Seen and not seen's, recommendations and queries on top films in general.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Been on the mission of re-watching movies that are good. So many disappointments and so many shallow and useless piece of shits, what I rather not even waste time thinking again, so it's good to re-watch some more thoughtful and well done films.

FAHRENHEIT 451
One of the books I read as teenboy and it made big impact. And movie what I saw couple times before. Decided to invest 10 euro for dvd, just to keep film version in my collection. Indeed, world has changed during the years, yet the film made in mid 60's, with all its clumsy visions of "future", is core of what film should be: Not just eye-candy, not just neat action moments, not just few tits here and there, but good plot. Of course it can't make justice to book 100%, but it's still good.
Anyone who doesn't know this, I urge immediate visit to library or video rental or whatever.

Originally written in 50's, the dystopia depicts future, where government controls population by "dullification" of mind. Trash entertainment via TV and medication takes life to meaninglessness, void of true emotion, into "happiness". Which in this case means erasing all possibilities of unhappy thoughts. So people wouldn't get unhealthy and confusing ideas, all books are banned. Profession of firemen is to burn all books that are found. In the film, you can see all the goodies. Nietsche, Vladimir Nabokov, Poe, Hitler, Platon, Lewis Carroll,... etc etc.. the good authors that anyone should have in their book shelves appear in flames of created by totalitarianism of equality. Music is also disturbing modern classical. If you have already read 1984 and Brave New World, I guess this and Make Room! Make Room! should be among the top-5 of the dystopia books (or films).

[bitewerksMTB]

THE STEPFATHER- classic from 1985. Picked up a used dvd after seeing a tv remake not too long ago. Worth it for the first basement rant & the teenage shower scene.
THE SLAMS- Richard Roundtree prison/crime flick. Nothing exciting; very cheap. One cool scene of a prisoner getting molten metal poured over his head.
I'LL MELT WITH YOU- stupid film of guys getting together at a beach house to get drunk/high & talk about the past. I forwarded through it alot. Sasha Grey has a scene- she's nude, if that's hard to believe.

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

FAHRENHEIT 451
One of the books I read as teenboy and it made big impact. And movie what I saw couple times before. Decided to invest 10 euro for dvd, just to keep film version in my collection. Indeed, world has changed during the years, yet the film made in mid 60's, with all its clumsy visions of "future", is core of what film should be: Not just eye-candy, not just neat action moments, not just few tits here and there, but good plot. Of course it can't make justice to book 100%, but it's still good.
Anyone who doesn't know this, I urge immediate visit to library or video rental or whatever.

Originally written in 50's, the dystopia depicts future, where government controls population by "dullification" of mind. Trash entertainment via TV and medication takes life to meaninglessness, void of true emotion, into "happiness". Which in this case means erasing all possibilities of unhappy thoughts. So people wouldn't get unhealthy and confusing ideas, all books are banned. Profession of firemen is to burn all books that are found. In the film, you can see all the goodies. Nietsche, Vladimir Nabokov, Poe, Hitler, Platon, Lewis Carroll,... etc etc.. the good authors that anyone should have in their book shelves appear in flames of created by totalitarianism of equality. Music is also disturbing modern classical. If you have already read 1984 and Brave New World, I guess this and Make Room! Make Room! should be among the top-5 of the dystopia books (or films).

Saw it recently on BBC for the first time in years. Time has taken its toll on the production but the story and the message is more relevant than ever.

The revisit of the day here is GIMME SHELTER. The Rolling Stones US tour film from 69. Not only does it offer live footage of the band in their prime but the mythical Altamont runs like an ominous thread throughout. It gets darker and more chaotic as the film heads towards its murderous end. One of many great scenes is the one with members of Grateful Dead talking to people from Jefferson Airplane. A scene my brother commented on a few years ago with: "look at those fucking hippies, listen to them. I'm glad I don't live in the 60's, I'm glad assholes like that don't exist anymore" to which my reply was "you are obviously not au fait with the current US noise scene". Not to worry though, the hippie fucks get theirs.

If the film turns you on then a great compliment is the book by Stanley Booth called The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones which covers the tour. It's been a long time since I read it but I recall one passage where Booth claims he can clearly see the deceased Brian Jones on stage with his old band one night. The book had a big impact on me when I read it in the 90's. I should get hold of it again.

Also, courtesy of my good friend Kare, the Danish prison movie called R turned up the other day. The story has been told before and the documentary style has also been seen before. At the same time it's well told and well acted enough to make it more than worth ones while. The Danes just keep on making great films!

I'LL MELT WITH YOU - Sasha Grey has a scene- she's nude, if that's hard to believe.

From the coolest most talented (Bradbury, Truffaut, Stones, Booth, Danish film makers) straight down to the lamest most idiotic. Thanks for the warning Keith, I'll make sure to avoid that piece of shit.

[bitewerksMTB]

There's more to I MELT WITH YOU than I wrote like one of the guys killing himself & turns out all 5 of'em signed some stupid oath in blood when they were in college. Lots of slo-mo scenes of cokesnorting, drinking, popping pills, dancing, running into the ocean nude, rolling down a  sand dune... Now you want to see it, right?!?

Watched a docu on a serial rapist named Dusty Rhodes. When I read the description, I thought it was going to be the wrestler by the same name.

[Tenebracid]

Le samourai (1967) Jean Pierre Melville - Excellent. Ultra stylish and minimalist thriller/drama about a betrayed hitman who guides himself by the samurai code in 60s Paris. One of those films where every shot is perfect, great jazzy soundtrack to complete the mood.

[bitewerksMTB]

DRIVE- awful. couple scenes of cool violence but the lead character looks like he should be going to the prom instead of driving for criminals. bad dialouge, no emotion & when there is emotion, it's all melodramatic esp with the soundtrack. check out Walter Hill's THE DRIVER which is where the dir gets his character from. Refn should have made DRIVE gritty like his Pusher films. i never understand why people in movies that take place in warm-hot climates like sunny LA wear jackets everywhere.

HANNA- couldn't make it all the way through...

[bitewerksMTB]

MEGAN IS MISSING- downloaded but haven't watched it yet. looks like a Lifetime movie but supposedly it has some very uncomfortable moments in it. Endorsed by the National Center of Missing & Exploited Children or maybe it's just Marc Klaas- can't remember which it is that made me d/l it.

[Hakaristi]

Yeah, endorsed by Marc Klaas. Good stuff - a low budget "found footage" flick that, despite the irritatingly corny news reports, has a few tasty scenes. Particularly the last 20 or so mins, they come off as pretty exploitative regardless of the directors supposed good intentions of shocking parents awake to the dangers of internet predators.

[ConcreteMascara]

Just watched The Ice Storm. Good family drama type of movie, a bit existential. Really a brutal portrait of affluent suburb life.

[bitewerksMTB]

MEGAN IS MISSING is pretty good; I like that it's basically a Lifetime movie with profanity & turns into an exploitation film (Love the shot of the girl in the barrel). Hope to find a used dvd one of these days to add to the collection.

AFTERMATH/GENESIS- Nacho Cerda short films. Use to have the dvd but sold it figuring I'd never watch it again. Recently found a used copy; better this time around. Well-made, gruesome but still nothing that will get viewed again anytime soon. Been wanting to see his film THE ABANDONED again...

[FreakAnimalFinland]

TRIANGLE
Horror/Thriller where person gets into this "time loop", where has to kill people (including sometimes herself) over and over and over and over again. Not bad, but also nothing spectacular

SUPER 8
Kind of film one would have appreciated seeing as kid. Sci-fi with youngsters headlining. Unknown actors doing good job. Lots of drama, yet also action and big hollywood values...

Neighbor For Sale
Movie fanatic friend was complaining about current American comedies, that what the fuck is wrong with them. That most are not really comedies. They are just drama movies, with little amusement thrown in mix. This was labeled as comedy. Starring Will Ferrell. But no. Hardly comedy. It's drama of alcoholic losing his marriage, job and money. Ok'ish, but something you never need to see again - if for the first time either.

ARABIAN LAWRENCE
Well, been matter of discussion for so long. Topic of Con-Dom's "Eight pillar". Massive and long movie from 60's, about mr. Lawrence's role in arabian uprise. It is kind of interesting also to compare situation then and situation later on in arabia. Often tribal land, where hardly exists "nations". Where maps or artificial countries were drawn by european colonialists. Cinematic values are brilliant. Fuck the blue screen. Fuck the computer effects. These landscapes are mindblowing. People look credible. Situations are often grim and story remains of course phenomenal. Took quite long to find place that actually stocked Finnish subtitled dvd, but this strange Kasvihuoneilmiö -place focusing on old movies and old recordings (amongst a lot of other things) had it.

[Niko]

TRIANGLE
Horror/Thriller where person gets into this "time loop", where has to kill people (including sometimes herself) over and over and over and over again. Not bad, but also nothing spectacular

Have you watched Los cronocrímenes/Timecrimes? Kinda similar time loop/time travel paradox plot but better thought out and better twist.

[bitewerksMTB]

I've seen TIMECRIMES. Didn't think much of it despite the idea/story was interesting.Might be something I need to see again.

Watched the French horror film, INSIDE, last night. Takes place on Xmas Eve so watched it on Xmas Eve. Tonight is BLACK CHRISTMAS & RARE IMPORTS. Watching RED BULL RAMPAGE 2010 now...

[Matthias]

The Barbarians (Ruggero Deodato, 1987)
Haven't seen this one since the late 80's, I remember the boy next door rented this at the local gas station and we watched it several times during one sunny afternoon. Now it has finally been released on italian dvd with english audio options, so of course I had to pick it up! Plot is very thin, some mumbo jumbo about a magical belly stone. The really good thing here is the main characters, the bodybuilding twins David and Peter Paul. They are constantly giving each other a hard time and their interaction during the adventure is hilarious. Just plain stupid, very entertaining. Michael Berryman is also good as the "Dirtmaster". It's a fun film, far from a highlight in Deodatos career of course but definitely worth seeking out if you're a fan. Can't think of a better way to end a year than with some insane italian barbarian action so I might keep on going with Umberto Lenzis The Iron Master today... Classic scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6BAd7xJuU0

[ConcreteMascara]

Robocop. never gets old.