Comment on the Track the Films You Watch Thread

[Egg_Shen]

I won't have the time nor the inclination to write down all the impressions I have about the films I watch this year (and who would want to read all that anyway!) but since it's my first attempt at tracking them all I thought I'd chime in with my impressions on the first two.

First up Battleship. Not something I would have sought out on my own, but I was over someone's place, they put it on, and you know what? It wasn't nearly as abysmal as the Transformer movies. The picture opens with our hero's larcenous attempt at pilfering a burrito for a bodacious babe in a bar. To keep him out of trouble his brother naturally enlists him into the service and we are abruptly whisked away to Hawaii where the Navy is engaged in war exercises. Suddenly, aliens arrive to kill everyone. I liked the effort to incorporate aspects of the board game with the "wave displacement grid", and the alien's ammunition projectiles. I mean, if you're going to make a movie based on Battleship you might as well honor the game a bit. Also, the idea of Japan helping the U.S. foil a foreign invasion from outer space on the shores of Hawaii is a nice touch. Not too bad, but what if instead it was a low budget, 80 minute B&W picture that took place completely in the interior of the Destroyer and was basically the "wave displacement grid" scene for the entirety of it's runtime? Just an idea.

John Dies at the End is a whole different beast of a movie. The less said the better, but it's sort of part Naked Lunch and part Shaun of the Dead with Coscarelli's stamp all over it. The young cast is all excellent and it's always great to see Clancy Brown, Angus Scrimm and Paul Giamatti in a movie. Also, it was a personal pleasure to see Glynn Turman show up. I've been a fan ever since seeing Cooley High. Anyway, I think most everyone here would like it, so go check it out!

[shithead]

Only 94 movies watched in 2012.

I guess I'll be the first to ask.....Are there going to be any giveaways for those who tracked all year? I like to win free shit!

[spawningblue]

I watched 220 movies in 2012.

Looking at my past years I seem to be pretty consistent haha.

2009 - 218
2010 - 217
2011 - 220
2012 - 220

How crazy is that!?

[X-human]

Originally Posted by dave13

Is Godfather Part III a "must-see"? I'm not sure. Parts I and II are astoundingly good, but III is a bit more of a curiosity, an appendix to the first two. Not the turkey that many claim it to be, for sure, but nowhere near the level of the others. I haven't seen the extended edition (I believe that was actually parts I and II edited together in chronological order for television, wasn't it?), but I expect that tampering with the structure of the two films in such a drastic manner would certainly remove a lot of their impact. Not to mention the commercial breaks, which are absolute death to the pacing of any film. So I expect you'll enjoy them upon a second, proper viewing.

Well I got to watch all three and I have to say I still don't "get it."

The Godfather (79/100)
The Godfather Part II (78/100)
The Godfather Part III (71/100)

Obviously Part III has the most issues but I actually saw more potential in that one's story if they had a better script/production (Coppola had a year less then he wanted). They're not bad films by any means but for some reason this genre doesn't click much for me because I'm also so-so on Scarface and Goodfellas.

On the other hand I enjoyed the original Scarface, Once Upon a Time in America and Casino. :shrug:

[Egg_Shen]

Originally Posted by X-human

They're not bad films by any means but for some reason this genre doesn't click much for me because I'm also so-so on Scarface and Goodfellas.

On the other hand I enjoyed the original Scarface, Once Upon a Time in America and Casino. :shrug:

Scarface, Goodfellas and The Godfather are all completely different to me. Personally, I like the original Godfather best. And I agree, the original Scarface is better. Also, like you, I'd choose Casino over Goodfellas. Highly underrated, and for genre fans it's got Joe Bob Briggs!

[allmessedup]

Rewatched THE LAST PICTURE SHOW after not having seen it for several years.

Totally forgot that Clu Gulager was in it. He has a supporting role, but has one of the better scenes in the film with Cybil Shepherd. I believe the scene of them getting it on was cut from the original film, but it's been added to the DVD release.

The swimming pool scene has a lot of full-frontal nudity, I think this movie would probably have rating problems today.

It is really funny to see the 22 year old Jeff Bridges.

[Workshed]

Originally Posted by allmessedup

Rewatched THE LAST PICTURE SHOW after not having seen it for several years.

Totally forgot that Clu Gulager was in it. He has a supporting role, but has one of the better scenes in the film with Cybil Shepherd. I believe the scene of them getting it on was cut from the original film, but it's been added to the DVD release.

The swimming pool scene has a lot of full-frontal nudity, I think this movie would probably have rating problems today.

It is really funny to see the 22 year old Jeff Bridges.

Great, heartbreaking film. Also a great book.

[SickNick89]

http://letterboxd.com/sicknick/films/diary/

[allmessedup]

Originally Posted by Workshed

Great, heartbreaking film. Also a great book.

Larry McMurtry ended up writing four more books about those characters, my favorite is DUANE'S DEPRESSED.

I am about to watch TEXASVILLE, which flopped. That's another I haven't seen for years. It is interesting to revisit some of these films that I haven't seen for a while. I had seen PICTURE SHOW within the last five or six years, but I haven't seen TEXASVILLE since not long after it was released back in 1990.

[Workshed]

Originally Posted by allmessedup

Larry McMurtry ended up writing four more books about those characters, my favorite is DUANE'S DEPRESSED.

I am about to watch TEXASVILLE, which flopped. That's another I haven't seen for years. It is interesting to revisit some of these films that I haven't seen for a while. I had seen PICTURE SHOW within the last five or six years, but I haven't seen TEXASVILLE since not long after it was released back in 1990.

I never followed the films or further novels because I was afraid of tainting how I see the originals. LMK how Texasville holds up.

[allmessedup]

I can see why TEXASVILLE flopped. I don't know if I've ever seen a film adaptation that was too faithful to the source material until this. I think unless someone was very familiar with the book [which I am] they would have a hard time following the movie. McMurtry did not adapt it; Bogdonovich wrote the screenplay and it looks like he just tried to cram as much of the book as possible into a 126 minute running time.

It's not all bad, some of the performances are pretty good, and all of the principal cast members from PICTURE SHOW [or at least the ones who made it to the end of that movie] reprise their roles, right down to Eileen Brennan. Annie Potts is very good as Duane's wife Karla [who is one of the major characters in the book.]

But both movie and book kind of exist in a weird world where nothing really has any consequence, be it bankruptcy or adultery, and that can make it a little tough to be invested in the story--I saw one review on Netflix refer to it as "like a really slow episode of DALLAS."

[Angelman]

Lisa and the Devil. One of the few remaining Bava's I had not seen. Not for me. Bava always seemed like such an animal of the 60s to me and when he tried to tackle more modern material it always felt corny.

Humanoids from the Deep (the original). Another "meh" but I did appreciate the efforts to ape early Spielberg in the first half of the movie. Pretty well done for a Corman flick. Vic Morrow always played a great a-hole. RIP.

Bay of Blood. I don't get it. At all. Not good, I don't care what it inspired.

[Workshed]

Originally Posted by allmessedup

I can see why TEXASVILLE flopped. I don't know if I've ever seen a film adaptation that was too faithful to the source material until this. I think unless someone was very familiar with the book [which I am] they would have a hard time following the movie. McMurtry did not adapt it; Bogdonovich wrote the screenplay and it looks like he just tried to cram as much of the book as possible into a 126 minute running time.

It's not all bad, some of the performances are pretty good, and all of the principal cast members from PICTURE SHOW [or at least the ones who made it to the end of that movie] reprise their roles, right down to Eileen Brennan. Annie Potts is very good as Duane's wife Karla [who is one of the major characters in the book.]

But both movie and book kind of exist in a weird world where nothing really has any consequence, be it bankruptcy or adultery, and that can make it a little tough to be invested in the story--I saw one review on Netflix refer to it as "like a really slow episode of DALLAS."

thanks for following up. think i'll skip it and check out the novel sometime.

[Workshed]

Gave The Evil Dead (1981) a spin tonight. It retains quite a bit of charm in all its grueling absurdity. The sound effects and musical cues stood out for me this go-round--loved the blender bit early into the gang's arrival at the cabin. Things do start very quickly; minimal setup takes place before the bad vibes not only creep in but go viral. The point, though, is the sustained brutalization of bodies and souls.

I think I'll watch EDII w/ the commentary tomorrow.

[Workshed]

Listened to both the EDII and AoD: Director's Cut commentaries this week. It must be the second or third time I've listened to these, and they are still funny and interesting. Love the interactions with Campbell and Raimi. These guys are such pals. It's very encouraging to see two friends who love making films reach such a level of success. Great way to prep for the new film!