Three somewhat obscure movies, everyone should see

[JaiDee]

heh heh,   as always DC it's all a matter of opinion.......some people have recommended absolute stink bombs which I watched and couldn't believe I sat through 2 hours of that rubbish.

 

Then I recommend stuff and some people don't like it.....mai pen rai ........we all have our own interests.

 

  I thought Nebraska was well-done.....very dry, it's just a character study of an old guy heading into his twilight years.  Kinda like Nobody's Fool  but with an older guy and in B&W.

[JaiDee]

Maybe this 5-minute clip from Rock 'n' Rolla will give people some incentive to watch it; or not!

 

If you think you'd like cheeky British gangsters ripping off Commies,  insane Russian war veterans chasing them, Thandie Newton for eye candy, Gerard Butler, Idris Elba {Stinger Bell from The Wire}  or Tom Wilkinson as actors, you may like it.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzfNxQBr6Q4

[pdogg]

.

Swept Away

I remember enjoying the Wertmuller original though maybe would be bored the second time around.

[Hefe]

Swept Away... wow does that bring back memories of the 70s! (The original, wonder how it holds up?)

 

Not a fan of Guy Ritchie either, not to pile on, Lock STock &... was ok. But I can never forgive him for Revolver, what a POS! For his sins he deserved to be married to Madonna.

[pacman]

I remember enjoying the Wertmuller original though maybe would be bored the second time around.

 

I'm sure you would be bored, it was good but not that good.

 

Swept Away... wow does that bring back memories of the 70s! (The original, wonder how it holds up?)

 

The original is 40 years old, I don't think it would hold up too well at all. I remember I enjoyed it despite the overlaid dialogue. It didn't have the polished feel of a big budget production but it is a work or art compared to the nonsense Ritchie made. I still maintain he had to be stoned not to see the faults during the making of his version.

 

Or maybe he was getting even with his wife for something.

[pacman]

Maybe this 5-minute clip from Rock 'n' Rolla will give people some incentive to watch it; or not!

 

Wow! Great clip! I can see the attraction, for anyone wanting some escapist fantasy entertainment, that delivers in spades. Just why someone didn't use a gun to finish off one side or the other, I can't say. Actually I can say, that would not have allowed the violence to go on for so long & that's fine but it can get a little wearisome.

 

Comparing the production values in that clip to those of Swept Away I understand why the studios employ people to "knock the footage into shape". Clever editing, astute use of sound effects, it all comes together to create the finished product that the director is then credited with making a wonderful film.

 

I am not suggesting that Mr Ritchie is alone here, all film makers rely on the backroom staff for the finished movie but is there any connection with his abilities & his lack of output over the past...   what? ..   10 years? The film financiers know where to put their money, either Mr Ritchie hasn't had a worthwhile project to promote or he is not someone they wish to back. 

 

I don't know how he is perceived by those in the industry but from my limited perspective he still needs to make something more worthy before I sing his praise. I do hope he delivers, I will be the first to say I was wrong.

[pacman]

Me and old Kahuna talk off and on about movie recommendations to one another. Recently, he turned me on to 2 movies, I'd never heard of, that turned out to be great. Both from director Guy Ritchie. So, I scanned a list of all his movies and found one more and after seeing it suggested it back to Kahuna,. Anyone who likes movies such as Tarantino or the Coen Bros put out, will probably like these movies.

If you are not English, subtitles would be a good suggestion too. :)

Kahuna ranked them as follows:

Snatch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snatch_(film)

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock,_Stock_and_Two_Smoking_Barrels

RocknRolla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RocknRolla

I would flip flop the top two in my rankings. But all well worth seeing. Anyone else seen any of these movies and have an opinion? I watch a fair amount of movies and until Kahuna mentioned them a couple months ago, I'd no knowledge of any of them.

 

I have been reminded of this post, the very first post that started this thread some 65 pages ago. Ironically it appears that the object of my derision is the reason why the thread exists. And I have also been reminded that Guy Ritchie's films have enjoyed much success & made a lot of money. I need to redress my opinion of the guy, or at least his abilities to make a successful film

 

Nothing worse than fuckin' Mockney films directed by that fuckin' mockney cunt Guy Twitchy!

 

 

Thank you brother Lung.....guy ritchie,definitely on my hunt down and kill list.

 

A couple of posts subsequent to the initial post. I am not the only person here with a distaste for Mr Ritchie. I'll let Lung & Willie's posts speak for themselves. Others are invited to offer their own thoughts.

[JaiDee]

As I've said, I enjoyed all 3 of those movies more than once.

 

  Guy Ritchie seems to have his share of detractors, not sure why.......his stuff sure is a helluva lot better than a lot of American directors.

 

Great song by The Subways accompanies this short clip.

 

 

[pacman]

Now for a really obscure movie  -  Wadjda.

 

I completely resisted any thought of going to see the first film out of Saudi Arabia made by a Saudi female no less. The story line is so lame, it's about a 10yo girl who yearns to own a bicycle. Her only chance is to enter a Koran memory contest. I would equate that with sticking pins in my eyes but a couple of positive reviews slowly started to bring me around.

 

I went & saw it & loved it. Please note I am not giving a blanket recommendation, I think anyone who finds slow movies boring will find this unbearable. But as an insight into Saudi Arabia & the way their repressive religion impacts on life, this says more than 100 newspaper articles. 

 

What I found amusing is at the start of the film there is a list of Arab corporations who helped fund the film. (I read the major funding came from a German group). Anyway, these Arab money men must have thought they were doing something positive for the image of the Middle East & of the lot of women & girls in Saudi Arabia. The film hasn't been blocked anywhere as far as I know but what these money men have either missed or don't know is that the film is a terrible indictment on the life endured by women & girls.

 

School life for a 10yo girl is pitiful. Their lives are wasted in the pointless reading of the Koran over & over & the quite ridiculous rules they have to obey. One plump thing is called out for having married on their day off. It's just incredible, the other girls are all tittering about whether he'e handsome & how old he is. He turns out to be 20 but there's not a word of protest, they just sit there like it's normal. 

 

And Wadjda's mother is torn between spending all her money on a "sexy" dress in order to keep her husband from marrying another wife. Husband doesn't want another wife, his mother is demanding it because the first wife hasn't given him a son. And husband can't afford to keep two wives so one of them has to take a back step. At least the first wife made a nice meal for her replacement, not that she was allowed to share it with them. 

 

You couldn't make this stuff up! It is barbarism dressed up to look normal. 

 

It wasn't the plot that kept my interest, it was this insight that I had only surmised but never had confirmed about life in Saudi. I was expecting the film to be a white wash, that life would be made to look wonderful. I think the authorities who approved this film for general release probably do think it's fair. But the film takes an almighty strike at the sad quality of life for those stuck in that shithole & the ridiculous religion that demands it.

 

And all in a movie about a girl wanting a bicycle. Who could imagine such a banal subject could be so subversive? Obviously not those Arab organisations who put money towards it. 

[Torurot]

The QATSI trilogy.

These movies only have a sound track, no dialogue and each one ends

where it starts. "essays of visual images and sound which chronicle the destructive impact of the modern world on the environment." It's many years since I have seen them but Powaqqatsi

is particularly memorable. At least one may be available on youtube

Powaqqatsi

Koyaanisqatsi

Naqoyqatsi

http://www.koyaanisqatsi.org/films/naqoyqatsi.php

[Hefe]

If you're in the mood, or stoned, Koyaanisqatsi is unforgettable. Haven't seen the 3rd one yet.

[JaiDee]

The QATSI trilogy.

These movies only have a sound track, no dialogue and each one ends

where it starts. "essays of visual images and sound which chronicle the destructive impact of the modern world on the environment."

 

  Why on earth would I need to see something like that when my good friends at FOX & Friends tell me that people have NO destructive impact on the modern world?

 

    As usual, I will go with The Donald and Steve Doocy over scientists and filmmakers any day of the week.

 

  By the way, happy to see you have found this forum Torurot,  it's been a while

[Torurot]

Why on earth would I need to see something like that when my good friends at FOX & Friends tell me that people have NO destructive impact on the modern world?

As usual, I will go with The Donald and Steve Doocy over scientists and filmmakers any day of the week.

By the way, happy to see you have found this forum Torurot,  it's been a while

The Qatsi's are not new, ~30 years so things have had many years to get worse rather than better. Your "mates" over at Fox (the spin begins here) are an evil lot. Drowning would be too good for them! Talk about a brain washing machine for the masses

Thanks for the welcome, I've been lurking, but it's about time I came out and livened things up. :-)

[Hefe]

Welcome!  

[JaiDee]

Torurot was a LONG-time poster on the old TLF forums, great to see he has joined us here! 

[SiamSam]

Torurot was a LONG-time poster on the old TLF forums, great to see he has joined us here! 

 

Ah yes . I thought I saw that avatar before and now I remember Torurot from TLF. 

 

Yes welcome Torurot. Good to have you aboard.

[pacman]

Thanks for the welcome, I've been lurking, but it's about time I came out and livened things up. :-)

 

We've crossed paths on many a thread, glad to have you here. I might need back up the next time I want to support a conspiracy theory, there's a couple of BMs here who don't believe them.

 

Imagine that!         

[JaiDee]

 I might need back up the next time I want to support a conspiracy theory, there's a couple of BMs here who don't believe them.

 

 

 

  Actually, I believe there is a conspiracy here amongst guys who *say* they don't believe in conspiracy but actually do, trying to hide the truth from the guys in here who DO believe in conspiracy theories! Make sense?

[Torurot]

"My dear, and recently departed, Washington friend, John Judge, liked to say that if you want to call him a “conspiracy theorist” you have to call others “coincidence theorists”. "

[pacman]

  Actually, I believe there is a conspiracy here amongst guys who *say* they don't believe in conspiracy but actually do, trying to hide the truth from the guys in here who DO believe in conspiracy theories! Make sense?

 

As there are only a few of us who bother to engage in discussion about conspiracies, I can only assume you refer to yourself.

 

Is this your way of "outing" yourself JaiDee?         

 

Welcome to the real world....       

 

"My dear, and recently departed, Washington friend, John Judge, liked to say that if you want to call him a “conspiracy theorist” you have to call others “coincidence theorists”. "

 

I love that. I remember JD or someone throwing out a challenge one time for those who support conspiracy theories to offer an example. I regret not responding, there are several theories that are incontrovertible IMO. 

 

The scandal involving the tobacco companies covering up the truth about the dangers of smoking is a classic case involving thousands of people who knew what was happening. That conspiracy lasted 30 or more years.

 

And my all time favourite involving TWA Flight 800, supposedly blowing up en-route from NYC to Paris. The story goes that the fuel tank blew up. As I have told the story before I happened to meet the head of TWA maintenance who had retired & was holidaying in Europe. During introductions I told him I hoped they had sorted out whatever was causing the fuel tank of a jumbo jet to blow up.

 

He told me the whole story about how the US airforce were doing live firing exercises off the coast & one of the missiles missed its target & hit their plane. Clinton was President at the time & an elaborate cover-up was swung into action.

 

Now 18 years later we still haven't had the truth confirmed despite all the internet chat about what happened. I would call that a conspiracy & those who don't believe it are in complete denial.

[JaiDee]

 

He told me the whole story about how the US airforce were doing live firing exercises off the coast & one of the missiles missed its target & hit their plane. Clinton was President at the time & an elaborate cover-up was swung into action.

 

 

 

  

[pacman]

re: post 596

 

Are you suggesting I didn't meet the retired head of TWA maintenance or are you saying his story is made up & Flight 800 really did have an exploding fuel tank?

 

I have a heap more information he told me that I don't feel like putting on the net. I don't want to cause either of us trouble.

[JaiDee]

Just giving you some good-natured shit,  Paccers.....

 

As usual,  your friend or yourself should submit your findings, collect your pulitzer prizes and become world-famous.

[pacman]

Just giving you some good-natured shit,  Paccers.....

 

Ahh, sarcasm eh? Sorry I missed it, I'm not used to irony from Americans...       

 

As usual,  your friend or yourself should submit your findings, collect your pulitzer prizes and become world-famous.

 

It's a wonderful story that I feel so lucky to have heard. Unfortunately I won't be repeating it at a Congressional hearing any time soon. I have no proof to confirm what I was told. The retired TWA chap was so worried about telling it to me that he insisted we don't share contact details & I was not to know his surname. But we did spend several hours together where he explained everything. We even went & had lunch after, he & his wife & me & the girl I was travelling with.

 

There's a point, she's now a Professor at a West Coast US university & she heard it all too. I will keep an eye out for her name in case she ever decides to go public. I will be very happy to offer my support.

[Torurot]

As "conspiracy" theories run the relevant TLA will be after Mr Pacman for imminent "elimination". Collateral damage doesn't care who you are and with Mr A Abbot so far up the backside of Uncle Sam, and the media so "slack" Mr Pacman would vanish without trace or media mention. I hope this sites servers are located in a neutral country. Things can leak, ask Mr Snow Den!