FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby Iamwhomiam » Wed Oct 04, 2017 5:09 pm

The Ninth Configuration, what a great movie. Begins as though it was slapstick comedy and its ending is far from funny as one can get.
Should be a must-see for those who haven't seen it. Perhaps Stacy Keach's best performance ever. By William Peter Blatty

Skip the reviews and previews & see it cold. But if you must, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081237/
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby Cordelia » Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:23 pm

Opening this weekend.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0CjPWSlrcY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJtZYCv7AxA

Rave review from WaPo earlier this week (can’t imagine that it will surpass the original).

Blade Runner 2049’ is a sequel that honors — and surpasses — the original

“Blade Runner 2049,” the superb new sequel by Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”), doesn’t just honor that legacy, but, arguably, surpasses it, with a smart, grimly lyrical script (by Fancher and Michael Green of the top-notch “Logan”); bleakly beautiful cinematography (by Roger Deakins); and an even deeper dive into questions of the soul.".....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingout ... 896d862daa

The greatest sin is to be unconscious. ~ Carl Jung

We may not choose the parameters of our destiny. But we give it its content. ~ Dag Hammarskjold 'Waymarks'
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby Cordelia » Sun Oct 15, 2017 12:21 pm

Anyone seen this and care to comment? (I find the trailer intriguing but don’t want to re-subscribe to Netflix for one film............)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di-XOO_LTlw
The greatest sin is to be unconscious. ~ Carl Jung

We may not choose the parameters of our destiny. But we give it its content. ~ Dag Hammarskjold 'Waymarks'
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby PufPuf93 » Sun Oct 15, 2017 2:05 pm

There is another new Philip K Dick TV program, Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams. Four (of ten) episodes have aired in the UK and the show comes to Amazon Prime in 2018.

There is a trailer at the Amazon link.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075N ... Synopsis=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K. ... ric_Dreams

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5711280/

Blade Runner Creator Philip K. Dick's Legacy Lives on at Amazon with Electric Dreams

Amazon’s new series based on Dick’s short stories hit New York Comic Con with a sneak peek and more.

The late author Philip K. Dick has never been more popular than he is now, between the Blade Runner sequel 2049, which was just released today, the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, and the new anthology series (also from Amazon) Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams -- all of which, of course, are based on Dick’s work.

That work was celebrated at New York Comic Con today with Amazon’s World of Philip K. Dick panel, which featured a look at footage from both series and cast and creator Q&As. Actor Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) and executive producers Michael Dinner, David Kanter and Ronald D. Moore were on hand to discuss Electric Dreams, along with Isa Dick Hackett, Dick’s daughter and an EP on both series.

More at:

http://me.ign.com/en/tv-shows-1/138563/ ... cepts-nycc
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby PufPuf93 » Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:43 pm

Here is a good (long) article about Bladerunner 2019 from CounterPunch.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/10/13 ... -or-can-i/
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby liminalOyster » Sun Oct 15, 2017 5:11 pm

Finally saw mother! last night. For a relatively successfully iconoclastic art assault event c. 2017, it's pretty effective. Jennifer Lawrences presence is a bit off-putting as the biggest link to Hollywood pap but otherwise I'm impressed that 24 hrs later I'm still interested in thinking the allegory itself as well as his directorial choices through.

Would def recommend reading even a few basic points about the film before seeing it. The vanity fair piece rhat Cordelia posted upthread would be a good primer.
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby brekin » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:13 pm

liminalOyster » Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:11 pm wrote:Finally saw mother! last night. For a relatively successfully iconoclastic art assault event c. 2017, it's pretty effective. Jennifer Lawrences presence is a bit off-putting as the biggest link to Hollywood pap but otherwise I'm impressed that 24 hrs later I'm still interested in thinking the allegory itself as well as his directorial choices through.
Would def recommend reading even a few basic points about the film before seeing it. The vanity fair piece rhat Cordelia posted upthread would be a good primer.


Interesting. Isn't a film failing at some point if you have to read supplementary/introductory material as a primer before you view it?
Shouldn't the film be the only guide you need initially?
If I knew all mysteries and all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing. St. Paul
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby JackRiddler » Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:45 pm

.

Blade Runner 2049 overdoes everything in an effort to match or outdo the original. You can't outdo a pretty simple action thriller that made just the right philosophical turns; one that was not quite intentionally but perfectly timed for the moment in both history and the development of film; and one that obviously wasn't planning to flop and then turn into a cult object.

You can load up the proposed sequel with ambition and themes and attempts to map out a complete political economy of the fictional world (which of course is a not unfaithful version of the present day, but also nothing you won't get from reading R.I.). You can hope what comes out works for the near three hours. It more or less does that! The Harrison Ford scenes prove to be damn good, surprise. (He underacts and it works.) But this can't recreate or beat the earlier film, because the original did it without knowing that it would work, it was something genuinely new at least at that level of market. (I speak of the overall effect and not the epic and highly planned visual sense and set design, which crystalized a style revolution in film-making ever since, and goes into worthy baroque variations in 2049.)

It reminds me of a line from J. Hoberman about Taxi Driver:

Scorsese and De Niro would come close with Raging Bull and The King of Comedy—two movies that equal or surpass Taxi Driver in every way except as the embodiment of the historical spirit.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1296



2049 doesn't come very close, let alone equal or surpass the 1982/1992 versions in any particular way, but it's not bad viewing. It's trying to do the impossible, bound to at best noble failure, and that's that. Don't think of it as a "sequel" or continuation or canonical anything. It's an interesting riff or commentary 35 years later, and that's just about its impact too. It's not going to grip emotionally. Emotionally, it's superior to the Matrix (and it's also superior as a work of sociology, I suppose), but emotion was what drove the first film - again, in an unconscious or unrepeatable and yet very simple way.

I suppose I should note loads of trigger warning for anyone who might feel susceptible. With Kim Nicolini, I lean to the idea that this is not a work of misogyny, but one that maps out the practice and variations thereof.

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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby brekin » Fri Oct 20, 2017 8:30 pm

JackRiddler » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:45 pm wrote:.
Blade Runner 2049 overdoes everything in an effort to match or outdo the original. You can't outdo a pretty simple action thriller that made just the right philosophical turns; one that was not quite intentionally but perfectly timed for the moment in both history and the development of film; and one that obviously wasn't planning to flop and then turn into a cult object.
You can load up the proposed sequel with ambition and themes and attempts to map out a complete political economy of the fictional world (which of course is a not unfaithful version of the present day, but also nothing you won't get from reading R.I.). You can hope what comes out works for the near three hours. It more or less does that! The Harrison Ford scenes prove to be damn good, surprise. (He underacts and it works.) But this can't recreate or beat the earlier film, because the original did it without knowing that it would work, it was something genuinely new at least at that level of market. (I speak of the overall effect and not the epic and highly planned visual sense and set design, which crystalized a style revolution in film-making ever since, and goes into worthy baroque variations in 2049.)
It reminds me of a line from J. Hoberman about Taxi Driver:
Scorsese and De Niro would come close with Raging Bull and The King of Comedy—two movies that equal or surpass Taxi Driver in every way except as the embodiment of the historical spirit.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1296

2049 doesn't come very close, let alone equal or surpass the 1982/1992 versions in any particular way, but it's not bad viewing. It's trying to do the impossible, bound to at best noble failure, and that's that. Don't think of it as a "sequel" or continuation or canonical anything. It's an interesting riff or commentary 35 years later, and that's just about its impact too. It's not going to grip emotionally. Emotionally, it's superior to the Matrix (and it's also superior as a work of sociology, I suppose), but emotion was what drove the first film - again, in an unconscious or unrepeatable and yet very simple way.
I suppose I should note loads of trigger warning for anyone who might feel susceptible. With Kim Nicolini, I lean to the idea that this is not a work of misogyny, but one that maps out the practice and variations thereof.
.


Yes, nail on the head. The original is an ambient drug that delivers a profound if nebulous immersive experience that is a damn near modern Wagnerian-Eno alchemy. I actually prefer the Dekard narrated cut because it makes the film even more an internal monologue to a dream like journey while helping to anchor it narratively in the mystical wash. The new one, eh, it felt like the latest Ghost in the Shell movie slowed down to 1/4 speed. Ford's decades long wait for role reprisals, er cameos, of old roles (Star Wars, Blade Runner) have really been fumbled. I really couldn't tell you the difference between his latest Han Solo, Deckard and the character he played in Cowboys & Aliens.

I liked some of the twists, characterizations, sequences, and even surprisingly Jared Leto, in this film but it just doesn't hang together or really arrive anywhere. I felt like I spent 3 hours sitting with Gosling at Best Buy in the high end audio video section watching ambient video samples. And we know he isn't much for conversation. And as far as Blade Runner 2049 continuing the narrative thread, it actually felt like it was Lars And The Real Girl 2.0.

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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby Cordelia » Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:10 am

Re-watched this 1992 film set in a small Irish village during the mid 1950’s. Stars Robin Wright as a fiercely independent young mother making ends meet as a seamstress and exchanging goods w/the IRA. Great cast w/Albert Finney as the village constable, along w/Milo O'Shea, Aidan Quinn and a traveling w/a troupe of performers who set up their show tent on village square, along w/other village characters preoccupied w/Wright revealing the father of her baby. Can't think of anything not to like about this film. :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLkHSlCgcVM
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We may not choose the parameters of our destiny. But we give it its content. ~ Dag Hammarskjold 'Waymarks'
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby Wombaticus Rex » Sat Nov 25, 2017 2:08 pm

I really couldn't tell you the difference between his latest Han Solo, Deckard and the character he played in Cowboys & Aliens.


So offensive that these films wouldn't honor the crucial character differences between Han Solo and Deckard: one of them has a gun that shoots lasers. It's like these producers don't even appreciate great acting.
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby DrEvil » Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:16 am

A couple of good indie "horrors" I watched recently:

'Spring', by the directors of the excellent and Lovecraftian 'Resolution', about a guy who goes bumming in Italy and meets a girl who is not what she seems. It's not really a horror movie, more of a romantic drama with some horror elements.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=668ZdEbXlPY

'They Look Like People', about two friends, one of whom thinks people are turning into evil monsters, so it's the classic "is he insane or not" dilemma. Again, not so much horror as tense psychological drama. No blood and gore and a proper resolution, not the usual ambiguous ending that ruin so many of these movies.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrsUOmKlAzI

And a couple of upcoming movies I'm excited about:

'They Remain', written and directed by Philip Gelatt (who also wrote 'Europa Report'), based on the short story '30' by Laird Barron. It's about two scientists investigating weird animal behavior on an old cult compound.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXydn2_OW9I

'The Endless', about two brothers who return to the cult they left, who might not be as crazy as they thought. Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, the same guys who made 'Spring' and 'Resolution'.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcdTcGRJJRg
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby lucky » Thu Nov 30, 2017 6:18 am

FWIW i watch the whole series of PKD short stories on TV over here (UK) and didn't really rate any of them. Just on the 3rd series of Mr Robot on Amazon which kinda sucks you in a definite nod to Fight Club which is no bad thing but maybe a tad too long.
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby Wombaticus Rex » Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:28 pm

"The Endless" looks like a prequel to their other films, but only because their visual hobgoblins are so consistent (and distinct) -- really looking forward to that film, especially now that they've got some money.

"They Remain" I'd never heard of and Barron is some of the only fiction I've read in the past decade. Thanks very much for that.

Thanks to whoever recommended "A Dark Song," I caught that in the runup to my Halloween list and it was a wonderfully strange ride.
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Re: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: films of a certain quality

Postby liminalOyster » Thu Nov 30, 2017 3:27 pm

Resolution is excellent. Looking forward to The Endless.

PS. Resolution always vaguely reminds me of 2013 horror film, Mr Jones. Certain reality warping elements of the mise en scene are similar. About 35% of the latter movie is great while the remainder spans between mediocre and godawful, but still recommended if you're a metaphysical horror head down on your viewing luck.
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