TV/Movies Megathread

[Tonitrus]

Eh, I don't get the reveal.

The "real/normal world" is depicted in sepia tone....the "Zone" is in regular color.  [spoiler]His crippled daughter sees the aforementioned world in regular color though.  She also does some telekinesis.  [/spoiler]

In summary though, Tarkovsky's films are really, and I mean REALLY, thick on the philosophy and the cerebral.  With his films...if you don't pay close attention to the dialogue, and think about what is being said (and they're good at making you think as well)...you might as well not watch them at all. 

[Josquius]

Stalker (1979)

Sometime in the distant future a meteor, (or maybe aliens), crash in a small European country; creating an area called "The Zone."  The military tried to enter the area, but no one ever came back.  Today they quarantine off the area and allow no one to enter; but there are some guides who slip through and these are called "Stalkers."  In this film a Stalker (called "Stalker") guides a writer and a scientist (called "Writer" and "Scientist" respectively) into the heart of the Zone where one's greatest desire will be granted.

This is an Andrei Tarkovsky film so it's v-e-r-y s-l-o-o-o-w (the average shot length is 88 seconds) and way philosophical.  He does a great job of making the zone look unsettling without any special effects.  He does the "Wizard of Oz" thing where the real world is in sepia tones and the Zone is in color (though a moody, saturated color rather than the "Wizard of Oz's" glorious Technicolor.)  This leads to a clever reveal at the end [spoiler]in which the Stalker's crippled daughter's "Real" world is in color.[/spoiler]  This isn't going to be for everyone (if you thought "Solaris" was too quick paced than this film was made for you), but I enjoyed it.

I read on IMDB that the quarantined area around Chernobyl is called "The Zone" and that illegal guides call themselves "Stalkers."  (That is an unfortunate name choice in this day and age; but it is a transliteration of "Stalker" not the Russian language equivalent.)

I've had that sitting ready to watch for going on a decade now Even when I went through a Russian cinema fad and loved the game I couldn't bring myself to tackle it.

[Admiral Yi]

[spoiler]His crippled daughter sees the aforementioned world in regular color though.[/spoiler]

Right, sure, but what does this reveal? What do I now know that I didn't before?

[Zoupa]

SO after bailing on Handmaid, I binged on a show I had PVR'd about six months ago. Escape from Danemorra. Now THAT's good television. Well worth it.

Loved that show. Good call.

[Savonarola]

I've had that sitting ready to watch for going on a decade now Even when I went through a Russian cinema fad and loved the game I couldn't bring myself to tackle it.

Heh, I wouldn't recommending watching this as your first Tarkovsky film.  I think it would be best to watch his first three films in order (Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev and Solaris) in order before trying to tackle Stalker.  (There's a film in between Solaris and Stalker called "Mirror", I haven't seen it so I don't know if this would help or not.)

The only Tarkovsky film CB had seen was "Ivan's Childhood;" she was mighty perplexed by this one.  (Solaris and Andrei Rublev are in the Netflix queue, but both have long wait times.)

[Savonarola]

[spoiler]His crippled daughter sees the aforementioned world in regular color though.[/spoiler]

Right, sure, but what does this reveal? What do I now know that I didn't before?

[spoiler]The closing scene of the film is the daughter moving glasses with her mind; you didn't know that she could do that before that scene.  You do know that there's something unusual about the daughter beforehand because the one shot that focuses on her previously is done in color, while every other shot outside the zone is done in sepia tones.[/spoiler]

[Savonarola]

The Matrix (1999)

Robots were created to serve mankind; but then the robots take over!   Will mankind learn in time?   

Sorry, it's hard to believe that this film is 20 years old; on the other hand watching it again it does look peak 90s especially with the Nokia banana phones everywhere.  We saw this on the big screen; before the show they have on a pretentious film critic to introduce the movie.  This time he praised Keanu Reeves for his wide range of roles.  At the time he had played Ted (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and sequel), Ted on a bus (Speed), Farmer Ted (A Walk in the Clouds), Vampire Hunter Ted (Bram Stoker's Dracula) and Theodore Logan, Attorney at Law (Devil's Advocate.)  This time, Ted in the computer world, Keanu really had to expand his acting range and he nails it moving effortlessly from  to  .  On a scale of 1 to 10 I rate his performance a "Woah."



On the other hand Cowboy Curtis's zen take on Obi-Won Kenobi is great; that's one of high points of the movie.

I've been reading up about the costuming in Star Wars films; Lucas wanted costumes that told you about the character at a glance.  I think the Matrix scenes in this film follows that line of thinking; you can tell Carrie-Anne Moss is a tough chick with just one look at that PVC get-up, or that Laurence Fishburne is a mysterious figure with that long billowing cloak, or that Hugo Weaving is a sinister Federal Agent.  I read that the sunglasses were all custom designed to reflect the character's, well, character.  I'm not sure how well that succeeded, but Morpheus's pince-nez sunglasses are really cool.   

[The Minsky Moment]

Some good scene-stealing from Eddie Moscone in that one as well.

[Duque de Bragança]

Pretentious film critic sucked indeed arse by not mentioned Keanu's turn as Quebecker goalie in Youngblood, Pointbreak or even My own private Idaho though the last one is problematic as Keanu shows some real acting. 

[garbon]

I've started watching The Boys. First episode was good.

[mongers]

I found the Clooney directed 'Catch-22' rather good.

[Admiral Yi]

I found the Clooney directed 'Catch-22' rather good.

Jesus, Russian bot post.

[Admiral Yi]

no, that was me being high and not reading well. 

[Admiral Yi]

20th time watching Hoosiers and I still spritz like Old Faithful.

[Sophie Scholl]

I've started watching The Boys. First episode was good.

I've heard nothing but good things.  I'm definitely looking forward to it.