Conversation about movies

tune1shade

I have read Of Love and Other Demons! It was fantastic.

There's something so incredibly captivating about his work.

The weird thing is that I never finished 100 Years of Solitude. I have no idea why, since I loved it.

Time to go back to it perhaps.


Also! Also!
Juno is coming out (is out? Whatever). It looks fantastic. Ellen Page is sassy. I'm in love with the writer (Diablo Cody). AND. AND. It has music by Kimya Dawson and old songs by the Moldy Peaches (a.k.a. Kimya and Adam Green's old band).
Yessssss


In my ongoing love affair with Kimya's music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IrpVfno380...feature=related

And the grown-ups said OHHH Henry, Henry Kelly, don't you see you could have died?
But the kids said Henry Kelly, you're our hero. You can't tell if something's possible if you don't try.

Surfer Rosa

QUOTE (tonetoile @ Dec 7 2007, 04:32 PM)

There's something so incredibly captivating about his work.

yes, he's a weirdo LOL it's all hyperbolic lies about traditional local folklore.

QUOTE

The weird thing is that I never finished 100 Years of Solitude. I have no idea why, since I loved it.

That work is like the Atlantic Ocean, there's this huge expanse in the middle where the story goes still...

tune1shade

Exactly! That's a very good description of his work. It's a matter of crossing this huge middle space...
and really that's half the fun.

Tempe Arizona

Anyone remember that old tv show called "The Critic." It was a cartoon made by the same people who make The Simpsons. It starred Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman. Jay Sherman is a film critic and the show was about his adventures. They often had hillarious parodies of movies that were famous at that time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3F3GiUUHxE

dollarflame6

I can't wait to see A Christmas Story again! YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!

DJRose

QUOTE (Tempe Arizona @ Dec 13 2007, 11:42 PM)

Anyone remember that old tv show called "The Critic." It was a cartoon made by the same people who make The Simpsons. It starred Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman. Jay Sherman is a film critic and the show was about his adventures. They often had hillarious parodies of movies that were famous at that time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3F3GiUUHxE

I love that show, Tempe! Adam and I quote from it all the time.

So I saw Atonement on Tuesday night. It was ok. I wouldn't say OMG run out and see it, honestly. But then yesterday I heard that it got LOADS AND LOADS of Golden Globe nominations, and I'm kinda scratching my head wondering why. The story was so sad that I should've been crying my eyes out, but I didn't. Not once.

tune1shade

I really, REALLY want to see Persepolis



One of my roommates has family from Iran, so I've heard a little about the revolution through her. The animation just looks beautiful.

I'm really a sucker for animated films. Sylvain Chomet is one of my absolute favorite directors (he did the Triplets of Belleville and The Old Lady and the Pigeons). His characters are always fantastic and, even with live-action, he seems ot make everything a little cartoonish and fantastical (he did the Eiffel Tower portion of "Paris, Je T'Aime" with the two mimes in love)

Surfer Rosa

QUOTE (tonetoile @ Dec 14 2007, 02:51 PM)

I'm really a sucker for animated films.

ditto. I think my favorite is The Nightmare Before Christmas... and I'll definitely check out for Persepolis.

QUOTE (tonetoile @ Dec 7 2007, 04:59 PM)

Exactly! That's a very good description of his work. It's a matter of crossing this huge middle space...
and really that's half the fun.

I remembered to read Memoria de mis putas tristes today. I didn't dislike it, but it's just same ol' same ol'... he's recycling a bunch of his usual themes, particularly the naked & excessively adorned woman awaiting for her lover in bed... this time with a slight twist in which she never wakes up... a la geisha style in which the client is never allowed to touch the sleeping beauty (he gives it away by quoting a Japanese author at the introduction). Maybe I'm expecting too much of the old gaffer

You know, whenever García Márquez speaks about my hometown I'm like, "What the hell is he talking about?" He lived in Cartagena for a few years during his youth (a long, long, long time ago) and he keeps coming back to that time... it's not entirely unflattering though; I just wish he stopped imposing my name on every two pesos whore in his books.

Rosa

dollarflame6

I just saw Juno. It was extremely indy. It was as if someone asked for an example of an indy movie, and voila, here is one for you.

I had heard a movie critic briefly talk about it a few days ago: he basically said that this movie was a little too smugly witty for its own good. And I have to agree- every word that came out of anybody's mouth was incredibly witty, as if they were all somehow Woody Allen. Very well performed but the writing was a little much.
I mean, people write like this and ppl may even think like this, but nobody talks like this.

But overall, it was enjoyable.

sackrose55

Man I really want to see Juno. I'm mad because its not coming to my city and I really don't feel like traveling an hour to go see a movie haha.

And I don't know if I ever said this but Tabehta, I REALLY like your avatar. Like ALOT

tune1shade

QUOTE (Tabetha @ Dec 20 2007, 03:59 AM)

I just saw Juno. It was extremely indy. It was as if someone asked for an example of an indy movie, and voila, here is one for you.

I had heard a movie critic briefly talk about it a few days ago: he basically said that this movie was a little too smugly witty for its own good. And I have to agree- every word that came out of anybody's mouth was incredibly witty, as if they were all somehow Woody Allen. Very well performed but the writing was a little much.
I mean, people write like this and ppl may even think like this, but nobody talks like this.

But overall, it was enjoyable.

I adored it. Granted, I went in wanting to adore it simply because of the soundtrack (Kimya Dawson/The Moldy Peaches-centric music). When we left the theatre, while I was singing along to Loose Lips, one of my friends literally turned to me and went, "that was your movie, wasn't it?" Come on, a Thundercats reference? VERY YES.

I don't know about it being the ultimate indie movie. I mean, look at Me and You and Everyone We Know. There was literally a sequence during that movie where the two main characters are walking down the street and talking about how it signifies a relationship. Juno was just having fun; I don't think there was some greater purpose. I don't think it's meant to be taken too seriously, which is what I think the critics were looking for. Yes, it was trying to be very witty, but I think it actually succeeded.

dollarflame6

You're right about the significance, but I didn't mean it was indy in that respect. What I mean is it's very "this is an independent film festival darling"- it's very...not Hollywood. The whole structure, from how they indicate the passing of time to even, I think, the camera angles, and of course the music choices, was just so "we are literary and artsy. We are not Hollywood entertainment of glitz and glamour." The over the top wittiness of the dialogue solidified it. This was the film of the sort of people who got their PhD's in theatre, is what I mean, not the film of people who get interviewed in Vogue and Cosmo.
So, I guess I have to agree with the critic I heard say that it was a little too smugly witty- actually, you listen to NPR, tonetoil, right? So maybe you heard him too. He was on Fresh Air when he was talking about it. Actually, I should attribute what I just wrote up there to him, b/c he was the one who called it the film festivals' darling. It got it's start there. I forgot his exact words for how smugly witty it was...he said something like it was an impression of somebody (it wasn't Woody Allen, but someone of that class) gone wrong...He thought it was a little too self-satisfied in its cleverness. I knew he was right from the first line: "Jeezus, Banana! Shut your freaking gob!" or something like that...It was like hearing an impression of Ramona Quimby to me, for some reason. It was a bit much in the lyrical sound. And then that whole etch-a-sketch stuff...it was just too rapid-fire cleverness to be how ppl actually talk; it was more like how ppl write or think. And the whole movie was like that. I think Terri Gross was asking him what movies he thought were over-rated, lol. That probly biased me going in, but my friend who went with me hadn't heard anything about it and when we walked out, she said, "That was so indy!" And I said, "omg! That was exactly what I was thinking!"
And then we ate at Chili's, Office style.

It was a really good movie and like you said, it didn't have any deep kind of meaning, but it was like...well, it was like a music video of treadmills kind of indy, lol. Which, actually, is a really good thing


Thx, Ktlou! I didn't make it. It's from http://tacos-rebellion.livejournal.com/3109.html. She makes The Office fan art and she's amazing. She's enormously talented and when I emailed her, she was fine with anybody using her stuff, if you ever want to.

I reeeally want Angela and Dwight to get back together

oh, and I'm sorry, Ktlou, that stinks. It'll probly be on dvd soon or it's most likely online somewhere by now though. I'll let you know if I find a site.

tune1shade

I totally see what you mean. I actually heard that reviewer (he also writes for New York Magazine, which I read religiously each week). I frankly didn't agree with him at all.

Yes, it's full of alternative culture references (McSweeney's, posters on Juno's wall that I've seen at the MOCCA comic convention, Thundercats, etc.), but, even though the dialogue can make it a bit clunky, there were just these wonderful moments--when Juno first tells Bleeker that she's pregnant and she's just chewing on the fake pipe, her watching Vanessa in the mall--that made up for it.

Also, if you listened to the interview with Diablo Cody on Fresh Air, she talks the same way that she writes Juno's dialogue. She's incredibly sharp. I also really liked Thank You for Smoking, so I went into the movie excited about the director. And you already know my feelings about the soundtrack. So maybe I was a little biased as well.

dollarflame6

QUOTE (tonetoile @ Dec 22 2007, 05:56 PM)

even though the dialogue can make it a bit clunky, there were just these wonderful moments--her watching Vanessa in the mall--that made up for it.

oooo, yes! That was a beautiful moment! My eyes watered.

I haven't heard Diablo Cody on Fresh Air- but thx! I will def'ly find it now and give it a listen. She sounds really interesting!
And yes, that was the exact New York magazine guy. His voice reminds me of John Hodgeman, who, btw, has an amazing piece in This American Life. You've probly heard it, and I'm getting waaay off topic now, but I loved it because he answered all my questions about what it's like to be famous.

To get back on topic- I just saw Rat Race. It's a pretty old dvd but it was AWESOME. Laughed out loud thru the whole thing.
I want to describe it but every scene is so random that trying to describe it would take away the surprise of the constant randomness. A million thumbs up! ok, I'll just say one thing- Mr. Bean is an Italian in it

tune1shade

Yeah! I heard that piece on This American Life. I kind of want to be his best friend.

dollarflame6

QUOTE (tonetoile @ Dec 22 2007, 06:23 PM)

Yeah! I heard that piece on This American Life. I kind of want to be his best friend.

You have the best reactions to things, lol!

sweetness

im watching many christian bale movies recently: batman begins, rescue dawn, equilibrium, american psycho, 310 to yuma, the machininst, and tonight ill be watching im not there, and the prestige.


christian bale is a badass.

LolaBert

QUOTE

And then we ate at Chili's, Office style.

Is it really wrong that my first reaction to that was to sing "chiiiliiiiiis baby back ribs..." like Michael?

I'm usually not a big fan of giant movie blockbusters, but The Golden Compass came out last week so I went and saw it because I really liked the book. I was surprised how much they allowed in the script, because the book has a lot of anti-Church sentiments in it.

canoe7grape

Juno is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I admittedly have a huge girl crush on Ellen Page, and Michael Cera is seriously just too awesome for words. I do believe as of TODAY it's playing everywhere, so please. Do yourself a favor and go see it!

tune1shade

Also: the Juno soundtrack is now the top CD on iTunes. Part of me wants Kimya Dawson to become famous so thousands and thousands of young, confused girls (and boys) can listen to her and feel like I did, like she's singing right to them and tht everything is going to be just fine.