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| yambu |
 Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:27 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
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shannon wrote: Just finished watching North Country.....Frances McDormand will get a Blanche nom from me. (I'm sure she will be thrilled.)...... |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:55 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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I have Hustle & Flow waiting for me when I get done writing the newsletter for our local space group.
I caught up with From Beijing with Love, one of Stephen Chow's (here credited as Stephen Chiau) first efforts at transcendental silliness. As you might expect from the title, this is a James Bond parody, but it's a good one, funny, but a lot bloodier than I was expecting. Here he plays an clueless secret agent on the trail of the people who stole the skull of China's only dinosaur skeleton. [This is before the current flood of fossils being found in China, I guess.] However, he doesn't know that it's all a setup, a mole in the department is behind the theft, and has sent a beautiful agent (Anita Yuen) ahead to bewitch and kill Chow.
Here he doesn't have a street vendor love interest; HE is the street vendor love interest as well as a spy. Specifically, he is a pork vendor who wields a mean cleaver, not to mention daggers, carving knives, etc. You see, he needs something to do during those many years between missions. Like other Chow heros, he also has unexpected character and strengths.
Pretty funny, but not as clever as his more recent films. The opening credits, a parody of "The Spy Who Loved Me," are delightful. The film's Q equivalent is also fun. I especially like the weapon which combines ten different kinds of death, and the briefcase which helps you counter your enemy by converting into a stool you can sit on to watch him. |
_________________
I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:28 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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I watched 50 minutes of Hustle & Flow, and ... shut it down. Not that it was anything really bad, but I just wasn't interested at all. Thought the scripting was awfully basic and silly. Each new plot element and character was added in as obvious a way as possible. When the studio-building montage kicked in, I actually laughed out loud. Whole thing rang false to me. No real grit to it, no real heart to it. Just an urban Hollywood story.
Uninspired film, one-note performances. Let me know if the second half payoff was way better than the mediocre build-up. |
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| Trish |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:58 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2438
Location: Massachusetts
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billyweeds wrote: 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.
Yeah I watched Hustle & Flow this weekend also - good film (although i admit the thick Southern accent caused me to miss pieces of dialogue in the beginning). Terrence Howard was excellent as was all of the supporting cast (I Thought Taryn Manning was great). I hope the film gets recognized in the musical categories |
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| Trish |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:02 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2438
Location: Massachusetts
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in addition to acting - (Howard deserves a nod, although after Bana - my fav)
My dream best actor list would be _ Hoffman, Bana, Howard, Ganz, Levy |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:34 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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| I was impressed with Terrence Howard's hair in H&F. Actually the hair styles and dye jobs were the highlight of the film. Do we have a Blanche category for Best Hair-stylist? |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:30 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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| Just watched HUSTLE AND FLOW and I am blown away. Its raw, filled with life and energy, terrifically acted, wonderful dialogue, perfect soundtrack. Shit, I wished I'd seen it before I published my Best of 2005 list (in the Horsefly). Terrence Howard is a phenom. In some ways HUSTLE reminded me of Scorsese's MEAN STREETS. It has the same street poetry and lyrical toughness. Man, what a great movie. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:34 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Hoffman, Bana, Howard, Ganz, Levy
Levy? For what? The Man?
Bana and Howard are definitely two of my Blanche noms. The third is still up for grabs. Maybe Hoffman, maybe Ledger, maybe (probably) Gyllenhaal. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:35 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| Oh, and equally maybe Rhys Meyers. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:36 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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| I loved the blend of rap and Memphis soul on the soundtrack of HUSTLE AND FLOW. At times, it was fucking operatic. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:03 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
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| Taryn Manning is terrific in HUSTLE & FLOW. TERRIFIC! |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:10 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Marc wrote: Taryn Manning is terrific in HUSTLE & FLOW. TERRIFIC!
All the ladies were great, but Taraji P. Henson (Shug) was the biggest winner. Her scene with Howard late in the movie, the one where she gives him the chain, was stunning, and will get her a Blanche nomination from me. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:12 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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Taraji P. Henson - YES YES YES.
Billy, I loved that scene and the moving r&b song on the soundtrack when
the lovers kiss. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:19 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
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Quote: I Thought Taryn Manning was great
I just saw this, trish. Right on! |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:31 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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there two great scenes involving musicians discovering their chops for the first time in the recording studio:
WALK THE LINE and HUSTLE & FLOW. |
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