The Zone's 2007 Movie Journal

[godzillasushi]

Best movie I watched for the first time this month was Interview with the Vampire. Worst movie I watched for the first time was The Last Boy Scout.

[havocSchultz]

Worst movie I watched for the first time was The Last Boy Scout.

You're not part of the family...

[godzillasushi]

Worst movie I watched for the first time was The Last Boy Scout.

You're not part of the family...

I bought it after you had suggested it. It's not a dreadful movie, it's just the worst movie of the month (that I watched for the first time). So really, Im not saying its bad. You can put the machete away.

[havocSchultz]

You can put the machete away.

For now...



You're on notice...

[Keepcoolbutcare]

great review.

Thanks, you gonna bump this up your list?

it's at #8, with a bullet. Sorry I haven't gotten to it yet, but, well, there's just so much stuff that just came out that either I haven't seen or really wanted to see again.

Favorite first view for July was, of course, PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER, which I can attest (after 3(!?!?) viewings in 2 days, and one of the times not shrooming!) is as brilliant as I thought it was initially.

But the best flick I saw in July comes down to RIO BRAVO or THE INCREDIBLES, and you can put a gun to my mothers head and I still wouldn't be able to tell you which I prefer (sorry mom).

Worst? RENAISSANCE, which was fucking useless. I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

[tapehead]

I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

I've been wondering about that too.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

I've been wondering about that too.

sometimes I get the menstrual cramps real bad...

/Raising Arizona

[tapehead]

I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

I've been wondering about that too.

sometimes I get the menstrual cramps real bad...

/Raising Arizona

I thought you were planning on hunting down Danny Boyle to kill him.

[stereosforgeeks]

I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

I've been wondering about that too.

sometimes I get the menstrual cramps real bad...

/Raising Arizona

There is some really great stuff in Sunshine for the first 2/3rds. That ending makes me want to gouge my eyes out, though. Its not even a good example of the genre it mimics at the end.

[Nachokoolaid]

I'm chiming in with my picks for July.

Best:

Once Upon a Time in the West. It was the first time I had seen it, and while I think The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is better, I really liked Bronson in this.

Worst:

Big Momma's House 2. Martin Lawrence only makes me laugh when he's surrounded by better talent and he's not the center of attention.

[tapehead]

There is some really great stuff in Sunshine for the first 2/3rds. That ending makes me want to gouge my eyes out, though. Its not even a good example of the genre it mimics at the end.

The ending is where it gets rather... meta, and symbolic. I was willing to go with it after what had come before it.

[magicmonkey]

I kinda left my journal to rot. I reviewed some of the ones I enjoyed the most in the DVD thread, but best film of last month for me was definitely "Electra Glide In Blue" accompanied closely by "The Hobbit".

[LeFlambeur]

July kicked ass for me. I started out with Mouchette, which was the best of the month, although my personal favorite was Ozu's Early Spring. Early Spring may be Ozu's most accessible work. Riding on a great deal of artistic momentum from Tokyo Story, Early Spring's heavier aspects are tempered with a healthy dose of light humor. I meant to rent my way through all of the Eclipse: Late Ozu boxset, but after Equinox Flower I decided that it was too good to view all at once, and to save the rest for later.

The worst was Reno 911: Miami. Like Borat and Jackass 2, its basically a bloated version of the TV show. All three are admittedly hillarious, but I'm glad I didn't pay to see any them in the theater.

[Brocktune]

I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

I've been wondering about that too.

sometimes I get the menstrual cramps real bad...

/Raising Arizona

heh.
that shit happens to me too sometimes.
a definite contributor to my loathing of "Cannibal the Musical".

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I thought you were planning on hunting down Danny Boyle to kill him.

I tried that after A LIFE LESS ORDINARY, but, alas, wily bastard eluded me...

almost got him on the set of THE BEACH, but I was distracted by Teh Suk*.

*man, that takes me back...

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Once Upon a Time in the West. It was the first time I had seen it, and while I think The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is better, I really liked Bronson in this.

I too have trouble deciding between the two...

but Bronson was just...well, Bronson.

Robards, on the other hand, was aces. And Claudia Cardinale was the hottest thing in the world at the time. And Henry fucking Fonda as the heavy?

perfection.

[Nachokoolaid]

Once Upon a Time in the West. It was the first time I had seen it, and while I think The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is better, I really liked Bronson in this.

I too have trouble deciding between the two...

but Bronson was just...well, Bronson.

Robards, on the other hand, was aces. And Claudia Cardinale was the hottest thing in the world at the time. And Henry fucking Fonda as the heavy?

perfection.

I agree about Cardinale. Wow, she was one of the hottest actresses to grace the screen. I'd STILL hit it.

[havocSchultz]

Hey...if you guys got trouble deciding between the two of them - then check out Leone VS. Leone...
Where we finally decide which is better...

(Once Upon a Time in the West, in my opinion, is one of the best movies ever made...muthafuckin' Charlie Bronson...)

[bastard_robo]

Hey...if you guys got trouble deciding between the two of them - then check out Leone VS. Leone...
Where we finally decide which is better...

(Once Upon a Time in the West, in my opinion, is one of the best movies ever made...muthafuckin' Charlie Bronson...)

You know, I own OUTITW and yet, i've never watched it.

[havocSchultz]

Hey...if you guys got trouble deciding between the two of them - then check out Leone VS. Leone...
Where we finally decide which is better...

(Once Upon a Time in the West, in my opinion, is one of the best movies ever made...muthafuckin' Charlie Bronson...)

You know, I own OUTITW and yet, i've never watched it.

Go FORTH!!!
And watch it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stereosforgeeks]

Hey...if you guys got trouble deciding between the two of them - then check out Leone VS. Leone...
Where we finally decide which is better...

(Once Upon a Time in the West, in my opinion, is one of the best movies ever made...muthafuckin' Charlie Bronson...)

You know, I own OUTITW and yet, i've never watched it.

Go FORTH!!!
And watch it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm torn between once upon a time in the west and once upon a time in america. Both are absolutely outstanding pieces of cinema.

[doglips]

great review.

Thanks, you gonna bump this up your list?

it's at #8, with a bullet. Sorry I haven't gotten to it yet, but, well, there's just so much stuff that just came out that either I haven't seen or really wanted to see again.

Favorite first view for July was, of course, PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER, which I can attest (after 3(!?!?) viewings in 2 days, and one of the times not shrooming!) is as brilliant as I thought it was initially.

But the best flick I saw in July comes down to RIO BRAVO or THE INCREDIBLES, and you can put a gun to my mothers head and I still wouldn't be able to tell you which I prefer (sorry mom).

Worst? RENAISSANCE, which was fucking useless. I'm gonna give SUNSHINE another peep when it comes out on DVD, just to make sure my scathing pan wasn't just me being on the rag that day...

Ah, so Perfume is great - I should get this next week, my Wife is desperate to see it. Best film in July was Old Joy, I didn't see a bad movie.

Watched Little Children last week, pretty impressive. Very funny whilst simultaneously making you squirm. Winslett is amazing as is Patrick Wilson. Actually I got to see two of Watchmen's cast with Jackie Earle Haley in this aswell. Let's just say Snyder has at least made two good casting choices - both have chops, that's for sure.

[Leckomaniac]

I had a chance to see ONCE today. Its been 12 hours since the film let out and i simply can't stop thinking about it. I actually had to leave the house and go out and buy the soundtrack. What a lovely little film. It has infected me. Loved it. I originally put it in the VERY GOOD category, but as the day went on I had to move it up because it just wouldn't leave me.

In a year plagued by mediocrity...this film and Ratatouille have really stood out. I think I need to stay away from the big studio films and hang out more at the indie theatre.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I had a chance to see ONCE today. Its been 12 hours since the film let out and i simply can't stop thinking about it. I actually had to leave the house and go out and buy the soundtrack. What a lovely little film. It has infected me. Loved it.

'bout damn time someone else has seen/commented on that lovely flick...

[Leckomaniac]

I had a chance to see ONCE today. Its been 12 hours since the film let out and i simply can't stop thinking about it. I actually had to leave the house and go out and buy the soundtrack. What a lovely little film. It has infected me. Loved it.

'bout damn time someone else has seen/commented on that lovely flick...

Yeah I have been itching to see the film for a long time...I just kept putting it off. When my little brother came down to the city to visit he was hell bent on seeing THE TEN...not being a fan of WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER/STELLA I looked for a film that played at the same time. ONCE fit the bill. So glad it did. Excellent film. So simple and yet quite poignant.

[doglips]

Once isn't out on DVD yet is it?

Has anyone caught Eagle vs Shark? Is it out in the states yet?

[tapehead]

I saw it at the Melbourne international Film Festival last weekend, and wrote a brief review on it -here

[doglips]

I saw it at the Melbourne international Film Festival last weekend, and wrote a brief review on it -here

Nice review, sounds right up my street. I'll try and catch it on the big screen.

Just watched The Host for the first time, loved it. So thoughtfully put together - the balance of creature feature/family values/political subtexts is something Hollywood will never manage on a movie like this.

[bastard_robo]

Just Finished watching DYNAMITE WARRIOR. Its a movie produced the guys who made ONG BAK.

Fuckin A what an Oddball film. Its one of those films were you think your getting one thing, and it becomes somthing else.

The box had it begged as a simple revenge movie. Turns out to be a muay Tai supernatural film.

[Leckomaniac]

Updated! to include Stardust and Bourne Ultimatum!

[Peven]

Just Finished watching DYNAMITE WARRIOR. Its a movie produced the guys who made ONG BAK.

Fuckin A what an Oddball film. Its one of those films were you think your getting one thing, and it becomes somthing else.

The box had it begged as a simple revenge movie. Turns out to be a muay Tai supernatural film.

any movie where the big baddie can only be killed by a weapon doused in the menstrual blood of a virgin is beyond a "simple revenge movie"

[Ribbons]

I had a chance to see ONCE today. Its been 12 hours since the film let out and i simply can't stop thinking about it. I actually had to leave the house and go out and buy the soundtrack. What a lovely little film. It has infected me. Loved it.

'bout damn time someone else has seen/commented on that lovely flick...

And he's not the only one...

A little movie called Once gave me enough inspiration to last the rest of the year.

Sorry, I know that's kind of a flimsy pretext for a quote, but I was looking for a way to slip it into conversation somewhere and I thought maybe a couple of you guys who liked the movie would enjoy it.

I haven't seen Once yet, hasn't visited my neck of the woods.

[cinephile2000]

Saw once and like Lecko had to get the soundtrack. Great haunting music. I've been watching alot of Elvis and Kung Fu movies. I was wondering if you guys had started to notice trends in your movie watching habits due to keeping track of the.

[magicmonkey]

I watched Bergman's "Shame". A kickass, to me, pre-telling of "Straw Dogs" but this time set in an unnamed war. Hardcore Bergman at his most absolute brilliantist. Man, if I thought I hated war before, I hate it even more now.

I also caught "Master of the Flying Guillotine aka Master of the Flying Guillotine v's The One Armed Boxer", which was certainly better than "One Armed Boxer", and I even spotted Dhalsim!!!

"Sun Ra's Space is the Place" was also pretty cosmic. "How come you dress up like you do?"
"I am the myth, just like black people are a myth in society!"

[RaulMonkey]

"Sun Ra's Space is the Place" was also pretty cosmic. "How come you dress up like you do?"
"I am the myth, just like black people are a myth in society!"

Whoa, what? Is this a movie based on the epic song? Feature length or a short? Come to think of it, I may have seen clips of it on YouTube...

Here is just a taste of "Space is the Place" for the uninitiated, by a Sun Ra-less Arkestra (the original version of the song on the album of the same name is like twenty-one minutes long:) http://youtube.com/watch?v=SjVij0swBds

[Seppuku]

I watched Bergman's "Shame". A kickass, to me, pre-telling of "Straw Dogs" but this time set in an unnamed war. Hardcore Bergman at his most absolute brilliantist. Man, if I thought I hated war before, I hate it even more now.

I got this in a 4-dvd box-set I bought on the very same day Bergman died. I can't remember the timings exactly, but I devoured three of them that same day, so I may very well have been watching one of his movies right at the same time he bit the bullet. The movies were The Passion of Anna, The Hour of the Wolf, The Serpent's Egg (produced by Dino) and the only one I've yet to see, Shame. Thanks for psyching me up for it though, MM, I'm looking forward to it.

Also mad props to you and Raul for your Sun Ra love! Sun Ra's my favourite Saturnian EVAR!

[havocSchultz]

Went to the Drive In last night and caught a double feature of Rush Hour 3 and Superbad...

Rush Hour 3 was liking watching the 3rd movie in the Rush Hour series...

That pretty much sums it up...

Superbad was fucking awesome...

[Pacino86845]

How about the requisite Knocked Up comparison? Better, worse, just as good, or completely different and thus shouldn't be compared?

[havocSchultz]

How about the requisite Knocked Up comparison? Better, worse, just as good, or completely different and thus shouldn't be compared?

Alas...

I haven't seen Knocked Up yet...

I didn't get a chance to see it right away...

But I think it'll be playing in our cheaper theaters here in the next little bit - so I will surely compare them then...

Thanks for rubbing that damn salt in the wounds...

[Pacino86845]

The only thing that'd stop me from putting salt in those wounds of yours would be other wounds to put salt in.

[havocSchultz]

The only thing that'd stop me from putting salt in those wounds of yours would be other wounds to put salt in.

I didn't know that was salt you were using the other night...

[Pacino86845]

It was a special cocktail of my own preparation... at least 60% salt there... the dehydration adds a little extra flavor to the proceedings.

[havocSchultz]

It was a special cocktail of my own preparation... at least 60% salt there... the dehydration adds a little extra flavor to the proceedings.

Mmmm...

60%...

[Leckomaniac]

Updated to include "King of Kong".

[Nachokoolaid]

My picks for August.

I saw considerably fewer films because work has now picked up again, but the worst was THE WHOLE TEN YARDS. Bah. And I like Bruce Willis.

The best was PULP FICTION, which is one of my faves.

Looking back on this summer, I didn't see half of the films I really wanted to check out, like Stardust and Superbad.

[Pacino86845]

I think I'll still be able to squeeze in one more movie this month, so I'll wait before making my call for the best/worst, but I just realized that I didn't comment at the end of July.

Well in July the notable mention was Michael Moore's Sicko, which I thought was his best, most mature, film to date. I'd watched Hot Fuzz a second time, and enjoyed it more the second time, so it officially became the first movie I gave a rating bump to this year (from a "good" 7 to a "very good" 8 ). The Host was pretty good... I'd expected something a bit different, but still I thought it was decent (it bagged a 7).

For worst film it's a tie between Hostel II and 28 Weeks Later, which each received a 3/10 from me. I didn't have high expectations going in, but I was sorely disappointed by these movies.

As for the end of August, we can do the same as we did for the first trimester:

List your top 2007 films for the Summer season, which goes from May to August, inclusive.

They don't have to be limited to "blockbusters," you can include any 2007 release that you happened to watch in that period (this is the Euro-clause).

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Well in July the notable mention was Michael Moore's Sicko, which I thought was his best, most mature, film to date. I'd watched Hot Fuzz a second time, and enjoyed it more the second time, so it officially became the first movie I gave a rating bump to this year (from a "good" 7 to a "very good" 8 ).

co-sign on SiCKO, and ditto the HOT FUZZ bump, the only film I viddied more than once and gave a higher score to the second time around. Two BNAT films were just as awesome as I remembered (KNOCKED UP & ZWARTBOEK), one dropped a tad (BLACK SNAKE MOAN), and one plummeted 'cuz it should only be seen with a large audience...and after 22hrs. of movie induced sleep deprivation, a caffeine enema, and gobs of weed, else one can easily recognize just how silly the whole film is (300).

For worst film it's a tie between Hostel II and 28 Weeks Later, which each received a 3/10 from me. I didn't have high expectations going in, but I was sorely disappointed by these movies.

ooh, what didn't you like about 28 WEEKS LATER Pacino? I can't wait to revisit that one on DVD, adored the opening scenes, loved the blatant Iraq war metaphor, but the shaky-avid-fart-cam got to be a bit much...

List your top 2007 films for the Summer season, which goes from May to August, inclusive.

PERFUME: The Story of a Murderer
ONCE
KNOCKED UP
PAPRIKA
SiCKO

[Pacino86845]

ooh, what didn't you like about 28 WEEKS LATER Pacino? I can't wait to revisit that one on DVD, adored the opening scenes, loved the blatant Iraq war metaphor, but the shaky-avid-fart-cam got to be a bit much...

Oh boy, 100% agree on the first five minutes. I didn't know Robert Carlyle was gonna be in it, so not only did seeing him have me jump up in joy, but to have that edge-of-the-seat opening had me positively giddy at what the rest of the film was going to bring... sadly, it all fell apart quite quickly. The Robert Carlyle twist was unaffecting, the massacre of innocents, the mother situation... all these things may seem good written out like this, but watching it unfold the way they filmed it was pretty uninteresting for me, and very predictable. I even started nodding off at some point in the middle of the film, then I woke up to see Robert Carlyle slobbering and I was like "whatever, I'm going back to sleep." Coming out of the film I thought that it was so conventional that it hurt, but then again I haven't been pleased with a zombie film in a looooong time.

I'd say that the careless use of the shaky cam in this movie contributed to my eyes getting tired and my falling asleep. The audience in the room, however, seemed to really get a kick out of the movie (I watched it at the genre festival where I met Chan-Wook Park, so it was a room full of geeks).

Although I'm not the biggest fan of 28 Days Later, at least Danny Boyle did something different with the zombie genre while demonstrating a keen understanding of what makes the genre work in the first place. Boyle had taken the claustrophobic atmosphere of the typical zombie film, whereby humans are outnumbered by zombies, usually because there aren't that many humans to begin with (set it in a small town, a shopping mall, etc), and transfused it to a larger scale, whereby a large space becomes akin to a small town. And just to be absolutely sure that he had the effect he wanted, and to flex his directorial chops, he made the very ballsy choice to film the entire movie on some unimpressive digital cameras.

28 Weeks Later was shot like a music video.

PERFUME: The Story of a Murderer
ONCE
KNOCKED UP
PAPRIKA
SiCKO

Damn you Keepcool, my list will most definitely include your last three choices!!!

[godzillasushi]

Ah I was going to post my favs yesteday and completely forgot to. Best I saw in the month of August was Hot Fuzz for the millionth time. But also, The Lookout which I really really liked. I didnt watch a whole lot anyway.

TMNT was way better then I expected. Same goes for Disturbia.

Gray Matters was absolutely dreadful. It's the worst romantic comedy I've seen in a long time. I never thought I'd be saying this but Heather Graham should never be a lesbian again.


Superbad was the best movie I saw in the theatres all summer. I didn't see that many movies though so it's not saying much.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

ooh, what didn't you like about 28 WEEKS LATER Pacino? I can't wait to revisit that one on DVD, adored the opening scenes, loved the blatant Iraq war metaphor, but the shaky-avid-fart-cam got to be a bit much...

Oh boy, 100% agree on the first five minutes. I didn't know Robert Carlyle was gonna be in it, so not only did seeing him have me jump up in joy, but to have that edge-of-the-seat opening had me positively giddy at what the rest of the film was going to bring... sadly, it all fell apart quite quickly. The Robert Carlyle twist was unaffecting, the massacre of innocents, the mother situation... all these things may seem good written out like this, but watching it unfold the way they filmed it was pretty uninteresting for me, and very predictable. I even started nodding off at some point in the middle of the film, then I woke up to see Robert Carlyle slobbering and I was like "whatever, I'm going back to sleep." Coming out of the film I thought that it was so conventional that it hurt, but then again I haven't been pleased with a zombie film in a looooong time.

I'd say that the careless use of the shaky cam in this movie contributed to my eyes getting tired and my falling asleep. The audience in the room, however, seemed to really get a kick out of the movie (I watched it at the genre festival where I met Chan-Wook Park, so it was a room full of geeks).

Although I'm not the biggest fan of 28 Days Later, at least Danny Boyle did something different with the zombie genre while demonstrating a keen understanding of what makes the genre work in the first place. Boyle had taken the claustrophobic atmosphere of the typical zombie film, whereby humans are outnumbered by zombies, usually because there aren't that many humans to begin with (set it in a small town, a shopping mall, etc), and transfused it to a larger scale, whereby a large space becomes akin to a small town. And just to be absolutely sure that he had the effect he wanted, and to flex his directorial chops, he made the very ballsy choice to film the entire movie on some unimpressive digital cameras.

28 Weeks Later was shot like a music video.

well now I'm not nearly as excited to see it again.

good points, and I too enjoyed the first more than the 2nd...