Topic: RossRoy's Random Viewings

[Najemikon]

I don't know what to think. I've seen the remake a while ago, and I remember enjoying it a lot, thinking it was entertaining and fun. So I thought the original would be pretty much the same. And in a sense, it is. You've got a bunch of stars having fun making a light hearted movie. Thing is, to me, the stars of the remake are much more Stars, than the Rat Pack. Oh sure, I know the members of the rat pack, but mostly for their music. Not much for their film work. And I think this might've dragged down my enjoyment of it a little. Ok, a lot.

The film, by itself, without the star power, is not really all that interesting to me. I mean, the movie starts with the heist already all planned out, so they're right smack in the middle of preparations, with gathering the gang together. The preparation of the heist itself is not that entertaining, nor suspenseful. The heist itself is pretty bland. I guess the high point is the ending, with that twist at the end. It's like the whole movie never found a rhythm, which is surprising, seeing as it is so star studded with famous singers of the swing era.

First things first, the original Ocean's 11 is known as a not very good film and just a showcase for the Rat Pack. On that score at least I think it works well, if indulgent, and I love the ending. However the new one is the far better film all round.

It's a fantastic cast in the new one and I enjoy most of Clooney and Pitts work, not to mention the others. But they don't come close to the star power of Sinatra or Martin. That group were a phenomenon. Their film lives and dies by the sword; on one hand, it was the same real playboy group on screen as off, but they larked around so much the film is bloated. Sinatra didn't bother turning up most days! It's fun because of their personalities and the music, which only they knew how to do properly.

Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were excellent actors in other work at least. The Manchurian Candidate, Von Ryan's Express and Rio Bravo are amongst my favourites and I can watch them anytime.

[RossRoy]

Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were excellent actors in other work at least. The Manchurian Candidate, Von Ryan's Express and Rio Bravo are amongst my favourites and I can watch them anytime.

I have seen The Manchurian Candidate and I agree, it's a great film. As for the other two, well since you mention them in the same sentence as Manchurian Candidate, I guess this gives them a fast track to my wishlist!

On the subject of star power, while I fully understand that in their time, Sinatra and Dean Martin were "it", to me, being the youngster that I am, they don't pack as much punch. Like I said, I know who they are, and love them for their musical work, but I'm far from familiar with their movie work.

[Najemikon]

Von Ryan's Express (Sinatra) is a typical Boy's Own WWII adventure story, so it's simple, but a lot of fun, while Rio Bravo is one of the greatest westerns ever with John Wayne. Dean martin plays the drunk and it is superb. Even if you don't usually like westerns, this will likely be the exception (I think Pete enjoys it and there's no gore! )

[RossRoy]

November Alphabet Marathon 2008 - Entry #2

Lord of War

Original Title: Lord of War Year: 2005 Country: United States Director: Andrew Niccol Rating: R Length: 122 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish

What they say
Chance leads Yuri Orlov to discover his one talent - illegal arms dealing. With his brother's help, he reaches the top of his trade, supplying anyone whose check clears. His skills and quick wits bring him everything he's ever wanted - and help him elude a persistent Interpol agent. But at the peak of his prowess, he discovers his customers might demand more than he can give ... and those he's trying to protect could become deadly liabilities. 

My Thoughts
This is a nice movie. We follow the story of Yuri Orlov in his ascension to become a major player in illegal arms dealing. The story itself is pretty straightforward, with not much twist, and actually developing pretty much how you'd expect. What makes this movie actually interesting is in how Yuri Orlov tells the story. Don't forget, we're talking about the story of a guy who sells illegal arms to some of the most wretched members of humanity, yet, he tells the story the same as if someone would be talking about his ascension as a renowned gourmet Chef. He is really casual about it, and it makes the movie that much more interesting.

The opening shot of the movie sets the tone well. You have Yuri standing in the middle of thousands if spent shell casing, casually telling us that he's an arms dealer. It then cuts to a bullet being manufactured. From the sheet metal being punched, right through to the bullet being loaded, and fired into someone's head. While it is a dark opening, the choice of music during that shot actually sets the tone of the movie really well.

The whole story is said from the point of view of Yuri, in flashback sequences. The movie ends full circle, with the ending of the opening shot. The movie also ends with the mention that is it based on actual events. Of course, how much of those "actual events" actually happened is up in the air.

Rating:

[RossRoy]

November Alphabet Marathon 2008 - Entry #3

Remember the Titans

Original Title: Remember the Titans Year: 2000 Country: United States Director: Boaz Yakin Rating: PG Length: 114 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: DTS 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English

What they say
History is written by the winners.

Academy Award winner Denzel Washington (The Hurricane) gives a victorious performance in this stirring and uplifting film. Based on a real-life drama, Remember The Titans is a rousing celebration of how a town torn apart by resentment, friction and mistrust comes together in triumphant harmony. The year is 1971. After leading his team to fifteen winning seasons, football coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone (Washington), tough, opinionated and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. How these two men overcome their differences, and turn a group of hostile young men into champions, plays out in a remarkable and triumphant story full of soul and spirit. You and your family will never forget the Titans. 

My Thoughts
In one word: Wow! I was taken aback. I wasn't expecting to be moved by this movie. I was expecting a standard story about two different factions of teens getting together and winning football games. I didn't expect the metaphor about racial segregation, much less the fact that it's a true story. I always thought of sports movies as a great medium to tell very human stories. Well, you don't get much more "human" than the end of segregation. All the hatred, the irrational fear of the other "race". They're all depicted very well in the movie. I especially like the scene between team captain Gerry Bertier (the white guy) and Julius Campbell (the black guy) where they basically tell each other that they're liars and no truth will ever be said by either "race", which then leads the them telling each other the whole truth, which happens the be pretty much the same thing: I will not risk my hide for the opposite race. After that scene, they start getting  together and actually forming a team. Becoming friends, getting to know each other, and actually bonding.

The football scenes in the movie are nice, but they're really a means to an end. A way to show the kids (and coach, as well a townspeople) getting to know each other, realizing they like the same things, live the same lives, root for the same teams, etc. Of course, for some it's harder than others, and it's showcased well in the final game.

Again, this movie is great at showing that prejudice and mistrust only lead to more prejudice and mistrust. Get to know some members of "that other race" whatever it is (be it color based, religion/belief based, or even political based). You'll find that their preoccupations are not all that far from yours. You may even find some great friend in the process. That's what this movie is all about. That's what being human is all about.

Rating:

[richierich]

Glad you enjoyed Remember the Titans Seb, I also was pleasantly surprised after viewing it and it certainly makes an impact. One of the better 'real-life to film' adaptations I've seen.

[RossRoy]

November Alphabet Marathon 2008 - Entry #4

Nos Voisins Dhantsu

Original Title: Nos Voisins Dhantsu Year: 2007 Country: Canada (Quebec) Director: Alain Chicoine Rating: G Length: 92 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: French: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital Stereo, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English, French

What they say - (Google translation, summarily reread by me)
Réal Béland and his partner Stéphane K. Lefebvre, two crazy and provocative reporters, are in the city of TOKYO to measure tolerance and sense of humor of the Japanese. Sometimes costumed with stagings chiseled and repeated, sometimes unannounced, sometimes with the help of other actors and local people, they will bring crazyness where nobody has ever seen.

A dynamic and different from the Japanese universe.

My Thoughts
How to classify this? I guess you could say it's a "prankumentary". Basically, they set out to test the sense of humour of our "Voisins Dhantsu" (graphical variation of "Voisins d'en dessous", meaning "Neighbours from down under" or something like that).

What they did is go out there, and do all sorts of crazy stuff. From playing hockey in the middle of the busiest intersection in Tokyo, to going "Japanese Hunting" in a hotel at 3am, to getting arrested for disturbing the peace in an art gallery! I found the whole process really funny, with many laugh out loud moments. But if there's one thing to come out of it all, besides that fact that Real Beland and Stephane K Lefebvre are two really crazy mofo, it's that Japanese people are insanely patient and polite (except the art people  ).

It's not the kind of humour everybody will like, but it is something I like a lot! So I recommend it wholeheartedly!

Rating:

[Jimmy]

It's not the kind of humour everybody will like

I suppose that it's exactly the same kind of thing they do on their show broadcast presently at the "Canal D"? I've tried to watch it a couple of time and this is not my kind of humour at all. Humour is supposed to be funny not pissing off people by disrespect them and their country, but since it's Real Beland I'm not surprise to not finding that funny at all.

[RossRoy]

not pissing off people by disrespect them and their country, but since it's Real Beland I'm not surprise to not finding that funny at all.

That's a point of view. There are some sketch that border on being no respectful at all, but most of the time, the Japanese they prank are really good sport about it. Most are just laughing at what they do, or simply ignoring them. The only ones who got pissed off are the art people. But that's because they were playing with paint around art items, and they were scared of damage. Other than that, it's not all that bad.

But yeah, you are right, it's basically the same thing they do on "Au delà du Réal" or on the similarly "Les Cousins du vrai monde".

[RossRoy]

November Alphabet Marathon 2008 - Entry #5

Aurore

Original Title: Aurore Year: 2005 Country: Canada (Quebec) Director: Luc Dionne Rating: 16+ Length: 110 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: French: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo Subtitles: English, French

What they say - (translated from French)
Quebec, May 1909 - It is dawn on Sainte-Philomène-de-Cartierville. Anne-Marie Caron, wife of Télésphore Gagnon, gives birth to their second daughter. Born at dawn, the child will be known as Aurore.

Aurore grew up in a united and happy family. That is, until tuberculosis changes everything. This disease carries away Aurore's adored mother.

Widow of just one week, Télésphore Gagnon, bewitched by his beautiful cousin Marie-Anne Houde, decides to marry her. Marie-Anne Houde then moved into the house and imposes her law.

The atmosphere of the house changes. Marie-Anne Houde is show in a different light. Sainte-Philomène-de-Cartierville shuts up and closes on itself. The young Aurore Gagnon dies. The inquest revealed that she died of blood poisoning due to abuse and numerous injuries inflicted by her stepmother. A highly publicized story that will simmer throughout Quebec, which will mark our collective memory forever.

My Thoughts
Like the back cover of the DVD says, this story has touched everyone in Quebec in one way or another. Everybody is affected by this story. Of course, being such a relatively old story, it all happened at the beginning of the last century after all, it has been ingrained in our collective cultural heritage here in Quebec. Even before seeing this movie, or the one that came before it, or before reading about it, I was still very much aware of Aurore's suffering, and the collective indifference to her situation.

Unfortunately, movies being the beast they are, and the actual events taking place so long ago, there's no way to know how much of it real, and how much of it was romanced. Still, from what I've read of the case in the past, they couldn't be all that far. And that, makes it a movie that is hard to bear. You know it actually happened. You know a young girl had to go through this. You know she wasn't alone. You know she wasn't the first. You know she wasn't the last.

I may be reading more than I should into this movie. But I can't help it. I can't help but think of all these children who are being abused, to this day, by a parent and/or close relative, and nobody will say anything. So many kids have had their lives turned into hell, only because nobody will talk.

And that's what this movie is all about. Yes, it's telling Aurore's story in particular. Yes, it's easy to say that the movie may not be faithful to the actual event. Yes, it's also easy to say that the movie is flawed because it may have tried to show the stepmother as being mad, instead of just mean.

But that's not the point. That's not what the director intended.

Aurore's story is mean to an end. What he's doing, is showing how a full community becomes just as guilty as the parents, because they ignored the cries of the children. Everybody knew, yet nobody did anything until it was too late. Everybody had their suspicions. Nobody went in, or even confronted the parents. Even after Aurore was treated for a full month in a hospital.

That's the message of the movie. If you have reason to suspect something, say something. Don't wait until it's too late.

Rating:

[Jimmy]

Certainly a good French Canadian movie that I've seen at the movie theatre, in fact this is the last time I've gone to a cinema. Not really the genre of movie that I watch usually, but much better than a lot of movie made recently here (movie that are really cheapest ripoff of United States productions).

But I prefer the original 

Don't worry I'm not really serious, but have you seen it too?

[RossRoy]

But I prefer the original 

Well Pete probably would hehe :laughing:

Don't worry I'm not really serious, but have you seen it too?

But no I haven't. And after seeing this one, I'm not sure I really want to see it. From what I heard, the whole story was basically reduced to a simple horror story. Aurore deserves much better.

[RossRoy]

November Alphabet Marathon 2008 - Entry #6

K-PAX

Original Title: K-PAX Year: 2001 Country: United States Director: Iain Softley Rating: PG Length: 120 Min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: DTS 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish

What they say
Two-time Academy Award® winner 'Kevin Spacey' and Academy Award® nominee 'Jeff Bridges' star in this spellbinding, often humorous story of a mysterious stranger who defies convention, puzzles the experts and leaves everyone searching for the truth.

A stranger who calls himself Prot (Spacey) seemingly appears out of nowhere following a disturbance at New York's Grand Central Station. Claiming to come from the distant planet K-PAX, Prot draws the attention of jaded Dr. Powell (Bridges), whose initial skepticism soon turns to fascination and amazement. Even a team of leading scientists are at a loss to explain Prot's detailed knowledge of the star system he calls home. But with Prot's return to K-PAX fast approaching, the search for answers intensifies and the mystery takes on pulse-quickening proportions.

My Thoughts
I found this to be a nice little mystery story. Kevin spacey plays the role well, and the story develops at a decent enough pace to keep things interesting, while not revealing too much. I also like the ending. Without telling too much about it, let's just say it may leave you scratching your head as to what really happened. And I like that. Make the viewer question the events. Make the viewer think. And this movie does it well. Nothing too fancy, but it's effective.

One thing I'd like to know though: How did Kevin Spacey manage to eat an unpeeled banana without flinching.

Rating:

[addicted2dvd]

I remember catching this on cable one day and enjoying it... haven't thought of it since... I wouldn't mind adding this one to my collection as well.

[RossRoy]

November Alphabet Marathon 2008 - Entry #7

Iron Man: Steelbook Edition

Original Title: Iron Man: Steelbook Edition Year: 2008 Country: Canada Director: Rating: PG Length: 125 Min. Video: Widescreen 2.35:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

What they say
Lift off with high-speed, high-flying action in this Ultimate 2-disc Edition that takes you inside the suit of Marvel's invincible superhero for the ultimate Iron Man experience!

After surviving an unexpected attack in enemy territory, jet-setting industrialist Tony Stark builds a high-tech suit of armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man. Straight from the pages of the legendary comic book, Iron Man is a hero who is built - not born - to be unlike any other!

My Thoughts
I must say, I didn't know much about Iron Man before seeing this movie. Never read any of the comic books or seen any material about the character. So what did I think of the movie? I loved it! It's great as a superhero movie. It's got some good humor. It's got some tension. And as an origin story, it's really good too. Robert Downey is awesome in the role. And I hope the little surprise at the end will indeed to lead to what it is hinting to