The French Connection #70 on the AFI Top 100 List

I liked it but was disappointed with it as well. I guess my expectations were higher for it

La Dolce Vita
A Must-see-film about life, love and the meaning of living. This is the first Fellini film I watched and there are many to follow. Otte e mezzo is next. The main character Marcello, a journalist, leaving his fiancé at home, is looking for satisfaction which he hopes to find in other women.´
His fiancé Emma is my favorite character in the movie. She is depressed because she knows that Marcello is seeing other women and even if she wants to offer him a sweet life, most time he ignores her, even regrets his relationship to her.
Another key figure is Steiner, a good friend of Marcello but at the same time the counterpart of his persona. His story tells the viewer that money and wealth are not everything in life.
Visually, the scene where Marcello follows Sylvia into the water is simply beautiful. The only scene I didn't like was the party-scene near the end.
It was late and I was abit tired when I saw this movie and I also saw it in two parts (nights), so I need a rewatch soon to get more into the plot.

A must-see film. A masterpiece.

Marcello's famous scene with Sylvia (played an electric Anita Ekberg) is one with a personal place for my heart: in it, you can see the exact same spot where I met a girl from California earlier this year in Rome, at the Trevi Fountain. We're still in touch, and she is planning on coming over to visit me next year.

Trevi Fountain; I can't think of a better place to fall in love.

"Marcello, Marcello, cam 'ere!"

Mick

That's nice Capo
I forgot the name of that place, Trevi Fountain. I've been there last year. Its a beautiful place, like most places in Italy.

Oh, what would I give for watching such great films on the big screen.

Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht/Nosferatu the Vampyre ** (2nd time; 1st time with commentary)
1979, Herzog, Ger/Fr
Dracula decides to move to a far-away town, falling in love in the process and bringing with him the plague.
A retread of a famous German silent, elongated and with more depth in the title role. Herzog, in making the film, wanted to go back to his roots as a filmmaker; in the process, he seems to have lost his usual flair for eccentric visionary genius.

Mick

The Gold Rush #74 on the AFI Top 100 List

Another Chaplin movie that I kinda liked

I spent the whole day watching Goodfellas on cable...(from 10:30-4pm) I own the DVD but I O'D on it when it comes on cable..
I watched The Notebook and Ray, and, even though I would have never paid to see it at the theatre, found both of them to be excellent movies..

A streetcar named desire 1951



A Classic

Sin City - (Robert Rodriguez/Frank Miller;2005;USA) - ***
Three stories taking place in the corrupt Basin City: Marv is an ugly man who turns to revenge after a beautiful prostitute is killed, and he's framed for the murder. Dwight teams up with the hookers of Old Town to get out of a tricky situation involving a dead cop. Hartigan gets out of jail after being framed for the molestation of an 11 year old girl, who is now 19, he finds that he must protect her yet again.
One thing about this, is that it is overrated grossly. I can't count how many people said this was a masterpiece. However this is a very good film that despite being over the top in many scenes, it works much of the time. The narration is great, and the cast is too overall aside Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, and Nick Stahl. Wood's character isn't as cool as he is a pathetic creep, which baffles me as to why people think the character is the cool one of the film. However the rest of the cast keeps the film up, along with the visuals. A big surprise to me, as I thought this would be a lump of shit altogether.
#29

A Streetcar Named Desire - (Elia Kazan;1951;USA) - ****
A woman with a troubled past who's low on cash visits her sister, and is immediately frowned upon by her brother-in-law.
Kazan's second best from what I've seen, behind On the Waterfront. The story is a powerful one that gets better with every moment. Brando's performance and presence steals the show, and Vivien Leigh is great (or does she fit the role?) as the neurotic, troubled woman. A classic play made into a classic film.

just watched Oliver Stone's Talk Radio (1988) - anyone has seen it? I thought it was an okay movie, with nothing special, far away from Stone's best flicks.

High Fidelity - (Stephen Frears;2000;UK/USA) - ****
After a record store owner's girlfriend breaks up with him, he recalls past girlfriends on his Top 5 All-Time Most Memorable Breakups list to find out where he's going wrong.
In an era of horrible romantic-comedies, this is one of the few that stands out as one of the great ones. I really can't say that I would change a thing about this film. It's genuinely funny without using unimaginative, exploitation jokes common in most comedies. At the same time the film isn't about romance between two characters fully, but romance itself, which separates it from most films in it's genre. John Cusack and Iben Hjejle are both great in their lead roles, and the supporting cast is also very good, especially Jack Black and even Tim Robbins in a small role, both adding great comedic relief to the film. The soundtrack is excellent, and the film itself will attract music-buffs through dialogue and the music itself. It was either Omar or Ronnie that said Swingers was the Annie Hall of the 90's, I say the same for this film, only for the new decade....so far.
#18

I just saw Vertigo for the second time. That movie is just flat out AMAZING. Top 5 of all time.

Wow! Right after Vertigo was Rear Window. I love TCM.

It was my first viewing of Rear Window, and it is one incredible movie. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved the ending and the directing was just phenomenal. I guess that's why Alfred Hitchcock is the greatest ever.

I watched Kill Bill Vol 2 last night. I was hoping beings I forced myself to watch the first one this one would at least answer the questions that it left. I was glad it filled in the missing pieces, but to be honest this was not my type of movie. After the first 10 minutes I was so bored I was ready to turn it off. The whole scene with Bud at his work just seemed a waste of time. I was just hoping he would die and get it over with.
*****SPOILERS****************
The first one was so creepy I was expecting all sorts of weird stuff. The only real gruesome think I could think of was when Darryl Hannah lost her eye. I was also kind of disappointed in the end. I thought Bill got it too easy. She should have cut his head off with her sword. To see her almost feel sorry for him and have her old feelings for him surface didn't do it justice. She had to kill all those people just to get to him, I don't think she got her justice.

Seinfeld Season 1

It was only 5 episodes long but a good way to star the series. I'm in the middle of Kung Fu Season 1 so it'll be awhile again before I watch more Seinfeld's (espeically since now I need to watch The Simpsons Season 6)

American Graffiti #77 on the AFI Top 100 List

A pretty good movie with some funny parts. I didn't really like it at the beginning but towards the end I warmed up to it more.

Sin City - (Robert Rodriguez/Frank Miller;2005;USA) - ***
Three stories taking place in the corrupt Basin City: Marv is an ugly man who turns to revenge after a beautiful prostitute is killed, and he's framed for the murder. Dwight teams up with the hookers of Old Town to get out of a tricky situation involving a dead cop. Hartigan gets out of jail after being framed for the molestation of an 11 year old girl, who is now 19, he finds that he must protect her yet again.
A very good, but grossly overrated film that has wonderful visuals and narrations with each stories. The cast is overall very good, although there are a few bad actors in it. The problem I had with the film is that at times it goes a little over the top, but otherwise it's very good.
#30

The Sea Inside - (Alejandro Amenábar;2004;Spain) - ***1/2
A man who has been a quadriplegic for nearly three decades after a diving accident fights for his right to die.
This film, despite having some directorial flaws, turns out to be a very moving film and at the same time thought provoking. The music is great, and what stands out above all is Javier Bardem's performance. Amenábar's direction is not fully consistent, having both it's moments of brilliance and flaws, and I'm not sure if the final two or three minutes were necessary.

Deer Hunter #79 on the AFI Top 100 List

This was the 2nd time watching this movie and I enjoyed it 100 times more this time around. Definitely gonna buy this puppy on DVD when it gets re-released, but unfortunately I didn't see that much from Walken's performance

Wuthering Heights #73 on the AFI Top 100 List

I surprisingly enjoyed this movie. I heard from a friend who will remain annoyomous that it was boring and not a very good movie and that's how my expectations were going into it but I was pleased with the movie after all

I saw the 40 Year Old Virgin this weekend. Not as funny as The Wedding Crashers, but very good, and a little on the sweet side.

YESSSSSSS!!!!!

I'm going to see The Blues Brothers on August 29 for a one-time only screening for the 25th Anniversary!!

AWESOME!!!!

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

A very good and funny movie, well worth the $6 admission for the 10pm show! Gotta love Monday's at the Drafthouse. I thought Wedding Crashers was funnier and made me laugh harder but you won't be disappointed with the Virgin

The World Is Not Enough - (Michael Apted;1999;UK/USA) - **
James Bond becomes a bodyguard for a young princess after her father is killed in an explosion. A man who feels no physical pain becomes a threat.
A mediocre Bond film that doesn't feel new at all, and has only one interesting character. Sadly, the best scene is the opening titles. Could've at least been decent, but fails.

have you seen Die Another Day? The World Is Not Enought looks like a classic near that piec'oshit :p

On a Clear Day * (1st time' big screen)
2005, Dellal, GB
A ship worker made redundant decides to swim the Channel.
Rocky at sea may seem a clichéd summary, but only for a clichéd film; the acting helps it through.

Before Sunrise *** (1st time)
1995, Linklater, US
A young American and French student meet on a train in Budapest and decide to spend the night together, before she leaves for Paris.
Conversation piece relying on contrasting philosophies from its two characters to drive it along; the acting had to be brilliant, and it is.

Before Sunset *** (1st time)
2004, Linklater, US
Jesse and Celine meet nine years after their first meeting.
The characters have developed into wiser, older adults, and the two actors embody them convincingly; but, as the script's self-reflection would have it, neither of them have really changed, and the narrative's swing into bittersweet nostalgia makes for an infuriatingly perfect final moment.

Mick

I enjoyed The World is Not Enough; all the usual ingredients were there, with a nasty femme fatale and a villain who can't die. Bigger, but by no means better; the set-pieces work, but only to compensate for the lacking narrative.

Mick

Beth E, I agree with your summary of Kill Bill Vol. 2. Tarantino's cinematic tricks are evident, his language with the camera as charismatic as anything else of recent; but his films are derivative, over-blown affairs, verging, at least in Kill Bill, on tedium. As self-indulgent as a Fellini movie, but nowhere near as interesting.

Mick

Well it did look good, but that wasn't enough. It's definitely not the worst Bond movie though, because that honor goes to Die Another Day, which actually had me hating all the characters. The World is Not Enough is a mediocre Bond movie, but I do enjoy watching it. Robert Carlyle was a good addition to the cast. However, for entertainment purposes, Sophie Marceau and Denise Richards contributed a lot. I'm finding the only thing sticking out as good in the new Bond movies are the title sequences, although even Die Another Day's title sequence was disappointing.

Speaking of Robert Carlyle, did you know he's trying to get a sequel to Trainspotting made Capo? I still have yet to see it, so I don't know if that's good or bad.

By the way, as much as I enjoy John Cleese, no one can replace Desmond Llewelyn.

Agreed.

Not sure about a sequel to Trainspotting. It could work; Welsh did write a sequel to the original book, so there's material for it to exist. They'd need all the original cast, though.

And I agree with the Bond title sequences. They are becoming longer and more magnificent with each film, often with two settings instead of the usual one. Alas, the rest of the film cannot sustain the excitement they have to offer. A grittier outing is needed, I feel. That could have to do with who they cast as the new Bond.

Mick

I just watched Bad News Bears and although it had some pretty funny parts and I laughed a different parts all the way through the movie, it lacked substance and felt shallow





Joe Batters