Red Dawn ** 1/2

I had previously read about what this movie was about but never found the time to watch it. I'm glad I did last night because it was surprisingly enjoyable. A stellar cast with Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey and Powers Boothe

I12, I saw that movie when it first came out on video. I can't say I remember it real well, but I too thought it was pretty good.


TIS

If you can, I would give it another view

Psycho
1960; Hitchcock

I suprisingly enjoyed this a lot considering my general dislike of older films. I really liked the minimalist approach Hitchcock took, with the sets, the music, and the cast. I didn't quite understand why everyone liked Hitchcock so much after seeing my first film of his, Vertigo, but this makes me understand his impact a little more.

Ultimately though, I still get the nagging sensation saying that despite the fact that this is a solidly made and interesting film to watch, what the hell justifies it as one of the top 20 or 30 movies of all time? I just don't get it.

4/5 Stars

I was like that too but over the last year or 2 I've enjoyed black and white movies more. I don't know, maybe I'm just spoiled with color But I did love Psycho. Easily my favorite Hitchcock film

You used to give a split weighted rating out of ten, right? Or am I confusing with someone else?

Correct. I used to do a system with 5 different aspects of the film, each ranked on a different point scale according to how I felt their importance played into the film.

Ultimately, I ended up avoiding posting reviews just because they became so daunting and time-consuming. I held off for a while and now I just try to stay short and sweet.

I was like that too but over the last year or 2 I've enjoyed black and white movies more. I don't know, maybe I'm just spoiled with color But I did love Psycho. Easily my favorite Hitchcock film [/b][/quote]It actually has very little to do with the black and white. (I count Raging Bull and The Man Who Wasn't There as two of my favorite films, both B+W). It's more like I feel as though older films come off as fake and stiff, too conservative, not risk-taking or very interesting. Most of the time.

I have found a few notable exceptions, mainly Kubrick films, but my general rule is that I'm probably not going to like most anything made before 1970.

I liked Psycho, but still got that "contrived" feeling a little bit.

Most of cinema masterpieces are older movies, Mista. I'm sure you'll change your mind when you get older.

well, it simply is a masterpiece, at least in the thriller genre, and very "modern" even if it was shot in 1960. The shower scene, for instance, is an absolute cult. The music score. The ending. The darkness. Everything.

Are you kidding? You have a lot to see if you think old films aren't risk-taking. And even for more "conservative" movies, many are still great. You can say The Adventures of Robin Hood or The Public Enemy are "conservative" but they are still great films.

And trust me, there are plenty of innovative films before 1970.

Well, completley generalizing everything and shutting it off isn't going to help.

It's not that I'm shutting them out, it's just that, in my expieriences, I like movies made in the past 15 years more than movies made before 1970, most of the time. I realize this might change in the coming years, but as for right now, I'll stick with the 90's.

I'm actually in the process of challenging myself to make sure every new film I see was made before 1990, just to try to broaden my understanding of classic cinema.

And I forgot to add, another reason that I tend not to like older movies is the relatively basic camera work. I realize that you can't completely blame the filmmakers in most cases considering the technology wasn't available, but I just find films like Magnolia so much more fascinating to watch because of the complicated and flowing camera work. You just don't find this in most classic films.


But, like I said, there are notable exceptions.

I haven't seen many movies from before 1970, but I tend to agree with Mista that from whatever I have seen, I didn't like it that much. There are some exceptions, like 8 1/2. Most of my favorite movies are from 70's. I don't think it is a matter of age, I am nearing 27 and I don't know how much older one has to be to appreciate movies. I think it is a matter of taste.

Mista, here are some films I think you'd like that are made before 1970:

A bout de Souffle (Breathless)
Le Samourai (The Samurai)
2001: A Space Odyssey
Citizen Kane

A bout de souffle is the most innovative of them all. It's really the first film that uses the camera freely instead of using it generically like other filmmakers did at the time.

The New World - (Terrence Malick;2005;USA)
In the early 17th century, John Smith and Pocahontas begin a relationship that is tested by the rivalry between settlers and natives.
I'm glad this surprised me. I was expecting something along the lines of a normal narrative with other great qualities but Malick's direction makes this film feel painfully poetic. Few films remind you how painful something can be when it becomes impossible to have. Farrell, Kilcher, and Bale are all great in their subtle ways. They bleed emotions that fall behind the curtain every now and then rather then in-your-face melodrama. In the wrong hands this could've felt like Titanic, but Malick and the actors make this romance beautiful and few films really kill you emotionally like this. The cinematography is amazing. Malick's choice to use natural light for most of the film really shows a beauty that feels real.

In some parts I really felt the quote from The Sopranos Tony said about how real life has it's way of picking away at his positive beliefs towards life.

Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail

What can I say? Humor galore! French Knnnniggits, the castle or Argh, the deadly bunny, the knight with no arms or legs, the wooden horse, bring out your dead, brave sir Robin ran away, the blessing, ....

All so great. But so minimalistic. But so funny.

8,5/10

Monty Phyton and the Life of Brian.

Brilliant satire, but anyone feeling offended by this is nuts. Acting is good, the tempo of the story is perhaps a little out of balance. Biggus Dickus is magnificent!

Yep, always look on the bright side.

8,5/10

Raging Bull

Masterpiece. Black and white and blood make a great movie magnificent.

10/10

In the Name of the Father.

Great movie, with great acting. Anyone who cares for a good society should feel angry after this film. At least I did. Very emotional from time to time.

8/10

By the way, here are some other films I've watched over the last several weeks but didn't post due to laziness. If anyone wants any thoughts, just ask.

Brokeback Mountain
Lord of War
Memoirs of a Geisha

Brokeback?

Uh, yeah. Brokeback Mountain.

No, I meant what were your thoughts on it.

Oh. Today I'm being a little jumpy and forgetful.

A decent film at best, but grossly overrated. Sometimes it feels genuine, other times it's melodramatic. I think the gay factor gave it an infallible reason for Hollywood to make as big a deal as it did, like racism for Crash. The music and cinematography are the best features, along with Ledger's performance.

Stray Dog ** 1/2

My first non-samurai Kurosawa film and it was decent. Slow but decent

The Producers **

Will Ferrell was his usual funny self and Uma Thurman and Nathan Lane were very enjoyable. I don't usually like musicals but this was good, although I felt it ran a little too long

The Ringer ** 1/2

Better after a 2nd viewing. Brian Cox can be a really funny guy and I thought he did a good job (as did Knoxville and his gang of friends).

London ***

A surprisingly enjoyable film about a woman named London (Jessica Biel) who's friends are throwing her a going-away bash. Furious over her plans, ex-boyfriend Syd (Chris Evans) crashes the party with his dealer (Jason Stratham) in tow, hoping to stop his ex-love from leaving town. Also nice cameo appearances by Isla Fisher and my boy Dane Cook.

I just re-watched "29th Street" with Danny Aiello and am still amazed at how wonderful this movie is. Its a cross between "Goodfellas" and "Its a Wonderful Life".

Danny Aiello plays the father of a guy that wins the first New York State Lottery and its based on a true story. Aiello is a truly talented actor and this movie will blow you away.

If you've never seen it RENT IT, BUY IT, SEE IT!!!!

I've seen Citizen Kane and 2001, and I consider both to be really good films. But like I said, it's more like I respect the films rather than actually like them, although both need a rewatch.

Le Samourai i've been trying desperately to see but I can't seem to find it.

And Breathless I've only heard mention of here and there. Thanks for the suggestions though.