Monthly Archives: June 2005

Make Mauer Giggle Like a School Girl

Posted on 6/13/2005 by reynolds

Inspired by the uninspiring “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”– What’s the meanest funny comedy ever made? And/or the funniest mean comedy? A short list, off the top of my head: Happiness Little Murders Where’s Poppa? Prizzi’s Honor Unfaithfully Yours Shoah After … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict) | 6 Comments

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Posted on 6/11/2005 by reynolds

Not bad. Not good. Too long. At least occasionally witty and reasonably well-edited and shot. But too often assumes that lots and lots of shooting equals rip-roaring fun. (There’s one fine fight sequence between the two ridiculously-sculpted stars that’s kind … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict), ho hum | 8 Comments

The Machinist

Posted on 6/11/2005 by reynolds

I’m going to jump-start Mauer–I want to hear what he has to say about this flick. My own thoughts: certainly it’s recommended. If for no other reason, to see Christian Bale, who couples the stunt starvation with some interesting performance … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict), likey | 6 Comments

haasil

Posted on 6/9/2005 by arnab

watched this last night on a friend’s recommendation. this is a low-profile bombay movie from a few years ago that is set mostly at a university in a smaller indian city (allahabad). there are no major stars in this but … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict), likey, underrated | 4 Comments

Where Oates and I part ways

Posted on 6/6/2005 by nikki

Pete and I actually went to the movies the other night, Cinderella Man. As you would expect from Ron “Happy Days” Howard, it is more than manipulative, totally predictable, and there’s the bootstrap-stuff to boot. Also, the communists die. Then … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict), well, okay | 6 Comments

Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Posted on 6/6/2005 by reynolds

Just watched his “Seance,” an updating of a ’60s English film I never saw. The plot: a medium and her husband get entangled in a kidnapping plot. Enough said. This isn’t great Kurosawa, but it is a fine little thriller–exploiting … Continue reading →

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League of Gentlemen

Posted on 6/6/2005 by reynolds

NOT the bowling flick, nor another terrible adaptation of Alan Moore’s comics. Instead, a very fine sort-of-sketchy, sort-of-Sherwood-Andersony comedy from Britain. Like other great sketch groups, a trio of performers enact every recurring character; unlike those shows, there is a … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict), classic | 7 Comments

bollywood recommendations

Posted on 6/3/2005 by arnab

following on my brief comments on indian art cinema in anothe thread i thought i’d make some recommendations of bollywood films for the benefit of those who might be interested in a somewhat structured experience of the industry. first, a … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict), (random lists) | 16 Comments

Perils of Minimalism?

Posted on 6/2/2005 by michael

I just watched Elephant and found it both compelling and puzzling. What puzzles me partly is its schizophrenic strategy of following precisely many of the details of the Columbine Harris/Klebold shootings (the attraction to Hitler, the playing of violent videogames, … Continue reading →

Posted in (by verdict) | 27 Comments

They called me Ismail

Posted on 6/2/2005 by john

Hey, does anyone want to post anything about the late Ismail Merchant? I have little if anything interesting to say about the fellow. I did like “Maurice” though I don’t recall much of it. See?

Posted in (by verdict) | 11 Comments