Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

[aygwm2]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Christ, you watch way more movies than I do! During college hockey offseason, I probably average 5-6 a week. That will probably go up this year, since I don't have cable anymore, so Netflix is my prime source for viewing.

Usually, I wouldn't be watching this much. But, I began the goal to watch the Criterion Collection (around 800 or so I believe), and I'm trying to watch what the Grand Rapids Public Library holds, which I think is around 600 +/-. So, I have a way to go. It's interesting, fun, educational, etc. I don't know if I can keep up the pace I've been on lately. Plus, when I watch so many in a row, my memory of even the most recent film sometimes begins to fail me rather quickly.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Usaully, I wouldn't be watching this much. But, I began the goal to watch the Criterion Collection (around 800 or so I believe), and I'm trying to watch what the Grand Rapids Public Library holds, which I think is around 600 +/-. So, I have a way to go. It's interesting, fun, educational, etc. I don't know if I can keep up the pace I've been on lately. Plus, when I watch so many in a row, my memory of even the most recent film sometimes begins to fail me rather quickly.

There is indeed movie overload. During the week, I might watch 2-3. Weekends, if I have nothing going on, I tend to binge a little. Probably 2-3 a day, sometimes up to 5-6, depending on length of movie. It's very interesting on how the little things change over the years in movies, according to social/pop culture. Stuff like smoking, drinking, what's acceptable language (including comments on race and homosexuality), etc. Even manners (how women are treated/viewed, general decorum).

 

[Kepler]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

It's very interesting on how the little things change over the years in movies, according to social/pop culture. Stuff like smoking, drinking, what's acceptable language (including comments on race and homosexuality), etc. Even manners (how women are treated/viewed, general decorum).

This is one of the best aspects of watching old movies. It's not that real behavior was so different -- documentary footage of the day shows how little anything really changes (the "sexual revolution," for example, is a myth -- our grandparents were just as slutty as our grandchildren will be) but the movies were aspirational and in that so much has changed.

 

[aygwm2]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

There is indeed movie overload. During the week, I might watch 2-3. Weekends, if I have nothing going on, I tend to binge a little. Probably 2-3 a day, sometimes up to 5-6, depending on length of movie. It's very interesting on how the little things change over the years in movies, according to social/pop culture. Stuff like smoking, drinking, what's acceptable language (including comments on race and homosexuality), etc. Even manners (how women are treated/viewed, general decorum).

This is one of the best aspects of watching old movies. It's not that real behavior was so different -- documentary footage of the day shows how little anything really changes (the "sexual revolution," for example, is a myth -- our grandparents were just as slutty as our grandchildren will be) but the movies were aspirational and in that so much has changed.

It was very interesting to watch the Japanese movies of the 1930s (Ozu, Naruse, Shimizu, Mizoguchi). To see the westernazation of certain aspects of Japanese culture, traces of American pop culture in their homes and shops, the similarities of need, want, hopes, and dreams that pervade all cultures, the universality of childhood. And yet, in a few brief years, our two countries would be going about the slaughter of one another. And, the Japanese directors and cinematographers really knew how to use the camera and the actors to get all the emotion, beauty, ugliness, comedy and tragedy out of the human condition.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

It was very interesting to watch the Japanese movies of the 1930s (Ozu, Naruse, Shimizu, Mizoguchi). To see the westernazation of certain aspects of Japanese culture, traces of American pop culture in their homes and shops, the similarities of need, want, hopes, and dreams that pervade all cultures, the universality of childhood. And yet, in a few brief years, our two countries would be going about the slaughter of one another. And, the Japanese directors and cinematographers really knew how to use the camera and the actors to get all the emotion, beauty, ugliness, comedy and tragedy out of the human condition.

Can you recommend one or two of these films? I have seen exactly nothing from Japan in the 30s.

 

[aygwm2]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Can you recommend one or two of these films? I have seen exactly nothing from Japan in the 30s.

I'll supply more than that, then take your pick. (A couple of them are post-war.) I recommend them all. I liked the Ozu films I was Born, But... and Passing Fancy because of the kids in the movies, particularly Tomio Aoki who became kind of a child star because of his work with Ozu. Hiroshi Shimizu's Mr. Thank You and The Masseurs and a Woman are memorable. All of Kenji Mizoguchi’s Fallen Women are very well crafted. They are offered in the Criterion Collection's Eclipse Series as you can see below:

Silent Ozu: Three Family Comedies, Eclipse Series 10 (2008) *
- Tokyo Chorus, Yasujiro Ozu (1931)
- I Was Born, But…, Yasujiro Ozu (1932)
- Passing Fancy, Yasujiro Ozu (1933)
Silent Naruse, Eclipse Series 26 (2011) *
- Flunky, Work Hard, Mikio Naruse (1931)
- No Blood Relation, Mikil Naruse (1932)
- Apart From You, Mikio Naruse (1933)
- Every-Night Dreams, Mikio Naruse (1933)
- Street Without End, Mikio Naruse (1934)
Travels With Hiroshi Shimizu, Eclipse Series 15 (2009) *
- Japanese Girls at the Harbor, Hiroshi Shimizu (1933)
- Mr. Thank You, Hiroshi Shimizu (1936)
- The Masseurs and a Woman, Hiroshi Shimizu (1938)
- Ornamental Hairpin, Hiroshi Shimizu (1941)
Kenji Mizoguchi’s Fallen Women, Eclipse Series 13 (2008) *
- Sisters of the Gion, Kenji Mizoguchi (1936)
- Osaka Elegy, Kenji Mizoguchi (1936)
- Women of the Night, Kenji Mizoguchi (1948)
- Street of Shame, Kenji Mizoguchi (1956)

I think it was in the Naruse films where I first began to see the evidence of western and American culture in the homes and business, etc. Actually, I watched those before the Ozu films. Like I said, all are recommended and worth watching.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Even Akira Kurosawa's works in the mid-40's and 1950's show gradual westernization in the country. I don't want to say it was primitive or uncivilized as that isn't exactly right, but it was a much more simple way of life, and the technology was lacking severely.

 

[aygwm2]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

"It isn't much, but it's better than nothing in this cockeyed caravan."

Sullivan's Travels, Preston Sturgis (1941)

I've caught bits and pieces of this movie on TCM before, but never the whole thing--watched on DVD this early evening.

Great movie about the making of a movie and so much more. And Veronica Lake as well.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Just watched this fascinating documentary on Starz about filmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, and his attempt to bring Frank Herbert's book Dune to the big screen in 1975. He gathered together a bunch of creative people, Moebius did the storyboards, he got H.R. Giger to design sets and characters(years before Alien), bands like Pink Floyd on board to do the soundtrack, tentative casting of Orson Welles for Baron Harkonnen and Mick Jagger for Feyd Rautha. Except for his own sort of hippy-dippy peace and love 60's sentiment ending, it sounded like a version I would have loved to see.

The best part was his description of how he was heartbroken not to be able to do it, and had to be led like a dying man by his children into the theater to see David Lynch's version years later, only to bit by bit to cheer up as he saw how awful that film was.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1935156/

I was searching through on-demand stuff and stumbled upon this. I remembered your post and knew I had wanted to see this. It was a great watch. Brent, I'd suggest you still check it out because even if you don't care about Dune, it talks a lot about how this movie changed the course of scifi movies with much of Jodorowsky's creative team using their unused Dune ideas in other movies...whether it was alien, contact or flash gordon.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

I was searching through on-demand stuff and stumbled upon this. I remembered your post and knew I had wanted to see this. It was a great watch. Brent, I'd suggest you still check it out because even if you don't care about Dune, it talks a lot about how this movie changed the course of scifi movies with much of Jodorowsky's creative team using their unused Dune ideas in other movies...whether it was alien, contact or flash gordon.

I might check it out. I currently have Citizen X (the movie Slappy recommended), which I'm watching tonight. If the Dune thing is on streaming, there's a better chance I'll watch it, as there are a TON of other movies only on disc that I want to see.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Citizen X - 1995. Missed this one completely somehow. Story of a serial killer in Russia. A soviet detective suspects a member of the party and he's obstructed the entire way as bureaucrats insist a party member could never be responsible. Quite riveting with great performances from Stephen Rea and Jeffrey DeMunn. Donald Surherland and Max Von Sydow don't hurt either. Highly recommend.

Very much worth watching. Took a little bit to warm up for me, but once it got going...yeah. Loved it.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Red Army:

Where the 30-For-30 concentrated mainly 1980 and before and glossed over the next decade or two, this movie did the opposite. Very good companion pieces, IMO. I definitely recommend it.

Bonus: there were only about 5 other people in the theater besides my parents and I (yes, I took them out to a movie like the good son I am), and there was a family of 3 there. The daughter was about 10 or so, and we found out that she was headed to Italy next week with her hockey team (she was the goalie) to play a Russian team. That was pretty cool.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

The Sheik:

Documentary on the Iron Sheik of WWE/F fame. Well done. It is rather frank and doesn't pull punches. Uplifting, incredibly depressing at times, I really recommend this even if you are not into, or never was into, wrestling.

Sidenote: I know Jake The Snake's past, but he still looks worse than what he should look like right now. My God.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Atari: Game Over

Documentary about the ET Graveyard, where Atari allegedly buried millions of the unsold/returned game. Pretty good; I knew about the legend, and knew Atari's business history, but still was entertained.


Killer Legends:

Documentary exploring the "truths" behind 4 urban legends. It was sooooooooooooooo dry. It could have been so much better (I fast forwarded through most of it). The material was there, but monotone voices and bland presentation killed this doc.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

The Way:

After his son dies while making a pilgrimage, his father decides to make the trek himself.

..................*deepbreath*..........*exhales*.............tremendous movie. If one wants to describe it in its most basic form, it's like the adult version of The Breakfast Club, with the characters involved. Friggin' excellent movie. Must watch, IMO.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

The Imitation Game:

Great material, very weak movie. When are studios going to understand that movies of that type will by definition not have the idiots watching them, so why throw the idiot stuff in? Cumberbund played his usual (getting tired now) one note, and Knightley was atrocious. Some of the supporting work was good. Very disappointing. B minus.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

The Imitation Game:

Great material, very weak movie. When are studios going to understand that movies of that type will by definition not have the idiots watching them, so why throw the idiot stuff in? Cumberbund played his usual (getting tired now) one note, and Knightley was atrocious. Some of the supporting work was good. Very disappointing. B minus.

Ever since I saw her in "A Dangerous Method," Knightley is unwatchable. She's a HORRIBLE actress. In hindsight, she was wooden in the Star Wars and Pirates movies, but the character was kind of supposed to be wooden. "Dangerous"............JFC. Painful to watch.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Red Army:

Where the 30-For-30 concentrated mainly 1980 and before and glossed over the next decade or two, this movie did the opposite. Very good companion pieces, IMO. I definitely recommend it.

Bonus: there were only about 5 other people in the theater besides my parents and I (yes, I took them out to a movie like the good son I am), and there was a family of 3 there. The daughter was about 10 or so, and we found out that she was headed to Italy next week with her hockey team (she was the goalie) to play a Russian team. That was pretty cool.

Great comparison on of Miracles and Men and Red Army. Both were great and really enjoyed them.

Red Army finally came to our small "indie" film theatre in Vermont this week after they said it was coming soon since January. Glad they finally got it.

I was so impressed with the Russian passing and how they played. It really was revolutionary. I was too young to remember it when they did it live but jesus some of the things those five did on the ice were ridiculous.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Great comparison on of Miracles and Men and Red Army. Both were great and really enjoyed them.

Red Army finally came to our small "indie" film theatre in Vermont this week after they said it was coming soon since January. Glad they finally got it.

I was so impressed with the Russian passing and how they played. It really was revolutionary. I was too young to remember it when they did it live but jesus some of the things those five did on the ice were ridiculous.

In Mpls, it's now in a few theaters, thankfully. Still, I think it's more "hopeful market" than actual draw. My father, who is NOT a sports fan, could even see the difference in play and somewhat understand the weaving concept. He was rather blown away by the whole thing.

What many of us don't realize...this is the hockey we're seeing now, so when we watch the Russians from 40+ (!) years ago...we don't necessarily understand that this style had never been seen before, because it didn't exist. I think back to the forward pass in football. It changed the style of the game THAT much.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Movie Thread: New, Rental, Streaming

Ever since I saw her in "A Dangerous Method," Knightley is unwatchable. She's a HORRIBLE actress. In hindsight, she was wooden in the Star Wars and Pirates movies, but the character was kind of supposed to be wooden. "Dangerous"............JFC. Painful to watch.

I know they look alike (so that may be a bit you are doing)but Knightly was not in Stars Wars, that is Natalie Portman who is a much better actress. Knightly always sucked and needs to go to a buffet and get to a real weight.