Comments on: Row Three Narcissism: Movies We Watched

By: Marina Antunes

Marina Antunes — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:28:40 +0000

Oops. I thought you’d actually seen it. So be it, I’m leaving it alone.

By: Andrew James

Andrew James — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:24:39 +0000

I have not seen the movie. I’m sure it’s terrible. The trailer makes me want to punch myself in the head repeatedly with brass knuckles. Or run for President so I can bomb France.

By: Marina

Marina — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:23:27 +0000

GIRL FROM MONACO opens in town next week. Recommended? I’m only mildly curious.

By: Andrew James

Andrew James — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:10:26 +0000

I guess for a taste of diversionary love tales, “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” is a little bit more to my liking than “Love Me if You Dare.” Which is weird because I remember liking “Dare” quite a bit when I first watched it a few years ago. Wonder what happened. I still don’t like the ending either.

And there have been loads of charming French cinema as of late. Don’t forget “Girl from Monaco” (worst trailer of all time) and “Priceless.”

“A Christmas Tale” was tiresomely boring.

By: Andrew James

Andrew James — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:08:11 +0000

I loved 28 Weeks Later in the theater, liked it on a second viewing. Starting to bug me a little on the third, so I’ve stopped any subsequent repeat viewings. It has a LOT going for it, but like Jandy, all of the military stuff got old quickly and the way the quarantine was handled made no sense.

The opening sequence is knock-out, intense cinema however.

And I think Days is holds up much better.

By: Kurt Halfyard

Kurt Halfyard — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:04:47 +0000

Yea, I loved 28 Weeks Later upon its release, enough so that I went to see it a whopping 3 times theatrically (I rarely revisit anything theatricality due to time and the sheer volume of new stuff coming out, along with Toronto Film Events and all…).

But watching it on Friday night because I couldn’t get out to the Hurt Locker (dang it’ll happen at some point, but it’s absolutely killing me that I’ve not seen this yet!), totally floored me with how well this sucker keeps playing out. It is already one of my favourite zombie films (yea suck it Zombie purists!) and rapidly becoming one of my favourite sequels that trump the original in every way.

By: Marina

Marina — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:56:23 +0000

Yes – good call on THE CLASS and actually, WELCOME TO THE STICKS was pretty fun but the dramas have all been kind of mean. Strangely, I don’t lump the horror films into that though you are right. Maybe it’s because I expect them to be mean? Not sure.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:54:18 +0000

Big ups to ya’ll for the Sunshine love and props to Kurt for giving 28 Weeks Later a more fair shake than most of the online crowd. Both movies offer far more than just what is presented on the surface, both in the aesthetics of the visuals and the performances of the actors. Chris Evans’ turn in Sunshine was almost enough to make me forgive him both Fantastic Four movies. Almost.

By: Kurt Halfyard

Kurt Halfyard — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:53:11 +0000

Yea, I hate the numerical ratings, because I think that Sunshine is actually a much more ‘watchable’ and visual film than Solaris 2002, yet Solaris does not suffer from the same 3rd act woes.

Yes, there has been a very mean spirited streak in French exports over the last little while (Aja, Noe, and the ‘Inside’ and ‘Martyrs’ directors), not to mention Haneke, although I’ve not seen his Cannes-winning lastest yet.

But then there is the OSS series which is supposed to be very FUN, FUN, FUN and I really, really really liked Tell No One which wasn’t mean spirited at all. And THE CLASS was, well, pretty classy.

By: Marina

Marina — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:43:53 +0000

I don’t want to completely generalize but the few French films I’ve seen over the last year or so have all felt extra mean. I’m not sure what it is – are they more open and free to talk down and insult people than everyone else? I still can’t get over the general meanness of “A Christmas Tale”. It’s definitely tainted me to French films.

And good to see that the troublesome ending to SUNSHINE isn’t detracting too much from the enjoyment of the rest of the film. I too have problems with it but it doesn’t detract from my enjoyment and love of this movie. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

By: Kurt Halfyard

Kurt Halfyard — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:28:58 +0000

Jeux D’Enfants remains one of my favorite films of its year (2003) because of its black-hearted inverted definition of obsessive-love (see also the lesser Audrey Tatou vehicle A La Folie…Pas du Toute).

Its full on gutting of the Rom-Com WHEN HARRY MET SALLY formula with a FIGHT CLUB level satire/ethic is what makes the film stand out. I remain in the minority on this, but I’ll easily take it over the more saccharine and earnest AMELIE.

By: Jandy Stone

Jandy Stone — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:48:53 +0000

Andrew, I felt the exact same way about Love Me If You Dare. I wanted to like it, but it was so mean. I couldn’t see any love in their relationship at all.

Kurt, wow, 5/5 for 28 Weeks Later? I guess I’ll have to see it. The military part of 28 Days Later was my least favorite part (I hated that part, actually), so seeing that 28 Weeks Later focused on the military pretty much me write it off immediately. But if they handle it better, I should give it a try.

By: Kurt Halfyard

Kurt Halfyard — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:25:30 +0000

Actually, that may just go with the string of hard-SF films in the latter half.

By: Andrew James

Andrew James — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:22:34 +0000

WHAT!? My Ernest Goes to Camp review was not posted? I’m disappointed.