Three somewhat obscure movies, everyone should see

[pacman]

 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?

 

Do I know? How could I forget? The Stoning of Soraya M, one of the most powerful films you are ever likely to see. IMO.

 

That movie haunted me for a long time after, I was only thinking about it the other day. It was based on a book by an Iranian journalist but wasn't filmed in Iran. It is about Iran but it's not an Iranian film. 

 

It is the most shocking indictment against Islam I have ever seen & I found it impossible to accept what happened as reasonable or excusable under any circumstances. It's strange, the title gives the whole story away but when it happens, nothing can prepare you for it. It went beyond harrowing. Multi million dollar action films with CGI & every other trick they can throw at it have absolutely nothing on the experience of watching this movie.

 

Please see it by all means but remember....    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

 

 

[pacman]

For an example of an Iranian movie that I enjoyed, A Separation. This is one of those movies that creeps up on you. It starts off slow but it gradually turns into an engrossing drama that finishes up in a religious court. And it all feels very real. 

 

it is not everyone's cup of tea, I am sure fans of Hollywood style shoot'em ups will find it too slow. But for anyone looking for a thoughtful insight into the reality of balancing religious beliefs with real life, this is great. And it isn't full of religious propaganda as some would expect, the whole drama is laid bare.

 

Some of the scenes are so well handled, it wasn't like watching acting at all. At times it has the feel of watching a documentary. I can't explain it better, it needs to be watched to appreciate. And I don't take responsibility for anyone lacking the patience to get into this film. Some will get it, some will hate it. I have long enjoyed obscure foreign films, this film fits the theme of this thread perfectly.

[JaiDee]

OK, thanks a lot, I will check them out.

 

Off-topic a bit, but you may like "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by western-educated Azir Nafizi, a very good read.

[dixon cox]

This being a lb dedicated board

 

Keeping within our forum theme this is another very good movie well worth a look. It is not a 'sexy' film by any means, but the likes of us would particularly enjoy it, as could anyone for that matter.

Transamerica (2005) - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407265/

[dixon cox]

The Stoning of Soraya M, one of the most powerful films you are ever likely to see. IMO.

 

Please see it by all means but remember....    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

 

Thanks guys, I'm downloading this movie as I type and look forward to it.

[pacman]

I look forward to your take on it Dixon. I don't need to qualify anything I have already said about it but I am aware that we all see things differently. Especially when you don't have the advantage of a large screen. But I don't want to sound like I am downplaying my previous comments, it is what I said.

[pacman]

OK, thanks a lot, I will check them out.

 

Off-topic a bit, but you may like "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by western-educated Azir Nafizi, a very good read.

 

I will look out for that book. I recall the name of it but I have never seen it on the shelf.

 

As for those two movies, I think you'll be moved by Soraya, I'm not going to predict how you will react to the second. A Separation did have a big run here at a local arthouse theatre & I never saw a review about it that was anything less than good. 

 

But I thought Looper wasn't bad so my record isn't good. I should never recommend any film, my taste is not mainstream & I give up trying to understand what anyone else likes.

[pacman]

 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

 

I was going to comment on your previous post about all the interruptions you endured at the theatre. I assume you weren't referring to LOS & I am surprised that Swedish theatre audiences would put up with such rudeness.

 

Is this some cultural shift or are Swedish youth out of control? We have our own problems with smart-ass kids but they soon get short shrift if they talk or jump around during a movie. 

 

You can give them another chance when you go see Django...          

[dixon cox]

As much as I'd adore to see the films I watch on the big screen at the movies (if available) I rarely, if ever, see an important movie (i.e. one I am very much looking forward to) at a movie house whether in Thailand or anywhere else as the distractions are just too much. I want to be absorbed into the film without the additional sounds and distractions of shuffling, giggling, ooh's and aaah's, snack packets being crinkled, late-comers, my seat being nudged and/or people talking. I just can't do it any more as it really gets to me and I want to throttle someone for bringing me back to reality, even momentarily.

 

My view is that you only get to see anything for the first time once and I do not wish that opportunity spoiled by distractions and inconsiderations from others. I tend to watch all the best TV series or movies alone with headphones on (when I'm away from home in UK). Maybe my laptop lacks the visuals etc. but for me I am totally absorbed and that is what it's all about. 

 

At Thai movie theatres (not that they were great films I saw in any) it is commonplace for the staff to turn on the lights as soon as the words "The End" appear and the credits start rolling along with the final closing music. For me this should be a moment of quiet contemplation about what I've just seen, plus see who played which part or did what towards the movie if something caught my eye. Not a message to get the fuck out as it's over.

[DownLoLarry]

I think Argo would be a surprise winner for Best Movie next week

 

 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.

 

 

  |

 

   

 

BREAKING NEWS ALERT    NYTimes.com | 

 Monday, February 25, 2013 12:02 AM EST

‘

“Argo” won the Oscar for Best Picture,

 

Jennifer Lawrence took Best Actress for “Silver Linings Playbook.” 

[DownLoLarry]

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? 

 

  Good call Paccers!

 

 

 |

BREAKING NEWS Monday, February 25, 2013 12:02 AM EST

 

Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his role in “Lincoln” 

[thaibound]

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?

off the top of my head i can recall only one exception--

michael apted wasn't nominated for directing 'coal miner's daughter', which won the best picture oscar.

 

and, btw,  the last time i recall the DGA award for best director not predicting the oscar for the same was the year the Academy failed to recognize scorsese for 'raging bull', giving it instead to redford for 'ordinary people'.

it was many more years before scorsese got his overdue oscar--and unfortunately for a film i found considerably less deserving.

 

i'm sure there are other exceptions but i'd have to google them and that seems unfair on a thread about obscurity. but for affleck to win the DGA and not even get nominated by the academy...that's nuts...i would have bet that was a sure indicator the Academy wouldn't honor his film either, so now it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to me.

 

unless of course they gave it to 'argo' just to piss off paccie.

 

stranger things have happened.

 

just look at any of tarantino's last decade of "work" if you don't believe me.

[pacman]

  Good call Paccers!

 

Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his role in “Lincoln” 

 

I don't deserve any congratulations for picking that result. It would have been far braver to pick anyone else. Unbackable odds as the bookies describe it.

 

off the top of my head i can recall only one exception--

michael apted wasn't nominated for directing 'coal miner's daughter', which won the best picture oscar.

 

The last movie to win when the director didn't receive a nomination was Driving Miss Daisy & the guy who missed out was the Australian director Bruce Beresford. 

 

And that is the only bit of face I can salvage from TB's post...        80

 

 

i'm sure there are other exceptions but i'd have to google them and that seems unfair on a thread about obscurity. but for affleck to win the DGA and not even get nominated by the academy...that's nuts...i would have bet that was a sure indicator the Academy wouldn't honor his film either, so now it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to me.

 

One would assume that the Academy wouldn't honour his film after ignoring him for Best Director but I have been reading several articles about the Academy & the voting process which lead one to believe that awards are given, or not given, in order to reward or punish people. One article running today hints at a dislike for Spielberg. Maybe he's too successful for some? Who knows? Not me.

 

And I thought Affleck's comments when receiving the Best Picture award were intriguing when he talked about never holding a grudge. He looked out into the audience & it was suddenly clear that he was referring to those in front of him snubbing him for his efforts. Or it was clear to me. Who knows what goes on behind the scenes.

 

 

unless of course they gave it to 'argo' just to piss off paccie. 

 

Yes, yes, you were right & I was wrong. I said Argo didn't deserve to win, you said it was better than Django & a more worthy winner. I said I would eat humble pie if it did & now I have to own up to my own failings. I will say I wasn't pissed off by the result, by the time it arrived, I wasn't even surprised. Argo won all the awards leading up to the Oscars, history shows it had to be the favourite for Best Picture.

 

But in the words of one of our critics here in Oz, "if Argo wins I will find it very problematic". There is much comment about how Argo is a good film but it takes more than good to win the top prize. I am glad I saw it so I have some idea of what everyone is talking about. (And BTW, I liked it very much, I just liked others more.)

 

It's obvious I have no idea of what the voters look for in a movie. Perhaps American Exceptionalism...         

 

 

stranger things have happened.

 

just look at any of tarantino's last decade of "work" if you don't believe me. 

 

Hmmm, if you are saying Tarantino is strange, I agree with you. If you mean his success is strange, I don't. I thought he came out of the Awards very well. He won for Best Screenplay, Christoph won Best Supporting Actor (that's 2/2 for his roles in a QT film), the bits they played on the screen look good, all in all, a very successful evening for that most divisive of directors. And as long as he makes films like Django, I will keep watching them. Along with all his other fans.

[JaiDee]

I heard the same thing about Affleck this morning also, although I *only* turned on the Oscars to see his award and that of Daniel Day Lewis, the last 2; I can't handle the other 3 hours of pure fluff.

 

  People today are saying Ben had a chip on his shoulder all night for not getting a Best Director nomination, and it showed. That's a shame, he's finally getting his due in Hollywood and should be humble, not acting like a little bitch. I was happy to see George Clooney was part of the producers for Argo and got an Oscar to add to his mantle, anything that guy does is generally pretty good.  Daniel Day Lewis is really good in everything also, no surprise he got his 3rd best actor award.

[thaibound]

The last movie to win when the director didn't receive a nomination was Driving Miss Daisy & the guy who missed out was the Australian director Bruce Beresford. 

you don't suppose it's anything more than coincidence that it was a brit an an aussie that got dissed by the american academy do you? hmmmmm....maybe back in the day of the raging bull they still thought of scorcese as italian....

 

at least reading about their dislike for affleck you can take comfort their prejudices have expanded beyond the purely jingoistic.

[seven]

One of the documentaries nominated for an Academy Award is Searching For Sugarman.

And it won   I have to admit i felt a little proud.

 

What a lame show it was though. So boring. The host wasn't funny , never heard of him before, maybe the Affleck/Kardasian joke was. Is Gervais too much to host this event?  Tarantino showed his hubris in his speech how he nailed the cast, with Foxx nodding. De Niro looked like 100 years old, and Nicholson  120. Its painful to see your heroes so old.

Is it correct Bradley Cooper was nominated for a supporting role???? That´s a joke , surely. Him winning an award is as likely as Kutcher or Ryan Reynolds would.

 

 

http://youtu.be/0M0AmVnsKLM

[deepthroat]

I fast-forwarded through most of the show other than the actual awards themselves, so I missed (is that the right word?) most of the host bullshit and many of the acceptance speeches. I got to the part in Tarantino's speech where he said "when people watch my films in 100 years...." and decided I wouldn't miss much if I skipped to the next award. To bad he can't write dialog for himself like he does for his characters.

 

I thought Tina Fey and Amy Pollard were FANTASTIC at the Golden Globes. Best hosts of any awards show in recent memory. Would love to see them get the gig next year!

[pacman]

you don't suppose it's anything more than coincidence that it was a brit an an aussie that got dissed by the american academy do you? hmmmmm....maybe back in the day of the raging bull they still thought of scorcese as italian....

 

at least reading about their dislike for affleck you can take comfort their prejudices have expanded beyond the purely jingoistic.

 

It never occurred to me that these were snubs based on their nationality. I find it more fascinating how the Academy nominates & votes. The idea that awards are voted on as a way to bestow favours or mete out payback is a storyline worthy of its own movie. 

 

Oh what a nest of vipers dwell there...            

[pacman]

And it won   I have to admit i felt a little proud.

 

The Swedish director spoke well. And without seeing the other nominees I couldn't see Sugarman losing. It was the most feel-good documentary I have seen. The injustice of overlooked talent, years in the wilderness followed by spectacular redemption, you couldn't want more.

 

What a lame show it was though. So boring. The host wasn't funny , never heard of him before, maybe the Affleck/Kardasian joke was. Is Gervais too much to host this event?  Tarantino showed his hubris in his speech how he nailed the cast, with Foxx nodding. De Niro looked like 100 years old, and Nicholson  120. Its painful to see your heroes so old.

 

I didn't find the show boring. A little indulgent perhaps but what would you expect. The host Seth MacFarlane did himself no disservice with his very smooth delivery. And who knew he could sing & dance like that? If he never made another movie or cartoon again, the guy could make a living from crooning in lounge bars. I think we will see a lot more of Seth, his presentation couldn't have gone unnoticed.

 

As for him not being funny, I now know why Ted was dull. His sense of humour is hopeless. Fixated on subjects that are only funny in context, he missed the mark repeatedly. But he missed it with great panache & style. With the benefit of hindsight, I rate him highly & would even hope he be considered for the job again.

 

I am sure Tina & Amy will get the nod before Ricky Gervais though. 

 

I don't get your reference to QT's hubris. I think we have a translation problem, "to nail the cast" in the context of his speech means he has to pick exactly the right actor to bring the role he has created alive. I would argue that any other interpretation misses the point. Will someone please tell me if I am barking up the wrong tree. Again.

 

Is it correct Bradley Cooper was nominated for a supporting role???? That´s a joke , surely. Him winning an award is as likely as Kutcher or Ryan Reynolds would.

 

It is correct & by the all the accounts I have read, he deserved it. It wouldn't be the first time an actor has taken on a more mature role & "nailed it".

[ArchieBunker]

I am reading the book ARGO co written by the CIA operative who took part in getting the escapees out of Iran.  The more I read it, the more the movie gets to be a work of fiction.  That happens so often with Hollywood.  The dummies that sit on their couch and eat Pringles all day, see these films and take them as the actual version of events.  Same same for that other work of fiction Hollywood put out back in the day-HURRICANE.  What a load of PC bullshit that film was.  But the jerkies/sheeple take it as gospel. 

 

They are frauds........

[pacman]

The Stoning of Soraya M

 

 

 Thanks guys, I'm downloading this movie as I type and look forward to it.

 

Did you watch it? What did you think? Taking a scene from the movie: "thumbs up or thumbs down?"

[dixon cox]

Did you watch it? What did you think? Taking a scene from the movie: "thumbs up or thumbs down?"

 

Wi-fi in Phnom Penh isn't the best I've ever used, plus torrents rely on others with the target download being available and online simultaneously, especially if they're slightly obscure. It's been a bit of a slow process but I finally have it now, plus Samsara too. Searching For Sugar Man is still ticking along but it's getting there.

 

From your reviews pacman and other guys here and from what I've read I look forward to all 3 of these, but need to find a peaceful time to view each and be in the mood without distraction. You know what I mean.

 

Thanks to everyone for all the recommendations, they tend to jump to the top of my viewing list 

[pacman]

Wow! That amazes me you want to watch all three of those films. That is so gratifying, I never think that anyone would have such faith in my suggestions. They are all a bit out of left field for a start. And I have certainly been reminded enough times that my taste in movies is "different".

 

Dixon, you of all people are going to love watching them. Three good experiences that I give my highest recommendation. OK, two good experiences, I doubt anyone can watch Soraya without tearing up. It's good in the same way as root canal surgery is once it's over. Err, something like that. I'm sure you know what I mean. 

 

Don't miss it.         

[seven]

T

 

 

 

 

As for him not being funny, I now know why Ted was dull. 

I am sure Tina & Amy will get the nod before Ricky Gervais though. 

 

I don't get your reference to QT's hubris. 

Whos Ted?

Yes, QT himself thought he(himself) nailed the casting. Nothing was lost in translation.

Gervais is one of the funniest men alive.

[JaiDee]

Whos Ted?

 

Gervais is one of the funniest men alive.

 

Ted was a movie about a talking bear.....obviously one I will pass on.

 

  Part 2 proves why there is chocolate and vanilla; I have yet to find even one thing Gervais has said to be even remotely funny, ever.  But then again I can say that about most Brit comedians; I just don't get their 'humour'

 

My choice for Oscar host would be Bill Maher, but their goal is to bring in MORE viewers, not turn more away, and he is way too polarizing. If he hosted I may be able to handle a couple hours of that Hollywood fluff. For the record Tina Fey [who is actually pretty hilarious as the self-deprecating Liz Lemon in 30 Rock] has said she would never do it.