Non-BW, Non-HW, Non-Asian Films

[chandranc]

I wish I could see that movie again!

Blockbuster has it.

[annkittenplan]

PalindromesThis must be furthest from a hollywood film and is certainly not the  film you'd want to kick off your long weekend with, but  I must say, I'm stimulated by fresh approaches to problems nobody seems to be talking about.

Tod solonz indi about teen pregnancy  has five different actresses play aviva a 10-15 year old that has decided to get pregnant because she wants someone she can love. The point seems to be that there IS no one she can love in the very self involved environment given to her for growing.You feel like giving every aviva a (motherly)  bear hug specially the overweight black one with a sweet voice (featured on the DVD cover). Tod solonz has his way through a little bit of Luis Bunuel surrealism(The obscure object called desire).

I just watched Palindromes, I guess it was easier to watch than Happiness but still many cringe-worthy and heartwrenching moments (when I wasn't laughing). Welcome to the Dollhouse is still my fave.  Dawn Weiner is the antiest antihero ever.

[annkittenplan]

American comedies don't do much for me, so I've not bothered to see FGF.  Let us know how you like all of Peter Jackson's early work, then.

Dil Bert is this opinion based solely on your viewing of The Hot Chick?

[annkittenplan]

Belle epoque(1992). A young soldier deserts in the Spanish civil war and ends up living in a household with four beautiful sisters.  It's obvious which one he'll end up with but the fun is in watching each of the other sisters make their moves on him.  Beautiful 1930's costumes, sunny village and country-house locations, very funny and enjoyable (but does begin and end with war-related violent absurdities), it would be great to watch on a cold winter night. One of Penelope Cruz' first movies. Won the foreign-language Oscar in 1992.

[Dil Bert]

Dil Bert is this opinion based solely on your viewing of The Hot Chick?

No, I've seen plenty of others; I only got heavily into foreign movies before most of you were born in the mid-1990's.

[annkittenplan]

Dil Bert is this opinion based solely on your viewing of The Hot Chick?

No, I've seen plenty of others; I only got heavily into foreign movies before most of you were born in the mid-1990's.

How about Team America, Bad Santa, Saved, 40-Year-Old-Virgin, Wedding Crashers...Zoolander?

And I'm old (44), I'm just immature!

[Dil Bert]

How about Team America, Bad Santa, Saved, 40-Year-Old-Virgin, Wedding Crashers...Zoolander?

I think I have some of those in my Netflix queue.

Speaking of it, which "Non-BW, Non-HW, Non-Asian Films" available through Netflix would folks recommend?

And I'm old (44) [...]

That's not old; you can still star with 18-year-old heroines for another decade.

[annkittenplan]

And I'm old (44) [...]

That's not old; you can still star with 18-year-old heroines for another decade.

Oh good!   As long as they're...um...guys.

[veracious]

I missed a German film called Ein Wunder aus Bern because I didn't go to school on Monday thanks to cramps. Did I miss anything amazing?

[chandranc]

If you mean the football(soccer) movie Das Wunder von Bern  you didn't miss much.

[veracious]

Ahh yes, that's it. The title got all mixed up in my head but yeah. Phew.

[alexaha]

It's not a soccer movie in the pure sense of the word. It's actually a very moving father-son story (father has returned from being a prisoner of war and has no connection to himself or his family, struggles to get a sense of closeness again). I liked it.

[chandranc]

It's not a soccer movie in the pure sense of the word. It's actually a very moving father-son story (father has returned from being a prisoner of war and has no connection to himself or his family, struggles to get a sense of closeness again). I liked it.

Yes I should have put in a caveat that It is an extremely popular film (specially in germany). This is like Les Choristes was a huge success in france, though it's appeal is somewhat less strong outside.

[gabahd]

Has anyone seen movies by the following filmmakers? Paradjanov, Tarkovsky, Antonioni, Pasolini.

[chandranc]

Has anyone seen movies by the following filmmakers? Paradjanov, Tarkovsky, Antonioni, Pasolini.

Seen them love them(I'm talking blues brothers now...)

This qualifies as a film (rather than straight opera) because of the talent associated with it.. Keri lynn wilson(conductor) , Vivienne westwood(fashion design) and Inva Mula(The fifth element) bring some hollywood style glamor to Guisippe verdi's Rigoletto Story (Which is, as we all can tell where salman rushdie got his inspiration for shalimar the clown, right?)   which like all opera is about love , passion death and revenge.

It's also on DVD so you don't have to dress up and sit still for three hours(and eat bad cheese orderves after)..

[alexaha]

It's not a soccer movie in the pure sense of the word. It's actually a very moving father-son story (father has returned from being a prisoner of war and has no connection to himself or his family, struggles to get a sense of closeness again). I liked it.

Yes I should have put in a caveat that It is an extremely popular film (specially in germany). This is like Les Choristes was a huge success in france, though it's appeal is somewhat less strong outside.

never heard of Les Choristes. What is it about? Did you see it?

[chandranc]

Yes. It's about a bunch of school kids that become a chorus.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372824/

as good as any other film I guess. I don't know. unmemorable?

[alexaha]

Thanks.

There's a French movie from the eighties I'd really like to recommend: Le The Au Harem D' Archimede. It's about life en banlieue and with the riots in France it's frighteningly contemporary. Given the circumstances which still prevail in those suburbs you wonder how all these problems haven't escalated into a noticeable amount of violence much earlier. The movie is disturbing in parts but has a very uplifting message about friendship in the end.

[D.t.]

One of my favourite Swedish films is "Ondskan" (Evil) from 2003. It's based on a novel which takes place on a private boarding school and where they have a system for older students to bully younger ones. If I'm not remember incorrectly I believe it was nominated for the Oscars's best foreign film... So, it's pretty good.     

[annkittenplan]

Speaking of it, which "Non-BW, Non-HW, Non-Asian Films" available through Netflix would folks recommend?

If you're in the mood for drugs, watch Requiem for a Dream(2000).  It will definitely change your mood.

If you're having a short-attention-span day, get the Director's Series DVD for Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze or Michael Cunningham(2003).  The best of the best music videos, commercials and short films.  There are more in the series now which I haven't seen yet.

If you want to see interesting real-life personal dynamics, get My Best Fiend (Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski, 1999), Werner Herzog's documentary about his relationship with Klaus Kinski.  WATCH as a sane man describes planning murder.  WONDER as a madman has a hissy fit when he's momentarily not the center of attention due to a rainforest/snakebite/chainsaw accident.  BREATHE a sigh of relief that Klaus Kinski didn't get into preaching or politics.

[veracious]

One of my favourite Swedish films is "Ondskan" (Evil) from 2003. It's based on a novel which takes place on a private boarding school and where they have a system for older students to bully younger ones. If I'm not remember incorrectly I believe it was nominated for the Oscars's best foreign film... So, it's pretty good.     

I read the book and the story is really good and powerful, interesting look into violence. Should see the movie soon.

[D.t.]

One of my favourite Swedish films is "Ondskan" (Evil) from 2003. It's based on a novel which takes place on a private boarding school and where they have a system for older students to bully younger ones. If I'm not remember incorrectly I believe it was nominated for the Oscars's best foreign film... So, it's pretty good.     

I read the book and the story is really good and powerful, interesting look into violence. Should see the movie soon.

You have read the book? -Me too, but after seeing the film. So I don't know if you will be happy with adaption for the screen or not. But as mentioned, I liked it a lot, nice to know that Sweden can make some "cool" movies sometimes... . 
But will you find the film in Finland?

[veracious]

Oh absolutely, it's got a DVD release here and everything. I could probably even find it for like 8 or 9 euros but I'm not into buying DVDs unless I've seen the film so I'll just rent it. :]

[gabahd]

I just saw the Iranian film Close Up (Nema-ye Nazdik)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100234/
Pretending to be Mohsen Makhmalbaf making his next movie, Ali Sabzian enters a well-to-do family in Teheran. The actual people involved in the incident re-enact the actual events, followed by the footage from the actual trial that took place.

It is reallllly cool!

[gabahd]

Has anyone seen movies by the following filmmakers? Paradjanov, Tarkovsky, Antonioni, Pasolini.

Seen them love them

Oh come on, lets talk a bit then! Which did you see? I saw 2 Paradjanov movies, the Suram Fortress one and Ashik Kerib (he's hot!)
The other directors I listed are all part of my "GREAT DIRECTORS YOU HAVE ALWAYS HEARD OF AND NOW WANT TO SEE MOVIES OF THEM" marathon! I will get to it really soon... but with school and all, you never know how long it will actually take...

-----

Has anyone got recommendations for good GRETA GARBO movies? I also have a "GREAT ACTORS YOU HAVE ALWAYS HEARD OF AND NOW WANT TO SEE MOVIES OF" marathon.
I rented Mata Hari, she was good and lived up to my expectations, but the movie was so-so (despite the cool cool subject matter. Ramon Novarro is way hot, but in this movie he should shave off his mustache! 
So I'm open to hearing recommendations for GOOD, EXCELLENT Greta Garbo movies. I'm guessing Anna Karenine?