Did I somehow miss the Woody Allen movies in the NY lists? I was sort of scanning, so it's possible. But talk about city-as-character...
Buffista Movies 5: Development Hell
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Trailer for Jane Austen Book Club: [link]
Good cast, even though it looks kind of... well, fluffy. Also: Marc Blucas!
Someone mentioned Manhattan up there.
I would keep Dog Day Afternoon for the same reason Inside Man should be considered-- the city is not so much an antagonist as a third party creating a triangle among the police and the bank robbers.
I just watched Seven Samurai.
Just want to throw out that this is one of my favorites, if not my favorite. I've never been disappointed with Kurosawa and never found any of his movies slow. His movies are all about the particular experience of huge myths, and while I'm baffled by P-C's boredom at Seven Samurai and Laga's feeling that they were homework, I defy anyone to watch Ikiru and not be reduced to a puddle of tears by the end. I mean, DAMN, the man was the John Coltrane of moviemaking. Normal scale doesn't apply.
Massively great: Seven Samurai, Ikiru, High and Low, Yojimbo, Ran
Just regular great: Rashomon, Sanjuro, The Hidden Fortress, The Lower Depths, Throne of Blood, Red Beard, Stray Dog
Unseen: everything else he made, I think. I have The Bad Sleep Well at home, but haven't watched it yet.
I am Corwood with regard to Kurosawa.
The Hidden Fortress
Oh, I think this is elevated to the rank of greatness just for the fact that it stars Toshiro Mifune in short shorts and knee socks. That's what he wears, the whole movie through, and at no point does anybody at all say, "Dude, where's the flood? Dude, who are you, Daisy Duke?"
Also, there is an awesome duel with twelve-foot pikes.
High and Low is the kidnapping one, right? Interesting to see his take on a police thriller after seeing all his versions of westerns.
at no point does anybody at all say, "Dude, where's the flood? Dude, who are you, Daisy Duke?"
That's because it's fucking Toshiro Mifune!
Indeedy. See also: duel with twelve-foot pikes.
I have to say, I would put Throne of Blood on the first list instead of the second.