Last Movie You Watched

[James]

Hate commentary tracks .. never understood them.

[Bogey]

If the copy you have has Michael Jeck's justly famed commentary, then I urge you to take the time to play it. It was one of the earliest commentary tracks from the days of laserdics and set the standard by which all others were, and still are, judged. And he will certainly explain and highlight all the touches of understated genius throughout the film.

I got the bluray edition from Netflix for a trial run to see if I wanted to purchase the film so no extra disc.     However, I will try to find that commentary.  I must say though, that I rarely make it through the commentary tracks.  I get about 15 minute or so in and I find most of them so so.  I usually enjoy the shorter insight extras, but the full commentary tracks have never clicked for me. 

[James]

I must say though, that I rarely make it through the commentary tracks.  I get about 15 minute or so in and I find most of them so so.  I usually enjoy the shorter insight extras, but the full commentary tracks have never clicked for me.

Again, I agree. I wish they would stop doing them, there is truly little appeal in sitting there and listening to directors, film geeks, performers indulgent reminiscing over the stuff for it's entire duration.  Pompous crap that's ridiculous. The modestly sized extras are enough for me too.

[Bogey]

Again, I agree. I wish they would stop doing them, there is truly little appeal in sitting there and listening to directors, film geeks, performers indulgent reminiscing over the stuff for it's entire duration.  Pompous crap that's ridiculous. The modestly sized extras are enough for me too.

Take Bridge of Spies for instance, or All the President's Men.  Spielberg and Redford did excellent jobs of shooting an extra bio on each film and those shorts could stand alone as great film making.  However, listening to someones son discuss a film that his father made for 2 hours is just too much.   You know it is going south almost immediately when it takes them ten minutes to say anything after they introduce themselves because there really is not that much to say that will add light to the film.

[Drasko]

Yup, its here:

http://www.davidsaulrosenfeld.com/

The bit about Naruse is near the start of Chapter 8 "The End", the paragraph starting: "In Catherine Russell’s comprehensive study of the films of Mikio Naruse..."

The videostore I frequent has When Woman Ascends the Stairs, so I'll be seeing that soon, but has no others.

Thank you!

I've read the paragraph in question and frankly I'm not quite sold on author's argument, it seems just way too general and vague. One can compare pretty much anything like that.

Hope you like When Woman ..., it's a beautiful film, Antonioni comparison or not.

[aligreto]

[George]

Entertaining and surprisingly moving.

[Drasko]

It feels a bit more structured than documentaries usually do, but on the other hand it helps it dramatically. And as usual it's more an insight in production process than in creative one, but it is an enjoyable watch.   

[Karl Henning]

I got the bluray edition from Netflix for a trial run to see if I wanted to purchase the film so no extra disc.     However, I will try to find that commentary.  I must say though, that I rarely make it through the commentary tracks.  I get about 15 minute or so in and I find most of them so so.  I usually enjoy the shorter insight extras, but the full commentary tracks have never clicked for me. 

Cheers, Bill.  It varies, unsurprisingly.  On either end, you have by turns commentary tracks which are almost entirely value added, or those which are exasperatingly thin;  and a large population of commentary tracks somewhere in between.  For those in the middle, each of us will have a different degree of appetite. For me, quite a few in the middle are worthwhile as a sort of oral history marginalia, and I am content if I learn a few new things I hadn't picked up elsewhere. (We may say that I learn more from even some of the thinnish commentaries, than I do from certain participants on this thread  )

I seldom find complaint with most commentary, if even where the content is thin, I find it of interest to watch the screen, detached from following the script as story teller.

[Karl Henning]

Thread Duty:  Watching Valkyrie, listening to the commentary. I've learnt, for instance, that Stauffenberg's grandson is in the cast.

[Bogey]

Cheers, Bill.  It varies, unsurprisingly.  On either end, you have by turns commentary tracks which are almost entirely value added, or those which are exasperatingly thin;  and a large population of commentary tracks somewhere in between.  For those in the middle, each of us will have a different degree of appetite. For me, quite a few in the middle are worthwhile as a sort of oral history marginalia, and I am content if I learn a few new things I hadn't picked up elsewhere. (We may say that I learn more from even some of the thinnish commentaries, than I do from certain participants on this thread  )

I seldom find complaint with most commentary, if even where the content is thin, I find it of interest to watch the screen, detached from following the script as story teller.

No worries, my friend.  I can see others enjoying them.  I have found myself reading more on IMDB after a viewing and maybe this takes me to the point I want to be with the film. 

[James]

When the hapless Sing (Stephen Chow) and his dim-witted pal, Bone (Feng Xiaogang), try to scam the residents of Pig Sty Alley into thinking they're members of the dreaded Axe Gang, the real gangsters descend on this Shanghai slum to restore their fearsome reputation. What gang leader Brother Sum (Chan Kwok-kwan) doesn't know is that three legendary retired kung fu masters (Yu Xing, Dong Zhihua, Chiu Chi-ling) live anonymously in this decrepit neighborhood and don't take kindly to interlopers.

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[Karl Henning]

No worries, my friend.  I can see others enjoying them.  I have found myself reading more on IMDB after a viewing and maybe this takes me to the point I want to be with the film. 

In many cases, that is certainly more efficient!

[Abuelo Igor]

     My problem with 3D is that things pop out but don't pop in. The depth of field illusion only goes one way. I think this contributes to the discomfort as the brain falsifies what the eye "sees".

I really hate it when ornamental details (e.g. falling snowflakes), because of the "magic" of 3D, suddenly become the single most important thing on screen, upstaging the actors, the script and anything else that might be happening at that moment. Furthermore, when you already wear glasses, it is a major discomfort to try and fit the new pair over the old one. I won't be missing 3D too much when it finally dies out (as it is bound to, sooner or later, only to resurface later at some point when there's a new technological improvement, and so on and so forth).

Part of my problem with 3D is that I've never considered film to be aimed at the faithful reproduction of reality. I mean, would it still be cinema if we could touch and smell what we see on screen? And if you get a 360-degree virtual space, would it still be cinema if there are not specific details that we are meant to be looking at?

[Karl Henning]

Whatever happened to Smell-O-Vision?...

[Karl Henning]

I really hate it when ornamental details [snip] become the single most important thing on screen, upstaging the actors, the script and anything else that might be happening at that moment.

Didn't enjoy Star Wars much, did you?

(Sorry—just could not help myself!)

[(poco) Sforzando]

Whatever happened to Smell-O-Vision?...

It would certainly enhance "Babette's Feast." But then, would the theater provide samples of her caille en sarcophage?

[Karl Henning]

[James]

While exploring her new home, a girl named Coraline (Dakota Fanning) discovers a secret door, behind which lies an alternate world that closely mirrors her own but, in many ways, is better. She rejoices in her discovery, until Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) and the rest of her parallel family try to keep her there forever. Coraline must use all her resources and bravery to make it back to her own family and life.

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[James]

I won't be missing 3D too much when it finally dies out (as it is bound to, sooner or later, only to resurface later at some point when there's a new technological improvement, and so on and so forth).

I can't see the option dying out .. it'll only be getting better and better. Some of the movies I've experienced are so impressive, quite immersive. Bringing the viewer into the audio/visual experience to a whole new level.