General Movie Thread

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I agree with everything that's been said here, but it really was a blast.  In a way, Herzog used the shitty B-movie script in a way similar to how he used the raw footage of Grizzly Man.  And also, Chris, you're right, I'm adding the "the" from now on.

[DoodleJump!]

The positive comments I'm hearing are making me consider seeing Fantastic Mr. Fox in spite of the fact that I absolutely loathed the two Wes Anderson movies I've seen (Rushmore and Royal Tennenbaums). Is the movie good enough to overcome that level of animosity?

To me, it's just like all the other Wes Anderson movies except 1. it was way more lighthearted 2. more fun 3. less depressing 4. did I say fun already? 5. the animation and dialogue is really awesome!

[masterofsparks]

The positive comments I'm hearing are making me consider seeing Fantastic Mr. Fox in spite of the fact that I absolutely loathed the two Wes Anderson movies I've seen (Rushmore and Royal Tennenbaums). Is the movie good enough to overcome that level of animosity?

To me, it's just like all the other Wes Anderson movies except 1. it was way more lighthearted 2. more fun 3. less depressing 4. did I say fun already? 5. the animation and dialogue is really awesome!

The thing that bothers me the most about the Anderson movies I've seen is the "HEY! EVERYBODY LOOKING AT ME, OVER HERE, BEING QUIRKY!" quality. How much of that is here?

[JonFromMaplewood]

The thing that bothers me the most about the Anderson movies I've seen is the "HEY! EVERYBODY LOOKING AT ME, OVER HERE, BEING QUIRKY!" quality. How much of that is here?

Fox's son and nephew have that Wes Anderson-style quirkiness. Other than that, you're safe.

[Pat K]

I went to a theatrical screening of Bela Tarr's "Werckmeister Harmonies" last night. I was pretty excited for it, mostly because a close friend with impeccable taste has been hyping it to me for about two years. And just generally, I've been in the mood for apocalyptic Eastern European weirdness lately, so I figured this would really scratch my itch.

Unfortunately, I unwisely put myself into an, er, altered state before the screening, and the result turned out to be a super-intense, disorienting, horrifying nightmare. Which I guess is what Bela Tarr was going for with that one, but still, mmmaybe not the smartest thing I've ever done.  What little of it I can remember that I don't think was purely in my mind seems pretty interesting, though. I'll have to rent it soon and watch it with nothing stronger than herbal tea in my system.

So I guess the point of all this is: kids, make sure to keep it straight edge when you're dealing with ultra-minimalist, apocalyptic, Eastern Bloc dread-fests.  I'm going to try to go see "Fantastic Mr Fox" this week - hopefully that can undo most of the lingering psychic damage.

[samir]

Watched 'Good Hair', thought it was okay. A little muddled, and could've done without some Michael Moore-style look-at-me! stunts, but it was interesting and funny. Also, T-Pain and Maya Angelou need to appear together in a film more often.

[jbissell]

Ended up seeing The Men Who Stare at Goats the other night.  It was so boring.  Not even Clooney in a goofy wig could save this thing.

[bakersfieldchimp]

Did anybody see The Girlfriend Experience? I have my doubts about watching it and it's not something I can just pick up at the Redbox for a buck.

I've been on a big Soderbergh kick lately, I just saw it. I liked it, but it is what it is. Plot-wise, it's fairly simple, just a few days in the life of the main character, but the narrative timeline gets totally deconstructed in the editing room, so you're piecing a lot of the drama together after the fact. There's no big laughs or bravura sequences or anything, but it's just another one of his neat little minor movies. If you're expecting any more than that, you might be disappointed.

Sounds kinda like The Limey.

Yeah, imagine what The Limey would have been like if instead of unraveling a murder mystery and kicking the shit out of gangsters, Terence Stamp just occassionally had sex with lonely rich dudes.

Sold!

I just finished watching "Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father". It's one of the best documentaries I've ever seen, if not THE best. It's utterly captivating and heartbreaking at the same time. I haven't cried this much at a movie in a long time, and that almost makes it harder for me to recommend it, because it is totally gut-wrenching, but at the same time it's so well-crafted it's hard not to recommend it.

[Martin]

I second that recommendation. Dear Zachary is a completely heartbreaking experience. But somehow it's worth it. And I would like to add that the less you know about it going in, the better. I mean that literally - any synopsis will give away some of the gut-wrenching drama that unfolds.

[Big Plastic Head]

I second that recommendation. Dear Zachary is a completely heartbreaking experience. But somehow it's worth it. And I would like to add that the less you know about it going in, the better. I mean that literally - any synopsis will give away some of the gut-wrenching drama that unfolds.

Martin is right. Do not watch the trailer. Seriously. I didn't and it was one of the more powerful movie experiences I have ever had. I don't even know if I could watch it again knowing now how the movie unfolds and how easily I became emotional to the grief and frustration portrayed in the film.

[dave from knoxville]

I went to a theatrical screening of Bela Tarr's "Werckmeister Harmonies" last night. I was pretty excited for it, mostly because a close friend with impeccable taste has been hyping it to me for about two years. And just generally, I've been in the mood for apocalyptic Eastern European weirdness lately, so I figured this would really scratch my itch.

Unfortunately, I unwisely put myself into an, er, altered state before the screening, and the result turned out to be a super-intense, disorienting, horrifying nightmare. Which I guess is what Bela Tarr was going for with that one, but still, mmmaybe not the smartest thing I've ever done.  What little of it I can remember that I don't think was purely in my mind seems pretty interesting, though. I'll have to rent it soon and watch it with nothing stronger than herbal tea in my system.

So I guess the point of all this is: kids, make sure to keep it straight edge when you're dealing with ultra-minimalist, apocalyptic, Eastern Bloc dread-fests.  I'm going to try to go see "Fantastic Mr Fox" this week - hopefully that can undo most of the lingering psychic damage.

I suggest a sweet combo of 200mg of Rohypnol chased with 6oz of JD precisely 37 minutes before showtime.

[samir]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaWFeGxuXgM

FINALLY a film directed solely at me.

[jbissell]

FINALLY a film directed solely at me.

The thing that surprised me most about this is that it isn't from the Friedberg/Seltzer team or a Wayans.

[Martin]

FINALLY a film directed solely at me.

The thing that surprised me most about this is that it isn't from the Friedberg/Seltzer team or a Wayans.

They must be kicking themselves.

[samir]

FINALLY a film directed solely at me.

The thing that surprised me most about this is that it isn't from the Friedberg/Seltzer team or a Wayans.

They must be kicking themselves.

If not, can I kick them? With knives?