What DVD / Video did you watch last night ?

[kyser_soze]

depending on your ability to suspend disbelief at all of the "coincidences" that occurred.

I'm currently reading a Chuck Pahlaniuk book called 'True Stories' and some of the utterly bizarre coincidences and chain's of events e relates that ACTUALLY HAPPENED make the coincidences in Crash look everyday.

I read a fair bit of non-fiction about cause/effect and event chains and stuff and there's shit that happens IRL that, if scritped in a movie, wouldn't even make it past the first rewrite, let alone to screen, as being too contrived.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I watched this the other night and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would, given what I knew about it and what I had heard.

I thought the first half was a little heavy-handed:

"Yes I get it. Everyones a racist now stop beating me round the head with it"

But after it settled down I thought it wrapped itself up fairly strongly - depending on your ability to suspend disbelief at all of the "coincidences" that occurred.

A tentative thumbs up I guess....

I concur pretty strongly with this analysis. First half had the subtlety of an Oliver Stone film on steroids. Second half I warmed to it a lot more and ended up thinking it wasn't too bad.

First half i had the recurring thought that it should be renamed "Crash Bang Wallop"...

 

[butchersapron]

I picked up a 4 film Coen Bros box set - Big Lebowski, Hudsucker, Blood Simple and Barton Fink.

Even the romcom with CZJD & Clooney was too bad, not a patch on previous films but still, but I think they're genii and I'm gutted it took me such a long time to start watching their films.

All the shit one's then.

 

[kyser_soze]

Grrr *Shakes fist @ BA*

I can understand Hudsucker, but BL and Blood Simple?

 

[butchersapron]

Grrr *Shakes fist @ BA*

I can understand Hudsucker, but BL and Blood Simple?

Actually BL is a great film - but i get the feeling it's been chucked in to sell the other crap.

 

[Dubversion]

Actually BL is a great film - but i get the feeling it's been chucked in to sell the other crap.

muppet

 

[belboid]

Blood Simple is also, well very very clever anyway.....

 

[butchersapron]

muppet

I think i've ODed on the coens - now they just leave me recognising the artfullnes of what they do, but not really liking it anymore - or the intellect behind them. I think Wes Anderson does something similiar to what they do but in a far more warm and human way.

 

[The Groke]

I concur pretty strongly with this analysis. First half had the subtlety of an Oliver Stone film on steroids. Second half I warmed to it a lot more and ended up thinking it wasn't too bad.

First half i had the recurring thought that it should be renamed "Crash Bang Wallop"...

Then it is settled.



Anyone got any objections?

 

[kyser_soze]

I think i've ODed on the coens - now they just leave me recognising the artfullnes of what they do, but not really liking it anymore - or the intellect behind them. I think Wes Anderson does something similiar to what they do but in a far more warm and human way.

Now, y'see I find Wes Anderson really...dry? Funny but in a dull way? Can't put my finger on it, but I find the Coen pix to be a lot more satisfying.

Horses for courses tho innit? As filmmakers they are among the best in US cinema...or were anyway.

 

[belboid]

I picked up a 4 film Coen Bros box set - Big Lebowski, Hudsucker, Blood Simple and Barton Fink.

cool - just picked this up meself now. Less than the bloomin' Punk:Attitude dvd, tho I think that that's what I'll be watching tonight.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Now, y'see I find Wes Anderson really...dry? Funny but in a dull way? Can't put my finger on it, but I find the Coen pix to be a lot more satisfying.

Horses for courses tho innit? As filmmakers they are among the best in US cinema...or were anyway.

You see, I prefer Anderson's films. Particularly the Life Aquatic, although I was less keen on Royal Tenenbaums.

Best filmmakers in US cinema - the ones I look out for are: Peter Weir, Christopher Nolan, Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton, David Fincher

Might not always make great films, but will always interest me just to see what their latest effort is like.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Should add Jim Jarmusch to that list too...

 

[kyser_soze]

Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton,

I often feel like thse guys are honourary Brits for some reason...

Seeing Fincher's name reminded me of watching Fight Club over the weekend and being stoned enough to start an internal dialogue about the hyperreal look of the film and how it should be used more often...AND I had NO IDEA he directed Paula Abduls early pop vids...and that he was assistant camera on the minatures unit on ROTJ...blimey, I *heart* imdb

 

[Poi E]

Terry Gilliam is a Brit, isn't he? Nolan is one too, Weir is an Aussie.

googled, apparently Gilliam is not, but has taken Brit citizenship. Oops!

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Terry Gilliam is a Brit, isn't he? Nolan is one too, Weir is an Aussie.

googled, apparently Gilliam is not, but has taken Brit citizenship. Oops!

Fair dos... I was thinking about people working in Hollywood, but making films that were more interesting than average, regardless of nationality...

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I often feel like thse guys are honourary Brits for some reason...

Seeing Fincher's name reminded me of watching Fight Club over the weekend and being stoned enough to start an internal dialogue about the hyperreal look of the film and how it should be used more often...AND I had NO IDEA he directed Paula Abduls early pop vids...and that he was assistant camera on the minatures unit on ROTJ...blimey, I *heart* imdb

Yeah, i love the look of Fincher's films. And Nolan's too, they seem quite similar directors. Some bits from batman Begins looked like they were guest-directed by Fincher...

 

[belboid]

Fair dos... I was thinking about people working in Hollywood, but making films that were more interesting than average, regardless of nationality...

but he isn't anyway - he's a goddamned yankee!

well.....born in Minneapolis, lived there till adulthood, did take out british citizenship in the eighties (I think it was)

 

[Poi E]

Fair dos... I was thinking about people working in Hollywood, but making films that were more interesting than average, regardless of nationality...

Sure, I was responding to kyser really...and incorrectly Interesting how outsiders are doing some of the best stuff in Hollywood.

 

[Bajie]

Watched a Japanese film called "Casshern" (made in 2004) this evening, very long, extremely beautiful and made no sense what so ever until the last 20 minutes........ then the whole film fell into place, its was one of those "ahhh so now I understand!" moments, lol, I think I will need to watch it agine some time soon.

In fact in terms of cinematography, plot and drama this is the best film I have seen in a long time, the only let down was that the subtitles where sometimes hard to read.(white text + sometimes white background)

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

i heard it was a little hard to understand with out knowing about the original anime and the genral translation was a tad dubious but i'm glad to hear it wasn't as bad as the rumours

 

[java1200]

American Splendor.

 

[Bajie]

i heard it was a little hard to understand with out knowing about the original anime and the genral translation was a tad dubious but i'm glad to hear it wasn't as bad as the rumours

I would agree with that, seeing the orginal Anime before hand would have made it seem a lot more familar, I havent though and in a way it is good to see it without any prior knowledge as it where, but I think 1 viewing is not enough as it was pretty puzzling for most of the film without having prior knowledge, and not until the very end does it make sense.

 

[Bajie]

BTW Shippou, I have been trying to get the name of a Japanese animation I saw whilst in America, it was about 3 homeless people (a middle aged man, a tranvestite and a young girl) who find a baby, pretty distinictive film but I can not remember much more about it apart from that, made fairly recenly I think and a very moving film. Any ideas?

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

could it possibly be Tokyo Godfathers

 

[Bajie]

yes! that's the one, thanks.

 

[purves grundy]

Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys

enjoyed that

 

[butchersapron]

Watched an aussie film called The Rage in Placid Lake - a bit like Rushmore and other films about quirky kids not fitting in. Very funny first hour but seemed to bottle it at the end and went all teen-soap.

 

[Andy the Don]

Downfall - absolutely horrific, I still wonder how the Germans, a race who gave us Luther, Beethoven & Goethe could have been taken in by Hitler. It showed that even right up to end the German people & high command were devoted to the man & still expecting him to lead them to the final victory as the Soviet tanks were rolling down the Liedensplein.

 

[passenger]

*The Machinest* never herd of it before, but what a film it sorter of answerd

some very deep questions for me, it was just like yeah at the end.. can`t say

how much i liked it, might even do a dylexic blog on it if your lucky


or am i just wierd