What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

[gasteropod]

He's a great director and Fox made a mistake by getting him to do an Alien film.

[bradavon]

For comedies it's good to be laughing with your friends though.

I've only seen a handful of comedies at the cinema, the vast majority (especially American) suck. The odd smile, maybe a laugh if you're lucky. I saw Bruno and Borat at the cinema, both very funny. Other than those two, it may have been as far back as American Pie or There's something about Mary.

My comedic sensibilities are to in-tune with British comedy to find most American comedy funny and for that matter most of the best stuff is British TV series. Of American sitcoms I only watch The Big Bang Theory.

For me, as much as I like good comedy (who doesn't?), most movie comedies have such lame humour (often reused from elsewhere) and I'd simply rather see a serious film at the cinema. All just my opinion of course.

He's a great director and Fox made a mistake by getting him to do an Alien film.

Agreed. Amelie and A very long engagement are excellent, both starring the super cute Audrey Tatou.

[grim_tales]

AVLE was very good I agree

[romerojpg]

Amelie is shit, vile in fact.

[grim_tales]

I havent seen Amelie yet.

[saltysam]

I havent seen Amelie yet.

lucky you.

[bradavon]

Amelie is shit, vile in fact.

Vile? Oh come on.

Like you've got any taste in movies anyway .

[romerojpg]

Vile in its pathetic uneven tone, uneasy sexual content and general unfunny, self conscious in your face camera smirking. Like all that directors films then.

[Yi-Long]

Vile in its pathetic uneven tone, uneasy sexual content and general unfunny, self conscious in your face camera smirking. Like all that directors films then.

I thought it was a nice sweet movie.

What do you mean 'uneasy sexual content'!? Surely it can't be worse than the bestiality you watch on a daily basis?
I can only remember the scene with the waitress getting a quicky, which was hardly 'uneasy'.

I haven't seen 'A Long Engagement' yet, although I've had it for years now....

[Shingster]

I haven't seen Delicatessen.

About Resurrection, I think Jeunet said that he also hates the film, and it didn't turn out anything like he wanted it to...

Really? I've only ever seen him say he's happy with it and stands by the finished version (theatrical cut). He even complained about it recieving worse treatment than the other alien films in the recent Blu-ray boxset.

[bradavon]

Vile in its pathetic uneven tone

How is the tone uneven?

uneasy sexual content

Huh? It's not the director's fault you're an uptight Brit.

nd general unfunny

It's not a comedy, although some aspects are funny.

I haven't seen 'A Long Engagement' yet, although I've had it for years now....

It's a little more serious in tone (it is about the first world war) but still has the same feel Amelie does. Clearly the same director's work.

[HungFist]

I haven't seen Delicatessen.

About Resurrection, I think Jeunet said that he also hates the film, and it didn't turn out anything like he wanted it to...

Really? I've only ever seen him say he's happy with it and stands by the finished version (theatrical cut). He even complained about it recieving worse treatment than the other alien films in the recent Blu-ray boxset.

Well, don't take my word on it, it was an interview on some magazine years ago, but I think he said his Hollywood visit was only good as an experience. "Hate" may have been a bit too strong expression, but he seemed like he didn't really consider Resurrection to be one of his movies.

That being said, IMDb trivia claims he was given notable freedom with the screenplay. And I can't find any confirmation for Jeunet bashing his film.

EDIT: this quote would seem to support at least partially

"After ALIEN, especially, I craved freedom. I wanted to come back to Paris to make my own film with complete freedom."
- http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2008/0 ... re-jeunet/

[Markgway]

Iron Man 2 **½

Not bad sequel delivers more of the same spectacular superheroics... but isn't as good as the original.

[saltysam]

Kiss Of The Dragon 3/5 Good Jet Li flick,pretty much by the numbers but fast moving with some decently hard action scenes.

[brooce-leroy]

Kiss Of The Dragon 3/5 Good Jet Li flick,pretty much by the numbers but fast moving with some decently hard action scenes.

One of Jet Li's best "western" movies IMO, who cares the plot is perfunctory when the action is so endlessly rewatchable. Jet is soooo badassss in this. Its sad to watch him in Expendables looking so jaded.

[Markgway]

Jet was wasted in that film. If he's in the sequel Stallone better make up for it with a plum part. And no more height jokes. He's short, we get it.

[Shingster]

I haven't seen Delicatessen.

About Resurrection, I think Jeunet said that he also hates the film, and it didn't turn out anything like he wanted it to...

That being said, IMDb trivia claims he was given notable freedom with the screenplay. And I can't find any confirmation for Jeunet bashing his film.

EDIT: this quote would seem to support at least partially

"After ALIEN, especially, I craved freedom. I wanted to come back to Paris to make my own film with complete freedom."
- http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2008/0 ... re-jeunet/

Yup, by all accounts the production of Alien Resurrection was pretty smooth sailing and Jeunet the only Alien franchise director who was given full backing by the studio, but it was still a Hollywood film and one with a relatively a limited budget (hence the reason why his original "bug-killer" opening was dropped) so I assume that's why he infers a certain lack of freedom in that interview.

[Markgway]

I checked out the original opening credits on the BD - what a load of shit.

[Shingster]

It was that scene which got him the job as director!

[Markgway]

It was that scene which got him the job as director!

Which tells you all you need to know really about why the project was such a failure.........

[HungFist]

Night Visions: Back to Basics 2011 - Part 1

Night Visions is a biannual Finnish cult, fantasy and horror film fest with the main event consisting of one night and 7 movie slots (two screens, two alternatives). There are screenings on other days as well, but I didn't have time to attend those this time, unfortunately (missed Troll Hunter, Detroit 9000 and a few others)

21:00 Cold Fish (Japan, 2011) – 4/5
Sono’s brilliant serial killer film in detail:
http://sketchesofcinema.wordpress.com/2 ... cold-fish/

Overly positive scheduling hit back: the festival fell 25 minutes behind schedule already before the second film (hence new screening time for Finisterrae). An announcement was also made: International guests Huan Wu and producer Jan Roth have screwed up their Einstein plan of flying from Ireland to Helsinki by missing the plane by 3 minutes. New plan involves flying through half of middle Europe’s airports, with planned landing time in Helsinki at 1:30 am. Their film screens at 3:15.

23:30 --> 23:55 Finisterrae (Spain, 2011) – 3./5

- “Did you get any fish?”
- “Yes, but 14 dwarves came and took everything and then threw themselves into the river.”

2011 Rotterdam Grand Prize winner and one of the most talked about films of the year so far. Two ghosts traveling in the afterworld. Who they are, we don’t know. What’s the purpose of their trip, we don’t know. Their horse, sometimes a living thing, occasionally made of straws. Sergio Caballero’s debut film is strange and beautiful, fun and meaningless, confusing but fascinating. Some of the “music” used in the film involves numbers being pronounced in Finnish. Go figure.



As if the program wasn’t lagging enough, we’re served 15 minutes of American televisions commercials from the 1950’s. Chewing gum, kitchen stuff, and so on. Go figure... Now we're 35 minutes behind the schedule after only 2 film. 5 left to go.

1:15 --> 1:50 Napoli Violenta (Italy, 1976) – 4/5
Umberto Lenzi’s semi-legendary Italo-crime! Worn out print, practically red & white rather than in color, and with Norwegian subtitles. But no one could care less about tech problems when in the opening scene policeman Maurizio Merli pretty much beats two criminals to death. Because they were stealing car parts! This is real Euro-crime entertainment, with typically pessimistic view on the crime ridden 1970’s Italy! Terrific car chase and memorable soundtrack included, plus not too much of that sadism that you’d expect from director Lenzi. It was a festival hit with people sitting on the floor because there wasn't enough seats for everyone.

All the delays pay back, as Huan Wu and Jan Roth rush to the theater just in time to introduce their film. Unfortunately the screening is plagued by tech issues (the theater equipment did not get along with the materials) but such problems could not hide the talent that went into the film.

3:15 --> 3:50 The Color out of Space (Germany, 2010) – 4/5
Two university graduates from Germany adapting H.P. Lovecraft’s famous novel into a mini-budget film isn’t the most promising start. The Color out of Space may, however, be the best Lovecraft adaptation ever made. It’s a very well done psychological horror film with the storyline set in the post WWII Germany. Despite being shot in just 16 days (with an HD camera build by the cinematographer himself) the film looks amazing and is highly atmospheric.

Huan Wu and Jan Roth turned out to be nicest two fellows. A lengthy Q&A session was held and revealed the film was in post production no less than two years. The film is currently in festival circulation, however, region free and English subtitled BD and DVD are available through the official site. Highly recommended!

Festival report Part 2 coming up..

[HungFist]

Night Visions: Back to Basics 2011 - Part 2

Four films down, three to go, one hour behind schedule... If you wonder why that matters, it’s because there’s a history tour for pensioners scheduled in the same theater at noon, and we gotta finish out chainsaw splatter films before that...

5:00 --> 6:00 Night of Bloody Horror (USA, 1969) – 2.5/5

“Shot in Violent Vision!”

Late 60’s small budget horror from Deep South, a strange and psychedelic murder tale of a young man whose girlfriends end up 6 feet under. Basic premise aside, I don’t really have a clue what the film I was about, partly because I was nodding off quite a few times. A semi-cool and relatively violent for its time (axe murder!) nevertheless, although a bit slow. Maybe, Zzzzzz…

It was the official sleeping hour, with half of the audience counting sheep. Award goes to the fella who was sitting on the floor and fell asleep right there. In fact, he’d been lying there since The Color out of Space, but no one bothered to wake him up. I don’t even know if had ticket for Bloody Horror. Not that it matters, he never woke up during the film...

Shopping time. Buy (more) energy drink and (more) snacks. Get ready for grindhouse.

7:00 --> 8.10 Young Warriors (USA, 1982) – 4/5
Golam & Globus go high school. High school goes Death Wish. A staggeringly cool and equally dumb high school comedy, with a gang rape serving as turning point into machine gun vigilantism as the young warriors take up arms and go after the villains. There’s sex, there’s tits, there’s hand granades, and there’s a poodle with sunglasses. Corny theme song and moral message (hey, Death Wish III was an anti-violence movie, too) included. What a wakeup-cocktail for early morning!



Dinner time. No, breakfast time. Fuck if I know, I’m still living yesterday. Meat salad time.

9:00 --> 10:15 Pieces (Spain / USA, 1982) – 4/5

“You don’t have to go to Texas for a chainsaw massacre”.

Opening scene: sweet little kid kills her mother. With a chainsaw. Fast forward 40 years and a new bloodbath is about to begin. At school campus! In broad daylight! Juan Piquer Simón’s total nuts and nearly surreal chainsaw massacre high school film is A-grade grindhouse entertainment. There’s even a kung fu scene. Mentally insane to the bone!

10:30 --> 11.45 Finished, just on time. 200 half-dead film fans exit the theater, with chainsaws still ringing in their ears. Lobby filled with smiling grannies. What a surreal encounter. Time to head towards the train station, ignore beer invitations, and hit the sack till my next station that’s some three hours away (then switch train and repeat).

[Markgway]

Scary Movie **

Hit 'n' miss spoof of 90s new wave slashers. Some real laughs... but too many dry sketches.

The Loved Ones *

Sick, stupid torture porn from Down Under. Loses any shred of credibility about the time the wimpy hero escapes captivity and tries to evade his tormentors (a teenage girl and her unarmed old Dad) by climbing up a tree (no, really...)

Swimfan **½

Junior update of Fatal Attraction; not too bad if you're in an undemanding frame of mind. Personally I found the girlfriend (Shiri Appleby) a lot cuter than the sexy stalker chick (Erika Christensen).

[brooce-leroy]

Swimfan **½

Junior update of Fatal Attraction; not too bad if you're in an undemanding frame of mind. Personally I found the girlfriend (Shiri Appleby) a lot cuter than the sexy stalker chick (Erika Christensen).

Appleby is undoubtedly cute, although Christensen redefines the word "curvaceous."

[Markgway]

Appleby is undoubtedly cute, although Christensen redefines the word "curvaceous."

Face is more important to me than physique.