The New Film Thread

KingslandBarge

Seen a couple of films in last two months of lockdown that have tickled my fancy. I subscribed to BFI player which has some nice curation and is currently showcasing Japanese classics.

8 1/2: (chance of marginal spoiler)
[spoiler]Though Le notti di Cabiria is still my favorite Fellini film (admittedly from a small sample), I thoroughly enjoyed this surrealist and flourishing narrative of a film director failing to implement his creative visions. Just feel like so many of us can relate to bouts of stifled creativity, and musings of past loves, with quite glows and anxieties of inertia. This is one of my favorites. [/spoiler]
Would recommend if you haven't watched.

Tokyo Story: (chance of marginal spoiler)
[spoiler] I did find the initial first-person perspectives jarring but by the end this became another favorite of mine. Lovely symmetry in still frames and the very minimalist narrative made breathable through said filming and tender, simple interaction. [/spoiler]
Would recommend.

So I've started following up on more of Yasujiro Ozu's work and watched Late Spring. (chance of marginal spoiler)
[spoiler] Setsuko Hara is a treasure really, and she gets to shine and a much more profound way than in Tokyo Story. She made this movie, though I do find the plot and cast size a tad curious. [/spoiler]
Would recommend if you haven't watched any of Yasujiro Ozu's work but not before Tokyo Story.

Oni Baba: (chance of marginal spoiler)
[spoiler]
The oral and visual of aesthetics of this film are amazing, especially for their time. I found the idea of the mythical, folk tale fascinating, but in its implementation it was a little corny. [/spoiler]
Would recommend.

At Eternity's Gate:(chance of marginal spoiler)
[spoiler] Despite a good cast, I'd say this fell very short of how I would have approached a biopic on Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh at the start of his journey shed so much profound depth into country dwelling, agrarian toil and rural beauty and I don't think this film covered that at all. He was made to look uniformly wimpish. [/spoiler]
Would not recommend.

White God: (chance of marginal spoiler)
[spoiler]
Don't have much to share except it started so depressing and dull I failed to stay up enough to finish it. [/spoiler]
Would not recommend.

Burnwinter

For the Shane Carruth fans, he's just put the script and a "concept trailer" for his project THE MODERN OCEAN that never made it to production online.

https://thefilmstage.com/shane-carruth-shares-full-script-concept-trailer-for-the-modern-ocean/

Says he's currently working on "something big" and will then retire from film-making.

Qwiss

Just watched Palm Springs, its very good and not at all what I expected from an Andy Samberg movie. I'd recommend avoiding any trailers or reviews and just watching it.

Also watched Irresistible this week. Wouldn't recommend that at all. No laughs in it and utterly toothless as a satire.

QuincyAbeyie

Already watched the trailer, but it looked really good. Out of new movies this week I'll also check out Relic.

Klaus

I watched Seeking a Friend for the End of the World recently and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. One of the best hidden gems I've come across in a long, long time. Would recommend anyone who's interested in the title or the actors (Steve Carell and Keira Knightley) to go in as blind as they can. The only thing I'll give away is the setup: a planet-killing asteroid is heading for earth and everyone has roughly three weeks left to live.

Daz

Klaus wrote:
I watched Seeking a Friend for the End of the World recently and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. One of the best hidden gems I've come across in a long, long time. Would recommend anyone who's interested in the title or the actors (Steve Carell and Keira Knightley) to go in as blind as they can. The only thing I'll give away is the setup: a planet-killing asteroid is heading for earth and everyone has roughly three weeks left to live.

I remember seeing that a few years ago Klaus and being similarly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I dig movies like that where you watch it having not heard much about it. Another one like that for me was The Way, Way Back.

Burnwinter

Okay, THE WILD GOOSE LAKE is the best new film I've seen this year. Mind blown.

QuincyAbeyie

Looks really interesting. Where did you watch it?

Edit: Doesn't appear to be streaming anywhere.

KingslandBarge

Black Coal, Thin Ice was awesome. Will definitely give this a watch.

Clrnc

For Korean films lover. Train to Busan 2: Penisular is very disappointing. Lousy plot and looks cheap in CGI

Burnwinter

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
Looks really interesting. Where did you watch it?

Edit: Doesn't appear to be streaming anywhere.

It's on Mubi in various countries apparently, but perhaps not where you are. It screened locally here last night at the outdoor cinema. I was delighted by it in a very arch and filmic way. All made in Wuhan dialect pre coronavirus.

QuincyAbeyie

Remember watching 3:10 to Yuma when it first came out and not liking it much. Didn't remember anything from it other than that feeling, but after reading people fairly regularly talk positively about it I decided to watch it again. Thoroughly enjoyed it this time. Foster, Bale and Crowe all look like they have a good time with their roles, and having such a straight forward plot while spending the time on developing the characters worked out really well.

Coombs

Quincy Abeyie wrote:
Remember seeing 3:10 to Yuma when it first came out and not liking it much. Didn't remember anything from it other than that feeling, but after reading people fairly regularly talk positively about it I decided to watch it again. Thoroughly enjoyed it this time. Foster, Bale and Crowe all look like they enjoy themselves a lot and having such a straight forward plot while spending the time there on developing the characters worked out really well.

Keep the thread on topic please, Quincy.

Burnwinter

I've just seen THE ASSISTANT, a compact film about the politics and workplace settings of #MeToo starring Julia Garner of OZARK.

Honestly, sharp film but it was a little too compact—really low key and grim befitting its subject matter. The ending came a bit unexpectedly because not a lot had actually happened.

QuincyAbeyie

Avengement surprised me. The poster made it look like a straight to DVD C-movie, but it was weirdly good. The plot and some of the characters are ridiculous, but it's directed with a lot of flair and the fight choreography is quite a bit better than standard Hollywood (not that this is a Hollywood creation).

goon

Alita was good fun.

Captain

Clrnc wrote:
For Korean films lover. Train to Busan 2: Penisular is very disappointing. Lousy plot and looks cheap in CGI

Ah shit.

First one was probably the best zombie movie I have ever seen.

Burnwinter

RIP The Film Thread.

banduan

has it got too long?

QuincyAbeyie

Just watched Grave of the Fireflies. For the last half hour I just wanted it to end so I could close it and never go near it again. Great film though.