Also, I'd like to know whether these two are worth watching:

Sin City - sounds kinda entertaining. Max Payne2 got me into the film noir style.

The Jacket - sounds really cool, and indeed quite a lot like Jacob's Ladder which was great.

Views? 

Sin City: See above. There were quite a few comments posted when it came out in the US. Generally recommended, although it didn't seem to me to be as deep as some people thought it was.

The Jacket: I dunno, but it's on my rental list. 

I'll get to the point and say I though this was absolutely fantastic. Everything you'll read in a positive review is true, and the only negative points i've read is that some people think there's too much violence, and that it's degrading to women. How awesome is that?

It's important that you watch it not expecting anything deep or complex of course. This is a classic action film, like Die Hard or True Lies, with characters 100 times more badass than Max Payne, no bullet-time bullshit, and no pussification of the dialogue or content as you'd expect to see in a comic-adaptation. All you get is strippers being punched in the face, priests being shot in the head; henchmen being taken down by hatchets. And thats by the GOOD guys.

Thats just one thing that makes this movie so good. The good guys are tough assholes, but the bad guys are really bad, really evil. Something so satisfying about seeing Bruce Willis's Detective Hartigan punch a pedo's head into the ground, or Mickey Rourke's Marv beat the shit out of a cannibal weirdo.

I'm just so happy to see a film this much fun, and this un-PC get realeased to such a wide audience. It's worth the price of admission to just see the 'Marv' section. It's worth the price of admission just to see him call all the women he meets 'broads', or for the line:
"That's my Parole officer. She's a dyke, but god knows why. With that body she could have any man she wanted."

So, yeah definitely go see this movie. I watched a copy of it with a room of people, and most of the guys broke into cheers every 5 minutes (most of the girls didn't really get it :)). Ive never seen a movie do that to people before. Maybe Indiana Jones would do that, in its own much less violent way.

OK now I may have over-hyped it, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

see the trailer for sin city, the style's not for everyone but I have been waiting very eagerly for australian cinemas to actually fucking release the thing here. 

The movie's so good that I'd pass a chance to see pictures of Shambler's naked mother just to see Sin City again. 

...seconded 

'A Tale of Two Sisters'
a korean horror flick from 2003, just released on NTSC DVD for those interested in buying/watching it.
I saw it, I manifested my own interpretation of how the story unfolded. Then after a bit of reading up on it I found my idea of how it played out doesn't match in a lot of places. Although these were all other personal explanations from other viewers, so nobody is technically 'correct', and it would seem this was intended after glancing quickly at some of the extra dvd content titles which include a 'psychiatrists commentary'. I didn't get to view that stuff so I guess I'll be left in the dark for a while.

overall it was great bit of horror/psychology. 

Yeah, I watched that with my girlfriend, and neither of us understood it the same way, definatly some strange story telling... But yeah, a nice film. 

question you on your take of the plot, but here is probably not the best place in the rare case someone else here wants to indulge in this piece of horror. 

The Devil's Backbone - I liked Del Toro's work in Blade II and bits of Hellboy so I thought I'd check out what's considered his best and personal favorite film.

Nice story but this is not a horror/thriller as it is marketed. The acting/directing and cinematography is first rate. The problem lies with the melding of the supernatural story to the more normal civil war story. It just doesnt click together as well as it should. Still, it's well worth checking out.


Thieves Highway - Quite classy film noir from Jules Dassin. The acting and story are first rate but it falters quite badly towards the end.


Nine Queens - Recently remade by Hollywood as 'Criminal', this recent Argentinian con film is quite enjoyable. The decent performances cover up some glaring holes in the plot which is also a bit too contrived to achieve its twist ending. It doesnt help that its made really obvious that there's a bigger con game at work than what's shown onscreen.


The Emperor and the Assassin - Another take on the tale told more recently in Hero, one thats meant to be more faithful. It features some excellent cinematography and impressive 'real' battle scenes along with some good acting at times. Unfortunately, the script is a terrible mess trying to cover way too much and rushing many key scenes. The all over the place approach is not aided by some clunky directing either. Still, it's very watchable despite all this due to the sheer presence of Gong Li and the actor that played the Emperor.


Belle de Jour - Interesting is probably the best way to describe this film. Too enigmatic in some parts, too obvious in others but it still has something that just draws you in. Will probably have to rewatch but even after first viewing, it's recommended.


Out of the Past - Double Indemnity and Maltese Falcon aside, this is the definitive film noir. Terrific dialogue and some very cool performances from Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas and Jane Greer. The cinematography is also extremely well done. 

But I've never thought the Maltese Falcon was really that good. Petrified Forest, now that is more like it in the classic Noir tradition. 

...understated, inventive magic. 

that was great stuff! 

It was at the Sundance a while ago and I always meant to see it but never did until now. I was expecting a social commentary and instead got 40% commentary and 60% love story. A fucked up love story, but one none the less. I would recommend it.

Also, if I were being hunted, I would probably go with some sort of semi-automatic sniper rifle hidden somewhere, a pump-action shotgun, an automatic handgun with extended magazine, and a small crowbar. 

Hooray, the nearby theatre is having it's own Pasolini festival at the end of june. showcasing all of his movies over a 2 week period (some are played multiple times) and finishing off with the appropriate 'Salo: 120 days of sodom'

bit of irony, Pasolini was murdered by a gay prostitute when that film was released. However the film, while I don't think I could honestly "recommend" someone watch it, I do think it should be seen. I guarantee it will be the hardest feature length film you will ever sit through. Half the theatre walked out during it, and these were people expecting the worst.

If you can bring a date. 

to see a repeat performance of the last time you ripped on Pasolini. It is mind boggling how often he comes up as a subject.

I guarantee it will be the hardest feature length film you will ever sit through.

Nah. The documentary made in the eighties on nuclear war with footage of test pigs squeeling and the aftermath of Hiroshima makes mere shit eating perversions look like mere shit eating perversions. 

No offence Headthump but I think you may have missed the point. The people who were being forced to eat the shit and bathe in it weren't actually "into" the practice. 

I would watch the nuclear war documentary, because i'm sure it will be thought-provoking and educational (being based on real-world events and all).

Salo is just fictional snuff showing a bunch of teenagers getting raped, mutilated and forced to eat their own poo. 

I'm pretty sure that that was the title. 

i saw that. 

just fictional snuff showing a bunch of teenagers getting raped, mutilated and forced to eat their own poo?

pfft, thats so ZZzzz
really, I thout there is more to 'Salo' 

The Killing - Fabulous film noir by Stanley Kubrick, I'm surprised that this doesnt get a mention amongst his best films. It's far better than his later work like The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. Spot on acting and very confident and assured direction.


Sideways - Quite an enjoyable film with some very funny moments counterbalanced with strong characters and situations. Only thing holding it back from greatness is an overlong running time, 20 mins shorter would have been perfect for the story at work here.


Days of Being Wild - I've been trying to get a hold of wong kar wai's earlier films after liking his last 2 films a lot. This is considered his best early period film but I really cant see why. The screenplay is very weak, even for his standards, and the mood the he so heavily relies on just does not come across here. Very disappointing. 

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - It's too stagey with too many rough spots and a weak ending to be entitled great, but when it fires, it does so on all cylinders. There's enough brilliant acting and moments in this film to overcome the shortcomings.


Night and The City - A little weak at the start and an even weaker end but the rest is very very good. Another very solid film noir by Jules Dassin. 

...did you happen to catch the Kubrick festival and associated doco's on SBS recently? I think I preferred the doco's in the end (The Killing was featured highly in one). Kubrick rules, but in short doses with long gaps in between. 

I really liked Sideways too. Adult comedies of the Wes Anderson vain are more likely to get me in the theaters than any other genre.

Giamati's (spelling correct?)acting was a first rate job. So good in fact, he took a character I would probably loathe in real life (wine sniffer who steals from his mother) and he makes the character very sympathetic.

I saw Life Aquatic last week, but was too drunk to remember anything but a vague feeling that it was all an homage to Fellini (The camera followed Bill Murray, who played a fustrated genius while nutso-quirkos aggraviated the hell out of him, kind of like 9&1/2 or Fellini's Poe short).