EDF Cinema

[SimonM]

....so you should take her to see "La Vie En Rose", which is wonderful (or rent steal or borow the DVD)

[Keef]

I'm pretty sure it's on the Lovefilm list.

I seem to either really like or really not like French films that I watch.

[SeanMacGabhann]

l'Appartment?

I really enjoyed that (let's not mention the Hollywood remake)

[mockney piers]

Ooh, just brought Le Divorce to mind. James ivory directs Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts.

Sounds good? Horrifically poor. Never ever ever put yourself through it.

[citizenED]

Just watched Ken Loach's "Wind that shook the Barley". Still reeling from it. Powerful or what?

[SeanMacGabhann]

it's lined up on my + citizen - thanks for bumping it up

[paragon]

Keef - for brownie points with Mrs Keef you should get Le pacte des loups - or the Brotherhood of the Wolf.

French film - pretty good. Monica Bellucci naked.

Surely a Win-Win situation.

[mockney piers]

"Just watched Ken Loach's "Wind that shook the Barley". Still reeling from it. Powerful or what?"

I found it so documentary that it left me feeling rather cold and underwhelmed, which is odd as the likes of Kes and Land and Freedom are among my favourite all time films. I know that's his general style, but this time it felt somehow too detached. Perhaps Loach was too preoccupied with portraying the 'reality of empire' as commentary on today's events that he didn't manage to get under the skin of events a little short of a century ago.

Perhaps it was the subject matter, I know that most people who manage to sit through the half hour discussion on collectivisation versus private ownership in Land and Freedom are literally bored to tears, and the Town Hall discussion in the liberated town which closely echoes that scene, discussed a matter with very little relevance for me personally, but I'm sure would be of much greater interest to someone from a 'priest infested backwater'.

Regardless of my feelings I agree it's a film well worth watching; my missus was certainly moved by it "you see" she said at the end "can you understand why everyone hates you now?" - On second thoughts....

[SeanMacGabhann]

I suspect you knew that was coming, Mockney and so defences were up before the film started.

I've been there with some films and there is always that barrier between me and the film - I end up admiring it rather than enjoying it

[mockney piers]

My defences weren't up at all. I rather thought she missed on the even-handedness that Loach offered; there was a certain muted sympathy for troops who just wanted to go home, brutalised by years in the trenches.

He also portrayed the grey areas, the divided society well. It was far from the black and white portrayed in L&F (bad fascists, bad stalinists) so was a more sophisticated political statement for that.

Like I say, it did it all correct on the surface, just failed to get under the skin.

But as I also said, perhaps that was just me.

[spadetownboy]

im with you on this one mockney the wind that shakes the barley did nothing for me just about watchable and entirely predictable the whole way through, maybe as sean has already mentioned the defences were up before the show started but how it won the palme d,or i,ll never know, its not even a patch on michael collins, which deals with the same subject matter in a far superior way.

anyway enough of that,recent recommendations from the spade are flyboys-set in the skys above france in ww1 quite predictible but none the less very enjoyable with great biplane action sequences and days of glory, about a group north african soldiers fighting for france against the boche in ww2.

[citizenED]

Re; "wind that..." Generally agree with all the comments on it which is why I didn't give it whole-hearted recommendation in my original post. I just said it was powerful - and that I was reeling from the rather bleak and numbing quality of it. Not quite in the same league as Land and Freedom.

I just seen "Million Dollar Baby" Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank. Like a quiet, brooding symphony of a film, with thunderous passages amid long, slow paced scenes. low key performances all round - Swank stunning - A film about boxing? no a film about lonely people falling strangely in love.

[Cassius]

citizenED Wrote:

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I just seen "Million Dollar Baby" Clint Eastwood

> and Hilary Swank. Like a quiet, brooding symphony

> of a film, with thunderous passages amid long,

> slow paced scenes. low key performances all round

> - Swank stunning - A film about boxing? no a film

> about lonely people falling strangely in love.

Left the cinema in total silence after this film (apart from the odd sniff) - very powerful and very hard to take. Had intended to go out for a drink afterwards but didn't feel in the mood. Other films that have made me feel that way are 'Schindler's List' and more recently 'Pan's Labyrinth'

[Keef]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Of course I like all the usual masterpieces, top-100 listers and supercool obscurities, but here are some of my 'guilty pleasures' instead.

The death of poor young Heath Ledger reminded me of a seriously guilty pleasure of mine.....

10 Things I hate about you :-$

But come on, it is Shakespeare :-S

[louisiana]

Saw No Country For Old Men.

Much as I liked Fargo (and also loved Blood Simple when it came out), I've not been so fond of some other Coen productions, and this one was no exception. I don't find my-gun-is-bigger-than-yours simplistic Terminator-style antics a worthwhile way to spend an evening.

[Brendan]

Really? How odd.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I have heard so much about the Romanian film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days that I'm not sure if I want to see it or not

I enjoyed this article about it - but then absolutely GASPED when I saw a paragraph drawing parallels with one of the finest albums of the 90's about half way down

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

if only someone, SOMEONE out there had heard the album in question..

[citizenED]

With you Keef on "10 Things I hate about you" being a guilty pleasure. Just like "Clueless" and "Coyote Ugly" for me

[HonaloochieB]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have heard so much about the Romanian film 4

> Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days that I'm not sure if I

> want to see it or not

>

> I enjoyed this article about it - but then

> absolutely GASPED when I saw a paragraph drawing

> parallels with one of the finest albums of the

> 90's about half way down

>

> 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

>

> if only someone, SOMEONE out there had heard the

> album in question..

Hi Sean, had the album (I'm assuming you're referring to The Fatima Mansions rather than whatever one Papa Don't Preach was on, although a fine song in itself). I sort of followed the Mansions career but much preferred Microdisney.

[SeanMacGabhann]

HonaloochieB

Not JUST Mott the Hoople but Microdisney/Fatima Mansions too? Some kind of musical angel!

I loved Microdisney as I grew up in Cork but it was the Mansions which made me realise how broad "rock" music could be. I still think no-one has come close. Coughlan's solo career has touched on both band's styles but is mostly a thing of itself. And what a thing that is

If you haven;t seen him live of late you must - there simply isn't anyone else like him

[mockney piers]

Here's a great clip from This is England.

It may have some pretty nasty themes, but there's also a lot of humour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xboUxRNKMVk

[andycam]

I'm a regular cinema goer and recently caught the following:

No Country For Old Men - Absolutely a triumph for the return of The Coen Brothers. I guess you could call it a modern western based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Great performances and a truly cold, chilling performance by Javier Bardem as the central psycho / clean up guy. Should get an oscar easily. So good a film it doesn't even have a score!

Sweeney Todd - As musical films go, it doesn't get darker than this. Tim Burton pulls all the stops out on this screen adaption of the Stephen Sondheim stage show, graphic throat slashings intact. So extreme they gained the film an 18! Johnny Depp pulls another masterful performance and easily proves that he is the most versitile actor working in Hollywood today ... And the man can sing too!

Go and watch these movies and tell me what you think.

[Keef]

Heard Tim Burton saying that he made it so bloody because for him that is less scary than leaving too much to the imagination. Films like the first Saw would prove the point, and the 2nd and 3rd Saws made with much much bigger budgets and more blood were just not up there with it.

[Keef]

As it's been mentioned on the getting to know you thread, I thought I'd post a couple of clips from the wonderfilm that is The Princess Bride.

Battle of wits

Best sword fight ever!!!

Basically, these clips show why it appeals to everyone, it has action adventure, comedy, a beautiful Princess, an evil prince, pirates, romance? And Columbo!!!

[Bellenden Belle]

Saw The Savages last night - really recommend it - very dark; very funny; but also very truthful. It did leave me feeling a little emotionally fraught - but I kinda like my drama like that.