The cinema thread

[Faust]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

[quote user="sam_tem"][quote user="Faust"][quote user="Servo2000"]I just finished This Is England and Drawing Restraint 9. I figured for all the talking up my friends been doing about the movie I might as well give that Barney fellow a shot.
<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>There were some intriguing elements, but I couldn't handle the Tea Ceremony scene. I imagine that it could've been really powerful if I had been more interested in the film as a whole, there was some really interesting tension, but as it was it was just grueling since I was rather non-commited to it as it was. Anyone else seen it? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.</div>
<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>Also, I can think of fewer and fewer good reasons not to just spend all of my money on Fred Perry these days (slight exaggeration).</div>


[/quote]</p>


I think he's nothing but a coarse sensationalist.</p>


[/quote]</p>


i've had the cremaster series sitting on a hard drive foryears and have never had the urge to bother watching it. it makes for a good spectacle, but the end result is meaningless. he's certainly shown that the meaningless of our actions in life can be represented by massive exertion to no clear end.his ideas are just the usual art-talk drivel and thefact that he's gotten rich off of this stuff kind of makes mefurious about the whole thing. i certainly can't deny his talents but it seems that he's been seduced by the star machinery of film.</p>

[/quote]</p>

Amen.</p>

[laika]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

[quote user="sam_tem"][quote user="Faust"][quote user="Servo2000"]I just finished This Is England and Drawing Restraint 9. I figured for all the talking up my friends been doing about the movie I might as well give that Barney fellow a shot.
<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>There were some intriguing elements, but I couldn't handle the Tea Ceremony scene. I imagine that it could've been really powerful if I had been more interested in the film as a whole, there was some really interesting tension, but as it was it was just grueling since I was rather non-commited to it as it was. Anyone else seen it? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.</div>
<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>Also, I can think of fewer and fewer good reasons not to just spend all of my money on Fred Perry these days (slight exaggeration).</div>


[/quote]</p>


I think he's nothing but a coarse sensationalist.</p>


[/quote]</p>


i've had the cremaster series sitting on a hard drive foryears and have never had the urge to bother watching it. it makes for a good spectacle, but the end result is meaningless. he's certainly shown that the meaningless of our actions in life can be represented by massive exertion to no clear end.his ideas are just the usual art-talk drivel and thefact that he's gotten rich off of this stuff kind of makes mefurious about the whole thing. i certainly can't deny his talents but it seems that he's been seduced by the star machinery of film.</p>

[/quote]</p>

I saw the whole cycle and the accompanying exhibit when it was at the Guggenheim a few years ago. It was amazing to see some of the objects from the film, in particular some of the sculptures. There were moments of the cycle that I liked, but in the end I was turned off by the epic arrogance of it. He creates an entire world/mythos on a massive scale; presents it as a huge spectacle; but declines to offer his audience any way of understanding or sharing that world. I felt completely locked out and consequently, bored.
</p>

[laika]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread



R.I.P. Michel Serrault, Ingmar Bergman, and Michelangelo Antonioni. [51] What a sad week this has been. </p>

I think I'll watch Blow-Up tonight. [64]</p>

[Tiger]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

RIP<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>i shall watch Blowup also tonight...</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-style-span">just watched Moliére by Laurent Tirard, starring Romain Duris.</SPAN></DIV><DIV>by far, the best film i watched this year at a movie theater.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV>

[Seventh]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread



Saw an excelent documentary film recently on typography, called "Helvetica" (the films focus is the rather ubiquitous font).
</p>

Really well put together film, it does a good job explaining the history and culture of typography (and visual culture in general) and provide a really rich spectrum of opinions about what good design is and should do. </p>

Its in the theaters, here is the website.</p>

[Faust]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

[quote user="Seventh"]

Saw an excelent documentary film recently on typography, called "Helvetica" (the films focus is the rather ubiquitous font).
</p>

Really well put together film, it does a good job explaining the history and culture of typography (and visual culture in general) and provide a really rich spectrum of opinions about what good design is and should do. </p>

Its in the theaters, here is the website.</p>

[/quote]</p>

Hah! Thinking to assign it in my class. I was under the impression that it is also out on DVD?</p>

[Fuuma]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

I'm in a 60s doomed rockstar/Warhola and al mood, watched the Doors and Factory girl recently. As you can see I'm willing to dip into the bottom of the bin so feel free to offer so suggestions, mediocre or otherwise.

[Seventh]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

[quote user="Faust"][quote user="Seventh"]

Saw an excelent documentary film recently on typography, called "Helvetica" (the films focus is the rather ubiquitous font).
</p>

Really well put together film, it does a good job explaining the history and culture of typography (and visual culture in general) and provide a really rich spectrum of opinions about what good design is and should do. </p>

Its in the theaters, here is the website.</p>

[/quote]</p>

Hah! Thinking to assign it in my class. I was under the impression that it is also out on DVD?</p>

[/quote]</p>

</p>

According to the website, the DVD comes out on Nov 6th. But it is well worth seeing on the big screen as a key element of typography is the extremely small differences that exist between fonts (and a <u>big</u> screen makes it a lot easier to recognize). Definitely worth showing to students, it is a lot of fun (some of the interviews are hilarious) and introduces concepts of modernism and PoMo really well (gives a really even treatment to a variety of strongly held views about design). </p>

I saw that the director, Gary Hustwit, also produced a film on Robert Moog, has anyone seen it?</p>


</p>

[gusgusterson]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

[quote user="laika"][quote user="sam_tem"][quote user="Faust"][quote user="Servo2000"]I just finished This Is England and Drawing Restraint 9. I figured for all the talking up my friends been doing about the movie I might as well give that Barney fellow a shot.
<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>There were some intriguing elements, but I couldn't handle the Tea Ceremony scene. I imagine that it could've been really powerful if I had been more interested in the film as a whole, there was some really interesting tension, but as it was it was just grueling since I was rather non-commited to it as it was. Anyone else seen it? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.</div>
<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>Also, I can think of fewer and fewer good reasons not to just spend all of my money on Fred Perry these days (slight exaggeration).</div>


[/quote]</p>



I think he's nothing but a coarse sensationalist.</p>



[/quote]</p>



i've had the cremaster series sitting on a hard drive foryears and have never had the urge to bother watching it. it makes for a good spectacle, but the end result is meaningless. he's certainly shown that the meaningless of our actions in life can be represented by massive exertion to no clear end.his ideas are just the usual art-talk drivel and thefact that he's gotten rich off of this stuff kind of makes mefurious about the whole thing. i certainly can't deny his talents but it seems that he's been seduced by the star machinery of film.</p>


[/quote]</p>


I saw the whole cycle and the accompanying exhibit when it was at the Guggenheim a few years ago. It was amazing to see some of the objects from the film, in particular some of the sculptures. There were moments of the cycle that I liked, but in the end I was turned off by the epic arrogance of it. He creates an entire world/mythos on a massive scale; presents it as a huge spectacle; but declines to offer his audience any way of understanding or sharing that world. I felt completely locked out and consequently, bored.
</p>


[/quote]</p>


</p>


I'm a bit late here, but wanted to chime in with this:Cremaster Cheat Sheet (found while searching for a torrent of #2)</p>

I LOVED Barney for a long time, and I also loved Serra. Now my repulsion for the waste and ego of it all is a little stronger than my fondness for it. </p>

[Servo2000]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

Bored one afternoon a while back, I actually watched the entire series. The cheat sheet is surprisingly effective at describing the films.

[Faust]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

I just finished watching A History of Violence. Kinda lame. Expected better from Cronenberg. Maria Bello is sooo beautiful though [64]

[Fuuma]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread



I watched Arakimentari, a documentary on Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki. Not a great films by any stretch but fun for those who already enjoy the man's work (and/or seeing naked ladies).</P>


Currently watching the Wire (finished season 1), halfway through season 2. Highly recommended all around, the format is very unusual for a tv program; I would say most episodes are not in any waysatisfying as individual offers but part of a slow burning exposition of a varied group of well developped characters. A series that takes its time and rewards viewers in it for the long run.</P>

[Fuuma]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread



What's great with sharing information is that you can possibly avoid seeing bad movies; I just saw Eastern promises with another of the forum's movie buffs (Mass) and we definitely do not recommend you do the same... If you want to see a film about the harsh prostitution trade engineered by eastern european mobsters go rent Lilja 4-ever, you'll get to experience it through the frightened eyes of a young girl and not by seeing tough dudes with star power dance around the subject.</P>

[Faust]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

[quote user="Fuuma"]

What's great with sharing information is that you can possibly avoid seeing bad movies; I just saw Eastern promises with another of the forum's movie buffs (Mass) and we definitely do not recommend you do the same... If you want to see a film about the harsh prostitution trade engineered by eastern european mobsters go rent Lilja 4-ever, you'll get to experience it through the frightened eyes of a young girl and not by seeing tough dudes with star power dance around the subject.</p>

[/quote]</p>

Lilija 4-ever is gut-wrenching. I could definitely not watch that again. I always feel ambivalent about watching such incredibly heavy and realistic films. I feel like I don't have the power to change a situation that's being depicted, and I fear that I've just paid money to have a merely voyeuristic experience. No, I don't feel like I want to get some excitement by seeing people suffer, but I do feel rather helpless and question myself why I pay money to see that film, where that money goes, what was the motivation of the film maker, and so on. What are your thoughts on that, Fuuma? Do you feel that films like Lilija 4-ever are necessary (I'd throw in Irreversible and Requiem for a Dream in there)? I don't think I've seen anything that comes close to its rawness. I could handle something stylized along the same lines , like Lars von Trier's work (the stylization of makes you appreciate these films in a different way), but that comes close, too...</p>

The two latest I saw:</p>

Perfume - awful. Pure Hollywood fluff, and the novel was so good!!!</p>

The Quiet American - decent. I liked the intertwining of the personal and political, and (in the Anglo world, at least), that period of history of Vietnam right before the American involvement is underexplored.</p>

[gusgusterson]

Re: Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second: The cinema thread

Suffered through Old Boy last week. All the debauchery, none of the emotional appeal. Oh and it was painfully stupid. I like Ken Loach films for the "this is not going to end well" raw mire because he brings a human element to the suffering. I don't think that's put well, but I'd rather watch Hostel than Lilija 4-ever and I wouldn't watch either. I constantly wonder if I can be interested in film and a bit of a prude simultaneously.