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Films that stunned you
- Thread starter Icy Gull
- Start date
London Calling
New member
Schindlers List
Land and Freedom
Pan Labyrinth
Land and Freedom
Pan Labyrinth
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Probably the best film I have seen in the cinema was All about my mother directed by Almodovar, really moving tale with a few twists and turns. When it comes to high budget films I reckon Casino Royale takes some beating, stood up well on its own and not just part of the Bond series.
Last night I watched a film that I had missed when it was on at the flicks but had always wanted to see, City of God. For those who haven't seen it I can heartily recommend it, shot in a style similar to that used by Tarrantino in that it goes backwards and forwards in time it tells the story of gang warfare in Rio in the 60's and 70's. It is a violent film, there are plenty of shootings, some of it is shocking in its brutality yet it all serves to tell the story of a people and place not far removed from the wild west. Without wanting to give the whole story away the most brutal bit was when one of the main characters and his gang pursued a group of children (the runts) intent on muscling in on his territory, they shot one child in the foot as punishment and then made a new gang member kill another as a form of initiation.
In all it was just over two hours of pure entertainment, hard to divert the eyes from the screen, mind you as it is in Portuguese with subtitles this was necessary to follow the story...unfortunately I can't understand Portuguese. The whole story is brutal enough, but when you consider that modern Rio isn't that far removed from the film where the police and gangs regularly have gun fights with each other it kind of puts it into perspective...oh, and it is based on a true story.
Last night I watched a film that I had missed when it was on at the flicks but had always wanted to see, City of God. For those who haven't seen it I can heartily recommend it, shot in a style similar to that used by Tarrantino in that it goes backwards and forwards in time it tells the story of gang warfare in Rio in the 60's and 70's. It is a violent film, there are plenty of shootings, some of it is shocking in its brutality yet it all serves to tell the story of a people and place not far removed from the wild west. Without wanting to give the whole story away the most brutal bit was when one of the main characters and his gang pursued a group of children (the runts) intent on muscling in on his territory, they shot one child in the foot as punishment and then made a new gang member kill another as a form of initiation.
In all it was just over two hours of pure entertainment, hard to divert the eyes from the screen, mind you as it is in Portuguese with subtitles this was necessary to follow the story...unfortunately I can't understand Portuguese. The whole story is brutal enough, but when you consider that modern Rio isn't that far removed from the film where the police and gangs regularly have gun fights with each other it kind of puts it into perspective...oh, and it is based on a true story.
NMH
Banned
Rio is a wonderful city, but it has a very seedy side beyond the tourist-area attractions. I mock the rich who have gone there wearing Rolex and Cartier, and had them nicked. There are people there who see that stuff, and stealing it's the chance to feed their kids, or watch them starve. Very feral. I love Brasil, and the people in general. So mixed racially, so confused religiously, so rich in natural beauty and so poor in finance.
I once left the motorway into Rio at the wrong exit, and some kids tried to flag my car down so I drove at them to scatter the little sods (bigger people wait for cars to be stopped, then you can kiss everything goodbye)
I had a friend in Sao Paulo stabbed to death by a worker who he fired.
I have known poor, wealthy, and famous people there, and it's oddly amusing how all come together for Carnaval every year, too.
Brasil is a brilliant place.
sonicyouth
New member
all about my mother is excellent as well. almodovar is a wonderful director.
i miss being able to watch films and pretend it was work
i miss being able to watch films and pretend it was work
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
I love Brazil too, spent 10 days there in 02, Rio is certainly a city of opposites...mind you that could be said of pretty much any city in the World where posh appartments and slums nestle together like uncomfortable bed-fellows. I am planning a trip back to South America in the first few months of next year and will almost certainly make Rio a port of call, if only to see Corcovado and Pao D'azucar not covered by cloud, as they were on my first visit. The best bit of advice I received was not to flaunt wealth in public, as you mention, it is likely to attract the wrong type of attention entirely.
fatbadger
New member
Positively:
La Haine. I've seen it twice in the cinema, and on both occasions the audience was completely silent at the end, not even shuffling around trying to find their coats.
Talk To Her. An astonishingly emotional experience.
Voice of the Beehive. Just lost in the wooziness of it all.
Tokyo Story. Beautiful, just beautiful.
Negatively:
Starship Troopers. By some distance the worst film I have ever seen. I was just stunned by the complete stupidity of it all, wondering just how they were allowed to spend so much money on producing such shit.
La Haine. I've seen it twice in the cinema, and on both occasions the audience was completely silent at the end, not even shuffling around trying to find their coats.
Talk To Her. An astonishingly emotional experience.
Voice of the Beehive. Just lost in the wooziness of it all.
Tokyo Story. Beautiful, just beautiful.
Negatively:
Starship Troopers. By some distance the worst film I have ever seen. I was just stunned by the complete stupidity of it all, wondering just how they were allowed to spend so much money on producing such shit.
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Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Definitely "Once were warriors"
In just one scene halfway through I went from really liking Jake the Muscle to absolutely despising the ****. Powerful stuff and a very sad ending.
"Baise Moi" was very powerful too.
Blade Runner should get a mention.
Also "In which we serve". Noel Coward and Sir John Mills are absoultely brilliant. Great stirring stuff.
In just one scene halfway through I went from really liking Jake the Muscle to absolutely despising the ****. Powerful stuff and a very sad ending.
"Baise Moi" was very powerful too.
Blade Runner should get a mention.
Also "In which we serve". Noel Coward and Sir John Mills are absoultely brilliant. Great stirring stuff.
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Uncle Spielberg
Well-known member
The Machinist
Bevendean Hillbilly
New member
Good Call.
Now THAT is a diet plan!
Also just seen the Blade Runner reminder...again great call.
Also, I forgot "Jacobs Ladder" as a quality movie.
Old School Horror such as "Night of the Demon" and "Night of the Living Dead" deserve a mention too in that Genre.
Films that-for me- are overrated
Exorcist
Green Mile
Last Temptation of Christ
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Captain Haddock
Active member
Se7en.
Having clocked the figure on the stairs at one of the crime scenes, I wondered if / what terrible fate might await 'the wife'. As the film built towards it's climax and THAT box appeared in the story, I thought...."no, surely not....oh cripes!"
(Also comes under good endings category)
Having clocked the figure on the stairs at one of the crime scenes, I wondered if / what terrible fate might await 'the wife'. As the film built towards it's climax and THAT box appeared in the story, I thought...."no, surely not....oh cripes!"
(Also comes under good endings category)
Gyuribá
New member
Memento
great movie
great movie
Bevendean Hillbilly
New member
Not forgetting The English Patient
No comment...never managed to get to the end of that one.
*snooze*
Captain Haddock
Active member
Great post. All About My Mother and City Of God are in my Top 100 of all time (high praise indeed)
and that scene you mentioned with the children is truly horrifying. One of the tensest moments I've ever witnessed at the cinema.
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sonicyouth
New member
talking of brazil, i quite like the gilliam film of the same name. mental.
Nibble
New member
- Jan 3, 2007
- 19,238
Not forgetting The English Patient
A comedien (can't remember who) once said "You don't have to be English to watch it but you have to be f***ing patient"! Genius
Meade's Ball
Well-known member
I remember getting highly moved by the Seventh Seal when i first watched it on TV about 14 years ago, but on more recent second glance the emotion of it or in me had changed/developed/soured/devolved. Still an impressive film in places, but embroiled permanently in this clockwork pomposity that ticks with humourous regularity, that it's less about the meaning of life and all about the making of Bergman's and his position.
City of God had me hanging when i saw it at the flicks. Proposition did too. And Cache.
But overall, in my quest for personal meaning and purpose, i drift mostly toward films of the past and ones made in Europe that may have thought attached in their cheaper places.
City of God had me hanging when i saw it at the flicks. Proposition did too. And Cache.
But overall, in my quest for personal meaning and purpose, i drift mostly toward films of the past and ones made in Europe that may have thought attached in their cheaper places.