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Wendy and Lucy
2008, Kelly Reichardt
Grade: B-

Quarantine
2008; directed by John Erick Dowdle

After Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield, and now Quarantine, it is perhaps time for a moratorium on films purportedly shot documentary-style on hand-held camera by one of the characters, which strains credulity frequently when the cameraman is fighting for his life. Personally, I don't particularly care to witness "death by camera" ever again.

Alas, futile and hopeless, and the audience knows it long, long before the stoopid characters, who really ought not to go back into Mrs Espinoza's apartment a third time.

Apparently based on a Spanish horror flick titled Rec, here, given the luxe Screen Gems treatment, often plays like one of those movies based on video games. Well, GAME OVER.

Excellent sound and editing, and truly disgusting, gory special effects. Set in an old, decaying L.A. apartment building, the horrifying décor is in a class of its own.

Grade: C+, but horror fans will not be disappointed

Hey pux, you'll be happy for me. You listed this film as 1 of your fave lgbtq movies.

I finally got to watch Serbis (At Your Service)! Some scenes, especially those involving questionnable dermatological procedures, may appear shocking and not for the faint of heart. A family run movie house, frequented by prostitutes and their clients, also serves as that family's housing. The setting is so decrepit, and captured in such a way that you can almost smell the filth.

However, the movie opens beautifully, with sunlight filtering through circular architectural designs, as a naked female basks in it, looking at her reflection and putting on makeup. That theme is repeated with Jacklyn Jose and Gina Pareno, the film's 2 lead female stars. Pareno had more to do in Kubrador (The Bet Collector). Here, she's embattled as a religious clan matriarch trying to rectify the wrongoing of her husband (not shown). Despite less screen time, Pareno manages to be fiery, but Jose had more layers. Jose gets to flesh out her character the most, yet throws the audience for a loop in her last scene. Film was able to harmonize all the sexual imagery with the Catholic processions, statues, etc. Although structured as an ensemble, sexy Coco Martin and Julio Diaz seemed to take a backseat to the 2 women.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bottomchef,

Did I really? I haven't seen Serbis yet, lol!

Oopsie! I thought you wrote that lengthy list which included Serbis in that thread.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bottomchef,

Most of those I just included as examples of recent critically-acclaimed LGBT films, I haven't seen all of them.

Irreversible
2002, Gaspar Noe
Grade: B+

quote:

Originally posted by puxzkkx:
Irreversible
2002, Gaspar Noe
Grade: B+

YIKES! French, oui, mais super-violent!

I thought it was very well-made actually, the beginning with all its twisty-turny camera things annoyed me but it mellowed out later, and realizing how it made sense from a psychological/character-tie in perspective made me less inclined to be irritated by it... sophisticated way of telling a story, the ending scenes (post-rape or should i say pre-rape) are very tender and endearing. Acting is very good but the thing that prevents me from grading higher is that i can't shake the feeling that the entire film was just built around the backwards linear structure idea, and that the plot didn't come first or along with it, and that the good parts of the film just came along in the process.

I like the film too and I think your grade is accurate but it seems a tad outre for a boy like you, no offense intended.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pucifer,

Eh, I have pretty outre tastes on the whole. I knew all about the controversy and the divisive factor and I wanted to see for myself what the fuss was about.

Lemon Tree

I thought it was a very good movie. What I liked about it most was how it seemed very equal among siding with Israelis and Palestinians, but it definitely represented a good idea of the situation currently in Israel. As for the performances, Hiam Abbass is as always great! I've loved her since The Visitor, and she is just as likeable in this film as well. Rona Lipaz-Michael was also very good in the film as the Defense Minister's wife, especially for this being her first film according to IMDB, and Ali Suliman was very good as the lawyer with feelings for Salma. My only "technical" problem with the film is how the subtitles were so white that it blended in with the surroundings in the film, and I noticed a lot of people in the theater were having a hard time reading them. It wasn't so bad for me, but I will admit that it was hard to read them at some parts... And just one more technical, well not really technical, more like "creative" problem for me was when Salma and Ziad finally have that passionate kiss before the court hearings and all of the sudden the sun shines through and it suddenly changes from dull to light. Now I'm sure the director must have thought it would be beautiful to add this into the scene, but I just felt it was too abrupt and just didn't fit like it should have. I will admit that it does sound like a good idea on paper, but it just didn't work out like it should have on screen. But besides those small problems, the film was very interesting to watch and it definitely made you think after you saw it! I think more people should see this movie whether you are Pro-Israel or Pro-Palestine or just neutral!

Grade: B+

Mamma Mia!
2008; directed by Phyllida Lloyd

A massive hit, it succeeds despite the rickety plot based on a mystery of paternity on the strength of its infectious Abba songs, some of which are done justice here. Grade: C+, but the soundtrack alone is superb, even as it leaves us pining for the original versions

The Uninvited Guest (El Habitante Incierto)

I highly recommend this movie. Film's opening credits are rendered magnificently as a house's blueprint, while musical score immediately sets the tense mood. Film is set largely in the spacious house of Felix, an architect and the film's protagonist. The house is pristine like an Ethan Allen showroom. But this perfection also makes it appear sterile, as though it was not lived in and shared by Felix and Vera, his ex-lover who is picking up her belongings after an offscreen breakup. Even its locks and automatic window coverings add to the heightened tension and feeling of imprisonment. It's labyrinthine, full of shelves and walls doubling as passageways: the house is the film's silent, major character.

Felix lets a stranger, whos face is masked in shadows to the audience, use his telephone one night for an emergency call. Stranger mysteriously disappears (or is this a figment of Felix's imagination) after being given privacy to make his call. Felix's descent into paranoia and madness is the first half of the film, as he thinks this uninvited guest has managed to stay in his home and evade him through the passageways and spaciousness of the house. Film's second half is a major plot twist in itself, as Felix also becomes an uninvited guest in his neighbor Claudia's home. The intricate game of cat and mouse between the 2 is choreographed in a stylish and humorous way. The ending is graphic, disturbing and sad revealing a 3rd and 4th uninvited guest, while tying up the loose ends and the plot's initial mystery.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bottomchef,

quote:

Originally posted by Pucifer:
Quarantine
2008; directed by John Erick Dowdle

After Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield, and now Quarantine, it is perhaps time for a moratorium on films purportedly shot documentary-style on hand-held camera by one of the characters, which strains credulity frequently when the cameraman is fighting for his life. Personally, I don't particularly care to witness "death by camera" ever again.

Alas, futile and hopeless, and the audience knows it long, long before the stoopid characters, who really ought not to go back into Mrs Espinoza's apartment a third time.

Apparently based on a Spanish horror flick titled Rec, here, given the luxe Screen Gems treatment, often plays like one of those movies based on video games. Well, GAME OVER.

Excellent sound and editing, and truly disgusting, gory special effects. Set in an old, decaying L.A. apartment building, the horrifying décor is in a class of its own.

Grade: C+, but horror fans will not be disappointed

Hey Pucifer, I'm planning on watching Rec this weekend, which as you wrote, is the original Spanish film that Quarantine is based on.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bottomchef,

quote:

Originally posted by Pucifer:
Mamma Mia!
2008; directed by Phyllida Lloyd

A massive hit, it succeeds despite the rickety plot based on a mystery of paternity on the strength of its infectious Abba songs, some of which are done justice here. Grade: C+, but the soundtrack alone is superb, even as it leaves us pining for the original versions

Out of curiosity, which Abba songs were "done justice"? Cause I think the cast butchered every song.

quote:

Originally posted by MissyGal:

quote:

Originally posted by Pucifer:
Mamma Mia!
2008; directed by Phyllida Lloyd

A massive hit, it succeeds despite the rickety plot based on a mystery of paternity on the strength of its infectious Abba songs, some of which are done justice here. Grade: C+, but the soundtrack alone is superb, even as it leaves us pining for the original versions

Out of curiosity, which Abba songs were "done justice"? Cause I think the cast butchered every song.

I thought the movie was pretty terrible, but a couple of the really big productions were done justice I thought. I am thinking particularly "Give Me, Give Me, Give Me a Man After Midnight."

quote:

Originally posted by MissyGal:

quote:

Originally posted by Pucifer:
Mamma Mia!
2008; directed by Phyllida Lloyd

A massive hit, it succeeds despite the rickety plot based on a mystery of paternity on the strength of its infectious Abba songs, some of which are done justice here. Grade: C+, but the soundtrack alone is superb, even as it leaves us pining for the original versions

Out of curiosity, which Abba songs were "done justice"? Cause I think the cast butchered every song.

Dancing Queen, performed by Meryl Streep

Does Your Mother Know, performed by Christine Baranski

Take a Chance on Me, performed by Julie Walters

Voulez-Vous, performed by cast

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pucifer,

I'm with Missgal. There were degrees of awfulness in the presentation of songs, but I cringed (as a huge Abba fan) at each and every one.