Last Film You Watched

[Ian]

Saw the original Halloween again last night. Woah, it's still got it after over 30 years! A timeless horror classic that's still scary as all hell today. Carpenter's legendarily menacing score remains as potent as ever, and the voyeuristic camerawork and notable lack of gloss give the whole thing an eerie fly-on-the-wall feel that makes it all disturbingly plausible.

Classic.

[fish]

Watched Christiane F. for about the fifth time last night, still brings me to tears. Made in Germany in 1984 it stars a very young Natja Brunkhorst who is just brilliant as Christiane, and the David Bowie soundtrack is as good as it gets.

It's very graphic in its portrayal of the 1970's drug scene in Berlin and not one for the squeemish, but having said that, there is nothing gratuitous about it. Every scene is there to carry along the story line.

The downward spiral of her life has similarities to Lilya 4-ever but while I rated L4E about a 9.5 on the richter scale of tragic films, I would have to rate Christiane F about a 12.

It's deeply tragic, shows a very ugly lifestyle, and it's a true story.

Not one for the kids but it should not be missed.

[fish]

Being a cold, wet and miserable day here in Adelaide I decided to catch up on a few U-tube vids that I'd sort of picked out but not got around to seeing.

Last on the list was Kamikaze Girls, made in Japan in 2005. I was captivated by this Manga style (and I'm not a Manga fan) film about two young girls from completely different backgrounds, (sounds a bit familiar already doesn't it?), who become friends.

Certainly not a philosophical blockbuster but a great way to spend the day watching something light and fun. Motorbikes/scooters/peds, fast paced, and a couple of very cute girls.

A Rotten Tomatoes reviewer describes it as "The perfect cup of bubble tea for those struggling with philosophical issues such as 'What is happiness? Making clothes or wearing them?'"

I thought it was great and here's a link to the first of 11 parts for anyone who's interested....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5iRzB4f ... annel_page[url][/url]

Anyone else seen the film? Anyone else liked it?

[snaps]

I'm not a manga fan either but had a quick lookie in. Will go back to it when I get more time.

[Rebecka Fan]

Man of the House (the one with Chevy Chase, Farrah Fawcet and Jonathan Taylor Thomas)

[fish]

After watching Kamikaze Girls via U-tube I decided to buy the dvd. An Ebay seller in Hong Kong had one for $21 Oz including postage so I bought it and saw it again today on my TV.
Even better than before with a bigger (obviously) and clearer picture. This really is a good movie. So cute.
Highly recommended.

[Ian]

What's it about?

[fish]

What's it about?

Main part of Kamikaze Girls takes place in an outer regional/rural area near Tokyo.
Momoko lives with her father (an ex low level gangster) and grandmother (an ex female fighter, and it shows). She wishes she lived in the rococco era in France and so she dresses in the cutest frilly outfits to keep with the rococco style. This takes money, so she decides to sell some of the fake designer clothes her father made.
Ishiko belongs to an all girl biker gang who decides to buy some of the fake clothes. The film is about the friendship that develops between Momoko and Ishiko.
The interaction between the tough biker chick and the delicate rococco flower works like a treat. It's a very cute, fast paced comedy, the English sub-titles are excellent, both girls are very cute, it has a good supporting cast and the storyline is forever throwing up surprises.
You could even get the idea that I like this movie.

edited Sat 9 May 'cause I watched it again and got a few more facts straight.

[Ian]

Well, okay then!

Saw Halloween 2 last night.

Oh dear.

Y'know, it really isn't very good. The original remains a classic, but this is deeply lame. It's actually quite BORING for the most part, and it wastes Jamie Lee Curtis almost unbelievably (she spends the first hour in a hospital bed, and the rest of the movie stumbling around half-drugged - who the hell thought that was a good idea?!). The climax is reasonably exciting, but that hardly makes up for the complete absence of tension in the first hour or so.

The original is a classic. 4 is a criminally underrated and superior thriller. And H20 is (or should have been) a satisfying end to the series.

But this is one to avoid!

[snaps]

Saw the Spanish film [REC]. Excellent, very breathtaking unrelenting pace after a steady build up, real pant-peeing stuff.

[fish]

Saw the Spanish film [REC]. Excellent, very breathtaking unrelenting pace after a steady build up, real pant-peeing stuff.

Seems to have some pretty good reviews although violent horror films are not usually what I'd choose to see. What's the basic storyline here, without giving anything away of course? Is it really worth going out of your way to see?
And the subtitles, are they any good, or is it (shudder) dubbed?

[snaps]

It starts out as being like a documentary with a TV reporter and cameraman following a fire engine crew on a night shift. The emergency scene they attend (a rabid woman) unfolds into something else especially when the authorities won't permit them or the residents to leave the building and they get ''picked off'' one by one by ''whatever'' malignant influence is at work, lots of shaky hand held camera work, running away blindly into something ususally worse than what they are running away from, so lots of elements of Blair Witch, Alien etc, that once it gets going the pace doesn't relent. Subtitles in English.

It's not my usual genre either but a change is as good as a rest. I've been watching too many ''serious'' French films recently, although the humorous ''Amelie" was a joy to see again.

[fish]

''Amelie" was a joy to see again.

Amelie is always a joy, Audrey Tautou is both brilliant and beautiful.

[REC] on the other hand might be a bit of a worry for a delicate psyche like mine. I'd hate to be the one to turn rabid. Might need a bit more research to get up the courage for that one.

[Ian]

Saw Hannibal again last night. Pretty good, some deliciously sick moments - oh, I do love that ending - but not great.

[fish]

Just finished watching Sherdil on my tv screen instead of the pc. My eyes must be failing me because it looked so much clearer and better. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rebecka really is special, isn't she?