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| gromit |
 Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:02 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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billyweeds wrote: Saw Up the Down Staircase for the first time in the almost 40 years since its 1967 release. (It is finally available on DVD.)
Cool, I look forward to seeing that. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:43 am |
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Gromit wrote:
Quote: Anyway, it's a pretty wild ride and must have cost a fortune to make.
Yes it did and it became a legendary BOMB! |
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| bart |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:03 pm |
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Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 2381
Location: Lincoln NE
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Billy,
I guess our divergent views on Internal Affairs put that "alter ego" thing to rest. I think Gere is terrific in almost everything I've seen him in, but not this. Ditto Garcia -- he lost me in that scene where he confronts his GF in the restaurant (where she's having lunch with Mike Figgis) and starts yelling curses in Spanish, slapping, shoving, etc. I guess one could argue actorial/directorial decisions till the cows come home, but it just didn't work for me. |
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| Marj |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:51 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
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Catching up ...
Bart - I also have to disagree with you re: Gere in IA. Now, I have loved a lot Garcia's work. But he was somewhat outshone in IA. Of course it's been a few months since I've seen it and it was really Gere who stood out as best as I can remember. In fact, I agree with Billy. If ever anyone ever deserved an Oscar it was Gere for this performance.
I think I remember the scene which you're referring to. And Garcia was a bit over the top. Actors, especially beginners do that when they think "emoting" works better than just behaving. See When a Man Loves a Women It may be a woman's movie but Garcia is excellent in it.
Jesus Camp: Now that was a film that scared me. Of course I know how much fundamentalism is taking over so much of this country, but to see how children are being brainwashed is truly frightening. Be it one woman or ten, it's still frightening.
Which brings me to a film a saw recently that I hadn't seen since the early 90's: Arlington Road. Before I say much about it, I'd be curious to know if anyone else has seen it.
Finally I saw a marvelous movie the other night. Mr. Brooks is a high class movie, movie with a wonderful performance by Kevin Costner. It's a top notch psychological thriller and some interesting twists and turns. I still have the film and plan on watching the commentary. I don't usually don't do that but in this case there are a few questions I want answered. |
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| mo_flixx |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:16 pm |
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Joined: 30 May 2004
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Marj wrote: ...
Finally I saw a marvelous movie the other night. Mr. Brooks is a high class movie, movie with a wonderful performance by Kevin Costner. It's a top notch psychological thriller and some interesting twists and turns. I still have the film and plan on watching the commentary. I don't usually don't do that but in this case there are a few questions I want answered.
Both billy and I enjoyed "Mr. Brooks." And Dane Cook (no comedy) did a good job in this movie playing an odd character.
Costner continues to show promise as he delves into character parts and the "dark side." |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:03 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8251
Location: Salt Lake City
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Ghulam wrote: Jesus Camp is on A&E on Sunday. Has anyone seen it?
I've not seen it yet. Thanks for the heads up. I'll put that on my list to try and catch. |
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Chilly
"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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| ehle64 |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:40 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
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Watched three movies last night and can't say that I enjoyed any of them.
Hairspray (the bloody musical version); Akeelah and The Bee; and Trust the Man.
 *sigh* |
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It truly disappoints me when people do something for you via no prompt of your own and then use it as some kind of weapon against you at a later time and place. It is what it is. |
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| lshap |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:54 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 4248
Location: Montreal
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Marj wrote:
Finally I saw a marvelous movie the other night. Mr. Brooks is a high class movie, movie with a wonderful performance by Kevin Costner. It's a top notch psychological thriller and some interesting twists and turns. I still have the film and plan on watching the commentary. I don't usually don't do that but in this case there are a few questions I want answered.
I loved Mr. Brooks and agree with Mo that Costner continues to evolve in relevancy as he ages, much like Eastwood. And like Clint once he passed his pretty stage, maybe Costner's best is yet to come. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:06 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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lshap wrote: Marj wrote:
Finally I saw a marvelous movie the other night. Mr. Brooks is a high class movie, movie with a wonderful performance by Kevin Costner. It's a top notch psychological thriller and some interesting twists and turns. I still have the film and plan on watching the commentary. I don't usually don't do that but in this case there are a few questions I want answered.
I loved Mr. Brooks and agree with Mo that Costner continues to evolve in relevancy as he ages, much like Eastwood. And like Clint once he passed his pretty stage, maybe Costner's best is yet to come.
Mr. Brooks is arguably the most underrated film of the year. It's a mini-classic which was dissed a lot on release. Time will be very kind to it, I think. Costner is terrific and Hurt is just as good. Hell, not only Dane Cook--even Demi Moore is watchable in this one.
Marj, I have seen Arlington Road and liked it a lot--until the final sequence, which almost ruined the whole movie for me. The suspension of disbelief which is necessary to buy that a car could reach its destination on schedule through a city full of traffic (I haven't seen the movie in quite a while, so I hope I'm getting this right) is too much for me. But the closeup of Joan Cusack in the parking lot makes everything worthwhile. What a moment! |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:09 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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bart wrote: I think Gere is terrific in almost everything I've seen him in, but not this.
That goes against most people's opinions (not mine), that Gere is a second-rate actor who sometimes (for instance, in Internal Affairs) does a good job. I happen to admire Gere and think IA is the peak of his career. |
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| Earl |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 7:03 pm |
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Joined: 09 Jun 2004
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Location: Houston
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Marj wrote:
Which brings me to a film a saw recently that I hadn't seen since the early 90's: Arlington Road. Before I say much about it, I'd be curious to know if anyone else has seen it.
I enjoyed it very much and even bought the implausible ending (dissed by many) in the context of the plot. One thing distracted me, however, and it was not the fault of the story.
Although the movie was set in Washington, D.C. and suburban Virginia, a few of the scenes were filmed in Houston. (I recall this because filming was happening at the time of the death of Jeff Bridges father. Local news made a big deal of the fact that production had to be suspended for a while because of that.) In one chase scene, Jeff Bridges was driving down a road that I clearly recognized as being Allen Parkway, which I use every day on my way to work. Then he made a turn and suddenly he was on Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C. It was supposed to be a dramatic moment in a tense thriller, but the audience in the theater that day (including me) just burst out laughing.
Adding to the weirdness, after the movie I drove home on Allen Parkway. (Joe has probably already deduced that I saw the movie downtown at the Angelika.) I kept an eye out for a turn-off leading to the nation's capitol, but no luck.
You New Yorkers (And Angelino's, I suppose. Hello, In LA Reviewer. Good to see you back again.) must be used to that feeling of recognizing locations onscreen while watching a movie, what with so many movies being filmed around there. But it doesn't happen often enough for me to avoid that moment when my imagination temporarily leaves the story and I think, "Hey! I know that place!". A bit distracting, as I said. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 8:00 pm |
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| I saw Arlington Road and I remember having serious reservations about it. Billy reminded me of the last part and that definitely was something that I thought was just ridiculous. I do remember loving Joan Cusack's performance (so what else is new), and thinking that she was the best thing about the movie. I did review it at the time and it wasn't a favourable one. |
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| Marj |
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:51 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 10497
Location: Manhattan
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Thanks guys for responding. I agree that Joan Cusak was the reason to see Arlington Road, though I thought Jeff Bridges and Tim Robbins we're also quite good. And yes there were moments in it which certainly strained credulity -- Earl, I didn't know some of it was shot in Houston and I still was surprised when he turned a corned into the capital. Thanks for clearing that up for me. And Billy, I agree about the last chase.
Still there were moments such as the one Billy mentioned that made me jump to the ceiling. Another was when the son popped up in the back of the van. I think moments like this in a thriller are so much better than some of perpetual moments in most thrillers today. [I can't seem to think of any off hand, so I'll get back to you on that.]
There was also something about the plot and again much is due to Joan Cusak that reminded me of a terrorist version of Rosemary's Baby. The rest I'm going to white out for those who may still want to see AR.
Here you have a history teacher living on a fairly ordinary street until he meets his new neighbors. The new neighbors seem nice enough and this teacher trusts them enough to send his son to a camp they recommend. And this is a man who happens to be a conspiracy theory fanatic because his wife was killed during an FBI raid. So clearly it takes a lot for him to trust anyone. And it isn't until he notices some inconsistencies with the Robbin's character that he becomes suspicious. Still it is only the husband he suspects not the wife or the camp.
My point is that Rosemary also had what appeared to be nice neighbors. A little screwy perhaps but normal enough. Of course they were witches not terrorists. She like our hero in AR tries to warn people and even tries to get help but no one believes either of them. And it's not until Joan Cusak pops up in that parking garage that we have any reason to believe she's involved in anything nefarious.
Both films have party scenes which include the now obviously bad friends of each of the neighbors. Clearly there is no real comparison but I wonder if anyone sees where I'm going with this. While both movies are very different they each deal with evil in a normal setting. One an apartment building and the other a suburban street. One threatens the loss of a baby and the other a child. And in both the central character cannot get anyone to believe him or her. But most of all it's the evil that masks itself as normalcy that struck me. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 12:46 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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Mala Noche?
Watched the van Sant debut the other night and largely enjoyed it.
Golden Boy Cheesecake (for those so inclined) just to get people to actually read these posts. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:13 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| Have to emphasize just once more that Fred Karlin's musical score for Up the Down Staircase is possibly my favorite movie score of all time. (And yes, I'm including Vertigo and The Third Man.) Karlin was some kind of genius who never got his due, though he worked and worked and worked and won an Oscar. But he never topped the score to UTDS. It is truly great, never better than in the closing scene, which makes you smile, cry, and exult all at the same time. |
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