It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
avatar
CaptainGyro: Returned to school for the first time in over a decade today( I'm really old). For my Film and Society class...
avatar
Jaime: Sounds interesting. What exactly does that entail?
Well it's only about American movies, so you might not seem to think it sounds that interesting. My teacher commented on how he doesn't like to talk about only American films for this course, but he's gotta do what he's gotta do i guess.
Anyways from my syllabus:
"the primary objective of this course is to examine the evolution of film-as both an art form and industry-and it's complex and important place within the American culture. We will focus on the history of cinema in the United States and the social, political and economic forces that have shaped it's development"

I don't know exactly what is going to be discussed so here are some random topics taken from the table of contents in my textbook just to give an idea :
The Nickelodeon: A Collective Experience
Classical Economy: The Opening Sequence of Shadow of a Doubt
Two Film Melodramatists: Griffith and Vidor
Laughter and Culture
Sexual Combat: Masculinity in the War Film
Noir Aesthetics, Themes, and Character Types
A Critique of Populism
Sources of Cultural Anxieties
The Auteur Theory: Directors as Stars
Post edited August 24, 2012 by CaptainGyro
avatar
CaptainGyro: snip
Damn, that sounds good. And for once I don't mind the big names being wheeled out yet again, I think it makes sense in that context. Have fun with the class, I certainly would.
Just watched "a serious man".

Am confused.
Total Recall

I was pleasantly surprised. I've never seen the original, so I can't say how well it stacks up against it, but as an engaging action romp it was pretty good. The shootouts had pizazz, the future world was appropriately well-realized, and the plot had a few neat twists and turns, and a few "wait... what's actually going on?" moments. Not a stellar film, but worth the money I paid.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

An explosive chase through a forest and the final confrontation between Holmes and Moriarty are two high points in what is otherwise a confusing and dull movie. It's still got style, but the character interactions felt awkward, and the plot lacked any sort of momentum. I had been wanting to see this one for awhile, and I was fairly disappointed.

The score was still brilliant, though.
Good Deeds
The Devil's Advocate
Interview with a Hitman
Finally saw Rec (the Spanish version) a while ago and am thinking about watching the sequel tonight. Those movies really are good!
Chronicle and In Time - two sci-fi films that are two of the best I've seen this year. The latter otherwise being known to me now as "fuck me sideways, Justin Timberlake can actually act".

avatar
jefequeso: Total Recall

I was pleasantly surprised. I've never seen the original, so I can't say how well it stacks up against it, but as an engaging action romp it was pretty good. The shootouts had pizazz, the future world was appropriately well-realized, and the plot had a few neat twists and turns, and a few "wait... what's actually going on?" moments. Not a stellar film, but worth the money I paid.
This. With all the hate being directed against it, my expectations were extremely low, and I was pleasantly surprised. I *did* grow up with the original and the remake sticks a little more closely to the original storyline than I would have preferred. This made the remake wholly unnecessary and superfluous, but by no means bad.

If the original film hadn't existed, it would have been lauded as a quality piece of sci-fi. A pity, because although the Arnie film was the superior film on the whole, there were plenty of things that the remake did do better (set design, Lori's role, the casting of Quaid as the "average man"), and the "two weeks" fat red-haired woman gag had me giggling on and off for about ten minutes, as I really didn't expect it.

The only thing that really bothered me was the scriptwriters' apparent need to constantly lift quotes wholesale from the original film.
What do you guys think of the film

Kingdom of Heaven

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film[/url])
avatar
Elmofongo: What do you guys think of the film

Kingdom of Heaven

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film[/url])
I watched it this weekend. Good epic. Watch the Director's Cut version, the vanilla movie lacks Eva Green.
avatar
Elmofongo: What do you guys think of the film

Kingdom of Heaven

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film[/url])
avatar
luizstrasser: I watched it this weekend. Good epic. Watch the Director's Cut version, the vanilla movie lacks Eva Green.
What Eva Green is in the Vanilla version am I missing something?
I just watched skyline. not my cup of tea, becuase in the end the aliens win and practiaclly every dies. or turns into an alien.

on a side note, it also has the black guy from scrubs in it, the guy who looks like a teddy bear. I thought i'd mention that in case you a fan of his. really should look up his name, but whatever.
avatar
luizstrasser: I watched it this weekend. Good epic. Watch the Director's Cut version, the vanilla movie lacks Eva Green.
avatar
Elmofongo: What Eva Green is in the Vanilla version am I missing something?
She is. But they cutted a great chunk of her time on screen in the vanilla version. Well, I really like her, so that's why I recomend the Director's Cut.
avatar
ashout:
umm...spoilers?
The Grey

There were some elements I really liked, many moments had a lot of emotional impact, and the wolves were genuinely frightening. But... I dunno. It lost all its momentum toward the end, and just kinda stopped without any closure. And the behavior of the wolves (when they attacked, when they didn't attack, where they appeared, etc) felt too "hollywoody."

It was pretty good, but not something I'd own.