Last Movie You Watched

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Oz
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Postby Oz » Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:58 pm

View Original PostStarShaper7 wrote:Nice to see Mind Game come in at #10. It's definitely one of my favorite (anime) movies.

I absolutely love Yuasa and Mind Game happens to be my favorite of his work. There is simply something irresistibly charming and mind-blowing about the film.

View Original Postpwhodges wrote:^ Ninjaed me there. Also nice to see some love for 5cm a second after the bashing it's been getting around here over the past week.

I have also been surprised by the bashing it has received here recently. Originally it was one of my favorite anime films (and it would have ranked much higher had I made the list back then), but rewatches have tamed my enthusiasm a little.

View Original PostTrajan wrote:Spirited Away should be in the Top 10, if not the Top 5. And no Howl's Moving Castle, Departures, or Paprika?

My opinion of Howl's Moving Castle has long been clouded by the lukewarm impression I had of it when I last watched it many years ago. I remember being critical of its cluttered narrative back then, but my opinion of the film has turned positive as time has passed. I should have rewatched it for this list, but I ended up being lazy and not rewatching anything that I thought I remembered well enough. In any case, it is on the list, but in the bottom half.

As for Departures, I do not find it as brilliant as the consensus on it seems to be. Winning an Oscar seems to have elevated its status higher than it ought to be in my opinion. It is a very good drama, but there are so many more interesting Japanese films out there that it ended up ranking low.

Paprika, on the other hand, was never in the running for the list. I had barely any recollection of it prior to rewatching it a month ago, but I did remember liking it on the first time. The second time proved rather disappointing because I was not able to enjoy anything else but the surreal imagery and Hirasawa's soundtrack. Apart from that, everything seemed to fall apart.

View Original PostTrajan wrote:Other than the perceived exclusions on my part, I can't really comment much on the list. My own knowledge of Japanese cinema is pretty limited past 1970 or so.

This is actually the reason why I was inspired to compile the list. It is common for a film buff to not be interested in or aware of the more recent Japanese films even though some of them manage to make it to the west thanks to film festivals and adventurous film companies. For someone who is not that familiar with the Japanese cinema of the new millennium, this list offers a varied selection of films to check out. Most of them should be available in one form or other - and only one or two of them have no English subtitles at all. I recommend going through my comments on each film and getting your hands on the films that seem interesting based on my description.

View Original PostXard wrote:I agree that Spirited Away should be much higher but then again I rate that as #1 film of 21st Century so far in general so... :lol:

It does not belong under Koreeda's muh son drama though. :P

I would say that I consider all the films in the top 15 (or perhaps a few more) to be equally awesome and their inner order is just a reflection of my personal preferences. I love Spirited Away, but it is not exactly one of my absolute Ghibli favorites. In general, I do not tend to rank Ghibli films as highly as most do even though some of their films belong to my favorite films of all time, like Porco Rosso or Only Yesterday. Besides, I love me some weepy Koreeda melodrama. :lol:

View Original PostXard wrote:Also apparently "forest" in name implies good modern Japanese flick so I guess should see those.

This is something I also noticed while making the list. It was miraculous that the two top 10 titles with "forest" in the name ended up ranking next to each other. :lol: There's something special about the Japanese and their grimdark forests.
"I'd really like to have as much money as you have, Oz" - robersora
"No you wouldn't. Oz's secret is he goes without food to buy that stuff. He hasn't eaten in years." - Brikhaus

"Often I get the feeling that deep down, your little girl is struggling with your embrace of filmfaggotry and your loldeep fixations, and the conflict that arises from such a contradiction is embodied pretty well in Kureha's character. But obviously it's not any sort of internal conflict that makes the analogy work. It's the pigtails." - Merridian
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Postby Trajan » Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:27 pm

Interesting list, Oz. Once I see some more of the classics, I'll definitely use it as a reference for some more contemporary Japanese films.

Mothra vs. Godzilla: Still the best Godzilla sequel. Other films in the series may do individual things better, but taken as a whole this film is the best. Everything from the script to the direction to the special effects to the music is firing on all cylinders here.

The Bourne Supremacy: Probably the weakest of the Bourne films. It just feels like a rehash of the first film with a few minor tweaks (namely, the "wrong man" angle) and the plot is very hard to follow due to how fast and furious the exposition is. Also don't like how they killed off Marie just to give Bourne a reason to get dragged back into the world of espionage. At the end of the day, it just sort of feels like a way to bridge the far superior first and third movies.
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Postby movieartman » Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:59 am

THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1964)___first time viewing
- much better than i had been led to believe, its not as good as the 59 movie, but its damn good on its own.
- really the only true flaw is the mummy itself is over plastered especially in the face not allowing for any emotion of any kind to come thru the way lee did with his mummy, and the body just is not imposing much at all nor athletic like lee was.
- cast is good, a lot of grey area characters here.
- lead female is promised to the lead male but is realistically falling for another, who seems much more caring towards her than the lead does.
- fred clark is fun as hell as mr. king the film wants you to think of him as the evil capitalist, but really he is just a good guy trying to make the money his efforts deserve. at no point does his semi greed endanger or harm anyone, nor does he ever have to put money before the safety of others (SPOILERS him being the first victim) and all evidence of his personality suggest he would not do so.
right before his death he turns down a street walker, goes back to her and gives her money and tells her to find a safe bed and get a good nights sleep, his death in a fog shrouded port stairwell is pretty effective.
- twist towards the end is good and well acted
- george pastell returns as a similar but different and not villainous character like he was in the 59 film.
lol scene where the cops have the mummy under a net, and he runs up and yells stop getting everyone's attention including the mummy, he gets on his knees and begins pleading to the mummy and the cops back off and go along with it thinking he is pleading to save remaining lives and then he ends the plea with, i accept my fate, kill me so my soul can begin its justified suffering in hell for my complicity in there blasphemy... and everyone around him is just all like... DUDE NO!!! YOUR NOT HELPING!!!
- music is great
- conclusion is strong and poetic

THE PRESTIGE (2006)___first time viewing
- really great
- i actually saw how the twist would play out to a extent
- not much else to say surprisingly

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Postby ChamucaRobota » Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:03 pm

View Original PostOz wrote:Meanwhile, I managed to complete my project of compiling a list of the best Japanese films of the new millennium. I tried to find all sorts of films for the list so it is not just for elitists or snobby film buffs. If you want to see how well Rebuild films ranked on it, check it out here: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls071142326/


I've been into Japanese films lately and this is very helpful. Thanks! ;)

Oz, as a former editor I'm quite curious. How long did it take you to complete this list? 'Cause it looks like hard-devoted work and reading through it seems like you really enclosed attention on your selection which is extremely good for a list of a hundred titles. You have my respect. :exalt:

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Postby Oz » Wed Nov 12, 2014 1:04 pm

Nice to hear that it is useful.

I had seen two thirds of the films on the list before starting to compile the list, but I did rewatch most of them for the list. I also watched a bunch of films that didn't make it to the list. Checking my old posts in this thread, I began watching films for the list on the 15th of September and I maintained a pace of 2 films a day for a month and a half. Then I spent a week writing the descriptions for each one of the films. Although I used the reviews I posted in this thread for some of them, I rewrote most of them from scratch.
"I'd really like to have as much money as you have, Oz" - robersora
"No you wouldn't. Oz's secret is he goes without food to buy that stuff. He hasn't eaten in years." - Brikhaus

"Often I get the feeling that deep down, your little girl is struggling with your embrace of filmfaggotry and your loldeep fixations, and the conflict that arises from such a contradiction is embodied pretty well in Kureha's character. But obviously it's not any sort of internal conflict that makes the analogy work. It's the pigtails." - Merridian
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Postby Sorrow » Wed Nov 12, 2014 9:55 pm

I watched The Drudgery Train as a suggestion by Oz, and so I suppose these are my thoughts on it.

Kanta definitely isn't the character I expected him to be going into this film. He's certainly the miss-fit I expected, but not for the reasons I expected. He's borderline socially retarded, sociopathic and a threat for others to be around, but there is a sincerity to his character - even if it's hard to find.

I thought the film was moving too fast to begin with; he meets a new guy (Shoji), they become instant friends, he confesses to him there is a girl (Yasuko) he likes and they soon get promoted . It eventually becomes apparent though that the other characters are used to explore Kanta's problems, more than the character himself. Without their situations, his problems wouldn't be as apparent.

He accuses his only friend of thinking lowly of him, pressures him into activities he'd obviously rather not, and gets jealous when his friend is having success in his life. Not because Kanta is incapable, but because he doesn't thinks he is himself. Despite the unnecessary tension, Shoji is an honest friend and tries his best to help someone who doesn't seem to want to help themselves.

I don't know much about Japan life but the setting was in tune with my expectations of life as a Japanese labourer; lots of smoking, drinking, seedy pass times, small dimly lit buildings and living conditions - with a hint of karaoke. A simple life where you could understand the comfort in staying put as much as a desperate desire to have better.

Of course, the love interest plays a big part (they always do) but there is no need for me to go into that for anyone who may be inclined to see the film themselves. And there is a moment right near the end that simply confused me in its need to be there - again, I won't say.

I didn't love the film, it lacked a certain charm from that I often find in the films I love to watch, but I'm certainly glad I watched this one. It hasn't driven me to seek out anything similar or by those involved, but if anyone knows of anything that they feel is a must watch and in a similar vein, then I'd be happy to give it a go.
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Postby ChamucaRobota » Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:34 pm

View Original PostOz wrote:I had seen two thirds of the films on the list before starting to compile the list, but I did rewatch most of them for the list. I also watched a bunch of films that didn't make it to the list. Checking my old posts in this thread, I began watching films for the list on the 15th of September and I maintained a pace of 2 films a day for a month and a half. Then I spent a week writing the descriptions for each one of the films. Although I used the reviews I posted in this thread for some of them, I rewrote most of them from scratch.


Well, for less than two months I think you did a great job. When I have the opportunity to watch any of the films on your list that I haven't seen, I'll make sure to share my thoughts with you on this thread. :asuka_thumbsup:

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Postby Oz » Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:47 am

^ Thanks. I'll be looking forward to your posts.

@Sorrow
: The Drudgery Train is not an easily likable film, is it? :lol: It is uncompromising in its portrayal of the protagonist and I figured that since you liked the depiction of behavior in your favorite films that it could be right up your alley. It is an entirely character driven film that doesn't sugarcoat its star at all.

As for the ending,
SPOILER: Show
Are you talking about the abrupt ending in which he falls through a metaphorical hole and starts to write? As I mentioned before, the film is based on an autobiography so it ends when the protagonist realizes his only way out is to write about himself. The film doesn't really do much to underline the meaning of the conclusion - probably because the original author is so famous in Japan. He literally hit the bottom only to find himself a successful author.

Or was it some other scene that you found confusing?
"I'd really like to have as much money as you have, Oz" - robersora
"No you wouldn't. Oz's secret is he goes without food to buy that stuff. He hasn't eaten in years." - Brikhaus

"Often I get the feeling that deep down, your little girl is struggling with your embrace of filmfaggotry and your loldeep fixations, and the conflict that arises from such a contradiction is embodied pretty well in Kureha's character. But obviously it's not any sort of internal conflict that makes the analogy work. It's the pigtails." - Merridian
"Oh, Oz, I fear I'm losing my filmfag to the depths of Japanese pop. If only there were more films with Japanese girls in glow-in-the-dark costumes you'd be the David Bordwell of that genre." - Jimbo
"Oz, I think we need to stage an intervention and force you to watch some movies that aren't made in Japan." - Trajan

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Postby Kazuki_Fuse » Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:53 am

Nightcrawler. Definitely the best film I've seen all year. Jake's never played a character like Lou, but he nails it. One of those movies I know I'll be picking up in physical format when it's released.
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Postby pwhodges » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:24 am

Mr Turner. A character study of the painter. Saw this last week. Don't expect a biography, 'cos that it isn't - it picks up when he's already an established painter, and goes through to his death.

Bit of a curate's egg. It is unfailingly beautifully filmed; the images are gorgeous throughout. But there's effectively no narrative. You are shown vignettes of the painter's life, some unexpectedly truncated, and pushed together with at times no apparent connection. And yet, with some effort, you can discern some threads which hint at the underlying sequence of events. Timothy Spall won a "best Actor" at Cannes for his performance, and it's well-deserved. But note that the character of Turner is depicted as crotchety and at times downright unpleasant. There is also somewhat less about his paintings and their place in the art world at the time than one might expect (though this is not ignored, of course).

The film is long, at 145 minutes, and arguably too long. But none the less, I did not come away disappointed - the good things about the film comfortably outweighed the frustrations of some of its aspects.
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Postby movieartman » Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:47 am

DRACULA UNTOLD (2014)____first time viewing
- ok.... where to start.... this might be my favorite dracula movie ever!
(at this time, ive seen this, the 31 film, 3 of the hammer drac films & the gerard butler one)
- luke evans i liked a lot previously, now he is among my favorite actors, his performance as vald tepps dracula i think... is without flaw.
- he channels all the aspects of the character and merges them brilliantly, the devoted husband, the perfect father, the peace loving ruler with the tragic troubled past, the impaling warlord, the angsty vampire and finally the son of the dragon/devil himself.
- as monstrous as he was, will be... you truly get the feeling that he is a good person.
his justification of his crimes as the impaler years ago actually make a lot of sense in that era.
- every time we see him shed blood there is a reason, he never does so out of glee or sadism.
- both scenes in the mountain cave with charles dance as a nosferatu is great, first scene while brief is very very menacing his growls are savage and brutal.
sadly the cut of the film i saw makes it just seem like a casual cave, there was a shot in the trailer, showing it to be much larger and having relics and statues of a greek style temple in it, and bodies hanging in coccons from the celling that was edited out for some reason.
- the scene where the sultan's men barge in to a party vlad was hosting to procure there yearly tribute in silver is just a great scene, when they then demand for 1000 14-15 year old boys for the sultan's army, the reaction is realistic and perfect both from evans himself and the rest of the crowd
- dominic cooper as the sultan, DAMN this fucking guy is a freaking dick.
vlad comes to him and pretty much politely begs him to reconsider his demands, he goes as far as to offer himself in there place to fight in the sultans army (which is a bigger sacrifice than it even seems knowing how much vlad has separated himself from the impaler he was a decade before).
and the sultan just blows him off and then adds that vlads own son is required along with the 1000!!!
- sarah gadon does not have too much to do, but is absolutely lovely in her role as vlad's wife and brings plenty of heart and warmth to there relationship which feels very real and heartfelt. they really feel like a couple who has been together for years. really looking forward to seeing her in more movies.
- the romance never seems cheap or forced like other recent vampire movies have done, it feels natural and effective.
- scenes of vlad learning how to use his abilities like turning in to a swarm of bats is well done, never becomes cheesey
- the action and mass battle scenes are a mixed bag... the first battle, is good, some later bits are a bit too quick cut, certainly not horribly so but still.
there is a shot where a sword is twirling in the air and the camera is close in on the blade and we see whats going on in the battle in the reflection of the sword, its unique and interesting but a little too muddy at times, and goes on for just a little to long.
- the farther out attacks by vlad using giant fist of bats is pretty cool
- the one on one fight between vlad and the sultan is good, just a little too short and the pov shots of vlad's vision blurring dew to the silver all over the room are annoying but the more distanced shots of them trading sword blows is very well choreographed and well done.
- the ending is perfect
- very very interested with what they do with possible sequels

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Postby Sorrow » Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:55 pm

View Original PostOz wrote:@Sorrow: The Drudgery Train is not an easily likable film, is it?
I think it's more Kanta isn't an easily likeable character, yet he still is. My reasons for not liking this film as much as other films I have mentioned is more of a charm; The Drudgery Train is more like looking in on someone's life, now. It's not from a time and a place I have an aesthetic fondness for, is all. My reasons for liking it a bit less aren't much to do with the film itself, and it does what it does very well.

Yes, I was talking about
SPOILER: Show
him falling through the sand and landing in rubbish bags and such. There was no lead up to it, and nothing similar in the film before hand. It just came out of nowhere, and seemed really quite out of place. We could already visually see he was at "rock bottom" (running through the road practically naked and heavily beaten) I don't think we needed to see him "hitting the floor" so to speak.
That would be my only gripe with the film.
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Postby Oz » Thu Nov 13, 2014 1:51 pm

View Original PostSorrow wrote:That would be my only gripe with the film.

The ending totally mystified me too when I saw the film. I only understood it after reading about the original novel so it is a perfectly understandable gripe. After I figured out the purpose of the scene it didn't really bother me that much anymore, but it is certainly a problem that the film assumes that the audience knows the background of the story.
"I'd really like to have as much money as you have, Oz" - robersora
"No you wouldn't. Oz's secret is he goes without food to buy that stuff. He hasn't eaten in years." - Brikhaus

"Often I get the feeling that deep down, your little girl is struggling with your embrace of filmfaggotry and your loldeep fixations, and the conflict that arises from such a contradiction is embodied pretty well in Kureha's character. But obviously it's not any sort of internal conflict that makes the analogy work. It's the pigtails." - Merridian
"Oh, Oz, I fear I'm losing my filmfag to the depths of Japanese pop. If only there were more films with Japanese girls in glow-in-the-dark costumes you'd be the David Bordwell of that genre." - Jimbo
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Postby Blue Monday » Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:07 pm

View Original PostKazuki_Fuse wrote:Nightcrawler. Definitely the best film I've seen all year. Jake's never played a character like Lou, but he nails it. One of those movies I know I'll be picking up in physical format when it's released.

I really want to see this. Read a great review that praised Gyllenhaal's performance drawing comparisons to his role in Darko.

Ah, here it is: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/11/12/nightcrawler-slithers-its-way-to-greatness/

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Postby Monk Ed » Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:53 pm

movieartman wrote:- ok.... where to start.... this might be my favorite dracula movie ever!

This pleases me. I'm a big vampire fan and I've been waiting for a good one for a looong time.
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Postby Guy Nacks » Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:03 pm

In my absence, I saw Nightcrawler and Interstellar and I enjoyed both as excellent entries in their respective genres.

Really, Gyllenhaal deserves an Oscar nom for this. When you perform the rare feat of making someone see the character and not the actor, that deserves some fucking props. There's so much nuance to his performance and he makes the character so interesting to watch that you get Clockwork Orange syndrome and actually kinda root for him after a certain point. His actions are morally terrible, but he's charismatic enough that it makes for an entertaining watch. Reminded me a lot of Drive in terms of the general style and feel of the film, which should be no surprise because they were both produces by the same company, Bold Films.

I thought Interstellar was great, better than Gravity, which honestly got a little too melodramatic in certain parts. The movie looks gorgeous and the practical effects gave be a filmboner, 'cause it just looks so damn realistic compared to the CGI that, while good, was fairly noticeable in Gravity. I really fucking felt like I was out beyond our own galaxy in some of those scenes. Hans Zimmer once again knocks it out of the park with his Phillip Glass/Koyaanisqatsi/2001-inspired score. And Matty Mac. Damn. Everything I could've hoped from him and more. I don't cry in movies, but this was the first one in I don't know how long that made me tear up a couple times. It's no 2001, but it's a legitimately great effort at a time when practical effects and attempts at good science fiction are hard to come by. It's not perfect, but it and similar efforts should be encouraged and applauded.


I'm hoping to catch Foxcatcher and Mockingjay I next.
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Postby Ænimal » Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:21 pm

Frailty

Having seen many horror films, i have become desensitized to most things which could be considered horrifying: gore, suspense, psychological terror, fear of the unknown/Lovecraftian tropes and so on and etc. This movie, however, was frightening to me not because it was excessively violent (most of the violence was done away with in discretion shots) or not because it was chock-full of terrifying monsters (none of the literal variety here), no; this movie shook me down to my core and frightened me because it made me question my sanity- Can one's own actions truly be justified by faith alone? Are there larger powers at work of which we are only pawns in a cosmic chess match? Is it true justice to mete out punishment at the behest of voices in your own head?

Regardless of all of these inquiries, i highly recommend this movie for everyone who enjoys a good, compelling deconstruction of the human condition as well as thrillers/cinema in general. But of course, this post, like all the other ones i've made will be ignored because i am a pariah here

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Postby movieartman » Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:32 pm

View Original PostÆnimal wrote:Frailty

Having seen many horror films, i have become desensitized to most things which could be considered horrifying: gore, suspense, psychological terror, fear of the unknown/Lovecraftian tropes and so on and etc. This movie, however, was frightening to me not because it was excessively violent (most of the violence was done away with in discretion shots) or not because it was chock-full of terrifying monsters (none of the literal variety here), no; this movie shook me down to my core and frightened me because it made me question my sanity- Can one's own actions truly be justified by faith alone? Are there larger powers at work of which we are only pawns in a cosmic chess match? Is it true justice to mete out punishment at the behest of voices in your own head?

Regardless of all of these inquiries, i highly recommend this movie for everyone who enjoys a good, compelling deconstruction of the human condition as well as thrillers/cinema in general. But of course, this post, like all the other ones i've made will be ignored because i am a pariah here

i saw the trailer for this a while ago, still need to see it, thanks for reminding me. ^_^
with this being a great new era of matthew mcconaughey, perfect time to see it too.
why are you/why do you think you are a pariah here? :uhh:

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Postby Oz » Sun Nov 16, 2014 12:14 pm

I finally got around to watching a pile of mysterious DVDs Dr. Nick has given me over the years.

Robert Clouse’s Gymkata: Gymakata opens with hilariously menacing shots of gymnastics cross-cut with a sequence of a sweaty man escaping a group of warriors dressed like ninjas. Afterwards we learn that the gymnast is recruited to a self-righteous American mission to gain control of a “star wars” site by taking part in a dangerous Middle Eastern game. But before our hero is ready for the game, he undergoes a training sequence that includes screwing his princess master-turned-damsel-in-distress and battling with a Japanese instructor who carries an eagle around for no reason. What ensues after he embarks on the journey is a wacky combination of cheap Bond devices, conveniently placed horizontal bars in alleyways, amusingly campy action, not-so-amusingly amateurish production, and a hilariously offensive fictional Middle Eastern kingdom with a ruler who “go play king for people”. The crowning moment of campy weirdness is a non-sensical sequence in which our hero ends up in a ghost town full of lunatics that want to tear him apart. It evolves into a ridiculously massive setpiece in which the hero takes on an army of weirdly dressed screaming people. It was also hilarious to find out afterwards that the film was originally banned in Finland in order to avoid a conflict with the Soviet Union.

Newt Arnold’s Bloodsport: Jean Claude Van Damme plays a soldier who runs from the military to take part in an extreme martial arts competition in Hong Kong. It turns out it is his way to honor his Japanese master who trained him to be a hilariously stiff and obviously choreographed killing machine who arrives late for everything. Aside from hammy acting, Bloodsport’s direction is not actually that bad. Arnold has an eye for smooth editing and solid storytelling, but he has a terrible habit of abusing slow-motion in Van Damme’s money shots which turns the film into a laugh riot in the long climactic fight that is one slow-motion shot of Van Damme screaming and jumping after another. The tournament features a wide variety of national stereotypes ranging from bearded rednecks to beast-like African natives, all of whom Van Damme needs to defeat while avoiding American agents chasing him and r”omancing” an American journalist who wants a story about the competition. The film seems self-aware of the story being an exercise in shallow honor and meaningless manliness thanks to the journalist character. She comes across critical, but the film eventually crushes her stance as she begins to lust for blood and violence. No action movie is complete without a cheesy soundtrack of 80’s pop tunes and Bloodsport has plenty of them. Bloodsport is pretty much for a fun for a film that is centered around grunting masses of muscle.

Ron Karkoska’s Metal Man: I thought it was a German rip-off of Iron Man, but it turned out to be a German release of American straight-to-video garbage. After seeing the film I wish it had been a campy German rip-off. It is just like a tired high school film project except it is not one and the makers somehow managed to sink a million dollars into this garbage. The young assistant of a mad scientist ends up trapped in a bio-armor that looks eerily similar to Iron Man, the scientist is killed by a greedy businessman, but his “AI representation” remains in the suit to guide the assistant as he takes on the evil. That sounds like a recipe for campy entertainment, right? I can assure you that the result is far from it. It has its share of inexplicable science and awkward metaphors, but the film is riddled by the director’s utter inability to understand what directing means: its combination of music and image does not make sense, the characters have bizarre mood swings and the dialogue is awkward at best. It would have been fun if the story had at least resembled Iron Man more or at least took advantage of it in ways other than the costume and PR, but instead it is just a lazy piece of non-sense that doesn’t even try to charm its audience with hyperactivity or creativity so there is really no reason to overlook its faults. It is not even unintentionally hilarious that often. The crew is obviously just a bunch of amateurs as the audio is full of noise and irrelevant background noises, the cinematography is an inconsistent mess of out-of-focus shots and the editing makes the least bit sense. You should know something is off about your film is your costumes look like cheap Halloween outfits and your best effects are blurry camera shots and ketchup on the cheek.

Sidney J Furie’s Iron Eagle: A pilot gets captured and involved in a diplomatic conflict after flying over a Middle Eastern country. With the adults caught up in bureaucracy and “silly” diplomatics, it is up to his teenage son to do something about the situation. He enlists the help of his smarter-than-their-parents friends and a groovy black mechanic. It is wish fulfillment to the max: the boy becomes a jet fighter pilot in an instant, kicks the butts of his bully rivals and the kids manage to pull off their crazily unrealistic plan without a hitch. It is corny as heck (the kid flies to the beats of 80’s synth pop) and even more patriotic than the Uncle Sam himself. Iron Eagle is occasionally entertaining when it ignores reality with happy-go-lucky optimism, and it is painfully bad when the awfully cheesy drama kicks in. It is not a badly produced or executed film so it is not entirely camp, but the screenplay jumps more sharks than most other action films put together.

Christopher Coppola’s Deadfall: Joe accidentally kills his father, which leads him to meet his uncle and the uncle’s crazy narcotic assistant, played by Nicholas Cage, who get him involved in a complicated scenario full of deception and violence. Initially Deadfall seems like an OK film, but once the actual drama kicks in, the combination of fishy writing and over-the-top acting rears its ugly head. Despite the impressive line-up of A-list actors and a director named Coppola (not related to THAT Coppola, but he is Nicholas Cage’s brother), Deadfall is one of the most pathetic screw-ups I have ever seen. I get the feeling that its makers are film noir fans trying too hard to imitate the film noir style with way too dark lighting and lots of awkward Dutch angles. It doesn’t have the grittiness and world-weariness film noir requires: the protagonist’s inner monologues are silly and his street credibility non-existent. The film looks and feels so artificial it makes you aware of the fact that you are watching a movie - a bad one at that. The film breaks its illusion on so many occasions it ends up being an unintentionally hilarious trainwreck. It is obviously produced by a small trashy studio that likes flashing titties once in 15 minutes to remind the audience that this is a serious, edgy film. Deadfall rivals even The Room in cheesiness and unintentional comic gold whenever Nicholas Cage is allowed to go batshit insane. Deadfall would be just a nightmarishly bad production if Nicholas Cage had not been allowed to be himself in the crazy role. Rarely one comes across a film dictated by such a lunatic and inane logic.
"I'd really like to have as much money as you have, Oz" - robersora
"No you wouldn't. Oz's secret is he goes without food to buy that stuff. He hasn't eaten in years." - Brikhaus

"Often I get the feeling that deep down, your little girl is struggling with your embrace of filmfaggotry and your loldeep fixations, and the conflict that arises from such a contradiction is embodied pretty well in Kureha's character. But obviously it's not any sort of internal conflict that makes the analogy work. It's the pigtails." - Merridian
"Oh, Oz, I fear I'm losing my filmfag to the depths of Japanese pop. If only there were more films with Japanese girls in glow-in-the-dark costumes you'd be the David Bordwell of that genre." - Jimbo
"Oz, I think we need to stage an intervention and force you to watch some movies that aren't made in Japan." - Trajan

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Postby Guy Nacks » Sun Nov 16, 2014 12:39 pm

View Original PostOz wrote:(not related to THAT Coppola, but he is Nicholas Cage’s brother)



But, then he IS related to THAT Coppola because Franny Ford is Nic Cage's uncle.
Among the people who use the Internet, many are obtuse. Because they are locked in their rooms, they hang on to that vision which is spreading across the world. But this does not go beyond mere ‘data’. Data without analysis [thinking], which makes you think that you know everything. This complacency is nothing but a trap. Moreover, the sense of values that counters this notion is paralyzed by it.

And so we arrive at demagogy. - Hideaki Anno, 1996


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