[a-p a. niemi]

 

[atsonicpark]

 

 

 

 

Been digging into the FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL dvd's. These are badass. Basically, it's old weird as hell/funny clips two dudes found in thrift stores, garbage bins, and yard sales. Commecials, home movies, training videos for companies, instructional videos, all sorts of WEIRD shit.

If you're into TV CARNAGE, LOST AND FOUND VIDEO NIGHTS, those insane Negativland DVD's, and so on and so on and so on... this stuff is amazing. Personally, this is some of my favorite stuff in the world, as I've always been fascinated with the weirder side of our existence and nowadays I'd rather watch it than an actual movie (kinda like how all the recent albums I've downloaded of rednecks ranting, prank phone calls, and super strange spoken word stuff sounds much more interesting to me than actual "music" lately).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I'd definitely like to check out some more Altman.

I'm not a big Altman fan but if you've not seen Nashville, I'd say that's about the most quintessential Altman film going, along with maybe California Split, which I do really like. McCabe and Mrs Miller is also good. I definitely think you'll like Nashville, though. For better or worse, it has to be the ultimate Altman film.

[_slavo_]

Is Suspiria very violent? I'm tempted to watch it, though I don't like too gory and violent kind of horror movies.

[atsonicpark]

Thanks Demonrail. I will eventually just get every Altman film ever, but I'll check those out next.

Slavo, I wouldn't call Suspiria very violent. The murders are unique and artful, and EXTREMELY colorful. So much so that the "violence" is hard to take seriously (in fact, the whole film is quite silly at times, but that's part of its charm). I think the most downright "gory" part is when a beating heart gets stabbed, but it looks fake as hell and is maybe 4 frames long. Glass shards land in a girl (it doesn't show it happening, just the aftermath), but it looks fake as hell too. A man gets attacked by a dog (looks fake as hell), and a woman gets trapped in a pit of barbed wire (which is just silly). That's about it. Compared to, oh... most Fulci films, it's not really very violent at all, though I guess it just depends on your definition of "violence".

It's quite a boring flick, though, eye-popping visuals aside. If you've never seen an Argento film, I wouldn't start with it. Go with Deep Red or Bird With the Crystal Plumage. They have the best pacing/music/direction/characters/story/etc. Tenebre is his best overall but it's one of his most violent and downright mean-spirited, which you probably wouldn't like I guess. But I wouldn't call any of his films overly violent, aside from parts of Stendhal Syndrome (has a weird bullet-going-through-someone's-face-in-slow-motion scene.. lots of rape too) and Third Mother (girl gets impaled with a pole through her vagina).

[stu666]

Originally Posted by _slavo_

Is Suspiria very violent? I'm tempted to watch it, though I don't like too gory and violent kind of horror movies.

this was on the ATP channel Slavo but i missed it. i want to check it out too.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by davenotdead

saw "Enter the Void" finally. its a really intense viewing experience. I think I enjoyed it. I was pretty worn out after watching it. I think it could've benefited from about 20 minutes more being cut off. [i say more because i know i saw a shorter version than Noe intended]

watched 'The Fountain" again, to see if maybe it was better than I remember, and its not. it had a lot of cool scenes and some ideas, but its so bloated and melodramatic and the ending is so long that it feels like youre watching a 180 minute film instead of a 90-minute film.

i'm making a top 50 list for the first decade of this century [00-09]. anything weird that i definitely need to see that might rock my world? I have a short list already of stuff i haven't seen yet, including
:
Ichi the Killer
Survive Style 5+
Dogville
Cache
Primer
2046
The Great World of Sound

The best films I saw in the 00s were mostly documentaries. I don't think anyone's gonna look at that decade as a golden age for regular feature films but it was definitely one for the documentary.

My top ten of those would be:

9/11, Jules and Gedeon Naudet, 2002
In the Shadow of the Moon, David Sington, 2007
The King of Kong, Seth Gordon, 2007
Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore, 2002
Dogtown and Z Boys, Stacy Peralta, 2001
Some Kind of Monster, Joe Berlinger, 2004
Helvetica, Gary Hustwit, 2007
Man on Wire, James Marsh, 2008
Jesus Camp, Rachel Grady, 2006
Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore, 2004

Ten regular feature films I liked

Sideways
Talk to Her
Irreversible
Lord of the Rings
Volver
Traffic
Apocalypto
United 93
Mullholland Dr.
War of the Worlds

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

Tenebre is his best overall

I tend to agree. Personally I think Argento is massively overrated, with much of his reputation based on the opening fifteen minutes of Suspiria - which are, admittedly, incredible. All of his films have flashes of brilliance but I don't think he's ever made one that really works as a whole. Tenebrae may be the closest he'll ever get. On the violent and mean-spirited tip, I don't think he'll ever outdo The Stendhal Syndrome. Argento might be a better producer than a director. Certainly I think the stuff he did with Michael Soavi is often far more interesting than the stuff he did on his own. Dellamorte Dellamore is better than any film Argento directed himself.

[ann ashtray]

Deep Blues (documentary)

[atsonicpark]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

I tend to agree. Personally I think Argento is massively overrated, with much of his reputation based on the opening fifteen minutes of Suspiria - which are, admittedly, incredible. All of his films have flashes of brilliance but I don't think he's ever made one that really works as a whole. Tenebrae may be the closest he'll ever get. On the violent and mean-spirited tip, I don't think he'll ever outdo The Stendhal Syndrome. Argento might be a better producer than a director. Certainly I think the stuff he did with Michael Soavi is often far more interesting than the stuff he did on his own. Dellamorte Dellamore is better than any film Argento directed himself.

I agree with most of this; I think most of his early films are great, but at this point, he's made so many terrible films. He's produced some good 'uns though -- and let's not forget he cowrote ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (I think he produced it as well), one of the best films ever.

But yeah, tenebre just kicks ass, one of my favorite horror movies ever.

[finding nobody]

AtSonic: Never knew anyone else who seen Scumrock before! Thought is pretty funny and interesting film. Parts of it got kind of dull, but I couldn't stop watching it!
I'm about finish Resivoir Dogs for probably the 15th time

[noisereductions]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I agree with most of this; I think most of his early films are great, but at this point, he's made so many terrible films. He's produced some good 'uns though -- and let's not forget he cowrote ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (I think he produced it as well), one of the best films ever.

But yeah, tenebre just kicks ass, one of my favorite horror movies ever.

so now you agree that he's overrated?

[_slavo_]

Originally Posted by stu666

this was on the ATP channel Slavo but i missed it. i want to check it out too.

I know I know but at like 5am or so

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I agree with most of this; I think most of his early films are great, but at this point, he's made so many terrible films. He's produced some good 'uns though -- and let's not forget he cowrote ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (I think he produced it as well), one of the best films ever.

But yeah, tenebre just kicks ass, one of my favorite horror movies ever.

Argento cowrote the story for Once Upon a Time in the West, which isn't that big a deal. He definitely didn't produce it or even have a hand in writing the screenplay. At best, Argento is the poor man's Mario Bava.

[davenotdead]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

 

 

 

 

Been digging into the FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL dvd's. These are badass. Basically, it's old weird as hell/funny clips two dudes found in thrift stores, garbage bins, and yard sales. Commecials, home movies, training videos for companies, instructional videos, all sorts of WEIRD shit.

If you're into TV CARNAGE, LOST AND FOUND VIDEO NIGHTS, those insane Negativland DVD's, and so on and so on and so on... this stuff is amazing. Personally, this is some of my favorite stuff in the world, as I've always been fascinated with the weirder side of our existence and nowadays I'd rather watch it than an actual movie (kinda like how all the recent albums I've downloaded of rednecks ranting, prank phone calls, and super strange spoken word stuff sounds much more interesting to me than actual "music" lately).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

this looks awesome.

and demon, yeah, documentaries have been great this past decade. king of kong and man on wire are probab;y gonna make my list. i liked dogtown too, but not that much.

[a-p a. niemi]

 

 

 

[atsonicpark]

As far as documentaries of the past 10 years go, I guess my favorite was AMERICAN MOVIE, by far. But I'd put MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES and anything Erol Morris did on there too (Erol Morris is probably the greatest documentarian of all time).

Been rewatching "the Films of Kenneth Anger" with my girlfriend. amazing stuff of course!

 

[a-p a. niemi]

 

[a-p a. niemi]

Watched few short films by Aki Kaurismäki:

 

Rocky VI

 

Thru the Wire

 

Those Were the Days

[EVOLghost]

Saw Inception sunday night....IT was a fun movie.

It seemed to copmlicated for it's own sake.