Author Topic: Write about the last movie you watched (2006-2010)  (Read 5996108 times)

CSSCHNEIDER

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3770 on: February 10, 2008, 02:51:12 AM »
There are a few moments where televisions are on in the background showing President Bush (Senior) delivering speaches about Iraq (he never says Iraq, but it is the context of the speach).  The camera 'finds' these tvs and holds on them just long enough for Penn to shout down at you.  It took me out of the movie every time.
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pixote

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3771 on: February 10, 2008, 02:53:26 AM »
There are a few moments where televisions are on in the background showing President Bush (Senior) delivering speaches about Iraq (he never says Iraq, but it is the context of the speach).  The camera 'finds' these tvs and holds on them just long enough for Penn to shout down at you.  It took me out of the movie every time.

Did you feel the film was making a particularly distracting comment in those moments, or is it more it just reminded you of who the director was and got you thinking about things outside of the film.  Asked another way: Do you think your reaction would have been the same had you not known who directed the film?

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CSSCHNEIDER

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3772 on: February 10, 2008, 02:58:50 AM »
C) All of the Above  ;)

I found them a distracting comment in those moments and they started me thinking about things other than the film.  Had I not known the director, I would have felt blindsided by a political agenda still, and my focus on the story would have been disrupted.

« Last Edit: February 10, 2008, 03:00:31 AM by CSSCHNEIDER »
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skjerva

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3773 on: February 10, 2008, 03:03:53 AM »
The Namesake - over-rated, predictable, though has moments.

The Lives of Others - solid from top to bottom.

On CSS' ItW post, I don't see Van Sant (or Wenders) working this material anywhere near as well as Penn does, VS is more interested in CINECAST!ed up kids than hopeful ones.  This is also why Affleck wouldn't work in the role, he is too blah/dour, not enough spirit.  I thought Hirsch pulled off the tension between being disappointed with people/society with loving people/life perfectly.  On Penn, I don't get the alienating bit, either.  I can't imagine another director giving the story the care needed to pull it off.  I just see the TV bit as essential social context, nicely echoed with the messed up parental values.
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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3774 on: February 10, 2008, 03:05:13 AM »
I found them a distracting comment in those moments and they started me thinking about things other than the film.  Had I not known the director, I would have felt blindsided by a political agenda still, and my focus on the story would have been disrupted.

Sorry to pepper you with questions, but I have one last batch.  What political agenda did you feel Penn was pushing with those shots of Bush?  Despite having seen the film a couple days ago, I don't remember having any sort of reaction to them, other as a reminder of the period of the film and perhaps also as a stand-in for the world at large from which McCandless was retreating.  Did you feel that Penn was criticizing the first Gulf War?  Or maybe trying to compare the current President unfavorably with his father?

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3775 on: February 10, 2008, 03:10:46 AM »
On CSS' ItW post, I don't see Van Sant (or Wenders) working this material anywhere near as well as Penn does, VS is more interested in CINECAST!ed up kids than hopeful ones.

Are Paris, Texas and Alice in the Cities factoring into your judgment here, or is it more that just Penn did the best job imaginable in your eyes, so the idea of any other director improving upon the film is moot?

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roner

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3776 on: February 10, 2008, 09:58:23 AM »
Speaking of Sean Penn, thanks to Netflix I had a Sean Penn double feature last night. 

At Close Range

Pretty good flick.  Christopher Walken plays one of the biggest A-hole fathers I've ever seen.  Basically Penn plays Brad Jr. a small town kid who has no job, not going to school, and spends his days aimlessly.  One day his estranged father, Brad Sr. played by Walken shows up and soon the two reconnect.  Only problem is daddy is the leader of a gang.  Soon the younger Brad is caught up in his dads business and gets in way over his head.  Solid film and Penn is great.  Even though he looks just like himself he manages to completely become this small town kid.  **** out of *****

The Falcon and The Snowman

Set in the early in 70's Timothy Hutton plays Chris, a former altar boy who just dropped out of the seminary and gets a job with a firm that manufactures satellites for the CIA.  Penn plays Chris' friend Daulton.  Daulton sells drugs and smuggles them over the border from Mexico.  The disenfranchised Chris soon convinces his friend to contact the Soviets through the embassy in Mexico and the pair is soon selling CIA secrets to the Russians.  Great flick but I wish they spent a little more time explaining why Chris was so disillusioned that he would commit treason.  Penn is once again spectacular.  He completely gets lost in this part.  **** out of *****

I think Penn is a loon in real life but he is such a great actor.  Both of these films really showcase how talented he is. 


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Basil

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3777 on: February 10, 2008, 10:31:14 AM »
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

I really don't know what anyone was thinking.

Correction - I do.

Director Shekhar Kapur - I'd like to win an Oscar.
Clive Owen - I'd like to win an Oscar.
Cate Blanchett - I'd like to win another Oscar.

Result = silliness. I kinda enjoyed it though.

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Colleen

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3778 on: February 10, 2008, 11:22:27 AM »
The Man Who Knew Too Much  I'll try to get more into it on the marathon thread but overall I was kind of meh.  It had its moments but I had a hard time keeping my attention on it.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age just came from Netflix.

skjerva

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Re: Rate the last movie you watched
« Reply #3779 on: February 10, 2008, 12:25:03 PM »
On CSS' ItW post, I don't see Van Sant (or Wenders) working this material anywhere near as well as Penn does, VS is more interested in CINECAST!ed up kids than hopeful ones.

Are Paris, Texas and Alice in the Cities factoring into your judgment here, or is it more that just Penn did the best job imaginable in your eyes, so the idea of any other director improving upon the film is moot?

pixote

I've actually not seen either of those.  Really, I've probably not seen enough of his stuff to make the claim.  His earlier stuff is more tapped into themes of alienation though, right?  Maybe not, but if that's the case, I don't see the Christopher character as alienated, instead he's sick of it.  There is something about Until the End of the World that seems vaguely similar, but not enough to convince me Wenders would have worked the material better than Penn.

Anyway, thanks for the reminder on those films, they are always just out of mind, sounds like a potentially good double feature.  Would you recommend?
But I wish the public could, in the midst of its pleasures, see how blatantly it is being spoon-fed, and ask for slightly better dreams. 
                        - Iris Barry from "The Public's Pleasure" (1926)