The Zone's 2007 Movie Journal

[Brocktune]

6.The Producers - (6/10) If you like Mel Brooks, and you don't mind musicals, this is worth your time despite having Matthew "I haven't been good since War Games" Broderick.

ok, just saw this.

dude.

please dont besmirch the good directorial name of mel brooks.
the movie you saw is NOT mel brooks, even if it had his name in the credits in places. please, please, PLEASE do yourself a real favor, and see the original film, the real "The Producers". this nathan lane, matthew broderick shit, is just that. you cant top perfection. Mostel, Wilder, Hewett, Voutsinas, Mars, and Shawn = perfection. come on now. you owe it to yourself, AND to teh zone. hie thee to netflix post haste my young apprentice. thine geek cred is in dire need of a good buffing.

[Flumm]

Just should say, I <3 this thread and all that it entails from all concerned, but specifically very much enjoying the ammendum's, thoughts and impressions sprawled for each film.

That goes notably to Brock, MM and Son of Cagle, I think, among others...

Both rife with the vernacular of the underclasses and yet informationally informative!

Excellent work.


Mmm, I think I might be missing something of the experience of the venture as a whole by being a bargain basement listomatic about it all...

Re-mmm.

[Nachokoolaid]

6.The Producers - (6/10) If you like Mel Brooks, and you don't mind musicals, this is worth your time despite having Matthew "I haven't been good since War Games" Broderick.

ok, just saw this.

dude.

please dont besmirch the good directorial name of mel brooks.
the movie you saw is NOT mel brooks, even if it had his name in the credits in places. please, please, PLEASE do yourself a real favor, and see the original film, the real "The Producers". this nathan lane, matthew broderick shit, is just that. you cant top perfection. Mostel, Wilder, Hewett, Voutsinas, Mars, and Shawn = perfection. come on now. you owe it to yourself, AND to teh zone. hie thee to netflix post haste my young apprentice. thine geek cred is in dire need of a good buffing.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to give the impression that Brooks directed this, but that it was Brooks-esque. And this was still when I was trying to fit all my reviews into one sentence, hence the lack of descriptive words that may have helped to avoid this situation.

[Brocktune]

yes, but have you seen the original?

[Keepcoolbutcare]

for April, I'm showering love upon GRINDHOUSE & THE VENTURE BROTHERS SEASON 2.

gotta give it a second viewing, but HOT FUZZ may join teh awesome list as well...

[Brocktune]

wow!

when did they release venture brothers season 2 in theaters?!?!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

wow!

when did they release venture brothers season 2 in theaters?!?!

would've done better business than ATHF...

[Brocktune]

probably would have been funnier too.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

probably would have been funnier too.

oh, it wasn't that bad.

Intro alone was worth the matinée price. And while I know you bemoaned the lack of MC Chris, I loved the return of Dr. Evil and poor, poor Steve.

I can't even watch Season 4, what with no Dr. Evil intros...

[Brocktune]

oh, it wasn't that bad.

maybe next time i should skip the thorazine/morphine cocktail before i hit the theater.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

or you could up the dosage...

[Nachokoolaid]

Speaking of Venture Bros. I just saw my first episode of that show last night, and it was pretty entertaining. I can't say I'll search for it, but if I do happen upon it again, I'll certainly check it out.

And no, I never saw the original Producers.

[Pacino86845]

Grindhouse takes April in my book, and Hustle & Flow was a surprisingly awesome discovery... otherwise I revisited some favorites, "old" and new (The Incredibles, Ghost World, The Prestige, Trailer Park Boys: The Movie).

[bastard_robo]

Heres the List of DVD's That I've bought in the last few months that I have to watch in the next week before I find a new job.


SEVEN SAMURAI (criterion 3 disc)
Last Dragon
Tokyo Rampage
Killing Machine
The Jerk
Eruotrip
Dragon Tiger Gate
Death Note
Short Circut
Seven Samurai
Equinox
The Quest
The Jerk
Super Atragon
Smokin Aces
House of Fury
JSA
Killing Machine
Neighbor No 13
Shadowless Sword
Seven Swords
Spiderman 2.1

All in the next week. Not to mention Spidey 3 to get in too.

[Flumm]

Heres the List of DVD's That I've bought in the last few months that I have to watch in the next week before I find a new job.


SEVEN SAMURAI (criterion 3 disc)
Last Dragon
Tokyo Rampage
Killing Machine
The Jerk
Eurotrip
Dragon Tiger Gate
Death Note
Short Circut
Seven Samurai
Equinox
The Quest
The Jerk
Super Atragon
Smokin Aces
House of Fury
JSA
Killing Machine
Neighbor No 13
Shadowless Sword
Seven Swords
Spiderman 2.1

All in the next week. Not to mention Spidey 3 to get in too.

By my calculations that cancles out Eurotrip and means you have to watch The Jerk twice, Robo.



Eitherway, vigilance, man, vigilance...


Anyhow, I was going to say, in efforts to make my journal a little more navigable, as much for you guys to navigate as me, (without presuming too much in the you part), I tried a little thing at the bottom with the new entry for May.

Could I ask if it makes things any easier to read? Especially considering the scale of the thing once the year is out, does it rest easy on the eye and make sense, make things a little more navigable then just blocks of white names on white next, or the oppisite?

Thanks in advance for those brave enough to take on the endeavour, yo.

[magicmonkey]

Its gotta be a good month where the worst film you see is a Cronenberg flick (Crimes of the Future). Bestest accolade has to go to two films though;

The stupendiferously cool/hip "Grindhouse". A film so umistakably different from anything else current/past/future that it oozes a vast indictment of
doom over the future of the cinematic experience for those too kool for skool. 3D and holograms is where its at baby.

Joint with "Grindhouse" though, is the early 80's Aussie musical "StarStruck" which is pure cinematic joy. This movie gently laps on your balls, your ears, in front of your whole family and still, the only feeling
you feel is pure unadulterated joy.

Good month, can't see it being beat in a long, long while

[Pacino86845]

Hey Flumm, I never liked the classification by rating... I prefer the chronological order myself, but I like what you've done to make your journal more "readable."

[Pacino86845]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the worst film I saw in April was Notes on a Scandal. Why? It was too conventional, too unsurprising, too DULL!!!!

[Flumm]

Its gotta be a good month where the worst film you see is a Cronenberg flick (Crimes of the Future). Bestest accolade has to go to two films though;

The stupendiferously cool/hip "Grindhouse". A film so umistakably different from anything else current/past/future that it oozes a vast indictment of
doom over the future of the cinematic experience for those too kool for skool. 3D and holograms is where its at baby.

Joint with "Grindhouse" though, is the early 80's Aussie musical "StarStruck" which is pure cinematic joy. This movie gently laps on your balls, your ears, in front of your whole family and still, the only feeling
you feel is pure unadulterated joy.

Good month, can't see it being beat in a long, long while

Yeah, I also had a amazing month for film, hell even the movie I watched this morning was one of the best I've seen all year.

The going is indeed good.

I'm trying to lap up every frame while it lasts.


Seeing as the competition was so high, I think I'm gonna dwell on my pick for a lil' while, though.

Adding StarStruck to my rental que MM, not for the first time either.

One of these days I gotta pay you back, monkey...

[Flumm]

Hey Flumm, I never liked the classification by rating... I prefer the chronological order myself, but I like what you've done to make your journal more "readable."

Me too, I'm afraid, but I got stuck with it after joining in later in the game, you know?




That's largely why I'm still tinkering and trying to adapt it, I suppose.



Cheers for the input, Pacino.

[magicmonkey]

Adding StarStruck to my rental que MM, not for the first time either.

One of these days I gotta pay you back, monkey...

No problemo old bean, hope you enjoy. Tokyo Story is the bomb yo, and I just need to see a couple of Miyazaki movies (including Valley of the wind) to round off his ouvre.

[Flumm]

By the first twenty minutes or so, purely by fortunes fatefull, it seems I have another great Setsuko Hara performance to dwell apon in Kurasawa's hacked-up adaption of The Idiot, also.

In one, the very figure of tortured timidity, constricted repression suffocating at the seams, in the other, so far, she's leaping out of the screen with unparrallelled amounts of "OMFGWTFUGH!!1" for the all the putzes of the world who continue to populate the world around her with "OMGWTFMEH!!1"..

And that's just from 20 of your Earth minutes.

Teh .

It's undeniably of epic preportions, so I have had to put it aside untill I can find time to gulp it down in once, however.

Oh, and I'd be interested to see what you made of Nausicaa, MM. For my money, it's one of the definitive Sci-Fi / Fantasy films, regardless of it's by default segragation as an anime.

It's got it's weak points, but their hugely outnumbered by my very favourite designs and images from any Miyazaki I've yet seen.

I won't say too much to cloud your judgement, as if I could, but when you manage to catch it, do speak ups the words magical...

[MonkeyM666]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the worst film I saw in April was Notes on a Scandal. Why? It was too conventional, too unsurprising, too DULL!!!!

Hummm... I agree with the dull bit (nothing really happened in the end of it all other then the woman finding another ‘pet’) but I really liked Judi Dench and her VO's/diary entries. I'm fairly sure that Dench was the only reason I enjoyed it.... that and looking at Cate Blanchett..... she's dreamy.... 8)

[Pacino86845]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the worst film I saw in April was Notes on a Scandal. Why? It was too conventional, too unsurprising, too DULL!!!!

Hummm... I agree with the dull bit (nothing really happened in the end of it all other then the woman finding another ‘pet’) but I really liked Judi Dench and her VO's/diary entries. I'm fairly sure that Dench was the only reason I enjoyed it.... that and looking at Cate Blanchett..... she's dreamy.... 8)

Well for some fairly recent Cate Blanchett dreaminess in a modern character drama, I can recommend the Aussie film Little Fish... also starring Hugo Weaving as you've never seen him before!!!

[MonkeyM666]

Ooohh... I know about Little Fish. Not that I've seen it (yes, I shame Tape and all Australians )but I believe that it's a fantastic film that every Zoner should see. It's the new face of Aussie cinema (or so some random publications have told me).

On a side note: I hear that Australia is about to hit a boom for filmmaking with new legislations, tax breaks and incentives. Keep your eyes peeled.

[Brocktune]

And no, I never saw the original Producers.

well.....

see it man, see it!

you dont even have to do anything. they are showing it on TCM on saturday night (5/5) as this weeks "Essentials".

watch this movie!

[Nachokoolaid]

And no, I never saw the original Producers.

well.....

see it man, see it!

you dont even have to do anything. they are showing it on TCM on saturday night (5/5) as this weeks "Essentials".

watch this movie!

Thanks for the heads-up.

And my best and worst for April.

BEST:
Children of Men -- Pretty good stuff, and that cinematography was really really good.

WORST:
Bully -- This actually reminds me a lot of Brick, and I do concede that Brick is far better, but they seem similar in my opinion. It seems they had the same "acting style" if that makes sense.

[Seppuku]

Best of April: This is England. Starts out as a very entertaining '80s nostalgiafest, with the entertainment lying in just how right they get the details, from the girls with the half-shaved asymmetrical haircuts, to the exact right shade of braces skinheads would wear, and ends up in an intense emotional explosion that just draws you in and drains you out. When I left the cinema I could barely walk. Fucking great movie, even though it did nick the last shot from The 400 Blows.

Worst of April: Fracture. Was entertaining enough, and it actually had some pretty funny dialogue thrown in there, but none of that can disguise the fact that the plot was weaker than a particularly weak episode of Perry Mason (and that's weak!).

[Brocktune]

Worst of April: Was entertaining enough, and it actually had some pretty funny dialogue thrown in there, but none of that can disguise the fact that the plot was weaker than a particularly weak episode of Perry Mason (and that's weak!).

awesome!

now if you would be good enough to enlighten us as to the title of this particular stinkbomb.

[Seppuku]

hahaha, I just realised what I did and edited it in about two seconds before I read your message.

I blame it on the ketamine.

But then again, I blame everything on the ketamine. And Canada.

[Pacino86845]

Heh, with the summer movie season being kickstarted by Spider-man 3, we can already start with some fun lists! Everyone loves lists, no?

I'm thinking we can divide the year into three: the first is usually a dead season, but still we can find some gems in there... then there's the summer season (May-August, inclusive), and then it's Oscar season!

So for this first third of 2007 (January-April, inclusive), what was/were your favorite releases?

Well after all that, IMDB says I only watched four 2007 releases (excluding Spider-man 3)... in order of best to worst:

Grindhouse 9/10
Hot Fuzz 7/10
TMNT 5/10
300 4/10

Living in Europe, things take their time before being released, but I'm keen on seeing how North American lists will turn out... SO POST 'EM HERE!!!

[Pacino86845]

Les Invasions barbares (2003) <((

Have you seen Le Declin de L'Empire Americain?

[justcheckin]

w00t, my list is gettin LONGGGGGGG!

[Flumm]

Les Invasions barbares (2003) <((

Have you seen Le Declin de L'Empire Americain?

I have not!

Untill you deigned it, Pacino, it had not come to my attention that it existed.

It perhaps explains a little the feeling I got from the film, I think.

I felt at times that when the ensemble was assembled, that the acting became a little to... "actorly" for my taste. The rythms and general flow of the conversation and interactions were too comfortable and unnatural. Dare I say it, a llittle smug even. I really wasn't convinced at all by their relationships. Which, in my head now looking back, could somewhat be in tune with the idea that they were, the actors that is, revisiting this story a couple of decades down the line and were enjoying the experience...

Overall though, I thought some of the work by Rémy Girard was a step up from the rest of the cast and was a little more layered and empathetic, I was more involved in him as an actor, beyond him just being the lead character.

And here and there, with the atmospheric musical cues conjured by Arcand touched on something greater at times, to my mind at least, than the actors were able to summon by themselves... but overall it didn't really gell for me.

I wanted to give it a pass to the above catorgory for the subject involved, the story that was being told, but I couldn't really do it in good faith when I really wasn't led to believe in any of the supporting characters or relationships, you know?

I'm curious enough to see Le Déclin de L'Empire Américain at this point and complete the experience of watching both halves of the story, however. I would have preffered to watch them in order, I guess, but I'm still intrigued enough by the hand of Arcand at least, if nothing else...

[Keepcoolbutcare]

So for this first third of 2007 (January-April, inclusive), what was/were your favorite releases?

BLACK BOOK - 9.0

GRINDHOUSE - 8.5

TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER - 8.2

HOT FUZZ - 8.0

THE HOST - 7.7

INLAND EMPIRE - 7.2

ZODIAC - 7.0

Premiered USA: 9th December 2006 (Austin Butt-Numb-A-Thon)

HAHA!

my second premier! After BLACK SNAKE MOAN earlier. To be honest though, I think BLACK BOOK screened on the 10th...'bout 2-3am.

[Fried Gold]

So for this first third of 2007 (January-April, inclusive), what was/were your favorite releases?

This Is England & Sunshine have been the two masterpieces so far this year, and I think it will take something special to surpass them.


Apocalypto and Hot Fuzz are on the next tier down. Very good movies. And for the kidtastic part of me, the new Turtles film was really enjoyable, as was the re-release of Transformers The Movie.

[Pacino86845]

I felt at times that when the ensemble was assembled, that the acting became a little to... "actorly" for my taste. The rythms and general flow of the conversation and interactions were too comfortable and unnatural. Dare I say it, a llittle smug even. I really wasn't convinced at all by their relationships. Which, in my head now looking back, could somewhat be in tune with the idea that they were, the actors that is, revisiting this story a couple of decades down the line and were enjoying the experience...

Overall though, I thought some of the work by Rémy Girard was a step up from the rest of the cast and was a little more layered and empathetic, I was more involved in him as an actor, beyond him just being the lead character.

Heh, Declin also has that stagey feeling to it though, and it might be a "lost in translation" thing, but Arcand's dialogue is normally so rich and well-constructed that you kind of get past the fact that it's not realistic... I guess Tarantino is an easy comparison (except Arcand isn't all pop culture, he's more of an intellectual snob LOL). Of course I'm biased, speaking the original language... it's been a while since I've seen the two films, but from what I remember Declin was the same.

And your spot-on a propos Girard... one of Quebec's finest actors, and in one of the best roles in the history of Quebecois cinema.

A bit of trivia: in Invasions Barbares, the young lady, the one that's addicted to heroin, is played by Marie Jose-Crose (sp?), who also plays the super-smoking-hot Dutch assassin in Munich.

So for this first third of 2007 (January-April, inclusive), what was/were your favorite releases?

BLACK BOOK - 9.0

GRINDHOUSE - 8.5

TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER - 8.2

HOT FUZZ - 8.0

THE HOST - 7.7

INLAND EMPIRE - 7.2

ZODIAC - 7.0

Where's Black Snake Moan? Isn't that officially a 2007 release?

Black Book just came out here, I can't friggin' wait to see it!

This Is England & Sunshine have been the two masterpieces so far this year, and I think it will take something special to surpass them.

I'm really pissed off about this... I wanted to see Sunshine this weekend but it was already circulated out of the cinema!! It was only released for like 2-3 weeks... as was Lynch's Inland Empire, but at least I had a chance to catch that one before it disappeared.

[Brocktune]

and it might be a "lost in translation" thing, but Arcand's dialogue is normally so rich and well-constructed that you kind of get past the fact that it's not realistic...

thats funny. i have spoken with my buddy about this phenomenon before. he is a full blooded spaniard, and speaks spanish fluently. he is also a fan of almodovar. he and i were having a conversation about almodovar, and alex de la iglesia, and how subtitles just cant convey all of the humor, and/or other elements in the dialog of a foreign language film. i saw "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", and i commented on how little laughter there was in the theater, despite many of the lines being quite humorous indeed. he then reminded me of a line that rafael speaks in "Crimen Ferpecto" where he says something about "why dont you go fuck in the park" or something like that, and he told me that in spain there is this park that is notorious for people going there to fuck, and that the line in spanish, told them to go to this particular park. so if you speak spanish, and you know spain, its like there is a bonus joke you are going to get. and if not, you are fucked. shit really does get lost in translation. it makes me wonder how much more amazing kurosawa's films would be if i spoke japanese.

[Pacino86845]

it makes me wonder how much more amazing kurosawa's films would be if i spoke japanese.

Then your scale would go up to 11?

[Brocktune]

im actually certain that were i to speak japanese, kurosawa's films would transcend this flawed, crude human rating system. these pathetic numbers would no longer apply.

[Pacino86845]

Ok, I'm thinking of doing some maintenance in the first two pages of this thread as an attempt to maybe bump a couple of the second-page people to the first... as it stands, the following people "reserved" a spot on the first page but have made ZERO entries to their journal:

unikrunk, paplazeru, dimnix, silentbobafett, MonkeyM666, seppukudkurosawa, TonyWilson, and Fawst

Confused Pete reserved a spot, but he's taking up valuable real estate, and there are two comments, by DaleTremont and Nachokoolaid, which could be removed to free up some space for second-pagers to get put on the first.

I'm thinking of clearing all of the above, but only iconiclastica and The Ginger Man will get bumped to the first page as a result. Is it worth it, or are there objections?

[bastard_robo]

Ok, I'm thinking of doing some maintenance in the first two pages of this thread as an attempt to maybe bump a couple of the second-page people to the first... as it stands, the following people "reserved" a spot on the first page but have made ZERO entries to their journal:

unikrunk, paplazeru, dimnix, silentbobafett, MonkeyM666, seppukudkurosawa, TonyWilson, and Fawst

Confused Pete reserved a spot, but he's taking up valuable real estate, and there are two comments, by DaleTremont and Nachokoolaid, which could be removed to free up some space for second-pagers to get put on the first.

I'm thinking of clearing all of the above, but only iconiclastica and The Ginger Man will get bumped to the first page as a result. Is it worth it, or are there objections?

SMITE THE HETHENS!!!!!!!!!

[doglips]

I think Pete ( although a quote of his journal might be good for the comedy vaults.....) and the comments could go, PM the others?

[Pacino86845]

Actually I saved DaleTremont's first page spot... I noticed that she'd posted her journal on page 2 so I just copy-pasted it into her page 1 post... urgh, I'm feeling too lazy to be chasing down all those people via PM. I'll just ban them instead, problem solved.

[doglips]

Good idea. Banning makes everything so much easier.

[bastard_robo]

Good idea. Banning makes everything so much easier.

Agree!

[Pacino86845]

I'm gonna wait a few days... if I don't hear a strong objection to clearing out the first page, I will make it so... again, the people who will really be affected (i.e. lose their spot) are:

unikrunk, paplazeru, dimnix, silentbobafett, MonkeyM666, seppukudkurosawa, TonyWilson, and Fawst

[PF Moon Deux]

Uhm. Are there any rules, or can I post my log here and now?




Indolent...

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Uhm. Are there any rules, or can I post my log here and now?

please do...

[PF Moon Deux]

PFMD'S CINEMA JOURNAL 2007


01/05 - APOCALYPTO
01/12 - SMOKIN' ACES
01/14 - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
01/22 - ZWARTBOEK
01/26 - BLOOD DIAMOND
01/30 - THE FOUNTAIN

02/02 - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
02/09 - DREAMGIRLS
02/12 - ROCKY BALBOA
02/16 - A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION
02/16 - *LOS OLVIDADOS*
02/19 - HOT FUZZ
02/26 - THE GOOD SHEPHERD

03/02 - GHOST RIDER
03/05 - LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
03/11 - THE GOOD GERMAN
03/18 - LA SCIENCE DES RÊVES
03/23 - INLAND EMPIRE
03/30 - 300
03/30 - FAST FOOD NATION

04/03 - THE HILLS HAVE EYES 2
04/08 - SUNSHINE
04/13 - DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN
04/19 - MAN CHENG JIN DAI HUANG JIN JIA
04/24 - HALF NELSON
04/29 - FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

05/04 - THIS IS ENGLAND
05/08 - SPIDER-MAN 3
05/13 - *LA BATTAGLIA DI ALGERI*
05/17 - MUTUAL APPRECIATION
05/22 - ZODIAC
05/29 - 28 WEEKS LATER

06/02 - POTC: AT WORLD’S END
06/09 - OCEAN’S THIRTEEN
06/15 - NE LE DIS À PERSONNE
06/18 - *OPENING NIGHT*
06/21 - THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
06/29 - PARIS, JE T’AIME

04/07 - DIE HARD 4.0
09/07 - THE PAINTED VEIL
15/07 - *ONNA GA KAIDAN WO AGARU TOKI*
20/07 - *DE SJUNDE INSEGLET*
27/07 - SHERRYBABY
30/07 - THE SIMPSONS MOVIE

04/08 - GEDO SENKI
17/08 - EAGLE VS SHARK
21/08 - *BRIEF ENCOUNTER*
28/08 - THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
31/08 - KNOCKED UP

03/09 - HALLAM FOE
07/09 - LADY CHATTERLEY
07/09 - ATONEMENT
11/09 - *THE DAM BUSTERS*
16/09 - 3:10 TO YUMA
21/09 - A MIGHTY HEART
27/09 - DEATH PROOF

01/10 - ROCKET SCIENCE
06/10 - ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
16/10 - CONTROL
19/10 - *THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS* 3-D
21/10 - RATATOUILLE
28/10 - LA FAUTE À FIDEL!
28/10 - THE KINGDOM

01/11 - 30 DAYS OF NIGHT
01/11 - THE DARJEELING LIMITED (LFF)
09/11 - LIONS FOR LAMBS
16/11 - AMERICAN GANGSTER
22/11 - INTO THE WILD
27/11 - BLADE RUNNER FINAL CUT

02/12 - WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY
07/12 - SOUTHLAND TALES
14/12 - ENCHANTED
16/12 - THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES...
20/12 - *IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE*
28/12 - I AM LEGEND
30/12 - YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH