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marantzo
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 6:11 pm Reply with quote
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Count me in. I got a great kick out of Bagdad Cafe.
gromit
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:58 am Reply with quote
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9005 Location: Shanghai
Uh-oh, this petered out quickly.
I was looking forward to some good recs.
Unfortunately, Billy's two recs I want to see aren't available here.

Let's see, what else:

Facing Ali.
Bump this doc up your Netflix Q's.
Aging athletes looking back on what they did and where they are now. Very compelling stuff.
You don't need to care about boxing, this is just human drama.

Mary & Max
I only convinced Billy to see this and he hated it, but you won't. I've watched it 3 times and every time I catch more of the humor and small sly jokes (after Max is attacked by crows, he goes to the hospital, to the Bird Injury Ward). Yes, it's quirky, but as the details pile up, we wind up with two really fleshed out people/lives, more so than most films manage.
I sent this to my 16 year old niece, now 17, and it's become her favorite film. She's even done one or two school projects involving the film. Damn good uncle here.

A Woman of Paris (1923)
This is pretty bold for its time, is directed with a sure hand, and a very good encapsulation of the 1920's. Unfairly overlooked serious Chaplin drama. Sure Edna Purviance has a helmet of hair and is only there because she was bonking Charlie, but it also made a star out of Adolphe Menjou. If you haven't seen it ...

I'll be back with two more later.


Last edited by gromit on Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

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Earl
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 11:04 am Reply with quote
Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 2621 Location: Houston
Gromit - I'll post here. Been meaning to for a while. It'll have to wait until at least tonight when I get home from work, though. But I'll get to it. I think it's a good idea for a thread.

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Marj
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:49 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 10497 Location: Manhattan
Gromit - other than Woman of Paris, which I've seen, I'll bump your other two.
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Trish
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:32 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 2438 Location: Massachusetts
Overlooked films:

Laurel Canyon 2002- stars Christian Bale, Kate Beckensale, Frances McDormand. IMDB description is good - When an uptight young man and his fiancee move into his libertine mother's house, the resulting clash of life attitudes shakes everyone up. It's very sexy, excellent performances all around


Rough Magic 1995 - stars Russell Crowe, Bridget Fonda, Jim Broadbent. IMDB: Set in the 1950s, Rough Magic tells the story of what happens when a pretty apprentice magician goes to Mexico to escape her fiancé.. Its a very whimsical film - great chemistry between the leads (Fonda and Crowe)

Tune in Tomorrow 1990 - stars Keanu Reeves, Barbra Hershey, Peter Falk. Funny, witty little film. IMDB: Martin works at the local radio station, which just hired a new scriptwriter with a reputation for great drama... (Bonus - Patricia Clarkson as Martin's conservative Mom)

Bully - Brutal, emotional performance by the late Brad Refro. (also stars Rachel Miner (as a sort of Lady MacBeth) and Nick Stahl. IMDB: Based on a true story. Naive teenagers plot to murder one of their own, who has been too much of a bully to them. Great ensemble work


Last edited by Trish on Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:48 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Trish
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:34 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 2438 Location: Massachusetts
oh geez how could i forgot this overlooked gem:

Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont with the wonderful Joan Plowright

IMDB: All but abandoned by her family in a London retirement hotel, an elderly woman strikes up a curious friendship with a young writer.


also stars Rupert Friend

Just a very very charming, heartfelt film


Last edited by Trish on Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:50 pm; edited 1 time in total
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gromit
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:34 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9005 Location: Shanghai
You're probably right, since I've only heard of the first film. Write a brief descrip. What do you like about them? Why should we see them / look them up on ImDb)?

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Trish
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:48 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 2438 Location: Massachusetts
I revised my post
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Marj
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:18 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 10497 Location: Manhattan
Thanks Trish. Looks like a good list. I actually already have some of yours in my queue.
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marantzo
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:23 pm Reply with quote
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I think Laurel Canyon was justifiably overlooked.
billyweeds
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 6:30 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 20618 Location: New York City
marantzo wrote:
I think Laurel Canyon was justifiably overlooked.


Ditto, big time. I was looking forward to that sucker but it sucked.

But Bully was very good, though mightily unpleasant.
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Trish
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 1:08 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 2438 Location: Massachusetts
It didn't suck at all
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gromit
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 1:35 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9005 Location: Shanghai
This forum will work much better if people explain their opinions a little.

Also, instead of just saying that you've seen a mentioned film, say whether you liked it or not.
Marj, did you like Woman of Paris?
Would you rec it to others as I've done?

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Marj
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 1:55 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 10497 Location: Manhattan
Gromit, I'm a Chaplin fan, so I've seen all of his films, including his real stinkers. Woman of Paris, doesn't fall into that category but it's far from one of his best. It was his second attempt at directing and also an attempt to give Edna Purviance a starring role. He had a small one. The one thing it succeeded in was making Adolf Menjou a star.

Btw, I agree that it helps to give a brief description of overlooked films. But shouldn't that be done be the original poster? Just asking ...

Oops, almost forgot. No, I don't think I would recommend it. There are too many other great Chaplin films that I believe ought to be seen first. What I would recommend is getting a hold of the Brownlow documentary which contains scenes from the film and discusses it in the context of Chaplin's career. I have that and watch it on a regular basis.
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gromit
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 2:08 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9005 Location: Shanghai
I think Woman of Paris is better served as just being taken as a 1920's film and not comparing it to Chaplin's comedies. It doesn't fit in with those, though there are a few definite Chaplin moments and themes.
When WoP gets lumped in with Chaplin films, it tends to get overlooked. I think when it is viewed on its own terms, it's a fairly bold, liberated film.

Since the initial poster obviously mentions films they like, it's helpful for everyone else to know if others who have seen it agree/disagree and why.

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