RobertR

Saw it this week and was very pleased with the result. If nothing else it's nice to see a big, popular blockbuster with actual ideas. I agree with Katulu that the editing and story construction are awkward at times, and it's certainly not the #1 movie of all time, but it's a good looking, exciting, well written, and well acted movie and I'd certainly recommend it whole heartedly to a great many people. Certainly, I'm much more pleased by this summer's blockbusters than last summer's. Robert

Anybody else checked out the WATCHMEN "motion comic" from ITunes? I really don't know what to make of the thing which is a combination audio book and limited animation comic book. I do know that the narrator's attempts at Laurie's voice don't work. Other than that, I can't decide whether this is a neat little novelty, something worthwhile, or an idea that brings together the worst aspects of audio books, comic books, and animation. Robert

It's always a danger for teenagers at the multiplex. I'd suggest the Rosebud or the Oriental since both are showing it and both attract a more adult audience. If going to the Oriental, you'll probably want to call to find out when it's playing on the big center screen instead of on the side screen. Robert

WATCHMEN? What's that? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Moore's quite right that WATCHMEN does stuff in its own medium that can't be replicated in movies. The mirrored page layouts of "Fearful Symmetry" for example. Or the comic within a comic which is different from a comic within a movie. OTOH, Moore has been known to liberally borrow other people's creations for his own use. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen springs to mind. As does using Dorothy Gale, Wendy Darling, and Alice in a porno comic. I've said it before but WATCHMEN without the 9 panel grid is like Shakespeare without iambic pentameter and rhyming couplets. That leads to two additional thoughts. 1. Ran and Throne of Blood are masterpieces. 2. Zach Snyder isn't Akira Kurosawa. I'm curious what people unfamiliar with the material will make of the trailer. There's really not much that tells you what the story is actually about. There's a ton of sizzle though especially for a fan of the book. I just hope that there's the steak behind that sizzle. In general, the look of the trailer is very faithful, although they've amped up certain elements. The Comedian taking a chunk out of the wall, Silk Spectre coming down through a collapsing ceiling, a lightning bolt behind Rorschach, and Nite Owl making a cool entrance are changes that are against certain conventions of the book. OTOH, making Malin Ackerman look like sex on wheels is certainly keeping with the book. That costume is an improvement even. Dr. Manhattan looks like a perfect translation. It's easy to see how that might not have worked, I believe Arnold Schwarzenegger painted blue was an idea at one point, but it looks great. Not to mention that Billy Crudup's detached look totally fits the character. The Comedian looks spot on too. I notice a lot of non-primary colors, browns, greens, pinks, purples, etc. in the trailer. It's especially notable in the Vietnam sequence. Good, since that's keeping with the source material. I hope we avoid a ton of Snyder's trademark slo mo, then sped up action sequences. Still, it's nice to see a superhero movie where you can actually see the fight scenes instead of it being edited to pieces and filmed in shakey cam or the camera going 100 mph twisting and turning constantly. As far as surficial translation goes, I think we're off to a good start. Of course, if that's as far as it goes it will be a huge disappointment. I find something new in WATCHMEN every time I read it and a movie should aspire to that same level of depth and detail. Acting, dialogue, symbolism, etc. are all going to be crucial for this to be a success. Robert

Michelle Pfeiffer has just been replaced as my superhero/villain fetish by Malin Ackerman. Robert

At this point, I might prefer Suppan to Weeks. Weeks has a higher upside, but he really hasn't been anything over average over an extended period. FWIW, I don't believe that Suppan is overpriced much. Because I think everyone underestimates how much value there is in 200+ IP out of a starting pitcher. The extra 50 or so IP from Suppan over the average pitcher are innings that don't have to be pitched by someone called up from AAA or a journeyman middle reliever. Considering MLB is attracting record revenues, he's no real drag on the team since he is valuable. Robert

FYI, NL averages by position (BA/OBP/SLG) Catcher .254/.328/.387 1B .274/.359/.472 2B .267/.333/.410 3B .269/.337/.452 SS .271/.330/.398 LF .263/.343/.443 CF .259/.327/.414 RF .270/.343/.436 Cameron has an OPS about .060 points above league average. And he's a very good defender. That's an awfully stiff curve some of you are grading him on. Robert

Midnight tonight it opens wide. I'm really looking forward to this. I've been trying to keep my expectations in check, but reviews and early word of mouth are excellent. Considering that the superhero movies this year have been surprisingly solid, this looks like a great capper. Robert

I can't be the only one watching this. Especially since it comes from the people behind THE WIRE. So far, I think this is a winner. Really good production values, an assortment of personalities, "colorful" language, a sense of humor, and already thematic similarities to THE WIRE in the shortcomings of institutions. Anyone else watching? Robert

I was all over the classic Universal monster movies at that age. If nothing else, it's a good introduction that black and white movies still can be plenty interesting. Robert

I can't think of a metaphor that can describe just how surprised and delighted I am that they found an uncut version of Fritz Lang's Metropolis in a film vault in South America. Something I long thought was lost forever.

No I haven't forgotten about this topic. I've just been very busy. Expect a revival soon. I do have plenty to say about 1986. Robert

Leave it to Entertainment Weekly to make AFI look serious and thoughtful. EW's top 100 films of the last 25 years is beyond embarrasing. Getting back to finishing up the list. Mystery Hitchcock dominating the list isn't surprising, although I'd classify his films more as "suspense" than mystery. What really surprised me about the list was Dial M for Murder being included. I like the film a great deal, but it barely makes it in to the top 10 of Hitchcock's American films and there's no more mystery in it than there is in Strangers on a Train or Shadow of a Doubt or Rebecca. I'm 100% glad that Blue Velvet was chosen. One of my favorites. And I have to get around to watching Laura one of these days. Perhaps the strongest category top to bottom, but I have to ask, where's The Big Sleep? Glad it was included: Blue Velvet What's this doing on the list: Dial M for Murder Replacement Choices: The Big Sleep, Strangers on a Train, The Silence of the Lambs Romantic Comedy No Lubitsch = fail. Even though I'm 100% with the choice of City Lights to top the list. And Sleepless in Seattle? Really? The top 5 are reasonable choices, I'll give them that. Glad it was included: City Lights, Harold and Maude What's this doing on the list: Sleepless in Seattle, Moonstruck Replacement Choices: The Shop Around the Corner, Manhattan, The Apartment, Ninotchka, Pillow Talk Courtroom Drama Is this really a genre? Or at least a genre big enough to be included? Revisionist Western might be a bigger category. Or 50s Sci Fi. And including it as a category over the likes of Musical, Horror, War, or Film Noir is really curious. Is In Cold Blood really a "courtroom drama"? Seems like a general crime movie to me. And A Cry in the Dark seems like a curious choice. I'm a big fan of Meryl Streep, but it seems like more than a little stretch. Especially over a film like Inherit the Wind which actually has some cultural significance. Heck, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is arguably a courtroom drama. The rest of the choices seem fine. I'd recommend that people check out Anatomy of a Murder if they get a chance. Really terrrific movie and Jimmy Stewart and George C. Scott squaring off in court is a real treat. And, for local interest, it's set in the U.P. Glad it was included: Anatomy of a Murder What's this doing on the list: A Cry in the Dark Replacement Choices: Inherit the Wind, Philadelphia Epic Well I can't complain about Lawrence of Arabia topping the list. This really looked like an ill defined category. I'd never have classified Saving Private Ryan as an Epic, let alone one of the 10 greatest epics of all time. Same with All Quiet on the Western Front. Great war movies, especially the latter, but epics? I'd be more apt to call The Bridge on the River Kwai an epic than those war movies. And I'm surprised that Dr. Zhivago was left off. Heck, where's something like Intolerance? I think you could make the argument that this is the worst category on the list. FWIW, I've seen 70 of these movies from beginning to end. And good chunks of at least half a dozen others. Robert

Giving this a bump up. Stardust A decent fantasy film that wants to be the next Princess Bride but falls short. I think primarily because the lead actor is pretty dull. And for a cast "full of quirky characters" it's remarkably short on actual quirk, with the exception of Robert DeNiro's crossdressing air pirate. It's nice to see Michelle Pfeiffer looking as attractive as ever and there's a nice visual look to the film. And the ghostly brothers idea is often fun. But it really never lets out all the stops. I'm a fan of Neil Gaiman and while I thought that his major themes translated, his wordplay pretty much completely vanished in translation. Enchanted I'll put forth the argument that this is almost as successful in it's spoofing/tribute to the animated Disney princess movie as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead are to their respective genres. Of course, I don't have the same affection for Disney animation, as I do for 80s action films and zombie films. I think you can squarely point to Amy Adams as the central reason that the movie works. It's a terrific performance that could easily have become grating. She can sing too and the Central Park musical number is a very well done sequence. Some nice old school Disney animation as an opening, Tim Spall as a comic henchman, and Rick Baker's hag makeup really add to the film as well. OTOH, Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon are just there. And the final confrontation is only half successful. Falstaff (Chimes at Midnight) O.k. I'm cheating here since you can't rent this in the United States due to rights issues. I had to order a Brazilian import version through Amazon. I'm glad I did though as this is a true lost classic and one of the jewels of my collection. This is one of the greatest Shakespeare films ever, being the third of Welles's attempts. There are many facets to comment on, but it's one of the great adaptations taking two full Shakespeare plays, and bits from several others, and whittling it down to a focussed story in under 2 hours which illuminates the text and is a great showcase for visuals, editing, and acting. The Battle of Shrewsbury sequence is justly acclaimed and was an obvious influence on Braveheart with it's quick cutting inside a bloody melee battle, but arguably exceeds the latter film as Welles manages the intercut comedic images of Falstaff avoiding the battle, the dramatic confrontation between Prince Hal and Hotspur, and gives an arc to the battle which starts off grand and literally descends into desperate fighting in mud. It's a brilliantly edited sequence. Perhaps due to budget, there's really no fat, other than Falstaff, in the whole film. It was a real coup to cast John Gielgud as Henry IV in that stage of his career. I can't imagine anyone more perfect for that role. Getting Ralph Richardson to read from Holinshed's Chronicles is a bonus. But, as good as they are, Welles as Falstaff is simply transcendant. It really was a part he was born to play. Even Welles's bitterest critics would admit he was "good company", as Simon Callow notes in the second volume of his Welles biography which I'm currently reading, and that certainly describes Falstaff no matter his crimes and abuses. But the whole banishment of Falstaff from Henry V's presence echoes Welles's banishment from Hollywood. It's not hard to see the metaphor there and it underlines the meaning of the whole story. The only negative I can point to is the audio quality is often very shaky due to limited funds. For a Shakespeare movie that hurts and it's in real need to the rights to be sorted out and a restoration similar to Welles's MacBeth and Othello to clean up the technical problems as best as modern technology will allow. The Darjeeling Limited "Look at those ______" <--- Insert profane synonym for "jerks" That's the line that pretty much sums up Wes Anderson's newest film about three brothers with practically nothing in common taking a "spiritual journey" through India. In many ways it really shouldn't work at all. The brothers aren't likable. It's more quirky than funny. And the symbolism is very obvious; Owen Wilson's physical scars reflect his emotional and mental state. They're literally and figuratively carrying a lot of family baggage. The brothers who apparently have nothing in common are portrayed by actors who look nothing like brothers. And yet, I found myself liking the film a great deal. Part of that is due to the fact that the film is consistently interesting on a visual basis. Part of that is due to the fact that the film is well acted and while the characters may be jerks, they're different and interesting jerks with problems that can be related too. And the dialogue always has just the right inflection and is contrasted with just the right amount of silence. I think I also responded to the idea that you can't plan a "spiritual journey" with itineraries. You have to actually experience life to its fullest. Kind of like you can't really appreciate a fancy French hotel if you just want to order a grilled cheese sandwich from room service. It's when you throw away your plans and open yourself up to experience that any possibility of growth exists. Robert

Some general thoughts on the lists. I got 5 of 10 of the list toppers right. I can do better. Animation Boy, what an unimaginative set of choices. Nothing really jumps out at me as wrong, , although Shreck seems the least groundbreaking of the films on the list. (Part of that might be the after effects of two subpar sequels for me.) The Nightmare Before Christmas as an example of stop motion strikes me as a glaring omission Fantasy I like the fact that they took an inclusive view of fantasy. I was surprised, in a good way, by some of the choices. Heck, there are overt fantasy elements in Big, Groundhog Day, and It's a Wonderful Life. Harvey and Miracle on 34th Street are different kinds of fantasy and I'm not sure there's anything overt about either of them. Wizard of Oz was a fine choice to top the list. Glad it was included: Groundhog Day, The Thief of Bagdad Surprised this wasn't on the list: Heaven Can Wait, Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (for importance) Science Fiction I'm glad 2001: A Space Odyssey topped the list. Forgot all about A Clockwork Orange when thinking about the list so, bad on me. I second the sentiment on Back to the Future. An enjoyable film, but hardly a prime example of science fiction. Glad it was included: The Invasion of the Body Snatchers What's this doing on the list: Back to the Future Replacement Choices: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 12 Monkeys, Forbidden Planet, Sleeper, Frankenstein Western I've no complaints with the top 9. But what the heck is Cat Ballou doing on this list? Blazing Saddles and Destry Rides Again are better comedies and there certainly are better serious westerns. Really odd choice there. Glad it was included: McCabe and Mrs. Miller What's this doing on the list: Cat Ballou Replacement Choices: Destry Rides Again, Blazing Saddles, Dances With Wolves, The Magnificent Seven (and plenty more) Sports National Velvet and Jerry Maguire seem like odd choices. Especially Jerry Maguire which really only uses sport as a backdrop . You could change the sport with little change to the plot. Glad it was included: Caddyshack What's this doing on the list: Jerry Maguire Replacement Choices: Slapshot, Chariots of Fire No real issues with the top 8. I think the editors had a little fun with this section as after a bunch of mostly serious clips they led off Caddyshack with Ted Knight getting hit in the groin with a golf ball. Gangster No surprises at the top. I'm more surprised at the inclusion of DePalma's Scarface than anything else. And Pulp Fiction barely qualifies. Glad it was included: Scarface: Shame of a Nation What's this doing on the list: Pulp Fiction, Scarface Replacement Choices: Mean Streets, Donnie Brasco More later. Robert

The Brewers are 5 games out of the wild card with only two teams to jump. The Padres are 11 games back with 10 teams to jump. Sure, if Arizona collapses the Padres have a chance, but the odds are against them. Baseball Prospectus' playoff odds report gives San Diego a 4.8% chance of making the playoffs, almost all of that residing on them winning the division. Someone like Bush may be of interest to the Padres since his biggest problem appears to be his HR rate. Definitely won't do it by himself though. Probably going to cost the Brewers someone like Salome or Gillespie in addition. Robert

The Brewers are 5 games out of the wild card with only two teams to jump. The Padres are 11 games back with 10 teams to jump. Sure, if Arizona collapses the Padres have a chance, but the odds are against them. Baseball Prospectus' playoff odds report gives San Diego a 4.8% chance of making the playoffs, almost all of that residing on them winning the division. Someone like Bush may be of interest to the Padres since his biggest problem appears to be his HR rate. Definitely won't do it by himself though. Probably going to cost the Brewers someone like Salome or Gillespie in addition. Robert

The Brewers are 5 games out of the wild card with only two teams to jump. The Padres are 11 games back with 10 teams to jump. Sure, if Arizona collapses the Padres have a chance, but the odds are against them. Baseball Prospectus' playoff odds report gives San Diego a 4.8% chance of making the playoffs, almost all of that residing on them winning the division. Someone like Bush may be of interest to the Padres since his biggest problem appears to be his HR rate. Definitely won't do it by himself though. Probably going to cost the Brewers someone like Salome or Gillespie in addition. Robert

OK, show is tonight which I'll probably flip back and forth during slowspots and commercians in the Brewers game. Top predictions for each category. Animation - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Romantic Comedy - Annie Hall Western - The Searchers Sports - Raging Bull Mystery - Chinatown Fantasy - Lord of the Rings (The Return of the King if they don't combine them.) Sci Fi - Star Wars (Maybe 2001 will beat it out, but I doubt it.) Gangster - The Godfather Courtroom Drama - To Kill a Mockingbird Epic - Gone With the Wind (With Lawrence of Arabia as the dark horse.) Robert

Winston was someone who made every movie he touched better. You can't say that about many people. Robert

Firing after a win, after the whole team flew to the West Coast, and at 3 am is pretty much the definition of classless and cowardly. Omar Minaya and Mets ownership are going to get a lot of grief today and deserve all of it. And, no, I want no part of Randolph taking over for Yost. He's done nothing with plenty of talent and a much bigger payroll. There are guys out there that have had success. Jack McKeon on an interim basis or Larry Dierker, for example. Robert

It's probably no coincidence that Carlos Lee and Manny Ramirez are where they are. Could you imagine Lee "patrolling" leftfield in Petco? Robert

Yeah I've seen Dersu Uzala (even in less than pristine form the cinematography is beautiful) as well as Madadayo and Sanshiro Sugata. Good movies all. In addition to Kagemusha, Red Beard, and Drunken Angel, I do need to see Rhapsody in August, Scandal, I Live in Fear, The Idiot, The Lower Depths, The Bad Sleep Well, and Those Who Tread on Tiger's Tail. Just haven't found the time yet. Robert

The Third Man is an interesting choice that I can't believe I overlooked. Somewhat like the Hitchcock movies I mentioned above, I think "noirish Cold War thriller" is a better description, but there's definitely a mystery element there. Oh, just because we don't need the AFI to tell us stuff, list of Top 10 Akira Kurosawa films. 1. The Seven Samurai 2. Rashomon 3. Ran 4. High and Low 5. Ikiru 6. Throne of Blood 7. Yojimbo 8. The Hidden Fortress 9. Stray Dog 10. Dreams HM. Sanjuro Note: I still have to get around to watching Drunken Angel, Red Beard, and Kagemusha one of these days. Robert

I think they're saving Documentary, along with Silent, War, Noir, Horror, Screwball Comedy, "Woman Pictures", Issue Pictures, Road Movies, and Musical for another year. And while I fully agree that the AFI being solely American-centric, with an "idiosyncratic" take on what is American at times, makes the lists less than definitive, I think they still have value as entertainment and discussion fodder. If nothing else, I think we've been probing around to see what the ends of the genre are uptopic. I'll be much amused if Caddyshack makes the sports movie list. Does Breaking Away count as a sports movie? How much did Disney pay AFI for the Animation "genre"? I think we can essentially count Snow White and Toy Story as locks. Probably Fantasia, Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, and Shreck as well. Nightmare Before Christmas would be an interesting stop motion choice. I'd like to hope that something more obscure like The Iron Giant would make the list, but I'm not hopeful. (And, yeah, Grave of the Fireflies would belong if eligible.) For Mystery, I'd think that Chinatown, The Maltese Falcon, and The Big Sleep are locks. Probably The Thin Man as well. The AFI has The Usual Suspects up at their website as an example (along with Basil Rathbone as Holmes), so it probably has a shot. I don't know if they really count as Mystery, but Rear Window, Vertigo, and North By Northwest have mystery elements to them and I'd prefer them to Murder on the Orient Express, for example. Robert