What's the last movie you've seen?

[Gustaf]

Encounters at the End of the World by Herzog. Not a big fan of nature documentaries but parts of it were absolutely brilliant.

[Gustaf]

Suspicion by Hitchcock. Some pretty good parts, but overall not one of his best.

[Gustaf]

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. Bizarre but enjoyable. Gambon always cool.

[Gustaf]

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. Bizarre but enjoyable. Gambon always cool.

Saw this a long time ago. I don't remember a lot about it beyond the fact that it was really weird. May have to watch it again.

Not sure it's the kind I'd watch again, to be honest.

It does include the smearing of a man with feces and the delicacy of glazed penis for dinner.

[Gustaf]

That scene was particularly boring in comparison to the rest of the movie.

Disagree. That was one of my favorite parts.

I'm with Eraserhead. Brilliant scene. And fairly important for understanding the plot as well, imo.

[Gustaf]

Hunger Games.

That scene was particularly boring in comparison to the rest of the movie.

Disagree. That was one of my favorite parts.

I'm with Eraserhead. Brilliant scene. And fairly important for understanding the plot as well, imo.

Well there was no real 'plot', but yeah it was an important scene.

After my first viewing I had an interpretation of the plot that was fairly straightforward. Two more viewings have only reinforced that interpretation.

(and before anyone accuses me of smug pretentiousness, Lynch has said that the film has a plot and I think my interpretation is the standard one. I do take some pride in having come up with it independently though )

[Gustaf]

After my first viewing I had an interpretation of the plot that was fairly straightforward. Two more viewings have only reinforced that interpretation.

(and before anyone accuses me of smug pretentiousness, Lynch has said that the film has a plot and I think my interpretation is the standard one. I do take some pride in having come up with it independently though )

Is it the one where one of the characters is a dream that the failed actress wishes she was?

If I had to say a plot, I would say that an actress arrives in L.A., meets an older actress, they get into a relationship and audition for the same movie and the older one becomes a success while the younger one fails. The older one then abandons the younger one who, in a fit of rage, orders the older one killed. But the older one survives and becomes amnesiac. The younger one commits suicide.

I don't think the older one (whom I never thought of as all that much older) survives.

My interpretation is essentially that the last part of the movie depicts reality whereas the first and main part of it is the blonde girl's attempt to deal with feelings of guilt, creating an alternate reality which is more palatable to her. A lot of the cool sort of side-stories fit very nicely into that.

[Gustaf]

Badlands by Terrence Mallick. Pretty cool stuff.

[Gustaf]

What's disturbing is that you know enough about Twilight to compare things to it.

Anyway, my last film was Network. Amazing. And felt scarily modern.

[Gustaf]

Anyway, my last film was Network. Amazing. And felt scarily modern.

So you and Gully agree on something now?

Haha, well, I think we agree on quite a lot, actually. Like many people of his type he is too caught up in his disdain for certain things that I don't think he has taken the time or effort to seriously encounter. That's why he leaps too far from disliking commercialization or soulless materialism or what have you into some general dislike of empirical facts and material well-being.

Of course, he probably thinks the same of me, but I think I've sat through enough experimental art videos or phenomenological dissertations to have earned the right to hold them in contempt.

[Gustaf]

Anyway, my last film was Network. Amazing. And felt scarily modern.

So you and Gully agree on something now?

Haha, well, I think we agree on quite a lot, actually. Like many people of his type he is too caught up in his disdain for certain things that I don't think he has taken the time or effort to seriously encounter. That's why he leaps too far from disliking commercialization or soulless materialism or what have you into some general dislike of empirical facts and material well-being.

Of course, he probably thinks the same of me, but I think I've sat through enough experimental art videos or phenomenological dissertations to have earned the right to hold them in contempt.

What do I disdain exactly that I haven't had the time to encounter? And since have I talked about disliking commercialization or soulless materialism (and I do dislike both those things, but I suspect we are talking in different languages when those terms are mentioned). And you probably have seen more experimental art than I have, certainly experimental literature. I'm actually terribly badly read.

Well, all those things that you've attacked me over on the forum, basically. Economics, for one. And while you may not have talked specifically about soulless materialim, etc they strike me as being in the background for a lot of your posts.

I obviously can't really know how much experimental literature you've read.

Anyway, no offense intended or anything. I have a couple of friends with whom I tend to have these discussions so I'm used to the basic conflict.

[Gustaf]

Synedoche New York.

I liked it though I'm not sure I got it. Then again, that seems to be a common reaction.

[Gustaf]

Not really a movie, but The Singing Detective has one more forumite enthousiast. Really quite great.

Woho and all that.

[Gustaf]

Finally got around to The Artist yesterday. I really liked it, although I don't think it's top-tier. A bit too internal for my taste.

[Gustaf]

Iron Sky.

A stupid movie but in a good way. And I rarely think that of a movie.

[Gustaf]

^The White Ribbon has been on my watch list for a while now. I really do have to check it out.

Regular

Me too. Although I might give the 3D a shot at some point if I have time (of course, only because it's free for me).

The White Ribbon is really, really good. One of the best, most disturbing films I've seen from the last couple of years. Also very reminiscent of a pretty good Bergman film (or at least I thought so, no one else has so far agreed with me ).

I recently re-watched Crimes and Misdemeanors. Very typical Allen. Funny but also rather sad. I'll probably soon watch the Burton-Depp movie. I have no expectations, but there's a girl who wants to take me and I don't refuse a free movie ticket.  

[Gustaf]

Also very reminiscent of a pretty good Bergman film (or at least I thought so, no one else has so far agreed with me ).

Psychological torment plus a feel for landscape. Yeah, I can see that.

Yes, but it's actually even more specific than that. A couple of scenes in particular. If you have the chance, check out this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nattvardsgaesterna and see if you agree with me!

[Gustaf]

Adaptation

Brilliant. I wish I had watched it a lot sooner.

Yes, Adaptation is fantastic.

[Gustaf]

Dark Shadows. Weak Burton, but I was coaxed by others to go.

[Gustaf]

Dark Shadows. Weak Burton, but I was coaxed by others to go.

Has there ever been a strong Burton? (Can't stand him for the most part, much like Wes Anderson.)

The Burt? It's not generally my thing, but I do think Sweeney Todd and Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas are all good. I'm a bit biased by all girls I've been involved with having tended to like him.

Wes Anderson is uneven, but still brilliant at times.

[Gustaf]

The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972)

Has anyone else here ever seen this? What did they think?

I've seen it as a stage play, does that count?

[Gustaf]

Shadows (1959)

Excellent.

I haven't seen this one, but I really enjoyed Woman Under the Influence and the one about murdering a Chinese bookmaker. Cassavetes is pretty cool. Have you seen other stuff by him and if so, how did this compare?

[Gustaf]

Shadows (1959)

Excellent.

I haven't seen this one, but I really enjoyed Woman Under the Influence and the one about murdering a Chinese bookmaker. Cassavetes is pretty cool. Have you seen other stuff by him and if so, how did this compare?

Actually this was my first Cassavetes but as I've managed to obtain (thank you Cork Public Library System) a DVD box-set of five of his films (I'm watching them in chronological order), I will be sure to give you my thoughts on them in the future.

Ha, I got hold of my Cassavetes the same way.

[Gustaf]

Re-watched The Squid and the Whale yesterday night. I still really like it.

[Gustaf]

Caché ('Hidden'). Fantastic.

Ah, that brings back memories. Remember watching that in the cinema when it came out. It is a pretty great film.

Last night I watched Days of Heaven by Terrence Mallick. Not as good as Badlands, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.