tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3283338096792894528.post8702671824952404049..comments2023-09-17T08:58:33.875-07:00Comments on Metro Classics - Seattle's 4th (or 5th) Most Popular Repertory Film Series: The Official Metro Classics Best Movies of the 2000s, Part TwoMikeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08400927064697543220noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3283338096792894528.post-52979438040900728982009-12-26T11:36:04.355-08:002009-12-26T11:36:04.355-08:00Of the ones you listed, I've seen The Lives of...Of the ones you listed, I've seen <i>The Lives of Others, Beyond the Mat</i> and the Eastwoods. I enjoyed the wrestling doc, but wasn't much impressed by the others. I thought <i>Flags of our Fathers</i> and <i>Letters From Iwo Jima</i> were Eastwood's best film of this decade, but they finished just outside the list.<br /><br /><i>The Proposition</i> was, I believe, the lone Australian film to make the list, though <i>Moulin Rouge!</i> was pretty close.<br /><br />I actually had <i>Devils on the Doorstep (Guizi lai le)</i> from netflix a couple of years ago, but never watched it. Kitano's on my long list of directors whose work I plan to delve into at some point in the future. I've only seen one of his films (<i>Hana-bi (Fireworks)</i>) but really liked it.Sean Gilmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16124894627028920508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3283338096792894528.post-1523656839448777652009-12-26T11:13:47.370-08:002009-12-26T11:13:47.370-08:00Other ones you missed...
BEYOND THE MAT (2000): B...Other ones you missed...<br /><br />BEYOND THE MAT (2000): Before THE WRESTLER, there was this...and despite the largely illusory nature of pro wrestling, this film shows sometimes it's all too real.<br /><br />RABBIT PROOF FENCE (2002): Do you folks not watch any Australian films?<br /><br />TSOTSI (2005): This decade's answer to FRESH, and it seems already, a film destined to be forgotten by the masses, just like its 1990s counterpart. Again, not an obscure film! Won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar...where is it on your list?<br /><br />ROCKY BALBOA (2006): Go on, admit it: Sylvester Stallone floored us all with this final chapter in the Rocky saga. I expected it to be special, but this exceeded all expectations. Although I enjoyed the sixth STAR WARS movie, let's be honest: it didn't match The Italian Stallion's last stand.<br /><br />LAST TRAIN TO FREO (2006): Admittedly, an obscurity, even in its native Australia. However, I must give mention to the best Australian film I saw from this decade, period.<br /><br />HOME SONG STORIES (2007): A much better film than the thematically similar ROMULUS, MY FATHER. It features Joan Chen. Could be the most depressing film of the decade; surely, it must rank near the top of a very short list in said category.<br /><br />NOISE (2007): Another magnificent Aussie film; I was really surprised by this one.<br /><br />RELIGULOUS (2008): If you can include BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE on your list, I don't see how you could miss Bill Maher's hilarious critique of organised religion. Unless, of course, you feel threatened by the film's atheistic message. Right on target with its message of rationalism, the film is a movie buff's delight, featuring clips from dozens of films, old and recent.<br /><br />I know the idea of the list is really subjective, but I am surprised some of these films (particularly SOPHIE SCHOLL and DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN) didn't make the grade.<br /><br />I actually did see COLOSSAL YOUTH by Pedro Costa. That film should not even be considered, and I'm glad it didn't find its way onto the list. Quite simply, the most overlong film of the decade. Two and a half hours of sheer boredom...and NOTHING HAPPENS! A colossal bore, more like it. That said, I did enjoy EDGE OF HEAVEN by Fatih Akin, in addition to another couple of "heavenly" films from the 2000s: GATE OF HEAVEN (Germany, 2003) and AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (Sweden, 2004, Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film).<br /><br />Finally, where's Clint Eastwood? No consideration for MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004) or GRAND TORINO (2008), to name a couple? Were these even considered? Considering some of the films that did make the list, it seems inexplicable to say the least.<br /><br />Mark Vanselow.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11125637148521002668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3283338096792894528.post-27693755562410441742009-12-26T11:04:34.159-08:002009-12-26T11:04:34.159-08:00It must be said, where are the finest German films...It must be said, where are the finest German films of the decade on your list?<br /><br />SOPHIE SCHOLL: DIE LETZTEN TAGE (2005): The final days in the brief life of extraordinarily courageous German anti-war activist Sophie Scholl, the woman who dared to defy the Nazi regime. Julia Jentsch is magnificent.<br /><br />Did you not see this one?<br /><br />DAS LEBEB DER ANDEREN (2006): East Germany, 1980s: a playwright has his personal life quietly invaded by the dreaded Stasi. The late Ulrich Mühe delivers one of the finest, most memorable performances in one of the most surprising movies of the decade.<br /><br />Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film...again, did you not see it? It's not exactly what you'd call obscure.<br /><br />EIN FREUND VON MIR (2006): A lesser known German film featuring Daniel Brühl and Jürgen Vogel, but I can't resist mentioning it because of it wonderfully positive vibes.<br /><br />And given your obvious fascination with Asian cinema, you might have included these...<br /><br />GUIZI LAI LE (2000): Japanese-Chinese tragicomedy, longish to be certain, but some real humour, beautiful black and white photography, and one of the most heartbreaking, memorable final frames of any film of the decade.<br /><br />PACCHIGI! (2004): Korean versus Japanese rivalry reaches an explosive climax in this powerful Japanese tragicomedy.<br /><br />KANTOKU-BANZAI! (Japan, 2007): Also know as GLORY TO THE FILMMAKER! Very funny and imaginative film, written and directed by its star, Takeshi Kitano.<br /><br />GACHI BOY: WRESTLING WITH A MEMORY (2008): Darren Aronofsky's THE WRESTLER was a fine film, but it wasn't the only wrestling film of the decade; in fact, it wasn't even the best wrestling film of its year. Leave it to Japan, long regarded as the greatest pro wrestling nation on the planet, to produce this wonderful tragicomedy, featuring wrestling choreography far better than anything Mickey Rourke and compnay managed. That's not even mentioning a climactic wrestling match far more exciting and emotional than the one in Darren Aronofsky's film. <br /><br />Mark VanselowUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11125637148521002668noreply@blogger.com