Weekend Forecast: 6/13/08
By Craig Kennedy - June 12th, 2008; 12:01 am
Hulk SMASH puny summer movies!
Here’s what’s opening wide on Friday the 13th:
- The Happening. Other than the fact that Mark Wahlberg is in it and it’s directed by M. Night Shyamalan, I know exactly nothing about this one. Whatever your opinion about Shyamalan, he’s a guy whose movies you don’t want spoiled. If I’m going to see it, and I might, I’m going to see it knowing nothing about it. I’m even going to act surprised when Wahlberg’s credit comes up. “Marky Mark? No way!”
- The Incredible Hulk. All the proof you need that Hollywood can’t resist a known property is right here. After Ang Lee’s Hulk stiffed critically and commercially (OK, it did make $132 million domestic and another $113 million international, but those are low numbers for a movie with a $137 million production budget…aren’t they?), conventional wisdom suggested we wouldn’t hear from the Jade Giant again any time soon. Well, here we are just five years later. This time Ed Norton is Dr. Bruce Banner, Liv Tyler is Betty Ross, the bad guy is Abomination (played in human form by Tim Roth), and Louis Leterrier (The Transporter) directs. Early reviews are mainly positive though Armond White says “It’s the crappy summer blockbuster Marvelites probably deserve.” Coming from Armond, I’m taking that as a good sign. Count me in.
Limited releases:
- Quid Pro Quo. This one hit LiC radar when it played Sundance. It’s a psychological thriller with Nick Stahl as a disabled reporter investigating the phenomenon of people who desire to be handicapped, some going so far as paying to have healthy limbs removed. Freaky, right? As an extra-added bonus you get Vera Farmiga (The Departed). But don’t just take my word for it, Getafilm thinks you might want to have a look too.
Opening in New York only:
- Beauty in Trouble. Czech comedy-drama from 2006 about a woman torn between a rich man and a poor man. She’s married to the poor man, but her husband goes to jail after stealing a car from the rich man. Those crazy Czechs, I tell ya.
- Chris & Don: A Love Story (LA 7/4). One of a number of films I short listed for last November’s AFI Film Festival but didn’t see. It’s a documentary about the 30-year relationship between Christopher Isherwood (his book, The Berlin Stories, was the basis for the John Van Druten play I Am A Camera which was itself the foundation for the musical Cabaret) and Don Bachardy, the portrait artist 30 years his junior.
- Encounters at the End of the World (6/11). In this documentary, Werner Herzog takes a look at human nature and Mother Nature as they come together at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, the austral summer home of eleven hundred people from the National Science Foundation.
- Kicking It. ESPN Films is releasing this documentary about The Homeless World Cup where teams of homeless people from all over the world have competed for their countries since 2001. The film follows seven players from different countries who are homeless for different reasons and shows what happens when they’re given something to work for and be proud of. It’s a moving reminder that even those at the very bottom of the ladder are only one step away from being off it and that sometimes that first step makes all the difference in the world.
- My Winnepeg. Guy Maddin (The Saddest Music in the World) brings us this self-described “docu-fantasia” about his childhood hometown of Winnepeg, Ontario. Knowing Guy Maddin, it’s going to be a strange trip home. Ann Savage plays his mother.
- To the Limit. Documentary about two men setting out to break the record of speed climbing the 3,000 foot sheer face of El Capitain in California’s Yosemite National Park.
Meanwhile, if you happen to live in or near Austin,Texas:
- Baghead. Eschewing the usual platform release routine, Sony Pictures Classics is releasing this Sundance favorite in Austin before it hits New York and LA on July 25. It’s from brothers Jay and Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair) and I can’t tell if it’s comedy, horror, drama or an odd mixture of all three. Four friends, two men and two women, head off to a secluded cabin in the woods to write a screenplay for a low budget film they can produce and star in. Scary romantic entanglements ensue. Oh and also, someone with a bag on his head may be stalking them.
And finally, opening in Los Angeles:
- Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead. The latest schlocky gem from Troma Films (The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nuke ‘Em High, Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid, Surf Nazis Must Die, etc.) has been playing isolated dates and festivals since 2007. When it began its 5 week (and counting) run in New York, it doubled Speed Racer’s per screen average gross. That’s not raising the bar very high it turns out, but facts are facts. So, what’s it about? Well if you know Troma Films, then the title pretty much tells you all you need to know. If you don’t, you can finally find out if you live in Los Angeles.
Filed under: Upcoming
Related Posts: - Shelter in the Summer Storm
- Someone Told: ‘Tell No One’ Quietly Rakes in the Cash
- Review: Kicking It (2008) ***
- Weekend Forecast: 5/2/08
- Fahrenheit 9/12
A real smorgasbord this weekend.
No desire to revisit the Hulk character after suffering through Ang Lee’s incarnation. The trailers and ads for this seem hellbent on spoiling practically every plot point of it, too; I feel like I’ve already seen it.
It’s kind of fitting that an Edward Norton movie and an M. Night Shyamalan movie are coming out on the same day (Friday the 13th!). Both are, to one degree or another, talented and started out promisingly, but have soured many a person by being raging egomaniacs. Norton should become a director if he wants to essentially be a co-director, and Shyamalan should quit writing screenplays. That would be two steps in the right direction in the universe.
My Winnipeg looks highly interesting. So does Encounters at the End of the World.
Today I saw OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies and Alexandra. LOVED OSS 117. The French rule. Great, bombastically funny comedy. Alexandra is a film that truly needs time to be properly absorbed. It was brilliant and simplistic, deeply emotional and distancing, oddly humorous and strangely depressing, all at once. Speaking of Armond White, his review of the Sokurov film is one of his highpoints for ‘08 thus far.
What does Armond have against Marvel Comics? His reviews are so bilious that I only go there if someone recommends it, so I’ll check out the Sokurov review.
That’s it Alexander, I will go pick up my copy of OSS right now.
I hope you all enjoy Hulk, I know I did, I mean it was fun, I didn’t want anything more.
The Happening….I really love Zooey Deschanel…so that’s my reason and I think it is a good one…I will try to see it tomorrow, because seeing it on Friday the 13th has a certain amount of juvenile novelty to it, any other day and it is just unnecessary torture {an assumption based on the fact that M Night Shamalamadingdong sucks}.
Encounters at the End of the World! Every since Danny wrote about over at Getafilm, I have wanted to see it. I’m sure I will soon.
I am off to see “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” at a press screening, it better be good.
I’ve read THE HAPPENING and I wasn’t impressed, but Shyamalan can do a lot with mood-color me curious. Give Shyamalan this-he’s a legitimate weirdo, and he has talent should he ever decide to get out of his own way.
Looking forward to the Herzog movie, that would probably be my first pick if it was around, its not, unfortunately.
Count me out on HULK, at least at theatre prices. Wake me up should Marvel (or anyone else for that matter) decide to make a picture that isn’t the same connect the dots hero movie that’s been hitting theatres three or four times a year for about the last ten.
So, I’ll probably end up catching Priceless, which is here and The Happening.
“Marky Mark? No way!”
That’s OSCAR NOMINEE Marky Mark to you, Mr. Kennedy - and no, every time I think about it, I can’t believe it either.
Christopher Isherwood? Now there’s a name that rings a bell.
I don’t see a lot of docs (BY CHOICE) but that particular one sounds intriguing. I’ve always been curious about Mr. Isherwood ever since I saw MICHAEL YORK portray the character that was loosely based on him in CABARET.
Why didn’t Michael become a bigger star? He was…um, rather blond…
Considering the clips I’ve seen online, Oscar nominee is not a phrase that will likely come to mind when seeing the acting efforts of Marky Mark on this go-round. It appears he was either wildly misdirected or he completely misread the role.
I already had The Happening willingly spoiled for me because I’m tired of the M Knight twist films and I didn’t want to be tempted once it was obvious this movie was probably going to underwhelm me. Knowing that, I can see why this one is getting roundly panned by test audiences.
Encounters at the End of World is on my Must See and I’m curious about the Hulk, but not rushing out to see it. I expect it to be low-brow popcorn fare. Quid Pro Quo and To the Limit also sound interesting.
I’m in for THE HULK. I’m a sucka for guilty pleasure action flicks, even as the intelligent section of my brain screams at me to go watch something more worthwhile. I’ve managed to skip most of the trailers, so it should be fresh for my eyes.
And on THE HAPPENING, as I mentioned over at Alexander’s blog, I’m willing to give Shyamalan another chance. Even though I hated - HATED - his last two films, my good-will account isn’t completely bankrupt yet. Signs shows so much talent and promise that it is scary. He really could be the next Hitchcock if he would just (as Chuck astutely noted) get out of his own way. I think THE HAPPENING will probably be terrible, but I’m optimistic with my fingers crossed.
Nick, I saw Zooey on Letterman last night…she’s a doll.
And, along with Joel and Chuck and Nick, Herzog’s ENCOUNTERS is at the tippy top of my list. Too bad it will probably be a few weeks before it makes it over to my neck of the woods.
I’ll just have to satisfy myself with THE GRAND. Kill me some bunnies, Werner, kill me some bunnies!!!!!!
Joel, you suspect correctly, Hulk was fun for what is was, which is nothing much.
Just got back from back-to-back press screenings of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “The Happening.”
FSM was so awesome, glad I saw it.
The Happening benefits from one’s low expectations, but it still sucks. But Zooey and Marky Mark where a pleasure to watch, even if I was as confused watching the film as their characters were in the film.
“The Happening benefits from one’s low expectations, but it still sucks.”
Well, my expectations keep sinking ever lower, so perhaps I’ll absolutely love it.
I completely agree with Joel that the Herzog is definitely the one to see for a variety of reasons.
Shyamalan is one director who as of late has critics spewing all kinds of vitrol. Indeed, he is rather an acquired taste, and some never develop those kind of taste buds. I defended THE VILLAGE to the ends of the earth, and I was met by a number of friends with appalled indignation. The film waas atmospheric and ravishingly beautiful, and it boasted a truly great score, and a central performance by Bryce Dallas Howard that was (for me) quite accomplished. I do expect to be confronted here, but I will politely stay back and not vent, like I have done on Awards Daily with paranoic outbursts……….LOL…………..I found LADY was at least passable, but it was critically roasted. I plan on seeing THE HAPPENING on Saturday night. Let’s wait before passing judjement here.
My nine-year old Danny is a huge HULK fan, so I suspect Saturday afternoon is spoken for. This character (and his films) to me are off the charts for annoyance.
Hey Nick…lookey, you’re ahead of the pack on this one!
Anyway, I think M Knight has talent but his scripts seem to benefit from a distinct lack of internal logic. He goes to great lengths to explain certain elements and completely ignores or underplays elements that don’t jive. While I don’t think a script needs to be perfect to make an engrossing film experience, his movies rely so heavily on narrative that those weaknesses destroy my enjoyment.
I do agree though, Sam, that he a master of visual elements, sound design, and mood and that he has a tendency to draw strong performances from his cast. He’s also great at marketing himself and his work.
I’d be more comfortable with prescribing the Hitchcock mantle to him were he a little more consistently rewarding as a filmmaker. Hitchcock made his fair share of flops, but his successes were overwhelmingly amazing.
Joel, “He goes to great lengths to explain certain elements and completely ignores or underplays elements that don’t jive” - you hit the nail on the head man, and for the most part, the same thing happened to the Happening, in my opinion anyway.
“he’s also great at marketing himself and his work.”
How true Joel. how true, that is one nagging truth about him, I must admit. And you perfectly and simply state his real attributes.
Alexander, you wrote a most wonderful and enlightening evaluation of Sokorov’s ALEXANDRE, and it certainly does need to be fully absorbed. For me it is a serious challenger for the year’s top film at this point, with Rivette’s THE DUTCHESS and McCarthy’s THE VISITOR. But I do remember Craig saying it was a film that was easily appreciated immediately, a sentiment others have expressed.
If I elaborated again, I couldn’t possibly express myself as eloquently and as beautifully as Alexander did on this austere and deeply-felt film.
The DVD of ALEXANDRE is out by the way on Region 5, but like all Russian DVDs, it turns out to be all-Region.
I find Mr. White to be snobbish and resistant to a number of very good films, while he likes some stuff that I dislike, but in view of what Alexander says I will read his review here.
From what little I know of the Happening, it sounded like an idea that might work better on paper than on film…but then the script reviews I saw weren’t positive either.
I meant to say above “not easily appreciated immediately” in regards to Alexandre.
Whew! I just made a submission today on Awards Daily after a much-regretted absence, and I got promptly got assulted because I said “I won’t feign excitement over the opening of WALL-E.” Should I take the position that we may have a film that will simultaneously eclipse FANTASIA and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL all in one package???
LOL!!!!! Regardless, AWARDSDAILY is still a great place to be.
Thank you for the very kind words, Sam. Speaking of acquired tastes, Sokurov is one himself in many ways. I never particularly enjoy his films and they usually take a while to become fully engaging, but they always sneak up on you and they often overwhelm you with their profound but simply rendered truths. Alexandra is no different.
Regarding The Village: there’s some kind of pretty great movie buried in there, but it only shows up in flashes, I think. Whether he knew it or not, Shyamalan had (partly) created a stellar allegory about the scary ability of central power to frighten a population through a steady diet of propaganda. So much of that movie falls completely, painfully flat for me–especially anything involving the insipid characterizations of the village idiot, Adrien Brody, Sigourney Weaver (who tries hard) and Jayne Atkinson–but the moments that do work, while few and far between, are haunting. The one moment I always take away from the film was Bryce Dallas Howard–after discovering that the entire enterprise of monsters is farce–being abandoned by the two boys because they’re so irrationally frightened. It was a potent display of the power of myth, tradition and education (read: indoctrination).
Unfortunately, despite that fine gem of a scene and a few others, and strong performances by Howard and Joaquin Phoenix, it’s ultimately a failure because Shyamalan has failed to engage us by that point. (Or at least me.)
Lady in the Water was flat-out horrible. Seemingly botched at every level of creation. Giamatti tries, though.
The indoctrination comment is quite brilliant Alexander as is that entire paragraph, especially the proposal that Shyamalan created unwittingly or not a ’stellar allegory.’ Indeed, your point of view validates that there is a great movie hidden in there.
The final scene was emotionally overwhelming, and perhaps as a result I overlooked some of the film’s inexplicable narrative thrusts. I was also seduced by one of James Newton Howard’s greatest scores and the rapturous cinematic elements so well conveyed by Joel earlier.
Oddly, with Sokuroc, I am least imprssed with RUSSIAN ARK, which ironically, is the film that most people consider his best. This makes your first paragraph commenst even more substantial.
I’ll be at the HULK just to see…
I think M.Night is a great director, less so a writer. I thought UNBREAKABLE pretty awesome until that awful ending. And it might be Bruce Willis’ best performance, especially the opening scene on the train when he’s trying to pick up the woman. It would be a great scene in any movie.
That said, Wahlberg is a real void unless he’s got something to play. I thought he was awful in THE DEPARTED. Scorcese: “Can you yell in every scene, Mark? You have no character to play. Just yell. Oscar be yours.”
Thanks again, Sam. I actually agree with you about Russian Ark. It mostly left me cold, though there were many things about it I admired greatly.
I agree about Wahlberg, Christian, but I’ve never liked him much in anything. I find him remarkably limited. At least in The Departed he played his one note well enough. Maybe Scorsese agrees with me, and just had him play it over and over.
Ahhhhh…where to begin. First off, let me start a fight with Alexander by saying I finally caught up to Ang Lee’s Hulk last night and actually found more to like about it than hate. I may be brewing an actual post on this subject, but the fact that it didn’t quite work as a super hero movie says a lot more about super hero movies than it says about Ang Lee.
I’m seeing the new Hulk this Friday which sounds like they ran as far away from Ang Lee as they could get. That’s fine, if there is 2 hours of carnage, that might be fun. But after this and after Batman (which I’m increasingly skeptical about), I might be finished with the super hero genre for a long long time.
I admit, my summer movie cred is about zero in these parts (Iron Man: Meh. Speed Racer: YEAH!. Indy: Not Bad), but there it is.
Ok, yeah, I can feel a post brewing. I’ve got something to say about the original Superman and the Singer version as well. More for another time. Back to the forecast in part 2…
I agree about Wahlberg in THE DEPARTED. I fell for the film the first time too, but its an empty, nutty, barely coherent exercise, all smoke and mirrors from the increasingly shallow Scorsese.
I love Unbreakable-it also best fits Shyamalan’s inability to write real spontaneous characters who AREN’T being eaten away by some inner something, and Willis is wonderful. The moment when he climbs out of the pool near the end is one of Shyamalan’s strongest moments.
I go back and forth on THE VILLAGE-Sam is right about that powerful score. I want to believe that its some sort of clever metaphor for U.Sheadupitsownassedness, but theme and theme alone does not make a good movie people (something many critics fail to understand.) The Village does have strong moments-the first “attack” on the village, the abrupt final scene, but the picture-like most Shyamalan-HAS NO PULSE. And this isn’t strictly by design-its a weakness and I’m tired of the children who are written as little adults on major depressives. The man needs some range and he needs a story that hangs under the slightest application of common sense.
Though I like SIGNS, and no, the water-alien thing doesn’t matter in the least, though the ending is another story. And I know I’ve said this a few times already, but THE HAPPENING, on the page, is the shallowest thing (to the point of near nonexistence) that Shyamalan has written. Will be interesting to see how far his skill with mood and pretend subtext get him.
No fight here, Craig. My favorite Ang Lee film is still easily Eat Drink Man Woman and I like his Sense and Sensibility, and I tend to see his heavier films (among which I count The Hulk, since he approached it that way) as varying degrees of being overwrought (though usually good) so I’m probably not to be trusted with him all that much myself… But I do remember finding his Hulk rather agonizing.
Why are you increasingly skeptical of the new Batman? I’m actually getting more interested because the marketing has become more multifaceted than “Here’s the Joker!” and it looks like Nolan and company have laid the groundwork for the third film (Harvey Dent).
Back to Alexander. I think we are of a mind on both OSS and Alexandra. I freely admit the latter escaped me though. I’m willing to have another go at it, but the whole time I was looking for something to hang on to and never found it. OSS on the other hand was good breezy fun. Not exactly a side splitter, but enjoyable. What I liked about it as opposed to Austin Powers is that there was no mugging or antics and the lead played the part perfectly…like he didn’t know what he was doing was funny. Also, I think doing the movie period instead of transplanting an outdated character to the modern world ala AP was just the right touch.
Nick, I would fight you for Zooey Deshanel, but since you’re seeing The Happening and I’m not, you win. I bow down to you sir.
As for Shyamalamadingdong. I don’t have a dog in this fight. It feels weird to say out loud that the only movie of his I’ve ever seen was Sixth Sense. Weird, right?
Miranda. I wasn’t bagging on Mr. Wahlberg at all. I liked him a lot in Huckabees. He made me laugh in The Departed.
I also agree with you on Chris & Don. I chatted briefly with the filmmakers while waiting in line for another movie at AFI and they were really excited about it. I meant to catch it, but something else came up both times that it screened. Anyway, I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
Besides the Hulk, I’m aiming at Quid Pro Quo this weekend and I might have to catch up with Bigger Stronger Faster as well, the steriod documentary that does absolutely nothing for me but about which I keep hearing great things.
I guess that’s all I got. I’d have brought more to the table if not for that whole M Night blind spot.
Chuck, I agree about The Village lacking a pulse. It’s the biggest problem with that movie. I understand the whole concept, and why the actors need to be understated for it to work, but there’s just so little to hang your hat on with that film.
And that’s a recurring problem with Shyamalan, and as he becomes shallower and shallower with each film the problem becomes more achingly evident. He seems to work in only one gear, and his movies always have the same tone (dreary, morose, depressed) and his whole shtick has become worn out.
Alexander. I’m skeptical about Batman because I’m increasingly convinced that you really can’t do much interesting with the genre. Most attempts (including this first Nolan film) fall short in some way and when you try too hard to make the comic nerds happy, you get Iron Man which I wasn’t a huge fan of either.
That reminds me I need to go back and give Tim Burton’s Batman sequel another chance. I hated it at the time, but I’m wondering if it’ll turn out to be like Temple of Doom…an underrated gem.
Along those same lines, the original Batman has not aged well at all for me and we won’t even talk about the Schumacher era.
Batman Returns and Ang Lee’s Hulk would be a great double feature.
Interesting that you’ve skipped all Shyamalan movies since The Sixth Sense, Craig. How’d that happen? :-)
The biggest problems I had with Batman Begins were almost all in its final act. Nolan’s handling of the action was at best mediocre, and it just kind of crawled to the finish line. But I suspect he’s learned some valuable lessons. At this point, The Dark Knight and Wall-E (and Kung Fu Panda, which I’m seeing tonight) are really the only “big” summer movies I’m looking forward to. Obviously The Dark Knight is still a “comic book movie,” but Nolan has said that the template for the film was partly Heat, and this Batman sequel does kind of look like a crime epic of sorts. I just hope Nolan can continue his themes started mainly in Memento, as he did with Begins. It’s pretty neat how he’s added heft and gravitas to this character while continuing his own apparent obsessions.
The Burton Batman movies have aged pretty poorly in many ways, though they still have their charms. Especially the dark sequel, which is a much more interesting movie than the ‘89 take. Schumacher was, of course, a disaster.
Edit: I’m sort of, kind of, just a little, looking forward to The X-Files movie… and dreading it all at once…
That’s an excellent idea Chuck. I’m thinking of rewatching Hulk before I right about it so that would be great….and perfect preparation for this mythical post I keep talking about.
I’m still going to catch X-Files Alexander, the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with Mulder and Scully is just too good to pass up, though as we’ve talked about before, my expectations are modest. I’ll be happy if it doesn’t suck and helps cleanse the bad taste of how the show ended up out of my mouth.
And I’m not prepared to write off Batman yet. I’m just skeptical is all. If it’s 31 flavors of awesome, it may rehabilitate my flagging faith in the genre.
Also, as for the Shyamalan thing, I spent large chunks of my movie loving life mostly ignoring new movies. Strange, I know.
Late again…busy week…
I actually, quite possibly, might not make it into a theater this weekend, setting myself up for some night shifts next week. I still need to see Roman de Gare. Interested in Jellyfish due to positive reviews, but will probably skip The Promotion. I also probably won’t make it to The Rape of Europa. I know Justin liked that some time ago.
Have to do Hulk and Happening. No trailer views, nothing. Might have to tiptoe around The Watercooler.
I really think Quid Pro Quo should be seen with as little prior knowledge as possible. Just know that it’s not quite as perverse as it sounds, which, depending on your taste, could be good or bad.
So glad you liked OSS, Alexander! I tried to see it twice at the festival last month. Biggest laughs: slicking his hair back during breakfast in bed.
I forgot Encounters was opening so soon - I don’t think we get it for a month so I’m sitting on my review. I’ll never forget one sequence underwater. It’s just insane, at least for those of us who haven’t been scuba diving under the South Pole. Here’s my sneak preview, with a link to the trailer that was released last week. Crazy soundtrack, too.
Just a general comment: you’re all amazing cinephiles who week after week continue to make this the place to be. I miss it when I’m missing it.
Always good to have you around Daniel.
I think Unbreakable is a great film about the role that belief plays in the creation of identity. In some way, all of his films have dealt with the theme of belief, even if they seem to come from different places. The thing about Unbreakable is that Willis and Jackson recover all sorts of typewriter-y lines. It really is something tthat acting students ought to watch and examine.
Chuck, I’d have to strongly disagree with you on The Departed, but let’s just leave it alone. I’m tired of being the apologist on that movie.
As for the Hulk and Batman Returns, I’ve seen each only once which should tell you a lot about how I feel about them. To my recollection, I liked what the director’s were TRYING to accomplish with a more cerebral redefinition of either character, but the end didn’t justify the means. Lee’s need to “visualize” a comic book and the ham-handed Father/Son conflict, especially that bizarre third act, was just too much.
My gripe with both of Burton’s Batman films is that he tried to mix too much of the zany TV show into the darker elements of the comic book. In both his Batmans, the villiains have great origin stories but they each devolve into a series of site gags and cheesy one liners. The fact that this goofy conceptualizing of Batman’s rogues gallery lead Schumacher to ignore the comic book completely and just dive headfirst into Superfriends Saturday morning cartoon territory proves how off Burton’s take really was.
Sorry, but some movies just get it wrong, no matter how well-intentioned they are.
Nolan’s Batman Returns does suffer from a very weak and silly third act, but at least he’s got the right take on it from the beginning. I’m hoping Dark Knight doesn’t disappoint.
Don’t worry Joel, I’ve got your back on Departed.
No disrespect intended Joel, the departed is phenomenally entertaining from scene to scene, I just feel that the critics went a little haywire at the time. I know I did. And my candidate for that film for 2007 would be Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, which I fully admit that I flipped for. Doesn’t hold up well.
One more here for Departed, which I think was Scorsese’s best since The Age of Innocence.
I get your point, Chuck. I revisited Grindhouse on DVD and while I still enjoyed it, much of my initial enthusiasm wore off once the jokey, satirical aspect had lost its shock value. I still like it, but I probably wouldn’t have included it my Top 2007 films in retrospect, at least not the Planet Terror half.
I saw “Unbreakable” on the first date I ever went on {I was in 4th grade}, and what I did see of the film, I hated.
Death Proof gets better and better every time I see it.
Planet Terror remains what it is, which is all right.
I think The Departed is Scorsese’s best since The Age of Innocence and/or Casino, but I find that’s not redoubtable praise. His stuff between hasn’t held up at all for me and even The Departed has significant issues holding it back, especially when revisited (the totally unbelievable device that is the Vera Farmiga character, for instance).
Heh heh…nice way to change the subject Nick. My first ever date movie was Jaws 3 in 3-D. Wow, what an awful movie that was. Date didn’t really go all that well either…
My first date movie was The Phantom Menace.
What a bizarre experience.
“what I did see of the film, I hated” hahahah. Nick, you player you.
I was a late bloomer with the whole dating thing. No Country for Old Men. Kidding.
Factually, I don’t remember what the first one was, I was so stressed about whether I should try to hold her hand or put my arm around her (I didn’t…schmuck) it’s all a blur. Sad, but true.
The first one I really remember was Die Hard. A strange date movie, but she picked it. We were both Moonlighting fans. Maybe I should’ve married that one…
I loved “The Sixth Sense,” I really like “Unbreakable” a lot, didn’t care much for “Signs,” and hated “The Village.” I never saw “Lady in the Water,” but if that progression is any indication…
Oh well, I’m still holding out hope for “The Happening.” We’ll see…
“Oh well, I’m still holding out hope for “The Happening.” We’ll see.”
The cards are severely stacked against us Matthew. Although we all have discussed the marginal value of a site like RT, there is still the hard, abysmal facts, which have the film at 12%. Few major releases ever sink to that number, making this one of the worst-review films of all-time.
True, critics and reviews can’t always be trusted. But I can’t remember in my life if I ever disagreed with a concensus that bad….ever.
I’ll just throw stuff out as I’m sashaying along…
I saw THE DEPARTED seven times in the theatre. Own it. Love it. Think it’s first tier Scorsese or bloody well close to it. It’s the great operatic tone and the performances that get to me - and the last 15 minutes are just a fabulous joy. It’s like clockwork but there’s nothing mechanical about it at all. It just FLOWS.
Never have I attended a film with such a heartrending (technically) tragic ending and left the theatre with an unrelenting smile on my face.
But then I have all six seasons of THE SOPRANOS, GOODFELLAS and THE GODFATHER TRILOGY at hime. So I’m used to these denouements and odd reversals of fortune.
Like you, Craig, I’ve only seen The Sixth Sense out of Shyamaladingdong’s (GOD, that cracks me up - wasn’t Danny using that term too at some point?) filmography. I ONLY saw that because it attracted serious awards attention. I didn’t care for it and I’ve avoided him since.
I don’t dig this big mysterious build up/twist ending BS unless it’s done well and there’s a substantial payoff involved. From what I’ve gathered from most, he’s not a particularly good filmmaker OR writer. So why waste my precious time?
I, for one, am REALLY looking forward to Batman. There will be a flurry of articles at my site dedicated to just that as the release of THE DARK KNIGHT draws closer. I’ve been a huge Batman fan since I was a little girl. Dark, brooding sensibilties draw me in. (Could be the Irish thing. Plus Catwoman and I were no doubt separated at birth.)
Burton’s original movie (the KEATON/NICHOLSON pair off) is a glorious masterpiece. Barely edges out Nolan’s BATMAN BEGINS in terms of being essential. But that’s just a personal preference. It could almost be a coin flip. For what they are - and for what they aspire to be - I think they’re both extraordinary films. I guess I adore Burton’s bombastic poetry a little more than Nolan’s hard edged semirealism.
The only other one that I own is BATMAN FOREVER. True, it’s kind of half baked. Val’s good but he’s no Michael Keaton. But I love Nicole’s Dr. Chase Meridian in that. Glamourous, upstanding medical practicioner who’s trying to shamelessly seduce Batman?
God, I am SO THERE…
My ACTUAL first date (as in real one, none of this boring kid stuff) was - I kid you not - a screening of ANNIE HALL in the 90s. Couldn’t have done better than that, I don’t think.
It’s kind of set the tone for everything that followed…
The Departed. This is why I like you Miranda, for every thing we disagree on, there are at least two we’re on the same page. And you really get certain things in the same way: Departed and TWBB spring to recent mind.
“I don’t dig this big mysterious build up/twist ending BS unless it’s done well and there’s a substantial payoff involved.” You strike me as a woman who likes to know what she’s being promised and to have it live up to the advertisement, no f’ing around. :)
“You strike me as a woman who likes to know what she’s being promised and to have it live up to the advertisement, no fucking around…”
Oh God yes. In every way imaginable.
There are two gentlemen reading this now (I guarantee it) who know precisely what that’s all about. Believe me. I can forgive wasted time. But if things are never gonna be the way I want them, don’t expect me to wait around for one precious second. Life goes on. But it can’t ever be the same.
This is why I adore you, Craig. I think I always will.
I don’t have these retarded hassles with you. Let’s just say that I’m REALLY looking forward to living in LA.
First date movie?
FLASHDANCE.
Bad date, worse movie.
It was the first film I saw where I said, “It’s over? There is no story and that was totally fucking stupid.” I lost the girl and Bruckheimer lost me. A fair trade.
Don Simpson to Jerry Bruckheimer: “Jerry, I’ve got it. We’ll take this crapass chick flick about the girl welder with love troubles, we’ll make her a stripper so the boyfriends and husbands will want to see it, then we’ll juice it up with that MTV the kids are watching these days and bango…a four quadrant hit. Also, I’ve got this gay fighter pilot picture I want to talk to you about. If we can trick the frat boy crowd into thinking it’s macho, we’re half way there…”
First date movie: Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers. It prolly should have been a sign that I thought the movie was more interesting than the guy (and yup, for those doing the math, that makes me a late-bloomer as well, I was older than Nicky is now). Although technically, there was one before that: I was supposed to go see Spiderman with this other guy, but when I showed up he was still in his PJ’s, we missed the movie and ended up watching the first half of the Godfather at his place instead. Not a big success.
About Shyamaladingdong, I’ve watched almost all his films (just not Lady in the Water), but all of them more or less accidentally. He’s good at atmospherics, but he’s not a good writer.
As for Batman: I’ve always loved the Burton ones, especially the one with Catwoman (meow). I liked Batman Begins, but I never revisited it after seeing it in the cinema, except for about 15 minutes when it was on TV the other day. It was good, just a bit… humorless? And it comes apart at the end, alas.
Late bloomers rule, and so does Nick for kicking off the First Date Movie thread.
Now that we on this thread, I fondly remember my first date with my wife Lucille. It was THE FLINTSTONES in 1994, followed by sunsequent dates with WYATT EARP and SPEED. At that time, I agreed to the multiplex routine. LOL. We married in July of 1995.
I’ve never been a late bloomer with anything, though I’m sure it’s totally cool to be one. .
There are too many people waiting for me to lead.
I’m not at all surprised that the lovely Hedwig has an appreciation for Catwoman.
I feel terrible bringing this up. Especially since I sincerely would not want to contribute to someone’s memory of adolescent angst. Particularly if the person in question had been enormously sweet and lovely to moi.
But…I really love FLASHDANCE. I own it. I’d actually give it three stars.
It’s sexy as hell, the costumes are flamboyantly gorgeous, it has some decent music and JENNIFER BEALS gives a much more charismatic performance than she has to in a low budget movie that’s this slight.
You have to remember. I’ve always adored dance. This flick was on at a single screen when I was a preteen. it was a mini festival and they showed musicals for about a month. My friends and I weren’t interested in The Sound Of Music (*vomits*), Funny Face or The Band Wagon. We wanted to see FLAHSDANCE and Footloose. It was the 90s after all. But I did see CABARET there as well.
I went to FLASHDANCE four times in one week. Just couldn’t get enough. I know that a lot of people think it’s just garbage - and I really CAN understand why. But it’s partly a nostalgia trip for me and partly that it just caught my fancy.
It will always mean a great deal to me. There are some things that have a certain impact in your life. Really isn’t any rhyme or reason to them. At all.
For sure this won’t be a popular opinion and I do hope sincerely that no one is upset by anything that I’ve stated here.
For the record, Shyamaladingdong is 100% Craig Kennedy. And 101% fantastic.
Okay. I can safely say that I have found a man who has vastly more contempt for his audience than Michael Haneke, at his most pretentious and bludgeoning, ever could.
After experiencing the complete disaster that is The Happening, I’m convinced that the M. in M. Night Shyamalan stands for Megalomaniacal.
It truly is the worst of the worst that I have seen from this year thus far.
And it’s much worse than Lady in the Water. For one thing, Giamatti tried hard and was at least watchable. Wahlberg practically put me to sleep. In fact, there wasn’t a good/decent/remotely interesting performance in this thing.
Shyamalan’s writing becomes dramatically more disconnected from the rest of humanity with each passing movie.
Damn you, Curiosity…
Damn, and there’s a rumor that he may do the live action film version of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I’m going to cry if it turns out to be true.
lol. thanks Daniel. I’m 100% sure I could easily have picked it up from anywhere so even if you’re not the source I consider it to be in the public domain rather than an LiC original.
Bad news about Happening Alexander, though I think you’ll find monday morning that Sam somewhat disagrees. My sense was he was ok with it.
Alison. Much of Shyamalan’s problem (and I’m taking this from what other people have said, not experience) seems to come from the writing. Perhaps if he’s rooted to a pre-existing story he’ll be better.
Having said that, I hope he doesn’t screw it up too.
Well, I’m glad that we’ve established that Shyamaladingdong is actually in the public domain and NOT an LiC original. Though I jumped on the bandwagon with it as I thought it was deliciously hysterical (and too funny NOT to pass up) I did think about all of that later.
As I stated previously, I’ve only seen The Sixth Sense and I’ve never viewed any of the other offerings that Mr. Shyamalan’s worked on. It wasn’t necessarily terrible. But it wasn’t to my taste. If I’m completely honest with myself, I would say that judging by that particular film he certainly showed the potential for something more.
But I was never really tempted to see any of his other films. The impression that I got from reading reviews (and talking to other people) is that the stories may have been technically diverse but the set up is always identical: weird, strange, offputting universe that the characters are plunked into for whatever reason, BIG BUILD UP, twist ending. If ALL of a director’s films are going to possess exactly the same tone with the identical steps (with NO variation - he’s never heard of comedies or musicals or war pictures?!) then don’t expect me to break my neck in my anxiety to see them.
There’s not a lot of creativity or originality in that scenario, to my mind.
I don’t know the man, obviously. But in interviews that I’ve read he comes off as having a very strong ego and being rather full of himself. Perhaps he’s been misquoted or misrepresented. But I get that impression EVERY TIME I read something about him. So I’m not sure but…
Anyway, I did read that he was very upset because he met Glenn Close at one of these awards ceremonies. He just about popped a blood vessel because she mispronounced his last name. He felt that he was suffiicently well known by this time that it should never have happened.
So, in the interest of protecting my good friends here at LiC, PERHAPS we shouldn’t continue calling him (I can’t help it - I’m starting to laugh now - it’s too FUNNY) Shyamaladingdong.
We never know who might be reading…