"What movie/DVD/video did you watch today" returns
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"What movie/DVD/video did you watch today" returns
Well, Marios has invited me to start a fresh movie thread, so I could hardly turn down the offer. So, to kick off the latest sequel, I'm four episodes into this:
I'm useless at keeping up with TV drama. I'm just too indisciplined to maintain a regular viewing agenda, and I always forget to set the video. So, DVD boxsets are pretty much aimed at me. So, years after the rest of the world, I'm discovering what's so speial about "Six Feet Under".
Oh, it's wonderful - great, complex characters....unpredictable plots...heaps of black humour. I just can't wait to see the rest of it. Plus one of the best TV theme tunes I've heard in a while.
Also, I find it interesting that, in the age of widescreen TVs pretending to be cinema screens, "Six Feet Under", much like its HBO stablemate "The Sopranos", comes across as very cinematic. Lush cinematography and memorable images are raising the bar visually when it comes to TV drama.
I'm useless at keeping up with TV drama. I'm just too indisciplined to maintain a regular viewing agenda, and I always forget to set the video. So, DVD boxsets are pretty much aimed at me. So, years after the rest of the world, I'm discovering what's so speial about "Six Feet Under".
Oh, it's wonderful - great, complex characters....unpredictable plots...heaps of black humour. I just can't wait to see the rest of it. Plus one of the best TV theme tunes I've heard in a while.
Also, I find it interesting that, in the age of widescreen TVs pretending to be cinema screens, "Six Feet Under", much like its HBO stablemate "The Sopranos", comes across as very cinematic. Lush cinematography and memorable images are raising the bar visually when it comes to TV drama.
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Firstly, I believe that the previous Film/DVD thread should be moved to the "Classic" section. Secondly, in regards to The Sopranos/Six Feet Under, I wrote about their relative current fortunes here.
A Very Long Engagement
This is certainly an improvement on the over-whimsicality of Amelie, and it seems that Jeneut has found a vechile which is able to join together all his varying cinematic impulses together. The trench warfare scenes, in particular, were superbly handled, given a gravitas that's kind of surprising from a director who is probably more reknowned for his excessive freewheeling.
Indeed, there's a particularly bleak moment in the destruction of the Milatary Hospital by the Zeppelin Fire. Apparently this is the most expensive "French" film ever made, even so its budget was 'only' at $45 million. Compare this, to, say Windtalkers or Pearl Harbour, and it's clear that not a single penny was wasted: the set design, special effects, and colour were all fantastic and vibrant. Perhaps there is a problem in the fact that there's essentially three films fighting against one another: Romantic epic, a ersatz follow-up to his Amelie, War drama...and of course, the story, requires a great leap of faith and disbelief for it to work on any level.
But Audrey Tatou remains a tempting, delightful muse, and the overall story is gripping, if taking onboard possibly too many characters and subplots for its own good. Jodie Foster's role seemed nearly peripheral, but it was an affecting, if flowery vignette. And it really shouldn't of come as no surprise that she spoke perfect French, but perhaps French posters could ask me whether they detected an 'outside' accent. To an outsider, with little knowledge of my language (German is my forte), it sounded pretty good to me.
On the whole, a bold, at times over-reaching film, but a grand achievement in most respects.
A Very Long Engagement
This is certainly an improvement on the over-whimsicality of Amelie, and it seems that Jeneut has found a vechile which is able to join together all his varying cinematic impulses together. The trench warfare scenes, in particular, were superbly handled, given a gravitas that's kind of surprising from a director who is probably more reknowned for his excessive freewheeling.
Indeed, there's a particularly bleak moment in the destruction of the Milatary Hospital by the Zeppelin Fire. Apparently this is the most expensive "French" film ever made, even so its budget was 'only' at $45 million. Compare this, to, say Windtalkers or Pearl Harbour, and it's clear that not a single penny was wasted: the set design, special effects, and colour were all fantastic and vibrant. Perhaps there is a problem in the fact that there's essentially three films fighting against one another: Romantic epic, a ersatz follow-up to his Amelie, War drama...and of course, the story, requires a great leap of faith and disbelief for it to work on any level.
But Audrey Tatou remains a tempting, delightful muse, and the overall story is gripping, if taking onboard possibly too many characters and subplots for its own good. Jodie Foster's role seemed nearly peripheral, but it was an affecting, if flowery vignette. And it really shouldn't of come as no surprise that she spoke perfect French, but perhaps French posters could ask me whether they detected an 'outside' accent. To an outsider, with little knowledge of my language (German is my forte), it sounded pretty good to me.
On the whole, a bold, at times over-reaching film, but a grand achievement in most respects.
It's before my time but I've been told, he never came back from Karangahape Road.
The masked man,
I started watching Six Feet Under two years ago (with the box set of the first season), and am still hooked (after watching bootlegs of seasons 2 and 3 to catch up, and watching season 4 every sunday with friends).
Whether or not anyone here prefers another show, 6FU is undeniably QUALITY.
Do we feel that its standards (production, writing, casting) have raised the game of any subsequent shows in a tangible manner?
I started watching Six Feet Under two years ago (with the box set of the first season), and am still hooked (after watching bootlegs of seasons 2 and 3 to catch up, and watching season 4 every sunday with friends).
Whether or not anyone here prefers another show, 6FU is undeniably QUALITY.
Do we feel that its standards (production, writing, casting) have raised the game of any subsequent shows in a tangible manner?
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Loveless wrote:The masked man,
I started watching Six Feet Under two years ago (with the box set of the first season), and am still hooked (after watching bootlegs of seasons 2 and 3 to catch up, and watching season 4 every sunday with friends).
Whether or not anyone here prefers another show, 6FU is undeniably QUALITY.
Do we feel that its standards (production, writing, casting) have raised the game of any subsequent shows in a tangible manner?
I agree, but I thought the last Season was a bit all-over-the-place, if only because they're trying to reposition themselves. The greater focus on Claire has been a plus for me-she (and David) were always the most interesting characters. But sometimes it's almost as if they forget that they're running a morgue ...
I couldn't comment on that last query, because I'm not up to date with 'new' drama (it takes bloody ages for anything to get here), but does anyone else pick the startling similarities in tone to Twin Peaks (I wasn't old enough to remember it at the time, but I've seen TP several times since both for study and for pleasure)
It's before my time but I've been told, he never came back from Karangahape Road.
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Well, this was certainly a very pleasant surprise, even for a self-confessed anglophobe like myself (tongue-in-cheek I assure you).
No special effects whatsoever, but suggesting a whole range of scary possibilities just by intercutting scenes just right. Also has some nice '60s London clubs-scenes with bands playing and looking cool in the background.
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I agree. It's almost perfect, if we talk about the formal aspect of it. The plot is a bit predictible, though, & the famous hitchcockian suspens doesn't work that well in this one, IMO.Captain Spaulding wrote:Cup of char wrote:
Loads of great ideas on that one. Starting with the scene with the dog in the stairs.
But it's so very fantastic otherwise, that it doesn't really matter. I especially loved the moment when they are in Washington, & Guy sees the little silhouette of Bruno, dressed in black, staining the pure white Memorial.
Last edited by Cup of Char on 04 Feb 2005, 11:35, edited 1 time in total.
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Captain Spaulding wrote:The Black Shadow wrote:Horse Feathers (Norman Z. McLeod, 1932). The Marx Brothers' most crazy-speedfreak anarchistic movie IMO.
I´d say that one is "Duck soup", but horse feathers is not far behind.
IMO the "plot" of Duck Soup is much more elaborate, in that it exists, whereas Horse Feathers is just this hour-long, brilliant chaos of comedy. Especially the "book-burning" and "wedding" scenes border on the insane.
Plus, it has Groucho singing the wonderful "I'm Against It" song, which should be the general anarchist's hymn.
"What part of andele! don't you understand, you yankee piece of scum?"
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The Black Shadow wrote:IMO the "plot" of Duck Soup is much more elaborate, in that it exists, whereas Horse Feathers is just this hour-long, brilliant chaos of comedy.
Neither of those plots make much sense, which contribute to the beauty of them. One is simply "Groucho rules a country and then goes to war", while the other is "The Brothers go to the University and then play a football game".
As always, the plot doesn´t matter. The genius is in the dialogues and in the gags/scenes.
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