I also really liked the fact they used about a dozen Broken Social Scene songs in Half-Nelson, as if Gosling's character was actually a massive fan of the band and he was associating the scenarios in the film with bits of music that he loved, the way I imagine most of us here do...
First scene of Nowhere to Hide (Korean thriller by Myung-Se Lee) choreographs a brutal murder on the Forty Steps in Inchon to the Bee Gees' 'Holiday'. It's an absolute John Woo-type masterpiece. The rest of the film is a relative disappointment.
hmm i just watched this clip and it looks fucking sweet, should i track this movie down or is it only worthwhile for that scene? i live about a block from chinatown here so i could probably pick it up easily enough. can anyone recommend some other korean/japanese/hk films i should get while im at it? - i know thats crazy broad, but you can only see that kind of stuff at festivals and its hard to know what to buy w/out any direction. what do you consider 'essential' in that area?
I have a lot of affection for the school walk through scene from Donnie Darko, set to 'Head Over Heels'
It's watchable, but compared to Hard Boiled etc, well, it's not in the same league. I just love the choice of music in the scene - the Gibbs have never sounded so haunting.
HK films I have no knowledge of. Korean - been disappointed by A Tale of Two Sisters and Oldboy, but others raved about them.
Japanes - get Audition. It's a masterpiece, IMO. Hana-Bi is widely feted - I like it, but it is a little slow for certain tastes. Then, as Zhao recommended upthread, Kiyoshi Kurosawa films might be worth checking. Also, look into the 60s Japanese New Wave - Onibaba, Woman of the Dunes etc etc
Another one occurred:
The dark ambient radio crackle during the opening of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original!) is like Stars of the Lid or something 20 years avant la lettre (pretentious French phrase required, if misused: we are talking about film after all). Incredible.
The worst bit is where he turns to the black girl and does the whole 'oh no you didn't' thing - and the rest of the class laugh! As if! I do think it's a very good film though, despite the flaws. I'm a bit of a mark for Gosling...Quite liked the music, yeah, but what a ridiculous (if quite entertaining) film! The way it was presented/reviewed was as gritty realism, but it was no more realistic (OK, a little bit) than Dangerous Minds... White teacher goes into the ghetto and is 'down' with all the Hispanic and black kids after a (very short) period of teething troubles....spare me. Oh, and crack (?) use allows one to be able to be function fine apart from a few headaches, or something.
Beautiful film. The first time I watched it I ended up slightly disturbed and very confused, but it eventually became one of my all-time favourites. It's a shame that a lot of people just love it for that scene, because there's so much more to it.Japanes - get Audition. It's a masterpiece, IMO.
Beautiful film. The first time I watched it I ended up slightly disturbed and very confused, but it eventually became one of my all-time favourites. It's a shame that a lot of people just love it for that scene, because there's so much more to it.
Yeah Tobe Hooper's sound on that is totally, totally amazing, he really nails it, that film's all about the sound.
from Liquid Sky, and I don't care.
I actually think the scen you're referring to is almost overkill. I love the stuff that precedes it more - the weird double-take of the scene in the cafe; the visits to that nightclub, the guy with the piano (?). And the scene with the moving sack/ringing phone! It's kind of Lynchian, but almost more powerful because less knowing.
Yes, that's terrifying, it really sent shivers down my spine."And the scene with the moving sack/ringing phone!"
I rate Oldboy. I just think it's a great premise. My flatmate compared it to Amelie and in a weird kind of way I can see exactly where he's coming from."glad i'm not the only one who thinks Oldboy was a waste of time"
Yes, that's terrifying, it really sent shivers down my spine.
I rate Oldboy. I just think it's a great premise. My flatmate compared it to Amelie and in a weird kind of way I can see exactly where he's coming from.