The dread words have been uttered: "You know this weekend, frog? Why don't we watch a film?"
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.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
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:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
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:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
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.
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.
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
Managing perceptions goes hand in hand with managing expectations - Masamune
Pie is merely the power of the state intruding into the private lives of the working class. - Beirut
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
Last edited by rajpoot; 09-22-2011 at 17:55.
The horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
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.
Originally Posted by Zim
You watched the Fantastic 4 sequel with him? That's either true love or an incredible amount fo forbearance.
I should print this out and show it to him.
Originally Posted by TinCow
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.
Originally Posted by Swordsmaster
Otherwise there is always 300
He already subjected me to that. Another 3 hours of my life, wasted. :(
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.
Last edited by Sasaki Kojiro; 09-22-2011 at 18:17.
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. is , regardless of where it comes from.
I think I can do you some justice though, give me a moment here....
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.
Originally Posted by TinCow
What you describe here are bad comedy films, not American comedy films. is , 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!
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
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.
We've made our walls sufficiently thick that we don't even hear the wet thuds of them bashing their brains against the outer wall and falling as lifeless corpses into our bottomless moat.
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.
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.
Originally Posted by Drone
Someone has to watch over the wheat.
Originally Posted by TinCow
We've made our walls sufficiently thick that we don't even hear the wet thuds of them bashing their brains against the outer wall and falling as lifeless corpses into our bottomless moat.
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. 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.
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.
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.
It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then, the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.
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.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
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.
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;
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.
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)
A ha ha! Rainbows and unicorns! Rainbows and unicorns!
Recommend a frog a film?
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Originally Posted by Zim
is 
After this short introduction, let's move straight onto the topic.
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