Movies205's Review and Discussion Thread: Vol. 3- Revenge of the Elitist Porcupines!

[Cyrusbales]

It's not really that interesting, it's a typical sci-fi convention, like I wrote, Dark City is more noir cinematically than thematically, it's really just a Sci-Movie in Noir clothes.



Would you mind elaborating onyour point of the 'climax' being a disgrace? However I like Memento ending, it was far less hollywood and deeper to me. I mean in Dark City, the entire movie is this brooding murder mystery and then he becomes a superhero in the end. Memento answers your questions but then leaves you more confused, which is what noir is all about, it's about the darkness in humanity hence the term when tranlated from French, Black film.

The climax of Dark city where he becomes a superhero and then has a fight with Ian Richardson, it just feels out of place, much like the climax of Cypher.

It just jars with everything set up already, and throws the subtlety out of the window.

Dark city's ending is a hollow shell of happiness, Emma's gone, they are lost in the middle of space, their lives are all just fragments, it's not much of a victory at all, and you can even argue that they were better off leading false lives that were whole than being left with falsity and suchlike.

Memento to me was highly dull, it's got an interesting narrative structure, but other than that, it doesn't have much to offer, using the mystery as the source of reeling people in, so as soon as the msytery is gone, it's shallow.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I still need Duck, you sucker

Incredibly awesome movie.

 

[Movies205]

The climax of Dark city where he becomes a superhero and then has a fight with Ian Richardson, it just feels out of place, much like the climax of Cypher.

It just jars with everything set up already, and throws the subtlety out of the window.

Dark city's ending is a hollow shell of happiness, Emma's gone, they are lost in the middle of space, their lives are all just fragments, it's not much of a victory at all, and you can even argue that they were better off leading false lives that were whole than being left with falsity and suchlike.

Memento to me was highly dull, it's got an interesting narrative structure, but other than that, it doesn't have much to offer, using the mystery as the source of reeling people in, so as soon as the msytery is gone, it's shallow.

I agree it's jarring as I pointed out previously, far from hollow... It's deeply hopeful in that there's more to love that memory, there's a connection, is Emma really gone? I don't think so, perhaps her name is but not who she is. They clearly state this with the scene where he's telling Emma how he needed to see if he's a killer and he says he isn't. As for not being on Earth, meh... does it really matter? He can make the place to be whatever he wants to be, there's actually a garden of eden metaphore in there. With less people, means less wars, means peace and prosperity especially since he's like a god.

As for memento I agree and disagree, I agree that it gets a little dull if you know what's going happen however that's part of the charm of the movie especially what it saying about people adn what not, not my favorite film but I definately enjoy it and it's not as if Dark City doesn't run into the same problems.

 

[Cyrusbales]

I agree it's jarring as I pointed out previously, far from hollow... It's deeply hopeful in that there's more to love that memory, there's a connection, is Emma really gone? I don't think so, perhaps her name is but not who she is. They clearly state this with the scene where he's telling Emma how he needed to see if he's a killer and he says he isn't. As for not being on Earth, meh... does it really matter? He can make the place to be whatever he wants to be, there's actually a garden of eden metaphore in there. With less people, means less wars, means peace and prosperity especially since he's like a god.

As for memento I agree and disagree, I agree that it gets a little dull if you know what's going happen however that's part of the charm of the movie especially what it saying about people adn what not, not my favorite film but I definately enjoy it and it's not as if Dark City doesn't run into the same problems.

A great deal more attention is paid to cinematography in Dark City, it creates a pleasant visual scape, wheras although there's a few nice lighting moments, there is lack of framing and juxtapositioning which solidifies Dark City's cinematic presence.

 

[Movies205]

A great deal more attention is paid to cinematography in Dark City, it creates a pleasant visual scape, wheras although there's a few nice lighting moments, there is lack of framing and juxtapositioning which solidifies Dark City's cinematic presence.

You mistake flashy for better, is your essential problem here. Memento was making a conscious decision to take the thematic themes of Noir yet cinematically use the complete opposite aestetic. Perhaps you figure there was a reason for the bright lighting, saturated color, handheld motion, etc? Your telling me that an academy award nominated cinematographer, wasn't consciously making these decisions? Memento has some great cinematography in it's simplicity.

 

[Movies205]

Christ you guys have posted a lot of reviews, I just finished updating the first post, you can find your reviews there... Any errors please notify me...

 

[Cyrusbales]

You mistake flashy for better, is your essential problem here. Memento was making a conscious decision to take the thematic themes of Noir yet cinematically use the complete opposite aestetic. Perhaps you figure there was a reason for the bright lighting, saturated color, handheld motion, etc? Your telling me that an academy award nominated cinematographer, wasn't consciously making these decisions? Memento has some great cinematography in it's simplicity.

I find the memento style flashier, it's the 'in-fashion' cinematic style of present, Dark city was a refreshing take on the sumptuously dark visual motif that was popularised by films such as Dead Reckoning, there were quite a few moments where I felt a direct tipping of the hat to that movie directly, then adding some personal style to it as well.

The editing descisions within dark city are some of the best, It's got such a short ASL, but rather than that being annoying, it has the opposite effect.

Memento has the better climax, but other than that, I'll plump for Dark City much more.

 

[War Party]

Christ you guys have posted a lot of reviews, I just finished updating the first post, you can find your reviews there... Any errors please notify me...

You missed my Empire of The Sun review:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=11883292&postcount=116

 

[Movies205]

I find the memento style flashier, it's the 'in-fashion' cinematic style of present, Dark city was a refreshing take on the sumptuously dark visual motif that was popularised by films such as Dead Reckoning, there were quite a few moments where I felt a direct tipping of the hat to that movie directly, then adding some personal style to it as well.

The editing descisions within dark city are some of the best, It's got such a short ASL, but rather than that being annoying, it has the opposite effect.

Memento has the better climax, but other than that, I'll plump for Dark City much more.

I really do love the look of Dark City however it's nothing necessarially new Burton did it with Batman (1989) and hell even Poryas use the same look for The Crow (1994) minus the 50s decor. I'm not arguing one is better than the other but to completely write off memento feels harsh and more due to it's popularity, since it really does show a mastery of craft and both films suffer the same problem due to there noir roots, both plots are convoluted thus on repeated viewings they both suffer from feeling a little boring since you already know what's what. Yet that's all I have left to say about it because soon we'll be running in circles...

Pardon my ignorance though what is ASL?

 

[Cyrusbales]

Christ you guys have posted a lot of reviews, I just finished updating the first post, you can find your reviews there... Any errors please notify me...

I've got a load saved on my comp, I could post them, but there's over 100 at least.

I'll post a list of them, then tell me which ones you guys wanna see

 

[Movies205]

I've got a load saved on my comp, I could post them, but there's over 100 at least.

I'll post a list of them, then tell me which ones you guys wanna see

Just post ones you want to discuss from time to time

 

[Movies205]

You missed my Empire of The Sun review:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=11883292&postcount=116

Done, I apologize

 

[Cyrusbales]

I really do love the look of Dark City however it's nothing necessarially new Burton did it with Batman (1989) and hell even Poryas use the same look for The Crow (1994) minus the 50s decor. I'm not arguing one is better than the other but to completely write off memento feels harsh and more due to it's popularity, since it really does show a mastery of craft and both films suffer the same problem due to there noir roots, both plots are convoluted thus on repeated viewings they both suffer from feeling a little boring since you already know what's what. Yet that's all I have left to say about it because soon we'll be running in circles...

Pardon my ignorance though what is ASL?

Average Shot Length


But yeah, I understand the appeal for memento, but I just find it a little basic overall.

If I were to give it a number out of 10, prob be a 5/6, dark city being a 7-ish.

Great to discuss with you as always though mate

 

[Movies205]

Average Shot Length


But yeah, I understand the appeal for memento, but I just find it a little basic overall.

If I were to give it a number out of 10, prob be a 5/6, dark city being a 7-ish.

Great to discuss with you as always though mate

I'd be incline to agree, I don't find memento to be the end all, be all of films... However I do like the editing style beyond the flash of it due to the fact it's recreating it's own language in the editing. Editing is magnificent since it's this subliminal track that audiences have been condition to understand and Memento creates it's own language that you learn to understand by the end, plus what it does to give you a sense of waht the character is feeling. I mean the reason it told backwards is so you know what it's like not to know what came before.

Anyway I'm off!

 

[War Party]

Done, I apologize

You're always on top of things. I'll definitely be posting more reviews now since now I'm back in class and don't have to be at work for 65 hrs. a week.

 

[Cyrusbales]

A list of my saved reviews, tell me if you want me to post any of them for discussion

300
A film about jimi hendrix
history of violence
a scanner darkly
amoros perros
angel-a
babel
beat the devil
blood diamond
brick
call nothside 777
casablanca
casino royale
casshern
central do brasil
children of men
chungking express
DDC
dead man's shoes
deathwatch
deja vu
detour
double indemnity
dreamgirls
equilibrium
F4: ROTSS
following
GR
harsh times
harvey
hellboy: sword of storms
hellboy extended
hero
hollywoodland
hot fuzz
la jetee
man on fire
man on the moon
match point
memories of murder
mimic
monty python - holy grail
mysterious skin
natural city
northen soul
notes on a scandal
oldboy
ong-bak
outlaw
pan's labyrinth
phonebooth
pi
reign of fire
renaissance
requiem for a dream
resident evil apocalypse
Rocky Balboa
Rounders
Saint And Soldiers
saw 3
scarlet street
schooting dogs
silent hill
smokin' aces
SM2
SM3
star trek (all ten)
SR
Terminator 3
Blues Brothers
Cabinet of Dr caligari
the cremator
dark corner
devil's backbone
fountain
illusionist
last king of scotlan
machinist
number 23
the piano tuner of earthuakes
prestige
proosition
pursuit of happyness
sprial staircase
strange love of martha ivers
the three burials....
usual suspects
tideland
TMNT
tzameti
ultimate avengers
ultimate avengers 2
underworld
underworld evolution
v for vendetta
warrior king
whistle stop
x-men 3
you only live once

 

[Movies205]

You're always on top of things. I'll definitely be posting more reviews now since now I'm back in class and don't have to be at work for 65 hrs. a week.

Depends on my mood... Sometimes I feel like writing reviews, other times I don't... Especially since I've been going to film classes for hte last two months, and I spend most of my time writing and discussing about film anyway...

Aw ****... I gots to tell you peeps about last night in film class... So I'm taking summer classes, mainly because I enjoy college so I figure I might as well take a couple of classes in the summer. They only last 5 weeks so they go by quick. Last month I finished British Lit 2 and Film Genres: The Horror Genre. So this month I'm only taking one and it's the basic film class, all film majors HAVE to take. It's quite basic and to make matters worse, it's a gen ed so people who aren't film majors get to take the class, now it's not that I'm an elitist that I don't like this, it's for what happen last night that I don't like it.

So the teacher decides to show 2001: A Space Odyesssy... NOW I LOVE THIS FILM, it's ****ing amazing on so many levels, it's ****ing Kubrick. However it's a dreadfully slow film, so she plays it. Now the entire movie the *******s on my side of hte room are laughing at it and making stupid remarks, now I keep my mouth shut, it's not worth saying anythign and causing **** for the professor(who's really cool). So we get to the end, you know the 10 minute long trippy sequence, now one kid CAN'T STOP laughing. We get to the sequence where he sees himself as an old man, this kid starts laughing so loud, he has to excuse himself and he makes a huge scene and everyone else starts laughing, and completely distracting to one of the greatest films ever made. Now I've had it up to here, you don't come in my house and disrespect the Kubrick... But I tell myself again... Just stay calm...

So the movie ends and the professor asks why the kid was laughing, she's being nice about it. The kid starts going off about how boring it was, how he drifted into la-la land, and was picture Vince Vaughn in the movie... and I WAS LIKE **** THIS... So I raise my hand and let out the biggest can of verbal ass-kickery... I was like "First off, it's completely disrespectful what you did, especially since this is one of the greatest movies ever made ,and all those film-makers you probably praise so much Lucas, Quentin Tarantino, etc love htis film and have been inspired by it, now to not like it is okay, but the very fact that you laugh at it due to the fact you don't understand it, is insulting and again completely disrespectful" and I said a couple of other kids, the room is dead silent since I just ****in rip this kid a new one, and I think all the other kids who were laughing felt embarresed by there behaivor... Now I'll admit I felt a little embarrised by how I just completely rip the kid a new one... So I was kind of quiet for the rest of the night but it open up discussion for hte film so at the end of class, I went up to the Professor to apologize and she like "no, you were completely right"... So kids... the moral of story for all the times that the ignorant parade there ignorance, there'll come a time where you get to stick it to them!

 

[War Party]

Haha. That's funny. I swear almost the same exact thing happened to me with some guy bad mouthing Akira Kurosawa and "Throne of Blood." But unlike you, the second he started making dumb comments and snickering during the movie, so I asked for my professor to pause it and then I tore into him. I was ok with him not liking it, because it's obvious it's not for everybody. But to make comments during the film was very rude. And I wasn't the only who was visibily annoyed, but no one was taking it upon themselves to do anything. And the professor was annoyed to and said him if this is going to be a continuing problem, then he might as well withdraw from the course. Of course he withdrew about a month later, because he wasn't doing very well on his papers.

 

[Movies205]

Run Lola Run
Directed by Tom Tykwer
Rating: 7/10

Assigning a rating to Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run (1998) was hard since it was not my cup of tea. More often than not people assume if they don’t like something it’s automatically awful which is sometimes not the case. I’d feel wrong giving Lola anything less than a 7 based on it’s technical achievements, truly the editing is wonderful and it has such a wonderful sense of style, however my problem lies in the narrative.

At home, Lola gets a call from her frightened boyfriend who has lost a large amount of gang money he was smuggling into the country. His only chance of staying alive is if she can get replacement cash to him in twenty minutes. Lola decides to try her father at the bank where he works. But exactly how things will turn out depends crucially, almost to the second, on how she sets off on her errand.

I can’t say I totally disliked the narrative, Tykwer’s definitely got some good ideas rolling throughout the script. Most specifically how he deals with how uncertain are fate is and it truly comes down to the most minute things that shape our lives, however the narrative does it in a subtle way that doesn’t insult the audience’s intelligence. It does however raise a question all writers are left with, will an audience automatically empathize with the main character no matter what? I suppose the answer is yes because it’s apparent I’m part of the few that feel this way but Lola is a despicable character. Obviously into some bad stuff with two-bit gangsters, she trusts her obviously meathead boyfriend with a 100,000 marks which he of course loses in the most stupid fashion possible and blames it on Lola which she accepts. These are people who deserve what’s coming to them and the way they go about solving it are even more deplorable, hell Lola holds her father at gunpoint forcing him to rob from his place of work, a bank. Lola is a whiney love sick twenty-something female who needs to grow up. Personally I think part of the appeal is that she’s a punk female, and since audiences are so starved for a female heroine they’ll accept anything.

Outside of that which completely kills the film for me, the film has a wonderful sense of style as I said before. The film manages to keep a wonderful sense of continuity between shots,

Spoiler

especially when goes back to retell what might happen.

The use of split-screen is use sparingly which really helps in keeping its effect genuine while not overstaying its welcome. The film also manages to keep itself rather short because any long and I think the audience would have a seizure. In the end, if you can buy the main character than you’ll enjoy this film. However it’s more style over substance, which isn’t really my bag.

 

[black_dust]

Man ive seen so many movies this summer just couldnt be arsed to write about them i fail at this thread this year

 

[Movies205]

Man ive seen so many movies this summer just couldnt be arsed to write about them i fail at this thread this year

Me too Have you seen Run Lola Run?

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I watched Blood Simple last night. Pretty good. The Coens have such a great sense for style. Some real innovative use of lighting and camera. It could have used some more dialouge though.

Now, the only one left to see is The Hudsucker Proxy.

 

[Movies205]

I watched Blood Simple last night. Pretty good. The Coens have such a great sense for style. Some real innovative use of lighting and camera. It could have used some more dialouge though.

Now, the only one left to see is The Hudsucker Proxy.

Hudsucker Proxy is awesome... Just amazing sense of style combined with great characters. Now Blood Simple that there's independent film right?

I also watched yesterday if anyone seen thse Once Upon Time in the West(A personal favorite) and Sex, Lies, and a Videotape.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Hudsucker Proxy is awesome... Just amazing sense of style combined with great characters.

The movie just got a re-release over here so I might just blind buy it.

Now Blood Simple that there's independent film right

I have no idea, that sort of thing doesn't interest me. I just know it's the first Coen flick.

 

[black_dust]

Me too Have you seen Run Lola Run?

Yeah i have it on Dvd its a good film, Franka Potente is sexy as hell. must have been pretty fit to be running about all over town for 80+ mins

id give it 6 or 7 out of 10