Recommend films/documentaries, etc.

[Mexicola]

Dude this is the film I was maybe talking to you about in the pub? Might of been someone else (beer memory) but yeah this is the one I saw at midnight at the Dukes cinema in Brighton. Cracking Sci Fi.

You were?!? Man, I don't remember that at all!

Was reading up on 2001, which lead to to reading all about matte painting, which in turn....

[fujee]

Ok maybe it was someone else (again, too much beer)

But yeah, actually very far ahead of its time really. I love that red effect, the cinema was completely crimson when I saw it.. one of those moments where I imagine it was completely mind blowing in the 60s.

[fujee]

Not usually one for VICE documentaries, I see them as the video equivalent of Pitchfork but I did find this documentary about Alaska to be pretty interesting. Its about an American family living on what is considered the last "frontier" of North America, they live a sustainable hermetic existence in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq0rZn8HFmQ

[arvy]

Gonna watch Cannibal Holocaust, gonna be super weird

[jcnporter]

Watched Johnathan Glazer's new film Under The Skin last night. Ohmylord! Genuinely unnerving, uncompromising indi sci-fi. Inventive, great soundtrack/sound design, stunning visuals and filmed with a tiny crew in Scotland using lots of hidden camera rigs. Incredibly unsettling but brilliant.

Just watched this yesterday. I knew the film's premise was going to make it an interesting watch, but my jaw was hanging open at the end. Looks incredible, sounds incredible, a very surreal and uncomfortable watch in places. I can see why it was a marmite sort of film for the critics. I absolutely love this type of 'sci-fi but not sci-fi' movie - the contrast of the very ordinary, everyday world with unexplained, horror-like elements is compelling viewing.

[jcnporter]

I don't seem to be able to add to my previous post, but I have to say that Under the Skin has been bugging my mind since I saw it and I can't remember when a film last had that effect on me.
Not to get too over the top about it, I'm only repeating what a number of critics have said when I say that if you're a fan of film as an art form then you should see this. Whether you'll like it or not is a totally different matter.

[The Telepathic Kid]

it was definitely one of my favourites of last year.

[Mexicola]

Reminder that Bitter Lake by Adam Curtis starts tomorrow (9pm GMT) on the BBC iPlayer.

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[Cupz]

Saw Le Chat du Rabbin last night. Its pretty damn good. Very skillfully done, colourful, thought-provoking and funny at the best times, a bit to preachy, pretentious and all-over-the-place (not in a stylistic way) at the worst. And the way the open ending was handled left me very unfullfilled. Its sad really, it had enormous potential of becoming a new favourite. Its depressingly damn close to perfection, would be best to describe it. It dares the jumps, lands with its toes on perfection, loses its balance, flails its arms around in a silly manner before finally falling backwards, smearing itself over the pavement. You really really want it to succeed, thats why its so depressing when it doesn't make it. It can reeeaaaally keep me up at night...

[jcnporter]

Not sure which of a number of threads this should go on....watched Mulholland Drive for the second time last night.
First time I watched it, soon after it came out, I was only vaguely aware of Lynch as a director, via Twin Peaks and Wild at Heart. I remember it pretty much went over my head the first time, wasn't particularly memorable about from being incomprehensible. However now, having watched Twin Peaks a few times and thanks to the wonder of t'internet, knowing a bit more about Lynch, I loved it, for the surreal genius and the cascade of perfect 'Lynchian' moments that you just sit in awe of.
It just keeps on giving - while watching it, you're marvelling at the complexity, increasingly aware of the unravelling that will be needed at the end, but looking forward to it.
Meanwhile, you're just enjoying (at the start at least) all those Lynchian traits - the feeling of unreality, even though you know it's set now, the 1950s feel is everywhere, from the clothes and set, to the cliched bubbly optimism, yet with a underlying creepiness and darkness (witness Betty happily flouncing around her new apartment, while the camerawork creates a feeling of pure dread). The fact that he's done this exact same thing before in Twin Peaks and elsewhere is somehow comforting. It all blends perfectly with the surreal moments populated slightly over-the top characters (the scene of the studio meeting between the director and the 'mob' is just perfection).
At the end, you're left with a glorious feeling of 'what the fuck?' and get to enjoy the whole film again while you try to work out the whens and whys. At the moment I concur with the most popular explanation that Betty is Diane's dream with the timelines and interactions creating a kind of Mobius strip effect. In any case, I'm happy not to think about it all too much.
One thing I'm happy to ignore is the apparent commentary on the light and dark of Hollywood - although I love films, Hollywood and 'show business' is a subject I'm not remotely interested in and even grates on me a bit.

[Mexicola]

Update on Bitter Lake (see above). Incredible. 150 mins but it flew past. Typically compelling and eye opening from Curtis. Seek it out!

[Cupz]

I'd love to watch bitter lake but I'm not allowed of the bbc because I'm dutch and their rascist.

[Mexicola]

I'd love to watch bitter lake but I'm not allowed of the bbc because I'm dutch and their rascist.

Lol.

(1) here's a YouTube link - watch it before it gets taken down. (see below)
(2) it's not racism. You have to be a UK TV licence fee payer to watch the iPlayer, hence not available abroad.
(3) they're, not their (grammar nazi in the house!)

Enjoy - it's worth it.

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[Mexicola]

I'd love to watch bitter lake but I'm not allowed of the bbc because I'm dutch and their rascist.

Lol.

(1) here's a YouTube link - watch it before it gets taken down.
(2) it's not racism. You have to be a UK TV licence fee payer to watch the iPlayer, hence not available abroad.
(3) they're, not their (grammar nazi in the house!)

Enjoy - it's worth it.

[Cupz]

Its "hun". Sorry bout mah splennin.
The link is already taken down. I'm to late. Shit.

[The Telepathic Kid]

Not sure which of a number of threads this should go on....watched Mulholland Drive for the second time last night.

I love Lynch, everything he does pretty much

and Mulholland Dr. is his masterwork, pretty much perfect.

[portiss]

Not sure which of a number of threads this should go on....watched Mulholland Drive for the second time last night.

I love Lynch, everything he does pretty much

and Mulholland Dr. is his masterwork, pretty much perfect.

I really like Blue Velvet and Lost Highway as well.

[Cupz]

I've seen Bitter Lake now. It was very difficult to watch, some of it was proper stomach turning. Not what I expected. It was mostly about afganistan, though I would have prefered if it was more like the trailer for 2 hours.

[IanRedpoint]

Reminder that Bitter Lake by Adam Curtis starts tomorrow (9pm GMT) on the BBC iPlayer.

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That's my Saturday night viewing sorted. Been such a busy week and finding a 2+ hour window to sit down with Tina to watch it has been impossible so far. Can't wait!

Quite a depressing comment on the state of TV that the BBC couldn't even broadcast it on at least one of their many channels late at night. iPlayer only does rather doom it to obscurity.

If the BBC ever decide to release a box set of his documentaries I would buy it in an instant. I have AVI files of Century of Self, The Trap and Power Of Nightmares. I really want to watch All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace again though.

[Mexicola]

In the interviews I've read, he seems fine with it being on iPlayer. Seems to consider it more experimental than his previous work although other than the length it seemed like normal Curtis to me. Well worth catching.