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Having been movie deprived for the last 8 months (a baby does that to a guy) I've been given a free-pass to sneak off one afternoon for a movie.  I haven't been keeping track of what's showing so I'm worried I'll see a lemon.

So, I need a recommendation for a movie.  And why it's worth seeing.

History of Violence.

Judging by all the talk I've heard:  Serenity.

Lord of War.

Yah, reintroduce him to cinema with Nicolas fucking Cage. You're a mean bastard.

It's got a fantastic script, he's at the top of his form, and you don't have to think. The last thing you want to do after dealing with a baby is THINK. My recommendation is fucking perfect. Also, it's a great release for being cooped up with a kid.

If you want to go the other way, I'd see Everything Is Illuminated. Maybe 40 Yr. Old Virgin for irony's sake.

Serenity. One needs no other movie that's out.

Except Roll Bounce.

That comment makes my brain turn off the lights.

Dark in there isn't it Schild.

 :-D

There are some other non-Serenity decent movies out, like 40 Year Old Virgin, maybe History of Violence or Lord of War. But nothing that I'd recommend as highly as Serenity.

Yes, but let's assume he hasn't seen Serenity. You have to make qualifications.

1. You have to like Joss Whedon.
2. You have to like the campy brand of writing that comes with Joss Whedon.

Then it becomes a solid recommendation.

I've watched lmaybe the first half hour of the first episode of Serenity and kind of liked it.  But, in my experience, movies of one hour TV shows are basically a one hour show stretched out to the requisite two hour movie format.  Picard Star Trek movies case in point.

Not sure about Nic Cage either - he's become way too typecast and generally his movie scripts and plots are weak.  Unless theres some lol black comedy there I'm not wasting my one movie a year on it.

So, History of Violence - tell me more.

Serenity is not like that. There's no padding here. It's got a breakneck pace, and you only stop to check your watch to see if you think they can wrap it up in the time allotted.

I did that.

Huh? Typecast? He broke out of his typecast roles 3-4 years ago with Adapatation and Matchstick Men. I didn't think being a character actor was being "typecast." I feel bad for Depp.

Really though, the whole movie is lol black comedy. Well, almost the whole movie.

When I read "black comedy" I always think of Chris Rock. But then I remember that I'm crazy. Adaptation is one of my favorite movies, despite Cage (he did an awesome job, just not one of my favorite actors).

Ed Harris is the shit, and it's a Cronenberg flick. What more do you need?  :-)

the new Wallace and Gromit.   :heart:

No, man. Just, no.

Oh c'mon.

Wallace and Gromit are just charming as hell.  Maybe not "I only get one movie a year and this is it!" charming, but charming.

I dunno. I couldn't stand either Angel or Buffy. Then, with Serenity .. just *ping* something worked for me.

But I always advise against watching Serenity until you've watched at least the first DVD of Firefly. It makes the experience significantly better.

You have no soul.

Y'know, despite all this, I'd get a babysitter in one room and rent Sin City and Constantine for the other room.

Constantine was shit.

Go out and see a movie.  Get some fresh air.  Do not stay in the house.

I agree. There's no accounting for the bad taste some people have.


All kidding aside, this is probably the best option.

No children or teenagers will attending a viewing of a History of Violence. You can count on that at least. Else I would have strangled one for sure.

[edit] The one situation where I'll praise the stupidity and lack of taste in kids!

Actually, this is a very good point.  Nothing like trying to get away from the kids, only to be in a movie theatre full of kids.

Arg.

Mmm, yes.  I'd suggest Serenity but there might be some geeky teens.  Or go to a bar, those are usually kid-free.

One of these days I'm gonna run a 21+ beer-serving movie theatre... one of these days ...

They do pretty well but all the ones I've been too are poorly run and trashy.  But I like knocking back a bottle or two of wine with the missus as we take in a show.

If you do make sure to put in electronic beer coasters...

There's a place here in Cinci like that.  Actually it's dinner and a movie with alcohol being served.  Nice little place to go and they even do some of the better first-run movies. Wish I could remember the name of the place right now..

When I was up in Vermont, there was a laundromat that served beer. Great idea imo. Always that dilemma of what to do while warshing the clothes, a book or PSP is nice...but a bar is nicer, get drunk and mingle with the random singles warshing their clothes.

Sudsy Malone's (http://www.sudsys.com/) near UC - also had a Live Band in the evenings.  They've been going for at least 20 years, so it's a great idea. .. just avoid going Goth like it appears they've started doing. Hrm.

I can buy beer in the theatre down the road from my house.  For a while I knew the sweet thang that doled them out.  Free beer and a movie was always great.

This is a nice theatre too.  The adjustable seats can lead to some interesting shit.

Edit:  I wish I could spell.

We have a shitload of them. They're mostly owned by the McMinneman's Bros. (who are brewers), and serve their own micros. They have Sat. and Sun. matiness where kids can get in with a parent, but they're expressly 21+. And they have pizza. Second-run flix for $3. Yay!

The Tampa Theater serves beer plus it has a Wurlitzer pipe organ.  Oh, and it's haunted.

It wins.

YEah, well a cultist propaganda film (What the Fuck Do We Know) was filmed at the Baghdad. pwned!

Well damn, we don't have any of those in Denver-metro.

We do have a 21+ bowling alley called Lucky Strike (http://www.bowlluckystrike.com/), which is way over priced but swanky with a full bar and restraunt-bar food. Oh and the servers are all (mostly) hot girls in fishnet stockings ... mmmm.

There's a new James Bond.  His name is Daniel Craig.  How come you guys didn't tell me?

Because he's not Clive Owen?

when was this released?

She's referring to an announcment of a casting choice. The movie isn't out yet.

I think Soln understood that. I'm still coping with how oddly Clive Owen is spelling his name. Daniel Craig. Weird.

yes, correct.  This is disappointing.  I don't know this guy, but Owen would've been a solid Bond IMO.  Ah well.

I heard it was Owen himself who rejected the part (it would have been handed to him), so what can you say?

Fuck you, Clive?

I don't blame him for not captaining a sinking ship.

I saw Chicken Little in digital 3D yesterday with the kids. 3D has come a long way from the red and blue glasses. Very enjoyable and some very good 3D effects.

I saw 'The Proposition' the other month and thought it was simply awesome.
I saw 'Wolf Creek' last night and walked out of it. Worst film I've seen in years.

Both Australian films, don't know where/when/if they're released in other parts of the world. Though I think Proposition might be around..

I've only seen two movies recently...

-Chicken Little  (5.5 / 10)
Something about this movie just didn't do it for me.

-Walk the Line (7 / 10)
This film was refreshingly well made.  It's flaws are few and forgiveable.  The music is great.  I predict Oscar nomations for Phoenix, Witherspoon, and best picture.

By the way, has anyone seen Garden State?  I caught some of it on HBO late last night and it looked really good, but I was too tired to watch it through.

Wait.. it was 3-d but without the red and blue glasses?  I didn't think they could do that without the special polarized screens.  It'd be nice if they'd transfer that to the kid's movies you take-home... daughter loves watching Spy Kids 3-D, but it always looks wrong with the glasses, and it gives a headache if you watch it without them.

I liked it. Good acting, good writing, mixed in ridiculous moments and sight gags, and fairly entertaining plot.  Peter Sarsgaard kicks ass and it kind of makes you forgive Portman for her job in the Star Wars prequels.

My only problem with the movie is that the end is a little too predictable.  I'd recommend catching it again and watching it through.

I'm a huge Zach Braff fan, but thought the movie a little sleepy at times. Excellent soundtrack though. And proper shout out to the SHins ("they will change your life.")

My film geek friends can't stop talking about Sympathy for LAdy Vengeance, History of Violence (which I guess actually didn't ass-rape the comic book) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

I heartily recommend Garden State to anyone who likes quiet, character study type of movies. It had a really good heart, and except for 5 minutes of Natalie Portman being really fucking annoying, the movie was great.

Do you mean this one? Netflix blurb:

"A 19th century widow (Theresa Russell) fights to go on with her life and take care of her children as she moves a herd of cattle through the infinite Welsh landscape in attempts to settle the debt her late husband acquired from gambling. During her journey, she fends off a sleazy sheriff and greedy cattle thieves with some help from a young ranch hand (Patrick Bergin). "

That sounds just awful. Theresa Russell used to be hot but now she is just desperate for work, apparently. Please tell us what was good about it.

Heh, speaking of blurbs, I saw the best one ever on the Sundance Channel (when you hit the "info" button on DirecTV) for Requiem for a Dream:

"Brooklynites attempt to better their lives."

Heh. That reminds me of seeing Burt Reynolds on Carson talking about Deliverance- he said he saw it on broadcast TV, and with all the editing, it looked like a movie about 4 guys on a camping trip.

Walk the Line  is a very solid movie.  Joaquin Phoenix is channeling Johny Cash,  and he and Reese Witherspoon do all their own singing.  Less music than Ray,  more focus on Cash and Carter and their fucked up lives.

I loved the way they portrayed alot of famous musicians in the background, without focusing in on them. 

"Hey Johnny, try these!"
<offers pills>
"Elvis loves 'em!"
<Elvis in background smirks>

But then,  I've always had a soft spot for Cash.  He covered "Rusty Cage", for fuck's sake.

Johnny is a God.  Walk the Line, and Ring of Fire are 2 of my alltime favorite songs.  I heard a cover of NIN's "Hurt" he did the other day in the background of something and didn't even realize how appropriate a song it was for him until I'd heard it. 

Yup, yup, Johnny is the man.

I may check it out this week. I never would have thought Joaquin Phoenix could have done it even a little well, but the trailers say something else.


Put my vote in for History of Violence (but I think I may have mentioned it in another thread before). If you value your manhood, then you will see this (doesn't hurt to be a Cronenberg fan either). It won't win awards or anything...It'll be one of those movies that gets nominated for a lot of shit and never wins.

I couldn't convince some Cash fans that "Rusty Cage" was a Soundgarden cover.

The video for "Hurt" has been described as one of the greatest videos ever made.  And they're right.  I had to pick up Cash's last CD to actually watch it (included DVD),  since no music channel plays videos anymore.  I'm not going to stoop to browsing CMT.  <shudder>  And MTV is firmly aimed way out of my demographic.  VH1 is just stuck in some wierd nostalgia/reality TV schtick.

It might be the saddest thing you ever see.....  Just black and white,  alot of old pictures,  and Cash and wife looking old.

Got to love lines like "I shot a man in Reno,  just to watch him die" too.  The scene in the movie where Cash has his studio audition,  and the producer runs down the crap country/gospel he was playing, is great. 

I most certainly don't mean that one. :)

I mean this one: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421238/

Boom chicka boom chicka boom chicka.
MTV still plays videos? Even MTV2, which was expressly made to play videos as MTV got sucked into series like the Real World (heh) isn't playing videos. VH1 is definitely in some 80s time warp, which my girlfriend loves.

CMT may as well be pop, what with the fucking Kenny Chesney shit. Chesney was on the 20th anniversary Farm Aid. They gave Buddy Guy one song. Emmylou got one song. Susan Tedeschi...one song. Shit, even Dave Matthews only got two. Chesney got three or four, hard to tell since I fast forwarded, I hate this modern country pop bullshit. I like vintage country through outlaw country.

Ovation is a great channel, all kinds of nice artist spotlights. BET Jazz is often good, too. HDNet plays a TON of music, though it's HD (good for me, bad for most people). PBS is good with music right now because they're in a pledge drive (about the only time they play good music).

Wait...this isn't the television thread!

Re: Johnny Cash

I'm assuming that most of the people here aren't exactly pro wrestling fans, but some of you may have heard that a wrestler by the name of Eddie Guererro died two weeks ago of heart failure at the age of 38. He was a well known drug, painkiller, and alcohol abuser for years, but had been sober for the last four years. Unfortunately, years of abuse and the strain on the body of his profession took its toll and he died in his hotel room of a heart attack.

The reason I mention this, is that the following night, the WWE ran a show dedicated to Guerrero, and they opened it with a video montage of his career - played to Cash's version of Hurt.

Fucking powerful song is all I can say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=PNKeFLFETtM

Ah come on...check out GAC or CMT in the morning...or the show at about 2300 EST called outlaw country.  True that rockabilly/southern rock/rock and country blend is mixing in... but then you have some of the new acts that went back to the sounds of the older stuff.  Little Big Towns Boondocks, Ray Scott's My Kind of Music sounds like a fucking Cash song and has his humor in it!  Sure were hokey, but we laugh at ourselves, and think mostly about drinking, loving, guns, momma, dogs...err okay I know there is a David Allen Cole song here somewhere.

If my sweetie and I ever get a decent amount of time off, we want to check out the Cash movie.  But since we both have children, were more apt to see Harry Potter or Chicken Little.  Next movie for us will probably be the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  My child asked why they didn't make them in order, since we are reading the series.

Who the fuck is Kenny Chesney and why do I see him on TV all the time now?

I believe he is country music's current version of Kyle Troy.

You lost me at country.

Silly Man.  Kyle Troy was the guy that piloted Stingray and looked like James Garner.

Wow, I didn't think anyone would get my Kyle Troy refference, but somehow you managed to get it with a completely different Kyle Troy.

And he famously married Renee Zelweger after like a month of dating, then they divorced after 4 months. He was so the rebound guy after Jack White dumped Renee then married a model a couple of months later.

God, I watch way too much E! and VH1.

I am saddened by the fact that I too know this information. I guess its a bit better because I work in entertainment media. But it still sucks when im channel surfing and find myself compelled to stop on E!.

Not exactly a new release, but The Motorcycle Diaries (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318462/) is fantastic.

I'm not the type to wear Che t-shirts (and I'm not even a liberal for that matter), but I do find him extremely interesting. I can't wait for the Del Toro pic to come out as well.

Oh, cmon, lay off country.  I'm not a fan either, but it's certainly not a violent cancerous plague upon the earth like rap is.

Kenny Chesney songs I like:  "She thinks my tractor's sexy" and "All my Exes live in Texas"

Now that I have branded myself forever strange, movies:

Rentals:  Batman Begins - Easily the best batman movie.  Especially if you ignore one or two strange plot holes.
If you looking for something violent and different - and I do mean different - go into the foreign film section and get Old Boy.  Excellent film.   

Can the imaginary training of fifteen years be put to use?

Is quoting your avatar allowed outside of your signature?

Now I have to go rent the damn movie again!

No, I suppose not. It didn't feel right to me either.

I dunno.


KNEEL !!

"All My Ex's Live in Texas" was sung by George Strait (in 1987), back when country music was country and not this pop bullshit sung with a twang.

I won't dump on country, and there is still a lot of good stuff, but there is a huge trend of crap the likes of which started around the time of Tanya fucking Tucker.

Alert:

My mom saw rent the other night would like the world to know that it is garbage.

(http://www.astros-etc.net/forums/images/smiles/puke.gif)

Two questions:
1) Had she seen the stage show?
2) Is she a Republican?

2) is unfair. I am a Republican neo-con and I liked Philadelphia. I won't even rent Rent.

Musicals are for pussies. Except the Wizard of Oz.

Today's "country" is no such fucking thing. It's pop music with a fucking steel guitar. I like Tim McGraw and all, but after he and Faith Hill hit it big (and Shania, don't forget her), every fucking body decided country was sappy, formualistic shit songs that played well on easy listening, pop and new country stations.

Not a one of these cocksuckers singing country now (except maybe Alan Jackson and he's old enough to know) could hold a candle to George Jones.

1) No, but she was familiar with the music.
2) No, she and my father (who held office as a state judge for 12 years as a democrat) are both registered democrats.

Oh, and,

THE FUCK?

Just asking because Rent is full of flaming ultra-liberal ideology.  I'm pretty liberal myself and even I think they pile it on pretty thick, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if a conservative type disliked Rent for that alone.

It's also pretty cheesy/quirky, even as stage musicals go, and I imagine that quality isn't lost in the transition to the big screen.  So if you disliked the show, I wouldn't expect you to like the movie; if you haven't seen the show and you tell me you dislike the movie, that's not a very strong data point because it might be that you wouldn't have liked the show either. 

Now, if you liked the show, but disliked the movie, that's a significant data point.  I liked the show well enough that I'd go see the movie if it did a better job with the big-screen-transition than, say, Phantom of the Opera  did.  But probably not if it did worse.

Hmm... well, to be honest, I didn't really delve too deeply with her into why she disliked it.  I actually saw the recent Phantom movie with her in the theater, and she seemed to like it okay.  /shrug  Guess my mom is just fickle.

I sang a song from Rent in a madrigal choir group my senior year in high school, 8 years ago.  I can do without getting that shit stuck in my head again -- that's the main reason I refuse to see the movie.   :-D

Great. Now I will have "everybody's got aids" stuck in my head all day.

Eh, it amuses me.  I don't listen to a lot of music and I'm not too picky about what I do listen to. 

And yeah, I have no idea why I thought Chesney sang 'all my exes'.  The only time I've heard either of those songs is on long road trips with only a car radio.

The Office, BBC version.

Where did that come from?

Whatever happened to Alabama?

Slough.

And the only thing worth mentioning to ever come from there.


[EDIT] It seems the original "Thunderbirds" was produced and filmed in Slough. Not sure if that's a negative or positive.

Well....I finally got around to seeing Walk the Line. I'm not the best judge of biopics, and never liked them much, but I thought it was just as good as Ray or the Doors at least.

Acting wise, I had no idea Phoenix had it in him. I never thought of him much as a character actor before, but he's changed my mind in that respect (I've always had it in the back of my head that he was just some hack who'd be nowhere if it wasn't for his brother.....Now I feel bad about that). Not just because he got the singing and the voice right (which is cool enough in and of itself), but he pulled off all of the little mannerisms as well. Like how Johnny used to sing out of the right side of his mouth a bit and the way he strapped and swung his guitar around up high....Little things like that. All of that amounts to impersonation, not acting exactly, but he had a lot of great acting moments as well.

I never would have noticed the physical resemblance before either, but at certain side angle shots, it's pretty uncanny.

Reese Witherspoon surprised me as well (if she released an album, I'd probably buy it!).

Anyways, biopic or not, it's nice to see a biopic of a Country musician for a change. Especially Johnny.

[edit] Damn. Spelling.

[edit] The guy who played Elvis kinda sucked though. I would have been better (even if I don't look like him!).

True you can't compair with the ol' possum George.  His latest song with Dolly is getting good air play on GAC, CMT and the local radio shows around here.

It's like any genre, there are good and bad in all of them.  My God, look at what rock and roll gave us  :-D

I don't like new country either. Unless, Dwight Yoakam or Hank III are considered "new country".....If so, then I do.

CMT sucks, but at least there's a chance one can see some of the older acts on every once in a while. The chicks are hotter as well (girl next door > slut in a thong).

You're Rob Schneider, aren't you? :P

I love Dolly! She lights up the stage every goddamned time, and always looks like she's having a blast. She's only behind Willie in people I'd like to meet. I saw a thing with Norah Jones, Norah got too big too quick and now she's kinda stuck in that depressing slow sound. Dolly came out and stole the show, it was funny how she worked the crowd which had previously been pretty laid back. Dolly is the real deal, even after all these years.

There's good new country out there, but like most other genres, it's not on the radio or tv, really.