Salaryman 6
2002, Knight, GB 2nd time
An office worker wakes up to find he has lost all memory of his life; he tries to piece it back together again, with a camera.
Interesting short on time and memory, with a great eye for detail and tremendous use of visual metaphors.

Virus
2002, Hynd, GB 1st time
An office worker recieves an attachment in an Email with deadly consequences.
A debut short film for everyone involved, and a highly professional job done too. An atmospheric, small thriller which lingers.

Round
2003, Edgar, GB 1st time
A security guard in an empty office block falls for the new cleaner.
A visually appealing short film with a witty central character and poignant narrative development. Creative and clever.

Alphabet, The
1968, Lynch, US 1st and 2nd time
Animated letters of the alphabet are personified into human form.
An abstract, oddly frightening piece of work, with very primitive animation and glimpses here and there of a girl sick in bed; the whole thing resembles a Francis Bacon painting come to life.

Mick

Darkened Room
2002, Lynch, US 1st, 2nd & 3rd time
A girl cries, seemingly locked in a room; another girl comes in and talks to her in a threatening manner.
An eerie, dark film whose mood is set with Badalamenti's usual atmospheric drone; we want to delve deeper, but Lynch keeps the whole thing on a leash.

Mick

All About Eve #16 on the AFI Top 100 List ** 1/2

The ambitious Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) gets close to the great and temperamental stage artist Margo Channing (Bette Davis) and her friends Karen Richards (Celeste Holm) and her husband, the play-writer Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe); her boyfriend and director Bill Sampson (Gary Marrow); and the producer Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff). Everybody, except the cynical critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders), believe that Eve is only a naive, humble and simple obsessed fan of Margo and they try to help her. However, Eve is indeed a cynical and manipulative snake that uses the lives of Margo and her friends to reach her objectives in the theater business.

My expectations were low for this film because I had never really heard of it before. It was a good movie and the story was enjoyable, as was Anne Baxter. I didn't know this movie spawn the famous line "fasten your seatbelts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride." SPOILERS It was nice to see a cameo from a young Marilyn Monroe END OF SPOILERS

Capo, where do you see all these short films? In school? I try to download or stream some of the ones you talk about and cant seem to find them.

Star Wars #15 on the AFI Top 100 List ****

The Jedi Knights have been exterminated and the Empire rules the galaxy with an iron fist. A small group of Rebels have dared to fight back by stealing the secret plans to the Empire's mightiest weapon, the Death Star battle station. The Emperor's most trusted servant, Darth Vader, must find the plans, and locate the hidden Rebel base. Princess Leia, a captive Rebel leader, sends out a distress signal that is intercepted by a simple farm boy, Luke Skywalker. Seizing his destiny, Luke takes up the challenge to rescue the princess and help the Rebellion overthrow the Empire, along with such unforgetable alies as the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi, the cocky Han Solo, the loyal Chewbacca, and the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO.

A fantastic movie and truly one of the best sci-fi movies ever. A terrific cast starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Alec Guinness. My 4th favorite film of the saga but this was probably the most I've enjoyed it (probably due to the fact that I've been watching Episode III a lot at work lately)

Risk
2005, Sidorczuk, GB 1st time
A bored office worker craves for a cigarette.
Slick animation is spent on a short film about a man whose temptations don't quite satisfy him; the narrative itself is puzzling, but the visuals are fine indeed.

Hard Sell, The
2004, Goodill, GB 1st time
A telesalesman, stuck in a monotonous job when he should be back at university, gets more than he bargained for when he rings up a retired salesman.
Witty short which delivers a message of Get Out and Do It. Most won't.

Mr. Theobald
2004, Burrill, GB 1st time
A cog in society's working order decides to relax a little more.
A rather surrealist fantasy presented as a silent film; all very easy on the eye, but a little clumsy in its storytelling.

Last Resort
2000, Pawlikowski, GB 1st time
A Russian woman and her son who arrive in England to find her fiancé has abandoned her, takes to a fairground owner.
A small tale of personal relationships, presented as a much-needed breath of fresh air; if the narrative sometimes indulges itself in usual clichés, the acting compensates. The whole affair resembles Kíeslowski.

Finding Neverland
2004, Forster, GB/US 1st time
James Barrie takes inspiration for his new play from a widowed family of four boys and their mother.
A sweet, amiable tale of inspiration and dealing with the troubles of life by escaping into the imagination; the wonderful acting sweeps it along its rousing script which, for the most part, stays clear of sickliness.

Mick

MMTH, I saw many short films recently at an animation and filmmaking workshop, as part of the Northern Lights Film Festival, for which I've just finished directing a film. The shorts were in turns inspiring, inspired, and offered a whole new way of looking at the craft of filmmaking. I decided to hunt some of them down on the net, and found my favourite one, Jake Knight's Salaryman 6, here . From that link you can find many others. I also recommend Round .

As for the David Lynch shorts, you need to be a (paid) member of his official site. I found them, after many months of searching, on P2P networks such as Soulseek. But Soulseek takes a lot of space up on the harddrive, so I use Limewire.

Thanks,
Mick

Great Review Irish, but I am almost afraid to ask.
What are the three films that you rank above "A New Hope"
and what are two that you rank behind?

Thanks for the kind words DMF, I usually don't get that here on these boards so it was appreciated. The way I personally would rank the Star Wars saga are as follows (also keep in mind that I didn't "grow up" with the original 3, so they didn't have that sentimental/childhood value to me)

1) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
2) Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
3) Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
4) Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
5) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
6) Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Here's mine

Empire
A New Hope
Sith
Jedi
Clones
Menace

The fx in the prequels are truly amazing but I think GL got obsessed with the FX and built a story around them. I got very tired of seeing air traffic on every scene on Corasant. Ewan M saved the entire PT and is a fantastic charactor in the entire saga, and Yoda was great in Sith. The story suffered and felt rushed in Sith. Vader is a tragic charactor which we all knew, but he ended up becoming pathetic.

The real question now is, In what order will you introduce these films to your children?

Just for the hell of it.

Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith
Phantom Menace
Attack of the Clones

I love Star Wars and I admire the first trilogies' special effects, but I don't have that same respect with the new trilogy, which became too much and too phony to look good. Plus, the stories work, but Lucas is otherwise a mediocre filmmaker when it comes to things like dialogue. Things like robots yelling "Owie" after being hit became annoying and all the other poor comic relief. Lucas claims this is a kids movie for this reason, but yeah, a kids movie with decapitations, burning flesh, genocide, etc? Come on George.

Had the first prequel lacked Jar Jar it would be #1 best for the prequels, but his presence was too much. Your question to Irishman is an interesting one though. I'd introduce them like I saw them, old trilogy first mainly because those are the best to me, and when you see the newer films you love seeing the original story behind it. At least that was the feeling I got when I saw The Phantom Menace in theaters years ago.

I agree (as hundreds of thousands do) with you on Jar Jar's presence in Menace, but casting Jack Loyld as young Aniken ruined that movie.

Also the Pod race was too long, and not needed

They should have cast someone a little older and incorporated a little darkness into the role.


Yipee.....

I'd probably introduce them to my children in chronological order. I'll tell them when they were made and such but I find it more interesting to watch it in chronological order. As I stated in my review, I think that's why I enjoyed Star Wars so much because recently at work I've been watching Sith. I've seen the movies in the order they were released and I'm going to wait to get the boxset DVD next year and then I'll finally watch it in chronological order

Saraband
2003, Bergman, Swe 1st; big screen
A family lawyer vists her ex-husband at his remote home, and unfolds a paternal crisis of male domination and despair.
Told in ten "movements" and a final coda, this is a rather dry and humorless affair, with the old master returning to his familiar themes of death and love; shot on high-definition video, it looks underexposed and flat (perhaps fittingly), and the whole thing is an exhausting experience.

Mick

Some Like It Hot #14 on the AFI Top 100 List ****

Two Struggling musicians witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and try to find a way out of the city before they are found and killed by the mob. The only job that will pay their way is an all girl band so the two dress up as women. In addition to hiding, each has his own problems; One falls for another band member but can't tell her his gender, and the other has a rich suitor who will not take "No," for an answer.

A terrific comedy that had me laughing throughout the entire picture. Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon really shined IMO and Tony Curtis was very enjoyable too. This really exceeded my expectations and I'll probably have to add it to my DVD collection

Amputee, The
1974, Lynch, US 1st and 2nd times
A legless woman sits and writes an incoherent letter while a doctor struggles to bandage up her stumps.
A five-minute Lynch short which must be admired for simultaneously sucking you into this puzzle while also repelling you with the sight (and sound) of the doctor going to work with the stump. One almost forgets the main character is talking, but all the while her words, which mean nothing, register on an unconscious level and keep you watching.

Rabbits
2002, Lynch, US 1st time
Three rabbits in human form, seemingly caught in some kind of time warp, ponder time, existence and their being.
An absurd film told in eight mini-episodes; delivered in the style of a sitcom, it challenges audiences' expectations, takes relish in breaking conventions, and is disturbing in its matter-of-fact standing. There's no other film quite like it.

Mick

NO

FUCKING

WAY!!!!

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!

THE VERSION OF LE SAMOURAI THAT I DOWNLOADED HAS NO SUBTITLES!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eeeeeh, whatiesamatter ???
Can't you speak French?

Then go learn it!!!

I guess that's where knowing another language would come in handy...

Oh man I feel like I'm gonna cry. This is just terrible.

Well, considering there's no dialogue for a while into the film, how'd you like the opening? Although I guess you didn't get to read the opening quote, without the subtitles.

I loved the opening. No words. The part where he went into the garage was masterfully done.

I could tell it was gonna be a great movie just from that. Then he went into that girl's apartment and started talking and no words appeared on the screen. So sad.

Dead Man (1995) ****
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Back home, no one seems to care about accountant William Blake; but in the wild west, he is wanted for dead.

Excellent film! Col. Depp is great as always, and this time he's brought an over-weight Native American lad named "Nobody" with him! Jarmusch seems to recreate the feeling of an old smoothly put together Spaghetti-Western film, while bringing new ideas to the table. Leone himself would be proud... And what better sets the tone of the old Leone western's than a beautiful score? The score is excellent as well. Just an overall great film.


The Cooler (2003) **1/2
Director: Wayne Kramer
When the unluckiest man in Vegas falls in love with a casino-beauty, problems arise with his mob friends.

Not a bad film; but also not a spectacular film. Overall, it was average. It had its moments, and some great acting. The story was good too... So were the camera tricks and special effects (the coolest would probably be an X-ray of a hand as the casino-regulated dice were switched with cheater's dice in the palm of a hand). But I also felt it was a tiny bit corny at times (the most obvious being the random saves-the-day moment at the end... I won't give too much away). Anyways, this still isn't a bad film. It's a nice film to catch, I just wouldn't put it at the top of any must-see lists.

That's what you get for not going to Ballbuster or Hollywood Video.

STAR WARS: RRA's Scorecard

EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE - *1/2 out of 5
EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES - **/5
EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH - **1/2 out of 5
EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE - Masterpiece - *****/5
EPISODE V: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - Masterpiece - *****/5
EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI - ***/5

Episode I: *1/2
Episode II: *1/2
Episode III: **1/2
Episode IV: ***1/2
Episode V: ****
Episode VI: ***

How anyone could like Sith best is beyond me.

WOW!!! I'm SOOOOOOO glad I can agree with you for once, Irish!!!

Glad you liked Dead Man LLC.

I finally got to see the remake of "The Longest Yard". It fell short of the original on almost every count and considering that it was almost a verbatim copy of the original thats saying a lot.

I was disappointed by Adam Sandler's portrayal (probably the only time I can say that of ANY of his movies). It notably lacked Burt Reynolds' "who gives a shit" attitude in the original (but then again, Reynolds portrayal of Nate Scarborough lacked Michael Conrad's wonderful character acting done in the original).

The original had an "edge" which was missing in this new version.

Andrey Rublyov (Andrei Rublev)
1966, Tarkovsky, USSR 1st time
In 15th Century Russia, an icon painter struggles to come to terms with the horrors he witnesses at the hands of the Tartar invaders.
A magnificent account of both a character and a time; the period setting goes hand in hand with the beautiful photography, while Tarkovsky's visionary, distinct style never fails to impress, engage or fascinate.

Mick

Yeah, it was great... I just had to wait a week to get it, because when I had showed up the week of your review, some other-guy had it out. Same thing happened with me when I wanted to see Ed Wood... And, now that I think of it, Fear and Loathing, too. That's rather odd...

It was worth the wait though. Best movie I've seen in a while.