AST Loves Movies

[Fentmore]

We have a movie trailer thread but not a general movies thread, so here tis. Take that video games!

For any and all discussion of past, present and future movies that do not reside elsewhere on the board (i.e. Dark Knight). What'd you see this week? What have you been meaning to see but can't quite bring yourself to watch? What documentaries are flipping your trigger? Classic movies you've never seen (I just saw the first two Godfathers last year for the first time)?

I got a couple things to start off. Why the hell are they remaking The Host (South Korean)? It just came out in 2006. Why do people find the need to remake unnecessarily? More specifically to this film, it had a theatrical release here. I mean sure, you could argue it didn't get alot of exposure due to it being a foreign film but still. It already has an audience. We like the movie, it already exists. The sequel (to the original) is still moving forward as well. Plus, are they really going to SPOILER ALERT do what they did at the end of the movie in the American version? How are they going to portray the American military in our version, cause The Host was a little peeved about the real story of Americans dumping chemicals in the Han river (was it the Han? - too lazy to look up). Quick aside: funny how Asian monster movies stem from a fear or anger of US military actions. I just think this particular remake is pointless especially seeing as how Cloverfield just came out and our imported monster movies (Godzilla) don't do to hot, why can't we just make our own? Hell even D-War was in english and they couldnt get people to watch it.
http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news...ws.php?id=8552

I saw My Bluberry Nights couple days ago. I really liked it. I've only seen In the Mood for Love (a very "slow burn" of a movie but filled with so much visual emotion and feeling), 2046 (didn't care for) and his BMW fiilm. Even though he has a reputation of continuously massaging his films (even after release!) and some say he may have a haphazard directing style, I really like what Norah Jones, the star, had to say about the movie, "It's very loose and fluid but tightly hemmed". That description fits because it does seem like you get carried through this ebb and flow of the stories while at the same time it's very structured and with purpose.

His camera was always peeking from behind something, always a blurry book, plant or window shade in the foreground, to give us the impression that we're looking in on what's happening. We get to peek in on these people's lives. I know other movies have used this device before, but it really works here. Wong Kar Wai's style is very prevelant, but not distractingly so, it seems a necessity to tell this particular story in this way. You know how you can watch a movie, even from an acclaimed director, yet if it came right down to it, another could fill their place to tell the story and the story wouldn't be hugely affected by it? The film would look different but the story would be intact for the most part. An example would be The Fountain, a film deeply rooted in the filmmakers mind, no other person could tackle that movie and have anything close to the result we have today (not that it would be bad, just no one else could produce what Aronofsky did (can't wait for The Wrestler, early reviews are stellar)).

That's what My Blueberry Nights is, a unique vision from this director. A film about letting go. A movie, I honestly couldn't recommend to everyone, except for the middle part in Memphis. That could be a stand alone short film I would watch over and over. David Stratham and Rachael Weisz give great performances coupled with a sad tale and how it unfolds. So good.

This is getting long! I'll shut up now. Talk about anything. Movie films are the topic. Let's go.

EDIT: Son of a bitch! No sooner did I write the above, this comes out:

According to Variety, Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are in early discussions to collaborate on a remake of Chan Wook-park's "Oldboy."DreamWorks is in the process of securing the remake rights, and the new pic will be distributed by Universal.

Spielberg? Really? I can't possibly make the snide remarks I would like to make without giving away OldBoy's ending and even though it has been out for years, I still believe that for ayone who hasn't seen it, they should see it unspoiled. It's that good (and that disturbing).

[MikeHilinski]

in related unwanted-remake-news...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/1..._n_144561.html

...it just needs to stop

[nadsat droog]

Everyone should go see Synecdoche, NY. I don't have to explain why.

[squeek]

EDIT: Son of a bitch! No sooner did I write the above, this comes out:

According to Variety, Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are in early discussions to collaborate on a remake of Chan Wook-park's "Oldboy."DreamWorks is in the process of securing the remake rights, and the new pic will be distributed by Universal.

Worst. News. Ever.

Seriously. How many Asian remakes have to bomb before they get that we don't want Asian remakes?

[yumitree]

in not-quite-will smith and not-quite-asian film remake news, his son is the new daniel-san*

*d'anyel?

[scamboogah]

How many Asian remakes have to bomb before they get that we don't want Asian remakes?

I dunno. Ask Star Wars.

[JPSpaulding]

Worst. News. Ever.

Seriously. How many Asian remakes have to bomb before they get that we don't want Asian remakes?

This totally reminded me I forgot who I lent my copy of Oldboy to, damnit!!!

[Aaron1933]

Everyone should go see Synecdoche, NY. I don't have to explain why.

Absolutely. My favorite movie of the year. There's actually something I'd like to talk about with Synecdoche; to anyone who saw it, how did you take it? Was it mostly a comedy with little to no emotional core or did you take it at face value?

Personally, I thought it was hilarious all the way through, in a way that was surprising because of how heavy and depressing all the critics said it was. Then I started reading more reactions and even noticed in the theater that there were pockets of laughing people and non-laughing people. I'm really curious as to how individual people interpreted the film in terms of tone.

[aenemaTron]

Ugh, who cares about remaking Oldboy? They should un-make the original.

Synedoche, NY was good, but, no I did not laugh much towards the end. Although long afterwards I wondered whether PSH was peeing sitting down at the end.

[daveunfun]

Absolutely. My favorite movie of the year. There's actually something I'd like to talk about with Synecdoche; to anyone who saw it, how did you take it? Was it mostly a comedy with little to no emotional core or did you take it at face value?

Personally, I thought it was hilarious all the way through, in a way that was surprising because of how heavy and depressing all the critics said it was. Then I started reading more reactions and even noticed in the theater that there were pockets of laughing people and non-laughing people. I'm really curious as to how individual people interpreted the film in terms of tone.

Yeah, I noticed this too. I was definitely in the non-laughter camp, but I thought it was a fucking awesome movie. There were many times during the film when people were laughing that I thought "really? that makes you laugh?" But that may just be because I'm a comedy nerd.

I found it incredibly sad and depressing, but also very truthful so I loved it. About halfway through I gave up trying to analyze it and I just watched it- there were so many memorable moments.

A lot of people afterwards were saying "WTF, Charlie Kaufman is crazy!"- basically they didn't understand it so they gave up on it. I sincerely hated those people.

It's best if you watch it alone, I think. I may go see it again soon.

[Aaron1933]

It's best if you watch it alone, I think. I may go see it again soon.

This may be true, but I cherish the experience that I had going to see it. My friend and I actually really bonded with the couple sitting next to us (who were laughing as much as we were throughout the film (by the way, I do agree that toward the end it becomes a little heavier but I think it comes down to the funeral speech; did you take it as a joke or as a climax?)). We actually hung around the theater for twenty minutes or so just talking about it. It's the kind of movie that needs to be discussed, because there has to be some sort of release from it. And also, I think it's a big testament to the film that it can be taken as wholly hilarious or wholly saddening but enjoyed all the same.

[nadsat droog]

It's best if you watch it alone, I think. I may go see it again soon.

I saw it alone and I'm glad I did. There wasn't a whole lot that made me laugh. I guess more things towards the beginning were funny and then it sort of spiraled down.

You don't have to understand everything that happens to get the point. Like daveunfun said, at some point I just stopped trying to put the puzzle together. I can see how it would have gotten frustrating and that's why Charlie Kaufman said in some interview that it should be watched more than once.

Admittedly, the whole thing is a clusterfuck. And yet it's so easy to boil it all down to a few words. The funeral scene with the preacher is the key to the movie.

Nothing so far this year has come close to this movie. There are a few others coming out that I'm interested in (The Wrestler, Benjamin Button, The Brothers Bloom) but I don't think this year as a whole will touch 2007.

[Jouster]

Speaking of unnecessary remakes, I read that the director of Cloverfield is doing a version of Let the Right One In (which just came out this year). Sounds terrible, but I recommend seeing the original version, if you can find it - really good.

[daveunfun]

This may be true, but I cherish the experience that I had going to see it. My friend and I actually really bonded with the couple sitting next to us (who were laughing as much as we were throughout the film (by the way, I do agree that toward the end it becomes a little heavier but I think it comes down to the funeral speech; did you take it as a joke or as a climax?)). We actually hung around the theater for twenty minutes or so just talking about it. It's the kind of movie that needs to be discussed, because there has to be some sort of release from it. And also, I think it's a big testament to the film that it can be taken as wholly hilarious or wholly saddening but enjoyed all the same.

I can see that. I was just thinking that if I went with my girlfriend as a date movie we might be saying afterwards"well, that was a downer...".

And I did find the laughter really interesting. Sometimes it wasn't because a line was funny, it was just a release of some sort. Laughing because there was nothing else to do. Maybe that's Kaufman's point.

I thought the funeral speech was a climax, but I really liked how it ended too and that was sort of the climax for me.

And while I gave up trying to figure it out, there were TONS of moments were it would all make sense, then spiral into layers again. Incredible screenplay and I'm actually not a big Charlie Kaufman fan. I always found his other films to be annoyingly quirky, but I can see now that that was probably because of the director. When he's directing, it's a stronger story.

[TacoSmith]

in related unwanted-remake-news...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/1..._n_144561.html

...it just needs to stop

How about Tim Burton and Johnny Depp stop jerking each other off? How about Tim Burton does a movie that is an actual original idea and Johnny Depp plays somebody without pasty make-up and stupid hair? When I read this there seriously was a moment where I had to pause to think if this had already happened or not.

[Fentmore]

in related unwanted-remake-news...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/18/first-look-johnny-depp-as_n_144561.html
...it just needs to stop

I agree, Tim Burton hasn't had the greatest track record the past ten years and Depp has so much more to give cinema than, as TS said, "somebody with pasty make-up and stupid hair". I would replace "stupid" with "Burton" though. He must have a fascination with working with characters that resemble himself. Weird.

I think Big Fish was the last Burton movie I actually enjoyed. I haven't seen Todd yet but it's supposed to be pretty good.

Also, I don't think the world was exactly pining for a new Karate Kid. The 80s remake explosion has to begin somewhere right Back to the Future, Weird Science and Better Off Dead?

What movies have been remade that included the original actors?

[FF Woodycooks]

Speaking of unnecessary remakes, I read that the director of Cloverfield is doing a version of Let the Right One In (which just came out this year). Sounds terrible, but I recommend seeing the original version, if you can find it - really good.

The original Let The Right One In is AWESOME. I just saw it the other night. Why the fuck are they remaking it already? I really wish they would just TRY releasing a really good, crowd-pleasing (as in non-art movie) foreign film for American audiences before remaking it first. Maybe people would come around to them.

[Fentmore]

Maybe people would come around to them.

Probably not, I think the last foreign movies that came close to getting a decent sized audience were Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Pan's Labryinth and even they didn't do "blockbuster" business. As we've moved into more exposure to the international market, people are better exposed and have access to more international fare (I used to have to find obscure local video stores to get my Chan fix in the late 90's whereas nowadays I can get anything I want from his catalog at the click of the proverbial button), however it still comes down to "I don wanna read a movie!".

Which is fine, most people just don't see the point in reading a movie when there are perfectly good ones in English. Those people of course are missing some amazing films. Your typical non-movie buff (much like a non-comedy fan) just doesn't care enough to seek out the best stuff. The platter they're given to choose from is adequate enough. That's a demo you're just not going to crack on a large scale here in the states for foreign films.

At least I get to watch them... and try to push them on everyone I know. The last one was The Orphanage. Sooo good.

[James Morris]

I just saw Synecdoche, NY today. I have to admit that I was incredibly confused during the movie, and walked out thinking that I didn't liked it, even though parts of it were really good. I might go see it again tomorrow to see if I can make more sense of it the second time around.

[man124]

I am super excited for "The curious case of benjamin button". The trailer looks amazing and I went on a crazy Fincher spree last weekend, which just got me more excited. Also, turns out Aliens 3 is not nearly as bad as people say it is. In fact its actually a good movie, its just not an a great sequel.