Your Top Movies & Recommendations

Started by dsanchez, July 11, 2007, 00:34:22

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Ulrich

Went to the cinema, after a recommendation by a friend. Imagine my surprise when I sat there and who walks in? Same friend, obviously watching the movie for a 2nd time! :1f62e:
There were only few people in (and with distance), but my mate didn't notice my shouting and waving, so I chatted with him outside after the movie.


It starts off rather tame, but soon there is a "nightmarish" element, which becomes full-on "horror" towards the end of the movie. Visually, it was very well done, of course the music from the sixties helps along the "nostalgia" part. (Btw, in a "modern" scene, there's also a song by Siouxsie & the Banshees, which works well.) The "sound design" is near-perfect too.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9639470/
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

"The Last Of The Mohicans" (directed by Michael Mann) - back in '92 when it hit the cinemas, I wasn't too interested and didn't watch it (the "western" genre seemed pretty dead at the time), but nowadays I really like this movie, based on the book by James Fenimore Cooper of course.

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Iri

Grosse Point Blank
Starwars V. The Empire Strikes Back
Seven Samurai
Oh Brother Where Art Thou?
Clerks
Ruben and Ed
Eraserhead

Ulrich

Well I watched this one because of Taylor Sheridan (he who wrote "Sicario" and "Hell or high water" plus he wrote and directed "Wind River") and I enjoyed it!

"Those who wish me dead" (for unfathomable reasons, the German distributor re-named it "They want me dead"!)

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

Went to the cinema again, mainly because they were screening the original language version:
"Don't worry darling" (directed by Olivia Wilde, who's also one of the actors), I enjoyed it.

It seems like a heavenly town these people live in, but soon it's becoming clear, there is a secret and a dark story behind the perfect surface...

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

"The Banshees of Inisherin".
I haven't even watched it yet, but it's by the director who made "In Bruges" and "Three Billboards...", it's got to be good (trailer is very promising)!

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

While I'm looking forward to the new "Indiana Jones" movie (hopefully better than #4), there is a real (sad) story behind some of the older movies:

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/indiana-joness-real-life-nazi-opponents/

QuoteIn the first in the series, 1981's Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Dr Indiana Jones was racing the likes of Gestapo agent Arnold Toht to recover the Ark of the Covenant, the chest containing the Ten Commandments. Eight years later, in part three, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, the object of desire was that very old favourite the Holy Grail, and among those on its trail was the double-dealing Dr Elsa Schneider. And in number five, which premiered in Cannes on May 18, the superannuated Indiana Jones is chasing Jürgen Voller in search of a missing piece of the titular Dial of Destiny.

Like the crystal skulls of the unloved fourth film, the dial is based on reality. Discovered in a shipwreck in 1901, the Antikythera mechanism is an ancient Greek device dating back to the first or second century BC that tracked the astronomical positions of planets in order to predict eclipses and other celestial phenomena.  ...

Yet what the first and third Jones movies get right is that there really were Third Reich archaeologists dedicated to finding sacred relics. This Nazi quirk was brought to the attention of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, the creators of Indiana Jones, by Philip Kaufman, who also co-wrote Raiders. ...

As a man obsessed with myths and the occult, Himmler was just the right person to occupy the head office at the Ahnenerbe. It was in this capacity that Himmler formed a close relationship with Otto Rahn, a charismatic archaeologist who'd dedicated his life to locating the Holy Grail. Himmler was similarly obsessed with the Grail story, and had created a special "Grail room" at an SS base in a Westphalian castle, where he put a rock crystal in the place where he felt sure the Grail itself would soon sit.

Rahn, Himmler and the Grail are three subjects that have long interested Richard Stanley, the South African film director and modern-day Grail scholar. "For me, Otto Rahn was the original man in black, the spook in the black fedora and black coat," explains the man who made films including Hardware and Color Out Of Space.

"Trying to penetrate who Rahn really was is tricky. What we do know is that, at school, he loved the Arthurian myths, in particular the story of Parsifal, who dedicates his life to finding the Holy Grail. After he left school, Rahn became increasingly obsessed with discovering the Grail; the mythical object that could make him whole again, which would heal the wounded and ease the world's pain; the lost link between man and God."

It's all good, exciting stuff and it completely took over Rahn's imagination. Hoping that a book about what he'd discovered might provide funds for further exploration, Rahn penned The Crusade Against The Grail in 1933. Rather than filling his depleted coffers, the tome caught the attention of the Nazi high command. So it was that Otto Rahn was summoned to Berlin in 1935 for a meeting with his number one fan, Heinrich Himmler.

"At least initially, we can imagine Otto Rahn and Heinrich Himmler being on the same page," explains Stanley who, in addition to his other credits, is also the author of Shadow Of The Grail – Magic And Mystery At Montsegur. ...

Alas, Otto Rahn's time in Himmler's good graces proved short. As Richard Stanley writes, "The truth of the matter is that Rahn had Jewish blood through his mother. A second problem was that he was gay."

Compromised by his situation and his inability to locate the Grail, Rahn's punishment took the form of a stint guarding a concentration camp. Chastened by what he saw there, he resigned from the SS in 1939. Shortly afterwards he was found on an Austrian mountainside, frozen to death.
...

Which brings us back to why the makers of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny decided to bring back villainous Nazis one more time.
"They're as much a part of the character of Indiana Jones as every other element we're familiar with," says the film's director, James Mangold. "But also I think there are a million ways it's just relevant even to our world today, whether they're called one thing or another, these things don't die away. These groups have kind of dreams of order and of the old days and are trying to return to them. So I felt like it was both familiar and relevant."
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

Well I watched the new "Indiana Jones" last night and it was quite fun to watch. The "action" is "over the top" (as in "ironical") as usual. The "chemistry" between Harrison Ford & sidekick Phoebe Waller-Bridge looks alright, they were having fun it seems. The storyline isn't too important, like a James Bond movie it moves from NY to Tangier to Sicily (among others). I wasn't too happy with the ending (last 10 minutes or so). Same with the beginning: much as it was nice to see a younger Indy in the first 20 minutes, it partly began to look like a computer game...

However on the whole, it made me think: if you take the four previous movies and put them into a mixer, what comes out will be Indiana Jones #5!  :lol:

https://www.filmstarts.de/kritiken/180899.html

Quote1. Over-The-Top-Pulp: In ,,Indiana Jones 5" wird niemand im Kühlschrank mit einer Atombombe in den Himmel geschossen! James Mangold präsentiert – mit Ausnahme des Finales - ein durch und durch klassisches Globetrotter-Abenteuer mit ausladenden Actionsequenzen Unter anderem darf Indiana Jones während der Mondastronauten-Willkommensparade einen auf John Wick machen und auf einem Pferd durch Manhattan galoppieren. Allerdings schleicht sich so mitunter auch die ein oder andere Länge ein – der überraschende Gastauftritt eines oscarnominierten Superstars als alter Taucher-Kumpel von Indy wird etwas weitestgehend verschenkt.

2. Sidekick: Helena Shaw ist ein sehr viel bessere Sparrings-Partnerin für Indiana Jones, als der von Shia LaBeouf verkörperte Mutt Williams im Vorgänger war. Der ,,Fleabag"-Star kann Harrison Ford im trockenen Oneliner-Schlagabtausch spielend das Wasser reichen – weiß aber auch, wann sie lieber dem Titelhelden die Bühne überlassen sollte.

3. CGI-Animationen: Gerade die 24-jährige Verjüngung von Harrison Ford in der ersten halben Stunde ist ganz hervorragend geglückt. Später gibt es hier und da auch mal weniger gelungene Effekte, etwa bei den künstlichen beschleunigten Aufnahmen einer TucTuc-Verfolgungsjagd. Insgesamt aber sieht man das gewaltige Budget, das in die Produktion geflossen ist (wobei jedem klar sein sollte, dass man bei Action-Szenen mit einem 80-jährigen Hauptdarsteller etwas mehr tricksen musste - das liegt in der Natur der Sache).
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

I did not feel like the (nearly) 3 hours I spent watching were wasted.  :)

The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

About "Fire Walk With Me", the "Twin Peaks" movie (which was/is on again in a few cinemas this month):

QuoteDavid Lynch has made a lot of great movies, but "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me," might be his best. It's a prequel to his hit TV show "Twin Peaks," one that follows Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) around throughout the final week of her life. After two seasons of hearing about Laura in the past tense, this movie reminded us of something most murder mystery shows tend to lose sight of: that the victim was a real person with a full life, not just a mystery to be solved.
Read More: https://www.slashfilm.com/983776/david-lynch-has-always-loved-fire-walk-with-me-even-when-nobody-else-did/

https://entertainment.ie/movies/movie-news/twin-peaks-fire-walk-with-me-at-30-538544/
QuoteLynch's films have many themes, but Lynch does not get enough credit for making his films incredibly sad.

The tinge of melancholy is the driving force behind the iconic pilot episode for 'Twin Peaks', and the film version is permanently tinged in a blue hue of emptiness.

There is barely any levity to be found in the film, and in the case of any other film, the lack of levity and wit makes a film an enduring slog, but here the sheer depression permeating through the film is a propulsive force.

The cut released in cinemas clocked in at 2 hours 15, but over 45 minutes were left on the cutting room floor to make the film flow better.

In 2014, these deleted scenes were released as part of the 'Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces' boxset.

'Fire Walk With Me' is anchored by a powerhouse performance from Sheryl Lee, and is one of the finest pieces of acting in the Lynch filmography.

It is easy to see why 'Fire Walk With Me' was a critical and commercial bomb - the film was too radical for audiences to appreciate.

By bringing the world of 'Twin Peaks' to the big screen, viewers were able to see another side of the town that they hadn't before.

Got to admit, I was never 100% satisfied with the movie... but it is a trip of its own.
There are weak points (not always "in line" with what happened or was alluded in the series), however there are strong scenes as well.

(Of course, when it comes to "continuity", Twin Peaks co-writer and co-creator Mark Frost was missing! He was only credited as a co-producer or something...)

What always bugged me, was the late summer sun and green grass & trees (the last days in the life of Laura Palmer were supposed to be in late February in the northern part of the U.S.!):


Nevertheless, the film is a piece of art in its own right and Sheryl Lee's performance is top-notch. :smth023
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

Only days ago, I'd wondered what the creator of "Mr Robot" might do next - and here comes along this news article!

https://bgr.com/entertainment/netflixs-trailer-for-leave-the-world-behind-is-an-unsettling-look-at-our-possible-future/

QuoteLeave The World Behind follows the story of a family whose lives are upended after a devastating cyberattack throws their world into chaos. The film features a packed cast including Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and Myha'la.

"A family's (Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke) vacation is upended when two strangers (Mahershala Ali and Myha'la) arrive at night, seeking refuge from a cyberattack that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world."

As someone who absolutely loved Mr. Robot, I'm excited for this film. It has the same intense feeling as the series, and Esmail did a fantastic job in that show of telling a story equally focused on technology and the people who use it. It appears he is attempting to do the same with this film, and with this cast, it has all of the markings of an intense, well-acted, and impactful story.

Leave The World Behind will premiere in select theaters in November before its debut on Netflix on Friday, December 8th.
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

I really liked this movie (currently on cinema screens), the title kinda gives away what it's about. It's almost old-fashioned in a "silence of the Lambs" way...

(I don't really recommend the trailer, because it spoilers a bit much!)


https://www.filmstarts.de/kritiken/273946.html
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

I'm looking forward to "Dune part 2", this review is very promising:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/dune-part-two-review-timothee-chalame-zendaya/

QuoteWhen was the last time a $190m blockbuster was this stately, this sinister – and this content to not explain a single aspect of itself, but instead simply allow the viewer to grab what they can and intuit the rest?

The answer may well be 2021, when Villeneuve's first Dune film was released – and proved popular enough to secure this sequel, yet still felt a little under-appreciated. Part Two picks up exactly where its predecessor left off, immediately dunking the audience back in by the ankles.
The holy city breathed like a dying man...