Welcome to what I hope will be an excellent place for Affton students, staff and alumni to discuss film. It doesn't matter if you've taken a film class or not, all opinions about film are appreciated. I'm still getting this off the ground so I'll be adding stuff (links, featured films, calenders, etc.) in the near future. For now I'm just looking for participation. I'll start by posting my top five films that I can pop in at any time and enjoy - not necessarily what I think are the best films, but ones I can watch over and over again.
5. Anchorman (Cannonball!)
4. Boogie Nights (PT Anderson's film about family values... set in the adult film industry)
3. Out of Sight (J-Lo could act at one time - Clooney is excellent)
2. Rushmore (Wes Anderson hits his stride & Bill Murry reinvents himself)
1. The Big Lebowski (must watch it 3x before one can appreciate the amazing genius of The Dude)
Please post your own list or feel free to comment about mine or others!
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The Social Network - A movie about The MyFace by David (Fight Club, Seven) Fincher
I love Midge!
Click the pic to see what could be the greatest gift a father could give his son. Make sure you read the description.
Last movie I saw...
Greenberg
Greenberg is Noah Baumbach's latest film about dysfunctional people. I skipped his last, Margot at the Wedding, but his other films, Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale, are favorites, and I've enjoyed his writing collaborations (Zissou) with Wes Anderson.
I made the mistake of seeing Greenberg on a date night with another couple. It really isn't the best movie to see with a group of people who aren't exclusively looking for a character study of a misanthropic 40-year-old that refuses to embrace responsibility. The title character does mean things to people because he feels he's been treated badly by life. The film's mantra, espoused by more than one character, is "hurt people, hurt people" and certainly this fits Greenberg. Ben Stiller turns in perhaps the best performance of his career and Greta Gerwig, playing the woman who is desperate enough to tolerate Greenberg's erratic behavior, is a real find.
If the movie has an intended audience, it seems to be people, or those who know people who can't transition from twenty-somethings to adulthood well. Does it get across its message effectively? Sure, the final act where Greenberg, at emotional rock-bottom, gets high at a college-age party and starts spouting out brilliant lines condemning the newest generation and inadvertently himself, bears his soul to the only friend who hasn't alienated, and finally makes the first steps toward allowing himself let go of the insufferable jerk he's found comfort in being for much of his life.
If you like character studies this is a good one. Subtle and challenging, if you at any way identify or can identify those like the title character, the slice of Greenberg's life that we get will stick with you. Stay away if the sober, soul-searching exploits of a stalled individual who keeps sabotaging his own happiness doesn't sound like a good use of an ninety minutes. Three-and-a-half Cougar Heads (one if this genre of film is foreign to you).
Greenberg is Noah Baumbach's latest film about dysfunctional people. I skipped his last, Margot at the Wedding, but his other films, Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale, are favorites, and I've enjoyed his writing collaborations (Zissou) with Wes Anderson.
I made the mistake of seeing Greenberg on a date night with another couple. It really isn't the best movie to see with a group of people who aren't exclusively looking for a character study of a misanthropic 40-year-old that refuses to embrace responsibility. The title character does mean things to people because he feels he's been treated badly by life. The film's mantra, espoused by more than one character, is "hurt people, hurt people" and certainly this fits Greenberg. Ben Stiller turns in perhaps the best performance of his career and Greta Gerwig, playing the woman who is desperate enough to tolerate Greenberg's erratic behavior, is a real find.
If the movie has an intended audience, it seems to be people, or those who know people who can't transition from twenty-somethings to adulthood well. Does it get across its message effectively? Sure, the final act where Greenberg, at emotional rock-bottom, gets high at a college-age party and starts spouting out brilliant lines condemning the newest generation and inadvertently himself, bears his soul to the only friend who hasn't alienated, and finally makes the first steps toward allowing himself let go of the insufferable jerk he's found comfort in being for much of his life.
If you like character studies this is a good one. Subtle and challenging, if you at any way identify or can identify those like the title character, the slice of Greenberg's life that we get will stick with you. Stay away if the sober, soul-searching exploits of a stalled individual who keeps sabotaging his own happiness doesn't sound like a good use of an ninety minutes. Three-and-a-half Cougar Heads (one if this genre of film is foreign to you).
Looking forward to seeing...
The Social Network - A movie about The MyFace by David (Fight Club, Seven) Fincher
Awesome film links
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About Me
I love Midge!
The Perfect Gift
Click the pic to see what could be the greatest gift a father could give his son. Make sure you read the description.
My recommendation would be that everyone take the time to view 2001: A Space Odyssey. I know the familiar critique is that its too pretentious and down right boring in parts but I for one do not agree. Not only does this film explore some real existential depth (i.e., man’s relation to Being) but it also steadily engages in a deconstruction of technology and our belief that it can deliver any higher truth. The film is not anti-technology (that would be too ironic and cute for a sci-fi picture) but it is terribly concerned with the ways in which human beings construct truth in a manner that conceals or diminishes our humanity. In a phrase, “its deep man!”
ReplyDeleteMr. Esselman
Sometimes it's good to settle down with an old black & white film.
ReplyDeleteTop 5 Classics
5. Random Harvest (extremely cheesy, but wonderful nonetheless)
4. It Happened One Night (Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert; this is the basis for so many other films including The Sure Thing)
3. The Palm Beach Story (Claudette Colbert, Rudy Vallee, and Joel McCrea--farce at it's best)
2. Sabrina (with Humphrey Bogart & Audrey Hepburn; much better than the modern version)
1. The Philadephia Story
(Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Katherine Hepburn; one of the 27 Cary Grant films I have on DVD)
--Ms. Benmuvhar
I am a big fan of the "cult classics." Movies you need to see atleast once, if only to say you did.
ReplyDelete5. Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness - Even though these are 2 different movies, they should be watched together. Bruce Campbell, the number one "B" actor of all time, is at his best.
4. Donnie Darko - A troubled teen, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, sees a giant bunny rabbit. It will make you think.
3. This is Spinal Tap - Spoof about the life of a metal band in the 80's. It will definately take you to 11.
2. Big Trouble in Little China - A classic about the battle between good and evil.
1. The Big Lebowski - The dude abides.
Mr. Hildebrand
Top 5 movies I can see from where I am right now:
ReplyDeletePulp Fiction
A Mighty Wind
The Great Dictator
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Smoke Signals
Re: 2001. Right there with you Mr.E. I would add that it's a visual smorgasboard. Re: Ms. B.: I'm thinking it's always a good time to settle in with a black and white film. I need to raid your library to get up to speed. Re: Mr. H. Although I like the bunny in Donnie Darko, I think the bunny in Sexy Beast has it beat and it's also a brilliant film. Re: Mr. W.: I'm an Elf man myself.
ReplyDeleteOf course I made my list @ 7:30 this morning and took about five min. to come up with it. I immediately regret not putting Pulp Fiction in there (replace Boogie Nights). Also enjoy Spinal Tap, Razing Arizona and Punch Drunk Love (just missed the list). I think 2001 is a great film but I'd save it for top 5 films I'd watch with Mr. Esselman.
ReplyDeleteI have seen it convincingly argued that cinema is the perfect medium to capture philosophical truth. Using that as my premise, let me suggest three “heady” flicks for folks to check out if they have not already.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” is an outstanding meditation on death and as a direct consequence of this, life. For some philosophers, this is the only truth that exists, that our lives will come to an end. In full recognition of this truth, a person is liberated from any superficial “hang ups” in life (such as high school social scenes) and can live it to its fullest. In the film, the scene where the family enjoys some strawberries and cream, is a full on acknowledgement of this. That scene is simply beautiful when one completely grasps both its simplicity and finitude. Of course, we could also go on about the chess (or twister in “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey”) with death stuff but that speaks for itself.
Another film that “gets there” sort to speak is Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire”. In this picture we literally get to see Peter Faulk (playing himself) deconstruct his own existence (i.e., lose the hang ups ) and recognize the beauty of life. Set in very post-modern city like Berlin, angels peer down from above and grow envious of human beings and their temporally-based reality. As the great Queen song goes from the “Highlander” films, “Who wants to live forever?” No one, that’s who! To live forever would negate humanity’s essential aspect which is our beingness trapped in time, our fundamental “being towards death” (courtesy of Heidegger). Indeed, one of the angels in the film recognizes this essential truth and falls to earth to become mortal. The brilliant film-making of Wenders makes the audience realize that’s the best and only choice, to embrace the temporal aspect of existence. Wow! “How existential” as we used to say rather pompously in high school over Steak and Shake coffee.
Finally, a third picture deserves mention here. It is “Lost in Translation” by Sophia Coppola. In this film you get the full on deconstruction of two characters including Bill Murray. Very cool stuff if you can focus on what’s not being said. Like a Kubrick flick, its all about the “negative space” and that arresting silence. I have a friend who teaches in Japan and I simply must get over there after seeing those night scenes in Tokyo. Very “Blade Runner”. All that nightlife excitement and the only thing you feel is loneliness or the boredom Schopenhauer says we must experience in order to truly analyze existence. Its like being at the mall but not really “being there”. Very cool, especially when you consider that the director did not screw it all up by having the two characters wind up together. They just shared some moments and moved on completely changed. Awesome.
P.S. I will soon post a spirited intellectual defense for zombie films!
I going to let Ms. Walker comment on "Lost in Translation."It's one of our favorites and I think it's a perfect companion to "Wings of Desire" - showing exactly the allure of humanity witnessed by the angel.
ReplyDeleteI typed (literally - on a typewriter) an analysis of "Wings" in 1989 for a college essay requirement (Amherst I think) I didn't get in. Wish I had a copy of it to see what I thought at the time.
I agree Mr. E about Lost in Translation. Great film with a fantastic soundtrack and even better scenery. It's an honest and unique exploration of love, relationships, career, parenthood and how these can be best evaluated while in an unfamiliar setting. Tokyo nightlife and sites are fun to see through this quest of self-identity.
ReplyDelete?: what do you think is the most overrated film?
ReplyDeleteMy vote is Ford's The Searchers. Visually interesting, but I can't get past the blatant racism. I've heard the apologist argument that Wayne's character's racism is realist and representative of America but I'm not buying it. His "acceptance" of Natalie Wood at the end seems to be about as worthy of redemption as Matt Dillon's actions at the end of Crash (shot out to Mr.W). Wood's change of heart, fleeing from the Comanche to Wayne are unmotivated and ring untrue. The film seems to reinforce as many stereotypes as people commonly seem to suggest it resists. I think the film would be salvagable if the "half breed" was considered the protagonist, but that would entail a serious revision of the standard reading of the film. In the meantime, give me The Unforgiven for Realism and The Outlaw Josey Wales for the romantic version of the western.
And now for some intellectual musings on zombie films!
ReplyDeleteThe point is not often lost on even the detractors that zombie films offer a biting critique of modern society. What though, is the essential critique offered by these films? In my view, it is a bit deeper than those wrought by even the most ardent of Romero supporters. As a rule, these films offer what I would refer to as a fundamental inversion of modern society. It would be easy to dismiss the zombies collectively as non-human. I argue the reverse. They constitute the majority of humanity, a majority that dwells inauthentically within the fundamental contours of existence. By attaching themselves to the inauthentic facets of existence such as shopping malls they become stripped of any real enlightenment concerning the anxiety ridden “being towards death”. Invested fully in the material trappings of the world they collectively become slaves and lay claim to the existence of the few who have achieved some semblance of enlightenment (i.e., an existential recognition of the finitude of life). Now about those “enlightened”, how is it that they know to defend themselves? Of course in the movies flesh eating creatures on the prowl make the point rather quickly to our non-zombified protagonists. Nonetheless, an important philosophical underpinning is often less apparent to the casual horror movie junkie. In other words, few realize that enlightenment is not a conscious act by human beings but rather, a sudden realization that vast swathes of the world have fallen into modes of inauthenticity. Once this is realized, the race to the end begins. In a desperate and often futile endeavor, the few non-zombies must battle against the inauthentic and seemingly immortal “non-humans” or zombies. Of course, all of the heroes realize that their battle is futile given the sheer numbers of zombies out there but they battle nonetheless. This makes their story ultimately tragic but heroic in an existential sense. One would do themselves well to keep zombie flicks in mind whenever they battle against the inauthentic realms of modern society such as high school hallways and parties. Good luck out there and remember the defense against “the zombie hoard” is just metaphorical when applied to the lived experience of everyday life. Think Hamlet with better special effects and no iambic pentameter!
In no particular order Mr. Jennings:
ReplyDelete- Titantic (I did like it when the ship sank)
- Crash (Moralizing beyond belief)
- The Matrix Trilogy (Typical mind-body dualism trash and anticipation of "the one" - please)
- Gladiator (Best Picture?)
- Scarface (Stop making the oversized tee-shirts!)
Mr. E,
ReplyDeleteYou make many interesting points in your spirited analysis of the zombie genre, but how about some examples from some films? What's the first film a zombie-novice should see? I saw the "Night of the Living Dead" remake when I was a kid and that pretty much scared me away from the non-living until "Shaun of the Dead." Can anyone else come up with some suggestions (Hildebrand, I'm looking in your direction)?
Overrated films...
ReplyDelete- Gone With the Wind (Southerners still can't let go of the past because of this one)
- The Sixth Sense (AFI top 100! Are you kidding?)
- Crash (too easy)
- Anything by Michael Bay
- Old School (Not as funny as you remember - there's much better bromance films)
- Scarface (see the original)
How could I forget - "Forrest Gump" (How many ways can a film insult your intellegence?)
ReplyDeleteSee "Being There" for "mentally disabled is mistaken for genius" plot done well. Peter Sellers is hilarious.
Mr. W - I'm not sure I am really the person to ask about zombie movies. I am not particularly fond of "horror" flicks, if you would even call this genre horror.
ReplyDeleteHowever, "Night of the Living Dead" is the quinessential zombie movie. I think it is one everyone should see, even if it scares you to death - as it did me as well. I would probably put "Army of Darkness" and "Evil Dead" in this category also. I kind of like to think of them like the old "Airplane" or Mel Brooks movies. They poke fun at horror/zombie movies, but you can tell that the director/writer (Sam Raimi) has a deep appreciation of this genre.
More recent films that I would recommend would be "28 Days Later" and the first "Resident Evil" film. I know, they are a bit juvenile, but the idea of what corporations might do in order to make money off of a cure for a disease that they cannot control is somewhat intriguing. Call me a conspiracy theorist all you want. In fact, I belive that will be my next list...
Top conspiracy films:
ReplyDelete- JFK - Most people either love Oliver Stone, or hate him because of how ridiculously bias he is.
- All the Presidents Men - Hoffman and Redford play Bernstein and Woodward investigating the Watergate Scandal
- The Manchurian Candidate - Denzel's version is good, but the original with Sinatra is great
- The Man Who Knew Too Much - Hitchcock, need I say more?
- Hot Fuzz - Say what you will, this movie is funny. Same people who made "Shaun of the Dead" and "Run Fat Boy Run."
- No Way Out - Costner and Hackman in a cat and mouse game involving the pentagon and the suspicion a russian mole during the cold war
- L.A. Confidential - Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce are just a few in this great ensemble cast
"No Way Out" is a great pick. Ahh... the mid-eighties when Sean Young was still on the rise and hadn't gone bat-guano crazy and super-glued James Woods's penis to his thigh. And Kevin Costner was going to be the brightest star in Hollywood a least until the mid-nineties hit and his career sank.
ReplyDeleteBonnie and Clyde was good. I liked it better than I thought I would. I thought it had it's moments that were a little cheesy but it was fun to watch and I enjoyed it. I probably would never watch it again but I'm glad i gave it a chance.
ReplyDelete