Let's Talk Movies! #22 : Steve Jobs, Some Trekkies, An Ozzy...and IRON MAN!!!

[mrr50]

As much as I hate Jim Carrey, the ads for "The Adventures of Burt Wonderstone" almost make me want to see it.

Never thought I would be interested, but "Emperor" is appealing because I really like Tommy Lee Jones

[PeterG]

I just finished Marthy Marcy May Marlene. Very understated movie with a power that comes from that subtlety. Very well written and performed. John Hawkes was his usual great self in this small but impactful role. And Sarah Paulson is great as the sister in her tense (terse) middle-class rigidity. And Elizabeth Olsen is wonderful...I think we might see her acheive the level of success that Jennifer Lawrence now has. I think Olsen might even be a better actress than Lawrence, more subtle and intense. And this is coming from a big Jennifer Lawrence fan. Olsen will be in a movie in October (Kill Your Darlings) which is about Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs and stars Michael C. Hall, Daniel Radcliffe and Ben Foster. After that, a thriller (Therese Raquin) with Tom Felton and Jessica Lange. Then an action drama remake of the excellent Korean movie Oldboy with Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Brolin. And lastly, Godzilla (seriously) with Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche based on a screenplay by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Walking Dead). Looks like an interesting couple of years ahead for Mary-Kate and Ashley's kid sister.

...I kinda want to see The Adventures of Burt Wonderstone.

That one looks so funny! Steve Carell is known to lose character and not being able to hold back his laughter, so the outtakes for this one are going to be killer!!

Abbie Cornish: Impressed because with her beauty I could see her stuck on the Rom-Com track. But she takes a different direction each time. Kudo's to her.

You know, before watching the trailer for "The Girl", I'm not sure I knew her. So I checked out imdb.com and here's some of her movies: Seven Psychopaths, W.E. (Madonna as director, just got this one from the library), Limitless (with Bradley Cooper), Stop-Loss (with Ryan Phillippe), Elizabeth: The Golden Age, A Good Year (with Russell Crowe) and Candy (with Heath Ledger). So is it good or bad that I've seen most of these movies...but don't remember her. I'm going with good, because I liked these movies - if I don't remember her, maybe that means she disappeared so well into the role that I remember a quality movie rather than her specific role. Hmm...

^ Ewan McGregor is the first and best reason to watch Moulin Rouge. And that's plenty for me.

Ewan made me happy to hear "Your Song" again...after it had been done to death on all the singing competiton TV shows. I'd like to hear him sing more.

[Vash01]

This thread inspires me to get my BluRay player up and running. Things have been so hectic lately that it is very low on my priority list until April 2nd week.

[Artemis@BC]

I just finished Marthy Marcy May Marlene. Very understated movie with a power that comes from that subtlety. Very well written and performed. John Hawkes was his usual great self in this small but impactful role. And Sarah Paulson is great as the sister in her tense (terse) middle-class rigidity. And Elizabeth Olsen is wonderful...I think we might see her acheive the level of success that Jennifer Lawrence now has. I think Olsen might even be a better actress than Lawrence, more subtle and intense. And this is coming from a big Jennifer Lawrence fan. Olsen will be in a movie in October (Kill Your Darlings) which is about Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs and stars Michael C. Hall, Daniel Radcliffe and Ben Foster. After that, a thriller (Therese Raquin) with Tom Felton and Jessica Lange. Then an action drama remake of the excellent Korean movie Oldboy with Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Brolin. And lastly, Godzilla (seriously) with Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche based on a screenplay by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Walking Dead). Looks like an interesting couple of years ahead for Mary-Kate and Ashley's kid sister.

MMMM was an intensely good movie, so creepy and subtle -- it stayed with me for a long time after.

I agree about Olsen, she's definitely one to watch. I saw her in another movie recently, Liberal Arts. The movie was only mildly good (I'd probably give it about a 6.5 or 7), but Olsen's performance was definitely a highlight. Aside from the fact that she obviously has far more talent than her infamous sisters combined, I'm assuming she's also been able to learn some what-not-to-do showbiz lessons from them!

[Artemis@BC]

Over the past couple of weeks I've managed to watch 5 very different "coming of age" movies. I liked them all to varying degrees, but in order of preference (least to most):

Kati with an I -- a documentary filmmaker decides to follow his younger sister around with a camera for the few days before her high school graduation. Lots of everyday verité stuff, plus a couple of unexpected twists. The Heisenberg principle is very much on display here -- all the subjects definitely show signs of being watched. Probably more of a draw for folks who like "real life" tv & film (not me!), but the title Kati is still interesting enough to watch, particularly when juxtaposed with footage of her younger self.

Neds -- Smart kid in unbelievably difficult circumstances gets caught up in the seemingly inevitable delinquent lifestyle of his working class neighbourhood. ("Neds" is a colloquial term for "Non-Educated Delinquents.") I picked this one up just because I love Peter Mullan. He's behind the camera here, with only a small (but incredibly effective and heartbreakingly brutal) onscreen role. (Note: I'm very good with Scottish accents but even I had turn on the subtitles for the cut-it-with-a-knife Glaswegian dialect.)

This Is England -- Set against the backdrop of the Thatcher era (specifically the Falklands war), a young boy finds acceptance and belonging in a fledgling National Front gang. A terrifyingly common story of how appealing a "gang" can be for the disenfranchised (see previous movie). But there's a real heart to this one.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower -- I have only the vaguest recollection of the book, but I think this was probably a pretty good adaptation. On its own, it definitely works as a unique-but-familiar piece of storytelling. I'll admit that the main reason I picked it up was because of Emma Watson, but I found the whole cast very effective.

The Wise Kids -- I was very pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable and affecting this film was. It's understated and simple, but very eloquently illustrates 3 teenagers' explorations of faith, sexuality, and identity. It doesn't argue or preach, it just is. The three lead characters are all well acted, but Allison Torem was a particular standout (in probably the most difficult role). A real sleeper gem.

[Buzz]

Saw a documentary on Netflix recently by film maker Warner Herzog titled "Happy People: A year in the Taiga". A cameraman followed the inhabitants of a rural Russian village who mostly hunt for a living and is almost cut off from the rest of their country. A very interesting and poignant documentary about what it really is like to "live of the land".

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/happ.../?nopopup=true

[Cachoo]

If this has been discussed and I missed it I apologize but has anyone seen this Sean Penn film: http://youtu.be/kplFGDHuYy4 ? He looks ok as a goth.

[martian_girl]

Not sure if this film has been mentioned earlier in the thread, but last night I saw the documentary Sound City, directed by Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) about the famous recording studio of the same name. It is excellent. The first part tells the story of the studio, and in the second part Grohl buys the studio's mixing board, sets up his own studio, and invites musicians who recorded at Sound City to come and play with him.

You have to love a film that's big hearted enough to include Rick Springfield, Lee Ving from the punk band Fear, Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Nicks. And every single one of them

I saw the film on video-on-demand, but I believe you can also pay to watch it online at the film's website (soundcity.com).

I saw Sound City and i loved it too. It might seem like an odd thing to make a film that is a love letter to a piece of a equipment, but Dave did an awesome job of it.

[michiruwater]

Saw a documentary on Netflix recently by film maker Warner Herzog titled "Happy People: A year in the Taiga". A cameraman followed the inhabitants of a rural Russian village who mostly hunt for a living and is almost cut off from the rest of their country. A very interesting and poignant documentary about what it really is like to "live of the land".

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/happ.../?nopopup=true

Is this on Netflix instant? If so, I know what I am watching this weekend!

[Buzz]

I believe it is and you should also check out The Imposter. A documentary about a con man who pretended to be a missing 13 year old boy 3 years after he disappeared, despite the fact he looked nothing like the missing child. The con man was even accepted by the missing child's family.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_imposter_2012/

[Yehudi]

If any of you live in the LA area, WonderCon is coming up in a few weeks time. They are supposed to have a panel and preview of Mortal Instruments with Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Brower and Cassandra Clare (yes, it's Cassandra Claire who wrote the Very Secret Diaries of LOTR fanfic). They are also having a preview of an evil dead remake. Tickets are only $40 for the whole weekend and its a lot less crazy than San Diego Comic Con.

[Buzz]

Oh poop... I wish I could go but alas I am in TO.

[all_empty]

Ok, so I saw "Trance," and it was crazytown.

Definitely NOT a movie for kids (tons of full frontal, violence, etc). Great visuals as always with Danny Boyle but a mindf--k plot.

Interviewing him this weekend and will try to get insights into it.

[emason]

Saw two movies on Thursday:

No, the Chilean Oscar nominee for best foreign film. It's an interesting story that got overwhelmed by way too much fictionalizing of the true facts and the pacing in deadly. The ending is so anti-climactic and the whole thing should have been tightened up. Wanted to like it but just couldn't.

The Gatekeepers: the 6 living former heads of Shin Bet agreed to be interviewed for this documentary. Highly recommended; I found it disturbing, tough to watch, highly informative and all-around great. The Israeli friend who saw it with me thought the subtitles did a good job of translating the Hebrew.

Tomorrow I have plans to final catch up with Amour.

[PeterG]

I watched I'm Still Here (Jaoquin Phoenix). Then I had to watch some of it again with the commentary playing. I don't get it. All I can guess is it's a vanity project/performance art piece by a couple of douchebags who think a lot of themselves. If anyone can explain the purpose of this movie to me, please do so...

At first I thought, "romance... not my cup of tea..." and then I watch the trailer... OMG! Why is this a smaller movie? It is visually beautiful and the concept is interesting Thanks Peter, I'm going to try and catch this one

When I first start a new thread, I go with the major releases listed at wikipedia. Anything that's not included from there that I get from two other websites I just lump into the "smaller" or independent category. Sometimes a "bigger" movie gets missed from that first list, which was the case for the last Brad Pitt movie, although that didn't seem to go anywhere. I can't even remember the name of it, but maybe that's because it looked too violent for my tastes. As for "Upside Down" it might not have made it to wikipedia because it doesn't have a major studio behind it or because neither Jim Sturgess or Kirsten Dunst are big names at this time in their careers.

There is a documentary about WW2 opening on April 5th and I hope it comes to a cinema near me. It is called "No Place on Earth" and is about a group of Jewish Ukrainians who hid in a cave for 18 months to escape the Nazis.

I found a direct link for this movie at youtube. It looks good, but I'm wondering about it being a History Channel production... Hmm. Plus I've been watching a lot of holocaust stuff over the last few years and think I need to take a break from that subject. Of course I won't as soon as something comes across my path, though...

I finally saw Inglorious Basterds and hated it, like I do most things Tarantino. The only Tarantino film I remotely liked was Jackie Brown, and that was because of Pam Grier.

Pam Grier should be in every movie.

[Buzz]

According to this article Jack Reacher may just get another movie after all and hopefully this time they would base the movie on one of Lee Child's more popular novels.

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jack...2-edges-closer

[Rex]

I watched [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz6CU7pgiKc"]Pam Grier should be in every movie.

ITA. Stunning lady.

[PeterG]

We have hit the jackpot this week. I can't remember the last time so many good smaller movies were being released. I'll make some comments after the list:

The Sapphires (Biographical musical comedy drama with a new cast. From imdb.com: “It's 1968, and four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship and war when their all girl group The Sapphires entertain the US troops in Vietnam.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ljho1cyEfg

Dorfman in Love (Comedy with Sara Rue and Elliott Gould)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0gBm1HaDWc

Hunky Dory (Musical drama with Minnie Driver)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_VxhrtMJCs

Come Out and Play (Horror with a new cast)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCigbK1I0y0

Eden (Drama with a new cast and Beau Bridges)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTDkuwS5axU

Gimme the Loot (Crime drama with a new cast. From imdb.com: “When their latest work is buffed by a rival crew, two determined graffiti writers embark on an elaborate plan to bomb the ultimate location: the New York Mets' Home Run Apple.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyBGkojSUvE

Everybody Has A Plan (Spanish language crime drama with Viggo Mortensen)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8RZUFrLzqU

InAPPropiate Comedy (Comedy with Rob Schneider, Michelle Rodriguez, Adrien Brody and Lindsay Lohan)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jNE_oIA08w

The Sapphires looks BRILLIANT. It's already made 10 million overseas, probably all in Australia where the film originates. And I'm guessing that kind of box office for Australia is BIG. The movie is being released in the U.S. by the Weinstein company, which is another good sign. Can't wait to see it!

Dorfman In Love looks very sweet, I think Sara Rue is a brilliant comic actress. Hunky Dory actually came out in 2012 in numerous other countries, I'm guessing it's getting a small release in the US now. I wasn't going to add it to this list because imdb.com doesn't confirm a US release this week, but the trailer is so good that I did not delete it so you could all see it along with me.

Come Out And Play looks interesting, I've been waiting for a new horror film to come out. It could be uber-creepy, so I'm in! Eden looks like it's a good movie, but could be depressing. I'm going to assume that the good guys win in the end, so because of this assumption, I'm adding it to my To See list. Gimme The Loot actually looks like a romantic comedy drama, but imdb.com lists it as a crime drama so I kept it at that. It looks like it could be good, but I didn't quite warm to the cast. Everybody Has A Plan might be good (it does have Viggo after all), but it kind of has a been there, seen that kind of feel. And InAPPropiate Comedy might be good, but I'm betting it's just going to be stupid. Poor Adrien Brody...

[PeterG]

P.S. Let me know if you didn't laugh out loud at least one time during the trailer for the Sapphires.

[Buzz]

The Saphires look really cool and I hope to watch it but Come Out And Play looks too creepy for me.