DVDs and Films You Have Watched Recently #2

[Dead Mike]

QUOTE (Amazing_Red_Fan @ Jun 24 2010, 0:39)

Benny and Joon Great little film here, heard nothing about it really but saw it on TCM (underrated movie channel, saw some classics on here in recent weeks/months including De Palma's 'Blow Out'), decided to record it and I had a really nice time watching it. Great soundtrack, interesting characters and some fine acting (particularly from Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson...you know, the drummer girl from 'Some Kind of Wonderful'). Really heart warming stuff in this one as Johnny Depp's Buster Keaton inspired Sam (who likes to make cheese toasties using an iron) moves in with Benny (Aidan Quinn, who you will have seen in something) and the very slightly mentally Joon (Masterson). Check it out!

 

yeh my girlfriend made me watch that a few months ago, i'd never heard of it. Odd little romance movie, it's good stuff.

 

This is encouraging. I noticed last night that this was on our Sky+ planner as the missus has recorded it, one of the few Depp films she hasn't seen so I think I'll be subjected to this over the next week or so.

[oaktree500]

I watched:

 

The Shining

 

Now i'd never seen this film before, but i heard very good things. I went in very optimistic. Now i know about the "on purpose" things in this film, (such as the music score being the way it is), but overall i would'nt say its a very good film.

 

It started with the basics, introduing the plot.......but for me, it all came in one big chuck. Hotel owner:"did i forget to mention there was a brutal murder here one time? Oh and we're on an indian burial ground, oh and this...........and did i mention he hacked them up....etc ....etc". Like maybe i just didnt "get it" but i thought the script was totally crap.

 

Then again, was it a bad script or bad actors? For me jack nichollson was THE man in this film, infact the only thing that kept me watching, as he seemed to turn this crappy dialogue into somthing that meant something. The kid was a decent little actor for what was going on. But the wife.......like a real life Olive from popeye. How she survived is beyond me.

 

(On a side note, i really liked the older black guy, who told the "Shine" story. You know, because hes all old and sweet........that is until it shows him in his room, with the two huge pictures of black women with no tops on, with huge afros. Not 100% sure why that was the way it was. And also when he dies........it seemed like one of those really long jokes."theres this guy, and he cant get hold of this other guy at a hotel, so he drives 400 miles, then flies across the country, then drives another 400 miles, bursts into the hotel...........then gets killed.")

 

Nicholson is by far the best thing in this film, after he starts going a bit mental, (although when you see his frozen head......i nearly laughed really loud), and the only "interesting thing" about the film is seeing jack in the picture at the end, suggesting he really has been the caretaker all along!

 

So all in all, no as good as id heard, but then again maybe it was just me. The writing was a bit hit/miss (or was it the actors?), and regardless of what i'd heard about the musical score (aparently it was supposed to be like "on edge" at all times), i just found really annoying.......and it didnt make me feel like something was going to happen, mainly because of what i could see on screen. (for example, somebody is making a cup of tea, but the music suggests that the tea could stab her).

 

For me, worth watching, but no where near as good as id heard.

 

4/10

[tiger_rick]

Benny and Joon Great little film here, heard nothing about it really but saw it on TCM (underrated movie channel, saw some classics on here in recent weeks/months including De Palma's 'Blow Out'), decided to record it and I had a really nice time watching it. Great soundtrack, interesting characters and some fine acting (particularly from Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson...you know, the drummer girl from 'Some Kind of Wonderful'). Really heart warming stuff in this one as Johnny Depp's Buster Keaton inspired Sam (who likes to make cheese toasties using an iron) moves in with Benny (Aidan Quinn, who you will have seen in something) and the very slightly mentally Joon (Masterson). Check it out!

 

yeh my girlfriend made me watch that a few months ago, i'd never heard of it. Odd little romance movie, it's good stuff.

Just ordered it off play for 3.99. A recommendation from Ebb means I'll give it a go!

 

Watched Sherlock Holmes the other day. I think I really liked it. It was impressive looking and well acted. The plot was pretty good too and it made for a good movie even if it wasn't really the whodunit? I expected.

[NEWM]

I watched:

 

The Shining

 

Now i'd never seen this film before, but i heard very good things. I went in very optimistic. Now i know about the "on purpose" things in this film, (such as the music score being the way it is), but overall i would'nt say its a very good film.

 

It started with the basics, introduing the plot.......but for me, it all came in one big chuck. Hotel owner:"did i forget to mention there was a brutal murder here one time? Oh and we're on an indian burial ground, oh and this...........and did i mention he hacked them up....etc ....etc". Like maybe i just didnt "get it" but i thought the script was totally crap.

 

Then again, was it a bad script or bad actors? For me jack nichollson was THE man in this film, infact the only thing that kept me watching, as he seemed to turn this crappy dialogue into somthing that meant something. The kid was a decent little actor for what was going on. But the wife.......like a real life Olive from popeye. How she survived is beyond me.

 

(On a side note, i really liked the older black guy, who told the "Shine" story. You know, because hes all old and sweet........that is until it shows him in his room, with the two huge pictures of black women with no tops on, with huge afros. Not 100% sure why that was the way it was. And also when he dies........it seemed like one of those really long jokes."theres this guy, and he cant get hold of this other guy at a hotel, so he drives 400 miles, then flies across the country, then drives another 400 miles, bursts into the hotel...........then gets killed.")

 

Nicholson is by far the best thing in this film, after he starts going a bit mental, (although when you see his frozen head......i nearly laughed really loud), and the only "interesting thing" about the film is seeing jack in the picture at the end, suggesting he really has been the caretaker all along!

 

So all in all, no as good as id heard, but then again maybe it was just me. The writing was a bit hit/miss (or was it the actors?), and regardless of what i'd heard about the musical score (aparently it was supposed to be like "on edge" at all times), i just found really annoying.......and it didnt make me feel like something was going to happen, mainly because of what i could see on screen. (for example, somebody is making a cup of tea, but the music suggests that the tea could stab her).

 

For me, worth watching, but no where near as good as id heard.

 

4/10

 

And a fake one too

 

 

The Shining's probably my absolute favourite film, but it tends to polarise opinions, so don't be too suprised that it disappointed you. It sounds a bit Media Studies I know, but I've still just got a total hard-on for Kubrick's filmmaking in this, with stuff like the tracking shots of Danny on his bike, the panoramic shots at the start, and standard scenes made absolutely stunning due to the beautiful interiors and superb acting. Jack throwing the ball against the wall, and his moment of solitary internal breakdown sat on the bed are great examples of this.

 

I also couldn't disagree more with your views on the quick, decisive murder of Dick Hallorann. The nature in which he dies is key to the underlying thread of terror and seemingly inescapable peril ahead for Danny and Wendy. The closest character the film has to be the 'hero' gets his shit fucked up, what chance do the wife and kid have now?

 

I think it's scary, eerie, entertaining and beautiful in equal measures, just about my perfect horror. And a bear-suited man gets sucked off, what else do you need?

[oaktree500]

I watched:

 

The Shining

 

Now i'd never seen this film before, but i heard very good things. I went in very optimistic. Now i know about the "on purpose" things in this film, (such as the music score being the way it is), but overall i would'nt say its a very good film.

 

It started with the basics, introduing the plot.......but for me, it all came in one big chuck. Hotel owner:"did i forget to mention there was a brutal murder here one time? Oh and we're on an indian burial ground, oh and this...........and did i mention he hacked them up....etc ....etc". Like maybe i just didnt "get it" but i thought the script was totally crap.

 

Then again, was it a bad script or bad actors? For me jack nichollson was THE man in this film, infact the only thing that kept me watching, as he seemed to turn this crappy dialogue into somthing that meant something. The kid was a decent little actor for what was going on. But the wife.......like a real life Olive from popeye. How she survived is beyond me.

 

(On a side note, i really liked the older black guy, who told the "Shine" story. You know, because hes all old and sweet........that is until it shows him in his room, with the two huge pictures of black women with no tops on, with huge afros. Not 100% sure why that was the way it was. And also when he dies........it seemed like one of those really long jokes."theres this guy, and he cant get hold of this other guy at a hotel, so he drives 400 miles, then flies across the country, then drives another 400 miles, bursts into the hotel...........then gets killed.")

 

Nicholson is by far the best thing in this film, after he starts going a bit mental, (although when you see his frozen head......i nearly laughed really loud), and the only "interesting thing" about the film is seeing jack in the picture at the end, suggesting he really has been the caretaker all along!

 

So all in all, no as good as id heard, but then again maybe it was just me. The writing was a bit hit/miss (or was it the actors?), and regardless of what i'd heard about the musical score (aparently it was supposed to be like "on edge" at all times), i just found really annoying.......and it didnt make me feel like something was going to happen, mainly because of what i could see on screen. (for example, somebody is making a cup of tea, but the music suggests that the tea could stab her).

 

For me, worth watching, but no where near as good as id heard.

 

4/10

 

And a fake one too

 

 

The Shining's probably my absolute favourite film, but it tends to polarise opinions, so don't be too suprised that it disappointed you. It sounds a bit Media Studies I know, but I've still just got a total hard-on for Kubrick's filmmaking in this, with stuff like the tracking shots of Danny on his bike, the panoramic shots at the start, and standard scenes made absolutely stunning due to the beautiful interiors and superb acting. Jack throwing the ball against the wall, and his moment of solitary internal breakdown sat on the bed are great examples of this.

 

I also couldn't disagree more with your views on the quick, decisive murder of Dick Hallorann. The nature in which he dies is key to the underlying thread of terror and seemingly inescapable peril ahead for Danny and Wendy. The closest character the film has to be the 'hero' gets his shit fucked up, what chance do the wife and kid have now?

 

I think it's scary, eerie, entertaining and beautiful in equal measures, just about my perfect horror. And a bear-suited man gets sucked off, what else do you need?

Dont get me wrong, it gets alot better towards the end, but it jsut seemed a bit "up its own arse" if that makes any sens. Im sure stanley has some good films, but i didnt like it. And in reference to the guy, im not saying its wrogn he died, just more like it sounds like a joke you would tell to somebody, "he travels x ammount, flys X ammount, drivers though a blissard, bursts in.........then dies". Im not saying its a joke he dies, just it sounds like one of those really long over the top jokes you would tell to people.

 

Again its "ok", but was a i scared? No. Was it an "amazing film" , no. Worth a watch, yes sure. Im just saying id hear alot about it, from people much liek your self, and sadley i dont think its "That" good.

[seph]

me and the misses went to see Death At A Funeral the other day, and we both loved it which is rare as its usually one of us likes and the other doesnt. James Marsden and Danny Glover are both great in it.

 

Watched it in Cabot Circus Showcase De Luxe (pop) after the England game, comprising 33.3% of the total audience. It was pretty good, but unfortunately most of the gags were blown in the trailer and seemed to stretch for the entire film. Chris Rock is still too whiny as a lead actor to do anything with particular force, but then again we've seen enough of Will Smith hating-Martin Lawrence's-guts-but-just-about-getting-on. He'd've been a good nod though, and he'd have been way cockier playing Lawrence's character.

 

Definitely more of a rental than a cinema experience.

Edited June 24, 2010 by sephjnr

[Loki]

For me, the Shining is one of those films that's been so influential in film-making, it's hard to see why now, in that it introduced so many techniques and tropes that are now commonplace, especially in horror.

 

I'm still not sure how to watch it though. The normal print that's out and about is widescreen, but I discovered that Kubrick filmed and edited it in 4:3, so I bought a DVD with that print, however watching it like that I felt it had lost something, or at least like most 4:3 stuff it felt a bit flimsy when watched on a widescreen tv.

[chokeout]

For me, the Shining is one of those films that's been so influential in film-making, it's hard to see why now, in that it introduced so many techniques and tropes that are now commonplace, especially in horror.

 

I'm still not sure how to watch it though. The normal print that's out and about is widescreen, but I discovered that Kubrick filmed and edited it in 4:3, so I bought a DVD with that print, however watching it like that I felt it had lost something, or at least like most 4:3 stuff it felt a bit flimsy when watched on a widescreen tv.

 

There's arguments that he didnt actually film and edit in 4:3. The Shining was shot in Academy 1.37 but it wasn't intended to be shown in cinemas that way. The film was shot and conceived for 1:1.85 ratio screening (and the camera viewfinders had the 1.85 framelines marked on them) Many people believe he shot this way with the thinking that the top and bottom would be cropped during screening. This mainly comes from the thinking that Kubrick wouldn't have been stupid enough to leave the Helicopter shadow in at the start of the film (Its not visible when viewed at 4:3) The same theory is also true of Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut

[Loki]

Interesting, but it's left me equally confused Should I zoom into my 4:3 DVD print then? It's anamorphic so it won't look too bad.

 

Whilst we're on the topic, I absolutely HATE DVD makers who fuck up widescreen. I bought one recently that was non-anamorphic, which is shit enough, but also encoded so that no matter what zoom/aspect settings I tried, I couldn't get it into proportion. It was either zoomed in way too far or stretched too thin.

 

Why anyone would do a DVD that isn't anamorphic is beyond me, talking as a consumer.

[chokeout]

Interesting, but it's left me equally confused Should I zoom into my 4:3 DVD print then? It's anamorphic so it won't look too bad.

 

Whilst we're on the topic, I absolutely HATE DVD makers who fuck up widescreen. I bought one recently that was non-anamorphic, which is shit enough, but also encoded so that no matter what zoom/aspect settings I tried, I couldn't get it into proportion. It was either zoomed in way too far or stretched too thin.

 

Why anyone would do a DVD that isn't anamorphic is beyond me, talking as a consumer.

 

Well if Kubrick did intend for the footage to be cropped top and bottom then zooming in would give you his version of how the film should be viewed, The whole film is framed so that you wont miss anything (again it'll cut out the helicopter shadow at the star) Its all down to personal preference and seeing as the only man who can say how it was intended to be shown is dead theres no right or wrong way. Personally I'd zoom like you did

 

I was watching a Widescreen DVD version of Donnie Brasco last week on a Blu Ray Player that wouldnt let me resize the image so it basically played right in the middle of the screen only taking up about 50% of the tv. It did my head in. So many of New Lines early DVD releases were shocking for zooming or messing with aspect ratios

[Tommy!]

I watched memoirs of an invisible man, with Chevy Chase and Sam Niel.

It was another of those films I loved when I was young and was still as good as I remembered. The FX were still good too, I thought how things have moved on there may be some slightly ropey bits in there next to some more modern stuff, but it all looked quite swish. There was also a how they did it bit on the DVD which was good too.

 

I now have an urge to watch Dirty Dancing, Predator and the Running man so I might do. Dirty Dancings the odd one out there really.

[patiirc]

I watched memoirs of an invisible man, with Chevy Chase and Sam Niel.

It was another of those films I loved when I was young and was still as good as I remembered. The FX were still good too, I thought how things have moved on there may be some slightly ropey bits in there next to some more modern stuff, but it all looked quite swish. There was also a how they did it bit on the DVD which was good too.

 

 

It won an Oscar for the effects iirc.

 

Decent film I thought often overlooked

[chokeout]

I watched memoirs of an invisible man, with Chevy Chase and Sam Niel.

It was another of those films I loved when I was young and was still as good as I remembered. The FX were still good too, I thought how things have moved on there may be some slightly ropey bits in there next to some more modern stuff, but it all looked quite swish. There was also a how they did it bit on the DVD which was good too.

 

 

It won an Oscar for the effects iirc.

 

Decent film I thought often overlooked

 

I dont think it even got nominated which is a crime

[patiirc]

I watched memoirs of an invisible man, with Chevy Chase and Sam Niel.

It was another of those films I loved when I was young and was still as good as I remembered. The FX were still good too, I thought how things have moved on there may be some slightly ropey bits in there next to some more modern stuff, but it all looked quite swish. There was also a how they did it bit on the DVD which was good too.

 

 

It won an Oscar for the effects iirc.

 

Decent film I thought often overlooked

 

I dont think it even got nominated which is a crime

 

 

Mmm, why did I think it had??... Oh well, never mind Soz!.... Least it WAS directed by John Carpenter.. that much Iam sure on

[chokeout]

I watched memoirs of an invisible man, with Chevy Chase and Sam Niel.

It was another of those films I loved when I was young and was still as good as I remembered. The FX were still good too, I thought how things have moved on there may be some slightly ropey bits in there next to some more modern stuff, but it all looked quite swish. There was also a how they did it bit on the DVD which was good too.

 

 

It won an Oscar for the effects iirc.

 

Decent film I thought often overlooked

 

I dont think it even got nominated which is a crime

 

 

Mmm, why did I think it had??... Oh well, never mind Soz!.... Least it WAS directed by John Carpenter.. that much Iam sure on

 

 

John Carpenter can do no wrong by me, I forgive him for all the shit he makes cause when he makes good films he makes REALLY good films