View Full Version : Recommend a frog a film?
frogbeastegg
09-22-2011, 17:06
The dread words have been uttered: "You know this weekend, frog? Why don't we watch a film?" :sweatdrop:
Problem the first: my boyfriend says that when he has a film in mind. Problem the second: either he has no idea about my taste, or he deludes himself in order to have an excuse to use my HD TV to watch a film he wants. After 9 years of this, I strongly suspect the latter. He's managed to find a few films I liked, and a whole lot more I found boring or outright hated. Let's say a success ratio of 1 out of every 8.
After last month's pair of films I'm desperate! It's either leave the country or attempt substitution of my own choice of movie. Problem the third: it's hard to find films I like as most films offer little I find appealing. I need recommendations and this is the only quick source I can think of. Save me!
A frog's taste in film: a simple guide.
1. Plot and character are king. Preferably both, but I can live with a film only being strong in one if it's good. I prefer films which require some thought and attention on the viewer's part.
2. No typical Hollywood crap. No square-jawed American heroes saving the world from evil British/Russians/Chinese. No car chases every 20 minutes. No explosions every 2 seconds. No special effects overload papering over the fact there's barely a plot.
3. Romantic films and chick flicks should die in a fire. I might be a lady frog, that does not mean I like this senseless garbage.
4. American comedy is not my idea of comedy.
5. Let's have some attractive visuals. By this I mean good locations, nice costumes, good scene framing, smart use of colour, and that aspect of filmography, not fancy effects.
6. I don't mind reading subtitles.
7. No perversions of history or fact where a film claims to be based on them. Exception: I can tolerate this if the film is plainly aiming for fantasy in a historical setting as per Gladiator, rather than claiming to be accurate like the new Robin Hood , Braveheart, and all of that ilk.
8. It's nice when the actors can act ...
9. Animation or live action, I have no preference.
10. Horror films do not scare me. They bore me.
11. Ultraviolence is tedious.
There are exceptions to these rules. Generally because the rest of the package works very well. Some examples can be found in the films I liked section.
A few films I have liked:
Red Cliff the full 5 hour version. I'd say that this is one of the best I have watched, an amazing epic. Rather hard to follow if you are not familiar with the 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' story.
Lord of the Rings trilogy. First film is the best IMO. These really are excellent films, and they compliment the book nicely.
The Prestige.
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon.
Kingdom of Heaven but only if it is the director's cut and if I stop watching before the final siege rains feel-good garbage all over the experience.
Enchanted. It works because it takes the mickey out of all those Disney films I watched as a child.
Beowulf the CGI animated version with Ray Winstone as Beowulf. I can accept the changes made to the original legend as they are faithful to the spirit of the piece.
Indiana Jones original trilogy. Ticks most of my don't boxes and yet I love them because somehow they work. Less keen on Temple of Doom than the other two.
The original Star Wars trilogy. If you don't get the increasingly mangled re-releases. Empire is the best, naturally.
Hero. The one where the story is told multiple times from different viewpoints, each themed to its own colour.
The princess bride.
Harry Potter 6. More ok than liked, and I was not keen on any of the others. The increased focus on the darker aspects of the book worked well, e.g. Draco's conflict, Snape's position, The Past, and particularly the scene with "Severus ... please."
Memoirs of a Geisha. Mostly for the visual beauty.
Recent films I have been subjected to and didn't like:
The matrix trilogy. It disappeared up its own backside, the characters were bland and/or cliched and/or loathsome, and the increasing focus on battle scenes got very boring. It didn't help that he made me watch it out of order: 3, 1, 2.
Aliens. Predator. Some combination of the two. I have no idea which film in the series it was, or even what it was meant to be about. A bunch of men stumbled around in tunnels and got eaten. Then a predator killed some aliens. Then everybody killed everybody for the next hour and a half. Boring.
National Treasure. Exemplifies most of what I hate in Hollywood. Brainless, cliched, predictable, nonsensical, lousy plot, non-existent characterisation, loads of stupid action to ensure the viewer hasn't gone to sleep during the talking bits.
Robin Hood, the Russel Crowe edition. Takes a steaming dump all over one of the most important events in English history so that it can deliver standard American hero messages. And it was boring. And visually ugly. And the plot was entirely insane. And the acting was bland.
Killbill. Horrid.
The last samurai. Again with the big steaming dump on history so that American hero messages can be piled onto the viewer. Nice scenery though.
Troy. ARGH! You! Do! Not! Change! Homer! And especially not so that Brad Pitt can spout typical American cliche hero cliche feelgood cliche guff! I don't care how good the picture quality is in blueray, you do not do it!
Blade. I think it was Blade. Something about a vampire killing people in a disco which turned into a shower of blood. Or something. Whatever it was, no. Just no. Horrid.
Ironman. If I removed my brain and turned into a drooling zombie I'd still find this boring, shallow, and contemptible in its messages and execution.
Ironman 2. More of the same, this time worse.
Fantastic 4. No, I'm still not seeing any redeeming features about these super hero films.
Fantastic 4 again this time with a lower budget. As per above and please somebody make the superhero thing stop!
Day after tomorrow, or some other disaster movie about the world being hit with a bunch of illogical and impossible disasters until people end up huddled in a library pretending that they have frozen to death for a moment of cheap dramatic non-tension before revealing that they are alive and burning some books.
The rest of his recent choices were so not-frog that I can't remember what they were called, and I don't think descriptions like "Some film where a bunch of really unpleasant bad-stereotype characters beat each other up in the middle of a muddy wannabe-Chinese town" and "That one with the revived dinosaurs which wasn't Jurassic Park" will help.
Films which the boyfriend has inflicted upon me which I did actually like: ice age 2, the incredibles, kung fu panda. All children's films. They were ok but I could really do without the subtle as a sledgehammer moralising messages, and most of the 'humour' is not funny.
He likes nearly anything. He enjoyed (or claims to have enjoyed ;p) the films of mine which I have managed to get him to watch. So if I can find something and persuade him to watch it instead of whatever he has in mind, chances are very good that we will both enjoy the film.
Please help! Before I end up having to sit through 3 hours of 'Exploding megadeath American constitution against communist terrorists fart joke car chase part 9, episode 67, part 23, this one featuring a vampire T-Rex'.
I know just the thing. 'Let the right one in', Swedish love movie but it includes vampires. It's one of my favorite movies, genuinely moving, and, well vampires.
Anything by Akira Kurosawa, most of all "Kagemusha", "Sanjuro", "Rashomon" and "Shichinin no Samurai"...
mmmm "The GoodFellas", "Memento", "Fight Club", Sergio Leone's trilogy with Clint Eastwood...
"Watchmen" wasn't too bad, "Blade Runner", "Scarface", "Pulp Fiction", "The Untouchables"...
"Bicycle Thieves", "The Seventh Seal" ^^
If you liked Kung Fu Panda you might enjoy Megamind. It's also by Dreamworks and pokes a bit of fun at the super hero genre just like the other did with kung fu movies.
You watched the Fantastic 4 sequel with him? That's either true love or an incredible amount fo forbearance. :clown:
I can give you dozens of suggestions, but it's unclear to me whether you're a fan of artistic films. Your 'guide' includes many attributes of artistic films, but your list of films you like is almost exclusively blockbuster/popcorn films. Clarify this point and I will give you plenty to mull over. Also, define "American comedy," and let me know whether you're open to old movies in addition to new ones.
SwordsMaster
09-22-2011, 17:50
I can second Watchmen. What about westerns? Usually strong characters - Unforgiven is excellent, 3:10 to Yuma, for a more recent one, or True Grit are also good. I personally could watch any of the original Sergio Leone - Clint Eastwood ones every weekend. If you like Fight club, try Rock'n'rolla. Other good ones could be noir - Payback. Usual Suspects? Ronin? Nikita? For something more extravagant, and (slightly poorly) shot, try Admiral (russian movie about the fall of the monarchy, just a wee bit romanticised), What about The Boat that Rocked? La Haine (french)? Angel-a (french)?
Otherwise there is always 300 :D
500 Days of Summer (I know you said you did not like Romantic Comedies, but then, I don't think that this classified as either completely).
Joyeux Noel
Kick-Ass
Against the Current
Alatriste (Spanish, Viggo Mortensen is good in this one)
A History of Violence (he's pretty good in this one too)
Burke and Hare (Supposed to be based on true events. Dark comedy starring Simon Pegg)
Defiance (starring Daniel Craig, based on the Bielski partisans)
Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood)
Enemy at the Gates
Chocolat
A Few Good Men
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
Hunter Prey (old kind of film)
Agora
Shinjuku Incident
The Great Escape
The Hunting Party
Welcome to the Rileys
Edit: Despicable Me
Alexander the Pretty Good
09-22-2011, 18:06
Emperor's New Groove
Talking about movies for romantic moments, which the frog just can't manage to hide from asking for
Leaving Las Vegas, every real man loves it.
True Love, every real man loves it even more, very violent
Leon, while incredibly twisted, it's French
frogbeastegg
09-22-2011, 18:12
Thanks, all. I'm adding the suggestions to a list and shall see what I can turn up in the lone shop which has a wider selection than a top 20 film chart. It's amazing how difficult it is to buy films in this city, and I don't have time to wait for an internet order delivery.
Kurosawa should have been included in the list of films I like.
You watched the Fantastic 4 sequel with him? That's either true love or an incredible amount fo forbearance. :clown:
I should print this out and show it to him. :yes:
I can give you dozens of suggestions, but it's unclear to me whether you're a fan of artistic films. Your 'guide' includes many attributes of artistic films, but your list of films you like is almost exclusively blockbuster/popcorn films. Clarify this point and I will give you plenty to mull over.
I don't know. I'm not a film buff at all, and since I came to the conclusion that frogs aren't in the intended audience for most movies I stopped paying attention. I got tired of the struggle to find something I liked. You class most of my like list as blockbusters, yet only half of that list received blockbuster treatment here. Four of them are treated as niche films which most people won't like!
I'd definitely prefer something with a brain, if that helps.
Also, define "American comedy," and let me know whether you're open to old movies in addition to new ones.
Hmm. It's basically treated as an entire genre here, and America is only allowed (roll eyes) to have one sense of humour when it comes to labels on films. Examples would be the Santa Claus series, Kindergarten Cop, American pie, meet the parents, that Eddie Murphy film where he kept turning into a fat mad professor, some film which I think was simply called 'Elf' and was about some famous actor being one of Santa's elves, scary movie, airplane, all 300 police academy films, and a whole bunch of films involving a group of hapless men left with a baby. Basically brash, loud films based on a comic premise with high marketability, filled with toilet humour, mean jokes, slapstick, and a very predictable plot. Oh - and anything with the label "rom-com" anywhere!
I don't mind the humour when it is less loud, crude and mean-spirited. Some American productions are funny. It's just they don't tend to be marketed as comedies.
I don't mind old movies.
Otherwise there is always 300
He already subjected me to that. Another 3 hours of my life, wasted. :(
Sasaki Kojiro
09-22-2011, 18:14
It's tough like TinCow said. I'm not sure you aren't looking for kind of a fringe category. Movies like the 400 blows or whatever have the stuff from your list, but they aren't visual like the movies you've liked. And most of the movies that are impressively visual are things like Tron: legacy.
Master and Commander is the only one I can think of off the top of my head that fits both, but I can't tell you whether it's historically accurate...
I don't know. I'm not a film buff at all, and since I came to the conclusion that frogs aren't in the intended audience for most movies I stopped paying attention.
Kurosawa should have been included in the list of films I like.
Ok, I misunderstood...I'll see if I can think of some more you might like.
Hmm. It's basically treated as an entire genre here, and America is only allowed (roll eyes) to have one sense of humour when it comes to labels on films. Examples would be the Santa Claus series, Kindergarten Cop, American pie, meet the parents, that Eddie Murphy film where he kept turning into a fat mad professor, some film which I think was simply called 'Elf' and was about some famous actor being one of Santa's elves, scary movie, airplane, all 300 police academy films, and a whole bunch of films involving a group of hapless men left with a baby. Basically brash, loud films based on a comic premise with high marketability, filled with toilet humour, mean jokes, slapstick, and a very predictable plot. Oh - and anything with the label "rom-com" anywhere!
What you describe here are bad comedy films, not American comedy films. :daisy: is :daisy:, regardless of where it comes from.
I think I can do you some justice though, give me a moment here....
"Bad Santa" is american, into the whole Santa Claus series and it's good :D
frogbeastegg
09-22-2011, 18:24
Master and Commander is the only one I can think of off the top of my head that fits both, but I can't tell you whether it's historically accurate...
Seen that one. It's mostly good, although the fact they changed parts of the book for no good reason irritated me a little. To give one example, the enemy ship they were chasing was supposed to be American, not French.
What you describe here are bad comedy films, not American comedy films. :daisy: is :daisy:, regardless of where it comes from.
How bizarre. It's a fairly established label too, like scifi or war movies. That must be the real joke! :laugh4:
I cannot insist enough that my first suggestion (Let the right one in) meets every single one of your pretty strict criteria. In fact I'm bored and I'm going to watch it again
In no particular order:
Almost anything by the Coen Brothers, particularly The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit.
Almost anything by Martin Scorsese, particularly Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Color of Money (though watch The Hustler first), Goodfellas, Casino, The Aviator, and The Departed.
Moon
The Mission
12 Monkeys
A few of the David Fincher films, particularly The Game, Fight Club, and The Social Network.
The Lives of Others
Little Miss Sunshine
The Last Emporer
Empire of the Sun
Anything by Christopher Nolan (literally, all of them. Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception)
Into the Wild
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Godfather, Parts I and II (not III)
Big Night
The Usual Suspects (only if you don't know the ending)
Some of the better Charlie Kaufman films, particularly Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Some of the Eastwood-directed films, particularly Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Letters from Iwo Jima
Michael Clayton
All of the Tom McCarthy films (The Station Agent, The Visitor, Win Win)
Leon
Some of the Paul Thomas Anderson films, particularly Boogie Nights and Magnolia, and There Will Be Blood if you don't mind watching a film exclusively for a single acting performance.
All Wes Anderson films, particularly Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Leaving Las Vegas
Monster
The Hurt Locker
Gattaca
Almost anything by Danny Boyle, particularly Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, and 127 Hours
Winter's Bone
Amelie
Run Lola Run
Heat
Amadeus
American Beauty
Good Night, and Good Luck
Donnie Darko
District 9
If you don't mind being super-depressed after watching a film, Requiem for a Dream
Black Swan
Shine
Gone Baby Gone
Das Boot
City of God
Children of Men
The Shawshank Redemption
If you're interested in Documentaries:
Grizzly Man
Touching the Void
Dark Days
Man on Wire
The King of Kong
That should get you off to a good start, let me know if you need more.
Man on Wire
This is so mind-blowing ^^
Peasant Phill
09-22-2011, 19:14
Of the top of my head
- Gegen die wand (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347048/) (there must be a subtitled version around somewhere)
- Hotel Rwanda (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395169/)
- Loft (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926762/)
Tellos Athenaios
09-22-2011, 19:18
I'll add two others:
El laberinto del fauno. But you might know it better as Pan's labyrinth. Fairy tale against the backdrop of Franco's dictatorship in Spain.
Bienvenue chez les cheutemis. It's of course a parade of French cliché views about that part of France, but the thing is it's also rather sweet. Very feel good. And it's all in French.
Peasant Phill
09-22-2011, 19:39
I'll add two others:
El laberinto del fauno. But you might know it better as Pan's labyrinth. Fairy tale against the backdrop of Franco's dictatorship in Spain.
Oh, definetly this one. It's a modern fairytale on the backdrop of the Spanish civil war. A must see.
Prince Cobra
09-22-2011, 19:44
Well, I have not been very active in the Org. recently but usually check the web-site several times per week. A frog is distress always means an interesting thread. :bow: After this short introduction, let's move straight onto the topic.
I can't really think of any good historical movie, which I have watched recently (though Alatriste definately seems an appealing option to watch). My suggestions are actually non-historical fiction.
The first is either Hannibal or, as a reserve option, The Red Dragon (with Anthony Hopkins). If you have not watched them, do it. Have in mind I am not a fan of the horror movies. These two are definately a bit shocking but the atmosphere (esp. of Hanibal) is great
Another interesting movie is the Children of Dune (2003). Well, not 100 per cent sure it's the science fiction you will like but try it.
My last proposal is about the film I've been told but never watched. So blame the person who recommended me. :P It's called Perfume: The story of a murderer (2006). If you watch it, feedback is appreciated. ~;)
P.S. Another brave proposal is Tim Burton's Alice in the Wonderland. That's one that I also did not watch. But the idea that it is a continuation (not an adaptation) of the main story is well... interesting. And generally speaking Tim Burton has freaky and good movies. Again, feedback is appreciated.
Samurai Waki
09-22-2011, 20:00
Lonesome Dove
Fight Club
The Pianist
Blackhawk Down
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Cinderella Man
A Beautiful Mind
Meet Joe Black
Boondock Saints
Crazy Heart
The Shawshank Redemption
Inception
City of God
Memento
The Prestige
Gran Torino
Slumdog Millionaire
Donnie Darko
Amores Perros
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
In Bruges
Big Fish
All Quiet on the Western Front
Se7en
Schindler's List
And...a lot more.
seireikhaan
09-22-2011, 20:10
Hmm. Only two I can think of that might fit in with what you suggested are Pan's Labyrinth(see above posts) and Curse of the Golden Flower. Both have their faults(Pan's sorta does that morality thingy, although granted, is against Fascism), and Curse is a bit melodramatic and silly at times. But I think they generally fit.
frogbeastegg
09-22-2011, 20:15
Wow! That's a big list of suggestions! Thanks, Tincow. And thanks for the suggestions made by other people too.
I just watched 'Secret of Kells', an animated film which, due to a lengthy discussion I read elsewhere, sounded like a frog film. :sigh: Nope. What a disappointment.
First the things I liked:
The visual style and quality of animation is astounding. Absolutely gorgeous, no two ways about it.
The voice acting is very good, including the two children. Also, it was very pleasant to hear some Irish accents instead of the usual.
When the Vikings arrived at Kells, gosh. Quite understated, and all the more effective because of it.
The bad concerns major plot points.
The ending! GAH! I saw so many people talking about how the ending was unexpected and a real gut-punch. No, it isn't. The Viking raid and resulting massacre is the gutpunch and it's 3/4 of the way through. The ending is the same old predictable movie stuff. All of the important characters survive the Viking massacre. There's one character you are lead to believe is dead but (no) surprise, he isn't. Then the hero gets told that he was right all along, and that he should have been listened to. That's particularly nauseating in this case because the hero is a 9 year old boy who wants to illuminate books instead of helping to build a wall to protect his community from Viking raids. Drawing books won't stop the Vikings, and if he'd helped and not caused trouble the wall might have been completed. Hundreds of people died. But that's ok, the book is more important.
You're lead to believe that another character is dead midway through the film, except she isn't and she reappears - at the last second, naturally - to save the hero's life for a third time. Note that he got her 'killed' in the first place with his selfish obsession.
The first half of the film is about the hero wanting to get his own way, and focusing on doing what he feels like regardless of other people. The third quarter is him running away from the consequences, not taking much harm himself. The final quarter is him getting everything he wants, discovering that he didn't lose anything, and being told he was right. :wall:
Visuals and accents aside, it's just another standard children's film of the kind I have been sick of since I was 8. Mostly boring.
EDIT: Now I have come to look it it, I've seen 'the last emperor'. Thought the name was familiar. I watched it during my mid-teens. I thought it was mostly good, although I was aware that a lot went over my head. China's history was not included in my education until I reached my A-levels several years later. Yes, that is the right sort of film.
I have also seen the last half of 'Chocolat', quite some years ago before I gave up watching TV. As far as I recall, I liked the small village theme and the presentation. Other than that, I don't remember much. I never got around to getting a copy so I could watch it from the beginning.
I've also seen Schindler's List. Required viewing for my history A-level. It was ok, might have been more appreciated if I'd watched it by choice.
I'm not sure about soldiers and gangsters. As a theme they struggle to gain my interest in games and books, and I don't see why films would be different. Something good will snag my interest, but they will be starting at quite a disadvantage.
if you've seen the animated movie thread and want something different, watch The triplets of Belleville. I must warn you it's very very different from the films you listed. barely any dialogue. Ver strong on characters. But it might not be the thing for you if you're not used to French or Belgian surrealism, film and humor. You love it or hate it. But you will almost certainly not have seen a movie like it, nor will you ever again.
TinCow has a great list. if you want a comedy his suggestion, the big lebowski, is a good pick.
Personally I think you'd like another suggestion of his, ethernal sunshine o the spotless mind, very much. Different from typical flicks, but not too different and more of woman's film. i personally liked quite a bit. Also the soundtrack, Everybody's gotta learn sometime by beck, is fantastic. And I don't tend to like beck. Tis a cover though. If you like it do check out Being John Malkovic. its one of my favourites. Probably the only good movie with Cameron Diaz in it, this time as the ugly girl;
El laberinto del fauno. But you might know it better as Pan's labyrinth
Oh you snob so do you, we all know it as Pan's Labyrinth, you googled the translation and please don't say you didn't. Yes, good movie
Tellos Athenaios
09-22-2011, 21:48
Not quite actually. I remembered that the title of the movie in Spanish literally meant “the labyrinth of the faun”, and I remembered wondering about that when I saw the movie (on the BBC) because the English subtitles are completely different (didn't remember what they were, but turns out they say “Pan's labyrinth”). It's how my memory works, I tend to remember odd details like that.
So, yes, then I googled the literal translation from Spanish, which is how I knew the movie was called Pan's labyrinth in English instead.
a completely inoffensive name
09-22-2011, 22:04
Your guidelines seem too snobby for me to suggest anything.
Fight Club is overrated and its message is diminished in the post 9-11 world.
I was required to watch Shindlers List in my AP World History class and I still cried in the middle of my class. It is a beautiful movie and I don't go for the whole, "If I chose to watch it myself it would have been better."
Gran Torino picked the worst actor for the kid and half the movie is Clint saying, "gooks" "fishheads" "chinks" or "zipperheads" Me and my bro friends watched that for laughs.
The fact you hated Kill Bill leads to believe that you won't like any of Quentin Tarentino which to me screams, "snobby" since his films are truly the best of quality. Sadly, people don't seem to recognize the different between a plot based on violence and a plot driven by violence.
The Hurt Locker is amazing if you have no idea of how the military operates. If you do, you laugh it off as one big "cowboy goes against the rules" movie.
Watchmen is great and although I have never read the comics themselves, I know of the original plot involving a giant squid, which to me is a worse plot than the one they used in the actual movie.
Watch Moon, if you don't like it, then you have no taste in movies.
I could say more, but I'm watching Breaking Bad right now.
Well, if you would like my opinion, I will recommend Ran, Warriors of Heaven and Earth, Battle of wits and Fear and loathing in Las Vegas(Highly recommended)
I know of the original plot involving a giant squid, which to me is a worse plot than the one they used in the actual movie.
Blasphemy! :D
The fact you hated Kill Bill leads to believe that you won't like any of Quentin Tarentino which to me screams, "snobby" since his films are truly the best of quality. Sadly, people don't seem to recognize the different between a plot based on violence and a plot driven by violence.
I don't necessarily think this is true. I did intentionally exclude all Tarantino films from my list due to her comment about Kill Bill, but at the same time that particular film (particularly Volume I) is essentially a massive homage to a whole bunch of films and genres that froggie specifically isn't keen on. Kill Bill has far more to it than just dialog, in fact I'd say it's one of his weaker films on a dialog level, particularly Vol II. Kill Bill Vol I is a brilliant film, but I think a lot of it is lost on someone who doesn't have a lot of experience with the kinds of films that Tarantino is paying his respects to. Contrast that with Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, and Inglourious Basterds, which are largely pure dialog with only little bits (admittedly extreme) violence tossed into the mix every once in a while. I really think the best test of whether a person would like Tarantino in general would be Pulp Fiction.
That said, there's still no reason she absolutely must watch any of them. There are plenty of superb films out there in the world that are every bit as good or better than Tarantino's. He may be the modern master of dialog, but I wouldn't say he can compete with Charlie Kaufman as an overall screenwriter. Tarantino is excellent with the set-piece conversations, but sometimes he struggles in between them.
Also, calling her snobby for not liking Tarantino is bass ackwards. Tarantino is very much a film artist, he's not a blockbuster guy. If anything, Tarantino fans (like you and me) would be the snobs. I sure know I'm a film snob, but that's a label I wear proudly.
this one is prety good it's a chinese one it's about a warlord who becomes a monk and learns that what he did in the past was wrong and then reaches martial zen for his compassion for the other monks and for respecting and paying homage to budah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_(film) that's all i am spoiling ;P
Kill Bill was made for people who watched poorly dubbed kung fu movies growing up. :yes:
And TinCow, you are a film snob. The fact that you listed Big Night proves it! I didn't think anyone else in the US had ever even heard of that movie. The last scene is superb.
And TinCow, you are a film snob. The fact that you listed Big Night proves it! I didn't think anyone else in the US had ever even heard of that movie. The last scene is superb.
And so are you for knowing it. I agree with you about the last scene. I think that final shot is one of the best single scenes ever in a film; so much emotion without a single word spoken. It's also got the one of the best tracking shots I've ever seen.
a completely inoffensive name
09-22-2011, 23:53
Also, calling her snobby for not liking Tarantino is bass ackwards. Tarantino is very much a film artist, he's not a blockbuster guy. If anything, Tarantino fans (like you and me) would be the snobs. I sure know I'm a film snob, but that's a label I wear proudly.
Everyone I know who is in film (industry or major) loves Tarentinto, everyone I know who isn't but likes to tout about about how much they love/know film always lump him in with grotesque violence movies. The reason I say snobby is because the fact that it is a homage should affect how you view the violence. The violence is respected because it is channeling a certain type of "bad" film that people love to watch. The violence is there because it is in many ways the star. The kung fu is what is being put on the pedestal there.
The fact that Kill Bill is lacking dialogue is not in any way a flaw in my opinion. Violence for the sake of violence in the most arbitrary manner, such as 300, or The Expendibles or any terrible action movie is stupid and I would agree with her view of those movies. Kill Bill is not in any way arbitrary. The violence is there because the movie demands it. You can't homage a kung fu movie without kung fu (or even a kung fu master, god I loved that guy and his beard).
Idk, this is a matter of taste, so my opinion means jack all here. But personally I think there is an ability to recognize the whats and whys and if you are looking for reasons in your movies than a movie with violence with a good "why?" is "good" violence and still makes the movie a "good" movie. If there is a good reason for it, you should be able to enjoy it in my opinion. I never watched too many kung fu movies, the only "old" kung fu movies I think I ever saw actually were Bruce Lee films. However, I could tell just from the settings and the sets where a lot of it is coming from. The kung fu genre is very old and everyone knows a little about it. I don't think you need to watch all the movies it is paying an homage to to get where the violence is coming from.
I like Die Hard. It is rated high on rotten tomatoes. All the sequels are not rated so high. Why is this? Well imo, judging from me watching all the Die Hards numerous times is that the thing that separates 1 from the rest in terms of quality is the arbitrariness of the violence. The last one had **** exploding for no reason, people being killed for no reason (why did the bad guy kill off all his Geek Squad except for the one dude?). However, all of Die Hard 1 is John McClane surviving. In all the others he is going off to fight a war with the bad guy. In the end Die Hard is all violence almost every scene and yet it is a great movie that I think most people should enjoy and like because none of it is arbitrary. Except for maybe of course the "super cool finishing move" that all action stars do in every movie.
EDIT: Maybe I overrated in my first post. But excuse me for getting a bit defensive when frog used the same word (horrid) to describe both Kill Bill and Blade. As if they are even remotely on the same level.
As much as I like Die Hard, the thing about it is that it doesn't have anything to say beside its story...
Is a fun ride on the rollercoaster, but ends there...
Tarantino explores a lot of themes and ideas, going beyond the screen...
Everyone I know who is in film (industry or major) loves Tarentinto, everyone I know who isn't but likes to tout about about how much they love/know film always lump him in with grotesque violence movies. The reason I say snobby is because the fact that it is a homage should affect how you view the violence. The violence is respected because it is channeling a certain type of "bad" film that people love to watch. The violence is there because it is in many ways the star. The kung fu is what is being put on the pedestal there.
The fact that Kill Bill is lacking dialogue is not in any way a flaw in my opinion. Violence for the sake of violence in the most arbitrary manner, such as 300, or The Expendibles or any terrible action movie is stupid and I would agree with her view of those movies. Kill Bill is not in any way arbitrary. The violence is there because the movie demands it. You can't homage a kung fu movie without kung fu (or even a kung fu master, god I loved that guy and his beard).
Idk, this is a matter of taste, so my opinion means jack all here. But personally I think there is an ability to recognize the whats and whys and if you are looking for reasons in your movies than a movie with violence with a good "why?" is "good" violence and still makes the movie a "good" movie. If there is a good reason for it, you should be able to enjoy it in my opinion. I never watched too many kung fu movies, the only "old" kung fu movies I think I ever saw actually were Bruce Lee films. However, I could tell just from the settings and the sets where a lot of it is coming from. The kung fu genre is very old and everyone knows a little about it. I don't think you need to watch all the movies it is paying an homage to to get where the violence is coming from.
I agree with you on most of this, but the point is that a person cannot really appreciate an homage if they do not have experience with the original genre/films. A film homage is the film equivalent of an inside joke. It's great artistry and entertainment for those of us in-the-know, but it's totally lost on someone who wasn't in on the joke in the first place. So, in order for an homage to be appreciated as it was intended, the viewer first has to have watched everything to which it makes reference. Setting a bar like that for the viewer is inherently artistic and is not designed for the masses.
a completely inoffensive name
09-23-2011, 00:04
As much as I like Die Hard, the thing about it is that it doesn't have anything to say beside its story...
Is a fun ride on the rollercoaster, but ends there...
Tarantino explores a lot of themes and ideas, going beyond the screen...
A movie doesn't necessarily have to say much. One of the things I like about Die Hard is that it is just a story. There once was a tale of a cop stuck in a building with terrorists trying to rob the vault inside. Isolated, cut off from communication, how does the cop thwart them and save the day? It catches you and does its job, it takes you along on the journey of him trying to survive and stop the bad guys.
a completely inoffensive name
09-23-2011, 00:07
I agree with you on most of this, but the point is that a person cannot really appreciate an homage if they do not have experience with the original genre/films. A film homage is the film equivalent of an inside joke. It's great artistry and entertainment for those of us in-the-know, but it's totally lost on someone who wasn't in on the joke in the first place. So, in order for an homage to be appreciated as it was intended, the viewer first has to have watched everything to which it makes reference. Setting a bar like that for the viewer is inherently artistic and is not designed for the masses.
Yes, I agree. I may have overreacted as stated in my edit for my last post.
However, when I hear about a great movie that is an homage I usually take the time to do the research in order to get the in jokes. I guess I shouldn't assume other people do that as well.
Ofc is not mandatory, and I like it myself, but is short-lived and not as inspirational...
Just different forms of movies, but one can evolve into different artistic areas, shape ideas and minds, many more; while the other only entertain...
And for example the homages are a very nice instrument to acculturate people, if the movie manages to reach their curiosity...
Fragony, you're surrounded!
4. American comedy is not my idea of comedy.
You mean jokeless comedy?
(http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/magazine/the-hangover-and-the-age-of-the-jokeless-comedy.html?pagewanted=all)
I noticed Watchmen was mentioned a few times; I don't recommend it. I'm a big fan of the comic, and I don't dislike the film because it was different from the comic - far from it. The comic's influence is suffocating, in that whole lines of dialogue, art design and even camera shots are just lifted straight from the book. It doesn't work, and the result is a disappointment, whether you like comics or not. It was always unfilmable anyway.
I'm a bit of a film buff, and these are all films I loved that fulfil all of your criteria:
Mesrine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesrine_%282008_film%29): It's a two-parter biopic of the French gangster Jacques Mesrine, it covers his rise and fall in 50-70s France. It's not glamorised at all, and is as gritty as any film of the past decade. Vincent Cassel's acting as Mesrine is just absolutely superb, flawless even, and he'll lead you to sympathise, like, and be repulsed by Mesrine in that order, multiple times.
There Will Be Blood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_will_be_blood): Daniel Day Lewis' acting as Henry Plainview is probably the best I've ever seen - I found myself holding the character in equal parts contempt and respect at the end of the film. The plot of the film is probably that of a four star film, but Day Lewis' acting pulls the film as a whole up to about five. Also, the soundtrack was composed by Johnny Greenwood, a member of Radiohead, if that's your thing.
Princess Mononoke: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Mononoke) This was probably the film that really got me interested in animé for the first time - unlike a lot of similar stuff, the plot is completely clear to us Westerners, whilst still keeping a lot of Japanese themes present throughout. It's violent enough to be exciting, but the one incident at the very start when Ashitaka is riding his deer (?) is the worst of it - you'll know what I mean when/if you see it.
Tora! Tora! Tora! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tora%21_Tora%21_Tora%21): Probably one of the best films ever made about the Second World War, and definitely the most underviewed. Historically accurate to a point that bigoted American audiences in 1970 wouldn't go and see it, it has aged extremely well, both in terms of its pre-CGI special effects and in its treatment of the Japanese account of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Superior in every single way to Michael Bay's account, most notably for the lack of Michael Bay.
The first two and the last all took pains to be historically accurate, whilst the third is a fantasy film set in a historical location.
Other films which leap out at me from the thread:
The Lives of Others,
Das Boot
Run Lola Run
(Huh, those are all German for some reason. Strange.)
The Triplets of Belleville/Belleville Rendezvous
District 9
Watch Moon, if you don't like it, then you have no taste in movies.
My parents hated it, and would probably go bat**** if you said that to them
frogbeastegg
09-23-2011, 00:26
I get the difference between driven by violence and just violent. I have read and enjoyed a lot of books which are driven by violence, I've written the odd bit of fiction in that style myself, and I've played a few games which fit into this category as much as a game can.
The problem is that I don't really like excessive violence full stop, in any medium. I don't find it interesting to watch, in the same way that I don't find horror scary. I'm far more of a character focused person - I like to see what makes people tick. Violence can be a part of that, and can be valid as part of that, yet it can very easily drown out the aspects I'm interested in. There comes a point where it's too much and I lose interest. Away from characters, I'm partial visual beauty. Blood and guts doesn't qualify. If something is riven by violence then it's very easy for it to lose me.
When it comes to films, I dislike hand-waved violence as much as the overly gratuitous stuff. All of those people who die in a neat little pile without a spot of blood or hint of distress are as bad as the loving shots of slow-mo dismemberment. That's one thing I appreciated with Red Cliff. The battle scenes are disturbing; people are maimed, impaled, sliced, diced, trampled, and hacked apart. There are scenes which focus specifically on this. Yet it's always handled in such a way that the film is saying "War is hell" rather than "Did you see how far his head went? Cool!" To continue the example, if Red Cliff had a few more big battle scenes in it at the expense of the quieter scenes then it would be starting to tip the balance towards the point where I lose interest.
Where I live claiming to like Tarentino is one of the critical steps to proving that you are a cut above the regular film viewer. Saying that I don't like him lumps me in with the unsophisticated crowd, one perilous step away from finding Jar Jar Binks hilarious.
I haven't heard Killbill referred to as a homage before. Rather the opposite. It's always been tagged as the amazing, inventive masterpiece which looks like pulp ultra-violence but is actually really deep if only you are sophisticated enough to understand it. According to those people, it's in a genre of its own.
a completely inoffensive name
09-23-2011, 00:28
My parents hated it, and would probably go bat**** if you said that to them
I would go bat**** as soon as they said they didn't like it. I literally don't see why anyone could not get enjoyment out of it except for it being too slow paced... maybe. Everything else about it was solid. Not super great film of the year kind of stuff, but solid, enjoyable work all around.
a completely inoffensive name
09-23-2011, 00:32
Just to clarify, I think there are only two people that are just plain wrong about movies. Everyone has a taste and I accept that. But two people are always wrong.
1. The Academy Awards voters.
2. Armond White.
I'm gonna shut up now.
I know just the thing. 'Let the right one in', Swedish love movie but it includes vampires. It's one of my favorite movies, genuinely moving, and, well vampires.
^^^
This movie is awesome.
I'd also recommend for you:
Brick.
Nine Queens.
The Lives of Others.
Rango.
Plus everything TinCow mentioned (minus a few).
Bienvenue chez les cheutemis. It's of course a parade of French cliché views about that part of France, but the thing is it's also rather sweet. Very feel good. And it's all in French.
I have it, but the DVD doesn't have English subs, and I can't find a set that syncs on the web... so I've never managed to watch it. =(
Run Lola Run
Highly overrated if you ask me. Better than watching the ads, but no interesting characters, no plot, no emotion, no appeal in style,... So what's left? Not to forget that the music is horrible as well.
Das Leben des anderen indeed is a very good film. Das experiment is great as well. And Gegen Die Wand as well.
Edit: I'd go for Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind.
I'm going to suggest the Usual Suspects, although its a gangster movie, it has a really nice progression and a twist, the only unfortunate thing is that they kind of spelled it out for you at the end, rather than leaving it up to me, but whatever. I also loved the Boondock Saints, but thats more due to that vigilante urge I get sometimes. The Rock is a good movie, although I really really hate Nick Cage, specifically for National Treasure. If you like the history of the USSR, you could see Stalin, which is one of the greatest movies I was ever forced to watch.
Just realized that there aren't any (or I missed them :P) by Kubrick, so yes:
Dr. Strangelove, Barry Lyndon, Full Metal Jacket, Paths of Glory, 2001: A Space Odyssey ^^
Louis VI the Fat
09-23-2011, 07:58
Where I live claiming to like Tarentino is one of the critical steps to proving that you are a cut above the regular film viewer. Saying that I don't like him lumps me in with the unsophisticated crowd, one perilous step away from finding Jar Jar Binks hilarious.Tarantino? Hollywood's village idiot. A gifted movie maker, but with little of interest to say. The themes he explores are the fantasies of nine year old boys stuck in the phase where they torture pets and kill off their toys in gore fantasies.
I'm stuck in that phase as well but my psychiatrist has this new medication and we're quite hopefu
Some films that have not been mentioned before:
La Gloire de mon père
Le Château de ma mère
I can watch them forever. The second one makes me cry. Gentle elegies to a previous time, to youth, to growing up. An ode to your parents.
La meglio gioventù
Italian. The difference between American and Italian pizza is the difference between the Godfather and this Italian family epic. Six hours of pulling your hair out in despair you were not born Italian, everything is so beautiful. The first hour is great, the middle is sometimes a bit slow, but the final rewards are truly touching.
Tarantino is overrated, he made two good movies, Pulp Fiction and Resevoir Dogs. His latest, Inglorious Bastards bored me to tears. The Coen brothers do the same and do it much better. So does Roderuigez (Planet Terror rofl it's madness I almost coughed up my lungs laughing)
I'm surprised that people and talking about Tarantino and no one's mentioned 'From Dusk till Dawn' yet...
The Devil's Advocate.
I promise you won't regret it.
As stated before, Moon is a great choice.
I also enjoyed District 9, Faster (maybe not your kind of thing?), No country for Old Men (Hated the ending though).
I'm surprised that people and talking about Tarantino and no one's mentioned 'From Dusk till Dawn' yet...
Wasn't made by Tarantino but Roderuigez. Tarantino also plays in Planet Terror (again, watch it, it's absolutely hilarious and the jokes always catch you by surprise, plus best soundtrack ever)
frogbeastegg
09-23-2011, 11:47
I managed to get him to name the films he is thinking of. Hard work - usually he refuses to say so that I have less change to escape the surprise isn't ruined. He's brought out the phrase "You'll definitely like this one" and that is usually a cast iron guarantee of impending disaster. However ...
Batman Begins, The Dark Knight
... that's the films. Are they really likely to suit a frog who knows next to nothing about Batman, and who does not care for the concept of superheroes? Having survived all of his other superhero films I'm wary to say the least. Although I suppose I did like Batman: Arkham Asylum ... mostly because of the gameplay, the setting I could take or leave.
Can't go wrong with either, Batman begins is great, The Dark Knight is simply fantastic. Dark indeed, really memorable. The villains chill you to the bone
LazyMcCrow
09-23-2011, 12:10
In no particular order:
****
That should get you off to a good start, let me know if you need more.
Wow. What you said. For a metal bovine, you have excellent taste.
I can't guarantee you'll like them but I can vouch that they're worlds above the Fantastic 4 or X-Men movies. I enjoyed them a lot and I think my wife liked them better than I did, despite not reading comics as a kid like I did and having generally better taste than I do in movies.
It's probably too late now if he's already named the movies he's planning on watching but here are a couple I haven't yet noticed being posted (which isn't to say they haven't, only that my aging eyes probably missed them. :clown:).
Lawrence of Arabia
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Taxi Driver
Spirited Away (Also, Howl's Moving Castle is almost worth it just to hear what Christian Bale sounds like happy, in addition to being a pretty good movie)
Haven't seen it but my wife swears by Roman Holiday
I also second Tora Tora Tora! and add to some of the previous posts that knowing Kill Bill is an homage and having a decent knowledge of the subject matter it references is not a guarantee you'll enjoy it. I didnt.
I managed to get him to name the films he is thinking of. Hard work - usually he refuses to say so that I have less change to escape the surprise isn't ruined. He's brought out the phrase "You'll definitely like this one" and that is usually a cast iron guarantee of impending disaster. However ...
... that's the films. Are they really likely to suit a frog who knows next to nothing about Batman, and who does not care for the concept of superheroes? Having survived all of his other superhero films I'm wary to say the least. Although I suppose I did like Batman: Arkham Asylum ... mostly because of the gameplay, the setting I could take or leave.
therother
09-23-2011, 13:27
Some great suggestions here. In particular TinCow's list: I'd agree with most of his suggestions.
I'll throw a few more out there. I thought Exit Through The Gift Shop was hilarious, whether as a geniune documentry or a mock/prankumentary. I'd highly recommend the Infernal Affairs triology, of which Scorsese's The Departed is a remake. I've not seen it, but I've heard from a number of friends that The Illusionist is a great film. The Last King Of Scotland, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, L.A. Confidential, and The Kite Runner also spring to mind. Twelve Angry Men (Fonda version) is a timeless classic.
I haven't heard Killbill referred to as a homage before. Rather the opposite. It's always been tagged as the amazing, inventive masterpiece which looks like pulp ultra-violence but is actually really deep if only you are sophisticated enough to understand it. According to those people, it's in a genre of its own.
No, it's very specifically a homage. Tarantino specifically made the film as a nod of respect towards genres that he loves and which influenced him. If you'd like a brief, but entertaining look at Kill Bill, I highly recommend you watch this video (http://player.vimeo.com/video/19447662). It doesn't specifically address Kill Bill until after the credits, but it's a well made video and worth watching the whole thing. After you're done with that one, there's a specific follow up that's exclusively about Kill Bill, which can be seen here (http://vimeo.com/19469447).
Tarantino's other films have many elements of homage in them, but they're nothing like Kill Bill which is almost nothing but homage.
'Lawrence of Arabia'
wut. The only thing more overrated than French cuisine is that movie. It invented overrated, it perfected it. It's awful, the overacting is laughable and the character-development is, well, also laughable.
And the main character has girly eyes
avoid at all cost
I'm not sure the that the statement that it's an homage filled with references and it being "tagged as the amazing, inventive masterpiece which looks like pulp ultra-violence but is actually really deep if only you are sophisticated enough to understand it. According to those people, it's in a genre of its own." are being mutually exclusive. The first is true, and the second is a common attitude (if a rather perplexing one. There are a lot of things in Quentin Tarintino movies that a film buff is more likely to get, but I've never seen his movies as especially deep).
Edit. Also, ignore this man. He seems to have Lawrence of Arabia confused with Donnie Darko.
'Lawrence of Arabia'
wut. The only thing more overrated than French cuisine is that movie. It invented overrated, it perfected it. It's awful, the overacting is laughable and the character-development is, well, also laughable.
And the main character has girly eyes
avoid at all cost
Kagemusha
09-23-2011, 13:57
For poetic soul like you. I think something good to watch would be: Guillermo del Toro´s, Pan´s Labyrinth.:bow:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/
'Edit. Also, ignore this man. He seems to have Lawrence of Arabia confused with Donnie Darko.'
I think you got confused when the actor playing Donnie Darko 'starred' in Brokeback Mountain. Makes sense
ahum
Donnie Darko is awesome. No idea what's going on and it gets me amazed gazes when I say I don't get it. Yes I'm that stupid, I also don't get The Catcher in the Rye. Somebody explain me
I don't have any problems with Jake Gyllenhaal. He's no Peter O'Toole, but still an ok actor. I just never saw Donnie Darko as close to matching the hype about it (yes, i see the possible connection between that belief and what someone may dislike amount Lawrence of Arabia :clown:)
The symbolism is pretty simple in the Catcher and the Rye, at least on the surface (the character has to figure out to let go and let others grow and learn through experience, rather than trying to save them from it). The main character is just so unlikable *shudder*.
'Edit. Also, ignore this man. He seems to have Lawrence of Arabia confused with Donnie Darko.'
I think you got confused when the actor playing Donnie Darko 'starred' in Brokeback Mountain. Makes sense
ahum
Donnie Darko is awesome. No idea what's going on and it gets me amazed gazes when I say I don't get it. Yes I'm that stupid, I also don't get The Catcher in the Rye. Somebody explain me
I'd highly recommend the Infernal Affairs triology, of which Scorsese's The Departed is a remake. I've not seen it, but I've heard from a number of friends that The Illusionist is a great film. The Last King Of Scotland, L.A. Confidential,.
Second all of these. L.A. Confidential is what L.A. Noir should have been if it hadn't just been a GTA where you're the cop.
'The symbolism is pretty simple in the Catcher and the Rye, at least on the surface (the character has to figure out to let go and let others grow and learn through experience, rather than trying to save them from it). The main character is just so unlikable *shudder*.'
What is he supposed to catch in the rye, I still don't get. He's self-centred why would he save anything he detests everything or is at least observing at best
gah
He's mostly self centered but he also has a strong belief that children should be "protected" from growing up and being hurt, something he learns to let go of by the end. Despite detesting just about everything he seems to hold a somewhat idealized view of childhood innocence.
'The symbolism is pretty simple in the Catcher and the Rye, at least on the surface (the character has to figure out to let go and let others grow and learn through experience, rather than trying to save them from it). The main character is just so unlikable *shudder*.'
What is he supposed to catch in the rye, I still don't get. He's self-centred why would he save anything he detests everything or is at least observing at best
gah
He's mostly self centered but he also has a strong belief that children should be "protected" from growing up and being hurt, something he learns to let go of by the end. Despite detesting just about everything he seems to hold a somewhat idealized view of childhood innocence.
I got that part, but what teh hell is with the catching and the rye part. I don't understand the title.
I didn't see the movie so I can't say for sure if it's brought up. It's also been a long time since I read the book (middle school? That would make it about 17 years or so). I recall he has a recurring dream or fantasy about kids playing in a rye field near a cliff and he catches them when they get too near the edge and almost fall. I checked the wikipedia page for the book and it says the odd imagery of the fantasy is based off of the character mishearing parts of the children's song Comin' Through the Rye (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_Through_the_Rye). Having been so long since I read the book I can't say for sure about that part.
I didn't see the movie so I can't say for sure if it's brought up. It's also been a long time since I read the book (middle school? That would make it about 17 years or so). I recall he has a recurring dream or fantasy about kids playing in a rye field near a cliff and he catches them when they get too near the edge and almost fall. I checked the wikipedia page for the book and it says the odd imagery of the fantasy is based off of the character mishearing parts of the children's song Comin' Through the Rye (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_Through_the_Rye). Having been so long since I read the book I can't say for sure about that part.
Ain't that typical, had to read it for school and make sense of it. Our teachers are sadists, how am I supposed to know American children-songs. But makes sense now, you just gotten a youth-trauma of my back. Pricks
Strike For The South
09-23-2011, 17:22
Lonesome Dove
Tombstone
3:10 To Yuma (new)
ACIN, Your SoCal is showing sweetie
Sasaki Kojiro
09-23-2011, 17:32
Tarantino? Hollywood's village idiot. A gifted movie maker, but with little of interest to say. The themes he explores are the fantasies of nine year old boys stuck in the phase where they torture pets and kill off their toys in gore fantasies.
I'm stuck in that phase as well but my psychiatrist has this new medication and we're quite hopefu
I didn't think Tarantino was exploring themes :inquisitive:
frogbeast, you can find trailers for some of these movies on youtube...I find it to be a pretty reliable way of judging movies like batman, etc.
Lonesome Dove
Tombstone
3:10 To Yuma (new)
ACIN, Your SoCal is showing sweetie
If you like westerns watch 'The Proposition', absolutely incredible movie. Rediculously violent but I'm sure you don't mind.
Technically it's not a western as it's set in aussiland but still
a completely inoffensive name
09-23-2011, 23:05
ACIN, Your SoCal is showing sweetie
I had to get some air on it, it was getting uncomfortable.
Gregoshi
09-24-2011, 21:29
Sooooo froggy, what movie did you/are you going to watch?
Louis VI the Fat
09-24-2011, 23:40
EDIT: :balloon2:
frogbeastegg
09-26-2011, 09:25
Sooooo froggy, what movie did you/are you going to watch?
In the end he didn't feel like watching Batman. I deftly evaded Rush Hour 3, Expendables, and some others like that. We watched Shawshank Redemption. That was his choice out of the small collection formed from the suggestions here. "Oh, I've already seen that," he says. "It's good." He was wrong; it's a very good film.
We also got copies of 'The last Emperor', 'Empire of the Sun', 'Green Mile', 'Chocolat', 'Curse of the golden flower', and 'Inception'. The rest were either not to be found, or were far more expensive.
I'll throw a few more out there. I thought Exit Through The Gift Shop was hilarious, whether as a geniune documentry or a mock/prankumentary. I'd highly recommend the Infernal Affairs triology, of which Scorsese's The Departed is a remake. I've not seen it, but I've heard from a number of friends that The Illusionist is a great film. The Last King Of Scotland, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, L.A. Confidential, and The Kite Runner also spring to mind. Twelve Angry Men (Fonda version) is a timeless classic.
^^^ These are great films.
I'd also recommend Oldboy. Twisted Korean flick, with excellent acting.
^^^ These are great films.
I'd also recommend Oldboy. Twisted Korean flick, with excellent acting.
Seconded, very violent, very clever. I may yet have to forgive you for not liking Aliens
Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout
09-26-2011, 13:17
Are you kidding me? Froggbeastegg! You have the greatest collection in War movies! Your boyfirend should respect you and what you watch(I watched part one of red cliff,which was fantastic,but how can there be 5 hour full version?) Anyway,If I were your boyfirend,I would let you watch any film you want(thanks for the dislikes of your movies,I don't like them )
If I were your boyfirend,I would let you watch any film you want
Back off, we are all secretly in love with Frostbeastegg here new members are last in line
LazyMcCrow
09-26-2011, 13:40
Has anyone mentioned 'Casablanca'?
frogbeastegg
09-26-2011, 17:50
I watched part one of red cliff,which was fantastic,but how can there be 5 hour full version?
It's the special edition (http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/10971800/Red-Cliff-Special-Edition/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=red+cliff&urlrefer=search) version which includes parts 1 and 2 in the same box. It's supposed to be superior to buying parts 1 and 2 individually, I think there is some extra material or something.
Has anyone mentioned 'Casablanca'?
Sounds like falling on your face really hard
Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout
09-26-2011, 18:59
Back off, we are all secretly in love with Frostbeastegg here new members are last in line
I've been a member a long time mate.
Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout
09-26-2011, 18:59
It's the special edition (http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/10971800/Red-Cliff-Special-Edition/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=red+cliff&urlrefer=search) version which includes parts 1 and 2 in the same box. It's supposed to be superior to buying parts 1 and 2 individually, I think there is some extra material or something.
Ah,I see,thank you very much.
ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88
09-26-2011, 20:13
Black Hawk Down.
:yes:
I've been a member a long time mate. You back off.
Was only joking.
Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout
09-26-2011, 21:06
But a really good film,have any of you watched this? Monsieur N.Seriosuly excellent movie.
War(2007) staring Jet Li and Jason stahom. Excellent plot
1911 (film) ,the 100th film of Jackie Chan,about the Xinhai Revolution,I just found it now on Wikipedia.
Little Big Soldier(Jackie Chan)
Very good story as well,seriosuly good.
The Founding of a Republic(2009)
A huge cast of famous chinese actors.This one is the def to watch.
The Warlords, previously known as The Blood Brothers, is a 2007 epic war film. That was one of the best I've watched
The Last Samurai
These films are worth def watching.
Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout
09-26-2011, 21:31
But a really good film,have any of you watched this? Monsieur N.Seriosuly excellent movie.
War(2007) staring Jet Li and Jason stahom. Excellent plot
1911 (film) ,the 100th film of Jackie Chan,about the Xinhai Revolution,I just found it now on Wikipedia.
Little Big Soldier(Jackie Chan)
Very good story as well,seriosuly good.
The Founding of a Republic(2009)
A huge cast of famous chinese actors.This one is the def to watch.
The Warlords, previously known as The Blood Brothers, is a 2007 epic war film. That was one of the best I've watched
The Last Samurai
These films are worth def watching.
We also got copies of 'The last Emperor', 'Empire of the Sun', 'Green Mile', 'Chocolat', 'Curse of the golden flower', and 'Inception'. The rest were either not to be found, or were far more expensive.
That's a pretty good selection there. Of those, The Curse of the Golden Flower is probably the weakest IMHO, but still good entertainment. And by weakest I mean, still very good. The rest are all top notch. You'll be pleased.
Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout
09-27-2011, 14:33
[QUOTE=TinCow;2053379709]That's a pretty good selection there. Of those, The Curse of the Golden Flower is probably the weakest IMHO, but still good entertainment. And by weakest I mean, still very good. The rest are all top notch. You'll be pleased.[/QUOTe
Empire of the Sun was Good,The Adjustment beurue and Inception were good.
That's a pretty good selection there. Of those, The Curse of the Golden Flower is probably the weakest IMHO, but still good entertainment. And by weakest I mean, still very good. The rest are all top notch. You'll be pleased.
Like I always have with chinese movies, I don't really understand the motivations and symbolism. But great visuals
And Frog watch Inception. It is absolutely not teh omgwut!masterpiece some say it is. But it DOES have the greatest action sequences since The Matrix. Awesome movie
The Adjustment beurue
Why watch a crappy remake when you can watch the original?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSpowoKqSzc
Shaka_Khan
09-28-2011, 05:40
Recommend a frog a film?
Try Rocky Mountain Holiday (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTPK05efhPU). It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Album for Children. I think Kermit the Frog appeared in it.
j/k
frogbeastegg
09-29-2011, 13:41
I watched Dark Knight. While it was better than the other superhero films, it didn't offer anything which I liked. I will not bother with the other one.
I watched Dark Knight. While it was better than the other superhero films, it didn't offer anything which I liked. I will not bother with the other one.
Dang, loved it. Batman begins is quite different The Dark Knight is about insanity, Batman Begins about fear. Whole different mood to them, unless you really really reeeeeeeally dislike genre I'd watch it anyway. And don't we a- w8, you just love Christian Bale.
Shaka_Khan
09-30-2011, 03:49
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
The Bounty (1984)
Amadeus (1984)
Brazil (1985)
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Zodiac
Thought I'd recommend some modern classic American movies since you seem so fond of using "American" like a four letter word :laugh4:
Zodiac
Yikes. Good movie, but the murder scenes are kinda horrible to watch
Shaka_Khan
10-06-2011, 02:29
Blade. I think it was Blade. Something about a vampire killing people in a disco which turned into a shower of blood. Or something. Whatever it was, no. Just no. Horrid.
Actually, that scene was more like this.
https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc1/moonk379/blade-blade-twilight-demotivational.jpg
But yea, I don't like senseless violent movies either so I can see where you're coming from on that.
That scene is incredible imho, reminds me of the nightclub scene in Jacob's Ladder
Yoyoma1910
10-08-2011, 05:21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO1nSVy8q8I
Hmmm.... wonderful visuals, not much on straight story or dialogue though.
frogbeastegg
10-17-2011, 14:14
Time to report back. So far I have watched:
The Shawshank Redemption. Absolutely wonderful film! I really enjoyed it. The tight focus on a small number of excellently acted and written characters worked fantastically for me. Towards the end I feared they were going to pull a typical film gotcha but thank heaven they did not, and the box contained precisely what it should have. Turns out this is a film my boyfriend has seen before and is very fond of.
Dark Knight I mentioned earlier. Wasn't impressed. I'd rather play Batman: Arkham Asylum.
Inception. Very good. Leo De Caprio can act!? He can act! I'm a surprised froggy - every other film I've seen him in he was the token pretty face with mediocre at best acting skills. I watched this one with the boyfriend and he enjoyed it as well. The ambiguity of the ending was a nice teaser; I shall have to watch the film again in search of additional clues.
Arn: Knight Templar. This is the English version which has the two Swedish films cut together into one, so there's a lot of material missing. I was really skeptical. Really. I like the trilogy of books this film is based on, yet medieval+film=disaster 99.98% of the time. Know what? It's a good film, the hacked down plot tells a solid story, and it avoids most of the usual film-based perversions of medieval world. It's a shame that Cecelia's story was reduced to a sideshow as in the book trilogy and the original non-English duo of films there's a lot of interesting politics and characterisation going on in her half. The cut was done well enough that you wouldn't know something was missing if you weren't already familiar with the original story. I quite liked the way the characters kept swapping between different languages.
Chocolat. I enjoyed most of it, and felt that it outstayed its welcome. It was great until the end of the party, and then it kept on going and going and going with little left to say. The ending was an overly happy, perfect one which pushed the film from tolerably sweet into cloying. However the parts before the end of the party were really very good.
The Last Emperor. I liked it when I watched it years ago without much understanding of the history on which it was based. This time around I still enjoyed it for the performances and imagery, and felt that I gained more from it because I now have the background knowledge. Its classic status is well deserved.
All in all the most successful run of films I've had in forever! That leaves me with 'Green Mile', 'Curse of the Golden Flower' and 'Empire of the Sun' left to watch out of the initial pile I picked up. I think 'Curse' will be next for a change of pace.
I'm still trying to find 'Let the right one in'.
I'm currently wondering about 'Mongol: The Rise of Gengis Khan' and 'Confucius'. I'm skeptical but slowly becoming intrigued. 'Gengis' is being recommended as a fairly accurate bio with a good understanding of Mongol society and solid acting. I don't know. 'Confucius' is reportedly more a legendary piece in tone, yet focused in on a small number of characters. It definitely has that visual splendour I enjoy in Asian cinema. Hmm.
Good to hear!
I watched inception quite a few times, considering it is quite a recent flick. And it's one of those few you can do it with. If you like that, you might also like Shutter Island. It is also with Dicaprio again not as the 'cute' boy. The guy is actually not such a bad actor, just had a lot of the same stupid roles for a while in which he played the good guy that gets the girl parts. But remember one of his earliest full feature films, what's eating Gilbert grape, you might remember he played a mentally handicapped boy in it. The more recent movies the departed and blood diamand aren't that bad either.
Btw I believe I'm not sure but was last king of scotland already mentioned and suggested? That's a great movie as well. It's about a young and naive British doctor wanting some adventure in his life and goes of to Uganda to do some humanitarian aid. However he soon becomes the pet monkey of the local president (read: dictator).
The Last King of Scotland is fantastic. Definitely not a Friday or Saturday night film though.
The Last King of Scotland is fantastic. Definitely not a Friday or Saturday night film though.
Good movie but it's kinda odd that they completely left out the war that follows, if you do a movie adaptation of a book you shouldn't just disregard half of it, movie could have been much richer in content
It would have been too long/they wouldn't have been able to go into it in detail. I'm sure there will be other films to focus on the aftermath.
frogbeastegg
10-18-2011, 17:05
Which book was 'Last King of Scotland' based on?
Which book was 'Last King of Scotland' based on?
The Last King of Scotland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_king_of_scotland), by Giles Foden. It's about Idi Amin, who is played by Forest Whitaker in the movie.
frogbeastegg
10-18-2011, 17:51
The Last King of Scotland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_king_of_scotland), by Giles Foden.
I should have guessed that.
It's about Idi Amin, who is played by Forest Whitaker in the movie.
A part he played very well. Didn't he win an oscar for it?
edit: apparantly he did.
Froggy my friend, congrats on being an admin! Just so you know though, you have bad taste in movies. ~;) (with the exception of LoTR)
My suggestion for you would be The Expendables! I think you would LOVE it!
My suggestion for you would be The Expendables! I think you would LOVE it!
Yeah, after all who can resist this-
http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/photoshop/2/5/8/33258.jpg?v=1
And we all know girls go crazy about Sly.
Yeah, after all who can resist this-
http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/photoshop/2/5/8/33258.jpg?v=1
And we all know girls go crazy about Sly.
Hey now, no picking on The Expendables. It is one of the most awesome movies ever.
frogbeastegg
10-20-2011, 18:09
My battle to not watch Expendables was far more epic, emotional, and thrilling than any Hollywood production could ever be. I won in the end; my boyfriend had to watch it alone.
And we all know girls go crazy about Sly.
Urgh! Never, ever have understood the appeal. Ever.
My battle to not watch Expendables was far more epic, emotional, and thrilling than any Hollywood production could ever be. I won in the end; my boyfriend had to watch it alone.
Urgh! Never, ever have understood the appeal. Ever.
Yeah, right! We all know about your secret boy crush on Sly!
You remember that time you got drunk and posted this in the hunk thread?
Sylvester Stallone is without a doubt the sexiest man alive! How can anyone resist those well oiled, giant muscles of his?! I wanna spank that bad boy!
A quick delete when you sobered up did not stop me from quoting it! ~;)
frogbeastegg
10-20-2011, 19:12
It's ok. This is an open-minded forum and no one is going to judge you for wanting to talk about Sly's muscles. There's no need to hide.
Meanwhile, it's 'The Princess Bride's 25th anniversary and time for another repeat viewing. If only Westley didn't have that moustache ... :loveg:
It's ok. This is an open-minded forum and no one is going to judge you for wanting to talk about Sly's muscles. There's no need to hide.
Meanwhile, it's 'The Princess Bride's 25th anniversary and time for another repeat viewing. If only Westley didn't have that moustache ... :loveg:
While I'll admit that he a hunk, he is just not my type. ~;) I prefer men with more hair. :beam: (I will have to check that Westley guy out)
I'm a Cyborg, But That's Ok.
My favorite. I have seen it so many times now when I watch I like to not historical inaccuracy in the plot and try to find things that went unedited. And look at Andy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFEfHCJG4G4
vBulletin® v3.7.1, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.