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HistoryProf wrote:People like this really make me question humanity. I just don't understand how such profound ignorance can coexist w/ what is obviously a high level of intelligence. It's mind bottling.

fiddlesticks wrote:

HistoryProf wrote:People like this really make me question humanity. I just don't understand how such profound ignorance can coexist w/ what is obviously a high level of intelligence. It's mind bottling.

I was just going to warn DVDTALK members about a movie these goofs recommended. i was going to open a thread on the movie. But here goes. As you know DD had a Criterion Collection 40% a few days ago so I bought the dvd GOMORRAH. This movie sucks!
I even lent the movie to a coworker who likes foreign films and he said the same thing.
It's a gangster film about 2 punk kids that find some of the mob's gun supplies.
That right there should have had an ending like THE KILLER or SCARFACE, but nothing even close.
The movie is a bore.

As far as I am concerned this silent version of The Merry Widow is the worst version ever made. There is no tenderness or love or spirituality about this version, it is all macabre, Germanic, sinister nonsense. It reminded me of Nazis falling in love; who cares?

This silent version by von Stroheim is not a faithful adaptation of the original story. In this one we have leering John Gilbert and his gross relative the Prince lusting after this silly American actress, played by Mae Murray, possessed with a modern permed hairstyle and implausible feminist manner that threw me off again and again. I like my romances light and beautiful, with slow build ups; not harsh and sadistic like this one. And come on, those bee stung lips, get rid of them, girl!

Go see a live performance of the show if you would like to get a real idea of the sweetness of the original operetta by Franz Lehar. Failing that, wait till TCM shows the Jeanette MacDonald - Maurice Chevalier sound version. It's much better.

The Last Picture Show Meets Von Ryan's Express, December 31, 2005 By J. Jeffrey Donahue (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Closely Watched Trains - Criterion Collection (DVD)
Unless you are seriously into coming of age movies you can skip this one. Critics love this film because it conforms to the modern liberal message that you should have sex with basically anyone. The attempt to make the protagonist Milos into a tragic hero as a resistance fighter fails because it is obviously unimportant addition to the main story, which is that a young man should have sex early and have sex often.

Critics love this film because it conforms to the modern liberal message that you should have sex with basically anyone.

CITIZEN KANE - Film Review
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Citizen Kane, according to many filmmakers is the greatest film of all time. However, there are a number of flaws which can bring this opinion down. But before I push this film into the ground, there are a couple of good things about it.
The use of the camera was very well mastered. The camera is only on a certain subject for a number of seconds, then goes to another angle. As most films prior to this had long shots, this film still today matches the time on any given shot. Various camera angles from the ground and in the air made the main character Kane look more powerful. The camera is the primary factor that this movie did well throughout film history. Angles that were never before seen, wide shots, and extreme close-ups all play a factor into many people thinking that it’s the greatest film of all time.
The story begins at the end of the movie, however the story did not really make that clear. His death was not a traditional movie death; stabbing, shooting, etc. Throughout the film Kane’s story jumps all over the place, from his newspaper empire, to his childhood, to his wife, made it very confusing and difficult to follow. The film also had no structure, no climatic point which all movies need to have in order to succeed. Citizen Kane was more of a life story, a documentary then an actual film. But I think that the filmmakers attempted to make it half documentary, half movie, but as a result made it very confusing to follow. There was also too much dialogue and images shown. I found myself tuning in and out every now and then because the dialogue and the scene just dragged on and on, and not enough movement was occurring on the screen. The editing is also at fault for making this movie fail. Many times it would cut to a different scene that had no previous relation to, which made it very challenging to follow. There was no break between scenes, such as a fade out, or cross dissolve, it just kept going and going and going. Many scenes and shots were also to similar that it seemed that scenes would go on for ten minutes when it was really only four minutes.
To say that Citizen Kane is the greatest film of all time is absolutely insane! Way too much dialogue, the story is all over the place, and there was no action to keep viewers interested. Story is what sells a movie, and Citizen Kane personally was trying to accomplish too much and as a result the story got affected which, in turn, affected the entire film. With all the advancements in the film industry since the 1940’s to continue to say that Citizen Kane is still the greatest film of all time is crazy! Is it a great film? For the 1940’s, it’s an unbelievable film but to compare Citizen Kane to films such as Titanic, or Lord of the Rings and still say it’s better is insane!

15 Reasons Why Titanic Is The Greatest Movie Of All Time:
15. Has everything a movie can have: Suspense, Action, Romance, Thrills
14. Involved thousands of extras
13. Canadian, James Cameron wrote, directed, and edited the movie in addition to helping all departments and drew all of fictional character Jack Dawson's drawings
12. A large, well known cast was used
11. Historical characters are acurate
10. Costumes were very detailed and acurate to the time period
9. Filmed 2.5 miles below the ocean surface
8. Film is very acurate to the real maiden voyage of the ship
7. The first time that CG water had to be used
6. All sets were built with the most detail and accuracy
5. Score of the film was well conducted
4. The largest movie set in film history was constructed
3. Made $1,842,879,955 (Globally) Made $600,788,188 (US)
2. Won the most Academy Awards 11; since Ben Hur in 38 years
1. Reached a large audience. Elderly people for the history, couples for the romance, girls obviously for DiCaprio, and guys for the special effects

Elderly people for the history

Mr_sausage wrote:Half of those reasons sound like bits from the IMDB trivia page.

16. Has entry on IMDB

There was also too much dialogue and images shown.

What is remarkable about the film, is that the majority of the movie is in black and white. This is significant to the plot in many ways. My interpretation on the black and white is that during the 1940’s it was such a dark decade in human history. So dark that the only way to show the audience this evil was to film it in black and white.

MY TOP 10 FILMS OF ALL TIME
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Over the years I've seen many great movies, some great, some so stupid that it was a waste of film and money and time.

Most of the movies that I loved were in the past 10 years. Then my lighting and cinematography teacher explained to us that your favourite films should be beyond that time period.

So after going through and watching some of my favourites I created my top 10 list of my favourite movies.

10. Open Water (2004)
Synopsis: 2 divers are left in the middle of the ocean when their tour boat leaves them behind by mistake.

Why is it one of my favs?
First film that I saw which was shot on MiniDV, used real sharks, unknown actors, a low budget project that worked.

9. Psycho (1960)
Synopsis: A murder at a deserted motel prompts an investigation that leads to a starting surprise.

Why is it one of my favs?
One of the first horror/suspense films that shocked movie fans across the world. A very basic plot, great camera angles, and acting all made this film work.

8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Synopsis: Indiana Jones teams up with his father to prevent the Nazi's from capturing the cup of Christ.

Why is it one of my favs?
Virtually non-stop action complete with explosions, car chases, gun battling, dogfights, extreme challenges equiped with Indi's father, two sidekicks, Nazi's, a woman who is constantly changing sides, and the final instalment of one of the greatest trilogies in film history.

7. Cast Away (2000)
Synopsis: A FedEx system engineer is the lone survivor after a cargo plane crash in the Pacific Ocean for several years he survives on a deserted island in hopes of being rescued.

Why is it one of my favs?
Not a diaolgue driven story. One of the best films that tells a story without words. Incredible acting by Tom Hanks, and shows the emotional pain that a person goes through to be cut-off from the rest of humanity.

6. Children of Men (2006)
Synopsis: In the year 2027, it's been 18 years since a baby was born. The world is in complete chaos as the end is slowly approaching, only to find in secret a new hope that will start an action packed adventure to the bitter end.

Why is it one of my favs?
Excellent cinematography, instead of constant cuts the camera follows the actors to make the audience feel like your in the war scenes. A future world that was created without the high techs of other films, but showing the other side of what our future may hold in store for us.

5. The Pianist (2002)
Synopsis: The incredible true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman who survived several years in hiding from the Nazi's during World War Two.

Why is it one of my favs?
What I condsider acting in the purist form. Adrien Brody actually starved himself, learned to play the piano, to take on the character. With excellent scripted scenes right from the novel, The Pianist is a moment in time which will always be remembered. From the creation of the ghetto, to the worn torn villages throughout Europe the Pianist truly shows the disaster during WWII.

4. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Synopsis: The final hours of Jesus' life. During which we see the Bible's words come to life.

Why is it one of my favs?
The most graphic movie of Jesus' death which gives people a much clearer picture of what really happened over 2000 years ago. Stunning cinematogrpahy, acting, set design, and make-up all come together to create a wonderful piece of art.

3. Deep Impact (1998)
Synopsis: The world finds out that the world is about to end with a comet heading straight towards the Earth.

Why is it one of my favs?
Shows the human side of a catastrophic event that may happen in our future at any time. Great acting and very basic human roles are given so that everyday people can relate to a character. Stunning special effects for it's time it still today clearly shows the effects of a comet or asteroid hitting the Earth.

2. Independence Day (1996)
Synopsis: The world awakes to find spaceships hovering over the world's major cities with a plan to exterminate the humans.

Why is it one of my favs?
Shows one angle of alien encounters that we may have in the future. A large well known cast was used again in very simple "people" positions that we can relate to. Stunning special effects that still today are top notch.

1. Titanic (1997)
Synopsis: The astonishing true story of the luxurious ocean liner R.M.S. Titanic on her maiden voyage only to hit an iceberg and sink. Fictious characters Jack and Rose are two lovers that take the audience through their struggles both before and after the iceberg.

Why is it my fav?
I wrote another blog on why Titanic is the greatest film of all time, so scroll down and read that blog.

2. Independence Day (1996)...
Why is it one of my favs?
Shows one angle of alien encounters that we may have in the future...

SYNOPSIS: Walter is a meak proofreader...

Jonathan S wrote:From Amazon's own review of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty:

SYNOPSIS: Walter is a meak proofreader...

domino harvey wrote:It was not hard to find this online and I'm sure Alphonse Doinel won't mind me posting this guy's chestnut about Schindler's List:

What is remarkable about the film, is that the majority of the movie is in black and white. This is significant to the plot in many ways. My interpretation on the black and white is that during the 1940’s it was such a dark decade in human history. So dark that the only way to show the audience this evil was to film it in black and white.

Peacock wrote:How old is this guy? Surely he's either a kid or got something wrong with him?

Alphonse Doinel wrote:Most sane people don't have a framed Deep Impact poster...

DEEP IMPACT - Film Review
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Deep Impact tells the astonishing story about a comet heading towards the Earth and all life is threatened to become extinct. The movie has a good balance of telling the story through four points of view. A news reporter, Jenny Lerner played by Tea Leoni, two children Leo Beiderman played by Elijah Wood and Sarah Hotchner played by Leelee Sobieski, the team of astronauts set to destroy the comet, and the President of the United States, Tom Beck played by Morgan Freeman.
The story is what really sold the film. Humans have never faced a challenge such as stopping a comet or asteroid from ending civilization. This movie shows audiences of what may actually happen if our planet was threatened. The emotional and physical strain on us would be incredible and Deep Impact shows all this and more.
Special effects clearly put this movie on the map. A giant tidal wave the size of skyscrapers could only be done using CGI, the nuclear explosion of the comet also done using CGI. The special effects completed the story by putting an exclamation mark on the film. Most of the special effects were never done before and the amount of time that went into those few minutes of action were several months. For instance the one shot of the shoreline when the ocean water pulls back as the tidal wave quickly approaches land took five months to create, just for those few seconds to make the movie better. If the special effects did not live up to the script, then the movie would have failed.
The acting also played a key role, as mentioned before. All cast members were playing very basic, everyday people roles. Anyone who watches Deep Impact can relate in someway to the characters. Whether through their personal story, emotional stress, life decisions, or just caring for good friends. A prime example of this would be Tea Leoni’s character, Jenny Lerner, a news reporter. She starts off the movie finding out that her father divorced her mother and has remarried a much younger woman. Her story goes on that she feels like her parents have abandoned her but comes to meet her father just before their deaths to make their problems all forgotten. Many children experience divorces and those children can heavily relate to Jenny, for those who haven’t they can see what emotional pain she is going through. Another example would be through the President of the United States. Morgan Freeman’s character Tom Beck has to make the most crucial decisions of his life, the country’s life, the people of America, and the entire world. Many times it seems that he wants to break down and say it’s hopeless, but he always gives hope to those people who still believe that the comet will be stopped in some way. He also has to make a critical decision as to who gets to live and who will perish. Most of us have never made such decisions as that but, we have all made serious life decisions, you spend hours thinking, and Morgan Freeman plays his role exceptionally great.
Deep Impact succeeded due to the story, special effects, and acting. I would highly recommend this movie to everyone. Even if you do not like Sci-Fi movies, this is a very true account of what will eventually happen to the human race. Everyone needs to get familiar with this movie so that when the time does come everyone will be prepared, to some degree.