Author Topic: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film  (Read 64404 times)

Corndog

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #300 on: April 25, 2017, 08:22:14 AM »
I have watched Time of the Gypsies, Noriko's Dinner Table and Santantango (well, the first 2 1/2 hours of it) recently, but have not been inspired to write about any of them. I was really intrigued and into Time of the Gypsies, but lost steam when it turned into a gangster film. I appreciated Noriko's Dinner Table, but felt like I was missing something, not sure whether seeing Suicide Club would remedy that. Satantango, while I gave up on it, was really interesting and I wanted to like it more, but couldn't get over the hump of spending 2 1/2 hours watching what could have happened within probably 45 minutes to an hour instead. I was not looking forward to the payoff by wasting another couple hours for two more hours of good content.

Remaining on my list for this marathon are:
Oki's Movie
Coeur Fidele
Caramel
This Charming Girl
Trouble Every Day
Crocodile
Cria Cuervos
Band Baaja Baaraat

I plan to watch all of these that I can (currently do not know where I can access This Charming Girl or Crocodile). I may or may not write something about each, and then I am going to close this marathon. At the end, and after all of this time, it has become a marathon I look as more of a task than something I look forward to at this point.

It has been a heck of a run and I have discovered some truly life changing and all time great films from this marathon! Thanks to all, and my apologies if you feel your selection has been slighted in any way.
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

oldkid

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #301 on: April 25, 2017, 11:57:09 AM »
One of the great long-term marathons.  Thanks, CD!
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Corndog

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #302 on: May 17, 2017, 01:43:43 PM »
roujin
Band Baaja Baaraat (Maneesh Sharma, 2010)

When I saw that this film was among those listed for this marathon, I had a genuine curiosity, if for no other reason than it would be my first ever Bollywood experience. I have long heard of the style of film, but have never had the joy to experience it myself. Knowing very little of the "genre", actors, directors, etc., coming into this film cold was a perfect experience. Of course the film was stylish, colorful, and had loads of dancing throughout. That was to be expected. What I wasn't necessarily expecting was just how infectious the film would turn out to be. While it was cliche and the story derivative of all other rom-coms that came before, there is something special about the energy in this film which makes it a joy to sit through.

Quite honestly, I am a little more than shocked that this hasn't been adapted in the US with Kate Hudson or some other such rom-com "queen". The story is almost too syrupy to withstand, but as I said, the energy and personality of the two leads carries it. Set in Delhi, the film follows Shruti, an Indian girl with a dream of starting her own wedding planning business before being ceremoniously matched off herself, and Bittoo, the son of a farmer looking to extend his stay in the big city in order to avoid harvesting sugarcane the rest of his life. The two make an unlikely partnership and build a small wedding planning business up to an elite option. Of course with partnership comes complications. Despite declaring business and pleasure impossible to mix, the two begin to fall in love with each other, but deny their feeling, which leads to a messy falling out which threatens the plans and future of both.

The rush of color and music is marvelous throughout, but the rather cookie-cutter plot begins to drag in the second half of the film when the expected complications hit and cause melodrama, which is not very becoming these two actors. Anushka Sharma in particular is quite good here, while Ranveer Singh, who I understand was a newcomer for this film, shows his inexperience with some rather exaggerated acting at times. In general, however, the two work quite well together on film, and as I said it is a fun experience worth seeking out. Being a novice with Bollywood myself, I have no clue whether this film is indicative of Bollywood in general, or where it ranks among its best (if at all), but I am glad that it was my introduction to it because I came away tapping my toe and smiling. I think that's the point.

*** - Very Good
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

1SO

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #303 on: May 17, 2017, 11:35:29 PM »
Band Baaja Baaraat is the only Bollywood film in my Essentials, and I also watched it because of roujin. The exaggerated acting is typical of the culture and it can annoy as often as it entertains. My favorite moment in all of Bollywood is the contrasting performances of Ainvayi Ainvayi, one when Ranveer Singh turns the wedding into a party and then later when the group watches the two leads perform the song again and realize the relationship is in trouble.

This got me looking up that first performance, one of my Merriest Musical Moments. I love how her dancing is great, but her face expresses that she's doing it to make fun of his bravado.

Corndog

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #304 on: June 09, 2017, 01:15:38 PM »
Where this marathon came in like a lion, I'm afraid it will go out like a lamb. I have completed watching the films that were on my list for this marathon, and while at the end I may not have written about every single one, I enjoyed the process from start to finish. When I first started this idea, it was as a way to educate myself on not only the tastes of my fellow members, but also to discover some truly remarkable cinema. Mission accomplished. Perhaps the most consistently great marathon I have ever done, I am happy to say that I have completed it.

Thanks to all who followed along and allowed me to watch their favorite films, and hopefully I didn't dislike them too much for how much you all have shown how much you truly love cinema.
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

1SO

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #305 on: June 10, 2017, 11:05:02 PM »
I love this type of Marathon where one of us takes an interest in the group. Partly why Top 100 Club is among my favorite things here. It also acts as a reminder to those we've lost since the Marathon began and those we've gained too.

DarkeningHumour

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #306 on: June 24, 2017, 04:24:57 AM »
This is a pretty spectacular list of titles. Would you care to rank the ones you watched for the marathon?
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DarkeningHumour

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #307 on: June 24, 2017, 04:25:36 AM »
(Also, your Letterboxd list seems to have disappeared.)
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Corndog

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #308 on: June 24, 2017, 06:23:07 AM »
Whew! That would be tough! I've added a few Top 100 films as a result
Of this marathon. Easily my most successful in that regard.
"Time is the speed at which the past decays."

Pratters

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Re: Corndog Watches Your Favorite Film
« Reply #309 on: October 29, 2017, 11:43:53 AM »
I am glad you watched Greed and liked it. I also watched the TCM restored version. India had TCM Asia at the time. I had similar issues categorising what I saw but it was an experience for sure.