Movie Talk - What do you like?
 

Okay, aspiring filmmakers...

What recent (or old) film have you seen that you
loved? What exactly did you like about it, in terms of the art of filmmaking? -doug

Hi

A couple of things I like to see in movies. Please I have a very narrow band of movies I like and I don't think any of them would be regarded as great movies.

a) Must have a "real story line" what I mean by that is what I see must be realisable. One man beating up 20 fully armed baddies whilst not even raising a sweat does not work for me. I am a sucker for a true story, especially one that illustrates truimph over adversity.

b) I do not like rapid image changes, often found in the action films. I like my eye to feed on the material being presented.

c) I like movies set in the country. Love those big panorama shots.

d) Hate movies set at night where the image is so dark you might as well listen to the sound track only.

e) Hate gorgious 18 year old blondes with multiple degrees in chemistry / physics etc who with the aid of a laptop are in the position to destroy the world.

f) Not a big lover of movies where every second word is the "F" word. I read a quote some time ago which said "Swearing is the crutch of the conversational cripple" and in context of some scripts I think this is true.


Cheers
Andrew

anderw, on point f? I read the following...
Cursing is a failed attempt by a weak mind to express itself forcefully. Damn that's a good one,:).

I like a variety of movies, from scfi to shot on dv character based stories. As long as it's well done. Still, I have a preference for well shot movies accompanied by great sound. More often than not, a DOP makes or breaks a movie. Think films like 'Cider House rules' and others for their lush cinematography.

On the other hand, I finally got to watch 'Wonderland' last night on cable. Compelling story and outstanding performances. Shot on DV with a grainy degraded look that served the picture well.

Excellent example of a shot on DV feature that didn't worry about the 'film look'. The director just concentrated on making a great movie. Great sound helped a lot too.

i recently saw Panic Room by david fincher...Thought that was a pretty movie.

I admired the fact that the whole movie took place in one confined setting..
(inside a house) yet, the cinematoghraphy was beautiful. It just shows that
david fincher can make anything look pretty on screen.

-BTW the story was good as well.

* * SEVEN SAMURAI * *
 

Just saw Kurasowa's "Seven Samurai"...

The story elements, i.e. a small nothing village against maurauding bandits. Humanity. Humor. People with flaws. Life and Death. This film deals with it all. A very intelligent provocative film.

Also saw, "Bar Fly" Excellent acting and character work. Superb script. A very humorous film with a deep under current of subtext. Dark, philisophical, with a lot of humours. Charles Bukowski.

I am in league with a film that provokes me with characters that round out of the realities created in the texts/films. Films that require you to experience the people living in these worlds. With humor thrown in.

Cheers!

Derrick

<<I am in league with a film that provokes me with characters that round out of the realities created in the texts/films. Films that require you to experience the people living in these worlds. With humor thrown in. >>

Right,,,,,have you ever seen "Amelie" by Jean-Pierre Jeunet....great movie..not to mention the vibrant image the film provides..one of the prettiest films ive seen...this is a great example of what LHORZON mentioned above..

I haven't seen that film, but I've heard it mentioned quite a bit.

I'm chalking it up to a top see...

Thanks for the recommendation....

Cheers!

>>you ever seen "Amelie" by Jean-Pierre Jeunet<<
Yes, I love it, I even bought the DVD.
It's also a great example of CGI done in service to a character/narrative based story. If you get a chance, go through all the Directors commentarys about how he made the film. Says he is now a digital convert. He was able to exercise a freedom he never had with just film.

Amelie had very nice cinematography... but also Cider House
Rules, Band of Brothers, O Brother Where Art Thou, Se7en,
Pearl Harbour (very nicely shot - although you might dislike the
story/movie).

I truly disliked Panic Room. Although there was some really
nice cinematography and camera setups used, I really disliked
large proportions of the story. The most notable being the
burglers saying that why didn't they think of busting up all
the cameras (which was the FIRST thing that entered my mind
when I saw the very first camera. Especially when the burglers
got into the house).... not to mention a whole lot of other
things that were just too anoying.

That is, ofcourse, just my opinion though...

I'm on a Wes Anderson kick these days. "Bottle Rocket" (the reshot version) and "Rushmore" are incredible entry films. Hard to believe he was a rookie when he made them. Hats off to Owen Wilson, too...not just for his performance, but also for co-authoring the screenplays.

Plus...doesn't hurt that they hail from Texas.

If the story is good, I can watch anything and enjoy it without worrying about picture quality, sound, etc. Wouldn't probably even notice it.
Maybe I have too much imagination, but very often me and the movie are one. Some kind of zen thing...
But sometimes the movies are just too stupid for that to happen, as with Armageddon.
I really hate it if I can't watch movies in peace at home. If I can't have complete silence not to spoil the atmosphere, I prefer not to watch.

I like Wes Anderson..

Meet the Tanenbuams was a brilliant movie IMO one of his best.

I enjoy movies who can paint a visual picture as well as a good story..
I tend to be a big fan of Stanley Kubrick due to his beautiful camera action
and intense visual portraits. To me thats an important element..After all it
is a "motion picture" and just becuse it moves doesnt meen you must should
ignore the properties of traditional photography. Ive noticed alot of
directors dont pass much attention in that direction or atleast apply
creativity to it as well as the story.

Anyone into Darren Aronofsky?

Darren Aronofsky...

When I first saw PI, I was literally blow away. I also was suffering from dimensia. The film experience was unlike any other. The soundtrack in techno overdrive was excellent. Black and white... Sensorily I could have, after walking out of the theatre, been hit by a passing taxi. Overloaded...

I need to condition myself before watching another like PI. A couple of beers and a motion sickness pill to boot.

This is not negative... I enjoyed the film...

Cheers!

Derrick

I've been overdosing on films recently because of the Vancouver International Film Festival. Usually, I write up a review on keithloh.com but I've seen so many I haven't had time. So I will quickly jot down my opinions.

Takeshi Kitano's DOLLS - Slow moving but beautifully shot story of three couples (whose stories weave together) whose relationships come unravelled and then spend the rest of the movie coming together again. Kitano is known more for his Yakuza (gangster) stories and indeed there is a Yakuza story in the middle of this one. Some brilliant use of colour and loooong wide shots. Typical Dolls shot: a park waterfront framed perfectly horizontally. After ten seconds the tiny couple shuffle onto the edge of the screen and the cameras stays on them until they exit to the left. I admired it more for its look than its content, which was predictable.

The RUSSIAN ARK - I wrote about this in another thread here. An awesome spectacle. Not just a tremendous technical feat (89 minute steadicam shot), but actually a meaningful, powerful way of showing history. It's all about continuity since the camera never stops. From room to room the history of Russia spills out, is interrogated by the narrator (the director Sokurov) and the primary character: a European aristocrat who criticizes Russian culture to begin with but then seems to be won over. The amazing final sequence where the camera is sucked into a grand ball of officers, gentry, ladies and a full orchestra is a wondrous achievement of cinematography. A dream of a film.

COME DRINK WITH ME is a rereleased and restored Shaw Bros' martial arts adventure starring Chang Pei Pei in her youth (she was the old witch character Jade Fox in CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON). She is a mysterious agent of a governor who comes to a small town seeking to rescue another agent from the clutches of an evil gang. A totally enjoyable martial arts comedy-action film in the same vein of humour as Sergio Leone's Man With No Name westerns. Lots of posturing, one-liners and comic action. The martial arts isn't to today's standards but it is pretty fluid and inventive. If this shows up in your city drag all your friends to see it. It's very fun.

CIDADE DE DEUS ("City of God"). This is a stunning crime epic from Brazil that will be a Miramax release soon. The best film I've seen at the film festival. Covering three decades in the lives of gun-happy youths in the slums surrounding Rio, it is one of the most vibrant films I've seen recently. This is a film filled with at least a dozen interweaving stories and memorable characters (most of whom you know early on will end up at the sharp end of a bullet). People who don't see films coming out of Latin America such as Amores Perros and Y Tu Mama Tambien are really missing out on some of the most energetic cinema today. CITY OF GOD combines manic action with gritty cinematography that doesn't stop. If I had the time I would have caught the second showing; it was that enjoyable.

<<<-- Originally posted by Andrew Leigh : Hi

<<--
b) I do not like rapid image changes, often found in the action films. I like my eye to feed on the material being presented.
-->>

I don't mind this when it has a logic to it. For example, showing the rapid reaction shots of people to a central shot. Or to build up rhythm. However, some productions seem to just use jump cutting and insets for no reason. Every Bruckheimer production seems to be shot with multiple cameras and then put together willy nilly in the editing room.

<<--
c) I like movies set in the country. Love those big panorama shots.
-->>

Indeed. One of my favourite movies of all time is DAYS OF HEAVEN.

<<--
d) Hate movies set at night where the image is so dark you might as well listen to the sound track only.
-->>

Especially when many theatres underlight their projectors!

<<--
f) Not a big lover of movies where every second word is the "F" word. I read a quote some time ago which said "Swearing is the crutch of the conversational cripple" and in context of some scripts I think this is true.
-->>

The language of the characters has to fit the environment. You wouldn't expect rappers on the street to speak like genteel aristocrats, nor should you expect southern matrons to mouth off like they were longshoremen. It has to be REAL. Strive for authenticity.

<<The language of the characters has to fit the environment. You wouldn't expect rappers on the street to speak like genteel aristocrats, nor should you expect southern matrons to mouth off like they were longshoremen. It has to be REAL. Strive for authenticity.>>

I agree....I can think of plenty of films in which cursing seemed so nessesary.
Especially when a true story is begin told..its deemed part of a characters
persona.

Volcano High
 

I should add that this was probably the most crowd-pleasing movie I saw at the VIFF. It's about martial arts fantasy set in a modern Korean high school where different teams (judo club, wrestling club, kendo club, etc.) are trying to gain supremacy by finding a sacred text. Even the teachers are conspiring to find this device. A misfit who has been kicked out of many schools arrives and tries to resist being recruited by any side (but of course has to stand up for himself by the end of the movie). This movie has really good Matrix-style effects and fun action. It's probably one of the most entertaining films I've seen this year as far as popcorn fluff goes. Better than Shaolin Soccer because it is better paced.

I only own a handful of DVD's, so I guess they qualify as a few of my fav's, in no particular order and by no means all inclusive:

1. Patton
2. Hoosiers
3. Roller Ball ( the James Caan version, of course )
4. Mulholland Drive
5. Amadeous
6. The Deer Hunter
7. Apocalypse Now, Redux
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
9. Traffic

Also, Local Hero, which I don't own, to make it an even 10. Francis Ford Coppola is my favorite director, his storytelling method seems very objective.

oh, let me just throw in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall". When he sneezed on that stash of cocaine I fell on the floor laughing!

I guess instead of just my favorite movies it be easier to list
my favorite directors. This is not inclusive, but their body of work
is awesome.
The list is alphabetical, not by favorite

Almodovar
Altman
Bunell
Cassavettes
Figis
Goddard
Kubrick
Kurosawa
Several modern japanese directors whos spelling escapes me at the moment.
Truffault


Okay, Pedro Almodovar (Tie me up, Tie me down, things about my mother) is my favorite. I love his compassion for the disaffected and fringe of society. His absurdist but gentle humor and the dignity he gives these people. He also has a deep love of women.
A man after my own heart. And he's self taught too. Thanks to him I have gotten to watch Victoria Abril many a time.


DVD watch........
If you can get you hands on a grey market DVD import called Avalon, by all means rent or buy it. It should be available through
better anime shops around the country.

Its a Japanese/Polish scifi production that has brilliant cinematography and use of color. The script is about people getting caught up in an addictive VR game, but unlike some of the crappy stuff using that premise over here in the USA, the execution is superb and compelling. The CGI is minimalist, but very effective.

One of the best low budget SciFI pictures around, even for those who don't like SciFI.

For anyone who has seen it, I would love to discuss the picture with them, especially the influences I saw from different films in different genres.

Joe Carney

Avalon
 

Avalon was all right. As you said, the integration of the 3D and the live action was good and the entire look of the film was very nice. However, the story itself was rather shallow and nothing new. I enjoyed how the look changed when she finally got to the place she was looking for but the ending left much to be desired.

Very nice music.

The director of Avalon was Katsuhiro Otomo, better known for being the creator of Akira (as well as numerous manga).

I agree with you on the ending, sort of a let down, but felt the story was deeper than it at first seemed. but as I (and you) said, I really liked how the movie was put together. Good example of technique and minimalist use of color. A good film for study for the pacing and cinemtagraphy. Just my opinion though.

Wasn't Otomo involved with Princess Monoke?

p.s I just got the gray market import of Spirited Away. Gonna view it this weekend.

I don't believe Otomo was involved in Mononoke Hime; that's a Studio Ghibli movie under the helm of Miyazaki.

Spirited Away is a very good movie. I will probably take my friend's children to it this weekend to see how the dubbing is. I've heard it was quite decent and matches the original cast's voices.

Because I saw Dolls last week I became more interested in Joe Hishaishi's music and downloaded a number of MP3s from his work on Miyazaki's films. Listening to the sad but grandiose theme to Mononoke Hime I couldn't help but be moved. Of course, I can't get the theme from My Neighbour Totoro out of my head.

Here's a random one: Peter Jackson, director of Fellowship of the Rings, had several movies under his belt that are less well known. One is "Bad Taste." Anyone seen it? It's so great.

>>I don't believe Otomo was involved in Mononoke Hime; that's a Studio Ghibli movie under the helm of Miyazaki.<<
Thanks for setting that straight.

Do I sense a fellow OTAKU? I'm not quite that rabid, but I have about 200 VHS and DVDs of anime, of all types (yes I mean all types). Don't dress up though. thats a bit much even for me.

I've watched Ghost in the Shell at least 20 times. Princess Monoke at least 5 times. Have the Akira special version released last year.

I'm more into the way far out stuff. thinking about picking up the Pat Labor series after watching it on the Action Network.

John, you're the fourth person who said I should check out "Bad Taste." He also did Dead Alive, with that classic line
from the karate Preacher...'I kick Ass for the Lord'.
One of the funniest, goriest so called 'Horror' films I've ever watched.

<<<-- Originally posted by Josh Bass : Here's a random one: Peter Jackson, director of Fellowship of the Rings, had several movies under his belt that are less well known. One is "Bad Taste." Anyone seen it? It's so great. -->>>

Not yet, but I was a big fan of DEAD ALIVE (Braindead) years before I knew he was given the chance to do the LORD OF THE RINGS. I'm also one of the few people who liked that Michael J. Fox Horror comedy picture he filmed in New Zealand.

Do I sense a fellow OTAKU? I'm not quite that rabid, but I have about 200 VHS and DVDs of anime, of all types (yes I mean all types). Don't dress up though. thats a bit much even for me.
. -->>>

I'm not that rabid. In fact, aside from MEMORIES and MONONOKE HIME, the COWBOY BEBOP DVDs are the only anime I own. I do *see* a lot of anime, however, because I enjoy it and my roommate has lots. He's into a lot crazier stuff than I am including Ranma and FLCL.

He also did Heavenly Creatures, which I remember was pretty cool. Also, one of his oldies: "Meet the Feebles." It's a demented movie that uses all muppets, I believe. I don't remember what it was about, just that I thought it mostly sucked and there was a panty-sniffing elephant.

MM.. favourite movies/directors...

Junet (Amelie, City of lost children, Delikatessen, Aliens 4) - Superb cinematographer with a very wicked story twist. Funny thing is that when you see interviews with him, he looks and sound absolutely normal. Not what you would expect from someone dishing out such weird movies. =)

Ridley Scott (i think you all know what he's done). - Very beautiful cinematography in most of his movies. And a good storyteller. Allthough not always working with the best of scripts.

Akira Kurosawa - The master, what can i say. He almost (re)wrote the book on dramatic storytelling. Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Ran, Yojimbo, Sanjuro. All schoolbook examples of how to tell a compelling and action packed story.

Spielberg - Like R. Scott not always working with the best of scripts. But have yet to release an ugly looking picture imho.

Peter Jackson - Very interesting director. And although Bad Tase & Braindead isn't his best work they are sure funny. But imho the one that sticks out the most is Heavenly Creatures which shows that he could do things other than splatter movies. And it is definately evident in the LOTR movies.

Sondenberg - Although scorned at on other threads here for his work on Full Frontal, he has released some very good and interesting movies.

Well, those are a few. For me, going to the movies can be hazardous. If the story is thin and uninteresting i sit through the movie watching for technical stuff. One little tip though (since im sure many here have the professional "handicap" of automatically watch a movie for errors and such); always try to find one good thing and one bad thing whenever you watch a movie. Do not just look for errors and errors since if you "program" yourself on errors, you will be more prone to make them than make something good. So make sure you also find good things that were well made in the movie. It helps immensly.

But lastly, if the movie has a compelling story and its well told... i can go through a entire movie without seeing one glitch (no matter how many there were :).

/Henrik

* * TRUFFAUT * *
 

I think someone mentioned Truffaut. An excellent director that deals with provocative subject matter.

The "400 Blows" is an excellent film. I love the ambiguous ending... If you have a chance, check it out.

Cheers!

<<Sondenberg - Although scorned at on other threads here for his work on Full Frontal, he has released some very good and interesting movies. >>

This i dont understand...90 percent of the people i talked to disliked the movie......

i for one loved this movie...one of the best i movies ive seen this year...
i didnt take the low quality DV footage into consideration for criticsism.
it seemed like that was done intentionly.

Soderberg was being villified by the nastier than thou part of the independent film community, even before the film was actually released.
At first I was skeptical about his motives, but after reading several articles and reivews by people who didn't have an axe to grind I changed my opinion.

I've read some excellent articles in Moviemaker, FilmMaker magazines about the process of making the film. It was pretty cool and very informative for those interested in learning how to deal with video to film issues. One very important one was how they handled the audio for conversion from PAL to NTSC.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but will when it comes out on DVD.

<<<-- Originally posted by DocuWild : MM.. favourite movies/directors...
Akira Kurosawa - The master, what can i say. He almost (re)wrote the book on dramatic storytelling. Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Ran, Yojimbo, Sanjuro. All schoolbook examples of how to tell a compelling and action packed story.
/Henrik -->>>

My favourite director of all time. Not only did he direct lavish samurai pictures such as the ones you mentioned but he also directed some of the best pictures set in the post-war Japanese period. IKURU is one of the finest movies ever made and really one of the most meaningful films to me. It's always a toss up to me which is the best picture, RASHOMON or IKURU.

STRAY DOG is the prototypical older cop - younger cop detective story. You can still see its immense influence in modern films such as SE7EN.

DRUNKEN ANGEL, Toshiro Mifiune's first film for Kurosawa, is one of the first where Kurosawa showed to the world the use of naturalistic acting styles in his cast but set in a (then) modern setting. It has one of the great end shots of any film.

HIGH AND LOW is another excellent crime film but with a powerful social dynamic (as does STRAY DOG) emphasizing the gap between the rich and the poor and how that creates the motivations for a kidnapping.

For the record, Re: Sondenberg & Full Frontal, i did like that movie too :) I was just refering to the bashing he recieved in a few posts earlier, claiming it gave DV a bad rep.

And i love the notion that someone connected to the big money league in Sillywood still have the guts to experiment.

And Keith, thanx for giving me some more Kurosawa dvd's to hunt =)

/Henrik

Akira live action
 

<<<-- Originally posted by jojolimited : >>
I've watched Ghost in the Shell at least 20 times. Princess Monoke at least 5 times. Have the Akira special version released last year.

I'm more into the way far out stuff. thinking about picking up the Pat Labor series after watching it on the Action Network. -->>>

Darkhorizons.net has this bit of news today:
Akira: Variety reports that Warner Bros. will produce a live-action English-language remake of the Japanese 1988 anime classic feature. Director Stephen Norrington ("Blade", "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") will reteam with "League" screenwriter James Robinson to pen the script whilst Jon Peters will produce. This remake will follow the original story of a futuristic motorbike gang leader who must rescue his younger brother from his involvement in a secret government project. Thanks to 'FanHalen'.

I just showed Kurosawa's "Ran" to my World Civ class. They were blown away by it. The class covers history to about 1700 and we discuss things like feudalism, war, gender relations, and loyalty, among other themes.

Few of my students had seen any Japanese films before and none had seen Kurosawa, although they were familiar with some of the western versions of his classic works. Just this one film awakened many of them to the possibilities outside of the dreck they normally pay for.

Sandy

* * EXCELLENT * *
 

I heard 'RAN' is fantastic... I'm going to get it this weekend...

TID-BIT: From what I remember, I think it is based on Shakespeare's 'King Lear'.

Cheers!

Don't buy the Fox Loeber DVD of RAN
 

If you are buying the DVD do not buy the Fox Loeber DVD that has been out for awhile and was recently reissued (spotted new copies on the shelves last month). I own it and it is not a good transfer. The problem is that it is not anamorphic and the transfer is quite grainy. It's suitable for a small screen and I never had trouble watching it on a normal sized TV or computer screen. However, when my roomie ponied up for a projector screen nearly half of our respective DVD collections were suddenly too awful to see when blown up on our wall. The Fox Loeber Ran included.

There is a new version out in limited edition on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000065BW7/ref=cm_custrec_gl_rec/103-0953112-1409420

However, it's too much and too much that I don't want. I just want a good transfer of the film onto DVD. This one is a hi-def transfer. Once they put it out as a single DVD it will be mine.

Re: * * EXCELLENT * *
 

<<<-- Originally posted by LHORIZON :
TID-BIT: From what I remember, I think it is based on Shakespeare's 'King Lear'.
Cheers! -->>>

The story structure is King Lear with the daughters instead turned into sons. However, there is also a healthy influence of Macbeth, particularly Lady Macbeth's character.

Thanks for the link...

Nice Collectors Edition... I'll probably rent it from a local place, rather than buy... Your right about the number of ducats they want for it.... Jeez... I could buy the rain cover that I want for my XL1S for that price...

Cheers!