Went to see Finding Nemo in 3D because Jeremy never really saw the entire movie. I actually caught some jokes I never noticed before. Like a "shocking" comment when there were talking about living in an anemone.
Also the 3D was fun. That Jellyfish forest. Oh mans. Also the lighting of the sun in the ocean was just done so well. How it constantly moved. It stuff like that, that makes me realize just how great the animators at Pixar are.
Finally saw The Big Lebowski. It seems like I appreciate the Coen Brothers a little more each time I watch one of their movies. Kind of really want to watch Burn After Reading again.
I Just had the opportunity to see a showing of a movie called Lucky about a young boy in South Africa and his experiences after his mother's death.
One of the executive producers was there and he answered some questions anout filming in Africa. He said that they just found a distributor stateside, so it should have a small theatrical run soon.
It was intensely moving, and from what folks who have been there have told me, a fairly accurate look at what things are like In South Africa. I'm having trouble figuring out how to describe it properly, since I don't often watch this kind of drama, but i'd like to encourage others to watch it.
If Drama is your thing and it gets a showing near you i would greatly recommend going to see it. You can catch the trailer here
I saw Finding Nemo the other day. Not in 3D, but on a small TV. I understand why it is popular, as the characters are fun, and there's plenty of adventure, but I think as a movie it's realy weak. I enjoyed the story of Cars much more, and that's saying a lot!
I also just watched Finding Nemo for the first time. I liked the undersea action. Also realized that most PIXAR movies tend to have the same formula. First characters get into some impossible situation where there is certain death/doom with only a very very small chance of escape/rescue. Then they make sure you can see that very small chance, so you don't lose all hope. Then they make that thing happen against all the impossible odds, but not in the way you expect. Then the end.
I also just watched Finding Nemo for the first time. I liked the undersea action. Also realized that most PIXAR movies tend to have the same formula. First characters get into some impossible situation where there is certain death/doom with only a very very small chance of escape/rescue. Then they make sure you can see that very small chance, so you don't lose all hope. Then they make that thing happen against all the impossible odds, but not in the way you expect. Then the end.
Congratulations Scott, you just discovered the formula for every other movie in the history of the known universe, and almost every movie targeted at children.
Amadeus is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen ever.
I'm surprised you have finally just seen it, but I congratulate you regardless. Your reaction is the one I hope everyone comes out with when they first see it.
Watched Downfall, the Hitler movie. I thought the famous scene would be ruined, but it wasn't. In context it still works, and I was taken out of the movie less than expected. You also are right back in as soon as the scene ends.
It's also disturbing how they make so many of the Nazis sympathetic characters. Since almost everyone in the movie is a real person, you wonder how much they knew the true personalities involved of some of the less famous ones. I was also surprised at how many of the Nazis got out of Russian prison in the '50s and lived out their lives into the '80s, '90s' or '00s. Lots of Wikipedia pages need to be read. I wonder how many of them were interviewed besides the main character who actually appears in the film.
Film-wise I really loved the effect of the constant shelling. Most of the movie takes place in a bunker, obviously, so the constant explosions from the Russian artillery was pretty awesome. The director must have had a sticky note, "don't forget the shells in every scene."
That makes me want to push that movie to the top of my to-watch pile. I really do want to see the rest of the movie around that scene, and I love me some Bruno Ganz.
Have you seen Wings of Desire yet, Scott? That is a great movie to see both for the artistry of it and for seeing the acting range of Bruno Ganz. The same guy who played Hitler can also play the warmest, friendliest angel that you really believe could be an angel. Plus it has Peter Falk being Peter Falk. It's awesome.
Agreed. I appreciate that movie more and more each time I see it. It's gorgeous on a big screen, too. I still think a few of the jokes/humour setups are a little forced or overdone, but that's a tiny quibble considering the quality of the rest of the film.
I'm curious to see if I'll view it differently after this semester; I'm taking a class on westerns right now.
I saw it weeks ago, but Premium Rush is the most fun movie I've seen this year. Michael Shannon chews scenery like no one else and I think he gets the best lined. Liked how everything flowed together and while it was silly, it followed it's science and had a fantastic style.
This is definitely looking to be Joseph Gordon Levitt's year.
Saw Brick with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and it was great. Dashiell Hammett set in high school. Also saw the Counterfeiters, which was excellent, and has fulfilled my Holocaust movie for this decade quota.
Premium Rush was good? That is the one about hipsters riding fixies around NY?
I know, right? Hard to believe but it is, if not good, then at least fun. On a second viewing, it didn't hold up quite as well since it's admittedly a pretty simple story, but for at least one viewing, you get an entertaining movie with some pretty creative visual storytelling and action.
Saw Brick with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and it was great. Dashiell Hammett set in high school. Also saw the Counterfeiters, which was excellent, and has fulfilled my Holocaust movie for this decade quota.
See "the lookout" for more Joseph Gordon-Levitt awesomeness.
Premium Rush was good? That is the one about hipsters riding fixies around NY?
Not necessarily hipsters, but biking-douchebags. But the movie doesn't glorify them at all, it kind of points out their cocky arrogance. I think there are two perfect ways to look at it.
1. The Shoot 'Em Up of Extreme Sports Movies 2. The spiritual successor of BMX Bandits
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is amazing. David Gelb masterfully dances between aspects of Jiro the man, the sushi chef, the father. He weaves a complete tapestry of the man who legitimized sushi in the eyes of chefs around the world.
This movie is sold as a movie about a man who makes sushi but its far more than that. Much like the sushi Jiro makes for his guests, Gelb makes a subtle, flowing experience for the viewer that will exceed any notions held prior to viewing the film.
I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. It's well worth your time.
I watched Tintin. I'd tried starting it before, but something grated at me so I stopped watching after the first chase scene. This time I stuck with it, and really enjoyed it. It's totally bonkers in a way that doesn't match the style of animation, but once I acepted that, it flew by.
I liked how if there was a chance to tell a story which involved an action scene, they went for the action scene, even if the action didn't make sense. For example, chasing a bird on a motorcycle. And, instead of a sword fight, because we had one of them before, we have a sword fight using cranes on a dock. Just crazy, but crazy in a way that goes beyond not making sense to making sense again.
So my girlfriend and I were talking last night, and we somehow got on the topic of Oldboy. She'd heard me talk about it before, including just this last weekend at a friend's birthday party, and she decided that she really wanted to see it. I tend to be hesitant showing that movie to people though because I've had an unusually low rate of success in the past, but we went ahead and watched it. She thought it was amazing. It made me happy ^_^
Comments
Also the 3D was fun. That Jellyfish forest. Oh mans. Also the lighting of the sun in the ocean was just done so well. How it constantly moved. It stuff like that, that makes me realize just how great the animators at Pixar are.
Also the short Partysaurus Rex was wonderful.
One of the executive producers was there and he answered some questions anout filming in Africa. He said that they just found a distributor stateside, so it should have a small theatrical run soon.
It was intensely moving, and from what folks who have been there have told me, a fairly accurate look at what things are like In South Africa. I'm having trouble figuring out how to describe it properly, since I don't often watch this kind of drama, but i'd like to encourage others to watch it.
If Drama is your thing and it gets a showing near you i would greatly recommend going to see it. You can catch the trailer here
It's also disturbing how they make so many of the Nazis sympathetic characters. Since almost everyone in the movie is a real person, you wonder how much they knew the true personalities involved of some of the less famous ones. I was also surprised at how many of the Nazis got out of Russian prison in the '50s and lived out their lives into the '80s, '90s' or '00s. Lots of Wikipedia pages need to be read. I wonder how many of them were interviewed besides the main character who actually appears in the film.
Film-wise I really loved the effect of the constant shelling. Most of the movie takes place in a bunker, obviously, so the constant explosions from the Russian artillery was pretty awesome. The director must have had a sticky note, "don't forget the shells in every scene."
Have you seen Wings of Desire yet, Scott? That is a great movie to see both for the artistry of it and for seeing the acting range of Bruno Ganz. The same guy who played Hitler can also play the warmest, friendliest angel that you really believe could be an angel. Plus it has Peter Falk being Peter Falk. It's awesome.
I liked it.
I'm curious to see if I'll view it differently after this semester; I'm taking a class on westerns right now.
This is definitely looking to be Joseph Gordon Levitt's year.
1. The Shoot 'Em Up of Extreme Sports Movies
2. The spiritual successor of BMX Bandits
This movie is sold as a movie about a man who makes sushi but its far more than that. Much like the sushi Jiro makes for his guests, Gelb makes a subtle, flowing experience for the viewer that will exceed any notions held prior to viewing the film.
I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. It's well worth your time.
I liked how if there was a chance to tell a story which involved an action scene, they went for the action scene, even if the action didn't make sense. For example, chasing a bird on a motorcycle. And, instead of a sword fight, because we had one of them before, we have a sword fight using cranes on a dock. Just crazy, but crazy in a way that goes beyond not making sense to making sense again.