Seven Samurai/ Yojimbo/ Sanjuro

Hara Kiri (Tatsuya Nakadai)

Kill Bill

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Matrix

Galaxy Quest

Long Kiss Goodnight

Tombstone (Val Kilmer)

Indian Runner (deserved an oscar, wasn't even mentioned)

Blue Velvet

LOTR

Unbearable Lightness of Being

Donnie Darko

muso wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2011 at 3:23pm:


I can watch any Jackie Chan movie - seen Gorgeous?

Please delete wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2011 at 3:25pm:


Yeah - I preferred his earlier movies. He's a bit too old and fat now, especially in The Spy next Door 

Please delete wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2011 at 3:08pm:


Yes. "I am thinking how happy I am."
Breaks my heart.

I actually think that this is the only case I know of, where the movie was far superior to the book in every way.
The movie is, and has been one of my favourites since it was first released, and I have watched it many times.
I saw the movie before reading the book, and was so disappointed in the pathetic misogymistic attitude of the author, whose traditional, sexist eastern European male attitude, where women were collected like notches on the bed head, was the exact opposite to the wonderful celebration of the love of women that was expressed by the film.

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being, also delivered one of the most honest portrayals of joyful sexual behaviour I had seen on film, at the time.
I loved how the joy and laughter and sheer exuberance of a zesty sex life, were displayed as a normal part of the lovemaking, and not just a continuous stream of grunts and groans, as was, and mostly still is, the more usual way sex is portrayed.

The acting from Daniel Day Lewis, and Juliet Binoche, in particular, was as brilliant as they almost always are.

If you really want to enjoy this story, forget the book, and watch the film, it is a modern day classic.


Coincidentally Ernie, I looked at your list, and I re-watched Tombstone four days ago, and The Seven Samurai two days ago, talk about coincidence.lol.

buzzanddidj wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2011 at 4:47pm:


Well I could certainly believe that buzz, even the acting chops of Meryl Streep, and Clint Eastwood could not raise that story above a rating of "turgid borefest", for me, so I would hate to see how bad the book was.
They could probably get it banned under the Geneva convention as Cruel and Unusual Punishment.

Question to everyone:

Is it me, or has Hollywood lost its 'quality'? I mean, rarely are there movies about the USA itself anymore - I mean, based on true stories or about the general/typical/everyday America.
Instead, its all about Special FX, Marvel Superheroes (the USA version of Greek/Roman Gods) or plagerising foreign films, let alone 'hiring' Aussie/NZ actors/directers/etc. Maybe they do this for 'security reasons'?

Has Hollywood lost its American Soul?