That's why I said it wasn't in their league but it was better than say Hellboy, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemenp and I'll even throw in Constantine for ya for free Merry Christmas! :p

Ya laugh it up. Just hope Santa on the big day gives you for a present something that you desperately need.

What is it? Here is a clue: It should be instead of your skull instead of water and sand. :p

P.S. - Oh come on, CONSTANTINE wasn't as bad as HELLBOY or LXG. I mean, thats like comparing Derek Jeter with Alex Gonzalez and Jeff Blauser. Looks like you need your taste buds to be exorcised.

A personal insult to show that I'm "wrong" yet again from Mr. E (Elitist)! And there's nothing wrong with my taste buds brother, just your elitism showing through

Yes, Mr. Elitist will also show you how to punctuate:

"A personal insult to show that I'm "wrong" yet again from Mr. E (Elitist)! And there's nothing wrong with my taste buds brother, just your elitism showing through."

Besides....how am I your brother? I'm not your friend, nor a pal of yours. If you want a brother with the same level as you, go buy a dog.

Alex Gonzalez...ouch.

Ouch indeed, Mr. Andrews.

My scores on such comic flicks discussed earlier:

SIN CITY = ****/5
BATMAN BEGINS = ****1/2 out of 5
CONSTANTINE = ***/5
HELLBOY = **/5
LXG = *1/2 out of 5
FANTASTIC FOUR = BOMB! = */5

That's clear, it's a figure of speech dude. Dito goes for you

Last Days - ****

I went into this thinking that I knew what to expect. I was dead wrong. I'd been advised by Vercetti not to go into it expecting something in the vain of Ray, so I didn't. It still wasn't what I expected. It was more. Much more.

There was very little dialogue in the film, but it wasn't needed. Blake was by himself most of the time, anyway. He mumbles to himself quite a bit, most of it incoherent. He spends much of his time in the woods around his estate.

Also, there isn't much of a plot. This is a film inspired by the last few days of Kurt Cobain's life. It shows him alone, and the few people he actually does associate with use him to their advantage.

I'm not gonna elaborate any more than I already have, because I believe it will spoil it for those who haven't watched it.

I was deeply moved by the film, saddened, and a bit disturbed. I laughed, cringed, and became somewhat angry at the people around Blake. This film evoked a plethora of emotions from me, something that doesn't happen often. A film that can do that, with very little dialogue, with very little hand-holding (as far as the story goes), is a rare film indeed.

I loved it. I wasn't so sure when it started. I didn't really know what to think. I don't know if all of Van Zant's films are like this, but it's made me curious.

It's pretty hard to recommend this film to just anybody, though. I can't really say "lower your expectations", or to even change your expectations. Just go into it with an open mind, I guess.

I'll probably be renting Last Days tonight, if Blockbuster has it.

Glad you liked it XXX.

DEATH TRILOGY: Gerry, Elephany, Last Days

The above are similar in style. I have yet to see the first one. Before it he did mainstream films, although his early career is said to be more off-beat and good than his mainstream films, like Drugstore Cowboy.

I forgot to mention in another thread that I've seen his 1998 nearly shot by shot remake of Pshycho, which I rate no stars. His few changes were interesting but wasn't enough to make anything worthwhile. When Ebert asked him why he made it he said "so no one else could."

Its wonderful that you dug it, xxx. LAST DAYS just kicks ass.

I like that. It more or less sums my memory up of the film, and the same paragraph can be written for any of my favourite films. In the Lost Highway thread I mentioned that that film was a fine example of pure cinema. Last Days is another. And I can't wait to see it again.

Mick

Le Ballon rouge (The Red Balloon)
Albert Lamorisse 1955 France (1st time)
A small school boy living in Belville comes across a red balloon, and all the other kids get jealous.
An absolutely absorbing piece of visual cinema, a short film which has been neglected by DVD distributors and lost to oblivion, like the setting itself, which was demolished in the sixties and rebuilt.

Sur mes lèvres (Read My Lips)
Jacques Audiard 2001 France (1st time; big screen)
A deaf secretary in the property business hires a male ex-con, and gets involved in criminal activity.
The ambiguous plot outline is telling: the director here isn't so much interested in the narrative's crime arc as the central relationship between two very credible characters put in a situation which here never rings true.

Dazed and Confused ** 1/2

The Ref **

Capo, I absolutely loved the Red Baloon. I saw it numerous times as a child, and I just happened to come across it again a few months ago. A really beautiful little piece of work.

Ahhh shit I forgot to rent Last Days. Tomorrow for sure.

40 year old virgin:
The title of the movie gives away the plot. Has a lot of funny moments, but is completely predictable.

Election (1999)



**** 1/2
4.5 Stars

Directed by: Alexander Payne
Main Cast: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein
Nominated for 1 Oscar

Summary: Tracey Flick is running unopposed for this year's high school student council president election. But school civics teacher Jim McAllister has a different plan. Partly to establish a more democratic election, and partly to satisfy some deep personal anger towards Tracey, Jim talks popular varsity football player Paul Metzler to run for president as well.

Review: This is one of those movies that seems to get better everytime I see it. I originally wrote this one off in my adolescent mind as a slightly more mature high school comedy, but it is truly so much more, and I would really hope that others could get past this view.

A great study of not only American high schools, but also America itself and its ways. Beautifully directed by Alexander Payne, who later went onto fame with About Schmidt and Sideways, I still consider this his best work.

You can really see Payne showing not only his techincal prowess but also his creative genius. It was only this time around, probably my 9th or 10th viewing, that I noticed a similarity to Scorsese's style; multiple character narration, creative use of music, freeze frames, etc.

Payne just seems to do everything right here.

Direction – 20/20
Acting – 19/20
Story – 14/15
Rewatchability – 14/15
Music – 9/10
Depth – 5/10
Cinematography – 5/5
Supporting Cast – 5/5
TOTAL = 93%

93% = 4.5/5 Stars

Best Quote: "Larry, we're not electing the fucking Pope here. Just tell me who won."

The Big Lebowski (1998)



*** 1/2
3.5 Stars

Directed by: The Coen Brothers
Main Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore

Summary: Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski is the ultimate LA slacker, until one day his house is broken into and his rug is peed on by two angry gangsters who have mistaken him for Jeffrey Lebowski, the LA millionaire, whose wife owes some bad people some big money. The Dude becomes entangled in the plot when he goes to visit the real Lebowski in order to get some retribution for his soiled rug, and is recruited to be the liason between Lebowski and the captors of his now "kidnapped" wife.

Review: This was my 2nd viewing on this one, and after seeing that it was one of Irishman's favorite movies and kind of recently appreciating the Coen brothers more, I was really looking forward to giving this one a rewatch and seeing if I could alter my lackluster initial opinion of it.

I cannot say that I didn't like it, but for some reason this one just doesn't have the flare to me that some of the Coens other work has. The perfect cast for what's written, and a good storyline, but there seems to be something I can't quite put my finger on. I felt maybe as though they had some underdeveloped characters, with the brief appearances by Jon Polito, John Turturro, and Steve Buscemi stuck in a supporting role. Again, not that Bridges and Goodman weren't great.

Still a very inventive piece, with good humor and quirkiness, and good music, I downloaded the dream song by Bob Dylan, can't stop listening to it. Ultimately, better then O Brother Where Art Thou, Intolerable Creulty, and maybe Barton Fink, but not as good as anything else of the Coen's I've seen. Hopefully their next one is as good as their best stuff.

Direction – 18/20
Acting – 19/20
Story – 13/15
Rewatchability – 11/15
Music – 9/10
Depth – 5/10
Cinematography – 5/5
Supporting Cast – 5/5
TOTAL = 85%

85% = 3.5/5 Stars

Best Quote: "What the fuck are you talking about? The chinaman is not the issue here, dude. I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, dude. Across this line, you DO NOT... Also, dude, chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature. Asian-American, please."

The Elephant Man (1980) - ****
Director: David Lynch
An English doctor brings a physically-deformed John Merrick under his wing
Amazing. My first Lynch movie, and I loved it. The feeling on this one was just so unique. Everything about the way it was acted, shot, written, produced... It just made me feel like I was watching an old movie from the 30s or 40s; and yes, that is a good thing. It helped set the tone to the film. Also, Lynch brings a great message with him, regarding the cruelness of society and about acceptness.


Pink Floyd The Wall (1982) - ***1/2
Director: Alan Parker
A troubled musician looks back on his life as his mental-state deteriorates.
Before I get started, let me say, I am trying my best not to provide any pro-Floyd biasm--and I think I am doing successfully, as I plot out my words in my head. The Wall is my favorite Pink Floyd album, which--for me--beats out Darkside of the Moon by less than a hundreth of a point. The idea to play the album to film is an excellent idea. Parker brings along powerful imagry in which the only means of plot-progression is the brilliant music of Roger Waters. Every shot in this film is an amazing piece of visual art, and is keenly crafted to fit its constant sound-track. The exploration of the main character is well done, a great feat when the fact of it being Roger Water's first attempt at writing a film is brought into consideration. This is a must see for any fans of Pink Floyd, Floydian, or just rock music in general. I highly reccomend it to any movie-buff. This is just a great and highly entertaining film by itself.


-------

There it is. Also, mainly targetted towards DV, who influenced this decision, I will be watching Last Days tonight... I'll try and get a review up within the week.

LLC, may I suggest, on the back of your positive reaction to The Elephant Man, that you watch Werner Herzog's Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle (1974)? Also known as Every Man For Himself and God Against All of Them or The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. Look out for it.

And happy searching for more Lynch films.

Just rented Last Days. Will be watching it tonight.

I'll be sure to check those out.

I'll be sure to get at least one in, if not more, next week, when I return to the store for more movies.

I had extremely high expectations before watching Last Days, and after watching it, I can definitely say the movie exceeded those expectations.

I am fucking blown away by this movie. I recommend to anybody who appreciates true art to see this film. Probably the best of the 2000s so far.

I have truly never seen a film like it. Cinema has been needing a director to bring something new and revolutionary to the table, and I think Van Zant may be that director. I haven't seen any of his other films aside from Good Will Hunting, but Last Days definitely makes me want to.

Last Days - 10/10, ****

It's funny, Last Days has brought out basically every emotion I have. During and after the film I felt angry, frustrated, distrubed, sad, happy, horny, and alone. There has never been a film that has done that to me.

Can anybody explain to me the significance of the gay scene in Last Days?

If it was a straight scene you probably wouldn't be asking that at all, or give it a second guess. Many people forget Gus Van Sant is in fact, gay.

However the sex scene in the film was actually Lukas Haas' idea, who wanted his character to be sexually ambiguous. You can see him talk about it on the DVD. Much of the film was improvised. In fact, the yellow pages salesman was an actual salesman who wandered onto the set trying to sell orders.

I would, actually. The scene seemed random to me. Even if it were a guy-girl sex scene I'd be questioning it.

Didn't take away from the movie though.

Another question: (I know, I'm being annoying...sorry.)

Who wrote the song that Blake sang towards the end, and was that Michael Pitt's real voice? If so, very impressive. That was a great song.

Michael Pitt wrote it before the movie. He has a band called Pagoda, coming out with their first album later this year. They're inspired by the likes of Nirvana, Pixies, Stooges, etc.

You can see the band version and solo here, as well as other songs.

http://winter.reverseproductions.com/pagoda/