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Author Topic: A Decade of Filmspots  (Read 24935 times)

smirnoff

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #50 on: September 21, 2016, 08:40:47 PM »
I didn't enjoy watching Life of Pi. It's been a while since I've seen it and most of it has been forgotten, but I do remember not feeling any truth in it, symbolically or realistically. You've expressed well what feels so off with it. Maybe I should have read the book instead, but the movie turned me off to the story, so now that probably won't happen.

There's no second chance to make a first impression eh. I can relate to that.

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I'm looking forward to getting a chance to see Short Term 12! Your endorsement and my viewing of Room, lift my anticipation even higher.

You won't regret it. :)

smirnoff

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #51 on: September 24, 2016, 08:57:43 PM »
Made a point of catching up with The Master on the off chance I might actually enjoy it. My curiousity got the better of my lack of enthusiasm for PTA's films. I suspected it wouldn't really be my cup of tea, and it wasn't. Ah well, it's done.

pixote

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #52 on: September 24, 2016, 08:59:22 PM »
The Master and Inherent Vice are both on my list, and I'm very wary of them both.

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Sandy

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #53 on: October 01, 2016, 05:47:44 PM »

DarkeningHumour

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #54 on: October 07, 2016, 12:32:56 PM »
I like the idea of this tread. I will not be marathoning anything because there is a bunch of stuff I am prioritising (2016, "essentials", etc.) but I might post/crosspost here once in a while.

Selection of winners and nominees that I would be interested in catching up with:

2007
Atonement - Best Picture
I'm Not There - Best OS
The Wind that Shakes the Barley - Best OS
Once - Best Début

2008
The Wrestler - Best Picture (unlikely)
Paranoid Park - Best Director
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days - Best OS

2009
In the Loop - Best AS

2010
Mother - Best Non-English Movie
A Prophet - Best Non-English Movie

2011
The Skin I Live In - Best Non-English Movie

2012
Holy Motors - Best Non-English Movie
Oslo, August 31st - Best Non-English Movie
The Kid With a Bike - Best Non-English Movie

2013
Drug War - Best Non-English Movie

2014
Under the Skin - Best Picture
Citizenfour - Best Documentary
Life Itself - Best Documentary

2015
World of Tomorrow - Best Animated Picture
Song of the Sea - Best Animated Picture
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem - Best Overlooked Movie
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night - Best Overlooked Movie

That was a nice trip down memory lane. I had not realised I had watched so many nominated movies.

(I had no idea there used to be a Worst Movie category!)
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pixote

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #55 on: November 15, 2016, 04:46:50 PM »
This is a cool marathon. If I was more into keeping up with new films, I'd be interested in doing a similar marathon.

Wait, what?

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Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #56 on: November 15, 2016, 04:49:51 PM »
Haha, well I'm basically only watching new films so yea that sounds weird.

pixote

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #57 on: November 15, 2016, 05:01:13 PM »
Haha, well I'm basically only watching new films so yea that sounds weird.

Many of which were Filmspot nominees, right? Feel free to index those here. :)

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Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #58 on: November 15, 2016, 05:04:48 PM »
2007
La Vie en Rose
Knocked Up
I'm Not There
Lust, Caution
Persepolis
Black Snake Moan

2008
Wendy and Lucy
Che
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Waltz With Bashir
Cloverfield
My Blueberry Nights

2009
An Education
Broken Embraces
The White Ribbon
Sita Sings the Blues
Hunger
The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans

2010
Mother
The Beaches of Agnes
Enter the Void
Animal Kingdom
Four Lions

2011
Fish Tank
Another Year
The Guard

2012
Amour
Seven Psychopaths
Cloud Atlas
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
21 Jump Street
Chronicle
Rust and Bone

2013
Gravity
At Berkeley
The Grandmaster
Fruitvale Station
Gimme the Loot

2014
Whiplash
Frank
National Gallery
Interstelllar (ugg)
John Wick

2015
The Martian
Room
Bridge of Spies
Inherent Vice
Clouds of Sils Maria
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Mommy
Song of the Sea
The Look of Silence
Tangerine
Sicario
Jauja
Love & Mercy
Crimson Peak
What We Do in the Shadows
« Last Edit: November 29, 2016, 08:35:37 AM by Sam the Cinema Snob »

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: A Decade of Filmspots
« Reply #59 on: November 16, 2016, 10:58:56 AM »
The Martian (2015)

I would have sworn I somehow got a hold of the assembly cut of this film. Half-baked special effects permeate this film and it annoyed the hell out of me. However, once the dust settles on the opening set-piece and the film sets into being a story of survival on Mars, I’m hooked. This is my jam.

An adaptation of Andy Weir’s science fiction novel, the film strains under its literary influences. Video logs of Mark Watney (Matt Damon) chronicling his musings on how to survive is the kind of exposition device that works great in the novel but is usually boring in a film. And the ins and outs of survival are the kind of tediums that is more likely to be forgiven in a book.

However, The Martian has Matt Damon as the lead and he sells the film. Damon is that rare calibre of actor who could sit in a room for two hours and tell you a story and it would be fascinating. Here his ramblings on botany, gardening, colonization, maritime law, and bad disco music are all funny, insightful and entertaining.

And back on planet Earth, NASA deals with how to handle this PR nightmare while also figuring out the logistics of how to bring Mark back home. These are the lesser moments of the film, but they’re still damn entertaining. The characters are a lot more grave about their circumstances than Mark’s general morbid humor at his predicament.

It’s also refreshing to get science fiction that’s a lot more scientific. A lot of the principles and perils of a mission to Mars are explored at length and it’s a film filled with all sorts of rich details. It’s likely that a lot of what this film depicts will end up being a reality on Mars. Hopefully, we won’t leave someone behind on Mars, but surviving on the planet for an extended period of time is an exciting possibility.

After seeing the film, I’m eager to read the book. A lot of what doesn’t work in the film probably works fine in the novel. It’s a film that needed to be more filmic and a little less pandering to its audience. And it could have done with less special effects shots. Plus, it’s yet another film touting the merits of potato farming. It’s no The Turin Horse, but it’s still a solid film.