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Post by twinkle on May 2, 2009 19:29:47 GMT -5
Rachel Getting Marrieda good film, an outrageous acting orgy for the most part. self-indulgent in places and at times fairly standard plot/dialogue expectations realized, the music gets a bit cloying, but still enjoyable to watch. would have appreciated a few longer quiet, contemplative scenes to balance out all the talking/singing/music. the four lead actors definitely ride the film all over & home and make it worthwhile. the type of story John Cassavetes would have made indelible.
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Post by twinkle on May 2, 2009 19:30:57 GMT -5
Let The Right One Inan excellent, well-crafted film, beautifully photographed. the acting by the two young people is extraordinary, the editing is precise & effective, the setting is a natural for this type of story. the violence is somewhat restrained yet powerful when it arrives, mostly by suggestion. some very creepy moments/images. guaranteed to haunt one. maybe just a bit too long for me but little else w/which to find fault (not sure about those CG cats...). unique in all the genre & certainly the most endearing vampire film i've yet seen (and that includes the big romantic one released last year).
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Post by Twitchmonkey on May 2, 2009 22:55:16 GMT -5
I had this one on my Netflix queue, and it magically appeared on my instant play just yesterday. I haven't been able to work through my queue very fast, but I think I'll definitely watch it tonight now.
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Post by Phil on May 5, 2009 15:38:43 GMT -5
the true story of a guy just graduated from college, who is fucked off with the bullshit of society, so decides to leave material posestion, and go backpacking with the ultimate goal of going to alaska to live in the wild tbh, i didnt think this looked that good, or that i would enjoy, but something still compelled me to watch, and im so glad i did. This is an absolutly brilliant film im every aspect. There are a couple of dodgy camera selections which look abit amature, but these are a very minor blip in which is otherwise a triumph. very, very recommended.
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Post by twinkle on May 17, 2009 18:54:53 GMT -5
Star Treka very good, entertaining film. more action-packed and less thoughtful than the original series, still a decent effort at establishing those characters in their places; all the actors do fine jobs inhabiting & expanding roles already formed by others. visually outstanding, at times becoming beautiful, moving abstract art. the sound is also remarkable. would have appreciated more of the Kirk/Spock/McCoy triangular relationship, or at least more Kirk & Spock problem-solving dynamic. a bit of writer's laziness in relying on old catch phrases rather than inventing new, fresh dialogue. also, shocked & disoriented that SPOCK gets more smooches in than does Kirk! the time-travel aspect, though confusing and not entirely satisfying, contains an adroit sidestep away from criticism by diehard fans of the old T.V. show.
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Post by Bigboy on May 26, 2009 18:16:24 GMT -5
Star trek was fantastic. the flashback makes little sense without the 'Countdown' prequel comics (and even then its a little weak) but it just doesn't matter. Fun, dazzling, and the shot in the arm the franchise needed.
Other recent recommendations are The Wrestler (Aronofski can seemingly do no wrong!) and Gran Torino (some aweful acting and why he felt he needed to sing the end theme is beyond me, but a heart twanger all the same. You cant help but love the racist old bastard)
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Post by twinkle on Jun 2, 2009 20:56:11 GMT -5
Johnny Got His Gunan amazing film, unique of all that i've yet seen. more than an "anti-war" film, provokes thoughts on other topics: what constitutes identity (mind/body/face/soul?); father/son relationships; personal reality at odds w/external reality; the purpose of religion. there is no violence, no shocking scenes of grisly carnage, no rhetorical bombast or grandstanding, no heroics save for one thwarted act of compassion. we experience horror via the main character's own as he gradually discovers what's been done to him. the well-crafted story and effective visuals lead us through this young man's grueling struggle. wonder the result were this required viewing in every U.S. high school and by every member of Congress...
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Post by Twitchmonkey on Jun 20, 2009 0:38:21 GMT -5
I have finally caught up to 2002 by renting "May". I figured I would like this one, but it's really fantastic. The only questionable part for me is the ending, kind of conflicted about that, but otherwise it was a flawless film, heh, that's funny to me when considering the film I'm referring to. Lucky McKee also directed the Masters of Horror episode "Sick Girl" (also featuring Angela Bettis) which is another great watch with a questionable ending. Much sadder though, while May is definitely a sad movie, it balances it out with a touch of dark comedy until the climax.
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Post by twinkle on Jun 20, 2009 8:50:14 GMT -5
^ i was surprised by the film May and liked it very much; one of the better recent horror films. as you point out, good mix of chills & chuckles. the ending seemed to fit, however much an alternate was wished for...
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Post by twinkle on Jul 26, 2009 17:23:40 GMT -5
The Wrestlerthis one was OK, very good in places, a bit predictable & unsurprising in others. the acting was good, probably the best aspect of the film, along w/camera work. appreciated the parallel courses of the wrestler & the stripper; too bad they never met. as soon as the story began backsliding i stopped caring about what might happen to the main character, someone depicted as stuck in post-adolescent/middle-aged fantasies rather than someone who might actually grow up after accepting limitations of aging, diseased body. i get that he went the way he wanted but it seems an unadmirable choice in how it was presented, less a choice than "i got nowhere else to go!".
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Post by twinkle on Aug 6, 2009 20:19:42 GMT -5
Coraline/3-D impressive effects/visuals, bursting w/imagination, but the characters lack emotional pull and didn't elicit my sympathy; the film doesn't charm as it seems it should. would see it again; it's dazzling and maybe i'd find a reason to feel more for the protagonist. (the best 3-D effect comes at the very end of the final credits; it is absolutely hallucinatory) saw this again recently and glad i did. very good, much better than thought in my first impression. the initial harshness of the characters (Coraline & her parents) gives way to more compassionate affects after their ordeal, which i suppose is part of the premise...(still, she is too rough on the other kid)
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Post by twinkle on Aug 22, 2009 9:30:02 GMT -5
District 9energetic and thoughtful, lots of violence, a few plotholes, interesting story structure & camera work. wish there had been less of a "docu" feel and more old-fashioned movie making (the latter scenes build more empathy for the characters). wanted more background on the aliens too. definitely worth a look, though i have mixed feelings. (what did the human character hope to accomplish by knocking out his alien friend & taking command of the shuttle craft?)
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knifeplay
Full Member
Gregory Crewdson is god
Posts: 103
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Post by knifeplay on Aug 31, 2009 8:00:45 GMT -5
i didnt like district 9 that much i just watched American Pyscho again this movie is great, if you havent seen it do it also, am i the only one who thinks its a comedy ? also this movie is amazing . so well done and stylistically brilliant 10/10
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Post by twinkle on Sept 12, 2009 11:59:11 GMT -5
The Visitora very good film, fine acting, interesting story, nice all around. Richard Jenkins is excellent, transforming his character from walking wallpaper into a passionate and compassionate man. the film hits all the right notes deftly, w/o sentimentalism, preachiness, or predictability.
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Post by Twitchmonkey on Oct 17, 2009 23:33:41 GMT -5
Paranormal ActivityHas no one else been looking out for this one? I just watched it tonight, and while it wasn't bad, it didn't match my hype. The first 20 minutes was just banter between the two protagonists, well-acted, occasionally funny, but ultimately fluff. The next 40 minutes had the occasional spook, mostly coming in the form of some sort of loud noise, but just as they began to build any tension, they would release it with another banter segment that would just destroy the mood. The last 30 minutes were a great improvement, with the tension finally building, and the final moments are fantastic (with a really top-notch ending). While there are too many areas that need work to highly recommend this one, it's still an alright watch. Oddly enough, despite my relative apathy, some people seemed legitimately freaked out, so maybe it effects people in different ways.
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