The Second mrbasehart Film Challenge!

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

And you don't want to get blindsided by something in a movie you've never seen before....

[mrbasehart]

I'm still watching a buttload of movies, but they're all pretty light in tone and fare.  I mean, I wouldn't be me without cramming as many movies into my eyes as I can. 

[THE QUEEN!!!]

Well if that's the issue, one of my recommendations, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, is as light as they come, and as funny as Preston Sturges can get, too.

[mrbasehart]

El topo is a surrealist western made by Alejandro Jodorowsky in 1969 and along with other cult films (such as Rocky Horror or Pink Flamingos) defined the Midnight Movies era of cinema releases of the late 60s, where smaller films played in the Grindhouse cinemas of the east coast of the US for years on end.  It's also not a film easily described, though if we were to reduce the movie down to it's plot, it's ostensibly about a man whose desire for greatness destroys him and then  his quest for redemption.  As with Jodorowsky's other movies, the mystical and religious overtones are forefront in the movie, with the director's ample use of symbolism, though I wouldn't say it's as impenetrable as some other movies I've seen, it's certainly not to everyone's taste.  The movie looks great though, with a Leone like approach to the visceral quality of the Western genre, and some striking imagery that probably looks great even in stills.  As a whole though, I'm not entirely sure it works - Jodorowsky's commentary explains scenes and what they mean, but never approaches the movie as a whole - and while individual bits are great, it never feels as fully cohesive as it could have been. 

DVD Note: I would recommend listening to the commentary by Jodorowsky.  It's subtitled, so you don't have to understand his accent, and although he may be a little full of himself (with a right, perhaps), he's jovial, informative and quite chatty.  The transfer's gorgeous, too.

[gojikranz]

El topo  some striking imagery that probably looks great even in stills.  As a whole though, I'm not entirely sure it works - Jodorowsky's commentary explains scenes and what they mean, but never approaches the movie as a whole - and while individual bits are great, it never feels as fully cohesive as it could have been. 

ive got the image of him riding away from the mirror as my background.  what a perfect shot with the shadow in line with the horse.


ill be interested to see how you feel about holy mountain. 

[mrbasehart]

Gojira is the first (and although I haven't seen many of the sequels) and probably definitive Japanese Big Monster movie.  The plot is very familiar to anyone who's seen this kind of movie: some big bad things are happening and scientists discover that a Big Bad Thing is doing the big bad things.  This time in the form of a giant reptile dislodged from its home in the sea because of nuclear tests.  Understandably pissed at the eviction and the masses doses of radiation, Gojira takes it out on the rather dull human cast with large swipes of his tail and some firey breath that melts anything in its way.  It's actually pretty cool - benefiting hugely from the moody cinematography that not only layers a sense of doom into the visuals, but does its best to disguise the obvious shortcomings of the special effects.  The only real downsides are the aforementioned human bores and a pretty lackluster ending.  Oh, and the fact that it spawned so many godawful sequels. 

[gojikranz]

Gojira is the first (and although I haven't seen many of the sequels) and probably definitive Japanese Big Monster movie.  The plot is very familiar to anyone who's seen this kind of movie: some big bad things are happening and scientists discover that a Big Bad Thing is doing the big bad things.  This time in the form of a giant reptile dislodged from its home in the sea because of nuclear tests.  Understandably pissed at the eviction and the masses doses of radiation, Gojira takes it out on the rather dull human cast with large swipes of his tail and some firey breath that melts anything in its way.  It's actually pretty cool - benefiting hugely from the moody cinematography that not only layers a sense of doom into the visuals, but does its best to disguise the obvious shortcomings of the special effects.  The only real downsides are the aforementioned human bores and a pretty lackluster ending.  Oh, and the fact that it spawned so many godawful sequels. 

I try nad be without bias when i say i think the original Gojira is a masterpiece and one of the greatest movies of all time.

i find the human drama very well done especially serizawa's part of the story. 

And i think the effects are extremely well done.  at one point you can see a string moving the tail, and the battle with the planes and the firetruck, are not all that well done but otherwise i think it is excellently done, and at least as convincing as king kong which people will never stop praising(rightly so i might add but unequal).

and the ending is perfect.

While none of the sequels matched the quality of the first i'd say on average they are good seen in their original forms.  just avoid the 70's.

[mrbasehart]

With a name like gojikranz, I wouldn't expect anything less.   

My main problem with the human characters is that they really don't do anything - you're right in that the Serizawa is at least partly interesting (though I don't think the impact of his weapon on the sealife is played up enough - especially the old scientist guy, who mopes around onscreen without offering anything other than a weak "we should study it" message, even as huge swathes of townscapes are being melted.  And I think we have to agree to disagree on the special effects: I think they're awful.  Stop motion would've worked better, as in the case of King Kong.

[D.B. Barnes]

...some big bad things are happening and scientists discover that a Big Bad Thing is doing the big bad things.

Finally! Film analysis I can understand.

[Darth Geek]

...some big bad things are happening and scientists discover that a Big Bad Thing is doing the big bad things.

Finally! Film analysis I can understand.

The most concise review of Fahrenheit 911 I've ever heard.

[mrbasehart]

...some big bad things are happening and scientists discover that a Big Bad Thing is doing the big bad things.

Finally! Film analysis I can understand.

Details are very important. 

Which brings us to...

The Passion of Joan of Arc (or La passion de Jeanne d'Arc if you wanna be all french) is supposedly a true recounting of the titular character's trial, where leading religious and political figures try her for heresy.  Shot almost entirely in close-up, the camera lingers on the faces of the accused and the accusers which lends the whole movie a really intense atmosphere, claustrophobic and at times hostile in its presentation, with the camera perhaps emulating the accusatory stares of the judges and priests in the movie.  The word "masterpiece" is thrown around a lot for the movie, and I can certainly see why lots of really smart people love it, but...  something didn't click with me.  I've thought about it a little, and the problem I have is Joan herself.  At no point in the movie does she make any account of herself, ever stand up for herself, or turn the tables back on her accusers.  The film portrays her as a sort of little-girl-lost type, but seems to forget that she was JOAN OF ARC, someone who is meant to have led the French to major victories over the English.  Surely that would've lent her at least a little steel? I recognize my feelings as a personal preference, rather than any kind of rational analysis, but that still didn't help me enjoy it anymore. 

[mrbasehart]

American Pop is an animated movie from the infamous (around these parts anyways) Ralph Bakshi.  Telling the story of 4 generations of sons and fathers through the 20th century, its initially very impressive, with the focus on recently arrived Jewish immigrants to the US before WWI and in particular a young boys' relationship with his friend/business partner.  Bakshi captures the period well, and the rotoscoping technique isn't as obvious as in other parts.  The middle section concentrates on a disaffected teen who falls in with the hippie movement, experiencing the highs and lows of that particular culture before dealing with its drugged out aftermath and the backlash it experienced in the late 70s.  Those sections really didn't work well enough for me, with a lot of off-putting lingo and barely disguised caricatures of famous actors.  Still, it's a well made, ambitious and positively adult animated feature that has more good moments than bad.

[mrbasehart]

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek is a frantically paced screwball comedy from one of the genre's premiere writer/directors, Preston Sturges.  Set during the second world war, it concerns a small-town girl (Betty Hutton) who gets married and pregnant on a drunken night out, though she remembers nothing of the events or even the bridegroom, who has already shipped overseas.  Desperate to save her reputation, she enlists the help of her long-suffering best friend (Eddie Bracken) who's been in love with her since they were children.  Trying to stage a fake marriage, things get increasingly more complicated until the outrageous ending, which implies that Hutton's character may not have married just one man.  The streak of irreverence that Sturges is known for - unlike Capra, petty and vindictive people fill his small towns - makes the film feel a little more modern than most comedies of the period, and though I'm not a huge fan of Bracken's schtick, he works well with Hutton.  The supporting characters (I love William Demarest) also provide ample amusement.  Not quite up there with the best of Sturges, but lots of fun nonetheless.

[stansimpson]

American Pop is an animated movie from the infamous (around these parts anyways) Ralph Bakshi.  Telling the story of 4 generations of sons and fathers through the 20th century, its initially very impressive, with the focus on recently arrived Jewish immigrants to the US before WWI and in particular a young boys' relationship with his friend/business partner.  Bakshi captures the period well, and the rotoscoping technique isn't as obvious as in other parts.  The middle section concentrates on a disaffected teen who falls in with the hippie movement, experiencing the highs and lows of that particular culture before dealing with its drugged out aftermath and the backlash it experienced in the late 70s.  Those sections really didn't work well enough for me, with a lot of off-putting lingo and barely disguised caricatures of famous actors.  Still, it's a well made, ambitious and positively adult animated feature that has more good moments than bad.

It's unfortunate Bakshi has to be infamous before he is known (around these parts anyway  ).  Really fair assessment too saying it has more good moments than bad.  It's uneven which will come naturally to any vignette movie, yet still entertaining.  Flawed, no doubt, but by no means ever a bad film.  And, yeah, I don't think I expressed the level of "adultness" in its content/themes, but it actually may have the least nudity for any Bakshi film.  After 10 years, I still don't know exactly how I feel about it.  I still find myself returning to it every so often, so it def has appeal.  Thanks for getting around to this. 

[mrbasehart]

American Pop is an animated movie from the infamous (around these parts anyways) Ralph Bakshi.  Telling the story of 4 generations of sons and fathers through the 20th century, its initially very impressive, with the focus on recently arrived Jewish immigrants to the US before WWI and in particular a young boys' relationship with his friend/business partner.  Bakshi captures the period well, and the rotoscoping technique isn't as obvious as in other parts.  The middle section concentrates on a disaffected teen who falls in with the hippie movement, experiencing the highs and lows of that particular culture before dealing with its drugged out aftermath and the backlash it experienced in the late 70s.  Those sections really didn't work well enough for me, with a lot of off-putting lingo and barely disguised caricatures of famous actors.  Still, it's a well made, ambitious and positively adult animated feature that has more good moments than bad.

It's unfortunate Bakshi has to be infamous before he is known (around these parts anyway  ).  Really fair assessment too saying it has more good moments than bad.  It's uneven which will come naturally to any vignette movie, yet still entertaining.  Flawed, no doubt, but by no means ever a bad film.  And, yeah, I don't think I expressed the level of "adultness" in its content/themes, but it actually may have the least nudity for any Bakshi film.  After 10 years, I still don't know exactly how I feel about it.  I still find myself returning to it every so often, so it def has appeal.  Thanks for getting around to this. 

Yeah, I think the word "adult" has become too synonymous with "porn".  Mature might be a better term.