Need New Movie + Video Suggestions

[Eric Ifune]

I've seen Hidden Fortress also and can see the connection with Star Wars, but I didn't think that the film was one of Kurosawa's better works. As much as I didn't enjoy Ran, it's clearly a better movie than Hidden Fortress.

I agree, that's why I said it was over the top.
Seven Samurai is still my favorite film of all time.

[Peter W. Meek]

Genre: Comedy; foreign
Title: Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Mr. Hulot's Holiday)
starring and directed by Jacques Tati
Liked because: I think this is my favorite movie of all time. Practically no dialog -- might as well leave the subtitles off. Tati can get more humor out of a garden hose or a tennis racket than Hollywood can get with a $200,000,000 budget. Wait for the folding boat scene. Or the funeral. Or the duck hunter in the wheelchair. Look for yourself among the characters.

This movie has been released several times by the Criterion Collection. When it is in print, it goes for $25-30; when it is out of print, used or NOS copies go for over $100 (up to $200 if it's been a while). The current release was made from a very good original with some restoration -- it's worth upgrading to if you have an older copy.

Lesser works (but still very funny) Mon Oncle (My Uncle, Hulot), Trafic (Traffic), and Playtime also feature Tati as Mr. Hulot.

[Peter W. Meek]

The Secret Life of Bees.

I rather liked that one. Oddly (I thought) my wife didn't.

[Peter W. Meek]

BULK LISTING

Genre: Horror
Title:Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) (2008)
Quirky little Swedish vampire movie about a very strange little girl. Get the Swedish movie; there is an American version coming out in 2010 of unknown quality.

Genre: Thriller
Title: Diva (1981)
Outstanding gang of weird characters in a convoluted plot as only the French can do.

Genre: Musical (sort of) drama
Title: Die 3 Groschen-Oper (3 Penny Opera) (1931)
The original Mack the Knife. Criterion has released a hugely improved print of this classic. If you have only seen this as a scratchy, noisy art-house theater copy, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of this release. Better sub-titles, better translations, not so murky that you can't tell what's going on. Watch for Lottie Lenya as Pirate Jenny doing the song A Ship With Eight Sails; my wife Eva (born German) assures me that the word "Hopla" translates best as "Oops!" (Actually, there are earlier versions of this story, but this is the earliest you are likely to see.)

Genre: Horror
Title: The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1976)
Jodie Foster (at 14 years, who would later be described by Playboy as "the smart one") in an early role as an independant young lady (and very scary when you think about it much later). Great supporting cast, too.

I'll go a step further and recommend taking another look at almost any Foster performance: Nell, Sommersby, Five Corners, The Accused, Taxi Driver, Little Man Tate, etc.

Enough for now.

[Peter W. Meek]

I'm also a fan of certain "chick movies".
Genre: "Chick movies"
Title: Sleepless in Seattle
Dunno what it is about these two. Maybe a decent story, likeable characters, good soundtrack?
This movie has the best riff on "guy" vs. "chick" movies ever filmed.

Genre: "Chick movies"
Title: You've Got Mail
See above.

And sometimes classified as "chick movies", but more accurately "male fantasy":
Genre: see above
Title: Pretty Woman

Genre: see above
Title: Notting Hill
A couple of Julia Roberts films; what can I say.

I'll second the vote for all Kurosawa films up until he got a little weepy with Dreams and Ikiru.

For some fun in the Japanese Martial Arts flicks try the series of Zatoichi movies starring Shintarô Katsu. Avoid the TV series and avoid like the plague the film starring Beat Takeshi.

If you find you like samurai movies, these are among the best:

47 Ronin Parts 1 and 2. The classic Japanese story about loyalty
Chushingura (another version of the 47 Ronin) These are both very long 3 hr+ movies.

Samurai I, II, and III. The life story of Miyamoto Musashi with Toshiro Mifune. Village bully to respected Samurai; his writings are read to this day by people seeking a better understanding of Bushido.

If you don't mind a little (!!!) violence, try Kill Bill 1 & 2. See them as a set; put aside a long evening or a Saturday afternoon.

The Robert Rodriguez Trilogy: El Mariachi, Desperado, and Once Upon A Time In Mexico.
El Mariachi was made on a shoestring with friends and locals. It became so popular that sequels were made with Hayak and Banderas (and Johnny Depp and Willem Dafoe in creepy roles). Again, not for the squeamish.
There is an excellent music video on one of these DVDs (I forget which) and some very good extras featuring Rodriguez discussing production.

Sorry about getting so long-winded. I watch a lot of movies -- 10-15 a week. I have 1300+ stored on a 12 TeraByte fileserver (don't worry, I keep the original disks) and watch some favorites monthly or oftener.

[Peter W. Meek]

SOME MORE BULK LISTINGS
Films that will polarize; you'll love them or hate them (for different reasons).

Genre: Crime
Title: You Move, You Die
Comment: Young New Zealander supposedly wrote, directed and starred in, and filmed this movie in 7 days. For sheer energy, it's hard to beat. Filmed almost entirely with a steady-cam -- not for people with motion-sickness problems. Violent.


Genre: Crime -- Guy Ritchie movies (director, and sometimes writer)
Title: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Title: Revolver
Title: Snatch
Title: RocknRolla
Comment: These and some others belong to a sub-genre I call English Ultra-Violent. They seem to do this genre very well there. I like them, but they are not for everybody.

...and now for something completely different: (The Larch -- sorry, couldn't resist that)

Genre: Anime -- movies by Hayao Miyazaki
Title: Laputa: Castle in the Sky, 1986 film
Title: My Neighbor Totoro, 1988 film
Title: Kiki's Delivery Service, 1989 film
Title: Porco Rosso, 1992 film
Title: Spirited Away, 2001 film (winner, Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, 2002)
Title: Howl's Moving Castle, 2004 (nominee, Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, 2005)
Comment: Primarily intended for children, but with enough "meat" that a lot of adults enjoy them. Differences between Japanese and Western cultures means that you should view these yourself before handing them over to kids -- especially small ones. Themes of loss and separation can be intense for small children.

I like them; my wife hates them; a female friend loves them; her husband hates them. My grandson (4) loves them; his sisters are mixed. Try Totoro as one of the most accessible. Note: a strong pacifist theme runs through many of these films -- even a bit preachy at times -- so avoid these if that irritates you; it makes me squirm at times, but the story line is good enough that I'm willing to wait it out.

Genre: Comedy/Farce
Title: Mr. Bean's Holiday (w/Rowan Atkinson)
Comment: Modeled on Mr. Hulot's Holiday, but covering the trip rather than the destination. The sight gags in this are hilarious. Not a movie for people with broken ribs or recent abdominal surgery. Rowan Atkinson -- you love him or you can't stand him.

[Eric Ifune]

For some fun in the Japanese Martial Arts flicks try the series of Zatoichi movies starring Shintarô Katsu. Avoid the TV series and avoid like the plague the film starring Beat Takeshi.

Katsu also did a few films of another series called Hanzo the "Razor." These were way, WAY over the top. Very politically incorrect. He was a magistrate samurai in Edo interested in finding out the truth; and didn't care how he found it out. Aways exercising his middle leg by plowing bags of rice.

[Moses Botbol]

BULK LISTING

Genre: Horror
Title:Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) (2008)
Quirky little Swedish vampire movie about a very strange little girl. Get the Swedish movie; there is an American version coming out in 2010 of unknown quality.

Saw this weekend and it was a sleeper. Girlfriend could only take 20 minutes before resigning to her novel. I made it 35 minutes before throwing in the towel. Pretty dull.

[Peter W. Meek]

BULK LISTING

Genre: Horror
Title:Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) (2008)
Quirky little Swedish vampire movie about a very strange little girl. Get the Swedish movie; there is an American version coming out in 2010 of unknown quality.

Saw this weekend and it was a sleeper. Girlfriend could only take 20 minutes before resigning to her novel. I made it 35 minutes before throwing in the towel. Pretty dull.

Having seen all of it, I have to say I liked it, but I admit it isn't for everybody. YMMV

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks Peter,

I've seen quite a few of those but there are some I have yet to watch.

I suggest for you, Monkey Shines. I have no doubt this is something that Moses would also like quite a bit.

[Peter W. Meek]

I suggest for you, Monkey Shines.

In spite of having recommended some horror flicks, I'm not generally a fan. And George Romero is one of the reasons why. I think I'll give this one a pass.

[Moses Botbol]

I love horror flicks, as long as they are not too gory. Some of my favorites are:

The Thing (1982)

Event Horizon (1997)

Cabin Fever (2002)

**********
The Ruins (2008) is good for a recent movie

[Roy Hersh]

This is not a horror flick!

[Peter W. Meek]

Re: Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear (1988)

This is not a horror flick!

Hmm; the descriptions on both Amazon and IMDB sure sounded like a horror film, and with George Romero (Night of the Living Dead, etc.) as director it seemed like confirmation. (User comment: One of Romero's most underrated and finest horror films.)

A menacing creature (no matter if wronged; the monster in Frankenstein was surely wronged) of unnatural intelligence begins to battle a helpless man, mentally and physically. Why isn't it a horror movie?

Are you intending one of the seven other movies called "Monkey Shines" made between 1910 and 1934?

[Peter W. Meek]

I just ordered Hobson's Choice (1954) w/Charles Laughton for MNATM (our weekly Monday Night at the Movies, where we drink bubbly during the movie {it doesn't stain the furniture if spilled} and port afterwards) so I'll have a recommendation as to how it holds up for a modern audience. It sure was funny years ago.

[Roy Hersh]

Monkey Shines is more of a dark comedy and does not come across (at least to me) as a horror flick. If IMDB is trying to pigeon hole this into a specific genre, then I can understand why they've selected that category, but in reality ... this did not feel horrific except maybe one scene. However, this is not something I'd put my child in front of.

[Moses Botbol]

Here's a classic:

Cruising (1980) with Al Pacino. Not for everyone. I doubt another Hollywood film will be made like this one... Classic!

[Roy Hersh]

Yeah, maybe a bit outrageous in its day, however, no more so than the recent Brokeback Mtn. a few years ago which was every bit as far out on the limb.

[Moses Botbol]

Yeah, maybe a bit outrageous in its day, however, no more so than the recent Brokeback Mtn. a few years ago which was every bit as far out on the limb.

Although they both deal with gay themes, there's a huge difference between the two movies. Brokeback Mtn is Diseny and Crusing is Brian De Palma.

[Moses Botbol]

If you are a soccer fan, you'll love this movie. It's about Diego Maradona and is in spanish with english subtitles. If you are familiar with his life, you know it would make a great movie. Each part of Maradona's life is played by someone who looks just like him. The correct fashion, cars and music for each era too. Great game footage. He is one of the greatest athletes ever yet has had so many up's and down's. Knowning is alive today makes this movie even more powerful.

Maradona: The Hand of God (2007)