So we're at about the six month mark for 2004. What's struck your fancy the most thus far?
1. Before Sunset
2. Spring, Summer Fall Winter...and Spring
3. Eternal Sunshine
4. The Dreamers
5. Kill Bill 2
6. Cigarettes And Coffee
7. The Saddest Music In The World
8. I'm Not Scared
9. Baadasssss
10. The Passion
11. Young Adam
The first two will definitely still be there come December...probably the first four.
Dogville
Eternal Sunshine
Kill Bill vol 2
Eternal Sunshine
Kill Bill vol. 2
Dogville (released 2003 but I'll go after the US date)
Cigarettes and Coffee
The Dreamers and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are the only films that have really interested me so far. I haven't seen Kill Bill: Vol. 2 or Dogville yet, or Triplets of Belleville. KBv2 I have less and less interest in as the days go by -- Tarantino is so 1994, it seems, and his public persona and Weinstein lap dog mentality really aren't helping his credibility these days (and they also add to that "so 1994" mentality, even almost relegating him to one-hit wonder status in certain people's eyes (not mine, mind you -- I just wonder if someone can possibly reel that ego of his in and get him to make a good flick again. Dating Sofia may be good for him. Hehe.) . I think it will be difficult, as he is now aware of himself, and everything he does in the future will have this sense of smugness as a result. Hence, this emerging feeling I'm getting that he's going to continue to make vapid movies. In other words, he used to be someone to strive to be like, but the copycats proved that that wasn't so, and his creativity wasn't all that creative considering all of his knockoffs (Res and KB both being rip offs of other movies, JB a novel, and Pulp Avary's doing). I won't begrudge him Pulp Fiction, though, as he did most of it; it will always be classic. Jackie Brown has its moments, too. But if he continues down this path, it won't be pretty.
My other regret this year is I have really neglected the art house, and being away from it this summer won't bode well for me. Some of the more obscure films I've heard good things about I simply won't get to see (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... Spring to name one). That will have to wait until they come out on DVD (if I ever even have time for it anymore), and hopefully I'll be able to see more stuff at the art house come fall.
Quote from: ono.bot.opoeiahis creativity wasn't all that creative considering all of his knockoffs (Res and KB both being rip offs of other movies, JB a novel, and Pulp Avary's doing).
I hear Rum Punch had good cinematography.
Eternal Sunshine
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Dogville
Harry Potter
...the hell you talking about? Oh, I get it. Because QT made a MOVE MOVIE (LOLz) out of Rum Punch, he gets points for creativity? Did you not see where I said JB was from a novel? Elmore Leonard basically comes out and says on the Jackie Brown DVD (IIRC) how happy he is with QT's version of his book, so, okay. (But of course he's happy considering how many of his novels QT has secured the rights to.) Like I said, points there, especially considering he's shown this promising proclivity to, like Kubrick, as P would put it, "rape novels and make something great." But that's really where that comparison ends, and again, he hasn't done anything original in a while. He's too obsessed with making something "cool," and like I said, as a result, vapid.
Quote from: ono.bot.opoeiaTriplets of Belleville.
2003
Quote from: ono.bot.opoeiaOh, I get it. Because QT made a MOVIE out of Rum Punch, he gets points for creativity?
Of course. Because making a movie is different from writing a novel. Isn't it that simple?
Quote from: MacGuffinQuote from: ono.bot.opoeiaTriplets of Belleville.
2003
Touche'. (Silly American response on my part.)
1.) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2) Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself
3.) Touching the Void
4.) Kill Bill Vol 2
Nothing else really places.
EDIT: Added #2.
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. The Yes Men
3. Kill Bill Vol. 2
4. Dawn of the Dead (fun stuff)
5. The Ladykillers
6. Intermission
7. The Day after Tomorrow
Distant, distant 8. Troy
Wow, I've only seen 8 new movies. That seems very low. I'll have to catch up.
Anyways, I doubt 4-8 will make my end of the year top ten - at least, I hope they don't.
eternal dreamers.
1. control room
2. five obstructions
3. I'm not scared
4. twilight samurai (2003?)
that's about it, nothing else really impressed me that much, yet.
but we all know the best film this year will be the life aquatic.
UncleJoey... The Day After Tomorrow? Come on... that was fucking horrible. it was completely ridiculous on about 10 different levels for a million different reasons.
Quote from: clerkguy23UncleJoey... The Day After Tomorrow? Come on... that was fucking horrible. it was completely ridiculous on about 10 different levels for a million different reasons.
Read his entire post.
The Passion of the Christ
Eternal Sinshine of a Spotless Mind
Kill Bill v.2
...
hopefully by the end of the year i will make a solid top ten list ..
Quote from: MacGuffinQuote from: clerkguy23UncleJoey... The Day After Tomorrow? Come on... that was fucking horrible. it was completely ridiculous on about 10 different levels for a million different reasons.
Read his entire post.
Thank you.
Quote from: NEON MERCURYThe Passion of the Christ
Eternal Sinshine of a Spotless Mind
Kill Bill v.2
...
hopefully by the end of the year i will make a solid top ten list ..
Eternal Sinshine? The Passion must have really had an effect on you. (insert smiley face here)
Quote from: UncleJoeyEternal Sinshine? The Passion must have really had an effect on you. (insert smiley face here)
u may be onto sumthing..
Quote from: NEON MERCURYThou Shalt Not Kill Bill v.2
Quote from: Ghostboy
1. Before Sunset
2. Spring, Summer Fall Winter...and Spring
3. Eternal Sunshine
4. The Dreamers
5. Kill Bill 2
6. Cigarettes And Coffee
7. The Saddest Music In The World
8. I'm Not Scared
9. Baadasssss
10. The Passion
11. Young Adam
The first two will definitely still be there come December...probably the first four.
So, which other 6 - 8 films do you think will be better than the ones you mentioned?
I looked up and these are some flims that might be really good.
Fahrenheit 9/11
Zatoichi
Hero
Collateral
Alexander
The Incredibles
The Brothers Grimm
The Aviator
The Life Aquatic
It could be any of those you mentioned (although Brothers Grimm got pushed to '05), most likely The Life Acquatic, possibly Farenheit 9/11, but I'm hoping to be surprised by a few that I might not know about yet. Like Spring Summer Fall Winter, which I knew nothing about when I walked into the theater. Maybe Birth, if it gets released. Maybe Finding Neverland, if it's any good. Maybe even...The Brown Bunny?
Oh, I just thought of a new one. An Asian film called Oasis which is being released in the US right now but came out overseas two years ago. It's amazing. That'll probably be on it.
The whole multiple release thing is tricky. I had Dogville on my list last year, even though it didn't get released here until this year.
Kill Bill 2
Eternal Sunshine
Dogville
Dawn of the Dead
Triplets of Belleville (released in aus this year)
worst - punisher (ugh! this year's Reloaded)
Quote from: PubrickQuote from: UncleJoeyEternal Sinshine? The Passion must have really had an effect on you. (insert smiley face here)
u may be onto sumthing..
Quote from: NEON MERCURYThou Shalt Not Kill Bill v.2
hahahaha... :)
Best films of the year so far:
1. Dogville
2. The Dreamers
3. We Don't Live Here Anymore
4. Napolean Dynamite
5. Harry Potter 3
6. Kill Bill 2
7. Saved!
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind
9. Dawn of the Dead
10. Haute Tension
i think its something like this...
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Kill Bill: Vol 2
3. Shrek 2
4. Spider-man 2
5. The Terminal
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
7. The Passion of the Christ
8. Man on Fire
9. Fahrenheit 9/11
10. Starsky and Hutch
no paticular order
Passion of the Christaroonie
Spiderman 2 (fuck you all)
Big Fish (I saw it late)
Eternal Sunshine
Cigs and Coffee
I think 2004 is the best first six months of a year for movies I can think of, with some of my favorites of all time on the list already. I hope the rest of the year is like this.
1. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
2. Saddest Music In The World
3. Cowards Bend The Knee
4. Dogville
5. The Five Obstructions
6. Kill Bill Vol 2
7. Coffee And Cigarettes
8. Before Sunset
9. The Dreamers
10. Father And Son
Already that's the best top ten list I've had in years. And this year is only half over. Already I can't think of getting rid of any of those movies from the list but I'm sure I'll also want put The Aviator, 2046, The Life Aquatic, and many others on there as well once the year is over.
eternal sunshine
dreamers
coffee and cigarettes
before sunset
spring, summer, fall, winter...and spring
harry potter
farenheit 911
kill bill vol II
passion of the christ
super size me
Kill Bill Vol. 2
1. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
3. Baadassssss
4. The Passion Of The Christ
5. The Saddest Music in the World
6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
7. Kill Bill Volume 2
8. Spider-Man 2
9. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi
10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
man, this summer just has been good so far, so Imma gonna add another one.
before sunset. go see it you guys.
Quote from: peteman, this summer just has been good so far, so Imma gonna add another one.
before sunset. go see it you guys.
i just saw it last night, it is quite wonderful
Hollywood Has Record Summer, Nearly $4B
Summer at movie theaters was a true underdog story for Michael Moore and a gang of dodgeball dimwits, who helped propel Hollywood to another season of record revenue, though the number of moviegoers fell slightly.
Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" became the first documentary to top the $100 million mark, while Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn's goofy comedy "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" was another surprise $100 million hit.
Teamed with such familiar favorites as "Shrek," "Spider-Man" and "Harry Potter" sequels, "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Dodgeball" helped lift the industry to an all-time summer haul of just under $4 billion from the first weekend in May through Labor Day, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
That's up 3 percent from the previous record of $3.9 billion set last summer.
But like summer 2003, higher admission prices meant fewer tickets were sold. Exhibitor Relations estimates moviegoers bought 637.8 million tickets domestically this past summer, down 0.76 percent from 2003.
"What this summer on balance taught us, I think, is people were reasonably satisfied," said Marc Shmuger, vice chairman at Universal Pictures, which had hits with "The Bourne Supremacy" and "Van Helsing" and a flop with "Thunderbirds." "I don't think they were extraordinarily satisfied, but you know what? At the end of the day, reasonably satisfied's not a terrible report card."
The sequels "Shrek 2," "Spider-Man 2" and "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" took the win, place and show spots at the box office, with other follow-ups such as "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" performing well.
"Shrek 2," reuniting the voice cast of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy, raced past 2003's smash "Finding Nemo" to become the top-grossing animated movie ever at $436.7 million.
The slightly naughty irreverence of "Shrek," along with computer-generated imagery that appeals to tech-savvy audiences, helped broaden the movie's appeal beyond the family audience.
"I think one of the reasons is people have to come to accept CGI as a way of making a movie that's compelling to all ages," as opposed to hand-drawn animation, which can carry the stigma that it's mainly for kids and their moms, said Jim Tharp, head of distribution for DreamWorks, the studio behind the "Shrek" movies. "CGI plays to teens, to dads, to the whole 3-to-93 age group."
"Spider-Man 2," a reunion for director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco, came up short of the $404 million gross of the 2002 original, but the sequel still made a fortune at $370 million. It should finish a bit ahead of "The Passion of the Christ" as the year's No. 2 hit so far.
Likewise, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" fell shy of the box-office spells weaved by its two predecessors, but the movie's $247 million gross bodes well for the franchise, whose next installment is due out next year.
Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" was unlike any other summer hit. Its $118 million domestic total was six times that of the previous record holder among feature-length documentaries, Moore's "Bowling for Columbine."
An alternately humorous and horrifying diatribe against President Bush and his actions regarding the Sept. 11 attacks, "Fahrenheit 9/11" blends Moore's cheeky wit with sobering images from Iraq and interviews with those affected by the war.
"We said from the get-go `Fahrenheit' was not just informative but also broadly entertaining," said Tom Ortenberg, president of Lions Gate Films, one of the film's distributors. "We've always felt it was the combination of those two things that made it connect with audiences across the country."
Summer regular Will Smith scored another success with "I, Robot," which joined Dennis Quaid's "The Day After Tomorrow," Brad Pitt's "Troy" and M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" to round out the season's $100 million hit parade.
Other solid earners included Tom Cruise's "Collateral," Will Ferrell's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and the teary sleeper "The Notebook."
Summer duds included Halle Berry's "Catwoman," Jackie Chan's "Around the World in 80 Days," Kate Hudson's "Raising Helen" and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's "New York Minute."
Overall, the quality of movies this season proved better than summer 2003, when many moviegoers were disenchanted by a barrage of lackluster sequels, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations.
"This was a pretty good summer. You had a solid mix of blockbusters, some great documentaries and indie films," Dergarabedian said. "This is what audiences want. They're looking for a choice. If you couldn't find a movie you wanted to see this summer, then you should stop going to see movies."
yeah this really was a good summer, and there wasn't that much hype either, or I just somehow missed it. but I remember when shrek came out it was a huge marketing thing, but the sequel was just kinda there, quietly breaking boxoffice records, not that the records mean anything anymore (the ticket prizes increase almost yearly now). domestically there were good adult and kids movies from both indie and hollywood sides. From Napoleon Dynamite & Harry Potter to Any SummerIndie Movie & Collateral.
Lemme re-update my so far this year list:
1. last life in the universe
2. five obstructions
3. I'm not scared
4. control room
5. before sunset
6. twilight samurai
last life un the universe is like my new ping pong. the best movie that again no one will ever get to see.
I've seen parts of it; I need to sit down and watch the whole thing one of these days. I don't know why I haven't yet.
Anyway, I'll update my list too:
1. Before Sunset
2. Spring, Summer Fall Winter...and Spring
3. Eternal Sunshine
4. The Brown Bunny
5. The Dreamers
6. Spiderman 2
7. Some Kind Of Monster
8. Cigarettes & Coffee
I'll leave it at that for now...
Mine will likely change soon since I'll be seeing Maria Full of Grace, Before Sunset, We Don't Live Here Anymore, and Sean Penn's new film The Assassination of Richard Nixon.
So far for me...
1. Dogville
2. Kill Bill : Volume 2
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
4. The Village
5. The Dreamers
6. The Passion of the Christ
7. Before Sunset
8. The Manchurian Candidate
9. Collateral
10. Fahrenheit 9/11
I'm hoping The Brown Bunny, Young Adam, The Door in the Floor and Coffee and Cigarettes will make my top ten list once I see them.
No particular order.
Eternal Sunshine
Kill Bill 2
The Passion
Fahrenheit 9/11
Triplets of Belleville
Bourne Supremacy
Man on Fire
The best thus far:
Before Sunset (d. Richard Linklater)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (d. Michel Gondry)
The Ister (d. David Barison & Daniel Ross)
Samaria (d. Kim Ki-duk)
Quote from: The Silver BulletSamaria (d. Kim Ki-duk)
I'm seeing Ki-duk's new film "3 Iron" in a couple days. 8)
so far...
Kill Bill: Volume 2
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Collateral
Garden State
The Village
Spiderman 2
....but the year is just getting started.
Quote from: CinephileI'm seeing Ki-duk's new film "3 Iron" in a couple days. 8)
Where? Toronto?
so far....
1. Eternal Sunshine
2. Kill Bill vol. 2
3. Spider-Man 2
4. Garden State
5. Collateral
6. Harry Potter 3
7. Maria Full of Grace
8. Fahrenheit 9/11
9. Coffee and Cigarettes
10. Napoleon Dynamite
my list is surely to change with The Life Aquatic, I Heart Huckabee's, Closer, and Sideways
Quote from: The Silver BulletQuote from: CinephileI'm seeing Ki-duk's new film "3 Iron" in a couple days. 8)
Where? Toronto?
You know it. 8)
I forgot to put Bad Education on my list, although it may not make the final cut...
Awesome movies I've seen this year:
Oldboy
Zatoichi
Passion of the Christ (and I don't even have any vested interest in JC and any of his bizness)
1. Fahrenheit 9/11
2. Before Sunset
3. Kill Bill Volume 2
4. Eternal Sunshine
5. Zatoichi
6. Dodgeball
7. Touching the Void
8. Dogville
9. Spider-Man 2
10. The Bourne Supremacy
dogville was originally in the top 4, but it gets worse with viewings. i cant see it being on my list at the end of the year. with all the great films i have yet to see (summer fall winter, brown bunny, dreamers), and all the great films still to come (LIFE AQUATIC, hero, aviator), this is a fine year.
I can't decide which is better... Fahrenheit 9/11 or Dogville...
:brickwall:
Quote from: Jeremy BlackmanI can't decide which is better... Fahrenheit 9/11 or Dogville...
:brickwall:
.gotta go w/ dogville.....b/c if i am going to watch two anti-american films i would rather look at nicole kidman than michael moore..... :wink:
Quote from: Jeremy BlackmanI can't decide which is better... Fahrenheit 9/11 or Dogville...
fahrenternal dreamville.
I'd say Dogville, but you could be diplomatic and pretend that Dogville got released last year (as it did, everywhere but in America) so Farenheit can have its spot at the top of your list. You can then retrofit your lists from last year.
(Slightly) Revised Top Ten List:
1. Dogville
2. The Dreamers
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
4. High Tension
5. Garden State
6. Napolean Dynamite (I know a lot of people despise this movie, but I can't help it, it makes me laugh)
7. Collateral
8. Harry Potter 3
9. Overnight
10. Kill Bill 2
Most Overrated of the year:
1. Passion of the Christ
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
3. Spider Man 2 (really enjoyed it immensely, just overhyped)
Quote from: Film StudentMost Overrated of the year:
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
Really? Please elaborate...
Quote from: Film Student
4. High Tension
Wow, you liked it? I think it might top my list for the worst of the year. I felt so insulted, as a viewer, when it was over.
No order.
Fahrenheit 9/11
The Brown Bunny
Dogville
Kill Bill Vol. 2
I'm Not Scared
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Control Room
Maria Full of Grace
Cigarettes and Coffee
Napoleon Dynamite
Garden State
Shit. That's eleven, isn't it.
last time I checked :wink:
RE: Fahrenheit 9/11 Overrated
I used to LOVE Michael Moore (JB, you must remember when I posted my orgasmic note on meeting him), but he's twisted one too many truths in the name of liberal justice. He's a sensationalist who I now (sadly) lump in with Bill O'Reilly and (to a lesser extent) Matt Drudge as a biased pundit who is first and foremost an attention-craving narcissist. Bowling for Columbine affected me deeply, then I realized that Moore was using the very same scare tactics in his film that he was criticizing the mainstream media for. Then along came Fahrenheit 9/11, which in my mind was a far more respectable film than "Bowling", but then again, making Bush look like an idiot is not the most daring or difficult thing to pull off. I could write twenty pages on all the reasons I don't care for Michael Moore anymore, but honestly I don't feel like doing it. If anyone cares to hear me expound further, PM me...
RE: High Tension
I LOVED High Tension, BUT I agree with you Ghostboy. The ending was ridiculous, but it was a rare case of being so profoundly terrified by the previous 85 minutes that I was completely willing to forgive the silly twist. I'll make no bones about the fact that when it comes to horror, I'm a shameless gorehound. This is my favorite kind of horror movie; mean-spirited, disgustingly brutal, unforgiving and indiscriminate in who gets off'd. On top of that, it was beautifully shot, well-acted, well-paced, and deadly serious. I really appreciated the absence of camp and satire, and the fact that it looked good and the performers were actually competent really impressed the hell out of me. It's the only movie I've ever watched where I was actually curled up in a ball in my chair and covering my eyes...
Also, the sound design was incredible.
Quote from: Film StudentRE: High Tension
I LOVED High Tension, BUT I agree with you Ghostboy. The ending was ridiculous, but it was a rare case of being so profoundly terrified by the previous 85 minutes that I was completely willing to forgive the silly twist. I'll make no bones about the fact that when it comes to horror, I'm a shameless gorehound. This is my favorite kind of horror movie; mean-spirited, disgustingly brutal, unforgiving and indiscriminate in who gets off'd. On top of that, it was beautifully shot, well-acted, well-paced, and deadly serious. I really appreciated the absence of camp and satire, and the fact that it looked good and the performers were actually competent really impressed the hell out of me. It's the only movie I've ever watched where I was actually curled up in a ball in my chair and covering my eyes...
Also, the sound design was incredible.
I guess that, had I been scared, I wouldn't have hated it so much. But I actually predicted the twist from the first line of dialogue, and rather than get caught up in the story, I was just waiting to see if the director would go through with something so preponderously stupid. Maybe if I'd seen it in a theater, I would have been more into it. It was pleasantly gory, though, and technically excellent.
Quote from: Film StudentI used to LOVE Michael Moore (JB, you must remember when I posted my orgasmic note on meeting him), but he's twisted one too many truths in the name of liberal justice.
Exactly which twisted truths offend you? Or is it the media-circulated impression that his movies are factually impure?
He's not Noam Chomsky, and he is a dramatist, but I find almost nothing wrong with him and his films.
My only complaint with Moore is that his rabid populism moderates him far too often (see Chapter 10 of Dude Where's My Country)
Quote from: Film StudentBowling for Columbine affected me deeply, then I realized that Moore was using the very same scare tactics in his film that he was criticizing the mainstream media for.
Isn't there a huge difference between rational fear and irrational fear? Which "scare tactics" in BFC are you thinking of?
Quote from: Film Studentmaking Bush look like an idiot is not the most daring or difficult thing to pull off.
That's the only thing you think he did (or tried to do) with Fahrenheit 9/11?
Updated and Top 15:
1. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
2. Fahrenheit 9/11
3. Before Sunset
4. Baadassssss
5. The Dreamers
6. Kill Bill Volume 2
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8. The Passion Of The Christ
9. The Saddest Music in the World
10. I Heart Huckabees
11. Hero
12. Spider-Man 2
13. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi
14. Enduring Love
15. 3-Iron
Wait -- you've seen 3-Iron and not commented on it elsewhere? WHAT?
that's a good list, cinephile.