Let's talk about MOVIES

[Aida]

My "must see" list of a few films I've recently seen.

1. Batman The Dark Night (saw it a few days ago, but also five other times since it came out...I guess I'm just a huge fan)
2. The American
3. Lost in Translation
4. Mother
5. Man on the Moon
6. Seven Samurai

How about you?

[turns]

The two that I can think of off the top of my head that I would like to see are "The adjustment bureau" with Matt Damon and "Sanctum" which was made by the same person as Avatar was.

[Iguanasan]

Just got home from seeing Green Lantern. I read a fair bit of DC comic when I was a kid but I don't remember much Green Lantern lore so I can't tell you how accurate it was, however, I thought it was a fun movie. Probably a 7/10 for me.

[Marko]

Interesting list Aida!
I'm a bit of a movie freak myself. LOVED lost in translation but hated The American. Did you see The International? That's the pace I like when it comes to the subject matter of the American....which i found painfully boring (even though I like finely crafted 'slower' films).

These days I'm into older (part few years)TV series.
2 that are HIGHLY recommended
Breaking Bad
Deadwood

[Gremlich]

I am really out of touch with new movies and few of them, if any, are memorable

Favs that I will watch anytime

Gallipoli
Breaker Morant
Lost in Translation
Anything by Studio Ghibli
The Majestic
Most classic westerns
Casablanca
El Dorado
The Dirty Harry movies
Anything with Jackie Chan, Gong Li or Michelle Yeoh in it
Millenium Actress
Wasabi
Goonies (They better not make a re-make of it!!!)


some Movies I won't watch again EVAR!

The American (just plain bad)
Blue Velvet (too weird)
Incubus

[Iguanasan]

Ok, I have to add my favourites too!

Here they are in no particular order:

Die Hard
Under Siege
Kill Bill
The Lord of the Rings (the set)
The Matrix - all of them
Spiderman - the series
Arsenic and Old Lace - Classic!
All the Bruce Lee movies!

Oh, there are so much more!!! I love movies.

[Aida]

Wow, can't believe how many of you disliked The American. All right, the story was mediocre, kinda was done before and in a lot better way but you have to appreciate the scenery. The director Anton Corbijn is amazing. I am a fine art photographer so I really appreciate scenes that have a lot of beauty in them and every single one of those scenes could have made a gorgeous still photo.
Plus I think Focus Feature films (Lost In Translation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are focused more on the environment and really respect photography.

I saw The International, should see it again though. It was a good movie, Naomi Watts is one of my favourite actors.

Another movie that just came in mind is "Closer". Really recommend it, it's one of those movies that you can watch over and over again and it still turns out great.

The TV show, Breaking Bad, I've been following it since it came out and am anxiously awaiting the next season in July. I'm so excited.
Sadly, haven't seen Deadwood, but I'll look into it. I love TV shows, so thanks for that Marko.

I don't know why but I really hate the Spiderman movies...

:D I'm so excited all of you guys replied and contributed to this post. I really appreciate it, thanks a lot!!

[thoughton]

In the last two weeks I've seen:

Moon
The King's Speech
True Grit

... and Hall Pass :D

They were all pretty good :P

[Marko]

No prob Aida - I LOVE talking movies.
Back to the American, lol - I never noticed the beautiful scenery because the plot was so bloody slow and boring. For me, plot is always key in a film and will wreck it if its weak.

THIS film also has a much slower pace and but it WORKS with the subject matter. I 100% promise you will love the scenery and a VERY good chance that you'll find the plot great as well. It's a film about the painter Vermeer called the Girl with a Pearl Earring - AWESOME if you can deal with a bit slower pace. Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) - IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335119/) Colin Firth plays Vermeer. As a fine art photographer, you will LOVE this.

I also saw The King's speech w/colin firth recently - awesome!

[Aida]

So I saw Moon - absolutely amazing film! I really loved it.
True Grit and The King's Speech are still on my list, haven't gotten around to seeing them yet, but I don't doubt they are great.

The Girl With The Pearl Earing...Saw it!! I know I loved it I really have to see it again because it's been a few years.
Thanks guys!!

Do you guys watch any foreign films, and can you recommend me some if you do?

I've really been into Korean films lately and I think they are amazing.
Here are a few that I really appreciated:

Mother (Joon-ho Bong = any movie by this director is bound to be great)
A Bittersweet Life (great movie, a little predictable but still gerat)
Oldboy (great but really messed up)

And of course any movies by Akira Kurosawa, I just got a complete set of 20 of his films, saw about 7 or so...can't get enough!

[thoughton]

Yeah I was really impressed with Moon. I thought Sam Rockwell was excellent, it must be pretty intimidating to be the sole actor in a 100 minute film! Good plot and great sets too.

The King's Speech and True Grit are both what you'd expect for the number of nominations etc. Fine acting in both. Personally I thought King's Speech was the better film but on the other hand I suppose it wasn't labouring under 'remake' syndrome. The young girl in True Grit was incredible.

Spurred on by Marko's comments I just saw The International last night. It had been sitting unwatched on my AppleTV for a long time as my wife isn't too keen on crime or political thrillers. I enjoyed it, great tension, although I did find the plot a bit convoluted at times. Slightly depressing ending too :)

PS I generally don't watch many subtitled films, but I was raised in Hong Kong and speak Cantonese, so I can strongly recommend most films by Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express, Happy Together) and the improbably-named Fruit Chan (Durian Durian, Made in Hong Kong). They are both well known in HK, and have decent budgets, so the subtitling should be reasonably good.

[Aida]

Awesome, thanks. I'll definitely check out those films by Wong Kar-Wai.

Just wanted to update a few films I just saw in these couple of days which I recommend.

The Painted Veil
Matchstick Men
From Dusk Til Dawn (beginning great, middle as well...the ending, so so...pretty much exactly what you'd expect from Robert Rodriguez)

[AcadieLibre]

I have been sort of in a Movie dry spell lately outside documentaries. If you like foreign films I would have to highly recommend City of God (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/) a very powerful Brazilian made movie. Another one that pops to in my head is Tsotsi (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468565/) a South African movie that I think is another great film, I posted the links to IMDB as I think they can explain the movie subjects better than I at the moment. Both films I think are must watch.

I just finished watching a really well made and interesting documentary called Inside Job (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1645089/) a movie on the American/World economic collapse that has happened. Narrated by Matt Damon it looks at what led to and who was involved in this massive criminal act that has for many led to poverty, homelessness, joblessness, etc. with no one being held accountable. I have seen a few documentaries on this topic and this movie is one of the more thorough well made ones on this subject, highly recommend it. This movie is from an American perspective and mostly deals with the crimes of those from that country with some parts about Iceland. I doubt one movie could accurately cover the global ponzi scam that this was part of in a 2 hour time frame.

[Iguanasan]

I just finished watching a really well made and interesting documentary called Inside Job (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1645089/) a movie on the American/World economic collapse that has happened. Narrated by Matt Damon it looks at what led to and who was involved in this massive criminal act that has for many led to poverty, homelessness, joblessness, etc. with no one being held accountable. I have seen a few documentaries on this topic and this movie is one of the more thorough well made ones on this subject, highly recommend it. This movie is from an American perspective and mostly deals with the crimes of those from that country with some parts about Iceland. I doubt one movie could accurately cover the global ponzi scam that this was part of in a 2 hour time frame.

For a different take on some of this try YouTube - ‪ZEITGEIST: MOVING FORWARD | OFFICIAL RELEASE | 2011‬‏ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z9WVZddH9w) I'm about 2/3 of the way through this one and it definitely gives you perspective on the way we live our lives in regards to our financial situation.

[Wicked Dark]

If you like classic movies you really have to see In a Lonely Place (http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/In_a_Lonely_Place/60026964?trkid=2361637). I've never seen Bogart better, including Casablanca. Great sets, dialogue and the cinematography was off the charts.

[Marko]

thx for the new posts - more stuff for me to check out!

[AcadieLibre]

Finally got around to watching Inglourious Basterds (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/), I was unsure if I would like it but surprisingly I thought it was a very well done movie. If you have not seen it and enjoy black humour it may be worth watching.

[Iguanasan]

I loved Inglorious Basterds, great movie.

Last night I watched The Adjustment Bureau (2011) - IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385826/) but I have to tell you the trailer, for me, was very deceptive. While it was a well done movie, I expected a bit of an action thriller a bit like a Bourne movie considering Matt Damon was in it and, honestly, it's more of a love story. Great chick-flick.

[AcadieLibre]

I had a movie day and it was the first in a long time, Reservoir Dogs, Snatch, Inglorious Basterds, Life of Brian, Blade Runner, 3000 Miles to Graceland and Way of the Gun. Just my wife and I alone and quiet in the house so we have a movie day.

[Iguanasan]

The only two I haven't seen are the last two but I really liked all the rest of this list.

[Wicked Dark]

we were going to watch Basterds again the other day, but hubby wanted to watch Twister for the millionth time. 3000 Miles to Graceland is the one with Kostner, right? Cheeze-o-rama but wicked fun.

[AcadieLibre]

Yup it it is the one with Costner, good bang 'em up and shoot 'em movie.