[Robert Schunk]

The last movie I watched was "Submarine D-7" from 1937, which I watched earlier tonight. It was OK, at least to the extent that it showed off lots of old naval ships, from subs to battlewagons. I was startled to see an old transport, the USS Henderson, showing up in many of the in-port scenes until it dawned on me that she must have transported the film crew and their equipment around to the various ports. Some parts were totally unrealistic, as when a Torpedoman's Mate 1/c [asses his Chief's exam and immediately gets promoted to Master Chief Torpedoman, which is impossible in the navy. But it was fun to see a 1930's submarine inside and out, as well as lots of four-piper DDs, an Omaha-class CL (USS Cincinatti), and a few World War I/early 1920's-era BBs.

One thing that raised my ire, however, was the film's apparent inability to speak the name of "Swede" Momsen, who almost single-handedly invented modern submarine safety technology. Not only did they have one of the movie's characters design his submarine rescue chamber, but when they referred to the Momsen Lung, they simply called it "the lung", with no mention of Momsen's name.

[demonrail666]

 

Metropolitan

A side of NY that doesn’t seem to feature in that many movies, besides the odd period drama, making this feel a little like something out of another time, without actually being so - which is the very point of the film, I suppose. Henry James meets the Breakfast Club-ish.

[evollove]

Wow--the James reference is even more spot on considering the next film (BARCELONA) is about Americans in Europe! Never thought of that.

[sonic sphere]

 

[Robert Schunk]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

 

Metropolitan

A side of NY that doesn’t seem to feature in that many movies, besides the odd period drama, making this feel a little like something out of another time, without actually being so - which is the very point of the film, I suppose. Henry James meets the Breakfast Club-ish.

One of my favorites as well. Actually, I think we've talked about this film before on another thread about a year ago.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by Robert Schunk

One of my favorites as well. Actually, I think we've talked about this film before on another thread about a year ago.

Yeah, I seem to remember that too. I actually re-watched it a few days prior to posting it and seeing your name in the thread reminded me. It's a side of US/NY society that really fascinates me but which rarely gets much attention in its popular culture, at least now. Discussions around the topic here usually end with me urging you to write a book about it, simply so I can read it.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Yeah, I seem to remember that too. I actually re-watched it a few days prior to posting it and seeing your name in the thread reminded me. It's a side of US/NY society that really fascinates me but which rarely gets much attention in its popular culture, at least now. Discussions around the topic here usually end with me urging you to write a book about it, simply so I can read it.

i loooove that movie for some strange reason, and i say it because i started as tom the socialist wanting to disapprove of and hate everyone in it, but couldn't help to find the characters a highly agreeable bunch of people. i particularly liked the nerdy friend with the glasses, the one who is constantly nerding up the conversation, and audrey of course, and nick (nick is the hardest to like because it's difficult to see his concealed goodness behind his cynical/shallow veneer).

in any case, if this is your first whit stillman movie, let me suggest you first watch the last days of disco and then continue with barcelona, because that's the correct chronological order of that universe, even though the movies were produced the other way around.

i posted a few days back i had watched and liked damsels in distress, which isn't up to par with his previous output but still is in spite of its involuntary campiness very enjoyable.

[!@#$%!]

ps- ended up re-watching it just a little while ago, ha ha ha. so much fun.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

i loooove that movie for some strange reason, and i say it because i started as tom the socialist wanting to disapprove of and hate everyone in it, but couldn't help to find the characters a highly agreeable bunch of people. i particularly liked the nerdy friend with the glasses, the one who is constantly nerding up the conversation, and audrey and nick (nick is the hardest to like because it's difficult to see his concealed goodness behind his cynical veneer).

in any case, if this is your first whit stillman movie, let me suggest you first watch the last days of disco and then continue with barcelona, because that's the correct chronological order of that universe, even though the movies were produced the other way around.

i posted a few days back i had watched and liked damsels in distress, which isn't up to par with his previous output but still is in spite of its involuntary campiness very enjoyable.

Thanks for the recommendations. I've seen Last Days of Disco but wasn't aware it was by the same guy. I've never seen Barcelona although funnily enough I'll be in the actual city next week so I could watch it in preparation.

Anyway, another one I watched again the other day

 

Inglorious Basterds

2 1/2 hours of a filmmaker finally losing the plot completely. I'm generally quite a peaceful man but if Tarantino was ever in the room while I was watching either this, or Kill Bill I (I don't mind 2) or Death Proof, I honestly think I'd hit him. I haven't seen Django yet, but I will, because I think Tarantino was a great filmmaker and really want him to get back to being one and see no reason (other than his own infantile obsessions and ego, and those who indulge them) why he can't. He was never the saviour of cinema but with Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown he showed he had talent to burn. That the same guy who made those is now making stuff like Inglorious Basterds is a massive shame. That it seems like this is the kind of film he wanted to make from the beginning, is just depressing.

[!@#$%!]

^ now that you know the characters from metropolitan, rewatch last days of disco and you'll notice cameos by audrey roget, sally fowler, fred, etc.,

dammit, now i want to re-watch that too.

barcelona might not be what you expect (i mean the movie, not the city) but i hope you enjoy it.

[sonic sphere]

 

[Murmer99]

 

It's a great film by Woody Allen but flawed. I didn't have any major issues with the film, I just don't find most of it very funny and in terms of it's thematic statement, I easily prefer Fellini's La Dolce Vita.

Nonetheless, it's an interesting observation on the people we "choose to celebrate" and how the line between subject and object becomes clouded. One thing I picked up on was that the main character (played by Kenneth Branagh) acts exactly how you'd expect Woody Allen to act based on every role he has played in his own films. He's tense, stutters a lot, his mannerisms are identical to woody's, in the film he can't seem to make up his mind in regards to his love life... and it was just odd. It's like the guy was impersonating Woody Allen because perhaps Woody Allen playing the role himself wouldn't have been believable? I wonder if I'm the only one that even noticed this. Even though the acting was pretty much impeccable (all around), it bugged me for some reason.

The scene where the hooker uses a banana to demonstrate oral sex to the news reporter, and chokes on the banana made me laugh and cringe at the same time.

[h8kurdt]

Di Caprio was great in it though.

[demonrail666]

Celebrity's one of the Woody Allen films I've not seen although I stopped really following what he was doing a while ago, probably after Deconstructing Harry, which I didn't hate but left me fairly indifferent. Everything I've read about his movies made after that seem to suggest he's been on a downward spiral ever since.

[LifeDistortion]

Really? Because many would say he's had a creative resurgence since "Match Point", and one of my favorites came after "Deconstructing Harry" which is "Sweet and Lowdown". I think maybe the movies he chooses not to act in these days are better, and he's been acting less and less and mostly just writing and directing. I guess he's hit or miss since he puts out so much.

[sonic sphere]

 

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by LifeDistortion

Really? Because many would say he's had a creative resurgence since "Match Point", and one of my favorites came after "Deconstructing Harry" which is "Sweet and Lowdown". I think maybe the movies he chooses not to act in these days are better, and he's been acting less and less and mostly just writing and directing. I guess he's hit or miss since he puts out so much.

I dare say you're right and I should give some of his more recent stuff a go. To be fair, though, there's only a few films from even his supposed golden era that I really like: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Purple Rose of Cairo. That's about it. Was never a big fan of stuff like Bananas or Sleeper.

Anyway, just watched.

 

W.

Some great acting but it feels more like a sketch of a film than the thing itself.

[!@#$%!]

sleeper is hilarious but it's also pretty dated, bananas was goofy in a good way but also very dated, what's up tigerlilly is unwatchable, etc.

however--- bullets over broadway came after his late 70s/early 80s golden era but it's still great (i think it was right before deconstructing harry).

from his new stuff i've loved midnight in paris, match point, sweet and lowdown, and... what else was there... oh, yes, barcelona! i mean vicki cristina barcelona. gorgeous cinematography on this one, a lush yellow palette. great cast too. plus, your trip!

[h8kurdt]

Midnight In Paris is brilliant and it's certainly up there with his best. It's one of them films you find yourself watching with a silly grin on your face.

[evollove]

http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/sho...ighlight=woody

PARIS- I hated it. It was way too eager to please. Owen Wilson sucks. It's point was obvious very early on. etc.

ROME- I liked it. A lot actually. The stories all unfolded in unexpected directions. Watching it, I did something I haven't done in an Allen film for years and years and years: laugh a lot and enjoy myself. It's slight, but not brainless.