CS Film Club

[Justin]

Boy A is fine.

[PG Cooper]

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

The film follows Conan O'Brien after his departure from "The Tonight Show" and his subsequent tour. Throughout, Conan talks about his treatment from NBC and his anger at the system.

The documentary is very honest. At times Conan comes off like a real jerk and the film does not shy away from the frustrations and stresses that face the life of an entertainer, particularly one going through a stressful time. This helps the documentary feel much more substantial than had it been an hour and a half film plugging how great Conan O'Brien is. At times hearing Conan complain so much can be grating though. That's not to say he doesn't deserve to be pissed off, but there are a lot of scenes where it's just Conan complaining about his situation. It's also hard to become too invested in the film given it's about a rich guy being upset because he can't be on T.V. for a few months. He probably did deserve better from the studio but I can't help but feel a little bit uncomfortable. All in all, the documentary is entertaining and Conan O'Brien himself is such an entertaining guy that it's hard not to have fun.

Rating: B

[JBond]

Glad you liked it.

[MovieBuff801]

Yeah, it's a very interesting documentary.

Anyway...

OSS 117: Lost in Rio

An incredibly chauvenistic French secret agent, codenamed OSS 117, travels to Rio de Janeiro to recover a microfilm from a ruthless Nazi. While there, he teams up with a beautiful Mossad agent, whose interest is arresting the Nazi so that he may answer for his crimes.

This is a parody of the spy genre, but mostly of the James Bond films from the 60's. And during the first 20 minutes, I was getting worried, because it was barely making me laugh, if at all. But once Dolores, the Mossad agent, was introduced, the movie finally began to pick up steam in terms of both plot and laughs. Once Dolores entered the picture, that's where I felt like the character of OSS 117, played by Jean Dujardin, really got more fun. Seeing his chauvenistic and even slightly racist qualities come out, not to mention how they affect Dolores' opinion of him, makes for some really funny moments. Whereas this character could easily be unlikable if played wrong, Dujardin brings a good deal of charm to the guy that helps us like him more than we should.

Another comparison I would make here is to the Mel Brooks show Get Smart. Not so much in terms of any of the characters (well, maybe 117 in some ways), but more in the ways the film takes all the 60's spy tropes and twists them to comedic effect. A lot of the well-known aspects of these kinds of movies back then are parodied in ways that are ridiculous but undeniably funny at the same time, and the balance is maintained very well by director Michel Hazanavicius (who, along with Dujardin, would go on to make The Artist).

Overall, while it takes a bit of time to really get going, I still enjoyed OSS 117: Lost in Rio a good deal. Fans of Bond movies should enjoy it even more.

***/****

I'm in for the next round.

[JBond]

I like when he implies the Holocaust didn't happen.

[MovieBuff801]

It kind of makes me interested to go back and see the first one.

[Hollywood]

Dracula, I changed mine to Vicky Christina Barcelona

Review for Vicky Christina Barcelona

The characters in the movie were great, even tho she wasnt one of the main focus and characters in the movie i think i liked Penelope cruz character the best in movie. She added some spice to the movie if that makes sense. Maybe i choosing the wrong words but you get my point. Anyways I thought the story was enjoyable. 2 attractive young women on vacation and a guy from Barcelona invites them to enjoy there time/vist in Barvelona. The narrator i thought enhanced the tone of the movie i thought and did a great job with it. You dont really see to many movies that have narrators voice. The scenery was amazing. I want to vist Barcelona now after watching the movie. Least favorite character's performance was Scarlett's. All other characters were better then her performance even tho Scarlett is the most pretty girl in the movie :p. Scarlett just didnt make sense at some points.

Woody Allen did a great movie this time. I just saw from paris with love of a movie woody allen directed and it wasnt as good i thought. Scoop was ok of his. Match Point was the worst movie he did that ive seen. Which gave me a thought. Woody Allen likes to get Scarlett Johannsson in his movies. That 3 of the movies of his that i know. Scoop, Vicky, and Match Point, Maybe others too. Getting side tracked a little. But basicly i enjoyed the film but it did have few minor flaws but nothing too huge. I give this movie a

B

Im in for next round

[Doomsday]

I owe this thread 2 reviews, here’s the first one:

Bernie

Bernie is a really offbeat Richard Linklater-directed comedy, the kind of comedy I like. It’s done in a sort of mockumentary style, much like the Christopher Guest films only this one seems to be entirely scripted and without any improve or professional comedians.

The story goes around Bernie (Jack Black) who is the local assistant funeral director. Due to his professionalism and great care in his work, he becomes one of the most popular citizens in his small town, especially among the senior community. Soon he befriends the extremely wealthy and wildly unpopular Mrs. Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), a recent widow who falls back onto Bernie’s good nature. They become inseparable but Bernie realizes that Mrs. Nugent has him under her thumb. To her he is like a pet, and one day he snaps and kills her. He hides her body for months until he is discovered and sent to trial for murder, however the town quickly rallies around him and offers support due to Bernie’s kindness and their hatred for Mrs. Nugent.

There is a lot to admire about Bernie’s execution, but the movie had it’s very apparent lulls. It’s fun watching Jack Black get the town wrapped around his finger, but when Shirley MacLaine is introduced is where the film almost comes to a standstill. There isn’t much chemistry between Black and MacLaine and it’s hard to understand why they would become so attached to each other. It’s as if they meet and ‘poof’ they’re an item. But it is a clever movie, albeit not as funny as it could have been, and Jack Black really shines in this role that he owned.

B so says Doomsday

Next up: Paris, Texas

[JBond]

Serpico (1973)

Being a big fan of "12 Angry Men" and "Fail-Safe," I felt I had to check this one out. Unfortunately, I didn't care for it as much as those. I was into it early on when Serpico was reaching out to the criminal youth while the other corrupt officers just wanted to beat them, but after a while it slowed down into the corrupt officers plot. Serpico's an interesting character, but the script felt rather loose and dry for my tastes. The story to 12 Angry Men was even simpler, but I was just more into the style of that film than the 70s cop scene.

**.5/****

[PG Cooper]

I like Serpico A LOT more than you do, but I do agree 12 Angry Men is much better.

[JBond]

Movies like this, French Connection and The Conversation all have this style that's very off-putting for me. That gritty, 70s cop vibe. Sorry, man.

[PG Cooper]

The French Connection certainly left me at a distance.

[MovieBuff801]

I pretty much feel the same way about Serpico.

[Justin]

Watching mine tonight.

[Justin]

Boy A

Wow, this one was a surprise. Difficult, melancholy, and really powerful filmmaking. Andrew Garfield gives one of the best performances of his career as Jack Burridge, who has been released from prison for a murder he committed as a young boy. Director John Crowley gives us bits and pieces of Jack's history, up until it all comes together in the 3rd act. It jumps from the past to the present really effortlessly. It's a stirring conclusion that touches on a variety of subjects. One last noteworthy element would be the cinematography--you really get a sense of the atmosphere with the hazy, blue-tinted imagery. Needless to say, this was a great recommendation.

Rating: ****.5/*****

I'm in for the next round.

[shained]

Glad you enjoyed it. Really blew me away when I watched it a couple of years back!

Holds many similarities to the case of Jamie Bulger which probably made it tug at my heart strings a little more than most films can.

I've just sent the films I had back and The Lives of Others is top of my list with no wait stated so should have it in the next couple of days.

[Dracula]

Ruby Sparks (2012)
I skipped Ruby Sparks in theaters because it looked twee and derivative, but it did at least look moderately interesting so I didn’t mind giving it a chance on the small screen. To be sure it is derivative (a sort of Weird Science meets Stranger than fiction), and it’s definitely twee, but there were certain things about it I enjoyed. For one thing I think Zoe Kazan (who also wrote the film) did a pretty good job in the title role. Also there is at least a slightly intriguing idea in the concept; this is more a deconstruction of the manic pixie dreamgirl than the celebration of the archetype that I expected. On the other hand, I thought Paul Dano was kind of terrible in the film and I didn’t think his character was all that well written either. Otherwise the film just didn’t seem all that creative or exceptional. We’ve seen these kind of high-concept indies before and this one just didn’t do much to stand out.
**1/2 out of Four

[JBond]

OK, I got 5 people: JBond, Dracula, moviebuff, Hollywood, and Justin. Anyone else? PGCooper? You still want in the next one, shained?

[shained]

Sorry thought the deadline was this Monday! Mine will be watched over the weekend and yes i'd like to be in the next round.

[PG Cooper]

Oh yeah, count me in.

[Doomsday]

Consider me the back up odd guy.

And review for Paris, Texas up either tonight or tomorrow morning.

[Doomsday]

Paris, Texas

Another movie that I had been anxious to watch for a while and finally had a reason to do so. Paris, Texas tells the story of Travis, a mute who was found wandering in the desert of Texas. After being checked into a shabby hospital he is taken in by his brother and heads to Los Angeles. There he reunites with his 7 year old son who had been living with his aunt and uncle. He slowly learns to open up and decides to track down his estranged wife in order to take his family to the land he had purchased long ago in Paris, Texas.

The movie clocks in at 145 minutes which seems much longer than necessary given the storyline, but there isn’t a wasted scene in the film. I’m familiar with Harry Dean Stanton mostly being the guy in the trucker hat from Alien and the dad from Red Dawn (Booooys!! Aveeeeenge meeee!) but this is the first time where I actually noticed his tremendous acting chops. He was fantastic in this and delivered a great performance. The direction of the movie was also second to none, especially the scenes where Travis finally locates his wife in a striptease where she stands on the side of a one sided mirror and does whatever the person on the other side asks over a telephone. He starts speaking of when they first met and the camera keeps on her for a few minutes, then cuts back to him for a while, then she finally peers through the glass while Travis’ reflection rests where her face is looking through. Such a fantastic scene and it was no surprise to see that this movie won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival. Definitely on my list to pick up down the road.

A so says Doomsday, this movie was just as good as I heard it was.

[PG Cooper]

Sweet. Glad you enjoyed it.

[JBond]

ROUND 131

moviebuff801 - Justin
JBond - Dracula
Doomsday - Hollywood
PG Cooper - shained

The due date for Round 131 will be Monday, March 11th, 2013.

Enjoy.

[Doomsday]

Hollywood:

Thief
No Country For Old Men
A Clockwork Orange
Letters from Iwo Jima