What Movies Are You Watching Lately

[limping_decorum]



I rather enjoyed A Walk Among the Tombstones, but then I liked the book.

i rather hope they do more scudder movies.

 

[Kid Nickels]



Pretty sad, really. In a recent interview, he said he's been taking every piece of crap movie offered to him since the death of his wife, just to stay busy.

Hmmmm… had never really thought of it like that. Indeed that is heartbreaking… they were just skiing and she hit her head… died so suddenly. Goddamn that sucks.

SPECTRE trailer. I jizzed.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

They've been promo'ing this **** like 6 months before release? Is that really necessary?

 

[Britalian]

passione~ John Turturro docu on the music of Naples. very evocative.

the face of an angel~ recent Michael Winterbottom film based on true story of a American studentessa's murder in small Italian town in 2007. well acted but all over the place and not much of a resolution. Daniel brule scriptwriter sent to construct a screenplay based on the case.


Ted.~ funny in parts. will catch Ted 2.

The Happiest Days of Your Life~ classic 40s British studio comedy with British acting royalty of the time. Public schools and the various attendant stereotypes.

My Zinc Bed~ tv film 3 hander with uma Thurman and jonothan price as rich industrialist husband. David hare script so wordy but brilliantly so.

 

[JFST]



Thanks JFST.

I think that Fassbinder is uneven, and has made movies that are of lesser quality, but the megamovie Berlin Alexanderplatz (it was made as a 16 hours long movie, and to Fassbinder's rage cut into a sequel ) has everything that you find in his movies; both the thematically topics; how impossible it is to be good in a society that is evil, the exploitation of emotions and the illusion of personal freedom - but it has also all the beauty developed from his manic production; he made about four movies a year (40 movies in 15 years) until he died of OD in -82, at an age of 37.

'Berlin Alexanderplaz'. 'Fear Eats the Soul', 'The marriage of Maria Braun', 'Veronica Voss' but most of all his very last movie, the dark and enigmatic 'Querelle' are my favorites from him.

No, I have not seen 'The steamroler and the violinist', but I really want to. Will try to find it. 

I see from your avatar that yourself is not unfamiliar with the cinematic saints of Europe, is it from one of Fellini 's masterpieces that you have take the photo of Marcello?

Yes. La dolce vita, a true masterpiece and one of my recurring films, still has that substance after I saw it 10 years ago. I have to revisit Rome with this film and La grande bellezza in my mind.

 

[OmniscientCause]

True story. I don't know what to make of this movie. Plot was interesting enough acting was decent enough but that ending...

 

[noob in 89]



Yes. La dolce vita, a true masterpiece and one of my recurring films, still has that substance after I saw it 10 years ago. I have to revisit Rome with this film and La grande bellezza in my mind.

This is the one that sort of punctured my illusion that European films of era were hands-down better than their American counterparts. Remember that one scene, with the American guy? He starts speaking English, and it's so jarring -- loud and projecting, a relic of the stage. It was then I realized that European films probably weren't so much better, they just appeared that way because you didn't know their actors were doing the same thing.

Anyway, Dole Vita rocks! I want to see all of Marcello's 2,000 films sometime before I die.

 

[Roy Al]

This is the one that sort of punctured my illusion that European films of era were hands-down better than their American counterparts. Remember that one scene, with the American guy? He starts speaking English, and it's so jarring -- loud and projecting, a relic of the stage. It was then I realized that European films probably weren't so much better, they just appeared that way because you didn't know their actors were doing the same thing.

Anyway, Dole Vita rocks! I want to see all of Marcello's 2,000 films sometime before I die.

I never liked the modern Fellini that much, feel he is too self-centered and baroque, for my taste. Many Italian movies are, I think. His late 50-ies films, i.e. La strada and La notte di Calabria, have a simpleness and directness that I like, else he is more interesting as an inspiration for other directors.

There is an other Italian that I appreciate much more; Pier Paolo Pasolini, and especially his 'The gospel according to Matthew' as one of the best movie about of the life of Jesus. Pasolini, who's life in some aspects resemblance that of Fassbinder ( their concern with political and sexual suppression ), managed the interesting achievement of both getting one movie 'canonized' by the catholic church, and got an other on 'index' (which made it forbidden for catholics to watch): 'Salo, or the last 100 days of Sodom'.

The US has had, and has still, many fantastic directors that have made marvelous and important movies, and I don't see them as superior or inferior to European or Asian directors, just different. Some of my all time favorite movies and directors are american, but I have a deep affection for some directors from my own continent; more often they tell stories that seem truer and more familiar to me, then what their american siblings do. But, there are many exceptions. On both sides of the ocean.

 

[JFST]

There is an other Italian that I appreciate much more; Pier Paolo Pasolini, and especially his 'The gospel according to Matthew' as one of the best movie about of the life of Jesus. Pasolini, who's life in some aspects resemblance that of Fassbinder ( their concern with political and sexual suppression ), managed the interesting achievement of both getting one movie 'canonized' by the catholic church, and got an other on 'index' (which made it forbidden for catholics to watch): 'Salo, or the last 100 days of Sodom'.

Nice analogy, actually now that you mention it I can see them relate, although in my opinion Pasolini is somewhat more bold, more forceful, I remember seeing Salo, that was quite a ride of images and symbols but in the end I didn't like it that much. Matthew is on my HD with my other 100's of movies to see...Antonioni is another one beast, L'eclisse is wonderful.
5/5

Remember that one scene, with the American guy? He starts speaking English, and it's so jarring -- loud and projecting, a relic of the stage. It was then I realized that European films probably weren't so much better, they just appeared that way because you didn't know their actors were doing the same thing.

Anyway, Dole Vita rocks! I want to see all of Marcello's 2,000 films sometime before I die.

I remember, in fact when I first came to the US I kinda spoke like that (less loud and shocking I hope)

. Marcello is an icon, I recently saw one of his french movies La grande Bouffe and he had that vibe...8 1/2 is also a masterpiece

 

[Medwed]

I can never fully get into Italian movies, they are stylistically foreign to me : too staged , too over the top, the language is too sophomoric the exploration of 'subject of the movie' are often very superficial and cavalier. They often remind me of movies from Georgia/ Armenia or some Middle-Eastern bad movies.
I realise that the common language of Italian filmmakers and their point of view are deeply foreign to me. With exception of Pazolini and particularly Marco Bellocchio I don't rewatch any Italian films.

 

[Roy Al]

The Taviani-brothers are exceptions, they made personal and very italian movies. And then we have Bertolucci, but he is maybe more of a northeurope-american director.

 

[Harold falcon]

Does Leone not count as Italian? I've heard arguments both ways.

 

[Roy Al]

Does Leone not count as Italian? I've heard arguments both ways.

Concerning DNA he is, but when it comes to personal style he is american. Love his 'Once upon a time in America'.

 

[ter1413]



Concerning DNA he is, but when it comes to personal style he is american. Love his 'Once upon a time in America'. 

Noodles....hahahahah.

 

[noob in 89]



The US has had, and has still, many fantastic directors that have made marvelous and important movies, and I don't see them as superior or inferior to European or Asian directors, just different.

Yeah, I probably should have said 'dated'. To me, they feel dated. Past a certain year, the voice acting can be so hammy, it just pulls me right out of it. Thankfully, subtitles and a steadfast mono-linguism have preserved the Italians for me.

Also, wait - how does Fellini feel too foreign? They're all so sensual, sensual and intellectual, braided up into one. That's just a recipe for success. Smarts and ****, daring and nostalgia -- and Marcello! It's no wonder that Felllini is often the gateway drug into the harder continental European fare.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

IMO

 

[Roy Al]

There's not many female Italian directors that I know, but Liliana Cavani did make a lasting impression with her 'The nightporter', about the consentrationcampsurvivor who in -57 meets again the SS-officer who abused her, and re-establishes the same relationship as in the KZ-times - but this time voluntary; leading them both to destruction.
A very erotic and very disturbing sadomasochistic movie; Charlotte Rampling is eatable in this role, and Dirk Bogarde is detached as always. But not really 'Italian', more German in the realistic style and intellectual/psychological/sociological approach.