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2
Movie Talk / Re: What are your favorite ...?
« on: June 16, 2012, 09:36:13 AM »
Wait... I missed the Sequels question?? ahh, shucks! Oh well, another time...
As for the current question... I like all your choices Word.
I'll add a few of my own...
The two directors working today who really understand songs and their use in their films are Quentin Tarantino and Cameron Crowe, so just about any soundtrack from one of their movies is gonna be great, and so tied to the film at times that the songs fail to have another context of meaning.
"Rock" movies that I have worn on the grooves on the soundtrack...
Backbeat
The Commitments
Purple Rain
and, back in the day, Saturday Night Fever
Recent films that I love the soundtrack to that make the songs essential parts of the film:
Rushmore
The Thomas Crown Affair (love the use of Nina's Sinnerman in that film!)
And one of the best melds of seemingly random music and a film:
American Graffiti
As for the current question... I like all your choices Word.
I'll add a few of my own...
The two directors working today who really understand songs and their use in their films are Quentin Tarantino and Cameron Crowe, so just about any soundtrack from one of their movies is gonna be great, and so tied to the film at times that the songs fail to have another context of meaning.
"Rock" movies that I have worn on the grooves on the soundtrack...
Backbeat
The Commitments
Purple Rain
and, back in the day, Saturday Night Fever
Recent films that I love the soundtrack to that make the songs essential parts of the film:
Rushmore
The Thomas Crown Affair (love the use of Nina's Sinnerman in that film!)
And one of the best melds of seemingly random music and a film:
American Graffiti
3
Movie Talk / changes to Podcasts in iTunes for iOS6
« on: June 16, 2012, 09:17:23 AM »
Could change the way we listen to the Weekly podcast, but perhaps it just means a different delivery to an app instead of to iTunes...
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/15/apple-to-launch-standalone-podcast-app-with-ios-6/
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/15/apple-to-launch-standalone-podcast-app-with-ios-6/
4
Movie Talk / movie theaters in Japan
« on: May 23, 2012, 05:03:17 AM »
my latest YT vlog talks about movie theaters in Japan and how amazing I found it that one of my college students hadn't been to a theater in 3 years.
But reading the comments left on YouTube after just the first day, it seems that many don't go to the movies, avoid 3D and are just as happy to watch on DVD. I'm sure that's not the case with the forums crowd here and I don't get that attitude, which will most likely prompt a follow up vlog.
Enjoy!
-Jason
But reading the comments left on YouTube after just the first day, it seems that many don't go to the movies, avoid 3D and are just as happy to watch on DVD. I'm sure that's not the case with the forums crowd here and I don't get that attitude, which will most likely prompt a follow up vlog.
Enjoy!
-Jason
5
Movie Talk / Podcast on 5-21-12
« on: May 20, 2012, 03:08:48 PM »
Hey Gang -
Checked in at 6:05pm your time (7:05am Monday my time) to listen to the new podcast live, but it seems y'all are taking the week off, unless you recorded at a different time. I'll try to catch you next week.
-Jason
Checked in at 6:05pm your time (7:05am Monday my time) to listen to the new podcast live, but it seems y'all are taking the week off, unless you recorded at a different time. I'll try to catch you next week.
-Jason
6
Movie Talk / Woody Allen documentary
« on: May 12, 2012, 08:43:22 PM »
Just wanted to recommend an excellent documentary I just watched via iTunes.
It's simply called "Woody Allen: A Documentary" and it's in two parts.
Part One chronicles his early life, start in TV, his days as a stand-up comedian and his early films,
up thru the breakthru of Annie Hall (which did deserve the Oscar over Star Wars, even tho I am a huge SW fan)
and Manhattan.
Part Two takes up in the early 80s to the present day.
Fascinating stuff, great interviews with Woody and his friends and co-stars, lots of film clips, etc.
You can buy it of course, but I rented it for $6 ($3 each), and it totals about 4 hours.
Not sure where this was originally, maybe PBS, but it is well worth watching!
-Jason
It's simply called "Woody Allen: A Documentary" and it's in two parts.
Part One chronicles his early life, start in TV, his days as a stand-up comedian and his early films,
up thru the breakthru of Annie Hall (which did deserve the Oscar over Star Wars, even tho I am a huge SW fan)
and Manhattan.
Part Two takes up in the early 80s to the present day.
Fascinating stuff, great interviews with Woody and his friends and co-stars, lots of film clips, etc.
You can buy it of course, but I rented it for $6 ($3 each), and it totals about 4 hours.
Not sure where this was originally, maybe PBS, but it is well worth watching!
-Jason
7
Movie Talk / Mother's Day Podcast
« on: May 12, 2012, 08:30:30 PM »
Hey Gang -
Just wondering if you're planning a podcast for May 13, which is Mother's Day in America.
If Rafe can tweet yes or no earlier in the day, then I can plan on not waking up so early.
6pm Sunday night for you is 7am Monday morning for me here in Japan,
but it was fun being in the chat room last week, so would like to participate again.
(5pm start time is even better for me, but both are better than the old 2pm start time)
See ya,
Jason
Just wondering if you're planning a podcast for May 13, which is Mother's Day in America.
If Rafe can tweet yes or no earlier in the day, then I can plan on not waking up so early.
6pm Sunday night for you is 7am Monday morning for me here in Japan,
but it was fun being in the chat room last week, so would like to participate again.
(5pm start time is even better for me, but both are better than the old 2pm start time)
See ya,
Jason
8
Movie Talk / Re: What are your favorite ...?
« on: May 01, 2012, 09:17:10 PM »
I'll stick with comic books for my first reply, since I'm a big comic geek.
Altho your question includes the words "big screen" and oddly enough,
I think some of my suggestions would thrive on AMC or Starz or HBO
as mini or limited series.
A perfect example of this is Gaiman's Sandman, a finite series of 75 comics
and some associated mini-series; it is by far my favorite comic series of all time.
While there have been rumors for years of a Sandman movie,
I just don't see how you can do the series justice in one 120 to 150 minute movie.
Of course, you could contend that the first film would introduce the character and the world
of the Dreaming (Sandman is aka Morpheus, King of Dreams), and maybe only cover
one story arc in the comics.
But I think the series as a whole could thrive on HBO if some visionary talent got behind it
and found a way to make it without it costing Big screen bucks.
Sandman's sister is Death, the last person you see before it all ends,
and while she had great moments in the main series, she is also the star
of two fantastic mini-series that I could see turned into a feature film.
Other projects rumored to be in the pipeline - Bendis's Powers - a great take on
buddy cop movies and shows like Homicide and The Shield. The catch here is that the detectives are
investigating crimes involving Super Heroes, who exist naturally in this world.
Bendis's gift for Mamet-like dialogue would be great on the small or big screen.
The other two finite series (both now concluded) that I heartily recommend
that are supposedly making their way to the screen are
Y: The Last Man, a terrific sci-fi premise about the lone surviving man on Earth,
left here with all the women who must now fend for themselves and re-shape society
and
Preacher - a dark and violent look at modern day religion and one man's struggle to find God
that happens to include a vampire and other very odd characters along the way.
Irish writer Garth Ennis is a favorite and he's in top form on Preacher.
I can't complain about the slate of upcoming superhero films -
I like the looks of The Amazing Spider-Man and will give it a fair shot.
Of course, even more than The Avengers, I am keen to see The Dark Knight Rises,
and next year we get a new Superman movie that I think has a chance of being better than good.
If you want to read a fantastic Superman story, complete in one volume,
I highly recommend Superman: Red Son, which tells a What If story
about what might have happened if the ship carrying Superman to Earth had landed in
Russia instead of America. Great story and great art!
-JCH
Altho your question includes the words "big screen" and oddly enough,
I think some of my suggestions would thrive on AMC or Starz or HBO
as mini or limited series.
A perfect example of this is Gaiman's Sandman, a finite series of 75 comics
and some associated mini-series; it is by far my favorite comic series of all time.
While there have been rumors for years of a Sandman movie,
I just don't see how you can do the series justice in one 120 to 150 minute movie.
Of course, you could contend that the first film would introduce the character and the world
of the Dreaming (Sandman is aka Morpheus, King of Dreams), and maybe only cover
one story arc in the comics.
But I think the series as a whole could thrive on HBO if some visionary talent got behind it
and found a way to make it without it costing Big screen bucks.
Sandman's sister is Death, the last person you see before it all ends,
and while she had great moments in the main series, she is also the star
of two fantastic mini-series that I could see turned into a feature film.
Other projects rumored to be in the pipeline - Bendis's Powers - a great take on
buddy cop movies and shows like Homicide and The Shield. The catch here is that the detectives are
investigating crimes involving Super Heroes, who exist naturally in this world.
Bendis's gift for Mamet-like dialogue would be great on the small or big screen.
The other two finite series (both now concluded) that I heartily recommend
that are supposedly making their way to the screen are
Y: The Last Man, a terrific sci-fi premise about the lone surviving man on Earth,
left here with all the women who must now fend for themselves and re-shape society
and
Preacher - a dark and violent look at modern day religion and one man's struggle to find God
that happens to include a vampire and other very odd characters along the way.
Irish writer Garth Ennis is a favorite and he's in top form on Preacher.
I can't complain about the slate of upcoming superhero films -
I like the looks of The Amazing Spider-Man and will give it a fair shot.
Of course, even more than The Avengers, I am keen to see The Dark Knight Rises,
and next year we get a new Superman movie that I think has a chance of being better than good.
If you want to read a fantastic Superman story, complete in one volume,
I highly recommend Superman: Red Son, which tells a What If story
about what might have happened if the ship carrying Superman to Earth had landed in
Russia instead of America. Great story and great art!
-JCH
9
Movie Talk / Re: Podcast on Sunday April 22nd?
« on: April 29, 2012, 08:07:58 AM »
new podcast on April 29th? I will check in just in case...
10
Movie Talk / 30 min or less
« on: April 24, 2012, 10:06:22 PM »
I just watched 30 Minutes or Less last night on DVD. It's a new release here in Japan.
It is the poster child for a perfectly ordinary and average movie.
It's not terribly good or particularly funny,
but it's also not bad or overly boring.
It's just average.
It's the kind of thing you watch on cable or dvd and are glad you didn't spend $10 seeing it in the theater.
I realize that some of these actors are famous because of their TV roles, but I really don't know who they are, except of course for Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride.
Not as many comedies make it out over here - far less than sci-fi or action or even drama.
So I'm always starved for some good comedies when I'm scanning the racks for something to rent.
(yes, I still go to a shop to rent my DVDs - there is no service like Netflix or On-demand in rural Japan)
Next up for me to try is Clooney in the Descendants. It actually opens in Japanese movie theaters in May,
so I decided to just DL it from iTunes.
-JCH
It is the poster child for a perfectly ordinary and average movie.
It's not terribly good or particularly funny,
but it's also not bad or overly boring.
It's just average.
It's the kind of thing you watch on cable or dvd and are glad you didn't spend $10 seeing it in the theater.
I realize that some of these actors are famous because of their TV roles, but I really don't know who they are, except of course for Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride.
Not as many comedies make it out over here - far less than sci-fi or action or even drama.
So I'm always starved for some good comedies when I'm scanning the racks for something to rent.
(yes, I still go to a shop to rent my DVDs - there is no service like Netflix or On-demand in rural Japan)
Next up for me to try is Clooney in the Descendants. It actually opens in Japanese movie theaters in May,
so I decided to just DL it from iTunes.
-JCH
11
Movie Talk / Re: What are your favorite ...?
« on: April 24, 2012, 09:57:34 PM »
Favourite movie collaborations:
1) Clint Eastwood / Sergio Leone / Ennio Morricone - These three are responsible for some of the greatest westerns ever made. The combination of Eastwood's often imitated but never duplicated performances, Leone's signature visual style and Morricone's beautiful scores is hard to beat.
2) Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune - Won't pretend I've seen all their collaborations, but based on Yojimbo, The Seven Samurai, and Rashomon alone, I think these guys did pretty well for themselves. Guess they had something of a falling out later on, but I believe they mended fences at a friend's funeral (just a few years before they themselves both died).
3) Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson (aka Dante and Randall from Clerks) - I don't enjoy Kevin Smith's stuff as much as I used to, but these guys essentially made his career. Anderson has brilliant comedic timing (especially for a non-actor), and O'Halloran is great at playing the morose sad-sack, but still being likeable.
These are excellent choices! I can't believe I forgot about the Spaghetti Westerns and my beloved Mifune & Kurosawa pics.
-J
12
Television Talk / Re: Breaking Bad
« on: April 23, 2012, 01:07:55 AM »
I'm doing the catch-up thing... just watched Season One via iTunes. Loved it.
it was so unlike my preconceptions - I went in nothing almost nothing about the plot or characters other that it had something to do with crystal meth labs.
I think the acting and writing is top notch, and I can't wait to see Season Two, which should be arriving from Amazon on BD any day now....
it was so unlike my preconceptions - I went in nothing almost nothing about the plot or characters other that it had something to do with crystal meth labs.
I think the acting and writing is top notch, and I can't wait to see Season Two, which should be arriving from Amazon on BD any day now....
13
Television Talk / Re: Community
« on: April 23, 2012, 01:05:46 AM »
Love Community!! Came late, as I'm in Japan, and watched all of season one via DVD in about 1 week.
Now am caught up and anxiously awaiting each new episode.
The paint ball episodes have been high water marks, but the recent episode that parodied Ken Burns's Civil War was fantastic!
-J
Now am caught up and anxiously awaiting each new episode.
The paint ball episodes have been high water marks, but the recent episode that parodied Ken Burns's Civil War was fantastic!
-J
14
Television Talk / Re: Sherlock (Steven Moffat's BBC Series)
« on: April 23, 2012, 01:02:50 AM »
Can't wait for Season 3!! Shame to think we won't see anymore of Andrew Scott, the Irish guy who played Moriarty. He was so amazing in the role!!
My theory - completely thought up 2 seconds ago - is that Holmes somehow switched out his body with a corpse that Molly helped look like Sherlock and that is what fell from the roof... but as I'm typing that it doesn't sound all that plausible...
Oh well - great season finale!! Love the show!
My theory - completely thought up 2 seconds ago - is that Holmes somehow switched out his body with a corpse that Molly helped look like Sherlock and that is what fell from the roof... but as I'm typing that it doesn't sound all that plausible...
Oh well - great season finale!! Love the show!
15
Movie Talk / Re: What are your favorite ...?
« on: April 23, 2012, 12:56:52 AM »Quote
80s teen comedy... yeah - I'll echo and say "Breakfast Club is NOT a comedy!"
A lot of good films were already mentioned... John Cusack is a favorite for the trifecta of "Sure Thing," "Better Off Dead," and "One Crazy Summer." (Sorry - Say Anything also not a comedy)
But I don't think one of my all time favorites was mentioned - Real Genius! Love that flick!
I would argue that Breakfast Club and Say Anything are comedies just because of the way both movies deals sometimes with the heavy subject manner at hand. Maybe you should join us on the debate whether "The Apartment" is a comedy, although (and sadly) I have yet to see this film in its entirety yet to make a fair decision about it.
[/quote]
I think The Apartment is along the lines of Lost in America. (Two of my favorite movies!) Both are dramas with some seriously funny moments.
This kind of debate only really matters if you owned a video store back in the day and you only had one copy of a film...
Where do you put it? Does John Carpenter's The Thing go in Sci-Fi or Horror? Is South Park The Movie a musical? Do you put your one copy on Breakfast Club in the comedy section or the drama section? I would put it in the drama section.
My guess is now, in the age of Net Flix and online databases, this type of single-genre pigeonholing isn't necessary anymore.
I'm sure there are still script writers tho, that when they pitch an idea, are asked to narrow it down to one genre for marketing, etc., but almost all pitches these days seems to end up as "This movie is "Big Movie A" meets "Big Movie B." As in The Hunger Games is Battle Royale meets Running Man.