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Author Topic: Write about the last movie you watched (2006-2010)  (Read 5996421 times)

sdedalus

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24060 on: December 14, 2009, 01:37:17 AM »

Talk To Her - This was my first Pedro Almodóvar film, and I'm a bit conflicted about it.  On the positive side: the colors are beautiful, the actors are excellent (Geraldine Chaplin!), the dance and film within a film sequences are both stunning and hilarious, respectively.  On the negative: I don't know what to do with the ickiness at the heart of the story.  If we're supposed to sympathize with Benigno, well . . . ew.  If Benigno is supposed to somehow represent a generalized idea of how men don't listen to women, or don't appreciate them or ignore them, that's both awfully cynical and insulting, if also kinda funny.  Basically, I loved every part of the film that didn't have anything to do with its story.  But once Lydia's story ended and it became all about revealing the depths of Benigno's depravity, the movie lost its balance for me.  I want to have liked this more.
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Holly Harry

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24061 on: December 14, 2009, 01:44:07 AM »
Re: Talk To Her.

It's not really a literally realistic movie, I don't think. It's a parable, and in an every-day situation, what Benigno did is obviously unacceptable and immoral and like you said "ew..", but depicted in the film it's the bridge to a moving ending about rebirth, love and sacrifice.

I think you should definitely see more Almodovar.

I agree though that the other guy's storyline is better, and I think that actor's performance is incredible.

Are you catching up with films from this decade you haven't seen?
"Political questions, if you go back thousands of years, are ephemeral, not important. History is the same thing over and over again."-Woody Allen.

sdedalus

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24062 on: December 14, 2009, 01:55:37 AM »
I am, I've got a Friday deadline to have a Top 50 of the decade, so I'm trying to get as many that might make such a list as possible before then.

I'll definitely see more Almodóvar.  But the "ew" factor really took me out of being able to respond emotionally to the story, whether it was meant to be real or not.
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Holly Harry

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24063 on: December 14, 2009, 02:01:57 AM »
I recommend Volver, my favorite Almodovar(of the admittedly very little I've seen from him) and one of my favorite films of the decade. It similarly has bizarre, absurdist plot developments, but without the "ew.." factor.
"Political questions, if you go back thousands of years, are ephemeral, not important. History is the same thing over and over again."-Woody Allen.

saltine

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24064 on: December 14, 2009, 02:27:46 AM »
I loved Volver too.  I recommend About My Mother.

Am I really recommending a film for sdedalus to see? 
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Holly Harry

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24065 on: December 14, 2009, 02:29:37 AM »
I loved Volver too.  I recommend About My Mother.

Am I really recommending a film for sdedalus to see? 

Last time I checked, All About My Mother was out of print, inexplicably.
"Political questions, if you go back thousands of years, are ephemeral, not important. History is the same thing over and over again."-Woody Allen.

sdedalus

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24066 on: December 14, 2009, 02:32:06 AM »
netflix has it right now.  I just sent it back unwatched (because it isn't a 2000s film).
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CSSCHNEIDER

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24067 on: December 14, 2009, 02:42:57 AM »
Halloween II
Dir. Rob Zombie

This is worse than the first one.  Much worse.  I'll say something nice...  OK, two nice things.  Brad Doriff is a great actor, even in the face of this monstrosity.  The cover of Lover Hurts that plays at the end is really good.  There, I was nice.   I didn't like this for many reasons, but I'll only mention one.  The actress that plays Laurie is without a doubt the single most annoying person I've ever watched in a film.  All the angst ridden teenage drama bull she delivers is punctuated by the most obnoxious uses of the "F" Word I can remember.  Her voice just eats away at me and made it near impossible to sit through the film.  I've never had such a strong reaction to a performer before, I honestly hope I never see her in a film again, and if she is in a film I'm interested in her presence will seriously deter me from ever seeing the hypothetical film.

Grade F

That is F number 8.  And the hits just keep on coming.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2009, 02:45:31 AM by CSSCHNEIDER »
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chardy999

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24068 on: December 14, 2009, 03:05:26 AM »
Why watch it? You KNOW it's going to suck!

I think the only movie I've seen this year that I knew would suck was The Time Traveller's Wife and I only saw that because I was hungover, needed air conditioning, and needed to kill a few hours before my plane flight.
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.
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chardy999

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #24069 on: December 14, 2009, 07:58:15 AM »
Millenium Mambo - Hsiao-hsien Hou, 2001.

I was very excited after that opening shot but that was the highlight. When a film clearly has little to no plot it must have mood. Three Colours: Blue, for example, has this in spades. Millenium Mambo, on the other hand, is excruciatingly hollow and thus fails. 4/10.


Sex, Lies, and Videotape - Steven Soderbergh, 1989.

Fantastic and ridiculously entertaining. Dynamite script and great performances. The characters are surprisingly fleshed out despite us knowing their opinions on sex and very little else. By the end, there is a certain morphing of morals amongst the characters which is very sexy (narratively speaking). ;) 8/10.
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.
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