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| gromit |
 Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:32 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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Well, I watch almost everything on dvd, occasionally even the same week a movie comes out. So I generally consider anything from the past year to be Current Film. Or at least from the last 6 months. But I guess the dvd cycle in the US is currently running something like 3 months (Marc or others in the US would know better than gromit does).
I wasn't intending to watch H&F, but now might give it a try. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:51 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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gromit wrote: Well, I watch almost everything on dvd, occasionally even the same week a movie comes out. So I generally consider anything from the past year to be Current Film. Or at least from the last 6 months. But I guess the dvd cycle in the US is currently running something like 3 months (Marc or others in the US would know better than gromit does).
I wasn't intending to watch H&F, but now might give it a try.
Missing Hustle & Flow would be unthinkable if you want to be complete on the year's best performances. I never intended to miss it, just didn't get around to seeing it theatrically. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:54 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| gromit--An intelligent and hip person I know says Man Bites Dog is truly immoral and gave him nightmares for weeks after he saw it. You laughed your ass off. Funny the way art affects different people in different ways. Even though I respect your opinion, I think I'll give it a pass, for the same reason I will never watch Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:28 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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Billy, I usually don't watch horror movies or movies with extreme violence. I also consciously chose to avoid that Henry: PSK movie. But you wouldn't skip Clockwork Orange though, would you?
Man Bites Dog has alot of humor, as well as satire. I think they are critiquing how violence-obsessed modern culture is. And how media-obsessed everyone, even criminals, have become. Here we have a killer eager to flaunt his skills in front of a documentary film crew. It also parodies how entwined film and TV media are in the circle of violence. The film crew gets hands-on experience in crime, and breaches ethical boundaries just a tad when they let the subject of the film, the killer, finance the film with the money he steals.
It's a parody depicting how crime and violence have become so routine that being a killer is equivalent to just another occupation these days. If someone takes it all seriously, I really think that they missed the intent and tone of the film. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:47 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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If someone takes it all seriously, I really think that they missed the intent and tone of the film.
The person involved got the point, just couldn't remove himself from the extreme violence and, I think, the cavalier attitude toward it. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:31 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 5911
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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gromit wrote: Man Bites Dog (1992) is a Belgian mockumentary from 1992. The three member crew follows a talkative killer as he goes about his daily business of robbing and murdering. His racist and ridiculous theories are hilarious, as is the off-hand violence. As the filming progresses, the filmmakers become ever-entangled in their subject's life. Some of this film was just brilliant. I don't remember the last film that made me laugh this much. It's like a Belgian Kevin Smith decided to film a cross between Spinal Tap and a stream-lined Pulp Fiction. I also liked the gritty b&w look to the picture.
I recently saw a mockumentary short about a film crew following the Grim Reaper (a regular sort of guy) around at work. Can't remember the name right now (the living room is still waiting for the kitchen painting to be finished, so the DVDs are a little hard to get to). There isn't any violence in it, and GR isn't going on about any particular philosophy, but the basic idea sounds like Man Bites Dog.
It had a moderate flaw, but if I described it, I'd spoil the film. |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:17 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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| I saw Hustle & Flow at the theater and I watched it three times last week on dvd. Truly one of the most underrated movies of the year, I think. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:56 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Quote: billyweeds
It's a hard call. The movie is current in that it's up for award consideration. However, I'm watching it on DVD. What forum is the correct one?
This one. |
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| mo_flixx |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:26 pm |
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Joined: 30 May 2004
Posts: 12533
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Speaking of dog movies, has anyone ever seen a French (or maybe it was Belgian) film called BAXTER? The film is shot from the P.O.V. of a very sinister dog named Baxter.
This is one I've missed and would like to see.
Sounds like a lot of disturbing black humor... |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:18 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8251
Location: Salt Lake City
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Today was a stay at home movie day (with the exception of going to the 12:30p showing of CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, which I'll comment on later over in Current Film).
Roxanne - My g/f loves this movie and it's always fun to watch. Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah are very good and their on-screen chemistry makes for good interaction.
Almost Famous - never get tired of this film. Entire cast is great, including Frances McDormand playing William Miller's mother... "Don't Take Drugs!" And of course, Penny Lane, the role nailed by Kate Hudson. Jason Lee (another fav of my g/f) and his role as Jeff Bebe the lead singer of Stillwater, is great as well.
And we are just sitting down to watch Dogma.... another Jason Lee film (along with another list of actors I like). I'll see how long I last on this one, although I have the day off tomorrow, so late night may not matter. |
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Chilly
"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:15 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 5911
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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Hey, Tire (or anybody else who knows) - I have a friend in Jo'burg that I want to get some DVDs for. She's got a DVD player, but no idea whether it's multiregion. (She's also got a 3-yr old and finding out if her DVD player plays anything isn't exactly at the top of her list - plus having a multiregion machine doesn't always guarantee that it plays everything well.) Do you know of an online source of DVDs in the RSA? Or someplace there I can write to?
Worst comes to worst, she's the same region as the UK, so that might work - although I don't know about the PAL/NTSC thing.
About to go catch Syriana before it's gone, so more later. |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:37 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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Just finished watching North Country. If you seen Norma Rae or Erin Brokovich, you already know what to expect. The movie doesn't subvert any expectations. But it still manages to be a pleasure to watch and it's uncommonly well-acted. Frances McDormand will get a Blanche nom from me. (I'm sure she will be thrilled.)
Watched Atom Egoyan's newest, Where the Truth Lies last night. Basic film noir, but with a whole lotta NC-17 sex. Shares a lot in common with History of Violence and, IMO, this one is better. Or at least more fun. A lot more energetic than any Egoyan film I've ever seen. Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth seem to be having the time of their lives with these roles. It kinda freaked me out, too, because I could've sworn Alison Lohman was like 13 like last year and here she is all full-frontal freaky. Goddamn. (Can't say I didn't enjoy it, though.) |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:42 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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| Owen Gleiberman is a hack, but he did come up with the perfect description for Where the Truth Lies: "sleaze made enigmatic." See it. It's one of my favorites this year. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:47 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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| I'm watching HUSTLE AND FLOW tonight if the cold I'm suffering from doesn't completely knock me out. |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:47 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8251
Location: Salt Lake City
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Marc wrote: I'm watching HUSTLE AND FLOW tonight if the cold I'm suffering from doesn't completely knock me out.
Take one over the counter antihistimine/decongestant with at least 2 oz. of rum or whiskey. The two counteract eachother to the point where you are both slightly buzzed and alert enough to sit through an entertaining movie....
but you probably already knew that...
Looking forward to your comments on the movie. It's on my rental list. |
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Chilly
"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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