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Everything Whedon: Bu...
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Donna Loves Movies's Discussions
My Queue
001- Strange Circus
A reality-bending fantasy, this visually inventive shocker from Japanese director Sion Sono tells the story of suicidal teenager Mitsuko (Rie Kuwana) who's forced to watch her parents lovemaking from inside a locked cello case with a peephole, then sexually abused by her brutal father after her mother's suspicious death. But is her tragic tale true, or is it merely a novel being written by wheelchair-bound author Taeko (Masumi Miyazaki)?
002- Ruby Blue
An unexpected friendship with 8-year-old Florrie (Jessica Stewart) puts depressed widower Jack (Bob Hoskins) back on the path to enjoying life once again. But when Florrie suddenly goes missing, Jack must confront his suspicious community, as well as his own past. Josiane Balasko co-stars in this British drama as Stephanie, Jack's neighbor who possesses a talent for cooking -- and a closely guarded secret.
003- 12
In embattled Chechnya, 12 people weigh the fate of a teenager (Apti Magamaev) accused of murdering his stepfather. The jurors represent a cross-section of modern Russia's fractured society: a mealy-mouthed television producer, a flashy musician, a bigoted cabbie, a holocaust survivor. Inside this room, as in the streets, the battle for peace and tolerance plays out. Co-writer Nikita Mikhalkov directs this Oscar-nominated twist on 12 Angry Men.
004- Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Tarzan (Christopher Lambert), the seventh Earl of Greystoke, is raised by apes after he's lost in the African jungle. An explorer discovers the adult Tarzan, reacquaints him with the English language and his rightful place in the British aristocracy, and introduces him to his beautiful assistant (Andie MacDowell). But Tarzan's encounters with civilization are fraught with difficulty as his allegiance shifts between his animal and human families.
005- Towelhead
Based on Alicia Erian's novel, this coming-of-age tale follows the topsy-turvy life of Jasira (Summer Bishil, with a Best Female Lead nod for the Independent Spirit Awards), a 13-year-old Arab-American girl wrestling with the challenges of adolescence, bigotry and life with an overbearing father. Directed and adapted for the big screen by Alan Ball (American Beauty), this darkly comic film set during the first Gulf War also stars Toni Collette, Aaron Eckhart and Maria Bello.
006- Pixar Short Films: Vol. 1
Enjoy some of the most fun, inventive and entertaining animated short films ever made in this comprehensive Pixar Studios collection. Each wonderful tale features memorable characters, from a mischievous bumblebee to an unwanted unicycle. Academy Award winners "Tin Toy," "Geri's Game" and "For the Birds" are included, as well as a special behind-the-scenes look at Pixar with founder and chief creative officer John Lasseter.
007- Gloomy Sunday
A romantic melodrama set in 1930s Budapest, Gloomy Sunday centers on a love triangle with tragic consequences. Restaurant owner Laszlo hires pianist András to play in his restaurant. Both men fall in love with the beautiful waitress Ilona, who inspires András to write his only composition. The resulting song, "Gloomy Sunday," is at first loved by the public … but soon, its melancholic melody appears to trigger a chain of suicides.
008- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
After his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), breaks his heart, Peter (Jason Segel) wants nothing more than to enjoy his vacation in Hawaii. One problem: Sarah's vacationing at the same resort he is, and even worse, she's bringing her new beau. Produced by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Superbad), this hilarious comedy also stars Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader.
009- Zelary
This gorgeously shot World War II drama tells the story of a clash between two different worlds and two different people. Eliska, a nurse in a city hospital, donates her blood to save the life of injured mountain-dweller Joza, and the two form a strong bond. When the resistance group Eliska belongs to is discovered by the Gestapo, she's forced to seek refuge with Joza, leaving her urban life behind and starting anew in the remote mountains.
010- Dead Poets Society
John Keating (Robin Williams) is an unconventional English teacher who lives by a simple motto: Seize the day! Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) is a prep school student who dreams of being an actor but lives in fear of his imperious father, who wants to see him matriculated into Harvard's medical school. Can Keating -- and his infectious love of poetry -- inspire Neil to reach for his dreams? The screenplay won an Oscar.
011- Duck Season
What begins as another ordinary, quiet Sunday spirals into a chaotic adventure for two teens left home alone. Equipped with their usual video games, best friends Flama (Daniel Miranda) and Moko (Diego Catano) settle in for a pleasant, if predictable, afternoon. But an unexpected encounter with an alluring adolescent neighbor and the intrusion of an idiosyncratic pizza deliveryman conspire to make the day a memorable occasion.
012- Heavenly Creatures
From the director of the Lord of the Rings comes a chilling true-life drama about an obsessive friendship that led to murder. In 1950s New Zealand, introvert Pauline (Melanie Lynskey) befriends self-confident Juliet (Kate Winslet, in her film debut); soon, the two are inseparable, retreating to an imaginary world. Their relationship intensifies in the face of opposition from their families ... opposition that ultimately has bloody consequences.
013- In China They Eat Dogs
A few hours after bank clerk Arvid (Dejan Cukic) knocks out a bank robber (Peter Gantzler) with his squash racket, the robber's wife appeals to Arvid with a sad tale of woe. Arvid hatches a scheme to help the couple by teaming with his criminal brother Harald (Kim Bodnia). Bloody high jinks ensue in this darkly comic gangster import, the rough Danish equivalent of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
014- Bug
Based on a play by Tracy Letts, this claustrophobic thriller from Exorcist director William Friedkin focuses on the love story between a man (Michael Shannon) and a woman (Ashley Judd) convinced that the government is implanting insects in its citizens. Harry Connick Jr. plays the woman's abusive ex-husband in this nightmare tale of paranoia that takes place in an America where no one -- least of all the authorities -- can be trusted.
015- Death Note
When he discovers a mystical notebook that grants him the power to kill anyone he wants by merely writing their name, a brilliant student named Light (Tatsuya Fujiwara) develops a god complex and attempts to create utopia. Now, it's up to ingenious detective "L" (Ken'ichi Matsuyama) to stop the supernatural vigilante. Directed by Shusuke Kaneko, this eerie thriller also stars Asaka Seto, Erika Toda and Shigeki Hosokawa.
016- American Graffiti: Collector's Edition
The film that put director George Lucas on the Hollywood map also expertly showcased newcomers such as Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, Suzanne Somers and "Ronny" Howard. Lucas masterfully weaves together the stories of a disparate group of high school students as they struggle with adolescent rites of passage in 1962. Touching and timeless, American Graffiti is a not-to-be-missed classic.
017- After the Wedding
To save the failing orphanage he runs in India, Danish transplant Jacob Petersen (Mads Mikkelsen) returns to his homeland to meet a self-indulgent businessman named Jørgen who's offered a generous donation -- and who represents everything the noble-minded Jacob abhors. Complicating matters further are the unusual strings Jørgen has attached to his so-called gift. Rolf Lassgård co-stars in this Oscar-nominated emotional powerhouse of a drama.
018- The Girl on the Bridge
A despondent girl named Adele (Vanessa Paradis) is about to take a swan dive off a bridge into the Seine River when she's rescued by Gabor (Daniel Auteuil), a knife thrower who needs a human target for his show. The luckless Adele agrees, and together the pair thrives, winning a fortune gambling when not performing their act. But fate conspires to separate the duo, who find they need each other to maintain their lucky streak.
019- American Gangster
From director Ridley Scott comes this tense crime thriller starring Denzel Washington as true-life Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas. Russell Crowe co-stars as the dogged outcast NYPD cop charged with bringing Lucas down. Ruby Dee (in an Oscar-nominated role), Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin and Chiwetel Ejiofor lead the supporting cast in this powerhouse tale penned by Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List).
020- Grace Is Gone
Director James C. Strouse's indie drama stars John Cusack as Stanley Phillips, an ex-military man trying to find the courage to break some devastating news to his two daughters: Their mother has died while serving in Iraq. As he works through his complex feelings about his wife's death and the war, Stanley delays telling his girls the truth, instead taking them on an excursion to a theme park. The film won the Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance 2007.
Now how'd you end up here?
Latest Activity
Thanks for the add. Have a KC strip for me at the Tucson Steakhouse.
Of course I'll be friends... just not a very good one since I'm not here very often. You have an interesting collection of posts and friends.
Sure I'll be a friend, though not a very good one because I'm not on here too very much. Thanks for friending me though!
I don't get to Movie Fans often, sorry for taking so long to Friend you! Thanks, by the way!
You're going to bring up the roof scene, I just know it.
No, the title couldn’t have been more literal; you should have read my review. How observant you are to notice that it was written by a man; it never occurred to me to even wonder. I’m in complete agreement that Sandra was way too hot to be playin...
I had been leery of "Elegy" but was pleasantly surprised. I decided to give "Two Lovers" a try on that basis, hoping that the title might have some figurative meaning. No such luck.
I thought the parents were very well written. The father was gen...
We had been debating the merits of Adam Sandler (or lack thereof). I retro-rated a bunch his films in order to try and clarify my opinion of his work, for you. I can't even remember when it was that I saw most of those. In fact, when I went to the...
Profile Information
- Relationship Status:
- No Comment
- Are you a Netflix member?
- Of course
- Are you a Netflix employee?
- a) No.
- What is your (apx) "Reviewer Rank" Number?
- 207
- What is your (Anonymous) Friends Link? (the code on the right side of Invite Friends)
- http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/P6cDzH202IiNHxFDuYXo
- What is your Outward Profile page URL (find yourself on one of your friend's lists, and click back to see yourself)
- http://www.netflix.com/StrangerProfile?prid=121801279&lnkctr=MD...
- A Small Set Of My Favorite Movies
- The Devil's Backbone
Yes
Amelie
The Proposition (set in Australia)
Sin City
American Beauty
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Closer
- What I Snack on in Movie Theaters
- Occasionally a giant box of Milk Duds, but usually just water.
- About Me:
- A bore, really.
More? Well, I'm a nontraditional student with two yappy dogs and a quasi cat (she's not really mine, just hanging out for a while). School was exciting the first semester, but now it's a TREMENDOUS drag. (my apologies if you are a professor, but come on....liven it up a bit, why don't you!)
oh... if I can bore you with any more minutia, drop me a note below.
Comment Wall (173 comments)
- At 7:08pm on July 9, 2009, Phineas T Freakears said…
- Thanks for the add. Have a KC strip for me at the Tucson Steakhouse.
- At 7:10pm on July 7, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- I had been leery of "Elegy" but was pleasantly surprised. I decided to give "Two Lovers" a try on that basis, hoping that the title might have some figurative meaning. No such luck.
I thought the parents were very well written. The father was genuinely affectionate towards the son but this manifested, to some degree, in expectations and concern about appearances. The mother had no expectations and cared not a fig for appearances, just so long as her son was happy and well. While the father was engrossed in watching television, the mother was aware of her son on the computer in the next room. The mother guessed that the son was departing. The father had no clue. In particular, I thought that Isabella Rossellini totally nailed the scene of farewell, on the stairs. That was the best performance in the film.
It was obvious -- IMDB confirms -- that this movie was written by a men. The principle female characters were each sufficiently glamorous to be mistaken for movie stars, if you saw them on the street. Doubtless, neither actress suffers from any shortage of suitors, in real life. Yet, at very slight acquaintance, the main female characters each proceed to carnal intimacy with a goofy man of such limited prospects that he still lives with his parents. When the more exotic woman proves elusive, the other is conveniently attainable. To me, this was incredible -- shameless male fantasy.
I might have suspended disbelief, if the male lead had been likable. He was not. He connected himself most definitely to the one woman (literally joined at the hip) but then immediately turned around to pursue the other -- despicably fickle!
At the close, I was horribly frightened for the woman who became engaged. Rejection by his first fiancé had clearly rendered the male lead unstable and desperate to establish his virility with any woman who crossed his path. His proposal to his second choice suggested an "any port in a storm" philosophy that does not bode well for a happy marriage.
[:-)] Mark
P.S.
I am not sure why the infidelity in "Jane Austen Book Club" bothered me so much less than the infidelity in this film. Still, the Gwyneth Paltrow character evoked no sympathy from me.
- At 8:03am on July 4, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- We had been debating the merits of Adam Sandler (or lack thereof). I retro-rated a bunch his films in order to try and clarify my opinion of his work, for you. I can't even remember when it was that I saw most of those. In fact, when I went to the "Adam Sandler" page at Netflix, I was surprised to discover how many of his films I had seen.
[:-)] Mark
- At 6:12am on June 27, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- I do keep track of turns. The real fun for me is exchanging ideas and opinions, not interminable soliloquizing, to which, left unchecked, I am prone. My enjoyment of any correspondence is always much greater if I force myself to let the other person get some words in edgewise.
For my research, we deliberately chose cells that naturally tend to travel long distances in straight lines, which makes them more amenable to computer modeling -- start with something simple. The cells in the movie were not actually adjacent during filming, nor did they travel along parallel trajectories. Film of each cell was cut out from a longer recording and then spliced together, in post-production, when the white lines and sound effects were added, just for fun (I did that myself, on a Mac, using iMovie, by the way). The speed of each cell and distance traveled remained accurate, despite the editing, so the relevant scientific details were preserved. IMPORTANT: this is fundamental research, so don't credit me with any meaningful progress towards a cancer cure.
You are free to consistently dislike Adam Sandler. You queued his film. I offered my assessment.
[:-)] Mark
- At 5:23pm on June 26, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- Adam Sandler has two distinct personæ: sarcastic, infantile, frat-boy or goofy, lovable schlub. He exhibits the former in "Happy Gilmore", "Reigh Over Me", "Anger Management", "Eight Crazy NIghts" and "Little Little Nickyi" for example, all of which I vehemently disliked. He exhibits the latter in "The Wedding Singer", "Fifty First Dates", and "Bedtime Stories" for example, which I liked and in "Spanglish" especially which I adored.
I was tempted by "Bedtime Stories" because the wait for "Funny People" seemed interminable.
You pays your money, you takes your chances.
[:-)] Mark
- At 7:44am on June 26, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- I am never sulking if you do not hear from me but I do get busy and try to pace myself in corresponding by not sending too much more than I receive, at least in number letters, if not in number of words.
If you try to visit the account of Tillie Wong, you will discover that it does not exist. I suspect that an account for Ms. Wong was established as part of a SPAM campaign. I believe that "she" sent out bulk mail to the entire community, including both of us. This abuse of the Netflix Community was detected and the account was removed.
Cell migration promotes wound healing (cells on each side of a cut slowly crawl into the gash) yet allows cancer to spread. I am interested in the forces that drive cells to move or hold cells in one place. Among other components, cells contain a fluid cytosol (a dense soup of vital molecules) and a solid cytoskeleton (a somewhat rigid molecular scaffolding). I try to write down equations for the interaction of solid and fluid components inside a cell, in order to compute resulting forces and explain cellular locomotion.
I have tried to upload some movies of my work. You can see one immediately below. The other is taking longer to covert. You can check my profile later (scroll down to "movies" at the bottom) to see if it is ready yet.
[:-)] Mark
- At 7:42am on June 26, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
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Find more videos like this on A Netflix Community
- At 2:50pm on June 7, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- It may be that I enjoyed "Searching for Debra Winger" because it was preaching to the choir (in which I count myself a rare baritone, among sopranos). I was happy to oblige by shouting "Amen Sister!" whenever the movie took a beat -- a pause -- to invite my outrage. As for yourself... "Searching for Debra Winger" might appeal if you are willing to play along, perhaps posing like Che Guevara, with one fist raised in solidarity: "Power to the people!" Or maybe Moses is your guy: "Let my people go!" Whatever. As with any one-sided documentary -- Roger Ebert was the only male interviewed -- I suspect that "Searching for Debra Winger" is only enjoyable as an affirmation for the militant, reinforcing entrenched opinions and winning no converts.
My greatest disappointment was that "Searching for Debra Winger" issued no call to arms. In the last chapter of "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions" author Gloria Stienem wrote that reading her book meant nothing unless it inspired action. In her film, Patricia Arquette fails to throw down a gauntlet.
Your quibble with "Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont" was the production values. In places, the cinematography of "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" does not exhibit the pearly luster and hyper-realistic sheen that signals a polished Hollywood production. Among your quibbles with "Untamed Heart" were patchy writing and some scenes that felt awkward. At every viewing, most scenes with tertiary characters in "Before Sunrise" make me cringe, or grit my teeth. A painful scene in which locals offer advice on tourist attractions comes to mind. In early scenes, there are some lines from "Before Sunset" that Julie Delpy wrote for herself. Some of those lines were heavy-handed clunkers.
For all of these films, my own dissatisfaction with inconsistent writing or patchy production values was diminished to insignificance by some brilliantly executed character moments -- scenes that filled the space between two people. Giving little away, "Before Sunrise" offers stolen glances in a record-listening booth and an imaginary 'phone conversation. The reasons for our disagreement by one star on rating "Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont" and "Untamed Heart" will be more pronounced in "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" so, I'm not sure what you'll think.
We saw the first bloom of love between Adam and Caroline in "Untamed Heart" but then a "montage of vignettes" and an abrupt death for Adam cheated us of the long view. We saw Caroline happy. You wanted to see her pain as well. Taken together, "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" give us the front and back end of the relationship. In particular, one single-shot scene, in a car, from "Before Sunset" distills the entire span of past and (imagined) future, from both films, into a single powerful exchange.
It took George Lucas three films to set up the exchange of lightning bolts that filled the space between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. It took Richard Linkletter only two films to fill the space between his characters and without fantasy or the crutch of special effects to show the sparks fly explicitly. Bravo.
How delightful that your enjoyment of "The Jane Austen Book Club" serves to validate my own, though I was prepared to go it alone in my admiration. I have noted before that Amy Brenneman and Jimmy Smits gave my favorite performances in this film. To me, they gave a superbly nuanced portrayal of familiarity transcending estrangement. I described him as mowing the law in "disheveled perplexity" as an example of their interaction.
The scene of her and him, as parents, at the hospital, was also full of subtle tension (clip below). He looks at her. She looks at her child. She withdraws her hand from his but wants his reassurance.
"This is gunna be OK, right?"
"She's fine. She just took a knock on the noodle."
The scene at the beach (6:07) was also great.
"This is my favorite Austen... so far," he says. "It's all about mistakes and second chances."
"Yeah, you can stay," she replies.
The scene at the traffic lights (6:58) is also a hoot. A bit later in the film comes "Never underestimate the power of a well-written letter." That was a great line too. I wish that Jane Austen had written that! In fact, she never did. It was a nice touch that Daniel printed his letter, perhaps to avail himself of spell-checking, but then copied it out by hand, before delivery (though not quite sure how any letter could atone for infidelity, I am pleading suspension of disbelief).
You like to read the book behind a movie. I've heard that "The Jane Austen Book Club" was much darker as a novel. I think I'll stick with the light and airy version.
[:-)] Mark
P.S.
I was thinking about "The Wrestler" when I realized that Marisa Tomei once again played to a love interest with a weak heart.
- At 11:35am on June 7, 2009, Mark Zajac said…
- At 7:36pm on June 4, 2009,
Alice said… - I sure am interested! omg I just added you! You're 62%, that's pretty amazing.
Yes I did, I turned 12 =D
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