KING KONG

This is by no means a perfect film, but the T-Rex fight alone is worth the price of admission (I suspect that sequence, along with the climax atop the Empire State Building, are the reasons Peter Jackson wanted to remake the original in the first place). Sci-Fi/ fantasy film Fans will debate this movie to death but it’s going to be an enormous hit with mainstream audiences because it really delivers the goods in every way a big budget Monster Movie should.

Mini-spoiler alert: Andy Sirkis’ “Cook” character suffers one of the most deliciously icky deaths ever committed to celluloid.


THE NEW WORLD

I had mixed feelings about “Thin Red Line”, but Terrence Malick’s latest film really cast a spell over me. Stunning cinematography, great performances, and a terrific story. I realize Malick isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you liked “Badlands” and “Days of Heaven” there’s a good chance you’ll like “The New World”.


MATCH POINT

I’m a big Woody Allen fan but I’d recently begun to wonder if he’d ever make another good movie.

The answer is yes. “Match Point” is essentially a younger, sexier, less comedic version of “Crimes and Misdemeanors” This may sound like a negative criticism, but it’s actually the film’s greatest strength. And did I mention Scarlet Johansson is incredibly hot?

At age 70, Woody Allen has made one of the best films of his career (memo to George Lucas: Get to work).


SYRIANA

Thank you George Clooney for producing intelligent and entertaining medium-budget movies for grownups. Steven Gaghan does an great job his first time at bat as a director, and his screenplay will probably win him another Oscar.


MUNICH

The best American film of 2006.

And all on my list to see. "Syriana" is slated for tomorrow's rare "date night" with my wife.

How's Dr. Bashir in Syriana?

How's Dr. Bashir in Syriana?

Damn good! Clooney is picking good material these days, I'd say Good Night And Syriana are the two best things we've seen this year, but we still got Kong and Munich on our list.

After Thin Red Line I'll probably wait for Malick on DVD, ditto for Woody.

Just got back from "Syriana" and I've got one thing to say: Hit the bathroom before the movie starts - you can't afford to take the time later. I think I figured out who everybody was by the final frame. I think.

Can I put in my vote for Serenity? Hey, it only came out 2 months ago and is going to be on DVD in a week or so (even with the crappy new cover).

All of them sound good except for Woody Allen. I just can't get into his movies.

José

The trailer really hooked me.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/match_point/trailer/

I first saw this in a theater; when the "From Director Woody Allen" credit came up at the end people actually gasped they were so surprised. It just doesn't look like anything he's done before.

All of them sound good except for Woody Allen. I just can't get into his movies.Oh, come on! Not even the "early funny ones"? IMHO, Bananas, Sleeper, and Love and Death are among the funniest movies ever made! I also think Stardust Memories is one of his best — but then, I'm nuts about Charlotte Rampling.

No, sorry Woody Allen really hasn't made anything I find enjoyable. Mostly because he usually plays such a prominent role in his movies: I find him to be grading. Everyone else in the movie tends to be fantastic. It's him I can't stand. Maybe if he played some other character than himself.

José

I'm with José on this one. I have never understood where anyone could think that Woody Allen is a "comedy genius" , or even anything better than a hit or miss director. I have enjoyed some of his work, but the majority has had me scoping out the theater exits long before they dragged to the end. Given a choice, and without my Ex-wife to drag me to them, I doubt I'll ever go to see another Allen film. Just my opinion.

Everyone else in the movie tends to be fantastic. It's him I can't stand. Maybe if he played some other character than himself.
Woody Allen freely admits that he's incapable of playing anything other than himself. Maybe that's why I like most of his movies — one neurotic Jew can identify with another. :)

If you're a Johnny Cash fan at all I'd also recommend "Walk The Line". Not a perfect music bio - I'd still have to give that grade to "Coal Miner's Daughter" - but a more than worthwhile effort nonetheless.

No, sorry Woody Allen really hasn't made anything I find enjoyable. Mostly because he usually plays such a prominent role in his movies: I find him to be grading. Everyone else in the movie tends to be fantastic. It's him I can't stand. Maybe if he played some other character than himself.

José

Check out his movie "What's Up, Tiger Lilly?" He's not really in it till the end. He took a 1960s Japanese Bond type spy movie and re-dubbed it. Very MST3K like. Turner Classic Movies shows it from time to time. It's on dvd too.

The one Allen film that still cracks me up is Take The Money And Run, it's so goofy it doesn't date as bad as most of his other films.

Syriana is a gut wrenching film, well, to me anyway. Tough to watch at times and riveting in others, it really packs a punch. Dr. Bashir is outstanding, as is everyone including Damon and Clooney.

TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN
SLEEPER
PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM
LOVE & DEATH
ANNIE HALL
MANHATTEN
STARDUST MEMORIES
ZELIG
BROADWAY DANNY ROSE
THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO
HANNAH AND HER SISTERS
CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
HUSBANDS AND WIVES

This is, of course, only a partial list.

Woody Allen is one of the greatest comedian/ author/ playwright/ actor/ filmmaker/ humorists this country has ever, or will ever, produce. I can understand how one might take issue with some of the choices he's made in his (not so) personal life, but saying you don't like Woody Allen's work is sort of like saying you don't like the work of Mark Twain or Will Rodgers or Groucho Marx or Bob Hope or Richard Pryor. It's downright un-American! ;)

i think Woody Allen's films are more about his reputation than how good the film is.
i do love his early stuff, but his later films suffer.

i dont like Mark Twain or Will Rogers OR RICHARD PRYOR!

but Groucho and Hope are awesome!!!!!!!!!

Woody Allen: "But shouldn't I stop making movies and do something that counts, like helping blind people or becoming a missionary or something?"

Voice of Martian: "Let me tell you, you're not the missionary type. You'd never last. And incidentally, you're also not Superman; you're a comedian. You want to do mankind a real service? Tell funnier jokes."

I didn't mean for this to become the "Woody Allen" thread, but one of the interesting things about MATCH POINT is its un-Woody Allen-ness. At any rate the film stands on its own as one of the year's best.

Martin: I worked on the M.P. trailer and we deliberately left Allen's name until the end because we didn't want to sell it as "A Woody Allen Film". Watching people's reactions to his title card has been a lot of fun.

The one Allen film that still cracks me up is Take The Money And Run, it's so goofy it doesn't date as bad as most of his other films.I don't think any of his films have dated at all, with the possible exception of Annie Hall, which does have a definite ’70s vibe (mainly due to the L.A. jokes and Diane Keaton's wardrobe).
i think Woody Allen's films are more about his reputation than how good the film is.
i do love his early stuff, but his later films suffer. . . but Groucho and Hope are awesome!!!!!!!!!Interesting that you should mention Groucho Marx and Bob Hope, since much of Allen's early work was influenced by those great comedians. His character in Take the Money and Run, Bananas, and especially Love and Death is an homage (or ripoff) of Hope's classic coward, and the wordplay is very Groucho-esque:

"Shall we say pistols at dawn?"
"We can say it. I don't know what it means, but we can say it."

"Her seconds will call on your seconds."
"Well, my seconds are busy, have them call on my thirds. If my thirds are out, go directly to my fourths."

"Something's missing. . . I feel a void at the center of my being."
"What kind of void?"
"Well, an empty void. I felt a full void about a month ago but it was just something I ate."

Funny stuff!

At first, I thought this thread was for holiday-themed movies. Seeing that it isn't, I'll add The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to the list. I've waited a very long time to see this story adapted properly to the big screen -- I once thought it could be done properly only in full animation. Saw the movie Friday night and my years of wistful dreaming were amply fulfilled. That just doesn't happen every day.

One thing I found funny ... sitting in the theater before the movie began, a woman sitting near me opined that she thought it would have been better had they cast a different voice for Aslan. Who did she think they should have chosen? James Earl Jones. I thought, well, maybe had he not already done the voice of another "Lion King" ...

At the end, I heard her mention that she had changed her mind -- she was happy with Liam Neeson giving voice to Aslan after all.

Qapla'

SSB

I don't think any of his films have dated at all, with the possible exception of Annie Hall, which does have a definite ’70s vibe (mainly due to the L.A. jokes and Diane Keaton's wardrobe).



Bananas, Sleeper, Love and Death, Stardust Memories and even Play It Again Sam seem very dated & seventy-ish to me. Take the Money and Run and Zelig still crack me up. I've never been the biggest Allen fan tho.

Woody Allen freely admits that he's incapable of playing anything other than himself. Maybe that's why I like most of his movies — one neurotic Jew can identify with another. :)

I have no problems with Jews (inside joke... two of my godchildren are Jewish) or neuroses. :lol:

What I mean is that Allen casts himself as some type of super stud who has women (usually at least two) fawning over him. It's a consistent trait throughout most of his films. I can't suspend my disbelief that much! The man is ugly (odd-looking look at best), is not a snappy dresser and is irritating to listen to (both the quality of his voice or the contents of his communication). He doesn't even have a winning personality... yet he's a guy women are supposedly agonizing/competing over? I don't think so... or at least I'm incredulous.

Yeah, sure, call it "creative license" or "it's his story and he can write his character however he wants", but that doesn't mean that this moviegoer has to buy what he's selling or that I'm somehow un-American because I refuse to partake in what others call genius.

José

Just saw "Good Night and Good Luck". I highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history and current events.

Just saw "Good Night and Good Luck". I highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history and current events.

Thought you might like that one. Good stuff, and amazingly topical.

Thought you might like that one. Good stuff, and amazingly topical.

Interesting how history repeats itself.