Movie/film thread: resurrected

Saw a low budget Aussie feature "The Black Balloon". The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival,where it won the Crystal Bear for Best Feature Film. Aussie supermodel Gemma Ward played a good role. As a matter of interest, she is the world's 10th highest earning model and was dating Heath Ledger when he died a month ago.
I think we are going to hear a lot more about 19yrs old Rhys Wakefield.(from "Home and Away" for the Aussies reading this) Toni Collette and Erik Thomson ("All Saints")also starred.
This movie was a semi-autobiographical account of Australian writer/director Elissa Down's own childhood experiences with her heavily autistic brother,who also has Attention  Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Luke Ford played the part of the brother in a very convincing manner.
This is a film about fitting in,discovering love and accepting your family. As I was watching this, I thought that LotusEater would appreciate this as probably would Con Ate Dog. For my part, I really enjoyed it; it made me think about the difficulties of living with a boy/man with this condition.Try to see it if you get the opportunity.

Run Fat Boy Run

definitely worth a watch. Starring Simon Pegg from shawn of the dead.

A pretty funny movie, without having to think too much.

I'm so looking forward to it.

Hero Wanted with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ray Liotta...could have been a good tale but the acting 

I watched Hairspray last night. It was so crappy, it was almost funny in spots. Having John   Travolta playing the mother was incomprehensible! There was nothing in the story about the mother being a man, so why??

They are spoofing the original 1988 John Waters movie where Divine (who is a man dressed as a women) played the mother. The John Waters version is much much better. It's more well rounded and touches on the politics of the era. John waters plays a cameo in the new version as the flasher right at the beginning of the movie. John Waters is the "Sultan of Sleaze" , 'The purveyor of Filth", absolutely hilarious. You can watch parts of his live show from "This Filthy World" or watch "A Date with John Waters" (which is so effin hilarious I almost peed my pants.).

So I am a bit of a fan....

"To me, bad taste is what entertainment is all about. If someone vomits watching one of my films, it's like getting a standing ovation."

 Over the last few days I've seen "No Country For Old Men" and "I'm Not There".

  IMO, No Country was very good, but far from the Coen Brother's best. It struck me that just like last year with The Departed, the Academy was giving a kind of lifetime acheivement award to the film makers rather than the movie itself.

 I liked I'm Not There better. While the movie may have limited appeal to those unfamiliar with Bob Dylan, I think the theme of a prerson who has lived so many different lives they have become an enigma is pretty universal and could be applied to a lot of people.

I really want to see Old Country as I love Javiar Bardem. It's great to see a latin star do so well. I watched a lot of his Spanish films. My favorite Coen Brothers is O Brother.

I just saw Lars and the Real Girl. Very sweet movie. I think Ryan Gosling is going to be my new movie star boyfriend 

My favorite Coen Brothers is O Brother.

With George Clooney and that awesome soundtrack?  I loved that movie!  I didn't know the Cohen brothers made it.

I haven't seen O Brother

Their real stinker is Intolerable Cruelty.  Utter crud.

O Brother, Where Art Thou is brilliant - especially if you remember your Odyssey. I laughed most of the way through it. But there was too much explaining to do for me to show it to my Chinese mates.

Most recently I watched the entire Sharpe's collection.  It was loaned to me by a British friend and it is awesome!  The episodes originally aired on the BBC in the '90's, starring Sean Bean.  The main character Sharpe rises from the ranks to become a major during the Napoleonic Wars.  I forget who wrote the original novels, but all of the episodes are based upon actual historical events.

And for a history buff like me, the collection quickly became addictive.  I have a running joke with some of the teachers at my school.  We call ourselves the "Forlorn Hope Brigade."  See the episodes and you'll get the joke.

The movie I would recommend is Casino Royale.  I must admit to becoming disgusted with the Bond franchise over 10 years ago.  However, after being forced to watch the movie by a friend, all I can say is "get it."  They haven't released a Bond flick this good since Sean Connery was making them.

As my students say, "that's all."

The movie I would recommend is Casino Royale.  I must admit to becoming disgusted with the Bond franchise over 10 years ago.  However, after being forced to watch the movie by a friend, all I can say is "get it."  They haven't released a Bond flick this good since Sean Connery was making them.

Is that the original "Casino Royale" with David Niven?  ......  or the newer ReMake?? 

Agreed, Craig is excellent.

My ultimate dream for a Bond film now is for Christopher Nolan to make one, with Bale as the main baddie.

Imagine a Bale-Craig face off.  Would be absolutely top drawer. 

Most recently I watched the entire Sharpe's collection.  It was loaned to me by a British friend and it is awesome!  The episodes originally aired on the BBC in the '90's, starring Sean Bean.  The main character Sharpe rises from the ranks to become a major during the Napoleonic Wars.  I forget who wrote the original novels, but all of the episodes are based upon actual historical events.

The author is Bernard Cornwell. Great series. The TV series is a pretty good adaptation from the books.

If you liked that one try the Hornblower series - some interesting naval stories from a similar period.

I've just finished watching 3 season's worth of "The Unit" - a better than expected US Special Forces series. Entertaining.

Pierce Brosnan was great as Bond.  Brought a sense of humour to the role.  And Judi Dench as 'M' - way to go!  I thought the Craig wasn't as smooth as Bond is supposed to be.