[EvilShoe Cares]

Attack of the clones

[EvilShoe Cares]

Originally posted by REEL_REVIEWER


I guess we should put this one in the AVOID category - lol!

What? It's an indie

[EvilShoe Cares]

Originally posted by THE spammer - NO mercy!


A very expensive BAD indie - not unlike Soderbergh's FULL FRONTAL - except Lucas's AOTC had better picture quality.

I liked it, I think it's a good indie, I recommend it

[Caplis Rathbun]

Please change the "great writing" for No Such Thing to "interesting writing" and add my name to the pro-"What Time Is It There?" camp.

[EvilShoe Cares]

Originally posted by REEL_REVIEWER


--------------

Final analysis - Lucasfilm is as big or bigger than any current studio. AOTC opened on over 3,000 screens on a Thursday - this series stopped being "independent" a long time ago and will NOT be added to the list.

I find this discrimination, he's still independent even if he's bigger than some studio's

[EvilShoe Cares]

Originally posted by THE spammer - NO mercy!
Hey REEL, that AOTC movie you keep dissing is coming out in an IMAX version on Nov. 1 - how much more Independent can you get???

It's still independent, even if it's on Imax, you can't deny it's independent

[gooer]

Try watching Donnie Darko if you haven't seen it. It's really very good.

[EvilShoe Cares]

Is living in oblivion independent? If it is, I recommend it

[spypunk]

Originally posted by REEL_REVIEWER
Why is it that films of great artistic quality put me to sleep?

So far I've fallen asleep during:

THRONE OF BLOOD

I'M GOING HOME

IN THE BEDROOM

I've tried the caffeine thing - but to no avail. Why is a film only considered art when each shot lasts over a minute, the soundtrack is spare, and the pacing is non-existent??

Has television ruined me? Perhaps - except I don't watch TV anymore. And I refuse to take speed, no-doze, etc. Any other remedies out there??

Don't sweat it, REEL.
I had to struggle to get through this two hour art film called My Twentieth Century but sat absorbed through all three hours of Atanarjuat.
The secret?
I liked the latter, didn't care for the other.
I love Throne of Blood but maybe you feel asleep through it 'cause it ain't your bag.
And no amount of caffeine or metamphetamines or critical acclaim will do much for you if you don't really like a movie.

[Andy Hardy]

I watched The Devil's Backbone on DVD yesterday...great movie.

I loved In the Bedroom. You fell asleep? Really? At what part of the movie did this happen? Did you see the end?

[CSM126]

Waking Life rules!! If you have't seen it, you're missing a very intriguing masterpiece from Richard Linklater.

****/****



I also like Linklater's Before Sunrise, my favorite romantic movie.

****/****

[Pallando]

Originally posted by Caplis Rathbun
I saw No Such Thing, an apocalyptic version of the Beauty and the Beast tale, and I'm sort of on the fence. Based on the films that I've encountered, I think Hal Hartley's like the anti-auteur, because he writes interesting scripts and then screws them up when he directs them. There were parts of his score that definitely sounded like Doctor Who. I don't know if that was intentional. Still, the plot is inventive, if morally heavy-handed, and every once in a while there's an excellent shot thrown in. I wouldn't say it's very good, but it's worth a look.

And I wouldn't even say it's worth a look. I'd give it *1/2 out of *****. The film wants to be something of a scathing and humorous look not at immortality, but instead the media, its consumers, and the fact that one grows and gets its energy from the other that feeds on its instant-gratification offerings. You see, the monster isn't really the violent creature, but rather all of us. Or the media. Or something else entirely.

Since one never quite knows what the filmmaker's underlying intentions might be, even that idea is wasted. Of course, it doesn't help that the picture is plagued by two rather large problems. First, satirical looks at the media certainly aren't anything particularly new - Network and Wag the Dog previously explored the issue with far more clever and imaginative results.

The bigger problem, however, is the way in which Hartley has fashioned the story and instructed his performers to play their characters within it. Regardless of whether it's the point or not, nothing is played realistically and is either so scattershot or campy that it becomes maddeningly irritating to watch. Elements that do or don't occur make little if any sense, and the performances are either so deadpan or goofy that the whole affair becomes increasingly preposterous, not to mention boring and painful to behold, as it unfolds all over the screen. Chalk it up as a miss for Hartley (overall I'm not a fan).

[Pallando]

Originally posted by REEL_REVIEWER
INDIE FEVER - catch it!

RECOMMENDED INDIES (U.S.)(Titles- a to z -plus 'recommender')

Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) - (TBickle, yej, filmsRpriceless, ZBigRedDogZ, spypunk, & RR)
The Believer (ZBigRedDogZ)
Donnie Darko (gooer)
The Good Girl (smoothcriminal, RR)
Ivan's xtc (filmsRpriceless)
The Kid Stays in the Picture (BigSPEEGS, TBickle, RR, & 22cute)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (RR, Bananna)
OneHourPhoto (smoothcriminal, Richie_Tenenbaum3)
Pumpkin (RR)
Scotland, PA (RR - On video/DVD 10/22)
Secretary (RR)
Sunshine State (RR)
Tadpole (yej, RR & 22cute)
13 Conversations About One Thing (yej, 22cute)

Sadly, not all low-budget films are great - INDIES TO AVOID!!!
CHELSEA WALLS (THUMBS DOWN from Caplis Rathbun, Spammer and agc208)
LOVELY & AMAZING (gooer, 22cute)
NO SUCH THING - (Pallando)
Star Wars - Episode 2: Attack of the Clones (Thumbs down - RR, Thumbs up - EvilShoe)
WAKING LIFE - (RR)

I'd also 'thumb down' these apparent favorites:

My Big Fat Greek Wedding
One Hour Photo
Pumpkin
13 Conversations About One Thing

Chelsea Walls and Attack of the Clones I would definitely file under "Crap".

[Pallando]

Originally posted by REEL_REVIEWER
I'll make the appropriate notations next time I update - Can we assume you liked Yi-Yi and Amores Perros???

Uh-huh. Anything *** or up means I liked it.

[Lady La Chienne]

Your Welcome!!!

At the video store where I work, these are included in my employee favorties----
The Anniversary Party- ***1/2
Donnie Darko-****
Eight Days a Week=***
Bottle Rocket=***1/2

[22cute]

I did a double-feature today.

First saw Igby Goes Down, which was kind of a mixed bag. The acting was uniformly good, with Kieran Culkin particularly engaging as Igby, and Susan Sarandon and Jeff Goldblum excellent in their supporting performances. I was disappointed to see so little of Bill Pullman, whose role was little more than a cameo. In the end, I never really felt caught up in the lives of these characters. The movie had its humorous moments, but it never came through as charming as Tadpole or as quirky as The Royal Tennenbaums.

*** out of ****

Then, I walked up the street to see Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Wow!!! I can't praise this Japanese anime film too highly. Brilliant animation, eye-popping colors, a charming and engaging heroine, a host of creative and beautifully drawn supporting characters, a delightful story about a little girl's adventures and misadventures in the land of the spirits. Everyone in the audience, adults and children alike, was enthralled! This is definitely a film to enjoy again and again.

**** out of ****

[ZBigRedDogZ]

In The Bedroom is not an indie movie. It was a major studio release. Im not saying it is bad, its just not indie.

I am also not sure that American History X is an indie movie, im not sure, but I don't think so. Could be wrong. However, if it is an indie movie, I second the person who reccomended it.

Cliff

[ZBigRedDogZ]

Oh, I also want to give a Thumbs Up to Attack of the Clones. Good movie. Really, what did you expect? It was a cool story with great special effects. The dialog was lacking, and no, it wasn't as good as the original trilogy, but I really enjoyed it.

Anyhow, even though I want to give it a thumbs up, IT ISN'T INDIE. I can't believe you let that moron talk you into putting it on the list. Lucusfilm has ties to just about every major studio in existence. Saying it is indy is just dumb.

Cliff

[gooer]

I highly recommend Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums, but stay away from Bottle Rocket at all costs!

[Trevor]

Lovely & Amazing is a lovely and amazing indie gem. I can't believe it's on the indies to avoid list.

And for the record I think Chelsea Walls is where it should be.

[EvilShoe Cares]

Originally posted by ZBigRedDogZ
Oh, I also want to give a Thumbs Up to Attack of the Clones. Good movie. Really, what did you expect? It was a cool story with great special effects. The dialog was lacking, and no, it wasn't as good as the original trilogy, but I really enjoyed it.

Anyhow, even though I want to give it a thumbs up, IT ISN'T INDIE. I can't believe you let that moron talk you into putting it on the list. Lucusfilm has ties to just about every major studio in existence. Saying it is indy is just dumb.

Cliff

I was messing around. If you had some intelligence, you'd know

[Caplis Rathbun]

Well, since they've gotten some negative mentions here, I'll disagree and say that I think Waking Life was one of the best films of last year and Bottle Rocket is just as good as, if not better than, Wes Anderson's other films.

[TBickle]

Originally posted by Caplis Rathbun
Well, since they've gotten some negative mentions here, I'll disagree and say that I think Waking Life was one of the best films of last year and Bottle Rocket is just as good as, if not better than, Wes Anderson's other films.

I definitely agree. Waking Life was in my top 10 of 2001 and I can't see how you can like Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums but not Bottle Rockets. I think it's the weakest of Anderson's 3 films but it actually made me laugh the most. It definitely looks more "independant" than his last 2 films but it's worth a look you like Anderson (and especially Owen Wilson).

[ZBigRedDogZ]

Originally posted by EvilShoe
I was messing around. If you had some intelligence, you'd know

Ouch!

I'm not going to bother defending myself. Anyhow, I'm sorry, I obviously came off much stronger than I wanted too. I just checked the thread again and was like 'wha!' when I saw AOTC on there.

Anyhow, sorry I came off too harsh.

Cliff

[ZBigRedDogZ]

Speaking of pain, I definately have an 'indi to avoid' movie.

Do NOT see the movie "Wish You Were Dead," which is now out on DVD. It sounded like an interesting noir type movie, and has Christopher Loydd, who I usually love, but it HORRIBLE. I'm not sure if they were trying to make it campy/stupid fun sort of movie, but if they were, they didn't go nearly far enough. I watched the first half hour, and fast forwarded through the rest, stopping to see if anything interesting happened. Nothing did. It was horribly cleshe, with bad acting and a laughably bad dialog.

Anyhow, like I said, they may have been going for camp, but if they were, they failed miserably.

Cliff

[gooer]

Originally posted by TBickle
I can't see

Try opening your eyes, works for me everytime.

Originally posted by TBickle
I can't see how you can like Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums but not Bottle Rockets. I think it's the weakest of Anderson's 3 films but it actually made me laugh the most. It definitely looks more "independant" than his last 2 films but it's worth a look you like Anderson (and especially Owen Wilson).

I think that it was an overall sloppy job on Anderson's part no matter how "independent"" (not sure what you mean by this), it was. The story was unstructured and I thought it was kind of boring. I do agree with you, though, Owen Wilson was great.

[22cute]

I saw two very different (different from the norm, as well as different from each other) movies today:

Skins - Chris Eyre's follow-up to Smoke Signals: A bleak but ultimately gratifying story of two brothers (the always wonderful Graham Greene, and Eric Schweig) at odds with but fiercely loyal to each other. Unlike Smoke Signals, which was pretty upbeat, Skins is a harrowing look at a "rez" with 75% unemployment, rampant alcoholism, and spousal abuse.

I would love to connect with someone about Skins. The more I think about it, the more I'd like to discuss.

8 Women: The jury is out. Isabelle Huppert turned in her usual blissful performance, and anything featuring my darling, Fanny Ardant, is A-OK with me. I really wanted to love this movie, but can only muster up *** out of ****. (Didn't hate it/didn't love it.)

[TBickle]

Originally posted by gooer
Try opening your eyes, works for me everytime.



I think that it was an overall sloppy job on Anderson's part no matter how "independent"" (not sure what you mean by this), it was. The story was unstructured and I thought it was kind of boring.

The just meant that it looks more independent (lower film quality, etc.) than Rushmore or Tenenbaums. I thought the structure of the story was fine as it seemed to flow from gag to gag. It was a very simple story but it's the interaction between the characters that makes it so damn charming...if you're looking for a complex story rather than a real funny one, you probably won't like Bottle Rocket.

[Trevor]

Is Punch-Drunk Love really an indie?

[22cute]

Well, I finally got off my dead end and saw Secretary, which, as Reel says, is like nothing else around. Most definitely a "love it or hate it" proposition, I found it funny and ultimately endearing. I thought both James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal turned in terrific performances, by turns neurotic, appealing, erratic, and approachable. I was particularly surprised by Gyllenhaal's turn as the chameleon Lee, who seemed to go from frump to vamp and back, then back again, from scene to scene. While Secretary certainly isn't for everyone, I came away satisfied with the way Lee and Edward ended.

***1/2 out of ****

I also saw Baraka, which I had seen at the time of its original release (1992) but wanted to view again as a sort of prequel to the upcoming Naquoyquatsi. I was happy to have the chance to see Baraka again on the big screen, finding it just as awe-inspiring, humbling, heartbreaking, and harrowing as the first time I watched it. Fricke's photography is stunning!

**** out of ****