Three somewhat obscure movies, everyone should see

[pacman]

You just described the plot of Jaws.

 

Chief of Police Roy Scheider, shark expert Richard Dreyfuss & salty ol' sea dog Robert Shaw. There isn't another movie the same, it's one of Spielberg's earliest projects & with the aid of the best theme music ever (IMO), it's one of his best.

 

Here in West Oz we are living a real life Jaws every day. 5 people killed by sharks in 10 months & sharks spotted off metropolitan beaches every day. I haven't had a swim in a while...         

[dixon cox]

You just described the plot of Jaws.

 

Oh Paccers ,, hook line and sinker.

 

Just like that shark you took the bait, I think Jim was being Jim   

 

~ I was very nearly in Jaws II with my brother as beach extras. Back in 1977 we were in Florida on a family holiday, as that's where some of the beach scenes in the movie were shot, although I believe it was set in New England. They wanted kids to play on the beach throwing frisbees etc. but they did not want tanned or brown kids. So us pale whities were ideal and we had the go-ahead after a very short interview. Problem was on the one day we were in that vicinity for the shooting and due to do it there was a cameraman strike, so it never happened for us. Shame.

[JaiDee]

I was in junior high school when Jaws was filmed not too far away from here.....made me not want to go out more than waist-high in the frigid North Atlantic for years to come.

 

   Just a reminder; for anyone who has yet to see Seven Psychopaths it is now available on DVD, or if you prefer and are a bad boy like me, Bit Torrent.  Well worth checking out IMO.

[pacman]

Oh Paccers ,, hook line and sinker.

 

Too subtle for me I'm afraid. I did think it strange Jim could remember the plot & characters & not the name but I failed to see another agenda. 

 

 I think Jim was being Jim      

 

He's a jocular lad our Jim. Can't wait for his next jest...        

[pacman]

~ I was very nearly in Jaws II with my brother as beach extras. Back in 1977 we were in Florida on a family holiday, as that's where some of the beach scenes in the movie were shot, although I believe it was set in New England. They wanted kids to play on the beach throwing frisbees etc. but they did not want tanned or brown kids. So us pale whities were ideal and we had the go-ahead after a very short interview. Problem was on the one day we were in that vicinity for the shooting and due to do it there was a cameraman strike, so it never happened for us. Shame.

 

I also have never graced the big screen though I'm expecting a call anytime soon...       

 

I did get stopped in the street once to film a commercial though. The talent booked for the job never arrived & I was headhunted out of the crowd. I had to enter a bank, walk up to the teller & hand over a passbook. With that on my resume it can only be a matter of time before Hollywood beckons...             

[JaiDee]

I see Argo is coming out this week, that will be a must-see.

 

  I rarely go to the theaters but that was one I wanted to see back in the fall, can't wait to get it after it's released this week and I'm happy to see Ben Affleck getting his just due.

[ArchieBunker]

I just went to see a movie in a theater for the first time in about 5 yers a few months ago.  I saw Argo and really enjoyed it up until the last 10 minutes.  I see the agent wrote a book about the operation.  I think I will read that and see how it REALLY ended.  methinks it was a tad more mundane than the overblow, sophomoric ending in the film........

[pacman]

I am incredulous that Argo is a serious contender for Best Picture. I enjoyed it but found it no more exciting than a good episode of Mission Impossible. I read that Zero Dark Thirty is being ignored by the Academy because voters are disturbed by the presentation of torture & that it actually worked.

 

Zero is the more thoughtful, serious movie IMO. Argo shows US ingenuity & teamwork at its best. Zero shows the end justifying the means. Argo may well win but it won't mean that Zero wasn't robbed.

 

Flame away...           

[pdogg]

Here's the trailer for Fingering, an obscure Thai lesbian themed film.

 

Do you prefer the Tom or the Dee?

 

http://youtu.be/zbPQAwJ78qI

[JaiDee]

I think Argo would be a surprise winner for Best Movie next week because Affleck didn't get nominated for best director and I guess you pretty much have to have both for your movie to really stand a chance of winning?

 

 Which is why the academy will most likely pick something safe like Lincoln [they love Speilberg] or Silver Linings Playbook, which is my odds-on favorite to win.  I haven't seen it but I really like the young girl who plays the lead; Jennifer Lawrence is only 22 and has a bright future ahead of her.

 

    Is it just me or does it seem like there are more movies than ever nominated this year?  I always thought it was just 5, this time it's 9.

 

Best Picture Nominations:

Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables,
Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty

[pacman]

Argo has done very well in the minor awards so it can't be ruled out. My complaint about it is that it doesn't have the gravitas of a major film. There's always a feeling of having seen something significant after watching a Best Picture winner. Or most of the past winners. For me at least. After Argo I felt nothing. An opportunity to remind us all how clever the CIA was in making the Iranians look foolish. And please don't get me wrong, they were very clever & it was a bold plan that worked. Any chance to show up the Iranians as buffoons has to be popular.

 

I have seen most of the films on the list. I would award the Oscar to Django in a heartbeat but it isn't looking likely. The storyline of Silver Linings holds no interest for me, I may go see it if it wins but the idea of watching Bradley & Jennifer dancing away their mental health issues...  yeah, that just doesn't appeal at all.

 

I vowed to sit through 2 & a half hours of Jackman & Co singing in Les Mis but the weight of negative reviews posted on a public website dedicated to movies has changed my mind. If there's nothing else on & I have time to kill, I may get there but I doubt it. Life of Pi was beautifully done but when you boil it down it was all a metaphor for life with no actual plot. All that floating about on a life raft, it got lame after an hour. Beautiful to watch though & it would not be an unworthy winner.

 

I posted about Zero Dark Thirty, very well done with s-o-o-o much attention to detail. But it will only win if the voters forgive it for showing America in a bad light. I didn't think successful torture was something to criticise, rather something to celebrate, but the word is it isn't being well received.

 

I hope to see Lincoln this week but the movie that really shocked me & I would love to see recognised is Beasts of the Southern Wild. I had no idea what to expect but I got more than I hoped for. The young girl starring in it is a revelation. Where does a child gain such maturity? She could (and should) win Best Actress. Jessica Chastain was good in Zero, very good, but little Quvenzhane was amazing. I would vote for her without question.

 

That only leaves Amour & there isn't the noise around it to suggest it to be winner. My guess it will come down to Lincoln, Argo & Silver Linings. That's what my head says based on what I have read. My heart says it should be a dead heat between Django & Beasts. Neither of those films portrays the finest side of America but it is in the dark underbelly where the best stories are to be found.

 

 

[pacman]

I saw Lincoln this week & loved it. It is long but I wasn't looking at my watch, I was more intent on the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis. He brought the man to life. And what a decent person Abe was. At one point the movie starts to veer off course & become a homage to all things American & how great it is. And just as quickly it reverts back to a serious biography of one of the great Presidents.

 

I can't see Day-Lewis being beaten for Best Actor, he's a proven performer playing the role of his life, a man who also represents everything great about American leadership. What's not to like? 

 

As for Lincoln's chances of winning Best Picture - I don't know. It's not my personal favourite but it certainly ticks all the boxes necessary to claim the prize. It has been criticised for being boring, whether that affects its chances we'll have to wait & see.

 

Here's a link that explains the thinking of one of the voters. I agree almost exactly with everything he says. I agree with his choice for all the acting roles bar one, Emmanuelle Riva, & I agree with his choice of Best Picture & Best Documentary. Especially Best Doco, if that doesn't win I'll eat the proverbial hat.

 

And his comments about Tarantino are interesting & on reflection, true. Where are you Thaibound & Kahuna? You probably weren't expecting me to say that so lap it up fellas. 

 

He offers the most frank & insightful commentary I have seen on this years awards : 

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscar-voters-brutally-honest-ballot-422546

[rxpharm]

Former President Jimmy Carter was recently interviewed about Argo, and commented although the movie was good, the facts were wrong. He said the CIA were only involved near the end, and Canadians were the driving force behind the plan.

[ArchieBunker]

Former President Jimmy Carter was recently interviewed about Argo, and commented although the movie was good, the facts were wrong. He said the CIA were only involved near the end, and Canadians were the driving force behind the plan.

 

Stop the presses!!!!  Hollywood gets shit wrong!!  Guess what, the Titanic has sunk and The South lost the US Civil War.  It was in all the papers!!!!!

[JaiDee]

Saw another kind of obscure movie the other night, but I also remember seeing it when it came out;

'Glengarry Glen Ross'  from 1992.

 

   Good cast......Ed Harris, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey..... Alec Baldwin gives a great performance for the 15 minutes he is on the screen, and best of all; Jack Lemmon in a fantastic role as a hapless salesman whose life is going straight into the toilet.

 

 Takes place all in one 12 hour period, and was originally a play.......highly watchable drama.

[seven]

Saw another kind of obscure movie the other night, but I also remember seeing it when it came out;

'Glengarry Glen Ross'  from 1992.

 

   Good cast......Ed Harris, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey..... Alec Baldwin gives a great performance for the 15 minutes he is on the screen, and best of all; Jack Lemmon in a fantastic role as a hapless salesman whose life is going straight into the toilet.

 

 Takes place all in one 12 hour period, and was originally a play.......highly watchable drama.

Its a fantastic movie. Seem it many times. First in theaters, then on tv.  When Pacino rips Spacey for not keeping his mouth shut before he knows score, f**king up a sell for Pacino. Its a long movie but you cant stop watching its so interesting.

Acting  at its best!!

[seven]

Back to obscure movies, these are 2 from the 80's which I could still watch and enjoy today.

 

 "No Way Out"

"No Mercy",  

I must have seen No way out 20 times. Very good movie. One of Costners best along with JFK and Bull Durham (which i also recommend. Tim Robbins is great here).

 

No mercy is pretty good too.

[pacman]

20 times!!        

 

I have never seen a film I wanted to watch more than once or twice. My record is going to see Woodstock 4 times when I was a lad. I hardly ever watch a film on TV these days because the experience is so disappointing compared to the cinema. And I have one of those giant screen TV sets.

 

I don't criticise anyone who wants to re-watch any movie, it's none of my business but am I missing something here? As for trying to watch something on a phone or an iPad...     you have to be kidding me. 

 

One personal foible - I like to sit up the front where I have the sensation of being almost in the action. I do compromise if I am with a partner, i haven't found anyone  who likes to be as close to the screen as I do.

[JaiDee]

    I could never watch a movie on a phone, but have no problem watching 'em on a Laptop......I don't have a tablet.

 

    As for watching movies multiple times, I kind of agree with Seven.......too many times have I tried out new movies and been absolutely burned; when you watch something you KNOW you like, you will never be let down.  No Mercy and No Way Out I have seen at least 10 times each,  and just the other night I watched A Few Good Men once again for at least the 10th time, a great military movie with Jack Nicholson and that little runt Tom Cruise who actually played a great part.  I love the Bourne series of movies also, could watch any one of those 4 right now rather than try something new that may be disappointing. I bet I have seen the first one 10 or more times; much better than anything the Bond series has done in recent years.

 

      Not sure how Aussie TV is but here in the northeast USA - before the days of torrents and Netflix - you would get constant, multiple re-runs of westerns, Dirty Harry-type stuff, Rocky, Godfather movies, Rambo, etc.....so it would not be uncommon to veg out on a sunday afternoon with a movie you had already seen multiple times.  It's easier these days to watch newer stuff of course,  but I still find myself going back to my favorite movies more often than not.

[pacman]

 

  ....could watch any one of those 4 right now rather than try something new that may let me down.

 

Hmmm...   I will go & see anything new. It's the thrill of seeing something that may surprise or may disappoint me that makes a trip to the cinema so exciting. OK, that's exciting in a relative sense, it isn't the ultimate thrill but it is the prospect of the unknown that I find stimulating.

 

For example: who knew the Iranians made such wonderful movies? I guess they wouldn't get marquee billing in the US but don't allow fear to deter you. I can't guarantee anyone will like them just like I can't promise anyone will like Thai food. We only learn by trying.

 

Using the food analogy, would I rather eat hamburger for 20 days in a row or would I rather mix it up & have a bit of everything? It's a no-brainer for me but I know guys who have eaten the same thing every day for lunch for years & years. Too conservative to try something new. They don't know what they are missing.

 

And I am not saying Seven or you are wrong either. I just don't know where you get the time to watch something over & over. I wouldn't know what to cut out to make the time. Still it would be boring if we were all the same.

[JaiDee]

 I only go to the theaters a couple times per year.  I saw Seven Psychopaths and the latest Bourne movie last summer, and Lincoln a couple months ago.  But that's rare; I have a huge TV and would much prefer to wait a few months and watch 'em in the comfort of my home with my own food, etc.... I am 6 feet 1 inch and carrying more pounds than I should right now so sitting in those theater seats for 2 + hours isn't such a thrill and it's damn expensive! Zero Dark Thirty and Argo would have been 2 more I could have gone to see but I will just wait for the video release of those 2.

 

    Paccie, you once recommended an Iranian movie about a woman getting stoned to death, I remember looking it up but I don't think I have it on my hard drive......do you know which one I am talking about?

[seven]

 

 

Hmmm...   

 

And I am not saying Seven or you are wrong either. I just don't know where you get the time to watch something over & over. I wouldn't know what to cut out to make the time. Still it would be boring if we were all the same.

 This was maybe 15 or 20  years ago when they came out, somehow i had more time back then. Instead of internet it was VHS tapes late nights.

I still have favorites i watch over and over again.  

The Right stuff, Godfather trilogy, Sea of love-Pacino, Goodman, Cop-James Woods, damn he was good back then. Slingblade-Billy Bob Thornton.

 

Like jaidee i have a bigass Sony Bravia tv and a very comfy couch, going to theaters is too much of an hazzle these days

[seven]

This being a lb dedicated board, 

you guys seen  this one ? Midnight of the garden of good and evil.  Directed by Clint Eastwood , great cast, John Cusack, Kevin Spacey.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119668/

 

 

The crying game?  Unfortunately i knew the secret of this movie before i watched it, but i can still remember the buzz of that bedroom scene.

[JaiDee]

Seen Crying Game, thought it was so-so.  Never saw Midnight in the Garden of good and evil but remember when it came out..

 

 

This was a decent TS movie;

 

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adventures_of_priscilla_queen_of_the_desert/

 

       Don't forget classics like Good Fellas and Casino, Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, the old Eastwood movies, etc.....as Seven said, there was a time 'way back when' [read; the 80's and the 90s] when all we had was VHS and weekend cable movies, so it is no surprise movies like those would be viewed multiple times.

[JaiDee]

Here is another obscure one some of you may have yet to see;

 

"Thief" - James Caan and Tuesday Weld

 

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1021230-thief/

 

 1981,  as usual Jimmy Caan did good work.