Movies you've seen lately

[40hz]

@Ren - Start with their books. Poppy Z. has done some new Lovecraftian inspired stories that stand up to the originals. They're not the usual pastiches either. They do interesting things with Lovecraft's concepts. But they're fully modern treatments. Beyond that, all her(?) stuff is good. Excellent writer. Probably the best thing currently going for modern horror.

Tom Ligotti's stuff is flat-out surreal, to say nothing of eerie and weird. He'll take a simple event or phenomena and spin it into something beyond sinister at the drop of a hat. His appropriately named The Nightmare Factory is a good starting anthology.

Matheson is famous for the Twilight Zone episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.. (That's the one with the airliner and the gremlin.) His anthology by the same name is one place to start. He's one terrific writer, and more mainstream than the previous two.

[Renegade]

Matheson is famous for the Twilight Zone episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.. (That's the one with the airliner and the gremlin.) His anthology by the same name is one place to start. He's one terrific writer, and more mainstream than the previous two.

-40hz (February 13, 2015, 02:22 PM)

Ah! I remember that episode clearly. It was brilliant!

I'll need to follow up on all that. Books are out of the questions now --- I just threw out many hundreds of $$$ of retail value of books last night, and I'll be doing that to more as we prepare to move.


Mirrormask (2005)



@40hz - I think you will enjoy this. See below.

This is a very British style film. If you hate British styles, you'll hate this, and if you love 'em, you may well like this.

Now, as a British film, I find many make me want to commit suicide rather than watch another second. Some are just boring to tears and entirely push you to suicide. Some British film makers love to mirror their weather.

Then... There is that other class of British films that is simply brilliant or bizarre - one of the two, and sometimes both.

This film will likely get you to pull out the razor blades in the first 20 minutes or so, but don't slice your wrists quite so quickly -- it gets a lot better!

What is this film? A mix of:

• The Dark Crystal
• Alice in Wonderland
• The Wizard of Oz
• The Wall

But it's more than that. It mixes in some kind of bizarrely organic clock-work world with a dark element that isn't as hopeful as steam punk.

The art and CGI is spectacularly well done.

I do NOT recommend this for people that like big tits and sex scenes, or lots of shoot 'em up, or mainstream films.

This is squarely in the "art" category, but not so far into it that it's just stupid, as many "art" films are.

Take that for what you will and from my past recommendations and likes.

Oh... and one last thing...

If you like to get high... yeah... do it. You'll like this. Very trippy~!  

[wraith808]

Just watched Gone Girl.



Great story, though it focused a bit overmuch on the sensationalist and titillating rather than emphasizing the substance of the story.  Less is more, in my opinion.  And that seems to be a lost art.

But I would recommend it, with a definite caveat that it is on the more harsh end of the R scale.

[bit]

Atsu Hime
50 episodes.
Based on the true life story of Tenshōin, an influential and extraordinary Japanese princess who lived from 1836 to 1883.

-bit (January 23, 2015, 10:27 PM)

Good site.  I've been watching some Asian movies etc. on YouTube and many emanate from there.   

-MilesAhead (January 24, 2015, 06:01 AM)

I'm up to Episode 37, which also now includes scenes with Horikita Maki as the Imperial Princess (not to detract from the others, and especially Miyazaki Aoi as Lady Tenshoin), and this historical drama series continues to impress beyond all expectations. 

[Renegade]

Wyrmwood



Zombie B movie with an awesome Ned Kelly allusion. Aussie flick.

It gets funkier.

Ranks right up there with "Dead Alive" - a Kiwi flick that came out a few decades ago.

Some seriously messed up black humour in there. 

The educational point that I took away was Aussies say "ay" where Canadians say "eh". Very intellectual stuff!

But still fun.

Hint, there's a twist in this flick that isn't in many stories you'll hear.

[mwb1100]

Another Aussie flick that I watched a few days ago, The Rover

It's one of those movies that I felt was too slow moving and even boring while I was watching it, but I keep thinking about it. The thing that make me very glad I stuck with it is that it has many story lines that are just hinted at and characters that you wonder about how they got to this point - what's their back story?  You are only given some small bit of history on the main character, Eric.  Everything else if left for you wonder about, and I think that makes this movie finish like a great short story.

[Renegade]

I've not finished watching this, but am posting it because you can get it for free now.

Bought

This film is free for a limited time.

FYI -- This covers a broad spectrum of health issues and not just vaccines.

http://www.activistp...t-few-more-days.html

"Your health, now brought to you by Wall Street... - Hidden Story Behind Vaccines, Big Pharma and Your Food."

In our "Activist Post Theater," you can purchase the year's most thought provoking film - Bought. However, most likely due to increased media pressure to accept medical force when it comes to vaccines - the makers of the movie have released it online for free.

Early viewers are reacting as though it is the most important, mind-blowing information to see in a film this year.

This offer is only available between February 22 - March 6, 2015. You can enter your email here, or simply click here to watch now.

Link to free film: https://[email protected]

[bit]

Beautiful Life
11 episodes

[bit]

Tokyo Boy
http://www.gooddrama.net/japanese-movie/tokyo-boy-movie
-or-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE7jybBaNiQ
Maki Horikita is a top -and I mean top- Japanese actress who gives an awesome performance as Minato, a beautiful, sweet young woman who does not realize she is Multiple Personality and can't figure her life out.
This is a picture of her 'Alter' or 'alternate persona', whose name is 'Nighto', also played by her:

[MilesAhead]

Tokyo Boy

-bit (April 15, 2015, 12:56 AM)

This was a fun flick.   

[zenlike]

Here's my list of Great movies I have seen in the last year on netflix.

1. Old Boy (2003) Not the remake. but the original (if you don't like subs the remake is still good)

2. Dredd (2012)  this was a great 80's style action movie I would stand it up against any classics, we need more like this 

3. End of watch  (2012) Great cop movie gotta see this !

4. Your Highness (2011) ok kinda a racy comedy and I will admit I am a child and laugh at some silly stuff, so maybe not for people that hate crude humor. but made me laugh pretty hard in a few spots.

Those are the best 4 I have seen in the last year check them out .

[bit]

Rachel & Jun are a young American-Japanese couple (Rachel's American; Jun's Japanese) who've posted a ton of vids on their vlog.
This is a 3-part vid set (1st two vids by Rachel; 3rd vid by Jun) about Rachel, titled 'My (Rachel's) most embarrassing moment in Japan' (actually, in her entire life, right after she and Jun first got married);
My most embarrassing moment in Japan (part 1)
My most embarrassing moment in Japan (part 2)
-and-
Rachel's husband Jun's side of it (part 3), which he calls Hakone trip from my perspective

[bit]

Real (2013) is a Japanese psychological thriller rated at 9.04/10 with 95 votes.

"Koichi (Takeru Sato) & Atsumi (Haruka Ayase) have been friends since their childhood days and they eventually became lovers. About one year ago, Atsumi attempted to commit suicide and fell into a coma afterwards. Koichi, desperate to know why Atsumi attempted suicide, takes part in a new medical procedure that involves the central nervous system. Koichi will enter the subconscious mind of Atsumi through the medical procedure. When Koichi enters the subconscious mind of Atsumi, shes asks Koichi to find a picture of a "plesiosaur" she drew as a child. The drawing is the key that brings back a suppressed childhood memory that brings their minds together."

I've seen this kind of mind-diving thing done USA Hollywood-style with the usual American film studio overdose of eye-candy and senseless violence, but Real does it Japanese-style with impressive special effects and an awesome plot-twist.

[4wd]

The Groundstar Conspiracy and Project X both based on the novels of L. P. Davies^w.

Both are based on the loss of identity, (in one form or another), of the main characters.

[bit]

Thank you everyone, I'm glad people are enjoying my recommendations.  
I am enjoying yours as well.

Hitsudan Hostess
"The story is based on the bestselling autobiography of 25-year-old Rie Saito, who became a number-one hostess in Ginza (Ginza is the top such establishment in Tokyo, so IOW, she is the most popular hostess in all of Japan) despite being deaf. "Hitsudan Hostess" was published by Kobunsha and so far (as of 2010) has sold over 200,000 copies. The book depicts the life of Rie Saito, who was born in Aomori and became deaf at the age of 2 due to an illness (meningitis)."

An older female 'hostess proprietor' (one who entertains wealthy clients in swank but morally proper high-class pub-type settings) hires Rie as a discouraged and unemployed young deaf woman with no hope of future employment prospects.
Rie becomes overwhelmingly popular and successful with the clientele, but deep down inside she wishes she could somehow reconcile with the disapproving mother who loved and raised her to become such a remarkable person.
At the beginning and end of the show, there is a brief 1 minute cameo film short of the real Rie Saito.

Update: real-life news about the real Rie Saito:
Kita Ward Assembly adopts hearing, speaking aids to help disabled legislators
"The Kita Ward Assembly, where deaf-mute Tokyo author Rie Saito was elected in the quadrennial unified elections in April, has become the first legislature in the nation to develop a system that allows lawmakers with hearing or speech impediments to participate in sessions in real time.

The text-to-speech conversion system announced Tuesday makes use of wireless devices, the public address system, and personal computers so disabled lawmakers can interact with other members in a more seamless fashion."

[bit]

Tokkan is a 10-episode situation comedy drama starring Inoue Mao.
I hope nobody gets annoyed with me posting Japanese multi-show dramas or films; nobody likes duds, and I am trying to be as careful as I can to post only what I think are really good ones.
One of the best ways to find them is to browse the host web filmographies of top stars, and Inoue Mao is another awesome film star in Japan who always delivers.
"Miki (Inoue Mao) is run ragged each day as ruthless tax investigator Kagami’s assistant to collect taxes from tax defaulters."

Inoue Mao

[MilesAhead]

Tokkan is a 10-episode situation comedy drama starring Inoue Mao.
I hope nobody gets annoyed with me posting Japanese multi-show dramas or films; nobody likes duds, and I am trying to be as careful as I can to post only what I think are really good ones.
One of the best ways to find them is to browse the host web filmographies of top stars, and Inoue Mao is another awesome film star in Japan who always delivers.
"Miki (Inoue Mao) is run ragged each day as ruthless tax investigator Kagami’s assistant to collect taxes from tax defaulters." (see attachment in previous post)Inoue Mao

-bit (May 15, 2015, 12:57 AM)

The first show I saw her in was Hana Yori Dango

She was way cute.  Although the dancing boxing bit got old after awhile.  Still, it was kind of fun.  I have been on jdorama.com and d-addicts.com for years.  Although I rarely post.  As for me please post series you enjoy.  Especially if they can be accessed online for free with English Subs.  

[bit]

Tokkan is a 10-episode situation comedy drama starring Inoue Mao.
I hope nobody gets annoyed with me posting Japanese multi-show dramas or films; nobody likes duds, and I am trying to be as careful as I can to post only what I think are really good ones.
One of the best ways to find them is to browse the host web filmographies of top stars, and Inoue Mao is another awesome film star in Japan who always delivers.
"Miki (Inoue Mao) is run ragged each day as ruthless tax investigator Kagami’s assistant to collect taxes from tax defaulters." (see attachment in previous post)Inoue Mao

-bit (May 15, 2015, 12:57 AM)

The first show I saw her in was Hana Yori Dango

She was way cute.  Although the dancing boxing bit got old after awhile.  Still, it was kind of fun.  I have been on jdorama.com and d-addicts.com for years.  Although I rarely post.  As for me please post series you enjoy.  Especially if they can be accessed online for free with English Subs.   

-MilesAhead (May 15, 2015, 05:36 AM)

For sure! 

[mouser]

I've had an old friend visiting for the last 12 days and we saw several movies:

• Mad Max Fury Road - Not bad, but basically one long car chase.
• Tomorrowland - I hated it; friend liked it.
• Poltergeist (2015) - Should have walked out half way; terrible.
• Wild Tales (2014) - Spanish subtitled.  LOVED LOVED LOVED IT. Highly recommended.

[4wd]

• Mad Max Fury Road - Not bad, but basically one long car chase.
• Poltergeist (2015) - Should have walked out half way; terrible.

-mouser (May 28, 2015, 08:55 AM)

Spot on, Mad Max also tended to become a little tedious the longer it went on.

[tomos]

Victoria - set in Berlin nightime, mostly in (broken) English.
Unusual movie - it's filmed in one take (!) so it's set in real time. Starts out in a club (too much strobe-lighting for me), moves onto the streets.
A wee bit slow maybe in the first third, but still enjoyable, and when it really gets going, it does a good job of it

I'd highly recommend it. I enjoy going to films knowing as little as possible about them, so if you want to know more, follow the link.

[Deozaan]

Victoria - set in Berlin nightime, mostly in (broken) English.
Unusual movie - it's filmed in one take (!)

-tomos (June 19, 2015, 06:07 PM)

Strange that you should mention that. I'd never heard of a feature-length movie filmed in a single take until last week. My wife checked out Russian Ark (2002) from the library. It is also filmed in one take. I was curious to see how it turned out. But my wife started it without me and found it too strange within the first few minutes, so she stopped it and (later) took it back without either of us watching it.

The back of the DVD case made it sound like it was about time travel. I don't get the same idea from IMDB's description of the film:

A 19th century French aristocrat, notorious for his scathing memoirs about life in Russia, travels through the Russian State Hermitage Museum and encounters historical figures from the last 200+ years.

-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318034/

[4wd]

Strange that you should mention that. I'd never heard of a feature-length movie filmed in a single take until last week.

-Deozaan (June 19, 2015, 07:52 PM)

There's also La casa muda, if you like horror, which is done in Long Take^w format.  Watched it about a year ago and enjoyed it.

PVC-1 isn't too bad either.

[tomos]

^^ I remember watching The Player (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105151/) in the cinema when it came out ('92 or '93) and the first take lasted a few minutes and there was a lot of fuss about it at the time. I didnt know technology (and direction) had advanced so much.

Tbh, while watching the film [Victoria] I kept forgetting about the concept - and then remembering it again. That's a compliment to the acting and storyline. It was over two hours, and I tend to get very restless unless a film is really gripping - but this one was. FWIW it's very real life, young one in party mode in a club, meets a bunch of lads celebrating a birthday, who turn out to be decent enough blokes, if not averse to a bit of petty crime. Later a real criminal element gets involved ...

[MilesAhead]

I remember watching The Player

-tomos (June 20, 2015, 06:49 AM)

I enjoyed that flick.  Tim Robbins starred in some funny send-up flicks.  Another was Bob Roberts where he costarred with Gore Vidal.