TV/Movies Megathread

[Josephus]

Other than Pulp Fiction, can't think of anything I've liked him in.

Saturday Night Fever is one of my favorite movies.

I went to see Grease for my first date.

I was 13.

[Liep]

HBO renewed 'The Brink', hurray! Tim Robbins is nailing that role.

[Malthus]

Saw a mid-90s movie: Leon: The Professional. Featured an 11 year old Natalie Portman in her debut role. She was awesome - easily the best child actress I have ever seen. How she is able to act so well in this movie, yet be so wooden later in Star Wars, I do not know.

In fact, the acting was good all around - the bad guy (Oldman) chews the the scenery with psychotic gusto, and the fellow playing Leon (Reno) manages to create a sympathetic killer for hire who hangs around with an 11 year old girl (one of the funniest lines in the movie is where Leon spots Mathilda, the young girl, talking to an older kid, pulls her aside and warns her against talking to "wierdos".  ). Much of the plot is highly unrealistic (an illiterate hitman moving through New York like a ghost?), but that doesn't much matter - the core of the movie is the bizzare relationship that develops between Leon and Mathida (and Leon's houseplant).

I saw the longer "European cut", which has something over 20 extra minutes compared to the "American cut". I haven't seen the shorter cut, but theses removed bits I would imagine change the tone of the movie greatly. Allegedly, three key scenes were cut:

[spoiler]1. Where Mathida plays Russian Roulette to manipulate Leon into accepting her and doing what she wants; 2. Where Mathilda actively helps Leon in breaking into people's apartments and killing them; and 3. Where Mathida explicilty propositions Leon for sex (he turns her down) [/spoiler]

All of these scenes make for a darker and more disturbing movie. 

[celedhring]

I have never seen the American cut. Yeah, those scenes are pretty important for Mathilda's character; it changes her a lot if they aren't there.

[Syt]

It's a great movie and Gary Oldman is hilarious/terrifying in it.

If you like 90s weird assassin movies, try Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai with Forest Whitaker.

[Malthus]

I have never seen the American cut. Yeah, those scenes are pretty important for Mathilda's character; it changes her a lot if they aren't there.

It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has only seen the American cut.

I read somewhere that they cut these scenes because US test audiences reacted totally negatively to them.

[Malthus]

It's a great movie and Gary Oldman is hilarious/terrifying in it.

I also read that many of Oldman's insane antics were ad-libbed.  Apparently, that scene where he "sniffs" Mathilda's dad was improvised (and the actor playing the dad's nervous reaction to being "sniffed" by Oldman was genuine!  ).

If you like 90s weird assassin movies, try Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai with Forest Whitaker.

Oh yeah. I saw that many years ago, but a re-watch is in order.

[celedhring]

Ghost Dog is pretty cool, but the action in it is pretty shitty and unintentionally hilarious, which always took me out of the movie somewhat - Jarmusch isn't what I would call an experienced action director. Whitaker's character is great, though.

John Woo's The Killer would be another entry in little great 90s hitmen flicks.

[lustindarkness]

It's been years,  I can't remember which version of the professional I watched, I do remember it's a great movie.

[Malthus]

Ghost Dog is pretty cool, but the action in it is pretty shitty and unintentionally hilarious - Jarmusch isn't what I would call an experienced action director.  Whitaker's character is great, though.

John Woo's The Killer would be another entry in little great 90s hitmen flicks.

I never saw The Killer.

Great little list you guys are putting together. 

[katmai]

Old mentor of mine worked on Ghost Dog.

[Syt]

Forest Whitaker has incidentally another movie where he plays a contract killer, Diary of a Hitman, where he's a tired hitman signed up for one last job, killing a rich guy's lover and her baby:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101725/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_85

It's much more subdued, and it was adapted from a stage play and clearly feels that way.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101725/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_85

Not as good as Ghost Dog, but still a decent watch IMHO, some ham performances notwithstanding. Also: Sherilyn Fenn!

[The Minsky Moment]

Saw a mid-90s movie: Leon: The Professional. Featured an 11 year old Natalie Portman in her debut role. She was awesome - easily the best child actress I have ever seen. How she is able to act so well in this movie, yet be so wooden later in Star Wars, I do not know. 

Direction.
Same thing happened to Ewan, Liam, Sam Jackson etc.

[Syt]

I'm struggling to think of a better fit than Ewan McGregor for young Obi-Wan, and I think he was one of the highlights of the prequels.

[The Minsky Moment]

I don't really think that's fair.  They aren't really about the same thing at all.  Beyond the initial inspiration, Blow Out is its own weird, weird animal.

Shh!
Don't mess up my ideologue troll.