Three somewhat obscure movies, everyone should see

[JaiDee]

Re-watched another one today with Emile Hirsch in the lead;  Alpha Dog from 2006.  True story about some young 20-year old drug dealer in Hollywood who kidnaps the younger brother of one of his rivals and.......well, if you want to see it I won't give away the ending. Decent movie, not as good as Into the Wild but worth watching. Justin Timberlake also has a good role, he was really good in The Social Network as well.

[Hefe]

I found Alpha Dog very depressing, probably because it was likely so very true to life about a certain type of individual that I know exists & I never liked: the alpha male with no empathy. Dog Pound & River's Edge are films in the same category. I find those characters in film, & real life to be so dislikable that I hate spending time with them, perhaps because they are all based on real life situations that seem hopeless for the normal people they victimize. They grow up to be not only criminals but also politicians, bankers & televangelists.

 

On the other hand the fact that those 3 films affected me so much perhaps means they are good flicks, just about unpleasant people. 

 

As to the genres, I understand in that I really love a good comedy film but:

1- there are hardly any I enjoy, maybe 1 comes out every 2 years

&

2 - comedy is very personal, unlike drama & suspense. The Hangover films were a good example, the first one had some moments but that's all,  #2 was a true POS to me but others in my office thought it was hilarious. Anchorman the same.

 

SciFi is similiar I think in that it is usually done badly except for special effects.

I watched World War Z this week, empty with decent effects, a waste of time really, & tried watching Pacific Rim but it was a movie for 14 year olds, in spirit if not in actuality. Like most scifi literature I draw a distinction between the "we can write anything" dreck & the  plots motivated by a smart idea: Asimov, Bradbury, Vonnegut.

 

The films based on Philip K Dick stories are the ones I think about being successful since they are idea based: Minority Report, Total Recall, Bladerunner. A bunch of the old Twilight Zone episodes are based on Bradbury stories as was Farenheit 421.

 

Sci Fi that I have seen in recent years that I enjoyed:

 

Solaris (the original Russian version by Tarkovsky, warning: this is largely astronauts having conversations about the meaning of their lives on earth, My Dinner with Andre in space, it took a good 30 minutes for me to start get into this one; I haven't seen the Soderberg remake yet);

Sunshine & 28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, both written by Alex Garland);

Children of Men (Cuaron, who also did Gravity, I wonder if Gravity can be enjoyed on a small screen?)

 

District 9 is a really interesting film, I think worth catching. Inception lost me halfway through, but I will give it another shot someday, it's obviously idea-based, but I lost the thread.

 

Alright, my coffee is finished.

[Guest JustSumGai]

ok, don't know WHERE to begin....first off whoever made that list is a MORON. For example, Radio is a GOOD film. Lots of stuff on that list is good, even the mediocre had good production values. Like the Conqueror, OK John Waye as Genghis Kahn is laughable but fun. Consider the time the movie was made in. I enjoy it on a few levels when I see it. This list was made by some kid, you know the kind, ask em how it was and they'll say stupid. As if THAT is a description. This GUY thinks these aer bad movies. Too much filtered thru his own pea brain.

 

 Heaven's Gate. I recently watched this because like Ishtar at the time it was PANNED roundly and soundly. It's a GREAT FLICK. As always Walken is a treat but the cinematography is grand. Good story. All around I was amazed that it got so trashed. I think mostly it had to do with HOW MUCH money was spent on it. They expect relative rewards I guess

  Cocktail bad? It made GOOD money, very popular, even *I* can watch it and enjoy it, tho the whole genre is a big boring to me. And Roadhouse, while a low leven action piece, well it had Jeff Healey for one thing, and who don't like watching a good bar fight now and then, was a staple of many early westerns.

  COOL WORLD, not he's nuts here. This was easily better than Roger Rabbit on some levels.

   Last Action Heo? another just plain old fun to watch one, with again, GOOD production values. I mean to me a bad movie is bad story, bad script, bad actors, you know. I'd say the SAME thing about Waterworld, Wild Wild West, The Postman and The League of Extordinary Gentleman. I watch hat last one fairly often, great cast. . Lotta fun.

   I ALSO like Simon Sez for much the same reason, The fat guy monk character was a hoot too

   K PAXX, I mean WTF??? that's a great movie. Great Spacey. Hell, American Beauty should be on this guys list come to think of it.

   Resident Evil..ok, for me it's a classic schloky (what do you call this, it's action, but horror? action horror sci fi?) and Mila is as always yummy.

I must be the only one that likes Daredevil and Catwoman.   but I DO.

 

I happen to have Zardoz on my list and it's so bad it's GOOD, PLUS the underlying message it dead on. Saw it with friends at midnight playing teamed with BARBARELLA (how THIS movie did not get on his list I don't know). Stuff like Popeye,   is just fun stuff, but BAD?

 

As to Adam Sandle, yeah I guess for the most part but Spanglish is one of my all time favs and 50 first dates TOO. Eh, call me nuts but I thought Waterboy was amusing :)

 

Bangkok furious, one of Cages stinkers for sure, Find the original low budget THAI version, MUCH better.

 

in closing some of my picks for rarely seen but GOOD movies

Tin Drum, weird but captivating

Darker than Amber a good take on Travig McGhee if you like old B&W kinda film noir detective stuff

After the Rain japanese 1999  Ronin historical stuff but subtle, not your usual take

Go Tell the Spartans 1978 Burt Lancaster it's about our early involement in VN, quite good

Tampopo 1985 this should be enjoyable to anyone who's ever eaten noodle soup and it's funny, lovely under the radar film

Miindo 2008

Red Cliff spectacular "ancient China" movie

 

JaiDee was DEAD ON about Nobody's Fool too (old post but I had to throw it in)

and it was PT Barnum who said you can never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public

and yes The Hangover movies we low level crap but that's because kids like stupid shit. That explains a LOT of stuff.

[Guest JustSumGai]

oh, and Lost in the Wild? that kid was an IDIOT ! Wandered out into hostile Alaska a million miles from nowhere, without a pot to piss in and thought he'd just shoot him a Bambi now and then and be fine. THIN THE HERD. Oughta get a Darwin award. Don't go feelin too sorry for him after you watch the movie. God..such gigantic stupidity. I read up all about him after I saw the film, turns out he died from some fungus or somesuch that was in somethin he picked and ate.

[Guest JustSumGai]

I'll tell you one that sticks in MY mind as an ALL TIME level STINKER. And it was BIG at the time it came out. Passage to India. Totally wasted time in my life and I still do not see HOW it got NEAR production.

Go DL The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or Outsourced if you want to see India. AND enjoy a movie

[pacman]

I found Alpha Dog very depressing, probably because it was likely so very true to life about a certain type of individual that I know exists & I never liked: the alpha male with no empathy.

 

Alpha what? Why don't I know this film? I think if it had a release in Oz (surely it must have), it was on for such a short run that it was gone before I noticed. 

 

As to the genres, I understand in that I really love a good comedy film but:

1- there are hardly any I enjoy, maybe 1 comes out every 2 years

&

2 - comedy is very personal, unlike drama & suspense. 

 

Every two years? I wish that happened. It's getting worse, there hasn't been anything funny for a long time.

 

As to point two, yes, I agree but not just personal, it's culture based. Have you ever had Chinese humour translated? I have no idea what they are laughing at. I get British humour, it can be very dark, very ironic but I also like much of the stuff on American sitcoms. Big Bang, etc are genuinely funny at times. I don't know why they can't replicate it on the large screen.

 

Solaris (the original Russian version by Tarkovsky, warning: this is largely astronauts having conversations about the meaning of their lives on earth, My Dinner with Andre in space, it took a good 30 minutes for me to start get into this one; I haven't seen the Soderberg remake yet);

Sunshine & 28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, both written by Alex Garland);

Children of Men (Cuaron, who also did Gravity, I wonder if Gravity can be enjoyed on a small screen?)

 

An interesting list of films, I haven't seen one of them. My fault, when they were released I was working 7 days a week, who had time to go to the movies?

 

As for Gravity, it benefits greatly from being watched on a large screen in 3D. I'm sure the illusion you get of being in space would be lost in any other format. 

[seven]

 

I did the same, went to see Hangover II 

The first was funny. The 2nd so bad, i downloaded it and fast forwarded to Yasmin Lee and the thai lbs and even that was boring. Is there a 3rd? I hope not. I couldn't stand Bradley Cooper until i watched The Place beyond the pines, where he and Ryan Gosling are both excellent.

[pacman]

ok, don't know WHERE to begin....first off whoever made that list is a MORON. 

 

Everyone's opinion is as valid as the next person. If you enjoyed those movies it is no one else's business. 

 

in closing some of my picks for rarely seen but GOOD movies

Tin Drum, weird but captivating

Darker than Amber a good take on Travig McGhee if you like old B&W kinda film noir detective stuff

After the Rain japanese 1999  Ronin historical stuff but subtle, not your usual take

Go Tell the Spartans 1978 Burt Lancaster it's about our early involement in VN, quite good

Tampopo 1985 this should be enjoyable to anyone who's ever eaten noodle soup and it's funny, lovely under the radar film

Miindo 2008

Red Cliff spectacular "ancient China" movie

 

Good to see a few different choices. I haven't watched one of them. Do you watch foreign films often or just when they pop up on TV?

 

JaiDee was DEAD ON about Nobody's Fool too (old post but I had to throw it in)

and it was PT Barnum who said you can never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public

and yes The Hangover movies we low level crap but that's because kids like stupid shit. That explains a LOT of stuff.

 

Nobody's Fool? Another one that draws a blank. And you're right about PT Barnum, nice to know you read my post. I think the media adopted his slogan. 

 

As for the kids liking stupid shit, so true but so tragic. Some of them will grow out of it, some of them will live their lives without ever having an original thought. I don't go to the places they go.

 

Thanks for posting.

[pacman]

I couldn't stand Bradley Cooper until i watched The Place beyond the pines, where he and Ryan Gosling are both excellent.

 

I get the Brad Cooper reference, he did come across as just a bit too cock-sure when he first arrived. He has lost that in recent movies, I thought he was good in American Hustle. And I like The Place Beyond the Pines, a film I almost passed on seeing. I never saw Silver Linings Playbook, the premise of the film left me cold. I have wondered if I should correct that. I might try & catch it when it arrives on the small screen.

 

Gosling's next movie after The Place Beyond the Pines was Only God Forgives. It was slated by the critics for being derivative & cliched. Very, very cliched from memory. But it's premise intrigued me plus it is set in Bangkok. I saw it & enjoyed it. It has a clunky predictable plot but it does hold the suspense & is very well shot.

 

Gosling is good, Kristen Scott Thomas not so much. She plays the part of his mother, the mother from hell & she hams it up a bit. Without over praising it I recommend it for Dixon to download. It's not Gone With the Wind but I'm guessing he will enjoy it more than that the next time it starts raining. One last thing, if it rains really hard it won't matter, there's hardly any dialogue in it.

[JaiDee]

Nobody's Fool?

  Excellent character study of Paul Newman as a lovable old loser in some crappy little town in upstate New York. He would have been well past 60 in this movie and he looks it,  but that's the whole point;  he's not supposed to be a pretty boy in this one.  Newman also got an academy award nomination for Best Actor.

 

   Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith are also in it, which makes it even more surprising that it didn't get more ink.   But remember,  Americans are generally more interested in seeing explosions and the latest Dark Knight remake than watching some good, old-fashioned, quality character acting.   Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 91% favorable rating, not surprising.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1059487-nobodys_fool/

 

    Another Newman movie you may have missed and which is one of my favorites with him was Absence of Malice.  Sally Fields and Wilford Brimley as well, an excellent movie from 1981 and well worth watching again and again.

 

   Those 2 and Alpha Dog are surely available on Bit Torrent or Netflix.

[JaiDee]

Not sure where else to place this and don't want to start a new thread, but I would HIGHLY suggest watching the History channel show "Vikings."   Seriously one of the best TV shows ever made in my opinion, and whereas I couldn't hang with Game of Thrones I could watch Vikings forever!

 

   They are onn episode 8 of season 2 right now, really good show and highly recommended.  Good cast,  good acting.

 

[Guest JustSumGai]

I've watched thousands of movies I think, which is why I found that "bad" movies list so pitiful, I mean try and find one called Omicron...talk about low budget. It's rare I don't watch a movie all the way tthrough. I grew up in the NYC area in the 60s and we had tons of stuff comin over the air then. Much of it on late night was like Hercules movies, and such...melina mercuri, old wwII flicks, but that market being what it was, ya got a good mix. So I've SEEN some truly bad movies. That list was compiled by someone with a short (young) memory. Btw, I've seen 58 of those movies at least...they rated me a bad movie connisuer. 

     So it's REALLY hard for me to find things to watch now, which is how I got into branching out into foreign stuff. I don't watch horror/slasher/gore movies (much...unless it's got SOME kind of appeal, like Army of Darkness). THAT let's out a TON of recent stuff. One time I went thru the IMDB list of movies made year by year, starting with the 60's I believe, I looked at the top 100 of each year to make sure I did not miss much. I scanned at least 4000 movies. I'd guess horror went from maybe 15% or so to about 30. Really ramped up in 80s.

         The point made about not much of anything funny has been made in years is a GOOD ONE!! Now all they can do is be stupid. Dumb and dumber, etc. Adam Sandler might be in the better end of those.  Now Dogma was funny, but not really a comedy per se. I'm thinking back to the early 70s for the last of the really funny stuff. Being snarky is not comedy. Groundhog day was pretty good. Hmmmm. It's hard to beat stuff like Dr Strangelove or hmmm, I can't even think of one I'd call the funniest of the 70s. Fish Called Wanda was funny.  Now I'm old but I never thought about HOW old until I started finding most movies were just dull, superficial crap with nobodies in em. Tom Hanks first appeared in a sitcom about two guys that fake being girls to get into an all girls building because it was cheaper or something.  Belushi was funny. Chris Farley was not. Just my take as a guy who loves GOOD movies. I thought Tin Men and Tin Cup were funny. hmmm....oh, Raising Arizona...Midnight Run....Analyze This...Grumpy Old Men...The Aristocrats, now what was hysterical...The Terminal, hmmm, maybe only highly amusing.  DAMN few tho for the last 20 or so years

[JaiDee]

. Fish Called Wanda was funny.  

Raising Arizona...

Midnight Run....

 

   These three did what is extremely rare, for myself anyway;  made me chuckle a little bit.

 

       Fish called Wanda is probably my favorite comedy.

[pacman]

Another Newman movie you may have missed and which is one of my favorites with him was Absence of Malice.  Sally Fields and Wilford Brimley as well, an excellent movie from 1981 and well worth watching again and again.

 

Didn't see that either but I would like to correct that. Though once will be enough, I don't watch movies multiple times unless they are truly exceptional. The last one I saw twice was Gravity, before that I can't remember, too long ago.

 

Not sure where else to place this and don't want to start a new thread, but I would HIGHLY suggest watching the History channel show "Vikings."   Seriously one of the best TV shows ever made in my opinion, and whereas I couldn't hang with Game of Thrones I could watch Vikings forever!

 

   They are onn episode 8 of season 2 right now, really good show and highly recommended.  Good cast,  good acting.

 

Best ever? Wow, thanks for the recommendation.

 

It's playing on one of our government funded channels now & it has been highly praised. Maybe they should get you to market it, with a recommendation like that I am sure they would attract a bigger audience. I had every intention to catch it but they put it up against one of the very few programs I watch regardless. Plus I know it will get repeated a few times. Once this channel has bought the rights, they do get their value out of them. 

[pacman]

I thought Tin Men and Tin Cup were funny. hmmm....oh, Raising Arizona...Midnight Run....Analyze This...Grumpy Old Men...The Aristocrats, now what was hysterical...The Terminal, hmmm, maybe only highly amusing.  DAMN few tho for the last 20 or so years

 

Interesting choices. I have seen some, missed most of them. And I agree, there has been slim pickings for the past 20 years. 

 

The Aristocrats is one I completely forgot about. I had to look it up to be reminded what it was about. All the controversy surrounding it came back as soon as i read the synopsis. That is another one I will make an effort to see. You're the first person I have ever come across who saw it. I have never had it confirmed whether it was good, bad or indifferent. Thanks for the nod.

 

 Fish called Wanda is probably my favorite comedy.

 

Wanda is good, Life of Brian is better. IMO. That's not to damn Wanda with faint praise, I really enjoyed it but the Python crew did some great work in Brian. While being crucified, Brian singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. That still tickles me. Silly I know but we like what we like.

[JaiDee]

Of all the TV shows I have seen in recent years I would place Vikings 3rd, behind Breaking Bad and Shameless.

 

    BTW all three shows are absolutely nothing like each other, just really well done and with great acting.

[Guest JustSumGai]

oh yeah, the Aristocrats is priceless. I have it on my external. I mean who can imagine from a film about ONE joke and all the ways it's told. Probably 20 comedians talking about it and and/or telling it. George Carlins version is terrific, but Gilbert Gottfreid had em almost falling out of their chairs telling it at a roast or something. Of all people, Bob Saget mighta told the raunchiest version. The talent in this is fabulous. From Phyllis Diller to Chuck Mc Cann. You'll see. 

[pdogg]

oh yeah, the Aristocrats is priceless. I have it on my external. I mean who can imagine from a film about ONE joke and all the ways it's told. Probably 20 comedians talking about it and and/or telling it. George Carlins version is terrific, but Gilbert Gottfreid had em almost falling out of their chairs telling it at a roast or something. Of all people, Bob Saget mighta told the raunchiest version. The talent in this is fabulous. From Phyllis Diller to Chuck Mc Cann. You'll see. 

I'd like to see it!

 

Saget's is raunchier that Gottfeid's, holy canoli, I'm thinking how is that possible.

 

The only version I have ever heard (not see) is Gottfreid's.

 

Would be interesting to see others.

[JaiDee]

Was talking with some friends last night and I mentioned the movie Rock 'n' Rolla....if you guys have yet to see it I would recommend it, really good Guy Ritchie film from 2008.

[SiamSam]

I hated Rock 'n' Rolla. Truly a depressing piece of shit.

 

Sorry...

[pacman]

If JaiDee recommends it, that's good enough to have a look but I never went to see Rock 'n' Rolla based on some dreadful reviews about it at the time of its release.

 

I think Guy Ritchie is a very over rated film maker. I notice he hasn't done anything for a while. Whether that's because he doesn't need to work or because no one wants to engage him I don't know.

 

If you want to see what he is capable of without all the support staff who can make anyone look good, have a look at Swept Away, the truly awful film he made with Madonna when they were still married. It is abysmal. It sits there as a blot on his record where anyone in the film industry can see what he is really all about. No professional director would want to be associated with it in any shape or form.

 

As an exercise in how not to make a movie, Swept Away can't be beat. It is alarmingly disjointed which no editing can fix. The errors can't be edited out because there wouldn't be enough left in each scene to make any sense. There's an in-joke shared by the cast that starts early in the film & they can't stop grinning or laughing at the end of each take. The only way any director could miss it would be if he was stoned or drunk. 

 

But that's not to say Rock 'n' Rolla isn't a whole lot better. It remains to be seen if Mr Ritchie ever achieves directing success again. Maybe if he gets the best production crew to keep any eye on everything he may just surprise us.

[JaiDee]

I have only seen three movies involving Mr. Madonna;  Lock, stock, two smoking barrels, Snatch and Rock 'n' Rolla.   Liked 'em all.

[JaiDee]

Saw another good movie a couple nights ago called Nebraska......Bruce Dern got nominated for Best Actor playing the role of a cranky old timer who goes back to his hometown for a half-ass family reunion.....well worth watching.

[SiamSam]

Didn't like "Nebraska" however it comes from the same director (Alexander Payne) that gave us great movies like "Sideways", "About Schmidt", "The Descendants" and "Election". I was bored to hell with Nebraska and kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Nothing ever does IMO. 

[dixon cox]

Rock 'n' Rolla

I hated Rock 'n' Rolla. Truly a depressing piece of shit.

 

 

Saw another good movie a couple nights ago called Nebraska.

Didn't like "Nebraska" 

 

Tough crowd JaiDee, don't give up 

 

I think he's waiting for you to suggest 'The Wizard of Oz'... He'd like that one, being a friend of Dorothy.