General Movie Thread

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Anyone seen any good ones so far?  I saw Arnaud Desplechin's A Christmas Tale and really liked it, and Milk and loved it.

[Chris L]

The only film I have high expectations for is Wendy and Lucy, even though I didn't much care for Old Joy.  The only other thing worth seeing in a theater here appears to be The Wrestler.   I'm not watching Revolutionary Road until I re-read the book, and who knows when that'll be. 

[John Junk 2.0]

The only film I have high expectations for is Wendy and Lucy, even though I didn't much care for Old Joy.  The only other thing worth seeing in a theater here appears to be The Wrestler.   I'm not watching Revolutionary Road until I re-read the book, and who knows when that'll be. 

I liked Old Joy but Wendy and Lucy kinda looks like if Juno got an abortion, ran away from home, was robbed of her powers of snark and left for dead. 

[Chris L]

I liked Old Joy but Wendy and Lucy kinda looks like if Juno got an abortion, ran away from home, was robbed of her powers of snark and left for dead. 

That's all fine with me, I just hope the dog makes it out ok. 

[jbissell]

Anyone seen any good ones so far?  I saw Arnaud Desplechin's A Christmas Tale and really liked it, and Milk and loved it.

A Christmas Tale was really great.  The only two that I really want to see are Milk and The Wrestler.  I'm sure I'll see some other stuff but none of it is really looking too exciting to me.

[Martin]

Wendy and Lucy was great. Michelle Williams is very good.

I liked A Christmas Tale fine, but I can't say that I loved it. Solid performances. Didn't care for the odd visuals. And what, really, is Desplechin saying about the chaotic, neurotic family during the holidays that we haven't seen a million times before? If anything, the depiction of the home, the colorful characters etc, is more like a middleclass fantasy of the bourgeoisie.

[Come on, Jason]

I'll go ahead and answer the question nobody asked:

1) Milk
2) Wall-E
3) Man on Wire
4) Rachel Getting Married
5) The Dark Knight

[daveB from Oakland]

Rachel Getting Married was great, as was Slumdog Millionaire.

[Martin]

I'll go ahead and answer the question nobody asked:

1) Milk-E
2) Knight Getting Married
3) Man on Rachel
4) Dark Wire Wall
5) The

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Wendy and Lucy was great. Michelle Williams is very good.

I liked A Christmas Tale fine, but I can't say that I loved it. Solid performances. Didn't care for the odd visuals. And what, really, is Desplechin saying about the chaotic, neurotic family during the holidays that we haven't seen a million times before? If anything, the depiction of the home, the colorful characters etc, is more like a middleclass fantasy of the bourgeoisie.

Yeah, that's true, it was pretty much Fanny and Alexander with some visual references to Hitchcock and Godard and probably some other stuff I'm too much of a cinedummy to have picked up on.  Kings & Queen was unequivocally a better movie.  Still, I get a little jumpy around the "this story's been told a million times before" argument, because the same can be said about any story.  Though I have also said this about family dramas, and had it said about the one family drama I've ever written (or probably will ever write).

I'm looking forward to The Wrestler, and I also want to see Slumdog Millionaire.  I don't know anything about Wendy & Lisa.  Is it about those ladies from Prince's band?

I feel like I already know what Revolutionary Road is before having seen it -- more Sam Mendes crap.  A fairly profound and depressing story wrapped up in symmetrical camera work and twinkly lights -- even the guy's theater work is like this.  I have to admit I was taken in the first couple of times (his Cabaret on Broadway and the first time I saw American Beauty), but there's a lot less there than meets the eye.  Watching his movies (or plays) is like eating Tastykakes for dinner.

[Martin]

Wendy and Lucy was great. Michelle Williams is very good.

I liked A Christmas Tale fine, but I can't say that I loved it. Solid performances. Didn't care for the odd visuals. And what, really, is Desplechin saying about the chaotic, neurotic family during the holidays that we haven't seen a million times before? If anything, the depiction of the home, the colorful characters etc, is more like a middleclass fantasy of the bourgeoisie.

Yeah, that's true, it was pretty much Fanny and Alexander with some visual references to Hitchcock and Godard and probably some other stuff I'm too much of a cinedummy to have picked up on.  Kings & Queen was unequivocally a better movie.  Still, I get a little jumpy around the "this story's been told a million times before" argument, because the same can be said about any story.  Though I have also said this about family dramas, and had it said about the one family drama I've ever written (or probably will ever write).

You're absolutely right, of course. The "million times before" argument is pretty dumb. I think my reaction to the film became more intense because of all the "best movie of the year" talk I'd been hearing from friends (hardcore cinephiles, too), and I didn't experience any of that profound Film Art they did. As I said, I liked it, but when I left the theatre I was frustrated by how ultimately banal (yet well-crafted, acted and so on) the story was - I suppose I was expecting something more profound. Also, I haven't seen anything else by Desplechin (I know, right!), and I felt like maybe I was missing something - recurring themes, narrative trademarks, etc.

[Gibby]

The local art-house cinema screened Scrooged and I was first in line. Was doubled over in laughter after 45 seconds. The same place is showing The Bicycle Thieves next week, where I'll be doubled over in misery in the same time. There's literally nothing new out that I want to see until mid-January (Wrestler/Benjamin Button)

[Sarah]

Please read Benjamin Button first and let me know how you think the movie compares.

[Big Plastic Head]

I just found out about Coraline. It's directed by Henry Selick, the director of a Nightmare before Christmas. Ka-razy flash website but the film looks good.

...and it's got Hodgman in it.

[Nicksy]

I *may* be in mik, but I highly doubt it. I was riding my bike past one night in SF when they were filming a night time vigil scene and I walked along with it, but since I was wearing a T-WAYNE shirt and big 2008 new-years glasses, I probably didn't make the cut.