General Movie Thread

[nec13]

I had forgotten what a hero Byrd was 

Really? Does his opposition to authorize the war really make him a hero? Who amongst us could have the past that he had and still have a second life as as someone speaking truth to power?

Agreed, Forrest. There are a few other Congresspeople, who opposed the war, that are far more deserving of our respect and adulation. I applaud Senator Byrd for being repentant for his past actions. It's just a bit difficult for me to hold a former Klansman in high esteem.

[Sarah]

Oh, give me a break.  He was a hero at that moment; I'm not saying that it washed his slate clean.  Yet he spoke lengthily and eloquently, and because of his dark past (and decidedly gray present) his words probably carried more weight with people of a similar bent.  

[buffcoat]

It's just a bit difficult for me to hold a former Klansman in high esteem.

Yeah, no one likes a quitter.

[cutout]

Watched North by Northwest for the first time this weekend, and I'm a little embarassed to admit how bored I was. Not with the entire thing, but definitely about half of it. I did "appreciate" a lot of it, though. Also, I'm not too bright.

[fonpr]

[/quote]

 It's just a bit difficult for me to hold a former Klansman in high esteem.
[/quote]

To hear him tell it, he wouldn't have been able to get into politics if he hadn't joined the Klan.  It was the ultimate Good Old Boy Network.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly when Byrd got into politics (too lazy to look it up, but assuming it's post-WW2), but there was a time within living memory when the majority of congress, in both parties, North and South, were Klansmen.  In some places they were pretty much a terrorist organization (or, depending on your view of American history, a militia), but in others they were more like the Kiwanis Club.

I'm not defending it -- it's a pretty revolting part of American history -- but forgetting it doesn't serve much of a purpose.

I recently picked up Eric Foner's book on Reconstruction -- for some stupid reason I got the 900-page academic version instead of the 200-page popular version, and I had a choice -- and I can't wait to read it. 

[yesno]

Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes looks exactly as I imagined the character!

[sushi cowboy]

Not sure if I'm looking forward to Apatow's "Funny People" but I thought this viral marketing was kind of cool.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/05/28/funny-people-viral-marketing-you-teach/

[Matt]

In honor of the recent Cannes Film Festival, The Auteurs website has six films from past festivals you can watch for free:

L'AVVENTURA
CLEO FROM 5 TO 7
BLACK ORPHEUS
CRIA CUERVOS
THE CRANES ARE FLYING
HARAKIRI

If you have to register, it's worth it!

Also, tonight (or early tomorrow) on TCM, they're showing THE HARDER THEY COME and MACHINE GUN MCCAIN back-to-back!

And UP and DRAG ME TO HELL are in theaters now!

What a wonderful movie world we live in!

[Martin]

Woohoo! Only works if you're in America!! Yaaaay!

[SJK]

If there isn't a special Mike Show devoted to Lars Von Trier's new film Antichrist I'll be gravely disappointed.  From Ebert's spoiler-y, hyperbolic report from Cannes:

Whether this is a bad, good or great film is entirely beside the point. It is an audacious spit in the eye of society. It says we harbor an undreamed-of capacity for evil. It transforms a psychological treatment into torture undreamed of in the dungeons of history. Torturers might have been capable of such actions, but they would have lacked the imagination. Von Trier is not so much making a film about violence as making a film to inflict violence upon us, perhaps as a salutary experience. It's been reported that he suffered from depression during and after the film. You can tell. This is the most despairing film I've ever have seen.

I know I should probably be more excited about this film, but I just can't muster up any energy whatsoever - to be outraged, excited, whatever. OK, one thing: perhaps bored. And the reactions are so predictable - von Trier really knows what buttons to push, and Cannes is always craving a scandal.

Just watched this film. Wish I could un-watch it. 

[Matt]

Woohoo! Only works if you're in America!! Yaaaay!

I had no idea things were so terrible in Sweden. Oh well. USA! USA! USA! USA!

I saw DRAG ME TO HELL last night and had a BLAST. Everyone should go see it. The best American horror film in at least a decade? I think so!

[crumbum]

Rented Rogue last week -- it's an Australian killer croc movie just out on DVD. I think it's the best monster movie since The Host. It was directed by the guy who made Wolf Creek (which I haven't seen), and it's exceedingly well-constructed, stripped down and almost-sorta-believable. Other than solid scares, the main things I look for in a movie of this type are a bit of patient attention to character development and the avoidance of horror movie cliches.  Rogue does quite nicely on both counts.

[Bryan]

There's currently a lot of doubt as to whether this incompetent-looking movie is real.   I'd say one look at the "MRI scanner" and the ceiling fan above it would indicate... noooo.    Here's an alleged interview with the writer/director where he claims the budget was $5 million. 

A big update on After Last Season! It's playing in real cinemas starting this Friday.

Austin TX, Rochester NY, North Aurora IL, and Lancaster CA FOT, please check it out and report back! I don't remember the last movie that seemed this mysterious.

[bakersfieldchimp]

I saw DRAG ME TO HELL last night and had a BLAST. Everyone should go see it. The best American horror film in at least a decade? I think so!

I just came here to post this-- so good. It's not like there are a lot of contenders for that title, but still... it's classic Raimi.