205 replies to this topic

[Russ]

Similar to the Book Club. Only with no book.

My Netflix queue is up around 300. It's ridiculous.

Let's pick a movie on video and watch it collectively and discuss it.

I don't know whether I can start a poll, but I'm sure Alan will do that once we've got a field of contenders. I'm happy to watch and discuss something I've already seen if we come up with a thought-provoking film.

Any suggestions? I'd say we should stick to something that's Netflixable and-- to avoid well-trod ground-- something that the vast majority of us haven't seen already. And I think we should pick something that's not likely to make a number of members uncomfortable due to content issues (put that Gaspar Noe-recommending hand down, stefbo!)

I'll pick through my queue and come up with a few nominations. I've given no thought-- absolutely none-- to whether we should limit nominations, when to vote, seconding, etc.

[M. Leary]

I'm game. Let's find something that is actually attainable over here, I am always up for a classic French noir...Le Cercle Rouge may be a good one.

[Russ]

Eyes Without a Face
My Architect
Taste of Cherry

[Russ]

M

[Thom]

I am up for this.

(M) check and see what's on the BBC and maybe we could find that movie here. I am willing to work around what you can get your hands on.

[Diane]

Count me in! I'm open to your suggestions.

[Darren H]

I'm up for just about anything, assuming that we get enough lead time for tracking down a DVD. I love GreenCine, but their turnaround times aren't quite as good as NetFlix's.

I've become downright passionate about Rick Linklater lately, so I'd like to nominate Slacker, which is now available on a great DVD from Criterion.

[BethR]

BTW, I have a free month (not 2 weeks) of Netflix to share--deadline pending.

This sounds like a great idea, Russ. I'd like to suggest the Greenland movie Heart of Light so you'll vote for it on the next A&F100 round. Ulterior motivations? Not me!

But I'll go with any of those that have been suggested.

[M. Leary]

Not My Architect. I wasn't as big a fan of that one, wasn't nearly as "architectural" in presentation as it should have been.

Slacker has my vote as well, it has been a while since I have seen it. I have just ordered it from my online rental service, so I guess I will be watching it regardless. Many of us have seen all of Linklater's films anyway, so we would be able to interact with him intelligably as a filmmaker throughout our discussion.

[Russ]

I'd like to suggest the Greenland movie Heart of Light so you'll vote for it on the next A&F100 round. Ulterior motivations? Not me!

Ha! That movie sounds great. That's now in the queue even if it doesn't get picked.

Slacker is also a preexisting queue presence, so I'm down with it.

What about one/both of the versions of Fanny and Alexander?

[Mark]

My critical skills are nowhere near some of you guys, but I'd love to join. Count me in!

[Thom]

I am absolutely up for Slacker. I have seen most of Linklater's films but this is one I have yet to see ever since I missed it at the theatre because I had to work late.

I am also up for Franny and Alexander which I noticed our college library just purchased, catalogued and shelved the double DVD.

So far it looks like slacker is getting the nod.

[Ann D.]

Oh, how I wish I could do this, but I had to cancel my Netflix due to budget reasons.

But I will be following along and writing down recommendations for myself for the future.

[Thom]

Ann, if we watch Slacker I am sure you can find it at your local Blockbuster OR inter-library loan it.

[Darren H]

I meant to mention this in my first post, but if any of you happen to buy the Slacker set, be sure to watch Linklater's first feature, which is included as an incredible bonus. In fact, this is the first ever release of It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books on any home video format.

Plow is a difficult film, formally speaking. Linklater mentions on his commentary that he was heavily indebted to structuralist filmmakers at the time. Plus, budget constraints meant that he was almost literally a one-man film crew: writer, director, producer, cinematographer, editor, and lead actor.

Having said all that, I'm convinced that if Plow had been made in Tehran or Taipei in the last decade, cinephiles would be lauding it as a masterpiece. It is just brilliant filmmaking. Reminds me most of Tsai Ming-Liang's films. And its style -- long takes, static camera positions, and an almost wordless script -- is such a departure from Slacker. Form is Linklater's gift, I think.

And thus ends my first (of many, if need be) salespitch for Linklater.

[Christian]

I'm fine with this idea, but it seems to me that Russ' idea was to see something most people haven't seen. Much of the enthusiasm for Slacker comes from people who've already seen it, albeit not recently.

I'm tempted to suggest that the film not be a North American release -- not because overseas films are superior, but simply because the chances of most of us not having seen the film will be much greater.

To that end, I'd love to do Fanny and Alexander, which I've been wanting to see for some time now. I just need an excuse.

If we went with something by Linklater, I'm more inclined to go with a less well-known film of his, like Tape or SubUrbia, neither of which I've seen. I'm not sure how easy they are to get ahold of, or if I'd be able to participate, but I'd certainly be more interested in the feedback on those two films than I would be Slacker, which, as a landmark of independent cinema, has been covered every which way.

Still, those who haven't seen Slacker are encouraged to do so, whether or not it makes the cut here. It's a good little movie. Not as good as Dazed and Confused, ya know, but a good little movie...

[Darren H]

Slacker has been picked apart as an artifact of a particular zeitgeist (independent film and the grunge/Gen-X era), but what struck me when I watched it recently (and for the first time) is how human and moral the film is, and in ways that I think Christians could genuinely benefit from discussing. The downside of both Tape and Suburbia, though I like both, is that neither were written by Linklater and so they lack something of what I think makes him such an important filmmaker.

I'm totally up for Fanny and Alexander, by the way. I've seen 20 or so Bergman films now but have somehow managed to miss that one. Plus, I've been looking for an excuse to buy the Criterion set.

[John]

Count me in. Slacker I haven't seen in a few years, and I saw Fanny a few weeks ago. I would look forward to an excuse to revisit either.

[Anders]

I like the sugestion of M, since my brother bought the new Criterion disc, I need some reason to watch it.

[Russ]

Well, we could probably do one of these every couple of weeks, so let's use this thread as a source of films until we run out, or until there's lack of support for them.

Unless there are big objections to them, let's do Slacker and Fanny and Alexander as our first two selections.

1. Which one to do first?

2. When can we start, or how much time do we have to give people to see the film? I'm thinking we start discussing the film right after Easter. About 10 days from now. Is that unrealistic?

3. If we choose F & A to be the first film, do we designate a particular version? The TV version is just extended, right?