• Categories

Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

 
    •  
      CommentAuthorSunil
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    I am so glad that you too enjoyed this movie, Gilles! beer smile In fact, in my city this is the only movie doing great business at box office. Many people over here blown away by astounding visual effects in the movie. Well done, indeed!. I am waiting for DVD release. wink TALK OF TOWN! cheesy
    Racism, Prejudices and discrimination exists everywhere.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009 edited
    Mad Men

    Took a stab at this series, which I knew nothing about , aside from the fact that it dealt with Madison Avenue men (ad men) in the fifties, which sounded like a brilliant set-up for a series!
    However, four episodes in, it's become clear it's just another soap opera (with a high Desperate Housewives vibe) which just happened to be set in the fifties (and for all the attention to practical period detail, this adds nothing of value), with a cast of uniformly unlikeable characters who do very little but be nasty or look deeply troubled at each other, and nothing much insightful happening. The script is neither clever nor interesting.

    Letting this one drop under the radar.

    1.5 out of 5

    ===================================================

    Appaloosa

    A very straightforward and thoroughly enjoyable western, starring Ed Harris (one of my favourite unknown and underappreciated actors) and an unrecognisable Viggo Mortensen as peace keeping officers-for-hire Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, cleaning up a town from the rampages of rancher bully Braggs (Jeremy Irons, who does a passable Daniel Day Lewis imitation) and his gang.

    Complications arise with the advent of bordeline-like Allison French (Renee Zellweger), whom Cole (Harris) falls for...even though her fearful neediness makes her utterly unreliable.

    This western isn't an action film, but a very leisurely paced (and what a relief that is in this day and age!), rather linea storyline that really relies on the interaction between all concerned, but mainly the very likeable and odd couple of Mortensen and Harris. The format is quite traditional, to be sure, but it's more than offbeat enough to retain interest.

    3.5 out of 5

    Jeff Beal's score treads a fine balance between a modern (a la Deadwood) and Silver Age (Bernstein) western sound.

    3.5 out of 5

    ===================================================

    Across The Universe

    Question: Can you make a dud film around the songs of arguably one of the very greatest pop writing duos of last century?
    Answer: no. (But I guess it helps that in my personal pantheon, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are placed slightly higher than Buddha and Ghandi...)

    This film, one of those modern musicals that revolve entirely around already existing songs, like Moulin Rouge or Mama Mia, is an absolute delight. The story is so wafer thin as to be completely absent (Liverpool boy goes to America to find his dad, finds mate, falls in love with mate's sister, sister rejects him but they come together after an impromptu roof concert anyway. The end.) but it doesn't matter one bit.

    The Beatles' songs -which really are the fabric that hold the whole thing together- are so well arranged and integrated in the film that every scene is delightful, and one just looks forward to the next song. And even though the songs are taken quite literally and integrated in the story as such, rather than taking away from the magic, it adds to it! In fact, the whole film plays rather more as a concept album than a coherent film.

    The visuals, sixties and pop culture in-jokes and references are too many to list (Yellow Submarine's Blue Meanies pop up, the Furthur peace bus, Janis Joplin's porsche, et cetera et cetera), but add to the fun.

    Highlights:
    Joe Cocker (in a cameo) doing a thumping and spellbinding rendition of Come Together.
    T.V. Carpio's deeply wistful rendition of I Wanna Hold Your Hand (with a twist...) amidst a marvellously choreographed "ballet" of slo-mo rugby players.
    An extremely powerful negro spiritual version of Let It Be.
    And any scene with Dana Fuchs who does an extremely impressive Janis Joplin.

    Yes, dramatically the film is a mess, but its style and visual and aural exuberance are utterly mesmerising and enjoyable. I had the best time!

    Film: 4 out of 5

    Elliot Goldenthal's original music is so sparse as to be non-existent, but his (collaborative) work on the Lennon/McCartney arrangements is nothing short of genius.

    Soundtrack: 20 out of 5
    ===================================================

    AND I JUST FOUND OUT I MISSED THE DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL YESTERDAY! crazy
    AND IT'S NOT REPEATED! crazy crazy crazy
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    Martijn wrote
    Mad Men

    Took a stab at this series, which I knew nothing about , aside from the fact that it dealt with Madison Avenue men (ad men) in the fifties, which sounded like a brilliant set-up for a series!
    However, four episodes in, it's become clear it's just another soap opera (with a high Desperate Housewives vibe) which just happened to be set in the fifties (and for all the attention to practical period detail, this adds nothing of value), with a cast of uniformly unlikeable characters who do very little but be nasty or look deeply troubled at each other, and nothing much insightful happening. The script is neither clever nor interesting.


    I enjoy this. Have watched the first two seasons. You're right, it's a glossy soap at heart, but I've found it very engaging. Clever and interesting.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    Glad you enjoy it. I won't revisit it though. smile
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorkeky
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    2012

    I enjoyed Emmerich's The Day After Tomorrow and ID4 but this film was sooooo bad. Cliched, boring and cheesy on all level. Yes, the special effects were good but who cares, if they are in a very bad movie? I also hated how Hollywood changed its mind so soon after 11.09.2001. Just look at how World Trade Center and United 93 dealt with the catastrophe. Now, compare them with this movie where you can enjoy watching people falling down from skycrapers, and so on. I wish the filmmakers had worked more on characters and not only on the effects.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    MARTIJN, i repeat my strong urge for you to open a movie review website. Seriously. It's very easy.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    smile
    Cheers mate, but there's no way I'd find the time to maintain anything like that.
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    You already do, here. It's exactly the same thing...you will update it whenever you feel like it. Why let them getting lost down threads?
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
  1. Martijn wrote
    smile
    Cheers mate, but there's no way I'd find the time to maintain anything like that.


    Get a blogspot smile
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    Appreciate the sentiment, guys, but I genuinely believe that it's not the piece of land you stake in the global village, but what you cultivate that will get noticed and appreciated.

    Anyone can start a blog/site, but -especially when you update it "whenever"...who cares?
    I much more enjoy the good people here reading and discussing anything I write than me writing my heart out for googlebots and Russian adcrawlers.
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    sdtom wrote
    Timmer wrote
    I've never heard of a release for that one Tom, maybe there's a theme or suite on one of the Hammer compilations?


    Totally unaware that Norman did stuff like that. I liked it a lot


    I found nothing, nothing, and more nothing for this release. In fact Soundtrack Collector doesn't recognize the film or the fact that Norman wrote the score.
    Thomas
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    Martijn wrote
    Appreciate the sentiment, guys, but I genuinely believe that it's not the piece of land you stake in the global village, but what you cultivate that will get noticed and appreciated.

    Anyone can start a blog/site, but -especially when you update it "whenever"...who cares?
    I much more enjoy the good people here reading and discussing anything I write than me writing my heart out for googlebots and Russian adcrawlers.


    You could just update it whenever you have a birthday, which seems to be more often than most.
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    smile
    listen to more classical music!
  2. Martijn wrote
    AND I JUST FOUND OUT I MISSED THE DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL YESTERDAY! crazy
    AND IT'S NOT REPEATED! crazy crazy crazy

    Are you able to view BBC3? It's repeated on Wednesday this week.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorAnthony
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    iPlayer? All the torrent sites?
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Martijn wrote
    AND I JUST FOUND OUT I MISSED THE DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL YESTERDAY! crazy
    AND IT'S NOT REPEATED! crazy crazy crazy

    Are you able to view BBC3?

    Nope. sad

    Anthony wrote
    iPlayer?

    Whuh? confused

    All the torrent sites?

    Not on there.

    (Yet.)
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorAnthony
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

    I don't know if it will be gay and be country specific. Probably. But worth a shot.
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    Anthony wrote
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

    I don't know if it will be gay and be country specific. Probably. But worth a shot.


    Ah the BBC player.
    No, that doesn't do anything outside of the UK (unless you start doing complicated stuff with Russian proxies).
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorBhelPuri
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009 edited
    Martijn wrote
    Answer: no. (But I guess it helps that in my personal pantheon, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are placed slightly higher than Buddha and Ghandi...)


    Erm! That's Gandhi
  3. A Walk to Remember

    Overtly dramatic movie, but it works. Very touching and a true chemistry between the 2 leads. Mandy Moore is soooooooooooo cute shame

    7 out of 10
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
    •  
      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    BhelPuri wrote
    Martijn wrote
    Answer: no. (But I guess it helps that in my personal pantheon, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are placed slightly higher than Buddha and Ghandi...)


    Erm! That's Gandhi


    He probably meant Bob Ghandi, the ineffective songwriter.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSouthall
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    Martijn wrote
    Anthony wrote
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

    I don't know if it will be gay and be country specific. Probably. But worth a shot.


    Ah the BBC player.
    No, that doesn't do anything outside of the UK (unless you start doing complicated stuff with Russian proxies).


    I'm pleased to announce that not only could I watch it on the BBC player, I could watch the repeat on BBC-3 and I could watch it on demand on Sky Anytime (in HD). And I won't be doing ANY of those things because I don't like Dr Who. I just wanted you to know that I could.
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    And I'm sure I can't not being in the UK
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 16th 2009
    BhelPuri wrote
    Martijn wrote
    Answer: no. (But I guess it helps that in my personal pantheon, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are placed slightly higher than Buddha and Ghandi...)


    Erm! That's Gandhi


    Not in the Pankot dialect, which is what I am most familiar with.

    Southall wrote
    I just wanted you to know that I could.


    Apparently your special kind of brain is very much wanted over in Pankot.
    Chilled.
    For desert.
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorScribe
    • CommentTimeNov 17th 2009
    Watched last night: Let The Right One In
    Finally got a chance to see this, rented on Bluray. I'm not sure what to say about it, but I feel like I must say something, because I am very close to sure it has instantly become my personal favorite movie of everything I've ever seen.

    I will say this, it makes me sad that I live in America because I can't think of a single person I could show this film to that wouldn't think I was weird or crazy for liking it so much.
    I love you all. Never change. Well, unless you want to!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeNov 17th 2009
    No worries, over here in Europe I'd think the very same thing (though obviously I'd be far too polite to actually come out and say it wink )

    Just kidding.
    But although I thought the film was cute, I can't honestly understand the general critical hullabaloo around it.

    Aside from one or two pretty disturbing scenes, I couldn't really see all that much difference with the kind of Scandinavian/North European matinee TV I grew up with (which tended to more often than not concern alienated loner kids, often confronted (or seeking out) surreal or darkly fantastic circumstances).
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorsdtom
    • CommentTimeNov 17th 2009
    I did watch House last night and found it to be quite boring.
    listen to more classical music!
    •  
      CommentAuthorScribe
    • CommentTimeNov 17th 2009
    Well at least you Europeans are slightly more polite wink

    Honestly I can understand your point of view, especially since I didn't grow up with any such kind of TV - if the basic concept was already familiar to you, I can see this film not being all that "mind-blowing" smile

    Besides the high production values and gorgeous cinematography, the main reason this film made an impact on me is that it made me care about and empathize with the boy and girl. After the first half-hour my impressions were lukewarm, I thought it looked beautiful but plot-and-character-wise was relatively formulaic. But somewhere between the 30 and 60 minute mark, it pulled me in and wouldn't let go.
    I love you all. Never change. Well, unless you want to!
    •  
      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeNov 17th 2009
    Scribe wrote
    Watched last night: Let The Right One In
    Finally got a chance to see this, rented on Bluray. I'm not sure what to say about it, but I feel like I must say something, because I am very close to sure it has instantly become my personal favorite movie of everything I've ever seen.

    I will say this, it makes me sad that I live in America because I can't think of a single person I could show this film to that wouldn't think I was weird or crazy for liking it so much.


    beer

    Isn't the score simply BRILLIANT? The atmosphere is so gripping and emotional. Very, very captivating and simply beautiful.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    •  
      CommentAuthorScribe
    • CommentTimeNov 17th 2009
    Christodoulides wrote
    Isn't the score simply BRILLIANT? The atmosphere is so gripping and emotional. Very, very captivating and simply beautiful.


    The score is perfect. Not only the music itself, but also the use of it, in regards to the scenes that were and weren't scored. There were so many suspenseful scenes that in a lesser film, would have gotten boring cliched filler suspence music, that were instead wisely left unscored and/or so lightly scored that I was completely unaware of there being a score. This had the effect of making the emotionally-scored parts all the more powerful. Can't wait to get it on CD.
    I love you all. Never change. Well, unless you want to!