Random Movie Talk Part X: The Spy Who Loved Me

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If the phrase "fuck the beaver" comes from Jodie Foster's mouth, A+.

I also thought the movie was rated G for whatever reason.
 
powerhour24 said:
What, for taking it seriously? If so, then yes, Foster is smart and the screenplay got a ton of acclaim.
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See, but you're talking to someone who doesn't have that kind of insight into the film, as I'd never heard of it until today (re: the Screenplay), so just get ready for that reaction as more people see the trailer.

I know you guys hated that about The American and its trailer, but really, as far as I can tell based on previews alone, this movie looks to be one of the worst things put on film.
 
It would be more intriguing if Gibson were walking around with his hand up Jerry Mathers' ahole the entire movie
 
Now we know I'm a big admirer but not necessarily in love with P&P, so keeping that in perspective I'm willing to say upon a second viewing this week that I prefer Black Swan to The Red Shoes. Or at the very least I prefer the Swan Lake performance that closes BS to the respecive sequence in TRS. BS had me so overwhelmed with sensation and emotion in the theater just now I was near tears. Yeah, Laz, I'll officially redacted my Blue Valentine statement now. I dont see any of the remaining releases this year surpassing this for me.
 
I'm about to project The Red Shoes Blu-ray for friends tonight, but I'll just jump the gun a bit and laugh in your face. One of the supreme creative achievements cinema has to offer, even if it isn't my favorite P&P. After tonight though, who knows?
 
I admire TRS as a grand achievement of cinema, but "laughing in my face" for having a more profound visceral/emotional reaction to another brilliant film is a bit immature, no?

But regardless I'm just throwing out some well earned love to my favorite American film of the year.

Also saw the Malick trailer again. Easily one of the most beautiful films ever made, while we're jumping the gun. Then again thats par for the course for Malick. Still, I got goosebumps.
 
There's no doubt that TRS doesn't go for the emotional core, but to me the artistic accomplishment is enough to leave me in awe, even if one has to put it in context w/r/t the time it came out.

I hope to see Black Swan so perhaps I will be weeping along with you, but I'm not expecting Aronofsky to eclipse The Archers.
 
lazarus said:
There's no doubt that TRS doesn't go for the emotional core, but to me the artistic accomplishment is enough to leave me in awe, even if one has to put it in context w/r/t the time it came out.

I hope to see Black Swan so perhaps I will be weeping along with you, but I'm not expecting Aronofsky to eclipse The Archers.
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This.

For me, the Red Shoes ballet sequence is the greatest collection of images, sounds and expressionistic ideas that I've seen so far in all of cinema. It's the type of filmmaking that I respond the most to, granted, but goddamn, I want to show anyone who says that they enjoy film that sequence as a snobby litmus test.
 
Black Swan hits my local O C art house this Friday. So I will see it this week end. Right now my personal expectations are not that high. I have sat through the preview at least 20 times, the last couple of months and it does not leave me very impressed at all.

The Social Network, 127 Hours are both mediocre films that will have no real staying power.
In short time they will be forgotten.
Franco has done better work and has been in much better films.
The only thing SN will be remembered for is Justin Timberlake's excellent performance.

I am hoping Swan will exceed my expectations.
 
Fingers crossed, I'll be seeing Black Swan at an Orlando pre-screening next Monday. If not, it opens that Friday, but that's designated as TRON DAY. All caps.
 
I'll be seeing TRON too.

Never saw the first one. I have seen a lot of posters for it, though.
I am looking forward to the soundtrack in a theater.

Soundtrack is important to me. I went back to Pilgrim a couple of times, just to hear the grunge, thrasher music. also went back to There Will Be Blood, because I wanted to have a viewing where I paid particular attention to that ST.
 
I'm not suggesting Aronofsky has surpassed The Archers, though I respond far more to the swooning, subjective, sensual filmmaking he employs in this particular work. Artistically I think it's very nearly as complex and commited a film, if not quite as defining of a cinematic ideal or of an era, and has the added benefit of a visceral go-for-broke delirious emotional study that for one reason or another got hit me just right.
 
Matty eviscerated it on Filmspotting last week, though they rarely speak greatly about the visual components of the film.
 
Holy fuck that Blu-ray of The Red Shoes is glorious. And I thought it looked impressive before.

I don't even know what more to say. I was squealing because I could actually see the fuzz on one of the character's wool sportcoats. The close-ups are just unreal.

My two friends who had never heard of the film before were astonished, and after the long ballet sequence one said "that's the greatest thing I've ever seen".
 
I wish I could be that enthusiastic about the film. Oh well. I'd love to watch it on blu-ray though. It looks astonishing.

LMP said:
Matty eviscerated it on Filmspotting last week, though they rarely speak greatly about the visual components of the film.
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The visual components of the film are one thing (one extremely extremely fantastic thing at least) but I think a lot of what people are having trouble with is the psychology of the film (I don't know what filmspotting had to say about it, so whatever) which is admittedly kind of ridiculous at times. But it's not like the film is attempting to diagnose a particular big-theme psychological issue. It's the story of one person, and the film is entirely subjective (probably the most subjective film he's made yet) around her - I'd argue it's as much if not more subjective to her emotions and sexuality than to her psychology, though it's surely a part of it. Just one that's easy to ignore in its silliness with sooo much else happening. But like I said, I experienced it as a very personal emotional journey, with some of the most thrillingly pure cinematic filmmaking I've seen from an American filmmaker since... probably Malick. Aronofsky commits to some very loony ideas, and commits to them as fully as anyone could dream. He's said he himself even questioned a lot of what he was putting on screen, but just decided to follow his basest creative instincts and see where they took him. Good choice I'd say.

I've also seen some complain that the film follows a very predictable trajectory in the general sense, which is entirely true - the parallel between the Swan Lake story they're putting on and the narrative of the film is established very early on and never gives any indication it wants to put a twist on that. It's a classic story for a reason, and it's told here in astonishingly singular fashion, so I don't see anything worth complaining about, hah. It's just outrageous and bizarre, and gorgeous, and operatic and heart-stopping... and I feel like a broken record every time I watch a new film this year, but my gut tells me it might be my favorite film of the year (still pending a Boonmee rewatch, which is still easily the richest and most unique film experience of 2010 - sure to only improve strides with each viewing). At least the most powerful response I've had to a film this year, alongside Certified Copy, and almost as cinematically evocative as White Material. However, it's definitely the most thrilling or "fun" I've had this year, and I feel will probably be the one film of 2010 I rewatch the most as the years tread on.
 
Probably White Material. It's really close though between that, Boonmee, Certified Copy and Black Swan. I'll only know which I really prefer most once some distance is put between me and this year.
 
lazarus said:
Holy fuck that Blu-ray of The Red Shoes is glorious. And I thought it looked impressive before.
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Criterion did a fantastic work with this one indeed. Have you had a chance to see The Thin Red Line BD? I'd argue it's even better.
 
Seven Samurai looks almost immaculate, too.

To test out my new TV I put in about 5 minutes of The Red Shoes, then 5 minutes of the new Star Trek, then the tangerine scene from The Dark Knight.

Shit pants, move to trash indeed.
 
gump said:
Criterion did a fantastic work with this one indeed. Have you had a chance to see The Thin Red Line BD? I'd argue it's even better.
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Well I'm not sure what wold constitute "better"; image quality would technically be superior on a newer film, but as someone who saw The Thin Red Line in theaters I'm not sure how shocked I'm going to be. Conversely, considering the damage to The Red Shoes negatives, the result is mind-blowing.

Also, Cardiff's photography > Toll's anyway.
 
lazarus said:
Well I'm not sure what wold constitute "better"; image quality would technically be superior on a newer film, but as someone who saw The Thin Red Line in theaters I'm not sure how shocked I'm going to be. Conversely, considering the damage to The Red Shoes negatives, the result is mind-blowing.

Also, Cardiff's photography > Toll's anyway.
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Yeah, they are not quite comparable, but I mostly meant how awestruck I was when I put on the disc. Obviously the restoration work with The Red Shoes is unparalleled (thanks to the Film Foundation). I had seen the restored version in theaters a few months before the Criterion release so the BD itself didn't have that huge an impact for me.

I didn't remember The Thin Red Line looking that good in the theater, but that was a long time ago. The sound in the BD is also immaculate.
 
Got suckered into seeing a chick flick with my wife. But, uh, holy Hathaboobs!
 
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