes to light.Earlier he comes off as psychopathic.Also DeVito's past catches up to him,so it all converges at that point.Then again I might be wrong.

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by ajvdbg

Se7en 5/5
Great story with perfect balance leading up to the ultimate in climaxes.
Morgan Freeman is simply amazing in this film (as usual)...if you get a chance, check out the bar scene with Pitt; you think he can't be acting because it's as if you are right there with him in the conversation. And Pitt is pretty good in this one as well...highly recommended!

Glad you liked it.It's one of the best movies ever made IMO.Did you see it on BD? It was Spacey's best performance if you ask me

Now:If you haven't seen Fight club you know what to do

[Q?]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

lol.You mean what went wrong with the movie at the end,or what went wrong in the story?Personally think it is Scorseses finest movie,so don't agree with you that the movie looses steam after the heist.It's a solid 10/10 movie in my book. If you ask what went wrong in the story:

[Show spoiler] It is at that point where we see the schizophrenic side of Conway's caracter comes to light.Earlier he comes off as psychopathic.Also DeVito's past catches up to him,so it all converges at that point.Then again I might be wrong.

The overall flow and quality in the storytelling, though it sounds like it went horribly wrong for us I should've worded it differently. It's still great but the first half of the movie is beautifully crafted that's for sure.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

The Bicycle Thief (1948)

[Show spoiler]

FIRST VIEWING

1. the film is in black and white (didn't know that)
2. this is a foreign film, so it has subtitles (also didn't know that)

a simple story of a poor man who finally gets a job, but needs a bicycle for the job. so he and his wife sell their bed sheets so he can buy a bicycle for the job. and on the first day of work, he has his bicycle stolen. this all happens within 20 minutes, and for the remaining 60+ minutes he goes on the search for the thief.

regarded as a classic? i personally don't see it. personally, the last 5-8 minutes were by far the most interesting. i almost had trouble finishing it simply because not a lot happens. and the main character is pretty much a dick. sure, on some level he's all about family - and he needs the bicycle back so he can make money for his family - but really, he's just obsessed to the point that all else gets ignored. maybe that was the point. but he didn't even seem to care about his kid! while traveling around the city his kid almost gets hit by a car about 5 times, separated, talked to by a creepy old guy and falls flat on his face and the father doesn't care or doesn't even noticed. and then cuts in front of everyone at the "psychic's" hourse because he has a problem... it's as if he thinks he is the only one with a problem in the world! drove me nuts. almost glad his bike was stolen! haha

and then there is the ending that leaves you with the philosophical question: what would you do to support your family? the film's major dilemma comes from the decision Ricci must make:

[Show spoiler]steal a bicycle so he can continue his job? but then he becomes the very thing he was against. he becomes a thief himself. but at times is this okay? ever? sometimes?

so i like that there is a question to be discussed, but little else. just not my cup of tea i guess.

but i have to say i'm proud of myself for finishing the film, and even bothering to put it in my netflix queue to begin with. years ago i was obsessed with films like Road Trip, American Pie and Armageddon and never really cared for "classics" or anything that wasn't dumb funny / action. i never would've thought of looking at such a film. but alas, wisdom supposedly comes with age, so hopefully i'm getting better at that.

not a bad film by any means, but just was hard to hold my attention, very little happens and the subtitles seemed to be missing from time to time. someone would be talking for about 30 seconds and i wouldn't see any subtitles! so how the hell am i supposed to know what's being said? but like i said, something that wasn't for me, and probably won't watch again for a very long time.

2.5 because i usually put 3/5's for films that are entertaining. and because The Bicycle Thief wasn't always interesting for me, i had to drop it down.

2.5/5

That was probably more of a difficult read for me than the movie was for you to watch

I consider it one of the 5 best movies of all time. The raw hardships and character-dense story have since been unmatched in film. And it's the best exposure to real life I have ever seen on-screen.

I understand it's not your cup of tea though. It might help if you read up on Italian Neorealism. Just a suggestion.

[robertee]

Inception

Easily a 10/10. IMO, Nolan's finest film.

[ajvdbg]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

Glad you liked it.It's one of the best movies ever made IMO.Did you see it on BD? It was Spacey's best performance if you ask me

Now:If you haven't seen Fight club you know what to do

Yes, on BD from Alliance...PQ was better than I expected. Yes, I have Fight Club, and it is great. But I think Fincher's Zodiac is slightly better than Fight Club and on par with Se7en. But I know some might not agree

[ajvdbg]

Originally Posted by robertee

Inception

Easily a 10/10. IMO, Nolan's finest film.

Wow, that is some statement! Now I really can't wait to see it

[Q?]

Originally Posted by robertee

Inception

Easily a 10/10. IMO, Nolan's finest film.

You lucky b..

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by robertee

Inception

Easily a 10/10. IMO, Nolan's finest film.

Monday is too far away