Yeah, slow day at the office. 
Been watching a lot of pretty good films recently, here's a summary.
Catch Me If You Can *** Very entertaining. Good story and cast. Good directing job by Speilberg and his annoying side only shows a couple of times.
Gangs Of New York *** Very frustrating at times but ultimately a worthwhile accomplishment, I think. Probably worth seeing in the theater(?). Scorcese is a master but even he may be over-reaching with this one. He borrows from every imaginable source, tries to tell stories within stories and make films within films. Daniel Day-Lewis will be a shoe-in for his performance. In some ways this is the most anti-American film I've ever seen, but it does have a sentimental side.
Minority Report *** Some flaws but the best futuristic thriller I've seen since Matrix. Spielberg definitely isn't washed up yet.
Narc **** Loved it. This low-budget film will (or should) win a lot of awards. It's being called the best cop film since The French Connection. The story's been done before but the intensity, acting and direction in this are astounding.
Bowling For Columbine *** The usual Michael Moore documentary- love it or hate it. This is a timely release with the current war fever. I've never seen an American filmmaker pay so much attention to Canada, he actually knows we exist here. Go Mike.
Secretary *** A mixed up girl and her kinky boss. (erotic? ummm, yes) Maggie Gyllenhaal should win an Oscar for this, she's amazing!!
About Schmidt *** A really powerful film in a quiet, low key way. An insurance executive retires and slowly realizes that his life has been completely meaningless.
I'd be interested in others' comments. Wintertime we hibernate and download a lot of movies. I don't like to spoil the plots for people.. but if you want any more info on those above, ask away.
Noam
Been watching a lot of pretty good films recently, here's a summary.
Catch Me If You Can *** Very entertaining. Good story and cast. Good directing job by Speilberg and his annoying side only shows a couple of times.
Gangs Of New York *** Very frustrating at times but ultimately a worthwhile accomplishment, I think. Probably worth seeing in the theater(?). Scorcese is a master but even he may be over-reaching with this one. He borrows from every imaginable source, tries to tell stories within stories and make films within films. Daniel Day-Lewis will be a shoe-in for his performance. In some ways this is the most anti-American film I've ever seen, but it does have a sentimental side.
Minority Report *** Some flaws but the best futuristic thriller I've seen since Matrix. Spielberg definitely isn't washed up yet.
Narc **** Loved it. This low-budget film will (or should) win a lot of awards. It's being called the best cop film since The French Connection. The story's been done before but the intensity, acting and direction in this are astounding.
Bowling For Columbine *** The usual Michael Moore documentary- love it or hate it. This is a timely release with the current war fever. I've never seen an American filmmaker pay so much attention to Canada, he actually knows we exist here. Go Mike.
Secretary *** A mixed up girl and her kinky boss. (erotic? ummm, yes) Maggie Gyllenhaal should win an Oscar for this, she's amazing!!
About Schmidt *** A really powerful film in a quiet, low key way. An insurance executive retires and slowly realizes that his life has been completely meaningless.
I'd be interested in others' comments. Wintertime we hibernate and download a lot of movies. I don't like to spoil the plots for people.. but if you want any more info on those above, ask away.
Noam
This is released here in the next week or so. It's booked aleady. I used to HATE Tom Cruise as an actor, but he's getting better as he gets older.Noam said:
I want to see this one so bad, but it doesn't look like being released here. Might have to wait for it on DVD and import.
I'm not much into the typical "blockbuster" type film, so I'll mention,
<b>Beneath Clouds</b>
Story of a girl in search of herself, as she leaves home and tries to leave here Aboriginality behind too. Sparse, beautifully shot, and with little pointless background music. The silences in this film say an enormous amount, and many of the incidents that happen (esp with the Police) are true to my own experience. The areas it was shot in are only a couple of hours from here. I see the racism it portrays (very honestly) every day.
<b>Monsoon Wedding</b>
The lead up to, and the actual wedding of an Indian girl (in Delhi). Intricate personality plays and characterisations, very funny, detailed and intimate. The scenes with the maid and the wedding planner are outstanding, especially his proposal.
<b>Bend It Like Beckham</b>
UK film about an Indian girl who loves football (soccer) above all else, and her fight with her family to play, in contrast to her traditional sister who is getting married at the same time. Funny, with lots of misunderstandings coming from the deceptions she uses to play when she's not allowed to.
<b>Mr In Between</b>
Existential crime thriller that explores the void between humanity and cruelty, and between appearance and reality. NO punches pulled, very harsh and nasty. I can't say I *enjoyed* it, but it made me think. It was kind of like watching a multi-car/truck accident in slow motion and seeing everything that happens to everyone involved in great detail. The Tattooed Man is a great characterisation.
<b>My Life As A House</b>
I saw this a few nights ago, and it really got under my skin. It's about a man who rebuilds a house in the last few months of his life, and the dramatic effect that has on everyone around him, especially his son. Very good.
<b>The Sweetest Thing</b>
Light fairy-floss (cotton candy) film. Typical US fare, but a couple of very funny moments. I'd wait till it came out as a weekly.
<b>Kill Me Later</b>
Girl who is so fed up with her life, she climbs on to the roof a the bank where she works, and is about to jump, when there's a holdup that goes wrong and she's used as a hostage. In the getaway, she starts to change and come alive again. A bit predictable, but enjoyable.
<b>Rabbit Proof Fence</b>
True story about 3 half-caste girls (Aboriginal/white) who were taken from their parents to a camp hundreds of miles away, where they were to be retrained and educated as domestic servants, and brought into white society. To make them "civilised". The girls escape and follow the rabbit proof fence across the WA desert to try to get home. Though this was set early in the last century, such behaviour was government policy until quite recently (late 60's).
These were stories I had no idea about at all until a long visit with a Koori friend's family about 5 years ago, where I was told all the stories of what had happened to members of their family.
<b>Kandahar</b>
Story of a woman who escaped from Afghanistan as a child and emigrated to Canada, who returns illegally to try to save her sister from comitting suicide at the last eclipse of the century. Her travels show the desperation of a people who's country has been devastated by years of war.
<b>The Royal Tennenbaums</b>
Greatest POS I've seen in years. I got my money back on that one. American's can't seem to do droll like the Poms.
I can't get very good TV reception where I live, so I watch a lot of movies. After working in the industry for a long time, most of what's on TV is dreck anyway (except the Simpsons), as are most movies, and not worth watching. Recently I've been watching older movies that I avoided like the plague when they were new, because of the hype; flicks like Dances with Wolves, Titanic, Interview with the Vampire etc and am enjoying them for what they are, but then again they're cheap.
Cheers
I forgot a few more...
Adaptation - very good film, with a twisty plot and a steady building energy. Nicolas Cage may even beat Daniel Day-Lewis for the Oscar.. DDL's Gangs Of New York performance looked so 'easy' while Cage gives an incredible performance in Adaptation, playing identical twins, both screenwriters.. one overconfident and one neurotic. That Maggie babe from Secretary shows up in a minor role too.
Road to Perdition - take it or leave it. I enjoy mob stories and this one wasn't bad but not especially memorable either. Tom Hanks is pretty convincing as an Irish thug.
Antwone Fisher - fine, nothing to hate about it, just a bit too syrupy. If you liked Forest Gump, you'll like this too.
Noam
Adaptation - very good film, with a twisty plot and a steady building energy. Nicolas Cage may even beat Daniel Day-Lewis for the Oscar.. DDL's Gangs Of New York performance looked so 'easy' while Cage gives an incredible performance in Adaptation, playing identical twins, both screenwriters.. one overconfident and one neurotic. That Maggie babe from Secretary shows up in a minor role too.
Road to Perdition - take it or leave it. I enjoy mob stories and this one wasn't bad but not especially memorable either. Tom Hanks is pretty convincing as an Irish thug.
Antwone Fisher - fine, nothing to hate about it, just a bit too syrupy. If you liked Forest Gump, you'll like this too.
Noam
Rented "The 10th Kingdom" on DVD last week. It's a seven hour long mini-series and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I watch all my films at home...and not on DVD either!! Not really but I do watch some at home...... I have been into film collecting...and collecting old cinema equipment for over 20 years...its also what I do for a living....install and service cinema equiipment. The sound system consists of a Dolby CP-50 with SR playback and 3 BGW power amplifiers. Screen speakers are small Altecs, and surrounds are still to be installed.......Light source is a 700 watt Xenon n a Strong Lamphouse. The screen is 9 X 4 feet. I can run 70mm too, but have not installed any mag preamps yet. Its alot of fun! Beats an LCD projector......only drawback is the weight of this Todd-AO machine...it weighs in at almost 1500 lbs! But sure the picture is real steady.
Mark
Mark
Attachments
Films can be bought, but the rights remain the property of the studios. Ya can only show them at home and for no admission charge or anything. Sort of like building one of Nelson's amplifiers!! A good place to start looking for films is with a subscription to the Big Reel Magazine. There are alot more people that do this than you might think!! The cost of a film can range from 50 bucks to many thousands of dollars depending on what your after. Expect to pay thousands for a print of something like say Gone With The Wind in 35mm, than you might for the latest Ernest Takes a Trip Movie.
Check out www.35mmforum.com
That DP-70 Phillips projector in the photo was originally one of the machines that was in the Seattle Cinerama Theatre, so there is quite a history behind it. It was probably manufactured around 1960 or so, and it is still in like new condition as it was very well kept up. There were originally about 1800 of these machines manufactured by Phillips and well over a thousand machines remain in service today, although most have been relegated to runnning off of a film platter system rather than reel to reel.
Check out this link for the history and development of this projector!!
http://www.dp70.com/
Enjoy!
MArk
Check out www.35mmforum.com
That DP-70 Phillips projector in the photo was originally one of the machines that was in the Seattle Cinerama Theatre, so there is quite a history behind it. It was probably manufactured around 1960 or so, and it is still in like new condition as it was very well kept up. There were originally about 1800 of these machines manufactured by Phillips and well over a thousand machines remain in service today, although most have been relegated to runnning off of a film platter system rather than reel to reel.
Check out this link for the history and development of this projector!!
http://www.dp70.com/
Enjoy!
MArk
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