The Watercooler: 7/21/08
Many pairs of these were soiled over the weekend.
Were yours?
So, we have a little deal around here Monday mornings called the Watercooler. The monkeys and I sit round in our robes and slippers sipping cappuccinos and comparing notes about the weekend’s cinematic adventures. You’re invited, particularly if you bring cinnamon rolls or croissants or bagels or something. Actually, you’re welcome if you have anything movie related to share at all. Without you, this joint doesn’t exist.
I’m guessing a lot of you caught The Dark Knight this weekend. Feel free to speak your mind, though I’d encourage you to save spoilers for the actual review which went up yesterday. Though the box office suggests everyone saw the film over the weekend, I know there are still a few holdouts who aim to see it.
For those of you who want to wait until you’ve seen it before reading the review, I’ll say right now it’s the best movie of its kind. It’s so dense with things to think about though, I really need to see it again. Similar to what I did with 3:10 to Yuma last year (and had intended to do with other films), I might have to revisit The Dark Knight in future posts. It’s one that will stand up to deeper analysis.
Oh, here’s a thing: sitting two chairs down from me at the Cinerama Dome screening of The Dark Knight on Friday, there was this John Milius looking character with one of those khaki utility vests with all the pockets and a too-tall-and-square baseball cap. He sat two chairs down from me and spent the whole movie grinning and hooting and clapping like a demented 8th grader every time something would get blown up. Yeah buddy, that exploding hospital was awesome. High five, wingnut.
Sunday night I headed over to the Sunset 5 for a screening of Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired. It’s almost impossible to separate Polanski’s crime from the details of how he was tried, but that’s what this film attempts to do. It largely succeeds in my opinion though unfortunately it doesn’t go far enough in indicting either the legal system or the media. Beyond that, it was an illuminating film that had details of the case and the trial I wasn’t aware of.
The last topic of conversation: ads. I’ve resisted them since the very beginning, but as you can see I’m starting a little experiment. I continue to be torn about them for many reasons, but consider them a baby step into making LiC my only full time commitment. That would be good for me and it would be good for LiC. Having said that, I don’t like whoring out the thing I love. At all. We’ll see how it goes. In the mean time, feel free to let me know what you think about it publicly or privately.
That’s enough from me. Now it’s your turn.
Filed under: Watercooler
Tags: Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, The Dark Knight
I saw The Dark Knight on Friday. Tremendous experience with, I think, the most vociferous, passionate crowd for a newly released film I’ve ever been a part of. Can’t wait to see it again, if for nothing else to get a firmer grasp on it, and also because it’s just riveting entertainment.
Saturday, an old Alain Delon French film with the American title Have I the Right to Kill. It was an engrossing, deliberate political thriller/melodrama about a former French legionnaire who’s hired by a terrorist group to kidnap a woman, with whom he eventually falls in love. It’s one of those films that grows on you the more you think about it.
Sunday, an old noir I Wake Up Screaming with Victor Mature and Betty Grable. Flawed, but it’s probably one of the more underrated noirs since it at least partly spearheaded the “look” of noir (it’s from 1941, and visually it looks a whole heck of a lot more like an archetypal noir than, say, The Maltese Falcon from the same year.
Then I saw Sidney Lumet’s Tennessee Williams adaptation, The Fugitive Kind, again, with Marlon Brando, Joanne Woodward and Anna Magnani. It’s a rather unloved film, but it’s worth a look. Brando and Magnani both give pretty strong performances; there are a lot of problems with the adaptation, but Lumet’s direction of the actors is impressive nonetheless.
And that’s it.
Grr. I mean, grrrrr… Sorry, don’t mean to be moody, but come on! Almost all big movies are released simultaneously now…why not The Dark Knight? The first possible screening I can go to is this Wednesday night, and since that’s the ONLY screening that day in Utrecht (pop: 300.000), guess how my odds are…
Ok, enough grouching. I saw The Bank Job on Saturday, and thought it was fairly entertaining. And yesterday there was another bad movie day, although only the first one was really the type of film we want for those days: Cool as Ice, with Vanilla Ice, which offered almost unlimited opportunities for mockery and sarcastic comments. Then Fatherland (not as campy as you expect an obscure Rutger Hauer movie to be), and Quatermass and the Pit, which was just…weird.
But who cares! I want to have seen TDK…. I’ll just go sit over here in the corner and pout now.
‘Fairly entertaining’ sounds about right re: The Bank Job to me. I love Quatermass and the Pit though, as crazy British sci-fi films go.
I saw Dark Knight, which I liked but I feel like my opinion is too bogged down by hype and expectations to firmly get a grasp on. Other than that I also saw the not-very-good 1984 Italian horror movie Rats: Night of Terror, which ends (SPOILERS!) with the revelation that the Earth’s new rulers are a race of intelligent, man-sized rodents. Shocking!
I saw Rats: Night of Terror about six months ago or so. “Not-very-good” is a bit charitable… The rodent twist failed to blow my mind.
Fatherland is okay. I need to see Quatermass and the Pit, though, darn.
Sucks about The Dark Knight in Utrecht, Hedwig.
I saw “Bustin’ Down the Door,” another doc about surfing, then I saw “The Bank Job” which was fun, and then “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane” which I really enjoyed as well.
And yeah, I dug “The Dark Knight” as well.
I’m certain there were a number of baseball cap wearing John Milius characters in theatres across the nation hooting and clapping, and such is the nature of that “big event” that occurs maybe once or twice a year. The exploding hospital sequence really hit the mark in the genre of disturbing and disturbed cinema for sure.
Alexander, I am with you on THE FUGITIVE KIND mixed assessment, I have not seen that Delon film, but I have seen and own that Fox Film Noir classic with Victor Mature. Good stuff!
My sympathies to Hedwig, I can only imagine what waits like these do to you, especially as I acknowledge my own extreme impatience.
THE DARK KNIGHT is undergoing some brilliant analytical discourse here, and I have written my own review on it, so I’ll say no more. I am in awe though of what is going on with the commentary following Craig’s review. All of it speaks for itself. Summarizing, in this particular instance I completely agree with Craig’s 4/5 rating. I rated it exactly the same. Great film, an unforgettable ride, arresting sequences, but confined by the very nature of its genre to be a notch under the level of true cinematic masterwork.
I agree with Ari on THE LAST MISTRESS, which I will soon write a four and a half star review for. I saw the film on Thursday evening, and was ravished, by the visuals and score, Asia Argento’s performance, the sensuous storytelling, and the astonishing recreation of a time, place, social mores and acute psychological tensions and swings. For me, it is one of the year’s best films. On her third try, the female French director has found her way to the human heart here. Like with all films I had minor quibbles, but I mean minor. To bring them up here would compromise the avalanche of positives.
As the second part of a Friday afternoon-evening triple feature,we allsaw MAMMA MIA!,which I wrote a three-star (of 5) review for. It seems ‘fashionable’ in recent years for bloggers to take aim at any film that falls under the ‘musical’ banner, but this one, though seriously flawed is still a reasonably entertaining offering, bringing those harmless and infectious ABBA tunes into renewed focus, and showing that Meryl Streep can really deliver the big number, in this case, the group’s best song, “The Winner Takes It All.” Yes, the surroundings look more like Gilligan’s Island than like a lush Mediterranean hamlet, and Pierce Brosnan is truly lamentable, but in a guilty pleasure sort of way—the film is campy and adequately infection. The end credit sequence with “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo” is a sure highlight.
SPACE CHIMPS was complete garbage and an example of animation and voice work and dialogue at its absolute worst. Not surprisingly, the three oldest thought it was bad, while the youngest at 6 liked it the most. Pre-K juvenile stuff lacking any kind of imagination and a bad retread (0 of 5) But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make this observation. LOL!
Finally, last night, I was convinced by a cousin and two friends to see Sergei Bodrov’s MONGOL at a local theatre, even though I had seen the film and reviewed it weeks ago. I brought along my 12 year-old daughter and two of my sons ages 11 and 9, and quite amazingly, even with the subtitles they enjoyed it, and based on some glances at them, seemed enraptured by the epic filmaking and examination of an Asian culture of the 1100’s. I know a few LIC people had issues with the film, but I agree here with the professional critical concensus, which in this case was prohibitively favorable. The second view didn’t diminish it for me.
Incidentally, Craig, I basically agree with your response to the Roman Polanski documentary, although my 3 of 5 rating may be a bit lower than yours.
Sam, did you forget Tell No One?
Hedwig, I’ve been meaning to finally see Cool As Ice for like 10 years. I’m serious.
Spent Friday recovering from the midnight TDK. Saturday saw Tell No One. I liked the style of it and the actors helped keep me engaged, but the ending was a rough landing and I think spoke to a general weakness throughout. Probably works best as a novel.
Yesterday watched John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle in prepping for Evan’s noir month in a couple of weeks. Really an interesting experience studying the actors and acting style of that day, including Marilyn Monroe in a throwaway part and James Whitmore before he was Brooks Hadley in Shawshank.
Craig, if the ads allow LiC to thrive, we’re behind you. Actually we are either way, but you know what I mean.
Indeed Daniel, indeed. I saw TELL NO ONE on Saturday night at 6:50 P.M. with Lucille and two friends.
I had such a frantic weekend of moviegoing that I somehow left this off the recap, despite the fact that it was the premium Saturday night viewing. LOL!!! Dan, I again thank you kindly for your attention to my submissions. You are a prince.
TELL NO ONE rates a 3 of 5 with me in a review to be soon completed. I know both Dan and Craig liked it more than I did, but I am not too far off. Terrific premise, some emotional resonance, fascinating characters and one of the most gripping of all escape sequences. Yet, the film is convoluted, and as as my friend, Broadway Bob Eagleson claims, it raises some issues with the novel, which he read and appreciated. Still, I can’t deny it is an entertaining film, warts and all.
Friday was the Dark Knight. I’ve already commented excessively elsewhere, so I will only offer a simple question: When did it become necessary to check one’s cell phone repeatedly during the movie? Thanks for not talking, but did you and all your friends really need to shine a flashlight in everyone’s eyes?
People are so self-involved these days.
Saturday night we saw Aimee Mann here in town and she was quite good but almost blown off the stage by her opener, Portland band Blind Pilot. Think Arcade Fire but with more twang, these kids were new to all of us but they were amazing. Aimee was great, and she once again got in her digs for losing the Oscar to Phil Collins and his “monkey song.” Her sour grapes are hilarious.
Sunday I saw the Wackness and I enjoyed it, but wasn’t moved by it. I had a hard time liking the main character and the movie itself just didn’t completely grab me. But it had a number of strengths, including the cinematography, Ben Kingsley, and Olivia Thirlby.
Thanks, Sam, and I’m not surprised one film slipped through the cracks of your brain this morning! I’m actually only marginally ahead of you on that rating. Probably would have landed at an 84%, which is simply average.
Dan, thanks again. I am myself a big fan of Huston’s THE ASPHALT JUNGLE.
Speaking of Evan, I am most interested in hearing about that Friday night viewing he had of the marathon SATANTANGO. The Facets print you watched has been under fire from DVDBeaver, so I wanted to get your reaction and response on that as well.
I’m taking bets – he overdosed on caffeine and has yet to recover.
Incidentally, there was a theater screening of Satantango that I skipped last year. Too bad as I’m sure it would have been quite a story to tell.
If you’re dedicated to this website and continue to put effort into quality work, there’s no reason why you can’t earn something for it. As long as your content is unaffected by whatever movie or studio is advertising on your site, it’s all good. And I’d say you deserve it. LiC is easily superior to HollywoodElswhere or AICN or Dark Horizons. They all make money for mostly poor work (though AICN has one writer who deserves praise – Moriarty). But I don’t see it as a huge compromise as long as the work is good. You have a great community here, that’s worth something.
sam, glad you liked The Last Mistress!
FREE is good and since nothing on this planet is ever free, I fully support the ads as long as they don’t A) directly get in the way of my use of the site and B) don’t overwhelm the original content on the site.
AICN and CHUD are both examples of sites overwhelmed by their own ads. There have been times when I have to wait for the ad to finish because I can’t close it at CHUD and the ad itself is some annoying movie ad that literally covers the entire screen. Or at AICN, where the Flash ad for some movie that shows up in three ad spots on the same damn page is so slow to load I have to wait 30 seconds for the page itself to finish drawing.
I work in marketing so I know there’s a lot of pressure to run these kinds of ads in the entertainment world, but I hope that day never comes at LIC. On the other hand, I don’t want this site to change content-wise to keep it feasible for Mr Kennedy and I also would love to see him do this full-time, so make some cash and keep those monkeys well fed. We don’t want their poo on the walls anytime soon.
Hedwig. “unlimited opportunities for mockery and sarcastic comments” That sounds like a pretty excellent weekend to me.
Jeffmcm on Dark Knight: “I feel like my opinion is too bogged down by hype and expectations to firmly get a grasp on” you and me both, brother. Add to that it’s a complicated film. I would’ve loved another week to think about it and revisit it before writing about it.
Alexander, what prompted “Have I the Right to Kill?” Just curious because that one seems pretty obscure to me. Were you on an Alain Delon kick? I might have to check that one up.
Nick, glad you and Hedwig both enjoyed Bank Job. I’d like to hear more about Mandy Lane, are you going to review it?
As I said before Sam, part of me was rooting for you to agree with me on Last Mistress, but the less damaged part of me was hoping you’d see in it what Ari saw and I missed.
Daniel. I agree Tell No One was flawed, but damnit it worked for me. Oddly, the plot itself didn’t engage me that much, but it still played.
Joel, I grock your mouth music on Wackness, mandingo. For me the film stumbled when it tried to be serious and meaningful. As long as it was going for humor it worked. Odd that I liked the kid when normally that ‘type’ bugs the crap out of me.
Ari. Wow, that’s heavy company to be included in. I don’t think I’m there yet, but if I could blog 24 hours a day….
I ended up liking the main character in The Wackness by the end of the movie, or at the very least I felt sorry for him, but I think my initial annoyance with him kept me out of the movie for a good deal of its running time. Reading your capsule review from the festival, I generally agree with all your points. My only real frustration is that the basic premise of the film is so familiar to me (the standard coming-of-age story) that the characters were all I really had to get into, so that main character became a barrier to the film for me.
Yes, I have been on something of a small Alain Delon kick, Craig, and Have I the Right to Kill was something I recorded off of TCM a number of weeks ago. It was dubbed in English, but at least Delon did his own dubbing. I suspect you would probably like it.
I guess I find the plight of a young man who really wants to bed Olivia Thirlby incredibly sympathetic.
Incidentally, the director is the same guy as the Mandy Lane movie Nick was talking about…one I’d heard good things about, but then it got its theatrical release screwed up. Did it ever even come out in the US.
Speaking of Delon, Alexander. What’s your take on The Leopard? I could never get into it, but I think I need to try again. Loved Le Samourai, Le Cercle Rouge, Plein Soleil and Rocco and His Brothers, though.
Le Samourai…a thing of beauty.
The movie or Delon or both?
I love The Leopard, Craig. The acting across the board is excellent, of course, and Delon shines. It’s not the easiest film to get into, but if you can, it’s very much worth it.
Le Samourai, Le Cercle Rouge, Plein Soleil and Rocco and His Brothers are all terrific, either as part of a Delon lovefest or just as what they are, fine films.
As fer ads, I hate them in general. But if this gives you the free time to do LIC go, monkey, go!
I saw no movies, only the ex, which was like a bad sundance indy…
As for the ads, I agree, hence my reluctance. It’s like pissing in virgin snow.
seriously though, no one has any fond Underoos memories?
My review of “Lane” is gonna go up in a few Craig, I really enjoyed it. And I am not really a slasher fan, so.
And I’m just going to slip this in here, I saw the “X-Files” flick today, and was completely underwhelmed.
cool Nick.
Did you have any opinion of X-Files going into the movie?
I was never a huge fan of the show, but I found it entertaining enough, so in terms of the movie I just wanted good, solid entertainment {like with Sex and the City}, but I found the “X-Files” flick a little boring…not completely pointless, but just…blah. I hope fans of the show enjoy it though.
Oh, and staying after the credits, or sitting through the credits or whatever won’t hurt. Not in the Iron man, pre-sequel hint kind of way, but yeah.
Thanks for the heads up on that. I’m commited to seeing the movie, but I’m not putting a lot of hope into it, if that makes any sense.
Delon in his prime is, indeed, a thing of beauty.
That is all.
I also saw Mamma Mia! this weekend, and as Sam pointed out it is extremely flawed but a lot of fun. Meryl Streep is made of awesome. She’s an actor who can do anything and everything. The movie is just over-the-top camp, and as I mentioned to Craig I’m predicting that this will become a cult film a la Rocky Horror Picture Show, where people sing, dance and act out the movie as it’s playing. Maybe they’ll even dress up.
Amanda Seyfried has a lovely voice. Everyone cracked up the second Pierce Brosnan opened his mouth.
Hedwig has spoken, and it is shall be so.
Alison. I’ve heard talk from people who liked the stage show that the movie is just really poorly done. Did you find it to be so or did the entertainment value of it trump all the technical BS?
I never saw the stage show so I can’t compare it to the film. But the movie is very, very flawed. It was definitely entertaining but not well-made at all.
Strange. I guess I just have to see it.
Thanks for that shout out Alison—you hit it on the head as far as I’m concerned.
Suddenly I feel like I have to defend Mama Mia because I stated a couple weeks ago that it would do great. Looks like it’s $26 mil domestic gross is probably a bit disappointing for the studio, but when you add that to the int gross ($72 mil), it’s already a huge success for them (budgeted at $56 mil). Compared to last year’s Hairspray, which made $118 mil total (dom and int), Mama Mia is on par to be a fairly strong movie for the year (in the musical dept).
Can’t believe I just went to all that trouble, but dammit, I think this thing is probably review-proof (which is good with a 54% score at RT.com).
You think 26 mill is a disappointment?
It’s the near the highest grossing opening for a musical ever. Last I heard it was close to or just above Hairspray. And like you said, it’s big overseas.
As much as I put down box office figures, they can be interesting, and in the end they do tell you what people saw. The monday morning stuff leaves me cold, but in a historical sense they’re instructive.
Joel, I think the movie will do well financially as well, and that it is review-proof, thanks to the Abba music and Meryl Streep. I attribute this weekend’s low-ish numbers to TDK stomping all over every other movie. That’s the one that EVERYONE was really waiting for.
Craig, I figured Mama Mia would be in the low- to mid-30 mil range for opening weekend, but again with that what do I know?
Over at Awards Daily, Sasha Stone, who saw MAMMA MIA! last weekend, says that the film is also benefitting from the “overflow” of DARK KNIGHT sellouts. People unable to see Mr. Ledger and company are opting for the musical as their second choice.
I agree that 26 million for this film is a buffo opening.
I missed all that terrific discussion above with Alain Delon, Melville and THE LEOPARD. The latter is surely Visconti’s masterpiece, although three others by him are close. (in my opinion)
True, Alison, I think Meryl Streep and ABBA are going to do quite well. I’m just glad to see I didn’t get that one wrong ;)
Joel. “what do I know?” You’re asking the other guy who doesn’t know.
Sam. I’ll definitely have to give Leopard another chance. Is the Criterion DVD still in print? I guess you wouldn’t know because you probably own it and it doesn’t matter…
As I said, I did like Rocco and His Brothers.
Craig, I do own it, but it may indeed be out of print. I will get back to you.
White Nights is my personal favorite Visconti, though Rocco is close.
Another top-rank and rather underappreciated Visconti film was his last, the visually sumptous voluptuous and ravishing L’INNOCENTE starring Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli and Jennifer O’Neill about class decadence and betrayal in 19th century aristocratic Italian society.
White Nights and L’Innocente are both tremendous. I’d like tos ee L’Innocente again as it’s been a while…
Craig, Netflix has both versions of Leopard for rental.
Don’t mean to be a gloomy gus, but what aural joy can be found in ABBA at all? It’s not even music anymore, it’s packaged sound…
christian: as is a lot of the other music that’s popular these days *cough* Miley Cyrus for example *cough cough*
There’s always room in the world for catchy pop music. Just not in my mp3 collection.
Come on Christian. It doesn’t cause ear cancer.
I’m not saying you have to like them, but it’s not like ABBA ever killed any bunnies.
WTF, I’m defending ABBA all the sudden?
Without ABBA fans everywhere, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert would have probably just faded into nothingness. Without Priscilla, we may never have gotten the careers of Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving, not to mention the much needed and appreciated career resurgence of Terrence Stamp.
On these grounds alone, I will defend ABBA. I just don’t have to like the music all that much.
I doubt we’ll ever be thanking Miley Cyrus fans for anything, much less giving Billy Ray new impetus to keep recording.
ABBA is fine as pop muzak, but I find its recent media coronation beyond all aural reason and comprehension. As in endless essays titled “Why We Still Love ABBA.” Who’s we kemo sabe?
And the pod people have got you Craig! Mamma Mia!
I saw the upcoming Step Brothers last night. It was quite awful. Ferrell phones another one in and Reilly still can’t convince me that his unwavering commitment to the Apatow team (fresh off the heels of Walk Hard) is a good idea. Most of the laughs come from Ferrell and Jenkins, but you can count them on one hand. Of course I didn’t like Talladega Nights, either, so…
Think about it like this. If Reilly and Ferrell acting like 12 year-olds and wearing retro t-shirts while screaming obscenities at each other for 90 minutes is what gets you going, then by all means this is your movie. On paper that actually sounds really funny, but after 5 minutes you’ll be dying for something new.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Talladega either so that doesn’t bode well for Step Brothers. It’s on my Fantasy Moguls slate though so I need it to do great. Everyone go see it!
Sorry, Craig, I’ll be wasting my money on The X-Files instead.
What’s the advance buzz on X-Files, anyway? I used to love the show, but I stopped watching before its last couple of seasons and haven’t seen an episode in years. I’m fully expecting it to be forgettable. You all heard any different?
That ones on my team too Alexander, I think.
Nick saw it and he sounded kind of bored by it, other than that, I haven’t heard anything.
I also stopped watching the show soon after Mulder left, but I plan on seeing the movie. If it’s at least as good as a half-way decent episode of the show, I’ll be happy. I just want to spend a couple of hours in the company of Mulder and Scully.
Batman is going to beat the snot out of both X-Files and Step Brothers.
I don’t get it. Reilly and Ferrell are such terrific comedic actors, yet they run with the lamest high concept material.
I saw the upcoming Step Brothers last night. It was quite awful.
No surprises there. Based on the trailers it looked like it was going to suck.
What a waste of Reilly.
(hangs head in shame) part of the trailer made me chuckle, but I forget which one.
Most people who have seen The X-Files movie, like Devin Faraci, Emmanuel Levy and some anonymous guy who wrote in to Jeff Wells all seem to dislike it or are at the very least bored by it.
I’m expecting nothing, which is probably the best way to go in. TV shows truly exhibit that eternal point about how hate can so easily follow love: when you’re as much in love with a show as I was for so long, when it goes bad it’s heartbreaking and almost unforgivable (except that at least you can go back to the stretch that was great).
But yeah, the two pairings of Ferrell and Reilly and Mulder and Scully are going to be beaten to a pulp by Batman.
Aw, you don’t have to hang your head in shame, Craig. We still love you.
Dang, the monkeys ate up my whole follow up comment on Step Brothers. I lost a tab somewhere and they chowed it before I could get back.
Oh well. Ferrell has some hilarious lines as usual. If that’s all you’re looking for than you’ll love it.
Oh, and I was expressing shock that it’s sitting at 100% on RT, albeit with no top critics. That HAS to drop.
Thanks A! You’re the best.
Daniel, what happened with your comment? Did LiC crash on you?
No, I think it was my own fault. I’m still figuring out how to use a computer.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but I’m gonna kick you in the balls repeatedly.” – Brennan Huff (Ferrell), as said to a group of adolescent bullies
I wish the whole movie was him delivering lines like that.
hahah…see, in small doses, that kind of stuff makes me laugh. Just like portions of Talladega were really funny (baby Jesus and Granny Law spring to mind), but overall it was sloppy and tiresome.
http://digg.com/celebrity/Christain_Bale_Arrested_for_Beating_His_Mother_And_Sister
Off topic: but I figured this would be a good place to post this. Estelle Getty died. She was known mostly for her role on the TV show “The Golden Girls” but she also had small roles in several movies, such as Tootsie and Mask (she played Cher’s mother).
There are no off-topics on the Watercooler Alison!
My mom loved Golden Girls.
When I first saw the headline, I thought they meant Estelle Parsons. Sometimes I’m fuzzy that way.
Nah, I used to get them confused too. They’re both Estelle.
I just saw Man on Wire. It was awesome. The Year of the Documentary rolls on…
I’ve just realized how odd the side bar recent comment listings are when we comment in the watercooler thread. Craig on the Watercooler, Alison on the Watercooler, Daniel on the Watercooler, and now sartre on the Watercooler. Do we take turns up there or do we all engage in a human acrobatic pyramid of wondrous counter balance?
How many LiC commenters can dance on the head of a watercooler?
I look forward to your review on MAN ON WIRE, Dan! I will see it myself this upcoming weekend for sure.
LOL on that Watercooler treatment Sartre!!!!
I just happened across Wells gushing over Man on Wire: “The best documentary of the year so far, hands down. One of the best of the century, no lie.”
It’s really good, but take it easy, dude.
Sartre, Craig’s watercooler is enormous and it allows all of us to prance around it.
I just saw that as well, Daniel. Sometimes Wells gets very caught up in himself in the afterglow of seeing a film. Frequently, a few months later he’s saying something like, “Well, it was good, but there were many problems with it, such as…” or something along those lines. Or he kind of gradually fudges on what he said before without really revising anything. American Gangster is an example that sticks out from 2007. The way he hyped it, the movie sounded like it would immediately join the ranks of one of his favorites, Heat, and it was indeed a “Black Godfather” as some were suggesting.
I still really want to see Man on Wire, primarily because of you and Craig offering excellent comments about it.
Yeah I pretty much just skim over the titles of his headlines in my reader, Alexander, but the title of that one caught my attention, along with the huge declaration about the movie.
I’m probably in the minority, but it took me a little while to settle into Man on Wire. By the end, though – wow.
It’s also much more stylish than I expected (I haven’t seen the trailer so I don’t know what it shows). This isn’t bad at all, just an observation.
I can see why it won at Sundance, but I can also see by Burnstein nabbed the documentary directing prize instead of James Marsh. Speaking of which, should I still regret missing The King from a few years ago?
Wells is getting carried away, but the movie knocked me out. Easily my favorite of the festival and probably of the year so far.
I wasn’t expecting much from a doc about some schmuck who pulled a silly stunt, but it packed a surprising emotional wallop for me.
If I can get my American Teen review up in time, I’m hoping to polish up and expand on what I already wrote about MOW for an actual review because I think the movie deserves the attention.
Saw Pineapple Express tonight. Yawn. I’m switching off and on this week between the bad and good. That means tomorrow’s would have to be good: Ghost Town with Ricky Gervais? Anybody know anything about it? Apparently he’s just the marketing ploy and it’s not as funny as it appears, but I don’t think I’m going to make it to find out. Four nights in a row in the middle of the summer just doesn’t seem right, plus I’m gone again this weekend. So nobody make a compelling case for Ghost Town, please.
I’m curious – what are people expecting of Pineapple Express?
That’s kind of my feeling about it going in so I’m not surprised to hear you say that. Too bad though.
How as Franco? He looked pretty good in the trailer. Is it the kind of thing that’s good in small doses?
It doesn’t go much further than the trailer, and we don’t even get to hear MIA’s “Paper Planes” in the actual movie, either. Rogen literally repeats his performance in Knocked Up (albeit it with lesser material), Franco is good and is probably the most interesting character, but I really think our guy Danny McBride steals the show here. The usual Apatow crew is also cast in parts here and there, like Ken Jeong (the MD from Knocked Up), who was also in Step Brothers. Come to think of it, though, both Step and Pineapple suffer tremendously from the absence of JONAH HILL. He was needed terribly in both. So was Paul Rudd. If you’re gonna make the same movie over and over, might as well keep the same team.
Pineapple just made me really restless, and the comedy that does work is broken up by really long action sequences. There’s a LOT of action and legit violence in this for a stoner comedy.
I’d say Step Brothers tallied up more laughs from the audience. And I have to admit I think I even enjoyed Step Brothers more…
Neither are offensively bad, but nor are they comedy classics. How’s that for a meaningless statement?
You’re talking to the king of the meaningless statement.
The thing is, stoners are lots more funny when you’re stoned.
Exactly. That was the only way to see the Cheech and Chong movies. Completely ripped.
Or when you’re 12 years old.
12 and ripped….well it’s a comedy masterpiece.
12 and ripped was how I saw Up in Smoke. At the time I did think it was a comedy masterpiece. What did I know?
My sister and her boyfriend Jack took my brother (who was 9) and me. We went out to dinner afterward and Jack snuck us out of the restaurant without paying the bill. Jack was a class act.
Ahahahahah…that’s great.
I haven’t seen Cheech and Chong for years, but I suspect Up in Smoke might hold up. Nostalgia value maybe?
It could definitely have nostalgia value.
Whatever happened to Cheech and Chong?
Cheech kind of got serious. Chong was on That 70’s Show.
On 4/20 they did a Q&A for a special screening of Up in Smoke at the Arclight here in LA. I missed it.
Typecasting at its peak.