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ktincu
Member since 1/3/2006, last signed in awhile ago.
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Movies
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus
Stroszek
A Man of Flowers
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Fast Food Nation
Not what I expected
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"I really expected to like Fast Food Nation, and to get all worked up about the issues presented. I loved Super Size Me, and can go on and on (with a bit of encouragement) about the many negative effects of our fast food culture. But this film puzzled me while I was watching it, and left me with no take away. The puzzling aspects mostly came from a lack of fluidity and connectiveness in the movie. I kept expecting everything to come together in a more meaningful and natural way, but the various narratives and characters felt disjointed to the end. It seemed so contrived. There were also some characters and plot developments that didn't seem to serve a purpose at all (even though I had faith and kept expecting it all to make sense). Meaningless developments were belabored, while moments that could have been developed into something significant were skimmed over.Which brings me to the lack of take-away messages. Sure, meat processing plants are disgusting. Sure, thinking about wha ... "
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Children of Men
Chaos is worse than gore
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"That's what watching this film made me realize: That complete, relentless chaos is much more terrifying than blood and death. Children of Men shows in frightening detail what utter despair looks like--what happens when people lose all hope, when they've forgotten what it's like to unexpectedly be struck by joy. And I hate to say this, but Jason and I thought the film portrayed more accurately than anything we've seen what the future will probably look like. Not cold and technical and sterile, but an utter return to human nature, almost a reflection of the early ages and a fight-or-flight mentality. Truly frightening.Aside from that bleak assessment, this film is an amazing work of art, both in its conception and the execution. I don't know how Cuaron did it. The only reason I didn't give it a "loved it" rating, I think, is because I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters. The acting was good. Maybe Cuaron didn't develop the ... "
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Volver
Volver doesn't grab, but gently ...
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"I'm happy to say I pulled off one of my favorite types of movie-watching experiences yesterday. I saw a film (Volver) that I was looking forward to for vague reasons, but that I knew almost nothing about ahead of time. I had not seen the trailer. I had not read any reviews. I only knew that Penelope Cruz was in the film (looking stunningly beautiful in every way), that it was directed by Almodovar, and that it had something to do with a few generations of women in a family. Ahh. No expectations. Perfect.And I loved the movie--partly because of my lack of expectations, I'm sure. And partly because I love the quirky, the unexpected, and the not-always-fully-explained-or- justified moments in films, and Volver had plenty. The characters were complex but endearing, as were the relationships between them. The city- and village-scapes were beautiful in very real, unperfected ways. And there were some really stunning scenes that have just stuck with me, including the opening scene where a ... "
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Who Loves the Sun
Great guys made a great film
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"Friendship, family, secrets, lies, truth, rivalry, forgiveness and the importance of moving on are all central in this funny film, written and directed by the young filmmaker Matt Bissonette. This was my favorite film at the Denver Film Festival. My overall experience with the film was even richer because we had the added bonus of being able to hang out with Bissonette and producer Corey Marr, both talented and truly quality people.Who Loves the Sun is loosely based on an idea in the Paul Auster novel Leviathan (Auster is one of my favorite writers, so this reference immediately endeared me to the story). In Leviathan, someone disappears; in Who Loves the Sun, the one who disappeared eventually returns. The film is about what happens between him and the people he loves after he returns.One of my favorite things about the film is the cast of only five. I love each of the characters--each played perfectly--and the small cast creates a very tight filmmaking and watching experience. Bi ... "
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Venus
Venus highlights the contrasts ...
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"Paul and I saw this together our first night at the 2006 Denver Film Festival, and had mixed feelings about it. The man who introduced the film said he thinks it's one to watch for an Oscar nomination and possibly a Best Actor award for O'Toole. I'm not one to make such predictions, but it was an amazing performance. O'Toole's own life is winding down in a way that made him perfectly suited for the character study of Maurice, an aging actor whose health is beginning to fade. O'Toole does much more than just look and act appropriately aging--he seems to know at his core what it means to look back on your life with fondness and regret and one last burst of hope.Apart from O'Toole and other very solid performances (Venessa Redgrave and Leslie Philips), the film has some slightly annoying qualities, as well as some very redeeming ones. I'll start with the narrative elements you'll need to understand the annoying things about the film. The whole premise of the film rests on the infatuat ... "
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Stranger Than Fiction
Don 't get caught up in "b ...
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"Stranger Than Fiction is, indeed, that, but I really enjoyed it. Off the top of my head, I'd say it's very much in the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Punch Drunk Love camps, so if those movies bugged you, this might not be your cup of tea. (And the reverse is true, too.)Just to help get your expectations in order, here's some of what you should and shouldn't expect from the film:DO expect great performances by Dustin Hoffman, Will Ferrel, Emma Thompson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal (one of my favorite actresses), but DON'T expect to feel endeared by the Emma Thompson character (she's beyond neurotic), or to laugh your pants off at Will Ferrel the way you're accustomed to. DO expect lots of very charming quirkiness, especially in the details surrounding the Dustin Hoffman character (these details have stuck with me and reemerged since I saw the film two days ago), but DON'T expect to wholeheartedly embrace all the quirkiness packed into this film. (I'm a big fan of quirky, and s ... "
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Re: My Quandaries Aside, Here's ...
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ktincu
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Totally Over-rated
"Hi all.Just want to let you know that my post about overrated films went up today: http://www.spoutblog.com/#1513 Two of you are quoted!k "
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Re: My Quandaries Aside, Here's ...
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ktincu
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Totally Over-rated
"I haven't had time yet, either, to do anything more than look over the list of films, but it's not surprising that a good handful of the films on the list (I think seven?) won Best Picture Oscars. When I think "overrated" I think of certain years I've just bemoaned my way through Academy Awards night (why do I torture myself so?). But when I put this list in that framework, I can only wonder one thing: Where, oh where, is The Titanic?!?! (1998, 14 nominations, 11 awards including Best Picture. Astounding.)(btw, this is a great group and discussion. Would anyone out there be upset if I referred to some of this group's conversations in a SpoutBlog post I'm considering writing? It would be posted at www.spoutblog.com) "
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Ellie Parker
Ellie Parker is funny in such r ...
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"Ellie Parker (the film and the character, played by Naomi Watts) got under my skin in ways I didn't expect. Although Ellie's life as an aspiring actor going to one audition after another in LA, isn't anything like my own, I found myself relating to her--understanding exactly why she was laughing or crying, why she felt trapped, how she felt toward her best friend, why she let her frustrations get the best of her. I essentially empathized my way through this film. It all felt so real to me. I think two or three factors really played into my experience with this film. For one, Naomi Watts based this film somewhat on her own life. It makes sense that even a semi-autobiographical film will come across as "more real" and identifiable to its audience. Another factor is that Naomi partnered with her friend Scott Coffey, a director and screenwriter, to make this film. (He also plays a somewhat significant character--one who is endearing yet at the same time awkward and maddening.) I cou ... "
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Pretty Persuasion
Pretty Persuasion is both fun a ...
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"I watched Pretty Persuasion yesterday, and I'm still kind of stunned. I thought I'd be ready to post today, but I don't know where to begin. So maybe I'll begin with that point: I think the filmmaker wants us to be left somewhat speechless by the end of this film. It's the kind of film that drags your loyalties and emotions all over the place. Just when you think you know what's happening and what the motivations are, you're as duped by 15-year-old Kimberly (the main character) as her friends and the adults in her life are. The film is a classic black comedy. For the most part, it is an upbeat, fun film, and I found myself enjoying it very much. At the same time, I couldn't shake the Shakespearean sense of impending doom, which slowly builds before descending over you. It's like a storm that you can clearly see approaching from behind, but you're determined to face the sun and stay ahead of it, as if you can outrun it. In this film, you clearly cannot. The most engaging character ... "
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Re: Q&A with filmmaker Doug ...
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51 Birch Street
"Thanks for your response. My parents are coming this weekend for a visit, and I'm looking forward to telling them about the film. I think I'll be telling people about it for a while! If you're at all curious what I thought about the film overall, you can check out my filmblog here on spout.com. I included a paragraph about my favorite part--one of your interviews with Natasha. Thanks again! "
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Re: Q&A with filmmaker Doug ...
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ktincu
in
51 Birch Street
"Hi Doug. Watching your film was both difficult and encouraging for me in many different ways. I am a product of parents who have been married for nearly 40 years, but haven't had an ideal marriage (who does, right?). Although I don't know about anything concrete such as an affair that might have caused them to split, I went through a period of time in my late teens and twenties when I wondered why they stayed together. I witnessed no affection, no sense of companionship, and I'm sure it has shaped much of my understanding of (and fears around) marriage and affection. I'm also the product of my own divorce three years ago. Again, there was no one particular "Reason" for our decision, just a lethal combination of incompatibilities that built up until they were unbearable. Our children were 3 and 5; we were 33. When we were getting our divorce, we felt pressure all around us to "persevere" and "make it work." But I realized I did not admire my parents for "making it work." (Now, whi ... "
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Lists
Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival (12)
The venerable Roger Ebert has an annual film festival in my town, featuring films he loves and t ...
Films I want to see (78)
Films I want to see
Films I've seen (459)
Films I've seen
excruciatingly painful to watch (15)
excruciatingly painful to watch
My favorite films (28)
My favorite films
delicious meal scenes (8)
yummy films that make me hungry and inspire me to cook for people
my definition of "classic&q uot; (30)
These films, in my mind, are a "sure thing." You really can't go wrong.
my daughters' faves (14)
my two little ones, at 8 and 5 years old, love these films (and I don't mind them either!)
Other Christmas Stories (13)
This great list comes straight from the Washington Post's Jen Chaney, Dec. 12, 2006.
worth watching again (44)
some films are complex enough to require a second viewing, and others are just plain good and en ...
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