What Emmanuelle Movie Did You Just Watch?

[Ben Thomas]

Spent yesterday at the arts cinema here and saw The Imposter and Take This Waltz.

Everyone needs to see The Imposter, stat. Really gripping documentary, really well told. I'm giving you no details, but it's a twisty turny, stranger than fiction tale that has the same kind of ambiguity as something like Capturing the Friedmans when it's done. I'd wager there are arguments raging in cafes right now over what people think the truth is.

Take This Waltz is a bit more of an acquired taste. It's wilfully quirky, but once you get past the first twenty minutes or so and settle into its rhythm, there's a lot to love here. Michelle Williams once again proves that she's the real deal and is often absolutely adorable. Seth Rogen is solid and isn't playing a complete jerk or a stoner, though he is riffing on his laidback persona. There is a dramatic sequence late in the film that he's not quite up to, but he doesn't scupper the film. I'd say overall, it's very much recommended with the proviso that it's not for everyone. Beautifully shot in really clean, warm colours too. Sarah Polley has a very sure hand for subtlety.

[Matt]

Not sure if I've even heard of THE IMPOSTER before, but I'll look for it.


And Rob? I told you that JAWS was the goods on blu ray.

[B_Metal]

Safe.

Genuinely energetic and surprisingly smart, I thought it was pretty great. Its the best film where Statham attempts an American accent. Not that his accent is any better, but it's barely there most of the time anyway. James Hong's in this. Chris Sarandon's in this. Robert John Burke is in this. Yeah, I really liked this film.

The square off at the end is brilliant imho. That is all I'll say about the end. But yeah, totally enjoyed this one.

[Ben Thomas]

Matt, don't even watch the trailer. Just trust me that if you liked Friedmans and Man on Wire, it has the twists and ambiguity of the former and the technical quality of the latter.

[Martin]

Pirates of the Caribeans 4: Same shit as before

I tried. I really tried. But it's the same crap as the 2 previous movies: Depp playing a good role, completely overwhelmed by everyone betreaying everyone, and attaining their goal in the end after a lot of bloated useless adventures. I'm out. What a waste of talent. Where is the lean fun of the first movie?

The Avengers

Re-watched it again with my son at home (wink wink). Holy fuck did he love it. He really geeked out, and now he loves the Hulk (the Hulk using a certain badguy as toilet paper had him in tears). After seeing it close to the last Batman, holy hell is The Avengers the best blockbuster of the last 5 years. Sure, Inception is my favorite movie, but The Avengers is a pure blockbuster.

So fun. I have the impression I'llbe re-watching it very often. Gotta buy that Blu ASAP.

[Abraham Smashington]

Indeed. I had so much fun with The Avengers. Cannot wait until it hits blu. The Marvelverse is just more fun at the moment than what DC is doing.

[Matt]

Agreed 100% on THE AVENGERS. I haven't had that much fun in a movie theater in years. Have there been better movies made? Absolutely, but this is just incredibly funand rewatchable.

[Captain Russ]

Bravo Joss

[Matt]

WIZARDS (1977, Ralph Bakshi)

I picked this up on blu ray and enjoyed it yesterday. I haven't seen all of Bakshi's films, but...of the ones that I've seen...this is the most satisfying in terms of narrative cohesion, pacing, voice talent, and overall execution. It has its flaws, and several ideas are under developed, but it holds up as a very solid fantasy film.

The blu ray is pretty impressive...the colors are fantastic and have a really nice, trippy quality about them that you simply don't find in other efforts. Bakshi provides an interesting, very intelligent commentary track that was pretty entertaining to listen to.

I bought this for the sake of nostalgia. My brother took me to see this theatrically back in 1977 and i watched it many times on vhs in the 80s. This was my first time watching it in probably twenty years...i was thrilled to still enjoy it.

[Captain Russ]

I remember seeing that late at night when I was a kid, along with Heavy Metal.

Thank Cthulu for cable and absentee parenting.

[Martin]

Here's my problem with Wizards: I hate everything by Ralph Bakshi. It's the art. It feels so alien to me when I was watching it as a kid that I'd rather get a 20 years of pound-in-the-ass-prison than rewatching any Bakshi flick ever again.

Total personal bias.

[Matt]

It's definitely a different aesthetic, so i totally get where you're coming from, Martin.

[Captain Russ]

I'd rather get a 20 years of pound-in-the-ass-prison than rewatching any Bakshi flick ever again.

...okay then.

[Anderson]

WIZARDS (1977, Ralph Bakshi)

I picked this up on blu ray and enjoyed it yesterday. I haven't seen all of Bakshi's films, but...of the ones that I've seen...this is the most satisfying in terms of narrative cohesion, pacing, voice talent, and overall execution. It has its flaws, and several ideas are under developed, but it holds up as a very solid fantasy film.

The blu ray is pretty impressive...the colors are fantastic and have a really nice, trippy quality about them that you simply don't find in other efforts. Bakshi provides an interesting, very intelligent commentary track that was pretty entertaining to listen to.

I bought this for the sake of nostalgia. My brother took me to see this theatrically back in 1977 and i watched it many times on vhs in the 80s. This was my first time watching it in probably twenty years...i was thrilled to still enjoy it.

I'm going to be talking about this movie and others on Ripoll's podcast in a week or two.

[Martin]

I'm going to be talking about this movie and others on Ripoll's podcast in a week or two.

Don't you have any dignity?

Seriously, if you stand in his presence, please punch him square in the jaw for me.