Recommended Films [Archive] - Page 2

jebus

06/06/2007, 3:45 PM

Not defending it, just saying it's an excellent film, but be warned, it is extremely difficult to watch.

Speaking of extremely difficult to watch has anyone ever seen Irreversible? The French movie starring Monica Belucci? It has a 8 minute rape scene, and another particularly disturbing incident (I won't say cause it might ruin a bit of the film for you). That and the Warzone have to be the most disturbing movies I've ever witnessed (although the surgery scene in Harc Candy would rank up there as well)

passinginterest

06/06/2007, 3:48 PM

I saw it in the Kino in Cork when it was given it's limited cinema release, and I have to say I enjoyed it at first, but then I got to thinking.....if the rabbit (can't remember his name) pulled Donnie out of the house, so that he could see life and how the rabbit and his girlfriend die, so that he would realise that he needs to make the sacrifice of finding the worm hole so that he can go back and put himself back in his house on the night the rabbit pulled him out of it to save his life, well.....what's the bloody point? it just doesn't make sense at the end of the day, so I've been turned off the movie since

Oh and I agree 110% with People Under The Stairs, been a favourite of mine for many a year now

It probably raises as many questions as it does answers. Is the sacrifice worth it all? In all likelihood the outcome of his actions is that a paedophile will now be undetected and his family will be devastated. Is the great romantic gesture just a farce, the easy way out? Still a completely great film as far as I'm concerned. I've always avoided watching the directors cut due to a few reports that it alters the film too much and a lot of the magic is lost.

strangeirish

06/06/2007, 3:50 PM

Boondock Saints (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144117/)

Been a while since I saw this, but thought it was pretty good.

finlma

06/06/2007, 3:52 PM

Anyone seen Old Boy?

I saw Old Boy - brilliant flick. Great revelation at the end.

John83

06/06/2007, 3:53 PM

...Im similarly avoiding 28 Weeks Later.
I've heard nothing but praise for it.

PS agree City of God is the best film of the last decade

Its a good film alright but thats a massive exageration.
Agreed with BP. It's gotten a lot of praise. It's a good film, but it's widely overrated now.

...I got to thinking.....if the rabbit (can't remember his name) pulled Donnie out of the house, so that he could see life and how the rabbit and his girlfriend die, so that he would realise that he needs to make the sacrifice of finding the worm hole so that he can go back and put himself back in his house on the night the rabbit pulled him out of it to save his life, well.....what's the bloody point? it just doesn't make sense at the end of the day, so I've been turned off the movie since
It made his death mean something. He chose to die so that several others, including people he loved, wouldn't have to.

passinginterest

06/06/2007, 3:56 PM

Has anyone mentioned Battle Royal? Cracking film. Make sure it's the first one though. Reports on the sequel are not good.

jebus

06/06/2007, 4:00 PM

It made his death mean something. He chose to die so that several others, including people he loved, wouldn't have to.

But why bring him out of the house in the first place, to show him he has to die? That's a real lazy excuse to be honest, I mean that infers a conscious afterlife where Donnie would be walking around, ****ed off that he died in such a ridiculous manner. Plus all movies with time travel fall into the trap of history repeating itself. I mean since Donnie died in his house that night, that means he doesn't shoot the rabbit, so the rabbit isn't dead and can't come back to him to pull him out of the house in the first place

Has anyone mentioned Battle Royal? Cracking film. Make sure it's the first one though. Reports on the sequel are not good.

Don't watch the sequel is all I can say. Also I'm gonna steer clear of the American rip off version, The Condemned, starring none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin of WWF fame!

BohsPartisan

06/06/2007, 4:14 PM

Donnie Darko: My theory is that he never leaves the house and the whole film is a hallucination in the moments before his death to allow him to come to terms with his end.

John83

06/06/2007, 4:23 PM

But why bring him out of the house in the first place, to show him he has to die? That's a real lazy excuse to be honest, I mean that infers a conscious afterlife where Donnie would be walking around, ****ed off that he died in such a ridiculous manner. Plus all movies with time travel fall into the trap of history repeating itself. I mean since Donnie died in his house that night, that means he doesn't shoot the rabbit, so the rabbit isn't dead and can't come back to him to pull him out of the house in the first place
You can say the same thing about the jet engine - without which, he'll live to meet Gretchen, Frank, et al, and his mother and sister will be on that plane when the storm hits. Or will they? How much did Frank change things by speaking with Donnie?

Chicken and egg plot problems are almost impossible to avoid if you're going to make a complex time travel story. The story isn't clear. That's half the fun.

TonyD

06/06/2007, 7:30 PM

Films i liked:)
A Simple Plan : what happens when a group of people find a load of money in the woods , great performance from Billy Bob Thornton
[B]

The book is much better. Another great book made into a decent film is Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood. The book is by Denis Lehane, and I highly recommend it (I know the thread is about films, but hell.....) A truly great film IMO, is Once Upon A Time In America. De Niro at his best, and better than the Godfather films if you ask me. In more recent times, Training Day, with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke is excellent. Not really into subtitles, but I did see City of God, and agree it's very good.

Neish

06/06/2007, 8:59 PM

Mad keen to see Baraka - heard great things about that!

Buy it, borrow it or steal it ,An absolute jem.

gilberto_eire

06/06/2007, 9:08 PM

Box of Moonlight.

Uplifting movie with great performances from the main characters.

If life seems too complex this movie always gives perspective.

just finished watching it earlier... was ok, worth a watch but wasnt mind-blowing..... its the only film listed here ive found on tv-links...there was another one/two but links were dead....
i watched 20mins of donnie darko bout 2yrs ago and taught it was terrible and knocked it off(and i rarely do that with a film) but im gonna give it a 2nd go since everyone here is talking bout it(its on TV links and working!)

SkStu

06/06/2007, 10:31 PM

just finished watching it earlier... was ok, worth a watch but wasnt mind-blowing..... its the only film listed here ive found on tv-links...there was another one/two but links were dead....
i watched 20mins of donnie darko bout 2yrs ago and taught it was terrible and knocked it off(and i rarely do that with a film) but im gonna give it a 2nd go since everyone here is talking bout it(its on TV links and working!)

its worth giving it a second chance. Its an excellent movie though im not sure about Partisans theory on it :) .... i bought the directors cut dvd and t goes far further into the explanations of characters and their roles and the book The Philosophy of Time Travel. The original cut is probably just as good though as it allows you to explore your own theories as to what just happened. Fantastic 80s soundtrack too.

John83, i havent heard much on 28 Weeks Later. 28 Days later was a magic film but i cant see how this "hollywoodified" sequel can be up to much. But i just had a quick gander on imdb and it seems to have got some good reviews so maybe i will put my prejudices behind me and check it out.

Dr.Nightdub

07/06/2007, 1:12 AM

BohsPartisan

07/06/2007, 7:49 AM

Hero - looks like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon only better. Gorgeous cinematography from the clips they showed. Think Tarantino was one of the producers.

Prefered house of flying daggers myself.

Zatoichi is a martial arts film worth watching. About a blind samurai. The latest version stars Takeshi Kitano (sp?) of Battle Royale fame. Aparantly he's a pop culture hero in Japan, loads of old TV movies of this character.

Bluebeard

07/06/2007, 9:01 AM

We've gone all Japanese-y all of a sudden.

Probably the most excruciating scene I've ever watched was in Audition - a cracking Japanese flick, that starts off like a rather po-faced romance, before turning rather suddenly - invite a girlfriend who knows nothing about it to watch it and wait for the last 30 minutes.

Other great Jap flicks would have to include the hard to locate (when I got it) Suicide Circle, Akira Kurosawa's Macbeth re-imagining Throne of Blood, Gojirro (or Godzilla to the rest of us), and more recently Gozu - David Lynch with subtitles!

I also really enjoyed Lady Vengence, a brilliantly funny and achingly sore film from Korea.

Neish - I'll be annoying a bloke with a fantastic DVD collection about Baraka today!

anto1208

07/06/2007, 9:15 AM

Channel 4 did a "50 Films to See Before You Die" recently, two that caught my eye were:

Hero - looks like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon only better. Gorgeous cinematography from the clips they showed. Think Tarantino was one of the producers.

Come And See - very very very heavy WW2 film about partisans on the Eastern Front. Apparently they tried hypnotising the kid who plays the lead role to try and protect him from the trauma of some of the scenes he had to film.

Anyone seen either?

I have come and see at home yea its hard viewing but brilliant , its from the 70's or 80's im not sure , but they did stuff like use live ammo to give it a more realistic feel !! . One of the few movies where your really wondering whats going to happen not just at the end but in the next two minutes all the way through .

Hero i havent seen it was going to be on my to do list but if tarintino had anything to do with it ill give it a miss too good films is all he has made and as for kill bill there is only about 5 seconds of good cinematography in it flipping awfull movies . Ive never been so annoyed at a movie wasting my time untill the Lord of the rings crap came along .

If you want a good movie Kung fu hussle its everything kill bill isnt , funny exciting, great fight scences & great effects

Dodge

07/06/2007, 9:25 AM

I saw Hero, and thought it was terrific.

BohsPartisan

07/06/2007, 9:29 AM

I'd rate the Kill Bill movies as among Tarantino's finest moments.

Dodge

07/06/2007, 9:59 AM

I'd rate the Kill Bill movies as among Tarantino's finest moments.

Yep, along with Pulp Fiction, Resevoir Dogs and Jackie Brown.

Special mention to True Romance too :p

anto1208

07/06/2007, 10:02 AM

I'd rate the Kill Bill movies as among Tarantino's finest moments.

:eek: They are awfull , poorly acted, poorly written, poorly shot about 1 film too long , remeber the scene where she meets the kid gringe its so bad . :o

i actually went red i was so embarressed for them

Tarrintino is to movies as razor ruddock is to silky skills

BohsPartisan

07/06/2007, 10:12 AM

:eek: They are awfull , poorly acted, poorly written, poorly shot about 1 film too long , remeber the scene where she meets the kid gringe its so bad . :o

i actually went red i was so embarressed for them

Tarrintino is to movies as razor ruddock is to silky skills

On what basis are you saying they were poorly shot? I have a bit of experience in this area and I know quite a few people in the business and no one would have that opinion of Kill Bill.

Dodge

07/06/2007, 10:13 AM

shakermaker1982

07/06/2007, 10:19 AM

Hidden (Cache) is another I'd add to the list.

13 as well.

endabob1

07/06/2007, 10:36 AM

Someone mentioned The Castle which is probably the funniest film I've ever seen (apart from the Python Movies)
Watched a good one the other night called In My Country, John Boorman movie about the truth & reconciliation comittee in SA after the end of Apartheid, Sam Jackson & Juliette Binoche star and it's very good.

anto1208

07/06/2007, 10:42 AM

I've just added you to the ignore list for movies

Good

On what basis are you saying they were poorly shot? I have a bit of experience in this area and I know quite a few people in the business and no one would have that opinion of Kill Bill.

There is one good shot , when uma goes out into the snow to fight lucy lu thats it and that only last a few seconds everything else is just not good .
All he does is rip off japanesse cinema and he does it poorly at that , Its like going to see a poor cover band and calling them legends because they have great lyrics :rolleyes:

I can see why people could find the first movie entertaining but the 2nd one isnt even that . But all this bull that he is a great writter director , come on kill bill was full of drivel dialogue .

As ive allready said get Hung fu Hussle and you ll see what he was trying to do and then you ll see how far off the mark he is .

Tarintino makes movies for 12 year old boys ( the dumb ones at that )

Lionel Ritchie

07/06/2007, 10:54 AM

I have come and see at home yea its hard viewing but brilliant , its from the 70's or 80's im not sure , but they did stuff like use live ammo to give it a more realistic feel !! . One of the few movies where your really wondering whats going to happen not just at the end but in the next two minutes all the way through .

Come And See (title comes from the opening words of the Book of Revelation) is an incredible movie. Made in the USSR (Belarus more specifically) in 1985. The lad playing the lead role is only 16 (playing a 14 year old) and you can see his face turn from a childs to an old mans as the film progresses.

It's reckoned to be a major influence on later hollywood blockbusters Schindlers List and especially Saving Private Ryan.

I bought it on DVD about a year ago. Cost me thirty bucks or more and worth every bit of it.

BohsPartisan

07/06/2007, 10:55 AM

Just thought of another one. Ghost Dog. Great soundtrack by Robert Diggs AKA the RZA too.

anto1208

07/06/2007, 11:09 AM

Come And See (title comes from the opening words of the Book of Revelation) is an incredible movie. Made in the USSR (Belarus more specifically) in 1985. The lad playing the lead role is only 16 (playing a 14 year old) and you can see his face turn from a childs to an old mans as the film progresses.

It's reckoned to be a major influence on later hollywood blockbusters Schindlers List and especially Saving Private Ryan.

I bought it on DVD about a year ago. Cost me thirty bucks or more and worth every bit of it.

Now thats class film making

Same here cost me 30 odd snots , some sick stuff the bit in the village with the pile of dead bodies behind the house and the fly's .

I think ill root it out later have a look at it upscaled to high def 1081 on the ps3 with the surround sound , ive only seen it on a normall DVD player...... yeah thats my night planned ( and soupy norman of course )

RogerMilla

07/06/2007, 11:34 AM

Rumblefish
Manhunter
Millers Crossing
Das Boot
La Haine
The lady from shanghai
Daywatch/Night watch
Brother 1 and 2 (russian)
Once Upon a Time in The West

pete

07/06/2007, 12:19 PM

I will second the recommendation for Japanese flick Audtion mentioned above. :eek:

I was disappointed by Old Boy & especially Battle Royale.

Chinese movies all choreographed & flying swords now & all the same.

Risteard

07/06/2007, 12:29 PM

A good strategy of mine (similar to my John Lennon / After '66 Beatles strategy) is when I'm really stuck, just to get a Hitchcock movie.
It only works because I don't otherwise get those film out. ie. thats the only time i've actually bought John Lennon albums.

Last Hitchcock film i saw was Spellbound (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0rF9844ACU)

BohsPartisan

07/06/2007, 12:32 PM

Daywatch/Night watch

Absolutely love Night Watch. Is Day Watch available on DVD? Didn't realise it had been released here yet.

RogerMilla

07/06/2007, 1:41 PM

i picked it up on e-bay from a film dealer bohs. havent seen it on any rack yet and i may buy the official release anyway just for those mad subtitles !! the version i got was excellent quality and subtitled but not like the day watch package !

osarusan

07/06/2007, 1:46 PM

85 posts and nobody has mentioned Dekalog (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092337/). (perhaps as it isnt strictly cinema?)

I recommend Dekalog above all others.

ollie

07/06/2007, 1:57 PM

City of God is probibly the best film of the last 10 years .

City of God is one of the best films i've seen ever.Top Class!

Going back a bit main stream and for stupid funny i think Dave Basset England Manager is worth a look.Made me laugh:D

La Haine which was mentioned already is another very good film which should be seen!

Other ones worth a look are Battle Royale and Chopper

SaucyJack

07/06/2007, 2:05 PM

In case not mentioned,

13 Tzameti- good French thriller

Mountain Patrol- just a good Chinese/Tibetan flick

Memory of Murders- Korean thriller

Twilight Samurai

The Hidden blade(almost the same movie as Twilight samurai, same director, worth watching though.

Chaos(the French one from a few years back)

Kill Zone", -stupid English title(like Infernal affairs) but pretty decent Hong kong action flick, with some great fight scenes toward the end, will probably be re-made by Hollywood.

"The Aura"- very, very good Argentinian thriller.

passinginterest

07/06/2007, 2:17 PM

Taxi - The original French version is a good laugh.
Kubrick is probably a bit too obvious but Full Metal Jacket and Clockwork Orange are masterpieces, Eyes Wide Shut is not as bad as some critics suggest either.

Soper

07/06/2007, 2:21 PM

85 posts and nobody has mentioned Dekalog (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092337/). (perhaps as it isnt strictly cinema?)

I recommend Dekalog above all others.

I would have said Dekalog, but I wanted to stick to recommending only one Kieslowski film, which is a feature length version of one of the stories anyway.

Dricky

07/06/2007, 2:45 PM

Dead Mans Shoes, directed by Shane Meadows, director of This is England.

Great show, not to be watched though if you are on acid.... apperently!!

tetsujin1979

07/06/2007, 3:32 PM

Surprised noone's mentioned Bullet In The Head yet, John Woo at his best. Also The Killer and Hard Boiled. Just mad gunplay for an hour and a half, brilliant.

jebus

07/06/2007, 5:05 PM

Hidden (Cache) is another I'd add to the list.

I knew there was a movie I was missing and there it is, Hidden, the best movie of last year

Neish

07/06/2007, 7:32 PM

Brother 1 and 2 (russian)

Saw Brother, Very good film What is the sequel like?

Another one I recently saw Amandla http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303297/

Wolfie

08/06/2007, 7:44 AM

I'm sure someone must have mentioned the Film Noir classic:

Teen Wolf 2

Bluebeard

08/06/2007, 8:23 AM

I'm sure someone must have mentioned the Film Noir classic:

Teen Wolf 2

Actually, this wonderful opus, a forray into the mid-1980's fear of communism and the burgeoning culture of inverse celebrity, e.g. Traci Lords, etc, is properly entitled Teen Wolf, Too, in an effort to distinguish it from the work it succeeds, Teen Wolf; and also to excuse the fact that Michael J Fox was not in it. Nevertheless, to paraphrase the only writer who could successfully rival it's insight, age cannot diminish, not custom mar it.

bennocelt

08/06/2007, 10:26 AM

Chinese movies all choreographed & flying swords now & all the same.

yef def agree there
but there are chinese movies that are made for western audiences.......i hate them movies..........."Crouchin Tiger", "Flying daggers", "hero"
rubbish storylines, rubbish acting, rubbish action moves
believe me.......ordinary Chinese TV has much better Kung Fu on all day 24/7

good chinese movies to watch..........
"Fairwell My concubine"
"Beijing Bicycle"
"Raise the red lantern"
"Devils on the doorstep"
and the best Chinese movie of them all........"The shower"...great
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shower_%28film%29
also the director Jia Zhang-ke is cool, small time movie maker making movies about life amongst young people in rural chinese towns where nothing much happens, but very quirky

some westerners are too easily fooled

BohsPartisan

08/06/2007, 10:50 AM

Slapshot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slap_Shot_%28film%29) is another great one. Its about an Ice Hockey team in a declining industrial Northern US town. Very funny, stars Paul Newman.

John83

08/06/2007, 2:49 PM

Prefered house of flying daggers myself.
I've never laughed so hard.

/Not in a good way.

I also really enjoyed Lady Vengence, a brilliantly funny and achingly sore film from Korea.
It's by the same guy who made Old Boy. Sympathy for Mr Vengeance is another of his - I haven't seen it, but it's supposed to be in the same class as the other two.